[snip]

The well dressed brown suited man just gave an idle shrug to Marcus, “..Well it is not every day the Vine here gets such a jovial group, much less one so large. I would at first think you were a party of adventurers, but your garb and equipment don’t seem quite up to snuff in quality for most I’ve met on the roads of the Old Slavich. So my next thought is you could be a party of traders, but again your accompaniment tells me that’s not likely the case either. I happen to run much of the local trade here in the village, and no major caravans beyond the Vistani were to be coming in anytime soon. So that closes out the idea you are a group of merchants or traders..” he said pausing to take a sip of his glass again. Leaning forward then he clasped his hands together on the table. “..Then I realized none of you are of the local Barovian stock here in the village or elsewhere. Nor are you from any of the other majorly human focused countries of The Core region. This means either you are outlanders from beyond The Mists, or from a new country just revealed by The Mists. But the fact you do not seem bewildered like most outlanders freshly arrived, and you’re able to understand the local Barovian tongue means the second option is also not likely..” he said.

Pausing again to sip his glass, he gave Marcus a harder, but still seemingly friendly look, “..Which means my friend, you are your compatriots are something special, and special people happen to garner my interest most closely in my line of work..” he stated.

Now Marcus was interested, “And your line of work would be?”

The man sat back again with a smile on his face, though it seemed far from a friendly one more like a smile that hid a more sinister nature. “..Why me? I’m a man of trade. I organize merchant caravans around Barovia, and in particular for those coming through Barovia village here. I also manage information exchanges with these caravans and for adventuring parties provide rumors and leads to places of their interest for adventuring......for a price of course..” He said.

“They do say everything comes with a price around these parts, but I’d like to think I drive a hard bargain,” Marcus was really getting into the part now and was confident in his attempt at swindling the stranger, “We can offer you naught but our help in any matter you may require assistance with.... within reason of course.”

The man gave another smile that did nothing to hide the more vile attitudes he likely held underneath, “..Mmmm most curious to my little study now, you offer help in any matter to me, but yet as I said you’re not adventurers..” he said. Then gave an idle wave of his hand, “…Well I am afraid I have nothing that requires your attentions right now. Though it does seem your food and drink has since returned to you and your compatriots..” he said with a gesture to the table Anders had come from. “..If you do happen to later need information do come look me up at my home down the road from here in the village..” he said. “..Big sign, with the picture of two hands shaking with an eye above them..”

Anders nodded and turned back to the table, striding back toward the away team, satisfied with the amount of information he had received.

Shirley looked toward her Chief of Security approaching the table and said to Anders quietly, “What did you determine with that man Lieutenant? Did you acquire any mission relevant information? He has had his eyes peeled on us since we entered this place which is suspicious enough.” She then looked to the creepy trio in the corner of the room and looked back at Anders and Knight, “Those three in the corner with the hoods look suspect as well.”

The three in the corner as the landing party would glance that way had since been joined by a woman. The woman in question was draped in a fine looking dress of silver and blue. The only other person the entire room who seemed to match her upscale like dress was the elven singer who seemed about ready to begin her work with the two men. This new woman strode with a confidence of someone who knew what she wanted, and how to get it. She simply strode up to the three hooded men, sat down with barely any acknowledgement and then removed a pouch of leather wrapped papers and slid them over to the trio. The middle figure took it, opened it briefly seeming to glance through it then closed it. He then slid it to the man on the right who pocketed it into a hidden pocket under his jacket it seems, rose without a word and began to move for the door of the room to leave. The two remaining behind stayed, and the other figure next to the middle man took out a pouch of some sort, and slid it over to the woman.

The woman seemed to smile in a way that seemed haughty and pleased, she opened it and seemed to palm what seemed some sort of dried herb or plant before returning it to the bag and zipping it shut, she then tucked it in between the cleft of her amble bosom and said something to both men. Anders slightly closer then the rest could make out a word or two that seemed to be ‘magic’ and then followed several words later with ‘bubble’. What it referred too was anyone’s guess. With her business done the woman rose and moved closer to another empty table closer to the landing party likely to relax and take in the soon to be performers.

Said performers, seemed to catch the attention of many in the Vine, especially once the man at the baby grand piano began to play a slow haunting melody, which was soon picked up by the other man who played a wonderfully crafted violin like piece. The elven woman in the striking fine green colored dress began to sing along in a quality which was equally harmonic to the two players, and yet carried a quality of beauty all its own. Unfortunately it seems their embedded UTs couldn’t yet decipher what the woman was singing, but it didn’t seem like many of the others present knew either only caring it seems about her voice and/or likely eye candy appeal.

GM CockRoach