Alethea seems to seriously consider the question before answering. "One never knows, though I doubt necromancers are usually the type to dabble in baking as well."
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Dawrbrün is fairly certain that the tracks were not made by Ten-Penny in particular.
Barnaby with help from his friends searches the lodge for errant cupcakes, money, and royalty.
5 Tool shed This shed contains a few shovels, axes, and hammers, all hanging from the walls.
6 Porch A wooden roof extends over this wide porch. Double doors provide access to the lodge itself. Two small glass windows are set in the walls to either side of the doors.
7 Trophy Room A bearskin rug dominates the floor of this trophy room, and the heads of several deer have been mounted on the walls. Doors lead north and south, while two hallways go farther east.
Under a bearskin rug you find a trapdoor locked with a padlock.
8 Kitchen A large fireplace takes up most of the north wall of this room, its radiant heat providing palpable relief from the cold weather outside. Cabinets and shelves line the remaining wall space, and four windows look out on the wintry landscape surrounding the lodge. Sadly no cupcakes, but there is a simple horse soup.
9 Corner Bedroom Nothing but unused linens and a washboard.
10 Small Bedroom The only thing of interest is a threadbare winter blanket.
11 Rohkar's Room Three doors open into this room. A sturdy bed heaped with blankets sits near the only window, and a large maple chest occupies the southwest corner, with a sturdy lock.
12 Ten-Penny's Room A bed and chest sit across from one another in this small room. Two doors serve as exits, and a window looks out on the north side of the lodge. The chest is locked.
13 Great Room A large table and two benches run the length of this hall, and a twenty-foot-high vaulted ceiling rises into the rafters overhead. To the west, a roaring fireplace provides a welcome heat and light while to the south, a flight of stairs ascends to a wooden balcony overlooking the room. A set of double doors stands in the wall to the east.
14 Communal Bedroom Four beds, two large chests, and a single table with four chairs occupy this room. Three windows look out to the east, west, and south, providing a grand view of the snowy gorge outside the lodge.
15 Upstairs, Planning room An L-shaped table with many chairs takes up most of the floor space in this loft. A second smaller table sits near the entrance, and several windows look over the snowy grounds of the lodge. In the southwest corner, a large map hangs on the wall, opposite another door in the northeast wall.
16 Upstairs, Storeroom Dozens of small boxes, bottles, and papers fill this musty storeroom. A small iron cage sits on the top shelf, emanating a flickering light like that of a candle. Upon closer inspection you find that the light is a captured winter fey.
"Anyone good with locks? If not, I've got this," Dawrbrün says in reference to the chests and trapdoor, brandishing his maul-axe. "It will take a bit of bashing, though, and no guarantees about anything breakable inside being intact when I'm through."
"May'aps we try the keys first? And if they don't work, I'll test out these new lockpicks."
Hekla tries the set of keys on the maple chest in Rohkar's room first, then on the trap door. If they don't work, she'll try to pick them, while she has her armor off.
Frank, meanwhile, picks up the fairy in a jar and wonders how often it'll repeat hey listen if released wonders if it would be helpful to release it.
"Hello." He says at the jar, hoping that he can communicate without releasing it.
Barnaby and Anticipation both look saddened by both the locks and the zero finding of cupcakes.
In the chest you find: a gold ingot engraved with the Taldan royal seal (50gp), a spyglass, silver ring (25gp), three tiger's eye gems (10gp per), fine pair of leather riding boots (15gp), a silver dagger, a leather portfolio which contains the following scrolls: endure elements, two magic weapon, unseen servant.
Under the trap door
A half-dozen boxes and barrels take up the majority of this underground cellar. A rough blanket lies spread on the floor in the southeast corner next to a bowl of half-eaten food.
The sole occupant of this cellar-turned-dungeon is a woman who even in her squalid surroundings give an air of arrogance. She wears a tattered green Pingat day dress and has suffered at the hands of the bandits. She eyes you warily before speaking, "Name yourself."
"Dawrbrün Amberbasher, M'Lady," Dawrbrün replies, giving a respectful bow of his head. "Would you be the Lady Argentea Malassene?"
"And I," Alethea answers, hopping the last few feet to the basement floor and bowing with a flourish, "am Alethea Gracchus. We're here to rescue you, my Lady."
