The Grassblade nods as she absorbs the decisions your characters are making, listening carefully to Carina's summarization. "Got it. I will tell Elro all of the information you've gathered so far — and see how he'd like to handle these bandits," Mila responds, pulling the main burglar towards her with a firm hand on the rope. She tries her best to put on an intimidating show, but the Elven woman has a naturally friendly and well-meaning face to match her good-natured heart. No matter, the group of Hulil's bandits would be in their village leader's custody soon enough.

Mila gestures again in the direction your characters will need to head for Croaker Cave. "There will be a shop along the way to purchase equipment, should you need to. But something tells me you all will fare just fine," the Grassblade tells you, giving you all a warm smile as she gathers the bandits into a defeated procession to bring before Elro Aldataur. "Good luck to you all, alright? I believe you can find the cure." With that, Mila tugs on the binds of the group of Elves and leads them away, leaving the party standing out in the snow to make for the cave.

Carina thanks Mila and checks and tightens the ropes binding all five bandits carefully one last time before departing.  She gives the bandit leader an apologetic shrug.  As if to say, sorry friend, but maybe don't struggle against your bonds and make veiled threats next time.

At the shop, Carina waits for any who wish to purchase warm weather clothing, snowshoes or crampons, already having them herself.  She does look to see if there is a Climber's Kit on sale and if so speaks up:  "If Croakers' Cave is a frozen cavern, possibly with crevasses and ice cliffs, should we pool our gold and buy a Climber's Kit between us.  We may have enough if we all pitch in.  Perhaps Elro will reimburse us if we succeed."

(Edited to add, based on Taiga's post below:  Carina also offers to contribute five gold pieces towards the shared purchase of a Climber's Kit).

"You might be right, Carina," Taiga concedes. "In principle, there should be a fair route into the cave but we don't know if we have to deviate from it at some point, or even how we continue from there. I can spare 5 gold towards the purchase of a climber's kit." In the shop on the way, she will also buy snowshoes and crampons as suggested. 

"Sure, I suppose it couldn't hurt." Says Brix as he contributes a couple coins himself.

"Aye, best be prepared." He hands over his bag of coins (10G).

Elbert hands over his 10gp towards the climbing gear but he doesn’t bother with any other purchases, believing that his knowledge of the local wilderness will allow him to bypass any areas of troublesome terrain, deep snow, etc.

”Aye, I know the way,” he replies simply to Ragnus. Before disappearing to collect his hunting trap prior to heading off on the shopping trip. 

He doesn’t enter the shop, instead waiting outside, sipping from his wine skin.

Carina takes five gold from each party member (including herself) to buy the party Climber's Kit, assuming it is the usual price of 25gp.  So Elbert and Ragnus each get five gold back from the ten they had offered.

Attempting not to let her own apprehension about trekking into the frozen wastes show, she hands Elbert the Climber's Kit.

"Lead on."

Once the party has finished purchasing their equipment, Elbert takes the helm in leading your characters in the direction of Croaker Cave. Following a well-trodden trail north of Palebank Village — which is eventually dusted over by the layers of fresh, fallen snow — the Ranger guides the party towards the shores of the Frigid Depths. As the adventurers draw closer to the entrance of the cave, the evergreen trees become more and more sparse until you have nothing to cover you besides the snow drifting down from the cold sky.

Here, through paths in the blanket of snow, you see the sight of frequent tracks where bandits have been coming and going. However, there is no sign of patrols or guards anywhere outside the entrance of Croaker Cave. Beyond said entrance, a plume of smoke rises from a natural chimney in the ground and climbs into the sky. The only clear entry point within your sight is Croaker Cave's main entrance, an opening that yawns about forty feet before you and leads into the dark depths of the underground. What will you do?

“Does one of you know what we will be dealing with here?” Taiga stops near the entrance. “Are these croakers some sort of larger frogs or what? Somehow I expect to find a lot of them if the cave is named like them but I don’t see anything moving.” 

