Balbec is a shady city built near the Bay of Tawl on the shore of the Azur Ocean. Surrounded by a sprawling marshland, the air is usually sticky, humid, and uncomfortably warm. The ever-present sound of insects buzzing and distant bird calls mingle with the constant din of creaking wood, grumbling voices, and beasts-of-burden carrying cargo from the docks to the tradelines. Money flowed here primarily through a strong textile trade, a dynamic black market (influenced heavily by what ships arrive in port), and a loosely-kept set of laws that could be briefly "purchased" should they stand in someone's (or someone's business's) way. The social atmosphere is relaxed, the nightlife fairly lively, and there is enough work to go around... especially mercenary work. Most recently amongst the regular disappearances of the somewhat transient population garnered more attention than most. Estelle Van Garette, a prominent tradeswoman, that is missed. The local town's guard, a paid militia of sorts, refuses to help after an encounter at the Usher manor killed half their group. Instead, the militia only returned once to boarded up the manor to prevent anyone else from entering. The local guild has since however hired the party to investigate the manor as well as Estelle's disappearance. All of you having a reputation for solving problems with things that go bump in the night.

At a tavern called The Golden Bug where guards at a nearby table appear shaken and scared by something, shakily drinking their ale. 

RAC

Rac follows Lejen in, only to walk around her as she pauses at the entrance....glancing back at her as he does.....

Rac is tall, as 6'-6" and powerfully built, brown hair and a trimmed beard....  He wears a breastplate over his torso along with leather bracers on his forearms.  He wears patch leather armor on his knees down to his feet, and a multi colored kilt.  Sandals on his feet seem light weight....his armor and clothes also seems relatively loose, as if slightly oversized despite his bulk.....  While he notes the guards at the table, he will also take a look around for someone in particular he might know.....

Following behind the other two is a smaller figure, long reptilian snout and mismatched red and blue eyes that twitch just slightly as she takes in the tavern. She seems to be alert constantly, checking for exits or enemies or those larger than herself who might take issue with a kobold in their establishment. She almost creeps along, dressed to blend in in dark leathers, a shortsword sheathed on her back, it's distinctive turquoise-colored hilt recognizable to any who know her reputation. As she walks, her talons dig into the floor, her long spiked tail swaying behind her. 

The party can tell she's nervous, despite her reputation, upon entering a place full of humanoids. Difficult to overcome years of larger folk brandishing clubs and loudly warning her off, though it hasn't happened in some time now. She's still wary, prone to staying in the shadows, especially when working with a group. Easier to let them handle the talking - common isn't her first language, anyway, for all that she can communicate well enough by now. Still, with Lejen at the door and Rac seeming distracted, Nez carefully schools her features so that her sharp teeth aren't showing - they don't like that, she'd noticed - and approaches the shaken guards. 

"Hello," she tries, peeking up over the edge of the table, "might we...talk? About the...big house?" She couldn't remember what they called it. Usher...Man? Mansion? She makes a face, resolving to listen better next time. "And missing...person?"