Takes a drink. "This is--different. I don't quite know what to make of it."

Angie takes the drink, but does not taste it. Instead she watches Thokien to see how it affects him. Under her breath she tells him, "Hey big guy, please let me know if you start suffering from any effects that may be caused by poison. Thanks." While waiting for their host to arrive Angie examines the room in more detail.

DM Note: Make a perception check.

Angie's perception = 10

Angie sees a table set for dinner complete with fine plates, mugs, knives, forks, spoons, and a fancy napkin folded neatly in the shape of a swan for each of you. There is a side table holding the tea pot and extra tea inside should you desire more.

After, a few awkward minutes sipping the strange brew Remlaug finally bustles into the room. “My apologies, I did not intend to keep you waiting, but I had to deal with some last minute business with one of my shipments... tedious, I know. Alas how are you all finding Grim Village then? Have a good skeg? A wander around?” the portly man inquires of you.

Angie smiles warmly at Remlaug, "Thank you for your hospitality, sir. We had a very interesting day seeing the sights around your beautiful town. We bought some supplies, had some delish food including a little pickled shark I believe. We also got to meet a holy man performing blood rituals to cleanse the Wildheart and also  the Jarl who implored us to investigate what has befallen the Wildheart. Seems like people are pretty upset about whatever is happening at the Wildheart. We plan on heading out there first thing tomorrow morning to investigate."
Angie perks up as though a thought has just occurred to her. "We're so new here. It still feels overwhelming. You wouldn't happen to know anything about the Wildheart or have any tips for our journey, would you?"

“Well now it seems you have has quite a day! First time in these lands and your eating Hákarl, how brave of you. Tips for your journey is what you need though, eh? Well you’ve come to the right place. I used to use Wildheart as a shortcut to get my goods in and out of Grim Village, but since Wildheart has become... well.. darker than it has been in the past.. I’ve been forced to use the sea.. which I may add is still risky business. That shark you ate my dear.. can grow to be twenty and four feet long.. now isn’t that something!” 

As Remlaug goes into more detail about the shark and its diet, your own dinner of roasted duck, warm beet root salad, toasted gourd, carmelized onions, and smashed potatoes complete with a dark rich rye bread and the richest butter you’ve ever tasted. A choice honey wine is also brought out to replace the milk thistle tea.

DM Note: Make a persuasion check to see if Remlaug will answer your question about Wildheart, or just prattle on about sharks the whole dinner :) 

Angie's persuasion = 16

Remlaugh begins to dig into the mountain of food piled onto his own plate. Between forks full of food he tells you of the Stormlands, “The Stormlands is the most iconic and wild land that often comes to mind when thinking about Trudvang. With roaring rapids, deep and untamed forests, snowy mountain peaks, and treacherous alpines, it is a hard land where nature still rules with a greater power than in other parts of the world. Here one lives in close contact with nature, both in spirit and in labor, as there is no other choice for the people who have decided to live in such extreme environments. The summers are short but fruitful, and the winters are long, barren, and dark. Wildheart is the biggest and wildest of the Stormlands forests you see. It is home to trollkin, fae peoples, and Stormi knows what else. The stories say all manner of treasures and ruins are lost within the confines of its great sea of trees and tangled of underbrush. Wildheart may be dangerous now, but it was once beautiful, so beautiful that Enkin appointed a guardian. This guardian was named Elmtounge and she was as beautiful as Wildheart. Enkin loved to take the form of a great green dragon and roam the forest for fun. But, no one has seen this beauty roaming the forest in quite some time and the forest has become dark perhaps because of this. It must morn, or rage at the loss of its beautiful guardian... at least that is what the stories say.”

"So we find this guardian, everything is fixed?"

“Perhaps, but there may be more to it as no one has left the forest since it has grown dark. We don’t know why, we just know to avoid it... care for dessert anyone? I have blackberry tarts, or apple crumble!” Remlaug says with a warm smile.

"Thank you. Some dessert would be wonderful." Angie says accepting an apple crumble. "This is delicious," she says after taking a large bite. With her tongue, she grabs a piece of crumble lingering in the corner of her mouth. Playfully she says, "Now Remlaug, it seems that you would benefit greatly if we could rectify whatever is wrong with the Wildheart and return it to its previous state of relative safety. That would make trading much safer and easier."

