Harold muttered under his breath but seemed slightly mullified at your words. "I'll be right back" he said before heading up the stairs and entering the office, shutting the door behind himself.

While they're waiting for Harold to get back, Fargrim walks over to the pitcher of water and grabs a drink. The rest of the party most likely can't tell, but after the gelatenous cube earlier,  he's being extra cautious to make sure he doesn't get jumped again this time. Taking a long swig, he sits down slowly at the table, chair pointed at the entrance, waiting for Lord Hightower to come back.

Taman joins Fargrim in a cup of water and then slowly paces the room while they wait.

Harold is gone for about 15 minutes and then he comes back out and descends the stairs. He looks at the group still rather disapprovingly and tells you that "Lord Hightower will see you now. Go on up to his office" Before he disappears back up the hallway again.

Alan smiles, hefts the box, and heads on up the stairs to the office that Harold indicated.

"Thank you, Harold. And apologies again for our companion's outburst." Arynn will respond, trying to keep good terms with Harold as well as Hightower. He will accompany the group up to meet Lord Hightower.

And Taman nods appreciatively to Harold then moves upstairs with the group - his hands clasped behind his back and a slight smile on his face.

Fargrim follows the rest, carelessly knocking over his water goblet while he gets up. A little leftover water splashes on the table as the goblet rolls around, but he seems not to notice. 

Solastor had been standing near the entrance absentmindedly muttering under his breath. The words had a rhythm but not a common one.He gives a slight jump at the sound of the fallen goblet which jolts him back. He glances around and catching Fargrim heading up the stairs and quickly follows.

As you all enter Lord Hightower's office you see the large older man sitting in a large cushioned chair behind a desk. The room is rather large with four windows along two walls and a few chairs sat along the walls that had no windows. Lord Hightower had the windows behind him open and a light breeze blew across his silvery hair and he looked up as you all walked in. "Please place the chest on my desk, but let me ask. You did not open it like instructed, Correct?"

"Nope. Didn't even think to. We had a tough time of it, getting that box. It wasn't in the warehouse, still! Somebody had taken it and were delivering it to some big orc guy and we had to fight off probably two dozen men to get it back. The watch came and took the prisoners in while we came back here with the box. Here ya go. So what's so important about this little box?" Alan said, his mouth finding its groove again and flapping away as usual as he placed the box on the desk in front of Lord Hightower.

 "There were six men as I recall, " Fargrim corrected Alan authoratively. "One orc, accompanied by four humans, and another human who tried to run when he saw us. We captured the orc and the latter human, who I think might be an employee of the warehouse. The city guard have those two. The other four did not survive their attack on us.

Fargrim glared at Alan with an annoyed harumph. Lying to a superior officer... and  when the truth would so easily be discovered.

"Alan and Fargrim have the jist of it. We fought well in order to bring you this chest, Lord Hightower. It will make quite the tale for our story. What is in this chest that such villains would try to take it from such a worthy and noble man as yourself?"

(If needed or it helps: Persuade - 17)

He examines the chest carefully and then smiles before standing up and coming around the desk. "You all performed very well. I am proud to bring you into the League  of Improbable Adventurers." He then goes around to each of you pinning an emblem of his crest, a Gryphon holding a book in its claws and a quill in it's beak. "These crests will identify you as members of the guild and give the all the privileges and rights that go with it. Each of you will be given a suit off the hallway downstairs to have as your own and you also have access to the forge on the grounds as well as the services of our highly skilled forge master" He then looks at the chest. "The chest contains a power relic that is a family heirloom that was transported to the city recently and there were suspicions that it would be stolen and that is why you were sent to recover it. So thank you all." At that he nods his head in thanks to you all and smiles even bigger. "Do you have any questions for me?

"Alright. Sounds great! What's the next mission? Is there a giant that needs slaying? Or maybe a princess to rescue?" Alan wiggles his eyebrows up and down at the mention of a princess. "I'm ready for some more action! Oh yeah, what about the prisoners that the watch has?"

Fargrim ignores Alan, but perks up noticeably at the mention of the forge. "I was looking forward to asking you about the forge here. In fact, during our downtime, I imagine I can be quite helpful to your forge master. I did wish to ask, though, if you could put in a word with the city guard about retrieving the rope I used to secure the human who stole the box. I understand they don't take well to dwarfs, and didn't wish to push my luck."

Redmond rolls his eyes at Alan. "How 'bout we get some sleep first. There will be plenty of time for all of that later. We'll all be fairly useless if we can't keep our eyes open."

Lord Hightower nods in agreement. "Get some sleep and I'll meet with you in the morning. I need to go see about the prisoners you captured and what may have been found. There may be more things I will need you to check on after."

"Haha! Alright old timers," Alan says to Redmond and Fargrim, "Not all of us need to nap every couple hours. I'll go hit the sack, though. Harold will show us to these suites?" The cocky human continued, heading out of the office.

I don't care what that old man says, that box doesn't just contain an heirloom. Whatever we stole, it's important and powerful. And we definitely stole it - there's no way that was sanctioned. I'm betting those prisoners will mysteriously wind up dead before morning...

"There is one other thing." Arynn interjects before the conversation is ended. "It appears that those who took the chest were in the employ of one orc warlord known as Ungaroth."

(Also, Insight to determine if Lord Hightower is telling the truth about the chest: 10 )