The human woman wearing the large smiling symbol of Pelor stepped forward. As her gaze fully
fell upon the face of the old man she smiled and spoke a basic prayer wrapped around the
casting of a Detect Magic. Her smile reformed as she greeted Father Renold.

"First, my apologies Father Renold, my companions and I have come from a rough time after
finding evil while expecting only large spiders. If we seem to be rude it is only our caution and concern
speaking for us."

"Second, I am Cumarinda Imbrex a devoted, ordained, and blessed Priestess of Pelor, our Sun Father.
I have come for many reasons, some personal, some divine, and always in service to Pelor.
How may I help?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:31, Tue 16 Aug 2022.

Forge now inside, goes ahead and searches once more for any trace of evil, he is scanning the entire area, and using the clerics wordiness to do so without being noticed...


@Krite...he whispers back
"I see no reason not to, I am looking for the aura of evil right now...."

"I know. I can tell by your appearance. Just call me Father. " The old man grumbles as the cleric cast her spell but it doesn't penetrate inside the church but there is something there but trying to find out is hard. All the warforged sees is a faint glow but not from the Father and its starting to fade "He's a druid. That warforged is a paladin. I'd say the gnome is a wizard. I don't need to tell you anything else-you already know."

The kobold seems to have left.

"Your not rude, but the wizard is. Sort of I may add. And that warforged keeps looking at me like I'm a spider. Stop it, Forge You want in, everyone has to leave their weapons outside save Forge and Cumarinda and they must remain sheathed." He grumbles.

Seeing a loophole in the fathers logic he offers a sack to the wizard
“Will you let me have your weapons I will gift them back to you later…I promise.”

Krite shakes his head. “No, it’s all right, but thank you,” he says. “I trust in the Father’s honor. And I certainly hope I won’t need a crossbow in here!” Krite considers the weapons to be emergency backups anyway.

"Father, I mean no disrespect to you or the temple here. If you wish me to remove my weapons, I'm happy to do so.
However, it seems that I have come at a time of trouble bringing my own troubles with me." she said with a bow.

"If I may be permitted within to observe, assist, give proper respect to Pelor, and seek a greater annointment,
I would be appreciative. I also need advice on a matter female, medical, and personal. Thank you, Father Renold."
with a patient smile she looked into the Father's face anticipating entry into the temple.

Probably irritated as he made it known to her that she doesn't need to remove her weapons, the old man stands there "Do you not listen at all? All members of Pelor don't need to remove their weapons and can enter. And you are being a bit disrespectful. But you may enter and so can Forge as well as the gnome. The druid cannot unless he removes his weapons and the wolf must remain outside." He steps aside, waiting.

With an apologetic smile, the woman proceeds to enter the church. "Yes, Father, I heard you each time
you said it. But I also know there are times when the rules and personal preferences can sometimes be at odds.
I apologize if I'm being disrespectful. That was not my intention."

Seeming slightly cowed and embarrassed, Cumarinda quickly enters the church and looks
around inside after making certain to not block the way for others to enter.

"So we are cleared for entry!  Let us go in  and see if someone knows if there is any news or what new adventures await us!


With no more hesitation forge enters to the temple....

Krite follows the holy pair into the temple proper and waits for an opportunity to cast detect magic when the old man's attention is elsewhere. (Note: he will not cast it unless/until he's pretty sure the guy won't notice.)

If Forge sees nothing immediately amiss in the temple he will move out from blocking the door and step aside, out of the way of the cleric and the gnome, as he does not want to step on any toes.....

"I spend most of my time around back, rather than inside."

The father steps aside and allows everyone to enter but not Faolan. Taking a deep breath, the druid gives away his weapons and allows Forge to place all of them in a safe spot in the forge. The warforged keeps his weapons sheathed, same as the cleric. Slowly, the druid enters with the others. The father moves into the church. The inside seems more bright. A shining Pelor symbol seems to hover over the main pulpit and someone sits in front of it back to the group kneeling down. Several pews line the area. Flickers of everburning torches illuminate the area sending waves of light breaking the darkness. There are four different doors all are closed. Of course Forge knows where the one to the farthest right goes-a backdoor to the forge and the armory. Despite being welcome to the church, he was not allowed in other areas but is allowed in the dining area at times. No one can tell who or what is sitting there. Father locks the door and sits down near it. He picks up a book, his glasses and starts to read after he rings a bell. Faolan jumps slightly and stares at the man. The wolf of course sits outside.

Forge points to the door on the far right...
"That is the back exit, we can go there, if you want to wait for the father to send someone.  I am sure that we will be greeted in due course."

Seeing that he won't have an opportunity to cast a spell unobserved, Krite instead glances around to see if there's a donation bowl or a poor box near the door. "A place where we can sit and talk would be good," the gnomish wizard says. "We are well met, my new friends, but I can see that you've been through much, and that drider you mentioned is troubling to say the least! It seems that fate, if not Garl Glittergold himself, has thrust me into your web, if you'll pardon the pun, and I would like to know what your plans and obligations might be.

"I'm guessing bringing the lights in here won't be appreciated..." he continues, and he makes a little shrugging motion. Outside, the dancing lights spell is dismissed. "I'm an adventurer, myself, and you seem to be on that path as well. I'm also about to the end of my funds at the moment -- been buying a lot of spell scrolls to add to my spellbook -- so the opportunity to get some treasure would be quite welcome!"

