[3.5] Expedition to the Demonweb Pits - IC

[kinem]

Allies, is it? Well I guess that is a step up ...

”Mushroom mead, if you have it” Verik says. Does one say ‘please’ in a place like this? Somehow I doubt it ...

[Cardea]

The Marilith gives a wide smile. "A might short of gold there, dearest Customer," she says, turning to Verik. "Do you want the kind brewed in the material plane, or do you want the one made in the Beastlands?"

[kinem]

OOC: sense motive (1d20)[16]

Verik smiles and tells the bartender ”I’ll try the Beastlands version, if it’s safe for drow that is.”

[Archmage1]

Eilyra lets out a small sigh, and gives a brief look to the Marilith, almost a "You can't blame a girl for trying" look, before pulling out another fifty six gold, and setting them softly on the bar, before taking a sip of her elderwhist wine.

[Cardea]

The Marilith smiles, a row of sharp teeth glistening behind red lips. "Well that's the kind of attention to detail we like, that is," she says, pulling the bag underneath the counter. She pulls out a bronze container, aged and scratched in years, and from its tapper pours a pint out. Copper and purple liquid swirl in the container, sloshing as its slid to you, Verik. "Of course. Different year, different mushrooms, different honeys, but still safe."

Both her and the Githzerai step away from this section of the counter, leaving you alone with your drinks. A time passes, the tavern seeing its fair share of leavers and incomers, but a solid thirty minutes pass before a different githzerai takes a seat next to you all at the bar, leaning easily onto the counter as he sips. The stool creaks quite a lot under his body, and the counter dips underneath his elbows. His clothing at first glance appears ordinary, but close up it is an intentional look. While the cut is plain, the cloth is rich, and traces of gold jewelry can be seen under his collar, hanging. "Saw you walk in, didn't know what to think. Saw you order drinks, didn't know what to think. Saw you ask for my name, didn't know what to think. Rule-Of-Three am I. What is it you want of me?"

[Archmage1]

As the Githzerai takes a seat, and introduces himself, Eilyra takes a strategic sip of her wine. Interesting. So, this is the mask Rule-Of-Three chooses to wear? A somewhat poor job, but I suppose he wishes to be found, and finds it to be sufficient. As she puts it down, she looks directly over at him. "In our travels, we encountered some information we suspect you would be rather interested in. Perhaps we might come to an arrangement?" She takes another sip, as she waits for his response. Hm... perhaps a bit direct, but I suppose we'll need to see. Sometimes, directness works.

[kinem]

Verik nods to the marilith and tries the planar brew. "This is good!" he notes as he savors it.

When Rule of Three arrives, he lets Eilyra do the talking, as she seems to have a plan to make money from the situation. Noting that the man is likely in disguise, he discreetly uses his detect magic spell-like ability, wanting to get a sense of whether the guy is a fellow well-equipped adventurer or not. Since it's not a spell, he doesn't have to speak or gesture to use it, so he hopes it'll go unnoticed.

ooc: spot (1d20+1)[6], sense motive (1d20)[18]

[Cardea]

The Gith takes a moment. "Arrangement? Engagement? A deal. Your type, your disposition, your shining character don't generally come to the Lower Ward, the wrong side of Sigil, the Styx Oarsman. I like cheap beer, rough company, and rampant rumormongering. What kind of deal, information, arrangement brings you here?

[Archmage1]

Eilyra calmly places her cup down, before answering. "Let's just say that some of your business associates are less... friendly, than you may believe." She pauses for another moment, before looking directly into his eyes. "Would that be of interest to you?"

[Cardea]

"Talking, cavorting, discussing. You are saying a lot, but speaking to little, whispering nothing. Is there a point, a pinnacle, a conclusion?" The Gith says, raising an eyebrow and leaning on the counter.

Spoiler: Verik

Show

Your detect magic pulls from him a strong aura.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra nods. "Of course. Sadly, when selling information, too many details, well, they make it worth less, for why buy information you already have? I'm confident we can come to an arrangement. 500 gold, if, of course, the information is useful to you?" Her voice trails off, waiting to see if Rule would be willing to make an offer.

