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"Look, I'm no genius, but I think we all know that was a b++*$+!! answer, Sutekh is more than a little bit involved in this, the only real question now is: is he working with the spider queen or against her? I mean we haven't exactly been leaving a lot of witnesses in our wake, despite what our scorpion friend's agent has suggested, and unless you knew some of the characters involved you really can't know who, never mind the why, which means there's more going on here. He's looking for a favor, which leads me to believe that at some point in this business he predicts that certain events might give him advantage by putting his thumbs on the scale and my thinking it has to do with this artifact. Anyone signing this piece of paper has to be kept from the artifact."
"Also eating people is called cannibalism, and it likely going to get me put on some lists if I started doing that."
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"Also eating people is called cannibalism, and it likely going to get me put on some lists if I started doing that."
"Eating another Tielfling would make you a cannnibal Karin Kind, eating a Human makes you an exotic eater".
"Anyone signing this piece of paper has to be kept from the artifact."
The Barbarian nods, "Another can carry it among us".
Hamar hands the writing instrument to Nekrotheptis as if he'd sign it next.
Nekrotheptis emerges from the bedroom
“Have we come to a decision?”
Hamar hands the writing instrument to him.
Nekrotheptis accepts it gracefully.
“That is one. Anyone else?”
Memnon zips over.
“I volunteer as tribute”
he grabs the pen in his mage hand and signs
Nekrotheptis looks around
“And the third?”
Justin nods back to Blayze, indicating he understands her position clearly. Then he chuckles at Karrin's declaration. (And maybe at a little more at Hamar's 'exotic eater' comment)
"Oh we all know that Karrin. I sometimes think that that the only people who AREN'T involved in manipulating this ,... mess,... somehow,... is US. And we're probably just too close to the forest to see the trees."
"Everyone, thing, is looking for an advantage. Sadly we're just too darn good at our job, so 'everyone' seems to think that we're a good bet at accomplishing, whatever it is. And you know what? They're probably right. But the fact is, we ARE being offered a valuable resource, and they want payment in kind. And without a year or more to do research and discover another method to obtain the information we need, which we clearly do NOT have, I don't see a way around it. We need to deal."
Justin seems to be thinking very hard about something, (which, to be fair, is what his chatty-ness usually means. But this time he seems, conflicted.)
Nekrotheptis emerges from the bedroom
“Have we come to a decision?”
Hamar hands the writing instrument to him. Nekrotheptis accepts it gracefully.
“That is one. Anyone else?”
Memnon zips over.
“I volunteer as tribute!”
he grabs the pen in his mage hand and signs
Nekrotheptis looks around
“And the third?”
Justin snorts, possibly hiding a laugh.
"Easy Memnon, Don't be in such a hurry to serve as a chatty paperweight for a year and a day!" He smirks.
The wizard steps forward, deliberately not looking around at the others, and takes the pen from Memnon. He signs his name in a flowing script. He then extends the pen back to Nekrotheptis.
"Three, Master Nek."
The tattooed man smiles and rolls up the scroll
“There. It is done”
He offers the jar to the party. Once someone takes it he bows
“I must be on my way. My lord is not held in a favorable light among the drow. I will wish you well and tell you the portal and key you need”
He pulls a golden orb from a pouch
“Take this orb and go to the Merchant Villa. It is located in the Lower Vault. There is a statue of a female drider on the grounds. Put the golden orb in the statues mouth and a gate to the Great Bazaar in Sigil will open”
Justin gingerly accepts the offered jar.
He accepts the golden orb and examines it thoughtfully.
"Merchant Villa in the Lower Vault. Female Drider statue. Orb goes in the statues mouth and the gate to the Great bazaar opens. Got it." Justin repeats the instructions.
"And, Thank you."
The man nods and departs, closing the door behind him. The party suddenly realizes they are exhausted. They haven’t had a good nights rest since the Harpy’s Roost in Plaguemort.
Alessia takes up her silent unsleeping vigil as the rest of the group collapses into bed. In the ‘morning’, they awake rested, but famished. They make their way down to the common room and partake of a Drow-style breakfast. It is heavy on mushrooms, and a meat from some creature called a ‘rothé’ which tastes like a hybrid of pork and beef. There is a pot of what looks like caviar, but it turns out to be seasoned spider eggs. Bread doesn’t seem to be a staple of Drow cuisine, but there is a form of rice. Ostrich-sized leathery hard boiled eggs are available, supposedly some sort of reptile lays them.
