Some recap from the previous thread:

During their movement towards the Pilgrims' Rest, Asher steps over to Villhalas, and speaks quickly--stating frankly that the fires have begun, and more might follow.  Asher outlines a hypothetical solution to Barbaras' riddle, stressing the importance of *where* these fire might be anticipated to occur.  Vil nods, accepting this line of reasoning, and requests that Caylin and Garryn to scout out one of the next potential sites for Zante's arsons.  The two accede and move away from the rest of the party.

Arriving the burning inn, the remaining comrades note that the southern portion of the building is ablaze, and part of it has collapsed.  A crowd has gathered around the inn, and continues to do so--although no one stands closer than 10 yards or so from the building.

Two minor clerical acolytes tend to the slight injuries of three soot-coated individuals, and a general murmur of conversation and commentary arises from the steadily-gathering crowd surrounding the inn.  Above the ambient sound of the crowd and the roar of the fire, only Totmacher (Listen roll of 17+4=21 vs. a DC of 20), Dominique (Listen roll of 18+3=21 vs. a DC of 20), and Aine (Listen roll of 19 +11=30 vs. DCs of 20 and 30) hear someone crying from the building.  DM:  the other Listen rolls were well below 20 with respective modifications.

Totmacher, Aine, and Dom identify the cries as those of a child--emanating from the middle portion of the inn (western side facing the party).  Aine discerns the faint cries of someone else in distress, and puts the location at the northern portion of the inn.

Garryn and Caylin make their way north through Borderton, and note the buildings and functions as they pass.

The southern portion of the inn is ablaze, and a portion of the upper story has collapsed.  The growing crowd is milling about in the street, and a young woman is heard to scream, "Oh Mithras!  My little boy is up there!"  She points to the burning building, weeping and clutching the bodice of her dress.  Several people half-heartedly move to enter the inn, but retreat from the flaming edifice once they come within ten feet or so of the structure.  The front doors are passable but dangerous, and the much of the entire southern wall of the inn is gone--allowing passage into the building, albeit through walls of flame.  Totmacher is divesting himself of his backpack, but is preparing to use his bedroll for some protection.

A Few questions / comments -

Questions:

1)  Kevin, are the crowds a minimum distance away from the building of 1-1.5X the wall height? (wall collapse zone).  If not, Vil will attempt to marshall them away from the building.
2)  Is there a ladder, or something else Tot and company could use to gain immediate access to a second story window where the child can be heard? (would probably be safer than risking a collapse in the stairway)
3)  Are the windows still intact on the North side of the building or no?
4)  I assume the N portion of the building can be considered not tightly sealed given the partial collapse on the South.  Correct me if I'm wrong..  (Looking for any "puffing" coming from the windows/seams at the North end of the building.  Highly doubt we should have a problem w/backdrafts - just let me know though).
5)  What's the condition of the fire?  What's the condition of the smoke?  Which is more prevalent at this point? (I'll assume fire.  unless this placed housed an alchemist shop, there probably won't be enough 'synthetic' materials to produce any real hazardous fumes - aside from the immediate CO threat ofcourse)
6)  What does the integrity of the structure appear to be on the North side?  Looking for risk collapse (both wall and ceiling):  Wall separation at rafters, burnt support timbers, etc).

Comments:

1) Vil will [courageously] act as ground control - *outside* the inn.  hehe.  Intent here is to (1) perform crowd control as best as possible; (2) assist w/finding a ladder or something similar to facilitate the 2nd story entry; (3) find the innkeeper (or staff) in an attempt to gather information about who else may be inside the building (and where); (4) keep an eye out for the potential arsonist (if there is one in this case); and last - perform media relations (eg. pose for the Town Cryer sketch artists, debrief the mayor of the situation, generally win over the townspeople & officials w/my incredible charisma..   )

2)  Scott, I would maybe dampen a cloth to put over your nose/mouth - but don't douse the whole thing.  The resulting steam burns from the heat will leave you worse off than the heat itself.  Leave your bedroll dry and use it to cover the child up if necessary (no synthetics, shouldn't pose any harm in "sticking" to the child when it begins to heat up..)
Make sure you take another party member along w/you (just in case you go down).  Perhaps the rest of the party can work up a primary search of the first floor???

