Tobin:

"Indeed," says Tobin, piping up from behind as he poises to record any tidbits of use in his journal.

Aiwin just waits for the talking to be done "I was wondering how much scrap metal you have laying around and how much I could pay to take a few pounds in small pieces off of you. We'd also be willing to pay for any additional information you could provide about the maze and tower. I'm sure adventurers have come to you before heading in."

Soar, who has been having trouble paying attention, pipes up. "What happens to the tower at night?"

To Bazavur: "It's dangerous. And weird, or so they say, and don't ask me to explain because weird is weird. That's the point."

To Tobin: Nothing. A nod.

To Aiwin: "Certainly. You're welcome to a bit of scrap. Three pounds of scrap for three silvers. Look, if you want to go get yourselves killed in the maze, that's up to you. I won't take your money for telling you to keep out of a death trap. Your lives, your choice. Shame, but there it is. Yes, a few have come by. Most have the sense to heed the warnings. A few go in. Very few come out. Are you following any of this?"

To Soar: "Nothing. It gets dark. There are lights sometimes, from folks up top. Some taken an interest; myself less so."

She fetches the scrap for Aiwin, and seems ready to end the day.

Varan pipes in, "Yes ma'am, but unfortunately, there is somethin' in that tower we need and those folks livin' there don't rightly just want to give it to us. So, I guess the maze is bein' used as a trial or some such. On a side note, do you happen to have a graplin' hook layin' about?" 

Aiwin nods as he reaches into his pocket "I am, I'll take 12 pounds of scrap. You say very few have come out. What do they typically say when they come out, if anything?"

To Varan: "A grappling hook? You looking to climb over the maze walls? Not heard of that working, but sure, I got one such, for two gold. You need a rope to go with it?"

To Aiwin: "They say "Is there a healer in town?"". She laughs, and shakes her head. "I don't know. I never asked. Nothing memorable I guess. I don't think folks are usually too chatty when they're just had their backsides handed to them. If I'm around when you come out, I'll make notes."

She gets you your scrap, grappling hook and rope if you want, takes your money, ushers you all out, and closes up her shop from the inside.

You are in the street, and it's definitely getting dark. Where would you like to go?

Aiwin just smirks "How confident are you we won't be coming back? Enough for a wager?"

To Aiwin: "Try the tavern for that sort of nonsense," the smith replies. "Now, out with you." 

Varan pays for the grappling hook and rope, "Won't say no to extra rope. Now, I say we get some food and rest up." 

Tobin:

"A capital idea," says Tobin, looking forward to a hot meal and a soft bed before risking his life in the service of Waterdeep once more.  He heads towards the tavern, following his nose to a (hopefully) good dinner.

Aiwin nods as he puts away the scrap metal "Food sounds good. Don't want to do this on an empty stomach."

The tavern is called The Left Turn - it doesn't look very old, and appears to have been redecorated recently, with light brown walls and black painted wooden beams. It has a good crowd, sitting talking at tables, drinking and eating - it looks like the food is quite popular and most tables are having their evening meal as well as a few drinks. There's no bar, just tables - there are two or three smaller tables that are empty; you can sit together or split up and join others. There's staff moving around, delivering drinks and meals, moving briskly but not rushed off their feet.

Soar says “I can rest if you all wish - but after a meal here I could also head in while it’s dark and they aren’t expecting us. But if you would all benefit from rest then let us eat and rest quickly and get an early start.”

She takes a table and orders something hearty, listening vaguely to the talk around her but mainly keeping her eyes on anyone taking an interest in Bazzavur.

Perception: 20 

Soar, quite a few people are talking about you - as a group, not with any special interest in Bazavur.

There's some discussion of the Cult of the Dragon, but it seems to be news from faraway shared by travellers, and the locals seem to have no direct experience or fear that it will be a problem for their own community. You overhear a friendly disagreement between two townsfolk over lights seen at the top of Xonthal's Tower - which one argues are spirits of the damned, and another the undead Xonthal himself, returned from the grave to carry out magical experiments. There appears to be no actual evidence for either side, but that doesn't stop a spirited debate. 

Tobin:

Tobin orders hot food, cold drink, and a warm bed—with a bath, if one is afforded.  He listens carefully for any information about the maze, but hears little that is actionable.

Instead, he considers what counters the maze might have against flight and/or teleportation magic, especially if the kind he can cast (fly, Misty step, thunder step).

Arcana in Game Log:  20

Aiwin just sits with his companions and listens to what is being said around the them looking to see if there is any deeper conversation, or if anyone is paying them more attention then they should be. When the opportunity arises he will grab a room for the night, a glass of ale, and some warm food.

OOC:
Perception: 20 (Game Log)

Insight: 10 (Game Log)

Tobin, you get all these things, for one gold and two silver pieces. The food is pork, with boiled vegetables and thick gravy. The ale is pleasant, with a slightly burnt tang which is surprisingly pleasant. The bath is prepared, and will await you upstairs when you are done.

You know only that very powerful magic can achieve almost anything. There are spells to prevent teleportation for example; you have read of one that might have that effect, though you are not yet powerful enough to grasp it fully. It suggests such a thing might be dismissed, though there would be no guarantee of that and you are not certain exactly where to start. Perhaps closer observation of the maze would tell you more.

Aiwin, the cost is one gold for you (without the bath). There is no-one paying you a surprising amount of attention, given that you are new arrivals. There are opportunities to join conversations if you wish; if you have specific questions you want answered, you can approach some of the patrons...

Aiwin pays the amount and then begins looking for a group that looks like it consists of older men who maybe have been around for a while, or even a group of seasoned hunters.

Soar's purchase is just food and a bed, asking if there is a communal room. She has 3 pieces of gold to her name, so she can't afford much.

She will listen for anything interesting, not speaking much, but engaging in basic conversation about farming if she is spoken to. When it gets close to an hour since she invoked her mask of many faces to look like a dragonborn, she will head to the privy and re-invoke it before returning.

Are we within 1,000 feet of the tower itself? How far out does the edge of the maze seem to be from the tower?