Rycroft spots nothing other than a few persimmon peels on the ground. But then he witnesses the event that Datari only saw the aftermath of: a rain of persimmons that pelts the Xungoon shop. The employees and customers are battered but unharmed, and persimmon juice is everywhere. Kusa huffs in shock and anger. Gammon gets a mop. Looking up into the night sky, Rycroft sees absolutely nothing – no sign of the origins of this strange phenomenon.

Meanwhile, at the Spicy Brothers stall, Kasem responds to Tuuli's question. "Well, they're usually one gold apiece, but all I have is this half pepper left over from cooking. The rest are tied up in the games. How about 3 silver for the half-pepper? Or do you want to come back at the end of the night? I'll have more then. Also, do you have something to put it in? Careful not to get the juice on your hands."

After a pause, Kasem adds, "Would you like to continue the tour?"

Tuuli considers, "How about four silver and you throw in some of those gloves?"

     Knicknack will take this time to size-up the star-struck customers in line. Are there any that look like they could part with a bauble or two? She will pretend to be done with that stall and - instead of walking around it - excuse her way through the middle as she attempts to pinch a valuable or two. Once on the other side, she will make a show of remembering something and excuse her way back through the line. Once complete, she will stand next to Tuuli and watch that interaction with a look of deep curiosity on her face.

(OOC with advantage since many of them are distracted?)
Sleight of Hand: 25 
Sleight of Hand: 19  

DM: where Walt is positioned at the Spicy Bro’s shop, would we hear the commotion over at Xungoons? I’ll roll a perception check just in case it’s needed. 

11

 
"Ahhh... sure." Tuuli senses Kasem's not thrilled with this transaction, but he's willing to please. Vi gives him an odd look. Kasem sets down the half pepper, removes his gloves, and hands them to Tuuli. They're well-worn but high-quality culinary gloves.

Knicknack finds a single platinum piece and a bag of nuts in the pocketbook of a well-dressed halfling. (No advantage given, but none needed!)

Walt would hear the commotion at Xungoon's shop only if he is deliberately trying to pay attention to that stall. It's not too far, but it's very noisy and there's a lot of stimuli in the market. (So with a 15, I'll let you make that call.)

"Ready for the next stop?" asks Kasem.  

(Repost for those who can't read the last one:)

"Ahhh... sure." Tuuli senses Kasem's not thrilled with this transaction, but he's willing to please. Vi gives him an odd look. Kasem sets down the half pepper, removes his gloves, and hands them to Tuuli. They're well-worn but high-quality culinary gloves.

Knicknack finds a single platinum piece and a bag of nuts in the pocketbook of a well-dressed halfling. (No advantage given, but none needed!)

Walt would hear the commotion at Xungoon's shop only if he is deliberately trying to pay attention to that stall. It's not too far, but it's very noisy and there's a lot of stimuli in the market. (So with a 15, I'll let you make that call.)

"Ready for the next stop?" asks Kasem.

Tuuli will put on a glove, carefully, pick up the half pepper, then turn the glove inside out, with the pepper now inside. She will put that, and the other glove, in a sack. Then she fishes in her coinpouch and hands over 4 silver. "She will be so... pleased," she says, with a gleam of mischief.

"Yes, onwards!" she says, perhaps more loudly than is strictly necessary, as people not in the immediate vicinity might hear her.

Calista purchases one of the smoothies before they leave Kasem's shop. She spends some time admiring Tuuli's new gloves and the little half pepper.

"Um, Tuuli, just who are you planning on giving that pepper to?" asks the archaeologist with a wide-eyed look.

“Don’t worry, Calista, I’m not out to hurt anyone. Ruby is just the person who usually tests any new drinks I come up with. Who knows, maybe this will actually turn out a great new flavor? Or, maybe the first one will have too much skull pepper.” She shrugs.

”Now, I understand someone is being paid to figure out who is sabotaging storefronts in the Market? I helped Rycroft go… um, scouting, is he back yet?”

(DM: That’s true, Walt wasn’t really focusing on that area. I’ll pass.)

Walt strolls up to Tuuli and Calista and says, “Oh my that smoothie was quite delightful. Shall we continue our tour?”

Just then Walt hears a bit of commotion in the vicinity that briefly catches his attention, but he thinks nothing of it and turns towards the brothers.

