In reply to Eofric (msg # 12):

Uriah pondered Eofric's question. Without a drink to occupy his mouth during that process, the gnome opted for holding his chin and emitting a humming sound.

"Hmmmmmmmm... Well, there are several ways to look at it. If we look at the weather through our bodies, then all the days might blend together. But if we look through the lense of history, then the cold harsh environment is only a recent occurrence. There ARE some merits to reliable weather, but I'll concede that were I Auril I would have chosen an early autumn breeze. But guess Auril the Nicebreezemaiden doesn't have quite the same ring to it, eh? Name is Uriah Gimbel"

At his name, he offered a hand for Eofric to shake.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 14:30, Sun 26 Feb 2023.

Eofric had not enough alcohol warming him to start discussing about deities and so he agreed without too much committment.
"I believe Icewind Dale had that name before the Sun forgot to set these past two years.", he shrugged, "The name kind of suggests cold weather."
"To be honest, I don't know. First time for me beyond the Spine. Used to work the Blackford Road mostly for Red Dragon Trading.", another shrug.
"Cannot believe almost a decade has passed since then."
"Name is Eofric.", he finally said as he grabbed the small hand of the gnome.

"Baldur's Gate? I don't think I know it." said Artim, although it sort of triggered some memories about stories he had read. "Is that a big village?"

Once someone came to take their orders, the dragonborn asked for mulled wine. The warm beverage and spices cured cold bones miraculously. His race had tremendous abilities to withstand severe cold, but sometimes it felt like the chill was unnatural. He had heard about strange lands covered in warm sands, or volcanoes spewing hot lava. Was there need of hearth and forge in such parts of the world?

"I am from Caer-Konig." Artem explained. "It's one of the most northern villages of the Ten-Towns region."

The serving girl smiles at Eofric, "My name is Poppy." and Scramsax fills a glass of schnapps for him "Unusual request that.  These have been back here a while - hope you like 'em."

Overhearing Merrel's comment one of the nearby locals leans back, "Heard he got that name when he used to be an adventurer himself."

Scrimsax returned Bisa's nod and provided her usual drink before turning to Uriah "Lovely weather - sounds like you've been in it too long, friend.".
[Private to Bisa Battlehammer: As a regular you know a bit more about Scrimsax than most.  He was a sellsword who age finally caught up to.  He runs the most rowdy and welcoming inn in town - the only one heated with wood.  He has been known to let adventurers stay on credit if they were between jobs but has been known to charge a bit more than other establishments.]

Poppy curtsies at Artim's proclamation upon entering and busy's herself seeing to everyone's drink order.

As the inn begins to fill, those who take the time to look around notice an elderly dwarf sitting away from the crowd.  A battle axe hangs from his belt as do two hand axes.  He wears furs and puffs on a wooden pipe.  His gaze lingers on each table as he apparently weighs and measures those present.

The human reached out his hand, happy to see someone almost as tall as he was.
"Greetings Artim, I am Silas, Silas Nightwind. I am from Waterdeep, pleasure to meet you." he said. Doing a quick check of the chair to make sure it could support his weight, he said down, hearing it creak a bit.

With the approach of Halgotin, he stood up. "Greetings Halgotin, I'm Silas Nightwind, pleasure to meet you." Silas said before calling for Scrimsax's attention. "Is it alright if I move the chair out of the way and bring over a log to sit down? I would hate to sneeze and break your furniture" he asked.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 03:41, Mon 27 Feb 2023.

Scramsax glanced at Silas and said, "Just a moment."

He steps in the back and appears a moment later with a chair larger than the others in the room.  Trading it out for the one Silas was sitting at he adds, "I have an old goliath friend that comes in less often than he should.  He glances at the bar, "Which is probably good for my stock"

Merrel flags down Poppy when he can, "I don't suppose you folks have any mice in the kitchen trying to avoid the cold outside? My owl is feeling a bit peckish. He'd appreciate one or two if you can catch them"

"Thank you Scramsax." Silas said. Feeling safer that he was not going to end up on the floor.

