”Agreed.” Garran begins to skirt the green area.
most of the party dismisses the patch of dirt as uninteresting, or at least not worth the risk of messing with. just as the group starts to move on away from the clearing, Linge has an epiphany of what it might be
looking closer at the trees, you think these might be a creature known as a Frost Fir. or rather a whole group of them. they are somewhat related to treants, but are much smaller. they may hve been created through tampering by the fey. they are very territorial, and will not hesitate to attack intruders, especially those bearing fire. this clearing looks like it might be a nesting area. a group of adult frost firs surrounding a patch of warm ground where seedlings have been planted. probably best not to disturb them
the group moves on from this spot. they quickly pick out some details mentioned in the journal and locate the spot that was trapped by the hunter. there is more blood here from the trap that supposedly got the creature, but no fresh sign of the animal returning. the group is able to spot the remaining 3 bear traps using the journal as a guide.
sure enough, shortly after this point the group sees some large ice blocks ahead. and beyond them, the top of a small hut can be seen.
Remembering his foray into scouting at the lodge being the sneakiest in the group at the time, but also remembering how terrified he was to get caught Paldo pipes up "Say, Hal... you wanna see if you can check that place out without making any noise? I'd go myself but I'm worried the journal may not have outlined all the traps and you look like the type that could spot them easier than I."
As the group walks away from the clearing, Linge suddenly connects the dots between the moving trees and the green soil:
"Oh, I've figured out what that clearing was! Garran, the creature you've spotted must have been a Frost Fir. They are almost indistinguishable from trees, but they can move and are sentient. It's probably the magic of the fey that resulted in their creation. The vegetation we've seen must have been their young, the clearing a kind of nest, watched over by a group of adults. We were lucky they didn't attack us, they're extremely territorial creatures. If you spot another similar clearing, don't get close, and whatever you do don't step on the green soil. Don't light up a fire either, they'll think you're attacking them."
Fortunately, the group doesn't meet any Frost Firs after that. The closer the group gets to the shady-looking hut, the more Linge's self-confidence appears to evaporate. Her uneasiness is even getting to Horn, whose vocalizations start turning into small, high-pitched squeals.
"Don't get too close to the windows," Linge tells Hal before he leaves. It's silly advice, but just looking at the hut and thinking about the doll inside makes her hair stand on end.
With a scowled glance towards the hut, Hal acquiesces to Paldo and mutters "Alright, I'll check it out then." Taking a few paces forward, Hal looks back and grins lightly at Linge "Oh, I won't get to close... I hate dolls." Bow still unslung, Hal made his way towards the hut.
Garran grips the symbol of Iomedae in his fist. He wishes he had prayed for some of his goddess’ protection against evil this morning.
more than a dozen boulder-sized chunks of ice litter the clearing ahead where a strange hut sits perched on tree trunks atop a raised mound of snow-covered earth.
Hal slowly ventures forward. the ice blocks are so shiny they are almost reflective, and he can see images of himself walking in each block. as he walks, he sees motion. was that just his reflection, or is someone else in the ice block maze with him?
Unsure of whether he was alone as he made his way through the ice block maze, Hal stopped dead in his tracks. Trying not to make any noise or draw attention to himself, he tried to discern if in fact he was alone... or if he had company.
Paldo moves to the side to get some cover among the trees. Waiting to see if anything moves towards Hal.
Linge keeps her eyes on Hal and stays close to Horn, who sniffs and looks around, visibly intrigued by his own reflection.
Like Paldo, Sigrun moves around to the side of the maze, sticking near the treeline.
within the ice block maze you see a person, quite close to Hal. it appears to be a young human girl, maybe 10 years old? it's hard to tell. she has sharp Ulfen features and long hair, but looks like she has been crying.
the girl looks up and sees Hal. "I'm sorry! don't hurt me! I never meant to call you names!"
Slowly putting the arrow in his hand back in the quiver, Hal proceeded to hold up his now free hand in gesture that suggested he meant no harm. "It's okay, we won't hurt you." Glancing back at Linge who was nearest to him, Hal made a nodding gesture that suggested she should approach. Taking a step back, he spoke in a tone just loud enough for Linge to hear "We have company, a young child."
