Ling can't help but look over her shoulder at Clarissa as her friends drag her away with them. She had been caught snooping, that was clear, but what had she found? Shiva the snake, Nikolai the usurper, and I am the regent? Confused, she tries to clear her head, but it doesn't help much. Looking up at Caio, then over at Nik, she explains: "She new I was there, but before that, I caught some images from her head. The snake is Shiva, Nikolai is the usurper and I am... the regent. I didn't understand what she meant though, she cut me off right after. I saw images, like... beings from fairy tales, it's hard to explain. The snake woman had six arms, she was holding swords, like a warrior. Her upper body was human. The regent looked like some kind of demon king... with a cape and a weird staff. He had horns. There was a woman kneeling at his feet, she looked the same." Without realising, Ling rests her head in her hand, feeling her own horns. "The usurper, he was covered in flames, with huge bat wings. He looked frightening."  She shakes her head to clear the images. "I feel like she actually knows something about us. About why we are the way we are." Ling stares at her hands as if they hold the answers and then looks up at Nikolai again, searching his face for reassurance.

The walk back to the Black Sheep is subdued. Clarissa's claims have left most of the group pensive and Alaris sees it in them as they leave Temnitsa. Now, more than ever, they are in need of their guiding light.

Nikolai silently ponders Ling's inquiry as they walk along before he finally answers her directly. "It sounds like she was describing our ancestral patrons." He shrugs. "I wouldn't put too much thought into it. I know why we are the way we are. Someone, somewhere in our ancestry made a pact with the infernal powers for whatever reason. My father's bloodline carries the infernal taint within it and yet, he blamed me for my mother's death. A choice I had no part in the making and yet, I was to blame. It matters not why Ling, the only thing that matters is what you do with it. Remember that. Do not hate yourself for what you are, only hate what you become. Like that cyka, Clarissa. She has allowed herself to become something loathsome. Do not let the world allow you to become bitter and spiteful. Take all that anger and hate and use to become something more. Prove all the ignorant fools wrong." He reaches up to squeeze her bicep reassuringly, a twinge of regret pours through him for his actions in pleasure house. He glances back at Shiva with an unease smile to calm her of his intentions. "Ling..." A heavy sigh."I... I am sorry for what I said in the bathhouse to the tiefling girl. I hurt you and that is not okay. We are friends. Friends don't hurt each other like that. I was unreasonably angry at your attempts to drive those girls away from me. That doesn't make what you did as acceptable, okay? So, let's agree to not hurt each other anymore?" He pulls her in for a side hug.

     On their way out through the upper bar of Temnitsa, Astrid scans the tavern area for the pair she overheard on the first visit. She looks more relieved than anything at finding no sign of the schemers and hopefully being done with this place for at least a few of days.

     Pondering on both Ling's descriptions of what Clarissa "shared" with her and Nikolai's summations, Astrid thinks back on her lessons on the lower planes, toying with the winding stem of her holy symbol as she does so. "I say you are on the right track there," responding to Nik. "Though, whoever is the one that your ancestors made a pact with sounds like it could be someone of great importance within the realms of below. Perhaps even an arch-devil or two considering the terms she used - usurper, regent. And that 'snake' you mentioned... Sounds a lot like a marilith. Those are no lowly demons. They are usually the commanders of the armies of the abyss, leading their hordes headlong into battle."  She looks over to Shivala and, considering their recent encounters, thinks it to be appropriate. She chews her lower lip as they continue their walk. "I would be cautious of this Clarissa. How was she able to acquire this information about you three...?"

"A marilith..." Shiva says quietly. Having been lost in thought on the way back to the Black Sheep, she's remained silent while the others discussed the implications of Clarissa's words. "Truly a demon after all, then." She chuckles as she speaks the words to herself more than anyone else.

".....a marilith was one of the possibilities that I came across in my studies. Perhaps this can give you direction to continue where I left off...."

Shiva looks out across the tavern, stoic and pensive.

“It is quite disturbing that she knows so much.” stoic Caio finally chimes in. “As much as she makes my skin crawl, it could be worthwhile to pursue her. If she had insights into your fiendish heritage, perhaps she has knowledge of our... planar issues.” He pets Ghoul pensively as he thinks about facing the woman again. “We also need to follow up with the Bednik case.”

Ling listens to Nikolai carefully, but his words don't entirely put her at ease. She smiles when he squeezes her arm and just replies: "I would never hurt you." At Astrid's explanation, she wonders: "Right? How would she know?" I wonder if her brother knows as much as she does... maybe that's why he found me.  While she thinks about which sibling could know more, she says: "The beggars of Bednik, do you guys need me for that? It doesn't seem like a job that requires all hands on deck and Shiva and I could really use some girl time. Couldn't we?"

