Lunalie born and raised in Easthaven has recently left her small home, left the big town with too much gossip, left the large heartache.  Her father had been killed with a dagger of ice to the heart and no clues as to who did it or why?

Lunalie leaving town after hearing of more examples of this type of kill in 10 Towns.  She has made her way to Bryn Shander, the latest of places to have a murder.  She found her way into a tavern call ‘The Northlook’ knonw for being rough and due to it being frequented by mercenaries and adventurers.

Lunalie you see 4 places to sit but they are each at tables for 2, and have someone sitting in the other chair.

First is a human man, eating food with a tankered next to his plate, if he didn’t have an empty seat across from him you would not have picked him out of the crowd.  He looks framilure to you, but at the same time like you have never seen him before, leaning on the table is a shield that looks to have layers of paint over where a crest might have once been.  Short dirty blonde hair and a larger build.

There is a second table sitting there is a Giliath who has several bottles empty infront of him, a few still have drink in them, and one in his hand.  His large form is wearing white robs, and has a rapier hanging from his side.  If you look he has a coin hanging from his neck.  A shaved head sits on a neck that so thick it looks as if he doesn’t have one.

An odd looking goblin is at one of the other tables, he wears a leather vest, his left arm looks to be thicker than the right, when you look closer you see that it is scared over. A winter coat hangs from his chair. His flail sits on the table and a hand axe attached to his side.  He has a purple mullet that curls down his back.

Lastly you see a halfling wrapped up in warmer clothing, a mohawk strip braided down to the middle of his back.  This halfling looks to be as wide across the chest as the Giliath.  While he looks to be sweating from the heat he still looks to be cold.  His eyes are a fiery red, and he is eating what looks to be raw meat, but then out of no where the meat looks to be almost burt.

Who does Lunalie go to sit with?

Lunalie found the shivering halfling the most interesting. Of course, she understood most people found this far north to be incredibly cold, but even so, this man was bundled up enough for the cold. Why was he freezing so? She joined him with a big smile. What Lunalie lacked in brains and experience she more than made up for with friendliness and manners.

"Hey there! Is this seat taken? Do you mind if I sit with you?" 

"Of course you may sit.  Name's Jhar, not use to this cold yet, how are you doing ok with it?"  The halfling has a straight face, almost angry, not that he looked any happier before you got to his table.  "What brings you into a tavern like this?"

"Oh me? Well... You could say... I'm looking for revenge." Lunalie looks gravely serious, before relaxing her face into a laugh. "Haha, sorry, I'm actually just taking it all in...

"I do pretty well in the cold, always have. I really love winter the best, too!" She smiles brightly. She doesn't seem to care if Jhar is annoyed or not. She found him to be very interesting indeed. "How about you, Jhar? Not used to the cold? So where are you from?"

"Zakhara is where Im from.  I've seen more cold here in the past week then I did my whole life before coming up here."  You see him blow into his hands to heat them back up. 

You then see a very old female shield dwarf limp to the table, grabs an empty chair and swings it over to your table.  She has a nasty scare running down her face, she spit on the floor and says "Hello, my name is Hlin Trollbane, I have been looking into something, and you seem to be the type how would be helpful in this."  She is looking at Jhar at the last part of the statement.  As Lunalie looks at this new woman she looks framilure, but you can't place where.  "And you Lunalie, you walked in, and I knew the gods would have you help me decide who to approached, you see this is a little more personal for you.  Three murders over the past few months, no one is looking into this, not even the Council of Speakers.  I have and I have a lead, but in my old age I struggle with moving around, and I think things might get a little risky."  And now Lunalie you know where you have seen this woman, she was in town, looking around asking a few questions, you know she spoke with your mother and uncle a little.  "Would you two be willing to hear my offer?"

"Murder..." Lunalie trails off thinking about the horrible day she found her father's body. She clutched the hem of her dress in anger, but nodded. She tried to stay polite and fight back the tears that memory brought. "Yes, Mrs. Trollbane. Please, tell me anything you know." She looks to Jhar with a weak smile. "Sorry, I guess I was kidding about kidding. There is a murderer on the loose, and... I would like to see him jailed."

Jhar gives a nod, pulls a cigar out from his coat, you don't see how but he lights it and starts to smoke off it.

Hlin leans in, and lowers her voice.

“Sephek Kaltro is my suspect, he works for a small traveling merchant company called Torg’s, owned and operated by a shady dwarf named Torrga Icevein. In other words, Sephek gets around. He’s charming. Makes friends easily. He’s also Torrga’s bodyguard, so I’m guessing he’s good with a blade.

“His victims come from the only three towns that sacrifice people to the Frostmaiden on nights of the new moon. This is what passes for civilized behavior in Icewind Dale. Maybe the victims found a way to keep their names out of the drawings and Sephek found out they were cheating, so he killed them. Maybe, just maybe, Sephek is doing the Frostmaiden’s work.

“For another job I followed Torg’s for a tenday as it moved from town to town. Quite the devious little enterprise, but that’s not your concern. One thing that struck me is how comfortable Sephek Kaltro looked in this weather. No coat, no scarf, no gloves. It was like the cold couldn’t touch him. Kiss of the Frostmaiden, indeed.

"I followed them on their route, from Easthaven, when we were in Targos murder, a human shipbuilder, coincidence, OK, then we finally got back to Easthaven and well I hear of a fisherman murdered, same way, Ice knife to the heart, it was a little odd but then Torg's left and by my thoughts got to Bryn Shander where a third victim was reported.  There routes change every time they end up in Easthaven so I don't know where they are now.

“I will pay you a hundred gold pieces to apprehend Sephek Kaltro, ascertain his guilt, and deal with him, preferably without involving the authorities. When the job is done, return to me to collect your money.”

"Understood... Do you think I should start in Easthaven?"

"No, they left here, but I'm not sure where they went, maybe some of the local merchants would know, and could help.  Also, I don't know if Sephek is acting alone or has the support of Torrga Icevein, so I would say to  isolate Sephek and dispose of him quietly... if such action is called for of course."  Hlin stands and spins her chair back around and walks away.

"Well going out into the cold and talking seems like the way to go."

I would like 2 rolls first being an investigation the second to be a Persuasion or Intimidation.  You are looking for a merchiant that you can talk to, then talk to them about where you can find Torg's.

Investigation: 17

Persuasion: 16

(hehe the dice do not like me as a player!)

You end up in the slums, you meet up with an male elf, looks to be a bigger build for someone who is homeless.  Light skin with a dark birth mark across his face, and shoulder length dirty blond hair, when you approch him he is very angry and what you say you think makes him feel better but only makes him angrier.

How does this start out?

(He will be asking for some coin and a rather high price)

Lunalie looks into her coin pouch... its empty. She will never admit that and chooses to fight!

Initiative roll: 22

Are you going to try and beat the info out of him?

Yup! I have literally 0 gold.

Ok sounds good.  Make an attack.

If he is in melee with me, I will dagger him! HI YAH! (Non-lethal stabbing, of course) --> 20 to hit, 4 piercing damage.

If he is further away... I will light crossbow him! (Which cannot be non-lethal, so if I kill him, it will be a big oops) --> 21 to hit, 5 piercing damage.

So you approach this homeless guy and start to talk to him about Torg's he cops an attitued with you and demands gold.  You respond in the most resanable way you seem you can, by stabing him in his knee.  I am going to roll 2d4 if they match the results will not be in your benifet.  3 4

Ok so good news no guards happen to walk by, however this guy passes out. No shops are open and you have to sleep.  Now Jhar does have a room at an Inn and does offer for you to stay with him in his room.

Good discutions, what do we want to do?