Chapter Eight
The North Wind
Embedded Files
Apps close on 30 October 2025 until 1 February 2026!
You’re standing in a grand train station in Novigrad, on the border of the Autumn and Winter duchies. The weak winter sunlight shines through the immense windows framed by intricate mahogany. The train station is immense, bustling, and a work of art - it is clearly Aoife’s crowning glory. The winter wind whistles through the open station, and passers-by rush to their trains, shivering.
The airship ride to the train station was fun, but slow, and the airships weren’t suited to travel across the winter duchy in case of blizzards (magical or non-magical), so you were dropped off at the train station with tickets pre-paid by the Autumn Court, as a thank you for disrupting a potential civil war in their capital.
An immense frost giant, at least 8 feet tall and dressed immaculately in a neat suit and hat (the buttons on his vest just holding on), sits in the booth in front of you. He punches your ticket and smiles at you.
“Platform eight.” He says, in a baritone voice. “The Orbost Express departs in 15 minutes. Enjoy your trip.”
Fifteen minutes later - a train whistle sounds and a conductor shouts “All aboard!”
Next stop - Orbost. The capital of the Winter Duchy.
❄️❄️❄️
The train is comfortable and warm. Rich red carpeting covers the floor, the seats cushioned in luxury green velvet. The walls are dark mahogany, with fairy lanterns lining the dim compartments. Neatly dressed staff attend to your every need, and there are an interesting assortment of passengers on their way through the Winter Duchy.
Outside the curtained window, you watch the winter landscape rush past you, snow falling in flurries. You see small, snow covered fishing villages with multicoloured houses, towns that look like gingerbread houses, and villages built amongst thick pine forests. The longer the trip goes on, the more remote the landscape becomes. You cross some lonely fjords, ascend a snow covered mountain, and cross a deep, frozen ravine. It looks cold and unfriendly out there, but inside, you are cozy and toasty warm.
Most of the trip is uneventful, and you are able to rest and take advantage of the amenities aboard the train during your stay on the Orbost Express.
❄️❄️❄️
However, a day out from Orbost, the tranquillity is shattered. There is a loud BANG from the front of the train, and the train screeches and groans, and starts to slow. You look out the window - you’re in the middle of nowhere and it's snowing heavily outside. You’re definitely not in Orbost yet.
Chapter Eight, Quest One
Murder on the Orbost Express
The train has come to a screeching halt in the middle of a snowstorm, and is now sitting idly, its arcane systems powered down. The passengers are nervous, the staff are running around frantically. What’s going on? You should go investigate. Split up and check each car for signs of trouble.
First Class - Filled with indignant rich customers heading to Orbost on work trips or family holidays, the first class car is opulent with gold trim and blue velvet everywhere. Better check there are no suspicious passengers on board, disguised as wealthy travellers… You will need to check there aren’t any suspicious passengers on board since this car is close to the front of the train where you heard the loud bang. As soon as you step into the car you are beset with irritable wealthy travellers, demanding to know what’s going on. “Do you know who I am? I have an important meeting in Orbost tomorrow!”
If your character has an intelligence stat of 5 or higher, they manage to get a first class passenger to reveal that a tall cloaked figure in black strode through the first class car after the train broke down. Smudges of black arcane soot on the floor confirm this story.
The Dining Car - Dimly lit with candles and soft, romantic arcane lighting, the dining car is filled with the smell of delicious food, with a panoramic view of the surrounding snowy landscape visible through the glass. The fae in here are looking around cautiously, or trying to finish their dinner in the dark. The wait staff are frantic, bringing candles and complimentary drinks around.
If your character has an intelligence stat of 5 or higher, they notice the distinct tang of iron in the air. It rises above the delicious smell of dinner, sharp and burning in your nose.
The Engine Room - The engine room is the brightest on the train, with the massive arcane fire in the furnace lighting up the space as soot covered engineers in runite protective gear run backwards and forwards, gesticulating over the smoking engine in exasperation. The arcane fire that powered the Orbost Express, once gold and blue, has turned a nasty purple colour, and great plumes of black smoke waft from it, making your eyes water.
If your character has an intelligence stat of 5 or higher, they determine the purple-black flames spurting out of the engine look identical to the magic that summoned the portals in Robellia.
The Luggage Compartment - Almost pitch black, a young porter guides you through the quiet rows of luggage. With the sound of the engine having died away, the luggage car is quiet and cozy. Strange pets coo softly in their cages, but all is otherwise still.
If your character has an intelligence stat of 5 or higher, they notice a large piece of luggage, lying open behind the front row of suitcases. There is nothing in the suitcase, but it is warped as if something large was just removed… or got out.
