Session 0 (6/19/2021) and Session 1 - Welcome to Icewind Dale

Sitting nestled in the midst of a frozen tundra that stretches for hundreds of miles, a frozen sea to the Northwest littered with icebergs that would smash a ship without breaking a sweat, Rocky almost impassable mountains to the south, is Ten Towns, a group of Ten settlements of varying friendliness. 

The people of Ten Towns come here for nefarious reasons, hiding from the law or the criminal gangs of the warmer parts of the Forgotten Realms, they stay for the harsh beauty of the frigid reason, the potential to make good coin fishing for Knuckle Head trout in the icy waters of lake Maer Dualdon or other less savory endeavors. 

The extreme bitter cold affords all that come to Ten Towns an unexpected boon, as they meet the locals for the first time they realize that that everyone is always so wrapped in warm clothing that its hard to tell one person from another, or from a wandering criminal for that matter. 

We start our story of Seven adventurers who are trapped in Icewind Dale as a result of the Rime of the Frostmaiden. The Goddess Auril is angry at the people of Ten Towns and is punishing them for the unknown offense in the form of an eternal night, without the sun ever rising they are also stuck in an eternal winter. 

Lets meet our Adventurers

Etch (Acketpay Etchupkay)

A Dragonborn bard from the south Etch came to Ten Towns to seek inspiration from the beauty of the frozen north, the tales of dancing lights in the sky, and the land of exploits of Drizzt Do'Urden was too strong a draw for the bard to resist. When the Rime began he was trapped here. 

Kurash 

A water Genasi who even in these parts appears strange to the locals, Kurash is a druid who came to the region in search of animal power from those who would dwell in such an extreme harsh environment. He had managed to save some local folks from certain death and was renowned as a local hero.

Layton

A stout Halfling with a knack for machinery came to the north to make money fixing the machines that run the towns, goods from the south are such a rarity here that he quickly became everyones best friend as their broken this, or that needed mending. 

Mochi

Mochi is also known as Mochi the Merciful, a name earned from relieving people of the burden of their valuables, came to the north seeking reprieve from a gang of thugs that she had stolen from who seemed to have the ability to track her all across the lands. 

Nogok

Raised by the Reghed tribes of the North, Nogok a bug bear found solace in the goodness of the law. Taking the oath of the Palidan to uphold the law and protect the weak. Nogok is quite effective at doing this. Seeing the corruption in Ten Towns on his first visit Nogok felt he had found the place he was needed most. 

Nox

A Dragonborn warlock who is at home in the frigid temperatures of the north Nox found himself making a pact with an unknown entity for magical power. Nox came to the north seeking out a bounty on a hiding criminal, and after catching the person and taking their head, Nox is now stuck in the North thanks to the Rime. 

Vern

A Socrcer born with wild magic which has throughout his life scared those around him, Vern came to the north to seek out an isolated life away from as many people as possible. Often Vern is though of as just another crazy old man, but his wits are sharp and he is very capable. 

Session 1

The Northlook tavern in Bryn Shander is a place where people go looking for work. The capabilities of our crew had however previously been noticed by the Council of Speakers (A committee of representatives from each of the Ten Towns), the party had been sent here to meet and begin to work as a group to tackle some of the pricklier problems the people of Ten Towns were facing. 

They enter the common room to be greeted by Scramsax the Inn Keeper, a retired adventurer with an understanding for how difficult the life can be. 

Scramsax knows each of them, and as they enter he directs them to a reserved common table in the center of the room. Nogok and Nox decide to take tables away and observe the rest of the party who quickly strike up introductions and tell tales of their exploits. They hear a lot of chatter from the locals of a series of murders that had taken place across the prior month, and get the impression people are now very worried about if they will be next. 

Kurash, Nogox and Nox notice a gruff looking Dwarf watching the party with interest, and once the rest of the party notice her they call her over. She introduces herself as Hiln Trollbane a retired bounty hunter.

Hiln asks them what they know of the Murders and after they recount the murmurings of the bar patrons, she asks if they would be willing, for a 100gp to chase down her suspect determine his guilt and "Deal with him". Hiln has been investigating the murders out of being bored and a moral obligation, and discovered a suspect. Sephek Kaltro who works for a traveling merchant company named Torgs, which happened to be in Easthaven when the halfling trapper, Targos when the human ship builder, and Bryn Shander when the Dwarven glassblower were all murdered, is Hilns prime suspect. 

Hiln follwed Torgs for a tenday and saw Sephek often not wearing cold weather gear, adding to her suspicions, as the towns where the murders occurred are those that perform human sacrifice on the new moon to try and appease the Frostmaiden. Hiln suspects that Sephek is doing the work of the frostmaiden and has been blessed by her or something hence his immunity to the effects of the cold. This also ties in with how the people were killed, an Ice knife used in each of the murders

The party agree to track down Torgs and also do their own investigation to see what they can find out. 

During a discussion with Scramsax about where the party should start next they determine that the Glass blowers house and workshop have been looted since his murder and now stand empty. As they are asking more questions they are distracted by the mounted fish above the hearth that suddenly starts singing:

    There’s a place I like to go

    Farther up the river’s flow;

    Where it is, I do not know;

    Must be under all that snow.

Scramsax laughs at the stunned expressions on their faces and explains that the fish was known as Ol' Bitey a knuckle head trout that had dragged many a fisherman to their icy death in the waters of Maer Duldon. A Rouge named Kintyre caught it and brought it here to be cooked, instead Scramsax bought the fish and had it mounted. Some time later a mischievous wizard cast a spell on it so it would randomly, or if someone got close enough sing that song. 

The party decide to head out and check out the local smithy, the Black Iron blades, which has a reputation for making the cheapest blades in Ten Towns. 

As they exit the Inn they are confronted by three Dwarves who greet them, and ask them for help. They were transporting a sled of Iron Ingots to Bryn Shander and were attacked by a Yeti. One of their party was killed and they need some capable souls to go and retrieve the sled. The party will be paid in the form of one Gemstone each (worth 50gp). They determine that the Dwarves have honest intentions, and accept on the condition that the Dwarves also cover the cost of the snow shoes they will require to get to the location of the Sled (of which they have been told its on the road to Kelvins Cairn to the North East)

An agreement is made, along with instructions as to where the sled needs to go, and how to acquire snowshoes, which as it happens are available at the Black Iron blades smithy and outfitters.

The continue down the streets of Byrn Shander, and eventually arrive at Black Iron Blades. They find a split store, with a female Dwarf standing behind a counter, with racks of adventuring gear, and a male Dwarf hard at work on the forge.

The Female Dwarf introduces herslef as Elza and tells them her Brother Garn the Hammer is the one working the forge. They ask her if anyone has made any large or strange orders, or if anyone has been seeking out exotic materials, to which she replies in the negative. She implies that the quality of the blades her brother makes have a reputation for being the cheapest for a reason, and while she puts a positive spin on this, the party recall that they have often heard jokes in the taverns end with the line  “an’ ’e was carrying a Blackiron blade, to boot!”

Nogok asks if she has Plate Mail armor on hand, and she does not but says for 1500gp she could get the materials and have it made for him. He asks what they have on hand, and she shows them a used breastplate that would normally sell for 400gp new, but she could do for 350 as it has what looks like an Axe shaped hole in the chest that has been repaired. 

The party settle for the snow shoes of which, Elza has to make some custom ones for Nogok due to his exceptionally large feet, but she modifies them skillfully and they look robust and very functional once they are done. 

They plan their next move which is to head out on the road to Kelvins Cairn.