Hob scampers over to Elena "Undermountain of course! The big, well yawning portal over there it crawled out of isn't just for show. It's filled with riches and monsters... even if half the riches have to have the remains of previous explorers cleaned off them."
Keeping clear of the patch of grease he cranes his neck and peers at the ominous pit before whistling "Above our pay grade... because there's worse than trolls down there."
Tania takes in Elena's words and nods, then looks at the well and shrugs: "I guess it's part of the charm of the place... Still, rats, big rats even, would make for nicer meals, though who needs nice, right!?" she comments.
"This was my first troll! We should celebrate! I'll buy the next round. Get something nice if you please!" she says to her companion, producing some recently earned coins.
"I thought the place was locked up until someone actually tried to get down! Go figure. Only in Waterdeep people would turn the entry to a big scary dungeon into an attraction."
"It's not as bad as all that. We could be in Calimshan where all the lovely ladies have to wear skimpy outfits in taverns. Besides, you should see some of the pit fights in the worse parts of Waterdeep," Talliree counters Ellena as she makes her way back to the table. "As for me, I'm taking Tania up on her offer. Another mug of this, please!" The half-elf lifts her mug high with a grin.
By this point, Yagra has finished her grisly work. She smiles from ear-to-ear and calls out to Durnan, "Put their bill on my tab! I haven't had this much fun in weeks."
She then turns to the rest of you and says, "I have to get back to work, but feel free to enjoy a couple rounds on me."
Yagra then takes her leave.
As you are settling down a rotund human man, with a thick, black, oiled beard pushes his way past the other patrons.
“You be adventurers, am I right? I could use your help." Without another word, he takes a free seat at your table.
He strokes his mustache, adjusts his floppy hat, and tightens his scarf. “Volothamp Geddarm, chronicler, wizard, and celebrity, at your service. I trust you’ve noted the violence in our fair city these past tendays. I haven’t seen so much blood since my last visit to Baldur’s Gate! But now I fear I have misplaced a friend amid this odious malevolence.
“My friend’s name is Floon Blagmaar. He’s got more beauty than brains, and I worry he took a bad way home a couple nights ago and was kidnapped — or worse. If you agree to track him down with all due haste, I can offer you ten dragons apiece now, and I can give you each ten times that when you find Floon. May I prevail upon you in my hour of need?”
"That sounds quite reasonable to me!" Hob beams Make a few inquiries about his friend with gold in hand, even if he stiffs us on the rest this sounds like a good deal... what could go wrong?
"I'll take your gold, Geddarm, but your friend might be dead already... What makes you think he would still be alive?" says Tania between swallows of whisky.
Ellena's ears catch talk of gold and her attention is focused.
"Oh, for what concerns me you can prevail as long as you keep paying, friend. What more can you tell us about this friend of yours? Where's he living, which way he took that night, how he looks, that sorta things."
"I'll take your gold, Geddarm, but your friend might be dead already... What makes you think he would still be alive?" says Tania between swallows of whisky.
Volo looks stricken for a moment, but takes a deep breathe before saying, "I'll admit that the thought has crossed my mind. But Floon is a man of more luck than sense, so I would not bet against him just yet. And as for the money, I'm good for it. If you discover that he is indeed passed, then I will still honor the final payment."
Ellena's ears catch talk of gold and her attention is focused.
"Oh, for what concerns me you can prevail as long as you keep paying, friend. What more can you tell us about this friend of yours? Where's he living, which way he took that night, how he looks, that sorta things."
"Floon is a handsome human male in his early thirties with wavy red-blond hair. He was dressed in princely garb, last I saw him. The man has an imppeccable fashion sense.
"And I last saw him two nights ago. Floon and I were drinking and merrymaking at the Skewered Dragon--a dark, bawdy tavern in the Dock Ward. I recommend that you begin your search there."
"Sounds like as good a place to start as any. I hope you won't mind me asking, but are there any, um, shall we say, less than friendly persons who might have wished him or his friends ill," Talliree asks, her face serious, but behind her eyes she's singing and skipping over the possible award of over a hundred dragons.