And oh yeah, keep that big ass of yours low when you enter the building.  The heat differential from ceiling to floor will be considerable..

Villhalas
Firefighter #316
Borderton Volunteer Fire Department

Asher will impetuously rush in to grab a ladder and make for the second story
window where the child is visible (provided he made his spot check to see the
kid), calling for assistance with the ladder as he goes.  Hopefully Asher can
scramble up the ladder and draw his sai at the same time, as it seems the
only logical weapon in his arsenal for smashing the window.

So the intent is: grab ladder and set up to window, climb, draw sai, smash
window, coax kid out, climb down with kid until I can hand off to someone below.

Tot will not delay and burst through the 2nd window north of the door--he
will not concern himself with soaking the bedroll since there does not
appear to be any water source.

I'll attempt to answer a few of Jas' questions (albeit somewhat amateurishly, I'll admit, having only been in one real fire myself).

1)  No one in the crowd is closer than 30' to the inn--which is a low-slung, two story structure that is about 25' in height.

2)  No ladder is apparent immediately (but see below for this situation to change).

3)  A quick check of the northern windows reveals that they are, indeed, currently intact.  It also reveals (Vil's Spot check is 11+4=15 for a DC of 15) that an elderly woman is standing at the middle northern window, staring out at the crowd below and crying out softly for help.

4)  The northern portion of the inn is not tightly sealed, and as a player, you wouldn't anticipate any problems with backdrafts.  Your characters, however, probably would have no idea what a backdraft is.

5)  Fire is most prevalent, and it is burning hot with little smoke right now.

6)  The northern portion of the inn appears alright, although this isn't Vil's area of expertise (no carpentry, engineering, or other relevant skills).  Thus, any assessment of the structural integrity of the building is, really, just a guess.

As Villhalas heads back to the party from the northern side of the inn (where he noted the old woman on the second floor), a wagon comes careening around the corner, pulled by two light warhorses and manned by two...kids.  The oldest one can't be more than sixteen, and the younger one is thirteen, tops.  Struggling mightily, the older boy manages to halt the team of horses, hauling back on the reins and cursing like a sailor.  The wagon is a 12-foot long, 4-foot wide open affair with 1-foot high wagon walls.  Strapped to each of the long sides are two 15-foot ladders.  Built into the front wall is a driver's seat, and a braced support stand occupies the middle of the wagon's flatbed.  Atop the support stand is a latched, wooden box.

The woman continues to cry out for her son, and he appears in an upper window of the inn.  He is young--perhaps 3 or 4...

I've reviewed Brian and Jason's plan, and in the absence of input from Tom, Bret, or Jen, this is what happens:

Totmacher (STR break check of 8+5=13 for a DC of 12) crashes through the thick-paned, mullioned lower window of the inn, tearing out the wooden lattice work that holds the window panes and removing a small portion of the peripheral wall in order to force his bulk through into the room.  Once inside, the big half-orc is struck an almost palpable blow by the intense heat  within the room, suffering 5 hp of damage (no save).  A conflagration rages to the south of the barbarian, and several of the tables and chairs in that portion of the common room are aflame.  Through the smoke and heat-shimmering air, Totmacher makes out a wooden staircase leading upward.  The stair looks intact, but is on fire in a couple of places.  Your move, Scott.

