Come, Little Children, The Fire is Warm

Dyrbov recognized the creature in the child's drawing and rushed to his books, uncovering the legend of Astankova Dimetrivina—a woman exiled from Snowglen a decade ago who vowed revenge. A haunting voice lured Vaelan into the street, and the party followed the figure in white to her isolated cottage, where Astankova revealed herself as a hag and attacked.

Dyrbov's Urgency

Dyrbov questioned the party about the barn's safety and the unprecedented nature of the transformation event [1]. Kaelor carved the arcane symbol from the marked kegs into the dirt, but Dyrbov had never encountered it in his historical studies. When Torvald mentioned Visaria's illness and the premature appearance of the Borealis lights, Dyrbov suggested the world might be in upheaval. The party debated whether the kegs, the water system, or some other trigger caused the town to turn. Torvald revealed he had found his mother dead and his father missing [2]. Dyrbov proposed investigating Visaria's home and his own dwelling to retrieve his books. The party rested in the barn through the night, and Torvald awoke to see a green eye with white hair staring back at him through a crack in the wall.

The Woman in the Legend

After completing their long rest, the party persuaded Dyrbov to accompany them and departed the barn at dawn. They found eviscerated livestock on the frozen pond, surrounded by green puddles. Inside Visaria's house, Lucia discovered a child's drawing depicting a small figure embraced by a larger one with long hair, blue tears, and a distant figure in a hat. When Torvald showed the drawing to Dyrbov, he gasped and rushed to his own home, retrieving a historical account that described children going missing from Snowglen and a woman named Astankova Dimetrivina accused of taking them. Astankova had been exiled and vowed revenge; Dyrbov noted her cottage lay abandoned on the northern outskirts near Yarograd [3].

Come Little Children

Vaelan suddenly found himself outside on the street with no memory of walking there. Both he and Lucia heard a voice on the wind saying "Come, little children" before it faded. Vaelan realized the luring sound, the poisoned kegs, and the transformation were all part of a unified magical scheme—likely revenge by Astankova rather than something from the ship [4]. Lucia expressed deep fear, stating the town appeared beyond saving and that advancing north felt like walking into death. Torvald invoked his vow of vengeance for his mother's death, and the party agreed to press forward. They barricaded Dyrbov inside his home and set out into the quiet streets.

The Figure in White

Kaelor spotted a figure in white moving west and led the party to follow it along a winding path. As Vaelan stepped beside Kaelor, a shadow rushed before his face and he saw the ghostly visage of a beautiful young woman. Lucia spotted a figure moving behind them in the tree line, and the party heard a woman's voice singing nearby. Visibility behind them worsened, but the path ahead cleared, revealing a frozen wasteland and a building with candlelight flickering from within. Kaelor opened the door and saw a woman sitting by the fireplace.

Astankova's Deception

The woman claimed she knew nothing of magic and lived alone, explaining she had gone outside after hearing screams. She introduced herself as Astankova Dimitrievna and said she had been exiled for deeds she did not commit. Lucia's Insight check found her incredibly captivating and genuine, raising concern that she might truly not know what was happening. When Torvald showed her the child's drawing, Astankova squinted and said she saw a resemblance but had never seen the picture or heard the name Visaria. Kaelor told her he found it convenient that she suddenly knew nothing, and the hag shifted forms mid-conversation, lunging at Lucia and raking her with claws.

The Hag's Cauldron

The hag cast Counterspell to negate Vaelan's Chromatic Orb, and combat began in earnest [5]. Torvald cast Bless and Healing Word, while Kaelor infused his maul with Divine Favor. The hag clawed at Torvald, but his armor deflected the strike. Kaelor struck the hag with his maul and triggered Divine Smite, and Torvald's Guiding Bolt was consumed by a dark malevolent force. The hag moved out of melee range and unleashed a crackle of lightning across the area, reducing Vaelan to zero hit points. Kaelor moved into range and shattered the Witch's Cauldron on the fireplace, spilling a green miasmic brew across the floor. As the cauldron collapsed, a cylindrical object blinked at Kaelor—a lidless, cat-like eye that stared in his direction [6].

Fury and Flame

The hag turned toward Kaelor and slammed a poisonous mist toward his nostrils; Lucia used her Lucky ability to impose disadvantage, but the attack still hit. Lucia fired her bow at the hag and picked up the orb as a free object interaction—pink spectral energy arced from the orb into her mind, and dropping her unconscious. Kaelor used Lay on Hands on himself, but his maul swing missed. Torvald's flail swing also went wide. Kaelor made another attack with advantage, committing his final spell slot to Divine Smite, and the strike landed. Consumed by rage at seeing his companions fall, Kaelor transformed into dark mist and purple fire, seized the hag by the head, and forced her body into the fireplace, smashing her fully into the fire with his maul and burning her to death. A rush of energy washed over the party and across the frozen lake, the wind died down, and silence fell as Lucia and Vaelan remained unconscious.

The Eye That Watches

Torvald cast Divine Spark twice, healing Vaelan and Lucia and expending both of his healing charges. Lucia warned Torvald not to touch the orb at her feet, and Vaelan made an Arcana check to understand its nature. He identified it as a Hag's Eye, understanding that it possessed an awareness and was watching everything the party did. Vaelan found a rag and threw it over the orb, then picked up the cloth without touching the object itself, securing the Hag's Eye in his possession. He also collected a Hag's Grimoire—a cookbook detailing recipes and concoctions—from the cooking station. The party stood in the silent cottage, the hag's body burning in the fireplace, as the wind outside died away completely.