The Godsmouth Heresy [Pathfinder]

"Well, you aren't attacking us, despite what we did," notes Sumner. "Thank you for that." But he's clearly still unsure of what to do with her.

"Unfortunately we can't just leave you here. The only ways out of here are off a cliff face or past a group of working Pharasmin priests, so I'm not sure how you would be able to leave either, unless you think you could get past the priests?" Fayth says.

Ottazer, apparently displeased, blurts out, ”How do you survive? Fr-from what my uncle tells me, you’re not exactly run of the mill. Do you still feed like a normal zombie?”

"You missed a path if you believe that's all there is," the zombie answers Fayth. "How else could Svilennius have snatched bodies away? I can make my own way." She frowns at the halfling's question. "Zombies do not actually need to feed, you realize."

”They... they don’t? But, all of the other undead we came across pretty immediately started clawing at us and trying to gnaw my helmet off...” Ottazer says, looking for advice from one of his companions.

"You intruded and they are incapable of assessing threats," the woman answers flatly. "Will you leave me in peace if I make no threat to you, then?" she asks the group at large.

Vyara's eyes glow as she looks over the woman, before nodding. "I don't see any reason why not. You certainly don't seem like you'll attack anyone." She shrugs. "Where will you go?"

"Kaer Maga is fairly hospitable to undead, if one knows where to go," she answers, perhaps relaxing a shade. "I will need to pass you to leave. The other exit has enemies beyond."

Ottazer relaxes his grip on his weapon, nodding and looking altogether relieved at having this tough question cleanly answered for him. ”Sure. Down, Orl.”

Fayth lowers her guard, and steps aside. "Good luck out there then."

The woman nods, tersely, and she and her skeletons exit.

The rest of the Ossuary's level has only small enemies, easily cleared, and when these are dealt with the group returns to the door. The chime rings to open the sealed door, and Valanthe happens to be available to hear their report. They inform her of the enemies faced, potential entrances to lower levels to explore, and who was responsible for the bodies disappearing. "Svilennius used to be one of our priests, if you can believe it," she tells them as she takes notes of their report. "As you can tell, though, he was consumed with heretical ideas and eventually cast out. I suppose he would've found a way to continue eventually, though it's rather audacious that he chose to do it under our very noses."

The group gives a full account, save for the intelligent zombie, and Valanthe seems satisfied. She rewards them with the amount promised, and the bonus for clearing the level of threats, as the mold left untouched would be simple to dispatch with the right tools, and mentions she may reach out to them again when the lower levels are accessible. They certainly managed this level well enough, after all.

For now, though, the adventurers head their separate ways.