Saralas: Session 65

13 Elient, Evening

• Resda says maybe she can go through the south door since she is great and powerful.
• Resda and Korag suggest going to talk to Auril. I am not big on that.
• But if you have to be worthy to go south where I think the item is what does that entail?
• Baerwin is upstairs and away from us
  • He sees what looks like a frozen owlbear
  • A woman's voice says "I have been waiting for you. What is it that you seek?"
  • "I seek to stop the cultists from summoning their god"
  • "That is my purpose as well, for non shall profit if he is released"
  • He asks if she would let us stop the cultists
  • "I have already stopped the cultists." She says.
  • He proposes a compromise where we stop the cultists and she can stop holding the winter
  • He asks for the scroll we are after
  • She asks why she should give it up, as it will break the protection on the glacier
  • They talk for a while.
  • "Give me your hand" she says. Baerwin reaches out and let's her touch him. He now bears her mark, a snowflake, on the back of his hand, and she says take the book and leave.
• Baerwin comes back downstairs and relays all of this to us.
• Resda recognizes the symbol and it indicates that Baerwin has a soul bond with Auril and has become one of her servants. He will be revered and recognized by any other of Auril's followers. The mark cannot be removed except by Auril. It will allow her or her other followers to locate him on any plane at any time.
• Baerwin puts a glove on and the symbol burns through it
• Baerwin heads back to the room to the south and opens the door. It is difficult to open but the snowflake glows and the door unlocks and opens. The room has a domed ceiling. In the middle of the room is a lectern with a white covered book on it. Baerwin takes The Codicil of the White.
• We debate whether to leave now or later. I think we should leave now.
• We hear faintly the distinct screechings of a Roc, it may be Auril leaving
• We make our way back down to the dock. We find a rowboat waiting. The captain was unwilling to come to the dock. We row back to the ship, and learn Auril buzzed it on her way to paint her winter spell.
• The ship folk can't help but notice Baerwin's snowflake and are terrified of him. The captain maintains her bearing and asks where do we want to go.
• We make our way to Revel's End.

18 Elient, Morning

• On the journey back I read the book, and learn the Rime of the Frostmaiden, a poem about Auril:

We bow to She who wears the crown;
Let the world shiver with dread.
Clad in winter's whitest gown,
Her snow enshrouds the dead.

Her fury sheds but frozen tears
as gray clouds issue forth.
Her wind across the wasteland shears,
bringing blizzards from the north.

Ice-kissed flowers caught mid-bloom,
beauty kept in all its grace.
Summer's gone to its silent tomb,
stilling in Her cold embrace.

All the world in winter's white,
sheathed in sleet and ice.
Set upon never-ending night,
She conjures paradise.

Behold Her everlasting rime,
see how it covers all;
Weep not for those
She traps in time
behind Her glacial wall.

Sovereign of summers lost,
general of winter's war;
Long live the queen of cold and frost.
May She reign forevermore.

• I realize this is a spell that can break Auril's protection on the glacier. I copy it down to my journal.
• The glacier is a long ways east.
• The captain lets us off on an uninhabited section of shore.
• We have a general idea of where the glacier is. We decide to start by setting out for Lonelywood.