Does Elbert know anything about these “croakers”?

Nature: 22

Having never entered the bandit's lair himself, Elbert has yet to encounter the 'croakers' firsthand. However, residing in and hunting for Palebank Village has given the Ranger ample whispers of the giant frogs that live within. The cave is named for the giant ice frogs that dwell in its depths, which have driven most of the residents of Palebank to avoid the cave entirely. He's heard that they're dangerous.

"I'm not sure how well they hide, but, if we approach with caution, perhaps we are able to surprise them or even set a trap to lure them in," Taiga suggests. "I carry a hunting trap. It needs setup and we need to get them to move onto it but if it catches one, it might take that one out."

"When we had to draw out goblins from caves, we'd use bait. Don't seem like we got any goats here though, not that croakers necessarily eat goats... hmmm... anyone able to craft an illusion of some flies?" Ragnus grins while tugging on his beard.

Rel smiles at Ragnus.  "Ordinary frogs eat flies, do they not?  I suspect these giant croakers prefer something a bit more substantial..."

She waves her fingers to cast Minor Illusion and a still, noiseless image of the bearded dwarven paladin appears, hefting his battleaxe and wearing Urgon Wenth's dwarven splint mail.  The spitting image of Ragnus.  "Do you think something like that would work as bait?  I cannot move it or make a sound without the original image disappearing, however.  But I could make the sound of footsteps and follow it with such an image to draw them out."

Ragnus let's out a guffaw as he sees an image of himself appear. "Ha! Quite cheeky aren't ya? Might scare em off and save us tha trouble."

Carina gives Ragnus a wink.  "True, true.  Though we wish to lure them into a trap, not send them running only to attack us later."

She casts Minor Illusion again, switching the test image to one of herself, shield donned and black warhammer in hand.

Turning to Taiga and Elbert, she asks:  "Can you set a trap with a lure like that once we are in the cave?  I cannot combine the image with sound, though.  Brix, do you have a way to add an audible component to our ruse once we set it?  Maybe the sound of shuffling feet on ice to make it seem more real?"

"Oh sure! I'd be happy too! Hmmm... let me see..." Brix squeezed his right eye tight, tilts his head to the left, and taps his chin with a stubby finger. Suddenly, he snaps to attention while stabbing the air in front of him. " Of course!! I think I can even lead the illusion a bit! Draw them out instead of surprise them! That way maybe they follow it instead of attack! Vulnerability in the illusion will keep them off guard! Maybe a limp?. As the young gnomes mind begins to scheme, the ideas pour out of him in an excited tirade. "I can even come with!" He says with a mischievous grin. Despite the grave nature of the situation he had a hard time containing his excitement when adventure was afoot. The thought of getting to play a trick only delighted his gnome soul all the more.

Digging into his touch he pulls out two acorns. "Now, When I roll these acorns into the opening you cast your illusion and add it to mine. It'll be as you said, A scraping of wounded feet on snow and ice. An image of myself will accompany you. Leading you into the depths. Our armored friends should sneak in behind to see what has been drawn out. I leave your approach up to you. With the attention of any guards drawn inward you should have the element of surprise!" 

He looks to each party member in turn judging their readiness.

“But are they just waiting at the entrance? Well, we can try. Should we also look for a location to set up the hunting trap? I don’t think it is really intended for big creatures but perhaps it snares it somewhat.”

"Fair enough."  Carina taps a finger on her lips in thought.  "Perhaps Brix and I just continue creating our illusory images and sound ahead of us a short ways as we go, hoping that if there is an ambush from the frogs or the bandits, they attack the illusions first instead of us."

"If Hulil and her associates hail us, we can emerge and converse normally, with the illusions having been an obvious precaution.  But if there is an ambush, we ourselves fall on the ambushers.  The burglars indicated that only they could allow us passage past the croakers, so I expect the latter."

"I could just send them a short message saying we're here to help." Says Brix a little dejected at the possible idea of not pulling of the ruse.