"Uh, yeah. It's kinda weird now that we've like. Talked to her and stuff." Alexite glances toward the imp. "Contracts're a really big deal for a devil, right? Maybe we can use it to bind her - or banish her back to Hell? I dunno, I guess we could just tie up the sack and throw her in the pool, but..."
Indra rises from the floor, her manacles falling to the ground behind her. A wicked grin spreads across her face as she approaches the imp, a silver dagger in her hand. She let's the tip scratch across the imp's cheek.
"Not a bad idea, Alexite, we'll see what Pip and I can find out." Sparing a moment for an admiring glance at Indra as she stalks toward the imp, the elf gives a rueful shake of his head and goes to find Pip.
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Indra gives the imp a good poke and then tosses it back in the bag. Glancing around to make sure nobody is looking, she shakes it around like a bag of popcorn.
Alexite walks up behind Indra, eyebrows raised, and mouths, "What's the plan?" to her without actually speaking out loud.
Nerris climbs back down and gasps. She says," I don't approve of that your doing. I know I can't stop you but please just don't become most like the the people we're trying to stop."
Though the imp initially screeches at Indra, it is swiftly muffled as the bag closes around her. After a few moments of shaking, there's just silence, but without opening the bag, it's difficult to tell if the creature is unconscious or just biding its time.
Pip, you can pick out the muted aura of transmutation magic upon one page in particular. However, even after some time of study, you're certain that the contents remain hidden from you, as a recipe for a topical ointment to treat weeping sores (and the accompanying illustrations) is unlikely to require magic to function.
You could bring the document to your church, and see what they might recommend. Or Cressali could have a few ideas. Or, if you're sure this is the page, you could just immolate it now, and hope that it sends the creature back to Hell (literally).
Alexite pokes his head in on Pip. “How’s it goin’ in here?”
Orrias runs a hand through his hair and sighs. "Well, I don't think we should destroy the contract, we have no idea what the consequences might be." The elf turns to Alexite when he pokes his head in."Any thoughts on breaking the enchantment so we can read the contract?"
"This page holds more magic than it has any right to," Pip says, offering the sheer to Orrias, "so it's probably the one we're looking for. I dare not take it back to Songbird Hall. I'd rather the Dottari find out that I've been working against them than have my Shelynite family think I've been mucking about with devils."
After a brief spat of hmmming, the slip also adds, "We could take it to Nandy at her book shop. I'd wager she'd have insight on such things, and it'd be patently impossible to lower her esteem for me."
Indra silently curses herself for not knowing more about how devils work. After all these years in Cheliax, how has she not learned about it. Of course, everyone here is more interested in making contracts than destroying them. Hmph.
"If Nandy doesn't know, perhaps she could direct you to a book."
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Nerris pops out from the cafe and says,"I didn't find anything though it sounds like we should book it directly to this Nandy person."
Upon saying her joke she just stands their patiently waiting for any sort of response to her bad joke with a wry smile. She knows its bad. She knows its painful. Those are the best ones.
Alexite laughs at Nerris’s joke—sort of. More a brief snort, really. “Well, I guess to Nerris’s then. We should—wait.” He looks at Indra, frowning. “Where’s the imp?”
"It's resting for the moment," Indra says.
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Indra, you're able to get a small but stout barrel from Laria, one that should have no difficulty holding the imp. However, as you've said, it's unlikely to be totally secure unless you keep a close eye on it.
"I'll come with ya," Alex says cheerfully, clapping Pip on the shoulder. "Be glad for an excuse to get out of this damp hole."
"Hey now, I said we could take it to Nandy's, I never said I would go. I'm not afraid of lowering her opinion of me, but I am worried about what she might do to me. She could ban me from reading. She could dock my pay. She could fire me. She could keep things exactly the same."
Pip sighs and reins in his schtick.
"Then again, I know how to navigate her moods," he says, rubbing his chin. "If anyone can convince her to risk her soul and sanity, it'd be me. I've done it before," he adds with a shrug. "Besides, between the imp and my boss, I'd rather spend time with my boss - most of the time."
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Nerris beams at her attention that her goofy joke got. Contemplating her choices she realizes she would make a lousy guard. "I'll join you. I can't really do anything to guard if our captor tries to escape," Nerris says.
Orrias is badly torn between staying to guard the imp and wanting to visit a bookstore...and as happens so often, his wants won out.
"I'll come too."
The four of you make your way out of Laria's Coffeehouse - as surruptitiously as possible, given the earlier raid - and make your way across the city to Cressali's Fine Tomes.
It's hard to believe that only a few weeks have passed since the riot in Aria Park, your chance saving of Rexus, and his calling you together to support rebellion against Barzilai Thrune here in the back room of this tiny book shop.
