The Animate Dream attacked with many fear type spells, Amadeo and Casia tried to run away from the creature but were blocked and began to cower.
Fanara had a vision of a terrible monster but her will was enough to overcome the phantasmal killer. Jorgen was staying out of the battle as he was still processing his previous death.
That left a large sized Fanara, Santrel and Milos to fight the monster.
The party was inside or just outside a now dimly lit room. An albino Raven was talking to them and they had just identified the symbology of the carvings on the doors. Casia continued her conversation with the Raven.
"We are in search of Baba Yaga. The rider in black armor tasked us with finding Baba Yaga and returning her to Irrisen," Casia said beseechingly.
"I wondered who you were and why you were here," the Raven responded.
"Can you help us with our goal?" Casia asked.
The hut lowered the entry to the porch down to ground level, inviting the party to climb onto the porch. Everyone moved on the porch with Fanara heading for the door. Others looking in the windows saw a cozy room, with a cauldron bubbling away in the center. The room seemed larger than the dimensions of the hut that they could walk around on the porch. No additional doors or windows were seen.
Fanara pushed gently on the door and it opened easily, revealing the comfortable looking room. Bundles of dried herbs hung from the rafters, and along the walls were numerous shelves held a bewildering variety of glass jars, bottles, and vials containing all manner of strange magical components and alchemical ingredients. A massive cauldron sat in the middle of the room. No fire burned under the pot, but the liquid within it bubbled and churned, and white fumes rose and lapped over the brim. A large stove, writing desk, bookcase, and fireplace complete the room, along with a number of crates, barrels, and sacks. A short flight of steps led up to a set of double doors in the north wall, and a small ladder climbed to a trap door in the ceiling in the northeast corner. A latticed ceiling was above the cauldron showing a second level that was not visible from outside.
Safely back in the Shrine of the Everbloom the party settled in to examine the magic items and other goods they had recovered from Logrivich's Clocktower. They did find it difficult to sell any more items in the city as there was unrest and fighting all over the streets. Casia was lucky to find some additional potions of fire breathing but the group decided longer exposure on the streets was not the best option.
Fanara had a proposal for the next day. She would attempt Automatic Writing to try and glean some additional information about their upcoming quest into the Market Square and Baba Yaga's hut. The party agreed to this as it was deemed advisable to know or at least try to know, some hints about what to prepare for.
Santrel exclaimed that the little doll creature was an Attic Whisperer.
"It is undead and can steal your voice in some way. I will stay away from it for that reason."
Just as the party was rearranging to attack the two monsters, Milos found himself swallowed up by the iron stove. He was inside the firebox, where is was extremely hot.
The flue pipes continued to attack Amadeo and the room began to fill with black smoke.
Jorgen backed away from the large female troll but she followed him out into the weapons room. Again she took a whack with her battleaxe. Jorgen was screaming for help but the mechanical background noise and the battle going on in the dining room made hearing him difficult.
Amadeo killed off the last troll in the dining area and then Casia began burning the two troll bodies there.
At this point Santrel and Milos had found that Jorgen was not around and went looking for him. Santrel saw him alone in a great battle with the female troll, who looked more foul than the ones they just killed.
Ringeirr led the party through the streets of Whitethrone. Martial law had recently been declared in the city, making it even more dangerous than usual for foreigners to venture outside of the relatively safe Merchants' Quarter. Patrols of Elvanna's mirror men and the Winter Guard were everywhere. Ringeirr insisted that they watch their step and take care not to attract attention to themselves.
He led the group to the floes headed directly to the Water Palace.
"This is where many of the Jadwiga live. Be extra cautious here." Ringeirr said as they approached a small communal bathhouse just east of the Water Palace.
As the party approached with Fanara assisting Ringeirr in pushing the cart of fish they saw a gatehouse. Standing beside the gatehouse was a tall woman, with shoulder length silver hair, fair skin, and bright blue
eyes-and by human standards she is very attractive. She was eyeing the party warily and as Ringeirr and Fanara approached she threw up her hands and ordered them to stop.
