8 Marpenoth (October)
Location: Caer-Dineval

The party departs the mountain lodge early in the crisp morning and soon is descending a weaving trail along a southeasterly spine of Kelvin's Cairn toward Caer-Dineval. In the distance, sun reflects off the Lac Dineshere's broad surface, a beacon drawing the party nearer as the morning yields to afternoon.

Hengar and Arnan ably lead the party down the snowy trail, warning their companions of hazardous stretches along the way and the group gets along with very few incidents. The lake disappears out of sight for a time as the party descends into a valley between two parallel spines, only to climb back out see the lake yet again though now much closer than before.

Along the near side of the lake the party can make out smoke rising from the fireplaces of a cluster of buildings which must assuredly be Caer-Dineval. Caer-Dineval consists of a clifftop castle and a ruined watchtower at the mouth of a harbor. Most of the town's buildings form a crescent-shaped stretch of land that run from the castle to the watchtower.

Perhaps more interesting than the sight of Caer-Dineval just a few miles ahead, is the more omenous looking dark smoke rising from a much larger city across the lake from Caer-Dineval--Easthaven. The smoke rising here is not of the fireplace variety, but something else that even at a glance appears troubling.

In any event, Caer-Dineval lies at the bottom of about a 2 miles stretch of trail that both Hengar and Arnan identify as particularly hazardous...avalanche prone!

The going here might require a bit more caution...

"Vaelish Gant," Morgrim growled, scowling across Lac Dineshere at the spiralling smoke. "And to think I didn't believe he was telling the truth."

"Hmm?" Thane asked, not sure what the reference was about.  He was dismayed by the large amount of smoke coming from the town across the lake.  "I don't think zombies cause fires, so what in the frozen north is going on here?" he observed rhetorically.  "Do we go through Caer-Dineval to get to Easthaven?"

"When Gant fled Bryn Shander he said Easthaven would next feel his wrath," Morgrim replied, gesturing across the lake. "And now it burns. I don't think its a coincidence. And I agree, I don't think the zombies from the dwarven valley have anything to do with it."

"So now again we are pulled in two separate directions, Easthaven, and the Dwarven Valley, and here we are faffing about chasing Helda's shadow through fishing villages."

Arnan glanced at the Dwarves. "You two have dealt with this Vaelish Gant before."

"What are your feelings regarding whether to press on with our search for Helda Silverstream, or make haste for Easthaven?"

"My feelings?" Morgrim said without taking his eyes off the horizon. "We should have dealt with the Dwarven Valley while we were there and then pressed on. However - I suppose we would have never known about Easthaven then," he conceded grudgingly.

"My gut tells me Helda is there somewhere. The Gods' willing perhaps I'm wrong, but it makes no sense to me whatsoever why she would have continued on to Caer-Dineval in the first place. Or Termalaine for that matter. As far as I'm concerned we're chasing shadows, but I agreed to go along with it because - well, because of Dal," he said, glancing at his sister.

"But now we have a clear threat in Easthaven." Morgrim shrugged. "And I'll not sunder the group again. Someone lives and someone dies. And we have to live with it."

Whyn't you ask your god to look after Helda, then, if we're on the wrong track? Thane thought darkly, but did not speak as Arnan and Morgrim conversed.  With a puff of steamy breath, he nodded his agreement with Grim's final sentiments.

"So I'm thinkin' we should go through Caer-Dineval on the way to Easthaven," he suggested.  He gestured at the smoke rising from Easthaven.  "I'm also thinkin' there's nothing we can do about that fire right there.  By the time we get there, it'll be dealt with, burned out, or the whole town will be ablaze.  We're only going to be good for what comes after.  Makes sense to me to at least check in Caer for Helda.  Could be she did go there, or through there," he pointed out.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:14, Tue 19 Sept 2017.

In reply to Thane Harkensen (msg # 7):

"I will ask my Goddess to help look after everybody in this party as well as well as those who were in the village.  I hope that Helga wasn't there but Thane is right.  If we are seeing that much smoke then we would arrive too late to do others good."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:40, Tue 19 Sept 2017.

Kira shifted from one foot to the other, her head swiveling to whoever was talking and taking it all in quietly but alertly.  "Sooooooo ... that way?" she pointed to the direction of Caer-Dineval.

Dal, Thane's 'remark' was italicized and not quoted. He was thinking it, he didn't say it. I don't think Dal can know what was in his head.

Hengar studies the massive field of snow banked up alongside the trail and confers with Arnan on the best way to avoid triggering a potential avalanche. The tribal warrior points out a few features and offers his take, but defers to Arnan, whom is more familiar with these lands.

OOC: Hengar will use the Help action to give Arnan Advantage on a Survival check.

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 11):

After conferring with Hengar for a bit and studying the terrain, Arnan felt certain that he knew how the party could avoid having an avalanche come down on their heads as they moved forward.

---

OOC:

20:09, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 24 using 2d20+4, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 3,20. Survival Check w/ Advantage.

Wow. Rolling with Advantage made a *huge* difference in this instance.

Morgrim sets off behind Arnan, trudging through the drifting snow with his cloak held fast around his person. The huntsman seemed to know his way about the tundra and Morgrim followed close on his heels.

Nicely done Arnan.

Wary of all the snow, Thane is glad to have two experienced men to follow.  Left on his own, he realizes that he'd be more likely than not to step in the wrong place and either sink to his death in deep soft snow, or be buried by a sudden avalanche.

He motioned for Kira and Dal to go in front of him.  "I'll march along here at the rear," he explained.  "Morgrim can keel-haul anything that gets into melee up front," he said with a genuine chuckle, "least until me and Hengar can close in.  I want to make sure that if somethin' attacks the rear of our group, they'll hit something solid first."

Kira leaned down to whisper something to Dal.  [Private to Dalgura Ironhammer: "Don't let him fool ya.  He just likes to watch us walk."]  Then she followed the leaders next to Dal when she could.

Arnan and Hengar safely lead the party down the trail and they soon are on level ground again, approaching the small village from the west. A line of buildings fill up either side of a narrow street, and the only street for that matter, that winds its way around the village, eventually terminating at the clifftop caer. The adventurers' arrival is definitely noticed by the residents, their expressions a mixture between mild interest and outright suspicion.

Shortly after entering the village, the party spots its only inn, Dinev's Rest, situated at the bottom of the town along the loakeside road. The inn itself is built in a shallow dell a little way back from the looming cliff line. Save for private residences, the docks and storehouse and the caer itself, the only other establishment of note is The Uphill Climb, a tavern perched atop the approach to the caer with spectacular views of the lack and docks below.

