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"But you get eager as soon as there might be treasure involved" Kim remarks.

"I know this game: it's called 'Choose Up Sides and Argue.' We used to play it at the Guild," Martin says, hoping to forestall an argument with a silly comment.
"Sounds to me like you've been getting into dangerous situations because, in your eagerness to accomplish great things, have been doing foolish things due to a lack of experience. I myself have a great deal of experince doing foolish things."

Searos moves onto his second drink and points at Patches. "Sure. Lets go with that. My big problem, such as I have one" Searos takes a long pull from his drink "Is that we always get this promise of payment for finding a smuggling ring or finding out what happens to a bunch of villagers and then when we do it, or at least are in process of doing it, it turns out nobody can actually pay us anything but their ETERNAL *grand gesture* GRATITUDE. Now, I like being thanked as much as the next person" Searos elbows Gunter in the ribs "especially when I'm being thanked by an eager young lass who's never met anybody like me, ya feel me?" Another long pull from his drink. "But seriously, gratitude doesn't keep me warm at night. Well. It does when its the lass. But even she can't keep my belly full." Searos takes another pull from his drink and frowns at the empty mug moving onto drink #3. "What are we talking about?"

At the Church
When Brax arrives, a number of teenagers leave the building, joking and laughing, glad to be relieved from an unloved but necessary task (imagine school's out). Ara follows after them. Seeing Brax, she greets her politely.
"Good day to you, MS Brax I think it is? Have you come to pay your services to the Lord of Light? Then I'll leave the Church to you. If you seek counsel, you can find me in the garden" she says with a smile.

In the Cobweb inn
As the group is sitting there, Geraldine is approaching them. After exchanging greetings, she asks them: "So have you been successful in Dunreese?"

"Celandra." Brax corrects, "I have no status in the Church, Pelor called me, not the other way around."

Bowing Brax heads inside the church, her head low as she kneels before the small altar.

"Morning Lord, I have been tested, she calls me, her grip on my soul is still there." Wiping back a tear she closes her eyes, "I call on your aid, your blessing."

"Oh, yes. The smuggling thing. Cracked that three days ago, while you were out gallivanting. Reller, here, helped. Evidence is locked up securely in the vaults, and the militia is prepared to apprehend the culprit next time he visits the town. I was just waiting for the priestess to return, so I could share the good news."

Martin pauses for a pull from his drink while the inevitable tumult runs its course, then says: "Well, that's not entirely true, but we did make some progress. I mean, everything I said is true. Evidence of wrongdoing has been found and seized, and we have a few good leads on the guilty parties. The case is just not entirely cracked. It's not about brandy and silk and avoiding tariffs. Somebody is smuggling weapons. Lots of weapons. Enough to start a small- to mid-sized skirmish. And some kick-arse pharmaceuticals, too."

Searos sits there absorbing everything Patches says for a few moments. "I knew that story was a crock because I seriously doubt this town has a vault, let alone several vaults."

Jenara, let's move to Brax's private thread, to hav a continuing chatter going on in the inn

(sounds good)

Martin looks at Searos, puzzled, wondering if the man is already drunk and for once almost at a loss for words. Then he says: "Sure. We can go with that. And the gentry in town keep their valuables in brightly-colored hatboxes, marked: 'Do Not Steal!'"

Spotting Geraldine, Martin lights up: "Constable, good of you to join us. I was just beginning to regale these adventurers with a tale of seized cargo, but perhaps you could provide the official version, lest they doubt the veracity of my tale."

Geraldine's eyebrows dart up at Martin's words, but when he has finished, she nods.

"Yes, thanks to the attention of Drake and Reller, we discovered both a threat to our warehouses - an aggressive rot had taken root in one of the roofs - and something much more serious, threatening the safety and stability of the whole region.
In the warehouse, concealed among normal caravan cargo, we found weapons, and we're afraid there might be more to come. The silk and brandy we have discovered in the manor may just be a distraction. It's all the more important to intercept the smuggling ship we are expecting."

Kim looks at Geraldine and says, rising: "Then surely Council Member Soulstaff will allow me to retrieve the book and material we found in the manor, since he has withdrawn his apprentices from the matter. I will go see him about that immediately."

Brax rides Annas towards the inn, hood down she allows the wind to fly in her hair as she comes up on the stables. Discounting with a swift motion she bows to the Stableboy.

"Could you pat her down and give her mane a comb? I will make sure you get paid when I return."

With that she keeps her hood lowered and steps inside the common room, the symbol of Pelor visible on her chest.

Gunter scratches his beard, thinking about the implications of the weapons.

"Do you have any ideas on who might be picking up this cargo, or when they might arrive?"

Geraldine looks at Gunter. "Good question, Ranger" she says. "Yes we do, and because of that, I ask you all to see me at the constabulary, singly. Don't worry, none of you IS the suspect. But you may have information relavant to us. By 'you all' I mean those who went to the mansion with Master Cousland and Miss Soulstaff."

She prepares to leave the common room just as Brax comes in. "Oh, Brax, I need to talk to everyone of your group, singly. Do you want to come with me now, or do you need to get a refreshment first?"

Searos raises his cup. "I think I've had almost enough to drink to speak to law enforcement."