The Ice Wall Climbeth

As the party began to make camp alongside the icy cliff face they soon would be climbing Twang beckoned everyone around the fire. He began poking it as he talked.

“Climbing this wall will be no easy feat. Many things could go wrong. First thought was With Voriel’s help Rahsaan could fly to the top, tie off the rope and we climb single file...”

He looked around at everyone and then at the shared climbing gear and rope.

“Doesn’t look like we will have enough rope for that. So I recommend we pair up so we can help each other ascend. I shall climb up with Ireena. I am strong enough it won’t be an issue. Mercurion if you could be so kind as to assist Ismark. Rahsaan you could help Baden. This would leave Eylylyn and Aspen paired together. With your agility and magic I am sure the two of you could avoid most if not all trouble.”

He looked around at the group for any immediate signs of displeasure or argument, but soon continued.

“I also believe it in our best interest to spend all day tomorrow practicing. It will be important to know how much strength and finesse will be necessary and to get our bodies somewhat used to climbing. Even with a day of practice we will reach Vallaki sooner than taking the long way around.”

He sighed as he broke the stick.

“Alternatively, we turn back and take the long way. This is our last chance. Does this cliff scare you?”

Eylylyn brushed snow flakes from her eyes and regarded the craggy path before them.

"If we move separately, that will make it difficult to assist each other should the need arise. I have magic that will, if necessary, make falling no danger at all. But i have to be within a stones throw and able to see you if you fall. Between the wind and snow i don't like us spreading out."

She thinks for a moment, regarding Rahsaan

"I know keeping Voruel around is taxing, and he may not be willing to provide so mundane a service."

She snaps her fingers and a spectral blue skeletal hand appears and waves to the group in greeting.

"It can't reach quite as far, but i can secure rope above us. Besides, i think taking the path slower would be beneficial. And I do have some rope left from the cloak, and I would be able to catch any who fall at that range."

Badan huffs as he surveys the wall of ice and mutters something about digging through the mountain, but contributes nothing useful.

In a hushed whistle, Mahlajai looks upon the walk and says to Eylylyn, "I wish I could be more help. This looks to be quite the feat. I am fully prepared to offer you all the moral support I can muster however."

Izmark nods at the recommendations and says, "It can certainly be a perilous climb, and it looks as though the ice is fairly thick this winter. But with our gear we should be able to make it...my arms hurt thinking about it though."

"This seems dangerous...dare I say foolish. You have all already proven yourselves as capable allies and staunch defenders, and I am grateful. I am not sure though that this is the best plan. My brother is blinded by his love for me. Do you all truly feel this risk is necessary?" Ireena asks.

Twang focused on Eylylyn as she spoke, taking in every word that issued forth from the minuscule mage’s mouth.

“We would all be in within eyesight and earshot of eachother, have no doubts. If we are paired off though with Ireena being tied to me, if she falters I would be able to assist her with my strength alone so that your spells may be used only when extremely necessary.”

He paused.

“Your Magic is the best defense, our last line of defense... but that doesn’t mean it should be our only line of defense. That is my thought.”

He turned to Badan.

“Would that our brothers and sisters lived in this mountain and our way through already carved.”

He nodded firmly at Ismark’s attempt at confidence.

He turned to Ireena.

“I have confidence in my ability to get you not only up this mountain, but to Vallaki. I have every confidence in the abilities of those I travel with as well. With this path before us nature is our enemy. I can understand nature to a degree. Choosing to fight nature is foolish and risky... but taking the easy way where we would have to fight Strahd is riskier. Our only advantage right now is our foolishness. “

Rahsaan’s braid blew beside him from the wind as he looked up the mountainside, though he still listened to the others. He turned back and said, “Voriel is willing to aid us. And if our travel together with everyone has taught me anything, it’s that something with try to endanger our climb to complicate matters and he is far more able to deal with it than I.”

He then glanced at the collected equipment, “If we don’t have enough rope to dangle from the top, I can still fly one of the less able-bodied among us. Or, be at the ready in case something else slips,” he looked to both Twang and Sir Mercurian with a wince, “As long as it isn’t either of you. The question is if we want Voriel’s help securing anything before the climb or have him be at the ready should something attack. I don’t think he can remain long enough for both. And I’d rather not be in the air when he goes.”

He looked to Twang, his voice somewhat hushed, “Though if we must go in pairs, are you sure you wouldn’t want to pair with Badan? You seem to get along well enough.” He have dwarven bodyguard an uneasy look, avoiding eye contact.

Mercurion surveyed the obstacle before them, expression hidden by his helm. Ice had already caked the faceplate and glistened on the spikes like silvery icicles. The fresh werewolf pelts, afixed by the spines to the knight's shoulders, were flapping limply in the breeze, crusted here and there with black frozen gore.  

