"We're under orders to look into a situation involving Leventi and his upcoming promotion." Riddywhipple puts on miniature sunglasses, a coat and hat. "We're looking for character witnesses, and we heard you would be able to put a good word for him. How long have you known him? What are his methods?" He motions for the party to show Vetrivedes's writ.
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Arenthea gives the faerie dragon a hard look. "Yeah, I know Leventi well." Her vulpine ears flatten against her skull. "He's interested in Thrune heirlooms and in my ability to secure them."
"Ah, I see, I see." He adjusts his hat and takes a few notes. "Any details you can fill about his methods of procurement?"
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Alexander has no trouble seeing through the feigned indifference of the erinyes. Perhaps her former agathion nature impedes her skill at deception.
Arenthea sighs. "Your desire to hinder or harm Leventi piques my interest. I would be willing to provide compromising information, but only in exchange for a Dark Bargain." She regards you with a studied gaze, licking her lips in anticipation.
But she soon senses your fear or reluctance, though. "Oh well, if you won't part with your essence, perhaps, one of your more charming colleagues could, em, persuade me to accept something else in exchange for my information."
Her glowing vulpine eyes linger over your faces and trail suggestively down your bodies. "Don't worry, I would never force you to do anything against your will. Would you be willing to offer up a spellbook, a scroll, or even some secrets, instead?"
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"Secrets, you say?" Erlathan bares his fangs. "Well, you see, there are these creatures that I assume you're familiar with, given that they're rather Hellish. Vargouilles. They seem to have a thing for elves, and a smooch from one of them is how I got these chin tentacles. That's not all. What you might not realize is the, ahem, unseen bodily effects of such an encounter..."
He casts message, and relays the overshare secretly to Arenthea.
"Well Sweetheart, let's see. While you could have our souls, why not instead see what's behind door number 1?"
Riddywhipple flies up to Cirri but almost slams into her, ruining the bit. "This place seriously cramps my style..."
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"Oh come now, it's obvious from my friend's words," Nella gestures at Alexander, "that you have plenty to gain from removing Leventi from the local equation. Surely that by itself would be 'reward' enough for information but you can see that we also have plenty of scrolls and other...things...to offer to sweeten the deal. Haggling is all part of the game, sure, but it eventually comes down to deciding whether to take what's been offered or walk. So what'll it be?"
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It requires a team effort, but you eventually convince Arenthea to consider offers other than a Dark Bargain.
Some of you begin sharing your secrets, but after a few fail to impress her, the erinyes holds up her hand. "Stop! I've heard better stuff from Jerry Springer, that guy stuck in the wall in the Ghetto of Outcasts. What else you got?"
She takes the scroll of remove paralysis that Cirri pulls out, glances down at it, and hands it back. "You're kidding, right?"
When Cirri offers to give up her scroll of remove disease, the fallen agathion nods and sighs. "This'll do." She stuffs it inside her corset.
Arenthea tells you what she knows. "First, Leventi possesses the soul of Gellius Thrune, one of the founders of House Thrune from centuries ago. Leventi also owns Tholvinus, Gellius’s imp, but does a sloppy job of keeping the imp from wandering off. Tholvinus was recently captured and is now one of many prizes offered by the fighting pits of Widow’s Cry."
"Second, I not only acquired Thrune relics for Leventi, I also performed several simple services that would have made it easier for someone to steal heirlooms outright. These and other events suggest that Leventi may have acquired some of his collection through reckless or unlawful means not befitting Hell’s standards."
"Finally," she mentions, "Ophelia Peran has occasionally worked as one of Leventi’s operatives. Go talk to the night hag, Yseldra, for more information about that."
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"Oh. Thank you for the info. Take good care of that scroll. Use it on someone sick, they'll be quite thankful." Cirri forgets for a moment this is a fallen celestial, and wishes her good luck. "I like your ears!" Cirri bids her goodbye.
"Okay, sounds like we need to talk to a... night hag... named Yseldra. Where is she, anyway?"
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"That's a good question," Nella frowns, crossing her arms across her chest. "I don't think we've heard that name before now so we'll probably need to get out and ask around again, whether here or in a different part of the city."
She gives Arenthea a slightly hopeful look. "Unless you could give us an idea on where to find her...?"
The priestess sighs. "Ah well, thought it might be worth a shot. Guess it's time to get out and pound the pavement again..."
