...and he starts to scream.

"Your brother may have tolerated this inane questioning but do not mistake me for him, novice. The next time you speak out of turn I will have your tongue. Are we quite clear?"

When Astarion releases Andrick from whatever spell that was he finds himself on his knees. "Yes, True Soul. I will remember, True Soul."

(Lae'zel approves.)

(Ivetrielle disapproves.)

"Now, you said you were on your way from the old temple. Where were you headed?"

"We're looking for fugitives," says Bryanna. "Survivors from that ship that crashed south of here."

"Ah, so your brother and you were the ones sent on that particular mission, were you? What did he tell you about the mission?"

"He... said the Absolute commanded that we find them, at any cost. It's been a day, so they could be anywhere, but they're bound to be injured, and that's a good place to get us started."

Now Lae'zel is frowning again.

"Well, that will not be necessary. We have found them, and dealt with them, as the Absolute commanded us." He sighs. "I believe that is enough to get us going. Now, I do have one more practical question: do you know of the druid Halsin? He has been meddling in our affairs for that Circle to the east and our Goddess commanded me to eliminate him."

"...no. Apologies, True Soul, we have not seen any druids." Pause. "Except for, well..." She gives Ivetrielle a glance.

"She is with us. The Absolute has agents everywhere."

"...of course, True Soul."

(Andrick is still kneeling and not looking at Astarion.)

Ivetrielle gives a nod and a small commiserating ‘Yep I am also a novice of Our Cult, yep, that sure is a thing I am,’ smile.

"Very well. Since your mission has already been completed without you, I have a new mission for you: find that owlbear and avenge your brother. It has caused offence to the Absolute, and even mindless beasts must learn the cost of doing so. All will bow to Her might."

Then Andrick looks up in terror, but he thinks twice of opening his mouth to object.

"Yes, True Soul. ...but we may not be a match for it," Bryanna says, looking down at Edowin again.

"I am certain it took you by surprise. This time you have the advantage of preparation. You will use that advantage to bring honour to our Goddess—or you will perish, and in that case She did not have use for you after all.

"Do you have any questions?"

    "No, True Soul," says Bryanna.

"No, True Soul," repeats Andrick, getting to his feet.

"Then go. I will see to it that your brother's remains are taken care of."

They definitely do not need to be told twice. That True Soul was terrifying.

Ivetrielle will be good and not backtalk immediately, though she does look a tad pained. And it doesn’t take long for the inevitable backtalking to occur.

“Was the torture really necessary?” she says in an undertone, after the cultists are good and gone.

"For the character that I was playing? Yes. But somewhat more importantly, now that they're gone." He takes in a deep breath...

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND?! You could have gotten seriously hurt or worse! YOU COULD HAVE DIED! Do you know how many times I ran exactly that scam? Pretended to have someone injured or dying to get someone's guard down? And you left your freaking party!!!! Without talking about it first!!!!! If you ever do that to any other party they would be correct to leave you. Behind. To be eaten. BY AN OWLBEAR. You do not do this to your party!!! You are endangering them, you are endangering yourself, you are BREAKING THE SOCIAL CONTRACT!!!!

"And then. And then. When that creepy symbol appeared on that woman's face and all of our tadpoles reacted. I tried to warn you and you completely ignored me because despite all evidence you think. That I. Just. Do things. Without a reason!!!! When I interrupted Kagha I had a reason. When I interrupted you to talk to Zevlor I had a reason. AND NOW. I HAD A REASON TOO. YOU COULD HAVE BEEN ABDUCTED BY MIND FLAYERS AND THEN WHERE WOULD WE BE? DOWN A PARTY MEMBER IS WHERE!!!!!"

Ivetrielle was absolutely not expecting this, and flinches at the sudden onslaught of yelling. Wow, that was a lot of nothing to suddenly yelling??? Her first instinct is to yell back, to justify herself and pick apart his arguments, but...

... he does sound like he sincerely worried. And she really is inexperienced when it comes to this whole 'adventuring in an adventuring party' business.

"I'm sorry for scaring you," she says, in a bit of a small voice, because it's probably best to get that out of the way first.