The Keeper of Forbidden Lore looks upon many worlds, she watches and catalogs many realities. She sees many secrets, she knows many lost , forbidden and forsaken bits of lore. Today her gaze falls upon a world, the worlds of Golaron. They year is 4015 as mortals of that realms mark such time and it is the month of Sarenith .Her Gaze falls upon a small town in the Southern lands of Taldor. A village of less than two hundred. This village, which should be warm with the summer is cool and something unnatural stirs. This village is called Heldren and the Keeper watches events unfold.
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The sleepy village of Heldren has rarely seen much excitement of times of great concern. Lately however that has changed. Hunters from the nearby Boarder wood now speak of unnaturally could weather for the end of Sarenith. Just a few days ago heavy snow descended upon the forest. Those who have returned from the wood have spoke of an uneasy presence in the wood, as well as new and dangerous predators. No one knows what this means, but Mother Theodora claims that dark times lie ahead.
As if providing proof of that dire prophecy, a badly wounded mercenary arrived in town just last evening, claiming to be a bodyguard of Lady Argentea Malassene. In such a small Village, words gets around. This mercenary told the village council that the noble woman's escort came under attack by bandits and strange wintery creatures at the edge of the Boarder forest. He claims he alone escaped as the lady was dragged into the forest.
It is hard to miss the unease in the village, the fear for cast of eyes toward the Boarder forest. A forest,unnaturally cold and covered in snow.Or the unnatural coolness of the morning as the villagers huddle among themselves with fear of just what might come from the forest.
.
I go over to see the badly wounded man, wherever he is. So, what happened, are you okay?
Come, Boulder, shall we check this out? It seems like some noblewoman got herself taken out in the woods. Mayhap you know better about this cold weather than I do. There may be some gold in her rescue?
Swallowing the last half of his beer in one gulp, Barl slams down his tankard. "With that fire going, it's been getting a bit stuffy in here anyhow. Let me grab Ulga" (His maul) "Kat, you coming too?" He looks over to the half elf filling up a pitcher at the bar.
Some noble something or other has gotten themselves into.. Hell, I don't know, but it's perfect weather out there and Menander has gotta give you a break sometime!"
The Boulder turns back to Vic. "Alright lets go see if there's any action out there."
Most of you are in the The Silver Stoat, a fine place to pick up rumors and hear say. Yeah here this mercenary is over at the Willowbark Apothecary, being cared for. You could head over there and see if you could speak with them, or break your fast here, have a drink and try and pick up some hear say. There may even be a posting for the rescue over at the town hall soon. Small and sometimes Large jobs are posted there
Helen sits reading, morning coffee in front of her, as she tries to ignore the brutes getting all worked up. At their invitation to Kat, however, she looks up from her book.
"Oh, you can't be serious!" she says, one eyebrow raised. Turning to look at Kat, she asks, "Katarina, you're not actually going to with them, are you? Men such as these—especially that one," Helen nods in Vic's direction, "—will only lead you to ruin. You've got to stay focused if you want to keep building a good life for yourself. Try not to get involved with such characters, alright?"
"..."
"...Katarina?"
Tursk arrives in town a bit after the commotion from the day before. He had just come back from a fruitless hunting trip, and was in a sour mood.
He shivered, and grumbled to himself, "Snow in Sarenith. It's unnatural."
He walked over to the Silver Stout and saw Barl and a few others leaving in a hurry.
"Hail, friends. Is there an emergency?"
"Some guardsman got himself walloped and lost a noble or something!" Barl blurts out. "We wanna go check it out. You comin'?"
"You mean like a kidnapping?
Tursk follows the others. And shakes his head. "A rescue party in this weather is going to be very dangerous."
"Kat, you coming too?" He looks over to the half elf filling up a pitcher at the bar."
Kat looks up from her pitcher, spilling some of the ale onto the counter. Her face brightens then she peers about, looking for the innkeep and not seeing him, leans in conspiratorially. "I haven't been 'ere all that long taday but.... ya, I think I can swing it!
