Velon cringes as Lia lashes out.  "But all things we knew when we decided to come."  He gives Lia the stern, eyebrows raised look.  "None of this will be a concern if our other problem is not resolved first.  So who's skulls are we busting?"

  Lia glares at Osmund and is about to speak out angrily when Velon speaks. Her mouth snaps shut with great effort. Through the link she says, " It is hard to stomach this blasphemy and this odius piece of dung.  I will remain silent though. " 

 Mari sees Lia trying to clamp down on her anger.  She eyes Osmund casually.  " No hard feelings here Osmund.  This is all business. Both sides need something the other side wants.  I warn you though...don't betray us.  I will take that very personally.  " She smiles at him.  

Velon looks at Osmund and says matter of factly "mind mannered folk aren't usually good at busting skulls" with a shrug.

Eyes wide at the undercurrent of anger and frustration, Lawrance's head goes back and forth as he quietly waits to see how this all turns out. Unconsciously, he picks up a lemon cake and nibbles on it absently as he spectates. 

 Lia glances furiously at Velon.  She knows he is right but wishes he would have defended her from what was said.  Noticing Lawrance nibbling on the cake she grits her teeth.  Speaking to Lawrance through the link she says, " What is wrong with you and Perry? They are living off the labors of slavery and undead creatures. This place is an abomination and all you care about is food.   Damn it, have some morals. This place makes me want to vomit, not eat.  " 

Poljen glowers at Osmund.  He says, "Lay out the terms for this deal, Osmund.  Or send us home.  We are not here to dally."  He glances at Perry.  "Well, most of us." 

Over the link he says to Lia, {Fear not, Lia.  Before we leave this place I will punch that bastard at least once for you.}

Lawrance is startled by Lia's statement and he responds #Food? What food?# He looks down at the half eaten lemon cake in his hand and he abashedly puts it down nearby. #Um, yes, well, let's get on with this. The sooner we recruit these slavers into helping against the Queen, the sooner we are done.#

Morgaine, goes with Poljen to keep an eye on Perry, enjoying being close to him. Then follows the two of them back to where the others are. Seeing and hearing the anger in Lia, Morgaine keeps quite;  but she does so want to help her friend, just doesn't know what to say that would help. 

Osmund turns his gaze to Poljen, apparently ignoring Lia's dirty looks, "My mentor will apprise you of the full details shortly, but suffice it to say that it plays to your talents. We need you to retrieve an important item. I must say I have been following your exploits with interest ever since I left. Not really my cup of tea, so I'm glad I left when I did, still, quite impressive."

At that statement, Lawrance comes out of his silence "Ah, sorry? Retrieve an item? I thought we were invited here to negotiate an alliance against the Dragon Cultists? What's this about retrieving an item? We've got far more serious issues coming out to be running some minor errand for your group. Also, following our exploits how?" He seems rather perturbed at being placed into the category of treasure hunter.

Osmund looks amused, "Did you really think that you were asked here for your negotiation skills? No, you are here because you are useful tools. One of the very few groups in faerun that meet our criteria for the task at hand."

He waves his hand dismissively at any concern this comment raises,

"Don't worry, you'll have your alliance if you want to call it that. But if you wish us to do more for this cause than silently cheer you on, then a little leg work is required. Unfortunately, a certain level of plausible deniability is necessary, so we are not able to do it ourselves. We could hire mercenaries, but anyone that can be bought once can be bought again, so we figured we would tap a group that will do it simply because it's the right thing to do." He says these last words with more than a little sarcasm in his voice.

"The Tharchion will explain the details when you meet her. I am here to inform you that it is in your best interests to be on your best behavior. She does not suffer fools or foolish behavior, address her as you did me and things will not be pleasant to say the least. So please, calm yourselves and relax. Enjoy the refreshments, take a nap, have an orgy in here that's what it takes to take the edge off. Dinner will be served in one hour."

If none stop him, Osmund turns and walks back out of the room.

Perry says over the mental link to the others, "Soooo, a fetch quest? What do you think we are fetching this time? A creepy magical undead bone? An undead dragon mask? An undead horrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrn? A horrrrrrrrrrrrrny undead?"