"What are you transporting in that cart?" she inquired without real conviction.
"It is a load of fish for the hungry population of the Howlings," Ringeirr answered.
Casia headed toward the nearest group of townsfolk.
"Excuse me, but do you know of a local names Ringeirr Malenkov?" she inquired.
One of the younger men responded, a little quickly, "There is no one in the Fishcamps by that name. Right Dimitri."
"No we know of no one by that name." another older gentleman said.
"Are you sure, we are supposed to meet him here?" Casia continued.
"We know of no one called Ringeirr," the young man said.
"We should probably head to Whitethrone as fast as we can. Nazhena will likely return to the Pale Tower and we don't want to be here when she does," Casia stated as the group awoke.
"I think we might want to return to Waldsby with some of this loot. Maybe the locals will buy at least some of it," Fanara countered.
"I feel like we need to find Baba Yaga's hut. It is supposed to be in Whitethrone," Santrel added.
"Maybe I can help," Nadya interjected. "If we return to Waldsby I will collect my sons and I will lead you to Whitethrone. I would plan on dropping the boys off in Ellsprin, hopefully out of sight of Nazhena."
"I watched you come up through the tower. I knew you would be here soon." the man stated.
"Radosek, where is my daughter?" demanded Nadya.
"Why, haven't they told you? I watched them in Taldor through Thora's new glass eye," Radosek sneered in response.
With that he rose into the air as a battle began. The heroes began firing into the air at the Radosek and the goat charged at Fanara.
A search of the Conservatory revealed no magic. Casia smashed the mirror as they party had been doing all along. Fanara and Santrel had not found any interesting new information from studying the transport portal outside the Conservatory.
"We should check out the kitchen before we try to advance. We don't want to leave anything behind us." Santrel suggested.
"How do we get to the fourth floor? We don't have a phrase for that," Casia asked.
"We could just try the phrase to the third floor in each transport area," Fanara suggested.
"But that doesn't get us to the fourth floor," Casia shot back.
"Maybe there is a way up from the third?" Fanara said.
There was transmutation magic emanating from the ice nymph statues at the entry to the teleportation alcove. Santrel was concerned that they would come to life but Milos pushed on toward the northern statue. Around the corner he saw a door and a window. The window looked out upon the wintry landscape.
Jorgen moved toward a door in the southwest wall. Peering in he saw a bookshelf in the illuminated small annex chamber along with a massive mirror on the wall. Pushing his luck he looked further into the chamber and saw more bookshelves and an ornate table surrounded by six chairs. The table top was covered with books. Beyond the table stood a figure.
The group decided not to enter the tower through the main gate. On the parapet level were two doors leading into the tower. The party headed through the northern door. This led to a stairway leading down to the main level. A storeroom with some rusty weapons and other gear was at the bottom of the stair, along with a another door that would lead further into the tower.
Steamy air filled the inner gallery, emanating in lazy wisps from a bubbling pool recessed into the floor of a raised dais surrounded by six pillars of ice. Four foggy mirrors hung from the walls near ice sculptures of helmeted pike-wielding warriors.
"Halt in the name of Queen Elvanna," the sergeant exclaimed. "I assume you mean to surrender and submit to the witch of the Pale Tower," intimating a that far worse awaits them-and the villagers-if they refuse.
"What makes you think we would just give in?" Casia shot back.
"Then prepare to die!"
Nadya provided the adventurers with a hot meal and warm beds, bid them to stay put while she delivered her food shipment to the fortified storehouse on the other side of the village and made arrangements to better outfit them for their travels in Irrisen. When she returned soon after, Nadya brought a collection of winter clothing with her, urging the heroes to wear the more common peasant garb of Waldsby to avoid drawing attention to themselves.
