Arbe and Claudius arrived in Steinbjorn and presented themselves to Austmer the Hierophant (the local druid and one of the elders of the community) and Ogham (the local cleric of the Old Gods and Austmer's protege). The brothers were both followers of the Old Gods, as was Austmer; Claudius was asked by Austmer to investigate some odd weather that had kept the mountain passes and main roads frozen much later that usual. While Claudius was conversing with the druid, Arbe managed to snag a deer from the local wilds. Once the two completed their conversation with Austmer, they looked to find a place to prepare the catch - they knocked on the doors of the houses near the druid's grove, meeting Malva and her family. The halflings agreed to let the brothers use their yard to set up a cooking fire so they can clean and cook the deer. Arbe and Malva solicited Eira, the owner of the local inn, for whatever she might be able to spare as far as drink went. Cephandrius had been in town for several days performing at the local inn as part of the recent festivities surrounding Disting; he capitalized on the opportunity and joined the growing roast outside. Soon, word spread of the deer roast, and all three of the elders arrived. Austmer informed Fredegar and Freythor of his plans to have the brothers investigate Stormholm Pass - Fredegar and Freythor commissioned Malva and Adokul to join the two as well. Cephandrius also agreed to the accompany the four.
Next morning before the group left Steinbjorn, Malva suggested they procure some assistance or information from a local halfling hermit and apothecary named Frode - he gave them two special preparations through a barely-opened door before rambling less coherently and driving the group off on their way. During the first day of travel, the party found evidence of wild mountain cats called jólakötturinn on the trail leading towards Stormholm Pass, but the day passed otherwise uneventfully. On the next day, in the woods prior to reaching the Pass, the party accidentally wandered into the territory of a brown bear; the bear managed to pull Adokul down and nearly killed him, but the group was able to dispatch the bear before it could finish off the halfling. Late that evening, passed the witching hour, Malva saw a spectacularly large shooting star pass overhead; it streaked north and appeared to come to ground in the mountains near the northern coast of Hrim, which would be many days further north than they currently planned to travel. She informed the others of what she witnessed in the morning, but the group did have more pressing matters.
During the next day, the group passed another friendly traveler in the Pass; he informed of them of cold, bitter winds streaming down from Stormholm Peak. Later that evening, while Cephandrius was on watch and the others were sleeping, a group of bandits attempted to bush-whack the group. Of the six bandits that began the assault, only one survived - a gangly youth named Sten. During interrogation, Sten told the five about the ruins of a castle on Stormholm Peak that locals avoid; with nothing more to tell, Claudius presided as judge of this one remaining bandit, lopping off his hand but treating the injury, marking him as a thief: "Justice is served."
In the morning, the party scaled the peak in search of the ruins, but yeti found the five first. These yeti nearly kill Claudius, but as the others stood in defense of the fallen cleric, the weight on the snow cliff of the group, two fallen yeti, and another approaching yeti caused the ice to break beneath them, plunging them into a ravine that ends in one partially broken but obviously man-made wall - part of the ruined castle. The party broke through the wall, investigated the corridors immediately on the other side of the wall, then set a watch to rest briefly before continuing into the ruins. Further investigation discovered the burial chamber of the rulers who once controlled this region under the ancient Cirean Empire - the queens of the noble Verglas family, sealed in magical coffins of made of ice... all but one. Continuing deeper into the ruins, the part found the old chapel the queens maintained to their old god : a old, evil goddess of winter and ice no longer worshiped in Hrim. The party pressed on, passed ghouls and skeletons, into the ruins of the upper part of the castle, through old mephits guarding the upper stairways, to the ancient personal chambers of the last Verglas Queen.
In the chamber, the party encountered the source of the weather disturbance - a yawning rip in the fabric of reality through which icy winds howl, surrounded by the ghost of the last Verglas Queen and the weaker spirit of her sister, the two emboldened and empowered by the energies welling through the Tear. The party prepared an ambush, using one of the flasks that Frode gave them to blow through the wall instead of simply going through the door, catching the ghosts off guard initially. The ghostly queen managed to both age and possess Arbe; Malva tried to break her hold using the second flask Frode gave them, but the ghost witch's powers were too strong. Puppeting Arbe, the Queen attacked the others, but the barbarian managed to finally force the Queen from his mind, and the party fought the ghosts to a stand still. As the party held the spirits back, Cephandrius invoked an ancient song to close the Tear - the effort nearly kills him, but he did finally seal the rip, allowing the others to send the ghosts to their final rest.
While the first group of intrepid adventurers was assembling and investigating the Verglas ruins on Stormholm Peak, several others were making their way from points west towards Steinbjorn - Kora, a halfling ranger from a ruined village in the moutains near the borders of Haloga and the Western Hobgoblin Reaches, and Ande, a dwarven cleric with reasons of his own for traveling to the village at the crossroads in Biarmia. Traveling with the man with the jewel for an eye - Arvind - initially they found themselves unable to leave Hul Moldir due to the weather. After a week, however, the weather suddenly broke and Spring finally seemed to arrive, allowing the companions to continue onward to Steinbjorn.
After an arduous journey back from Verglas Castle to Steinbjorn for Adokul, Arbe, Cephandrius, Claudius, and Malva, the party allowed the greatly weakened bard to rest at the inn for several days. Arbe and Claudius reported their success to Austmer, who thanked them for their service to the Old Gods. The two brothers discussed their options and decided they would continue east to Riza, spreading the word of the Old Gods to the hobgoblin settlement there; perhaps, given time, they might even establish a shrine there.
