The Teifling. who appears to be in their mid-20s turns toward Kallaia smiling demurely. With the clear, high voice of an adolescent, they shyly respond. "Oh, yes, Madam. I play here near to every evening. I live in Womford across the bridge there. Mind you, I arrive before dusk and set out after dawn on account of the Womford Bat. I sing and I jest and once and again I make a few coppers by taking a young man upstairs. I must say though, that your musical talent exceeds mine. Perhaps if you stop by here again on your journeys you wouldn't mind  teach me a song or two?

"Tell you what darling." Kallaia responds with a smile of her own. "How about we do a trade. You help me out by telling me everything you know about Nightstone and I'll gladly give you a song or two. My newfound friends and I are travelers, always in search of new towns needing skills such as mine but having never been to Nightstone before I wsant to make certain its the kind of place worth visiting. Come up to my room and you'll have no need to lie with any men tonight. Just conversation and music."

(Persuasion in case its needed: 12)

"Well, Madam," The Tiefling continues, now making eye contact. "I know that Nightstone is a small town of little consequence near the Triboar Trail, about 10 miles south of here. It's only unique trait is a very old bell in the town square. I would like to accept your kind offer, particularly the part about not needing to bed anyone tonight. My name, my real name, is Folly and I thank you for your kindness."

"No worries Folly. Great name by the way. These fellows seem far gone enough that we may abandon our efforts this evening. Follow me if you please."  Leading the way upstairs Kallaia and Folly go to their room and spend the next few hours with Kallaia teaching Folly some new songs and general tips of the trade. Eventually they go to sleep and come back downstairs together the next morning.

Slowly Rendell awakens besides his bed. His body cramped and cold. Next to him a small but smelly mixture of the liquids he had yesterday, a bit of food and saliva. He wipes his chin and holds his head. It feels as if it's spinning and thumping. The glass of water next to his bed tastes like heaven. Wanting more he goes down to the bar.

Kallaia watches as Rendell stumbles down the stairs, clearly hard hit by his imbibing the night before. Already munching on a fresh loaf of bread for breakfast, she observes him making his way back towards the bar. Feeling like its as good a time as any to start the day she takes out a small and well worn coin, flipping and catching it. 

Seeing the goddess of good luck's face on the side the coin lands on she pockets it back and hails the half elf. "Ho there Renny. Sit down and grab yourself some grub. Fill that stomach of yours back up."

Half awake rendell walks to the bar unaware of everyone and everything. He gets a couple of glasses of water, downs them and then notices Kallaia and another person sitting on a table. He joins them only muttering “ mrning” and feeling really sorry for himself, holding his head in both his hands.

The stairs creak under the weight of the warforged as he returns to the common room in the morning.  Seeing Kallaia, Rendell and perhaps now Folly he joins them.  "I observed no events for which I find it probable that you would have interest during the night" he reports.  "The most likely deviations from this would include if any of you wish to pursue a conflict in which a human male would seem to be behind on his bar tab or if any of you have a higher than average interest in the local owl population.  If either deviation applies, I shall present a more thorough report."  He tilts his head and looks at the others.

“Oh please can you speak a bit more quietly. My head feels like the local fanfare is passing by constantly. I’m never gonna drink again.” Carefully and slowly he takes out the map, pointing at the spot where the barkeep told him nightstone would be. Then he sits back rubbing his still cramped neck.

Mee looks at Kallaia and quietly states, as if she didn't already know, "overwhelming evidence suggests that he is inebriated, or is recovering from the state."

He leans in more closely and whispers a further report.  "I believe it to be 99.3% likely that he does indeed imbibe alcoholic beverages in the future."

Kallaia leans similarly into Mee as he states the obvious. "That is a fascinating analysis Mee. Now tell me, what is the likelihood of whatever magic makes you work learning how to recognize a figure of speech. If its low then I foresee us having some serious fun in the future. Less so if you plan on learning how to converse normally. In other words Mee, I have decided to rescind my earlier advice and now advise you to continue making conversation in your own unique manner." 

Turning back to Rendell's inspection of the map she takes a quick look at the spot where Nightstone is alleged to be and finishes the last of her breakfast. "Well folks, nothing more to be done in this dump. Shall we on?"