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At the backhanded compliment from Cirri and Nella's hopeful look, Arenthea responds, "Yseldra operates out of a hidden alley that houses her shop, the Yesterday’s Glories."
With her directions, Nella finds the place. A brass bell tinkles and chimes, when you open the door, and it closes behind you.
"Make yourself at ease," calls a pleasant voice from somewhere in the back. "I'll be with you in a moment."
Yseldra's shop is neatly kept. The front room has comfortable chairs of varying sizes and a shelf of books with the names and histories of the souls Yseldra sells and leases. As you review Yseldra’s catalogue of available souls and servitors, including Ophelia Peran’s entry.
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Alden is pensive as the party manages to narrowly gain the information they seek. Hell and its realms were what the proud Hellknight had studied but it seems that there were many things lacking in his knowledge.
Now that they have found the abode of the Night Hag, he wonders if he should consider a Dark Bargain for the sake of completing his quest.
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Cirri sits down on a comfy chair. It's been a while since she's had a chance to sit down. It's almost pleasant... except it's a store run by a night hag who sells souls. Cirri leapt to her feet and did what she always does in these situations - read.
Ophelia Peran... who is she?
- Maybe her Speeds will be important if they need to catch her?
- What are her Special Abilities? If she can turn invisible or the like it's best they learn now.
Cirri asked the party if they were interested, and she needed help thinking of a third topic.
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Noting that Cirri seemed to be sneaking a peek at Ysrelda's soul catalog, Nella leans in and whispers, "It can't hurt to know ahead of time if she has any known weaknesses. As much as I hope things don't turn ugly it might not hurt to have some sort of leverage..."
She hated herself for even thinking in such terms, of weaknesses and temptations and leverage.
Is this what time in Hell does to a soul? Oh Shelyn, we need to finish our mission and get out of here!
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While Alden considers selling his soul, Cirri flips through the soul catalogue and finds the entry for Ophelia Peran.
The magus reads that Ophelia Peran is a human woman, an experienced fighter and shadowdancer, and as such, she has weapons and armor training and the ability to hide in plain sight. Her speed is listed as typical of one of her race.
According to her profile, Ophelia prefers to use Power Attack to attack the most lightly armored foe in a group. Ophelia fights in the service of whoever holds her contract. If destroyed, she vanishes, rejuvenating fully formed near her contract one week later.
She is described as a former Thrune agent, now a soul bound to an infernal contract. She's currently leased to Leventi, but Yseldra retains her contract.
A pleasant, matronly woman emerges from the back room, peers at you over her rimless spectacles, and smiles. "What can I do for you, my pretties?"
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Nella waits for a moment for Alexander to add a bit of context to his statement but when it doesn't seem to be forthcoming she clears her throat and adds, "More specifically, about the soul of one Ophelia Peran and her current lease to Leventi. As a, um, dealer in souls, do you make it your business to know what those souls are tasked with when you lease them to others?"
"Just the facts, ma'am." Riddywhipple continues his trenchcoat and hat routine, scribbling madly in to a notepad. "We're on orders to investigate Leventi right before his final review. We have the writ on hand if you need it."
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Alexander knows how to stick his foot in his mouth, huh? Cirri wonders. Kind of like me. But he's all authority and Asmodeus this and Asmodeus that. I'm just scared about losing my soul.
"Y-yeah. Leventi." Cirri tries not to look directly at the woman. Beneath the lovely motherly smile lies a cruel torturer and cunning manipulator or mortal lives.
Somehow Cirri sticks her foot back into her mouth.
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"Greetings Mistress Yseldra, as my noble companions have spoken. We are here to inquire about your contract with this Ophelia Peran and her current lease to Leventi. We have a writ to investigate Leventi and any evidence you can provide us with will aid us in restoring Law to its rightful place." Alden proudly declares as though he has had no fear in this.
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Yseldra scowls at Alexander. "So I'm a nighthag, it's true. This form is one of my favorites, my first victim, as it happens. But I assure you, human, I'm no one's mistress." Then she chuckles and winks at the inquisitor. "Why, are you, em, unattached and available?"
After the rest of the team explains why you've stopped by her shop, Yseldra nods. "You must be colleagues of Zarta Dralneen. She stopped by earlier and inquired about Ophelia Peran."
