Lucky: One of the dockworkers lets out a laugh. "Reckon somebody else beat you to his silver, chum. Last I saw him, he was out the door and headed east on Zastrow Street, looked like he was moving toward Candle Lane, my best guess is to get back to the main thoroughfare. Maybe get lost and go find him before he gets himself hurt, yeah?" 

"Oi, be nice, weren't so long ago you were down on yer luck, Tobias," One of the other dockworkers rummages in his pockets, produces three copper pieces, and gives them to Lucky. "It ain't silver, but 'ere, buy yerself a drink or somethin'."

Elagor: The barkeep, a rather thin and tall woman for a dwarf, blinks in a bit of surprise at the gold. "A son, eh? Well, congrats t'ya, sir. Lads, lasses, yer next round is on the new father!" She calls out through the tap room, and the rough and tumble clientele let out a few excited whoops and applause. Then the bartender leans in. 

Dierdre: There are two halflings smoking pipes and playing cards near the door. One is an older man, presumably around your age, the other a young woman. 

Mercy: Trying to keep an eye out for shady individuals in this rough part of town is like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. They're all over the place. That being said, you do notice something. To the ordinary eye, this would look like ordinary graffiti, but you notice a subliminal message written in a Zhentarim code:

"Looking for coin? Find us on Candle Lane."

 Dierdre approaches the two halflings. "Good evening my friends, and the blessing of the soil to you."

"My apologies for disturbing your game. I am Dierdre Oakbridge, do either of you know Jago Elmroot?"

"Jago? Course I do, he and I used to go fishing together. Why you ask?" The older halfling man says.

Lucky will knuckle his forehead in gratitude and respect as he accepts the 3 coppers, then he will slink away to the quietest spot in the tavern he can find, but not so quiet that he would get looked over while they’re handing out Elagor’s drinks.

"I am sorry to say that he has passed. I will be leading his burial but as I knew him only briefly I am looking for those who could say a few words, perhaps share a memory of him.

Denzel Hamson is arranging the date and time. If you would care to join us, he or I will let you know the details. If that is the case, may I ask your names and I'll pass them to Denzel."

Sensing he has won the bar tender's goodwill, Elagor asks: "I wonder if you recall a group of five, drinking here yesternight? I fear a friend of mine run afoul of them on his way home and I am anxious to avoid the same fate. I want no trouble and if it may be avoided through a kind word from someone in the know, I'd take it as a blessing."

A drink manages to find its way into Lucky's hand - it's a rather cheap pint of beer, not like the good quality ale that was being served in the Yawning Portal, but it does the trick.

The halflings look saddened to hear the news. "Jago's dead? Oh gods, that poor fellow..." The older man says, a tear forming in his eye. The younger woman puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 

"I'm sorry, pop," She says. As her father begins to grieve, the girl continues. "We'll be there, sure as the sunshine. I'm Gella Nettlebee, and this is my pop Boris."

The barkeep gives Elagor a suspicious look. "What are you, a cop or something? Aye, I know the ones you speak of. Rough fellers, even for this hole in the wall, only started drinking here recently. They keep to themselves, but at the end of the night they always head back to a warehouse on Candle Lane. The one with the winged snake on the door. And by the way - ya didn't hear any of that from me, got it?"

History DC 11:

"Not a cop I assure you, just someone anxious to keep trouble at arm's length. Nothing will come back to you. You have my word." Elagor takes a swig of his drink. "I hope they are not expected this evening?"

"Haven't seen 'em all night."

Lucky (disguised as the beggar) will try to catch his friends’ eyes and, whether or not he can, he will do a big stretch and yawn and exclaim somewhat loudly,

“My, it’s getting late. I’d better head home to my trash can and turn in. I’ve got a busy day of panhandling scheduled for tomorrow.”

performance to succeed in stretching like a non-cat humanoid, with arms stretched and chest puffed, instead of a more complicated yoga-like pose like a cat may do: 9

At any rate, he’s going to saunter out of the tavern.

When Lucky saunters out of the tavern, Mercy taps him on the shoulder and points out the graffiti she noticed. "That's Zhent code," she says. "You hear anyone inside mention a Candle Lane?"

Lucky will drop his disguise and explain what he heard about their quarry being last seen heading towards Candle Lane. He will then patiently wait for the others to come out so they can head that way together.

"Thank you, I'll make sure Denzel has your names. Are you here often, or should he find you elsewhere?"

After sorting out their details, Dierdre turns, as if to leave, and then turns back.

"I'm sorry to ask this at a sad time, but I wonder if you have seen this man" (she describes Floon). "I believe he may know Jago and may have employed him recently." Deception 18

"You know, there was a bloke like that in here last night. Dressed all fancy, just begging to be robbed. Not by us, mind, but... you know. He and his friend played some Ante against us, wiped the floor - but that fellow who was with him let us keep the pot. Ren and Floon, those were their names. On their way out, I heard Ren joke under his breath that Floon was dressed so fancy, someone might take him for the noble out of the two of them. Decent fellows, all told, even if they were a couple rich tossers," Gella says. "They knew Jago, then? Huh. Small world, I guess."

"I can't say for certain; I guess I'll find out if I meet him."

"In the meantime, thank you for your help, and until our paths cross again may the twins watch over you."

Dierdre heads off to join the others and see what they have discovered between them.

When everyone meets back up to compare notes Mialee will point out, "We could wait around here night after night hoping to run into the same group of five but there is no guarantee that they will ever return."

"What about this Renaer Neverember fellow? He was one of the last people to see Floon. He might know something."

Mialee listens to each tidbit of information, trying to piece together as much of Floon's night as possible.

Mercy points to the graffiti again for Mialee's benefit. "That says 'Looking for coin? Find us on Candle Lane," she says. "Inside Lucky heard someone say Floon was last seen heading toward Candle Lane. I think that's a good place to start."

Mercy considers revealing her ties to the Zhentarim, but she figures it's going to come up sooner than later, and she'd rather everyone be around to tell them all at once. She's afraid of how people might react. The Black Network doesn't exactly have a sterling reputation.

"There's a warehouse on Candle Lane, with a winged snake on the door. The five who followed Floon out are based there it seems." Elagor  joins the party and frowns. "All paths certainly seem to lead that way, but it would be useful to know whether Renear made it home safely or whether he too is missing. If he is not missing, he would know exactly where Floon was last seen and where he was headed. If he is missing, well, we could be looking at a more audacious and dangerous band - but also at a far greater reward for information or return."

"Do you think there might be more graffiti related to this message somewhere on Candle Lane?" Mialee ponders how all, or any, of this might fit together. "Maybe Floon, or Renaer, went looking for whoever wrote the graffiti?"

"I have little to add, although it appears that Floon looked more like a noble than Renaer. I wonder if they've taken him by mistake instead of Renaer.

It looks like we have lines of enquiry; what's in Candle Lane, and is Renaer alive and safe?"