Entry 31 - The Ice woMan cometh? Since my offering, and with winter drawing near, I’ve left the snowy retreat of Blackbridge and returned to the lowlands of Peltarch and Norwick. It feels important to be among the common folk as the season turns. Yet my first days here have been disheartening. I had forgotten how relentless the rain can be, and it seems worse than I remember — roads drowned in mud, carts stuck fast, and my white cloak forever needing to be scrubbed clean. The people seem distracted, their worries washed away by the rain, or perhaps dulled by routine with the lingering warm. Few speak of winter at all. I wonder if this is the Frostmaiden’s test — a slow, gentle beginning meant to lull them into false ease before the storm descends. If so, many will be caught unprepared and possibly die ... deservedly so. Perhaps they are simpler than I thought, if they cannot see the trap. Still, I will lean into this test. I havve posted notices and set offering bags and boxes in both towns. Now I wait to see who remembers to fear, who will show respect, and who will ask the Frostmaiden to spare their homes when the coming storm arrives.

((Copied from Discord)) As the sun begins to rise, Martouscah Leaffall, one of the city's gardeners, comes in through the city's south gate leading a pony by the reins. Draped across the pony is the bloated corpse of a mighty halforc dressed in Defender colours. She is in her Legion uniform rather than her usual tattered green robe. Marty transports the flyblown corpse through the city into the docks district, eventually unloading the pony, dragging the body into the Lighthouse Temple. ... a few hours earlier... The halfling soldier moved stealthily through the tall grass, the dim moonlight illuminating the old gypsy camp gates. Through the grass she could just make out the silhouette of a soldier on patrol. He seemed to be alone, and as far as she could see there were no other sentries keeping watch. A pair of sling stones flew out of the darkness, striking the acolyte of Hoar in the throat and against his temple. As he staggered, the halfling assailant emerged from the grass, reloading her sling as she moved forward. The acolyte's face was briefly illuminated as he attempted to cast a spell. The spell dissipated however, interrupted by another sling stone striking his face. The halfling reloaded her sling again. Now at pointblank range, she used the sling as a flail, striking the acolyte behind his knee. As he stumbled forward, she swung the sling around again and struck the back of the acolyte's head where skull meets spine. Barely conscious, the acolyte held the holy symbol hanging around his neck and began uttering the words of another spell. Martoushca quickly leapt onto his back, grabbed the thong of the holy symbol, placed one boot on the back of the acolytes head, and heaved with all of her might, garroting the Hoaran with his own holy symbol. The acolyte gasped, pulling down on the symbol to regain the ability to breathe. The thong broke, sending the halfing flying backward, and the acolyte forward down onto his face. Without hesitating, Marty drew her dagger and darted toward the fallen Hoaran, stabbing down into the back of his neck. Panting, she froze and looked about, peering into the darkness. As far as she could tell, the sound of their struggle had not drawn any attention. She stabbed the acolyte again twice, and then used his tabard to wipe the blood off her blade before sheathing it. Marty began moving silently through the grass again. According to the Gnomish Scroll she had checked earlier, her comrade Private Grimvug was just beyond the gates. According to the scroll, he wasn't moving, and as she drew closer, the stench of death confirmed her fears. Her rescue mission had become a body recovery. As she crawled on her belly toward Grimvug's body, she spotted a pair of Hoarans up on the ridge. She moved up to the corpse, laying beside it to use it as cover. The Hoarans weren't all that vigilant, but Marty wasn't in a position to be taking any chances. She reached across the top of Grimvug's body, then rolled it over to be on top of her own. Even with her Strength of the Bull spell empowering her, the dead weigh of the h'orcs body was crushing. She gagged, swallowing down the geyser of vomit that almost erupted out of her. Inch by inch, she moved caterpillar like until she was past the gate again and out of Hoaran sight. Eventually, she gained the confidence to roll out from under the corpse. Dragging Grimvug by his ankles, she made her way back to Bastard her pony. She had left Bastard tied up at what used to be the watch tower closer to the road. The pony snorted with displeasure as Marty struggled to hoist the dead half orc across its back. "I know.. I'll-", Marty's sentence was interrupted by dry retching. "... I'll make it up to you. Phew." After loading the corpse onto the pony, Marty began leading it back to Peltarch.

Grimvug sits at the Defender barracks contemplating and confused. Mending his wounds and recovering from a resurrection at the Peltarch temple. He woke up at the altar of Mystra with the Priestess and Marty watching him open his eyes. Marty tells him, she found him near the Gypsy camp and he's been missing for a week. Lt. Arniss put out a call for a search party to find him after not returning from patrol. He does not remember much. He does not remember why he was out there or why Marty showed him an amulet of a devotee to Hoar. Apparently he had four more of the same amulets on his person after being resurrected. Rest and light duty will be needed for some time to recover from such a lengthy stay in the fugue, but that will give him time to read old reports and speak with either Lt. Arniss or Sgt. Everard.

