Soren tilts his head at the young noble's "man-horse" toast, but otherwise says nothing.  I regret that you two brothers, who consume far too much of the city-dwellers' drink but seem otherwise harmless, had a fiend and vampire-loving monster of a mother that we had to put down.

(On his way in, he would have looked to see if the ravens were on the roof, and if so, greeted them politely using Speech of the Woods, though his demeanor would reflect unease and worry to the black-winged birds).

Soren follows Zefla to the bar, with a nod at Urwin and Danika, as well as Adrian and Elvir from the winery, though he does not partake in any drink himself.  Instead, knowing his pack may soon tangle with the Baron, and his henchman Izek, or rescue two human females from their clutches, Soren scans the interior of the Blue Water Inn for the Baron's guards (or for the Baron himself, or his son, or Izek).  Nettle does the same from Soren's shoulder.

Giles accompanies Zefla and Soren to the bar, watching Burr as he makes his way up the stairs.  “I still worry about him..” Giles says in a low voice to Soren and Zefla.  He leaves it there and he turns, scanning the room, looking for Rictavio.  If he does not see him, he leans into the bar and says to Urwin or Danika, “Have you seen Rictavio?  I wish to continue our conversation that we were having the other night… is he upstairs?  How flows the wine?  Any news or goings on recently?”  Giles turns and looks at Zefla and Soren, to determine how they wish to play this.  

Soren does not see any one he recognizes as part of the Baron's family or entourage, and no one here is dressed or armed like a guard.

Urwin shakes his head at Zefla.  "No, you haven't missed anything."  Quietly, he adds, "I think the euphoria of fresh wine and the festival have worn off, and the people are back to worrying about the attack on the church and its implications.  No one is quite sure what tonight or tomorrow will bring."

To Giles, Urwin laughs.  "It seems our friend Rictavio the bard has abandoned us.  He took his horse out early the first morning you were here... before even your friend woke screaming and conjured the ghost bear.  He hasn't returned.  I think he may have left Vallaki entirely."  He shakes his head, tired but jokingly adding, "You must have made quite an impression upon him."

"Otherwise no, little has happened since you were here earlier tonight.  Adrian and Elvir mentioned you had stopped by and that they had discussed the nightmare last night.  We have tried to keep a lid on talk about all that.  It isn't that we wish to censor our guests, but the people are scared and they lack information.  No one knows if there will be more attacks, and I am worried about what a frightened and agitated mob could be capable of.  And if I've been feeding that mob wine... well... then I would share some blame if they did anything rash."

"The wine is flowing well.  Thank you for your efforts.  The stories Adrian tells... it is hard to believe.  You've done a great deal for us.  At this rate, we probably only have enough for a week or so, and from the sound of things it will be a while before the winery is back up and producing.  Still, some wine is better than no wine.  It's just a shame there is no practical way to secure more."

He pours four mugs of purple grapemash, before noticing Burr is not with you.  "Here, on the house.  And I've kept your rooms upstairs.  Consider yourselves to have a place to stay here as long as you need."

Burr cleaned his spear and made what small repairs to his armour and gear that he could, readying himself for the conflict that would soon descend upon the inn.....

Soren listens to Urwin intently, trying to comprehend it all.  He senses that the innkeeper, an apparent ally to the ravens on the roof, while he may not have the strength to help his pack materially other than some free wine and beds for the night, may be able to guess at why Ireena is held captive.

When he has a chance, he speaks quietly and privately to Urwin (also audible to Giles, Zefla, and perhaps Danika if she is nearby)

"I sense that fear is taking hold here, Urwin Martikov, and I am empathetic, considering the attack on the Cathedral.  I mourn the loss of Father Lucien and the others there.  In truth, the Baron's paranoia and false bravado make it worse.  Yet there is something specific I do not understand."

