Working hard to maintain pace with the fast-moving halfling, Kilmus keeps an eye out for danger as the ranger keeps his head down to follow the tracks.  Giants weren't unheard of here in the frozen lands, but they generally didn't come so close to town - something seemed off here.

 'Mica, grab what you need to stay warm - the dead won't miss it and you'll need it to keep moving out here.  The rest of you - blades out and eyes up.'

DANCE OFF

PHINEAS: The Chwinga jumps up avoiding your grip, lands on the log, and puts his hands on his hips. His head moves left to right as if saying tsk tsk. He lifts his finger as if he's indicating to you that you're a bad boy, no no! He then tells you to wait, and observe.

He begins to bust out a few dance moves.

Then, he stops, and gestures to you, as if it's your turn.

Mica lifts spare cloaks and rags off the fallen soldiers, which is difficult with one functional arm, but at least he now looks warm. He doesn't understand the notions behind letting the people rest with their gear - what would it be used for, anyway? Dead people were dead, and this place had little honor to give or receive. Mica follows the Halfling tracker, still walking uncomfortably through the snow - you couldn't wear shoes with talons, and he still finds comfort in the palmful of fire he summons. He doesn't feel threatened by the snowball, but he prepares himself incase the strange creature becomes hostile.

Does whatever lamp they have change color?

Fintan takes the lantern out of her pack and sets it on the ground. Perhaps this little sly fellow is a Chinwga, she'd know if it changed colors. She simply eyes the cave before unsheathing her double-bladed scimitar and dagger, one can never be too careful with skull bashers around. Even if the frigid landscape is pretty, death seems to be hanging around Ten-Towns and she refuses to be its next victim. Finally, she notices the apparently dance off and gives a bark of a laugh, ''Ay, I like this little fey child. It knows how to entertain, perhaps it is a Chinwga. Hopefully you're a good dancer Phineas.''

Rak would finish his blessing over the corpses before following behind the group. "What a waste" Rak would say under his breath with anyone that hears him unsure of whether he is referring to the people or their equipment. He turn towards the Kenku, giving Mica a nod as at least one of them seemed to listen to reason...  The Githyanki would draw his greatsword from its sheath on his back and keep it held tightly in both hands as they follow the footprints. "HA! It looks like we found a Chalupa after all. I guess we didn't need the fox to lead us to it after all." he would say as he places his sword on his shoulder. "Hey! Chimmichunga! If you come with us, we can take you to the town where that mean trapper took your fox!" He would shout out in the snow towards the creature. 

Phineas laughs, understanding at last the way of the fey-ling. Like two pigs fighting under a blanket, Phineas tries to emulate the creature's dance, before adding his own twist to at the end...a little something he picked up in the dance halls of Baldur's Gate before his self-imposed exile.

Ice, Ice Baby: 9

Mica's actually interested in the Chimichurri's behavior. He has always been interested in dancing, but obviously, he'd never been able to afford the hobby. But, however, he has seen many dances, and he can certainly replicate ones that have been done already. He walks up, and promptly begins imitating the dances of the Chihuahua. Kenku were good at one thing, and that was replicating things.

Performance: 17

The lamp does indeed change color from blue to green. This is indeed a chimichanga. I mean, Chwinga. Dammit, Rak.

The Chwinga stands there are Phineas dances, hand on chin, observing you, tapping his foot to the beat. He busts out some moves of his own:

Alright stop. Hammer Time: 12

Oh shit. You can't touch this.

He claps at Mica's performance! Then, stops, and gestures to you, Rak, waiting.

Before Phineas goes to dance, Rak would have given the halfling a hard slap on the shoulder. "Don't mess up" He would say as he cast guidance on the halfling.

As the others join in, Rak would move to each of them and give them hard pats on the shoulder with words of encouragement. "Don't suck" "Dance better" "don't embarrass us"

Only if the Chippendale looks to Rak does he step forward.. "Bane.. help me out here.. and then forget about what you are going to see." He would whisper under his breath before the gith jumps forward... grabbing his crotch and pelvic thrusting hard before spinning around as he swings his greatsword above his head. The Githyanki would slam the greatsword down into the frozen ground before droppign to the floor and trusting out his butt towards the Cheesteak and slowly rising to his feet before slapping his ass and looking towards the elemental.

