Seeing the devil, Horillo is uncomfortable and his jaw drops as their new member starts to negotiate a special arrangement. He takes a handful of papers from the table and starts to see if he can read any of the text and make sense of it. "Blos, if you don't tell us your name, we're not likely to find the contact in this pile. Look, you've been around and bound for years, what's a few days difference gonna make whilst we look through this lot. So what's the name we should be looking for?"
He turns to Sholti and Surexeria, "Look, let's all concentrate on going through these papers with Rexus, maybe we can find the contract that this little monster wants." it is obvious that Horillo is getting frustrated by this stand-off, when they could move to get some advantage over the evil little devil.
He moves over to Sorix and whispers in her ear, "Look, perhaps you could nip out and do some shopping, you know, for some things that might help us if it comes to a fight. We can't let another devil make merry in the city."
At Mawl’s outburst, Surexeria giggles. ”Love, how about you keep an eye on her and make sure she isn’t snooping or eavesdropping? If she vanished, holler out. Okay?”
Surexeria pinches the bridge of her nose. ”Exactly why I’m trying to convince her to let me be the carrier of it for now, because then we will for sure have it. If she tries to f@@% with us when we study it to learn the details, then that’s on her. Also, I’m not signing no formal soul-binding deal here. This is a private accord between two individuals. Folks in this city been dealin’ with there kind for years. I’m not a fan, but it could be useful and I’d rather be holding the end of the leash than anyone else or letting it free until we kill off the Prick. Once he is dead, who cares if she goes back to the Sarini’s? But until then, if they ally with Him, she could feed them where your base is and they could relay it to Him. Savvy?”
Mawl nods his agreement, still puzzled and perplexed by Surexeria, amazed at her leadership from nowhere, and finding great comfort in being told what to do within his skill set. He moves off to keep the devil in his sight, yet being careful not to make eye contact. I wonder what happens if it sees me looking at it?
Mawl watches the devil trying his best not to look at it, but he is keenly aware that it is starring at him impatiently as the others talk.
Sorix nods at Horillo’s suggestion then addresses the group. ”I’m going to duck out for a few minutes. I’m sure I’m fine with whatever you all decide as far as how to proceed with this little situation.”
Sorix then heads out to a shop to buy a scroll of glitterdust, returning back to the Nest once she's done shopping.
Sholti tries running through all the ways having a devil hanging around could go so terribly wrong, and what they could possibly do to guard against all those ways it could go wrong. It just makes her head hurt.
"I just don't see what we gain by doing anything other than getting rid of it. Let's tell her whatever we need to to get the contract. When we have it we burn it. If there's a fight we'll put her down that way. Paired down to the essentials we have a simple problem. It needs simple solution."
The imp grawls at Mawl "What is taking so long? I don't have all day to strike a bargain..." She whispers to herself "Well, I mean, technically you do" She shakes her head and shouts "Shut up!" before turning her attention back to Mawl. "Tell them they better hurry up or I'll just assume we have a problem here!" It is clear she is becoming impatient and agitated.
"Shut your yap! It is only taking so long because most of our group are compassionate and don't like it when I just kill first. They just complain and say, oh don't do that, we wanted to spare them, we wanted information from them, they can help us. The way I see it you already caused enough trouble in here, even causing the death of one of our friends. They are smart people, they will come up with a win-win, which is way better for you."
Surexeria isn’t 100% happy with the plan, but figured she’d see how it played out nonetheless.
”Alright Blos, we talked it over. Current agreement on their end is we gotta see the actual contract first, before we can make sure we can even work out a deal...”
Blos rolls her eyes "Alright, whatever... if that's what you need to get this moving along then here..." She flies down to the papers and sorts through them until she pulls out a piece of paper, looking at it it just appears to be a mundane ledger of no real importance.
"There! Happy? Now let's get on with this."
When Blos leaves her position, Mawl initially tenses up. Seeing what her intention is he does watch her very carefully, lest she try to pull anything.
”Alright love, we’ll just give this a quick look over then let you know what we decide,” Surexeria says as she steps back outside past Mawl and rejoins the others, handing the contract over to Sholtinwith a smile and a wink.