Since it was still afternoon Casia stated that the group wanted to explore the village. Maybe there would be items for them to purchase from various vendors.
"Certainly. I can go with you to introduce you to the townfolk. You can be my relatives from Kizobran," Nadya suggested.
Nadya was a small woman only 5-1/2 feet tall. She wore her vibrant red hair in three braids, two short braids framing her pale face, and a third, longer braid hanging down her back. She was clad in armor for protection, along with a white fur cloak and matching hat which made her less visible in the snow. Her quiver was full, and in addition to her bow she carried a handaxe and pick.
As the mushers set up the camp the heroes engaged Nadya in a discussion.
"Where are you from? You indicated the south but about where?" she began.
"Far south, Taldor in fact. It is normally much warmer there but it seems some cold is began pushed into our realm," Fanara offered.
"We are under attack!" Casia called out.
"You were hit from behind? There is a whirlwind in front of us!" Jorgen cried in return.
"How do we attack a whirlwind?" Santrel asked.
"Just don't get caught up in it." Milos suggested.
Turning around Casia saw a small sprite in the air behind the party. "We should attack the magic user first." she added.
The party rested for one day, scoured the village for items, magic or otherwise, the next and then got ready to leave for the lodge to rebuild the bridge.
They collected a few items for free or nominal cost including cold iron sling bullets and ammo. Casia asked some old timers about repairing the bridge. Fanara suggested the spell mend that Santrel then added to his book.
Lady Argentea asked for the return of her signet ring and any other items the party found in the carriage. These were respectfully returned to her as they party was grateful for the reward she had bestowed upon them.
"I want to check upstairs. That is where Rohkar supposedly stayed," Casia emphasized once again.
Milos was standing next to a door on the lower level and opened it exposing a bedroom. The bed was completely rumpled, no blanket was there and the sheets were yanked around. There was a chest in the room along with a door to the east.
"Let me check for traps before we open any more doors," Jorgen said confidently as he strode into the room and up to the door.
Amadeo was standing by another door but he waited before opening it.
Milos took Old Man Dansby's body to a secluded part of the forest and said a few prayers over it before trying to cover it with rocks and stones.
Casia warmed by the fire, her cold weather gear hanging near the flames to dry out as quick as possible.
Santrel check the hat and found no residue of magic on it, nor was the illusion surrounding the snowman any longer. He also placed the arm of the Taldan soldier, encased in ice, near the fire. As it melted the longsword finally was freed and the party could see its nice sheen.
After around two hours the Casia put her gear back on and the party prepared to follow the trail further.
Milos examined one of the hanging clumps. It appeared to be something wrapped in a piece of leather connected with pins. Milos pushed one and it moved in a pendulum motion on the string it hung from.
"Santrel is it magic?" Fanara asked.
"It appears normal to me," Santrel said after focusing on one for a minute.
Milos pulled one of the bundles down and began to remove a pin or two. The leather pulled back and revealed what seemed to be black feathers. He continued pulling out pins and then saw two feet and the edge of a wing.
Pulling the leather completely away Milos found a frozen solid crow. It had blood from several wounds one of which had a broken tiny arrow still embedded in it.
"I will lead further following the tracks," Jorgen told the party.
"We will follow your lead," Milos seconded.
"Just be sure to check for traps if you see anything unusual," Santrel added jokingly.
"I wonder how many people we are following here," Casia stated.
"I will try and see if I can figure it out," Jorgen continued as he led further to the southwest deeper into the Border Wood.
The sleepy village of Heldren has rarely seen so much excitement or concern. Hunters from the nearby Border Wood speak of unnaturally cold weather at the height of summer that descended on the forest just days ago. Heavy snow followed, and those who returned spoke of an uneasy presence in the woods, as well as new, dangerous predators. No one knows what this event means, but the town's soothsayer, Old Mother Theodora, claims dark times lie ahead.
As we start on a new campaign, this post will detail the characters with a short biography of each character.
