Grob looks at Talaran and whispers, "Is there a way to 'fake' trashing a place? And how much can we trust the shopkeep to play along?"
Around the back with Evlar, Rain misses Grob's whispered question.
"I haven't had a chance to apologize for getting you from behind the other morning, ahhh- brother. Sorry about that. I'm glad you got the wine, though." Rain smirks behind her mask as she tries to coax Evlar out of his quiet shell, "And at least you didn't get bear-hugged by that big smelly half-orc. Small mercies, I guess." Her tone is friendly and light as she regards the initiate beside her.
"I haven't had a chance to apologize for getting you from behind the other morning, ahhh- brother. Sorry about that. I'm glad you got the wine, though." Rain smirks behind her mask as she tries to coax Evlar out of his quiet shell, "And at least you didn't get bear-hugged by that big smelly half-orc. Small mercies, I guess." Her tone is friendly and light as she regards the initiate beside her.
Evlar remains silent, kicking at a stone with his mask suggesting his eyes are fixed on the ground.
He shrugs his shoulder and finally offers, "No hard feelings. I'm just not sure I'm cut out for a life serving the living god..."
Rain sighs with relief, "Oh thank goodness it's not just me!" Her voice drops to a confessional whisper, "I've been so confused by what I've seen so far, I'm just not sure what to think. Maybe- maybe you and I could watch out for one another? Have each others' backs, you know? I'd feel a lot better trying to figure this all out knowing I at least had a friend beside me."
Grum nods to the shopkeeper, not reaching for any fruit, "Next week you say? Seems a bit long away, don't you think?" In truth the half orc is stalling, trying to think of a way out of this, and hoping an opportunity presents itself.
Grob looks at Talaran and whispers, "Is there a way to 'fake' trashing a place? And how much can we trust the shopkeep to play along?"
Rythan whispered back, "We'll have to try our best. No way am I shaking down innocent people for not tithing to Razmir!"
Raising his voice, he said, "The Living God doesn't accept excuses, Master Welton!" He pushed up his mask and put a finger to his lips, winking at the baker. Stepping close, he whispered, "Kick up a fuss, Master Welton. We won't hurt you or your business, but you have to play along!"
Looking around, he grabbed some flour and began strewing it around, then slapped a row of pans hanging on the wall to make a clatter. "This is what happens to those who take the name of Razmir in vain!" he shouted.
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While they are making a ruckus inside, Heledar adds to Rythanus racket, while trying to comfort the baker - "We will not hurt you my friend, this is merely a ruse - soon things like this will not be needed anynmore, if we are successful"
He shouts - "GIVE ME MY MONEY!!"
Grum nods to the shopkeeper, not reaching for any fruit, "Next week you say? Seems a bit long away, don't you think?" In truth the half orc is stalling, trying to think of a way out of this, and hoping an opportunity presents itself.
He responds but staring at the ground and mumbling, "It's the best I can do..."
[aising his voice, he said, "The Living God doesn't accept excuses, Master Welton!" He pushed up his mask and put a finger to his lips, winking at the baker. Stepping close, he whispered, "Kick up a fuss, Master Welton. We won't hurt you or your business, but you have to play along!"
Looking around, he grabbed some flour and began strewing it around, then slapped a row of pans hanging on the wall to make a clatter. "This is what happens to those who take the name of Razmir in vain!" he shouted.
"Not hurt my business? What do you think I make my bread with? I think perhaps you don't know the difference between play-acting trashing my shop and actually trashing my shop!"
Rythan winced and waved for the man to keep his voice down. "It has to look good, Master Welton! It's this mess but nothing harmed, or someone else will be by to really mess up your shop - and maybe rough you up too! A mess can be cleaned, after all. Please, is there anything we can drop or break to make this place look trashed?" Rythan elbowed Grum. "Help Heledar yell," he whispered.
"How about actual trash? Master Welton, do you have some refuse or something we can throw about the place? It might stink, it might take some cleaning, but it's better than loss of real property right?"
Grum grabs some of the flour and grabs the difficult mans face, smearing it liberally with the concealing white powder, "Pretend we've beaten you about the face a bit!" he whispers, then asissts with the stomping and intentionally stumbles into a wall, banging into it loudly. he shouts loudly for the benefit of those out back.
The baker looks bemused by your actions but quietens down and allows you continue with your charade.
