Against the Cult: The Next Day (1.2)

In the Farmhouse

It's clear that Elista, while terribly worried about her son Devek, isn't all that sure about letting these strange dwarves carry him away. Morgran lacks a certain bedside manner; he's pontificating about how your group will "enact vengeance upon the evildoers who killed your boy, just as the great scroll of Kord tells us to do!"Outside at the Farm

Abel nods. "Yes, Eminent Enormousnesses, I have a cart that I sometimes use to take wool into Hochoch." He takes you to a smaller barn and begins to unload a bunch of tools from the simple hand cart there. "You are welcome to use it, but to take my boy...?"

At the Farm

Aanbo's calm, cheery disposition reassures Elista, and she nods assent. Morgran gently hefts the comatose boy and the two dwarves proceed downstairs and out the door, with Elista and all the children in tow. They join the group of Abel Jarl, Sara, Thacogygax, and Quest in the yard. Abel looks startled at this procession, but Elista nods: "They're going to take Devek to the temple in Hochoch, Abel." Morgran sets Devek gently on the hand cart that Abel has just cleared.

Abel is grateful that such "Luminescent Monuments" are willing to care for his family, but he is torn between abandoning his family and abandoning his son to the care of strangers. Jonbon emerges from the barn and plays some music sweetly.

In the end, Abel relents, deciding that Elista and the other children will be safe enough in the farmhouse. Jonbon offers to stay in the barn as lookout, and Abel is comforted that someone will be there to protect the Jarls. Abel insists on pulling the cart on the trip to Hochoch and the group sets out, with the Jarl family following with well wishes. Arriving at Cecily's Road, Elista pulls out an assortment of country simples, which she uses to apply to the wounds of Ogbar, Durren, and the unconscious Klak. Then, with tearful goodbyes and well wishes, the Jarl family waves farewell to the party as they head back west toward Hochoch.

Abel frowns to himself. "But I told him..." He looks at you. "Honored Exultancies, Abella told me they'd been exploring and that they'd found some kind of ruin. She was afraid to go in, and she told me about it. Of course I forbade them to go back! Willful boy!" He fumes for a few minutes, then subsides as he looks at his deathly son. "I...I hate to impose on Monumental Paragons of Virtue such as you, Wondrous Masters, but if there's anything there that can be done to help my boy or prevent anyone else from...fr-from getting like he is...then would you? P-Please? I'll have Abella guide you to where they explored last; I'm sure it's close to there..."

As the party continues back to Hochoch, Klak recovers consciousness, Elista's healing simples having had their desired effect. Aanbo stops the cart so that his dwarven companion can get off, and the wounded, weirdly formal human Durren gratefully takes his place on the bed of the cart. While there isn't room for her to ride, Xana notes that at least she doesn't have to deal with the oxen (which Sara notes as well). Xana tells Klak about how she rescued him and walks ahead of the cart, giggling. Thacogygax enjoys being able to stretch his legs this time.

Some time later that afternoon as the party proceeds toward Hochoch, the hopeful smile on Abel's face falls, to be replaced by a brooding cloud.

"He...he tricked me! That minstrel! He used magic on me!" He looks furiously back down Cecily's Road and takes a few steps back to the east. Then he slows and stops, looking suspiciously back at the rest of you, particularly Aanbo trundling along with the hand cart bearing his son Devek. He's felt nothing but support from the two dwarves, and yet he's been separated from the rest of his family by a stranger, and yet they are taking Devek to a known healer... He trots back and confronts Aanbo with both anger and hopefulness: "Opulent Graciousness, what do you know of this minstrel, Jonbon? You know him well? He's trustworthy?"