In reply to Kira (msg # 15):

Dal giggled when Kira whispered to her and nodded.  "I do believe you are right Kira."

"Well, Arnan. That was almost pleasant," Morgrim remarked. "I fear for what we would have done with out you."

Continuing on ahead to Dinev's rest, Morgrim pushed back the door and took in the common room crowd at a glance. Unless he spotted dwarves among them he went straight to the proprietor to begin making inquires.

Opening the front door of Dinev's Rest, the party enters of a large common hall where visitors sit around a central fire pit sharing stories of their latest catch or any other snippet of news from within or beyond the dale. The walls are adorned with faded banners bearing what the party may learn to be the Dinev coat of arms: an osprey grabbing a fish from a sea.

A quick visual search of the dozen or so people in the common room does not reveal any dwarves among the crowd. Among those present the party spots what clearly looks to be mostly fisherpeople and locals. It does not take long to locate the innkeeper, Kadie, a vivacious young woman with fiery red hair. She weaves her way through the patrons, saying a kind word to each, before eventually making her way to the adventurers.

She warmly greets the adventurers and shows them to a spot where they might "brush off the cold and put a bit of fire in your belly."

Kadie says there are no dwarves staying at her small inn at the moment, though she does recall seeing a couple come down from the mountain a couple of days ago. "That was before the storm though. I think they were looking to book passage across the lake," she says.

She then inquires whether the party will be needing rooms, and how many, and offers whatever assistance she is able. "You'll find no finer folk in all the dale than those right here," she says proudly.

"Across the lake to Easthaven?" Morgrim asked, privately wondering at the timing of events. "Is there a ferry of sorts? Or does one charter a fishing boat?"

He had more questions of course, Did they bring any word from the Dwarven Valley?, Was one of them a lass perhaps, or both menfolk? but he waited for Kadie to reply.

Kadie says she thinks the dwarves were headed for Easthaven with an eventual destination of Bryn Shander, having only come to Caer-Dineval when they were unable to continue traveling along the mountain road to Bryn Shander due to inclement weather.

"Sure. One can usually find a fishing boat that will take you the distance, for the right price that is. Though these days, with all the competition between Caer-Koenig, Caer-Dineval and Easthaven...and the recent pirate attacks it might take a bit more convincing. Your dwarf friends must have offered quite a handsome wage to the crew who agreed to that job," she says.

"Dangerous days and waters."

She then relates to the party tales of a pirate crew sailing aboard a ship known as the Howling Fiend. The Howling Fiend has taken to attacking fishing vessels on Lac Dinneshere, regardless of their town of origin and occasionally raiding the towns themselves.

Kadie sadly claims the outlaw pirate captain is none other than Derrick the Drownder, a hot-headed local of Caer-Dinev. "Had to throw that old broken-faced man out of here on more than one occasion," she bristles.

"If you ask me, him and his lot was made none better by that damn black ice," she hotly protests. Then, turning to Dalgura and Morgrim, "No offense, but things were better before your kind went mucking things up by bringing that black ice to Ten Towns. Should've kept that evil in the mountain, or wherever the hell you found it!" Her tone is more accusatory now.

She says the Howling Fiend is so named because it contains a black ice battering ram in the shape of a screaming devil.

Kadie, and the adventurers, notice several locals listening in to the conversation, their faces a mask of deep concern, any cheer gone.

"Dal and Grim don't have anything to do with that black ice," Kira chimed in to defend the two dwarves after being quiet and observing things for a bit.  "They're good folk, been traveling together quite a while now and there's no one better to have at my back," she added for good measure.  Not that they might trust her word for things but she was loyal to their group and smart enough not to say anything else they might not want said.

"Aye, we take no credit for that black ice", Thane also chimed in.  "We hardly even know what the stuff is, although it seems you all do."  Better for denials to come from humans than from the two dwarves in this case.

Thane glanced around the room and noticed the tensions.  "I'd like to hear more about it, but it seems a sore subject hereabouts," he probed.  "I am sorry to hear of your people's woes.  Seems Easthaven is having a rough go of it, what with all that smoke billowing up to the sky.  We noticed it coming in here today.  Any idea what happened?" he continued while settling at the bar or nearby table and asking for a mug of hot spiced cider.

Kadie simply says, "More like than not, the work of Derrick the Drownder and his Howling Fiend." She then claims locals are obviously a bit jumpy ever since seeing smoke over Easthaven.

Morgrim listens in silence, quietly noting Kira and Thane's defense of the dwarven siblings. Not feeling the need to further validate himself in the eyes of the innkeeper he instead confided in his companions.

"I'm going to head over to the docks and see if anyone remembers who the dwarves chartered to sail across the lake. Hopefully we'll get some more answers."

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 25):

Arnan joined Thane at the table, and ordered a tankard of ale. When Morgrim mentioned heading over to the docks, the scout said, "I'll join you. I'm not a local, but if some folks hereabouts are feeling a mite touchy about Stout Folks and the Black Ice . . ."

Arnan let his words trail off, but thought, ~Maybe having a Human along will help. Not that I'm much good at small talk, but still.~

Then another thought occurred to Arnan, and he glanced at Kira. "Unless you want to go . . . a Human and a pretty lass -- couldn't hurt."

Dal listened to what was being said and frowned a little bit.  It hurt her face to frown though so she stopped and just kept a neutral expression.  "No offense was taken.  As a cleric of Sharindar, I would not do evil acts.  I, and my party here, have not had anything to do with Black Ice.  We would like, however, to have something to eat and we might need a place to sleep tonight.  You said that we'd "find no finer folk in all the dale than those right here." I'm glad that we found good folk."

Dal put a smile on her face and slowly started to walk towards the fire to warm up.  She put her trust in her Goddess and generally liked to think people were good.  It was time to see if she was wrong or if the Innkeeper was wrong about the 'good folk'.  If she was allowed, she'd take a seat by the fire and start to thaw out.

"Well you'll get no argument from me," Morgrim replied, content to have along any and all who wished to join him.

"Dal, you alright to stay here? Or do you want to come?"

Kira gave a nod, and a playful little raspberry to Arnan.  "I don't mind tagging along.  Thane, Hengar, and Dal could stay here and keep a spot warm for us," she suggested, not wanting to leave Dal alone.

Dal looked at her brother and went over to give him a hug.

