Fayruz looks up from her book, puts in a small leather bookmark, and closes it. "I'm glad you thought of me," she says. "I'd love to. A trip into town is just what I need to shake off the ghosts of the road." 

She stands and rolls her shoulder, working out a kink in her back. Then she looks over at Naila by the cooking-fire. "Are you coming?"

Naila gets up and joins them. "Yeah. Lead on, Layla."

"We'll want the side streets near the Great Library. I know the way." 

Layla sets off with a steady, ground-eating stride, confident that her fellow caravanners will be able to keep up.

Tephu bustles on. The Great Library has enough occult shops surrounding it that there's quite a few places to check. 

Over a few hours, they're able to eliminate all the old gods worth praying to, stop for a tense lunch, and move on to foreign deities. The atmosphere of the date was easy at first, but... with all the old gods eliminated, it's looking unfortunately likely that Layla's been chosen by some evil spirit. 

They try foreign gods, more out of a sense of hope than anything else. 

"... There were coins in the vision," Layla says. "I know it's a long shot, but maybe there's some deity with a symbol of coins?"

"It's worth trying, I guess."

The Great Library has records on many thousand gods; and some of them have a symbol of coins.

For example, there is Kofusachi, the Tian-Hwan god of joy and prosperity. He's a patron to merchants and those who seek many pleasures. His symbol is a string with seven coins on it. 

Well that's obvious, isn't it? It's got to be him. 

She braids seven of her copper pieces into a braid of knotwork, and tries it. 

She channels positive energy.

Took you long enough, little wanderer.

Wait wait wait, hold up, Sunaira isn't playing in the campaign? Layla is Kofusachi's character?

Didn't you say that you were going to play a catgirl, Sunaira? What gives?

What, you think that the leader of a merchant caravan who never settles down and is in a polyamorous relationship with a cleric of Bastet is a character that I'd be better at playing than Kofusachi? He knows this kind of character like the back of his hand, so I'm handling some of his interests in Tian Xia so that he can do micro here for me. He grants the Trade domain and I can't, and it has a lovely personal power for this strategy that I'm sure Layla will enjoy. 

I wasn't lying though, I am going to play a catgirl. Just not this one.

Maybe don't say it out loud, I don't think Lamashtu has figured it out yet. 

Right, okay, got you. I'll keep it quiet.

"Well, that's good news. A patron of merchants and joy. He does seem your type."

Layla laughs. "I was worried for a while there! But it turns out there was little to worry about. Let's head back to camp and see if Rana's got our alchemist yet." 

"You said this was a date." Fayruz hooks her arm through Layla's. "I have certain expectations, and I'm sure Naila does too. We can be a little slow returning."

"I agree with Fayruz. I haven't been in a proper bed for weeks."

"Alright, alright. You two are so pushy sometimes."

There's no real heat behind the words. Sometimes, you just need to take a little time for yourself.

Meanwhile, in a better part of town, on a small estate...

"So that's the proposal," Rana says. "Help couples have only as many children as they want, and all you need to do is provide your alchemist's license to the efforts. You wouldn't even have to brew anything. I expect it'll make you wealthy, and it'll get you out from under the roof of your father. You'll be making something of yourself, like he wanted you to. The journeys won't be very dangerous either, since they'll just be up and down the Asp from Sothis to the Three Cities. Few commoners would be able to afford the formulation anyway, so it's best to just trade between the major points." 

Zamir looks down at his tattooed hand. "I see," he says. He looks over at Kamil. "This is your plan?"

"Rana is more senior in the caravan than me," he says. "It's her plan. I'm just her escort."

He adjusts his glasses, sighs. 

"I see. You want me to - risk what little reputation I have left on an untested, untried formula that can be used as an abortificant? That requires constant upkeep at a rate of fifty silver per day?"

"How many families do you know where a woman has died in childbirth, leaving great grief behind in her wake? How many people's lives have been destroyed by children they didn't want because the man was too ardent in his devotion? I know it's bound to be controversial, but think of the lives you could save."

That's what Layla would say in her position, isn't it?

"I understand, yes." 

Zamir crosses his arms. "It is deeply regrettable that so many women die in childbirth, and I agree that this has the potential to help heal that wound... I just worry that it may be used for other purposes that would be harmful to many." 

He shifts, knitting his fingers together. "As for my personal situation, I'm happy enough living with my father. I want for little, and barely have to work. I can have everything you offer of value without needing to enter into such a tainted deal."

He looks at her levelly. "I know your reputation, Rana. You're wanton, hedonistic, and shallow. I don't believe that you really mean to do well by the people you serve. I think you're just out to line your own pockets. At worst, you intend to actively corrupt the people of Osirion with this temptation you offer up to them. I don't believe you, and I won't have any part in this."

Ugh. Of course Zamir has to be all lawful about it. 

"I understand. I think you would feel differently if you were to speak to my sister Layla. She's always been the responsible one in the family. May I arrange a meeting for you with her?"

"I'm not interested, Rana." He fidgets with the rings on his fingers. "I won't send her away if she wants to speak to me, but I deeply doubt she'll be able to change my mind. It's simply not the kind of thing I want to do with my life."