"Oh, you can't be serious!" she says, one eyebrow raised. Turning to look at Kat, she asks, "Katarina, you're not actually going to with them, are you? Men such as these—especially that one," Helen nods in Vic's direction, "—will only lead you to ruin. You've got to stay focused if you want to keep building a good life for yourself. Try not to get involved with such characters, alright?"
"..."
"...Katarina?"
The girl freezes slightly and turns. She hadn't noticed Helen sitting there. Kat puts on a carefully deadpan look. "I well.." She did glance over at Vic then, wondering again if the man recognized her from Oppar. So far if he did, he hadn't let on, and that had to be a good sign! "It's just a little walk in the woods Helen... probly won't even find nuthin!" She lifts the pitcher and mops at the spilled ale with her cloth. "Plus I've been workin' hard!
She leans in, whispers fiercely to Barl. "Meet you out back, five minutes!" and hurriedly moves off towards the kitchen, trying to be gone before Helen can protest!
"Oh, for heaven's sake," Helen mumbles as she snaps her book shut and rolls her eyes. "Well if you're going to go, then I'll go with you, to make sure things stay civilized." With that, Helen takes one last sip of her coffee and begins gathering up her books and other belongings, looking unamused.
Jack wants to investigate the recent attacks and enemies of the town.
Stepping into the Stoat from his morning routine of a two mile run, half hour prayer and ritual cleaning of his longsword, Olybrius sees a growing crowd. Curiosity piqued, he wends his way over just as they start hurrying out.
"Hold, friends. What is it that has you all scurrying about like a number of Absalom rodents?" Thanks to his being out of town for the last two hours, word had yet reached his ears of the mercenary.
Spotting Barl, he steps over as he strokes his beard. "Well, Boulder? You seem in on the news. What's 'the word' as it were?"
"A rescue party in this weather is going to be very dangerous."
"Bah, the cold never hurt anyone!" Boulder goes on, not realizing how idiotic that statement was. "Besides, you've got the Boulder with you! Nothin to worry about!!"
"Meet you out back, five minutes!" and hurriedly moves off towards the kitchen, trying to be gone before Helen can protest!
"Alright! Now we're getting a crew together!" the huge man claps his hands together excitedly as he turns to leave the Stoat, almost running straight into Olybrius.
Spotting Barl, he steps over as he strokes his beard. "Well, Boulder? You seem in on the news. What's 'the word' as it were?"
"Some noble woman got lost in the woods and we're going to go get her back! ....I think." Barl scratches his head. "We've got to go talk to her guard first, heard he's lumped up real good."
Vic smiles at Boulder.
A right fine rescuing party we will all make. Come, let's see what is out there.
He looks at Kat, and instinctively reaches down to cover his purse as he stands and walks to join Boulder. He then stares at Kat and smiles.
I remember that one. It is strange that so many that I recall from places far and wide have descended on this town...
You hear that old man Darby is claiming something from the Boarder wood is carrying off his crops. He does have a farm near the Boarder forest
You make your way to Willowbark Apothecary, Only to be stopped by Tessaraea Willowbark, the Elven proprietor of the Apothecary. She looks at your rather large and ramshackle group and asks "May I help you with something?"
Yeah, mi'lady. We are here to see the wounded man. My friends and me are lookin' into the disappearance of the noblewoman in his care.
Jack seems interested Tell me Darby, about this thing that carries off your crops. Did you see it? What do you know about it? Or any signs it left behind
"Tessa, do you need any help? I have spells of healing prepared."
Willowbark Apothecary
Tessa looks at Vic and Tursk " Ah, you are here about that. Yes you can see him, he is not in the beast of shape" She looks as if in reflective thought "You may want to talk to the man before you use your gift Tursk, you you decide to move on his information, which I fear some of you will, you may well live because of them. Besides Elder Safander has already called upon his gifts to heal the worst of it."
with that she lead you to the room in back and the man she called Yuln Oerstag. A tall, Blond Ulfen with braided hair and thick beard. His nose and fingers are the deep black of forstbite and if this is after healing by Elder Safander, it is lucky he made it to Helden.
