By now Onyx was furiously scribbling notes, describing the genie, its grand statements, the apparent spells it used, and more. If he hadn't made his class known in other ways, one might have mistaken him for a lore bard.

When Willagee responded that he could only accept coin of the realm though, it was as if the entire affair ground to a halt. Onyx looked between the genie and Willagee, with occasional glances at the troglodytes and the devil, as seemingly the entire pool area waited for a break in the tension.

(I read the earlier post and was ready to start interjecting and discovered I had lost my glasses without which I am all but hopelessly  blind. I was on the verge of panic but have found them and recovered some dignity). 

Quin looks at the group discussing how the Sultan can feed the 3 Troglydytes as part of the agreement that would make them swear fealty to him. 

Excuse me, Sirs and Madam, but have none of you noticed the three chests of wealth and treasure being carried around by Bel? All he asks in return for a chest is the offering of a soul to be given to him only upon one's natural death. He has 3 cases of a lifetime of unending wealth for any three who agree to let him have his or her soul upon one's death that he can in no way hasten. 

Is any one of you interested? Or perhaps you know of someone else who would be interested? Perhaps another resident of the third floor could be induced to make a bargain of sorts?

Quin paused a moment looking at the great devil purported to be from Avernus in search of a soul. It seemed very odd that he was weighted down with 3 heavy chests. Wouldn't a Devil simply be able to produce the wealth to purchase a soul by casting a spell? 

Also, he seemed tired to her. She had never heard of a Devil being without energy and trickery. Of course she hadn't much experience with devils but she was beginning to wonder about this one.

She  held her hand up before anybody could answer her first question. 

But wait, Sir Bel, are you really even a devil? Can you prove to us that you are? You seem weary and low of spirit. Perhaps it is YOU  who needs to sell a soul, not purchase one. 

What is really in those chests you drag around with you everywhere? Certainly it is not unending wealth. Are you perhaps trying to instead sell souls? You confuse me greatly.  Please convince me you are not trying to sell souls rather than buy souls. There is a Banshee upstairs who I have heard disturbs your rest. Why is that? As a devil, are you not far stronger than she? 

Quin would like to make a history check and insight check on Bel. 

His name certain rings a Bel. 

I will roll in case it's okay.

History first, then Insight.: 

11

11

Hatch watches as everything unravels somewhat quickly, but it isn't long that he once again spots a chance to work on his hunch.

"Lord Bel, if I may, it appears to me that your reputation is starting to come into question, from whether you possess the unending wealth you claim to, to even the legitimacy of your own devilhood! And it does seem you can never attain the souls you seek so long as this keeps up," Hatch said, hoping he was adequately stating the problem.

"However there is a solution here I think. First we must prove that you are indeed capable of coming through on your end of the bargain. Luckily you have such an opportunity to prove that right now, as I have been informed by Willagee here that you have yet to pay for your room. I imagine that the debt must be quite considerable now. Paying off that tidy sum should indeed convince them that you are the real deal, no?"

And then Hatch motioned over to the Sultan. "You seem to be in need of an endless source of gold to feed your slaves, are you not my honorable sultan? Now, Bel here needs to purchase a few souls, and from what I understand the need to buy souls takes far more precedence than the future need to collect such souls. Are genies not immortal, or close enough to it that it makes no matter? Bel needs to buy souls, not collect them, and you need gold and have a soul that can be sold but never collected, for save an extreme circumstance, you can't die. Perhaps a deal can be struck between you two lords should it be proven that endless wealth is indeed on offer?"

And now Hatch could only pray that this would work out at least half as well as he hoped.

Lia grins, and gives Hatch a friendly 'nice work' elbow, and nods to Quin in a similar fashion. She glanced at each of her friends, her smile growing wider, before looking back to the devil and the genie hopefully. She turns to Hatch and whispers "Worse case scenario, perhaps the banshee would trade her soul for the money, and then the money for the artworks?"

Quin's mind is going over and over the things that the Devil Bel has said.

