Session 16 - Thats a big bite, are you sure you can chew it?

 The party head to the wet trout where the innkeep Nymetra tells them of the brutal nature of winter season fishing, how the fishermen often take bottles of ale with them and they can come to harm from the weather, the ale or other fishermen competing for the "good spots"

She points out Scython a pateron on the bar and says he can help with a rowboat loan so they can seek out the fishermen, as they discuss with him he smiles on offers to lend them their boat, as he knows Joe, Bob, Trevor and Sam quite well and would like to know their fate. He says the Bunch O'Knuckleheads (their boat) left about a tenday ago, and was a sturdy vessel and they were skilled at navigating the waters.

The party borrow a boat and head out through the ice floes, Throt pulling the oars with his powerful arms, after a couple of hours of rowing they spot the Bunch O'Knuckle Heads drifting close to a shore, where they see about 50ft of ice sheet leading to a cave at ground level and a couple more caves further up the cliff face. They search the boat finding Four oars, Four sets of fishing gear, and a large quantity of empty ale bottles. 

Looking to the shore they see footprints leading to the cave, and follow them after securing the boats together and to the shore. 

As they head over the ice sheet, two shadows fly overhead and circle around to land in front of them. The harpies look hungry and desperate for a meal, as they attack. One of the harpies starts to sing and charms everyone but Kurash, the other moves in close to attack. The party one by one break out of the harpies charms, and they manage to fight them off.

The footprints lead to the cave at floor level and they are able to follow them inside, Throt "helping" Nogok with tracking.

They come across an empty cavern with ice pillars containing mineral deposits, and see some other sets of prints that have entered the room and left again, but they pick up the trail again and are able to continue on.

They eventually come to a natural stone bridge covered in ice which traverses a frozen river about 20ft below. Mochi is the first to traverse the bridge skillfully with a rope en tow which she ties off on the far side, the rest of the party are able to make their way across safely.

The others follow while Throt holds the rope, and then he goes last. They find an abandoned camp on the far side, a very cold fireplace appears to have been used to burn a book, of which three pages with writing in Dwarven are on the floor, the party collect those, and finding themselves at a dead end realize the trail didn't extend beyond the bridge, as they head back to inspect the bridge and see on one side there is a set of hand holds they can use to climb down to the frozen river. 

The Surface of the ice shows no trail, and they decide they will head to the south first, they soon come to a cave leading to the west, and a frozen waterfall which is an about 20ft wall of ice. They head into the cave and find themselves in a room where the floor is covered in fresh blood, and they notice a Ice Giant Skeleton frozen into some ice.  

Battle ensues, Throt takes some big hits, but fights on, and they eventually take him down.