Rime of the Frostmaiden - Adventure

(As posted Ophelia had previously, just now started to cast Blade Ward after the party came upon Garret.  d10 for rounds remaining:  3)

The lavender tinge around Ophelia grows deeper as she draws on an inner wellspring of chaotic magic (Innate Sorcery), baring her teeth like a cat herself.  Pulling bow from back, and nocks and arrow and looses it without aiming, yet it arcs, violet and warbling, directly into a crag cat.

Movement:  Ophelia stays put, at range but nearby, within 30' of the crag cats.
Bonus Action:  Ophelia activates Innate Sorcery:  all her spell attacks have advantage and her spell save DC goes up by 1.
Action:  Ophelia casts True Strike with her longbow, targeting the most injured crag cat.
True Strike with longbow to hit most injured crag cat:  24
True Strike with longbow damage on most injured crag cat:  9 (radiant)

Ophelia is currently concentrating on Blade Ward, this round and up to 2 more rounds afterwards if she maintains concentration.  All inbound attack rolls subtract 1d4 while active.  She also has the Shield available as a Reaction and will use it if applicable.

A deep languor has afflicted the Calishite paladin ever since the company's cool reception at the tavern in Caer Dinaeval, when they were forced to weather the elements and make their beds amid the pitiless winds of the Dale. Zuleikha had endured chilly, bleak nights on her northward journey up the Sword Coast through Waterdeep and Luskan, yet never had she known such a biting cold, one that seemed to knife through her mantle and furs, coiling about her bones as if claiming them.

A heaviness of head, a sluggishness of the humours, and a longing in her heart for her homeland meant she largely kept her silence, trudging through the snow - a sulky princess from faraway lands, utterly out of place. From time to time, she has grimaced and rubbed her temples or else blown her nose into a spare scarf, muttering long, flowery laments in her native Alzhedo. Only when the party find themselves ambushed by the crag cats, does life seem to kindle behind her large, long-lashed eyes. 

"Long in tooth and heavy of pelt you may be, yet dull of wit to fall upon one who swore her oaths beneath the sapphire throne of the noble queen of the djinn." Zuleikha chastises the crag cats, as if they were errant courtiers instead of mountain predators. While the crag cats likely fail to comprehend her rebuke, the scimitar and shortsword that come ringing from her scabbards may better speak their language. She dances forward, a whirlwind of silk and steel, dashing towards the large cat accosting Marva, and attempting to gut it throat to belly where it stands.

MOVEMENT: Engage with the crag cat attacking Marva.
BONUS ACTION: Divine Favor
ACTION: Attack with Scimitar. To hit: 22 Damage: 4 Divine Favour damage (radiant): 2
Light attack with Shortsword due to Nick weapon mastery. To hit: 6 Damage: 8 DF damage (radiant): 2
REACTION: Attack of Opportunity. Shortsword. To hit: 23 Damage: 5 DF damage (radiant): 2

Ellora successfully scorches the cat that targeted Dvu while Drift harmlessly blasts the snow behind it. Marva breaths onto the two beasts, which causes them some discomfort. Dvu shakes off the bite but his counterattack does not connect. Ophelia sends a blindingly bright bolt into the cat by Dvu, causing it to roar in anger. Zuleika wields her deadly weapons with purpose against the same cat but with only the scimitar spilling blood onto the snow. 

Round 2

The cats are now convinced of your ferocity and decide to show you theirs. The first resumes its attempts to get to Garret, its original target until you came wandering in, by going through Marva. It successfully bites deep on Marva, causing 13hp damage! The second turns its attention to the flurry of colors that harmed it but its razor sharp claws catch only Zuleika’s clothing and none of her. 

Your initiative. 

Still hidden inside her snowy image, Ellora watches in horror as the ferocious feline now tears into the dragonborn scholar. Still staying in her cover she again calls upon her white fire to scorch the closest beast.

