"To start, let's get Ianna in there to question the bodies. Dead men have a hard time lying, right? Fosco could have been more helpful but we need to accept that we're doin' this on our own."
"Oddly enough, dead men are notorious for trying to lie. Hopefully, you will come with me Ragnar, you are skilled at detecting falsehood."
". . . obviously we will do everything in our power to find Rilka, but do you have any instruction for us? Suggestions on how to track these people down? Leads on that priest?"
Drosil asks a few clarifications, then lapses into silence for a few minutes before responding. "This isn't a setback, it's an opportunity. We've been chasing our tail in circles for weeks, and now Calios has brought your most experienced member right to him. Why they think she's some fabled assassin I don't know, but we should make the most of this."
"As far as finding her, it's incredibly hard to track teleportation. We would have to call in Alia for that. But scrying is much easier. I suggest Dalton protects himself from retaliation magic against scrying and then try to locate her and send her a message. But give it some time first, she is surely either still unconscious or with other people right now."
"I would almost be disappointed if the priest of Norgorber didn't cast Non-detection on her. Keeper of secrets, indeed. But, Drosil is very right. We should not assume that our enemies will always be wise. We should rest back at your inn and prepare for tomorrow."
"Agreed. We'll need our strength for tomorrow."
"Anti-scrying magic is common enough, but only the very powerful kinds are perfect. Dalton could work around it."
"Here is my plan. We go sleep. Tomorrow, Ragnar and Ziza will go to Father Thriun and see if he will allow us access to the bodies and then take some money to the pirates for repairs. That may loosen their tongues. I will guard Lopa while he casts."
"Half of them were batshit crazy but I'll give it a try. Maybe this time they won't try to blow the place up."
The next morning, Ianna awakes and prays to her goddess asking for miracles for which she never had any previous need.
She and Bjorkus set out for the temple of the goddess of gems and gambling shortly after breakfast.
"Father Thriun, may we speak to you privately?"
"Agreed. You can't do anything if you're too exhausted to move."
The party returns to the Time Turner Inn to get some rest. Beyond a few glances, it doesn't appear the party has turned any new unwanted attention on themselves.
For now.
The night goes uneventfully. After a meal is eaten (the fare at the inn is edible at best), the party splits up and heads out.
~Ianna and Bjorkus, aka The Lovers~
Ianna finds Father Thriun without any issue, although he looks tired. He smiles and warmly shakes Ianna's hand. "It is good to see you well. Of course." After confirming that 'private' also means 'with Bjorkus', Thriun leads the party to his office in the back of the church; a small but well-lit and cozy room that Bjorkus can't quite stand at his tallest in. "Please, sit. What is it that brings you today?"
"Thank you for meeting with us. Last night we were investigating a rumor that there was a powerful person in the city who is opposed to Villichi. We went to the location mentioned, but found it filled with criminals looking for either the same rumored person or us. We aren't exactly sure. A fight broke out my brother and Ragnar slew several of Villichi's men; unfortunately an older gnome aided by a human with long dark hair, a human priest of Norgorber that was referred to as Sveng, and a skull faced gnome kidnapped our friend, Chibi. Our request is twofold. I would like access to the bodies of the slain villains if they are being prepared in your temple so that I may speak to their spirits. Chibi's life may depend on information they possess. Secondly, I was curious if any whispers from your congregation might give us a lead on who these people are and where they might be hiding."
"This whole mess happened at the Rainbow Barrel. Are you familiar with the place? It's your typical hive of scum and villainy but a few of the hands workin' there are, or were, pirates. Every pirate I've known appreciates a few of the same things including drinkin', whorin', and gamblin'. Are you familiar with any of 'em? We're headed that way again later and we could use an in", Bjorkus adds.
Father Thriun leans back. "Ah." He takes a sip of water. "So you are responsible for me not getting any sleep last night." He gives an humorless chuckle. "I've spend the last ten hours getting a dozen different bodies ready to be preserved. Apparently the church's new beneficiaries are also highly active community members." He sits down his drink and looks at the two silently for a moment. "The dead still have rights. Only members of the church and close family may see them. That includes any secrets they may hold."
"There's room in the law to search a man or his things when he's suspected of a crime. The bodies in your care are in the same position", Bjorkus suggests.
Ianna (Ziza) sits quietly for a moment marshaling her deep knowledge of various faiths.
"A dozen? Ragnar and my brother killed only three. Someone was very busy last night."
