"Sorry Polly,  no time for a second drop down below.  If you want any of that river water... for whatever reason, you'll have to get on our travel back.  Remember, time is an issue here.  There is still a whole city slowly starting that we need to save," Adray says.  

Ooc, can we get back to our barge or do we need to send Polly to fly over to tell then to pick us up 

Bazelsteen even stopped chewing on the coal for a moment when Polly suggested another run, but realized others were eager to move. The group was transported first to Bel's barge, then to his Fortress and finally to the familiar owen-for-the-throne-room where everything looked exactly the way you left it.

At some point the bag dried up - it had to with the heat and the wind - and was safe to touch. Interestingly enough, Bel did not look all that happy when was presented with it (not that before he was radiating with happiness, but more gratitude could be expected).

"You found it. Interesting." He accepted the bag, weighted it in his hand, looked inside and dropped it by the throne. An Imp suddenly materialized on Bel's shoulder. Little devils are hard to tell apart but Owimp could swear it's the same one he saw before. 

After a brief pause Bel nodded to himself and said: "I promised you the creature. It's yours, as I said. Balakros will escort you to it" (the Imp flew from Bel's shoulder and looked as if ready for the task) "The creature is called sibriex - a hoarder of secrets, as these things are called. They collect the secrets, but they do not like to share them. If anyone knows where what you are searching for is - it is sibriex. The one I am giving to you is a bit ... spent. I needed some information too. But he can talk and he can reveal you what you need to know. With a proper persuasion. Now go."

"You are doing good," heard Polly in her head. "I will keep watching your progress."

The Imp was waiting at the exit, everyone else - the giants, devils running round on different errands, Bel himself - all returned to their business.

     Polly tossed Bel a wink before she turns and leaves.

     Interesting, she thinks.  We'll have to include a new clause on any and all deals: No attempts, direct, indirect or otherwise, by yourself or any you have influence upon, may be made to hinder the completion of either end of the bargain.

     Polly will not immediately tell the others about the probably backstabbing attempt, not with Bel's imp guiding them and thus in the area.  But once she no longer fears overhearing ears, she will inform them of it.

 Choir follows along with the imp, hoping that the sibriex is not too badly damaged, and that it will be willing to help them. Possibly it will be grateful for some healing, and not be too hard to convince.  Choir can ensure that the creature tells the truth...but probably doesn't have the words or skills to induce it to speak in the first place.

Ordrag is only half-attentive to the conversations with Bel (and feels guilty for it) but can't help looking at the infernal foundries surrounding. "Hey big fella" he says casually to the arch devil, "you got any weapons for sale?"

"No" The answer sounded cold, heavy and absolutely final. Bel was done with at least most of the group.

The imp showed the way that led outside of the volcano and back to the river. Whether it was a part of the torture to keep a creature, whose very existence was about to collecting information (yet again - can Styx affect something so ancient it predated gods, probably?) more frightened and agreeable, or precaution against spies, but the sibriex was kept in a half-buried building, distantly resembling Zariel's flying fortress - only the upper part is above the ground and with Styx waters flowing around it. The familiar barge had to bring you all to the entrance.

The inside of the building - the floor, walls, ceilings, and doors are made of iron that has been twisted, bent, and ruptured in places. There is only one big room and in the middle of it you see something, words simply can not describe - a chaos of flesh, fifteen-foot-diameter, floating blob of mashed together deformed heads. Their faces are the size of wagons, with shriveled arms ending in trembling digits where their ears would be. In place of a neck, the underbelly of a sibriex host a writhing mass of stalks, puckers, and feeding tubes. A horror beyond horror.

Spiky chains keep that quivering flesh bound to a 20-foot-tall wrought-iron scaffold. Two fiends wrapped in chains stand atop the scaffold, torturing the bloated creature’s flesh by tightening its chains. Demon ichor oozes from its wounds, forming a shallow pool around the scaffolding. The flesh mountain reeks of rotten vegetation, ichor and bile.

A third devil, jackal-headed fiend uses a bronze horn to yell loudly at the bloated prisoner in multiple languages. It sits cross-legged about half-way up the scaffolding but interrupted his activity to stare at the party in surprise.

Mooncolor froze at the entrance. Lulu was more brave, but she could not force herself to come to close. In fact, that were her first words "Do not come close!"

"Smart words" nodded the jackal-headed devil "can loose a limb or two. Or get new one." He winked and change the tone "Who are you and what do you want?" The imp flew to the devil and seemingly explained the situation. "Really?" the jackal laughed. "Very well - all yours. Would love to see it."

     "You'll see nothing," Polly insists.  "Bel promised the creature to us.  It, and our secrets, are ours.  At least until we are done with it.  We don't share very well..."

     "Or..." Polly adds, quickly.  Curiously.  "Or are you breaking the deal that Bel and I made?"

Choir is unsure how to deal with demons, but she doesn't really approve of torture...at least until other avenues have failed.  She cautiously approaches, and as a greeting, she casts Cure Wounds on the sibriex for 13 damage, saying, "There's more where that came from!"

Devil laughed his heart off (if he had one). "Go talk to Asmodeus, sweety, if you want to break the deal with archdevil. Oh, that's priceless! But the creature? Take it. If you can. Would enjoy watching your attempts to control it. Word of advise? Do not believe just anything the monster says." (Coming from a jackal-headed devil that was a bold description of sibriex, but the devil was not wrong either - sibriex did look like an absolute abomination that can drive insane just by looking at it)

((Did Choir actually moved over to sibriex and touched it to deliver the Cure Wounds?))

