"I am feeling like I am getting the best part of the deal here " replies Aidwyn to the proposal to the sharing of the rewards "But rest assured that I will do my best to use this shield in the benefit of everyone in the party...  I humbly thank to you all my friends.. " she says with her right hand still petting the neck of the horse. 

(OOC: @Frandal: UIsing "Amazon's Guardian", Aidwyn will quickly discover that it is a +1 Mithral Shield. Under the moonlight, it sheds dim light in a 5-foot radius. As long as you are mounted, the shield grants you supernatural instinct, giving the same advantages of the Alert feat. I don't know how to homebrew this item with the D&D Beyond system... for I don't know how I can implement the if on the 'mounted' condition; but feel free to add it in inventory as a +1 Shield for now - and we'll take into account its other properties all the same).

After agreeing on the division of the well-deserved reward and having spent some time receiving thanks and smiles from Martha, Dobbian and Thia, you are left alone to discuss your possible next moves, and that's when Adran, who had waited until now, also comes to meet you, astride a robust black stallion whose powerful muscles seem ready for action at any moment.

"Gentlemen," the elf greets you politely, taking off his hat "in remembrance of what happened between us, I have prepared a parting gift for you, if you will accept it".

Adran takes out a copper bracelet from the large saddle pockets for each of those who accept among Roxana, Aidwyn, Spira and Rash. All the bracelets are identical, somewhat similar in color to his skin; their only decoration is an Elvish inscription. Although the metal is not the most precious, the fine workmanship clearly makes it a valuable art object.

For those who can read Elvish:

Rash is a bit surprised, but he smiles and takes the bracelet.

"Many thanks friend," he says, shaking the elf's hand. "I for one am going to be glad we met and more so that we're parting on friendly terms."

Now that all the really important stuff is done, and he's had a good night's sleep, the half-orc does take some interest in the idea of returning to the prison...

"If everyone else wants to go back into the cavern, I wouldn't be opposed," he says. "There might be some interesting stuff down there... if we're lucky maybe there are still a couple spell scrolls or even a spellbook or two... after all, the place was owned by a Wizard."

More staid, but still clearly pleased, Adran accepts Rash's handshake: "There were probably never good relations between my ancestors and a branch of yours; you are a good person, though, faerahrn. This fully confirms the message of the bracelet. You must also be good at the art of magic, since you travel with an aegiskeryn" and nods at Aidwyn, smiling, as if he thinks he's said something mildly humorous.

When the half-orc suggests returning to the dungeon, Gaer confirms: "Actually, Roxana and I were talking about it too. I think it must be worth it! Spira? Aidwyn? What do you think? You'll agree too, I imagine... considering how much fun we had the first time..."

Quote from Painted_Beyond >>

Also, Dobbian, finally realizing the enormity of what has happened, can't stop thanking you, sometimes shaking your hands vigorously, other times giving you a hug, anyway always with a dazzling smile... Plus, every time he looks at Martha , he has such adoring disbelief in his gaze...

"I really don't know how to thank you all..." he says "You, Martha," his green eyes inevitably return to her "Tamer of my Heart, I don't know how you managed, in your state, to find the strength to conceive and do... what you did. Negotiate with the Sharnshields and the Harpells, find the information, find the right people..."

"And you 'right people'," he addresses you "I still don't know how you did the right things... You were incredible! I am eternally in your debt... Only," he winks "don't ask me too to be the father of your children, okay? I'm no longer available for that role..."

Martha is the first to laugh at that joke and gives Dobbian a playful punch on her arm.

Spira laughs a moment after Lady Martha does, and then smiles at her newly living fiancé.  "Even if I was looking for someone to fill that role for me at the moment, I'm not going to volunteer for the top spot on the Sharnshield execution list asking you  to do it right in front of the Lady who's gone through so much to ensure her exclusive right to claim that from you."

Quote from Culuril >>

Roxana had not thought horses would be a part of the reward or she'd have brought something. "Thank you Thia. You are remarkably thoughtful," she says as she takes the carrot offered.  Gently patting the horse along the neck, Roxana offers the carrot to the white horse, evidently called Snowshine. 

