06 - 1/10/24 : Reunion

"And you, dark elf… you don't even know just what it is you let happen, do you?"  

Sephek Kaltro

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  Before heading to bed, the Lonesome Few asked Captain Cinderswift for a few more details about the missing persons case in Mirlake. He advised them to meet with Keegan Velryn, the husband of the missing man, in the morning for more details.   After awakening, the party went downstairs to the main floor of the Brounthian Arms and were greeted by Naerth Maxildanaar, speaker of Mirlake. He invited the party to sit with him and his guard captain, Skath, whom the party had seen leading the execution of Dzaan's simulacrum the other day. Naerth's elusive demeanor put the party off, and this was only worsened by his open support of the monthly sacrifices to La Saia. After a brief argument during which Melfina boldly offered to bet on the party's ability to personally slay the goddess La Saia for her crimes against the Taiga, Naerth politely excused himself and Skath and returned upstairs to plot out that month's rations.   Disgusted by the speaker's attitude, the party discussed their next move over morning mead. While Alith, Ragna, and Melfina all showed disdain for the sacrifices, Dahlia expressed some empathy for the scared people of the Ten Towns. Although she found the sacrifices disgusting, she could not blame the people for their desperation in trying to find a solution.   Dahlia eventually grew frustrated with the rest of the party's overconfidence and stormed outside to await them when they were done. Finishing their mead, the trio of Alith, Ragna, and Melfina discussed further things. Ragna mentioned that he suspected Dahlia may be his half-sister, a hunch brought on by the fact that he had never known his mother, and that Dahlia's mother was a runaway member of Ragna's tribe. They discussed their siblings, finding that all three of them had several: Ragna had an indeterminate number of siblings, Alith was one of many clones of the githyanki lich-queen Vlaakith, and Melfina grew up with several siblings that were long dead.   After finishing their discussion, the party met Dahlia outside and made their way to the Velryn residence. They met Keegan Velryn, who explained the situation over cups of cider; his husband Garret was a mountain guide who often brought travelers up to Famrial Mountain, the tallest mountain in the Snowdrift Flatlands. He had failed to return alongside his three clients; a tiefling woman, a dwarven man, and a young halfling lass. Keegan was only alerted that something was amiss when Boy, Garret's trusty canine companion, returned home alone.   The party decided to take Boy along with them to help track down Garret. Knowing that they wished to eventually traverse the northern expanse to seek the frozen city of Hollowfaust, they eschewed any payment, hoping to secure Garret's services as a guide in the future should he still live. Keegan promised to secure them free lodgings at the Brounthian Arms any time they were in Mirlake should they return with news of Garret.   The Lonesome Few set out towards Famrial Mountain with Boy in tow. As they left the roads to head towards the area that Garret was last seen in, they came across a stunning sight; a waterfall, its waters having been completely flash-frozen mid-fall. Suspecting treasure was behind the water (as was the case with all proper waterfalls), Ragna began chipping at the ice with her axe. Soon after, the snowy winds began to pick up, and a voice called out from atop the waterfall.   The party looked up and saw a man clad in clothing ill-befitting the biting winter, clutching a lance made of ice in his hand. His eyes glowing a frigid blue, the man admonished the party for their crimes against the Frostmaiden; allowing a false sacrifice to be carried out, destroying her servants in Hartwick, bringing the blasphemy of the Outer Planes to the holy Taiga, and in Melfina's case, crimes that she did not yet even realize she had partaken in. He called Melfina 'drow', revealing her true heritage to both Ragna and Dahlia, who were yet unaware.   Dahlia realized in horror that the man standing above them was none other than her father, Sephek Kaltro; or at least a figure that wore his face and spoke with his voice. Sephek descended from the waterfall with a jump far beyond the capability of a normal man and landed with lance held aloft, and sentenced the party to death for desecrating La Saia's perfect stillness.   