Yazkier's Masquerade

 The door to the Daring Fox, a tavern of the far north, burst open, admitting two large, fur-clad figures.  Howling winds scattered bits of snow and ice across the common room.  Behind the bar, the tiny kobold bartender, Darrix, squawked in alarm before glaring at the newcomers.  The creature returned to hanging a silver and blue banner proclaiming the impending Midwinter’s Eve celebration as the door closed loudly.  Across the room, a human with ashy blond hair, wearing a finely stitched tunic with flared sleeves, sat carefully tuning a lute.  The newcomers approached the performer, slowly lowering their furry hoods to reveal  2 giant-kin, a bald male and a female with a shock of red hair hanging onto her back.  The woman, brushing some bits of snow from her hair, placed a weathered top hat, adorned with a feather and a bit of quartz, atop her head.  Yazkier, renowned bard and owner of the Fox, sensed someone watching him and slowly looked up.  He recognized the faces immediately though he hadn’t seen them in years, the twins, Gregor and Tikcle.  He smiled up at them, “I see you got my invitation to Midwinter.  I knew you had traveled to your clan in  the mountains and wasn’t sure you’d be back in time for my party.”  

   Gregor exchanged a worried glance with his sister.  “Yes, my friend, we got your message but we come with evil tidings.  Something stirs beneath the glacier, something we thought we had defeated long ago.”   Tikcle nodded in support of her brother’s news.  

    The color faded from Yaskier’s face as he remembered how they and their companions had battled a dark goddess of terrible power many years ago beneath that ice.  His bones, older now, ached at the thought of facing such a threat again.  Still, what did he have to lose? He looked at the twins again, “Can we enjoy my party for now?   Tomorrow, we’ll find the others and deal with that glacier once and for all.” 

-DM, Roger H.