Aozaki Aoko Case File [510] (Patreon)

Following Jasrah’s advice, Aoko’s party bought all the gear she recommended, including warm coats and cloaks.

Aoko herself didn’t buy much cold-weather gear, as her weave-wardrobe had built-in environmental adaptation. The Everlasting Rime couldn’t harm her, and if it got too cold, she could always buff herself.

The others, however, needed to adjust their equipment—swapping out inner armor linings for bulkier but warmer options, making them look a bit ridiculous.

Even Doric wasn’t spared, and Simon couldn’t help but laugh at her new look, earning a glare from Doric.

They hurried, and as soon as the gear was ready, set out for the base of Kelvin’s Cairn.

“Do you know anything more about Garett’s adventuring party?” Aoko asked Jasrah as she drove the sled.

“Not much,” Jasrah said. “They were outsiders—a male goliath, a female halfling, and a female tiefling. Well-equipped, but looked exhausted.”

Hmm... nothing stands out. Just a typical mixed-race party for Faerûn.

“How long to reach Kelvin’s Cairn?” Simon called from the back.

“About three hours!” Jasrah replied. “With breaks, maybe four. This stretch is tougher than the tundra below!”

She was right. Aoko felt the wind was much fiercer and colder here at the base of the Cairn.

She had to cast resist elements on her heavily-armored companions and even the sled dogs, who immediately perked up and ran with husky-like excitement despite the harsh conditions.

“Our goal before dark is the basecamp!” Jasrah announced. “Garett would have camped there—we should look for clues and decide our next move!”

“No problem, we’ll do as you say!” Edgin gave a thumbs-up, though he suddenly started hiccuping from the cold, lightening the mood.

“Look, there are tracks!” Aoko pointed to the east side of the road, where several prints stood out in the snow. “Do you think these could be from the town’s thieves?”

Jasrah abruptly reined in the sled dogs and jumped down with Aoko to examine the tracks.

“There are two kinds of footprints here,” Aoko noted. “One looks dwarven?”

“These aren’t regular dwarf tracks,” Jasrah said angrily, though not at Aoko’s guess. “They’re duergar tracks!”

“How can you tell?” Aoko raised an eyebrow.

“All surface dwarves hate duergar!” Jasrah spat aside. “There’s only one shield dwarf settlement nearby, and I’m from there! Our prints are different—look!”

Aoko compared Jasrah’s prints to the duergar ones—they were indeed different, though only an expert would know.

“So the town’s thieves are likely duergar,” Aoko concluded. “What about the other tracks?”

“Let me see...” Jasrah frowned. “Weird, these look like ogre prints?”

“Find anything?” Edgin jumped off the sled to join them.

“Yes, the thieves seem to be duergar and ogres, but...” Aoko explained as she cast detect magic and studied the area for residual spell traces.

“There are traces of necromancy here,” Aoko said. “This group of duergar and ogres definitely includes undead.”

“I really wish Xenk were on this adventure,” Edgin admitted. “He may be blunt, but he’d be reliable now!”

“Don’t worry,” Aoko said after some analysis. “It’s probably just ogre zombies made by the duergar for labor, like Red Wizards do. Their combat strength shouldn’t be high.”

“Those gray-skinned bastards are disgusting!” Jasrah said in disgust. “If I get a chance, I’ll twist their heads off myself!”

Seeing the muscular dwarf guide, Aoko believed she could do just that.

But it did mean Garett’s party was in more danger than expected, since necromancer duergar were involved.

“Let’s keep moving,” Edgin said, exhaling. “Let’s hope Garett’s group are still okay, and haven’t been turned into gray-skinned slaves.”

Everyone got back on the sled. After another two hours, they finally reached the basecamp Jasrah had mentioned.

There, two white tents stood undisturbed, a sled was overturned between them, and five howling sled dogs were still tied up.

“It’s Garett’s sled!” Jasrah stopped the sled, jumped out, and ran to comfort the starving dogs.

Doric quickly grabbed spare dog food and fed the dogs, who, despite their hunger, waited for Jasrah’s command to eat.

“Go ahead, kids!” Jasrah petted them. “You must be starving.”

Edgin and Holga searched the tents but soon came out—no one was inside.

“No one’s here,” Edgin said, shaking his head. “Just some supplies. One box of rations was eaten by the dogs; the other is untouched, enough for four people for three or four days.”