On the 2nd of Marpenoth, 1489 DR, with the second day of the regional Talis tournament. Archie did well on his first day of competition and made the cut to today’s semifinal round. Day 2 of the tournament started about 3 hours ago, and the room is intense with anticipation as the match is down to the 8 semifinalists. Archie is doing well today, with total winnings somewhere near 300 gp, and he’s feeling good. 4RG is there, keeping an eye on the competition, a bit intrigued at his new friend’s skill and the rapid accumulation of wealth he’s building. Sygg stands quietly in the raised gallery, watching to ensure there is no cheating or theft taking place. He focuses intently on the comings and goings of those not playing as much as possible.  

Ghaspar sits quietly near the competion, drinking his ale and seemingly enjoying the atmosphere of boasts amongst the players when not playing, but with how quiet the room gets as they play. Not much is heard in the middle of play beyond the occasional whisper and the clink of coins as they are moved about the table. The door opens and an elven woman, heavily bundled, enters and makes her way toward the fire. 

A few moments later, the inn is plunged into chaos as the entire common area is enveloped in magical darkness. Archie feels a sharp blow to the head, but remains aware enough to hear the clink of his winnings being swept into a leather bag, and feel winter’s bite on his back as the door to exit opens and whomever struck him makes their escape.

Ghaspar imbues light on his mug in an effort to make his way into action, but drops the mug in the confusion. Fortunately for him, he’s able to follow its path along the floor and retrieve it, finding his way to the door at near the same time as Sygg. Concerned for his newfound friend, 4RG moves forward, but both get twisted up trying to navigate the darkness. The only one that remains motionless is Azalea, who remains by the fire. 

Just as suddenly as the darkness set in, it dissipates as Ghaspar manages to find and open the door to the inn. Stepping out onto the stairs, and looking up and down the seemingly empty streets, both Ghaspar and Sygg see three figures moving steadily toward the northern gate. Sygg begins his pursuit with Archie, not one to leave money behind, also leaping into action. Ghaspar, 4RG, and Azalea take up the chase, and, in a matter of minutes, manage to catch up to the group just before they meet up with their comrades. 

In the ensuing fight, Ghaspar and Sygg take substantial damage, but between the kind barbarian’s rage allowing him to shake it off, and the firbolg’s ability to turn invisible and ask for help, 4RG was able to keep him up and in the fight. Despite his abilities being focused protection, and shielding everyone else, the newly formed group demonstrated their lack of familiarity by wading into battle at the front, positioning their “shield’ at their rear. Nonetheless, they made quick work of the 4 bandits and 2 scouts. Searching the bodies, Archie retrieved a leather satchel with 350 gp, but told the others that he found nothing, and they, also found little of note. 

Returning back to Bryn Shander, the group is greated by Sheriff Malcolm Southwell, who congratulates them on such a rapid response and seeks the return of the stolen funds. However, Archie is able to convince the Sheriff that there was a 7th person involved and that they were unable to retrieve any of the stolen gold. 4RG, highly suspicious of this, takes note and quickly catches on to Archie’s deception, but the rest fail to have observed anything other than what was reported. Sygg felt particularly troubled and opted to go back out and attempt to locate the gold, accompanied by Azalea, whilst the rest sought warmth and a meal somewhere other than the Northlook Inn. 

Sygg and Azalea brave the bitter cold once more and locate the bodies, but can hear the approach of wolves. Acting quickly, they search the bodies, but, while the fail to find the stolen gold. Azalea finds and pockets a silver dagger and Sygg finds 4 small gems concealed in the boot heel of the halfling thief. Between the approaching wolves and growing cold, Sygg and Azalea hasten to return to the town, and to direct Azalea to the Hoar’s Frost Inn for lodging. 

Wandering through town, Archie, 4RG and Ghaspar made their way to The Hoar’s Frost, an opulent inn located at the East Gate of Byrn Shander, where Archie secured a “penthouse” for he and 4RG, and a “premium” room for Ghaspar. But while 4RG is distracted, Archie sneaks off to see what other vices he can indulge. Rather quickly, Archie finds himself tossing dice with the kitchen staff. Before he can get himself in the hole, or trouble, 4RG arrives and is in the middle of a rather intense conversation with him when Azalea strides in. Working quickly, the subject is changed to securing a room for Azalea, which raises Azalea’s suspicion’s a bit. But with a room secured for her, the four call it an evening. 

Sygg, on the other hand, returns to the Northlook Inn to apologize for having failed, and offers the innkeep, Scramsax, all of his gold. Scramsax, a bit taken aback by Sygg’s martyrdom, if not also a little suspicious, offers to let him keep 4 of the 10 gold, and the use of the common, shared room currently occupied by three other guests. 

Early the next morning, as with most early mornings, Sygg rises and heads out of town to hunt for food. 

Meanwhile, as the other four wake and head down for breakfast, Azalea once again catches 4RG and Archie in an intense and whispered conversation. Though seemingly distracted at Archie’s rapid pivot to the offer of pancakes, and, having heard a reference to “you don’t feed the strays, cause then they stick around”. To clarify, 4RG then states that “strays” means “friends” where he comes from. It’s during this conversation that Ghaspar also makes his way to the table.  

A few moments into their breakfast, three dwarves come in, lock eyes with the party, and make their way to their table. Introducing herself as Hruna, this raspy voiced female dwarf tells a tale of having heard about the goings on of the previous night and asks the group to aid her and her companions in the retrieval of a sled with 600 pounds of iron that was abandoned after they were attacked by a Yeti on the road from Kelvin’s Cairn to Bryn Shander. The group was less than interested until she offered 2 25gp Bloodstones, half up front, and half on delivery, if they would retrieve the goods. 

Wrapping up their breakfast, seeking out Sygg, and procuring some more cold resistant gear, the group sets forth on their mission around 3 that afternoon. Shortly thereafter, a blizzard sets in and the party is forced to halt in their progress until it can blow past. Two and half hours later, they emerge from their tents and quickly find the body of a dwarf down in a gully. Inspecting the body finds that he was beheaded and that some large carnivore had eaten parts of his severed arms, but Azalea and Sygg also discover small footprints mixed in with what are clearly tracks made from the load of a very heavy sled, traveling to the southwest. 

Moving in pursuit, after roughly 30 minutes, the party sees a group of 6 goblins, struggling to pull the heavily laden sled on their continued trek to the southwest. Given the sounds of bickering and arguing between them, Sygg approaches in an effort to convince them to surrender before 4RG, moving into position at the front, calls out to engage them. In the ensuing battle, Ghaspar transforms to look like a yeti, scaring two of them off,  whilst Azalea throws out a few crossbow bolts to the group. Sygg rages, wading quickly into combat, and 4RG and Archie join in. Before all of the goblins can be dispatched, they are joined by the Goblin Captain, two additional goblins, and a chained polar bear. 

Using his ability to engage with animals, Ghaspar convinces the polar bear to shed himself of the goblin holding him, which he does…by snapping the chains so hard that the goblin is lifted off his feet and slung into a nearby tree, breaking his neck. As the remaining goblin and the captain are dispatched, the polar bear then wanders off, blissfully ignorant of Ghaspar’s offer to help pull the sled. 

Gathering what little loot the goblins had, and pulling the sled, ever so slowly back to Bryn Shander, the party arrives just shortly before what would have been dawn. Meeting with Hruna, they are thanked and rewarded the remaining 25gp Bloodstone, and are also given a perpetual 10% discount at BlackIron Blades, the local blacksmith.