The Lounge - The folk in the lounge car are calm, sipping their cocktails and smoking their pipes merrily. The bartender remains at his station, having found that serving drinks helps calm the tension of the situation. A woodwose pianist in the corner plays a nifty jazz tune. Maybe he saw something?
If your character has an intelligence stat of 5 or higher, they think to ask the pianist if he saw anything. The man says he saw a black cloaked figure exit the train just after it broke down.
The Exterior of the Train - You brave the biting cold and snow flurries outside the train to check if there is any damage to the exterior. The train still seems to be on the tracks with no external damage, as far as you can see. As darkness falls, the snowy landscape around you seems endless, and you get the feeling you’re being watched.
If your character has an intelligence stat of 5 or higher, they notice footprints in the snow, leading away from the train. The footprints look like they were made by something with a metal boot on.
Draw or write about your character investigating one of the locations above for anything suspicious. Do they find clues, or do they come up empty? Are the other passengers helpful, or a nuisance?
Reward: 100 fairy gold 💰
Chapter Eight, Quest Two
Baby, It's Cold Outside
The train has been sabotaged. The rest of the civilian passengers are going to wait for an engineer from Novigrad station to come out and attempt to fix it. We haven’t got time for that, and our very presence could be putting innocent people at risk. We’ll have to get off and walk. However - it's snowing something fierce out there and your current outfit isn't gonna cut it.
Design a winter outfit for your character, or write about your character acquiring a warmer outfit through some shenanigans.
Reward: 100 fairy gold 💰
Mercy, it’s cold out here! With dawn approaching and the snowstorm letting up, it’s time to leave the comfort of the train and head for Orbost. It can’t be far - hopefully the journey will only take a day or two.
Mind you don’t get split up from the group! Whoops - too late.
Chapter Eight, Quest Three
The Land of Endless Winter
The Winter Duchy can be harsh and inhospitable between towns. You journey to Orbost on foot, trekking through the winter wonderland. Snow crunches beneath your feet, while snow falls softly. It’s quiet out here, and oddly calm.
Roll a d12 dice to determine what your character encounters in the winter wilds.
A sentient snowman who lost his carrot nose to a faun in a card game is asking for help getting it back. He seems kind of shifty. Is this some kind of scam, or worse, an ambush?
A yeti who runs a hot spring tries to sell you a half day pass for cheap. Want a quick break? The springs are full of snow monkeys, but the water looks so warm…
A strange snowstorm whips up out of nowhere and despite your best efforts you get caught in the middle of it. Your head starts to swim… and you begin hallucinating! What do you see?
A herd of reindeer block your way and refuse to move. Their herder looks at you sadly “They’ve unionised. They’re staging a peaceful protest due to the lack of carrots. I’ve been stuck here for 8 hours…”. Can you negotiate with the reindeer, or the herder, so you can get past?
An iceling steals your shoe while you’re resting, then starts a snowball fight. Right! Time to sort these little pests out…
You come across a frozen lake. How do you cross it? The frozen surface looks kind of stable…. You think… And is there something swimming underneath??
You come across an ice fishing contest! The penguin critter who is running it is very braggadocious and insists he’s going to win. Is he cheating?
You hear the call of music and flirtatious laughter on the wind. You follow the noise, and come across a beautiful frozen waterfall, inhabited by an ice nymph. They attempt to seduce you…
You come across another unlucky traveller - this time it’s a gnome carriage driver, whose yak got spooked and ran off. Can you help him? What scared off the yak?
A fur trader got stuck in a snow drift, and some frost boggles stole his wares. They’re still nearby - you can hear them laughing in the forest. Sigh, never a day off…
You stumble across a sweet looking winter cottage. Hang on, is that a Bheur Hag inside?! She’s brewing something - it does smell rather delicious…
A kindly family of arctic foxes let you into their burrow for a hot cup of tea. It’s a tad cramped in here…
Draw or write about your character’s encounter in the wilds of the Winter Duchy.
Reward: 200 fairy gold 💰
Frost Boggle
Ice Nymph
Iceling (snowflake wings)
Rising out of the snow, an onion-domed castle is backlit by beautiful northern lights. The colourful facades and ornate carvings look like frosted sugar plums. A city lit by lanterns, fairy fire and Christmas lights stretches out underneath it, covered in snow like icing on a cake.
You breathe a sigh of relief - your feet are killing you, your nose is about to fall off and you’re pretty sure your ears are frozen through. But you’ve made it - Orbost! The capital of the Winter Duchy, and home of the Winter Court.
Chapter Eight Gallery
Chapter Eight Gallery
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse