Karrin will share the groups story with Olie, leaving out as much sensitive information as she can, she trusts Olie but there's certainly information that could bring her friend danger if someone found out he knew that information.
Hamar grunts as Justin replies to the tall drink of water comment, "Wizard, I am quite sure she meant me..."
Alluvius grins, displaying a set of pointed yellow teeth covered in cricket bits
“You two are a rum lot! Wotcher need, cutters?”
Justin grins.
'Well, we are a lot of something.' He thinks wryly to himself.
"We are in need of passage, return trip, for a group of Silver Rose representatives, to a place called 'Erelhi Cinlu'. Have you heard of it?"
The woman shakes her rats nest hair in a negative motion
“Can’t say as I have. I’m not a portal jumper, m’self. I jest sell the keys. The dark of them is something I don’t mess with”
She leans closer
“But I gots some bloods wot know those darks. I could arrange a palaver, if yeh’re interested “
Karrin will share the groups story with Olie, leaving out as much sensitive information as she can, she trusts Olie but there's certainly information that could bring her friend danger if someone found out he knew that information.
O.L.L.I listens raptly, asking occasional questions and asking for clarification
“Friend Karrin, you have been through many discrete episodes of danger! This unit is very impressed by your actions”
The boxy librarian looks up at Karrin, his large round eyes solemn
“If you intend on discovering what this Tenebrous is doing, please take care, friend Karrin. This unit postulates it is able to destroy even divinities “
"Well with any luck Olli it's not going to be him or us, rather we'll kick the can down the road for someone else who's more capable of dealing with this, preferably some god. But until we can entice some divine entity to take this business up we got to do what we can. Pretty sure this Tenebrous isn't someone we want up and operation in whatever world he's from, the monster probably has fingers in multiple worlds if they were once a demon, and so we got to do our part to help stop them. I mean I'm not always the best person in the universe but my father taught me to do the right thing and I might not always be the smartest or the wisest person in the universe but it would take a real dunderhead or Barney*, as they say here in the cage, to not see this is the right thing to do."
*Karrin of course means barmy here.
“But I gots some bloods wot know those darks. I could arrange a palaver, if yeh’re interested “
Justin nods. "THAT would be most helpful. Please and Thank you. I prefer to go sightseeing with an itinerary. Don't you?"
"Discretely, of course. Client confidentiality." The wizard grins again.
'Not too mention I do NOT want whoever is trying to beat us to this, whatever, finding out where we're going and getting there ahead of us!' The wizard's inner self growls angrily. Justin silently told his inner self to have a stiff drink and relax. Then planned to join it shortly.
Hamar grins at Alluvius but says nothing further though he does eye her cricket jar, a tasty snack when no other food sources are available.
“But I gots some bloods wot know those darks. I could arrange a palaver, if yeh’re interested “
Justin nods. "THAT would be most helpful. Please and Thank you. I prefer to go sightseeing with an itinerary. Don't you?"
"Discretely, of course. Client confidentiality." The wizard grins again.
'Not too mention I do NOT want whoever is trying to beat us to this, whatever, finding out where we're going and getting there ahead of us!' The wizard's inner self growls angrily. Justin silently told his inner self to have a stiff drink and relax. Then planned to join it shortly.
The wizened woman looks at Justin expectantly
“Such palavers are much easier to arrange with a consideration “
Hamar grins at Alluvius but says nothing further though he does eye her cricket jar, a tasty snack when no other food sources are available.
Alluvius notes his hungry look and gestures to the wicker basket
“Help herself to a handful, cutter. Jest be warned they’re Avernal locusts. Very spicy”
"Well with any luck .....
