"Who are you?" you ask.
"My name is Beren," says the man, pointing to himself, "but we are all Iceborn, the people of the tundra. You don't look like one of the Brothers. Who might you be?"
"Basileios," you tell him. "Of the Tribe of the Red Bear, from the Great Steppe." He looks at you blankly. "We're traveling north," you continue, "beyond the mountains. There's a valley there—a hidden valley—where we hope to find safety."
"Never heard of such a place," replies Beren, "but at least you're on the right side of the cage. We tried to find a way into the Citadel, but the Brothers were lying in wait for us when we scaled the wall. They killed some of us and made prisoners of the rest."