Stealth
Geedra tries to duck her small self under the outstretched tarp.
Cara also helps quickly toss the tarps over the assembled group and attempts to hide among them. Now that she's adapted to living in the cold, she has little trouble properly obscuring herself.
Asgrid tries her best to huddle under the tarp, but Nadya's command so catches her by surprise that she stumbles off her sled, kicking up lots of snow as she tries to pick herself up.
You wait huddled beneath the tarps, hoping that the ravens aren't smart enough or currently perceptive enough to notice you through the ruse. You can tell that they are getting closer to your location as their caws become audible. The wind rushes past your caravan, ruffling through the fabric of the tarps. As the tarps move, you grasp them in hopes that it lessens their movement.
After a few moments of white-knuckled tension, the cacophony slips away into sky and wind. Soon after your hear Nadya's voice. "They have passed us by, praise the ancestors. Quickly, up, up, let us get to Waldsby as fast as these dogs can take us." Neither you nor the ulfen men are against this plan, and you quickly pack up the tarps and resume your journey.
It takes a few more hours, but the village of Waldsby that for so long was a distant speck on the horizon is now fully realized in front of you. The dogs pick up what passes for a road as you close in on the village which takes you right into town. It is not a large settlement, perhaps about the same size as Heldren in Taldor. In fact, strangely enough, the layout of Waldsby seems to be eerily similar to the village you left behind. Waldsby is little more than a group of buildings scattered around a central crossroads, but the placement of these structures is very reminiscent of Heldren. As the dogs come to a stop in the square of the crossroads, you notice that there is even a stone statue of a picturesque woman in the center, her grey form covered in a cloak of snow.
Nadya leaps off of her sled as it slows to a stop, and villagers immediately begin forming a crowd around the caravan. The people of Waldsby seem to be quite excited to see that Nadya has returned, surrounding her in particular as they welcome her back home. Some ask her how her trading fared, others ask her of the roads, and children laugh as they play with the dogs. For her part, Nadya seems happy with her status in the village, smiling warmly as she greets the villagers, taking their hands and patting shoulders. She reaches behind to her sled and pulls out a small satchel of food and passes out a few bits from it, and by then Rolf, Olavi, Harald, and Bjorn have disembarked as well and shake hands with some other men, pat children on the head, touch women on the shoulders. Not all of the supplies seems to be for tribute to the Pale Tower as your burly companions unload some and begin doling it out.
You notice that away from the immediate scene, standing on the porch of one of the larger buildings around the square, one couple does not seem so excited to see the return of the caravan. A squat man with a sour disposition, balding head, and thick arms stands beside a taller, leaner woman who would be striking if not for the cold, reproachful look upon her face. Her blonde hair dances in the wind, held away from her face by a headband. After watching for a few moments, they turn and go back into the building.
After the excitement of seeing Nadya and her fellows return, the gaze and attention of the villagers turn to you. Their reception to you is not so warm. Some parents grab their children and pull them away, while others whisper and point. Nadya sighs as she seems to fall back into the reality of the situation. She looks over her shoulder and her face has grown more stoic. "Rolf and the others will take care of the sleds. Quickly, come with me to my home. We will get you away from all these eyes, and I can finally repay you all with real hospitality. Hot food, new clothes, real rest. Come." She immediately leads the way out of the throng and takes you past what looks to be a small chapel, some sort of shop, and a ruined home, all that remains of which is a burnt frame and crumbling foundation. It only takes a few minutes to make it down the road and up a slight hill to Nadya's house, which is set slightly outside the village proper. A fine looking cabin, smoke rises from the chimney and lamplight glows softly in the windows.
Nadya leads you inside, where the first thing to greet you is the sound of children. Two small twin boys with reddish hair run straight to Nadya and embrace her tightly. "Mama!" they cry. Nadya kneels down and hugs them both close as an old woman comes into view, smiling and nodding to your guide. Nadya rises and welcomes you inside, closing the door.
The main room of the cabin is rather spacious for a Irriseni village. A hearth burns warmly, a cauldron bubbling over the flames, spewing the aroma of food. A large table fills most of the room, while a few other small surfaces hold lanterns. Decorations and knick-knacks adorn the walls - a few antlers, hunting horns, old bits of tapestry, and so on.
