LotS: Cold be Heart and Hand and Bone

[Rom]

When Winter comes, and singing ends; when darkness falls at last;
When broken is the barren bough, and light and labour past;
When wind howls in the deadly East, then in the bitter rain
I’ll look for thee, and call to thee; I’ll come to thee again!​

The snow-blanketed hills and pine forests that ringed the seemingly endless expanse of Lake Evendim looked almost picturesque in the winter stillness; Glimmering crystalline crowns that rose and fell along the path, flashes of evergreen needles bristling beneath cloaks and gowns of purest white, and the gentle crest of waves lapping over sheets of ice along the shore. The beauty of the snow capped land only served to disguise the danger for those who passed within it; deep snowdrifts covered ancient pits and crevices, the gloom beneath the trees hiding wolves and goblins that sought the doom of all Free Peoples. And ever the wind wailed, carrying with it the bitter chill of winter.

The year was 2911 in the Third Age of the Sun and a fell winter had fallen over the lands of the former Northern Kingdom... and all who dwelled within those lands would feel the bite of hunger, and cold, and worse.

 

[Wit]

There was a certain grace to the Elves, a lightness to their steps, an elegance to their gait, an aura to their very being. It was something they were born with, an inherent trait of their race and not something you could learn. But looking at Míriel you would think that you could unlearn it.

Where others of her kin would have gone floating over the snow, Míriel was lumbering though it, forging a path for herself with the spear that was her constant companion. Grunting loudly, making a great deal of noise, and just raising one hell of a racket. Not very elf like. If anyone hearing of her approach had to guess they would have been justified in assuming they were about to run into a dwarf, or maybe even a troll. But most definitely not an elf, and not one who looked geared up like a seasoned veteran of the wilderness.

Maybe it was because she was in a hurry to reach Tinnudir and get out of this blizzard, or maybe this was simply how she was. Whatever the reason, she was not being very careful about attracting attention as she trudged loudly through the snow. It was not a long way now, so the land should mostly be safe around here, and she was more than willing to throw caution to the wind and just make all haste towards a warm fire, a warm meal, and a strong ale.

 

[Phoenix]

Adathar loved the forests and the wilderness. It was free and clear, and beauty stretched as far as the eye could see. Weeks traveling forest roads were not uncommon, but today he was returning "home." His path had been laden with hazard and the number of goblins on his path, prowling at night was far greater than he had seen in his limited time. Combine that was the winter chill that seemed to bite to the bone and he got the nagging impression that something villainous was afoot.

He tracked his way through the foot paths to the Evendim, gazing out over the beautiful water that had been seized by the same unnatural chill and was now clouding with snow that grabbed the rest of the lands. He pulled his cloak more tightly around him as he came to the edge of the small, half-broken bridge that led to the ruined fortress. Hidden among the bushes, the young ranger knew that other sentries lay in wait to cut down any enemy who would dare cross that land.

He threw back his hood enough for those who stood guard to see him, raising his bow above his head to signal he meant no harm until such a moment as they could recognize his face. Those who had been stationed in the ruined fortress seemed as if they had been decreasing steadily; they were sent out to wander the paths and deal with the growing threat they'd been seeing from the North.

As he was about to make a crossing to the bridge, he heard something approaching behind him. It was... loud and lumbering, carving through the snow and a rapid pace, but didn't sound like any animal in the region. He dropped to his knee, spinning around as he crouched behind a bush to see who came. He pulled an arrow and nocked it, but didn't draw as a woman broke through the brush.