The next day after arriving back in Steinbjorn, Cephandrius took meetings with both Fredegar and Calder to request their aid in identification and sale of several items recovered from the ruins. Fredegar recognized several of the items as belonging to the Verglas family, and offers a decent price for some of the jewelry. Calder took several of the more rare items to research and identify, stating he would return the next day.
Arvind, Kora, and Ande arrived in Steinbjorn that next day. Arvind booked a room at The Pick and the Keg and inquired about performing that evening with Eira, who was happy for the opportunity to showcase traveling entertainment. As the bard played for a bustling group of regulars happy to feel the grip of winter loosening, Cephandrius and Malva met with Calder to discover the nature of their more rare finds. The Crown of Ice and the Verglas Signet Ring both provide protection against the elements and once served the Verglas queens as symbols of their power. Also recovered from the ruins was Gleich, the sword of the heralds of the Verglas - a weapon honed to a keen edge by powerful magicks. Intrigued and pleased to be involved in such a find, Calder offered to help the pair sell the items if they are so inclined, but Malva and Cephandrius understandably were not yet willing to part with these treasures. Calder made a friendly offer of his services in the future, collected his fee, and departed; as the old dwarven wizard left, Arvind took a break from his set and called Kora and Ande over so the three could speak with Cephandrius and Malva.
After a few moments of verbal obfuscation, Arvind simply cut to the heart of the matter - he had heard rumors of strange goings on and had seen the unnatural weather that had trapped Kora, Ande, and him in Hul Moldir, and he also realized just how quickly it ended. He suspects that the group witnessed a Tear, which Cephandrius confirmed. Arvind and Cephandrius discussed some details about Cephandrius' past and how Cephandrius came to learn of the Tears and of the ancient songs he used to close the rip in the ruins of Verglas Castle; this information prompted Arvind to explain his mission - there are further rumors surrounding another ancient ruin attributed to the Frozen King, the ruler of a different Cirean-age kingdom. Arvind had been asked by Jarl Alrek II in Haloga to investigate these rumors, which had prompted his journey north into Skara and led him here. Arvind asks Malva, Cephandrius, Ande, and Kora if they would assist him in investigating the burial site of the Frozen King, which is rumored to be at the base of Roc Mountain. The group agreed, but Cephandrius still needed another day's rest before he could depart. Arvind stated he would depart in the morning, a day ahead of the group, as he had some other details he needed to investigate on the way, and he would meet them at the site.
The remainder of the evening and the next day saw several preparations: Ande introduced himself to the local priestess Ragna, Malva sought the counsel of Fredegar, and the group acquired supplies for the journey. Malva and Cephandrius split the treasure acquired from Verglas Castle with the Zamblador brothers, and Arbe and Claudius departed the same morning as Arvind, traveling the same road. The morning after that, the four also departed east along the old Imperial road, heading into the mountains.
After a lovely spring morning traveling through the rapidly brightening and blossoming forests east of Steinbjorn, the party was beset by a nightmare creature - a lone, savage jólakötturinn. Appearing in their path as if from the very space between breaths, already at a full sprint, the beast savaged Kora, nearly ripping the life from her tiny body. Giving a snarling roar, it stepped over its fallen prey to fix a steely, blood-soaked stare on Cephandrius, who quickly withdrew while he spoke ancient words of healing to revive the ravaged Kora. Ande and Malva closed on the monster, who had misjudged the ferocity of the halflings and dwarf, while Kora slid around underneath the Yule-cat and slashed into its flank. The beast quickly withdrew, an obvious cunning and dark intelligence plain on its face, and attempted to parlay with the group. Cephandrius demanded the beast tell its tale, which it did, sneaking in jabs at Ande's faith. Ande insulted the beast in Dwarven, but the cat replied in perfect Dwarven in turn... and Ande responded with a blessing from Moradin for the shadowy feline. Enraged, the beast prepared to lunge again, but Kora felled it with a deftly aimed arrow.
As the dust settled and the forest quieted, the group surveyed the remains of the fabled cat and set about their grim work. Kora and Cephandrius inspected the beast, harvesting some of its pelt and an eye; no one had any empty flasks or bottles, so none of the blood or other fluids could be collected. Ande and Malva investigated the clearing off the road where they suspected the beast had sprang from and made a grisly discovery - the mauled remains of two halflings and their belongings stashed in the bushes. Picking through the remains, Malva found their guild paperwork and a few sundries: wine, trade gems, a few potions, and some sling bullets that had failed to protect the pair from the Yule Cat. Their work completed, the group continued east.
Kora picked a steady path through the improving weather - spring was finally arriving and the roads were getting easier to discern. The party managed a quiet remainder of their first travel day as their trek began to wind up into higher elevations. They made a camp off the road come nightfall and got some rest, until shrieks around midnight alerted Malva to something dangerous on the road.
