Cassander listened to Dan chat up Ula.  She couldn't believe what she was hearing from the girl.  There was something to be said for believing in your religion but Ula sounded like a skipping record, one that just couldn't get passed the part about how much your evil god loves you.

The elf sat back in her chair and crossed her legs, sipping at a rather nice fruit juice.

"Of course not.  It would be silly to have ceremonial wine and be the only person drinking it." Ula said.  Her reasoning made some sense but she might not have believed it.  "...but now that I think about it, I'm not sure but maybe I just didn't notice.  That must have been it.  There were a lot of the Faithful there and it would hard to remember all of them."

"Ok look, this might be a bit of a shock. But did it ever cross your mind that maybe they tricked you in some way?" He proposed to her. It was thin ice, if she took it the wrong way she'd probably leave right now, which Dan had no objections to oddly enough. He never wanted to go to the cult place anyway, this world wasn't their own concern. Perhaps he'd voice these thoughts later on to the group, excepting Ula and Curin.

Sarah sits back, watching the proceedings.

((I'm still here, just dont have anything worthwhile to input.))

Ula looks stunned.  The idea that she might have been tricked has never crossed her mind and the very idea was just so wrong.  "No.  It's not possible.  Why would Nymuriel trick me?  He loves me, loves all of his followers?"  she says in a small voice.

"Why Nymuriel would trick you goes hand-in-hand with the fact that he loves all of his followers" Kenjinn leaned a bit closer onto the table. "I think, and just guessing here, he used you for 'the greater good'. He needed us to not find the princess and had one option, though foul, it would get the job done. So he sacrificed you to take her place so his plans would go unhindered" Dan thought a little bit more about this. "In fact, if he needs her for something it might explain why they went to such drastic measures to make sure we didn't find her" he told the others.

(Hate it when that happens eh?)

Ula sat looking back at Kenjinn, trying to make sense of what he had said.  "So...you see...Nymuriel really does...I mean it's not like he hurt me...or you hurt me...so...I'm a tool of his for...the greater good."

"It's not too late to join us." Ula said, glancing around the table.  "You'll see that you're all wrong about us and what we're all about.  Don't be pig-headed like Curin.  I know that you're much more reasonable."

Outside a distant thumping sound could be heard.

There was a clattering in the street, the sound of many armed men walking in step.  The patrons in the inn slowly fell silent and turned to the door.  One of the three men at the table that Lucille had pointed at, rose and walked out of the inn, his companions remaining.

The Innkeeper emerged from the kitchen, followed closely by a chattering Pers and a subdued Lucille.  They looked out the door of the inn as well.

A few moments later, a man in shiny armor walked into the Inn.  His mail armor was highly polished and ornate.  His helmet bore a white plume whose colour matched his long cloak.  On his hip hung a morningstar, the spiked ball bouncing off of his leg armor.  Two other men dressed in a similar style but in less ornate armor walked in behind him and took up positions on either side of the door.  The man that had left the table slipped back in and stood to one side, leaning against the wall.

"Wel...Welcome, my Lord." the Innkeeper said, rushing forward to greet the man with the plumed helmet in a slightly simpering tone.  "It is always an honour to have you at our establishment."

Dan raised his eyebrows at the sudden appearance of a knight in shining armour and two other guys in slightly-less-shining armour. It didn't take much to summarise that these were royal knights or something, but then what would they be doing here. He thought for a moment. If these were royal knights, then maybe they could tell them about the Cult of Nymuriel and perhaps even get some assistance for their own situation. He leaned over to a nearby weitress, "Excuse me miss, but who is that?" He asked, and lightly pointed to the knight.

The waitress leaned close and spoke in a soft whisper.  "That's one of the high clerics of Nymuriel, my lord.  They come into town every so often."

His enthusiasm took a plummet. So they were also of the cult? This thing was definitely not what he'd imagined. He took his initial imagining of the cult and realised it seemed really cliche, as he'd imagined every one of them in hoods chanting evil words whilst sacrificing animals to Lord Zenu or whatever space gods they thought gave out all happiness to the world. Having armoured soldiers modified that a bit, clearly this thing was not just a band of cloak wearing insano-people. If he'd been transported into the body of another man, he might've been more suseptible to the offer to join up, but Kenjinn was an obnoxious, narsassistic and stubborn person, and right now that was coming in hand to avoid signing up.

