Chilling Adventures in the North

Torvin chuckles, "No, I'm the town leader. We're a quiet town, usually. But yeah, I'm investigating by going on patrol, like how you found me." He pauses for a moment. "You might be right about them being outside of town, but a boat wouldn't get you very far."

"If you are planning on investigating these thefts it would be wise to see Shorard sisters."

"Aye, the magic lantern could be the biggest clue. I'll escort you there if you like."

"I was willing to pitch in for the climbing kit, Bjorn," Shad says, "but just realized they are sort of made for one person. I'll try my claws, if we have to climb." Shad will drum his fingers on the countertop for a moment. "I'm curious about both the delivery and the thefts," he says, "But it seems like working on the delivery might be a way of also working on the thefts, since the Northerners suspect Jarlaxle. We could see if he has the goats, pearls, or lantern. If not, we've made a delivery and made sure he is not a suspect." He thinks some more. "But I'm flexible if others have a strong preference."

(OOC: What was taken from the Northerners? Do we know?)

"Well I think we're a little late in the day to head to the glacier or to go back up the cairn," Qinfaren says. "Why don't we meet the Shorard sisters now and then decide on cairn or glacier for first light?"

He noses around a little more while the others finish their purchases, saying "Jarlaxle" to himself quietly and smiling.

(OOC: They wouldn't tell Arogna what was taken)

"Yeah, let's go an' see the sisters," Arogna agrees. "If Jarlaxle ain't got the things, maybe he seen who has."

"Hopefully the kit will allow one of us to get to whereever we need to and get a rope secure for the others to get up. You can be the one to use it if  you like Shad," Bjorn replies with a grin, "I agree. It is better for us to rest the night well rested than to rush of now. Might as well speak to the sisters and then go for some drinks later." 

The goliath gives Arogna a wink at the mention of drinks.

"Well, then it has been pleasure doing business with you," Atenas says.

"Aye," adds Jarthra adds. "If you decide you want me as a guide, you know where to find me."

Torvin nods his head, "Okay, then we better head over to The Nothern Light before they turn in for the night."

He then begins to head towards the door, stumbling as he does so, before holding it open for you all.

When you are ready, Torvin leads you further east, and around to the south, towards the outskirts of town. As you approach the inn you notice the empty hook just above the entrance.

Inside, the inn appears to be mostly empty. However, a lone, young woman looks up as you enter, and gives Torvin a chastising smile.

“Did you fall asleep outside again? I’m telling you, Torvin, one day you’re going to have to stop relying on the kindness of strangers.”

The woman then opens a door into what looks like a kitchen and calls out, “Heat up something for Torvin. He’s been out ‘patrolling’ again.”

At the remarks made by the woman, Torvin looks a little sheepish. Then the woman approaches Torvin and taking him by the arm she leads him into a chair before turning to the rest of you.

"What can I do for you?"

"Sounds like a plan," Arogna grins. "Hey, Torvin, whyn't you take us to where the sisters are, an' then take us to where the best drinks are. I 'spect you know both them places."

(Edit: Cross posted. But that's convenient haha)

From his seated position Torvin responds, "Sorry, I should introduce you. This is Allie Shorard."

At that moment, the door to kitchen swings open as a stern-looking woman enters holding a steaming bowl of soup. "And I'm Cori Shorard."

She places the bowl down in front of Torvin.

"They're here to ask you about the lantern."

Qinfaren looks at the two sisters, smiles, and then gives them his best impression of a bow.

"You have a lovely inn," Qinfaren says. "Now, we've heard about your lantern going missing, and Torvin has also told us about other things that have gone missing in the neighborhood. We hope to be of some help so though maybe if we looked around a bit and talked to you we might be able to figure out what's going on."

He looks around the inn and down at the floor.

"Was there anything special about the lantern?"

"Yes, tell us," Shad says, following up on Qinfaren's question. "It seems whoever took the lantern must have been very tall. Or able to access it from the roof? Working magic or in a group?" Shad wiggles his nose at the sight of the soup. It smells delicious. "What about the lantern would make stealing it appealing?"

"Yes," Cori responds. "There was something special about the lantern, it was magical."

"What my sister means to say is that the lantern could shine different colours. Other than that, there was nothing really special about it."

"Didn't you see nothin'?" Arogna asks. "Or hear nothin'? Did you get the lantern off someone magical? Maybe they just took it away again like."

Qinfaren claps his hands together at the mention of the lantern shining different colours.

"Do the different colours mean anything?" Qinfaren asks. "Was it some sort of mood lantern? Or alarm system? If we knew how it worked that might help us figure out who would want to take it."

"It just goes through a pattern of red,  blue to green light," Allie explains. "It was just a gift and is pretty, it is also the source of our name, the Northern Light."

"No has seen a thing though," adds Cori

"If anything, I reckon it was stolen by some dwarves. They live in the valley near Kelvin's Cairn, the poor things are probably desperate."

"Bah! No dwarf did this. Someone would have spotted ’em. Caught ’em. No, there’s something more going on. Besides, what use do hungry dwarves have for a lantern?"

"Hmm," Shad says. "Why are the dwarves hungry?" He ponders for a moment. "A mystery item, pearls, goats, and a mood lantern. Wow. Are we even sure one person took all of these things? What do they have in common? Were the goats magic?"

"Well, the goats weren't ours."

"No, the goats are from Hook, Line and Sinker," Torvin adds.

"Who has ever heard of magic goats anyway?"

"Strange, ain't it," Arogna remarks. "Can I get an ale, please, miss? Helps with the thinkin' like. Dwarves ain't thieves, though, not in my 'sperience. An' they ain't ones for hidin'."

"A whole village of hungry dwarves?" Qinfaren says. "That's terrible."

He looks around at the others, his eyes resting on Muharg a moment longer than the others.

"I think we should delay going to the glacier. If this village needs help, that should be our first stop. It sounds like it's close to the cairn. If Jarlaxle," he pauses, not able to stop himself from smiling when he says Jalaxle, "is involved as well, he's right there."

"Do you know anyone who would want to take your lantern? Any other inns that profit, if you don't, for example? Or, I'm sure you have not offended anyone, but do you have enemies? I don't want to sound mean. just trying to think about who has a motive." Shad is trying to think about motive, means, and opportunity. The dwarves might've taken the goats to eat them, he thinks, but why the lantern? Or the pearls. They live close by, so that might give them an opportunity, but so does Jarlaxle. Maybe we need more information, he thinks. "Whose pearls were taken," he says and thinks talking to Jarlaxle might be a good way to discover if he is a suspect. "Qinfaren's plan sounds good to me," he says.

Allie smiles before saying, "Certainly." She then heads off to pour Arogna an ale before returning with it.

"Enemies and rivals? Bah!" exclaims Cori. "The only other establishment in Caer-Konig is the Hook, Line and Sinker, and Glen has his own methods. No one would bother coming this far northeast to eliminate competition."

"The pearls were from Frozenfar," adds Torvin. "Where we just were. Did you miss that part of the conversation?"