He nods at the advice about Salida and looks over to Phillip.

"Good that yer willing to work with her, hopefully she is willing to work with ye as well! Aye assume when ye say talk ye mean," he taps his head, "But aye don't exactly follow what ye mean by seen her? She looked as human as most do, 'cept her eyes for a bit." He thinks on that for a moment and on what Azaka is implying. "Do ye know anything Selune? We welcome people with dual identities, given they find a place in Selune's light, it don't mean she can't be trusted. But I guess since ye'll travel with her ye already agree?"

On Azaka's next bit he is a little confused,

"Okay, but we can pay ye a bit if it will cause problems? Or at least pay Jobal their bit for yer work? We don't want problems for ye or her but aye don't plan on keeping secrets from each other over a bit of coin. We don't have much money but we can probably figure something out? Aye don't like the idea of lying or sneaking about. If aye understand everything correctly will be placing our lives in each others hands by heading out there and, like ye said, it is best to start with trust and truth!"

He will order a cool drink from the inn and check if Phillip wants one too.

((Selune is welcoming to non-evil werecreatures so Evo doesn't have any issues with it! Probably something that will need to be discussed in the group.))

((Thank you, Spider!))

((yeah thanks Spider, very cool to see those items on here and also on Alton's sheet!))

Azaka responds "Evo, your intuitions are correct. While my knowledge of the great moon god is small, I have a... relationship with the moon. Should we work together I shall show you exactly what I mean given you seem to be so open to 'dual identities'."

"Speaking of dual identities... as for Eku... well, if you do not know yet then I shall not reveal any secrets that are not mine to reveal. Her 'secrets' are not like mine.... but the telepathy is just the the tip of the iceberg, friend." she smiles. 

"I admire your character, Cleric of Selune. If you wish to pay to avoid problems, then I shall not oppose. It makes sense. It shall be the standard rates then. If we're going to do it right, we might as well do it right. 5 gold per day, with a 30 day payment up front. I shall funnel the funds to Jobal and the appropriate charities. This shall ensure you have a clean conscience."

"When do you all plan on departing? I can connect with Eku if you'd like. I know where to find her..." Azaka looks up into the sky, then back to Evo "...and we could arrange a meeting to go over the details and planning of our departure. She will need to be onside with my Firefinger plight... hmmm.... I do not forsee this being an issue."

Evo blinks and looks over at Phillip at the turn the conversation took.

"Uh... Aye...hm. Okay. Aye need to speak with the rest of meh party to decide. We are looking to leave as soon as possible, so can we meet tomorrow morning here and confirm? We still need to see about getting things from (canoe prince) and a few other supplies. We'll probably head out day after tomorrow, at the earliest. Does that work? Please get in touch with Eku though, make sure she is okay with it."

He scratches his beard and looks for Phillip to fill anything he is missing,

"Aye think we need to talk to Jobal too?"

Later when they are walking to find the others,

"Phillip, did aye just negotiate us out of a free guide? Maybe we don't need to focus on that when we talk with the others. Aye'll think of a way to make the money for her wages. Maybe aye can sell a potion..."

He shakes his head.

((So Azaka is also a werecritter? I figured that Eku was probably one.))

Phillip smiles at Evo as the conversation wraps up, and gives a firm nod to indicate that he thinks Evo has covered everything for now.

On the walk back he says, “Nope nope nope, Nuh-huh.... Nope!..... Just the price of getting two to work together! Yup!... I don’t know another who could have negotiated that..  at ANY price! Except maybe Syn in her prime?!.... uh huh, uh huh!.... .... TWO GUIDES!!.... Ha ha!. “, Phillip does a little backflip as he pads along, then a couple more, leaping up to around 10ft or more, and landing neatly each time, clearly pleased with progress.

"Yer quite the acrobat Phillip! Hopefully the others agree... Really wasn't much of a choice for guides in town. The tabaxi zentariums and the Salida woman that wasn't around at a blood sport arena. Azaka and Eku are both solid, aye think? They both were confident and forthright, aye like that."

He nods coming to terms with his options, also Phillip's hopping is relaxing in a strange sort of way.

(("Uh, yeah... Phillip is quite the acrobat, I agree."))