A fight for alight. Dear Journal, Been a while since I had some time for my 'personal' pursuits. Among the Cerulean Ranks, they treat me like a doll. 'Do not put yourself into a danger', 'You have great calligraphy', 'It would be a shame if something happened to your beautiful robe', ... and so on. Reports & papers they give me to fill with corrections are numerous, to put it mildly. This evening, however, I've set things in motion, or at least attempted to do so. I've decided to pursue fight against the darkness that inhabits the land, and started with a 'Light' cantrip spell. My boy-friend, Anheim, told me once: 'With weapons one can defeat terrorists, but with education one can defeat whole terrorism. Those who practice terrorism are often desperate, unable to help their families in their poor plight. So they sacrifice themselves in a fight against those whom they believe to be oppressors, causes of their families poor living'. I will use my charms and wisdom in this fight, educating and acting as a diplomat. ... my pet-peeve is so called 'cause for greater good', where priests of some so-called 'good deities' educate their followers to not hesistate to sacrifice the meek when the numerous majority needs to prevail, and there's no other way. I'll try to be like one of more famous of eastern geishas (women companions), who had a smile and kind words even for the meekest and worst. ... I'll not let myself be abused, however. ... We'll see how things will unfold. -- Yours, Chea Allin, a Witch and a Seeker of Enlightened Energies. P.S. I'll try to create some enlightening arts. One could question how Art can bring enlightenment... but well, we are Mind and have Bodies... and looking at the Art can change one's Mind State. I've heard that sometimes Mind State changes can completely alter one's perceptions, and in effect - the whole world in which one lives. People should not underestimate meaning of the Arts, I think.

Attentus's Character Portraits: Chea Allin: click to download. Anheim: click to download. Kenna: click to download. (warning: this will overwrite one of narfell's default portraits, taken from steam workshop). Adeli: click to download.

Awesome stuff!

Lence sits under the awning at the market in Kront as rain pours down. He sips from his flagon as he looks over the map he's been working on. He leans over, a puzzled look coming over his face. What is this, he ponders as he notices a marking on the map. Leaning closer, he chuckles. "Sap." He picks it off, and runs his finger along the clear areas on the map. Hmmm... that hidden path... perhaps it's accessed via the Icelace? It doesn't seem like we could find a way to get to it from the Cold Road. But the Scar has shown itself to be as treacherous as any other part of the Nars. Perhaps it's time to map the pathways to N'jast. Could be worth it to see what all the fuss is about it. It's been a thorn in the side of the city folk up in Pelt for forever. Almost as if it's become some kind of bogan man that parents use to scare their children at night. Too much unknown, he thinks to himself. I need to step up, and map more of the Nars. Ancalima and Jonty have been most helpful, but I am loathe to go into the Rawlins or the flatlands without any guarantees that we'll make it out. He grins to himself. Who knew that the pursuit of knowledge was so dangerous to one's health?

Evil in the Fort Fish. Since years, there's a place in Nars Pass, where monstrous humanoids like Kuo Toa resided. It's a small fort, named: 'Fort Fish'. They were friendly and succesfully negotiated with local authorities permission to find shelter there. But there was some of 'bad blood' between forces of Aura Runedar (nearby dwarven settlement, in a cave in Norwick), Norwick and Fort Fish. Recently however, things did change. About a month ago I was approached by Priesthood of Waukeen (Waukeen is a deity of wealth and trade), from a Temple near my Dojo. The Priestess said that denizens of Fort Fish have been doing bullying innuendo on passing merchants, requesting tribute. This did ruin businesses of small enterpreneurs, of small traders. I, and few others, were asked to deliver the message to the Fort Fish, requesting them to relocate somewhere far, before someone kills them. We went there as requested. With the help of Dwarven Paladin named 'Silver Chalice' we did find traces of evil in the Fort Fish, and conveyed the message. We said that even if not everyone in the Fort is evil, their leaders are still responsible for doings of a few of miscreants in their ranks. We did leave and waited for their decision. Soon we did learn that they found guilty ones in their ranks and put their heads on spears in front of their Fort. Whether they were only guilty ones, or just were blamed for doings of everyone else is another matter. Also, their leader, named: 'Fish' sent us a letter of reply. In response, we went there to handle the remaining ones. Long story short, we found traces of Kuo Toa leaving in hurry, and one guard. We let the guard flee. There was also profaned altar and statue of Ishtishia (Ishtishia, the Water Lord, is a deity of elemental water and purification). We did smash and break both the profaned altar and statue on it, and killed some outsider creatures there. Searching the Fort, we found - in dungeon - two seductive demons! One female and one male. They were immobilie, like paralyzed, and were guarded by tainted goblins, that we killed. We could not kill the demons, even with our magical weapons, but once blood of goblins reached their bodies they did vanish from sight. Searching further we found a poorly made mining excavation site leading down, but we could not descent further. Rest of our party decided that dwarves of Aura Runedar will level the place and collapse the mining. Because 'there might be demons popping from the hole'. We left the place with some treasures, and allied forces of Aura Runedar, Norwick and Peltarch were put to guard the entrance. We'll see how things will develop from now on. .. and ah! I found one suspicious, if powerful, ring coming the goblins that guarded the demons. -- Kenna, 6th Dan Weaponmistress of the Katana Sword, always in training.<br>

@kayleb In response to Marty asking the Defenders: Private Grimvug, of the Defenders, states that he's found what seems like possible merchant wares, crates, barrels and such have been tossed down into the watery pit. He has seen broken crates scattered around the edges, and some debris floating down below. Perhaps it's a convenient area to "clean up" any evidence, but also... he may have a suspicion that any intact crates that can sink to the bottom for certain creatures who may be able to breathe underwater. Grimvug also tells Marty that he's discovered some bones in the woods close to the "Fort." They are human, and fairly new. "Fella's probably been dead for about a month or so. Not much left to identify 'im. Scavangers 'n animals took just about everything but the bones," he grunts. "I haven't heard reports of any missing persons, but maybe askin' around couldn't hurt."