Krakas casts a spell, one he has yet to debut, "This is the end for you, demon!"
He then scatters from the group to avoid the risk of splash damage from the demon.
Already nonplussed by the aggressiveness of you, Krakas lets the demon know what will be in store for it when it reports its failure to hold its position. It holds its head in agony and falls to the ground.
The remaining enemy forces drop what they are carrying and scatter away.
Scavenging the field of battle and the ruins units of food and water and 2 units of Goods.
Merlin gathers whatever gear can be salvaged, as his thoughts turn to their next battle....
After the fight, Tabil ignored the battlefield spoils. Instead, he moves directly into the medical tents to help with the wounded and attempts to find out how much of the force was lost so far.
He might sneak a question about Nurah and her usual behaviours, see whether it matches the current situation.
With everyone keeping on eye on Nurah, a couple of you notice her seeming to sneak away.
The help you gave to your army was useful. There was only one casualty that cannot be returned to battle.
Beyond Keeper’s Canyon, your route finally takes you westward into the Worldwound itself. It won’t take long for you and your allies to notice the difference even a few hundred yards into enemy territory makes, for the Worldwound is the very definition of hostile territory.
More than demons and monsters, the very environs of the Worldwound are dangerous. Infections, parasites, and diseases infest the water and game alike, making the idea of living off the land dangerous. The weather can vary wildly — calm one day and blasted by hurricane-force winds the next. Some storms are supernatural in nature, and can open rifts to the Abyss or rain down strange precipitation like frozen eyeballs or shards of crystallized locusts. The sun rises later and sets earlier than it should, and the skies are almost always overcast with black and red clouds. When they part, the sky seems dull in color at day, and at night the stars are all wrong, as if one were looking up at an alien realm above. Navigation in the Worldwound is difficult as a result, but you can follow the Ahari gorge so navigation isn’t an issue.
A few hours into the trek, Sosiel approaches you. "I'm loathe to mention this, but one of the Paladins from the army seems to be having second thoughts. Would you speak with him, please?"
Tavos steps away from the field as the fighting quiets. The gem on his mask shifts from molten amber to a steady emerald glow. He exhales slowly, the heat of battle fading as the new spirits settle over him.
Roots take hold in broken soil. The wounded earth will bloom again, if tended.
He moves toward the wounded with Tabil, kneeling beside a fallen soldier whose armor is still warm. Pale green light spreads in a slow circle as he places his hand on the ground. The scent of wet earth replaces blood and smoke.
“Hold still,” he murmurs. “The spirits of the groves remember mercy better than I do.”
He works in silence after that, helping Tabil where needed until the worst of the pain has eased and the living can rise again.
When Sosiel approaches, Tavos stands and nods once.
“Show me the one who doubts. I will listen.”
The gem on his mask dims to a softer green as he follows, calm but intent, carrying the quiet presence of someone who understands fear—and walks anyway.
Tabil notes the environment changing suddenly, and he furrows his brow. "I hope we are passing through this, not it expanding over our position.", he notes as he is observing the odd colouration of the sky and clouds.
Not much later, during the rain of eyeballs, Tabil starts collecting the ones that did not pop on impact. Whoever is watching him do this can see him cheerfully collecting the eyes and putting them into jars of some sterile-smelling liquid, then placing them around his tent as decoration.
When he finally emerges from his tent, he recalls Nurah sneaking away. Curiosity takes over, and Tabil decides to find the woman and see what the sneaky business is all about.
Avenger has been helping keep everybody healed. He also helps season peoples food and makes sure that they get a little fresh fruit each day. Rations would keep you alive, but they would be extremely dull over time. A little freshness helps to keep the spirits up.
But one of them ate the fruit as mechanically as everything else. When Sosiel says this, he grabs Merlin, "This looks like something up your alley. You should go with Tavos. I think that we need a little down to earth to work balance out his more esoteric approach."
Sosiel leads you to a group of paladins sitting around a campfire.
"There he is." He points out a rugged man, whose face shows he has weathered many battles. "His name is Arles Jhestander. I... I had a dream last night that he no longer has Iomedae's blessings. Please speak to him."
<<snip>>
Using Pursue a Lead, and talking with your allies, you definitely know something is up with Nurah. What it is, isn't clear.
Definitely, she was trying to avoid notice and trying to slip away undetected. And, she is definitely up to something that she is trying to hide.
Tavos walks beside Sosiel, the soft green light from his gem flickering in the dim air as they approach the fire. He stops just short of the circle of paladins and turns slightly toward the cleric.
"A dream," he repeats quietly. "Tell me more before we act on it. What was shown to you, and how do you know it was truth rather than fear?"
The mask turns enough for Sosiel to see his reflection in the polished ivory.
"I have seen dreams twist meaning before. Sometimes they are warnings, sometimes echoes, and sometimes nothing more than a weary mind speaking in riddles. Did the Inheritor herself speak? Or was it a vision of your own making?"
He lowers his voice slightly, keeping the tone measured.
"I will speak with this man if you ask it, but I would know what ground we stand on first."
Faith falters when it mistakes the whisper of fear for the voice of the divine.