Seeing the flask, Eli's eyes open wide and he swears mightily. With a strong- looking soldier already facing the man down, his first instinct is to leave well enough alone ang get Marysin out of there, but when his analytical mind kicks in a heartbeat later he freezes and goes pale. "Are you stupid, or just mad?" he exclaims. If he drops that there won't be enough time to get out... He looks at the man and in a matter-of-fact tone, says, "Drop that and you might die - If you're lucky. There's a very good chance you'll just burn yourself horribly and spend the rest of your days as a hideous monster in constant excruciating pain. Stop a second and think about dropping alchemist fire when you're already half-doused in a flammable liquid."
Doran's steely gaze seem to have effect as the man is visibly shaken.
...but the only thing worse than an angry drunk is a scared angry drunk.
"You won't judge me!", he howls as he tugs at the cork with his teeth.
Someone in the crowd puts two and two together and screams, "That's liquid fire!"
Chaos ensues as the crowd quickly panics.
Marysin grips your arm with as much strength as her frail form can muster, "He's going to burn this whole place down. Someone has to do something!"
" Everyone remain calm as these gentlemen & I address the present situation."
"ms Kaijutsu, will you please show your guests out for a bit? Perhaps a song to lighten the mood?"
Doran's frown deepens as he realizes the man isn't going to back down. He sighs heavily, lowering his weapon again. "C'mon, mate. Pu' i' down. I really don' wan' t' 'urt ya, but I can't be havin' ya endangerin' all 'ese people. Put down th' flask, and we c'n all walk a'ay from 'is, a'right?" The Abadaran gives the man a once-over, still worried about the alchemist fire in his hands.
Ensu stands by, ready to activate his deflection aura the second the man moves to do anything more with the alchemist's fire, all the while trying to help the others calm the man and the crowd down. "How about we continue this conversation outside? There is no need to disturb other's merry making over this trifle."
Eli feels the panic start to grip him too, and he looks around for an escape route, but with the crowd is swirling around and with Marysin's condition, he can's see an easy way out. He looks at the other people confronting the drunkard. These people can handle him. But there's no way we can get out in time if he drops that.
"Why do you want to die so badly?" he asks the man.
Eli gives the man one more look, then narrows his eyes.
"Stop this and get out of here, or you'll kill a lot of people. Is that what you really want?"
Ysmerelda, Doran, and Ensu's collective efforts get enough of the crowd in order that people begin filing out in a semi-efficient manner. About half the tavern is empty now. Nobody is within arm's reach of him.
The drunk continues to struggle with the bottle of alchemist's fire.
Having successfully removed the innocents from harm's way, Ysmerelda turns her attention directly to the dangerous drunkard. "Sir...
Please, you have no reason to harm yourself so..." Though to the experienced eye & ear, her efforts are obviously outside her usual skills, the diminutive woman possesses undeniable natural talents for this manner of deception.
Doran looks around at the others attempting to help him talk down the man. He gestures towards the man with his head, trying to be discreet, while still trying to talk the man down. Seeing Esmerelda attempt to calm him, the tanned Chelaxian charges the drunken man, trying to restrain him.
Seeing the others moving, Eli gasps and almost lets the cat out of the bag. He pushes Marysin away and moves up. He readies to catch the vial of Alchemist's Fire if the man should drop it when Doran slams into him.
"No offense, brother, but the status of you guts is just about the only delicate thing between the pair of us." He took a slug of water and passed the bucket to the dwarf.
With almost uncanny synchronicity, Doran tackles the man while the pale beauty, Ysmerelda, steps in and slaps the dangerous alchemical from his hand.
Marysin screams as the vial tumbles through the air but in a flash, Eli steps in and catches it.
The man howls in drunken impotent rage and balls up his big fists.
"Hahaha. Yah, you don't look so delkit neither. Those pies 'uz purty gud... I coulda et more uv 'um, but that cowurd had ta say he was full. Oh well."
He sighs deeply, willing the heavier pies to settle.
The big drunk throws a sloppy punch at the man tangling with him.
As he does, the little gnome standing a few paces back mutters a prayer and a barely visible field of force washes over each of you granting you some measure of protection.
Doran continues to try and hold the man down. "Settle down, damnit!"
The belligerent drunk proves too strong and throws the Abadaran off of him.
As the drunken bully shoves Doran aside, Ysmerelda spreads wide her hands, making quite apparent what she had previously downplayed, nails long & sharp as those of wildcat. "Stand down!" She cries, menacing him with her talon-like fingernails.
