"Demon Winter"

[Nobody]

"Yes, what does it do?" spoke Seraph. He had moved around Aden and Gerrard without a sound. He was pretty sure that they had not spotted him do it either. He took what small pleasures he could in life. "you don't happen to have any potions of invisibility in there do you?"

Although he was not expecting anything but hostility from Gerrard, it would be very useful if there was an invisibility potion there someplace. An invisibility potion was all that stood in Seraph's way from being all but Invincible in battle. He had actually come across them a few times. They were scarce, but they sure were useful. Seraph had taken out larger than Yeti's in combat with a little invisibility. He would just pragmatically go around his enemy, and with concurrent sneak-attacks he would slash tendons until that foe was unable to move, and then finish him off with a coup de grace. Smell was rarely precise enough to catch him, and he was more than able to avoid any wild swings. The last time he used one was in an Orgre encampment. Ogre was great if you knew how to prepare the meat right. Needless to say, he ate well that day.
Sigh. Nothing like that this time.

Seraph memorized the ingredients that Gerrard had in his little box. He had been wondering about that. "I thought you should know that the arrows that the sniper fired at you were poisoned with snake venom. It was concentrated at that. Tricky work, diluting venom. Whoever we are dealing with well prepared. Make sure to keep some healing potions handy." As he said this he held up the empty bottle that had once contained poison. " Here, have a bottle Gerrard" He said as he tossed it through the air to Gerrard and slightly bumping Aden a little.

He did not wait for any kind of reply. He left before seeing wether the bottle hit the ground, or somebody's hand first. He quickly buried himsef back into the sled with his grey cape on. If he was any kind of credible pick-pocket (which he was), Aden would not even notice the two cloaks she was wearing until she looked down. Hopefully the Elven made whistle inside the right-top-inside pocket of the white, outer cape would find it's way into her hand when she needed it.

Royalty. Why did they always go unprepared. It wasn't like it hadn't been snowing when they had set off. And why anybody would want a silver bow, he also could not fathom. Surely an elf would have understood how heavy and inflexible a silver bow would be. Not that he thought Aden incompetent, just naive, lacking an understanding and forthought to prepare for the dangers which had not yet been faced.

If this analysis was correct, then there was also an innocence about her. That was something that Seraph could work with. Something that could be used. Not that he was intent upon using it against anybody, but it would be handy to have somebody that he did not have to listen for in his sleep, and if he had to do a little manipulation to attain that, then so be it.

Percy could be seen sitting on top of the luggage for the sled.

[Adel]

OOC:  "It was strong and sturdy yet light as a feather and easy to manuever." Page Four... You might find me Niave......... but I am extremely logical and hard headed......... you might not find me so easily manipulated.

 IC: Aden looked down and was suprised to see a glistening white cloak about her tiny frame, she smiles.

[Alec_Shadowkin]

After adding a few drops of a liquid from a small vial, Gerrard started grinding the mixture again. He looked up at Aden, then to the rat-man who had crept silently up to them and his eyebrows went up.

"I'm actually in the process of mixing up a few of those explosive potions to replace the ones we used yesterday. This particular liquid is concentrated fire-fern juice. Yes, Seraph, I do have a chemical to make you invisible, but I'm not finished with it, there are a couple problems with it, so you probably don't want it. Here, can you hold this for a second, Aden?"

Gerrard handed the elf a small container out of the box filled with what looked like small leaves. He opened it and added a few to the mortar, then ground it a bit more. When the rat-man suddenly tossed the bottle, Gerrard quickly put his mortar down and caught it, putting it in a pocket, then picking up the almost spilled mortar and throwing the thief a dirty look.

"Be a bit more careful, rat. There wouldn't be much of any of us left if I'd dropped that mixture right now. Instead of sleeping, why don't you do something useful with yourself like the rest of us are?"

He went back to his chemicals and soon after filled a few small vials with the explosive chemical, carefully placing stoppers on them and secreting them into various coat pockets...

[Nobody]

"Do something useful huh? Good idea." Seraph thought. Making sure not to be seen, Percy was out of the confines of the jail cell in moments. As Seraph lie there in wait until Percy returned with an intelligence report (althoug, due to his particularily small IQ and lack of descriptive language, it was actually more of a stupidity report) Seraph lie there sleeping, if it could be called sleeping. Even under the many mounds of things Seraph clutched his poioned tipped kris-knife in his hand, his ears attuned for any noises, his nose atuned to any new smells, and his body attuned for any movements. It was actually closer to meditating than sleeping except for the one fact that Seraph had dreams during his sleep.

