For some reason, Pitbull does not look out of place at all, moving around town with an owlbear on a leash. There are some glances and stares, and menacing glares from ice trolls, but the pathfinders looks discouraging enough not to attract any trouble. Merchants indeed.
Alexei Kartov runs a little shop on the edge of what seems to be a market district. Kartov and son the plaque on his storefront reads.
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Castien, too, keeps his footing as the boat slams into the net.
Once the pathfinders make their way to their intended destination, Castien keeps a calm demeanor despite the stranger members of the population around him. He follows the others to the storefront and waits for the others to lead the way in, in case there is trouble inside - not an uncommon occurrence in his experience.
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The northerner follows his companions silently, content with remaining in a back seat and avoiding unnecessary attention. He takes care to hide his signet ring from the guards' inquisitive look, but leaves it on his finger nonetheless. Despite still walking awkwardly because of his stiff leg, Skarn now seems somehow different. He walks briskly in the cold, and his face looks less tense somehow. Skarn meets the ice trolls' looks with a haughty sideway glance, but suddenly his eyes turn to the west, as if they had seen something.
"We'll go to that merchant, but know that we now have a shelter here in Dalun. I'll lead you to it later."
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Marra comments to her companions as the group moves through town "Of course we are merchants, Just look around you a town this size has lots of merchants of all shape and sizes. That ice troll probably sells little lace dollies that it knits on cold winter nights."
Once at the shop, the halfling steps up and opens the door to enter.
Inside is a middle-aged shopkeep, with big, bulging eyes that take up everyone in the shop. Welcome, he says with a big of a coughy, rattling voice, I am Alexei. Are you looking for something specific?
The man stares at Marra for a while, then says, betraying a hint of impatience, do you want to buy something?
While his reaction may seem rude, he's just being direct without beating around the bush. In his eyes, trading is better than talking about trading.
The man stares blankly at Marra, not caring that it makes him look rude. Don't have it. Wasthat anyway? Never heard of it.
I can take any item you might have and add a finish to it, if that is what you want.
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Pitbull looks impatient.
"We got boat load of goods, we looking to set up ongoing trade. We show you our list, can you show us what you deal in exactly, so we can report back upriver what you selling and we can start a market. Maybe you also nice enough to send us to right boss in charge of tax and tribute? Who the headman? And can we look at your gems?"
Maeglin has received a message sending from Tahonikespu during the journey up th driver. It said: Scarab Scholar, I require your help. Find an ice diamond in Irrisen, high quality. Mined in Wintercrux, very rare. Bring to me. Possible Sage Jewel.”
The man looks at Pitbull.
I sell the finest jewellery, as well as cut gemstones. As for tax collectors: I pretend I pay them, and they pretend they bring it to the treasury. That's just part of the way things are around here. he says with a smirk.
It looks like this man is driving a hard bargain.
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Pitbull seems on the verge of another outburst as the man addresses her but then visibly checks herself "The paper I got says 'Letter of Trade' and it signed off by nice people with deep pockets and long arms. We want trade, you want trade, and can't think massive market in this little town and nearby area for lots of customers with heaps of gold to come by your stuff - if there is then rather than have Letter signed and carted back to bloody Absalom I should instead go back to Belkzen Hold and inform Warboss that over here the average ice-farmer is growing gold plantations and we should come harvest." she gruffly jokes back "Now,I ain't got all day and it is Owlbear feeding time so we get to point and come to terms on papers and sale and do business OR this not really a shop and instead is some fancy Magnimarian art gallery where shiny items sit as exhibits until the next age of man?"
Diplomacy Orc Style
I've got one, but these things don't come cheap these days. I can fix up a special price for you, since you're new here and all, but that letter of credit doesn't quite cover it, I'll need an additional 300 pieces to cover the cost.
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"But we spend so many time travelling... Might be we can discuss some discount as part of setting good relationships and planing some furthere business development?" Maeglin had hard time trying to get to speak with merchant from behind of massive bodies other adventurers had.
"I have a nice cut gem for sale, you don't have such nice diamonds here, might be we can discuss it as a starting point for long-term partnership?" He took out small pouch with a symbol of Silver Crusade out of his possessions and produced nice-looking diamond.
Yes, yes, that will do nicely, Alexei says as he sees the precious stones, with those and the letter of credit, I can get you an ice diamond.
