"If time is of the essence then we should head up those stairs," Ed suggests, "The whereabouts of our Elder should be discovered there! However we need to be in fighting condition first so let me help treat your wounds Reknar."
Reluctantly, Reknar pauses momentarily to tend to his wounds - "You are right, I was being a fool" - he thanks his companions for trying to talk some sense into him.
Tol takes a breath, satisfied for the moment that Reknar is listening to reason.
”B-but Ed - why are the stairs necessarily the way? I feel…somehow Elder Ordwi is no longer here…and that if I were to take someone from a building, the way out wouldn’t be…up. Unless I could…fly?”
The young fiendspawn throws his arms akimbo.
”I admit to knowing next to nothing about buildings, false Gorumites…or much really. If you think the stairs lead our way, then I follow you. Or..I lead!”
Tol prowls toward the stairs, checking the ground with his longspear to check for traps.
Tol does not find any traps along the length of the hallway. It seems safe to traverse.
"It was worth the effort Ed" - Reknar nods - "But those scythes got me good" - he added - "I'll get better when I have a chance to catch my breath"
"Perhaps Turac can ask Iomadae for some healing blessing for Reknar's benefit before we go forward. I don't mind sneaking down the hall and trying to figure out if anything's interesting there".
Ed considers the situation carefully, "While I think Reknar needs healing it is not wise to wait any longer. Reknar, take the rear guard here and Hess let's see what is down the hallway."
The stairs at the end of the hall lead up to another hall. Dried blood and hardened mud adorn the walls and doors.
A door exists to the southeast, north, west, and a double door to the southwest. Hess can hear voices coming from beyond the north door. He surmises that it likely leads to the balcony you spotted from the high ridge earlier.
”That will be the guards we spotted on the balcony…” Tol suggests quietly…
Reknar nods and whispers back at Tol - ”Ready as I will ever be…” - weapon and shield firmly in hand.
This large balcony features a narrow sand pit thirty-five feet long with small rope partitions marking the last five feet on each end. A rusty iron ladder on the southwest portion of the balcony leads up to the roof.
Three people in full plate are here sparring with one another. Two of them are men wearing rusty armor and wielding sickles. The third is none other than Sister Vanda, the woman who you met when you first arrived in Iron Harbor and who escorted Elder Ordwi to Stonehome. Unlike the others, her armor is pristine, and she wields the traditional greatsword of a Gorumite.
Upon spotting you, the three Gorumites cry out in surprise—with Sister Vanda’s shock being the loudest. "Take them out!" Vanda shouts, stepping back as the other two men move in front of her!
[spoiler=Initiative]
"What did you do with Elder Ordwi? Let her go at once!" Ed cries out as he sends his staff whirling at Sister Vanda!
◆ Load Hand Crossbow
◆ Fire at the betrayer
Hand Crossbow
Bolt (Double if a crit).
◆ Reload
Tol’s eyes glint a fiery black as he recognises Sister Vanda. Though his rage burns, he has come to learn a thing or two about that rage - it is deadly, but comes at a cost. So, he stands firm with Reknar, and DOES. NOT. RUSH. IN! He unclips the dero aklys from his belt and sends it flying at Sister Vanda, holding the rope with his other hand, then leans into his customary wolf stance.
◆Draw aklys* ◆Throw aklys ◆ Enter Wolf Stance
*
Reknar stands his ground, readying an attack at the first foe coming close.
Hess starts off the fight by firing a crossbow bolt right into the side of Vanda's neck! She shrieks in pain from the critical hit, blood pouring from the wound! Ed's staff bounces off her plate armor, but Tol manages to bash her in the head with the hurled aklys! Turac's lance of divine energy goes wide.
"I yield! Have mercy, please!" Vanda calls, dropping her sword and falling to her knees. The two other acolytes move forward to engage you. Reknar slashes at one, wounding him. He then fends off their sickles with his raised shield!
"Call off your men here!" Ed yells out, "We have no wish for further bloodshed but we will finish this fight!" He then proceeds to summon forth a shield for protection!
"They will not listen to me! They no longer worship the Lord in Iron, but see glory in rust!" Vanda replies. The crazed look in the eyes of the men attacking you seems to lend credence to her assertion...
Hess changes direction to one of the other attackers when she yields.
◆ Shoot Crossbow
Bolt
◆ Take Cover
◆ Reload Crossbow.
"Help us defeat them then if you're serious".
Tol attempts to clean up…moves in, flurries and then moves out again, but his blows are lacklustre.
◆ Stride ◆ Flurry ◆ Step away
Tolvar blasts one of the heretics with holy energy, but the rest of you miss. The two enemies step forward to follow Tol as they slash with their sickles, but the nimble monk dodges their strikes!
◆ Move into open.
◆ Take shot
Crossbow
Bolt.
◆ Take cover
This doesn't seem to be working too well. I might have to strategize.
”Well done Turac!” Tol yells out encouragingly, stepping in and out of melee to worry the goon that Turac shot with divine power…
”Rek! A little help!!!” he yells again, with a little more encouragement and a lot more anxiety…
◆ Stride ◆ Flurry vs. wounded goon ◆ Step away
Ed proceeds to target the remaining cultist...
Weaving in and out of combat for his own survivability, Reknar comes back into the fray, shield raised, side by side with Tol.
Turac second strike catches the enemy warrior in the throat, crushing his windpipe! As he goes down, Reknar moves in and delivers a telling blow, cutting down the other acolyte.
With their defeat, Sister Vanda continues to kneel with her hands upraised.
Ed slowly approaches the kneeling woman here, "Sister Vanda, I suggest you start explaining yourself here! And tell us where our Elder is!"
Tol relishes his victory and acumen even as he is slightly aghast at having touched the strange sickle-warriors.
