Elk Running observes Izobai's hawk.  "The animal serves as the eyes of its master.  It has seen us, and so has fulfilled its master's will.  It makes no difference to us now.  And Sabetha is wise--there is no honor in the kill."

--------------------

At Blackberry's question, she pauses, looking a bit perplexed.   "Miss...?  I am unsure.  My name is Elk Running."  She thinks for a moment further, trying to gather her thoughts.  "My name is given by the Reghedmen of the tundra.  The name is a gift.  It is a picture painted with words by their skalds.  It is called word dwimmer by some, kenning by others. To speak the name is to experience it.  I am painted as the elk.  Yet I am not the elk that grazes, nor the one that sires.  Neither am I the elk slumbering beneath the boughs.  And I am not the elk who lies down, defeated, to die.  Beneath the starlit sky, she darts a path across the snow.  Silent she goes, across a vastness filled only by the howling of the wind and wolf. She is restless, swift, and..." She closes her eyes, imagining.  "...and alone."   

"Can you see her?"

She produces from her pack a small wooden figurine of a yawning walrus, painted in red and black.  "This was given me by a child of the Reghed, so that I would not run alone."  She smiles, a bit sad.  "I will accept your aid."

-------------------

"Your tongue speaks as if it has tasted of demon's mead," Elk Running calls, cooly.  "To claim that for yourself which belongs to another is called thievery.  I name you a thief."

Izobai laughs. “A thief, eh? Is it thievery to try to feed your brood? Is it thievery to scour the tundra every day for something you might exchange for bread or use to defend yourself when the orcs or gnolls come knocking? We found an abandoned sled and I’m claiming my right of salvage, because otherwise my people might starve. But I’m not unreasonable; I’m happy to negotiate, well my fifteen hidden friends and I are. If I return to Karkolohk empty-handed, it won’t go well for me and mine. Can you offer something in exchange for the iron?”

Sabetha is suspicious of the "fifteen hidden friends" bit.  She's guessing it might be an exaggeration by Izobai.

Insight:  10

Edited to add:  nope, Sabetha thinks there might be tons of goblins out here, hidden.  She looks around warily.

Perception:  8 

Aubin listens and doubts Izobai's claim of 15 hidden friends.

Insight Check

11

You all have the sense that Izobai is not being entirely truthful, but that there is some truth in what she says.

Blackberry wonders aloud, "Now if I had two very real and very hungry-looking polar bears with me, why wouldn't I threaten people with my bears? Why would I make up imaginary goblins, which frankly, aren't that scary?  I mean, the bear staring me in the face is much more frightening objectively than an unseen goblin.  Maybe it's the number... does 15 goblins equal two bears?  If she had said twelve, would that have lessened the impact?  Fascinating.  Ok, Yetiterror... sic'em!"

Sabetha does feel some sympathy for the goblin leader Izobai and her quest to feed her people and keep them safe.  But she does not know that the party has anything to offer her that would actually help.  And the iron is non-negotiable.  She steps up so she is within 30'.

"Without making accusations, the iron belongs to the the dwarves of the nearby Dwarven Valley, and we are tasked with bringing it to its intended destination.  We are doing this and that is non-negotiable.  The fact that the original bearers were killed or chased off does not make the iron yours."

"I am personally sympathetic to your goals of surviving and wish you no ill.  But that gets us nowhere as I cannot think of anything we can offer in return.  Can you?  Otherwise that just leaves the hard option.  If you fight us, I think you will lose, fifteen goblins or no.  Certainly you and these five we captured will die.  I do not think the bears will fight - not for you anyway.  If you have mistreated them, they may even turn on you if let free."

Izobai consider's Sabetha's words. "I have been away from my people for a long time, sailing the Sword Coast. On the sea, salvage means that once you find it, it is yours. I consider this vast tundra another sea, where cargo and transportation is often found abandoned on the rocks of ill luck and hard choices. With game scarce and the Ten-Towns mostly biased against us, this sort of salvage is the only way we get by. And our leader keeps his best out scouring the tundra, in search of whatever we can find. To return empty-handed means not only disappointment for my family, but punishment from our leader. It is a fate I would prefer to avoid."

"Surely you have something you could offer in trade. Wooden torches and tinderboxes for fire, blankets, clothes, and bed rolls for warmth? You are within a good two hours hike of a town where you can resupply, but where my people are not welcome. We must make do with scraps. The iron could be a boon, but only if we have coals to run the forges. Times are hard everywhere in the Dale; no one is likely to survive if spring doesn't come next year. Please help my people and we may find a way to help you get through this scourge as well." 

Garzuk, behind you, says, sotto voce, "She talk so pretty and she good at killin'. Ima make her my woman."

"I don't recommend trading our supplies." whispers Aubin. He looks to Izobai "Do you have gold?  We can buy the items you need in town and then leave it out here for your people to take"

Sabetha, still ready to attack at any sign that this is a trap, nevertheless wishes to help the goblins, as foolish as she knows it may be.

Quietly huddling with the others in the party if they will listen, out of earshot of the goblins if possible, she allows:

"I am willing to give up half of my 50gp reward to buy supplies for these goblins.  Perhaps we could come to an arrangement where we all return to Bryn Shander.  I remain behind as collateral with the goblins outside the city.  I then trust one of you," (he looks especially at Elk Running and Blackberry) "to collect my 50gp, spend half of it on supplies as these goblins wish and bring it out to meet us so they can let me go."

