Reign of Winter

Game Master TwelvePointFivePercent

The sleepy village of Heldren has rarely seen so much excitement or concern. Hunters from the nearby Border Wood speak of unnaturally cold weather at the height of summer that descended on the forest just days ago, and of a black rider on a blind horse, frost spreading from the hoofprints. Heavy snow followed, and those who returned spoke of an uneasy presence in the woods, as well as new, dangerous predators. No one knows what this event means, but the town's soothsayer, Old Mother Theodora, claims dark times lie ahead.

As if in proof of that dire prophecy, a badly wounded mercenary arrived in town yesterday, claiming to be a bodyguard of Lady Argentea Malassene. He told the village council that the noblewoman’s escort came under attack by bandits and strange, wintry creatures near the edge of the Border Wood. He alone escaped, and Lady Argentea was dragged away into the forest. Now the townsfolk cast fearful eyes toward the snowy forest, worried what else might emerge to threaten their peaceful village.

Whether you're just passing through, or if you've lived near Heldren all your life, rumors of the budding crisis has reached your ears.

The large Ulfen man cracks his neck and checks his bowstring, "Aye, the strange winter strikes again. This'll be an affair I'll be looking into, ye ken? Ye three wish to accompany me - fine - but I'ma goin'." He looks to each in turn, "With or without ye." One side of his mouth lifts in a grin exposing straight white teeth above his scraggly blonde beard, but the look in his dark blue eyes is cold steel. His furs swish across the floor as his heavy boots thud hollowly on the floorboards of the tavern. He unconsciously massages the large scar scrawled across the back of his hand waiting for the others to voice their thoughts.

"It does seem like there's quite a bit going on here," Soliana agreed as the group idled inside the local tavern, having only recently arrived. "On top of the strange weather did you hear what that old man over there was saying about a black rider?" The half-elf had lived in Taldor for most of her life and she knew the land's seasons as well any other citizen of the realm. Snow in the middle of summer was unheard of, except perhaps on the highest of mountain tops. "Whatever is happening, it's certainly not natural. I wonder if it's the work of a rogue druid?"

She turned to Ahti. The small woman was probably even more shy and reserved than Soliana herself, a feat that she once was uncertain was even possible. "Ahti you know something of the natural world, right? What do you think it might be?"

The usually quaint town is quiet. People speak in hushed voices, and there's an opressive tinge to it all.

A guardsman struggles to catch up to you on the street. The blonde whisps of a beard on his upper lip and chin belies a younger age than the boiled leather armor would suggest at first.

"Hey! You're adventurer's, right?" He stops, with his hands on his knees, catching his breath.

"I honestly do not know what it could be. This cold this time of year.. even the fox doesn't like it." She replies softly, looking down at the fox at her feet. Both her and the animal got quiet when the guardsman calls out.

Thanata follows Kandar. Since they came north, she has been almost overwhelmed by the feelings of coming so close to home, but being forbidden to go home. However, something feels bad about this whole situation, and Thanata wants to find out what is happening.

Soliana jumps slightly as the guard calls out to the group, having not noticed him trying to catch up to them. "Oh! Um, well..." she stammers as looks at the other three hesitantly. Although Thanata and Kandar had already been traveling together when she'd met them, it had never really been defined just what sort of a group they were.

"Maybe?" she finally answers. "We've not been traveling together long, but I suppose you could say that each of us could hold our own against trouble a little better than most. Is there something wrong, sir?"

"Only, Lady Thea was kidnapped by bandits!" The young guardsman is flushed, whether from the extertion of running or with excitement. "I was going to go rescue her, and Nan sa-" He cuts himself off, and starts again. "That's to say, I heard... rumors of your prescence, sir, ladies. Might you be interested in joining me on my quest?" He stands up straight as he says the last bit, posing a little.

