Cora will swipe a finger across the guards cheek as she smiles. "Sure hun, meet me at the Empty Net tonight, we can talk more." She gives the guard a wink then heads away. As she contemplates what else to do, she catches the glimpse of some gulls. Thinking to herself: Hmmm, I wonder if the birds saw anything.  Whispering to herself and making a quick movement with her hand, she casts Speak with Animals. In Seagull, she starts making birds noises.

In Seagull:

Animal Handling (w/adv): 16

If I'm able to find out where this tiefling trader is, I'd love to go talk to him.

Investigation: 12 (if needed)

"Hello friend."  Thom stops the sharp looking guard, "I am Guard Thom Everyman, from a Valadis.  I know that Valadis' guards have started to be corrupted.  I have heard rumors that might be true here too, and was kind of hired to look into it.  I was wondering.. you looking like a guard who is... on the up and up, might know some things, but maybe not have the evidence or not wanting to have…”  Thom pauses and thinks to himself about his own life.  “Don’t want it ending up in the wrong hands, maybe I could look into it for you.”

Wulgar hangs with Lucille and Miss C since he is striking out.  He awaits any opportunity for more information.  

Some more searching reveals some things...

Wulgar: Strike two, unfortunately. Your figure attracts some unwanted attention, causing a pack of guards at the docks to ridicule you for your scales, telling you something akin to "Why don't you join the scalies out in the swamps?" Not that you really look like a lizardfolk, the guards are just naive. Or brutish. Or both.

Cora: You make some more progress here. Your spell, as well as your druidic charms, are enough to get the gulls to come down to you. One or two land at your feet, looking expectantly at you. For most, the noises they make sound like squawks and other gibberish. But to you, Cora, they seem willing to gossip for a while with you. Ask away. They seem willing to answer to the best of their ability.

Lucille: You can ask around, and your searches lead to a female tiefling known as Captain Xendros. She leads a trade delegation from a nation further north, and has come to Saltmarsh to procure salted fish and other food commodities for her northern nation. While you doubt it's immediately relevant, you're more than welcome to visit her shop in town, The Faithful Quartermasters of Iuz. As well, you can make me a Religion check to identify who or what Iuz is, anyway.

Thom: Your guard in particular looks over you, squinting a bit as he sizes you up. He's a thinner-built character, with dirty blonde hair, and a youthful gaze in his eyes. As you make mention of corruption in the ranks, he fidgets a bit. "Name's Eric. And aye, being a guard in this town is complicated, Thom. The old guard are of a different breed than the crown's men: looser morals, different ideals. The tricky part is tellin' the difference between the two, and knowing whose loyalties lie where: whether they lie with the people and the fishermen of the town, or with keeping order and law of the crown, whether or not it applies to the people here."

He pauses a long moment before continuing. "That being said, you know the fishermen that went missing recently? Rumor has it that they were sucking up to the Crown for protection. Paying decent gold to get extra guards posted around their boats at the docks for safety. Makes you wonder if they missed the payments, and the crown's men weren't happy." 

Cora will pat one of the seagull's heads before asking questions, thinking to herself first. I should probably stick to yes or no questions for now.

In Seagull:

"I understand what you're saying Eric.  That's a nice looking sword you have. Sorry back to the task at hand, do you know any of these Crown's Men who might have been in on this?"  Thom asks while adding things to make the conversation both profetional and personal.

Religion: 7

Just in case, Lucille will enter the building after all. "Hello! I've come to welcome you to the lovely city of Saltmarsh, and to ask you a few questions. Some folks have gone missing recently, and I was curious to hear what rumors you might have heard about these mysterious disappearances."

Persuasion: 14

Cora: Your gull hops around on its webbed feet for a moment, before giving a definitive nod. It squawks loudly, a few times in quick succession, and you understand the following:

 It doesn't say much more before it flaps both its wings, and takes off sky-ward once again to perch on a nearby lamp post. It squawks loudly once again, much to the annoyance of the town passer-by's.

Thom: Eric ponders for a moment, before shaking his head. "My guess is that they'd be Eliander's cronies. Y'know, Eliander Fireborn, delegate from the crown who oversees most militia matters, and reports directly to the crown? Don't know the man directly, but I've heard rumors that he's a stickler for making sure the king is pleased. Not that the king really cares to know much about what troubles his good men over here in Saltmarsh, a hundred miles away."

Lucille (and perhaps Wulgar?): Whoever is heading on over to the Faithful Quartermasters of Iuz, you're greeted by a fairly sturdy-looking female tiefling: she's adorned in gaudy golden jewelry including pearl necklaces, shining earrings, and golden hoops around each of her wrists that clatter as she moves her arms. She wears a leather tunic, and flicks a gold coin in her right hand, eyeing you curiously as you enter.

