Quote from Oberon99 >>

"Excellent, that should cover tonights drinks." Aubrey says smiling and winks at Grugga. "Thank you gentlemen for an interesting day. I´m already looking forward to the adventures of tomorrow. I will have a drink at the bar before retiring if anyone would care to join me, these places are full of rumours I hear." He says to the others with a slight bow and heads over to the bar to pick up on todays events in Bardstown. After an hour or two he turns in for the night in room 23 finding it hard to sleep at first thinking of all the possibilities with this new endeavour.

Perusasion if needed to get people talking:17 also spending a piece of gold on drinks if that helps.

Aubrey, you (and anyone who stayed to chat up the crowd with you) find the people at first a bit uneasy about speaking openly with a noble but eventually they warm up and alcohol loosens everyone's lips.

• 'The People' remain the topic du jour among the crowd.  Everyone has their own idea about what they are here for: the emperor summoned them to negotiate a new peace treaty; the emperor is asking for reparations; they are finally coming to pay respects on the passing of Vigor I and offer praise to Vigor II; they want to buy the turtle shell; they're up to no good and the airship in the sky is meant to distract us from their activity down below; they plan to assassinate the young emperor; the emperor wants them to support an invasion of Fidelis; the emperor plans to buy an airship from them; the emperor is going to enlist their aid against the Tsaurians.  You have no reason to believe any of these people actually have any leads on the matter, and everyone is just speaking from their hearts or their fears.
• The next topic of convo is the murder across the square.  Once again the people have strong opinions, and a few of them actually knew the deceased.  The consensus is that Mortimer the Magician was more than he seemed... more charlatan/ne'er do well, that is.  Most patrons of the bar report stories of him meeting with unsavory characters in his shop after hours and many believe he had connections in the thieves guild.  He was also said to be a gambler.  More than one mention that he engaged in the trade of magic items 'off the books' to avoid imperial taxes and registration.  No one has any idea what happened to him, or even how he was killed, but they all believe he was a sketchy character who likely got what was coming to him.
• Other rumors and idle chit chat
  • There is a big gladiatorial match at the Little Prince coming up this week.  Falon Lo, a barbarian from the utter north, is taking on the Boulder, the people's champion.  Folk are quite excited about it but are a little worried for the champ, as the barbarian has been crushing all the competition so far.
  • If you want to see a red dragon, the Honorguard usually starts their training flights with the younger hellkites around this time of year.  They can be seen in the skies around the Fort of the Five Fires.
  • Wendel really stepped in it with Jonny tonight.  He started getting lippy and even criticized the emperor.  Jonny might 86 him once and for all.
  • There's some new bard in town named Jareth.  Weird looking guy and he dresses like he's from another dimension.  But they say he's incredible and he is performing down at the Northern Star.
  • Its weird that Jonny sells a Turtle King product here.  They are his main competitors across the square and he doesn't get along with their ownership at all.

Rohuzar, you keep one eye peeled on the notice sign.  A halfling woman comes in and touches the notice, but you see she is just moving it to put up her own note about her missing dog, Misty.  When you retire for the evening, the notice is still there and no one has paid it any obvious attention.

Guilim makes note of this, holding back to observe them for a few seconds before heading inside to go to his room for the night. He will make sure to mention what he saw first thing in the morning. In his room he carefully removes his armor and leans his weapons close to the bed, leaving his dagger where he could grab it in an instant.

Before leaving the bar Aubrey turns to Jonny Nevers. "Thank you for a splendid evening Jonny, and my regards to the chef, I will now retire to one of your comfortable beds." He leans in a bit closer before continuing. "Can I ask though, you´re not in any kind of trouble, are you?" He asks sincerely in a lowered voice, holding up his chilled Turtle King Amber ale.

Persuasion if needed to make Jonny share his weight with someone who could help him out:6 Insight to see if he is truthful with his answer:7

Aubrey:

Grugga:

 2

To All:

The group selects and makes their way to the rooms at their own pace.  The floors are creaky, tavern noise continues into the wee hours of the morning, and someone in the building snores like a brontosaurus, but the rooms are clean and dry and you are all able to complete a LONG rest.  At some point in the night, those with second floor windows may have been disturbed by a woman's shouting echoing across the market district before dawn.  Any investigation reveals there is nothing to be seen out the window, and the cries seem more in anger than fear and the words can't be made out.  Otherwise, the night passes without incident and you all complete a long rest.

