Setting the blackfire clay just right, the alchemical mixture burns rapidly. As the bricks glow and the ice melts, the clay gives off enough heat that you feel genuinely warm near it, not just comfortable through Lynn's wand's abjurations.
When finally the last of the blackfire burns itself out, the icy barrier between you and the interior of the ruin is gone. But just as you are about to carefully go inside, a nearby snowbank erupts outwards!
From it, a massive white wolf rises from its hiding place within. It glares at all six of you with piercing blue eyes, and as it shakes the snow from its pelt is growls out in Common in a cold low voice. Outsiders. You are already being betrayed. Surrender the daughter to me now, lest I summon my pack to do so more forcefully.
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Lynn just sort of stares at the wolf a bit incredulously and says in a confused voice,"Whaaatttt?"
Looking at her party members she carefully inspects them for any signs of treachery and upon gazing Halinti she says,"You???? You've been pretty helpful. You don't have to go if you don't want to. "
Shuffling over a bit more she whispers directly into her ear," Also, please tell me if you wish me to spare them if it comes to arms. It makes no difference to me besides respecting your wishes. "
She has been deceiving you. the wolf growls as it paces away from the snowdrift and moves in front of you. Taking the form of a common Varki. It snaps its teeth in anger and looks at ‘Haltani’. Uliyara. Your aunt…requests your presence. You seemed to decline at the Ulfen village, fleeing into the night. There will not be a third offer.
The wolf turns to you Pathfinders. I care nothing of your permission to be here. Exlpore these dead halls if you like. I will leave with the girl, and our conflict will be ended.
‘Haltani’ takes a couple of steps back and whispers back to Lynn (though all of you can hear her): ”I’m sorry. Sorry for any lies and deception. I can explain, but if that White Wolf is from Baroness Urgalaena’s forces than she will use me as a prisoner, as leverage against Dalun.” She sighs. ”But I understand if you can no longer trust me…”
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Marcellus seems to have little patience for this creature. He will draw his quarterstaff in one hand and a Harrow card in the other.
"Now look here you... talking mutt. We have been granted permission from the Baroness to search these lands, and no exception was raised to our traveling party. If you have any problems with that arrangement, I suggest you take it up with her. Haltani or Uliyara or whatever her name is isn't going anywhere without us, and I assure you we won't surrender to you or your kind!"
"Uralaena is my aun.." Haltani starts to whisper before the wolf's bark cuts her off
Fine then. The fun way.
And then he charges toward you!
Initiative
Lynn
Brax
Mykel
The Bold are up!
The wolf smarts as Lynn strikes it in the head, but shakes off the blow. Your confidence is amusing it growls, and Mykel's jab fails to fully pierce its tough furry hide.
Initiative
Brax
The wolf’s smug confidence drops slightly as a delayed flood of red spills from Mykel’s thrust, staining its pelt.
Brax
Even with the white wolf caught off-guard, Brax's fierce slam of the hammer thuds weakly against its thick skin.
The creature turns to its three attacks. How rude of me. Let me welcome you to Irrisen
It's jaw opens and a blast of firigid bone-chilling air erupts from its throat, Brax, Lynn, and Mykel are caught directly in the frigid arc.
Initiative
Marcellus
Seth
Mykel manages to dodge away from some of the cold breath attack, but Lynn takes it head on.
Seth invokes a higher power to bless your efforts, while Marcellus’ whipped-out card digs into the wholf’s open wound, causing it to grunt in pain. Behind you, Haltani calls out. Be careful: its bite can try to drag you off your feet! If any of you can attack it with fire, the Wolves are weak to the flame! Her words of encouragement give you heart.
Initiative
Lynn -24hp
Brax, need Reflex
Mykel, -12hp
With one more fierce stab, bolstered by 'Haltani''s words and Seth's magic, Mykel thrusts deep into the wolf. It gives a howl of anguish before dropping to the ground. Lynn immeadiately checks and sees that it is still alive, but heavily unconscious.
