"Just and Good to whom?" Eleth asks her.  "Bainor in his infinite wisdom would never ask of me to cut down one weaker than I.  Be it a hunt of man or beast, kill only when there is no other option or when the need is great, not because one is weak or fearful.  I know not of the Silver Flame you speak of, but listen to my words i beg of you, being weak, afraid, or different should not constitute a death sentence.  Not all beings could or will have your ideals.  Your definition of cowardice means something completely different to this poor soul in front of you.  May perchance he has something or someone to live for and chose not to put hisself in front of 4 creatures stronger than him. Maysay that you could, instead of killing him, could teach us what it means to be a Silver Flame."

Dahme'dre steps casually between Ashehee and her target and looks her in the eye with a level glare.

"'Just and good'? You're behavior is disgusting. 'Honor and self-sacrifice' are all well and good, but demanding the sacrifice of others? ... You might as well be a cultist yourself."

Dahme'dre shakes her head in disappointment.

"Maybe I misjudged you. I hadn't taken you for a murderer... Paladin's and criminals have more in common than I'd have thought."

Dahme'dre turns her back to the paladin and ushers the man and Linan from the room leaving Ashehee alone with Eleth and her thoughts.

Quote from Myst086 >>

"Just and Good to whom?" Eleth asks her.  "Bainor in his infinite wisdom would never ask of me to cut down one weaker than I.  Be it a hunt of man or beast, kill only when there is no other option or when the need is great, not because one is weak or fearful.  I know not of the Silver Flame you speak of, but listen to my words i beg of you, being weak, afraid, or different should not constitute a death sentence.  Not all beings could or will have your ideals.  Your definition of cowardice means something completely different to this poor soul in front of you.  May perchance he has something or someone to live for and chose not to put hisself in front of 4 creatures stronger than him. Maysay that you could, instead of killing him, could teach us what it means to be a Silver Flame."

Dahme'dre watches the spectacle, too slow to act in the man's defense. Who knew these people would need defense from her own party. She is pleased to see Eleth coming out of her shell. Ashehee will need some work. There's darkness in her. Is she too far gone?

"I am truly sorry if i have offended you or your sensibilities Ashehee, i truly am.  However after all i have seen in my 58 years and all the misery and pain that has been inflicted upon me, life is to be cherished.  Do not take my reluctance to violence as a weakness as i will split skulls if i have to, but needless killing goes against my beliefs now.  Having trained to be a ranger before i heard Bainor's call, i have seen the worst this world has to offer.  I will guard your back as a sister whilst in this party, but i will not follow blindly nor do things against my beliefs as i am sure you will too.  Let us move on and find some cultists to kill, bleach their bones and use them to poke the eyes of these dragonic bastards that seem to be everywhere."  With that Eleth turns and shouts "Aurelia, where have you gotten too?"

"My, my lady, please don't kill me..." Lucien drops to his knees and places his head on the ground as a show of subservience to Ashehee. "I, I came into this building to hide from the dragon... Before I knew it, there were a few kobolds guarding my means of escape and I heard... I heard screaming upstairs.

"I thought to hide here and report to the keep would I could. I-"

Linan interrupted him, "The keep! That is where we must flee!" Linan looks to Dahme'dre. "It was fortified during the last war by House Kundarak. There is no way the cultists have broken through yet..."

Outside, Aurelia has awoken the cultist. As she asks her questions, the cultist's eyes dart around. Her voice uneven, she speaks, "You will all die! Sacrifices will be made... The talons will pierce Khorvaire and Khyber's child will run free!!!"

As the cultist raves like a lunatic, Klobs, Zomith, the wounded man and the other children approach. Zomith in the lead states, "This man stated that the cultists started to swarm his estate north. It seems that we will need to start moving before night falls if we hope to see tomorrow."

(House Kundarak is one of the twelve dragonmarked houses. They are dwarves known for security. They run banks, jails, etc. They have one of the most impregnable and inescapable prisons in the world, Dreadhold.)

"I've heard enough." Slade draws his blade across the cultist's throat, ending her life. Aurelia looks away. Without a word, the two mount the mare and rejoin the others at the mill. Eleth gives Aurelia a questioning look, and Aurelia just shakes her head sadly.
"I'll go upstairs and see what's going on". Aurelia casts guidance on Slade, who attempts to go up the stairs stealthily.

Action: Aurelia help Slade.
Action: Slade goes up the stairs quietly to look at what's up there. Stealth 15 + 2 + 5 = 17

(OOC: forgot to add Slade's +5 to the roll above, fixed)

"We will go to the keep together, first lets see who else is in this mill. Wait here. Keep hidden."

