Ice, Ice Baby

As you stand just outside the city, you notice that traffic heading into the city is unnaturally heavy, particularly considering the time of day which is later in the evening. Most notably the traffic from the north heading toward the gates is very heavy indeed. A glance in that direction allows you to note that there is an odd white line on the horizon which is not normally there. It is far to the north, but within traveling distance.

One of those heading into the city one of the women holding her child stops before Arubesh. "Please... Priest... Can you help my child?" The child's foot is cold and blue.

GAME: Arubesh rolls heal +2: (7)+8+2: 17

Once more into the breech, and once more back home. Lorik has been out for a time on a mission and on his way back to the city...there is a traffic jam of sorts. This is one of the times where it doesn't pay to be this short.

"What is going on here..." Comes the shadow elf's voice as he tries to see around the crowd. Tries to see just what is going on to cause all this...but all he sees really is a press of people...

...and an odd white line on the horizon. Which he peers at curiously. "...is that some kind to strange cold weather?"

Those outside the walls were rarely as well off as those within. Arubesh tends to the dying, making them comfortable. Sometimes he can pull them back from the gates of the Hall of Waiting, sometimes he cannot. "By the Her will," he says and makes the mark of Vardama over his heart.

He looks to the child brought before him, a finger pushing his glasses up on his dark skinned nose. "Mmh," he ponders. "How did this child get frostbite? It is not the season for it." He reaches into a small cart he had brought with him, pulling forth a small blanket to wrap the child in. "Before he can be treated he most get inside until he warms up again. Take this paper and head to the Temple of Althea. Keep him warm. They will help you." He steps around the woman, pushing her towards the city gate as he steps up next to Lorik. "What in the name of the Dread Lady is that?"

Morgan hears about frostbite and is surprised to hear that "I am sorry to intrude, was this fine lad near anything magical." asked as her eyes glow bright blue as to see if there is a trace of it on him.

"What will be more important is whether or not it is moving towards the city.", a Gobber in a sky-blue dress says. She peers up at Lorik, and then Arubesh. "It will likely take more than the few of us here to do something about it." Murder crosses her arms. "Got any ideas?" Morgan gets a nod from the little green woman. "Good, more magical support." She grins and rubs her hands together.

The woman shakes his head. "No... nothing like that. But I've never seen a frost come on so fast! The moment he touched it..." She gathers her child up and shakes her head again. "I'll take him to the temple!"

Ezriya , upon returning from a trip home, slows her walk upon noticing that she was swept up in a huge crowd of strangers. Stronger Egalrin might have just flew away, as this was certainly not ideal, but she couldn't do that yet, and remains ground bound. She grumbles as she has to shift between tight throngs of people, taking the extra time to raise her arms and shimmy torwards the gate the best she could.

She does pass a glance towards the white line from the north, raising a feathered brow.

Morgan says "Father this child has a trace of magic to him." said to Arubesh since she does not know the cleric "A simple healing spells should be good."

"...huh..." Lorik still watches that line on the horizion. "Sudden frostbite and a line of white on the horizion..." The shadow elf flashes a grin. "That sounds like a mystery to me...if the child will be ok at the Temple someone should check that out then. And by someone I mean of course me and anyone foolish or curious enough to come with." He says as he glances around. "I can't really see anything from here though, we'll have to get closer..." This last towards Murder.

Murder peers up at the Eaglefolk, and she grins toothily at the woman. "Hey, miss?" She runs over to the birdlady. "Uhm. Can you see that white line in the distance? Think you could fly up and check it out? We're tryin' t'figure out what's happening, and I'll bet ya can see things a lot better than we groundlings can, from up there." Murder nods to Lorik, "Closer... or higher!"

Arubesh looks back at the people that regularly stood outside the city. "If it is coming this way, the priority should be getting people away from here. If a mere touch can cause frostbite, those who live outside these walls would not survive the night." He nods to Morgan, "Perhaps, but not all priests are healers, and not all things need be cured by magic. Warmth will aid him well enough."

Turning to the crowd he points to a nearby mountain. "If you have no place to go, the temple of Vardama is upon that mount. They will shelter you for the night. Those that have lodgings within the walls should go there."

A vast majority of people listen to Arubesh or hear about the offer from the whisperings of those near them and follow after those heading toward the mountain. Others watch the farmers and other outland folk that had come from the north leave with curious whisperings as they go. Though none of those people - or even the guards seem terribly interested in going with you.

Aya doesn't walk outside the city often, at least not without a specific destination in mind. In this case, she is returning from one possible destination, only to notice a growing gathering outside the gates. A group that seems to pay as much focus to the outside as within. Her eyes follow one or more points outwards out of curiosity.

