Whether you were staying in the Grand Lodge of Absalom or in your own homes somewhere throughout the expanse of Golarian, each of you has received a letter from Lady Gloriana Morilla, directing you to travel to the far northern town of Iceferry. There, you are to meet with Venture Captain Bjersig Torrsen, who has been collecting details about the disreputable past of the ancestors of a member of Taldor's Ulfen Guard who has some information to share with the Pathfinder Society. In order to secure this information, the letter states, you must help clear up this guard's past.
Following up on Lady Morilla's request, each of you boards a ship and makes your way to Iceferry, a small town just across the river from Kalsgard, the largest city in the Land of the Linnorm Kings. Your trip to Iceferry is smooth, and as you are disembarking, a gnome Pathfinder named Lirall
energetically hails you. Bundled in furs and scarves, she holds her waving arm at the elbow with her other hand as if trying to push her flailing hand higher in the air to get your attention.
"Hellooooo, Pathfinders," she calls out, "Over heeeere!" Once she has your attention, she introduces herself, "Hi, my name's Lirall! I'm so glad you all came! Now, best not dally. The venture-captain is expecting you." Lirall offers to take you through the snow-dusted streets to the local lodge and begins leading the way.
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A lava gnome with blonde hair and a quick smile takes Lirall's arm. "Well now lass, Ah'm please ta be makin' yer acquaintance. Spackle McGapfiller is me name, 'n it's good to be back here in the frozen tundra." Though the bard claims to have been to the region before, he is dressed much like he was when boarding the boat back in Absalom. "As Ah'm recallin' there's some strong drinkin' ta be had. Mighten we get a chance ta partake of some o' the local spirits?"
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A tall, portly orc hops off the ship, dressed as one does from much further south. His feet are bare and his chest covered with a dingy breastplate. He carries a well loaded backpack over his shoulders and a leaf covered spear at his side. He smiles and waves at the furry gnome, beckoning at another within the ship to come along quickly. "Hey dare Sheela, I tink dat gnome is meetin' us, lez go!" He hops off the ship and jogs up through the snow for a hearty handshake. Across his back, folded up on either side of his backpack appears to be.. butterfly wings?
"Hey dare you two half guys! I'mma Luurg! Pretty frosty up here in da north." He smiles with the best set of orc teeth on this side of Golarion.
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Sheela is busy sipping from another fruit smoothie Luurg managed to make. When he calls out to her, the bubbly Aasimar quickly downs the rest of it and then pauses as she gets a migraine. "Brainfreeze. Oh, not a good idea." She shakes it off and then joins Luurg.
The woman isn't wearing much besides a gown. "All of the furs I saw in Golarian were out of fashion. Last year's clothing- terrible." Yet she shivers as she leaves the cabin. "Let us hope a real town has real f-f-furs."
"Lirall, yes? Good. I am Sh-sh-sheela, from the Kolph-ph-phan Family and it is COLD out here! I need to buy some cold weather gear, post haste!"
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Tiffany shivers with emphasis as she steps off the ship. "Ughhhh, I totally shouldn't have signed up for this one! I just got back from a vacation in Katapesh. All of these sudden temperature changes are gonna wreak havoc on this girl's supple skin!"
The grippli pads along the snow, accepting it's likely too late to withdraw at this point. She wears a pink bowtie on her head and a frilly pink tutu around her body. It's lined with rhinestones, of course.
"I'm Tiffany, b-b-by the way," she shivers, but her chin tilts up at Sheela's mention of gear. "A cold weather outfit, huh?! That's what I need. Oh, oh, OH! Do you think... Do you think they have a lovely satin wool-insulated gown?!? Or perhaps one of those trendy Iceferry Goose jackets?! O-M-G. I take back what I said earlier, cold weather just opens up a whole new array of fashion to try out! Yay!"
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Luurg holds his belly as the laugh starts to hit. It jiggles, his whole body jiggles. After a few moments the laugh passes, but the jiggles take twice as long to subside. "You two like two of the same but different! Like sisters from different mudders! Lez get some warm stuff, my toes don't like dis snow near so gud as mud."
