Lost Mines Gr-A

Rose had been soundly sleeping when the cries to wake up had been called. Her eyes open up in a flash and she reaches for her hammer before she realizes what caused the commotion and starts to laugh. It's okay it's okay, he's just hungry aren't you fella. Here have this. Rose grabs one of the rations and opens it up for the wolf to snack on before grabbing another to give him. She goes to pet him but does so slowly, ready to retract her hand if needed. Poor fella must be starving.

If needed, animal handling: 14

19  (that helpie boi)

Groaning, Paavu fights off the urge to stay asleep, and with a final huff gets up to see all the racket. "Mph. Course Yue is. Pupper strong enough to survive magic birdman's magic needs much to stay strong." He said with a bit of mirth to his voice. As the realization then dons on him that he forgot to collect rations from the wagon, the goliath sucks in a breathe in panic, and then releases it, remember the stock bought in town. "Paavu glad he committed to purchases." He mumbles as he shuffles over to help Rose in handling Yue; largely in just being a watchful presence at first, but also ready to restrain Yue if it comes to it.

Though if it can be helped even then, he'd rather growl a warning and give off a sense of being more an alpha to the wolf. "The Burgee have Paavu's thanks." He'll call back to Burgee, but without taking his eyes off the wolf. Not until he(she?) appeared to settle down, and would allow them to get back to resting once more.

As everyone more or less wakes up, Lark continues to snooze through it all. The wolf tearing hard into the pack, just before it's suddenly grabbed by the floating hand that would begin tugging it away. The wolf.. responding much like any other canine... Beginning to tug back at it as it fights the hand, and... gains ground, the hand being pulled along with it as the wolf tries to tear it away from this new attacker. The seams in the pack start to shred and uncoil just a bit luckily the mage hand itself isn't quite strong enough to put up the necessary force to tear it fully but the bag has started to see quite a bit of damage by the time Rose intervenes. 

As rose reaches for the bag to reach inside... the wolf lets the bag go, sending the mage hand flying a foot or two back before Burgee would magically compel it to simply stop. The wolf biting out at roses hand, as a literal-starved animal would... it's teeth sinking harshly into her hand before the wolf attempts to run out of the tent, only to be met by Paavu blocking it's path, the animal sinking down with it's tail between its legs, feeling trapped and surrounded, it's body shaking even as Paavu spoke, it's tail between its legs sinking down into the snow, awaiting the inevitable deathblow it was expecting.

 When despite everything, Rose would approach it again, with Paavu nearby kneeling down, both of them touching it as roses non-wounded hand brings the jerky from the rations near it's mouth. The wolf looks around, seeing its not only not being attacked but the very thing it was after was right in front of it's face. It hesitated for a moment before tearing the food away  and scarfing it down almost entirely without chewing.  Looking up as if wanting more, but between the two, it looks down, and unless Rose pulled away, it would begin licking her hand with its ears folded back in shame.

Animal Handle if needed: 12

Medicine if needed: 11

Performance for flair: 16

Rose gently pets the wolf and speaks in a calm, motherly voice.  There there boy, its okay. We should have expected you would be starving. It's gonna be okay. Rose grabs another couple of rations from the bag to bring the wolf, sparing just a moment to frown at her torn backpack. It would have to hold for now, at least until she could get a new one. Still she couldn't bring herself to be mad at Yue. The creature simple followed its own nature, just like the Owl bears and the rest of its pack. Still she would hope he/she wouldn't become a danger. Bringing back the rations she offers them to the wolf and, if allowed, continues to pet him/her. There you go, eat up. It's not you're fault, we should have made sure there was food ready for you. Rose places her good hand on the injury and tries to force out a spell. Failing she sighs in defeat and presses the wounded hand close to her to keep pressure on it. Well since I'm awake I guess I'll start my watch, the rest of you get some rest. I'll be fine. 

Rose would go sit by the fire and try her best to keep warm and to tend to her injury. She would try to call Yue over to her, patting at a spot next to her and the fire, hoping to utilize the wolfs fur and to show she was not angry at it. If accepted she would pet the wolf and sing to him/her a song a certain bard once sung to Rose on nights like this when she needed cheering up. She would do this until the wold had fallen asleep or until it was time to wake Paavu up for his watch.