O.L.L.I walks over to the chained tomes at the lectern and produces an ornate key. He unlocks a large volume and brings it to the reading table
“The wizard named Bigby traveled to Erelhi-Cinlu during his travels. Perhaps you will find some useful knowledge here”
The book is massive, with silver fastenings and a pebbled leather cover that is so black it seems to suck light from around it* . There is a silver legend on the cover
Annals of the Circle of Eight
below this is a icon of a silver-colored open hand with a golden bee in the center
*Knowlege (nature/dungeoneering) DC15
Hamar reaches in for a few of the tasty treats and crunches away, his face gets a bit red as he chomps but he bears it no mind, "Strong taste. I like my food like I like my women, strong and spicy.
Give the beautiful woman some consideration Wizard".
Of course Hamar thinks that means compliments but then he can't read so what the heck does he know about civilized contracts! On the Shaar, you can take something or you can't, bartering is fairly rare, at least for the stronger tribes. If you can't, you'll not be around long to worry about as fundamental displays of weakness correct themselves harshly.
Alluvius cackles gleefully
“I LIKE you, you big charmer. Any time you want a steady job, you come see Lu”
Hamar grins, "Do you need people killed here? I fear death dealing and scouting the plains are two of the three things I excel at and I don't see the need for either in this place Lu".
“Yeh’d be surprised, my pet” Alluvius says, looking up at Hamar and grinning a pointy-toothed grin “There be a lot of thieves, bully boys, and cully bashers in this city. I have a full staff of trig bloods to guard me wares “
She waves a long-nailed hand towards the discrete guards in the room
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"Oh I know Bigby, he's famous for his fisting" Karrin says, ignorant of how that could be taken out of context. Thankfully the room currently has a Modron and a paladin so there's likely not going to be any snickering.
The wizened woman looks at Justin expectantly
“Such palavers are much easier to arrange with a consideration “
Justin makes a show of smacking his forehead with the heel of his hand.
"Of course! Forgive me. I've been so busy gallivanting about the planes, I've forgotten my manners. With all I've seen recently, I'm surprised I'm not a complete addlepate. Ah well, give it time eh?" Justin jests as he searches his pockets for the notes that Renkar gave him earlier.
Justin pauses, thinking. "This last trip for example. We were only gone a week, give or take. But I SWEAR it feels more like 3 or 4 years! Humph. Time does fly when your having fun. Ah well."
Justin continues searching his coat, perhaps slowed by the unfamiliarity of the new cloak. Then smiles as he withdraws the two letters from Renkar. At least NOW he realizes why Renkar gave him two notes of mark.
Tucking one note back into his coat, he unfolds the other letter and shows it to Alluvius.
"As you can see, we did come prepared to bargain in good faith. All we need to do is agree upon a price for the arranged transportation. And, of course, compensate yourself for arranging essential extras, And I can fill this out. I'm thinking something generous for yourself of course, with the bonus of long-term return clients in the form of the Silver Rose?"
Justin smiles. And mentally prepares himself for battle.
Haggling has never been his strongest suit.
Sophie shakes her head at Hamar and Justin's dealings with the Tiefling woman. "Boys," she mutters to herself under her breath, as she resumes her study of the store and its inhabitants.
Merle will continue browsing her way up the building.
Merle wanders up through the two upper levels. The display cases here are incredibly ornate, the waitstaff more sophisticated, and the guards are fiercer, The items on display are amazing. In one horizontal glass case is a full humanoid skeleton made of what looks to be sapphire. Beautiful jewelry, blown glass sculptures, and gilded ornaments surround Merle. A gnome with a shock of green hair dressed in traveling clothes walks up to Merle
“Excuse me. I hate to bother you, but I am a collector of portal items, and I sense you are in ownership of a rare item. Would you be interested in selling it?”
Sophie shakes her head at Hamar and Justin's dealings with the Tiefling woman. "Boys," she mutters to herself under her breath, as she resumes her study of the store and its inhabitants.
