We were still moving clockwise around Baldur's Gate. We were moving through the North district when an angry looking halfling pointed right at us! "YOU! I've found ya! Ya thieving little gragdok! Thought ya could get away, eh? Well, Meklin isn't one to be taken so easily! Hand over me money!"
Huh? Have I stolen from this guy before? I didn't recognise him at all.
"Uh, you're going to have to jog my memory. Lots of people seem to think I owe them money," I said hesitantly. I wasn't going to say I had stolen from a lot of people.
Meklin stomped his foot and pointed again. "I've no beef with you! I want what I'm owed from that treacherous, pointy- eared thief!"
Pointy-eared thief? Oh, right, I had completely forgotten about this Meklin guy. Errrrrm. I'm so not good with the Enhanced Edition content. I wasn't quite sure what to do about him, really.
Right behind me was Khalid, whose eyes went wide in surprise and confusion. "W-what? What did I do?
"Not you! Get outta the way!" Meklin stomped again, and kept pointing, this time in Jaheira's direction.
Jaheira scowled. Well, scowled harder than usual. "Watch your tone when speaking to me, halfling. I have half a mind to insert a quarterstaff into your nether regions," she said.
"Stuff it, woman! I'm talking about the other pointy-eared one!" Meklin insisted, still pointing. Jaheria stepped aside, revealing Branwen and Imoen behind her.
Branwen and Imoen looked at each other, then looked back at the last remaining pointy-eared party member who was hiding behind the rest of the party. No wonder everyone else with pointy-ears in the party was getting confused. Branwen and Imoen stepped aside, leaving the last remaining party member in the back visible, pink hair and all.
Neera did a shy little wave at Meklin. "Oh dear! Meklin! So good to see you. I see you weren't hindered by any of my misdirection spells… that were cast purely as a practical joke."
"Spells?! YE SLIPPED A POT ON ME HEAD AND BANGED IT UNTIL I WAS KNOCKED OUT, YE DAFT WOMAN! Enough talk! I want the money you stole or I'll take it out of yer soft elven hide!"
Half-elven! And I have no idea what money you're talking about. Well, I may have taken a few coins for the road, but I hardly think that's worth chasing after me…
"It was over two hundred pieces o' gold! You knocked me out and fled into the night, tellin' me some faity tales about fleein' ornery wizards to get me to lower my guard. What have you told this character? A dragon ate yer pop? Feh! Gimme my gold," Meklin said, then drew out a tiny little dagger, "- or this dagger is going' into your ribs!"
By now, Neera had faced fierce warriors with spears, monsters, arrows from sharpshooters. A civilian with a dagger didn't really phase her. She scratched the back of her head, feeling second-hand embarrassment. "Meklin, this is getting outta hand. I didn't want to take your money, but I was in dire straits! If you didn't look so peaceful in your sleep, I would've workn you up to come with me."
"You took his money and left in the night?"
"I was gonna pay him back! Eventually! At some point! In the future. If I could find him."
"I think you owe this gentleman some money, Neera."
"Come now, it was just a little gold. What's money between friends?! Chums? Acquaintances?"
"Yes, well, if I had the money I would pay him, but clearly I don't! Look at my clothes! Ragged, filthy, peasant-esque… I spent that money on essentials, and essentials aren't cheap. The money is gone!"
"Neera, when we met you were carrying several gemstones of high value."
"Listen, if you're gonna be like that, then just string me up right now. Gods, you really don't know how to play along, do you?"
"Er… es! What I meant to say was that when I met her she was carrying several… hen bones. From a chicken. And that was very sad."
"Oh! Hen bones, was it? I see. Well, I guess I'll just be on me way now. GET THE ROCKS OUTTA YER HEAD AND GIVE ME MY MONEY!"
I took a deep breath and let out a long, drawn out sigh. "I will pay Neera's debt. That will settle it, I hope?"
"I don't care who gives me the money, I just want it back! All 200 gold! Pay up, or she'll be on her way to… that place! Wherever it is that blasted elves go when they've been eviscerated!"
Fine, take the money and go.
"Hmph! It's been a pleasure to see you again, Neera. I'll take my leave of you now. And if I catch ya sniffin' around me ever again, I'll cut out your wee black heart."
I am very, very, very, very, very sorry about what just happened. I didn't want to steal from Meklin, I just had no other choice. I wish things had turned out differently.
"This money is coming out of your share, you know," I told her. "With your allowance slashed, you'll be eating poorly for the next-"
I paused, did some math on my fingers. "- forty days."
Neera's eyes widened. "No way! You can't be serious."
I looked to the rest of the party. All of them were nodding in agreement.
Neera looked at them with pleading eyes, even at Imoen, but everyone was glaring at her with eyes full of indignation.
"This isn't fair. You steal things all the time!" Neera said to me.
"And nobody's the wiser who'd done it," I said. "I'm not saying you did wrong, you know. But when you take risks, you should be prepared to face the consequences for when you get caught. It was worth it so you could survive at the time, right? I'd say you got a good deal out of an emergency-"
"Alright, that's enough, Sonny. You of all people shouldn't be lecturing her," Jaheira said as she gave me a withering glare. "You may be a thief by trade, but you're overdoing it. Keep it up, and you're going to face consequences eventually."
"But I don't get caught!" I protested.
"Into the corner of shame, both of you-s!" Imoen said, pointing at me and Neera. "Naughty, naughty!"
"I propose both Sonny and Neera pay for the 200 gold out of their share, 'til the debt is paid" Branwen suggested. "So they'll both be getting the slashed allowance."
"What? Hey, I didn't do anything wrong!" I protested. "Why am I being punished?"
"All in favour, raise your hand," Jaheira said.
Everyone's hand raised, including Neera.
"And the ayes have it. Slashed allowance for both Sonny and Neera," Jaheira pronounced. "The 200 gold debt should be paid off in…"
She made a big show out of counting out on her fingers. "-twenty days."
"This isn't fair! Neera was the one who got caught, not me!"
"That attitude is exactly why," Jaheira concluded. "Go and contemplate your actions, for once."
As I wrung my hands in frustration, Neera stuck her tongue out at me.
UUUUUURGGH! I just can't stand her!
---
Meklin was actually wearing a valuable magic item, Boots of Avoidance which gave AC bonuses vs missiles. We already had a pair, but another was always welcome. These boots could not be stolen from Meklin, the only way we were going to get it was by killing the halfling. Which was a bit much, considering Neera was the one at fault.
As a matter of fact we would really have ended up killing Meklin if I had not interjected and offer to pay Neera's debt. Neera would use her wild magic on Meklin, devil may care for the consequences as usual, and which would then polymorph him into a monster. At that point we'd have to put him down, and get his boots.
If I hadn't paid up Neera's debt, Neera's actions would have caused Meklin to die. And she wouldn't ever own up to the consequences of her actions.
Point being, this is all Neera's fault! She's the one who should be punished, not me! This is totally unfair!