Moose and Kobold

> **Ever since then, my family lived in seclusion... It is this seclusion that started me on my quest for soul-seeking, and it is something I would hate to see happen again.**
>  Fang
>
>

**Moose and Kobold** is the 5th episode of the Severed Sons' *Rime of the Frostmaiden* campaign.

## Episode Summary

*The Sons travel to Termalaine, where Fang reveals a bit of his past, Donaar learns about axebeak egg omelets, and Trax looks into a mirror.*

Faced with a raging blizzard, the Sons turn to their new Tiny Hut charm to keep them warm and dry during the storm. With some help from Trax, Fang casts the spell and the Sons wait out the storm. Following the shore of Maer Dualdon north, the Sons eventually reach Termalaine unharmed in the late afternoon.

As Donaar regales the party about the difficulties of making puff pastries, the Sons encounter the town crier again on their way to the Blue Clam. Outside the Blue Clam, a half-orc man named Oarus Masthew introduces himself as the town speaker and invites the Sons inside. Oarus tells the Sons about the kobolds that took over the mine, the goliath miner Francis Delaney that went missing a few days prior, and the reward that awaits them should they clear out the mine - 50 gold, or 10 gold per slain creature.

At the Eastside Inn, over dinner, Mud overhears some of the locals taking about winter wolves terrorizing the town of Dougan's Hole. The Sons take some time to express their concern for both Dougan and his Hole. Fang seems genuinely concerned, however, and shares an incident from his past as he scratches the scar over his left eye. During his childhood in Longsaddle, the city was once ravaged by werebears. Fang and his mother, both lycanthropes, were run out of town the next morning, living in the woods thereafter. Kai related that he had heard stories of the incident from his parents, who lived outside of Longsaddle, although it occurred before his time. Trax confessed that he too knew what it was like to be judged by appearances.

After the others turn in for the night, Mud asks Kai about the conversation Kai had with Skath after the fight with Sephek, promising to keep it a secret if Kai wishes. Kai tells Mud that he used to run with a rough crowd, and that some similarly-minded people made him a job offer of sorts. Contented with this, Mud turns in for the night as well. As the last man standing, Kai overhears some militia members talk about their refusal to clear out the mine 3 days ago in a bid to undermine Speaker Masthew. He shares this with the rest of the Sons the next morning over a meal of axe beak eggs and breakfast meats.

At the mine, the Sons notice a sign that reads "Kobolds Only!" in a strangely elegant script. Inside the mine, the Sons journey down a bucket lift one at a time, only to realize partway through that Donaar is missing. Although he fell to zero hit points, Donaar managed to regain consciousness on his own and break free from the tentacled grasp of a Grell, which the Sons then dispatched. To their chagrin, the corpse of the brainlike creature fell down into the Underdark before they could collect proof of their kill.

In the next room, two kobolds are startled as the party approaches, and after a failed Persuasion check on Trax's part, a brief battle ensued in which Donaar killed one with his first Breath Weapon use of the campaign. The other kobold, named Grek, then surrendered. Kai, wanting some proof of their battles in the mine, cut off the tip of his tail as Trax held his firearm to Grek's head. The bleeding kobold then led the Sons further into the mine, where they met an extremely well-spoken kobold named Trex, who greeted the party in a mellifluous voice saying that he meant them no harm.