The common room is busy. It seems that without a sun or a brightening sky to synchronize sleeping that people in Erelhei-Cinlu just decide their sleep times as is convenient for them.
As they finish up, Alerra and Chadra appear. They look tense, and they indicate that they have news
“We should talk privately” Alerra says
Hamar grins at the thought of more private time with the Drow women but then remembers the rest of the damned group will be there as well and he also remembers the danger they are in, Rutting is certainly a powerful drug. He frowns at his own animal lust and then grins, Better life as an animal, though not these... Rothe? I suppose.
He looks a little crazy moving through emotions which express themselves only on his face but then, civilized people think his people mad anyhow!
When Justin appears the next morning, his bed-head of hair proves that he slept the dreamless sleep of the weary wizardly traveler. A few moments splashing water on his face in the washroom and a once-over with his Prestidigitation charm and he is ready to go.
When the others appear and are ready, Justin is sitting in the main room of their suite muttering over his spellbook as he finishes copying the purchased Darkvison scrolls into it. He closes his spellbook with a satisfied snap and joins the others, his own stomach rumblings competing with Karrin's for sheer volume.
Justin willingly, if cautiously, tries some of everything that is available for breakfast. He admits he is surprised at how much he actually likes most of it. Possibly his experiences plane-traveling have given him an appreciation for a variety of foods and flavors.
(He doesn't care much for the seasoned spiders' eggs. Though he admits They actually taste pretty good. But once he discovers what they really are, he has a very difficult time swallowing them.)
As they eat, he casually asks one of the servers if there is some means of central time keeping for the underground city? Being on your own schedule sounds great to the wizard, who can easily get lost for hours (if not days) in an intersting book of history or spellcraft. But he wonders how any business gets done if everyone is on a different schedule?
When their drow guides appear, he greets them (noting with bemusement the variety of expressions taking turns on Hamar's face as he does) When he realizes that their facial expressions are even more serious and tense than usual, he frowns as well.
"We got a suite upstairs." Justin informs Alerra, hastily finishes up his plate*, and joins the others in going back up to the rooms.
*(Hey, being a traveling adventurer-type-wizard and not knowing when, (or if) your next meal might be, the phrase 'Waste Not, Want Not' takes on a whole new meaning!)
Merle sticking to the meat and eggs digs in while the others talk.
"I'm guessing it's not good news?" She mumbles mostly to herself
When the party finishes, they all head back to the suite. Alerra and Chadra seat themselves and begin talking
“ We have discovered that House Tormtor in the wake of the Great Profanation* have decided to challenge not just House Kilsek, but the supremacy of Lolth’s priestesses. They ally themselves with Kiransalee, goddess of Death, and they now war for control of Erelhei-Cinlu. In the course of normal affairs, Lolth would send hordes of her servants from the Demonweb to quash a rebellion like this, but the Spinner in Darkness always has hidden plans. This time she doesn’t weigh in. She allows shipments of arms such as we accompanied, but not direct aid. Tormtor and her allies control the Lower Vault and raid the Upper Vault. They have allied themselves with the Githyanki, who supply mercenary forces. Kilsek has retaliated by forming an alliance with the Mind Flayers of Dra-Mur-Shou.”
Alerra pauses and Chadra continues
“This conflict goes beyond the typical intra-house conflicts. The entire vault is a battlefield. So we come to this current situation. We are contracted to be your guides here, and we have respected your privacy as to your motives and quest. But now is the time to inform us of what you need to do in Erelhei-Cinlu. Our ability to assist is hampered by our kinship with House Tormtor. The minute someone recognizes us we are at risk. The city is still in House Kilsek’s hands.”
*.
"Oh, we're looking for a wizard, should be simple enough, we can ask around and be done soon enough, and with any luck we can probably stay out of the fighting." Karrin says, hoping her companions don't say too much, too soon, "It shouldn't be too hard of a job, I mean he's supposed to be real famous and stuff, and now that we're here maybe you guys could just point us in the right direction. We got to ask him about a thing, so it's super important that we get to him and keep him alive and safe, but I guess figuing out where he is, is gonna be the hard part for us as we're clearly not locals."
