versatile performance
Evidently some things never change. The idea of maybe being able to shift the blame to the Pathfinder Society — even without a real plan to achieve that — is evidently enough to convince him.
Looking over the contract and paperwork, Khellek is able to confirm Leventi's error and recognize that a typical infernal court would rule in Kirash's favor. He still needs to get this in front of someone of higher authority than Leventi, but knowing this helps your own case.
Khellek assures him that he has the laws on his side.
A few minutes after that, the imp returns and escorts your group.
Wide corridors through darkly beautiful foliage wander far enough from the iron streets of the city to be insulated from the omnipresent noise and heat. The journey concludes at a three-tiered gallery displaying armor, weapons, relics, and framed woven swatches, all built around a wide-branched blackwood tree with leaves of gold.
A black-haired woman standing 14 feet in height looks away from a skein of thread and rises in greeting, gesturing toward seats around an intricately carved oaken table.
“Welcome to Eleusys, travelers. Take respite and refreshment as guests in the home of my queen, Erecura. I, Rowane, greet you in her name.”
She then waits for each of you to introduce yourself and then offers refreshments.
“My queen knows of your investigation and wishes to take up the matter. Leventi made certain promises in Hell's name, the details known to him alone. She asks that you retrieve his personal records—should your investigation prove successful—so that she can see his obligations fulfilled and no one else suffers for his alleged mistakes.”
Khellek realizes that by ensuring Hell meets its obligations, Dispater avoids embarrassment, Erecura would strengthen her own reputation in Dis, and the infernal duke responsible for Leventi would suffer a setback. Judging from Zarta’s smile, Khellek thinks it likely she understands the politics as well.
Rowane then asks how your investigation is going.
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Khellek listens carefully, savvy enough to not want to let Rowane know that she too understands how closely aligned the groups aims are at this point.
"I am known as Khellek, and we have made some substantive progress in tracking down the somewhat inept dealings of Leventi. Unfortunately we did end up crossing paths with a couple of the minions of your queen while conducting research in the fighting pits." he offers a shrug.
"Their performance was... insufficient." he finishes, not wanting to embarrass the queen even inadvertently, "My colleagues are somewhat too modest about their own abilities. We were hoping you may be able to provide some additional leads that would perhaps also be of benefit to your queen? For instance, where might we find these personal records?"
Rowane does not seem troubled by the mention of you killing erinyes in a fighting pit.
“I would expect you would find more evidence in Leventi’s Scriptorium. You would do well to have some evidence before going there though.”
“Tell me what evidence you have so that I can judge if it is sufficient or not.” Her tone is that of someone making a demand, not a request.
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Slightly suspicious, but seeing little other alternatives Khellek lists what the group has so far discovered.
"We have found several copies of contracts created by Leventi. One contained some embarrassing loopholes and there is a pattern of as well of Leventi trading Hell's resources for personal gain." says Khellek.
"Then of course there is Gellius being able to attempt to escape is another example of Leventi's negligence" he adds, counting concrete examples on his fingers.
"Then there is a small group of Hellknights, maralictor Devin Madras a human make who was a paladin of Iomedae, arminger Aurora Tesk, and arminger Ria Dresk, Teena Forester. While Teena seems to have offered her soul to hell, there are irregularities around the others, and perhaps there was trickery also involved in Teena."
"We have located some associated contracts to do with Staebius Kalmp. The Hellknights' contracts include two different documents both signed by the Hellknight Staebius Kalmp. The first damns his soul to Hell in exchange for the physical strength with which to subdue the untamed wilds. The second forgives the debt of his soul in exchange for the souls of his four subordinates, recognized by the contract's author as the signer's property." the elderly scholar clears his throat. "Signing away a subordinate's soul in place of one's own is quite irregular. Even in Hell"
He sighs "Then on the way in, we met another scholar, Kirash Nouri. He made a deal with Leventi to get silver agent status in exchange for property of Leventi's choosing. The devil chose Kirash's slave named Narsino, however Kirash had already submitted the paperwork to free Narsino thus his pending status was as a free person, not his property."
He pauses "There seems to be a common thread in Levanti dealing in souls that are often not really open for collection. And a general level of incompetence that I am surprised to see tolerated."
versatile performance
Rowane gets out a quill and takes notes as you list off the evidence. She asks for the spelling of the various names. “To make sure we find the relevant contracts more easily.”
She asks “You said this Kirash was waiting outside?”
When Two Blades makes his comment, she says “Completely unbecoming of a devil. A devil that can not follow the rules is certainly a problem.”
“I think you have enough evidence at this time to confront Leventi.” She then offers “Would you like to act as my agents as you confront him?”
Having some insight already into Rowane’s political motives, he realizes this could be an offer of mutual benefit. It would make their positions politically stronger while also allowing her to claim a larger role in ‘correcting the errors’ of a rival.
“Why I’m surprised you even have to ask, darling! I see nothing but advantages to us in such a role.”
In answer to Doodle’s question, Rowane says “It would signify you are acting under my authority. Think of it as a stronger version of the writ you were already given by Vetrivides. Make sure that you do nothing to embarrass me while wearing them.” It occurs to you that the writ was never mentioned to her by your group.
When Khellek agrees, she summons an imp and givens them a few instructions.