Paavu snorts. "Silly Yue. Let Paavu know if that one causes any more ruckus. Paavu not want harm. But, maybe use Frost Giant methods if gonna be trouble." He said as he leered down at the beast. Although seeing it already fairly cowed by his presence, he chuckles as he made his way back to his makeshift bedding in the snow. In spite of the joking threat to his words, it takes a short while for the goliath to actually find sleep again, as he kept finding reason to glance over his shoulder, and check up on Yue.

But sleep eventually does claim him..

The wolf scarfs down the food given to her as fast as she can, eventually seeming 'satisfied enough' to not be starving anymore. With Rose and Burgee ultimately swapping shifts, likely to his pleasure as it puts him closer to the fire. The wolf meekly coming up to rose when she patted, though initially not understanding the command, as a feral. But eventually guessed at the hint. It got close but not overly so. The wolf, formerly the female alpha of the pack, realized it wasn't the strongest one here, and thus... became submissive to those around it that had chosen not to kill her.

It stayed a foot or so away but otherwise complied as it layed in the snowy-dirt. The fire belaying the potential negative effects on Burgee as he slept wherever he did near the fire. Rose staying warm, Lark snoozing away, unknowing of all the events having happened. Paavu's and Burgee's followup shift being just as uneventful and calm as the cold, silent winter sky. Morning eventually coming and the wolf, finally joining everyone in their morning routines, if still meekly. But it was gaining trust that it wasn't being saved for a snack. Trailing behind everyone but not daring to try to leave either. Everyone performing their morning routines, packing up the camp, and finally heading on the road once more. For once... the road is as silent as the world around them. 

The sound of birds was non-existent for the entire day, not even creatures that would normally be out and about. Today the sun couldn't abate the cold and it stayed relatively chilly. The road itself having it's own occasional patches of frost. It's around sunset that the party comes across an old service road that's mostly covered with snow and detritus branching off the main road to the left. The party has been on the road for roughly 3 days.

Burgee came out of the tent pulling his coat tight around him. He saw the wolf lain near the fire.  "Honestly,  I don't see why you bother." But he shrugs, grabs a quick bite and then gets his things ready to travel. 

The stillness of the world around him gives him chills on top of the one the child's was providing so he matches on throughout the day quietly,  but with a cautious eye along the road and the woods beyond. (Perception: 12)

In the morning Rose eats one of her rations and offers another to Yue, hoping to avoid being made a snack of again. Once breakfast was taken care of she packed up her things and helped clean up the camp until they were ready to leave. Rose hummed along as they travelled the road with little care of what might be lurking in the woods. She hoped if she kept her spirits high that maybe the cold wouldn't be so bad, and mentally reminded herself to get warmer clothing as soon as possible. When they finally come to the fork in the Road she stops to look down the old service path. Turning to the others she asks Well boys, what do you think? Keep to the boring main road, or do a little exploring. the tone in Rose's voice left no question she preferred the road less travelled.

Although it was hard to tell due to the shadow of his helmet, something about seeing the wolf appear more complaint the next day added some pep to the goliath's step. He would still keep a close eye on Yue whenever it felt necessary. Which fortunately did not mean every few minutes like it almost was the night before. It took genuine willpower not to follow Rose's example that morning, and offer one of his own considerable amount of jerky oriented rations. But, he knew better than to... over complicate coaxing Yue to their side.

"Tempting. But. It is best we save side road for later if not in direction of dwarf captive. If there's time, we can return to it." Paavu expresses. And yet, he too looked a bit too long down the side path, before turning to Lark to confirm which way would be the right path. Once he knew for certain, he continued to take point while remaining ever watchful for any signs of other owlbears. Not that he worried of that as much as he did most other things on the road.

Lark, whom had still been in his own world most of the day, let out a sigh before realizing he was being addressed. Oh.. uh Well we've been on the road for about 3 days, and this is the first branching path we've seen... I'd like to think that this is the place we're supposed to turn on. It's so damn cold though, it's hard to think. But this is about where we're supposed to be, I don't see the harm in following a side path long enough to make sure we don't pass up our destination by accident. I say we check it out. We're roughly where we need to be, so we should check. That's my vote.