"My friends, welcome. It is not much, but I hope it will serve. These ruffians are Orm and Mjoli, my boys. This is Kashka, an old friend who looks after them while I am away. Please, make full use of anything I have. Kashka, get them some bowls of soup, and mead and tea to warm their bones. Orm, Mjoli, these are mother's friends, they helped her fight a monster. This is Geedra, Kronek, Cara, and Asgrid. Give them mind."
Nadya moves back towards the door. "I need to make a small trip across the village and see that the supplies are taken to the storehouse. I will get some more fitting clothes to you - you all stick out as foreigners. Not a good thing here. Please, stay inside for now. Your presence here will only cause suspicion among the villagers, more so as most of them will not be able to speak your Taldane tongue. I will return shortly."
aid asgrid
aid cara
aid kronek
aid geedra
Geedra keeps quiet throughout the group's arrival in the town proper. "Who am that couple in town not happy to see Lady? Looked mean and grumpy. Want Geedra go cast spell on mean humans?"
Geedra stays back from the children. Goblins weren't fond of most humans, let alone their children. She allows the others to do the mingling. She growls when she sees Fox almost acting like a kitten, allowing the boys to pet her, seemingly enjoying the attention.
Cara is visibly on edge as she enters the town of Waldsby for the first time. With recent events having inflamed her lingering suspicions of humans, and with her general distrust of anything related to Irrisen, she finds herself wary of the village and its inhabitants.
Upon reaching Nadya's home, however, she relaxes a little. It was unlikely that the woman would leave her children alone with strangers if she planned on betraying them later. In any event, the warm glow of their home was welcome relief after the days treking through the cold and snow.
"Yes, I too would like to know who the bald man and lean woman are. How often do messages pass between the village and the tower? I would not want to put your family in greater danger."
Before Nadya departs, she shakes her head. "Emil and Katrina. A sour pair. They own the White Weasel, the small tavern at the square. They above all do not like outsiders...they play the part of groveling servants to the authorities from the Pale Tower."
After she leaves, you are left in the company of Orm, Mjoli, and Kashka. The older woman has a rather neutral reception of you, staying silent as she ladles out a few bowls of hot soup from the cauldron and serves each of you. It is simple fare, a thin broth with venison and a few root vegetables, but its warmth is welcome. She puts out a platter of bread as well, and some cups of hot mead.
As she serves, Orm and Mjoli prove to be quite the opposite, nearly crawling all over you. They speak the common tongue, and have no issues in interacting with you. Orm first goes to Geedra, looking at her inquisitively.
"Why are you green? Did a witch curse you? You shouldn't make witches angry. Our sister did and they took her away, but mother says she will get her back. Are you going to help?Is that a fox, you have a pet! We have dogs. Can I play with him?"
Meanwhile, Mjoli sits next to Kronek. "You're big. Do you fight lots of monsters? Father fought lots of monsters, too. But trolls killed him. Have you fought trolls? You have big weapons, could probably beat them."
They seem largely uninterested in either Cara or Asgrid.
Geedra just wanted to eat her soup, not interact with tiny humans. "Play with Fox. Fox like tiny humans," she said as the fox rolled over and showed her belly to the children, a stark contrast to Geedra's gruff.
"Witch not curse Geedra. Green skin be nice. Nit look all sickly and pale like humans. Yes, Geedra help lady find her other tiny human, don't worry.". She chewed on another piece of bread.
"Oooo, look tiny humans, Cara has big long ears. Go play with Cara's ears! They am fun!"
Kronek is cheery around the children. He worries about Irrisen seem to melt away as the normalcy of the town and Nadya's home bring him comfort and a feeling of security after the dangers of the wood. He grows more serious as Mjoli questions him about the monsters, "Yes Mjoli. I have fought many monsters. Even a troll. Your father was very brave to fight them. We were able to kill it, but it wasn't easy. This spear once belonged to the troll."
Eating only enough to keep her strength up and to be polite, Cara flashes Geedra an icy glare, "My ears are not toys."
At least she stopped talking about eating them.
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Asgrid compliments Kashka on the broth. "Mmm, this is lovely, thank you. My mother makes a similar venison broth, but this is delicious. And what lovely children!" She helps herself to a slice of the thick, dark bread.
