"Fair enough. Speakin' of which..." Collins set his bag down and began to pull things out of it. Two glasses, two bottles, and some thin books carefully wrapped in thin paper. He slid the bundle of paper over towards Astarion--inside the elf would find sheet music for his lyre, including tabs for some pieces, a general hodgepodge of random music from all over the worlds to try out--and left it for him to take at his leisure.

The assassin moved onto the glasses and bottles. He set one of each in front of them. The bottle he set in front of Astarion didn't look particularly fancy but there was a unique notation on it. He opened the bottle and poured some into Astarion's glass. It looked (and in fact was) wine today.

"Now, you tell me how that hits ya and then we'll go from there."

In the meantime, he opened the second bottle and poured himself a lick of whiskey. He wasn't sure if the alcohol in Astarion's bottle would have any ill effect on someone not of the vampire's constitution but Collins figured why chance it. He distrusted most things magical anyway. But Astarion didn't and he hoped the gift worked as requested and if it didn't he'd just decry the admiral even more than he already did.

"Cheers, lad."