Asher, moving quickly, seizes one of the ladders alongside of the fire-wagon.  The smaller boy in the driver's seat says, "'Ere now!  Y' can't be pinchin' off wif our stoof!"  The older boy says, "Oi, Reg, leave 'im be--e's 'ere t' help wif d' foir, eh?"  The lad looks hopefully at the monk, who merely nods as he unfastens the ladder from its hooks and lashes.  "There now, see?" says the older boy.  "Leastways, SOME 'un 's 'ere t' healp."  Asher, carrying the 15' ladder, races to the inn's wall and sets the ladder up against the building (30 lb. ladder, STR check of 20[!]+2=22 for a DC of 10), managing to do so in record time.  Foot on the bottom rung, the monk is poised to ascend should he wish to do so.  Your move, Brian.

Scanning the gathering crowd, Villhalas notes that, among the various mercenaries, caravan guards and drovers, and townfolk, are a trio of people speaking animatedly.  One is a portly, bald man with a luxurious mustache.  He is addressing a soot-covered man in an apron, his features somewhat obscured by a layer of soot on his face, and a girlchild.  Upon moving closer, notes that the girl is actually a female halfling, her hair gathered up in a bun, but with a low-cut bodice and a high-cut dress.  As the half-elf arrives at the group, all are talking at once...

"So you mean to say you saw NOTHING to lead you to suspect a fire of this magnitude was in the making?  Not even a customer commenting 'Sure is getting hot in here.  Must be the curry...'?"  Mustaches bristles increduously.

"...Mithras-damned place was a fire-trap waiting to happen.  Can't have a smoke in the kitchen without worrying about spontaneously combusting..." Soot-face seems off on his own tangent.

"...both of you.  I can't think with your over-sized, booming voices.  Uh oh, looks like we've got company."  Halfling-tart turns to look at the approaching Villhalas.

Villhalas quickly assesses the fire ground activities & makes an approving half-nod in the way of his colleagues (Asher & Tot). <target audience for this little action is the party of 3 (& 1/2) >  Apparently satisfied w/the actions underway, Vil then makes his way with the even, determined strides of a battle-scarred fire chief towards the men.

"Gentlemen, Fire-Marshal Villhalas." Vil inserts succinctly.  "How about telling me just what happened here.  Let's start with the possible locations of any other victims that may still be in the building."

(Would like to squeeze this one into the interchange somewhere:  Vil will glance at the halfling-tart and offer a slightly raised eyebrow at the rather odd assemblage standing before him.. )
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:08, Sat 08 May 2004.

Totmacher assesses his chances of hacking a way through the ceiling, evaluates them at nil, and chooses the stairs instead.  The big half-orc races up the stairs three at a time, but....

Weakened by the fire and heat, and unable to withstand the immense weight of the half-orc (in game terms, weight>200 lbs. causes this), the stairs collapse--giving up any semblence of structural integrity.  Totmacher goes with the stairs, falling amid a rain of flaming debris.  The half-orc (Reflex save of 16+4=20 for a DC of 15) twists himself about in mid-air, landing on his feet and a single hand in a three-point stance, sustaining no damage.  The stairs however, as a means of accessing the second floor, are no longer viable.  Your move, Scott.

Asher makes the top of the ladder, and calls out to the little boy to move away from the window.  The child does not do so.  A little palm bangs on the inside of the window, and a small voice cries out piteously, "Mama!  Mama!"  Breaking the window will likely result in some sort of injury to the kid...your call, Brian.

Villhalas advances on Mustaches, Soot-face, and Halfling-tart.  Addressing them in his most officious voice, the half-elf attempts to glean some information.  Vil's speech is hardly overwhelming (Bluff roll is 8+5=13), but it seems to work on Mustaches, and to a lesser degree, Soot-face (Sense Motive rolls, modified, were 8 and 13, respectively.  Soot-face loses out due to Vil's greater Charisma).  Halfling-tart looks archly at the half-elf, and mutters under her breath, "Aye, right.  And I'm a very, very small giant."  She cocks her hands on her hips, extends a leg, and watches the proceedings (her modified Sense Motive was 19)--she does not, however, otherwise contest Vil's claim.

