|
Your time in Trollheim ended quickly when you discovered clues leading to Whitethrone, the capital of Irrisen and home of Baba Yaga’s white witch daughters, where you hoped to find the kidnapped historian Rognvald Skagni.
Traveling across the border from the Lands of the Linnorm Kings into Irrisen is no small feat, but you managed it by joining a mixed caravan of hunters and merchants headed for Whitethrone on a diplomatic mission. The merchants warned you that Whitethrone has been up in arms against Pathfinders recently, and they would likely need to sneak into the city. Things were going well until terrifying ice trolls and soldiers of Whitethrone’s Iron Guard who, it seems, were not interested in speaking to a diplomatic mission, ambushed the caravan. You barely escaped with your lives, though most of their caravan did not.
A biting 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, rises 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.
|
|
Sussmaar stands 5 ’11, weighing in at a bulky and muscular 223 lbs.
His scales are green with slight tinges of dark green and black.
With the pale cold eyes staring out front underneath his brow ridge and dark demeanor as well as his dark clothing most are surprised to learn that he is in fact a Paladin.
His eyes are a cold, pale blue. His lipless mouth is sometseen in a smile.
* * *
"We fleeing from trolls me not like! We Pathfinders! We fight ... but we maybe dead then ... and we finding Shadow Lodge headquarters must! And find Skagni! But how we city go in?" Suussmaar asks the remaining Pathfinders.
|
Ethelinda is a young woman of clear Varisian descent. What can be seen of her dress under her winter coat is made of vibrant colors of orange, violet, and blue. These colors also apparent in the long scarf she has on, although violet stands out more any any other color in it.
"Perhaps Char can find us a way in. He'll be practically unnoticed in all this white powder." Ethel says as she opens a large pull string bag at her hip, revealing a small arctic hare.
She lifts him out the pouch and onto the ground.
"Scout the walls for us Char. Find us a good way in. Preferably one that isn't well watched. There'll be treat in it for you, promise!" she says as she runs a hand across the rabbits head and presses the end of her finger to it's snout.
|
|
Rewyn is familiar with most local customs in this region.
You find yourselves outside the city walls of Whitethrone, intent on fnding a way in without getting caught or killed by the Iron Guard.
Rewyn knows that Pathfnders are banned from Whitethrone after Caggrigar and his Shadow Lodge agents successfully convinced the Iron Guard that the Pathfnder Society was rampaging through the Lands of the Linnorm Kings and would soon bring their thieving, murdering ways to Whitethrone itself.
Rewyn also knows that by far, most of the traffic entering Whitethrone on a given day is local merchant traffic or merchants from neighboring realms. Most merchants are recognizable to the gate guards who work the gates day in and day out and see the same faces often. Though these Iron Guards are typically suspicious of new merchants approaching the gates, they don’t immediately assume that a new merchant is a threat.
|
|
Rewyn will inform her allies that this city might surprise you as evil is the custom here. You will often find dolls running the streets doing errands for various witches. It's best you don't question it. You will notice that trolls, winter wolves, blue goblins and blue fey are local citizens here and it's best to keep to yourself. There is a district where winter wolves can turn into humans, it's best to stay away from that area and don't get on anyone's bad side.
"Perhaps if we dress up like merchants. I don't know if they want any paper work but if we have a smooth tongue we might be able to convince them we are here to either pick up something or bringing in something. But do we have anything to bring in? There will be no sneaking around or over these walls I'm afraid, this place is not to be toyed with."
Edit: She will also mention, they know we are coming.
|
|
Your hare returns to you and seems to be doing some kind of swimming motion and then one for rowing a boat.
You always have the option of simply climbing the walls, but they are 40ft tall and flat stone. The tops of the walls are always guarded and patrolled as well.
One of you pulls out a map of Whitethrone.
|
|
"I not like bribe but here laws maybe ok ... what you thinking about this?! We not say Pathfinders are we but visitors who want find friend Rognvald Skagni. Maybe bureaucrat has good heart ... and in let us! If merchant we make then I silent. Not good lying." Suussmaar explains.
