The Ice Cave

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Attack of the Mephits

Battle of the Ice Mephits (Round 2)

Battle of the Ice Mephits (Round 3)

Battle of the Ice Mephits (round 4)

Battle of the Ice mephits (Round 5)

The old Iron Chest

Player Replies to Scene

The Aftermath:

As the dust settles and the eerie silence of the cave replaces the chaos of the battle, the party takes a moment to catch their breath as the massive Yeti takes a couple final short breaths before going still.

You are in a passage way, there is a large deep black chasm to your north, or you can go back the way you came into the chamber with the bones and broken equipment and debris.

Uptharr raises his hooded lantern over the chasm, peering intently into the abyss below. After a moment, he turns back to the group and says,

"This chasm's deeper than our light can reach; I can't see more than 30 feet down. We'll need another way across."

As the dust settles from the intense battle, Azalie, with wide eyes, looks over at Dorf, who stands over the bloody Yeti.

"Wow. Well, Dorf, that was, um, impressive…" she remarks, a hint of awe in her voice. She glances at the yeti's remains, noticing the sheer damage done, "I’m not sure the pelt will be in a solid piece. I could get enough to make Mr. W a hat and maybe myself a pair of slippers."

Turning her attention to the wider needs of the group, she adds, "I’d like to look around these caverns and see if there’s anything we can scavenge. There’s still a giant on the loose. With the loss of our caravan, we could use some provisions."

Dorf, with a sheepish expression, acknowledges Azalie's remark.

"Ahh, yeah, I can get a bit carried away, sorry," he admits, casually wiping the blood from his face with a tattered piece of yeti hide.

He then strides over to pat Mr. W, before he hoists his pack back onto his shoulders. Gazing thoughtfully at the chasm, Dorf suggests,

"I bet I could jump the chasm if you guys want to keep going this way. Or we can go back and investigate now that the yeti is dead?"

He looks around at the group, his stance easy yet ready for action, "I’ll tag along whatever you guys decide."

Azalie agrees with safety over amusement. Azalie lets out a guarded giggle, as she imagines the team yeeting Dorf over the chasm. His muscular arms gripping Mr. W as he flys through the air…she shakes the image from her head and gathers her thoughts

Mutt exhales and breathes a silent word of thanks for whatever stroke of luck brought this motley group of survivors together. He winces slightly as Dorf's blood splattered form steps away from the yeti's corpse.

"Good, uh... good job there, Dorf," Mutt says with a slight chuckle, masking his discomfort. "Remind me to stay on your good side, eh?"

His gaze shifts down the dark hallway and then back towards the room they had just escaped.

"There may be more yetis down here," he muses aloud, his tone turning serious. "From what I remember, they can hunt in packs. We were lucky there was only one this time."

Looking thoughtfully at the pit and then further down the hall, Mutt wonders about the depth and length of these passages.

Reaching into his pack, Mutt pulls out a hammer, some pitons, and a length of rope.

"If we want to get across that gap, we may want to make sure we're secured first," he suggests.

"There could be something valuable down there, but we need a plan to get Dorf back if the rest of us can't follow," she says, considering the logistics of navigating the perilous gap.

She glances at the chasm, its depths shrouded in darkness, and decisively shakes her head.

"I'm not about to jump over that endless pit of nothingness," she states firmly and reluctant to take such a risky leap.

Turning her attention to the unexplored parts of the cave, Azalie suggests,

"Maybe there’s something down another corridor we haven't explored worth checking out."

Fizzbum lets out a breath of surprise as the yeti exhales its last.

"Well! That was intense," he exclaims, a tinge of sadness in his voice. "Sad that he had to die, but Nature does have its ways of sorting things out. Now… Hmmm. I wonder..."

Fizz taps his chin, and shuffles his little boots down to the yeti corpse. Unwrapping his snake tool from around his arm, he trims off some of the yeti fur and puts it in his pocket. He then checks the claws, teeth and eyes, poking and prodding while talking to himself. Finally noticing Dorf standing near him, covered in fur and blood, Fizz reacts with surprise.

“Oh! its you! That was very brave of you! He was so ferocious and scary!“ Pointing at his arms, “You ok? I’ve got a very nice swamp moss salve that works on scratches and cuts. “.

Looking over at the group standing near the chasm, talking of options. “I’m not sure what the plan is to get across that bit, but I tend to avoid giant death cracks where I can. How bout we head back and try a different path!? Besides! I want to see if I can get a sample of those pointy things! Might be good in my crawdad swamp stew!”