After the meal, Asgrid joins in the fun with Orm and Mjoli and the others. "Sadly children, Geedra was born that way. Gruff, I mean. But give her a chance and she'll tell you some great jokes. Like, what side of a bear's the furriest?"
The outside.
Mjoli's eyes widen at Kronek's words, and then they move over to gaze upon the spear. "A troll spear!" He can't stop looking at it after that.
Orm looks at Geedra strangely. "Who would want to play with ears!?"
In response to Asgrid's joke, he guesses "The backside!" with a bout of laughter.
Kashka sits quietly throughout the festivities, sipping on tea.
Nadya returns a half hour later, and her children light up upon seeing her again. Mjoli rushes over to tell her ""Mother, he killed a troll! That's a troll spear!" before running back to Kronek to ask him for more stories. Nadya holds back a chuckle and gives a small smile to Kronek. "I hope he isn't bothering you."
She has returned with a large sack, and plops it down on the floor, loosening the twine to get to its contents. "Here, you should probably change into these clothes." She starts unpacking them from the sack - they seem functionally the same to your own clothing, but obviously look different, more like those you saw upon the villagers out in Waldsby - materials, furs, and colors more befitting Irrisen. "They've seen you already, the villagers, but this still might help. You can change in my quarters if you're modest," she inclines her head towards a door at the back of my main room.
"If you truly mean to make an attack on the Pale Tower, I'm sure you'll want supplies. There isn't much in the village, but a few merchant folk might have some things to sell. I can take you around the village. I know most of you seem to speak Skald, so you should keep to it while we are out."
When you are ready, Nadya leads you out into Waldsby for supplies. Making the rounds, you discover that Waldsby has a blacksmith, a general store, a chapel to Pharasma, a barber, a carpenter, and the White Weasel tavern offering goods or amenities. Nadya suggests you keep clear of the tavern as to not do anything more to draw the attention of its owners, but states that the other locations are safe.
The blacksmith is owned by a human man named Iziamir Polovar and his wife Tula. The smith doesn't have much to sell in the way of weapons or armor - Nadya informs you that most of his business consists of making arrowheads and sharpening blades and doing repairs on dogsleds. The White Witches aren't keen on their subjects making anything to arm themselves, it would seem. However, hanging on in the inside of the door to the shop is a masterfully crafted light wooden shield made of dark hickory with a boss worked into the shape of a bear's head. Otherwise, Iziamir sells arrows for 3 copper a piece (he has a current total of 35) and will sharpen all of one person's weapons for 1 sp
The general store, Verana's Sundries, is run by a middle-aged woman named Verana Stolya. It is a meagerly stocked place compared to what you are used to seeing, but looks to at least have the bare essentials. She has plenty of cold-weather supplies - blankets, gloves, hats, scarves, skis, and snowshoes. She also has a stock of fishhooks, hempen rope, twine, candles, torches, lanterns, oil, flint & steel, sleddog harnesses, and a few cold, preserved meats and cheeses hanging from the ceiling. She also claims to have some magical items, but admits that she is ignorant to their properties. These items are a suit of studded leather armor (which she keeps well hidden from the authorities), a heavy leather belt, and a potion.
The barber is run by a grinning dwarf woman in a bloodstained apron named Rusilka. She offers shaves and haircuts for a silver piece, but also offers dentistry and surgical services.
Rolf Halzberg is the local priest, a tired looking man who does the best he can for the village. He delivers babies, buries the dead, cares for the sick, and performs marriages. Several things inside the chapel are broken, including the windows. Rolf is apparently a common target of harassment for the guards of the Pale Tower. Rolf offers whatever assistance he can, and also sells an potion of protection from evil and a scroll of goodberry, as well as 3 flasks of holy water.
A quiet gnome, Arbagazor, serves as the town carpenter, though really he is more of a woodworker savant. Judging by the works stationed around his home/shop, he is masterfully skilled, raising questions about why he lives here in Waldsby. Nearly everything he sells is for decoration, but he does have an enchanted (+1) darkwood quarterstaff available.
"Geedra and Asgrid, could the two of you examine those magical items at the general store and let us know what their properties?"
The potion is a potion of feather step (you've identified these before so I think you don't need to do that again).