"Find the damsel in distress?" Frank calls from upstairs.
Hekla pokes her head down into the cellar after unlocking it and confirms that the Lady seems to be safe and not a threat, then leaves that conversation in the capable hands of her party members.
Then she'll look around the house for any bowls, braziers, lanterns, or mirrors.
The woman scoffs scornfully, "Finally someone with some manners. Yes I am Lady Argentea Malassene. I take it that horrid man has been dealt with? You shall escort me back to Heldren at dawn. More of those icy creatures pour out of the portal by the day."
Frank looks at the cage closer and the fairy in it screams, "Izoze will freeze your eyeballs and eat them when he finds out you've kept me here! Release me!"
Barnaby and Anticipation both giggle as they overhear the pretentiousness of the Lady carry out to them in the kitchen.
The Gnome yells
Portal? Say more 'bout that!
"Certainly, Lady Malassene," Alethea says with a nod. "Can you tell us more about this portal? It's the first we've heard of it."
"Perhaps, M'Lady would prefer to come upstairs and sit by the fire? We can see if better food or perhaps a change of attire is available?" Dawbrün offers in a respectful tone.
"I keep you here?" Frank says to the tiny prisoner, incredulously.
He shrugs on his way to the nearest chair in the dining room.
He places the jar gently down on the table and lowers his head to be eye level with the little glowing creature.
"I don't appreciate being threatened, but since I'm unrelated to your captors, I might be easily convinced to set you free. Know anything about the early snow around here? Does Izoze like the cold?"
The Lady accepts your offer of food and a change of clothes. She explains, "I don't know much about it. Only what I've overheard. Rohkar and his band had allied himself with the winter fey. They intend to invade this region. Rohkar's alliance are what allowed him to overtake the sentinels who built this lodge."
Ten-Penny confirms the Lady's story, "That's the size of it, from what I understand."
The trapped fey harrumphs at Frank and holds her tongue.
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"But...why?" Alethea asks, blinking in surprise. "Why the devil would a gaggle of winter fey want to seize control of Heldren, of all places?"
"Do you know anything of their intentions for you, My Lady? Did Rohkar let slip if he planned to ransom you, or if you were perhaps taken at the behest of these invading Winter Fey?" Dawrbrün asks.
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Frank shrugs and carries the jar downstairs.
"I found another captive, but I suspect that this one might be best kept that way." He explains, holding out the jar to show the others.
She looks at you with confusion also in her eyes, "I don't know on both accounts. If Rohkar intended to ransom me, he should have delivered his demands by now. And the minds of the fey, insane the lot of them."
"Fair enough. Our first priority is to return you to safety in Heldren. We can interrogate the fey once you're out of danger."
We probably should escort the high Lady back to town, report and investigate this portal.
"I wonder if it wasn't an alliance so much as a hostage situation." Frank muses as he looks back and forth between Lady Argentea and the fey in the bottle.
"Hopefully we can figure it out before Heldren gets any colder." he adds with a sigh.
Frank starts looking around for bedding for the lady.
Also, do we want to give Tenpenny her stuff back, or are we taking it? I did not open that chest yet.
After you deliver Lady Argentea to Heldren she rewards you for your efforts, "I find myself in need of decent body guards but getting to the bottom of the portal is more important. Take this coin and investigate the portal and if you are able close it." She hands you 500 gp.
Ten-Penny takes her leave of the party heading towards Oppera.
The mood of Heldren darkens more as you confirm nearly all rumors floating about the town. Several families consider abandoning the town and heading for safer environs.
Rested, reassured and reinvigorated, Anticipation creeps up on the overslept Gnome. The giant Ant is seen carrying a bucket of iced water into the room where Barnaby went to sleep last night....
A wet and awake Gnome skips out of the room with a chattering Anticipation following behind.
I told you it would be funnier done on one of the others. Endure Elements last 24 hours.
Arriving back safely at Heldren, both Gnome and giant Ant greet, meet, handshake, kiss Pets, pet babies and eat everything given to them.
Alethea, taking her leave of Lady Argentea, goes to check in with her family and let them know she may be gone on a mission for some time. She spends as much of the evening with them as she can, then goes to the town's temple in the morning to pray for guidance from Falayna.
Once Lady Argentea has been safely returned, and the reward collected, Dawrbrün spends a fair part of the evening in the local tavern, recounting the group's trek through the snow and the foes and obstacles they overcame.
