You do not know what a lamb is? Well you did not know sheep either so it makes sense I guess. A lamb is a young sheep. You remember the sheep we saw at Master Edermaths orchard? I am sorry about your ale but this stew is excellent! I am sure you will like it. The pear cordial is great too!

Alice thinks for a moment.
Ahh, the fluffy white beasts! I didn't know people would eat them. But now I remember somebody said they might kill them as there is no food because of the cold.

Shall we head to our room? I really need to rest!

Yeah, let's go!

After dinner you make it to your room. It feels quite cold and empty for some reason.

Alice dives under the bed as usual.
Bah, Ashley would have taken her own room anyway...

Before going to sleep, Alice proceeds with her usual cleaning routine, sending thin pseudopods up to Cat and Yulya in the bed, making sure they are fresh and clean for tomorrow.

After a refreshing Night, Cat suggests to go to Hobby first.
Nyaa I will look after the mules Nya and our cart Nya and move the loot Nya! I guess you don't need me at that noble Nya! We'll meet at the inn at 9 for breakfast Nya!

Alice dons all her layers to stay warm, but still freezes in the cold morning air.
Okay, is there anything from our loot you don't want to sell?
Alice briefly visits the mules and brings them an alfalfa block - and the sad news of Ashley's passing. Then she accompanies Yulya to Hobby and Harbin.

Indeed it's a cold morning, so cold the frost has even formed on the inside of the windows in a beautiful but bitter cold display of the temperature outside.



After collecting yourselves and your things, you head downstairs through the tavern hall and Toblen, looking very tired, notes you coming down the stairs and directs your attention to Daren, sitting at a table, nursing a warm cup of tea, presumably from his own reserve.

"He insisted on seeing you before you leave, he's been here since dawn."

Daren notices your arrival and hails you to join him for tea and apple muffins bursting from a large basket on an adjacent chair.







[Interactions Required]

After collecting yourselves and your things, you head downstairs through the tavern hall and Toblen, looking very tired, notes you coming down the stairs and directs your attention to Daren, sitting at a table, nursing a warm cup of tea, presumably from his own reserve.
"He insisted on seeing you before you leave, he's been here since dawn."

Yulya bows and pays Toblen the price for the room
I apologize for the trouble Mr. Stonehill!

Cat whispers to Yulya
Nya he's kid of important right Nya? We can go to Hobby and Harbin after breakfast Nya!

Indeed that is the only option. We cannot let Master Edermath wait any longer!

Daren notices your arrival and hails you to join him for tea and apple muffins bursting from a large basket on an adjacent chair.

Yulya approaches Daran and bows as well - a bit unsure if she should be happy t see him or whether he is also part of a grand conspiracy against her and her friends.
Master Edermath!
Had we known about your arrival we would have come sooner! I apologize for our late return from the mine but there was quite a lot - I mean a really big lot of unexpected trouble - much more than we had anticipated. But I can report that we managed to resolve it - at least temporarily. I shall give you a detailed report - maybe you can make more sense of what happened than us. Because frankly - still a lot of what we encountered leaves me with more questions than answers..

Yulya sighs and takes a chair ready to recapitulate the events at the mine.

I shall give you a detailed report - maybe you can make more sense of what happened than us.

Though he's stern and quiet as he listens to your accounts, he is tickled by much of what Yulya recalls of Mormesk, "The human wizard? He's become a lich by your description..." His voice trails off, "and he took human form to teleport away to Neverwinter? Well I'm sure even that won't fool the mages of the Many-Starred Cloak, I say good luck to him." With gusto he says, "oh how I wish I could have conversed with him and find out how he managed that alone in that sealed chamber all these years. I find it quite curious. Yes yes, I was a young man when I knew the gentleman, and as I recall he was rather haughty and boisterous fellow, not to say he wasn't skilled, but to train a shemlen to that level is frivolous and meaningless in the end considering how little they will end up contributing to the art, but in this case... he still may be of use. I do have a hard time believing he's still of a reasonable alignment and cognizance to be of any real help in that condition however."

He waved off such thoughts, "anyway, I'm disappointed you didn't bring me any orc trophies, I was so looking forward to adding pickled orc tongues to my collection of oddities. In the end you survived, and I presume you made good use of my ring, though I do not see an elf among you yet. As for the whistle, I would take that off your hands, any fool bandit that comes here for it will get his just reward from me, I'd very much like to ask him a few questions. Rather like if I could entice a field mouse to say more than a few utterances about the weather or his longing for grains."

He also appeared to be quite confused and amused that the watcher was still there, "that silly beast, guarding nothing for hundreds of years, what a hoot!"

When you get to the bugbears and Nezzner he speaks practically, "ah, good choice over orcs, of the same level of intelligence, marginally useful but ready made for those icy conditions. I can't say why he'd use chameleons, but to each his own. As far as the Bulettes, they were there so many years ago as well, we simply let them be. Now, this Drow Nezzner and his involvement with bandits, that is quite a shame to see him fallen so far as to need to resort to such tasks. Of course you needn't wonder about their business, they take and they supply, they're traders first and foremost but not the kind that pays their suppliers; slaves, supplies, gold, anything you have that's worth anything, they'll launder it and funnel it to corrupt buyers. Slaves are of course in high demand, especially shemlans, why? I cannot fathom. The noble shems seem to love their little toys I suppose."

Regarding your missing party member he offers his condolences and makes no further comment.

Good Morning, Master Edermath!
We had a lot of fun at the mine... Not a single orc though. Ah, and I heard a certain owl who has my ship was also here? I can't wait to meet him!

