The Quest for the lost Sled

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The Blizzard

Skill Challenge - Building a snow cave

Waiting out the Blizzard, finding Oobok

Tracking down the Goblins

Player Replies Below

Before the Blizzard:

Dorf is embarrassed when he sees how his stunt backfired. He takes his yeti helmet off while Mutt keeps talking to the dwarves.

On the journey Dorf tries to talk to the dwarves to apologize but soon realizes they want nothing to do with him. So he instead tries to make friends with their 2 dogs. (Dorf: Make an animal handling check, before the skill challenge - to see the progress you are making in making friends with their dogs, include a description of what you are doing with the dogs, or how you are making friends with the

Dorf tries to get comfortable in his saddle but can’t quite get the feel of the birds uneven gait. So he just settles in for the ride as best he can. Scanning the countryside he marvels in the stark beauty of the tundra and mountains. He watches the dogs running and thinks to himself, now if I could just ride a dog!

The Blizzard:

The journey towards Kelvin's Cairn begins under the dim twilight that passes for day in Icewind Dale. As you travel, the party and their dwarven guides make steady progress across the tundra. The Axe Beaks, with their riders, and Mutt's sled, pulled by eager dogs, continue steadily, guided by Hruna's confident directions. The landscape around you is a vast expanse of white, interrupted only by the occasional dark outline of a distant hill or the shadow of a passing cloud.

As you travel, the party exchanges stories and observations, your breaths visible in the cold air. Azalie, with her keen eyes, scans the horizon, while Dorf and Fizzbum discuss the flora and fauna they hope to encounter. Uptharr offers silent prayers for your safety and success. The mood is one of cautious optimism, tempered by the knowledge of the dangers that lie ahead.

However, a few hours into your trek, the sky begins to darken ominously. Hruna and her companions grow visibly concerned, their eyes frequently turning skyward.

"Weather's comin' off the Cairn," Hruna remarks, her voice tense.

Despite the worsening signs, you press on.

As you near your destination, only about a mile from where the sled was lost, the conditions deteriorate rapidly. A fierce blizzard envelops you, reducing visibility to a mere 30 feet and the howling wind makes communication difficult.

Caught in the blizzard's grip, you face a critical decision. Hruna, through gritted teeth, yells out, "We be needin' tae hunker doon or risk gettin' lost in this roarin' fury. Cannae risk anyone gettin' separated, aye. An' keep yer eyes peeled fer Yetis! They've got eyes tha' see right through blizzard weather, an' they fancy attackin' their prey amidst the storms!"

Azalie starts realizing the severity of the situation. She knows blizzards can kill more living beings then any dangerous animal. The shifty wind will confuse them, people will get lost. There is very little room for error here.

Azalie starts listing what's the safest move. She has 100' of hemp rope. She screams out to the others

"WE SHOULD ALL HOLD ON TO THE ROPE!!!" struggling to get her voice over the howl of the wind, she shouts louder. "MMMMMUUUUUTTTTTTTTT! WE SHOULD STOP AND GATHER THE ANIMALS! DO YOU SEE ANY COVER?"

Azalie thinks she sees a large boulder or outcroppings that can help shield them from the increasingly deadly blizzard.

(Perception Roll: 6) However, The fierce storm plays tricks on Azalie`s eyes and she can`t see any boulders or outcroppings as the storm worsens.

Mutt’s concern over the darkening weather drops into fear as the storm begins to rage around them. The pit of Mutt’s stomach drops as he hears the panic in Azalie’s voice. He quickly ties the rope around his waist and passes the remaining length to the person nearest to him.

“Stout! Ipa! WHOAH! Come here!”

The dogs, trained and loyal, quickly heed Mutt's call. With ears back and tails down, they rush to his side, standing close, their eyes seeking guidance from their master in the unsettling storm.

As mutt passes the rope, each of the party grabs hold and huddles together so as not to get separated . Those on Axe Beaks, dismount and hold their Axe Beak's reigns as the large birds shuffle nervously in the storm.

The dwarves, catching Azalie's words, nod in agreement. Hruna shouts back, her voice strong despite the wind,

"Aye, lass! Let's hunker down!" She turns to her companions, "Korux, Storn, grab yer shovels! Time tae dig in!"

