Icefian Events (season 7: 57-66)

Return to Troubles in Icefia

Session 57: (10/784 to 11/784)

• In the capital city of Messada, a group of three constables that have worked together since completing the constable training are given a new assignment in the south ward of the city. Ramsey, Vassilli, and Robert report to their new station, where they meet their new sergeant, Jacoby; a dwarven deputy named Udarik, and another human deputy Kale. The new watch works together for a week before getting assigned to the night shift. In that time, they learn about the south ward.
• Early into their night shifts, they hear a call for the constables. A burglary is happening, the group rushes to the scene. Vassilli arrives first and investigates. Robert arrives next and is set upon by a masked man with a sword. The too fight, with Vassilli coming to Robert's aid. They manage to subdue the man and Rob holds onto his unconscious body as he turns the corner to an ally where four other men are about to flee. They are all masked as well. One magically holds Rob and realizing they can't quickly free their compatriot, after Vassilli entangles one of the four, they slit the throat of the man. The rest begin to flee. Rob and Vassilli give chase, but the apparent leader is able to poison Vassilli and incapacitate Rob with throwing stars. Luckily, the two still manage to knock out the entangles man.
• As the others arrive, they find three men fleeing the scene. Kale and Jacoby attack. Ramsey attempts to incapacitate the men. Udarik trails behind. They knock out one of the men, but after a long chase through the streets, the other two disappear. The living burglars are tied up and the group searches the building. It is a rare book store. Clearly, the burglars cut through and wall and took something. Tools are found in a bag of one of the men, as well as a note in Horarian.. The men all appear somewhat Horarian. Not able to give chase or follow a trail backwards, the group returns to the station and gives a report.
• Several weeks later, the group, less Kale and Jacoby, are called to a meeting of constables. About 40 are there. They are told that they have three days to report to Port Phiam, a new assignment.

Session 58: (11/784)

• The next day, the group, with others that were given the same assignment, leave for Phiam. Soon into the trip, they split into to groups to make travel easier, the slower little folk and the humans. The first two days are uneventful, but on the third a massive thunder blizzard is seen to the north. Still ten miles from Phiam, the group gets ready to endure some of the storm. Vassilli moves quickly ahead, but does not reach the city ahead of the storm. The others tie themselves together and quickly until the storm hits. They are slowed down, some get hurt from the wind, and driving snow. Finally, after an hour or more, they reach the wall where there are constables waiting to help them. Red lights, warning of danger cast an odd pink glow over the city through the snow.
• The sergeant in command orders the group and some others to go along the wall and search for others. The shorter folk are too far out and left to their own skills. Vassilli, reached the wall and at first was moving the wrong direction. He turns the other way after hearing voices in a language he doesn't understand. The group and a nearly unconscious Vassilli meet along the wall. They direct him into the city and continue to investigate the voices. They find a group of 20 chosen of Frostine chanting what they believe is a military cadence. They are spotted and retreat into the city. Once inside, they inform the sergeant, who sends them to the broken gate near the corner of the city where the chosen were spotted. Vassilli leaves to recuperate. The others, with some constables, reach the northwestern tower and wall above the gate and watch and wait. It is a day and a half before they are relieved, but luckily nothing happens.
• When their shift ends, they rest and make their way through the snow drenched city to the castle that serves as the headquarters of the constables. Ularik is there, as well as Vassilli. They are given weapons and ordered to investigate the shrine of Frostine, which is near the northwestern gate in the city 'dump'. They walk the wall to make the trip easier. Once there, they find the shrine is disrepair. Broken, diry, and clearly ransacked. After some time, someone moves a broken symbol from the altar. A winter wolf appears and attacks. Vassilli is outside watching and runs for help. Ularik pulls out his bow and waits for a shot. The wolf bites the sergeant. Brevis stuns the wolf with a color spray. Robert tackles and begins to pin and choke the wolf. Ramsey attacks with magic, Ularik hits it with a flaming arrow. Everyone chips in to help. The wolf snaps out of its stupor and breaths frozen air at Robert, hurting him. The sergeant attacks. The wolf is badly wounded when Rob tackles it to the group and knocks it out. The wolf disappears. The group searches the room again before leaving and telling the other superiors what happened.
• The next day, they are called into meet the acting first deputy, and the constable from Phiam Brevis is called in with them. After introductions, they are given a cold case assignment as investigators, not watchmen. The first deputy's hope is that outsiders can have some luck where the investigators of the city have failed. The case deals with a years' old murder of a councilman and wine maker.

