"I dunno I think they kinda already know we're here so we might as well just tell them why we are here. Maybe they didn't even know someone was doing some creepy ritual right under their nose!" Zyl begins walking toward the sound of the voice.

"Maybe I can convince them we're meant to be here like I did with those other cultists," Vesta suggests. "If there's a way to avoid fighting, it might be a good idea to take it with so many of us wounded right now."

Vesta follows Zyl. She calls out in Undercommon: "We are servants of the Spider Queen, sent on a mission to recover a powerful relic. Let us pass."

Deception - 28

Davis stands at the ready, waiting to see how Vesta's comment goes.

Magrea manages a bit of healing for herself, (Level 1 Cure Wounds for 17 healing). While waiting, she whispers quietly to the rest of the group,

"I can do a bit more healing myself if anyone else needs it still." 

An elf and a beautiful, winged devil stride into the area from the north, surveying the dead glabrezu, duergar, and hobgoblin. They appear ready to attack when Vesta calls out in an attempt to deceive them...(DC28 Insight: 26) 

"Why did you kill Grottenelle Stonecutter and his summoned demon? We needed them for our plans!!" you hear this in your heads - it appears the devil has telepathy!

Vesta adopts a haughty tone. "They dared to impede our duty. Such insolence cannot be tolerated. Tell me of these plans and how you serve the Dark Mother."

She tries not to show her surprise at the appearance of an actual devil. This pair seemed even more powerful than the others. Perhaps there was a way to trick them into helping with their own plans.

Deception - 25

Insight: 21

The devil communicates back to the group, "We plan to assault a svirfneblin mining operation located about 20 miles from here. We will kidnap the most powerful miners and feed them to Ker-arach, and kill any remaining miners who do not worship Lolth. The high summoner was summoning the glabrezu to help with the operation - but now you will take its place."

(Persuasion/Intimidation: 24)

Vanizi is pleased to see that Vesta's deception seems to be working. She looks at the others, not quite sure she wants to be killing a bunch of miners. For the moment she stays quiet to see what Vesta says. But she is ready to jump in if needed. 

(OOC - Not sure what to do with the Persuasion/Intimidation roll. Is that directed at someone? Is everyone subjected to it?) 

Vesta considers this. "While that sounds like a worthy task, our mission is more urgent," she says. "We must find a relic. It could help with your quest as well. Have you seen it?"

Vesta describes the piece.

Persuasion - 18

Deception - 13

I put the Persuasion/Intimidation roll in to see how much of a chance they would have to convince/strongarm you to join them on the raid...this is written as a combat encounter - especially after the noise of combat from the others - but Vesta's rolls have been insane and I want to give y'all a chance to find alternative ways around challenges...so here goes! =)

"You describe what Ker-arach uses to answer questions posed directly to the Spider Queen. Why do you seek it - do you have a question for the spider mother?"

"Tymora stay my hand"  Davis whispers to himself, as his hand tightens around the hilt of his sword. "You gifted me this sword to kill fiends and devils, yet here I stand, ... not." He thinks of sheathing it for a second, to lessen the temptation, help ease the tension around him, but knows that while drawn, it provides benefits to his allies.

Instead he tries to make himself look calm, trusting in his allies and Vesta's cunning words. "We are here for the rod, that is the greater purpose..."

"I dunno I think maybe that was kind of the question for the spider lady, wasn't it? I think the baldy man and pointy hat lady and the nice one all said we were supposed to get parts of a stick or something so maybe this spider lady knows what it is cause is very important I think yeah?" Zyl looks at the others and begins fishing out another small piece of brownie. "Hey you think spider lady likes brownies?"

Persuasion if needed: 16 (rolled in log)

Vesta tries not to look surprised at this latest development. So this Ker-arach uses the rod to speak with the Spider Queen? The sorceress tries not to shudder. Maybe she can persuade these cultists to lead them right to the rod.

"Our questions are for the Spider Queen's ears only," Vesta proclaims. "But it is a matter most urgent. Take us to Ker'arach immediately."

Persuasion - 27

The devil and elf look at each other for a moment, then the elf responds, "If you are truly agents of the spider queen, then you would already know of the sacred hall. You have disrupted our plans enough - find Ker'arach on your own." The pair head back north, to the area from where they came.

"Wow, Vesta. Great job," Vanizi says. "Should we perhaps go the direction that they didn't go?"  She glances off to the south. "Shall we go?" 

"Okay so just to be clear you don't want no brownie...okay they're gone. Well maybe this spider lady will want some, I better keep some back just in case. So we going this way then? You don't want to rest now? I mean is okay with me I kinda just wanna get the stick piece and leave but whatever you guys want to do okay?" Zyl fluttered off slowly to take a look at the other direction.

Vanizi looks at Zyl. "Well, a rest might be good. Though I'm not sure someone else won't come along. I'm fine whatever the others decide." 

"I'm not sure it's safe enough to rest here unfortunately," says Vesta. "Who knows what other cultists might come along? We could risk it though. Some of us are still pretty wounded."

(Vesta is in favor of a short rest if everyone else decides yes as well.)

[Looking at char sheets to get a gauge on how injured people are...]

Davis will heal himself for 20 hps.

Davis will heal Magrea for 15 hps.

Davis will heal Vesta for 15 hps.

All lay on hands.