Spar’s eyes dart to Hildigrim, and she says, “unimportant, there’s a million places I’ve hung my hat. Been moving so long, the starting point, well, it’s lost its relevance. I’m new to Waterdeep. Unlike most of you I take it…”

"Aye, been in waterdeep a little while now, but originally from The Frost Hills and I spent a fair few years in Mithril Hall with the dwarves."  Jorin says.

"Oh," Quillary looks around, like she's assessing where she is right this moment. "I came to Waterdeep a little while ago, but not too long. I like doing things, so I would like to do this thing. Please."

Hildi blinks and seems to recover his usual composure. Hopping down from his chair and moving a little closer to Spar, but not in a personal way, he gives her a little bow of the head and lifts an imaginary hat in a more formal welcome. "Please excuse me," he says, his Waterdhavian accent returning, "but you caught me off guard. My name is Hildigrim Goodbody, and I have lived all of my years in Waterdeep. The Dock Ward, as a matter of fact. It wasn't until last year that I moved out of my family home to become an adventurer. As luck would have it, I made acquaintance with those two big lugs," he says, turning to glance back at Drusk and Jorin, "while we were all rooming at the Fiddly Pig. We met Pascal soon after, and then Quillary a little before the new year. We were gifted this unlikely business by my favorite author, Master Volothamp Geddarm — yes, THE Volothamp Geddarm — as thanks for rescuing a friend of his." Someone behind the halfling clears their throat, and Hildi pauses to glance over his shoulder again. Looking back at Spar, he smiles apologetically. "All that to say, I concur that we'd be interested in helping with the task." His grin broadens. "Did I hear you mention a bag of holding?"

Spar watches Hildigrim, her face rotating clockwise to about 1:30, 2 o’clock. “I mentioned some fancy bag they had waiting as a down payment. Might have been a bag of holding, sure. So you’re all coming? I assume you’re good. What can you do? And what’s your plan for some tunnels and caverns?”

(Spar/Soar... I'd suggest you go with Spore, but that might get confusing with Quillary's circle. :)

Quillary perks up, "I have found some affinity for spidery-beasts!" she looks excited. "They are good in the tunnels."

"We have defeated many under the ground, tunnels and caverns do not bother us." Jorin says, pulling the moon sword out of its sheath on his hip just enough to let the light it casts shine into the room, "When should we leave?"

Quillary's face sobers, she looks... wistful? Then she says, in a small voice, "Will we encounter the dark elves, do you think?" 🥺

"Like I said, you're -- we're -- to show up at Blackstaff tower at dawn tomorrow. So make your arrangements. Is this place closing?" Spar says. She points to Pascal. "I'll try some of your Hades gumbo. And don't forget about the triple snacks, plus triple anything someone'd want to last a few days underground."

(I'll just roll the CON save now: 18)

Pascal disappears into the kitchen, and returns with two stone vessels with steaming gumbo, placing one on Spar's table
He picks up the wooden spoon that was in his vessel, to discover that the bowl of the spoon is gone, leaving just the handle and a charred neck.
"I t'ink da spiciness just right this time. Fanny, please get the reinforced silver alloy spoons, behind da counter?"

As soon as Spar takes a mouthful, Drusk gives a blessing from Lliira.
"I'll do a pre-emptive Lesser Restoration. While not actually poisoning, it will keep the hot peppers at a managable level."

To Spar's credit, she has several spoonfuls of the gumbo. Even by lizard-man standards, Pascal likes his food spicy.
It is obvious to all that Spar is completely focused on keeping a composed face.
There is audible spattering from the rivers of sweat streaming from Spar onto the floor.

Drusk: "Sounds like we will meet you at dawn at the Blackstaff. Have a joyful rest of your evening."

Jorin laughs heartily and claps a hand on Spar's shoulder, "If your mettle in battle is half what it takes to pass Pascal's gumbo test, you will fit right in with us."  He laughs again and heads to him room to pack and prepare for the morning's journey.

Spar holds it together as she gets up, nods to everyone, and heads out the door. 

