The Howlings

Having laid low the leader of the Fishtown Guard and his ogre lieutenants, the group freed Ringierre and went through Marcian's pockets. Pavo declared the chest at the foot of Marcian's bed trap free, but when Inuksuk opened it he was stuck by a needle coated in ice troll bile, turning his skin blue. Pavo, always seeking to be helpful, immediately used a cantrip to turn him pink instead.

Ringierre took the group to his home to properly thank them with a meal. After a short time reuniting with his daughter-in-law, Ringierre asked the group of their story and Pavo broke out the sock puppets once more. Once the tale was complete, Ringierre told them his own story, of how he lost his wife and child to the winter witches while he was still young, and how he snuck in to the city several times trying to find them, to no avail. He learned his craft well, and became an established smuggler. He also met with members of the cult of Milani, who gave him a new purpose in life - to aid those in need under the yoke of tyranny in Whitethrone.

Ringierre arranged for a wagonload of fish to act as the group's cover to get in to the city using the Howlings Gate. He knew the winter wolves of the Howlings were lax in their security at the best of times, and even more so with a Queen they disliked on the throne. With the larger weapons of the group stored in oil-cloth at the bottom of the cart, the group approached the gate. The winter wolf Greta challenged them, requesting the papers of all except Inuksuk, since he wore the Rimepelt made from Norgrimm's corpse and it's waning magic made him appear and smell as a winter wolf of the Howlings. Though the group failed to produce believable papers, Greta was amenable to a little bribery. She also secured a dalliance with Inuksuk at a local bar for later that evening.

Once inside, the group navigated the maze of the district with Ringierre's guidance. Almost immediately, Zacarius and Inuksuk spied several goblins lurking in ambush. Zacarius quickly hypnotized all but one goblin; not realizing he was the only one free of the shaman's influence, he shot his arrow at the group and yelled a mighty battle cry, then immediately repented when he realized one of the group's number was a winter wolf. Begging Inuksuk's forgiveness, he tried to drag his hypnotized comrades away from the group.

Ringierre led the group on, down a narrow roofed passage between houses. Zacarius and Pavo spotted a figure at the far end of the passage apparently searching for something; Ringierre identified the cloaked figure as a mirror man and urged the group back around the corner. Ringierre informed them that a mirror man is a spy and investigator for the Queen; the group decided not to risk being discovered and rushed the mirror man in the confines of the covered passage. Pavo moved behind the spy while Kyezra's cat charged head on; between those two and the summoned wolf, they quickly dropped the foe. Pavo finished off the mirror that made up the creature's face.

Inuksuk buried the mirror man in the snow, using his scent to hopefully convince any winter wolves that this was a wolf's kill. To add distraction, Ringierre spilled a few fish in another corner of the courtyard. They then delivered their fish and prepared to go get papers from a forger Ringierre knew.