Mount Freeze Massacre

Lower Gardens, Midday

Even within the Lower Gardens, which is usually magically warmer for the plants, is feeling the brunt of the constant snowfall. A light dusting of snow peppering the grounds, a chill snakes its way through the air, creeping in from the heavy snow outside the grounds itself. It's good refuge, but still needs one to be bundled up.

A tea stall stands outside a gazeebo, one red haired Eldanar man cups a steaming mug in his hands while clad in a grey overcoat. He watches with mild amusement towards two bundled up teens, a Nar and human girl just outside the grounds. The Nar is pulling a flat wooden board with a rope tied through it up the hill, while the human pushing it, then vanish out of sight.

A few moments later, a sip of tea. They pass on by in a gleeful shout and a blur on the wooden board. A paff of snow erupts over a garden wall. Warrick doesn't seem concerned in the slightest.

Simony wanders the grounds with a mix of curiosity and concern in her expression. The snow encroaching upon the Garden's warmth and greenness is as unnatural seeming as the green glade's perpetual greenness itself.

The rowdy teens' progress on a sled is noted, the Gobbo slowing to watch them hurtle down the hill. Slipping both her hands into her rabbit-fur muff, she begins heading towards Warrick.

"Well hello Stranger, it has been a while, has it not?", she inquires, as she gets within a few dozen footsteps of the ex-Guardsman.

Carver shakes off a dusting of snow as she enters the garden, her ever-companion still not in view. Perhaps she had been forced to put 'Deathless' up in a livery stable with the unsettling snows. Without the trusted friend and with other friends buried in their personal or public pursuits, she is left to... well, wander the city. To truly take in all the places she would not visit before.

Unconciously, she wanders to the sound of laughter and roughing, curiosity having her peek in and observe the two teenagers at play about the shed.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Or something. The gardens do make for a nice change of scenery, even with the snow that seems to show no signs of stopping. It's a nice place to walk, as some people are doing. Or to drink, as others are doing.

That means it is even better for walking AND drinking... which is exactly what Bryn is doing as she heads in from the trades district to the west, a stein of khazad stout in each hand. Her tusks stick out prominently from the grin that split her from ear to ear.

GAME: Warrick rolls 1d4: (4): 4

Warrick peers over over his mug, brows shooting up. "Oh! Hello Simony," the once-guard lightly smiles. "It has been a minute. I hope that minute has treated you well?"

None too far away, the grey Arvek Nar and black haired human teen burst out from a snow pile that their makeshift sled crashed into, cackling. The latter being Warrick's daughter, Cynthia. The former, Lomi, for those that have met her. Cynthia shoves her mitted hands into the pile, shoveling it at Lomi's face, who sputters and flails at the air, only for them to pick the sled up and use that is a massive shovel, dumping a whole pile onto Cynthia and burying them in one scoop.

Warrick glances over, checking on them briefly before spotting Carver. "Got hot tea over here," he calls out, beckoning. "You're going to get dragged into that if you linger for long."

Someone throws a snowball. One of the two teens did it. It arcs high, and then lands directly on top of Warrick's dome. He sighs.

The Goblin's grin is broad, and she steps forward to hug at the man's waist. Nodding, she releases the man and grins. "It has had its ups and downs. Even one who is in the God of Time's good graces can not avoid the trials and tribulations of the city of Alexandria."

The wet thwap of the snowball hitting Warrick in the head causes her to pause. Slowblink. It's his world-weary sigh that sets her off, Simony toppling backwards as she giggles madly, holding her sides.

Carver watches the younger teenagers with an expression of nostalgia, strange on a young face. It's clear that she's at least considering joining for a few minutes until Warrick's call distracts her. Right, too grown up for that.

Splat. She pauses as she eyes the former guardsmen as a loose snowball's remains slowly drip from his head.

She looks back to the offending duo. Then in a blur of motion, combat reflexes honed over two years of adventuring kicks in. Dip, duck, collect. The ammunition is quickly balled and she launches her counterattack at the young hobgoblin male.

Bryn's eye is drawn to the laughter and she spies the familiar teens. Then she follows the arc of the snowball to discover Warrick. And more laughter. Make that even more as Bryn adds her own. Loudly.

"Ha! Get 'em!" She doesn't make it clear who she's ecouraging to get whom, but maybe that isn't necessary. She then takes a big gulp from one mug before wandering over to Warrick and company's table, still watching the snow battle. "Out havin fun, eh?" she asks.

