Lumen does this series of facial expressions when Krackle asks about the bags of coins.

Internally, Chrys is making the very same faces Lumen is, though she does her best not to show it.  After sharing a knowing look with the bard, she faces the small, hopeful kobold.

"Krackle," Chrys begins slowly, trying to choose her words carefully.  "Tymora is the Lady o' Luck.  Sometimes she turns the wheel in yer favor, and sometimes, she just keeps it spinin' even if ya crash 'n burn on the bottom.  Givin' her all yer coin is a bit like puttin' it in that wheel.  Ye may get it back someday, but it's just as like that Tymora keeps the whole bit for herself or some other followers.  That's how the wheel turns, I'm 'fraid."  Seeing Krackle's face, she quickly adds "But, ye gotta understand, coin ain't the be-all an' end-all o' what makes a body happy.  So long as ye got enough to fill yer belly and keep a roof over yer head, that's blessins' aplenty for the adventurin' sort.  As for yer mama and papa," she adds, thinking warily of the abuse she saw on Krackle's body, "... that's more o' a long-term plan ya got goin' on there.  Houses ain't easy ta get an' parents can be a picky sort, so I wouldn't plan on surprisin' them just yet... maybe ya should propose that idea to them after ya've earned a name for yerself as a proper adventurer.  Let's start small an' dream big, right?"

She says to Ehrland "Thank ye for the tips, sir.  We'll do our best not to disappoint, right guys?"  Looking up, she squints at the morning sky.  "I'd say we just 'bout have enough time for a lil' shoppin' trip 'fore we have to make our lunch date.  How 'bout we visit that Battered Shield and try to pick up what y'all need for this little journey... that halberd can wait so long as the rest o' you get armored up proper first.  After that, we can mosey on over to that book shop and some o' you smarter types can take a look o' that map."

"So... when Tymora gets done spinning a wheel I will get my coins back." Krackle would say very matter of fact as though he definitely understood everything that was explained to him. "Well I hope it doesnt take her long.. but there were lots of other people putting in coins so if she has to spin a wheel for each person I guess it might take a while." The kobold would guess as he runs his chin a but with a slight frown. "Oh well, I will didnt have any coins yesterday morning and I was happy then, so I suppose I will stay happy today" He would say with a smile as he moves next to Chrys and prepares to go with her to the shop.

Vesper follows along and as she exits the church, she removes her boots and puts them in her bag.

Kess does the best she can not to giggle at Krackle's innocent observations about the world, quietly following the group and nervously considering the ramifications of battling goblins.

Then again, what was the worst that could happen? Kessdarra was from Icewind Dale, where goblins and yeti were neighbors and nuisance, part and parcel.

All the tales and rumors and whispers she'd heard in Luskan under Jax's employment... they couldn't have all been true.

Could they?

Lumen doesn't have nearly enough money to buy the hand crossbow. "The only reason I asked about it was that I thought he was paying to outfit us. If wishes were fishes, I'd have picked up some studded leather too. But they're not. So I'm good to go pick up some rations and otherwise keep the little bit of gold I do have with me. I'll watch you contest winners shop. Then let's head to the magic shop, and then back to find out more about where we're headed. I don't hate goblins, but I don't like them at all. So this job works for me. Also in most of the stories I've heard, nothing is as it seems. So we could find something interesting that has nothing to do with goblins."

When Vesper takes off her boots, he furrows his brow and gives her a questioning look.

He tries to explain the little bit he knows about religion to Krackle as they walk, which is not very much. He does convey that the gods he's heard about deal in timescales of years and centuries, not minutes and hours. So if he's going to get any money back, it'd most likely be a long time.

"Well, if we pool our funds, at tha' least, I'm bettin' we can get everyone a decent armor if ya don't got one yet," Chrys says to Lumen.  "And if ya want a studded leather and ya got somethin' else on ya right now, we can trade that in for somethin' that'll fit lil' Krackle here.  He ain't big so I don't think it'll cost us too much... plus we can get sweet Vesper here to work her magic if ya don't think that golden tongue o' yours is enough to make it more affordable."

(OOC: seriously, if Lumen haggles and Vesper helps with the roll, you guys should be killing it in the shops! let's see how far 50+ gold can take us! XD)

(OOC: Krackle has basic leather armor at least. I would like to get studded but I don't HAVE to get it. Especially because I gave away 80 gold just for RP reasons :D)

"Yeah, I've got plenty of gold. I can help you with shopping."

You all make your way over to The Battered Shield. Ehrland had indicated that it's located in the merchant quarter, so it's relatively easy to find. In fact, as you make your way over to that part of town, you find yourself winding through some of the same streets that Nicolas led you on last evening when he took you to see Master Dundragon.

By now, the sun is busily climbing into the summer sky and the air is just starting to warm up. Any faint chill of evening is well worn off. The hustle and bustle of morning activity is well underway and the squares and alleys of Yartar are filled with townsfolk who are getting underway with the tasks that make up yet another day of buying, selling, working, toiling, cleaning and serving in their usually regular and often uneventful lives.

You also see a few more hearty folk, a handful of other adventurers and a number of people who appear to be loading carts, tending to horses and preparing for travel. And of course, there's the ubiquitous group of unattended children that you often see in many towns and cities, running around the dusty streets and passing their endless carefree days by chasing stray dogs and investigating whatever strikes their fancy at any given moment. 

