Zelra shrugs and follows the group, keeping an eye on the elf. 

OOC: No, Uragum - Ola stays in the cave. YOU (or you and Zelra) tell the guards where the cave is and bring them there (hopefully).

The elf matches Arnald's stare and its intensity, but does not release the arrow that is still nocked in her bow and aimed your way. Zelra and the others escort the remaining prisoners out of the cave and into the open sky, leaving her there with Ola for a moment. "What Phlan needs right now are heroes. Not soulless mercenaries," she intones before leaving the tunnel herself.

Along the way to the temple, the freed prisoners speak with Zelra, and they relay that they were being held there simply for speaking rudely to a member of the Black Fist in a tavern a few nights ago. They ask your names, extremely grateful for their freedom.

Within the hour, as the rest of the party is entering the town's large temple, a contingent of a half dozen Black Fist guards arrive at the prison. One of them, a gruff dwarf woman, takes in the scene. "We'll take it from here, ma'am. Thank you for doin' yer part," she tells Ola. "I take it those are the foul beasts that were running this place?" she asks, pointing to the still-unconscious guards, the dead body, and the remaining feral prisoner.

_____________________________

After a few hours of rest and healing, Villonah recovers her senses. Ola has returned to the temple, and the atmosphere becomes strained as the angered elf arrived shortly after, with a contingent of three armored knights that stand with her nearby.

The gnome girl's eyes flutter open after the latest round of healing. "Wha...Arnald?" she groans, "So it really was you. That wasn't a dream? I'm--" she stops midsentence as she takes in the scenery. "Yllivia!" she leaps up, falling over with dizziness shortly after getting on her feet, and the elf woman rushes over, kneeling down. Villonah wraps her in a hug, both her and the elf's eyes becoming watery. "I thought I would never see you again. How did you find me?" she asks.

"She didnt," Uragum pipes in, "we did, and we rescued you.  Took out the guards, killed some wierd snake creature and destroyed some fear inducing magic stones."  He points at the elf, "she showed up as we were taking you back to the temple for healing.  Things got tense as we dobt know or her us.  But look at everyone now, all safe and sound like.  Imma going to go get your father, he's worried about ya and we have a deal that we'd get you home safe."

Relieved that the madness is finally over, Ola returned to her healing duties - an occupation, that can take one's mind out of anything an allows to feel truly useful and productive, something, that this mission was severely lacking for Ola. 

Before she went back home (to the Tavern) that day, she did something she was supposed to do weeks ago - purchased several (let's say 5) Healing kits and added it to her inventory.

Zelra introduces herself as Aldra to the prisoners, but freely give the other's names to them, and engages with them for a little small talk on the way to the temple to keep their mood up. "No need to thank us. We just did what we thought was right. If there's one thing I hate, it's guards abusing their authority and taking advantage of those below them." She scowls as she says those words, but shakes her head to calm herself down.

After arriving at the temple, Zelra goes to do as Ola told her to and relays the information and direction towards the prison to the guards before returning to the temple. She lets them know of the feral prisoner as well, hoping they would help him as she feels just a bit guilty for breaking his nose. Just a tiny bit.

As Villonah awakens, she let's out a sigh of relief and watches from afar.

Arnald's eye grew wide as he saw the greeting Villonah gave to Yllivia. He assume that the elf was telling the truth and that they knew one another, but he hadn't expected them to be that close. He approached the pair, "Seems like you're in good hands" he said as he ruffled Villonah's hair. "Get better and I expect you to show up for the next training session. I'm going to head on back to tavern."

Looking to Yllivia, "Next time you need help, come get me rather than sending in a kid. And replace that bow string. Holding it taught for so long earlier will cause it to snap sooner, and it'll always happen at the worst time."

And with that, Arnald turns to walk away.

After leaving the prison, horse-Sylyra would take his leave as soon as it seemed to make sense to do so. He had no intention of going to the temple. Out of sight of everyone involved in the "raid", he'd turn back into his elf form and return to Madame Freona’s to be done with this potentially prisonable behavior.

Yllivia scowls at Uragum, then releases Villonah from the hug, saying, "They kept me from you, and threatened me, but what they say is mostly true. They found you first and pulled you out of there. Had I not seen the blue one entering the place, I might not have found it."

One of the knights, a human man, old and weathered but strong in stance, walks closer, and Villonah starts in recognition. "Vindicator!" She tries to drop to a knee, but the man steadies her with a hand as he kneels down to her level himself. His armor is shining and polished, but the greatsword strapped to his side shows the wear of much use. "Easy there, Chevall. It seems like you've had a tough time. Was your mission a success?" he asks. Villonah nods, "Yes. I got the map from one of the guards...not too well since they saw me, but I hid it before they took me." The Vindicator pats her shoulder and nods back.

Yllivia stands straight and looks Arnald in the eye as he speaks. "Arnald, was it? Villonah is not a 'kid'. I am aware that you were her tutor, but you would do well to remember that. How old were you when you started adventuring? What would you have thought of someone that refused to recognize you as anything more than a kid back then? And...thanks; for saving her and for the advice. Before we came here, I sent a courier to Villonah's father and told him of her rescue. He will be expecting you," she says.

