You make your way to the Town Hall. When you arrive, you are quickly ushered in to see the Sheriff. "Naraeld, were you able to find this killer? And where are the people you accompanied?"

The wolf is clearly lying, although you'd guess that there is truth to some of what it says. Two of your peers did go missing, after all, and they may yet live. But the rest, you believe, is a tale told to get you to go with the wolf unwarily. It seems that the dogs were telling the truth of the matter.

As you stealthily make your attempt to hide, a memory comes, unbidden. You are in the academy once again, your teacher drilling you on maintaining stealth and fluid grace as you make your way across the floor. Gwebona is there as well, shivering with the cold, but grinning at the two rabbits she was able to catch for dinner. Snow is falling in the training hall and Gwebona speaks to you in your tutor's voice, "Again, girl! I'll not have you move as a great lumbering beast at the dance."

"You may have noticed that I can speak and reason in a way that many animals cannot. This is the gift of the giant, through a means that I do not understand and I do not wish to lose it. If I just ran off, he would take it away. I believe that we must simply kill him. But, alone, I am not powerful enough. As for assurance, I'm afraid that I have no way of providing that, but the human children will not survive much longer. If you wait for assurance, it will surely be too late for them."

Aubin calls out to the wolf and begins to walk toward it. It growls menacingly. "Go back to your camp. If you want talking, my brother will provide." The hackles on the back of the wolf's neck go up and he crouches down as if preparing to spring. Sabetha, he seems to want you to return to your camp and talk with his brother. He also seems willing to attack if you attempt to do otherwise.

Sabetha does NOT lower her weapon, keeping her distance from the wolf and laterally in a different direction than Aubin so the wolf would have to choose one or the other to pounce on.  She speaks to Aubin in dwarvish, her voice harsh and cold.

"The last people who went willingly with the Winter Wolves were slain, their sled dogs running back in a panic.  This one is ready to attack us if we do not return as it asks.  These are the actions of an enemy, not a friend.  We have allies at camp, but there may also be at least one more wolf there."

She remains on knife's edge to attack, circling around to the other side of the wolf.  This excludes Aubin from the 15' aura of her scarf, but she finds she no longer cares.  If Aubin is insistent on returning to camp as the wolf says, she keeps her distance and follows along with them, keeping lateral distance and watching them closely while looking for traps and ambushes in the surrounding area.

Sabetha Perception:  18

Naraeld salutes as he approaches Markham, presenting his report quickly and accurately, "Sir, the mercenary Sephek Kaltro was found, unfortunately in his attempts to flee lethal force was necessary. Upon death his body vanished along with his weapons, which appeared to be magically forged of ice. One of my companions was taken woefully ill which forced my early return to Bryn Shander, and allowed me this opportunity to apprise you of the situation. The others proceeded on to Dougan's Hole to round up some mercenaries and sleds after an alarming set of incidents..." Naraeld's tale recounts the events from their entry into Good Mead, the encounter wiwith the Verbeeg lair, and the atrocities that followed. As he begins to recount the battle in the Mead hall, he leaves out no details about his companions, "Though I do not think the situation could have been resolved peacefully, Sabetha's aggression left no other option, and Aubin's actions when Jotann offered a reprieve ensured that there could only be one outcome." He continues on, highlighting Blackberry's efforts to save folk and his own fall at the magic of their enemy. He recounts his dogged steps towards the healer's hut, "I moved to protect Elk Running, fearing that Auril was behind the anarchy, and that was where I encountered Sephek attempting to murder her, and was for the second time felled in battle." The final recounting of their chase and the ending of Kaltro is told without emotion, just facts and actions. He mentions the supposed ties to the Zhentarim but leaves the possibilities the branch from that for Markham to ruminate upon. His report finishes with his return home, and the need to replace his armor before setting off once more, after confirming to Hlin that her quarry is no more. "I believe that taking Elk back to the stones will foul at least one of Auril's plots, and maybe bring the she-elf some peace, or return her to our cause."

He concludes his report, awaiting the words of his commander and friend.

25 - Sabetha channels her anger at the wolves, the situation, and the deceitfulness of the world into an attack, quick as lightening. Almost before the Wolf is aware of the danger, she scores a lengthy slash along its flank, followed by a jagged wound made by the horn on her head, made rotten by an aura of dark energy. The wolf huffs loudly in pain and Sabetha's dark scarf gains a stripe of dark crimson.

(Mallifeva, you are up)

The Sheriff frowns at Naraeld's report. "I suppose I'm glad that the killer will bring no direct harm to others, but if someone is cheating the lottery in Bryn Shander, they need to be brought to justice as soon as possible. If word got out, there could be chaos in the streets. I need you to go talk to Hlin when you leave here and ask her why she came to suspect cheaters in the lottery. Please keep it quiet. If you get me something I can send men to investigate, you are free to go help your friend at Dougan's Hole."

"There is also the matter of the Zhentarim. This is not the first time they have tried to interfere in Ten Towns business. Tying them to Targos makes the most sense, as I believe the Speaker there, Naerth Maxildanarr, is one of their agents. I haven't been able to find proof, but I may need you to pay him a visit after you return. Perhaps he'll let something important slip and we'll be able to pin him down."

"Thank you for the report. I know that you are disappointed that you weren't able to turn Sephek Kaltro in for justice, but it is better he is gone rather than active. We can only do what we can do. Go on now, replenish your suppies, and interview Hlin."