"Is there something I could have said which would have been clearer to you about how I don't want you to steal any things or for you to have or use any things that you stole including as bribes?"

"...what do you want us to do instead?"

"I want you," he says, "to go to an appropriate authority like the Eagle Watch and turn yourselves and your stolen property in to be remanded to more appropriate handling - probably some sort of useful work for you, and a good faith effort to return the property according to law for whatever you've already picked up. And if you don't go, I will drag you."

"Yes sir, of course sir, we'll do that right away."

(He is absolutely not planning to actually do this.)

"Great. Start walking." He points. They're just gonna have to escort these people all the way there aren't they.

That worked? He's just letting them go??

They obediently start walking in the indicated direction.

"The Goddess has a place for former thieves who come back to Heaven's service."

Wow, that sounded way better in her head.

 Fucking Sarenrites.

He checks the map. How much time will it cost to tail these guys till they fuck up or turn themselves in?

A round trip would be more than an hour on foot, longer if he doesn't want them to ditch their wagon full of stolen goods.

"I don't think they are likely to take this as nearly as instructively as I'd like but we have other work. Opinions?" he polls the party.

Why is everyone looking at him. 

"If you ask me, I don't get why you didn't just make them give you a cut. At least that way it would be going to a good cause, right?"

"He's a cleric of Iomedae, he can't just steal from people." Sigh. "I don't like it, but... if there's a succubus on the loose, that's probably worse than letting a couple thieves get away. Goddess willing, maybe they'll come to their senses eventually."

"A succubus? That seems far more interesting than common bandits. Where did you say this succubus was?"

"...Yes, that's half the reason we came down here, did you already forget?"

"I suppose I must have."

"I really don't like the idea of letting guys like that off free. If they're just taking fancy silverware, that's one thing, but I don't trust them to stick to things like that." He squints after the looters. "There are good metal weapons in that wagon of theirs."

His natural sympathies are not with the looters, but it seems that he's outnumbered.

"Distasteful as their actions are, I must agree that the threat of the succubus is more pressing."

"Their cart and their illicit detours will slow them down, and most fights are fast; if we rush and come across the succubus quickly, we can perhaps hope to catch up with them on the way back."

He'd meant his question as a real one, but there's not really a good way to clarify without everyone acting like he's a thief. If the Chief can't take their 'donations' directly, Woljif is happy to be a middleman!

"No sense wasting time, then."

Onward. At least his current armor doesn't slow him down as much as his familiar chainmail did, though that was better in other ways.

They are not otherwise impaired in making their journey south. As they get close to the area where the succubus was spotted, they see a crusader standing watch outside a house; looking closely at her, her posture is unnaturally straight, and there's something off about the way her eyes are darting around the area.

Hey Nenio, you've got Detect Magic today, right?

Of course! 

"Detect Magic." Pause. "She appears to be under the influence of an enchantment of moderate strength."