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A burning arrow sticks out of Hanlin's chest piece, inches from his heart. He staggers but keeps his feet as he leans on Inky. "Friends, I haven't much left... Iomedae, give us your blessings yet again..." He coughs, spitting blood down the front of his belt. He raises his hand once more, letting the light flood in to push back the darkness.
Hanlin then stumbles back to try taking more cover behind Inky "Please don't judge me for my weakness..." He says as he tries to survive.
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Clinging to life, Hanlin channels positive energy one last time. The party welcomes the divine healing of Iomedae, the Inheritor.
Rather than continue to use his wand on Vegazi's arrows, Bishop decides to fire his own crossbow. The bolt slices through the air, *Zzzing!*
Erlathan
Bishop
Vegazi
Hanlin
Lord Bragget
Sir Kibble
Nina
Inky
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Shayle
Purple Barbazu
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Annoyed that he purchased the ouch-less arrows from what he thought was a respectable merchant, Lord Braggett decides to change tack. He draws his sword again, twirling the audacious flaming weapon around in a display of martial prowess, "Ha! You got lucky that my arrows are faulty, but even with sub-par equipment we will prevail." Adding to the already impressive (at least as far as he's concerned) display, the humble knight shows off his multitasking skills and starts spinning his bow as well as his sword. "Come closer, and I'll show you that I need no arrow to knock you down with a bow. Hahaha!"
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Lord Braggett draws his greatest weapon: his mouth. When he threatens to physically knock the erinyes out of the sky, Shayle's eyes open wide and she covers her mouth with one hand in shock. Then she giggles. "It seems neither of us were destined to be actors, little gnome."
"Now, where were we? Ah yes, you were huddling atop Eiseth's Roost, regretting your befriending my intended sacrifice, Vegazi. And I? I was shooting you all full of arrows. Yes, let's continue, shall we?"
Unable to get a clear shot at the prone priest, she surveys the motley targets and smiles at Lord Braggett, "Okay, cheeky little bugger, let's give you a go." Shayle shakes her head, a little cranky that two of her shots missed the cavalier.
Vegazi slips around behind Lord Braggett and fires another arrow of her own.
When the arrow strikes Shayle, it leaves a shallow wound. "You're starting to annoy me, Daughter of Kelseph."
"I could really use that bless weapon enchantment," Vegazi mutters under breath, a little frustrated. "Or should I just heed the devil's demand, and give myself to her? It would spare all of you, at least."
Erlathan
Bishop
Vegazi
Hanlin
Lord Bragget
Sir Kibble
Nina
Inky
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Shayle
Purple Barbazu
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Hanlin peeks up from his hiding spot and decides now is the time. Time to try his last trick. A long shot to say the least.
He looks on the winged woman, then at the ground, then back at her and utters a singular command. "Fall."
His face droops as the spell never had a chance. Come on Iomedae, throw us a bone here!
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I've had enough of this garbage!
"Hey Nina! Let's see if we can fly, what do you say?" Inky suddenly calls out to her summoner. Before Nina can really answer, Inky turns and races towards the altar, leaping atop it and running along the length before launching herself and Nina through the air towards Shayle!
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"My, my, miss Nina! That is the bravest thing I've seen in years!" Erlathan finds himself renewed with vigor. So much so that he digs into his bag of tricks, and pulls out something unique.
"I met this lady in the mountains of Zi Ha. She could do this cool thing where she'd summon and talk to a spirit within herself. And she showed me a thing or two about how I might do so as well!"
The elf snaps his fingers, and an image of a translucent, noodle-chinned head twice the size of Erlathan's own grows from his shoulders. The spirit and elf do a strange jig, dangling their tentacles from side to side. You suddenly feel empowered.
You can channel the spirit of one of Sharaheen's past lives. If you do not have medium class levels, you can cross this boon off the Chronicle sheet to use the medium's shared seance ability for a legend of your choice.
Of course, he uses his quarterstaff again.
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Hanlin commands Shayle to drop from the sky. The erinyes shakes her head, giving him the Dikembe Mutombo forefinger wag. "Not gonna happen, priestling."
Bishop hears an audible *click*, when the wand fails to activate. Disgusted, he tosses the wand to Hanlin.
Then, like Thelma and Louise, eidolon and summoner leap from ground to altar and into the air, colliding with the erinyes mid-flight. Failing to wrap her paws around the devil, Inky has a slow-motion second to wonder if catlike eidolons always land on their feet, or if that's just a myth.