Karrin does her best clueless mercenary look over to the two guides, apparently oblivious to the likely location of Erehe, but beneath the surface the crafty tiefling has pieced together the nasty politics that are secretly at work here. The key now to success was leading their guides into helping them, likely with some mutual favor, but ideally it would be better if the drow thought that it was their idea.
Hamar awaits the others to weigh in, he is here to fight and scout. He leaves the objectives to the others of the group, the Wizard and Karrin Kind, and really any else who wish to decide the group's course of action.
Alerra looks at Karrin
“Fair enough. What is this wizard’s name?”
Justin leans his head to the side and pulls a face. But he follows what Karrin is trying to do. (As much as he can EVER follow what Karrin is thinking!)
He does ask a question,... (or two) and after a brief explanation from the drow, with commentary and cliff notes from Memnon, he thinks he understands the political situation as well.
"Well, Karrin's technically correct. But it would be more accurate to say he WAS famous. A few decades ago. Which was while ago for us shorter-lived races. But to longer-lived races,..." He nods politely to the Drow,... "They would probably remember him. If they were interested in the same sort of studies that he was."
"This 'city-under-seige' business is definitely going to be a problem though. We're,... in a bit of a time-crunch." He looks at Karrin and nods.
"We're pretty certain that we aren't the only ones looking for him. ERGO why we need to find him first and keep him alive and safe."
Alerra looks at Karrin
“Fair enough. What is this wizard’s name?”
Justin looks at Karrin again. Then at Alerra.
"Erehe."
The two Drow share a look
“Erehe. The consort of Verdaeth, ruler of House Tormtor “
Justin blinks. Once.
"Oh. Of COURSE he is." He says pleasantly. Through clenched teeth.
Justin facepalms himself. Hard.
The two Drow look back on the party
“This is an interesting challenge, but perhaps not so impossible. We had been making plans to leave the city once we had completed our service to you, we can adjust these plans to include you. We had intended on talking with Verdaeth when we got to the Tormtor lines, we can see if she will entertain an audience with you”
The two Drow stand and adjust their accoutrements
“It would be best if we departed as soon as possible. We know a way out of the city. Are you prepared to travel?”
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"Huh, so wait, you're telling us that this guy we need to find is like the main squeeze of the most powerful lady in this joint? That doesn't seem like a meeting that's gonna happen unless we can bring something to the table for your house. How reasonable is this Verdaeth? Because spearheading a breach into this House Kilsek is kind of out of our pay grade considering all we thought we were doing was getting to ask some questions to a local wizard in this town, and sure, we suspected that he might want us to jump though some hoops to get the answers, but now, seeing as this is your Matriarch's number one fly boy, and she's in a war, getting access might be a long drawn out thing.
"If we can get an audience, pop our questions we've been hired to ask, and hopefully Erehe knows the answers, well we sure don't want to hang out in a war zone for long, I mean if we're unemployed mercenaries this is a job rich environment, but for gainfully employed mercenaries, who have a sweet gig, this is the sort of thing that makes us nervous. All sorts of folks looking to draft us, unwilling or otherwise, into their wars. We're with you for sure. Hopefully we can talk to this Erehe and get the heck out of Dodge."
Chadra shrugs
"We haven't been back for several years. We have been in Sigil, so Mistress Verdaeth's mood is anyone's guess. There is one odd thing though ..."
She pauses, considering. Then she continues
"While we had been in Sigil we had heard tale that Erehe was killed on an adventure of some kind. Verdaeth was supposedly half out of her mind with grief. She has an obsessive nature when it comes to Erehe."
Alerra looks vaguely disgusted at her kin's words
"Yet we have word that he accompanies her on the battlefield. She must have spent a lot of effort to recall him from the dead. As she now worships Kiransalee, I would assume a resurrection would have been a special dispensation. The Pale Goddess does not enjoy allowing worshippers to cheat death."
"Huh, Justin, our groups book worm heard that rumor as well. We were thinking that maybe we might have to collect or make some copies of books or journals, but I'm happier to get a direct answer, I'm not much of a reader, but yeah, you drow are a secretive lot and it's hard to get information, even back in Sigil, which is were we'd prefer to be sooner than later. Like if we'd known there was a war on, and this guy was like a favorite of your Mistress, we probably would have brought more to trade. I mean we didn't think drow were all that sentimental and making copies of some books didn't seem like a big favor to ask."
Memnon chuckles in Justin's ear.
