Dathyra hesitated, the relic still in her hands. She slowly started to put it away. "From the letters we have found, we do think that one of his 'trades' involves some very unsavory business. We believe he has been trapping...and killing...innocent travelers for his nefarious purposes. As to the undead figures, we've only encountered a few to serve as guards to dissuade prying eyes. These relics were found inside them, used to replace the heart. Judging from these, and similar symbols found with his new associates, it may be a cult devoted to a malevolent god, though who exactly, I cannot say. Kelbin, I know that this is upsetting, and it is possible that Arlen may have discovered his secret by chance and is suffering for it, but we cannot raise too much of an alarm yet. If Kristoff knows someone is on to his scheme, he may do something drastic."

Kelbin excuses himself with a promise to be right back - his shocked look replaced by one of determination. When he returns several minutes later, he has a book in one hand and several pouches in the other. He tosses one bag to Mijira and Jodon, and two bags to Dathyra. "Thirty gold to each of you as promised for information on the matter; the extra bag is for your missing companion. Now, let's see if my memory serves me as well as it used to." Kelbin takes his place on the edge of the couch again, thumbing through the book in his hands. Halfway through the small tome, he stops on a sketched image of triangle sporting three teardrop shapes. "I believe this is your symbol. It says here that this is the unholy symbol of the Lady of Poison, Talona - a goddess. I knew I had seen that symbol somewhere before, although beyond that I don't know anything more about this Talona. She is only mentioned the once, briefly in this text."

"Thank you," begins Jodon, accepting the bag, "but we are not giving up on your friend, nor Kristoff."  He looks to his companions for confirmation, but continues regardless, as much to them as to Kelbin.  "If he can be brought back, corrected, we must do so."  To Dathyra he asks "Does your faith know anything of this Lady of Poison, or what her devotees might do, or what patterns or rites they might follow to seek her favor?  Anything that might help us anticipate their location or next attempt?"

"I will not rest until Kristoff has answered for his crimes and anyone else he has kidnapped has been liberated. Maybe the purpose of the bottles in the note are for poison. That is a coward's weapon. Do you need silver to make poison?"

Dathyra nodded, some recognition of the name coming back to her. "A goddess of disease and plague. Her worshippers are sometimes known to experiment in finding new illnesses or poisons, either for their own amusement or to do serious harm to others." It was a rare occasion back in Sundabar, but she had encountered only one or two victims of the devotees' wicked experiments. "This may indeed be a much bigger problem, depending on just who it is Kristoff is selling his product to, and just what this product does, but it is an abomination nonetheless. Thank you, Kelbin. I think we should get back to Holg and prepare for our return to Kristoff's manor. If we can prevent any more deaths, we had better do it sooner rather than later."

Jodon nods at Dathyra's words, and restrains himself from trying to fix things, starting with a picture hanging crookedly on the wall over her shoulder.

Mijira says to Kelbin, "I did not mean to upset you. Sorry." It wasn't like her to trust anyone she didn't know, and she still didn't, but these companions of hers seemed to trust Kelbin. Her situation was way out of her comfort zone.

Kelbin thanks Dathyra and asks her to convey his thanks to her missing friend while adding a sincere, "Be careful." He assures Mijira that everything is alright, and he asks Jodon, "Do you like the clock? Sometimes I come here to listen to it's rhythm. It helps me think."

Jodon smiles and says "truly, I have never heard its equal.  I hope to hear it again, with your friend in tow."

Kelbin smiles at Jodon and replies, "That day cannot come soon enough." He sees the party to the front door and wishes them well wherever their journey takes them. Leaning up against the front of his home watching the party depart, he lights up his pipe hoping for the best. His eyes shift from each of the three, very different, companions praying that each of them find a way to stop the madness Kristoff has created.

Some time later, the party finds themselves entering the Tapped Keg in search of their bard companion. Hugo gives a warm greeting, seeing the trio return, but his attention is quickly turned away, as the tavern is busy for midday meals.

Jodon does not immediately espy Holg, and says apologetically to his two companions, "might as well make myself useful again, and see if any patrons need some assistance.  I'll stay in the main room this time, though, and keep an eye out for our group forming up.  Our band is my first priority, though I find helping people and repairing things addictive."  He chuckles and continues, "I guess you could say I am always looking for a fix."

Dathyra laughed. "I admire your tenacity, Jodon. I really do. I shall try to find Holg for the moment, though. If anyone is going to be able to help us feel prepared, then I think someone with his background is the one to do it. Hopefully, we can devise some sort of strategy. I fear we only were lucky the last time."

Holg was sitting in the corner booth watching the crowd and awaiting for Wendel or the party to return. He had not felt so good that morning but was starting to regain his energy as he finished his meal. It was when he noticed Jodon and Dathyra return that Holg began to wonder what information were returning with. "Hey guys," he bellows across the tavern, waving his arms with excited salutations. "Just in time for some lunch. Anything good from your visit with Kelbin?"

Jodon grins broadly as the shout washing over him, and joins the big man at the table.  "Kelbin?  Well, Dathyra and Mijira can tell you more there, but Wendel is full of surprises!  We bumped into him in the market.  He waved us off, but left us this note."  Jodon hands the note to Holg:

"So he was forced into working with Kristoff!  We saved him, and now we can save his brother!  And..." he frowns, and pauses.  "But...taking on many men.  Such tactics are beyond me.  And has Wendel returned to you while we were meeting Kelbin?"

Dathyra took a seat across from Holg. She let Jodon go through his excitable speech and let Holg have a moment to process it before speaking herself. "You're at least eating; that's a good sign. I hope you're feeling much better. Ginger was especially helpful for me when I..." She stopped herself, realizing she couldn't physically bring herself to say what she was about to. The wound of thinking about it still felt fresh, as if it were yesterday, and not two decades ago. "When I was rather ill a couple of years ago. Winter is always horrible for catching a bad stomach illness," she finished, her ears slightly falling, a very clear tell that she was lying. Her family could always spot that easily. "But yes, surely Wendel has come back? I'd feel much better knowing he was safe and away from Kristoff and whoever has cursed him."

Mijira takes a seat beside Dathyra. She remained silent preferring to a back seat to conversations, but a hint of a smile crept up in the corner of her mouth watching Jodon's excitement. The halfling was full of energy, hope and happiness all the time. The dragonborn does say to Holg when she finds an empty space in the conversation, "It's good that you are feeling better." She listened to the tale of their events that day, nodding when it was appropriate, but the mention of the marketplace had her thinking of that huge man again. She didn't fear him, but she didn't think he was going to go down easy either...