The Vindicator puts a hand out for Arnald to wait, and addresses those of the party at the temple. "I will warn you once, because the fact that Chevall Yllivia came here unharmed means that you have some honor about you. However, she informed me of the way that you treated her. Let it be known to all of you here that the Order of the Gauntlet stands against tyranny, not just in the Black Fist but in those that seek adventure in this town. You are not above the law, and you are not above justice. Today, your deeds were good, but if tomorrow I hear of abuse of your abilities, or threats toward those who seek to stamp out tyranny, you will be repaid in kind," he says, moving back to allow Arnald to pass.

"Arnald, wait!" Villonah's cry reaches the archer as he nears the door to the temple. This time, her legs steady and she stumbles toward him at the door. "Arnald...thank you. I'm sorry you had to rescue me. I'll be at the next training, promise. I'll be at all of them unless I'm on another mission. I like them a lot, you know. I hope to be half as good as you are someday. And, you know, if you joined the Order of the Gauntlet too, you could train a lot more people - good people that are really trying to make a difference, not just kids," she suggests.

OOC: Waiting for conversation to wrap up here at the temple before resolving anything back at the tavern or elsewhere.

Arnald stops at Villonah's call. He turns and listens, nodding his head. "Aye, I've heard of the Gauntlet. And perhaps I'd be willing to join. But it seems some of your friends have spent so long looking for tyranny" Cutting his eyes back to the Vindicator, " they're starting to confuse it with anything that displeases them or resists them." Looking back to Villonah, "I'll always here for you. And if your friends regain some clarity and maybe learn some humility, perhaps I could join up and help them too. It would be fun to work with you." Arnald leans in and gives the young one a hug and then stands to go. Looking back, "You know where to find me." And with that he leaves the temple, heading back to Madame Freona’s.

Uragum turns his gaze upon the Vindicator and stares down upon him from his height.  "You talk about no one being above the law and standing against tyranny," he says and points a finger at him.  "Yet, here you stand making threats based on what you and your order's own moral code.  I do what I think is right and will suffer any consequences that they bring but dont you dare lecture me about tyranny, laws, and how your group acts.  Instead take a hard look in the mirror.  Your words here today, your arrogant attitude and threats, they tell me your just a few steps away from being a tyrant yourself."  

He gives the man one second more of a stare and leaves.  Hollering out over he shoulder he says, "I'll be at the tavern." 

Ola just shook her head - same old song everywhere, terrorists never change. They count themselves above any law (for the sake of the Great Idea, of course, whatever it is for them), they steal, lie, kill, threaten - for the Idea, of course, they use impressionable gullible kids as a cannon fodder, playing "be a hero" card and talking about sacrifices for The Great Idea and how "kids should be able to choose their fate", and have an audacity to claim high moral ground after that. Some even believe it, probably. But the Temple was not the place to argue or threaten - those brutes could forget about that, healers could not. And she was a healer here, so, she ignored yet another demonstration of an incredible morality of the fanatical Order and worked with the patients.

Zelra rolls her eyes at the Vindicator's words. "Looks like somebody has a superiority complex. I've got nothing to say that hasn't already be said." She pats Villonah once on the head and follows the others out and heading to the tavern.

The tension hangs in the air like a spectral force. Two collectives, each believing themselves just and the other on the brink of tyranny, egos clashing like lightning in the clouds; it builds until the party leaves the temple behind, stepping out into the pleasant nighttime weather of Phlan. While Ola splits up to purchase some adventuring gear, Arnald, Uragum and Zelra walk across town in the twilight. A faint chatter and a warm glow emanate from Madame Freona's Tea Kettle this night, and they enter the tavern to see a very annoyed Sylyra "entertaining" questions from an eager Rillo Leadstopper. As the rest of the available party approaches, they pick up the last few of his peppered questions:

"...at the temple, but I can go see her? Who exactly is the Order of the Gauntlet? Does she seem like herself? Oh, I hope this has not been too hard on her. Where are the rest of your fellows? Can I trust you to share the payment with them, they are taking an awfully long time and I just want to go see my daughter's face again."

"Finally," Sylyra says, clearly exasperated. "Would one of you please take this halfling off my hands? He's done nothing but burn my ears with his incessant questions since I returned." He looks at Rillo, extending his arm toward the other three. "Go ask them. Maybe you'll believe them." He leans in close to the halfling and lowers his voice considerably. "And remember: I had nothing to do with it."

OOC: Not sure if it was intentional by Sylyra or not, but Rillo is a gnome, not a halfling.

See post #872.

Arnald walks over to Rillo, "Mr. Leadstopper, your daughter is ok. I just finished speaking with her. She's still at the temple with her friends from the Order of the Gauntlet. I'd recommend you head on over there and speak with all of them before they leave."

After Rillo leaves, Arnald finds a seat and orders a drink. "Nasty business that. I'm so relieved Villonah was okay. I don't know that I could have forgiven myself if anything had happened to her."

Sly appears on the table and leans his head against Arnald who pets the bird with one hand while holding his drink with the other.

Uragum enters with a huff, still fumming from the Vindicator.  He nearly slams the door open when he spots the gnome and remembers the deal.  Immediately his mood improves.  With a gentle smile he joins in the conversation.  "Yes, yes, your daughter is alive and back at the temple.  Do as Arnold says go see her and I'll stop by sometime in the next few days to follow up."  He'll then order a drink and sit with the others.

Sylyra sits, looking as disinterested as ever. However, he asks, "So that archer was telling the truth? The halfling child is some kind of spy?"