Khond continues playing, far too focused on his play to pay too much attention to what is going on in the tavern itself. As is Kit- Although she's working on her patron... And very insistent on the belief of her tellings, as she decides to opt out of telling this particular fortune. No need to draw the attention of whatever evil this sailor had seen. When asked if he could tell more however, he hesitates, clearly not wanting to recall the memories. When he does begin speaking, it's almost disjointed, monotone, as if he's forcing the words out without ever really experiencing them again.

"We were sailing through clear skies. Nothing wrong. When storm clouds begin to form. Feels like in a matter of minutes, we got in a storm that wasn't there before. Captain calls all hands on deck, passengers rush down, I go up to help lower the sails as rain is already beating down on the decks. And then... Lightning."

"...It wasn't a storm. It was... Aiming. Lightning strikes hitting the masts first, before just taking out people. Too fast. Too accurate. I'd have been a goner, had I not ran for cover."

The man pauses, now with an inquisitive look, to see if this might mean anything, even if he seems to dig to try and remember anything else of note. Not that Kit would get a chance to immediately react. While she and Khond both had not been inquisitive enough to notice what exactly had been leading up to it, the loud "thwack" takes everyone's attention, before shouting. One punch landed, one of the three people in the corner having gotten up, facing someone else- And in turn, got gobsmacked.

And as he loosens his jaw for a moment and turns back to strike himself, it seems a brawl is about to start.

---

The dwarf nods in quick agreement at Breldo. "Yes, probably not a bad idea. Not sure how useful medicine might be I admit. If it is poison, it's potent enough to kill these people overnight... Strange events, in each case. Same with the kids," he continues to answer the other question. "No injuries at the least, and the messenger didn't mention trauma, so I believe the kids are completely fine... Which makes that one all the stranger too. Not that I don't think it's a good thing, of course."

With that, Nuria gives her approval to the two options, and Oren shrugs as well, not seeming to have a particular preference. The guildmaster nods understandingly.

"I won't stop you of checking out either job if that's your intent, of course. But, I would like to ask which of the two you'd intend to check out first. It's a matter that both things need doing, you see. And if I have another interested party, I'll know to send them to the other job, first- Not that you can't go there and check if it has been resolved by that time. Seems Somra is off to the East of where you're going for Pallen, and Mossley to the North... Depending on what route you take you might even pass through one of them."

---

Slick notices that the small group listens with more attention than simply humoring him. Clearly Marutt had already told them some of the insanity that had gone down, and they want to know just how much of it Slick can back up. That doesn't mean that the moment he starts dumping the goods, that they don't bring out scales and start measuring it all up. By the point he's gotten every last morsel of it out, it seems like they are, luckily, not commenting on any missing weight. What little he gave to Maziar either not enough to be noticed, or they are just glad enough to have the vast bulk of it still. At a certain point Slick directly confronting Marutt, to which he awkwardly looks away.

"...Right. Yes, definitely-"

When he reaches the end of his spiel, complimenting himself on how he evaded those guards, did the half elf give a shrug, but a nod. "Didn't see him come out with the rest, that's for sure."

The boss finishes with some heavy nodding as his story finishes, and he speaks up.

"Oh you've done a very good job. And yes. Shit was crazy with that boat, huh?" he says, a pointed turn toward Marutt. The Tiefling just softly nods in agreement, but seems uncertain of what even to say.

"Yeah. I mean... I don't know what to say without sounding crazy. There's gotta be some explanation but I'm not sure what," he says, pausing for a moment, then adds.

"...Some of the people started saying it was cause of all this Ghurna root. That we pissed off the gods. They were just trying to point blame, but..?" he trails off, as if seriously considering it for a moment. Zed shoots the motion down immediately.

"People been doing this for centuries, and now the gods come back to punish you specifically? Nah. It was probably just a freak storm. Maybe a sea monster. I mean," he says as he leans back in his chair, waving the drink in his hand for a moment. "I don't think anyone can claim for sure what the blue depths can keep hidden, yeah? Now-" he says, moving back to the point. Eyes turning toward Slick as Zed already snatched up one piece of the "root" off the table.

"You want to join in having a taste of our victory?"

Deep inside Kit, the swashbuckling rogue rises to the surface with a grin. An eager hand files to the hilt of her longsword 

"No," chides a more reasonable voice, "best not be the first to draw steel."

"Better stay behind me, this could get ugly," Kit warns her patron as she grabs a nearby chair.

((What does Breldo know of the two towns, relation to where we're headed, best routes, etc? History: 4))

((Not much, it seems.))

Nuria nods along with what the dwarf says. Part of her can't help but hope that someone else takes care of the two other jobs. Maybe that would be for the best, since they are probably better equipped to helping those poor people than she is.

Breldo is indeed not at all familiar with the location. The manager helps pull up a map for a moment however, showing the location you have to head to first is a forest to the southwest, with the aforementioned villages located to the north and east of it- looking at the map it seems to make no to negligible difference. 