Linge spots the crying child at the same time that Hal does, and the alarm bell immediately goes off in her head. The little girl is speaking nonsense, and looks out of place near a hut that, as far as Dryden was concerned, was abandoned.
Maybe the hunter had been wrong. Or maybe there was something else going on.
“Don’t get close, Hal,” she says quietly to the ranger, before using her powers to check for any spell-induced trickery.
the girl looks frightened, and makes a move as if about to run away
you are able to ask the girl one question before she runs from you
you do detect the presence of a magical aura
contrary to what you expected, the girl is not radiating any magic. there is a source of magic at the entrance of the clearing, however.
Linge's spell detects an anomaly, but its source isn't what she thought it would be.
"I sense a magic aura around this place," she tells Hal, still keeping her voice low. "Not on the little girl. Don't be afraid," she says sweetly to the child, who is looking increasingly more scared. "What are you doing here all alone?"
Paldo moves to get a closer look at the girl.
Paldo also tries to discern the magic of this place.
Paldo also picks out the aura that Linge described but is unable to determine what it could be.
Hearing the sound of conversation, Garran moves in to see who is talking.
He greets the little girl. ”Hello. My name is Garran. Are you lost? Maybe we can help you. What is your name? Don’t be afraid, we’re not in the habit of biting little girls.” Garran smiles. ”Even my friend’s pet bear just likes to snuggle. He’s cute isn’t he?”
Hal glanced over at Garran, happy to let him do the talking. Generally uncomfortable dealing with people on a daily basis, speaking with children was even more of a struggle for the solitary woodsmen.
Taking a step back, Hal kept on guard in the event something else surprising came out at them. Looking over his shoulder towards Linge with a raised eyebrow, Hal inquired "You sense magic? Can you be more specific about the location?"
"Not precisely, but it seems to focus on the entrance of the clearing."
Paldo felt a shiver run down his spine, even though he was quite warm under the effects of his spell to protect himself from the bitter cold. The doll story, this small child... all reminded him of his experiences with the witches of the north and their powerful magic.
Paldo watched to see what unfodled, skeptical that a little girl was out here on her own.
"hello mr Garran. My name is Thora, Thora Petska. I might be lost...
she turns and moves away a bit, tears in her eyes.
whoever moves closer to her can hear her say
"Please don't keep me here! It's so cold. I miss my mother"
Sigrun hangs back near the entrance of the ice maze, staying alert for anyone or anything trying to ambush them from the outside.
”Who are you talking to Thora?” Garran wonders. ”We won’t keep you here. We’ll get you back to your mom if we can.” He reassures.
"We'll find your parents, sweetie," Linge adds. "Do you remember how you came here? Where you're coming from?"
"Well why doesn't this little Thora girl come back here in the woods with us while you check around Hal?" Paldo said motioning for Thora to join them.
she does not come any closer to you. she looks up, not directly at you and says
"I don't want your stupid doll! I want to go home! Take me back!
”Thora. Listen to me. I don’t know where your mother is, or how you got here, but if you come with us we’ll find some nice folks for you to stay with. And, you have my promise. I’ll do everything I can to find your mom, and get you back home to her.”
[b]"We'll get you home safely, I promise. We have a little bear that can protect you. We just need to know where your home is. Do you remember?"
Upon hearing his name, Horn takes a few hesitant steps forward, sniffing the girl delicately.
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Nodding at Paldo's suggestion from him to scope out the area, Hal started to make his way from the others. Listening to the conversation, Hal only made it a few steps before stopping dead in his tracks with a sigh; seeing his newfound companions struggle with the child, Hal decided he should probably take a shot at getting her to be more helpful... even though he hated talking to children.