Performance! 3 plus 2

The Chwinga acts like he's going to have a heart attack watching your thrusting and pivoting. He holds up his hands and tries to compete.

Blame It On The Rain: 10 

He trips and stumbles of the log. After a moment, he gets up, claps, and bows. He stands there, and makes some arm gestures as if he's wondering what you all are doing out here?

Mica dances some more, spinning purple flame between his hands, attempting to distract the Chinchilla, giving half glances towards the party members that he expects to tackle the thing. 

Phineas points toward the cave where the tracks lead, whispering to the Chwinga. "We seek what lives there. It has kill't some good folk of the nearby town. Is it in there?"

Fintan steps forward and bows to the small elemental spirit, speaking in a formal tone to add to what Phineas had said to them '' We are out here to investigate the murder of five good fellows. You wouldn't have any knowledge of that would you? And if you would be so kind, I know we would be honored to have you accompany us. We have a friend that would like your knowledge of why it is so dam cold here.''  She steps back and waits for the small creatures reaction, knowing it would not be too wise to anger a spirit by tackling it, even if it be a small one.

Persuasion: 12

The chalupa thinks for a moment, then snaps it's fingers, nodding affirmative. He points towards the cave, and pantomimes to be very, very careful, as if the encounter would most likely be challenging for a group of your level.

Kilmus watches the dance off with a combination of amusement and dismay.  They are standing in the killing cold with a head-bashing giant lurking nearby - this might not be the best plan.....

'Alright people, anyone have any brilliant ideas on how to keep that thing from smashing anyone else into jelly? '

The shepherd turned bouncer would look about to see if there was any obvious terrain for them to take advantage off, perhaps a fallen tree they could use to set a trap or boulders over the cave entrance.

Phineas grimaces, turning to look to the others. "May be it, we lure this foul fiend into a trap. Get ourselves some advantage," he suggests. "If we can somehow slow it's gait, we can pin it down with arrows and such."

The halfling scouts the area for hiding places to properly lay an ambush.

Survival: 22

This is what you can see as you slowly and carefully approach. Sure, outside has lots of trees you can hide behind, and the tracks are clear, but whatever smashed those militiamen is clearly inside.

V1 - The trail culminates at a rocky hillside with pines growing around its base. Set into the hill are three caves. The frozen creek emerges from the west cave, which has a low-hanging mouth. The center cave—an eight-foot-high passage hewn from the rock—is moderately blocked by a tight stand of conifers and two massive fallen logs. The northeast cave has a big, yawning mouth, and flickers of light emanate from within. The tracks of your quarry head through this entrance.

The chinchilla holds up his hands to get your attention, and indicates that it will not go inside the cave complex and wait for you all out here. No exceptions.

As the group sets out for the ambush, Mica gets progressively more and more nervous, especially with the Chevrolet's warning. He decides to speak with the elemental, moving closer and looking it in the eye. "Chwingas might be the key to improving Icewind Dale's climate," he says, remembering the words of their employer. "Do you...have some ability to alter their natural surroundings?" lhe says, along with general comforting sounds, asking it for any information they know, and if possible, for it to accompany them into town.

Persuasion if needed - 18

"Alright Kilmus. Here is my expert plan... When we find the thing... I want YOU to be the one to attack it head on. I can ask my diety to aid you and will engage the giant from behind. I will be using my abilities to help keep you alive alright? I would use them on myself but then if I get hit... I may lose my concentration on the spell. If you get hit... I don't have to worry about losing concentration. But don't worry about getting hit because it won't happen." Rak would whipser with a smile. "If you get seriously injured I can heal you as well... Well. I mean probably... unless I use all my energy trying to damage the giant or something but that probably wont happen.. and besides I already told you that you won't get hit so there is nothing to worry about." The githyanki would add with a nod and a hard slap on the shoulder.