The Northlands Saga - Spears in the Ice IC

[Ghostfoot]

You cast your eyes about for tracks as the splitting headaches slowly abate. Dark Dreams Wanderer has the eye for it, spotting first the hoof prints of your horses. It seems the mounts have continued about their business while you were ensorcelled, with no signs of startled fleeing. Indeed it seems that they continued to graze about the meadow and judging by their pace shouldn't be too far away should you wish to track them down.

The Nuk also finds other, booted tracks. It looks like two large men have come from the woods and taken the slumbering daughters of the jarl, Inga and Fastvi. The smaller shoeprints of presumably little Runa converge with these men's tracks at the border of the forest where he earlier saw the old crone and her two accomplices hiding. Sure enough, here where they all meet he finds the barefoot tracks of a small human presumably the old hag.

Cast aside lies large stone slab the size of a shield. It has cracked in several places, and the writing on it is faded and almost entirely illegible, as if recently scoured away. Signy inspects it carefully, the cunning woman concentrating hard as she calls upon her sorcerous abilities. "Andøvan words of power. This is the ancient magic of the barrow people. This tablet must have been unearthed from the Barrow Lands. It's aura is fading quickly but I sense it held a very powerful sleep enchantment."

Further investigation finds signs of three horses having been hobbled not far away. The three assailants have clearly mounted up and departed to the northwest each with one of the three daughters of the jarl.

Spoiler: Various knowledge checks - all except Freyja

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Spoiler: Knowledge local/ geography check DC5 - all except Freyja

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knowledge local or geography DC5 (untrained)
Gunnar (1d20+6)[22]
DDW (1d20+5)[20]
Freyja (1d20)[1]
Skorri (1d20+5)[21]
Signy (1d20+1)[11]

In the Barrow Lands beyond the Moors about 20 miles away is a legendary hill known as the Tor. A seiðkona called Sibbe the Unkempt, a wretched old crone known for her witchcraft and delving into the ancient magic of the Andøvan, is known to live in the vicinity of the Tor. Furthermore, skirting the Trollfist Hills would provide a fast route for someone mounted to ride to the Tor.

Spoiler: Knowledge local/ history check DC12 - Gunnar & Skorri

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knowledge history or local
Gunnar (1d20+6)[25]
Skorri (1d20+5)[15]

The tors scattered throughout the Northlands are large hills or outcroppings of stone used long ago as ancient Andøvan fortifications or ritual sites. The Tor near Silvermeade Hall bears upon its summit a stone circle jutting up like broken teeth above the surrounding plain.

Legend says the stones of the Tor were used in powerful ritual magic performed by the Andøvan at the four corners of the year.

Spoiler: DC18 - Gunnar only

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Andøvan stone circles are known to often contain spells written on stone tablets.

Spoiler: Knowledge local/ geography check DC12 - Gunnar, Skorri & DDW

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knowledge local or geography
Gunnar (1d20+6)[22]
DDW (1d20+5)[16]
Skorri (1d20+5)[13]

The burial mounds of the ancient Andøvan dot much of the central portions of the Hord Peninsula where the tableland is drier than the surrounding moors.

It is said that the Barrow Lands are haunted by the ghosts of the ancient warriors laid to rest here.

Spoiler: DC15 - Gunnar & DDW only

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Tales of those who have journeyed into the Barrow Lands usually mention that the living never come back, remaining among the dead for all eternity.

Spoiler: Knowledge local/ geography check DC10 - Skorri & DDW

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knowledge local or geography
Gunnar (1d20+6)[9]
DDW (1d20+5)[12]
Skorri (1d20+5)[21]

The Trollfist Hills are rugged, barren, and have long been the haunts of trolls, outlaws, and giants. A path leads through them that loops to the south toward the Barrow Lands near the Tor.

Spoiler: DC15 - Skorri only

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Though the hills have recently been cleaned out of outlaws, trolls, and other threats, there is always the possibility that new dangers might have moved in to the old vacated lairs and caves.

Spoiler: Knowledge local/ nature check DC17 - Gunnar & DDW

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knowledge local or nature
Gunnar (1d20+6)[22]
DDW (1d20+5)[17]
Skorri (1d20+5)[9]

These woods are fairly open and are composed of old growth forest that has only been logged around the edges. The trails through the forest are tricky and twisting, but are known to lead to the southwest around the Barrow Lands.

Though far removed from it now, the forest here is a distant extension of the Forest of Woe at the south end of the Hord Peninsula. Though not nearly as primordial and untamed as that legendary woodland, the forests around Silvermeade are said to be the home to several bands of wild fey, though none that are known to be overtly malicious.

Spoiler: Knowledge local check DC12 - Gunnar & Skorri

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knowledge local
Gunnar (1d20+6)[24]
Skorri (1d20+5)[16]

Sibbe the Unkempt is a seiðkona, a witch-woman, and has long been a feature in stories and tales of the area, often acting strangely, coming and going as she pleases, and is used as a local “bogeyman” to frighten children. She would have to be more than 80 years old for all the tales attributed to her.

Spoiler: DC17 - Gunnar only

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Rumors more than once have placed Sibbe upon the Tor performing some unnamable ritual or other. It would appear that she has had an interest in the magic of the site for decades.

As you ponder your options Signy rests against a tree and tells you what she knows of Andøvan magic. "The Andøvan possessed powerful magic, but unlike the kind known in the Northlands today today. Instead, it used complex rituals, celestial alignments, and words of power magic to create truly momentous effects. The four corners of the year, often used in Andøvan rituals, referred to the solstices and equinoxes. The Cusp of Freyja (spring equinox) is tomorrow. This time of year would be perfect for an Andøvan magic ritual that would bring about a rebirth, such as making a person young again or recharging lost magic powers. Such a ritual would need to be performed at dawn on the equinox. Dawn tomorrow."

Spoiler: Map

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=> Party
Gather horses first or chase the kidnappers immediately?
And if/ when making chase, which route?

1. West: Follow the tracks directly, through The Moors?
2. Southwest: Take a slower detour through the Trollfist Hills?
3. South: Take neither obvious route and instead use the game trails in the southern forest to find a way?