Yuln seems in great pain but waves you forward. "Do you plan to save the lady Argentea? Would that I could go with you,"he says. "My ancestors would ridicule my lack of valor for fleeing rather than fighting to the end. But I faced enemies that even the greatest warriors in the Linnorm Kingdoms have faltered against, though I think I slew at least one of them before they dragged Lady Argentea away." he says descending into thick coughs.
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Jack
Old man Darby just shakes his head "Nah lad, I saw nary a thing. My fields lie dead as if a hard winter frost had set upon them and what has not been ravaged by the frost has been picked clean! Not a beast that crawl upon four legs carried out such a task, that I know!"
Tursk held back a grimace at the sight of the frostbite. No simple healing spell could reverse that.
"Be at ease, Yuln. And, yes, we will send a search party at once. What can you tell us of the creatures that attacked you?"
"Good heavens," Helen gasps, placing one hand over her heart as she looks at the man's frostbite.
As Tursk asks about the creatures, Helen nods. "Yes, what happened exactly?"
Loking at Boulder, Olybrius' eyes go wide. "By the noble beard! A noble women in distress? Let us go to learn what we may!"
~~~
At the Apothecary, he listens to the Ulfen man and nods. "You may yet reclaim your valor, friend. Tell us more of this noble and where she was absconded at, if you can."
"We thought they were just bandits at first-outlaws who hide like wolve s in the forest. They were no match for us. But then came the cold fey of the north. They appeared among us and the battle turned quickly. My people speak of the winter-touched all the time, but I never expected to meet them this far south." he coughs and casts you a glance, catching the eyes of folks with an Ulfan look about them "Aye, those Fey creatures who have sworn themselves to the White Witches of Irrisen, those who stole our lands from us during the Winter War." He says with hate "Tiny sprites no taller than the length of a man's forearm. But don't be fooled by their small stature. Legends say they have taken a sliver of ice into their hearts, and their touch bears the harsh bite of winter."
He is racked with another coughing fit but goes on." They took the lady Into the forest,back through the ice and snow. Beyond that, I don't know I followed as far as I could, but the winter-touched were too many and too hard to fend off in the snow alone. I barely escaped, and rode to seek help here."
Kat stared with curiosity as the man tells his story. "Sprites? I haven' seen them since... well not important. What they want with yer Lady though? And how far away to the spot they took her?"
Barl nods, has face now a dour mask. He had heard of the ice creatures that came across the border of Irrisen to hary his people, sometimes pulling them off into a life of slavery. "Do not be ashamed Yuln. You fought well and were right to come back here. We will find these ice devils, smash every one of them and get back your Lady Aregen...! um.. what was her name again?" The Boulder scratches his head absently for a moment until one of his companions reminds him. "Argentea! Yes, we will find her and bring her back here to safety!"
Tursk frowns as he considers Yuln's words. Ice-touched. Were these creatures responsible for the unnatural cold peppering the air? It seemed likely.
"On my honor, Yuln, we will find Lady Argentea. And we'll end the murderous rabble that fell your comrades."
Helen looks around at the motley group of eager adventurers, then sighs. "I was going to suggest that there are probably legal authorities whose job it is to handle things like this, but I think I need to just accept that this is happening." She takes her glasses off and rubs her eyes for a moment, then puts them back on. "Well, I'll go with you then. If the Lady is to believe she's truly being rescued, someone will have to look civilized."
Yulan shakes his head at Kat "I don't know. But if one of the White Witches took her, no good shall come of it. The winter-touched do nothing without the leave of those who placed the ice in their hearts . If they're here, it's because a White Witch sent them. And much worse will follow." He says with a dark undertone to his voice, as if a man stating absolute and terrible truth.