As the imp flies off, she gets out a set of pins bearing Erecura's symbol, a halo of runes. She offers each of you starting with Khellek one of the pins, stating the authority is only to be used in dealing with Leventi and that the consequences would be dire should you embarrass her with your actions. She places the pins on chests of those who agree.
Zarta accepts one of the pins.
Tholvinus is ignored by Rowane, evidently not being worth her attention. They do not get a pin.
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Khellek examines the pin. "I believe it just places us, in the short term, as minions of Erecura. If people mess with us, they mess with Erecura. Even if she doesn't care much for us, she can't afford to have people wearing her symbol being molested in the streets. It would set a poor precedent."
After attaching the badge he offers a nod of thanks to Rowane. "We will embarrass neither your mistress nor yourself. Before we go, is there anymore you can tell us of Leventi? Who is their protector? How did they come to their current position, despite their seeming ineptness? Could they have some type of secret hold over a higher power we would need to be wary of?"
Rowane says “Concentrate on Leventi, mortal. If their sponsor interferes, I will be in position to handle them.” Her smile is predatory.
Zarta says “We had an agreement with Vetrivides that we would receive a particular piece of their property. If what you seek is information, the agreements should not conflict with each other.”
The norn pauses for a few moments, then says “I will speak to them. We should be able to come to a satisfactory arrangement for all parties.”
With that you are dismissed.
Trip would have taken 3 hours
Trip would have taken 3 hours
Trip takes 1 hour
Trip would have taken 3 hours
Trip would have taken 2 hours
Trip would have taken 2 hours
The +5 bonus was because Khellek did so well on the initial check for knowledge of Dis.
A lot of groups would be spending much more of their time in navigating the city. I know my core character would have had problems even though she has invested in Knowledge Planes.
As you are leaving Eleusys, a livery-adorned devil presents you with a piercing metamagic rod saying that your work has impressed Rowane enough that she is gifting you the item.
Khellek leads you back to the Fallen Fastness. The trip takes an hour.
Glowing runes bar passage into or out of the scriptorium. Standing at some distance from the runes is a contract devil.
The contract Devil brings forth a document and Zarta carefully reads it. Then she gets out a quill and starts crossing out lines. “This section is completely unacceptable to me.” She also asks for other clauses of the contract to be adjusted. It takes a little bit of time, but the contract devil seems to have been prepared for some changes. The negotiations complete and contract agreed on, the devil teleports out.
Evidently satisfied, Zarta says “Sorry for the delay, but one must always carefully read any contract — even one as simple as that one was.”
As you approach the glowing runes, the barrier dissipates. You are able to proceed through a set of ornate double doors into the scriptorium.
Silver flames along the wall accent the features in this statuary chamber. A marble humanoid devil with four horns stands proudly in the center, draped in robes and reaching toward the horizon. Regal statues of humans line the walls. Three large wall scrolls with writhing text adorn the north, west, and east walls.
The ceilings here are 20 feet high, and the glow emanating from the display cases and infernal contracts provides dim illumination.
Khellek easily recognizes that these walls are from a fallen temple of Aroden outside Ostenso in Cheliax. The middle statue depicts Leventi, while the six around the chamber are the monarchs of House Thrune: Abrogail I, Antoninus, Terthule, Carellia, Infrexus, and Abrogail II.
Vetrivides waits here, along with two additional bone devils. As you enter they are inspecting an opaque steel hourglass attached to the base of the devil statue.
Turning, the 9’ tall devil looms over you and demands a report of what evidence you have collected. Zarta briefs him and shows him the contract with Rowane as well. He reads it and then returns it to her.
“It seems you have managed to retrieve enough evidence to make a case against Leventi. You may proceed to explore his scriptorium and arrest him. Should he resist, you may destroy him.”
From within his cage, Tholvinus the imp says “Hopefully he will resist so you can destroy him!”
versatile performance
Doodle and Khellek recognize that the wall scrolls serve as supernatural conduits to other parts of Leventi's quarters. Khellek realizes that using them there is a risk of some of the writing may adhere to the person. He believes that having such markings would make them more susceptible to spells.
Numair casts several spells on himself and one on Grog.
As he is doing this, Khellek asks the imp about the area.
Tholvinus indicates he doesn’t know the whole area. He can tell you that the scroll on the western wall leads to a study. The one to the east leads to a storage area for the things Leventi isn’t currently displaying. The one to the north leads to his museum dedicated to some battle on the mortal plane.
Those are the only rooms he knows anything about.
He doubts that Leventi would be in the storage area.
Numair transitions through the eastern scroll. From this side, it looks like he gets absorbed by the scroll.
Numair and Two Blades move through the scroll without the ink sticking to them.
Khellek goes through the scroll without getting any ink stuck to himself.
Doodles also makes it through the scroll without any ink sticking to them.
Grog also makes it through the scroll without problem. The good news is no one has the ink on them. The bad news is you have nothing to inspect to get a better idea of what would happen.
A steep, narrow staircase spirals down one hundred feet to an isolated office with a simple wooden writing desk, a bookshelf stuffed with heavy legal texts, and an iron post with chains and manacles attached.
Khellek recognizes this Kantarian spire from a scion of House Narikopolus. A contemporary scribe chronicled Iomadae's mortal deeds here.