Irrk looks around nervously, not sure what is going to happen to him. "I...I'm sorry. We weren't trying to take anything. You..." as the bird looks to Ezid. "You gave us the money. We just asked..." Irrk looks north down the road and points. "Our parents are two days that way." He looks at you and pauses, unsure if he should tell you everything, "Beford is the town." 

"You did nothing wrong, Young Irrk. This was a mistake. You are safe. Cozubia wants to help. Are there healers in Beford? Maybe it is not too late for your friends." With that, he turns to the party and asks, "Who knows of Beford?"

Quote from Lonewolf3568 >>

"You did nothing wrong, Young Irrk. This was a mistake. You are safe. Cozubia wants to help. Are there healers in Beford? Maybe it is not too late for your friends." With that, he turns to the party and asks, "Who knows of Beford?"

"Ok Young Irrk. We will do the best we can for your friends. But Cozubia must know. You mentioned a path we should not go down. What is down that path?"

Quote from Lonewolf3568 >>

"Ok Young Irrk. We will do the best we can for your friends. But Cozubia must know. You mentioned a path we should not go down. What is down that path?"

"We will not take anything from your base," As he says this, Cozubia glances back over his shoulder to the others, partially for confirmation of this, and also as a... warning to the others. We have already taken too much, he thinks to himself. "We may still check your base out, just in case. This was all a mistake, and Cozubia is sorry. Adventuring is dangerous. So if you still want to walk that path, remember this day. And think before you act." He pauses for a moment, knowing it will not ease the youngsters pain, but he can't leave him with nothing, so he reaches down and pulls out some coin and removes his amulet of Sarenrae (his personal amulet, not the one he has been using recently). "Here, Young Irrk. Take this and go. And may Sarenrae's light guide you." He hands Irrk 25 gold and a small silver amulet of Sarenrae before getting up and turning back to his companions, hopefully to figure out what to do next.

Mordekai has not moved, still sat beside the elven child as he stares out into nothing. He couldn’t justify his decision, not for something as petty as a charismatic smirk and not for an incorrect assumption. Gripping with his hands at his horns, he pulls himself forward, now curled into himself. From the numbness came the feelings of shame and regret, forcing tears to fall from his eyes; no sound escaping.

First his exile, and now this. Iefyr had thought that his luck had been turning up, but now he had the sudden fear that he might be cursed. He still felt numb, but after a few minutes he stood up. "Cozubia.... what should we do with them?" he said in a soft, pained voice.

Hearing the question posed to him, Cozubia ponders it for a moment. "Beford is only a couple days away. Maybe the Cleric in town can help? Even if they can not be saved, the families deserve a chance to bury and mourn the children. We just have to take them there." He stands and places a hand on Iefyr's shoulder, trying to provide some degree of comfort even though he is not sure how in this situation. "Master Iefyr, it was a mistake. We acted rashly instead of finding the truth. And now, there is blood. Instead of action, we need to use our head. We need to use our heart," as he says this last part, he places his hand over Iefyr's heart, and uses the last of his days worth of Lay on Hands to heal the damage done by his attack on his new friend. "Everyone deserves a chance to see a better path. It is our duty to help them find it. You are all good people. You, Master Iefyr. You, Lady Carmen. You, Master Ezid. Master Mordekai, even you." As he says their names, Cozubia looks at them all and nods to them with a soft smile. "Show restraint. Show respect for life. Cozubia is not naive enough to think everyone can be saved. And those poor souls will fall quickly to the mighty blade of Sarenrae herself as Cozubia smites them without remorse. But we have to have restraint." As Cozubia finishes speaking, a silent tear falls from his eye. He turns away hoping the others think he is planning a way to handle the children, but in reality he is hiding his face because he doesn't want them to see him break, if that were to happen. He looks out into the distance, collecting himself, telling himself that things will be OK. That even if his companions didn't buy in to his little... sermon, at least he tried. And if that saves even one life from being snuffed out too soon, he was successful. 

