Belkas finds fimself taping his toes and then stomping his feet and finally joining in with other patrons on the chorus, with a hearty, "till then I'll be a pirate, n' fill me life with gold n' glee!" 

He applauds loudly and says to Zyllith, "You've been hiding your talents from us. I haven't had that much fun with a song since, well, since ever."

Zyllith laughed cheerfully after enjoying their tavern performance, regarding Belkas with a grin as she replied, "Ah cheers mate, but I can assure ye, me real talents lay elsewhere." She turned towards Oren as she continued, "Yer tha' one what got tha' talent when it come ta' song. Ye got any other lively tune ta tap me boot to?"

As Naxene waits, somewhat impatiently, for Arisa's answer to her own questions, Oren gives Zyllith a cheerful, and maybe even a slightly affectionate pat on the side of her leg and says, "Well, my friend from afar, don't sell yourself short, that was quite a song! A fine voice ye have, and a ya weave a darn good sea jig!! Or was it a reel? I always get those two mixed up."

"Of course, I got another one... I got plenty!!"

With that, Oren picks up his lute again and begins strumming a slower, slightly moody chord progression, introduces the next one as "Never Again in Neverwinter," and then begins singing. The song weaves with an up and down melody, while telling the story of a young man who keeps getting his heart broken in Neverwinter. 

All the while, Elion seems to be having a good time, although he was quite taken aback at the display of sadness that had overcome Miros when you told him about the death of his parents. "All this while, I've wanted to know more about death, but I'm beginning to see that there is more than one side to the whole matter. And in the end, who is stronger, the one who deals it, or the one who relays news of it to those who actually knew the departed?"

(I’m sorry got busy with holiday). 

Arisa, distracted by the singing, finally says “Im sorry… yes, we saw the aftermath of an attack on the village of Nightstone by giants in a flying castle-  they stole the Nightstone there that gave the village it’s name.   I am Arisa, Cleric of Mystra.”

Naxene looks up and adjusts her spectacles at Arisa's introduction, and you can tell that her attention is instantly perked..  "A devout follower of the Mother of All Magic. No mere thrill seeker and treasure hunter, but one to seeks to protect magical lore of the world."

"Giants attacking from a flying castle and stealing namesakes? These are disturbing events that indicate a radical shift in the natural balance of things. Please sit and tell me more of what you know of these strange instances and occurrences."

Arisa sits, and says “well- we don’t know much.  except we have been told more by a dragon, who we’ve determined is our sponsor, of sorts- thus our name...”. She proceeds to relay the story of their adventures so far, and concludes with “and now that our delivery of the Tressym is complete, we are looking to help more with this cause, but to be honest we don’t really know where to start..”

Belkas grins at Zyllith, "Well, so far, I've seen that you have a quick blade, a mind that's even sharper and quicker, and a facility to talk us out of problems... but rousing the house with a sea shanty .. that one was new."

Hearing Elion's comment, Belkas turns to face him and responds, "Between killing, facing death, bearing news of a death, and confronting the loss of loved one, the last is by far the hardest, and the first the easiest. Talking of which, if nothing more urgent comes up, I would be interested in tracking those orcs back to their camp and making sure they don't take any more slaves captive."

Naxene listens intently, and with grave concern to Arisa's story, and confirms that she too has heard “rumblings” that other settlements have been impacted by the sudden appearance of giants — and not just hill giants but also stone, frost, fire, and cloud giants. It's clear that these matters are of great worry and interest to her.

"I have read a number of books about the ancient conflict between dragons and giants, and it is my belief that our allies in this fight lie with good dragons. I am encouraged to hear that you have already made contact with one... this Felgolos you speak of. If you should see him again, I would urge you to convince it to contact other good dragons, and use them to combat the giants. Perhaps he has already done so."

"At any rate, I am glad to have made your acquaintance, Arisa, Cleric of Mystra. As for where to start, I fear that we have already been plunged into this cycle of dark times that may lie ahead, but it gives me comfort to have you and your companions as potential allies in this fight."

Elion repsonds to Belkas. 

"Aye, master Belkas. It seems that there are many facets of death that I had not considered before. And yes, I would give me comfort to know that there are fewer orcs in the world, especially since the last ones we met nearly delivered my own death to me!"

Zyllith laughed off Belkas's comments as she continued to enjoy Oren's music, cheering him on and joining in a verse or two when she could manage. Eventually she joined the conversation with Elion as she took a moment to enjoy her drink.

"True tha'. But if'n ye' ask me, tha' strongest yet be them that can still smile n' laugh despite whot loss ye' witness. Which ye' both should be doin' more of rioght now. Thar'll always be plenty o' nasty orcs ta' slay in tha' morn'. Better ye' enjoy this dance n' drink while ye' still can!"

The party continues through the night, with Oren singing a few more tunes and downing a few more mugs of Goldengulp, and continuing to make occasional, flirtatious signals towards Naxene, who continued to rebuke them with obvious eye rolls as she made subtle glances towards Miros. Miros sends out plate after plate of local fare, and you find the food to be quite plentiful and delicious, having been prepared with fresh ingredients from the village farm.

As the evening is getting later, Miros offers you free rooms for the night as a token of his appreciation for making the effort to bring him the news of his partners, and deliver Rillix, which has taken on a quick and very fond level of companionship with the large furry faced innkeeper. 

Arisa thanks him for his generousity, and says good night to the woman she had been conversing with.  “I hope we can talk more” she says. She retires to her room, says her prayers and goes to sleep. 

