Deal With a Devil

Merlynna took her tired body back up the stairwell of the inn at Conneyberry. They had just gotten done with divvying up the loot from the latest part of their adventure. She had gained herself a boomerang axe and a set of higher quality armor than she had had this entire time since Nerverwinter.

She wished she could go to sleep, but she couldn't yet. She had one last meeting. One last devil on the brain for the night.

Literally.

She made it to the door of the only other halfling in this entire, out-of-the-way, Oghma forsaken village. Also the only being in this town that terrified her.

She saw light from his room leaking from the edges of the door. The smell of brimstone was faint, but there. His wards were doing a great job of keeping almost all indicators of the halfling within's… predilections from outsiders. Merlynna only noticed because she knew of her fellow halfling's alignment with darker forces..

She was fairly certain that she should turn away from the door. That she should "forget" about their meeting that she had set up with him earlier that day at his stand at the market. But he had information that she wanted, she was certain of it. This was why she was one of Oghma's Chosen. She was always looking for answers, looking for more information, no matter if it put her or other's in danger. She needed it.

So, she took a deep, steadying breath, and knocked on the door.

After what had happened the last time, she would not just burst into his room unannounced and unwelcomed. That had not gone well, though she had just sneakily followed two of her travelling companions into his room and hidden. That had not gone as well as she had hoped, but she had not been forced to sign a contract, so she supposed she at least had that…

The light around his door faded, as did the smell of brimstone. His door creaked open, showing him sitting on his bed, his back facing the door and therefore her. He doesn't see me as a threat still, that's good, she thought. The less of his attention on me the better. He should find the Harpers and the paladin more entertaining than the "dense" halfling in the party.

He patted an open spot next to him on the bed, indicating that she should take a seat, but she refused. The last time she had been in here hellfire had lit-up around the perimeter of the room, preventing anyone from leaving before he was done. She had been successful at hiking for most of his interaction with the two Harper agents. Being found by the imp he had summoned at nearly the last moment had caused her heart to jump into her throat. She had convinced him, just barely, to let them go without signing away only of their souls.

She stayed out in the hallways where his wards did not reach.

Numor just said in his lilting voice, "Now, lassie, what was it you were wantin' ta talk ta old Numor about, hmm?"

Merlynna was on high alert. She did not trust this halfling, not really. He was always trying to twist things into his favour, no matter how simple the want. And she was certain that he was always multiple steps ahead of her entire company. She truly hoped that he stayed focused on the other and that she would continue to be considered a being below his notice.

"I told you, I had a question for you," she replied.

He turned his head and body to face her better, a knowing, mischievous look on his face. He knew why she would not come past his doorway yet. "That ya did, lassie. Now tell me what it is ye'd be asking me about."

Merlynna looked him in the eye and said "I want you to teach me how to become a warlock."

Numor's smile turned sharp. "What makes yeh think I'd be knowin' about that? I could be a devil in halfling skin, not a warlock. I could have flayed 'em and be wearin 'im as a coat."

"Either way, warlock or devil wearing a halfling suit, you'd still know how," was the reply from the female halfling. This response caused something to spark in Numor's eyes. Something Merlynna wasn't certain of, but it made her uncomfortable. Peeking his interest was not...good. She would probably end up regretting this.

"Well now, what would ya be willin' ta give me in exchange for this...information," his gaze piercing.

"What would you want?"

"I believe that vampire skull you have would be sufficient to make the deal."

Merlynna paused. She knew that this would be what he wanted. She had been so angry at her tiefling bard companion earlier when he had informed Numor of the skull she had taken from the remains of the vampiric red wizard, and enemy of Numor's, that they had fought. She had planned on using it as a hidden ace up her sleeve for this encounter, but the bard had just told the devil about it like it was nothing. She no longer had anything that he would be more interested in to use to negotiate, so she had to relent. But not without some answers, first.

"What will you use it for?"

Numor's visage goes exasperated. "I plan ta sell it and use the money to found an orphanage in Neverwinter," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh? I think that using it as a goblet would be better. Much more entertaining."

The devilish halfling's eyes grew wide with surprise at the halfling female still standing just outside his doorway. "Well, tha'd be an interestin' thing… but I'll actually be usin' it ta summon a high level devilish friend," his face took on a feral grin, his teeth looking almost pointed in the shadows of the room.

She knew she had nothing else to give that he would have an interest in, so she took in a slow breath and said, "Then you can have the skull if you promise to teach me about how to become a warlock."

Suddenly, she found him standing in front of her, hand out to receive the skull. She did not know how he had moved so quickly, and she didn't really care just now. She pulled the skull out from behind her back (she had hidden it in a pocket that was hidden by her cloak) and placed it in his hand as she stepped over the threshold.

He kept his word and taught her how to make a contract with a being of power, a demon, a djinn, both of the fae kind, creatures of the aether, and devils. Numor even offered to summon a devil so she could make a contact then and there. Merlynna told him no, that she wanted more time to think about what creature she wanted as patron, maybe one would come to her now that it might be known that she wants to gain a patron. The real reason was that she knew better than to rush into this.

With a vague flash of... something on his face, Numor waved his hand towards his door. He had already cut into his finger and had begun to draw things, shapes on the skull while Merlynna still stood there watching him. She wondered if he even realized that she was still there. Chanting had already started up from.. somewhere, she couldn't tell where exactly.She opened her mouth and stated "Maybe you should do that when someone else isn't in here watching," while meandering towards his door. She also muttered under her breath about how she hoped he didn't need the fangs as well, since she had already commissioned the dwarven merchant Cartnel to fashion them into a pair of earrings...

"No, I'll not be needing those, this will work," said the devilish male with a smirk. A smirk that went unseen by the halfling female while Numor slammed the door shut with a wave of his hand as soon as she was out the door.

Merlynna made her way down to breakfast and the start of the day.