In a voice loud for everybody to hear, but not shouting, she reassured her brother.  "Kira and I will be fine here.  We have been assured that these people are good people."

She then looked at the other guys and gave them a wink.  "I will hold you all to bring him back alive to me."

"Dal, I'm going to the pier, not into the heart of a frostgiant camp. The worst that happens is I get a bit damp. I think we can handle it, right Arnan?"

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 31):

Arnan smiled at Dalgura's comment, and Morgrim's reply. "Well, you could fall off the dock. And we all know that stones swim better than Dwarves."

"So, aye, wouldn't hurt to have somebody else along."

"I'm ready if you are," he said, finishing off the rest of his ale and rising to his feet.

Kira just bobbed her head, good with either option but it seemed as if perhaps Dal was wanting some girl time.  "So all the guys are going while we sit by the fire all comfy ... sounds good to me," she said with a grin.  "Wonder if they have hot buttered rum?" she pondered, thinking that would be a nice warming drink.

Kadie provides the adventurers food and drink and has a servant prepare lodging accomodations for the group while Morgrim and Arnan head down to Knucklehead Harbor to inquire with the locals about Helda Silverstream.

Arnan and Morgrim are soon walking along the boardwalk, a row of storehouses used for processing and smoking knucklehead trout on one side and the line of fishing vessels bobbing slightly in the docks on the other. Several fishermen and women are gathered here, all invariably discussing the distant smoke on the horizon and cursing the current state of affairs.

It doesn't take much to convince the locals to share the source of their dissent: a pair of Caer-Dineval's boats did not come back to port yesterday. This after repeated harassment of many local fishing vessels by the Howling Fiend crew. To a man and woman, those gathered here at the docks squarely lay blame for the smoke on the horizon at the feet of Derrick the Drownder and his "no good Black Ice crew!"

Turning to the subject of Helda, a grizzled bald fisherman with a wooly slate gray beard says, "Yea. There was a dwarf lady who came through these parts a couple days ago. Booked passage to Easthaven aboard the Tundra Hawk..." He further explains the Tundra Hawk is one of the boats that never came back to port. He also says she was traveling with her uncle, "Supposedly some big shot from up there in the Valley. No idea why they were down here, but there you have it."

"That could be them," Morgrim said, exchanging a glance with Arnan. "Seems like an awfully circuitous route to take to get back to Bryn Shander, but I'd be hard pressed to call it a coincidence given how difficult the roads have been of late. Not just anyone is out there wandering the taiga."

"I don't suppose anyone would be willing to charter us a boat?" Morgrim continued hopefully, turning his attention back to the fisherman. He suspected the answer would not be in the affirmative however... not while this Derrick fellow was prowling the waters.

"Does anyone know where Derrick lays anchor when hes not busy causing all havoc?"

Thane elected to stay behind at the Inn.  "Unless you think you need more muscle, I'll stay here, Morgrim.  Besides.  I get the idea that folk up here don't like Luskan's very much," he said quietly with a covert glance at the occupants of the room.

Once Arnan and Morgrim had left, Thane took a long draught from his hot spiced cider, set the mug down, and looked with all seriousness at Dalgura.

"Thing got pretty tense back there with them other dwarves.  Is your brother always so foolhardy?  He almost dragged us into a fight best not had."

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 35):

Arnan had been standing off to one side, his arms crossed across his chest, listening as Morgrim took the lead talking to the locals on the dock. It occurred to him that it was a little unusual for a Dwarf to be better at chatting up people than a Human, but then most Humans weren't loners to the extent that Arnan himself was.

A thin smile played about the corners of his mouth when Morgrim asked where the lake-pirate might anchor when he was not actively raiding. ~Now that's a good thought. Can we surprise this bastard and hit him when he's not expecting it, instead of letting him pick the time and place -- which most likely means whilst we're out in the middle of the lake, with him and his people aboard this black-ice ramming-ship of his, armed to the teeth and spoiling for a fight?~

Morgrim finds a crew willing to ferry the party to Easthaven for 50 gp.

Asking around the docks for Derrick's whereabouts elicits no solid leads. Of course everyone knows who he is and where he stayed when he lived in Caer-Dineval, but as to his current whereabouts, nobody really knows.

Dal didn't answer until she had a couple of sips from her drink in her.  Then she looked at Thane and shrugged her shoulders.  " He is a Dwarf.  We expect our people to welcome us.  If they don't then it is an insult.  While most races are stubborn, I think Dwarves take it to the next level.  Yes a fight wouldn't have been good but he can be reasoned with."

Morgrim asks the crew to be ready to leave in the morning unless he sent word otherwise. Unable to track down Derrick's present whereabouts, he settled for the man's past, heading for whatever domicile the Drownder once called home.

Thane munched on some bread while he considered Dalgura's words.  "That's good to know.  Your brother is an unholy terror when it comes to a fight, seein' how he can turn into a snarling beastie.  I'd rather not have to face him down again."

Thane arched his back to stretch those muscles and yawned.  It really had been a tiring day.  "There must be something odd about this black ice," he wondered.  "I never heard about any other kind of ore from the earth that affects people's minds the way this stuff does.  Not even gold or platinum!  To turn us away just because they thought we wanted to get our hands on some of it..." he finished, eyebrow cocked and a quizzical expression on his face.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:11, Tue 26 Sept 2017.

Kira sat with them and sipped on her mug and nibbled at the bread.  There was a definite grin when Thane spoke of Morgrim turning into a snarling beastie.  "That was awesome," she muttered.  She had been concerned as well when he'd wanted to fight his way into the mountain but she wouldn't have abandoned him or Dal.  "I'm thinkin' it's more than the minds it's messin' with but I've always had an overactive imagination."

In reply to Kira (msg # 42):

Dal ate a few bites and nodded.  "I've seen more than one race get affected by possessiveness.  This carries it to a different level.  There are stories told where greed broke up clans even.  They are sad tales indeed."

"Yes, it was!" Thane agreed emphatically.  "Set me on edge seein' it for the first time, but thinking back on it...WOW!"

Then he shifted his attention to his two female companions.  "We working pretty well as a team, I think.  You two certainly are showing what you're capable of," he encouraged them.  "In my time back home, I didn't have much dealings with women-at-arms.  The Captain didn't truck much with women as guards and soldiers, so you're showing me things that are new."

He emptied his mug and called for another.  "I hate it when some folk get the notion that they can take advantage over others, like this dread pirate seems to be doing."

