Ok, so here is how it went down. Fergan is a talented actor in the employ of the dramatic stage troupe Cuenta Veraz, Truthful Account. The leader of the troupe goes by the same name, so most people call him just Cuenta, Veraz, or simly, Raz, though a couple actors will sometimes call him Vera, with a wink.

He is an eccentric man, or rather he is though to be. He owns a small theater on the border of a upper class and lower class district. The sort of street with shops and restaurants that common folk will treat themselves to for special occasions, but the wealthy frequent as a matter of course. Raz lives at the theater in a private bedroom/kitchen/dressing room. The striking oddity of it is that it is decorated to look more like a tiny temple than anything else. When asked about it, he says, "Some of the most beautiful and enrapturing places on the plane are the rooms around altars."

In the middle of the room is a large ornate pedalstool. On it lies a large, open tome. The words appear to be gibberish, "A prop," Raz says. Though, at times there are scripts on it instead, where Raz stands and reads them aloud before allowing them to be rehearsed by the actors or performed for audiences.

One day Fergan was waiting for Raz in the office/alter room, and was looking over the book, marveling over the great care with which the non-sense words were written. The letters were stylized to the point of looking like new, unknown characters. Most groups of letters were random jumbles, but some words poked out here and there. "Hidden. Sleeping. Power. Beforetime. Corrupt. Cleanse. Seek." Fergan entered a kind of trance. It was broken when Raz entered the room and they realized together that Fergan had just been reading Raz's book of secrets.

From that time on Raz taught Fergan the secrets of [xxxzzdrixz yrwrax or whatever]. He lets Fergan in on his ploy of gathering secrets from the upper crust and airing them in dramatic fashion. "Good for business. Good for our Patron. Good for a laugh."

He asks you to find out what you can about a young lordling that recently entered the city. Raz gives you name, Renthel Blutorr, he is staying at the Siren's Trap, which is a rather rough establishment near the docks.

In reply to GM (msg # 1):

OOC: I am going to assume that Fergan has a couple of stock characters he has worked up over the years, but I'm going to limit it to a lord (background), a beggar, and a commoner--all human.

Fergan, both concerned and relieved to have found another follower of [name], dons his commoner disguise (Ferlo, we'll say), and makes his way to the Siren's Trap.

Fergan arrives in disguise to the Inn, which is more like a tavern with a few shabby rooms- rented by the hour. There is a lot of drinking, gambling, drunken revelry, and singing. The floor is stone with dirty straw strewn about it. You see a man matching the lordling's description drinking, gambling, and bouncing a whore on his knee. He is playing dice.

(OOC: this is not an invitation to play out a gambling scene, but you are welcome to do so. I think a lot of dms and players are really into those scenes, but I can take it or leave it)

OOC: I am rather proud of the tavern name, even though I specifically rejected some other ideas because I was trying to make the name of the inn not-dirty. My brain stumbled upon it and it ended up defining the type of place it was.

In reply to GM (msg # 3):

OOC: I am just going to assume the "I" convention...

I watch discreetly and pay particular attention to the whore to determine a) if she is actually a whore, b) if she appears to be genuinely into him, and c) if he appears to be genuinely into her.

I also watch how free he is with his coin, how open he is with strangers, and how well he is doing at the table. I keep count with drops of beer on the table of his wins and losses.

In reply to Fergan (msg # 4):

Oh--I also want to make sure I hear enough of his voice to be able to mimic him.

In reply to Fergan (msg # 5):

Let's play here.

He is playing with copper and silver and doesn't seem to care too much about whether he wins or loses. If he runs out of coin, he just scoops another handful of copper out of a large pouch. His luck appears about even, though.

The whore is a professional in the sense that she acts, looks, and acts the right way, but is a little off her game when he isn't really paying attention, or distracts him when he would rather not be. He doesn't seem to be as much into her as he is looking like he is into her.

He doesn't really talk much to others, but more so yells things you would expect at the right times. You get the feeling that he is oscillating between an act and genuinely enjoying himself.

You notice that he doesn't drink as much as spills his drink on himself, the floor, and his whore. In fact, debasing her in that way and being generally rough with her seems to cause him more joy than the other activities.

OOC: I am assuming a fairly high Insight 'roll' due to wisdom, proficiency, and patience.