Mustaches clears his throat.  "Well, then.  Yes.  I am Master Ganeas, owner and proprietor of the Pilgrims' Rest.  You must have been recently appointed by Alderman Perysinos.  Savin is a personal friend of mine, you know."  Ganeas once again clears his throat.  "Well, Fire-marshal, I do believe the child," here Ganeas is interrupted by a drawn-out wail of despair from the boy's mother, "...ahh, yes.  The child and....Granny Hazel, is it?"  Ganeas glances over at Halfling-tart, and the diminutive woman nods once.  "Yes...the child and Granny Hazel are the only ones still unfortunately within the premises."

Soot-face peers closely at Villhalas and mutters, apparently to himself, "Fire-marshal, eh?  How d'ye get that kind of job, I wonder?  Gotta be a pretty-boy, I expect.  That type o' thing don't grow on trees...no, sir."  Continuing to mutter to himself, Soot-face fishes out a twisted bit of parchment, produces a tindertwig, and lights the thing.  He blows out a cloud of smoke, his gaze shifting back to the burning building.  Halfling-tart snaps her fingers imperiously, and Soot-face hands the little hand-made cheroot to her.  She takes a deep drag, hands the smoke back to Soot-face, and addresses Villhalas.  "So...*Fire Marshal*...what is it that you propose to do to save the child and the old woman?  Leading the charge into the building, are we?  Now that man," she points up to Asher, "seems to have a modicum of initiative about him.  The big, ugly fellow who erased the window there...Mithras only knows what happened to him.  As to the cause of the fire....," here the woman smiles sweetly, "why, isn't that YOUR purview, Fire-marshal?"

Not amused by the obstinance of the motley crew challenging his ,uh, recently *acquired* position Villhalas responds (w/a flash of his now surfacing ire) -

Directed towards Mustaches - "Yes, Alderman Perysinos has requested my partie's services - for just this scenario.  Apparently Borderton's citizens are suffering from a lack in the requisite resources for this type of work.  Either that or there's simply a lack of  *insert Cazistani word for "spirit" here* for it is all.  (Vil will even his tone to one of near-indifference w/this last remark - in order to neutralize the blow a bit)

Directed towards the Halfling-tart - "Well, little lass.  Be assured that my colleagues are indeed undertaking the appropriate actions as we speak." (unable to see Tot - Vil has no idea what his actual condition is.  Hopefully one of our colleagues comes out of their trance and assists - or performs as NPC and assists..).  Regarding the old woman at the North End - Vil calls for the nearest available party member to move out & assist.  (My apologies for the potentially heavy-handed approach gang.  simply getting in character for the 'benefit' of the party I'm attempting to question is all..)

"As for the cause of the fire" Vil continues, w/a smile devoid of any humor "Well, the first step in determining the actual cause of the fire is by recording the statements of those that would be the best, shall we say - candidates - for outlining the chain of events leading up to it." Vil motions for the nearest able-bodied person to approach* - and then returns his attention to the party & waits w/an expectant gaze at Mustachio.

* When the situation presents itself, will direct the person noted above to fetch as many blacksmith  [hand-held] bellows as he/she can (will fashion a few make-shift BVMs out of these - offer a little O2 relief for those we're pulling out of the building.  Lol - will defer to your call on this Kevin..
________

Kev, my intent w/this approach is to bolster Vil's position here by (1) Relying on his belief that he has *actually* been contracted by Savin - and isn't lying -&- (2) Call the party on their voiced doubts by taking it up a notch...  Not sure if this approach will alter the modifiers or not.. Ceist la Vie.  Let's just drive on w/it..

Wise monk once say "sometimes fist not as smart as thumb". To that end, any
chance Asher can open the window?

In point of fact, you were not actually contracted by Savin (you might recall the slapping-of-the-forehead sequence that Savin engaged in prior to taking his leave of you)--you merely indicated that you might be willing to enter into negotiations on this point.  Thus, this is an opposed bluff/sense motive roll, for lack of a better alternative.  Villhalas has at least one person (the inn's owner) listening to him.  Halfling-tart has called bullshit on Vil's bluff, and we'll play her out--she doesn't appear hostile, just not particularly warm and cozy.  Soot-face seems neutral, and somewhat off on his own.  More later...

