In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 145):

"As long as you remember why we are here..."

"Are you a priest, then?"

"Yes."  He looks momentarily surprised, and then gestures to the aspergillum* hanging from his belt, "Otherwise the priesthood of Hermes will be quite cross at me for carrying the symbol of the highest holy of The Lord of Commerce."



OOC:  * Narrator misdescribed it earlier, it's not a staff cadeacus, it's a short rod (like a one-handed mace length) aspergillum/caduceus.  However other than the holy relic hanging at his belt (and his innocent face) he looks like an old mercenary that's had a bad run of luck lately (worn leather armor, banged up shield, no pack, and a rather flat looking purse at his belt).

[Private to GM: They probably are upset that he's carrying it, whether or not he's already had to deal with them and prove he really is a Saint of Hermes or not is your choice.  He is not an 'ordained' priest by any stretch and barely knows the rituals.  More misdirection than outright lie, depending on one's definition of 'priest'.]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:46, Mon 22 June 2020.

In reply to Mancini (msg # 144):

This takes a whike. The Wallet has a cornocopia effect, the sausage is preserved. If the sausage (which looks half gone) is cut and the end is kept in the wallet, you should never run out of food... one slice at a tome."

"Thank you, Speguild. I best get back to my misfits. I shall be in touch when I have need of your services again."

On his way out, he asks his contact if there were any spotting of a dark skinned demigod. He surmises his group would be nearby.

16:35, Today: Mancini rolled 12 using 3d6.  Guild Contact 12(to find his group.in the city).

"I've seen lay worshipers carry holy symbols.  It's very common with the Triunists -- fully half of them carry crosses, if not more.

"Still, a priest of Hermes -- god of commerce, you say?  Does that mean you only heal those who pay you?"  Ardenas winks at the old man and smiles.

"I find it's best to sacrifice one coin when asking for a miracle rather than 'lose' two later.  Not that that is what happens, but coincidences, thievery, miscommunication, bad trades, seem to occur with a greater frequency when, eh... well you understand."  [Private to GM: Lie?  Does Hermes ask for coins, and if refused will come steal double later?  I don't know, Benny probably doesn't either, but it sounds good.  So, lie is "maybe".]

He fidgets dramatically for a moment.

"Depending on the wealth of the supplicant, I try to best figure the capacity to give.  For instance, last night Hermes granted me the ability to cure a young child of disease and blindness and bless her mother's cooking oil, which was all that was on hand, to allow her to anoint the home against further vicissitudes of happenstance for so long as the oil lasts, if she choses.  I requested she sacrifice twenty bits, five of which went to a blind beggar, ten bought radishes for a communal stew pot, three bought my breakfast this morn.  And so I am once again scrounging for lost coins between the pavers of merchant's square for my supper."

He sighs.  "Don't think that.  The high priests and I have different priorities, they look to the wealth of the church, I prefer to work among the people, spreading gifts of trade and touches of divinity where I can."  [Private to GM: He doesn't yet (unless you want it that way) have beef with the local church.  He just knows how churches run, and that he really doesn't know much about how to be a clergymen.  Better to be a Saint in the gutter than called a fraud in the high halls.  So, trutheriness:  Eh....]

"You won't see me looking down on you over that.  If more priests saw things your way, I might think more of priests in general.

"But you say Hermes grants you abilities to heal, beyond even the trivial healing of injuries one might as readily get from a vial of potion?"  He gestures to a vial hanging on his harness -- which, if you have a good eye, you might recognize as paut rather than healing.

"Trivial?  Do not disregard as trivial the amazing and miraculous abilities of the alchemist, merely because they are available in the market square here for you.  I have seen towns that would give over their last royals for the healing we carry with ease in our belts.  Well, maybe not paut, but you understand.  And yes, Hermes has filled me with his divinity and I can bring it forth in small ways in his service.  I can become a portion of his divinity, my touch becomes holy, I can cause wounds to travel from you to me, and I can heal myself rapidly.  Beyond that, if I properly bend my Lord's ear, he grants proper miracles, I have cured sickness, cripples, the blind, I have warded an entire ship against evil manifestations, sent undead back to Hades, and I even once tracked down a child's beloved lost doll that had been stolen by fairies.  That last one was very interesting.  Mostly though, I've tended the downtrodden, given them fleeting blessings of good fortune in commerce, or bulwarked them against coming catastrophes.  Unfortunately in those cases my Lord really does help only those who help themselves."

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 152):

"Indeed you do. So how much should I charge for protecting you then, and putting my life on the line to save yours, or at least to distract demons from attacking you? That should at least cover the cost of your healing..."

"If you feel that is necessary, though I would suspect whatever the standard arrangement you've worked under so far would suffice."  He looks back to Ardenas, "Does this group not operate under a contract?  Do you have a patron or is this bounty work?"

"At present, we are working under a commission from the Hadereum, originally to escort Kalima here around town.  That has grown into general hunting of demons and demonic leavings -- things like magical devices that corrupt the users, or books of arcane knowledge that leave out minor pieces of information that would keep summoned beings in the control of the summoner.

"Just the other day, we stumbled on a cult actually sacrificing a demon in an attempt to summon an eldritch horror into this world, perhaps even open a permanent portal to, well, somewhere else.

"In general, however, we've operated under an equal division of any loot we gain in the course of that work."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 157):

"Which does preclude charging each other for spells cast."

"I'm not a spellcaster, so that's not something that needs to be worried about." He gives Aoife a nod and wink, "As for charging fees, I've never worked with a group and was answering the question posed.  A share is all I'll ask, though some miracles may require actual sacrifice of some sort.  I've heard nasty stories of what the gods do to those who cheat them... though Hermes is more merry jester than vengeful Olympian.  If it looks like that may be the case, I'll try to warn you before making any such request in your names."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:16, Mon 22 June 2020.

"You may rest assured I have no intention of cheating anyone, never mind a god or demon.  I've heard stories, too.

"So, obviously you aren't afraid of Kalima, here.  Are you capable of standing face to face with a demon, if necessary?"

"I don't know, I've never faced a demon.  However, I have spit in the face of death more times than I can count, and that was before coming into Hermes' grace."

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 161):

Manci i fi ds his way back to you with little difficulty, as Kalima's aura is visible quite clearly from a distance.

[Private to Benny Morales:the local church of commerce has a temple to Hermes as merchant, alms ate tossed in the fountain in the square on front. There is a shrine and gymnasium dedicated to Hermes the athlete, and a professional psychopomp traditionally acco.panies the newly dead to the Hadereum for burial. Those guys summon sparrows for a fee]

"Say, Mancini, we've run across this fellow who seems to enjoy Kalima's company.  Mancini, this is Benny.  Benny, Mancini.  Mancini is our nominal leader."

Oly, having received whatever blessing(s) and such from the Triune Church, heads back to find the group as well.

Benny nods and extends his hand to Mancini to shake, "It sounds like you're in need of a priest, as circumstance has it, I'm a priest in need of a job."

"I would be in fact be in need of a priest", he says, returning the handshake.  "Welcome aboard."

He slides back into the group unobtrusively.

"Hope you don't regret joining up, Benny.  The last place we investigated wound up collapsing behind us as we ran out the doors."

"Excellent!  Down to business, do you have a lead on the next nest of demonic taint to be rooted out?"

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 169):

"Mancini is the man in charge. We have a vague idea of what to look for...any thing demonic, and where. Pretty much anywhere..."