"Clerics huh?" He said to himself. Wait, they come into town... every so often!? That means the townspeople know about the cult! Maybe not the part they saw but the cult regardless. He looked over to Ula with a frown, "Okay, exactly what is the Cult of Nymuriel, Ula? I thought it was just a small little religion but these guys suggest something more"

Ula looked like she wanted to leap from her seat and prostrate herself in front of the cleric.  There was a look of girlish admiration on her face, like she was so very close to touching a rock star.  Kenjinns question pulled her from her staring but she was still glancing over at the man as she spoke.  "That's what I've been trying to tell you.  We're not a small Cult, we're so much more.  Thousands have flocked to Nymuriels banner and have heard his words, many churches across the land fly his banner."

====> From Fharlanghn Temple.

Greg nearly floated out of the shrine, even without divine magic.  She felt like she were walking on air.   Her "escort", though, was able to bring her down to earth quickly when he pointed out all the soldiers of Nymuriel that had entered the city.

Now that Greg had the might of her God flowing through her again, she wasn't worried about the almost comical cultists.  Curin's worried attitude, though, gave her second thoughts.
The cultists were openly entering the town, and were showing their allegience to that thing?  This was no goofy secret back-woods cult.  These yahoos were something bigger, and far more dangerous.
I'm sorry, Fharlanghn.  I was too greedy with your time.  Forgive me for being slow.

As Curin pulled her into the shadows to hide from a passing "patrol" of the cult's warriors, who seemed a BIT more rugged that the losers that they'd fled last night, Greg turned to him urgently.

Curin, if we can get everyone back here to the Fharlanghn shrine, there's a way here for us to escape.  Obviously, though, we need to hurry.  Is there a "back way" to return to the inn?

Greg hoped that someone who "loved his bottle" as much as Curin might be very familiar with back alleys and ways to sneak into a tavern.

"Yeah...there's a back way." Curin said slowly.  "You're not seriously thinking of going back to the Inn are you?  That's crazy.  They've got the whole place surrounded."

"Look, I'm no coward but going up against these guys is not a good idea.  I don't know what they're doing here but it can't be good.  Why don't we just leave and meet up with your friends outside of the town?"

The cleric of Nymuriel laughed as the Innkeeper bowed and scraped before him.  "You know how much we enjoy your breakfasts, Good Innkeeper.  I was passing through and I thought that I might indulge a little.  You've got a good crowd here this morning.  I don't see any free tables.  I suppose that I'll have to go and share one."

The cleric made a show of look around the room until he spied the table with Kenjinn, Seline, Tizona and Ula.  He walked towards the table and seated himself.  "Good morning.  I hope that you don't mind my joining your table, it was the only one with a free seat left." he said in a friendly tone with a smile that would make a silver-screen idol proud.

"Surrounded?"   
Greg felt her heart turn to ice.
Greg, you selfish JACKASS!!!  While you were lounging around church, your friends needed you.   Good job, Idiot!  You may have just killed them.

She looked at Curin, half angrily, half pleadingly.
So you're saying that they're not "prisoners' yet, then?  Good.

Curin, we HAVE to get them out of there and back to the Fharlanghn shrine.   THAT'S where we all need to "meet up".   I was going to go there myself to get them, but if you think that my going there will just make the cultists react worse, then can you get them?   Please?

Hating herself for doing it, she put a slender elvish hand on the brawny man's shoulder, her large blue eyes imploring the "big strong man" to protect her and her friends.

Dan looked over to the amoured man. He experienced an awe as he realised he was sitting in a tavern with a fully armoured fantasy knight. He managed to hide it in time to wave his hand across the table. "Nah, feel free" He replied in an even friendlier tone, donning a casual smile that appeared as if he was completely fine. Really he was scanning the tavern for any more knights or cultists. Something about this just didn't sit right; the hidden people at the other table, the sudden appearance of Nymuriel Clerics and the strange lack of any hostile persuers, unless these people turned out to be just that.

Sarah smiles, and nods as the cleric sits. Despite the happy look on her face, she's slightly tense, as if she was trying to keep something from moving...

Greg looks at the nearby Tavern and at Curin.

I need a disguise.  Or maybe a robe, at least. 

Inwardly, she cursed her choices in character design, again.

Ya know, when we chose magic items, I usually go with "Hat of Disguise" for a character this level.  But, NOOOOO!!! , I was all 'But Sister Aliana would NEVER disguise herself!  She's PROUD to be an elf and a cleric!'.    Man, what a schmuck I am!   Oh well, no use crying over "spilled holy water".   

The pretty elf maiden started thinking about ways to get her friends out, short of starting a fire in the Tavern.

"Thank you, friend." the armored man said.  He tugged off his helmet, revealing a rather handsome face framed by a splash of long brown hair.  "I am Aren, High Cleric of Nymuriel.  His blessings be upon you."

