Let’s Make a Deal¶

2023-May-06

• With Tactus Avorio slain, the party stops fleeing and Kleb returns to the corpse to retrieve the man’s head
  • He hoists it and roars, scaring the last cart driver off from his pursuit
• The group stops for a breather before heading back to the manor, newly invigorated and eager to try to uncover some secrets. Kleb also wants to recruit some of the remaining guards to the Lozenge Azure
• The party finds one guard who has been crushed under a cart but is still alive. Realizing that they have no options, Rowan mercy-kills him
  • They make it back to the manor proper but ride the rest of the way in silence, having driven by the carnage that was left in their wake
• Kleb flies ahead on his broom, dropping into the courtyard among the ash and rubble of the main house. He holds the head aloft before the guards who are milling about, and advises that they join his order
  • 3 of these “ronin” exchange glances and walk over to offer their allegiance. A few others fled immediately, and one refuses the joinder. The last guard backpedals to a particular pile of rubble and pushes it aside, dropping down into the basement level
• The party rushes after the man and Rowan takes the lead into the lower level. At the bottom of the stairs, his whole body vibrates with radiant energy, and he identifies a celestial entity close by
• Kleb and Rowan round a corner and see the guard frantically talking to a robed, hooded figure. When Kleb tries to rush him, the figher is thrown to the side sending him crashing through a wooden screen and into Fallon
  • An animated and winged marble statue stands before the adventurers, brandishing a giant mace
  • Rowan tries to calm things down, introducing himself as a paladin of Tymora. Rulkorf joins him
  • The figure declines to share his name, but confirms that he is a disciple of Waukeen. Rowan recognizes that he is a Deva, an angelic messenger of the gods
    • He explains his role as facilitating transactions between his god and the Avorios. With their death, he is willing to let the party leave unmolested further
    • At the party’s request, he might be willing to trade something for the spellbook. However, the party has trouble offering an equal value in exchange
      • He proposes a favor from each of the trio, bound by a negotiated contract, in exchange for the book. They are uncomfortable with the open-ended nature of that, and request a more specific task
      • The final agreement is a delivery to someone at Candlekeep, contents unknown. The party is required to stay in Baldur’s Gate for two days so the package can be prepared and handed off. At that point, they will return to the manor for pickup, sign a contract ensuring compliance, and head to the library
  • With some reluctance, the man allows Kleb to retain his three new recruits. Fallon discusses helping them nurture their musical talents, and the party heads back to the city