She distinctly heard him say mortal souls. If the Banshee is undead, could it become mortal long enough to be a candidate? Genies, she knows less about than any of the others but Hatch stated they were immortal and if that's the case, it seems to mean he isn't a candidate for Bel's buy. Troglodytes, on the other hand, are mortal humanoids. So they would be candidates.  

Quin overheard Bel say that he wasn't really in the market for slaves, he just needed a few souls. The fact that he's carrying 3 trunks of neverending wealth adds credence to that idea. On the other hand, I remember hearing a rumour about Glassya using a law from Minoraus allowing her to legally use unauthentic coins. Minoraus is where Mammon is a chief or something so the fact that Bel mentioned that Mammon had done it could mean just that he had easily bought souls but it could also mean the treasure is fake?

Bel also mentioned that since Zariel had supplanted him, he had lost his credibility and hadn't been able to entice a single customer and muttered that just purchasing one soul would give him back some of his Mojo. 

He explained that the chests he is dragging around refill automatically and the gold authentic and comes with a soul-back guarantee. 

His insistence that the chests are guaranteed authentic gold makes her wonder. Wasn't there some rumor some time back about fake gold coins in one of the layers of hell?  He also mentioned Mammon in passing, saying, 'it had worked for him.' Quin would dearly love to ask Bel to open one of the chests and let her see the gold so she could check it for authenticity with her jeweler's tools but she's afraid it might imply an invitation to sell her soul.

If the souls must be mortal souls, the troglodytes would fit the bill but it seems so wrong some how. Not only that but if Bel is trying to get his Mojo back, he might mean to retake Avernus from Zariel. I don't know which is worse.

Quin can't think of a way to trick Bel. She hopes that the plan Hatch hatched will work. 

She's curious about how Bel arrived at Hotel Corona. Why is he out seeking souls on the mortal plane when he's supposed to be advising Zariel. Even if Avernus requires a certain number of souls bartered for, wouldn't it be more likely for a lower devil to be out searching? Maybe not. She wishes she could remember more about what she learned about Baator. 

Hearing Quin's challenge to his authenticity and to the legitimacy of his offer (and Hatch's summary of it) the devil Lord Bel draws his sword which bursts into flame. He puffs out his chest and his eyes glow with the heat and brightness of the fires of hell. He extends his hand toward an unoccupied corner of the room and a ball of fire explodes, harming none but issuing a heat that can be felt throughout the room. Following this display of his infernal power, he kicks open one of the chests revealing the dull lustre of gold. Scooping up a huge handful of the coins, he tosses them toward the patrons, but the chest miraculously fills the hole with yet more gold. Several people scramble to pick up the scattered coins, showing them to one another and exclaiming on the various cities and lands represented by the various currencies.

The hopeless and helpless devil has disappeared, and a mighty devil lord stands there, determined and fearsome. Turning to Quin, Bel growls: DOUBT ME NOT, MORTAL. THERE IS NO UNTRUTH IN MY OFFER. YOUR SOUL FOR UNLIMITED WEALTH, FOR THE TERM OF YOUR LIFE. MORTAL SOULS ONLY MAY I PURCHASE, AS NONE OTHER ARE OF PROFIT TO ASMODEUS. YEARS I HAVE WAITED HERE WITHOUT SUCCESS, UNABLE TO LEAVE DUE TO A CURSE OF AN ORIGIN UNKNOWN, A SLAVE TO THE ENDLESS WAILING OF THE UNDEAD, AND MY HOPE HAS WANED INDEED. BUT WAIT I WILL, AS LONG AS I MUST.

Bel then turns to Booragoon and says: SUFFICIENT I HAVE FOR THREE SOULS, YET ONLY ONE I REQUIRE. A NEW OFFER I WILL MAKE TO YOU. WITH THE WEALTH OF ONE CHEST I WILL PURCHASE THE FOOD THAT YOUR SUBJECTS REQUIRE, ON THE CONDITION THAT YOU SILENCE THE BANSHEE. VANQUISH IT I COULD, BUT I AM PERMITTED TO DESTROY NONE UNTIL THE TERMS OF MY EXILE ARE FULFILLED, AND I GROW WEARY OF THE ENDLESS WAILING. IF YOU WILL SILENCE THE WRETCHED CREATURE, I WILL BUY THE FOOD FOR YOUR SLAVES, AND MY EXILE WILL BE SO MUCH THE EASIER TO BEAR PATIENTLY, AS I WAIT FOR ONE TO COME WHO IS WILLING TO SELL ME THEIR SOUL.

