Encounter 4: Shooting Fish in a Barrel

[PhaedrusXY]

<<Hmm... that is a fair request... if all I were offering were to eat him and preserve his memories. I believe there was something more you wanted though. Some information about an artifact of world-shattering power. Don't you think that's worth the cost of resurrecting your friend?

In any case, I do not have the means to resurrect him myself, but I could provide knowledge of creatures that could do so, and whom might be willing to. I deal in knowledge, not magic.

The druids in the forest you just left would probably offer to reincarnate him, if you asked nicely. I know there is one quite powerful one named Briartan that normally watches over the Mucklestones. I'm surprised you didn't encounter him on your way here. Did you not pass through the stone as I suspected?>>

[Kuroimaken]

<<Oh, we tend to piss off every treehugger we find... abominations of nature and all that. Can't remember the looks of all those whose pieces of ass we had to scrape off our boots.>> Raoul shrugged. <<And I'm fairly sure Marlowe's entire collection of knowledge is worth just as much as the information we need and his integrity at the end of the bargain. I find it... odd you don't consider me as much of a tasty morsel, though.>>

[PhaedrusXY]

<<Oh I think all of you are fascinating, as each of you have led long and no doubt interesting lives. I'd love to add all of your knowledge to my own collection.

However, Marlowe has worked as the clerk of one of the most powerful deities for centuries. He's been privy to many of her secrets himself. Gaining his knowledge would be like gaining a decently sized portion of hers. Once I assimilate him, I can access memories even he himself cannot easily call to mind, like the contents of documents he merely glanced at while filing them. And then there is the matter of his Mistress's death... To witness such an event as that is worth quite a bit in itself...

Of course... if some of you also want your knowledge preserved for nigh eternity, I would in fact try to secure means to resurrect you, if you think that's a fair price for it. Those would be entirely separate arrangements, though.>>
[spoiler]
Raoul is jealous that a giant fish doesn't want to eat him. And I didn't even roll diplomacy!:lol [/spoiler]

[Kuroimaken]

<<If it gets us closer to what we need, I don't mind being eaten and ressurrected. My balls might not fit in your mouth, though.>>

[PhaedrusXY]

<<That's ok. I really only need to eat your brain. You can keep your balls.>>

[spoiler]I don't know if you guys missed it or not, but if you read what the aboleth actually said again, he said that while he'd definitely prefer to eat Marlowe, he'd actually settle for just reading his thoughts while he remembers watching Mystra die, and the events surrounding her death before and afterward.

I do think it is awesome and hilarious that you guys are willing to let him eat you to preserve your memories, though. So even if you decide to let him eat you, and you can only manage access to Reincarnate or Resurrection, I'll say that you get enough bonus XP just from doing it that it counters the normal level loss. Ok?[/spoiler]

[Kuroimaken]

<<That might present a problem. According to some, I think with my balls.>>

[spoiler]Aboleth devil deal: the poor man's Thought Bottle.  [/spoiler]

[Agita]

You think? I thought you operated on base instincts like an insect. Anyway... Ris-Janna swims around in the water, simply trying not to be noticed, though it may be a moot point. How about someone asks him... if he knows where Umbral Awn is. Maybe he's in a generous mood. ...I wouldn't trust a giant fish with my brain, though.

[spoiler]Seems like as good an opportunity as any to get the whole 'doesn't know she had the legacy item she was looking for all along' thing out of the way.
It'll take some convincing to get her to move anywhere near a tentacle monster, though. You know what happens to females who get involved with them. [/spoiler]

[VennDygrem]

<<It won't give information away for free. Not any more, at least. I'd say it's given up just about all it's willing to part with free of charge, by now. I'm also surprised you're willing to give the Aboleth so much extra information than needed. It said it wanted to view the memories before, during, and after that death. Giving up all of Marlowe's mind could be worth more to the creature than at first glance. At the very least, if you offer that much up, we ought to be getting our bargain's worth.>>

[Kuroimaken]

<<My point exactly. I figured if I sweeten the deal we might get something extra too. Let's face it - of the group, I'm definitely the most expendable. I'm muscle, in my own weird way.>>

[Bozwevial]

[spoiler]For fuck's sake, you guys. I walk away for less than a day and you are already seriously contemplating letting me be eaten by a giant fish.  [/spoiler]

Marlowe tilts his head thoughtfully. An...intriguing prospect, to be sure. I cannot deny that the aboleth's offer is not tempting, but given the nature of the exchange I must wonder if it is...equitable.

<<Your proposal is most fascinating, but I have noticed several, ah, flaws in the procedure. If I merely agree to let you view the relevant memories, I have no assurance that you will not simply take the opportunity to comb the rest of my mind. The bargain is therefore skewed in your favour. However, you seem rather eager to absorb my memories and knowledge...much moreso than my prior employment would merit, I think. I rather suspect that you have an ulterior motive beyond what you've admitted sparking your desire for my brain, and one that would...considerably increase its worth to you.>>

[spoiler]Go go Holmesian intuition! (1d20+24=40)[/spoiler]

[PhaedrusXY]

[spoiler]He seems to be 100% legit on what he wants. You think he might not revealing the entirety of the risk/price, however.[/spoiler]<<No, I assure you that I am being completely honest when I say I believe your mind contains secrets of incredible value, that you may not even know you possess. Once I've digested it, I can read your mind like a book, from cover to cover, and go back and reread interesting parts with 100% clarity, which is something that most mortals can never hope to achieve with their own memories.

