Even through the thick walls of the Iceferry Pathfinder's Lodge, you can feel the cold. Frost covers most of the windows, and every few seconds there is a faint screeching howl as the wind finds a musical path through a tiny gap in the building's log armor.
The waiting room is a spartan affair, without the luxury or even comforts of some other Lodges. Several utilitarian chairs surround a threadbare rug in front of a roaring fire. A small side table with refreshments including hot beverages sits to one side. Throughout the room, several Pathfinders relax, waiting for the summons to see Venture-Captain Bjersig Torrsen.
|
A short haired Shoanti man sits near the fire. Clad in shining, well-polished armor, the second thing you would notice is that this man had three arms. Indeed, he had two arms crossed and yet a third is holding a steaming mug that he occasionally drinks from. He doesn't seem too interested in what's going on in the room, instead opting to stare at the door. At his side, resting on the floor, was a hefty earthbreaker and a metal shield in the shape of a triceratops skull.
|
The male undine sits as afar away from the fire as possible. ”Why is it so blasted hot in all these Lodges? Finally get an assignment to a nice cool land, and it’s hot enough to roast an aurochs on a spit in here. Zarta must literally hate me,”. He crossed his arms, looking around at the others, expectantly.
|
A violet skinned Tiefling, with Black Horns, black dreads pulled back tight in a bun, with red eyes can be seen standing by Rogar. He is very well built, with scales covering his body with a metallic brown sheen. He has a breast plate on with a bow and quiver on his back, and a war hammer at his hip. Its good to see you again Rogar, I hear Tusk is supposed to be on this mission too eh? So tell me again about this Necromancer and you said blighted Gnomes?
A wizened gnome enters, glancing at you before returning his gaze to the floor. "Venture-Captain will see you now," he says softly, then turns to lead you deeper into the Lodge.
As you enter the Venture-Captain's office, a keen-eyed half-orc man rises from his desk with a broad smile. At the same moment, a large husky leaps up from beside the desk and bounds eagerly across the room, tail wagging.
“Welcome to Iceferry, Pathfinders! I am Venture-Captain Bjersig Torrsen, head of this Lodge." He goes around the group, offering his hand in friendship, and bowing slightly to each of you. "This is Mahki.” He indicates the husky that is circulating around the room, sniffing and nuzzling those present.
“I’ll come right to the point,” Bjersig begins, his eyes flitting back and forth around the room constantly. “I’ve received a concerning report from one of my agents up on the Whitefang Peninsula. Svala Ice-rider is a meticulous researcher who has been combing the Lodge’s records for the last year. She stumbled upon an old myth recorded by an Ulfen explorer in contact with the Erutaki clans around Whitefang Bay. Few people seem to devote any time to studying the Erutaki culture, but Svala’s mother is of Varki descent and so she has a personal connection. She’s become my expert on Varki and Erutaki culture."
“Svala found an ancient loresong that had been translated and recorded by Ulfen traders, which spoke of a glacier on the Whitefang Peninsula which protected the lands from the coming of the dark of winter. It sounded like a typical local legend, but Svala came to believe that something had been lost in the translation. And she was correct.” He shakes his head in amazement.
“The Erutaki record their tales through oral histories passed down within a tribe or village. The trouble is, the languages of the Crown of the World have so many local variations and tonal nuances, not to mention culturally specific similes and metaphors, that direct translation is often flawed. The Ulfens who recorded the story probably used magical aid to understand it, but many of the Erutaki oral histories use allegory and cultural keystones to quickly convey complex concepts... concepts that can be easily misunderstood when translated literally. This find was hidden in plain sight for hundreds of years, just waiting for someone who could comprehend it.”
Bjersig moves to a large map of northern Avistan on the wall, gesturing to illustrate his words. “Svala’s expedition left three months ago. They sailed to the edge of the ice pack and then went inland by dogsled. It’s a hard trip in the winter, but any excavation is best done while the tundra is still frozen. In spring, the entire region turns into a muddy swamp, and any dig sites would run the risk of collapsing.”
Bjersig pulls a velvet cord beside his desk, and the wizened gnome quickly appears at the door. “Please send in Kuokei.” The gnome nods and disappears down the hallway, leaving the office door wide open.
“Svala has been sending regular reports by messenger, but her last report indicates things have taken an ominous turn. She and her team have uncovered a large ice structure buried under the snow, as well as signs of an Erutaki village, but the site is contaminated with blackfrost, a toxic and corrosive substance that blows down from strange ruins at the north pole. What’s worse, there seem to be a number of unusual undead creatures also buried in the snow, of a kind never before seen. Svala is worried that perhaps there were more translation errors, ones she missed, that might shed light on what this site is and how it should be handled.”
Suddenly a large and majestic snow-white owl flies into the room, landing to perch on the back of the venture-captain’s chair. “Ah, here is Kuokei,” the venture-captain proclaims, indicating the owl. “She arrived last night with a missive from Svala, requesting assistance. And so, we finally come to the details of your assignment.” He slides a large bundle of papers and journals across the desk.