Who goes there!? he called out, peering through the growing haze of snow that filled the air. @Wit

 

[Eccles]

Gulp...gulp...gulp Olfand drank greedily from his small barrel of honeywine. His pipe lay beside him with its crushed leafs smoldering to create a somewhat bitter odour. It had been hard work finding dry wood and even more difficult to start a fire while snow fell and temperatures decreased to where only dwarves with beards to their knees could call it comfortable still. It had taken him three weeks to reach Tinnudir and yet he had decided to make camp with just a few miles to go. He knew that when he entered the gates of the ruined fortress he would have to share his honeywine and pipeweed, the ranger captains would tell him to sharpen his arrow heads and collect the dried rations for another journey before spreading out his mat on the cold stone in damp air and with more stone as a ceiling. No, Olfand preferred sleeping out in the open, warm of wine and merry of the pipe.

He figured he would go to the fortress in the morning, get his rations and leave on whatever journey the captains would send him next. He put the barrel next to him, picked up his pipe and wrapped his cloak around him. "My dear Olfand," he stuck the pipe in his mouth and smile contently, "I'll say you make a fine honeywine."

 

[Sreeya]

For all her defiance and all her training, Theo couldn’t have felt more out of place and helpless than she did now. She had been led to believe that she was best left learning to cook and perform other duties as a wife to someone, and she had spent her entire life in denial. However, as of this moment, she felt fear gripping her to the core. The icy chill of the winds that cut through Evendim were nothing compared to what the growls behind her invoked.

Theo had already killed a wolf, and she wore its pelt for warmth henceforth. However, now she had a trio of them chasing behind her, and she had no choice but to run. She glanced over her shoulder every now and then, watching the beasts leaping easily through the snow and coming for her. Theo was shins deep in the slush, and she was having a tough time running away.

As she came towards the lake, she could make out other figures. Theo had her bow in her hands, and she turned back to nock and fire an arrow, hitting one of the wolves as a shrill yelp carried through the wind. However, it only agitated it, the wolf now more angered than ever to give chase. Cursing under her breath, she turned towards the other figures she saw, mustering up her manliest voice, “RUN! HERE BE WOLVES! GET OUT!”

Theo lost her footing as she skidded atop the icy sheet that covered the lake, and the wolves followed in pursuit, all of them skidding and sliding along surface. This was the end, she knew it. The ice would crack under her, and she would be claimed by the frigid depths. If she were lucky, the wolves would make quick work of her and she wouldn’t slowly suffocate.

 

[Gian Greydragon]

Rowan carried on through the woods, as he tracked down a pack of wolves that had been terrorizing what little livestock those in the countryside held onto until the summer months swung back around. Inbeknownst to those simple folk, this was no typical winter, and something much more sinister lie behind this sheet of ice.

Rowan had managed to gain a flank on the wolves just outside the city, but in the process had missed a chance to protect a young woman, who seemed to be able to handle her own with a bow. Nevertheless, the Gondorian gripped a javelin from it's holster and hurled it at a wolf as it closed in on the young boy (@Sreeya).

The weight of the javelin knocked the wolf off all fours and sent it hurling into the snow mound, and stopping a few of the wolves in their tracks. "Get everyone inside!!!" He bellowed as he broke through the treeline, sword and buckler drawn.

 

[Arcangel]

Tsssk. Tsssk. Tsssk.

The sound of flint striking steel echoed through the small woodland clearing as Deenus Jay Hornblower cursed the howling wind and wet wet snow. Huddled over the small bundle of dried moss and twigs that he had collected and painstakingly kept dry underneath his thick winter coat, he desperately tried to start a small fire.

"Confound this wind Jim." He muttered through the unlit pipe that bobbed and weaved with his words. "Blowing and blustering, making it downright impossible to get a light."

Tsssk. Tsssk. Tsssfwsizzle.

"A-hah!" Jumping up and dancing in the snow for a moment before rushing over to the small flame. "Its a good day Jim! Now if only we could find Marge."

Lighting a stick and shielding it from the wind, Deenus Jay brought the flame up to his pipe. Lips puckering on the stem as he puffed the pipe, the green pipeweed within the bowl flared as the flame ignited it, setting it into a slow burn.

"Blegh, stinking wildweed. Oh what i would give for a packed pipe of 'ol Toby." Scrunching his face at the taste of the wildpicked pipeweed as he mused.

