"Indeed." Frjya said as she made her way to the group properly. "The top of the tower is where we must return to. If we can go through their things we might find something to aid us."
He panted and watch the dragon shatter glad that part of the ordeal was over. He moved to make sure Radosek had met his end but paused a healthy distance away as the red haired woman made sure to finish him. Death was a private thing to most and he gave respect to that. Once she had finished and said her peace to the body he moved to it as well. He said no words aloud, merely adjusted the body to a proper resting pose and gave a short prayer to his patron, bidding her to take his vile soul to its proper resting spot.
Hopefully what remained of his family would be safe now with his mistress gone and his life ended...though he doubted it. There would always just be another monster in charge of the town he supposed. He took two steps towards the town, torwards home when the words of the blonde woman stopped him. What aid could they find at the top of a witch's tower? He bit his lip and turned to them.
"What is it you seek at the top of this cursed place?"
"We seek to stop the spread of Irrisen's winter." Fryja explained. "Taldor, and I'm sure other places, are under threat of eternal winter. We must stop this, I will not let others suffer at the hands of my family." Frjya said as at this point she was returning to the tower.
"I have come to claim the Pale Tower, and in doing such hope to end Taldor's winter before it begins." She stated. "You do not have to follow if you wish, but I have a Tower to put in order."
It does not appear that Jairess, the cleric and tender of birds, has returned. You would guess that whatever excuse she used to leave with the flock will see her gone the bulk of the day.
Moving back up to the top of the tower you are free to explore the rooms that you can now access easily, Radosek's Bedroom (22) and Nazhena's Bedroom (23).
Q22. Radosek’s Bedroom
A large bed, reading desk, padded chair, bookshelf, and storage chest furnish this long, angular room. Two windows provide ample light, and several paintings of winter scenes hang on the wall.
It appears that there is little of practice use in this room though the artwork could be worth a sizable amount of gold you would guess.
Q23. Nazhena’s Bedroom
A large bed, wardrobe, reading desk, and bookshelf take up most of this circular bedroom. A carved ice statue of a striking, robed woman with an owl on her shoulder stands next to an alcove of crystalline tiles. To the south, a white curtain hangs in a doorway.
Nazhena claimed this expansive bedroom and its belongings from her mother. The only addition she made to the room’s decor is the life- sized ice statue, carved in her own image.
Q24. Vault
You cannot open this door without a key that you have not found, possible Nazhena has kept it with her. It may be possible to unlock or break as it is made of ice. Who knows.
Closing of the portal can be attempted from the ritual chamber you would think. Some time will need to be taken to figure out how.
With no one else checking Radosek's body after she finished him Kleora knelt and did so finding the items on him and looking them over thoughtfully as they continued their exploration. It seemed that most of the threats had been cleared out since they didn't come across anything else and Kleora felt a bit of relief over that as she didn't think they could handle much more.
When they found the vault Kleora was very curious as to what would be inside of it. She suspected it would be of significant help if they could get inside and she tried to figure out how to do it. She hit on an idea quickly that might help with the vault and the portal and said, "What would be of help, I think, is to use the antithesis of the cold against that door and the portal, heat. Something with sufficient heat might serve to disrupt the magic involved. Ideally if we could summon a fire elemental of some kind that would likely be the most effective means we could use."
He frowned at the pretty blonde woman and took her words in quietly. Sadly for him everything was starting to add up. He also slightly frowned at the red haired woman looting Radosek's body. It was their right he supposed he just found looting the dead distasteful. Then again maybe he did have something they needed to turn off whatever foul thing the witches had been doing in the tower.
Turning his attention back to the young witch...which she must be if she was going to claim the tower he found himself at a conundrum. He had helped to murder a witch in front of a witch. This wouldnt end well.
"Very little, even ice, burns in Irrisen." Frjya sighed. "Fire is hated by the upper ranks of my homeland, as many of us are immune to the cold." She explained.
"I can try and take control of the magics used." Frjya said thinking aloud. "It is Itriseni magic after all, the magic of my kin. So maybe it'll listen to me? I mean it is like a doorway, maybe as it was opened it can just be closed if one know what to do."
"My brother and I had been here when Nazhena was here. If we are lucky we could find something in her chambers that might give us a clue into closing the portal." Frjya suggested. "Sadly I don't think destroying it is the best idea. Normally when it comes to magic destroying the foci makes it worse..."