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What seems like a week later, Luurg's belly jelly finally stops jiggling, and everyone snaps out of their trance. "Woah, dat was the best one yet!" He spins to greet the new comer that makes his way out of the boat.
"Hey dare mang! I'm Luurg." He pronounces it in a very deep voice with a long, drawn out UUuuuuurrggg.
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Yes yes. We can go. I am Omar...Omar Posada by the way. For glory and adventure, let's be off!!!
Omar bows to the group.
I do not have anything to ward off the cold. Which, being from desert climes of the far south, I am not keen to experience either. Although I could use my ability to duplicate an endure elements spell if we are hard pressed.
Lirall finally stops bouncing and giggling at the funny southerners and their lack of preparation for the cold climates of the Land of Linnorm Kings. "Oh ho ho! You all are so funny! Tell ya what, I was supposed to take you straight to the Venture Captain, but I think you'd all be too distracted by your chattering teeth to really hear the briefing, so we better get you some proper clothes first. Come on, I know just the place!"
Lirall leads you through the snow-dusted streets of Iceferry until you reach a small shop with a brazier burning just outside the front door. The heat from the brazier warms you nicely just as you step into the store and helps melt some of the snow off of your cloaks. Inside, you find all the cold weather apparel you could dream of, from seal-skin boots to snow wolf cloaks, and indeed, a few of the famous Iceferry Goose Jackets. Surprisingly, all of this comes at a fairly standard price, and you are able to equip yourselves comfortably.
"Great! Now that you're all better dressed for the weather," Lirall says, bouncing on her toes beside the door, "We can get you to see the VC! Come on!" Once again, the gnome leads you through the town until you reach the local Pathfinder lodge.
Just inside the double doors of the large home, Lirall heads to a panel of pulleys near the entrance, each color coded cord labeled with a tag. She sorts through them for a moment before pulling the one labeled “Map Room,” causing several small flags in that room to flap and signal the venture-captain that he has guests. A dog cheerfully howls a response, and Bjersig Torrsen calls out from the other room with a throaty voice, “Please come in, friends. Mahki and I have been expecting you.” Lirall follows as you enter.
Venture-Captain Bjersig Torrsen leans over a large desk and studies several aged pages, and the dog Mahki eagerly weaves among the visitors to give each a sniff. “I trust your travels were pleasant,” begins Bjersig as he looks up to weigh the new faces, punctuating certain words or phrases with hand signs. “I am Bjersig Torrsen, head of this lodge. You know Lirall, and Mahki is already introducing himself.”
He moves a parchment toward the front of his desk. “An early Pathfinder agent named Eylysia chronicled an unnamed colleague’s investigation of a feud between two families. Centuries ago, it began with accusations of witchcraft and a gruesome execution, and the two have clashed ever since. However, the families chased off Eylysia’s colleague, and it appears someone hid these records so that a later generation might investigate the incident when the wounds were less fresh. Other agents discovered the records recently and sent them to me, and I have cross-referenced them with local histories here at the lodge. I believe I have a lead.” With that, he strides over to a large map hanging on the wall, points to a pin stuck into a settlement labeled “Frostbreach,” and continues.
“Eylysia’s friend was investigating legends of Kolvi: the so-called Jarlsblood Witch, a warrior executed for using ice magic to kill a king. Legends say she was untouched by winter and was ferociously strong, so she set out to slay a linnorm and become a linnorm king. The reigning linnorm king followed her with his boon companions, and a terrible blizzard struck. Days later, Kolvi returned with the king’s frozen head. The town branded her a traitor, a witch, and an Irriseni sympathizer, sentencing her to death and using her maimed corpse to create a terrible effigy. The tales say that her body disappeared only a few days afterward, which the local folk took as further sign of her supernatural malice.
“Frostbreach is only a shadow of the town it once was a few centuries ago. Even Kolvi’s relatives have taken on a new surname—Trolltooth—and without Eylysia’s records, I might not have known which family’s reputation Gloriana wanted investigated and restored. I ask that you take the Path of Aganhei and travel to Frostbreach. Explore the town and surrounding area, and interview the people. Confirm what truths you can, debunk the rest, and follow whatever promising leads you find. I recognize that proving the Trolltooth family innocent would be best for the Society, but I leave it up to you to find the real truth, not the most convenient.”