"Yes, there absolutely is. And the legal authorities have done exactly that, and they have concluded their business and have turned the bodies over to us."
Though she was a little frustrated -- she understood Bjorkus' sentiments that the laws in this city only seemed to benefit the wicked at the expense of the good -- she had practice maintaining grace under pressure.
"Would you either gamble with Ragnar for our access or speak to the spirits yourself -- since only members of the church have access? A life hangs in the balance. A life that has been aiding your community."
The laws of this city seemed byzantine, highly specific, and without much connective logic, but Ianna was comfortable working within the frameworks provided.
Perhaps these laws emerged from a tradition of common law . . . there is no reason to such things.
Father Thriun raps his fingers against the table, then smiles. "Alright. If you win, I'll go and ask some questions on your behalf. If I win, your friend Lopa makes a custom ring for me. What's the game?"
Bjorkus looks at Ianna in surprise. That was not the kind of gambit he was expecting from the dwarf maid.
"You got any whiskey or rum? I'm thinkin' a drinking contest would be good."
Father Thriun laughs warmly, showing a side of humor in him. "That's hardly a game of chance."
"You didn't say it had to be a game of chance. Folks gamble over drinking contests all the time. Does your goddess hold some games as more sacred than others?"
Father Thriun shares a glance with Ianna that says If I had a week I couldn't explain all the games.
"Well it appears for both of us that time is of the essence, let's play Narrower's Dice." He takes out two six-sided die, exquisitely made. "It's simple; each player bets on the outcome of a single six-sided die. First round you get to pick five numbers, second round you get four numbers, third round you get three, and so on until somebody loses the bet. If you both lose the same round, you redo the round. Also, you roll for the opposing player, so I roll for your bets and you roll for mine."
"During the three isles, that is when you're at the third round and you get three numbers, you can instead bet a single number and automatically end the game; if you're right you win, if you're wrong you lose."
"Clear?" He asks, holding up the dice with a smile.
"Got it. Two, three, four, five, and six."
"May the polychrome give you luck." He tosses out the die onto the table.
"I'll take the same." He says, offering the second die to Bjorkus.
Bjorkus picks up the die, blows across it, and gives it a toss.
"Three, four, five, and six."
"One, two, five, six."
After offering Ianna a chance to blow on the die this time Bjorkus gives it another toss.
"Four, five, and six."
Her poise keeps up the appearance of placid interest, but Ianna was internally on the edge of her seat. She remembered that Nivi was a cheater, her holy symbol was a dice with seven pips after all. The only thing she could do was pray.
Bolka, please turn this towards the good: win or lose. Soften Father Thriun's heart so that he will see the rightness of our cause even if we lose.
She could not pray to the Golden Gift for luck, but mortal hearts, however, were solidly in her goddess' purview.
"Not very imaginative with it, are you? One, three, six."
Bjorkus shrugs. "I like to think of it as bein' persistent."
"Five and six."
"I view it as an offering to your goddess. He is going all in by forecasting his strategy."
"There is a certain commitment there."
"The colors are separating. See if you can match me. One, four."
"I guess you win", Bjorkus says as he stares at the die.
"What a shame."
Ianna looks over at Father Thriun, "Correct me if I am wrong but your goddess finds virtue in the playing of games and not the victory? In any case, tell me of this ring that you would like made."
"Oh the game is far more important." His eyes gleam. "I think I'm going to freshen my water and get some ideas for that ring. I'll probably be out for ten minutes. While I'm gone, please make sure nobody goes poking around my office, particularly the drawer right there where I keep all the files on our deceased." He stands up and sweeps up his die, taking a sip from his full glass of water as he leaves, shutting the door behind him.
If Ianna's upbringing would allow it, she would have wept with relief.
Golden Gift be praised!
Instead she favors the high priest with an understanding smile. "Heaven forfend."
Once Father Thriun leaves, Ianna turns to Bjorkus. "His files may be more helpful than my prayers. The spirits of our enemies would not be so eager to help us."
She then starts to look through the files. A dozen? Perhaps that legendary assassin had a busy night. The only legendary assassin I know besides for the Mantis God is the one that kidnapped me.
Though she tries to still it, she shivers slightly. I might feel safer if it were He Who Walks in Blood.
"For what it's worth", Bjorkus explains as he joins Ianna in searching through the files. "Pirates don't put too much faith in luck. It's better a man makes his own luck."
