"It should be an easy sell to convince them the Shelyn worshiper is a bleeding heart and just giving her share away, as well." Flare says with a grin. "I still vote for trading with the temple... but it's a good compromise." she says with a small shrug, as she places a small songbird - one of the earlier she'd made - atop a crate at shoulder level, the stark white easily sticking out against the wood. If it spent much time out here, it would be forever changed... but she figured someone would pick it up long before that happened.
Thalion hurries to catch up with Flare and Cynthia before slowing to lockstep with them. Seeing the way to the temple blocked, the cleric sighs lightly before casting a glance over at her friends as if to say "Now what?"
Flare pauses for a moment, before tilting her head around slowly, loosening her shoulders up, and then continues forward to the guards, a friendly smile on her face. "Hello there! My name is Flare. My friends and I recently arrived in port with food and medicine. But... We heard about some of what has gone on here recently. We were hoping to speak with any clerics of Abadar that might be available? I understand that the goods we're carrying make up a sizable portion of what the city needs, and that they previously provided much of one of those services. Is there someone I should be talking to?"
Janus stands near Flare as majestically as possible, giving the impression of a successful merchant as best as he can, whispering to Thalion:"Any clerics who are still alive, that is...someone or something is after them...for whatever reason -"
"Field marshal Cressida kroft can help you with that. The temple is curently close pending an investigation. You can find her citadel Volshyenek"
Cynthia would be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little disappointed in the temple being closed. "Well, let's go find her, then." the shaman said, looking around to locate the Citadel and starting in that direction.
Flare gives a small huff, but nods. "Thank you very much. We'll head that way, then." she turns... and does the same thing as Cynthia. It really should be easy to spot. If not... it seemed likely the guardsman would notice what they were both doing. Once they figured it out, they headed that way.
Riven will continue to follow Flare in whatever she decided to do.
You head out to the citadel which serves as the HQ for the city watch. There you are given a meeting with field marshal Cressida kroft the commander of the city guard.
"I understand you have a shipment of relief supplies? How much and at what cost?"
"A ton of each, and not much else.". Flare offers. "But in addition to the payment, we'd like some information, if you have it. We heard that the Temple of Abadar suffered... Terribly. If there's anything you can share, or any way I can help, let us know, please. Ditto for information that might help us figure out why."
Thalion steps up slightly following Flare's offer and beams the commander a smile. "Is there is a need for any healing services while the faithful of Abadar recover? We may be of some small assistance in this and in other ways, should you find it fit to use us."
Riven tries to offer her aid with Thalion as well, after all the better the locals liked them the easier it was to move around.
"I'm not a faith healer but I can offer labor if people need it."
"I appreciate all the assistance we will see it put to good use. I can arrange a payment of 4000 gold if that is acceptable...As for the temple it was attacked...Why are you interested?"
When she hears you reply she nods.
"I see...If the Red Manthis are after you then you should be careful. They never forget a mark and will still be looking for you and they are still in town. I do not know why but they are intent on killing every priest of Abadar in town. I'm guessing because that was their contract. One escape and is in protective custody and at least one other is most likely still alive my information tells me he is hiding somewhere in the slums were he would often go to provide aid to the poor. Normally I wouldn't freely give this information but if they are after you then this provides us with a unique opportunity to draw them out of hiding assuming you are willing to help."
"Well, do fetch us a proper holy symbol and cloak. Can't you see a new cleric of Abadar arrived with the last ship?", Janus exclaims while pointing both hands open-palmed at Thalion, presenting him.
Seeing people's reaction, he shrugs:"Just a suggestion...no need to get anybody else involved, is there?"
Thalion shifts uncomfortably at Janus' suggestion, and his hand begins to reach instinctively towards the wooden bow and arrow carving draped about his neck before hesitating and returning to his side. "Perhaps I can pose as who I really am, a pilgriming cleric who is unhappy the healers of the community have been killed?"
"Or maybe you could, Janus. Thalion would likely be more capable while not being strictly nearby, and you've likely got an idea of how to blend in, so maybe the opposite is also true? Either way, lots of paths to pursue. If we look for the missing priest, we're likely to run into the Mantis who are also looking for him."