He found himself in the woods. He was heading back towards a house. His back still hurt from where the Kitin (a demon from hell who has control over chains) had scourged him the just the night before. The wound had stopped bleeding, but was still painful. The attack was unprovoked. The Kitin had simply attacked him for no reason, no reason except that he was small. He was prey. He had run, he had hid, but somehow he always managed to come into contact with the creature. And so now, Seraph, moving through the forest while hiding from the undead Lich, who had sworn his death minutes ago, saw the Kitin walking through the forest, wrapped in chains from head to toe, with four fifteen foot strands swinging at branches as he went. This was his only chance, The Kitin did not see him, did not know he was there, knew nothing.

Seraph Snuck around into throwing range. He had run and hid long enough. As long as that Kitin lived, Seraph would die. It was impossible to get food, The Kitin would just follow him and take what Seraph had killed, Seraph needed to eat, and so far it wasn't happening.

He picked his dart, tipped with a poison that would cause fatigue. He threwat the creature from behind. It was a hit. The creature looked around, but Seraph had already concealed himself again. Seraph worked his way around to the other side, and again threw a second dart. Again, he hit. But the Kitin spotted him. Suddenly the demon ran at Seraph. Four chains lashed out at him. Seraph managed to dodge the first two, and take only a glancing blow from the third, and only because the poisons were taking effect. The last Chain struck home. A gash formed along Seraph's side and blood flowed freely from it.

Seraph tried to hide again. It worked. The pain hurt, but he needed to finish this once and for all. If he did not, he would die. He snuck around again and threw another dart. It hit. The poisons were erally showing now. The Demon was starting to tire. Seraph threw his last poisoned dart, and hit. Not only that, but this time it hit him in the throat. Blood was seen dripping down the creatures had, which now covered its throat.

Seraph's heart sunk as the creature stopped bleeding and removed its hand from the now, closed wound. He threw another dart, unpoisoned this time. It missed, and worse the Kitin saw him again. One two three four chains. Fast on his feet, Seraph managed to avoid all four, but the creature closed range with seraph and swung his final attack, a barbed chain that he swung in his hand. Seraph trying to do the unexpected, dodged forewards towards the Kitin, to dodge the blow...and failed. A gash formed across his shoulder and down the length of his back. The pain was excruciating.

Only one final chance. Seraph used a slight of hand to distract the Kitin from the krisknife that was plunging it's way into his chest, and before the creature could react, he unsheathed another knife across the creatures throat for a final blow. The poison from the knife, drained his strength almost immediately, and having already been fatigued, the Kitin fell to the ground. The wound was already healing on the creatur's neck. Seraph acting quickly, went for the coup de grace, the final blow, plunging his krisknife through the creatures throat.

Seraph suddenly bolted awake, knocking packs off of the sled and onto the icy ground. He was sweating, and his dagger was clutched inextricably in his hand. His heart would not slow down, nor would his breath subside. He sheathed his knife. He could still feel the pain from the wound as if it had happened not so long ago. He rubbed the scar that went across his shoulder and down his back.

Percy had returned, to tell him what was outside this cell....

[Adel]

Adel, Caught the Rat that Seraph had sent flying through the air, she then  looked at Seraph and quickly rushed to his side. " Whats wrong are you all right. didn't accidentally fall asleep on one of those darts of yours did you?" Aden tried a small grin at her remark, but it quickly vanished when she could see that the rat-man did not look well at all..... "should I wake the others? Here sit up let me get you some water............"

[Nobody]

The elf was there. He quickly took his hand off of his shoulder. He hoped that she had not noticed. He still could not control his heart-rate and breathing, even in the presence of the Elf. He willed his hand to stop shaking; it did.

"Oh, um, no, im fine. Let the others sleep." He said unevenly. He could think of no better reply, and barely managed those words. He touched Percy on the nose, who scurried up Seraphs arm, and onto his shoulder. Seraphs breathing subsided.

Without saying more, he got up and retrieved all the strewn bags and things that had been knocked off. Then, still not wanting to face Aden, he went over to the wall and scratched an "X" into the wall. Walking over to the other side of the room, he threw five darts. One at each corner of the "X" and then one at the center. The top right one missed by an inch, and the top left one missed by about half that. He retrieved his darts and started again. As he practiced, Percy told him what was outside the cell.

