Aelar orders some food, he doesn't recall what, then, rather than waiting for it to arrive, jumps up dragging Lazlo with him, "I love to sing and dance...maybe it's my elf blood!"  Climbing onto the stage he greets the satyrs by name, not caring if he gets the boys names with the right boys, then joins in the singing and dancing.

Performance: 11
CHA: 17

ooc: Not sure if CHA roll is applicable.  If not, please disregard.
ooc2: Darn...missed the Performance even with the advantage :(

"Ooh- I'd love a roast chicken with potatoes! I should probably tune her up... Oh! OK!"  Lazlo waves to the Centaur who owns the Horseshoe. "Broken hearts mend, my dear- Be careful of my friend Aelar here" he says pointing to the elf ushering him onstage "or he might sweep you off your hooves!" 

With that, Lazlo plays some very Eugene Hutz-esque eastern european punk fiddle, smiling at Carmine and nodding to her brothers as the pair take the stage. 

Performance 15

(I wonder what made you change the previous performance to this one?)

While his friends go dancing, Hyre sits down at the table. "Cheerful, aren't they?" he remarks. He keeps thinking about Geoffrey's question. What if he really tried to learn the magical arts? "Say," he asks Kallista and Leon, "what would you do if you were a powerful mage like in legends? What would you use your powers for, if you had such?"

Aelar is able to at least keep up with the troupe as Lazlo leads them in some spirited, if unconventional, tavern music that has feet stomping and ale being sloshed about in steins and clinking together. Caught up in the momentum, Carmine starts to create lyrics on the fly, starting out as mere whinging about the upper class to a more heated and spiteful and utter roasting about how useless the rich and powerful are to the common person and how they ought to be rounded up and made to live like pigs for a few days to be reminded of what it is to struggle. Before the crowd gets too rowdy though, they take a cue from the owner that she doesn't want the customers getting too riled up in her tavern and pull it back before the song ends.

For the performance, the troupe does generate some extra money in tips, to the tune of 17 SP, split between Aelar, Lazlo, and the satyrs.

Leon thinks for a moment about Hyre's question.
"I'm not sure. I prefer the strength of my own arms. I'd like to make things, though, maybe create tools to keep everyone safe, so we don't have to live behind walls anymore." he says.

Kallista's stomach grumbles, and while the Lazlo and Aelar were playing, she goes to see what's on the menu, along with seeing if they had any recommendations for decent inns in the area.

In between sets, and sips of ale or beer or whatever he can get his hands on, and taking a bite or two of his food, Aelar asks the satyrs about getting into Hawk's Nest, if any of the guards are particularly amenable to persuasion, good old fashioned charm, or any other tips they may have.  "I want to study at the big library they have there but they're so damn snooty, I hear, even though it's a public library, public only extends to the edge of the Nest, so's I've heard.  Also, we can only stay at the farm one more night.  What's a good place to stay for six people that won't cost an arm and a leg?"

ooc: You didn't say if the CHA meant anything or not.  Did your silence indicate no juice?

After they are done, Aelar returns to the table, tired but happy.  He finishes his meal and relates what he learned about a place to stay and getting into Hawk's Nest to get access to the library.  "Hyre, either I'll find a way to get you in, too, or you tell me what you want me to read about, and I'll do that."

((You can't 'test' your CHA in that way. Ability scores can only be increased through 'training' as in, dedicating a full day to trying to increase it. The only way you could gain a success to building an ability score is if there would be consequences to failing and you were pitting your stat against someone else. Sorry, I forgot to answer.))

The owner of the Horseshoe comes by the group's table and ruffles Lazlo's hair affectionately while the satyrs pull another unused table over to make a kind of figure-eight long table. When the centauress hears Kallista's inquiry, she gestures to the ceiling.
"Actually, we started renting rooms not too long ago. We've been trying to fix up the top floors for a while now; they used to be storerooms but we just finished a cellar so we figured we'd convert the upper floors." she says. "It's not a fancy inn, but we got room to spare. Sure, it'd be a bit noisy round this time in the evening, but I'd let y'all stay cheap. 8 silver a day, and it'd include breakfast every mornin'. How many rooms would y'all need?" she asks.
"Oi! When were you going to tell US you were renting?" Carmen gripes.
"I said renting rooms, not startin' a brothel, goat boy. You an' your brother'd be bringing in girls every night." the owner quips back.
Carmen stands from his chair in mock offense, strokes his goatee, and then sits back down. "Fair enough."
The owner suggests a large serving of what's proudly known as 'the shield and sword', which is basically a rack of rib meat as the 'shield' and a long roast vegetable and butter-stuffed pastry as the 'sword'. Comes with a pitcher of cider.