I had originally intended to just try and take Marlowe's brain by force, but Cade can be most persuasive, and since I'd already broken into Marlowe's conscious thoughts, I decided that a lesser prize might suffice... for now.

If it helps, I will agree to throw in a resurrection. I'm sure I can manage to find someone willing to do it in exchange for something I have...

As to why I don't just take the information I want from your mind... unfortunately I haven't mastered reading thoughts beyond those on the conscious surface. So for me to read those memories, you'd have to consciously think of them.>>

[PhaedrusXY]

<<And as to Ris-Janna's question... I will humor you, because it humors me.

The surviving monk's of the fallen monastery thought it a fitting fate that Umbral Awn be left with the petrified remains of the thief who took it. It hung at your side as the long centuries passed, at first as a temptation to those who thought to test themselves by trying to sneak or fight their way past the medusas and take it. Then, as knowledge of it's resting place was lost to time, it and you were almost entirely forgotten... except to those who do not forget. Rumors of it's resting place passed through many minds, and bits and pieces of them eventually made their way to me, where I integrated them back into a coherent whole.

It hangs at your side, as it always has, Shadow Walker.

Though I do not know how you were freed from your prison of stone, I'm sure given time even knowledge of that will come to me. As all rivers eventually lead to the sea, so it seems all knowledge eventually makes its way into the stomach of one of my kin.>>

[HeadofVecna]

Xuuvosic keeps his thoughts to himself, not bothering to rescind the order to Hannavrah, and skimming forward lazily, on Cloaker wings.

[spoiler]I'm guessing that Marlowe is going to take the deal sans the brain eating. But if the opportunity to take advantage of the fish should arise ... well, X. is chaotic evil.[/spoiler]

[Bozwevial]

[spoiler]Well, my brain is obviously valuable, so I think I might take the deal if we can get a fair price out of the fish.[/spoiler]

[PhaedrusXY]

Xuuvosic keeps his thoughts to himself, not bothering to rescind the order to Hannavrah, and skimming forward lazily, on Cloaker wings.

[spoiler]I'm guessing that Marlowe is going to take the deal sans the brain eating. But if the opportunity to take advantage of the fish should arise ... well, X. is chaotic evil.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]I think you edited out the command to the harpy, didn't you?... We'll just assume you didnt.[/spoiler]


The skum begin to swim slowly towards the droning harpy's voice, but the aboleth seemingly ignores this. The skum which Ris-Janna had pointed out as being insubstantial does not move towards the harpy or seem to react to it at all, however, and once again you hear the aboleth's voice in your minds. <<I see... It seems that Marlowe places quite a high value upon the contents of his brain. As do I, so I will attempt to sweeten the deal... I will call upon a business associate who still owes me a favor. I will ask him to Resurrect you as well as summon a fiend that can grant you a Wish, Marlowe. I will also make sure that he gets rid of the more unpleasant side effects of having one's mind eaten by one of my kind. Does that sounds like a more equitable trade?>>

[VennDygrem]

Thinking to the group, specifically to Marlowe:
<<If this gets us closer to the artifact, it may be a decent deal. At least, it may be our only chance at finding it. If you accept this deal, though, be careful. I've known a lot of fiends in my day. In fact, I am one, if you want to get technical. But even if he owes the Aboleth a favor, be wary of how you phrase the wish. Fiends, especially Devils, are good at including some fairly unsavory fine-print into such a deal.>>

[Bozwevial]

<<Then I believe we have an agreement, once the specifics are established to our mutual satisfaction.>> Marlowe seems relatively unconcerned by the prospect of imminent death, followed by his brain being consumed by an aboleth, instead choosing to eye the bloodstains on Ris-Janna's cloak in distaste.

[PhaedrusXY]

As the skum tread water with their faces slack-jawed below the harpy, the telepathic reply says <<Excellent. I will contact my acquaintance. I'm sure he'll be glad to be out of my debt. I do not know how long it will take him to respond to my call, though. If you wish, my minions can lead you to a region that might be more comfortable to land dwellers such as yourselves while we wait for him.>>

[Bozwevial]

<<That would be appreciated. I would enjoy some time to, ah, make preparations, as would my comrades, I'm sure.>>

[spoiler]Following the aboleth's minions is a good idea, right?[/spoiler]

[PhaedrusXY]

The usually monotonal "voice" sounds almost filled with glee <<Excellent. Excellent! If you'll call off your harpy, my followers will be more than happy to escort you to your temporary chambers. I'll inform you as soon as I hear something from the 3rd party I mentioned who'll be doing the spellcasting for us.>>
[spoiler]
Will get something more up later.[/spoiler]