Two weeks have passed since the events beneath the city. Though the memories are still fresh in your minds, life continues in Pheze, unaware of the great danger that lurks beneath their very feet. Even those who faced the exarch of a goddess could not resist the needs of mundane life. A chance to unwind, to force a sense of normality over their new reality, or simply a way to prepare for the coming unknown.

The Last Mistake has become more of a refuge than it was. Word has spread of the four adventurers who sought justice or vengeance for fisherwoman's daughter and returned, their goal achieved. Having saved a niece and nephew of Rilu San Celqo Ava Fhussu'a, the West District Representative, while avenging the girl has proven to be delicate morsels for wagging tongues to savor.

Glil San Tisdreis Ava Asreelm has taken it upon himself to inform any new visitor to his tavern that, yes, indeed, those are the heroes of West District, why it all began right here in this very tavern, not two weeks past, during that terrible storm...

Not wanting to burden the heroes with the day-to-day dealings with the public, he has made sure to run interference for those wishing to seek your audience, only the most important work will do for these heroes. A job he has come to enjoy almost as much as spreading your reputation and increasing the prices of his comestibles.

Rumors of strange goings on reach your ears more often than before as do the tales of neighborly woes and lost pets. Asreelm shoes most of these away with a subtle hand and calming voice. But on this day, he comes to you with barely contained excitement.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:46, Thu 01 Oct 2020.

"My friends! You are well." he phrases it as a question, but the tone implies 'But of course you're well', "I have someone that wishes to speak with you. He is of no small importance to the West District."

He quickly waves Bellach over, the overworked Uruk remains Asreelm's only employee, despite the increase in customers, "His name is Rilu San Celqo Ava Komyo. He is a cousin to Fhussu'a, and it is said he represents the District Representative in his...dealings."

Asreelm pauses as Bellach brings over a round of drinks, regardless of whether or not you were finished with your current round, continuing once Bellach leaves, "You are interested? Of course you are." he finishes, nodding in confirmation, but waiting for your response, none-the-less.

Beuren cautiously looks about the room looking to see if anything is suspicious.  He nods his head to his friends at the table.  I am okay with this if you are?
This message was last edited by the player at 15:35, Fri 02 Oct 2020.

Batri finishes his current drink, catching his coin between his teeth as he swaps his tankard out for a fresh one.  He spits the coin into his new beverage in a practiced move that the others have seen many times.  “Of course we would like to speak with him.  Can’t  leave a mouthpiece of the District Representative high and dry, can we?”   The others have noticed in the past week that Batri has swapped his crossbow for a new shield, a circle of wood with iron reinforced edge and a central boss which he usually hangs from the back of his chair at the Mistake.  He also seems to have taken to his new living situation well showing up most mornings dry rather than drenched in sweat like when the four lived in the same flop.

The tavernkeep beams with the pride of a newly minted father, he turns to the staircase and nods at a squat, well-dressed individual wearing a broad-brimmed hat who is standing at the top.

The figure nods back and makes his to the seats and tables at the far end above the stage.

"He will meet with you." confirms Asreelm as he makes a grand gesture indicating your path to the stairs.

Speaks downs her drink before grabbing the tankard that Bellach just brought over and heading to the stairs, commenting to Asreelm as she passes, "Correction.  We will meet with him."

Sitra also finishes his drink before grabbing the next one and following Speaks. "Well I'm sure this will be interesting."

Beuren follows Sitra, whistling to himself.

You make your way up the stairs to the remnants of the original second story of the building and notice that there are no other customers around here. Typically the "Balcony" is used by purveyors of sensual activities and their customers.

Instead, there is a single boy standing by an old counter turned into a makeshift bar. By his looks, likely a younger relative of Komyo, the man you are to meet. As you near, the District Representative's cousin, you see a man, dressed well, a large smile on his face and a broad-brimmed hat resting upon his brow. He is a wide fellow, easily half-again as much as a human, and short of stature, though fat would not be an accurate description. He waves for you to be seated with a large hand whose thick fingers are bearing an individual ornate ring.

