Glenda suggests another option

"Maybe we don't have to do all that," says Glenda. "How about we go and see the mayor first. Sisters traveled through Lewruck quite frequently and I'm sure he and the village aldermen got along well with us. Some of them might have called on sisters of the Burning Rose to help with difficult births. The mayor might even owe the abbey a tithe - I think Lewruck actually did send us goods in exchange for healing supplies and holy water."

Your training didn't concentrate much on mercantile matters, but if Glenda is right and a warm reception is possible it would solve many problems. If you're particularly lucky you might even be able to link up with a caravan if there are friendly locals and one is preparing to depart. That would be far safer than trying to go it alone.

Xallia gives Glenda a hug and says, "Why wouldn't a town mayor like us? We're all good, helpful sisters here... and if he does turn his nose up at us I'm sure I can be quite persuasive."

You raise an eyebrow at that.

"I just mean men in power almost always want to woo some pretty thing. Or need to make things up to their wife after seeking out said pretty thing. Or they can't get it up, or they're having trouble conceiving. One way or another I'm sure there's something we can do. If not the powers of the Burning Rose then my daemonic magics."

"Wait," says Anya, "about that - is it alright to keep using your daemonic powers? Doesn't that go against the church somehow?"

"I did worry a little," says Xallia, nervously fingering her left horn, "but I've used them a few times now. I've been saving my mana, but I did want to make sure I could still use my illusions. I've tried a few other little things too and nothing has even made me feel uncomfortable. My connection to the Burning Rose feels... I don't know how to really describe it. Warm? Like someone made me a lovely warm drink just before bed and cuddled up to me while I drank it."

"Yeah," says Yulia dreamily, hugging her arms around herself.

"When my magic did absolutely nothing I found a way to test it. I **** myself to think about dragging you all back to the daemon realm and then trading your mouths and asses to the imps for favors." She looks queasy as she says it and makes a face like she ate a bitter lemon. "Yeah, even remembering that line of thinking feels gross. I felt my link to the Burning Rose get thin? Tight? Strained, I guess would be the right word. So anyway, yeah, daemon magic seems to be no problem as long as I use it for good. And I guess it makes sense. Human mages use magic that's a bit different than ours, but it's not that far off. Just a different source for the energy."

"Could you teach us magic?" asks Yulia.

Xallia chuckles. "Oh, baby, that's something I'm really not supposed to do. Daemon lords like Thoros strictly forbid us from teaching our magics to humans." She grabs a surprised Anya for a quick hug and plants her hand on Anya's ass while looking at Yulia. "So yes, if you're interested and you have the talent then I'll happily teach you all I can. Maybe putting these 'daemonic' magics in the hands of the sisterhood is what I'm meant to do."

You aren't so convinced, but Yulia does look awfully excited and you find it very hard to stomp on the young singer's dreams. Even more than Anya she seems to look up to you, adore you. The church is generally against magics... but then the church is also generally against succubi. Daemon magic, daemon babies on the way and traveling with a succubus. Not to mention all the sex. You've been putting aside the thought, but you're going to have an awful lot of explaining to do when you reach Gerlangen.

Luckily Glenda's prediction about Lewruck is correct. When you announce yourselves at the gate as sisters of the Burning Rose you're welcomed by joyful townsfolk and escorted to see the mayor. Within a half hour some local aldermen lead you into the mayor's chambers after offering you dinner and rooms at their homes after your meeting is done.

The mayor, a man named Hollarth is relatively scrawny and looks roughly forty if you had to guess. His hair and beard are neatly trimmed and he welcomes you all like old friends. Once the aldermen leave he sits back in his chair, grins and pours himself a drink. "Ah, lovely! I was wondering when you'd arrive. Five long, loooong years I've waited for this," he says, sniffing and savoring the scent of the ****. "No need to worry, the walls and doors are thick enough for our needs."

Before you can say anything Xallia strides forward. "Everything is going well, as you can plainly see" she says, speaking with a sultry confidence as she did all those days ago when you first met her. She drops her illusion and gestures back at the four of you.

Hollarth doesn't even react to a woman changing into a succubus before his eyes. "Yes, yes," he says, utter lust in his tone. "Oh, how I've waited. And four lovelies? My, things must have gone well for you to get four. Now... I've served well. Please, the key." He also drops an illusion and you see that this mayor is a thin, almost emaciated, incubus. Tattoos run across most of his body and rather than the more appropriate clothes of his station all he's really wearing are a set of leather straps.

"Yes, the key," says Xallia, playing along. "But first I'll need you to deliver what was promised."

"Right, yes. Yes, I have that right here" he says, reaching into a desk drawer. Before any of you can react he pulls out a small white tube and a purple flash leaps from it to Xallia's chest. She shudders and falls to her knees. Anya tries to help her, but it seems the succubus is frozen in place. Hollarth makes a quick motion and you hear the latch of the door close behind you, trapping all of you in the office with him.

"Playing games are we?" he asks angrily as he whips a short sword from under his desk. At first he points it at Xallia and occasionally at the rest of you. When you draw the sword of St. Magdalena from its wrappings he points it at you, staring at you down the length of the blade. He continues to watch you, but you can tell he's directing his next comment at Xallia. "This town is the prize and my payment. But you'd know that well if my master sent you, yes?"

Finally he pays a bit more attention to the only other armed person in the room as you position yourself in front of your sisters. "Kneel, you uppity breeding bitch," he says dismissively. He seems to look right through you and an unnatural heaviness descends on your shoulders as he steps lightly around the desk, closing the distance, his ornate sword still held high.