Estevaan acknowledges the victorious Vorrakaz, shouting the party a round of drinks to celebrate.
Ilvar heals Thebus' wounds as a show of good faith.
The party agree to meet Matreos back at the Pickled Inn at daybreak. Matreos is a bit disheartened that he is not as fit as the elderly Vorrakaz.
Zyldi looks for the source of the music at the inn, but can only see Bartemus is playing the dulcimer. Seeing Bartemus, she turns back to the bar for further (non-alcoholic) drinks instead.
Ilvar chats with Thebus about his previous opponents. Thebus mentions the only other person who has beaten him was Lieutenant Cindertooth, head of the city watch (a red Dragonborn). Thebus calls him a cheeky bastard.
Ilvar invites Thebus to join the party, Thebus relunctantly declines but would happily meet up with the party in the future.
Ilvar asks about Bartemus - Thebus notes he's a bit odd, and his friends are odd too. He acknowledges that you can't expect to like everyone.
Thebus passes a handful of gold to Ilvar, but has paid too much. Ilvar makes sure to return the excess.
Zyldi notices Fi and Re have followed Esther to a corner of the bar. Zyldi compliment the twins on their hair, and Esther responds for them - they aren't very talkative. Esther explains the twins are from a village in the mountain but can't recall the name. Esther turns back to the twins as if listening, but they don't speak. There is the sound of a fire crackling, and Esther translates the noise (their speech) as the name of the village, and mentions there is an entrance to the elemental plane of fire there. Zyldi asks where Esther is from, and she says "everywhere". Upon further pressing, she names the island of Lucario's Coin as her hometown.
Zyldi asks if Esther recalls anyone passing through with a book. The twins make eye contact, and Esther asks if Matreos is involved in any of this. Esther suggests the party take this conversation to a more private location, and shifts to a quieter corner of the bar.
~meanwhile, unbeknownst to the party~
Rowan is chatting to Estevaan about the fight. Rowan asks for information about the missing homeless population of Tiberium. Estevaan's face loses it's jolly smile and turns grim - this topic is clearly of great concern.
Estevaan states he's always been friendly with the guard, but some parties have been complaining that previously quiet roads are now bustling with unsanctioned activity. Rowan knows these roads to be a set of tunnels under the city, managed by a criminal network of 'Grinners', led by the 'Golden Jester'. The city watch have been unable to locate the Grinners, following them into the tunnels only to lose them in the maze. The fact that the Grinners are unhappy about the use of the tunnels speaks volumes to the nature of the activities underway.
Niamh has made Thistle a drink named the midnight star, to match her hat.
Niamh drops a drink at Rowan's table but as he is on duty, he doesn't touch it.
The party (minus Rowan) file into the booth. Esther gives Zyldi a look, and mentions how interesting it is that she mention a book. Esther recalls about 3 weeks ago a mouthy fellow passed through, and put several of our friend's (Rowan) friends in the ground (DED). They were sober guards, not ones to indulge while on duty. The perpetrator mentioned he was going north, a great calling awaited him near the mountains...
The noise of fire crackling gets louder, and Esther continues: "oh yes, the god brain would reward him". When asked what that meant, she looks genuinely afraid. There are few sources that talk of brains in the way he did, one is Illithids (tentacle faced, davy jones type fellas), one could also mistake a beholder for a god. Either way, he had the book, and he was heading north, expecting a reward.
Niamh says EW and recalls a scary story about Illithids snatching fairies in the night for a snack. The brains of the fairies would be turned into little creatures to do their bidding. If they were to be real, Niamh would not hesitate to eliminate them.
Zyldi mentions Illithids can take whole races captive, and that Illithids are not fairy tales. This gets the attention of the genassi twins, who nod vehemently.
Niamh brings Zyldi a soothing tea. Esther is interested to hear Zyldi affirm they are real, and questions whether Zyldi serves them. Ilvar objects, frustrated.
Esther mentions anyone proficient at tracking psychic energies would have no trouble picking up the scent of the perpetrator. She promises to take us to the location the perpetrator was last seen in the morning.
The tiefling and the genassi rise to leave. One of the twins smells of lavender and cinnamon.
A previously unnoticed owl lands on the shoulder on one of the twins as they leave.