After a few minutes of practice, and ten rounds of perfect marks, he went over to the sled. He was shaking again, but this time it was from the cold. He pulled a brown blanket out of his bag, and making a few long tears in the fabric, made the shape that he needed it to be. He pulled out a needle and thread, and cutting the thread with his teeth, he sewed the blanket to the top of his cape. Donning his cape again, he looked even more shabby and ragged than usual, with what looked like a loosely shaped blanket for a cape, with small strands of thread poking out the ends of the fabric where Seraph had torn them. He would have sewn it on the inside, but he needed access to the inner pockets of his grey cape. He walked a few paces to test it, and finding it suitable, returned to the sled. As he walked, the blanket, being of a lighter material, flapped and floated several inches behind the grey cape.

He buried himself inside the sled, with Percy not on top of the luggage, but underneath it, beside Seraph. "Thank you my old friend" Seraph thought "for keeping the demons away."

And once again, Seraph slept...

[The_Warlock]

Standing in front of the cell, the yetti had what could be described as an amused look on it's face.  It had witnessed the entire episode and now was glaring at the uncovered ratman.  At this time the rest of the group was beginning to wake up due to the particular stench a yetti was accompanied by.  "Unwise to hide the ratman, guardian.  Such a pathetic attempt at subterfuge will not sit well with the King!" As it finished a cart could be heard pulling up outside the cell.  Two weak ratment suffering from malnutrition stopped with their burden in front of the yetti.  "Guardian, the king will see you all now.  Place your weapons within the wagon!  None are to be armed in the presence of King Bizmak." after the last is spoken one of the ratmen who had been pulling the wagon falls to a knee, clearly fatigued.  Without a warning the yetti reached out a massive hand and grasped the fallen ratman around the throat.  With a snarl it broke the ratman's neck without much of an effort and tossed the dead body into the group's cell.  "He and his partner were both caught in the treasury, not two weeks ago, attempting to steal from our clan.  The penalty for such crimes is a lifetime of servitude followed by execution when they are of no use!"  the yetti points at Seraph.  "You will pull your companions weapons in the wagon until the king has determined your fates.  Our king does not entertain rats, so you will remain with the wagon outside his majesties audience chambers!  Now, quickly, place all of your weaponry in the wagon.  The king does not like to wait!" as a final thought the yetti pointed towards Percival, "also, unless you'd like your pet to end up as a meal, I would suggest you keep it from wandering the halls of this citadel, unattended!"  Finished, the yetti turns it's glare fully on Bear awaiting the group's compliance.  Two larger yettis walked up and flanked the herald.  Both are armed with massive spiked clubs.  Each club is as tall as Bear and just as meaty.  They impassively stare at the group awaiting a reason to end their lives.  It is obvious that they dislike their current post and want nothing to do with a bunch of humans and their elfling mistress.  A look of total disgust crosses both of the guard's faces as they notice the presence of another ratman in their citadel.  Both grip their clubs with renewed vigor.

[Nobody]

OOC: I would like to know exactly how my character did not see a YETI (!!!) watching him!!! Seraph is a thief. His job is to notice things. That is what he does. And furthermore, he has enhanced smelling. Atleast, if the Yeti came in while he was not hidden, he would not have gone back into hiding. If you intend on surprising me again, then atleast explain why i did not notice in the first place.

IC:Same old same old. Everybody hate the little inhuman-guy. This was the Kitin, and the Lich, and the Were-Panther, and the Paladins, and the Clerics, and the Ogres, and the Troll, and the elves, and the humans, and the dozens upon dozens of other instances where, because he was small and unpleasing to the eye, he was hated and despised and desired dead, all over again. Nothing unusual about that. So he would push the cart, even though he was undersized and would not be able to keep up with everybody without crashing into something. He would push, even though it might sign his death warrent to do so, because these creatures were just looking for any excuse to kill him. He would push, because if he did not, he would die. But he would kill them. In time he would kill them. He would bide his time, like he did so many others, and he would kill them one by one, until they remembered him. Because just like every other time in his life when many people wanted him dead for no other reason than the fact that he was small, the onlly solution was to kill somebody untill the others understood that he was not just some whipping boy to be threatened at leasure.

His heart sank. It was life as usual.