Fizzbum dusts the fur off his hands, slides his snake back on his arm, and with a deep breath and a nod to himself starts to wander back the way they came down the tunnel, muttering about salt-tites, crawdad bites, and firefly candle’s.

Backtracking to the main chamber

As the party collectively decides against the perilous crossing of the chasm, they backtrack to the main chamber, each member keen to explore and search this area more carefully.

Azalie and Fizzbum sift through the bones and debris, making another pass to determine if anything else of value can be found.

Uptharr and Mutt stand guard in the room, keeping an eye on the south passage, in case another Yeti or worse decides to interrupt the group.

And Dorf, sneaks alone into the second north passage, to see if there is anything noteworthy in there.

Results of Fizzbum's & Azalie's Search

Coming back into the main room, Fizzbum trips over a bone on the floor, kicks it to the side and considers all the bones worthless. Heading back to the Stalagmites, he begins to circle each one carefully looking for clues as to their location, and a possible way out of the caves.

As Azalie joins Fizzbum among the scattered bones, her keen elven eyes searching for anything of value or use, her efforts, unfortunately, do not yield the results she hoped for. Despite her careful examination, her roll of 3 signifies a lack of success in this endeavor. She sifts through the bones and debris meticulously, but whether it's due to the poor lighting of the cave, the confusing jumble of the remains, or just plain bad luck, she finds nothing that stands out as useful or noteworthy.

Carefully examining the icy formations, Fizzbum runs his hands over their surfaces, his eyes keenly searching for anything out of the ordinary. With a roll of 14, his efforts pay off. Nestled within the crevices and layers of the stalactites and stalagmites, Fizzbum discovers veins of interesting ores and minerals. The minerals glint subtly in the dim light, their unique composition and potential value are apparent

Reinvigorated by her previous fruitless search, Azalie turns her attention to the stalactites and stalagmites, hoping for a better outcome. Her persistence pays off. As she carefully examines the icy formations, her keen elven instincts, combined with a favorable roll of 17, lead her to discover hidden treasures within these natural sculptures.

Nestled in crevices and partially encased in ice, Azalie finds rough gems and ores, their raw beauty gleaming faintly in the cave's dim light.

(Treasure Added, Fizzbum and Azalie get first dibs on the minerals, gems and ores found)

Dorf explores the second northern passage

Dorf, taking the initiative, quietly ventures into the second north tunnel, moving with surprising stealth for a halfling barbarian. His careful steps and keen awareness of his surroundings, combined with a successful stealth roll of 22, allow him to navigate the passage unnoticed, his presence barely making a sound.

As he progresses about 100 feet down the tunnel, the dim light and shadows play tricks on his eyes, as the flickering candles cast shadows that seem to be moving and sneaking with him... when suddenly he comes to a dead end.

Sitting at the end of the tunnel, however, lies an intriguing sight: a pile of bones, arranged haphazardly as if discarded by a previous traveler or inhabitant. Among these skeletal remains sits an old, rusty metal trunk.

Meanwhile, Uptharr and Mutt stand watch, and do not hear anything of note, just the whistle of wind echoing in the caverns, and periodic squeaks and drips of vermin and water droplets.

What do you do next?

40 minutes have passed

Current Time: 1:18 PM

Date: Fourthday , 4 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: 39°

Attack of the Mephits

Dorf examines the bones, he can tell they are humanoid. But he is not able to tell what race. Judging from the size of them, he would guess human, Elf or Half-elf.

Dorf then examines the iron chest closely. It’s a 4 foot long, by 2.5 foot wide, by 2.5 feet tall chest. He can see it has a keyhole, but he doesn’t notice any obvious traps.

The chest is very heavy, and due to its size in comparison to Dorf, he can’t get a good grip on it to deadlift it. After a few minutes he realizes lifting and throwing it is not possible. He could drag it slowly. He decides that lockpicking may be the better option here so he gets out his Thieves tools and starts work at picking the lock.

He doesn't notice three shimmering creatures, that are perfectly blended in with the icy surroundings, that slowly start to move on the walls while he works...

Meanwhile - in the main chamber where Mutt and Uptharr stand guard

As Fizzbum and Azalie search the main cavern, Mutt shuffles his feet and hums nervously while casting anxious glances down each corridor in case anything else wanders in.

"I don't suppose you could uh, speed things up?"

