1. Characters: 1. [[11.11 Tam|Tam]] and [[11.12 November Bituin|November Bituin]] are trying out a whole new thing where they are open about their feelings for one another. 2. [[11.13 Belaryl Horzza|Bel]] seems to be okay with sharing a bed with them and sharing Tam. She is still carrying a torch for Skymender. 2. Plots: 1. [[12.13 - Nezzara Vaedira|Nezzara]] is expecting and is married to [[Autumn]]. Her child will be the heir to the autumn court, should such a court ever exist. 2. [[Winter Prince]] has asked Tam _et al_ to bring [[Autumn]] to him. 'Zara has asked Tam to stay with Autumn when he meets with his father. 3. Destinations: 1. The Mines! 2. Moonshae Isles, as the Ways into the [[Feywild]] are currently all closed except that one. The "Front Door" as it were. --- # Wrapping Up [[11.12 November Bituin|November]] and [[11.11 Tam|Tam]] made their way back to the inn after seeing the aurora. They briefly panicked when [[11.14 Iris]] wasn't in the common room with [[11.15 Osmorn|Osmorn]], but found her curled up in bed with [[11.13 Belaryl Horzza|Belaryl]]. Bel wasn't asleep and her look suggested that anybody who commented on the fact that she was sitting in bed, writing in a journal, and idly petting the sphinx would have a rough evening. The next morning the group set out for the mines, in an open sleigh that is the usual way of getting around. While the weather was still cold and there were still flurries of snow from the scattered clouds overhead, it was mostly sunny and pleasant. The depot is a small wooden building nestled near the foot of the glacier. Built of logs that have been squared and fitted, it appears well built and well maintained. There are oil lamps outside and within, none of which are lit when the party arrives. Near the depot is a freight yard, where ore is unloaded from the mines and loaded onto the wagons or sledges that will take it to port. The freight yard is empty at present, not even animals to be seen. The glacier is a wall of ice nearly fifteen meters tall, standing roughly 50 meters north from the depot. A track winds to the north-west from the depot to the opening to the mine proper. Between the glacier face and the depot is a large lake of melt-water with small icebergs floating in it. The water is clear and cold and probably safe to drink. The icebergs are unstable and are fantastic shapes, some with arches in them. The ice ranges from white, to transparent, to a rich but pale blue. Arriving at the depot they found that the steward of the depot was not there, indeed the office was empty. Some sleuthing revealed that there was no struggle, no violence. It appears that the depot steward left of their own accord. Heading to the mines, the party found the entrance to the mines fortified and defended, a home-made flag flying over the fortifications. The flag of the new Republic of Reghed Glacier features blue and white heavily: The top half blue, the bottom half white, the entire thing bisected by a band of yellow running top to bottom. This color scheme indicated to people with high insight that they aren't a drow-based organization. Just ask Bel. She thinks the flag is hideous. Osmorn thinks that the colors are symbolic rather than representational, and suggests: * **Blue**: Loyalty * **White**: Honesty * **Gold**: Prosperity Bel thinks he is being dumb. That night the party scouted out the fortifications. The front wall of sharpened wooden stakes is well built and sturdy, coated in mud to make it fire-resistant. The gate is similarly well built, and the hinges are made of truesilver. After the party scouted out the fortifications, [[12.13 - Nezzara Vaedira|Nezzara]] a arrived and told Tam what she had learned about Cairn. He was a Duergar and with a small clan of other dark dwarves had taken up residence in the mines. They convinced the dwarves and humans who work in the mines that they are getting a bad deal. They also convinced them that attacks from the drow coming out of the Underdark are a major threat. So the new Republic is looking to defend themselves against the Drow incursions and hoping to get a better deal from King Rami as well. ![[Teaser Trailer Narration]]