Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
View
Fri 1st Nov 2024 12:16

Fridgid Waters, Fidgety Gnome

by Tristan el'Mer

I begin to wonder if Waterdeep secretly has some curse on it. Nearly every time I am here I am in a rush. Rhumor and I set off to do some shopping to replenish our stores, and to give ourselves a few upgrades before facing the trials that await us in the frozen wastes of the Sea of Moving Ice. The rest of the crew set off to find Leosin to alert him to what we saw before we headed out.
 
The Harpers had already arranged transport north for us, and they were waiting (rather impatiently) for our arrival. A young gnomish girl was also there – apparently a bounty hunter named Holly that the Arcane Brotherhood had hired to help find Maccath. Already somewhat wary of female gnomes thanks to Rhumor’s little friend, it was not the greatest of surprises when, part way through our voyage north, Conrad informed me he’d caught her snooping about and looking in the bag of holding. Good thing we’d decided to split the component parts of this thing up so many ways. Perhaps we are becoming a bit paranoid about this mask, but given the lengths that the cult has gone to trying to get it back already, I think some paranoia to be a good thing for now.
 
Overall the journey into the Sea of Moving Ice was largely uneventful. We did have to fight off some huge sea creatures with lots of tentacles. The poor sailors with us lost two members of the crew that day, but the fight was over as quickly as it began. There was also a group of Scrags that attacked us while we were setting up camp for the night. The Scrags proved to be more formidable foes, but ultimately only managed to take one of the sailors down and add frustration for the poor captain by causing minor damage to the ship. Rhumor and I were able to magically mend most of that without too much trouble. Less than a month ago, this is not something I could have done. The knowledge that was imparted to me by Qotl truly is wonderfully useful! The crew, with the help of Virgil, repaired the rest.
 
Virgil had taken a liking to the crew, and spent his days learning from the sailors. Conrad had apparently obsessed over the mistletoe plant I’d picked up for him in the marketplace in Waterdeep. For my part, I had spent most of our time on the water brewing potions to help the rest of the group deal with the extreme cold we would facing in the near future. We did make a brief stop in Luskan, but I did not have time to catch up with any old acquaintances. I had just enough time to purchase alchemical ingredients and some additional ice gear before we headed out again. Perhaps on the journey back we will have enough extra time to meet with some people in town. I know Nuri would very much like to meet with some of the Brotherhood, and I would like to try and get an audience with High Captain Kurth in hopes that he might pledge aid against the cult. I believe Conrad could find a great deal to interest him here, but if he knew of the old tunnels beneath the city built during the Illuskan empire, we may never get him to leave. Besides, I doubt Ship Kurth wants that particular secret becoming public knowledge.
 
We spotted some natives to this the frozen wasteland twice. Both times they were unfriendly. Not openly hostile mind you, but they clearly wanted nothing to do with us. The second group we spotted, we decided to track back to their village to try and get some answers and information. This proved to be a most wise decision as once we found the island they had retreated to, it was obvious quite quickly that this was, in fact, home to a dragon, and that Maccath the Crimson had been here as well.
 
We met with what appeared to be the village elder, a cleric or a druid perhaps? She seemed reluctant to talk to us as well. They insisted that if one of us could best their champion, they would help. As Virgil’s final swing took their surprisingly robust warrior down I found myself hoping she would stay true to her word…

Continue reading...

  1. Goblins and Wargs and Minotaurs, oh my!
    16th of Flamerule, 1486
  2. To Greenest
    17th of Flamerule, 1486
  3. Greenest is the Blackest
    18th of Flamerule, 1486
  4. On dragons, monks, and shite
    19th of Flamerule
  5. Ethereal Me
    20th of Flamerule
  6. Revelations
    21st of Flamerule
  7. The Cave of Triumph and Terror
    22nd of Flamerule
  8. Liches Give Stitches, and other Horrors of the Dark
    22 of Flamerule
  9. The Long Road Ahead: Part I
  10. The Long Road Ahead: Part II
  11. The Long Road Ahead: Part III
    Midsummer
  12. Sleeping on Splinters
    Mid Uktar
  13. The Convergence of the Bizarre and Unlikely
  14. Castle Capers: Part I
  15. Castle Capers Part II
  16. Castle Capers Part III: Shadows of Darkest Light
  17. Castle Capers Part IV: Visions of the Past & Hints of the Future
  18. Mountain Dream Houses and How to clear out the vermin you find when you arrive:
  19. Through the Woods, and into the Air, to Blathokus’ House We Go!
  20. Castle in the Sky, I Can Fly Twice as High
  21. The Ice is on Fire
  22. The City of Splendors
  23. The Journal Entry’s title
  24. City of Splinters
  25. Faces, Masks, and Catnip
  26. Doppler DupliCity
  27. Amorphisms
  28. High in the Skies and Deep in the Ground
  29. Aberrations and Apparitions?
  30. Of Temples, Tombs, and Secrets
  31. The Journal Entry’s title
  32. Whispered Revelations
  33. Varam the Whipped
  34. The End of Many Ages
  35. Fridgid Waters, Fidgety Gnome
  36. Into the Lion’s Den, ehrm.. Dragon’s Den
  37. Severin’ the Snake’s Head
  38. Ghosts, Ghouls, & things that go bump in the night
  39. Black & White; Green & Grey
  40. Ancient Future
  41. Pig’s Pearls
  42. Jade Herrings, Elven boots, Hidden Ruins, Concealed Silver
  43. Scale Broken

Find your way!

Resources

WHO WE ARE

LEGAL

Get the news

Listen to our Podcast

Our Allies

Dungeon Fog
Gold Ennie 2019 for Best Digital Aid
by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.045 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 00:24, Jun 3 2025