Once More into the Void Session 15

So cold, shivering, can’t get comfortable.

“CRASH!”

What was that? It cannot be my turn at watch already. My feet are frozen, I should have kept my boots on. I pull back the blankets from over my head and look about the camp. It was still too dark to get up but someone was screaming and thrashing about and growling.

“Growling?”

“Alarm! Alarm! We are under attack!”

Thyrell’s yells pierce through my sleepy brain. Attack. Again. Looking over to my right I see Alcor run by yelling and leaping through the air attacking a large, furry white shape the size of a mountain.

I drag myself to my feet. In front of me, not fifteen feet away Alcor is stabbing a HUGE white-furred wolf creature.

Fury boils inside of me and I pull up the words for the first spell that I can think of.

“Manibus stuppea Flamma!”

Flames boil up in my hands and I spread them out directing the flame in a funnel towards the wolf. Looking up I see a startled Alcor in the path of the flames yelling.

“Wait!”

Once More Into the Void Session 15: Trouble with Wandering Monsters

After a few weeks off we are back at it again.

The last session ended with a long rest after we successfully killed a family of basilisks in a cave near a lake high in a mountain valley. We are still searching for clues to lead us to the sorcerer who is behind the attacks on Winterton. Before setting out again we harvest some basilisk fluids from the corpse of the largest creature. Oto’s readings suggest the group might be able to make a cure for petrification from the fluid. After some discussion of where to head next we decide to keep following the shore of the lake deeper into the mountains.

After stomping for miles through the snow the group comes to a tributary flowing into the lake from the north. It is a rapidly moving mountain river with no possibility of being crossed so the group turns and follows the river upstream. Eventually, we find an area where it could be crossed between the frozen edges and a downed tree. However, we decide to keep moving north. The river leads to another lake in the foothills of the mountains. Not sure where to head next we decide to make camp as darkness is falling. Watches are set.

During the night, on Thyrell’s watch, an enormous white furred winter wolf sneaks up on Thyrell. Rushing out of the darkness, Thyrell does not see the wolf until it is nearly upon him. He tries to defend himself but is grabbed in its jaws and flung across the campsite in a loud crash. Thyrell yells to wake the other heroes from their slumber.

Alcor is the quickest to react, he charges the wolf stabs it and delivers a bone-crushing round house kick to the ribs. Otrivush fires off a cone of flame at the wolf using burning hands, directly at the wolf and Alcor but using his skill with Evocation he makes the flames miss Alcor and only strike the wolf.

The wolf, stops, angrily bares it teeth and blows out a cone of bone-chilling cold enveloping Alcor, Mukah and Otrivush Oto. All of whom are shaken and take damage. Mukah goes berserk and attacks recklessly with his sword but it bounces off the hard pelt of the wolf. Finally, Talrek gets up and attacks first with Guiding Bolt and then his Spiritual Hammer. The hammer crushes the wolf in the head and it collapses in a heap. Alcor leaps at the prone wolf and attacks but it is already dead.

A Winter Wolf attacks in the middle of the night

Out of the woods come dashing two more white furred wolves. But these wolves are the size of normal wolfs. Oto blasts the leading wolf with Magic Missile while Mukah swings and misses the other wolf with his sword. The lead wolf crashes into Oto biting him in the shoulder.

At this point Thyrell uses his beastmaster skills and calms the second wolf. It whimpers and comes to his side. Thyrell has found his beast companion who now accepts him as its pack leader. The first wolf, howls and runs away. Mukah takes the time to cut the pelt off of the dead winter wolf.

Talrek casts healing on the most gravely injured but we decide to go back to sleep for long enough for a full long rest. Refreshed in the morning we decide to head back in our tracks to where we saw a possible crossing of the river. The group makes it to the crossing and does manage to cross without any mishaps. Even Oto stays dry for the most part. Evening is falling so we make camp inland a short distance from the river.

In the morning the group heads west following the river valley again. After a few hours, Thyrell claims he can smell woodsmoke. His snuffling wolf companion seems to confirm he is correct. Thyrell and the wolf venture quietly into the woods away from the river by themselves. As dusk falls they come upon a rocking outcrop with smoke rising from cracks in the rock. In the face of the rock is a crude door. After watching for a short period of time and seeing nothing, they head back to the rest of the group to report.

By the time Thyrell returns to the group, night has fallen and the others have set up camp so it is decided to investigate the door in the hill in the morning. During the night the group hears occasional airborne screeches far in the distance.