"Perhaps I could suggest a proposal for dividing the rest." She then pauses a moment, turning to Rash and Spira. "Presuming you two are willing to accept one of these horses as part of the payment?"  She then continues. "It seems Aidwyn wishes to claim not only first choice amongst these horses but also the sole item which seems to have great utility.  However, she is right in that she is likely the best recipient for the shield.  The platinum could then be divided between the remaining 3 of us - 4 apiece.  I imagine the shield is worth more than that, but I'm willing to accept that.  The remaining gold ought to be split amongst Anita, Solitude, and Gaer, as they also helped to bring a happy resolution to Martha and Dobbian's troubles. What do you say? I'm open to other ideas." 

 The dreamy look that warms Spira's eyes at this proposal makes her answer clear before she even speaks.  "Horses!  Oh my.  Oh, thank you."  She pauses to rub her feet.  "I thank you.  My calluses thank you.  My corns and bunions thank you.  These feet that have seen thousands too many miles of the roads of Toril inch by bloody cold rocky rooty inch deeply thank you ... provided Synlasu agrees to the arrangement.  I've also seen enough to know one does not own a horse, or a cat.  They consent to share your life, or they do not."  She is already approaching Synlasu with the carrot, offering it to the horse with calm and deliberate motions while she murmurs gently to her.  "And I already know what I'm going to do with the platinum, I just have to bully Gaer into accepting them.  He's given me plenty of practice over the years so it shouldn't take more than a day or two."  She laughs again.  "And you just might need some money soon to buy new wildcrafting tools of a quality befitting your new position and dignity, O noble hero brother mine."  She whispers something in his ear before turning back to Synlasu.

When Adran brings his bracelets of apology, Spira takes hers with an open face -- at first.  As she glances it over a raised eyebrow is added to this without ... apparently ... changing the openness of her smile.  She brushes her finger over the inscription and murmurs a brief prayer, and her eyebrow rises a little higher.  "Thank you.  You obviously had these custom made for you, since the inscription fits you so well.  At least so far.  But I would hope you're passing them on to us because you realize won't need their reminder as much any more?"  A faint residue is left behind where her finger touched; it looks like a mixture of finely ground salt and powdered soot or charcoal.

Finally, when Gaer asks her if she agrees about returning to the dungeon, his sister simply rolls her eyes.  "No Gaer.  I really haven't gotten any less enthusiastic about the idea since I suggested it yesterday.  But of course you might not remember, you've been so distracted  lately."  She gives him a wicked grin and dig in the ribs at this, winking broadly at Roxana at the same time.

Roxana takes the bracelet offered by Adran and thanks him. "This is very nice, a lovely piece," she says, admiring the craftsmanship. She notes then comments the man then makes to Rash. And then Spira's somewhat cryptic comments. She then tuns to Adran. "I'm afraid I don't know this language. Could you translate this inscription?"

Synlasu seems to really like both the carrot offered by Spira... and the tone of her voice. As the tiefling speaks, the majestic animal always keeps an ear pointed towards her, as if he understands her... or, at the very least, he wishes to understand her.

When the tiefling cleric finishes her allusive speech to Adran, he doesn't get upset in the least and simply sighs: "The sentence is completed by reading inside".

The elf also responds to Roxana: "There should be no hurry while enjoying the journey of life... I would have preferred that, over time, you had found the meaning yourself, as part of your journey of growth. But since the sagacious Spira seems to have been able to read the inscription, she will probably reveal to you that it is the word 'Idiot'. However, I trust that she will also reveal to you how the sentence inside is completed".

Inside the bracelet, also in Elvish, there is the inscription (for those who know Elvish - or who cheat with magic to read it all the same)

Once that part too is revealed, Adran comments: "See? It's as I said. It's in memory of what happened between us. As we well know, it happened to me to let myself be led astray. So, if someone, reading only the appearance, the external inscription, will laugh at you, believing you 'idiot'... you, who also know the internal inscription, will know that he is actually laughing at himself, even if he doesn't know, and that in truth it is he who is an 'idiot'. It's profound, isn't it?"

