Chronicles of 'Team B' - Chapters 49 and 50 - The Plot Discovered

General Summary

Following the defeat of the wolf band, the Serpent Slayers press on to the northwest, toward the marshes that mark the boundary between Nor' and Galinda. The progress is made difficult by Arsenii Trofimovich's injury - the first serious wound in the prince's life, and one he thinks is life-threatening. He must be coaxed into continuing, and hoisted up onto his horse by Merius and Lokan.
The following day, the cold weather finally brings on the first snowstorm of the season. It begins to snow shortly after the party settles down in its portable tower keep, and continues to snow all night. Agapia locates a bear trap while wandering around at night, but the following day, the newly-fallen snow freezes over, and Merius' horse slips on the sheer ice, and goes lame. Lokan is forced to put it down, but the group is now down to three horses, and eight people. Malina turns into an eagle, and Agapia shows off some speed on the snow, which allows the group to redistribute the riders, such that they can continue to move mounted with no more than two people per horse. But it's becoming increasingly clear that the group needs to find a way to deposit the tinkers and Yuriev's men somewhere if they are to continue to Laima. Merius reveals the true purpose of their journey to Yuriev's riders, and tries to recruit them to Trofim Andreevich's side. The servitors are happy they have now learned the whole tale, but are non-committal. They say they will speak to their lord, but the decision regarding joining a host lies with princes - if Yuriev is summoned, he will certainly join.
That night, Agapia, making her rounds at night, discovers a strange, pear-like shape covered by snow. She picks away at it, and discovers something yellow underneath. Knowing enough not to eat the yellow snow, she pauses, but the yellow seems of the wrong kind. In the morning, she and her companions discover a giant turnip, weighing at least 25 poods, under the snow. The companions hack some of the pulp from under the snow and ice, and enjoy some turnip with their breakfast.
Later that day, they come upon a village where they bid farewell to Yuriev's servants, as well as Leontii and Vyacheslav, who are given nice parting gifts of turnip and money. The village is named Shchavel'. It is barely over 100 people, but one of the families runs its hut as a sort of tavern where people gather, especially now that the cold part of the year has set in. Lokan listens to the rumors, and learns that several versts away, toward the swamps, people have seen very lifelike figures made of snow since the big snowfall, and some claim that the snow people move, and are surrounded by howling winds or eerie droning. While Arsenii must rest to help him recover from his wounds, Lokan tries to recruit Agapia and Zorina to go on a scouting expedition, to see what this supposed snow people are all about.
Malina, however, has other concerns. She has spent time communing with her divine mistress to gain insight into her vision that involved their heads rolling off a scaffold. The response she received initially seemed cryptic - something to do with breaking the seal, but eventually, she decides to try the obvious - reaching into the chest, taking the letter intended for the Galind Grand Prince, and having Lokan carefully break the seal without ruining the paper. The missive contained inside is curious - it does ask for the prince's daughter to be married to Arsenii, and suggests that Merius be given a position at court, but it also requests that the rest of the companions be 'dealt with', as they are monstrous, treacherous and violent.
This turn of events puts the Serpent Slayers into a quandary. Why does Trofim Andreevich want them dead, and what does he mean by sending such a letter to his Galind counterpart? Is it his intention to cause his own mission to fail, as some of them think? Merius explains that all such communication is certainly prepared by Zhadan Cheslavovich, the major domo, and it is entirely possible that the prince is entirely unaware what the missive says. Some press for trying the icons to ask the prince, or to warn him of the danger, but for the ever-cautious Malina, that is too risky, because Zhadan may be the presence before the companion icon.
In the end, the decision is made for Malina to fly back to Ladeisk as a giant eagle, to learn exactly what's happening, and whether the prince himself is in danger. She will take Merius along, as knows better than the rest the workings of the prince's estate, and the intrigues of his servitors. The rest of the companions will stay here in Shchavel', watch Arsenii, and await word from the two of them.

Rewards Granted

• Parts of a giant turnip
• A bear trap

Missions/Quests Completed

• Plot to kill the Serpent Slayers (and possibly, destabilize Ladeisk, is discovered)

Character(s) interacted with

• Yuriev's riders
• Leontii and Vyaheslav

Report Date

26 Mar 2021