Gavia balls her hands into fists so tight all her knuckles are white, terrified of the unknown outcome of what August is about to do.
"If we just don't touch anything and leave him alone, there aren't any problems. If you mess with the situation who knows what could happen? Think of him like an ugly lamp. Maybe you don't like it, but there's no actual harm in it."
"Nobody is moving in here. We just warn anyone who's coming in to clean this place out that there's no touching in this case."
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Zuriel considers Gavia's suggestion for a moment, then comments back. "Ya, I'm not so sure I could leave an ugly lamp be. Come home from work, ugly-lamp. go to work, ugly-lamp. Prepare lunch, ugly-lamp. Go to bed, ugly-lamp. At some point, the ugly demon has to go....erm, I mean lamp."
After considaration, August steps away from devil. Evil it may be, but doesn't seem to threaten anyone.
"Can you find anything useful in this room?" he asks the others. Normally, he would have asked the sharp-eyed Zuriel directly, but the elf hasn't been himself lately.
"Looks good from here." Zuriel replies from well outside the room.
There isn’t much in the room, simply a small table and a book on it besides the ring. The devil meanwhile groans; “Oh really? Gonna leave me here? I’ll leave and never come back, I promise!”
Zuriel listens to the outsider carefully. Trying to pick up the slightest shift in the creature's voice in order to determine if it's being sincere or, as expected, intending something sinister.
Gavia moves over to take a look at the on the table, asking August to wait until she's done.
She has no appetite for staying in the room alone with the devil.
Looking over the book you see it contains notes on various conjured creatures. The notes are extensive and it would take some time reading through it.
Zuriel you can tell the little devil is telling the truth it; is not look at good prospects and returning to Hell is one of the better options.
Zuriel considers the devil's words before relaying his opinion to his friends. "From what I can tell, the little guy sounds sincere about returning to Hell. I vote we send him back or find someone who is able to do it."
“Fine.” Zuriel says as he walks into the room. “I will smudge out the crap on the floor if you can give us some useful information. A treasure's location, one of the wizard's secrets, anything that would be of use to us. Oh, and place an emphasis on the location of a treasure part. That would be my preferred pre-pro-quo.”
"Do you think it would tell the truth? Ah heard devils always lie."
The devil looks around and kinda shrugs; “The bastard didn’t say much. I do know he talked with other devils. It’s how he knew to call me. I don’t know any treasure but I’d imagine it’s probably pretty good, considering he was able to call all sorts of outsider folks.”
He watches Zuriel with wide bug eyes, anticipating freedom nervously.
"Do what you want, Zuriel." August says, happy to leave the difficult decision of the devil's freedom to someone else.
Gavia is tired of arguing about the situation. She stays quiet and lets the two of them do what they will. Instead she prepares to run, abandoning Zuriel and August if things go south and it comes to it.
Zuriel goes to smudge out the circle, which he believes might be binding the creature to this realm. Moments before he hits the circle, he pauses. “Emm, perhaps I’m being a bit too hasty. I mean, really. I don’t think you told us anything useful. All you pointed out is the fact that he talked to other devils. We could simply surmise that on our own.” After reconsidering the situation, Zuriel pulls his foot back before doing anything to compromise the situation. “I’m sorry. I’m going to need something far more useful if I’m going to take a chance and let you out.” He states with a new resolve. “Tit for tat, this for that. You know, something to make this whole thing worth it. If not, we can defer this situation to the city and see how long they want to leave you in this mystical cage. Think very, very hard. Surly you can give me something worth taking a risk for.”
“Ughhh he mentioned he had lots of gold. It was hidden someplace, in a a cave. I don’t know where he went there with his servants… please just send me back that’s all I know. I don’t know where it is! I didn’t wanna help him so he left me here to rot, and it’s agony! So far from Hell and the flames!”
"Pile of gold in some random cave. Perhaps I should investigate every cave, in every area, from here to infinity." Zuriel laughs. "Let me see." He then places both his index fingers to his temples. "I think I can see your future. The local government secures you, magically of course, and then ships you to Cheliax to serve as a familiar to some young apprentice wizard. Young, with a lot of years ahead of him. The image is beginning to fade but it looks like the apprentice is an upstanding member of his community. Apparently, he is having you perform community service to help out the poor. What good and noble future. I think you should hold out on the gold's location and secure this future. It will literally change your way of life." Zuriel says in his normal sarcastic tone.
The devil screams and starts to cry and whine “That’s all I know! I didn’t help him cause I was greedy and now I’m gonna be picking up garbage forever!”
The devil flies around errantly as it yells and whines.
You know of multiple caves near town along the old debt road going North. You’d also suspect given how much of a hermit that if anyone saw Hunclay with his servants that the occurrence would be of note and pretty memorable.
"Ah think it's a good idea to send him to community service, and help the poor." August smiles and approves.
"That might redeem him, too."
"I agree August. Besides he hasn't told us anything useful. Like the reason the wizard summoned him here in the first place." Zuriel says before starting an inspection of the surrounding area.
“He wanted help making a spellbook look like some other book!I didn’t wanna help without a really good payment and he left me here to rot” it yells hoping to offer one last
It contains extensive notes on the appearances and behavior, of the outsiders he’s conjured in this room, and the services he secured from them. Most were conjured purely for questioning. Only the occupants of this room, the security room C14, and maximum security room C17 were kept for any length of time. The journal describes Hunclay’s plans for two of them: He initially conjured the schir in area C14 to be his bodyguard on a visit to meet someone named “Barlau,” and conjured the shae in C17 because he believed, that she might know about the Dark Tapestry.
