Fishcamps

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.

Casia suggested heading toward the docks, maybe someone would be there who actually fished with Ringeirr.  The party headed to the docks where another grouping of townsfolk stood talking, trying to keep warm.  More people were on the actual docks in animated discussion.

Casia again approached a group of folk, "Do any of you know Ringeirr Malenkov?"

"What was that name again, Ringeirr?  We know of no one by that name and even if we did we wouldn't necessarily talk to you." an older man responded.

Fanara got the feeling that the townfolk seemed in fear of reprisal if they spoke too much.

Casia tried another tack, "We are here to ask for Ringeirr's help in entering Whitethrone.  We have his niece with us. She indicated he might be able to help us."

The man motioned for Casia to join him in the lee of a building, hidden away from sight.  We know of Ringeirr, we was recently arrested for disturbing the peace by the Fishcamp Guards."

"Who are these guards and where do they hold him?" Casia asked additionally.

"The Fishcamp guard are a group of thugs who extort money from we villagers for their so-called protection.  Their leader, Marcian, and his two ogres..."

There arose a din from the docks, shouting and yelling is extreme anger.  The whole group of townsfolk were instantly drawn to the noise.  The party followed and saw four "thugs" encircling a local fisherman.

"Pay your taxes now, you slacker," one thug yelled and smacked the local who fell to the wooden dock.  All four thugs took turns kicking and stomping on the man.

Casia, Jorgen and Amadeo headed apace toward the group.

"Leave that gentleman alone!" Casia shouted.

"What did you say?" one thug responded with a look of astonishment on his face.

"I said leave him alone."

With that the party set upon the four supposed Fishcamp guards. The guards were not prepared to skillful enough to withstand the attack of six dedicated heroes.  Three guard fell within seconds.  The fourth, badly injured, threw down his bladed hook and surrendered.

"I give up, please spare me.  I am only following orders."

"Get on your knees, hands behind you," Amadeo ordered.

"Who do you work for?" Casia asked.

"Marcian Enarxion," the guard responded.

"What about Ringeirr Malenkov?" Fanara interjected.

"Marcian ordered Ringeirr arrested for trying to organize the peasants of the Fishcamps to take advantage of the current chaos in Whitethrone and overthrow the Fishcamp Guards while Elvanna's Winter Guard is distracted.  He is being held in the largest wooden shack in the village.  It's our guardhouse."

"Where is the "guardhouse"?"

One of the villagers stepped up and directed the heroes to that building.  The rest of the villagers help the downed fisherman to his feet.  They offered some bandaging and started to lead him away.

"Wait," Fanara said, "This thug must be put to work helping this fisherman and the village.  He is to be a man used for any task the village needs accomplished or even just help finishing.  That is the condition of his life."

The fate of the former thug was acceptable to all and the party then headed, with heads high, to the "guardhouse".

The windows of the large, ugly, unpainted building were boarded shut. Its construction was rough and haphazard, as if it were once a smaller shack that had many additions tacked on later. The word "guardhouse," along with a crude symbol of a shield crossed by a hook, was painted on the building's only door.

Amadeo headed south around the building while Fanara and Jorgen headed north to circle the shack. To the north on a enclosed lead-to Fanara found a secret door.  She outlined it and flung it open revealing a small bedroom with a open door leading into the larger interior.  Standing wide-eyed was a wiry human staring dumbfounded at Fanara.

Now a battle began as Fanara entered and the man retreated out into the main building.

"We are under attack.  Secure access!" the man shouted.

The party streamed into the building following the man.  The main room looked like a warehouse with crates piled in the middle and sides.  A few small tables and chairs were spread around and the whole room reeked of body odor and fish.  Casia and Nadya stayed guard at the main door.  Casia tried to open it but it seemed barred.

Inside the group saw two ogres, one headed to the main door and lifted the bar letting it drop loudly on the floor.  He then flung the door open where Nadya let arrows fly at him.  The man, most likely Marcian kept trying to get into a flanking position but the party denied him that.  The battle took some time as the ogres were formidable foes.  Eventually the party was successful in eliminating the threat to the village.

Another door next to Marcian's room led to another small bedroom.  Inside bound and gagged was a stout townsman. Milos called Nadya over as he let the man loose.  Nadya and Ringeirr were thrilled to see one another, hugged, and then Nadya introduced Ringeirr and the party to one another.

Meanwhile a search of Marcian's room found a locked chest under the bed.  A search of Marcian found a key.  Inside was a wand, a small pouch holding four uncut rubies worth 50 gp each, 179 gp in assorted coinage, and a curious silver mirror engraved with the image of two lovers embracing.  Santrel took teh wand, Fanara the mirror and the party gave Ringeirr the pouch reasoning that it was the townsfolk's money.

Ringeirr invited the group to his modest hut, where they had the opportunity to eat hot food and rest without having to fight the elements. He asked for their story.  The heroes explained the happenings in Taldor, minus the part about Baba Yaga's hut, Waldsby and the Pale Tower.  They explained that they were after a witch named Nazhena and wanted to stop Queen Elvanna from spreading winter over Golarion. Given that Ringeirr took them into his confidence. He reviewed what Nadya already told them, but then divulged a secret of which even Nadya was unaware: Sometime after he came to terms with the loss of his wife and son, Ringeirr was contacted by the underground resistance group called the Heralds of Summer's Return. These resistance fighters in Whitethrone are members of a clandestine cult of Milani who maintain a secret shrine to the goddess in the city. After meeting them, Ringeirr found a new purpose in helping the oppressed people of Whitethrone . Now an agent of the Heralds, he smuggles the desperate out of the city and brings in much needed supplies to the resistance.