Armor
Belt
At Nadya's home: Asgrid laughs at Orm's answer to her joke, and claps him jovially on the back. "Good enough! You're alright, kid."
Around the village: Asgrid takes everything in. This village seems even more hard done by than her own home. She takes note of what's on offer in Verana's general store. And while she's not really in need of a haircut, she's genuinely pleased to meet Rusilka as a fellow dwarfmaiden. Assuming the dwarf isn't too busy, Asgrid spends some time chatting with her and exchanging family details.
In the store, Asgrid sees the armor and belt and surreptitiously casts a spell of detect magic. She leans close to Geedra and whispers. "I don't know that armor, but hey isn't that a belt of mighty constitution? We should tell Kronek."
Rusilka is a surprisingly cheerful one, despite being a dwarf and despite living here. She always has a jovial grin on her face, though that coupled with her bloodstained clothes makes for a bit of a troubling combination. She is especially happy to see another of her own kind, and a woman at that! She can't help but spin the tale of the sign above her door, which depicts a clearly unhappy clean-shaven dwarf man. Rusilka regales Asgrid with the story of how, after finding out that her former husband was canoodling with a much younger dwarven maiden, she took off all of his hair in his sleep. Her story is punctuated by furious laughter.
Verana looks on wide-eyed as the mages among you perform divinations - whether she is suspicious or fearful of the display, or simply excited to find out how much gold she's been sitting on in these magic items it hard to say, but she waits anxiously to be told of their properties. And to sell them.
Once Cara discovers the armor's enchantment she sighs, "Ah, these people have a hard life and have endured more than their share of miseries. I would not want to cheat that woman out of that armor, nor do we have enough to buy it outright. Perhaps soon I will find something suitable somewhere soon."
She does, however, purchase 15 arrows from Iziamir for a grand total of 4 silver pieces and 3 coppers.
Geedra doesn't buy any of the items. She has plenty of throwing alchemical weapons, she didn't need armor, and the magical belt was well beyond their means at this time.
"Group might find gold at the tower. Can come back and buy what group needs. Ice Queen must have gold all over."
Asgrid laughs heartily at Rusilka's story, wishing she could have been there to see it.
At Verana's, Asgrid agrees with Geedra and Cara. "Yeah, if we think we have enough gear just now then let's pay a visit to the tower and see what's going on."
Asgrid also discusses with Nadya the possibility of offering her services as a healer to the townsfolk. "What do you think? Do you have a priest or priestess at the church of Pharasma? Perhaps if I spoke to them first. I don't want to step on any toes, but maybe it's one way we pay our way here."
"Brother Halzberg manages the chapel. I am sure he would welcome whatever help you can give."
Verana seems a bit of a mix between perplexed that you don't want to offer up anything for the magical items, but excited that you don't feel like you can afford them. "I've been sitting on these a long while," she says in Skald. "Might be worth a lot, but I've got no one to sell them to. Looks to me like I'll get more in trade out of you than anyone else that comes through this gods forsaken place. Besides, if the guards from the tower find them, they'll just take them anyway."
During your errands and exploration of town, later in the day, Nadya parts with you again to take care of some of her own business. In this interim, as you are passing through the square again, you notice the blonde woman of the White Weasel standing on its porch, leaning against the railing. She waves to you, calling out in Skald.
"Care for a warm drink, travelers? I hear you've had a rough go of it these past few days...an avalanche in the mountains, someone said? Come in by the fire and relax - I've more than drinks to sell, and I also hear that you've been looking to trade."
Recalling Nadya's warning, Cara ignores the woman as long as her companions do the same.
"Sorry, Geedra am not hear too well. Not feel much good, either. It am real cold out here. Geedra must go to home. Thanks for the invite, though," Geedra says as she makes up every excuse under the sun to not join the female.
Before leaving Verana, Kronek definitely explores what she might be interested in trading for the belt. He explains what he understands of the belt's properties and tells her of some of the other things we have picked up over the course of our adventures to see if there is anything she is interested in trading for.
Kronek is wary of the blonde woman and as soon as Geedra speaks he adds, "Cold again? I'm sorry. We'd better get her back home. Maybe she'll be feeling better tomorrow."
