(And while waiting to resolve what kind of loot Kethra finds, how long would it take her to adjust the scale mail from Xanranzan's size to make it fit for herself?)

(Not too long.  Genasi tend to be around human size.)

Kethra, you find 15 gold pieces and the usual reaver gear.

The reaver responds to Xan.

"Er, stone armor . . .ah right, the earth cult.  I heard somethin' about a monastery or some such, dunno more than that."

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

"Er, stone armor . . .ah right, the earth cult.  I heard somethin' about a monastery or some such, dunno more than that."

"The earth cult? YOU MEAN THERE'S EVEN MORE CULTS?!"

Still in the middle of adjusting the scale mail that Xanranzan was just wearing, the white haired girl clumsily scrambles over to the interrogation.

"Hey Mr. 'I-don't-know-anything' you better speak up. We noticed you cult types like to put symbols on your skulls and your stuff...is each symbol a different cult altogether?"

Rubin frowns at Kethra, but just shrugs. He has no reason to go into the chamber, he is better off out here, in the darkness, and the fact she even thought she could see him, as he is invisible, is rather amusing to him.

"We should get a move on..." Rubin calls from outside the chamber. "I'd suggest finishing up any questions and let's head back up to the keep. That seems the most likely place to look next."

The reaver blinks at Kethra.

"I dunno.  Probably?  There ain't much communication between the cults, some of 'em don't like each other much."

He blinks again.

"Hang on . . .you didn't even know how many o' us there were?  Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's four cults.  You know, the four elements.  Fire, water, earth, air.  Don't ask me which symbol's which, I only know the Crushing Wave symbol."

The cultist turns to Tyde.

"Er, sure.  It looks something like this—"

He crosses his index fingers and overlaps his thumbs, making a sort of open-at-the-top hourglass shape.

A pensive Xanranzan eventually shuddered as the idea of their being more cults truly began to sink in. Then he frowned and muttered to himself, "Wait cults? Then... maybe she ain't connected?" A few seconds later he shook his head before looking to the others. "Much 'preciated, culty-kidnapper-guy. Unless there's somethin' ya like to volunteer for the class, or any of the rest of ya have more for him, I'm with Rubin at this point. Granted... well... eh, let's just hit the road sooner than later."

After miming the symbol of the Crushing Wave, the weird, white haired girl still half dressed in armor sighs in relief, as if she were expecting something else.

"Ah!" as if to break the awkward silence she finds the last of the gold pieces that she had looted--from this tied up reaver's very own pockets. After admiring the two pieces of gold inside, she returns them to the pouch, tosses said pouch to Xanranzan, then turns back to smile at the still-tied reaver. "Compensation, for the trouble you've caused us. I hope you understand. And like I said before, every time we met one of you guys you always drew swords first, and asked questions...never. Because we'd kill you all in self-defense."

Being so close, the reaver can tell that apart from her long white hair, her eyes also has almost zero pigment, which gives them their pale blue sheen from far away. But at this distance, you could actually see the blood underneath the blue of the iris, which became more red and clear the more emotional she started to get.

The pale blue eyes at first frown, blink, and then look intently at the reaver's eyes, as if trying their best to understand.

"Just why...why are you here. Why are you all here? Cults, or not, I don't care...I never wanted to have to kill anyone! Why are you going around setting up temples, raiding villages, killing normal people who had nothing against you? Why did your people raid my village and take away the only person who bothered to raise, to care for and bother training someone...someone like me?!"

The reaver shrugs.

"I joined for the money.  Most of my, er, former companions were more like fanatics.  Dedicated to ideas of elemental change, that the world needs to be remade anew and the only way to do that is to end it in the first place.  Me, I've never seen the use of that.  It's hardly any use to you if the world gets remade better, since you'll be dead anyways."

The white haired girl tilts her head, letting her now loose hair fall to one side.

"Really? Your friends all want to end the world except for you? Listen, no matter the case we're gonna need a head start and you're gonna need an excuse." She smiles, then drops her tone, "I hope I don't see you again on the other side of a blade."

After this, she will knock him out, take back her rope, drag him to a dark corner of the cave, then leave a coin of silver in his jacket or whatever he's wearing to remember them by before joining the rest of the party.

Xanranzan could see the struggle in Ketha. If not in a direct trip to the eyes, for which he hadn't the angle at the time, then certainly in her voice. After a while and out of eye shot of her, he simply shook his head as one of the answers he half-expected leaves the Reaver's mouth. By all accounts it was enough to warrant a beheading is most circles he knew. It certainly wasn't as if they could drag the reaver along to 'repent and make up' for assisting madmen in trying to destroy the world. Even highwaymen and regular bandits, while still generally bad or unfortunate folkl knew better.

Yet to his visible shock and amazement, he watched her knock out and move the reaver instead to be laid out in a corner before returning to the boat. And for good few seconds there watching is all he could do, before looking to the pouched passed along in hand, furrowing his brows at it, then shake his head as stuffed it into a pocket and followed after and onto the boat.

"Good think'n. And worst case scenario, we at least have a back up if the other gets sunken somehow."

Rubin climbs into the ship with the others, not really wishing to go swimming again just yet.

The large boat is about 20 ft by 10 ft.

(Where are you all planning on heading?)

Kethra looks forward to the long watery route ahead, then waves Xan over to talk and work on the boat at the same time.

"So the good news is, we're moving downstream working with the current, and Mr. Tyde had marked the path back for us. The bad news is that last time we came through here we were attacked by undead and we have no idea if there are more of them hiding in a hole somewhere so just keep your eyes open."

"Also Xan, we should get you a codename! So far we've got The Baker, The Miner, and I'm The Blacksmith! It's so we don't call out each other's names in battle with these cults and it'll...well...it will be a good measure to take if you still have family that you want to protect." Kethra's voice cracks for a moment and she shifts uncomfortably in her new armor, which just clinks all over every time she moves.

"Who would've known there were 4 cults?"

"I mean to be honest, I ain't so surprised. Surprised they're tolerating each other, sure. But, if they're like, based on the elements like they say they are, it ain't so surprising. Especially if they got Djinni, Efreeti, Marids, and... Dao help'n." At the last word he grimaced but otherwise quick to carry on and say, "Though, world destruction would be a new one for any of those guys. Like, they tend to have followers that kinda got the whole cult vibe goin' for'em, but even they wouldn't quite go that far."

He then rubbed his chin. "Baker, Blacksmith, and The Miner, huh? Well, that kind of covers most of the stuff I would'a gone fer. But, ya'll do raise a good point... hmm... Uh... Guess I can be... The Cobbler? Yea, that sounds pretty cool. Also, are you okay Kethra?" He asked as he settled into place, ready to help rowing.

Yep, back to where we first got into the river down here, so we can go back up into the keep.

You all manage to make it back to the keep without any further issues.  You come out in the same secret passageway in Grimjaw's throne room.

(Does there seem to be any alarms set off in the time we were gone? Are the bodies still here?)

There are two doors, one on each side of the wall that the throne's on (not counting the secret one).  The bodies have disappeared, but there doesn't appear to currently be much activity, at least in your area.