003. The Third Blessed Chamber of Accounting.

[Corwin]

[19:37] <Kominun> "Come, come," The man says lightning quick, "Such cyncism isn't fair!"
[19:37] <Janson> "Neither's selling dirt. I can find that under my feet," Janson retorts!
[19:42] <Kominun> "You'll find benefits you never dreamed of!" The man tries again, "Surely one of you appreciate this chance?"
[19:43] <Andria> Andrea shakes her head. "Thank you, but no," she says politely. She does consider reporting the man later to the guard. Such a fishy merchant!
[19:45] <Kominun> Now with a frown, "What of you, young lady," he looks right at Aaeru.
[19:47] <Aaeru> "I have eschewed money as you know it!" Aaeru brightly responds, smiling at the shopkeep.
[19:48] <Janson> "As you know it?" Janson quietly repeats wide-eyed, looking at Andrea and Sylvie for help.
[19:49] <Kominun> "Sorry," Sylvie says to the man as she picks up her pace, ehading along. "I think that means Aaeru chooses to live on faith and Ilmater's word rather than material possessions?"
[19:50] <Aaeru> "Pretty much," Aaeru agrees. "Though when I say it the way I did, I get puzzled looks instead of pitying ones. I find them much more pleasant, really."
[19:50] * Kominun is now known as Kotono
[19:50] <Janson> "Oh, so you're like the girls that think crafted items represent the evil of civilisation?" Janson asks, putting it in a perspective he can understand.
[19:52] * Aaeru frowns, consider it before shaking her head. "Ah, that's not quite it, I'm afraid. I don't think they are evil. I just think you are much more freer without them! It's like a crutch -- money, items of so-called power people oh so desperately hunt for! What is there left for you if you are all alone and in need? If you fall upon desperate times? Why, only yourself, and the talents you have worked hard to develop!"
[19:55] <Janson> "Yeah, that's sorta different," Janson nods. "The ones I'm thinking of just want to live like animals, really. Which I can relate to! Since most animals are really nice. But still, if we can make things why not use that, right?"
[19:56] <Aaeru> "Some certainly believe so," Aaeru agrees, before laughing. "Well, let's be honest. Most do! But wouldn't it be a better world if all that energy that goes into making trinkets went instead into bettering everyone's life?"
[19:59] <Janson> "But doesn't it?" Janson asks, sounding sincerely curious and eager to discuss the issue. "I mean, if you make a plow and a granary, you can feed a lot more people than you can just picking berries. And I sure like wearing nice clothes like these," he tugs at his rather unremarkable tunic, "Than a suit of bark or fur loincloth. And isn't a house better than a hole in the ground?"
[20:02] * Aaeru nods. "You won't hear me calling to dismantle plows, for one. And if everyone just stopped having a roof over their heads all of a sudden, that wouldn't be very beneficial to them. I'm mostly opposed to the pointless, flashy examples of consumer goods, when you get right down to it. But if I want to lead by example, I can't do it by half measures, so I just hope that by going that extra mile I can inspire people to be more self-reliant, and to consider if what they are about to purchase is really as important to them as they originally thought."
[20:04] <Janson> "Ahh, like flashy jewellery or people who spend a month's rent on a bag of dirt?" Janson smiles as all becomes clear.
[20:05] <Aaeru> "Quite! Would such a person really enjoy all that flashy jewelry after having purchased it? Would it serve them as well as a more practical purchase? Could they have, perhaps, donated it to charity that would better the lives of others or might even save them? And if so, wouldn't they feel much better about themselves than from having that jewelry gather dust in some forgotten cabinet?"
[20:09] <Kotono> As you walk along you can see Merchant's Way's end. Far ahead lies the Second Temple to the Golden Mistress. Towers glittering like nuggets of gold shine in the sky, rising out from a white, rich marble base. Open gates allow all in. The highest, center spire is adorned with a grand clock of gold-gilded metal, moving of it's own design.
[20:10] * Janson nods. "So it's not really shunning civilisation so much as trimming it to practical things only?" he summarises his understanding of Aaeru's beliefs. "I can understand that... but I bet these guys won't..." he trails off and stares slack jawed at the fabulously ostentatious temple before them.
[20:10] <Andria> Andrea laughs. "It is the temple to the goddess of commerce and trade, so you're probably right."