Two panicked, hapless men were running from three ragged figures - as Malva snuck into the brush along the roadside to observe, the stench of the pursuers caused her to retch - fortunately, no one detects her. Picking the brave option, Malva fired on one of the figures, drawing their attention from the men. As she fled back into the camp and awakened Ande, one of the sickly pale wretches broke through the bushes behind her, fetid black claws splayed. Cephandrius retreated back, speaking words of healing and encouragement while firing his crossbow, as Ande and Kora advanced to deal with the creatures. Powerful undead, the ghasts managed to paralyze the cleric and nearly killed him, but in the end, the party sent the restless dead back to the grave. Kora managed to harvest some of the ragged claws of the monsters as Malva retrieved the understandably shaken men from the road - Ivar and Ervid, Imperial merchants on their way to Skara.
After a prayer of healing and some words of thanks, the party and the merchants settled down to rest for the remainder of the night. In the morning, the party escorted the merchants back up the road to their campsite...
In the morning, Malva, Cephandrius, Kora, and Ande escorted the two merchants to the remnants of their camp and wagons. The ghouls had apparently been only part of what attacked the caravan, but the packs of zombies had already moved on. Ivar and Ervid managed to wrangle one of the draft horses that somehow evaded the undead while the group was able to right one of the caravan's carts and collect some goods that survived unscathed. Judging by the tracks and counting their losses, the merchants decided that it would be better to proceed back to Framenturn with the party instead of westward by themselves... and thus the six set off.
Two days prior to the party's arrival in Framenturn, Arvind had trudged into the Watchtower Inn to find Vondal and Branon already enjoying a meal and whatever dull minstrel had been hired to play. Nodding to the innkeep, Arvind had graciously relieved the poor sod and provided much better entertainment for the evening. As the night wound on, Viktor had also turned up at the inn, and during a pause in his set for the evening, Arvind had approached the three. Viktor had heard of the bard - his grandfather had introduced them some years ago, and Arvind had stayed with them before in Framenturn - as had Branon. Arvind discussed needing assistance; he had a small group a day or two behind him on their way to Roc Mountain. Arvind left a piece of parchment with an odd note on it and a few symbols, which he told Viktor to present it to the "tall one in the group - you won't be able to miss him," and then to join up with them and meet him at the base of the mountain.
When the party arrived at the Watchtower Inn a day later, Ivar and Ervid were both relieved and downcast; their trip was now largely a bust as their companions were dead and their wares were largely destroyed, and while they had been lucky to escape with their lives, the two were left with few prospects. Kora and Ande offered to help the merchants; the four would see what other goods they can trade for here in Framenturn, possibly hire on another hand or two, and send word back south beyond the Throat for more goods if they can be sent - then the group would head westward to Meadoros and Skara. Malva imparted the guild papers the party recovered from the dead halfling merchants earlier in the week to Ivar and Ervid, who promised they would deliver them.
With arrangements made, and after a good nights' sleep, Viktor, Branon, and Vondal joined Cephandrius and Malva as the now group of five continued eastward to the Eastern Crossroads.
The second of Alor dawned warm for spring, and the party made good time into the mountain passes on the old Imperial road. Higher up in the switchbacks, the group came to a bridge over a generous ravine with swift-flowing water at the bottom; on the opposite side, making no attempts to hide themselves, were a group of five ice trolls. After a few moments conversing up the road prior to the bridge and a hasty word of protection from Branon, Cephandrius and Viktor stepped forward to parlay with the Trolls. Neither of the pair spoke the harsh tongue of the monsters, but fortunately two of the beasts understood the common tongue, and one spoke it well enough to allow the parties to negotiate. A bit of wordplay and some tense moments ended in a small toll to the trolls but no violence. The rest of the day was much quieter, save for signs of a pack of wolves in the passes, but fortunately no wolves made themselves known.
The next day found the companions traveling up into the heights of the old Imperial road in these parts; they found a small offshoot trail that had been deliberately hidden, but considering the need to be at the foot of the mountains sooner rather than later, they decided to press on. In the early afternoon, the five reached the highest point on the road, and while looking down over the valley and Roc Mountain about a days journey more, they heard the cry of a manticore in the peaks nearby. Deciding such a beast might be more trouble than they could afford given the time, they proceeded swiftly but cautiously, and the beast did not pursue them.
After another calm, cool spring evening, the party rose early and pressed on to the mountain. As they approached, the namesake of the mountain became clear - an odd, large, bird-like creature circled the peak as the party neared - not quite as big as they might have expected for a "roc", but definitely very large. Reaching the foothiils of the mountain just before noon, the party began circling east around the peak; in the early afternoon, they finally discovered the remnants of an ancient cobbled road which led to what could now only be described as a cave, but surrounding the entryway were the ruins of walls much older than could be found around Framenturn or Steinbjorn - bygone battlements of an old keep. Tracks leading into the cave were reasonably fresh, so the party drew up an order and proceeded inside.
In contrast to the warm spring day outside, the corridors of the chamber were chill, growing colder as the group traveled deeper in. The first chamber contained a small altar with scraps of parchment in a old runic language, aged shards of small animal bones, and a stairway leading down; the entryway arch and all the support arches on these stairs were covered in a series of runes, but none of the group recognized or could decipher them. As they proceeded down, the stairwell filled with mist - all of the characters managed to reach the next room unharmed, even if Branon did find himself rimed thinly in ice as the mist froze in the stairwell.
