In the snowy lands of Irrisen, the witch queen Baba Yaga likes to keep her eyes on all her children, and she does so through her chicken-legged huts and their resident guardian dolls. Made in the image of her famous Dancing Hut, these strange huts watch the borders of this frozen land, keeping foreigners out while keeping the Irriseni in. According to the legends, If a hut dances around and refuses to let you in through its tiny door, you must stand in front of it and loudly call out, “Hut, O hut, turn your back to the woods and your front to me.”
Dot
Fryja is quite sure that the bandits in the woods spotted your exit from the valley and through the snows that have appeared no doubt due to Elvanna's magic. There was nothing for it, if they caught you both well, perhaps you could talk your way out of it...
Finally, the snows cease, abruptly!
You hear the sounds of pursuit behind you, you step into a small copse of woods to catch your breath, the snow no longer beneath your feet giving up your trail. Then new sounds up ahead a carriage with horses.
The bandits begin to speak amongst themselves seeming to abandon, at least temporarily, the quest for both of you. They fey arrive, you see the bandits speak in hushed tones with fey what they say you cannot hear over the pounding of your own hearts. Your pursuers are so close even a breath too loud could draw them near. It seems the forces of the Queen have wasted no time in stepping through the portal.
The groups reach an agreement and head through the clearing to the sounds. Then more sounds, horses whinny, the screams of men in combat and the screams of men who have fallen in combat...
Now is the time, the sacrifice of these brave souls will allow you both to get away! Heading through the copse you find a road heading north and south. South leads to the battle and your pursuers. North leads you know not where...
The townsfolk are not exactly unfriendly to the recent half-orc arrival but neither are they friendly. Certainly Grey has had her share of run-ins with Orcs from the Hold of Belkzen but she sensed a kinship with Lurruk when they first met.
Lurruk shivers from the early morning cold, cold weather the townsfolk have been complaining about for a few weeks now as being unnatural for this time of year. For Grey, it still feels like summer.
Beauty flies through the open window and ruffles her feathers. Oddly, the snowy owl is actually covered in snow!
A profound sense of relief washes over him as the promise of richer, or at least more immediate, rewards tempts to bandits away from him and his sister. "Sister," he whispers through their shared bond, the words protected into her mind without moving his lips. "We must flee before they remember they're supposed to be looking for us. Quickly, to the north. Hopefully we can find shelter or help before the bandits finish with their new prize."
As you nurse another drink and consider your next move, a hunter enters the tavern. "Can you believe it Menander, just ten mile down the road its a Hell's Damned wintry scene! I had to go see it for my own eyes and its right there not a rumor!"
Finally, you reach a road, a road likely used by humans. Following alongside the road for a time you see a human settlement. The choice now becomes, do you risk entering it?
Heldren is the name of the southern town wherein a witch has been rumored to have taken up residence recently. The information did not seem to indicate that the Witch was menacing anyone, still, you were sent to investigate anyway. The desolate road winds through many forests and the way has had its share of twists and turns but at last you are in sight of the... town. No, that's no town, it is barely deserving of the title village!
You see a handful of people from your current distance milling about, the population here cannot be more than 100 people and that's being generous.
The opportunity to see this weather anomaly for yourself sets your wandering feet to the road. Certainly your parents are not thrilled that you have decided to pick up and investigate a phenomena that may be magical... again. They do not though, prevent you from or even ask you not to go.
Fully trained and fully grown you are an adult and need to stand on your own, Stand you do, for a time, finally it seems to just make good sense to hitch a ride with a caravan heading south. Soon enough you find that south can be a relative term.
Still, not seven days after you heard the rumor you are, finally, entering the town of Heldren. The few locals on the streets smile and greet you as you pass by. So odd that such a small village would have something so interesting happening near it!
You see a sign for a tavern, the only one it appears in town. The Silver Stoat. There are general stores and other places of business but you have found that Taverns work best to get tongues wagging with drinks or allow you to get close enough to listen to a conversation without being obvious about it.
When the sound of combat broke out the young princess closed her eyes tightly trying not to think about it. Freyr's voice settling into her mind helped. "... Yes... yes you are correct." She replied, and with that followed her brother north, though not without looking back and whispering softly "I'm sorry..."