Morgan nods to him "I am willing to go with you if you want to check out the chill, this sounds like some magic gone wrong."

Ezriya is just about to turn away from the odd horizon event when a tiny..tiny annoying green thing speaks. She lets her finish, a sweet, honeyed smile spreading across her beak. She leans down very deliberately, bracing her hands on her knees and half lidding her eyes as she draws close to the Goblin's ear. She spooks in a smooth, restrained tone. "Let's think about this statement shall we? If I could fly, I'd already be doing so to get out of this grabby-handsy-notrespectingANYTHINGaboutpersonalspace...crowd. Second. Do you know how high you have to fly to see a different horizon sweetie? Higher than most. And it's dead air here. So how about you use those two wee legs of yours and walk over a bit closer to see?"

She stands, the sarcasm straining in her voice. "And since we're such good friends now, I'll go look too. Dead cats and all of that type of thing, yes?"

GAME: Arubesh casts Winter Feathers. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14
GAME: Arubesh casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14
GAME: Arubesh casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14
GAME: Arubesh casts Resist Energy. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15

Aya may have just arrived, but the mention of magic awry draws her attention, her interest, as well as sheds any fatigue from her journey. "Magic has a tendency to go awry, though mostly from the carelessness of those trying to wield it."

Murder stares at Ezriya as she goes on a rant, the Gobber's eyes dilating wide, and then flashing red. When the birdlady is done, the Gobber grins toothily, showing off her array of sharp and pointed teeth. "It was a simple question. You could have just said no. But it looks like you will soon fly, you're full of hot air." She shrugs then, and turns around, moving towards the bright light in the distance. "Wish I had me sword, but I guess claws will have t'do." She laces her fingers together and cracks her knuckles loudly. With a bit of a leap, she starts running towards the white line.

Morgan starts to walk to the north to where they were told the frost is.

Lorik glances between Murder and Ezriya with a twitch of humor coloring the edges of his smile. "Oh yes, I see this adventure is already starting off well enough." The shadow elf says. "Very nice dress by the way, Murder." He adds cheerfully before he watches her dash off and sighs. Before following at a much more sedate pace. "I wish I packed my winter gear..."

Arubesh reaches to his hip, lifting a leather bound book he keeps chained to his waist. Opening it he begins to recite. The language of the heavens fall from the Cerenzan's in poetic and breathy lines. He turns and speaks towards the Egalrin, a hand waving to offer protection since she was brave enough to volunteer. To his sometime companion Lorik he offers the protection of the elements, and the well meaning Morgan as well. The violent looking gobber is powered by Vardama's warmth, or lack there of, and gains a resistance to the bitter bite of cold. Finally he calls upon a simple light. It glows in the small holy symbol swinging from his waist. "Hopefully that will aid us. It is all I can do for now. May Vardama not call us to her gates this night."

GAME: Arubesh casts Light. Caster Level: 3 DC: 13

Ezriya fans a feathered hand in front of her face. "Such colorful commentary from our envious small one. If she spoke up a little bit, it might have creased a few feathers."

She smirks towards her own wordplay before turning back to see what the fuss about this frozen horizon was about. She opens a hand of quick greeting towards Arubesh before going back to the task at hand.

Aya glances to the priest as she begins to walk with the now mobile gathering. "That is one of the better blessings I've heard in many nights." One corner of her mouth lifts in uneven mirth.

GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (2)+9: 11
GAME: Arubesh rolls perception: (15)+9: 24
GAME: Murder rolls perception: (13)+10: 23
GAME: Lorik rolls Perception: (4)+11: 15

As you head further north you notice that there is indeed a white line on the horizon. It is growing outward, but slowly, and seems to stop expanding even as you watch. It's clearly snow from the way the dimming light reflects off of it.

GAME: Aya rolls perception: (14)+22: 36
GAME: Ezriya rolls Perception: (14)+6: 20

The Gobber probably doesn't even feel the spell, though her ears twitch and perk up, so she probably heard the word of the bird. She pauses in her rush, to lean against a tree, her breath starting to show. "Hey!", she calls out, turning back to the others. "Look at that!" She gestures to the tall, white spike in the center of the expanded white-ness.

"A white tower in the middle of a snowstorm," Aya states rather blandly, " in the midst of Firetide... I'll wager it's some fool wizard who tried to cool his meal so as not to burn a lip..."

