Yulya listens to the conversation and Brutus advice with a sober expression and thinks:
Yes - just as I imagined. Without massive help from Summer we are dead!



Yulya bows.
I thank you Sir Brutus, Sir Groet and Miss Kessandra!
You are correct we must plan this carefully without rushing into an attack! I cannot thank you enough for your help and advice!
Yet ignoring the cause of the entire freeze is not easy. I also wonder if the dragon is related or not. Whoever is responsible for this might not let us get rid of the dragon so easily...

Oh one more thing before I forget!
We stumbled into a strange man at the Alchemists shop just now. Very tall and thin clad in a black robe. I could not discern his face but I am certain it was no living being. Absolutely soulless, not breathing. He smelled of blood and the shopkeeper said he never spoke. I first thought it moght be and undead but it was suggested he might be a vampire. Just to let you know!

And I am not sure if you already heard but on the way back from Phandalin we encountered bandits ambushing a traders carriage that appeared highly organized. We beat them and they all had silver brooches resembling a flower and one had a silver signal whistle he blew. They would not talk and reveal who they were and in whos name they operated. They were young men all human. I used COMMAND on their leader to make them talk and he revealed his name was Johnstan Matthews and they were there to rob the carriage. He said they needed to do that in order to 'advance'. I believe Summer also cast some charm spell on them which may have interfered with our investigation. But he also stated they were not aware of Summer and not there to abduct her as was my initial suspicion.
We decided to let them live as I abhor killing humans. When we rested for the night the whistle began to glow and there appeared to be the image of a ship embossed on it. It was a tracking device. Other fairly powerful bandits showed up. We got rid of the whistle and their brooches to lure them away from us. They took them and fled when Summer cast an illusion.
Very odd. Do you know any organization that could be related? I had hoped the trade route to Phandalin was safe at least for the moment after we cleared the goblin den but I am afraid this is not the case. I wonder what we will encounter on our way there...

We should buy a chain Nya and a lock Nya or manacles Nya before we head out Nya!

Yes I think that is a worthy investment to chain powerful foes!
Then let us prepare there is still a lot to do today! I wonder how many poison we will be able to make. I hope it works. I also would appreciate advicve for a suitable cooking spot that is not to ofar away and reasonably safe.

Brutus snorted a lough, "I find that laughable, someone like that would be easy to spot and vampires aren't allowed in the city. I've heard nothing of it."
Kessandra considered it more carefully, "They do exist, there are always rumors about, but the sources of those rumors are always elusive so they're ususally without substance. If the shopkeeper said nothing, then I find that very unlikely. There are wizards who can mask their life signature, perhapse that's what you experienced."

Alice tilts her head
A sorcerer?



Well I have seen some who sorcered too much and lost all humanity but this guy was definitely not an ordinary living being. Didn't get a good look at him like Yulya but what sorcerer smells of blood?
We can't deal with this now but you better be on the lookout. We already gave a report to Freya about this guy and the bandits. I wonder if they're connected to the freeze incident? If someone hired them I don't think it's about robbing carriages for their goods. Rather to cut off Phandalin. Perhaps. Whatever. I hope we meet those guys again...
Alice chuckles, imagining different ways to prepare them as delicious food, roasting them like the hog right here

"There's a camping spot just southwest of the city. The wind is blocked by a small stand of trees so it makes for a good rest spot for caravans who didn't make it to the gates in time to enter. It was taken over by refugees but a week ago the guards cleared it out, its a good a place as any. There are few creatures dumb enough to come that close to the city."

Excellent, thanks!
Then we will go there!
I suppose we should go shopping for that chain first? Come on girls, time is running out!