Looking over all you have acquired, Verana's eyes light up at the sight of all of the gems and jewelry you have acquired. The silver diadem, diamond necklace, jeweled necklace, sapphire rings, and blue quartz. You can see the astonishment and lust over them in her eyes - obviously the woman has not seen such an accumulation of lustrous wealth in all of her life. "Th...those jewels. They are...I, ahem, I would surely give you this belt for those. Only the white witches wear such finery! They are so stunning. I do not know about magic. It is hard for me to believe that a mere belt could be weighed against such treasures...with those gems and jewels, I could take my daughter and live well, maybe even..." her voice quiets as she looks left and right, afraid of being overheard. "leave this wretched land, and the white witches."
"Lady, it am cold all over now. Geedra come from far away, and winter be there too. Geedra am just giving warning before Lady travels, but trade sounds good. Big human look good in new belt," Geedra says with her usual big fanged smile.
When Asgrid gets an opportunity, she makes her way over to the temple of Pharasma. "Hello? Brother Halzberg? I was told I could find you here. I came for your advice. I wanted to pay for my stay here in Weldby and I have some experience with healing. I thought you might be able to direct me to where I could be the most help."
-------
Asgrid is wary of the blonde woman as well. She would prefer to skulk away from the woman, but she forces herself to smile and respond in Skald, "We shall have to call in another time I am afraid. We must be getting back. Thank you though!"
--------
At Verana's shop, Asgrid agrees with Geedra. She leans in as well and whispers, "Geedra speaks the truth. It seems to be getting cold everywhere. Take the jewels, use them to look after your family and friends here in Weldby. I sense with this cold we will all need to look after each other."
The woman on the porch furrows her brow, hard creases appearing on her sharp features that are visible even from your distance. Her sour look well-registered, she turns briskly on her heel and retreats back into the White Weasel, slamming the door behind her.
The day goes on, and you all see to whatever errands or activities you wish. You presence still draws the eyes of the villagers, but it does not appear that any of them, save perhaps the proprietors of the tavern, have any ill will towards you. Not many folk specifically come up to greet you, but they do not shy away, either. The children of the village in particular, of which there are few, seem interested in you - they look upon your weapons and armor with wide eyes, as surely to them you seem the stuff of stories. They seem to pay even closer attention to Geedra and Cara; a kellid and a dwarf perhaps are not such outlandish spectacles for Waldsby, but an elf and a goblin perhaps are. Children dash down the sides of the street to keep eyes on you, and at one point they decide to test their luck and draw nearer, throwing snowballs at Geedra with pleasant laughter, running off again.
The priest rises and turns to greet you. Brother Halzberg is a tired looking man, looking quite older than his years would suggest. He is balding, what remains of his hair mostly gray, as is his beard. He is dressed in dark grey robes, a few silver fastenings on them, and wears a pendant depicting a scarab. When Asgrid makes her greeting, the man smiles, approaching.
"Greetings, my friend. Yes, I am Brother Halzberg. You are a generous soul, to offer aid in this far, dark corner of the world. Even the Lady of Graves, ubiquitous as she is, has no foothold here. It is rare to see a practitioner of the divine arts in Irrisen. The Jadwiga care little for gods and worship and care less for the people who do. Any help you could offer the people of Waldsby would receive my deepest gratitude, and surely the favor of the Gray Lady. As for advice....well, I am just an old man doing the best he can for a poor people in a grim place, so I am not sure what manner of aid I could offer you."
Speaking with Brother Halzberg, you come to find out that clerics and priests in Irrisen are often treated poorly, if not outright killed. The White Witches generally only tolerate the religions of Lamashtu and Zon-Kuthon, but outlying villages like Waldsby can often get away with small, quiet chapels to other deities that aren't in direct opposition to the rule of the witches. He admits, however, that the guards of the Pale Tower all too often target the small chapel for their amusement, noting the window.
As your are speaking, the door opens and the bird in the cage chirps again. Brother Halzberg's eyes flick to the door where an elderly woman stands, wrapped in a heavy shawl and hood, her hands in mittens. She has a rough cough that precedes her speech. Brother Halzberg moves over to stabilize her and help her to a bench.
"Thank you," she says, trembling. "I am afraid the herbs you gave me are gone, and I've yet to throw off this wretched sickness...perhaps it is too late."
