Fissure again picks carefully at his food, eating with an exaggerated carefulness but with an odd sort of grace. After dinner, he just bows his thanks and gets up to follow Ghorgor. The others, busy with the items given to them by the grand chef, hand Fissure the lockbox. Unfortunately for them, Fissure barely knew what to do with it. On their way back to the Hanged Man, he is accosted by a goblin in an oversized coat.
Stop. Good man. That box. It does seem to be holding you down. Son, let me help you with that.
Fissure, from his vantage three or four goblin-lengths up, looked down and shrugged. Not heavy.
The goblin shook his head, a gleam in his eye. Ah, it may not be heavy to your arms, but you your soul, my good man, to your soul it is a great weight. The goblin glanced at Fissure's simple clothes, his smile widening. You, fine sir, must be a simple man of faith, of the cloth, of aesthetic virtue—the goblin noticed something in Fissure's face at the last—yes, a noble, simple man whose possession of such worldly good would only harm your better nature. Am I right?
Fissure frowned, a bit confused. The goblin persisted, putting his arm about Fissure. Well, around Fissure's knee. Below it, actually.
Let me be of service, oh humble master. See, I am a collector. A collector of sin. No, no, do not be troubled. Each man has his worth, and mine, my good friend, is to suffer for others. It is the duty I serve so others as noble as yourself do not suffer. Please, let me take that from you. Let me help you.
Fissure opened his mouth, starting with, But others want— The goblin stopped him with a pat.
The others? Certainly they wanted you to take their burdens. They gave you that box, didn't they. Gave it to you so you would be spoiled by its sinful, tainted, shiny contents. Using you, so. Sad, it is. Me, I would never take advantage of one so noble as yourself.
It made sense, he guessed. Fissure dropped the box before the goblin, almost crushing him. Okay. Take sin. Now what?
The goblin seemed to want to rub his hands together for some reason, then thought better of it and peered in the box. He whistled, looked up and the goliath, looked down, then whistled again. Well, well, my most noble sir. This certainly would have caused you much trouble for your aesthetic discipline! I, your humble servant, will dispose of this, don't you worry. Hear, I have something, a minor charm. It'll help in the future. The distracted goblin held out a rusty copper chain. However, it caught on something the goblin was wearing and tore it off. A different charm, one better made. The goblin, so enrapt in helping remove Fissure's sin, didn't notice. The goliath gingerly took the copper chain and charm (looked to be preserved rat's head) and wrapped it around his throat.
Thank you, good man. Fissure like.
The goblin waved a yeah, yeah busy counting his newly gained sin. Fissure, glad to be rid of it, made his way to the tavern.
Wealth lost by deceit, wealth gained by inattentiveness. At least there is symmetry.