Kira chuckled at Thane, shaking her head.  "You didn't go too deeply into the poorer quarters of Luskan did you?  There were lots of women there who know how to use a knife or sword."

Following directions provided by one of the dockworkers, Morgrim and Arnan walk a short distance to a series of small shacks clustered behind a dock warehouse. Apparently Derrick lived in one of these poor excuses for a domicile. Consisting of little more than 4 timber-hewn walls built up around a single room spanning no more than 10 feet square, if that, it's hard to imagine anyone dwelling in hovels such as these, particularly in a cold climate environment. No wonder Derrick is purported to be mean-spirited!

In any event, Arnan and Morgrim are soon standing in front of Derrick's hovel. Both windows are boarded shut and judging from the fact no smoke is coming from the chimney, nobody is inside.

"Well," Morgrim said after a moment. "Doesn't look like anyone's home."

Placing his hand upon the door he gave it a shove, and if that failed to do the trick he was prepared to put his shoulder into it.

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 47):

"Nay, it doesn't," Arnan replied as he ran his eyes over the shoddy, run-down shack.

"Too bad. I'd much prefer to hand out some rough justice to this Derrick here and now, instead of mayhaps having to deal with him out on the lake, at a time of his choosing."

"Oh, I didn't think we'd find him here," Morgrim replied. "But could be we find something that tells us where to look."

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 49):


"Aye, you're probably right," Arnan said, nodding. "Truth be told, he probably hasn't stayed here for quite some time, now."

"And as to mayhaps discovering something useful in there -- only one way to find out."

"You got that door, or will my shoulder be useful?"

The wooden door yields easily with but the slightest of shoves and Arnan and Morgrim are soon breaking and entering another man's home. Within the dusty one-room residence are all the typical trappings one might expect to find in a bachelor's home. In addition to the sparsest of furnishings and a meager larder that consists of little more than a quarter-filled sack of beans, a few legs of salted and dried mutton, and a vat of lard, a stock of dried fish, Arnan and Morgrim find a wide variety of hooks, rope, lines, lures, reels, bobbers, sinkers and other fishing implements. These fill numerous empty ale sacks lined up against a wall opposite the stone hearth.

Morgrim wandered about the small domicile with the occasional grunt, looking over the personal effects but also casting his eye about for that which was less obvious - the crooked floorboard or crumbling masonry about the hearth that might indicate a concealed hiding place. Morgrim presumed he wasn't the first person through the shack since Derrick had last vacated it, and anything obvious would have already wandered off. He was left looking for the things that were less obvious to an incurious observer.

22:09, Today: Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 18 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 13.  Perception.

Morgrim carefully searches the small room, pacing back and forth across the wooden planks several times before finally noticing a loose floorboard! Bending down, the dwarf pulls at the corner of the plank, lifting it from the floor. Hidden beneath the floorboard he finds a bundle of a few sheets of paper rolled together and bound with a piece of twine. The papers contain what looks to be a log of the comings and goings of Easthaven's ships and cargo. The penmanship is quite neat and the logs go back a couple of ten-days. The author is listed as Mr. Connelly.

Meanwhile, back at Dinev's Rest, as the adventurers enjoy successive rounds of drinks, they clearly overhear the grumbling of local fishers about a pair of Luskanites that have been nosing around trying to draw protection money out of them. Apparently these men from the south have been offering to paint boats with elaborate  sigils, supposedly magical wards that guarantee protection from the pirates of Lac Dinneshere. A few nervous fishermen have bought into this scheme, but most flatly refused.

A different take on the protection racket the adventurers first learned of in Bryn Shander, but uncannily familiar nonetheless.

Kira chuckling drew Thane's attention. 
Thane cocked his head like a dog would upon hearing a strange sound.  He wiped his mouth with sleeve of his shirt.

"Nope, didn't have the time or opportunity," he replied with the hint of a frown.  "You see, my life since I was little more than haunch-high to an ox was soldiering."  Thane glanced at Dalgura, curious if she remembered much of his life story, told to her in his formerly garbled Dwarven.  "Luskan soldiers, the real ones, not them so-called soldiers of the individual ship's Captains, are taken in at a young age and apprenticed.  It's not easy and there's not much time for aught but learning the ways of armor, weapon, shield, and team tactics."

He considered Kira for a moment and his visage softened.  "But I get your meaning.  I know how rough the streets can be.  I fought my share of self-taught thugs while in service to Luskan.  Not a one of them was good at team work, and almost all of them were men.  Maybe the women had more sense than to tangle with the guard or were just better at not getting caught?  Either way, you both have skill, more than I thought at first, and I admire you for it.  I think we make a good team."

Thane settled back to relax a moment and take in the other goings-on in the room.  His face soured when he overheard the talk of Luskans being involved in another protection racket.  He sighed and shook his head, then leaned forward to brace himself on his elbows.

"You hear that?" he asked Kira and Dal in a low voice.  "Could it be the same ones that fled Bryn Shander?"

This message was last edited by the player at 13:55, Fri 29 Sept 2017.

Morgrim shook the sheaf of papers at Arnan. "I may have something here." Settling the board back into place, he beckoned the ranger to follow. "Lets head back and find the others. Maybe someone at the inn will know who this Mr. Connelly is."

In reply to Thane Harkensen (msg # 55):

Dal kept quiet when Thane was telling about his history.  When he had talked in Dwarvish before, much of it had been...hard...to understand.  She nodded when Thane asked if she thought they might be the ones that fled but it is hard to to tell.  "Thank you for thinking we're more than just pretty faces.  I know it throws most people off.  See a pretty face, a good body and males think of other things."

Dal winked at Kir and smiled as she raised her tankard to both of them.  "I enjoyed working with both of you.  To many more adventures."  After taking another pull of her drink, Dal lowered her voice.  "They could be the same ones.  Although protection deals have gone wrong for many races.  They will always be around.  Still it is worth remembering to tell the others."

"I wouldn't have minded going your route but they wouldn't take girls," Kira said with a little shrug.  "So I taught myself how to use a knife and now and then had someone to look out for me and teach me more weapons so I could protect myself.  Wasn't easy and there were lots of real cold and hungry days.  Most of what I learned didn't require a team but it's sorta common sense and I'm not too stupid," she added with a grin.

She overheard the talk of Luskans extorting money for protection and grimaced, taking a long pull from her mug.  When Thane queried if they thought it was the same people she nodded and tipped her mug to Dal.  "To friends," she said in answer to the toast.  "I figure Grim and Arnan'll be interested for sure.  Hope they're doing okay," she muttered just for their table.

