Session 7 - Thundering Footsteps

Chewing on some Peryton roasted over a very small fire the party hear the sound of unmasked approach footsteps. The range is hard to tell, as they quickly realize the approaching thing is further and much larger than was first assumed. 

Staring into the darkness of the open Tundra they see a giant form emerge, a gruff but friendly voice calls out "Well met friends I am Throt"

The party stand and stare at this Goliath form, some of them (Layton the halfling) have to look a very long way up to see the strangers face.

The party establish that Throt was sent to seek them out by the speaker of Dougan's Hole, Edgra Durmont to aid them in their tasks helping the good people of Ten Towns.

He joins them in making camp for the rest of the night as they all introduce themselves, and share whats left of the Deer/Chicken meat. 

The next morning they continue their journey to Caer-Dinivial, along the way the party fill in Throt on their current workload, and how they all got to the Far North. 

Arriving in Caer-Dinival and visiting Lac Dinishire for the first time, the party find an Closed Inn named Dinev's Rest, so instead head to the Tavern (The Uphill Climb).

Arriving they (Very much to their disappointment) learn from Roark the proprietor that he has no alcohol on the premises but offers to make them a pot of chowder for a significant discount. 

Business has not been good since the ferry to Easthaven shut down and his supply of beverages was closed down, but he still makes a mean chowder for the locals, this however is wearing thin without the drink to back it up. 

The party agree to some chowder at 5sp for all of them this is a bargain, but at the same time you get what you pay for and the Mean chowder is mediocre at best. 

The party ask what news of the town, and is there somewhere they can get accommodations for the night, Roark suggests they try the Caer but reports suggest that the speakers attendants have not been overly welcome to guests since he has taken ill. Explaining further that the speaker has not been seen for some time, and reports of his prolonged illness are starting to concern the locals. They ask news of Garrett the adventurer but Roark cant recall many passing adventurers names and doesn't know of him specifically. 

While the party chew this fact over (and the last of the stew) some of the fishermen come in for some chowder, the party hear them chatting over the news of the murders, the missing Speaker and of course the cursed endless winter. 

They approach the locals and ask of the murders, finding out very little they didn't already know, the murders happened in the towns that sacrifice people, that the people of Caer-Dinivial are not as worried about being targeted as they sacrifice Food to Auril 

The locals mention the murders were done with a Ice knife, and ask what the party know of them, attempting to keep their information about Sephek and Torga's to themselves until Throt bursts out with a question of "Didn't you say on the road that there was someone named Stef or Sef....that you were looking for"

The locals ask "Do you mean Sephek" and explain that would make sense the man that runs with Torga is not right, never needing cold weather gear, never carrying arms or wearing armor and those piercing blue eyes that creep people the hell out, and and and....The locals agree that your suspicions of Sephek are vailid and that seeking out him and Torga is a sound approach to solving the murders.

Wrapping the discussions and the last of the chowder the party pay and head to the Caer where they find the strong hold closed up, two guards stand outside the very heavy gates, watching closely as the party approach. 

When they ask for access to the speaker the guards state that speaker Crannoc is too sick to receive guests and they should come back some other time. Throt marches up and tries to access the doors, the guards crossing their Halberds to block him, and Etch decides to try and pursued their way in, when his not so smooth talking fails he instead opts to using his breath weapon on the guard closest to him. 

The guard jumps out of the way and attacks back, Nogok however manages to calm things down and after apologizing for his friends attack talks the guard into letting them in. 

The Guard looks up to the gate house, and calls out that they should be allowed passage, however after seeing the attack the gatekeeper refuses them entry. Feeling this behavior and the rumors of the speakers sickness are highly suspicious they decide to leave for now and revisit this later. 

The party head to Caer-Konig and decide to go to Frozenfar expeditions first up. Where they meet Atenas Swift the shopkeep, his shop sells adventuring and climbing gear. They ask about Garret and he says he remembers him coming through 1 or 2 ten days ago. He has a deal with the guides that he will buy back gear that they purchase for their parties and knows him well. They ask where he would have headed, and he says he is unsure for the actual climb but most climbers make basecamp around the same area and sketches them out a rough map of where to look. He offers the services of his guide Jarthra but the party decline for now, opting instead to seek out the basecamp and work out if they need to come back and employ a guide for the actual climb or not. 

Thanking Atenas for his map etc, they leave and head to the Tavern the Hook Line and Sinker. 

At the door to the Tavern is the barkeep who introduces himself as Glen (Eglendar Korr) as he presses a half pint of ale into the hand of each of the party and invites them in to drink. (This is known as the hook)

They settle in and order a second round (the line) and notice a huge man sitting at a table surrounded by lots of awestruck locals, they seem to be taking it in turns buying him ale, and he is staring directly at Throt. 

Throt marches up to the table, and as he approaches one of the big mans sycophants stands up to vacate a chair for Throt. Sitting down the tension between Throt and Grok (The champion of Hook Line and Sinker) grows and grows, with comments from Throt about the man being small fueling the fire lit by several rounds of ale in Groks belly. Grok openly challenges Throt to a fight, and after checking with Nogok Throt agrees (Nogok explains that he should not kill them man but knocking him out is fine)

The take it outside, as a show of respect for the bar, and Grok strips his shirt off, his huge torso showing many scars and his belly the effects of many rounds of ale. 

Grok says ok let's do this big boy but no weapons, and by this stage many of the Taverns patrons are outside to watch their champion defend his title. 

Throt laughs and lets Grok know he will go easy because he doesnt like to beat on those smaller than him, further adding to Groks ire. They begin the fistfight with blows to the head, and Throt mentions his surprise that Grok hits so softly and is the champion, Grok doubling his efforts. As the two of them exchange blows, Throts constant banter about Groks size, and the softness of his punches add much insult to a bunch of injury, Throt not showing signs of waning to the mans blows is driven into a rage and which he uses to almost take down Grok, who decides at this stage it time to have another drink surrendering to the Goliaths superior strength. Checking again with Nogok Throt acccepts the surrender and agrees to a drink. 

As they enter the bar Grok explains that as he was beaten he will buy Throt drinks when he comes to the bar. Throt asks how he has any money left at all after such an easy defeat. Grok is trying hard to gracefully accept that Throt beat him, but Throts comments are making that very difficult. 

At this stage the barkeep offers to send word to the Northern Light (the Inn) for rooms to be reserved for the party. Kurash offers to head there now and reserve the rooms, and retire for the night. 

The night carries on Groks purse significantly lightened by the number of drinks purchased for Throt, the barkeep calls last drinks and the locals cheer. Grok explains the bar has a tradition when visitors are in town that the locals challenge them to a drinking competition at the call of last drinks (The Sinker).