She tilted her head in thought for a long moment, and then rubber the top of her nose with two fingers as she looked up and then nodded her head "...You ask a good bargain, and I accept....I will at least know where to start and I will owe you a boon Heimdal in exchange." She smiled to Alva "Knowing at least gives us some ground no?"
"The winter hag stole the child of the woman you have hired as nursemaid, by the rules which govern her magic she must leave an exchange, but as the woman did not value the child there was no way the exchange could be evaluated by her. As a leader of the community you were chosen instead to decide if the exchange was fair. The hag will care for the child and raise it, for its your will power her magic without harm to the hag, and the child's mother would certainly have let it die with the quality of care she was providing. If you return the false child, however the hag will have no choice but to return the baby and acknowledge it is wanted. She may, however, make it difficult for you to return."
she looked curiously over top Alva "I am happy the child is cared for but you seem to know a bit about the fae...What can you tell me about Winter Hags? The child would be safe, but would the child flourish under her care? A life and a good life are two different things...Please give me your wisdom."
yes- for a roll like that you don't need to ask.
The winter hag will physically care for the child, but is unable to show emotion, leaving it feeling starved for affection.
In halting Norse, Valleju will chip in "Would there be a way to convince this hag to let someone spend some time with the kid as it grows, so it doesn't lack human warmth? That is, if you don't want to reverse the exchange." If the mother cannot raise him properly, but this hag can't give him warmth, Valleju would prefer to see the child raised well, and is willing to spend time there to give the child the human warmth it needs.
Alva's fairy lore: this is certainly not part of the winter hag's normal methods, but if it is highly cognizant it will certainly find some way to agree. A more lowly cognizant fairy will require more negotiation, but in most versions of the winter hag she is not cruel, though she is quite callous, at worst she would force you to decide whether to allow her to have the child or take it back.
"Then i think we should do our best to return the fae child, but they will still need someone to nurse them, that is...also not callous as the wet nurse we have. I figure we must deal with the hag, no child should be left to be without kindness if it can be avoided."
" Dróttning Vetrdottir"
"Does this look like one of your storerooms, take that with you, and don't forget our deal, a favor in the future to be named."
"She has the child at the top of mount Puttegga, 97 miles north of here"
"Thank you great one, I will not forget my debt to you. You have been wise and gracious, and I am thankful for your advice." * she vowed to heimdal once more and then looked to Alva* "Seems...we have a far travel to go, and we should prepare for this trip."
Nix nodded to her lightly "its going to be a long trip, we should certainly take some grogs, just in case of the worst possibilities." She moved along with Alva, and Valleju "Is there any particular defenses we should have, Heimdal said she may make it difficult for us to return the changeling child is it?"
"Pardon my speech, but if it's a winter hag, maybe something against cold? Unless she has some magical means to hide herself, I think I'll be able to find the path to her place."
"Yes we should undo the trade, a child should not be raised without warmth...I have no idea what to do if she did not accept the exchange, so we will have to figure it out then...we are smart enough to manage it."
Vallju just nodded his head as he had no more to add. These cold lands were bad enough without human warmth, and it seems that even these magic people knew that.
"My knowledge is magic of trickery, gaining confidence, messing with memories, the most damaging trick I have I'd crystal dart and I can rust metal. I can generally not be where I appear to be...that helps."
"We should bring the wand, but if you think you can spontaneous it, i trust in you!"
yes, you will probably want to get their permission and have them lower their parma first.
Since Valleju is a companion, and has no Parma, he'd gladly give his permission, but there'd be no need to lower his Parma.