Best served cold

Dear Diary,
 
We rushed to the temple, our hearts heavy with grief. The ritual to revive our fallen friends was a desperate act, a gamble against the forces of death. We used our recently acquired knighthood to commandeer the clerics and got them to set up the ritual for us. When everything was set, the temple was cleared out, the silence broken only by the soft whisper of our footsteps.
 
Dorr, his craftsmanship unmatched, carved effigies of Dadroz and Gael, placing them beside their lifeless bodies. Hayley, her magical abilities a beacon of hope, prepared the ritual site. Alistan and Feyris began to play, their melodies filling the air. Their music was a soothing balm to the solemn moment. I lit the effigies, the flames dancing in the dim light. Liliana, her voice choked with emotion, attempted to deliver the eulogy. But her grief overwhelmed her, tears streaming down her face. Hayley with a firm voice added a threat to the ritual, a warning to the souls of Dadroz and Gael to return, lest they face dire consequences.
 
As the flames consumed the effigies, the energy in the room intensified. The souls of Dadroz and Gael, tethered to the mortal realm, began to return. With a final surge of power, the ritual was complete. Dadroz and Gael stirred and their eyes slowly opened once more. We had defied death, brought our friends back from the brink. The victory was bittersweet, a testament to our determination and the power of friendship. But the threat of Aunty Patty remained…
 
A week passed, a period of rest and recovery. Liliana, Hayley, Gael and Dradroz resolved themselves to unlocking the secrets behind their magical items, secluding themselves in study. Alistan, meanwhile, took the opportunity to learn more about the people of Dogville, their hopes, their dreams, their fears. He sought to understand their needs, to connect with them on a deeper level.
 
I, driven by curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, sought information about Aunty Patty. I visited the Briar Ring, their wisdom a beacon in the darkness. They revealed the nature of the deal between Keralon and the fey, a pact that had existed for centuries. It was notable that harming the innocent was forbidden, except for a single night. While the hag's actions were extreme, she had indeed not harmed anyone directly.
 
Making sense of fey deals was as always exhausting, and reminded me too much of worse times. So I resolved to spend the rest of my week to distract myself while my friends prepared themselves for an eventual confrontation with Aunty Patty. One of my ambitious side projects was the organisation of a festival in our district, to celebrate our rise to nobility and the arrival of the Ravensfielders. With a date soon set, I worked closely with Gideon Mudfoot, the enthusiastic innkeeper. Together, we planned the festivities, ensuring that every detail will be perfect. I also dragged Gael and Alistan along on some late-night excursions, sharing my knowledge and experience with them. But the less is said about what happened, the better…
 
With the acquisition of our keep, we also now had staff that we could hand off tasks to. Finally a chance to lay back while someone else does the hard work. My realm of responsibilities contained the library, where both my sister and I had recruited some staff to help us with our magical research. I had high hopes for our new assistants, the promise of new blood, youthful energy and forbidden workplaces romances. Alas, arcane researchers willing to stay in Dogsville were in very short supply, so I have to make due with Jim and Brenda. Jim is a young lad who mostly keeps to himself and seems almost entirely lacking in personality and ambition, but at least he knows his arcane runes. Brenda is a kind elderly widow, who was seeking new opportunities after her husband passed a few years ago. But from her appearance and demeanor, it is clear that time has not been kind to her.
 
During the past week, Hayley had tasked her underling Khiria with researching Aunty Patty. They discovered that she was a dusk hag, a creature of shadow and deceit. According to the records, she has never taken a daughter as hags are known to do.
 
I had tasked Brenda to do research into Galaron. After a week, I got back a detailed report that he is a summer Eladrin, courtier of Neverhold and oversees all lands south of the Lorerun River. The most interesting thing was that in the past he has known to clash with Vivienne as rivals at the court of Neverhold. On the one hand, this means he could be an ally against Vivienne if we intend to challenge her. On the other hand, he might be even worse.
 