Silas stifled a laugh at the comment from Merrel. "It is almost nightfall. You might wait a bit. Go for a walk after supper to help with digestion and your owl might catch some on the run." he said towards Merrel.

"May be, may be. Perhaps a warm meal could unfreeze my brain? I'll take a bowl of whatever soup you are brewing at the moment, if you please"

Uriah notices the dwarf eyeing the bar, and gives him a nod and smile, but otherwise doesn't adress him. He did, however, start noticing all the people present.

"I'm not surprised this is a place popular with outsiders given it's location, but there seems to be a larger number of fellow newcomers than I anticipated"

Once the soup came, he'll pay for it and clear the bar, approaching the smoking dwarf. "Greetings. Are you a local patron? If you wouldn't mind the company, I'm looking for someone to tell me a bit more about the area"

Eofric looked a bit baffled when the gnome he had been talking to turned around and left to talk to a dwarf without a word.
Eofric shrugged and turned back to Scramsax, indicating that the taste of the schnaps was good enough for him and that he should fill up again.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:13, Mon 27 Feb 2023.

Artim had heard about Waterdeep, but could not in his wildest dreams imagine its size. Maybe one day he would visit some of these strange, far-away places. Now, however, he had duties in the north that could not be abandoned. Sometimes it felt like the forge was all that stood between people and the deathly grip of winter.

Listening, talking and watching, Artim got the most peculiar feeling. He looked from one person to the next. Strangers. Locals. Travelers. Warriors. Clerics. Spellcasters, for sure. This was no random gathering of people! They had all (some of them, at least) been brought together here for a reason. Fate. Destiny. Whatever you would want to call it.

To be honest with himself, this was not the first time Artim had seen omens in everyday life. Sometimes they were hard to interpret. Sometimes they were seeds to plants that didn't really bear fruit (or grow at all). This time, however, there was something in the air. He was sure of it. He was just going to have to wait and see how it would play out.

After a good gulp from his drink, Artim wiped his mouth. "So, what brings you here?" His words were primarely directed at Halgotin and Silas. "...well, not the Northlook Inn, I mean. Bryn Shander. The North."

The female Dwarf nodded back at Eofric in response.

Bisa then watched as a Dragonborn and then Gnome walk in, then took it upon herself to look around.  An odd sort today, quite odd.  The Paladin shrugged, such was life past the Spine of the World.  A life she knew well.

As the innkeeper handed over her dwarven stout she nodded at him.

"Quite a group ya got in today Scrimsax, ye got a deal goin on ye aint told me folk about?"

She raised a joking eyebrow as she spoke.

"Ill have ta tell tha king ye be holding out on friends!"

Bisa laughed heartily before drinking her entire mug in one quaff, tapping it gently on the bar.

"Another thank ye."

Through all this she listened intently to the conversations around her but kept to herself for not, not seeing a good place to interject meaningfully.

Merrel quirks an eyebrow, "You think a lot of small rodents are outside at night in this sort of weather? They'd freeze to death long before anything could notice them, and frozen bodies are usually considered edible to live feeders. You might consider taking the time to learn a bit about nature and the things animals have to do to survive it if you're going declaim to strangers on the subject."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:34, Mon 27 Feb 2023.

In reply to Merrel (msg # 22):

Poppy frowns, "The cats do a pretty good job of keeping the rodents out.  We keep some small fish for them.  Would that work?"

When Uriah asks for food, Scrimsax motions to one of his cooks who brings out a thick meat stew for Uriah and a few pieces of bread.  "Definitely filling up nicely tonight."  He glances over at Bisa, "But not because of a special - I don't even have any live entertainment tonight."

He then reaches for the bottle of schnapps to top off Eofric's cup.  Then more ale for Bisa.

As Uriah turns to leave, Scrimsax glances to Bisa and Eofric, "That one is going to catch an earful from ol' Hlin there."  He smiles at another local as he starts to fill up their ale and asks the local within earshot of the others at the bar, "How long do you think before he brings up those missing people in the other towns?"  The two men chuckle.

