When Elmus (Oog) comes back and tells the others about some kind of auction taking place, the adventurers try to learn more about it. The other spectators do not seem overly interested in them, so it's easy enough to mingle with the crowd and listen to their talk (some of which they can even understand, some more that Elmus can translate for them).
“... Do you think he’ll really show up — the Boss, I mean? ...”
“... Ah, I’m not surprised he’s wearing a disguise. I seen him once, and I’d wear a mask, too, if I was as ugly as him. ...”
“... He won’t come, He’ll just send somebody, maybe a powerful wizard changed into a goblin or something. ...”
“... I heard that one of the merchant’s helpers melted into a puddle of lard when he touched the thing. ...”
“... Disguise or no disguise, you gotta know who the Boss is: he’ll be the guy bidding the price up. ...”
“... The Boss has to buy it. He can’t let something like this get into the wrong hands. ...”
“... Muldoog saw it, and he says it has to be at least a thousand years old. ...”