"Carry on, carry on. Next week it will be for real..."
That was a sobering thought. Rythan put his mask back on and dropped some baking pans on the floor anyway. "At least this week it wasn't, Master Welton. Would you mind lying down over here, and maybe curling up like we kicked you?" He frowned under his emotionless mask. "I can't believe the city watch doesn't do anything about this. I wonder how they sleep at night."
"If you struggle it will be worse, heathen!!!" Grobradon yells along with his brother, then joins Ryathanus in a whisper "This is the best we can do, Master Welton. Technically we're also supposed to get a hundred gold off you. I've no idea how to pull that off."
Grum tosses Grob a pan, then wields his own, his body language clearly wanting to bang them together to add to the chaotic noise, [bigger]"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'You don't have the money!?' I guess we'll just take it out of your hide!" and swings his pan at Grobs.
Rythan went to the back, where Evlar and Rain were waiting. He asked Rain to come in and Evlar to keep standing guard. Once Rain was inside, Rythan whispered the situation to her, and asked her if she had any ideas.
Rain gives Evlar a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder as she follows Rythanus into the shop. She nods in understanding, the mask bobbing up and down with the motion. "Hmmm... maybe one. Hold on."
Slipping quietly out the front, Rain approaches Krant. "Excuse me, brother. Just to be clear, a shop with no supplies and no proprietor cannot ever provide a tithe, so if some of our larger brothers grow too violent I should intervene? In such a case perhaps a display of Rasmir's mercy tempering his wrath would be illuminating?" As she addresses the senior cleric, she deftly tries to lift his coin pouch from his belt without his notice.
"Risky plan..." - Heledar comments from inside the bakery, a smile on his face behind the mask - "How long do you boys think we need to keep up this charade? It is starting to grate on me..."
Rain gives Evlar a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder as she follows Rythanus into the shop. She nods in understanding, the mask bobbing up and down with the motion. "Hmmm... maybe one. Hold on."
Slipping quietly out the front, Rain approaches Krant. "Excuse me, brother. Just to be clear, a shop with no supplies and no proprietor cannot ever provide a tithe, so if some of our larger brothers grow too violent I should intervene? In such a case perhaps a display of Rasmir's mercy tempering his wrath would be illuminating?" As she addresses the senior cleric, she deftly tries to lift his coin pouch from his belt without his notice.
[dice=Sleight of Hand]1d20+9
Grum tosses Grob a pan, then wields his own, his body language clearly wanting to bang them together to add to the chaotic noise, [bigger]"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'You don't have the money!?' I guess we'll just take it out of your hide!" and swings his pan at Grobs.
As you exit the bakery, the cleric eyes you suspiciously. "I expect no sob stories - just the money he owes!"
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"My concerns were unfounded, brother. The shopkeeper produced his tithe with both gratitude and thanksgiving." She smiles inwardly at the intended double entendre.
Rain nods to Grob or Grum, she has a hard time distinguishing between the two with the masks, and the small, flour-stained sack he carries.
Grum smiles under his mask at Talarin's words and the memory of what they just accomplished. Though she can't see it, Grum looks confused by her words that the shopkeeper had the money but he goes along with it, "Aye, we had to twist his arm a bit, but the 'mission' is done." He tilts his head at Talrin, and shrugs a quick questioning shrug.
Grob is grateful for his mask, because he's a bit confused as well. He nods to Talarin as if he knows what the heck just happened. Instead he just grunts affirmatively at Grum's comment
Rain elbows Grob and points at the flour-covered sack in his hand that holds the baker's tithe rather than flour. "Don't just stand there, you big lump. That's brother Krant's."
She snickers inwardly again at the irony of her words.
Grob nods, "In the true god's name," And presents it to Brother Krant.
"As it should be" - Heledar adds to Grobradron's words, his smile huge, taking advantage of the mask he is being forced to wear.
Rain scratches the back of her head pensively, growing uncomfortable standing in front of the bakery so conspicuously for so long.
Rythan scratches the back of Rain's head helpfully.
Krant takes the money and, mirroring Talarin's action, scratches the back of his head. "Think I ought to take a look and see how much damage you mansged to do. Can't affors to appear weak in the name of the Living God."
"Ahhh... wouldn't turning away and not showing any further regard demonstrate a greater strength though, brother? Razmir is not like that thug Rovagug; the living god does not revel in the act of destruction, does he?"
