THIS IS THE COMPILED CONVERSATION BETWEEN SORG AND DERRICK
Held in the Yawning Portal inn, on Flamerule 30th. I have highlighted the key facts.

Some minutes pass and Derrick finds himself and Durnan back in the boisterous and loud common room of the inn.

Weaving thru the crowd with Durnan greeting half of those he sees by name, the pair make there way back to the alcove where Sorg and his lieutenants were sitting before. Most of the lieutnenats are gone leaving just Sorg and Olath still sitting there with three other men dressed in blacks and greys.

Derrick is quick to realize one of the men is the mercenary which he tried to set an ambush for. The man recognizes Derrick and smiles a cocky grin. The other two Derrick thinks he saw following them earlier closer back towards the Jade Jugg. With a start he recognizes them as the pair of mercenaries that he ran by twice when the Cathezarr was attacking.

Sorg gestures and the trio get up and head out of the Yawning Portal with a last little salute to Sorg who simply smiles like a mother hen watching the chicks go out into the yard.

With a broad gesture Sorg indicates the vacant places and gestures for Derrick and Durnan to sit.

Durnan sits and immedaitely speaks.

"Sorg. You know I don't like you conducting business here."

"Durnan. You old scoundrel. How did you get washed up into all of this." Holding his finger up he adds. "But just for the record he was the one who sought me out. I was just here for a bit of relaxation." He leans forward and adds in a conspiratorial voice. "I don't know if you have noticed it. But the city is quite mad. Too many people and a man can not even hear himself thinking."

"Just the right calling for a man to come inside the Yawning Portal and quench his thirst."

With a little chuckle he leans back and notices Durnan staring at his boots on the table and decides to take them off and set his feet back under the table.

"Better."

Durnan hefts a flour sack which he had earlier grabbed from the kitchen and place the trip of platinum bars in.

"Call me the bank then." He says as he sets down the bundle with the obvious clanking of heavy trade bars.

Sorg smiles and pushes the bag over to Olath who lifts it with some difficulty and peers inside and then makes the whole thing disappear in a backpack at his feet.

Olath gestures and Sorg smiles.

"So down to business." Sorg quipps.

Turning to Derrick.

"This buys you a new lease on life. If you ... take care of the guys backing the business against you all is well. If you don't do this within say 2 weeks time then I will return some of this and I will be back in business with the original deal."

Derrick glares at Sorg, "Changing the deal already? We discussed 30,000 for you to drop the contract, and now you say you might take it back up? I'll expect 30,000 gold if you back out of our deal.

Sorg smiles and places his hands on the table palms down.

"This is exactly what I agreed to. If the patron takes back the contract on you then there is no need for me to hunt you down. I agreed to give you the middle men so that you could shut them down or if you have the gold for it I can do it for you."

"Just because we kill links in the chain, or even one of the heads, doesn't mean the money isn't already out there to fulfill the contract. But, if you're saying I kill enough people, then you're done regardless of if the money is already in play, I can deal with that" interjects Derrick.

"But that deal opens with paying off the old contract on you. Everything now is negotiable now that you have paid me off. Two weeks is reasonable. If you have not engaged me to do something about it or not handled it yourself then I will have to do something myself."

"Like I said you bought yourself 2 weeks of life. You and your friends can handle the middlemen. Then all is well. If not I could be paid to handle the middle men and again all is well. Or if it comes down to it I can be very persuasive and get the patron to drop the contract immediately."

"Very well, We'll see what we can do before I worry about the 2 week period." replies Derrick.

"Options is what you have laddie. Options to deal with the contract on your life and those who placed it there. But we would never have gotten to this point to deal without the payoff to me first."

"Like I explained before the man who put the death mark out on you is not the one paying for this and he will be forced to take the contract back if you take out the middleman. He simply does not have the money to cover this contract with all the other investments he is in too deep with."

Sorg shrugs. And then nods to Durnan as he speaks to Derrick.

"I hear you had an interesting day earlier up in the North Ward. Blackstaff and a demon. An interesting day. And then all manner of people were taking an interest in you. I was just informed that you have really gotten alot of poeple looking in to you and your friends. 2 separate thieves guilds were watching you, a priest of Bane, a member of the Watchful Order of Waterdeep, and one of Blackstaff's Darkstar Ex-Harpers. An interesting day indeed."

Derrick simply smiles, "They were watching those I travel with. I was watching them. Just, no one wanted to do anything about our tails, so I left it alone."

