Rose and everyone else fails to find anything of worth except maybe the blankets and pillows in the area before leaving. It looks like just another resting room. Paavu, ever impatient, presses forward, walking through the abandoned main hall. Doors stand closed to the north and south, with a crumbling mound of rubble partially obscuring the southern hall. To the east, a broad corridor ends in two more doors leading south and east. The corridor is cluttered with dusty rubble and fallen plaster from a partial collapse of the ceiling overhead.

Moving across it, it was almost eerie. Had this been in another world, with less magic and monstrosities... this place would be a spot people would go to challenge their fear. His footsteps echoed across the hall, but Piyu was shaking but.. not any more or less than usual. She was still terrified of what could happen to her should she somehow '**** up.' The cold air here was harsh, with the wide open door letting in all the wintry midnight air, and without a single source of flame . Stones crunching beneath the Goliaths footsteps. The wind outside picking up, not that Paavu would care, and Burgee keeping the sphere f blindness ahead of them, controlling the winds around it. But the rest was a weak torrent of chilled wind.

Anyone passing through the hall except Paavu And Ja'ree must make a DC 10 CON save, or suffer 1 hours worth of frostbite level 1 (same as Poisoned)

Paavu making his way through the northernmost door, it expanding into yet another tower.  In this room, are barrels and barrels of supplies. Many of the barrels have rotted. But some are still intact. Old casks of salted meat and sacks of rotting grain fill this storage area. Among the supplies, you see a bloody suit of chain mail, a heavy crossbow, and an unsheathed greatsword with the emblem of Neverwinter worked into its hilt. Other than this, the room is empty, and the only noise is coming from yourselves, and the howling wind outside.

No know... We just hear all fighters to seek intruder outside... Only goblins in clan is cook.. stolen from tribe. All else serve Grol. 

CON SAVE: 8

Cirrus seemed visibly moved by Rose's speech.

Con Sav: 12

 "Paavu not think so. Wench would've sold us out already. She not foolish. As for black spider, that truth went away with Drowess. Away with Grol. Doubt any more know as much as either. But keep eye out." He had replied to Burgee, assuming the Goliath had been included in talks.

As Paavu is later taking in the armor and sword, considering how best to make use of it, Piyu speaking up throws him off guard a second. Although given the nature of the question, he understood -- or at least thought he understood -- the reason for so long a delay. "This is good. Not want deal with more than needed." Paavu admitted to her as he set Piyu down to at least strap the greatsword to his back, and hook the crossbow in place as well.

"Remember... Dwarf mentioning friend's armor. This stuff must be it. We take with. Take the meats to. Grain... Grain we leave." He says to the others before looking down to Piyu. "Paavu.... apologies. Forget that while goblin kin can be tough, only Bugbears have the fur for this weather. When we go back, you make sure to collect blankets for kin. It be a long walk to Phandalin... If Clan wishes to come. See about better life with races that maybe not beat goblin, if Goblin willing to pull weight." Paavu offers her. "Otherwise, we leave here. Not tied up. But stuck, Paavu thinks, with having deal with whoever takes Grol's place. This you decide." The last words are accompanied by the Goliath kneeling down at least closer to eye level with Piyu.

"Paavu not forgetting reward though. But, only recieve if come with. For he cannot stay here once business done." 

(CON Save: 21) 

Burgee hurries quickly through the open hall into the room beyond to avoid the cold. "Still no sight of her? We're running out of rooms..."

He tries to understand what Paavu is saying to the goblin but makes no sense of it. "Is this one being of any use? I still don't trust her." He shakes his head and keeps moving through the room helping to gather anything of use. 

Rose shivers through the cold but bears through it none the less. She was used to winter cold though she was usually better prepared. Looking around the room Rose's hope at finding the map dimmed as she became more and more certain the Drow took the map. But she kept the thought to herself and instead attempted to relieve Burgees worries. The Gobliness is being very helpful thus far my friend. She is far to afraid to mislead us and there are no allies who would save her. With friends like the ones shes been keeping she has no use for enemies. Come. Let's finish searching this castle. Map or no map the sooner we can clear the place the sooner we can return to relative saftey back in town. Rose continues to follow Paavu into whichever room he decides is next.

