Chapter 12: Barmaid Gone Bad
"You're really going to do it?" Carrin asked, surprised and sounding a bit irritated, "Why don't we just leave? We've got everything we wanted to know. The "malevolent forces" we're looking for isn't here, so let's just get out of here and report back to Arundel about what we found." We were outside once again, having tramped back to the surface, following the trail of destruction left in our wake. And when I informed everyone that we would seek out this Aurilite, they began to protest.
"All we discovered is that the evil isn't here," I reminded her, "We still have no clue as to what the real source of Kuldahar's trouble is. Kresselack said he could assist us with what he knows. If we help him and learn what we need to know now, then we save time instead of having us running all over Icewind Dale looking for answers."
"But we aren't killers you know," Bishop reminded me, "Unless you've changed your worker's ethics while I wasn't looking."
"I never said anything about killing anyone," I answered cheerfully, "Kresselack was the one who said slay, but I'll not simply do it because he said. Personally I prefer to talk things out; though I do also have another reason to search for her besides Kresselack's request. And surely we could persuade this priestess to leave his tomb alone, and show the spirit within a little compassion."
"It will be more difficult than you believe," Cassandra was ahead of us. For some reason her disposition had hardened up slightly, looking far more serious than her usual self, "The followers of Auril are close-minded and fervent. They remove any places of comfort from the cold, harshly stating that if one cannot survive in the frozen chill as they were meant to, then they never deserved life. As a result they have allowed many people to suffer and perish under their injudicious doctrine. And you should truly understand their extent of compassion towards such things," she pointed back to the tomb entrance somewhere behind us, lost in the darkness and snow, "That crypt is filled with chilling fire and the barest of illumination, yet they seek to purge it of even that. Imagine if it were something that brings far more life-giving warmth and shelter…"
"I see," Sol was piecing it together, "Then surely Kuldahar counts as such a place. And in such close proximity to this Vale, I doubt very much that it has escaped notice. Which means that Kuldahar might be the next target."
"Precisely," I concluded, "The same logic I was thinking. Kresselack may be no threat to Kuldahar as he says, but this Auril cleric may be a different matter. I felt it wise to find her and discover all the facts. If she means Kuldahar harm, as she does with Kresselack's tomb, then she must be stopped. And Kresselack promised us an answer to who is behind the evil acts amongst the mountains, so by helping him, we help ourselves."
"But even if we get the information," Carrin went on with her protest, "why help that monster? After everything you heard that he did? From his own mouth? Let her cut off his light, then we can deal with her."
"I'll not deny that he wasn't a very benevolent man in life," I answered honestly, looking at her sternly, "But he is already chained to this place, never to leave these halls for the remainder of time. That is a cruel punishment for any. To spend that time locked away in unyielding darkness, devoid of warmth or any sort of comfort is a vindictiveness that I would not inflict upon anyone, no matter how dishonorable they were in life. And you heard what he said; he can comprehend as to why he was cursed. He has had much time to think on what he had done."
"And more time to come" Sol added.
It would have been a tribulation indeed if we had to comb over the entire Vale once again, seeking this priestess out, but thankfully, Bishop was a skilled hunter in his previous occupation, and knew quite a few things about tracking. He discovered bootprints that were not from us, and obviously not from undead, freshly imprinted in the gray snow and we followed them. We went back the way we had come, passing two of the smaller tombs and down a path we had missed the first time around, as it was winding down into the jaws of the canyon, hidden by tall pillars of rock. At the bottom of this hidden path, we saw the mouth of a decent sized cave. We paused outside of it.
"This is weird," Bishop murmured, crouching in the snow, "There's yeti footprints all over the place, leading to and from this cave. Probably their den…but it'd kind of a weird place to make camp for some holy chick..."
I couldn't imagine what sort of person would make their residence amongst angry wild yeti's, except someone who is on good terms with beasts of winter. A priestess of the Frostmaiden perhaps?
The interior of the cave gleamed with ice; the floors, walls and ceiling were all slippery with frost. In several corners were several piles of broken dead wood, no doubt the bedding for the occupants of the cave. However, it was clear that not only the wooly beasts of the Vale made their residence in this place.
For up on a small incline was a shoddily constructed pavilion, made of wood and a stretch of hide covering the top, several crates and supplies by the looks were beneath it. And kneeling in the ice and snow in front of the crude wooden shelter was a woman, garbed in cleric's clothes of a shimmering indigo. Her hair, a glossy silverish black was down, flowing around her shoulders, as she knelt with her hands clasped and eyes shut. Our presence must have been felt or heard, as no sooner had we spotted her, she spoke.