Burgee silently plodding along, clearly quite cold, but keeping a birds eye out for anything around the group while everyone else seemed distracted. Spending roughly an hour heading down the path, before it started leading up, and another few minutes.. before the top of what appeared to be an old, abandoned fort, the granite-grey structure standing imposingly against the veil of white all around it

Everyone far enough away to not see everything or be seen by anything that may or may not be there from where they are. But what everyone CAN see is on the south side of the old castle, an overgrown path leads to a passage that climbs up into the wall. A large iron door stands here, sheltered from direct outside attack. Arrow slits ten feet above the ground overlook the path. The outside seemingly having been shoveled and cleared at some point. Indicating someone or something was taking care of the place.

Once Lark even started complaining about the cold, Paavu crossed his arms and stared down disapprovingly at the goblin. However, the goliath stayed quiet and attentive, and after looking down their apparent next leg of their journey, shakes his head and starts trekking down it with much of a fuss. Minutes later, Paavu is squinting with a hand shading his eyes, canvassing the place as much as they can, before nodding to himself.

"You have done well, little green. I do not like those Arrow Slits, but... hm.... Let's give it a wide circle first. See if there's any other ways to enter that doesn't involve knocking on the front door." Without really waiting for much input, Paavu begins to circle the castle while continuing to give it as wide a berth as they have to avoid notice so far. Once he's knows what it looks like from all angles, only then does he take a knee and begin sketching in the snow a rough copy of the castle, along with points directing towards known entryways. Although before then, as the group hopefully joined him the walk around he says, "Any of you have method of obs... Obs...skuring... Make difficult to be seen when approaching castle? Or other useful magics for getting inside?"

Rose excitedly heads down the overgrown path when Lark confirms it to likely be where they needed to go. Taking the lead at first but quickly being over taken by the others. When Paavu suggests a walk around she obliges, looking for anything that may be useful for getting inside, a crumbled wall, a not so secret tunnel, an open door with cakes left out for them. Then joining Paavu as he asks about ways to obscure the party, she puts a hand to her chin as she considers her options. Well I'm not one for stealth normally, I don't suppose we could just knock on the door and kill anyone who tries to kill us? No? Well I can make one of us invisible. But only one of use and I wouldn't be able to cast anything else while focusing on keeping them hidden. But...well if we wait for cover of night, I can do what I do to you last night Paavu. Can make us all see through the dark and such.

Perception for any alternative ways in: 11 

Burgee was about to chime in that he could cast something, when Paavu and Rose walked off. Deciding that Lark and him may as well keep watch of the front of the fort. It was already late evening and the sun had began to set, being only bright enough  that Paavu didn't need assistance to see as he did so.  Rose and Paavu make their way around the building in a clockwise manner.  (Dim Light)

At the front... The castle consists of seven crumbling towers of different sizes and heights, but the upper stories are all in varying states of collapse. A short flight of steps leads up to a terrace in front of the main entryway. Past the wreckage of a pair of sundered doors lies a shadowed hall. Round towers loom over the entrance-way, with dark arrow slits looking down on the terrace. Paavu and rose making their way around the left side... the tower, though mostly intact, had a wall that had crumbled to little more than detritus. Though most of the rest of the wall was fine.

Inside, a torch had just been lit. Likely who or what ever was in there was preparing for the night to come. But from the distance, only Rose can see through the shadows thanks to Selunes blessings on her eyes. She can just barely make out the forms of several Hobgoblins in full armor, though appearing about to doff them. A pair of goblins come into the room from one of the entrances that ins't quite visible, and start talking to the Hobbs, and they suddenly stop removing their armor and follow the goblin pair off into the room the goblins had likely just came from. Taking the torch with them.

Paavu and Rose continue their sidling, as aside from the slight commotion in the tower, nothing else happened. Another curved portion of the fort, this one in far better condition than the one they had just passed stuck between yet another tower, with a crumbling wall on the north-face. The extent of this damage was much more severe, and looked like it had been the result of some sort of combat in the distant past as most of the entire wall was missing, with more detritus and debris littering the area to make a small climb to the base level.

The tower here however was significantly larger in size than the other ,and aside form it's one wall, the mass majority of the rest of it. Through the arrowslits, Rose can see that there is firelight inside, but by the time they make it around to the second slit... the room has darkened. And the days light is fading to night. The chill starting to set in as the suns warmth no longer even attempts to penetrate the sky, leaving a void of frigid, but still air to flood into the area like a winter spirit.

