Aozaki Aoko Case File [499] (Patreon)

After dealing with the local gang’s lackeys, Aoko was left in peace on Luskan’s streets—but unfortunately, so were all the information brokers.

Aoko was a bit embarrassed. Now she could only seek out information about Icewind Dale at various shops and bars around town.

“It must be those Arcane Brotherhood wizards!” whispered a shopkeeper, looking around before confiding in Aoko. “You’re an outsider, so you might not know, but here in Luskan, we all know—the Brotherhood wants to secretly take over the Ten Towns!”

“If they want to take over, why not just send in their army?” Aoko asked curiously. “If they can pull off magic on this scale, conquering the Ten Towns should be easy, right?”

“I don’t understand wizard tricks,” the shopkeeper replied, “but I know Luskan and the Brotherhood.”

“I heard from a merchant from Bryn Shander that a wizard burned in the East Exile Lands admitted to being Brotherhood! So Vaelish Gant must be the mastermind. He’s locked up in Revel’s End, so his men are taking revenge—using magic to seal Icewind Dale.”

This account was full of magical nonsense, but since the shopkeeper was so certain, Aoko figured there must be a kernel of truth.

After paying five gold coins for the information, Aoko went to a tavern and listened in on conversations, nursing a coffee in the corner.

“…There’s a pirate ship frozen on the northwest coast near Bryn Shander…” whispered a burly, one-eyed man. “No one knows where it came from, but so long as this damned weather holds, it’s not going anywhere. Should we try our luck?”

“Are you out of your mind?” his companion scoffed. “If you know about it, don’t you think others do too? Idiot!”

“Tch, no wonder you’re still broke,” the one-eyed man retorted. “You still owe me a drink, remember…”

Bryn Shander—Aoko knew the name, having been there before with Edgin and Holga, and even gotten horses there.

Before going into the Underdark, they’d left their horses in the Myconid Garden Forest, and later Xenk had retrieved them. Otherwise, the horses would’ve starved.

Elsewhere, a pair of wizard apprentices were discussing a rumor Aoko had just heard at the shop: a Brotherhood wizard sent by Vaelish Gant had died in the East Exile Lands.

This matched the shopkeeper’s version, but Aoko picked up a new detail: the wizard wasn’t trying to conquer the Ten Towns, but searching for a lost wizard’s tower.

Putting these bits together, Aoko felt she was getting a clearer picture. After all, it was a favorite pastime of Faerûnian wizards to dig up lost wizard towers.

But none of these rumors explained the cause of the Everlasting Rime in Icewind Dale. All anyone knew was to blame the Arcane Brotherhood and the Lady Frostkiss, Auril.

Having learned all she could, Aoko decided there was no point in staying longer. She’d head out the next day and see the situation for herself—no matter how harsh the endless winter, it wouldn’t stop her.

…

…

In truth, Aoko had underestimated the power of the Everlasting Rime. Even with her enhanced physique, she could feel the biting cold under her magic.

Her elemental resistance spell could handle -50°F, but the blizzard had dropped the temperature to -80°F and falling.

Aoko channeled magic to maintain her body heat, and reinforced her two sled dogs.

These determined lively sled dogs worked tirelessly, pulling her across the frozen landscape for half a day, still energetic thanks to Aoko’s magic and plentiful food.

At first, Aoko thought the Everlasting Rime was just a massive blizzard that partly blocked magic effects. But after crossing the Spine of the World, she noticed something strange.

Daylight in Icewind Dale was gone—only endless night remained.

Now, she was certain—this was divine power at work. Not even the most legendary spell could cover such a vast area.

Sitting on her sled, she pulled out a poster with a map of the Ten Towns, checked her compass, and estimated she was close to Bryn Shander. She planned to rest there and see if there was any news of Edgin and the others.

After about an hour, she finally saw the silhouette of Bryn Shander, the tranquil dwarven mining town at the mouth of the Shanjarn River, on the west bank of Duerden Lake.

Last time she’d visited, Bryn Shander still felt like early autumn. Now, it was a frozen wasteland—rivers and lakes were dead, and fishermen had dragged their boats ashore before the ice sealed them in.

Now, all visitors had to arrive on foot or by sled like Aoko—not by boat.

“Hey, wizard! Stop your sled!” barked a dwarven guard at the town gate. “Who are you? What’s your business in Bryn Shander?”