[20:11] <Aaeru> "Even if they disagree, this is still a house of worship!" Aaeru states. "And if it's allowed to operate in Balmuria, then their hearts, at least, are in the right place! I'm sure it will be fine if we talk to them!"
[20:12] * Wayland shakes off his distraction with the street peddler and says, "Many equate wealth and material posessions to happiness and power. They are occasionally right, but not always. Aaeru's beliefs are severe, but respectable. It is not often that you find a human who can separate themselves from material posessions and gold."
[20:14] <Andria> "Well, let's find that friend of Vayth's. His name is Sammas," Andrea says. "We'll probably have to ask around for him, I don't know what he looks like..."
[20:14] * Janson walks a bit nervously into the temple, half expecting a snooty maitre'd to furiously usher him right back out again!
[20:15] <Aaeru> "Oh, I'm sure this part would be easy!" Aaeru declares, walking up to the temple and looking for someone in priestly attire.
[20:19] <Kotono> Inside you are approached quickly! A tall, limping man in rich golden robes approaches. He claps his hands together, smiling ear to ear. "Greetings of the Merchant's Friend on you. How may we profit each other today?"
[20:19] <Aaeru> "Why hello!" Aaeru greets him. "My friends and I are looking for a priest by the name of Sammas. Would you mind terribly helping us meet him?"
[20:21] <Kotono> The man sniffs the air as he looks at Aaeru. His face can't hide a slight look of queasiness, "Aaah...Sammas? Before that, I must say, such clothes are unbecoming of you. From the looks of it prosperity has eluded you; allow us to help remedy that."
[20:22] <Aaeru> Aaeru's face falls. "What's wrong with my clothes? I wash and treat them regularly, I assure you!"
[20:24] <Kotono> "M'lady," With a generous smile, offering his hand out, "Have you ever looked in a window and wished to have something? Or perhaps seen a merchant's wares and wondered how you could have such wonderful things for yourself?"
[20:25] <Aaeru> "Never," she responds honestly. "But if you have any wares you don't really need I can make sure they find an owner that does, if you would like?"
[20:25] <Kotono> Sylvie cracks a slight smile, raising her hand up to her nose to scratch, hiding her smile altogether.
[20:27] <Kotono> "I'll pass," The man's smile doesn't break as he clears his throat, "Sammas is down that way," he points into the temple, "He's in the third blessed chamber of accounting."
[20:27] <Janson> "Thanks!" Janson gives the priest a wave, heading onwards in search. "Wow, they have three blessed chambers of accounting?" he mutters under his breath.
[20:27] <Andria> "Thank you," Andrea says politely as she starts heading in the direction given.
[20:28] * Aaeru smiles anew. "Thank you kindly!" she echoes the others, following in after Janson. "Actually, I would presume there are more than three."
[20:28] <Andria> "Probably," Andrea agrees.
[20:28] <Aaeru> "Seven would be my bet."
[20:28] * Wayland nods. "Most likely."
[20:31] <Kotono> The party heads to the temple. The center worship area leads off in various directions. You go to the right and down a hall, to a closed, plain door with a relief of a regal woman on it. Written in Common is, "Third Blessed Chamber of Accounting."
[20:31] <Andria> Andrea looks curiously at them. "Why seven? I don't recall that number having any significance with Waukeen. I'd have personally guessed twelve, one for each month..."
[20:31] * Aaeru shrugs. "Better than six or nine, right?"
[20:32] <Andria> roll d20+4 oh why not!~
[20:32] * Wayland reaches up and knocks on the door.
[20:32] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+4 oh why not!~ and gets 17." [d20=13]
[20:34] <Kotono> The door is knocked on! A few moments later you hear, "Come in," A man's voice is heard. Kinda smooth and light, almost like a boy's.
[20:34] * Wayland pushes the door open and enters.
[20:35] <Andria> "Hello, we were told we could find Sammas in here? We're friends of Vayth..."
[20:36] <Kotono> Inside you find great shelves of tomes, racks of scrolls and a few desks. At one of them a man works. A man in well kept, splendid robes of gold with sparkling silver thread. His face is young and boyish, well over six feet tall in height. A slightly cat-like smile shows on his face, "I am Sammas. I don't believe we've met, have we? How can profit find us today?
