With a plan in place, Qinfaren takes the letter from Lennart and turns to the others.

"We dock tomorrow," he starts. "There has been no sight or sound of the mystery person with the claws. I hope it stays that way until we are in port."

He moves closer to Shad.

"Deep breaths, Shad. You have made it through the first leg. And you did not have to get wet."

"Thank the Cat Lord!" Shad says. He is genuinely happy, but scratching at his arm pit.

Before the Icebreaker arrives to its first destination, Muharg approaches Qinfaren and leans on the railing, staring at the sea, after a bit of small talk about the weather and some curiosities concerning rats' life, he adjust his belt, keeps silence for a few seconds and goes "You know, lad? Ever since I saw you in Lennard's office I've been curious about what brought this far up north. Not that I haven't seen any other firbolgs around, but you seem so genuinely surprised about so many things that one can just figure you are quite a bit far from home, huh?" Smiles at him.

@Marbosp

"Well," Lennart replies. "You will not have long to explore. Not after completing the delivery. We do not want to keep Captain Silvermane for too long.

I am glad to hear that you found my instructions to be straight forward. But that is for tomorrow, for today rest as you do not know what unexpected circumstances tomorrow will bring."

"Don't sleep too soundly. Hopefully we won't see a repeat of what happened the other night, but if we do, hopefully we will be able to catch whomever or whatever it is." Bjorn reminds the rest. Something about the whole situation unnerved him.

Qinfaren turns and looks down at Muharg, nodding as he listens to the dwarf.

”I have never strayed far from the valleys and hills that I’ve always called home. I might travel through the entire valley network but never out of it. There is just too much to see and enjoy there. And I still haven’t gotten the giant eagles to agree not to eat so many of the rabbits. But something has changed. The valleys are colder than they should be and earlier in the year than they should be. I’m supposed to take on the mantle of the protector of the dale one day, but how can that be if there’s nothing but frozen ground.”

Qunfaren pauses, taking a deep breath then laughs.

”I’m sure it will turn out to be just an unusual patch but I thought it might not hurt to go see if anyone knew what was happening.”

He blows more condensed air from his mouth in big puffs, smiling as he does, watching them expand and disappear.

Then he’s quiet for a long while.

“That was too sad. Life is too short for that. So, tell me, Muharg. A sailor? That must be rare. I’ve met a few dwarves but all seemed happiest working with stone and iron. I have never met a dwarves sailor before. Though to be honest before this trip I had never met any sailors before.”

"Hmm..." Muharg nods sympathetically, "I hope you find your answers my friend, and I'll gladly help you in your endeavour if you'd had me, I know how it hurts to see your home suffering."

Pauses for a few seconds, like measuring what he's about to say. "In my case it was not a nature related issue, but more of a greed-driven lord one. That story I might tell you some other day, but let's say I left home to try and make some money so I could get my parents out of the town where we used to live as blacksmiths." Winks at the firbolg and continues "I wanted for them to have a life far away from tyranny."

Shrugs "Well, it turned out I enrolled as a member of the security staff for a naval organization, and since most of the days at the sea are spent in peace, one ends up helping around and becomes just another deckhand."

Gazes back towards the horizon "After some time, I managed to help my parents move into a new city. They are comfortable now and fairly treated, but one gets used to the adventuring life, and well... " Clenches his jaw "there's a lot of opportunity to fight evil while traveling the world."

After a few seconds, snaps back into reality, and rises his eyebrows in realization "Oh, so you are actually from Icewind Dale? Or do you mean another dale?" Then looks back up at the firbolg and pats him on the back with a smile "Anyway, tell me on the way to find the others and let's see if we can all have a beer". 

Shad finds Bjorn and/or Arogna. He says, "Griggle Duskloch? Right? That's the name of the person we're delivering to." He pulls his coats around him and tugs each hood close over his head. "Have either of you heard anything about this town? Fire is part of its name. Could be near a warm volcano!"

(OOC: How much would Bjorn know about the town?)

@iDarkelf

"Nothing at all," Arogna tells Shad. "I don't know much about places other than where I lived, and worked, and I've never been here. I hope you can get warm by some kind of a fire, though. Let me know if you need to borrow my coat an'all. I'm not that bothered by the cold." 

History Check: 9

"Thank you, Arogna," Shad says. "I may take you up on your offer, if it gets much colder." Shad takes some dried fish from one of his many pockets and munches on it. "Good Lennart says we will arrive tomorrow and I'm sure it will be warmer on land. I hope so." The warmest spot Shad has found is his hammock. He'll go there and rest as Lennart suggested. 

Qinfaren feels a little better after he tells Muharg about why he's come from his home to the coast and after he hears Muharg's offer of help. Maybe he could find out what is going on.

"No, the dales I come from are a small set of linked valleys, further south than Icewind Dale. We get winters, but nothing like what we have been getting."

Overhearing Arogna and Shad talking about the cold and how much colder it might get he chimes in.

"I wish I wasn't bothered by the cold, but I think even if I wasn't I would still like the coziness of a camp fire and a bowl of hot soup on a cold day," he says. "I hope you are right about not being bothered, Arogna, but I fear where we're going is getting a lot colder than you're used to. Bjorn may be the only one who will truly not be bothered by it."

"I guess we'll have to see. Doesn't sound warm, for sure. Being on land again would be a good start though, even if it is snowing," grumbles Arogna. She scans the horizon again looking for the port hopefully.

Bjorn shakes his head, "I'm sorry but I have not heard much about this town. I usually stay near my village in the mountains, and only venture to towns where there is a need to trade."

@iDarkelf

 @RolloThePig

Perception check

Perception Check: 18

As Arogna scans the horizon, she makes out a few lights, near the shoreline. This gathering of lights looks to be a cluster of candle lights shinning through the windows of people's homes. It is also close to the direction of the Icebreaker.

Qinfaren turns from the railings and looks to the group.

"Just in case this Giggle person likes to wrestle and fight like Rool did, I think I'm going to go put my feet up and get some sleep before we dock in the morning," he says. He starts to walk away from the group but pauses and turns back.

"Good night . . .friends." And with a friendly wave, he heads to their quarters, trying not to bang his head on the low beams of the ship.