"Heh. She called you a 'worm'. Heheh."
"That's MISTER bookworm to you pal." Justin responds out the side of his mouth.
Justin coughs lightly,
"Well, what I dug up did indicate that Erehe was killed. At least, that's what everyone supposes when a famous, powerful Mage goes missing. But there's no verification or accounting for how he supposedly died. It's possible that he wasn't actually killed. Perhaps he was only injured, or transported to a plane particularly difficult to escape. Maybe Verdaeth just managed to find him, and didn't have to resurrect him?"
Justin rubs the bridge of his nose, feeling that familiar headache starting up again.
"Whatever, Recovered or Resurrected, if Verdaeth is half as,... protective, of Erehe as you say she is, It seems unlikely she will grant strangers access to him without convincing her it's for a darn good reason."
Justin spreads his hands out.
"If it helps at all, you can verify our story with a truth charm. We don't mean Erehe any harm. We REALLY do just want to ask him a few questions. But,... ah, We can't say the same about anyone else who may be looking for him." Justin grimaces.
The two Drow nod
“We are fairly certain that Verdaeth will see us. We have things to discuss with her. If you can give us something to pass to Erehe to interest him or Verdaeth, it might gain you an audience “
The two Drow nod
“We are fairly certain that Verdaeth will see us. We have things to discuss with her. If you can give us something to pass to Erehe to interest him or Verdaeth, it might gain you an audience “
Justin bites his lower lip for a moment, considering the best way to phrase it. He sighs, and rubs that particularly painful spot at the bridge of his nose again. He looks at Karrin and shrugs his shoulders.
"If we're in for a copper, we're in for a platinum." he says.
Justin turns to the Drow.
"We believe that minions of a powerful entity currently going by the pseudonym 'Tenebrous' are after Erehe. They want to kill him for information that he possesses. To prevent others from discovering it. Naturally, this is the same information that we want to ask him for." The wizard smirks.
"The reason I said 'maybe he didn't die', is our information gives us reason to believe that Erehe has had his memories erased. He probably doesn't even remember what it is he knows that's so important. We have the means to restore his memories. And in exchange for that, and warning him that 'Tenebrous' is trying to kill him, all we ask in return is that he share the secret he knows with us."
Justin leans back in the surprisingly comfy chair.
"Do you think THAT might interest Erehe?" He asks straight-faced.
The two Drow nod
“Assuming he is suffering from a loss of his memories, it’s likely he would be very interested “
The two Drow nod
“Assuming he is suffering from a loss of his memories, it’s likely he would be very interested “
"Oh yeah, and the 'minions' that will be trying to kill him? Are some kind of a creepy cross between demons, and ghosts."
Justin reaches into his pack, and pulls out one of the carefully-wrapped-in-blessed cloth masks they have recovered from their previous battles with the afore-mentioned ghost-demons. He hands it to the drow to examine with a warning to be careful of its influence.
"And that's the proof."
"Oh yeah, and the 'minions' that will be trying to kill him? Are some kind of a creepy cross between demons, and ghosts."
Hamar looks puzzled, "I do not remember killing such creatures Wizard. When was this?"
"Oh yeah, and the 'minions' that will be trying to kill him? Are some kind of a creepy cross between demons, and ghosts."Hamar looks puzzled, "I do not remember killing such creatures Wizard. When was this?"
"Well Hamar, maybe if you weren't so darn good at killing things, they would be more memorable." Justin smirks.
"And that's the proof."
The two Drow nod
“It’s intriguing enough to get you in, I am sure” Alerra says
“Come, the hours slip away. If we are to exit the city as a group, best we check on our contact as soon as possible “
Justin gives a half-grin,
"So happens I tweaked my spell list before breakfast. I'm ready. Everyone else?" He asks, looking around the room.
"Good to go."
"I am always ready".
Blayze simply nods.
The two Drow turn to the door
“Let us be off then”
The group exits the Black Widow Inn, and begins winding its way down the dark narrow streets of Erelhei-Cinlu
They come to a neighborhood in the Ghetto of Foreigners that seems to be built on a smaller scale. The pedestrians are now mostly purplegray-skinned dwarves and gnomish-looking cutters, with large milky eyes. Alerra and Chadra lead them to what looks to be a tavern. The sign is in several tongues, including Common. It features a stylized large Ruby on its front
The Hidden Gem
The threshold is low even for the drow, and Justin is forced to stoop very low to enter. Inside the ceiling is a bit better, but Justin is in danger of slamming his head on the smoke-stained ceiling joists constantly .
