BE7s Frozen Sick (IC)

“I agree with Mister Torvil as well, we must make haste so Kitsune has the best shot at making a cure. I am ready for the most speedy approach to find this merchant and get down to the bottom of this once and for all.”

Akira removes her cloak, carefully folds and rolls it up tightly and places it in her bag. She ensures her hair is in a solid platt and is prepared for a race against the clock.

Once Akira is physically ready for the next leg of their journey she takes a few moments to meditate and mentally prepare for the journey. Eyes closed only for a brief moment, she takes one last deep breath, opens her eyes, and is ready to get a move on.

***It is currently mid-morning.  The sky remains gray, spitting the occasional flurry, but it's frigid wrath has played out.  The land is blanketed in deep, fresh snow.  Wading through it is no easy feat.***

"This snow is against us" Kitsune says, her voice catching on the biting wind as she sinks shin-deep into a drift.  "Treading in Torvil's wake might be our best option to save our strength."

***If the party is leaving, gimme a perception check from everyone.  I also need a d12 roll, but just one; first come, first served.***

Kitsune's perception check: 18

DM's requested d12 roll: 3

Torvil perception check : 21

The path back to Palebank Village was brutal.  The snow had ceased to fall, but the wind continued to howl in from the sea.  Torvil got the worst of it, acting as a dwarven plow.  His powerful legs drove forward, albeit at a reduced pace, while his shield opened up a small lane for the rest to follow in.  The return trip took significantly longer, every step a battle of dwarf vs. nature, but eventually the companions reached their destination. 

You make your way to the only other inn in town, the Jolly Dwarf.  It is still early is nearing mid-day when you pull open the sturdy door.  

Inside, warmth struck like a blessing.

The common room was spacious but intimate, with vaulted timber ceilings crossed by dark beams salvaged from old ships. Brass lanterns hung low over polished oak tables, their light reflecting in bottles of colored glass behind a long mahogany bar. Thick rugs from southern kingdoms covered the stone floors, muting footsteps and trapping the warmth from the massive hearths that burned at either end of the room.

The clientele was wealthy by frontier standards: merchant captains wrapped in deep-blue velvet cloaks trimmed with fox fur, dwarven jewel traders nursing dark stouts from crystal-rimmed mugs, naval officers in immaculate wool coats, and the occasional adventurer whose armor had clearly seen ice and storm. Conversations remained low and refined, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter or the crackle of burning pine.

Servants moved quietly between tables carrying platters of buttered crab, smoked salmon, thick chowders rich with cream, and steaming trenchers of roasted root vegetables glazed with herbs and honey.

The air smelled of mulled wine, pipe smoke, sea salt, and and perfumed scent of upscale society.  

Two male humans and two tiefling children laugh among themselves as they enjoy a meal together in a corner table.  

Several well manicured eyebrows raise at your entrance.  Fresh out of the wilds, clothing and armor splattered with blood, you make quite the sight.  A well mannered, yet somewhat flustered, half elf ushers you to a table near the corner, mostly blocked from the entrance by the other patrons.  From your seat, you overhear the human males discussing plans for the immediate future which include seeking out trade, particularly if they can locate any relics from Eiselcross.  

Within moments a server attends to your needs.  2 GP will cover a meal and a drink for the party.  The special of the day is a steaming platter of vice-grip crab claws.  The blue shelled crustaceans are highly prized for their delicate flavor and almost comical oversized claws, well claw to be more specific.  The strange bottom dwellers had one stunted claw and one giant one.  The meal is served with a salad consisting primarily of dried sea weed.  Bits of smoky bacon, crumbled goat cheese, and a sweet dressing complimented the natural salt in the local aquatic vegetation.