In this chamber at the base of the stairs, the adventurers discovered a sword, covered in runes, resting on another altar. This room also contained icy statuary - humanoids fixed in frozen screams. Cephandrius retrieved his book and recited an old lyric over the blade for several minutes - the blade was indeed magical, possessed of the forces of life and death. Viktor retrieved his bedroll and threw it over the blade to avoid touching it... and nothing happened as he collected it. The five swept the remainder of the room, Malva inspecting several sets of tracks - one of heavy boots that led to the far side of the chamber and another stairwell, and another of more forgiving footwear heading into a room that was on the same level with the sword chamber. As the group investigated the two paths, Viktor proceeded down the hall far enough to make out several prison cells, one of which contained an unconscious Arvind. Attempting to peek around the corner of the arch further into the rest of the room, he was spotted by a group of shivering, emaciated men.
Two of the these men lunged towards Viktor, while the third started down another corridor beyond the cells. Viktor, Malva, and Cephandrius moved forward to do battle with the crazed men, one of who wielded some sort of dark magic. Viktor managed to evade his touch and felled the more crazed-looking of the two, while Malva and Cephandrius dropped the other as Vondal and Branon proceeded to the cell. Malva followed quickly behind them once the two cultists were subdued, and Viktor gave chase after the third, discovering discovered another set of stairs leading down... he decided that helping Arvind was wiser than running off alone into the dark.
Branon spoke a short prayer of healing to revive the badly beaten Arvind while Malva deftly opened the cell. Vondal and Cephandrius looked over the cultists and sent them to whatever gods they pray to as Arvind woke. Having been lured into a trap, Arvind explained that he thought he saw someone entering the tomb who could not possibly have been there, and was quickly subdued when he entered the sword chamber. Judging by what the party tells him, he has been down here a day or two. The group discussed options, and finally decided that Arvind is not well enough to proceed out of the tomb alone, but that the situation here in the tomb was unclear enough that it needed to be investigated now. Viktor, a squire of the Ancients, provided Arvind some additional healing, and the six set off down the stairs where the third cultist had fled.
Exiting from the twisting tight stone stairway, the group found themselves in the ruins of an old kennel; the remnants of sleeping pits, chains, and the bones of larger animals were all that remained. With Malva, Cephandrius, and Viktor in the lead, the six proceeded quietly through the kennel and into another short corridor opening into what was once a mess-hall. At the table, sitting idly and grumpily, was a scene out of another space and time: a tall man, clad in plate and helm, rimmed in ice and literally chilling the very air around him, halberd at his side and greatsword in its scabbard, watched as two creatures resembling crosses between hoary ice and mastiffs viciously played with the still-fresh remains of what appeared to be the third cultist. Arvind stated bleakly - "We should not be here. That is one of the Aen Elle."
The other five looked confused; of them, only Cephandrius has even heard the words before, having read them in a book once... and try as he might, he could not recall what the rest of the page had said. Another brief discussion of options, and the group resolved to move forward. Before the Fey realized the group was in the corridor, Cephandrius spoke old words - words of fire, and the Corsair's armor rapidly turned orange-white from heat. Spitting curses in Eladrin, the mail-clad figure crossed the distance between the table and Viktor in what looked like a single step, swinging his massive sword twice in two icy arcs that barely missed the squire; his aim askew, the Corsair erupted into icy smoke, reappearing near the table. The hounds both looked up from their kill at the sound of their master's curses and started nosing towards the group. Well-placed arrows from Cephandrius and Malva, the continued searing heat from his armor, and a mighty javelin from Vondal dropped the Corsair to its knees, where it breathed its last. The hounds, seeing their master slain, tore icy holes into some fell winter realm and disappeared, leaving the six to investigate the dead Aen Elle and plan their next move into the tomb.
Stripping the dead corsair, the party found what could only be described as an Eladrin male. Viktor took his plate while Cephandrius consulted his books and studied the weapons of the fallen Fey for magic; none of the pieces were magical, so whatever powers they displayed were from the corsair, not their craftsmanship. Malva, Viktor, and Cephandrius quickly surveyed the staircase leading up to ensure it did indeed hook back around to the sword altar chamber, and satisfied that it did, the group proceeded down deeper into the tomb.
As they approached the final landing of the next set of stairs leading down, Malva found a secret passage in the rock wall across from a set of large wooden doors; this passage hid within it a statue of translucent ice - a male figure in an armed stance - and an incredibly deep hole torn deep into the ground from which all the cold air appeared to be emanating. After the party debated investigating the hole, the party decided to check the doors first... and then heard the chanting.
Proceeding cautiously, they opened the door and spread out into the large funerary hall, finding a woman with a pair of swords at her hip and a large book thrown open atop the heavy stone lid of a sarcophagus at the far end. Pleasantries were exchanged, several important details about both Birel and Arvind were revealed (her Skaldic history, Arvind's Eladrin ancestry, and Birel's master's commands), and combat rapidly ensued.
If not for a well-timed and placed silence from Cephandrius, things would likely have gone much worse... however, King Eirick Jokullmon did still rise, a Tear did open, and the Frozen King summoned forth several of his guardians from their interment as well. Branon was nearly killed, and most of the party were wounded, but with several mighty blows struck by Viktor using the ancient runic blade from the Tomb, the abomination was driven back to hence he had slumbered. During the brawl, Birel was gravely wounded, but managed to escape. Arvind and Cephandrius were able to seal the Tear, and as the howling force abated, the two slumped to the cold paving stones, exhausted but safe.
