Leesha, you know devils love to make their highly codified deals that they will follow to the letter. The contracts signed are binding for both parties. Their ultimate goals are getting souls promised, but they will accept other payment if it seems profitable. Imps are not very strong, and usually are mere proxies for more powerful devils.
" My master, is very important, yes. But I am forbidden to say his name. Unless you sign a contract with him of course...
Freedom, yes! Perhaps you want to know information on this place, and what exactly happened here so long ago. I could hear you in the corridors. You are looking for something, right?"
"Yes, we are looking for something and we are interested in this place's history as well as remaining alive as we find it. Are these points you could potentially aid us with? If so, you may be able to bargain for your freedom."
"You will not be dictating the terms. We will determine what we want in exchange for what you want. You may, of course, reject or propose a counter-offer but keep in mind your position."
At that she waves the group back together, out of the range of the imp's hearing as best she can tell, and asks,
"What do we want from this imp? The offer of answering questions is a reasonable start but they are in a cage and need our help. It can do better. Any agreement we make must also contain a clause of non-aggression or hindrance, by action or inaction, on either parties part."
She looks to see if the slower party members are following along.
"A tour here, safe. Where the good stuff is. Find out what it knows. Why it got in there. Why it was here at all. And it gets to leave, safe,"Shun says, in a low rumble, but as suggestions, deferring to Leesha for the final offer.
(OOC: Well, persuade/intimidate for many characters is the same roll either way. Coercing favourable terms could go either way, though it felt with Leesha's approach, intimidate a bit seemed relevant. Either way, with a nat1, there is no difference.)
The imp scoffs:
"Well, these are MY final terms. If you wish, you can always take your chances with the rest of the archives. I can negotiate with your souls, even if your physical forms are destroyed.
While I am in this cage, no one orders me around. I can happily wait another couple centuries in here."
The firebolg lets the chattier folks talk to the bird. Shun has a way with words... at least those that make up his vocabulary.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Leesha walks over to see who they are talking to and corrects Gruntor,
"Abyssal. It spoke Abyssal, not bat."
Arcana on imps: 27
((Looking for details on making deals, and likelihood of the deal being kept with the little devil.))
Leesha, you know devils love to make their highly codified deals that they will follow to the letter. The contracts signed are binding for both parties. Their ultimate goals are getting souls promised, but they will accept other payment if it seems profitable. Imps are not very strong, and usually are mere proxies for more powerful devils.
Leesha regards the imp,
"Who is your master?"
She then asks,
"And how much is your freedom worth? And what do you have to offer in exchange?"
The imp reacts joyfully:
" My master, is very important, yes. But I am forbidden to say his name. Unless you sign a contract with him of course...
Freedom, yes! Perhaps you want to know information on this place, and what exactly happened here so long ago. I could hear you in the corridors. You are looking for something, right?"
Leesha shakes her head,
"Your master can remain out of our arrangement."
Her eyes narrow as she thinks,
"Yes, we are looking for something and we are interested in this place's history as well as remaining alive as we find it. Are these points you could potentially aid us with? If so, you may be able to bargain for your freedom."
The imp puffs:
"No maybes. I can agree to an exact contract: in exchange to my release and freedom, I will honestly answer one question from each of you.
If you want more, you have to give more".
"No."
Leesha says with finality,
"You will not be dictating the terms. We will determine what we want in exchange for what you want. You may, of course, reject or propose a counter-offer but keep in mind your position."
At that she waves the group back together, out of the range of the imp's hearing as best she can tell, and asks,
"What do we want from this imp? The offer of answering questions is a reasonable start but they are in a cage and need our help. It can do better. Any agreement we make must also contain a clause of non-aggression or hindrance, by action or inaction, on either parties part."
She looks to see if the slower party members are following along.
"A tour here, safe. Where the good stuff is. Find out what it knows. Why it got in there. Why it was here at all. And it gets to leave, safe," Shun says, in a low rumble, but as suggestions, deferring to Leesha for the final offer.
Leesha nods approvingly to Shun and Gruntor, like she would a child, before turning to the firebolg for his input.
Leesha roll intimidation
"Want to make sure it isn't trying to work against us, but if it knows anything about the magics that makes it hard to even talk about gods..."
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
((Leesha isn't trying to intimidate so much as laying the terms of negotiation, but here it comes. ))
Intimidate: 20
(Yup)
(OOC: Well, persuade/intimidate for many characters is the same roll either way. Coercing favourable terms could go either way, though it felt with Leesha's approach, intimidate a bit seemed relevant. Either way, with a nat1, there is no difference.)
The imp scoffs:
"Well, these are MY final terms. If you wish, you can always take your chances with the rest of the archives. I can negotiate with your souls, even if your physical forms are destroyed.
While I am in this cage, no one orders me around. I can happily wait another couple centuries in here."
Leesha shakes her head.
"Very well. We leave it. If the humans win a few centuries of waiting is probably optimistic for the next visitors. "
She moves away, waving the others alone with her, saying in a low voice,
"We will deal with it if we must, for now let's see what can be discerned ourselves. "
The firebolg's head nods in agreement.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Shun nods and moves along.
Are you leaving the room?