Chilling Adventures in the North

"Is it a good idea just throwing the ring away like that? Perhaps we should have brought it to someone who could have destroyed it?" Bjorn wonders aloud as they make their way down, "But that was a good thing you did Shad. It must not have been easy to walk away from temptation." 

"Yeah, specially bein' warm all the time," Arogna says sympathetically. "An' I don't think that thing oughta be near that tiefling, neither. I ain't sure 'bout takin' her that parcel, neither, 'cept for Deliverers' honor. An' this one worked out alright." 

She pauses for a minute. "Hey! He didn't give us no gold! Just that dagger." She half-turns back towards the cliff, then, "Nah. I'm gonna leave it, like what you did, Shad. Ain't worth the risk, right?"

Qinfaren looks up the cliff towards the cave and then back at the others.

"When we arrived, Artus was fighting that lich on his own," Qinfaren begins. "And he was fighting the creature to a standstill."

He looks at the sky for a moment.

"If he wanted to take the ring from us by force, would we even be able to stop him?" 

Qinfaren begins scrambling up the other side of the gully to head back down the mountain.

"Besides, he's lasted a hundred years with the thing. This can't be the only time the ring has gotten the upper hand on him."

Although some of you are reluctant, you begin the descent down the mountain. You make your way carefully, and you take your time to avoid any more injuries. As you go you realise that there are only two more parcels to deliver from Luskan. After that, you have completed your instructions from the parcel master. You are free to do as you please.

Eventually, you make it to the foot of the mountain, and you start your way back to Caer-Konig.

"I don't know if it was the perfect thing to do," Shad eventually says. "It got the ring away from Artus, who was threatening us because of it, so we could escape the two of them. We also didn't have to discover how the ring might control one of us." He holds one the fingers of his left hand.

"Jarlaxle Baenre and Vanifer at Reghed Glacier, I think?"

"You done the right thing, Shad," Arogna says. "There ain't always a choice that's just right. I'd like ta go see Vanifer next, get rid of that funny dagger. A good hammer and a strong arm, that's what you needs, not these cursed thing-a-bobs." 

Qinfaren hums as he walks with the others, occasionally looking up at the cold sky.

"I think either way we end up going through Caer-Konig," Qinfaren says. "Isn't there a valley or river or something leading away from Caer-Konig up to the glacier? We get to grab the dogs on the way. And maybe have a warm cider while we're in town?"

Qinfaren looks hopefully at the others.

"Or a bow with a good strong draw," Bjorn adds with a chuckle as he walks beside Arogna, "I don't understand magic and all these boogie woogie stuff. I leave the to the ancestors. As Arogna said the best way to deal with something is to just hit it until it stops hitting back."

"There are a few rivers leading out of Lac Dinneshere the lake on which its shores Caer-Konig rests. I'm just not sure how close to the glacier they lead."

“You did good, Shad. And hopefully getting the ring off of Artus broke its influence on him, at least this once.”

”Now going back to what lies ahead, I say aye to a warm pause in Caer-Konig, with some good food and drink. Arrived at this point, I think we deserve a good breather.”

After reaching the bottom of the mountain, the walk to Caer-Konig is no where nearly as long. Soon you arrive back in Caer-Konig,

Then it is just a short walk to the Hook, Line and Sinker. Once again, Glen greats you all pressing a half-pint of ale into each of your hands and reminds you that the first one is free of charge.

As you sit there drinking your ale, you see a group of musclebound Northlander warriors talk in hushed tones. Then one of them suddenly growls to the rest of the group, “That drow with the funny hat… you didn’t see him take anything, did you?" The rest of the conversation then resumes in hushed tones.

Bjorn raises an eye brow at the comment and whispers to his companions, "You don't think they mean Jarlaxle do you?"

"Maybe so," Arogna says. She has finished her ale quickly, and is now sitting on the hearth-rug surrounded by the huskies, making up for lost ear-scritching time. "I was gonna go to the bar and see if they got hot cider like you was thinkin' of, Qinfaren. I could ask 'em on the way back, like, what's the word? You know. Tack-full."

Shad is thoughtful. He eats his fish slowly. Even being warm, though he still likes it, feels tainted somehow by the ring, but he shakes his head and focuses on Bjorn and Arogna's words.

While he is only watching them, Shad tries to discern the intent of the warriors: Insight 24

Qinfaren nods at Arogna.

"I would like to hear more about the funny hat," Qinfaren says. "Does it tell humorous stories? At least they might tell you where they saw this person last."

Qinfaren looks around the main room of the tavern.

"Could he be in here?"

Shad watches the warriors and notices that they stop talking whenever anyone else walks past. They watch the passerby until they are out of range before talking again. It seems that whatever they are talking about they want to keep it private.

If he can, Shad will share his insight with Arogna.

"Oh, interestin'," Arogna says to Shad, relatively quietly. "Maybe they just needs a bit more to drink first. Or maybe I oughta just go over an' tell 'em we're lookin' for him too. They might think we're gonna kill him. Which would work out fine, most likely." 

“Hm, that certainly sounds plausible that they’re speaking about our recipient. We’ve been told he’s all of a swashbuckler… and who besides a few old-styled wizards like wearing remarkable hats?” He tilts his head as he finishes his observation, and turns to Qinfaren “Mind giving me a little boost, lad?” Says in a whisper.

He then locks his eyes on his mug and focuses his atention on the warriors conversation.

Perception 10 + 4 (if Qinfaren casts Guidence) for a total of 14

Qinfaren looks at Muharg for a moment, wondering what good his lifting the dwarf up will do. Does he want to be able to see farther? Then it comes to him and Qinfaren smiles, a little embarrassed. He reaches over and touches Muharg's shoulder (casting Guidance ).

He then turns his attention to Shad while Muharg watches the Northerners. 

"You're pretty quiet on your feet," Qinfaren says to Shad. "If Muharg doesn't notice anything, and if they don't talk to Arogna, I could make you disappear long enough to get close to them and do a little eavesdropping." 

With Qinfaren's help, Muharg listens to the conversation that the Northlander warriors are having. He hears more descriptions of a drow dressed in an outrageous, ostentatious wardrobe. Apparently, the drow was wearing an eyepatch and a large, feathered hat which sounds like what he knows of Jarlaxle. Muharg also hears that the drow spent the night drinking grimly in the taproom, before leaving this morning. None of the group is sure where the drow went, but they believe that he was headed towards Kelvin’s Cairn.