"Tomorrow morning, here? Yes, that will work. I shall seek out Eku this eve and explain the situation. You mentioned a hag... I shall also ask her about this. Perhaps if we agree to help her in her quest, she will be more aligned to travel together."

"This could work out well."

"Yes. We shall meet you here tomorrow morn then. If she agrees, of course. We can make any plans and preparations as well. Then we can take a day or two and procure any other supplies (canoe?) and then plan our departure."

"Yes, I've done this before."

She grins, then sips her last sip of coffee and leaves. 

((I think that Evo can put two and two together and he would know that Azaka is afflicted with Lycanthropy, yes :). Eku is not, however.))

 It is about 4:00pm now. Gotur and Alton would meet Evo and Phillip back at the Thundering Lizard inn. 

This is a cheaper inn than the one across the road that you all stayed in last night (Kaya’s House of Repose).

Is there anything any of you might want to do for the rest of the late afternoon and evening? Would you be staying at the Lizard (5sp) or the House of Repose (1gp)? Food is included, alcohol is extra. 

Azaka and Eku will arrive at the Lizard around 9:00am for coffee to meet with the party. 

Over to you!

"Might as well give this one a try? How'd the guide interviews go? We managed to get more gold from Jessamine, and Alton got some goodies. She's all business, but a lot nicer than I'd think for an Assassin Prince. No offense or anything, Alton, but I was nervous waiting to talk to her. Couldn't tell I was sweating it of course, but thought I was gonna throw up!"

Phillip settles in to the Thundering Lizard Inn, along with the rest of the party. He sits and chats with everyone openly, “Mister E’vo here, was incredible! Uh huh... ...He has lined up a discussion tomorrow morning, happening right here... with, not one, but TWO guides!! Yup yup yup!”. Phillip smiles over at Evo. “And initially at least, it seems they might be well suited to working together! Uh huh, uh huh...”. He beams a huge smile around the group.

"Oh? Which two?"

“Hah!” Alton laughs at Gotur. “I think anyone telling you they weren’t intimidated by Jessamine would be lying. You are not alone.”

”Yes, got some... interesting goodies. Should help us out in the jungle when the time arises. Great work on the guides!” He says nodding to Philip and Evo. “If we are lucky, we might be able to get off into the jungle tomorrow afternoon. The sooner we can stop this problem the better.” 

((Part of him being a bit of a fumbling mess at Jessamine's was me realizing he's working with an 8 CHA.))

((Evo is staying at the Lizard))

Evo looks distinctly uncomfortable when Gotur asks about the interviews.

"Well... Eku ye saw the other night. Aye liked her but she didn't want to work with anyone else. This afternoon we had the tabaxi Flask and River but aye got the impression they were not entirely law abiding and didn't work with Jobal. Phillip an aye went to speak with a Salida at what turned out to be a torture route turned show and couldn't find her. Finally we came back here and met a Azaka at that table over there."

He swallows,

"Well, Azaka seemed solid and would work for free had we help her get a mask on the way but then we had to be all quiet about it round Eku if we can convince her to come with too... And well aye thought that don't seem like a good thing. Ye need trust and all for something like this, right? so aye said we could do it proper...and pay'r."

He coughs and runs his hand though his sweaty thick hair,

"But she is gonna fix things up with Eku and we got two guides aye think are really going ta be good. Right Phillip? Uh, if we can pay for them. 300 gold. We can talk to them tomorrow."

He then quickly says,

"Also, just so ye know aye'm pretty sure both of'm are werecritters. Which aye hope isn't gonna be a problem for ye? Selûne welcomes them, an aye know a few real upstanding ones. Werebear lad makes the best mead east of Waterdeep..."

He trails off then comes back,

"Aye think maybe we should leave in the morning Alton? If we can? We gotta chat with Ekene tomorrow too, maybe when we talk to Jobal? Hopefully the morning after tomorrow though? Guides will tell us, probably?"

"Wellll.... Three hundred is a lot of gold, but just happens that's the exact amount to the coin that we got from Wakanga and Jessamine! Well done boys! It barely had a chance to get warm, but I think it's funds well spent to have a couple of expert guides."