13 investigation to find something maybe??

Forgot about Jaree 10

 As the intense cold wind blew freely through the exposed hall, it merely licked over Paavu's skin, and Ja'ree's Fur. Burgee seemed more than fine for now. Cirrus, luckily had put on his Redbrand uniform earlier, and thus, most of his body was good. However, his fingers, and eartips, nose, and cheeks felt the frigid air bite into his skin in a painful way. He feels as though, for the next hour, doing anything involving his hands will be significantly more difficult. Gwen suffers similarly, her face, fingers, and such are similarly effected. Her entire body shivering suddenly. B-b-b-b-b-b-loody hell .. Maybe I should have stayed with the others near the fire... If not for this armor.... she shivered even more deeply as her teeth began chattering. She looked to rose with appreciation then.... I might have frozen the rest of me off.... if not for you finding this... Thank you. While her appreciation was sincere, she was clearly in that special pain only ineducable by frigidity. And no I-I- won't go back. Lets finish this quickly......

Once inside the storage portion of the tower, the cold subsided significantly, enough that no one else need worry about the cold outside of annoyances sake. Gwen swiftly closing the door behind everyone once everyone was within the room.

Piyu being set down, catching her off-guard. [Goblin] NOO! No, we no want stay here.. they continue use us.... beat us.. and eat us... We go anywhere not to be here! In the meanwhile, Rose, after responding to Gwen if she did... She would essentially be doing as Paavu had asked.. when she stumbled upon a haversack unceremoniously tossed behind one of the barrels. Inside it seems to be a spider-gem-like trinket inside, as well as a short missive.

Vyerith,

It seems that Iarno's lackeys have caught our unscrupulous duo. They have sent Gundren to Cragmaw as I asked. I need you to retrieve as much information as you can, including the map. Especially the map. If you cannot, make sure it and Gundren are both destroyed. And then meet me in the ruins of Thundertree. Failure is not an option.

Paavu and likely startles Piyu when he claps a hand on her shoulder; not enough to knock her down, but certainly enough to elicit a good jolt. "Then you and yours come with. Find honest work without the whip." He sagely nods. "And place stay away from the hobs and bears. When done, your people take as much of meat here as can take. This we see through. Along with any blankets and clothing we find.... But this shrine to Magubooba or what-have-you... they a kind god? Or one you despise?"

"Aye Rose, you make good points," Burgee says as he thinks back on Lark. While they only just met, Lark seems a fine fellow and certainly put the care of the others before himself with regard to this journey so far.  He looks over at Paavu, and though he still cannot make out the words, catches the tone of his voice and mannerisms as the goliath interacts with Piyu and notes that the goblin wants to be free of this place and is offering no sense of hostilities. "I'll trust you and your judgment lass. You seem to have a knack for finding the good in folk." He gives a smile and softens noticeably.  

Burgee's path to Phandalin was a long one. Starting from childhood, the world had not been kind. His life on the sea taught him to rely on his mates, but always to keep a keen eye out. There had been plenty of good folk, that is certain, but he was always the outsider. Always the Burgee. And then, since the storm... If he'd been an outcast before, the journey through the depths of the seas was no help. Strange incidents happening around him when he was angered, or over joyous. He learned to stay shy of folk, and trust none. But the old woman...She who fed him and nurtured him, shown him how to control his powers. His thumb rubbed a symbol on the driftwood staff. She'd helped him find a purpose at least.

And Era. Oh the gods, he hoped she was safe. She was one of the few souls he'd ever encountered that allowed him to feel completely unguarded. They'd had some times. He gave a brief chuckle. They'd been late on more than one occasion by having a bit too much fun the night before. But she had her own path, her own demons. He wished her well. Burgee looks at Rose and to Gwen and smiles. She is good, he thinks as the darkness of the night falls away from him and he sees the light in the folk before him. "Right you are, Rose. On with the task at hand."

