”Go straight, turn left at the first turning. Slip the Halfling is down there. He has quite the variety of supplies. I managed to save him from an ice troll, but sadly I couldn’t save his eye. He’s been handling our supplies ever since.“ Solveig answers.
Following Solveig’s directions, the party finds a hafling in leather armor with an eye patch. ”So what can I get for ye today?”
”I can get someone in.” She agrees to Crummock’s request. ”Please persuade your friend,” she gestures at Mr Whiskers, ”Against going into Merchant Quarter looking for Nazhema. It’s suicidal. The place is teaming with the entire Winter Guard and they’ve got multiple layers of security checks.”
Ringerr adds, "They really need to get in."
Solveig sighs, and explains to the party that when Queen Elvana put Baba Yaga’s dancing Hut on display in the city’s Market Square, a thick forest teeming with strange creatures sprouted up around the hut almost overnight, and the market is now completely overgrown. The Winter Guard have laboured feverishly to cut down the forest but so far have only succeeded in halting the forest’s spread throughout the entire Merchants’ Quarter. Around the square itself, any trees cut down grow back the following morning. And there would be no way getting into that Market Square without a small army.
She explains that the Heralds have made careful and tentative contact with the remains of the Iron Guard, the former military order to Baba Yaga that Elvana replaced with her own Winter Guard.
The Iron Guard is just waiting for an opportunity to launch a counterstrike against the Winter Guard, but one thing stands in their way, one of the Winter Guard’s commanders, the White Dragon Logrivich. If the White Dragon was to be taken out, Solveig could convince the Iron guard to strike back at the Winter Guard, and such an uprising would draw troops away from the Market Square. The party would possibly be able to make in in. Solveig would even be willing to call an contact of hers to assist the party in taking out Logrivich.
Crummock nods to the halfling.
"Right. I hear that ye be the one to talk to when it comes to gear. This be what I am wanting..."
1. Is Ringerr's wife alive? - if Y, ask 5. If N, ask 3.
2. Is Ringerr's daughter alive? - if Y, ask 6. If N, ask 4.
3. Is Ringerr's wife's soul (or a fragment thereof) still in existence on Golarion? - if Y, go to 5. If N, go to 9.
4. Is Ringerr's daughter's soul (or a fragment thereof) still in existence on Golarion? - if Y, go to 6. If N, go to 9.
5. Is Ringerr's wife (or her soul (fragment)) present in Whitethrone?
- if Y, go to 9. If N, go to 7.
6. Is Ringerr's daughter (or her soul (fragment)) present in Whitethrone?
- if Y, go to 9. If N, go to 8.
7. Is Ringerr's wife (or her soul (fragment)) present in Irrisen?
8. Is Ringerr's daughter (or her soul (fragment)) present in Irrisen?
9. Is the Winter Wolf Greta likely to be loyal to those that treat her well?
10. Can Solveig be trusted not to betray me?
Additional questions, if there are still some left based on the answers (and follow-up questions) above, will consist of trying to narrow down where in Whitethrone/Irrisen Ringerr's family members (or their souls) are (if that is relevant).
Slip hands Crummock all the requested items in exchange for the gold. "Right, this will all go to the Rebellion!"
"Yeah, I don't do spellcasting services. That one you'll need to ask Solveig."
A couple of hours later Solveig brings in a wrinkled, bearded old man in shaman accoutrements who walks with the aid of his quarterstaff and his air mephit. "Here's Enda. He's a visiting shaman. Here's your room, you can make your bargains with him." She then walks off, out of sight and hearing.
After Crummock speaks with him on the requirements, he states, "Let's start with the commune first."
He burns the required incense, leaving the room smelling of sandalwood. He takes out a candle and places it on the floor,"Spirits of the land, hear my plea," he chants, while ringing a bell with his right hand. Suddenly, a breeze smelling of rain materializes into existence, refreshing both Crummock and Enda.The breeze drops corn pollen on the floor, while the candle lights up on its own accord. "It is well, the elements are with us." He begins to ask the questions.
As he asks, the corn pollen on the floor begins to spell out words.
