"The halfling is quite right, he and Romo over there didn't slow me down in battle, in fact we've proven a far more hard-hitting force than I had expected." Hale nods upstairs, "the statue... I don't know Khismia may have mentioned his name; do any of you remember?"
"Ah, yes. Vardishal, I think Khismia called him. Did you run into her, by the way? She's been quiet, maybe she's run off back to Lady Almah's camp already."
Erevale glances at the halfling and dismissively states
"I assure you, Gander, I would not dance into anyone's presence. Nor would I presume your trust. Nor should you mine."
Erevale turns back to Hale.
"Vardishal..." Erevale rubs his chin with his thumb and forefinger. "Interesting. Well, I don't want to keep you from exploring the rest of the temple. After you, Lady Hale."
"Nothing else of interest down here?" Hale gives the crypted vaults one more look over then climbs back up to the ground floor. "Let's have a look at the far-west ."
As she's leading the way she shouts, "Vardishal! Are you there? Somewhere? Was it you talking in my head?"
Erevale falls in with the group, leans over to Gander and whispers "Lady Hale seems to be the leader here. But is she all right, you know, in the head? Has she had any head wounds recently?"
If Hale hears Erevale, she shows no sign. Pointedly she ignores the comments of a peasant.
Gander grunts and doesn't bother to speak with discretion. "If by leading you mean she's the first to talk, then aye. She is very fond of the sound of her voice. As for the other...aside from her modesty she seemed normal enough, for a human, until she found that dagger. I don't remember anything hitting her in the head, though I wasn't paying enough attention to notice."
No longer bothering to whisper, Erevale continues.
"Ha! Careful, halfing, or I might start to like you. But what's abnormal about her modesty? Now that you mention it, her leathers do seem a bit tighter than is strictly warranted. I suppose you have a better vantage point for such things."
"But her assertiveness is what we love about her!", Romo interjects before any infighting results of the gossiping.
He speeds up to Hale while taking out his greatsword. "Where are you taking us? to that far corner? I don't think there is anything there."
"Truth be told, I don't expect much more action around here either - but we need to be thorough. I'm still puzzled by the voice I heard earlier, maybe one of the missing corners reveals more." She looks as she approaches the far west, "If not here, then I think the last place we still haven't fully explored is at the place where that blasted sludge thing jumped on my face."
"Vardishal I presume. But then again all humans look similar to me. Doesn't seem to be anything of interest here. Say, does anyone know the story of this Vardishal?"
Erevale hovers over the map and points at two locations.
"Where do these stairs lead? And these ones?"
Hale takes a good look at the bas-relief, "Yes, this must be him." She looks at him directly, in the face, "You don't have anything to say anymore?"
"Okay, I think there's just the one downstairs left now. Let's hope there's something for you to do down there, ey elf-man? Would be sad if you came here and you don't get to do anything." Hale's tone suggests that she, certainly, would enjoy the next bit of adrenalin surge.
"Okay, let's have a look here," as Hale descends the stairs , "there should be an unexplored door down here, if I remember correctly."
Gander nods. "Lead on, then." He returns his greataxe to its loop on his belt and readies the slingstaff once again.
"Well now. Even though I have just arrived, I already have an abundance of information to send back. I am quite happy not to run into any nasties in the dark. And I am sure they feel likewise."
Erevale places an arrow in his bow, ready to draw.
"After you, intrepid leader."
"hmmm..." Hale takes one good look around, a bit disappointed that things apparently are concluded now. She returns to the temple proper and proclaims: "This temple of Sarenrae has been cleansed of the impure spawns! I announce it freed in the name of the Pactmasters. Sarenrae! Thank you for your blessing in this endeavor! We shall see to it, that this temple will grow again renewed in shining glory!"
Erevale slings his bow over his shoulder and leans against the wall, watching Hales performance.
"Well, this adventure was concluded much faster than anticipated. Rather than return to my venture-captain, I would throw my lot in with you, Lady Hale. At least for the present time. That is, if you will accept an extra sword."
"Well," Gander says with satisfaction. "That was easy enough. Maybe now that we've completed our mission we'll have the chance to gut some Gnolls!"
"Great. Good job men."
"Aye. I'm sure we will run in to some not long after we depart. I'm quite keen to hone my talents further, and what better way then battle.
