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"Wait, beatings? They beat people?" Fran asks, looking up sharply from her cup of tea. "Why would they even do that? Most priests I've ever seen are usually friendly...or mind their own business, but they don't hurt people!"
She sighs and shakes her head. "I suppose that's part of what we're here to find out, but still...that's dreadful to think about. We'll do our best to find out what's going on, one way or the other!"
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After the short briefing with Tolal, Fran agrees with the others that it wouldn't hurt to split up for a short time to get the lay of the land and maybe pick up some news in the town.
"I think kitty and I will go for a walk," she smiles. "You'd be surprised at just how much you can hear by just wandering around, sometimes."
Fran manages to find out where the temple to the Living God is, but people don't like to talk about it. They are willing to talk with her about other subjects, but either try to change the topic or find excuses why the conversation has to end when she brings up the temple.
Shayna, Kriklishik and Vlazis manage to find a few people that are willing to tell them about the temple. They have the same problems with most people not wanting to talk about it. A few people refuse to say anything beyond "How do I know you aren't a priest? They hide themselves in robes and behind masks."
Still, they are able convince some people to share what they know.
They are told that the minions of Razmir are all brainwashed, giving up everything they own to blindly follow the Living God. Those found unworthy are devoured by the hungry god. The Living God is said to visit his temples on occasion, and he could be in Tamran right now!
There is also talk of the temple having complete control over the local government, from the city guard right up to Forest Marshal Gavirk -- the leader of all Nirmathas. A couple of people say that the cultists will beat and steal from those who refuse to believe. Evidently the temple takes in far more money from the locals than they could ever possibly use for their work in the city.
One rather peculiar piece of information they get is that the temple leader is a woman in a blue robe. They say she is a medusa, and uses her robes and cowl to hide her snakes. Supposedly those who fail as priests are turned to stone and used to build the temple walls higher!
Thomas overhears a couple of man talking about an upcoming meeting where the priests will feed those who come to hear about the Living God. The two men seem focused more on getting drunk when someone else is picking up the bar tab.
Several hours have passed and it is now mid-afternoon.
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After taking a walk that's fruitful in some ways but less so than others, Fran and Mr. Sunshine meet back up with the rest of the group at the Ashfall Lodge.
"This town is strange! Mr. Sunshine and I found out where the temple is but we couldn't get anything more out of anyone," she exclaims, both frustrated and a bit disappointed. "It's as if they didn't want to talk about the temple or the priests or any of it at all."
She looks at the others. "Did any of you learn anything?"
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Thomas has no problem scouting the area around the temple.
The temple of Razmir lies near the center of town, surrounded by a number of local businesses and wealthy residences. The city guard presence here is a bit higher than in the outlying areas of the town. Busy streets surround the temple on all sides, making it difficult to approach without being seen. Fortunately it is daytime so you can easily blend with the crowd as long as you don’t linger. The businesses that surround the temple vary widely, from coopers to cobblers.
Occupying an entire city block, the temple of Razmir is an imposing structure. Built of solid stone walls, the building stands two stories tall, with towers positioned every thirty feet along its circumference. These towers rise above the temple itself, each crowned with statues depicting the Living God. The temple has almost no windows, aside from a tall, stained-glass window on the east end depicting the mask of Razmir. The west end of the structure contains a courtyard, only accessible through a sealed barbican. Masked priests patrol the wall tops surrounding the courtyard, watching those below with a baleful attention.
While watching, you see a group of six members returning to the temple, one dressed in a grey robe and the others dressed in white robes. They all wear identical iron masks.
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When Ray arrives outside the Forest Bounty, he finds a building made from enormous timbers. The Forest Bounty is a long hall, open at both the front and back, filled with wooden tables and benches. Dozens of people gather here, eating, drinking, and laughing. As he passed before the structure, he can overhear one table of patrons singing a bawdy song that seems to have most of the folk smiling.
He finds a bench down the road a little bit from which he can observe the Forest Bounty. There are so many people coming and going that it is difficult to keep track of. He does not see anything suspicious though.
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Thinking for a moment, Fran decides to try something she's not done in awhile. "While Thomas and Ray scout from the ground, maybe I can ask for some help from the skies! I'll be back in just a little bit!" she informs the party. After asking around at the Ashfall Lodge, she finds a local shop that sells animal feed and the like and purchases a bag of birdseed. Then she walks until she's within a few blocks of the Razmiran temple and ducks into a nearby alley. "Okay kitty, I'll need you to wait a little ways back okay? So you won't scare the birdies," she whispers to Mr. Sunshine. Once her feline friend has retreated a respectable distance, she opens the bag of birdseed and scoops some into her hand. Holding it skyward, she whistles in an attempt to attract some of the birds that roost along the nearby rooftops.