In any case, whether you appreciated the gift or not, Adran, having accomplished what he had set out to do, greets you cordially and rides away on his horse.

Gaer, finally, is forced to sigh to his sister: "Okay Quspira, maybe I got distracted for a moment... You won't be jealous of my attention, I hope? Because you know," he turns again to admire Roxana in her new and more 'interesting' dress "I'm afraid you've found someone more skilled than you, in capturing it..."

Roxana laughs as she hears Gaer's comment to his sister. "I bet you say that to every girl you have an eye on!" She glances over to Spira for confirmation. Getting a bit more serious she says, "It sounds like some of us do want to return. Perhaps we should get together all those interested and put a plan together."  She looks over at Gaer, "I presume you would come along. That is, presuming you can keep your eyes on what needs to be done and not just me all the time," she ends, giving him a grin. "Solitude, Anita, I think you are invited too of course." She glances around to make sure everyone is in agreement on that. 

Without seeming to pay any attention to Aidwyn's questions or anyone else who may be speaking, Spira focuses on smiling ever more bland and venomous sweetness upon Adran's head. "There was just one case where your elvish subtleties outran my comprehension. Now, with the rest of us, the compliment you mean to imply by this bracelet is fairly obvious. But you've complicated the matter by praising our good Rashugiri here in person. And so, in his case I'm not sure if you mean that he himself is such an idiot that you can get along with him better than your ancestors did with his; or if you're acknowledging that he's intelligent enough to profit from a tangible and boldly lettered reminder never again to be idiot enough to trust a proffered reconciliation that is overly ... smooth." She gets an apparently far-away look in her eyes at this point; her brother, at least, recognizes the warning signs. He instinctively starts to glance around for the nearest tornado shelter without, you know, LOOKING like he's looking for ... and then grins and relaxes as she goes on. This time it was someone else who was in trouble, and someone who richly deserved what he was about to receive.

"You know, the yuan-ti are very smooth too. Something to do with all those serpent scales giving them a nearly frictionless surface. And their voices are most oily and unctuously civilized, or so I've heard. Temple gossip, and all that. They're always looking for new associates, too; all you'd have to do is give up your humanity." She suddenly claps her hand to her forehead. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I almost forgot, you don't subscribe to any humanity. -- You don't actually have to be human to show humanity, you know ... but I guess you wouldn't know about that after all. Or care. Sorry, sorry, the yuan-ti are probably much more your preferred sort of company anyway. They live down in Chult, I believe, the most of them that are left. Their civilization ate them up millenia ago. Perhaps your brand of civilized boorishness can waken them to greatness again. You'll have to get used to a slightly warmer climate, though."

Just as her spell is fading, she whispers to herself the two elvish words Adran used and her other eyebrow joins the first. "I'm surprised you gave Rash his bracelet in person. though, considering he has an 'iron golem' tagging along with him all the time now. Weren't you worried she'd be a little irritated when she found out what you just called her wizardly master, even if she didn't take offense at what you called her?" And just as suddenly, Spira's eyes are dead serious again.

"All right, elf, no more games. I don't pretend to your heights of civilization, but I do lay claim to humanity. The kind of humanity that allows this she-devil to say to you without further cavil or ado: if you hurt, or insult, or cause any problems whatsoever for anyone I know, anyone I care about, ...oh, hells, make it anyone at all ... just one more time, and I find out about it, I would strongly advise you never to leave Longsaddle again for the rest of your far too long and parasitic life. I am not the monster you think me, so you need not fear for your life itself, but you can rest assured that in that case I will hunt you down and make sure you bear unmistakable and unconcealable marks of your boorishness for the rest of your days. Not only for the sake of the many I am sure you have insulted over the centuries, but so you can never again weasel your way into a noble family on the strength of your oily and venomous words. I wonder what you said to your poor wife to get her to accept you in marraige, but I am sure she has had her eyes opened to her martyrdom since then ... by this if nothing else ,,, and so I will content myself with including in that warning a piece of very strong advice to always treat her as the goddess she has proven herself to be by putting up with you for so long. And do NOT, whatever you do, try pretending you don't know what I am talking about now, or I'll invite Balfby to join me in the hunt and it will begin immediately. That would be 'the yeth hound' to you..  She's very good at finding shadows to lurk in till night falls, so you'd be far less able to hide from me.""