The druid pauses, trying to find a way not to put his foot in his mouth with these city-dwellers.  "At the scene of the massacre earlier, we asked the guards if they had seen people we knew to be staying in or near Saint Andral's.  At the mention on one specific woman's description, the guards' demeanor suddenly transformed from merely bored and tense to suddenly angry and afraid, much more than they had been before our asking."

"To me, the attack on the Cathedral warrants anger and fear to be sure, yet that had already happened.  What would they fear in addition so that asking after this woman would abruptly cause them to treat us as potential enemies or suspects?  Is there something or someone the guards fear other than the darklord and his monsters?  Unless of course, the guards think we, or this woman, are enemies, perhaps in league with the darklord for some reason."

Zefla finds herself holding her breath as Soren talks, worried about what he might reveal.  But when he doesn't mention what happened with the old woman, she visibly relaxes.  And is interested herself in what Urwin's answer will be.  

Urwin considers Soren's question.  "This woman is your friend, then?  Adrian and Elvir mentioned you were worried she was caught up in what happened at the church.  As far as the guard, they do fear the darklord and his monsters, but even more I think they fear the Baron's wrath, and above all their captain, Izek.  There is much confusion about what happened at the church, truly, but nothing so much that I would think the guards could confuse your friend for the culprit."

"If they reacted with apprehension and fear at the description of her, it is likely because she has run afoul of their commanders."  He frowns.  "But why?  Would she have had cause to take up arms against the Baron or his guards?  The stories I have heard all agreed she was fighting to protect the church, before she was lost in the crowd."

Giles nods politely, listening to Urwin, but it is clear that something else is in the back of his mind.  “Hmm.  Their commanders…Say, Urwin.  Is there a way that I could change my room in the inn?  I’d like to have one of those rooms that has a window facing east, you know, along the Svalitch road?  I think everyone is on edge right now, and it might be nice to watch the goings on in the town, have an ear to the ground, so to speak.”  Looking like there is a running clock in his head, Giles performs a stretch of his arms upward, saying “I’m bushed.  I think I’m going to join ole Burr upstairs for a bit.  Perhaps you can keep an eye out down here, but then we need some shut eye tonight, right?”  He looks at Zefla and Soren knowingly, then eyes dart toward the Wachter boys.  “G’night.”  

Giles heads upstairs, making his way into one of the rooms with a window facing eastward and the main intersection in the town along the Svalich road, sitting down near the window and keeping an eye out for movement.  He takes a utensil out of his mess kit and opens up his “to go” bag, starts to finish off the last of his dessert as he watches the intersection for signs of the women from the Wachter house or of guards scurrying in that direction.  As he does so, he glances every now and then for a good beam overhead that he could secure a rope to, perhaps to throw out the window and climb down if needed….

Soren hears Urwin's answer and looks to Giles and Zefla, puzzled.  Even more so when Giles retires upstairs.

Are we finished for the night then?  Just retiring to our lairs?  Burr seemed ready to storm the Baron's mansion like a grizzly bear in full charge.

Soren leaves these thoughts unspoken, though they are clear in his eyes as he catches Zefla's gaze.  He is ready to follow his companions' leads... if only he could suss out what they planned to do.  The pack is falling apart, strained to the limit.  He turns back to the innkeeper.

"Perhaps the Baron or Izek have something against our friend.  But then, they seem to suspect everyone, and armor themselves in pretense of security."

He pauses a moment.  "Tell me, Urwin, what do you know of the Baron's son?"

Tired and weary, Zefla watches Giles now head up with a bit of jealousy.  But she turns back to the conversation between Urwin and Soren, not really having anything to add, but when Soren asks something, she definitely wants to know the answer, so after she finishes her mug, she grabs the one that was meant for Burr and starts working on that one, anxious to hear Urwin's answer.

At Soren's comment about the Baron's suspicious nature, Urwin smiles and offers up an all-too-loud, "All will be well."  More quietly, he adds, "You're among friends here, but do remember to keep mindful of your words.  A loose tongue in the wrong company could land you in the stockade."