Drawing deeply before blowing a smoke rings up into the air, a slight rush lighting his mind. "Alright Jim, lets go find Marge before the wolves get her."

As if on cue, the forest echoed with the howl of wolves, and shouts of panic. Gripping his walking stick tightly as he puffed, Deenus Jay looked around before once more mounting the saddle of his brown mountain goat, Jim.

"C'mon Jim, nothing to be scared of." Petting the rough fur of the goat before slapping its side gently to move along.

 

[Orbit]

Vorian navigated through the snowy forests, his cloak fully enveloping him and his hood drawn to block out most of the frigidness of the air. His footsteps were light and silent, barely leaving tracks for someone to follow. Having spent weeks on the hunt for goblins and other orcs, he had learned how to remain hidden for the most part though the snow still provided quite a challenge. Vorian was tasked by Lord Cirdan and his objective was the only thing he had been doing for weeks with barely any rest. Having come across the path of some rangers, he knew they held a presence in Tinnudir and that would be a resting spot for him, at least for a day at most.

Vorian's hair long strands of white hair slipped out from his hood, blowing in the wind slightly as it provided another light blanket of heat from the cold which he appreciated. He wasn't far from the ruins, breaking through the tree line and able to spot the frozen river and the half-destroyed bridge that led to the ruins. Vorian's eyes scanned the great expanse but immediately afterward he heard the shrill cry of wolves and other people. Bringing his gaze towards that direction, he saw what appeared to be a ranger running from the wolves, shouting out to run away before her feet met the slippery ice and skidded across it with the other wolves.

Vorian instantly made his way towards it with a certain grace, choosing not to fight with the snow as he drew closer and closer and bringing his bow up. Before he could find his shot another came out, (@Gian Greydragon) and he let loose a javelin towards the pack. The one he hit was instantly killed but the others momentarily broke free from the distraction before turning to the ranger (@Sreeya) that was still skidding. That split second was all Vorian needed to find his shot and he let his arrow loose to soar through the air before hitting one of the wolves in the leg and maiming it somewhat to make the ranger's escape easier.

The man who shouted to get inside (@Gian Greydragon) was already on the move, running towards the bridge as he came through the tree line. Vorian was on the move as well, nocking another arrow in his bow and moving at a steady pace towards the bridge, ready to provide cover for anyone else as he slowly started to draw his arrow.

 

[Eccles]

Olfand was nodding off slowly, the pipe and honeywine doing its work as the dúnedain ranger felt warm despite the harsh winter. He remembered fondly the last time he visited the Shire, for he wasn't fond of elves, and the good wine and even better pipeweed he was allowed to enjoy. As such he didn't quite notice "Theo" running towards the lake with three wolves on her heels until he was rudely yanked from his nap by a boy-ish scream, “RUN! HERE BE WOLVES! GET OUT!”

"Have your balls drop firs-" he muttered, but then his eyes quickly opened and a clear sense of urgency was obvious. Grabbing his bow and an arrow, he rolled towards the sound and watched how the ranger with his boyish voice lost his footing on the ice and was helpless when the wolves, too, skidded across the thick snow-covered ice. "-how can you miss the lake?" he softly berated the young ranger as he nocked the arrow and took aim at the last wolf.

There was an irony, perhaps, in what happened next. Having wrapped his cloak tightly around him to preserve the warmth for sleep, Olfand found the thick green fabric unwrapped much slower and when he tried to get up on his knees to improve his chances to hit a wolf at fifteen meters, the cloak did not give in. Losing his balance wasn't the end of it, though, as the moment he pulled back the string, already mid-fall to his right, the thing snapped and the wood cracked, causing splinters to force their way into his left hand while the string left a deep cut in his face. Olfand knew what had happened, but it was too late to do anything about it. He fell to his right with a desperate "Argh!" and landed with his back on the smoldering campfire. The intense heat quickly burned through the cloak no matter how thick or stubborn the fabric had been just a second ago and while the ranger wanted nothing more than to cry and grab both his left hand as the blood-gushing cut on his face, he threw himself off the fire and rolled uncontrollably through the snow down the slope towards the lake.

