The Road to Sotavento

Having decided the fate of the remaining corpses, the Lodisian party weighs down the bodies with rocks taken from the eroded seawall and loads them into the remaining shoreboat. The surf is still rough from the storm and paddling out past the breakwater takes time and effort, but eventually they reach the shelf drop-off where the seafloor drops away into dimly-lit depths. With some strength, and more than a little ungainly swaying of the boat, they manage to commend the bodies to the sea whereupon Urranian gives a few words for the mercenaries' souls.

Rowing back to shore proves easier than the first time as the landing craft is no longer fighting the driving rain or under attack from ballistae and in a relatively short time the group is once more settled on the shore of Ostorea, having shown their respect for the dead. It is now late afternoon, and the shadows are lengthening in the forest ahead; night comes early this far north, and it comes cold.

Soloen, my name is Urranian, said the halfling. And I do not need to find an exact definition to an Evil act, these are the arguments of fiends that try to pass their Evil acts as Good or Neutral. I know when I see one

My child, he said to the girl, threats won't get you anywhere. One day you will learn that collaboration and friendliness will go a long way to achieve your objectives. Or, at least, to be strong enough to back your threats if you need to, the halfling smiled and shook his head, unimpressed. I see that we have started on the wrong foot. I have explained with complete transparency

Once completed the rites, Urranian scratched Xcas heads and asked: do you want to check the building or should we move away from the beach?

Soelan replies to the group, "We should definitely check out that building thoroughly... I know we keep getting distracted, but we should be able to get to it now."

The building in the distance slowly resolves as the Lodisians drew nearer, eventually transforming from a blip on the horizon into a squat one and a half story building clinging to the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It is built of a sturdy-looking brown stone with a slate roof and the small golden starburst on the highest point of the roof that indicates this is a house of Phelis. That a church was built so far from a settlement is strange but the construction seems recent, most probably in the years immediately following the annexation of Ostorea into the Empire.

A single plume of smoke drifts lazily upwards from its single chimney as you approach, though the heavy wooden doors remained closed as do the shutters; likely battened down against the fury of the storm.

"Can we... can we just stop arguing please? We're all supposed to be working together."

Approaching the shack, Cairrad lays his sensitive elven ears to the door as he tries to listen for any movement on the other side.

Dice Roll: 1d20+8z
d20 Results: 6 (Total = 14)

Listen (14)

Once they are a good bit inland, Soelan takes the time to cast a divination he had prepared for when they got further inland.

Lay of the Land, Spell Compendium, Caster Level 4. What does it tell him?

Thenysil couldn’t help but sigh and shake his head, this talk of philosophy was giving him quite the headache. Truthfully, it was more because those gathered decided it was so important to bicker about how they seen the world than to do anything else. He was at least glad they had managed to dump the bodies into the sea where they could out of the way without seeming outright indifferent about their disposal.

Scratching his head he turned his head over his shoulders and looked at the speakers, giving them a minor, intolerant simmer before making his way to the door of the building and knocking, I hate churches… Swear to the Nine if some old codger is in here and decides to join this ramble….

The bundle in his arms give a twitch as his emotions flare, though just as quickly as a semblance of life began it ended with the man none the wiser to the action as he stood at the threshold of the building.

Thenysil's knock resounds through the silence with a pair of sharp cracks as his workman's knuckles impact solid oak. There is no answer for a time but eventually one of the two double doors creaks open to reveal a middle-aged man. Balding already and stockily built like the building itself, though possessing a strength of limb that suggests he was once a military man himself, he wears a simple brown frock with a white overlay bearing the starburst of Phelis, indicating that he is a priest of that august god.

"Ahem... um... welcome to the House of Phelis, sons and daughter. Can I... help you?" he asks with evident confusion, taking in your militant bearing and obvious armament with a cautious eye. It would indeed be an unusual sight to find a handful of armed strangers on the doorstep of a church on the edge of the island. He does not seem afraid or offput, perhaps feeling his priesthood offers him a degree of safety, though he is clearly puzzled as to why you might be out here.

Soelen smiles at the man, and walks forward, letting his obvious visual association with the church of Phelis be visible to the man. "Hail, Brother. I am Chaplain Tirenson, and we've just recently arrived in from the homeland. We were wondering if you could give us the recent news and happenings in the area?"

With a sidelong glance at Thenysil, Cairrad steps back until the door is opened, at which point he gives his attention to what he can see of the church's interior past the man in the entrance. Soelan was more than welcome to handle their introductions and any negotiation that was to be had with the local priest, but the elf wanted to know who had been locked in heated argument with him.

Dice Roll: 1d20+8z
d20 Results: 8 (Total = 16)

Spot (16)
Also a listen check in case the mystery female is still making some noise in there.

Dice Roll: 1d20+8z
d20 Results: 17 (Total = 25)

Listen (25)