*************
Encounter Summary
--- Experience Yield: +1 xp (0.125 DR * 8); 40% of EY = party kill bonus (pkb): +0.4 xp; 40% of last DR = last kill bonus (lkb): +0.4 to Oriax ---
--- Experience (Orcus): 15.06/300 xp ----> 16.46/300 xp ---
--- Experience (Oriax): 14.85/300 xp ----> 16.65/300 xp ---
--- Experience (Seku): 23.35/300 xp ----> 24.75/300 xp ---
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The party was not in a hurry, per se.
While the fact remained that they possessed the unconscious, twice-mutated body of a low-level cultist—a prisoner, by some standards—he wasn’t exactly going anywhere. Anyhow, the Prince of Demons was deliberately going slower than usual, which made their journey across town somewhat prolonged.
“So… what happened with you two today?” Oriax asked curiously, who had otherwise been given the tall task of carrying Darrien’s limp body on his back, though he didn’t seem to mind.
Pulling his attention away from the in-system overlay, Orcus pushed his party’s meager experience yields to the back of his mind for a moment, and replied with, “I’m not entirely certain, truth be told. As far as that… wastrel is concerned, it’s plausible to assume that he was corrupted in some way. We’ve already surmised blood magic is to blame, but I suppose we won’t know until the swindler looks at him.”
“Your Highness, can you please not refer to the priestess of Mercury as a swindler?” Terminus asked worriedly, “You’re trying to make a good impression here.”
Orcus cocked his head to the side, “Who told you that?”
“Oh, well—I just assumed—”
“That’s your problem, bird.” Orcus interjected, “You make far too many inferences on my behalf. It’s not your place to know everything about my intentions, nor would I care for you to.”
“What, it most certainly is my place!” Terminus squawked, “That’s half the job description of a general mediator. If you want to file a complaint regarding my directives, Your Highness, we can visit an adventurers’ guild hall. But I can assure you, they’ll disband this party faster than you can say necrotic bolt.”
“I’d like to seem them try.” Orcus scoffed, “And anyway, I never agreed to making good impressions with this… priestess. That was your strategy. Mine involves willful conscription!”
“Yeah, I saw your notes...” Terminus sighed, “Anyhow, let’s just get this over with quickly. Whether we’re turned down or not, the sooner we get out of town the better.”
Orcus couldn’t argue with that.
It was just after sunset by the time the party finally crossed to the eastern side of Endsmeet, and not before too much longer had they found what they were looking for.
A single-story, square-shaped building made of stone stood out in contrast to the many dozens of wooden homes around it. The roof was adorned with blue tiles, and possessed a steeple of sorts near its center, which doubled as a chimney. A large window could be seen on the front side, just to the left of the front door, in which soft candlelight illuminated the interior in part. Furthermore, a well-kept patch of grass serviced as a tiny yard. It was bordered by a little wooden fence, within which there was a small garden of sageroot and a marble birdbath, as well as a little shrine depicting Caduceus: the winged staff of Mercury.
A tidy stone path serviced as the walkway up to the front door, and a sign swinging on a little post just before it read: Altaria Mercurii.
Da-ding ding!
“Welcome to the Temple of Mercury!” A feminine, mischievously excited tone of voice said as Orcus led the way inside. A little bell above the door rung out slightly as they entered, and the voice continued, “Daily prayers are to be submitted with the appropriate offering amount in the alms box, and healing services are offered between third and fifth candle; that’s between the hours of eight in the morning and eight at night. However, if you find yourself in desperate need of our Lord Mercury’s favor, the shrine outside is always open to the public. Tell your friends, okay?”
Orcus regarded his surrounding momentarily.
Equal parts temple and storefront, the Prince of Demons was not surprised to find such an entrepreneurial display. On his left, several pews faced a similar shrine to the one outside, though it was cast of bronze and much larger, just off the window they’d previously seen on their way in. Ahead of him, many rows of shelves were packed full of all manner of supplies, otherwise obfuscated by a long countertop, behind which a young woman could be seen standing expectantly.
Orcus turned his attention on her.
She had long black hair and a few braids on the front, but wore a priestly fixture on her head. Her robes were golden and white, and she glared at the party with blue, calculating eyes. Orcus had no doubt that she was plotting ways in which to steal from them right that very second, just like her devious patron.
“My name is Arlette, flamen of the Order of Saints and caretaker of this temple.” She continued in a bright tone of voice, “Was there something I could help you find this evening? Fortune charms are fifty percent off through the rest of the month. We have a wide array of scented candles and incense for sale, as well as a lovely assortment of Caduceus figurines for the children. If you’re looking for style, I’ve recently received a shipment of Mercurial merchandise from Silvermere. We have, ‘Wings Out for Mercury’ tunics, feathered sandals, and even an all-new scarf. Here, take a look.”
Orcus watched annoyingly as the woman produced a white, priestly sort of stole that bore golden text, reading, “Never Late, Never Early.”
