Quote from Winenose >>

He says, "That magical sword looks very nice. I have some coin left if we want to pool some of it for a larger purchase."

 Tex replies, “I’ve spent almost all of my gold on this new armor. But otherwise, I think, it is a good idea.”

Leaving the Ramada Bazaar once your shopping is concluded, you head to the southern corner of the Beaded Alley, away from the busy marketplaces. You come to a large sandstone building on the corner of a Y intersection. Even this time of day, approaching the noon hour, the liveliness of the people within can be heard from down the block. Above the door is a wooden sign that says "The Bee and Bugle" with the image of both a bee and Bugle carved above the words. Stepping inside you find a very active tavern. On the walls are all manors of old weapons and shields. Dozens of people are talking, laughing, drinking, and having a grand time. Ale seems to flow freely and everyone is partaking heavily. Behind the bar is an athletic looking Dwarf who is laughing loudly with some patrons.

Rel

Back at the Ramada Bazaar, Rel has a little over three hundred gold left to contribute to any shared purchase, but is unsure whether the magic sword is worth it for the group, lacking (she thinks?) any true martial melee fighters who can attack more than once with it even as they gain experience.

"I certainly cannot be sure, but at least I have not seen anyone following us, nor any of us being victims of pickpockets or cutpurses."

Entering The Bee and Bugle, Rel uses the hubbub to hide her reaching for and concentrating on her father's divine Guidance (on herself).

Deciding a straightforward approach is best with the Marquis having sent them here, she strides confidently to the bar and puts down a gold piece.

"A round of drinks for my friends, please!"  Rel makes a point of visibly smiling approvingly at the dwarven bartender's physique, and quips,  "I am Rel Serafin.  Where have you been all my life?  May I know your name?  We seek someone named Jarsali Firahel, at the behest of Marquis Olesya Lapidus."

Rel's Persuasion plus Guidance:  21 + 1 = 22

Bellamy holds the coin out as if he plans to pay for drink, but in actually he hopes the contact will see it and know we come at the referral of the Marquis

"Never seen the lot of ya round here." He barks "I dun care what ye say, before I tell anybody anytin, ya gots to drink a brandy from me bugle!" He barks as you get a closer look at him. He has very long, straight, gray hair and black eyes. He has rugged, pockmarked, pink skin. He has a square, slightly bulbous face with a long spotty beard. You see roaming the countertop, what you can assume is his pet cat and he grabs the bugle from his waist. "Seein as ya got a coin from the Marquis, it'll be on de house." He holds the bugle out, waiting for one of you to grasp it and hold it to your mouth. "And what was 'at? Ales for the rest of ya! Comin' right up..... once the bugle brandy is done ya?"

 The chatter and music in the bar stop as all eyes turn towards you all in anticipation. 

Rel does not hesitate.  Though part of her brain is thinking what have I gotten myself into?

She grins at the strange-looking dwarf and stretches and mumbles a few words to herself as if getting ready (in reality, casting Guidance on herself once more).  She tries to make a big show of taking the bugle with a theatrical flourish, but actually grabs it a little awkwardly.

Performance plus Guidance:  9 + 1 = 10

"Guess one must hail from Port Damali to do this right.  I'll learn soon enough!"  Rel toasts the crowd.  "Fair skies and following seas, and to Port Damali!"

With that, she downs whatever is in the bugle without restraint.

What a strange ritual! Tex thinks while he waits for his ale to be served, then he raises his mug and chimes in, "To Port Damali and the Bee and Bugle! Cheers!"

The crowd watches as the bartender holds the bugle to Rel's open mouth. You can tell that this is not the first time the bugle has been used for this today as it is still damp with a sour taste as it touches your lips. He pours shot of brandy down and the strength of the alcohol burns as it goes down your throat. You cough several times as your eyes water. The audience laughs a bit but applaud in approval. "Aye, not much of a drinker are ye lass? No matter, if yer brave enough to take the brandy bugle then ye can stay." He puts the bugle back on his belt before pouring the ales for the group. "Now then, yer lookin for Jersali. She's got a table over in the corner there." He points and you look over to see a dark skinend elven woman speaking to a hooded individual. 