Qn 1. No
Qn 2. No
Qn 3. No
Qn 4. No
Qn 9. Yes
Qn 10. Yes
"Well, best of luck!"
He then immediately goes to speak with Nadya.
"I have acquired the first part o' what I need to bring back Thora..."
He then gently goes over to poor Thora's body, and applies the Tourniquet, which causes here body to slowly start to take on a somewhat healthy guise, as if she had only passed away moments before.
Crummock nods in satisfaction.
"Now, I just be needin' to arrange the second part..."
He then goes to speak with Enda.
When he gets the answers to his first questions, Crummock sighs sadly.
"Well, at least we can be providin' him with some closure..."
Noting that he still has three questions left, he asks the following:
11. If Logrivich is removed, will Solveig's plan work?
12. If Nadya leaves with Ringerr, and retires to his village, will she be safe from retribution (provided Nazhema is killed)?
13. Is Baba Yaga currently imprisoned?
When Crummock opens up Thora's coffin, he is greeted the foul stench of decay. Her features are almost unrecognisable, bloated and yellow green. There is a greenish stain on the coffin lining.
11. Unclear
12. Yes
13. Unclear
"Who is this person you're trying to call back from the spirit realms? How long has he or she been dead? What were the circumstances of his or her death?" Enda asks Crummock.
Nadya is shocked to find Thora's body so badly decomposed and shakes Crummock's arm frantically, "Are you sure this is a good idea, I don't want Thora to come back like this!" She is somewhat mollified as the trollskin tourniquet begins to work its magic.
"I be tryin' to bring back the daughter o' Nadya - a lass by the name o' Thora. She was cruelly murdered by a Witch, and her soul bound to a construct, which we subsequently destroyed. She has been dead a number o' weeks, but I have used a Trollskin Tourniquet to keep her body fresh."
He pauses for a moment, before continuing.
"The lass did not deserve such a fate; I want to reunite her with her family..."
Crummock gently pats Nadya's arm.
"Don't worry - I would not dream o' bringin' her back like this - the Tourniquet will restore her body to a complete state o' freshness, in time for the spell to bring her back - we will just have to wait until tomorrow."
He then gently replaces the lid of the coffin, and sprinkles a bit of lavender essence around the room, to waft away the stench.
Crummock then frowns thoughtfully.
"When the time comes to bring her back, we should give her a thorough clean, and probably get her some new clothes - think o' it as a kind o' rebirth..."
"People who've been dead for a while have been walking in the spirit realms for a while. It changes them forever. I've seen some who have come back, but it seemed part of them still was in the Spirit realms. And for a child who has been murdered cruelly, she will remember her death and all the events leading to it, all too clearly. Often it leaves them haunted souls. Is that what you truly want?" Enda asks Crummock, his eyes boring into Crummock.
Crummock chews his lip thoughtfully.
"In that case, it might be worth arranging for a casting o' Modify Memory, so as to remove the death trauma."
"Firstly, I cannot prepare that spell."
"Secondly, time in the spirit realms counts as time, as well." Enda answers, cryptically.
"I guess the best thing you can do is for someone to be with her all the time, just so she knows that she is not alone."
"They're in the Market Square in the Merchant's Quarters." Solveig answers. "There was an Earl Brynjar, and his raiding party, Alvar, Hafnar, Daniella and Isakur."
Einar recognizes Alvar as Earl Brynjar's champion, Hafnar his high priest, Daniella as the court bard and Isakur as a magician in his court.
Mr. Whiskers head darts back as she moves to tap him on the nose. Not on the nose! Not on the nose!
Evidently he doesn't like people touching him there.
Looking to Solveig, he says "Yes, it is true we have a common enemy. Still, I do not know all the players. I do not think I've left anything out that would be a danger to you or your people."
Nodding towards Ringerr, he says "He trusts you, and Nadya trusts him. That brought us this far. Perhaps later we can revisit the topic, if you are interested in that."
"I am a patient man." Looking towards Nadya, he says "Hopefully the rest of our party is also patient."
Crummock shrugs.
"I have a feelin' that she has a verra devoted mother, who will stand by her, no matter what..."
Crummock frowns, then breaks into a wolfish grin.
