a few hours before .......

Miriam looks as the entire group goes greed crazy looking at the items they are finding in Alabaster's tomb. She tried to stop them or shame them but they dismissed her wisdom. She did not blame them. After all, she was wearing a dead man armor, mace, shield and holy symbol.

However, that armor was weighting heavier and heavier on her and the sight of her friends taking the goods from the dead left her with an awful taste in her mouth. But she did not say anything. She knew she was not a good moral compass for them.

She felt better when she gave her mace to Kurt and when he broke it, exposing the gold and diamond powder which would help her get closer to the orphanage in Hillsfar, she felt relieved. She pocketed the coins and the diamond power, thanking St. Cuthbert for his generosity.

Valen used the wand to depetrify Natalia and she understood that some good could come from using things find in tombs but the greed of her teammates really disturbed it. Natalia, now awake went crazy looking for stuff and she decides to go to sleep or pretend to do so. She did not want any of to know how she really felt, how disgusted and repulsed she was by the entire situation. Their greed was sickening to her but she knew she had failed to provide guidance and wisdom.

She took her her armor and her shield and in a sudden decision, took also her holy symbol. It felt strange but she felt freer for some reason. She curled into a ball as the rest of the group spent their time and their energy identifying magic items and fighting over them.

To her surprise, she felt asleep immediately, as soon as she said her prayer to St, Cuthbert. The dream started, as usual. Claric was there, with a bunch of young Mary's delivering young Calrics. They all looked at her and asked why? why are you not pregant? Each question would become a chain over her body until she finally kneeled. She was getting more chains over her when St. Cuthbert appeared and chased all the Marys and all the Calrics. Suddenly she was near a beautiful pristine lake, with a sky blue azure of a total purity. St. Cuthbert smiled at him and a pair of white unicorns appear.
"Miriam, you can shed these chains if you want. You can chase your doubt and your discomfort. You can choose to be reborn."
Miriam looked at the unicorns, not understanding what they were saying. "But how?"
"Material possessions weight you down. Possessions end up possessing you. Give it all away. You have always felt for the poor. Now walk in their shoes. Become one of them by choice and spend all your time and energy helping them."
Miriam understood finally. The path became clear. One by one the chains broke. She stood up and took one step. St. Cuthbert appeared "Understand my little Miriam, what I am asking you to do. You will own nothing. You will be limited to the magic I feel like granted you. You will need to beg and be mocked. As your friends will become wealthier and wealthier and will meet royalty, you will be the beggar they will stop at the door. People will throw stone at you. Your friend will think you have gone mad. All you will have will be a robe, a stick and sandals. But if you agree to live as a poor I will grant you power to help you in your quests. I am not asking you, my little Miriam to vow purity or innocence or chastity. I want extreme poverty. You will need to beg for food until I feel you won't need to eat. Do you understand?"

Miriam smiled. It all became clear. She let her shield fall. She took off her armor and holy symbol. She shed all her clothes. Naked as a new born in front of her God, she smiles and started to walk in the lake. The unicorns followed and became dolphins. Miriam kept walking and went under water. She could breathes normally. She felt purified. All the touches, all the evil of Calric seemed to be washed away. She smiled and keep walking until she crossed the lake.

On the shore of a lake stood two white snowy owls. They smiled at her and flew away, revealing a dirty browm beaten robe, a pair of old sandal and a walking stick. Miriam put on the robe and the sandals and picked up the walking stick. She heard St. Cuthbert say "You are ready my Little Miriam. Take you vow."

Miriam woke up and felt rested and more lucid than ever. She closed her eyes and said "St. Cuthbert, on your name I take a vow of poverty. I swear that I will never own anything of value and any wealth I ever come in contact with will be given to the poor."

She waited and suddenly felt stronger and wiser. She took the quarterstaff that had belonged to Alabaster, picked up her dagger and tried to carve a holy symbol of St. Cuthbert. The carving was of poor quality and barely looked like the symbol of St. Cuthbert but Miriam felt its power. She took some water and using the symbol, turned it into holy water for Whiskers and smile. She gave a final look at her former armor, shield and holy silver and got up.

The group had woken up by now so Miriam approached Valen. She kneeled in f ront of the warrior and said "Mightly Valen, I am begging you on my knees to please share some of your food with me."

The warrior smiled and lifted the cleric off her knees. "You do not have to beg with me MyLady. I need less and less food so I am happy to share with you."

Miriam thanked Valen profusely.

As the group got ready to enter the orcs caves she said. "Just be concerned about what you took from this resting place of Alabaster. Sometimes the dead play tricks. And remember what his staff did to Max .... I would be concerned, especially you, young Natalia."

She follows the group silently, wearing her sandals and traveller outfit, using the staff as a walking stick.