Shayle remains airborne, but she's shocked at their sheer audacity, so much so that when Incandescence hits her like a linebacker, she loosens her grip on her bow.
But fortune favors the fey, because Nina also fails to grapple the fiend, yet somehow her small hand latches on to the devil's bow. The gnome slides down the back and belly of the bow with such speed that when her wrist catches in the bow's nock, the sudden jerk breaks Nina's fall to the ground and snatches the bow from Shayle's hand.
With catlike grace and reflexes, Inky lands next to the summoner, eyes dilated, tail straight and hair standing on end. The bow clatters to the ground between them and the purple barbazu.
Carrying out the world's fastest seance ever recorded in the Chronicles of the Pathfinder Society, Erlathan calls forth the Spirit of the Champion, putting a little Vitamin-T in everyone's weapon damage for the rest of the day. Feeling his oats, the arcanist unloads his staff again. *Sizzle... fizzle*
Erlathan
Bishop
Vegazi
Hanlin
Lord Bragget
Sir Kibble
Nina
Inky
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Shayle
Purple Barbazu
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"Haha! Good show!" Lord Braggett cheers, raising his sword in salute to his fellow gnome, "Kibble, why didn't you think of that? No time to explain now, we have a proper fight to prepare for." He throws his faulty bow dismissively over his shoulder, plucks the arrow from his thigh, and retrieves a potion from his belt. "If you want Vegazi, you'll have to come get her now... Ha! You don't stand a chance once we start a real fight rather than all that cowardly bow stuff!" He chugs the potion, his wounds healing almost instantly and cheers again, ready for a fight in close quarters.
The first time Kibble is hit in a round, Braggett will use the Mounted Combat feat, and as an immediate action to try and negate any damage. The hit is negated if the Ride check result is greater than the opponent's attack roll.
For the first two adjacent allies (including Braggett) who are targeted for an attack, Kibble will use the Bodyguard feat to use an AoO and boost their AC.
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"Fetch me my bow, minion! NOW!" Shayle commands the barbazu.
The purple bearded devil emerges from behind the iron brazier, steps toward Nina and Inky, and takes a swipe at the summoner with his claw. Then he bends over and picks up the bow, not too worried that the little gnome and cat will hit him.
Shayle draws her longsword, "I'll have your head, impudent gnome!" She flies in a half circle around the gnome and toward the barbazu, descending ten feet until she's only five feet off the ground and within reach of Nina. She swings her enchanted blade with both hands. She's so surprised when she misses, she almost drops her sword as well.
You realize that without the magical fires to sustain the power of the flame-bound erinyes, Shayle has now become staggered.
Vegazi steps closer to Hanlin, readying to fire her bow as soon as the priest casts bless weapon on her arrow.
Erlathan
Bishop
Vegazi
Hanlin
Lord Bragget
Sir Kibble
Nina
Inky
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Shayle
Purple Barbazu
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Both Nina and Inky strike at the barbazu as it hurries over to grab Shayle's bow; Inky with her teeth and Nina with her bare fist...
...and the quick-footed gnome evades both the barbazu's claw as well as Shayle's attempt to shave more off of her height with a longsword.
"Neener neener! Not as good with that sword, are you?" Nina taunts as she draws out her dagger made of cold iron and attempts to shank the deviless in the foot with it before stepping back into the protection of the magic circle.
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Nina's uppercut doesn't connect, but Inky nicks the barbazu's hide. Feeling the power surge from Erlathan's seance, her canines sink deeper that the eidolon expected.
Vegazi's blessed arrow whizzes past the erinyes, and she curses. "Sorry, friends, let's not give up yet. Hanlin, can you keep that up? I won't miss every time."
Shayle evades both Nina's and Inky's attacks.
Erlathan
Bishop
Vegazi
Hanlin
Lord Bragget
Sir Kibble
Nina
Inky
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Shayle
Purple Barbazu
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"Look at how the tables turn! Keep it up, team, while your friendly almost-magicless wizard here provides moral support using his strange phantom," the translucent elf rising up from Erlathan's shoulders dangles its tentacles, providing a continued damage boost. "And a little harrying fire. Will it work this time? We won't know unless we try, I suppose!"
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Bishop dashes out of the protective ward of the magic circle against evil and stabs Shayle with his blessed silver dagger.
