Siobhan manages to finish off the mimic with two swift slashes. Helmut bites the snake, then Viv scores a critical hit with her needled darts, impaling the two-headed reptile and laying it low!
Viviana falls to a knee, breathing in heavy gasps and spurts from dashing around the room and casting spells. She wipes a bead of sweat from her brow and glances up at her companions with tired eyes.
"Guys...Guys... I’m spent." she mutters at whisper-level. "I’ve used up most of my abilities, and honestly, I’m ready to just lie here until morning."
She collapses to the floor, laying back and spreading out her arms and legs in an overly-exaggerated fashion. "What do you say we call it a night and head back to Sandpoint? I don’t think I’ve got much more left in me."
Still chewing on the snake, the goblin nods in agreement.
Wees gits lotsa foods stuffs too!
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"We've probably dealt with the worst, I hope." Siobhan adds, clasping her holy symbol for a moment to ward away any bad luck. "We can rest tonight and finish the job tomorrow. Shall we camp or do people want to head back home? It might be a long walk if people are too tired..."
She glances at 'people' with a raised eyebrow.
Slipping her bow over her shoulder, Vyana kneels next to the supine priestess. "Can't you see that she's unable to carry on, Von?" she calls out theatrically. Pulling Viviana's head up into her chest, she continues the drama. "Whatever shall we do without our very heart and soul?" She lightly rocks back and forth. "No one to sing the story of our victories. No one to lighten our misery. No one to steal the best part of the bread loaf."
Viviana is unable to contain herself and snickers briefly at her friends response. She quickly wipes away the smirk and resumes her exhaustion ploy as she lets herself be cradled against Vyana. "You forgot the part about no one to tell you when your hair’s out of place. Or remind you to smile for the audience, even if it’s just a couple of cranky goblins and a snoring ogre."
Viviana dramatically drapes the back of her hand across her forehead, her voice rising in a mock-fainting tone. "Oh, woe is me! To think that I, Viviana, the most beloved healer and storyteller in all of Varisia, would be forced to sleep on this wretched, hard ground like a common adventurer!"
She nestles closer to Vyana's warmth, keeping her eyes closed. "Please, oh wise Manager of Mayhem, spare this poor, weary soul from a night on the cold ground and feed her a hot meal and let her rest in a bed without spiders or snakes."
Vyana looks up at Siobhan and her lip curls up into a frustrated smile. "Fine. I'll do the carrying," she grumbles good-naturedly.
A princess carry would be appropriate, but the half-elf is self-aware enough that she knows she's not strong enough for something that elegant. So she resorts to what she can do. She shifts her hands down to Vivian's thighs and with a grunt and a flex of her own legs she lifts the woman over her shoulder like a hefty bag of flour.
"Lead the way, Von," she says with a grin after rising to her feet. "My cargo isn't getting any lighter."
Viviana lets out a playful squeal as she’s hefted over Vyana's shoulder, her arms flailing about. "Hey! I am not a sack of potatoes!" she protests. "I demand to be carried with dignity and grace!"
She glances over at Von with a wink and a whisper. "I suppose this is what true friendship looks like, carrying the dead weight of your exhausted healer!"
Ser Helmut giggles!
Wees ken make da french fries if'n youses bees potatoes!
It is late evening by the time you return to the familiar environs of Sandpoint. After a very long day of fighting and dungeon crawling, you are looking forward to getting some well-deserved rest.
You find several missives waiting for you in your quarters. Vorvashali Voon runs the Feathered Serpent, Sandpoint's only curio shop. A message from him invites you to visit his shop, offering you a 5% discount during the visit. Father Zantus has also left a message asking you to pay him a visit at the Cathedral at your earliest convenience.
"Finally! I was starting to think I’d never touch the ground again!" she teases with a wink.
Viviana quickly flips through the missives. She raises an eyebrow at Voon's offer, muttering "5% off? That’s hardly the grand welcome we deserve after saving the town from monsters, but I suppose it's better than nothing."
When she sees Father Zantus’s message she says "I think we should head to the cathedral first. Father Zantus doesn’t ask for our time unless it’s important."
Vyana rolls her shoulder with a slight grimace. She'd only intended to carry Viviana to the cave exit, but a stubborn urge had prompted her to continue the gesture all the way back to town.