It seems a normal type of tavern, but the clientele shaded towards the smaller races. There are the purple gray types that thronged the streets, but also some halflings, some goblins, Kobolds, and even some smaller cutters. Mites? Gremlins? Jermalines? They all turn to stare at the newcomers for a long second, then go back to their mushroom ales
The drow lead the party to the back of the tavern. There is a door guarded by two burly goblins. They seem to know the Drow, but look askance at the party
“Wots wi’ tha sun lovers? Ain’t supposed to have a garden party wiv yeh” one goblin pipes up
Alerra looks annoyed
“You aren’t paid to think, doorkeeper. We have business with Vilgo. He’ll want to see us”
The goblin guard looks surly at the slight, but disappears inside the door. He appears a minute later and nods
“Go ahead in, yer ladyship “ He says mockingly
Inside the door is another large room, almost as large as the common room of the tavern. This room is thronged with thievish-looking mercenary types drinking, there is also a line of more mercantile people waiting to approach a being seated on a throne at the end of the room.
The purple gray skinned being seated on the throne is massive. Not tall, or muscular, but ridiculously obese. He barely tops out at a meter tall, but rivals that in width. He is dressed in sumptuous fur robes, and is bedecked in a myriad of gems. The effect is somewhat ruined by the food and drink stains evident on his clothing. He currently is demolishing a drumstick as big as his head, listening to one of the merchants petition him. Chadra murmurs to the group
“This is Vilgo. He runs the thieves guild in this ghetto among other things. Be polite”
Vilgo goes through his line of petitioners until it is the party’s turn. He looks at the assembled group, his eyes narrowing
“You have come here early, and with friends. I assume you wish to modify our agreement?”
Alerra nods
“Great Vilgo, we need to expand our agreement to include these surface dwellers. They need to accompany us”
Vilgo looks a bit dyspeptic
“I do not like last-minute changes. How will you compensate me, drow?”
Alerra and Chadra shrug
“Double our initial agreement?”
Vilgo strokes his food-encrusted long beard
“Triple. Assuming you wish to go now?”
The two Drow nod. Vilgo nods back. Alerra turns to the party
“You will need 400 spiders to come with. I assume this isn’t an issue?”
Justin adjusts the fit of one of the new Goggles of night to fit properly, and follows their Drow guides out of the Black Widow Inn.
It takes the wizard a moment to get used to seeing things in stark black-and-white contrast, For the first bit of walking, he keeps flipping the goggles off and on again, seeing the difference. He immediately stops and wears them properly after trying to wear the goggles on one eye and not on the other, and gives himself a migraine.
Upon reaching 'The Hidden Gem', Justin almost immediately tries to brain himself on the first ceiling joist he meets. He shifts his magic hat into a hair ribbon for his increasingly-in-need-of-a-trim hair, which even now threatens to escape the magical headband he wears. He plays dodge-beam as they traverse the Tavern, Memnon chuckling his ear every time he has to duck again.
Justin notes the variety of short-humanoids present as they follow the drow. Enough to make even a Planes-hardened Sigilite take notice. The two Goblinoids guarding the door are unusually articulate compared to most of the ones Justin has had the misfortune to meet.
Justin manages not to smile as Alerra ticks the guard off. As they pass through the door he nods his head politely and says, "Thank you my good fellow", in exactly the same tone the guard just used.
Justin gives a small sigh at the sight of the second room. ONE day he'll quit feeling like a rubber-necking TOURON, (That's a 'Moron out of his native habitat', or Tourist + Moron to the non-planar traveler.), at the sight of a new place.
"Gives a whole new meaning to 'BIG man on campus, doesn't it?" Justin whispers to Memnon at the sight of the obvious leader of the room.
“This is Vilgo. He runs the thieves guild in this ghetto , among other things. Be polite”
Justin places the fingers of one hand spread open on his chest with a 'What? Who, Me?' look of extreme innocence. The wizard turns and impales Memnon with a stare before the floating crystal skull has even fully opened his crystal jaw to comment. The Mihir chuckles gleefully, if quietly, as they observe Alerra and Chandra 'negotiating' with Vilgo.