Grum bristles behind his mask, his large shoulders flexing visibly, "Are you suggesting we not only cannot complete a simple task, but are 'weak' as well?!" He allows more than a little anger into his voice, trying to sound upset.
Rythan, hoping that the baker had stayed curled on the ground as he had asked, only shrugged. There was no real way to keep Krant out of the bakery without blowing their cover; they would have to trust that they did a good enough job of creating a mess that Krant would just take a glance and be satisfied. He was just glad that the bakery didn't have a clear window, so Krant hadn't seen them faking the man's beating!
He glanced at Evlar, wondering what the other new recruit made of their current "holy work."
Grob shrugs, trying to act indifferent. Behind his mask, he seethes. I don't know about this 'god' but I know a few priests I plan on punching
Krant now appears in two-minds as to how he would appear if he chose to enter or not to enter the shop.
Grum snorts in annoyance and starts walking away from the shop, " You want to waste your time checking my work? Be my guest. I'm heading back." If Krant doesn't immediately follow, as soon as he's lost in the crowd or around a corner Grum presses himself against a wall. He peaks carefully back around the corner to see what Krant decides to do, ready to rush back if he thinks the baker is in danger.
"I thought the point was to do enough... ah, persuading, to ensure our charge produced his grateful tithe. Whether it took much or little, you hold the fruit in your hand, brother. Our other brother is right, if I may be so bold; I fear it would be a waste of your time to bother with our lowly charge any further." Rain holds her hands out to her side and bows her head, "But, of course, your wisdom will rule the day, brother. We will follow you to the end, as you see fit."
The end where I bury a dagger in your chest, you cheating, miserable, son of a-
Krant rubs his chin - or rather he rubs the chin of his mask. "You make good sense - we have done enough here."
With that, he leads you back to the temple. Evlar doesn't give any of you eye contact as you return.
The next couple of days pass uneventfully - and now the time is right for you to seek out Reginar and give him an update.
You have been given access to your belongings now but are asked not to wear them unless specifically told otherwise.
Despite not wearing them yet, Grum takes great pleasure in being reunited with his things. He examines his weapons carefully to make sure they're in good condition before setting them safely aside.
Moving to find Krant he stands tall, mask in place and gives an account of their progress. "We've fought amongst ourselves, aided in the preaching of the good word to the masses, and made sure the rabble remembers to pay the Living God his due." As he infers the beating they gave the baker, he grinds a fist into the other palm and chuckles, inwardly rolling his eyes at the man before them.
Unsure of whether they could trust Evlar, and not wanting to risk their mission on his personal ability to judge character, Rythan didn't approach the man to tell him of what they had - or rather, hadn't - done. He did, though, quietly speak to his friends about it. "What do you all think?"
Like Grum, he was vastly relieved to have his things back - particularly his spellbook, which he stubbornly kept with him, regardless of what he'd been told. His only nod to their instructions was that he kept the book inside his loose robes, so it wasn't apparent to anyone's casual gaze.
Rain spends significant portions of the following days with Evlar, trying to foster a friendship and at the same time subtly save the man from the lunatic teachings of the Razmirans. In her mind, Rain sees Evlar as representative of everyone the Razmiran church has wronged, an embodyment of every poor innocent who'd been swindled and conned.
Still, she knows how canny the Razmirans can be and a part of her is fearful that Evlar is a mole of sorts, that he's observing and reporting on the group's behavior. As such, she refrains from divulging the truth out right, and relies instead on half-truths (the poor should be fed, the needy clothed, etc etc) and double-speak over the intervening days as she tries to get a sense of the man's true character and motivations.
---
Despite instructions to the contrary, Rain keeps a good bit of her possessions with her once they've been returned. Namely, she wears her fine mithral shirt beneath her clothes and secrets her expensive set of lock picks under her belt at the small of her back. She's less concerned about being armed, knowing she can shape shadow into whatever weapon she might need, but she also keeps her deck of harrow cards in a pocket, a bit of sentimentality getting the better of her.
The next couple of days pass uneventfully - and now the time is right for you to seek out Reginar and give him an update.
You have been given access to your belongings now but are asked not to wear them unless specifically told otherwise.
Grobradon is VERY happy to have his items back, particularly his masterwork greatsword. While he might agree not to wear it, he'll try to find a good place to hide it so it can't be stolen from him again easily.