[20:36] <Kotono> "
[20:37] <Janson> "Hello," Janson nods, but leaves the actual discussions to Andrea and Wayland since they actually talked to Vayth first hand.
[20:38] <Aaeru> "Hi! I'm Aaeru," she introduces herself, as is only proper, letting Andrea bring up that matter of her acquaintance.
[20:39] <Wayland> "We met a man named Vayth who told us that he had spoken to you about a merchant whose employ he had taken part of. He was unfortunately not paid by the man, claiming to be donating the money to this church instead for treatment for his sick family. We come to gain proof so that he can be properly paid."
[20:40] <Andria> Andrea nods. "I don't think it's fair for a man to work, and then not get paid his fair agreed dues, don't you think?"
[20:40] <Kotono> Sammas comes 'round the desk and closer. He goes to rub his temple and deeply sigh, "THAT miserable affair? Yes, I agree completely with you, ma'am. The entire incident is a travesty!"
[20:41] <Wayland> "So what can you tell us?"
[20:41] <Aaeru> "All donations and payments are, well, accounted for, aren't they?" Aaeru asks, wincing at her choice of words. "In that case, it would be a simple matter to either confirm this matter of payment or disprove it."
[20:43] <Kotono> "Of course they are! That's the main proof of the matter," Nodding to Aaeru sharply, "Not a single record exists in the holy records. I checked myself."
[20:43] <Aaeru> "Would it be possible for the Temple of Waukeen to officially sign off on that?"
[20:46] <Kotono> "An official document could be commissioned for a small fee," Sammas says. "The standard fee for this manner of affair is five marks."
[20:47] <Janson> "We can all chip in one, can't we?" Janson asks his companions, fishing into his coin bag.
[20:47] <Aaeru> "Umm...."
[20:48] <Wayland> "I can handle it. Don't worry about it." he says, pulling five marks from his pouch.
[20:49] * Janson shrugs and gives Wayland a hearty slap on the back. "Good man! Or... air... genasi?"
[20:49] <Kotono> "Ah," Clasping his hands together as Wayland produces the coins, "Thank you, good sir. If you wait a few minutes I'll draft such declaration."
[20:49] <Andria> Andrea briefly debates offering to chip in, but figures Wayland might be offended having already offered. Well, maybe they can get his money back when confronting the dirty merchant, or something...
[20:52] <Kotono> It takes about 15 minutes. Sammas drafts, writes and sets the parchment to dry, sprkling sand over it. Once that's done it's presented to Wayland, "An honor doing business with you, sir. I've not yet met an air genasi, you set a good first impression."
[20:54] <Janson> "Wonder why Vayth never thought about doing this?" Janson wonders idly.
[20:55] <Andria> "It was probably something he was considering," Andrea says. "It only just happened a while ago, we just ended up offering to do all the work for him."
[20:55] <Wayland> "Perhaps Vayth lacked the marks to make the purchase." says Wayland, accepting the draft.
[20:56] <Aaeru> "This alone wouldn't do much," Aaeru muses. "But merchants can't afford to gain a reputation for breaking contracts, can they? Especially not merchants that want to work with Waukeen's servants? I think that if the man in question does not agree to settle things properly and shoulder his own committments, we could take a page from Sylvie's book."
[20:56] <Janson> "Wear fancy dresses?"
[20:57] <Kotono> Sylvie glances at Janson, but holds her tongue.
[20:57] * Aaeru considers. "Well, I won't. But you could if you'd like!"
[20:58] <Janson> "How would it help, though?" Janson asks naively.
[20:58] <Andria> "He might be intimidated by the sight of you in a dress, and fear your condition is contagious?"
[20:59] <Aaeru> "Oh, well, I thought that you might've liked it or found it comfortable. No merchant would like to have proof of his misdeeds copied and posted all over his neighborhood, with the approval of the proper authorities, would they?"
[20:59] <Janson> "And that would scare him into paying up?" Janson asks, scratching his head. "Oh! But if it was you three, you could seduce him into- oh, posters. Yeah, that works too!" he nods quickly.
[20:59] <Wayland> "I feel as though I should be surprised in the turn this conversation is taking, but I am somehow not." Wayland confides in Sammas.
[21:00] <Kotono> "Ahem," Sammas clears his throat, "I have work to do. If you are to discuss your business, may you do it more profitably elsewhere?"
