Kuoronath shouts. "The wall is not my doing!"

"Nor ours," Raffon calls out, confused, eyes darting back and forth as the wall of thorns presses down all around him, imprisoning the group.

Arutha at those words goes hedge trimmer with both swords on the thorny area nearest him, trying to cut a way through for the woman, children, and himself. Attack: 20 Damage: 6 

Attack: 19 Damage: 8

A door of flame appears and Zavakk rolls out before the dimension door reaches its full height, crouched low, spear at the ready.

Opposite him, Zatarian teleports into the ring of thorns. Both are unseen by eyes outside the magical barrier.

Arutha chops and cuts at the vines, hacking chunks away. To his relief, the wall isn't shrinking, but it does hold fast.

Gramdal is within 60 ft. of the elf. The elf is quick. He knows, or at least presumes, no one sees him. Still, he keeps close to the wall, using darker shadows to conceal his path.

Cath is taken aback by the sudden appearance of Zavakk and the other.

"Zavakk!  What in the name of Silverbeard is going on here!"

Cath has not yet drawn a weapon.

Norvalor not sure whats going on he goes continues his protective stance and holds his spear out with golden energy flowing around it. (holding eldritch blast for when something threatens him or Kaiylin and her kids) 

OOC. Position yourself. The ring of thorns is 30 ft in diameter. Zavakk the gold dragon born has just stepped through a dimension door made of flickering fire. Zatarian has teleported into the ring. They are located 20 ft. apart. Between them, Kaiylin holds onto Traevar, while Sarahlle grasps Arutha's hand. Four Flaming Fist soldiers look tense. Graegor is wounded, lying on the ground. Raffon is tending his wounds. Kouronath is hard against the wall of thorns, behind and to the left of Zavakk. He has the rod of many detections with him. Greime, the Flaming Fist who asks everyone to "declare your business with Baldur's Gate," was pushed out of the wall. He's on the outside of the thorn wall, feet from the Wyrm's Gate. 

The following party members are inside the ring: Arutha, Cath, Norvalor, and John Cooper.

Gramdal is outside the wall of thorns, chasing a stealthy elf along the outskirts of the Outer City, in the shadow of the wall that surrounds Baldur's Gate.

OOC: so excited this looks like the first combat encounter guys :D

I would like to position Norvalor near Arutha so he can protect Kaiylin, Traever, and Sarahlle. I have had him readying his eldritch blast for any hostiles that would approach him or the others.

Cath stands near Kaiylin his hands still up trying to stop bloodshed.

Zavakk slowly rises to his feet from the defensive posture he presumed he'd need. His eyes dart across the small enclosed space. He knows what John Cooper's thinking. He's of the same opinion as the majority of the Fist soldiers. You see apprehension in Zavakk's eyes. There is more to this misunderstanding than the color of the boy's skin, and the eye color of his sister. And, Kaiylin is terrified.

OOC. Convince the dragonborn Marshal. Prove the boy's innocence. Your word matters here. Proceed.

Cath slowly put his arms down as he saw that no further violence was going to happen, at least for the moment.

"Of all the sour smelling donkey loving poxy slack based jawed weather-bitten unnecessary shit to happen!". The spew of curses out of the dwarfs mouth was almost enough to make you laugh. The sour look on his face let you know this was no laughing matter.

"Zavakk, hear me out. I'm just a traveler on the coast way. I'm waiting in line to enter the city and met some other travellers while I waited. I met John Cooper here and Norvalor and Arutha". He points them out.

"While waiting this woman Kaiylin approached requesting aid for herself and the two children."

He indicates to the woman and the children.

"We gave her aid and heard her story, that she had fled a small village because her children were not accepted for who they were. That being half-elf. You saw the disguise the child was in, you yourself spoke to us awhile when we were in line. I offered to escort her to the Purple Wyrm where I intended to stay while in the city. Perhaps she could find work, especially with what looks like the city filling with people seeking refuge in the walls. The city can be a dangerous place."

Cath continued,

"I knew nothing of the disguise of the child until revealed by your guards. Suddenly someone attacked your guard and here we are surrounded by vines. I know not who attacked him, but it was not the woman or one the children."

Cath cursed again, and grumbled,

"Aren't I in a low-down obnoxious dandy eh? Here I am, a dwarf of all the peoples defending an elf, and a drow at that! But look Zavakk, he is but a child. Do not slay him in haste. Spare the child, he has done you or the city no harm. I have offered this woman and her children my protection and I meant it, but I do not wish to fight the Flaming Fist."