He moves to the back, and rummages for a while, only to come back with a beautiful, flawless diamond, that looks like it was frozen in place, rather than hacked out of a mountain. Surely, this specimen will do for Tahonikepsu's purposes.
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As the party concludes its business, Haltani has another pointer: You should probably go and talk to the baroness, she says she alone here can grant permission to travel further north.
I will not accompany you there, as I have other matter to attend to, but tell her that I send my regards.
Finding the baroness turns out to be straightforward, as she currently sits outside her palace, in a garden whose 'foliage' is made out of ice. Nearby guards immediately spring to action. Halt. Put away your weapons and explain why you would approach the baroness without invitation!
The guards look threatening, and the baroness remains icy, until Marra mentions the name 'Haltani'. The baroness gestures the guards to stand down. I can grant you permission to travel around, though no further than five miles from Dalun. Any further will not be tolerated.
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Travelling to Naldak's point through the snow is difficult.
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Skarn grins at the thought of leaving town and venturing into the cold weather.
"If I may? I have a means of transportation that we might use to reach our destination more easily. Follow me."
The limping oracle leads his companions outside of town, where a small stone hut lies, a bit secluded from the village proper.
"Hut, rise and shine! I need your services again. Carry us to Naldak's point."
At these words, the hut becomes alive, rising to its feet - or rather chicken legs.
"Welcome to my humble abode. Please do not litter once we're inside."
With those words, Skarn and Fianna enter the hut, which seems quite impatient to get underway.
Haltani looks quite surprised at the sudden appearance of the hut. You didn't tell me... the Varki woman hesitates to say, How did you...
Seeing everybody clamber inside, she moves aboard last, nervously, and glances at Skarn, as if hoping for an explanation.
As the vast plains give way to rugged hills, the ground becomes hard and icy. An enormous rocky mound protrudes from the ground, covered in ice and snow. On the northeast side of the mound, thick walls of ice cascade down the side of the hill like a miniature glacier. Two shapeless stone monoliths stand near the base of the mound.
The entrance to Naldak's point is covered by a thick wall of ice.
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- Wow! That's great! Can I call my friend to join us? How did you get it? Does it contain evil porcelain doll inside?, - gnome seemed to become 9-years old kid, looking enthusiastically at new experience, riding in a witch hut.
Taking his turn Maeglin jumps inside and starts chanting words of summoning:
- My friend Gorazio! Hear my call in the deeper darkness, where you fight your eternal battle with all the servants of evil and cruelty, as he was speaking a glowing symbol appeared on his forehead, looking like wild rose, whose stem with torns went under gnome's hair, - and come to our world to share my excitement. I offer you this spear..., the air thinned and through it, somewhere from outside planes, a human-like figure with same glowing symbol on her head appeared saying more to himself, than to someone else: "Finally!"
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- Finally!, Gorazio felt the gnome's high emotional state during the ritual and he entered the world with broad smile. He looked as dark-skinned male, wearing purple robe over his bare chest and monk-like pants and sandals. His hands weren't big, but sharp claws were on each of them. The light-blue rose symbol was glowing on his forehead.
- Friends? he asked, looking around, and Maeglin nodded, using couple of his wands to protect his friend.
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Skarn lowers his head as Haltani mentions the origin of the hut, a somber mood about him. "It was passed onto me. A legacy of sorts. But enough talked about the past, let's move to our objective!" he blurts out, as if to dodge a series of embarrassing questions from the guide. However, he does address her with a slight wink, as if saying I'll tell you more about it one day.
The wall of ice looks very thick. Tunnelling a way through it, especially with this cold, is something that would take the better part of a day, and quite strenuous.
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Marra question "Let's use the Blackfire Clay we given to us at the start of this adventure.
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Taking turns aiding Skarn, and resting in the hut, the adventurers manage to avoid the worst fatigue, but progress in really slow. After four hours it is clear that the party isn't even halfway through, and hacking through the wall of ice may even take several days to complete - if the ice doesn't grow back in the meantime.
The clay expeditiously burns a hole through the ice wall, which only goes to show the thickness of the entire thing: even which the heat of the blackfire clay, burning the hole takes a full hour.
The heat from the clay is comfortably warm, which is a boon in this cold area. When the opening in the hall is made, it offer a passage to the inside.
Before the party has a chance to step through, though, a winter wolf appears. The game is up, intruders, the wolf snarls without introducing himself, Give up Uliyara, an you may yet live. I know you are hiding her!