Roland hands the lantern to the witch. Natalya opens the door to the ice-cold flame before summoning a ball of energy in her other hand that pulsates faster and faster as she bring it closer to the lantern. She tilts her hand and the magic seems to roll into the compartment before it leaps and smothers the blue flame.
"The connection between Skelg and the lantern is severed." states the woman plainly.
Color seems to return to the face and skin of the Ulfen man and his teeth stop chattering. "Thank you, Natalya. I shall honor my end of the bargain as well. I assume that you wish to head to Irrisen to formalize our arrangement?"
"You know my customs well, Skelg."
As the two converse, the ice surrounding the boat starts to thaw and it is not long before the ice completely melts. Leaving the captain's quarters, the group finds that they are somewhere in the tropics near the Mwangi Expanse. The cold-weather gear that they are wearing soon becomes extremely uncomfortable.
Skelg and Natalya head to the deck of the ship as she hangs the lantern from the prow of the ship. She sets the lantern on the deck before summoning two powerful ice devils to her side.
The two ice devils extend their claws and channel their icy powers into the lantern. The witch brings slams her hand on the deck of the ship and the ice devils disappear in a puff of snow and the lantern suddenly glows with a warm, blue flame.
"This is how you actually light the lantern." Natalya states simply. She picks up a long pole from the ship's deck and uses it to hang the lantern in front of them on the prow of the ship. As soon as she pulls back the pole, the lantern's glow grows larger and larger until a portal appears 100' in front of the ship. Beyond the portal, it appears to be a haze of a harbor, ice and seawater.
"Next stop, Irrisen." the witch says wryly.
Natalya shrugs. "You have gotten me out of that iceberg. I can do that small favor for you."
After passing through the opened portal to Irrisen, the lantern's flames die and Natalya unhooks the artifact from the prow of the boat. She brings it to the deck and whispers to Skelg.
He holds out his hand and she cuts deep into his palm with his dagger. His blood pours out but seems to float in the air before her. It freezes before her as she grabs it and places it into the lantern. The lantern roars to life. She opens one of the doors and a frosty portal opens into a hallway. It appears to be where Skelg kept the tapestry.
"You have my thanks, Pathfinders. Look me up in Irrisen if you come north." Skelg says.
"I'm sure I can repay the favor. Good luck with your travels, Pathfinders." Natalya says icily.
Skelg shakes everyone's hand and thanks them for their efforts. As you go back through the portal, you end up in Skelg's villa on the outskirts of Absalom.
---Later, back at the Grand Lodge...---
"So you gave her the Beacon, sold Skelg the Ripper into marriage, and then let them live happily ever after in Irrisen?!?" Adril Hestram is not pleased, the words coming through biting teeth. "Skelg promised to reward the Society with relics recovered on his travels. I am quite sure I mentioned this. Did it not occur to you that a magical lantern capable of freezing a man from within, covering an entire ship in ice, and creating giant portals for traveling, might be just what I was talking about? Did you at least examine the lantern and take some notes? No?! Argh!! Get out!"
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Graz clenches and unclenches his massive fists at the berating given by Adril Hestram, but keeps his mouth shut until the VC leaves the room.
"Who knew about the damn lantern, I was trying to save Skelg's freezing bones. He ended up with a smoking hot wife, and a castle in Irrisen out of the deal, and we get chewed out for not bringing back a piece of junk. Figures. Can't wait to see where they send me next."