Kopux, without a word, nods at Hruna and grabs a shovel and prepares to dig.

Storn, though nervous, follows suit, his shovel in hand.

Uptharr, gripping a shovel firmly in his hands, raises his voice to cut through the howling wind of the blizzard,

"I'll aid in the diggin'! We'll carve out a shelter 'gainst this storm together!"

Mutt calls the sled dogs to him and keeps a tight grip on their leads. He looks around quickly for any sign of natural cover they may be able to use. (Mutt - before the skill challenge begins, you can make a perception roll (DC 15) to see if you spotted a sign of natural cover. If this perception check succeeds, then one of you will gain advantage on their skill challenge roll, (Mutt's choice)

Skill Challenge: Constructing a Snow Shelter before you freeze

Objective: In addition to building a shelter, the party must ensure their mounts (Axe Beaks and sled dogs) are safe and secure during the blizzard.

Success Threshold: The party needs to accumulate 8 successful skill checks before 4 failures to account for the challenge of building the shelter and managing their animals.

Wet Clothing: Your clothing is at risk for getting damp or wet in this challenge.

Skills available:

Each party member must choose a skill below, and make 1 skill check to aid in this challenge. Along with your skill roll, you must describe what action you are taking with this skill to help with the challenge.

You can use magic to aid in your challenge as well, the Dwarves will be helping dig the shelter and will make athletics checks only. They have a +2 to their athletics roll.

There are two difficult skills that have higher DC's to succeed, as indicated below.

Skill Options:

High Difficulty

Animal Handling (WIS) (Requires 1 successful check)

Survival (WIS) (Requires 1 successful check)

Moderate Difficulty

Perception (WIS)  (Requires 1 successful check)

Nature (INT) (requires 1 successful check)

Atlhetics (STR) (requires 4 successful checks)

Decide which skills each of you will roll for the first round of this challenge. If you do not succeed the challenge in the first round of rolls, then there will be a penalty and the challenge will go to a second round until you succeed or fail.

As the party races against the storm to construct their refuge, the whinnying of the Axe Beaks and the anxious barks of the sled dogs add to the chaos of the howling wind.

5 minutes have passed

Current Time: 1:21 PM

Date: Secondday , 12 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: -28°

Current Phase: Exploration

Building a Snow Cave Skill Challenge

Skill Challenge Results:

Uptharr: Perception: 21 vs 12 - Success

Uptharr tries to spot any nearby resources or natural features that could be used to reinforce the shelter or provide additional comfort for the animals.

Uptharr`s keen eyes cut through the howling blizzard, spotting a naturally occurring snow berm, shaped by the relentless winds of Icewind Dale. This snow berm could be an ideal windbreak, significantly reducing the chill and offering a strategic foundation for their shelter.

"Over here! The winds have shaped a snow berm that can shield us! It's the perfect spot to fortify our shelter and protect the animals from the worst of the storm. Let's use this natural barrier to our advantage!"

Fizzbum: Nature Check: 14 vs 12 DC - Success

As the Dwarves and Uptharr begin to dig into the snow, small leafless shrubs and trees begin to emerge from what would have been the ground level. Knowing how easily snow can leech warmth out of their already frozen bodies, Fizz collects the Branches and twigs, (apologizing to the trees as he does) to build a Rush flooring to the snow cave, protecting them from direct contact with the ice.

Fizzbum successfully identifies and gathers the sparse, leafless shrubs and twigs protruding from the snow. By weaving these branches and twigs into a rush flooring, he creates an effective barrier between the party and the freezing ground. This insulation provides a more comfortable and warmer base for the shelter and increases the party`s chances of staying warm in the cave.

Azalie: Animal Handling Check: 25 vs DC 17 - Success

Speaking to the animals do keep them calm, tell them where to be, and to encourage them to gather around us for warmth, when needed.

Azalie casts speak with animals. She slowly approaches the AxeBeaks. They are scared and stomping their feet on the ground.

“Calm, my friend.” Azalie extends her hand to her mount. Lightly caressing its beak. “It is ok. We will keep you safe. What is your name?”

AxeBeak: "What is name? We feel storm, cold, fear."

Azalie continues to move gracefully towards the other animals: “Calm my friends. We need your help. Will you help us?”

