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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1392015" data-attributes="member: 1210">Advice from an Imp“I don’t know,” Thrush says hesitantly.  “I’m not sure we should just charge on through it...”“No kidding,” Rex says.“Well, Lester-“ Orbius starts.”We don’t know what happened to Lester,” Thrush says.“But Rex-““Maybe there was something special about Rex,” Thrush suggests.“You’re crazy if you want to go through that mouth,” Rex adds.“I know,” says Angelfire.  “Let’s get some advice!”  And she promptly sets out to call forth a lesser planar ally.  In less time than it takes to tell, there’s a puff of foul-smelling vapor and a bright red imp appears.  A quick bargaining session later, the imp has been persuaded to help them solve the mystery of the face.  ”Well, what clues do you have?” the little fiend asks.  (He gives his name as Balthazar the bookkeeper.)The party recites for him the riddle of the tomb- The face of the fiend does more than devour; with the least of my form tis the gap to power.  The imp purses his lips and asks for the whole story, and the party relates a fair share of the details of their adventures so far since coming to the Tomb of Horrors.  He commiserates with them about their losses and pains, then asks if they’ve found any other clues. “Well,” Ulla tells him, “there was the dust in the demilich’s chamber.”“What do you mean?” Balthazar asks.  “We found- the demilich’s little cushioned pedestal, it had lots of dust from his bones.  But there was an area where it looked liked someone had gathered some up.”“That’s why some of us gathered it up,” Patyn throws in.“Aha,” the imp says, rubbing his hands together, breaking out into a grin.  “That’s the secret, then.  And I’ll wager the two of you that ventured through and returned had some of the dust, too, eh?”“I did,” Rex answers, and Patyn nods slowly too.“There it is!” Balthazar cries.  “Well, what do you think ‘the least of my form’ is?”  The imp licks his lips, little wings flapping as his pudgy body lifts into the air and he hoots gleefully.  “Dust of the demilich!  With the dust, you can pass through the mouth!”“Did Lester have any of the dust?” Sybele asks.Orbius frowns darkly.  “No.”Silence.“Well,” the Eye says briskly, “no time for that now.  When we can arrange for Horbin to do it, maybe he can true resurrect him or something.”  His face is set stoically.The group pools their resources.  Those who took the dust took enough to pass some around the rest of the party, ensuring that everyone has a pinch.  But our heroes are nervous.“What if you’re wrong?” Angel demands. “I’m not,” Balthazar assures her.  “Look, we’re about done here, so why don’t you pay me and I’ll be on my way.”“We aren’t done yet.  We don’t know that you’re right.  Why don’t you come with us and make sure?”  Angelfire’s grinning. “No, that’s not part of our agreement,” Balthazar argues.  “You wanted advice, I gave it to you.  We’re done.  Pay up.”“How about this,” Angelfire offers smoothly.  “I’ll pay you for what you’ve done, throw it a tip, and give you... hmm... an extra 5000 gold... if you’ll come through with us and advise us on what we see there.”The imp licks his lips.  His barbed tail lashes like an agitated cat’s.  Finally, he says, “Okay, I’ll step through with you but if there’s danger, that’s it, I’m gone.”“You come through in a safe place.  At least, I did.”  Rex shakes his head.  “But you’re all crazy to want to go back there.  That place sucks.”  There’s a touch of fright in his voice.“And you pay now,” the imp adds.Angelfire hands over the money gladly, then gives the imp a pinch of the dust.And they all go through the mouth.Next Time: The Vestige!</blockquote>

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