Seeking Hearthbrew Tavern

9 Winter’s Dusk
Lilith says that tomorrow I will have to prove her wrong.. that I finally get the chance to do something useful. I think the Patriarch is getting suspicious- my 18th birthday is tomorrow and still nothing. Hopefully I can get it done, whatever it is they need. Professor Agiad says I shouldn’t do it, that it’s going to consume my entire being (in the best case scenario). I mean, if this is what I’m meant to do, I have to do it… right? Baator is waiting, I guess.
 
 
12 Winter’s Dusk
I left the village while the sun was still down and started heading South(ish). I can’t see the smoke in the distance anymore, it’s been about 2 days. The regular path isn’t open, so I have to get through the Ice Capped Pass. The incline is getting steeper, I think I only grabbed enough food for maybe a week, week and a half. The Tavern (hearthbrew?) professor Agiad told me about is about 2 weeks away… maybe more
 
At least there are still berries around here, I don’t know what I’ll do further up the mountain.
 
20 Winter’s Dusk
Completed the latest chapter in Lady Ascella: Disappearance in the Mountains. Having a bit of a hard time writing, my mittens aren’t finger friendly. Planning the next chapter: Lady Ascella and Dory unmask the hooded figure that they chased out of the inn. Running out of food.
 
25 Winter’s Dusk
Randomly met a bunch of other travelers on my way through the Ice Capped Pass:
Percy (Percival?) = blue tiefling, also from Kaldovyc (thick accent). Killed a boar for us to eat. Has some sort of magical inclination, but doesn’t seem well-read enough to be a wizard.. sorcerer maybe? warlock more likely
Atlas = big.. probably Firbolg. Looks like how professor Agiad described them. Wears bird feet? Obviously affiliated with the church of the Raven Queen. Bad omen.
Key = double bad omen. There is a motif arising. Kenku, speaks only in sign language. Has several knives, probably some rogue training.
Caspian = classic knight's guard, has the emblem of Bahamut upon large shield. I wonder what he’s doing so far from his regiment, I thought they traveled in packs…
 
We got caught in a snowstorm, had to climb up a facade. Got attacked by two yetis???? I’m glad prof. trained me in combat magic, had hard time casting as we climbed but yetis are not fond of fire, so we did have the upper hand. Caspian nearly died but some sort of healing magic intervened. Maybe not a typical knight… has magical abilities. Affiliation with Bahamut runs deeper than previously expected.
 
Found a temple for Moradin as hypothermia started to set in. Atlas nearly died, we had to drag him in. The temple was next to a colosseum, and had a chapel for the Raven Queen. Atlas said something about a sky burial sight… some sort of dwarven test of strength. I’m not too familiar with Dwarven mythos, will look into it later. Gave Key my dagger because she lost hers fighting the yeti. It’s not like I can use it anyways.
 
We spent the night in the temple with a bunch of mercenaries (Auril’s Chain?). Percy got extorted by a Dwarf named Scodgrit, had to give him 10 SP. He has no beard? Seemed odd for a Dwarf. In the morning Atlas said he shaves, so he’s probably an outcast or oath breaker. There was also a lady named Anna May who had a bear (Clementine) and a kid named Brin. Caspian really didn’t seem fond of the mercenaries, and at one point Atlas wandered off… we slept taking turns in watches.
 
We are heading off soon, the sky seems to be clear. I think it would be smart to tie ourselves together, make sure we don’t get separated in case of a snow storm.
 
26th Winter’s Dusk
Got caught in a snowstorm again. I was able to use Maximilians’ Earthen Grasp for the first time- came in handy when getting down a cliff face. We managed to find shelter in a cave, Caspian blocked the entrance with his shield. There was a suitcase with a bag full of colorful beads, a letter, and some sort of contraption. The letter was addressed to the writer’s granddaughter. It explained that they did not see eye to eye with her betrothal but the writer wanted to end the cycle of violence. He offers this contraption (Gideon’s Grand Gizmo Emporium engraving) as a peace offering.
 
(Interesting plot point, could incorporate into future Lady Ascella supplementary fiction)
 
The letter was signed by Garmili Snilwunk. The gnomish name and enchanted contraption indicates the owner to be a rock gnome, probably from Hague. We should try to get it to the owner. I pressed a button on the contraption and it created some sort of bitter, repugnant liquid. At least it was warm. This doesn’t seem like an excellent peace offering, and gnomes are well known for their pranks…
 
Key and I found several large dead spiders further in the cave, this Snilwunk may also be dangerous if he killed these monsters. Key also ate one of the marbles, and said they were quite filling. This is a convenient ration replacement I suppose. We probably shouldn’t eat too many, I wouldn’t want to anger the owner.
 