Eli slips aside and gets the Alchemist's Fire as far away from the action as possible, circling around to return to Marysin. "And now you are free to remove this clown from the premises. His act is over." he says to the Defenders of the Dragon.
Not having many other options at this point, Ensu steps up and tries to distract the drunk long enough for the stronger combatants to regrapple the man.
Mayrsin briefly squeezes Eli's hand as he returns from his act of bravery but her attention is quickly taken again by the scuffle in the middle of the Dragon.
***
The drunk is not intimidated at all by the small woman's fearsome claws and he throws another wild punch at Doran.
Doran grunts as he's pushed off of the drunken man. "Look mate, I 'ave 'ad about enough o' 'is!" The Abadaran attempts to subdue the man again.
Eli makes sure the stopper is secure on the vial of Alchemist's Fire before he slips it into a pocket. "Let's get out of here Marysin." he says. "It was a mistake to come here."
Ensu continues to try to distract the drunk while the others work to subdue him.
Narrowing her eyes as her features harden at the drunkard's continuing belligerence, Ysmerelda attempts one last time to reason with him.
"Sir, you have brought naught but threats, violence and insults to this place. If you do not cease this behavior, , you compel me to respond with available force!"
The scuffle continues with nobody really gaining any ground for a moment longer before a half dozen Sandpoint guards burst into the scene. They dive into the dogpile and quickly restrain the belligerent drunk.
Ameiko is quick to step forward and explain the situation. Satisfied with what they hear, the guards drag the drunk off to spend the night in a cell. Those outside begin to file back in and cheer.
"Thank you. Your action may have saved the Dragon as we know it", Ameiko offers. "I will make sure the whole town hears of this!"
She offers Doran a wink before approaching Eli and Marysin.
"Your husband is very brave", the young tian woman says with a bow.
Marysin clutches Eli and beams with pride.
Doran sighs as he dusts himself off after the Sandpoint guards apprehend the man. "Jus' wan'ed a drink an' some chow..." he bellyaches before attempting to sit back down at the table he had previously vacated.
Oh thank Shelyn!
Oooh dear, I don't feel so well...
Though pleased the situation was resolved with no significant loss to health or property the young woman's face now has the expression familiar to all those who have ever survived a potentially devastating event. It doesn't help that her natural complexion is only a few shades more lively than deathly pallor.
As he sat and chatted with the dwarf, Ventus caught sight of a group of guards rushing in one direction and then coming back with a drunk man in tow. "That brings back memories," he mused idly, offering the dwarf a drink from the bucket. "The last time I saw some get hauled off like that there had been a fight." He did not say that he was the one being hauled off at the time but his amused smiled indicated there might be more to the story.
Ensu quietly brushes himself off as he straightens his clothes up. "I am sorry about the loss of the mead, but at least we were able to spare any more damage." Ensu looks around to see if there is need for any healing before getting back in line for a second helping of the food.
Pirknok accepts another drink, watching in interest as the drunk is hauled past. He frowns slightly for a moment before speaking, his eyes never leaving the guards. "Et don't seem right."
"I've been in their care once before, they'll take decent care of him until he sobers up. Just keeping him from causing any major trouble for now."
Pirknok grunts. "Don't mean that, rilly... jest... men's gotta fight. 'sin ar blood, drunk er not. En my tribe..." he trails off, sighing and watching the streets around him.
"That's fine and all but there's a time and place for everything. A good row is fun every now and then but there is a time and place for everything."
The dwarf shrugs, then nods. "Shore, but et seems like folks 'round here don't have no time ner place fer a fight. Ah ain't sayin' ya gotta fight all thuh time, jest... gotta have a way fer et."
Eli pales, the adrenaline of the crisis fading. He smiles politely at Ameiko. "I recognized the danger and did what I had to to protect my wife." he says, lowering his eyes. "I am glad it worked out for the best." He looks at Marysin, and the pride he sees in her eyes makes his own grow misty.
Oh, Marysin, it has been so long since you have looked at me that way.
Ameiko sees you pale and she rushes to put an arm around your slender shoulders.
"Take a deep breath dear", she says with a smile. "I can't have heroes fainting in the common room."
The tian girl sends one of the staff to fetch more mead and has a mug brought for you. She studies you, seemingly for the first time, and her eyes grow a little wide at the sight of your sharp claws.