#I begin to  see why you don't like this person, Lia. I don't know about the rest of you, but this is NOT what I'm here for, and I'm not interested in running errands for one branch of an evil empire. Unless this Tharchion gives a damn good reason, I think we should bow out and get back to our real task at hand.# Lawrance's mind voice is sharper than normal, a normally unheard anger coming through. #Our time would be better spent building our forces and gathering our known allies, rather than going on possible delaying tactic thinly disguised as a shopping trip.#

Poljen furrows his brow once more, and thinks, {We are here.  We shall listen to their offer.  If it is to our liking, AND we feel we can trust them to live up to the spirit and letter of the contract, fine.  If not, we leave.}

  #Yes, he is a special kind of person you might say. He is beyond pompous. He needs to remember who HE is speaking with. We can listen to the offer and go from there though. # 

Cratol thinks to the others. "He has proven to be traitor I would not trust him farther than I can toss him.  If he does give us a chance I am sure many here will be glad to take his life.  He can then join his beloved in the afterlife."

Velon replies to Perry over the link “my guess is horny undead dragon.”

”Easy everyone, I wouldn’t mind knocking a few of his teeth out right now as well, but we knew the vile place we were coming to and the even worse person who invited us.  Stay sharp so we can get what WE want out of this meeting.  I’ll need your help figuring out what we can trust here so let’s leave our anger at the door just for the meeting.”

However the group chooses to pass it, soon enough, an hour has passed, and the undead servant that had thus far been standing utterly still in the corner states that dinner has been prepared.

You are escorted to a lavish dining hall, where you are seated at a long table. large platters of food, much of it quite delicious looking, await you on the table. Shortly after your arrival, three figures enter, all in red robes. Osmund, the woman that Lawrance saw, and another man you have not seen. They have seats around the head of the table.

The vampire woman speaks first, her tone simple and to the point, "I am Tharchion Eseldra Yeth, it seems likely that you are unaware of certain relevant details of Thayan politics and history, so let me enlighten you. Szass Tam has been the prime Zulkir of Thay for a very long time. Now, all red wizards feel the pull towards greater knowledge and power, and we are often criticized for it, but he has frequently sickened even us with the things he will sacrifice. For instance, I suspect that most of you have at least heard of the spellplague. What is less well known that Szass Tam was in large part responsible. He learned of the impending death of Mystra, and attempted to capture her essence in order to ascend into godhood, using every being on Toril, large and small, living and undead, as the fuel for his ascension. Fortunately, some brave people like yourselves succeeded in intervening, although the consequences of his ritual failing were unpleasant to say the least."

"In the absence of anything like Mystra's death since then, it seemed for a time that his ambitions had been foiled, but now he has a new plan, and it involves freeing a certain goddess. Now, oddly enough, even if I wanted to see the prime Zulkir become a god, I have no desire to live in whatever's left of the world after Tiamat is done with it."

"Unfortunately, my opinion is enough in the minority that I cannot oppose the plan, not openly. At the same time I have been excluded from the especially sensitive maneuvers being coordinated with the cult, so sabotage is likewise out. That leaves one option open to us. We are going to kill Szass Tam, and you are going to help us." She says this last with certainty, as if you had already agreed.

When the group first enters the dining room, Poljen looks at the food then says aloud, "Let me go first.  In case there is a problem with the food, you all can use your magics to subdue or cure me."  He samples an array of food, to make sure he even eats a few bites of fruits and vegetables.

When their hostess makes her announcement, he snorts.  "I have no love for your Szass Tam, but neither have I love for you and yours.  Please spell it out.  What is it you wish us to do?  And how will you then help us?  And don't forget to explain how we will be able to trust you when I am sure you will not put it in writing, lest Szass Tam learn of your betrayal."

Velon shrugs a little and nods with regard to Poljen's request for them to spell out what the Blaze would be required to do.  He tries to discern if he believes killing Szass Tam is their true intent, or if any other potential lies are amidst their story.

Insight: 18