As Azalie addresses the Axe Beaks with a calming tone, they gradually calm down, their anxious movements subsiding as they attune to her presence.

Axe Beak "Help, yes. We listen. We stand with you."

Another Axe Beak, slightly less anxious now, chimes in: "Scared of cold, scared of white storm. But we help, we stay."

Azalie tries to keep her voice calm but struggles to keep it loud enough for them to hear.

“We need to seek shelter. We need help from you to keep us warm.”

Axe Beak Leader: "Shelter, warm. We follow, we help."

Another Axe Beak, sensing the urgency in her voice, adds: "Close we stay, give warm. Safe together."

The Axe Beaks position themselves strategically around the area where the party is digging the shelter. Their large bodies and broad wings act as natural barriers against the biting wind. They manage to block a significant portion of the icy gusts, creating a more bearable environment for the party members to work in.

Azalie pets the dogs, she sinks her fingers deep into their thick fur. The warmth of their bodies warming her hand. Thinking to herself how she would like to be snuggled up to them now.

“If we fall, will you stay to keep us warm? If we fail, will you find help?” Azalie only has 10 minutes to get their trust and loyalty.

Mutt's lead sled dog, Stout, looks intently at Azalie, understanding her words, he responds:

Stout: "We stay, we warm. Never leave pack. If fall, we guard, we warm."

Ipa, with a loyal gaze, adds:

"We find help. Run fast, bark loud. Never alone."

She focuses on simple instructions. “Help us dig. Help us stay warm. Get away if you are in danger. Don’t eat our bodies.”

The sled dogs, nod in understanding.

Stout, "We dig, we help. Stay warm together. Protect pack."

Ipa, "Danger, we run. No harm to pack. We respect, no eat."

She sees her friends struggling. She asked herself, “Did I make the right choice to calm the animals?”

Mutt: Survival Check: 22 vs 17 - Success

Mutt stares around at the torrential winds and snow as they whip around them. His many days on the road on sleeping rough have helped him to try and read the weather. He learned (with limited success) how to tell when the weather is about to change and when to find shelter from an incoming storm. He uses this insight to determine what direction the winds are primarily coming from, how long the storm might last, and to make sure the shelter is dug is a direction so that they are shielded from the worst of the winds and snow. As the shelter is dug, he looks at the stability of the snowpack to see if there are any signs of weakness so there won’t be a risk of cave in. He points out spots where they should dig or reinforce the shelter walls more.

Mutt precisely determines the blizzard`s wind direction and uses this knowledge to guide the shelter`s strategic placement. He carefully evaluates the snowpack`s stability which greatly enhances the shelter`s safety and strength against the storm.

Mutt's keen understanding of the environment guided the shelter's placement and enhanced its stability, ensuring that your efforts would not be in vain. And when the final moments of construction arrived,

Mutt shields his face from the stinging and biting cold of the blizzard as the party starts to dig out a berm against the rock face Uptharr’s keen eyes spotted. Mutt is not stranger to being out in inclement weather. More than a few times he’s had to sleep outside curled into whatever nook he could find to shield himself and escape a torrential downpour. Blizzards were new though. Mutt assumed at their core, rain storms and blizzards were essentially the same thing: water being whipped around by wind. He hoped the same tricks he learned hiding from rainstorms helped them here.

“We need to face the opening to the southeast! The storm is coming at us from north-northwest!”

Mutt nods his head in thanks to Azalie as he sees her return leading the animals. Breaking into his rendition of “Diggy Diggy Hole” he claps a hand on Dorf’s shoulder and smiles at the dwarves.

Diggy Diggy Hole lyrics omitted for brevity 😁

“Well done everyone! We will weather this storm yet!”

Dorf: Athletics check: 18 vs 12 - Success

Dorf puts his might into the task, contributing significantly to the digging of the snow shelter

Hruna, Storn & Korux - Athletics checks 19, 3, 5 vs 12 - Success, Fail, Fail

While Hruna's diligent digging shaped a substantial part of your refuge, not all efforts went smoothly. Storn and Korux, despite their best intentions, faced setbacks as parts of the shelter collapsed, challenging your progress and testing your resolve as the blizzard intensified.