"Welcome, my friends. Please be seated. I am Rilu San Celqo Ava Komyo, you may call me Komyo." he waits for you to be seated before continuing, "I trust your day has been pleasant? Asreelm has been most gracious to grant this audience with his local heroes."

He raises a pewter goblet, starkly plain compared to the fine linen its owner wears, "To your health, may you ever find solace where the wind takes you and may you never need shelter for when it gets angry." he intones the Elladan toast used for meeting of old friends.

Speaks takes a seat, not caring if her back is to that wall or this, that sort of thought she leaves to Batri or Sitra.  She raises her tankard to Komyo's toast.  "Thank you for the ale.  Would you like to state your business with us?  Heroing is thirsty work and my friends and I plan to be deep in our cups soon.  You have caught us at an opportune moment."

"That is fortuitous indeed." he smiles, "But as you say, down to business." He reaches into a pouch at his belt and lays out four silver pins each shaped like a pair of entwined dolphins. "My cousin is most grateful for the return of his niece and nephew. Should you ever need a favor, present this pin to one of our family members and we will do what we can to help."

He leans back, "Representative Celqo is interested in your willingness to protect the Western District. Pheze is not a safe city and the my cousin would like to change that."

Sitra takes a seat and raises his drink in a silent toast to Komyo. After Komyo speaks his part Sitra leans back for a moment."That is an interesting proposition. What exactly are you suggesting? Guards? Vigilantes?"

"Troubleshooters. The Rulers do not allow any sort of city guard. Hamakawa has ensured that his secret police keep watch on all citizens, but, as you know..." he says as he shakes his head, "...they only deal with crimes against those that rule Pheze."

"Thank for your benevolence.  But, is there anything you require that demands our immediate attention?"

"As a matter of fact, there is something that has peaked my cousins curiosity." he says with a knowing grin, "We live in a world of Small Gods. It seems like a new cult is springing up every sunrise. The Rulers do not care about them, at least until they become a threat to their own cults." He winks before waving to his son for another round.

"There is one that has taken to calling itself the Temple of Duvia. The claim that their god can usher the recently deceased to their own afterworld without being diverted by whatever demons you fear." he shrugs, "How true this is, I truly do not wish to discover. The district folk have been joining this cult by increasing numbers and my cousin wishes to see if they are being taken advantage of, or worse, being forced to join the cult." the son arrives with the new drinks and moves away to his post by the impromptu bar, "Gather as much information about them as possible. If they seem like a threat to the people of our district, perhaps eliminate them."

Is this a volunteer mission?  What do we get?    Beuren is charmingly direct as he drinks.

"Forcing you to do this, were that possible, certainly wouldn't bode well for good results." he observes, "If you do decide to help the people of the West District, my cousin would be most grateful, he is able to pay 50 gold, each, for the information you retrieve. More if the information is particularly valuable or if other...actions...may have been needed." He waves his hand dismissively, "Of course anything you find of value during your investigation, that will obviously have been lost and forgotten by the original owners, you should feel free to keep...safe...should the owner decide to recover it."

The unusually silent Batri speaks up, ““So, you would just have us determine if the cult is something altruistic or if they are fleecing the public, real or not?  You are trusting us to make the decision of whether to allow them to continue or... Persuade the leaders of the cult to stop their activities?”  He waits a moment to see if his understanding of the job is correct before continuing.

He strokes his chin, “We are well equipped at scenting the shit of cults I suppose.  There are some questions to be answered before We can fully commit, but I think you can consider us an interested party.  Obviously we would need all of the details of what you know of them, any people you e identified who are members or leaders, if they have a physical temple, things like that...  I would also like to know what about this cult makes it stand out for extra scrutiny with so many other ‘gods’ popping up all the time.  Oh and lastly the pay...  We have all been settling into jobs and lives and it will be a shame to have to put those on hold.  Two gold per day of our investigation each in addition to the 50 each on completion should make that worth our time though.  I promise we will hurry obviously, but with such an open ended job it is hard to know how long it will take us to do it proper.”