[JackOfClubs]

Well I wouldn't expect the Talons to be so upfront as to say "lie" in so many words, but the implication is obviously there.

I am happy to report that Lorelei has seen the light, although the occasion of her illumination has been predictably awkward:

Having ascertained through labyrinthine negotiations the whereabouts of the only cache of illithium in Athkatla, she proceeded to attempt to ascertain the illithium itself. Upon arriving at the proper district, however, she was accosted by a pushy, but evidently well intentioned, officer of the guard. He warned her of a series of gruesome murders and more or less insinuated that she might investigate. Since she was in a good mood after having discovered a source of illithium and since in was on her way, she decided it couldn’t hurt to follow up some of the clues. It proved laughably easy to determine the culprit (really what do they pay these people for?) but apprehending him proved to be another matter entirely.

When she encountered Reijek on the lower level, her party attacked with various missile weapons and spells, but Lorelei used the Ring of the Ram that she had … uh, discovered in the pocket of Tolgeiras while on the way to interview Sir Sarles. When the hidesman was not immediately killed, she assumed he would continue to make his getaway and she would have to pursue him later. On the contrary, he began to attack the party. After several minutes, it became clear that his constant contact with preservatives had made Reijek unkillable. The party beat a hasty retreat but he followed them all the way back to the district entrance. Lorelei attempted to enlist the aid of the guard, but without giving her a chance to explain, he nipped away to “investigate”. [And one wonders why Lorelei is suspicious of authority figures?]

Having reached the safety of the Promenade, Lorelei decided to interpret this as a sign from Lathander and proceeded with her back-up plan involving the illithium alloy with predictable results. However, she was surprised to discover, the priest that gave her the original commission was willing to accept her confession of failure without even necessitating her explanation of apparent divine intervention. (In fact the subject never came up.) Through a combination of shrewd diplomacy and very bad taste in artwork, she managed to squeak through the interview well rewarded and with no obvious negative consequences.

Perhaps this priesthood thing is not as bad as she had feared, after all.