"No, nothing like that - it's just a sword, maybe a bit magical - it's famous," Seelah says reverently. "Because it belonged to Yaniel, a legendary paladin from the first two crusades. After she died in the sack of Drezen, the sword was put in a museum. It can't be very powerful, or someone would have kept using it!"

She frowns. "The cultists must have stolen it in the confusion... I'll restore it to its rightful place." She hefts it consideringly, but decides to pack it away in favor of her usual sword; if she scratches Yaniel's sword she'd never forgive herself.

"How did she become so famous if she didn't even have a powerful sword?" Wenduag wants to know.

"Oh, she didn't become a legend for being strongest paladin of her time," Seelah chuckles, "although I bet she was plenty stronger than me! No, she's a legend for what she did. Yaniel was known for never leaving anyone behind. Never sacrificing men for a tactical advantage, never sending anyone on a risky mission without going herself... I've heard some of the commanders didn't like her because of that, because she wouldn't pay the cost to win the battles, but her men adored her."

"And once, they gave her a mission she thought was too dangerous, or maybe she disagreed with them for some reason. So she went into the Wound alone without her men, and not only did she survive, she brought back other crusaders she rescued!"

"She died defending Drezen to the last while others evacuated. But she lives on in our memories - as a true paladin and hero."

"She sounds very brave. You admire her?"

Seelah blushes. "Yes, I - I've always felt an affinity with her. Or with her legend, at least. I know what it's like to conflict with your commanders, to feel that while your orders are good and just they're not your real calling."

"That's why I came to the Wound. I hoped - I hope - my mission's here is clear. I just need to do the best I can, save as many people as I can. I'm not very smart but I know that much."

"There is wisdom in choosing the path you follow. Well, let us go find this Hossila, and save the children."

Wenduag leads them back to the long hall with the pool of blood and through the door they haven't tried before, which leads to a large empty room and then stairs leading up.

"I made it this far once, but the door was locked." It's unlocked now; maybe the cultists don't like locking it when it's in frequent use.

She advances up the stairs, ready for a fight.

The stairs end at a balcony overlooking another room. A man with a glaive stands ready at its center, looking challengingly at whoever comes up.

Another woman with a glaive is hiding past the door, ready to chop off the head of the first person to step through.

She doesn't need to see someone to know where they are. It's not the most adventageous position, but she can handle it. She rushes at the man in the center, ready to step to the side should another glaive descend on her.

She dodged? Eh, let her Hand deal with the fighter for a moment; she can strike their squishy rear. Who's next through the door?

Luckily, the next person through the door is at least slightly resistant to glaives!

How long can you last, little paladin, against a fully buffed Hosilla? Baphomet's top inquisitor in Kenabres is going to investigate this question!

She can feel her smite took, and she heals herself every round before striking back, but - 

"She's really strong! I need some help here!"

Unfortunately everyone else is stuck on the stairs behind her, and Camellia, their only other melee combatant and healer, was bringing up the rear.

Camellia can push past the others, but then she's stuck casting Bless and cure spells on Seelah; she didn't know she had to prepare ranged options in a party with three archers! 

(Hosilla will pretty much shrug off any of her hexes and spells that can be ignored through force of will.)

Are you human? You look human to me. How do you feel about this human bane enchanted glaive blessed by Baphomet?

"Back! Get distance from her!" Seelah can't last much longer, which means everyone behind her probably won't last at all.

She can last long enough that Malenia dispatches the Hand, and turns around to fight Hosilla.

Will a couple of quasits distract her again?

They will, but Hosilla would still be either distracted by defending against her, or take a hit from a very big sword.

Ugh! She only half-blocked that and does not want to be hit by that sword again!

A good swordsman can step inside a glaive's reach; the paladin was weak and stupid, but this golden warrior is dangerous. And her minion is dead.

How about, instead, she pushes past Seelah, who is barely standing and in no shape to stop her? And then she'll run down the stairs, and if anyone unarmored ends up stuck on her glaive it's their own fault for standing in the way.

She'll have trouble pursuing, so she takes a moment to deal with the quasits.

He tries to get closer to Hosilla, to be able to throw discs at her.

Shit, how did she end up in the way? Is she going to die because she tried to heal a paladin?! That is the most pathetic thing she can imagine! I'll stick a rapier through your eye, you cultist bitch!

And yet, the glaive is mightier than the rapier. 

...or so she'd thought, but apparently this woman isn't fully human? Damnation, it'll take her a few seconds to switch to half-elf bane!