"They're all bunch of naeth-headed idiots," Zina muttered under her breath, too quiet for anyone to hear. The gnome poked her head out into the hallway, but didn't see any other entrances to the cellar. "Hey Gert," the wizard approached the barmaid. "What's behind that door with all of the extra locks?" Zina had to find something to occupy herself with, so that she didn't get in any more trouble with the rangers.

Gert smiles awkwardly.

"I'm afraid that's private, my dear," she replies.

Without hesitation or as much as a look, Jhaan (lead ranger), says "That's her illegal gambling hall. Invitation only. Didn't think an establishment could afford the lofty Coast Way levies on watered ale and junk stew, did you?"

Gert frowns and blushes.

Portia rises to her feet after making sure the blanket is covering the boy properly. She then smooths out her obvious cleric and member of the Song of the Morning tabard and clears her throat.

"I will be making sure he gets to the temple properly. Your donation and coverage of any spells you prefer to quicken his healing will be greatly appreciated." She manages a bit of a smile.

"And since you are only hired mercenaries temporarily working for the Flaming Fist, the official one out in the hall would be the one in charge per my understanding of how they work in this area. I suggest you coordinate with him for the proper securing of all of this." She waves a hand at the crates. "I will also note that even these are only dogs, the temple will frown upon you killing them needlessly if they do regain consciousness while you are moving the items out of this very unsecure location. Also, shouldn't the best at tracking start looking for a genasi? You and your friends look ready for such a purpose. We honestly can't even find goblins that run around here at night." She gives him another smile.

She turns from him without hesitation or caring what he might want to say and looks into the hallway. "Gert, get me some hot water and towels to my room. I want to at least work on lowering the fever now while someone bothers to find a proper way to transport us to the temple."

(Zina rolls 15 Insight on Gert)

Gert does seem genuinely embarrassed. It's unlikely a person would fake getting called out like that. Jhaan essentially just outed her as a crook.

(Portia rolls 5 Persuasion to deal with rangers)

Jhaan's sudden, warm smile almost distracts you from the fact his left hand rises to rest on his main-hand sword hilt. 

"My dear," he says, "While my role is indeed temporary, you have it all wrong. I am, albeit temporarily as you so eloquently noted, an envoy and delegate of Lord Captain Reynauld Kennet of Elturel, a man of lands and titles within the Eltugardian nobility. By right of his noble house and my given position as his direct spokesman in the matter of retrieving his goods and eldest son, the Flaming Fist mercenary company has seen fit to grant me a temporary commission as an officer in their ranks. As the Flaming Fist are the rightful legal authority in this region, it would be in my rights to arrest you were you to interfere with my noble and honorable mission to see to this boy's safety."

While Jhaan's tone is steady and warm, the two remaining rangers glance at each other nervously and visually take note of the location, stance, and demeanor of the rest of your party. It's clear from their body language they are concerned the situation could escalate.

"However," Jhaan continues, "as you are members and representatives of good and noble organizations yourselves, I would much prefer if we could keep relations between us as warm and friendly as possible. I understand we are strangers to you, and I respect your desire to see the boy safely delivered to an organization you trust. By that token, I happily grant you the permission to travel with us to Beregost to deliver Master Regis for the proper treatment. While we are there, it would be my pleasure to introduce you to Keldath Ormlyr, the Most Radiant of Lathander, personally."

Jhaan's smile fades.

"Either way, custody of Master Regis Kennet and Lord Kennet's goods is mine to take. If you believe yourself worthy by right or capable by arms to deny me, speak your intent plainly and it will be so."

"We... aren't... going... to... interfere," Zina smiled brightly, speaking slowly so that those of lesser intelligence could keep up. "But... we... will... go... with... you... because... we... want... what's... best... for... the... kid."

It was a dramatic enough moment, I had to capture it...

