"Uh, Claude. And, I understand your concern as many other members of my family do not concern themselves with anything other than their own interests.
"That being said, you are still guests in our home and I would expect that you would conduct yourselves accordingly."
He watches Drethen warily as Drethen moves around behind him in an aggressive manner. "The whistle is my means to call for help should I be attacked" he says rather pointedly at Drethen.
"As for rummaging through my things, I'd be willing to allow you to look for anything that you feel would help you provided you supply me with a small fee as a deposit in case you find anything valuable." He thinks for a moment and then says, "How does 5,000 gp sound?"
"So far we have been met with all your family wanting to kill us in all sorts of manner. Yes you should feel threatened as we feel that way since arriving here not of our own accord. Now you wish to use extortion? Tell me why I should not just kill you and take what I want?"
Gabriel places his hand on his shoulder before saying softly, "Calm yourself. Lets give him the benefit of the doubt for now, we don't want any trouble. That, and he does have a point. Though we shall defend ourselves and are not here on our own accord, we are still guests of sorts." The paladin wanted to avoid trouble.
Looking to the man he says, "Please forgive us. My companions and I are a bit on edge, we can perhaps discuss such a cost." Gabriel wanted to avoid being a aggressor though each of them had met much danger.
As Ardo was thinking that have already liberated way more than 5,000 gold from this place he was fine with letting Claude hold onto it figuring with how things were going Claude would attack them anyways he they would just recoup it. Maybe this gold would buy them some time with out conflict. "Hi Claude. I am agreeable to a 5,000 gold deposit to look at your library in case we find anything of value. As we are not looking for trouble at all."
Claude looks down his nose at Drethen. "Yes, well maybe we'll make the deposit 4,500 gp so that this… uneducated one can look up the meaning of the word 'extortion'. That is, if he can read."
Claude will take the money from Ardo and sit back while you search the library. He won't hover over but he will keep an eye on your search.
After a thurough search, you find three scrolls that appear to be of some value. The first two appear to be scrolls with magic spells on them, which Claude will allow you to keep provided you give up the 5,000 gp.
The last has the following written on it:
To Those Who Would Be Free:
The secret that will break the curse surrounding Castle Amber and lift the gray mist is engraved on the inside lid of Stephen Amber’s casket. To summon Prince Stephen’s tomb from beyond space and time, four magical items are needed. The four items, The Enchanted Sword of Sylaire, The Viper Circled Mirror, The Ring of Eibon, and a potion of time travel, can all be found in Averoigne, our old homeland. Touch ring to viper’s tail. Anoint the sword with the potion. Shatter the mirror with the sword, and Prince Stephen’s tomb will appear.
Search first for the Gate of the Silver Keys.
(Scrawled on the bottom of the scroll in another handwriting are these notes:)
Sylaire - The Enchanted Sword - Sephora? Malachie?
Vyones - The Viper Circled Mirror - Gaspard du Nord
Perigon - The Ring of Eibon - Luc le Chaudronnier
Les Hiboux?Ximes? - potion of time travel - Azedarac? Jehan? Moriamis?
Drethen just smiles at the guy as the others do the searching. He does not put up his sword and he does not let down his guard. He will watch the man closely waiting for any aggressive movement.
Out of Character: Yes he is trying to look menacing and intimidating.
Hunter is tantalized by all of this and says, "I certainly am not paying anything to look around. In fact, if we were to solve the issue here then you all would benefit so why should we pay you for that?" Shaking his head he says, "So… if you blow the whistle, who comes… flies and mosquitoes?"
Hunter looks at Ardo and Gabriel, "You all got that scroll figured out yet? I wthink we solved some of those already right?"
"Again, we should be grateful he is willing to let us look around," Gabriel says, a bit frustrated with how at least one of his companion seeks the aggressor's route before continuing, "I says we try identifying the spells, but if they do not appear necessary consider offering coin for the last only."
Turning to Claude, the paladin offers, "Again my apologizes. Please, do not blow your whistle and we can discuss this." Gabriel consider the scrolls to see if he might be able to identify them so they can perhaps move on without a fight breaking out.
Gabriel will ponder the last scroll, before showing it to Claude to ask, "If this is truly the way out of the mists and away from the mansion, why has none of the Amber family tried following the instructions to excape?" The paladin was confused how their could potentially be the answer they seek with so short a search.