"It will be a challenge, to be sure- but one I am eager to test." Hot breath vented forth in jets of steam and condensation transformed into a beard of frost as he spoke. "I already have my climbing companion in the form of the steadfast Nicholas Bottom." The Borcan produced a length of rope and a pulley, which he held aloft.  "Together we will best this glaciated barrier, and the minions of darkness will quiver in their abodes."    

Nicholas, for her part, looked less than enthused about this plan.

Aspen shivered, but it wasn’t because of the cold. Despite being a cat, even landing on her feet from that height would be damning.

“Personally, my claws are better designed for climbing trees and rocks, not ice and snow.”

She turned to the group, anxiety showing forth in her furrowed brow. “Tell me again why we’re going over the cliff instead of down the longer path, aside from some of you having a death wish. It’s not that Ireena isn’t worth the trouble, but what is the trade-off here?”

Twang was silent as compatriots spoke, simply staring into the fire and nodding along as they made their points. When he looked up his eyes fell on Rahsaan.

“Your maneuverability is needed. I am of the mind Voriel would be of most use flying after one of us, if the ropes happen to break. That is the very reason I have suggested you pair with Badan, because out of him and the 2 siblings he is most capable of holding his own.”

He then turned to not only Mercurion, but at Nicholas Bottom who seemingly had disappeared from his view until now.

“Right. Nicholas Bottom... hmm yes you would be most suited at keeping him calm and helping him ascend.”

He scratched his beak and took another look around at everyone.

“Well Eylylyn and Aspen do not have the strength to help carry or catch Ismark if need be, so he will have to be tied to me along with Ireena. There should be no issue as long as we don’t fall at the same time.”

Twang focused in on Aspen and then looked at his own claws.

“My claws are not designed for this either. However, that is why we purchased climbing gear. We decided upon climbing the cliff because it is a shorter distance to Vallaki if we do so, and the sooner we get Ireena there the better. Not to mention we are currently being hunted by the LawGiver, Strahd, two other sons looking for this sword, and we were warned of bandits along the main road. No doubt if we took the longer, easier path we would encounter those who pursue us. I would imagine some of our pursuers have some semblance of common sense and this won’t be following us up the cliff. That is the trade-off.

The dwarven bodyguard took out one of his daggers and walked over to the cliff face while the party discussed plans. With his free hand he takes his thumb and index finger to nock a chip of ice free. He tastes it, before spitting it out and grumbling some rather harsh dwarven curses, he takes the butt of his dagger and pounds away at the same spot until a hairline fracture forms in the icy layers. He steps back to survey his work then bends over and straps his weapon to the bottom of his boot. He then proceeds to try and kick the bladed end deep into the ice, but it bounced off. This is followed by more curses and the dwarf going over to the fire, heating the blade for a moment and then repeating the action. This time the blade burrows into the ice, and a smug look of defiance momentarily washes over the dwarf. He withdraws the blade, and makes a few extra notches with the straps before holstering the dagger and rejoining the group.

Ireena remained silent but her look of doubt had yet to be removed.

Izmark watched Badan quietly, but drew near the fire and said, "I am with you Twang. It sounds like a great idea, but I don't want to make this trek if anyone has second thoughts. This climb is difficult even under ideal circumstances. Doubt and hesitation are just as lethal killers in the mountains."

Eylylyn looks over her basic climbing gear, purchased from the strange Halfling merchant. Her eyes dart to the long coils of rope, then up the sheer escarpment.

"I think this is quite doable, we just have to be smart about it. I think groups is a good idea, actually. We can take the climb in phases too. We don't have enough rope to take it all in one go, so we take it in thirds or quarters. Voriel will go ahead and secure the rope at an appropriate place for us to climb to, then provide help if necessary while we climb. While we rest he can go ahead and secure the next section. If it proves too taxing and Voriel isn't able to stay for the whole climb, I can cast a spell to let one of us walk the cliff like it's flat ground for an hour to finish the climb. Mahlajai, why don't you..."

She cuts off and turns to the Carrionette, eyes wide and smile bright even in the white snow.

"Wait a moment, of course!"

She darts off to where the baggage is piled up, diving headlong into the pile. Fur clad legs and tiny booted feet kick up in the air as she rummages around, but it's not long before the Wizard finds her prize. With a triumphant squee she extracates herself from the pile with help from her own Mage Hand grabbing her belt and hauling. She rejoins the group holding aloft a somewhat battered looking scroll rolled up with an elaborate wax seal. She approaches Mahlajai, her face serious but her eyes dancing with delight.

