(Oh no, you're fine!)

(Cheesey)

The bartender, an older gentleman with keen eyes, smiles and waves to you, saying, "praise be to Tarj! Always love when the Knights come around!" He passes a mug of amber ale to you. 

You are sitting with the others, and notice a well-dressed gentleman sitting some few stools away from you and the others. 

(MeTaLh3d and Spidey)

The bartender hands you, Victor, a glass of dark amber-esque whiskey.

”Och, yer too kind ma’am. If I could jus’ get a pint o’ whatever’s common, please. And uh, who’s tha’ doon there?”

Tharteas asks of the bartender, his spear used as a walking stick, sharp point down, and pointing to the man watching him.

Erruk nods at the two to his left and takes a long pull from his mug. 

"Victor. I'm Erruk... been here a bit, swinging and missing on the work front myself. She does pack a kick, key's the proper center o' gravity and bracing yer legs. First time I let 'er rip, she flipped me on my back!"

He pats his cannon shield fondly.

"That fellow behind me still looking like wants to buy me a drink and see where the night leads?"

Victor downs the glass of whiskey, sets the empty glass on the bar with a gold piece, and waves to the bartender for another.  While waiting he turns to look down the bar, making eye contact with the well-dressed man if he is still looking.  Talking to Erruk while watching the man, "It does seem as though he has taken an interest in the lot us perhaps." gesturing to the two new arrivals sitting next to us.  Breaking eye contact with the man, turning to the other two, and nodding "Evening gentlemen."

With a flick of his wrist, the well-dressed gentleman whips out a golden pocket watch, checking the time. He then puts it away, and with a smart movement stands up, coming over to the lot of you. "Well, well, well," he exclaims, excited. "It seems you all have some sort of business going on here in Cyron! No doubt, you've all had your fair share of travels, to say the least!" He leans against the bar table, a hand on his hip. "Apologies for my gawking, folks, but I couldn't help but notice your gear, your presence, and your attitudes! I must say,  I am a fan!" With another smart gesture he removes his bowler hat and bows deeply. "Briar Octavius Luther, at your service!" Standing again, and replacing the hat back on his head, he continues. "Owner and operator of Octavius Artifact Reclamation Services, or O.A.R.S., as the acronym goes!" He takes a seat next to you Eruuk, and leans toward so he could be heard by the rest of you. "I have a proposition for the lot of you, if you'll hear me out."

"Two questions,"

Tharteas says, leaning on his staff and counting off his fingers;

"Does it pay, and does it pay well? If the answer is yes to both of these I would be glad to be of assistance. The name's Tharteas,"

The Half-Orc says, tossing his staff to his left hand and extending his right.

"Pay isn't the problem here, although I will admit," says Briar, leaving over and shaking the half-orc's hand, "I'd be willing to pay each of you 30 gp if you take a day trip down to Dewar, and find a downed airship of mine. This airship contains some artifacts from a bygone era that could greatly improve my collection of acquisitions. You pick these items up and bring them back to me, and you'll be swimming in gold!"

He cracks his knuckles loudly, and leans in a little closer, his voice a whisper, "and if you manage to find any old, abandoned tombs or dungeons on your travels, I'll add in an extra 15 gp!" 

"So," he says, leaning back again, his voice normal volume, "what do you all say?"

Erruk looks around at the others, and shrugs his broad shoulders.

"I didn't have any plans for tomorrow, I'm game."

"This downed ship... any idea what brought it down? Mechanical malfunction is one thing, sabotage and folks already having plans on looting it is another. Just want to know what we're heading in to, best we can."

Victor snuffs out the end of his cigar in an ashtray on the bar and looks around at the group of men around him, sizing each up in turn.  "I'm in, pending the answers to a couple of questions.  First and foremost I have to second Erruk's question regarding the nature of the crash.  Not that I think the lot of us couldn't handle your predicament regardless, but I would like to know more about what we would be walking into."

 "And second, where can I buy some decent cigar's around this town?  I'm out.."

The monk settles back slightly on their chair, back to the wall and watching the bar - keeping at east half an eye on Ruby and movement in her vicinity. They don't actively engage in the conversation around them, satisfied to listen and watch.

When Octavius comes over their eyes narrow, and their attention homes in on him, trying to determine any duplicity or recalcitrance...

'I could use the money, so long as we've seen Ruby safely home before we go anywhere. However, if we feel you've withheld important information, I for one will look poorly on such behaviour.' Their Jade eyes flash slightly in the lamplight at the last, but their soft tone, or demeanour, doesn't indicate any rancour, only an observation...

(Jorik)

You get the sense that he's being straight with you all, but maybe just a little reluctant to outright share everything, all at once. 

(MeTaLh3d)

You think he's being straight with you, but you don't get any other sense from this guy. 