"That is all. DisMISSED!!!"

The voice of Sergeant Quspira Inirali and the full authority of the Berdusk Watch ring out in the last syllable; not that part of the Watch decayed by too many years having to come to accomodations with that city's corrupt priests, but the faithful remnant who still bear themselves as befits true-hearted representatives of the Lightbearers themselves.

======

(lost the signal just before editing in the reference BBC, but I did have her cast comprehend languages with that prayer and letter tracing

Adran listens, apparently unperturbed, to the long tirade of the tiefling cleric, until the final injunction full of the authority of the Berdusk Watch.

"This is the reason" he finally sighs, with an air of patient resignation in the face of the haste of the less long-lived races "why I would have preferred that the understanding of the message was a journey, a conquest; a personal journey would have more easily led to understanding the message, when instead the hasty recourse to magic only brought about the translation".

"Also a slightly imperfect one, if you don't take the correction from a native speaker as an offense" he now addresses Spira directly. "All in all, it is not unusual, that something gets lost or misinterpreted, in a mere translation. The term 'aegiskeryn', although it may also connote an 'iron golem', as the magic seems to have suggested to you, originally has the meaning of 'valiant shield-bearing defender' - as Aidwyn seems to me to be - and, more recently, by extension, of 'shield guardian', a faithful construct that the most powerful wizards animate for their own defense".

"But I thank you" he assumes a thoughtful air for a moment "for having demonstrated to me a truth that I had already come across on other occasions and upon wich I'll not fail to reflect: that is, how many faces and interpretations concepts can have. Where someone in a 'shield guardian' can see value, reliability and dedication, someone else could see stupidity, distortion of the person, or servitude. Probably only the common sense of the listener, aided by the context, can lead to the correct interpretation".

"And as for faerahrn Rash," another sigh from the elf "my message continues to seem perfectly fitting for him. Considering what has already been said, I leave it to the common sense of those concerned to understand whether by this I could have meant, in the same sentence in which I paid him a compliment, that I considered him particularly idiotic, or rather I might want to underline how in his case his appearances (which shares somatic features with typical ancestral enemies of my people) could be particularly misleading, as he is, as I stated, a good person".

"But I would contradict what I have just stated about the importance of time and the personal search for the truth," he greets with a polite gesture and starts to take his leave "if I pretended to convince you immediately of the meaning of what I intended to communicate to you. If you are interested in thinking about it, I'm sure that, in time, you will understand for yourself whether I meant to insult you or not".

Gaer, however, with his brow furrowed and unconvinced, mutters: "But... I don't know if I should really believe it... this guy is really trying to convince us that giving a bracelet with the word 'Idiot' prominently written on it is a gesture with a hidden meaning?"

(OOC: Now... if no one else continues the conversation, the elf does what I was having him do in the previous post - he rides off on his horse leaving you to do what you want to do now. If, on the contrary, someone continues to talk to him, Adran obviously stays to listen - up to you)

Meanwhile, in response to Roxana, Gaer takes on an ostentatiously offended look: "Hey! Do you really think I'm so easy to conquer?" raising an eyebrow "I'm only interested in the best around".

While Anita and Solitude join in an involuntary chorus:
“Of course I'll accompany Rash!”
"I certainly don't intend to leave Aidwyn alone!"

They spoke with such promptness and conviction and using practically the same tone... that the two couldn't help but look at each other, surprised, and burst out laughing.

