Jirel would take the invite to the baths, soaking and washing blood and sweat from her body. Even she knows that this is a rare opportunity and doesn't know when the next time could present itself. She'd have gestured with her chin for the Little One to join them should she desire, even if it were to soak her feet and read a book. However if today wasn't the day she wanted to take a dip, the giantess knew she would be fine in Finn's company. Jirel would welcome Tylaerys' offer to remove stains from her furs and attire. She'd expect assistance with her hair, to lather, rinse and redo, whether that was back into her traditional braid or something new. She'd also expect a once over from both Tylaerys and Finn on the adjustment of her clothing before heading out for their dinner.

Finn oversees the transport of their new wares to the warehouse where Ackyn Selebon is preparing their wagon.  The outfitter confirms that all is still on track for the caravan to depart with tomorrow's sunrise.  By all accounts, it is shaping up to be quite a large group, with dozens of wagons and carts departing for Waterdeep.

The wooden box is locked.  It doesn't look like a complicated lock, and someone with lockpicks could probably open it easily.  On the other hand, Finn could try to break it open... its just a little wooden box after all.

((huh, thought Finn had those...  I have too many similar characters! lol...  Finn will refrain from breaking it for now.  Right now all they know for sure is it's a cool box so breaking it could ruin all it's value.))

The girl with the green skin has rarely removed the cowl of her cloak, except when out of the public eye. The thought of exposing any more of her ugly body to anyone is abhorrent, and certainly not in a public bath!  Conversely, the teenage girl isn't oblivious to the musty funk that is slowly building on her unwashed self, and doesn't wish to bear the shame of body odor at tonight's dinner or at the start of the coming journey north. Torn between conflicting priorities, Yeshil decides in the end to go along with Tylaerys and Jirel. She does the best she can to avoid the gaze of anyone but her companions, removes only the minimum required clothing for the minimum period of time, covering herself again whenever anyone else is nearby, and is satisfied with the most perfunctory job of cleansing to complete the essential tasks. With all the precautions it takes her just as long to complete her toilet as her companions, although she accomplishes far less.

If perfumes are available, Yeshil is eager to partake - likely a little too eager, and may show up to the Low Lantern with a slightly overpowering bouquet...

Tylaerys would be happy to have Jirel and Yeshil along, offering to rebraid the blonde giantess after their bath, seeming to enjoy taking meticulous care of her long beautiful hair. She would also insist on advising the green teen on her choices of perfume, being the caring, thoughtful and supportive older sister for her, in a sensetive and good-natured way making sure the young one was her best at the dinner, hoping to boost her self-confidence, she was so pretty after all.

Jirel would use her large frame to mindfully position herself in a way to act as a casual barrier for any unwanted eyes for Yeshil should she welcome it. The young woman deserved to feel comfortable, and clean, so that with time she could learn to love herself and be confident in her own skin. The giantess remembered her own struggles around that age. She'd gently lob a cloth or sponge over her shoulder to Yeshil. "'Don't forget to wash behind yer ears,' Little One." She quotes her Nanny's own words to Yeshil, encouraging her to take her time to wash, even if it was only a few moments more. A soft shake of her own head and hint of a smirk played on Jirel's lips for sounding like a 'nagging Nanny'.

It had been that long since she had her hair done too, thus Jirel would fall quiet, almost into a meditative state when Tylaerys would take care of her hair. It felt nice. She appreciated and enjoyed the moment. It was nostalgic in a way to her.

All those scents would eventually tickle Jirel's nose enough that she'd sneeze a few times, which would then cause her eyes to water a little. It's not that she didn't like yummy pretty smells, it was just a lot of concentrated poufy stuff all at once that packed a punch. She'd chuckle lowly from Yeshil's enthusiasm and Tylaerys' genuine effort to try to find a middle ground. The giantess would point out the ones she did like while the girls browsed and tried. At some point she's sure someone either spritzed her with a tester, or she just absorbed them second hand.

The stink of the road and combat properly washed off of them [all save Finn], the party gathers together outside of the Low Lantern in the docks of Baldur's Gate.  The sun is setting, but this part of the docks has a number of drinking establishments, ranging from seedy to only-moderately-seedy and there are still quite a few locals and tourists walking about.  

The Low Lantern is an aging, three-masted merchant ship permanently docked on the east side of the harbor. Far past the point of being seaworthy, the vessel was converted into a tavern and gambling house that is open all day and night.  Fog obscures the Low Lantern until you get within a few hundred feet of it, whereupon its tall masts and creaking bulk come into view. The converted ship has rigging but no sails, and is anchored to the wharf by thick chains. A wooden staircase climbs from the wharf’s edge to the main deck. A lantern at the bow casts an eerie green light to signify that the tavern is open for business.