Hekla makes a few purchases to acquire a set of fashionable cold weather gear and a hand mirror to make sure it looks good, then she joins Dawrbrun in the tavern for an evening's merryment and a warm bed.
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The townsfolk of Heldren are heartened by Dawrbrün's exquisitely told tales. Enough so that the innskeep at the Silver Stoat is particularly impressed, and puts the party up for free.
Dawbrün presses a silver coin to the palm of the Innkeeper of the Silver Stoat. "A small gesture of thanks for your fine accommodations, food, and fellowship. We are once again off into the frozen wilds to find what strange magic brings this unseasonal weather. Rest assured, on the word of Dawbrün Amberbasher, that we shall prevail and return!"
The following morning, both the gnome and the giant ant look hung-over and miserable.
We may have had a bit too much candy, cake, ice cream, donuts, cup cakes, fruit that was flat and rolled up, and Anticipation convinced me that just a bit of whipped cream would top it all off.
The gnome and Ant high five!
He was correct!
Both Hunter and Ant readied to continue the investigation of this mysterious winter portal of asshat fey!
On the way back, Frank introduces his damsel of distress to the damsel (no longer) in distress. Broulnindre seems not only fully recovered from her injuries, but also cheerful the whole way back and the next day too.
Frank takes care of selling the stuff no one thought useful from the items recovered from Rohkar's raiders.
He shows up, ready to leave, with a winter coat on as well as a Broulnindre that is likewise furred.
Heading back into the Boarder Woods you manage to find a trail large enough to accommodate Lyudmilla's cart and animals and the site where Lady Malassene.
You easily navigate towards the center thanks to Dawrbrün.
The rocks and snow along this part of the ridge are stained a reddish brown, and many tracks, both animal and human, cross the area.
Hekla drags the pack out of a snowbank and rummages. "Well, so much for the mighty hunter getting the weasel. Little Barnstormer, looks like there may be more bear traps about near a strange hut, if you'd like to recover them."
Alethea's lips are a grim line as they search the man's belongings. "I didn't know Dryden, but he'd done some work for my father in the past. I had no idea he was even missing."
Lyudmilla, absolutely dead tired from their journey and near-death experiences, spends most of her Heldren time alone in her home on wheels. She was beyond relieved to see that Tort and Tart had simply took to grazing in her absence. After sleeping, she writes notes from their frostbitten journey for her cookbook draft, but the bulk of her time was spent cleaning the Tatzylwyrm with her familiar Poppy.
Surprisingly satisfied with her work, she offers the remaining pelt, teeth, and claws to whichever party member wants the dragon parts for trophies. Before meeting up with the others, she quietly admires her now overstuffed cupboards, daydreaming of all the meals she could now whip up!
-----
Happy to be traveling in her cart again, the hedge-witch offers a place on the cart for any who tire from walking, occasionally nudging Dawrbrün to regale them with his dulcet tones. The mood turns somber upon seeing the body of Dryden. "Do we bury him?" she asks aloud at learning Alethea knew of him.
A fire lights in her eyes after examining the hunter's wounds. "Hekla is correct. I can't believe I'm saying this...but the Veasal did this..."
I'm gonna need a bigger pantry...
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After another our of travel you find bloody animal tracks that mark the snow where the trail descends from the ridge above.
"I found your new traps, Barnsy. Need help with them?"
"Do we bury him?" she asks aloud at learning Alethea knew of him.
Alethea considers the question for a moment before shaking her head. "Not here, at least, as I'm sure his family would want him buried in the graveyard. If we cover him up with snow and mark the spot, it'll protect his body long enough for someone to come retrieve him."
"Assuming a hungry, wounded, giant weasel doesn't circle back to dig him up as a snack," Dawrbrün replies. "Alas, it seems we either keep running into, or end up creating corpses as we go. Our investigation will be slowed if we return to town for each and every one of them. Let's do what we can for him."
Dawrbrün draws his maul-axe, and uses it to clear away a large section of snow drift in which to inter Dryden's body.
Barnaby and Anticipation follow closely. Each peers about at all the snow covered foliage.
He answers Hekla.
Better at laying them than disabling them.
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Hekla gets her crowbar out, ready to assist in some trap finagling.