The other creatures summoned run the gamut from devil to demon, azata to archon. The topics of Hunclay’s research varied from the creation of constructs and homunculi, investigations into Belhaim’s history, and discussions of various magical items and spells, but far and away the most common topic was the Dark Tapestry. Time and time again, the notes mention a failed conjuration of a “representative of the Dominion of the Black.” Hunclay conjured it only to have to kill it when it attacked him. The notes show that this took place in “my safe cave.” The notes
do say the cave is located just under a mile north of Belhaim.
With all this information you’d estimate that the journal is worth 6,000 gp to anyone interested in conjuring outsiders, because the names and offering preferences of a good three dozen such creatures are recorded within.
Gavia takes the book because she considers it far too precious to risk anything happening to it should things, like sudden violence, happen to change the situation in the room.
She's quite ready to move on otherwise.
"Hmm." Zurel Says out loud. "Is that the book you're talking about?" He replies to the devil while pointing at the book Gavia just swiped from his hand.
"OK. here is what I'm thinking. I'm thinking about a verbal contract. Here in front of all these witnesses. If I release you, you agree to go straight back to hell and stay there for one thousand years. If you come back to our world, for any reason, you invoke our agreement."
Zuriel begins pacing slowly back and forth. "In the event you come back here our contract will bind you to the service of the church of...?" He passuses for a moment, then continues. "Let's say Sarenrae for the remainder of the time in the contract. In their service, you will work and do as they instruct. You will be a mediator between the church and hell. You will be their eyes and ears and report to no one else but the church. Do you agree to this one-thousand-year binding contract?"
Zuriel gets a small wicked little smile on his face. Then he furrows his eyebrows strongly when he remembers Gavia just swiped his book.
“Yes I do! I agree to the terms!”
"So, this magic binding thing is a little new to me. How do I release you. Oh, and you never answered me about the book. Is that book the one you were talking about?"
“Just push the line, and no I don’t think so. He said the book was more valuable than anything. And he wanted it to be hidden so nobody else could realize what it was.”
He says this all eyeing you and the line beady insect eyes darting back and forth.
Zuriel steps up and rubs the line. "There. Be gone with you and never come back unless you wish to serve the church."
After rubbing the line, Zuriel turns to the rest of the group. "Sounds like there is still something interesting to be found."
August nods. "We have a job to do."
Then he looks around and turns left and right, quite unsure where to go.
The devil gleefully laughs before a puff of brimstone and fire consumes it. You see that behind you the hallways you were traveling on continues onwards.
After thoroughly searching the current room, Zuriel heads out the door, down the corridor, and then turns left. Taking his time while moving slowly down the passage, he search the entire corridor as he proceeds.
Walking along the corridor it snakes and eventually turns back again ending at a door. You find no signs of any traps or anything nefarious. Checking the door it is unlocked and untrapped. Within your hear female voice humming quietly.
Zuriel gets a confused look on his face and then shrugs. Once everyone is ready, he opens the door and peeks in.
Gavia grimaces at the sound. She came to appraise to place's contents. Why can't she just do that?
"Did you hear? Someone is in there!" August observers, not very quietly.
And in this place, that someone might be in trouble. The paladin pushes the door open and strides in.
Inside you see a room with the walls covered with arcane symbols. In the northern chamber, a wooden table sits against the eastern wall, with several items laid atop it. A bright light shines forth from an opening in the south wall. The humming comes from beyond the light but as you burst in you hear the voice speak out. “Back again? You still are wrong and a fool. Your search will only lead to madness and ruin.”
"I suspect we are not who you are expecting." Zuriel says in a calm and uncharacteristically dignified tone. "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Zurielitamulion. The master's newest apprentice and these fine folk are friends of mine. Could you be a little more specific about this ruin and madness? I'm quite curious what I've gotten myself into."
”You follow a fool who seeks the Dominon of the Black. Set me free please, the old fool thinks I can help him contact it for some reason. An insult to a shae…” the feminine voice speaks off eventually trailing into a weak part, as if half hearted talking.
Zuriel takes a look inside, then inspects the area for traps.
Once confident that the area is clear of traps, he enters the room.
"What's a Dominion of the Black?" August asks, entering the room. He suspects Zuriel is lying to this lady, but doesn't quite know why.
you would know a Shae is a being of the shadow plane. One of the few creatures from the plane that can be assumed to not be malevolent they are often mistaken for being evil due to their appearance.
Zuriel you move into the room not finding any traps the arcane symbols everywhere are intricate and obviously somewhat active. A table to the north holds what looks to be armor and several weapons. You see a small wall with an opening to the south. Looking at it you see bright light coming from within the alcove.
“The. But don’t worry knowing little of it is for the best lest your mind be corrupted.”
"Sounds like you require something from us. You mentioned something about needing to be freed? Perhaps we can work something out.
Zuriel cautiously moves further into the room. Once he reaches the alcove, he glances in.
as you round the corner Zuriel you see a hallway of sorts. A shimmering wall of light shines down across the hallway. In the other side you see a shape. As you close it appears to be a dark smoky cloud which begins to materialize to a vague shape of a feminine figure. The voice coming from the figure.
“Yes. I’ve been trapped by your so called mentor. Are you proposing some kind of deal?” She says back her voice more guarded now.