Blackberry ponders.  "I don't mind contributing to the less fortunate, in fact I think it's commendable.  But isn't this a short-term fix at best?  Even letting your tribe keep the whole sledload of iron isn't going to solve the long-term problem.  Izobai, you cannot lead your tribe into a situation where they are permanently dependent on handouts from others.  That's not a reliable source, and it will be disastrous if it dries up when you have given up your other options. And neither is salvage and plunder a reliable income source, because eventually merchants and traders will just avoid the routes you attack, or send more guards.  You've got to figure out a way for your tribe to support themselves through industry, trade, agriculture, or move them to a more hospitable climate.  You can have my whole 50gp if you like, but that will run out far too quickly."

Izobai looks at Blackberry quizzically, saying, “I don’t disagree, Rabbit Man. One thing I learned on the sea is the necessity of hard work and cohesion to make the voyage profitable. Perhaps some day, but today we have empty bellies, chilled bones, and little hope. We must survive first if we are to reform.”

Aubin looks at Izobai "Would you accept my companions plan to go back to town and buy your people supplies?

Sabetha explains further:  "Specifically we all return with the iron and the sled to just outside Bryn Shander.  I will remain with you as collateral while the others go into town to collect our reward from those to whom the iron belongs.  They will use part of my payment to buy supplies which they will then bring back out for you.  This assumes no treachery or thievery from you, in which case I think you know you and the other goblins will likely die."

Izobai looks at Sabetha and then addresses everyone, "You drive a hard bargain, very bad, very angry people. But fresh supplies and the chance to cut this voyage short are very appealing. You have a deal. Release my men and they will help you push the iron. We will stop about an hour outside of Bryn Shander. We'll have to go overland. We cannot risk being caught on the road. But with my team and your team pushing in shifts, we should make good time. I'd think about 6 hours to our stopping point. By then I'll have a list for you and you'll have my thanks."

"You," she says, pointing at Sabetha, "ride in this wagon with me. We have things to discuss." She then climbs down from the wagon, opens the door, and yells inside in Goblin. Two goblins climb out of the wagon and then climb into the driver's seat in its front, whips in hand. Izobai waves Sabetha inside.

Aubin unties the goblins and takes back his rope.

Sabetha tries to hide her uncertainty.  She had not really intended to appoint herself as a spokesperson with Izobai.

Back in Waterdeep, there was always someone else to do that.  I was just a spotter.  But we're not in Waterdeep any more, are we...

"You say we are bad and angry, Izobai, yet it was your goblins who attacked us first as some of us were calling out to talk and explain what we wanted.  It is we who called for surrender to minimize bloodshed, and it is we who are now cutting loose the captives we took.  I will ride with you in your wagon for a time, but have little desire to add to the load your captive bears pull.  And my companions," (She looks meaningfully at the rest of the party) "My companions will know something is amiss if I do not exit the wagon within the hour, sound in mind and body, and thus will take it as a sign of treachery."

She makes sure everyone in the party hears that, making eye contact.

"But of course, my lady half-elf," says Izobai, taking a deep bow. "Perhaps half an elf is half as angry?"

Once Sabetha has entered the wagon, the two goblins driving it crack their whips and the polar bears surge forward. The Goblins, as a pack, run back to the sled carrying the iron, waving at you to join them. When you do, you notice Garzuk cutting away the coin purse of the dead Nerguk. If you look at him, he stares back and says, "What? It wasn't doin' him no good."

As you leave, the vivid colors of Auril's Aurora fade away, leaving the night cold, dark, and empty in their wake. Whatever else Auril's actions are bringing to Icewind Dale, it is undeniable that the light she brings in the night is astonishingly beautiful.

Travelling with the Goblins is chaotic. The ones pushing constantly rotate in and out and also constantly scheme to get out of the job. They fake injuries, accuse others of shirking their pushing duties, argue that they should be steering, and on and on and on. Your team also rotates, but in a more orderly fashion, with fewer imprecations regarding each other's parentage. After an hour, the forward wagon stops and Sabetha comes back and joins you. She enters the rotation as well. 

Three hours later, the sky begins to lighten again. The sun doesn't quite rise above the horizon, but its presence is assumed in the late dawn. By now you are all exhausted, but you and the goblins have two hours to get to your stopping point. You hear a horn in the distance and, looking to the western horizon, you see a large herd of reindeer (you think) with figures walking among and behind them. Though you cannot hear the sounds of the herd, you swear you can feel the beat of the many animals through the soles of your feet.

Eventually you come to a halt. All the Goblins climb into a pile to sleep off their work and to keep each other warm. Izobai steps out of the wagon and says, again, to Sabetha, "My lady half-elf, if you like, you can spend the next two hours with me in the wagon, or out here with these idiots. It is your decision." She then walks up to Blackberry, hands him a list, and says, "Feel free to spend it all in one place." She laughs, slaps him on the back, and climbs back up into the wagon.

Sabetha inclines her head respectfully.  "Thank you for the hospitality, my lady, but I will be out here with my peers where I belong, idiots or not."

If the others look too cold and distracted to listen, she will keep quiet.  But to any who seem interested, she will say:  "Izobai described the bleak strangeness and danger of the Icewind Dale, apparently worse than it has ever been.  Rumors of awakened plants and animals, tracks in the snow without a body, devil-worshippers and those driven mad by crystals.  It sounded far-fetched but I tend to believe her.  In these desperate times, she sought an accord with the leaders of the Ten Towns and asked if I thought it was possible.  I responded that I was skeptical and lacked the authority to make accords, but that I will bring it up to Speaker Duvessa Shane and Sheriff Markham Southwell of Bryn Shander should I ever have the chance.  Though I do not know why they would listen to me."