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 56):

"Hunh," Arnan grunted, looking over Morgrim's shoulder (never very difficult with a Dwarf) and reading some of what was written on the papers that he had found.

"I can see how sailing-times for local vessels would be very helpful information for a lake-pirate. And I think it likely that this Master Connelly can tell us some useful things about when and where he meets up with this troublemaker, Derrick . . . well, once we know where to find Connelly himself, that is."

Thane nodded at Dal and Kira, then grunted.  He stood up and took a deep breath.  "I'm going to ask those men who they're talking about.  If they don't seem to like me much, one of you can come rescue me, eh?" he said with a grin although his voice was serious.

Then he made his way over to the nearest of the men complaining about the Luskan racketeers, and he cleared his throat to get the man's attention.

"I couldn't help but hear about your problem with some fools running a racket on you," he said in quiet but friendly tones.  "Men like that don't do an honest man like me any favors when I'm away from home.  I don't like what they're doin'.  If you can point me their way, maybe I can do something about this racketeering of theirs," he suggested, hoping these men would hear his words and not just his Luskan accent.

A leany, wiry weather-beaten man identifying himself as Gibb responds to Thane's query. "They not from around here. That much for sure. People say they shacked up in Bryn Shander. Maybe Easthaven. I don't know," he admits.

"If a man were looking to do something about it, and by the looks of you and your crew," his eyes linger lustily on Kira, "I see that you mean something of the such."

"You should talk to Speaker Crannoc Siever, but mind yourself when doing so." Pausing for empasis, "He's a little touchy now and is more like than not to bite his own tail just for wagging!" This last comment elicits an unusually loud riot of laughter from the group of men he is seated with.

Gibb then adds, "Hard to miss him...living in the Caer and all..." this last sentence he says lowly while watching Kadie work the room.

The party may later learn Kadie's father was the previous speaker of Caer-Dineval. As a child, she lived in the castle with her brothers, though she seems reasonably happy with her current lot in life and not wistful about the old days. If anything, she is concerned about the present calamities within the dale and the troubles before Speaker Crannoc.

A gust of chill wind announces the return of Morgrim and Arnan from their walk about town. Catching the innkeeper's eye, Morgrim raises his hand and signals for two ales to be brought for the thirsty pair. Then he settles down next to Dalgura and Kia, noting that Thane was busily speaking with one of the locals.

"So, survive without me?" he asks, nudging his sister with an elbow as he grinned.

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 61):

Thane nodded and gritted his teeth when Gibb confirmed that the men were not from around here, and he tried not to scowl when it was thought they might have come up from Bryn Shander.

"I heard of thugs like these when I passed through Bryn Shander myself," he said, perhaps shading the truth a bit.  "I heard they'd been run out.  Seems they set up shop here," he shook his head in disapproval.  "I'll share this news with my companions, might be that we act on this.  At least we'll talk with your Speaker Crannoc about the problem.  But truly, if someone were simply to run these men out of town, who would complain, eh?"

Thane nodded friendly to the man and left him in peace.  Rejoining the table, he noticed that Grim and Arnan were back.  "Seems that man Slim has set up shop hereabouts," he shared by way of welcoming the two back.

Kira unabashedly listened in on the conversation Thane was having, inwardly amused that the guy was checking her out and thinking he had some stones given she had arrived with three big men.  Grim and Arnan finally returned and she grinned as Grim plunked down and teased Dal a little.  "I've behaved so of course she survived," she teased a little, pushing a chair out with her foot for Arnan to join them.

"Has he?" Morgrim replied, glancing up at Thane as his ale arrived. He thanked the server and pushed Arnan's mug across.

"Enterprising fellow." Morgrim paused and took a swig from his tankard.

"Arnan and I poked around at the docks. You'll be happy to hear a dwarf matching Helda's description passed this way on route to East Haven. They chartered a boat but the boat hasn't come back into port yet. Can't be sure it was her, but it certainly sounds that way."

"I've got a boat ready to take us out on the lac tomorrow," Morgrim continued, glancing at Arnan to see if the huntsman had anything to add.

"We also did some digging around Derrick's hovel and found a dockmaster's manifest from Easthaven. Not quite sure what to make of that yet, but maybe there's some clue in there as to where Derrick is likely to be found."

Arnan nodded when Morgrim slid the mug of ale across the table to him, and took a hearty drink from it as he listened to Thane and Morgrim recount what they had learned.

"Do we want to run into this fellow Derrick when we are crossing the lake tomorrow?" he asked his companions, leaning in towards the center of the table and keeping his voice low.

"If we get lucky, we might give him and his crew a bloody nose -- maybe even kill him. Of course, if we get unlucky, he might sink us out in the middle of the lake."

"It occurred to me that if wanted a showdown with Derrick, we ought to start talking up our trip tomorrow. I suspect that the man may have ears around town, people who get information to him -- although that may be giving him too much credit."

"However, if we want to reach port in Easthaven without incident, we ought to play it pretty close to the vest, it seems to me."

Dal visably perked up when Grim sat down and asked if she missed him.  "Oh of course I missed you.  How else can I keep an eye on you if you aren't here?"  Dal grinned and bumped her elbow against Grim.  "Thane and Kira have kept me from getting into trouble.  They knew just how to do it.  Food and drink!  I like the way they do it."

Dal then leaned against Grim as if she was tired.  She did it for two reasons.  The first was because she really had missed her brother and the second was so that she could tell him what they suspected.  "Actually we might have found out something.  Thane is following up on that.  It seems that the local fishermen were grumbling about a pair of Luskanites.  They were doing the protection scam. Some of the fishermen bought into it but not all.  They were to paint boats with elaborate sigils and magical wards to guarantee protection from the pirates of Lac Dinneshere.  It reminds me of the "change the names to suit the circumstances" stories."

"Well, we've got the rest of the day ahead of us ad Caer-Dineval is a sight smaller than Bryn Shander. There's time enough to do something if we chose. I'll go and have a word with the speaker after lunch."

"I'd like to go with you to meet the speaker," Thane announced.  "I wonderin' if this Derrick fellow and these Luskan racketeers aren't working together?  If they are, couldn't we maybe bait them into a trap?  Or work it the other way and give them the slip to ensure we cross safely?"  Either Thane was grasping at straws, or he had struck on a legitimate way to cross up both nefarious parties.