Then he shakes his head.
"May Everlight guide us!"
|
|
"It could work. I'd rather not mention Rognvald though. Considering Iron Guard were part of the ambush against our caravan I feel like we should be as discreet as possible about our real goal. What say the rest of you?" exclaims Ethelinda as she lifts Char back into the pouch at her side.
"There, there little one. Your treat is on the way once we make it past the gate."
|
|
"I'm not the best at swimming and that water looks really really cold. A boat would be noticed and stopped for questioning. What if we talk to one of the merchants down the road and see if we can act as part of their caravan? That way it looks like we have product. Hmmm, maybe disguise self a bit more like merchant too. I don't mind a lie if it's for the greater good."
|
|
It looks like a majority would like to slip in the main gate in someway. Either posing as merchants or bribing merchants to get you in. Can we have a confirmed plan of action please.
1) Climb the walls
2) Bluff past guards
3) Bribe/ask merchants to get you in
4) Use the water/harbor
5) Something else
|
|
The party makes their way as close to the main gate as the deem safe and watch as merchants form a long throng of traffic heading in or out. Two guards check the merchants in, occasionally inspecting the cargo of carts and wagons.
One covered wagon is stopped on the road discussing the best place to head to in order to setup shop in the city.
|
|
Ethelinda empowers herself with a touch of magic.
She then heads to the covered wagon.
"Hello, might I be of some assistance? I couldn't help but over here you were looking for a good place to setup your wares in the city. I'd be happy to point out the best spot for you if you allow myself and my friends to travel with you into the city."
|
|
The man takes a moment to untangle the mess of words Suussmaar talks at him with, "Well why didn't you say so! The people that run this city deserve to spend an eternity in the Abyss. I'd love to cause some ruckus in the city. You all wanna ride in the carriage? I guess you could play the role of slaves too."
|
|
The merchant turns back to his wagon and friends, "Guess what guys, we got some new guards, and they payed us to do that." he says with a wink before turning back to Suussmaar, "Oh and hey, if you're looking for someone, you best be checking Aunt Marney's Bitter Brew. I hear its...in the shade, if you catch my meaning." he says before getting the wagon moving again. "Alright boys, lets go sell some cabbages!"
As you approach the gate with the merchants, you see the cart ahead of you get stopped and questioned before being thoroughly searched.
Before you know it, it's your groups turn to be checked, but it seems you got lucky as the guards simply pass you on through. One of you turns around to look at the guards and sees the merchant pass off a piece of gold which the guard takes sneakily before moving on to the next group of merchants. The merchant sees you catch this, "Just payment for "express" access to the city you know...God I hate this place, can't wait to get back to Absalom."
|
|
A large, dilapidated building sits crammed between equally dilapidated warehouses and flophouses. Its doors are chained shut, its windows are flled 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.
|
|
"Are you sure this is where they would gather? I suppose why not, things are strange in this town." Rewyn shivers as she walks past the local citizens of Whitethrone.
She's feeling uneasy now that she's inside the city walls. She's never actually been here before but she does her best to keep a look out for dangers.
|
Snorri Sturluson slides up next to Suussmaar, Ethelinda, and Rewyn. "I finally found ye! Been a right bugger gettin' round them trolls n' such that hit us. What be goin' on since we got separated?"
He looks up at the sign over the door.
"A bar? I didn't know they had them in Whitethrone. I thought the witches outlawed having fun here."
Snorri is a human of average height with long, fiery red hair and a beard to match it. He is obviously an Ulfen and looks to be quite at ease wearing furs over his armor. You don't see any symbols of the Pathfinders or of his deity, Ragathiel on him. In fact, he looks quite like an average Ulfen warrior with the hilt of a bastard sword sticking up over his right shoulder and a spiked light steel shield carried on his left arm.
|
|
"Glad you made it friend!" exclaims Ethelinda excitedly.
"We believe the shadow lodge has moved here. Looks dead from the outside. I suggested we make a loop around before heading in although Suussmaar would prefer the direct approach. What do you think we should do?" she says as she places a hand in the pouch where Char is resting.