Final Athletics Checks: Azalie 16, Dorf 12 vs DC 12 - Success, Success

Azalie stepped in to assist with the digging, her hands shaping the last walls of your icy sanctuary.

Dorf, initially struggling with the task at hand, finds a surge of inspiration and guidance that boosts his efforts significantly. His renewed vigor allows him to efficiently carve out more of the snow cave

As Dorf struggles to keep digging with comments from the peanut gallery, he starts to realize that he needs to make some improvements to his yeti suit next time they are in town. I mean what’s the point of looking like a yeti if you don’t get the benefits of their skins. He looks around worriedly as the blizzard continues unabated and starts digging a little faster.

Together, through determination, skill, and a touch of magical assistance, you've crafted a snow cave capable of withstanding the storm's onslaught. As you huddle together, surrounded by the warmth of your companions and newfound animal allies, You wait out the storm.

Damp Clothing Check:

Azalie: Survival Check: 4

The dampness seeps through the layers, chilling her to the bone and making it perilously unsafe to continue wearing the wet garments in the frigid temperatures of Icewind Dale.

Dorf: Survival Check: 4

Despite his best efforts, Dorf`s clothing becomes thoroughly soaked as he continues to dig through the snow, the icy moisture penetrating every layer.

Mutt: Survival Check: 12

Mutt skillfully uses his survival knowledge to keep his clothing dry amidst the swirling snow and biting winds. His successful efforts ensure that his garments remain free from additional moisture.

Uptharr: Survival Check: 3

Despite his efforts, Uptharr's clothing succumbs to the blizzard, becoming thoroughly soaked and clinging uncomfortably to his skin. The dampness threatens his safety in this freezing environment.

Wrap Up

The party is now in the relative safety of the snow shelter, with the axe beaks and dogs helping to block the winds from entering the shelter. You must spend several hours in the shelter for the blizzard to pass by.

Decide what you will do while in the shelter before the blizzard ends. Those of you with wet clothing are becoming increasingly cold and uncomfortable. It took 2 hours to build the shelter, and the storm shows no sign of slowing.

During this cooldown, post your actions while in the shelter, and any dialogue you wish to have between each other or with the Dwarves.

Fizzbum - you need to roll your Survival check to determine if your clothing has become too damp to safely wear.

2 hours have passed

Current Time: 3:22 PM

Date: Secondday , 12 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: -28°

Current Phase: Exploration

Waiting out the Blizzard

Azalie is freezing. In the cramped, chilly confines of the snow cave, Azalie, shivering and uncomfortable, begins to peel off her wet, muddy clothes with a grimace of disgust.

"bleh" she wretches. "Hruna, can you hold up this blanket so I can change."

Hruna, quickly grabs a blanket and holds it up, creating a makeshift screen for Azalie.

"O' course, Azalie. Take yer time. We've got ye covered."

Azalie is jumping on one foot, kicking off her muddy boots.

Azalie doesn't care if the others can see or hear her. She hates the cold.

"Close your eyes unless you want a show," she says, a nervous giggle escaping her lips, followed by a blush of embarrassment.

After a moment of ensuring she's adequately shielded by the blanket, she quickly changes into dry clothes to minimize her exposure to the cold and the eyes of her companions.

"Thanks." Azalie walks by with her head down. She sets her pack on the ground and sits on it. Covered from head to toe Azalie look around at her friends. "That was a great job out there. I am starting to believe we work well with each other. I am glad to call you my friends."

Azalie stares directly at Mutt

"I have to know the lyrics to 'Diggy Diggy Hole'. I couldn't quiet catch the chorus, and what's for dinner." her happiness increasing rapidly, "I am starving!"

Azalie feels a rush of inspiration. They survived this far, she has complete confidence they will make it further. Maybe they can look into this never ending darkness. She could hear the animals talking about it.

"Ah, 'Diggy Diggy Hole,' a classic! Let me fetch my pan flute; there's no better way to celebrate our resilience than with a bit of music," he says, rummaging through his belongings to pull out the small instrument.

With a mischievous grin, Mutt begins to play the catchy tune of "Diggy Diggy Hole," filling the snow cave with its rhythmic melody. Between the notes, he sings the chorus with gusto, inviting Azalie and the others to join in:

As the music echoes off the walls, the morale of the party improves, in spite of the bad weather outside.