Now now, Hildred, that is no way to speak. I have not yet given up hope." He moves over to the cage and opens it, and the bird hops out onto his outstretched finger. He carries it back over to Hildren and sets it down on her lap where it hops around, chirping happily. The old woman reaches out a finger and strokes the bird's back, which does a little something to cheer her up. "This is Asgrid, Hildred. She is also a priest, of sorts, known to the healing arts as well. Perhaps she can better advise a treatment, if you would allow."
The old woman looks at you and shrugs, nodding.
At first, she speaks Skald, but quickly realized you don't seem to be versed in it. "Ah, South tongue. I speak little." She nods. "You with Nadya, yes? Help bring..uh, supples? supplies? I am Tula. Husband Iziamir. You...elf? Not seen before." She smiles and then awkwardly bows, perhaps thinking that is customary. "Can help?" With minor difficulty, you are able to make the monetary exchange for arrows. Upon your purchase, she takes them over to her husband and has them freshly sharpened for you. The man looks to you as he is finished and gives you a respectful nod, thanking you for your patronage but gets quickly back to work. Tula gives you the freshly whetted arrows and leans against the workbench looking at you. "Other else? Sharp your sword? Have special shield." She points at the shield hanging on the door behind you, a well-crafted piece of dark hickory with a bear's head boss. "Or tea and talk? Never talk elf. Not talk many people here."
Kronek is also intending to keep a low profile. He returns to Nadya's once the trading is complete hoping to steal some more conversation before it is time to go to the tower.
While Cara and Asgrid move off to run their errands, you two return to Nadya's cabin to lie low and avoid unwanted attention. Upon entering, you are greeted with the familiar warmth of Nadya's home and the smell of something cooking, and the immediate boisterous voices of her twin boys. The door is hardly closed behind you before they are rushing over, nearly tripping on one another. Mjoli comes up to Kronek, stabbing playfully with an invisible spear. "I got a troll spear, too!" he says. Orm goes to Geedra and looks around. "Where's Fox?" Spotting the kit, he begins a game of chase.
From across the room, Nadya stands with Kashka, looking at the scene before her. She smiles weakly, and mutters a word to the other woman before moving into an adjacent room. Kashka shouts out and gets the boys under control, ushering them out as well, and Nadya returns a moment later.
"I am sorry if they are a bother. They have so much energy. I have not seen them so...happy in some time. They really must have taken a quick liking to you all. They don't get out much." She sighs as she sits down at the table, reaching across to a small table where there sits a wineskin, which she pulls to the table and gestures, offering you both to take a seat. "I am thankful that you have agreed to help me rescue my daughter. I fear for her safety - none of the Tower are a reasonable lot. They don't normally keep prisoners." She drinks a sip of wine and sets it back down, producing a pendant. "I keep this with me when I travel, so I always have a reminder of why I must come home safe." She reveals the pendant is a locket, parting it to produce small but immaculate paintings of Orm, Mjoli, and a little girl who must be Thora. "There was someone who lived in town, died a year ago, but he was a wonderful painter. He was kindly to the children, painted these. They are my life. I only wish I could provide a better one for them." She turns to show you the portraits. Judging by Orm and Mjoli's appearances, they are somewhat recent. Thora is a young girl, perhaps 6 or 7, with braided blond hair and bright blue eyes, a chubby child's face. Something about that picture strikes you as familiar, and it brings a strange nagging to the backs of your minds.
Your stomach lurches. Thora...though she looks different in this portrait, you mentally add features...strangely artificial skin, glassy, gemlike eyes...the soulbound doll from the strange hut in the woods in Taldor. It occurs to you now whose soul was put into that doll. Thora.
When Nadya apologizes he smiles again and rocks himself back to his feet. "They are no bother at all Nadya. Your children are wonderful." He walks over and sits down in the offered chair at the table. "We should get to the Tower as soon as we can Nadya. Tomorrow?" He leans in as she takes out the locket and opens it. A horrible feeling of deja vu sweeps over the Kellid man as he looks at the image within. Kronek knows that Nadya is still speaking, but he can't follow a word and when he raises his head again his eyes are filled with tears. No, no, no, no, no. Shaking his head slowly he looks at Nadya. "I'm so sorry. So sorry Nadya."