Upon calling out to other party members, Villhalas finds that Dominique has hurried over to him,  "My friend," says the Palonish priest, "what can I do?"  Villhalas directs Dom over to the north side of the building.  Dominique complies, but detours when he sees Asher descending the ladder...

Upon examining the window, Asher finds that there is, indeed, a means of lifting the window sash.   The monk does so, and is face to face with a little, dark-haired boy.  "Mama!" the child calls out, and Asher reaches in and grabs the kid (STR roll of 12+2=14 for a DC of 10), lifting the boy bodily from the room.  Backing down with boy, Asher is met at the foot of the ladder by the child's mother--who sweeps the boy into her embrace.  The woman retains a surpisingly strong grasp on Asher's hand, however, and surfaces from the effusive hugs and kisses she plants on the boy to stand and say, "Thank you, sir.  I will always be in your debt."  Realizing that she has been holding Asher's hand in a painfully tight grip, the woman blushes slightly and releases her hold on the monk.  The child looks up at Asher, the ladder, and the fire...takes a breath...and begins to wail.  The woman stoops to comfort the child, and Asher moves away--only to be confronted by Dominique.  "My friend!  Magnificent!  Well-done!"  the little Palonish priest grips Asher's shoulder.  "Villhalas has indicated that I...we...should attempt to retrieve the elderly woman in the north wing.  Will you aid me with the ladder?"  The priest awaits Asher's response.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:22, Sat 08 May 2004.

Asher acknowledges that he will help with the ladder but confesses that he does
not know (I don't believe) the location of the old woman in the building. He
will also yell into the large hole in the wall, "Beast-man, we have the child.
We're going after the old woman."

Asher will follow Dom while aiding with the ladder.

From within the building, the flames crackle and the wooden interior of the inn seems almost to shriek as it is consumed by the fire.  The air is molten, and Totmacher realizes that he is in grave danger.  He is unable to hear Asher's yell from outside (Listen roll is a 1 [doh!]+4=5 for a DC of 10).  The big half-orc leaps out of the way as a fire-eaten beam crashes down (Reflex roll is a 9+4=13 for a DC of 12), narrowly avoiding the flaming beam.  Your move, Scott

Dominique indicates that Villhalas has located the old woman on the second floor, in one of the north-facing windows.  Asher and Dom grab the ladder and head around the side of the inn.  The younger of the two boys who had driven the fire-wagon says, "'Ere now!  Where they off to now, eh?  Oi!  Don't you be runnin' off wif our ladder!"  The older of the two boys jumps down and follows the monk and the priest around the building.  "'S alright, Reg!  'Ese two are f'r gettin' ol' Granny Hazel outta her fix!"  Aided by Dominique, Asher finds that placing the ladder against the side of the inn is an easy task.  Both men, looking up at the inn's second story, are able to see an elderly woman sadly looking through a window, tapping gently on the glass (Spot rolls of 13+7=20 [Ash] and 14+5=19 [Dom] for a DC of 15).  The ladder is set against the building, and either the priest or the monk can ascend.  Your move, Brian.

Asher will volunteer to ascend the ladder, provided Dom does not insist on
doing so.  Hopefully, he is now adept at operating the Inns windows and can open
this one and assist the woman onto the ladder (how old is the crone?
approx.). If she is unable to climb out the window, Asher will enter the
building and
try to find them a path out (which should be a chore as I am not really
following where Asher is within the building).

Tot will make his way north in an attempt to locate the old lady.  Whilst moving, he will also scan for anything that may be of value.  If that is a bar to the north, he will check for some currency, then move towards the door to the north.