Romo turns to Hale,"Leader Lady, what say you? will we linger or leave?
"I believe our mission has been accomplished, let's return to Lady Almah and report our findings. I think she'll be pleased." Hale sets off, expecting the rest to follow naturally.
Erevale collects donkey hidden in behind some scraggly shrubbery and follows Lady Hale.
Once out of the monastery, Gander runs off ahead of the rest of the group (no easy task given the shortness of his legs) having had enough of following Hale around everywhere. Besides, he knows where he's going.
Romo picks up his pace to match that of Gander. "I see what you're trying to do! You want to take them all for yourself. Ha, that will be the day!"
He sprints ahead a dozen yards or so, and tries to maintain the lead on the way back. He also doesn't neglect his surroundings, and tries to spot any Gnolls or similar beasts.
Perception:
Hale looks at Gander and Romo speed away, shaking her head in a mixture of disgust and admiration. Turning to Erevale she nods to the two and asks, "You're not going to join the cocking of the biggest arrow?"
Hale acknowledges their re-arrival to a few guards and followers-on, before heading towards Lady Almah's tent. She approaches whatever guard or servant is at hand, "We've returned from the temple. I would like to report to Her Lady."
After having silently followed Lady Hale to the encampment, Erevale joins Lady Hale in Lady Almah's tent. Bowing to Lady Almah Erevale introduces himself.
"Erevale Greenleaf, at your service, Lady Almah."
Erevale gestures to Lady Hale to continue with her report.
"We've found Erevale towards the end of our excursion. He claims to be a Pathfinder, and I've found no reason to distrust him on that. Yet." Hale explains, "Khismia - I hope - returned safely to the camp before us; I think she was so taken with the temple that she plans to stay at it and renovate it to its former glory. In spite of the violence and insidious infestations, the temple is still in remarkably good shape." Hale proceeds to detail their discoveries and the condition of the temple, the various inhabitants that have been ejected or killed. She also shows the "Tear of Sarenrae", a dagger she explains that was shown to her in a vision.
Gander walks into the tent munching on a piece of goat he was able to locate on his arrival.
He nods in general agreement with Hale's report.
"The place is filthy but the 'rats' have been cleaned out. It should be a decent place to set up a more permanent camp. Anything happen here while we were gone?"
Romo greets everyone he sees outside with a simple wave, and proceeds to tie up his donkey on a nearby tree. He places his pack and extra weapons on the ground below the animal.
Afterwards he follows the group inside and stands idly while they speak.
Hale looks up concerned. "Khismia isn't back yet? Please excuse me, I will hear about the camp - and if necessary start a search party for her."
Gander grunts at Hale's worry. "Why all the fuss? It was her decision to leave without telling us where or why she goes and I don't recall that she was your slave. Leave her to her fierce god and let us deal with our own concerns."
"I would gladly aid in your endeavours, Lady Almah, though what would such duties entail?"
Hale looks over to the halfling, she grins, "Once you grow up, little man, you'll learn about the urges that grown-ups have and girls will stop being something to be avoided at all cost." Her eyes turn a bit darker, "Seriously though, if something happened to her - that means there can be something that happens to us. Maybe she ran afoul a band of gnoll spies. This is the desert, if we don't work together, it will kill us."
"Ah. Gnoll slaying. A most satisfying pursuit. I accept your proposal, Lady Almah. What would the next task be?"
"Lady Hale, I could attempt to follow the spoor left by Khismia if there is any to be found. Though we should be the first back to the monastery or I fear the tracks will be obliterated. It may already be too late. Also this endeavour may conflict with the next task Lady Almah sets for us."
Gander rolls his eyes at Hale's words and reaches for food and drink. Tossing a date up into the air and catching it between his teeth, he says, "Yes. Let's get on with the gnoll killing. I've been looking for a good fight since we got here."
"At your leave, I'll have a look around for Khismia." Hale bows as she excuses herself from the tent, then proceeds to comb the camp and question others to see if somebody had word.
"If the monastary is on the way to Kelmarane, then maybe we can move ahead while you follow? We will look for Khismia at the monastary, if she isn't here in camp. Once done we will move on to Kelmarane, while the rest set up camp at the monastary."
"Romo, that's a good idea. Will you join me? I'll leave for the monastery again, looking for signs of Khismia along the way. Who's coming?"
"I shall accompany you, Lady Hale."