Kuldahar

"Hush, child. Stay outside an de let us know if anyone approaches."Halla turns to Fergy. "Zenithral told me all about that. Your group has been busy." Hands gripping her staff, she moves to the back of the room to the door that leads to the dormitory. "If there is anyone else here, they will be beyond that door."

"Fine, Zenithral agrees, teeth clenched. "But whatever happens isn't my fault." He waves his hands, magically cleaning them of any dirt or dust. "Where are we performing the operation?"

"Thank you," Al says fervently, her relief obvious. "You two are only doing me a favour. This is all on me," she agrees.

"You must know this temple better than I. I'll trust you with this. Prepare yourself. On two."

Fergy goes over to the door and waits for a nod from Halla, then counts.

"One....TWO!" And then Fergy opens the door quickly.

Erevain immediately swings around in front of Alalla. He stares intently into her eyes, desperate to make sure she is still herself. "Alalla! How are you? How do you feel?"

Fergy and Halla step into the dormitory, fingers tingling with magic. They find no threats, however, only Jermsy, unconscious on bed. The boy sports a black eye, but does not seem injured beyond that.

At a touch from Halla's hand the boy comes awake. He raises a small fist to wallop her, but stops as he recognizes her face. "Halla! The priests were acting awful strange. I never saw either of them hurt a fly before, but Brother Ferg was yelling at Brother Gus, and they started fighting! I tried to stop them..." He fingers his eye and winces. "Where are they? Did they calm down?" He peers at Fergy. "Who's the funny dwarf? That's not Father Tulfgyr!"

With a wink at Halla Fergy tries again repeating his prepared line from before. "Hello! I don't believe I have had the pleasure. My name is Fergy. I may not look it in these clothes, but I'm also a priest of Ilmater. I'm traveling with some friends you see, and was hoping I could be of use around here. I'm particularly adept at the sacred healing magics that come from Ilmater."

Alalla laughs a shaky laugh of incredulity and relief. "I'm not even old and I feel young again. Do you want to look for Keggruk tomorrow? I could use a hike." She laughs again. "I'm joking," she assures. She is, mostly. "I should take it easy for a bit, but I feel like I could run all the way to Targos."

Al looks to Ras and Zenithral. "Thank you," she says, from the bottom of her heart. It is hers now. "You are good friends."

Halla runs a hand over her face. "'Tis only the nature of priests after all." She winces. "Do not tell Zenithral I said that."

Ug smiles down at the little gnome. He knows ras is not much for talking, but the company helps. Perhaps they could even enjoy a moment that wasn’t fake, wasn’t pushed, and wasn’t simply a show. That was part of the problem, was nothing felt honest or genuine, it was all simply a cover. But Ug had an idea to break that cover, something that usually brought the honesty out of people, if they stayed awake long enough.

Rules for the match. Each hero rolls a DC 10, ras with advantage. Each round the DC increases by 1. After first fail, the hero now has disadvantage. After third fail the hero loses. A roll of 1 results in the hero splurting ale onto a fellow patron and starting a good old fashioned brawl. DM can insert adjustments as he wishes, and maybe even a prize for the winner. Hero has to carry on a dialogue with each round.

Ug gestures around the room with one hand as he downs his drink with the other. "It is good to see many friends happy, when days are so dark. But it is also hard. Ug wish to know how one can stay happy. Ug used to, but now Ug maybe forget." he says with a sigh. Then he adds with a tired smile, "but maybe Ug just needs help. he turns his empty mug over and puts it upside down on the table.

Jermsy completely misses Halla's sigh and eye roll. He reaches up to tug Fergy's beard. "If you're a real priest, that means you won't let me do this" He starts jumping up and down on the bed.

Ras is not sure about this drinking game, but Ug's insistence has him feeling a little cornered. Finally he concedes. What's the worst that could happen?

With great difficulty Fergy channels his inner adult.
"Get down from there young man, we have work to do."

Zenithral's vision is different this time. A scene begins, one of a tall tower made of crystal, but it shimmers and fades as Myllandra appears before him. Though any sign of her face is hidden by her cowl, the deva seems to be leaning forward as though to examine him.

"Zenithral!" Concern chokes her voice. "You saw him! You saw the Pretender!" She raises a gauntleted hand as if to smooth his hair in a motherly fashion, but stops. She steps back. "But... you are alright. That is good." Despite their blank surroundings, her voice resonates as though she were standing within a grand cathedral.

She folds her arms in front of her, and her luminescent wings give a shimmering flap that makes the air hum. "I did not think you would meet him so soon. What did he tell you? Did you agree to anything he asked?"

Halla moves out of the dormitory to deal with the body. Jermsy kneels down on the bed. "If you're a priest, what's your favorite scripture?"

Erevain sighs in relief. "Thank all the gods." He holds up the black case, its outside stained with blood. "What shall we do with this? Bury it?"

"We don't have time for this. Halla, you know this town better than me, we need to go find the other Brother who Ferg was fighting with."
Nessa walks back to the body and puts the Mirror of Narciss on the floor by it. The air shimmers and the floor looks clean and the body gone. "Now Halla you can bring the child past. No need for him to see that. Oh and my favorite scripture is: All of them."

"Not all of them." Alalla looks at the case, feeling queasy. "Whatever you like, Erevain. Haven't I told you it's yours?" She tries to laugh, but coughs instead. "Sorry... That seems as good an idea as any...?" A sudden thought occurs to her and her eyebrows knit together with concern. "Unless we should burn it? Is there magic that can be done on a person's disembodied heart? I don't want Poquelin showing up for it..."