Dori stares off down a few streets, wondering which way to go to find the skewered dragon. The silent messages between Gargan and the gang member going unnoticed

Gargan

insight:3

Cloudfur

The tabaxi looks up at Dori and asks "Do you know how to get to the Skewered Dragon? I'm not familiar with the Dock Ward, I usually hang out in the Sea Ward where the druid temples are...."

Well he seems to be telling the truth .. as much as you could believe that a criminal who's been arrested and likely facing a death sentence with nothing to lose could be telling the truth.

Dori turned to look at Cloudfur, "I'm afraid I don't. That would be Pimrick. I've never been to the dock ward, but it looks like a fun place when the city watch isn't around." 

(There a decent amount of onlookers still?)

Not a lot of onlookers.  The watch is doing a pretty good job of moving them along aside from the most persistent (like you).

(Haha, nice. 🤣)

Cloudfur gets down on all four and starts to sniff the area, occasionally licking things, making strange faces and moving off in another direction before getting surprised by a patch of sunshine where he suddenly sits very still in and closes his eyes.  You can almost swear he's smiling....his tail curled up around his feet.

(I tried hard to resist this but couldn't)

You look over at Cloudfur and he be like:

(Cloudfur gains inspiration)

(OOC - hahaha - yeah pretty much!) 

Gargan

Gargan turns to the others urgently and says "I have just spoken with one of the Zhentarim, he tells me that they have captured Floon and one of his friends and taken them to one of their hideouts and that he personally was there and knows more. As far as I can tell he is telling the truth, though that doesn't mean we can trust him. He won't say more unless we free him as I promised we would. Do we honour my promise or is this information enough for us to work with? We must decide quickly as the watch will have him away from here in moments."

Cloudfur

At the sound of Gargan's voice, Cloudfur comes back to reality and looks at the dragonborn.  "Wait....you did what? with who?" he looks around and back towards the City Watch and their prisoners "I am not sure taking on the City Watch of Waterdeep is the wisest of our choices here even if he does claim to have information."  and he'll look towards the rest of the party "I kind of like my fur where it is currently....attached to me."

Dori contemplated briefly what Gargan had to say, though Cloudfur had a point. A dozen watch with more on the way... He lived for a challenge, but that would be a fast death with no honor.

The goliath approached the nearest guard that seemed to be directing everyone away before once again pointing at one of the zhentarim. "How much for that one? I would like to buy him. " (I've got the 10 dragons from Volo and the starting gold I randomized. 180gp)

Persuasion?  7

(I realize now we didn't talk about gold at the start - I assumed it would just be in line with what's allowed for starting equipment and such.  I don't think 180G would be in the cards there.  In any case ... )

The guard responds quickly, unphased: "Friend you are either looking to post some form of bail to release the prisoner to you, or you are trying to bribe me to let him go.  If it's the first, you'll need to visit the magistrate to deal with that - my job is purely to bring them in.  If it's the second .. the sentence for bribing an official is 20 years in exile, so I would strongly suggest to you that it not be the second".

(You want me to only have the 10gp from Volo, I can easily delete the 180 😁)

Dori shook his head at the guard, "There's no time for this magistrate and no one will be holding me any where." The goliath turning about, starting to walk away from the scene. 

Gargan

As Dori’s attempt to persuade the guard fails Gargan shrugs. “The freedom I promised him was a lie designed to learn what he knew, but as he withheld some information from us I thought it best we at least consider it. I say we leave him, at least we have another lead which we can take up with the Zhentarim elsewhere.”

The guard barely even acknowledges you were there and as you walk away, the wagons pull up and.  Him and two other guards force the prisoners to their feet and haul them into the wagon while the others start to organize the corpses and clean up.  You expect within 30 minutes or so this area will look like nothing ever happened.

(Back on towards the Skewered Dragon or did you want to do something else?)

(Skewered dragon for me) 

(Skewered dragon for me too)

You leave the scene and keep moving towards the tavern.  Tall, densely packed tenements leave most of the neighborhood in shadow at ground level. Most of the streetlamps have had their glass smashed and their candles stolen, and the smells of salt air and excrement linger as you pass by rows of run-down buildings.  One nearby shop stands out from the others. It has a deep purple facade, and in its window hangs a stuffed beholder. Above the door hangs a sign whose elaborate letters spell out “Old Xoblob Shop".  You're just around the corner from the Skewered Dragon.