Luludha elbows Garren in the calf.  "Ask him about the fish," she mentions quietly.

!i!

"Oh! Right! What about this Dap the Fish we hear so much about? Once we get permission from this Fevrin person, do you think he'd be helpful?"

"If you have magic that allows you to breath the water as some do, you won't have a problem," Fevrin smiles. "Otherwise, you'll have to rely on Dap's rather less certain...methods."

He walks past you back into the tower. Taking a ledger from the stack of papers on his desk, he reads down some entries.

"Dap reports that a submerged tower about a mile out to sea radiates light and he has yet to investigate it. Also, a sailor has reported seeing a speaking statue in one of the caves in the cliffs below this tower. I'm sure that you'll find all kinds of rewards if you decide to investigate either of those."

He closes the book with a snap, "Just bring me some yellow glass and we will allow you to keep all else that you find. Well, minus Dap's fee anyhow. Fairlea Pharos isn't large, as you have no doubt seen. You'll find Dap soon enough. I hope we have an accord." Fevrin spits on his hand and holds it out.

Luludha smiles and thanks Fevrin for his attention, then pauses with her lips pursed.

"Pardon my asking...but can you tell us what the significance of this yellow glass is?"

She tilts her head slightly with a charming and (one would hope) disarming smile.

!i!

"I would like to find that out myself," Fevrin smiles. "I dabble in alchemy when i get a moment or two and this particular glass seems to be rather unusual. Unfortunately, my last experiments used up my supply. So any more of the stuff you could bring me would be useful."

Orlok looks puzzled.

"So this tower.. did it seem to be completely submerged, or is it merely submerged on the lowest levels. Could we take a boat out to go investigate it?"

"Go find Dap, he'll explain better than i, but i imagine that it's fully submerged, otherwise we would have heard of it before now. Dap spends a lot of his time out there and is the best guide. He has several rowboats at the base of the cliff. Now if you wouldn't mind, i have business to attend to."

Fevrin starts leafing through a pile of parchment absently.

Luludha quietly captures the attention of her fellows and motions toward the door.

"Thank you, Fevrin, for the help and guidance you've been able to give us.  We will be certain to visit you again, hopefully soon."

She nods gently and heads for the door.

!i!

Garren quickly bows to the old man and backs out of the room.

"So, friends, it sounds like Dap is our best chance of exploring those ruins. Or perhaps we could check the seaside caves first, and hope we beat the tide?"

Orlok agrees.

"We should find out just when these tides come in and out so we don't end up trapped or anything...although I do have a bit of skill with waterborne creatures"

Luludha nods thoughfully.  "The caves seem like a sensible place to start...and they're on the way down to the water.  I imagine we have to head down that way to meet the fish in any case."

She pauses to smile at Orlok.  "Skill with waterborne creatures, huh?  Like, 'Talk-to-melio!'?"  Luludha giggles gently and pokes him playfully in the kneecap.

!i!

Orlok just smiles.

"You'll see."

Luludha shrugs forgivingly.  "I have to admit, the shining badger was impressive.  Now, shall we see about fitting ourselves out with proper gear?"  Looking down at her own clothing's sad state of affairs, she casts a questioning eye to her comrades.  "I suppose they'll need money of some sort in exchange for supplies.  Do we...have any?"

!i!

You exit the tower and head back into the small village whilst you are discussing things. A grimy looking halfling approaches as you wander from the tower; wringing his hands anxiously.

"Hello travellers," he says. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Dap, named by some, the fish. I couldn't help but notice your arrival and your conversations with the guard and Fevrin. Am i right in thinking that you wish to explore the ruins? You'll find no better guide around here. My rates are very reasonable. I lead you to an unexplored region and i receive 10% of the monetary worth of anything you recover. Fevrin is normally willing to pay for most things recovered, or if you wish to travel elsewhere, he can value things well." He hops up and down in a hyper manner, a grin from ear to ear.

"Hm. Why do they call you 'the Fish'?

As to the 10%, I'm agreeable to that if my friends here are."