He squeezes and relaxes his grip on the well-worn stock of his crossbow (guaranteed to "never miss" - what a load of troll shite that was) and looks up at the stoic looking human standing nearby. Mutt puts on a friendly smile and addresses the Paladin.

"Don't think we had a chance to meet before. I'm Mutt. You were pretty good with that flail earlier. Looks like you've been in a few scrapes before? You gotta wonder what the gods' plan for you is if you keep finding yourself in these types of situations, eh? Like, what divine plan would require you to wake up half frozen and almost be eaten by a yeti? Who makes plans like that?"

Uptharr smiles back at Mutts introduction and questions

“Names Uptharr…some would say Uptharr the Beacon…but that was ages ago now…” Uptharr’s beaming smile fades a little. “ Nice to meet you Mutt, and ye could say I’ve had a fight or two.” Uptharr takes his right hand and rubs his cross around his neck “As far as a divine plan and how we could end up here…perhaps we were needed here so we could fell that yeti and whatever else here, so others may travel freely, the Light always guides, into darkness yes, but always out of it.”

Mutt chuckles nervously and continues to glance around the room. As Fizz and Az look like they're wrapping up their search, Mutt exhales and reshoulders his pack.

"Right then, we should be moving. I think the large corridor is the way ou...hang on. Did anyone see where the teddy bear butcher went?"

As Azalie and Fizzbum search the main room.

Fizz "oo's and ah's" over the sparkling gems and minerals lodged in the Stalagmites. Happily sharing with Azalie, and chattering about who's hair would look better with the trinkets, he collects his treasure. As he settles his pack into place, Lumpy croaks at Azalie and wiggles into view.

"Oh! have you met Lumpy? He's not shy, but this cold weather keeps him close to me to keep warm. Do you want to hold him?" Fizz collects Lumpy in his two little hands and holds him out to Azalie.

Finishing his search, Fizzbum shuffles back over to the group and leans on his staff.

"This has been fun, but I'd like to see the open sky again. (Even if it is a bit frosty). What do ya say we hop on out of here!" Fizzbum giggles in a high pitched tone at his frog joke. "Where'd the little axe guy go? He's fun!"

Fizzbum moves over to the tunnels and peers down them to see if there is a way out, or if he can see Dorf.

Azalie finishes up packing away some treasure. She notices Mutt shifting back and forth muttering to himself and asking the others to speed it up.

He’s not talking to her because she’s so efficient, and stealthy, quick to react, so mindful of them and their time. Azalie starts losing track of time as she admires herself in the glow of the stalagmites.

…”anyone see where the teddy bear butcher…” huh what? Azalie snaps out of a self induced trance and whips around embarrassly and stutters,

“oh, Mr. D, Y, ugh W, Mr. W and Dorf were headed down that corridor. I wonder if they found anything?”

Azalie blushes hoping no one noticed her twirling her hair. Sometimes being an egotistical, girl, elf it so difficult. However, she is happy to have this gaggle. Maybe they will make fast friends.

Meanwhile... back at the treasure chest.

As Dorf carefully inserts his thieves' tools into the lock of the rusty iron treasure box. He manages to make some progress with his decent roll of 12. However, his concentration on the lock is abruptly shattered by a sudden chattering noise. Startled, he turns to see three Ice Mephits emerging from the cracks in the cave walls, their icy forms glinting menacingly in the dim light.

Reacting quickly to this unexpected threat, Dorf prepares to defend himself. ROLL FOR INITATIVE (Dorf Only)

ROUND 1 - Ice Mephits

Ice Mephit #1

(Standard Action) breathing Frost Breath at Dorf Thimblerigger

Dorf is caught off guard by the breath of the first Ice Mephit and takes full damage.

the Ice Mephit unleashes a swirling blast of icy air and frost directed at Dorf. The first mephit`s attack hits Dorf full force, the cold biting into his skin and causing him to grit his teeth against the sudden, sharp chill enveloping him. Taking 5 cold damage!

Ice Mephit #2

(Standard Action) breathing Frost Breath at Dorf Thimblerigger

Reacting to the blast, Dorf ducks behind the chest to avoid 1/2 of the second Ice Mephits breath weapon.

Dorf manages to sidestep just in time, narrowly avoiding the full brunt of the second icy blast. He still feels the cold graze past him, 4 damage, cut in half by the successful save throw = 2 damage.

DORF

(Bonus Action) With a fierce battle cry, Dorf taps into his primal energy activating his Rage. His muscles tense, his eyes blaze with a intensity as he roars a battle cry that echoes through the ice cavern.

