OOC: lol we had the exact same thought when the DM described the scene before: “I bet Oppal is the older server”

When Alcyone mentions speaking to one of the staff, Vanizi suggests trying something. "Maybe we could get the server to come over and be talking about henhouses. Then someone say the line. It'll give us a chance to practice."  She looks around at the others. "Someone else want to try it, or should I?" 

Halyqwyn looks a bit affronted when Aranix dismisses her idea.  But when Katarina likes it she sits a bit higher in her chair.  Turning to Vanizi, "If you'd like to try it, sounds good to me.  I'll keep an eye open to make sure no one is giving you the ol stink eye." she smiles at this, but does her best to watch over the customers in the tavern, they don't want to draw anymore attention to themselves.

Perception:  21

"Your idea Vanizi, give it a try. Better then singing on the table" Davis adds, his eyes are still distant, still lost in some thought of his previous life, but present enough to listen.

Aranix nods. "I approve of this plan. Well then, shall we call the waiter?"

"I can break another glass if you think it will help" but Davis is all smiles with that gest.

Halyqwyn sees several people sitting by themselves (a large human male, an elf, a female half-orc, a male dwarf, and an aarakocra) but neither they nor anything else looks out of place or shifty. It's just a regular Tuesday afternoon at the ol' Stable Quiver.

(If you're going ahead with this plan, which of the 3 servers do you call? Or do you go to the bar and talk to Squid? Someone please describe the overall plan of action and any dialogue. Others may add to it - I just need something to go from =)

Alcyone giggles, she nods her head at Aranix. She then puts away her dulcimer, and bounds quickly over to the older server and points her towards their table, asking for assistance with their empty glasses and spills. With a hand on the server's back, she tries to guide her over. "I hope your day is going well, you seemed like you needed a bit of a break anyway, yeah? Maybe you could join us for a bit before helping us with our glasses and such. I'm sure the other two servers could fair without you for a bit." 

OOC: Sorry, I think we both were writing the post at the same time, and I didn't see yours until I reloaded hahah

Aranix begins talking, as if continuing a story. “….and he found a wooden box. As a farmer, I suppose, he immediately thought of the farm. First thing out of his mouth was ‘That’s a big hen house.’”

Aranix says this all in an uncharacteristically (ooh long word) chipper manner, with a grin on his face.

Vanizi pretends to laugh at the conclusion of Aranix's story, hoping to play up this just being a humorous story should this waitress turn out to not be the right person. 

The young waitress bobs her head and follows Alcyone to their table, picking up the empty glasses and swabbing a mostly clean towel over the tabletop. She declines the offer to take a break, saying, "I appreciate it, but Mister Eric don't allow us to sit with the customers and I really need this job." When Aranix finishes his story the girl looks a bit bewildered, not getting the joke, but grins at the half-orc's laughter. She hurriedly scoots away with your glasses towards the kitchen. (You don't get the sense that she is hiding anything...just a girl trying to make her way in the city.)

Aranix frowns. “I don’t think that was her… and repeating this to everyone seems like a bad idea. Perhaps we tell it again, but louder? That way, the whole tavern can hear. Though maybe it would seem strange to the server.

Alcyone huffed as the waitress walked away; she was sure that was the right gal! Alcyone nodded again at Aranix in agreement. "I think that could be a good idea. I'm sure the waitress is much to wrapped up in trying to keep up with the orders to notice." She makes a gesture as if to say 'after you'. 

Davis says in a low tone, "We were told Oppal was a shapeshifter and she would be here. Were we told she is an employee? We may have, I may have missed it." 

Vanizi nods, agreeing that this waitress did not seem to be their target. "It's an interesting thought to just try to say it louder. It's either that or go talk to people one-on-one." She seems a bit uncertain about how to proceed.  But a short moment later she just says. "Aw, just try it!" 

(Going to help move you along =)

The group decides to try the 'loud, boisterous joke that everyone hears' approach. Aranix starts to tell the story again, growing more animated and raising his voice above the buzz of the crowd, delivering the 'punchline' loudly for (most) all to hear. 

“….and he found a wooden box. As a farmer, I suppose, he immediately thought of the farm. First thing out of his mouth was ‘That’s a big hen house.’” the line was delivered at one of those rare moments when nobody else was talking - it was embarrassingly loud!

The group laughs, then stops as they realize every other person in the tavern is staring at them now. For a heartbeat, then two, the awkward silence stretches. Then, from the corner of the room, a dwarf shouts, "Only if you have a tiny rooster!!" His buddies bust out in a raucous laugh, and the entire place busts out in laughs and conversations.

After a short break, a large, vicious-looking female half-orc walks over and says, "It's only a big hen house if you're a small fox." She sits down at your table and continues, "I'm Oppal. what's your message?"

Haly hides her face as Aranix really gets into this.  She can't help but smile as the punchline was delivered so loudly and perfectly timed to a quiet tavern.  She lefts her face and just concentrates on the mug in front of her.  But laughs when the dwarf across the room shouts his reply.

When the half-orc joins them, she grins, "Move the cargo along the Platinum Road.  Nice to meet you Oppal." 

Vanizi, hearing the dwarf, starts to stand before realizing what he said was not the right phrase.  Awkwardly she sits back down until the other half-orc comes over. She struggles to recall the exact phrase they're supposed to say, so she's relieved when Halyqwyn says it.

Oppal nods at the message, then looks at you and your group intently for a minute before handing you a folded sheet of paper. "Get this to the Taskmaster. Some kinda clue I 'retrieved' from a cultist." She pushes away from the table, drops a couple of coppers for the server, and walks out of the tavern.

The paper is a torn piece from the Neverwinter Nights broadsheet. On one side is a portion of the Jobs Posted/Wanted section, a place where you can ask or look for work. You see parts of two posts – one looks like it needs skilled stonemasons to work on a rebuild project, the other looking for potions and salve material from the nearby forest. On the other side is one of the puzzles usually found on the last page. It’s a 4x4 grid with numbers and blank spaces. There is a shaky vertical line drawn down through the first column, like someone did it while holding the puzzle in their hand. In the space above the puzzle is a short horizontal line and the word “read” written in small print.

Vanizi snatches up the piece of paper and looks at both sides. "Hmm, an odd clue," she says, looking around at the others gathered at the table. "Anyone want to take a look, I can't make sense of it.  But I suppose we ought to get this to the Taskmaster right away."