It's not hard for Dakkar to find Baeboli's Emporium. A large open-air market stands to one side of a sizable structure, made of molded gray stone, with no windows or entrances save for one large set of doors, above which paint in several colors spells out BAEBOLI'S EMPORIUM in several languages.
While there are a number of people coming and going, none of them match the brief description you were given of Basher--that of a small, nervous bahgra alchemist. From what you were told, he's been staying inside the Emporium.
Iskender addresses the rest of the party, "shall we grab a drink while we wait?"
Dakkar didn't want to actually go inside the Emporium right now. Not while he was weak and alone. Instead he went up onto a nearby rooftop and looked down on the market, looking for guards, and also considered the Emporium's roof, wondering how sturdy it was. Perhaps one of the more talkative party members could get a tour of the inside or something.
That done, he swiftly returned to the rest of the party to plan further. The Emporium looked difficult to infiltrate... well, unless they just went in the front door. It's owner was hiring tough folks, after all.
A couple of people look up and roll their eyes at the dragon-man showing off by flying around and landing on people's roofs, but no one really seems to care.
Dakkar notes a couple of bouncers by the entrance of the Emporium. They look tough, but not armed for battle. Of course, fighting them would probably draw the attention of what passes for law enforcement around here, mostly because it's in everyone's interest to keep business flowing unmolested.
Iskender will cast a mythic CMW on Dakkar. This will heal him up fully, and cure him of 2 points of ability damage.
"Emporium looks pretty tight. Only simple way in will be through the front door. Don't know what the inside looks like. On the other hand, doesn't look like there are any back exits to sneak out of if we decide to corner him in there."
Oh, and while we were all waiting for Drakkar, Iskender will have rested, and expended a Mythic point to restore all of his "daily use" abilities, but not before using up his last 4 CLW's to heal some folks up. Dilwyn appears down some NL damage.
"shall we grab a drink while we wait?"
You don't have to ask me twice!
Kit listens to Dakkar's report. Well, sounds like the only thing we can do is go in and introduce ourselves!
Kit looks at Iskender. Are you ready to do some fast talking? He will then go and knock in the door.
"I can come along in case things get violent. Not really the talkative type, though."
"Yes, I believe I have a route of approach on this, so just be prepared to support my story. Oh, and if the $4!+ goes bad, well, then be prepared to wreck the place."
As the group approaches the Emporium's door, one of the bouncers--a hulking, apelike figure in leather armor--holds up a hand.
"No weapons inside, and no trouble," he says, pointing at a large chest next to him.
"I hear you with your weapons rule good fellow, however, we come to see your master on an urgent matter regarding mutual interest against a common foe. We aim to ally ourselves with your master, and as such, our friendly goals negate your policies. Now bring us to your master, and we shall see about bringing our combined might against a hated opponent."
Yes, Your boss is gonna want to hear what we have to say!
”Come now, don’t dawdle you. We were lead here to meet with Basher. Powerful beings such as Basher do not wish to have their friends delayed from their meetings. Let me assure you, we offer no violence against your master, unless he wills it so.”
The bouncer looks unimpressed.
"Weapons. In the box. Or you don't go in."
"Come now, you cannot expect that Mr. Basher wants you to disarm his friends. How about you give a call inside to him, and let him know that there is someone here to meet and do business with him?"
Dakkar looked between the attendant, his claws, and the box.
"...I don't know about the rest of these stubborn folks, but I don't think I'd fit in that box very well."
Kit will try to continue to help Iskender out by nodding vigorously to everything he is saying.
"Don't know and don't care who this Basher of yours is. Weapons in the box. You," he points at Dakkar, "Keep all those sharp bits to yourself or we'll find how thick your skull is real fast."
Kit looks at the box and then back at the gate keeper. He then turns to Iskender and Dakkar, Did you both want to go in and we will wait outside? He looks at the gatekeeper. Yep. We will be right outside fully armed.
Iskender hands his weapons to Kit, "I will be right back for these my friend."
The bouncer scowls at the lot of you. "What, are you expecting to kick up a fight inside? You start knocking heads and I'm throwing you out and slamming the door behind you, and you can deal with the Auditor for disturbing the market. But fine, whatever. You don't have weapons, you go in."
Well...You never know when you will meet cough rude people cough.
"I'll stop expecting to get in fights when random strangers stop trying to kill me at least once a week."
Iskender smiles and enters.
The bouncer gives Dakkar an incredulous look, as if to ask who's crazy enough to pick fights with him, but doesn't say anything more as he and Iskender pass.
