The party being totally exhausted after their misadventures had very little to do with the excitement of the Winter Festival. Even such things as a menagerie getting loose in town, and the Lords Tower being broken into, didn’t pull them from their warm beds and ample food and drink. Instead they focused on selling look, repairing armor and discerning what items of power they discovered.
A few days after the festival, Schlomo, Kenneth and Valraun were summoned to the Lords Hall to tell their tale before a large number of notable towns people, the Iron Guard and of course Lord Brie and Lady Gwendolynn. Valbraun performed and exemplary telling, of their harrowing adventures and the fall for Sir Rolan, Halburt, Bloody Dubs Bullocks, Salia and Attya. There were tears and down turned head around the tables and fires. Flagons of ale were raised in their honor. But in the end, after much sacrifice the girl Tonya was indeed rescued, a lair of troll cleared, and a dangerous if crafty giant located. The three heroes were each given a Torc of Courage for their efforts. Sir Rolans battered shield was raised in the hall, Halburts name was added to the Wall of Honor at the Hold, and the rest were given honors based on their back round, except of course the betrayer, Double Hat.
Several day later the party was approached by a priest of the Southron Temple of Ardennor, naming himself Aden. He was sent out by his high priest to seek out the heroes, requesting their aid in finding a lost temple to the Sun God, and clearing it of any evil. A good measure of the party decided to aid the Temple of Ardennor in this quest as most of them weren’t from the Vale at this point, and the gold was good. And so a new party was formed, still led by Valbraun of the Raven Clan, with Schlomo of Skollgrymm, Aden a southron priest of Ardennor, Sunny a strange half orc warrior/priest, Mudreck Barbender, and an even stranger gnome going by the name if Izy… As of yet, they’ve taken no name for their group, a very bad omen…

Seemingly the Winter Spirits guided both parties to encounter a camp of the Verloren Elk Clan. Schlomo and Kenneth along with Tonya told them their adventurous tale and they were welcomed to join their fire and share in their meat. The small group procurred some furs and gear then hired a young warrior named Athawulf to guild them back in town. They arrived on the first day of the Winter Festival. The vale outside of Coppercore filled with an army of Verloren encampments their different Beast Totems standing proud.

Schlomo and Kenneth delivered a rather reluctant Tonya to the Sisters of the Mothers Hearth, the center of the local Druids circle. They then went and reported in at the Hold, telling Ike Stonebrow their harrowing tale along with the death of Sir Rolan, Halburt, Salia and the betrayal of Double Hat. They also advised the the Raven Skald was with some others two of which are orcs, whom might be showing up any day now. They then went to their homes in search of warmth, food and rest.

As for the others being led by Valbraun, they too encountered the Elk clan Verlorens, sharing their tales and trading the fine Elk Antler bow if they could join them as they travelled on to Coppercore. And so they arrived during the second day of the festival. By this time the town was filled with happy chaos and good cheer even though it was freezing.

Sunny managed to find lodging at Trevyks hiding his orcish nature under his cowl, then found a smithy to work on his remohaz armor. Ole Dented Dan could surely help him with that.

Lasaka and Mudreck swaggered about town swilling from the goblet of Boftar which led the dwarf to mention to some boy that he killed Sir Rolan. As they wandered into the dwarf quarter to find some better ale, they were accosted by some of the city watch.

Valbraun spent a bit of time at the Loremans Guild, and other places trying to figure out more information about some of the items he’s collected. He also picked up his Spear of the Chosen. But as he was leaving the alchemist shop he spotted Lasaka and Mudreck getting approached by the city watch and decided to intervene…

And so the party ventured back to the lair of Ygaryll the Frost Giant. Bringing with them a live subdued Winter Wolf in place of the yeti they failed to rescue from the Ice Trolls., Tonya from his clutches. Schlomo finally figured out how to use the wand Cloud Bringer, which could be a powerful tool against the giant initially though to vanquish the giant and save the girl Tonya. But in the end the group decided to parley with the giant and make another deal. If they cleared what ever was behind a frozen waterfall in the back cave of his lair and bring him what loot they found he’d relinquish the girl to them, apparently the live Winter Wolf wasn’t enough, but then what would be so though Schlomo who refused to go on yet another quest for the giant, at which point Lasaka gave him a shove causing him to slide down an icy ramp into the giants den where the rest of the party was already talking to the giant. Ygaryll found this greatly amusing watching the dwarf tumble an slide into his lair, but Schlomo didn’t and climbed back out of the cave and retreated back to the camp where Kenneth and the horses were. So this left four heroes to do the bidding of the giant. Valbraun the Skald, Sunny the Priest, Lasaka the Warrior and Mudreck Barbender.

The Giant used his great ax to shatter the water fall allowing them to venture in. Almost immediately however they were met with a highly polished curving wall that reflected their images but instead release a small horde of screaming Verloren Spirit Warriors causing fear to wash over the party. The Skald fled back to the far side of the giant lair, while Sunny held his ground and was blessed. Lasaka and Mudreck however raced forward down a passage tripping a trap that collapsed the tunnel. Lasaka jumped clear but Mudreck was buried. After some time the party regrouped and dug out the dwarf and pressed on into what they soon realized was an ancient Tomb of the Cave Ber Clan judging by the next chamber with a life size cave bear wooden statue of incredible detail as well as the wall art depicting warriors hunting and fighting along side bears.

They spent two days exploring and recovering ancient items from the tombs. Not having any Verloren shamans with them made it much easier to loot the tomb. Even the Raven Clan Skald didn’t have much to say about that. So they found various ancient weapons and odd items of power. This was apparently a tomb of old clan that slew a White Dragon. Eventually after bypassing some traps they came to the Tomb of Uthen Wyrmrender. But when they opened his tomb a ring of eldritch fire washed over the party causing them all damage. Then the old Chief rose, his body animated by his spirit. With his great sword in hand he tore into the party with vengeance. It was an epic battle, all four heroes were greatly wounded with only Sunny and Mudreck left standing by their will alone. A few healing spells brought the other two back from the brink of death and so the rested before venturing further into a secret chamber they’d found.

Here was a final trap. A ring of coffers fill with coins at the bottom of a natural cave. Hanging over them, the skull of the great slain dragon. While Sunny and Lasaka climbed up behind the skull finding other treasures Mudreck dug into the coffer of platinum coins. With that the dragon belched forth a final blast of it’s icy breath, nearly killing the Skald and only slightly damaging Mudreck. He was wearing one of the newly gained items that protected him from cold attacks.

After this they rested again and returned to the giant carrying four of the coffers. However while they were away Schlomo and Kenneth worked out their own deal with the Giant. They offered him the sword Thander in place of the girl. Showing him how the sword could detect precious metals, kind and amount Ygaryll agreed and released the girl. Those two then began their long cold journey back to town.

As for the others, after further parley with the giant, he took all four coffers of coin and let them leave with what ever else they had gained. He offered them other tasks to do for him, but they declined and headed out after Schlomo and Kenneth, though at this time they were two days behind them.

And so they still are making their way back, both groups having different encounters and frigged weather. The white dragon previously encountered swooped down and snatch up the pack mule leaving Kenneth and Schlomo with only Comanche and the girl. But the next day they encountered a group from Verloren of the Elk clan that offered to share their fire and food with them. From them they gained a guide named Athawulf to lead them back to town.

The others, eager to catch up to the dwarf as he had all of Lasaka’s share of coin from the troll caves. They thought perhaps they had encountered some of the fey fold, but the brassiness of Lasaka had them all disappear back into the wilderness. After another day of travel deep in the snowy forest they have become ambushed by several very angry Ice Trolls….