Loralai cringed inwardly at the mental connection, though did her best not to let the uncanny feeling of another mind- yet alone one as alien as the illithd's- color her judgement. After all, how else were they supposed to communicate? If there was a mouth beneath all those tentacles, she couldn't glimpse it. And the connection's 'tone' seems sincere, at least to her limited understanding.

"Arcaelo-thry-... Arcaelon-... Arcael, if that's suitable?" She managed a chagrined smile at the missteps in trying to properly pronounce its name. "I'm, unfortunately, woefully uneducated on the topic, though you've certainly gained my interest." She withheld further questions as the tiefling and child returned to solid ground, her name on her lips just as the illithid made the introductions for them.

The smile widened to something more genuine, teasing, and she stepped aside to give Agars a once over. "Well, while I'm sure he's certainly someone's type, I'm not currently on the market. We've only just met." She gave the warrior a reassuring glance, as if trying to let him know it was all in good fun. "But to your other query, I've been known to set out on an adventure or two. Why, is this intelligence gathering in need of a few more eyes and ears?"

Speaking of, her own ears twitched towards the break in humming nearby, earning a slow, curious turn towards the looming figure of the firbolg. "The more the merrier," She said in way of greeting- and in accepting the tiefling's invitation. Food was promised, and no doubt more than enough excitement to spark inspiration. "Loralai, pleasure to meet you all. And, yes, I suppose you, too." Her focus settled on the illithid with a decisive nod. "So we're looking for information on giants, then? Or this attack, specifically...? Actually, what attack, exactly, are we referring to?"

The ilithid pondered what the half-breed had said about not being on the market. As far as it had gathered the people of these lands did not keep slaves, but it would expect the drow to pay a fair price for the half-breed should she be on the market somewhere in the future as her statement seemed to imply. "Your eyes and ears would be greatly appreciated Loralai." The gathered can hear in their minds, the intrusion feeling less and less strange with every sentence the mindflayer communicated. As will your brain, the ilithid thought to itself.

The mindflayer watches with pale lidless eyes as a lesser nature giant hailing from the feywild approches the small gathering of people on the market square. It doesn't fully comprehend the meaning of what the firbolg says but it understands that the firbolg offers to help, and the firbolg's knowledge on giantkind should be a valuable asset.

It gives the hell spawned chef another inscrutable look as he mentions friends, wondering who he was referring to. It then considers the winged tiefling's next statement. It had certainly expectations on it, but with the time spent at the surface it had felt the grip of the elder mind loosen, giving room for own thoughts which was both strange and fearsome, but also weirdly exciting. Perhaps it would find it's own desires in time. For now it seemed the one that called itself Meroki was collecting entities for what he called an adventuring party. The ilithid had heard parties mentioned in the lands of the surface folks, gatherings where people deliberately intoxicated themselves and made ill thought through decisions, nothing the ilithid had in it's mission description, nor was it currently desiring it. It is at first perplexed over the tiefling's offer to have the others gathered well fed too but it realizies he was likely not referring to offering up his brain as sustenance, after all he had already offered that delicious delicacy to the ilithid upon the tiefling's death had he not?

The ilithid again gives the half-breed an inscrutable look as she mentions more being merrier. The emotional state of merriment was quite difficult to even grasp and one the mindflayer had yet to experience, but perhaps if the current collecting of team members would reach high enough of a number it would experience this new emotion too. "I believe Meroki is simply referring to the aggressive confrontations of giantkind into these surface lands during recent time. However, there is with Arcaelothryx'xs' calculations a high probability for more confrontations in the near future and my mission is to determine why this is happening. I believe even the surface folks recognizes that knowledge is power, and power will certainly be needed to oppose giantkind." The gathered, also now the fitbolg, hears in their minds as the pale lidless eyes of the ilithid looks around at the gathered.

Agar let the half-elf's flirt pass over and through him, leaving nothing of itself behind. In his admittedly short stint in the Order, he'd seen more initiates, and even some Knights, fall to feminine wiles than monster claws or bandit blades, and he mourned each one of them as if they had died. As far as the realm was concerned, they did. And when he'd see those fallen initiates out and about, they generally looked wretched as regret ate them alive.  A senior paladin whom he admired once told him, a wise man learns from other people's mistakes. He always tried to be wise.

