|
Ridley whispers to the group,
I've no need for this gnome's services. Maybe we should go speak to the hag or the erinyes? Anybody have any juicy secrets that they can trade the Erinyes for some info on Levintes? Or maybe someone has an extra soul to trade the night hag? Or perhaps we can try to talk to the thrunian agent the Night Hag is renting - she might be tempted by freedom once Levintes is taken down.
|
The gnome frowns a bit as you go whispering. "Eh don't meant to be eavesdroppin' but we gnomes have better hearin' than ye think...if ye have no use of me room or me protective spell, Eh kin offer ye a bit of information in exchange for a swig from your jug...
"Ye must have a brass pair if ye be goin' after Leventi...but thet be none of my beeswax. And ye better be wary if ye be a dealin' with Yseldra; she jest might be a talkin' ye out of your soul. If the Erinyes ye be talkin' about happen to be Arenthea, which Eh 'spect, she not be workin' today...but Eh kin tell ye where ye kin find 'er...for a swig of that concoction ye carry...have we an accord?"
|
|
The gnome smiles warmly, takes the offered jug, and takes a deep draw from it. "Aye, thet's the good stuff, laddie...don't see the likes of it around here. Oh, and yes, the offer for me room be good for the duration you are here, my good fellas. Oh...almost forgot...ye'll be finding Arenthea in the The Emerald Eye here in the market...fare thee well and be a comin' back if ye can...Eh'd love to be hearin' some stories from back home..."
|
|
Lets at least check in with Yseldra. She might have some helpful info. Nobody sell your soul though!
Ridley will approach Yseldra and pipe up
Greetings Yseldra! I'm Ridley, how ya doing today? He intones in a friendly cheery voice. He swiftly lowers to a whisper, and leans in,
I hear you might be having a bit of trouble with a certain owner of a soul that you might be renting. Methinks we might have a bit of a common cause there.
|
|
As you head towards The Emerald Eye, you pass near an out of the way alley, that leads to Yesterday's Glories which, through your earlier queries, you recognize as Yseldra's establishment. As it's on the way, Ridley decides to make a quick stop here...
You step into a very neatly kept shop. An attractive middle-aged woman, and not an ugly old hag as you might've expected, returns Ridley's greetings warmly.
"Greetings to you...but I fear you have the advantage of me...yes, I am Yseldra but I don't recall having met you before...Ridley, is it...and I assume these are your friends? Do you have a particular soul you're interested in leasing or buying outright? Please, have a seat and you can comb through my catalogs..."
With a graceful bow and wave of her hand, she directs you to the front room's many comfortable chairs of varying shapes and sizes, alongside a shelf of books with the names and histories of the souls Yseldra sells and leases.
|
Jack made a solid effort to avoid expressing any disdain at the prospects of this particular business and played along for the sake of the mission. "Interesting place, Ridley." He turned his attention towards Yseldra and offered a smile. "I'm sorry. I'm terribly unimaginative, but curious. What sorts of things could one do with a loaned or bought soul?"
|
|
Yseldra frowns at Jack's query. "You've obviously never been here before, pretty one. With one of my souls or servitors, you may do pretty much what you like with them...question them, bind them, and other things if you have the know-how. I've got one soul in particular I could sell you outright for a bargain..."
|
|
Yseldra smiles wryly. "Normally, a soul of her worth is priceless...but I'd be willing to sell it you outright for 20,000 gp; make a Dark Bargain with me exchanging me your Hope, and I be knockin' it down in half. It be such a high price due to the soul being currently leased to a devil nad I need to cover that termination fee..."
|
|
Jack had no idea what information was too much to give away and knew better than to trust the gut feeling when it led him astray too often, but... he thought he had a good enough read on the hag.
He turned away from Yseldra and lowered his voice, but not so loud that she couldn't hear him as he "counseled" Edgar. "I'm not sure if that is really worth it. After all, you're only here in this plane to get one Thrune in particular. It does seem like getting on Leventi's bad side prematurely would be a risky proposition and certainly not one that costs that much."
|
|
As he sees the situation and the bargain to be made, Dioneo uncrosses his arms, leans forwards and jumps into the discussion as well like a devil baron out of the box shadows.
Dioneo talks with the assurance of a man that was raised in Cheliax and that already dealt with devils and hags. As the baron begins to speak, he glows a little.
"Oh my ! What you want is "hope" ? Interesting. But indeed, as my collegue here said, I'd wager the... incomfortable arrangement you have is the bigger thing to be dealt with. We are quick to pay and discreet. That'll ease your mind for sure."
|
|
I think we're beating around the bush too much guys. Ridley says to the party.
Ridley, then turns to the Hag and continues to beat around, though hopefully, closer to, the bush.
We've heard some rumors that you're unhappy with the owner of a certain soul you are leasing. Maybe we've heard other people are unhappy with this same devil. And maybe we're looking to do something about it. If you've got any information that might help us, it could be mutually beneficial. If you help us out, we won't even come back and ask for payment for dealing with your problem. A little help, and we'd be square. Maybe you could give us the details of why you're unhappy, or the terms of your contract with them? Might give us some more leads to track down.
|
|
Yseldra arches an eyebrow at Ridley...and then cackles. "Ye can't haggle worth a damn...but your straight to the point...first let me ask to see if we be on the same page. Just which devil do ye be talking about? If'n it be the same one I be dealing with on this contract, and ye tell me what your interests in him be, I be willing to the lower the price even more..."
|
|
Yseldra nods and grins wryly at Jack. "Aye, that be him...I be weary of dealing with that bastard...I wish ye luck but be wary, he be quite formidable..."