"Interlopes," she called, lifting her head, "This cave is my private retreat. I would ask you to leave, and respect my desire for solitude."
"My apologizes for the intrusion madam," said I, offering a flowing bow of regret, "But we are combing this Vale to find a priestess, under the faith of Auril the Ice Goddess. Might you be she?"
"I know of the Frostmaiden," the woman replied, though speaking her words slowly, "There are several that worship her in the cold north, though more out of fear and obligation rather than loyalty and love. I do know that their members are secretive and do not speak openly of their faith to others. Why is it you are seeking such a person?"
"I must speak to her on a matter of importance…" I began.
"W-wait a second," Bishop spluttered from behind, prompting me to glance back, seeing his dark eyes bulging as he pointed up at the woman, "I recognize you! You're Lysan! The woman in the bar from Kuldahar! The one who slapped the hell out of me!" This prompted us to look back and forth between the alleged slapper and the slapped.
"You two have met?" Carrin asked, as she glanced between the two of them, then giving Bishop an elbow in the ribs, grinning, "You already made a new girlfriend B?"
"I'm afraid he was not quite my type," Lysan answered Carrin's question curtly.
"A barmaid in this unnatural place?" Cassandra seemed to muse sarcastically, "Why would you be here unless you are more than you appear to be? We know you are the priestess of Auril, so kindly drop the charade." Lysan gave us a frosted smirk, before rising from her makeshift alter.
"I suppose I should, as there seems to be no sense hiding it any longer. Very well, you have found your priestess; now tell me, what is it you want?" I had assumed from the start that this woman was whom we were searching for, but I must say I was quite surprised that she was someone who had been in Kuldahar. Regardless, I went on.
"We are here on behalf of the spirit of tomb to the east of here. He is concerned about your intensions towards his resting place."
"Spirit? I know nothing of any real occupant, living or dead of the tomb you speak of. But I know of it yes. And my intension is to extinguish all light and warmth within it, to make it more to the tastes of my mistress. As it currently stands, it is nothing more than an abomination in her eyes that must be cleansed and sanctified."
"Sanctified…" Cassandra murmured, though by looking at her she had a twinge of anger across her fair countenance.
"But there is an apparition within the tomb," I explained, "Who doesn't wish to spend an eternity trapped in a dark and lightless cave."
"Bah," Lysan snorted, "What do I care for some lifeless specter? He is dead, isn't he? Why should the dead care about light or dark, warmth or cold? It is none of his concern."
"I beg to differ on that my dear," Sol interjected, "As it is his tomb, it actually is his business. And though dead he may be, he still has sentience, and I have seen such a thing enough times to know that it means he still retains emotions and feelings, the same as anyone who is living. Disregarding his wishes so callously isn't a particularly kindly act."
"Kindness and showing mercy is none of my concern. I have been skulking about this shadowy place for months now, working to remove the undead from the surrounding crypts to perform my duties, and I shall not give up my efforts now because of some tormented ghost's mournful wailing or an officious group of would-be saviors."
"I'd watch that mouth little missy," Bishop warned, "Lest you're the one getting smacked…"
"Months?" I pressed, "What do you mean? What have you been doing?" Lysan's smile widened as she crossed her arms, taking a few steps through the crunching snow.
"I was visited by my mistress in a vivid dream who guided me to this place. She spoke of the defilement that was here and showed me the way. However, I found these forsaken tombs infested by stubborn protectors that I was unable to defeat, thus I was forced to find another way past. So using the almighty power of my Goddess Auril, I placed a curse upon the entire Vale, bidding the dead to rise up. Then I placed myself among the people of Kuldahar, and as a barmaid began spreading fear-provoking rumors of the walking dead and such. I reasoned that sooner or later some adventurous heroic type would be along to deal with the possible danger. It turned out to have been your little band."
"You? You're the one who raised the dead?"
"You sound surprised," she smirked at us, "In the deepest coldest places on the world, the power of Auril is supreme, and nothing can stand against her will." Cassandra joined me at the forefront, her face even more serious than before.
"I see now. I had sensed something wrong in this place even before I arrived. A silent aching desperation in these awakened dead. You forced them from their eternal peace for your own twisted sense of duty in a manipulative scheme." Our own priestess turned to face Lysan eye to eye, a sister cleric, "And what of your position towards Kuldahar? Do you hold the same ideology with them?"