Warrick returns the gesture with one arm and a pat on the back. "I feel that. A lot of things take me out of the city these days. But at least it keeps me busy. How's your paintings coming alon-"

Snowballed. He looks down at the cackling goblin, rubbing his hair to be free of snow. Save for grabbing a small blob of it, holding it over Simony, and dropping it on her.

Unsuspecting, Lomi is balling up a shot, only to be nailed in her back from Carver's adventurer honed assault. Her yellow eyes look over, only for them to dive to the ground and hold up the sled as cover. "Cinny, we've got company..!"

Cynthia busts out of the pile with a handful of snowballs in hand, throwing them haphazardly in Carver's direction! "Hah!"

This is turning into a battlefield.

Warrick side steps as one of the snowballs lands nearby. "Oh- hey Bryn. Just relaxing a bit. Glad to see you're doing alri- hey!" he grins. "Hand looks like its working pretty well!"

The Goblin pauses in her laughter, an answer being formulated in her head to responded to Warrick, but the giggles return, and it is into her open mouth that the small, cold and wet piece of snowball falls.

Her eyes open wide and she gluurks, coughing and sitting up. "HEY!" Standing, she stalks her way towards where the two teenagers have a horde of snowballs on hand.

She's distracted by Bryn, and her fancy new hand. "Oh hey, Bryn! You have a fancy, new hand! How's it working out?" Simony glances at Warrick, remembering that vengeance is at hand, and runs towards Cynthia.

"Load me up!"

GAME: Bryn rolls 1d20: (8): 8

"Yep! Great, ain'it?! Works 'mazin!" Bryn hefts the right mug up in salute, victory, and a bit of showcasing. It does seem to work well, and does exatly what it's told to do.

Except that after being hoisted, Bryn's wrist rotates almost 180 to promptly dump out whatever was left. This leaves Bryn blinking. "Uh.. meant to do that?" So maybe the her telling it still needs some work.

She motions with her other mug at the growing battle. "Looks like its gettin bigger. Gonna be allout waugh inna minute!"

Carver weaves the first snowball from Cyn, but uses her arm to block the second. Her dark face and darker hair gleam wetly from melting snow and her smile is wide, gap-toothed, manic almost. "I helped kill a lich! I slay trolls! A HOUSE ATE ME ONCE AND I GOT VOMITED OUT." Duck, rearm, fire. Duck, rearm, fire. It's just like how she fights and is a bit unfair but at least it is unfamiliar weapon. It lacks the finesse and expertise she'd bring to a bow, it's simply fast and thus even more inaccurate.

Snowballs are more like snowsprays, and she gives up after another few wild attempts and charges the embankment her 'enemies' splat her from.

Warrick snickers to himself as Simony heads into the fray.

Cynthia grins as Simony joins in. "Sure thing!" The gobber is loaded up, by being pelted from the teen standing atop the snow mound. "Mount F-Freeze remains to be ours!

Lomi peeks out from behind her makeshift cover, only to get a ball smashed into her face, and she topples over from Caver's might. Cynthia takes a few shots to the limbs and center mass, but she manages to stick atop Mount Freeze. "Oh yeah?! I uh- I can make smoke bombs! A-And I don't even know w-what a lich is- OH SERRIEL SHE'S CHARGING!" She unloads the rest of her supply, no where near as accurate and a bit panicked as the decorated adventurer rushes her tactical (three foot high) position.

Warrick, bemused, continues to watch on, but is more focused on Bryn's new hand. "That is really nifty, I'm not going to lie-" He blinks, side stepping as the cup is dumped out. He chuckles. "Spoke too soon. But still, even then, that's quite great that the Cap was able to get you sorted out. And uh... yeah. It's going to go until they flop over in exhaustion."

"Or if Carver and Simony take them out," Warricks adds, peering.

The Goblin is not really accurate with her throws. But her throws are fast, obviously using a little of her God's strength to send the snowballs Carver's way in rapid succession. Then Carver charges.

"PREPARE TO REPEL BOARDERS!', the diminutive woman hollers, and begins gathering snow. In a short period of time, Simony has a snowman's head-sized snowball rolled and she grunts as she sends it Carver's way in a somewhat lazy arc.

GAME: Carver rolls reflex: (17)+13: 30

Bryn bellows out another laugh as she watches. Is she tempted to join? Yes. Does she still have ale to finish? Also yes. Another swig goes down after the laugh dies to chuckles. "But ye win eitha way, eh?" She gives Warrick a wink. "Ev'rybody has a good time 'n all."

