After climbing at least a hundred feet into the hills, the snowy trail finally levels off. In a clearing among the trees, a large wooden lodge overlooks a ravine spanned by a long rope bridge. Smoke rises from the lodge’s two snow-covered chimneys, and large woodpile is stacked against the outer wall. A small outbuilding stands east of the lodge, and a stone well nearly blanketed by snow is barely recognizable to the north. Several tracks lead southwest toward a detached stable.
As she approached, Neve began to sniff the air, searching for any scents that were familiar to her from the scene of the carriage attack. The more she knew about that, the better. Once she was done, she shifted back to human form - out of sight of the lodge - and looked at her fey companion. "So, what do you think?" she inquired, interested in a second opinion on the place.
The only thing you can smell is the overpowering stench of the outhouse that's about fifty to the south of where you are. As you investigate the immediate area, you notice that you've come upon the rear of the lodge.
"This is former base of the rangers known as the High Sentinels, now overtaken by the Rohkar’s Raiders. I've only been in the first room, where they hang their trophies."
Neve looked at the fey for a moment, with the expression of someone who had been born a long ways away, only recently come to this area, and did not actually know who either of those groups were or what they normally did.
The fae shrugs. "I don't know much about the rangers, beyond them being just that. Rohkar is the leader of the bandits who ambushed and kidnapped some noble woman. At least, I think she was a noble, she was certainly dressed fancily enough. This is their hideout, and I guess their home too."
"Bandits are bad. Got it." Neve answered breezily. "Do you think they have any relation to the weather that's been plaguing this area?" As with the previous group, she didn't plan to go out of her way to take down every miscreant in the area... but if there was a reason to deal with them, that was another thing entirely.
Fawfein shakes his head "No, but they are allied with those who brought the winter. Also, they're holding Lady Argentea hostage."
"That's what we call a relation." Neve observed. "They might have useful information." With that, she began creeping closer to the outbuilding, intending to examine it and be sure it was clear before she made her way into the main house.
There's no sound coming from the outhouse, though the stench is awful. You note that it is currently frozen shut. You also spot small hammer that you guess is used to chip away the ice to gain access.
Neve raised an eye at the hammer for a moment. Geez, who allowed a place like this to get frozen shut? If you needed it in a hurry... ugh. Well, there didn't seem to be any threat here, so it wasn't important to her. With that, she crept back towards the stable, checking to see if any servants (or some such) were around there.
Twin doors open into this low stable, where five stalls hold three horses and a mix of loose straw. A rack of riding gear hangs on the east wall, and a cast-iron tub sits empty in the corner.
There's nothing of note, besides a few horses who whinny as you near, but you're able to calm them quickly so they don't attract any attention.
You're also able to hear a rushing river nearby, and your fae companion informs you that unpleasant ice memphit watches over the bridge from the other side.
Finally, the large porch to the lodge is opposite the stables, which is the obvious entrance.
Neve quietly continued forward, leaving the horses behind as she checked to see if she could enter the house through the porch. She wanted to be as quiet as she could for as long as she could, but sooner or later, she'd be noticed - and she wasn't going to worry too much about that.