"Oh, a fine idea, surely. If garments are available, I'd gladly pose as bait myself. I have some...limited knowledge about religion, but as long as no more is asked of me than to play the role of priest, I'm confident; and we can happily pursue both plans at the same time... if I claim to look for the missing priest because he's a friend of mine, a mentor or teacher, maybe. The question is: Do we want to draw a crosshair on our backs, or lay low and hope we find the priest before they do?"
"I... don't know. I prefer to be more active than passive. We should definitely look for him, and also trying to draw them in at the same time may be wise."
"Then lets proceed like this. On the plus side, the Red Mantis have no idea I'm a mark-bearer as well now, so they may not be aware of my existance yet...which makes it easier to draw their attention without making them suspicious."
Thalion finally takes the time to look over Janus, and nods appreciatively at the somewhat familiar tenor of the man. "If there had to be a fellow mark-bearer, I for one am glad it's you. Welcome to the party!" With a pat on the back and a boyish grin, the gesture seals the cleric's naive approval of the new comrade.
"Perhaps we should visit a tavern or two, mingle with the locals over a few drinks, and let loose some rumor about you?"
"Or perhaps we can do something more helpful first during the day and see what we can do about finding the person or perhaps offering some services, so they know there is a new *ahem* cleric in town."
"And don't worry, I've got your back. See my new bow? I can't believe I finally have a bow of my own!" The follower of Erastil lets out a contented sigh at the thought, and prepares to move on as he looks Flare for a sign of what's next.
"I think we can tackle two task at once if you go into the slums and look for my missing priest. People down there hate the city guard and will not tell us anything and sometimes even attack my people when they go down there so sending my people to look hasn't been very successful." says Cressida Croft. She puts a whistle down on the table
"This whistle will signal a group of former sable company soldiers. They will be on standby on their hippogriff and will come in to help when you signal them. Do so only if you are attacked by the red mantis or are in dire need of help. You are taking a big risk so if you actually manage to kill or capture any member of the red manthis or if you find the priest I will be sure to give you a handsome reward."
"Sounds very generous of you" Victor remarks casually while privately thinking they would be unlikely to find any members of the Red Mantis unless such members were overly incompetent or aggressive. "I guess hunting the slums would be the best route forward, Janus, I imagine you would be our urban expert, any strategies that might come to mind. I confess, the only thing I can think of that might draw the Red Mantis out is someone acting as bait, but that seems awfully risky."
"I already offered to be that bait. It was my suggestion, so I should take the risk. Thing is, it's unlikely we find them unless they sent some incompetent idiots. Red Mantis are professionals. And if they'd been incompetent, the temple would not have been successfully raided. So we need to draw them out, as eventually, we'd end up with a target on our back anyway...preferable to bait them now, when we expect them, rather than wait it out and allowing them to surprise us."
Turning the whistle around in his hands before pocketing it, then patting down his armor absent-mindedly, Janus smiles at Flare and Victor:"I appreciate the concern, but with the energy from the mark permeating my being, I feel...confident, in a way. Still, I would not be stupid enough to search for my friend alone, knowing there are people trying to kill priests...think you guys can pose as mercenary guards? I expect the Red Mantis will observe, before they strike...so I'd say hiding in the open would be our best bet...if you try and hide, but are seen, they may figure out we're up to something."
Riven shrugs."Using him as bait is fine by me but he's right about them being professionals, do you think they'd even use their own people to attack?"
"I'm not sure how I feel about it, but... I haven't got any better ideas. So, I guess I'll just try to stay out of the way, til I need to be in the way." Flare says, offering a small, one-armed shrug.
Thalion puts his arms around round the party poser cleric. "Now that you've chosen the path of the faithful, we can be best buds. I've got your back, friend. And hopefully not with an wayward arrow." With a grin, he releases Janus and hefts his backpack to ease out a twist on the strap. "I suggest we get some basic foods, supplies, and may be an outfit for the new cleric here. We can head to the slums and do our best to be helpful while we get the lay of the area."
Thalion turns over to Cressida and bows slightly. "Thanks for all your help. May be we can meet back up over a drink sometime and exchange notes once we learn more. Is there a place you frequent where we can find each other without arousing too much suspicion?
"Okay, lets do this. I'll get dressed to look the act, and then we can head on over to the slums and start looking. Flare, if you want, we can also use the part of the cargo we planned on giving away for this...handing it out to the most needy parts of the population...may not be enough to get them to trust us with the location of the hidden cleric, but it'd be a good deed and definitely draw some attention, at the same time being fitting for our little performance, lending it more credibility. If so, we should finish preparations, then head to the slums from the docks. All good?"