Kandar waits until the winded man finishes his tirade. He eyes the man with a flat stare, unwelcoming, but not quite contemptuous. "Aye, it be a quest we already be on. Join us if ye want. Safety in numbers and all that." Kandar's gaze grows distant and a haunted veil passes over his eyes, "But knowing what I know 'bout these storms, yer noble lady already be cold and dead."

The unease hangs in the air for a few moments before he continues, "Now, what're ye on about? Who's this Nan?"

Diplomacy for fun!: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Sorry I didn't post sooner, I actually had a perfectly worded post get eaten by the boards yesterday and didn't have it in me to write it up again.

Thanata looks at the young man. In a soft voice meant to calm him, she says, "Calm down for a second and gather your thoughts. Then try again, OK? Who is this Lady Thea, why would bandits take her, and what else should we know?"

"They wouldn't kill her, would they? The bandits need her alive to get gold for her... Right?" His lip quivers a little, but he takes a big breath at Thanata's urging.

"Yeah. Lady Thea's the daughter of the Dutchess Argenta." he's definitely blushing a little here, "She was on the way to the capitol when her escort was attacked by bandits. Only one guard survived to tell of it, a big milk-skinned fellow. He walked into town this morning and collapsed."

Kandar huffs as his question goes unanswered. His inquisition (hah!) continues, "And while we're at it, who be this Duchess Argenta? And where be this guard now? We'd talk to him before setting out, ye ken. Talk, boy!"

Intimidate?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Gotta love these rolls!

The guard looks at Kendar like he's grown another head.
"The Dutchess? She collects taxes; her men does. Her castle is in Zimar, you know?"

"The survivor is down by the temple plaza. They put him in the priest's hut to rest until friar Zervin can heal him. He was pretty badly wounded."

"Um, sorry if our questions seem a little strange. Not everyone in our group is Taldan..." Soliana gently adds, rather pointedly nodding at the pale appearances of the majority of the group. "It sounds like going to speak with this survivor before we go charging into the wilderness would be a good idea. Hopefully he'll be in a good enough condition to do so now."

She gives the young man a curious look. "If you don't mind me asking sir, what's your name? And is Lady Thea a friend of yours?" Although she suspects that she might know the answer to the second question she wants to hear the young man speak it for himself, freely.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

His eyes widen a bit, and he gives a half-choked laugh at Soliana calling him 'Sir'. "I - no, she's not." His shoulders slump forwards and down. "But I heard she was kidnapped; no-one is doing anything, you know? I'm Amel."

He hesitates. "Meet me at the south road after you've talked with the guard? We've got to hurry, think."

Thanata nods at the plan, and goes to find the survivor.

"Amel, I'm Soliana," she smiles, holding out her hand for a shake. "And this is Kandar, Thanata, and Ahti," she continues, nodding at each of her companions in turn. "We'll meet you as soon as we can. Be sure you've got everything that you need in the meantime, okay?"

With that said, she turns and spies Thanata already heading off to the temple plaza. "Thanata, wait up!" she cries as she hurries to catch up.

Thanata slows down to let Soliana catch up.

"Aye, Amel. To the temple plaza then." He trudges off after the rushing women, his boots thudding into the hard packed dirt and a look of sheer determination on his face.

"Are we sure there is no one else who could go? Ahti quietly asks her companions as they walk.

After a bit of looking around, you find the temple plaza. It'd make sense for something called a plaza to be placed centrally, but that's not the case. Instead, it's just outside of town, on a small, artificial hill some 30ft. away from the nearest house.

The place of worship is dedicated to the Dawnflower - it's an open paved dias with a statue of the godess wrought in yellow crystal standing on a pillar in the center, carefully constructed so no shadows reach the plaza until the sun has sunk completely. When the sky is clear, the statue is probably radiant in its own right.

What's more relevant to you is the priest's home, located just where a paved path forks from the main road, leading to the steps of the plaza.

It's a well-kept white stone construction, with a yard paved with flat stones, and blue doors. One of them has a sign above that says 'Hospital'.

As you enter, the sole occupant of the hospital sits up in bed, and seems to make sure that the sword leaned against his bed is within reach.