"You know," Lorik says with a tilt of his head. "I'm no weather wizard, and I'm not from around here." A pause. "And where I'm from doesn't /really/ have traditional weather. Though I mean it /could/ if the right spells were used. But underground just doesn't have the wind systems for it---and I'm getting off track."

He takes a deep breath.

"That doesn't look natural to me, that is what I'm trying to say." He adds as he nods towards the oncoming line of snow. Which then stops. "...oh yeah. I'm pretty sure snow shouldn't behave like that should it?"

Then people point out the tower and he peers towards it. "...that sounds like a wizard." Lorik agrees towards Aya. "...well it seems we have a destination. I suppose we should go and ask whoever it is to shut off his ice machine..."

GAME: Arubesh rolls knowledge/arcana: (15)+9: 24
GAME: Murder rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Morgan rolls knowledge/arcana: (20)+13: 33
GAME: Lorik rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (2)+6: 8
GAME: Ezriya rolls knowledge/arcana: (9)+7: 16

Morgan looks at the tower and says "I hate when magic is used like this. This was no bloody accident some stupid prat of some power is behind this and they are most likely stronger in magic then me... like that says much though."

Murder grins toothily at Morgan and shrugs. "So we ram some steel through them instead. And set fire to their corpse, and warm ourselves." She slowly reaches over her shoulder to pull free her blade. "Let's burn this thing down!"

Drained, and now getting cold, Arubesh tucks one arm into the folds of his cassock. Wizards. Why did it have to be Wizards? "I am certain the tower is the goal. But it seems a bit odd to try to fight the seasons." His walking stick makes good speed, as if merely having it in his hand makes him faster. "No accident? Few things I despise more than abusing magic. Too many lives ruined. While I will not participate in the desecration of the corpse, I feel few compunction against making it one."

Ezriya feels an extra set of feathers grow in underneath the top ones, which was...an unusual feeling to say the least. She turns to head towards the frosted area, spotting that tower the others were mentioning, but she passes a glance towards a few of the others heading out with her.

"Or maybe we see what's up first before dedicating ourselves to a stab and bake, no?"

GAME: Arubesh used a Scroll of Resist Energy.

Murder shrugs. "Sure, we could spend time looking around while it gets colder and colder. I'm positive we have loads of time." The Gobber, in a sky-blue summer dress, and bare feet, moves towards the tower, looking for a point of ingress. "There'd better be a door... else Imma going to melt a way in."

Morgan touches her chest near where the neck meets as she says some arcane words that helps to keep Aya warm.

More than expected made the trek. Once certain everyone else was cared for in some way, Arubesh walks on. He begins to shiver, and the snow clings to him like a labrador puppy with no manners. Patting his chest to keep warm he notices a scroll tucked away in a pocket. "Oh thank you my Lady," he says in quiet thanks to his patron. Reading the scroll he calls the grace of fire to him, protecting him from the cold.

Ice clings to the tower, but close examination proves that it is not actually made of ice. This is a little difficult to discern considering how much ice covers it, and the snow packed around the base, but you manage anyways. The tower is in fact only fifty feet tall or so. Rather short for a wizards tower.

GAME: Murder rolls perception: (7)+10: 17

"If there's a door, we'll knock," Aya nods to Murder. "If not, we'll knock harder. Eventually, there will be a way in. It's just our task to ensure we don't freeze to death, first."

GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (5)+9: 14
GAME: Arubesh rolls perception: (19)+9: 28

The magic protection cast by the priest draws a deep and greatful look from Lorik as he bobs a head towards him. Now he doesn't have to worry about the fact that he didn't wear his winter things. "...quite greatful for that..." He adds as he steps forwards towards the tower. "Well I was thinking about starting with talking yes," This towards Ezriya. "But Wizards can be fairly stubborn about these things I've heard..."

...a pause again.

"...um...friends? Is snow supposed to cling and climb like this? I mean I don't have much experience with snow but this doesn't seem right..."

GAME: Lorik rolls perception: (7)+11: 18
GAME: Aya rolls perception: (13)+22: 35
GAME: Ezriya rolls perception: (18)+6: 24

There is no sign of a door, only a weird Z-shaped mark with o's in the spaces between the tines of the Z.

GAME: Murder rolls knowledge/arcana: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Arubesh rolls knowledge/arcana: (11)+9: 20
GAME: Morgan rolls knowledge/arcana: (20)+13: 33
GAME: Lorik rolls knowledge/arcana: (12)+6: 18

Morgan hmms as she looks at the symbols "How the hell did Zeheir's tower get here, he was a wizard that is over 1000 years old. Yeah so expect necromancy I hate necromancy."