[Cardea]

"You came to me to sell, barter, trade? If your information is useful to me, I may pay. What is it, and who did you take it from, and why did you take it from them?" Rule-Of-Three says, an annoyed pitch tinting his tone.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra leans back, and takes another sip, before beginning her tale. "We encountered some of your other customers, and had a minor disagreement with them. Afterwards, we recovered various documents, which suggested that they had certain plans for you. As these plans were of the less then pleasant sort, it seemed to be information you would be interested in, and as we were in the area anyway..." Her voice trails off as she reaches into her bag, and produces the drow's journal.

[Cardea]

"What happened to the drow carrying this? I hope he was dead." He says, taking a small pouch that clinks softly as its placed on the bar. "Let me read that, view that, peruse that.

[PeacefulOak]

Nitrick

The bone-plated Nezumi chimes in. "Yes yes yes! Very dead not-alive deceased!" He nods excitedly, the plates of his spaulders and helmet rattling. "Filthy lying not-goddesses dead as dead is but isn't not alive and..." He trails off, remembering that he wasn't supposed to be talking. He takes a flask from his hip and takes a sip to cover his discomfort.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra offers Nitrick a small smile, and nods, as she slides the tome towards Rule of Three. Her voice remains calm. "Yes, the bearer is rather dead." As she finishes sliding the book, she snags the small pouch, and sets it in front of her.

[kinem]

Though Verik is well satisfied with his mead, the rest of the situation at hand seems less promising. It's good to get a few coins off him, but we're really here to gain information, not to sell it. If she has a plan beyond that, maybe she should have talked it over with us ...

Verik tells the triple-talking weirdo "Understandable under the circumstances. I trust that you are judicious in your death wishes towards drow. Do you happen to know any?"

[Cardea]

"Any at all is too many, and I know more than a few, more than a handful." He says, pouring through the tome. "How do you feel about doin' some work cleanin' them up? They're all in a stir, in a tizzy, a frenzy. Material plane, Sigil, and in the Demonweb where Lolth spins her plots. I have payment, reward, gratuity if you require it, but in return I'll require in return three errands, three small tasks, three chores. And as much as I prefer my threes, I can recommend to you a fourth arm to your trio. He's a good enough man, a mortal, a contender, and he needs my coin as well."

[kinem]

Verik tells him ”You do realize that I’m one of them, eh? So you’d better make clear just what your intentions are.”

[Archmage1]

Eilyra leans back, the pouch of coins still on the bench in front of her, as she takes another sip of her wine as she thinks, and Verik speaks. Payment for dealing with the drow is convenient, but he hasn't specified that those tasks are specific to the drow. So, negotiate there, negotiate on price, and then if there's an acceptable agreement, we'll have a deal. When she finishes her sip, she places her glass on the bar once more, and leans forwards. "I think we can come to an arrangement. We would, of course, retain right of refusal for the errands..."

A minute or so of intense discussion follows, before Eilyra nods. "That seems acceptable. It'll be a pleasure doing business with you." At that, Eilyra leans back once more, and takes another sip of her wine.

[Cardea]

"Acceptable, then. He's currently recovering in an alley in the Swordhold, right off Smith Street. Recover him from his stupor. Go to the Tower of the Prophet, open the Eye there, and ask how to blind the spider queen. You will find it in the Temple District, and you'd be best served not mentioning me."

[Archmage1]

Eilyra nods. "That we can do. Now, before we retrieve and sober your agent, perhaps you could explain your disagreement with the Tower? Surely not your charming personality?"

[kinem]

A bit miffed at being ignored by the strange man, but not averse to taking his gold for things the group would do anyway, Verik drinks his mead and lets Eilyra deal with him.

[Cardea]

“They don’t approve of those unaligned with their alignments, you see, you know, you acknowledge. And they already know my face, and yours may be a bit sweeter.” He leans forward and away from the bar to look at Verik. “It’s not a murder, it’s a persuasion. Get the forces to look elsewhere. So they don’t stir an imbalance towards war on their terms.”