Running through snow. Not the easiest, or most graceful thing to do. More ungainly stumbling. Still, her advance is powered with recklessness and that goes a long way. Until Carver sees Simony struggle back up from behind cover, little arms quivering, holding the mother of all snowballs over their head.

Blink. She does not risk the devestation that will follow should the blessed holy snow hit her and instead dives into a nearby snowdrift to avoid it. Her head pops up a minute later, dark hair streaming down and a halo of white powder dusting off of her.

GAME: Warrick rolls ranged: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)

Warrick snickers as the snowball brawl grows into absurdity. "Absolutely. In fact, I think someone needs to get taken down a peg." He skulls his tea, setting the mug back on the stall before stepping forward and stooping to get a ball formed.

Cynthia whoops in a cheer as Simony's massive snowball deters Carver to dive out of the way, herself stopping to reload as much as possible during brief moment of ceasefire. Lomi stumbles to her feet, scrabbling over to Simony and picking her up and setting her on her own shoulders. "Height advantage," she explains in a deadpan tone, holding up a armfull of snowballs to arm the gobber.

Warrick takes aim, dials it in towards his daughter and thr- he slips on some ice, topples over, and chucks it straight into Bryn's face.

The Goblin cackles madly as Carver's imminent doom is written all over the Ranger's face, even if the snowman's head misses. She lets out an indignant squeak as she's lifted up and placed upon Lomi's shoulders. Her frown is placated by a selection of snowballs to throw. Adjusting her pince-nez, Simony lets out another barrage. These are fast, hard-thrown and unerringly accurate given her previous throws. These snowballs seek out the behinds of Warrick, Bryn and Carver.

And so Bryn is hit at both ends nearly simultaneously. That leaves her blinking a moment. Then her drink is forgotten and the cup dropped. "This is war!"

Of course, she doesn't have any snowballs handy, or even much snow in reach. What she does have? A Warrick. So, rather than bring the snow to him, she grabs him up to bring him to the snow! It's less a throw and more of pushing charge that takes them both for the heavier snow at the base of Mount Freeze.

"Bryn, you got your hand?" Carver asks, catching on to this detail moments before she is pelted again by more magic(?) snowballs. She scowls, and rises to her feet, joining her two allies's death charge into s'no'w'man' land.

Warrick gets a snowball in the backside, making him topple over, and gives him only has a moment to stare up at Bryn looms over him and grabs his overcoat. "Oh Seriel," is all he's able to get out as the two come barreling towards Mount Freeze.

Lomi and Cynthia's eyes widen as their position is stormed by all three enemies. "Oh crap, uh, uh, L-Lomi we gotta-"

"Later nerd," Lomi quips, tossing Simony onto the mountain, turning and running to get out of the way, abandoning Mount Freeze.

Warrick and Bryn crash into the base of Mount Freeze, Cynthia yelping and toppling over as the top micro-avalanches across the street.

Warrick is sprawled out on the ground, dazed. Cynthia is half sticking out of the ground.

Simony squeaks as she's tossed aside, but she has an ace up her sleeve. As the mountain collapses, a pair of angelic wings sprout from her shoulders. They flap almost lazily as they keep her held in place. She giggles at the CARNAGE below, and then tsks, flying down to grab Lomi's leg.

"And where do you think /you'/re going, young miss?" The Goblin is strong enough pull Lomi through the snow, dragging her by the feet back to the fallen mountain. Where she's plopped next to Cynthia. As a favour to the Warrick, the Goblin pulls Cynthia free of the snow, to leave her sprawled in the mountain's remains.

Bryn is flopped briefly in the process, but pushes herself up (another benefit to the new hand) to a straddle-sit atop one slightly vanquished(?) and/or weaponized Warrick. Both fists are then raised in victory. "Ha! Got 'em!" Once more, she breaks into deep, hearty laughter.

Who did she get? Who knows? But she didn't even throw any snow!

Carver rises from the snow as well, dark hair streaming. She lifts her left hand, forming a fist, to the sky. Victory. Snowcrusted and absolute. Other then a flying Simony but she was on their side now after the betrayal most foul.

Warrick grunt-sighs as Bryn keeps him pinned face-to-ground as she laughs. Lomi is easily dragged and dropped into the powder next so Cynthia. Grumbling something about "that's cheating". "Whup-pah..!" Cynthia grunts as she's deposited back into fresh air.

The Mount Freeze Bandits have been defeated by adventurers.

