Before you tell me to search the forums, I did, thanks.

So anyway, is it possible to kill all of the redcaps outside before you ever talk to Auntie Ethel in her house and it not affect said convo? Or will she be automatically hostile and in her hidey hole if I kill the redcaps? I uh, didn't exactly expect to be immediately hurled into combat when I went through the fireplace, so now I'm just wondering if I can reload and try again or if it won't make a difference and she gets fight-y anyway.

How do I get through all of those freakin poison clouds without dying? What the hell.

The poison clouds come out of little holes, you can throw a book or something on top of the rock circles to stop the poison.

I haven't tried to kill the red caps before talking to Ethel, the red caps are hard so I find it easier using the inn to filter them through one by one, and use the high ground for advantage on them.

You can kill the redcaps before interacting with the Hag and it doesn't affect the conversation with her. I don't remember how but I agro-ed them while searching the area before going into the Hags hut.

You can kill the Redcaps outside.