(Standard Action) Dorf uses the rusty chest to make an acrobatic leap into a grapple attack.

Dorf, sizing up the situation with keen battlefield awareness, spies an opportunity for a daring maneuver. He springs onto the chest, using it as a launchpad in an acrobatic leap towards one of the fluttering ice mephits. His body twists gracefully through the air, a display of surprising agility and strength, enhanced by his successful acrobatics check of 16. As he reaches the peak of his leap, Dorf reaches out with a grunt, his hands closing around the mephit mid-flight. His strength check of 10 vs the Mephits opposed roll of 6, combined with his momentum of the acrobatics maneuver, is enough to firmly grasp the creature. With a forceful tug, he brings the mephit crashing down to the ground with him. The impact of the tackle deals a significant 8 damage to the mephit, plus 2 more for Rage!. It is successfully grappled.

Ice Mephit #3

(Standard Action) breathing Frost Breath at Dorf Thimblerigger

Dorf rolls the Imp over so it shields him from most of the third Mephits breath attack.

Reacting quickly, Dorf rolls the Mephit he is grappling with so it shields him from the brunt of the cold blast. He takes 1/2 damage from the breath weapon. 2 Damage total

Meanwhile, the party hears the commotion.

As Dorf activates his rage, the party hears him screaming down the north tunnel he snuck into. It sounds like he may be in trouble. Decide what each of you does to react to his screams

Uptharr immediately rushes to Dorf for aid

“Not the wee mad lad..”, he says as he charges down the dark tunnel

Mutt states down the corridor Dorf went down as the barbarian’s roar of rage echoes down the hall. He stands still for a moment, waiting to see what the rest of the group decides to do. As Uptharr races down the corridor to help Dorf, Mutt curses under his breath and starts to follow the Paladin.

“I knew we should have left when we had the chance…” As he runs behind Uptharr, Mutt shouts at Fizz and Azalie. “Well, come on! We need everyone if we’re going to get out of here alive!”

Azalie hears Dorf’s possessory yell. She jumps to her feet and swiftly starts down the tunnel. As she bounds down the tunnel she thinks to herself,

“I hope whatever is down there is worth it. We aren’t ready to fight another yeti.”

Completely distracted by the gold and gems that he found in the Stalagmites, Fizz misses the intial scream of rage down the hallway, but as Mutt hollars at him and disappears down the hall, he comes to awareness that he's the last one in the room. Hopping to his feet, he scoots after the party tucking his gems into his pouch on the way.

"I wonder if they like treats!" he says with excitedly. Grabbing a piece of one of his rations, he makes clucking sounds with his tongue and holds out the piece as he charges in from the back "Here boy! We're not gonna hurt ya!"

Azalie, Fizzbum, Uptharr and Mutt - Roll for Initiative.

1 minute has passed

Current Time: 1:19 PM

Date: Fourthday , 4 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: 39°

Battle of the Ice Mephits (Round 2)

Ice Mephit #1

(Standard Action) You are attacking Dorf Thimblerigger with your Claw

The Ice Mephit struggles against Dorf`s firm grapple, trying to strike Dorf with it`s sharp claws. Dorf manages to prevent the creature from making contact, however, the Icy creature still deals 1 point of cold damage to Dorf from being in close (grappling) proximity.

Passive action: The Ice Mephit recovers 1 hit point

Ice Mephit #2

(Standard Action: Dodge) You focus entirely on avoiding attacks. Until the start of your next turn.

The Ice Mephit flys to the ceiling and clings to one of the Stalactites while it waits for it`s breath to recharge. It shrieks and chatters excitedly.

DORF:

(Standard Action: Head Butt with Skull Helmit) Luck was on your side!

Dorf grapples the ice mephit, his muscles bulging with the effort of restraining the squirming creature. With a swift and decisive movement, he pulls the mephit close and delivers a powerful headbutt. The impact resonates with a cracking sound, as the force of the blow deals significant damage, causing fractures to spider across the mephit`s icy form. Dealing 7 plus 2 damage = 9 Damage

Angrily

Dorf screams directly into the mephits face and headbutts it right where that nasty breath is coming from.

(Bonus Action: Head Butt with Skull Helmit) Dorf reels back and headbutts the ice mephit once more. The impact is devastating, caving in the creature`s icy skull, as its face shatters into a spray of frost and ice shards, signaling the end of the mephit in a dramatic and decisive blow. 5 damage.

