B1E19- Between a Roc and a Hard Place

Donobis (Tiefling paladin, Bill), Mareshi (human Cleric, Tony), Draggo (Dragonborn Barbarian, Brian), Thokk (half-Orc Warlock, Duane), Knott (Firbolg Druid, Matt), Fabian (1/2 elf Bard, Goeff)

Cruelty: We conquered the other tests (Endurance, Isolation, and Preservation) and now faced Cruelty. The snow and ice cleared to reveal the clan of the Cave-Bears, where most laid around with distended stomachs from starvation. A gladiator named Silval greeted us, “Auriel’s emissaries! The chief wants to see you.” They were 17 days into a raging blizzard with no end in sight. Faced with cannibalism as their last resort, Chief Grunwald was deciding which of the 50 tribe-members to sacrifice to feed the remaining. A mighty warrior who was the fattest and thus most meat? An elder who had already experienced life? One of the 20 children? Our offer of our own rations would only fend off 2 days. Knott’s offer of Goodberries wouldn’t last long, nor Mareshi’s ability to create food sustain many.

Mareshi suggested criminals while Thokk called for volunteers. Jarrun declined as, “I have a wife and kids; my daughter is pregnant and needs my help. Swiven lost his only son and had nothing to live for; he should step forward.” Fabian suggested the chief offer himself, “A true king serves his people.” Grunwald agreed, “I’m trying to decide which one to serve up. If I offer myself, more will die in the struggle for new leadership.” Donobis reasoned it would not be just one sacrifice, “One to feed 50 is but a finger’s worth of meat apiece.” Thokk tried to use the weather device to lessen the storm, but it was not enough. Finally, Fabian pointed out, “We are Auriel’s emissaries; our word is final.” And with that, Grunwald reluctantly offered himself.

Grimskalle: we soon found ourselves back in the ice castle with the skating walrus. 2 doors remained as the walrus asked if we were ready to enter the treasury. But we chose the southern door labeled with the image of 2 Frost Giants defaced with the inscription, “Only those who survived the tests can enter.” Inside were 3 tablets of ice with chiseled script:

Compassion- sacrifice

Endurance- can outlast your enemy

Preservation- that which is unique must be preserved.

But we also found a book wrapped in white-owlbear fur: the Codicil of White! As Knott picked up the book, he heard a voice in his head, “Will you court death to receive my blessing?” Ice sheets crawled up his arms, about to freeze him into eternal frozenness. Until his allies lent aid with spells and Inspiration. It was Vellynne who read the rime aloud,

“We bow to she whose crown

Let the world shiver with dread,

Clad in Winter’s whitest gown

Her snow enshrouds the dead

 

Here fury sheds but frozen tears

As gray clouds issue forth

Her winds across the wasteland shears

Bringing blizzards from the north

 

Ice-kissed flowers caught mid-bloom

Beauty kept in all its grace

Summer’s gone to its silent tomb

Stilling in her cold embrace

 

All the world in winter’s white

Sheathed in sleet and ice

Set upon never-ending night

She conjures paradise

 

Behold her everlasting rime

See how it covers all

Weep not for those she traps in time

Behind her glacial wall

 

Sovereign of summers lost

General of winter’s war

Long live the queen of cold and frost

Mey she reign forevermore.”

 

Mareshi countered with, “Frost also preserves life.”

We exited the room to find Auriel herself holding the walrus’ head, “You do not know what you are doing! Wizards sought knowledge but my efforts are for the greater good. Evil within the fallen city is worse than me. They woke something up there in the Reghed Glacier; some Eldrich being. I’ve kept it frozen. If it escapes more will die than just the north” Maybe the goddess Selenne whispered into everyone’s head how Auriel was weakened per her constant casting of a 9^th level spell. Whatever, Donobis had heard enough from the evil queen and charged.

COMBAT: everyone gave it their all as Auriel rebuked their attacks with her own magic and legendary actions. If not a Chromatic orb or ice darts, she teleported about the room to distance herself from melee. The Shield Guardian was soon encased in an ice crystal and crushed. Healers stayed busy casting Mass Healing to keep the attack with odds in our favor. Yet when we gathered too close, she blasted all with frost.

Victory was short-lived when she fell, as she appeared in another form to continue her assault. So, should it have been a surprise when she fell once more only to appear in a 3^rd but smaller form? Most of us were blinded by her icy glaze that thwarted/hindered our attacks as she kept us on the verge of death. Many of our group had face-planted on the frozen surface of the room only to be revived by our healers. So it was, Auriel was soon slain… for good. And without her spell to sustain her icy world, the castle began to crumble. “RUN!”

RUN: We had forgotten the stories of Auriel flying through the night sky on her steed. Outside, her Roc attacked! We were 4,000 ft from the ice-shelf opening where the whale Angajuk waited. Knott transformed into a running Axebeak to carry the others while Donobis summed his Crag-Cat steed. Yet they were no match for the swifter Roc. And so it was: Donobis who was normally self-reliant and suspicious of the others, gave in to his Bond to destroy evil. He envisioned the Roc as a dragon per his need for revenge against dragons who destroyed his home and family. He turned to engage, to give his friends time to escape.

Those riding on the back of Knott (the Axebeak) watched as the Roc lifted the Paladin from his steed and bit him in half in one pass. So much for a heroic delay! Fabian cast Invisibility upon himself to not be targeted. Their blades and arrows did little to slow the flying beast who wheeled and swooped at their frantic ride as Knott neared exhaustion galloping across the ice. Once inside the hut on his back, Angajuk (himself afraid) wasted little time diving under the water to evade the Roc that drooled red spittle upon the ice.

Next Episode: Say hello to a wizard from the Arcane Brotherhood come to lend aid. 

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