”Vanda, what in all the Hells is going on here?!?” he yells, standing next to Edoveus.
Vanda sighs. “A week ago, a Thassilonian man named Meitremar arrived, claiming to be a merchant from Xin-Edasseril. He spoke with Lord Ragnulf for an entire night. When they emerged at dawn, they gathered us all in the worship hall and spoke of bringing war to Osprey Cove, subjugating all other settlements on Chakikoth Isle, and forging an alliance with Xin Edasseril.
“At the end, Lord Ragnulf spoke of a sickness among our ranks, and claimed that his new friend Meitremar had brought him a way to expose that sickness. He opened a bottle, and it filled the hall with foul-smelling air. Several of my kin doubled over in pain—it looked as if their skin was rusting—and Lord Ragnulf ordered the rest of us to ‘put down the blasphemers’. I’m ashamed to say I obeyed the order. The fighting that followed was awful. I killed several of my brothers and sisters in iron. Unlike the rest of them, though, I still feel remorse for what I did. The others now ascribe to Meitremar's heretical teachings."
A look of shame crosses Vanda's features. "When I brought your elder here to Stonehome, the fallen acolytes took her prisoner and handed her over to Meitremar's most dangerous agent--an awful, split-faced monster called Azomi. Azomi took the elder down into the basement, but I am not sure what became of her after the fact.
"I wish to atone for my transgressions. If you will have me, I will accompany you and assist you in your remaining endeavors here in Stonehome. Particularly if that involves killing Azomi."
Tol’s face loses its customary grin. He turns pale, and his lips drop and purse as the story of the massacre is related. He blinks trying to understand what Vanda, this person in front of him, is capable of.
He turns and steps away, feeling overwhelmed. With his back to Vanda, he cries a single tear before grimacing, wiping his face with a sleeve and turning back.
”H-how can we trust you Vanda? You have slain your own - those you trained with and trained. How can we fight alongside you with any kind of surety for our own safety…”
Ed's eyes narrow on hearing Vanda's confession. "Forgive me Vanda, but like Tol says here, how can we trust you? So far you have offered little but words here and as we have seen your words mean very little." He shakes his head, "You will need to offer more else I put my life in your hands Vanda."
"I think we should tie her up" - Reknar grunted.
Vanda nods. "I understand your hesitation. That is all I have to give at the moment. I submit myself to your judgment. Leave me tied up in my quarters if you prefer."
"I am ok with bringing you along, but bound" - the man explains, and waits for his companion's comments.
Tol frowns. It’s clear he is unhappy with the entire situation, but he can see Reknar is adamant.
”We may need her help to deal with this Azomi creature. Until then, yes, let us keep her bound.”
Hess stands on something taller than he is and looks Vanda dead in the eye.
"Are ye being upfront with us or spinning lies? Believe me I'll know".
Intimidation
Perception (Sense Motive) on her answer.
"I swear by the Lord in Iron, I am speaking truths," Vanda vows. Hess gets the sense that the woman is indeed being honest. You bind her wrists as you prepare to continue exploring Stonehome.
Vanda can explain the layout of the rest of the temple. The other chambers on the second floor include the barracks and the defensive battery. Vanda believes that Azomi is currently inside the junior barracks. The rooms on the first floor include a clinic, smithy, guard stations, and kitchen. The temple's smith, Trygve, was spared when the cultists took over for his talent at working metal. He may prove to be an ally if you can convince him that you are here to help.
Ed nods grimly, "Perhaps we should find Trygve before we attempt to rescue our Elder. Any help we can get may prove to be the difference here!"
Tol nods also.
”Thanks for assisting us Vanda. So that is the layout - what about sickle-wielding Rusties - any more of them on wither of these levels? We should clear them out so they don’t come on us while we battle any of their friends…don’t want to be fighting on two fronts.”
Tol thinks quickly.
”Or three. Or…four. Is four the most fronts one could have in battle?”
"Depends on the size of the battle I guess" - Reknar replies, checking the ropes on Vanda are securely tied.
Vanda tells you that there are no more acolytes in the temple at the moment, but some may be in the basement.
Tol breathes a sigh of relief, and then nods as staunchly as he can to hide his relief.
”Let’s find this…Trygve fellow…”
As they head off Tol begins to try to convince Reknar to allow him to remove Vanda’s bonds.
”I believe Vanda wishes to help, and we may need her sword arm. I know she did a bad thing. Possibly lots of bad things. But I trust that she wishes to make amends. Perhaps this Trygve fellow might get the wrong idea if the first thing he sees is Vanda as a prisoner. Though, maybe *he* thinks she should be a prisoner. So maybe we keep her bound. Hmm. ”
Tol becomes thoughtful.
”Then again, he might think we are coming to take *him* prisoner. Should we let Vanda do the talking? But then…you don’t trust her.”
The lad smiles.
”Anyway, something to think about…” he finishes brightly.
"I'll think about it" - Reknar nods at Tol - "Any extra weapon arm would help of course, but not if it is stabbing us in the back. Why are you so quick in believing her, after but a few short moments of conversation? She has been captured, and could be saying anything just to try and break free - many would do that"
Tol listens to Reknar intently. Then shrugs.
”Fair point Reknar. I’m not sure I can explain it in my own words. Perhaps a parable will help.
“Fate lives on a knife edge that cuts the skein between good and evil. Who is to say on which side lies the future or the past.”
Tol shrugs again. ”To be honest I never really understood that one.”
”Maybe I feel that Vanda is in essence a good person, and that a lifetime of goodness can outweigh a short burst of….immeasurable…and wanton….uhm….never mind.” Tol finishes, taking care to keep his eyes averted from Vanda’s and sneaking a furtive glance at her bonds.
Doesn’t hurt to double check…