Karrin peeks her head up from the pit.
"What was that all about?" She asks no one in particular.
"I have no idea."
"Gah!" Karrin says in surprise, turning towards the voice, "where did you come from?!"
"Gah!" Karrin says in surprise, turning towards the voice, "where did you come from?!"
"Well, Agulcheryl was feeling bored, so I thought I'd take him to the nearest inn. Of course, now I see what's in it, I feel relieved."
"Um, nice to meet you," Karrin says climbing out of the fighting pit, "I think I need something to eat. I got a craving for turkey. Sharinda can I get some turkey and fixings?"
Sharinda bustles out of the back area
"Karrin! I am so sorry, I got wrapped up in a fight among my Thark dishwashers. I'll get you some turkey immediately! And some birthday cake!"
Sharinda bustles off, returning wth a plate groaning with goodies and a large cake with several candles in in.
"Happy Birthday!"
"Who's birthday I wonder," the clueless tiefling wonders, "is someone having a birthday."
Karrin wanders back over to her companions seated at the table.
"Hey Gang," she says, "what are we talking about today?"
Sharinda smiles
"Mitchifer told me yer birthday was coming up, so I thought a cake was in order."
"Really?!" Karrin asks sounding surprised. Birthdays were always a bit of a mystery for Karrin. She and the brothers thought that she was 21 but she was an orphan and she had no past. When she was young she asked the brothers when her birthday was and they told her on the feast of Saint Chrispin, a date which was probably chosen by the pious brothers for expediency, but as Karrin got older she also grew suspicious that it wasn't the case. But the World Serpent Inn was a mysterious place and Mitchifer was one of it's most mysterious denizens. If anyone could know Karrin's real birthday Karrin believed Mitchifer could be the one to know.
"Wow!" she says, "I always wondered when that was! And I do love cake!"
Happy Smurfday Karrin!
"Thank you little blue guy!" Karrin says, rejoining the table, "Let's have some cake!"
OM NOM NOM!
I smurfing LOVE cake!
Sharinda comes over to the table
"Mitchifer said that he had a conference room set for you like you wanted, Karrin."
Good news, as Bel's courier had showed up and suggested this tavern as a neutral meeting place. The fiendish erinyes and the tiefling centaur lawyer were due any moment now...
"Oops," Karrin says as a way of excusing herself, "looks like I got business elsewhere, I'll be back for cake later guys!"
Karrin makes her way to the conference room, silently steeling herself for her meeting with Veria, meeting with the devil was still worrying but this time she had a lawyer. A good lawyer. Perhaps that might give the devil pause. She certainly couldn't think Karrin a clueless burt making this move.
Karrin gets set up in the parlor Sharinda leads her to. There is a nice basket of fruits on the large conference-style table and a large pitcher of water with glasses. She gets comfortable and waits. Minutes later, just as she began to fidget, she hears the clip-clopping of Bel's hooves outside.
The tiefling centaur barrister enters. He is holding a sheaf of papers and he shakes Karrin hand. He is dressed in a silk tunic in purple with copper ribbons in his pearlescent mane. Karrin notices that his hooves are shod in what looks to be silver horseshoes.
"Lady Kind, a pleasure to see you again. Before Veria shows up, is there anything you want in the contracts besides the identity and whereabouts of your mother from her?"
Karrin gets set up in the parlor Sharinda leads her to. There is a nice basket of fruits on the large conference-style table and a large pitcher of water with glasses. She gets comfortable and waits. Minutes later, just as she began to fidget, she hears the clip-clopping of Bel's hooves outside.
The tiefling centaur barrister enters. He is holding a sheaf of papers and he shakes Karrin hand. He is dressed in a silk tunic in purple with copper ribbons in his pearlescent mane. Karrin notices that his hooves are shod in what looks to be silver horseshoes.
"Lady Kind, a pleasure to see you again. Before Veria shows up, is there anything you want in the contracts besides the identity and whereabouts of your mother from her?"
