A snort from the tavern door. Stooping to pass beneath the doorframe, your companion of the road returns to his full height, peering across the room. The granite-colored mottling of his chalky skin seems to blur his facial features slightly, but you have been around him long enough now to know when he is smiling. 

"I know this animal from the Neverember menagerie. It is a hunter, and fast, but very sleepy." 

Setting his pack on the floor, he squats on the floor next to it, not trusting the chairs at the inn to bear his weight. 

From his position, he can just peer over to the job board, squinting slightly in a ray of sunlight.

"Toblen. Gareth-Wyn will eat." He removes a small silver coin from a pouch beneath his plain grey tabard and carefully rests it on the table, delicately sliding it with a single finger. On the open road, it was often easy to forget just how big goliaths can be, for Gareth-Wyn did not share in the squat hulking musculature of many of his kin. Still, in an inn made for humans renders his form seems suddenly comically over sized, and now returned to civilization after a week on the road, Gareth-Wyn demonstrates his long-practiced precautions to avoid inflicting unnecessary damages.

Iri bounds up to Tex and Vi. "Ooh are you guys looking for jobs? Whats is a blade singer? Under the ocean there aren't many mages. Ooh can you do magic tricks?" As she asks her bubbly questions she bounces around, almost floating in the air. Her purple hair acts almost like it is still underwater floating slightly up and down. It is held down by golden circlet with a small piece of fossilized choral embedded in it. Without waiting for a response to any of her questions, Iri fires off another barrage of questions. "Ooh so what jobs do you guys think look interesting? Are those decent rewards? What about the dragon? Any of you seen a dragon before? I've seen a dragon turtle before." 

Gareth will notice a small chess piece sized white dragon made of clockwork pieces and painted leather on the table beside him.

IF TOUCHED the little dragon chirps out a message in Tex's voice

Wow, wow, wow! Where's the fire. Tex is chuckling and smiling warmly. Now, pick your first question, and start there. He'll realize after a moment that all those questions were targeted at Vi, and he'll blush and stammer I apologize Vi, those were all directed at yourself. He'll bow his head subtly.

Vi blinks as Iri bounces up and directs her barrage of questions. "Yes, I'm looking for a job. Bladesinging is an ancient elvish tradition that allows a wizard to wield a sword in battle. I can do...magic. I have not seen a dragon before." The half-elf elects to let Tex answer the other questions as she glances at Gareth. "Leopards may sleep a lot, but when they wake, there are few that can elude them."

I too dabble in the arcane. Hopefully are very muscular companion will bring back one of my arcane gadgets, and I can show you a rather simple enchantment. Tex then points over to the Job Board. I decided to wait on reviewing our employment options until we all are gathered together.
Tex looks up at the ever darkening clouds, then reviews a small device with many different whirring clockwork parts. However, why don't we review our options under a roof, with warming beverages, a hot meal, and comfortable seating. Tex will grab the most promising job postings and begin to walk inside.
Once inside, he will step over to the table that Gareth is hunkered next to. He'll set the papers on the table and investigate the spindly legged chair beside the fellow goliath. Tex pulls out his smith's tools and a few metal brackets, casting Mending  to adhere the brackets and reinforce the chair.
I understand the sentiment Gareth. This should allow for your considerable frame to remain comfortably seated without fear of a chair malfunction. 

Gareth-Wyn nods as Tex approaches. He watches dispassionately as Tex modifies one of the chairs. 

"Tex. This is your name?"

Now that the group has returned to the comfortable gloom of the Inn, the dark elf quietly moves from his corner spot and pulls up a stool. He nods at those he had travelled the road with, and looks the newbies over with a trained eye. If you saw him, it was the cold and calculating review a gem cutter gives a raw stone, deciding its value and where he must break it to elicit the most beauty. He wears dark leathers, with a shortbow slung on his back, a shortsword in a well-oiled scabbard at his hip, and a dagger at his belt. Even inside the tavern, he wears his hood up. 

"Tex, you have attracted others. They appear better than the locals here, but are they valuable? Only the striking will reveal, I suppose. Here," he says, handing over a tall mug of ale to the goliath, "you won the bet on the road, and I pay my debts."

"So what is there to do in this town? Any promising items on the boards?"  He picks up the notices one at a time, reading them and passing them back. 

