Chapter Four: The Manifest of the Harikan Squall

There's some trees and vegetation around the paved area and the lane leading up to the temple that are off the public thoroughfares enough to provide some degree of privacy for a conversation.

It occurs to Zangua that the presence of the aforementioned trees and vegetation make this rather not a bad place to set up an ambush, but he can't see any obvious signs of one.

Makis Meti frowns. "I...don't know? His garment looks familiar."

"Greetings!" the man in the brown cap calls out. "It's my understanding that you gentlemen were involved in a violent incident at the West Bload Trading Company offices early today, and were later seen receiving guest-rights at the House of Gahmez. Would you speak with me for a moment?"

The man follows Mordred over and smiles. "I assure you, you are being observed. You are dangerous men. I know that. But I have no ill intent toward you. I hope that we will leave this conversation as friends." He extends his hand. "My name is Gethro Moag. I am the Amanuensis of the Hierophant of Hazard."

Mordred's eye falls upon the man's cloak-pin: a copper tablet and stylus.

Hello Gethro. I am Rosco, and these are my compatriots Boe, Luc, and Djessi. You may know Domarc and Makis already. How can we be of assistance to the Heirophant?"

"I do not," he says, nodding to Domarc and Makis, "but it is a pleasure to meet you all. Rosco, I'm afraid you have things backward -- the Hierophant serves the people of this city, and it is his wish to be of assistance to you. We know that the bloodshed at the Trading Company was instigated by members of the Six-Pronged Crown, a militant sect we have been trying to neutralize for several years now. If Makis Meti will forgive me for speaking bluntly about his benefactor...it was of some concern to the Hierophant that the targets of this attack, foreign visitors to the city, were immediately taken under the wing of the House of Gahmez. It is not my wish to insult the honorable Chorcarz dra Gahmez, but for all that he speaks of his political power and influence, you must remember that he is only the maternal uncle of the Innocent. The child's father and grandfather are the ones who hold the strings, and this frustrates Chorcarz greatly. The Hierophant wanted to warn you that Chorcarz may see this as an opportunity for intrigues, and that you ought to be wary. While his personal generosity, indeed, cannot be questioned --" Gethro pauses here to acknowledge Makis Meti with a look -- "his true fealty, in the end, is to his own ambitions. Do not allow yourselves to be used as instruments of his will."

Makis Meti, for once, is speechless. and quite red in the face.

Zangua doesn't see anybody, but he can identify a few points of cover where he would plant an archer if he was in charge of securing the area.

"My Jermal friend, the devilry you are most likely to see from the Six-Pronged Crown is the wordly kind, I'm afraid," Gethro answers Felor. "Theft. Murder. The desecration of hallowed places. They are, we believe, one of many cults that are convinced there is power in the remains of Ilhaz. If there ever was an Ilhaz, I doubt there is much of him left beneath the Mastaba. But old myths have a power of their own, and men will do terrible things in the service of false beliefs. I am sure you know this well." To Mordred, he says: "Chorcarz will know of our meeting here, but to avoid the blatant appearance of intrigues, I think it would be best if you didn't visit our side of the Trigon for now. I will reach out to you again -- at the appropriate place and time. In the meantime, take this. A token of the Hierophant's goodwill." He hands Mordred a small tin cylinder.

Ilhaz and the Mastaba have been mentioned before, in passing. The island in the river in the middle of Hazard is called the Isle of Ilhaz, and Chorcarz mentioned that his initial brush with the 6PC was when they tried to break into the Mastaba. Feel free to make a History check for more info.

"If you are going to involve yourself in the affairs of Hazard, you should learn its history," Gethro tells Domarc with a smile. "That would be prudent. That would be wise. Good day to you all." He turns and starts to walk away.

Mordred finds that one end of the cylinder twists right off. There is a small, dirty parchment scroll inside.

"Don't pay him any mind," Makis Meti mutters, as soon as Gethro is a few yards away. "The Hierophant is nothing more than a figurehead these days. All he has are schemes and rumors to make himself feel important. Everybody knows this."

Felor has a hard time reading Gethro. He doesn't seem to be outright duplicitous, but he's also making a point of the fact that he's not showing you all his cards yet. That History check is a big ol' goose egg though.