Kira listened to the others though her eyes were roving all the patrons as she sipped from her mug, chair tilted back on its hind legs and rocking slightly.  "I figure we should stick together at this point now that a few know we're asking questions," she said softly for just those at their table to hear.  If the one who'd been looking at her before still was, she'd give a little wink hoping to keep some cheer on that end which meant a willingness to talk or help.

---

10:39, Today: Kira rolled 15 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 11.  Insight (Sense Motive on patrons).

Kira does not sense any skullduggery or untowardness among any of the assembled patrons. If anything, to a man and woman, they seem genuinely peeved about the sudden emergence of Luskanite thugs to these parts. "They can keep their nonsense back in that back-stabbing city of theirs!" one unfortunately prune-faced woman comments a bit too loudly. To this another man echoes, "Heck, I hear people is so cold-hearted in those parts a mother can't even be expected to let her only-born babe suckle from her shriveled tit!" More grumbling mixes into a dull roar.

***

Later, Kadie vouches for the part and helps them gain audience with Speaker Crannoc Siever in the banner and tapestry-festooned hall of the small castle atop the Cliffs of Dinev. Crannoc is dressed a bit ostentatiously, a marked departure from Speaker Duvessa's understated and functional attire. Taken with his admittedly boisterous attire, he presents an image of a man who thinks highly of his physical and prowess and power. Crannoc wears his dark hair pulled back, and his weathered face seems to always be stretched taut, his jaw constantly grinding. Though he is not particularly tall, his thick arms and chest lend weight to his projection of power. This is a man who moves, speaks and thinks loudly.

Crannoc's attendant pre-briefed him on the nature of the party's visit and he visibly blusters with rage as he enters the audience chamber. "What know you about these god-forsaken pirates?!" he roars, his voice projecting loudly throughout the hall.

"About the ones out on the water?" Morgrim replied, stepping forth to address the speaker. "Not a great deal yet, though I've no doubt we'll soon know more. But about the ones hitting up your fishing boats for protection - well, Bryn Shander just suffered through something very similar."

Morgrim explained the situation that they'd left behind, and the threats made by Valish Gant to expand his influence across the Ten Towns and into East Haven in particular. "They tried to throw down speaker Shane but we put an end to it. If they're setting up shop here I'd say its only a matter of time before they try the same in Caer-Dineval."

Kira wondered if his undergarments were a bit too tight or if mayhaps he needed to add some prunes in his diet, but when Crannoc roared into the receiving room she gave Dal a look.  Grim spoke first and she was rather glad because this certainly wasn't a time for her smart remarks.  For now she stood with a pleasant expression, observing the man who was leader of this place.

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 71):

Arnan leaned against the back wall of the audience chamber, his arms crossed across his chest

~This Speaker seems like a blowhard who has a rather high opinion of himself. Or maybe he's just in a bad mood all the time, 'cause he begrudges the fact that he isn't the overlord of all that he surveys, the way that his ancestors were.~

Dal walked up by her brother and smiled.  A smile can cover a lot of what you were thinking.  "You must be Speaker Crannoc Sieve.  It is an honor to meet such a great personage.  Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to meet with us.  I am Dalgura Ironhammer, Priestess of Sharindlar."

Crannoc's nostrils visibly flare while listening to Morgrim's report, his face growing more flushed by the moment, a dark vein streaking across his jugular. Here is a man who looks like he's one meltdown closer to a stroke.

He's about to completely lose any cool he might have left when Dalgura introduces herself. This seems to have the effect of slightly calming him down. Once he has gathered himself, he explains the source of his anger: apparently he used a portion of town funds to pay for a significant portion of the black ice ram that now adorns the bow of the Howling Fiend. The same ram which is now being used against the fishermen of Caer-Dineval!

Crannoc explains that several local fishermen first came to him with the idea of purchasing the black ice ram from the dwarves, after having seen some trinkets made of the material a couple months ago. The fishers were eager to defend their right to the lake's waters against Easthaven's encroaching fleets. With the backing of a few town businesses, the fishers commissioned a ram for the bow of their ship from a dwarf named Baerick Hammerstone, the dwarf stone carver of Kelvin's Cairn whose "black ice" pieces have started appearing throughout Ten-Towns.

"Damn Derrick Gaffner to hell!" he seethes. "Always knew he was up to no good, but never thought he would betray his own townsmen!"

The Speaker then relates Derrick is a fairly well known ruffian on Lac Dinneshere, his face battered from a lifetime of brawling. Derrick captained the Howling Fiend, so named because the demonic shape of the black ice ram, using it to chase away Easthaven's fishers from Caer-Dineval's share of the lake.

Apparently Derrick turned against his townsmen and now operates a pirate vessel that sacks ships bearing any flag.

"Damn him to hell..."

"Then this mad-dog must be stopped."

Thane stepped forward slightly, so that the speaker could plainly see him.  The warrior pursed his lips and looked for all intents like he was fighting a mental battle against a school of slippery wriggling minnows.  Then his face brightened immensely.

Must have caught one!

"Mister Speaker, is there anything special about the Howling Fiend, aside from the Black Ice ram?" he asked, but paused only long enough for the question to ring and register in the speaker's brain.

"Because back in Luskan, City of Sails, as you're knowin', the great Ship's Captains are always goin' round and round about the best way to take down other sailing vessels.  Aside from ramming and Gnomish cannons, the solutions usually involve fire.  Is there any craftsmen in the city that could rig up some flame-cannons or some small catapults that can lob small casks of burning pitch?  If you want to be done with this vessel, I'm thinkin' the best way is to set her on fire and let her go down in flames," Thane issued forth quickly but without undue haste.

"I mean, it's what them High Captains would prob'ly recommend, Sir."

Morgrim cleared his throat. "Where would Derrick drop anchor away from Caer-Dineval, Speaker Siever? Is there a safe harbour away from the fleet he could hide?" he asked.

"And would you by chance know a Mr. Connelly, possibly of Easthaven?"

Arnan had never even heard of things such as flame-cannons or catapults that hurled barrels of flaming pitch -- let alone witnessed such a thing -- but it didn't take much imagination to understand how such things would be deadly to a wooden sailing-vessel.

~Assuming that we could hit the broad side of a barn with such things, that is. I have no idea how difficult it would be to operate such contraptions. But if there are such things and we could operate them effectively . . . 'twould most likely ruin this Derrick's whole day.~

He waited to see how the Speaker would respond to Thane's suggestions.

