I have always done the riddle quest for the halfling gem and even used it on many occasions, only to be disappointed most times, until this last one. My 4 dwarf and 1 dog team needed a boat. With only 35,000 gold and no gambling skill it was off to Stringy Pete I went. Now usually I would do the quests and get the boat this way. This time my team was quite powerfull, me at level 41 and the rest between 35 and 40. All expert Melee/Dodge thanks to the educator background. So I decided to give taking out old Pete a try. The first thing I did was use the gem and wouldn't you know it, all the skeletons except Pete went after the halfling. After taking out Pete all I had to do was hack away at the skeletons with no resistence what-so-ever. FUN WAS HAD BY ALL. Although I accidently hit one of it's summoned beasts by mistake so we had to kill the halfling to end the battle.