"Offerings?" Brin says with a frown. "Some of the clan be mentioning something about offerings, but I have to admit I be not paying much attention when they be speaking of it." He cocks his head in question. "What sort of offering be ye speaking of?" He lifts the recently arrived drink, giving the woman with the raven hair a nod of thanks for it. He doesn't bother to catch her name, as barkeep is a more orderly way to refer to her, as it then works for all such beings working in such a fashion.

The Raven-Haired woman comes back with everyone’s drinks, taking care to set them down as to not spill the contents. “That’ll be two copper from everyone please. Oh, and please, my name is Cora, just say my name and I’ll bring you more if you’d like.” She says with her same cheery attitude.

"Thank you Cora" Fahana grabs two silver coins out and gives them to Cora "Keep the extra", she looks to the others "It's on me this time."

She stops to make eye contact with everyone. “Since you’re all new here, I take it you’ve no clue about the offerings?” She asks the four of you.

"Offerings?" she looks at the others and then back to Hlin "Please, do tell... what are these offerings?"

Waylin gives Fahana a nod, "Thanks, much obliged."  He takes a deep drink, the foam matting his beard.  He smiles slightly as the cool smokey ale courses down his throat, hints of barley and hops fill his mouth.  He breathes a sigh of relief and redirects his attention.  His brow raises sightly with a mentioning of offerings, a shared confusion he sees with his fellows.  Waylin ponders their suspicion of Kaltro and his suspected blessing by Auril.  He tries to recall any information he has about this deity from his studies in his youth.

Quote from ValenSwifte >>

Waylin gives Fahana a nod, "Thanks, much obliged."  He takes a deep drink, the foam matting his beard.  He smiles slightly as the cool smokey ale courses down his throat, hints of barley and hops fill his mouth.  He breathes a sigh of relief and redirects his attention.  His brow raises sightly with a mentioning of offerings, a shared confusion he sees with his fellows.  Waylin ponders their suspicion of Kaltro and his suspected blessing by Auril.  He tries to recall any information he has about this deity from his studies in his youth.

Religion: 20

 Waylin, 

You know from your studies about deities that Auril is known by many different titles such as: The Frostmaiden, The Frost Sprite Queen, Ice Dawn, and the Goddess of Winter. Auril is worshipped but more feared than revered by the northerners. You've read that Auril can be rather cold not only in her very essence but also in her dealings with the inhabitants of Faerun and even the other gods themselves. One prominent piece of knowledge you know about the Goddess is her conflict with Chauntea. The two of them constantly battle. Since, it is more relatable to your current situation, you've read that the northerners believe Auril to be the harbinger of winter upon the whole world. Many prominent and non prominent groups worship the Frostmaiden despite her countenance.With each different group having different ways of expressing their reverence of her, some sort of offering wouldn't be too surprising.

Gonly appreciated the warmth in his hands and the gratitude on his face displayed so. He silently thanked the server and Fahana for their generosity with a head nod and cup raise before sipping his tea and waiting to hear more about these intriguing offerings. 

Hlin's face goes into a frown before loosening with a sigh. "The Ten-Towners have resorted to more... tribal acts as the winter continues on. They all think the Frost Witch will let up the cold if they offer up a few things. Small towns like Bremen offer their warmth. But, this isn't a simple thing. If anyone lights a fire or any other heat sources on a day of offerin' they get beaten. Bad." A look of disgust fills her face before continuing. "I don't know how ya all feel about that but if you're feeling scrappy about it I would highly advise against acting on that feelin'. The guards and everyone else in the town will put you in your place if you do anything to try and stop it." She takes a puff of her pipe, her shoulders sinking a bit. "Anyway, the other towns offer up some of their food since they can afford it. The more populated ones, Easthaven, Targos, and Brynshander well-." She looks down on the inn's floorboards rather sadly before continuing. "Well- they've been sacrificin' people." She then looks back up at the four of you, replacing her sad look with a more serious one. 

"Seems orderly." Brin says with a nod to Hlin. "Not very logical, but understandable." He takes another sip of his ale. the foam soaks into his thick beard as he swallows. "Give up some food, some heat, even a life or two, to keep the masses safe. If it worked, then great, if not, then seems a waste of time and effort. What does this have to do with our murderer?"

Brin, Hlin raises an eyebrow at your rather callous disregard of the things she said but answers you nonetheless. “Like I said the murdered belonged to the towns that offer up their people. I think that they were all picked out to be the next sacrifice but some how was able to get out of it. Also, as I’ve mentioned before, Kaltro walks around as if he’s blessed by the witch herself. It wouldn’t be surprising if the goddess ordered him to kill those people for trying to cheat the system and get their names out of the list.” She finishes her reply while still seeming lightly perturbed by your cold analysis.

Fahana, Cora makes a surprised gesture after seeing you place the silver coins. “I—I thank you so much, my lady!” She exclaims before grabbing the coins and heading back behind the bar. 