He considered quoting his words to them, to her, by way of answer, but decided to let his silence speak for him instead. After a few seconds pregnant pause, he spoke up. "If the giants are a threat to this town, or could become such, then we should speak to the ones in charge." He nodded at the tower. "Perhaps they'd have a task for us we could fulfill and earn some coin in the process. We're not up to fighting giants, I think, but there must be something we can do." He thought they should also learn about each other's strengths and weaknesses, so they could augment the former and compensate for the latter, but that could be done later. 

Loralai soldiered the overly long pause with relative ease, letting its unspoken implication slide right off her, much like water from a duck's back. "It's a party, then." And one she was sure would prove far more interesting than the quiet nights the town had provided so far. Her gaze followed Agar's gesture up to the tower with a contemplative hum to his proposal.

Fingers brushed free of any remnants of her sweet treat, she nodded once in agreement. "A good a place as any to begin, I suppose. Unless you three have any better leads?" The discerning stare drew back down to eye level and set to each of them in turn, almost with an expectant air. With her mind made up to aid in their efforts, the half-elf seemed quite enthused about finding out what was to be discovered.

The ilithid senses the tension in the air after the half-breed's mention of not being for sale. Perhaps the pale warrior was displeased with this. The half-breed seemed well nourished and with good health as far as it could tell and could probably have made a good slave to the pale warrior. Without accessing their minds, the ilithid found it hard to understand the processes of thought with the surface folks. And then the half-breed brought up the plan of a party once more. To the ilithid's understanding that was something found adequate after a success of some kind, and the newly assembled group have had accomplished nothing yet beyond gathering and initiating peaceful relations for future collaborations. No wonder his kin had found it so easy to enslave the other weak-minded races.

"Arcaelothryx'x agrees, rulers are typically in possession of useful knowledge." The gathered can hear in their minds as the mindflayer looks between them with pale unblinking eyes. It understood the need for coin too, the pale warrior in particular would likely need that if he was to acquire the half-breed. It is clear to the others that the hovering mind flayer is ready to proceed to the two-leveled stone construction with the hanging red cloth depicting three black tusked beasts where the local ruler supposedly would be found.

Meroki nods in agreement as everyone mentions going to the tower. He wasn't expecting to be part of an adventuring party this quickly, and for some reason they thought he was recruiting. It was a lucky coincidence that they so happened to meet. 

"Then we should get going as soon as possible. We won't get anything done by standing around, will we?"

With backpack strapped and wings folded, he's ready to go whenever the others are as well. Along the way, he'll offer a treat to Loralai.

"Lorarai, would you like a honey bun? I saw you were enjoying a sugar coated pastry before, so it's alright if you don't want any more sugar."

If she accepts, Meroki pulls out a plate holding two pastries that look like a honey-glazed cross between donut and cinnamon roll. When he pulls out the plate, it's as if he reaches into the bag with his entire arm, suggesting there's a considerable amount of space within.

"I prepared them this morning by frying them, so they should last until nightfall. If I had an actual kitchen with an oven, they would last longer."

As the treats are handed out amongst the party members, a large and rather battle scarred woman makes her way out of the tower on horseback. You recognize her as Darathra Shendrel, the Lord Protector. She is followed by The Twelve, the police force of Triboar. She looks around a little, her eyes landing on Arcaelothryx'x with a look of alarm. When she realizes you aren't causing any harm, however, she relaxes and rides over. "Well, y'all seem to be looking for something to do. Wish I could say the same." She gestures to the Twelve, who are riding out in different directions through the market, trying to catch pickpockets and thieves. 

The hovering ilithid turns to face the riders, it's pale eyes falling on the battle scarred woman. "Greetings Lord Protector, I am Arcaelothryx'x, a peaceful visitor from the Underdark, and these are my associates. We are offering our services to assist you with dealing with the threat of the giant incursions into these lands. I believe you might need all the help you can get and I am certain we can reach an agreement on a suitable reward for services rendered." Everyone present can hear in their minds.