She returns to the small room she's rented, and tries to get some sleep (not sure if we're proceeding next to Blackstaff, but she'll be there, hoping Pascal brought many snacks in the form of rations.

Quillary will retire to her garret, open the window and sit on the windowsill as she usually does, contemplating the ineffability of existence until dawn breaks.

After a night's rest, the 4 Road Enders + one Spar show up at the Blackstaff Tower at dawn.
You are a bit concerned about the the workers who will be doing the Teleport spell, as half are ready to sleep after serving the owl shift, while the other half are just waking up and looking for coffee.

Drusk is looking more tired and worried than normal. "Normally, Lliira sends pleasant dreams to her followers, although they sometimes turn out strange. But last night the dreams were disturbing, and didn't feel like they came from the Goddess. Hopefully not a premonition about this mission."

At the tower, after they confirm your identities, they hand over a Bag of Holding , as a down payment for the mission.
(Decide if Hildigrim grabs it, or if he convinces Jorin to carry it as his mobile library.)

They also hand your group 4 flasks with an herbal concoction. Each one has the same effect as a Potion of Healing, but the brew will lose its potency in a few days.
(i.e. use these potions before the end of this adventure)

You are also told that, after you are teleported to the Citadel of the Raven, you should consult with the commander there, Ardragon Naveen Behrouz.
To anyone else, you are scholars visiting the Underdark, not a search & rescue party.
Do not talk about the mission with anyone else there, as "they might be Zhentarim spies". (These workers shut up after offering that tid-bit, and do not share any other information.)

(Any last moment actions, or are you ready to be teleported to the Moonsea region?)

Quillary is ready.

Upon seeing Spar, Hildi gives her another polite bow of the head. He's dressed for battle once again with bow, quiver, rapier, two daggers, spellbook, and component pouch clearly visible on his person. "Good morning, Spar. I trust you were able to rest in preparation for today's adventure."

Unless someone talks him out of it, Hildi would gladly hold onto the bag of holding. Later on, he might find it useful for someone else to carry it.

When told to pretend to be scholars, the halfling smiles broadly. "You're in luck," he says brightly. "No acting will be necessary."

"I do have a query concerning our escape," Hildi says, sounding a little less sure. "How, exactly, will we be returning to Waterdeep from the Underdark?" He looks at Spar. "We experienced difficulty extricating ourselves when we were last below the city."

Spar stops by the Road's End before dawn, juuust in case Pascal forgot to pack her the food she asked for.

She makes her own way to Blackstaff, and has circles under her eyes, though it's not clear they weren't there last night. She nods wordlessly to Hildegrim's question. Munching on a groundnut, she watches Hildigrim take the downpayment, and her eyebrows dart up in a tic. "Fancy bag. Heard of those. I might have some stuff I need to store in there. I'll let you know."

She listens and mutters to herself with a half-crook smile, "yeah, exactly. Scholars."

Replying to the bit about the spies, she says, "did someone tell you to be quiet about that, or are you deciding to do it yourself?"

When Hildigrim asks about the return trip, she begins slowly pointing at him with her finger, points that are then redirected to the workers. "Yeah I would also like to know the answer to this very astute question."

Jorin grits his teeth sheepishly at the mention of being a scholar and is too busy trying to figure out what sort of scholar he'd be to listen to what followed, until Hildigrim asks about the exist plan, which Jorin is also keen on understanding.

Quillary pays attention until she doesn’t, taking the potion distractedly, and nodding along at the idea of masquerading as a scholar. In her patchwork clothes, her fine cloak, her curly hat perched on top of her unruly hair, newly festooned with flowers and leaves, and the crude wooden shield she carries slung over one shoulder, she doesn’t really look the part. 

(With Quillary's magic armor, she could look like she is wearing a ball gown, and still have full armor protection.)

For spies: "There is an old political saying: "Moving mouths scuttles sailboats." It is safer to get the details from the Citadel commander."

Exit: "The teleport circle on the other end is a short distance from the Citadel. The Citadel guards the entrance to the Underdark. After your "tour" below ground, return to the Citadel, make an appointment with the mages there, and go with them to the circle for the spell back here."