"Red hair... red hair... nope, not that I can recall. You staying for breakfast?" "He wasn't talking to you." "Eh, if I'm in the room, I'm in the conversation." An Orc leaves his room, dressed in rough unevenly cut leather. He orders a quart of beer as he enters the bar, and drains it all in 1 gulp. He then sits down and says, "Aint sure why it's so quiet, eh? Well, it'll be more lively soon. There arll just sleeping off the alcohol." A couple guys begin arm wrestling.

The bartender comes back from restocking the counter. "You want a red haired elf? No, a half-elf, right? I've never been one to tell between a human and a half-elf. But I guy came in for a drink a week ago, red haired female. Eyes... no, they were brown eyes." He thinks for a moment. "Actually, someone came in 2 days ago, had a hood and mask but I caught a glimpse of red hair. Blue eyes. He asked me something about some blue dragon person, noble or something. He said he had a deal to make with someone or something like that. Said somethin about the north." "I remember him. Interesting guy, called himself Ayden or Ashton or something. He walked in, asked about some noble, and left when couldn't give him answers."

Jakus immediately freezes when he hears the bartender’s words. “A deal? North?” he whispers to himself in Dwarvish. “What could he possibly be doing after all this time?” He gets out 4 gold and gives it to the bartender. “Thank you for this information, if I ever return I would be interested in any further updates.” Jakus thanks him in Common.

Thrudor eats his breakfast and sips his tea now that there are people out and about in the barroom. He patiently waits for the others to finish up before their journey back. "I suppose we passed the Kobold's test yesterday hmm? I have not had much eh uh what is the word...interactions with them as a group. Are they this suspicious normally?"

Quote from Antlan >>

Thrudor eats his breakfast and sips his tea now that there are people out and about in the barroom. He patiently waits for the others to finish up before their journey back. "I suppose we passed the Kobold's test yesterday hmm? I have not had much eh uh what is the word...interactions with them as a group. Are they this suspicious normally?"

 "Most kobolds are prone to paranoia. They trust very little, and dislike any creature that is larger than they. Many describe them as greedy and cowardly, but in reality that's not the case. It's less greed and more curiosity; they tend to collect things that attract them, sometimes ignoring what is valuable for what is interesting. As for cowards, it's more that they won't start a fight they know they'll lose."
"Like all races, there are good and bad. Their saying is 'we're not all born from the same egg'."

Quote from Zak_The_Slack >>

Jakus immediately freezes when he hears the bartender’s words. “A deal? North?” he whispers to himself in Dwarvish. “What could he possibly be doing after all this time?” He gets out 4 gold and gives it to the bartender. “Thank you for this information, if I ever return I would be interested in any further updates.” Jakus thanks him in Common.

This starts everyone talking. "Wow, talking paid off for once." He takes the gold. "Let me at least buy you a drink for your generosity. But anyways, Brian, you remember what the guy wanted?" "Wasn't here that night." "Right. Tide?" A Tabaxi walks into the room. "What do you want? I already bought 3 drinks last night." "Not that. You come here often, right? Red-haired... elf, dark clothes, wanted to find someone?" "Yeah, that guy. Wanted to find a noble he knew about the Serpent's Sea, though this guy might have been helping a king clear out a problem in the North." "Didn't he say something about a brother?" "Did he?" "Why look in a tavern though?" "Why does everyone forget this is an Inn?" "Whatever. Why search in a tav-no, an Inn?" "Thought the guy he was looking for would stay here. Or maybe he was desperate." "He mentioned a brother." Another person enters the room. "Man, it's getting loud in here. Who we talking about?" "The guy in black." "Oh, him? That guy wanted his Noble blood back." "That sounds fake." "He said he wanted to be in the Noble family but wasn't sure if his brother would let him. So he's trying to make a deal. He's up in a city to the North." "You remember all that?"

Jakus chokes on his drink, coughing violently. “Need some air,” he apologizes as he stumbles outside. Jakus leans against the wall, taking heaving breaths.

Titus watched Jakus curiously as he left. There was clearly something personal going on with the situation; but he also was clearly wanting to keep the situation private. The former marine hoped it wasn't anything too serious, and then began swiftly consuming his breakfast.

"Mhm thank you. I have only met a kobold or 2 in the wilds up near the north where I live in Stroud Woods." Thrudor watches young Jakus leave needing air "Oh maybe the food upset his innards. Being in the wild my innards have become accustomed to the hazards of nature. I may have something in my bag for his innards"

"Um, I think his innards are fine. You say you lived in the woods?"

Thrudir nods "Yes, yes....Stroud Woods towards the north. I have a little hut there and garden. It was pleasant but the winter creeping down caused me to head south and find help"

Jakus come back in, seeming to have calmed down. He gets his stuff from his room, ready to leave whenever the group is done with their meal.

As Cunning prepares to leave he looks around "Have we lost our elven lady?"

(where is our elven lady?)

"Elven Lady? Is she free-" "Don't date every elf you see, Marv!"

Jakus shrugs as he walks out of the door. “Might have left on her own. Perhaps she was done with the job and wanted nothing more. Who knows? We may not see her again in the future,” he says out loud.

Cunning shoulders his maul and heads towards the door "Well, I guess we'd best be heading out. Hopefully we won't need to worry about ogres on the way back."

Thrudor was finishing his breakfast after answering one of the tavern folks questions when he felt rushed by the others who wanted to leave. He wrapped up a few pieces of bread and some fruit for the road. Took a few more sips of his tea and followed them out

Titus swallowed the last of his meal as he watched the others begin to leave. Apparently they'd lost a companion? He grimaced. He hadn't come to know her well, but had been hoping she'd bring some sort of magical offense or defense to the party. "Guess we'll make do," he shrugged to himself as he left a silver coin as a tip and then retrieved his belongings, following the rest of the team.

As you leave, you see there is a light snowfall. The breeze carries the snow southwards, and there are thick clouds in the north.

The party leaves the city and finds themselves in a familiar forest.

Jakus is unusually silent while they travel into the forest. He alternates between a distant gaze and looking around for threats.

Perception: 7

Cunning walks along unconcerned about the weather, this feels like a summers day compared to home. As he walks he takes note of what's around him, feeling for anything that's out of the usual.

Nature 12

"I wonder if we'll get through the forest unchallenged this time?"