(Fire Bolt: 13 Fire: 10)

“Yowwwch!” cries Marva as the cat’s teeth bite deep into her shoulder. She shoves the cat away adding, “By all that’s in the book, that hurts!” As the words leave her mouth, she feels the wound knit together. (Casting Healing Word as a bonus action for 10 points of healing)

Taking a deep, steadying breath, she growls at the cat, “We’ll have no more of that.” She swings her mace against a surprisingly tough skull: a good hit, but little damage.

(Mace attack: 18; damage 1)

(Edited to remove sap property)

"Fell feline fury fight and flail
Yet biting more than they can chew
As lashing claw and whipping tail
Shall not these cats ever avail
To strike their prey when we are through"

Her quavering voice cutting through the cold mountain air, Ophelia nocks and looses another arrow, curving away from her poorly aimed initial trajectory once more, directly into a crag cat's center of mass, the projectile warbling radiantly with lavender energy the entire way.

Movement:  None
Action:  True Strike with longbow (with advantage due to Innate Sorcery, 8 more rounds), to hit nearest crag cat:  21, damage:  10 (radiant)
Bonus Action:  None

Ophelia is still concentrating on Blade Ward (1 more round after this one, all inbound attack rolls on her subtract 1d4).
She also has the Shield spell available as a Reaction if applicable.

Dvu has a frustrated look on his face as he swings at the slippery cat again, woofing a second swing.  He actually makes a “Grr” sound when he misses this time, but he watches his friends land blow after blow and hopes that they are successful in getting it to fall.  

Shillelagh : 10 to hit, for 5 points of force damage.  

“Back, back, you beast!” cries Drift, brandishing his thorny and knotted war wand at the one targeting Marva. 

Fire Bolt. Attack: 22. Damage: 3 fire.

"New I may be to these lands, but certain I am that dog-earing a 'book' without permission is considered most rude in every civilised realm." Zuleikha tsks her disapproval at the cat tearing clumps out of the bibliophile dragonborn. The paladin pirouettes where she stands and brings her blades around for another pass, steel whistling through the air.

MOVEMENT: None.
ACTION: Attack with Shortsword. To hit: 13 Damage: 4 Divine Favour damage (radiant): 1
BONUS ACTION: Two-Weapon Fighting. Light attack with Scimitar, advantage due to the Vex weapon mastery. To hit: (24, 9) Damage: 7 DF damage (radiant): 3
REACTION: Attack of Opportunity. Shortsword. To hit: 23 Damage: 5 DF damage (radiant): 4

The crag cat that attacked Marva draws everyone’s attention and is bludgeoned and pierced and sliced into submission. The other cat decides that you are not the meal that it was looking for and disappears into the snowy mist as quickly as it appeared. Combat over. You quickly regroup and need to decide next steps. Garret insists that he must find his missing adventurers, although he admits that he fears the worst for them. He plans to ascend the mountain with or without you, even though light is starting to fail. Your plan? 
Month: Hammer, 2, Day: X, Time: 1515

As the crag cat turns tail and flees, the young white-haired human emerges from the mound of snow and looks around to make sure everyone is okay. "Well, our mission is to find the entire group so I assume we will follow you up the mountain. It would be helpful if you shared more about what happened up there." She says, ready to follow along. 

Perception with help from Oculus: 13

Still looking around wildly for further threats, Ophelia continues to cast Blade Ward on herself.

It is not even a question in her mind that the group should continue and attempt to rescue the other adventurers who had been attacked.

"Speaker Naerth of Targos pressed us into service under duress to find and return mainly you, Garret, seemingly for utilitarian, not altruistic purposes.  Nevertheless, that is not why we undertook this task.  Of course we shall all try to rescue the others who were attacked by the Yeti.  It is the right thing to do, and there is something larger happening in Icewind Dale that I strive to grasp.  We have seen but glimpses of it.  Hidden.  Treacherous..."

With that, Ophelia's thoughts seem to wander once more, and she peers up the mountainside as if searching for something deeper than crag cats or a Yeti.

