Khessa isn't at all convinced of the wisdom of Xanrym's proposal... Accepting to pay drow for information—when Es Sarch is a contact the Company already has business with and who, so far, has neither threatened them with weapons nor proven unreliable—seems not only pointless to her, but also potentially harmful, as it could lead the drow to believe the Company is easily bullied...
...But the blonde arcane warrior is also acutely aware that she isn't the wisest mind in the group, so for now she remains ready for action, should it ever come to that, but she doesn't contradict the bard.
(OOC: Assuming The Company makes it back to the Dripstone Inn without further incident, Xanrym would be sure to explain his thinking to the others, especially addressing Khessa. This might occur during the walk back to the inn or maybe once they get back to the inn, after they've delivered the mushrooms to Es Sarch (e.g., during their Short Rest and lunch). I'll put it in a spoiler for now since it's possible that this conversation with the Drow takes a nasty turn or that something else intercepts The Company before we make it back to Dripstone Inn.
Xanrym says, "Es Sarch seems to be a reliable, if mysterious, patron for us in Pedestal, and I hope that he follows through on his end of our bargain. But I don't like to trust wholly in just one person about whom we know so little. I feel that it puts The Company in a precarious position. Even if Es Sarch deals honestly with us, he could fail to find the information we want. And we don't know what agenda we're furthering by helping him: we don't know what his priorities or goals are. I'd like to have some independent sources of information, especially if we ever find ourselves starting to mistrust our patron.
"What we lack is information, and I will seek it from anyone who's willing to give it to us. Cost is a concern, and I wouldn't want to owe anyone we've met here a debt! I'm sure that each faction will also shade their story to put their own side in the best light. Some of them may outright lie to us. But somewhere, among all of their stories, I think that we could learn something of value to The Company.
"Khessa, I want you to know that I don't disregard your antipathy to the Drow. Far from it! Knowing what the Drow did to your village and family, I expected them to be self-interested and treacherous. We don't know whether all Drow are murderous slavers, but given what we saw today, I expect that the Drow of House Dusklorn would be imperious rulers if they ever regained complete control of Pedestal." He shakes his head, wondering whether any of the factions in Pedestal would be good or just rulers. But he reminds himself that it's not their mission to solve the problems of Pedestal. They're just here to recover the Lost King's bones and other artifacts. To drive home his point about not trusting the Drow, Xanrym says, "And if Irrenaste found me alone in an alley, I do not doubt that he would happily murder me if he thought that it would gain him favor with House Dusklorn's matriarch. But as long as Irrenaste thinks that it is in his interest to deal with us, he could be our first direct source of information about the Drow and about the workings of House Dusklorn."
In case Khessa didn't understand the significance of his words, Xanrym turns again to the tall warrior and says,"Even if we have no cause to go into House Dusklorn's quarter of the city again, I would have tried to form a connection with Irrenaste for your sake, Khessa! Suppose we have nothing to ask him about Pedestal or House Dusklorn when we see him next. I was thinking: Irrenaste might be able to tell us more about the Drow outside of Pedestal. Perhaps he would even know where to find the Drow who raided Twardens."
The drow look at each other and shrug slightly, “I suppose we could take that to the matriarch. She may see it as a good opportunity” Irennaste says. But the other drow don’t seem convinced. He takes your small tithing and the drow leave. You’re free to continue to the Dripstone Inn, where Es Sarch awaits in his usual position, a few patrons filing into the bar.
You’re free to continue to the Dripstone Inn, where Es Sarch awaits in his usual position, a few patrons filing into the bar.
Xanrymhas done a lot of talking already today, and he feels a bit drained. He's looking forward to lunch and maybe some quiet time reading in his room.
Since Coriana, Theldrin, and (especially) Avery were the ones most responsible for gathering mushrooms and for getting everyone out alive, Xanrym is inclined to have them take the lead in delivering the special mushrooms to Es Sarch. Xanrym will be there to hear what Es Sarch says, but he'll be hanging back a bit. He just wants to know whether Es Sarch has learned anything more about Xeron's cult or Fhadheela, and if not, whether their patron already has another job for The Company to do.
(OOC: lots of social encounters since we arrived in Pedestal, but I don't want Xanrym to monopolize the game. Es Sarch is a known associate, and we shouldn't really need Xanrym's Silver Tongue to influence him here. Someone else should feel free to jump in.)
Coriana will take point on walking up to Es Sarch. She walks up to him and very directly states while holding out a bag, "We got your flamin' mushrooms. Information on what was guarding those mushrooms will be extra."
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Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards. DM - The Old Keep
Khessa was about to greet Es Sarch enthusiastically—and tell him everything in a fully (and naively) spirit of cooperation—but Coriana is quicker and seems intent on bargaining before providing details.
'Maybe it's a good idea...' The blonde arcane warrior, perplexed, once again falls silent and lets another member of the group try his own approach. 'Perhaps, by trusting Es Sarch, I would be making the same mistake I made when I trusted the drow by meddling instead of letting them be killed as they deserved. Perhaps the Company can teach me a little healthy distrust of the rest of the world.'
While he personally prefers Xanrym's more diplomatic approach to negotiations, Theldrin has to admit there's something appealing about Coriana's brash style, though he finds it a bit unnerving at times given his aristocratic upbringing. In any case he hadn't been in a hurry to approach Es Sarch when the party first arrived, and now finds himself following her lead, waiting to see how Es Sarch will respond.
