NPC: Baron von Heatmiser's page

—Baron von Heatmiser's!

As our heroes enter, they receive a warm welcome from the baron and spy a few familiar faces. he young couple, for starters, is resting by the fire, which frankly, smells of incense sticks. The Baron explains it was a gift from a monk. There were three. Another donated gold to the young couple, and the third gave them a cat. The Baron thinks the third monk just waned to get rid of the cat.

"Myrrh," says the cat.

The Baron goes on to ell you the child was born at the stroke of midnight. "It's a boy! His name is Brian."

"I'm Brian," says the one monk who stuck around for yak's milk and reindeer cookies.

It turns out that is only a coincidence. The baby was named after his father, and his before him and so on. Brian the Eleventh.

The Baron replies, "I don't mind them at all. I'm no druidic beast-speaker like my neighbor Anna, but I do alright managing my yaks and my dogs.

"Speaking of dogs..." The Baron pats Charlabu on the head, ruffling his fur a little. "My Clara would have appreciated a name like that. Is there a story behind the name, if you don't mind my prying?"

"No trouble at all," says the Baron. "I'm afraid the woman in labor might need space from the animals, but they seem well-trained. Are you comfortable with them roaming the property?"

He then thrusts his tray of cups and cookies toward Caledon and Vetalia. "If you intend to do something dangerous, have a snack first! I'll warm a second glass of yak's milk when you return."

The Baron laughs. "I thought you might like that!" He says to all the other newcomers, "Any more takers? I'd offer seconds, but my dear Clara, rest her soul, always warned me one a day's the limit. A second cookie will go straight to the hips!"

"Why certainly! Back in two shakes of a lamb's tail!"

The Baron heads to his house and is out so quickly a lamb might have shook its tail once-and-a-half at most.

He approaches Cashara with a tray. On it is a steaming pitcher, some mugs, and several cookies.

He pours a cup of yak's milk, and also offers a cookie. "This is my wife's recipe, may the Dawnflower rest her soul. I still bake 'em every Crystalhue. Please, take one—"

The cookies resemble a reindeer face with pretzel antlers and chocolate eyes. The noses are made of a candy-coated nut. Some noses are red. Others are orange, yellow, green, blue and chocolatey brown.

"—any color you like!"

When choosing a cookie either post which color you choose, or roll 1d6 to pick the closest cookie to you regardless of color.

"Baron von Heatmiser at your service, ladies and gentlemen! I trust you find the fire quite inviting?"

Our heroes are not close enough to the flames that they would feel its warmth (though they wouldn't anyway under the current spell effect). But Caledon and Vetalia in particular notice that their animal companions are comfortable.

On the way over, poor Meno had to ride panther-back in fear of his frosted wings snapping off. Now he buzzes about like the cold spell never even happened!

Caledon also noticed that his dogs wagged their tails happily just after they set foot on the Baron's property.

"Can I get you anything?" the Baron offers, "Hot yak's milk?"