Hob takes a few notes on the details being provided by Gedarme before taking another sip of his drink.
"Sounds like as good a place to start as any. I hope you won't mind me asking, but are there any, um, shall we say, less than friendly persons who might have wished him or his friends ill," Talliree asks, her face serious, but behind her eyes she's singing and skipping over the possible award of over a hundred dragons.
"None that I am aware of. Sorry."
Talli knows that the Skewered Dragon is a tavern that caters to Dockworkers. Someone with a sailor background could make easy friends there. Otherwise, bribery would be your best bet to get information out of that tight-lipped crowd.
It certainly doesn't sound like the kind of place a richly-dressed man is likely to go and not be made a target.
...May fleas infest his bedding, his children's bedding, and their children's bedding on down to the seventh generation. May he lose his hair and dignity...
Talliree's tirade at the stupidity of the man they were supposed to find raged on in her thoughts, but all she did was give the man a small, sad smile.
"Well, can't blame me for askin'. The Skewered Dragon is a good place to start. That's about the best lead we can ask for," she says while trying to put on a reassuring air and give no hints at her thoughts still roaring through her mind.
...dogs lick his silverware and glassware so they are never clean! May his tongue feel like dry cotton whenever he drinks. May all drink besides rotgut taste like vinegar and...
"Floon Blagmaar... Description: More beauty than brains... And last seen at the Skewered Dragon. Well, I guess it beats fighting trolls climbing out of wells. Easier money, if you ask me... But our tap here is paid for the night, so you think it can wait a bit. At least another drink?!" Tania says as she orders another whisky and looks around for good lookings.
"He's waited this long but... not too much longer Tania or our employer might seek to hire others." Hob goes to get a drink.
Volo is positively thrilled to see your acceptance. "Excellent! Here is your gold! And remember there's more when you find Floon!"
He then leaves you to make your preparations.
"Very lovely. I say there's little to plan by now, we can go to the tavern and ask around, then follow any lead that turn up. I'll see if I can swindle a few of them out of information."
"So, is it just information this time," Talliree asks Ellena as they make their way to the Skewered Dragon.
"I won't object to making a silver or two, but I'll gamble for rumors. It seems more efficient, the first we find this Floon, the sooner we're paid."
Tania laughs and says: "If it's a tavern, we should have a drink and get settled before we ask questions, but that might be obvious, right? Also, I say we take our time scoping the place: Exits, Moods, Patrons, Affiliations, and Others. And Quality of Ale, of course! By the way, anyone heard of this Skewered Dragon?"
Hob seems quite pleased as they finish their drinks. "A hundred and ten gold pieces each and all we have to do is find some noble who went on a bender? This is looking to be a great night. He's probably canoodling with someone!"
Short Rest Healing
"Yes. Let me bind my wounds a bit tighter and rest up a bit. That big troll put a bit of hurting on me".
He then pulls forth his holy symbol, and chants a brief prayer, healing another point of damage, and bringing him to full HP.
"Right then! Good as new. I'm ready to go when you are".
"Yes. Let me bind my wounds a bit tighter and rest up a bit. That big troll put a bit of hurting on me".
"Ah, but that is because you need to learn to duck, my friend," Talli says while patting Mitchell gently on the shoulder.
Talli shrugs at Ellena's reply before letting out a laugh at both Tania and Hob's comments.
"Oh most definitely the ale! We need to make sure our employer is being honest with us," she chuckles, "and if we do find him in a delicate canoodle, how do go about it? Maybe we ask to join?"
She laughs again, but with less vigor this time.
"Actually, I feel that we may be in for a harder time than we could wish. Five score and two hands more of dragons is a hefty wage, and such wages are not paid lightly. If our quarry was at the Skewered Dragon, then it would be easy to find himself in mischief, and not the canoodling kind," she says as she throws a wink to Hob. "It caters to those that work the docks, and if we want information, I'm afraid we're going to have to put some of our pay into others' hands if we want them to talk. Observing wouldn't be a bad idea, but we can't be obvious about. Ellena, Tania, or Hob might have an idea or three that could allow us to slip in without arousing too much suspicion. At least I hope they do! Mine might get us kicked out and clapped in irons."