Taking an entirely different approach, Hal decided that speaking to her plainly would be the best policy. Walking back over with a grunt, Hal took to one knee to look at Thora at her level. Taking a deep breath, he spoke in a straightforward, but kind and patient manner as he could muster "Listen now Thora, we want to help you get back home, but in order to do that, you will need to help by answering some questions for Linge and Garran here." Glancing back towards Linge for a second, Hal motioned that she might want to pull Horn back. Looking back at Thora, Hal uncharacteristically smiled as he added "Now then, can you remember anything about how you got here, or where you were coming from or going? That would be a big help, you hear?"
Thora stops, looking at Hal intently, focused on him much more than she was in her interactions with the others.
"I am from Waldsby" she replies in a soft voice. "I was taken away from my mother by a witch and brought here to her tower."
she shakes her head and looks at Hal with obvious fear in her eyes I have to get away. and you should too before they see you! run!
and with that, she just... vanishes
you notice a chill wind picking up and spot a flicker of motion inside the blocks of ice around you!
Paldo looks puzzled at the spot where the child once stood...
Smiling kindly, Hal nodded as he listened to the tragic tale from Thora. At the mention of kidnapping by a witch, he scowls in a puzzled manner. "Wait, before who sees us Thora?" As the child suddenly vanishes, Hal recoils lightly, and glances around the area.
Standing up while drawing his bow calmly, Hal speaks in a low voice just loud enough for his companions to hear "We have company everyone, get ready." Motioning towards the ice blocks, Hal adds "Something is moving in there, and I suspect we're going to find out just what exactly..."
”Where?” Garran looks around, trying to spot whatever Hal is talking about.
"What's going on? Where did she go? I can't see anything." Sigrun's eyes sting with the wind and snow as she looks around, shield at the ready.
Linge gasps in surprise when the girl disappears and Horn whines, bumping into the druidess' legs in his fretful attempt to get away from an invisible and odourless enemy. Linge looks around in case she can spot the child, but sees nothing except moving images in the ice blocks. She realizes that it can't be a trick of the light at the same time Hal grabs his bow.
"Probably more feys," she says, shivering as the air suddenly becomes colder.
Since they don't know yet what they will be fighting against, Linge settles for a simple spell, touching Hal's arm and offering him some of her magic to guide his arrow in the snow and the wind.
as a few people point out the motion in the ice blocks, everyone is able to see it. the motion resolves into moving scenes and pictures moving across the ice. images of a child locked in a room alone, of a girl being dragged away by a tall woman, intermingled with frozen dead faces that flash over the surface of the ice.
Garran and Hal are particularly affected by the images and are frightened wanting to get as far from the ice blocks as possible. the others are able to master their fear
this is a haunt, giving a glipse of the fears fo someone who has died in some horrible way and has not been able to find rest. the source will have to be destroyed in order to keep this from happening again
Linge quickly understand that they are watching some kind of illusion, but it is enough to shaken Hal and Garran.
"What you saw wasn't real!" she presses them. "Stay on your guard! This is probably a trap to distract you!"
She tries to recall if she has ever encountered a spell with such effects when she was studying magic, and if there might be counter-spells to snap Garran and Hal out of their fear.
Paldo watches as the creepy images of the dead faces move across the ice blocks and sees the fear in Hal and Garran's eyes.
"I don't understand this witchcraft, I'd get out of there!"
Garran doesn’t wait around to listen. He rushes away from the terrifying images, back the way they had come.
Suddenly finding the emotion of fear taking over, Hal loses his senses and mutters as he bolts from the scene "We need to go, now.."
With half the group running away and the other half not knowing what's going on, Linge isn't going to risk hanging around and wait to be ambushed.
"Let's go!" she nods as Paldo suggests following Hal and Garran.
"Well, okay then." Sigrun, confused and slightly unsettled, sets off after Garran and Hal.
the whole group pulls back, fleeing from whatever just happened. in a minute or two the effects wear off and the panic subsides. Linge can tell that the effects are consistent with a Scare spell.
the images were frightening, but nothing came out and attacked and no one was harmed.
what do you do now?
"Now that everyone has calmed down," Linge suggests. "How about we try going back to that hut? We still haven't explored what's inside."
"Linge is right, we haven't seen what's inside. Nothing actually attacked us, maybe let's not talk to any children we stumble across out here though..."