Caspian taught me a new game called Dragon Chess as we waited out the storm. It is quite simple in it’s mechanics, consisting of a few different pieces with individual abilities and movements restricted to a tiled board. The aim is to destroy as many of the opponent’s pieces while claiming their King. It is quite engaging, however Caspian doesn’t seem to have a good grasp on the mechanics or the strategy. I think it would be fun to play against someone that poses a bit more of a challenge. I was able to claim his King after 5 moves, which he explained was quite quick.
 
27th Winter’s Dusk
Today was… interesting. Turns out Caspian was right not to trust the mercenaries. We arrived at Hearthbrew Tavern but had to wait for a new batch of ale to be brewed. As we waited we finally met Garmili- he was nonthreatening in stature but extremely threatening in disposition. He thanked us for returning his gear and let us keep the marbles, and gave me and Percy some strange gnome juice. It caused me to see everyone as goats… I don’t think gnome juice is a good choice of beverage, it’s much harder on the mind than Kaldovycian vodka.
Scod and some of the mercenaries we ran into previously entered the tavern and demanded to take the magical ale. They threatened the barmaid (Darla), which caused Caspian to go into the offensive. I was unfortunately still under the effects of the gnome juice and was only able to go invisible after being accosted by one of the thugs. Thankfully the gnome dissipated the effects, and the tavern turned to chaos.
 
There were ravens flying everywhere, weapons being brandished, and at one point I think Percy got whipped in the nuts? Key threatened the kid that was with the mercenaries. This was the only time in our journey that I have heard her talk in the traditional manner, mimicking “Look” and “End” to get Anna May’s attention with her hostage (very bizarre to hear a bird with a human voice). Anna May and the child left, but Scod managed to escape with the thugs, as apparently they had an Ogre outside stealing barrels of brew??
 
They began running, but me and Key managed to outrun them by both magical and non magical means. We reached some sort of construction mechanism, and were able to obstruct the path with boulders. However, that left us right in front of the Ogre! It was terrifying. Thankfully, the rest of my travel companions managed to take out the other goons, and the Ogre was clearly of a meek mind. Without instructions from his compatriots, Percy was able to persuade him to calm down and help us return the stolen ale. We said our farewells to the Ogre, who’s name is Dunk I believe, and explained the situation to the bar owner (a large man by the name of Clark). We managed to secure free lodging and meals for our aid, and ended in decent terms with Anna May and Brin.
 
Caspian recognized the tabard donned by the guards in the inn: the thorned goats a symbol of the reclusive Darsun family, who rule over this area. I do remember them from my history lessons: an ancestor of the lineage won the Battle of the Icecapped Pass, which was paramount for securing Valian liberation. Caspian also questioned Scod about the mercenary order (ruled by 9 members on top?) for personal reasons. Percy discovered that both Jasmine and Clark are from a nearby town named Turrowben, which we might visit on the way south. I was able to practice Dragon Chess with Caspian once more, but he remained ill equipped to challenge me.
 
Then, suddenly, a man appeared in the tavern. He had a dark cloak and the Darsun crest, clear arcane symbols carved into his beard. Looked handsome but very scary, evidently some sort of powerful magic wielder. He seemed contemptuous towards Atlas, but was extremely charming towards Percy and I. Perhaps he has some fondness of tieflings… he introduced himself as Cicero Darsun (powerful indeed, no doubt one of the heirs of the Darsun family) and asked us to come visit him in his estate, which is about a 2 day travel from the inn. He also asked us all to retreat to our rooms, but Jasmine intercepted Key on the way up and paid her to keep an eye out.
 
Key told us that Cicero is frustrated with Darla, and accused her of being unfit to run the inn if he has to continue to attend to it in person. He emphasized that they are doing important work, and that he will monitor her progress. Interestingly, he left via teleportation. Key did not describe any methods by which he was able to, but it does indicate a level of arcane ability beyond that which professor Agiad taught me.
 
Jasmine joined us for Key’s report, and explained that the Darsun have been neglecting to fix the main pass for a month, she asks for our help to uncover what is happening with the Darsun family, as they are suspicious of her and she hates being stationed in this village. Evidently she is a part of a larger organization, perhaps a spy! This is straight out of a Lady Ascella novel. She explained that the Darsun are out of money due to whatever secretive work they are conducting. Caspian seems extremely contemptuous towards nobles, and stated that Cicero reminds him of his brother… Caspian says he wants to be a knight, and was taught by Sir Cumference.
 
Instructions from Jasmine: find evidence against the Darsun family, meet her at Feldenvale: In the Red Wing Tavern, order jasmine tea with honey and tip with a special coin that she handed to Percy.
 
Jasmine also warned us that Cicero is the most dangerous being in these mountains, and that we should avoid him at all costs. I’m not sure how possible it will be, but from what I’ve seen of him so far, I can understand that a confrontation with him will most certainly end poorly for us.