The journey ever south and west was long and taxing, providing much time to reflect. Exactly what Hendra did not need, truth be told. The displeasure in her grandmother's eyes as she assigned her this task barely fit for a novice said more than any direct words would have: Hendra was still not forgiven.
"Forgiven. Hah. As if I needed forgiveness. That mayor should have been on his worthless knees thanking me for being so thorough, not whining like a lost pup about me in front of mother."
So what if she had been a little too zealous in her mission? What was the big deal, the threat was neutralized. "Not my fault he wasn't specific in his instructions. He hired a contract to curb the power of a new sorceress in town having problems keeping control over her magic. He should have specified that it was his daughter and he preferred her to just be scared out of practicing. And anyway, she had attitude problems. Probably saved her a lifetime of pain and suffering."
Her mother had not seen it that way, and neither had her grandmother, the Matroness. And so after several months of guard duty in the lower caverns, it seemed she was to be given a chance a 'redemption' once more. The question was why. It was clear that she did not want to give her this opportunity, as minor as it was. The house had plenty of novices to send on such a task to cut their teeth. So why send her?
"It matters not, I will prove to them all that I am more than worthy of bearing the mantel one day." The thought is all that keeps her putting one step in front of the other into what almost feels like exile as the township finally comes to view.
"Witches and warlocks beware. I have come to judge you."
"Brrr! Are you sure there's really a land farther north than this? I always thought Taldor was the top of the world. It's freezing here! How can you possibly stand it?" He grins to indicate that he is at least partially joking.
When Beauty flies through window covered in snow, Lurruk is struck dumb for just a moment. "What have you found there, honey?" He runs his fingers through the melting snow on his owl's feathers, wondering at the frozen water. "You see? We are officially in the north, Eht. And it's winter already!"
A cold day, just like the others. Lanyssa is in the tavern, having some warm drink, trying not to call everyone's attention - unsuccessfuly. Her eyes are still a bit red, last night has been uneasy. All nights have been, actually, since... then.
"Stop. Last thing you want know is bursting into tears here."
Yeah, she doesn't want that, she's odd enough.
Trying to think about anything different, she focuses on why she's here. Heldren, a village like any other, lost in the landscape of Taldor. But here, Lanyssa has heard about someone like her. Well, there must be a lot like her out there, though... maybe it's due to her emotions coming out now, that she needs to feel how others carry on... she doesn't know.
Lost in her thoughts and feelings, she suddenly notices a gust of cold wind. "Someone's coming in. Could it be...?" But it's only a local hunter. What he says, though, catches her attention.
"Ummm... what is this about?" Intrigued by his words, Lanyssa waits until the man takes a seat and descreetely moves to a table closer to him, trying to overhear some of the conversation and reach some conclusions.
The soreness in Faethara's feet is familiar and not unwelcome; it's been too long since she's traveled, and she's been feeling the wanderlust for a while now. The town of Heldren isn't much to look at, but the unnatural early winter is what has drawn her here. She's certainly feeling it. She is not an elf built for the cold, and she goes quickly to the Silver Stoat for a warm drink and gossip.
Grievous keeps her head low, hood pulled over her head and eyes darting, she makes her way to the first tavern she finds. She figured she could hold her own, or convince the humans she ment no harm... if anyone appeared threatening she would simply put them to sleep.
As she reached the outskirts of 'town' - "Hah, more like 'Micro Village,'" - Hendra took a moment to adjust her pocketed scarf and baggy clothing and cloak. After ensuring that the only weapon visible was her long ebony scythe, her hexagonal plates of armor were covered, that the lines to draw her other weapons were clear enough if need be, and that the only bit of her skin showing was the narrow band from the top of her scarf to the top of her hood, she proceeds to walk the remaining feet into Heldren.
Stopping the first person she sees, she keeps her tone neutral.
"Excuse me. Looking for whatever passes for the leader of this ... town. If it is not you, could you point in its direction?"
After another hour of walking, made easier by the lack of snow on the road, you see that the road connects with a small village!
Councilor Ionnia Teppen is the leader if there is any one person who could be called such. You can find her at Town Hall".
She points to a building that looks out of place. It faces the town "square" and boasts a clock tower that would be more appropriately found in Absolom or some otehr far off well to do Metropolis.
As you begin to walk to the town center you see a stranger speaking with a local Beatrice Biddle. The stranger is clearly a female standing about 5 1/2' tall with pale shoulder length hair.