Session 59: (12/784)

• The next day, Ramsey comes down with an illness. It is not life threatening, but it prevents him from performing his normal duties. The clerics are too busy with the massive damage of the storm to cure him, so he is left to recovery naturally, which takes weeks.
• The group discusses their many avenues of investigation after reviews the notes on the case of the murdered man, Stormmoon. They finally decide that their best course of action is to track down a man named Falce who appeared to have some knowledge of the case before disappearing. They head to the docks and collect records from the harbormaster and from the Sailors' Guild. They try to collect information from the brothels, as Falce is reported to have had illegally brought one onto a ship. The brothels do not cooperate. For several days, they investigate the leads. They discover information about Falce's history, the ships he worked on, the captains he working with, the jobs he had, and other things.
• After an incident is reported where some citizens see some chosen in the city, the group spends two weeks walking a beat. They are able to get little investigation done into the search for Falce. As the two weeks end, the group spots a blue signal light calling for the constables at their station. They rush to see what is needed and discover that the temple of Gnarion is under attack by an ice elemental which bares the symbol of Frostine. The group, able to do little to harm the creature, begins to heal those that are fighting it. They drag the wounded away and search the area for anyone that might be controlling it. After more than a minute, others, including Thamoly Pratt, arrive and defeat the elemental.
• During the fight, Vassilli went to the guard tower nearby for a better look and to find a siege weapon. He found the area unnaturally cold and the guards all unconscious.

Session 60: (1/785)

• Ramsey's illness doesn't not get better and he is transferred to another assignment. Vassilli is disciplined to his over eagerness and put on desk duty for several weeks.
• The other spend weeks doing patrols and are not able to investigate. When their time doing the rounds ends, they start again. The first plan is to coerce a married patron of the Downed Bed to find out information about a girl named Charlene. They are able to find such a man and give him a week to learn some information. Further seeking information, they search the birth and death records of the people of the city for the past few years and decades. While doing that, they uncover the drowning death of a Charlene within the time frame of Falce's disappearance. The group investigates the death. They speak with the constables that found the body. They determine that it is the same Charlene they are looking for, based on descriptions from the Downed Bed, the body, and others.
• By chance, while on another lead, the group goes into a pawn shop near the Downed Bed. They are looking for a cane, but realize the cane is well known and there is no point searching for it. By chance again, Rob asks about a bracelet with the name Charlene on it, the only item that had been on her dead body. The owner remembers a Charlene and the group discovers that she sold many things given to her at this pawn shop. Those items ended with a large ruby of great value. The Ruby was confiscated by the knights.
• The group heads next to meet with the knights and discuss the ruby. The knights reveal that the ruby is one of many, from Intoria, with magical powers. It is currently being held by the Guardians. The knight suggests the group tread carefully, as the Guardians do not want to reveal anything about the gems and that they are dangerous. They learn that the gem cannot be divined in any way. They learn that Charlene and others have been removed from their graves.
• Several days later, the group goes to meet with their informant, the married man from the brother, named Cartpath. They go to meet him at the specified location, but the waitress gives them a covert message saying to instead go to the Main Mast. The group goes there and finds the man inside. He tells them little and they all leave. Outside, they are confronted by three men, one of which reveals himself to be the owner of the Downed Bed, Cobis the Shark. The group and Cobis have a long talk in the bitter cold about what the group is searching for and what Cobis wants. Charlene was his employee and he did not like Falce, having to talk with him several times. He was unhappy to see her go and less happy to hear she died. He gives them information about the Onice, a mostly gone vile guild that had connections to Falce.

Session 61: (1/785)

• Right before they leave, the group receives a message that a captain of a ship they were investigating is actually and Onice and that he will return to Phiam in the spring because he has not found what he is looking for.

Session 62: (1/785)

• The group is assigned, along with many other constables, to hunt down the wugs outside the city. A group of 100 constables, supplemented by rangers and hunters heads into the tunnels to the north to find where the wugs are coming from. Vassilli, deemed too important as a psion to go on the trip, remains in the city, along the sergeant has a gem that he can see through. They are joined by a one-eared, one-eyed hunter named Damian.
• The walk through the cave is cold a uncomfortable. They find tracks for miles as they near the fens above. Small groups begin to split off to search other areas. They come to a large cave with many natural exits, unlike the hewn caves they had been walking through. The groups split up further and search the tunnels. Robert, Ularik, and Brevis group goes with several dozen other constables up the largest tunnel. It opens out into the fens, where they see snow covered domes. Most use their snow shoes and go to investigate. After searching for a minute, Robert and the others realize that the wugs are under the ice. The creature begin to rise up through it. Rob climbs a tree. Ularik falls into the water before begin dragged out. Archers that remained at the cave begin to attack. Brevis burns the wugs with magic. Ularik turns them. After a minute, the constables retreat. The zombie wugs do not give chase. The group goes back into the large cave.
• They rest there for the night, but before they do, a group of wugs and a cube of ooze come into the cave and attack. Rob drags down a large leader, the other fight off the rest and the cube. Brevis uses fire and color to defeat the wugs. Ularik blesses the group with healing and conjures a holy bow to attack. The wugs are defeated and driven back. They do not pursue the wugs. Before they escape, Ularik puts a well placed arrow through the chest of the cleric, but he appear to survive.
• After completing the rest, the next day, the wounded and others are sent back with a report. The remaining ones move down the hall where the wugs fled. They hear battle ahead and come upon another large cave where a Horarian with a large badger is fighting near a contingent of dwarves, lead by the lion riding Grimdrek against a horde of wugs. The leader of the wugs is clearly a cleric of Loomashyn at the center, who is flanked by two trolls. Ularik blesses Rob and the others and begins to use his bow. Brevis enchants Rob and then looks to help the other with his spells. Rob moves to the front line and fights with the others. The battle moves back and forth with the wugs trying to break through the lines to escape. Ooze cubes appear and attack. Finally, the dwarves cannot hold and the wugs flee passed them.
• After some time discussing what to do next, Ari and Grimdrek leave through a different tunnel than the constables.