Rick smiles proudly,

"Rick will pass for now boss Zed, Rick needs Ricks wits about to find that traitorous ponyman to explain the errors of his ways. Also Rick has a theory for what happened on the boat! Rick will tell it to boss Zed. Rick thinks a big storm came in and all the waves caused something in the hold to break or burn and that something got everyone high! Not the ghurna root, which Rick retrieved and brought back though. The sailors closest to the hold got the most high and the most crazy but the fumes still got everyone and-"

He sticks out his tongue and spins his finger by his head to indicate crazy.

"Marrut's experience fits this? Rick talked to a man on the rowboat that said he saw lightning make people disappear. Rick has seen what lightning does to people, Rick has a cousin that was hit by lightning, mostly people die but people like Rick's cousin don't die and smell bad are burned. Rick knows lightning doesn't make people disappear. Rick is confident in his theory."

Rick will hold out his hand for payment and ask,

"Should Rick come back here after for more work?"

Khond stomps his hooves and moves toward the burgeoning fight, a very displeased glower on his face.  The performer holds his voice from a shout, but it's still projected just as clearly across the room as he moves, stomping the whole way, "You lot.  Either sit down or pay for what you've ordered and get out.  I'll not abide by ruffians such as yourselves disrupting a performance.  Do I make myself understood?"

Kit assures the safety of her client first, ushering him behind her, though thinks wisely of crossing out steel... First. While Khond does not settle to having his performance interrupted, the music stopping as he rapidly struts over. By this point the initial response of most patrons have been to take a wise step back, although a few others have stepped up in apparent defense of the one who had first struck- More than the three guys in the corner, certainly, but that is something that goes unnoticed as the other man returns the punch- Only at that point Khond managing to get in a brief interruption, moments before he'd get to connect.

"We're not bothering nobody! Just let us drink in peace!"

"You shouldn't perform for the lot of them, in the first place," the initial assailant butts in. His voice betrays the slur of someone in a few drinks too deep. That, and being a few inches taller than Khond, doesn't seem that worried "They're bringing bad luck dragging in that kind of folk!" he says, an accusing finger pointed toward the middle elf- Who for his part already raised gloved hands with an apologetic look. As far as Khond can see, he appears like a normal elf.

"It's fine! It's fine! We're leaving!"

"No, we're not!"

To that refusal by the man standing up for the two elves behind him, he gets treated by another punch. Albeit one that he saw coming this time around, absorbing at least some of the blow.

---

The dwarf looks between the two groups for a moment longer, noticing no clear decision

"...Well? If you need to think over it a bit, I suppose it can wait until tomorrow just before you leave, but it'd be a waste of everyone's time if I send another interested party to the wrong site..."

---

Zed raises a curious brow to Slick's initial statement, an odd chuckle beginning to escape him as the Tabaxi denies the offer to join in. But finishes with a slight shrug.

"You've never dealt with Ghurna root, have you? It's a stimulant more than anything. Although me and you probably won't even notice it that much," he says, gaze briefly flicking to Marutt, already dropping his root into a beer. Then continues with a well-practiced innocent smile.

"Just harmless medicine, truly. But you're free to do as you wish. You want a piece to take with you, or do you intend to come back after this pony man of yours?" he asks, already noting the stuck-out hand, and moving to grab the Tabaxi's reward. In the meantime, Marutt thinks over what Slick had just said.

"...Yeah, must have been something like that," he finally says, though his own voice does not sound convinced. "It's the thing that makes the most sense, at least. I just don't remember any fire... Or what we would even have in the hold to cause that kind of reaction. Just supplies for the trip. But maybe some stuff could do it. And... When we did get back on deck, there weren't any bodies anywhere. But, I suppose the storm just threw them overboard, rather than, well. You know."

"As for the hold, actually, maybe the girl had something..?" he stops, suddenly pausing, elaborating a bit more at Slick's evidently curious gaze.

"There was another Tiefling on the ship besides me, so I obviously wanted to make some acquaintances. At first. I don't think she was that interested. But I did at some point notice she had this really fancy-looking box she had evidently not wanted me to see in the first place. Very adamant about not opening it. So maybe there was some kind of illicit drug in there, worse than this. What was her name again..? Ah, right."

"Pandora."

That seems to be as much as Marutt had seen from his perspective, words finished as Zed drops a small pouch in Slick's hands. 14 additional gold pieces would be waiting for him within, and he gives a wide smile at the question.

"You've certainly impressed Slick! If you're looking for the big leagues, well, it's probably obvious that's not what we are. But I'm sure we can have the start of a nice and mutually beneficial relationship- No? But before you go-" he says, a grip on Slick's shoulder for emphasis. "Do make sure you don't run into any trouble after our little business, won't you?"

The man's words trigger something inside of Kit...a sense of Elvish pride...kinship...superiority...it's hard to tell which. Perhaps it's a mix of them all.

She put down her chair and approaches the group. Her hand casually, loosely laid upon the hilt of her sword.

"Back down boys. We don't want anyone getting hurt here."