Are you all walking in together? Pip first, then the others slowly? What's your approach with Nandy?
Alexite strolls along next to Pip. "I'll come to the bookstore with ya. Just in case she tries to brain you with one of those heavy things Nerris is always lookin' at." He winks.
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Orrias is happy to go in first, making a beeline for any section containing information on medicinal practices and alchemy.
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Nerris is going to follow peaking over Orrias' shoulder eyeing the books he's looking at.
Having the most familiarity with Crissali's Fine Tomes, Pip leads the way into the bookshop. Once he espies where his employer has currently ensconced herself, he leaves his friends to disperse among the shelves. He does away with his usual nonsense and approaches Nandy politely and directly.
"No jokes this time, Nandy. I need your help," he says softly to her, trying on seriousness like an ill-fitting new jacket. "I found a document protected by magic, and I need to decipher it. It's better if I don't offer too many details, but suffice to say it relates to getting rid of an imp that is plaguing a friend's business."
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Nerris just stares in awe of all the books in the store. Walking up to Nandy she says,"Your bookstore is amazing. Pip speaks highly of you and I can tell that this is a great store."
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The bell chimes overhead as you enter, and a voice from the back calls, "I'll be right up! Just shelving here in the back."
Orrias, you and Nerris are able to find the section you're interested in, and while there aren't a great many books on making poisons, there are a good number on curing their ailments. In the hands of a chemist, its almost as good as recipe book - you'll just have to work backwards to get the source material.
---
Nandy's eyes already narrowed at you when you pull around the corner and find her, Pip, but when you mention a devil, they widen considerably at you and Alexite. With a slight cough, she nods when Nerris approaches and says, "What an interesting quandry for your friend to be in. I'm not sure that I have anything to help, but I suppose we could take a look. Won't you both please come this way?"
After leading you on a winding path through the store, she takes you to the back room, stopping at a shelf along the way to select a tome wrapped in black leather to bring with her. She gestures to seats around the table, closes the door, and speaks a few arcane words. There is a shimmer in the air, and she turns on Pip with a face full of fury.
How dare you bring this to my shop? How DARE you?! You know how tenuous it is in the city! The Dottari are snatching people up across the city if ANYTHING is discovered that goes against these ridiculous laws and the power of Thrune. Pip, if I didn't...
She pauses for a moment, restraining herself before continuing. "If I didn't trust that someday you'd be making something amazing with your life, I would turn you over myself. But I trust in you, and I have no wish to see that snuffed out. So, if your... "FRIEND" needs help, then I'll help you. But after that please, PLEASE, just come in for work, or bring your friends to purchase books, and then leave. Don't bring this in here again. Promise me that."
Looking down at the tome with a sigh, she opens it, the hideous scrawl recognizable as the Infernal tongue to anyone that can speak it. She details a process, not overly complicated, but with a few inexpensive reagents that must be surreptitiously purchased, by which an imp can be banished back to Hell by destroying it's contract. "Silver dust, of course, being the most incriminating. It's not sold in great quantity to any but the priests that make holy water. You won't need so much as that, but finding a dealer can be tricky. You'll also need fine oak shavings as the fuel for the fire, so a lumber seller. Finally - something Mr. Tauranor should be able to assist with - mint extract. Apparently something in the scent that the text - and I paraphrase - says, drives them away."
When you've copied the process to memory (and to a page, as backup), Nandy shuts the tome and stands. Remember - promise me, Pip, that this never comes back here again. I'm not the only one with this book in the city, but I'm one of few. Make sure I don't have to defend myself.
Nerris becomes a bit despondent at her remarks. Not because she felt she was wrong or anything but because of the tenuous position she was put in.
Taking a deep breath she says,"Listen. I know your upset and you have every right to be but just understand we didn't do this lightly. I have family of my own and I always think of them and the pain I feel knowing what would happen if the Dottrai would harm them. I don't want to go into any more details but just know that there are other innocent people that could be harmed. We wouldn't have come to you otherwise."
Pip turns to Nerris and quips, "She's taking this better than I expected," but the blanching of his face and the faint quaver in his voice betrays how frightened he truly is by his boss' fury. To see the quiet, erudite bookseller so incensed is perhaps the most humbling thing that the slip has yet encountered since that fateful day in the park.
He takes a deep breath, centers himself, and pushes aside all his irreverence before continuing.
"I'm sorry, Nandy," he says with a contrite nod. "I only brought this to you because I trusted your knowledge and because I was desperate. The friend involved was in great danger, and I had to do something to get rid of this...problem. Thank you for helping me, again, even if it meant sticking your neck out. From now on, I will bring only normal work-related business through your door."