When the Satyrs come, Hyre gets up and presents his hand for shaking to each of them. "Hey, I'm Hyre, nice to meet you. Lazlo has told us a lot about you." Afterwards, he'll sit down reply to Aelar: "Everyone keeps asking me what I want, why does everyone just assume I know that? Anyway, I doubt I could charm my way into that place. At best, I might be able to bore them to the point they just let me pass. Or maybe I could sneak in..." He imagines it for a moment. How would he sneak into a public place in the middle of the day without being seen? Not likely. "Either way, I imagine I'm more likely to end outside the walls than inside the library. Well, if I think of something I'd want to read, I'll ask of you." Lastly, he'll try to calculate the prices. Eight silver pieces per day, times six means 48 silver pieces per day. That means it'll hold for around six days unless they keep making money. On the other hand, that's also what they gained each for a day of work on the farm, so you could say it cost the same. "What do you say?" He asks the others, "It doesn't seem too expensive to me. Besides, I don't mind sharing a room with one or two of you, as long as we all earn at least that eight silver pieces per day we'll be able to maintain ourselves, and with Kallista's earnings today we'll have at least seven days to find a place to earn that much. Considering it's only the third day since... then, I say we could do it. Some of us have already found a well-paying job. What do you think?"

"Is that 8 silver per person or 8 silver per room?" Aelar asks the centaur.

Turning to the three satyrs, he says, "So, how about it?  Any tips for getting into Hawk's Nest?"

ooc: quoting from my post for clarity

 Aelar eyes Hyre for a moment, then says.  "Hey, no pressure, Hyre.  I know you were wanting to get into that library so figured you had something specific in mind.  But if not, that's fine."  Clearly someone, and more than one by the sound of it, had been pushing at his friend this day.  Probably not all together but sometimes life just lined up that way.

ooc: I'm going to jump in just to say that before the Q&A begins and after Hyre introduces himself I'd like to introduce Kaliista to the Satyrs and the Centaur. I'm hoping by now I was observant enough to hear her name from someone. I guess Leon already knows the Satyrs and quite possibly the Centaur.  Other than that Lazlo will make polite converation and spend time with Carmine. Polite conversation? Wrong character- he will drink, carouse, and make merry with his friends. 

Centaur's Name Perception Check with fingers crossed: 3 

The satyrs all mull about themselves for a moment at Aelar's question, before Cameron looks apologetic.
"Sorry Aelar, every time we've managed to get ourselves into THAT end of town, it's never really been intentional. It's not like we can just get in there at will." he says.
"Well, not entirely true, brother. Remember Madame LeBeuff?"
"Oh! Well, okay, yes, but that was pure luck. I wouldn't count on that."
"Hey, if it worked for us, it could work for him. He's better looking than you."
Cameron looks like HE's about to take offense, but then he gets a good look at Aelar and shrugs. "Fair enough."
"Just gotta remember, they're just like us, but way, way more spoiled. They're used to getting their way and they already have everything most of US could want. You want to get in their good graces, you just have to be able to give them something they CAN'T normally get. For some, it's what they feel like is sincere admiration, for others, it's unrestrained affection."
"Or carefully administered humiliation!"
"Oh yes, LeBeuff LOVED a good tallywhacking, didn't she?"
"I don't think young Aelar should use that, though."
"But COULD he?"
"Could it be we're a bad influence?"
"I sure hope so!"
While the brothers amuse themselves and Carmine is busy making bedroom eyes at Lazlo, Leon speaks up.
"Err, actually, after the err... bath house... I, um, found myself in a lady's chambers. I don't remember how I got there but I left a note for her. She may come see me at the smithy. I might be able to give you an opportunity." he states.

