Bart gives Cariadne a fist bump. 

"So... We need to know what we can about what's happened to him, as it could be linked to what's happened to the other two missing people." 

14

Your examination reveals he is being affected by a weak, incomplete mind altering effect designed to change his loyalties.  The partial effect can be cleared with a lesser restoration.

"I can assist. It is a relatively simple fix." Liadyllea says as she examines the priest. She places a hand on either side of his face, pointer fingers placed on his temples, and mutters under her breath before a small flash of golden light surrounds him. She faces the others in the room, "He should be good now." She turns back to the priest, "How do you feel?"

Casts lesser restoration

Cariadne steps forward to meet Bart's fist bump. "How are you feeling after that fracas, Bart? The good priest has some healing potions here that he's been willing to share if you need anything." 

She looks over to the other half-elf. "Good to hear. I'm Cariadne by the way."

She also nods at the Undermayor. "It's been an interesting afternoon since we saw you." 

Bart is still breathing a bit heavy, but he shrugs. "It's been a day, for sure. Pretty sure I could use a drink. But I'm in good shape, don't worry about me. Still, take the potions. That lying sack is still out there somewhere. He was tough as hell. I knew I had the scent of a rat when the priest came up in conversation. We need to keep this investigation moving before he goes and cuts ties for us to follow."

Brother Randall speaks, "Physically, I feel like I've been through the wringer, but mentally, I feel clear again.  I was supposed to have a representative of the city church visit to discuss expansion ideas and when he showed up he kidnapped me and put me down in the storage rooms with that orb and those creatures. I don't know what would have become of me if you hadn't intervened."

The Undermayor interjects, "Orb? Creatures? What the hell is going on and where is my daughter? Where is Tobias?"

Bart steps up. "Tobias is not a priest of this temple's faith. He was clearly after the utterly enormous sum of money here. This looks like an incredible pile of coin for a simple temple to be acquiring in tithes and donations. He turned on one us. Tried to kill us."

"Your daughter hasn't been found yet. I'd like to hurry onwards to find her. We still have more threads to follow up on." 

Cariadne studiously avoids looking at the large pile of cash, and consciously makes sure her pockets don't jingle as she moves to pick up the last couple of healing potions from Brother Randall's stash.

"Yes, now that one mystery is unravelled, we should tease out the knots of the next. Liadyllea, are you joining us on our search for the Undermayor's missing daughter? We would appreciate your help."

"That seems a logical conclusion." Liadyllea says as she straightens her posture from where she was crouched over the priest. "Any additional details you can provide on the ongoing situation would be most helpful."

"Umm, that's not mine," says Brother Randall, looking at the pile of treasure... "I'd have to have saved every scrap of gold rather than spending it on helping the poor and funding the Mother Church! The golden objects, the scrolls, the potions and about 500 gold. That's ours, the rest?  Why would Tobias bring this much gold here?"

The captain of the guard as well as a few other townsfolk have followed the Undermayor and you back here.

One of them, a bright-eyed young woman with a mop of unruly blonde curls pipes up.  Looking up from the duplicate ledgers that were left open on the table, she says, "It's planted evidence to back up what these phonied up books are documenting, a case that Brother Randall was embezzling huge amounts of money."

"Sounds like the plan was to replace the priest. Get him out of the picture. Undermayor, hou might want to get the town on alert." Bart looks to the others. "Glad to have you on board, Liadyllia, but we don't have time to get to know each other. Time to get moving and find the other missing folks." 

Cariadne heads for the door. "Let's head to the falls area and see if we can find any trace of the missing girl. By the way, what's your daughter's name, Undermayor? And who was she with when she disappeared? You mentioned 'hooligan' friends earlier."

"Her name is Aleena," the young blond woman answers, interrupting the Undermayor, who continues, "We don't know who she was with, other than her usual friends, like Jax and Cutter. They were truthful but nervous and didn't give a lot of details.  They'll be at the falls most likely, and there is my daughter's room to look at as well as Squinty Joe's cabin." "This young lady is Jenniwyn, by the way, Aleena's former babysitter and a local who is interested in helping with the search.  I told her it is up to you all, however."

"I was not asking to get to know you, merely for any details concerning the case." Liadyllea says matter of factly. "Sounds like the falls will be the best place to start."

"Really?" Bart interjects, a bit quietly. "I figured her room, seeing as investigating right here in town seemed to reveal quite a bit. Might learn something important before we go to the falls." 

Cariadne smiles at the young woman. "We would appreciate your help, Jenniwyn."

She turns to the others. "Bart, you may be right. If the Undermayor's house is closer, maybe we should check there before heading to the Falls. Better than wasting time zig zagging back and forth between the town and the forest."

(OOC - @Charwoman_Gene Cariadne has the Gambler background which has the following feature: "Odds and probability are your bread and butter. During downtime activities that involve games of chance or figuring odds on the best plan, you can get a solid sense of which choice is likely the best one and which opportunities seem too good to be true, at the DM’s determination." Does Cariadne have any particular sense of which way might be best here?)

Caridne gets the distinct feeling of the dice rolling in her head when thinking of the Undermayor's house.

Cariadne flicks her lucky die in the air and catches it again. "C'mon - let's go to the Undermayor's place. I have a feeling."

She heads towards the door.