Continuing their cold trek, the rest of the walls seem more or less intact, aside from some slight decay on a few of the corners but these not so thick as to remove the entire wall like the previous - Before finally coming to the final wall of the keep. On the south side of the old castle, an overgrown path leads to a passage that climbs up into the wall. A large iron door stands here, sheltered from direct outside attack. Arrow slits ten feet above the ground overlook the path.

The circuit now complete, Paavu comes back to the group, where Burgee and Lark have been watching from, having seen no activity themselves. Paavu drawing a rough map in the snow as both Lark and Burgee shivered and chattered their teeth/beak. It likely dipping cold enough to effect rose enough to feel like a topless woman in a deep-freeze.

It seemed there were actually several entrances. The southern entrance with the Iron door just up a staircase. The Main entrance, with its massive palisade entrance, the doors having long crumbled to dust and frames. The two crumbled walls on the north and north-east sides. While the rest of the fortress was intact. The roof itself looked too unstable and instead to serve a secure foothold and was likely not a safe option.

(Also forgive me, forgot to give you this during the short rest: Gain - 369 EXP each)

"W-w-w-well, w-w-what did you see?" Burgee asks as he shivers through the cold.  "Qu-quiet out here. L-l-l-lark included. We need to find some w-w-w-warmth." He draws his coat tighter but it doesn't do much against the winter cold. He watches as Paavu maps out the structure that they investigated, hoping to hear some good news about cover for the night which is quickly taking hold. "D-d-d-did y-y-you see anywhere we c-c-could get out of this c-c-cold?  Any m-m-movement at all?"  The cold really beginning to affect him, Burgee looks up peering as best as he can through the night toward the castle. "I n-n-n-need t-t-to get out of th-th-this cold," he says and he stands and looks toward Rose as she explains that they saw a few goblins and things. He takes a few steps towards the castle and adds, "Th-th-that sounds s-s-safer than th-th-this w-w-weather. Let's go," and he turns, grabs Lark and turns toward the castle.

(OOC correction: There is also a torn down wall on the south side tower on the.. south side as well where the debris is)

Paavu immediately grabs both Burgee and Lark by the shoulders, or at least tries to in an effort to arrest their movement. "The only warmth at least one of you find will be that of your life blood leaving your body. So be. Patient. And remember. This is a rescue operation. If we go with swords held high too soon, they will use them as leverage at best. And at worse, kill them out of spite." Paavu spoke with the authority of one having lived through such an event. Hopefully having convinced them on that point, Paavu let's them go, licks his finger, and holds it to the air as if to gauge the wind's intensity. Then, he scoops up some nearby snow and tilts his hands just enough to see if it trickles down like fresh powder, or had a stiffness to it.

Finally, he looks back to his drawing again, and 'hms' quietly in thought. "For good or ill, without the wind being swept up, no Snow Mists are imminent. Could've used the cover to enter through the most damaged side of the building. But as it stands, make it so little Rose. Grant us at least the dark vision, in the event they decide to snuff out their lights to spite us. And... make yourself invisible for now. That way in the event they do notice our approach, they will think we have one number less then visible." He explains. "Paavu would offer the self, if not for size making bigger prints in snow anyways. Small ones less noticeable. Can hide in Paavu's shadow." Paavu then turns to the others. "We hit them from the north east in the exposed area, and try at least to be quiet at first. This way, outside of the one arrow slit, they will have to expose themselves to attack us. And will not be able to bottle neck us from the start. Not easily, at least. Though, they will likely have the number advantage all the same. And we won't have as much cover.... It is risky. But worth it, unless little Green here believes he can fast talk us into the company of their leader. Then from there, I can perhaps challenge him for leadership." He suggested, and unless Lark gave a positive answer to it, he would nod then, and motion for them to start again circling around quietly to the northeast following Rose's blessing, before beginning their push for the opened up the most heavily damaged portion of the castle.

For if/when taking the stealth approach:

Stealth: 12. If at advantage for whatever reason, take the 1st roll.

