Chilling Adventures in the North

Not knowing what might show up as a steed, Qinfaren decides not to summon anything with the gift received from the forest spirit and saves the power for later.

He continues to watch the surroundings as they move forward and directs the dire wolf to do the same.

Ricky looks a bit curious about the whole interaction. "What was that? Nevermind. We need to get back to work. Follow the trail, it'll get us to the lair... Sort of. It's not a straight shot, exactly. But it'll help us avoid getting lost." 

Bjorn nods in response to Ricky informing them that they are heading in the right direction.

Several more hours pass as you continue following the trail. It was start to get darker and the temperature was dropping hinting at the lateness of the day. Then finally, after eight hours since leaving Good Mead you finally make it to verbeeg's lair.

Qinfaren looks around at the others.

”I have some magic that would help all of us move very quietly through the tunnels to explore if we want to do that,” Qinfaren says.

He looks at the tunnels and glow from within.

”Though we could just shout loudly to let them know we’re here. Sneaking into someone’s home really removes the option of talking.”

     “Is our goal to talk?  Or to eliminate?” Bàn asks, unsure.  “The drawback to talking is it does eliminate the element of surprise.  Then again, standing here talking will do that as well.”

     That said, Bàn takes a moment to have his owl reappear on his shoulder.  With a mental command and a nod he directs it to enter the western cave… and to act as owl-ish as I can while scoping out the place.

"I think it's Ricky's call," Bjorn says, shrugging his shoulders. "What are you thinking? The verbeeg killed your former speaker, who was just trying to save your mead. It looks like it killed five more of your people. I'm not sure if it will be willing to talk. If we did sneak in, we would at least have the element of surprise.

What will it be? I guess this will be your first decision for Good Mead as its future leader."

Owl flies into the western cave. Owl flies sixty feet into the cave and tells Bàn that the cave splits into two here.

"This is your town, Ricky, so I agree with Bjorn" Qinfaren says. "But we could wait and see if Bàn's Owl finds anything first."

While waiting, Qinfaren keeps an eye on the other cave entrances.

Ricky nods to Qinfaren. "An ambush. There's no reason to parlay with this murderin' thing."

"Fair enough," Qinfaren says. "Once you hear back from your feathery friend Bàn and we know what's in there, I can gift us all with a bit of extra quiet in our steps which should make it easier to sneak in."

     Bàn send Owl further on, having it take the cave on the right (the portion that seems to head most towards the center of the cave system.)  “So far just more caves… it may be slow having them map them out entirely.” Bàn explains.

Owl turns right, flying into a tunnel. Here, the verbeeg is found sitting cross-legged with a torch burning away nearby. The verbeeg is focused on sharpening a stone knife. He pays now attention to the owl flying overhead. Leaning against the wall Owl spots a spear, which probably belongs to the verbeeg.

"Very well," Bjorn replies to Ricky. "We will ambush the giant when he is not suspecting it. Qinfaren, if you wouldn't mind, your gifts would indeed be very useful."

As soon as the rest are ready to move in, Qinfaren focuses on his staff, his hand keeping contact with the mistletoe wrapped there. As he does so, everyone in the group, including the dire wolf, feel energy radiate up from the ground and into their bodies. At the same time they feel lighter on their feet, as if they wouldn't even leave footprints. Not surprisingly as the group moves around, getting ready to enter the cave, they discover they are in fact not leaving footprints anymore.

Casts: Pass without Trace  - everyone gets +10 to Stealth rolls for the next hour as long as Qinfaren maintains his focus.

Ricky will lead the way forward now that we're prepared

Stealth 17 

Halfling luck? Reroll both 1s? 

17 

Qinfaren tightens his pack on his shoulders, raises a finger to the dire wolf to shush it and follows after Ricky.

Qinfaren Stealth: 20  

Dire Wolf Stealth: 17  

     Bàn has Owl stay right there to keep eyes on their prey.  “Will be handy to know if he moves before we get there,” he advises the others.  Shield on his arm, whip at the ready, Bàn then advances with the others.

Stealth : 11

…

(You get to add another 10 to that Stealth number)

((15, yep!  I knew that but then forgot when I made sure I rolled at Dis due to my armor… thanks))

(Bjorn's stealth: 17)

The group stealthily enters the most western cave. To the north, along the frozen stream, the tunnel splits, with one way continuing north and the other veering east. The stream follows the dark northward tunnel. Light from a distant fire is visible in the eastern tunnel. However, from the information that Owl has provided, the group has determined they will head east.

Making your way into the tunnel, where you know that the verbeeg is residing, you see that it bisects a ring-shaped excavation. This area was once a burial chamber. Owl has perched a ledge on the southern wall of the cave. Whilst the verbeeg continues to sharpen the knife he holds in his hand.