A long time ago in the Deepwing Mountains just south of Ormath, a gentle lady, Abigail Tearheart introduced to the secluded mountain village of Frostgleam(named after its native bitter ale hop that grew plentiful in the area) the joys of Midwinter. From this monumental event, was borne a yearly festival that included decoration, gift-giving, and time reveling with friends and family until the stars slept each dawn.
As the years passed and the lady aged, she became forgotten, overshadowed by the very celebrations she introduced to the locals. She became more bitter than the frost gleam itself in the area. Her mind breaking, her spirit twisting. Her essence frozen. Some say she one day just walked off into the mountains to die. Some say she did take that fateful journey, but not to die.
The adventuring party fresh off the road, seeking a warm meal and beds, found what they were looking for in the warm glow of The Thunderhoof Lodge. Their respite was cut short by the arrival of the city's magistrate. He told a tale of a secluded mountain village overcome by something. Something that has caused the village to go cold, dark, and quiet. Instead of their renown Midwinter Festival, there was just a lone resident who made their way down the mountain to report horrible and terrible things happening. The party took no time to decie its time to help again.
They made their way to the city's infirmary to talk with the Frostgleam woman, to which they discovered through questioning her, she had been driven mad by what she had seen. And what she had seen would be the last things she ever would, as it was revealed her eyeballs had been turned into globes of pure ice. As unsettling as this was, the party took with them what they learned, shopped for, and decided on, as they left for the mountains. And they would have their way up into the Deepfangs because of a chance encounter just on the outskirts of downtown. A stableman approached the group with the chance of a lifetime. Grateful for them choosing to go into the unknown in the mountains, the stableman presented them with the world's greatest magical donkey, Jack The Mack!
Jack the Mack is known all over Faerun for his legendary treks all across this grand world (and the cargo he hauled) so the party would be in good hands making their way up into the mountains. But before any of that happened, the Stableman gave them a small assignment. Feed a pocket carrot to Jack. If he looks you in the eyes, he's your friend til the end. After a few nerve wracking moments of uncertainty, Jack connected with each party member knowing they had good in them and they wanted to help. And he got to stretch his glorious legs!
Making their way into the mountains, eventually the party knew they were arriving at their destination as the mountain had gone cold, dark, and quiet. A silencing fog had surrounded the area as they cautiously made their way to a place to camp for the night. Through the night, things were observed that assured them that indeed...something was wrong.
Upon daylight they were besieged by fantastical monsters, having to battle their way into the village itself. That is where the true horrors of what happened in this secluded hamlet began to reveal themselves. Residents frozen in ice where they stand. As if they never even saw it coming. Using the knowledge they gained from the Frostgleam woman back at the infirmary, they made their way through the various structures in the village, finding random loot and clues. And more strange monsters that should just not be. Midwinter decorated trees come to life, reindeer heads with antlers that attacked like the eyestalks of a Beholder. A...beholdeer if you will...
Eventually the clues and knowledge they had came together, & led the party to learn about the tragic story of Abigail Tearheart and that somehow shes returned. To take back the village that she once introduced to such grand times, but yet abandoned her as well.
Sat in the center of the village was a grand fountain, frozen in ice. But also locked with a key that the party had found in one of the frozen in time buildings. Watching the fountain unlock and come to life as the dwarven mechanical device it really was, (village makes ale - mountain dwarves drink ale - mountain dwarves present appreciation to village) the party saw their final destination. A stairway down into the mountain cavern carved out below the village and face off against The Lady Of Midwinter!
Once she made her grand entrance, and as with most bad guys(Lady in this case) she also made her case as to why she believed what she had done and was going to continue doing, was righteous. Clearly the party knew this wasnt the case and made their move. But before they could get their hands on the old lady, she beckoned her guard dog. A massive snarling snow beast, The Beast Of Midwinter(essentially a brutish Yeti). This monster put up quite the fight, but it was the teamwork, skill, and pure luck they were able to fell the beast. Who in it's dying moments, used it's last breaths to cry out..."Mamamaaaaa".
The party from their earlier experiences learned the only way The Lady would fall was to destroy the artifact she wore around her neck. Somehow she was able to procure the heart of an ice troll. Which helped the party understand a bit more about magic as the artifact was the reason for no fires being able to be lit in the village. Why all the residents were frozen in blocks of ice. And how The Lady's attack carried the cold elemental powers of old.
It took some very strategic maneuvers, some very VERY lucky chances, and maybe even a little bit of Midwinter spirit, for the party to be able to get a hold of the artifact and smash it to pieces, leaving the old lady in a heap at their feet. Realizing what she had done, the people she had done it to, and the ideas she fostered and destroyed, The Lady fell silent. And in this shining moment of triumph, as with all things magical, The Lady Of Midwinter, Abigail Tearheart suddenly shattered into a thousand pieces of crystalized ice. Forever gone &, forever to rest in her frozen ether.
Holly the Elf, Kurn the Tortle, Daidalos the Human, & Dundarion the Leonin(full of Inspiration from a Bard friend of theirs) first walked into Ormath one day knowing no one & not being known for anything. This time returning to the city, they were hailed as heroes, the ones who brought Midwinter back to Frostgleam.
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