Chilling Adventures in the North

Muharg gives a side look at Arogna’s offer, then frowns and inquires “Is that a challenge?” turning into a hearty laugh after realising the half-orc teasing tone.

”Sure, let’s cook this whitey fellow and sink out teeth into something!”

Realising Bjorn going out to try and recover his arrows, he joins him “Want another pair of eyes for that?”

Investigation: 10 or Perception 13

Shad brings any wood he's found to the mouth of the cave. "Its wet and covered in ice. Think we can make a fire of it? Something hot enough to cook meat." He looks toward Bjorn, who has lived here, or Qinfaren, who knows about nature. "Are we ready to start a fire?" He'll take out his tinderbox.

Survival (perhaps with the help action): 16

He is really focused on getting the fire started.

Arogna works on skinning the wolf, throwing scraps of meat to the dogs as she goes. She cuts off a leg and some other pieces of meat to roast. 

By working together it does not take long until you have built a fire that will provide some warmth, but it certainly will cook the meat. In addition, Bjorn finds most of his arrows.

Qinfaren runs his hands together near the fire and lets it warm his feet too.

"That was certainly unexpected," Qinfaren says. "It's a shame they were so aggressive. I wonder if they were hungry."

He watches the flames flicker for a moment.

"Do you think there are more of them? Maybe we should only stay here for an hour or so and then get back on our way."

Short Rest HD1: 11  HD2: 5   

"If we ain't stayin' long, it better be steaks," Arogna says. "'S'a good idea if we don't hang around. We can take 'em with us on the sledge an' sort 'em out later." She skewers a slab of meat on the end of her hunting knife and sears the outside in the flames for not long at all. She rests it for a few moments on the tin plate from her mess kit, then tucks in, without making any better attempt at the use of cutlery or table manners than the wolves did when they tried to eat her earlier.

Hit dice for Arogna: 4, 9

Shad squats next to the fire, his coats open wide. He soaks up all the warmth he can. 

"I like the idea of a brief rest. The Cat Lord has wandered off for a time, I can tell. He won't be helpful." Shad will eat his wolf steak very raw and is indifferent to the sledge dogs, not sharing scraps with them. He'll hold his luckstone while he rests.

Hit dice for Shad: 6, 6

"They probably attacked because we entered their territory. Although it could just have been for sport. Winter wolves are evil and far more intelligent than their less frosty kind. Ancestors tell stories of such wolves who could speak the tongue of men," Bjorn says grimly as he joins the rest by the fire. 

"This is the first time I've encoutered one myself. They usually don't attack armed groups unless they know they have the advantage."

“Hmm, that’s interesting.” Says Muharg chewing a roasted piece of winter wolf. “And according to what you say about them not attacking armed groups unless they know they have some advantage, we better be wary; since they either misjudged us, or there are more surprises awaiting us out there.” Adds up gesturing with a floppy piece of meat barely attached to a bone.

Hit Die 1: 9

Shad listens to Bjorn and Muharg. "Crazy winter wolves," he says. "It could be tough going between the towns. What else do think we might encounter?" He arches even closer over the flames. "Do the residents of the towns even act as guides, Bjorn? We could hire a sword or two, maybe?"

Qinfaren looks down at the roasting wolf and then back out at the icy terrain.

"If they don't normally do this, Bjorn," Qinfaren says "they might have been desperate. Maybe hungry. Hunger always makes me a bit grumpy. Or maybe something pushed them this way. Someone animated that monstrosity of a skeletal whale with legs. Whoever that was could be causing all sorts of things to happen out here."

He rises and goes over and checks on the dogs again, making sure they didn't miss any wounds earlier that need attention.

"If we're all rested, we should push ahead. See if we can make it to Hundelstone before dark."

“Agreed Qinfaren, I say the sooner we get moving the sooner we’ll make it to safety.” Then looks at Shad “To be honest, I’m glad to have you all guys around, I feel safe when we fight side by side. We might encounter some perils out there, but we are a group to be wary of as well!” Adds up as he bumps his fist against his other hand’s palm.

Arogna grins. "Let's get these pups onna sledge, then. I'm feelin' lots better." She heaves to her feet and drags one of the wolf corpses towards the sledge.

Shad grins back at Muharg and helps Arogna load any of the meat that will fit. "I agree with Qinfaren. We might be able to make it to Hundelstone. We could be sleeping in an inn tonight!"

Deciding that you have rested enough out in the open, you decide to press on. Though you are careful not to push the dogs too much after their encounter with the winter wolves. Before long the sky turns a darker shade of grey, if that were even possible, indicating a possibility of snow, or even a storm. Within the hour the falling snow begins to grow thicker and thicker making it harder to see. You can barely even see the road up ahead through the snow fall.

(Make a Wisdom (Survival) check.)

Survival: 20

"Don't like the look of this," Arogna says. "Well, what I can see of it, anyways, which ain't much."

Arogna has a lot of experience of wandering the world, remembering the layout of geographical features and terrain. This experiences helps her keep her bearings and everyone stays on the road. You continue on your way following Arogna's guiding words along the road. However, after another hour, the snow is even worse and you can only see thirty feet in front of you.

(Make a Wisdom (Survival) check.)

Muharg tries his best to be of aid to his more experienced companions in these situations.

Shad is far more familiar with survival in the jungle than the tundra, but with the help of Muharg and the others he tries to contribute to the party's Survival: 21.

Qinfaren holds his head up and catches snow in his mouth and then laughs as he shakes snow out of his thick beard.

He smiles then as Shad appears to nudge the sled back onto the path.

"If we get in trouble, in addition to helping I might be able to draw a little extra assistance from the ground and trees around us," Qinfaren says.