Up on the top deck, you can make out a few figures standing in conversation underneath hanging paper lanterns.

At the bottom of the steps leading to the boat, a tall, burly human and a hobgoblin stand behind a velvet rope.  Both are dressed like pirates, the hobgoblin with a black leather eyepatch.  While the hobgoblin talks with a pair of guests trying to gain entry, the human holds up a hand as the five of you approach.  

"Hold yerselfs.  The 'Lantern's got herself a private party tonight."

Yeshil takes confidence from the ministrations of the two mature ladies, and in fact even seems excited as she approaches the Low Lantern in her fresh new clothes and cloak. This isn't like the relatively tame family-friendly place they visited the night before... this is a real adults-only gambling den! She does her best to put on her adult-like swagger as they approach the gangway guards, but hangs back to let the real adults do the talking.

     "Surely you can't have a party without guests," Finn responds to the human.  "And surely we be the best guests!"  Finn gives his most charming smile and looks dismissively at the pair of others having to deal with the hobgoblin.  "Not riff-raff like some...  Oh no, we are here by special invite of none other than..."  But Finn draws a blank.

     "None other than...." He tries again but fails again.  Finn looks back to the others and stage-whispers to them harshly with a hang gesture signaling them to chime in, "None other than...?"

     "Yes!  Yes, that's it!  Volo, that old scamp!" Finn shouts out with a friendly relief as he spins back to the human doorman, Finn holding his left hand up about chest high, palm up, with a illusionary image of Volo about one foot tall standing upon his palm.  (Minor Illusion)

While Tylaerys might seem mature to Yeshil, the half-elf's parents would certainly not see that particular quality in her. She is happy to see the green teen slightly more confident about herself after the support, giving Yeshil encouraging compliments on their way to the Low Lantern.

As the friends reach the venue of the dinner party, Tylaerys at first stands back with an amused smile as Finn does his best to get them on board. "We don't only know who we were invited by..." She says with a soft laugh, stepping up to the burly human and the hobgoblin, handing them the invitations she recieved from Volo. "...we also have these if they will help us get permission to come aboard." She says, flashing a charming smile.

Persuasion if relevant: 12

When Finn states they have been invited by Volo, and shows the little image, a look passes over the doorman's face as if he has just been told he needs to come into work on Saturday... and that they're going to need him to go ahead and come in on Sunday too.

He looks over the invitations provided by Tylaerys, sighs, and pulls out a clipboard.  With a quill, he marks off five 'ticks' on a piece of parchment and then sets the clipboard back down.  "All right, you five are cleared to board.  If yee've never sailed on the Low Lantern before, here be the rules," he says in an official pirate-sounding accent.

"The top deck is for sight--seein' and polite conversation.  Rough-housing or raised voices will get you the plank," he says, throwing a thumb over his shoulder.  

"Down the stairs be the tavern deck.  You'll find drinks to fill your bellies and gamblin' to fill your purses."  He points a finger.  "Mr. Volo does NOT have an open tab and you may not order off of it.  If you be lookin' fer drinks, ye will pay on the spot.  Captain's orders."

"Below the tavern, is the lounge deck.  Put your boots up and enjoy a shanty, or have a private game of dice with your friends.  Mind the devil in the lounge, he be harmless but he doesn't like to be touched or gawked at."

As he pulls back the velvet rope to let you climb aboard, he adds, "If you see a closed door, it be closed for a reason.  It means 'keep out.'  Have ye any questions, land-lubbers?"  

As you pass, you hear other would-be guests complaining to the hobgoblin with the eye-patch about 'why do they get to go to the party?'

     "You hear that?  No rough-housing or yelling above deck.  Keep that crap below!  And the gambling is guaranteed profitable!" Finn says with a bit of excitement, directing his wit to the others in his party.  

     "This Captain," Finn asks, turning to the doorman.  "Will she be joining Volo and us for dinner?"

     But beyond being a bit of a smartass, Finn is more than ready to head below deck and see just what this joint has to offer.

The young half-elven blonde smiles at Finn the smartass, she knew the changeling would likely have an exciting evening at the Low Lantern, she only hoped it would not turn out to be too exciting as they had a caravan to catch in the morning. "And you wouldn't happen to know where we could find Mr. Volo himself by any chance?" Tylaerys asks as Finn finishes, stepping closer to the gangplank men with a pleasant smile. She would then board the Low Lantern, feeling more than a little excited herself, making sure to bring along Jirel and Yeshil who quite possibly weren't as comfortable with this place as Finn was.

