"Thank you Father Teech, for your kind ministrations and glorious rum. I hope to see you again one day."
Barel leaves the Temple with a longing backwards glance...as if he thought he could stay there forever, but this is not the right time.
Teech pats Barel resoundingly on the back.
"Visit whenever you want my son. Ioun's light and strong arm go with you all."
As he bestows his blessing, he exchanges a small glance with Raya and the paladin is certain he is approving of her actions.
Partings made, the temple group follow Lynore back to Chloris's emporium, where Lanthair still lurks and Arishat is leaning casually against a wall.
Barel strides up to Arishat and grins towards Lanthair, "Why is the jumpy one hiding in the corner?
Someone mentioned something about a ship...when is it leaving?
I may need another drink before getting on another of those confounded floating tombs. Last time I was on one...well, lets just sum it up as 'me and boats don't get along to well'."
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"Well, you're sounding cheerful enough." Arishat straightens up, smirking. "At least, you're not dead. And we're not going on a ship. At least, I don't think so. On the other hand, I might be wrong. I'm sure the nice young lady we're going to meet will be delighted to answer any questions you have. Any at all, in fact the more questions you ask the better. She's a real fan of being asked questions, Miss Chloris, and really likes to be asked them a lot. Loudly, since she's a little bit deaf, but I wouldn't bring that up because she's probably embarrassed to admit it." Looking around, Arishat notices everyone is here. "You might want to ask her a few things too, Thom. I think she's going to perform a magical ritual, so finding out what it involves and how safe it is would most likely help settle anyone who is nervous about it, and you're certainly knowledgeable about magic."
Thom speaks up, "A ritual, you say. Might be worth getting instructions on said ritual. Would hate to be stranded in Sigil, not that it is a bad place mind you, just not my cup of tea."
The door to the emporium remains closed.
"Guess we should knock. Barel, your hammer?"
"I will be sure to ask her lots of annoying questions...just for you." He smiles at Arishat, happy that he at least usually gets sarcasm.
He then pulls out his hammer and taps somewhat gently at the wooden door.
The door crunches under the gentle touch of Barel's hammer, revealing an empty shop. Not for long. Chloris appears from a back room, smoking a cheroot and looking extremely disagreeable.
"Come in, cousin and mind the traps. I don't want them disabled missy," she adds tetchily to Lynore. "This way."
She gestures to the room she emerged from and disappears again.
Lanthair looks about warily for any signs of trouble...
... and sees some telltale signs that Chloris is far from unprotected. The floor is inlaid with wicked caltrops, now turned upwards, but disguised as mere decoration. Crystal balls twirling gently focus light across the room. Crossing the beams will surely trigger something.
With his quick eyes, the halfling can readily point out such hazards to his companions.
"Well, this looks like a fun shopping experience." Arishat stays rather carefully in the doorway while the traps are pointed out. "I'll bet it's good for getting repeat customers."
"I have to discourage shoplifting."
Chloris's voice drifts in, filtering through a grotesque mask on the wall. She sounds slightly amused.
"What is the meaning of this?" Lanthair asks. "Are you not prepared to honor our agreement?"
Thom mutters softly to Raya, "Sure seems like our hostess is having second thoughts here."
"Of course I am, halfling nitwit. My traps are as much for your protection as my own. Unless, that is, you want me distracted while I open your portal."
Raya gets the distinct impression that Chloris means just what she says. The traps are merely the outward manifestation of normal tiefling paranoia.
Ruinblade glows slightly.
"Is this female our gateway to vengeance?"
"If she is an agent of Acererack, kill her. It is your duty. Shall I make myself known to her? Shall I put her in fear?"
Ruinblade quivers hopefully.
Raya sees nothing that indicates anything other than a lot of flavourful fortune telling kit, designed to make customers spend money.
If Chloris has darker affiliations, they are not out in the open.
"Of course I am, halfling nitwit. My traps are as much for your protection as my own. Unless, that is, you want me distracted while I open your portal."
"Some fairly obvious, some concealed, some really dangerous." Arishat nods in appreciation. "A sensible approach. Better, though expensive, with guards, if you expect lots of traffic through an area."
Lanthair sighs and follows Chloris.
Lanthair picks his way across the booby-trapped room and through the next door. With his skills, he is able to point out a safe route to everyone. Even so, the less deft party members will have to take a little care.
Chloris's voice takes on the faintest tinge of smugness as Arishat applauds her defensive efforts.
"Let's just do this shall we? I'm due a holiday and I'm putting it off to get you all to Sigil."
Oh great...well here we go...
Thom starts to pick his way across as carefully as any bookish mage can.
Arishat, not being built for moving around carefully, avoids obstacles in a more athletic manner than Thom, and then prepares to help anyone who needs it.
Arishat and Thom glide effortlessly across, but Raya makes a bit of a mull of it.
Is she or is she not an agent of Acererack?
Ruinblade hisses distractingly.
Lynore tip-toes the route.
Lanthair assists those who are less sure-footed.
Barel thinks--great, just got over a brain eating bug and now I get to blow myself up in a Tarot shop...excellent!
Yet, somehow he nimbly races across the floor and adds a little jump at the end.
Chloris locks the door behind the group as they make their way into her inner sanctum. In clear contrast to the showy shop front, this is a place for work and work only.
"We had a bargain and I'm a tiefling of my word. The portal is here."
She gestures to a discreet glowing circle on the floor.
"The contact is Lu. She knows all the keys to all the planes. This gateway will put you down in The Hive."
Barel looks dubiously at the glowing circle--"I didn't like those in Moil, this one only seems marginally better." The lighthearted demeanor has disappeared, perhaps due to the portal, but it could have something to do with the fact that he put his cask of ale away.
Thom smiles reassuringly at Barel. "Don't worry Barel. Portals are portals, no need to fret over this."
Lanthair puts aside his doubts about Chloris's character. Critical as their mission is, it is worth the risk.
Lynore moves deftly behind Chloris and slips a shroud around the tiefling's neck.
"Just a gentle reminder not to make any mistakes."
To her friends, she smiles.
"I'm not going. There are a few people who need a watchful nanny I think."
Chloris grits her teeth slightly.
"How touching."
Whatever plans the tiefling might have had to mislead the party, she seems to shelve them.
"Go. Before I lose patience with you."
The portal glows violet, inviting the party to step through. From beyond, you can just see the outlines of strange buildings.
"You fight for your cause dutifully," Lanthair says to Lynore. "It would be an honor to fight be your side again." With that, he steps into the portal.
Thom is next through the portal. Just before he steps through, he adds "We will all miss you Lynore. Watch your back."
"And your front." Arishat glares around before speaking to an empty wall. "If anything happens to my friend, I'm probably going to be a quite upset." She steps through the portal.
"Dearie me, does that mean you'll take me off your Christmas card list?"
Chloris raises a cynical eyebrow.
Her shop vanishes as the group step through her portal into the unknown dangers of Sigil. As Barel steps through, the portal snaps shut behind them as though Chloris can't wait to be rid of the party.
It is immediately clear that this is a very different place. Houses reach upwards, seeming almost to meet above your heads and the narrow alleyway you've landed in gives onto a larger street. Along it you can see demons, devils, humans and other stranger things going about their legitimate business.
Spitefully, Chloris seems to have deposited you in the meat market and the stench is horrible.