Meditrina bends down and inspects the footprints, "I'm not a very experienced tracker...but perhaps I can..." she trails off as she looks at the tracks in greater detail.
Trawets sees Talon searching the barn while Meditrina searchs for tracks and decides to help Talon.
A bull dragged away? I thought it weird when I first heard it... Lars looked the scene of the crime over with a critical eye, he gave a few moments to the blood, and then focused on the strange footsteps. Just then an onslaught of snow, ran past him, causing him to further close up his coat How can it be this cold? He thought as he stared at the shards of snow descending to the ground around him, their while color clashing with the dark colors he had on.
"I was hoping for a beast, but it looks like I'll have to be content with a surprisingly strong bandit instead" Lars walked along the trail that was unintentionally left for them Fool, why'd you steal something that would raise such an alarm? And you had to pick a village such as this? With that level of strength you could easily make it as the guard of one of those up and coming crime lords...just leave thievery to those with the brains for it A smile came upon Lars' face Probably another attention seeking buffoon
"Yes I can see that, I never specified our bandit was human, did I?" He turns to Agatha Isn't she the woman I saw caring for all of those dogs? Lars walks to where the axe had bitten into the barn.
"You didn't give us your name" He said before turning towards the warrior once more.
"Lars" Replied the blond man, with a jovial expression on his face "I'll call you Agatha for short, your full name while beautiful would be quite cumbersome to call out in the midst of battle" Stepping away from the invaded barn, Lars followed the trail of footsteps once more.
"Well let us head out, I doubt our thief will be kind or sporting enough to wait till we give them chase" The edge of Lars' throwing axe reflected what little light was offered to them by the lamp of the barn, as he held it in his hand, prepared to let it fly should he meet their prey.
Barring anything interesting in the barn, I say we follow the tracks.
Andras
You easily scoop the shivering boy up and feel just how wet and cold he is. Hurrying you are able to get him into your parents' simple house. The fire is already going inside, due to the cold weather, and you lay the boy on the hearth while you call for your parents.
Just a few moments by the fire helps restore some of the boy's color, and when your mother arrives and kneels beside him she calls for blankets and dry clothes. She begins stripping the lad of his wet things and soon he is in dry, if over-size clothes, and swaddled in blankets.
She asks you to bring some water, and slowly the boy regains consciousness. He blinks then looks around dazed. "The ice...the river...I fell in. It was a stag. A beautiful white stag, and I went to touch it, and..." he swallows hard, and your mother pours a few drops of water on the boy's tongue as he swallows.
"I don't know what happened to me. I saw the stag and how lovely it was, then next thing I know, I've fallen through the ice, and am freezing in the river. I am Fredric, my ma an' pa are prolly worried sick...They own the Stoat, you know, the tavern..."
The Rest
It is still mid-day, but the building clouds make it seem darker. Snow falls, light at first, but then heavier. Certainly nothing like any mid-summer any of you have seen, even in the northlands.
The blood trail isn't hard to follow, and the large humanoid footprints go alongside it. Heading south by southwest, you follow the signs. Right up until the trail crosses a large stream or small river the the trail goes down the bank on one side, but doesn't come back up the bank on the other side. The once-flowing water is covered with a thin rime of ice, but certainly not enough to walk on. If it couldn't support a human-sized creature the ice would certainly not support what made those footprints, and the weight of the slaughtered bull.
For all visible intents, the trail ends here.
Trawets searches for anything out of place (other than the snow and ice on the river.)
Despite all your skill and searching prowess, the trail just seems to end at the water. There is no other sign or track that can be found.
Back to town then
"You rest now Fredric, I'll tell your parents that you are save. I'll leave the story of the stag for you to tell them, if you wish." He gently brushed through the boy's hair before he gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. "I'll go get his parents now, I'm sure his mother is worried sick about her adventurous son." he grinned as he walked to the door.
There he grabbed a winter coat of the rack, showing his mother he was borrowing it, and wrapped it around himself as he made his way to the Stoat to tell Fredric's parents of the boy's whereabouts and situation.
"Well that is something you don't see everyday, a trail that disappears into thin air" Lars shrugged his shoulders in disappoint and then sheathed his throwing axe "Back to the inn" the former pirate turned and began walking back to what was more or less his home in Heldren And here I was hoping to make some money by catching this bull thief A small frown dominated Lars' face, as the falling snow continued surrounding his path towards the Silver Stout.
As the group of well armed and armored make their slow and anticlimactic way back to Heldren, they run across a rushing Andras just outside of town.
