So much fuss about Taxes

MAL 16

 * Heading to the Temple of Lyra, the party passed the Church of Tallian and found a clanking steampunky machine declaiming against the Church of Tallian for cheating on their taxes, nailing proof to the Church door. The party looked at the documents, which appeared to include copies of pages from a Ducal tax ledger compared with a letter of official report to the Duke listing a different and much lower number. The difference is significant, more than 100,000 gold. After the party had determined that none of them were actual members of the Church of Tallian, they decided this wasn't their problem and moved on to the Temple of Lyra.

MAL 23

 * The party went to the Grey Citadel to talk to Captain Black. She had received the telegram from Ames and was relieved to know Seven is all right. Zadkiel demanded to know what had happened with Petros but Black only responded flatly that "new evidence has surfaced" which she wasn't at liberty to divulge. Zadkiel became frustrated and dropped a few f-bombs, but Black held firm and said the party would have to talk to the Mayor. She said there had been riots in the Docks district, but that the Head Priestess of Fantarin was in Hastenport now and had publicly declared her belief in Petros' guilt, which should help calm the situation down. Asked about the King of Clocks, she confirmed that they had also nailed the tax document to the church door here. She said that there had been clockworkers living in Hastenport for a few years now, and that they rarely caused any trouble, but Black has no idea what they're after with this tax thing. "You know that old adage about motives, where you look for sex, money and power first? Well, I’m not sure that works for machines." The party decided not to show her the letter about the King of Clocks plotting to attack Asture. Noyar came in with a bloodhound on a lead and remarked that there had been no further sign of Harasket this week, but that he'd be betting Harasket went to Asture, "because the tax records that got nailed to the church the other day would have had to be taken from the tax office in Asture, and one of the shapeshifter's presumed victims was a Ducal tax collector. Do the math." The party asked whether the executed farmer was the one who the party believed Harasket had framed for this murder, and Black said yes. Zadkiel and Adriel became very angry about this, believing that they had proof of the Harasket's guilt, but in fact they had no such proof, and the farmer's possession of the tax collector's stolen belongings as well as being the last one to see him alive were apparently considered pretty strong evidence.