Rose was glad Paavu stopped Lark and Burgee from going headlong into the fortress. While she usually preferred the direct approach she agreed with Paavu that there was another life on the line, and that a subtler approach would be needed. Rose nods along to Paavus planning and offers up some possible alternatives. I'm not too skilled at sneaking, though luckily my armor is well padded and thus not to loud. Still, I can create magical silence, can do it more effectively if you give me time to perform the ritual but I can cast it in a pinch too but only a couple times and at the cost of using my invisibility. If theres another way we can obscure their vision perhaps we could combine the affects? Or we can stick with the first plan. If continuing with the first plan, Rose will grant everyone else selune blessing of night eye (10 min of Darkvision with no max range) and then simply Salute, as she does so she seems to fade from view until invisible. If someone has a way to obscure sight without the need of invisibility she will still grant the night vision but wont cast invisibility but will wait until they are ready to see where the best place to cast silence would be. (If we wanna take the time for that do be done as a ritual Rose Grant's the night vision after the ritual instead)

Burgee gives a cross glance up to Paavu, but then comes to his senses. He shivers in the cold as he looks up at the big guy and then over at Rose. "Yes. You are right. Thank you. I'm just so cold. And Lark here, seems in no fair shape." As his emotions subside and the logic of the conversation takes over, he begins to think more clearly. "I can summon the will of the sky to surround us, or some area with fog that will conceal us. It has to be somewhat close to me, but I can place it away from us on another area if that would help. I can manage to make the concealment move with us. I do have to focus to keep the forces obeying but as long as we are not noticed, that should be no problem. With this weather," he adds with another shiver, "the fog itself would not seem out of place, so it may offer our best chance."

Burgee pats Lark on the shoulder and continues, "But we need to do something soon, otherwise, Lark may worsen. The weather seems to have dampened his spirits more than expected."

Paavu nods and says, "Then make it so as soon as we round to the other entryway. Big and wide as you can, so that it is harder to guess at our exact point of entryway, even if one is fairly obvious." At that, he leads the way around, trusting Burgee to make it appear as natural as possible, and hopefully just as all encompassing for the castle. "I do not know if we've been noticed of yet. But, we'll stick to just the fog, and pray it is enough, Beshaba be damned."

Before they have even made their way fully around, he nods back to Burgee, signally for him to get the fog rolling a bit earlier then their actual wrapping around to the damaged wall. At which point he motions for people to quiet, and follow in his foot prints as much as they could to limit any noise made. The whole way on Paavu has his Yklwa ready to throw at any overly curious goblinoids within 30ft of him.

Stealth: 3.

Unfortunately.... there's only so much a warrior unskilled in subterfuge can do with armor that clinked, snow that was too stiff, and a menagerie of other, smaller problems no doubt plaguing every step.

Northeast top entrance - Night visions everyone, no invisibility. (editing while make battlemap)

 Lark, while quiet, looks at Burgee and says Iiiit's Okay. I had a bout with frostbite when we were dealing with the redbrands too. I can deal with it a little longer. it's not quite that cold just yyyet. Who kknows.. maybe there'll be a fire inside somewhere. I hhhhoppee. The fortress itself seemed quiet. And there were no lights escaping it at all. Likely either there were very few creatures in side, or, the creatures inside didn't need them. 

As the party makes their way around, there is a single exception. In the center-most curved area, the one with no crumbling walls, there seemed to be dim candlelight there, however the rest of the fort was coming clouded in deeper darkness. As the group enters near this area, Burgee casts Fog, and then, using his weather magic, creates a wind, and controls it to keep the cloud  over the group. The cloud taking on a white, milky hie as if snow powder were floating in an unseen breeze. 

The floor to the roof was about fifteen feet throughout the fort. As the party approaches, they can barely see beyond a few feet in the heavy obscurity but when they reach the rubble  however this tower has almost completely collapsed, although the ground floor still has a little open space. Rotting crates and ancient barrels show that provisions were once stored here. A heavy curtain blocks a crumbling area to the south, and an intact door leads east. To the north, a short passage through the rubble ends before a screen of canvas. The ground cracked so severely that the dirt foundation is visible wherever a crack is large enough. 

So far, the fortress is silent, but Burgee's fog creeps around the corners, blanketing the majority of the area they're in but also effecting some of the connecting areas. A confused soft, but high pitched grunt is heard, followed by the sound of metal moving before the area goes silent again. It sounded like it came from the south, but, it was hard to tell from exactly where when no one can see beyond a foot in front of their own faces. Lark however comforted by the fact that this was likely a two-way trade. Lark readying a spell but otherwise remaining silent. Rose choosing now to cast her vision spell on everyone, granting them all infinite night vision for the duration. However while the fog is up it seems almost moot.