Li thrust open the doors to the Golden Flagon to find the remnants of what must have been quite the scuffle. Most of the tables and chairs had been shattered and flung apart like a typhoon had ripped through the floor. Shards of wood mingled with broken glass shards from cups and bottles.

Li gingerly stepped over a shattered bottle of liquor and closed the doors behind him. He panned his stare from side to side, getting a thorough look at the people in the room. Thankfully, whatever commotion had caused the property damage had passed. The beastwomen, now unbound by the efficiency adhering mind control from Ven'thur, were all over the place. 

Still, Li could see that there was some order to how they had scattered, grouping with members of their own kind. 

Feli were perched atop tables, a few of them wonderingly contemplating the bar counter and its colorful array of drinks by pawing at them. Meanwhile, the bartender himself quite nervously shrank back in his chair, a hand holding his cleaning rag growing white with fright.

The Lupi were less agile and adventuresome, huddling tightly together in a corner of the room standing upright and tense. In this regard, the Serpi were similar, occupying another corner in similar guarded fashion. 

There were also harpies that had taken advantage of their winged arms and talons to embed themselves on the walls and ceiling where space was freer. 

And aside from the beastwomen, Li could see familiar faces. At a table in the center of the floor, a table uniquely untouched amidst the liberal furniture destruction, was Iona and the adventuring team Bulwark. It made sense for Bulwark to be there considering they were responsible for drumming up support and understanding from the adventurers.

Li made his way straight to the center table and took a seat. 

"And greetings again," said Launcelot with a smile and a wave. He was fully armored, bronze shield strapped to his arm. 

"Guessing you had to show some force?" said Li with a raised brow, though, as he took a look at the rest of Launcelot's team and his brother, they were not particularly equipped for combat. Just Launcelot.

"This?" Launcelot looked down to his shield and laughed. "Not at all, thankfully. Rather, this shield of mine has been quite useful. A few of the women seem to have taken a liking to it."

Launcelot smiled and waved at a group of Feli, and they cocked their heads, their tails swishing. A few of them mimicked the waving gesture in an awkward way someone completely unfamiliar with what it meant would. 

Li noted that the ones showing Launcelot any attention seemed positively disposed and all had reddish bronze hair that fell down from their heads in a rough cascade that gathered around their necks like manes, just like it did with the golden haired one that Azhar had talked with.

Leon, his shining leather boots propped atop the table and his back reclined against his chair, laughed. "Perhaps they are charmed by your dashing looks, brother." He jutted his chin out towards the trio of girls that made up the rest of Bulwark. "They seem to have worked well for you yet."

"What nonsense!" said the party member sitting next to Launcelot. It was Faye, the hero Li recalled having the power to generate fire. She had half-unseated herself in protest, her red locks swishing with the aggressive movement. "You think we travel with this dense fool for his looks?"

Leon made an amused face before shrugging. The casual response seemed to annoy Faye further, but before she was about to double down on her protest, Iona spoke up. 

"None of you are right," said Iona. "Observe. They are northern Bronzemane Feli from the Wildland Plains. Their fur is usually bronze, though it can grow a shade of dull red under certain circumstances. They are fixated primarily upon Launcelot's shield. They believe it divinely touched by the Six Tongued Warflame that they worship."

Li nodded in understanding. He knew the four gods took many forms depending on who worshipped them, and it was evident that the bronzemanes worshipped Chi-You. 

"But in a sense, perhaps there was some truth in your comments," continued Iona, her voice like that of a lecturer. Calm and concise, meant to inform rather than to engage.

"The doctrine of the Warflame is that of respect for strong martial prowess and adherence to a code of warrior's honor. That doctrine extends to their mating behaviors, causing them to choose those they believe embody those ideals of strength and honor the best. To that end, they believe Launcelot quite compatible in their eyes. Some of them wish to take you back to their prides in the north." 

Leon whistled triumphantly. "Hear that?" 

"Strength? The man can only raise a shield," said Faye defiantly. The two other members of Bulwark, softer spoken and quieter – evident even in their hooded garbs – shifted in their seats, blushing slightly at the talk at hand. 

"Certainly, that is true," said Launcelot as he laughed. "I fear I may have spent far too much time with the shield than the sword. But a shield to raise for others is all I need," said Launcelot. He looked back to his party, still smiling. "And before that all, though I am far willing to help these northern ladies back home, I must say I cannot stay with them. I have others closer to me to protect right here by my side."

"Atleast you have your priorities in order," mumbled Faye as she sat back down, visibly growing meeker at the comment. 

"A rational decision," said Iona, oblivious to the mood around her. "To stay in the north with the bronzemane pride, you would have had to enter a brutal gauntlet and battle several males to near death for the right to carve your spot within it. No weapons are allowed, so your bare hands would have fallen quickly to their teeth and claws. Your corpse would have been burnt to the Warflame." 