In the morning, Rohuzar is the first to rise with the sun to prepare for the first full day as team lead.  Checking downstairs, Jonny is absent from the bar and Mirlande, the halfling girl who served you lunch yesterday, is cleaning the bar and greets you as you come downstairs.  The bar is otherwise empty at this hour.  "Mornin', sir.  First meal is lunch, but guests of the house can expect complimentary biscuits and cider when they rise.  I've got them in the oven right now and they should be ready any moment."  Despite the early hour, she seems brighter and more energetic than you remember her.  There is no sign of new notes on the notice board.  Rohuzar can wait for the others or rouse them.

Not long after Rohuzar comes downstairs Aubrey joins him, descending the stairs looking like he didn´t get quite enough sleep. "Morning boss, sleep well I hope?" He says to the orc as he slumps down by the table. "Good morning Mirlande, you seem to be in a good mood." He then says to the halfling girl, brightening up a bit at the sight of the her. "I´ll have some of those bisquits and some cider please".

When everyone is downstairs Aubrey casually informs them on last nights rumors in the bar. "I must confess I feel tempted to suggest we make our own discreet inquiries into the matter of that murder, but I also realize we don´t want to risk interfering with any other ongoing investigations." He says thoughtfully "Going to the gladitorial match or visit the Northern star seems like good entertainment when we have the time for that." He finishes while readying himself for a visit to the fisherman.

Grugga clomps down the stairs shortly after Aubrey. "Good morning" he says to the others, "Would anyone like to join me for a sun salute outside?"

Whether or not anyone joins him, Grugga goes outside, faces the rising sun, and performs a simple ritual that looks basically like he's stretching. Once he finishes, he claps his hands twice, picks up his gear, and heads back into the tavern.

"Gel-Nagev granted me a vision last night," he addresses anyone downstairs at the time, "With some simple materials I can make something that will allow us to see and breathe underwater, as long as we stay near the surface. It might take a few hours for me to make a set for us, but the cost of materials the employer promised should cover the cost of production, I think. If we think it's worth it, I could have some ready for us by tonight, hopefully."

Rohuzar knocks briefly on everyone’s door and head down for chow. 

“You and Citizen Aubrey seem to have worked well together, but I would send Leelan with you this time to find what you are looking for. He is clever. The rest of us will head for the river. I would move quickly, no time to waste.” 

Rohuzar then checks the board to see if his note is still there and will lead the pack to the river, sans Grugga and Leelan.

"So you will talk to the witness then will you? Shall we meet back here later then?" Aubrey asks Rohuzar, ready to give Grugga and Leelan a tour of Bardstown, taking them to the necessary shops and markets in order for Grugga to purchase the materials needed for his new under-water-breathing-invention.

"Happy to work with you, Leelan, though I'm afraid we'll just be running some errands." He counts off on his fingers as he lists each store, "We'll need to visit the soap or candle maker, the brazier, the knacker, and the leatherworker. The leatherworkers are also the parents of the kidnapped girl, so I need to get their letter and then visit the courier."

Grugga asks the group as a whole, "Do we need to ask the employer for the material costs, or will the shops take it on her credit?"

Leelan wakes up rested and as chipper as usual. When he comes down and sees his companions already planning what needs to be done today, he joins them.

"Good morning, gentlemen. What exciting adventures will we be living today?"

As it seems Leelan will be joining Grugga and Aubrey,the gnome responds. "Worry not, my inventive companion. I am happy to oblige and help in any way I can. Besides, this will be an excellent occasion to get to know one another. As for the materials, Lady Shelley mentioned that she would like for us to gather receipts for her to collect."

(DM:  It looks like Rohuzar's intent was for Grugga and Leelan to go shopping, while Aubrey accompanied the rest to interview the fisherman.  While it is up to everyone to decide where they want to go, allow the DM to point out that you all woke with the dawn.  It will be another couple of hours before most of the shops in the market district open up.  It is conceivable that there is time for all of you to travel together to interview the witness, and then perhaps Grugga and whomever accompanies him can split off to collect his letter from the Potter's, do his shopping, etc..  However, an early spring morning walking tour of Bardstown is A-OK with DM as well.  Just food for thought.)

