Soot's Journal: Journey to the Targos

19th of Hammer, 1512 DR
 
I awake in the morning well rested after a nice long hibernation, however it seems that Luna did not sleep as well as me. We got out of bed and went to the bar, and enjoyed some breakfast! I had a great big meal with Dyleth, and Luna drank plenty of grape juice. I am starting to get used to the luxuries of these 'towns', I wonder how hard it will be to adjust to going back home? Once Electra woke up we started discussing how we would spend our day while waiting for my hammer. After some deliberation, we decide to head to the Targos to investigate the search party, with the caveat that we return to the Brynshander by the end of the day to collect my hammer.
 
Mr. Sax told us it would only be a thirty minute to the Targos, so we figured it would be smooth sailing, bear were we wrong! We leave the Brynshander and begin to follow the path to the Targos, Luna tying herself to me to avoid getting lost again. I joked around at her expense, but I was honestly very glad she was taking her safety seriously. After some time on the road chatting and singing Jaja Dingdong, I noticed a strange movement on a wall of rocks just off the path. Together sneak a bit closer only for me to notice this big crazy dog man on the wall! Dyleth said it was a gnoll... it sort of reminded me of an ursan with a "powdered snow" problem, if you catch my drift. Any who, I really wanted to get the drop on it and throw some fire, but the group wanted to sneak up from behind. But, Luna steps on a loud bit of crunching snow and alerts it! Then, within seconds, three more emerge and begin to attack!
 
Super fast, Luna shoots this new bright magic at the gnolls, Electra creates a magical icicle she throws at them, shattering and melted after cutting them up, and Dyleth dashes forwards to begin slashing with his swords! For a second, I almost thought that Electra might be the icicle heart stabber lady, but she it too nice to be a killer, and she has been with us this whole time. However, I kinda don't like that she used ice magic instead of fire magic....
 
Once all my friends attacked, the gnolls struck back, shooting Luna with arrows and stabbing Dyleth until he fell to the ground bleeding out. This made me so upset and angry... Filled with fury as the gnolls attacked my friends, I called out, filled with my new strength, to my old spirit friend Cinder, asking for his help. To my suprise, this time he actually appeared! He manifested as the fiery bear cub I have seen in my dreams, and he began to help us! He flew through the air, spitting fire at the gnolls, and killing two of the them! Cinder caught them on fire, lighting them up like a log on a pyre. It was an incredibly exciting moment for me, and he told me that me powers were finally strong enpuigh to help him take physical form. I was so happy to see my lifelong friend finally! However, my other friends were hurt and needed help, so I run over and manage to cast Cure Wounds to heal Dyleth and help him wake up. He almost died, I was very worried about him...
 
After the fight, once everyone took a moment to catch their breath, we began to loot the bodies of the gnolls for any goodies. I found a few shiny pieces and an old spear! Luna found a human arm which she cooked in the fires of Cinder and then buried; it was honestly really strange. After about another thirty minutes of travel, we finally arrived at the Targos! Mr. Sax's estimation was very inaccurate, it took us almost two hours. As we approached, we noticed there were no guards at the gate of this town, just a big door emblazoned with the emblem of a blue shield with a single sailed black ship facing to the right. It was a pretty neat little symbol, and it appeared that the Targos is a fishing town! I love little fishies, so tasty!
 
Once we get inside, we find the first person we see and ask for directions. He tells us the inn in the Targos is called the Luskan Arms, and the tavern is called the Three Flag Sailing Tavern. However, he had no information regarding the missing climber. So we make our way toward the tavern, only to run into a dog who wanted us to follow him. As we chase after him, I cast speak with animals, and he tells me his name is Boy and we need to follow him home. So we chase him, and as we arrive at the house, we meet a woman named Eleanor Velryn. She was surprised to see the dog, and told us said her husband Garret was with Boy the dog, but interestingly, there was no Garret whenever we found Boy. So, she invited us in to speak whenever I told her I could talk to Boy for a few more minutes. He told us that their sled went over the mountain of Kelvin's Cairn , and of Garret and the other five dogs, he was the only one to get away and wants help finding the Garret. This was two days ago.Eleanor also asks that we find her husband, and that she could get us really cheap, maybe even free, lodging at the Luskan Arms inn!
 
We agree to help the lady, and she gives us as much info about the mountain as possible. She tells us about another town, which makes like four towns now that we know about in the Ten Towns, it is crazy how many there are! Any who, it is called the Caer-Konig, and it is at the base of Kelvin's Cairn. Apparently it acts like a basecamp for climbers, and there is a place called Frozenfar Expeditions there that could help us climb the mountain.
 
After speaking for some time, we had to the tavern for a short rest, and to try to get more info about the missing climber and the expedition. We order drinks and salmon, and chat with fisherman who really don't have any information for us. Electra tries to convince me that dragons are not scary, but she is wrong, they are terrifying. Also, Luna gets freaked out because she thinks spending time with fishermen makes you get wrinkles! It was so funny, I just had to mess with her, and she ran out of the tavern like a scared little cub. To our surprise though, we she returned, she had Mr. Bolt with her! We talk with him for a bit, and he agrees to take us to Kelvin's Cairn since he had no other work to do, but he will not travel up the mountain with us.
 
Well, it has been an interesting morning for sure, but I have a lot of salmon to eat, so I will write again soon!
 
~ Soot Isbjorn