[Adel]

Aden merely looked at the Yetti with disgust, she began to feel that a king that would allow his guards to hold life....... any life... in such low regaurds... would surely be to cold hearted to listen to their pleas. "I should have asked earlier...... do these creatures fear nothing....... is there not something we could use against them. I only pray that we make it out of here alive." she looked miserably at Seraph.  " I wonder what was wrong with him earlier, He to looked as if his dreams do not sit well with him. They treat him as if he is so much more a lower life form, I hope that no harm comes to him, I have come to rather enjoy his company, indeed he seems to be the only one who will directly speak to me, And indeed we are the Chosen Five, Will we stand a chance against our bigger opponent if we become the four?

[The_Warlock]

OOC:  First and foremost, if I intend to surprise the group then I will.  What kind of story has the characters in the driver's seat knowing exactly what will transpire in a storyline?  Also, though extremely skilled, your thief is not the most impossible person to sneak up on...that would place your character in god-mode.  Under normal circumstances, while your on guard, then no a beast of prey (yetti) could not sneak up on you.  Secondly, we both posted at the same time...sooo, my post happened first, when you were waking up from your nightmare, knocking bags over and speaking with Aden.  Quite easy to sneak up on a nightmare shaken person upon them waking up, don't you agree?  (Example, two ratmen...one waking up from a nightmare, the other sneaking up on the sleeping ratman..who has the advantage?  The stalking ratman/Yetti)  No reason to get upset over a storyline.  The probabitlity of you being able to stay in a sled perfectly hidden when the yetti's saw you all in the encampment and knew your every move is not likely.  You should know that, they are animals even more than your character and can smell you a mile away, just as you can pick up there scent.  I don't think this story is being unfair to anyone, so please don't get upset when something you didn't plan on, happens.  That is part of the thrill.  You didn't plan on this happening...it did....now adapt and roleplay through it.  

IC:  Bear sidled up to Aden and spoke in hushed whispers as the group followed Seraph and the other ratman's lead.  The yetti herald followed the wagon and the group followed behind the herald.  The two eager guards followed the procession never taking their eyes off their prisoners.  "I have never seen such an outburst as the one we just witnessed." Bear whispered. "Perhaps something has this place unsettled.  Could be the return of the demons has the yettis unsettled."  Bear shook his head with indecision and continued to follow their guide in silence.  As the group moved through the corridors they passed dozens of cells.  Some were empty but most were filled with all manner of creatures.  The most pitiful being a human family.  They looked haggard and their eyes begged for help as the group passed by.  Other cells sported goblins and orcs.  Seems their was no prejudice when it came to prisoners in this place.  As the group neared the end of the cell block, a loud explosion rocks the area as the last cell door rockets into the herald.  I spray of snow and ice flies all over the place making vision impossible for a brief instant.  When the "smoke cleared"  a lone figure stood to the flank of the group and began to chant.  With a gutteral laugh, the figure finished it's incantation and pulled back it's hood to reveal the gnarled face of an orc shaman.  A crack spread on the far corridor wall and two ice shaped figures pulled away from the wall.  Both ice elementals began attacking the yetti guards.  They stand nearly 10 feet matching the height of the yettis and each has a ice shaped hammer for a left hand.  All four colossal figures became embroiled in a full fledged battle right in front of the group.  As the group's attention turns to the battle at hand, the chanting can be heard again above the snarls of the yettis.  The orc shaman was again beginning to cast another spell.  This time it looks to be directed at the group.  Bear seeing the situation for what it was, opportunity, turned to the group with an ultimatum.  "We must choose quickly...we can either aid the yettis and better our position when we go before the king, or we can fight all of them and make an attempt to escape this ice prison!  What say the group!" he finishes yelling and turns to retrieve his battle ax from the wagon while listening for the groups decision.

[Alec_Shadowkin]

Assuming his actions would speak for themselves, Gerrard reached into the wagon and grabbed his spear, spinning it around and maneuvering toward the shaman, hoping to skewer him before he finished this next incantation. He held his spear out on front of him, thrusting forward for the shaman's chest.....

[Nobody]

Seraph threw a previously concealed dart at the shaman's throat, attempting to interrupt the spell. Then, Grabbing any weapons that he placed into the cart, he got behind the metal cart out of the view of either the elementals or the shaman. He would do what he needed from there.

OOC: if I get a chance when the Herald is distracted, and no other yetti's are looking, Seraph will throw a dart into the Herald's neck,(parylizing him from neck down) and then slit his throat.