Session 63: (2/785)

• After weeks of duty which including walking on patrol with more lethal weapons than usual, the group is finally allowed to continue its investigation. Vassilli is again kept by the higher ups to work on more important assignments using his psionic talents.
• The group asks more questions of the cook at the Stormmoon Estate, named Hammon. They discover that he had used the services of Charlene, and that Lord Stormmoon had found him out when she came to an event with a councilman and she talked to Hammon.
• The group finds out that a company, known as the Wonderword Corporation, has bought many of the buildings of the former Onice company at auction. This new company includes the daughter of the Councilman and has at least one fictional member. The group bought the Lady Luxuries, where Charlene had been working. They failed to win the antiques shop in Messada that was robbed while the group was on patrol in that city.
• They meet with Cobis and learn more about the Wonderwork company, the buildings they won at auction, and about each other.

Session 64: (2/785 to 5/785)

• The group spends two months collecting information and on patrol. Vassilli is returned to them full time.
• In that time, they are contacted via notes by Cobis and an unknown ally who by the end the group things is the High Cleric of Stasis in Phiam.
• The group learns that a captain connected to the Onice and Falce is returning to the city. They prepare for his return.
• News of war and battles from the far west and in Massada interrupt the daily life in Phiam on several occasions. The time spent dealing with these issues slows down the progress of the investigation.
• The group identifies more buildings owned by the Wonderword company.
• When time gets near that the captain is returning, the group stakes out several locations. They discover glass equipment and stone basins delivered to a perfumery owned by Ashstaff, who is one of the primary members of the Wonderword company. They questions several people about it.
• While still staking out buildings, the group finally catches sight of some of the men they have been looking for and begins to stalk them.

Session 65: (5/785)

• The group follows the men to the warehouse they have been watching for some time. Vassilli goes to the dock station for help. Soon after, Sergeant Windborn arrives. He leads them the roof and down a smoke filled skylight into the warehouse. They see all of the men they were following and others. They overhear talk of an exchange and see stone kegs of purple ooze begin traded for familiar rubies. Brevis is reminded of something and tells the others about the significance of the items. As they decide what to do next, a voice tells the to get ready and calls out that they are all under arrest.
• The voice belongs to the second constable. A fight begins. The Marshall arrives to help the group descends to the floor. Brevis casts his spells down and Ularik covers the area with arrows. An area of shining moats appears to daze many of the men. A globe of darkness obscures others. The Marshall and the second constable engage Ashstaff, Marfanz and the others. Rob leaps down and tackles the captain. Norman and the sergeant rush into the fray. After a time, another man appears in the rafters, announces his presence and drops a swarm of mouthed, winger brains to attack the constables. He then leaves. As fight continues. Rob eventually knocks out the captain. Ashstaff become cloaked in flame and uses a flaming whip. He is knocked out, but not before he knocks out the Marshall. The second constable, with the help of many of Ularik's arrows, deals with Marfanz.
• Vassilli arrives with a squad of constables. They rush in and engage some of the men that had been trapped in the moats. When they are all subdued, the group collects itself and the prisoners. The constables that just arrived take away the thugs, while the Marshall leads the group out with the leaders. Once they reach the docks, they come upon a wailing large group of city folk standing before an official herald. The Marshall strides forward and reads the herald's letter. The king of Icefia has been killed.

Session 66: (6/785)

• The group rests for the night with everyone in custody at the castle. The next day, they first question Lena. She is a treasure trove of information. She reveals virtually every missing piece of information. Charlene was told by Lena bout Lord Stormmoon's death in order for her to collect the sizable bounty. Her boyfriend Falce convinced her not to do it. He then inadvertently revealed some of what he knew and put their lives in danger. Charlene then stole a valuable ruby and sold it to escape. She and Falce were both killed for their knowledge. Stormmoon was killed because he saw and recognized some members of a before now unknown group of Sutyr worshippers in the city.
• On the group's way to meet with Thammoly Pratt, they find the temple of Lakius bleeding. Thammoly has called for help, and a variety of other arrive including Ari, Thadyus, Parker, and Asinjin. They enter and find a flesh octopus golem. When it is defeated, they find that the cult of Dagon has arrived and killed all of the parishioners of the temple including its cleric.