As Surexeria leaves the imp sneers "Don't take too long or I'll make your little muscle man here a snack." She promptly flies back up to her safe spot near the ceiling.
Once back with the others, Surexeria holds it up braggingly. ”Easy-peezy. I think the plan was to burn it...right?” she asks.
If nobody objects, she then tears the contract up and drops the shreds into an open lantern.
Mawl watches intently. Not knowing what to expect at the burning of a devil's contract. He looks expectantly at Blos, ready to take a swing if he threatens any of his allies.
Sholti doesn't really trust the little devil to have revealed the actual contract, so she watches carefully and prepares herself mentally for a fight.
When Surexeria lights up the contract, it burns up rather quickly. Mawl watches as Blos disappears in a puff of smoke that smells an awful lot like sulphur.
Mawl glances around quickly, "What just happened? Is he invisible and going to attack us? or are we rid of him for good?"
Whenever Sholti comes to detect magic she can no longer locate the imp anywhere. It seems that whatever happened the imp is no longer in the Nest.
Surexeria smiles, hooks an arm through Mawl’s and says ”Well, that’s taken care of. What’s next?”
Mawl stammers as expected, it is hard to tell if he is blushing, "Well, I guess we should solve this dog-housing thing"
”Y’all keep talking about some dog houses. What’s the big deal with that?” Surexeria asks.
Well, that was quick. "Good riddance to that imp."
"This doghousing—Barzalai trapping anyone he feels has displeased him into a doghouse lined with nails and only allowing them out to fight with starved dogs for food and water—is just another example of Thrune's tyrannical behavior, and so is yet another part of why we've gotten together to try to figure out how to take him down. The question is: do we try to do something about the doghousing specifically? Or just know that when Barzalai's rule ends, so will all these kinds of barbaric practices? We could try to free some of those who've been doghoused..."
Sorix thinks for a moment, then adds almost under her breath, "Wouldn't it be perfect to trap Barzalai in one of his own doghouses? Although I myself am not that much of an 'eye-for-an-eye' kind of person."
Surexeria crosses her arms as Sorix explains it. She then says ”One thing I learned while out on the sea: too much punishment will lead to mutiny. He keeps up with his b$@$&$~*, it will only help fuel your little rebellion. But if you interfere with it all too much, he will start getting serious about finding ya.”
She shrugs and adds ”I’d say let it be for now. It sucks, but it will only help him turn the city against him and towards helping you. Only try and rescue someone if they are vital to your cause. Draws less attention to you.”
When Surexeria suggests the group not do anything specifically about the dog housing Rexus steps up to the group. "Sorry to interrupt, but if you all don't have any other pressing matters I was hoping to ask for your help with something."
He looks to Surexeria and forces a smile as he continues "While the family estate was burnt to the ground and it didn't seem as though there were any survivors, I have begun to wonder if that was truly the case. Surey, I don't know if you knew this by our mother, was a member of a secret group of historians called the Sacred Order of Archivists. I am certain it was for this reason that her and our estate were targeted for destruction by Thrune, and I have this feeling that our mother still lives, and that maybe she’s been in hiding in the stronghold of the Sacred Order. If nothing else, I would like the return of any of her personal effects from the hideout, as all of those that had been stored at the manor were burned."
He pauses a moment and makes sure Surexeria is ok before he continues "The Sacred Order of Archivists have long used chambers below a local museum of oddities called Hocum’s Fantasmagorium as a secret base of operations. If our mother survived the fire, she may have remained silent for so long simply because she’s been lying low in the chambers below the museum. I've never been inside the place —in fact, it’s been closed to the public for many years — but I know the mithral key that was among the things our mother left him supposedly opens many locks within the building."
He sighs "I'm sorry to bother you all with this but I thought now that I was finished translating the documents perhaps we could look into this."
"After all you've done for us, of course we'll help you find your mother if she still lives. Whilst I would like to explore the tunnels around, I wonder if we can gain find our way there, without exiting the tunnels and without gaining notice from the Dottari?" Horillo muses.
