"Yes, of course. My apologies for that. This is going to hurt a little." Kazri removes the bolt from the bear and touches the area. (She restores 26HP with her Lay on Hands.) "That should make you feel better. Are you able to move now? We should join the others."

(Sorry, I thought that I posted the healing already.)

Kazri heals the bear and eases his pain.  The bear is very grateful and then follows Kazri out of the cave.  As you approach the others he side eyes Chill and won't go near him.  But doesn't do anything threatening towards Chill either.  

Gathered back as a group Kazri has a chance to explain what is going on with the bear (Feel free to play it out, but I'm going to move the story along as well)

As you head back towards the town the chwinga motions that it want so to come along and pantomimes to Gorrah that it wants to ride.

As you pass by the spot where you had discover the remains of the five militia members, who look like they were clubbed to death.

The bear then speaks These were killed by the ogre, I heard them talking about it.  The ogre was pretty proud of himself for killing five.

Soon enough you reach the edge of the woods near the town.  Yogobor the bear won't leave the trees but is willing to wait there.

The Chwinga also does not wish to leave the woods or to enter the town.  

Gorrah more than happily obliges the chwinga, and just before take off proudly splayed out her wings and let out a little roar of triumph. Rhogar just shakes his head and chuckles softly in amusement. In fact, between the little display and seeing Kazri seeming to have garnered a new ally, the Dragonborn's mood had improved considerably by the time the group eventually reach the bodies.

The Dragonborn cannot help but grimace at the news. But had neither the heart or delusions to counter the bear's claims. So he hung back staring at the bodies for just a moment more before eventually catching up with the party.

Later still:

"Hn. As you two wish. If need be and there's time, we will return swiftly with representatives of the town to discuss, uhm, the deal. And if not, you can probably expect several to show up a bit wary but at least willing to listen." Rhogar further assured the bear. Gorrah lets out a noise of complaint, not wishing to depart from her new friend. But after glaring at Rhogar for a bit, the dragonborn sighs and mutters something about summoning her later once the group were officially headed out of town. 

As Kazri exits the cave with Oli and her new bear friend, Krom chuckling says her "You have a knack for making friends with animals lass, are you secretly a druid?"

When the group reaches the bodies and the bear informs them that the militia was indeed killed by the ogre, the dwarf says to the tabaxi "You did well Chill. I'm glad that we at least punished all the culprits."

"Let's inform the people of Good Mead that they are now safe and that they gained a new ally." says Krom as the group reaches the edge of the wood. "As long as they keep feeding him." 

"Perhaps the old druid is rubbing onto me." Says Kazri with a smirk. "We should try to take care of our pending business here and move on as soon as possible."

Chill watched as Kazri exited the cave with the bear in tow.  He kept an eye on it but accepted any explanation given by Kazri.  He trusted Kazri more than the bear and he had nearly killed it so it might be angry. 

Moving ahead he led the group, back tracking through the woods until they came to the spot of the fallen militia members. 

"We'll send townsfolk to bury them, or at least retrieve them." He remarked. 

After reaching town Chill offers to find Sky and any other leaders who would be willing to meet with Kazri and her bear friend. 

The party leaves Yogobor, Gorrah and the chwinga at the tree line and head into Good Mead to find Sky and anyone else that might listen to them.

Sky is receptive, at least, to the idea.  Though it takes some explaining to make her understand exactly what an 'Awakened' animal is.  Her husband joins her, but he carries a yew bow.  It seems he is less sure and goes along more to protect Sky than anything else. 

"I know bears rarely attack people, but I'd feel better going along.  Besides, a talking bear?  That does seem interesting. An opportunity not to be lost." He says.

Sky gathers a couple others, Olivessa Untapoor (human), a local cask maker, whose name has come up for new speaker as well as Shandar Froth (dwarf) whose name has also come up.  Several other folk stay back at the village, but can't help but watch from a distance as you return to the forest line.

The group from Good Mead come warily, but also recognize that your group is powerful and to be trusted.

Kazri, make your case.  Then roll Persuasion, with advantage

When the time came to plead cases, Rhogar pats Kazri on the pauldron and gave her an assuring nod. But beyond that... he held back on bolstering her further with any magical assistance, least the bit of spell weaving call into question the righteousness of cause or being. Immediately afterwards, he stepped back and split his focus between keeping an eye on Gorrah and listening to proceedings. 

"I thank you for your vote of confidence Mr. Nimbatuul. Greetings all. I hope that Yogobor will be a good addition to the town." Kazri tries to assure the townsfolk that they can trust the bear.

Kazri Persuasion (w/ advantage): 25

Krom seeing that Rhogar is refraining from bolstering Kazri with his magic, nods in agreement to the dragonborn. The dwarf then listens in silence as Kazri attempts to reassure the townsfolk. 

The townsfolk that have come to listen to you appear to be assured that the bear means no harm.  They also listen to the tale you tell of what transpired and was found at the caves.  

In short order plans are made to lead a group to the caves to retrieve the stolen property as well as take care of the dead militia members.    Most of the people avoid the bear Yogobor, still wary and untrusting, but Sky is willing to meet and speak with the bear.

Your tracks are clearly visible in the snow and at this time there is no need for you to guide them to where the cave was.  Yogobor is also willing to show them. 

Pressed for time you do not have the ability to stay for days and ensure that the transition is done smoothly.  But Yogobor and Sky seem to have made an easy alliance.  Time will tell if the two trust each other further and if the townsfolk become more welcoming of the bear.