Out of the corner of his eye, Cirrus spies the distinctive symbol at the bottom of the page that Rose found, and rushes over to get a better look. "I've seen that symbol! We found a letter with that same symbol in the Redbrands' hideout dressed to Iarno Albrek. Augh what did it say, what did it say? Something about their nefarious plans, I'm certain. In any case, I've no clue who Vyerith is. Do any of you? It doesn't exactly sound like a goblin name. You all have been mentioning some drow woman, what if Vyereth is her name? And now her mission is to 'destroy' Gundren..." he spaces out for a moment, "how certain are we that Gundren is safe right now? Did the drow woman seem like she could be very sneaky to all of you? Perhaps the means to be unnaturally sneaky? What if she has been managing to avoid us the whole time we've been searching and when we return to Gundren, we will find naught but a pool of blood?"

Rose chuckles a bit at Gwen's expense, not to underplay the seriousness of potential frostbite but more to help her feel relaxed. Hehehe well dear if it's too cold for you I suppose we'll have to find a way to warm you up later on. Rose's little jest was cut short however as she spied the bag and its contents. She had just finished reading it when Cirrus started speaking behind her giving her a start. Calm down Cirrus. Gundren is safe with Dot. She then stops to think on that statement before correcting herself. Well she is safe from the Drow with Dot. As long as he behaves himself. Or she's not too hungry...the final statement said in jest to at least mess with the worrywart a bit. But you're probably right about that name being our Drowess. I'm not sure she would risk returning, though we can't rule it out. But we have a location. Thundretree. Can't say I'm familiar but we can worry about locating it once we are back in Phandalin. I think from this note it's clear our Drow took the map. Why don't we go get the others and start returning. And then see about tracking down the map at this...Thundertree. 

Rose hoped for a moment the ruins of 'Thundertree' would simply be the remains of the tree Burgee destoryed with thunder. But seeing as that was unlikely given the fact that it made no sense at all. She at least hoped it was somewhere between here and Phandalin.

Piyu starts at the slap, feeling the pain of an overly-hard-for-her-body-size high five. Ah.. ow.... she said, whether it was his intent or not, she had been getting beatings, making even normal things more sensitive. Y-you already threaten us. Say you kill and hurt if no listen. You ... she seemed to lose her courage there, afraid that any further defiance.... M-M-Maglubiyet.... He is... very powerful, and to be respected. All goblin serve to make him greater... He is good ..... Only good things to say, yes... she would clam up then, refusing to say more, out of fear of slipping up.

Y-Yeah.... Rrrrose has always had some thing shshshhsshe has that kinda llllets her kkknnow. Her teeth chattering up a storm. And Ssssuuree Rose... Bbut lets think about whatt we neenneed to do here.. fffirts... A... she was about to correct Rose's comment before with a frigid smirk, realizing what she was up to.

Moments later though......

W-wwait.. Did you say Thunder Tree? Errr Thundertree...? That's where we were heading when we were ambushed..... And bbbbrought hhere. I--don't know wwwheere this castle thing is.. but.. Thundertree is fffour days away from Phandalin... at the least... Iiiff we were to go to pphandalin.... that would be alllmost a full tenday trip.... and if you reeeally want to catch that whoire.......

 Paavu huffs at her hesitance, but saw why now beyond any gender standards Piyu had been relegated to kitchen duty. Still, she had answered a question, if albeit in a roundabout way. Though knowing what he knew of the god...

Religion: 13.

Was only enough to warrant a small frown out of the Goliath before having his attention stolen by other discoveries and conversation. "No." He states frankly, as he grabbed a nearby sack, overturned its contents away from everyone(goblin included), and looked to be trying to turn several sacks into a length of makeshift rope to make carrying the armor easier going forward.

To that end, he eventually calls over Piyu's help in the endeavour, having seen her work with knots. But at some during the process he clarifies, "Your team and goblins are not in position to whether journey. Be it straight there, or back to Phandalin alone. Not in this weather. Drow hardly seemed either. Will take time, and require she be careful if to make it... Time we can take advantage of." He glances back to the others on that last note. 

"If Dwarf... Gundren ask if we find map. We tell truth. Tell him also that rushing will only result in death, and us not getting coin. Deadman's promise worthless. We tell him this. Make understand. Or we knock out, and carry back to Phandalin. But Paavu... not lose people on his watch to over ambition. Not again." He looked askance and muttered the last couple of words. He otherwise sounded resolute. They would return with news, make any preparations, and leave for Phandalin, dealing only with whatever scattered search party they needed to.