Jhaan delivers ultimatium - "Either Way"

NOTE: He doesn't actually draw his blade in that moment. I just wanted a sound effect to help set the theme of the moment.

"Let... us... go... then," Zina started to walk up the stairs. "You... can... lead... the... way... Jhann."

Zina waited at the top of the stairs until Pettilaen reached her. "Jhann sounds like a girl's name," Zina whispered to Pettilaen in gnommish.

Ishkar finally pipes up after listening to the whole thing "I would like to go up right between the rangers, I feel that if the locals see me near you that they will not think as terribly of my kind. Tieflings are not as well liked and I am wary of this. It pains me to have people become more racist even though my actions might pertain as such. Also,  I would like to apologize for my actions before as you now know of our intentions, but there were this golden genasi who owned this room that we were originally trying to distract, but he walked out. I think he was pirate if my memory serves me right. Hopefully, when we reach the top and settle down I can return us to a jolly tune and resume my playing." After spilling his thoughts and requests Ishkar lets out a big sigh before picking up his shortbow and strapping it back to himself and returning his arrows to the quiver.

Portia nods. "Agreed. Please let me pass and put him in a safer bed. I could care less where the rest of this stuff goes. I, of course, have seen too many untoward things today and only wish the boy to get the proper care. If you think either of them," she nods her head towards the other rangers, "need to watch what I do to at least try to abate the fever, that is fine. I will not do it in here because of the dogs waking up anytime. And I'll work at it while someone acquires conveyance to Beregost and while we travel to be sure he gets there."

She goes to move and then looks him in the eye, waiting for him to get out of her way so she can carry the boy to a better spot until they have everything organized to go to Beregost. She says nothing about meeting the the Most Radiant and will just take that in stride when and if it occurred. She manages not to smirk thinking of what Malark would say to all this.

Jhaan smiles.

"Do as you will. If you wish to stay by his side while he is my ward, by all means..."

But he does not move aside.

Portia moves to walk around mister attitude elf because she really doesn't care to have further tit for tat with a guy that is delaying helping the very person he was hired to save. She will do her best to politely pass him to get the boy out of the room, but hopes a dog wakes up and bites him in the arse.

Once Portia has cleared the room with Regis, Jhaan turns on his heels and exits the room. The three of them escort Portia to (wherever she is going) and 2 of them will stay with him at all times until the entire group, rangers and all, leaves for Beregost - which should be presently.

Is everybody okay with me skipping forward to "the road to Beregost" scene? So long as there's nothing more to do in the tavern (for now)...

((Ready to move on. Will put in some IC flavor text of what Portia is doing as that will be more interesting than an OOC comment))

Portia puts the boy on her bed not caring if she has two guards, but she gives them warning looks if they get in the way. She makes sure they can see everything she is doing. With the help of some water and towels from Gert, Portia cleans the boy up some and manages to mix a poultice that she wraps in a wet towel and lies it on his forehead. She isn't sure how well it will work but is hoping it might alleviate some of his fever or if nothing else help him feel cooler. There wasn't much else to do and she was far more relaxed once they were on the road to Beregost.

The only problem she foresaw was being downright tired by the time they got there since they had spent a good portion of the night hunting goblins to no avail. She had gotten used to afternoon naps and as late as Gert would allow dinners before aimless wandering to find goblin raiders in the dark.

I knew drinks would've helped the situation. Seeing that the tension has not eased, Pettilaen is at least glad no weapons were drawn. He watched the proceeding events unfold in silence, knowing an extra voice would've only added to the tension. He follows quickly in suite as they exit the tavern. Turning to Gert, he apologizes. "Sorry things got out of hand. I know we said we wouldn't start any fights... But at least we saved the boy, right?" Drawing in closer, he whispers. "I might uh... be back later to partake in what happens behind that triple-locked door." He winks at Gert, and moves forward. Turning to Zina, he remarks, in Gnommish, "Zina, I'm pretty sure these rangers could make pincushions of us from several hundred meters away. Best not to be on their bad side." Drawing in closer, he whispers, "Besides, a name like Jhaan suits her." Giggling, he follows the party, careful to stay in the middle.

