Hildi was hoping Pascal would speak up, but at Quillary's nudge, the halfling almost jumps forward. The rogue gives a nod, then, remembering the tiefling's blindness, grimaces. He clears his throat. "Yes. We were brought down here by Master Geddarm to recover a key, which we have since learned has been turned over to you. Oh, I'm Hildigrim Goodbody." He's talking too loudly, perhaps mistaking blindness for deafness. He turns and holds his hand out toward the others. "Hand me the drawing so I can show him," he pseudo-whispers. When there is a head shake in response and a quick flick of the eyes back to the tiefling, Hildigrim closes his eyes tightly, realizing his mistake again. "Hainard's hairy toes," he hisses. He turns back around. "The mind-flayer, Yraxilinith, acquired it for you and transferred it to a drow courier, Cory’bant’ex. Do you know the key I mean?" Once again, he's almost yelling.

Pascal will lend his Dirty Harry/Jaws stare: 7, since JC is at work

Quote from JcAndD >>

Pascal will lend his Dirty Harry/Jaws stare: 23, since JC is at work

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

Hildi clears his throat.

...

"The mind-flayer, Yraxilinith, acquired it for you and transferred it to a drow courier, Cory’bant’ex. Do you know the key I mean?" Once again, he's almost yelling.

"Yes, Bosskyn arranged all that. Volothamp wants the key. Bosskyn wants him to have the key, after certain agreements are worked out.

"But none of that happens if the key is not here. Drow courier not here. She should be here, but not arrived... Bosskyn has eyes and ears active, but limited. Fighting between Zhentarim and Xanathar not fierce here as in Waterdeep, but still keep my people busy. Also watched.

"Maybe we can come to an understanding. You people not as busy, and not as watched. You do work for me, and Bosskyn pay you for your services.

"Track down Cory’bant’ex and the key, and turn them over to my people. If both are recovered in reasonable condition, Bosskyn gives your group a potion of speed, and 300 GP. You can fest and rest in my festhall. After your work done, Bosskyn negotiate with Mister Geddarm about key transaction. Everyone happy."

Pascal leans down to Hildi, whispering, while maintaining his threatening composure, “That seems real reasonable. We gonna take it..?”

He then slides a piece of jerky to Hildi, “Also, been a bit since you ate. Here ya go.”

Pascal then stands back up and looks threatening.

“This deal seems fine, yes?” Quillary half turns to look at the others. “I’m not inclined to kill this one out of hand,” she says smiling at them.

Quote from JcAndD >>

Pascal... slides a piece of jerky to Hildi, “Also, been a bit since you ate. Here ya go.” Pascal then stands back up and looks threatening.

For just a moment, the hobgoblins look relieved, but then they start sweating again.

Bosskyn smiles when the party accepts the offer. At that time, numerous flying snakes came from open windows and doors, and circle around the tiefling. One at a time, they twine around his neck and head, and he seems to be listening to them. Bosskyn frowns. "The courier was being followed, before she disappeared. Maybe she get nicked... We got kind of truce with the Xanathar in Skullport, but those goons keep getting pushy. Hot-heads seeking retribution for losses in the gang war above ground.

"Bosskyn advise you to avoid Xanathar agents, to avoid trouble... But Bosskyn also says, If you make things difficult for the Xanathar, by accident, maybe you find something extra in your payment bag at end of job.

"Bosskyn not tell you how to do business, but maybe you find yourself at The Poisoned Quill, to start. Tasselgryn Velldarn always has her ear close to the streets.

"You new to Skullport, right? Bosskyn lend you a guide. Zsoksia not know every places, but know enough places." Bosskyn whistles, and another flying snake soars across the room, and perches on his outstretched arm. (Zsoksia eyes Volo, but does not make any threatening moves towards the owl familiar.)

Jorin notices the Jerky transaction and looks to Pascal with his best please-sir-may-i-have-some-more doe eyes.

"A reward and a feast in a feasthall, plus fighting?  If I did not know better I would swear a Bodt heart beats in this Teifling's chest!"

Hildigrim takes the jerky, looks at it as if he doesn't know what it is, then just holds it in his hand while observing the tiefling, the bugbears, the snakes, and the rest of the room in quick jerks.

(OOC: No bugbears, only a tiefling, 2 burly hobgoblin bodyguards, and random riff-raff.)

Drusk (to party): "Should we visit this Tasselgryn Velldarn person, and then decide a plan after getting more information?"

OOC: Bugbears. Hobgoblins. They're as indistinguishable to Hildigrim as humans and half-orcs.

Quote from Guiltysparc >>

Jorin notices the Jerky transaction and looks to Pascal with his best please-sir-may-i-have-some-more doe eyes.

"A reward and a feast in a feasthall, plus fighting?  If I did not know better I would swear a Bodt heart beats in this Teifling's chest!"

 Pascal passes (stealthily) jerky to Jorin.

Jorin slyly takes the jerky and using all his speed to ferry it into this mouth without being noticed. Stealth: 6

He munches it and nods in agreement at Drusk's suggested course of action.

Hildigrim's not going to say yea or nay.

Quillary gives Hildi a puzzled look, then nods to Drusk's suggestion. "We're meeting all sorts down here," she says to nobody, but turns to leave with the group.

Quote from Quasimodal >>

(OOC: No bugbears, only a tiefling, 2 burly hobgoblin bodyguards, and random riff-raff.)

Drusk (to party): "Should we visit this Tasselgryn Velldarn person, and then decide a plan after getting more information?"

 “Seems like a fair plan to me. Might as well get our bearin’s.”

If permitted, Zsoksia the flying snake wants to ride on Pascal's shoulder, and perhaps get a nibble of jerky. (If Pascal doesn't permit that, the snake will alight on Drusk's helmet.)

Zsoksia will give the periodic hiss or head nod to lead the party to a ramshackle hut along one of the side passages in the central trade lane. It is marked by a sign with a dripping quill pen and the words "The Poisoned Quill" carved into it in Common.

The inside of the hut has a small meeting area, with an elderly Tethyrian woman in robes seated next to a desk. There are shelves of writing materials (paper, parchment, inks, quills), along with some official looking notices on display in various places. (The notices don't say much of anything. They seem to be samples of Tasselgryn's calligraphy.)

Pascal will allow it, and share some viddles 

On the way, Hildi continues to look around a bit sporadically. He makes a grumbling noise then whispers loudly to whoever of the party is close, "Do you feel like we're being watched? I can't seem to shake the feeling."

Quillary looks around as the group walks to the new encounter. “No more than before,” she says to Hildigrim, looking at him with a frown of worry. “Did you ingest something in the place?”

"No," says, drawing out the word as if considering it even as he is speaking. "But I have felt this way all morning." He looks down at his hand and realizes he is holding a piece of jerky. After a slight shrug, he bites off the end and begins chewing as he continues to jerk his head from left to right and behind, trying to catch watching eyes.