If Abramo were better informed about game mechanics and lore he'd also be confused about how a second-level paladin manages to defect to a Chaotic Evil cult due to a few threatening words, and retain their paladin levels.

Abramo isn't, and doesn't; but in any case...

...it doesn't matter for very long.

Court-martial is adjourned.

Then they can continue up the stairs.

And Minagho will greet them with her trademarked (*) condescending pseudo-seductiveness.

(*) Not actually trademarked, demons are not Lawful enough to have that institution. But, while much imitated, Minagho's mannerisms have never been improved upon! Ignore the cheap knockoffs, get your soul-draining seduction from the original and best!

And Staunton will imply some backstory.

Really, dwarves ought not to imply anything! Leave that to us demons, we're much better at it. Dwarves are more fun when they're... explicit.

Abramo will admit that Staunton does not particularly have a comparative advantage in reporting what actually happened, as opposed to making it clear that he blames Minagho. That aside, is there anything to be gained from this conversation?

Hey when you're right, you're really boring! Minagho will make like an eyeless succubus-style demon who has expendable minions to take the risks for her, and leave.

Then Irabeth will help her expend the said expendable minions.

Abramo will land one Serious Wounds from a scroll, then double over retching. Damn these chemical weapons!

Nonetheless, pretty shortly after that the demons will be disposed of, and they'll break through to the wardstone.

Oh good, Minagho gets to give her villain speech! She's practiced this! Not in front of a mirror admittedly, but it's the thought that counts!

Abramo died in his timeline roughly a year before the first nuclear detonation, and doesn't necessarily take talk of turning cities into smoking craters literally. But he's seen some truly amazing magic Extremely Advanced Technology in the past couple of hours and is quite willing to believe it's better for the local infrastructure if Minagho's cultists don't get to finish their ritual.

You know what, that villain speech was a little over the top. Not the sort of thing that leads to great confidence in subordinates. Some of us are going to defect right back.

Then eat demonic magic, scum! It'll be a little foretaste of being eaten in the Abyss for the rest of your miserable existences!

They can make short work of the expendable minions, at any rate.

Yeah unfortunately that's not the same thing as being able to land a hit on the demon!

Camellia can roll a nat 20, actually! It's not like it's hard!

Yeah that does 2 damage and Minagho has literally 400 hit points. So sure, you managed to p-hack your way to <0.05, but what's your effect size? Also, does it replicate?

No, but how about that Main Character Energy?

Yes, yes, cutscene armour cuts both ways, sigh. Have a Fireball to speed you on your way.

Then Irabeth can hand out some sidequests and we'll go into non-combat mode for a while.

Yeah Horgus Gwerm can take his attitude and try to sell it to the demons, they seem like they might be in the market for that sort of arrogance. 

Right so we can get Irabeth backstory and learn about racism with green instead of black; Lann backstory with a side order of Wenduag, Seelah backstory and confirm our prejudices about blacks learn a bit about Iomedae, talk to Rathimus and finally get rid of all the incredibly heavy armour we picked up in the catacombs (where did Dyra get to, btw?), get some more implied backstory from Staunton and start the Storyteller sidequest.