Persephone stuck to the shadows, as usual, on the journey back. She was especially curious as to the abilities of the shield that Misha was carrying, wondering how it managed to contain a soul. Did the Raven Queen banish this Gargauth fellow’s soul to the shield, or some other penultimate being?  She furiously scribbled notes in her journal, knowing that her Queen would find this turn of events quite interesting.

"Do you still want me with you?" Allynna asks Misha bluntly. "Because I have no intention of spending my nights being worried about you putting your hammer through my sleeping skull. So either tell me to go or stop glaring at me like you'd enjoy personally eating my intestines. You're not going to intimidate me into doing anything, so if you want to have an actual conversation instead of treating me like I murdered your firstborn, feel free, but do us both a favor and cut the alienation tactics."

"Ah yes, we should do that. I do not know about the rest of you, but I would like to leave this city tout suite*."

*-right now

"Oh, Misha ees so sorry!" she says, pretending to be apologetic, clearly not. "So very sorry eef Misha no trust you! Peel me onions, Misha feel like crying - making Allynna upset!" she turns quickly to the group. "Everybody who is in league weeth devils raise your hends." Misha looks around. "Anyone? No? Deedn't theenk so..au! Just Alllynna?? Oh! Ok! Just making sure." She lets her performance sink in. "When Misha ready to hef conveersation.." she makes a face at the word. "..Misha let you know. Until then, you shut up. Misha no care about your FEEWINGS."

"Yes." she said finally. "You have my permission to join us. For now. Misha weel not hurt you, Misha hef things like her word, and honor. But one wrong moof and Misha put you in ground, deep, so you can say hi to Gargauth een Hell."

Allynna's eyes are still icy cold. "I had no idea," she said in a low, furious voice. "No idea what he was. I was alone in a place that wanted me dead or broken or both, and he offered a way out and spun me a story about a poor trapped prince who was twisted into something he hated. You may not care about my feelings, but I care about the fact that right now you are threatening to kill me for angering you, and then claiming you have honor. Threatening those weaker than you isn't honor, Misha. I thought you were better than that." For a moment, tears seem to glitter in her eyes, but then they're gone again, replaced only by resignation and fury. "I trusted you, even though Gargauth was telling me that you'd react exactly like this." She turns away from the paladin. "I'll meet you all at the gate to the city. I have an apparent pit fiend to deal with, and it's clear I don't have allies here." She walks away from the group.

You. Physical manifestation. Now. And you better have one hell of an explanation, or you are going to wish you'd never asked me to dance.

Jill wanted to say something to Allynna to keep her from storming off, but Jill knew that she would side with Misha if things actually came to blows, and so did everyone else. So she stood there silently as Allynna stormed out.

Stealth: 19

Persephone, hiding, follows along with Allynna (at a distance) to spy in on whatever she’s doing. 

Throughout the entirety of the debacle from start to... present Yoska stayed silent and thoughtful. Though there were moments he looked ready to open his mouth to say something -- anything, each one concluded without a word as one heated party member or another would interject. When Allynna stormed off at last claiming not to have any allies, Yoska watched with a grimace until she disappeared out of site.

"... I'll.... meet the rest of you at the gate as well. Gonna see some people about maybe securing some supplies for this little trip." He gives everyone a tired look. "And return those spellbooks as well, if'n all right?" Yoska asks, extending a hand to Jill. Once he had the books in hand, he would talk to the captain about finding their owners, and see about returning them prior to doing his own side shopping.

Misha watched her storm off. She slowly shook her head in disappointment. She caught Jill's glance and met her gaze for a moment. "She does not understand." she said to her, but nothing more.

Allynna walks quickly, heading for an alley, not really looking around, so Seph can likely follow her without being spotted. She climbs a wall to a roof, and travels quickly across the roofs (mask on), until she reaches a spot where chimneys form a sort of enclosed grotto, and narrows her eyes. Out. Now.

From around one of the chimneys, the elven features of Gargauth's form appeared.

THE JOURNEY TO CANDLEKEEP

As the Basilisk Gate opens, Flaming Fist soldiers hold back the tide of Elturgardian refugees. You cut a path through these wretched souls, whose wails intensify as the Basilisk Gate closes behind you. The dirt road cuts through the slums of the Outer City, past the walled neighborhood of Little Calimshan, to the great span of Wyrm’s Crossing.

WYRM'S CROSSING

Two great bridges meet at a tall, rocky island that rises from the middle of the Chionthar River. Buildings and merchant stalls line the sides of both bridges, making it impossible to see the river from the narrow, congested roadway that cuts between those structures. Wooden drawbridges connect the two bridges to a keep situated atop the island. The flags of Baldur’s Gate and the Flaming Fist wave proudly above this fortress.

Will the character (or characters, if tied) with the LOWEST passive perception please make a Perception check.

Nok has a 10 so I'm going to assume: 14

Meep quietly looks around. 