"Well, bein' forewarned is being' forearmed - if we know what we be facin', that makes it a mite easier to plan. I also reckon that ye be having an interest in fightin' that one...?"
After the trollskin torniquet has worked its magic, Thora looks like she's peacefully sleeping, except there is no rise and fall of her chest cavity.
Enda touches Thora's forehead and utters, "Come back, Thora, you have family waiting for you." At that very moment a rune appears on Thora's forehead, and her hair turns as white as snow.. Enda gives a sharp hiss, as he shakes his head. "She's already been spoken for."
Thora draws a sharp intake of breath then starts looking around for Nadya, who moves over to caress her, tears of joy in her eyes, too overwhelmed to speak. "Mommy, why do I feel so weak and tired?" She then falls asleep in her mother's arms.
"Consider this on the house." Enda begins casting of the Restoration spell. He also motions Crummock to step aside for a while.
"Thora won't be the same girl that you once knew. She's been chosen by one of the gods. Which one, for what, I don't know. I deal with spirits, not gods. But I recognize the signs.Those chosen are often sent guardians to train them, but once they're trained they roam the world as agents of their god."
"I wanted to ask you a favour, if you could speak to my half-sister Nancye in the clock tower. My sister was taken from us by the Winter Witches when we were young. I've spent many years of my life fighting against the Winter Witches, never realizing my elder sister had become one. I tried to see her in the tower, but she refused to see me, saying that all she had done for me these years was to protect me. And her trolls threw me out." Enda looks sorrowful. "It took me years before I could communicate with the spirits. I'd have come for her sooner if I had known she was here...but its too late for me."
"Each of us knows when is our time, and I know I won't live to see sunrise tomorrow. If there's any goodness in her, please try to have her see the light, so that she can join me in the Summerlands when her time comes."
Solveig introduces her contact, Hirah Cheran, a half orc inquisitor of Arshea, who she says has been very helpful to the Herald's efforts, to the party.
"The white dragon 'Logrivich' is in the clock tower. We've got an underground passage that leads to one of our fellows, who are running a dress shop, there. "
"If that is your wish, sure. But trust is a two-way street. I've given you everything you've asked for, within my power. Proposed a plan, which I am even providing assistance for, in which you may use to get to the market square. And kept no secrets from you. Think about it." Solveig advises him, then walks off.
Solveig briefs Einar about the tower. "The tower itself is 70 ft tall, consists of 4 levels. The dragon has made the top floor his cave, where he can overlook the city. The tower is guarded by ice trolls headed by an old witch known as Granny Nan." She pauses for a moment, "Logrivich has imprisoned a Cheliax bard by the name of Bella. Since it is Milani's tenets are to free people from oppression, it would much please me if you could rescue her from Logrivich, and bring her to the dress shop."
"Oh, you can get take everything you want in the tower. Just bring Bella back to the dress shop. It isn't MY property. I'm a fair sort. If you put in the hard work, you deserve any rewards that come along with it. Nice of you to offer, though." She waves Einar's offer off in an off-handed fashion.
"If Nazhema hired him his raiding party personally, I'd expect that him and his lot would be in the Market Square."
Really, after she mentioned the bard twice, you have this sneaking suspicion the bard means quite a lot to her...
Seeing evasion is impossible, Solveig answers,"Bella is a good friend of mine. I admit I was hoping that you would free Bella when you dealt with Logrivich. But don't bandy it around too much, it might make her a target for people who want to use her to get to me."She bites her lip, "I only want her to be safe and happy, understand?"
"We're in Irrisen. Do you think there's anywhere out of the Winter Witches grasp?" She answers bitterly. "Besides, Bella is her own person, and has every right to make her own choice."
Hirah steps smoothly forward from the corner where she had been observing the conversations taking place with Solveig. Not really acting as a bodyguard, but being nearby should any hostilities erupt.
"My names Hirah, Inquisitor of Arshea", she remarks, eyeing up Einar for a moment in appraisal, before smiling slightly, incisors slightly more pointed than your average human. "I guess that makes you part of my support team against this dragon we appear to be killing."
Mr Whiskers is having a derp moment and can't remember anything about white dragons at the moment.
