The Endless Winter

[EDM Ninja]

All across the kingdom, snow falls relentlessly upon the lands. The normal day of Spring had come and gone and yet the snow still stuck to the grounds. From High Horn to the Bridge of Fallen Men, From Greatgaunt to very edges of the Hullack forest and everything in between a blizzard raged overhead, farmers groaned trying to prepare frozen soil for a spring they hoped would come, the poor struggle even more so than usual, caravans are delayed, deliveries lost, and some are even found frozen dead where they lay. Yet the kingdom trudged along, it took some time before the long winter had gained any sort of attention. But now word had spread, mysterious cold snaps, elementals wandering the mountains, even word of the frost giants acting... erratically. The imports of the kingdom steadily begin to increase in preparations for the extended winter, so while there is supply, the demand increases the value. Times are tough once again in the kingdom and now there are many, seeking the cause of such a storm. Greengrass is just around the corner, will it be green? What will they do next? 

// feel free to post your characters parts of the winter story here everyone's welcome!

[ShadowCatJen]

Mynian pinched her lips tight as she gazed up at the still grey skies over Valkur's Roar. The vision in her head playing over and over again. She was going to need to spread the word farther and wasn't going to be able to rely on just one or even two groups to get this solved.

With a puff of visible breath upon the air she uttered, "Nuttin' fer it. Canno' afford further delays."

She headed back into the Great Hall of the city and after two hours messengers began to be called in to the hall and just as quickly began to head out of the city. A messenger bird or two head for the farther cities. It doesn't take long, and within three days no town village or city does not have the following parchment posted in a prominent area. It's written in fine penmanship and any with a keen enough eye for it will note each parchment to be exactly the same, even down to a slight outward tilting of the last "L" in the word "Skill".

To Able Bodied Adventurers
And Goodly Folk of Martial Skill

The solution to this unending snow
was shown to me in a vision
At a prayer at Chauntea's shrine

This is the Frostmaiden's Wrath
Given on to us as something of hers was stolen

A BLUE ORB OF MAGICAL AND DIVINE NATURE

Must be returned to her shrine
It was STOLEN and must be given back

SEARCH IN THE UNDERDARK

A shadowed female figure
Who dwells with creatures with fae wings
In an underground cave with Damp Mushrooms
and the echoing drop of water from above

She has stolen this orb
Take it back
Return it to the Shrine of Auril
Or this snow will not end!

In Luck and Death,
Mynian Copperhand
Minister of the City Interior
Valkur's Roar

Afterwards, she roams about Valkur's Roar trying to keep citizen's calm -- or warn a few of the more riot prone folk to "Just Don't" -- all while advising to play things safe and don't go too fast through their food reserves.

[miigwech]

Runa has been seen venturing into the stormy grove, tending to her prayers.

[malclave]

*in Eveningstar, Kimbera kneels in prayer.*

O Morninglord, I know that we have seen fewer than a score of Dawns since raising our voices to welcome the coming of Spring. The Frost Maiden has yet to relinquish her grip on the land, though, and those who would toil in Chauntea's work lament that they are unable to plant their crops.

I beseech thee, Lord of Spring, to bestow your blessing and soften the ground with warmth, that the people of the land do not needlessly suffer.

[EDM Ninja]

Rumor slowly begin to circulate that some adventurers caught a meeting between followers of the Beastlord, and Devious Gloura. The druids of Silvanus in Greatgaunt tell any that would listen "Watch out for the unseelie fey, they are far more active than normal, are they followers of the Frost Maiden or something else? They were trying to bargain with the followers of the Beastlord over controlling the winter in darkwood. What other sorts could they be bargaining with? An what for?" Meriss and Darius can often be seen conversing on the subject.

[grivel]

Kali is seen conversing with Merris on one of her infrequent visits to Greatgaunt. They share what limited information they each have.

[DM Leveller]

Two exotic figures from the far North of the Great Glacier have been seen in Greatgaunt and other others of Cormyr. Followers of Ulutiu, they told residents and passers by in the town that the Frostmaiden must not get her hands back on that stone, lest it brings her the power to cause endless winter in the land.

