Chilling Adventures in the North

"Was the Dancing Bear Lodge the one with the gigantic fireplace?" Shad asks. He is listening for Mr Bassk's reply to Arogna's question, but also looking around. He's decided he wants to learn to fish and wants to spot a likely teacher.

"Bjorn!" he says. "You're from around here. How about teaching me the fine art of angling? We can split our catch! Do we need spears?"

Muharg is relieved about leaving the whole Girgle situation behind. “I think our next tasks take us inland, so Shad, you can cross one worry out of your list for a while.” Smiles at the tabaxi. “And I’m sure our comrade  here is an excellent fisherman, but I can say I’m a fairly decent one myself too, so I’ll be glad to have a fishing session any time.... after a good warm time at the tavern!” Laughs as he pats Shad’s shoulder –probably a little bit too hard–. “Oh! and I think the place with the big fire you mean was in Aurilsbarg.”

"I'm sure with the ice and snow here," Qinfaren begins, "the Dancing Bear will also have a warm fire to toast our feet by."

He gets lost in his own memories for awhile before looking back over at Shad.

"I have a favorite pond back home that you can spend a whole day lying back on soft grass, in the sun, with a fishing line out I'll show you if I ever get the chance. I would suspect that Muharg will be a more able angler than myself, but I also suspect my method allows for more sleeping."

He hitches his pack up on his back, shakes out his long arms, and waits to hear what the Parcelmaster says about their next steps.

"Wait a minute," Shad says. "I can fish and sleep at the same time? This is the sport for me!" He rubs his hands together. "I am very excited to learn more about this, very glad to be surrounded by such excellent teachers," he says. "But yes, a warm meal in a warm room right now sounds great. Unless, of course, there is a package to be delivered, or something similar we could do to help the town, first." He hops for a moment, trying to stay warm. The heat from the ship's cabin has dissipated and he is beginning to feel chilled.

Lennart turns to Arogna,

"There are no more deliveries needed in Fireshear. However, you will need to carry on overland to Ten Towns, northeast from here. The Icebreaker cannot get there and will be continuing south, once repairs are finished I presume. I will be leaving on the ship to return back to Luskan, but not before finding you some transportation for the packages.

Return here tomorrow and I will hopefully have made an arrangement with Kalannai here."

Lennart steps over to Kalannai and pats her on the back with a meaty paw. In response, Kalannai shows a quick look of surprise before recomposing herself.

"In the meantime, enjoy Fireshear as you see fit."

Arogna grins widely. "Thanks, Mr. Bassk! Looks like we got us a day off, and a night too an' all. Hey, was this Dancing Bear the one you all met Rool in?" 

“Sorry, but Rool was back in Luskan,” Qinfaren says to Arogna.

He looks to the others and then starts into town.

”Let’s go find the Dancing Bear and get settled,” he says then stops and turns back. “Do you think they might really have a dancing bear? That would be something to see.”

He then turns and continues towards town.

"Ach, yeah. Oh well," Arogna says, with a glance back at the ship. "I 'spect there'll be plenty of fun to be had anyways." She counts the gold in her pouch, looking reasonably pleased with the results.

"Nothing like a decent meal and a fine ale by a warm fire after some days at the freezing sea! Let's go see what this dancing bear is all about!" Muharg follows his comrades, patting Arogna on the shoulder as they go. 

Shad follows the others. "The Ten Towns," he says. "Northeast." The Cat Lord and/or fate continues to pull him into the cold, he thinks. 

You travel west through Fireshear in the hopes of finding the Dancing Bear Lodge. When you find the inn it looks beautiful, from the outside, inviting and clean. Stacked boulders and hard wooden beams make up most of the building's outer structure. It's near impossible to see through the high windows, but the inviting music from within can be felt outside.

As you enter the tavern through the small, soft wooden door, you're welcomed by the smile of a waitress and a feeling of comfort. The bartender is engaged in conversation but still manages to welcome you with a wave.

It's as enchanting inside as it is on the outside. Hard wooden beams support the upper floor and the sconces attached to them. The walls are completely empty, besides the lighting, most likely because customers stumble against the walls too often and would knock off anything on the walls.

The tavern itself is packed. Locals seem to be the primary clientele here, which is probably the best clientele for the owner. Several long tables are occupied by several smaller groups of people. The other, smaller tables are also occupied by people who are indulging in great food and drinks, while some do try to strike a conversation, others can barely speak a word between eating what must be delicious food. Even most of the stools at the bar are occupied, though nobody seems to mind more company.

Qinfaren smiles at the packed tables and bar and the warmth of the inn. 

"Ahh," he says as he steps inside. "This is almost like the Virven Winter Solstice back home."

He angles and arches his large frame to make his way through the crowd to get to the bar.

"Drink maker," he calls out to the bartender, "hot spiced wine and food, lots and lots of food, and drinks for my friends."

He looks back to make sure the others have all come into the bar.

"Kalannai Grayfur recommended we come here to look for rooms. We need nothing fancy. Warm and dry should do." 

Arogna follows Qinfaren to the bar. "Oh, this is proper nice. Ale for me, thanks. I like a place with a bit of a buzz."

Bjorn would follow suit glad for a night with a warm room again, "What do you all make of all this? It seems to have been one strange thing after another ever since we've signed onboard."

Muharg adjusts his belt in amusement as he walks towards the bar with the rest of the group, a big smile peering out from his thick beard. "Ah! This is a fine place!" He then turns to Bjorn. "Strange things indeed, one would have thought the courier life was a bit simpler, huh? Mephits, a love-crazed wererat, undead monstrosities... Can't wait to see what awaits us inland! But for now, let us enjoy this well-earned warm rest!"

The bartender charges two silver pieces for each drink, five silver pieces for each meal and eight silver pieces for each room for the night.

"I'd like the largest plate of fish you serve, please," Shad says to the bartender. He looks for an open spot at a table near the fire, one large enough for himself and any of his companions. "I'll just be right there." In his seat, he shrugs off his coats and curls up to enjoy the warmth of the room.

Arogna joins Shad by the fire and tucks into a large plateful of meat, which is accompanied by battered items that may be a vegetable, but may just be more meat. She has a large mug of ale.

(She also pays for a room for the night, tips generously, and will offer drinks freely to the party and to any acquaintances she meets. If the evening is uninterrupted by any obstacles, she'll burn through probably five gold pieces For now, she is eating and chatting with the party members that have come to the table at the fire.)

The evening is cheerful and you mingle with the locals, and Arogna quickly becomes a favourite of the town's people as she buys drinks for them as well. However, after you dealt with mephits previously, the town is grateful for your help.

Qinfaren chats with anyone in the inn who will talk to him. He’s endlessly curious about life in this town but a lot of his questions will end up steering towards the weather and if anyone in town has noticed anything different about it. Is it colder? Did it come earlier? And after the encounter at sea, has anyone seen anything unusual outside of town.

And he will happily enjoy the food and drink and his companions company.