If he does not hear Asher Tot will see if he can stack some tables to gain access to the 2nd floor

Totmacher can see that the fire is rapidly consuming the southern part of the inn, and is beginning to spread further through the common room.  The half-orc hurries to the bar to the north, vaulting over polished top.  On the way, he noted nothing of immediate or apparent value in the room--just the occasional discarded cap, overturned flagon, or half-eaten meal indicating that the inn's patrons had left in a hurry.  Once behind the bar, the barbarian feels that the heat beginning to sap some of his vitality--2 hp subdual damage.

Totmacher easily shakes of the incremental damage, but realizes that this might add up if he spends too much time in the burning building.  The half-orc searches under the bar in the scorching air of the common room.  The jumble of half-empty bottles, corked, ceramic relish jars, various kitchen utensils, and cobwebs make the searching process a bit difficult.  After one round, the big man finds nothing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:36, Sat 08 May 2004.

Totmacher, rummaging through the jumbled mess of stuff beneath the bar, realizes that a more thorough search would be necessary to extract anything of value.  Noting the approaching flames, feeling the scorching heat of the air, and hearing the sound of the inn's southern windows exploding outward, the half-orc elects to leave while he still can.  The northern-most set of windows are actually double-sized, and the barbarian plunges through them with little more than a few minor scratches.  The crowd utters a collective gasp as the big man crashes into the street, and one or two people let out a feeble cheer.  Villhalas, still engaged in conversation with Mustaches, Soot-face, and Halfling-tart, overhears a nearby mercenary utter to his companion, "Yeah, well...I coulda done that."  Totmacher is back in visual range of the party, having suffered 5 hp of real damage and sustained 2 hp of subdual damage.

Asher quickly climbs the ladder to the second floor of the northern side of the inn, reaching the window behind which the old lady is trapped.  Quickly forcing the sash of the window, Asher gestures for the elderly woman to exit.  She peers over the sill and says, "Oh, my.  Such a long way to the ground."  Asher reaches his hand in and grips the woman's own hand in his, attempting to guide her out of the window and onto the ladder.  The woman attempts to do so (DEX check of 11+2[Asher's assistance]=13 for a DC of 12), but nearly misses the top rung--slipping and coming close to toppling from the ladder.  The monk's hand steadies the old woman, however, and--backing down the ladder--the two manage to make the ground safely, with Asher going first and stabilizing the woman above him.  On the ground, the woman removes her black shawl and gives it to Asher, saying, "Oh thank you, young man.  Here, this is for luck."  She wanders away a bit to join the crowd, looking back at the fire and saying, "Such a shame, such a shame."

Right, sorry I've been incommunicato lately.  Kev,
there are enough ppl on the rescue mission, Aine would
like to see about helping the fire extinguishing crew.
Are the boys on the water wagon looking useful or just
hairing off after their ladders?  Is there a bucket
brigade going yet? Can't tell from the map, is there a
well near by to start a bucket brigade?

No bucket brigade appears to be in place, but the younger of the two boys is fiddling with the wooden box that is mounted on a stand in the fire-wagons.  The lad is struggling with the latches, and calls out, "Oi, Davy.  I be needin' some 'elp wif dese t'ings."  The older boy, peering around the corner at Asher's rescue of the old lady, calls out, "Oi, Reg.  Da foreign-lookin' 'un  done rescooed Granny 'Azel, 'e did.  First da tike, an' den ol' Gran.  First rate, I'm sayin'.  An' da ladder 's jes' fine, too!"

"DAVY!," says the younger boy, "I be needin'..."  Simultaneously, the sides of the wooden boxes fall away as the latches come undone, and Aine steps up and asks, "Can I help out, lad?"  The boy looks at the ranger, and snivels, "We be supposin' t' 'elp put out' da fire wif dis, but...no 'un 's 'elpin' US!"--the boy looks ready to break into tears.  Aine sees that the sides of the wooden box have fallen away to reveal a relatively small glass flask mounted on the metal stand.  The flask is secured to the stand by iron hoops, and there appears to be a pivot joint allowing the position of the flask to be altered.  The boy continues, " Dis 'ere'll spray water, but I can't get da 'orses t' mind, an' spray da water, an' move da wagon, an'...an'...".   The kid trails off, looking mournfully at the conflagration consuming the southern portion of the inn.