As the others are mulling it over, Paavu says to Piyu, "When Paavu ask you question. He expects you to speak mind. No need fear death. Though he may cuff you if you lie. Even if only to self." He gives Piyu a warning look. "Even without question from Paavu. Piyu is free to speak mind. No more threats, for Piyu has been helpful... and owed reward too. But not now. Later. Paavu keeps word. Question is... Does Piyu willing to trust word?"

"Perhaps we finish sweeping the castle?  If we don't find the drow, or anything else, maybe we can make it safe enough for a nights rest. Heads will be clearer in the morning," Burgee says. "It may be safer here than out there," he finishes as he nods at Gwen. "Sun will bring a little warmth at least."

"I'm fine either way. I am eager to get Gundren to safety, but I also see the value in checking the rest of the castle, regaining our strength, and leaving when it's warmer."

"You are that paranoid about that drow still being here, huh?" Paavu deadpanned after listening to Piyu's reply(if there was one). "Very well. Though Paavu wish you were more of mind earlier when he suggested the wait, rather than seem like fish now." He said dryly as he looked to Burgee. Even if the goliath had mistaken Burgee for another in that moment, and is told as much, he still wouldn't apologize at the very least. 

"Anycase. We still take meat though, and huddle up in King's room. But, if any have or find things like caltrops to layer the entrances, this would be ideal. Not now, but before rest. Surprise in early returners, yes. Put on guard maybe, but also make them not think straight. Is thought at least." He said before turning to Gwen and Rose for any dissenting opinions. Once it appeared all were relatively in agreement, Paavu scoops Piyu back under an arm. "Now, we go see Shrine, then deal with Lark's snake thing, and then back to goblins to tell good news. Follow Paavu."

Burgee cocks an eyebrow, or he would had he one, at the goliath's statement.  "Hmph", he mumbles. "Do you always need something to be grumpy about Paav?" he asks, slightly under his breath as he follows through to the next room adding in a more direct volume, "Right you are big guy, lead on."

 Piyu just nodded, going along with what Paavu was saying Yes... I understand... We listen and no get cuffed. is way of world. We trust not to kill.... just before getting picked up.

Gwen just watches the back and forth as everyone's decisions seemed to flip flop from before. She didn't really care either way, so long as she survived... Well her and Rose. I don't mean to complain.. bbbut, whatever we're doing, lets get a move-on. If not for this armor Rose got me, I'd likely have frozen to death already.  And as if to accentuate her point, her breaths were coming out in fog-like huffs. Outside, the wind picked up, letting out a moaning dirge, as it seemed like it would soon be blizzard-level conditions outside.

Paavu and Co finally moving into the other room - And Paavu, thanks to lark previosuly, Knew there was a snake-like creature in here, the question was where.... Paavu looked around as the group filed into the room, but unable to spot the threat... Perhaps it had left with the others?  The snake like being lashed out.... Attempting to enwrap Rose within it's tentacles while it attacked her.... But Rose, seeing it, Manages to dodge out of the way as the creature lands in the middle of the party.

Nearby.. A rhythmic drumming can be heard.

Party is up.

"Not right what Paavu meant. But, Paavu help little Pea understand later." He had replied with more tenderness than he's shown... anyone really so far. As for Burgee after, Paavu merely grunted. Whether this was in response to Burgee's question, or for some other reason at the time, it is hard to say. The goliath's apparent attention had already turned towards the proverbial path ahead by that time.

When the creatures lashes out a Rose, a scowling Paavu looked ready to return the favor. But then hears it. A nose over the wind that could not be anything less than what he had come to fear. "For Chauntae's Sake." He growled underbreathe. Yet for all of his apparent anger, he sets Piyu down at least behind himself/away from the creature. "Go to clan. Free them. Have them either meet us in Grol's room, or pretend everything okay and stay in kitchen. Say... Owlbear got loose if questioned about dead goblins. Decide quick and go now." He bade Piyu before he himself drew Grol's morning Star to set to work on the Grick!

 Action: Grol's Morningstar.
To Hit: 20 For: 11 non-magical bludgeoning damage to the Grick.