18 Elient, Evening

• As we travel towards Lonelywood we see blue light as we travel over a rise. As we turn to avoid them to find another path, we see there are walkers behind us as well. But they do not attack, and we are able to more closely perceive their horrific nature as we pass through a throng of 30 or so walkers. They part to let Baerwin pass.
• They follow for a time
• As we approach civilization Korag does what he can to not be too close to Baerwin.
• Upon arriving at the Inn we find the mummy Sahas, who is thrilled to see us again. Kate Bush is also there.
• Elodie is not to be found, but there is a letter.
  • It details that she has come to understand that coming up to Icewind Dale was a mistake and she should have heeded my words.
  • She has negotiated with The Woman to return to Neverwinter
  • She hopes to see me safely when I return to Neverwinter.
• About this time there is a knock at the door. Korag goes to answer
• It is Wodna. She wants to know how it went.
• Korag just points at Baerwin
• She examines his hand and frowns. "That's not good."
• We describe what happened and Saralas mentions he is not greatly happy.
• Resda asks about getting close to the glacier. Woda suspects she knows the most likely route into the Ythryn, but it's through the howling caverns, frozen over by ice.
• "Were you able to obtain the book?" "Yes, and the book contains a spell"
• "So you use the spell to break into the glacier, go through the caverns, don't get killed, and you're in Ythryn, and I get my book."
• Resda asks Wodna about the orb. Wodna asks to see it.
• "Oh, you mean Professor Jackass?" I say loudly.
• The orb insults Saralas, and wants to meet Wodna. She seems amused by the orb and says it is a personality construct. Sort of like a copy of a person, with his memories. It was probably a scholar.
• "Professor Skant, honorable scholar, can you enlighten us as to the exact location of Ythryn"
• "Well of course," the orb says, and relays detailed directions to the location of Ythryn. Wodna asks if the caves are in fact the best way to get there. The orb confirms that he believes they are, and that the city ruins will be filled with many dangers and netherese artifacts. He says he would be an excellent companion.
• "But what do we do about the Mithilar?" She asks.
• She is confident it can't be destroyed but it could be brought to another plane to be kept safe.
• Wodna's memory of meeting Elodie is broken. I explain again what happened and she goes "that would be why I didn't remember". Wodna looks flabbergasted, her memories are kind of missing.
• I write a letter explaining everything "To my daughters" and Wodna says she will deliver it when she can find time.
• Korag won't let up on where the Mithilar is going, she says she can't say exactly or it might leak out.
• So do we have a deal? She asks.
• I ask what the orb knows about the Mithilar and how powerful a device it is. The netherese rated magical storage in terms of storage in Magen. 1 Magen is the lifetime magical output of a single mage if that mage cast spells as much as he could all the time. It would have been rated in billions of mages.
• Wodna says sort of quietly she still needs a book. The orb relays that there is a library in Ythryn that contains numerous books that have probably never been seen since the fall of Ythryn. Wodna, hearing this, smiles a little smile, and she is resolved to obtain one of these books.
• The orb says the threats in the howling caves are non-specific, as almost everyone goes in there dies. If we conquer that, the orb hopes Ythryn has become a silent tomb, but it doesn't really believe this. He worries some of the more powerful archmages may have sought to survive, either in stasis or by becoming undead, which was a process known to the netherese.
• Wodna says she can take us to the caves, but we first need to get supplies.
• She also needs to prepare. She asks Korag to let her know when the party is ready.
• Korag and Karthos discuss getting materials for resurrection or reincarnation.

1. We gain a level as well, L10

• We notice pale blue light outside the window to the inn. We see a coldlight walker, its face pressed against the glass, staring adoringly at Baerwin. He shoos it away.

19 Elient

• We make our way to Bryn Shander. Along the way we ask about the dogs but we don't meet anyone who knows where they are. The captain of the Militia was from Easthaven though, maybe we'll have luck there.
• When people recognize Resda they cheer. Saralas hangs back, grumbling to himself
• A few shadowy people see Baerwin, one hisses at him and motions him over.
• He goes over. "What is your favorite weapon?" The figure passes him a bundle in furs and says he was bidden to deliver this to the Chosen One, and retreats.
• The bundle contains a crystalline glaive that looks almost as if it was forged from ice. It is +2 to hit and does cold damage.
• We make our way to the inn to get rooms. Apparently the rooms are now free... Why? Auril's blessing

20 Elient

• We make our way to Easthaven and go shopping for supplies.
• Merchant is offering a +2 elven longbow for 3000 gold. I negoiate him down to 2500, but only with an autograph from The Great Resda. Sigh. The bow could be useful.