The group made the decision to leave Falktown and set off on a journey along a nearby country road. Their path led them to a charming place known as "White Willow Gardens." At this peaceful farm, they encountered a family engrossed in their daily chores. The party introduced themselves and explained their purpose to the farm's owner, who listened attentively.
Their quest involved investigating a possible dragon sighting in the vicinity, as well as apprehending a mysterious goat thief. The farm owner and his family, though friendly, had little information to offer aside from giving some rough directions. They mentioned that peculiar events tended to occur at night.
The party ventured into the farm's fields, where Kiera climbed the mill tower to gain a vantage point. From there, she spotted a neighboring farm, which belonged to a man named Lars. Curiously, the farmer from White Willow Gardens informed them that he had tried to contact Lars but received no response, a fact that struck him as unusual.
The Investigation
The group volunteered to investigate the farm for additional clues or signs of the alleged goat thief. Upon arriving at the farm, a weathered man emerged to greet them. After introductions, the man smiled and invited them to follow him into the farm's courtyard. The dilapidated state of the place immediately caught their attention. The man led them further into the courtyard, and as they advanced cautiously, he suddenly vaulted over a low stone wall, shouting. Two young men with drawn bows sprang to their feet, targeting Varis. The old man brandished his club, instructing the group to stand still and avoid any unnecessary harm.
The two men claimed they were after the Brightheart, with a reward on Varis's head. The group briefly entertained the idea of sharing the bounty but were interrupted by the unexpected arrival of a squad of Church soldiers. A Knight inquired about the Brightheart, and Aislinne responded with a powerful blast of freezing arcane energy. The fight ensued, with the Knight engaging Bartimaeus while the rest of the group took on the soldiers. Bartimaeus called upon the river's aid to summon a wave, which knocked several soldiers away but accidentally hit Archibald, rendering him unconscious.
The group managed to keep the soldiers at bay using arrows, magical fire, and sheer force. Bartimaeus briefly fell unconscious but was revived by an elvish amulet. The duel between the Knight and Bartimaeus raged on while the party dispatched the remaining soldiers. Kiera disarmed the men who had deceived them, showing remarkable composure despite the wounded men lying nearby.
Varis unleashed the power of his Stormbound Gauntlets, creating a sphere of lightning that vaporized some of the soldiers. It seemed the group was gaining the upper hand until the Knight overpowered Bartimaeus once more. Just before the Knight could inflict further damage, Kiera struck him down. As a second group of soldiers arrived and aimed their crossbows at the party, Kiera bit into the Knight's neck, causing a momentary freeze among the soldiers.
Just as it appeared the soldiers were about to open fire, a mysterious sound of clashing and slashing filled the air, and the soldiers began to drop one by one. The party, now ready for anything, helped Bartimaeus and Archy back to their feet. Two figures approached them through the fallen soldiers, an older half-elf and a young woman with her bow trained on everyone.
Bartimaeus recognized the half-elf as his former Squire, Nathaniel, and introduced the bow-wielding woman as Vaylin Moss. A third individual, referred to as Twelvecut approached and impressed Varis with his skill in wielding three daggers. Kiera, however, was familiar with their kind. The group learned about the bounty on the Brightheart and realized that it was unclear who the wanted individual was, Varis or Bartimaeus. Kiera discovered the real "Lars" hanging in the barn, prompting the deceitful men to be called out. Veylien Moss swiftly dispatched them with arrows. Stunned by the revelation, the group decided to return to the other farm for breakfast and discussion.
Revelations
When they returned to the farm, the farmer inquired about their search for Lars or any potential leads. They solemnly informed him that Lars had fallen victim. In a show of sympathy, the farmer invited them inside for a meal. Bartimaeus and Nathaniel took this opportunity to reminisce about the past and discuss current events. Nathaniel mentioned his employment under someone named Mel, expressing his preference for a more nomadic lifestyle over being a guard. Amelia then inquired about her father, William Vicarin. To her surprise, Nathaniel had been searching for him too, but for an entirely different reason – there was a bounty on William's head.
Bartimaeus inquired about his former comrades, but Nathaniel had little to share. He did, however, express concern about a peculiar dark knight in Whitechapel who seemed to have close ties to Lady Steinheart, the ruler of the city. Nathaniel suspected this knight might be a former Grail Knight, much like Bartimaeus. The two made plans to investigate Whitechapel, with Varis openly expressing his desire to participate in the wargames and blood sports within the city, a notion that Nathaniel found somewhat reckless. Nevertheless, Varis believed it could be an opportunity to approach Lady Steinheart and potentially seek his father's aid.
Nathaniel also mentioned rumors of hauntings in Highmarsh, the land once belonging to the Grail Knight Sir Asher Karlstain, whose family and estate had been destroyed. Bartimaeus thanked Nathaniel for the information and asked for a favor – to travel to Rivermond and watch over the Brightheart family, whose name was now prominently displayed on notice boards. Nathaniel agreed, driven by their history and the promise of gold.
As they departed, the group inquired about traps, and the farmer mentioned having a few small tripwire traps for catching small game. Kiera and Varis decided to set up some traps for the night, managing to create an explosive one. Meanwhile, the others prepared for the evening. Amelia remained reserved, Bartimaeus arranged a comfortable spot in the barn for himself and Archibald, and Varis and Kiera questioned the farmer's daughters about the mysterious monster. Unfortunately, the only detail they could gather was that one of them had heard an unusual humming sound.