"I've been trying to figure out how to approach you about this since scrolls are never a sure thing with advanced magic, but since I have two scrolls there's no harm in trying!"

Her eyes flit over to Twang and she gives him a wink.

"You're next, my soon to be reasonably sized and hairy friend!"

Her new staff flies over and alights its self into her waiting hand as Eylylyn turns back to Mahlajai. She closes her eyes for a moment, holding the scroll and staff before her. Then she speaks a single word. Her eyes snap open and the wax seal on the scroll breaks. She smites her staff down and the scroll unfurls. Radiance burns out from her eyes as they play over the arcane words inscribed before her. She speaks, drawing symbols in the air with the end of her staff and leaving glowing sigils floating before her. The scroll floats from her hand as her digits grasp in the air like claws, rending at arcane an arcane weave as she sings out the spell. Though already cold, the party can feel a vacuous sensation permeating the area and drifting snow starts to swirl towards the tiny girl. Awash with power, Eylylyn shifts her gaze to Mahlajai. With a final scream she holds her staff up in both hands then smashes it down on the icy ground as a woodsman may cut timber. The runes before her pulse once, then disappear and with them goes the sucking sensation. Then in an instant the runes appear as glowing brands on the Carrionette.

Rahsaan turned to the Kenku and said,  "I just want to make this clear: Voriel may be able to make it up the cliff at full speed, but what would take all of my power. And once that is done, he would not be able to aid us any further for some time. So he would not be able to follow behind in flight.  I would prefer to save his flight in case someone falls or something tries to thwart our climb. As you said, there are many chasing after us who may be waiting for the oppertune moment to strike."

He squinted skyward, and was relieved to see there was a brief break in the swirling clouds and snow for Rahsaan to see the clear blue sky- which he quickly realized was in fact not the sky but instead the same icy cliff face before them, its top no longer occluded by the storm. The monk's eyes widened as he saw the daunting climb become even more so, taking an instinctive step back, "Though, uh, maybe there might be some wisdom to be found discussing alternatives. There might be a cave, narrow crawlspace, or something else around him so we can . . ." He stopped talking as Voriel diverted his attention to what Eylylyn was doing, noticing the luminous runes cover Piddlywick.

The tiny doll looks down as the magic permeates his form uncertain of what exactly was happening. Numerous vents of smoke begin to emanate from everywhere the runes alighted. Mahlajai breaks into a wide cheshire grin then as it hits him; he speaks in a bit deeper voice, "I am FREED!"

There are dozens of popping sounds as each rune burns out. The small doll looks up his tiny eyes a glowing amber color, beaming. He raises his hands high and is about to say something more when there is a loud resounding clang, as if metal had struck an empty barrel.

Mahlajai's eyes widen in surprise and then horror as the amber glow recedes from the dolls eyes. The tiny figure leans backwards flailing wildly as if to catch himself before falling over and collapsing in a heap upon the snow.

There is a ripping sound as the carrionette is torn into two separate pieces and there is a thick mushroom cloud of black smoke.

Upon the cloud being carried away by the wind, a hunched old blue-grey haired old man rests in the fetal position upon the snowy ground.
He opens his eyes slowly, blinking away the flurries and begins to sit up right. He looks down at his wrinkled form and huffs, "Well thats a bit underwhelming. No this won't do."

There is another cloud of thin blue sweet smelling smoke, as before the gathered group, the wrinkled old man transforms into a deep royal blue skinned muscular naked creature nearly five feet tall, his eye pits pitch black, a head full of short spikes jutting out. The creature hovers in place nearly a foot off the ground, light blue steam rolling off of him. Every inch of blue toned skin is marked with magical black glyphs and inscriptions. Mahlajai yawns and stretched his arms wide. "There now-much better." He looks over to Eylylyn and blinks, and suddenly his naked form is clothed in rich voluminous purple robes.

He turns back to the group. "This is my true form. Thank you all for bearing with me."

There's a pregnant pause while the group stares at the apparation before them. Then Eylylyn pumps a fist into the air in triumph.

"HA! Take that, malfeasant entanglement!"

She brushes her hands off of each other, then slicks back her hair and addresses the freed Djinn.

"Now, our bargain aside, I was hoping that breaking your curse would get us some more options for how to tackle this cliff face."

She looks him up and down with a squint, holding a hand up as if taking measure or feeling at some unseen force.

"I'm sensing a lot of elemental energies... air, lightning and storm in particular... Could you still the storm while we climb to make the ascent safer?"

Rahsaan blinked at the spirit that stood/ floated before him, unsure what exactly to make of him. His expression of bewilderment soon gave way to a stern frown, before he rolled his eyes and said in an overly breathy, deep voice “Well if you’re just going to stare and not going to ask anything of importance, than allow me.”