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Coriana is seriously impressed by Xanrym's smoothness here.
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Khessa isn't at all convinced of the wisdom of Xanrym's proposal... Accepting to pay drow for information—when Es Sarch is a contact the Company already has business with and who, so far, has neither threatened them with weapons nor proven unreliable—seems not only pointless to her, but also potentially harmful, as it could lead the drow to believe the Company is easily bullied...
...But the blonde arcane warrior is also acutely aware that she isn't the wisest mind in the group, so for now she remains ready for action, should it ever come to that, but she doesn't contradict the bard.
(OOC: Assuming The Company makes it back to the Dripstone Inn without further incident, Xanrym would be sure to explain his thinking to the others, especially addressing Khessa. This might occur during the walk back to the inn or maybe once they get back to the inn, after they've delivered the mushrooms to Es Sarch (e.g., during their Short Rest and lunch). I'll put it in a spoiler for now since it's possible that this conversation with the Drow takes a nasty turn or that something else intercepts The Company before we make it back to Dripstone Inn.
Xanrym says, "Es Sarch seems to be a reliable, if mysterious, patron for us in Pedestal, and I hope that he follows through on his end of our bargain. But I don't like to trust wholly in just one person about whom we know so little. I feel that it puts The Company in a precarious position. Even if Es Sarch deals honestly with us, he could fail to find the information we want. And we don't know what agenda we're furthering by helping him: we don't know what his priorities or goals are. I'd like to have some independent sources of information, especially if we ever find ourselves starting to mistrust our patron.
"What we lack is information, and I will seek it from anyone who's willing to give it to us. Cost is a concern, and I wouldn't want to owe anyone we've met here a debt! I'm sure that each faction will also shade their story to put their own side in the best light. Some of them may outright lie to us. But somewhere, among all of their stories, I think that we could learn something of value to The Company.
"Khessa, I want you to know that I don't disregard your antipathy to the Drow. Far from it! Knowing what the Drow did to your village and family, I expected them to be self-interested and treacherous. We don't know whether all Drow are murderous slavers, but given what we saw today, I expect that the Drow of House Dusklorn would be imperious rulers if they ever regained complete control of Pedestal." He shakes his head, wondering whether any of the factions in Pedestal would be good or just rulers. But he reminds himself that it's not their mission to solve the problems of Pedestal. They're just here to recover the Lost King's bones and other artifacts. To drive home his point about not trusting the Drow, Xanrym says, "And if Irrenaste found me alone in an alley, I do not doubt that he would happily murder me if he thought that it would gain him favor with House Dusklorn's matriarch. But as long as Irrenaste thinks that it is in his interest to deal with us, he could be our first direct source of information about the Drow and about the workings of House Dusklorn."
In case Khessa didn't understand the significance of his words, Xanrym turns again to the tall warrior and says, "Even if we have no cause to go into House Dusklorn's quarter of the city again, I would have tried to form a connection with Irrenaste for your sake, Khessa! Suppose we have nothing to ask him about Pedestal or House Dusklorn when we see him next. I was thinking: Irrenaste might be able to tell us more about the Drow outside of Pedestal. Perhaps he would even know where to find the Drow who raided Twardens."
)
The drow look at each other and shrug slightly, “I suppose we could take that to the matriarch. She may see it as a good opportunity” Irennaste says. But the other drow don’t seem convinced. He takes your small tithing and the drow leave. You’re free to continue to the Dripstone Inn, where Es Sarch awaits in his usual position, a few patrons filing into the bar.
Xanrym has done a lot of talking already today, and he feels a bit drained. He's looking forward to lunch and maybe some quiet time reading in his room.
Since Coriana, Theldrin, and (especially) Avery were the ones most responsible for gathering mushrooms and for getting everyone out alive, Xanrym is inclined to have them take the lead in delivering the special mushrooms to Es Sarch. Xanrym will be there to hear what Es Sarch says, but he'll be hanging back a bit. He just wants to know whether Es Sarch has learned anything more about Xeron's cult or Fhadheela, and if not, whether their patron already has another job for The Company to do.
(OOC: lots of social encounters since we arrived in Pedestal, but I don't want Xanrym to monopolize the game. Es Sarch is a known associate, and we shouldn't really need Xanrym's Silver Tongue to influence him here. Someone else should feel free to jump in.)
Coriana will take point on walking up to Es Sarch. She walks up to him and very directly states while holding out a bag, "We got your flamin' mushrooms. Information on what was guarding those mushrooms will be extra."
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Khessa was about to greet Es Sarch enthusiastically—and tell him everything in a fully (and naively) spirit of cooperation—but Coriana is quicker and seems intent on bargaining before providing details.
'Maybe it's a good idea...' The blonde arcane warrior, perplexed, once again falls silent and lets another member of the group try his own approach. 'Perhaps, by trusting Es Sarch, I would be making the same mistake I made when I trusted the drow by meddling instead of letting them be killed as they deserved. Perhaps the Company can teach me a little healthy distrust of the rest of the world.'
While he personally prefers Xanrym's more diplomatic approach to negotiations, Theldrin has to admit there's something appealing about Coriana's brash style, though he finds it a bit unnerving at times given his aristocratic upbringing. In any case he hadn't been in a hurry to approach Es Sarch when the party first arrived, and now finds himself following her lead, waiting to see how Es Sarch will respond.