It was a well-known fact that the Lord of Dawn, Lushan, and the Lord of Darkness, Bane, were at odds with one another. While Bane's church might turn a blind eye to the missionary efforts of others, when it came to Lushan, they would invariably mobilize to eliminate their rival at the first opportunity—a duty they were compelled to fulfill, beyond reproach.
In Dagger Valley, the smuggling trade was tacitly permitted by Santier Castle. The three major factions of Santier had invested substantial resources and manpower here to establish a conduit for contact with nations like Komir. In this smuggler's haven, each faction sought to assert greater influence, which was characteristic of the Bane followers operating within Santier Castle.
Thus, Finn clarified Lynn's rationale: they would set fire to the place and subsequently report that it was the work of Lushan's followers. Even if the church were aware of the falsehood, they would adamantly insist it was the Lushan church responsible, thereby justifying their intervention.
Who perpetrated the act was inconsequential; what truly mattered was that the church wished to attribute the blame to Lushan's followers, allowing them to act preemptively to expand their own influence.
In comparison to a shipment of goods, the control over the smuggling operation was far more significant. After all, the smuggling in Dagger Valley was merely a minor operation by land, vastly overshadowed by the scale of maritime trade. The three factions of Santier Castle were entirely unconcerned about the monetary loss from a burned shipment; holding the communication channel with Komir was far more critical than any petty financial concern.
Once Bane's church dispatched personnel, even if the leaders of the Council of Santier and the merchant guilds recognized that Lushan's church was not behind the arson, they would still attribute the act to Bane's followers. Their focus would rest on the loss of their own influence and on the control over the smuggling point. Regardless of who initiated the fire, as long as Bane's church took action, they would assume it was their doing, playing the role of thieves crying "stop thief."
At that juncture, even if everyone knew that it was not Lushan's church but their own that was responsible, no one would concern themselves with such details. Because Bane's church stood to gain, the other two factions would lay the blame squarely on them, asserting that it was Bane's church behind the operation.
Thus, strictly speaking, Lynn was not merely shifting blame onto Lushan's church; he was effectively redirecting it towards Bane's church.
While publicly everyone would claim it was Lushan's church that was responsible, privately they would all attribute the account to Bane's church.
However, as a cleric of Bane, Finn was entirely indifferent to actions that could tarnish the church's reputation. Bane was not a deity who valued honor; if tangible benefits could be secured, reputation was of little concern. Their tactics indeed suggested a potential for Bane's church to expand; amidst the prospect of real gains, taking the fall was a minor issue. Who cared about a tarnished reputation when there were rewards to reap?
At least, Finn did not see it as a significant concern.
Most importantly, under this plan, everyone would focus more intently on the struggle for power within Dagger Valley, leaving little room for anyone to scrutinize their malicious act of arson. The three factions of Santier would become embroiled in their own disputes, paying them no mind.
In Lynn's strategy, the crux lay in their act of arson rather than outright theft, resulting in no personal gain for them—merely leaving them destitute. At best, they would manage to recruit a band of desperate bandits, individuals so impoverished that the three factions would scarcely consider pursuing them.
The only lingering concern was whether Bane's church would resort to eliminating witnesses once their deed was done. However, covering up the truth necessitated respect for the facts, yet the power struggles within Santier Castle prioritized seizing the initiative, rendering the actual truth less significant. Once an event transpired, the nature of the truth mattered little: revealing it was too troublesome, as the people of Santier preferred to fabricate their own outcomes, dismissing the need for inquiries into the truth.
This had always been their modus operandi, thus the feasibility of the plan was remarkably high.
What remained was the task of locating the smugglers' storage and subsequently setting it ablaze.
In the following days, the group settled in Dagger Valley, presenting themselves as a band of adventurers on a special mission. Lynn assigned tasks to each member, directing them to commence their intelligence-gathering efforts.
As a priest of Bane, Finn's assignment was the most formal. He ventured to the tavern and proclaimed that he was in service to a merchant caravan from Santier Castle, which intended to traverse the Black Road and cross the desert to engage in trade in the northern lands. Due to the limited scale of their caravan, they preferred not to squander resources on extensive armament; instead, they sought to negotiate with the bandits along their route, offering payment for protection to avoid being robbed.
Such arrangements were not uncommon; not every caravan could muster a formidable armament. It was entirely reasonable for smaller caravans to pay protection fees to bandits, one of the bandits' primary sources of income, and was a common practice.
By taking this approach, they would establish contact with the bandits. Following that, he would engage in negotiations with these outlaw groups, and once the goods were incinerated, he could extend an olive branch at the opportune moment, thereby enlisting manpower for their northern journey.
This was the ultimate goal, necessitating early preparations.
Meanwhile, the more astute Marty was tasked with investigating the surrounding religious affiliations. They had already resolved to pin the blame on Lushan's followers, but the specifics of this scapegoating required careful detail. This was not a matter that could be fabricated in its entirety; it needed to be informed by actual circumstances. If there happened to be Lushan's adherents in the vicinity, that would be ideal; even if not, they could identify potential scapegoats.
Though Marty was timid, he possessed some knowledge of religion. He lacked the courage to engage in dangerous behavior or deceit, yet he was willing to inquire about openly available information regarding religious beliefs.
As for Imory, she was assigned the most crucial task: locating the smugglers' warehouse.
Although the smuggling activities in Dagger Valley were tacitly approved by the upper echelons of Santier Castle, they could not be overly brazen in openly housing their storages within the town. Their warehouses remained concealed in secret locations, the specifics of which required investigation.
Imory was ideally suited for this task; she was, after all, the most adept at reconnaissance within the party, being a drow of the House of White.
While drow were generally known for their dark skin, the white drow were notably different from their underground relatives. Aside from their skin color, they were unphased by sunlight's punishment and could freely roam under its rays, granting them considerable advantages. Therefore, white drow often undertook special missions, frequently operating on the surface. They eschewed the conventional priestly roles typical of drow females for greater mobility.
They were specifically trained as intelligence operatives, making them well-versed in such endeavors.
Before long, each returned with news, albeit somewhat complicated.