Aftermath of the Ritual

The priestess's words hung in the air, leaving the party to ponder the implications of her situation. Eira, ever the pragmatist, spoke up first. "We need to find a way to get rid of the demon's influence. Do you know of any place that can help you?" The priestess nodded, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "I think the grand church in the capital may have the means to free me of the demon's power. They have skilled clerics and access to ancient texts that might hold the key to purging the demon's influence." Valoric nodded. "That's a good lead. But first, let's get the hostages back to the port town and leave them with the authorities. We can't just leave them here, and it's not safe for them to be with us." The party quickly gathered the hostages, who were still shaken but otherwise unharmed. As they made their way back to the port town, Kael fell back beside Eira. "I need to report the cult to the capital," he said. "I'll take the priestess with me. If the grand church can help her, it's the best chance she has." Eira nodded, understanding. "We'll part ways here, then. We'll rest at the tavern and gather our gear before setting sail again." Kael nodded, and the two friends shared a brief moment of farewell before Kael and the priestess set off towards the capital. The rest of the party continued on to the port town, where they were greeted with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. As they entered the tavern, the warm glow of the fire pit and the murmur of conversation enveloped them. They made their way to a corner table, ordering drinks and food as they settled in for a well-deserved rest. Scorch leaned back in her chair, a contented sigh escaping her lips. "It's been a long few days," she said. Valoric chuckled. "Tell me about it. I'm ready for a few days of sailing and no cults." Eira smiled wryly. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still have to get the ship and set sail." Just then, Finnley walked in, a look of relief on his face as he spotted the party. "Ah, you're all safe and sound," he said, dropping into a chair. "I've got the ship ready to set sail. We'll be leaving at dawn." The party launched into a lively discussion of their adventures, regaling Finnley with tales of the cult and the priestess's transformation. As they spoke, they laughed and joked, but beneath the surface, Eira knew that they were all still processing the events of the past few days. As the night wore on, the party slowly began to wind down, their exhaustion catching up with them. They retired to their rooms, looking forward to a good night's sleep and the open sea ahead.