This floor has mundane items in bins, hardly worth a second look. The guards look well-trained, but the waitstaff looks relatively new. Sophi notices a few stumbling over their transactions. Obviously this floor is a training ground. The customers are plentiful and varied. Most seem to be buying multiples of the same item, likely to trigger a common portal on a regular basis. She notes Merle headed upstairs, and assumes the more valuable portal keys are above
Alluvius looks at the proffered parchment
“A Temple of Abadar Note with Renkar Sha’Hagmid’s seal. He’s a trig cove. I’ll accept it “
She looks more serious now, focusing her blue-lensed granny glasses full on Justin and Hamar
“The best cutter I’ve got fer this sort of portal work is named Lissandra. I can put yeh in touch with her for a nice palaver for a thousand Ladies. That just gets yeah in the door to speak with her. She’ll get yeh where yeh needs ta be, no worries, but she sets her own price”
O.L.L.I has been scanning the large tome, flipping the pages carefully. The book’s pages are set with ornate writing in a small font. The text is in Draconic, and the color of the words occasionally shifts from black to red, blue , or gold. Interspersed within the writing are various sketches and illuminated pictures of various items and creatures. O.L.L.I looks up and addresses the group
“From what this unit has read Wizard Bigby and his party accessed Erelhei-Cinlu through Oerth’s underdark. However, he mentions seeing several portals, and used one to travel to the deity Lolth’s realm through some area known as the Fane of Lolth. “
O.L.L.I closes the tome
“This unit doesn’t believe traveling to the Demonweb Pits to get to this city is a good option”
"Any interesting final stories about our friend Melf the Elf? The very idea that he's involved in this dead god makes me wonder if my home Oerth is in any danger. I'm sure as a dimensional travelers the Circle of Eight were interested in the multiverse, but I'd feel better if I knew that failure won't put anyone I know back home in danger."
Sophie shakes her head at Hamar and Justin's dealings with the Tiefling woman. "Boys," she mutters to herself under her breath, as she resumes her study of the store and its inhabitants.
Blayze lets our a soft snicker, while appearing to look just about anywhere else.
"Any interesting final stories about our friend Melf the Elf? The very idea that he's involved in this dead god makes me wonder if my home Oerth is in any danger. I'm sure as a dimensional travelers the Circle of Eight were interested in the multiverse, but I'd feel better if I knew that failure won't put anyone I know back home in danger."
O.L.L.I clanks over to another section of chained books and unlocks another large tome. This book seems to be covered in a purplish leather, and has golden edge protectors and a legend across the front:
THE LAST ANNALS OF THE CIRCLE OF EIGHT
O.L.L.I flips through this book, turning the pages carefully but rapidly; his large eyes scanning back and forth
“This book seems to indicate that Bigby’s group eventually separated due to conflicting interests and differences of opinion. The adventurer known both as Prince Brightflame and Melf left the Circle of Eight and stated he was going to dedicate his remaining years to exploring the Great Wheel and fighting whatever evil he found there. This tome gives the dates for this happening as over an Oerthian Century ago. Perhaps he stumbled on the same information your party did”
“The best cutter I’ve got fer this sort of portal work is named Lissandra. I can put yeh in touch with her for a nice palaver for a thousand Ladies. That just gets yeah in the door to speak with her. She’ll get yeh where yeh needs ta be, no worries, but she sets her own price”
Justin looks as if he wants to haggle, badly.
Unfortunately, that's mostly how he haggles,..."I'll tell you what Miss Alluvius. While I would love to honor your knowledge and experience with a bartering session worthy of the sages,... Which I have no doubt you would come out ahead in," He grins, "Due to the, sensitive nature of our investigation, and,... etc. I will bow to your wisdom and experience, and pay your price with no haggling. I WOULD like to add just one, small, thing though. If you could tell me any information that you, personally, know about a portal to my homeworld? Seems to be deucedly hard-to-reach, even from Sigil. I come from a prime world, from the city of Izmer, in the land of Sumdall. I don't suppose that you've heard of it? Or of anyone else that's come from there and ending up in Sigil?"