After a moment Frjya turned to Kvell, "I just noticed, I never got the name of our savior... By what shall I call you?" Frjya asked with a small smile.
He was in the act of quickly putting the medallion of his patron Pharasma back against his chest hiding it, along with sheathing his dagger. He mentally cursed himself that he had even drawn it to begin with. He was dressed as a tower guardsman. He carried a spear and a morningstar... and he drew a dagger to confront Radosek.
"Don't tell her your name Kvell don't tell her your name Ka...
He thought to himself even as his mouth fumbled out. "Kvelltorin Crassuson your uh... ladyship... highness...grace."
He looked as flustered as he sounded as he dropped his eyes and knelt. He had been so focused on the end of Radosek that he hadnt stopped to survey the battlefield. Well it was no matter, He had avenged his mother, he had served the goddess as well as he could. He would die fulfilled.
"Who is this person?"
He wondered in his mind looking at her well made shoes.
"Oh, no no, please" Frjya said softly as she moved to place a hand on Kvell's shoulder to have him stand. "To act against tyranny, when others have failed is a courage that few have. I commend you good sir. If it wasn't for your, then those I stand with and myself would not be here." She told him with a smile.
"I am Frjya Elvanna, youngest daughter of Queen Elvanna the fourteenth Queen of Irrisen. I ask, that you not hold the evils of my family against me, though truly I can understand if you cannot do so." Frjya properly introduced herself, and her tone was much kinder than the ruling class he would know. "My brother and twin, Freyr Elvanna, we are not like our kin. I am done watching my people suffer... Because of your aid we can continue upon our task of freeing my people."
"If you wish to leave I will not fault you, this will be but the first of many fights I'm sure..." Sighing Frjya moved to head into her grandniece's chamber. "And ones safety cannot be assured..."
"Kleora and Tayanalla, they have been staunch allies and if you wish to speak with them please do so. You may trust their word more than my own."
A look of complete panic and terror overcame his features when Frjya announced her lineage for a moment or two before the stress overwhelmed him and he fell forward.
"We came here to close that portal, we need to put our heads together and try to figure out how." Taya says.
"I guess that'll trap us here up north, but Baba Yaga's guy said we had a job to do so I guess it'll just be a long walk home once we're done."
Fryja had turned to address Tayanalla and saw Kvell fall. "Oh stars!" She said as she tried to catch him, however she neither got to him in time nor was strong enough so the pair ended up on the floor. "Little help here!" Frjya requested.
"You northerners are definitely a weird lot."
Freyr steps forward to help his sister catch the collapsing man. "You would think that someone who would raid a Winter Witch stronghold would be made of sterner stuff," he deadpans as he lifts the stranger off of his sister. "He's certainly an... eccentric sort of person, isn't he?"
Kleora's lips quirked in amusement as she saw Kvell pass out. She too had expected him to be made of sterner stuff. "If this bothers him so he better hope he never goes to meet The Green Mother. My Mistress' bower would quite literally eat him alive." Kleora rolled her eyes and said, "Let me see if I can get him up."
She walked over to Kvel and worked on rolling him over then straddled his stomach as she knelt down on top of him. She leaned forward, tilted his head slightly, and leaned forward to plant her lip on his and started to kiss him quite firmly to wake him up.
"You wouldn't think that so many things you call mother are so murderous, yet here we are." The joke is almost out of character for the stoic young man, as is the small smile on his lips as he says it. "Kvell, are you actually unconscious?" He lightly pats his hand against the Kellid's face a few times to try to rouse him if he doesn't respond.
He was quickly brought back to a more concious state by something warm and soft. His mind took him back to what seemed ages ago, back when his life had seemed somewhat decent.
"Olga, woman. Is it morning alrea...."
He paused as he felt a few sharp slaps across his face, the ground was too hard to be his bed, and Olga had been dead for at least five years now. Killed by a witches pettyness. He froze as his eyes opened wide. He had been at the tower, trying to take out the wretched Radosek when he discovered that the group assaulting the tower included a witch.. in fact it sounded like she was part of THE family. He was doomed.
