The delay in the line gave ample time for one of the guards to come up on horseback from inside the city.  Far from the dull steel armor, this woman bore lighter, decorated armor that marked her rank.  As she came up towards the protagonists, the other guards continued their work on checking merchant wagons, either by unseen signal or previous orders.<br/><br/>"Adventurers."  The word boiled up from her mouth in the way she might scold a small child.  "No doubt here to kill just enough of the nearby monsters to get them riled up into a war frenzy, then waste your ill-gotten gains on booze and cheap Dwarven ale."  She took her time in looking over the group, as if wanting to make sure she had each face good and memorized.<br/><br/>Upon seeing the holy symbol of Veritas, she moved her eyes up to the paladin, addressing Valeria simply and directly.  "If you can assure me that no Hugsbane is held in the possession of your party, you're free to go in."  She gestured with a gauntlet.  "If you need to search them or ask them, by all means.  If any of you have any, it can be returned at the end of the week or when you leave."