- Long May He Reign
- The Keepers head as quickly as they can to a small copse of trees to make a fire and warm up from being wet in the snow.
- A short rest is had.
- A new Healing Elixir is conjured.
- Niniel who is the least injured looks around a bit and there is a path leading up hill (or down hill depending on which direction you choose to go).
- Stardust is an octopus so she can't do a fly around.
- Niniel casts Fly on Caleb and herself and they fly up and look around.
- Up the hill or small mountain, there's an outcropping of the mountain.
- Downhill is just disappears into the tundra.
- There are some trees around, but the visual vicinity is pretty barren.
- Everyone agrees to head to the outcropping since it will provide a wind screen if nothing else.
- They walk for about an hour and a half an Zemma notices that there's a footprint near the path. It's about twice as long and little wider than the average human foot with claws at the toes. The footprint path is almost perpendicular to the path they are following.
- Another 30-45 minutes later, the path just terminates at the rock face and there is a door.
- Niniel goes up to the door and uses Ghostly Gaze and she can see through the door. There is a corridor that opens into a room with a mound in it.
- Caleb knocks onto the door and after about thirty seconds when Niniel doesn't see anyone coming, so he tries the door, and it is locked.
- Caleb easily picks the lock and opens the door. Everyone hurries in out of the cold.
- Inside there is a large room with a fire pit with a raised wall around it.
- The fire pit wall has sigils carve in the wall that go all the way through and Soliana studies them for a few minutes and thinks they are just runes of protection.
- There's two small antechambers to the left and right, and continuing forward there's another archway with a door.
- Niniel scopes out the left antechamber and it has six berths for sleeping. There is also a chair in one corner and the back wall has a wardrobe. Inside the wardrobe there are six black cloaks with a dark crimson edging, there's a pair of warm looking boots, and there's a staff leaning in the corner. Niniel grabs the staff and it's hot to the touch. The staff has an emu egg-sized crystal with what looks like fire inside of it. The staff is a Staff of Fire after a ritual Identify spell.
(You have resistance to fire damage while you hold this staff.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: burning hands (1 charge), fireball (3 charges), or wall of fire (4 charges).
The staff regains 1d6 + 4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff blackens, crumbles into cinders, and is destroyed.)
- The boots are Boots of the Winterland after Soliana ritually Identifies it.
(These furred boots are snug and feel quite warm. While you wear them, you gain the following benefits:
- You have resistance to cold damage.
- You ignore difficult terrain created by ice or snow.
- You can tolerate temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit without any additional protection. If you wear heavy clothes, you can tolerate temperatures as low as -100 degrees Fahrenheit.)
- Soliana ritually casts Detect Magic. The cloaks are not magical.
- The right antechamber has a barrel, a cupboard, and a chest. There are a few bottles of wine, some bars of pemmican, some hardtack, some hard cheese, and dried berries. The food looks relatively fresh. The bottles were not dusty. None of it is magical.
- Niniel is drinking the wine.
- The archway leading to beyond is enchanted with a ward and is magically locked.
- Niniel uses Ghostly Gaze again (half an hour of ritually casting spells count as a Short Rest for the warlock, right?)
- There's another corridor and it leads downward. That's all Niniel can see.
- Caleb readies his lockpicks, but as he goes to attempt unlocking someone starts screaming on the other side of the door.
- Soliana reaches over to the doorknob, Dispels Magic on the lock, and pulls the door open and there's a large furry something coming up from the path below and the screaming someone is just around the corner out of sight.
- Niniel shoves Soliana aside with a "Move!" The screaming person is manacled to a table like a sacrifice.
- The monstrous humanoid is trying to rip the person off the table and out of the manacles.
CAVE BATTLE
- Niniel casts Eldritch Blast at the manacle at the person's left hand breaking that chain. Her second bolt breaks the manacles at the right hand. Then she summons her Tentacle next to the (presumed) Yeti. The Tentacle misses.
- Soliana runs past all of her friends then Starlight Steps between the Snackrifice and the Yeti and casts Thunderwave dealing 21 thunder dmg to the Yeti and pushing it back 10 ft.
- Poetry runs into the room and casts Scorching Ray at the Yeti hitting once for 16 fire dmg. Ember then grabs Zemma and teleports her 20 feet forward into the room.
- The Yeti charges forward again at Soliana locking eyes with her making a chill run down her spine, but no other effect then it slices her with its claws for 13 (-7 from the Tentacle Interposing) slashing and 8 cold dmg.
- Caleb throws a psychic knife right over Soliana's head dealing 16 psychic dmg. He throws a second one for 7 psychic dmg.
- Zemma runs around and flanks with Soliana, Raging into a bitey cat as she goes, then she bites it right in the ass for 12 piercing dmg. Her second bite misses.
- The Yeti screeches and exhales cold energy at Soliana and gets Caleb as well for 25 cold dmg. Soliana crumples right at the Yeti's feet.
- Niniel's Tentacle smacks the Yeti for 5 cold dmg, but the Yeti doesn't even notice. Niniel takes a few steps to the left and casts Lightning Bolt on the Yeti for 27 lightning dmg.
- Soliana rolls a 17 on her Death ST.
- Poetry has Ember run up to Soliana and teleports her 15 feet away from the Yeti. Poetry then casts Scorching Ray at third level hitting twice for 16 fire dmg. She then steps back 10' to the opening of the corridor.
- The Yeti flips around to look at Zemma and locks eyes with her, but other than a chill up her spine, then it also misses clawing her.
- Caleb runs over grabs the conjured Healing Elixir off of Soliana's belt and force feeds it to her. He then ducks down behind the Snackrifice table and Hides.
- Zemma bites the Yeti for 12 piercing and then misses with her second attack.
- The Yeti looks around and sees Poetry flipping him the bird, so he locks eyes with her and she shivers taking 17 cold dmg and she is Paralyzed until his next turn. Then he claws Zemma for 14 (7) slashing and 9 cold dmg.
- Niniel's Tentacle hits dealing some ineffective cold dmg, but the Yeti is slowed for 10'. She then Eldritch Blasts the chain off the Snackrifice's left foot, then hits the chain on his right foot releasing him from all his manacles, and he crumples to the ground in front of the slanted table.
- Soliana stands up, backs up to the wall, and then Vortex Warps the Snackrifice next to Poetry.
- Poetry is paralyzed. Ember throws a Flame Seed at the Yeti for 8 fire dmg.
- The Yeti moves around Zemma then runs away to the downward slanted corridor and Zemma bits him for 14 piercing dmg as he goes. The Yeti disappears into the darkness of the tunnel.
- Poetry is no longer Paralyzed.
- Niniel manages to hit with one last Eldrtich Blast for 8 dmg as it.
- The Keepers set up in the bunk room with the Snackrifice and start plying him with food and water. He is very addled and might be drugged.
- 2,500 XP each for 32,200 XP total ea.