If you set out right away you could make it to Dougan's Hole before it got to late.

Seeing the anxiousness in others, and feeling it frankly a great deal in himself as thoughts returned to their mission, Rhogar shared some brief mental conversation with Gorrah before seeming to part ways officially with the familiar. If asked/indirectly inquired, Rhogar merely chuckles and says, "She's to stay behind in the forest and keep an eye on things for a bit more. But is aware that once we reach our destination, or are far closer to it, that I will resummon her magically." 

With or without the explanation, a point is made by the dragonborn to again thank Sky for the previous hospitality, and to perhaps make some preparations to possibly make use of the cave. Short of the others stepping in at that point to further explain things, all he adds, "Call it a... hunch. We will contact you via magic if anything comes of it." If pressed still, assuming if able at all to find a moment to speak with Sky before the party departs, he may give away more of the group's mission. Otherwise after that, he intended to be on the back of duchess before long ready to make up time and reach Dougan's Hole.

Krom, after thanking Sky for the hospitality, bids his farewell to her and the rest of the villagers.
"Dougan's Hole is still far, but we should able to reach it before nightfall if we move with haste." says the dwarf as the group leaves Good Mead behind them.
Krom raises an eyebrow as Gorrah remains behind, but nods as Rhogar explains to the group the reasons behind the gesture. 

Kazri is ready to leave and she looks for Oli. She finds the Owlbear jumping up and down, and running around Yogobor, who is clearly not interesting in playing. "Oli, unfortunately we are leaving. We are heading to the next town. Do you want to lead the sled again?" She can hear the Bear exhale in relief, and Kazri walks to him. "Please take good care of the village and its folks." With that said, she goes to help setup the sleds.

Chill collects his dogs and gets them hooked up to his sled. 

He says his good byes to Sky and her family

"I'll not lie and say I have any desire to stay in this cold place once we finish our business here. But it is nice to know there are other good folk of our people here in the northern reaches of Faerun. The Sword Coast is better for it. Perhaps we'll get the chance to stop by here again. But until then, goodbye and take care."

The tabaxi waves as they head out of town.

A six-mile-long, snow-covered path connects Dougan’s Hole to the town of Good Mead. Sky has warned you, the town is small, maybe 50 people live in it. The town is a small cluster of dwellings perched on the edge of Redwaters that is too small to support any industry—not even scrimshaw. Ice has buckled the shorter of its two piers, rendering the dock unsafe. The longer pier has two icebound keelboats tethered to it, though they’re immobile because Auril’s winter has frozen the surface of the lake for hundreds of yards around them. Local fishers have hauled their smaller boats onto the shore and resorted to cutting holes in the ice to catch knucklehead trout, which they depend on for survival.

Its very late in the day when you arrive in town and no one is out to greet you.  You see no signs on an inn or a tavern, which you did not expect to see having been warned by Sky that there are no services in the town.  Your best bet may be to set up camp at the edge of town and wait for the next day.

"Another night out in the cold for our Fellowship" says Krom as the group starts to make camp near one of the tree clusters. The dwarf takes out from his backpack the alchemy jug and the tankard enchanted by Rhogar. Patting both items the dwarf says with a big smile "But we have means to beat it."

Krom sits down and after checking, as usual, his equipment says. "I'll try to communicate with Vellynne Harpell and inform her that we have arrived."

The dwarf murmurs an hymn of evocation (Sending). "We just arrived at Dougan's Hole. What's your status and current location?" 

A bright smile and a hearty chuckle from the Dragonborn soon accompanied the dwarf's assurances on the jug. And after letting him say his piece and ultimately await an answer from their wizard, Rhogar spoke up as well.

"Truth be told, I do have half a mind to seek out the Speaker of this town for... oh, I don't know. More insight into the area, perhaps?" Rhogar admits. But after staring out at the frozen waters for a moment, he snorted and continued with, "But something tells me that anything beyond this place is of little concern to frankly anyone of this this place. And we can ill afford to get further wrapped in other, uhm, complications that might arise. For now, at the very least." The dragonborn seemed a little saddened by the ongoing admission. 

However, he more pointedly urged Duchess to keep on following after the others to the copse of trees. It is there he'd look to Chill for instruction on how best to set up camp, as far more trust was there for the Tabaxi's  thus far impeccable outdoorsmanship than there'd been for the former sailor. That said, and assuming it were possible, he'd see to it that there would be a warm stew made before long, seasoned and prepared to near perfection to chase away the cold for any and all that partook of it.

Chill checked the area out looking for the best place to set up camp. "I agree Rhogar.  From here we trek straight south till we get into the mountains.  If there are no services here then I say we leave early and avoid any entanglements that way come up.  We should set up camp away from the village to minimize the chances of the complications you speak of.  Since nobody is out we could skirt around town and setup on the far side a bit from town."

Survival 24

Once camp is set up the best they could manage he broke out his bone tankard that warmed liquids and held it out to be filled by Krom.

"Rhogar, what did you do with Gorrah?  Did she stay in Good Mead or did you dismiss her as you seem to be able to do?" Chill asked the dragonborn.

Kazri is perfectly fine spending the night outside in the freezing cold. She will help Chill setting up camp, then she will take a couple of sips from Krom's drink. "I agree with Chill. If we do not have any business here, we could head out at first light, and try to find this Xardorok Sunblight Warlord's fortress."