Remembering each other from the night before, each side shares their story as the crew walks the remaining way to the Stoat. Inside, Menander is putting on his heavy overcoat to go and look for Fredric, when the story of his near hypothermia is related.
Worried, but relieved, the Kale decides to head to the Andras farm house to bring the boy back home. AS she heads out into the street, you hear the mild-mannered tavern mistress cry out in alarm. "Help! There's a man there, by the Deadeye, he's hurt! Someone get Barber Argus and Father Safander. That man is wounded bad!"
Trawets runs out to check on the man and make sure no one else is attacking him. Meditrina, come quick! This man needs your help.
Meditrina follows, rushing to the man's side, before gently playing his hands over his wounds.
Hmmm maybe our mysterious and strong thief struck again, branching into attacking townspeople now, he's really serious about his criminal career Lars got up from his seat, his throwing axe was in his hand in a quick flash of steel and his quickened pace saw him back into the snowy ground, and cold air in moments This weather will take some getting used to.
The man is staggering down the main street, his head bandaged, blood seeping from the wound. His fingers and nose are the blackened color of frostbitten flesh.
The man is clearly Ulfen in descent and his colors are those of the troop that passed through town yesterday. He staggers to just at the feet of the gathering crowd and falls to the ground, a black-feathered arrow now visible in his back.
Meditrinia's healing eases his pain somewhat, and he coughs violently, then tries to stand again. "It was an ambush. They took the Lady! We must send help to her."
The priest of the village and the dwarven barber (who doubled as local surgeon) arrive and kneel at the man's body. "Let's get him to my office," says the barber. "He's suffering from frostbite and exposure, and he needs to be out of the cold now! Safander, can you tend his wounds?"
A make-shift plank stretcher is brought over, and you are asked to pitch in carrying the Ulfen warrior to the barber office. The local priest, Safander (a follower of Erastil by the symbol on his neck), brings healing magic to the man once again. He walks beside Meditrinia whispering to the cleric:
You wait by the bedside while the barber examines the man. "He will lose those fingers, and part of his nose and ear besides. I have to put him under with ether before surgery. Talk to him now if you wish, it will be a few hours before his is conscious again."
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Talon looks sternly at the man as he prepares to assist with the stretcher. He needs to ask a few questions before the Ulfen is gone.
Now this is getting interesting...there may be a grand reward involved in this.
"Do you refer to the Lady who passed through this town yesterday? What can you tell us of the ambush or those that took her? Where should we send help?"
Who ambushed you? Men? monsters? Where did this happen? When did it happen?
1)Do you refer to the Lady who passed through this town yesterday? "Yes. The Lady Argentea Melanasse of Zimar. She was on her way back to her home from Oppara."
2)What can you tell us of the ambush or those that took her? "We were assaulted when we entered the Border Wood. The temperature had dropped and snow was falling everywhere. From nowhere a group of bandits attacked, we held our own until the fey joined the fight. Their weird magicks we could not withstand, and soon we were routed. I saw them drag the lady away before escaping and stumbling back here through the ice and snow."
3)Where should we send help? "The Border Wood where the coach road passes through. I saw the bandits and the fey taking the lady up the hill and off the path. I don't know if any soldiers escaped but me."
4)Does Talon recognize the Ulfen as one of the guards when he examined the entourage?
5)Who ambushed you?Men? monsters? "As I said, it was men at first, but then the icy fey attacked as well. They had icy breath and magik spells that we could not withstand. And they seemed to not be hurt by our weapons. Except my sword here...You should take it...I will not hold it with these fingers any longer..."
6)Where did this happen? "As I said, where the coach road enters the Border Wood"
7) When did it happen? "Last night as dusk was falling. We left Heldren in summer, but a few miles away it became as cold as any winter in the north, and snow was falling heavy. The bandits attacked in the snow."
The wounded man reaches for his cold iron longsword and hands it over to you. "Take this, and go free the Lady! I am sworn to her, but cannot continue. Aid me brother in this thing!"
After tucking his throwing axe for the second time today, Lars listened to the wounded mercenary's answers Bandits working with Fey? What is next? Dragons will help thieves carry their loot...wait The trail of the stolen bull jumped back into Lars' mind and for some reason he didn't find that last notion too funny.
The former pirate's thumb stopped right under his chin as he considered all the facts Bandits usually have plunder, noble ladies are usually rich and people usually pay quite a bit for rare baubles from fey...oh this I have to be involved in A small grin drew itself on the blond man's face, as he gladly took the offered sword "Of course" He replied "Well you heard the poor man, there is a noble lady that needs to be saved" And gold to be made He added mentally.