"A thousand years old? Could it be someone /found/ this guys tower and accidently turned on the 'Make it snow forever?' spell?" Lorik asks as he glances at the strange rune. "...anyone know a way to open it? Passphrase or something maybe?"

Arubesh's head perks up at the mention of Necromancy. "And I thought I wouldn't be able to do the good works this day?" He pulls a small book out of a fold of his cassock. "Before we go on this perilous descent, allow me a moment. And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, O Lord, bless this thy hand grenade, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy. And the Lord did grin. And the people did feast upon the lambs and sloths, and carp and anchovies, and orangutans and breakfast cereals, and fruit-bats. And the Lord spake, saying, First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it."

Actually, as Morgan says Zehir's name the tower makes a sound like groaning. The ice shifts and cracks as a door reveals itself. The door slides down into the snow and reveals a circular room with a huge magical circle that covers the entire floor surface. If you step inside you will be /inside/ the magic circle.

Ezriya kicks off the excess creeping snow, keeping her wings tucked in and her arms wrapped around herself. She comment from the Gobbo gets an eyeball roll as she peers down towards the marking on the door. As it open sthough, she leans back up and shakes her head.

"Such light security makes me think that it is wanting adventurers to come and comb it's depths, no?"

Morgan pinches the bridge of her nose "his name is what opens the bloody door... what a ego."

GAME: Murder rolls spellcraft: (11)+7: 18
GAME: Morgan rolls spellcraft: (4)+17: 21

Aya frowns as she looks over the symbols and their vicinity. "Necromancy, wizardry, and ancient are a terrible combination. We'd be fortunate if it were under new management." Then the access opens. "A passphrase, it is..." she looks to Morgan. "What wizard doesn't have an ego larger than their talent?"

GAME: Arubesh rolls spellcraft: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL)

Murder stares at Arubesh for a moment. "Fruit-bats are tasty.", she says with a frown. She looks then the birdybird and shrugs. "I think after a bit, this place would be very cold, few things would be alive to challenge the security of this place." Her ears perk up at the door opening, and she bounces. "KNOCK KNOCK ZEHIR!", she yells, and runs towards the opening.

Aya stops short of entering, especially after noting the very large magical circle filling the room. She doesn't volunteer to enter first, instead taking a moment to call upon her own ...not quite magic.

Shadows cast from the glowing markings or other lights flicker and slither from their roots, sliding and conveying themselves to Aya. They conjoin and spread across her, darkening her flesh even further as they coat in a second skin.

GAME: Lorik rolls spellcraft: (14)+8: 22

Morgan hmmms as she looks at the circle on the ground "I am not sure but I think this is a teleport spell, but since it is old it might not work right."

"Powerful wizard with a tower," Lorik says towards Morgan with a shrug of his shoulder. "What did you really expect." But then he's looking at the odd circle. "Either that." This aimed at Ezriya. "Or he was so sure of his power he thought he could deal with whoever came calling."

...but then Murder is running forwards.

"Ah wait Murder stop! We don't know what it'll do!" He calls as he reaches forwards to try to stop her, following after the charging gobber.

GAME: Ezriya rolls spellcraft: (6)+9: 15

Ezriya stifles a laugh with both hands. Her voice eeks out between her fingers. "...Her name is Murder? What, was her mother Pride and her father Philanthropy?"

Arubesh shakes his head. He had never seen such a complex circle, so he must trust his companions opinions on it. "The tones of your harp protect me," he chants as a blue shimmer by his shoulder appears. Its faint shape that of a shield hovering a few inches from his skin. "Prejudice perhaps?"

GAME: Arubesh casts Shield. Caster Level: 6 DC: 15

"Yes," Aya answers simply. Possibly to all of the questions regarding Murder. As if the simple answers explains all.

As the dark elf gets darker, and the details of the floor become obvious to her, the Gobbo comes to a skittering halt, peering into the area inside. "Yeah, that would right fuck you up, I think.", she says, before glancing back to Aya. "What spells was that?", Murder wonders. She blinks then, and peers at Ezriya. "I named myself. My parents died before they could do so." She grips her sword a bit tighter and pulls it up. Her pupils dilate until the red of her iris vanishes, and she cants her head to one side. "Not worth it." The Gobber blinks as Lorik catches up suddenly. "Ack... alright. I saw it."

GAME: Ezriya rolls Insight: (6)+Insight: 6
GAME: Lorik casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 4 DC: 13

Reaching into his satchel, Arubesh pulls forth a long coil of rope. Perhaps it will be of help. He gives the rope a shake, and the end of it lifts up on its own, moving slowly back and forth like the head of a snake. "Knot," he tells the rope, and it begins slide about in his hands as it puts knots in itself at one foot intervals. "The rope can reach the stairwell, and then we can climb across. Or something?"

