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Brayne interjects unexpectedly after being quiet in his thoughts for what seems to be the longest time as he ogles the Naga. "Huh! Well here I thought that Qalkami was most embarrassed at the contracts terms. I mean, she did send us to do her bidding, practically afraid to show up since she would be ridiculed to be even writing these terms! Was I gravely mistaken??"
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"Huh? But if the terms weren't agreeable then why aren't you still working it out...?" Nella asks, looking as confused as Tarragon. But as first Kulga and then Brayne speak up, the priestess gets the feeling that she's missed some important context.
"Um. Then again, I'm not a merchant. But some of my companions seem to know a great deal about it so I'm sure we can still get something figured out," she adds, deciding to take a step back from the conversation so her more knowledgeable teammates can take the lead.
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At the naga's complaint about the contract terms, Garduk sighs and braces himself for the beginning of a fight. When Kulga starts talking instead of shouting, he turns to stare at her in surprise. Then Brayne joins in the conversation, and Garduk gets an inkling that something must be going on beneath the surface of the conversation.
I really should learn more about people's ... feelings. Somebody must have written a book on the subject at some point.
The young half-orc leans back in his chair and grimaces in anticipation of the show.
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"Ahhh, yes. Qalkami was quite concerned that she would appear weak because of these terms; she was actually hoping we could get some additional concessions out of you to help her save face a bit... but clearly that's not going to be an option for us, here, is it?" He nods, attempting to blush. "You're just too good of a negotiator."
Soheila's demeanor seems to shift. "Yes, I can see how those fees might in fact make sense. I may need to reconsider." She is clearly thinking about the contract.
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Garduk leans forward, intent on backing whatever play Kulga, Brayne, and Brady have in mind.
Not that I have any idea what that play is, of course.
"Think about how impressed your backers on the Plane of Water will be when you report that you have sealed a deal with an efreet here on the Plane of Fire," he growls, taking a shot in the dark.
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Brayne sighs, "Lady, you're very interesting, but we don't have all day. I hope you don't take too long to reconsider these conditions. It's not going to be great for us if we take too long, and what if re-negotiations causes Qalkami to back off from the deal?! It's going to look pretty bad on your part if you had to ask me.."
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"Hmm...not to mention it looks like Qalkami needs to hire better people," Nella adds, finally getting the gist of what they're trying to accomplish as she leans in to study the contract a little more closely now. "See here, I'm certain these products are really worth more at market than this price that she's quoted. You'd be getting quite a deal!"
Soheila's facial expressions seem quite readable for a naga. She seems to go back and forth between accepting the contract and then not accepting it. Finally, with a barage of intimidation she backs off. "Alright! You have convinced me. This really is a good deal." A sly smile spreads across her face. "Qalkami really did send some good negotiators. I think you guys gave as good as you took but in the end, I do think I won out on this. It will be an excellent deal."
She produces a pen and deftly signs it.
With the contract in hand, the party is now able to return to Qalkami's manor.
You are ushered in and she joins you shortly.
"It's clear to me that you're more competent than most offworlders, so perhaps you're game for a more challenging task. Basira Karama, another efreeti in town with noble roots, has been a thorn in my side for far too long. With the upheaval in the City of Brass, it's finally become profitable to see him brought down a peg. He's throwing a gala tomorrow night, which presents an excellent opportunity to strike. I've managed to secure invitations to the gala for each of you. Your task is to ensure that this is the worst night of Basira's life."
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Though pleased that they've managed to complete the first three tasks with a minimum of trouble - and largely to the satisfaction of everyone involved - Nella's eyebrow goes up when Qalkami details their fourth and final task.
"So...are you looking for anything specific here or do you just want us to sabotage the party in general?"
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Qalkami holds up a hand to interrupt the Pathfinders. "Actually, the less I know about the details, the better. If you know what I mean. But I might offer a suggestion. The gala is being held at the Brightcoal Estate and I'm pretty sure they will have door guards to hold onto your weapons or other dangerous looking magical items. Vassago can help you smuggle in a small amount. By the way, did he really marry that trashy mephit? I can't believe it."
She holds up the contract from Soheila. "This was good work. I don't know how you did it but I'm quite pleased." From a fold in her clothes she pulls out a bag of coins and tosses them to Brady. "Here, you can use this to provision yourself for the gala."
"I look forward to hearing about your evening at the gala," she says with a smirk and then leaves the parlor.
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As the Pathfinders leave Qalkami's home, Garduk gestures at the pouch of gold Brady is carrying.
"Hrmmm. What does she think we're going to need that for? More healing potions?"
Garduk pauses to brush at a patch of dried mud on one pant leg, probably from the path near the naga's pond. His efforts spread the mud over a larger area. With a shrug, he gives up and continues walking.
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Kulga looks pained to be discussing it, but she brings up a few alchemicals that could be unpleasant too. "Itching powder, some sort of glue, almost any kind of musk. There's supposed to be something that will smell particularly abhorrent to fiery outsiders too."
She scowls a bit at the idea of having to disarm, "I'll want my axe in there if things go wrong."
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"I do think we should check in with Yasmine before we do this," Nella agrees. "Because I'd really like to know more about this guy that we may or may not be making an enemy of. And unless we think we're going to need anything really expensive to help ruin the party I do think we ought to spend this coin on gussying up a bit."
