Act II, Chapter One: Between Stone and Snow

In the sing song of Norther "We were told that song is tied to our journey. Songs sung, darkness undone, shadow shatters, sickness stilled, bellicose blade lends light to life."

He helps dole out meat from the wolves, and attempts to brain tan the skins in the meantime.

Last edited July 24, 2025 4:16 am

Jul 24, 2025 9:50 am

Kaelith turns a skewer, wolf-fat hissing on the hot stone, then answers Jasir in clipped Norther, "At dawn we leave the Teeth, sunrise to our right. Five leagues across the frost-spur ridge to a shattered ironwood stump. From there we drop into Cairn-Hollow, cross its iced creek, and climb the far bank."

He hands a steaming strip to Jasir, then meets Ulfr’s eye, "Make camp in the broken cairns by dusk. Step lightly while there; echoes linger there longer than tracks. One more ridge next morning delivers us to the dolmen valley before noon."

A glance to Úlfr, "I have stood at those pillars three times. They hum when touched, but they do not sing. They offer naught but vibrations. Songs are a rarity in these lands now, the Dark God would abide nothing less."

He begins passing out cooked pieces in earnest, while Ulfr helps monitor the rest of the cooking Wolf.

Jul 24, 2025 3:36 pm

Smiley Inactive for 1 months

Kaelith remains crouched the hearthstone and momentarily observes Ulfr’s spread wolf-skins, knife still wet with grease.

"Edge of the blade, not the point, scrape the flesh while it’s warm.", A quick demonstration peels a membrane clean in one stroke.

He flips a hide, salts it with a thin, even haze, "Salt comes after scraping, just enough to dull the rot." A glance to the glowing stone, "Hang it hand-span above the hearthstone; the heat here is steady, no flame to scorch."

From a pouch he produces a waxed packet of pulverised wolf brain, "When the hide feels like damp suede, work this in. Brain oils soften the fiber, fold, pull, breathe. Smoke it last; low smoke, two watches, you will need a fire for that though."

He returns to the skewers, turning meat with practiced flicks, "Do it right, hide bends like cloth and won’t freeze stiff."

OOC:

Aided.

Rolls

Survival (Wis) - (1d20+10)

(9) + 10 = 19

Varin

Jul 24, 2025 4:02 pm

Once the feeling returns to his fingers and the sting of frostbite begins to dull, Varin pulls his gloves back on and pushes himself to his feet with a grunt. Still aching from the cold, he makes his way to the mouth of the cave.

Snow crunches under his boots as he settles near the entrance, arms crossed, sharp eyes scanning the icy horizon. He stays half-hidden in the shadows, making sure nothing creeps up on them while the others speak quietly behind him. His breath curls in the cold air as he keeps his silent vigil—alert, tense, and ready.

Jul 24, 2025 4:16 pm

Itami Inactive for 1 months

Kaelith pauses at the hiss of wind through the entrance and sees Varin posted there, "Varin, leave the storm its shadows, no man or beast would be fool enough to brave this storm searching for secrets. Come sit by hearthstone." He glances at the faces sitting by the hearthstone expectantly before lifting a crackling strip of wolf in quiet invitation, "I roam too far north to meet Luiniel often; share the warmth while it lasts."

Jasir

Jul 24, 2025 5:05 pm

Jasir performs an awkward, but very human, fumble with his lorebook and quill when Kaelith moves to hands off a wolf skewer. He lands the lorebook off to the side and bows his head slightly. "Hannon le, Kaelith," he says, the thanks likely needing little translation.

He blows on the sizzling wolf-skewer while looking at his notation out of the corner of his eyes. "Do you believe the storm will relent, or must we suffer its bitter fury for the entirety of our journey overland?" While his pen adds another few quiet scritches onto his book, the Sarcosan's scorpion descends to warm itself nearer the hearthstone and be fed a small fiber of wolf meat.

Jasir seems content to settle in for some much needed rest and settles pieces of his kit where it can be readily retrieved for a quick departure in the morning.

Last edited July 24, 2025 5:22 pm

Jul 24, 2025 5:21 pm

Greemology Inactive for 1 months

Kaelith listens, head tilted toward the mouth of the den, then answers in low Norther, "The snow will linger, but the sting of the wind should dull by early morning. By dawn it ought to be a steady fall, nothing more."

