The Pillar of Winter: Part 3

You’ve done it! At least you think you have, the only way to know for sure is to check your theory. Based on what you’ve gathered across various tomes and the personal journal of the Duchess’ late mother, you think you might actually know where the lost Temple of Ghetea is. You thank Razylym for her hospitality and leave the tower in a hurry, carrying your notes with you. 

After the misunderstanding with the dungeon, the Duchess provided you not only with a meal, but a room while you conducted your work. Most of your traveling gear and supplies were moved there once you were released, so you make the long walk back to your room on the other side of the castle to collect your things and be on your way immediately. 

As you make your way up the residential corridor to your room you notice a young woman with pale blonde hair coming toward you. Though you’ve never seen her before there’s something about her ethereal beauty that seems familiar to you. The brief distraction is enough for you to neglect noticing the large decorative plant right in front of you. Making a successful [Dexterity] won’t save you from being tripped up, but it will prevent any of your work from being lost in the spill you take to the floor. 

The only thing you hurt in the fall is your pride and you begin to scoop up the various notes you’ve taken when a delicate hand passes offers to help you up. 

“Are you alright?” the woman asks, her voice as soft as a flower petal on your ears. You look up to assure her that you’re not hurt and see the woman’s inviting lavender eyes looking back at you with concern. 

“I’m Serena and you must be...aren’t you the one that everyone was saying was a Damsarlian spy?” she looks at you with suspicion but before you have a moment to explain the mix-up she smirks and admits that she’s just joking. “I know who you are, Rosalind told me all about it. Does you rushing around mean you’ve found something then?” 

Serena helps pick up the rest of your things as you explain to her what you’ve uncovered in your research. As it turns out, Rosalind’s mother was likely making annual pilgrimages to the temple for Urcare as a child and had planned to bring Rosalind, passing away before she had the chance to do so. Cross referencing the clues from her journal with other information from the books in the tower, you’re fairly certain you know where to go and are going to leave now. 

It’s a sad story to be sure, and you can tell that it holds a particular weight for Serena. It’s then that you remember who she is. In the days just before your crossing through the storm, you had heard some tawdry rumors in a Damsarlian tavern about how the Duchess Von Amsel had kidnapped a beautiful fair haired servant from another lord’s household for her own lustful intentions. Descriptions of the woman’s beauty were always in depth, as were the supposed acts of debauchery the Duchess forced upon her. 

Concerned that perhaps there might be some truth to these rumors you previously dismissed you try to subtly ask a little about the woman, to determine what kind of woman the Duchess is. Make a [Charisma] check using either [Persuasion] or [Subterfuge] to get the information in a way that doesn’t seem offensive to Serena. 

After a long moment of silence, as if considering how much she wishes to tell you, Serena reveals to you that she was not a servant but a slave who had been taken during the campaign in Vylandia. Her “Master” had been a cruel man who had beaten and mistreated her in numerous ways regularly. Rosalind’s father had taken quite a shine to her when she was able to magically cure him of the ailment that had been slowly killing him. Rosalind too had expressed immense gratitude for this but it wasn’t until after the King Zansumkai had slain Marcus that Rosalind absconded with her back to Amsel. 

“I saw everything.” she says quietly, “He was such a kind man, but he struck at the king without knowing what the king truly was: a Lich. I saw Zansumkai rip the still beating heart from his chest and drain it of all life.” 

The revelation isn’t at all what you expected, but you can tell by how haunted she looks that what she’s saying is the truth. Since then, she explains, her and the Duchess have been very close. They fought their way out of Damsarlia and barely made it back to Amsel. You realize now just how much more is at stake if the storm fails and you decide it’s time to leave immediately. 

You gather your things from your room and Serena meets you in the hall as you’re leaving, wearing her traveling gear as well. 

“It wouldn’t be right to let you go out on your own.” she says warmly, “A white mage could be useful to you in the frozen wilderness, in case you get hurt.” 

The two of you set out into the night, Serena takes a subtly glowing pendant from her neck and with a single word causes the light to grow brighter so that the both of you can see more easily. Make a [Intellect] + [Survival] check to find your way in the night. If you failed the [Dexterity] save you do this at a -1 from some of your notes being lost. If you succeeded on the [Charisma] check your developing rapport with Serena grants you a +2. 

If you succeed, you will manage to locate the Lost Temple of Ghetea.