As Viktor returned the body of King Eirick to his sarcophagus, the cleric Branon said a quiet prayer to Gatris to consecrate the tomb. Cephandrius and Arvind had a brief discussion about Arvind's ears and thus heritage (along with how he knows Birel) - his mother was a Biarmian noblewoman and his father was a lower member of the Winter Court. In the aftermath of the Last War, his mother slowly lost her lands and privilege and his father was never seen again. He entered the Skaldic Brotherhood long ago, where he had met Birel when she was apprenticed to another Brother; she failed her apprenticeship, falling in with seedy elements and being bounced from the Brotherhood.
Leaving the main chamber still exhausted, the companions ensured the remainder of the tomb was secure so they could rest. Following Malva up the remaining stairs, the halfling found another secret passage, behind which lay two strange rooms - a sacrificial pit strewn with icy (yet fresh) spiderwebs, and another room scrawled with magical script in the Eladrin language and a statue of an Eladrin in its center holding a still-burning torch. Vondal and Malva eyed the pit room with suspicion while the others proceeded into the other room, but nothing emerged from the pit. As Arvind began reading the script, he comes to a realization - the words were the same as that of the chant that ripped the Tear in the King's burial chamber. Cephandrius and Arvind discussed what should be done with the Song; in the end, they decided Arvind should copy the song, but it would take him several days, so the group proceeded to the very first chamber and secured a camp.
On the first evening as the group took watch, Branon and Viktor heard several voices coming down the entry passage; several brigands had found the tomb and were discussing entering. Viktor donned his Aen Elle armor, and shouting in Sylvan, charged up the entry passage, near frightening the thieves to death. They scattered to the night, and the companions returned to their rest. The remainder of Arvind's work time passed uneventfully, and the group pulled up stakes two days later, deciding that the quickest way for Arvind to report his findings to the Jarl in Haloga was to pass back through Biarma, into Skara, and then back through northern Haloga following the old Imperial roads - the direct route through the mountains, although shorter as the crow flies, would take several days longer because of the difficult terrain.
The first day, the group managed to move undetected through the manticore's territory again. After another night's rest, they managed to easily locate the hidden path again, finding it still apparently undisturbed. About thirty minutes back through mountainous woods, the group found a small cottage with a well, hay near the back door, and a sigil on the door. Viktor, Cephandrius, and Branon remembered seeing the sigil before, inscribed on the corner of Fredegar's sign on his carter shop in Steinbjorn.
Malva handily unlocked the front door, and the group slowly and cautiously searched the cottage. Based on the dust, it appeared no one had been there for several weeks. The cottage consisted of a small kitchen, a little sitting room with the back door, and another heavier metal door that led to a small study and a set of stairs leading up to a small sleeping space with several beds. A survey of the desk revealed a number of books and a note, written in cryptic language about happenings in the northern Imperial territories. A quick investigation of the rest of the cottage found a small collection of items and a chest with some Imperial trade bars and coinage.
Finishing up their survey of the cottage, Viktor found several useful or unusual books in the study - copies of Saevel's Conversational Eladrin and Saevel's Eladrin to Common Guidebook, both in decent condition. He also found a smaller, handwritten journal with an intricate piece of tapestry whose patterning is unrecognizable as anything obvious folded and tucked into the back of the book - several pages have been removed from the back of the journal to accommodate the folded tapestry. A quick read of the commentary in the journal indicated it was a hobgoblin child's story-blanket, and the journal was a rough translation of the story on the blanket. The last book was titled Khak Mocroz: The Fall of Hul Keghrim; none of the group remembered hearing of this Dwarven Hul before, and even Arvind was not immediately familiar with it. After a quick discussion and considering the time of day, the group tried to rearrange the cottage as best they could, took the silver trade bar and some of the smaller valuables, left behind a set of chain mail, and continued north. The next day's travel was quiet with good weather, and the party arrived in Framenturn the following evening.
Cephandrius offered to perform at the Watchful Eye, but they were not interested this evening. Malva set up cards in the corner of the inn and managed to relieve several of the locals of enough coin to put the party up with board and drinks for the evening. As the group discussed their options for the evening, the bartender brought their drinks, eyeing Branon specifically. He told the cleric that an old halfling man was looking for him a day or so after the party left, but that the stranger was found murdered the morning after he'd come into the bar. Branon asked if the bartender remembered a name but he could not; however, he knew the constable had been called, so the body might still be up at Able Manor if it hadn't been interred already. Cephandrius, Branon, and Viktor headed off to the manor, but it was late and the house was dark. The guard on duty did recognize Branon and guessed he must be here to ask about the dead halfling; the body was still being held, but it would be better for him to return in the morning to speak with Master Able when they could view the body under daylight instead of torchlight. The three agreed, and instead headed over to pay respects to Viktor's grandfather. They spent a few quiet, happy hours regaling the old man with the tale of their journey into the tomb of the Frozen King and the Eladrin whose armor Viktor was now wearing, and then the old man sent them off so they could rest at the inn.