Vi takes a seat at the table, giving the drow a brief nod and not bothering to justify her presence. He'd learn her worth, likely sooner rather than later. Now on her shoulder, Talav watched the group with a far more intelligent eye than one would expect from most birds.

Gareth-Wyn nods to Lanariel, taking the mug and drinking deeply.

"You are called Lanariel. And you are Silvi, or Vi. Why are you called this?"

"Because that's what my mother named me, and I like it," Silvi replies. "Silvi Kuau - Silvi the Raven. The raven part is for my father," she adds.

DWARVEN EXCAVATION
“Dwarf prospectors found ancient dwarven ruins in the mountains southwest of here, and have been working an archaeological dig seeking treasure and relics. They need to be warned that a white dragon has moved into the area. Take the warning to them, then return to Townmaster Harbin Wester to collect a reward of 50 gp.”

GNOMENGARDE QUEST
“A clan of reclusive rock gnomes resides in a small network of caves in the mountains to the southeast. The gnomes of Gnomengarde are known for their magical inventions, and they might have something with which to defeat the dragon. Get whatever you can from them. If you bring back something useful and don’t want to keep it for yourselves, Townmaster Harbin Wester will pay you 50 gp for it.”

UMBRAGE HILL QUEST
“The local midwife — an acolyte of Chauntea named Adabra Gwynn — lives by herself in a stone windmill on the side of a hill a few miles south of Phandalin. With dragon sightings becoming more common, it’s not safe for her to be alone. Urge Adabra to return to Phandalin. Once she’s safe, visit Townmaster Harbin Wester to claim a reward of 25 gp.” 

(Doing quests will level you all up appropriately enough to be able to tackle the end goal.)

"Your name is 'child of raven.' Chosen by your mother." Gareth-Wyn nods, mulling over the significance of her name. "But your mother was not a raven."

As Tex spreads the quests on the table in front, Gareth-Wyn briefly scans them. 

"The dwarf excavation. Direct payment on return. Preferable."

Bouncing by the rest of the group, Iri randomly grabs one of the quests. "Ooh dwarves! I have yet to meet them. We should go there. What do you guys think? Isn't this exciting? We have a chance to go save people and see more of this beautiful world."

Unable to sit still, Iri jumps back up and notices Tex's small mechanical device. "Ooh this is cool. Is it magic? What can it do?" She excitedly asks no one in particular. Already she is looking for something new to catch her interest. 

"No, the name Silvi was chosen by my mother," Vi clarifies. "I chose the raven part. For my father. Although he wasn't a raven either." She glances over the flyers. "Sure, warning the dwarves. Keep them from getting themselves turned into underground popsicles."

"Yes, and for getting money too. We will speak of your bird parents later."

Gareth-Wyn stands, quickly finishing the hearty stew and ale and smoothly hefting his pack.

• Tex nods at Gareth then cringes as he takes the drink Lanariel was passing over to Tex. He turns back over to Lanariel, “Yes, I believe any of these three jobs will do fine. Although, maybe it’s my own personal vice, but I wouldn’t mind having a gnome look over old fern here (Tex pats the mechanical pieces sticking out of his satchel).” He turns to Iri “That can play a short message that I record into it, but given some time, I can fiddle with it and make it do a host of minor magical miracles. Now, what’s to stop us from taking on all three of these jobs and returning to collect payment in one fell swoop?”

Lanarial grunts. "Dwarves. Bah. They should know that a dragon is near. But it is easy coin. Then we see these gnomes and get magical devices, yes?" He stands, checks his weapons, and tosses a couple of coppers on the table. He retrieves a backpack from the floor and slings it on his back, then resettles the shortbow over it. 

"Let us get directions to the excavation and be on our way. Night comes, and I own the night..."

"Ha! Yes, but do not tell this to the sleepy leopard. Come, let us find the Townmaster." 

Stooping to pass through the door again, Gareth-Wyn waits patiently in the road outside of the inn.

Vi decides not to try and explain her not-bird parents or the nature of her fighting style to Gareth at this time, instead nodding. "Dwarves, then gnomes. Then possibly a stop by the Hill to bring this woman back on our way." Talav caws in agreement as the half-elf stands.