"Who're you?" He eyes you wearily. One of his eyes being swelled shot ruins the effect a little.

He's naked from the waist up, and his skin is milky white in all the places untouched by his recent wounds. Except for his face and hands, that is. Those are tanned deep brown. One of his arms are in a sling, and there's swelling bumps on his torso and the side of his face. You can tell the worst of his wounds have been healed from the red stripes that signify open wounds closed by magic. This guy has been through the wringer.

Kandar eyed the statue of Sarenrae with a flat stare. He knew of her, having encountered a number of her clergy while travelling the well-trodden roads of Varisia, but he cared not for gods and goddesses and their machinations. He barely paid homage to Calistria, the source of his divine strength. She just happened to favor vengeance, and vengeance was what he sought.

Kandra strides up to the bed, but maintains his distance, wary of the strange maladies marring his phsyique, "I be Kandar and these my traveling companions. We be looking into the matter of the strange weather." Kandar's eyes quickly shift down to the bumps on his midsection and his pale skin before he looks the man in the eyes once more, "Ye guarded the lady that was taken? What happened? How come ye were the only survivor?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Thanata rolls her eyes at Kandar's brusqness. She gently speaks to the wounded man. "We've been told that someone may need a rescue. Can you please tell us what happened? I'm Thanata, and this is Kandar, Soliana, and Ahti."

At least Kandar and Thanata both know how to get to the point, Soliana muses to herself. She'd been told more than once that while a capable speaker when she put her mind to it, brevity wasn't always her strong suit.

"Greetings," she smiles as Thanata introduces them. "It's good to meet you, although I wish it were under better circumstances. As Kandar and Thanata have said, we've been asking to look into Lady Thea's abduction. Anything that you're able to share with us would be appreciated."

"I think maybe if we knew more of what happened we could help more." Ahti adds, pulling her hood tighter against the cold. This weather was very disagreeable, and she would much rather be inside by a fire place right now.

He nods at your greeting, leaning back against the pillows of his bed. "And I am Uln Erstag." he coughs. "We faced enemies that even the greatest berserkers of the Linnorm Kings have faltered against. I slew one of them, perhaps, but they dragged the little lady off." The words sound a little too big for his mouth, an accent typical to the northlanders.

Soliana leans forward slightly, unable to keep from asking, "What sort of enemies?" She then glances guiltily over at Kandar and Thanata. "Sorry, not meaning to butt in..."

"At first, we thought them to be common bandits, hiding like wolves in the forest. But then came the cold fey of the north, appearing among us." His eyes turn haunted, and he shrinks back in the bed. "The battle turned quickly. My people speak of the winter-touched all the time, they are common to our legends, but I never expected to meet them this far south."

Kandar's eyes widen and his dour expression softens somewhat as he realizes this man shares his northern heritage, "Ye're from the north, then? Same as me, eh? Ye say the lady's caravan was attacked by fey? My people were slaughtered in a storm just as the one ye describe. It's how I got this," he gestures to the arcane brand on his hand. "Iffen ye know anythin' more, tell us as I've no doubt we'll be heading into this thing. Fey be tricksters, aye, and any advantage we can get, I'll take."

Diplo.: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

"It is your funeral." He shrugs, then winces as the movement pulls on his arm. "You'll need cold iron and flame. Both burns them. I don't know where they took her, but that they were headed back to the forest. They vanished almost instantly in the snow of their call. You'll find the ambush side a few hours south of here, by the road. Maybe you can track them from there."

"Flame won't be a problem. I hope my companions are also prepared."

"I knew I should have asked for different spells." Ahti sighs. "As a rule, I don't like fey. Unfortunately, I don't have any weapons, and one one spell today that might help keep one person safe. Safer."

"The fey..."

Soliana furrows her brow in thought. Her father had given her a decent education on the natural world, but fey creatures had always been something that he'd shown some reluctance to speak on at length. Maybe his people also had stories and legends of such things? She'd have to ask him the next time she traveled home.

