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"If I could have your attention for a few minutes?" the middle-aged woman says abruptly after a few minutes spent studying the occupants of the tavern. "As you may be aware-
She pauses as the door opens and Baragrim enters.

"As I was saying. As you may be aware, it seems that the situation in the Border Wood is quickly heading out of control. This is a small village, and thus, the village council has decided to turn to, well ... you." She gives the odd group gathered in the tavern an appraising look. "Or, indeed, anyone who thinks they can help. Rescuing the Lady Argentea is the more obvious of the two tasks we would give you, but we also need to know just what is going on with the weather in the Wood. Any information that can be gathered will be rewarded."
She shrugs.
"And, of course, the rescue of a noblewoman would come with its own rewards, if money is what motivates you. If any of you are willing to accept this charge, please let me know."

Kirianna stood up, keeping her face slightly hidden in her cloak. Surely no one this far from her home would recognize her but with nobility about, one could never be sure, "If the money's as good as the fun, I'm in."

'I guess I don't have today off." Baragrim thought to himself.

"It would be good to know what's been disturbing the wood as of late. Plus, we should see to the safety of that noblewoman. I'm in." He said with a generous grin, before walking over to a keg and helping himself to some stout.

Tartessa listens to the speech with mild interest. She's about to turn back to the barkeep and ask about the room again, when the image of that gnome from the stables flashes in her mind. For some reason, that gnome, who'd come all the way to Taldor to leave Irrisen and the White Witches behind, made her stop and think about the fact that Irrisen had now caught up with him, and his neighbors.

Tessa catches sight of her reflection in the tavern mirror. For a brief moment she stares at the pale skin, the sharp features, and the blue hair staring back at her. And now we've screwed him again, she thinks to herself. This weather, these monsters, they've got White Witchery written all over them. This whole mess is our fault. My family's fault. Hell, for all I know it could be MY fault for just being here...

She looks around the room, wondering if anyone's caught on to her inner struggle. So, she thinks, this is what guilt feels like. Well then. If my family got him into this mess...

Tessa leaves the bar and approaches the group "I will do this thing. When do we leave?"

"We will not insist on you leaving immediately," the woman responds. "Sooner is, obviously, better than later, but you should prepare yourselves if you feel the need to do so. As for that ... I leave to your judgement. But thank you, thank you all."

Izora thinks while the others speak up, for the mistrust between Taldor and Qadira runs deep on both sides of the equation. While she didn't mistrust Taldor any, there was clearly a simmering distrust of Qadira in this border town, which was common across Taldor. "Count me in as well," she chimes in, "In addition to rescuing the Lady Argentea, it would be best to stop this unnatural weather before it spreads any further."

"I'm ready to go whenever," Kirianna says with a smirk, "After all, I am already in my adventurin' pants."

OOC: Any preparations to make, or is everyone ready to go?
Heldren is a small village, but it does have a few shops and most basic equiment available.

Baragrim takes a moment to check his gear, and then takes another hearty drink of his stout.

"We can do our introductions on the road. I'm ready to head out when you all are."

"Ready whenever you all are."

Izora decides that it would be a good idea to buy some heavier clothing just in case her protective magic gave out for some reason, and she is then ready to go.
(8GP for Cold-Weather Outfit)

Following the road out of Heldren towards the Border Wood, it does not take long for the temperature to drop even more.
Breath steaming in the air and frost covering the grass even in direct sunlight, it would be easy to forget that its supposed to be midsummer.

After a while, the noblewoman's convoy comes into sight, a carriage left abandoned in the road and another lying in a smashed heap by the side of the road, the bodies of dead humans and horses scattered between the two carriages.
A little way past the carriages, at the entrance to a snowy path into the forest, more bodies lie on the ground, around what looks like some sort of ice sculpture.

Tartessa holds up a hand for everyone to stop. "Okay. I know this looks like the work of bandits, but believe me when I tell you that that sort of thing," she indicates the ice sculpture, "is never a good sign, no matter what it turns out to be."

She examines the sculpture from what she really hopes is a safe distance. (Know:Arcana: 14+7=21)

Baragrim tries to get an idea of how the attack happened; including how many attackers, which way they came from, and what kind of weapons may have been used. He shares any discoveries with the party.

(Survival: 1d20+8= 22)

Izora looks over the ambush site from a distance to determine if there is anything lying in wait for them.

(Perception: 1d20+7 = 19)