Dahme'dre follows Slade, who just slinked by quietly.

"What are we to do with the mother and child? We also have a wounded outside. We can't leave them here to die, but they will undoubtedly slow us down." 

Ashehee then sends a suspicious glare towards Lucien, "And what should we do with the coward?"

Slade walks up the stairs, not making any creaks or noises. He silently enters the second floor, his vision obscured by the wall from the stairs up which continues upwards into the ceiling. Peeking around a corner, he is immediately met with a horrible sight. There don't seem to be any living beings on this floor, though there seems to be a corner of the room completely obscure from him...

Those who head upstairs immediately spy a slewn, human woman. She is dressed modestly and looked like she may have been just a regular citizen of the town. On the western side of the room are piles of sacks, some seem to be filled with flour. There is a chest and a bed.

The suspicious corner is opposite of the entry to the second floor. (The one to the east/right of the bed.)

Anyone with a passive perception of 8 or better can hear sniveling in that corner. It sounds childish.

 Edit: (Forgot to include a map)

Lucien suffers under Ashehee's glare. Linan scowls at her generally, saying, "Friend. You will do nothing to Lucien. Leave us if you must. If you find your hateful heart leads you away... I appreciate the aid you gave me, but you will not find me quite so cowardly." She seemed to grin, almost like she enjoyed egging Ashehee on.

Lucien interjected, "Linan, no, stop. Listen," Lucien kept his eyes on the floor, not daring look Ashehee in the face. "There is a chance... we could take everyone and simply walk around the town filled with raving mad cultists... I... I know a way into the keep that is out of the way somewhat..."

Ashehee accepts the slight made by the mother, though privately she thinks to herself how she killed for less before she found the Silver Flame. She thanked the Silver Flame for giving her patience.

"Stay here for now as we check what is upstairs. No harm will come to you," Ashehee says to Linan.

Ashehee places in her hand the Warhammer and joins Slade upstairs. 

Slade quietly goes back down the stairs and relays what he saw to the group. "Something fishy up there, possibly magical. There's a part of the room with darkness that I can't see through, and a whimpering sound. There's also a dead body. We should all go up, prepared for anything."

Slade goes back up, and Aurelia follows, first casting guidance on everyone in the group.

(OOC: Oops, didn't realize it was a concentration spell. In that case she just casts it on Slade)

(OOC: playing for the wrong team here sorry, but I don't think you can cast more than one spell requiring concentration, even if it is the same spell, which I really hate to mention since I'm always concentrating on hex I may very rarely be able to use guidance when I get it.)

"No time to waste here on theological debates. The city burns and they quibble", Slade considers as he climbs the stairs a second time. Peering into the corner where the sniveling comes from he announces, 

"Might as well come out. We know you are here, and the danger below has been dealt with. From the sound of you, you are either a child or a kobold. If the former you have my sympathies and protection. Come on out, and let's take a look at you."

With that Slade, sheathes his weapon, and shows his open palms in an effort to show that he means no harm, while knowing full well with his training he is never truly unarmed.

(Gosh, I didn't even notice guidance was a concentrate spell. Granted none of my usual players ever use it for some reason lmao...)

Slade finds a child. She slowly appears from her hiding spot. A young human girl, no older than 10 at best. She looks up frightened and hiccups, "Please don't hurt me... I don't know where my mummy is..." 

Aurelia looks at the dark corner, concerned. "This seems unnatural", she thinks. She touches the tip of her staff, and it glows, bright as daylight, illuminating the corner. She moves up next to Slade, her staff in front of her. "It's okay", she says to the child. "Come with us, we will find your mommy." She reaches outwards with the staff, letting the bright rays brightening the dark area.

Action: Cast light

"Help me search this room and someone open that chest," Ashehee says flatly. "The coward claims he knows how to get us to the keep, but I'm not sure I trust him. We might also consider a rest here at the mill. I can stand guard initially and we can rotate positions, or we can of course move out now towards the keep. What say you all?"

(Perception Roll for room check : 16)

(Question: What time of day is it? Late afternoon?)

(you arrived in Ardev in the late afternoon/early evening. The sun is still out, but it's clear it's another few hours before the sun sets.

Aurelia illuminates the corner, but it seems there is nothing there.

Where are you searching in specific Ashehee? Your roll will adds these details, the chest is quite large and looks heavy. The bed is tidy and made. Whoever made it seems meticulous.)

Dahme'dre steps up to the child and squats down in front of her so they are eye to eye.

"Do not fear, darling. We will protect you. We're here with your neighbors, Linan and Lucien. Are they friends of yours?"