Cumarinda looked around the temple interior, smiling as she sees the holy face of the Sun Father shining over the pulpit. Noting the person before the pulpit, she approaches the back of the kneeling person, speaking softly before kneeling besides them, "May Pelor's grace shine upon you, daily!" she intones before speaking further, "I am Priestess Cumarinda Imbrex, visiting from far away. May I know your name and pray with you?" she asks in a warm voice.

@Krite
"I can forge you a nice metal box to hold your spell book when we get time....would that make it too heavy?"

Krite nods somberly at the warforged. His big eyes convey clearly that yes, he's afraid that it would make the spellbook too heavy. "I appreciate the offer, though, Forge," the gnome says. "Spellbooks are tough and when I know the right magics, I plan to make mine even tougher, but they're also distressingly vulnerable, too. Keeps me up at night, it does, sometimes, thinking about what might happen to my precious book!"

Forge shakes his head side to side....
"I usually do not put value on things, but there are some things I feel are missing from my person, they are dim memories of long ago, but I remember flying with great created wings....a long time ago I guess it was, when I heard such rare items exist, I hope to one day find what once was....".


He scratches his chin....
"It is beyond my understanding how to help you with your book."

"Forge you know this is a quiet place yet you and your friends continue to talk rather loudly. Especially the gnome. So please if you do not mind speak quietly or go outside. Thank you. Now then, I am High Priestess Valora. This is my home and I am in charge. You can pray if you wish. Asking the Sun God blessings is what I was accomplishing." The woman stands and turns. She is a human at first glance, about 5'4 and she wares all white. Almost angellike. Valora nods her head "What can I help you with? If Pelor wishes it can be done."

The druid steps back and just watches. All of this religion and holyness has him bothered. Faolan being a druid in a house of Pelor? As much as he wants to go with it, its obvious he is bothered.

Forge takes the admonishment from the smallish woman...

"Indeed we believe that we encountered a drider at the burial chamber, it escaped and we thought to warn the town and seek guidance for tracking down such a threat. I say believe because it is what I saw, and detected evil as well as a fireball...."

Cumrainda kneeled for a short time, her head bowed and hands clasped in silent prayer. When she finished,
she bowed out of respect to the High Priestess before speaking. "High Priestess Valora, Permit me to demonstrate
the holy incantations bestowed upon me by our Sun Father that you may know me to be in Pelor's service."

With one hand on the holy symbol around her neck, she casts a spell.

OOC
Cumarinda will cast Detect Good.

Krite didn't think he was speaking all that loudly, but he lowers his voice and respectfully says, "A thousand apologies, Priestess Valora. I was headed here to assist with the brewing of potions when I met up with these good folk. They and I both noticed the dearth of the faithful in the area around the temple, and truth be told, it almost seems like there's a shadow nearby the structure.

"We came inside, as Cumarinda said, to seek guidance about what they encountered in the crypt, but as much to see if something is wrong here as well. How can we help?" the little man asks earnestly.

"You enter this temple and decide to cast a spell upon me without asking I may add and expect me to openly do as you wish and answer all your questions when I may have questions of my own? This is my home as well as several other people who worship the Almighty Pelor. You dared to do it. I have never walked into someone elses home and have done what you have attempted to do. You have much to learn and are not fit for the privalage of calling yourself Priestess. A lot to learn. I am deeply disturbed and upset by you, Cumarinda." The woman watches the cleric and places her hands to her back "Now then. Oh yes questions. Forge? A buriel chamber located where? Your senses were able to detect a fireball? I truly doubt that but I know the abilities of a Paladin. Perhaps you are improving." She looks down upon the gnome and kneels down to be at his level "You must be the one I have heard about? A potion maker? As for the lack of the faithfull, we have a decent amount. They are simply elsewhere doing what Pelor wishes. Nothing more, nothing less." She stands up "I assume you are famished. Would you care for some tea and scones? And we can provide oil for you, Forge." She smiles.

The druid watches what is going on. A stern look upon his face. He doesn't talk but does sit down a few pews back. A forest dweller in a big city trying to grasp what this religion is, what it wants. Needs perhaps. When she speaks badly towards the cleric, his hands tense up into balls and goes to say something but stops relizing its not the time or place.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:16, Wed 31 Aug 2022.

While still maintaining focus as she looked around the central area of the temple, Cumarinda remained silent,
her face displaying a distracted smile. Politely she apologized, "I'm sorry High Priestess Valora, I was always taught
that the temple belonged first to Pelor, then to his followers in need. Also, those in service to our Sun Father would
always have a home in any of Pelor's temples. As for the spell I cast, I did tell you what I was doing, it did no harm
to anyone, and I thought that it would bear true witness of my identity and calling."

Still focused as she walked around and looked into all the places inside the central area of the temple, she completed her
circumnavigation of the walls after looking up into the ceiling, at the feet of the High Priestess. Only then did her smile fade
to an expression of distress and she spoke once more, "I will be happy to answer your questions and I will add my words
to those of Champion Forge and our friend Krite. Yes, there was a Fireball cast by a drow-spider we discovered in a crypt nearby.
The drow-spider vanished as we were chasing him. Oh, and I have a concern that requires knowledge and experience
with womanly medicine and ways."

"Apologies my sense did not detect a fireball, I was struck by what seemed a ball of fire, that also injured others and we saw a drider, Though it could have been illusion, so here we are seeking guidance from yourself on a course of action to investigate it further and for good wisdom."

Forge did not recall having ever asked the clergy for help, they studied him at times and asked questions, but most of the questions he had no answers...
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 13:21, Tue 06 Sept 2022.