In reply to GM (msg # 7):

OOC: I am going to describe what I'm after more often than not and have you tell me if/when a roll is required.

I start making a more concerted effort to not be seen watching him. Maybe striking up a conversation at the bar with a vantage point where I can observe him or the equivalent.

Does he appear to be waiting? Is he looking to the window, the door, the staircase, or other points of ingress with a higher-than usual frequency?

If I catch the whore's eye and believe that I won't be seen, I wink at her and briefly put my finger over my lips to signal that she shouldn't acknowledge the wink.

In reply to Fergan (msg # 8):

Also, I check the room to see if anyone else is scoping this guy out as well.

There does not appear to be anyone else watching him, but maybe they are just as good as you are. He does not appear to watching ingress or egress points. He does not appear to be waiting for anything.

You wink at the woman, she gestures to another woman to come over, whispers to her, then the second woman approaches you and propositions you.

In reply to GM (msg # 10):

I whisper into her ear, in Ferlo's voice: "Sorry, luv, tunight I'm picky and cun waitmah turn."

OOC: If there is some superficial and inoffensive differentiating quality about them, like their hair color, I would amend that to be something like "Tonight I'm looking for a blonde like her."--but only if she isn't going to just send a different girl over. Maybe another way to put it is that I want to make a comment asking for a girl who has a trait only the main whore in question appears to have.

What I wrote was fine enough, though.

She looks over at the woman then back to you, "Oh, yes. She's popular," she laughs, "But you'll have to settle for me I'm a afraid," she winks, "Kela's taken for the night. Or at least until he's done, no telling when that might be."

OOC: I found it very difficult to attribute a name.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:36, Thu 22 Feb 2018.

In reply to GM (msg # 12):

I feign disappointment, look away, then look back up hopefully: Is'ee stayinfer the night or 'ere fer a while?"

"Dunno, but Kela's paid just for the night. So what is it honey, yay or nay?"

In reply to GM (msg # 14):

"No offense, but nay. Imma tryta whip him."

I stand and approach the table, making a point to look a bit drunk. If I'm given the first word, I say:

"Yadon' seem much like...like muchofa gambler, and you gotchyer arm 'round mah interst. Playa for yer spot in line."

He looks a little startled at first then a look of derision paints his face, "Bugger off, or drop some coin."

You catch a quick, shake of the head from Kela, a slight look of concern on her face.

In reply to GM (msg # 16):

OOC: I'm going to assume that the Awakened Mind feature works more like the Telepathy spell than the way Allan decided to run it: http://engl393-dnd5th.wikia.com/wiki/Telepathy

As Ferlo sits down, I communicate the following to Kela telepathically in the voice of an irrelevant third party, optimizing for a friendly and comforting woman's voice:

"Kiss your customer if you are safe."

OOC: According to Crawford, Awakened Mind is meant to be one way.

She starts and look behind herself and all around. She looks freaked out. The guy didn't seem to notice. Kela says to him, "Let me get you another drink," and leaves holding her hand to her head in the way someone would if they think they are tripping balls.

In reply to GM (msg # 18):

"Do not be afraid. I am the Matron of Shadows, protector of those who give the comforts of the night. I have sent this laborer to you and cast a spell on him. He is now in love with you, but the spell will be broken if you kiss your company. If not, this man will help you."

While saying this, Ferlo pulls some coins from his pocket while gazing lovingly at Kela.

And, yes, I meant in terms of sending sounds, images, and the like.

In reply to Fergan (msg # 20):

15:30, Today: Fergan rolled 16 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 10.  Deception Check?

I also would like to accompany this with an image of a beautiful, serene woman with black hair, dressed in classy whore clothes.

She sits down shaking her head and looking at the floor. Then she looks up at you.

She shuts her eyes and you see her say something (she is whispering).

DC 10 Perception check to hear
DC 15 investigation check to read lips.

In reply to GM (msg # 23):

16:38, Today: Fergan rolled 4 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 2.  Perception Check.
16:37, Today: Fergan rolled 12 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 8.  Investigation Check.

OOC: Ha...lame.

In a fading voice: "The choice is yours..."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 00:41, Fri 23 Feb 2018.

In reply to Fergan (msg # 24):

Ferlo puts a silver on the table:

"If'n yer wantin' to see I'mma hones man, name yer game--Elsewise name the wager Immahaveta put up to take yer spot fer the evenin'"