Kleora sat up when she realized Kvell had woken up and sat up. "There, now isn't that better." She rocked her hips a moment before she stood and said, "You should get up now. We have places to go and portals to close."
Kleora looked at the group and said, "What do you think, should we rest here before we press on?" She gestured to those who were injured and said, "We aren't in the best of shape right now and pressing on might be dangerous."
Frjya just shook her head at the scene as it unfolded but when Kvell did regain consciousness she offered him a hand. "You are in good hands." She promised as she helped him up.
"The Tower is ours, we can rest in it with no fear." Frjya said as she turned her attention a more pressing matter. "Though I do wish to end the danger to Taldor... I'll be a moment" She added before she moved into Nazhena's chamber.
Looking at the ice statue of her grand niece she shook her head. "Having a statue of yourself in your own chambers, really Nazhena... so vain." Frjya sighed before she began to look around the room. 'Please have something that can help me...'
"is...is somewhere still hurt."
He asked quietly still processing all the things that have happened.
Satisfied that the man can stand on his own at least, Freyr steps back, keeping one eye on the curious new arrival while he sticks close to his sister for the rest of their search of the tower. "There are very few of our family members that I would be surprised to find had this sort of thing lying around," he projects to Fryja as they search Nazhena's room.
You quickly learn that closing the portal is dooable if done in specific ways. In short it comes down to an hour of perpetration, casting conjuration magic, almost any spell, directed at the portal and maintaining your concentration. If the spell is not available use magic device checks may be rolled but it may take quite some tie.
On top of that you have learned that while this portal will close, as will its mate you got here though, there are other portals around Golarian. You know of their existence but no amount of effort seems able to determine where they are located.
"So we can fix the problem in one place from here, but there are more portals bringing winter to the south."
"Yes, but we cannot be where at once." Frjya said as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I have a spell for this, however my magic is rather tapped out for the moment. We could take time to rest here within the tower and as soon as I'm able I can use my magic to close it." She explained. "Maybe then we could figure out more about the rest of them and where we'll need to go."
Kleora looked around the Mistress Bedroom, it couldn't be a Master Bedroom afterall, and saw the statue of the witch in the room. She didn't like the status and looked for a large sheet or drape she could throw over it. Once it was covered she said, "I will be up here sleeping while you work on the figuring out the portal. Feel free to join me later if you wish."
With that Kleor astarted getting caught up on her sleep so she woudl be able to help when they were ready to proceed once again.
With some work the magics around the portal swirl and collapse into themselves issuing forth a short warm breeze as they close, clearly some negative pressure issue.
+1200 XP each for closing the portal.
You are left on this side of the portal. For some this was once home. For others this is a far strange land from where they thought they would be a few short days ago.
The compulsion from the Black Ride sits in the back of your head and you know turning away would be difficult. Whitethrone beckons softly but the pull would get stronger with time. The Dancing Hut is there waiting for you you know at the least.
Finally there are allies near by with warm beds. Nadya is back in town and would certainly offer warm food.
Freyr sleeps only lightly while they recover in the Tower and lick their wounds, always wary for any sign of danger, even if they seem to have cleared the place out. With their usual luck, reinforcements could stumble right into them over the evening. When things do go remarkably smoothly, it feels almost too good to be true. But this is only the beginning of their journey here, not the end. He had been hoping to leave this country far behind, but fate had a different path in mind it seemed. And until they uncovered their grandmother's fate, they had very little that they could do about it. Once the portal is properly sealed, he recommends they return to town and regroup, hopefully away from prying eyes.
Frjya slept more soundly as she felt like everything had gone well... all things considered. She was glad to be home but knew the word she wishes wasn't yet done. She had the Pale Tower and Taldor would be saved, however there was far more to handle.
The following morning Frjya would close the portal to Taldor, and then seek out Jairess to inform her that she was talking over the Pale Tower. Asking if Jairess could be trusted to run in while she traveled and look after the people of the town who Frjya was planning to place under her protection as well.
Returning to Whitethrone however made Frjya nervous. The capitol of her home, the place in which she and Freyr had grown up... and now a place which they had to return. Silently she hoped finding their grandmother wouldn't take too long...
"I need to return to the town." Frjya told them after the portal was closed. "I'd like them to know they no longer need to fear, I have taken over control of the Pale Tower and will no longer allow them to suffer needlessly." She explained. "And we need to get to Whitethrone."