"Ouch!" The erinyes screams. "Why you dirty little motherf..."
Erlathan activates his staff of entwined serpents, and the ghostly images of two small flags emerge from its barrels, accompanied by a faint *Wah Wah*.
Erlathan
Bishop
Vegazi
Hanlin
Lord Bragget
Sir Kibble
Nina
Inky
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Shayle
Purple Barbazu
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"LANGUAGE!" Lord Braggett yells at the foul mouthed fiend, swinging his flaming sword overhead heroically as Sir Kibble rears up *ARF, ARF!* Confident that he cut quite an impressive pose, and hoping his sword backlit him nicely in the mist, he points his sword at Shayle and calls for the final push. "HAHA, CHAAAAAAARGE!!!!" Both wolf and ride close the gap in an instant, stabbing and biting at the fiend's feet.
Full-Round Action: Charge Shayle
Kibble:
Standard action: Attack Purple Barbazu
The first time Kibble is hit in a round, Braggett will use the Mounted Combat feat, and as an immediate action to try and negate any damage. The hit is negated if the Ride check result is greater than the opponent's attack roll.
For the first two adjacent allies (including Braggett) who are targeted for an attack, Kibble will use the Bodyguard feat to use an AoO and boost their AC.
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Lord Braggett charges Shayle, and though the fiend avoids the cavalier's blade, his mount puts a tooth on her.
Shayle flutters to the next to the barbazu, who hands the erinyes her bow.
Then the bearded devil swipes at Lord Braggett with a claw.
Erlathan
Bishop
Vegazi
Hanlin
Lord Bragget
Sir Kibble
Nina
Inky
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Shayle
Purple Barbazu
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Hanlin blesses another of the half-orc's arrows and offers a blessing of his own.
Vegazi groans in despair, as another of her arrows misses the mark.
Nina grabs her mace and hops on Inky. The eidolon slips around Shayle and sinks her fangs deep in the fiend's fleshy thigh. Tastes a little like a smoked, seasoned ham.
Shayle wrenches her leg free, screaming in unaccustomed agony, and, for the first time, you see a shadow of doubt deepen her scowl.
Erlathan
Bishop
Vegazi
Hanlin
Lord Bragget
Sir Kibble
Nina
Inky
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Shayle
Purple Barbazu
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Erlathan can't help but laugh. "Look at you, once so determined to lay death upon us, now sputtering to the ground like a bird who forgot to fly!" He holds his staff determinedly now, adding a twirl because it always meant good luck, and finishing with...
... the end of the staff smacking his noodley chin. Ow!
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"Haha! Indeed, Lady Brightspark, the end is nigh!" Lord Braggett cheers enthusiastically as he lends his sword to the mobbing of the erinyes. "Have at you!" Meanwhile, Kibble does his best to aid his knight's attacks, distracting Shayle with nips to the toes as Braggett slices away.
Standard action: Attack Shayle
Kibble:
Standard action: Aid Another (Braggett's Attack)
The first time Kibble is hit in a round, Braggett will use the Mounted Combat feat, and as an immediate action to try and negate any damage. The hit is negated if the Ride check result is greater than the opponent's attack roll.
For the first two adjacent allies (including Braggett) who are targeted for an attack, Kibble will use the Bodyguard feat to use an AoO and boost their AC.
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Pulling the already fallen angel to the ground Bishop takes full advantage of the situation. He quickly tumbles past Braggett and Kibble.
Landing behind the Shayle and the her evil minion he leaps from the ground and stabs his blade at her exposed midsection.
Bewildered The target becomes bewildered, taking a –2 penalty to AC.
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Erlathan witnesses another round of serpentine magic missiles fizzle against Shayle's fiendish protections.
His weapons missing his target, even with Sir Kibble's help, Lord Braggett tries to slay the erinyes with raw enthusiasm.
As Bishop tumbles past the cavalier and wolf, the barbazu swipes in vain at the rogue with his claws.
Bishop moves into a flanking position with Nina and Incandescence, stabbing at Shayle with his blessed silver dagger, debilitating the she-devil.
Suddenly and quite unexpectedly fearing for her life, Shayle decides discretion is the better part of valor. She barks at the bearded devil, "Aid your mistress, worthless minion!"
Shayle flies away from danger.
Vegazi draws back her bow, determined to not let Shayle escape. As she releases her the string through her fingers, a gust of wind carries the scent of sulfur.
