Snow Goons (2009)

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Encounter Conditions

Christmas 2009 or Christmas 2010, Etheric

Initial Text

Something terrible catches your eye in the center of the snow-covered Quad. A warped snowman, looking like something yanked from a child's nightmare, glowers at you. Its limbs creak in a way the wind could never manage as you find an even more terrifying sight arranged behind it.

A handful of snowmen stand quietly on the Quad, although you get a strange feeling… a taste of barely contained malice. Maybe it's the Eclipse talking… but maybe the Eclipse is right. None of the mob seem particularly more or less dangerous than the others.
(or, second paragraph replaced by:)

A mass of snowmen spread through the Quad, packed most tightly near the abandoned museum. None of the mob seem particularly more or less dangerous than the others.
or

A mass of snowmen spread through the Quad, packed most tightly near the abandoned museum. A few snowmen with vicious icicle fangs work their way through the crowd. The others seem like lost puppies in comparison.

or

A mass of snowmen spread through the Quad, packed most tightly near the abandoned museum. At the center of the horde, you see a few snowmen with horns, each staring out with a single coal eye.

Snowmen with vicious icicle fangs work their way through the crowd, while the rest are arranged almost worshipfully around the horned ones.

or

A mass of snowmen spread through the Quad, packed most tightly near the abandoned museum. At the center of the horde, you see a small group of snowmen watching the proceedings. Some have horns and a single coal eye, while others stare out with a pair of bulbous eyes like Christmas ornaments.

Snowmen with vicious icicle fangs work their way through the crowd, while the rest are arranged almost worshipfully around the center.

or

A mass of snowmen spread through the Quad, packed most tightly near the abandoned museum. A giant snowman looms over the center of the horde. Surrounding him, barely coming up to the top of his first orb, strange snowmen skulk. Some have horns and a single coal eye each, while others stare out with eyes like glassy Christmas ornaments.

Snowmen with vicious icicle fangs work their way through the crowd, while the rest are arranged almost worshipfully around the giant.

or, after defeating the towering snowman

A mass of snowmen spread through the Quad, packed most tightly near the abandoned museum. The snowmen are gathered around their fallen leader. Nearest the center, you can see a ring of cyclopean horned snowmen, accompanied by snowmen with horrible bulbous eyes resembling glassy Christmas ornaments.

Behind them, rows of snowmen with icicle fangs face the melted giant. Others, towards the edge, don't seem capable of looking towards him, staring out into the Quad instead.

Summary of Choices

1. Pick one off - fight a fresh snowman
2. Charge a fanged one - fight a fanged snowman
3. Approach a horned one - fight a horned snowman
4. Rush a staring one - fight a staring snowman
5. Challenge the giant - fight the towering snowman (only if you have not already killed the towering snowman)
6. Run in terror -
7. Back away slowly -

Choice Text and Results

Pick one off

You carefully sneak up behind one of the snowmen furthest from the pack and strike from hiding. Before you can land a blow, it spins to meet you with its claw.

Even hindered by its misshapen form it moves with surprising speed, if not grace.

Fight a Fresh Snowman

(+21 Stealth power does not change the text or result)

Charge a fanged one

You approach the fanged snowman cautiously, but it turns to you with a sudden shriek. Its icicle fangs glimmer with a strange light as it opens its mouth to reveal an endless windy void.

(Fight a Fanged Snowman)

Approach a horned one

As you approach it, the snowman looks down at you with its single coal eye. You can feel its mocking laughter boiling up from your bones, but its mouthless face remains passive, waiting for you to make the first move.

(Fight a Horned Snowman)

Rush a staring one

The snowman turns to face you, its strange ornament-eyes spinning wildly in their sockets.

(Fight a Staring Snowman)

Challenge the giant

You approach the massive snowman, knowing there's no way to escape notice from its commanding view. The lesser snowmen pull back, offering you a clear path.

Their leader's coal mouth pulls into a twisted smile and you can hear laughter echoing within your head even though the Quad is deathly silent.

(Fight a Towering Snowman)

Run in terror

You run your fastest, churning through the snow and leaving the student's twisted creations far behind. Thankfully, none of them seem to have followed you.

You take a moment to wipe the snow off your legs because it reminds you of them.

You've earned 3 XP, randomly distributed.

Back away slowly

You manage to keep control of your emotions long enough to escape the snowmen's presence. Thankfully, none of them seem to have followed you.

See Walk Away

Note

When the scariest snowman on the Abominable Snowman Leaderboard reaches a certain value, scarier snowmen unlock.

Opponent	Scariness required
Fanged Snowman	50
Horned Snowman	100
Staring Snowman	250
Towering Snowman