In the morning, the full group returned to Able Manor and met with Brennan Able, who escorted them to a shed on the property where the body was being held. Several days had not done the halfling any favors, but Branon did recognize him as a soldier he had served with in Nidaros, although he could not remember his name. Bizarre punctures and slashes marked the upper torso, head, and shoulders of the old man, but Branon did not immediately recognize what might have caused the wounds. They searched his belongings and found some scraps of paper with very strange markings on them, and the Cephandrius decided to check the old halfling for any magic auras. The flood of magic from the dead man's body scintillated with the colors of all schools of magic, and while fading, it was potent enough to stun the bard for a few moments. Branon asked Master Able to take them to where the body had been found; Brennan, a few guards, and the party headed off to the western edge of town, to a nondescript area of tall grasses between Brighton Farms and the village proper. There, Cephandrius and Viktor scouted the edges of the scene with their abilities to detect magicks and the unnatural while Branon investigated the small patch of bloody ground. At the scene, there were some unusual feathers, which Cephandrius recognized as griffon feathers, although griffons had not been seen in this region for many years. In the grasses, a few yards from where the body was found, the two searchers found a powerfully magical crystal - its auras were of all schools, and it appeared to be of both celestial and fiendish origins to the stunned Viktor. They carefully wrapped the crystal up in a bedroll (as they did initially with the sword in Eirick's tomb), and then asked who found the body. Brennan directed them to the Brightons - one of their farmhands had reported the body. Arvind informed the group that while this incident is indeed odd and worthy of investigation, he needed to continue on to Haloga to make his report to the Jarl. He took his leave as the group headed off to the farmhouse.
As the group approached the farm, they saw the hands were out loading a wagon with goods. The party and the hands exchanged greetings, but they knew why the party was here - Alvin. Branon asked if he could speak with Alvin, but the farmhands all seemed tense. They brought the group inside to speak with Old Man Brighton first; in a nice sitting room, the elder Brighton was having a rest and a read, and he received the group warmly. He told them about the strange affliction that had befallen Alvin over the past few days, and then brought the party upstairs to a small room where Alvin was resting. On a thin mattress the boy lay near motionless, glassy eyes fixed in a blank stare, strange burns or rashes on his hands and face in these odd circle-like patterns, babbling in an unknown language. Branon spoke a healing prayer over the boy, and his eyes cleared for a moment. The brief moment of clarity passed, but not before he said something about sixes.,. but then rapidly fell back into babbling and staring past them. It appeared not much could be done here, so Old Man Brighton suggested taking Alvin to Steinbjorn; there, they may be able to take him to the Temple of Moradin or to Austmer the Hierophant. The party agreed and offered to help finish loading up their wagons so they could get underway before the afternoon. Old Man Brighton supplied the party with horses to ride along with the caravan, and the group set off around noon.
A quiet afternoon gave way to a stormy evening, and the caravan stopped at a campsite the Brightons knew along the way - a nice spot with an old battlement, a well, and a sheltered area to set up tents. One of the hands went to draw water, and fortunately for him, several of the party heard his cries as a host of the dead rose around the well. Cephandrius managed to dazzle the dead with faerie fire, and Viktor, Malva, and Vondal waded into the fray. As the skeletons and zombies began to fall before them, Malva heard additional rustlings in the trees near the old battlement, as several minotaur skeletons shuffled into the trees followed by a few hardier hobgoblin zombies - these bodies were all likely fallen soldiers from the Last War, but what has roused them now was uncertain, although one of the hobgoblin zombies did continue to attempt to head towards the tents where Alvin and the Brightons were hiding. With several powerful spells from Branon, Cephandrius, and Viktor, and the martial skills of Vondal and Malva, the dead were returned to their rest, but would the party be able to rest easily the rest of the evening?
As the party finished off the walking dead, Viktor scouted around the crumbling wall and tower to ensure no other surprises were lurking, but the coast appeared clear. The group finally bedded down for a restful yet dreary night, awakening to breaking clouds. As the Brightons worked to load the wagons up and break camp, Branon showed Cephandrius an odd gift he awoke to find on his pack - a ritual book with a lovely gilded black feather quill. While the book did radiate faint magic, it did not appear to be dangerous, and Branon could read the rituals within - comprehend languages and identify.
While the bard and the cleric inspected the book, Viktor decided to inspect another prize... the crystal. Retrieving it from his bedroll, he studied it, but nothing seemed to happen. He then showed it to the others... after their momentary head-shaking, Branon attempted to identify the crystal, but after his time with the object, only received two pieces of information - 6 and 10. No context, no description, no powers - just 6 and 10. Baffled, he returned the stone to Viktor and worked his way through the other items the party had needed information on - the sword and maul from the Eirick's tomb and the few magical baubles from the hidden cottage on the road between Framenturn and Roc Mountain. Branon also took a moment to use comprehend languages on the notes found on the old murdered halfling; the message read as follows:
The server remains active and everyone is advised to opt for this three-dimensional compatibility - 3A7B56LV9
The party discussed this message - none were quite sure what it could mean: some pondered the possibilities of surreal realities, others wondered if the message was simply encoded, its literal meaning simply nonsensical without context and more information. Regardless, after the hour spent in ritual castings, the Brightons had finished their work and were ready to set out.
About an hour into their ride, Branon noted the emergence of a rash on his right hand, eerily similar to the one observed on Alvin... but said nothing, pulling his sleeves a little further down to cover the mark. The weather steadily improved, the clouds from yesterday breaking up slowly as the group rode on, arriving in Steinbjorn around three in the afternoon. The Brightons stopped at the trading post to speak with Fredegar and looked into securing lodging for the evening; Branon took leave from the party to deal with two errands of his own while the rest of the group took Alvin to see Austmer the Hierophant.