"I confess I can't think of anything," Karrin says, "I'm not very good at this sort of thing, this is my first time dealing with a devil. Any advise you could give me would be much appreciated. Like what happens if she's lying or something? We should have something in the contract about that. Also I don't want to loose my soul. Also there could be some sort of sneaky move on her part to get more favors or something, like suppose she says that only she can contact her or something, so maybe some sort of stipulation that guarantees that the information will be useful for me, but on the off chance I don't want to meet my mother, that the information isn't legally binding so that it forces me to meet her or soemthing."
Karrin pauses, "That's kind of a lot I guess, that's sort of what I want and I'll trust your judgment."
Karrin has the remaining 500 with her.
Bel smiles at Karrin
"You were smart enough to know to ask for help with the devil, that's an intelligence of its own, Miss Kind. Many berks would forge ahead figuring they had the situation under control. They're the true fools."
At this point the door to the parlor opens and Veria sweeps in. She's dressed in a very severe outfit, one that conceals a lot more of her than Karrin's ever seen. Her wings seem to be a pearly white color today, almost the shade of Unity-Of-Ring's feathers. Bel rises and air-kisses cheeks with her.
"Good to see you Veria."
"And you Bel, it's been so long."
Veria looks over at Karrin. Her face assumes a wounded mien
"Karrin, darling, is this all really neccessary? I thought we were friends. You could have saved a lot of money if we could have worked a reasonable deal out amongst oursel ..."
Bel barks a short laugh and Veria pulls up, frowning.
"Veria, you can drop the bit. This Clueless ain't so Clueless, and you'd best realize she's on to your song and dance and let's just get right down to it, shall we?"
Veria sits down huffily, her red-painted lips in full pout. She looks over at Karrin in wounded betrayal. Bel proceeds:
"Lady Veria you claim to know the identity and whereabouts of Miss Kind's mother?"
"I do."
"And you are prepared to sign a binding documet to that effect."
"Certainly."
"Very well. Miss Kind would like to know what you would like for this information."
Veria taps a long-nailed finger against her lip.
"I would like a Neutral Favor."
"Typical agreements?"
"Yes. No morally doubtful material. Allowing geas spell if I desire. A standard Neutral Favor."
Karrin looks back and forth between the two like a spectator at Wimbledon. Veria still scared her but her lawyer gave her confidence. Karrin was glad she'd listened to Renkar. If this all worked out she'd have to find some way of showing her thanks.
Bel looks over at Karrin.
"What Lady Veria is asking for is a standard Neutral Favor. You must do a boon for her, but the boon cannot involve morally evil issues like assasination or theft. The duration of the boon cannot last more than a year and a day. You must in good faith do your utmost to fulfill the boon she asks of you within that year and day. The boon can be delayed for up to ten years from signing of the contract. Veria has the right to cast a geas spell on you to ensure your compliance."
He looks down at his papers and shuffles one out of the stack
"It's a fairly up and down Infernal contract. I will stipulate she must tell you truthfully the identity and location of your mother in return for your pledge to give her this Neutral Favor."
Veria smirks and pulls a paper of her own from a slim valise she brought into the room.
"I have a contract right here .."
Bel interrupts her
"I have a contract, Veria. And I am also a licensed Infernal Notary and I hold a Master of Laws degree from the University of Dis. I think I can handle it."
Veria shoots Bel a venomous look and replaces her paper in the valise.
"Very well, Ser Serra, proceed."
Bel takes the paper he was looking at and appends it in a few places with a quill pen. He gets out a stick of red wax and several ribbons.
"Now Miss Kind, as your barrister I will warn you that Lady Veria here will attempt to skirt the boundaries of your agreement, it's in her nature to do so. Stand up for yourself, and if she does anything you find untoward please come and see me. My fee includes post-contractual consultations."
He slides the parchment paper over to Karrin. It is densely printed with very small writing all over except at the end where there is room for three signatures.
