Steeltoes glowers a bit at the news he'd have to wait for the second half, but takes the gold and nods, "Just let me know where you're staying tonight. Expect a visit after dark."

Accommodations are found easily enough, the group takes care of whatever other business they might have, and then settle in for the evening.

Not long after dark, a tall human walks in, looks around, and immediately approaches those members of the blaze still up and waiting. He indicates that you should speak privately, and a small room in the back of the inn is secured.

Once the door is closed, the human drops an illusory disguise, revealing his true form. Before you is a rather foppish looking Dark Elf, festooned with fine clothing and jewelry. At his side is a thin rapier, and the hilts of at least four small daggers can be seen poking out of his garb in various places.

He has a seat, and gets straight to business. "So, you want our help with safe passage through the underdark. Well, the Bregan D'aerthe are certainly the right people to ask, but our services are not cheap." He grins, "Sorry, but even the famous Silver Blaze doesn't get a discount."

"So, just where do you need to go?"

Velon squints at the drow for a moment and then says "you wouldn't be..?"  "No, can't be.  It's just the hat, and the feather... It is you isn't it..."  He then whispers "Jarlaxle?"

The drow throws his hands up in apparent frustration, "What is with you surfacers? I dress how I like and you people think I'm Jarlaxle. Dress to fit in and people think I'm that self righteous Drizzt. There are more than two of us you know."

"My name is Vadim, Jarlaxle is an old man now, and retired somewhere on his pile of riches."

  Lia studies the drow. " Enough about Jarlaxle. Your kind is spotted so rarely in civilized areas thankfully that it is an easy mistake to make. " Her eyes glitter in anger. 

Velon looks at Perry and silently mouths "it's totally Jarlaxle!"

Velon then looks at the drow and says "sorry 'Vadim''.  "We are going deep into the Underdark, perhaps for weeks even, so we'll need ample supplies.  We can pay by the day, since the duration of our trip is unknown."

Vadim simply ignores Lia as he replies to Velon, "Sounds like you want our premium escort package. Two squads of our best scouts and skirmishers, you can name any destination in the underdark other than within the borders of a major inherently hostile settlement. We'll get up to two dozen people there and back regardless of how long it takes. We will provide whatever relevant advice is required for your business down there as well. This also comes with our safe delivery guarantee. We only get a quarter of the money by default, half of it if you make it to the destination, and we only get the full amount if you make it all the way back. We also provide whatever supplies are expected to be necessary for the journey." 

"There are some limitations. We will only fight things on your behalf that we must fight in order to get you to your destination. If you ask us to take you to just outside of a hostile settlement and then go within, we will help scout for what looks like the best way in, but otherwise you are on your own. Your escort will wait at the rendezvous for one week, if you do not show up by then, by default they are instructed to leave you to whatever fate you brought on your own heads. The Commander in the field may or may not choose to make a rescue attempt so that we might secure the full payment, but only if such a rescue is relatively simple to pull off. I would not count on it."

"Our price for this service is ten grand. Twenty five hundred now, the rest held in escrow. We can claim another twenty five if we can provide proof that you were delivered to your destination safely, and then the remaining balance if we can provide proof that you returned safely. Our standing arrangement with the banks allows you to name a person or organization to receive any remaining funds that we do not claim within the year."

"Are these terms agreeable?"

 "And if we cut it down to one squad?  Your knowledge of the underdark is no doubt invaluable, but we are quite capable in a fight.  In fact, I'd be willing to make a friendly wager on that to prove ourselves, if it allows you do decide if we can handle it.  Me versus several of your men, no mortal wounds, of course.  If I win, we go with one squad and a healthy discount.  If your men win, we pay full price for two squads."

"Alternatively, we could consider trading favors, of course.  What might you ask of us in exchange?"

Lawrance sends mentally to Velon "We could offer them a fairly good map of the Underdark levels they might be interested in?"