Justin reaches into his coat and pulls out a quill and stoppered bottle of ink.
"Are we agreed?" Justin asks, smiling nonchalantly.
Alluvius shakes her wild hair in a negative fashion
“I tol yeh already, longshanks, I don’t deal wif’ the portal end of things. Just the keys. You need a jade fishhook or an ebony skull to open a gate, I’m the bint wots got it in stock. Where the gate is an’ where it goes to is not my bother. Ask Liss when you palaver for that type of dark “
The oddly-maned gnome looks at Merle
“I sense a key you hold. Also...”
The gnome frowns
“Do you have a map? “
The oddly-maned gnome looks at Merle
“I sense a key you hold. Also...”
The gnome frowns
“Do you have a map? “
"What you mean these things?" Merle pulling out the two items
The gnome looks very excited
“Yes! May I look at them?”
"Sure I guess?" Let him gave a look
The strange gnome mutters as he undoes the leather ties on the scroll
“Yes, yes. Ancient Slaadic transliterated with Aklo Linear H script. Fascinating. Fascinating “
He looks up at Merle
“Would you consider selling these pieces?”
"How much we talkin?"
He looks thoughtful
“I can give you this ruby. A jeweler would give you a thousand Ladies for it easily”
He produces a . deep red ruby . The size of a small bird egg
"1000 you say?"
The gnome nods
“Maybe more! I had it appraised for 1,000, but you might get more if you’re a good haggler”
"Deal."
The gnome passes over the gem and takes the two items
“Thank you! If you ever find any strange portal magiks, please come to my shop. I am always willing to make an offer. “
He hands Merle a card
Merwyn Thistlebucket- Artificer, gearwright, Portal engineer. 150 Construct Court, Gear District, Lower Ward, Sigil.
Ramuah listens closely to the conversation, still quite confused by this strange city she finds herself in and eager for information. Her eyes widen at Karrin's desciption of this "Bigby" character. If she were a great wizard capable of the sorts of arcane deeds described by the clockwork creature, she would work on her public image a little more.
Hamar raises an eyebrow as the woman does not agree to her own price! These city people, even here in this strange part of the universe, are odd.
The gnome passes over the gem and takes the two items
“Thank you! If you ever find any strange portal magiks, please come to my shop. I am always willing to make an offer. “
He hands Merle a card
Merwyn Thistlebucket- Artificer, gearwright, Portal engineer. 150 Construct Court, Gear District, Lower Ward, Sigil.
Merle pockets the card and makes her way back to the others.
Alluvius looks at Justin expectantly
“So we got a deal cutter?”
She inquires mildly
As Merle walks away from the gnome tucking the gem and card away she sees the new party member looking at the cases nearby
Sophi reaches the higher levels and sees the cat sorcerer Merle in animated discussion with an oddly-dressed gnome
Ramuah listens closely to the conversation, still quite confused by this strange city she finds herself in and eager for information. Her eyes widen at Karrin's desciption of this "Bigby" character. If she were a great wizard capable of the sorts of arcane deeds described by the clockwork creature, she would work on her public image a little more.
The immense library amazes Ramuah as she walks along. Also amazing are the patrons. An orc with gilded tusks dressed in what looks to be silk court fashion pages through a large tome on a lectern. A desiccated detached head floating on a silver platter reads a book turned for him by a skeleton that looks to be made of obsidian. An older man in battered plate looks up at her appreciatively as he peruses a stack of books at a table
In the room Karrin and her friend discuss the Drow and this Bigby and that ghost they met in Tcian Sumiere. She looks around, admiring the beautiful portraits and woodwork of the small reading room
As Ramuah looks about the vast library, she keeps an eye out for any books that might let her become more informed about Sigil. She also keeps an eye out for anything about Golarion or Shelyn, unable to help a small creeping doubt that she's imagined her life before waking up in the cage, and hoping for confirmation that her memory leads to a place that exists.