He wipes down some mugs while he ponders your question on the Baron's son.  Eventually he answers, "I don't know much at all, as it happens.  He's a young man now, close to marrying age.  Once, you seldom saw him out of the Baron's manse.  Lately, though, he has been put front and center of recent festivals.  Likely, his father is beginning to train him toward his eventually duties as his heir."  He thinks a bit more.  "There was a guardsman, a year or so back, who was caught calling the boy 'spoiled and aloof,' or something along those lines, and was exiled by the Baron for the audacity to hold such opinions."

Giles, upstairs you enjoy some more candied sweet potatoes and watch the nighttime streets of Vallaki below. 

The very first thing he notices, is that egress through this window isn't in the cards.  The windows of the Bluewater sport iron grates hammered into the walls.  This makes the inn appear to be more defensible than most locations you have been in town, but any thought of slipping out an upstairs window is unlikely to be borne out.

[How long will Giles watch?  The first half hour passes without any unusual activity in the street below.]

Burr hears Giles come upstairs but does not stop his almost manic polishing and cleaning of his weapon and armour.

Giles watches for an additional 1-2 hours, looking for any activity from the Wachterhaus, or guard activity along the main roads, as he finishes eating his leftovers.  

Downstairs, Zefla and Soren continue to discuss current events with Urwin.  

Upstairs, after what feels like about one hour, and long after the charm spell should have worn off on the Wachterhaus servants, Giles spies a single guardsman running pell-mell down the middle of the street.  He's running as if all the hosts of Hell are in hot pursuit, but he is alone.  The Wachterhaus is somewhat north of your location at the inn.  The guard is running east ---> west.  It probably doesn't have anything to do with what happened earlier.  Probably.

Giles pops his head into Burr’s room, saying merely “Need you!  Come now!”  And he runs down the steps.  If he spots Soren and Zefla, he gives them a knowing nod and points to the front door.  Giles runs out into the street hoping to intercept the guard who is running.  Once he’s out on the street, he quickly looks around to see who else is present, who would observe if anything turns violent.

[Make an Athletics check DC 14... on a success Giles gets outside before the guard is gone.  On a failure, the guard is already past and disappearing into the fogs further down the street to the west.]

Giles athletics check : 15

Father Giles races downstairs and out the front door of the inn.  He reaches the street just as the running guard is passing the inn.  

[It is up to the others whether they heed Giles' call and join him outside.]

Having seen Giles racing in such a hurry, Adrian Martikov also rises from his seat and comes out into the street to see what the fuss is all about.

Other than the running guard, Adrian Martikov, and any party members who join outside, there is no one else in sight on the dark, misty street.  The guards boots clack loudly on the cobblestones as he runs by.

Burr is immediately up and following Giles leaping downstairs in pursuit.....he begins to follow the guard but leaves it to others to call out.

Soren nods as if he understands what the significance might be of Urwin's description of the Baron's son, though he does not really.  He shakes his head at having to remember to curtail speaking the truth of his negative opinions on the Baron's paranoia.  How do these city-folk remember all these rules?

At some point during the lull after this conversation, Soren tenderly touches foreheads with Nettle and the owl gradually vanishes back to the fey realm.

When Giles and Burr tear out of the Blue Water Inn with Adrian Martikov, after an guard rushing by, Soren follows Burr.  Pack follows pack.

He quickly speaks quietly to Giles (audible to Burr as well, and to Zefla if she has also come out):
"Not-Father.  I will draw on Silvanus' grace to change to a mastiff now, the better to track the guard.  And if that fails or leads to a dead end, I will go to the center of the town where they displayed Lady Bauer and pick up her scent to track where they are keeping her captive.  I was considering whether we could free her first.  She knew magic and may be able to aid us in freeing our... other friend."

If there are no objections, Soren prays a moment for Silvanus' guidance for himself, then uses Wild Shape to transform into a mastiff and begins to lope after the guard, nose to the ground to pick up his scent, but otherwise behaving like an unremarkable stray.