Vadim shakes his head, "I don't doubt your prowess, I'm well aware of your exploits. The extra men aren't there to win fights, they're there to avoid them. Meaning no offense, but a group like yours traveling through the underdark attracts about as much attention as a rampaging linnorm. Half of the men will be employed full-time just keeping things quiet, and without them, you will likely have to prove your combat prowess every mile of the way. If we were just talking about a short trip to the more shallow portions of the underdark, it might be manageable, but somehow I get the sense that's not the case here."

He taps his lips thoughtfully, "Speaking of those exploits though, if the price is a problem, there is something you could help us with. Dragons are your thing yes? We've been having trouble with one. How does this sound? Quick detour, help us kill the thing and share whatever horde it has, we'll waive the fee."

"Hmmm, go ahead" replies Velon to Lawrance.

When Jarlaxle, er, Vadim mentions a 'rampaging linnorm' Velon comments to the group "I think he means me" while tapping on his ornate armor.

"Tell me more about this dragon..." inquires an interested Velon.

Lawrance interjects into the conversation "I'm not sure if it matters, but I have access to a very good map of the Underdark, down to very deep levels, that we can offer in exchange for some of your fees." With that, he creates an illusion of a low level of the depths, showing the various details he has. 

Vadim shrugs, "I'd be surprised if the map is better than ours, but we could take a look."

"Its a deep dragon, similar in most respects to the kind you're used to fighting, but there are some differences. No wings for one thing, dark purple scales, and instead of breathing elemental magic, their exhalations clog one's mind."

"OH MY GOD IT'S JARLAXLE?!?! CAN I GET YOUR AUTOGRAPH!?!??" Perry asks, looking extremely excited over at Velon. He holds out a quill and paper to the drow.

---

"A PURPLE DRAGON?! Can we go see him and say hi at least???" Perry's eyes are lighting up with wonder. He looks to Lia to show his excitement.

Cratol stands there looking back and forth as the negotiations are going good.  Thus far the talk of another dragon to take care of before their final destination is reached will be interesting to do to say the least.  Seems the Silver Blaze is getting quite a reputation in the killing of dragons.

"Tell you what, once we're 'below' and reveal our destination, if this 'deep dragon' is not too far out of the way we'll take a look.  Worst case we decline and pay you the full sum, no harm done to you.  We keep the treasure hoard if any exists, however, unless you have other dragon slaying friends lined up?  Seems like a good deal for you, to be rid of this pest."

Velon glances at Lawrance, wondering if his unlimited knowledge lends him an idea of how difficult this deep dragon may be to deal with.

Vadim smirks, "Let's see, we could take on the additional risk of not only escorting you but helping to face this thing for... nothing. Or we could get paid for the majority of the work and let the annoyance that we can avoid continue to be an annoyance we can afford. Sorry, but no. Push come to shove, we could hire a team of dragon slayers for less than the opportunity cost."

"You would never find its lair or even get near it without our help, splitting the horde is a fair offer."

"Fair enough, but there is bound to be a shiny bobble that I like just as much as your men do.  I get first dibs on items that can aid us in our larger quest, and you can have whatever equivalent coin or other items found to even it out.  I say this in good faith with the intention of splitting things as evenly as possible, but knowing we may eye the same unique item.  There must be a way of deciding as none of us want to be bickering over it when we're down there.  If you will trust me to make the final decision on the split in full view of your men, then you have a deal, pending any input from my master shopper here.  Perry?"

"Yeah, we want the shiny bobbles!" Perry exclaims. Attempting to help Velon.

Vadim's eye twitches, he gestures vaguely in Perry's direction, "Is he your mascot or something?"

Shaking his head he continues, "Those terms are acceptable as far as I'm concerned."

Speaking aloud for the first time, Lawrance asks Vadim "I've never been to the Underdark before, but I know that the magical radiation in the depths affects spells in strange ways. What should we know about spell casting and other changes due to the Faezress, so we are better prepared?"