Aya braces a hand against the outside of the tower to lean in and look about the room without stepping inside. "The stair seems the only conspicuous path..." One snowy brow arches at Arubesh and his trained rope. "If it can anchor itself into the stone, that would be useful..." Her eyes shift to the stairwell and back, "... or I could anchor it, if you don't all try to cross at once."

"Since I am probably the lightest, I could go first, and hold up the other end, then the next lightest could come over, and so on.", Murder offers. "I could also take a quick peek upstairs, maybe there's something useful. Maybe a table to lay on the ground so you could walk over the circle?" The Gobber shrugs. "Worth a shot."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lorik just smirks for a moment at Murder before he shakes his head. "Giving yourself your own name at least prevents it from sounding like its a sneeze. Like mine." A glance behind him towards the others. "Oh, the name is Lori'thalik by the way. Call me Lorik though. Its much easier."

He traces runes in the air then with a finger, slivery lines leaving an afterglow of his movements before his eyes flash the same color and he turns to peer towards the circle again. "Lets see what I /can/ see..." He murmurs as the others prepare a rope.

Ezriya is letting the adventurers adventure for the time being, taking a step back so they had the space they needed.

GAME: Morgan casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16
GAME: Morgan rolls spellcraft: (4)+17: 21
GAME: Lorik rolls spellcraft: (6)+8: 14

Morgan screams "Stop dont go on the stars they have exploding runes on them."

"Wait wait! Um..." Lorik peers at the stairs before pointing towards them. "They are trapped! Exploding runes unless I miss my guess. I don't want you all to loose a rope..." And then Morgan screams. "...ah yes. That."

A pause.

"Maybe the circle is the only way."

Murder freezes when they yell, and she huffs. "FINE.", she says loudly and strides towards the middle of the circle.

Morgan follows up with a few arcane words as if she is translating something "What the hell and self repairing. I need to study this guy more."

"Aya," she offers introduction to the group, though she looks to Lorik specifically as she adds, "I've heard far more ... complicated mul'niessan names." Her head snaps to Murder. "Wait." It then pans to Morgan. "The runes? How quickly?"

The priest waits. Necromancy he understood. The rest of this was outside his lane. Arubesh peeks over at the runes that are being pointed out, but with his glasses it doesn't see too much.

Morgan shrugs "no ideas, it could be a few weeks to minutes."

Murder doesn't pause. "Hell no. We been pansyfooting around here long enough. The stairs were obvious.. an obvious trap. This circle is meant to look old and decrepit. So I'm” *POP* The little Gobber vanishes.

"I am more concered with the circle than the runes," Aya states, looking back to the stairs. To Arubesh, she suggests, "Send your rope after the explosions. We should move quick-" She looks to where Murder once was. "Or, we can trot our way to possible oblivion..."

Morgan grins and steps forward after saying "I so need to see what’s on the other side."

Arubesh raises an eyebrow and rubs his scruffy chin with his thumb. "I guess if the little lady is willing to go through, we should be brave enough to do so." The priest offers up a quick prayer and then follows.

Aya exhales a long sigh and gestures a hand in an inviting acknowledgement of all who wish to walk in.

Lorik shrugs and sighs. Though he can't help but a little twitch of a smile. "Well...I can't just leave Murder to go wherever she just did on her own. I suppose..." He reaches up to pull the crossbow off his back. "I'll see you all on the other side." He calls as he steps though.

As Lorik pointed out, someone may need to keep Murder out of an excess of trouble. In fact, several someone's are probably necessary, thus Aya steps in after the others.

Ezriya is also still standing here, watching the others walk into this circle of disappearances. The smart thing to do would be to just go get help. But who knows how long that would take and the healing man did spend a nice fluffy spell on her. She stands there for a moment before grumbling to herself, reaching up with a hand and smearing her facial features.

"And one by one we all fell off of a cliff because looking before leaping is just not in our vocabulary. Fine. Into the abyss. Nothing Gained for ventured or some-such."

With that, she steps into the circle last, taking a deep breath before doing so.

Since none of you enter into the circle at the same time... you all find yourselves in different places... and different times. Some will return to yesterday - and to odd locations near or around the nearby countryside. Some will find that they've lost a day or only a few hours. One of you will find yourselves just inside the gates mere moments after stepping into the gate. Safe, sound, but confused!

-End-