The elder druid was meditating alone quietly in his grove in the forest north of the village, and while he had met Cephandrius, Malva, and Viktor before, he did not appear to remember them. After a few minutes of dawdling questions, the druid's demeanor changed and his memory seemed to sharpen - he seemed tense with Viktor as he remembered him, but instructed the group to bring Alvin before him. He examined the markings, but did not recognize them. As he continued to ask questions about the nature and timing of the affliction, he mentioned that he recently used the power of his grove to reverse the unnatural aging Arbe Zamblador had suffered in Verglas Castle - he could not yet summon such power again from the hold. Austmer's mind also seemed to start wandering again as he spoke - his responses slowed, and the others began to wonder if something beyond advanced age was to blame for the druid's strangeness. Viktor began to survey the grove more closely, finding the lingering stain of some dark powers near one of the standing stones that marked the edge of Austmer's hold; Cephandrius also inspected the area, finding marks of necromancy. When the pair asked the druid about the disturbance they had found, his senses immediately returned to him, and he said (rather curtly) to leave Alvin with him and he would see if he could cure the boy. His mood became much more hostile towards Viktor as well, reminding the young man that he had instructed his grandfather to move Viktor away from this place for a reason. Malva informed the group about the deliberateness in the druid's evaded questions once the group has exited the grove, and Viktor explained some details about his childhood nightmares that had led to Austmer to tell his grandfather to take Vitkor east and away from Steinbjorn...
Meanwhile, Branon headed straight to Ragna, the local cleric of Moradin; he found her clearing up after services for the day in her shrine off the main square under the mountain. He asked her about word from Nidaros, but she had heard nothing new - the capital was still uninhabitable, and what settlements remained in the province were small and nestled on the mountainous borders of Biarmia and Haloga. Branon then brought the conversation around to his current predicament, showing her the rash and explaining what he knew about Alvin. She informed him that she could attempt more powerful intercession on his behalf (greater restoration), but that such magic did require a donation to the church to cover the costs of the materials needed. Branon did not have the funds needed currently, so he tells Ragna he will return once he does. He then proceeded over to see Frode the apothecary; the cleric had an arrangement with the mad old alchemist to supply him with corpse rose buds in exchange for potent chemicals. The exchange was brief and efficient, and Branon then proceeded over to the grove to find the others...
Branon saw his companions leaving the grove, and headed over to ask them how they had fared with Austmer, or so he thought he did. The party stared at him, unable to understand what he was saying. He tried again, but this time, he could not understand what he was saying, either - his speech had become like Alvin's, but his vision hadn't started to glass over yet. The party quickly led Branon back to Ragna, unsure what happened with the cleric; as they entered the mountain, Branon became very agitated, gesturing wildly down a side street towards a house, miming like something was there... Viktor investigated, but found no evidence of any creature. The party, now more visibly concerned, hastened to the cleric. Ragna greeted them all, asking if Branon had already secured the funds for the donation they had discussed, which informed the party what they needed to know - Branon had come to her for help with the affliction, and Ragna had not already treated him.
Cephandrius negotiated with Ragna, and she agreed to assist Branon. Her intercession successful, the party sent Viktor to quickly fetch Alvin from the grove. After another unpleasant exchange with Austmer where the druid reminded Viktor he was not truly welcome in the grove anymore, Viktor returned with Alvin. Ragna again beseeching Moradin's blessing, but Alvin's case was far more advanced than Branon's; the marks on his arms only receded, and the boy's gibbering did not subside, nor did his vision clear. Ragna was exhausted from working such potent prayers - she could not assist further today. She told the party to bring the boy again first thing in the morning, and she would try once more.
To pass the rest of the day, Cephandrius looked to purchase mounts to speed their travels, so he and Malva headed to the trading post while Viktor headed to the blacksmith to see about selling a few items and to have the Aen Elle plate armor inspected and worked. The old hobgoblin Rast said he'd take the splint mail, but wasn't sure he could do much with Eladrin armor - he hadn't really seen the like in fifty years... not since the "long ears roamed the valley." Meanwhile, Fredegar had three head in his stables he could sell, but would need a few days to acquire a fourth horse for the party, as Branon already had a pony. Cephandrius and Malva questioned Fredegar about the symbol on the corner of his sign - the one that matched the symbol on the door of the hidden cottage - to which he inquired himself about the mark; apparently, he'd never noticed it before. He asked Malva to stay back a few minutes after they concluded business to ask after her family, and the party finally took their rest at the inn for the night.
An otherwise restful evening was plagued by strange dreams for Viktor - a circle of seven trees, a green pulsing within their midst, and a voice.
"Burn them."
"Free me."
The morning of 13 Alor dawned clear, crisp, and steadily warming - a wonderful spring day. Ragna was already prepared when the group arrived again with Alvin. She again prayed to Moradin, and this time... the affliction receded, freeing Alvin. As the boy began to frantically ask questions and impart what he could remember, several of the party noticed something concerning - a small red mark on Ragna's hand where one had not been before. Viktor asked to see her hand, and it is indeed much like the marks that were on Branon and Alvin. His oath newly sworn to the Old Gods, Viktor attempted to intercede on Ragna's behalf... and the mark faded from her hand. Clearly shaken, Ragna thanked the paladin, but asked the party to take whatever strangeness had followed them to Steinbjorn and leave her temple.