She ponders a moment. "Most of ye haggle fairly well...and ye be an enemy of my enemy. I be willing to sell this soul to ye, straight up, for 7500 gold...if ye can find out some information about Leventi's latest acquisition, a Hellknight by the name of Teena Forester, I be lowerin' the price to 2500. I do believe that the Hellknight came from outside Dis’s core, from the Ghetto of Outcasts on the city’s outskirts...and I can give you directions there, if ye be interested..."
She then gives an evil smile. "Or, if one of ye be a willing, as I mentioned before, ye can have the soul in exchange for giving me your 'hope'..."
|
|
Jack looked at his belt that had left his savings depleted and wasn't being of much use in investigations. He sighed and offered a hand out, realizing that future deals were probably going to be more difficult to swallow. "You seem honorable enough at least and I'm willing to take one for the team and reward that. If I am able to take her soul back to the material plane, I am willing to trade off my hope for the full acquisition of Ophelia's soul, directions to a nearby vendor who accepts gold at less than a 200% markup for a map and blue book of Dis, and of course, also the directions towards the Ghetto Of Outcasts and wherever it is that we can find Leventi."
He thought about it and shrugged. "Think that covers it."
|
|
Dioneo opens his mouth to try and bargain more but closes it as he hears Jack offering his 'hope'. The Baron knows that a word could mean a contract sealed and begins to shiver at the idea.
"Jack! What have you done? We might have... had a better deal!"
His self-confidence seems to have vanished for a moment... but then he sighs heavily to regain his composure.
"Jack said 'IF'." he emphasizes.
|
|
Yseldra cackles delightedly. "Delicious!" She rubs her hands delightedly and continues. "Ye be such a lovely boy; I know not why ye be wanting a blue book telling ye of all the seedy places in this hellish city, there be plenty for sure. But ye can be a finding one in a book shop a couple of blocks east of here called the Imp's Nook...ye can expect to pay from 5 to 10 gold for it...but tell Nibs I sent ye and it'll be just 5 for sure...he be scared of me something fierce..."
She gives them directions to the Ghetto of Outcasts and Levenit's Scriptorium. "Where Leventi resides be no secret, but getting in be a different matter...he has wards aplenty. Besides that devil himself and his benefactors, no one may cross but the Dis authorities...but they not be a doing that unless ye have some damning evidence..."
She gives the contract for Ophelia Peran's soul to Jack...and then places her hands on both of his temples, mutters a few words, afterwards saying, "Done...and done!"
Transaction completed, she transforms back to her true haggish form and, with a wave of her hand, she dismisses them, saying, "I be wishing ye luck...but be wary...and if ye fail, please do an old hag a favor and keep me name out of it. Fare thee well!"
As you leave, you note you have about 20 minutes or so before you're supposed to meet back up with Zarta...
|
|
Jack didn't really notice anything different yet as he put the contract into his bag of holding. He glanced back at the others and then headed off towards the Imp's Nook purposefully to acquire the book and map. Once out of earshot of the hag's store, he spoke freely. "We did our 'successful' haggling. Yes, we could've knocked it down to 2500 gold, but then we would have 2500 gold fewer to bargain with in future deals. I understand that some of you have use of what I offered, but what I offered is likely going to be less expensive than what we will be asked to offer here."
He patted his bag with a sad smile. "And besides, I just got the opportunity to get someone else out of here."
|
Eyes wide, Edgar keeps his mouth shut as the deal concludes. Heading out with the rest, his eyes stay locked on Jack.
The raven finally speaks up. "Noble Sir Jack. Noble for sure. Though with it being a Thrune you saved...perhaps undeserved."
"Agreed." chimes in Edgar. "Though I commend you're bravery on the bargain. I'd have considered the bargain myself for something more promising in return. That said, I've no doubt our Ms Dralneen would enjoy asking your new acquisition some questions as well."
"We've a short time before we are to meet up with her again. You think we have time to check in with the Erinyes before the meet up?"
|
|
Currently feeling none the worse for wear, noble Sir Jack makes a quick stop in to the Imp's Nook. He inquires about the blue book and Nibs grins widely and, with a wink, pulls one from underneath the counter, saying, "That'll be 10 gold, please." Upon hearing Jack mention that Yseldra sent him, the imp shudders, muttering, "Did I say 10? Slip of the tongue, I meant 5 gold..."
|
|
You make your way to The Emerald Eye and enter. Looking around, you see it clearly to be a shop of relics and rather unique antiquities. A quick query to the proprietor directs you to the Elven lich Nemetiels's booth. You see an Erinyes browsing the lich's collection of preserved heads of scholars...
|
|
Dioneo discreetly asks around about The Emerald Eye on the way there; he finds the locals think it's as reputable a place as you'll find in Hell. And they say it's the best place to search, or research, for hard to find relics...which, from what you found out earlier, is probably the reason Arenthea is there...