“We’re not interested… Oriax—” Orcus snapped quickly, hoping to avoid any further sales pitches.
His tall companion immediately moved past him toward the counter. With an awkward fumble, Darrien’s flaccid body flopped onto its surface.
“Oh, my…” Arlette gasped. However, her entire demeanor shifted after that. Quickly assessing that she wasn’t dealing with unsuspecting tourists here, her once bright and amiable expression fell away, as she squinted, saying in a scrutinizing tone of voice, “Seriously? What do you expect me to do with this?”
“Heal it?” Orcus shrugged, “I don’t really care anymore, this wasn’t my idea.”
“Priestess, I don’t know if this is standard for you or not, but this man was a victim of the cultists currently threatening this town—this region! Their leader was using him in his schemes.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“And how is that my problem?” She murmured, saying more clearly, “Look, the Adventurers’ Guild abandoned Endsmeet ages ago. If you want compensation for work, then you should really bring it up with an administrator's office in Mistlecross… seeing that this is their problem.”
“We’re not interested in dealing with the adventurers' guild.” Orcus replied, waiving his hand in dismissal, “As trying as it is, I'm here to deal with you.”
“Spare me, I’ve already lost enough on my books dealing with adventurers abandoning church-related quests.” She scoffed, “What makes you think I want anything do with you?”
“Yes, the mayor of this town mentioned that you’ve worked with adventurers before.” Orcus replied, “But we’re not adventures.”
“You know I have special vendor status, don’t you?” She furrowed her brow amusedly, “I can literally see that you’re partied up. And the nerve of that man to send you my way.” She paused for a moment, realigning a display of individually wrapped candies marked for one copper piece each on the countertop, before adding, “Not that it matters. I should have left this town when the rest of your ilk did… but I’m aiming for a promotion here, so don’t think you’ll corner me into a bargain!”
“Please, miss.” Seku approached the counter, saying with a heartfelt tone of voice, “Can you help us? He’s… sick. He needs your healing magic!”
“Help you? Ugh…” She closed her eyes with a groan, shaking her head, “I don’t know how else to say this, so I’ll just be direct: All of you look quite poor. Are you E-ranked adventurers? You can’t have more than five gold to your name.”
“We have gold, priestess.” Orcus insisted with a slight smirk, “I’m just not certain I want to give it to you, or that thieving hack of a God you call your patron.”
“Lord Mercury may be many things, but he does not run a charity.” Arlette huffed, “It’s money upfront; no partial payments, and absolutely no in-store credit. You want a handout? Visit a temple to Lady Vesta. Otherwise, peruse my Lord’s wares at your convenience.”
“So you can swindle me? I think not—” Orcus argued, but Terminus nudged him with his beak, “—However, now that I’m here, I don’t intend to leave without taking what I want.”
Arlette opened one eye, scrunching her lips, as she said, “I don’t make deals off-the-cuff. We’re running a 'buy-one-get-one' special on cremations right now, so maybe that’s more up your price range. Okay?”
Orcus’s forehead creased; this woman was trying his below-average endurance for commercial negation!
“He’s like… a snake.” Oriax explained, rather poorly it had to be said, “He was a guy, then he was a snake… and now he’s a guy again.”
“I… don’t—know what that means.” Arlette shook her head, but offered a sigh, “Look, I can see that you’re desperate, so I’ll offer you a free piece of advice here: If you can’t afford to incur downtime costs, you’re questing way outside your adventuring means. It’s novice expensing, plain and simple.”
*************
Party Loot: -60 galerius
*************
Dozens of gold coins fell onto the countertop suddenly.
“Well, I never…” Arlette stammered in a fluster, but scowled, “I don’t know where you got this kind of coin, but it’s going to take all of this and then some to satisfy any kind of deal. Even with a bit of preliminary magic, I can clearly tell that your friend here is afflicted by a curse. He’ll require sufficient ritual spellcasting to remove it, not cheap, plus additional healing costs for recovery. All in all, you’re looking at one-hundred gold pieces, easily. And that’s being very generous with the math.”
Orcus had to think for a moment.
He knew he wasn’t going to like this woman, but he admired her tenacity somewhat. She knew exactly what she wanted, and clearly wouldn’t settle for anything less than her asking price. Frankly, money didn’t really mean anything to Orcus right now. And in truth, the Prince of Demons was more curious if she couldn’t be of use to him after all. A healer would be of value to the party, given the direction of their last few fights, but a strong negotiator would go a long way too if he hoped to build an army one day. He was in the market for a Steward…
“Sixty gold as a down payment—”
“No partial payments!” She interjected, “This isn’t Silvermere City, you know. The nearest bank is thirty miles away. If you’re going to take out a loan, you’d better get going.”
“Sixty gold upfront…” Orcus reiterated strongly, “And you will have the rest upon our return from the Glimmering Caves.”
“Hmm…” She pondered momentarily, her expression softened to one of curiosity, “The Glimmering Caves?