Booragoon shrugs and replies: The banshee troubles me not, and besides, I possess not the magic to silence its cries. I know not how to fulfill your offer. Again the uncomfortable silence returns as the impasse remains.

Lia pipes up. "Killing her is really not necessary. We've spoken to her, and you can fulfill the offer, Booragoon. If you give her some or all of these beautiful items you have just told Bel you possess, she will stop her wailing immediately. Bel, you can buy the food, satisfying both the needs of the troglodytes and the genie, and the second to last requirement for the curse, setting me and my friends on our merry way to become free."

 Quin is alarmed to realize that the Devil has read her thoughts. She has angered a powerful Devil of Baator. 

She quickly bows to him and says, "I beg your pardon mighty Lord Bel for my insolence. I see you are indeed who you claim to be. Why your sword is famous all over the world. Your prowess in battle tactics are second to none. I am but a humble and ignorant mortal and beg your forgiveness."

"The rest of here, have also been ensnared in this place and cannot leave. A curse was placed here by the Goddess of Misfortune, Basheba.  We are all trapped and perhaps if we work together, we can solve, at least, the problem of the Banshee's wail. Legend has it that only sunlight can stop her wail. Perhaps someone has a sunsword or some sort of magic that emits sunlight. If anybody does, please say so."

If worse came to worst, they might have to try their luck at vanquishing the Banshee. She had heard that the creature was very difficult to kill. On  the other hand, she had heard that most banshees want most of all, to still live. Quin knew no way of turning the undead to merely dead, much less alive. If she was dead or alive, she would quit wiling. Perhaps she would be willing to forfeit her soul if she thought she would live a long time and retain her living beauty. 

She wondered if someone could be banished from this cursed place. Somehow, she thought not. She looked at Hatch, Lia, Lock, Onyx, and Throm hoping against hope that one of them had an idea of how to calm the anger of the Devil before them. 

Just before Quin had left the town of Blasingdale, she had sat in the library reading a book about the 9 Hells and the Abyss, the blood war and many of the characters important to both places. She couldn't remember every single thing she had read but she remembered a bit of the story of Zariel and Bel. She had been searching for information about succubi and Incubi as well as Cambion and other fiends she had only run into recently. She should have known better than to think thoughts about the Devil and doubt his word. Even the succubus could read her mind. Of course he would be able to. 

Quin had finished her thoughts without realizing Lia had spoken first. She knew that Lia had spoken with the Banshee. She didn't realize the Banshee had agreed to stop wailing in exchange for beautiful items that the Sultan could provide.

"Lia, you really are a genius!" 

Quin wished she could be as clever as her friend Lia. Maybe she needed to spend more time in libraries.

Lia blushes, brushing off the complement with a mumbled response. She had spent most of her life with her nose in a book, always eager to learn, so she always concluded time spent in a library was certainly never time wasted.

"Well seems like everything's falling into place again." Lok said grinning as Lia explained her plan

"If we do have anything to deliver to the banshee, perhaps I should be the one to deliver it?" the barbarian questioned aloud 

"The last time we visited her, it seems like everyone but me got a bad case of the frights." Lok continued, grimacing at the memory.

"I fear that people frightened of her 'beauty' may anger her."

"Sounds like a plan," Hatch said, glad that Lia had puzzled out the proper solution, hopefully. "Sultan Booragoon, would you be willing to part with some of your pretty things to silence the banshee and thus be given the funds to feed your slaves?"

Onyx couldn't help but smile at the solution the others had arrived at. He eagerly awaited the response from Sultan Booragoon, containing his questions about the arrangement for the time being.

(My apologies if I railroaded this chapter. I enjoyed your creative solutions, but also enjoyed throwing roadblocks in front of them.)