“That’s right!,” shouts Marva as the crag cat scampers away. “We weren’t such easy pickings, were we!” She breathes hard and examines the mostly healed place on her shoulder for a moment. “I suppose I could get used to that,” she mutters to herself. “Knowledge really is power, it seems. My thanks…”

As the discussion with Garret gets her attention, she contributes, “Yes, as my companions say, we always intended to find the whole group. I’m prepared to continue on now. Or we could rest for just a bit, maybe eat some rations. Are you well, though, Garret? Are you healed enough to head into more danger?” She also introduces herself.

If by chance the group decides to rest for a bit, Marva would be interested in harvesting a claw or fang from the fallen crag cat. It’s a bit gruesome, but she wants a specimen. Being a city girl, she would ask the others if anyone has experience with collecting pieces of wild animals.

Dvu looks Garret over, examining his injuries and current condition, thinking.  “We need to find your friends, but carefully.  We need to be ready for the ascent.  Did one of those cats bash your head?  You should probably sit down and rest for a moment, then we will begin.  You need help, and we will give it to you, but I want to make sure you are thinking clearly..”  Dvu looks up at what is before them, then examines each of his companions likewise, assessing injuries and readiness to travel further.  

Month: Hammer, 2, Day: X, Time: 1530

You take a short rest as you recover from the attack and get the story from Garret. He describes his three companions as Mokingo Growling Bear Akannathi, a male goliath warrior, Perilou Fishfinger, a female halfling who is Mokingo’s stalwart companion, and Astrix, a female tiefling who mumbles and swears a lot. I'm fine, don't worry about me. Ye have already helped. My thanks be to ye. One of them yeti got the drop on us. I led it away from the others but got bashed pretty good in the process. That was several days ago. I doubt me companions are alive but am honor-bound to find out. I am sorry ye are compelled to find me. I have had only a few dealings with Speaker Naerth but am pleased to learn of his interest in me survival as I also want to survive. To be clear, I hope ye are comfortable at night on a dangerous cold mountain. Light is failing, which will only increase our risks as we go up. There is a perilous climb up to where we were ambushed. There is likely a cave there, probably with Yeti and maybe its family, where we could take shelter, although Yetis are no known for being welcoming hosts. And who knows what else we might find along the way. I thank you in advance for helping me find my companions. He gratefully gulps down a ration and stands to resume his task, this time with you. Garret leads the way followed by the group in its usual order. After one hour, you halt as he explains that you have now reached the challenging portion. Stifling any groans, since the climb has been excellent exercise already, he says get yourself ready. Everyone please make a Strengths (Athletics) check.  

Already breathing heavily, Marva looks at the more challenging part of the trail with concern. She closes her eyes for a moment and just whispers, “Help!” She then proceeds slowly with all the determination she can muster. 

(She casts Guidance, giving herself a d4 on Athletics checks: 8+2)

Dvu is determined, muscling through any discomfort and gritting his teeth as he does so, he makes the climb.  If possible, he helps Marva by providing a hand if needed.  

Athletics check : 23

To say Ophelia is not built to be a mountain climber would be a drastic understatement.  Nevertheless, she attacks the slope with single-minded focus, and each time it looks as if she will tumble or slip, a foothold or jut of rock seems to be there just where she needs it to avoid disaster, following Dvu.

Ophelia's Athletics with advantage due to Lucky Feat (point expended):  17

Ellora too does her best to negotiate the challenging part of the ascent, shaking her head to herself. She had known there would be a harsh climate in the dale but she hadn't expected to do any actual climbing. The only climbing she had ever considered was climbing the ladder of power and influence within the brotherhood.

Athletics: Hah, nat 20 for a 19

Elated by the victory over the crag cats, Zuleikha is in a buoyant mood as Garret elaborates about his companions. "They sound a colourful crew. Until certainty settles upon us, do not lose hope, good Garret. We will do all we can for you and yours, this I do swear." She assures him, but her mind swims with thoughts of the abominable snowmen Garret has described. Yetis are real? What other marvels lie hidden in this wintry expanse? It feels as if I have but grazed the surface of its mysteries.

Distracted by the revelation that the cryptids do in fact exist, Zuleikha's attempts to scale the ledge prove rather less graceful than her words. Despite her grunting and gasping, her footing seems remarkable uncertain, her handholds less than secure...

Athletics: 3