[center][color=151617]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[/color]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/X7wLvzi.png[/img][/center]
[color=de8658][b]  》[i]Cont.[/i][/b][/color]
[sub][@Cao the Exiled][@Lauder][@Vertigo][@duskshine749][@Ellri][@DTHar][/sub]
[color=151617]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[/color][/center]
[indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][h3][sup][sup][color=a9a9a9] Esvellee took in a sharp intake of breath between clenched teeth, paused, and then relaxed. "Yes, I do suppose so," she replied under the weight of Ardour's charm and Jhimas' gentle coaxing, "I did hire you for a job, after all. The matter is sensitive in nature, so your discretion is appreciated." 

She leaned in, her gaze flickering between some of the patrons beyond their little table, opening her mouth to speak as Aurix leaned in herself, revealing some frank observations. Despite well rehersed attempted decorum otherwise, Esvelle visibly shivered as her eyes widened. She watched the lizardfolk with poorly concealed fear, regarding her properly for perhaps the first time this evening. Pulling her dress a little tighter around her chest, her expression cooled back into something more calm and collected. The noblewoman replied in a low and steady voice, 

"Quite adeptly recognised, Aurix. There is more to you then meets the eye, isn't there?"

For a moment, the conversations of the tavern weaved between them, along with a quite pungent (and now retreating) smell of strong goast's cheese. Mugs clinked, voices bellowed and after collecting herself, Esvelle began to recount the story of [color=de8658]Kressando Rosznar[/color].

"I have worked very hard, these last few years, attempting to restore the Rosznar name to glory. You are travellers so I don't expect you to understand our [color=de8658]sordid history[/color] here in Waterdeep - and in more exotic reaches - but we are, frankly, a [color=de8658]disgraced house[/color]. You see, before my lifetime, there were quite a few nasty characters among our ranks, a fact that seems to damn every Rosznar generation.  Our downfall was our [color=de8658]intimate involvement in slave trading[/color], among other scandals. The conditions, I hear, were quite horrific." Esvelle bristled as she spoke, all but spitting the last words like a cobra, despite their articulate veneer.

"We wish to be an upstanding house of integrity and honour. It is to this end that we struggle daily under the yoke of our ancestor's reputation and cruelties, holding our heads high. But there are those among us like my brother, who support fully the sinister acts of our forefathers. This dissentuous faction diseasing our ranks have [color=de8658]sent my brother on a covert mission into the Mad Mage's Dungeon to begin again these nefarious practices.[/color]"

"Deep in the depths of the Mad Mage's dungeon, is a town known as [color=de8658]Skullport[/color]. It is here that my brother [color=de8658]Kressando[/color] has been sent to [color=de8658]set up a slave trade[/color] with a local guild. I need my brother [color=de8658]returned to Waterdeep[/color] before he ruins us for good."

She reaches into her cloak and pulls out a tied parchment, unravelling it to reveal a well rendered image of a handsome young man with cruel, startling eyes. His hair falls in dark curly locks around a sharply angled, dinstinctly noble face, and his skin is fair and umblemished. The family resemblance between him and Esvelle is clear. She taps on the image with a long slender finger once everyone has had a good clear look, drawing attention to the silver signet ring she wears, glittering in the light.

"This is the Rosznar Crest," Esvelle explained, the ring depicting a diving white falcon against a blue field. [color=de8658]"Kressando has a ring just like this,[/color] only his is [color=de8658]made of platinum. The family motto, 'Fly high and stoop swift', is inscribed on the outer rim.[/color] Be very careful, my brother is a [color=de8658]skilled thief, deceiver and stealthy weasel[/color], so he may wear other disguises. Keep your wits about you, and [color=de8658]don't let the deal go through if you find him in the middle of buisness down there." [/color]

She wrapped up the parchment and passed it to Lauk, shaking her head. "I don't know what dangers you'll face down there or what you'll need to kill, but whatever it is I'm sure you can handle it." Esvelle finished with smile, "after all, I wouldn't have hired you otherwise, no?"

[/color][/sup][/sup][/h3][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][center][color=151617]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[/color][/center]
[indent][indent][indent][indent][indent]>>Lauk receives Inventory update: Parchment (picture of Kressando Rosznar) tied with stauched red ribbon[/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]