---

OOC:

I can remember reading about how much of a terror "Greek Fire" was IRL. Gnomish Fire, maybe? :)

Speaker Siever responds to Thane's query by stating there are no such Gnomish tinkerers in these parts and the town's remaining fishing vessels are too small to rig up catapults or other such large siege weapons. Apparently the Howling Fiend was the largest ship in their fleet and its fate is already known.

"She has a cold, heartless crew too!"
The Speaker also states the pirates typically attack before dawn, when the first ships of the day are testing the lake's waters, or at dusk, when the most dedicated or desperate fishers are pushing their luck trying to make one last catch. The Howling Fiend has been sacking vessels for the past few weeks, looting them first then setting them ablaze with their crews still aboard to either perish in flames or in the lake's icy embrace.

Generally speaking, the waters are fairly clear during the day, unfortunately, he grumbles "knuckleheaders' don't bite in the middle of the day neither!"

He goes on to state the pirates occasionally make raids during misty or snowy days, but on clear days such as today, not so much.

The Speaker has no knowledge of where the Howling Fiend might be dropping anchor, "If we knew that much, it would be no great feat to take action, now would it?" he asks harshly.

Speaker Siever is more helpful with Morgrim's next question, claiming he knows a Mr. Connelly of Easthaven, "A ferryman, he is. What's Creedon got to do with anything?" he asks.

"Well, that's about as useful as broken main-mast," Thane muttered after the speaker's reply about the state of the villages ships and possible ship-borne weapons.  He really was hoping to avoid the problem of tracking down the ship and doing a boarding action.  Not really his specialty.

"This Derrick guy sounds like an idiot," Thane complained.  "If he keeps this up, he won't have any more ships left to plunder.  Then what's he gonna do?  It's not like you folks up here are going to be able to quickly rebuild your ships in the midst of winter.  So what's his real game, anyway?  Typical pirates do a slow bleed on their victims, they don't go wholesale into taking everybody out!"

Thane huffed.  "Why someone would want to go around and ruin people's lives like this is just beyond me."

Crannoc's emotional and unstable attitude made Thane feel secure in openly griping.  In truth, Thane didn't have any solutions to offer.  And he didn't know much about the details of Creedon's journal.  He left that discussion to Morgrim.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:52, Fri 06 Oct 2017.

"I'm not yet sure I know how Mr. Connelly fits into this, truth be told. We found a log of Easthaven's ships and cargo under his pen name. It was hidden in Derrick's old lodgings."

"If I showed you the manifest would you know which ships had been sunk? Or would I have to make inquiries in Easthaven to learn that?"

Speaker Siever looks over the proffered documents but is unable to comment on them other than to say he wasn't too sure why a ferryman would be making notes of ships and cargo. "More like the work of a harbormaster," he reasons. Mr. Connelly runs a simple ferry service, sailing passengers between the towns and sometimes across the rivers feeding Lac Dinneshere, usually in the summer, when folk from distant lands visit.

Finally, he only knows how many of Caer-Dineval's ships have note returned to port: 5, not including the Howling Fiend. He doesn't really know about Easthaven or Caer-Konig's ships.

Morgrim nodded. "We're not indifferent to your plight, Speaker Siever," Morgrim said at last. "I think if I twist some arms we may even be able to help you," he added, eyeing Thane askance before returning his attention to their host. "But this is a dangerous endeavour, and a blight Caer-Dineval has brought upon itself. Any assistance the town is willing to offer would be appreciated... starting with paying the wages of the ship that has agreed to take us out onto the lake in the morning to hunt down your pirate."

Speaker Siever agrees to cover the cost of securing a vessel to Easthaven, assuming the adventurers are going to chase down Derrick the Drownder and haul him back to Caer-Dineval, dead or alive. "Doesn't matter much to me either way, though I wouldn't mind seeing him suffer a bit!" he blusters.

Morgrim nodded. "Does anyone else have further questions for the Speaker?" Morgrim inquired. "Otherwise I suggest we let him get back to his business, and we can discuss ours at The Uphill Climb. I wouldn't mind having a look across the lake at Easthaven from on high."

Thane looked surprised at Morgrim's subtle change of intent.  ~I didn't know he had booked passage on a ship with the purpose of tracking down the pirate!~ he thought to himself.  He accepted the change as nothing more than a clever negotiating tactic on Morgrim's part.

"Ahem," he broke in, having something more to say.  "Another question, and I'll be done.  It's practical," he hedged, sensing that Morgrim wanted to go and maybe taking note that the Speaker was not in the mood for lengthy discussion.  "What's known about Derrick's ship?  Is she sail-bound, or can she also move by oar?  Makes a difference for laying plans to take her out." 

~Hunh,~ Arnan thought when Morgrim sweet-talked the Speaker into paying for a vessel to use for pirate-hunting.

~I thought that he hired the boat to ferry us across the lake to Easthaven. Although, I suppose that anyone who lives in the area knows that they run the risk of running into Derrick and the Howling Fiend when they sail out onto the lake. I wonder if the ferryman will be willing to venture out of port during the times that Derrick and his crew normally attack, or whether we will have to hire another ship -- and most likely pay them some sort of 'danger pay'?~

Keeping his thoughts to himself, Arnan maintained his silence, standing with his back against the wall and his arms crossed across his chest.

The Howling Fiend is a fast single-mast sailing ship, though she is outfitted with oars as well for those all too few days where the air is still. True to this land's name, the oars are not used very often!

Having completed their business with Speaker Siever, the party departs the caer and pays a visit to The Uphill Climb. This tavern is perched just below the caer, with spectacular views of the lake and the docks below. There is a good mix of locals within, their mood decidely reserved and tense given the recent calamities on the lake. The proprietor is a rugged and handsome man named Roark.

Roark promptly greets the adventurers and takes their orders. Standard fare consists of fish chowder and beer, though the tavern has a wide variety of spirits and foodstuff on hand, though prices are somewhat inflated so a bit of sticker shock is to be expected. Such is the case in places well off the beaten trail.

In any event, the adventurers are soon seated at a table near a window, the setting sun glinting off the expansive lake below.

Morgrim orders a bowl of chowder and a round of beer, before thinking better of it and ordering a second. "Can't talk on an empty stomach," he says as he slides into a seat facing the window. Though his demeanour is pleasant his eyes look distant as he peers across the open waters of Lac Dinneshere.

He's out there, Morgrim thought. Biding his time.

Any strange boats on the water?

Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 16 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 11.  Perception.

Kira seated herself to where she could see out as well as in, like Grim at first focusing more out on the water to see if she might spot anything.  She ordered some bread, meat, and cheese ... nothing special but was also being a little cautious.

