Partners in Crime

We've been arrested, but good thing they didn't take any books from us. Or our weapons really. They don't seem very organized here in Croesus.... or maybe too organized.
 
To make a long story short, Gax and I are here because we associate with Misht, who has been arrested for blowing up the town however long ago. I can't say I'm really on anyone's side here. I did, in court, declare my friendship with Misht but blowing up half your town because "it needed to be done" isn't cool. But also, creepy elders worshiping a random fish god (Kilki, its fun to say) in the middle of the desert and having very culty vibes isn't super cool either.
 
Oh also, we came here to Croesus with Taleb and the dead body of Rinth cause the guy couldn't handle bringing back his missing elder as a dead body. So apparently we had to come along. According to Taleb, this would be a detriment to "the Great Swim" and he is so close to "swimming upstream". After some very very poor deception done by Taleb and Misht, we were immediately arrested. Cause again, we had a dead body on us and Misht also blew up half the town. Interestingly enough! Apparently Rinth isn't dead. We saw him, the exact same face and everything, standing up there with the rest of the elders as we threw down his dead body.
 
Gax and I were very nervous that Taleb was going to be killed, but not too soon after we were tossed in the dungeon did he bounce on down, brandishing a new emblem on his cloak. Still don't know what it means, but apparently he is still swimming upstream. We are very proud of him. He tells us we have 3 days left before trial or execution, one of those. We aren't doing a very good job escaping. Misht might have a plan, or he just wants to hear from his sister, who he tells Taleb to go speak with. Talen is hesitant, probably rightly so, but he agrees nonetheless.
 
What do you know of Croesus?
"Settlement within Ospela; Self-sufficient; Wary of foreigners"
What do you know of the elders; Delphis, Rinth, Esubien, Noleneu?
"Fools and zealots"
Which is the weakest link?
"Delphis is most prominent"
What if there is a dead body but its owner is still alive?
"Much magic both natural and unnatural that lends to such illusion or creation"
What's the "Great Swim"?
"Afterlife given to followers of Kilki"
 
Taleb has returned, but he's acting strange. He's unresponsive and generally unemotional. It is strange, he's just standing in the doorway and keeping watch, which is honestly way out of character for him. He isn't even fidgeting. What did they do to him?
Misht says he's seen this before, that those who have "moved upstream" to the inner sanctum of Croesus become strangely cold and distant.
 
What happens to those in the inner sanctum of Croesus?
"Not enough info is known"
What do you know of Kilki?
"God of Kuatoa Sanctum"
How does it affect people of Croesus?
"Not enough info is known"
 

OK so it was a doppelganger. We were so incredibly worried about killing Taleb, but turns out the doppelganger may have gotten to him first. Though Gax says they usually keep their victims alive to feed off their memories and emotions. We found a map from the council's office type place and found where Taleb might be. In a house that curiously had previously belonged to our friend Rinth. In any case, we rushed out of the council building to find refuge in Taleb's model condo house. Where we found Taleb, tied up and caged in his own basement. Those Bastards.