Hemeth: 

((Wait, how many of us made it? Kastix, Joetaro, Rayna and duegar - first boat, Sekkar, Kaylyn, Zeno and Stool - second. Each boat could carry 4 passengers. Or do you mean Stoll does not count?))

I think I originally said 4 or 5 can fit in each boat. Second boat was Sekkar, Kaylyn, Zeno and Sarith. Stool is small enough anyway that would hardly count as a full person.

Edit: original quote was "each boat is big enough for at least 4 bodies"

The statement "Sekkar quickly deduces that the single boat will become swamped if they all attempt to board it" implies that seven (eight counting Stool) would not have fit in the boat

((Not arguing, just head-counting. Good that at least one NPC made it))

"What jobs are we talking about?" Before deciding anything it made sense to learn the risks.

"I personally just need a place to rest before I settle on a plan," Kastix states, he need a mental break. 

Quote from BlueBayou >>

((Not arguing, just head-counting. Good that at least one NPC made it))

 I considered it a possibility, and thought it would be funny if you went to some effort to collect the other NPCs and then couldn't fit them in the boats. 

Joetaro nods at Kastix's suggestion. "Yes, perhaps a rest will help us clear our minds."

To Sekkar: The job o' guidin' ye through the lake, I mean. It nae be like yer surface-world lakes, like one great body o' water. More like a network o' lakes and canals. There be tunnels and passages, caverns and chambers, and it takes years o' travellin' 'em to learn 'em all. I figured that be why ye went to them fish-folk, to find yerself a water-guide. I need the coin, so I'll guide ye to Gracklstugh for 400 gold, or Bligdenstone for 500. Otherwise, I'll take ye to shore and ye can find yerself a fishfolk guide at the village north, or travel by land. Yer choice. 

Then to no-one in particular: Aye, a rest be wise. Ye can 'ave a think about it and decide when ye wake.

Zeno studies the gray dwarf with arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.  “A rest sounds great. We can figure out where to go from here tomorrow. Rhayna, do you know what that thing was?”

When they all settle in to rest, Zeno will check his pack (?) for whatever Jimjar shoved in there earlier.  And then later he will sidle over to Hemeth. “Tell me more about your trade with the surface.  What kinds of goods do you carry? Where do you go?”

The island looked like as good place to rest as any other. Sekkar left the boat (staying close to it, though. Not that he did not trust that duegar that much, but the only way out from that little island was too precious).

"400 golds? We were about to be sacrificed just as you. You do not think prisoners can have it, do you? But we do have that boat. May be someone managed to hide something else?" He looked at everyone. "Second boat can not cost that much, still useful for a merchant."

He thought a little: "That northern village you mentioned, what was the name of it?" 

Joetaro shakes his head. "Sekkar is right, we don't have that kind of money. Perhaps we could find work at the northern village, or someone who knows the way out."

Kaylyn frowned at the prices given by Hemeth. "This keelboat is certainly worth more than those prices.  Guide us to Bligdenstone and you can keep the boat in payment.  You'll easily fetch 500gp for the boat.  Plus the boat you stole and you'll do fine for yourself."

Persuasion 11

(After Kaylyn's negotiation with Hemeth.)

"That was Demogorgon, the Prince of Demons. A powerful, if not one of the most powerful, demon lords in the Abyss." Rhayna answers Zeno, absent mindedly, for she is thinking about the importance of the demon lord's presence in the Underdark. She checks on Stool and pat on its top (head?), more like as a habit now, then she approaches the gray dwarf. "Mr. Hemeth, I apologize for my ignorance regarding the Underdark. I wish I had researched the subject better before embarking on this journey." Rhayna curses herself for not thinking about all the possibilities. "At any rate. I would like to ask you if it is common for demon lords to show up in the Underdark... And creating such a grand spectacle when they do..." Then she looks into the distance.

"Joetaro..." She turn to Joetaro. "The creature at the lake that attacked you. It mentioned of the 'Faceless Lord'. That is Juiblex, another demon lord from Abyss. Perhaps, there is a 'meeting' of the demon lords happening in the Underdark??"

(would people normally know where demon lords normally reside, trying to avoid meta gaming)

"You're telling me there's another one like that thing!? How many demon lords are there?" Kastix shouts, throwing a thumb over his shoulder. 

(OCC: I am assuming that Rhayan, through her "extensive" research of the Abyss (perhaps the lower planes??), knows about the more "popular" demon lords. At the very least as best as it has been documented. Right?)

@Kastix: Yes, anyone of average INT would know the demons are in the Abyss
@Rhayna: Yes, Rhayna would know about all demon lords, and most types of demons.

Hemeth raises his voice as he snaps back at Sekkar: 'Ow should I know what ye 'ave or don't 'ave? You managed to keep your gear, which is more'n I can say fer meself. Then he takes a breath and says a little quieter: I cannae tell ye the name o' th' village, they all sound the same to me. Looking at Joetaro he adds: Ye can try fer work or passage with the fish-folk if ye like, but I prefer to leave 'em be. They're crazy, every one of 'em. I wouldn't normally go near 'em, but their little war presented certain mercantile opportunities. Didn't realise 'ow bad it was till they took me prisoner. And sure as 'ell didn't expect that ... demon LORD, ye say? Looking to Rhayna he says: I seen demons down 'ere true enough, but I never seen anything like that, and I never want to again.

Digging through the pack, Zeno finds that Jimjar has stashed several pouches of coins of all different shapes and sizes from different lands, but a quick count yields 27 platinum, 150 gold, and 90 copper. In addition, there are three small azurite gems, a bronze cup, two healing potions, plus another potion that he cannot identify, and a scroll that appears to have a spell inscribed on it.

Zeno Insight: 19
Later, when Zeno asks Hemeth about his trade, the duergar replies vaguely: Oh, I deal in all sorts really. Most o' my goods come from Gracklstugh, but I'll trade in just about anything if there's a demand. Mostly around the Darklake and south of Gracklstugh, and sometimes on the surface, along the southern edge of the Evermoors, or down as far as Triboar. When it comes to buyin' an' sellin' there's not much difference. One time I even traded with these troglodytes...
Hemeth continues to waffle on for a while about merchant life, gesturing with his hands in the usual way - at least that's how it would appear to the untrained casual observer. Zeno however notices that the hand movements contain hidden signals similar to those used by underworld figures everywhere, and that convey an underlying message: Hemeth smuggles weapons out of the duergar city and sells them to buyers both in the Underdark and on the surface. Zeno also gets the impression that Hemeth did this to see if Zeno would recognise the thieves' cant, and Zeno can see that Hemeth can tell that Zeno did recognise it.

(looks like we have our 400 gold, plus the boat - and we have 500 too and can choose our destination. But how did Hemeth react to Kaylyn's suggestion?)

(Oh, I wrote an answer to that, but I must have deleted it)

Hemeth considers Kaylyn's proposal, nods and replies: I normally take payment in advance, but ... aye, I'll accept yer boat in lieu o' me fee.

Also forgot... you can all advance to Level 4

That is a good thing to remember! (both, actually) :)

Rhayna can't remember the last time that she has been able to relax. This "Research Vacation" definitely didn't turn out like she expected. However, she feels that now she is even more observant that she was before. That perhaps, her reflexes are a little sharper now...

(OCC: Rhayna is taking the Alert feat.)