Iefyr heals for 5hp due to Lay on Hands.

Mordekai picks up the boy in both arms, head only going up to note the direction of the sun so he can start walking to Beford. Not one would have fallen if I was alone. The somber tone in Mordekai’s voice was weak and pathetic, unlike the few sharp snides that he’d given, there was little strength behind the voice. I have failed to not be like them.

Iefyr's hand raises to where Cozubia's had sent the divine energy into his chest. He nods solemnly, one last tear rolling down his cheek, before going over to the halfling boy and scooping him up, cradling him gently in his arms. "Let's hurry then. The sooner we get there the more chance we have of saving them." Iefyr steps forward, then turns again towards the dragonborn, waiting for him to lead this time.

Ezid caught up to the group, as he remained in the back-lines in the brief confrontation, upon realising that the situation had took a much darker turn that he was expecting, Ezid quietly spoke out, "they can keep the gold, in fact, they can have 50 more.." As he took out 50 gold, giving it to the Aarakocra. 

Conlaed, who had been daydreaming and caught unaware by the commotion, finally catches up to the group, stunned. 

"What ... how?"

Cozubia reaches down to pick up the last child. He lifts the boy gently off the ground, cradling him against his chest. He looks to Conlaed, who had thankfully missed the worst of the incident. "There was an accident, Master Conlaed. Is there anything you can do?"

"I ... no, no I don't think there is."

Conlaed's shoulders slump as he processes the scene. 

As the group somberly picks up the victims of their rash decisions, they decide to head towards Beford. Hopes of some how righting their wrong weigh heavily on their minds. The next two days are quiet days. Days of self-reflection and nights of remorse. The three bodies lie there, each day in the arms of those who carry them.

Irrk was slowly following behind, unsure of what to do really. He and his friends thought that they wanted to be adventurers. They were sure that going out into the world and doing good was what they were meant for. But the reality of the dangers of this life were all too real all too soon. They had no idea that when they went out that morning, ready to start their adventure that it would end so quickly. Their journey over before it even began. No he walks behind those who ended it. He walks unsure of what he should do or should have done.

By the morning of the third day since the accident, the group finds themselves walking along the Nidle River. A large bridge spanning the river to cross it also marks the entrance to Beford. As soon as Irrk sees it, he begins to run. He runs home as quick as he can unsure of what will come next. 

The group enters the town as the citizens all stop and stare. They stare at the six strangers, half of whom are carrying the dead bodies of three children. Children that the townsfolk sons recognize as screams and panic set in. 

Setting down the body, Mordekai gets on his knees, unhooking his money pouch and dropping his entire pack. He raises his arms forward, pressed together. I have wronged the people, the family of this boy, and my own code. Take me in and I will accept what punishment comes. If the boy- all three can be saved from this wrongful death, then I will pay with whatever I can, even if it means my death.

Iefyr also sets down the body of the halfling that he'd been carrying. "We're... sorry." he says before falling silent again. He remains standing, and looks incredibly tense, fists clenched and eyes low but occasionally darting around. 

"There was an accident. We were told there is a Cleric here. Please, someone find this Cleric so we have at least some chance to save these young ones!" Cozubia doesn't set his child down. Instead he looks at any and all of the townsfolk, hoping one of them will go and get the Cleric. 

Carmen stands silent near Cozubia, grateful for his strength and compassion these past few days. Nightmares had returned after a few days peace, now with fallen children accompanying the flames and dark hidden places. This is not what she wanted from this journey; she considered going off on her own more than a few times, but first she knew she had to accompany the children back to their home and face their families. She wanted to make up a story about how they were heroes, that they died defending others, saving her from goblins or bandits, but realized the tale would be more about saving her face and those of her companions than it was about giving the children an honorable death. 

She keeps her head down and whispers a little to prayer to who knows who that the cleric will be able to return them to the living.