"Yes, I'm an elf. My group and I helped Nadya, yes." Cara replies slowly and clearly, forcing a smile in an effort not to make any enemies. "Thank you for the offer, but I do not use a shield. Is there anything else you would like to know? I'm afraid I cannot stay for tea."
Nadya's group:
Speaking to Brother Halzberg, Asgrid takes a seat, absently tracing patterns on the floor with her finger. "You speak the truth. When I began to manifest magic, the witches tried to quash what they did not understand, then tried to mold me into their image. In their eyes I was an aberration. Funny thing is, I don't even know where my powers come from, truly. As far as I know, they could come from Pharasma herself. After all, I did cheat death in a way."
When the lady Hildred enters the small shrine, Asgrid comes over and offers to take a look to try to determine her ailment. "Hello Hildred, how long have you been feeling poorly? What was the good Brother giving you? Did it help any?" She rummages in her healer's kit as she checks Hildred's condition.
Nadya is suddenly unnerved by Kronek's abrupt shift in emotion. She nervously rocks in her chair. "Sorry f-for what? Wh-what's wrong?" Despite her ignorance to the matter, it is almost as if she seems cognizant of what is happening - some mother's instinct, perhaps. Her eyes turn swiftly on Geedra when the goblin speaks, laying out the facts of the matter clearly. She seems to put what each of you has said together, and a wave crashes over her. She stands so sharply that her chair rocks back and falls to the floor with a thud. Tears surge into her eyes, welling there in a mixture of shock, rage, and dismay. She is flushed, lips quivering in search of words, but anything she has to say seems caught in her throat for a moment before she finally flings them out.
"No. No no no no no. It can't be! She can't be -" Her eyes widen in realization. "No, she is still- the doll wasn't-" Just as quickly as it all came, it melts off of her as she is unable to formulate a decisive reaction. Her body slacks, she lurches forward, settling in a fall into Kronek, flinging her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. "I was supposed to save her! How could I let her die?! I am her mother!"
During her display of emotion, strangely, a candlestick holder from atop the mantle suddenly leaves it post, sails through the air, hits the fall, and clatters onto the floor. Nadya seems not to notice.
Tula shakes her head, seemingly understanding that she shouldn't be bothering you so. She smiles again and shoos you with her hand, not unpleasantly. "Go, go, tea other times. Come back if need things. If one you know want special shield? Or blades sharps on stone."
You take your leave of the blacksmith with your arrows and make your way back across the square to return to Nadya's. As you pass in view of the White Weasel's windows, you can see the blond woman Katrina eyeing you hawkishly from behind one. As you pass the statue in the town square you've heard called the Cold Woman, you notice two things. One, ahead of you on the corner, is the burnt out house that you have passed before. As any other villagers walk by the hollow frame, they make a strange gesture in its direction, holding their hands in front of their face. Every person that passes the corner does so, almost instinctively. The second thing you notice is that directly south of you, in what looks to be a small barn, the sounds of a beleaguered or pained cow emanate, the weak mooing barely sounding above the wind.
You investigate Heldrid's symptoms even as she tells them to you. Her words are punctuated frequently by fits of labored coughs during which her whole body trembles. "Started over a week ago, dear...A bad cough. Didn't think much of it....lots of coughs in these parts, you know... and I'm an old woman. Didn't leave, didn't leave...And then I came down with the shakes.... Had the shakes before, too, course, but nothing like this...I'll have you know I'm.... a hundred hundred generations born... to this land, such as it is. Cold is in my blood...and it never 'ffected me so. This cold...I can feel it in my bones, even wrapped up in wools and furs and near sitting in the fire. Started as an ache...spread then, you see, feels like my lungs are all ice and...my heart a cold stone...and then these..." She gives a tug to the sleeve of her furs and you see strange, blue-black splotches on her skin. They almost seem to radiate cold themselves.
Brother Halzberg interjects. "Thought the chillbane shakes at first, but that would have passed by now. When those spots came about, all I could think of was frostbite. I've been supplying her with a few different remedies, but nothing takes. I'm afraid I've done much of what I can do. Pharasma's own energy took no effect, either."