"But I'm glad it worked out. Anyone from last night that stands out to you as being better informed? How many times can you speak with the dead today?"
"Twice."
She taps her lips thoughtfully as she reads. "Three people died by our hands last night: the alchemist, the crossbowman, and the angry orc. Of the three, I had planned to question the alchemist and the crossbowman. From what Toramin said, they were working directly with the older gnome. Alchemists are known for their intellects but not their wills; he would have been my first target.
Make your own luck? Then the Mighty is truly the god for you."
Bjorkus and Ianna begin searching through the files and find several interesting facts, but none that seem to be of any help or have any relevance to the matter at hand. That is, until they open the blonde gnome's file. There is a long, rolled-up parchment that that when opened shows nothing but blank parchment. There is a note attached to it.
Found this on the deceased.
Completely blank??
"Some kinda hidden message maybe?" Bjorkus rumbles as he looks over blank parchment. "Maybe invisible ink. Rilka would have something for this."
"That is very true. I miss her already."
Ianna holds it up to the light to see if there are any hidden markings. She the Detects Magic.
"The only other thing I know to do would be to put it beneath a thin sheet of paper and do an etching. Do you mind if we stop by an alchemist on the way to the Rainbow Barrel?"
Ianna slips the parchment into her pouch.
When Father Thriun returns, "Thank you very much for listening to our troubles. Do you know of any trustworthy and discreet alchemist? Have you heard of that priest of Norgorber?"
The other nine appear to be victims of Villichi's influence, most of which are connected to the metal workers in the city.
Ianna detects no magic.
The two put the files back together, keeping the parchment. Then Father Thriun returns to the room and hands Ianna a sketch of a ring, a silver band with a gray gemstone depicting a six-sided die. With a smile he sits down. "Discreet alchemists? I'm afraid I don't have those kind of connections that you're looking for. Although I can tell you I know not of any priest of Norgorber, he is not well-liked by us followers of the polychrome. Perhaps it spawned from both of the gods claim over grey. Perhaps it's because they spell it with an a instead of an e."
"That is the gravest of blasphemies." Ianna laughs. "I do not like him much either. Too much willful nastiness. Is twelve a common number of deaths per night since Villichi's rise to power?"
Ianna takes the sketch and places it in her pouch as well. She gives the high priest a few more moments to share anything he would like before thanking him. On her way out, she places 20 GP in the poor box.
"No, it's high, but not the highest. A bad night, but not the worst we've had." He makes some more idle chitchat, but it's clear he has nothing else to contribute. He smiles at the thanks. "And I'm sorry I couldn't. Please, take your time with the ring. I'm in no hurry to have it."
Ianna tries to recall anything about the priest based on his appearance, supposed name, and connection to Norgorber, but all she can recall is that the gnomes tried to eradicate the worship of that god in their civilizations decades ago, and did a very good job of it.
Previous info about local alchemists
All but Davkur have been known to speak out against Villichi, but mostly in quiet voices behind closed doors.
The gnomes thought they were successful at rooting out the followers of a god of secrets? Either that generation was far more competent than this one, or they merely believed they succeeded. It is difficult, if not impossible, to prove an absence.
Ianna and Bjorkus will head to Banmyra's shop. Ianna will do her best to determine to purchasing discretion is possible before revealing the exact nature of the service requested.
Unfortunately, Ianna doesn't get much more information than Banmyra is an alchemist.
As they finds Banmyra's shop, The Jelly Mushroom, Ianna and Bjorkus walk in to see a short, red-haired gnome behind the counter with two dozen vials of various colored liquids in front of her, and a set of spectacles with at least eight lenses that seem to gyrate around as she flicks them on an off. As the door bell rings she looks up and smiles. "Ah, hello!" She drops a pinch of something green in a blue concoction and blows on it. "Now stay." She says to the concoction, as if its a pet that can be given commands.
The gnome shuffles around the counter and comes to greet the two newcomers. "I apologize, I don't get many customers this early in the morning! I am Banmyra, what can I help you with today?"
Ianna gives Banmyra a bright smile and asks in a friendly, but professional tone,
"Hello. My name is Ziza Dibh Muileta; I am a merchant. I came across something that might be a communication from a competitor to his subordinate -- a very unfriendly competitor. I was hoping that I could negotiate a contract of non-disclosure about this potential communication with you and then get your professional opinion on it?"