"Zarta's got a silver tongue for sure. She managed to talk me down to a sale price of only 10,000gp for the woman's contract. She said she's interested in Leventi."
"Have you brought the gold?" Then her rheumy eyes light up behind her spectacles, and she cackles. "Or would you care to make a Dark Bargain, instead? I'm offering twice the going rate. You won't find a better deal anywhere in Hell, dearies."
"10,000 gold pieces...hmmm." Riddywhipple thinks.
"We could barter the wings of flying. Or we could try to win the diamond- that was worth 10,000 right?"
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Alexander doesn't flinch at the mention of the unearthly liaison.
As he smiles wryly at the Night Hag,"I am grateful and understand your beauty and power are frightening to some mortals... to those who have embraced the Dark Lord, it is exhilarating."
- what does Alexander know about similar mortal-immortal unions?
Pausing for a moment to gauge Yseldra's reaction(s).
(if she is actually interested) "We will get you the money you need, unless of course you would be willing to reduce the price based on our mutual attraction for each other?"
(if not)- "Thank you, we will get you your necessary payment. Will shall be back in a few hours. Will that be acceptable?"
"My companions and I will be having a few laughs in the arena... winning prizes, which should amuse you greatly. Would you care to watch the festivities for yourself?"
Based on whatever happens- Alexander plans on enjoying the spoils or his conquests!
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"You intrigue me, mortal servant of Asmodeus. When you've finished your business in Dis, return to me." In very unmatronly fashion, Yseldra licks her lips. "Perhaps we could share a cup of coffee and see where it leads... "
Alexander recalls little has been recorded about consensual, amorous dalliances between humans and night hags. He'll be charting new territory.
The night hag drops any pretense regarding her disdain for Leventi. "I can't stand that fiend, and it pleases me that you, too, seek to undermine him. I'll take that into consideration. I don't suppose you have any information about Leventi’s latest acquisition, the Hellknight Teena Forester? I believe the Hellknight came from outside Dis’s core, from the Ghetto of Outcasts on the city’s outskirts. That information is valuable to me, as well."
"So, what are you offering for Ophenia Peran's contract, if indeed that's why you're here." When Erlathan offers a Dark Bargain, the night hag's eyes gleam with delight. "What did you have in mind, pretty elf?"
Yseldra is willing to haggle over the price.
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"Erlathan!" Cirri stomps. He's much too flippant for her tastes. The demon taint is already on his face, what about keeping his soul clean?
Devin produces an small clasp and hands it to you. "This is Teena Forester’s Order of the Pike insignia. If you meet her in your pursuit of Leventi, remind her of her duty."
Cirri considers the insignia. "We did hear a thing or two about her origins, yes. We'll throw that in, too."
Cirri is clearly uncomfortable with this entire ordeal. Alexander and Erlathan are surrendering themselves way too easily. "Even if this doesn't work out I do have the money on hand. Calm down, everyone."
All of this soul talk is too much for RIddywhipple. He breaks character to fly outside and take a deep breath.
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Nella inwardly face-palms; propositioning their contacts was bad enough but seriously considering a Dark Bargain?
Now it'll be a wonder if we can talk her into accepting anything else!
"Ah...well, um, whatever you and our associate Alexander want to do during your off-hours isn't any of our business of course," Nella remarks, trying to keep her cool. "But I'm sure you get plenty of Dark Bargains from other clients - there's so many souls out there who'd sooner sell their own mother than part with a single gold piece, you know?"
"And since we do seem to see eye-to-eye where Leventi is concerned then surely a smaller sum of gold and information on Teena Forester would be enough?"
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Nella's argument appears to have won over the hard-hearted old hag.
Once she hears your intentions toward Leventi and what you know about Teena Forester, Yseldra turns to a polished ebony filing cabinet, retrieving a vellum document, sealed with congealed blood like a melted gummy bear. "This contract has a street value of 20,000gp. Zarta's a tough negotiator, but you, young lady, have serious skills."
The sweet little old lady-looking night hag hands the contract to the Nella. "Ophelia Peran's soul. It's yours. No charge." She cackles once more. "Screw that damned Leventi. He deserves whatever punishment Dispater curses him with."
To Erlathan, she says "You serious about a Dark Bargain? Ol' Yseldra can hook you up, don't you worry."
As you leave the shop, Yseldra gives Alexander a wink filled with promise.