Almost to the Top

The morning after the Jarl's kidnapping the party decided that ending the cold was more important than rescuing Steinolfsson and set out up the mountain. After exploring for some time and fighting through the extreme cold the party discovered the passage up to the high places and decided to rest and recover their strength before proceeding. While exploring the area around their encampment they came across an ancient ruin of some unknown arcane purpose. After investigating for some time the heroes discovered a secret door that led to an ancient tomb. In the tomb the party discovered some ancient artifacts and was set upon by some undead dwarves from the long past. Following a decisive victory the party went back to their encampment and rested. The next day the party pressed on up the mountain and encountered some hostile spirits of the mountain guarding the passage to the high places. Before battling the spirits the party learned that the Ice Queen was not in fact up the mountain as they presumed from hearing the previous spirit's message, but rather a mountain to the north of their present location. Faced with the great power of the spirits the party decided to retreat and pursue the Ice Queen.

On the way back down the maintain the party came across the scene of a slaughter in an encampment tucked inside a hidden alcove in the mountain. The heroes managed to revive one of the fallen and investigated the scene, only to learn that the casualties were a group of bandits that was set upon by a mysterious lone warrior.