[Archmage1]

Eilyra pockets the bag she'd been given in exchange for the diary, before finishing her wine, standing, and turning to face Rule of Three once more. Her golden eyes look straight into his as she speaks, her voice soft, and clear. "Thank you for the information. It will be quite helpful. If you can give us our payment, we'll seek out your agent, and consider the best approach to the tower."

[Cardea]

Heading out onto the busy streets of Sigil, the smell of a thousand different cultures and creatures pervades the air. And the hustle and bustle reverberates off of the strange geometry of the city, creating its own echo chamber. But still, you navigate it with Nitrick taking the lead. He heads down Ironmonger Street, taking a right at its end, and heads into Swordhold's Smith Street. Among the houses and homes and apartments, some business names stand out. The Society of Luminiferous Aether, the Sod Dirk's Forge, the Black Sail Tavern & Inn... where you see a grungy human stepping out, his mop of hair a mess, looking rough for the wear. Despite his roughed clothing, its apparent he's no beggar: his sword is of excellent quality, and his clothing includes a mithral chain shirt, nevermind the fact that the layers of dirt and astral salt cover magical apparel. An empty bottle slips from his hand as he walks out, and his demeanor is that of someone recovering.

He is, from what you see on this street, the only human.

[Archmage1]

Looking at the rather grungy human, Eilyra suppresses her urge to shake her head in disgust. If this is the price for working with that demon, this arrangement had better be worth it. And if this is the quality of the people working for Rule, at least we will be able to handle a double cross with ease. Instead, the half-fiend lets her burning eyes on the miserable looking human, and flicks her golden(And seemingly burning) hair behind her pointed ears as she gives him a moment or two to notice her, before she speaks. Her voice is cool, lyrical but with a hint of roughness to it. "If I were to ask how many rules there are, what would you answer?"
After she finishes speaking, she crosses her arms beneath her breasts to wait, only the flicking of her tail betraying her facade.

Spoiler: Description, if you want it.

Show

Eilyra has pale skin and burning golden hair. She has a seductive beauty and classic elven features. Tall, and elegant. Her gold eyes burn like bright coals, and she has large, bat-like wings emerging from her back. She also has a long thin tail, casually flicking back and forth. A ruby hilted sword sticks out from behind her head, betraying a weapon resting along her back, and her jewelry consists of A thin silver circlet, marked in ancient elven on her head(Resting above her horns), with a pair of similarly marked armbands on her wrists.
She's wearing lowcut white leather pants(Since she doesn't want to look too evil), with boots, and a white leather crop halter top held together by a silver buckle under her wings.(Turns out, it's rather difficult to not wear backless things with wings, and she doesn't need to worry about being hot or cold.)

[kinem]

While the party walks through the streets, Verik confides to the others "Rule was generous to us, but when I look at him, I smell a … " he looks at Nitrick "... rather untrustworthy creature. I just wonder what his angle is.

As for the coin, we should probably start a fund to buy an artificer's monocle, something that should help all of us as we capture loot. In fact I can already chip in the rest of my share for that."

Upon seeing the drunken human, Verik sighs.

[Archmage1]

Along the way
Keeping alert as she walks, Eilyra nods at Verik's comment. "Yes, I suspect he's more involved than he claimed to be. I think he's planning on using us to dispose of his enemies, before disposing of us. It's likely that any task he sets us has more to it than he'll tell us. And his final task is likely to be suicidal." She falls silent for a moment as the small group crosses a street, and turns a corner, before she continues. "We'll need to be careful. And to create our own plans. And a monocle is an excellent idea. Given time, I can probably identify what we've found, but trading gold for time is a good idea. I can look into that while you seek out the tower."

[kinem]

Verik replied "A suicide mission? Well, you certainly know a lot about clever ways to betray people. Reminds me of home, to be honest, but this isn't the time for nostalgia."