"Yes yes, good morning and who might you be?" He struggles to place Alice, thinking she was reminiscent of the animated doll he met but couldn't possibly be. After a few moments he realizes that and remarks, "So you can learn to refine your shape, interesting, very interesting, well I certainly wouldn't have been pinching and prodding you if you'd shown up at my door looking this picture perfectly child-like. As for the artifact, yes, indeed it is... well, not here in the physical sense, but Andras is also itching to speak to you regarding just that. In that regard, I would like to invite you all to my residence this afternoon to speak to him, please come wearing something less... dungeonous, if you can, I can't require it obviously. I had to personally convince him to save the artifact, if it was up to him, he'd have permanently sealed it away in an empty pocket dimension, or sent it to the center of a celestial sink, but even as it is, he has reported some interesting developments in that regard, but there is the matter of cleanup at the crash site that still needs to be addressed, I would ask you speak to him directly about that. I informed him you were of the same matter and he was interested in seeing you for himself before he teleports away half the mountain to contain the... what did he call it... infection. But don't tell him I said that. Would 14:00 work for you? Daylinn is making something special for the occasion."

He seems in good spirits, quite entertained by your tales (he is an adventurer after all), and is on his best behavior. The muffins and tea are scrumptious to anyone who partakes.

[Interactions Required. He has requested the Whistle, seems honest about his intent, and may be willing to pay for it. As for his reputation and credentials. I don't expect you can accuse him of any wrongdoing honestly.]

"Yes yes, good morning and who might you be?"
He struggles to place Alice, thinking she was reminiscent of the animated doll he met but couldn't possibly be

Alice stares back as Daran as he examines her

After a few moments he realizes that and remarks, "So you can learn to refine your shape, interesting, very interesting, well I certainly wouldn't have been pinching and prodding you if you'd shown up at my door looking this picture perfectly child-like.

Alice looks at her own body in confusion once more.
Is this becoming a running gag? I look the same as always, don't I? Well I wouldn't know. Can't see myself. Maybe I am regaining some of my strength already but I thought it would take until my transformation to achieve a noticeable improvement. Speaking of which - I need my ship for that!

As for the artifact, yes, indeed it is... well, not here in the physical sense, but Andras is also itching to speak to you regarding just that. In that regard, I would like to invite you all to my residence this afternoon to speak to him, please come wearing something less... dungeonous, if you can, I can't require it obviously

Excellent! I assume my Yukata is appropriate? Providing it is warm enough, I will wear that.

I had to personally convince him to save the artifact, if it was up to him, he'd have permanently sealed it away in an empty pocket dimension, or sent it to the center of a celestial sink, but even as it is, he has reported some interesting developments in that regard, but there is the matter of cleanup at the crash site that still needs to be addressed, I would ask you speak to him directly about that. I informed him you were of the same matter and he was interested in seeing you for himself before he teleports away half the mountain to contain the... what did he call it... infection. But don't tell him I said that.

Alice smirks.
Well congratulations Master Edermath! You might have just saved this world. At least future generations in a few centuries. Should the ship disappear and I fail to return, my masters will come looking for me eventually. And they would be very very angry. Which would be very very bad for anyone on his planet. But worry not, I will make sure the ship regains its integrity and the crash site poses no threat, but for that I need to go there and this cold needs to cease. But only once I regain my full strength, this issue can be permanently resolved. I shall explain everything to my best abilities (which are currently limited) at our meeting!

Though he's stern and quiet as he listens to your accounts, he is tickled by much of what Yulya recalls of Mormesk, "The human wizard? He's become a lich by your description..." His voice trails off, "and he took human form to teleport away to Neverwinter? Well I'm sure even that won't fool the mages of the Many-Starred Cloak, I say good luck to him." With gusto he says, "oh how I wish I could have conversed with him and find out how he managed that alone in that sealed chamber all these years. I find it quite curious. Yes yes, I was a young man when I knew the gentleman, and as I recall he was rather haughty and boisterous fellow, not to say he wasn't skilled, but to train a shemlen to that level is frivolous and meaningless in the end considering how little they will end up contributing to the art, but in this case... he still may be of use. I do have a hard time believing he's still of a reasonable alignment and cognizance to be of any real help in that condition however."

Mormesk was cool. He did seem a bit disorientated though, no wonder after being sealed for centuries. But without him, we would have been ghoul food. He said he sealed portals to the Underdark which Nezzer had created. I wonder why anyone would do this. That's insane!

"anyway, I'm disappointed you didn't bring me any orc trophies, I was so looking forward to adding pickled orc tongues to my collection of oddities."

Alice shakes her head.
Never seen an orc in this world, not that I am complaining. But I have my own collection of oddities!

Alice reaches into her backpack and takes out the ex-flaming skull and Nezzer's skin - with a bright and cheerful grin.
I present - a flaming skull the Spectator would summon, and of course - Nezzer the Black Spider!
So who was this guy? As Cat said he was super weak. Summoned a few undead but apart from that even I could have defeated him in my sad current state. But listen to this!
When we had him grappled and cornered, he grabbed an amulet around his neck and teleported himself and me into another plane to the gods. There was our comrade Ashley I think - who had already died by them and that local elf god. I forget his name something like correlation.
Nezzer became younger and just stood next to me in a beautiful garden while the god was having tea with Ashley and other small girls. Without explanation he cut off Nezzer's head and gave it to me.  Nezzer's body was sucked into the Negative Plane by some black vortex. Then he sent me back. I tried to explain about my ship but he said the matter had been resolved. Nobody ever listens to me! The hell was that about? Anyway, that's the story how I got his head. Mormesk skinned it for me. My best trophy so far. The ears are pristine...

Alice compares Nezzer's ears to Daran's while talking about her ear collection...