After talking with Hikaru, you saw the look of fear in his face, but it was different than you usually see him.

He was scared, but not for himself this time. You now know what he is capable of, and what levels he'll go to to now save his friends.

You vow inwardly to find and save Ruby. Making your way through town, you know that the second largest monastery in Republic Central houses a massive armory for the Paladins and Clerics of Tarj. You are determined to go there and get a new set of heavy gearplate armor.

You are a bastion of knowledge and wisdom. Your armor will act as an outward symbol to those who see and interact with you; a symbol of light, knowledge, and wisdom. A symbol of hope. A beacon of Tarj. You grip the pendant around your neck, it's significance and spiritual wisdom shining forth in your mind. You will vanquish all evil and magicks from this world. You are a Paladin of Tarj. You will make great sacrifices to fully ingrain into your being the message of Tarj: Law and Order your Perfection; Anarchy and Chaos your Destruction. The words of the Sacred Lodestar echo in your mind as you silently go with Hikaru.

Hikaru is silent. Almost brooding. He wipes his mouth with one hand feverishly and his other hand seems to be reaching, almost grasping for a drink.

The two of you make your way to the inner city area, finding and locating the second largest Monastery of Tarj (a cathedral basically) in the city. You approach the building cautiously.

Armella looks over at Hikaru. "This should be an easy task, I'll go in, show I'm a Paladin and collect the armor. Do you want to come in or stay outside?"

"I'll.. I'll wait out here." He sounds parched.

"I'll try and make it quick," Armella goes to head inside.

He nods and fidgets outside the main doors.

Hikaru remains outside, keeping watch, and wanting nothing more than to have a drink. Armella heads inside and are greeted by the strangest, tensest scene you've ever noted in a church of Tarj: The Paladins of Tarj are dragging the high priest down from the dais, and cuffing him.

Armella watches in confusion, and approaches, wondering if maybe, finally, someone else has found a monster in the church besides them. "Excuse me, but what is going on? Why is a high priest being arrested?"

The Paladins manhandling the High Priest look at you with an incredulous look. "Zis is official Church business only. You must leave, Patron."
Armella stands up a little straighter, "My apologies, I was just in to get new armor. My old set has become unusable. I was simply wondering in case I could offer any assistance as a fellow Paladin of Tarj."

He stops what he's doing and stares at you. He speaks in Lenovan to you. "Art thou a true Paladin of Tarj, then? Hast thou proof of this worthiness?" 

Armella responds in Lenovan, "Tarj the Wise, Sustained by they intelligence, giving breath to light. Miracles wrought by the hands of the holy ministry through his knowledge and understanding."

Armella, the Paladin reverts back to common, and smiles at you. "It has been made known to us zat zis heathen was dabbling in magicks! Ve are taking him to be executed in ze morning, and anozer high priest is on her way to take zis one's place. At zis time, we do not require assistance, but vould gladly help you get new armour."

Armella nods, "If needed you can direct me where to go so you can take care of this heathen."

Hikaru, two Paladins of Tarj round the corner, and approach, purposeful and intent. One of them comes up to you, and asks "Papers, please!"

Hikaru takes on a an empty headed stare and then bows several times speaking in Wuxian. He reaches for his bag and "struggles" to pull out papers the papers Ruby had made up for him. He bows low and offers them to the paladin.

The Paladins outside with you Hikaru take your expertly forged papers a la Ruby, and read them over carefully. The Paladin nods to you and hands them back. He then proceeds to speak in an exaggerated way, very slowly and loudly. "SANK YOU! YOU FREE TO GO! BEEE GOOD!"

Hikaru bows low facing the paladin until the paladin leaves his presence.

The two Paladins leave you in peace Hikaru, but something still has you on edge, and your hackles are raised, your hidden tail puffing up with anxiety. You can't quite put your finger on why you feel the way you do, but something in your gut tells you it's not good for Armella to be left alone in there...

Armella, the two Paladins make the circular hand gesture of Tarj to you, and begin to drag the doomed High Priest with them. The one Paladin who first spoke to you says, "Speak to ze High One in ze lower rooms. He will guide you to where you need to be."

Armella nods and gives the hand gesture, snatching a glance at the door. Maybe the High One will be like the last one and not the first. "Thank you," She turns and heads towards the stairs to the lower rooms.