He ponders the revelation about their top prospects at guide. "Well, if we think that the tabaxi would cross us, and the other one is missing, seems like it's either or on the two you've got, unless some others crawl out of the jungle. As far as were-creatures, you may have noticed that I stick out a bit, and folks are sometimes quick to judge. Can't fault them for being what they are any more than one could fault me. And fork, I can turn into a bear and a wolf and probably some dinosaurs now that I got a good look at them, so as long as they're not were's that are wanting to lure us from the city to feast on our flesh, I've probably got more in common with them than I do with someone like that idiot Karl the Racist that I mentioned. Your goddess make a distinction between the good 'uns and the bad 'uns?"

"Ya can turn into a bear? Oh, that must be fun. They seem to really enjoy themselves."

Evo shakes his head,

"Aye don't think so, Phillip? They both seemed pretty focused on only working with us if we were nice and good. Selune doesn't welcome those with evil in their hearts and aye have to admit aye haven't asked her about them. Aye can cast a spell called zone of truth tomorrow morning that doesn't let people lie. If they are okay with it and ye don't mind aye think it might be a good way to confirm their intentions and ours?"

He does look relieved at having enough money for both of them.

Phillip nods to Evo and says to the group, “Yup yup!... I fff-think E’ku and A’zaka will be very good! Uh huh, uh huh.... ffffff-P’illed me with conffff-P’idence... Uh huh! Yup!...”.

”Anyone still got ffff-things they want to do tonight? I just have to get my belongings ffff-P’rom across the road at the other Inn. Otherwise I’m ready to eat and turn in! Uh huh...”. 

((When important discussions finish here Phillip will grab his stuff from last night’s Inn and come back to this new one to stay with the rest of the party tonight)).

Evo smiles widely at Phillip's approval.

"Hopefully ye two will like them as well."

He is also ready to eat but will listen around a bit for news about the jungles before heading to bed.

Perception:8

Phillip, you are able to get your gear from the other inn. They don't even care that you are not staying there tonight. You sense they are pretty laid back.

Evo, you do hear some city folk talking while they enjoy their meals as you skillfully eavesdrop a bit on numerous conversations! You hear these tidbits of information:

 1   /   95   /   95 

- Chult was once a playground for a green dragon. Her bones mark the location of a hidden treasure trove. If you travel to Mezro and head east across the Laughing Gorge, then south toward Kir Sabal, you might stumble on the dragon’s bones and earn yourself a place in the history books!

- A ruined city lies up the River Tath, past Kahakla Gorge. Supposedly, no one’s explored past the gorge, but that’s not true. It’s just that the few who made it out alive mostly keep quiet about what they found there. The ruins are guarded by a naga who is both wise and generous.

- Perched atop a plateau overlooking the Aldani Basin is a ghost village. All the people there disappeared. No one knows why. You can reach the Aldani Basin by following the River Soshenstar.

It is 5sp each for the evening to stay at this inn. Alcohol extra!

The next morning, Azaka and Eku are already sitting outside on the patio sipping coffee when you wake up and head out of the inn. Azaka would explain that she has convinced Eku to 'join forces' and work together to guide the party to whatever their destination might be in the jungle. Eku confirms this and agrees with a smile. She knows that Azaka works for Jobal like her, and so she has a certain amount of trust established already. Even if it means seeking Omu and the Soulmonger, they both might say. They do have one condition if they are going to travel together though. They both have personal quests that they need to embark on while in the jungle, and expect your help, or at least patience while they tend to them during the travels. This will be the only way that they will work together. 

You all still have the option of just selecting one. Azaka would be your guide for free as long as you help her with her quest (retrieve mask). She would also still work with you alone if you decide not to help her in her quest, but then she will likely charge you.

Eku would also be your solo guide and will expect payment either way, but would also still work with you if you didn't want to help her with her quest. (hag)

Lots of options. There are even other guides that Jobal can introduce you to.

Will the party also head to Goldenthrone again this morning to speak to some other Princes?

Over to you! Feel free to paraphrase like I did, or RP if you want and I will do the same back. When the party makes final decisions and the final team gets together and goes over strategy for departure etc, I will start RP'ing the NPC's more at that point. 

((For some reason Jobal's monopoly feels the most blatant and exploitative, but Gotur/I am satisfied with the guides that Evo has negotiated for us, and would be ready to hire them.))