Cora makes a surprised gesture after seeing you place the silver coins. “I—I thank you so much, my lady!” She exclaims before grabbing the coins and heading back behind the bar. 

"You are ever so welcome sweetie"

Fahana wraps her hands around her cup of tea to warm them a bit.  She slowly takes a sip and nearly lets out an 'ahhhhh' as she swallows the warm liquid.  As she listens to Hlin explain the 'offerings' she is visibly aghast at the thought of human sacrifices to appease this so called god.  "They wouldn't..... would they?" she says softly. 

Fahana, Hlin looks and nods at you, her face relaxing a bit after hearing your more concerned voice. "Indeed. They would. Ten-Towners been' desperate... Very desperate." She replies.

"Wait, so let me make sure I got this straight.... the ones that you think Kaltro is murdering are the same ones who are supposed to be.... offered up?"  She waits a moment for a response "Not that this really matters but, how are they choosing who is to be the offering?"

Brin shrugs as Hlin gives him a look. "Sorry, but it is orderly as I said. Not overly logical, at least at first glance, but, as you yourself are basing your belief that this murderer of yours is doing this Auril's work, it might actually have some validity to it." He looks slightly troubled at that. "If this Auril actually cares about these offerings, then those offering the offerings themselves would have the right of it, especially as it is the sacrifices of living beings that seem to be the most desired by this Auril..." He shakes his head. "It is just not logical, why would this being care about the offerings? The winter, and the endless night, have not ended after all, even though the offerings are being made. Seems an imbalance, the offerings should be enough to end this winter, but they are being accepted, or, in fact, required, but the winter is not ending." At this Brin looks truly upset. "Balance must be maintained. If you require, and accept offerings such as these, then you must give back to make the offerings valid. Not to do so is simply..." He seems lost for words to what would be bad enough to illistrate this sort of imbalance.

Hlin continues to look at Fahana before answering her question. "Easy enough, they have a lottery system. Which... of course a lot of the Ten-Towners think is rigged. But, no one is about to do anything about it." She then looks at Brin. "No. Not logical at all." She contemplates Brin's words about Auril's goal. "I've been callin' her a Frost Witch for a reason. I bet she takes pleasure from all this sufferin'. No reason to give back when the people give up what they got regardless."

Waylin took a swig of his beer before running his hand through his beard.  He took in what was being said with a degree of thought, the mention of sacrifices both human and otherwise were not an unfamiliar subject...He set the tankard down gently upon the wooden counter, before pacing about the room, "What do we know of the victims, beyond that they might have been offerings?  What wounds did they receive?"  He studied the dwarves and the elf, a glint of curiosity and determination filled his eye.  He was not one to send an innocent to the gallows without a proper inquiry. 

Gonly muttered once more from behind an already half empty cup, "...mmm, this is nice..." He then finished the exceptionally good tea, quiet satstified. The offerings did not appear to bother him. 

Hlin turns her head slightly towards Waylin and begins to answer, "Aside from what I've said already, the only other thing they shared is ice jutting out of their hearts. Another reason for me to suspect that Kaltro is really doin' the Witch's work. So if you do try to face off against him, be prepared for some magic."

Gonly, as you sit there in your own world, Cora the innkeeper, approaches you. "Hello, sir. Might I bother you with a question?" Her earlier cheery face has been replaced with a slight hint of worry and a smaller smile.

Gonly nods in the affirmative, "Yes, of course, go ahead." He's a little distracted by the ice jutting out of hearts comment though, and his eyes take a second to match Cora's as they drift from Hlin. 

Gonly, the woman looks apologetic before saying, “I really hate to listen in on my patrons’ conversations but-“ she looks away from you. “Well my son’s been missing.” You see her cheery attitude completely disappear and she looks at you with slightly glassy eyes. “Do you mind looking for him? A few days ago these two Tieflings came and Huarwar, my son, went with them. Apparently they were going to some castle.” She gets closer to you, kneeling down to move her face to your level. “Please I-I it doesn’t have to be your priority but while you help miss Hlin with what she needs can you maybe keep an eye out for my son?” 

Without wanting to give her too much hope, Gonly gave the moment a pause. Long enough to convey that what she was asking wasn't easy even for someone who knew there way around this place. "I will make it a point to look for Huarwar. We're certain to come across at least a few more interesting individuals and it bears no extra weight to ask if they've seen or heard of him." He felt bad even promising that much, knowing it was unlikely to produce results. Yet he could offer what he could do, and he could do that. 

Waylin's brow raised at the hearing of the victims sharing ice within their hearts.  He returned to his mug and finished it, whipping his mouth clear with his dirty sleeve.  He took a deep breath to collect his thoughts, "How far apart where the murders, both in distance and time?  Would it be possible to view the crime scenes, to see if there are any clues left behind or to let us get into Kaltro's head, if he is our perpetrator?" Waylin waited for Cora to finish talking with Gonly, lifting his hand when given the chance to catch her attention.