[Shadoweagle]

Tsurin who, as usual, was wordlessly walking with the group, actually laughed audibly at the sudden chaos - seemed the fear of death didnt hold much to him - and he turned abruptly, completely ignoring the shaman as he assumed the rest of the group would be fine with them. instead, he removed the glove from his right hand and raised it to face the direction of one of the ice elementals. His right hand made a tight clenching motion, and as he did, the elemental may notice a sphere of intense head shrinking swiftly around it - the magically induced change of temperature hot enough to melt even spell-sustained ice. As with his spells, however, they require much of his concentration, so he cannot do much about anything else whilst he casts this enclosing sphere. He does, however, take the time to shift a glance to the elven woman and speak, almost pleasantly, to her, "Aden, I don't suppose you would be so kind as to ask your elements to dispatch the second animation?"

[Adel]

Aden quickly turned to Tsurin and gave a quick nod, with this she slowly began to walk into the battle toward the elemental........ with her hands held palms up in front of her, She began to mouth words in silence stopping seven feet in front of the demon creature, The creature stopped mid-battle and gazed at her transfixed with her eyes which now were teh color of hot embers , she stood glaring.... palms still out streached.... beads of sweat appearing on her brow...........  the two cloaks that had been keeping her warm before had dropped to her side reavealing her long hair... now drenched with sweat........... She closed her eyes....... breaking her gaze with the creature.....she visulalized the heat leaving her body and setting the creature a blaze, she played this though again and again in her mind. The creature lunged for her and was almost upon her when her eyes flashed open  a fury and then the creature halted. Aden mustered a small grin before her legs gave out and she collapsed in the snow. Still conscious but incredibly weak and cold. The creature jerked his head back and began howling with pain, though there was no indication that he was injured on the outside, raising his fists in a fury he aimed one final blow toward Aden, which she narrowly escaped by rolling on her side. Then the elemental could be seen melting from the inside out, its mouth now frothing...it slowly dissolved.  Aden used the last of her strength to crawl away from the battle towards the wagon, She needed her bow so she could protect herself if any other creature dared cross her path.

[The_Warlock]

The shaman began to realize its predicament when Gerrard wheeled on it with a spear pointed towards it's chest.  It was still bent on finishing the spell and parrying the spear of the puny human, when a dart whizzed in and caught it in the throat.  The words to the spell were lost as the shaman took a step back grasping it's neck.  Too late it realized the opening it had left to the spear.  As the idea formed in the shaman's head for a nice retreat it felt it's heart explode out through it's back as the spear slammed home and ripped through it's once whole body.  The shaman fell to it's knees in shock and then fell face first into the cold cavern floor.  It's final thoughts were on it's massacred village and the gloating yetti king who had ordered the death of his family.  Then the dizziness overtook it and the shaman fell deeper into the eternal sleep that was death.  Through the confusion, Seraph's dart hits home on the Herald and it stops dead in it's tracks.  Looking around it is unaware of the ratman's location until it feels a slice across it's neck and hot blood begins to poor from the mortal wound.  The herald falls to a knee shakily and as Seraph prepares to sneak back into the shadows a massive club slams into his shoulder sending him flying across the cavern hall.  Seraph hits hard against the opposite wall after a 7 foot flight and slides to the ground quite shaken.  Apparently once the elf had dispatched her target, the yetti guard fighting it was free of combat and happened to see the ratman's assassination.  The sound of falling blocks pauses everyone as the final elemental falls to the ground now lifeless due to half it's body being melted away as a result of Tsurin's spell.  Now that the confusion had settled, the two guards turn towards the group with openly displayed menace.  "Little rat killed Vintar.  They must all die!" it bellowed and took an advancing step towards the still shaken Seraph while raising it's spiked club for the killing blow.  It's fellow guard begins to follow suit when it suddenly stops and turns it's head to the incomming sound of a whooosh.  Bear's battle ax was glowing white hot as it cut through the yetti's neck.  The yetti's head flew off at a 45 degree angle to hit with a thud on the hard cavern floor and continued to bounce down the cavern hall for some ways.  Blood and gore splattered all over the group as the yetti's headless body flailed about before finally falling dead in front of the crawling Aden.  Aden is covered from head to toe in yetti blood.  Fully enraged at seeing it's two fellow kinsmen dead, the remaining yetti backs away from the group slowly and then attempts to flee to sound the warning.  "It must be stopped!" bellowed Bear.