You walk over to the inside of the building, making your way to the stairs that lead downward into the High One's quarters. Your steps are slow and measured, and you take your time getting down there. You don't know what to expect. You come to the door and push it open. Inside, you see a robed, veiled figure. He turns slowly and faces you. "Greetings my child," his voice is thin and smooth, almost...too perfect sounding.

Hikaru pushes into the church and looks around for Armella. (Perception 14)

You catch Armella's subtle scent in the air, coming from down below, in some stairs to the right of you.

He lets out an involuntary snarl and rush down the stairs.

Armella lowers her head to the High One, "I was instructed to come here for the location to acquire new armor if I may trouble you for the information."

The High One levels his gaze at you. "State your name and rank, my child." (You're basically saying your name, and your rank is Paladin Martial 3rd class.)

"Armella Kolbe, Paladin Martial 3rd class."

Hikaru, you race down the stairs, and come to a hallway. It is a corridor that leads to a "T" intersection some ways away, and there are three doors on the right, and four doors on the left. Which do you choose first?

Hikaru listens closely with his ears to determine the direction to go.

(Perception with adv. 17)

You listen, and you seethe with a pent up rage as you can hear an almost too-perfect voice from the third door down on the right side.

Hikaru fingers his revolvers on his pockets and rushes in.

The door flies open, and Hikaru, you rush into the room and see Armella standing before one of the High Ones of the church. His face is veiled, and you cannot see his eyes.
The High One stops what he is doing, and looks up quickly, seeing you Hikaru. "What on this good earth are you doing, child?"

Hikaru casts about with his eyes, listening carefully with his ears and breathes deeply through his nose to smell.

You smell "it."

Armella stares at him, "What are you doing?" She growls, shocked he would come in but also worried at the why he would feel the need.

(so what DOES it smell like?)
(Like an aberrant being from another plane. Unfamiliar, alien, and rank.)

His breath comes ragged and angry. Like a growl is stuck in the back of his throat.

You smell a scent so familiar, you nearly hiss noisily between your teeth. It's like before...no JUST like before!

"Armella. That isn't human. Whatever it is it's not a high one. It smells JUST like the first one!"

"Get away from her!"

"What?" asks the High One in a smooth silky voice, too perfect for it's own good. "What do you mean: 'get away from her?' I am simply aiding my fellow Paladin in her endeavors. You have no right to be here, boy." The High One lifts a hand and holds it in a "stop" gesture. He levels his gaze at you Hikaru, and replies, "She is simply looking for new armour. Is it impossible these days for a fellow Paladin to acquire new armour?"

Armella watches Hikaru's reaction and tenses, reaching into her sleeves towards her bag. "Well isn't this just a bundle of sticks" Armella grumbles. Turning back to the High One, "I'm sorry High One, I am truly hoping it is nothing, but I can't in good conscious leave without knowing there has not been another infiltration. Are you a monster who eats brains?" She asks calmly.

The High One cocks his veiled head and face questioningly. "Now what, dear Armella Kolbe, Paladin Martial 3rd Class, kind of question is that?" He takes a tentative step back, the tension in the room palpable.

"Answer the question 'high one,'" with all the derision he can muster.

"It's a simple question I think. If you are then a monster must be purged. If not, then we are mistaken and we will leave and I will accept the consequences. But I have seen a monster masquerade before and it will not happen again." Armella takes a step forward, still calm and even.

"Caution to the wind it is, then, heathens!" All pretense aside, the High One makes a hand gesture and you hear the "click" of the door locking behind you. He throws the veil from his face, revealing a squid-like, tentacled face, and large yellow eyes, filled with malice and cunning.

(Roll initiative.)

Hikaru pulls the revolvers from his pockets and smiles darkly.

"In the name of Lord Balgor lay down and die."

(9 grumble grumble)
(Don't be too disappointed...I rolled a 1 XD)

(18) Armella finds her morning star in her bag of many pockets and pulls it out.

(Order is Armella, Hikaru, and Mind Flayer.)

(Nat 20 :D 32 damage :D)

With a mighty swing, and a loud growl, you bring your mace down onto the Mind Flayer, its spiked ball puncturing the purple flesh of this creature, and the smashing of bones can be heard as you cleave mightily into its shoulder.

Armella grins as she makes the hit.

Hikaru fires off three rounds, two main hand, one off hand. (Uses grit point to shoot with advantage)
(30, 25, 18 damage 40!)

Hikaru, you go into a battle hardened calm, focused only on the task at hand: to kill. Your reflexes and the muscle memory of squeezing the triggers of your revolvers fills the Mind Flayer with brass. Three rounds end up in its skull. It is dead on sight.