The Nightly Encounter
As the sun dipped below the horizon and the twin moons cast their gentle glow upon the night, the party readied themselves for whatever might come. Bartimaeus and Varis stood watch from the tower mill, vigilant in the tranquil evening. To pass the time, Varis started tinkering with one of Bartimaeus' swords, seeking to enhance its craftsmanship. Hours passed, and Bartimaeus received back his weapon, now meticulously tempered with a silvery sheen. As he inspected the blade, a subtle movement caught his eye in the fields below. It turned out to be a fox darting across the wheat field. However, shortly after, a sudden burst of light flared in the distance, accompanied by an eerie silence that ruled out thunder as its source.
Bartimaeus descended from the tower and hurried towards the farmstead to awaken the others. Kiera had already risen from her slumber and was keeping a watchful eye from the roof, also having witnessed the mysterious light. As Bartimaeus roused the rest of the party, Varis attempted to peer outside, though his poor eyesight left him with little insight. Eventually, the entire party gathered at the fields, where they began to discern a faint humming among the wheat. A figure, resembling a dwarf, emerged and began inspecting the harvested crops. Without hesitation, Amelia rushed towards the figure, prompting it to instinctively turn invisible. In a swift response, Kiera released an arrow.
A whimper and a thud marked the figure's fall as the arrow struck true. Amelia pounced on the now-visible creature, only to discover that it had transformed into a large, rotund being with horns and hooves. Startled, it pleaded for Amelia to release it, which she did as the rest of the party approached. The creature's name was Fugal, and he had come to retrieve a goat for his master, a dragon named Kazmidrax. It became apparent that the dragon was in a foul mood, harboring distrust towards others due to a previous attempt to steal its heart. Fugal, however, simply followed orders and provided goats to appease his master. While Amelia and Kiera were wary of the dragon, Bartimaeus and Aislinne expressed eagerness to meet it. Varis, too, was open to the idea. As they deliberated, Fugal repeatedly requested a goat.
Bartimaeus proposed a deal, offering two goats in exchange for an audience with the dragon. One goat now, and the other at dawn. Fugal was initially reluctant, as he was not accustomed to daylight and had a general aversion to people. However, he eventually acquiesced and awaited the delivery of the first goat. Bartimaeus promptly fetched it and returned, only for Fugal to jubilantly clap before rendering the goat unconscious with a swift slap. He slung the goat over his shoulder and produced a small urn, releasing a magical dust that enveloped him. Fugal promised to return for the second goat at dawn, and with a snap of his fingers, he vanished in a brilliant flash.
The party then retreated to the barn at the farmstead, settling in for the remainder of the night.
Into The Unknown
Varis chose to spend the night alone in the tower mill and was the first to awaken with the gentle touch of the morning sun seeping through the mill's windows. He readied himself for the day and descended the tower, while his companions gradually stirred from their slumber. Suddenly, their tranquility was shattered by the distressed cries of a farmer who had just discovered a missing goat from his herd.
Bartimaeus stepped in to offer an explanation and pacify the irate farmer, who was fuming at the thought of them losing one of the goats they had been entrusted to protect. Bartimaeus then revealed their intention to take a second goat, which only further fueled the farmer's anger. However, he was eventually appeased when Bartimaeus handed over a substantial sum of gold in compensation for the goats.
Meanwhile, Varis and Aislinne waited near the expansive wheat fields, eager for the day's adventures to unfold. They could hear the farmer and his wife engaged in a heated argument within their home. Suddenly, their attention was drawn to Fugal, who materialized behind the mill, anxious to secure the second goat and teleport everyone to his master's location.
Once Bartimaeus arrived with the second goat, Fugal created an intricate magical circle with dust before transporting them all to an unknown destination. They found themselves deep within a forest, standing before an overgrown cave entrance.
The Kazmidrax Incident
The party followed Fugal into the cave, where he gestured to a group of people and explained that they didn't talk much. However, the party soon realized that these miners were frozen in place. Varis approached to examine the crystals they had mined, noticing both permafrost crystals and Frostbite Gemstones. It appeared that one miner had dropped a gemstone, leading to the group's encasement in permafrost.
While Kiera and Amelia remained apprehensive, they continued deeper into the increasingly frigid cave. Eventually, they reached a narrow frost-covered entrance at the cave's end. Fugal awakened a goat and sent it inside before signaling for the party to enter.
Amelia decided to stay outside with Fugal, while the rest ventured into the ice-covered cave system. Aislinne's enthusiasm led her to call out in Draconic as they explored the cold tunnels. Kiera, still uneasy, followed behind the group. Further inside the frozen cave, they found a small opening in the wall containing two corpses. Bartimaeus inspected one of the bodies and discovered health potions and a ring with the Steinheart Bat sigil. They continued until they reached an underground lake, surrounded by floating ice and frozen walls. To their surprise, they spotted movement, which turned out to be a large white dragon slumbering on a frozen plateau.
Aislinne, not deterred by her small size, approached the dragon's head and called out. The dragon, Kazmidrax, opened one eye and focused on her. Everyone else froze as Kazmidrax awoke, revealing his immense size. Without warning, he swiped his claws at Aislinne, sending her flying from the ice plateau. Bartimaeus rushed to her side just as Kazmidrax extended his wings and roared.
Ice shattered throughout the cave, and fear gripped everyone except Aislinne. They scrambled to retreat as Kazmidrax prepared to take flight. Aislinne attempted to rejoin the party but was caught in Kazmidrax's icy breath, leaving her frozen and lifeless on the ground. Varis and Bartimaeus quickly grabbed her, with Bartimaeus carrying her as Kazmidrax roared and pursued the others into a narrow tunnel. Amelia, shifting into a faster form, sprinted out of the cave to safety.
Kazmidrax was unable to pursue them further in the narrow corridor, forcing him to turn and circle around the cave to intercept them on the other side. Just as he almost reached them, the party narrowly escaped the icy corridor. They reached Aislinne's lifeless, frozen body and prayed for her, preventing further decay and allowing them time to devise a plan to revive their friend.