 

[Wit]

Míriel stopped as she heard someone calling out from up ahead, coming to a stop with her spear planted in the ground butt first and other thanks raised above her face to shelter her eyes as she tried to spot the man who has called out. (@Phoenix)

Then came the other shout, this voice a little less manly? A Hobbit maybe? But she didn't have much time to consider that as the warning itself registered, not a moment before she found her attention drawn to the side as a wolf came bounding towards her.

She stumbled back, in that moment of surprise revealing the grace of her people as she took two steps back to avoid the beasts claws that went flying by.

Her instinct was the attack, and she reached out with her spear to skewer the wolf as it ran by, but years of trying to live like humans had actually beaten some very un-elven instincts into her and she found herself in half minds about whether to step on the snow or go through it. As a result she ended with one foot perched gracefully atop the snow while the other hurried itself into it. She clumsily tipped over and crashed into the snow, the wolf gone by unharmed.

 

[Rom]

Trudging through the snow, teeth chattering and bright eyes darting around wildly beneath the wide-brim of his feathered hat, Meribres silently wondered to himself just how he had landed himself in this pickle. Just a few days prior he had been warming his wooly toes beside a fire in Oatbarton's inn, drinking a fine pint of brown beer and munching a crisp Autumn apple, and now here he was chasing a wizard and lost in a forest with wolves and snow drifts taller than he was!

"'Never go chasing after a wizard' my old Nan would say, 'there's no telling what kind of trouble they'll lead you into.' Well, if she could see me now she'd be telling me I told you so's until my toes fall off from the cold, make no mistake! Where is that dratted road?!"

Shaking his head to clear the weight of snow building up on the wide brim, Meribres peered through the flurry at the sound of growls and yells through the trees ahead. Worrying at his lip, the young Took hesitated for a second before leaping forward through the snow and clambering over a fallen log with a shrill cry of... something. Reaching to his waist and grasping the leather thong of his sling, the hobbit loaded a smooth rock from his pouch and ran down to the shore, swinging the stone round and round over his head; the high clear shriek still blasting from his lips.

Spotting a wolf leaping past a shining Big Folk(@Wit) falling into the snow and chasing a thinner one (@Sreeya ) across the ice, Meribres let the stone fly and cheered as the stone caught the great wolf in the head before pinging off to strike another wolf limping nearby; the hollow thunk of the stone and the spray of blood from the beast's ruined eye and temple as it crashed into the ice and lay still attesting to the Took's aim.

"THAT ONE WAS FOR MY NAN, YOU MANGY BEAST!"

 

[Phoenix]

He saw the elven woman a moment later, judging her to not be an enemy before he heard another voice and saw the wolf run by. Everything happened so fast after that and someone was falling in a lake as people materialized out of thin air to kill these wolves. Not that he was upset about the help.

The fellow ranger who had fallen in the lake was his priority as the others seemed to skewer the wolves with javelin and pelt them with rocks. He ran forward, pressing through the thick snow as he began to unravel the rope he kept tied to him. He dropped his bow as he broke free form the snow banks and tossed the rope as far as he could. Grab this! he shouted and the rope fell nicely across the ranger's arms that still stuck out of the ground.

He waited until she - though he didn't realize it was a "she" - had a grip and hoisted hard, yanking her out of the icy freeze and running backwards to free her from the water as quickly as he could before flopping backward unceremoniously onto the bank. Are you injured!? he asked with alarm.