"I must say," said Launcelot to Iona. "You are marvelously knowledgeable. In the way of herbs, in the way of business, and even in the ways of the north. Are you certain you are not an eminent scholar? Perhaps one from the north?"

"No, I do not believe I have that qualification," replied Iona, letting the compliment sail straight over her head. 

"I see," said Li. "So the bronzemanes are probably tame right now because you and Launcelot have convinced them to be."

The table nodded, and Li motioned to the destruction and motley diversity of species around him. "But what about the others? There certainly seemed to have been some level of chaos here."

"Certainly, there was," remarked Launcelot. "When that foul black magic was lifted from the minds of these women, there was of course a tremendous amount of chaos. However, Iona, with but a few words in a language I have never been witness to, calmed them to the extent that we could carve some order out. You should have seen it. It was truly wondrous, like a deity or high spirit alighting upon the earth."

Iona paused nervously. 

"The healing spell she cast has a second chant to it that eases confusion. That was what soothed them. I should know - I created the spell," cut in Li. He knew Iona did not want to expose that she knew any forest spirit language to an adventurer no less. She had already risked much of her own safety for his sake. 

"Ah, so an eastern language, then?" nodded Launcelot. "I must say, the spells of the east seem far grander and better than those we learn here."

"We all have our strengths and weaknesses," said Li. He stood up and tapped Iona on the shoulder to get her to come with him. "If you will excuse us, I want to have a talk with the beastwomen. It would do well for me to know where their homes are to find a way to get them home."

==========

As Iona and Li walked away, he talked to her in a quiet voice. "What did you tell the beastwomen to calm them?"

"Forest spirits are held in high regard in the north among beastmen tribes as harbingers of the future. They rely on the forests and the weather for their survival, so they see us, beings who have say in controlling such factors, as prophets of a kind. Thus, I told them to not fear, to wait calmly for soon, good fortune would come to them."

"Simple enough," said Li. "And it worked very well, all things considered. There could have plenty more destruction than this. Thanks for holding down the fort so well. It's a good thing they respect the voice of the forest to this degree too. They're growing on me."

Iona nodded, smiling at the praise. 

"Now then, it's time for me to get a feel of how much good fortune I can bring to them," said Li as he made his way to each group of beastwomen.

Using Iona as a translator to make it seem as if he did not possess the divine ability of Allspeak, Li got a feel of the situations of the beastwomen. He wanted to get them home, to be sure, but if any of them did not have homes anymore or simply desired it, he would have extended them an offer to be on his farm as well.

There were four distinct groups of beastwomen in the Flagon.

The Bronzemane Feli that lived in the north generally all wished to go back for they had prides waiting for them, though a few of them did consider staying here for Launcelot. 

There were a smaller group of Goldmane Feli here, the kind that Azhar was familiar with, and they, too, wished to go back to their tribe in the West. The one that Azhar talked to had found her little sister in the crowd as well, so it seemed like most loose ends were tied up for that group.

The Lupi, however, were at a tense situation. Their northern pack worshipped the Moonwolf – a form of Noctus – and were far more isolationist than the other beastwomen tribes.

If they tried returning to their pack, they would likely be rejected for fear of being tainted by outside influences; a belief that arose when Noctus fell to eldritch influences, draining much of their faith based abilities away or afflicting some of them with the dire curse that rendered them savage and insane. 

They would need a new home, and Li would extend them a place at the farm or at the very least, a place within the Winterwoods if he could. Though for now, he did not yet forward any such offer. He had to settle the rest of this case first, after all.

The Serpi were interesting. They all feared Li for the Serpi he had dealt with was among them and had told of them about his ability to influence even their revered goddess herself. As a result, some of them, valuing knowledge and being bolder and more curious, wished to stay around Li, though the majority wanted to return home to their people in the far northern deserts.

The harpies were far fewer in number but each had different ideas of what they wanted. Unlike the rest of the beastwomen, they did not have a strong sense of shared community. They worshipped the Phoenix – a form of Helius – and their doctrine was that of journeying wherever the sun managed to shine its wide faring rays.

They were highly individualistic and did not ever consider any one place a home, using their wings to travel anywhere they wished. Thus, some of wanted to try staying in the South, others wanted to fly away and explore, still others were undecided. 

Overall, Li figured there would be quite a few new additions to the farm by the time he was done with this all. When he finished talking to each group and got around to sitting back at the table, the Flagon doors opened again.

The rattle of knightly armor echoed outside, and Li watched as Meld entered first, then Triple Threat, then a few knights of Lys, though a sizable force of knights did stay outside. Perhaps as a show of force? A precaution to keep the order?

Regardless, Li was ready to end this whole case and get what he wanted out of it.