"You mean that blasphemous haven towards my goddess? You'd be foolish to think I wouldn't. That tree is an atrocity in her eyes, and once I finish in this place, I shall return to my work of ridding the Dale of such a blemish upon the frozen tundra once and for all."
"But there are people who live there!" Carrin protested, "And the warmth of the tree keeps them safe from harm. You'd really kill the Great Oak and condemn all those people to death simply because you're crazed ideals commands it?"
"Watch your tongue, young harlot," Lysan snapped, "That tree is unnatural and must be destroyed, and if the cowering people beneath its roots cannot adapt to the world as it should be, then they shall be reduced to dust in the snow. And the essential principles of Auril's faith are far too complex and intricate for common thugs to fathom. Speak not of what you don't understand little fool."
"You shall speak to her with respect," Cassandra commanded with a vibrant amount of hostile vigor, adopting a persona I had never seen before, her brilliant eyes blazing with a righteous fire, her expression resolute and firm as she faced down the rival priestess. "This girl has a heart that is compassionate and full of courage, unlike yours, covered in bitter sorrow and cold. And if you would not hear her words, then you will hear mine, a cleric and servant of the gods. Follower of Auril, you have committed great sins in your scheming devices, endangering the innocent lives of Kuldahar, and that of my closest of friends in our pursuing this quest. Leave this place and seek no further harm in Kuldahar or anywhere, lest justice comes crashing down about your ears!"
"You presume to judge me?" Lysan spat, hissing like an enraged housecat, "Fool, as I said before, I'll not let the ignorant stand in my way!" And with a raised hand, we were beset by howls.
We had been so preoccupied in the heated protests that we had been unaware that numerous yeti's had entered the cave, and upon Lysan lifting her hand, they made their presence known with a choir of roars, rushing us all in a stomping frenzy. We reacted instantly, rolling out of the way of their rush, blades lifting to fight back. My thin sword dove deep into their hide, piercing fur and skin, leaving a bellowing monster behind. I fought hard and fast, knowing full well that these beasts were nothing more than a diversion, our real enemy was Lysan, with her power to cast magic, personifying her role as an Auril cleric. And before the yeti's had fallen, we felt the cold sting of her power.
A wailing blast of wind tore through the cave, a magical storm of iced air that penetrated all garments and dove deep into my bones and muscles, causing my blood to chill. As a result I felt my footwork falter, my legs numbing. I could see Bishop slowing down as well, even Carrin's nimble steps shortening. Sir Victor fought against it, keeping the joints of his armor functioning by lunging forward. Sol's face, contorted and twisted was enough of a sign to show his concentration was broken, unable to retaliate with his own brand of destructive magic.
Cassandra however stood firm, not wavering not hesitating. She clutched her sacred holy symbol, a silver medallion that hung across her breast, and with a rapid prayer, she spoke a single word, so deafening and so acute that I could not hear it clearly. Perhaps my impure ears were not meant to here it, I don't know. All I do know is that at once I felt the ill-effects of the conjured ice of Lysan melting away, as a snowflake disintegrates before the might of the sun. Even further, I felt a pressure of air surge around me, washing over my entire body for a split second, and I could feel the cave around us tremble at the shock.
And suddenly, there was a splintering crack, as the ice walls and ceiling were trembling and shattering due to the awesome force of Lady Cassandra's spell. And even as Lysan was invoking more magic, a flooding rush of rock and frost came down on top of her. She did manage to look around, seeing death bearing down upon her and emitted a single piercing shriek, before the explosion of snow and icicle fragments swirled around us like a blizzard, obscuring all sight, the thundering crash of the cave-in obscuring all other sounds. In the silent moments that followed, we rose, the yeti's having retreated in terror, and gazed in astonishment.
A massive section of the wall and ceiling now lay across the floor, twisted and heaped in a sloping pile. And from under this mound, there was an unmistakable tendril of crimson that came trickling out from beneath, pooling, and turning the powder white a stained scarlet.
"The priestess of the Frostmaiden," Sol cogitated grimly, biting his lip, "Crushed to death by an avalanche of ice and snow. A fitting end for someone so cold and filled with malice."
"In any event," said I, "Kuldahar is in no more danger from this particular threat. But our job is not yet completed; the true source of darkness is still out there. Let us return to the tomb and speak to Kresselack, so we may gain our enemy's name and face."