Blai has no idea of the pattern behind when Arendae is nice and when he isn't. There probably is one, just, he doesn't know what it is.

This person wants to know what the strongest demon they fought was. This other person wants to hear stories about their friends who were in the main force. This third person heard that Iomedae likes it when people burn the corpses of defeated demons in her honor, is that true or does that get you skeleton-demons?

(Eventually the bartender serves up some stew with carrots, though the carrots are less thoroughly cooked.)

That would be the lilitu but it got away. Blai was not with the main force and does not have information about the person's friends. Blai has no information positive or negative about burning demon corpses but would not expect it to be very useful at anything that you couldn't directly observe by being near a flaming demon corpse.

Yay stew that is not Worldwound Stew.

They fought a lilitu? And they survived?

It did not choose to prolong the fight.

Being so scary that a lilitu fled from them is still pretty impressive.

Well, they had help from the Goddess. ...Probably.

("Is it even that hard to kill a lilitu? Just put up a Protection from Evil and stick her with cold iron arrows, and don't be the kind of dumbass who'd fuck a demon." "You're thinking of a succubus, dumbass. Lilitus are way scarier.")

Lilitus are way scarier.

Eventually most people will end up focusing on the party members who are willing to tell exciting stories, if perhaps slightly embellished ones, but a few people do have questions specifically for Blai. (Will he say a blessing over their baby? Is he willing to give his opinions on local controversies? Is he interested in marrying one of the local women, such as perhaps this person's daughter (who, of course, is diligent, pious, and possessed of good judgment?)

He does not know any baby blessings. If there are really obvious controversies like "does Iomedae want mortal sacrifice" then sure but he'd hope anything blatant enough for him to confidently answer would not rise past the level of a private heresy. No thank you.

What, no, of course Iomedae doesn't want mortal sacrifice! Unless he means executing cultists, she definitely wants them to execute cultists. This other person thinks Abadar might, it's kind of like paying him. 

Local controversies that people here are interested in asking him about include: 

• Should they go back to burning cultists at the stake? They stopped ages ago, and it looked like it was working, but nothing like Deskari's attack ever happened during the Third Crusade.
• If someone is a Shelynite priest who's sworn an oath of non-violence, what sorts of things is it acceptable to conscript them to do?
• Is it okay to conscript women if they're sorcerers?
• Iomedae wants taxes to be lower, right? 

People are mostly conspicuously not asking him for takes on the Inquisition, unless the question about methods of execution counts.

(Ember looks a little distant.)

Cultists should get trials. Abadar does not go in for mortal sacrifice either, He's into people fairly transacting with each other in ways that enrich them both and not into murder, "not Good" does not mean "pro murder".

He thinks probably burning at the stake is not called for and Deskari's choice of timing is not related.

Well obviously you can't make them do violence. He doesn't know Mendevian conscription protocols and would be guessing about what that leaves but it would be smart to have a noncombatant healer and counselor role.

He doesn't know about women sorcerers.

He does not know Iomedae to have any specific opinion on taxes.

Taxes person is choosing to interpret that as 'he agrees that Iomedae wants taxes to be lower and just doesn't want people to think he's not truly loyal. 

"What's the point of giving them trials?" asks someone else. "Sure, if all you have to go on is someone else's word, maybe it makes sense, but if you catch them in the act you know they're guilty."

"You might know that; other people should not have to rely on what you say about it. And they might be enchanted, or have something else mitigating going on," or be doing an incredibly foolish research project about population knowledge of theology, "or have committed only crimes for which lesser sentences may be issued."

Thall is making a bit of a face like he's not sure how much the 'trials' part of the process is helping.

"Cultists are cultists, you can't let them live just because they spin up a sob story. If they were really enchanted into it the righteous gods will know their own."

"If you go around killing people without the processes that let everyone trust your judgment I am not so sure they will know you. And none of us know how many souls last minute conversations with our Sarenrite counselor may be saving, among those who did not have previous contact with the righteous gods but could get there with time to breathe. It is possible for redemption to take only a moment but probably not a moment when one is busily being murdered by a man dressed as a crusader. Of course if you must defend yourself, do so; of course I do not extend this to literal demons; but a cultist who puts his hands up I will take the surrender and believe that is the standard process."

"I'm not saying we should just let anyone do it, some people would take advantage of it to get rid of their enemies."

 "The Sarenrites can't actually save people who're slated to be executed, that's just something people say so they can feel better about themselves."

  "That's blasphemy."

Headshake. "And it's not true. Anyone can come back to the side of Heaven, no matter what they've done."

 "I'm not saying they can't. But it takes more than just thinking nice thoughts."

"I don't know much about the afterlives, but even people who've hurt other people really badly can decide to stop! ...But it's harder when they're scared, and hurting, and they know that no matter what they decide it won't really change anything."

    "I don't see the point of it anyway. I saw Select Stasia when they brought her in, I hope the bastards who did it get torn apart by locusts."

"Well, I expect Select Stasia hopes they are all saved in the final accounting, but perhaps you do not aspire to this example."