"Now I lay thee down to sleep, to I bless that soul to Balgor keep."

Hikaru fires off all three shots from the hip and spins the revolvers.

"You ok Armella?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Would you happen to have a knife by chance?" She looks at the creature's bloody body thoughtfully. "I want to keep proof."

He pulls out a katana and hands it over "closest thing I've got."

"Head or just a part? I don't know if I want to have something large."

"Maybe just the face then."

Armella gets to work hacking the front facial portion of the Mind Flayer's head off, being careful to cut clean edges. Hikaru...you smile wickedly as slaughter has happened this day.

"Alright Lord Balgor. There's the first kill in your name."

"You know, I still need that armor, it didn't tell me where it was" Armella realized as she gently put the thing in her bag.

Hikaru, you know there are other rooms in the hallway beyond, but you two are stuck in here with a dead Mind Flayer. There are also people banging on the locked door from the outside.

Bang, bang, bang! "Vat isht going on in zerr?! Ve heard gunshots!!"

"Sigh. This always happens. Shall we show them? Or run?"

"Well either way we will be wanted criminals probably. Is there a way out without killing them?"

"Maybe we should show them?"

The banging continues on the door, and you can feel the tenseness in the air. What do you two do?

Sigh. "We don't have to kill them if there's a window or a back exit."

"I'm not sure there is one, let's just open the door and explain then. It went fine last time."

"Well... I'll be talking in Wuxian if I have to." He goes to the door and tries to unblock it.

Armella helps Hikaru, "We're trying to get the door open," she calls to the Paladins.

The paladins cease their knocking and banging, and the one who spoke earlier replies, "Vat isht going on? Vy verr zerr gunshots? Ve heard gunshots und came as fast as possible!" He pauses for a moment. "Ze only person vith ze key to zis room isht ze High Priest, und he has been arrested. Ve vill break down ze door! Stand back!"

"This should be interesting," Armella mumbles, stepping back from the door.

Hikaru bows to the door respectfully.

After a few minutes of silence, you suddenly hear a loud crashing and slamming sound against the door from the outside. The paladins are using a small battering ram to break into the door. One. Two. Three. Four slams, and the doors fly open. Paladins stream into the room. They all gasp as one upon seeing the dead, face-skinned monster that WAS the High One. "V--," he almost can't get the words out, his hands trembling with rage. "Vat h-have you d-done?!" he chokes out, reaching for the sword at his side.

Hikaru looks to Armella, she knows the church better than he does.

Armella looks at the dead creature, "We killed a monster that infiltrated the monastery. It had taken the place of the High One. It may have been something the High Priest was in on, you may want to question him in case it was some kind of magical experiment." (13 Persuasion).

The paladin and his compatriots are beside themselves with anger. But he manages to keep his composure. Speaking in Lenovan, he addresses you. "Dost thou speak the truth then, Lady? Hast thou therefore slain a beast imposter in our highest ranks? Verily?"

Armella nods, responding in Lenovan, "I do, sadly. It must be an anomaly, or perhaps this was a test to destroy all magic where it is no matter how high the person may be. Now that the heathen and this monster has been taken care of there shall be no more incidents. Be vigilant, for we must repel the heathens who obstruct Tarj's enlightenment"
Hikaru grimaces but keeps his face down towards the floor continuing his silent bow
(Make another persuasion check, but this time with advantage. XD)
21
The paladins visibly relax, their eyes still filled with ire, but their minds eased on the subject. The spokesman of their group speaks up again. "Ve vill be more vigilant. Now that we see that zis menace has infiltrated our highest ranks, ve vill be reporting zis to the new High Priest. Thank you." With that, he waves a dismissive hand to send the rest of the paladins away. He approaches you and asks, "I'm curious...vat business did you originally have vith ze High One?"

"I was told to speak with him regarding getting new armor. A task I still have to complete."

"Ahhhh! I shall show you verr you can find new armor." With that, the paladin gestures for you to follow, and come with him.

Armella looks at Hikaru before following the Paladin. She wonders why the first paladin hadn't simply told her where to go in the first place but quickly brushes it away, looking forward to getting new equipment.

You are led down the hall to one of the many rooms that dot the corridor. When the paladin opens the door, you are greeted with a very large room with a full armory, weapons, and even a forge! Several suits of gearplate armor sit on the side wall.