Rahsaan crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side, while he grinned, “Ah, Mahlajai in the flesh. I knew you were more than a deranged puppet though I must confess I wasn’t expecting an air spirit. Considering you haven’t cursed us all already, I take it you are inclined to assist us as a thanks for your freedom?”

He leaned slightly forward and said in a somewhat hushed voice, “And just a reminder, you don’t have to do every request they ask. They are mortals after all and prone to frivolous demands.”

Aspen sighs as she regards the rest of the party. Though the puppet's transformation was incredible, the Tabaxi still had doubts.

"Anyone can purchase climbing gear, but do any of us actually have experience climbing anything, much less something like this?"

The young woman shakes her head.

"I understand that this way may result in fewer creatures pursuing us, but is it really the better way? We have proven ourselves to be quite capable against villains and creatures of all shapes and sizes, but this?"

She shudders as her eyes gaze upward.

"This is something else altogether. It may be faster, but faster isn't always better."

Mahlajai considers Eylylyn's questions and shakes his head. "I wish I could calm the wind and storm, but being imprisoned for a few hundred years seems to have for the moment at least atrophied my magical muscles-- so to speak." He went to say something further but held up a hand, "That doesn't mean I can't still help. I need one of the potions we got in that store." The blue creature then began digging through the snow until he reached dirt, and scooped a clump into his hands and rolled it into a ball, a slow smile spreading across his face. "It really is the simply things. Any chance any of you grabbed some salt?"

The potion is passed to him and after some scrounging, the group is able to find a salt cube. He takes the potion and pours half of it into a water jug and then hands the remaining potion back. Then he grabs the salt and the ball of dirt and drops them into the jug as well before sealing the top and giving it a healthy shake and a little swirl and sets it just above the fire to cook. As he is doing this he turns to look at Rahsaan, "My priorites align with aiding you all Voriel, and--well yes frankly, being released from incarceration after a few hundred years does tend to put one in a good mood. But more importantly than that, I happen to find each of you fascinating." He leans back and in a similar hushed tone whispers, "Some more than others."

He turns back to the jug and waits for a moment longer before yanking it from the flames and tossing the container in the small hole he'd just dug in the snow and then packed the hole with more snow. The man turns to look at Eylylyn and just says, "One of my previous masters-Barticis-a self-taught worm of a man. Chewed with his mouth open, it was truly abhorent. He was trying to distill a potion to grant him immortal life, and while he was unable to render such a tonic-largely because his apprentice smothered him in his sleep due to the snoring-again... oh the agony; in the course of his studies he happened across a few concoctions quite by accident. Among them was a particularly strong adhesive. I sought to use it for among other things a wonderful prank, which may or may not have been a factor in my subsequent karmic punishment, but I had not considered until now the utility of such a bonding agent. Once this substance cools, it should act as a poor man's climbing potion...though I apologize in advance for the aftertaste."

In response to Aspen's question, Badan stomps forward to her and points to himself. "Dwarf not afraid of mountain. Over. Under. Through. Dwarves know."

Ireena seeming to find her voice in Aspen's argument spoke, "It's true. I really don't mind taking the long way around." She looks up the ice wall and back again as she says, "I've never even attempted something like this before. I am more than a bit nervous."

"Thats why we have help Ireena. It's not just the two of us trying to handle this on our own. I certainly couldn't have even made it this far. I made dad a promise-to keep you safe and that's what I intend to do. So if that means putting you in a risky situation for a moment, I am all for it. As long as at the end of the trip you are out of the devil's grasp, I will do anything." Izrmark says firmly.

"But this climb is going to take longer than a moment Izmark. This might very well be what Strahd wants! You ever think of that? You blindly trying to save me and putting yourself in harms way, all so I can be safe, only to get yourself killed and me end up in the one place neither of us want me to be." Ireena shot back.

Badan rolls his eyes and sighs. "Systkini". He turns to Ireena, "We stay the long road, you die maybe. We stay this road, you die maybe. It's maybe 50-50. I say we die with shortest walk. Hate walking."

Izmark laughs, "Badan-you hate everything."

Twang sat eyes wide watching Eylylyn work her magic. While keeping his eyes trained on Mahlajai he fumbled around with his left arm eventually patting Rahsaan on the back.

“Save Voriel to save yourself or us. We ascend together.”

Twang then slowly got up and walked towards Mahlajai. Holding out a hand to him.

“Pleasure to meet the real you.”

After shaking hands he walked over to the beaming mage. He took a deep breath before speaking.

“You did good. If you still have magical energy to expend I shall not run, nor hide from myself any longer.”