The two Drow nod. Vilgo nods back. Alerra turns to the party
“You will need 400 spiders to come with. I assume this isn’t an issue?”
Justin looks at the others and nods. "Thank the Kaashta once again for their kind donation to the Rose's efforts." Justin grins. Using the group to shield him from direct view of the rooms occupants, he digs 400 gold coins from his pack and places them in a regular, if now heavy, bag.
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Hamar considers punching the Goblin being disrespectful to the Drow as a minion might do but he was supposed to be a mindless minion and as he was not told to do so, he does not.
As the negotiations take place Hamar observes the disgusting thing on it's throne and considers that such a leader of men in the steppes or plains or the desert could not be such a way, he (or she in some instances) would need to be fierce and mobile and deadly. This one had lessers cowed into fear no doubt by a faded reputation which for some reason was still carrying him on. Soon enough this bloated thing will be replaced by a younger more aggressive thief who would slay this old fat one. But that day would not be today.
Vilgo claps his hands and a small gremlin scurries over to Justin and takes the 2-kilo sack of gold from him. Vilgo calls out
"Arminio! You are needed!"
A shifty-eyed rogue appears from the shadowed tables in the far corners of the room. He is a deep gnome, a Svirfneblin, like Vilgo, but a much leaner version. He nods to Vilgo and looks at the party
"I'm ready to take yez."
The rogue Arminio leads the party out into the street. He takes them down a twisting series of back streets, some as narrow as the mean alleys of the Hive back in the Cage.
They come to what seems to be a warehouse of some sort. Drow and Svirfneblin runes are on the door, but no common. Arminio takes out a large key and opens the lock.
"In here"
He leads them into its shadowed interior. It is a warehouse, full of crates, barrels, and roughly-woven sacks. There is a smell of spices and food in the air, it would seem some sort of foodstuff depository. Arminio guides them into a corner in the back. He touches a few spots on the wall, and a section of stone in the floor swings up, revealing a tunnel. He gestures to the darkened hole
"That leads out about 500 meters to another tunnel going up. There'll be a spring-latch door there, just look for a bump in the wall near it and press it. That will take you out to a house west of the Great Gate. The house is empty, but when you are all out, by the bloody claws of Urdlen, shut the door behind you! If this tunnel is discovered Vilgo will be none too pleased."
Hamar looks at the curious gnome, "Are there guardians on the other side to be concerned about or guardians within?"
The Svirfneblin looks at Hamar appraisingly
“Canny question. As of yesterday no. The house is in a cluster of similar houses sharp against the wall. Most’ve been deserted since the seige began. The Tormtor forces sometimes use the houses for cover, but the chances are slight you’ll be discovered. But, I never leave things to chance m’self. I’d listen right sharp afore opening that trapdoor at t’other end”
Hamar nods, "Wizard, do you have magics to see through doors? While I trust my ears better than your magics in this place, magic could deceive even my sharp senses..."
"Not with me Hamar. But we have a few other tricks. AND your sharp senses." Justin smiles at the barbarian.
The mage turns to the Svirfneblin.
"We'll be careful. And shut the door behind us. Is there, anything else? Or do we just wait at this probably-still-abandoned-house for our meeting?" He asks, genuinely curious, not being (too much) of his usual smart-aleck self.
Arminio shrugs
“I’m supposed to show you the tunnel. What you do after is your business “
The Drow look at Justin strangely
“You will be following us, wizard. We have that business we spoke of, do you not recall?”
Hamar cuffs Justin, hard but not too hard, have to make it look good but not too good, "The Mistresses will tell us what to do Wizard!"
Blayze suppresses a smile.
Justin winces. (Like Karrin, Hamar's version of 'not too hard' is NOT the same definition the wizard uses.)
"Um. Ow?!"
Justin rubs the back of his head while giving Hamar a patented 'Whuttheheck?!?' look. Then he sees Blayze trying not to snicker,... and he rolls his eyes. He doesn't even look to see what Merle is doing.
Justin swiftly reaches up and puts his hand on top of the floating Memnon, pushing the crystal Mimir down to prevent him from adding his own 2 copper coins to the moment.
"But I,. he,.. you,..." Justin sighs.
'THIS guy is only to lead us to the secret tunnel. Of COURSE he's not privy to the reason, or the rest of the arrangement.'
"Right. Sorry. 'Follow the leader'. Less talky, more walky. Got it." Justin smiles tightly.