Grugga, its hard to say just what all the materials will cost you, but you have an idea it will take you about an hour to fashion each [name and patent pending] you want to build.  So you should decide how many you are making so you can buy enough supplies and budget enough time to work on them all.

Guilim woke early and set about part of his morning routine, cleaning his weapons and armor before taking sometime to pray to both his ancestral spirits and the goddess he had chosen to serve in his path to fight. With that done he took the time to properly pull on his armor, finally strapping his pack and weapons on. With that done he left to head downstairs to meet up with the others.

He falls in to step behind Rohuzar and the others as they make their way to the fisherman, quietly eating some biscuits he had acquired before they left. 

"As the shops won´t open for another couple of hours I will probably be able to give you the tour of Bardstown after we have talked to that witness." Aubreys says to Grugga and Leelan and leaves his equipment at the bar again, ready to visit the fisherman.

Leelan and Eskil were given information that the most recent witness, Shaemus, resides in a room above a one room tavern in the Wharfs called the Land Shark.  This close to the Lake, the air is filled with a fishy odor and the air is cool and misty as it blows in off the water.  Dew covers the cobblestone streets and drips off the flowers hanging from the small window planters along the street.  The wharfs are already bustling with activity in the early morning light as fishermen, longshoremen, shuckers and more are all on their way to their jobs along the waterfront.  You arrive outside the Land Shark, which is closed - the sign reads it opens at mid day - and a narrow staircase leads up the side to a pair of second floor rooms that open up onto a fire escape.  

Knocking at the address provided by Lady Shelley, some time passes before sounds of life are heard from within.  First movement, then a small crash as it sounds like a table is overturned, followed by cursing.  A full minute later, the door cracks open.  The odor of hard liquor creeps out to menace you on the narrow landing and a face pokes out through the door.

"Aye?  What'll it be now?"   He squints out at you with his one good eye, taking in the armored strangers on his stoop.   "Beatrice sent some hooligans to come at me o'er a weeks' rent, is that it?  Well have at me then, boyos.  You'll draw more blood than coin from this here stone."  He opens the door and steps back further into his apartment.  He doesn't appear frightened, more indifferent or even a bit amused at the prospect of getting roughed up.  The interior of his apartment is not as messy as you might have imagined, though it is spartan.  He appears to have few possessions, other than the clothes on his back, some nets, ropes and bouys, and a pile of empty glass bottles.

Rohuzar nods. “Not here for that, sir. Please. Have questions about people you saw in river.”

(to reiterate, yes, please feel free to take the reins from Rohuzar’s suggestions.)

"Yes, we´re certainly no hooligans Shaemus." Aubrey says entering the apartment, looking around casually before turning to the fisherman again. "Rumour has it you met a merman under the docks. If you would tell us all about that we would make it worth your while." Aubrey says calmly, his pouch of coins dangling from his right hand.

Persuasion to calm him down and make him cooperate: 14 (rolled with advantage if help action from someone or perhaps the pouch of coins. Otherwise go with first roll) Insight to determine if he´s truthful about what he might tell us: 7

(OOC: Completely fine with Rohuzar leading, just misunderstood.)

Shaemus casts his eye back and forth between Rohuzar, Aubrey, and the others still out on the stoop.  He scratches the side of his head and quietly mumbles, "... Aye...".  Then he claps his hands and shares a wide, gap-toothed grin.  "Well then lads, you've come to the right man.  Indeed, I know the fiends you speak of - and might I add sir, that is a lovely red coat.  Beautiful, if I say so me'self.  What is that, velvet? - I know them well.  But come, this ain't the place to talk of such epic matters."

Shaemus slips past Aubrey and weaves between those out on the fire escape, sliding and pinballing through the group in a way that nearly sends a couple of you right off the side.  Hitting the ground floor, he saunters to the door to the Land Shark, to find it locked.  He shakes the handle a few times, then give the top of the door two hard slaps and bumps the area below the handle with his left knee.  The door pops open and he pushes in, waving an arm behind him to summon you all to follow.  The inside is dark, the only light that which is now pouring in through the front door. The tavern is a single room taking up the entire ground floor of the wooden building.  There is bar along the back wall, a couple of tables, and some dirty plates and mugs piled in a corner.  The room smells of stale beer and old food.  "Its most fortuitous for you fine gents that you came a'calling when you did... I was just about to head out for me morning constitutional and wouldn't like to be back 'fore dinner."