Death Burst: The Mephit explodes in shards of ice.

Save Roll: Failure - Despite his toughness, he winces as the jagged ice cuts into him, the cold, sharp edges inflicting slashing damage and leaving red marks and minor wounds on his exposed skin.

Caught off guard by the sudden and violent demise of the ice mephit, Dorf finds himself in the midst of its icy death burst. The explosion sends a hail of razor-sharp ice shards flying in all directions, with several piercing through the air and slashing across Dorf`s skin. It deals 2 points of damage, cut in half by the Barbarian`s rage. 1 Damage taken.

Ice Mephit #3

The Mephit`s breath recharges

(Standard Action: You are attacking Dorf with your Frost Breath)

Save Throw: Success - Dorf endures the frosty assault, taking only half the damage he would have otherwise faced, his quick thinking sparing him from a more severe hit

As the ice mephit perched menacingly on the cave ceiling unleashes a frigid blast of icy breath, Dorf reacts swiftly. He ducks behind the chest, using it as a makeshift shield against the freezing onslaught. Although he successfully avoids the full force of the icy breath, the cold still seeps around the edges of the chest, enveloping him in a biting chill. It deals 4 damage, but he takes only half. 2 damage.

The rest of the party can be heard charging down the tunnel. They have entered the battle.

0 minutes has passed

Current Time: 1:19 PM

Date: Fourthday , 4 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: 39°

Battle of the Ice Mephits (Round 3)

MUTT:

Move Action: Mutt Dashes (Standard Action) 60 feet into the cave. Hearing the sounds of battle ahead, and your keen eyes seeing the Mephits spray ice over the chest, you quickly deduce that Dorf must be hiding there, and may be in trouble. Sure enough, you spot him peeking around the chest, bloodied and bruised so you prepare to heal him from a distance.

Surprised

"Hang on, little guy!"

Bonus Action: You are casting Healing Word at Dorf Thimblerigger

Mutt spots Doef hiding behind the treasure chest, (Perception Check 20). He then casts Healing Word, and a soft light bathes Dorf, healing his wounds. He recovers 9 Hit Points

UPTHARR:

Move Action: Uptharr approaches the scene cautiously. He can hear the battle ahead in the dark but is unable to see much due to the dim lighting. He spends this round advancing defensively.

Standard Action: Dodge, You focus entirely on avoiding attacks.

FIZZBUM:

Move Action: Fizzbum comes into the hallway and sees everyone streaking toward the end away from him. Getting quickly outpaced he scoots to a halt and thinks for a minute.

Standard Action: You are casting Fog Cloud at Dorf Thimblerigger. Making a decision, he sprinkles a bit of dirt into his palms, cups his hands around his mouth and blows! The dirt vaporizes near him and at the same time a thick mist arises around Dorf many feet away down the hall. With a final gesture, he casts `Fog Cloud` centered on Dorf, instantly causing a dense, swirling fog to envelop the area. The thick mist spreads rapidly, blanketing the immediate vicinity in a heavy shroud that obscures all vision. This sudden veil of fog renders everyone within its area of effect effectively blind, cloaking friend and foe alike in a disorienting haze.

“Hold really still ya little swamp tiger! They may not see ya!” Fizzbum whispers.

ICE MEPHIT #1

Free Action: The ice mephit on the cave ceiling takes advantage of its natural camouflage. Utilizing its ability known as False Appearance, the creature becomes motionless, blending seamlessly with its surroundings. Its body, already crystalline and icy, becomes indistinguishable from the other icy shards and stalactites adorning the ceiling.

DORF:

Angrily

Throwing the skull at the Ice Mephit that does not have camouflage.

Standard Action: Throw Skull as improvised weapon.

Luck was on your side!

Seizing a skull from his pack, Dorf hurls it with all his might towards one of the elusive ice mephits, now shrouded in a veil of fog. The skull spins through the air and in a stroke of luck, it connects with a satisfying thud, striking the mephit amidst the fog. The Mephit shrieks and takes 8 damage!

Move Action: Dorf runs out from behind the chest and runs out of the fog cloud.

Angrily

Screams as he exits the fog and throws another skull in a random direction

Bonus Action: Fueled by his barbarian rage and the chaos of the battle, Dorf grabs another skull and hurls it with ferocious strength. The skull slams into a wall and shatters into pieces.