After a small antechamber with another bouncer (who gives the pair a quick look-over then waves them on), the pair enters a huge barroom. Dozens of patrons of as many different species sit around the bar drinking who-knows-what, or sit at tables or booths along the walls. Clouds of scented smoke rise from small braziers to the ceiling, where multicolored lights blink from hanging globes. Strange music from a source you can't identify clash with conversations in many tongues to make a racket that's hardly melodious.
Kit will wait outside with Dilwyn and Vashi ready to charge in at the first sign of trouble.
Vashi quickly flits from stall to stall, buying miscellaneous odd trinkets that catch her eye but stays within earshot of the others.
Iskender will start by scanning the crowd a little, to determine if he can decide which one is Basher...
He whispers to Dakkar, ”when we find him, follow my lead. You’re the muscle.”
You don't see any bahgra in the room right off. Looking in the back corner you can see a small tattoo parlor only partially curtained off from the main room (B3), and in the other corner, a door.
We proceed to the tattoo parlor, Iskender comments to Drakkar, ”been meaning to get one myself. Does your skin permit ink to saturate and display them?”
As you approach the tattoo parlor, you see a human working carefully on tattooing some sort of cat-person's arm. She's shaved a spot of fur for the tattoo, which is just starting to take shape. Another customer waits for her on a seat nearby.
You can also see that there's another area behind the tattoo parlor--up a large step is a... well, you'd guess it's sort of a hookah bar? There's an assortment of pipes, some attached to hoses that connect to exoticly-shaped glassware with bubbling liquids. Smoke rises from several of them as various patrons (at least four of them reptilian) recline on the couches and inhale the vapors and smokes.
Iskender shrugs at Drakkar and continues on.
You step up into the hookah bar. Looking around, there's another door at the back of it, but nothing else you couldn't see from the tattoo parlor.
The, er, 'bartender' looks at you expectantly, waiting for you to come over and order something.
Iskender will stroll up to the bartender, order something and start some chitchat aimed at finding out where he can find Basher.
There's a bewildering array of smoke-able products at the bar, and it's fairly easy for Iskender to slip in mention of a Bahgra while discussing the various plants and... things available.
"A Bahgra, huh? Only one I've seen the last few hours is the one that's renting out the private room back off the main bar."
Iskender thanks the man, pays up, with a hefty tip, and goes to Drakkar, ”didja see the lone door in the main bar, back before the tattoo parlor? Back there apparently.”
The two head back through the joint to the door mentioned.
It's not hard to find the door, in a quiet corner off of the main room. The door is shut right now, but doesn't look to have a lock on it.
Dakkar… looked around kind of tensely. This place was too crowded. How could he know where attacks might come from?
He felt out of place.
Iskender gave another nod to Dakkar, "easy friend, we're not here for a fight. Remember everyone is unarmed, right?" He smiled at his joke, as he opened the door and went in.
Dakkar shrugged, and followed Iskender into the private room. His tail twitched nervously, narrowly avoiding scratching anything.
"Yeah, like that has ever meant it was safe."
You open the door to reveal a large private room with three tables and a couch. Two ratfolk sit at one of the tables, nibbling on exotic cheeses and breads while sampling wine. A particularly shaggy-looking bahgra sits on the couch, caught in mid-gulp from a large mug as you enter, while a platter of assorted meats sits next to him.
He swallows quickly and glares at you. "You're not the jugglers I ordered, are you? At least he isn't," he says, pointing at Dakkar. "What, do even jugglers need bodyguards now?"
Iskender looks indignant, "I have been called many things, but a juggler is a new one. No, not jugglers, although Dakkar here certainly fits the bill as a bodyguard. No, we are not here to entertain. We are here to provide another service, or perhaps to obtain one from you. You see, we have a common enemy it would seem. That is, assuming you are Basher, and if that assumption is correct, then we have a common enemy: slimy splerch called Sarlu."
Basher looks at you sharply. "How do you know about that?"
Iskender makes some elaborate hand motions, as he explains, ”Magic! No, really, not magic actually, but I make it my business to know things about my enemies, and when Sarlu joined that lost, well, I took some time to, well, survey the field, and see if I might have some allies against him. I was not disappointed when your name came up during a, umm, reconnaissance effort with the wife of a well placed official. After I finished up those matters, and confirmed the issue with some bribes and copious amounts of alcohol, I determined that you would be an ideal ally against the splerch. Mind you, I am hazy on your exact grievance with Sarlu, and I see no reason for you to divulge that, just I am not inclined to disclose my own, shall we call it a ‘grievance.’”