Bjersig moves back behind his desk and takes a seat, "I see you've already begun equipping yourselves for the climate, but make sure you make any other purchases you might need here in Iceferry or across the river in Karlsgard before you head out--you're not likely to find more uncommon gear up in Frostbreach. Once you're ready, take the transportation I've arranged for you and get to work." He makes the Pathfinder hand sign for “questions” and answers any of your
queries.
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Omar will finish making his purchase of cold weather gear (and any endure element scrolls/wand if they are available).
This has all the makings of a glorious mission! I can hardly wait. Spackle has a good point though, what magnificent monsters will we have to slay or fair maidens to rescue? Trolltooth family? That hardly sounds like a courtly name. Did something happen to their teeth? Other than the map, can we see the records? Or have you told us everything noteworth?
Omar tries to recall anything of importance from his prior travels.
"Good! I'm glad to hear you both ask such questions. Always good for Pathfinders to go in prepared. Well, they don't call it the Land of the Linnorm Kings for nothing. But I doubt you'll run into any linnorms. At least, I hope you don't. For your sake... Other than that, expect to see a lot of the creatures in the area either adapted to or making use of the cold. Oh, and I've heard that some of the wilder areas up there can sometimes be home to fey creatures, so be on the lookout for them. They can be wily."
Bjersig laughs deeply at Omar's question about the Trolltooth family name, "I'm afraid I don't know where the name comes from. You'll have to ask when you talk with them I suppose.
"As for the records, I gave you the short version. A lot of it was less than useful. Feel free to take some time to peruse them if you'd like though."
Omar doesn't recall much from his previous adventures, but some of the locals might know a thing or two.
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Sheela is glad to pay the 8 gold pieces to fend off the cold, even if it's out of fashion.
"I just finished an investigation helping prove some Pathfinders innocent of murder days before their execution." Sheela grins. "The truth is out there. We just need to find it and squeeze it out."
"If you see any fey, I do know a thing or two about them- Grandmama used to live on a border between Elysium and the First World. And I'm good at walking through undergrowth- ask Luurg, he's seen me harvest wild berries before."
Sheela heads off to buy 3 scrolls of Endure Elements- no way is she going to freeze out here. While she's in town, Sheela begins to chat away to gather rumors about the Trolltooth family and the legend of Kolvi.
In talking with the locals, Sheela finds out that Frostbreach was once a bustling trade town just east of the Path of Aganhei, used for restocking any travelers with supplies they would need before delving farther north. However, many avoid the town now because of the wintry misfortunes that seem to befall travelers as they pass through.
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Tiffany chooses the brightest, most vibrant pink Iceferry Goose jacket she can find at the shop, and spends what seems like hours marching between mirrors to view her choice at different angles. "Ugh, I'm not sure what I like more! The pink is super cute, but the purple is more of a strong high-fash statement. That does it!" She marches up to the counter and slaps down 16 gold coins. "I'll take both!"
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Tiffany is late for the briefing, but gets the most important details. "Like, what kinda freak cuts off a king's head? I don't blame them for the execution!" She thinks hard about Frostbreach, seeing if she can remember anything about it.
Then the grippli takes her narrow viewpoints into town, where she flaunts her fancy coat in an attempt to gather information.
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Following Tiffany around the shop, "Well yer Highness, ifin I kin offer? The pink'll make it easier ta see ya in the snow. Helpful if were bein' sep'rated, but might be drawin attention to ya from anythin' with dire intentions. However, the purple one there brings out yer eyes. Either way though lass, yer a sight ta behold. Both jackets 're lucky ta have ya."
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Luurg buys himself an oversized set of winter gear, his size being that of almost ogrekin. "Mmmm furs feel real nice! Never used dem bafore, always too hot!" He watches his feet as his toes wiggle around like worms in the garden.
