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Given Pepe's experience as a theif, he knows that a long cloak like that can have all sorts of things concealed in inner pockets (his own cloak holding several shurikens, flint and tinder, loose coins, a bagel, and a dried sample of some "exotic herbs" he won in a card game at the Nentir Inn across town a few days ago but hasn't yet done anything with). There is of course no way of assessing what this lady might have stowed in pockets without getting indecorously close. He doesn't notice any outwardly obvious signs of extra weaponry or danger - and besides, who travels the Vale unarmed these days?
Phaedra had tagged along on Pepe's visit to the Nentir Inn, as she'd heard that on top of cutthroat games of cards, they also wagered drinks on arm wrestling matches. There she bested no fewer than three cloaked strangers who were almost certainly up to shady dealings. Such cloaked strangers, though, are significantly less common in the Silver Unicorn. No recent rumors have been going around this more respectable establishment.

Rasputin and the mystery woman stare each other down for another moment, neither losing their cool. Jeb soon rises to his feet, and speaks to the woman easily - though he stays just slightly behind Rasputin. "You'll have to excuse Rasputin here, he gets a bit protective - but of course, that's what I pay him for! 'Head of Security', I think his title is now." All of your titles are liable to change from week to week, though your actual responsibilities never do. Jeb continues, "So, on that note, I'd be more'n'happy to chat with you about travel arrangements - can even do so in that corner you're favorin' - but we'll just bring Mr. Tesla here along with us. That suit'cha alright?" The woman looks to Rasputin for another brief moment, gives another smile, and says, "Heh. Tough but quiet guy like this in charge of keeping your journeys safe? Suits me just fine. Let's talk." She turns and heads for the corner table, and Jeb and Rasputin follow.

The rest of you are left at your original table. The lutist has now resumed playing, and seems to be improvising the lyrics to a song about a giantess terrorizing innocent folk by throwing hot oil on them. How do you occupy yourselves as Jeb and Rapsutin carry out private negotiations?
[Rick will be PM'd about said negotiations]

"It sure got noisy in here. So... um... she seems nice?"

Phaedra replies loudly, "Do you want me to command everyone to be silent? I've been thinking of silencing this lute-player for a while now."

"Wait, but I want to hear what happens with the people getting roasted with hot oil!"

Pepe is moved deeply by the bard's beautiful music. He attempts to steal the song (d20+4+2+5[BG:Master Thiefsman] = 27)

The tempo of the song rises just a bit - the bard seems to be nearing the final verse. At just the moment when the bard would have began to sing, Pepe stands and cuts in with his own lyrics, perfectly matching the rhyme and meter used in previous verses.
"So, wary souls, keep an eye to the hill
For when the giantess next comes down
Her pot o' bubblin' flesh and oil shall spill
On merchant, bard, and all else in the town!"

The bard has had entirely enough of this. He turns around quickly, whipping up his long hair, and stuffs his lute back into its case. There is a bit of applause for Pepe's improvisation, but as the bard hurriedly departs the inn, things quiet down a good bit.
Given this, you are able to hear a distinctive "clink" noise at the table with Jeb, Rasputin, and the mysterious woman - which has so far eluded your attention, but certainly has it now. The latter appears to have put a sack of coins down on their table, which Jeb and Rasputin consider. After a bit more negotiation and some exchange of coin, Jeb shakes hands with the woman. She gets up from the table and promptly heads up the stairs to the second floor of the inn, while Jeb and Rasputin return to your table.
"Well, folks, we done got us another passenger. Not that many details to share at the moment, but this ought to interest y'all..." Jeb reaches into his pockets, produces a handful of coins, and slides five to each of you. The coins are all platinum.
"Now, I recommend y'all get some shut-eye. We got us an early morning tomorrow".

Would you like to further discuss matters before turning in?

Phaedra crams the coins into her big bag of bird bones and frayed string with a grin. After a few rounds of laying down the backbeat for Pe^2's mythical yarns, she retires to a nearby abandoned badger's dugout to catch some sleep.

Rasputin picks up Pepe with one arm as he downs another stew bowl with the other.  As he trundles for the rooms with he sneaky friend he strikes up a quiet conversation.  "Lady is paying well but she's got the look of someone on the run to me.  Could come to bite us in the ass.  Gonna need you to be ready to extremely stab her is need be."

"I should have figured. If we're getting paid like this, either someone dangerous is after her or she's dangerous herself. Not much we can do at this point except keep an eye out." Pepe maintains his composure despite being carried like a football.