"Miss Kind, if you wish to enter into this contract I will need you to sign to the left. Please nick your thumb and press a drop to the quill there and sign in your blood. If you have a signet ring, you can also place its stamp on the paper in the red wax here."
Karrin reads over the contract carefully, she trusted her lawyer, or more accurately she trusted Renkar, but she needed to read thing over for herself. Much of the contract was legal goobly goop, and was probably infernal, but only a fool signed anything without looking it over first. After reading the contract over Karrin pressed her thumb onto a spike on her mitt. She carefully signed her name and then handed the contract back to her lawyer.
Veria nicks her thumb and signs the contract after Karrin. Bel signs as well, but in ink. The two of them press signets into wax at the end of the parchment, with ribbons attached. Bel clears his throat
"Will you be exercising you Neutral Favor at this time, Lady Veria?"
Veria smirks at the centauroid lawyer.
"No, I think I'll hold it in reserve for now."
Bel frowns
"That is your right. However we still await you fulfilling your part of the contract."
Veria takes a big breath and looks at Karrin.
"Karrin Kind, you mother's name is Jezebel. She lives in a realm on Avernus known as the Palace of Poisoned Snows."
Bel inhales sharply and looks at Veria
"This is true?"
Veria smiles
"To the best of my knowledge, yes."
Veria turns to Karrin
"Karrin, darling, you are a scion of the Aristocracy of Hell. Your grandfather Ba'al rules the Blasted Plain of Avernus as a Duke of Hell."
Karrin faints.
Karrin faints.
Karrin awakes to the sharp smell of ammonia. Sharinda's concerned face hovers over her. She lays a damp towel on Karrin's forehead. Bel can be see in the background behind Sharinda, but there is no sign of the erinyes Veria.
"Karrin, are yeh allright? Can I get yeh a drink or summat?"
"Oh hey Sharinda," Karrin says offering a feeble, "I feel a little funny. I got a terrible shock. I . . . thank you for your help Bel, I think that I see how Veria will use this to her advantage, but there's no way either of us good have seen that coming."
Karrin sits up and can't help but hug herself.
"I think I could use a drink Sharinda, a strong one, if you don't mind," Karrin pulls herself up, "I'm not going to start drinking or anything Mr Serra. This information doesn't change anything. I feel a little odd though, I'm suddenly the one thing I've always feared, but it doesn't make me feel evil or anything . . ."
Karrin waits for Sharinda to depart before turning to her lawyer:
"I imagine that my blood could be valuable to certain types," Karrin says, "I trust you will keep this information to yourself. It's kind of funny though, I got a mother, but now I don't dare contact her. It's sort of like I've only gained . . . well I don't know, something bad I think. I don't know, I always sort of hoped that I had demon blood, but deep down I don't really feel all that surprised. I feel like I always kind of knew. I guess father suspected, he kind of prepared me, but even still . . . hearing that. I wish I'd handled it a bit better."
Sharinda runs off to get Karrin a drink
"I imagine that my blood could be valuable to certain types," Karrin says, "I trust you will keep this information to yourself. It's kind of funny though, I got a mother, but now I don't dare contact her. It's sort of like I've only gained . . . well I don't know, something bad I think. I don't know, I always sort of hoped that I had demon blood, but deep down I don't really feel all that surprised. I feel like I always kind of knew. I guess father suspected, he kind of prepared me, but even still . . . hearing that. I wish I'd handled it a bit better."
Bel nods frowning
"The problem with making deals with devils is that you never quite know what you will be getting. And you are right, Veria has given you a piece of information that you really can't use and would most likely be better off not knowing."
He stamps a rear foot, his silver-shod hoof ringing sweetly on a nail in the floorboards
"Miss Kind, you are a smart girl, and you are exactly correct. Your blood will be valuable to many. I for one, will not betray a client confidence. That's part of the Barrister's Code. However, Veria knows your parentage, which begs the question HOW she knew your parentage. Walk warily around her. Devils often play very deep and complex games. "
Bel grins at her lopsidedly
"It's funny, but my father reckoned his ancestry through Ba'al as well. Of course at a much further remove than you. You are my great-to-the-eighth-power half aunt or cousin I believe."