"Little flyers, questions for you! Food for your trouble, no danger at all," she calls out in a series of chirps and whistles.
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You find a bakery named The Harvest Hearth on your way to the Temple of Razmir. You are attracted by the smell of fresh baked bread. When you enter, the baker introduces himself. “Greetings! I’m Welton Grompus. How can I help you this afternoon?”
The baker has a strong, hearty build but is somewhat on the short side for a human. His light brown hair is tied up under his baker’s hat. He has a bruise on the side of his face that looks recent.
He is a little disappointed when all you want is some crumbs for the birds. He asks “Are you a bird watcher? I didn’t think we had any that were particularly unique around here.”
He seems a chatty sort. He tries to tempt you with some of his wares. “I have some samples of my sourdough bread, or a popover. Would you like a taste?” They look fresh and smell wonderful.
After a short but friendly conversation, he goes into the back and comes back with a sack full of scraps. “Here, the birds should enjoy these.”
“How about some rye? It has a nice thick crust.” Welton offers. He quickly gathers the popovers for Shayna. He only has a couple left after her order.
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"Um, something like that, sir," Fran smiles at the chatty baker. "We're new here in town and have just been spending the day looking around. I just thought maybe I'd feed the birds because it's something my father and I would do sometimes. He was the bird-watcher; I just liked to tag along like small children do."
However, as Welton brings Shayna her popovers, the sweet aroma clearly seems to be working its magic on Fran. "Um...actually, I think I'll take one too, please. They really smell wonderful!"
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Smiling, he hands Fran a popover as well.
“Have a good day!” he calls out as the two of you leave.
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The two of you find an alley not far from the Temple of Razmir. You can see most of one of the towers with it’s statue from the alley.
As Fran spreads the feed and starts chirping, both of you notice an occasional nut mixed in with the various types of bread and pastry crumbs.
At first only a few birds fly down. Whereas Shayna only hears a cacophony of chirps, Fran understands them as cries of “Yummy! Yummy in my tummy!”
When nothing happens to them, more birds fly down and start pecking at the feed. Soon all the birds are chattering. “Good food! My crunchy bit! Look at the crest on that one! Want more! No winds for wings.”
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"Oh, there are nuts in this mix too - I wonder if Mr. Grompus did that on purpose?" Fran laughs as more and more birds fly down to sample the birdseed.
"Happy to give! Happy yummy," Fran 'chirps' in reply to the multiple birds. "Give all food, all I have. Tell about big dark place? Big dark place with the tall, tall pieces! Big dark place with no-faces!"
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As Fran is chirping at the birds, it looks like something startled them. Some grab one last crumb and fly away. Others seem highly agitated.
Fran hears the birds screech “Wing breakers! Rock throwers! Break eggs throwing at each other! Nice stone perch but too dangerous! Sometimes no faces make freezing beams strike as we fly near! No faces meaner than furry pouncers!”
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"Oh-oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!" Fran chirps frantically, trying to calm the birds but to no avail. As several of them take flight (a few having left presents splattered on the sleeve of her shirt), all she can do is continually chip after them, "Sorry! So sorry! But thank you! Thank you! Bring more food soon, promise!"
To some, the information might not have meant much. But to Fran, it was worth the effort. Her expression both angry and sad, she wipes at her sleeve and turns to Shayna.
"These people are really, really rotten," she says quietly. "They beat people and they hurt animals. Throwing rocks and even casting some sort of magic at the birds - or maybe they have some sort of defense system set up along the walls."
With a sigh, she beckons to Mr. Sunshine who had dutifully (and perhaps hungrily) waited out of eyesight of the birds. "Come on, we'd best get back to the others, they'll be wondering where we are."
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As Mr. Sunshine pads back up to Fran and Shayna, he tilts his head slightly to one side as if considering something. Then, he rubs past Shayna's legs as he follows after Fran.
I like Shayna - she does not spook easily. Many others would have ran away from you just now, Fran.
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Ramon will keep an eye out as she approaches the party meeting point.
If it feels like she's being followed she'll take a slightly longer and horribly EXCITING path back through a tailor's stall, perusing as many garments as appropriate until their pursuit gets bored and wanders off.