[21:00] <Andria> "Just having the guard show up at his door would lead to a bad reputation too, I imagine."
[21:00] <Andria> "Oh, I'm sorry. We'll take our leave then," Andrea says with a quick bow as she heads out.
[21:00] <Kotono> "You have unique friends," Sammas agrees.
[21:00] <Wayland> "Unique is a good word." Wayland says.
[21:00] <Aaeru> "Thank you very much for your help!" Aaeru tells the priest, bowing.
[21:00] <Janson> "Thanks again!" Janson waves at the priest and heads out. A male priest. Wow. That's just weird.
[21:01] <Kotono> Sylvie smiles and matches the others, and in a low voice, "So now what? Go confront the welcher?"
[21:01] <Wayland> "Again, you have my thanks good priest. On a related note, if you need any help in the future, we have opened our own adventurer's group out of the Whimsical Sweets shop. Look us up if you need anything."
[21:02] <Andria> Andrea smacks her palm at Wayland's words. "I knew I was forgetting something!"
[21:02] <Kotono> "Ah, your own business?" Calling as the party leads, Sammas smiles, "May Waukeen bless it and many come to patronize it! I shall remember it should I need it's services."
[21:02] * Wayland claps Andrea on the shoulder lightly. "Worry not, I have your back."
[21:02] <Janson> "Good thinking!" Janson gives Wayland a thumbs up. "I bet these guys would pay top mark, too!"
[21:03] <Aaeru> "Ah, not yet!" Aaeru responds to Sylvie. "We should go and talk to this poor man who paid such a hefty sum to the Temple of Waukeen and try to get him to commit to this. Now, we can't just outright lie about being from the temple, and how an audit found that he was overcharged... but maybe we can find a way to entrap him in his own words?"
[21:04] <Andria> "...That's kind of complex, I was just figuring on confronting him and telling him either he pays up, or we call the guard on him and ruin his name as a merchant in Balmuria," Andrea says, feeling a little headache at the idea of trying to play mind games with someone.
[21:05] <Wayland> "Andrea's idea is in line with mine."
[21:05] <Aaeru> "Well, is it illegal in Balmuria to be unable to pay your debts for whatever reason?"
[21:05] <Janson> "Isn't that the same as stealing?" Janson asks.
[21:06] <Andria> roll d20+0 K:local for that, I guess?
[21:06] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+0 K:local for that, I guess?  and gets 6." [d20=6]
[21:06] <Wayland> "It is likely illegal to not pay for services rendered. That's tantamount to stealing."
[21:06] <Kotono> "Legally it depends," Sylvie speaks up, "If you can't pay for a service you usually get stuck making it up somehow or another, depending on how big a thing it is."
[21:06] <Aaeru> "In that case, why would it even have mattered to go to the Temple of Waukeen for that?" Aaeru asks curiously. "Couldn't your friend have simply went straight to the Guard?"
[21:06] <Andria> "He'd probably have been given some leeway if his family really was sick, but he was trying to squelch on payment," Andrea says. "And this way we have proof of wrongdoing."
[21:07] <Janson> "He probably never got a proper contract," Janson adds. "Did he mention that to you guys?"
[21:07] <Aaeru> "Since he hadn't, I just assumed there was more to it and wanted better... well, insurance, I suppose, before we actually confronted the person that cheated him."
[21:07] <Andria> Andrea shakes her head. "He hadn't said anything about that. We could ask him though, he said where he would be staying if he wasn't still at the tavern..."
[21:07] <Kotono> "If we do have these doubts, maybe we should go talk to him again before we confront anyone?" Sylvie says, "Due diligence and all that?"
[21:07] <Janson> "So where do we find the merchant, anyway?"
[21:08] <Wayland> "Mmm, Sylvie raises a good point. We need our story straight before we accuse this man of any crimes." Wayland nods thoughtfully.
[21:08] <Andria> "The merchant was at the...Dawn Pointe inn. Vayth said he'd be at the Dancing Dragon."
[21:08] <Janson> "Oh, good thinking, Sylvie! You're sharp!" Janson approves.
[21:08] * Aaeru nods at Sylvie. "We really should. What if we were to arrive now and show this document only for him to slap his head and say that he's terribly sorry, but he actually donated to the temple of Mystra? We can't possibly go to each and every temple to cover our bases."
