Storm King's Thunder + Against the Giants

Grathart shakes his head, giving permission, "In rough times, nature provides well needed comfort", Grathart will dig around in his pouch for coins, "Blasted coins, come 'ere, ahh" he pulls out a gold coin and hands it to the innkeeper, "Bring ale for my companions here too"

Ren returns the act of kindness by giving Thwip that nice piece of scrimshaw he bought in Bryn Shandar. "It's not much, definitely not a gift as worthy as this small mechanical wonder, but take it and maybe make some wonder out of it. I'm sure you can, Ironbottom, you're a genius!" Ren takes his leave of Thwip and walks towards the inn.

He knew it. There was something wrong. But this, this is way more than even he expected. All the Giants! Without realizing it, Ren was walking in circles in the middle of this small town. Pacing and letting his mind wonder. Dare he share this information with his new friends. Fighting a tribe of Giants was one thing, but all of them! Still pacing, still circling Ren was starting to lose it. It was too much. There was nothing he could do to stop them. He was as powerless now as he was when he left his home. But this time, it's just not his families legacy on the line, it is the entire world. 

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!?!?!?!? WHY? WHY? WHYYYYY?" Ren starts yelling at the sky, tears coming down his face. It was too much. The noosphere was overpowering him, feeding into his despair. He fell to his knees and fell into the noosphere. 

*It's too much. It's too much. It's too much.* He falls further to the ground even further, begging the source, opening his mind to all things and coming up empty handed.

He wipes the tears away from his face and makes for a dark corner alley. Get a grip, Ren. Get a grip. But the power of the mystic didn't come from sanity. He could feel it's slip again. He had to figure this out before his mind was too far gone. Before anyone realized that he was a danger to this world. He straightened out his robes and walks towards the smells of warm food and the sounds of laughter coming from good drinks. He walks in and sees his friends and sits down, quietly and doesn't say a word. 

Mil the innkeeper brings chickens and ale to the heroes' table.

Then Sirac asks a question to this group of strange friends: "What would you do in my position? Would you hide from your past? Or would you deal with it, even if doing so means a certain death?"

(OOC - Erakas would love to answer Sirac but he's still out wandering the streets looking for Master Brightshield)

Erakas, once on the street indicated by Mil, notice the smith, the only building in the zone with a column of smoke coming out of a chimney. Master Brighthelm is a quite polite, bald and with a black beard. The latter would be grey, a colour more appropriate for his age, if not for the furnace soot covering it entirely. " Good Morning Master Dragonborn. You need my services?"

OOG Sorry for the delay ;-)

"Indeed...Master Brightshield.  I was wondering if you could help me out.  I have this..." he pulls out the remorhaz skull " and I'm wanting to wear it in to battle but in its current form its a bit uncomfortable."  he puts it on his head and grins.

(OOC - no worries - I figured you missed it - more important story arcs going on with all the sneak sneaky intrigue etc I can't wait to get to Luskan!)

"You killed a polar worm?? On your own?" The blacksmith's eyes are widely open.

Marshmellow snorts at Master Brightshield

"Alone? no, I travel with several companions, and we encountered this on the way here from Ironmaster."

"Still, an impressive task. They are particularly famished this time of the year. All right, then. I definitely can make an helm out of this. An helm worth of Moradin blessing, I say. You can pass by tomorrow, halfway through the morning? Is 20 pieces of gold an affordable price for you?"

(OOC - I am so bad on keeping track of what monetary loot we've gotten - but I'm guessing I've got at least 20gp? I think we got gems worth at least that from someone?)

"Seems a fair price indeed, my friends and I are in town for the night, I'll stop on our way out tomorrow."  he shakes the dwarfs hand and gives him money. "I bid you a good day Master Brightshield, may Moradin's blessing shine upon thee and may Dumathoin share his secrets with you." he bows.

After, Erakas and Marshmellow make their way back to the Yawning Bear where they see most of the rest of their party and join them.  Marshmellow plops down and curls up with Snowfall and starts snoring.

"I see you've gotten settled in"  he signals the nearest barmaid and orders an ale and a plate of food.  He sits down next to Sirac. "Ren, I assume you've concluded your business then?  Have you learned anything more?"

OOG well I remember that the dwarf in Ironmaster gave each one of you a gemstone worth 100 gp. so you have enough. But you still have the treasure from the frost giant battle....Keeping track of treasure....kind of difficult right now...Phase 2 where are you? :-)

(OOC - yeah we're running out of month for Phase 2 - since they said it was going to be this month hehe - at least I've got enough to cover then we're good.  Problem I fear with the new character sheets is that it will probably only have access to the free stuff like the rest of Beyond - which means things from like Volo's and SCAG won't be there at first anyway - hopefully UA stuff is at least.)

Grathart looks to Sirac, "Deal with it..." he says then he looks away, his gaze drifting off into the fire, "...I lost my family when I was young, very young, don't miss your chance to do right by yourself, even if it means you look Kelemvor right in the eyes."

Sirac nods silently to Grathart's words, some thoughts running through his mind.

"What's troubling you so Sirac?" Erakas asks "We'll get you to Luskan soon enough and we'll get to the bottom of this business with the giants." he claps Sirac on the back.

"I just.....I just would like to understand my father's actions, that's all. And preferably, with no giants knocking at my door..."

"Well I'm afraid, unless your father's still around, it may be difficult figuring out why he did what he did.  And why the giants are just now looking for him."

Ren takes a deep draw of the offered pipe. Then again. Then again. After a moment he felt the tabac mix doing its work, infusing in him a sense of calm. Exhaling a cloud of smoke Ren looks at Nalla and says, "Yes." 

He passes the pipe back and looks around the room. There was something happening, a conversation that he should pay attention to, but what's the point now? This was bigger than some stupid ring from some "long, lost adventurer". Or even his kin. He looks at Erakas, "They're coming. All of them. Every race of Giant. Not just the Frost Giants. All of them. Up and down the Sword Coast and all over the North. I don't know why and we don't know how. But there it is. This is the path we have started down." Ren stands up, a little lighter on his feet than he is used to.