Giving their names as Jethara a priestess of Ulutiu and Sarmi - one of his holy warriors - they asked for any word or information on the missing orb be left for them at the Old Man's Face, so they can retrieve the object before the servants of Auril do.

After speaking with some of the locals the left Greatgaunt to resume their search.

[demolicious]

Thayan man in green-and-grey robes, stops to examine one of Mynian's parchments. After a brief moment, hint of a smile tugs at his lips.

"That would certainly explain the fae folk and the traps. Perhaps it does warrant further examination, after all."

[Asgardian Grey Hawk]

*Those who enter Roar might hear wind. The Four Winds are speaking and asking questions about the Orb.*

[Kat]

Hallie relayed what she had heard from Mynian to the Guardians and they had resolved to investigate and help in any way they could. Eorfic and Hallie, searched and patrolled the storm horns looking for any signs of trouble, and for any people they might have found themselves caught in the raging ice storms and blizzards, needing their aid.   Frin,  Kali, Marister and Hallie had made their way to the Frost Maidens shrine to see if anything was amiss and later  Hallie had revisited the shrine a week later with Cooper, Dorf and a man called Beaureguard who offered to help them make their way there,  offering an ice diamond as an appeasement,  all seemingly to little end.  

Back in the Gaunt, Hallie asked of everyone she met if any knew of a location that matched the one that Mynian had given her and worked at gathering groups of adventurers investigating deep caves, in the Hullack,  outside of Dedhluk and the mistwoods looking for any signs of Fey winged beasts. Only recently has she got wind of a snippet of information that she didn't know. . Perhaps the underdark?

[MTGPackFoils]

Keyleth enters the temple of Helm in Dhedluk, removes her helm, and kneels in prayer. She begins speaking in elven.


Oh Watcher whose Eye is all seeing. My companions, and I wish to end this seemingly never ending winter. I have heard tale of an orb being stolen, and it's owner has caused this. I have not encountered such a creature, however my companions and I always try to do what is right.

Except for today.

We were searching for a path to the Underdark through the Stonelands, and yet the only path we found to try was a cave in the lands claimed by the peaceful orcs. While some members of my group were...eager...for them to be aggressive to our presence our group did leave.

Our morale is low. The cold, and bitterness has attacked our very souls.

I seek your wisdom in this manner, and to help us find this orb. Greengrass is near. It was my mother's favorite day. I do not want to see it covered in ice, and snow. Please help us.

[vulpes]

After days of searching and talking with others of like mind, research in the libraries and scrying in his laboratory. The Arch Mage Cooper discovers that the orb must not under any circumstances be returned to the evil Frost Witch Auril.

If only he could find someone with brains enough to listen. Besides... it wasn't that far out of winter and why were they all complaining?

[sightblinder]

A large hooded figure studies one of the fliers penned by Mynian Copperhand. After reading it he mumbles to himself, " So that explains my recent run in with those ice elementals up in the Storm Horns, as well as the apparition I saw down in the gnoll den". He sighs softly to himself. "I suppose I am a Needle still, despite my recent tragedies. I should offer my aid in this. It's what my boys would have wanted. He tucks the parchment into his belt pouch. "Now to see where I might find this 'Mynian Copperhand'".

ShadowCatJen

[miigwech]

During a recent excursion to the underdark, Runa takes time to ask some patrons, and the barkeep in the Unfortunate Orc about any odd coldness or unusual happenings within the natural world

[DM Flash]

Apr 11, 2022 8:06:15 GMT -5 miigwech said:

During a recent excursion to the underdark, Runa takes time to ask some patrons, and the barkeep in the Unfortunate Orc about any odd coldness or unusual happenings within the natural world

SPOILER: Click to show

Sclith the Bouncer eyes Runa as she enters the Unfortunate Orc, looking her over for any weapons before giving her an unemotional nod to enter.  Beorin the dwarf is seen ranting at some patrons while the tiefling bard Amortharax hums a tune nearby. After speaking with Splint the Barkeep, Runa learns that the drow have been buzzing with activity over the last several tenday, then abruptly asks if she's going to rent a room or buy some food or drink.

Draxx overhears the question and wiggles a finger for Runa to come closer and speaks softly of rumors that something was taken from the surface but everyone is being hush hush about what exactly it was. With a sharp toothy grin and a forked tongue he asks how the Dark Market went.