 

[Orbit]

Vorian raised his bow, standing on top of the snow and aiming the head of the arrow directly at the wolf he hit before. Its leg was bleeding profusely and the creature could barely put any weight on it. The grey elf breathed out for a few moments to steady his aim before releasing his second arrow, it whistling through the wind and dead center at its target. But Vorian didn't account for the slippery ice and when the wolf moved it skidded around, causing his arrow to graze it's hind leg and cut off some fine hair from its pelt.

Vorian cursed in elvish at himself, punishing himself for making a careless mistake as missing an easy target like that and not accounting for the ice. Thankfully the other two were taken care and the wolf wouldn't provide much of a threat as a pack of them did. Glancing to his left, he saw a ranger (@Phoenix) dash from the bushes and towards the two other rangers at the lake (@Sreeya) (@Ecclessey) and bringing out his rope to help them out.

As this was happening Vorian basically glided along the snow, moving closer and closer to the bridge of the ruins and already nocking another arrow in case the wolf tried to leap out for another attack. There were a lot more people here then he realized, most of them just coming out the woodwork. Especially now with a hobbit, (@Rom) launching the rock and killing one of the pack wolves. This just got a lot more interesting in the span of a couple of minutes.

 

[Sreeya]

Everything happened in the blink of an eye, and she had no idea what was going on anymore. She was skidding through the ice, her boots scraping across the top of it. She saw someone emerge from the snow and throw a javelin (@Gian Greydragon ), and she tilted her head back to see it impale the wolf behind her. She barely had time to thank her savior before more shouts and fighting erupted around her.

Were those…elves she saw? She hadn’t exactly seen too many in her lifetime, and she had only read or heard stories about them. The legends were true, they truly did move with ethereal grace, even atop the snow that threatened to swallow her up. Theo glanced up as a man (@Ecclessey )seemingly set himself ablaze and was tumbling down a slope towards the lake, “No no NO! Go back!” She screamed in terror as she was already skidding across the ice and trying to get out of the lake. This had been the man that was shouting insults at her from afar, and she had half a mind to leave him to his fate.

However, Theo remembered how the others had come together to aid her, and she knew it was the job of a ranger to protect. She lost her momentum as she lost her footing, and she tripped over the man that had been on fire, toppling over him and plopping down onto her belly on the ice, “Ohhh Elendil help me..” She muttered gruffly as she struggled to find her footing again.

She tilted her head up in time to spot another ranger (@Phoenix ) tossing her a rope. Theo quickly grabbed a hold of it, wrapping it around herself and yanking a hold of the lump (@Ecclessey )next to her, “Come on, today’s your lucky day!” She shouted out boldly as the adrenaline rush took over her. Counting on the others to shoot the wolf behind her, Theo made her way to the edge of the lake, climbing out and all but tossing Olfand clear over the edge with strength she didn’t know she had. He sailed past the fire he set, putting it out and landed in a comfortable little mound of snow unharmed.

She shook her head at the ranger's words, "I'll live to fight another day thanks to ye!" Theo didn’t stop there, quickly scrambling to her feet next to the ranger that rescued her and nocking and firing another arrow. The arrow found purchase on the wolf that barely skirted by getting missed by the elf (@Orbit )that shot at it. The wolf yelped out loud, toppling over from the injury, but it wasn’t dead just yet.

 

[Gian Greydragon]

Bounding as quickly as he could through the snow toward the boy, the nails holding the handle of his shield in place come loose, dropping jagged edge first on to his foot, causing him to fall and roll down the snowy hill. At the bottom of the hill, the wolf he had attempted to kill had set upon him clamping down hard on his thigh. Rowan could only hope for a comrade to intervene.

 

[Eccles]

Olfand had almost drowned after falling in the shallow waters of Lake Everdim. He hadn't been unconsious either, the throbbing pain of the many splinters in his left hand keeping him terribly aware of his suffering while the freezing water had not only been a refreshing change from the warm blood that was pouring from his face, it had also kept him awake and had adrenalind pumping. Through it all the ranger was experiencing excruciating pain as ice cold water forced its way into his lungs. Every time he body tried to throw up more water came inside and the ranger's eyes had already begun rolling backwards when a strong hand lifted him from the water in one quick motion. Olfhand had never thrown up more in his life, but as he was tossed back in the snow he threw up all of the water that had almost drowned him.