OOC:. I'll leave explaining any magic they had to Norvalor, Cath doesn't understand the magics.

Norvalor listening to Cath explain to Zavakk steps forward with his weapon lowered. " Are you going to condemn innocent children to death just because of they have some Drow blood in them? They are children for ****s sake! Its bad enough that they are Half-Elfs now you wan them dead just cuz of their ancestry! I thought a man of the city would know best that the circumstances of out birth does not make us who we are. We decide what we will be, let these children go on and live their lives with their mother. I'm sure she just wants the best for her children, and who knows these kids might be talented and help out society in big ways in the future."

*Norvalor looks at the kids for a quick second then smiles*

"i'm asking please don't escalate this situation to a point of no return, because you might regret that discussion for the rest of you life."

Quote from SandyRibbons >>

"Welp, Imma wander a bit. I'll see ya at the purple wyrm  later?" Fen'r turns to leave the God forsaken line in search of a cold ale. Headlong into the outer city. 

 OOC:  We seem to have lost Fen'r along the way.  I hope he didn't get mugged in the outer city

John has seen magic before is his days past when in the military, but never anything before demonstrated by Zavakk "Zavakk what in tarnations is going on here? First that dang drow comes out of nowhere, now this!" Going through all the events step by step in his head john settles down and turns to Zavakk to speak once again.  "Zavakk we need to have a cease fire as soon as possible, if not more innocent people could get hurt"  John looks into Zavakks eyes hoping he can hear john's thoughts "Zavakk, i hope you can hear me, i fought in a war against the elves years ago, the reason i got out of the military was because i killed innocent elves, thinking i was doing good for the world,  i know we are dealing with orcs and now we have drows and other things appearing out of nowhere, lets all settle down here and get back to letting people in the gate so we can deal with the bigger issue at hand"

Arutha continues to stand at ready in case the arguments given by his unfamiliar companions come to naught. He glances to the children and their mom. "I will not let anything happen to you. I promise." He whispers

Zavakk's immediate concern is with Graegor. The gold dragonborn kneels beside the wounded soldier and lays a hand upon him. Motes of blue light lift from the scars on his golden frame, marching in silent procession toward his outstretched fingers. The orbs of light follow the folds and scales of his clawed hand then suddenly dip into Graegor's shoulder, repairing the injury. Before your eyes, the tissue heals from within, and in so doing pushes the crossbow bolt out. The wound seals.

The marshal reaches for the discarded weapon, raising it to his eyes. "Kouronath," he says while the bolt keeps his attention, bluntly ordering the Fist to bring the rod of many detections to him. When the soldier is within arm's reach, Zavakk pulls the item roughly from the soldier's grasp, not a word of explanation. The marshal is angry but composed. He leaps into an investigation, spinning the encrusted dial, pressing a faceted gem, rotating the dial, selecting another precious stone. Completing a sequence, he activates a ray of soft silvery-purple light he gently waves over the bolt, releasing the shaft. It hovers in midair, turns, then takes off, ripping through the wall of thorns as though it were parchment, racing at blinding speed toward its owner.

"Well, that settles that." Zavakk looks the party over. "Your bravery this day will not go unnoticed, adventurers, or should I say, Defenders of the Wyrm. You, Cath," he says, "Arutha, Norvalor, and John Cooper have shown extraordinary valor for helping complete strangers. We all would benefit from your selflessness," he says. You get the impression that his words are meant for everyone inside the circle, not just you.

"We must all be vigilant," Zavakk continues. "There can be no justice, no peace, so long as evil is allowed to endure." He pauses. "Even when that evil lurks in our hearts." He takes a step forward. "My apologies, fair maiden," he says to Kaiylin… to Sarahlle… "good sir," to Traever. "To the Purple Wyrm then," he says, handing Kaiylin a small bag of coins. She stubbornly refuses them. He snorts, shaking his head.

"Thank you, dragon-man," Sarahlle says and takes the pouch. Zavakk smiles, broadly, dropping down to his knees. "Thank you, young one."

"You are right, adventurers, we should reserve judgment until we are absolutely certain." Understanding eyes meet Kaiylin's trembling glare. "You are in good hands, fair maiden."

In the meantime, Zatarian joins the group, listening in.

OOC. Have you anything else to say?

Nope I'm good 

Arutha continues to watch suspiciously but sheaths his swords and grows slightly more relaxed. Looking at the dwarven brothers he speaks with a loud voice. "If it ok with you, my friends, I will escort these good people to the tavern and ensure thier safety and join you after. Just let me knew where to meet up with you."