((Sorry guys, behind on grading plus a bunch of doctor appointments (nothing of sudden concern, just trying to get some stuff sorted) has left me neglectful of my games. Clearly not the best time to try to make a chase work, if I'm not up for keeping it rolling at a reasonable pace. So to that end, I'm going to just shorten things up and resolve the chase.))

The sous chef moves to intercept Liber, who shouts out an excuse as the dragonborn brushes past. They shift their grip on their polearm, almost as if ready to strike, before their attention is pulled by Mixtli and Tandor calling out. The momentary pause is all Liber needed to take off again, and the sous chef curses, suspicions not washed away by the unconvincing Mixtli and glowering Trencher. They give chase after Liber, pulling out a whistle and puffing on it. 

From other positions throughout the bazaar, you hear answering whistles, though it's hard to tell if, how many, or how fast anyone is approaching with your mad dash. Mialee, with her naturally speedy nature, and Liber with his height, are best able to keep the creature in view as you wend your way through the stalls. True to what Tandor suspected, as soon as the creature looks to have gained enough distance to lose you, it reappears somewhere else, leading the group in a circuitous route. Another yellow garbed sous chef joins the chase, and some of the more curious passerby start to trail after, but are soon lost. 

The chase ends in the central plaza, as the more observant of you see the creature land on the roof of one of the large tents, near the flap, before going invisible. The fabric dimples and deforms in a way that suggests that it crawled through into the interior. One of the sous chefs peels off and heads into the Battle Prawns tent, while the other is leaning heavily on her polearm, puffing as she tries to catch her breath.

Given that half of your party took part in Battle Prawns, and two of your number attempted to track down the Madam's caterpillars in the rooms below the other tent, that would leave the remaining tent as the site of the Aroon Family Pepper Challenge. A young woman in red and green uniform is working the front of the tent, barking to the crowd. She doesn't seem to have noticed the invisible creature crawl through the flap above her head.

"Think you've got what it takes to handle the heat? Think you can outlast the fire? We only need a few more brave souls for the next round of the Aroon Family Pepper Challenge! Step on up and show you've the resolve to dance in the flames! Free to watch, free to enter! Prizes for any who can go three rounds!"

As your party rushes up, "Ahaha! Some eager competitors? Or spectators? If you're competing, let me stamp your hand and you can head on in! Kasem's about to get started!"

Mialee yells, "We're all spectators! We need to speak to Kasem!"

And she tries to dodge around people to get into the tent.

Acrobatics (lmk if I should roll something else) : 13

Tandor waves his hand at the man, barely letting the stamp touch his hand before he darts into the tent.

"Oh, you'll have to wait until after the Challenge! Oh, a challenger, head on up to the stage!", she says as she stamps Tandor.

((Anyone else getting stamped?))

(might as well)

Liber enters, with a "stamp, please."

Mixtli eagerly joins the contest. 

Stopping for a moment, Trencher shakes his head, 'no' as to whether he is a contestant.  He moves next to Mialee, "They are going to be on stage doing the pepper thing.  Best we just wait and be in the audience I think.  Not all bunched up there on the stage."

Liber and Mixtli get stamped as well, and as the party enters the tent, they see that seating surrounds a raised stage in the center, where you see a couple of other red and green garbed attendants and three other folks who look to be competing. One is an orange scaled kobold, there is a gnome sporting impressive sidewhiskers, and the last is Prasong from the Prawn Battle, who waves to Tandor and Mixtli as they approach the stage!

"Hey guys! I'm going for the triple win too!", he says in a hissed whisper. "There's seats on either side of me, c'mon, we'll be legends! Is Trencher gonna play too? Oh, guess not."

He waves to Trencher in the audience. It seems he is feeling rather better following his earlier blood loss.

From the stage, you can spot Kasem in what seems to be a prep area, partially curtained off so people can't see the peppers that he is currently selecting and placing in a series of baskets. He gives a bit of a twitch and looks over his shoulder towards the stage.

One of the assistants gets you seated and explains the challenge, with the distracted air of someone who repeats the same patter multiple times a night.

"Right, so everyone will sit around the table here. No magic, no fighting, keep your hands off other contestants. When it's your turn, Kasem will talk you up, then you spin the middle part," they extend a hand and demonstrate how the central raised section of the table spins around a central axis, "and select a pepper from whatever basket is closest to you. The baskets will all have the same mix to start, the spinning is mostly just to get the crowd into it. Once you lift a pepper out of the basket, you have to eat it or forfeit, no putting peppers back. Everyone's gonna have a pitcher of cold milk at hand, if you drink the milk or leave the table, you're out. Anyone who makes it all three rounds wins, any questions?"

The six competitors take their seats, and attendants start bringing out the baskets of peppers and pitchers of milk, placing them on the table.

((The 3 NPCs are spaced equidistant, so there is a spot between Prasong and the kobold, between the kobold and the gnome, and between the gnome and Prasong.))

Liber's ok, he thinks he can use the peppers for something just in case. besides, he's a dragon.

he may not be red or brass or gold, but he can take some heat.

Tandor watches Kasem carefully, noting the twitch and the look.  Was there anything in that look?

Insight 8+4

Gilbert, you keep an eye on Kasem.

Sure, boss.  Get right on that. The cat begins winding his towards the prep area, not in a direct line. Anything else I should keep on him? A tail? A paw?

Mialee smiles at Trencher.

"Good to have you with me. Do you see where our blue friend went off to?"

She scans the room. Perception (investigation has the same benefit) 9

((What seats are Tandor, Mixtli and Liber taking?))

"Nope, I totally lost site of it, I'm not nearly as fast as you, you were able to glide through a crowd way better then me.   Do you think it went in this tent?"

When he sees her looking around for it, he will do the same. 

Perception: 12

Mixtli will sit next to prasong and the gnome and grins 

"ha, you here as well. Let's see how we go" he says confident he shout be able to take the heat as a fire genasi from tletepec. 

ooc: Tandor sits between Prasong and the kobold

Liber takes the spot by the kobold.

Trencher lays his weapon down near his feet, but where it can be easily grabbed if needed.

"I'm not sure what might happen here other than the contest, but maybe Kasem somehow knows we are onto him and will try to cause trouble, so we should keep alert for other things during the pepper thing."

"Wise. You think we should wait till the contest is over, then, or make a move right away? Maybe if Kasem's running the contest out here, we can sneak into the back and find some evidence. Or money. How stealthy do you feel?"

Mialee eyes the area Kasem's in. Does it look like there might be anything useful back there, and/or would it be possible to sneak over?

13 Perception

"I"m not all that sneaky, Mialee.  And are we sure exactly why he is even trying to damage these other two businesses?  Is it personal or money like you say?"

Trencher shrugs, "I think I'm best of watching here in case we see something happen out here."  

((Prasong 1, Tandor 2, Kobold 3, Liber 4, gnome 5, Mixtli 6)) 5

((more later!)