Mutt, still playing, chuckles and adds, "As for dinner, let's see what we can rustle up. Music might feed the soul, but I agree, a hearty meal will do wonders right now!"

Fizz slides down into the cave from one of the slanted snowdrifts outside, happily bouncing to a stop on his Yeti cloak.

"Well that was fun! I'm not a big fan of the cold, but this cave is awesome! Thank you all so much for digging it out for me and Peck!"

Fizz walks around the small room, making sure that all his branches are holding tight, and his rush floor is snug. Getting out his bedroll, he shakes the snow off it and places it in a cozy corner of the cave before going to check that Peck has settled down comfortably out of the wind.

"Thank you for a wonderful ride Peck! That was really great until the storm caught up to us huh?.. Well I hope you are comfortable. I would think those fancy fur feathers would hold in a lot of warmth, but the high winds don't help! How many layers are they? I wish I had feathers like you. I'm not sure they'd be much use in my swamp though. You see I live in a swamp, in a cozy house on a hillock surrounded by the most delicious and powerful mushrooms you could find....."

Fizz continues to talk to Peck about his home in the swamp as he leans against her warm feathers, giving her pats and gently brushing the snow off her back. After a while Fizz grabs his bedroll from the corner and brings it over to Peck, sharing the cover to keep them both warm.

As Dorf sits shivering from his wet clothes he notices two things, Az doing a funny dance as she changes into dry clothes and Fizz cuddled up by his bird. Being of superior intelligence he quickly decides these are great ideas. He strips right where he is and changes into dry clothes then gets out his blanket and wraps up and snuggles into the side of his axebeak.

Azalie starts to relax, humming to the tune of "Diggy Diggy Hole". 🎼The sunlight will not reach this low Deep, deep in the mine🎼 Never seen the blue moon glow🎼 Dwarves won't fly so high🎼 Fill a glass and down some mead!🎼 Stuff your bellies at the feast! 🎼Stumble home and fall asleep🎼 Dreaming in our mountain keep🎼

"Mutt, you really are a true Bard, through and through." She raises her skunkweed pipe in the air, "I have to admit, I'm a..."

her declaration is abruptly interrupted as her eyes inadvertently catch sight of Dorf in his altogether.

Startled, she quickly averts her gaze, "There are some things you cannot unsee," she mutters, trying to erase the image from her mind and shake off the awkwardness.

In the cozy yet confined space of the snow cave, Hruna sits across from Dorf, her eyes focused on him with a mix of past resentment and newfound respect.

"Laddy, aboot what happened back in toon... wi' the Yeti outfit..."

Dorf, pulling on his dry clothes, looks up at Hruna, his expression earnest.

"I know, Hruna. I didn't think it through, how it might remind you and your kin of Oobok. I'm truly sorry for that."

Hruna nods slowly, her gaze softening as she recalls Dorf's diligent efforts in digging the snow cave,

"I can see ye're not just yer jests and japes. The way ye worked on this cave... Oobok would've respected that. We're a folk who value deeds. Yer whole party saw this job done well."

>>The party gains +2 Reputation with Clan Battlehammer<<

Waiting out the blizzard:

As the relentless blizzard outside gradually weakens, the party's spirits rise. For about four long hours, they huddle together in the snow cave, the warmth of their companionship and shared efforts fending off the icy storm. The cave, a cramped and smelly serves it's purpose and allows the party to survive.

Finally, as the wind's howl diminishes to a whisper and the snowfall slows to just a few flakes drifting to the ground, the party moves the animals to get a better look.

Mutt, peering out of the cave's entrance, confirms that the blizzard has passed, although now, night has enveloped the tundra. As the clouds clear, the stars of the night sky, and the beautiful Arora streaks across the black sky.

The task at hand—to locate the lost sled—remains, and they must make the most of their time. Gathering their gear, they ensure everyone is well bundled against the even colder night air. The animals, their fur and feathers fluffed up for warmth, are readied for the journey ahead.

Stepping out of the cave, the party is greeted by a transformed landscape. The path you were on has been erased and no trace of anything remains. The dwarves attach their sled dogs and begin to point toward where they lost their sled.