Everyone else just going along for the ride?
Kleora was a bit annoyed that her nap was going to be interrupted to go back to town but she wasn't going to stay in the tower alone. That was just asking for something bad to happen. She got out of the bed and began getting dressed again and then bundled up in her winter gear. "If we're going to do this let's get it over with. I have no intention to be staying here alone."
Kleora remembered about the goat they had left alive and added, "Maybe we should take that goat into the village, if it isn't a threat. Kind of a shame to just leave it here to starve."
"I'm guessing that Whitethrone is just as welcoming as the rest of your homeland?"
"That depends on who you are." Frjya answered with a small sigh. "Freyr and myself would have little to worry about, our blood gives us much more freedom than anyone here, and our name ensures it. But... Well this was something my own mother is doing, and Elvanna is... Not forgiving to put it lightly. Honestly few of my family is."
"Freyr and I were raised in Whitethrone, it's the seat of power. The seat of our mother. But getting there is a far greater danger. We only made it to the tower unharmed because we had people come with it. The lands of Irrisen are, harsh. My people deserve better..." Frjya sighed.
"Our name gave us more freedom here," Freyr mutters. "Or it only will until someone gets around to telling mother that we technically just committed treason. At which point we're probably going to be public enemy number one. So I suppose we should apologize in advance for the trouble we're dragging you into." The swordsman almost smiles. "But one way or another, there's only one place we can go to pick up dear old grandma's trail. And she might be the witch that other witches tell horror stories about, but I'd still rather her have the power than our mother."
He had lots of time to contemplate what sort of mess he had gotten himself into. From what little he had gleaned two of those folk in the tower were royalty.... much much worse than any witch noble but they seemed to be in opposition to whatever machinations they family was doing. He had gathered that somehow they were using these towers to open portals across the world, bringing or attempting to bring a world of ice and death. That would not do at all. One cursed land was enough.
He listened to the Princess and Prince skeptically. Her words sounded good. He didn't have a lot of hope she meant them. Still He was in deeply now and he might as well try to make the best of it. While they might not get retaliated against he had no doubt if it were discovered he was there when Radosek fell they would make him pay. And probably the village since he had no family to torture.
"Pardon my interruptions but are your majesties talking about fighting against Whitethrone? That seems like something that will only lead to your deaths, but if so I would accompany you if you will have me."
He offered quietly. He couldnt stay here, heading torwards a place a misery and death seemed like just the place he might be able to do a little good before he fell.
Traveling back to Waldsby is an uneventful afire but it gives you time to talk and get to know your new companion. Someone, at some point, brings up the Black Rider and a though unbidden pops into the head of those that met him in his last moments. The Mantel of the Black Ride, the boon you each received. Pretty quickly you realize that it would be possible for you to share this boon, and its compulsion, with your new friend.
Unknown to the PCs, the Black Rider’s words also carry the power of witchcraft, transferring the mystic ties between himself and Baba Yaga. The PCs take on the mantle of the Black Rider, gaining some of his power, but they must also shoulder the burden of his responsibility to find the Dancing Hut and rescue Baba Yaga.
Each of the PCs gains a permanent increase of 2 points to one ability score of his or her choice. Additionally, the PCs are marked as favored servants of Baba Yaga, allowing them to bypass certain glyphs, wards, and other abjurations placed by the Witch Queen or her allies to protect locations or objects attuned to her.
In exchange for these boons, however, the PCs are compelled to go in search of Baba Yaga and ensure her return to Irrisen. This manifests as a geas-like effect on the PCs. If a character with the mantle of the Black Rider ceases to carry out this task for 24 hours, she takes a –2 penalty to each of her ability scores. Each day, another –2 penalty accumulates, up to a total of –8. No ability score can be reduced below 1 by this effect. The ability score penalties are removed 24 hours after the subject resumes carrying out its task.
Note:
I will be very forgiving on what is considered carrying out the mission. Being well rested, well equiped, and making preparations is as much a part of success as anything.
Nadya is glad to have you back and there are even a few guards that had abandoned their posts seen around Waldsby. Most people are going about their businesss as they have no idea what has transpired, nor would it effect them over much. The inn is welcoming this time and you have a moment to prepare for a trip to Whitethrone.
