"Desna may be a good goddess, but she's not reliable where it counts, and this time I have more than that. Those out of town Desnans of his broke into the wardstone building yesterday to sabotage it before the attack, though they denied everything when we caught them in the act, and the Voyager broke them out of custody last night. Best case scenario, some succubus hit him with a dominate and he'll be fine once we snap him out of it, but it's possible he's been replaced by a demon or was a traitor all along."

"I'm afraid I wouldn't know these people to look at them and my range and exertion of force are both pretty limited. Where would I find the garrison?"

"It's the big fortress building over there - the one with the wardstone half sticking out of it."

"Thank you. Iskander, perhaps since you're less of a combatant you ought to go back down and tell everyone what we've seen."

"What if they decide I've been replaced with a demon while we were separated?"

"Then you will have to poke a hot object again. It is a terrible sacrifice." Pat pat.

Luckily? none of the neathers are are paranoid as Hulrun is, so there isn't any tests for demonic infiltration on that end. Opinions are mixed on how to feel about not going up regardless, but they mostly take news coming from the angel's brother reasonably well and are willing to wait a bit on the triumphant return to the surface deal.

Well, most of them are. Once confirming with Iskander that Kybele is delayed again, Lann slips off towards the shield maze on his own.

One of the people down there is not a neather! Specifically, it's the person who hired Kybele earlier.

"Iskander, there you are. From what you told the mongrels, it's not safe for them, but it shouldn't be any more dangerous for me than if I'd never fallen down this hole. Do you know where your sister is? Horgus Gwerm owes her a thousand gold, and I have another job I'd be looking to hire her for if she's in the market."

"She's up top joining up with the Gray Garrison but I'm sure she'd spare a minute to talk business as long as she's not fighting a demon when you meet her! The ladder's right there if you want it."

"Capital! It's excellent news our fair city has such an efficient hero in this dark times. Well, don't let Horgus Gwerm keep you!"

"Have a lovely rest of your day, Horgus Gwerm."

Meanwhile, Ky is on her way to join up with the garrison.

The eagle's watch is currently dispatching some Abrikandilu and Dretch a bit over a block from the entranceway. There are clouds of some noxious gas floating around, and some of the guards are distracted by retching, but the dwarf and half-orc leading them seem scarcely bothered and it's not remotely sufficient to stop them from winning.

Anevia recognizes all of these people and will immediately begin contributing with arrows.

Is... Ky's comparative advantage here fans, because she can do fans. And also a paper lance, sharp as and stiffer than any natural paper, and also she's shedding bits of her cloak in the street as she goes, as tactical surprises as-needed.

The fans will be greatly appreciated! Removing the gas won't instantly clear up the symptoms, of course, but it helps out anyone who was still holding their breath and keeps things from getting worse. The demons are just as resilient as before, but they definitely seem more vulnerable to individual good hits than manifold small ones.

Once the fighting is over, Irabeth will run over and embrace Anevia. "Nevy! I thought we'd lost you!"

"It'll take more than that to count me out. This is Seelah, who was covering me before Deskari showed, and these two are Kybele and Camellia, who we met up with in the caves under Kenabres. Dyra here is a cleric of Abadar from down there."

"It's a pleasure. Dyra, if you have any channels going spare we'll happily buy them off you - if you're willing to fight, even better, but I assume that you feel the same as Rathimus about that? We don't have gold on us, but we can write you a promissory note and then Rathimus will transfer it from our accounts, he's with the civilians we've been gathering at the defender's heart."

"You assume correctly on the fighting, but a channel I can do." She waits for Irabath to tear off a strip of paper and write down the note, then glows and heals everyone in the area. "I also have several delay poisons and what seems to be a communal delay poison, the latter of which I've never got before. I was confused as to why, but if you're encountering a lot of these gas attacks then probably it was so I can cast it on you."

"If you would, we would be much obliged. Staunton and I can essentially ignore it, but it slows down our whole group whenever the vapors get too thick. Kybele, Camellia, do either of you need it or can you handle poison on your own?"

"I'd as soon not have to wave fans around with quite this much urgency!"

"If you can keep up that gas clearing, I think that makes you one of the priority targets; we should make sure you get the full length of a normal delay poison, not split duration."

Then Dyra can do just that before heading taking the second promissory note and heading off in the direction indicated for the defender's heart.

The rest of the road to the grey garrison is pretty clear, other than one person hiding in a second story window who tries to snipe Irabeth as they pass; Anevia fires her own arrow before his bolt even hits the target, and it skitters of Irabeth's armor without injuring her - he doesn't have time for a second shot before Anevia takes his life. When they arrive at the doors; Irabeth gives a quick briefing.

"According to our sources, they're here to do something to the wardstone and we can't let them succeed. The cultists we interrogated also claimed the whole operation was being run by some big-shot succubus, so definitely be on your guard there even if we don't take it on faith. If any of your fellows start acting odd, report it immediately. If they turn on you, disable them if you safely can, but prioritize your safety and that of your unenchanted comrades above their health. Melee fighters, your first priority is making sure nobody gets by you to attack our archers; archers, focus fire on the cultists - especially any wizards - until the succubus shows herself. Don't get distracted, don't go chasing down enemies away from the group, and keep your guard up for tricks and illusions. Praise Iomedae!"

Then she forces open the doors of the garrison - inside is a mix of the irregulars whose corpses she saw earlier and demons, mostly Dretches and Abrikandilu but with one particularly nasty one with a spear covered in a glistening... something that someone identifies as a Babau.