At the VC's office he happily introduces himself with a hearty, but sticky handshake to the Captain. "Hey dare cold lands bossman! Luurg here, ready to help. We gutta great team 'ere!" He says as he tries adjusting his new thick fur cloak. It seems to keep getting stuck on what can only be described as.. folding wings?
He nods vivaciously in agreement with Sheela's claim to be a good berry picker. "She real gud, torns not get all 'grabby' wid her fer some reason. Speaking of berries.. any gud fruits up here in frozen land? Luurg a big fruit guy, lub to try sumting new."
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Omar is much happier with the warm cloaks as well.
He still is puzzled how his lore was unable to recall even a bit of knowledge.
Brrr. Deserts can get cold at night...but not like this. It has affected my ability to even remember the most basic lessons of my youth!
Nodding to Bjersig.
Yes, I will definitely ask them about the name. I am sure there is a most excellent story behind the name Trolltooth. I will set it to a ballad.
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Tiffany visibly blushes at Spackle's compliments. Her green skin makes the red blotches on her cheeks that much more obvious. "Oh, you're such a charmer! Thank you!" She hops excitedly between each foot. "I think I'll be alternating hourly. One hour pink, one hour purple... A girl's gotta take advantage of cold weather fashion while she can, you know!"
Yes, I will definitely ask them about the name. I am sure there is a most excellent story behind the name Trolltooth. I will set it to a ballad.
The venture-captain nods as he carefully watches Omar speak. "Good, I'll be interested to hear what you have to report on that count," he says with a smile. "Speaking of which, I was able to learn about one of the living descendants of the Trolltooth family who might be able to help you when you arrive. Her name is Eigma, and she runs the local leatherworking shop there. While you're there, make sure ask around for stories, written testimonies, material items—really anything that would help us determine which side is correct, if that is even possible. Best of luck to you!”
After collecting any last gear you might need before traveling further north, you make your way to Frostbreach. Frostbreach is a small town on the decline, built to accommodate more than 1,000 people yet has a population of only a few hundred. A decaying palisade wall—with several watchtowers and a pair of gates—encircles the town, and many of the homes are longhouses built to accommodate extended families. Of the wooden causeways that crisscross the frozen ground, those that extend to the unoccupied parts of town are crumbling from neglect. Although trade and
resupplying caravans once made Frostbreach prosperous, the leading industries are now blacksmithing, charcoal producing, leatherworking, and trapping.
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Omar nods in agreement.
"If she has any stories on the history of the events, she should be our first stop. "
He looks at the many abandoned buildings
"It is truly a shame at the decline of this town into a fraction of its proud heritage ."
If the town is large enough to require, he will gather information on the location of the leather worker shop by asking any visible citizen.
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Spackle looks at the team as they approach the remote township. Aasimar, grippli, and a 'Luurg'. Oh yeah, we're gonna be fittin' in just fine up here! "Let's jest be on 'r toes, 'n keep sharp eyes. No tellin' how they may be reactin' ta outsiders. 'Specially curious ones full 'o questions about the past."
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Tiffany prances along the snow banks. "OH! Do you think they have a skating rink here?! I've never been able to try it, but it'd be so totally fabulous to gracefully float along the ice! Maybe once we're done with this business we can see about finding one, or, like, hire a wizard to create one, you know?" The grippli laughs.
Your group begins to make its way through the streets of Frostbreach, and heads first to the leather working shop if Eigma Trolltooth: The Troll's Hide. This well-maintained building has a fenced yard to accommodate dozens of hides in various states of processing, and the building smells strongly of leather and tannin. A weathered, but sturdy older woman moves from one rack to another, working the yarn in a practiced and efficient manner. She sees you approach, however, and her eyes grow wide with excitement and wonder. "Ah, travelers," she says happily. "Been quite a spell since we've had travelers come by it seems, let alone some as...remarkable as yourselves. Come on and stop a while to chat with an old woman. Share what's going on in the wide world beyond this old town. I'm Eigma Trolltooth, by the way." She leans against the fence and looks to each of you in turn.
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"Eigma Trolltooth! Glad to see you!" Sheela goes for a handshake. "We've travelled far from the Pathfinder Society. May I sit here?" Sheela takes a seat.