Okay, well, there might have been at least one break when bouncing on the half-elf's shoulder had put undo pressure on the priestess' bladder, but other than that ...
"To the cathedral, then," Vyana agrees with a nod.
Viviana gently places her hand on Vyana's arm and looks to Helmy and Von, "We'll meet you there in a few minutes."
Once they move on, she says "You didn’t have to carry me all the way, you know."
She steps behind Vyana and places her hands on the magus's neck and shoulder, letting her fingers expertly working out the tension from the undue burden she placed upon her friend. "But thank you."
Vyana reaches up and places one of her hands on top of Viviana's.
"You're no burden to carry," she says softly as she relaxes under the woman's touch.
Ser Helmut merrily bounces around the trio excitedly announcing how they will be welcomed back as Heroes! The goblin occasionally makes kissy faces at Viv and Vy too as they journey back to Sandpoint.
Ser Helmut smiles up at Viviana completely missing her dismissal to the cathedral.....
He just stands there innocently smiling up at the pair ....still... staring....up...at...the...pair....
After a few minutes, the goblin begins shuffling his feet....
After another minute, the antsy pants goblin begins to cough....still... smiling...up...at...the pair... shuffling his feet... coughing... smiling....
Viviana’s hands pause mid-massage as she notices Helmut still standing there, staring up at them with his innocent, unblinking eyes. She furrows her brow slightly and, with a patient smile, waves her hand in a go on gesture.
"Helmy dear, you should probably get going and catch Von." she says sweetly, giving him a gentle nod toward the direction of the cathedral. "We’ll catch up in a few, I promise."
When the goblin continues to shuffle his feet and cough awkwardly, Viviana narrows her eyes slightly at Helmut, her lips pressing together in a line as she tries a more subtle approach. Without breaking her massage rhythm, she points with her chin toward the direction of the cathedral, giving him a small but firm nod. When that doesn’t work, she silently mouths, GO while widening her eyes, adding a tiny, exaggerated wave with her fingers, hoping he’ll finally get the message.
Ser Helmut blinks innocently....
After a few minutes of smiling the goblin slaps his head!
Oo! Youses twoest bees wants ta bees a lones? Huh. Ok.
The goblin stands there still....
After a few more minutes of standing still, smiling serenely Ser Helmut pulls on VI's arm.
How long bees dis massages? Mees hurts toos!
Viviana sighs deeply, realizing that no amount of subtle gestures or gentle coaxing was going to get the goblin to leave. With a resigned smile, she stops massaging Vyana's shoulders and stands up straight, stretching her arms out before her.
"Alright, Helmy. Looks like we’ll have to finish this later. Thank you."
She pats Vyana’s arm, giving her a look that says she tried, and then turns to the goblin. "Lead the way, Ser Helmut. To the cathedral we go!"
The smiling goblin innocently prances about the pair on the way to the Cathedral.
Abstalar welcomes you warmly to the Cathedral. He looks haggard as he serves you each some warm tea. "Thank you for coming. I slept quite poorly last night. I have ben haunted by Nualia's words. While I worry about the seven dooms that she mentioned, what is really getting to me is the fact that she thinks all of Sandpoint hated her. I think that to finally allow her soul to find peace, we need to convince the people of Sandpoint to forgive her. We must own our past shame so that we can learn from it."
AUDITORY CONCENTRATE EXPLORATION LINGUISTIC MENTAL
Frequency: once per day
You spend 4 hours wandering Sandpoint, during which time you strike up conversations with locals about Nualia while also attempting to convince folks to set aside their anger and to forgive her. Convincing the locals to admit to themselves that the town had a role in cultivating the events that led to Nualia’s violent actions is difficult, and requires a DC 22 Diplomacy check.
Critical Success: The PCs earn 2 Forgiveness Points.
Success: The PCs earn 1 Forgiveness Point.
Failure: The PCs earn no Forgiveness Points.
Critical Failure: The PCs lose 1 Forgiveness Point, and also lose 1 Reputation Point with the Townsfolk.
You will need to accumulate 10 Forgiveness Points to be successful.
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"Of course we'll help Father." Von says firmly. "Nualia deserves peace. We'll start a-" A huge yawn cuts off her statement and she covers her mouth until it passes. "- tomorrow. We'll start tomorrow."