Outside the temple, the party took stock - Alvin and Branon both saw the same strange creature while afflicted: a tall, thin humanoid with six arms. Branon only saw the one, but Alvin said that he had seen them everywhere from what he could recollect while he was infected. Viktor told the group about his dream from the night before, and suggested they might be able to find some help in a grove to the west - the Grove of the Green Mother and the Ancient One. The place lay in the same direction as Skara, which was the direction that the Brightons intended to ride and also the direction that Arvind was heading on his way to the Jarl's court in Varheim.
Knowing that their next actions could prove catastrophic, the group took care of several small details to prepare for a possibly quick escape. They peddled several weapons they had acquired from King Eirick's tomb to the blacksmith Rast, finalized the horses with Fredegar, and finally arranged their gear out of their packs and onto fresh mounts. Needing to wait for the cover of night, the party wandered over to The Pick and The Keg to pass some hours, make some coin, and trade gossip. They overheard two interesting rumors from members of a Dwarven/Human caravan that had just arrived from Meadoros to the north:
"T’at’s nottin’," one of Meadoroan Dwarven riders told a local Dwarf sitting with him at the bar. "I a heard there's been stars falling out of the sky up on the Bearded Way, settin’s the woods alight and scaring the milkin’ coos right off their feed." The Bearded Way was slang for the roads between Meadoros, Kilingi, and Hul Golgrim. Another table talked in hushed tones, dishing about how the boss of the Thieves Guild in Meadoros had been assassinated - "All they found was a single black feather," a dusty, road-toughed man whispered to a couple of wide-eyed local lasses as he took a sip from his mug. The party also saw a friendly face in the crowded tavern - Calder, owner of the brewery and the local expert on matters arcane. He beckoned the party over and inquired if they might be interested in helping him acquire an item he's been researching and recently located the last known whereabouts of - an urn with inscriptions in several dialects of otherworldly beings. The location was to the west in an abandoned Dwarven dul supposedly north of Trombak... and likely dangerous. If the party found themselves in the area and able to acquire the urn, Calder would be able to pay for their services and assist them more readily in the future; if they were unable to make the trip, Calder was also considering funding and leading an expedition later in the year. The party made a note of the location and said they would see if they could make their way far enough west to look into it.
Cephandrius decided to pass the rest of the afternoon and evening performing for the tavern, and made a decent wage busking into the night. Malva informed the group that most evenings, Ogham (Austmer's apprentice) usually left the grove around nightfall and no lights were usually seen from the grove after nine bells. Once they were sure it was late enough and the crowd started to disperse at the tavern, the party headed to the grove, sending Malva in to scout - no signs of Ogham, no signs of stirring in the grove, and a sleeping Austmer in his hut. The area around the stones also did not appear to be physically marked, so Malva signaled the all-clear. Cephandrius and Viktor began inspecting the mystical scar near the one standing stone as the others kept watch... but something was already watching them. Viktor and Cephandrius immediately sensed the arrival of the dark presence as an almost-impossibly old, gnarled woman softly padded up behind the five, stopping several lengths back.
As she spoke, realization came to Viktor - they stood in the presence of the Crone: an ancient, powerful malevolent fey, a broker of deals most foul, a very manifestation of the dark powers of the Old Gods. Viktor challenged her, but she was not cowed - she instead offered to leave the druid's grove if the brave paladin would deal with her - take the druid's place in a deal struck long ago by the Hierophant, and she would leave and tell them the Austmer's truth. Viktor agreed... and she told them a different tale of Austmer, the hero of the Last War, the Hierophant - a tale of woe, of rejection... of anger, hubris, and desperation. Viktor called her a liar, but she only smiled and laughed, entreating him to visit the Grove of the Green Mother and the Ancient One if she doubted him, cackling as she faded into a rippling gate of inky night.
Mounting up early the next morning, the party set off immediately for the Grove, which lay about a day-and-a-half's ride west, parting from the old Imperial road just before the border Biarmia and the territory of the city-state of Skara. The first day and evening passed uneventfully, and the group made good time to the point where they left the main road and started off into the wilds towards where they believed the Grove lay. They were quickly rewarded with steadily thickening brush and unusual plants and fungi, then a steady twisting of the trees, still tight and ancient, but somehow... unhealthy and sinister. As they pushed on into the afternoon, they reached a partial clearing where a massive tree dominated much of the open space, guarded by a slender, yet powerfully built green-skinned woman armed with a bow, defending the ancient tree from an onslaught of blights. After helping the dryad put down the beasts, she cautiously allowed them to approach - Viktor explained why they had traveled to the Grove, and the dryad seemed saddened. She and her sisters had sealed the Grove more than fifty years ago, at the end of the Last War; something had corrupted the Green Mother and the Ancient One, and their ministrations had been unable to quell the Mother's madness. With the help of the Hierophant, they had chained the Mother and the Ancient One to the dead heart-tree at the center of the Grove, and then the Sisters had sealed it behind their Vale.
At first, the dryad appeared willing to escort the group into the Grove if they were willing to accept the risks; however, as Viktor told her more of his history, she became steadily more uneasy, finally asking him whom he served... if that entity had even spoken its name to him - the Spriggan. The dryad thereafter refused Viktor entry - he served the now-corrupted Mother, her heart bound in the blade of a cold iron sword, used to pin the Blackroot (the corrupted form of the Ancient One) to the tree. She could not risk that Viktor would fall fully under the Spriggan's sway within the Grove, and bade them leave peacefully before she would be forced to drive them away.