OOC:  Aden, in the future please post only what your character is attempting to do and what results the spell/attack should result in if fully successful.  There are no absolutes in this story and sometimes I like to put twists on your attempts.  They are, afterall, only attempts and the results will vary depending on the NPCs reactions/abilities.  Again, thanks to all those playing...this is turning out extremely well.  Great roleplaying all.  Enjoy!

[Shadoweagle]

At the sight of the fleeing creature, Tsurins mirth seemed to melt from him, as with all emotions, and he methodically shifted forth, reaching into the wagon, sliding one of his throwing knives from his beltstrap in there, and throwing it, in one fluid motion. As the blade flew through the air, streaking in the direction of the back of the Yetis head, The Climate mage drew once more into his reserves of power, calling upon the elements to alter his dagger - just as he had done in the tavern against the first demon. Instead of a sheen of ice crystallizing over the dagger, though, the blade began to glow, the metal increasing in temperature rapidly - red-hot, then white-hot... Some few feet from the back of the Yettis head, the blade would lose form as metal converts from solid to liquid at a temperature capable of melting through both skin and bone. That globule of iron continues its path towards the creature. and as it does so, Tsurin lowers his hand, and slumps faintly, though not in tiredness. He had done that very same thing to one person before in his life, and the results were not pretty, to say the least.

[Nobody]

Seraph came to an abrupt stop at the wall, giving him a pretty good sized headache. He could not even feel the blow to his left shoulder. That was bad. He moved it a little. There it was. The extrame pain of a broken bone. Probably two bones actually. It would be important later to stop the swelling now. He pulled out a paralysis dart and stabbed himself in the arm, ending all pain and all swelling to the limb. He pulled out his crossbow. It would be difficult to manage with one hand, but sitting down he should have a good shot. It was already bolted.

He fired. Then dropping the crossbow, he walked out of the hole in the Ice wall. Essentially he had turned on his party, and they would probably not want him in the area, unless they really were very desperate. Furthermore, He would have Yeti's following him soon. He was already hidden from view as he walked through the forest. He picked up to a run as the cold started to take it's toll. He would have to set the fracture, but not now. Maybe when he was yet again safe.

Suddenly he felt dizzy. He realized that he had had nothing to drink for a day and a half, and now...

His body fell foreward. No hands went out in front of him, no body weight shifted to soften the blow. There was nothing more than a soft thud in the forest to mark any unusual disturbances, and no tracks that he had left for others to follow. His brown blanket made him all but invisible on the dirt floor, where he lay, unconscious.

[Adel]

OOC: this might be a dumb question and you can smack me for it later Jack but how did the snowy land that we were surrounded by turn into dirt?
I am covered in yeti blood ew!!!! that is so gross!

IC: Aden Is disgusted with the yeti blood that now covers the whole of her body. However it is warm and warmth is what she needed at this moment. Knowing that she had no time to rest she stands up and quickly draws the two cloaks about her staining the once glistining white one with dark red blood. " She weakly smiles at bear.... " What now gaurdian?"

[Nobody]

OOC:Actually it was an oversight, but it is just as well to say that there is heavy tree cover.

[The_Warlock]

The spellcast liquid hot metal caught up with the yetti and entered it's body through the spine.  As it hit, the fleeing yetti came to a staggering halt and turned on the group.  Smoke could be seen rising from behind it's neck as it took a step towards the group.  A small yelp escaped the yetti's snout as it looked down to the red glow spreading across it's chest.  Within a couple of heartbeats, hot metal mixed with blood and melted bone shot out of the yetti's chest.  After one final spasm, the yetti fell dead, face forward into the cavern floor.  As it's body settled an unnerving silence filled the cavern tunnel.  With the exception of the distant sound of water dripping from the icey ceiling, all was deathly quiet.  Bear looked around silently at the group gauging their physical conditions.  Everyone looked healthy enough to move with the exception of Seraph.  Bear looked around more vigorously now trying to locate the ratman's body.  "Where has Seraph gotten off too?  Did anyone see him move from his slumped position on the floor over yonder?"  Bear points at the now vacant depression in the icey cavern wall.  Looking around he bends down by the last yetti's corpse and pulls free a small bolt.  "Well, I now see how your spell caught up with the yetti before it made that final turn down the cavern tunnel.  Hopefully our little friend has the wits about him to at least be moving in the right direction.  We must escape this icey tomb before the others are alerted to what has happened here.  Aden, you must consult the elements and guide us safely from this place.  I pray they see fit to help us in this."  After the last is said Bear smiles at the elven princess to put her and everyone else at ease with his slight attempt at humor.  "Perhaps the elements can discern the location of our missing companion.  In any event, we must be on the move.  Lets make haste!"  With that, Bear nods at Tree and they begin to move back towards the tunnel that had originally brought them to their cell.  The king would not be happy when he found three of his kinsmen slaughtered in his own citidel.  The group was in trouble if they could not navigate the caverns successfully enough to gain their freedom and get a head start into the mountains.  Bear silently wondered if his past campaigns had met with as much trouble as this one was getting itself into.  He could only shake his head slightly to himself as he awaited a response from Aden.        

