(IC) Quickleaf's Rime of the Frostmaiden

[Kobold Stew]

Corse nods as she leaves, "Thank you, Eve. We'll be by in the morning." She turns to the child. "Sleep well. Perhaps I'll ride with you tomorrow."

 

[domminniti]

Russet shivers as we walk out into the biting air of the street. He turns to Corse and Logrim, stamping his feet as he walks to keep them warm.

Scamming a sick kid with phoney medicine! Merchants make me sick..... Who's round is it anyway?

 

[Quickleaf]

The Northlook

Cousin Ottar exchanges a glance to Mak, whistling. It's clear Ottar has come out the game's winner, but only by a talon's width.

"Indeed," chuckles Thidrik, watching Jack's final pool from the pot bringing the fairy's hoard back to 50 silvers - exactly what he started with. "Well played, Jack Everfrosty. Much ventured, nothing lost. A good play, by any mercenary's standard."

With neither god flights nor triplet flights, those with allied flights (all evil or all good dragons) get to take silver equal to the strength of their highest card. Thidrik shuffles 10 silvers from the pot to his hoard, with a rueful grin, "It scarcely makes up for the attacks you all made against me. Well cousins, we know who buys the next round!"

Rudolf slips 5 silvers back into his hoard thanks to his flight of chromatic dragons, minimizing his losses. This brings the ending pot to 166 silver pieces, which Ottar greedily collects. "My thanks, fearless leader, for the nimble thread - it shall adorn my sword in battles to come. And for the fey bracelet, Jack! It will remind me to watch for your Tiamat play in the future." Several rough chuckles come from the mercenaries who all find their purses lighter. Waving to Scramsax the barkeep, Ottar orders a round of ales for the other gamblers now that the game of Three Dragon Ante has come to its end. They raise their mugs to meet Jack's toast, offering an Illuskan cheers, "Skalte!"

GM: Mak ended up losing 32 sp (hoard of 50 to start, at 18 to end). And Jack somehow ended up with a hoard of 50 sp at the end, so no losses for him save for the bracelet. Each of you can roll a DC 10 Insight check (no negative consequences) to learn something about one of the other players or the company of mercenaries in general – e.g. Thidrik's flaw/ideal/bond, their overall morale, even one of Jack's traits, etc. If you roll, let me know what you want to learn.

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Those of you making your way back to The Northlook witness ribbons of green, teal, and purple illuminating the northern sky, barely visible with the heavy snow-laden clouds. The aurora begins in the west then creeps eastward as if trailing behind a single point traversing the night sky.

Within the taproom of The Northlook inn & tavern, the changing hue of the light causes a quieting and murmurs of "the Frostmaiden's hour." The minstrel, seeing the flagging morale causing folks to close off their tabs, takes to the stage, his boot stamping on the worn wood, tuning up the lute before belting into a fisherman's jig...

"Bite the nets, oh, bite the nets,
The fishers of Targos'll not catch me yet.
I've a fin, and I've a mind,
To give- them- all- a piece of mine.
Oh-HO! Don't cross the lines, my fisher friends,
Cause who knows where that trouble ends?
Our sons and daughters must make amends
For the stubbornness of older men! Hah!
Bite the nets, oh bite the nets,
The fishers of Caer-Konig'll not catch me yet.
I'm a knuckledhead who knows how to rhyme,
And I'll tell- them- all- they're out of time.
Oh-HO! Don't fight on the water, my fisher kin,
Cause Dorim Lugar that were the end o' him,
Our loved ones must bear the toll
Of the knucklehead trout who ate me whole!"​

 

[Kobold Stew]

Russet shivers as we walk out into the biting air of the street. He turns to Corse and Logrim, stamping his feet as he walks to keep them warm.

Scamming a sick kid with phoney medicine! Merchants make me sick..... Who's round is it anyway?

Corse grunts her agreement. "I'll catch up with you in a bit." She says farewell, and positions herself in the shadows on a doorstoop a few buildings down.

 

[domminniti]

Corse grunts her agreement. "I'll catch up with you in a bit." She says farewell, and positions herself in the shadows on a doorstoop a few buildings down.

To Logrim:
She needs to work on her excuses to get out of paying for a round! We'll have to hurry - its the Frostmaiden's hour. Mine's an ale, or a Fire Brandy if they got it. I'll get you a stool and you can tell me more about your beautiful construction. Ludo isn't it?

 

[Steve Gorak]

Corse grunts her agreement. "I'll catch up with you in a bit." She says farewell, and positions herself in the shadows on a doorstoop a few buildings down.

Aric is curious about what Corse is planning and says “Hey Corse, can I stay with you? I’m a good spotter and can hide really well”

 

[Kobold Stew]

Relieved that Aric has waited a few minutes so that there is at least some distance between them and the kennell, she nods. "It's probably nothing. We can enjoy the evening before it gets too cold."

