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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mathew_Freeman" data-source="post: 4486960" data-attributes="member: 1846">Arriving In WinterhavenWinterhaven is a small village at the far end of the King's Road from Fallcrest. A sturdy wall protects the outside of the settlement, and visible over the top of it is Wraftons Inn, the Winterhaven Manor House and Valthruns Tower - an impressive building standing a full five stories high.Two human guards stood at the gate, impassively watching at the donkey pulled the trade cart up the hill. Des stepped forwards to talk to them, politely asking their permission to enter the town. Despite his outlandish appearance (blue fur is not a common trait!), after a short discussion the gates were opened and the party allowed in.Wraftons Inn was revealed right in front of them. It is a two storey structure, well built and well cared for, with a simple sign of a full tankard of ale swinging in the breeze. Salvana Wrafton emerged from the front door, beaming. "Welcome to Winterhaven!" she called. "Is that the trade caravan you've brought? Fantastic! I'll have it brought in, please, come in and get a drink. I'm sure you're tired after a long journey." A stable-boy ran out to take the reigns from a grateful Cass, and the group sank onto the benches inside.Aran tried a local speciality drink ("It's made with cherries, well, mostly cherries!"), a mixture of ale and wine was poured, and Salvana got the news of the kobold attack. She seemed to know something about it, and recommended the group speak to Lord Parrag, the town's leader. Cass also asked after her brother, but Salvana didn't recognise the description.Over the course of the afternoon, the party discussed all that had brought them to Winterhaven, including the Keep (Salvana: "Rumoured to be haunted! Vampires and ghosts and all sorts!"), the kobolds ("They're a real problem, but we don't have the manpower here to deal with it"), Douven Staul ("Oh, I remember him. He followed Eilian's map and hasn't been seen since") and the possibility of a cult ("There are no cults in Winterhaven, I'm sure of that"). A few eyebrows are raised as Salvana denies cult activity, but at this stage no one takes the matter further.Once they had rested an hour or so, they began to get restless. A few minutes walk brought Des to Valthrun's Tower and he asked Valthrun to come downstairs to add his knowledge to the discussoin.Valthrun turned out to be an elderly human, dressed in the long robes of an arcanist. Des asked him about the same subjects they'd spoken to Salvana about."Cult activity?" retorted Valthrun. "No such thing around here. I mean, take a look around - these are farmers and traders. They are all working too hard at simply surviving to be engaged in anything as esoteric as a cult. I do not know where you got your information from, but I'm afraid I cannot help you on that matter.""What about the Keep?" asked Des. "I've heard that it's ruined - do you know anything further about it?""Hmmm," replied the sage. "We call it the Winterhaven Keep these days, but it's been ruined for many years. As far as I remember, the last time it was inhabited was about eighty years ago, after the fall of the Nerath Empire. Since then the local Lord has ruled the area out of the Manor House, and the Keep has been allowed to fall to ruins. The locals have some rumours and myths about - claim it's haunted or somesuch nonsense - but as far as I know it's just a mouldering pile of rubble these days. Still, you say that you've heard rumours someone is up there? I will search my books and see if I can find any further information on it for you."Des asked his final question. "Have you heard of a man named Douven Staul? Some of my friends are looking for him.""That's a name that rings a bell!" exclaimed Valthrun. "Oh yes, I remember. Came around here a while back, asking questions about a dragons tomb. I told him what I could, but in the end he wound up following a map that Eilian made for him. Probably wandered off into the woods and got lost, I'm afraid."Thanking him for his time, Des agreed to come back in a few days to see if Valthrun had turned up any useful information.Eilian turned out to be a very old farmer sitting in the corner of the Inn, and once Douven's name was mentioned he lit up a little, saying he could draw everyone a map of where he'd gone. Unfortunately, he said, that he had a terrible problem with his writing hand that could be much improved by a mug of ale... Once one was obtained for him, drawing a smile of appreciation, the map was redrawn and explained. There was some suggestion (from the group, and out of earshot) that this map may be less than accurate, but any map is better than none and the party agreed to head out and look for Douven soon. Elwanen did remind them, however, that it would good manners to request to speak to the local Lord before setting off again.Walking quickly through the few streets of Winterhaven, the group approach the gated wall that keeps the Manor House seperate from the rest of the village. Two more guards in well-used chainmail waited for them, and again Des stepped forward to speak to them.Once again, the tieflings charming manner and calm voice got them through, although the guards requested that all weapons be peacebonded inside the Manor. Opening the gate, the party is ushered through to the Manor House.Next update: Meeting the lovely people of Winterhaven.</blockquote>

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