"Care to re-evaluate that bet with the life expectancy. I still put your odds at less than a week. I probably will even put down a little coin to that effect. Can't just ignore an opportunity like this to make a bit of coin on the side now can I."

Sorg's eyes twinkle in silent laughter at his little joke which no one else at the table seems to find even remotely funny.

"What wager would you like?" Derrick says. "I'll pay my part now in case I lose. Looks like Durnan is an honest fellow."

"So before we start and in a gesture of good will I will give you a freebie. I will inform those of the thieves guilds that I would take it as a favor if they were to stop pegging you and selling the information to others."

"And, what would it take to get them to reverse the information gathering and get them reporting to us what they can find about anyone else hunting me?" Derrick asks.

Sorg laughs.

"For you to do this. Well a damn sight of time and lots of favors and setting up a relationship with them. You could maybe set this up in a couple of years if you worked hard at it."

He leans in with a gleam in his eye.

"But for a good price then maybe I can take care of it for you as I already have a working relationship with the guilds in question. Again. Options for you if there is enough coin behind it."

Derrick nods, "That's pretty much what I was asking. If you can get them to stop supplying information as a token of good faith, what would it take for you to convince them to reverse the flow of information?"

Sorg laughs.

"A very large purse. Fill it with as much gold as you care too and I will see to it that you get the best information that they can offer ... for a price. Each rumor each bit of bribery. All comes at a different price. It depends on how long you want them to collect information for you."

"So, a talk from you and they will stop supplying information to the rest even though there is valuable money in it, yet to get them to help us will require massive amounts of money?" Derrick nods, "Guess I'll take what I can get for now then."

"That's the spirit laddie." Sorg simply chuckles at some humor which no one but he seems to get.

Olath snorts and then adds.

"In short he does not know. But he is right. A very large purse is needed and the coin must flow freely for as long as you want the information that the guilds can provide."

Derrick actually smiles and laughs a tiny bit. "Thank you Olath. A straight forward answer for once. Maybe you and I should do some side business. its starting to look like I might be heading to the Underdark and it sounds like you're the man to help us out there. Maybe we can even work to get that drow house off your back while we're down there, if the right deal is struck."

Olath does not smile and his eyes look dark and hard.

"We shall see."

Obviously haven chosen his words poorly Derrick recongnizes that Olath is no longer in a talking mood.

Sorg shrugs and simply adds.

"Don't mind him. Touchy feelie as he is at the drop of a coin. Somedays he stews like this for no reason whatsoever. But if you want to work up something against that drow chasing him or anyone else. Let me know. I will even cut you a special deal for a partnering for the head of that drow bitch." (OOC: An interesting snippet this - see further down for more info)

Sorg chuckles a bit.

"So you decide how much and I will get you the information for as long as the gold lasts."

"Now that I see you brought double the coin then you also get the info which I have on you and those who want you."

"Of those you travel with I know at least two others are being sought out by ... others. Garrett of Silverymoon and Faelar of Evermeet."

"We will start with you. The financial backers of your death mark is by a pair of the Triad of Skullport. The beholder slave boss Xanather and Stulkk Ssarmn the yuan-ti. Xanather is in league with a group of Zhentarim and priests of Bane who seem to be the ones who arranged this little party so that you died. Ssarmn wanted you alive for some reason. Maybe just to spite Xanather. Who can know for sure. They both worked thru the middleman Dirk the Slaver of the Dock Ward to get word up to Waterdeep and get the contract out. Dirk has contacted the correct people to get in touch with me."

"Eliminate any of those links and your contract is off. 2 weeks. That is as long as I am willing to delay my clients."

Derrick just blankly stares at Sorg, still amused by his "integrity" at work.

"Now don't go getting all soft on me. I hear there are lots of other independents in the city who are chomping the bit to get at some of the coin that is being offered to handle you and your friends."

"Now as to your friend Garrett he has been contracted by a Banite cell within Neverwinter. The sponsor is Lord DeWinter or someone in his family. They have relocated there operations here after failing to get him Silverymoon. Their lead tracker is a man by the name of Fahad Ibn'Zane a Calimshite by birth but working mostly along the Vilhoon Reach and Arrabar. He is a powerful mage in his own right as well as a skilled assassin. And his sister sometimes accompanies him and she too is a powerful mage. These Banites have a place somewhere down in the sewers. Again I think that Dirk is somehow tied into them. Set them up with there hidey hole or something like that. He gets his fingers into all kinds of nasty little pies."