AZALIE:

Move Action: Azalie, with the grace and precision characteristic of an elf ranger, swiftly approaches the fray, her eyes locking onto the ice mephit that is not hidden by camouflage.

Sadly

As she moves closer she feels slight regret for not staying together. She mutters under her breath “this is why you use the buddy system”

Standard Action: You are attacking Ice Mephit with your Long Bow

She draws her bow.. She releases the arrow, and it soars through the air, slicing through the air with unerring accuracy. The arrow strikes the ice mephit squarely, eliciting a sharp, crystalline shatter upon impact. Deals 4 damage

ICE MEPHIT #2

Free Action: The second ice mephit on the cave ceiling takes advantage of its natural camouflage. Utilizing its ability known as False Appearance, the creature becomes motionless, blending seamlessly with its surroundings. Its body, already crystalline and icy, becomes indistinguishable from the other icy shards and stalactites adorning the ceiling

0 minutes has passed

Current Time: 1:19 PM

Date: Fourthday , 4 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: 39°

Battle of the Ice Mephits (Round 4)

MUTT:

Anxiously

"Teddy bear man! Come towards the sound of my voice!"

Standard Action: Mutt swiftly readies his crossbow and takes aim at the mephit lurking in the icy shadows. However, as he pulls the trigger, there`s a sudden, jarring halt in the mechanism – the crossbow jams, stubbornly refusing to fire. The moment of tension breaks with a curse from Mutt as he frantically tries to clear the jam, his shot thwarted by the untimely malfunction of his weapon.

UPTHARR:

Move Action: Dashes toward the battle next to Dorf.

Uptharr rushes to get to Dorf

“Got your back, let’s fell these vile creatures”

FIZZBUM:

Happily

"May your arrow fly true as a mosquito in the dark!"

Standard Action: You are casting Guidance at Azalie

Fizzbum, with a quick chant and a sprinkle of luminescent dust from his pouch, casts Guidance on Azalie. The dust swirls around her, leaving trails of shimmering light that cling to her form, enhancing her focus and precision.

Ice Mephit #1

Free Action: The Ice Mephit remains camouflaged in the ceiling, blending into the Ice formations.

DORF:

Angrily

“Come down here and fight me!!!!” Dorf screams as he chucks another skull at the wounded mephit. As the skull leaves his hand Dorf watches with expectation as it heads towards his newly found most hated enemy.

Standard Action: You are throwing a Skull at the last known location of an Ice Mephit

Dorf hurls a skull from his pack in the direction of where he last saw the Mephits on the ceiling. With a stroke of luck, the skull smashes into the Mephit, dealing 6 points of damage, plus 2 from his rage for a total of 8 damage

Ice Mephit #2:

Triggered Readied Action upon taking damage: Dashed 60 feet - As a readied action, as soon as the Mephit takes damage it streaks across the cave ceiling, moving at maximum fly speed, dashing 60 feet toward the exit of the cave.

DORF

Bonus Action: He chucks a boot at the Mephit, but the Boot misses!

AZALIE:

Mockingly

"...and where do you think You're going?"

Standard Action: You are attacking Ice Mephit with your Long Bow

Azalie, with the precision of an experienced ranger, swiftly nocks an arrow and releases it at the fleeing mephit. The arrow flies true, striking the creature`s wing with a sharp crack, breaking it mid-flight. The mephit, now unable to maintain its aerial escape, plummets to the ground, where it crashes with a brittle shatter, its icy form breaking apart upon impact, signaling its demise. 6 damage. Killing it!

0.5 minutes has passed

Current Time: 1:19 PM

Date: Fourthday , 4 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: 39°

Battle of the Ice Mepits (round 5)

MUTT:

Anxiously

"Where are you…?"

Standard Action: Cast Vicious Mockery on a Mephit as soon as I can see one within range.

Mutt readies his spell, and scans the ceiling, looking for the moment he can see the creature to release his spell.

Move Action: Moved 30 feet, carefully moving through the hall.

UPTHARR:

Standard Action: You are casting Cure Wounds at Dorf Thimblerigger

Uptharr steps forward, placing a firm hand on Dorf`s shoulder, and begins to chant a prayer of healing. A warm, golden light emanates from his palm, enveloping Dorf in a soothing glow as the spell Cure Wounds takes effect. He restores 4 Hit Points to Dorf.

FIZZBUM:

Move Action: Moved 20 feet, Fizzbum tiptoes up the hallway after the Mephit crashes to the floor next to him with Azalie's arrow sticking out of it.

