"I can do your drinking game. And I can win." The dwarf says as he, the other dwarf, and the human place silver coins on the table. "The first to drain their drink gets all coins on the table." The kobold stops to watch this, entertained. Speed drinking is very popular, and 2 Orcs from another table joins the game as well, placing a silver on the table. (currently 4 silver on the table)

If anyone is playing this game, make a general Constitution check.

• Dwarf: 21 (the one who speaks purple text)
• Human: 7
• Orc 1: 18
• Orc 2: 12

The second Orc chokes at the first sip and collapses to the ground. A medic rushes in and carries him away. Meanwhile, the dwarf and human are already a little drunk, but the first Orc easily drains his drink.

Phait will place 3 silver on the table two as he begins drinking, delving into the magic within for aid.

[[ Using Tides of Chaos for advantage on the ability check. ]]

Constitution Check: max(4,19) + 4 = 23

Everyone is shocked as you drain your drink. (Assuming no one else in the party rolls higher, you get all 4 silver). Does the party do anything in this moment of distraction?

Cunning apparently watches the drinking with amusement, this is something he's seen many times before.

In reality, he watches whatever else is going on, just in case.

The bar is all calm and normal other than this drinking game.

Fuego:

Having only had a few moments to look in the pack before the kobold started reaching for it, Fuego realizes someone else in the party already has the bag.  He whispers to Thrudor, “Pull out the scarlet letter and drop the bag behind me,” as he walks up to the table.

”I’ll take that bet!” he cries upon reaching the table, then grabs a brew.  Taking a giant gulp, he only holds it in  moment before his eyes start to roll back and he stumbles away, tripping over something and falling down with foam streaming from his mouth in the corner…but the bag he tripped over is now placed more or less exactly where the kobold dropped it as he was getting into the argument with his friend.

Looking abashed, Fuego slinks back to his table and wipes up his face while Phait collects his winnings.

Deception if needed:  25

The deception is flawless. I'm assuming Thrudor did as he was told, grabbing a sealed envelope with a faded scarlet color. There's a cursive letter Q stamped on the front in bold black ink.

The kobold looks for his bag and sees it on the floor, suspecting nothing. He picks up his bag. The human is a bit drunk, but does he remember he wants to see the kobolds letter? Wisdom 15.

The human forgets, and the kobold's group starts leaving the bar, completely unaware that the letter was taken. Mission accomplished. A woman comes in wearing a normal black dress, but Titus, Cunning, and Thrudor recognize her is the witch who wanted the letter.

Titus watched the kobold's group leave, then exhaled. They'd actually pulled it off. He chuckled to himself at the absurdity of their antics' success.

He approached the old woman, still smirking. "We may not be the neatest about it," he said to her, still keeping his voice low, "but we get the job done." He motioned towards Thrudor as he casually finished his ale.

Fuego:

Once the kobold and his allies leave, Fuego perks up and walks over to Cunning, saying, "A pleasure to serve you, Worker Cunning.  Have I earned my horn back yet?"

Phait suppresses a light chuckle as he packs away the 4 silver. He'd only met these people a few minutes ago and already life was starting to get a lot more interesting.

When Titus approaches the old woman he hangs back for the moment. Though he takes a glance at Cunning, thinking he might approach after Fuego and him finish their business.

The witch walks over to Thrudor and looks at the letter. "I must say I'm impressed. Give me the letter and I'll give you this." She holds up a small censer made of dark bronze. "I do not need this, take it." She places the censer on the table. "There is no limit on how much you can open this. Just be careful what you let Hiscrit do. Hiscrit is your Dust Mephit servant that lives in this censer. He can be a bit mischievous."

Note: You still have the quest of traveling to the Twilight Waters. You may also do anything else you like in this town.

Quote from Scott_R_Simmons >>

Fuego:

Once the kobold and his allies leave, Fuego perks up and walks over to Cunning, saying, "A pleasure to serve you, Worker Cunning.  Have I earned my horn back yet?"

 "That depends on whether you stop giving me titles. My name is Cunning; not master, worker or any other appellation, just Cunning." He winks and hands the horn over.

Fuego:

Bowing again, Fuego takes the horn gratefully and stands up straight.  “Thank you, Cunning, for the return of the horn and my freedom.”

Turning to the others, he says, “I…uh…find myself many leagues from my home and many years from the time that is familiar to me.  Might I accompany you all for a while until I sort out what my purpose is here?”

Thrudor holds the letter a moment "What was so important? I still do not know if you are the good or bad....The Kobold and group spoke of a package. The package have anything to do with this neverending winter? I have many questions before I give the letter over." Thrudor looks at the others wondering if they are in agreement with him or not.

"I have many, many rivals. That was a group of rogue smugglers. I have done the world a favor. As for whether I am good or bad..."

Thrudor

She begins laughing cruelly in her low, raspy voice. "Give me the letter, child. It's not your concern."

Quote from Scott_R_Simmons >>

“I…uh…find myself many leagues from my home and many years from the time that is familiar to me.  Might I accompany you all for a while until I sort out what my purpose is here?”

Titus gave a friendly smile and a shrug. "Sure, why not? You did good. And if you've got some magical talent--which you appear to--we could definitely use it."

Quote from Antlan >>

"What was so important? I still do not know if you are the good or bad....The Kobold and group spoke of a package. The package have anything to do with this neverending winter? I have many questions before I give the letter over." Thrudor looks at the others wondering if they are in agreement with him or not.

 

As the fighter met Thrudor's gaze, he simply shrugged again, no longer smiling. It was true they didn't know much about this woman... but they had few other leads. It was a risk either way, and since he wasn't the one holding the letter, he wasn't going to sweat it; it was much easier to not worry and just take out whoever DID wind up turning on them.

Phait comes over to Cunning and whispers in his ear, "I assume the lady is the one with whom you made a deal?" He pauses for a moment, taking in her manner of speaking, "Seems like a hag of some sort if you ask me. That censer must be quite the prize." He waits in anticipation to see if Thrudor will hand over the letter or if things will escalate.

Thrudor still conflicted "You want the letter...What was the package they are going to deliver or pick up? I feel as though we should be concerned with that too....I have not read the letter but if it has to do with the winter, I would like to read it first"