"Now the elf Faelar I do not have all the details but someone in Skullport hired a band of drow mercenaries led by a drow assassin named as Olath Velve. No one really seems to know much about this Olath Velve or even what he looks like. Rumor has it that anyone that sees him dies. His name loosley translates as the black blade or the poisoned blade. I bet that is not the name his mum gave him but lots of drow mercenaries choose a new name for themselves when they get out of the underdark."

Sorg smiles as he looks to his lieutenant and chuckles.

"And they always choose scary sounding names."

The lieutenant Olath speaks for the first time though he is obviosuly frustrated by Sorg and what must have been a long running joke.

"We have encountered agents of this Olath Velve before. And we usually lose our informants or our men whenver this happens. He is tied in with the slave trade in and out of Skullport as well as being tied into some sort of Underdark information network. But he does not work with or for the Triad and that he is still alive after encroaching on there territory is a statement in and of itself."

Derrick raises an eyebrow and looks at Olath. He notes his error to relay back to the group.

Sorg looks to Olath.

"OK Mr Doom and Gloom. I think Derrick knows the score. No need to go blabbering and getting all soft on me here."

"Anyway. So where were we. Ahhh yes. So I think that the local thieves guilds of Waterdeep have been contracted to keep you under the eye so to say so that others can come in after you. At least that is what I did to keep an eye on you when you first came to the city. But I can probably convince them that this is not such a good idea."

Sorg smiles and taps his fingers on the table in a suggestive rhythm and then just chuckles to himself.

"So here we are with you and at least two of your new friends being hot commodity items here in Waterdeep. Lots of gold has been flowing around to get information on you three and to keep you tracked."

"How much does Hendrick know and who else is he directly working for? I wasn't surprised to be betrayed by him, but I was surprised that he actually helped you try to kill me. Would like to talk to him again sometime" Derrick asks.

"Hendrick is always easy to find. Just go back to the same tavern. That is one of his local watering holes. As to what he knows. Who can say." Sorg responds.

"What do you know about him?" asks Derrick. "Why was he interested in helping catch or kill me? If he's just an information broker, he should have remained neutral."

"Hendrick is one of many of those people who work with or are part of those various guilds which you wish to traffic with. He plays both sides of the fence and no one really kills him for it as he is too valuable to everyone. Everyone knows Hendrick. But dealing with him has its price."

"Derrick my boy you are truly a sight for sore eyes, a fresh wind. I stick by my earlier statement that there is a paladin hiding behind that assassin's dagger of yours."

'should have remained neutral'

"My boy I would love to meet the temple masters of whatever monastery that you trained at. I could recruit dozens like you just to keep me and the boys in stitches. Travelling comedian killers. I love the concept. I just love it."

His laughter is warm and bubbly.

"There are certain codes and beliefs that should be clung to" Derrick says. "Chaos is the way to destory an organization and all an individual truly has is their word. Hendrick offered information yet directly involved himself when I was a paying customer. It just doesn't make good business sense to do such."

"As to my order, I've vowed to never disclose who they are or where they are. I've taken a somewhat different path that they didn't want me to follow. But, that's enough about me."

Derrick nods, "As I said, I expected the knowledge of our meeting to be sold, I just didn't expect him to get directly involved. An information broker that gets involved in a situation tends to end up dead." This last bit said with a tone that indicates Derrick is none to pleased by Hendrick's interference in his businesss.

Sorg seems to take offense at this subtle threat. His smile remains plastered on but it doesn't touch his eyes this time.

"Like I said no one here wants Hendrick out of the picture. Even with his prickly burrs. He is too damned useful. Lots of people would look unkindly on any rash actions and those who plot could also wind up just as dead."

With that he taps his nose and winks.

"This leads me up to some group called the 'Cabal'. No one talks about them but if you follow enough threads then it all leads back to them. There are lots of scary people doing lots of scary things for these guys. No wonder no one wants to talk about them. They got there hands into everything and everyone it seems like."

"I was a bit curious so we did some magical investiagation. Before the spellcaster we hired was killed by his own enquiries into the nether nether world of the Weave and his own misfired spells. He was able to tell us a few things."

"One this Cabal does exist. Too busy to deal with small details so they hire lots of people to do the dirty work for them as they simply can not be bothered with smallfry operations."

"We know something about the members of this Cabal but that is about it."

"I think you met one of them already. The description that we had on that demon that attacked you matches one of the members almost perfectly." (OOC: The Cathezarr)

"We also know that they have a human sorceress, a strange yuan-ti female with four arms and wings, a gold elf male with black eyes, a Red Wizard, a wood elf female, a female who is always cloaked in swirling shadows, a human male shade, a priest of Bane from Darkhold, a priest of Bhaal from Baldur's Gate."

