At first, Finn was skeptical of Lynn's words, but upon entering the town, he quickly discerned several discrepancies. The houses were far more beautifully constructed than he had anticipated, and the residents appeared less like simple cabbage farmers. To verify this observation, Imory engaged in casual conversation with a playful child, soon uncovering the location of a clandestine market.
They promptly arrived at this hidden marketplace, where a diverse array of weapons, gems, and ores was on display. Lynn inquired about the prices, while Finn felt a sense of trepidation creeping in.
"So, the smuggler's den is this close to us," Finn muttered. "These scoundrels are utterly despicable; I ought to report this to the church hierarchy."
Lynn paid little heed to Finn's complaints, suspecting that the higher-ups in the church were already aware of this situation. The power struggles amongst the Santier elite often led them to engage in illicit activities. It was absurd to think they were oblivious to the realities beyond their walls.
They simply preferred to remain uninvolved.
"Your church may not concern itself with your words," Imory remarked, a sentiment she shared with Finn. "I have witnessed such occurrences in the Underdark; I had thought your human nations were far more orderly, yet you share more in common with us drow than you realize."
Among their companions, Marty was merely a sycophant, Howard perpetually wore a sullen expression, and Gonda was a disaster waiting to happen. This left Imory as the sole individual capable of discussing plans with Lynn and Finn. Yet, the drow's penchant for sarcasm irked Finn considerably.
"No matter how inept we may seem, we are not a target for your mockery," Finn retorted, too weary to argue further. Engaging in a discussion on order with a drow was futile, so he turned to Lynn instead. "I assume your plan involves those smugglers? The bandits in the Mokou Mountains require weapons and provisions supplied by smugglers; if you can locate the smugglers, you can find the bandits—through them, you can forge a connection."
Lynn's goal was to find the bandits, not the smugglers. However, using the smugglers as a lead was a valid approach. Having confirmed their presence in the area, Finn believed he had surmised Lynn's plan.
Yet, Lynn merely shook his head.
"Smugglers may not trust us; they won't take us to meet the bandits," he chuckled lightly. "Furthermore, I lack the funds to bribe the bandits. My approach diverges slightly from yours: I do not intend to purchase the bandits' loyalty but rather to compel them to join us—our methods can be a bit more forceful."
"You intend to confront the bandits?" Finn pondered the implications and quickly realized his misstep. "No, wait, you're not suggesting we seize the smugglers' goods and use those resources to coerce the bandits into following us, are you?"
"Why not?"
"That would involve a substantial sum of money, and smugglers are backed by powerful forces. We cannot afford to offend them," Finn cautiously replied, wary of implicating the church. "If we rob them, we will invite a considerable retaliation. We cannot carry off such a large haul; it would be all too easy for them to reclaim their goods."
"Indeed, that would be problematic," Lynn conceded. "In the past, even if we had stolen the goods, we could not have safeguarded them. However, circumstances have shifted. Did you inquire about prices at the market? The items there are not cheap."
"Not just there; Santier Castle is expensive as well."
Finn responded with mild irritation, fully aware of what Lynn meant.
Due to the developments in the north, resources in Santier Castle were now somewhat constrained. The value of weapons and the price of grain had both begun to rise. In such an environment, the price of smuggled goods would inevitably increase. After all, those risking their lives naturally sought to reap greater rewards.
Consequently, prices in Dagger Valley had surged considerably.
"The decisions made by Santier Castle have already made life difficult for the bandits. In times like these, should they encounter further challenges, their situation will grow even more dire. Therefore, I do not intend to simply steal the resources here; I plan to incinerate everything in this place. Afterward, Santier Castle will likely lack new goods for smuggling; even if they do, prices will soar, rendering them unaffordable for the bandits, leaving them with no choice but to accompany us northward."
Lynn calmly outlined his plan, while Finn listened in horror. He had thought robbery was already a reckless endeavor, yet Lynn's intention to cause direct destruction was far more alarming.
Setting fire to the smugglers' goods to compel the bandits to join them on an adventure—suddenly, Finn felt that his own occasional abuse of authority paled in comparison.
This was true madness.
Nevertheless, this idea stemmed from desperation: Lynn had no funds and sought to recruit bandits, forcing him to take risks. Rather than enticing the bandits with money, he aimed to compel them to fight for their lives—a solution, albeit a precarious one.
If the area was stripped of its resources, the bandits would struggle to survive and would have no option but to venture into danger. However, the dilemma lay in the fact that destroying the resources would also offend the smugglers and the powerful individuals backing them, leading to potential future consequences.
"Your actions will undoubtedly attract trouble. Setting aside whether we can actually accomplish this, are you not concerned about retaliation?"
"Achieving this is not difficult, as the locals would never anticipate such reckless behavior from us."
Evil forces always remain vigilant against the righteous, while the latter's methods are often mild. Combined with the smugglers' backing, they are naturally ill-prepared for a confrontation.
"Moreover, we need not fear repercussions, for I will not act in my own name, but rather under a different guise."
"Whom do you intend to frame?" After hearing Lynn's incendiary scheme, Finn found the notion of scapegoating less surprising.
"The Church of the Lightbringer," Lynn replied promptly. "The Church of the Lightbringer has uncovered the activities of a smuggling ring operating under certain prominent figures in Santier Castle. To combat their enemies, they have resolved to set ablaze the property of these nefarious smugglers—doesn't that sound entirely plausible?"
Indeed, it was quite plausible; the chaotic good often perpetrates atrocities in the name of justice. Should they truly enact such a plan, it would hardly raise eyebrows. However, as a cleric, Finn felt a grave sense of responsibility and brought up the Church of the Lightbringer, prompting a serious response. "Are there truly adherents of the Lightbringer here?"
"There could be," Lynn continued, fixing his gaze on Finn. "If signs of the Church of the Lightbringer's activity are detected here, then it would undoubtedly be the church's forces that come to clean up the aftermath. This smuggling point may persist, but the church's influence here would significantly increase, which would be advantageous for them—thus, you too must support my proposal, agreeing that the presence of the Church of the Lightbringer's adherents is plausible, correct?"