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Gathering his frayed nerves Dryden makes his way back to party with a little less bluster then he usually carries. He picks up his drops weapons and joins the party and try his best to help the argument.
"I am not as knowledgeable in these matters but what they say makes sense. Please weigh their words. Taking the wrong path will cost dearly."
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The groups combined arguments seem to quiet the squall for a moment, but new arguments start to form, these with a strong sense of fear resonating in the words that ring out from nowhere, yet everywhere all at once.
Malusha, however, finds his arguments washed away in the psychic wind, and his mind is overwhelmed for a moment with conflicting thoughts and emotions.
“But, the river went dry because the old gods abandoned us. If we return to the old ways, Aram Zey will smite us. We brought ruin on our world and only the new god can save us.”.
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"Rivers goin' dry ain't necessarily a sign o' abandonment. Could just be the coud 'ave been droppin' less. Comes 'n goes like that in the real world. Can't imagine rain in the tapestry bein' any less fickle. As fer Zey, e's a pretty nice guy. Never seen 'im 'smitin'' nobody over the weather. Drunk in the rain? Yeah, THAT I'ave seen 'im be doin'."
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"Where is your evidence for this? Faith doesn't mean jumping to conclusions, so surely you must have some reason for thinking the river dried up because of the old gods abandoning you, right? And what makes you think a mortal wizard would want you to worship him, let alone would smite you if you turned your back on him and his 'worship'," the enchantress says.
Lowering her voice, she mutters an aside: "Mind you, I totally would. But I'm not Zey--and he's not a stunning paragon of beauty and poise like me, anyway."
Raising her voice again, she continues, "You speak from fear, but it is a baseless fear."
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The undercurrents of fear wash away as quickly as they came as Ansha leads the group in countering the most recent set of arguments.
The next wave of emotion is one of strong pride.
“Our leader is chosen by the divine. I am the only one who can save my people. I am a prophet and my course was set by Aram Zey.”
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Ansha heaves a melodramatic sigh. "Look, your sacred flower was itself possessed. You thought we were in league with evil spirits as well, without any evidence--do you really think that your father was so easily corrupted? Or that members of your beloved Aram Zey's Pathfinders would be corrupted themselves? Have you ever thought that it was you who was corrupted? You killed your own father, we get it; but you still have the chance to atone for that crime. You have the chance to redeem yourself."
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The gnome sits back and watches the team pull together. He sits idly by as he takes out a pipe from his pack. He slowly fills the bowl and lights the tobacco, then begins enjoy a few long draws. He mulls over the current happenings whilst he puffs smoke rings into the air. Considerin' how they jest got their tails kicked, they're pro'ly due fer a win. It was tough fer alla them, specially Malusha. Who knew a salad could be so much trouble? Anyway, they all seems ta be makin' their way jest fine at the moment. Should do wonders fer their confidence. 'N its about time 'Princess' Ansha started pullin' 'er weight. I ain't seen her so much as lift a wee porcelain finger since we been here. Good on here fer a change. When any of the team looks over, he offers a spirited 'thumbs up' for encouragement.
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When the group head back to town, they are greeted by Lin Fen Hai and her small retinue of guards. With weapons sheated they nod to the group and let them pass. The High Priest lowers her head in a small bow and then addresses the group. "You have my sincerest apologies for my actions back in the clearing. I heard what I thought was an evil spirit speaking to you, telling you to trick me into letting my guard down so that you could kill me and take over the village. I now realise that I was tricked, by not by you...but by what, I am not sure. It is as if a veil has been lifted from my eyes...and I feel a strange sense of peace as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I-I am confused. The sacred flower was not leading me astray was it? Were it's visions false ones?"
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Shocked at what she hears, Lin Fen Hai nevertheless provides permission for the group to enter the boarded off building. The building contains painted figurines that represent dozens of different spirits, each with a tie to some aspect of life in Onhae: a spirit of the harvest, a spirit of fishing, a spirit of artisanship, and a spirit of love, to name a few. Each spirit rests atop a woven linen mat. These mats are decorated with symbolic representations of that spirit’s significance, as well as a few brief prayers to the spirit.
In a different part of the building, locked inside a lead box, are caricatured figurines representing what the locals have long considered evil spirits, such as the spirit of apathy and the spirit of selfishness. These figures are made of stone, with a thin layer of burnt paint on the surface.
Additionally, the building contains the ashes of Lin Fen Hai’s father, contained in an otherwise unremarkable clay jar. Lin Fen Hai explains the significance of the ashes, the grief of his passing and the nature of it, seemingly coming back stronger than ever now that the etheroot's influence has left her mind. After killing him, I-I burned his body in the hopes of cleansing evil influences from his spirit so that he could pass on to join their ancestors rather than remaining trapped in the tapestry forever. Yes, that's right I killed my own father...after confronting him for consorting with evil spirits, and after he wouldn't even respect me enough to admit his misdeeds. Now...I-I fear I was misled, that my father was innocent, and that I was the one who was swayed by evil voices, not him."
Finally, she offers the group the chance to take the true sacred flower back with them. "This bloom has brought nothing but trouble!"
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When the priestess shows again, Ansha repeats her claim from the debate with the Silver Squall that the sacred flower itself had been supplanted by the etheroot. She gladly takes Lin Fen Hai up on the offer to see the boarded-up house, but is unable to place the significance of the religious tradition.
"We would be glad to take back a sample of the flower," she says in reply to the priestess' offer. "But are you sure you want us to take the whole thing? It is part of your religion, so what will you do if you give it to us?"
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"That's suren ta be a great offer, but the princess of porcelain is right. Its too much ta give away all yer faith. Maybe you can send us back with a bulb we can plant fer ourselves. That'n way you 'n yours can rekindle yer beliefs tagether. I should be thinkin' it'll go along way ta healin' yer village."
He steps in closer, his voice consoling. "As to yer pa, that wern't you lass. His passin' lies at the feet o' that nasty shrub in the forest. It happened afore yer eyes, but yer as much a victim as he was. Worsen maybe. We both be knowin' that nothin' Ah say will take the pain away. That journey is yers ta walk. But, these people need you. If'in they're gonna survive, they'll need you ta lead them. Fergive yerself 'n show them that healin yer souls is possible."
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"I am well versed in many subjects but this obscure religion and distant people are to far removed from my vast classical studies. I am afraid I can tell you nothing to help."
"Lady Hei. Spackle is right. You were not to blame for your previous actions. You were not in control of yourself." Dryden, looking rather uncomfortable, turns his head and looks down his nose to the ground finding it difficult to meet anyone eyes at the moment. "I know this is may be difficult to believe but earlier I lost control of my emotions and ran from the battlefield completely overcome with fear. Obviously a most potent magically induced fear otherwise I would have easily fended it off."
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"Thank you for your kind words. Yes, my people and I have much to consider. You have our sincere thanks for helping save us from a dark and mysterious force, which I now realise had me under its malevolent influence." Lin Fen Hai replies to the group. "Please, take the bulb of the sacred flower. As I say, this recent bloom has brought us only trouble. If you can make use of it in some way, you have my blessing!"
With their business here completed to their satisfaction, the group use their planar eddies to chronicle everything they learned about the Sunsu Godae, as well as to provide her with an account of the state of the tapestry. She is particularly interested in the strange phenomena the Pathfinders witnessed, such as the dream bubble and the silver squall.