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Sorry for the silence, team. I kind of let life get away from me a bit...

Nikos realises he has been watching this whole ensemble as if it were a stage drama. The artificer had never had much use for temple worship, though he remembered to pray to the Host when it was appropriate, and he held the typical Aundairian belief that religion went easily too far. He remembered his foster parents telling him as a child that prayer was like good wine: never wasted idly, never taken in anger, and only shared with good friends.

As Derrigan reaches for his newly ensorcelled bow, however, things suddenly become real. "You go too far!" Nikos says in a loud voice facing the Rector, then he turns to draw the Nuncio's gaze as well, "Both of you! This ceremony is conducted in good faith by willing participants! No crime has been shown here! As we told you in Aruldusk, Nuncio, this package was intended to be delivered and no one short of a royal decree can stop that. Now that it has been delivered, Rector, it is House policy that any allegations of illegal trafficking be addressed. I hate to interrupt your ceremony but since things have already come to a stop..." The courier takes a deep breath and puts on his most official expression. "Under the statues of the Korth Edicts*, I must ask you to produce documentation proving your church has legal claim to this item. This demand has the full backing of the government of Karrnath, as established in this very city ten centuries ago."

Underneath his cloak, Nikos still clutches his wand nervously.

Diplomacy: 31. Wahoo! That oughta do something!

*So, in Dragonmark, page 10, it says that during the Korth Edicts, Galifar "swore to protect the houses..." I don't think it's a stretch to imagine that this means House Orien can call on military intervention if it thinks its services are being used illegally. This being the case, I also don't think it's a stretch to assume this is a well-precedented situation.

Nikos's intervention is like a bright ray of sunshine on a storm darkened day, showing they way through to Dioban.  As the crowd becomes rowdy Dioban mutters to the arificer "thank you." Whatever else happens, Nikos saw the correct course through this.

The growing restlessness sets Dioban on edge, and he tenses, ready to make good on his previous plan to snatch back the package.

Dioban can easily teleport to the rectors side, then to Nuncio to return the relic, but I assume a skill check would be needed to wrest the package free?

"They can't take it!" The older noblewoman cries out in response to Rogesh's call for legal proceedings to take precedence. "Once the Flame get's their hands on it I may never see my son again!"

At the other end of the chamber, the Nuncio largely ignores Rogesh's side conversation. "I don't care what your gullible dandies want priest. Your religion is a thinly veiled facade for evil no matter what kind of lies and promises you make to others." He briefly glances at Derrigan in disgust. "This is your last chance - hand it over now!"

"I put it to the congregation." The rector implores the murmuring crowd. "What do the rest of you say? Shall we give up this life giving blood to a spiteful man blinded by hate?"

Many in the crowd shake their heads in the negative and speak out against doing so. Emboldened at their neighbour's defiance, others join in until there is a chorus of "No!"

"Then stand with us, my people." The rector raises his arms in a encompassing gesture. "United we are strong, divided we will fall."

As it appears that the rector is not going to willing give up the relic, Dioban can take his readied action (a dex check if you please Belabras, to pluck the vial out of the rector's hands)