As the wolf falls, Haltani ceases her tactical advice. She looks at you with a torn expression: one of both relief and shame. Thank you. For protecting me. And so it is time for me to be honest with you. She reaches up to adjust her hat and suddenly her form shifts. Instead of a black-haired Varki woman, a pale skinned figure with long blond hair stands before you, dressed in fine blue garments.
She looks at you, head bowed. My true name is Uliyara. I am from Dalun, that was true, but Baroness Nadya is my mother. Many outsiders free the Jadwiga, and tend to believe the worst in us, so I had hoped that my guise would give me a chance to build relations and connections to the outside world, free of judgment.
Uliyara looks down ant the knocked-out beast at Mykel's feet. I never expected that the ruse could cause you any harm.
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Marcellus seems torn by the reveal of Uliyara's true identity.
"You know, seems like a lot of trouble for no real reason. I concur with Mykel, no more deception or lies. We're glad to assist you on this journey, but we need to be able to trust each other if we expect to accomplish our goals, understood?"
Uliyara looks to Lynn. Irrisen’s endless winter is harsh, and decisive and commanding leadership is valued. But some of the Jadwifa can abuse that power: my aunt Urgalaena is always seeking to expand her influence and power. She would seek to kidnap me as leverage against my mother. Her forces have tried to assault me in the past: I had been so sure I had lost their trail, but I was not fully certain who I could trust.
She looks at the prone white wolf. Is he unlikely to recover any time soon? If so, perhaps keeping him alive would be best. Dalun’s forces may be able to interrogate it later. Then Uliyara looks at you. You have my oath that there will be no more lies between us. I pledged to guide you to Naldak’s Point, and I will continue to aid you on your search here, if you would have me.
My mother knows I occasionally assume guises when I travel, yes. Uliyara says as she walks with you closer to the now-open tunnel. You passed on the message that I was safe and with you yourselves when you mentioned my 'name' to her.
As Seth raises a concern, she stops. I...I think his 'pack' must have been a bluff. If they haven't come already, they probably aren't out there at all. She looks at the snowy expanse you just passed through, squinting. Still, we should probably search for your treasure sooner rather than later.
As you look ahead to the now exposed dwarven ruin, you see intricate and gilded stonework adorning Naldak's Point's entrance. A complex marble mosaic paves the floor of a long and icy hall that stretches ahead, eventually widening into a larger space. Arrow slits line the hall's south side, while a matching row of slits to the north have collapsed into rubble.
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Lynn approaches everyone and says,"Hold up. This should help you all with the cold if we encounter anything else in the cavern. Also don't forget to drink your potions. "
She then takes out a bunch of scrolls and casts protection from energy on the remaining people who need it. After she is satisfied she reverts to her hybrid form and says,"I'll take the lead. If you want I can turn into my fox form to scout ahead."
As you carefully wander in, , you see two looming ten-foot tall statues standing at the hallway’s end as the passage widens into a foyer-like area. Also made of marble, each statue is of an armored and armed dwarf, though their faces have broken off and smash into small piles of rubble at their feet. Between the pair a fresco dominates the far wall that depicts an opulent throne room with numerous warriors and nobles in attendance.
To the left, another ice-covered hallway stretches south. But at the foyer’s northern side Seth’s eyes narrow. The icy sheen covering that wall is somewhat oddly formed, almost as if the water flowed around something before it froze. There’s a secret door!
With a few quick smashes, you break away the ice covering the hidden doorway and push it open.
Beyond is a dusty and ice-free chamber. Several stone shelves jut out from the walls, but are almost entirely stripped bare. Around the corner a part of the room has been rendered inaccessible by collapsed stone. The only items you notice inside is a thick steel shield and a repeating heavy crossbow with an ivory handle that lie strewn on the floor, covered in a small bit of dust.
The crossbow bears an aura of transmutation magic , but any other magic devices in the chamber are long gone.