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Post by Stix on Apr 22, 2009 9:55:15 GMT -5
A biting wind howls through the valley in punishing gusts, carrying the sounds of ringing steel and snarling predators. The hardy beast hitched to the wagon pays no mind, following along where it is led.
The winding path keeps to the low ground and would make for easy travel but for the thigh-high snow. It's the better part of an hour before the group reaches a divide in the road at the foot of the largest hill in sight. An apse carved into it, eight feet high and reinforced with stone, appears to have been made to house a roadside shrine, but is now home only to a sloping, four-foot mound of snow.
One branch of the path leads deeper into the hills; the other has been rough-cut through the enormous spruce trees.
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Apr 22, 2009 13:29:28 GMT -5
Gl'Fnak investigates the arched niche in the tree while the ox cart catches up. After clearing the sloped pile snow out of the hole, he pokes about with the branch to see if the statue or other items that originally adorned the shrine have simply fallen or been knocked over nearby.
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Post by Stix on Apr 22, 2009 16:28:08 GMT -5
On the approach to the shrine, Gl'Fnak's hoof clacks sharply against protruding, solid stone. Clearing away a bit reveals an overturned statue, roughly man-sized, lying face-down in the snow.
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Apr 23, 2009 11:47:24 GMT -5
After clearing away some snow around the statue, he clears most of the piled snow from the base of the apse and tests the weight of the fallen icon against his own strength.
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Post by Stix on Apr 23, 2009 16:29:53 GMT -5
After clearing away some snow around the statue, he clears most of the piled snow from the base of apse and tests the weight of the fallen icon against his own strength. (Clearing more of the snow will take at least a few minutes, so I'm going to give the others a chance to respond with actions or "let's keep moving"s or the like before posting.) |
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Apr 23, 2009 17:41:42 GMT -5
(Clearing more of the snow will take at least a few minutes, so I'm going to give the others a chance to respond with actions or "let's keep moving"s or the like before posting.) ((I was actually going to suggest that.  )) |
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Post by exile on Apr 23, 2009 18:19:50 GMT -5
(Sorry I haven't been very vocal; its the run up to exam season.)
As the ox cart came to a halt, Hadrian took a moment to tend to the smouldering yule-log in an effort to ensure his prize wouldn't fade before its time. Satisfied that it was still burning well and brightly, the aasimar stepped around the lumbering animal to join his companion. "What's this then, cutter?" he inquired before stooping low to take a better look on his own.
(Any distinguishing traits adorning the statue or dais?)1.9.0.9
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Post by hilathic on Apr 24, 2009 12:27:13 GMT -5
As the cart stops Hilathic moves closer to the log to warm himself. "Something interesting?"
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Apr 26, 2009 0:29:39 GMT -5
Gl'Fnak shrugs at Hadrian's inquiry and nods toward the empty niche. "Fallen statue, recognize it?" He arches the ringed brow and looks from one of his travelling companions to the other.
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Post by hilathic on Apr 26, 2009 16:58:05 GMT -5
Bard Lore 30%
[dice=100][rand=28036652083857436880719906596369273916998339097666585606581685612]
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Post by Stix on Apr 28, 2009 14:58:46 GMT -5
(Sorry I haven't been very vocal; its the run up to exam season.) (Oh, I wasn't commenting that anybody but me was slow -- Ned and I just had a rapid-fire couple of posts.  ) The statue is frozen into a layer of ice, concealing most of the distinguishing characteristics. Roughly man-sized, the work to sculpt it was done by a skilled hand, but perhaps not one with a great sense of art... there is little stylization, and overall the exposed portion of the figure is very plain. |
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Post by hilathic on Apr 28, 2009 15:33:09 GMT -5
"If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably a staue of Odin. A shrine to protect travelers on their journeys. Replacing him could give us street cred. Or at least wouldn't hurt our karma, if you believe in such things."
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Apr 29, 2009 23:28:48 GMT -5
His arms crossed over his chest, the Cipher's coal-black eyes scan over his fellow tiefling's face while he speaks. With a slight nod he suddenly - though quite gracefully - falls to his knees by the frozen statue, a large dart seeming to appear in his hand. Without a word he begins to chip the ice away from around the toppled icon in an attempt to free it.
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Post by exile on Apr 30, 2009 20:06:48 GMT -5
“I – street cred?” Hadrian exclaimed with a mystified expression directed squarely at hilathic. “I would concur that this effigy quite likely was erected in honor of the Allfather, and as his servant I’d prefer to see it righted. If we’re to delay here o’er long however, let me first see to the fire.” The aasimar made his way back to the ox and cart to check on the progressive combustion of their prize.
(OOC: does it need a little Slow Flame pick me up, or is it doing ok still?)
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Post by Stix on May 4, 2009 23:29:53 GMT -5
(Based on the rate of the burn and the mass of the log, this thing could burn all the way across the earthberg and back to Sigil, barring outside intervention.)
As Gl'Fnak begins to chip at the ice, the call of a distant, lone raven echoes across the hills.
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Post by TheGratefulNed on May 7, 2009 21:58:41 GMT -5
Hearing the raven's caw, Gl'Fnak pauses momentarily to lift a half smiling face toward the hills before immediately resuming the chipping.
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Post by exile on May 15, 2009 23:34:09 GMT -5
“Ah!” the aasimar declared from around the oxcart. “Huginn has heard you. It is an auspicious omen.” Appearing from behind the animal’s silhouette, Hadrian feel to his knees beside the tiefling and began to chip at the ice with the point of his dagger. He whistled all the while, a merry, if tuneless melody.
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Post by Stix on May 23, 2009 1:13:47 GMT -5
Though neither tool is especially well-suited to picking ice, working with the dagger and dart frees the statue after the better part of an hour. Actually righting the three-quarter-ton figure may prove a more daunting challenge of brawn or ingenuity, however....
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Post by exile on Jun 7, 2009 15:20:58 GMT -5
Hadrian stared down at the toppled effigy for a time, quietly contemplating the apparently implausible task of righting it and absently chewing at his lip all the while. Suddenly he spoke, fixing his companions with a beaming smile. “Gather round, cutters,” he exclaimed. “I think I have it!”
(OOC: Would a judicious application of ‘lighten load’ [decreases object’s weight by 50%] in conjunction with reduce [decreases object’s weight by 60% in this case], bring the statue within the range whereby we could right it by pulling it erect with the aid of the ox and a jury-rigged rope and pulley system? I suppose I could 'enlarge' the ox for a little more 'oomph' as well.)
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Post by Stix on Jun 9, 2009 16:41:42 GMT -5
(Reducing and Lightening it would drop it to 300 lbs. With the help of Hilathic and Quicksilver -- who we'll say are still part of the group -- the four of you could put it in place. Anything much more complex than that will probably take more time than you could spare.)
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))
)