"Thank you for producing this cultural lesson, Mr. Jefto. I have our itinerary -" He presents it, with liberal map-pointing.

Message: Say, Chief, have you had the chance to think over the thing I asked you about last night?

"What are you whispering about?"

"None of your business."

I have; is it time sensitive?

It'd be better to talk about it sooner than later but it doesn't have to be right this minute.

While we walk, perhaps.

Nod.

Then off they can set, and Blai will take point as usual but keep an ear out for Messages.

Alright, Chief, I'm going to give it to you straight. Whoever it was that sold out the Family to Irabeth, they pinned a bunch of things on me that I didn't actually do, and they somehow convinced the rest of the Family that I'm the one who sold them out. So, I figure, we do a little detour to clear things up and figure out who it was that gave her the bad info, win-win, right? Plus, if they don't think I betrayed them, I bet we can get them to lend us a hand with the Gray Garrison, maybe help out with our supply situation, that sort of thing. But I need to know that you're not just going to take down all their descriptions and hand them over to Irabeth, that sort of thing.

I am not a detective. If this person is competent and not inclined to either submit to a truth spell, or commit a crime in my presence that I can then arrest them for to later insist on such a spell, it seems unlikely we'll be able to confidently identify them. I would expect that you could get Fiducia Rathimus - or possibly Dyra, if it's better for it to be out of the way - to get you a truth spell before whomever it is you'd like to convince?

...Well, he can probably come up with some phrasing that'll work, or at least that'll convince Sister Kerismei that he's not the traitor.

No way can I afford to pay Rathimus to go out into a city full of demons. Dyra's one of the mongrels? Is she going to get all fussy about the kinds of thing the Family gets up to?

She is a mongrel Abadaran and for the latter of these traits I can guess she will not be thrilled about theft, but if you contract with an Abadaran for a specific service they will provide that service and she has no preexisting connections to any surface law enforcement.

Alright, alright. Where do I find her, anyway?

Underground. There was a rope down as of a couple of days ago. Lann may be willing to accompany you to show you the way if you don't expect him to himself report the activity.

Good to know. ...Don't suppose there's going to be time in the schedule for a little detour, is there?

Depends how it goes. What part of this were you imagining fitting into today?

He'd kind of been hoping they could get it all done, but it doesn't sound like that's going to happen.

Well, I've gotta tell her what to prepare, right?

It's possible she doesn't have it by default, though Lann might know.

There's a few moments' pause, and then:

He says she usually asks for spells that're more useful for the hunters, most people downstairs don't want a Truthtelling most days.

Then yes, you'd want to get her a message and pay her for the preparation. What's the approximate strength of the recruits you imagine this sidequest yielding, so as to justify party time escorting you safely instead of just your own detour?

Promise you're not going to get us in trouble for what I'm about to tell you?

.......are you about to tell me something other than the approximate strength of the projected recruits? Why?

....I don't know how to answer that without just saying it!

Unless I learn this information unrelatedly, I will not willingly disclose it without your uncoerced permission and I will to the best of my ability avoid using it to inform my activities except as you permit.