"She's paying us to never mention her coming along either. Concerned that someone is gonna find us and ask but foolish enough to think folks whose silence can be bought wont sell that silence later on when she's gone. Theres More platinum in her purse than what we took as well.  What did you get from the look of her? Royal on the run? Thief?" Rasputin slides Pepe right into his cot while only holding on to his head before heading to his own.  "Had some daggers on her but I couldnt catch the make of them."

"She was definitely dressed far too plain for someone carrying that kind of walkin' around money. The more I think about this, the more I think we're heading for *yawn*... trouble." Pepe drifts off to slumber land while clutching his favorite dagger like a teddy bear.

As the rest of you retire Tanya leaves the inn, heading back to the House of the Sun - she still stays in her original room in the temple when the group is stopped in Fallcrest. She says even less than usual while departing your company, offering no speculation about the strange woman the rest of you are discussing. It seems she's still trying to work out the riddle Jeb set for her earlier.

You all get a good night's sleep. Jeb rouses Ruth, Pepe, and Rasputin somewhat before dawn, so that you have time to make the final preparations for the journey. After a quick breakfast, the group collects Phaedra from her favored dirt lodgings. While crossing town to the stables where your carts and horses are, you see Tanya emerge from the House of the Sun.

"Good- *yaaawn* good morning, everyone. I was up thinking last night, and it occurred to me it's been a while since we've been out on a journey with... um... potential for excitement. You know what I mean. Anyway, just to make sure everyone stays safe, I gathered these together. Please take them." Tanya gives each of you one Healing Potion.

Your group reaches the stables. Per routine, you all take up various tasks of un-tarping the loaded carts, double-checking the cargo against a written inventory, ensuring everything is tied down snugly, and hitching up the horses. Jeb busies himself overseeing a bit of everything: "Tesla, tighten these here ropes some- Ruth, that box o' boots you said was missin' is just over here on the wrong cart- Pepe, maybe you oughta stay clear of that particular horse, he seems a mite spooked by ya. Let's get this all in shape, our passengers oughta be arrivin' here any minute. Ah, in fact, I reckon I see a couple of 'em now..."

Looking over toward the path back into town, you see that there are indeed two men approaching the caravan. They're about six feet in height, and dressed... colorfully. They both wear sweaters, floppy bonnet hats, and unusual long skirts - all these garments made from the same rough, noisily plaid fabric. Extending from under their bonnets down to their chins are large, bright orange beards, somewhat but not entirely blending with their very ruddy skin tones. Each man carries a travel sack tucked under one arm, and a bagpipe under the other. They awkwardly manage to raise hands in greeting as they come closer to your group.
"Hello, good morning!" says one man, in a thick accent not entirely unlike that of a native Dwarvish-speaker.
"Yes, hello," says the other, his accent identical, "We are your passengers for the big trip."
"Yes, we go to Harken. Allow us introduce ourselves. My name is MacGruber," says the first man.
"And my name is Lachdanen," says the other.
"We are Dorf!" says MacGruber.
"We are twin Dorf!" says Lachdanen.
"We are very tall for our age!" they both say in unison, and then let out hearty laughs.

Jeb puts his arms behind his back, looks the other direction, and whistles.
How do you greet your new guests?

Rasputin raises a eyebrow as he yanks the ropes tighter. "Dorfs huh? Long way from Hammerfast."  Rasputin looks at Jeb with a 'Are you kidding me' glance before sizing up these two dorfs. He looks them over for ANY sign of dwarven clothing, Weapons, or any other jewelry or the like that would set them apart from twin eccentric farmer goofballs.

(1d20+4 = 18 without any bonuses)

Rasputin recognizes that the long, rough skirts the men wear very vaguely resemble a style of dwarvish clothing known as a "kyltte". However, the kyltte has been out of fashion for approximately 500 years.
"Bagpipes" are another piece of obscure trivia from Rasputin's upbringing in Hammerfast. They are a style of musical instrument that was used in a dwarven funeral ceremony - one dwarven funeral ceremony, after which they were outlawed indefinitely.
The only other thing about their appearance that even remotely resembles dwarves is their long, fiery beards - though they have a strange sheen and texture to them that makes them seem dissimilar to, say, actual hair.
The two "Dorfs" do not appear to be carrying weapons of any sort.

Rasputin leans over to pepe before nodding at the two men and specifically their beards  "Think you can steal those beards sometime? Thats a fake as hell beard"