She has a weapon visible, a long ebony scythe. The only bit of her skin showing was the narrow band from the top of her scarf to the top of her hood the skin there quite dark and the eyes piercing.
One is a half-orc with tribal tattoos visible on his arms. He carries himself like one who knows how to handle himself. On his shoulder sits a white owl. The other local is a human, she clearly hails from the north with her pale skin contrasted with her long dark hair. She dresses in simple fair.
Faethera, immediately you see that the Tavern is nearly empty, likely because it is mid-day. The only patrons are a female half-orc who appears a bit disheveled , the barkeep, and a man dressed like a hunter or ranger. Plenty of seats are available in this fairly sizeable tavern.
Before you can pick a seat though another figure steps in behind you wearing a cloak covering most of the figures face . The figure appears to be female, her eyes dart back and forth.
Grievous, before you stands an elf , the same one you watched enter the Silver Sloat Tavern a few moments before you just did. You too see a sparse crowd, a half-orc and two humans by the bar, one in front and the other behind it.
Hendra nods at the middle aged woman.
"Thank you. Will go speak with her now."
Setting off, she notices the half orc and pale skinned woman. "Odd. Most humans look pale to me, but that one is almost abnormally so. And since when are the orcish dregs allowed to keep pets instead of being them?"
She almost stops to examine them further but decides against it.
"Morning. Heading to see 'Councilor' Teppen. In clock tower, yes?" she asks, pointing to the larger building. "On business. Otherwise would ask more about your pet bird. Perhaps later." Hendra inclines her head slightly as way of pleasantry as she begins to pass them.
"The surface world and its cultures are so... bizarre... at times."
An elf. And another woman. In a place such as this, this must be the thrill of the week.
Lanyssa quickly forgets about the old hunter's stories, and centers her attention on the two new visitors. The elf woman seems cheerful, though the other is more difficult to read.
"You're being paranoid." Maybe. But years of training are difficult to ignore.
Do these two come together? Are they locals? Lanyssa has been here for two days and didn't notice them before. A lot of questions arise...
Faethara's body language is open and relaxed. She glances back when she hears somebody else enter behind her, but doesn't pay much mind to Grievous. She steps up to the bar, takes a seat, and asks for something warm. She pulls off her travelling cloak and folds it across her lap, and as she turns in her seat to gauge the room, she catches Lanyssa looking at her. For a moment, years of being taught that half-orcs carried the worst of humans and orcs made her want to turn away and forget ever seeing the woman, but she mentally smacked herself. Get a grip, lest you be as foolish as the other close-minded folk back home.
She took a deep breath, and said awkwardly, "I am certainly not built for this weather, bit cold for my taste. What do you think?"
Greivous moves to a stool and has a seat, keeping her hood over her head. she asks in a deep voice for a drink. ... and make it as hard as you can, i have a very strong palette and cant taste anything weaker than a whisky.
she eyes the elves and you may notice the Trident hanging at her waist... it is barbed and rather nasty looking, but hardly of good make.
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The two women act as expected - nothing suspicious in there. But still, Lanyssa's instinct tells her that they're no common women.
In these two days, she hasn't asked about the other half.orc who was apparently in town, out of shyness and hesitation, but now that this duo is here, she finds that the perfect excuse. She stands up from his chair and walsk the few steps to the bar.
"Greetings to the both of you. You seem outsiders here, just like me." She asks for a hot soup. "If you also want some hot drink to warm your belly, the first one is on me. I'm Lanyssa" she smiles, "and I've been hanging around here looking for another half-orc. Have you happened to see one while you were approaching the village?"
Seeing the odd pair continue toward what looks to be a tower, Hendra relaxes her grip on her scythe microscopically. "That might have been my target. Either of them, truthfully. Still, must get the mandate from this Councilor woman before proceeding to operate. Can't afford to make a mistake on identification, especially not prior to even getting the contract."
With one final look at the pair, she turns back toward the building with the clock tower - "Wow, pretentious much?" - and sets her steps toward the door.
"I cannot say that I have, you are the first of orc-blood I have seen in a good while." She took her drink and put a silver piece on the counter. "Nevertheless, I appreciate your kindness. I am indeed a traveller; what brings the two of you to this town?"
You are able to access the building with ease as there is not even a guard at the front door. On the wall beside the door hangs a notice board with flyers of local news, job openings, and goods for sale. Only one flyer catches your attention. The local apothecary Tesseraea Willowbark has requested a meeting tomorrow night to discuss the odd weather the village has been experiencing lately.
