The Mummy and the Druid
The Mummy explains that he is named Sahnar, and that he is a druid of an ancient order who was preserved in this way in case his circle needed him in the future. Sahnar reveals that he can use Moonbeam to open the sealed tombs of the half moons. He also reveals that the mirror the party found earlier can scry on people if he shines a Moonbeam on the full moon symbol of the moon dial. The party inquires about the eternal winter, but Sahnar seems unaware of any events since his death.
The party gets ready to open the sealed doors, with Brarr and Devi at the Southern door and the rest of the party at the Northern door. Once Sahnar casts Moonbeam, the doors unlock, allowing both parties to prop open the doors with rocks. When the Northern team enters the tomb they see a circular chamber with an intricately carved domed ceiling twenty feet high. A beam of light shines down from the top of the dome, illuminating a rectangular stone sarcophagus. Someone has turned this tomb into living quarters, as evidenced by a rack of drying herbs and an unfurled bedroll behind the sarcophagus. A pale woman wielding two sickles made of ice jumps up on top of the sarcophagus and shouts, “Ten-Towns will be destroyed—if not by my hand, then by the Frostmaiden’s!”
She unleashes a torrent of ice and hail that severely injures Eddie, Maddy, and Ghaileigh. After a brief yet intense fight, Brarr manages to place his axe between the Frost Druid’s eyes. Investigating the tomb, the party finds a corpse that looks very similar to the druid they had just killed. They learn from an animated bush, upon which they bestow the title of Jenna Bush, that The Druid they killed was named Ravisin. She was lashing out at Ten-Towns for the murder of her sister Vurnis, the body the party found in the sarcophagus. The party set Jenna Bush loose in the woods.
The party returns to town after investigating some more. The party rests in the Ramshackle Inn’s remains. After the rest, presents Speaker Huddle with Dain Morningfall’s body and the Moose’s head. Speaker Huddle thanks them, giving the party the promised gold and cookies. The party goes to the Lucky Liar Tavern, looking for rumors, but finds nothing. The party returns to the tomb, looking to answer some lingering questions using the scrying mirror. They command sahnar to cast Moonbeam to activate the mirror and begin asking questions. They learn that one of the hunters they met in the tavern earlier killed Vurnis, and that the Lucky Liar’s owner killed the Ramshackle’s owner. They are unable to scry on the cause of the eternal winter.
Quests and Debts
The party departs from Lonelywood and Marches in the dim twilight towards Byrn Shander, passing through termalaine and checking on their kobold friends. Eddie gets a tip from someone associated with his bank that due to his interference in the mines, he may find that his debt has been increased to compensate. Upon the party’s arrival in Bryn Shander, they see hopeful celebrations of Green Grass, the holiday that normally marks the first day of spring. The party collects their reward from Dimble Knackle, a wand of web that Maddy attunes to. Eddie talks to his loan officer and finds that he has been pushed significantly further into debt. The party hears rumors about a wizard who was arrested for murder in Easthaven, as well as rumors about the captain of the guard possibly offering a reward for another job. There are speculations about whether this wizard is a part of the Arcane Brotherhood, a group of wizards who are generally bad news, but who haven’t been seen in Icewind Dale for at least fifty years.
The party arrives in Easthaven, where they witness the burning of the wizard, whose final words express no regrets. The party talks to Captain Argalath, who tells them that four fishers, all in the same family business. She tells the party that this investigation should be done without the Speaker’s knowledge, as Captain Argalath has not informed the speaker that she is seeking outside help. She offers the party a magic scroll that contains some type of fiery evocation spell or a grey bag that Maddy identifies as a Grey Bag of Tricks. This Bag can be used to summon helpful animal companions. The party accepts this investigation and asks around town, not uncovering anything of note.
They decide to sleep in the White Lady Inn that night, as they had heard several rumors that it was haunted. Brarr was opposed to this idea, but was persuaded by the party. The party hears the resident bard, a halfling named Rinaldo, singing about treasure in the lake and a ghost named the White Lady. He mentions a seance taking place at midnight, and everyone but Brarr is interested. The party leaves their valuables with Brarr and goes to the seance. Eddie subtly casts a spell to detect new presences in the small room. Smoke from burning incense clouds the room. Multicolored lamps and silks are hung from the rafters, and the light from several candles illuminates a circle of uncomfortable-looking guests sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Rinaldo pushes back the sleeves of his robe, raises his hands, closes his eyes, and intones, “Lady who watches from the lake, come to us in our darkest hour! Tell us what you’ve seen!” After a moment of silence, thick frost forms on the inside of the room’s windows, turning them opaque, and the candles go out one by one. He urges the party to reach out to the White Lady. After asking a few questions in an unpersuasive manner, the silks and lanterns begin whipping about, as some invisible force begins lashing out.