OOC:  How exactly did Seraph turn on the group?  Did I miss something...heh.  He seemed to be helping out quite a bit once the fight started.  Perhaps I am misreading something, but please PM me when you read this Seraph so I can understand your intent.  Thanks and enjoy all!

[Shadoweagle]

OOC: I believe he meant that he attacked a yetti, thus getting rid of the chances of the group to remain in the good books with the king. This could be seen as bad or even traitorous to some people.

[Adel]

Aden was exsausted but only gave a slight nod and quivering smile. " I believe I can help find Seraph however it might be difficult, I can ask the wind to search for him, however the wind is a curious element it is free and confusing.......wonderful. It sometimes plays games and speaks to me in riddles, I will try to ask the wind to find our Rat-man.....perhaps if they hear the urgency in my voice they will make haste with thier answer." with this Aden lowered her head and this time she didn't move her mouth instead she looked up... her eyes clear as a crisp breeze on an autumn afternoon...the the wind whipped about her caressing her shivering frame...... then she slowly began to sing with a vioce so pure it was like the wind itself whistling acroos the moors. It was her eyes however that seemed to be speaking........ just the intensity in which they seemed to plead. The tears that streaked her blood covered face.... She seemed to be telling the story of their journey not through song but through her eyes.

[Nobody]

OOC: my character, by attacking the Herald, pretty much signed the groups death sentence as far as the Yetti's are concerned. I am assuming that that is not in the groups best interests. The Yeti's will find the dart in the Heralds neck, and the cut across his throat could have been caused by neither the shaman nor the elementals (neither had access to a bladed weapon), only by a member of the group. In killing the Herald, Seraph had essentially put the rest of the group into grave danger. I would consider that a traitorous act. Remember that Seraph puts high value in his abilities to be discreet and not be caught. He considered his failure to do so as the equivalent of trying to be caught, and caught at something which was strongly against the groups best interest.

[The_Warlock]

As Aden communes with the wind everyone is witness to her wonderful voice as it floats away on the current of wind.  Everyone shifts uncomfortably as a gust of wind rips through the tunnel.  In Aden's mind, she sees the path of the gusting wind that just left the tunnel.  It travels around yettis both at work and on the prowl.  Yes, they were looking for the group already.  A four man patrol was moving toward their exact location.  The wind continued on, now a quarter mile out of the entrance to the citadel.  With a final powerful gust the wind blows hard on what apprears to be a tiny mound covered in snow.  As the snow parts to the mightier wind, Seraph's form can be seen lying prostrate on the cold ground.  Blood is flowing freely from his smashed nose.  Then the scene became obscure.  Now the entire path of the wind seems to rewind in Aden's mind at frightening speed.  The wind retraces it's steps and finally slams home back into Aden.  The effect was so powerful that Bear raced over to catch the elf maiden before she fell to the ground.  Aden was still conscious, but extremely weak.  Bear looks down to her with concern.  "What did you see m'lady!  Does Seraph still live?  Did the wind reveal anything else to you?"  The group silently awaits Aden's response.  The last thing she had seen was the smiling, tooth filled snout of a massive werewolf as it had grabbed hold of Seraph's leg.

[Adel]

Aden's eyes were wide with fright finding herself proped against thier leaders arms.... shaking she could only mouth one word........ danger...... with one last beckoning glance into bears eyes she stood shakily, gathering her strength, what was left and quickly bound out of the hole in which Seraph fled through earlier. she new that she had to find away to cover the footprints left in the snow..... but her strength was failing her and seraph was more important than that..... as they grew closer to the place in which Aden had seen Seraph she could hear the creature sniffing widly in the air it knows of our presence..........