"By Isil-" he croaked. The blood from his headwound was beginning to flow freely again and it became difficult to formulate a rational thought. He knew he was losing too much blood but his voice couldn't communicate it. "-dur's heirs." His right hand searched the snow for the barrel of honeywine. His primary goal now was to keep thinking and to try and stay alert, for if he was to give in to sleep now he knew he would never wake up again.

 

[Arcangel]

The snarling and yelping of wolves and cries of men in battle came from up ahead, and had Deenus Jay been in his right mind he might have turned Jim around and went the other way. Fortunately or unfortunately however, Deenus Jay was halfway through his bowl of pipeweed and was possessed by something that might be called courage to a more sober man.

As he crested a small rise, puffing the slow burning wildweed, he squinted his beady, bloodshot eyes at the commotion below.

"Why look Jim, wolves!" Shouting at the goat, who in response continued to be a goat, staring blankly ahead. "That man looks like he could use a hand... or a hoof." Puffing thoughtfully on his pipe as he looked around for someone to help.

Of course there was no one capable of helping, only Jim and to a lesser extent Deenus Jay. "I suppose you have hoofs... and i have hands." He struggled through the thought as he examined his hand. "I suppose we should then.

Mind set on a course of action finally, Deenus Jay heeled Jim into a charge as he hefted his walking stick, couching it below his armpit like the lance of some Rohhirim.

"Haaaaaaarooooornbloolooolooolooowererererer!" He yodeled loudly in an impromtu battle cry as Jim charged through the snow.

THWAK!

The loud crack echoed across the lake as Deenus Jay's stick slammed into the wolf's ribcage, breaking bone and sending the beast sprawling across the snow. Of course, Deenus wasnt trained in the arts of combat or cavalry charges, so as the wolf tumbled so did he.

Time seemed to slow as he began to fly off Jim's saddle, Deenus Jay's eyes crossing as they watched the pipe fly from his mouth. His hands seemed to be moving through thick honey as they reached for it, trying to catch it in vain. He watched it tumble across the snow, fresh greens and ash scattering across the white blanket in a rather depressing sight.

And then time sped up. And Deenus Jay faceplanted into the snow, skidding to a stop before he rose, coughing and sputtering smoke and slush. "My pipeweed!" Shouting as he scrambled to recover the precious spilled greens from the snow before they were soaked and ruined. It was with pipe in hand, the other hand half loading it with what he could recover that a sudden growl sounded behind him.

"It's right behind me isn't it?" He asked no one in particular before slowly turning around to come face to face with the injured wolf. "It was right behind me!" Falling back and shouting before scrabbling backwards. Fear filled Deenus Jay's smoke filled brain, and he drew his dagger, holding it out at the wolf limply, his other hand clutching the pipe close to his chest. "Back! Back you foul beast! This is my pipeweed and you cant have it!" His mind incredulous to the real danger at hand, instead coming to the fantasy that the wolf merely wanted his pipeweed.

 

[Logan]

The hard crunch of snow beneath boot was the only thing Beran could hear over the sound of the worst possible scenario roaring behind him. Despite his advanced age, Beran had a fair bit of stamina but even he could feel that his short legs were beginning to grow weary. As he reached the crest of the final hill before potential salvation, Beran could see the silhouettes of others grappling with the last bit of their own fur covered problems below.

"Eyes up 'n arses ready lads!" Beran shouted loudly as he began the descent down the other side of the hill towards the merry band below. "We got a big'n comin'n 'an 'e's right pissed!"

