The party starts to head back to North Shire, who and even what Victoria maybe is a topic of obvious discussion.  While she has identified herself by name,and stated she is human, it's well known to all in the party, that many very not so human things travel the Valley in the guise of human appearance.

Damien, the spearman however, is very human mortal, and in possession of something rare among humans in the Valley, a morale compass.

So as they close on the fringes of North Shire, left with the decision to release or slay him, the party opts to let him go, to improve the morale compass among humans hopefully.

Victoria is another matter.  Bought to the valley by followers of Nyx she wears the guise of the innocent and harmless, a disguise often cultivated by the most dangerous of things.

So with little more to be done, they throw a cloak over her, tell her to act normally, and not be startled by anything she see's in town.  Better yet, keep the hood of her cloak drawn low so none can easily see her and to narrow her field of vision as a bonus is a better suggestion.

The walk through town is brisk and straight forward.  The town is ALWAYS busy.  Day or night, dusk or dawn, something was always stirring and moving in town.  One hour or the next was the same, and none really safer or more dangerous to bring Victoria through it.

It's generally agreed by silent glances and nods that you all disavow knowledge of Victoria, and if things go south, leave her alone to deal with what comes.

Happily... it doesn't come to that.

You all move through town, surrounding  Victoria to obscure her from sight, chatting amiably about your most recent mission and your desire to fill Joan and Rifnox in on your findings of Ghost Mushrooms.

Sanctuary is found for the party in the form of the Temple dedicated to Creed.  The divinity of Law, Order and Justice.

A binding order, and a place that's is respected.

Tending to the injured, arbiter of disputes, and the final sanctuary of those claiming innocence looking for asylum to clear their name.

It's a small but influential order that helps to keep the 'daytime' peace in North Shire.  While their numbers are few they walk with a certain authority in North Shire.

Among their number, the party calls friend, and sometime fell adventuring Guild Member Jeanne d'Arc.  Jeanne is a  acknowledge Champion (Paladin) of Creed, and traces a celestial linage that puts her akin by blood to servants of the Divinity of Order.

Rifnox another sometimes fellow adventurer, was a Kobold with some arcane talent, that was in her care.  It was well past noon, but still a bit before dusk when the party arrives.  Very near to dinner time it would seem, so Jeanne was done with her duties for the moment, and free to break bread with the party.

Meals were simple and plain, but available with a small donation to the temple.  For those down on their luck, it meant a free meal.

Bread, a little cheese or butter for flavor, and a tankard of water were on the table and provided to all.  It was 'their' table, and as such everyone had a place to claim for their own.  Jeanne took her seat at the head of the table to say 'grace'.  Brigitte had the floor space and an entire side of the table for herself.  At the other end of the table, we assorted stools and raised benches for those vertically challenged (Abyss actually had a stool on the table and a small table to eat off of).  Along the edge opposite Brigitte sat the more 'normal' sized members of the party.

* Amen *, Jeanne comments quietly finishing grace, and looking up with a serene smile, glancing at  Victoria and then the rest of the group.

"It seems your field trip was successful, you've made a new... friend ?"

Victoria had taken the tiara and put it in her pouches, knowing that being a Princess meant nothing in this land of creatures that hated her kind. And she traveled as they suggested, staying hidden. Goodness knows, she didn't want to be seen or noticed. Or anything. Despite the nice treatings of Brigitte and Maybelle, and the others... she really believed she would be killed. And she was too scared to be more scared with the idea.

Having come to a temple of Creed, she could at least hope for justice. Or at least, a painless death. She ate and kept her head down, trying not to shake. Truly, she hated feeling so weak, but what else was there?

Maybelle had taken a seat beside Victoria, boxing the girl in with Brigitte after making a motion to the woman's seat for Victoria to sit beside. She seemed... not quite comfortable with the pair, but more so then many of the others. Absently she reached up and pat Victoria gently on the head, much like an adult would a child.

"This is Victoria, she was forced into the valley by a human ritual. She seems human but talks about weird things like tiara's and other things. We figured having her examined by the church of Creed was the fairest way to make sure she was of no danger, and.... since she didn't seem to like the idea of being a pet. Maybe a local holy symbol of Creed to show she's been judged afterwards around her neck would make her a bit safer at first glance?"

Maybelle was pretty sure Victoria was a human, albeit maybe one who had fallen on her head one too many times. But as Brigitte pointed out not all humans were monsters, much like the one they let free. Maybelle was hoping Victoria was one such human. Good humans, and wasn't that a rarity, gave hope that maybe one day that race of monsters would get a clue and stop their genocidal ways. And then maybe Maybelle wouldn't fear them quite so much.

"Human you say?", Jeanne normally soothing voice takes on a carefully toneless pitch as she looks Victoria over more wary and critical.

"If this is so, she will have to prove to more than me that she means no harm, and Sol and Creed's protection while widely acknowledge, is not completely respected by all in the valley.  Particularly after nightfall.  Even with the acknowledgement of Creed upon her, i suspect many would not honor the judgement and take action anyway.  After many wrongs inflicted, one could hardly them."

Andrew adds in.
I scouted the area before the battle and The Human was not in crematory at that time.
I also work out they trying to summon something.  The humans that did the summoning seemed think this lady had great power.  Which at moment seems to be far from the truth.  If what she says is true.  Which it may be.  She normal human from her lands.  She comes from a land or world where human and other races get on.  Something I read in the libraries of my people.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:44, Fri 01 Feb 2019.