"Nadya, might I as a favor of you before we leave for Whitethrone?" Frjya requested. "I have taken command of the Pale Tower and as such I plan to take Waldsby as my own as well to protect from my family as best I can while we seek grandmother... Might you be able to have the guards from the tower gather everyone in the square? I wish to address them and answer any questions they might have."
Freyr glances to their new companion. "You are not bound to this quest as we are. If you want to back out, you still have time. We were entrusted with this task by our grandmother's last surviving herald. Still, I can't fault your courage. If you wish to come with us, we can help loan you some power, but like just about everything to do with witches, there is a cost."
Nadya nods at Frjya's comments thinking.
"Your taking the tower, won't that cause.... Neverminded, I can ask I guess. Don't really have much authority but I know there are some at the White Weasel, I can go and ask them. Give me a moment or two."
After some time five of the guards appear, a few of them had been told to leave by you so seeing you is quite a surprise. Slowly the rest of the town starts to filter in and after twenty minutes or so you have a strong majority of those present.
As this is happening Freyr questions Kvell about his plans.
While Frjya worked on gathering everyone in the squuare Kleora stood off to one side. This really didn't concern her any and she wasn't to worried about how it would work out. She really wanted to go to sleep but that didn't seem to be happening anytime soon.
Freyr glances to their new companion. "You are not bound to this quest as we are. If you want to back out, you still have time. We were entrusted with this task by our grandmother's last surviving herald. Still, I can't fault your courage. If you wish to come with us, we can help loan you some power, but like just about everything to do with witches, there is a cost."
He didnt like the fact they were heading back into the town. The folks there knew him, and he knew them, with any luck they would be smart an pretend they didnt see him. No sense in them coming to harm over him. When Freyr pulled him aside his heartbeat picked up, even more so when the weight of the words the man said hit him.
He can't mean... no that insane who would seek out Grandmother Baba Yaga the great witch?
He glanced to the others and sighed. A pretty elf lass, a pretty druid? wizard? and of course the beautiful out of a fairy tale princess...all marching to madness and death. He supposed he would have to go along, if only to make sure what ever folk got trampled by their quest were seen properly to the afterlife. He nodded to the man and waited for whatever powers the man suggested he be given took hold. He grit his teeth waiting for whatever it was to hit him . . . He bit off a groan as he felt a sudden flare of pain in his head and chest and a strange pull almost a longing to move. Without any way of knowing how or why... he knew he had to find the Dancing Hut... it was the key to finding Baba Yaga.
Frjya waited till enough gathered before she addressed them. "Few know me by sight, but you know my name. I am Frjya Elvanna, youngest daughter of Queen Elvanna the fourteenth Queen of Irrisen." She told them. "I have asked you here to bring you new, of change. As of this moment, I Frjya Elvanna have claimed the Pale Tower as my own. Radosek is dead. Nazhena is gone. I have sat aside, in the darkness of my family. I have felt the damage they can do..." She paused, placing a hand over her throat. The pain of the scars below were as vivid as they had been that day. "No more." Frjya declared.
"People of Waldsby, from this day forward you are under my protection." Frjya said as she placed her quarterstaff down and brought out a dagger. "I, Frjya Elvanna, Princess of Irrisen make you my people who have suffered so much a promise here this day." Frjya sliced open her palm as squeezed so that her blood flowed through her fingers and onto the snow below it. Then she held her bloody fist high. "By the blood of the crone which flows within me, upon my magic, never again shall you suffer under a tyrant! We shall seek out my Grandmother, barer of my line, and topple the Throne of Elvanna. I ask but one thing in return. Protect each other while we seek my grandmother. Stand strong, stand together. For united, we can see spring!"
The speech gets a mixed reaction but overall there is a look of hope. One person can be heard whispering "Well she is part of the family, maybe." A woman next to the speaker, maybe his wife whispers back. "Probably won't change much of life any way, a ruler is a ruler."
Nadya steps forward and gives you a nod.
"I am sure you will do your best, you and your friends are a force for sure. I will trust your words" she looks at Kvell and gives a small shrug "and your judgement. You all look as though you have had a full couple of days, a meal maybe?"
Clearly she is doing her best to reinforce what you have said and lend what credibility she has.