Day 17-19: Flamerule 21-23

Eastward

You pass Comet's Inn, marking the halfway point between the Bryn Shander and the crossroads, about a third of the way to Easthaven.  A bit further to the east the path enters a shallow gulley. Thirty-foot mounds of snow and rock rise gently on either side.  In the distance, you see a figure, short in stature standing in the middle of the road. 

"We had a deal, one we intended on keeping," it shouts.  You realize its Hruna, the dwarf who hired you to retrieve the iron.  “Two hundred gold for that chest and everything in it. You robbed us blind. So instead, we spent that gold on hiring some help to make sure we get what’s ours, one way or another."

On cue, a crossbow bolt lands on your feet.  It came from the north, but you can't identify the exact source.

"Of course, if you have our black ice on you now, we’ll take it now along with everything else you’ve got and leave you alive. What’ll it be?”

Elva again tries to feign ignorance about the black ice.  Growing frustrated, Hruna runs up the slope to north, disapearing into the darkness.

The four of you run up the slope as well, several yards to her west.  Elva and Inverna spot the crossbowmen on top of a crest.  Raaf and Num head towards a lone tree and find a hired thug hiding in the underbrush. 

Inverna engages mostly with her rapier but is no match for the crossbowmen who dodges her advances.  Raaf lets loose a thunderclap, knocking an unrecognizable figure who had been hiding behind the tree into a snowbank.  Shortly after, two more hired thugs approach from the south hill and race up to join the fray.  Elva dispatches the first crossbowmen with her daggers, but now has a second to deal with.  Inverna lets loose eldritch blast after blast, knocking down another thug.  After witnessing his mates take a beating, and with one dead, one thug takes off running west.  Raaf succesfully charms another ruffian into believing he has nothing to fear, and he lays down his arms.  Now realizing he is essentially alone, the last remaining thug surrenders. 

You take his belongings and the gold Hruna paid him, and let him know if you ever see him, you'll finish the job.  With that, he heads back towards Bryn Shander. 

The unconcious figure in the snow is Hruna, who attempted to hide from the fight she paid for.  After she comes to, you interrogate her and, realizing she has nothing more to lose, she tells you her story:

A tenday ago, she and three other dwarves were ostracized from the Dwarven Valley for their lack of work ethic, constant scheming, and sowing general distrust among the community. Knowing banishment would soon follow, they stole gemstones, the chest of iron, sled, and horse, and set off to sell it all in Bryn Shander. The iron wouldn't fetch much, but it would help with their new lives. Along the way, they ran into a gnome, Chack, a shipwright and tinkerer from Targos, who told of his escape Duergar kidnappers. Using a potion of giant strength he kept hidden in his belt, Chack had broken his binds, knocked his guard unconcious, and stole a sack of black ice the Duergar had been hauling.  According to Chack, the Duergar, along with something that looked like a yeti, were taking him south along with an older woman.  He did not know why.

Desperate for help, he confided in the dwarves about the black ice and offered half of it as a reward for helping him get to Bryn Shander quickly. In turn, the dwarves killed Chack (whose potion had long ago worn off) and took his entire supply. Dumping some of the iron to make room in the chest for their new fortune, they continued on towards Bryn Shander before being attacked by a yeti. Their horse spooked into running and Oobok killed, they abandoned the sled and headed on to Bryn Shander without it. Once they arrived, they sold the gemstones for two hundred gold - a good return on their stolen goods, but a fraction of what the black ice would fetch. Moments later, they ran into two gullible-looking adventurers on the street.