Persuasion to get a contract: 17 Another roll if help action is provided: 15

Meroki follows up with his introduction. He pulls out a letter of introduction from his Artisan's Guild and hands it to the Lord Protector.

"It's an honor to meet you, Lord Protector! And yes, we just recently became a party. My name is Meroki, and I traveled all the way from Waterdeep in hopes of assisting, as our friend Arcaelothryx'x accurately stated."

He's clearly trying to show off that the mind flayer is not taking control of our minds or doing anything nefarious.

The half-elf brightened considerably with the presentation. "There's always room for one more," She stated matter of factly, taking the slightly sticky bun delicately in hand to take a bite. "Stars above, this is simply divine! Thank you kindly- Meroki, was it...? Too right on getting while the getting's good." As the mounted woman rode over, the bard reluctantly wrapped the treat away for savoring later.

"Loralai Darkleaf, pleased t'meet you, ma'am." An elegant bow accompanied the introduction, her gaze leaving the Lord Protector to survey the formidable woman's forces. "Our tentacled acquaintance speaks the truth. And, if you'd pardon the assumption, it sounds like you might have something in mind?"

“We’ll you can start by exploring the town! I don’t have anything to have you do just yet, as adventurers probably won’t be satisfied chasing petty thieves.”

The hovering ilithid glances over at the hell spawned chef and then the half-breed. Was the tiefling calling it a friend? And then the half-breed vouched for it?

There was no word for friend in the telepathic language of his kin but it had come to understand it meant a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or close genetic relations. It still struggled with grasping the meaning of affection though, something about neurotransmitters giving the brain a chemical sense of reward over another entity, something akin to what it's kin experienced when subjugating yet another settlement in the Underdark. Vouching would be done out of trust and it hand't even compelled the half-breed to trust it. It felt weirdly good to have this bond with two people it just met, albeit of lesser races, one even a half-breed...

"How will exploring this community serve you in any way Lord Protector, and what would be the reward for this service?" Those present can hear in their minds, sensing confusion in the message. The mindflayer briefly considered simply dominating the Lord Protector into giving them a more sensible task to perform but it knew from prior experience that domination was typically frowned upon by the surface races. "At least give us directions to someone who would be well informed about the recent incursions of giantkind?"  It settles for to broadcast.

Another persuasion/subtle telepathic suggestion, to get some sort of lead: 31

Meroki furrows his brow in confusion as to what the Lord Protector expects from us patrolling the city just like the Twelve. 

"No offense, Lord Protector, but I'm with Arcaelothryx'x. I'm not opposed to exploring the town, which I think is quite lovely. However, we would like some information on the matter."

Meroki made it here all the way from Waterdeep. Waiting a little while to receive a mission shouldn't be a problem. He wonders to himself if maybe he could use the time here to observe the farmers work.

(Another persuasion roll in case Meroki manages to provide help: 12 )

Agar's level respect for this Lord Protector dropped a few notches. His first impression was that she was an older, more experienced warrior and he regarded her highly on that basis. But she seemed clueless. Even granting that she may not have information about the giant threat - she should, but she might not - she should at least be able to point them in the right direction.

"Come, everyone. Let's check out the Inn and maybe we can meet some travelers there who might have some inkling as to what's happening. And if not, well, I for one could use some rest as I walked here most of the day. And we should take the time to learn of each other, as well, if we're going to go into danger together." 

A neatly kempt brow lofted in the slightest hint of skepticism towards the Lord Protector, but Loralai didn't speak aloud her misgivings. She hummed in agreement with Agar, turning an easy smile to her newfound compatriots. "I'm sure she'll come calling if something comes to mind. Until then, a bit of relaxation and possible information gathering of our own sounds like just the thing. Tell me, do you lot enjoy a well played tune or well spoken tale?"

Rather than looping her arm in with the soldier and aspiring tavernkeep- as she looked just about ready to do- she instead lightly ushered them towards the inn. "And, truth be told, I'm keen to hear more about what brought you all to a town such as this. Giant investigations, of course," A nod in acknowledgement was given towards Arcael, "But I'd bet the same isn't true for you two, as it wasn't for myself."

