Chilling Adventures in the North

     “If we’re worried about the wolf coming back they know we…” Bàn starts but stops himself.  The beasts surely know their scent and could track them that way anyway.  Stones as good as any other so long as there’s a hot fire and someone e keeping watch.

Qinfaren whistles as he gets the fire nice and toasty.

He also reaches into the grey bag hanging at his waist and pulls out a small fuzzy ball.

"Maybe this is something that will help us keep watch," Qinfaren says as he rolls the ball across the ground, his eyes wide with anticipation.

Gray Bag of Tricks Roll: 3  

The ball begins to grow as it rolls. Legs appear, followed by a snout and ears. Eventually it comes to a rest and instead of a fuzzy ball, it's now a badger.

Qinfaren claps his hands together. 

"Hello badger," Qinfaren says. "Please help us keep watch tonight."

Qinfaren volunteers for the first watch.

Perception for watch: 21  

Badger's if needed (w/ advantage assuming smell helps the badger notice anyone coming): 12  

Qinfaren spends the first shift keeping an eye out. He sees an old man walking down the streets of Dougan's Hole. He seems to be looking for something as he calls out in the midnight air. However, the sound of his voice doesn't carry on the wind to Qinfaren's ears.

Unless the old man comes closer, Qinfaren will stay in their campsite and keep watch. No need to be lured away by a shapeshifter.

If nothing else happens he will wake whomever’s next watch.

Ricky will take next watch 

He'll be sure to get up and pace around the stones to stay awake as he watches for trouble

Perception 16 

Bàn takes whatever watch is needed.  Last?  All the better, he prefers unbroken sleep…

perception: 18

(neat! Ricky appreciates the beauty and...)

"You guys should have seen it, it was... Like waves in the stars. Like the outer planes were folding over our world. I don't think I can do it justice. All I know is that I want the second watch from here on out. Maybe it'll happen again." 

     Bàn grumbles incoherently to Ricky and mumbles something about coffee... "Another one falls," he says later when he sees the shooting star and lifts his coffee cup up in a toast to it but then pays it no further heed.

Qinfaren smiles broadly as Ricky describes the aurora he saw during the night.

"That would be something," Qinfaren says. "Sometimes you could see such things in the dale back home, but this far north with that cold air, it must have been like magic."

He gathers his things and puts out the fire when the group is ready. He looks around for the badger, but realizes it's not here any more and remembers that they disappear with the new day.

Getting used to having a furry traveling companion with the group, Qinfaren selects another gray ball from the pouch and rolls it out on the ground (Gray Bag Roll - 8 in game log).

"This hasn't been the most hospitable town we've seen so I'm happy to leave now," Qinfaren says. "Does anyone have any reason to stay longer?"

As the furry ball comes to a stop it grows, and grows, and keeps growing.

Qinfaren's eyes grow large as antlers begin to appear, and strong muscular legs stretch out. Soon enough, Qinfaren is looking almost eye to eye with a giant elk.

"Hello mister elk," Qinfaren says. He then points everyone out and names them. "These are your friends for the day."

Ricky shakes his head at Qinfaren's question and gives a wave to leave before scooping up his pack and taking a long slurp from his endless coffee canteen. 

"No," Bjorn says shaking his head. "I think it's best we are on our way. We've been too sidetracked of late, it's time we head to the fortress. However, we are going to have to continue on around Redwaters and we're not going to make it to the fortress before we will need to rest again."

Reinvigorated by their recent camping near Dougan's Hole, Bjorn takes the lead as the group embarks southwestward. The lingering sense of tranquillity is quickly overshadowed as they bid farewell to Dougan's Hole and venture onwards, completing the arduous journey around Redwaters. Now, the group finds themselves traversing the frigid expanse of the tundra, an unforgiving terrain that stretches out before them like a desolate wasteland, towards the foreboding mountain range known as the Spine of the World.

As the hours tick by and the group presses onward, a palpable tension hangs in the air. Bjorn and Qinfaren, attuned to the surrounding darkness, suddenly discern the presence of two ominous figures emerging from the shadows, poised to unleash an assault upon the unsuspecting group. These creatures, with their deer-like countenance, don wings that soar high like a majestic bird's, and sport menacing antlers atop their heads, exude an aura of foreboding and malevolence.

However, Ricky and Bàn remain oblivious to the imminent threat posed by the airborne beings.

Qinfaren stops moving and quickly points out the ominous creatures to Ricky and Bàn.

He tries to estimate how close the deer-eagles are.

((How far away are these things?  Initiative needed?  Bàn's is: 10.)

     "Should we run or fight?" Bàn asks when his attention is brought to the creatures.  He's never seen such a thing so has no idea if they are hostile or not...  But the fact they are approaching does not seem a good sign.

(Okay, I should have been more precise, the creatures have swooped down and you're in combat. Except Ricky and Bàn are surprised.)

(Within melee range?)

(Not melee range)

Qinfaren Initiative: 16  

Bjorn: 18
Creatures: 21
Bán: 15
Ricky: 7