Aimee sends back,

<Yup! Flavor incoming!>

Aimee adds the missing honey, nutmeg, sage, thyme, salt and white pepper flavors to the pie bits, her own included. ((I imagine they are less than 1 cubic foot of pie?))

<Bam!>

Aldrik nods at Edvord and tosses him a coin purse with a decidingly few actual Whaterdhavian dragons within... four of them, in fact, though he pockets one more and a few silver for himself from his recent bet.

"Of course, Eddie. Though if you need a fighting spellbook, don't forget your old fighting brother over here. I imagine the lovely Yagra and I could cause a ruckus if required, or maybe one even if not."

(4g removed from my inventory, add to yours)

He turns back to the half-orc with a wink. "Right, so. We've just returned from one hell of an adventure. If you  see a blue alley with a strange book, I highly recommend not touching the damn thing. Will lead you to a bunch of honorless traps, though there were these little goblin familiar things that were quite satisfying to punt into a spiked abyss. However, that pack of weaklings as you call it..." he nods at his companions, "They hide some claws, if you catch my drift. And the hunt is on for our next quarry."

He clinks his ale against hers (and whatever brand she ordered, he matched). "Enough about me. What brings Yagra to challenge the Yawning Portal?"

"Sounds like a laugh. I'm Always here, I uh.. make sure nobody causes no trouble, can get a bit dull though. You could do well in my line of work, might give me a chance to squash some goblins of my own." She licks her lips, rubbing her fists enthusiastically. "What's your quarry then? Might know someone who could help, if you ain't got a problem with doing some work in return."

Lyss tries the Aimee modified pie, and gives her friend a triple thumbs up.

The pie tastes much more complex now, closer to your tastes. As Threestrings takes a bite he splutters, "What.. yes I agree with you, it's rather unusual, sweet even. They've ruined a perfectly good pork pie, but don't tell Durnan I said that."

"You know I'm not a rat! Never ever! Lyss told me about what happens to people like that outside the cloister!"

She savors the pie before asking,

"Is your muse here now? I'd like to meet a muse!"

"Rats get splats!", Lyss chimes in cheerfully around a mouthful of pie.

Cico blinks several times, the noise of all the different conversations going on in the tavern starting to threaten his senses. He takes a deep breath and moves to join Lyss, Aimee and Kerri.

He tries to judge the conversation and find a place to join in, but finds that just too difficult and instead just blurts out "The House of Inspired Hands."

Cico pauses, then realizes they might need more information than that.

"Do you know the House of Inspired Hands? They make the nimblewrights and might know where the one we're looking for could be."

"Sounds like a nice place to get a massage!"

((Has Aimee heard of it? Intelligence(?)= 7

"Any idea if he's networking in house?" Kerri asks. "And you of all people know I dont vouch for anyone without talking with them first." When Cico blurts out his question she just pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs.

“Definitely, networking and recruitment, seems like your friend is likely to find a job. Yeah, Bonnie’s running food here at the moment, she gets off in an hour, you can meet her then.”

"Great!"

She looks around the gathered inn goers and workers looking for someone that looks like a Bonnie.

Aldrik leans in, speaking quietly. "Bit of vengeance, rather. Some cruel bastard blew up a family of halflings just outside our tavern, all casulities of an assassination attempt against another. Well, I suppose the assassination was successful, given the marks on one of the bodies. Wrecked the place too, before we could open up." He looks around, almost conspiratorily, as if he's inviting Yagra in on the secret. "Don't suppose you or your charge might have vested interest in seeking a similar vengeance to such chaos, perhaps?"

Persuasion: 7 (bleh)

Yagra stares a moment, looking you up and down as if figuring out some kind of puzzle. Out of nowhere she bursts into hearty laughter, putting her arm around Aldrik and squeezing with a vicelike grip. “Come friend, I’ve got someone you’ll want to meet.” 

In the booth she brings you too sits a picturesque male Sun Elf, he greets you both with a warm grin. “Well hello there, it’s always a pleasure to meet one of Yagra’s friends.” Yagra grips tighter, and when she speaks her jovial banterous tone is gone “A fake friend, must be one of the nobles Flostin’s shacked up with.” She grunts. The beautiful stranger grips his lute, locking eyes with Aldrik. “Now, now Yagra… let us not let suspicions rob us of our manners. Take a seat friend, my name is Davil Starsong, and yourself?”

Threestrings returns to his spot in the corner to strum out his discordant cacophony. The music is worse than it’s ever been, yet he screeches more confidently, his eyes searching the room.

Investigation or insight to find bonnie

"Fake? Why, Yagra, I thought we had a good rapport going. Arm wrestling, kicking goblins into abyssal shafts, maybe a good brawl later. At very least friendly acquaintance!" Aldrik gives her a look of feigned insult. "Now please, no need to tighten your grip. I see the blade on your belt clear enough."

Persuasion (to get her to chill): 9. (Great)

Aldrik takes the seat, assuming a relaxed pose (be it fearlessness or foolishness).

"Aldrik Reinholdt, at your service Master Starsong. I do not believe I know this Flostin of which dear Yagra speaks. I am a man slighted by villainy at the door step of an investment of mine, and seek the truth of the matter."

History (do I know anything about Flostin or Davil Starsong?): 13

“I assume you’re speaking of the tragic events this morning in the North Ward?” He waves a hand at a worked up Yagra to settle down, shut up or both. “I hear the city watch is hard at work investigating. More than I can say for the killings in the dock ward of late. Of course, it has long been the case that crimes against those without money or titles is overlooked. But of course, I am more than happy to comply with your investigation sir, though I doubt I will be much help. What brings your enquiries to Yagra and I?”

Having told Kerri, Lyss and Aimee about the House of Inspired Hands and their link to the nimblewright, Cico starts to find the tavern become overwhelming. When the cacophonic music starts up, it's almost too much to bear. Cico's thumbs rub his forefingers furiously. He finds the darkest, quietest corner of the Yawning Portal to wait for the others to finish their business. 

Aimee comments offhandedly while she looks for Bonnie,

"It is really impressive how brave Three-Strings is!"

Insight: 9

Edvord nods in appreciation as Aldrik hands over the four gold coins.

Edvord makes his way across the bar, standing a few spots down from Havi Temlock, flags the bartender down for an ale. As he waits for his order to be fulfilled, he attempts to look as nonchalantly as he can over towards Tavi, "Despite what is written in the ancient tomes, the world really is a small place."

The effort to strike up a conversation is awkward, forced, and probably not very charming.