(All)

Luther rests his hands at his sides, his eyes watching each of you carefully. He smiles then, a genuine smile at that, and speaks. "Friends, I'm glad you asked. In the small high desert region of the state of Dewar, I had an exploration class airship traveling south to transport goods and artifacts to a storage facility in Southern Vespa. There, I've got...big plans coming! I've got the architectural plans already submitted to the Republic Central Planning and Construction Division, as well as to the Office of the State Engineer. These plans are for a massive project I'm drumming up for the national capitol," he speaks quietly with enthusiasm and excitement. "Why," he proclaims, "it's for a national museum of ancient history!" He sighs aloud, looking off into the distance. "This it behooved me to transport some of my artifacts and items that way. Unfortunately," he says, his demeanor losing a little steam, "goblinoid bandits of some sort to her down in transport. I haven't heard a lick of a word from the crew or team since, save for one small telegram of correspondence that read only: 

'Ship down. Stop. Bandits everywhere! Stop. Engaging attackers. Stop. Send help! Stop. S.O.S. Stop.'

And that's the last I heard of them. It's been four days since then."

His demeanor clearly lessened and crestfallen, a sadness falling over him. He's clearly upset over the ship, but you can tell he's even more upset about the crew and team. 

"So what do you think? Would you all be willing to help?"

"Oh," he says, reaching into his coat pocket and handing you a steel container, Victor, "you can have mine. Best place in town for cigs would be the local liquor store down the road. It's called Barnum's, and they have some excellent choices in flavor!"

At that moment, Ruby appears again, and hands Mr. Luther a parcel.

 Luther smiles again. "Thank you, Miss Pennington! I take it you all have met my assistant, Ruby?" He casts her a sidelong glance for a moment. "Couldn't go a day without her! She keeps this machine running!"

"Miss Pennington.", Erruk nods at the young woman.

"Four days is a long time, plus travel time for us to get there, plenty of time for bandits to scamper off with stuff if the crew's been overrun. Any of you lads good at tracking?"

Victor takes the steel case and removes a cigar for himself and offers one to Luther before depositing the case in his pocket, "Well thank you kindly Mr. Luther and no, we have not been formally introduced." turning to face the young woman, "Good evening Miss Pennington, Victor Grey and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." 

He shifts his focus back to the group as a whole, "I'm in and ready to depart whenever."  He looks to Erruk, "Not exactly my forte, anyone else?  And Mr. Luther, are you able to provide us with a map and details of the ships intended flight path?"

Ruby nods at both Eruk and Victor, a smile on her face. She turns to Luther and they have a hushed conversation for just a moment, and with that, she makes her way around the bar to the bartender. Whispering in hushed tones to the old gentleman, he looks keenly at all of you. With that, she turns back and comes back around the bar to a stool of her own, taking a seat. Mr. Luther is all smiles. 

The bartender turns to all of you and with a grin on his face, declares, "looks like this fine gentleman and his lovely assistant have agreed to pay your lodging for a night, lads! Praises be all to Wise Tarj for good people, the likes of which are rare in this world!"  

Luther, graciously taking the cigar, responds to your question, Victor. "Meet me in my office tomorrow morning. I will brief you all on the details then, with maps, logs of travel, dates, and times." He drops a business card on the table, and slides it toward you guys. "You'll be able to find my address of occupation on the back of the card."

(So Victor knows Northern Vespa well enough, as well as western Genaria and the top end of Southern Vespa. However, he's not had a lot of travels into the western states of Cyron and Dewar yet, and aside from major railroad routes that most people would know of--which are usually pretty reasonable price-wise, but which require additional transportation to get to more obscure destinations, I don't think he'd be privy to that information. As for your initial question, it's about a 300-mile distance between Haven City and the point in Dewar where the airship was last seen. I shall get maps and distances illustrated for you--all of you--soon!)

With that, Mr. Luther stands and tips his hat to you all. "Well, my newfound friends, I look forward to our meeting tomorrow morning! Meet outside the door and call at nine o'clock sharp! I will be readily awaiting your arrival!" He turns to Ruby, also tipping his hat. "Miss Pennington," he declares, "you're off now! You can head home for the night, and be safe! Wouldn't want anything untoward happening! Good night, now!"

Ruby responds politely, "well, I do reckon I'll be just alright, Mr. Luther. I've these two gracious bodyguards to escort me home," she says, gesturing to the Wuxian and Tharteas. 

"Alright then," says Luther, whipping out his pocket watch to give it a look, and pocket it again. 

Tharteas gives a sly smile at Erruk’s question;

”I’m decent, especially since tha’s what I dae for a livin,”

Then, at Luther;

”Thank ya for yer kindness sir. We will see ya in the morning then,”