Booragoon nods in agreement to the proposal, and requests Lok to carry instructions to Rivervale to relinquish certain items to Lok, so he can deliver them to the banshee. While Lok is gone, Bel explains to Hatch that he is not permitted to 'give the funds' to anyone without securing a contract, but sees nothing stopping him from using them himself to purchase the food as part of the reciprocal arrangement. He is willing to purchase the troglodytes' food for as long as he remains in the hotel, if it is sufficient to silence the banshee.

After a few minutes, the background noise of the crying banshee dies away and Lok returns declaring the attempt a success. Bel heaves a sigh of relief, and scoops another handful of coins from the chest, handing them to Willagee as payment for the troglodytes' first meal, as everyone watches with bated breath. Booragoon in turn orders the troglodytes to earn their first meal by completing the clean-up of the pool.

And yet nothing seems to change. Willagee counts out the coins, then calls out to Bentley to stoke up the kitchen fires for a large order. Kardinya goes to help. Bel closes the chest and begins to pick them up to cart them back to his rooms. The crowd starts to dissipate and the troglodytes busily work away under the stern eye of their new sultan. Suddenly Willagee stops himself and says to Bel: Pardon me, sir, I forgot to give you a receipt. He scribbles out a small slip of paper and holds it out with shaking hands to the devil. With a grunt Bel accepts the receipt, and immediately the room begins to swirl, shapes and colours merging and blending in a dizzying display.

Gradually the room begins to resolve once more, and Lok, Lia, Hatch, Throm, Onyx and Quin find themselves standing in a spacious stone-walled foyer, lit with a huge crystal chandelier. The floor is magnificently tiled in dazzling patterns of precious stones, and a marble staircase with ivory handrails and fine brass banisters stand directly before them, flanked by two suits of plate armor. The walls are hung with exquisite silk tapestries and large paintings of various lords and ladies. To the left side a large oak piano plays soft music, despite no pianist being present, although a small card sits on the music stand with a message in cursive Common: "Please do not touch the piano".

A familiar halfling dressed in a fine velvet suit and frilly cravat saunters over and softly says: Greetings, esteemed visitors, to Palazzo della Corona, the only six-star hotel in all of Faerun.

You may all advance to Level 9.

Hatch sighed, thankful that the cleverness of the group had solved the riddle without anyone losing their soul. And now they were just one part of the riddle away from freedom.

"I suggest we recon who is on the top floor this time, among the other differences, and then take a long rest to recharge and think on how to solve the 'five flies'. But definitely rest while we can in such fine accommodations," he suggested before turning to the familiar halfling Bentley.

"Can you tell us who is rooming in the top floor?" the tired paladin asked.

Throm would love to secure a room, a bath and a well earned meal.

”Friends, as hungry, tired and filthy as I am, I fear now we cannot afford our new accommodations ...”

"Whoo-hoo!!"

Even though relatively new, Onyx raised his staff and whooped at the group's success in solving the fourth part of the riddle. He suddenly quieted himself upon watching Hatch talk to Bentley, as one question entered his mind: "I wonder how long the others have been here?"

He didn't recall anyone saying directly; it could have been only hours or days, but then again, it could have been far longer. So while it might have been just an exciting mental exercise to him, this was probably the next step in a long, arduous journey for everyone else--one they were more keen to just finish rather than celebrate over.

Quote from CalvinHahnII >>

”Friends, as hungry, tired and filthy as I am, I fear now we cannot afford our new accommodations ...”

"Oh?" asked Onyx. "I take it the price charged increases after every... um, renovation of the hotel?" He cast a dirty look toward Bentley, wondering whether the halfling was really that greedy or if this was just another effect of the curse.

Lia stifles a yawn. "That sounds like an excellent plan. The rooms did seem to carry over in previous iterations, like when Hatch rested after... the Count. That should only leave Quin and Onyx, so if we're out of our price range here, two of us can share. I doubt we won't fit two a room in a place like this." She takes a second glance around the room, suddenly feeling a little underdressed, before looking to Bentley as if she's only just noticed him. She gives him a friendly smile.