"If the Earl outlawed you, I suppose he was the one that had you branded as well?" Solveig asks Einar."It would add legitimacy to his claims."
She looks at Einar intently, "After you wrest your lands back from him, will you rule your people justly and fairly?"
Hatch on hearing that Bella can sing, pleads with Einar to rescue her, so he can repay his gambling debt with Apa, who's only amusement thus far has been watching Einar pose as an ice elemental.
When Einar finds Mr. Whiskers he is going through a few of his books reviewing information. A snow-white lemming is holding one of the books open to a page, or at least that is what it looks like. Lemmings can't read, so it must just be holding it open.
Mr. Whiskers looks up, then stands to greet Hiram. Smiling, he says "Good to meet you!" as he holds out his paw to shake. "As Einar said, I am Mr. Whiskers! This is Nivean." and he gestures towards the lemming. The lemming looks up and squeaks at you.
"Arshea? I don't know much about your goddess. Perhaps sometime you can tell me about her." he says, somewhat curious.
At about the time most people would be taking breakfast, Mr. Whiskers casts Ears of the city so he can hear some of what people are talking about that day.
He will share what information he collects with the group and (if she is interested) Solveig.
If Solveig asks how he came about the information, he will tell her "There is a spell that allows you to hear what people are talking about in a settlement. It is one of the reasons you should avoid using someone's name -- they could be listening for it."
He is willing to cast it again the night before we set off if the group has a particular topic they want information on. He would want to do it around supper time, perhaps slightly after.
He does inquire with Solveig "Will we need to go through the city to get to this tower, thus needing disguises again?"
Isakur appears to be a magic user whose powers come from within. No one's ever seen HIM with a spellbook...
Mr Whiskers hears the following rumors:
Illarion Matevius - Anyone who can capture him alive, or bring his head to the authorities would be given land and a title of baron in Queen Elvana's court.
Earl Bynjar - It appears he likes the use of a nasty wicked polearm known as a guisarme. He's also rather hot tempered and often flies into a rage, even during training sessions.
Nazhema - Has been sent to the Merchant Quarter to investigate the Market Square. She specializes in ice magics, and is rumored to be able to fly with magic.
Granny Nan - Supposedly half Ulfen, half Jadwiga blood, she never was ruthless enough to rise up in the ranks of the winter witches, despite having some arcane prowess. She was faced with potential poverty and was appointed mistresss of the Winter Guard barracks in the clock tower for the sake of propriety.
Market Quarter - A strange magic effect has arisen from the Market Square, preventing anyone from getting near the Dancing Hut. Nazhema and Earl Bynjar were last seen near the Dancing Hut before the magical field blocking anyone from coming in and out came up.
Solveig listens with interest with what he has to share about the city. "Isn't the Black Rider one of Baba Yaga's heralds? What is your interest in him?" She asks. She also takes note to get someone to use Frostbite on Earl Bynjar if it comes to a fight, and to stock up on supplies of ranged weaponry, and scrolls of resist energy (cold).
"There won't be any need. We have a set of subterranean tunnels that lead to the dress shop opposite of the tower. You won't be exposed." Solveig replies.
It was early afternoon by the time the party got to the shrine of the Everbloom. After making the necessary purchases from Slip, the party has a late brunch. The food features of cured cod sandwiches and a lemon garlic kale salad. It's nothing great but is substantial enough. Ringerr, knowing Einar cannot sit still, asks Solveig to set Einar some things to do. Einar ends up spending the rest of the day carting sacks of coals from one of the tunnel to the kitchen.
It feels strange waking up an underground canteen, instead of tent or a house. Breakfast of a rabbit pie is served in a communal canteen. Einar ends up helping Jordan and his slaves cart the valuables stolen from Korgin into the vaults. There’s quite the stash down there, and Solveig divides it with the freed slaves and Jordan. A sum of 2000 gp goes to the party for their efforts in rescuing Jordan. Ringerr bids the party farewell, agreeing to go to Ellsprin to take care of Orm and Morjoli after he has smuggled Jordan and his fellow slaves to the Fishcamps. Early afternoon, Enda and Crummock go into a cave chamber, and are not seen for the rest of the day.
