(CSToA) Touch of the Abyss [IC]

[Dekana]

Slisik chimes in after Errol finishes speaking. "To be more specific, we are interested in stopping this... darkness, this curse, that looms hangs Istvin. Of course, if there are other problems the Lady might have us solve, we are available for hire."

Slisik doesn't mention delving into Krellont Dungeons just yet. After all, if the Marchioness really has imprisoned her husband down there, Slisik wouldn't want her to think that he's on to her (or working for the nobles).

 

[Creamsteak]

"A lofty goal. What if this 'curse' is just the will of the people to blame the unknown on something they can understand? There is no reason to believe that the curse is something real."

"There is, of course, the possibility that something is manipulating the state of affairs in Istivin. That would be a problem to fix. This of course depends on the nature of their motive."

"The Marquis is still missing, and I don't think it would hurt to have someone try to find out what happened. Perhaps if we could at least confirm his fate, we could silence the nobles. With that problem out of the way we may be able to find a solution to the other concerns of Istivin."

"But how would they go about starting that process? Even the arch-mage couldn't find that trail."

"Regarding that, should we trust outsiders? They could have their own motives for things here. Especially ones with an heir of darkness about themselves. These individuals do not cry out for anyone to trust them."

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Tesla & Arcs

“Which is precisely why you should trust us.” Replies the mind mage. “For in order to catch a wolf one has to become a wolf.” She says with a cool hard gaze.

 

[Redclaw]

And outsiders are the only ones you should trust. We have no advantage to gain either way, except the payment we expect to receive. Anyone from within is likely to have ulterior motives.

 

[Dekana]

Slisik

"As my friends have stated, I have no real interest in the affairs of the you humans. My only motive is to gain a lot of shiny coins..."

 

[Creamsteak]

"There is at least one task that could be completed, though it's a fair bit more dangerous than you probably anticipate."

"Oh, that. Well then, what does her wisdom wish to offer as payment?"

"Do we have the gems discussed before?"

"Yes, I have them. So we want to send them into the dungeons?"

"Alright then, I'll explain. Dragon's Teeth, we have long been trying to recover the Marquis. He disappeared nearing a year ago, and has not been seen since. He had been having fits of illness and could not sleep. Sometimes he even cried out in the night as if asking for salvation from some cruel attacker. One day, he simply vanished. There seemed to be no trail, as if he had literally been pulled through astral walls and removed from our world. Investigators, both mundane and magical failed to find any sign of him. Some tried to mislead the Marchioness, but they were found out by the high chancellor."

"But just recently, new evidence had turned up. Dark elves were found in the city. They had long been absent from Istivin, but the stories tell that they were deeply entrenched in this city when the demon queen was summoned within these walls. They have long worshipped her as a god, and an avatar of destruction appeared here, they say. The captain was involved in that affair, and his companions dealt her a great blow that day. That dark elves have appeared again within the city is a sign of much danger."

"They were found dead, just outside of the entrance to the deeper dungeons. They were trying to get in, it seems, but someone stopped them. We have stationed guards around the place and quaranteened it from visitation. However, there is a chance that some of the dark elves got through. We are curious what they were looking for inside. Perhaps something going back to the abyssal invasion?"

"A time that Istivin was in dire circumstance, indeed."

The woman in blue draws a small satchel and presents it to Veris sitting next to her. Veris examines the contents and counts them fairly quickly.

Veris, "Rubies and blue star sapphires. It looks like 10 of each, about the size of a tooth or marble." The estimated value of the bag is roughly 200 platinum.

"If you can secure the deeper dungeons and find either the dark elves or any evidence of the Marquis death or disappearance, we'll pay you three additional bags of gems of similar quality. You need only provide the evidence."

Orange flinches, "You're just giving them the first bag now for nothing?"

"Of course. They can't be trusted, but they might truly be influenced by their personal greed. If those whet their appetite then of course they'll follow the trail."

"There is still another concern. We cannot let this transaction or others out."

"Oh, this is going to be good."

"Yes, there is the matter of collateral. As you all know, your weapons were placed in the recieving hall. I assume the quality and enchantment of each of them was fairly valuable to you?"

"Oh my."

"You didn't, did you?"

 

[Redclaw]

Are you suggesting that you've bought all of our weapons for such a paltry price? This is how you finance your little games of identity?

My first response to this is to ask how you expect us to accomplish your little task without our weapons, and my second is to ask if you truly think that we will willingly allow you such an affront. Errol stays calmly seated, but his eyes have turned icy cold, and he looks at each of the women in turn, clearly calculating how quickly he can reach each one, starting with the one in blue.

 

[Dekana]

Slisik recalls which spells he had prepared earlier in the day, wanting to be ready to cause a bloodbath. Lightning... fog... ensnaring weeds... perhaps I should conjure forth some beings from the fire plane and burn this pathetic building to the ground... The lizard says nothing, waiting for a reaction to Errol's words.

 

[Creamsteak]

"The plan is something a bit more insidious, actually. We fully realize that you require the tools of your trade. As such, taking them away would cause more harm than good. Instead, the high chancellor has prepared a series of interlocking enchantments. We've been looking for someone like your group for quite some time, actually."

"Should you choose to turn your back on the Marchioness at some point in the future, we will simply cause the spells to trigger with the appropriate command word. What will it do? Let's hope you never find out. And should you complete your task, I will have the chancellor remove the spell."

"Of course, this was rather expensive as a preparation. One spell to place the curse, another to seal it, then another with a rather specific contingency, and finally one to conceal the change. We only performed this deed to a single item, partially out of cost and partially out of plan. We will not reveal which item is cursed. Thus, you have no reason to discard them all for replacements, as most of them are untarnished. Yet, they all carry the weight of potentially putting you at her mercy. There is no harm that will come of you if you follow the Marchioness Emondav's orders."

"So that's collateral?"

"Not enough, but it's something."

"In addition, I think it can be agreed to that you are welcome to any other treasure you find in the dungeons that goes outside of the boundaries of information on the Marquis and/or the dark elves."

"Nothing else is of value, afterall."

OOC: Don't hurt me! I didn't do it! They did it! Also we need Veris because NOW would be a great time to get angry at the NPCs.

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Tesla & Arcs

"Interesting. Even Queen's and nobles have death wishes. How, 'uncivilized', I expected.... more. Lucky for us, we are a diverse and flexiable group. How 'unlucky' for you." Says Tesla in a very dry and humorless tone.