Then she smiles as she pulls out a pair of translucent cloth tubes from her pack. "But don't worry about me. I might need some jewelry to complete the effect but these sleeves can change the appearance of my clothing to whatever I want."
"As far as needing to smuggle anything in...maybe my own spell components but that's about it. I don't need weapons, I don't wear armor, and I carry my holy symbol wherever I go," Nella adds, gesturing to the tattoo on her wrist.
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After leaving Qalkami's, the party finds their way back to the embassy and enquires after Yasmine. She meets you at the entrance and guides you to a table just as before. You describe your past successes and the final task from Qalkami.
Yasmine frowns. "Well, this sort of thing is normal in efreeti politics, and Basira is not an especially upstanding individual. On the other hand, he is a close trade partner with our embassy, and I would consider it a personal favor if you found a way to avoid fulfilling this task. Perhaps if you speak with Basira, you can work out some kind of arrangement?"
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Garduk pays very little attention while the others explain their final mission to the diplomat, passing the time by outlining his disruption of the party in his journal. He quickly covers several pages in his crabbed script and is just starting to fill in diagram of the main ballroom with circles and arrows showing lines of effect when Yasmine asks the Pathfinders to find a way not to fulfill the mission.
"Wait, what? But..."
He gestures sadly at his outline.
Yasmine looks less than convinced at Brayne's response. "I hope that your idea of 'making a solution' doesn't cause embarrassment to me or this embassy."
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"Oh. Um...well, this sorta puts us between a rock and a hard place, doesn't it? We can try but this is getting into 'having your cake and eating it too' territory - so it may come down to the Society having to settle for just one outcome and not both," Nella sighs as she crosses her arms.
"We could *try* talking to Basira but if he's as much of an efreeti as Qalkami is, I don't know how that would go."
Yasmine frowns at Nella. "I think I've done quite a bit to help you so far. I don't think it's too much for me to ask for this favor." Her previously friendly demeanor seems to have chilled quite a bit. "I know your Pathfinder leaders gave you specific instructions, although I don't know why. I also don't know why they are working with Qalkami. But nevermind. You guys will just do what you want to do." She stands in a huff and leaves.
A few hours remain before the gala. You have time to finish preparations or even try to obtain an audience with Basira.
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Garduk watches Yasmine stalk out of the room without much expression.
"Hrmmm. We don't work for her, and she doesn't even know why the Society is working with Qalkami, so she's not in any position to have an opinion about whether we should do what Qalkami asks this time."
"But she also seemed to take the whole thing personally. Surprisingly personally. And Venture-Captain Esmayl ibn Qaradi said the arrangements with the embassy were through his family, not the Society. Which means she controls our way home."
The young wizard rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "So here we are, with a straightforward job right in front of us, and we're stuck worrying about somebody's feelings again!"
Basira's home is an imposing manor of four gigantic stories of marble and brass. Lush jungle plants fill much of the gated estate's grounds. Salamander guards at the gates check each attendee for banned gear and to ensure that the invitation is in order. After a few moments the guards wave you on and you enter the main ballroom.
Plush red carpets rest atop gleaming marble floors in this palatial hall, which has been set with a variety of elegant couches and beautiful tables holding mountains of food and a dizzying assortment of drinks. Servants in ornate shackles pass out appetizers and drinks while a band plays in one corner. The gala seems to be in full swing. Now is the time to act!
Sabotage food: The main buffet table is covered in spicy food and strong drink that easily disguises the taste of many toxins. Adding such toxins while avoiding notice requires a Sleight of Hand check. If you do not have at least two doses of any ingested poison, you can concoct something suitable for the occasion with a successful Craft (alchemy), Survival, or relevant Profession check.
Sabotage music: Basira has hired a band of accomplished Medium and Large air elemental instrumentalists known as the Boreal Five to provide music at the gala. The group has already caused a stir in Zjarra, and with a successful Diplomacy (gather information) or Knowledge (local) check, you learned ahead of time that Basira's hired them for the event. The elementals find their patron for the evening distasteful, even though he pays well. You can approach the elementals between songs and convince them to leave with a successful Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check (or by just bribing the band with 500 gp). The elementals only speak Auran. Alternatively, you can pressure the band to let you join them at which point you make the music especially discordant or introduce embarrassignly satirical lyrics with a Perform check.
Sabotage rumors: You can foster slanderous rumors amongst the gala's guests, either about Basira or about other guests, to foment chaos. A successful Bluff, Knowledge (local), or Diplomacy check allows you to spread sufficient rumors to cause an incident. For each of the following languages that you can speak, you gains a cumulative +2 bonus on the check: Auran, Draconic, Ignan, Infernal, Kelish, and Terran.
Sabotage staff: Numerous slaves -- most the dwarflike outsiders known as azers -- attend to the needs of Basira's guests. Each wears a set of magic manacles linked by a delicate mithral chain, preventing the wearers from traveling beyond the estate's grounds. These are otherwise mundane masterwork manacles with average locks. A slave can slip away discreetly once the manacles are removed. Any attempt to remove the manacles requires a successful Sleight of Hand or Stealth check to avoid notice. Freeing at least three slaves leaves the gala seriously understaffed, fulfilling this objective. Furthermore, this earns you the quiet assistance of the other slaves, allowing you to reroll one failed skill check and use the second result in their efforts to sabotage the gala.