Angie takes another bite of the crumble, letting her fork linger in her mouth. She moans a bit. "This isn't just delicious. This is divine." She says smiling and looking straight into Remlaug's eyes. "You know what else is divine?" Angie casts Light on her fork and suddenly it shines a bright, painfully ugly, magenta. "I am." Angie gives the shining fork to Remlaug. In a serious sincere voice she says, "And my companions and I are your best bet to return the Wildheart to what it was."

"Any aid you can provide us will only increase our chances of restoring the safety and profitability of your company. Don't think of it as a hand out, or charity, or a gift. Think of it as an investment in the future. My companions are strong and capable. And as for me," Angie gestures to the fork and shrugs. "We are your best bet."

“Bravo! Bravo! How splendid you are! All of you! You Angie... must be a true Valkyrie, a warrior angel sent to us by the gods. You Thokein.. a warrior capable of great feats of strength, I am sure. Gobbler, you appear to be a ranger of vast skill! I am sure you could stealthily track even a dire wolf! And you Healer appear to be ready for any situation. Oh! How greatful I am to the gods for sending you.

Restoring Wildheart is indeed important to me.. as it is to the town. Alas... there is something else of greater importance to me, though I can not let that knowledge leave this room. It would ruin me... so I am trusting you to not let anyone else have this information! Many a year ago, I traded for an item of great significance in the north. I came back by way of boat as I had trade to complete elsewhere... but, I sent this object by cart back to Grim Village through Wildheart, not knowing it had become so dangerous. Alas my shipment was lost and that was the last time I used Wildheart as a trade route. But, if you could return the object, I would be eternally grateful.. you may keep whatever other goods are left... I know there were jewels in that shipment. Just bring me the object.. you will know it when you see it.”

Remlaug winks at Angie and twirls the fork between his fingers, before using it to stab a tart. 

Angie nods at Remlaug. "We will do our best to fix the Wildheart and find your missing object, but any aide you could provide would be helpful. Do you know anything more specific about where the shipment was lost or have any advice on traveling to the Wildheart or where to go once we get there?"

“I’m sorry, but I lost all contact once the wagon carrying my goods left for Grim Village. Wildheart has never been mapped out, because it has a way of always... changing. So, even if I had a map of the forest it would do you no good. All I can say is follow the northern route out of town and continue on it until you see the forest. You’ll know when your there.. I’m sure of it. 

As for other aid.. my sources tell me the Jarl is providing you with horses and rations. But, I do have a small gift that may be of use to you. With that he reaches into his shirt and pulls out a chain. On it is a tiny green bottle. He removes the chain and hands it over to Angie. This was very expensive and hard to acquire my dear.. use it wisely.”

You take the bottle from Remlaug and pop the cork which is attached to the chain. Inside is a cloudy green fluid that smells of the sea and has a jellyfish-like bubble floating in it. It is a Potion of Water Breathing.

Angie places the chained potion around her neck and makes a show of laying the potion on her skin under her scale mail bodice. "This is a very generous gift and much appreciated. Thank you. We will do our best to retrieve your object and make the Wildheart safe for transporting goods once again." Angie gestures to the table and the fine room. "And thank you for hosting this marvelous dinner. It really was divine."

Remlaug leans back and watch’s Angie tactlessly. He licks blackberry off of his fingers and sips mead from his cup slowly, before replying, “It was a mere trifling compared to what you are doing for a village of people whom you don’t even know. It is I who should thank you my dear. Now I am afraid I must get back to my study to finish some business.  Stay as long as you like, drink more mead, one of my servants will show you out when you are ready.”

Angie turns to her companions, "Well this certainly has been an eventful day. I bet I'm not the only one who, only last night, could not guess that I would be sent to another world and sent on a quest to return order to an acient and mysterious forest. Divine and quasi-divine entities sure do operate in confounding manners." She takes a deep contemplative breath. "So, I say we go to the Jarl's place and find out where we are lodging for the night. Sounds like we have a long and dangerous journey before us. We should probably get a good night's sleep. Any objections?"

Yawning and relaxed after the meal, "Sleep sounds good."