---

20:06, Today: Kira rolled 13 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 7.  Perception.  *grrrr*

Thane plopped down heavily on the bench, across the table from Kira.  He looked over at Grim.  "Some pretty clever talking you did back there," he affirmed the dwarf.  "I wonder how the captain is going to take a change of plans?"

He asked for the same mix of food as Kira: meat, cheese, and bread, with something light to drink.  He turned to gaze at the lake.  "Does that thing ever freeze over?" he pondered out loud.  "And does it have any islands?  Could be the pirate would base himself there."

"We ask them what they want in terms of danger pay and then inform them Siever has agreed to it," Morgrim said, shrugging. "Unless someone puts a stop to this, Derrick is going to sink them sooner or later anyway. No boat, no knuckleheads. No knuckleheads, no coin. I'm not worried. He'll come around."

Arnan ordered some chowder and beer, thinking that the "Daily Special" actually sounded pretty good, then joined his companions at the table.

Glancing over at Thane, he remarked "I liked your idea about hitting Derrick's boat with flames of some kind. Too bad your idea didn't work out . . . but I wonder if I can figure out a way to make some flaming arrows?"

"I guess maybe a bucket with some hot coals or fire aboard our own ship -- along with plenty of sand in nearby barrels to keep our captain from wetting his breeches -- and some rags soaked with pitch or something that'll burn readily tied around the head of the arrows. Should be pretty easy to hit the Howling Fiend's sail and hopefully set it afire, and maybe put some flaming arrows into her deck, as well."

"If we have sail-power and they don't, we should be able to avoid getting rammed, and we should be able to outmaneuver them, too. Plus, if the fires aboard their ship get out of control ... well, too bad for them."

OOC: Shane, are flaming arrows a possibility?
This message was last edited by the player at 05:08, Wed 18 Oct 2017.

There are no strange boats out on the lake and really, very few boats on the lake at all at this hour save for a few vessels near the harbor. There are a few small islands here or there, particularly near the lake's north and south ends, though those in the north are mostly huge floating blocks of ice.

Flaming arrows are certainly a possibility as these are reasonably simple to come across or make.

"Maybe we could catapult some jars of oil or something too, follow them with flaming arrows so it's harder to put out the flames," Kira mused quietly as she stared into the northern section of the lake.  "Don't know if those chunks of ice move around a lot, but if they didn't and they knew how to navigate around them, might be they're hiding in that area."  She shrugged and looked back at the others.  "Though they're probably bold enough to just pull into any port for a warm meal and an even warmer bed."

"I was thinkin' along those lines, too," Thane supported Kira.  "A catapult won't work since the boats are too small to carry 'em, but we could make some simple flame bombs that we throw by hand."

"And I know just who can put flaming arrows in the right spots at the right time," he nodded at the two archers at the table.

Thane looked again at Morgrim.  "So, looks like we need to do some stuff.  Gather materials and such.  But the biggest thing is to get the pirate's attention and see to it that he attacks us on our terms.  How d'we do that?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:33, Fri 20 Oct 2017.

In reply to Thane Harkensen (msg # 97):

Dal hadn't throw anything in a long time and got a worried look on her face.  Finally she looked over at her brother and the others around her.  "I'll help with the throwing but I should warn you, I throw like a girl. Grim always said the safest place was to stand in front of me.  I'd never hit him then."

Morgrim roared with laughter. "Girls can throw plenty fine, Dal. You throw like you've just found the bottom of a cask of brandy, and a rotten one at that!"

Wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, he nodded at Kira and Thane. "I agree. He'll be anchored to the North. There's nowhere to hide between here and Easthaven besides."

"Either we sail out and find him amidst the icebergs, or we set up to go fishing. Derrick has been attacking boats indiscriminately. We just have to make ourselves a target. Personally I'd suggest the former. His speed is an asset on the open waters, not amidst the shifting ice. And we may be lucky enough to catch him unawares."

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 99):

Arnan smiled at Morgrim's comments. "I always prefer to be the hunter, as opposed to the hunted."

"And if we can't find the bastard, we can always just to fishin' and see what we can catch."

The party is able to source 4 vials of alchemist's fire within Caer-Dineval, each costing 50 gold pieces. Rigging up basic flaming arrows should not be too difficult and will require a nominal fee of 10 gp to outfit a quiver (20) arrows for such a purpose.

The captain of the sailing vessel has agreed to ferry you to Easthaven and is rather reluctant to go out on the open waters in search of The Howling Fiend. Particularly, presenting his ship as a floating target is off the table. The captain is willing to sail to the iceberg fields, if that is what you intend on doing, but is extremely skittish about the proposition.

In any event, he is ready to depart at first light, preferrably taking you to Easthaven rather than the iceberg field. But he will reluctantly agree to the latter, if the party insists.

Morgrim thanks the captain and agrees to meet him on the docks come morning light. As Amaunator's last light fled the skies and gloam fell upon Lac Dinneshere, Morgrim set his tankard down. "An early night for me I think," he states. "Its been a long few days and I'd rather not tumble over the bluff on my way back to the inn from fatigue or drink."

"We've a big day ahead of us. Dress warm."

Pocketing a bit of bread for a snack later, Kira likewise finishes off the meal and drink.  "Probably best we all tuck in early.  Hope there's some breakfast ready well before dawn," she stated, wanting to make sure her belly was full of something warm and lasting.

"I'm going to excuse myself as well," Arnan remarked, after the group had acquired the necessities for what they hoped would be a nasty little surprise for the lake-pirates on the morrow.

"I want to get in a little archery practice with these new-fangled arrows before I turn in -- not light them aflame, just testing the different weight and balance. I feel certain that they will fly a little differently than normal arrows, and I need to understand how to adjust for that."

"All good advice.  I too shall retire.  Dress warm.  Is there any other way to dress in this area?  I will need to chat with my Goddess to see what spells she thinks I will need for this expedition."

Dalgura chuckled as she gathered up snacks for later.  One never knew when it would be good to have food on hand.

Thane chewed the last of his bread.  "Makes sense to get some sleep.  Indoors.  In a warm bed," he agreed with the group consensus.  "Say your prayers, sharpen your blades, tend to your armor.  Tomorrow will be interesting, I'm thinkin'," he cautioned.

He stood up and set the requisite silver on the table to cover the cost of his food, plus another for the serving lass.

---

OOC: So what do we each owe for the cause?  170 gold split five ways  is 34 gold per?