"Only a mile or so further, we should be at the place we lost our sled just over the next ridge."

Finding the remains of Oobok:

A little over an hour after leaving your snow shelter, you crest a snow-covered ridge and see a frozen, dismembered corpse in the gully in front of you. Snow covers some of the gory bits, but the headless torso and severed limbs are visible. You see tracks in the snow all around the corpse, and the telltale grooves in the snow left behind by a sled that has been hauled away.

As the grim scene unfolds before you, a heavy silence falls over the group. The dwarves, Hruna, Storn, and Korux, halt in their tracks, their expressions turning to shock and then to deep sorrow.

Hruna's eyes widen as she recognizes the tattered remains of Oobok's clothing. "Oobok," she whispers, her voice breaking with grief. The stoic demeanor that dwarves are known for changes as she approaches the remains, her movements are deliberate and reverent.

Storn clenches his fists, the visible anger and pain intermingling on his rugged face. He scans the surroundings, the tracks in the snow, and the dragged sled marks, piecing together the last moments of his friend's life.

"Yeti took him down... but those tracks, they don't be Yeti tracks," he growls, as he points to the tracks scattered around the remains and the sled tracks that lead away from the scene.

"Those tracks. They be fresh. Not covered by the blizzard".

Korux, the quietest among them, drops to his knees beside the remains, his head bowed in a moment of silent tribute. He reaches out, hesitatingly, to place a hand on the snow-dusted shoulder of the torso, a gesture of farewell to a comrade lost too soon.

The party stands in solidarity, sharing in the dwarves' mourning. The air is filled with the harsh, cold wind, as the group takes a moment of silence.

Hruna and the dwarves load the remains of Oobok onto their sled and then look a the tracks leading away from the scene.

Hruna then turns to face the party with sorrow in her eyes. She clears her throat,

"We must take Oobok back tae our kin, back tae the heart o' the mountains where he belongs. It's our way, our tradition, tae ensure he's laid tae rest among his ancestors"

She pauses, her gaze meeting each member of the party:

"But the sled, the supplies, they're crucial, not just fer us but fer the safety o' all in Bryn Shander. We ask that ye continue on, follow those tracks, and reclaim what's been stolen. We'll meet ye back in Bryn Shander on Eighthday wi' yer reward."

Hruna's eyes linger on the tracks leading away from the grim scene, then back to the party, conveying a silent plea for justice and assistance.

The dwarves nod in agreement, their expressions somber yet determined, as they prepare to part ways.

Next Steps:

• Decide how you will respond to the Dwarves

• Provide any retro actions you may have done while still in the snow shelter, or any retro actions you may have done on the hour hike to the scene with Oobok's remains and the tracks.

What do you do next?

5 hours have passed

Current Time: 8:22 PM

Date: Secondday , 12 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: -38°

Current Phase: Exploration

While still in the Snow Shelter:

Dorf thanks Hruna for her understanding of his fopah. He is glad that she is so quick to forgive his mistakes. While he arranges his yeti outfit close to the fire to drive out he tries his best to keep it out of sight using his extra blanket.

"Hruna, I wanted to offer me sincerest apologies for the offense I caused ye and yer companions, Storn and Korux. It was never me intention to disrespect or upset any of ye."

"Dorf, we appreciate yer apology. Us dwarves value honesty and courage, especially when it's about ownin' up to one's blunders. Let's put this behind us and march forward, aye?"

He then starts going over the finer points of the hastily dug cave with the dwarves. He also asks if they know of any good mining areas close to town where he could find gold and silver, or gems. He watches Hruna closely the rest of the time they are in the cave. Trying to strike up conversation when it fits and merely observing her mannerisms when she seems to want peace and quiet.

Dorf engages the dwarves in a detailed discussion about potential mining locations near the town. With their extensive knowledge of the land and its resources, the dwarves share insights about various spots renowned for their rich deposits of gold, silver, and gems. They describe the characteristics of each area, including the types of minerals to be found, the difficulty of mining them, and the historical yields of those sites.

While he watches Hruna he starts picking at a promising looking rock in the ground, much to his surprise he finds a beautiful emerald! It's rough but such a deep green almost having a glow to it. He starts polishing it in its rough form, wiping all the muds off with some snow. He proudly shows it to the dwarves, perhaps coming back here in a more peaceful time would be beneficial.

