"It doesn't make sense that one man would attack your group unprovoked... so we shall not turn him over to you. Think this of a time to allow improved leadership for your team... and I can't help but think that your tribe would be greatly decreased in number were you to attempt to take him".
Diplomacy
Sef hisses at the words making a slashing hand gesture to the others in her group, who draw blades and close ranks. She still holds them back for now. "There are too few of us to risk stopping you," she says malevolently. "But our truce is at an end. If you return here, prepare to have an enemy and not a friend! And watch yourself in the night, we too can swim the lake if needed..."
She motions again, and the skulks all slink back to allow you to pass, but they do stare daggers at you as you depart back to the watery exit from the caverns.
With the Skulks, "We are sorry to break the truce like this, we do not wish for it to come to violence, I hope you reconsider. We will be returning,"
At the shore before swimming up, "I can only cast Water Breathing on 5 targets, I will swim through and brave the waters, Bahir, can you help guide Khonnir through waters, I doubt he'll have the strength to swim,"
"You bet".
Bahir moves to Khonnir and attempts to move him through the intervening water.
"Hold on Khonnir This won't last long".
Swim and assist Khonnir
FORT Save if needed.
"Let's rope up so we don't get seperated, and we can use the rope to pull in any suffering".
The party emerges from the mildly distasteful water and clambers wetly to the rocky beach at the Weeping Pond. Almost immediately, the somewhat familiar headaches return, not enough to be damaging, but enough to cause discomfort and anxiety.
Clambering onto the beach, "Let us get Master Khonnir to his home, his daughter is worried sick. If you all escort him, I will split off and find my fellow priest, Joram Kyte. His faith and powers are stronger than mine, it would be good for him to examine Master Khonnir,"
"Gods, seriously, what in the hells did they put in this water?" Seoli grumbles, clutching her head as a headache forms.
Climbing to her feet, she begins wringing the disgusting water out of her clothes, "Yeah, sounds good to me. C'mon, Mister Baine, Val's been waitin' for you."
As the group clambers onto the rocky banks of the Weeping Pond, the oppressive atmosphere of Torch settles over them like a heavy shroud. Alpha-47 wastes no time, nodding to Bahir and Seoli as they support the fragile, shivering form of Khonnir Baine.
Alpha-47 jogs toward the town center, eventually spotting the distinctive robes of Joram Kyte. The high priest of Brigh is currently locked in an animated discussion with the local merchant, Sanvil Trett, who seems to be gesturing toward a pair of junk traders who have just returned to Torch.
Both the traders appear to have been on the road a while, and they have some odd and end tech items to sell to Sanvil when his business with the priest is done. Alpha notes that, while one of the newcomers is a dwarf in half-plate and shield, the other is a full-on automaton, not something you see everyday, even in Torch.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party shuffles Khonnir through the streets of Torch. In his bedraggled and nearly catatonic state, the wizard is a shadow of his former self, his breathing shallow and his eyes unfocused. When they reach the doors of The Foundry, Val Baine bursts out before they can even knock. The sight of her father -- wet, pale, and barely conscious -- brings a choked sob from her throat. She rushes forward to take his hand, her panic replaced by a frantic, protective energy.
"Father! Oh gods, you found him!" she cries, helping the group guide him toward his bed. "Is he... can he hear me? What did they do to him down there?" She looks to Bahir and Seoli with eyes full of tears and profound gratitude, even as she begins tending to his physical wounds. "Thank you. I didn't think... I didn't know if I'd ever see him again."
Jogging up, ignoring etiquette and interrupting the conversation Joram is having with the newcomers, "Master Joram, we have returned with Master Khonnir, he requires medical assistance beyond the abilities our Lady Brigh has granted me. He is being brought back to his home, if you could join me now,"
Looking to the others and Sanvil, "Master Sanvil, While we were below we discovered a unique technological environment, we may have goods you would wish to purchase or barter off of us, though after Master Khonnir is better," then addressing the Dwarf, [b]"You may join us, though we will not truly know the full extent of who hurt him without Master Joram's assistance. That said, I think what he needs more than anything is rest"
"We're not exactly sure what the constructs down there did to him," Seoli explains to Val, "but Alph went to find Joram Kyte at the temple for his expertise, so maybe he'll be able to figure it out."
"If it's any consolation, it seemed like he was able to destroy a lot of those metal monsters before they managed to capture him," she gives a big smile to the girl.