Lets see if we can save the Lady. Does anyone else have a cold iron weapon to take on these fey?
"Thank you for your...tolerance and friendship, and I will bear your warning in mind" Meditrina replies, before continuing "That said, I will not stand idly by when I could help someone in need...for what purpose are my gifts if I cannot use them unselfishly?"
"You should rest, and restore your strength" Meditrina remarks soothingly "Have no fear, we will free Lady Argentea", here she pauses, wondering if she had accidently roped in some unwilling participants "Or at least I will..."
The man relaxes with relief as you take up the challenge of finding the lady (whatever your motives). He nods to the surgeon, who covers his face with a cloth soaked in ether. Soon, the Ulfen man is unconscious.
"Probably don't want to stick around to see this," says the Barber, a well-mannered dwarf named Argus Goldtooth. "Sounds like you have work to do anyway. And get to the bottom of this damnable cold spell while you're at it." he says, tying a leather apron on.
Once outside the surgery, you note the cold wind blowing, and the storm clouds hovering to the south, towards the Border Woods, where the man said you need to go next.
As you make claim to save the lady Safander approaches you again. "All that we have is at your disposal in this quest. If I were a single man, I would be joining you, but I have a family and a flock to look after. Tell me, and I maybe able to help from time to time."
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This could be the answer to everything! Certainly there will be a great reward for the return of this lady!
"I suggest we bundle up and search for this lost lady. Are any of you interested in accompanying me?" Talon says to the others gathered around to help. "I have one dagger of cold iron...I may need to purchase a second," he says as he looks toward the general store.
I agree. I have no cold iron weapons but hopefully my spells will hurt them. I should buy a cold iron dagger if one can be found and some cold weather gear as I was prepared for summer not winter, then I will be ready to be off
Trawets goes to buy a cold iron dagger if there is one and a cold weather outfit.
"I indeed need more winter gear than the simply coat I'm wearing now. This wind chills to the bone. Cold forged iron might indeed be a good idea as well."
Andras moves with the others in his search for a proper cold weather outfit and a blade of cold forged steel.
Meditrina nods "I too, should pick up a Cold Iron blade, hopefully a Scimitar if one is available, a dagger if one is not".
"We should gather what we need quickly and then leave with haste, the last thing we want is to lose the Lady in this cold weather"
After getting his gear from the inn, Lars met up with the group once more "Oh yes Andras was it?" He turned to face the half-elf "I've been meaning to ask you something in regards to the lad that you found almost half dead because of the cold" He continued his tone sounding very neutral.
"If I am not mistaken you said the boy crossed an unstable frozen river because he thought he saw a white stag and wanted to get close to it? Are you serious? Who would do that for a stag? The only thing that would make me walk over thin ice is the shine of gold, the shine of a beautiful woman's smile or preferably both" Said the blond man, as a mischievous smile came over his scarred face.
The general store in Heldren has most goods and basic weapons at prices equal to the CRB (or similar) listing. Specifically for cold iron weapons, there is a 25% chance of having one in stock for normal weapon types, less for exotic or rare weapons. You may sell your gear at 1/2 CRB prices.
Normal adventuring gear like dried rations or cold weather outfits are also available here.
Please note specifically what you are buying and how much the cost. Also please list your starting and ending coinage so I can get our Loot Tracker started right.
Once everyone is geared up, you can set off.
NOT Available
NOT available
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Talon notices that he cannot purchase an additional cold iron dagger at the general store. The one he already had will have to suffice.
He returns to the Silver Stoat and packs his remaining gear. Standing on the front porch and dressed in his cold-weather gear, a look of melancholy is evident on his face.
Oh, my two little boys...how I miss you... You too, Heleana...
Trawets comes out of the store with cold wear gear and 4 gp 8 sp 4cp after spending 8 gp.
I'm ready for the trail whenever the rest of you are.
Who would do that for a stag?
Meditrina raises her eyebrows slightly at Lars' comment. "Small, curious children get drawn to pretty things...I'm not even sure I would resist the urge if I saw the same thing at his age"
Meditrina checks that she still has her holy symbol, as well as her Scimitar at her side "I believe I am also ready for the hunt."
"I was a child once" Began Lars, his face turning towards the red head "I doubt I would have chased after a stag without being aware of my surroundings; Riddleport was not too keen on letting you live for making one too many mistakes like that"
"Funny how the more you grow up the more things you want" A small hint of seriousness joined his usually jovial tone "Before I grew up all I could think of was not starving...and now I want so many things, I hardly know where to start" What small part of solemnity that could be noticed at the beginning of his speech had disappeared without a trace by the end.