Mutt allows himself to relax slightly as the group collects in the shelter. The cold still permeates his bones but at least they’re out of the biting wind and sleet. He gathers Stout and Ipa near to him and gives them some affectionate scritches behind the ears before making sure they’re settled and sheltered from the storm. Satisfied the dogs are able to rest, he begins going through his bag to see if any of its contents shifted while traveling or digging of the shelter. Taking a healthy potion and placing it in an easy to reach pocket, he looks up as Azalie and Dorf begin to disrobe.

As Dorf and Azalie undress, Mutt simply shrugs and continues shuffling through his pack.

“No need to be modest. Your bodies are beautiful in their own right.”

Mutt looks jokingly to Dorf and winks.

“And don’t worry, we know it’s cold in here.”

With everyone changed and more comfortable, Mutt pulls out his pan flute and gives his rendition of “Diggy Diggy Hole”.

Heading out of the storm shelter (retro)

Fizz and Peck head out into open air as the storm clears, full of restless energy and what seems to be a new found bond. As the party travels the two friends pounce into snowbanks chasing a minor illusion of a snow rabbit that Fizz conjures, laughing and squawking all the while. Fizz commonly races ahead or lags behind the party as their antics continue, completely oblivious to the more stoic pace of the dwarves. The party heard one significant yell from ahead, and arrived to find Fizz on his back in the fresh powder, his feet and hands sticking up out of the snow like a flipped over Hedgehog, giggling about something called strawberry snowcones and pointing to his red hair!

As they restart their journey from their impromptu shelter Dorf takes one last admiring glance at their handiwork, nods with a satisfied grin and mounts his bird. As they travel to the sled he can feel the dwarves unease as they get closer to the scene of their ambush.

He constantly scans the horizon for movement or any tracks near the path.

Arriving a the scene of the lost sled

Arriving at the scene of the ambush Dorf quickly looks to the dwarves upon seeing the body. He hangs his head in shame, the pain he added to their loss etched on his face. He gently helps them load their friend on the sled. He reaches into his pocket and places his emerald in the folded hands of the poor dwarf.

“It’s not much but I’d like for him to have it.”

Dorf then walks sadly away to help scan the tracks to see if he can determine who took the sled, obviously not yetis, they have no need for iron.

Perception Roll 10: Dorf focuses his attention on the surrounding countryside, he discerns that the tracks in the snow trail off toward the south. He otherwise does not notice anything in particular.

As the party approaches the scene of the fallen dwarf, it takes Fizz a minute to notice that they have stopped, but he eventually feels the emotions of the team and hops down off Peck and joins the circle around him. Fizz looks over at the dwarves with sorrow in his eyes,

"Awww.. I'm sorry Mrs. Hruna. I bet he was super brave to fight all of them. Those Yeti's are some big ol' meanies! We'll get them for you, I promise! Oh and your sled for sure."

Hruna offers Fizz a warm, appreciative smile,

"Thank ye, Fizz, for yer kind words and bravery. Aye, he was a courageous soul, fighting against those monstrous Yetis. It's comforting to know we have such determined allies in our corner. And getting our sled back would be a grand help indeed. Together, we'll stand strong against those foul beasts."

As the Dwarves settle Oobok onto the sled, Fizz retrieves on of his flowers from Peck's pack and tucks it into Oobok's armor, giving him a quick light pat. Fizz gives a sigh and then heads back to Peck, ready to continue their journey.

As the dwarves pause for a moment of silence and mourn their friend, Mutt looks in all directions to see if he can see anyone or anything else watching them. Whoever took the sled may have left watchers to raise an alarm in case someone came back for the sled. (Perception check: 15)

Mutt surveys their surroundings, looking for any signs of being observed. His perception check reveals no immediate threats or observers lurking in their vicinity.

Mutt looks on in silence as Hruna and the other dwarves load Oobok’s corpse onto their sled. While he feels a slight sense of sorrow at Oobok’s death, there’s a sense of relief that the dwarves were telling the truth and they weren’t being led out here into an ambush. Mutt looks at the sled tracks leading away from the ambush site. Well, the dwarves didn’t seem like they were going to ambush them anyhow. As for whoever took the sled…

Mutt shakes the dark thoughts that threaten to cloud his head and nods to Hruna.

