When Oswalds ship crashes and the Aurilite Rangers say they don't want you to pass do I have to do it anyway (is this the normal progression?)Any other way to get over there??

open up a can of whoop-ass on em!!

Thanks for the tip. I opened it and poured it all amongst em!!

Or you could have talked to the guard on the NE side of the map and they would have taken you to the leader who would have allowed you to pass. Just a thought.

Vornae

Talking to the leader and getting the conversation topic that allows you to pass w/o a fight is based on bluff i think... try talking to him with a character with lots of conversation skills.

I talked to the panther, which was really the wife of the leader - took me to the leader, talked a bit with no progress. When I went to leave, the "Dragon Lady' came, killed the Panther, and knocked me back outside the area.

Now, I can't get back in to talk to the leader, and all the Rangers & Druids just cuss me out for getting 'our beloved .... killed"

If I have my Rogue open the trapped door, war breaks out - no chance to talk

Has anyone talked their way through the Rangers/Druids ??

Yes I have but I did not talk to the panter first. I found a druid in the NE corner of the map acting as a guard. Using either bluff or diplomacy (not sure which as my party leader is high in both) I waas taken to the lead ranger and convineced him to let me pass without a fight. At this point he dragon lady shows her self and kills the panther and then knocked me back off the ledge with the werewolves. I can talk to the rangers just fine and move around the town. What trap door are you talking about as I did not see one. Most have missed it.

Vornae

Actually Intimidate works on the leader, my barb "convinced" him that the consequences of not letting us pass through were going to be bad for his health.

I ended up killing everybody anyway (failed pick pocket attempt)

Yes, you where supposed to talk to the panter, ask her to see the leader, then, when talking to him, you tell him that you massacred the orc, and they are no match for you. He will lets you pass, but the dragon woman will kill his mate, as a punishment. After that just go pickpocket him to get one of the spell components to repair the ship.