Mawl looks to his partners and in the absence of flinches "Great idea. Let's get to that museum, have a look underneath and check for any survivors, or anyone in hiding is pretty much going to be on our side. There is so much underneath everything in this town. I agree it would do us will to be well acquainted with under-town. "
Sorix suppresses a snicker but can't hold back a slight amused grin. "An abandoned museum called Hocum’s Fantasmagorium? Now, this I gotta see."
Composing herself, she says to Rexus, "Of course we'll look into it and see what we can find regarding your mother."
Surexeria crosses her arms as her “brother” speaks. Seeing his concern for her emotional state, she shrugs and says casually ”You know there’s a reason why I left and pretended I was dead. If you want something of hers, by all means its all yours. No hard feelings from me.”
Rexus nods and smiles when the group agrees to help. He pulls a mithral key from one of his pockets and hands it over to whoever will take it "As I said the place was closed to the public some years back, but this will get you inside and hopefully past most of the doors. I look forward to hearing how things went when you return."
Sorix looks to the group. "Well, ready when you are."
Mawl gathers his Bec and looks for someone to lead the way.
Horillo is just about to stride out and lead the group forward, when he stops and looks around. "Ayone know any short cuts or quiet ways to Hocum’s Fantasmagorium?"
"While I have not heard that name before—" Sorix tries and fails to keep a straight face while she says, "—Hocum’s Fantasmagorium," She then composes herself and adds, "Based on Rexus' description of the location, I might know how to get us there relatively unseen."
Taking back allies Sorix leads you all toward the Red Roof district, luckily avoiding having to cross the toll bridge yet again. The building itself is not too far from the bridge and is easy enough to find. This sprawling, single-story structure has certainly seen better days. The building’s stone facade stands out amid the brick-lined walls of its neighboring structures, and numerous windows to the left and right are boarded up. Signs advertise rates and incredible exhibits within, and above everything a crimson sign announces “Hocum’s Fantasmagorium!” A large lock hangs from the front door.
Mawl is looking around
"This lock hasn't been sitting around unused. We should enter with caution. It shows signs of recent use"
”Good eye, big guy,” Surexeria says as she steps up to the lock, looking at it herself.
”Well...good thing we have a key,” she adds as she produces the key her brother had given them.
"One quick thing before we enter," Sorix says as she produces a scroll from her bandolier and activates it on herself. "Alright, ready when you are."
Surexeria moves up with the key and unlocks the lock, pulling the chains aside she opens the doors. There is a foyer area with a closed door on the western wall. Further to the north macabre taxidermy and menacing skeletons line the walls of a fifty-foot circular chamber. A middling-quality fresco of terrifying and fantastic beasts lines the domed ceiling overhead. Large double doors lie to the north, east, and west; the west doors hang wide open.
Surexeria steps cautiously inside, peeking inside the west doors before stepping slowly into the circular room as quietly as she can.
Checking the western door, this large room holds various theatrical costumes, ropes, posts, blank signs and banners, paints, and some well-worn musical instruments, as well as an open cashbox for the daily ticket receipts.
Mawl, initially taken aback by the menacing scene, recovers himself, noting nothing alive, steps into a position where he might best defend Surexeria and the rest of the party from currently unseen threats.
Mawl, initially taken aback by the menacing scene, recovers himself, noting nothing alive, steps into a position where he might best defend Surexeria and the rest of the party from currently unseen threats.
Horillo holds back, watching for any threats or traps present.
Sorix cautiously moves forward a bit and scans the area with detect magic, ignoring any auras originating from her fellow Ravens.
Sorix does not detect any magic so far. However, as soon as Mawl steps into the larger room three of the displays move to life. They look like skeletons of really large monkeys, the labels under their displays read 'Arcadian Skunk Apes'.
”Blech...Unliving scum...” Surexeria gagged as she peeked around the corner...holding for an opening...
__________
The skeletons all rush toward Mawl to attack with the wooden clubs they were holding while on display.
On of them clocks Mawl pretty good but the other two miss.