---

The dwarf's hand strays to the hilt of his axe as Uriah approaches.  Seeing the gnome means to talk, the dwarf relaxes and blows out his whiskers. "Reckon I'm more local than most here.  My name's Hlin."  With a glance to the bar, he motions to Poppy who brings an ale over for him.  Turning back to Uriah he says, "What do you want to know?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:58, Mon 27 Feb 2023.

Looking somewhat proud that his assessment was somewhat accurate, Uriah continues.

"I'm Uriah Gimbel. I'm a student of the magic arts, currently composing a thesis on The Frostmaiden and the powerful blight that she seems to have inflicted upon this land. As I've just arrived, all information I have is what pompous scholars have decided was worthwhile to write down in their books. As a pompous scholar myself, I'm well aware that is not nearly enough to get a proper glimpse of the full picture. So any local stories, rumors, personal anecdotes or legends would be appreciated"

Merrel looks thoughtful, "You know, I'm not sure. Owls aren't fishers, but it's small, live protein with tiny bones. It shouldn't be a problem. I'd be more than happy to find out. Thank you."

While Poppy heads off, Merrel taps on an empty spot on his table twice and a snowy white owl appears. "No mice, but the young lady that brings out the food says she has some small fish. She'll likely be back shortly and you can try them. Broaden your horizons."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:51, Tue 28 Feb 2023.

Shesha's ears prick up at the mention of the Frostmaiden. Grabbing her furs, she makes her way over to Uriah Gimble. "That's a curious area for you to be investigating," she comments, "mind if I listen in?"

As Shesha approaches, Uriah moves his bowl of soup to make room for her to sit down at the table.

"Not at all! I don't intend to keep my discoveries secret. If you have any stories to share yourself, I'm all ears! Uriah Gimbel, by the way"

Eofric nodded at the refill.
"Missing people, is it now? In other towns, too. Well, this Hlin seems to travel some."
"I take it from your reaction that you don't believe his tale. Indeed, that he has told the same story already a few times? What makes you think it is just a tale?", Eofric drawled.
He did not have a keen interest, but the fact alone that the dwarf would find people gone missing even worth to mention suggested that there might be an intrigueing story behind it. One that could raise some money for the mercenary.

Silas shrugged his shoulders. "This is the first time I have been this far north, so forgive me if I am not the expert you are of the wilds. The winters are much milder where I live." he said before ordering a large meal.

Merrel nods, "And most rodents sleep through those winters. They are too small to survive winter cold, and can't find enough food to compensate when it isn't growing. My point stands."

Missing people. Was that was fate had planned? Bring enough capable people into a room and some of them would heed the call? Could such a mystery be connected to this time of trouble in the region; this perpetual winter? Artim didn't know. He tuned his attention to those conversations, as people could; focus on particular words or speakers in a crowded room. He might not be well-read, but he had the ears of a snow fox.

Poppy returned to with a three fish about the size of a finger.  "These are normally used for fishing bait but we bring it in for our cats."

She then runs off to fetch a portion of stew and bread for Silas.

---

Hlin puffs on his pipe as Uriah speaks then nods as Shesha joins them. "Good. Good.  So you know of the Frostmaiden's curse.  Did you know the Ten Towns have started making sacrifices to appease her?

He waves a hand dismissively, "Of course you didn't - you aren't from here.  The smaller towns will go without heat for one night.  Others hang food for the Frostmaiden's children.  But two actually send people out into her embrace - it was three until cooler heads prevailed here in town."

He stopped and watched Uriah and Shesha carefully for a reaction at his next comment as he started to pack more leaf into his pipe.

"You won't be surprised to know a few have refused the embrace after being chosen.  And recently those have been coming up...missing."

---

Scrimsax moved back to Eofric and Bisa refilling their cups as he spoke. "Oh Hlin's tales are true enough.  But those missing people should already have been dead and that's not generally where I spend my tears."