Your sleep was rather badly disturbed last night. Thora woke up with nightmares of still being in the hut and sent objects flying all over the place, without the benefit of hands. When Nadya tried to comfort her, she kept asking for her guardian called, “M” to be brought to her.
Some time later that morning, Thora manages to slip away from Nadya when she was bringing Thora to the rest room. According to Nadya, she left Thora in the restroom only to find her missing. Later, Nadya finds her in a storeroom, this time with a knight in silver armor which Thora introduced to Nadya, as her guardian, M. Nadya was considerably freaked out at first, but after Thora seemed to be much calmer with her guardian around, she left M be.
Solveig brings sad news that the shaman, Enda had passed away in his sleep last night. His body is brought through the subterranean to the backyard of one of the acolytes of the Everbloom. The party, Nadya and Thora, and a a scythe wielding knight in silver armor standing protectively near Thora. Thora is wearing a white dress, and her hair is now the colour of snow. Thora has a mark on her forehead that is also present on the knight’s helm.
Nadya silently prays for the man who had brought Thora back that he will be rewarded with a pleasant afterlife. When Solveig lights the funeral pyre, the flames seem to burn far hotter then a wood fire should. The winds gather in intensity, blowing all trace of the smoke from the flames away. His air mephit gathers his ashes in a jar, then flies off, never to be seen again. Solveig reads out Enda’s last will and testament – he has bequeathed his property (5450 gp) to Crummock. The party returns to the Shrine of the Everbloom after the funeral.
Solveig gives the party 3 potions of cure light wounds and 2 skyrocket fireworks, which she instructs the party to launch from the clock tower once they have fulfilled their mission.
Nadya elects to stay with Thora in the Shrine of the Everbloom, to keep an eye on her instead of following the party to the clock tower.
The party go up the tunnels leading to the clock tower, and open a trapdoor to find themselves at the back of a dress shop. Two undine sisters, Calah and Iryani, lead the party to the backdoor of the shop, and wish them good luck with their mission, telling them to rap the door 3 times, then pause, then rap the door twice, to be let in.
A small courtyard stands outside the clock tower behind a delicate-looking white picket fence made of bones. A single step leads to a landing and a recessed set of large double doors to the north, while to the east and west stand two stone statues depicting two women in identical poses, reaching skyward as if to catch snowflakes. Both statues have swords on their belts. Neatly trimmed evergreen bushes surround the statues.
Both Mr Whiskers and Einar identify the statues as a previous Irriseni queen, Betyrina, and her oldest daughter Zivia.
Mr Whiskers did remember his teachers saying sometimes statues are not just statues, but guardians.
The front door is unlocked. What would the party want to do?
The party returns to the dress shop and grabs a whole bunch of cloth poles from Calah and Iryani, then return.
”The land of the Linorm Kings has been at war with the Winter Witches. For an Ulfen Earl to serve under a Winter witch – would it not be an act of treason, punishable by stripping him of all his property before being executed?” Solveig puts in.
Einar bonks the head of one of the statutes with his cloths pole, knocking off quite a large chunk of it.
It doesn't seem that the mundane quarterstaff is fully effective against these marble statues.
The quarterstaff nearly snaps into two from hitting the hard marble.
Both statues animate, draw their swords and glare angrily at him and try to cut him to ribbons.
Their longswords bounce off his breastplate.
The first statute into marble bits under Einar's savage assault of fang and claw. He then turns to the second statue gouging a deep slash it its shoulder with his second claw.
Hirah steps forward and swings a quarterstaff at the nearest statue, trying to break it down.
Hirah dents its face but it still is up. The quarterstaff blow didn't seem fully effective.
Oh no, the quarterstaff looks like its about to fall into splinters! It definitely won't last another swing!
Not wanting to get in Crummock's way, Mr. Whiskers fires his crossbow from where he is.
The bolt flies over its head as Mr Whiskers tries not to skewer Einar by mistake.
Crummock orders Geist to attack the statue.
Geist manages to dent the statue's knee some, but his teeth do not fully penetrate.
The remaining statue tries to cut Einar up.
And hits the floor instead.