"We were, but it occurred to me that it's easier to look down a list of just the salient names than to page back and forth through that ledger -- and further, with gods, demons, and possibly Elder things involved, we don't know how long we'll have that ledger."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 5):

npc'd
"I can keep track of it with some paper or parchmen..we just dealt with Rafelo, there was the printer's devil, the boy with the ball, that unholy warrior..."

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 6):

"So who is next?"

Jolinda waits patiently to see which way the wind blows.

"I left my pack behind for this stuff, and I don't have any writing materials in it anyway.  But...

"DuFontaine pissing in the fountain where the Triunists get the water they consecrate; the boy with the ball pulling his sister's pigtails when she prayed, the printer's devil spreading hate from those books, the armored, fireproof man burning the market, and a fisherman getting fat nets by giving fish folk the Elder idol -- that they worship?

"The only common factor I see here is disruption of the gods-governed way of life.  And we still don't know what if any connection there is between the demons who supplied Faust's shop and the Elder beings."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 9):

"So lets keep working our way through the book. Do we have anyone sponsoring us doing this work, or is it just charity?"

In reply to Aoife (msg # 10):

npc'd
"To the best of my knowledge we have no regular stipend, but are paid bouties by the Hadereum for confiscated items and for turning in cultists and demonologists, more if alive because they can't question the dead if they are damned.  On the oher hand, because we are not on retainer, we are not obligated to turn in anything we find..."

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 11):

"That works. Who then is next?"
This message was last updated by the GM at 17:10, Mon 03 Apr 2023.

In reply to Aoife (msg # 12):
npc'd
"Tere is an odd one, marked as a favor; it looks like an act of charity, giving a coin to a blind beggar...and in exchange a silver mirror was given.  that favor seems oddly weighty to me."

"Unless, of course, the point was for someone else to see the beggar receive the coin, and injure or kill someone who might have been important in the future while robbing him of the coin.  We also don't know what the silver mirror might do besides reflect someone's face.  Perhaps the seeming act of generosity was itself the trap to get someone who didn't trust the Shop to accept the mirror.

"We don't know how much foreknowledge the forces of the Abyss have, but they seem to have a good ability to select those in decisive positions.  I'd normally expect the recipient of the mirror to be vain, likely also physically beautiful -- or someone who desperately wants to be."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:05, Mon 03 Apr 2023.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 14):

"Or someone who was vain but had no mirror, and who would become more proud, and more susceptible to hell's influence if they had a mirror. Do we have names, to start asking questions?"

In reply to Sederic (msg # 15):

npc'd
"Let's see, the woman is identified as Marisol, and the beggar is described as being found near the Mosque.. "

"If Faust took the trouble to single out a particular beggar, it seems likely the gift was significant, as well as the mirror.

"How long ago was this?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 17):

npc'd
"Lookslike the day before we got the book,so 4 days ago?"

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 18):

"Ok, lets go check it  out."

Head off with the information we have...

"So, I guess go look for a blind beggar near the mosque, and then see if we can trace this Marisol?  When's the next prayer call, anyone know?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 20):

"I am sure we will hear. It is not subtle..."

With a degree of relief Jolinda agrees, "Let's be at it then!"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:54, Mon 10 Apr 2023.

In reply to Jolinda (msg # 22):

midday prayers are soon.  you notice a number of people heading toward the mosque carrying small rolled up carpets.

Jolinda starts out towards the mosque.

In reply to Jolinda (msg # 24):

Aoife goes with her, inviting the others to follow.

In reply to Aoife (msg # 25):

Sederic also follows along...

Ardenas as well.  "I wonder how these folk will react to Kalima?  She's very much not part of their way."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 27):

"Lets find out, shall we?"

She beckons for Kalima to follow them.

In reply to Aoife (msg # 28):

A pair of modestly dressed women hurridly cross to the other side of the street, making warding gestures as they go.