Aidwyn accepts the bracalet with a grateful nod and dons it after admiring the beautiful work. 
"You must have used some magic to have four of this beatiful pieces created and engraved over night. Thank you Adran" she says and she barely overhear the conversation between him and Spira as she is introducing his horse to Solitude, showing her how to proper feed the stallion a carrot. 

"Well, if you all ant to go to that crazy place I cannot let you go alone... not in good conscience and even less after your generosity with the shield. I've made a promise to you all!" she declares mounting and offering a hand to Solitude to join her in the back of the horse.

Rash can't help but smile as Anita and Solitude share a laugh.

"Glad to see you two aren't itching to kill each other anymore," he chuckles. "Well, at least not too much..."

He pauses a moment as he prepares to get onto the horse.

"I think maybe we should ask Zentromya if she would like to come with us as well... I won't lie, I kind of hate that dungeon, and having a Celestial help us deal with it will (hopefully) make it a lot easier this time."

(OOC: OK Frandal, we get that Aidwyn thanks Adran then gets ready to ride with Solitude; posting it 4 times is enough. Lol! 😉)

Solitude accepts Aidwyn's hand and pulls herself up after her, wrapping her arms around her… perhaps not just to keep her balance? Good thing the shield's magical powers will prevent Aidwyn from being caught by surprise anyway!

"It's a shame we couldn't bring Balfby..." sighs the tiefling ex-prisoner "But, even if she would be happy in the darkness of the prison, I don't see how she could avoid the light of day to get there!"

Meanwhile, Anita, like Rash, realizes how unlikely it would have seemed, perhaps even just a day ago, to share a laugh with Solitude... "Yes," she admits to the half-orc wizard "maybe all in all we're starting to get to know each other better... to understand that we can have points in common, despite our differences..." then she turns towards her former enemy "Thank you for being able to forgive me... I realize that I don't know if I would have been able to do it, with roles reversed..."

"I didn't know I could do it either" Solitude snorts, with a half-smile. "What can i say? Maybe the right company" her gaze goes to Aidwyn "can help us change".

Hearing Rash hope for Zentromya's participation, Anita runs to look for her at the Mansion: "I'll go and come back immediately! I understood that she wanted to continue 'working' with us... she should be happy to follow us!"

And sure enough, a few minutes and the ex-Zhentarim is back, followed by the winged miniature she-elephant: "I will be happy to do more good deeds with you!" she announces telepathically to everyone, while Anita mounts with Rash... and Gaer, next to Snowshine, seems to be waiting for something from Roxana "How come we are returning to that horrible prison? Have you discovered that there may be some good to be done there?"

"I wouldn't necessarily say that there's 'more good' to be done down there," Rash says, offering Anita a hand to help her onto the horse. "It's more that we want to make sure that, if there's anything dangerous down there, we find it before it falls into the wrong hands. We didn't explore the entire dungeon because, to be frank, we were sick of that pit by the time we found you. Now that we've had some time to calm down and think rationally, we want to finish cleaning the place up so that it can never be a danger to good people again."

He pauses for a moment in thought.

"Though, there is something else that we may want to consider doing. But I'll have to have a long discussion with my teammates about that."

"I have full faith in you, my heroic friends!" the celestial creature declares "Let's go! There are those who say that people's actions, like the flowers or fruits of a plant, reveal their nature. And your fruits have been really  delicious up to now!"

Traveling on the powerful steeds earned in the service of the Sharnshields, reaching the dungeon entrance is much quicker and more pleasant than last time. And the dreaded 'Rukuz the Merciless' doesn't make an appearance this time either.

Once you reach the main entrance of the dungeon (OOC: I assume you use that one... if you prefer the difficulty of the secondary access, just say so) what do you want to do with the horses?

No way in the Nine Hells would Rash leave them outside where Ruzuk the Merciless might help himself to four fine steeds... Rash is in favor of taking them inside. It's not like the place is going to get a lot of visitors (hopefully), so he's not that concerned about the possibility that they could make a mess...