The centaur corrects Lazlo when he guesses her name incorrectly, but she doesn't seem to mind.
"Hana." she says, laughing softly. "In the state you were in, I'm not surprised you don't fully remember."
To the query about price, Hana responds.
"8 silver a room, and the beds are big enough for two, even if ya don't like each other that much. They're the beds my kids had growing up, so they're centaur-sized. Now I've got an empty nest, seems a shame not to use em." she grins.
"What about security?" Leon inquires.
"No one goes upstairs unless I know they're supposed to be up there. I keep a watchful eye, and the rooms for myself and my employees are the first doors." she states.

Lazlo almost spits his cider out after hearing the 'tallywacking' (ooc: irl my coffee) part of the conversation. "Thanks, Hana. I think the rooms sound like a good fit- what do you all think?"  He says gesturing to his friends. "Do you need any help around the tavern? We've found work at a farm- but some of us might be able to help out around here is you need a hand?"

Kallista nods in agreement, "Ya, I agree. Thank you Hana."

Aelar listens with rapt, if slightly incredulous, attention to the flow of advice.  "So," he says as it runs down, "you're saying that I should offer the guards at the gates...there are gates, right...should offer them lots of respect and admiration for their work or clothes or whatever and if I can make them believe me then I have a good chance or getting in?  I was told once I was into the Nest, getting into the library would be easy."

Hana thinks about Lazlo's offer for a moment.
"Well, certainly, there's always work to be done around here. Y'all wouldn't be doing anything more exciting than farm work would be, though. Least yer still in town, though. Won't have to walk the hour or two to get to the farmlands... but we don't have nightly music and I wouldn't want to shaft our regular musicians by bumpin' them out of their schedule. Even these three troublemakers only perform three nights a week here." she says as she gestures to one of the waitresses to get a 'sword and shield' meal for the group.
"Might be good for y'all though. Ya might play a mean fiddle, but if yer as talented in the kitchen, knowin' how to cook is as necessary as any craft out there. Drum up enough business, we can call your room n' board square payment, an' you can keep yer tips for yerself. It's the same deal I give all the girls." she says, gesturing to the other waitresses at the establishment.

She regards Kallista for a moment and leans in with a whisper. "I don't mind giving you a room to yourself for half price. It'll be smaller, if you don't trust these boys to behave themselves in bed."

The satyr brothers laugh lightly when Aelar mentions the Nest gates.
"Oh! You just need to get past the GATES? That's easy. Well, easy for us. You just gotta convince the guards you actually have business to do in the Nest. Or, you know, stow away on some labour wagon, not like the guards check them. It's not really ILLEGAL for common folk to be in the Nest, they just find reasons to kick you out in a hurry. Once you're INSIDE the library though, that's when you can relax. Everyone who's already in there have reason to be in there. I mean, not like there's a whole lot else to do in the place but read. What HOT FUN." Cameron says.
Leon also mentions again that the fine lady might come by Duncan's smithy to come find him. If she's from the Nest, it could give Aelar a name to use.

((So, one room can fit 2 people yes? Just trying to think about how much a week is going to cost us, with 2 per room, or with 2 per room, one in room either having 3 or 1 extra, and Kallista having a smaller one to herself. Cause honestly, no offense to the boys, but she'd just feel more comfortable like that.))

Hana clarifies her offer, 2 to a regular room, she'll offer a larger room for 3, and finally Kallista on her own in a smaller room to herself, for approximately the same amount, 24 SP a night, or 2.4 GP for the 6 of them.

(ooc: whichever arrangements make the most sense to you all- I'm good with any setup you'd like.)

"So, two and three? Who wants to sleep in which room? I don't mind, really, unless one of you snores too loud." Hyre thinks about Hana's offer. Could he cook? It doesn't seem too complicated - just follow a recipe, right? Well, maybe if he finds nothing better to do. "So, who wants to go with me to meet Sir Geoffrey tomorrow? I need to know so I can try to plan tomorrow's schedule. If I'm alone, I'll probably go in the morning. If you're with me, and if you have plans for the morning, I can find something to do until you're finished."

Kallista looks to the others, "I think that sounds like a fair deal," she says with a smile. "If the others agree I think we'd love to accept!" She finally starts to dig into her food, the first bite making her remember just how hungry she was. She does her best not to seem like an animal while she eats.