He looks at Karrin worriedly
"Jezebel is her father's ambasador, the pretty face hiding the iron fist. Ba'al is Hell's Supreme Generalissimo as well as Overlord of Avernus. As such, he is often busy with matters concerning the Blood War. Jezebel often runs her father's affairs, she is a most influential member of the Infernal Court."
Bel pauses
"She is Ba'al's only recognized offspring. My ancestor was one of his many bastards, but Jezebel is his heir apparent. Also, I have never heard of her having a child. I don't know exactly what is going on here, but that contract should have forced Veria to tell the truth. As far as she believes, you are Jezebel's daughter."
At this point Sharinda returns with a shot of fine whiskey and a mug of grog for Karrin and a big mug of kumiss for Bel
"Here yeh go folks if yeh need summat else don't hesitate."
Sharinda bustles off
Karrin grabs the whiskey and downs it in a single gulp.
"She probably knows because she probably worked for Jezebel at some point," Karrin muses, staring into the empty glass, "and my only hope is that she's as bound as I am to keep the secret. I suppose if no one else knows then I suppose that Jezebel wanted the secret kept. I'm going to hope that Veria is bound in some way to keep the secret. I mean the very fact that she hasn't made a move yet tells me that she either bound by some oath . . . or hasn't found a buyer yet."
Karrin turns to the lawyer, "tell me Mr Serra, do you know who Veria works for? You said she has a boss, do you know who that is?"
You said she has a boss, do you know who that is?"
Bel grimaces as he sips his fermented mare's milk
"Well, I do know she has worked recruitment for the Baatorian Foreign Legion. It's standard procedure, a lot of footloose adventures come through the Cage, and the promise of glory and treasure usually makes them easy marks for the Grey Brigade. If I had to venture a guess, she works for Ba'al, or one of his subordinates."
Bel sighs
"Which is probably why she is keeping this a secret. This kind of dark is worth a bushel of larvae or mercenaries' contracts. Veria's probably going to try and parley this information into an advancement to her next incarnation. "
Bel sips again at his mug
"I honestly can't understand how you came to be who and where you are, Miss Kind. Did you foster father ever describe exactly how he came to find you?"
"I was found in the woods by a couple of dwarven hunters, I don't remember much about that day, but father said I was naked and covered in blood and I was chanting something over and over again in Infernal. The dwarves didn't speak infernal and apparently I stopped by the time they took me to the monetary. I don't remember saying anything. They say that people that suffer though some sort of traumatic event . . . oh ya, I was in the snow and there were no tracks in the snow too or from me. I always wondered about that event but now I'm thinking it was a portal or something. So anyways no real clue, unless their was something in what I was saying, and maybe the dwarves managed to somehow phonetically share the message. Father and brother Quin did know infernal."
... So anyways no real clue, unless their was something in what I was saying, and maybe the dwarves managed to somehow phonetically share the message. Father and brother Quin did know infernal."
Bel looks grim
"Well, if that is the case, then perhaps your arrival in the snow was not planned. Perhaps Jezebel still searches for you. If this is the case, you should be very careful about who you reveal this to. The Princess of the Poison Snows has resources we cannot even fathom."
Bel puts his empty mug down
"How old were you when you were found in the snow?"
"Assuming," Karrin says, "that I age the same as humans, and as near as we can figure I do, everyone thinks I was about six at the time. I mean I could speak pretty well, I was just starting to loose my baby teeth, and I hadn't hit my growth spurt yet. That would have been about fifteen or sixteen years ago, making me twenty one or two, it's hard to keep track of. I figure I was twenty when I left home . . . well the only home I new at the time."
