Chilling Adventures in the North

     "Oh, umm... Owl?  Their name is Owl," Bán says, a bit on his heels from the Firbolg's enthusiasm. "We're not exactly friends so much as...  Well...  Owl is more magic than animal, I would say..."

     Bán stumbles over the explanation as he tries to follow everything that is being discussed.  Mainly though he is feeling a bit shanghaied by Speaker Huddle but he's already said he would assist so assist he would.

     "We may need to off road at some point but I agree that we should take what convenience the road offers for as long as we can..."

Ricky gives a confident "Aye! Dougan's Hole it is. Then along the Red River to the crossing."

"Very, well," Bjorn says. "It looks like we have our plan."

A human woman clears her throat to get your attention before speaking, "Hi, I am Speaker Edgra Durmoot. If you are going to Dougan's Hole... well, we've had some trouble with some wolves in the area. They're as big as horses. They speak to us, and demand food from us. Unfortunately, we are only a population of about fifty people. None of us are capable of dealing with these wolves. If you could spare some time to deal with the wolves, the people of Dougan's Hold would be very grateful."

     “Deal as in negotiate?” Bán Asks curiously, “Or as in eradicate?  Do you know where they den?  I’m not sure our main mission leaves time for extended searching…”

Ricky pulls out a bottle and drinks a piping hot liquid from it for a moment before rubbing at some stubble on his chin. "Wolves the size of horses that talk??"

     "Oh yes," Bán says with a blink.  "That is an oddity, isn't it?  Are you really sure they're THAT big?"

Speaker Durmoot nods, "Definitely, as big as a horse. We have seen them enough times to be sure of their size."

"Hey, Qinfaren," Bjorn says, turning to the firbolg. "Do you remember that druid we encountered before? What was her name? Adelina? Adeline? Adalene? She was accompanied by walruses that could talk, right? Do you reckon she had something to do with these wolves? She must still be in the area. It could be a different druid, I suppose."

Qinfaren thinks about the walruses and the druid.

"I hope it's not her," Qinfaren says. "She was quite angry and I don't think she'd be happy to see anyone. But she might have gifted the wolves the gift of speech. Perhaps they're really big dire wolves."

He sighs.

"I'd prefer not to have to kill them. They're probably just hungry. We should try talking to them first."

     "Talk or kill, it still stands we'll need to know where they can be found.  We do not have time for lengthy searches as it seems we have limited time to precent the creation of this undead dragon thing..."

Ricky taps his foot impatiently. "Then we had best get moving quickly."

Speaker Durmoot shrugs her shoulders, "We don't know where they will be. Speak to the people of town. They will be to point you in the right direction."

"If you plan on leaving now," Speaker Waylen speaks up. "Just mind that it is already late. You should probably spend the night in Good Mead before continuing on your way to Dougan's Hole in the morning. On the other hand, you can rest up here, then leave for Good Mead in the morning. By the afternoon, you'd be able to make it to Dougan's Hole."

Bjorn scratches his head, before turning to Ricky, "You're from Good Mead, right? Would you be able to put us up for the night? We'd be able to leave now and save some time."

"Oh, I'm sure there's somebody willing to put up folks just passing through, 'specially on my way so that we'll be dealing with problems that could just as easily come to be Good Mead problems... Moreso if we can ever find that verbeeg that's around." Ricky seems confident in his assertion, but the but about the verbeeg seems to give away an anxiety.

     "The cold never much bothered me anyway," Bán says.  "Let us go... Unless there is reason to rest here first?"  Bán came prepared to travel.  He didn't expect to be traveling to find undead dragons but he has everything he'd have brought anyway.  

"Okay," Bjorn says. "So, we go to Good Mead tonight and stop the night. In the morning, we hunt down the verbeeg and deal with him. We continue to Dougan's Hole in the afternoon and deal with these wolves. We will then spend the night in Dougan's Hole, before making our way to the fortress. All sound good?"

     Bán turns to Speaker Huddle and gives a short bow.  "It seems I am off.  It would be a kindness if you could find someone to ensure that the Ramshackle does not become more so in my absence...  In case I am able to return to it."  He reaches out and gives her shoulder a friendly squeeze before turning to Bjorn.

     "I am as ready as I shall get.  Best to be underway before we think better of it, yes?"

Qinfaren picks up his pack and slings it over his shoulders, adjusts the 10' pole Muharg had given him, taps his staff a couple of times on the ground, and with the weasel still on his shoulder, he starts towards the door. 

"Verbeeg?" he queries and then just shakes his head. "You don't suppose he'll just leave Good Mead alone if we just ask him, do you?"

Without waiting for an answer, he pulls his overcoat tight and heads outside into the cold, dark afternoon, pausing for those who know the way to Good Mead to lead on. While he waits, Qinfaren conjures a small flame in his hand and then places it on the top of his quarterstaff, its flickering motion lighting up the mistletoe vines tightly wrapped around the staff. 

"Doesn't give much light or warmth, but it feels less hostile out here with a bit of fire."

     "I can provide light, if needed.  And Owl can scout ahead and peer through the darkness to try and warn of any dangers..." Bán offers, also shouldering his stuff and prepared to depart.

 Speaker Huddle nods, "I will ensure that Ramshackle is looked after in your absence. May you return to Lonelywood and reopen the inn once the skies are bright once more."

Bjorn thinks for a moment, "We will have to see when in the morning, Qinfaren. However, if we want these two to help us in dealing with the duergar, we should be willing to help them too."

Bjorn leads you all out of the town hall and westward across town. Following the man road, it doesn't take much time before you reach The Eastway. You already know it is getting late, so don't wait around.

The Eastway leads you west and north from Easthaven towards Bryn Shander. Then after walking two hours through the thick blanket of snow, you reach the crossroads. Bjorn stops to explain to Qinfaren that the crossroads leads to four towns. The southeastern route leads you back to Easthaven, whilst turning southwest will take you to Good Mead, where you want to go. He also points out that Brynshander is to the northwest, and Caer-Dineval is to the northwest.

It is at this point that you realise that you have walked into an ambush when three figures approach over the hill to the north, and four figures appear on the western hill. The figures are vaguely humanoid. However, they have a hunched stance and a hyena-like head. In their hands, they are carrying spears, but the figures all have a longbow on their back. As they approach, the creatures cackle with glee. They have you surrounded.

     "Hello friends!" Bán calls out in a bright welcoming tone even as his hands slides to his whip.  "We are on our way to Good Mead.  You can join us if you are headed that way.  Would love to share a drink with you when we arrive..."

( Initiative? 10 )

Ricky glances between the two groups. "Seven. Might wish they'd come with a few more." Ricky moves West to close the gap with the ambushers. 11 

(Assuming no one has something else to intervene: initiative