"Nice shot lady!" Coming to a stop mid hall, Fizz pauses and thinks, with a little pat to his beard.

"I don't suppose he's just hungry do ya Lumpy?" Lumpy gives him a short croak. "Really? well ok, I guess that everyone likes those!"

Standard Action: You are casting Minor Illusion

With a funny little call, and a spin in a circle, Fizz conjures up a Juicy, steamy, perfectly golden Turkey leg floating in the air behind Dorf.

"Happy Turkey day little guy!"

After Fizzbum dismisses his Fog Cloud and the cave clears of the thick mist. Fizzbum weaves his hands in the air, casting Minor Illusion on the ceiling of the cave. A realistic image of a turkey leg appears, dangling enticingly as bait for the mephit. The mephit does not appear to take the bait, as nothing happens.

The party realizes that they have lost the Mephit. The creature could be hiding anywhere among the icy formations that adorn this area of the cave.

Combat has ended until the Ice Mephit reveals itself again.

Immediate Area:

There is a large rusty iron treasure chest at the end of this hallway.

The party spends a few minutes watching the cave, and making sure the threat has passed for now.

What do you do next?

5 minutes has passed

Current Time: 1:24 PM

Date: Fourthday , 4 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: 39°

The Old Iron Chest

Dorf looks around at the rest of the group then says,

“thank you all for coming to my aid, I’m not used to anyone having my back.”

He scans the room looking for the icy creature, then goes around picking up his boot and whatever is left of his skulls, keeping one eye on the ceiling. He puts what is left in his pack. Rescues his weapons and then says,

“well anyone else want to attempt to open this chest I found? I think I can open it but those ice thingies jumped me during my attempts to open it.”

Mutt cautiously walks back over to where he dropped his pack, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of the mephit. Once he reaches his pack, he reshoulders his burden and returns to the group. Clucking in annoyance at his malfunctioning crossbow, he turns it over in his hands before starting to fix the issue. As Dorf mentions the chest, he looks up from his work momentarily and glances at it quickly.

"Well, once I... *ungh* get this ... *grr* blasted thing working again I can take a look at that *hrmph* lock. I've managed to get through tougher looking ones in the past."

Mutt pauses and looks up cautiously at Dorf with a quick smile.

"I'm sure you did your best though."

Mutt resumes his work and looks to the rest of the group.

"Once we're done with the chest, I'd *really* like to get out of here soon before something else tries to eat us."

Mutt spends about 5 minutes messing with the crossbow, finally getting the jam fixed. As the party regroups by the chest, you hear a low roar echo through the cave. The roar sounded eerily similar to the Yeti roar when you were attacked a few minutes ago. It’s difficult to tell how far away the roar originated as the sounds bounce off the icy cave.

As Azalie FEELS the vibration of the roar before the sound waves make it the others ears, the hairs on the back of her neck immediately stand alert. Her right hand grasping the safety of the worn handle on the jade dagger. Her eyes widen as her glare turns ever so slowly towards the halfling,

"Dorf, unless you have a key to that chest up your ass, we are leaving this cave post haste. Does anyone disagree?"

“Sometimes the best key is force”

As Uptharr approaches the old, rusty chest with a determined stride, he raises his mace, poised to bring it down in a powerful smash to force the chest open. Just as he's about to swing, Mutt quickly steps in, his hand shooting out to stop Uptharr.

“Wait! Whatever is down there will hear!”

Mutt fishes a small pouch of thieves tools from his pack.

“If we can’t leave until we find out what’s in this thing, give me a few minutes and watch out for any surprises.”

Mutt looks to Fizz.

“Don’t suppose you could give me some of that divine guidance you were giving the elf earlier, eh little guy?”

Fizzbum joins the party a few moments after they arrive due to his short legs, and smiles at their antics. Sitting down cross legged in the center of the hallway about 10 feet away, he proceeds to sift through the dirt for small cave creatures, bugs and shiny pebbles as he watches them pick, beat and study the poor wooden chest. (Investigation check for any small bugs to feed Lumpy., roll = 9), He manages to uncover a few little grubs, their pale bodies wriggling slowly in his palm Sitting on the ground away from the party Fizz may have heard, the roar from farther away down the cave paths. (Perception Roll = 20). He determines that the Roar is definitely a Yeti.

As Azalie looks over at Dorf, he seems seriously unaware. Her eyes squinting as she watches him bumble about. A fuzzy memory enters her mind, of him bending down just like he's doing now...at some other time...kicking bones. Whatever. He doesn't seem the type to remember the little details.