Perception if needed to spot Mr. Volo: 12

Standing at the back of the group, Jirel was preoccupied with other things while the others addressed the guard. She kept an eye on their surroundings and would grunt in acknowledgement to the rules. While she couldn’t promise whether her companions would stick to the rules, unless invoked, the giantess should be able to behave herself within some boundaries. If she was honest with herself, something about the devil pricked her attention. She’d follow along as she does, like the groups muscle. Insight and out, honey hues would be keeping her eyes out for any ‘familiar’ faces, specifically from the parchment and from their previous interactions with the cultists. 

"The Captain is making her rounds, 'aye" answers the doorman.  If he has any objection to Yeshil's age, he doesn't voice it or prevent her from entering. "As for Mr. Volo, I'm sure you'll have no trouble locating that one."

The party boards the Low Lantern.

The main deck of the old ship features wooden steps that climb to the forecastle and aftcastle, and another set of stairs descending down into the ship. A padlocked wooden hatch fitted with windows acts as a skylight for the deck below — the tavern proper, visible through the hatch’s glass panes.  Two ravens squawk at you from the crow’s nest, a forty-foot climb up the ship’s rigging.  

The main deck is mostly deserted.  Two well-dressed elves - high elves, by their look - are having a private conversation near the stern, while a halfling lurks near the mid-ship.  It is quiet up here, and the fog and lanterns create a private atmosphere.

Music and raised voices can be heard from down below.  Stepping down into the interior of the ship, the party arrives on the main tavern deck.  In contrast to the intimate top deck, the tavern deck is busy and noisy, and it reeks of sweat, cheap ale, rotting timbers, and old vomit.  Three bouncers position themselves so they can see everything that happens here.  The tavern is lit by hanging oil lanterns and whatever natural light slips through the glass hatch and the ship’s grimy portholes.  Those portholes are 1½ feet in diameter, with rusty latches on the inside that hold them shut.

At the far end of the tavern you can see crowded gaming tables, with men and women of varied races celebrating or bemoaning their luck.  Nearer, a beady-eyed kenku tends an equally crowded bar.  Another set of stairs leads down.

The crowd is mixed.  Many patrons are dressed as nicely or even better than your party, while others look like they just crawled in from under the ship.  From your current vantage point near the entry stairs, you do not see anyone resembling Volothamp Geddarm.

The young blonde half-elf would frown slightly as she starts to explore the venue. She had definitely hoped for something more classy, but she realizes this is what would have to be expected in the docks of the hellhole of Baldur's Gate. "Although I've only met Mr. Volothamp once I have the impression he enjoys posing as others so I guess he could be anyone at the ship. Or he has not yet arrived. Still, the nice gentlemen at the gangplank said we would have no trouble locating him." She says discreetly to the others, ending with a small shrug.
Tylaerys would keep moving about, in no particular hurry to find Volo though, equally curious about which other interesting people she might find at this place.

Perception if needed: 5

     Finn Finns.

     "If you need me I'll be..." but he never does finish the sentence.  His eyes dart back and forth from one lure to another like a kid in a candy shop.  The gaming tables, of course. but also the drinks... and the heavy coin purses he spots amongst those who have already heavily partook of the drinks.  His feet begin taking him right to the gaming tables but eventually his mind steps in and negotiates a truce between eyes and feet - He will need some coin if he is going to gamble, his 6 copper aren't even going to get him a seat at a table.  So he needs find a mark.  Someone with a heavy purse and a bit of drink about them so they are less likely to notice it missing...

Tylaerys, your casual patrol of the tavern deck doesn't reveal any signs of Volo.  There are a cluster of Humans at the bar, with many of them dressed like barstaff... it seems they may be others from the industry, fresh off their shifts at other establishments.  The gaming tables are raucous.  There are two tables where players are engaged in dice, one table of three-dragon ante, and a blackjack table.  You see a diverse crowd of gamblers; mostly Elves, Half-Elves and Humans, with a smattering of Tieflings and Halflings.   There are a pair of Drow at one of the dice tables, and someone that looks like a Duergar is dealing blackjack.  

Finn, almost on the heels of your group, you spot a finely dressed Human woman come down the stairs from above.  She turns up her nose, either at the clientele or the odor, and walks back up to the top deck.  You spot a slight wobble in her walk suggesting inebriation, as well as an expensive looking handbag.

Jirel would try her hand at blending in a bit as she went, trying not to stand out, or in the rare case, recognized. She knew it was going to be cramped and stuffy on the ship to her, making it tempting to climb all the way into the crows nest, but she'd follow along with the group. Above, and below, she was keeping her ears open to eavesdrop and eyes scanning for any familiar or suspicious faces.

Stealth: 10
Perception: 14

Making sure Jirel and Yeshil can follow her if they want, Tylaerys curiously continues below to the lounge deck, keeping her silvery eyes open for Mr. Volothamp, smiling charmingly to those she passes.

Another perception if needed: 22