The companions skirt around the mill and walk back to town. It is slower going with two being encumbered and rest periods every so often. It is near the sun's transition to low sun when the party enters the west palisade gates of the lower road. They turn north onto Worship road after the paper mill and a short walk brings them to the church of Iomedae. It is one of the largest structures in the town not on Magnate Hill and built from stone.

A robed female acolyte and a diminutive female Hin are tending to some sheep in a pen to the right side of the building as the companions approach. "Janser, get Lady Cirthana at once." the acolyte orders on seeing the dwarf carrying an unconscious female.

"What happened to her." The acolyte asks looking the woman over.  She sees the open wound in her neck, stands erect and looks sorrowfully at the dwarf. "She has passed dear."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:02, Thu 26 Jan 2023.

"Of course she's dead, you think I didn't know that? She's my friend, can she be raised here?" Ori asks, his eyes red from crying on the way here. He knew it would pass, but he mourned none the less. "We rescued the children from the mill the other day, and went back this morning to clear it out. Kobolds jumped us and like fools, we rushed in. It was my fault!"

"I'm sorry for your loss." The acolyte says.  She walks to a cart and pulls the feed bags from it to the ground. "Place her here. It's a sturdy cart bought just yesterday."

She watches as Orikson places Ola's body into the cart carefully with Okini's help. Lady Cirthana appears from the temple's side entrance. She regards the deceased woman sadly before turning to the party. She nods at Okini.

"This is the result of your incursion back into the warrens?" Lady Cirthana asks plainly.

"Yes, I see even you knew we were headed back. They blasted closed the entrance while we were inside. We had to find a new way out. Can you raise Ola? She is my friend. While inside the kobolds got us. We killed them all."

Unsure of what he meant, Lady Cirthana adds, "Yes, your good cleric did mention your plans. I had hoped the healing potions would have prevented this from happening."

She looks down at the young warrioress. "Clearly it was not enough."

"Let's get her below.  On the other side of the building, the cellar doors lead below. Pull the cart in there."

"Sister Augtry, lead them into the undercroft."

"We will speak of the possibility of a raising."
This message was last updated by the GM at 23:55, Fri 27 Jan 2023.

"She didn'a have time for the healing potion, poor Ola was dead instantly." He replied to the priestess as he began following the acolyte. She led the way to the undercroft and Ori pulled the cart after him.

The cart is pulled into the undercroft of the church and the cellar-like doors closed and barred behind it.  The party winds through the passages, passing by vertical sarcophagus upon sarcophagus with stone effigies of holy men and women carved upon their stone coverings. Eventually, they reach a central oval room with a raised stone plinth in the middle.  The body is laid out upon it and Lady Cirthana regards the companions.

"Are you a devout group?" she asks, looking each in the eye; even the priest.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

"You know that I am lady." Okini states.

"Nay, I do not devote myself to any one god lady."  Lloyd adds behind Okini.  "However, I do not deny the gods; their existence and power."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:37, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

"Till recently, I gave no thought of the gods." Bec says with downcast eyes. "I do not deny they exist, but I do not worship one either, like Lloyd."

"I pray to the gods of my people, all of them that are good anyway, I respect the others, but do not worship them all."

"I will make the prayers and perform the sacrament to bring this woman back from death's grip, but Iomedae, will not Will it without a sacrificial oath. You will be compelled to fulfill an action, a  quest if you will, to benefit the church and the Will of Iomedae. Sometimes, it is as simple as a monetary donation, usually in a sum no less than twenty thousand gold.  Sometimes, it is a quest for an item.  I will not know until the Lady tells me her Will."

"If this conflicts with your beliefs, then there is nothing I can do for her." Lady Cirthana's intense, questioning look turns to Okini.  "What say you?  Is your friend's life worthy of such a sacrificial oath?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:04, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

Okini stares at Lady Cirthana for several moments, conflicted emotions contorting her facial expressions. He looks at Orikson, tears welling in the corner of her eyes, then looks down, thinking.

"Well?  Okini... yes.  You say yes." Bec says pleadingly.  "Why aren't you saying yes."

"Ori, tell her."

"I will not make you turn against your god lass, that would be wrong of me, I would never do that to you. I would raise you as well if you were to fall too, you know that. We will da what we can. Is there a way we can do it without Oki violating her beliefs and oaths to her god?"

"I'll do it." Okini says suddenly, cutting off a response from Lady Cirthana. "It'll be a service for good, no matter the oath.  I do not think it will conflict with my piety to Heironeous, though I am unfamiliar with your deity lady."

Okini turns to Orikson.  "I'll do it."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:16, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

"I accept as well." Lloyd says.

"Yes.  I accept too." Bec says.  "What do we do?"

The air that Ori held in his lungs as he held it without willing to, came forth in a burst. He smiled and hugged Oki and the other girls and Lloyd. He then turned back to the priestess, "We haven't got 20,000 gold pieces, I don't think we have a hundred between us! But we will perform whatever quest she requires us to perform!"

Lady Cirthana nods, and pulls her holy symbol from her blouse.  It gleams with silver and rubies in the eyes of the beholders.  She then approaches Daniella, holding the holy symbol before the rogue. "jurare in veritate" the priestess utters, then fixes her eyes on Dani's.  Dani suddenly feels an inescapable fixation on Lady Cirthana's eyes.  She can not look away from those intense, stormy grey orbs.  "Daniella Schrumer. Do you swear to execute the sacrificial sacrament or suffer a god's curse for willful denial to complete the oath after Ola Deerbane's raising from the dead?"

When Dani answers yes, Lady Cirthana moves to each of the companions in turn who answer yes, finally coming upon the dwarf.  Lady Cirthana utters, "jurare in veritate" as she holds the holy symbol forth.

"Orikson Gnob.  Do you swear to execute the sacrificial sacrament or suffer a god's curse for willful denial to complete the oath after Ola Deerbane's raising from the dead?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:40, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

"Yes I do! I take care of my friends and would in turn be taken care of too, I love them as clan members, she was of my clan and will be again." he answers long winded.

Lady Cirthana lowers the holy symbol and smiles warmly at the companions. "Very well.  Come back in the morning.  If it is the Will of the Lady, Ola Deerbane will be waiting. I will instruct you then on the onus of oath. If, for some reason, the sacrament fails, you will not be bound by oath. Now, if you will excuse me, I must begin some preparations.  Please take these stairs.  They lead to a doorway into the nave."

Lady Cirthana then exits the undercroft by way of said stairwell leading up.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:03, Sun 29 Jan 2023.

"Thank you Lady, thank you very much." They head out and gravitate to the tavern, with much cheer! They should have Ola back in the morning. The celebration would be great! Much food and drink!

"Let's go to the Duck and get something to eat and drink! I'll buy the first round!"

[Private to GM: Combined thread for the Duck? We're all gravitating there for the moment!]

Please continue in the Sitting Duck Tavern thread