"Zina, I'm pretty sure these rangers could make pincushions of us from several hundred meters away. Best not to be on their bad side," the roguish trickster whispered in her ear. As annoying as he could be, it was always nice to hear her familiar tongue. "Besides, a name like Jhaan suits her."

Zina tried to suppress a laugh. She wasn't very good at it. "I think, with a name like Jhaan, our serious friend is just asking to be pranked."

Jhaan returns to the room on the end to have a look at the dogs. With a soft word, trained hand, and a little bit of magic (cheating), he wakes and calms them, even going so far as to befriend the alpha among them. When they are all up and tamed, Jhaan lashes them together in a chain with a length of silk rope, then leads them to the room where Master Regis is receiving care.

"Be gentle," he whispers to the alpha. Then, with a light chuckle and a motion toward a brand on one of the dog's flanks, he says to Portia, "Well done keeping them alive. These dogs belong to Lord Kennet."

The alpha moves toward the bed and, gently but insistently, wedges its head up under Master Regis's arm.

As Jhaan exits the room, he addresses the remainder of the group.

"We are setting out with Master Regis in half a turn (a half hour). We'll not wait for you."

-----

Jhaan spends the half-hour negotiating rental of a cart from Gert and passing out coin to several of the younger, more sober lads from the tavern to help lug boxes back up the steps and onto the cart. It's a tight fit, and the cart groans under the weight, but it seems to hold up well enough once it is full and under way.

By the time you all set out, the group is wearing down and bordering on exhaustion. Thankfully, Beregost is only a few short miles away...

(...roll behind DM screen...)

(...DM's eyes widen visibly...)

...but nothing is ever quite that simple, is it?

The group is nearing the halfway point when the cart begins to sway. With a long groan and a sharp crack, the axle shears in two, sending the cart and its goods crashing to the ground. The cart shatters. Several of the crates splinter open, revealing mostly scroll cases and bundles of documents, but also fresh new clothing and exotic linens from the marketplaces of Amn.

Jhaan, in the lead on a horse of his own, wheels around to inspect the damage. He mutters a rude word in elvish.

"Unlash the horses," he says to his compatriots. "The three of us will sprint to Beregost and return with help."

With a long glance at Portia, he adds, "We'll leave Master Regis and Lord Kennet's goods here for now. I trust you'll protect them with your very being."

With the cart broken, the tack is pulling upward against the horses, making it difficult to remove. Eventually they manage it and mount up, preparing to head toward Beregost and leave the rest of you behind for a time.

"At least now Mrs. Serious-Face is gone," Zina said cheerfully, as soon as the rangers were out of ear shot. "And it has to be a good sign that they left us alone with the kid, at least they sort of trust us."

Zina yawned, beginning to eye the fine silks. "'I'm spent for the day, can we please take a break?"

His eyes go wide as his breathing quickens, seeing all of the valuable goods right in front of him. With the rangers gone, they wouldn't know... No! Bad Pettilaen. We aren't about that life anymore. "We should try and get these crates fixed, for when the rangers return. They're easy picking if a band of marauders came by." "I'm spent for the day, can we please take a break?" Pettilaen nods in obvious agreement. "That sounds much more enticing than patching up crates for those cranky elves. That yawn and stretch from previous wasn't a ruse. I'm pretty beat, and could use a breather also."

Scanning his surroundings, Pettilaen focuses on looking for points where an ambush could easily spring up from, noting the distances and how much open ground he has to work with, if anything comes towards them. Satisfied, he goes off about twenty feet or so and plops himself down on the ground, unstrapping an old tome from his waist and reading through it. He can be seen muttering words to himself while moving his hands and arms around in strange patterns.

OOC: Perception - 1d20+5=13