Jorlak always finds The Guardian's plane of existence disorientating. Older priests tell him it doesn't get any better even after many years' experience in the place.

He'd placed his hands on the Oracle deep within the temple, and the chamber in the temple faded as the glowing oracle took over his consciousness. Jorlak found himself standing on that flat, featureless plain. Then he felt Zardor's summoning, and the plain in turn dissolved to be replaced by Zardor's library, filled with books and scrolls.

Zardor himself is as inscrutable as a Guardian can be.

"Jorlak", he says in a voice that compels. "I sent you to find what the Karazthan were up to. I have witnessed artillery fire and burning airships. What can you tell me of those events?".

Jorlak

"The Karazthan airship was apparently brought down by the Legion after it fired upon the Academy of the Mind. The Legion originally became involved because of issues with their weapons; I am afraid I didn't completely understand that part. For that matter, it seems that a high official within the Karazthan was recenly killed by a weapon they make for the Legion.

"And a potentially hazardous discovery is that technology from other worlds is arriving on Kalyr. Some such power units were in a Karazthani storage room because they had been mistaken for their own manufacture."

"I can see who fired on what by looking down from the sky", the Guardian replies, "But I cannot tell why they fired. What you tell me is of that is of great use. A high official is dead? By whose hand? The legion? Or are the Karazthan divided amongst themselves?".

Jorlak

"There is certainly some such division among the Karazthan." Jorlak remembers, "There was also a Karazthani craft for traveling under the river which was apparently sabotaged, and only other Karazthani would have had an opportunity. As for the high official -- I was there, and I do not yet know who was responsible.

"The reason the airship fired on the Academy is also a mystery. The reason the Legion shot it down ... I fear a comment from me about this mission may have helped inspire a Legionnaire to take that action."

The Guardian looks angry at that last remark.

"I expect discretion as to your mission", he says, "But it is better to confess failure than to try futilely to conceal it. What comment did you make".

Jorlak

The priest thinks back. "I had mentioned earlier that there was a danger to the city, and I speculated that the attack by the airship might match your description. I do not believe that Kolath could have interpreted that as a definite conclusion. Certainly, he mentioned the Karazthan several times from his own observations."

"The airship flew from a remote location in the mountains between here and Calbeyn", says the Guardian. Another airship flew east, to Calbeyn itself, where it is tethered. Much equipment was loaded on board both craft at that location, but there has been no Karazthan activity in that area before. It is my speculation that they discovered something from ancient times; a weapon, perhaps. As Guardian of Knowledge, I must know what it was".

Jorlak

The priest nods. "A weapon would certainly explain their interest. Or a mirror -- some of the items arriving from other worlds did so recently."

"I have reports from Calbeyn that it may have been a mirror", says the Guardian, "Nobody from my temple in that city has been able to ascertain the truth; it's just rumours from bars".

Jorlak

"If it is a mirror, the equipment loaded on the airships would likely be from other worlds. The problem then would be getting my hands on the contents of the fallen airship here to confirm it."

"Not necessarily. The airship was moored above the dome for a day", says the Guardian, "Time enough for some goods to be unloaded, in which case it is either within the dome, or moved to other locations within the city".

Jorlak

"And if any such thing is within the dome, it would be under tight security." The priest sighs. "Still, they would not have bothered to bring something that important all the way from Calbeyn just to lock it away. That airship might be my best chance to find out what they have, especially if they overlooked something while unloading."

"Well, then", says the Guardian, "I task you to find out as much as you can, without placing yourself at risk, and without identifying yourself as one of my servants".

And with those words, he fades from view, leaving Jorlak standing in the stone oracle chamber beneath the temple.

Jorlak

Well, then. This is going to make it difficult to win trust. Still, those he already informed can hardly be "un-told", and may still be good sources. Jorlak's thoughts continue along those lines as he leaves the chamber.

Jorlak's next stop will be his room, to go over his clothing and check for anything that might identify him as a servant of Zardor.

Jorlak has enough 'off duty' clothing in his room to avoid obviously looking like a priest. Not a huge wardrobe; as a junior priest he cannot afford large numbers of outfits, but he can certainly dress himself as a typical lower-class human who won't attract attention.

Jorlak

If the priest were more experienced at subterfuge, he might think to carry something small that he can reveal on the off-chance he needs to establish his identify as a priest of Zardor. He might even concern himself with the possibility of a door guard not recognizing him on his return. But instead, he leaves any such identifiers in his room. He does write down some more notes on the information he has gathered this far and leaves those notes in his room.

Another idea that might occur to someone more experienced would be leaving by a less obvious exit, in case of observation. Instead, he leaves by whichever exit should be most convenient for returning to the site of the airship crash. (Although he will probably need to eventually return to those he has already met, doing so immediately might annoy Zardor.)