Wobbling his head back and forth a couple of times in a nonsensical gesture of disappointment, frustration, and anticipation, Adisakti walks toward the fellow, holding the ledger. "You look to be an important person. Are you the priest of the Homage of Dawn?"
The man stammers for a second at being asked if he is the priest. He gestures to the man with whom he was speaking to wait, then turns to face Adisakti. "No, no, I... I am not. I am one of the clerks. Bishop Roquier is the Preist. He is inside. I can fetch him for you, when I finish here, which should only take a minute or so, or you are welcome to to go in, yourself. All are welcome to the Homage of Dawn."
The man is dressed in loose woolen pants that have been dyed blue, something only available in West Cove, to clergy. He has a white tabard, emblazoned with a golden symbol for The Lord of the Day. The trim of his tabard is also blue. The man appears to be about the age of the party members. He also has a minor talent to bend waylines, but it is not known if he is aware of such. All clergy are known to have at least a minor talent, but they believe it to be a blessing rather than something inherent in about 10% of the general populace. His nature seems to be genuine and professional, even a bit friendly.
Astarte will listen carefully as Adisakti speaks with the clerk and later with the bishop. If Adi decides to go to the homage to talk with Roquier, she'll follow him, but besides to listen to the conversation, she will discretely scan the room, seeking any abnormalities, that should not be in a place dedicated to Dawn (except the wrong symbol, that she already suppose to find there as well).
Taylar observes any other people around and their attitude towards the religious symbols. He will make a note of anyone that seems to show displeasure in the religion to speak with them later.
Adisakti thanks the clerk, shrugs his shoulders as he looks at the party, cocks his head toward the temple, and walks that direction. Astarte does not detect any nefarious tone within the previous conversation nor anything, at all, to cause any concern. Looking about the activity of the town, as Adisakti spoke and the party entered the temple, Taylar notes that the townspeople mostly ignore the temple if not dealing directly with it much like they ignore the placard on the tavern if they are not entering it. There is seen no special deferment or aversion.
Entering the temple Adisakti starts to perform the simple ritual that is expected, as Taylar and Raven Elk also know it from being raised in Outpost, but he consciously stops the gesture and continues to walk forward. Out of respect, Raven Elk stops, nods his head, and lifts his palms upward, before continuing forward.
A man, who obviously seems to be the priest and is so, is leaning over a seated, elderly, Markidian woman, who is seated on a bench near the front of the main room, the entry of which is a double wide open portal from the atrium. The atrium offers two others exits, one on each far end of its rectangular shape. Moving closer to the priest, he is conversing quietly to the older woman and holding her hands in his. He appears to be comforting the woman, and, to Astarte, it sounds genuine.
The priest is a Markidian man who appears to be, only, a few years older than the party members. He looks up and nods as the party approaches, gestures with one hand, politely, to wait and goes back to listening to the woman. When the priest turned, Taylar observed that the symbol on his vestry is that of Daylight not Dawn, just as that of the clerk, outside.
Leaving Adi to do the talking when the priest finishes with the elder lady, Raven Elk cases the environs, wary of the possibility of a possible confrontation or outright ambush should Adisakti's queries raise an alarm from the priest and, subsequently, a fight.
Raven Elk hoped it wouldn't come to that, being in a holy house, even if a corrupted one, but there had been many distasteful situations encountered ever since the attacks on the surrounding villages and towns by these crazed zealots.
OOC: rolls --- 78, 90 (mulligan of 09), 64, 73 (mulligan of 37), 81.
Astarte will quietly walk closer to the priest and the old lady to discretely overhear if her sorrows have anything to do with the activity of the crazy Hand of Justice or other zealot(s) or even some from the governing body. While Astarte is aware, that the crone wouldn't dare to openly criticize those who have the power to severely punish her, it's still possible to get any information (albeit not directly).
52; I'm intending to use something like stealth to decrease chances, that the priest or the old woman will even know they're overheard.
OOC:
65 priest, 78 woman
When their conversation is over, Astarte will greet the priest (or apologize once more, if he already noticed her), then will listen carefully as now he's talking with Adisakti.
Taylar intends to play at being the dumb tourist, walking around and admiring the architecture. He will answer questions if spoken to, but will only observe if left alone.
Adisakti simply takes seat, near, but not too near the elderly woman. As he cannot heighten his hearing like Taylar or Astarte, he will watch the body language during the conversation. Once the priest concludes speaking with the woman, he will bluntly ask him about the symbol on the outside of the building, conveying that the symbol in Outpost is different.