Ula was staring at Aren as though she were a lovestruck teen within arms reach of the latest boyband heartthrob.  It was a look that was not lost on Aren, and he gave her a warm smile.  "Good Morning, Faithful.  You are...Faithful Ula, am I correct?"

"Ye...yes, High Cleric." Ula blurted out and almost banged her head on the table when she tried to bow to him.

At the door two more men in armor walked in and took up a position beside the two that had come in with Aren.  Two more walked in from the back door.

"How is the breakfast this morning?" Aren asked those at the table, his movie star smile not wavering one bit.  "I can never make up my mind what to order."

Curin's eyes moved from Aliana's delicate hand on his shoulder to her imploring look.  He had been around long enough to recognize the look of a woman seeking a favour and he was man enough to admit that it was a very good attempt.

"I...don't know if they're...prisoners." he said slowly.  In his head he was weighing the rewards Aliana would offer for a bit of foolhardy male courage.  "There's just a lot of their men around the Inn.  The prisoner wagons look empty still."

He looked back down the street.  In front of the Inn was a line of armored men and several more on horseback.  There was a wagon with a metal cage on it passed them.  His eyes alighted to an mounted man in armor with a long white cloak and another horseman bearing a banner beside him.  He knew that man, heard of him, and was not anxious to get close.

"Maybe you're friends have already taken off." he said.

Greg stepped away from Curin, sighing in disappointment.
Don't worry about it, Curin.  This is going to be pretty dangerous.  Perhaps you should get back to your family while you can.  Thank you for your help, though.  I appreciate everything you've done.

She gives him a sad smile to show that she actually does appreciate him, but knows that she has no right to ask so much.

They knew where I was going, so if they have to flee, I assume that they'll head there.   Since we didn't meet them, that means they're inside.   Still, rushing in myself would be just putting more people in the trap.   

Greg clenched her delicate, though callused, elven hands in frustration.

I'm a god-damned CLERK, for cryin' out loud!   What the HELL do I know about "mounting a rescue"?

Then the phrase "god-damned" caught in her mind.
She blinked in realization.

No.  I'm not "god-damned", am I?  I'm "God-blessed".   Fharlanghn is with me, I can feel him.  Very well.   I'll do his bidding.

The problem was, she didn't know what was going on inside.  Should she go crashing in to save them, or would her appearance only blow their cover and cause everything to fall apart.    The graceful elven maiden pulled her cloak closer to attempt to hide her identity and moved to where she would unobtrusively observe the door and the way to the Fharlanghn temple.    Pulling some parchment out of her pocket, she wrote on it with her charcoal pencil.


She tries to grab a street urchin or someone else that looks like they belong here and needs money.

Hello, I need your help.  Here's a copper for your trouble.  My friend is inside, but her....husband is very jealous of us being friends, so I can't go in.  Could you give her this message?   You'll know her.  She's the prettiest Elven woman in the tavern.   I'll give you a Silver coin if you bring back her response or lead her to me.   Okay?

She'll give the urchin the message and the copper coin, and show them the silver coin that will be theirs when they finish.
Hopefully, "The prettiest elven women" will ensure that Tizona will get the message.   There will be plenty of humans there, so trying to get Dan or Sarah was too risky, and she didn't want to use their real names, just in case.

Moving to a different location from where she told the urchin to go, she hid herself to wait.   Hopefully Curin would follow her, but she didn't pressure him to do so.

Holy crap!  Secret messages, moving to differently locations in case I'm betrayed,....Heck, I'm starting to act like a REAL adventurer!

Greg's pretty elven face lit up with a subtle grin.
She began praying for guidance, going though her mind about what clerical spells would be the most useful to her.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:20, Tue 06 Oct 2009.

"It's fine" Dan said as he noticed more men in armour enter the place. Jeeze, how many were there? He shook his head and turned back to Sir. Stupid-smile. Ula seemed to have fallen head over heels for him so it seems he was part of the faith. Dan leaned back and asked, "I can assume you're with the Cult of Nymuriel. Have we done anything to offend the faith?"

Cassander sat in silence, her eyes darting about the room, watching the other soldiers.  If this wasn't a setup of some sort, she'd...well she was pretty sure that it was.  There was always the thought that they really were just here for breakfast.  A High Cleric sounded pretty important so maybe these guys were like some sort of Secret Service.

Aren looked over at Kenjinn with an amused look on his face.  "Cult?  No my friend, we are not a cult.  A cult denotes a small group of questionable beliefs.  We have temples and followers in many major cities."

"Now why would you think that you have offended our faith?"