She realizes that there may be more moths then nerves in that skull of his. At least he's got heart and strength. That is enough for her.

She shrugs her shoulders and wipes away the memories, and the fear dripping from her forehead onto her brow.

"Guess we just beat the crap out of the chest. Whatever is coming is coming." "Let's not waste time talking about it."

Uptharr agrees and nods with a flashing youthful gaze from his younger years to the Elf

“What’s coming is coming, that is the key to acceptance…once more with me then?” he gives a wink to the Elf as he lifts his mace to swing again.

Fizzbum's pointed ears twitch as the roar reaches him, and he looks over his shoulder in curiousity and mild alarm.

"Sound like we gots another fuzzy friend on the way"

he says to noone in particular. Backing up toward the group. Trying to get the attention of the chest smashers, he wiggles his fingers toward the chest. A small puff of spores erupts from the top of the chest, twinkling in the dim light, and they swirl into the shape of arrow pointing down the hallway.

"If you've won the battle with the chest, we may have a new friend arriving soon!" He says with a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

Just as Uptharr's mace is arcing downwards, poised to crash onto the Rusty iron chest with decisive force, A surprising sight stops his hand. Dorf, reaches into his pocket and finds the key he forgot he picked up earlier. He looks around quickly to make sure no one saw, and pretends to be using his lock picks as he inserts and turns the key, slipping the key in with his lock picks back into the bag, then opens the chest. The sudden revelation of the open chest, stops Uptharr in his tracks, his mace hovering in mid-air as the group's attention shifts to the newly revealed trove.

Inside the chest is a variety of obviously old items.

Old worn clothes

a set of scale armor

an old short sword

Some whetstones

An unidentified scroll

Some tools for Leatherworking

A small pouch of coins

A vial of yellow liquid

A shield

a Net

A couple of empty jars

a couple of bedrolls

A journal

Journal Entry 1: "First Day of Snowfall - Our journey to Ten Towns started with high spirits. The snow was light, the path clear. We laughed and shared stories, confident we'd reach the warmth of an inn by nightfall. But as the day waned, a blizzard crept upon us, white and blinding. We lost our way, the path swallowed by snow. We're setting up camp for the night, hoping the storm passes by morning."

Journal Entry 2: "Third Day of Snowfall - The blizzard shows no sign of letting up. Our supplies are dwindling faster than we thought. We can barely see a few feet ahead, and every direction looks the same – endless white. Our guide tries to stay optimistic, but I can see the worry in his eyes. We need to find shelter soon. The cold is more than just uncomfortable now; it's dangerous."

Journal Entry 3: "Fifth Day - The storm finally broke, but we're hopelessly lost. No landmarks in sight, just endless snow and biting cold. At night, we hear distant howls, eerie and unsettling. Some think they're just wolves, but I'm not so sure. We've decided to move at first light, try to find any sign of civilization or a shelter."

Journal Entry 4: "Seventh Day - Disaster struck out of nowhere. We were ambushed by a frost giant during our desperate search for shelter. The next thing I knew, we awoke in this cavernous, icy lair, a prison far worse than the blizzard outside. It's clear now – we're to be food for the giant's pets. Every day or so, Yetis come into the back of the cave. They... they take one of us. The sounds of their attacks are horrifying, the outcomes deadly. We're running out of places to hide, and I fear I might be next. The despair is suffocating, as cold as the ice that surrounds us. There is also something else in this cave. Small icy demons, they never let us sleep. We have to constantly be on our guard. Tomorrow we are going to look for a way out the back of the cave... if we survive the night."

Journal Entry 5: "It's over. I am the last one. We tried to run, but where could we go? Joseph and I tried to cross the chasm today in hopes of finding a way out through the back of the cave, but Joseph fell when he was securing the rope, and we lost the rope, and grappling hook. I can't get out that way now, I twisted my ankle running from the Yeti last night. This may be my last entry. I am hiding the rest of our parties supplies in an old chest that was in the cave when we got here. Hopefully someone finds it... no actually, I hope no one ever finds this place."

You hear low grunts and growls coming from the bone room. It sounds like something is in the room, searching and sniffing. You also hear a low voice speaking somewhere distant in the cave. You can't make out what it's saying but it appears to be talking to someone or something.

What do you do next?

15 minutes has passed

Current Time: 1:39 PM

Date: Fourthday , 4 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: 39°

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