(OOC -- sorry about the delay... I've been off-line due to, of all things, a shoddy network cable. Gonna repair it or buy a new one shortly... in any case, I've found a short-term solution -- jiggle it around a bit -- so I should be posting semi-regularly.)
The door to the bathhouse faces to the east, away from the man you talked to. There are four more to the North who come out as you move to get the others; two more bowman, one with a quarterstaff, and one with a pretty hefty axe... Again, all have their weapons at half-ready -- not in position to strike quickly, but still in hand. In any case, they stand at their current distance as you go to greet the others, and the speaker at least appears to relax a little.
Once you've explained the situation, Yattro is clearly... disconcerted, to say the least. His response is to the point, and his tone serious:
"Friends, if it is your choice to go with them, then you should go. But know that you do not have to." He reaches under his bed, and produces an old knotted quarterstaff, to illustrate the point.
"I will speak with them myself, now, if you like... But Raven, perhaps you should go out alone for now. If they haven't come for you, you shouldn't be at risk, and perhaps you can talk them into giving our friends a little more time to discuss this. You might seem less strange to them, and it may help them relax." He pauses. "But give a shout at the first sign of trouble, even if you're not sure. I don't want you to risk yourself... It's not your duty."
He turns to Xiao, his eyes still a bit apologetic -- perhaps only sympathetic -- about the "strange" comment.
"If you don't think it would rouse trouble, I'd go ahead and wake Sethan now. Knock with your staff..." He grins wide, his bemused self returning. "He'll think it's me, and pop right up."
Once you exit, the wildmen split their attention between the two of you, but make no sign of aggression as they reach their destinations: Raven at a distance for address, Xiao at the bathhouse door.
...
Meanwhile, in the bath...
"Brother Fendric?"
It's Hiritus: He repeats himself, loud enough to break the trance. "Brother Fendric?"
Beyond that, the only sound is the tapping of rain against the cobbled roof... He stares over, a bit confused, if anything.
"Is that safe? I mean, I'm sorry to bother you, I just... I don't know how that sleep thing works, exactly, that thing you and Shavah do, I mean, and... You can't drown or anything doing that, can you?"
He looks embarrassed to have asked, but he goes on trying to explain.
"I guess you probably wouldn't, but I don't really know is all... I mean, how terrible would it be if you just drifted off and drowned or something just because I thought it was a silly question and it would be rude to... Un-sleep-thing you. I mean..."
Before his apologizing and explanation can stop, Xiao arrives.
