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A small, frozen yard stands between rickety fences to the east of the armory. Target dummies, both for melee and archery training, stand at the far eastern end of the icy field.
The red headed man jerks his head as his compatriots enter the open field. He turns around, brandishing his handaxe. "This is it, Pathfinders!" An Ulfen warrior spits out the group's name. "Hjort Fastaxe stands before you! You burned my village to the ground and left me for dead. Runa was betrayed too, and she helped me discredit you. Now, come here so I can finish you off with my bare hands!"
The dark-haired Chelish woman simply shakes her head, slightly embarrassed. "Kill them all. Saving the leader is preferred, but optional."
As the fight begins on the frozen yard, the wizard and the monk are the quickest to act. The wizard, clad in blue robes, evokes a magic missile that hits Vires for damage! The monk seems to hold his action.
L, G
Rimble, Theadric
Hjort, Runa
Angus [23/30] + Fang, Seytiko, Rogzul, Vires [12/20]
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"This reminds me of a scene in a show I did once!" Hood says.
"This is the part right before I charge the bad guy, but I'm not supposed to hit him yet until he puts up a good fight! Yeaw!" he yells and spurs his pony.
When he reaches the Ulfen warrior, Hood intentionally pulls his lance up so as not to hit him.
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Theadric and his pony charge but the mount refuses to hit the man. Theadric "intentionally" misses his blow.
Hjort hits Theadric with a big slash and Runa lets out a big aura of evil.
for
After this, Angus and Fang go to the fight, and both hit their targets.
Angus [23/30] + Fang, Seytiko, Rogzul, Vires [12/20], Rimble, Theadric [22/31]
Hjort [9], Runa [6]
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She doesn't surrender but as she moves to use negative energy, she takes a force missile right in the chest and drops to the frozen ground, unconscious.
You bind them and after a short moment, the two other lads come back to their senses.
Among Runa's possessions you find several well-written documents stating the Shadow Lodge plot to tarnish the Pathfinders reputation in the Land of the Linnorm Kings. It hinged on destroying coastal villages, and then blaming the Pathfinder Society to rally support against them.
She also has a note indicating the transport of one Rognvald Skagni. His destination is a Shadow Lodge hideout in the city of Irrisen, further north of Trollheim. With the Shadow Lodge's efforts to tarnish the Pathfinder name, the party can expect a chilly reception to go with the chilly climate.
The chest of documents will have to wait a little longer until it finds its owner...
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Based on Runa White's notes, you set your destination for the icy walled city of Whitethrone. Many of Trollheim's residents warn of the strange folk there, and even fewer of them are willing to travel there. They warn you of the bitter cold and the unfriendly climate there.
You are able to join a group of merchants and hunters who are on a diplomatic mission to Irrisen. They suggest you buy some winter equipment from Trollheim, and then disguise yourselves as traders and merchants.
Whitethrone is a town where humans and monsters like Goblins, Giants, and Trolls coexist, all with equal rights. There are about 25,000 citizens in total.
The city is very xenophobic and views outsiders with suspicion. Merchants are barely tolerated and adventurers are considered mass murderers.
Thanks to Baba Yaga's magic, many Lupines can walk around the town in human form. They tend to live in the Howlings district.
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Rogzul supplements his own knowledge of Irrisen with what he hears from the merchants.
"Many monsters in Whitethrown, Wolfmen walk as humans with Baba Yaga's magic. They are citizens, like humans in Absalom. They are dangerous and do not like outsiders, but they will talk to merchants. It is how I traveled before."
Rogzul purchases furs to cover himself with during the travel and a pair of snowshoes and cleats each for when the terrain gets difficult. He also reminds his companions that he has 3 Scrolls and a full charged wand of Endure Elements for use when he weather gets cold enough that they're actually needed.
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Hood seems excited for this new trip. He is outfitted in a cold-weather outfit and sits astride his trusty pony, Zyzzyx.
"Wolf men! Sounds like this could be fun! We could see how close we could get to their claws without getting hit!"
the halfling doesn't seem too interested in appearing to be a merchant, but shrugs and holds up an abacus.
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The trip to Whitethrone is long, bitter and cold. The merchants warn the party that news from Irrisen is that Pathfinders are not allowed, and they should keep their disguises on for as long as possible.
The party continues to check on their cargo, the hundred-pound heavy oak chest. It's full of documents meant for the eyes of Rognvald Skagni and his alone.
The trip seems to go well, as you approach Whitethrone you see the city's ice white walls over a couple of hills. Some soldiers of the Irrisen's Iron Guard, accompanied by rowdy ice trolls, approach the caravan for a surprise inspection. As it turns out, they just want a lot of money. And when the merchants fail to react appropriately, the soldiers and the ice trolls attack!
Chaos erupts as the caravan scatters across the wilderness. Realizing the soldiers to be too strong to fight on your own, you carefully flee from them, carrying the oak chest into the wilderness. The screams of the caravan men and Iron Guard fade into the distance.