Sadness perception: 1

Jill looks at the ground for a moment, but then looks back up and offers a response to Misha. "I do not want things to come to blows, mon amie, but if it does...you know I will have your back. Always." Jill told the group that she was going out to go buy a new jacket, before being stopped by Amelia, who wasn't about to let the young girl go out in the city by herself. So Jill allowed the Hiriarts to accompany her, not like she minded their company. Jill loved Misha, but she wanted to give her friend some alone time to cool down after the recent events. She found that the two of them helped take her mind off of the recent unpleasantness. And Corrin pointed out a navy blue jacket that looked good on her! After purchasing the jacket, Jill decided that it was time to head back to the caravan so that they could get moving. As they walked back to the wagon, Jill gave both of their hands a little squeeze to let them know that she was happy to have spent this time with them.

And later, as the caravan pulls away from the city, Jill turns around and gives Baldur's Gate the Bras d'honneur.

Allynna meets the others at the gate silently, not looking at anyone. However, as they walk, Allynna seems almost asleep on her feet, clearly utterly exhausted by something.

Yoska meets the others as promised in a new pair of bear hide armor, handing out what coin the return of the spellbooks in a still subdued air. Even Allynna isn't forgotten. Though there is some trepidation, seeing her stumble around for the most part as if half-asleep soon erases it. He pats her on the shoulder and then tries to keep the callused hands there, steadying her in the moment. Even if the attempt at comfort is met with vile epitaphs and/or a shrug out of the grip, Yoska answers only with a calming smile, and mouthed 'It's okay'.

From then on, he would travel close to Allynna, thoughtlessly shielding her view from Misha and vice versa whenever he notices the two looking too heatedly at one another. All with the casualness and goofiness of an old man incidentally trying to do something else at the time.

BALDUR'S GATE

Misha could do nothing but smile when Jill offered her loyalty, and Jill knew it was appreciated - it was written all over the Acheronians face. Misha stood by herself for a long time as the crowds walked by. She unhinged out of her armor and reverted back to her half top and shorts. The wound Amelia gave her on her neck during the fight with the barbed devil healed nicely from the lay on hands, not even a scar remained. She smiled at the thought, and didn't hold it against her. A loud beep and an arcane symbol appeared on her wrist, and she knew it was time to report in.

She went into the nearest tavern, men turning heads as she walked towards the back to a room she could have some privacy in. She locked the door, got on her knees, and pressed the symbol on her wrist. In a moment of bright red light, she was gone.

ACHERON

The heat of Acheron was a welcome feeling. It felt good on her skin, and reminded her of a time long ago before she boarded the Belle of the Sea - the feeling of Toril's sun on her skin. In the command center, Legion Commander Taetanicus was waiting for her. As soldiers kneeled at her approach, she was handed a long leather robe that indicated her status and reputation. She put it on before even thinking of addressing the Commander, who was looking at an arcane display that showed the position of various deployments and battalions. She kneeled in front of him, and hung her head low.

"Komandir, ya vernulsya, chtoby dat' vam svoy otchet." She said.
Taetanicus nodded slowly. "Mischa, dazhe ne glyadya na tvoye litso, ya mogu skazat', chto ty serdish'sya. Bespokoynyy."
"Da, moy gospodin." Misha replied softly.
With a gauntlet hand, he placed his fingers on her temple. "Sokhranyat' spokoystviye. Pokazhite mne, chto vy videli. Nashi umy yediny."
After a moment, he let go, and again, nodded. "Ponimayu. Eto deystvitel'no interesnaya situatsiya, no ona ne nakhoditsya vne vashego kontrolya. Chto vy planiruyete delat'?
Misha considered the question. "Vo imya Beyna ya unichtozhu ikh oboikh."
Taetanicus allowed himself one snort in a laugh. "Yesli vy chuvstvuyete, chto eto pravil'no. Ya ne dam vam prikaz po etomu voprosu. Chast'yu togo, chtoby byt' Glavnym, yavlyayetsya sposobnost' vykhodit' za ramki vashego programmirovaniya i prinimat' trudnyye resheniya dlya sebya."
Misha accepted the wisdom without hesitation, without question. "Kak pozhelayesh', moy komandir. Vashe budet sdelano."

Taetanicus dismissed her, and she thundered out of the Commander center. With purpose. Determination.

Except this time, she wasn't smiling.

(It will take four days to travel to Candlekeep)

Amelia listened to their argument but said nothing. She instead had taken Corrin and left a room for the time being to allow them to let off whatever steam they needed to release before they left to collect their coin.

When they began travelling again, the tension between the two women made the air thick and it irritated the older woman, but she really didn't want to get in between them and the whole devil business. It wasn't her place and she made sure to tell Corrin to stay out of it. The tiefling girl wasn't happy about it, but she understood the reasoning for it and kept silent as they moved forward. She just didn't like the fact that Misha wasn't as happy as she normally was, and she was afraid to try and start a conversation only to have it spiral out of control. To keep herself occupied, she just played with a few toys Jill had in her toy pouch of hers.

During the 4-day trip, Persephone will individually and discretely bring everyone up to speed on what she saw and heard go on between Allynna and Devil-G-dog.