“Sympathies on your loss. The Howlbears will do what we can.”

Mutt looks to Azalie and gestures to the sled tracks leading away from the attack site.

“We can assume whoever took the sled went that way and recently. Can we tell who may have taken the sled and how many there were?”

Azalie examines the fresh tracks in the snow, immediately recognizing the distinct, chaotic patterns of goblin footprints. Among the clutter of goblin tracks, she also notices another set of prints, large and paw-like, indicating the presence of polar bears in the vicinity.

Azalie stays in silence as the others give the dwarves their condolences. She is too choked up. She sees Mutt motioning at her to look at the sled tracks. She studies them intently.

"Howlbears, I am sorry to say these are the tracks of Goblins. There seems to have been many of them." Azalie keeps looking, sniffing, tasting for remnants of what passed here. "There are also polar bear marks. These seem to be moving in a formation..." Azalie moves some snow and notices some lost hair and marks that look like the polar bears aren't in the best of health. "They may be pulling the sled."

"I am not to sure that they aren't beast of burden."

Azalie hates to kill animals but these animals only seem to listen to their master. There is no other choice then a swift death to lessen their burdens.

She looks towards Fizz. Hoping that one day he doesn't get mistaken, in his shape shifted form.

"Let's press on. Be very cautions and don't stay to close together. Goblins are sneaky and they might attack from different directions." Azalie scoffs at the idea that meer Goblins could take them all down. "Don't hold back, and Dorf, rage to your hearts content. We have someone to avenge. Azalie looks at the Dwarfs, and says in elvish, "For your Khaustà Mâlo."

For your resting friend.

When Azalie mentions the sled’s been taken by goblins, Mutt racks his brain to see what he can recall about them. (History check 15)

He knows that goblins in this frigid region are particularly hardy. Mutt remembers that these goblins often form tribes that can be both nomadic and territorial, setting up camps in caves or or in snow shelters to shield themselves from the cold. He's also aware that while they're typically seen as nuisances, goblins in Icewind Dale have been known to organize under a strong leader, making them a more formidable threat. Furthermore, Mutt recalls that these creatures are adept at using the terrain to their advantage in ambushes, leveraging their knowledge of the icy landscape to outmaneuver and outwit larger foes.

“Gods, this place…I wouldn’t have thought goblins would have tried to live up here. Azalie, are you able to tell of the polar bears were the beasts of burden used by the dwarves or did the goblins bring them?”

Mutt double checks the leads attached to Stout and Ipa and motions towards the tracks leading away.

“We should probably follow the tracks before we lose them in another blizzard. If they’re hauling a large load of ingots they may be moving slower even if they do have polar bears pulling the sled. We might be able to catch them if we hurry.”

Fizz’s ears and his spirit perk up as Azalie mentions Polar Bears.

“Oh I would love to see a Polar Bear Ms Azalie! I wonder if they smell like Seal all the time, or just after breakfast! Did you know that Polar Bears are the biggest bear? Even bigger than the Kodie-mak bears. I heard once that they even wear red hats and scarves while drinking a bubbly brown potion that gives you energy! Amazing creatures, I can’t wait to meet them!”

Temporarily running out of Polar bear facts, Fizz notices the solemn group staring at him for the first time.

“Oh…. And I don’t like goblins neither Mr Mutt. The Mother says we don’t need to save them.”

As Azalie finishes her report on the goblin and polar bear tracks, Uptharr's eyes narrow with determination.

"We should track these goblins down before they pose a greater threat to the area. We must be on our guard."

The party splits up, as the Dwarves take Oobok on their sled back to the mountain to bury his remains, the rest of the party follow the goblin tracks south.

As the party stealthily advances through the snow, they come upon a scene of goblin mischief: Eight goblins are straining to pull a heavy sled toward a massive wagon where more goblins and a pair of agitated polar bears await. As you crest a small hill, you can see the goblins trying to hook the sled up to their wagon.

The Goblins have not noticed you yet.

What do you do?

45 minutes have passed

Current Time: 9:07 PM

Date: Secondday , 12 , Alturiak , 1742

Temperature: -38°

Current Phase: Exploration

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