Snapping out of her deep reflection, Shiva smiles brightly "Yeah, I think so. We've had quite an eventful few days, and we need time to decompress." 

     Astrid gives the two tieflings a curious look. "And what did we just do in that bath house?" 

Caio nods at Astrid's comment then turns to the Infernale girls. "Yes, your decompression there ended up being stressful for the rest of us. I think we should all go to Bednik, our last mission proved that we can't underestimate any task. And do you not wish to glean more information on Clarissa as well? Given her intimate knowledge of you all I'd think you'd be more pressed." 

Alaris ambles along with the rest of the group, looking down at the ground as they walk, almost unaware of the movement and conversation of the companions.

"One's a fiend... One's an angel, little 'Laris..."  the unwelcome voice from beyond titters in the warrior's mind. "Whatcha gonna do... Whatcha gonna do when she comes for you?"

Their feet scuff along the rough surface of the street, and their thoughts wander deeper within. Over and over, the voice repeats the sing-song chant in a strange rhythmic scansion. Alaris passes through the door to the Black Sheep, barely acknowledging the one who holds it open for them.

"She WILL come, you silly stupid creature, and unless you're ready, she will devour everything you love while you watch and weep your useless angel tea-"

"I know! Why don't you shut up and tell me something useful, you capricious ¢#€¥!" Alaris cries out, the once-urchin wracked with fear and grief and frustration, and charges back out of the common room and into a nearby alleyway.

"I know what we did in the bathhouse," Ling giggles, looking at Shiva, "but do tell what you did, Astrid, I'd love to know. In detail!"

Stretching, she replies to Caio: "Fine, fiiiiine. Obviously I want to know more about here, but I don't think we'll learn anything in Bednik. If anything, I think -" her sentence is cut short when Alaris storms out of the Black Sheep yelling. "What's gotten into Alaris?" Ling wonders out loud, then gets up. "Off to Bednik then? After the screamer?"

Shiva rises with Ling as she looks off in the direction that Alaris took, "Yes, to Bednik then."  Following after the paladin, she turns into the alley she believes they ducked into, "Alaris, are you ok? Is it your visitor?"

Nikolai joins the others in following Alaris' rapid departure. "Quite frankly I do not care what that woman knows or claims to know. It is just as likely she's making it all up just to get a rouse out of you. Come, let us check on Alaris. I do not like what is happening to our little group. We are coming apart."

Alaris Forien sprints across the street and down a shadowy alley. There, they freeze, as the paladin sees Dagon staring at them! His typical scornful, mocking grin is pasted across his face. "I know you..." Alaris hisses. "Why do you haunt us so?"

Alaris hears a rich laugh echo in the alleyway and the otherworldy image blurs and dissipates like oil on water.

    In reply to Ling's question, Astrid scrunches her nose and tilts her head to the side in wonder at her implication. "I had a wonderful batch and a nice pitcher of ale before getting a little bit of rest before all the excitement." 

    The dwarf rises as everyone else moves to go after Alaris. "Does this type of thing happen often with her?!", she says hustling behind as fast as her dwarven legs can carry.

“No, usually they’re the most grounded of us.” Caio replies as he springs after the group. “It must have something to do with these visions and voices. Nikolai is right, we can not allow ourselves to come undone like this.” Once everyone is outside and gawking at their distraught aasimar friend, Caio calls out softly “Alaris? Are you all right?” His jet eyes scan for any danger, or anyone who might be watching the odd troupe’s antics.

Alaris Forien picks up a barrel set outside an alley doorway and with a scream of fury flings it at the fading Dagon. It shatters against the stonework of the building and some of the splintered remains stick in their skin, but the paladin is too angry and embarrassed to notice. Storming out of the alley, they come face-to-face with their approaching friends, blood trickling from several tiny pricks in their flushed face. The rage drains away, replaced by an abashed affection as the paladin sees the honest concern etched on their faces, even for an unguarded moment on Ling's typically too-cool-for-actual-feelings visage.

"Ohh. Hey. Yeah... Umm... I'm sorry."

     "Oh my. What happened here?!" Astrid says as she squeezes between a couple of the others to assist the apparently injured paladin. Stepping nearer the cleric's hand glows with a radiant light as the holds her holy symbol with the other hand. "Mend," she simply says and Alaris's wounds quickly close up. "Where'd the one go that did this to you?"