[21:10] <Kotono> "Well, when you say it like that," Sylvie has a small smile on her face, "Let's go visit the Dancing Dragon then?"
[21:13] <Kotono> The Dancing Dragon is just off Merchant's Way. An enchanted sign of a red wyrm prancing can be seen above it's front door. Inside it's all clean and new furnisings, sleek wooden floors and well groomed staff. The front desk has a half-elven teenage boy, dressed well and with an too big smile on his face. "Looking for someone, you five?"
[21:15] <Janson> "Doesn't this feel like a cheap knockoff of that big inn on the hill that's actually shaped like a dragon?" Janson whispers as he hangs at the back of the group.
[21:16] <Wayland> "We're looking for a man by the name of Vaythe.." says Wayland, pretending not to hear Janson.
[21:16] <Kotono> "Uh huh," Sylvie whispers back.
[21:16] <Kotono> "Oh, Room 8," he says, "Take the left hallway and it'll be on your right."
[21:16] <Aaeru> "I wouldn't know, I don't stay in inns," Aaeru whispers her own contribution, though she's quite ready to take the word of experts on this.
[21:17] <Andria> "Thank you," Andrea says as she heads towards the room, and knocks on it once arriving.
[21:17] <Janson> "I haven't stayed in it myself, it's way too expensive, but just look at it sometime," Janson suggests to Aaeru, following Andrea to the indicated room.
[21:17] <Kotono> The door to the room opens! Vayth is there, stepping aside. "How goes your investigation," he grunts. "Come in."
[21:17] <Wayland> "My thanks." says Wayland, following the group.
[21:18] <Andria> "Well, we got proof that Sanuth definitely didn't go to Waukeen's temple, Vayth," Andrea replies.
[21:19] <Aaeru> "Would it be possible to know why you did not try to get such proof yourself through your contacts, or go to the Guard straight away?" Aaeru inquires.
[21:19] <Kotono> "Go on," He goes to sit in a chair by a desk. It's a typical inn room, albeit clean and well kept. Bed, chair, window, desk, bed pot, that sort of thing.
[21:20] <Kotono> "You're asking about that," he turns his full attention to Aaeru, "Why?"
[21:20] <Aaeru> "Because it seems very obvious a breach of contract was committed, and those are two very easy ways to deal with it. That you haven't suggested to me there was more to the story?"
[21:22] <Andria> "My companions wanted to get the full story, before we confront Sanuth, that way he can't weasel his way out of things," Andrea explains.
[21:22] <Kotono> To this Vayth grunts again. He turns his attention to Andrea, "You have quick friends. You're right. Why didn't I just take the direct answer right away? I said I smelled shit...and I did, but not quite straightforward."
[21:23] * Aaeru listens expectantly, since they seem to be getting somewhere.
[21:23] * Janson frowns a bit at having been given the runaround. At least it was Wayland's money that likely got wasted.
[21:26] <Kotono> "Sanuth has the look of a frightened man to him," Vayth sits upright in his chair, "The look of someone who's in massive trouble and can't do a thing about it."
[21:27] <Aaeru> "So you pitied him?" Aaeru asks in an understanding tone of voice. "While admirable, wouldn't it have been better to tell Andrea and Wayland about this from the start?"
[21:29] <Andria> Andrea pouts, nodding at Aaeru's words. "Indeed! As fellow followers of Alicia, we should be upfront and honest with each other as we do our best to help each other!"
[21:29] <Kotono> Vayth jerks his thumb at Andrea's necklace. "She's bold enough to wear that. I wanted to see if she was worthy of it...and..." He shakes his head, "Maybe solve it or find something, anything that could disprove what I saw."
[21:30] <Kotono> "I was thinking it all over Andrea came up. It seemed too good to be true," Going on and pausing to scratch as his beardy chin, "So I went with it."
[21:31] * Aaeru doesn't really understand this part, but moves past it. "Would you have any idea just what migh be the trouble this man is in? Knowing more about him and his family would help as well."
[21:32] <Janson> "Maybe he's in debt to lots of angry looking men?" Janson mutters quietly to Sylvie as he keeps back from the fierce burly 'friend' of Andrea's.
[21:33] <Kotono> "I'm not sure, I hadn't looked into that yet," Vayth says.