Session 4

* The team is out of the tomb of the Valeur knights, making camp past the treeline that surrounds the tomb.
* Rhaice washes her new sword, putting her old swords to the side. Once per day, the Dawnbringer can be ignited for an extra d4 of fire damage.
* Hurik just goes straight to sleep.
* Thistle plays with the wizard staff, but get top heavy and falls over. Rhaice thinks she could probably do that better.
* Rhaice takes first watch, and rolls a 23 on perception. She spots some faint torchlight flickering in the distance (Good roll! This was a DC 20!). Rhaice wakes up the rest of the gals, and has to point out the light to them. Ameila notices the light is moving closer, but would pass their camp without getting very close.
* Rhaice stealths closer (rolls a 5) but only gets close enough to tell that the torchlight is coming from a cart on a forest path. Rhaice turns back and suggests ignoring them.
* Thistle asks if she should try to get closer, Rhaice replies "Well, if you can see from down there."
* Thistle stealths towards the cart (rolls a 13) getting a bit closer than Rhaice did before. She can see that the cart has some supplies, and there are five humanoid figures on/around the cart, all dressed in similar simple black robes.
* She sees a symbol painted on the side of the cart, which (with rolling an 18 on the religion check) recognizes the group as the Cult of Eldias who are a nomadic sect of acolytes that travel around spreading word of their God. They are neutral, and associated with the color black and the concept of oblivion. She relays this to rest.
* Rhaice asks if Thistle thinks these are good guys and Thistle puts a thumb out sideways in a universal gesture "Ehhhhh. Not really." and says they're kinda creepy.
* Knowing the cart might get closer, Thistle stamps out the fire to make them less visible.
* Rhaice, knowing these are creepy folk, moves to the side to fuck anyone up if they get too close.
* Thistle backs into the forest and watches the campsite.
* Ameila stays at the campsite keeping watch.
* Hurik sticks with Rhaice.
* Rhaice moves a bit closer to see if she can catch what they're talking about. The conversation is low, speaking in murmurs as to not wake a figure sleeping on the cart. Rhaice does happen to spot that all but one of the humanoids are unarmed. The armed figure has dark, wine-colored skin, horns that slick back then go up a point. The Tiefling is armed with a simple dagger strapped to her thigh.
* Rhaice tells the group about the tiefling woman, and mentions that most are unarmed so if they wanted to take their stuff it'd be easy.
* Thistles says they could just leave them alone, and Ameila asks why they should harm them if they haven't harmed us. Rhaice is confused, saying she was going of the assumption that they were creepy, but Thistle says that being creepy doesn't warrant violence, and that the question now is: Do we want to talk to them or not?
* Thistles brings up that even if it is creepy they worship a god centered on oblivion, they aren't inherently evil.
* Ameila says they shouldn't attack the cart, but they shouldn't talk to them either.
* Rhaice puts the great sword away.
* Thistle suggests just standing by and watching.
* Rhaice mentions that she couldn't hear what they were talking about, but she did see the tiefling woman. Not that she's like, interested, in the tiefling woman specifically.
* Thistle asks if she wants to follow the tiefling woman.
* Rhaice says that the weather is really nice and goes back to crouching in her hiding spot.
* The others follow to watch the cart.
* Ameila cast Guidance on Rhaice for stealth.
* The cart slowly moves towards the hiding spot. It is very slow.
* As the cart draws nearer, the group is able to pick up on some bit of conversation. The members of the Cult goes over what they'll do in Therenwick, there's mention talking to the Lord there, and they contemplate what to have for breakfast. They seem excited about staying at an Inn and getting good food.
* From what Rhaice could gather in the conversation, its custom for them to talk to any lord or lady whose land they enter, because they can tell that they come off as creepy to outsiders.
* Thistle asks if we*'*re *sure* we don't want to talk to them.
* Ameila says they could, but express worries that she doesn't feel it would end well.
* Thistle says that they could be even friendlier than average folk because they're weird, not that she would know anything about that. Rhaice hurriedly agrees that she too wouldn't know about being weird.
* Now that she and Thistle agree on how normal they are, Rhaice sorta stops stealthing, and makes enough noise that she should get noticed
* DM NOTE: I was rolling perception ALL NIGHT for the Cult and they never rolled above a 7.
* Rhaice leads the group in approaching the cart but in a casual, not stalkery, way.
* The Tiefling Woman *finally* sees the party, and gives a tentative wave as if to ask "Are you friendly"
* The party waves back. Rhaice fixes her hair. Thistle approaches.
* The tiefling flashes a fanged smile. She introduces herself as Maria Evanessca, and asks the party who they are. (Rhaice thinks Maria's name sounds like "murder")
* Rhaice goes forward a gives a strong handshake, which Maria seems to respect.
* Rhaice asks what they're doing here, and Maria says they're heading to Therenwick, and then quickly starts offering the party bacon or carrots or bread.
* Ameila rolls an insight check, and with a 19 can tell that Maria is like a very friendly goth.
* Rhaice checks to see the reactions other the other in the troupe, but sees just a bunch of tired faces.
* Thistle asks Maria if they can travel together, and Maria delightedly says they can. Thistle elbows Rhaice, whose ears turn red.
* Rhaice asks why they're going to Therenwick, Maria says its the next stop on their pilgrimage where they just go around makes sure that Eldias's Sacrifice is not forgotten. Maria goes on to explain that when all the planes started growing closer and closer to the Material Plane Eldias sacrificed himself to keep them all separated.
* Rhaice asks why she hasn't heard about Eldias, and Maria says it's because he's been dead a long time. She says that while we may "die" on this plane it is not a True Death because your soul maybe joins with a god, but Eldias truly died, everything he was just ended.
* Rhaice asks why Maria still worships him and she says that it's important to remember what he did for everyone.
* Thistle asks what will happen to Maria when she dies. Maria finds it hard to explain, but essentially says they go nowhere, they become nothing, and that this is a small sacrifice in comparison to Eldias.
* The party is pretty uncomfortable.
* Rhaice asks if they are looking to convert in the town. Maria says no, conversation is not the goal, nor do they take all-comers. They just want to spread recognition and appreciation for the sacrifice that let all existence as we know it continue.
* Maria notices the symbol of the Morninglord around Ameila's neck, and pulls her to the side. Maria hesitantly asks if Ameila's god ever speaks to her.
* Ameila's answers that occasionally while praying he will. Maria admits she always wondered what it be like to hear from a god, then hurriedly tries to pull them both back toward the cart, but Ameila stays put and asks Eldias doesn't. Maria says that he's been dead long before she was born.
* Ameila goes on to ask how she started worshiping him, Maria explains that a very similar troupe had came to their town and when she heard the story it touched her in such a way that she knew she had to do something to honor that. Ameila asks if that's why she still worships, and Maria say that it is, and that what happened it bigger than all of us.
* Ameila says she can respect that, and that it must be hard to not hear from her god. Maria appreciates that and lays a hand on Ameila's shoulder. Ameila puts her own hand on top.
* The party is dead tired, and a cultist (a dwarf) offers a couple open spots on the cart for sleeping. While Amelia climbs into a roll, Rhaice and Thistle argue over who will stay up.
* Thistle tries to assure Rhaice that she can wake them up if anything happens, but Rhaice says she's biggest. Rhaice falls asleep sitting up on the cart, Amelia tucks blanket around her, and Thistle falls asleep after waiting for Rhaice to.