"A pleasure to meet you, my dahling. I, as well as my agents in town, have heard many rumors as of late. But I'm afraid you'll have to make it worth my while to share. I'm a businesswoman, first and foremost. Time is money, after all." She seems willing to barter due to your Persuasion check, Lucille. "I deal in magical items, if you have any to sell. Or, if you'd rather, agree to help me seek out an item that I have particular interest in."

Lucille, you don't seem to recall much about Iuz. You know that they're a powerful, almost deity-like force from the northern realms of the world. What their areas of concern are, or who consists of their worshipers, you're not entirely sure.

Wulgar accompanies Lucille and says to the trader, and summoning his best manners he asks, "What item are you seeking, ma'am?  Perhaps we can locate it for you."  He stays behind Lucille, letting her  handle most of the conversation, the rest of the time he's looking around the store, looking for any odd items of note.

Cora starts thinking to herself. Rock-beasts... rock-beasts... what the **** are rock-beasts. She'll look toward the Seagull and squawk back real quick.

In Seagull:

 Cora will then take a worm out of her bag that she would use for fishing and toss it up into the air by the seagull.

 OOC: Due to my time spent in town, would I know who this rock-beast is, or what this moon-cove is?

History in case: 9

"Are there any Crown's Men, who you have meet who seem to be a little more like minded as you and I?"  Thom trying to mimic some of the things he has happen to him in the past. "Again, that sword of yours is amazing, is it standard issue or did you save up for it, or a family sword?"

"Yes, this item you seek... What is it? And what would you be willing to give us for seeking it out?"

Wulgar and Lucille: The tiefling rubs her chin for a moment, deep in contemplation. "I doubt it's something that any of you would be able to find right away, but I seek an Apparatus of Kwalish for my master. I have reason to believe that such an item rests near Saltmarsh. I'm willing to part with what information I know if you promise to report word to me if you locate such a magical construct." She wears a devilish smirk on her face as she lays out the details of her contract.

Cora and Thom: Thom, as you're mid-conversation with this guard, you manage to narrowly spot a gull flying overhead. Before Eric can respond to your questions... bird guano splatters all over his metal helmet, getting everywhere. The man seems unfazed by it, as this seems to be a common occurrence in town. At least the sword was untouched. "In all honesty, I'm kind of new here. Was born and raised in town. Parents encouraged me to join the guard to keep 'good morals' in Saltmarsh. Pa saved up enough money that I could buy a sword, and join up. So I can't say much about the integrity of the others in my squad."

Cora, you're busy watching as your gull takes a dump on the guard Thom is busy talking to, and then it clicks to you: the 'rock-beasts' aren't literal rocks. The guards armored in half-plate and breastplate walking around the town might as well have looked like big, moving, shiny rocks to the birds who wouldn't have the intelligence to communicate the concept of 'guards'.

Your knowledge of town, as well as the History check reveal to you knowledge about the 'moon-cove': a couple miles east of town is a crescent-shaped cove that's been popular with the fishermen. Most abandoned the place a dozen years ago after local fishmongers bled the place dry, but it's possible that the place may be seeing schools of fish return to the area again. 

After getting that information, Cora will wait for everyone outside The Empty Net. Munching on some nuts to pass the time and feed the hunger she built up.

Lucille nods. "You will be the first person I speak to if any information is found."

Thom offers his hand to Eric shakes it, thanks him for the conversation, and leaves to find the others.

(OOC- I am the head wrestling coach at the high school I teach at, this weekend is Girl's State so I will not be posting again untill Monday.  By all means rag doll me.)

Wulgar's eyes widen.  "Wait a minute.  An Apparatus of Kwalish?  Very nice.  Where would it be?  And how much would you pay us to find it, or bring information to you about it?"

OOC: We'll wrap up w/ Lucille and Wulgar, then group y'all up again I think.

The tiefling smirks a little, wagging her finger. "Ah-ah-ah, not so fast my dear. The only deal I'm willing to make right now is simply asking that you will promise me to inform me if you have information. I refuse to get ahead of myself." She gives a wink to Lucille. "Our halfling friend has the right idea. What is your name, my dear? I don't believe I got it."

"And I forgot to introduce myself! Captain Xendros of the Faithful Quartermasters of Iuz. I do not know where such a device may be, and I believe payment discussions shouldn't come too prematurely. As long as you agree to be my informants--my eyes and ears--then I will relay to you the rumors you seek. Rumors for rumors, I believe, is a fair trade. Is this an agreement you can make, dragonborn?"

Wulgar pauses and considers.  “Fair enough.  We will let you know what we find out and report back to you with information about this item.  Rumors for rumors, as you say.  Just thought you would begin with giving us a tidbit.”  After waiting to hear her reply, Wulgar says to Lucille “C’mon Lucy, let’s head back to the Empty Net and catch up with Miss C and Thom.”