Karrin grabs the mug of grog. Suddenly her head snaps up as if she just realized something. She turned to the centaur:
"Did you say your father was related to Ba'al as well?" Karrin asked, "that would make us family! I never met another member of my family before. Would you mind if I gave you a hug?"
"Did you say your father was related to Ba'al as well?" Karrin asked, "that would make us family! I never met another member of my family before. Would you mind if I gave you a hug?"
Bel laughs, a pleasant sound with a bit of horse nickering in it
"Why not? Always good to meet a relative."
He hugs Karrin. He smells of limes and timothy hay. His red coat is rather silky.
"Thank you for your help Mr Serra," Karrin says, "please don't be a stranger. Family has to stick together and all that. I'd better get back to the others . . . we're having cake cuz it's my birthday."
"Thank you for your help Mr Serra," Karrin says, "please don't be a stranger. Family has to stick together and all that. I'd better get back to the others . . . we're having cake cuz it's my birthday."
Cake? What that?" asks a nearby kobold.
Karrin blinks as her comments were caught by a curious kobold near the conference room door as she leaves. Karrin looks down at the small scaled one.
"You don't know what cake is?" Karrin asks, "it's only the greatest food ever invented. You want to try some?"
Karrin blinks as her comments were caught by a curious kobold near the conference room door as she leaves. Karrin looks down at the small scaled one.
"You don't know what cake is?" Karrin asks, "it's only the greatest food ever invented. You want to try some?"
The kobold stares. "What in it? Poison?"
The kobold stares. "What in it? Poison?"
"There's sugar for sure," Karrin notes, "sometimes chocolate, sometimes vanilla, but what ever is in it, Cake is darn tasty."
The kobold stares. "What in it? Poison?""There's sugar for sure," Karrin notes, "sometimes chocolate, sometimes vanilla, but what ever is in it, Cake is darn tasty."
The kobold cokcs his head. "Did you poison it? Or put razor blades in it?"
"Did I?" Karrin asks blinking, "well for starters I didn't bake it so I can't say for sure, but why would anyone put that stuff in it to begin with? That would make it really hard to eat. If cake had poison or razor blades in it I don't think I'd enjoy it very much."
Karrin! Your smurf is getting cold! And there's a big smurf of smurf here for you!
"Well give it a try if you want," Karrin says to the kobold, "no pressure, I'm going to go join my friends."
Karrin runs over to the table.
"Sorry about that guys," Karrin says, "just some personal business. Let's eat!"
"Did I?" Karrin asks blinking, "well for starters I didn't bake it so I can't say for sure, but why would anyone put that stuff in it to begin with? That would make it really hard to eat. If cake had poison or razor blades in it I don't think I'd enjoy it very much."
"But why you give it to me if it not a trick of some sort?" the kobold asks, following her.
"Um, because I'm a good person . . ." Karrin says, trying to think like a kobold, "and because we got lots."
"Um, because I'm a good person . . ." Karrin says, trying to think like a kobold, "and because we got lots."
The kobold looks confused again. Then he shrugs. "Okay, I try it..." he says. He reaches into his backpack. "Where is cake?"
Karrin sits down at the table too find the cake already generously plated up. Karrin takes one of the plates and hands it to the kobold.
"Here you go," Karrin says, "just eat some of this. I guarantee you'll love this."
Karrin sits down at the table too find the cake already generously plated up. Karrin takes one of the plates and hands it to the kobold.
"Here you go," Karrin says, "just eat some of this. I guarantee you'll love this."
The kobold pulls out a small weasel like thing from his pack. Holding it by the tail, he slowly lowers the creature closer to the cake slice.
"I have to make sure," he explains. "No worry, it very sanitary.
Karrin watches with some interest as she devourers her own piece of cake.
Karrin watches with some interest as she devourers her own piece of cake.
He nods, puts the weasel away, and picks up the cake. He brings it slowly to his mouth, and swallows it in one gulp. He nods. "Good cake! I have more now!"