A biting cold wind blows from the north and snow blows in blinding drifts amid numbing fog. The bone-white walls of Whitethrone, capital of Irrisen and home of Baba Yaga’s white witch daughters, rise into the frigid northern night. Somewhere within is the Shadow Lodge headquarters hinted at in Trollheim where the poor historian Rognvald Skagni is being held. Reaching this point was a difficult challenge, but gaining entry into the city itself presents the greatest obstacle yet.
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Thanks to Rogzul's magical help, you resist very well to the cold during the day.
As you approach Whitethrone, you see The Iron Guard is in full force, patrolling the city perimeter. There are a few ways to enter the town without running into the guards, however.
Chruning ice blocks crash without warning, turning once safe paths into hazardous drops into the frozen waters below.
The Royal Palace—the seat of the queen of Irrisen—sits in the center of the harbor. Constructed entirely of ice and reaching a height far above the surface of the water, the palace provides a clear view of the frozen lake below.
Irrisen is 90% surrounded by imposing bone-white stone walls guarded day and night by the hardy and ruthless Iron Guard. The walls are 40 feet tall.
The merchants who routinely visit Irrisen aren't very fond of it. With a silver tongue and a handful of gold coins, you may be able to join the caravan. Nontheless, you'll still need to convince the guards to let you by. They are suspicious of any newcomers, especially new merchants.
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"I can get us into the city. Trust Rogzul!" The half-orc looks at his companions for confirmation before negotiating passage with a caravan and attempting to speak with an Iron Guard for entrance into the city.
Rogzul first approaches a passing caravan, offering the groups services as protections if things take a turn for the worse. He either purposefully leaves out the previous flight from combat, or he has already forgotten it, in either case he keeps his rather full coin purse in sight, knowing that gold is important in every culture.
If the caravans accept the party Rogzul waits first to see if the Iron Guard attempt to stop them when they enter the city.
"We passed other dead merchants on the road. If you kill all the traders, who will trade? Who will bring news of your enemies?" The logic is, perhaps simple, but Rogzul believes fervently in the approach and he presses that allowing the caravan into the city is best for the continued strength of the city.
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Hood considers the options for getting in.
"This situation certainly requires the most spectacular entry. Fiery explosions would be helpful with any of the approaches. But my vote would be for climbing that icy path--without ropes of course! Or I suppose climbing that way--at night so it's harder--would also be fun!"
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The merchants agree to let you travel among them and are even glad for your "help" on the matter but the guards at the front door frown and stops you. He eyes Rogzul cautiously. "What was your name again?" The head guard pulls up a scroll full of names.
The guard isn't looking to find your name. He looks intently at Rogzul's purse.
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The guard raises a bushy eyebrow and takes the coins, then nods silently at the others. He wrinkles his eyes seeing how much of you there is.
The merchant captain who agreed to take you among them steps forward and speaks with assurance. "You know we come to sell and buy. And drink and eat. We, merchants, are among the reason this beautiful country can live richly. Please don't tax us more than reason..."
The head guard considers the deal but still refuses to let you pass.
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- Honorable guard, please do not be offended, by my friends harshness. It's the weather and the long journey. We would be oh so very grateful if you let us through, so that we might find a warm house and down a cup of hot wine.
- My name is Hayato Norimaki, I am a chef and a piemaker. I am travelling with my kitchen crew. If you wish, after we settle in the town, I will make you a whole supper as a gratitude.
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"Many monsters in Whitethrown, Wolfmen walk as humans with Baba Yaga's magic. They are citizens, like humans in Absalom. They are dangerous and do not like outsiders, but they will talk to merchants. It is how I traveled before."
"As Wolfmen you mean... lycanthropes?", Rimble asks Rogzul.
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Once arrived in Irrisen and Rozgul uses its dots to persuade the guards, the sorcerer tries to help him in some way.
"C'mon, my friends, it is more than enough to let a half dozen of poor merchants enter in the city to make some gold."
"Well, it seems I used the wrong words", he thought after his 'help'.
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The guard now satisfied with 10 more coins in his glove waves you through the gates.
"Don't make any mess!"
With that, the guard steps aside and you all enter the town of Whitethrone.
Past the gates, you see all manners of creatures travelling together. A pair of ogres begin a brawl not far from you, with a pair of ice trolls leading them on. A white goblin pack try to sell you "rats-on-a-stick" before a winter wolf chases them off.
Runa White's notes indicate a Shadow Lodge housed in an abandoned brewery named "Auntie Marny’s Bitter Brew." You get directions to it from a dour merchant, and note it's almost in the middle of town. You decide to quietly and discreetly travel there.
A large, dilapidated building sits crammed between equally dilapidated warehouses and flophouses. Its doors are chained shut, its windows are filled with broken glass and boarded from the inside, and its facade is faded, crumbling, and encrusted with icicles. Faded, hard-to-read letters are painted 10 feet tall across the top of the ruined structure—they read: Auntie Marny’s Bitter Brew.