The ilithid gives the Lord Protector an inscrutable look, not seeming to get a response on it's request, instead swiveling to face it's new associates. It found itself appreciating the hell spawned chef's effort to get through to the unresponsive rider but once again it had an observation to support that not all the surface people made use of their brains. That or the Lord Protector had a lot on her mind directing her elite force catching pickpockets at the market.

The pale warrior's plan was sound. Inns were a good source of information where one could pick the brains of others possessing sought knowledge. Also, rest and nourishment was needed even for mindflayers. It doubted brains would be on the proverbial menu but it found itself surprisingly curious about what the bat-winged tiefling would cook up. If they were to engage in combat at some point they would need to act like a coherent unit in order to survive, and sharing their primary combat function would be in line with that.

Since arriving at the sun-blasted surface, the ilithid had come to understand that the surface folks spent much time on unproductive actvities such as music and sharing made up events, particularly at inns and taverns, but it apparently served it's purposes too, keeping them sufficiently stimulated, getting them in a pleasant mood and helping them to build bonds. "Both well played tunes and well told tales could help with our gathering of information. Are you one that can provide us with that Loralai?" The others hear in their minds as the mindflayer hovers up alongside the half-breed and casts her a curious glance as the group heads over to the nearby inn. "Admittedly ilithid society does not particularly value such frivolities but this one is prepared to learn and accept other ways, as it might be beneficial to it's mission completion."

Turning to Agars, Meroki nods thoughtfully. "Visiting the local inn is a wise suggestion. Travelers often bring news from distant lands, and we might learn valuable information about the giants from them."

Meroki smiles at Loralai's question, his golden eyes lighting up with fond memories. "Ah, there's nothing quite like a well-played tune or a well-spoken tale," he begins, his voice carrying a melodic cadence. "Thokk Stonehammer, my mentor, always made sure our tavern had a bard or two to keep the ambiance lively and welcoming. Music and stories have a way of bringing people together, creating a sense of community that is truly special."

When asked about his reasons for coming to Triboar, Meroki’s expression grows earnest. "I have no issue telling you why I’m here," he says. "I wish to earn prestige and fortune, but not for the sake of wealth alone. I have a dream – to open my own tavern and inn, a place where people can find warmth, comfort, and companionship. Maybe even more than one, scattered across the continent, each offering a refuge from the hardships of the road. Fighting the giants and protecting the North is a way for me to achieve that dream, while also doing something meaningful for the people of this land. Besides, every great inn needs great stories to tell. And what better story than that of standing against the giants and helping to save the North?"

He pauses, his smile returning at Arcaelothryx'x's open-mindedness. "Your willingness to embrace other cultures is admirable, Arcaelothryx'x. Music and stories might be new to you, but they can be powerful tools in our quest, like you said."

"Too right, there isn't," Loralai beamed at the tiefling, then turned the- slightly deflated- grin onto the illithid. "And I've been known to tell a well-worded tale or two, though my true passion leans in a more musical direction." The oddly shaped leather case at her back was given a loving pat as she continued towards the inn, amicably chatting all the while.

"An adventurer turned innkeep in a classic, if for good reason. Being the first to fund the second, though," She hummed in admiration, "I've heard less of. And even fewer who have such high aspirations as owning several across the span of Toril. You must have a few potential names picked for your future enterprises, surely? Come, let us hear them."

The ilithid listens to the cheerful devil spawned chef and future chain-of-taverns-across-Faerûn owner and the at least as cheerful half-breed musician, making mental notes of their social interaction, their facial expressions and the tone of their voices, not that it could ever hope to mimic any of it but it was curious over how quickly the surface folks placed their trust with others, acting like they represented no threat to them in spite of knowing next to nothing about them, and all this without being able to deeply probe the inner thoughts of the other. It wasn't quite clear to the ilithid how exactly battling giantkind would earn the tiefling his chain of taverns but possibly he expected to be granted them as rewards for his service, perhaps there was something for the ilithid too.

"Embracing other cultures is a logical step to succesfully complete my mission Meroki, nothing to admire this one for, but one appreciates the trust the three of you have placed with it." The others can hear in their heads, the intrusion into their minds being less and less a nuisance with each message sent. The ilithid wouldn't expect the bat-winged hell spawn to have decide on names for his taverns yet but possibly they had appeared to him in his dream.