Tests and Trials Game Thread

While all this planning is going on, Jaq activates his belt and soars straight upwards and will carefully look about for anything moving about in the distance.    After his upward scouting, he will head back down and de-activate the belt (I'm assuming it works that way as it only last for so long each day).  He will let the others know what he did, or did not, see.

Perception: 4

Advantage for Jaq height: 9

Kroshav figures there is enough room in the tomb for Mikram and a couple others (and statue and Lurn) if they don't mind not having a ton of space and having a dead body with them. Expansion to make sure there is room for everyone won't take long, but will leave it as a rather large cavern.

With some slipping and scrabbling of hooves Kroshav, Charlie and Eula are able to get to the tree line. With Kroshav stamping a path through the high drifts, in places over his head, the horses are able to follow behind. Once through the drifts Kroshav finds the ground beneath the trees nearly free of snow and many large branches litter the ground that can be collected. The trees are covered with snow and an odd twilight darkness, noise dampened by snow and the occasional groan and cracking of overburden wood make it an eerie environment. The thudding from his ax sends snow tumbling down around him but nothing else moves while he works and is able to gather enough timber to make a makeshift sled ((I'm picturing those that Native Americans used)) and make a fairly solid door block when combined with some planks from beds.

Cladmir gathers up some more of the quickly dwindling wooden crates and readies them for transport for when Kroshav returns.

As Kroshav is making is way to the treeline and Cladmir is heading down below, Jaq takes to the sky. As still as the air felt below, flying up Jaq notices a slight breeze when he is around three hundred feet up. Compared to the day before it is barely noticeable but it still stings his eyes with how bitterly cold it is. Jaq is able to track Kroshav's progress without effort and sees the wall of snow along the tree-lines and the long, ever deepening Cut extending off to the south. The relative stillness also makes spotting the more than two dozen different streams of smoke from the forests on either side of the Cut easy to spot. At least three of them are large enough to belong to a village or large encampment. All of these are at least a couple days travel away. The nearest of the smoke pillars, two on one side of the Cut and another on the other, are quite close, probably only a three to four hike. If there is anything moving in the forests he wouldn't be able to see it.

Before descending to report, Jaq does a slow spin to scan the mountain line in the distance and the more closely. Other than snow blowing of the peaks in the sinking sunlight, the elf doesn't see anything, or is pretty sure he doesn't see anything. As he is nearly completed his turn he thinks he spots something swoop between the mountains several miles off. Blinking away tears from the cold breeze and squinting against the last glare of the setting sun on the icy peaks he isn't able to confirm that he saw anything in the first place and after watching for a few more minutes and not seeing anything else drops back to ground.

((Is the party heading over tomorrow to get the tomb habitable and then moving in? Anything else tonight?))

((Getting the sled outfitted as best he can, possibly transporting only the statue at first and leaving Lurn at rest where he is. Would rather be able to transport him and inter him all in the same future trip than have him getting tripped over and ending up propped next to the firewood or something. From the initial room carved, Kroshav would be extending a passage further, so there is a defensible hallway to fall back to if the doorway and forechamber were to get overrun (as well as further distancing from the cold and elements). He's not a dungeon designer, so isn't likely to have sophisticated ideas for layout of a tomb, but is thinking more militarily and practically.))

Ernos isn't up to much, he mostly just spends time watching for any signs of danger nearby.

((I was picturing a narrowish tunnel leading into a medium sized carved cavern first and now it going to have another tunnel and cavern? Sound about right?))

Kroshav spends most of the rest of the afternoon getting the sled assembled, looking to move the statue and the door making items first.

Ernos looks all the activity but decides to just try and stay warm.

The sun sets and the temperature quickly drops, sending everyone but the golems below into the relative warmth of the archives for the night.

Weather: 51

The next day dawns, or presumably dawns. It is hard to tell behind the clouds that have come in during the night. It probably isn't too much colder but the wind is blowing again so it certainly feels like it is.

((So who is going to the tunnel today? All together with Kroshav's sled? Mikram said he was okay with going during the day, and the weather is cooperating to mean he won't actually be out in the sun.))

Cladmir is planning on going with the aim of setting up fortifications while Kroshav does the digging.

((I was picturing a narrowish tunnel leading into a medium sized carved cavern first and now it going to have another tunnel and cavern? Sound about right?))

((Yeah, the first cavern can be where we set up camp in the meantime, and expand it out and in to where the tomb will actually be. Kroshav would plan on Ealu coming and Charlie staying behind, he has the peace of mind of knowing he can send her to safety if necessary.))

((Give me a d20 roll @Cladmir. Any modifiers you think apply to building the door/barrier?

@all, Yes or no on bringing Mikram?))

((If we're taking the statue today, I think he'd probably want to be along with it, and the cloud cover may make it more comfortable than seeing the vast expanse of open sky. If we're planning on staying out at the tomb, getting some rations from the Librarian would be good if she's willing. Maybe Joe can be spending her time giving the ol' bony gal some pointers on how to conjure food that isn't just a pile of grub?))

I would argue that Cladmir should be able to use his intelligence since as a mercenary he has seen battlefield fortifications so he should be able to use that as a pattern although on a much smaller scale.

Roll!  6

Welp his knowledge failed him -- he know what it should look like but making it happen is another story.  :p 

(( Also vote to have Mik come with us ))

((Bringing Mikram can happen once we've got a sled constructed to transport the statue.))

((The Librarian's food disappears after a day, not great for rations. You have a fair amount of the Drow food left though, so you don't need hers.

That is actually what I had Joe doing, among other things. The result is that instead of a pile of food amalgamate there are individual pieces of food and sauces. Unfortunately she doesn't eat and has no sense of taste so everything tastes the same, not good.))

As the sled is loaded with the unfinished statue, Mikram is brought up. The golem carrying him is moving slowly but the dwarf's eyes are squeezed nearly shut against the light, though it is far from bright. He looks around and asks,

"So ye live in a large cavern then? The roof of it must be miles off!"

There is true wonder in his voice.

The trip to the tomb is uneventful and Kroshav gets right to work extending and expanding it. Cladmir sets about putting together some 'fortifications'. After a while it becomes clear the fortifications are going to amount to a loosely held together pile of sticks and a few pikes that lean too far down and to the side to be of much help.

Ernos looks on but keeps watch (?).

((If he is keeping watch give me a perception check.))

((Double post))

"Err... it's probably easier if that's how you think of it, sure."

Mikram nods at having understood how things are in the world, just like how they've always been for him before but brighter.

Perception: 8

(When it comes to food, Ernos can try to forage with his +5 Survival.  Most likely he'd come up with edible bark scrapings that aren't particularly tasty but get the job done, considering the environment.)

Ernos looks on as Cladmir plays with sticks. It is hard to make out what the plan is but he seems to be working towards some goal.

Ernos is distracted enough by this that he isn't spending too much time watching their surroundings. Really only he, Cladmir and Eula are outside of the mountain and he doubts much is going to be able to sneak up on them with the mountain behind them.

He is, therefore, surprised as he hears a shriek from above along the mountain as a large bird lion dives and attempts grab the horse with its talons.

Horse grapple: 23