Ringeirr made it clear how difficult it has become recently to get in and out of the city. He affirms what the heroes had already learned from the Black Rider-that Queen Elvanna had seized power from her mother, Baba Yaga, and intends to remain on the throne on Irrisen. He also added that she has removed the Iron Guard from power and instituted a new military force in its place, the Winter Guard, loyal to her alone. Elvanna has also declared martial law in Whitethrone, making it extremely dangerous to go through the city's primary gates. Traffic still passes through the city gates, but it has a slowed to a crawl, with large contingents of the Winter Guard performing thorough searches of anyone entering or leaving Whitethrone.

"Wait, Elvanna is Baba Yaga's daughter?  How old is she?" Fanara asked incredulously.

"Yes, she is the 14th daughter of Baba Yaga to sit on Irrisen's throne.  Each is Queen for one hundred years.  Then Yaga returns to replace her with another daughter." Ringeirr answered.

"How long has Elvanna been Queen?"

"This is her one hundredth year.  The whole realm has been waiting for Yaga's return but nothing has occurred yet."

"Go on," Casia interjected.

Entering the city isn't the only problem, Ringeirr explained. Citizens are routinely checked even within the city. The adventurers need papers authorizing their movement throughout Whitethrone, not just through its gates, but Ringeirr thought they might be able to exploit a loophole. He described a privileged group of Jadwiga called stilyagi, young nobles known for their outlandish behavior and style of dress. Like-minded stilyagi form gangs that adopt the cultural and stylistic trappings of other lands and peoples-even pretending to be adventurers from other nations. With their wealth and indolent lifestyle, stilyagi are also notorious for the recruitment of foreigners to Whitethrone to act as companions, teachers, and advisors-at least until they grow tired of them. Ringeirr suggested that the group could take the roles of stilyagi and their foreign guests to move about the city. Ringeirr knows of an eccentric forger in Whitethrone who not only can prepare the correct documents, but also knows the secret household symbols of many of the city's Jadwiga clans and can reproduce them with arcane marks for added authenticity. 

The forger, a man named Mortin, lives on the borders of the district known as the Howlings, which is predominantly controlled by winter wolves, but it is the one district Ringeirr felt he might be able to get the heroes through and into the city. Thanks to an ancient pact with Baba Yaga, winter wolves can assume human form in the Howlings. The "Howlings Gate" is not a gate at all but rather a hole in the city wall that gives the wolves unrestricted access to their district. The wolves are responsible for security of the district, but Ringeirr knew they're often lax about it and susceptible to bribery.

In exchange for his help in entering Whitethrone, Ringeirr asked for the adventurers' assistance in a side mission. If he is going to get them into the city and take them to Mortin, he wants to do so while bringing food to desperate humans who are going hungry, and he'd like their help in making the delivery.

Once they're safely inside the city, with the group in possession of their forged papers and Ringeirr's food delivery made, Ringeirr would take them to meet his contact with the Heralds of Summer's Return, a woman named Solveig Ayrdahl. Solveig is the leader of the cult of Milani in Whitethrone, and she can give the group shelter in the city and more information on the current conditions there.

The party discussed among themselves and came to the conclusion that it would be good to follow Ringeirr's plan.  Delivering food seemed like an excellent distraction to help get the group inside.  Ringeirr said they could leave in the morning after he and the townsfolk fill a cart with a load of fish.

Ringeirr addressed some preliminary issues. First, the heroes can't just walk around the city decked out in medium or heavy armor or shields, or openly display weapons larger than a dagger without documents authorizing them to do so. For this reason, Ringeirr explained, papers identifying them as stilyagi or part of a stilyagi retinue are preferable, as they'll grant the group more privileges with fewer questions. For his part, Ringeirr intends to push the handcart full of snow-packed fish through the district as part of their cover. Unless the PCs had magic or superior disguises, Ringeirr suggested they wrap their heavier gear in oiled cloth and bury it under the fish. When the group was a little wary of going around with only daggers, Ringeirr said it was only essential until they cleared the gate. Once they're actually in the Howlings, they can reclaim their gear, but they'll need to either avoid or deal with any encounters until they deliver Ringeirr's load of fish and get to Mortin's home to obtain their papers.

Pointedly looking at Amadeo, Ringeirr added that anyone wearing one likely wouldn't be questioned as a winter wolf in human form, and woud be above reproach for being armed, though this held true only in the Howlings.  Casia asked if a bag of holding might be snuck through, with weapons and armor inside.  He indicated that it might be possible.

In the morning Ringeirr took Nadya aside and tried to convince her to rejoin her children and leave him to guide the heroes from here forward. He pleaded with her that he had much less to lose, and even if the group gets to Nazhena, their journey through Whitethrone might be a one-way trip.  Reluctantly she agreed.

The group then headed to the Howlings Gate into Whitethrone.  This was on the northwestern side of the city, so the group had to circle from the west around to the northwest. The walls of Whitethrone towered 30 feet high, and had the appearance of giant, sharpened femurs fused together, though closer inspection revealed only smooth stonework the color of bleached bone. Massive skulls of the same bone-white stone topped the walls, staring with blank gazes outward from the city in all directions. A rough road of frozen mud, churned and trampled from the traffic of countless feet, led through an opening in the wall, which appeared to have been deliberately left unfinished rather than sundered.

 DM's Notes: The party is now at 5th level.