"We're looking for Detailed Information on the history of this town. In particular, we've heard many stories about the Trolltooth family, but I know you have a better story than ours."
Eigma smiles mischievously at Spackle's invitation. "Oh now, you'll want to be careful asking an old woman to talk. She just might do and never stop!" She laughs loudly, but stops long enough to think about what to share with the inquisitive halfling. "Oh! Probably the thing you'd be most interested to know about is the legend of Kolvi, the Jarlsblood Witch! They say that the Jarlsblood Witch was an ice-blooded Ulfen who murdered King Alvard the Wolf long ago, but the people of Frostbreach put her to death shortly afterward. Some believe she’s the reason the town doesn’t have much business anymore, for the witch’s spirit scares off visitors." She pauses dramatically for effect, then laughs again. "Of course that's a lot of hogwash. We Trolltooths have the sense to know that Kolvi was no more a witch than I am! And it's no fault of hers that no one cares to stop through this run-down old bunch of huts!"
She turns to Luurg and smiles, declining the offered apple. "My teeth aren't what they were once, but thank you. I'm afraid you won't find much fruit up in these parts. Maybe some juniper berries in the spring, but not much else. It's mostly root vegetables and whatever grains we can get to grow up here."
When Sheela and Tiffany go asking for more detailed stories, Eigma is taken aback for a moment, but smiles once again. "Well, I see you are a curious lot! Let's see here...oh! Here's something. When the people of Frostbreach killed the Jarlsblood Witch--eh, Kolvi that is--they turned her body into a bloody effigy to warn Irrisen’s witches from troubling the town anymore. The effigy stood about an hour east of Frostbreach—or it did, as it’s said the body disappeared almost as soon as it was put up."
With another pause, Eigma sighs sadly. "Fools, I say. Poor Kolvi. Sure she killed the jarl, but did she deserve that kind of death? At most she should've been exiled, but the townsfolk got riled up by that damn Coalbraid! Agh!" Eigma waves her hand dismissively, "What's it gonna do griping about it? Anyway, you lovely young people enjoy your day, and don't forget to stop by if ya need any leather goods, alright?"
As she turns to get back to her work, she turns to Omar, "Oh, and young man, I would love to hear a happy story told about my family someday. Ask around town, though, and you won't have much material to work with, I'm afraid." She frowns slightly and goes about her business.
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"Oh, how terrible!" Sheela frowns as she hears of Kolvi's end. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Eigma. We will look around and get to the bottom of this. I know someone will have something positive to say! Thank you for your hospitality." Sheela stands up, waves the woman goodbye and leaves.
"Linnorm’s Tale Inn sounds as good a place as any. I'll rely on my good looks to get them talking, of course."
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Thank you kindly, Lady Eigma. Your wisdom is worth more than gold to our success.
I will return once I find some kindness to share in my ballad.
He turns to follow Sheela
Sheela, you have convinced me already, so it must be working. I hope they have some ale at this Linnorm's Tale. Sounds like my kind of place.
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Luurg grimaces at the news No fruit? How... how do dey live in dis place! he nods and pulls the apple back, petting it lovingly and placing it within his furs for safe keeping.
"Sound like dis Kolvi made da wrong bossmen mad. Not much different den orc tribes. Well, sum of dem. Tanks fer yer stories." Luurg lurches forward, happy to check out the new place.
Having spent a fair bit of time talking with Eigma Trolltooth, you decide to move on to the Linnorm's Tale Inn. Centrally located and close to the west gates, you quickly perceive that this inn serves as a social hub for many in Frostbreach. As you enter, you see a few open rooms on either side of the long central hall. The rooms appear simple but warm.
A man wearing a large, stubby tooth on a thin cord around his neck moves about the room, refreshing patrons' tankards of ale and conversing with the groups he visits. The cold wind that blows into the room as you enter alerts the man to your presence, and he moves toward you with a warm smile. "Welcome to the Linnorm's Tale, travelers," he says to you. "I'm Ifan innkeeper of this fine place. Come on in and have a drink. Will you be seeking lodging for the night?"