Virgil appraises the woman for a moment, before sheathing his rapier.
"Apologises. I didn't mean to intimidate you. Please return to your soup, it's safe now. My name's Virgil."
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Thorgull frowns at the name "Ten-Penny Tacey", as if he was searching a piece of information in his head. "Ten-Penny... I heard that name before... Oh yes! I remember! You are that burglar who's wanted in Demgazi! Haha, I knew that I knew it!" he says at loud, pretty satisfied of himself.
Seeing the faces of the others, he says "Woops, I may have not said that... like this."
Zadok shrugs. "If she is able to fix up those sick men, I think we can forgive any petty burglary she may have done in the past."
Before they call it a night, Virgil back tracks to the trapdoor and heaves it open for a look inside.
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Stian follows moves over to see into the trapdoor, bow ready.
Zadok suggests leaving Rokhar here so as not to slow them down, as long as Ten-Penny Tacey thinks she can handle him (still bound up). Otherwise we can bring him along.
Thorgull follows the others reluctantly. "I'll be happy when we can move on..."
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As Virgil opens the trapdoor Rokhar groans in displeasure, and you soon understand why. Below, a half-dozen boxes and barrels take up the majority of an underground cellar. A rough blanket lies spread on the floor in the southeast corner next to a bowl of half-eaten food. Dressed in rags and sitting on the ground with a grim look on her face is a young woman who has clearly undergone many miseries of late. As Virgil approaches her, a glint of hope can be seen in her eyes.
"You certainly took your sweet time!"
The woman introduces herself as Lady Argentea Malassene, and while she's grateful for your bold rescue, her proud Taldan spirit has clearly remained unbroken.
"Make no mistake, I am grateful for your coming to my rescue. I've been waiting for days for someone to come. How could you leave me hanging like that for so long? What's more, the wintry feys have strengthened their hold over the Border Woods, or so did Rokhar tell me to taunt me. Let's return to Heldren, where you shall be hailed as heroes. However, a much bigger task is ahead of you - within the forest's heart lies the secret of this strange winter."
Despite the circumstances, Virgil offers the lady a bow.
"You must excuse our tardiness, but you are a difficult Lady to find. Nevertheless, it is good to see you well."
Before he continues talking, the duelist sets to ensuring the Lady's freedom and safety.
"Perhaps you could tell us exactly what happened. Some of the individuals we've spoken to up to this point have been less than honest."
Despite being weakened from the poison, Virgil puts on the best face he can in the Lady's presence.
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Zadok looks in surprise as the Lady herself is found! "Well this changes our plan somewhat, I think." he says. "We should get the Lady to safety and turn Rokhar in while we're at it. Ten-Penny Tacey can watch over the sick men until they are well enough to take back. We can stock up while we're in town before heading to this wintery threat at the heart of the forest the Lady warns about."
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Lady Argentea is pleased with your decision, and after resting for the night you set out to return to Heldren. There, you are acclaimed as heroes. Rokhar is taken into custody and will be tried for his crimes, whereas the highborn lady thanks you once more for saving her. She is so profuse in her thanks that she grants you a purse of 500 gold pieces for your troubles. You can easily restock and return in the same day, then spend another night at the Lodge, if you so wish.
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After defeating Rohkar’s Raiders and rescuing Lady Argentea, you can go in search of the source of the winter weather, as well as the cold fey and their allies, by crossing the rope bridge at the High Sentinel Lodge into the highlands of the Border Wood. You can still easily follow the trail through the snow, thanks to the traffic that has happened beyond the bridge lately. As you approach the Somir Valley, however, the temperature drops even more, and it’s likely that you will need to stop more frequently to warm themselves before pressing on.
The forest stands deathly quiet here. Even the wind has grown still as snow softly falls through the stark branches overhead. Tracks, human in size but oddly misshapen, mar an otherwise unblemished trail through the trees. The rocks and snow here are stained a reddish brown, and many tracks, both animal and human, cross the area. Following the tracks, you stumble upon the half-frozen body of a human being, apparently dead for days.
Dryden’s possessions include a variety of things that might aid you. Aside from his bloody and ripped (but still usable) cold-weather outfit, he also wears a pair of homemade snowshoes, and though his shortbow is snapped in half, two finely-wrought arrows remain in his quiver.
a fresh dusting of snow nearby. It holds 3 days’ worth of trail rations, a half-full hip flask of strong applejack, and a journal.
