An Arctic Advent - IC

Glenrir looked once more towards the direction of the bynd under attack, and shook his head. "Alright, we'll have an easy morning, and be back in record time."

He gives a little jump forward, starting the journey, even before the rest are fully nodding in agreement.

RavenscroftRaven wrote:Glenrir looked once more towards the direction of the bynd under attack, and shook his head. "Alright, we'll have an easy morning, and be back in record time."

He gives a little jump forward, starting the journey, even before the rest are fully nodding in agreement.

Lavender runs off further into the temple, with misty eyes, without saying a proper goodbye. Perhaps if she doesn't say goodbye this time, then she might see them again.

Wave Rider give off a small sight before giving a slight smile and saying " I guess we better set out now."

You all get together and decide to head out of the City of Frostfalls. It has one main gate that leads down the mountain, and another that leads up. The Upper Gate was the one that you were racing to yesterday. The Lower Gate is the one you are headed to at the moment.

Walking through the cold streets, you see evidence of yesterday's attack. Passing by the market square, there are a few buildings with boarded windows, whose glass had broken from the Fire-Eater's barrage of icicles. They are now filled with some sort of insulation. Few ponies are in the streets, just a few trades-folk fixing up some of the damages. And the setup at the market is practically non-existent. Just some vendors selling articles of clothing and some officials from the temple distributing rations to a line-up.Any joy that was present in the folk of Frostfalls yesterday has since been quelled.

Along the way, you here distant shouting as you see Ebonblade shouting commands at a line of young ponies, gryphons, and even a baby dragon. The young ones are all holding practice weapons and training garb, and looking entirely unsure of themselves.

Once you get up to the City walls, you do notice a fair number more guards, many sporting shoddy armour and weapons that had seen better days. There are at least quadruple their number from the time that you last entered the city. And they are regularly patrolling, barely pausing in their routine, it's warmer that way. The gate is closed, and two ponies, both pegasi, stand guard. From a quick appraisal, you determine that the two of them are official guards and the very rigid manner in which they stand speaks depths to their discipline.

"Hail, good soldiers." Glenrir gives a wooden smile to the pair. How unfortunate that they can feel weakened by their forced immobility, the tragedy of ponies. These ones seemed better than most for beating the chill, at the least. "Our group is heading out. Anything out there recently we should take more then usual caution of?"

Wave Rider ponders the sudden influx of guards eventually reaching a conclusion “They're afraid of another attack.” She says softly mainly to herself.

RavenscroftRaven wrote:"Hail, good soldiers." Glenrir gives a wooden smile to the pair. How unfortunate that they can feel weakened by their forced immobility, the tragedy of ponies. These ones seemed better than most for beating the chill, at the least. "Our group is heading out. Anything out there recently we should take more then usual caution of?"

"Hmm, the runners from yesterday. They saved many folk from that frozen snake," one of the guards says with a nod of his head to his fellow guard, then turns to adress you. "Nothing much unusual, other than the sun being up when it shouldn't. But we suspect we might be seeing an attack sometime soon. We'll open the gate for you though, since we've been told to expect you." With that the two pegasi, fly up to the top of the gate and turn a large winch together, causing the gate to slowly raise before you revealing the path down the mountain.

"Be safe, travelers, and may the stars guide your path." The other pegasus gives him a look. "What? Just because it's not nighttime when it should be, doesn't mean we can't offer our good will."

Blood points at the sun as best as he can. "That's a star, so I wish that the stars protect you." Blood bows to the guard ponies, and smiles at them warmly.

Carn looked at the guards for a moment. "You don't need to worry about us...Stay safe, though. We'll return soon." He was more than ready to go, all that remained was for the guards to let them pass and get on the trail...It'd be good to get out of the city, anyhow. Besides, the longer they delayed, the bigger the head start the enemy got.

LoganAura wrote:Blood points at the sun as best as he can. "That's a star, so I wish that the stars protect you." Blood bows to the guard ponies, and smiles at them warmly.

"Hah, that's a good one! Be careful out there."

Caden2112 wrote:Carn looked at the guards for a moment. "You don't need to worry about us...Stay safe, though. We'll return soon." He was more than ready to go, all that remained was for the guards to let them pass and get on the trail...It'd be good to get out of the city, anyhow. Besides, the longer they delayed, the bigger the head start the enemy got.

The guards do step out of the way and let you all pass. Right after you make it out of the city walls, you hear the city gate close heavily behind you.

From this side of the wall, you can see down the mountainside. There are few trees obscuring your view, and on this crystal-clear morning, you can see the Ice Fields out to the East, reflecting the rising sun's light right at you. Beyond those expansive, frozen flats, should be the Monastery, Star's Reach.

Blood looks around. "Well, I'm pretty sure our future is going to be..." With a two quick flashes of his horn, a pair of shaded glasses appear on the unicorn's face, sheilding his eyes from the glare of the sun against the snow though the glasses are crude. "Bright."

A relatively quiet "YEAAAAAH" comes from Blood's horn as he snickers quietly. "Sorry Sorry."