“This packet contains copies of Svala’s notes and the original Ulfen translation of the myth. Svala thinks that she may have missed more of the story, or that the rest of the Ulfen translation may also be faulty. I need you to take these notes to Aaminiut, the largest Erutaki village in the Crown of the World. Speak with the elders there and see what their oral histories reveal about the site that the Ulfen translations don’t. Send the information with Kuokei off to Svala at once, and then follow at best speed yourself to offer Svala what help you can before the thaw comes. I’ve got a longship ready to sail with the tide, with enough food and supplies to get you to Aaminiut. Resupply there, meet with the elders, and arrange some local land transportation and supplies to get you to the site. Now, any questions?”
Heatstonex2 40gp
Cleats 5gp
Snowshoes 5gp
Furs 12gp
Poncho 5sp
|
A cleric enters the Venture-Captain's room just as the door closes, a bit out of breath. It is clear she ran from wherever it was she came from.
"Damn those twittering nobles. Almost made me late, again." She says softly before sighing. Upon realizing that she will be going back up north for this mission she thinks to herself, At least I'll get to see the family again. Probably drop by to see how uncle Johann is doing. Catushlara start going through her checklist of things to bring, ticking them off on her fingers. Let's see: snow shoes, blankets, insulated flask...what else am I missing? Oh! I need a new pair of cleats!
"The Society has worked with several Erutaki clans in the past. Normally our interactions are limited to trade - metal tools and weapons in exchange for skilled guides. As long as proper respect is shown for their traditions I wouldn't expect any trouble with the locals."
"I don't anticipate your heritage being a problem on this mission. It's pretty common these days to find a tiefling or two in every small towns these days. Now that I think about it, I must have Confirmed a dozen of your kind in the last year."
|
|
"The Crown of the World...will we be passing through Irrisen?" Catushlara asked wondering if she needed to bring any Snowblooms.
Average snowbloom (50 gp; When given as a gift to a native of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings
with a starting attitude of indifferent or better, this rare flower grants you a +2 circumstance
bonus on one Bluff or Diplomacy check against that person. Alternatively, when shown to
a native of Irrisen, the flower grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks made
against that target.)
"And undead? Ugh. Those abominations will burn by the fires of the Dawnflower!" the cleric says remembering last adventure up north where her group encountered an undead.
"I don't know that you need to bring anything specific to trade but it couldn't hurt to come prepared. I trust your team is resourceful enough to come up with whatever you need to barter with the locals. If you need additional supplies, the quartermaster here in the lodge should be able to get them for you."
"You won't be going quite east enough to enter Irrisen", Bjersig adds.
|
A tall, thick, muscular built half-orc enters the lodge with a great axe strapped to his back and a beautifully decorated star knife at his hip. He looks calm though he is late, noticing a comrade or two from past adventures, he nods and heads toward the venture captain.. Tusk is my name capn. My travels took me a bit further than I was planning on but as is the way when I get the opportunity to see places and things I have yet to pass in my travels. After getting the instructions, Tusk then walks over to the table, does a small religious blessing and takes a mug of hot cider.
With the briefing coming to an end, the Venture Captain sees the party to the door.
"It’s three weeks to Aaminiut, and then another two to the excavation site on the Whitefang Peninsula. Remember, once you learn what you can at Aaminiut, send a note to Svala with Kuokei, her snowy owl, and then get there as fast as you can yourselves. Spring is still months away, so there isn't any major time pressure, but there's no reason to dawdle. Good luck."
The party spends the rest of the evening in preparation.
After a hearty meal and a good night's sleep, you rise with the dawn and head to the docks. The longship Rimedrake is at your disposal, captained by Brynhild Redaxe. As your gear is taken aboard, a snowy owl glides out of the clouds and lands on the mast. Kuokei has arrived.
"Welcome aboard," Captain Redaxe greets tersely. "Your cabin's below decks. Follow me."
With the tide, the sleek ship eases out of harbor and heads out into the bay. The rhythmic sound of the oars and the creek of the rigging soon become familiar sounds even to those unused to nautical voyages.
Your group is given a cabin aft, with room for 6 hammocks at night and a small table and stools during the day.
|
|
Thank you sir we will not fail. When he meets back up with the group, he’ll introduce himself to the new faces. First he’ll walk up to Ashwell. Greetings outsider, I am Vrothum blood raged and newly trained Dragon Disciple. Vrothum gives a quick once over. I can sense the arcane coming from you but the scent is unfamiliar to me. I look forward to seeing what skills you possess. He then heads to the Half-Elf. Well met, my name is Vrothum. Don’t be concerned with my appearance I am on your side and will do all I can to keep you safe. I look forward to our mission together, I always enjoy having more than one Cleric around, more Gods’ eyes watching us... Last he approaches the Human.Fellow warrior, pleasure to meet you, I am Vrothum. I look forward to sharing the field of battle with you, you’ll have to show me some of your training with that weapon of yours after our mission. I can show you some hand to hand combat myself.
|
|
Ash assumes the deck of the ship will be really warm throughout the daylight hours. If so, he will stay below deck as much as possible. If the land is cold, he will spend more time above deck, soaking in the cold breeze.