“That smoothie was an absolute treat. Thank you so much! What’s next on the itinerary?”

Vi bids the party a warm goodbye as Kasem leads you onward, across the major north-south boulevard to the north. Down it, you can see crowds gathering in the center of the plaza near the golden tents. 

"Va's Lucky Amulets!" announces Kasem. He leads you to a wildly overstuffed stall, filled with charms and amulets. An old orcish man wearing a vast array of jewelry greets you.

"Monkey's bane charms!" crows the old orc. "Fend off sickness and animal attacks!" He holds up a cheap-looking copper trinket. "One silver."

Calista shakes her head as they approach the amulet vendor who seems to her to be an obvious charlatan.

Continuing her conversation with Tuuli, she says, "Using the pepper to formulate a new drink...I never would've thought of that! That's brilliant, Tuuli."

For the first time, Calista looks around and notices that some of their party are missing. "So Rycroft is investigating...but where did he get off to? And Datari?"

Calista looks around the market for the kenku and the fairy.

Perception - 19

Rycroft grabs a smashed persimmon and creeps around front. He holds it up for the shop keeper “HaPpEn OfTeN?”

After getting an answer, he’ll catch up with the group.

Walt perks up at the sight of this shop and mutters under his breath, “Ah, this reminds me of home.”

He steps forward and into the shop, mesmerized by all the trinkets and treasures, and greet’s the shopkeep in Orcish.

  As Walt greets the old man, he purposely stands upright and proud with his bleached white quarterstaff set out in front of him in both hands, as if presenting it for inspection to the shopkeep. 

Walt pauses briefly before continuing in Orcish.

After inspection by the shop keep, Walt takes back the staff places it on the ground and rests his full body weight on the staff. 

Tuuli is impressed. "Goddess, Walt, you know a lot of languages."

Calista watches Walt as if he's gone a bit crazy.

The elderly, bejeweled orc smiles and nods politely to Walt, and responds in Orc: 

 He holds up a carved wooden ring to show Walt.

Calista looks around for Datari and Rycroft, just as Datari rejoins the party, looking around warily. Rycroft, however, is nowhere to be found.

"Well, I should get back to my post," apologies Kasem. "It's a pleasure to meet you, and I hope you enjoy your evening. I hope that unfortunate incident earlier doesn't turn you off the wonders of the Dyn Singh Night Market. We have so much to offer here! Avoid the Market Games, and stay away from vendors who give the market a bad name, but do come see us again soon! Come have another smoothie!" He smiles and bows, then turns to depart.

----

Meanwhile, at the Xungoon stall, Rycroft inquires about the persimmon incident.
"No!" responds Kusa in a huff, trying to rub a stain out of her fine clothing. "Nobody even sells persimmons at the night market! Aren't you with that group we just hired to prove Tyenmo is sabotaging us? You learn anything yet?"

Walt reaches into his coin purse and fishes out 15 cp and continues in Orcish...

 Walt hands 15 cp to Va and in exchange for an Owl Wing ring. As he takes the ring and slides it onto his left pinky finger, his mood appears to shift to a more somber tone.

He turns to his friends and says, "I hope you did not take offense to my speaking in Orcish. I had many dear friends in my homeland who were orc and half-orc. They're an often misunderstood people. But I know them to be quite hard working and fierce protectors of their kin."

Walt turns back towards Va and addresses him, now in common and says ," my friends and I have been on a tour across the Night Market for much of this evening."

"We have had the pleasure of meeting various shopkeeps and merchants offering fine cuisines, textiles and magical trinkets..."

Walt pauses, searching for the correct words.

"...we have also found that there is some tension and strife amongst some of the vendors. I am curious, have you had any difficulties with other vendors in the Night Market? Or perhaps heard of whispers of quarreling amongst certain vendors?"

Walt again pauses for a second or two, and then switches back to speaking in Orcish for a brief moment.

 

 

The old orc responds to Walt.

He pauses for a moment, and then gestures to the center of the market and adds:

 "You, there!" he says to Calista, trying to catch her attention. "Ever see a ring that can pass right through one's skull?" He does a little magic trick involving slapping one of his wooden rings onto his skull. It vanishes for a moment, and then he pulls the ring out of his ear. Slight-of-Hand: 3 

 

Tuuli cocks her head to watch. Perception: 15