Mizugami/SessionSix

9th Day of Descending Wood, RY 768

Sometimes the things we stumble upon make me very nervous. A few days ago, out of the blue, Kira catches our class one evening and says she wants to investigate Fort Outweld. It’s reputedly haunted and she wants to know by what. Not really wanting to take the time away from class, but unwilling to let everyone go without me, I agreed to go.

I wish I was as smart as Ranka so that missing a week of classes wouldn’t be a big deal. It’s becoming clear to me that nobody’s realized I insist on making up classwork and studying when we’re out adventuring because I can’t afford to miss the work if I want to still do well. Especially with exams coming soon.

We stopped in Sexton before heading to the Fort and discovered a different problem entirely. The jarl reported that about seven months ago the town’s gravedigger was kidnapped by goblins and just a month later his replacement was taken, too. There was also a report that bandits had attacked a farm some distance from Sexton and kidnapped several people. He claimed that word was sent to Cherak of these incidents but that no help was forthcoming.

Abandoning plans to investigate the Fort for now, we set out north and spoke with the gentleman farmer who’d been attacked. He insisted they weren’t bandits, but Icewalkers. I admit I doubted him then, assuming him to simply be prejudiced. But then Ranka confided that the ‘goblins’ described by the lone witness to the first gravedigger’s abduction sounded a lot like ice or snow elementals, not goblins.

Camping in the hills late that night, Kira detected someone watching our camp and shot him. A rather inept pursuit followed and ended with Kira killing him with a second bowshot. The farmer had been correct after all. There were wolf tribe Icewalkers less than 3 days from Cherak.

Somehow, despite the night’s escapade, we were not detected by the rest of the barbarians. Scouting the next day, I was the only one to push through some powerful misdirection magic and discover the cave that the Icewalkers were hiding in. We’d discovered a demesne.

After several hours of covert observation, we were no closer to discovering their complete numbers, nor did we have any idea of the layout of the cave complex. With some effort, I convinced my friends and classmates to contact Dragonlord Avaku via Infallible Messenger and ask for help. As I explained to them, hostile Icewalkers occupying a likely demesne so far from their home territory is just what the Imperial Legions are supposed to deal with.

The Dragonlord showed great faith in us by dispatching Winglord Meladus and a talon of troops. The Winglord even believed it important enough to come at a forced march. There was an unfortunate incident during our two day wait. Because of the broken terrain, we were forced to leave Ranka’s bodyguard with our horses some distance from the cave. The day before the Legionnaires arrived an Icewalker scouting party discovered and captured him. Knowing Icewalkers and knowing that he would be at their mercy for at least one day, maybe two, is probably the worst I’ve ever felt. I had to convince everyone again that for the same reasons we didn’t attack when we discovered the cave, we couldn’t attack now. I hope I don’t ever have to make a decision like that on a large scale because I don’t think I’ll like what I choose.

When the talon approached, the 3 barbarians and their wolf spooked and J’hana and I ( on observation duty ) decided to engage them. It feels arrogant to say so, but the fight was uneventful for me. J’hana was rather badly hurt, but we dispatched the guards and then I shielded her from the cave mouth as the talon went about its bloody business. There turned out to be 4 shamans and 21 warriors in total. According to the Winglord, the cave is indeed a demesne and the Icewalker shamans had turned it into a spirit lodge. There was even a hearthstone forming. The talon suffered no deaths and even captured a couple of the barbarians. Even better, Ranka’s bodyguard was still alive. They tortured him to try and get our location, but he didn’t crack. Thankfully Winglord Meladus is a trained healer and was able to make him and J’hana both well enough to travel. Unfortunately no trace was found of any of the kidnap victims.

10th Day of Descending Wood, RY 768

I’ve discovered why Sexton didn’t receive any help from Cherak and it was as I’d figured. The message from Sexton was properly received and processed and several trackers were sent out. Unfortunately, they were mortals and while they were able to track the barbarians for awhile, the misdirection magic around the demesne continually stymied them. Command, unwilling to admit that they couldn’t find anything, simply decided not to tell the Jarl of Sexton anything at all.

When I learned this, I did my best to convince them that, country farmers or not, it was important for the citizenry to know that the government took their concerns seriously and was investigating them. Looking foolish to a small town of country farmers is by far the lesser evil when compared to looking uncaring and indifferent.

11th Day of Descending Wood, RY 768

I’m really starting to believe that the North is where I belong. I met with Dragonlord Avaku this afternoon to thank him for the trust he showed us. He’s an honorable man and accorded me far more respect than I deserve, providing me a copy of the interrogation report of the captured Icewalkers. It was a disturbing read, made moreso when I shared it with Princess Ranka and learned what Virtuous Cloud had told her.

The Icewalkers want Lucretia and an artifact called the Stone Crown and that new manse was going to become a spirit gate. They were led to the cave by a spirit wolf and they claim a Cheraki monk named Amethyst Scholar taught their shamans the necessary rituals. Virtuous Cloud believes that the Icewalkers think Lucretia is their Chosen Walker. Worse, she says that someone or something in the Underworld is riding the seer, able to eavesdrop on any conversation she has.

22nd Day of Descending Wood, RY 768

I must say I’m surprised that our first official school field trip is happening only now, with the school year nearly over. Rector Danic is taking us out to practice the equestrian arts for a week. Chead, Reflections, and the Idiots are coming with us, though only Chead was the Rector’s idea. It will be nice to get out and I can certainly use the practice.

I had to dissuade Rector Danic from bringing all of our various teachers along. She doesn’t want our lessons to suffer. I agreed to lead study sessions after camp was made each night and collect our lessons ahead of time. I’m sure several of my classmates were hoping for a break of some sort but whether they like it or not, they’ll be better off for having studied.

29th Day of Descending Wood, RY 768

Well that was an enjoyable week. We had no unfortunate equine accidents and Kazuki even studied a bit. I feel much more confident in the saddle after all that daily practice, too. And however much of a joke it might have been, Judas has learned to be a skilled cook. His servant, though, tried some of the most inexpert interrogation I’ve ever witnessed, querying each of us in turn as to what our goals were. I gave him the answers that every Dynastic parent would like to hear from their children and I assume some of my classmates gave him equally useless answers.

2nd Day of Ascending Fire, RY 768

What in the world could the purpose be for a machine that makes malevolent, man-sized snow monsters? Saiki discovered such a machine wreaking havoc on several lower class neighborhoods. Lucky for us the merest touch of an artifact weapon, essence, or fire, was enough to disable the beasts. Even better, Kira was able to turn the machine off once we fought our way to it.

I’m starting to believe that serious scholarly knowledge doesn’t come without an unhealthy dose of curiosity, though. After she turned it off, Kira studied it for a bit and decided she was going to take it home. At least she’s going to consult some artificers before she attempts to turn it back on.