In the summer of 248 A.T.C., San'Ta, the medicine trader and Peacekeeper, celebrated his 10th anniversary of journeys between Harmony Summit and Velvetglade. To mark the occasion, he magically transformed the town of Morganna into a winter wonderland with his weather-controlling staff! But just as the snow-filled celebration was in full swing, San'Ta vanished! Will Myra, Grendel, Emathion and Alice manage to find him!?
Four of the townsfolk of Morganna meet with two diminutive dragonfolk named "Jingle" and "Bell". Seems that they were having trouble with some of the toys meant for the children. After helping out both Jingle and Bell, they lead them to San'Ta. A birdfolk from Harmony Summit, somewhere in the far east. Normally San'ta travels back and forth from Harmony Summit all the way to Velvetglade to trade potions and other herbal goods, but today he feels like celebrating!
San'ta informs the town's folk that he's going to bring "Winter's Joy" to the town of Morganna, even though its the middle of Summer.... San'ta uses a magical staff to summon a giant snow cloud and within mere seconds a large pile of snow covers the entire town square. Wow!
San'ta offers the winner of a simple snowball fight, the first choice to take a prize meant for travelers and adventurers. Some of the townsfolk join in on this little fun. After the snowball fight, San'ta asks some of the townsfolk to help him deliver toys to children during the evening. Grendel, the bard could've sworn that he saw something move behind one of the buildings, but after he and Myra, the monk didn't find anything they decide to let it go for now.
That evening, Alice and Emathion are studying the strange snow and all its peculiarities. After making a snowman they discover that it becomes alive?! It starts to wander and talk a bit. How marvelous. But unexpectedly, the snow on the town square starts to melt instantly. As if the spell that brought it here has started to dwindle. Meanwhile San'ta is nowhere to be found. He was supposed to bring gifts to children.
Could something have happened? After asking around town for a little while, Myra and Grendel find one of San'ta's assistants tied up near Daran's Applefarm. San'ta and his assistant must have been kidnapped! Myra, Emathion, Grendel and Alice decide to head into the forest to find him, because they see an unusual storm cloud appearing above the forests... That can't be good...
As they head into the forest towards the strange storm clouds, they come across four snowmen that attack them!? After fending them off, they at least know they are going in the right direction... They find a circle of standing stones on a hill where two Anchorites of Asheron have tied San'ta up against a strange pillar which holds his special staff. The group manage to trick one of the Anchorites wrapping him in vines, they sneak up to the hill and manage to defeat the other one in a quick ambush.
But they are too late and suddenly a large Ice Elemental appears attacking the group! Myra, Emathion, Alice and Grendel eventually get the upper hand and manage to melt the elemental, Grendel uses the Fire Breath Potion that he was gifted by San'ta and defeats the creature with a large burp of hot flames! The group free San'ta and they return back to the town of Morganna!
San'ta mentioned that the Ice Elemental's name was "Marshmallow", after he melted it seems that Marshmallow returned to the Elemental Plane of Ice. It is connected to the special staff that San'ta held. San'ta mentioned that once this power was used for evil, and that it was connected to something named "The Talons", but next time he won't bring such a powerful artifact on the road...
Key Information
The Anchorites of Asheron seem to be active once again in the Bristlefur Highlands
The enigmatic San'ta holds a powerful staff that is able to control the weather, and this staff is somehow connected to the Concept of 'The Talons'