With nothing more to do here you head into the slums and start asking around about the priest.
Roll gather information and give me an idea what you ask people (also do you give money as an incentive? How much? I will give you +2 on your gather information for every 10 gold you spend Max +10)
Cynthia, for her part, simply focused on asking people about their local practice of religion and who she could talk to in order to learn more. She didn't bother to grease anyone's palms - she was a respectable talker as it was, and their finances were still fairly low.
over
It took some time to query people properly, but hey, sometimes that was the price you paid for success.
While Cynthia moved off to petition the men and women about their religion, Flare instead focused on those houses that appeared to be empty, asking people of unusual comings and goings; an empty house that was suddenly populated would surely lead them to one of the two groups they currently sought.
As Thalion explores the slums with the group, he takes the time to note those in need of healing, and assist where he can while making small talk about things that those in the slums talk about, especially anything related to those who provide healing and food who may have stopped coming by recently and what they may have heard about it.
Somewhat following Thalions example, he uses his skill in healing on those in need, dropping a few quotes from Abadar's Holy texts that could raise people's spirits or feel applicable to the situation at hand.
He also gathers information trying to find out how much the people here know. - Janus expects that many people here at most know rumors and hearsay. If they run across someone knowing more, it could be an indication they had contact with the cleric staying hidden around here, knowing what's REALLY going on.
Knowing they are likely to draw attention, Janus also keeps his eyes open watching their surroundings to try and avoid walking into an ambush unprepared.
For both keeping watchful and inquiring about whats going on, Janus also utilizes his skill to read body language, and pick up on speech patterns.
Going around the slums you notice that about one building in three is boarded up and abandoned so clearly there is no shortage of places for someone to hide.
Offering healing quickly gets a tonne of attention as you get swarmed by those in need. They offer whatever they can in exchange for help several asking for help curing a disease. You do what you can too help and eventually they let you go once they find you cannot (or are not willing) to cast remove disease on them thought they still accept whatever herbs or poultice you provide.
Thalion and Janus will need to make a fort save vs disease after being surrounded by so many of the sick.
As you ask around you learn that there is a problem in the slum with dead bodies accumulating and having nowhere to put them. Used to be a cart that would come to collect them to take them to the graveyard but it stopped coming. Most folks have taken to dumping them all in an alley next to the abandoned toy shop.
You also learn that there has been a cleric coming into town and curing minor injuries and a few of the sick each day but he has not been seen in some time.
Nobody is willing to tell you were you might find him tough you suspect some might know more than they are telling.
Thalion frowns at the prevalence of the disease as he takes some time to study what common ailments are plaguing the folks here.
The cleric sighs as the day winds down. "There is so much suffering here..." He shakes his head at the apparent helplessness of it all before gathering up his belongings and checking in with his colleagues on their findings thus far.
@Diseased folks: While remove disease was not available, Janus was still VERY capable of treating disease the old-fashioned way, taking time and medicine.
He gladly does so, feeling that these people are in need of help that nobody else seems willing to provide. You're getting soft...is that Flare girl rubbing off on me? She is charming, but...
His thoughts wandering as he does the repetitive tasks required for disease treatment, his eyes travel over to Flare, watching her as she talks with some of the locals, trying to find out more. As she turns, he quickly focuses on his patient again.
Cynthia sighed slightly. "Nobody to take care of the bodies...?" she muttered. That was a recipe for trouble, and she started looking around for people who could do it themselves - or, failing that, organize proper cremation ceremonies to try and purge the disease. You NEVER just dumped bodies and left them there. That was simply asking to make things worse.
While the others helped take care of the citizens Riven keeps watch for suspicist activity and any out of place magic.
Cynthia is unable to rouse the locals to do any mass burnings they seem to have mostly given up trying.
Riven finds nothing suspicious.
You learn that nobody knows for sure how that pile of bodies got started but it has been steadily growing. The cleric from before had been looking into it as well.
One man comes to ask if you can spare anything to cure poison but if you ask for what or to see the patient he refuses to say.
When Flare turns up absolutely nothing, despite the sheer number of people she manages to canvas, she winds up spending a few more hours trying to dig up a lead, moving amongst the people, but comes up just as empty-handed. She returns to the others to find that they had been much more successful than she, though they still don't have much to go on.