The shop owner's line about having to defend herself sends an involuntary shudder through her small employee's shoulders.
"I won't let any trouble come your way. I would sooner throw myself on the blade than see harm come to you, Nandy," Pip says, as much trying to reassure himself as her.
Nandy gives you a pained look, shaking her head. I hope you never have to make that choice, Pip. I truly do. I wish you and ... your friend ... well. She stands, gives each of you a nod, then waves a hand to dismiss the spell she placed over the room.
I'm sorry that I couldn't help you more fully with your request, she says a bit too obviously. Perhaps if you peruse some of the books yourself, you'll be able to find what you need. Now, Pip, I will see you for your next work shift. Thank you." Giving each of you a significant look, she steps out of the room, and returns the book to its shelf.
Coming up to Orrias, she asks, Have you found what you're looking for, sir? Anything I can help you find?
Nerris looks at Pip a bit confused and says,"I'm not going to even try correcting her notion of what going on but we were talking about Laria right and not ourselves?"
Nerris looks at Pip a bit confused and says,"I'm not going to even try correcting her notion of what going on but we were talking about Laria right and not ourselves?"
"To be honest, I'm not even sure myself," he responds faintly. "I don't want this creature to hurt Laria or her business, but I also don't want it to stab us in the backs, either."
Orrias as set aside a handful of medical texts, and is now browsing the shelves for histories and engineering texts. He also slips a romance novella into the stack, for reasons.
Waiting until Pip and Nerris have left, he approaches Nandy and inquires about quills, inks, and wax--though he expresses incredulity at the cost of seals. "Would it be more economical to create my own seal? Or to just manipulate the wax with minor magics?"
Indra remains vigilant over their little intruder. She can't wait to make sure this thing goes back to hell. She only hopes she gets to help.
Alexite makes to leave with Pip, continuing to keep a careful eye out for the dottari or similar.
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"I don't like getting Nandy angry," Pip says softly, shaking his head as he walks towards the exit. After a pause, he looks between his friends and adds, indignantly, "Don't look at me that way. I really don't!"
Stepping back out into the sunlight, Pip straightens his posture and braces himself for what he must do next.
"Well then, master," Pip says, looking up at Alexite, "Shall we fetch some oak for your next woodcarving project?
The slip wears a broad, obedient smile as he falls into his role.
"Oh! But first we need to stop by the church to see about the donation. And worry not! I promise to polish the silver once we get home."
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Alexite quickly catches Pip's drift. "Oh, uh...yes, of course! First to the church, by all means." He racks his brains (and, if need be, his little blue book!) and sets off toward the nearest church of a good-aligned deity. Ideally not one that's too fussy about the law...
Alexite's not very religious, though...
Nandy thinks about Orrias' question a moment, before nodding as she speaks, Certainly your own seal would be a permanent solution, though getting one to be officially recognized by the current Lord Mayor would take quite a bit of time to get through the bureaucracy. Casting your own seal carries its own challenges, so I suppose that - if you have access to the right magic, you might find it a bit easier to assemble your own seal for personal uses. Consider these waxes, if you will - my customers find them sufficient when I stamp their packages for delivery...
She leads you to a shelf near her counter, and shows you a set of waxes, weights, and implements that - essentially - make up a forger's kit. She gives you high eyebrows if you move to purchase them, but she also gives a knowing smirk at your having placed the romance novel in your stack of tomes.
- - - - -
Alexite, your familiarity with the city wouldn't really be that subject to a roll - the closest "good" temple would be the House of Golden Veils - formerly a Calistrian Church (the House of Satin Veils), it is now a church of Abadar. There is aso Songbird Hall, the temple to Shelyn where Pip has some friends. Otherwise, there are the churches of Asmodeus and Zon Kuthon, though they are less likely to offer assistance. :)
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"Relax Pip. I understand not wanting people you care about to get in harms way," Nerris says with a warm smile.
Upon contemplating on how to obtain silver Nerris chimes in,"You know I might be able to extract some silver from some medicinal agents so that we can obtain it without suspicion."
@Nerris you think that it's plausible, but they would render those medicinal agents ineffective for other uses. Where were you thinking of getting the materials?
Orrias is more flirtatious than deceptive, gathering up the supplies and giving Nandy a wink as he leaves.
"I was thinking of getting the powder from Songbird Hall," Pip whispers as quietly as he can to Nerris, "But if you can get it, that saves me from having to lie to my family...again. My only other idea was shaving a coin, but that would only add another to our list of crimes."
"If you can get it from your potions and stuff, I say do it, Books. No one can complain about us buying stuff to heal people," Alexite mutters into the quiet conversation as he casts a wary eye about the street. "You need me to pick up anything?"