Belkas rolls over in his bed, unable to sleep. He had enjoyed the singing, despite the sadness underlying the evening. Vernon and Osmord had seemed unusually quiet as well, perhaps in their own ways facing the pain that death causes. Well maybe not Osmord, who seems to have his own very particular relationship with death. Was Zyllith's comment accurate? Was Belkas unable to unwind and enjoy the party, always afraid that his past would catch up to him, or looking for the next fight that gave his life purpose? On these thoughts, Belkas finally falls asleep and dreams of ancient ships filled with singing and dancing pirates. 

When Oren finally sings his last song, the rest of the patrons swish down their last quaffs of Goldengulp and stumble out of the inn. Naxene packs up her items, neatly stuffing her books and scrolls into a large leather knapsack before retiring upstairs to her own room as Miros and his crew being their nightly cleanup of the common room. 

One by one, you filter into into the medium sized bunk room that Miros has offered you, unsling yourself of armor, weapons and travel gear and lay your weary heads and bodies down on the comfortable cotton filled mattresses. Sleep comes quickly after and soon you find yourselves lost in dream land as your bodies soak up the needed rest and recuperation that helps keep adventurers strong, fit, healthy and sharp of skill and mind. 

Unfortunately, you rest is cut short, and at some point during the night, you are brutally yanked from your rest by the high pitched wails of a familiar hailing voice that shatters the night’s silence.

“We’re under attack!”  the voice calls out. “To arms! To arms!”

Gathering your wits and weapons, you stumble outside the inn, where you also find Miros, Naxine, Oren and the shepherd Shalvus, who apparently never made it to the inn last night. A low mist blankets the quiet gardens to the north and slinks between the rows of darkened longhouses to the south, and you can clearly hear screaming coming from the the town square, a few hundred yards away. Just then, a small disheveled halfling stumbles around the corner of the nearest longhouse, loses his balance, and falls to the ground in front of you.

Arisa looks at the halfling with concern.  “Who is attacking-  where are they now?? “ she asks, checking him over for any injuries.  

Oren, who is still quite drunk from an evening of gulping down mug after mug of Goldengulp, pulls himself up from the ground and says in a harried, and heavily slurred voice, 

"Goblins!! A whole meff of 'em run-in' amok ina town square!! An' a pair o' ogres too! I was lucky they din't see me."

"Oh...C'mon... we gotta stop 'em, 'fore they start killin' folks an' wreckin' everything!!!"

“Let’s go!” Arisa says, and she starts heading for the square.  On the way there she casts aid 3rd level on herself, Belkas and Zyllyth, (plus 10 temporary HP) and shillelagh on her staff immediately before coming into combat range…

"Bloody 'ells, whot's this then?" Zyllith complained as she stirred from her sleep amongst the commotion. Joining Arisa as they checked in on Oren, she was quick to move as soon as she heard who was attacking, "Rioght then, time ta' get on wit' some gobbie skewerin'." Running towards the fray along with Arisa, she brought her rapier out ready to combat whatever threat they encountered. As soon as she could see any enemies, she dove into nearby shadows so she might approach undetected.

( Stealth - 8+11 = 19 )

Belkas wakes up, alarmed and confused, convinced that pirates are attacking the town. Grabbing his daggers, he stumbles outside, wishing he hadn't drunk those final mugs the previous evening. 

Goblins and ogres, not pirates. Belkas wonders if somehow the goblins from Nightstone followed them here, but that didn't make much sense. He thanks Arisa for the aid spell which leaves him feeling unusually alive. He lets his consciousness slip into Crawley's mind, seeing out of his eyes.

"Let's go see what we are up against," Belkas says to the imp as they fly up into the night over the roof tops. 

Vernon had become increasingly preoccupied with a faint feeling of being watched after picking up the shield. It didn't seem to be coming from the shield, and it didn't seem to be coming from the others in the inn. Although he noticed more than usual about them when he had the shield on, he pushed out most of that information in his search for the watcher.

Now, he was wishing he'd figured it out before bed, while also wishing he hadn't been caught without his armor on. Rolling out with his old shield on his back, his new shield in his hand, and his war hammer in the other, he will run towards the danger as fast as his legs can carry him, calling out, "Nik'Sle'Est!" when he gets close. (Casting Divine Favor.)

With Miros, Naxene, Slalvus and the quickly sobering hailing in tow, you all rush towards the town square. Leaving the inn, you make a quick right, run down the street, then turn left and hurry down the long main street towards the abbey, which sits at the edge of the town square.

Upon arrival, by the light of the moon and a few torches, you see the mayhem of a large group of monsters thrashing about, chasing villagers, pillaging and causing various levels of violent destruction. Oren was right; a quick visual count shows ten goblins, and a pair of hulking, beastly ogres, but there are additional creatures as well. Four bigger, meaner armored goblin-type creatures stomp around, swinging huge morningstars and causing even more mayhem in the square. You recognize them to be bugbears, the biggest bullies of the goblinoids.

Just then, you spot another person rush into the square as well. She's the dark haired shou woman you saw when you entered the town gates yesterday afternoon. Right now, she's standing in front of the abbey, learning on her quarterstaff while surveying the situation. You also see Lifferlas, the awakened tree approaching from his grove on the other side of the square.

Miros reaches for a bolt to load into the heavy crossbow that he's carrying, and you also see Shalvus pull forth a hand crossbow. The others also prep for battle.

Right now, you're all standing about 100 feet away from the group of monsters. Everyone can roll initiative now.