You attempt a healing spell on the woman, and though it seems to give her a bit of energy, the splotches remain, her cough persists. You do, however, quite believe you are familiar with this particular sickness. In your younger days among the Dwarves of the Kodar Mountains, it was an uncommon plight but not unheard of. Glacier Plague. It is a nasty sickness, born of the supernatural cold of Irrisen itself. Though it likely began as a magical affliction, so many years have passed since this land was eternally frozen it is now a natural occurrence. It is usually not found in villages such as this, unless there is a particularly old ruin nearby, but you figure it could have come from the Hoarwood, especially with the portal there - the magic of the portal could have exacerbated the sickness and caused it to spread.
Her symptoms line up - fatigue and coughing, and the feelings of inescapable, internal cold. The blotches on her skin mark the progression of the disease. Glacier Plague virtually freezes its victims from the inside out until all of their functions shut down, frozen. Fortunately, you believe you recall a way to treat and cure the sickness, though you are unsure how easy the remedy will be to come by.
Bark and cone of the winteryew tree, sap of a fir, blood of a healthy beast, gunar root, mixed into a paste. That, and a little divine magic as a boost, would likely heal the woman.
Geedra and Kronke:
Thanking the woman for her time and hospitality, Cara mentally notes the strange things she sees and returns to Nadya's home to wait for the others.
Asgrid looks up sharply from her examinations, searching Brother Halzberg's face. "This woman is suffering from Glacier Plague. Tell me, are there any ruins nearby, where she may have picked it up? This will be difficult to cure, and it must be done quickly. I have not attempted it myself, but my people have a remedy for this type of ailment. Are there any winteryew trees nearby? And where can I get my hands on some gunar root?"
Kronek catches Nadya as she falls into him. He just holds her while she tries to sort out her thoughts. "It isn't your fault Nadya. The witches took her. The witches did it. You were doing everything you could to save her. You are a good mother."
Brother Halzberg looks both baffled and aghast at your words. He shakes his head. "Glacier plague? By my bones, I've heard of it, but never thought it could appear here..Ruins? Not that I know of..the forest, perhaps. I've never dealt with it. A remedy, you say...Winteryew are common to Irrisen, just about the only tree that survives here. Gunar root...not often seen out of the foothills of the mountains, I think. Still, there could be some in the storehouse..it is where all supplies that come into Waldsby goes. The place is kept under lock and key by Birgit...she is the witch Nazhena's factor here. She is unlikely to give up anything from it for free."
Cara walks through the square and continues on for the few short minutes it takes to reach Nadya's cabin, which she hears a slight commotion from within. Opening the door....
The door opens and Cara appears at the entrance to the cabin. Nadya has her arms flung around Kronek who is seated at the table. She is crying, red faced and cheeks wet. Geedra stands nearby, awkwardly trying to pat the woman on the back. Nadya suddenly pauses her sobs, clears her throat, and swiftly pulls herself off of the kellid, looking around. "I'm...I...I'm sorry, I..." She wipes her eyes and shakes her head and moves quickly to the door, pushing past Cara. "I need to go." She leaves.
Kronek stands and goes after her. He quickly turns sideways to sqeeze past Cara, "Nadya wait. If you're thinking of going to the tower, you can't go on your own. We'll do it together."
Cara seems taken aback by the scene before her, asking perhaps in vain, "What's going on?"
Not Asgrid.
It takes a moment or two for Geedra's words to register, but once she processes what happened, Cara gasps loudly, "Oh my gods, I'm so very sorry! We really had no idea. If there is truly anything I can do, you merely have to ask." After those brief words of sympathy, Cara stands dumbfounded as she realizes she was involved in the death of a child. Even though there was very little she could have done to avoid it, she nevertheless feels grief, guilt, and revulsion overcome her and begins to quietly weep.
Nadya looks back at your group after she is about ten feet out of the door. "I...I just need to be alone." With that, she hurries off.
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Asgrid's eyes narrow at Brother Halzberg's explanations. "This Birgit, is she the woman at the White Weasel? I had a bad feeling about her. Hmm, I have a friend who might be able to help me find some gunar root. If not, can you suggest anything this Birgit might take in trade?"
Asgrid turns back to Heldrid. "We'll help, if we can. I'll need to gather some supplies, it could take a wee while. In the meantime, let's try to make you as warm and comfortable as possible. Heldrid, have you been anywhere unusual recently?"