Yulan speaks up once more " If you be meaning to go after the Lady Aregen, Take my blade. It has been among my family for many generations and of Cold iron, it will cut the foul minions of the witches where most blades would not." He points to his items laying in the floor " If I can not see this done, take it with ye and see it done. You can return my blade once the lady is safe."
Helen gives Yulan a warm smile. "Don't worry," she says, patting his shoulder lightly. "You've done more than your share already. You just rest here and focus on recovering. I'm sure one of these... um... fine... gentlemen can put your blade to good use, and we'll make sure to bring it back."
Helen then turns to the pile of equipment Yulan gestured toward and says, "Alright, let's see, what have we got here?"
Vic examines the sword.
Vic looks at the Paladin.
Oly, you may be the best person to wield this gift.
"A servant of the Inheritor is a fine choice to wield your blade, Yuln. He'll take good care of it."
Certainly better than he ever could. Tursk didn't place much stock in broadswords. A mace or spear would kill an enemy just as swiftly and didn't require years of expensive fencing lessons to master.
"So," Helen says, "I do apologize for bombarding you with all these questions when you need to rest; even so, you mentioned this happened in the woods. Can you give us a location, or even just a direction and approximate distance?"
Yuln coughs once more and nods to Helen "Aye, it is not to hard, south of here on the road to Demgazi. The Road nears the Boarder forest, we traveled with several mounts and two wagons. I do not think It likely anything has removed the wreaked wagons in a single night. The site should be easy to find"
"Thank you, Yuln. Rest easy, now."
He motions to the others to accompany him outside. Once they have gathered, he tells them.
"I am going after Lady Argentia. If any of you are coming, I would be most thankful. First I will go to the blacksmith to see if any more cold iron weapons can be found. We'll also need to purchase winter gear: coats, blankets, snow shoes and the like. And perhaps Tessa has some potions we can use."
Indeed. I will join you.
Helen nods. "I'll need to buy a handful of things, but I can otherwise be ready this morning. Shall we rendezvous back at the Stoat?"
Soon after speaking to Yuln you make for Vivialla Steranus's store and secure a few items you think you will need and within the hour are on the road headed south. The day is cool and as you walk the road, growing closer and closer to the boarder woods it grows colder, far too cold for a simple cold snap. Clear land turns to frosted land and that in a few miles turns to light snow.
The you are upon the site.
The road lays littered with debris and the corpses of the slain, both human and horse. A carriage stands in the roadway, its horses missing, while another carriage lays overturned, broken and sprawled across the landscape. to the south more bodies lay around what appears to be a statue of ice and a snowy trail vanishes into the forest.
Vic approaches and begins to search the bodies and the carriage.
I approach the carriage as well
"Well, that's curious," Helen says as she approaches. "Why bother smashing one carriage but then leave the other alone? And I've got a bad feeling about this ice sculpture."
Helen steps forward to examine the "statue", then looks for clues among the carriages.
Vic Looks over the scattered bodies, they seem to have been stripped of all weapons, gear and personal items. Well looted by the victors of the battle. He does notice the over turned carriage has been well looted, but there are some fine cloths within some of the broken chests that might be salvaged and could be worth something if not allowed to lay in the snow long.
Jack meanwhile looks over the intact carriage, it does have a spear shoved though the handled as a makeshift lockbar. As he gets closer and Helen speaks he notices a small rocking within the carriage and a muffled sound as if someone had tried to say something but were gagged maybe?
Helen gets a good look at the statue, which she notes sadly is not a statue. A armored man, frozen to the bone and now within several inches of clear ice. Someone or a few someones had carved into the man after he was frozen, one arm, with sword still in hand lays encased in ice a few feat away.
Push my rapier through where the sound is coming from
after all, I can't see it, but I can hear it and kind of guess that location and push it through an open/broken window, throw a crack, or between 2 pieces of wood.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Helen screams, rushing toward Jack. "That could be a survivor in there! Or a hostage! Or the very Lady we're trying to save for all we know! What kind of a maniac just starts stabbing as soon as he hears a noise?!"