Thankfully the rest of the group being... tardy has given her plenty of time to fill her adopted father in on what they'd done during the day so he doesn't have too many follow-up questions and she can go to bed sooner rather than later!
Arriving just ahead of both Viviana and Vyana, the excited goblin overhears the make nice with the Sandpoint people for the bad dead lady's sake.....
The Thaumaturge shrugs.
Ok!
The excited Thaumaturge runs out of the Cathedral to begin knocking on doors....
Helmut stays up late trying to talk to the night owls in Sandpoint's taverns, but few of them are interested in what he has to say about Nualia. In fact, the goblin overhears whispers and catches side-eye glances directed his way. Soembody mutters, "That's one of them that Charn told me of—who knows what trouble they're stirring up in that old Pit?"
***
That night, as you rest, you are awakened by a loud thump, followed by the sound of hoofbeats on the roof above where you're sleeping. Quick to the window, Viv and Vyana catch a glimpse of a large flying shape retreating into the foggy night. An investigation of the roof reveals strange scorched hoofprints...
"The Sandpoint Devil," Vyana offers, voicing what everyone else is thinking. "Or at least someone that really wants us to think that's what it was."
---
The next morning, the half-elf sets about the recommended task of convincing the townsfolk that they were at least partially responsible for Nualia's vengeance and searching for forgiveness.
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Von also gets up early to try and persuade the townsfolk but her tone, although earnest, veers somewhat towards lecturing and is not overly effective with the stubbornly independent townsfolk.
As the sun climbs towards midday she gathers her friends.
"So, a quick trip back to the Pit?" She proposes, looking happier than such a suggestion should warrant. "There can't be much left now!"
Ser Helmut is found in the morning, morose, mortified, malnourished. The goblin doesn't even seem to barely perk up at the suggestion of further exploration....
Viviana rubs her eyes, still bleary from the broken sleep and the unsettling noises from the night before. Catching up with Helmy, she seems troubled he is unusually subdued. With a gentle nudge, she offers him a reassuring smile. "Hey, don’t beat yourself up. I don’t think Sandpoint’s exactly known for its sense of, well... forgiveness. But that’s why we’re here, right?"
With a deep breath, she looks at everyone. "What do you say? We go out in pairs today, try to really connect with people. And maybe, just maybe, we can change a few hearts?
She pulls Helmy in to her side and sets out to seek forgiveness ...
... and ends up finding exactly none whatsoever.
Regrouping at midday, she agrees with Von and suggests they pick up where they left off.
Granting Viviana a weak smile, the goblin walks about town with her, even attempting a bit more persuasion.....
You only make a modicum of progress convincing the townsfolk to give Nualia a second chance.
By mid-afternoon, you have returned to the Pit. You retrace your steps through the Whistlefang Lair and make it back to where you fought the mimics. The doors to the north lead into a complex of rooms. The first room appears to be some sort of research room. To the northeast, a bookshelf sits against one wall near a small desk and a wooden chair. A round table in the southwest corner has dozens of scrolls and maps heaped upon it. All of the furniture has a rickety look, as if it had been cobbled together by inexperienced hands. An unlit lantern sits on the round table, and there is another on the bookshelf.
A closer examination of the furniture here reveals that they’ve been built from various torture devices that were dismantled and rebuilt for a less grisly purpose. That said, a brief perusal of the papers and scrolls stored here realizes that the room is still used for cruelty, for this is where the Devil’s Disciples have recorded their sacrifices. Among the notes are detailed maps and documents that track how the cultists have snatched lone wanderers from the Lost Coast Road five times over the past several months, as well as the methods by which they sacrificed these poor souls in the temple before hurling their remains over the ledge in the center of this level into the Pit’s depths.
Further study of these notes will take several hours, but would grant insight into the cult's motives.
Vyana echoes her friend's reaction and joins her with a number of notebooks.
Ser Helmut happily begins examining paperwork.
Dis bees da fun times!
After a few hours of studying the notes, you learn the goals of the Devil's Disciples—to help the Sandpoint Devil ascend by offering it the right types of sacrifices. The notes also make apparent that the cult has grown impatient with snatching lone travelers from the roads and soon plan to start making late-night raids on Sandpoint itself. The notes make it clear that cult agents have wandered the streets of Sandpoint, watching and taking notes so as to identify those who possess the qualities needed to quicken the Sandpoint Devil’s ascension.