Eventually, you find yourselves in the merchant quarter and arrive at The Battered Shield. It's still early, but the place is open, and as you enter, you see a sturdy brown haired dwarf with spots of silver in his beard tending a suit of chainmail on one side of the shop. He sees you enter and greets you with a quiet, deliberate manner, enunciating each word clearly. 

"Morning to ye. What service can I be?" 

Chrys smiles broadly.  "Greetins', brother!" she says warmly to the dwarf.  "Good ta see yet another dwarf in this town!  Name's Chrysoberyl, but ya can call me Chrys for short, or maybe satisfied customer, if things work out like we want."  Grinning, she walks over to the counter and leans on it, surveying the weapons and armor on display with a look of deep satisfaction.  "Now this feels like home," she sighs wistfully.  Shaking herself out of her pleasant daydream, she focuses on the dwarf shopkeep again.  "You're Master Gilthur, right?  Our party here's lookin' to start an adventure huntin' down some goblin scum, an' two o' us are gonna need some better leathers to help come back ta tell the tale o' it."  She points her thumb at Lumen and Krackle.  "What've ya got that ya think'll fit those two?"

As she waits for the shopkeeper to go about his business, Chrys surreptitiously pushes Lumen and Vesper forward and, in a moment when Gilthur is not focused on them, whispers to the two under her breath "Now the two o' you work yer magic when he comes back with a price!  I don't care who does the hagglin', but if one o' you is helpin' the other, we're bound to get some results.  Y'all just too much o' a bunch o' people-persons to not sweet-talk 'im if ya put yer minds ta it.  An' if we do this right, we may even be able to afford that crossbow or even a halberd as part o' a bulk buy!" 

Lumen has been looking at the armor for sale, trying to see if there is any in his size, and any that are at all close to the sort of martial, edgy 'look' he has maintained from his time raiding with his orc tribe (his leather armor, his longsword, and his other things do not fit in with the typical bard's ensemble, we'll just say).

"Morning, friend," he says to the Battered Shield's proprietor. "Running any sales on studded leather this week? And would you be interested in this very set of leather armor, worn onstage at this festival by Lumen, luteplayer and singer extraordinaire, perhaps you've heard of me? It's also kept me alive in a fair number of scrapes, including protecting Yartar's townsfolk from rampaging giant rats not one evening ago."

Persuasion: 21

Later on in the party's exchange in the shop, he pulls Vesper aside. "So. This new elf girl. You know her. Does she by any chance have a cousin who's a pixie? Asking for a friend."

"I will throw in my old armor towards the cost of some studded leather! The small kobold would say as he lifts his white robe to reveal the worn patchwork of leather that made up his rough looking armor. He would smile feeling like he was doing a good job if helping.

"See? Two potentially very happy customers, ready to extoll the virtues of this fine establishment," Lumen says.  (Help persuasion roll: 12) 

(For whenever Vesper and Lumen get to chat) 

"Not that I know of, but it would be cool if she did! I'll go ask her when we're out of town." 

The dwarf greets you and listens to you speak, while maintaining a very stoic expression that reveals little of his demeanor.  "That be right, I am Master Gilthur, and if huntin' goblins is yer game, then I c'n outfit ye. I get 45 dragons for studded suits, and no sales, as I make each one meself. Takes time, ya know."

"Yer own leathers looks to be in good shape, so I'd buy them for 5 dragons if ye want to trade up. Goes for you and the little fella here, so that's 10 total fer trade. And no, sorry to say, I haven't heard of ye, Master Lumen. While you was singing at the festival, I was hammerin' in studs and sharpening blades, which is what I do every day."

"An' extolling virtues ain't what I need, it's gold. That's what makes armor 'n' swords, and since I'm the best armorer 'tween here 'n' Silverymoon, there aint' much to it. Ye either need it or ya don't. Still, if yer gonna use it to rid the world of a few more goblins, then maybe I'd be willin' to cut ye a deal on two suits, especially since you'll be fightin' alongside another dwarf."

"How 'bout you give me yer leathers and 70 dragons in exchange for the two suits o' studded. That's ten off o' the regular price."

He then looks over at Krackle with what appears to be a mix of slight suspicion and curiosity. "You sure you're up for fighting goblins, they're even bigger'n you."

"I appreciate the work of a master," Lumen says, "and I appreciate the offer of a sale almost as much. But I'm a little gold-poor at the moment, and I wouldn't hear of taking more from my new friends here, so I'm afraid I'll have to politely decline, even with such a generous offer. Perhaps we'll make a fortune fighting these goblins and I can come back to afford your discount price. Again, thank you my good sir."

He looks at anyone else who might be interested in buying things, ready to leave for the magic shop if no one else wants anything. 

"I'm a good helper! I'm not very tough.. or strong.. but I still want to help" the kobold would say with a smile. "Maybe you could just sell us one set of armor for my friend" He would ask hopefully. "I am pretty small so they probably won't notice me anyway. Then when we are done with the goblins I can come back and get myself something nice" He would say with a large toothy smile. "Maybe I could bring you some of their weapons and armor... You could use it to make nicer things! or resell them in your shop?" He would add. 

"Well, aren't you an eager little tyke!" Gilthur says to Krackle. "Don't think I've seen any of your kind who weren't about to meet the sharp end of me axe. Ye seem to have a good heart, let's hope yer courage and your quickness for dodging goblin arrows can match."

"And if ya want just one studded suit, that would cost 40 with a leather trade. Tell you what. Ye seem like an eager bunch. How's 37 sound?"

"I'm pretty sure we can make that happen," Chrys says, looking at the others for confirmation.