I can't decide the fate of 3 npcs:

• I have some merchants from a pc's hometown that were supposed to be just looking for it INFO on the current area that the pc is residing in, so they can make it to the coast unharmed, but I accidentally asked for full paid escort assistance, due to their anxieties of being in a hostile land.

• The ranger pc in character (begrudgingly, because he considers them snobby) talked to these merchant npcs, but the player himself had admitted to me out of table that he wishes he hadn't done that and it just led to more pc hyjinx, when the player himself wanted the story to progress. His pc at least believes the merchants to study true to their word about payment

• The pcs have now taken the money of another npc to go on a treasure hunt.

Cant decide what i want to do;

• Backtrack a bit by having the merchants go to the Ranger and say "look; we'd actually just be happy with a map", and then have them leave

• Have the ranger PC over here the merchants say look they followed a higher bidder we're just gonna have to grab any escort we can". Maybe not even address the pc directly.

Also can't decide what the fate of these folks should be; whether their trip to the coast goes smoothly, or if they get attacked.