Shrugging you head inside and find that the first floor space is a wide open hall that looks more like a mead hall than a town hall. Sweeping the floors is a middle aged human male who appears of some southern descent. He looks up at you and smiles, "How can I help you?"
The Armory is a square stone tower 30' high with battlements on its roof and arrow slits along its walls. The door opens with ease, few doors are locked in Heldren, to an open floor plan with no interior walls. Two sets of wooden staircases run along the walls to the roof.
A selection of simple arms and armor - crossbows, bolts, spears, javelins, as well as a few suits of leather armor, padded armor, and light wooden shields — is stored inside for the militia.
The two of you head up the stairs to take a better look over the area surrounding Heldren. As you peer south you do notice that in the distance, the Border Wood appears white and not green, perhaps that is the source of the snow?
You also cannot fail to notice two more strangers heading up the road towards the village, a man and a woman, Both move rather slowly as if road weary.
The first thing you see are houses at the edge of the village, as you pass within you can hear the sounds of what must be a sawmill lumber is stacked outside. A few men nod as you pass by though they are too busy inspect the wood to speak with you.
You begin to move through to the center of town. As it is the middle of the day it appears that almost everyone here is at work and the children at home playing. The weather is after all chillier than it should be this far south...
Before you is a small town center, several large buildings (well larger than the houses that mostly dominate the village) line the square. A large statue of a beautiful woman is dead center in the square.
A man at the bar not far from you Grievous speaks, "Yon Maiden and Elven youngling, have you come from the north or the south? If the south tell Menander and Kale of the snows to the south, I think they'll not believe me without your confirmation!" He slams down a drink of alcohol and makes a face as the man pours you whatever he had.
The man at the bar looks down at Grievous' weapon, "That's a wicked weapon mi'lady. Where'd you get it?"
"Meeting about strange weather. From the apothecary. Odd choice to call such a meeting. Might want to attend it, weather manipulation can be caused by those with the arcane talent."
Seeing the man approach, she does her best to hold in a scoff.
"Yes. On business to see Councilor Teppin. Should be expecting. From House Krammier." She pauses, then adds, "Her ears only."
"Run along now, little underling, and fetch the woman for me before I get annoyed."
"That's what I'm here about, I'd heard rumors about the snow and wanted to see for myself," Faethara says. "Have you been around that way? Can you tell me anything about this snow? Does it seem natural? How long has it been since this started?" she asks, all in rapid succession.
"What?" Grievous asks, looking down at her trident. "This thing? It was a gift from my husband, as a honeymoon. He was a general and thought everyone ought to know to fight, given if the city was invaded the women and children would be at the mercy of the enemy. Well, why stop the fight when the solders had failed? Every man or woman should know how to defend himself, and therefore the battle can still be won long after the enemy has taken the city." she scoffs. "Course, I was proven too weak to be put in the line of duty, and therefore was made a simple house maiden... And I come from below, having spend a little time south of here... humans are so... pale."
She then turns to Lanyssa. "Me? Orc? Well I suppose I'm big enough to pass for one, but as you can see my ears are too long and my mouth is void of tusks..." she bares her teeth, and you realize that despite their yellow color they aren't at all vile... I'm fact they're pretty well cared for.
You can head right up the stairs young lady, she'll be expecting you".
One is a half-orc with tribal tattoos visible on his arms. He carries himself like one who knows how to handle himself. On his shoulder sits a white owl. The other local is a human, she clearly hails from the north with her pale skin contrasted with her long dark hair. She dresses in simple fair.
Grey and Lurruk, of the two strangers the male is tall, and reasonably well built. He does possess the obvious traits of one of the Jadwiga, with pale skin, blonde hair so light it's nearly white, and icy blue eyes. His clothes manage to be eminently practical while also being of exceptional quality. He does look worse for the wear.
The female also Jadwiga has long pale blond hair with pale white skin. The cheeks still keep a bit of rosy warmth in them and her eyes are violet.
The BarKeep shrugs at Faethara's question, "People been talkin' about this snow for a week or two now. Hogwash I say. How does snow appear in the middle of the woods but not anywhere's else? I mean if we were in the mountains fine but in the woods? Maybe it's some crazy Druid scheme..."