"Keeping it simple might be best. I think you'll like it Talli... we buy a round of drinks for ourselves. It's kind of the perfect cover story. After a little bit we leave Ellena try her hand at some cunning inquiry... if we do have to pay a few silver it might be worth it."
”Aye! That’s my kind of simple!”
After taking your time to rest a bit, you leave the tavern and head toward the Doc Ward. The sun has been down for about a hour now, and there's a cold bite in the air as you make your way through the city.
As you turn a corner, you find yourselves on a street that has been cordoned off by the City Watch. Lying on the cobblestones are a half-dozen corpses, seemingly the victims of some terrible skirmish. Watch officers have disarmed and arrested three blood-drenched humans and are in the midst of questioning witnesses. One of the officers sees you.
“Get on,” she says. “Nothing to see here.”
"Excuse, me, nothing to see?" says Ellena, with the voice and mannerism of an arrogant, outraged matron. "I'm moving my merchandise, which is a considerable amount of cloth, through this street in one hour, and I have the right to know what happened! There could be more murderers lying in wait! The blood spatters may stain my wool! How dare you not only allow such a dreadful occurrence to happen, but also keep it a secret from honest workers?"
Tania stands behind Ellena to support her in her role, muttering to herself, in shock: "The wool... And the contracts... Kelemvor take us, the gowns will never be ready for the grand ball... The duke won't be happy... Not counting his wife! She will surely be aghast. Oh and she will want revenge..."
After, she smiles and says: "And would you please give my mistress your name, while you're at it?"
The City Watchwoman seems to buy your ruse, and introduces herself as Sergeant Dianar.
"Just some street rats trying to gut each other, mums. Nothing to be concerned over. We should be clear in less than an hour. Now please move along, or I will be forced to charge you for Hampering Justice," she says in a no-nonsense tone.
While Talliree was more than willing to comply, she wasn't willing to go on by herself.
"Please, forgive our mistress. She really is under a great deal of pressure. May your evening be less, ah, interesting than it seems at the moment," she says as graciously as she can while gently ushering Ellena along.
When Talli gets close to your ear, you hear her whisper, "Let's not provoke the kind sergeant. I don't think we can pay ten score dragons that the fine will cost between all of us."
Hob rubber necks while the ladies do some intrigue. He tries to see if he can spot any gang colours, tattoos, uniformity in gear or anything else that might help identify associates of theirs... it occurs to him one of the involved groups might have influence over a rough place like the Skewered Dragon... and might decide to mug a drunken dandy.
As the watchman waves the arm of the law convincingly enough, Tania backs off and thinks of another way to reach the Skewered Dragon.
As they pass through the crowd, she thinks twice and gives the assembled curious a second look to see if one of them stood out.
Ellena harrumphs and moves away, not before filing away any details she can see about the supposed murderers. Maybe this was just a scuffle, after all. But knowledge was never a bad thing to have.
"So, how much do y'all trust me," Talli asks as they start looking for a new route to the Skewered Dragon.
"You, very little. But I trust that you know the place." muses Ellena with a smirk, following Swords.
"Fine job gentlemen. It's good to know the city is such fine hands. We'll be on our way now...nothing to worry about for us...right?"
Persuasion (Also, Position of Privilege from Background)
>>>Talliree "I'm sure you know more of the way around this area than I do, so... lead on".
"Probably wise of you," Talli tells Ellena with a soft chuckle. "If you'll follow me, I should have us there in a bit."
Looking around to make sure that there are not too many eyes, Talli casually saunters over to one of the alleys and inconspicuously beckons the others to follow as she slips into the alley and leads them on a winding path to the Skewered Dragon.
Before you leave, you notice that a many of the dead have signs of the weird eye motif that identify them as being members of the Xanathar guild.
***
The Skewered Dragon faces an alley that runs between Net Street and Fillet Lane in the Dock Ward, and Talli efficiently guides the party through some clever shortcuts to arrive there quickly.