Spoiler:

Wave Rider uses one wing to shield her eyes and looks out to the ice fields while trying to remeber if she has ever heard anything about them or places that would be like them.

Spoiler:

Glenrir looks at the flats. Then the mountainside. And back to the flats. The path must spiral around and wind down the side slowly. "Shall we jump off the cliffs again?" He asks, referencing the rather forceful push a few of the team had in the final stretch of the match. He starts towards the (much safer) path down, knowing with those that need sleep, tackling a rough mountainside first thing on a lack of it wasn't the most appropriate choice.

He avoided the wordplay by Blood, he wasn't as jolly going forward as the rest of them, making... light of the situation didn't sit well with him.

tygerburningbright wrote:Wave Rider uses one wing to shield her eyes and looks out to the ice fields while trying to remeber if she has ever heard anything about them or places that would be like them.

Spoiler:

The Ice Fields are an expansive desert-like terrain that stretch out for a few miles in all directions from Frostfalls. Save for the single river, the River of Ice, not much blemishes it's white surface. You do know that on days when the wind picks up, the windchill can cause it to become nearly unbearable to walk the flats on the Ice Field. Further to the South, a great coniferous forest stands before the border to the Equestria.

You have heard rumors of certain arctic monsters living in the Ice Field, but have never seen one yourself, or even met anyone who has seen one.

Blood uses a couple more flashes of his horn to give the others shades of their own to protect them from the glare of the sun on the ice.

SilentBelle wrote:

The Ice Fields are an expansive desert-like terrain that stretch out for a few miles in all directions from Frostfalls. Save for the single river, the River of Ice, not much blemishes it's white surface. You do know that on days when the wind picks up, the windchill can cause it to become nearly unbearable to walk the flats on the Ice Field. Further to the South, a great coniferous forest stands before the border to the Equestria.

You have heard rumors of certain arctic monsters living in the Ice Field, but have never seen one yourself, or even met anyone who has seen one.

"Hm these bags had better have a few water-skins... if they don't we better stay close to the river for as long as possible. If anyone else able to manipulate the weather or make some fire? They might just be a legend but we might as well keep a look out for any hostile creatures living on the Fields."

"I acknowledge your need for heat, but I won't make fires for you, considering the only real tinder we seem to have is myself. I can help with the weather front, though." Glenrir notes as they walk. "And it is a half-day trip. Even if we lack water, and I think we have a skein each, it isn't like you will be losing much of it on our little jog."

"Anything tries to start trouble, you got me to pound 'em senseless. That said, unless this trip takes longer than we're counting on, we shouldn't have to worry too much about freezing, I figure." Carn nodded...Considering the fact two predators were present, he didn't think much would try to start trouble. He was travelling along, glancing about as they travelled...

Blood was doing the same as Carn, watching and waiting with his hemo-hands out of his back and ready to defend himself and others.

"I guess you two are right. I guess I'll go and take care of the wind then. I'll be back in a flash." Wave Rider flies up pausing for a moment to take in the aspects of today's weather patterns for their route. She then alters it so that the wind is redirected away from their chosen course for a few hours. Upon finishing she meets back up with the group.

roll:

tygerburningbright wrote:"I guess you two are right. I guess I'll go and take care of the wind then. I'll be back in a flash." Wave Rider flies up pausing for a moment to take in the aspects of today's weather patterns for their route. She then alters it so that the wind is redirected away from their chosen course for a few hours. Upon finishing she meets back up with the group.

roll:

With the wind at your backs, you find walking across the Icy Fields much more bearable. You spend two hours traveling across the barren wastes, steering your way around open crevices that you might have stumbled into had the sun not been shining from right above you.

During your travels, you coming across no other signs of life. Which is unusual. For those who have traveled the general vicinity before, you have come to expect, while there are normally very few creatures out and about, one can usually spot a passing snowbird or tunneling Iceworm. Save for the wind and your footstep, nothing else is making any sound. Something feels off...

"Something feels off. Save for the wind and our footsteps, nothing else is making any sound. One can usually spot a passing snowbird or tunneling Iceworm." Glenrir notes the obvious aloud, possibly confirming the suspicions of the others.

"You're never supposed to say stuff like that because the moment after you do there's suspposed to be an ambush..." Wave Rider then tries to find anything that would be suspicious.

roll:

tygerburningbright wrote:"You're never supposed to say stuff like that because the moment after you do there's suspposed to be an ambush..." Wave Rider then tries to find anything that would be suspicious.

roll:

Something faint catches your eye. At first you think it's just a shimmer of sunlight off of the ice, but then you notice the shimmer is something else entirely. And you can see at least eight separate shimmers in a circle on the ice. Squinting against the sunlight, you manage to make out that these nearly invisible entities have equine forms. If their forms were any less visible, you'd probably dismiss them as some stray snow being kicked up from the wind. They appear to be walking toward you although, it does not appear as though their hooves are touching the ground.

"Er guys... Either I can now see dead ponies or there is a bunch of invisible ponies here and it looks like they are coming towards us..."