The dwarf let the knife bounce off his plate.  Didn't these idiots know that throwing knives couldn't pierce even chainmail?  The soldiers then started to try and surround the three mercenaries.  He trusted that the Golem and Erik could handle their side.  Looking again at his opponents, he saw that fear had crossed into their eyes along with the zealotry from earlier.

Gorun honestly felt a bit sorry for the lads.  They were probably fresh off the training field and were feeling a bit cocky with their easy victory.  Gravelbeard sighed.  Long ago, he would have reveled in the slaughter.  But now he was older.  He knew these men were probably conscripted off farms to fight in a war they weren't really interested in.  They had families to return to.

Now that Gorun looked around, he saw that the rest of the bar had broken out into battle.  Gorun looked to his left, suddenly breaking out into a sprint at one of the soldiers and shoving him against the wall with his tower shield.  Pinned against the wall and unable to move his arms, the opponent was in a position to be finished.  Terror crossed into the eyes of the Southerner as Gorun readied to swing his axe.

Then he heard Aehren shout a warning.  Gorun's training in the dwarvern pits taught him to listen to the voice of a comrade even in the midst of battle.  Something about people approaching the bar...

Suddenly all the combat stopped.  Gorun looked behind himself and saw that Nitrami knights had entered the bar.
[color=gold][i]Those aren't normal knights... they are Gallants.[/i][/color]  The dwarvern knight quickly dropped the soldier pinned against the wall.  After a quick conversation, it seemed the Gallants simply gave Gorun's party a free pass. [color=gold][i]I know I should feel relieved, but isn't it a little sad to know that they didn't really care that we killed their troops?[/i][/color]

The party aided in cleaning up the tavern and headed upstairs.  While annoyed at having to do a servant's work, the dwarf recognized it as the least they could do after causing so much chaos.  

The group sat in the room.  Anzira polished her axe, appearing to be seeking distraction.  It was similar to Maruna's expression when she was frustrated with cooking, but trying not to show it.  The older man smiled as he thought about how two wildly different situations could produce the same emotion.

Eventually, Anzira summarized the basic situation and waited for opinions.  Erik stated the obvious ones, none of which were good.  One costed money and moved them away from their destination.  The other ones required more luck than the dwarf was comfortable dealing with.  

Gorun shook his head at Erik.  [color=gold]"If we were anywhere else but the free cities, those could be our only options.  But I've lived in this ... nation ... for a few years and understand the ropes."[/color] This is where a multicultural party came in handy.  Gorun had an additional card to play.  Although sometimes having different people could cause tensions in the group, it could also create solutions.

[color=gold]"The free cities have historically had varied populations and lax laws.  That means there are dwarves who can make tunnels and goverment employees who can be bribed to not close them off."[/color] Surface dwarves understood that even the most impenetrable mountain hall would eventually fall.  The nobledwarf and many others had created easily collapsible escape routes for times like these.  Gorun could easily find a dwarf, do some enchanting work for them in exchange for access, and leave the city.  [color=gold]"If you want, I can easily get a route out of here for us within three hours."[/color]