The 9th of Aran arrived, and with it, a sense of urgency. We gathered to discuss our plan, the fate of Naira hanging in the balance. The decision was clear: we had to protect her, to prevent the hag's prophecy from coming true. But we also all realized we couldn’t directly challenge Aunty. But she was part of a coven, which could give us an alternative option to direct confrontation. As part of the deal with Keralon, there was always a representative of the coven staying in the Lorewood on the other side of the city. So we decided that before taking any rash actions, we would first go talk to the other hag and see if there was anything that could be done to resolve this conflict diplomatically.
 
We set off towards the Lorewood, our destination the hag's hut. The cabin, a formidable structure, stood amidst a dense forest. Animal skins hung to dry, wooden dolls adorned the trees, and a giant spinning wheel stood on the porch. Ravens and crows, likely the hag's loyal companions, perched on the branches, their watchful eyes following our every move.
 
Alistan, summoning every iota of bravery, knocked on the door. The heavy wooden door creaked open, revealing a cozy interior. A feast was laid out on the table with a fire crackling in the hearth. A gnarled staff, its roots sprouting bells, leaned against the fireplace.
 
I cast a detect magic spell, my senses heightened. The cabin was imbued with a powerful evocation aura, the staff a conduit of arcane energy. Intrigued, I approached the staff, my fingers tracing its intricate patterns. As I reached out to touch the staff, a commotion erupted outside. Angry shouts echoed through the forest. We rushed outside to find several ice trolls, their massive forms blocking the path to the cabin. The surroundings transformed into a brutal winter landscape.
 
Gael at first attempted to reason with the trolls but his words were soon lost in the cacophony of battle. The trolls, their eyes filled with rage, charged towards us, their weapons raised. We fought back with magic and steel. Liliana, her sword ablaze, struck with deadly precision. Hayley, her dagger gleaming, danced between the trolls, her attacks swift and lethal. I unleashed a barrage of firebolts, each one a searing inferno. The trolls, their regenerative abilities a formidable defense, proved to be a challenging foe. We had to focus our attacks, to inflict fire damage, our only hope of defeating them. The battle raged on, a chaotic dance of life and death. The relentless trolls were slowly being worn down. One by one, they fell, their bodies melting into pools of ice. As the last troll fell, we breathed a sigh of relief.
 
The wintery illusion dissipated, revealing a strange, blue-skinned woman. She introduced herself as Mother Marblehook, her voice carrying an ancient, otherworldly quality.
 
Gael explained the situation, detailing Aunty Patty's intrusion and the chaos that had ensued. Mother Marblehook listened intently, her expression impassive. She explained that hags were free to traverse the land unless actively hindered, and Dogville, lacking any kind of outer wall or protection, had been unequipped and unprepared to repel Aunty Patty.
 
When Gael mentioned the deal with the Dresner family, Mother Marblehook's expression turned hard to read. She acknowledged the gravity of the situation, the potential consequences of her covenmate's actions. Mother Marblehook offered us a deal: she would intervene with Aunty Patty, but in return, we had to partake in a meal she had prepared in her cabin. It was an enormous pile of food, and almost seemed impossible to finish in one sitting. But after some direct questions and magical proding, we at least knew that it wasn’t poison. And so reluctantly, we agreed. The meal, at first, seemed ordinary. However, as we ate, Mother Marblehook suggested that she make herself more comfortable. With a flick of her finger, the temperature in the room began to plummet. The icy chill seeped into our bones, our bodies shivering uncontrollably.
 
I, however, was unaffected. My chair, warmed by my magic, provided a sanctuary from the cold. I noticed Liliana struggling, her teeth chattering, her body shivering. I discreetly warmed her chair, offering her some respite from the freezing temperature.
 
After what felt like an eternity, the meal was finally over. The hag, satisfied, reignited the fire, the warmth returning to the room. She assured us that she would speak to Aunty Patty, putting an end to her harassment.
As we left the cabin, I realized that I was the only one unaffected by the cold. My friends, their bodies still shivering, struggled to warm themselves. The hag's power, a subtle manipulation of the elements, had nearly caught us off guard.
 
We returned to our keep, our minds filled with the events of the day. The encounter with Mother Marblehook had been a harrowing experience, a reminder of the dangers of dealing with the fey. But we had survived, hopefully now secured Dogsville from the evil machinations of Aunty.