The central tenet of the faith—that the Sandpoint Devil is on the verge of becoming a god—can be gleaned from the notes. These also indicate that the higher ranking members of the cult are “stationed below,” although no further details as to their whereabouts are apparent.
After being buried in the descriptions of the vile rites of the cult's sacrifices for the last couple of hours, Vyana closes her eyes. Rubbing fingers against her temples, she groans. "So it looks like the sick bastards that are behind most of this are down below us," she offers in a tired voice.
"So, do we head back to town to let Hemlock know first? Or do we just trek on down there and clean this out once and for all?"
She's pretty confident how Siobhan will answer, but she waits for Viviana and Helmut's response.
Ser Helmet is seen writing a note for Sheriff Hemlock prior to pinning it to the entrance of the chamber.
Smiles appear on the Goblin's face as he scribes his Daily Scroll.
Signal Rocket .
Ser Helmut takes his notes, reverses their steps to the opening of the catacombs and launches his Message!
The Thaumaturge then returns to the others and prepares to go kick Asshat cultists butt!
Viviana takes a deep breath, trying too not let her weariness show.
"We can't let these monsters reach Sandpoint. We know too much now... to hesitate would be to invite more bloodshed. Hemlock will understand our choice." Viviana says, confidently.
"This ends here, tonight. For those they’ve taken and for everyone they’ve set their sights on. Let’s go finish this and make sure Sandpoint sleeps soundly again."
She takes her glaive in hand and falls in behind her sister, putting an arm around Vyana's shoulder with a longing look, wishing they could be sitting under a tree reading, picking vegetables in her garden, or just about anything else right now.
Over a dozen doors line the walls of this large chamber, while six large stone pillars support the ten-foot-high ceiling of the main room. Lit lanterns hang from hooks on the pillars, while at the center of the room sit two cooking stations—large cauldrons balanced atop beds of small stones and burned wood. Several rickety-looking chairs sit scattered about the place. A dozen or so bedrolls are stacked in the room’s northwest corner.
There are a total of eight cultists in this room, a mix of human and half-elves in studded leather. One is asleep in a bedroll, while the others talk quietly or cook a stew over the cauldron. As soon as they notice you, though, they rise up with shrieks and howls, reaching for machetes as they rush towards you!
"Okay, that's ... more than I had expected," Vyana declares with a frown as she shifts her bow on her shoulder and readies her rapier. She pauses a moment to cast a spell upon herself and her form shimmers and shifts.
"Shall we make it a competition?" she asks Siobhan as she takes a formal fighting stance and grins at the champion.
Giggling with tears rolling down his cheeks, the Thaumaturge absently takes out a Scroll of Weapon Surge .
Youses bees done now. Cultist bees sucks.
Viviana's takes several fragments of metal and turns them into deadly projectiles, flying towards the cultists.
Helmut's surge of teeth tear through the cultists, wounding each of them to varying degrees. Viv's needle darts catch one of the cultists in the throat, taking him down!
Four of the remaining cultists charge Siobhan, but she fends off their machetes with her shield. The other three hang back and hurl daggers at Helmut. One gets a lucky hit.
"Damn, Von," Vyana spits out as her blade stabs at one of the machete-wielding cultists. "They've really got it in for you."
Her weapon strikes true, but the spell it's imbued with sputters and causes minimal flame damage.
Ser Helmut looks down at the recently received response to his wardrobe. The Thaumaturge points at a Cultist that he can Flank.
The goblin Strides to around the back of a Flanking opportunity with Siobhan!
Brandishing the only thing necessary to deal with Cultists; sour patch kids! The Thaumaturge bites!
Bees chewiest...must bees on fiber diets.
Watching as her sister continues to do what she does best, Viv decides another volley of sharp, metallic objects is what these cultists need. She adjust her aim and sends another burst towards the next foe attacking Von.
Afterwards she calls out, "It's not too late to surrender, you know!"
Siobhan and Viv miss with their attacks, but Vyana and Helmut each take down a cultist. The two remaining machete-wielders slash at Siobhan again while the others hurl new daggers at Helmut.