A frantic and difficult battle broke out against Sephek, who freely dismissed his lance and swung with an dagger-like icicle in close quarters. As Dahlia struggled to aim at a figure bearing her father's face, Sephek battered Alith and Blammo with fan-shaped volleys of ice shards, and deftly avoided Melfina's attempts to grasp him with fists of earth.   However, even Sephek faced difficulty in avoiding Ragna's fury. He responded to the barbarian's relentless attacks by invoking the Frostmaiden's Kiss; a deadly affliction that caused ice to form in the target's throat, sealing it shut and causing them to suffocate. However, Ragna fought back against the Kiss with rage and determination, and managed to expel it after a struggle. As Ragna was nearly cornered by Sephek's fierce counterattack, an arrow from Dahlia pierced Sephek's icy flesh. Looking his daughter in the eye, Sephek promised the Lonesome Few that he would see them again soon and faded into particles of snow.   Dahlia had an emotional breakdown after making a connection with the murders she had been investigating; the victims had been slain by ice daggers, exactly like Sephek had wielded in the encounter. She at last lost hope for her father's survival, and had to be coaxed to move on by the rest of the party.   Battered and bruised from their encounter, the party pressed on in the shadow of the Famrial. Once Boy caught a scent near one of the mountain's spurs, the party took a short rest to recover from their recent wounds before proceeding.   Shortly after reaching the peak of the mountain spur, the party discovered the unconscious form of Garret Velryn. Alithkav healed him back to consciousness, and they were soon set upon by Garret's attackers; a pair of crag cats. The cats were disposed of with little difficulty, but the commotion drew the attention of a nearby lurking Yeti that also attacked the party.   After the Yeti was slain, Garret asked the party to help him recover the one remaining member of his expedition; Perilou Fishfinger, a young halfling. The party agreed and ventured into the yeti's cave, where its mate and their tyke lurked. Perilou was found being battered around by the tyke as if she were a ball.   Ragna took point and roared at the yeti mother, who stood back and protected her child while Ragna scooped Perilou up and backed away. With their rescue complete, the Lonesome Few departed. However, Perilou had begun suffering from exposure and would need a warm place to rest as soon as possible. Even though Ragna took Perilou as a lost cause, he and the rest of the party agreed to follow Garret to the nearby dwarven settlement of Duhngrave to rest for the night.   Descending into a ravine below the Famrial, the party were allowed into the mountain home due to their association with Garret, who was a time-tested friend of the Duhngrave dwarves. Garret made his way to get Perilou somewhere warm, and encouraged the party to meet with Lord Blackhammer, leader of Duhngrave.   On their way to meet with Lord Blackhammer, the party stopped in at the local temple of Brúni-Bári, the dwarven twin-god of drink and carousing, after being enticed by the smell of barley and hops. The high priestess, a duergar woman named Doluma Sunblight, greeted the adventurers and offered them samples of her collection of spirits.   Impressed by Ragna's ability to hold their alcohol, Doluma offered a challenge to Ragna; survive a series of her strongest brews, and win a maul blessed by the Brothers. Ragna accepted the challenge and braved a gauntlet of alcohol, enduring brews strong enough to topple ogres. The challenge ended with Ragna surviving a small imbibement of Tanar'ri Ale, a concoction brewed to be consumed by demons that was ordinarily fatal to mortal drinkers. Satisfied, Doluma gifted Ragna the Battlebrew Maul, a magic maul consisting of a large ale barrel attached to a hefty haft.   Ragna recovered from their intoxication by Doluma's administration of a mixture of herbs that induced an instantaneous hangover. Once again sober, Ragna joined their companions in visiting Lord Bellen Blackhammer in his hall.   Lord Blackhammer, accompanied by his younger son Barador, greeted the adventurers warmly. He asked about their reason for visiting and bade them to enjoy their stay as friends of Garret, a longtime friend of his own. The Dwarven Lord also asked for them to speak with him again in the morning, for he had a request to make of them.   With their audience concluded, the Lonesome Few retired for the night within the sturdy dwarven halls.