"Where did you say you were from?" she asks with growing curiosity
It looks like nobody is seriously hurt. A few people were banged up during the initial surge/panic to flee the tavern but nothing worse than a few bruises and sprained ankle. When Ameiko sees that you're still hungry she smiles warmly and calls for more of house special to be brought out for you.
***
A few of the people wandering away from the Dragon relay to you what happened inside. It appears a big drunk got out of control and nearly burned the place down! A small group of outsiders stood up to him and manged to tie him up long enough for the watch to show up. It's a good thing they took action, that would have been a disaster.
Ameiko insists that the four of you stay at the Dragon as her guests of honor until dinner (although she understands if you'd like to leave to see more of the town during the festival). Those that do are given a seat at the best table (the one Doran was already seated at) and Ameiko makes it a point to tell those stopping by the tale of your heroics. The story grows grander with each telling. At least once, the drunk is described as a nine foot tall fire breathing half-ogre!
Doran comfortably enjoys the inn's service while waiting for dinner to arrive, pointedly rolling his eyes as Ameiko begins to exaggerate his and the others' efforts to subdue the drunken man.
Despite this, he can't find it in himself to correct the Tian woman, as she seems to enjoy telling the story so. I might be getting soft these days...
"I didn't...
Oh! Pitax, it's in the River Kingdoms, near Numeria, though I've never been-" Ysmerelda replies to Ameiko's inquiry.
At Ameiko's questions & interest, Ysmerelda's colour, what there is of it, returns, perhaps even deepening slightly under the innkeeper's regard & she allows herself to be seated by Ameiko. As the afternoon progresses Ysmerelda's color grows to a genuine flush with each telling, though she makes a concerted attempt to interject a leavening of reality to the more egregious hyperbole, she even goes so far as to call the nine foot tall fire-breathing half-ogre description a 'blatant exaggeration'. Her eyes are shining as she does so however & her gaze never seems to leave Ameiko for very long.
After hearing of the events in the tavern from more than a few passersby, Pirknok frowns deeply. He clenches his fists and blinks a few times, then speaks softly. "Thet ain't thuh way, ner the place. Thuh elders shud..." His right fists opens, then clenches again and smacks loudly against his left palm as his jaw sets in disgust.
"Easy pie-slayer. It sounds like the problem was handled nicely, but we missed the fun. C'mon, let's go have a look at the heros of the hour," Ventus said with an amused smile he puts a companionable hand on Pirknok's shoulder before gathering up his gear and setting out through the crowd.
Heaving himself to his feet and emitting a somewhat exaggerated groan, Pirknok accompanies the human on his way.
Upon seeing the older soldier who attempted to help her deal with 'unwanted admirer', Ysmerelda hops up from her seat at the table & waves to him & his companion, ducking down slightly in chagrin as she realizes she is interrupting Ameiko's most recent recitation of 'the flaming bully' incident. She nods an apology toward Ameiko as she makes her way through the crowd, her slight frame an advantage in the somewhat crowded confines.
"I'm sorry for rushing off like that. I hope you didn't think it was because of anything you said or did-
Oh wait,
Now I'm doing it again." the girl rambles, her pleasure at seeing a friendly, non-hero-worshiping, face plain in her expression though somewhat at odds with an equal measure of embarrassment as she attempts to pull the two of you back to the table she just vacated.
Ensu takes Ameiko up on her offer, glad for a good seat to watch the crowd from. Seeing several folks he had encountered throughout the day sitting with him, "Greetings, allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Ensu, linguist, historian, and field clergyman for Nethys."
Doran nods to the gnome he'd competed with earlier. "'anks f'r th' 'elp, mate. Wi'out me manacles, I'm a bi' 'andicapped 'en i' comes t' apprehendin' folks. Me name's Doran Quickstep, Bounty 'unter an' servant of th' Master of th' First Vault."
"By servant, do you mean...
Priest? Or something a bit less cut-and-dried?"
"I was always told Abadar's worshipers liked things...
orderly." You get the feeling when Ysmerelda says orderly, she is trying to find a polite way of saying something less polite.
"Well, as this has probably already made apparent," she continues, indicating the silver bird pendant with the enameled tail-feathers in a rainbow pattern, "I serve the Eternal Rose."
Turning to Ensu, "I remember seeing you briefly at the Cathedral this past week. Are you here to document the re-consecration for your histories?"