Rel coughs and takes a moment to wipe her mouth and the tears from her eyes, using Shape Water to clean drops of spilled brandy from her clothes.

"Smooth.  Hints of pear and apricot with a note of elderberry and sweaty armpit," she manages to croak out (referring sarcastically to the brandy) and favoring the bartender with another (much less steady) grin.  She looks thankfully at Tex for having joined her in the toast.

Recovering herself, Rel uses the hubbub to cast Guidance on herself once more as she waits politely at a respectful distance for Jarsali Firahel to finish speaking with the hooded individual.  She makes sure that the Marquis' large brass coin is (discreetly) ready to present.  She studies both the hooded figure and the dark-skinned elf as best she can.  Strange, the only elves I have ever seen with such skin are drow, or half-drow such as myself.

Bellamy heads for the dark skinned elf and clears his throat to get her attention "Excuse me are you Jarsali Firahel? We have need of your services"

She continues to make eye contact with the hooded figure she speaks to before returning a quick glance at you and back to the person. "I am busy at the moment, please wait for me to finish my business." She speaks with a sense of confidence. A few more minutes go by and the hooded figure gets up to leave. She relaxes back into her seat and says "Alright then, yes I am Jarsali, what do you want?"

"We... ahem... the Marquis sent us, " Tex stammers in a seemingly automated response to Jarsali's display of authority. Uneasily, he glances to his companions for a more specific explanation while his already small stature appears to shrink a few more inches.

Rel had been waiting politely for Jarsali Firahel to conclude her private conversation with the hooded figure and is taken aback when Bellamy presses ahead and interrupts them.  Hopefully it makes no difference, or even if it did, we can still make a good first impression.

Approaching respectfully, Rel makes sure that whoever has Marquis Olesya Lapidus' brass coin produces it so it is visible.

"Yes, as my scaled friend here indicates, the Marquis suggested earlier today that we seek your guidance on a matter that is dangerous, at least to us personally, and likely requires discretion.  May we join you and speak privately?  I am Rel Serafin and my companions can introduce themselves."

If Jarsali Firahel acquisces, Rel sits down and relates to her the same account she gave to the Marquis (post 561).  Keeping her voice low and her face neutral.  At the end, she adds that the Marquis seemed to have deputized the party to address the potential Revelry problem in Port Damali directly.

Persuasion plus Guidance:  16 + 1 = 17

She acknowledges the coin of the Marquis and says "The Marquis has sent you has she? Tell me what has happened." She waits for you to finish speaking before saying "It sounds to me that this, Vrakath, was perhaps using the Revelry as a means of something. Or perhaps they were paying him for his battle prowess...hmmm. Either way he does indeed sound dangerous. I will have to reach out to my contact in the Library of the Cobalt Soul. I should be able to find out what this teleportation magic was and perhaps what he is as well. When I know more I will contact you on this." She hands you one stone of a pair of sending stones "Was there anything else you needed?"

"I have no further questions. Please report back to us once you have any leads. We are staying at the Seaside Inn" says Bellamy.  He is unshaken by her authoritative manner and looks her in the eye. Even though he is short of stature, Bellamy is not easily cowed.

Rel accepts the party's stone out of the pair of Sending Stones and decides to trust the fellow dark-skinned elven woman.

She takes a moment to write a note from a page torn from her journal, and as the party is ready to leave, she passes it to Jarsali Firahel, not wanting to speak the contents out loud in the midst of the crowded tavern, even in a whisper.  The note reads:

After handing Jarsali the note, if there is nothing further from anyone, Rel politely takes her leave.

Zane trusts others to do the talking, he's following the hooded figure with his eyes, trying to determine if they're someone to worry about.

Zane trusts others to do the talking, he's following the hooded figure with his eyes, trying to determine if they're someone to worry about.

Jarsali reads the note the moment you turn to leave. As you are walking away she raises her voice to ensure you can hear her, "Wait. Join me for another moment would you." So long as you rejoin her at the table she asks you to sit down and explain anything further you might have seen or heard and if there is anybody else involved in this. She waits for a response before saying anything else. "Actually, let's go to my room so we can speak privately. This may be sensitive information."

Bellamy turns and follows the dark skinned elf.