He folds his arms, gaze distant, "Farther north the air eases toward the basin. But," he adds with a slight shrug, "these are guesses, not promises."

Úlfr Björnson

Jul 24, 2025 6:40 pm

WhiteDwarf Inactive for 1 months

HeroOfSometimes says:

Kaelith listens, head tilted toward the mouth of the den, then answers in low Norther, "The snow will linger, but the sting of the wind should dull by early morning. By dawn it ought to be a steady fall, nothing more."

He folds his arms, gaze distant, "Farther north the air eases toward the basin. But," he adds with a slight shrug, "these are guesses, not promises."

Úlfr works on the tanning after the meat and bone has been cut from the hides. "These skins won't keep long even in the cold." He says as he cracks the skull of the dire wolf open. "Ma always said that the brain of an animal always held enough liquid to tan it's hide, though." The smell is pretty bad.

OOC:

Brain tanning notoriously smells worse than normal tanning which notoriously smells bad. But on the bright side, it isn't the smell of death and rot...

Welp... I had a feeling I'd fail this one. No rocks involved lol.

Last edited July 24, 2025 6:41 pm

Rolls

Survival - Tanning - (1d20+9)

(1) + 9 = 10

Seelah

Jul 24, 2025 7:51 pm

WanderOne Inactive for 1 months

Seelah crouches next to Ulfir and offers kind assistance with tanning.
Not really my expertise, our ebony erenlander admits. But I’ll help you as best I can.

Rolls

Seelah: Survival (Wis) - (1d20+0)

(4) = 4

Azote & Tork

Jul 24, 2025 11:26 pm

Mica_pun_worthy Inactive for 1 months

https://t3.ftcdn.net/jpg/05/69/26/16/360_F_569261619_Rh4Ny75nD1lNyBuDFNMhEjCxg1ShmFgJ.jpg

Seeing how Úlfr & Seelah are having difficulty with the wolf hide, Azote offers her assistances. Said in Erenlander, "Here, I will give you hand with that."

Last edited July 24, 2025 11:29 pm

Rolls

Survival Check for Tanning - (1d20+11)

(11) + 11 = 22

Petra Pestlegrind

Jul 25, 2025 5:31 am

Mica_pun_worthy Inactive for 1 months

Petra tries to help Ulfr too. The hearthstone warmth is making her sleepy and she doesn't say much after Kaelith answers her question.

Rolls

Survival - (d20+11)

(8) + 11 = 19

Petra Pestlegrind

Jul 26, 2025 7:13 pm

"May I use my Gift for each of you? Let Aryth help you against the chill, before it settles so deep even a night's rest won't keep your steps from dragging? I know there is always risk of detection, but needs can outweigh caution.

Petra asks this of all of them--Ulfr, Jasir, Varin, Azote, and Seela.

The dwarrow takes the hand of any of her companions who accept, to let the roots of pure life energy transfer from her palm to theirs.

OOC:

Ulfr had 6 nonlethal cold damage, that is guaranteed healed with a cure mod so I will not roll it, only mark the spell energy off. (1 point, 3 total spent)

Azote had 19 damage, Petra healed 18 of it, and can deal with the final 1 point through cantrip Cure Minor for 1 point?

Petra rolled 14 on her roll for Varin he declined earlier...
And he has 22 cold nonlethal damage. Happy to keep that roll and add another casting of Cure Light, the 8 rolled? (1 point, but if earlier casting was level 2 then new total 6 spent)

Jasir and Petra had 11 nonlethal cold each. Happy to cast on each of them with new rolls 13 and 10 and use Cure Minor for rest? (8 spent if twice on Varin, 6 otherwise)

Selah had nonlethal cold, one of my rolled castings in this post could heal that exactly? (burn 1 point of con and gain 1 free point from new Feat Blood Channeler)

Last edited July 26, 2025 7:35 pm

Rolls

Cure light - (d8+5)

(3) + 5 = 8

Cure light - (d8+5)

(2) + 5 = 7

Cure light - (d8+5)

(8) + 5 = 13

Cure light - (d8+5)

(5) + 5 = 10

GM

Jul 27, 2025 10:44 am