Chilling Adventures in the North

"Onwards we go!" Bjorn smiles as he begins the trek together with Muharg and Qinfaren. Taking the lead, he does his best to lead them along the smoothest path  ahead.

Survival: 22

Muharg keeps an eye on the surroundings but see no danger. However, what he does notice is the nearby wildlife seeking shelter where they can find it.

Bjorn's experience in the north makes it easy for him to follow the trail and work out the most straight forward route. However, not too far out of Caer-Konig the footsteps come to an end. However, this trail ends at another set of footsteps, much bigger than the previous footsteps. Along with the bigger footsteps, it looks like something was pulled along in the snow.

Meanwhile, Arogna and Shad prepare to set off from Caer-Konig with the sled and dogs. Shad keeps an eye out for the trail of footsteps left behind by everyone else, and quickly finds the trail. 

"Be wary, lads. All the wildlife around here seems to be seeking shelter."

Qinfaren plows through the snow, shuffling at times, hopping at others, making a snow angel at one point, all to make sure the others don't lose the trail behind them.

When they get to the end of the first set of footprints, he frowns and looks down at new prints.

"Whoever made the first prints may have met a friend with a sled," Qinfaren ventures. "Maybe they hitched a ride on the sled too."

At Muharg's warning, Qinfaren looks around.

"Maybe whatever is pulling that sled is scaring them off."

He sets off following the new trail.

Perception: 10  to look for potential traps set in the path ahead.

Qinfaren scouts ahead looking for traps. However, he finds no signs of any traps that could be hiding beneath the snow.

When he sees the snow angle Shad says, "Qinfaren!" When he sees the much bigger foot prints and the signs of something being dragged, he says "Would we go faster if I ran next to the sled? We need to catch up." He will pause for a moment and in consultation with Arogna and try to judge the size of the creature that made the new set of prints. "While they are larger, are they giant?" he says to Arogna.

Survival: 20

Survival with advantage from working with Arogna: 21

Noticing the new larger footprints, Shad realises that footprint must be of a much larger creature. Maybe even a creature that is ten foot tall. A ten foot tall creature that must walk on two legs. 

Arogna laughs heartily at the snow angel. "Biggest snow-bird I ever seen."

"You ain't gonna make much difference to the speed, Shad. I oughta run," she says, hopping off the sled. "This ain't no dwarf, but I dunno." 

Survival 19 to examine new prints

Arogna studies the new footprints and deduces that they are the shape and size of an ogre's. However, something seems wrong with its gait.

Qinfaren continues to make large prints in the snow, but Muharg's warning about the lack of animals has made him try to be quiet for once, and perhaps live up to his name.

When not making markings in the snow for the others to follow, he gives what help he can to Bjorn in following the tracks.

"We have got to gain on them," Shad says to Arogna. "If you'd like me to steer while you run or if we can both run, let's do that." He looks into the distance hoping he can see his friends: Perception 18.

"They would be waiting for us if they knew it was an ogre, wouldn't they."

"Yeah, I reckon they would. You steer, I'll run," Arogna says. She uses the snow trodden by the others, and runs alongside the sled. "I hope they was payin' attention."

Shad peers into the distance and just about sees the rest of the group just up slightly further ahead.

Meanwhile, for Muharg, Bjorn and Qinfaren, they come to the end of the trail. The footprints have been covered by snow blown by the wind. They now find themselves out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by snow, hills, and Kelvin's Cairn just to the west. This is a different side of Kevlin's Cairn from where you climbed up previously to see Artus Cimber.  

"Hoy!" Arogna calls as the sled heads towards the group. "Wait up!" She grins at them as she approaches. "Nice trail you left. What'd you find?"

"Hello Arogna," Bjorn greets the dwarf as she arrives with the sleigh, "We seemed to have found something big. Really big. We should be careful when we move forward."

"Should we continue in the direction the tracks take us," Shad says, "even if we can't follow them directly? I'm very curious. How took the towns' stuff? Why those things?" He looks up toward the cairn. "Or climb in the cold dark?" He pulls his coats tight.

Qinfaren grins and claps his hands together when he sees the others arrive. 

"There was a sled or something large being pulled by a big set of prints, but looks like we've lost the trail now," Qinfaren says.

He looks around the clearing, the hills and the cairn. Then he looks over at Muharg.

"If you were building a dwarven town around here, where would you start? Maybe that will give us a direction the prints may have gone in."

 (Make a group survival check.)

Arogna's survival check: 21

(OOC: Arogna is a half-orc, unless that's a typo she's a little taller than you thought :D)

Qinfaren survival: 11