The hostess tells you impeturbably that the assassins from the 13th moon never show up until the band starts its third set, and that sets the tone for dinner.
Mafty Blues would be Bohemian if there had ever been a Bohemia on Khorvaire. It's painted all blue and has a dining room with a bandstand, a bar, and a smoking room with tables and books that just seems like the perfect place for Zook to do some decoding. The clientele is university students with a strong addition of "adventuring chic": leather armor composed entirely of buckles, pewter bracers pierced to show tanned skin to good effect, and discreet blades tucked into tunics or boots.
The term used to describe them in the Shard would be "followers". Possibly "poseurs".
Mafty himself is a rotund Jorasco halfling who dresses entirely in blue of various shades. He bounds around the restaraunt like a manic grape making sure everyone is comfortable.
The special of the day is red beans and rice with a green salad.
The band is halfway through their first song, telling someone how it's gonna be, that you're gonna give your lovin' to me.
Rethlin is drawing a few looks because he's wearing more real armor than the rest of the bar put together.
Kae's spear is getting in the way: finally Mafty asks if he can put that in the coat check for the evening. He seems magnificently unconcerned that the spear is twice his size.
Zook goes off to the smoking room and begins to decrypt the notes in the book, which yield easily to him.
But the rest of you have time for dinner and a chat while he works. Or dancing.