Once she's met up with the party she'll nod.
"So, it's kind of busy around the Bounty. As long as we don't make too much of a scene, we should be okay. They even had a life performer doing something raucous and I could hear them from a block away." she offers.
"As long as we don't all burst in there as a huge lump of people blocking the way and doing the whole dramatic thing, it should be alright. Perhaps a couple of us to go in and get a table for the rest of the party, and the rest of us can trickle in?"
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"That's good to know," Fran smiles at Ray's report once they've all met up again. "Shayna and I had a look around the temple too, sort of. See, sometimes, if I really want to, I can talk to animals. We bought some birdseed and asked the birds near the temple about the place," she explains, either not really understanding or not caring that talking to animals isn't exactly a talent that most people have. "Birds um, aren't especially bright, at least not these, but from what they said it sounds like those priests are mean to people and animals alike."
Though she hadn't thought to comment on it while in the shop, she can't help but recall the bruise she and Shayna had seen on the side of Mr. Grompus' face. "They throw rocks at the birds and punches at the people on the ground. There was also something about freezing blasts, too - they either use magic to torment the birds too or there might be some sort of defenses along the walls or up in the towers that activate when something gets too close."
The whole group gathers together and makes their way towards the Forest Bounty feast hall.
Made from enormous timbers, the Forest Bounty is a long hall, open at both the front and back, filled with wooden tables and benches. Dozens of people gather here, eating, drinking, and laughing. One table of patrons even carries on with a bawdy song that seems to have most of the folk smiling. Ramon notices it is a different person leading the song, but the same table.
As they enter a serving woman comes up, smiling. “Welcome to the Forest Bounty! My name is Bevka!” she exclaims. She looks your group over, and then asks “Are you the group that Reginar told me was coming to meet him?”
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Fran looks a bit surprised, unsure of whether or not their meeting with Reginar was supposed to be a little more secret than this.
Don't be silly Fran. Reginar probably meets with all sorts of people so I doubt our meeting is going to stand out any more than others would.
"Yes, a table somewhere a little quieter would be nice," she agrees with Vlazis. "Not that the singing is bad, it's not! But sometimes it's easier to focus when there's not so many distractions."
Smiling, she says “Reginar already has a table.” and she motions your group to follow her.
She leads you to a table off to the side of the hall. At the table sits a robust man, wearing green and brown leathers and cloaked in a large bearskin. A longbow rests against the table next to him. He has a journal that he is reading.
He looks up and with a hearty laugh says, “Welcome, friends. I hear that you have been looking for me. I am Reginar Lacklan. Please sit—we have much to discuss.” He sweeps out his arms in an inviting gesture.
Bevka leaves you for a moment, and then returns with a tray of roast boar and forest vegetables. She places the tray at the center of the table and then hands out wooden plates.
“Is there anything else you need?” she asks, looking to Reginar and then the rest of the group.
If no one responds, she leaves to attend other tables.
The table you were led to is far enough from the boisterous singing that you should be able to talk without having to shout in order to be heard.
The place seems pretty lively and friendly.
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"Water please and just a little milk for my kitty, please," Fran asks politely as Bevka offers to take their orders. Turning back to Reginar, she smiles.
"Thank you sir, it's very nice to meet you," she responds, offering her hand for a shake. "Our um, our halfling friend said that you'd been looking into things around town and that we might be able to help?"
Oh, I hope that's both vague enough and descriptive enough for him to understand what I mean...
Bekva nods at Fran's, Shayna’s and Thomas's orders and waits a moment to see if anyone else has an order.
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After bringing the food, Bekva returns with a jug of water, a pot of tea, flagons, and a bowl of milk.
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Smiling, Reginar assures them "One nice thing about a place this noisy. It is difficult to overhear individual conversations without being obvious. Especially when you've retained one of the tables set off a short distance from the rest. I picked this location because I know it and the people who work here. Although it is noisy and relatively crowded, I think it is safe to talk here."
"That said," he turns to Vlazis "when is it ever truly safe to do what we do?” Shaking his head, he adds “To the best of my knowledge, there are no direct threats on my life.”
Reginar then faces forward again and pats the book he was reading. “As I’m sure Tolal mentioned, we are having some problems with a cult. She is insisting that we need more evidence against them before proceeding, which is where I hope your group can help.”