He’s not especially fond of people, so he will spend most of the time alone, other than at meal time, etc.
Ash dels have darkvision, so he’s happy to take one of the night shifts for his watch period.
|
|
"Greetings Vrothum." Catushlara says, acknowledging the tiefling. "Catushlara Richielieu, cardinal in the church of Sarenrae."
After similarly introducing herself to her companions the cleric proceeds to explore the ship and get to know some of the crew.
At the end of her watch Catushlara takes a walk on the deck of the ship before getting her breakfast. She practices her martial forms for a few hours before spending sometime helping out in the infirmary until lunch. The afternoon is spent reading until dinner and she goes to bed two hours after dinner.
|
|
Vrothum will spend time with the crew, taking whatever role they need at the time, whether that be deckhand, maintenance, preparing food. He’ll preform exercises first thing when he wakes, and will take the midnight watch for the party. At night he’ll think about his experiences looking out over the horizon hoping his past still hasn’t caught up to him. Thinking about when he’ll be strong enough to finally face what he’s been running from all his life.
|
|
Prepared spells for Tusk on ship
0 level-guidance, detect magic, stabilize, mending
1st level-endure elements, comprehend languages, bless water, bless
2nd level- hold person, bulls strength, bears endurance, make whole
3rd level-searing light, water walk communal, stone shape
Domain spells- true strike, aid, fly
The temperature is cold, between the spray of the sea and the snow and ice pellets that fall from the sky
The shipboard journey soon settles into a dull routine. Heading west into the setting sun for the first week, out of sight of land, each of you spends only a few hours above deck before the cold drives you below to the warmth of the fire. You pass the infamous island of Kalva, known for its cannibalistic barbarians, and finally turn north.
On the tenth day out of Iceferry you spot your first iceberg, a flat, table-like mass of white that seems impossibly large. "It's early, to be seeing free ice so far south," mutters Captain Redaxe, her brow furrowed in thought. "We may have an early spring this year."
On the twelfth day, the weather starts to turn for the worse. A north wind springs up, and soon a driving snow covers the ship's decks.
|
|
Vrothum will do his best to stay out of the crew’s way, nothing else will change. Vrothum will only wear his breastplate when he takes his watch, choosing his bow and quiver to wield and will leave his pack and warhammer as well. He’ll also throw on his cold weather out fit. This looks to be a good storm, I’ll stay out of your crew’s way but if you need a hand Captain I’ll do what I can.
|
|
Catushlara heads to the infirmary to help should there be any injuries during the storm. Her weapons lean against the wall. She prepares the following spells:
Domain: 1st—Burning Hands, 2nd—Produce Flame, 3rd - Fireball
Level 0: Detect Magic, Guidance, Read Magic, Spark
Level 1: Bless, Divine Favor, Endure Elements, Weapons Against Evil
Level 2: Hold Person, Bull's Strength, Protection from Chaos(Communal)
Level 3: Prayer, Searing Light
Tusk will do what he can to prep the ship for the oncoming storm, he turns to Captain Redaxe.What do you suppose we do cap'n? Tusk wouldn't know the recommended tasks to do in the situation without instructions.
"I imagine this storm's about to have its way with us if we don't prepare the ship. In any case, the deck's no place for a bunch of land dwellers like yourselves. Get below decks until he passes", Captain Brynhild orders between barking commands to her men. "The inside of the cabin's enchanted. Assuming the hull holds, you'll be spared the worst of the cold", she adds.
The full force of the storm hits and for several hours life aboard the Rimedrake is a miserable existence. Those outside are pummeled by strong winds and biting cold. Even the most experienced crew can only last a few tens of minutes before needing to be replaced, and several of the men suffer from frostbite and hypothermia. Fortunately, after 16 hours of terribly rough sailing, Rimedrake manages to clear the storm and reach less turbulent waters.
The rest of the voyage north passes uneventfully, although more and more ice is seen. On the 22nd day out from Iceferry, you here the lookout cry, "Land ho!"
***
The village of Aaminiut nestles on several small islands in the delta of the great Taraska River. Many clusters of long wooden houses are grouped around a central courtyard, each building resembling a traditional Ulfen longhouse except for the stilts which support each house several feet in the air. Every building in the village is on stilts, with rope and wooden swinging bridges connecting each islet to its neighbors, crossing the multitude of streams which are all that remains of the Taraska River in winter.
“The warmth of the houses can melt the permafrost,” Captain Redaxe says, answering the unasked question. “Building them on stilts means the soil underneath doesn’t thaw. Stays hard as a rock and makes a good foundation.”
Near the center of town, in front of a semi-circle of tall, carved wooden poles, villagers gather and watch the ship’s approach. The beach and the village's only quay seem fouled with large chunks of sea ice that has been blown inshore, making docking impossible. As Rimedrake anchors in the outer harbor, several warriors armed with spears push long dugout canoes into the water and begin to paddle towards the ship.