Kn. Nature (Fey in General): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

"My father taught me a little about the fey," she says quietly. "And what Uln says is right; they shrink away from cold iron and if they're native to the north I suppose shrinking away from flame makes sense too. But I'd always heard that not all of them are evil creatures...just capricious." She looks at the injured Uln. "If it weren't for your wounds I'd almost think that they took your Lady Thea as part of some grand joke or prank."

Uln nods along. "Yes, it is true; The Wintertouched were not always so. According to saga, Einar the Fool shattered the cursed mirror of Baba Yaga with a great blow of his hammer. The mirror broke into a thousand shards, each coming to rest in in the breast of a fey, making their hearts as ice. The Wintertouched are not the merrymakers of the south and thinking them thus would be a fatal mistake. They must be slain, if one can find them."

The speech seems to have taken quite a bit out of the man; his voice grows wheezy towards the end.

"My ancestors will despair, but I am too fearful to go with you, even where I hale. Take my sword; it is cold iron, and will bite them."

Sorry for the delayed post, took yesterday off sorta.

Although not as practiced with swords as she is with her glaive, Soliana gratefully accepts the offered sword. "Thank you Uln...if we run across any of these Wintertouched, we'll be sure to put this to good use. And return it when we are finished," she responds quietly.

Noting that their visit seems to have tired Uln out, she glances at the rest of her companions. "We should probably excuse ourselves for now unless anyone else has any other questions?"

Thanata nods at Soliana and turns to leave the room.

Kandar's demeanor softens even more as the injured man speaks of legends surrounding the mysterious Baba Yaga, "Aye, thank ye for using what energy ye have left tah speak with us. I'd hear more about these legends of our people, once ye're feelin' better. Until then, ye get some rest." As the group exits through the blue doors, Kandar gives Soliana a meaningful look at both her and Uln's sword, indicating he very well may wish to put the sword to use himself.

As they make their way through the temple plaza Kandar addresses his traveling companions, "Are ye really wishing on bringing Amel with us? Another sword is all well and good, but he seems like he'd do more harm than good, ye ken?"

After a short stint at the blacksmith, you meet up at the south end of town.

Amel is waiting for you, wearing a backpack with his boiled leather cuirass and guardsman's uniform, and a curved sword on his belt. "Right! You're ready to go?"

The sun is shining high in the sky, and although it's a hot summer day in southern Taldor, you fancy a foreboding chill on the light breeze.

Slightly earlier...

"To be honest, I'm not really sure that we'd be able to keep him from going," Soliana replies. "If not with us, I'm afraid he'll try to go on his own. At least if he is with us, we can keep an eye on him and try to keep him out of trouble."

Present

"It seems so," the half-elf responds, greeting Amel with a smile. "We just needed to pick up a few things after talking with the survivor, Uln."

Her smile then fades. "Before we get started, I did want to say that this is likely going to be dangerous. Are you sure you're prepared to go with us?"

The small grey-furred feline had largely been a silent witness and companion to Soliana and then to the other three that she had joined up with Oppara. As the group prepares to depart into the wilderness, the chill on the breeze causes his fur to fluff up slightly.

"Maow?"

They don't have fur so I hope they've got a way to keep warm!

earlier
Thanata suggests that they can ask the boy to stay next to her to help her fight off attacks. It will keep him out of the worst of melee while letting him feel both helpful and chivalrous.

"I'm ready to go. I just hope this isn't a mistake on our part, and that she's still alive."

Kandar can't help but concede to Soli's logic, "Hah, aye, that be true. Just keep 'im outta tha path of me arrows, eh?"

As the group approaches the Amel waiting on the road ahead he sighs inwardly. As they stop he checks all of his gear, tightening straps and arranging the various arrows in his large fur-lined quiver. At Amel's question he simply nods, ready to be about their task, anxious of what dangers another one of these bizarre winter storms may hold. He looks down at his marred hand, trepidation evident on his face.