Pausing, he says "Before I get down to business though, I have something for one of you." He pulls out a folded sheet of parchment and passes it over to Shayna. "Tolal sent this along, I believe you asked her for it?"
Once she has had a chance to look at it, he announces "Well then, to business!"
“I have been observing them for a while now. When they first showed up, there was something about them that just didn’t sit right with me.” He then proceeds to repeat much what Tolal had said, only going into more detail. He references his book a few times as he does so.
Reginar suspects that the aid to the poor and proselytizing are just a cover for their more illegal activities such as thievery, blackmail and extortion. He has seen them beat a man to within an inch of his life, claiming the humble cobbler stole from the temple, while the city guards stand and watched. He suspects that the city guards help protect the temple, watching out for thieves and intruders.
He mentions how they hold no public services, so the only real way in is to join their religion. He has no idea how many cultists there are. He cannot get an accurate count because they all look alike, thanks to their masks. Most of them wear white robes, some wear gray, while a few are in black. He has only seen one wear blue, and she left with other cultists about a week ago. He suspects the one in blue is the temple’s leader, but cannot be sure.
“For the time being, I would like you to get more information. We know too little about the cult to take any overt action, so I would like you to infiltrate the temple as prospective members. Play along and meet up with me again in a week to report what you have learned. Avoid taking needless risks at this stage. With the protection of the local guardsmen and the number of cultists, I think attempting to fight your way in would most likely fail and certainly look bad.”
“I know that they interview applicants at the Ranger’s Lament, a tavern across the street from the temple. I believe their next gathering is tomorrow night. They also frequently give a big speech around mid-day to try to attract people and get donations.”
“Do you have any questions?”
With a sigh, Reginar admits “I don’t know.”
“They are aware of me, so I was escorted out the one time I tried attending. They said that the Living God would never bestow his blessings on a false petitioner.”
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The undine Ramon has been remarkably quiet through most of this discussion, contantly watching the door and anyone that looks over at the table.
"First things first, this should be the only face to face meeting we have, and we'll need to end it with a disagreement or a minor fight. No, I know you're wanting us to do this thing, but based on your comments we need to completely keep our distance from each other, both for your safety and that of the investigation. If it looks like we're at odds, it will make it easier if anyone sees it to vouch for us at any recruiting meetings." Ramon offers with a sober tone.
"Then we need to figure out how to drop messages back and forth. The idea of using recipies is a good idea, but we'd have to set a few in advance, and use either a secure spot for the messages or someone we can all trust and keeps a low profile that isn't being watched."
Ramon will pause for a moment to let others chime in.
"If we can do that to start, and then bear in mind that even the least bit of contact between us past this point has to be at least negative on the surface, we will probably stand a fair chance of pulling this off. If they feel we're working for you, it's all over, and I'd rather not see you dead, or Tolal, or anyone else in town if we can help it."
Reginar thinks for a moment, then says “They seem to spend a lot of time in the poor quarters. I have to believe some of that time is spent on recruitment. One of the things they promise for those who come to the Ranger’s Lament is free food and drink.”
“I suppose the other thing is to be seen when they are out asking for donations. They aren’t consistent about the time, or much of anything for that matter, but they often seek donations around midday on the streets in front of their temple. As long as you don’t make trouble for them, I imagine being seen there would explain why you showed up. ”
Reginar frowns when Ramon suggests they part ways in a shouting match. Still, he waits to hear them out. A bit paranoid, but perhaps if I had been more circumspect at the beginning we wouldn’t have needed them. I still think it is excessive though.
“Are you sure that is better than just keeping a low profile and not drawing attention?” he asks, dubiously. “As for a contact, I suppose we could set up a drop with one of the stable masters in town. There are two, one of whom is located pretty far from where the temple is.”
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"We could split the difference. Don't have to shout, just look very disgusted and/or upset when we leave, like we didn't want to do whatever it was you wanted us to do?" Ramon offers, hearing the dubious tone in the man's voice.
"It's just an idea, and I'm willing to go with your feelings about your city here -- I'm just worried about your safety and our investigation. If someone has a better idea, I'm keen to hear it, and setting up a drop is our extra insurance in case things go sideways."
"Best to keep it simple. I like your compromise proposal, doesn't require as much explanation on my part." The less I have to say, the better. I'm much better at catching people in a lie than fooling people.
"One thing I've learned is things frequently go off kilter. I will set it up the drop with Droguk at the Maid's Mare stables. Just give him a sealed letter. If it is an emergency, go to the lodge."