The bellows-as-BVM really is not a viable strategy--soot, carbonized crap, and the general septic nature of blacksmith bellows are not really conducive to...well...breathing (BTW, the acronym BVM means bellows-vacuuming-mucous--a means of sucking out soot-laden snot from one's airways.  Or it might mean bag-valve-mask--some sort of sketchy resuscitatory technology, so I'm told.  Enough of this tangent).

Villhalas addresses Mustaches, the man replies, "Of course, ermm....Fire-marshal.  Any friend of Alderman Perysinos is ....ah, yes...a friend of mine.  Of course, I have no idea how the fire came to pass.  One moment, things seemed absolutely normal...the next, it seemed that the south portion of the inn exploded."  Here Mustaches is interrupted by the nearby tearful reunion of a mother and son, as Asher guides the little four-year old down the ladder.

Asher's return with the formerly-trapped four-year old boy draws some attention from the crowd, and Soot-face murmurs, "Now, that...," he draws on the hand-made cheroot, "was a good 'un."  Halfling-tart snaps her fingers once more, and Soot-face passes the cheroot to her again.  She takes a drag, and admits, "Aye."  She pauses as Villhalas begins to bark orders, sending Dominique over to Asher's position.  "Still..."  Vil interrupts her, laying down a scathing commentary regarding arson investigations and forensic protocol.  Villhalas' speech (now we go to Diplomacy...roll is a 5+8=13) does not improve her mood (see Diplomacy in the PHB for a table on changing NPCs' reactions; DC was a 15 to go to Indifferent.  Soot-face remains Indifferent, and Mustaches can be considered Friendly).  Halfling-tart snorts and says, "Looks like the old adage might be true, then....those who can't do, order others about.  Look, *Fire-marshal*, shouldn't you at least be attempting to put out the fire before launching into an investigation?"  The little woman adjusts her bodice, and continues, "Those boys on the fire-wagon are hardly the strapping hero-types, now, are they?  Why don't you...," here the woman is interrupted by Totmacher's emergence from the burning inn, as he crashes through yet another window into the street.  "At least the ugly one is consistent," continues Halfling-tart.

"Errm, Asyla, please...try to keep a civil tongue in your head.  Fire-marshal Villhalas is simply attempting to...," Mustaches tries to smooth things over, reaching down to pat the halfling's head.  She swats his hand away, "I KNOW what he's trying to do, tripe-belly.  I'm just trying to understand why he's NOT doing what most obviously NEEDS doing...like putting out the fire in our inn!"

At this moment, Asher emerges around the corner, leading the elderly woman.  Halfling-tart takes a final drag on Soot-face's cheroot, hands it back to him, and sets off in the old woman's direction.  "I'll see to Gran's well-being.  Hopefully, someone will try to keep our inn from burning to the ground in my absence," Halfling-tart calls back over her shoulder.

"You must excuse her, Fire-marshal Villhalas.  She, in truth, is a partial owner of the inn, and is apt to become emotional regarding its continued operation.  I can honestly say, we saw no indication of this conflagration...it literally seemed to come out of nowhere," here Mustaches glances over at Soot-face.  Soot-face nods abstractedly, commenting, "Aye.  Jes 'nother day in th' kitchen.  Fire come outta nowhere.  Fire-marshal, eh?  Thought there might be a public commentary period, afore that sort o' hire were made official."

"hey, boy! How do you operate that flask!"

Aine will go to the head of the wagon and see about
quieting the horses.  If the boy answers, see if she
can get him to man the flask.

If not, can Aine calm and guide the horses? I think
between her and Asher, if he can figure out the flask
and guide it, we can try to get this fire under
control or out.