Tall, densely packed tenements leave most of the neighborhood in shadow at ground level. Most of the streetlamps have had their glass smashed and their candles stolen, and the smells of salt air and excrement linger as you pass by rows of run-down buildings.
And the Skewered Dragon itself looks like a ruin. Both of its front-facing windows are smashed, and a ship’s anchor is lodged in the roof. Through the windows, you can see a group of haggard patrons drinking from huge tankards.
You walk inside. A few turn your way, but otherwise turn back to their drinks and ignore you.
Hob orders everyone's usual drinks at the bar before starting to bring them over to an empty table. As he starts to sip at his mead he stays alert for anyone who seems to be a member of the Xanathar guild watching them but for now leaves the intrigue to Ellena.
Ellena approaches the drinking group, acting tipsy and grabbing a handful of silver pieces in her hand. "Hey there, friends! Tymora's smiled at me today, got the pay for a good job. But I 'member that she's keen on risktakers, so why don'cha try take it from me?" are her words, accompanied by a large, vacuous smile. Then, she appears to realize her words and backpedals. "Ah, that came out wrong. I mean, we play cards, stake some metal. Heh. Whatcha say?"
From a pocket she produces a deck of cards that may not be entirely legitimate, but appear ordinary at a glance.
Talli takes a seat facing the table Ellena is moving towards and shakes her head as she watches the woman work.
"Takes a brave or foolish woman to be that free in her words and showing coin," she mutters as she sips her drink.
Mitchell decides that his regal appearance might cause issues in the raggedy place, so finds a place across the street from the bar in plain sight.
Gotta get me some dress down clothes for this type of thing.
If there is somewhere to not stand out he'll take advantage of it.
Mitchell hangs outside a shop called Old Xoblob Shop, just a few stores down from the Skewered Dragon.
A cloud of lavender-scented purple smoke trails out of the shop’s door as he peers briefly inside. Every wall is painted purple, and every dusty knickknack on the shelves is dyed a deep violet. A hairless old gnome sitting cross-legged on the counter wears plum-colored robes. His cheeks are decorated with nine purple face-painted eyes.
---
The patrons sniff dismissively at Ellena, and abjectly ignore her. Something about her performance seemed to rub them the wrong way.
---
Meanwhile, everyone else aside from Mitchel and Ellena sip their drinks.
Tania decides to do her best to stay patient and just observe, for the time being at least.
Ellena's got this covered, she had more than one trick in her bag of intrigue he knew. He just stayed fairly relaxed but considered what to do if a fight broke out.
Silver clinks while sliding back into Ellena's pocket. "Ah, well, your loss." One gold dragon remains on the table, under her finger. "But it can still be worthwhile for you. I'm looking for a guy in his thirties, pretty face, red-blond hair. Probably dressed too well for his own good. Now, I don't care what happened to him or who is responsible, I'd just like to know his location. The first one who gives me some useful info gets this coin here."
And if this doesn't work, I've a surprise for them.
"Good thing you covered our drinks, Hob. I think we're about to have to pull Ellena's fat from the fire," Talli says as she nods to the table their erstwhile companion was steadily finding herself the center of a souring mood.
Hobs eyebrows shoot up. "Really... should we buy them drinks? No wait maybe Elenas working an angle... I hope." The halfling gulps down some of his mead.
One of the patrons reaches over to the gold coin and bites it to see if its real. He smiles to the rest, confirming it's the real thing, and they start talking.
Several of the regulars remember seeing Volo and Floon drinking together a couple of nights ago. After Volo left, Floon stuck around long enough to meet with someone else.
"It was Renaer Neverember. You know, the son of Waterdeep’s previous Open Lord, Dagult Neverember. Chip off the old block, that one!” sneers one patron.
“Yeah, just another spoiled, rich noble who likes to rub our noses in it!” says another.
The two drank and played a few rounds of Three-Dragon Ante before leaving around midnight. Five men followed them out, and no one in the tavern knows what happened after that.
The men who left shortly after Floon and Renaer haven’t returned to the tavern since, but they’re known to frequent a warehouse on Candle Lane.
“Look for the snake symbol on the door,” says one of the tavern regulars.