Just as Beran was beginning to run the final stretch down the hill, he felt his powerful yet short legs trip up beneath him. He started rolling head over heels down the hill, picking up momentum and snow like some kind of dwarf bowling ball. Reaching the bottom of the hill, Beran could feel himself barrel into something, stinky and furry. It yelled out a high pitched YIPP, Beran himself feeling a little dizzy decided trying to sit up just wasn't in the cards quite yet.

On the top of the hill appeared the thing that Beran had been running from - a massive, grisly and fearsome looking brown bear. It gave a mighty and chilling roar as it too began moving down the hill. Its eyes were lit up with the thought that there wouldn't only be dwarf on the menu for dinner.

 

[Wit]

Míriel, having finally extracted herself from the frozen ground, was spitting out snow when she heard the yodeling and turned her attention towards the lake just in time to see a hobbit riding a ram into battle. It was rather impressive, the horned beast slamming into the wolf, the seemingly fearless hobbit perched atop it in heroic splendor. And then the little fellow went flying through the air and the vision was ruined. Míriel turned away from the sight with a shake of then head and began making her way towards the lake. The wolves seemed to have been dealt with, but she was interested in knowing who she had run into. After so long on the road by herself, she was eager for some company.

Of course she wasn't looking for dwarven company, but the very next moment the rough voice of what could not be anyone but a dwarf broke through the air and drew her attention towards the hill's slope. Running, or maybe rolling, down it was a dwarf dressed in bright colors. And as she watched, another dwarf appeared behind him, seemingly chasing him. Only it wasn't a dwarf, it was a bear.

As the dwarf rolled down the hill, the bear now in pursuit, Míriel yanked her spear out of the ground and began changing towards the slope. Making a beeline for the bear, hoping to cut it off before it reached the dwarf, she was prepared to cut the beast down if she had to, hopefully this time her aim would be truer than before.

Jumping out of the ice and snow, she was gliding over the snow towards the bear, for once not caring about how she moved, and was soon between the bear and the dwarf. The bear was little more than a dozen feet from her when it came to a stop atop a rock, and now that she was close enough she took her aim, and threw her spear like a javelin at the beast. But at the very moment the bear charged, and jumped from the rock it had had been growling down from. And maybe seeing her moving so effortlessly on the snow, it tried to do the same. But seeing as it was a bear and not an elf, it dropped right into the snow, vanishing beneath the unbroken snow as Míriel's spear went flying by where the bear had been moments earlier and slammed into the rock instead and ricocheted off to the side.

The bear, meanwhile, appeared once more from the snow and let out a loud roar in frustration. Seeing not just the dwarf, but now a raven haired elf in its path, it started charging down once more. Míriel did the only thing she could, running back down the hill as she tried desperately to pull her short sword out of its sheath. But her earlier tumble seemed to have jammed the thing in place, and all she could really do was run down the hill with a dwarf on her ass.

 

[Black Noise]

First the cold, then this maddening company, and now wolves. These people would be surely thankful that they had the great power of a wizard among their ranks. Having kept relatively far away from the action until now, Packard stepped up and shouted, “I summon help from afar! Stop these wolves!”

And, as if on que, a dwarf cane tumbling down from a nearby hill. The dwarf rolled down the hill with ease and grace, slamming into one of the few remaining wolves. Laughing at his own success, of course it worked he was a powerful wizard, Packard felt empowered enough to try some more magic. Empowering his voice, he sought to shout at the bear to demand its attention away from the group and towards him. He could take it on his own!

He shouted, loudly, but not anymore than what was possible for an elderly man of his stature. It had the desired effect, unfortunately, and set the bear charging at him. He stood not far off from the bear’s original target, and was an easy kill as far as the bear was probably concerned. Packard aimed to dodge the bear at the last second, swinging his magic staff at the beast’s head and blasting it off out into the lake.

Except he didn’t dodge, at all. The cold had set in to his old bones, and when he told his body to jump aside, it simply refused to move. Effortlessly, the charging bear bashed into the old man and sent him flying a few feet back into the snow. If he did not have help immediately, he’d be dead in seconds.