Harry the Arachnophobic Ghost catches Runa's eye but he turns and floats back down the hallway...but through his ghostly visage Runa sees standing off to the side the Drow Wizard Zera'xethphas...staring right at her. She slowly unfolds her arms and approaches Runa with a disapproving squint before leaning over and whispering:

"Questions will get you killed, human. The stone is ours...and we will not relinquish it without a fight. But good luck finding what has been hidden and protected so well..."  then stares a moment longer before taking her leave.

[miigwech]

Runa spends some time in The Masters Library, researching any known properties, magical or otherwise the Frostmaiden's missing orb may have.

[vulpes]

Dylan, Furin and Cooper, looking for a deadite, stumble into a storm of immense proportions in the Stormhorns, something was not as it seems with Giants and Elementals all riled up !

[miigwech]

During a recent excursion, Runa searched extensively for clues to the whereabouts of the orb. Maps, troop movement information, drawings, writings she could bring back for translation, as well as any signs of an unnatural drop in temperature.

[styxxbone1]

An orb is found. Not the missing orb, but quite rare.




styxx

[EDM Ninja]

The winter around the western reaches seems to relent slightly, a mysterious woman visited the shrine of Auril bearing a gift to the frost maiden. While not the orb she sought; after the prayer, the gift, and the visions. The winter above calms, some snow does still fall, but there are breaks in the clouds. Below ground though things begin to get much, -much- colder as if her gaze had shifted. A few denizens of below might notice unfamiliar shapes wandering the darkness, figures made entirely of ice stomp around the underdark... hunting for something.

[sirnathaniel]

Nathaniel can be seen around greatguant, valkurs gate, suzail, waymoot and duelek asking around any clues in reguards to the situtation of the neverending snow that been occuring in the late of spring.

[davenutninja408]

Sylus traveled outside the lands of the endless winter, deep into the Hullack. He didn't visit often, but... here and there he would pester the Devious Glouras. He sought to speak with them but they were often times far more stabby than chatty. A prophecy of sort had come to his ears, greed, a gem, a gloamy crown. Things he felt might need be told to the courts, and so he loitered around a very old tree in a certain grove often barking at Devious Glouras for being loud and potentially disturbing the elderly old man who dwelt within, no doubt bothering poor Taran with his chastising shouts. So, the pestering began in full, under the cloak of magic he'd sneak around only to appear, and disarm several of the butterfly winged maidens and suddenly vanish again, either in a blast of pixie dust or within a patch of darkness. By the time night fell, all the Gloura around the grove seemed to be... missing their weapons and were exhausted of their magics, and some even out of breath from chasing a green tinted shadow. It didn't kill them.. or harm them outside of disarming them but said things such as "I have words for the winter court." "Listen here you stabby bint! Without yer blade will ya listen fer one damned second?!" "Does the court tolerate renegades?" The questions haunted the Devious Glouras for a time before the man eventually bored with his games returned back to the grove to stare off the ledge into the rolling paths and trees below, he counted the black birds. "Still only two black birds, if there are three and they speak. I will pour them a drink as Ma used to say, there are many things about the unseelie that are not well known most of all the three black birds, mother, maiden, crone." He stayed in the Hullack for a couple evenings beleaguering the Devious Glouras, before departing to Thunderstone to give them some quiet for an evening. He wasn't done trying to speak with them by any means, now they knew he had words... if they passed that information to those who commanded them and the word moved up, he would find out, if not... he would simply continue being a pest.

[vulpes]

A group of heroic adventurers second to none, braved the dank dark depths of the Underdark to retrieve information..... they found something worse !

Information soon spreads on their findings....

[vulpes]

Petrichor found something spherical on the body. Unsure what it was, he picked it up figuring it was important. It was weird such a thing should be so far in a cave.

A day of so passed and he realised he still had the orb, so doing what he thought best, he left it in his tree and went off to find some food, ale and hopefully some women with low morals.

[DM Flash]

Above the skies of the Storm Horns, a giant beam of light is seen piercing the clouds. Across the lands of Cormyr, the blessings of Chauntea bring new growth and the fruits of a quickened Spring come forth to feed the masses. The Endless Winter...has ended!