With a shriek and a scream, Shayle tumbles to the rocks below, NNNNOOOOOoooo!" Broken body bleeding out across the sharp granite stones, one last death rattle escapes her throat, before the erinyes dies, and a thousand unspoken curses die with her.
The barbazu sighs in relief, before he winks out of this plane of existence with an infernal salute, destination Hell.
Vegazi sinks to her knees on the rocky soil of the summit of Eiseth's Roost. "Thank you, friends. I'm not sure what else to say... "
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Hanlin slowly rises to his feet at the sound of the crashing she devil, Bishop's wand of bless weapon still in his hand, shield on the other "We did it?" He says with some hesitation, and a bit of a question.
He walks over to check out the body "Maybe someone best make sure..." As he sees her still breathing body lying motionless, nodding at Bishop to finish the job with his enchanted dagger.
Hanlin turns to Vegazi and smiles "I think that about covers it, Friend." He tosses Bishop his wand back and gathers up his dropped weaponry, happy to be still among the land of the living.
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When Bishop slits the she-devil's throat, her fiendish corpse still litters the rocks.
With a start, Hanlin realizes Shayle wasn’t summoned—she came here by her own accord—which means that when you destroyed her on the Roost, you destroyed her for good. Vegazi is free from Kelseph’s infernal pact forever.
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Searching the area atop the summit of Eiseth's Roost, you retrieve a bright red ruby worth 500gp from the basin of each of the four braziers.
Vegazi helps you recover Shayle's +1 flaming composite longbow and her +1 longsword.
Among the valuable items you find on Kelseph's corpse are two potions of cure moderate wounds, masterwork half-plate, a masterwork falchion, a masterwork silver dagger, an elixir of tumbling, and a red diamond pendant worth 200 gp
Vegazi looks down at her hand still grasping her dead mother's angelfall bow. "Think I'll keep this. A damn sight more use to me than she ever was."
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Hanlin smiles and nods to Vegazi as she claims her mother's bow "I think that's a good plan. Its a good reminder of what NOT to become as you move forward in your life Vegazi."
Hanlin continues, making sure everyone heals their wounds with the resources they've found, knowing full well the Society takes any leftovers from missions... no matter how long they've been away.
"So now that you're free from being hunted by your deranged family, what are you going to do? I bet the Stead could use someone of your talents. A go between with the orc tribes maybe?" He asks as they trek back down the mountain.
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"We did it! I said we would and could and we did!" Nina cheers as Bishop and Vegazi finally manage to put down the erinyes for good. "But I gotta admit, that...wasn't easy. I guess as far as actual fighting capability goes, she was a worthy foe...if not especially honorable."
As everyone takes a breather to catch their breath and gather up the spoils of battle, Nina nods in agreement with Hanlin. "Yeah, I bet they'd like that! Or you could always come back with us if you wanted to join the Pathfinder Society - we're always on the lookout for more agents!"
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"Cheese and rice people, give her room to breathe," Inky remarks with a roll of her eyes. "It's not anything she's got to decide right on the spot, you know. Maybe she'd like to take a vacation somewhere, ever think of that? I've heard Tian Xia is nice this time of year."
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"I've never been one to plan for the future. Taking each day as it comes, keeps my life simpler and avoids disappointment."
Vegazi helps gather up the loot, adjusts the straps on her rucksack, and prepares for another overland march.
"The mayor might want proof we slew the erinyes, if you can carry her." For her part, Vegazi hoists the body of Kelseph up over one shoulder, with no more care than one might show a sack of... something.
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Halfway down the mountain, Vegazi pulls up next to the lifeless figure of her half-sister Bax. "Can one of you carry down the mountain? If not, I'll come back for her."
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At the base of Eiseth's Roost, Vegazi dumps her mother's corpse on the ground without ceremony. She sets about gathering wood for a pyre. Having assembled most of the nearby deadwood into a large pile, she throws Kelseph's body onto it. Then, she heaves Bax onto it, as well. She lights a torch and tosses it among some kindling at the base. Within seconds, the dry wood is consumed in a bonfire.
"Not a ritual," the ranger says after a few minutes of silence. "Just ridding the world of an evil blight and sparing the vultures and the jackals indigestion."
She turns and faces the trail to Arwyll Stead. "Ready when you are."