"Nope, let's decide now for you."  He looks over at the other two job clients and says, "I don't think I really want to deal with poison.  Let's take the other job instead.  Try to figure out the kidnapping problem."  He waits to see how they respond to that idea.

Khond pushes his way between the two, physically if need be, keeping his voice calm as he continues speaking, "The arts are for all, as are places like this.  Elf, man, or centaur, none should be judged for their race.  Whatever myths and slander you've grown used to, they're naught but an excuse to justify someone else's envy.  Someone who's crush fell in love with one of another race, a person who lost a job to them, every time it's rooted in a mundane anger that some fool decided to make up nonsense over.  Trust me on that, it's my job to make up nonsense over minor details."

Khond Persuasion: 28

"Yeah, someone messing with kids needs to be stopped before... I mean, a poisoner does too, but yeah."

Intimidation 9

 Rick had never heard of ghurna root before this very day! Rick will come back for Rick's bit, Rick needs all Rick's wits about Rick to deal with the wiley ponyman."

Insight on that innocent smile: 12

"Rick thanks boss Zed for the work and opportunity to earn Zed's trust."

Rick's ear tilts in Marrut's direction, nodding along as the tiefling confirms what he already knew. His eyebrows raise in interest at the mention of another tiefling, but mostly at the note of a box that she didn't want opened.

"Rick would very much like to know what was in Panderas box! A big box? Maybe Pandera put something in the water from her box? Very interesting! Did Marrut see Pandera leave the sinking boat? Did Merill spot another tiefling getting off the boats at the dock?"

Rick gives boss Zed a head bob of appreciate for the coins.

"Rick is a freelancer, maybe Rick can help make boss Zed's team big? Rick will be back!"

Rick grips Zed's shoulder in return,

"Rick will not get caught! Plus, Rick doesn't know anyone in town, Rick just got here!"

He winks very, very obviously, smiles then heads out to settle a score with a centaur.

Slick's insight tells him that it's obviously not just medicine, or that's not what it is used for most often, but at the same time, the statement is not exactly a lie. Doesn't answer what exactly the medicinal functions would be, though.

Nuria nods along with Breldo, "Y-yes! We will take any information you have on those jobs." Was this dwarf really sending potential adventurers to the wrong place? What about the children? He should have just sent the first person who seemed interested! Why make either of those villages wait for aid? Does he really think her group is more capable than anyone else who came in here? ...no that can't be right. He probably can just tell they need money and is trying to help them out... but at the cost of those people? That's just not right! Whatever the reason, those people need help, and she needs a job.

As punches look like they will continue, Khond intercedes at first by simply stepping in between. The words he brings forth next are heartfelt, and it turns out he is not alone in his opinion as the half-elf from before is coming to help. Help in the form of a more forceful reminder toward the original assailant, but...

Well, Khond may not inspire the original thought most think of when they hear centaur, but still easily crossed the six foot mark. The drunk is taller. And wider. And, evidently, not impressed. A sneer given in the direction of Kit for one moment, before the bad breath comes washing over in Khond's direction instead.

"I ain't got no issues with goddamned knife ears! I got issues with cursed half a statue! Goddamned half a corpse sitting in here!" he calls out. One of the elves behind them seems to almost physically shrink away in his seat. The man's rage briefly redirecting toward Khond instead. "That the kind of performer you are? You just like playing for an audience which can't tell you how shit you are?"

Drunken words are finished up with Khond not even given a chance to respond, or move out of the way- now the man trying to forcibly shove him away.

(Acrobatics or athletics check please!)

---

The dwarf gives a quick smile, and writes down something.

"That's excellent! If I got any takers I'll send them to the other location first, then. You're free to go investigate after if you want to of course, but no guarantees the job won't be taken by then," he notes, finishing his notations with a little flourish, then looks up with a smile.

"Pallen will arrange for your payment on pickup for the escort job, as well as tell you anything else you may need to know. As for the other assignment, it's something the whole village of Mossley is chipping in with, so you'll have to ask around there. I think Pallen's destination is rather close to the whole problematic site, so if he's agreeable to the idea you could perhaps chart your route through there."

"Anything else I could help you with for the time being?"

---

There's some surprise on that Slick has not had experience with Ghurna root yet, but then again they are not too surprised. Evidently, Tabaxi are not the usual "target audience". And while he then shows a lot of interest in "Pandera", does the Tiefling only give a somewhat disappointed shrug of his own.

"I never saw her on deck after it all happened... So she must have been stuck below it. I presume that if she didn't come up after, she must have perished under the crazies," he says, shaking his head softly at the thought, before considering further.

"Not a big box, though. If it was something illicit, it must have been potent if you think it got, well, everyone. Looked more like a jewelry box, maybe?"

It seems Zed is satisfied with Slick's followup answer, at least. And soon enough the cat is off to find vengeance against this pony man.

"I'm new to town, what would be the best place to pick up the sort of supplies one would want for venturing forth? If we do end up swinging by the poisoner village, I don't mean to eat anything that anyone is serving."