"Yeah, I'm prepared. I've a sword and a shield, and I brought food and heavy clothing and stuff. It's supposed to be snowing? I still think they'd keep her alive, for ransom. No reason to kidnap someone you don't want alive, right?" He's fiddling restlessly with the buckler in his off hand.

You take off. The ambush site was supposed to be about two and a half hour's walk south by the road. The temperature drops noticeably as you grow nearer the forest, although it is not quite freezing. It's the difference between an almost unbearably hot summer's day of the very southern end of Taldor, and a clear day of autumn in Varisia.

Judging by the position of the sun, it took you almost three hours to reach the spot. The road curves around a cluster of trees, and the ambush sight becomes apparent.

The road ahead is littered with debris and the corpses of slain humans and horses. A carriage stands in the roadway, its team of horses missing or cut free,while another overturned carriage lies spraweld and broken next to the treeline. To the southm more bodies have fallen around what appears to be a statue of ice. A rime-covered trail leads deeper into the forest.

While the ground itself is clear of ice and snow, the trees to the south are covered in a thin sheet of rime, that, unlike the ice statue, does not appear to be melting at all.

Jamel's openmouthed shock is quickly recovered as he breathes a mouthful of the foul air. These corpses have been dead in a while, and even though the relatively cold air have migitated the stench, it is still very present.

As the party rounds the bend in the country road and comes upon the ambush scene, Kandar's heart stops as his mind's eye views a very similar scene from his past. A sharp intake of breath and his footfalls stop short. His mouth works, but no words pass his lips. It is a long moment before he is able to compose himself. He licks his lips and his words come out in a growl, "It's as I feared. Just as before, these damned winter-touched bastards killed me whole clan. I was passed out in the cold - I saw none of it - but this is no doubt the same work. Take it slow, ye ken? They be deadly with their magicks." He pulls out a cold iron arrow and knocks it, approaching slowly while eying every detail of their surroundings.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Survival to check for tracks: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Soliana's eyes widen with shock as they finally come upon the ambush site. "This...this is horrible," she murmurs quietly as her eyes flit over the bodies strewn everywhere. When Kandar speaks, she quickly turns to look at him with a look of surprise.

"You've seen this sort of scene before Kandar? I remember you'd said that your clan was murdered, but I had no idea that it was by winter fey..." her voice trails off. "I am sorry."

Thanata looks sad, but unsurprised. She is familiar with the harshness of the North. She looks more closely at the bodies.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Thanata looks over the bodies. They all wear the same clothing, a grey shirt and black breeches. Most of them appear to be weaponless, and have no boots either. They died from stab wounds or arrows, although a few have what appear to be inch-long needles embedded in them, mostly in sensitive areas. Some of the corpses were killed near the carriages, but the others generally seem to have faced the forest. Most of them died near the frozen statue: it was probably the captain. He's still wearing a breastplate, and pointing his longsword at an enemy that is no longer there. More macabre is the fact that his head is no longer sitting on his shoulders: apparently, he was dismembered after the fey froze him to death.

Kandar finds no tracks, but briefly notes the bodies of two young women lying among the ruins of the wrecked carriage, before being distracted by a quiet bump and a wheezing "hrngh." from the still standing carriage.

It's more elaborately decorated than the one that crashed by the wayside. Both doors are closed, and carry a heraldic shield depicting two prancing lions superimposed over flames. The body of the carriage starts gently rocking with the motion of whatever is moving inside.

Ahti takes her strange, creepy looking sickle out and looks around carefully before moving a few feet towards the cart. She didn't seem bothered by all gore around her either.

"Kandar, who was in the carriage before the attack? Do you know?"

Amel butts in, "Well, it's lady Thea's carriage, right? It has the Argenta seal on the sides and everything. She was supposed to be kidnapped though, so I don't think that's her inside right now."

"Hrrraaarg."

The carriage continues to rock gently. It sounds like something woke up when you got here, and is trying to get out.