Miss Melve. With Upper gone crazy, if we could get the Inn opened, as the only safe place to rest in or around Lower and the Bazaar, we'd rake it in. We wouldn't even need anything fancy, just to finish cleaning the place out, and set up bedrolls in rooms upstairs and a crude bar downstairs. Maybe not even the bar, just the place to stay.
The important things would be to have a good defense and a cast-iron escape plan for if the Chosen hit.
As for negotiating protection from the lizards, I would suggest we offer a selection of the following concessions: -A percentage tax of all profits in exchange for defensive services. -Free or discounted lodging for Shadow Tribe soldiers. -A "shrine" to the dragon, to appeal to its vision of godhood. If in exchange, we'd get a couple of their off-duty elite troops as bouncers and offical backing, it would be worth it.
So far as our own personal security goes, I reckon invisibility wands or potions permanently on the hip, a strong front door and a well-oiled back door. The best escape plan would be to summon an Earth elemental to dig out a tunnel leading beyond the gates.
The best plan overall would be to set the Inn up, but run it at a distance, making spell-concealed runs to check, resupply and manage the place. Let the lizards take most of the risk.
With the chaos all over the city, I'm a very busy man, but I can possibly spare time to set this going. One last thing. If you ever discover a place to get hold of wands and abjurer's nightshade , let me know. Sugriam's vanished along with Linda and that's bad news for us arcanists. (//OOC: Do not suggest Smuggler or Justan. That's my PC. :P)
-Egon