"Not at all. In fact, it's quite the opposite - the quality of this weapon impressed me. I came here to ask if you wanted to do some... Larger scale business."
[5] The servant looks to the gunsmith. Unspoken words fill the air. Eventually, it seems, a decision has been reached. The gunsmith nods thoughtfully, and heads below decks. The servant turns back to you.
"Would you like to come aboard, sir Thunderblade? It is quite chilly this time of night, but the ship is always warm."
The interior of the ship is bright, tastefully decorated with wood panelling and silk hangings. You are led to a room which contains two large, ridiculously comfortable chairs facing each other. The gunsmith has seated himself in one of them, and you are invited to rest in the other. You are offered liquor in an ornate glass. The gunsmith watches you in silence for a while. Eventually he speaks:
"Explain your proposal in detail, mister Thunderblade."
"Bla bla bla"
The man indicates that he didn't try to get caught, it just happened. He goes on to explain in incredible detail the situation surrounding Max's raid of the shrine. A critical piece is missing from this extended explanation, namely what you asked in the first place: why it happened. He knows the official reason, the one Max would have had on his paperwork, and possibly even what he believed- something about being intolerant of other religions, an allegation which he is hasty to point out is not (completely) true. Even if it was true, though, that wasn't the real reason- that much should be obvious to anyone. What the real reason is, he doesn't know, although he thinks a few people of the Shrine might have a suspicion. Certainly their leaders knew, but unless you can speak ashes, that won't help you much.
As to your request to speak to a higher up, he apologetically refuses. The slightest hint of intimidation causes him to admit that he doesn't actually know where they are; they've been moving around the lower city for the past few weeks, and he wasn't informed of where they were going next- he is to be picked up later. His tendency to crack instantly under intimation, he explains, means that no one really tells him much in the way of sensitive information.