Editing Session007 (section)

====Day Thirty One - on the way from Fort Frostfell to Tomar’s Crossing====

The still exhausted party and some of the rescued prisoners/refugees searched the cultists camp, scavenging it for anything useful as the unconscious dwarf was loaded carefully onto the already overloaded cart.  Drex picked up a dog-eared book filled with spidery goblin writing that the cultist leader had propped open next to where they had been when the party arrived and after barely ten minutes, the group continued their journey towards <u>[[TomarsCrossing|Tomas’s Crossing]]</u>.  

After another hour or so, they spotted a strange looking dust storm in the distance, which one of the refugees indicated was like a sandstorm - something that he had experience only once since the meteor strike - and was probably related to the unnatural warmth that had melted the glacier and still affected the <u>[[Luna Valley]]</u>.   Luckily the storm didn’t seem to be heading in their direction, but they pressed on regardless, hurrying to get back to Tomas’s Crossing as quickly as possible, just in case.

As they got closer to the village, news of their arrival seemed to spread like wildfire, and as they pulled into the centre of the village, the various refugees broke away, reuniting with family and friends.  <u>[[Bjalien Viadas]]</u> appeared and loudly congratulated the party on their successful mission to <u>[[Fort Frostfell]]</u>, killing goblins, rescuing refugees and bringing back some previously stolen rations, and making it clear to all onlooking that he had personally sponsored the party.   Speaking more quietly to the party, he promised to pay them when they visited his house once things had calmed down.   When the mutilated head of Dourkeg was pulled from a bloody sack, he grimaced but seemed pleased when Morthos held it up and loudly proclaimed Bjalien’s sponsorship to all who could hear - no doubt helping the village leader’s reelection prospects.

The leader of the refugees from <u>[[Fort Icewind]]</u>, <u>[[Huberg Greyborn]]</u> was also very pleased to see them and also congratulated them warmly, agreeing to pay them 65gp for the various goblin and hobgoblin ears they had collected.

As the crowd of people finally drifted away, the party headed over to Bjalien’s house, where he was joined by two other council members, <u>[[Paumine Sandalwood]]</u> (a middle aged, somewhat brusque druid) and <u>[[Kadra Tourmaline]]</u> (a younger, attractive woman who seemed to be responsible for the village’s food reserves).  As Bjalien sorted out their payments and reiterated his request that the PCs continue to keep an eye out for his niece '''Allie Thernius''', Kadra and Paumine asked the party questions about what went on at Fort Frostfell - in particular why on earth an undead wight would be controlling goblins.  ''The party professed ignorance, and kept quiet about '''Harlyot Crushade''', '''Horlen Barrypot''', the necromancer '''Relakai Gravemore''' and anything about a possible '''Demonplague'''.''

As the discussion wound down and the party prepared to leave, Kadra pressed a <u>[[Gem of Brightness]]</u> into Cormir's hands, as thanks for the food that the party had retrieved, whispering that it was all she had that she felt they might find useful - a Gem of Brightness.  Outside Bjalien’s house, Paumine Sandlewood caught up with the party and asked if they had seen any zombie rats - and offered to pay them should they manage to capture one for her to study.

Returning to the town square, with daylight almost entirely gone, Morthos stuck Dourkeg’s head onto a stake, and put up a sign again thanking Bjalien for his sponsorship of the mission to free Fort Frostfell from the goblin menace.  Paumine Sandlewood, passing the PCs, noticed their undead horse and was fascinated by it.  

With daylight fast fading, the group started to think about where they are going to spend the night.  Cormir’s friend <u>[[Orich Stronghammer]]</u> happened along and was embarrassed to say that his wife had insisted that despite the group’s obvious heroic activities, for the sake of his marriage, he couldn’t really allow them to stay at his place again.  He had however already had a discussion with <u>[[Malaga Taerwain]]</u>, the innkeeper at <u>[[The Weary Traveller Inn]]</u>.  Apparently Malaga was allowing refugees to sleep for free on the floor of the main common room of the Inn if they were destitute, but she did have some paying rooms available as well and would be welcome for the business.

Heading to the Inn, the group met with Malagar who was happy to rent them a room they could share for 3 nights - 5sp each night.  Parking the undead horse and cart in the stable courtyard was also OK.  Having booked their room, they spent a short while waiting for Drex to cast his Detect Magic ritual when he found out that the book had mild <u>[[Abjuration]]</u> magic on it, and that Morthos's sword had <u>[[Conjuration]]</u>, <u>[[Necromantic]]</u> and <u>[[Transmutation]]</u> auras on it.  The Gem of Brightness given to Cormir had an appropriate aura of <u>[[Evocation]]</u> magic.

Malaga was really busy as she had so many (non-paying) guests that she was unable to provide food, and so the group headed to <u>[[Jorney’s Tavern]]</u>, where <u>[[Jorney Yovurn|Jorney]]</u> gave them free drinks and food as his way of saying thanks for their efforts to help the village.   It also became clear that Jorney was angry about the village food supplies being given away to refugees - when it should have been kept for the use of the original residents instead - and he was going to run for the Village Council to try to make things change.

Once somewhat refreshed, the group returned to the inn, where they rested for the night, waking up somewhat refreshed.  ''(Drex 2 levels exhaustion left, Morthos 1 level exhaustion left).'