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"Haha! That's what you get for messing with the Knights of Arywll's Stead!" Lord Braggett cheers as Shayle is finally brought down, "Cracking shot, Vegazi, and that manoeuvre to disarm the fiend was one of the most heroic things I have ever witness Lady Brightspark..." He adds, giving everyone an appropriate salute of respect, "Of course, that's because I am unable to witness my own actions, but it was truly heroic nonetheless." He hops off of Sir Kibble and gives him a quick scratch before wandering the camp bow-legged, helping the others loot the place.
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The exceptional knight cites a lack stature as a reason not to help carry the fallen, but he does offer the services of Sir Kibble if a sled could be fashioned to drag the erinyes back to Arwyll's Stead. He also spends a good deal of time on the trail selflessly helping the local bards by writing the songs of this victory for them.
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Vegazi returns to Arwyll Stead with you.
The Steaders are overjoyed to hear the news that Kelseph’s daughters and Shayle’s devils will no longer trouble the town, and they hail you all as true heroes.
Mayor Proum awards you the 1,000gp he promised for keeping the half-orc Vegazi safe. He has two men cart away the body of Shayle.
Scoutmaster Terrin thanks you for putting a stop to the Hell’s Fury menace, and he offers you your choice of one item from the Arwyll family vault, treasures that include an ioun stone worth up to 10,000gp, a belt of physical might +2, a staff of minor arcane, two fully charged wands , and a +2 magic weapon or suit of armor. "Thank you for rescuing my scouts." Then in hushed tones and choking back tears, he adds, "And thank you for honoring my request that you keep my relationship with Wate a private matter. I do not wish to mourn in public. His loss is too personal, and I would prefer to carry my deep grief alone."
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Later that evening, the town gathers in a very crowded Blissful Badger. The dwarven woman, Isald Forgemore, welcomes you with a warm, broad smile. "Saved you your rooms, if you care to stay a while. But first, let's get this party started!"
You see some familiar faces as you enter the bar and taproom: Acolyte Ovir Radan, Deputy Naia Volsson, Elder Gallus Crevac, Elder Shovann Orda, and of course, Mayor Darrel Proum and Scoutmaster Terrin Shaw.
"With the threat of fiendish invaders quelled," Proum declares and pauses, until the crowd quiets down. He clasps Vegazi’s hand and raises it above their heads, "And based on the evidence from Old Grev’s book and Vegazi’s own account, I pronounce the woman Vegazi an honorary member of the Arwyll family, and the elders bestow upon her the Arwyll name."
The crowd erupts in roars of approval.
Waiting for the gathering to settle down, Mayor Proum calls each of you forward to join Vegazi. "Bishop the 'Dark Augur', Erlathan, Hanlin, Lord Braggett Fizzlebotham IV and Sir Kibble, Nina Brightspark and Incandescence, and of course, Vegazi Arwyll, I hereby declare you all: "
Once again the crowd goes wild, thumping their mugs on the tables, whistling and cheering their new heroes.
Then Isald Forgemore climbs on top of the bar. Jaws drop at the absurd sight. "Don’t you worry, folks. I’m not about to go all 'coyote ugly' on you all." Good-natured cat-calls and laughter fill the taproom. "Now that all the VIPs have finished talking, it’s time to unveil the pièce de résistance. Acolyte Ovir Radan, if you would please do us the honor?"
The cleric of Iomedae shuffles over to a corner of the taproom, and grabs the edge of a large canvas sheet and tugs, revealing a familiar sight. There, in all her fiendish glory, stands Shayle, dressed like a barmaid, lips pursed, clawed hands on hips, a dish cloth over one arm and a serving tray under the other.
"Seems that among his other talents, our town librarian is a skilled taxidermist," the dwarf innkeeper whispers with a giggle.
When you look in his direction, Elder Gallus Crevac, the former priest of Asmodeus, smiles and winks.
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Your successful mission and Vegazi’s integral role prove a major boon to the town and go a long way toward dispelling any lingering half-orc prejudice.
On the day of your farewells, Vegazi accompanies you to the gates.
"Thanks to you, my friends, I recognize my value to others and vow to watch over Arwyll Stead in the name of Wate and his family. The townsfolk see the same fighting spirit of the Arwyll lineage in you, my intrepid fellow adventurers. In time, they will recognize their own strengths and their own need to move on independently of such protectors."
--
As you depart Arwyll Stead, the rescue party from Vigil finally arrives, led by the paladin Chastity Nevagonnagetzum, welcome but too late to be of use.