Stian moves over and examine the corpse, then shakes his head sadly. "This is Dryden Kepp. He is...was one best woodsman in the region."
Pacing the immediate area, Stian says. "Last time Dryden came to town, he claimed to have seen a giant white weasel, though no one really believed him. Based on these tracks and his wounds, I'd say he was telling the truth and found it. Looks like it got the better of him."
Virgil pulls his new cloak around him to ward off the cold.
As they happen across the body, the duelist is almost relieved he doesn't recognise him.
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"Let's be on the look out for Weasels of Unusual Size then."
Zadok will put on the snowshoes to help him stay mobile in the ever-worsening winter weather.
"Wow a giant weasel, never met one. Not that I wanted!" states the wizards.
"Oh look, his pack still holds 3 days’ worth of trail rations, a half-full hip flask of strong applejack, and a journal! I'll read that journal." decides Thorgull.
Virgil looks at the body.
"It's not right to leave him like this. Perhaps we should return his remains to the village or give him a burial of some sort?"
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"Perhaps." says the wizard, with an absent look on his face, as he seems to enjoy reading the journal.
"The village is too far and we need to keep moving. Let's bury him quickly and move on."
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Leaving Kepp's frozen body behind, the four adventurers venture deeper into the Border woods. Thanks to the hunter's indications, Stian is able to circumvent the bear traps laid a bit further, sparing his companions more pain and trouble.
Further on the trail, the path becomes wider and opens into a clearing. More than a dozen boulder-sized chunks of ice litter the clearing ahead where a strange hut sits perched on tree trunks atop a raised mound of snow-covered earth. As you step forward towards the clearing, the flimsy shape of a young Ulfen girl appears among amid the ice boulders. She doesn't seem to have noticed you so far.
"A spirit," Zadok whispers. "Not aggressive, but one should always be wary when restless spirits are about."
"Little girl," Zadok calls out gently. "Who are you and can we help you?"
"Indeed, very interesting." whispers back Thorgull.
"We are not going to hurt you, dear. Are they bad guys who want you harm?" says the wizard frowning, trying to act the kindest he can with a spirit.
Stian glances at Thorgull and Zadok. "Do we follow her?"
"Yes, we'd better!" Zadok runs along to find the girl.
"Errmm yes, yes!" says Thorgull absorbed by writing his observations in his notebook. He seems to just realize that the girl ran forward.
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You follow the apparition into a maze of large iceblocks, almost losing yourselves in there. She doesn't appear to respond to your soothing words at first.
"Please don't keep me here. It's so cold."
Yet this time, she appears to react to Zadok's attempt to communicate.
"I... I am Thora Petska."
Then she disappears again, until you catch up with her deeper into the maze.
"I don't want your stupid doll! I want to go home! Take me back!"
Once again, Zadok finds a way to establish a link with the girl, who answers his second question before darting forward again.
"Please tell the evil woman to go away."
You meet her one more time, deep in the maze, where you cannot see which way you came. This time, her words sound like a secret she entrusts you with. Weirdly enough, she appears to address you and not an imaginary character.
"I have to get away, and so should you, too, before they see you. Run!"
This notebook seems to be really fascinating!
"Before who sees us?" Zadok asks the girl, confused by her seemingly mad ranting (even madder than his ranting occasionally is).
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You notice a chill wind stirring and a flicker of movement in the blocks of ice. You realize that you are in the presence of a haunt that is manifesting, but it's too late. Sorrowful images from the little girl's childhood and the faces of the frozen dead appear inside the transparent ice blocks all around you, haunting you to the deepest part of your being.
Thorgull raises his nose from the book. "What is going on here?"
Stian feels a cold sweat well up from his flesh, then suddenly turns and flees.
Zadok, who proclaims to revel in chaos, is apparently met with more than he can handle. He lets out a high-pitched yelp before stumbling backwards through the snow and departing the area as fast as he can.
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Thorgull is the only valiant soul to stand his ground when the air chills and the child's manifestation shakes the very foundations of your soul.
You all recover your senses after a little while, and take some time finding your way into the maze. On the other side, you come across a clearing of sorts in the "forest" of ice blocks. A small hut stands here on four legs, each one a single tree trunk whose gnarled roots resemble the toes of a giant chicken. The hut is constructed of heavy logs with a patchwork roof of shaved bark shingles. Inside the hut’s open doorway, a small figure sits on a carved wooden chair, staring across the clearing at the trail on the other side.