 

[happylace]

GM POST @happylace @Necropolitan

House of the Triad (occupied by Cult of Auril)

The temple with its heatless torches, whispers of mist from the dry ice, and the ice sculpture-in-progress make a suitable witness to Zeth's testimony. Jelenneth's demeanor shifts to regard him with what almost seems like deference. There aren't many who can meet the cold steel gaze of one of Auril's fanatics and not flinch. "You have seen winter's fury, stranger. It was a test of Auril, there can be no doubt. You survived what weaker souls could not."

Upon hearing your description of Sephek Kaltro, Jelenneth has a flicker of recognition, but pauses with her head slightly cocked as if remembering something. "I don't know the name. He is not a follower of Auril that I recognize. However..." she gestures towards the double doors you entered through, "Three days ago, I recall seeing a man with sailor's clothes and forearm markings standing outside the temple. I remember his eyes the most. Stark crystal blue, like gazing at an iceberg on the deep ocean, only for it to gaze back. I swore I felt the goddess' hand upon him, but when I sought the man out, he was gone." Even the fact that the man she saw had his arms exposed in this weather is notable.

Almost excited to meet another who has survived a purported "test" of the Frostmaiden, Jelenneth controls her voice so as not to sound too passionate. "And you, stranger? Could your own brush with death bring you closer to where you're meant to be? To finding a new faith in the Frostmaiden's arms?"

Alma's attention catches on something the woman says. Her eyes flit to Zeth, trying to deduce if he heard it too. But he seems stunned by the offer and unsure what to say. Usually she would avoid interrupting. It's considered rude, after all. But she can't let this chance slip away. And they can't be out here forever.

''Three days ago,'' Alma interjects. ''You said that you saw him outside the temple three days ago. Was this Auril's temple yet, at that time? What state did he seem to be in? Did you witness him speaking with anyone?'' She tilts her head curiously, taking a step forward to push herself to the forefront of the conversation. ''You said his arms were bare.... that's strange. I've only seen people completely bundled up since I came here.''

 

[Aethmud]

The Northlook

GM: Mak ended up losing 32 sp (hoard of 50 to start, at 18 to end). And Jack somehow ended up with a hoard of 50 sp at the end, so no losses for him save for the bracelet. Each of you can roll a DC 10 Insight check (no negative consequences) to learn something about one of the other players or the company of mercenaries in general – e.g. Thidrik's flaw/ideal/bond, their overall morale, even one of Jack's traits, etc. If you roll, let me know what you want to learn.

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Spoiler: Insight check

Jack succeeds a DC10 insight check, attempting to gauge the morale and immediate next plans of the Mintarn mercenaries.

Jack remains in good cheer as he continues drinking with the mercenaries, trading stories of adventure and daring with them.

 

[Necropolitan]

Alma's attention catches on something the woman says. Her eyes flit to Zeth, trying to deduce if he heard it too. But he seems stunned by the offer and unsure what to say. Usually she would avoid interrupting. It's considered rude, after all. But she can't let this chance slip away. And they can't be out here forever.

''Three days ago,'' Alma interjects. ''You said that you saw him outside the temple three days ago. Was this Auril's temple yet, at that time? What state did he seem to be in? Did you witness him speaking with anyone?'' She tilts her head curiously, taking a step forward to push herself to the forefront of the conversation. ''You said his arms were bare.... that's strange. I've only seen people completely bundled up since I came here.''

Zeth realized he'd just talked himself into a situation he didn't know how to talk his way out of.

Violence was neither likely to work nor an option he wanted to have to use. It was so...messy.

He now had more than enough evidence to believe that Sephek Kaltro (or whatever he was now) was the culprit behind the murders. That left tracking down the former pirate and putting him down permanently to ensure the best possible outcome.

Thankfully Alma saved Zeth the trouble of having to immediately lie by speaking up.

Her distraction gave him time to think.

He had no faith in Auril from what he'd learned of her religion, but getting an in with her cult here might be helpful. He WAS planning the murder of what was apparently a newly-devout Aurilite, but Sephek was a murderous pirate and it wasn't like the world would be poorer for his absence. For now the plan was to kill Sephek and deny any responsibility for the death after claiming the reward. Maybe shove the ice dagger they'd been given into the pirate's heart to frame him as the murderer's latest victim so there'd be fewer questions asked.

This was a narrow path to walk. Avoid angering the Aurilites, avoid angering the townsfolk who obviously had no love for the cold cultists, and complete his self-determined mission so he could get back to Luskan and enjoy expensive luxuries until it was time for his next job.

It wasn't like there'd be much reason to hang around once he'd recovered the treasure from the ship. The winter seemed unlikely to abate and that'd be the end of any trading to be done here legally or not. Zeth would not be sticking around longer than he needed to.

But for now it seemed like the best move was to ingratiate himself to Auril's cult and deny any connection to them if the townsfolk asked. If the cult learned he was claiming not to be associated with them he'd just lie and say it was to ensure they had an agent incognito.

And Zeth would readily admit to being curious as to what else there was to the worship of Auril. He may only be a dilettante when it came to scholarship, but it was his natural curiosity that had led him to the power that had gotten him this far.

Waiting for the reply to Alma's questions, Zeth spoke to Jelenneth.

"As you've said, I've survived one of your goddess's tests. What comes next?"