He makes beeline to the bar area, ducks behind it and begins rummaging around.  A woman's voice suddenly screeches something unintelligible from behind the bar, where it sounds like someone had been sleeping.  "Knock it off Beatrice, you daft hellkite!  I'm entertaining company.  And if you mind to yerself, you'll get the coin yer due and maybe a touch more if'n I find meself in a jolly mood later."  Finding what he was looking for, Shaemus rises and holds a bottle up to the light from the open door, inspecting its contents.  Its a dark brown color, with a bit of sediment.  "Ah, there she is."  He bites the cork out, and drinks down 1/4 of the contents in one long swallow.  He then slams the bottle down, wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, and returns his attention to you.

"There now.  As I said, I know the water folk you speak of.  Seen 'em with me own eye.  Not the only one, neither.  Just the only one not too cowardly to talk openly.  But ask yerself, why does no body run their traps at night no more?  Cause they know what weird folk prowl the waters under the docks at night, and they're too afeared to go down.  Not Shaemus.  And not ol' Lem neither."  He places his hand over his heart and closes his eyes.  "Poor ol' Lem Lemonhands, may Ord watch o'er his immortal soul.  Take him they did, those infernal sea folk.  Ol' Lem never did nothin to no body, aside from being a bit careless and not knowin' enough to be scared when you should be scared."

Shaemus continues on in a rambling fashion, but he shares that since last year, the underside of the docks on the lake side of the city have been visited by strange creatures at night. 

• The best freshwater lobster fishing is under the docks, and the very best is at night.  But no one runs traps at night anymore.  Traps left out overnight are either stolen, with the lines cut, or broken open and the lobsters stolen from inside.  And those who brave the night to guard their traps and haul out lobsters as they are caught, run the risk of encountering the sea-people. 
• The sea people seem to fear fire and used to never come close enough to be seen, but Shaemus recounts that you can see their eyes, which glow golden in the torch light.  Sometimes low to the water, sometimes standing about as tall as a man, 3' to 5' feet above the water.  They are never alone... sometimes he sees one or two pairs of eyes, sometimes four or five pairs of eyes.
• Most of the water is 2'-3' deep under the docks.  Some folk wade but Shaemus doesn't recommend it, especially at this time of year as the water still hasn't reached summer temperatures yet.  He uses a pole boat to navigate under the docks and stay as dry as possible.
• If you approach them with a flame, the eyes always disappear under the water, sometimes silently, sometimes with a splash.  Usually they reappear again behind you.
• They used to never approach, but since Lem disappeared last month, they are getting bolder.  Sometimes they get close enough to the torchlight for Shaemus to catch a glimpse.  He says he has seen blue scales, and a bit of their outline... they are rail thin, like the thinnest, scrawniest elf you ever saw.  Like they could hide behind a sapling.
• Shaemus is nervous that they killed Lem, and now they mean to eventually come after him, as their rival for the lobsters.
• Aubrey, listening to Shaemus talk, you're convinced he is being a bit theatrical and very much enjoys telling stories... but you also get the sense he absolutely believes he is telling you the gods' honest truth.

Eventually, Shaemus' stories slow down and he pauses to look you all over.  "So, is that what you wanted to know?  Anything else I can tell ya?  And what d'ya want to know all this fer, anyway?  You gonna drive those sea-devils back out from under me docks?"

"Well let´s just say we are going to look further into the matter." Aubrey says as Shaemus finishes, having listened attentively on the other side of the bar to the fishermans tale.
"You wouldn´t happen to have one of those pole boats for us to use for a night? We might even see to it that you can safely return to your freshwater lobster fishing under the docks if all goes well. Not to mention the tales you would be able to tell of assisting us with this endaevour."

Persuasion if necessary to get hold of a pole boat for tonight:20 (again rolled with advantage with the same assumptions as before.)

Guilim raises a brow but listens to the old fisherman tells them, slowly reaching to hold the dagger on his side as he imagines dealing with such things. He looks to the others, wondering  if he should consider wearing less heavy armor.

Grugga ponders what was said, and then thinks out loud, "Could we catch one of these lobsters to bribe them and talk to them? If they can even speak, that is... hmmm.... I have a few ideas to get their attention, if they're not afraid of light."