There's a beat of silence. Only to be interrupted as Simony and Lomi break into a fit of laughter.

Simony dusts her hands off, and bares a skinny arm, flexing. "Hmmph. Cheating? I am not sure what you mean." The Goblin checks on Cynthia, "You okay?" A warm hand pats at the teenager's cheek. "Oh good. Now let's go see if someone has to perform mouth to mouth on your father."

And so, Warrick is soon seeing a pair of booted feet. "You okay down there, Warrick?" She holds up a wee hand for Bryn to high-five. "Nicely done with your Warrick-sized battering ram.."

"Nobody cheated!" Bryn echoes with the final bits of her laughter. Simony's little five gets a big five in return and an almost-as-big tusky grin. "Was fun!" She then rises up to her feet before reaching down a hand (the left, fleshy one) to offer Warrick help up. "C'mon up. Dinnit squish ye?"

Carver joins into the laughter, shoulders bobbing beneath her furs. She wipes at streaming eyes, steaming in the cold, nodding in agreement. Fun. She had exactly that. She goes to introduce herself to both Lomi and Cynthia, having not done so in the past.

Cynthia and Lomi are left breathless from all the laughter, but Cynthia flashes a thumbs up toward Simony for getting checked up on.

Warrick sucks in a breath as he's freed from the Bryn-pin. He takes the offered fleshy hand, grunting as he's helped up. "Only a little bit. Thanks."

Speaking of fun havers, the two teens pick themselves up, grinning to themselves and turning to Carver. "Hi! Cynthia waves excitedly. Her face is flushed red from the cold, her black hair is all over the place from the snow and a smattering of freckles adorn her face, Warrick's slate eyes squint against the sun. "I'm Cynthia! This is Lomi!"

"I'm Lomi," the nar teen deadpans emotionless, but smiling.

"That's my dad," Cynthia points at Warrick.

"That's not my dad," Lomi points at Warrick. "But pretty much is anyways."

"With how much you eat through my larder, yes," Warrick grunts, dusting himself off.

"I have an idea to warm everyone up. Let's go over to the TarRaCe, and I'll treat everyone to some hot cocoa, or cider, depending on whether you're an adult or not.", Simony offers. "We can warm up by the fire, and maybe get something to eat!" Her stomach gurgles in agreement with this course of action.

"I'm Asana," Carver says with a matching smile, her only warpaint the pale residue of the snowballs that had struck her. "He's my work-dad."

"Bryn," she joins the introductions, though she already knows everyone here and vice-versa. She also joins the trend and jabs a metal thumb towards Warrick. "Not dad. Jus lets me follow 'im round lots."

"Nice to meet you Asana!" Cynthia grins, reaching out for an energetic, mitted handshake. Lomi simply nods, digging the sled out from the snow.

Warrick quirks a brow at the name, filing that away for later, but he ends up shrugging about the title with a chuckle. "Hard not to be when you lot don't wear a helmet." He lightly laughs at Bryn. "Preeeetty sure I'm the one having to follow you into a mess. But anyways- Simony brings up a good point. If I'm being dad, then you lot need food after all that mess. It's freezing out here."

It is, in fact, still snowing heavily.

Carver shakes the hand with both of hers, "I know!" Everyone always loves meeting her. She nods at Warrick's suggestion, as adrenaline cools, so does her internal temperature. She is no less prone to thermal loss than any normal person. Still, she does look down at Bryn's hand curiously again. "Do you..., er, can you feel through that?" She will fall into step with everyone as they prep to head somewhere warmer.

Bryn's bushy brows perk up at the idea of drinks and heat. "Always time fer more drinkin!" Then she glances at Carver and shrugs. "Eh. Nah. Not really? Still gettin used ta it. Be a bit 'fore I'm scratchin my arse with it. Don' wannt break nothin. Le's go, da!" She gives Warrick a pat on the shoulder with the mentioned metal hand. A light one. She thinks.

Warrick glances to the metal hand as Carver asks the question, then nods slightly at the information before stumbling a bit from the 'pat'. He chuckles, shaking his head. "Alright, lets get going-"

"LAST ONE THERE HAS TO EAT THE SPECIAL!" Cynthia shouts suddenly before Lomi and her start scrambling forward through the snow towards the TarRaCe.

Warrick frowns. Thinks. And then picks up the pace. "... I am not eating ghost pepper basilisk."

Mount Freeze lies in ruins behind the group. Only to be slowly built up once again from the falling snow.

-End Scene-