Roxana had laughed after Anita's and Solitude's nearly simultaneously response. Or it seemed that way at least. Perhaps she was laughing at Gaer's response.  But it seemed like the former. As the laughter subsides, she turns back to Gaer. "Well, I suppose you do have good taste."  She glances again at Spira, figuring she won't get any comments from the sister at this point, given how her dander had been raised with Adran. She had slipped her copper band quietly into her pack. 'A mystery to solve some other time,' she thinks. 

As it becomes apparent that the group is setting off immediately, Roxana starts to look a bit panicked. "I'll have to leave word at home that I'm leaving." She glances at her dress. "And change! And get my armor. Oh! And I should check in at The Gilded Horseshoe! Oh my, I've only just gotten back. I don't... I mean..."  She pauses a moment for a breath to focus herself. "It's fine I'll just get it taken care of and we'll be off. We'll all need some feed for our horses. And I haven't checked to see if we have all the proper tack. Perhaps we should get some saddlebags?"  

She makes her way first to the inn, checking in with the to them if they can manage a few more days without her.  (OOC - Not sure what the interaction there would be.)  She then rides out to her family's farm.  She tells Olivia she'll be gone a few days more but will be back soon.  Olivia is wildly excited about Snowshine and a bit jealous over her sister's windfall.  She pleads to go along but Roxana makes it clear she needs to stay.  At the farm, she changes out of her dress and back into her leather armor covered with her drab green cloak.  Her hair, which had earlier been let down, was now nearly braided and covered with a kerchief. 

After making sure she has all the proper supplies, she is ready to meet the others to head back to the spot of their earlier adventure. 

Now at the entrance to the dungeon again, Roxana agrees with Rash. "Yes, we should maybe try to make some sort of corral inside and out of sight.  Though I hate to just leave them here unattended for long. We know there could be goblins wandering about."  She thinks about it for a moment. "Perhaps we can bring the horses past the secret door, then close it behind us.  They'd be a bit safer that way." 

Gaer laughs heartily at Roxana's words: "You bet!"

At the 'Gilded Horseshoe', the first person the girl from Longsaddle meets is Whelp, the imposing dragonborn adopted son of Erath and Mallie: "Roxana!" he runs towards her "I heard everything you did! Twelve eyes! With your arrows you blinded all twelve eyes of the dungeon keeper!" (perhaps some news that has circulated, passing from mouth to mouth, has been a little enriched by imagination...) "And you freed the archangel held prisoner by devils and demons!" the part-dragon colossus is particularly funny, now, while he looks at the much slimmer girl practically in awe, as if she were a heroine of ancient sagas returned directly from Elisyum...

Roxana manages without difficulty to be led to Erath, who, even if she welcomed the rumors with a little more critical common sense, still has no doubts, as she looks the other, proudly, in the eyes: "You were exceptional! Shoeless Martha was lucky to have you to count on! You truly are the heroine - and pride - of Longsaddle! Fancy a slice of blackberry pie?"

Upon hearing that 'the pride of Longsaddle' will need to be away a little longer, Erath simply smiles: "Take your time, dear. You can do things that others wouldn't. Here, me and the boys" (she yes refers to the numerous adopted children, all of whom, although not forced, help as they can at the inn) "we'll be fine. If I really have an urgent need..." she pretends to think, but it's clear from the curl of her lips that she's to joke "...I could always adopt some more children, don't you think?"

When it's time to leave for the dungeon, Gaer asks Roxana if she'll let him ride Snowshine behind her: "You know... so as not to lose my 'good taste'!" he winks.

At the entrance to the dungeon, Gaer weighs Roxana's proposal: "Normally, horses don't like dungeons... but these ones seem so well trained... if we proceed alongside them, I think they'll follow us until after the secret door And if perhaps we collect some grass from under the snow and pile it up where we leave them... they could also get used to the environment and wait for us without getting agitated".

(Sorry about the multiposting of yesterday... connection is acting weird but I don't remember hitting the post button more than once... ) 

"I wouldn't worry too much about the goblins... " say Aidwyn looking at Balfy and rememering what the fey hound told her "But I agree we can take them with us inside... seems safer."