“The other adventurers from this town are supposedly trapped inside.” Orcus continued, “If we settle their debts with you, surely you will reconsider my position.”
“Hm?” She furrowed her brow unexpectedly, and chuckled somewhat, “You’d seriously risk your life to settle another person’s debt? How desperate are you?”
“I’d risk just about anything to hold sway over someone.” Orcus shrugged, “Favors are powerful tools, priestess. If you deal in commerce, then you should know that. In any case, I’m only interested in the delve itself, and what I can take from it.”
“Interesting…” She murmured, and proceeded to flip through a hefty ledger on the table for a moment. Stopping on a particular page, she studied it, then said, “That could be worthwhile. I have three outstanding quests that need to be resolved with a few of those adventurers. Assuming any of them are still alive, I could work with your proposal. But you’re going to have to sweeten the pot if you want me to play along with a deal like that.”
“Tell me your darkest desire.” Orcus smirked offhandedly, “And I shall make it so.”
“Glimmering Caves…” She whispered to herself, tapping her fingers on the countertop, before adding, “I’ll assume your intention is to clear the ‘Boss’ enemy then. Let’s do forty-five percent of your loot haul, and two uncommon drops. Alternatively, I’ll take one rare drop and cut my percentage to thirty-five percent. That’s assuming you clear the place. The last time I heard anyone have success up that way, must have been well over a year ago. Well? My terms are fairer than what you're asking for.”
Orcus glanced at Terminus.
“Eh… I don’t know, Your Highness.” He whispered worriedly, “It’s hard to say for certain, but I think she’s deceiving you. You might be walking right into her—”
“It is agreed upon.” Orcus cut him off, without thinking about it for another second, “Of course... you will have to join my party as part of the payment structure.”
Arlette laughed, “And why would I do that? You’re the one in need of my services, not the other way around.”
Slowly, Orcus stepped up to the counter.
Arlette truly was a follower of Mercury, and well suited to the Thieving God’s hustle. If Orcus was going to get what he wanted, he was going to have to rely on a particular tactic he seldom ever deployed: extortion. After all, Mercury might have been the king of conniving bastards, but he was far too greedy for his own good. Luckily for the Prince of Demons, he had dirt on the little rat, and his follower was going to suffer the consequences.
Without averting his gaze from the priestess, Orcus moved his fingers and initiated a party invite.
*************
Party Invite
Origin: His Highness’s First Legion, Orcus, Prince of Demons, God of Undeath (Adventurer, Paladin 1)
Invitee: Arlette (Adventurer [vendor stats applicable], Cleric 1)
*************
“Orcus… how did you get all those titles? Wait—” Arlette murmured, a twinkle of fear in her eyes as she quickly glanced back across the counter, “You—you can’t be? That’s impossible! The Pontifex declared the God of the Underworld destroyed nearly two years ago. The diviners—they—they saw your demise from beyond the divine gate!”
“They saw correctly, but it is me.” Orcus leaned in closer, smirking, “And there are things I know about your patron that would upset the di Superi very, very much. His alleged involvement in the demonic invasion, for example… that would be very bad for business. No?”
“You’re bluffing.” She said flatly, somewhat panicked, “Lord Mercury’s affairs are always in order, h-h-he—his business is all above table—fair to the letter. I wouldn’t—I mean—”
“Are they in order? His affairs?” Orcus furrowed his brow coyly, “I don’t know. It is rather suspicious that an invading demon host could breach the divine gate without any resistance from the Heavenly Order. Surely the Messenger of the Gods would have had to know something about it? It’s almost like I planned it that way…”
“No, it’s not true—it can't be—”
“Yes, me and that winged weasel go back quite a ways. It wouldn't surprise me to know that he still had a hand in helping my subordinates carry out my plan. But don’t worry,” Orcus shook his head, “I’m going to destroy the demon armies, and all the evidence with them. Even if you’re Lord was involved in any way, which I’m sure he wasn’t, I doubt anyone would need to know about it, outside those of us still in this room.”
The priestess was left speechless.
Orcus continued, “So, where were we? Ah, yes, I will accept your terms, priestess. But… I do expect you to join my party, without delay. After all, the two of us are sort of like business partners… in a manner of speaking.”
“Prince of Demons, just my luck…” Arlette sputtered, but exhaled in resignation, “I suppose it doesn't matter if you're lying, the compensation you're offering is too good for me to pass up on. Now, my daily rate is four silvers, Your Eminence. And that most certainty doesn't include healing costs while out in the field. Since you're clearly broke, I suppose we can run up a bill of services to be invoiced later. Also, I’m bumping my percentage up to forty-seven for the loot haul, non-negotiable. We're putting that in writing too, by the way. And if you don’t like it, I suggest you throw a coin in the alms box and take it up with my Lord. Now, when do we depart?”
The Prince of Demons grinned wickedly.
Invite Accepted
Arlette has joined the Party