Most of the conversation passes Rendell by. The words come to him but the meaning is lost until he hears they are planning to go on. He gets up, sloggs to the exit. Waves a half goodbye to the barkeeper and mumbles to Mee "oil" while waiting outside for the rest to follow. The fresh air hits him in the face like a cold wet towel.

Mee replies "it is highly likely that I will learn a new figure of speech as early as today, Kallaia."  "I collect a great deal of information when around other humanoids and soon have enough information to draw new correlations in your languages and social interactions.  My use of this knowledge has improved exponentially since my creation."

"Yes, let us venture to Nightstone in search of new knowledge."

"Yes Rendell, if there is oil available in exchange for coin which I possess at a rate deemed appropriate by your customs, I shall make the exchange.  My oil supply will run low in approximately 472 days, depending on a variety of variables, so it is best to be prepared.  We can also inquire with residents of this town about acquiring their blood."

(Happy to move on, references to shopping are obviously for RP purposes more than an actual need for oil...or blood!)

Glad that his companions aren't talking much to him life slowly returns to Rendell while walking outside. Now and then he even humms a small song. 

Despite being told that Nightstone was a mere ten miles away, a careful purusal of tha map clearly indicates a journey roughly ten times as long. The main road winds lazily almost due south through rolling fields of grasses and shrubs. At the head of the Deserin River, the ragged cart trail branches off. In one direction it will become the Northfurrow road leading to the High Road and eventually the fabled city of Waterdeep, the other leads to more of the same, dusty, southward Journey to the Northern tip of the Ardeep Forrest. Nightstone, it seems, is nestled in the southwest corner of the Ardeep. (A DC 10 survival check indicates the entire journey will take about 4 days going due south and cutting through the forest, perhaps 7 days if you follow the Northfurrow, following the river and approaching nighstone from the South.)

Survival: 13

"How is it that you wish to travel, Rendell and Kallaia?  Two paths seem most logical, one through the forest and the other along the river, the former taking roughly 4 days for the average humanoid on foot, the latter 7.  I possess insufficient data on the benefits of either, unfortunately, including the probability of danger on either path."

"I think I can answer that easily enough Mee." Kallaia saddles over to the construct and claps a hand on his shoulder. "The threat of harm is greater in traveling through the woods. This village is not large enough for bandits to be waiting along the path leading to it. Now normally I'm not averse to a little bit of danger, tends to spice up my travels. In this case however...it does appear we are on a job of sorts and it wouldn't much do to get ourselves eaten by wild beasts or pincushioned by wild elves before we even get started now would it?"

The tiefling sets her pack down on the ground before her and opens it up, inspecting the contents. After thoroughly browsing inside she replaces the gear on her shoulders and settles it back into place. "Only problem is either way is too long for the amount of food I currently have. Unless one of you plans on providing meals then the first order of business is to probably hit the shops. "Mee, care to come along and put those bean counting skills to use in making sure I don't get charged too much?"

(Oh boy, almost forgot!  DM, are there shops before we leave town?  Mee doesn't have a traditional Arcane Focus or Spellbook because of starting off as an artificer (although he does have Thieve's Tools which act as a focus for an Artificer.). He'll thus likely need to spend 10g or so on a traditional focus and 50g (that he doesn't have) on a Spell Book to be a wizard next level.  I don't picture him really using a traditional spell book, but if you want me to have to buy one to be fair and suffer the burdens of multiclassing like this, that's completely fair.)

”well Mee there were several reasons. 1) I was bored stiff in my life and some action could spice it up. 2) I’m still looking for some people to get back at. But to do so I need money and more “skills” and 3) I got this feeling this is going to be a lot of fun.” Rendell continues his walk.

Struck by reality rendell puts down his backpack as well and searches for any food. “Hah....oh?......I’ll be damned....and another one. Well I don’t know why but I have 10 rations that still look tasty enough to eat. But still we’re short on rations, not even counting Mee if we are to walk for at least 4 days to nightstone. No idea what we can get on our way or in nightstone. And searching berries or shoot a rabbit are not my specialties”. Rendell checks the map for any settlements.