Fran almost put up at hand to ask Bel a question, but after his response to Ordrag they were shuffled along quickly. Didn't he say 'should you need a few pointers how to make it talk, it will be provided as well'... The artificer would follow along with her usual self grumbling musings. He just said it was spent... it would talk with the proper persuasion. But what? She'd shrug to herself.

With the putrid beast before them, Fran would keep herself back with Mooncolour and Lulu. Arms crossed, she'd watch from a sentry position, tensing when Choir would move in. She knew their sweet kenku only wanted to help. But was it truly safe? The battle smith would remain calm, but alert.

((Yeah, she did.  She is in deep doo doo, isn't she?))

Bel did not refuse himself a pleasure of discussion an interesting topic. Telepathic answer came in time. "I meant it literally - pointy sticks can get you the long way when you question someone. try it - you'd be surprised. Devils inside can point the right spots. Though you can try magic - the thing is tough to deal with but it's possible. Have fun."   

Choirs adventure, though, did not went that good: trying to step between puddles of all kind of disgusting fluids (and failing - the area under the demon was covered in it), incredibly brave kenku moved close to the warped flesh horror to touch it. "Help me and I will share all the knowledge of the Universe!" screamed the voice in Choir's mind. The words were clear and simple, but the mind of the being felt as alien and sibriex looked. And first thing the creature "shared" was not the knowledge but an aura of corruption (Choir - DC 20 Constitution saving throw or take 17 poison damage)

Lulu gasped, all three devils laughed in jolly amusement. But the demon got his healing - some of his wounds even closed, though, fluids continue to rush out of many others and now, from a closer distance, Choir could tell they might be ... natural? As if creature was supposed to leak?

Con save: 16

A horrific wave of corruption rolls over Choir, making boils burst out and ooze over her skin, but she doggedly casts Zone of Truth, trying not to gag, and continues to speak. Charisma save DC17 or can't tell lies in the zone.  Choir's own save (not that she means to lie, but just in case) 8

She begins by quoting Bel: "I promised you the creature. It's yours, as I said. Do with it as you please." and adds Polly's words, "He has promised us a guide to Zariel's sword. We would like Zariel's sword. Whatcha want in return?" She follows with a quote from Adray, "We are on a tight schedule..Favor for favor." A few words from Dao, "help you free," And finally, the words of Bazelsteen the river demon, "Who knows, you might never get a chance...again."

Persuasion: 19

Sabriex save 26

"Step away from it, please!" Lulu flew closer to Choir but the golden aura did not help to breath easier - Choir had to physically leave the miasma area to get rid of it. 

Choir could not say if her spell worked anyhow (devilish audience continued to enjoy the show and probably already started betting) but the creature answered in a clean common: "I will tell - I will show! Free me!"

     "That is what we are here to do," Polly replies.  "We bargained for you.  We will happily release you in exchange for the information we need..."

Choir quickly moves away from the sibrex. She has done what she came to do, as much as she can for now.

"Don't look at me, lass," jackal-headed devil shrugged, "you want to free the thing - you have to break the chains. We don't keep locks around here." He and his teamed prepared to watch you doing the trick.

The six chains keeping sibriex in place are made of infernal iron - not impossible to break, but would take some time. The sibriex now in addition to his stench practically radiated the aura of anticipation.

     Polly creates a spectral, skeletal hand a couple of feet in front of the jacket-headed devil.  The hand floats there for a second, but then instead of grasping the devil and transferring the Chill Touch it merely flips the moron off and then disappears.

     Turning her attention to the Sibriex, Polly calls out to it.  "What kind of help is it that you want?  We want information, but we also want to help you...  Is it freedom from the chains that you want?  Or something else?  I would prefer to earn the information we need by helping you...  You've been tortured enough."

Adray took up a spot not far away but where he could watch Polly and her conversation.  He would step in if needed but only if needed.  Or, he thought, looking at the others, help to distract them from the possible torture that may come this way.  It was not something Fran, Choir, Lulu or Mooncolor needed to see.  He thought about Nibs but also figured he had seen this sort of violence before.

Ordrag also watches quietly from a distance. He had spent his early sailing days scrubbing out the bilge, and thought he knew what disgusting was, but this sibriex was something from a nightmare. He feels pity for Choir, so perfectly charitable that she was willing to offer this demon compassion, but Ordrag feels none. Not that he is heartless, but this creature is no abused puppy dog. Polly's approach was more practical and forward, but still probably futile - he doubts whether the creature was rational enough to bargain for anything. Seeing Adray watching from a nearby spot, he figures the monk was thinking much the same as him... these efforts were worth a try but ultimately would probably prove futile. Either they left this wretch to the devils or they would have to employ the same methods. It mattered not to Ordrag. The important thing was gaining the information, finding the sword, and freeing the city. That was the job, and it was enough to justify the means to accomplish it.

He leaves the gnome and kenku to continue their efforts, and looks around to see if there were any long pieces of loose scaffolding he could tie one of his weapons to. Ordrag also calls up to the devils holding the chains...  Hey there fella, you been doing this job for long? What's it take to get this thing to talk?