Olath speaks again as Sorg takes a long draught of his beer.

"Now some of them we might even have names to. But we are not sure. Flazaer one the Luskan Captains. He is rumored to have strong ties with the Kraken Society as well as ties to the Tower Arcane. A drow and the second daughter and Princess of House Shadoblar of Menzoberranzan. Manshoon of the Zhentarim with who knows what is left after the Manshoon wars of Zhentil Keep. And a mage here in Waterdeep by the name of Yorril Emicrius. He works as an artificer and is rumored to be quite powerful."

"We also think the Red Wizard is here in Waterdeep at the Thayan Enclave but don't know which one he is."

Sorg speaks up again.

"This is why I even offered to drop my contract on you Derrick. I found it quite ... invigorating ... to have our little encounters and was looking forward to the conclusion."

"Perhaps we still shall. I would prefer to see what you can do without 30 crossbowmen with lucky aim" Derrick quips back.

"But word of this Cabal. Seeing the number and power of the middlemen. And that they were throwing such coin around in 'smallfry' operations. Well this is a bit too big of an apple for me to want to take another bite."

"Well it simply did not look to be a healthy business especially considering the rumor that you were not even the primary goals of whatever they are doing.
You and your friends were mere icing on the cake as it were."

Sorg crosses his hands and lays them on the table.

"For what its worth that is what I know."

Derrick nods, "Now, onto what you can do and are willing to do. We have a lot of enemies and having an organization such as yours keep us informed of the movings of our enemies would be helpful. I assume you won't be interested in any direct contracts, but what about continuing information gathering and details?"

"So what questions do you have" asks Sorg. "You paid me the double of your contract so that entitles you to ask whatever questions you want. If I know the answer I give you my word that I will tell you what I know."

"As to separate deals on things that you would like me to take care of for you. Tell me what and I will give you a price. Your call whether you hire anymore work here isn't it laddie."

OOC: QUESTIONS FROM OTHERS RELAYED VIA DERRICK:

****

"And what link does Harry Fathesque (Iron Throne) have with it" asks Derrick.

"The Iron Throne. Not a clue laddie."

Olath leans over and says something quitely to Sorg who nods.

Olath adds to the answer.

"We don't have anything on the Iron Throne. But look to the patterns. These members of the Cabal are up to something and have very deep vaults and are not hesitant to spend there gold."

"They have collectively hired almost every asset in this city that deals with...Less than legal or moral means of getting things done."

"The pattern is they have done so elsewhere. The Iron Throne is active in Baldur's Gate, Westgate, and Saerloon. Pro quid quo. They as in the Cabal are active outside of Waterdeep as well. It is very likely that the Iron Throne has been hired to do jobs for them."

****

"What about Dendybar the Mottled (of the Arcane Brotherhood)?" Derrick asks.

Sorg almost chokes as mention of the Arcane Brotherhood is made with such an open tone.

"Are the magical wards still in place?"

Olath nods. Sorg shakes his head warrily.

"Be very careful mentioning some names laddie. Your virgin clad demeanor won't help you when true sharks come circling for your blood."

"That man has defied Chosen of Mystra and walked away."

"All I know is he is a power in Luskan and we know at least one member of the Cabal is from Luskan. Put two and two together and don't draw down the ire of an archmage or three will you."

****

"What about the Fire Knives?" asks Derrick.

"Well the Fire Knives. Well that is an easy one. The Cabal is wanting someone dead. Or perhaps quite a few someones as there dozens of organized assassins guilds and solo operators popping up and down in Waterdeep and Skullport."

With a snort as if he has to swallow a scathing comment but stops as his eyes come to rest on the backpack Olath had depostited the platinum bars in he shakes his head and that ever present smile pops back up.

"Just to help you sleep at night"

He grins at this and nods to Durnan.

"And so that you can tell wonderful things about me and my boys when next the Waterdhavian movers and shakers meet."

He chuckles with a wink in his eye as Durnan nearly chokes on his small beer.

"You see. I hear lots of things."

Turning back to Derrick.

"Just so you can sleep at night. There are members of the Fire Knives, the Night Masks, the Shadow Thieves, The Zhentarim, Sharian Monks of Silence, hell every organized and feared band of assassin that I have ever heard of popping up like weeds in these two cities.
And the likes of Elaith Craulnober, Fahad ibn'Zane, Artemis Entreri, and there like. Well that just ice off the cake."

"There is going to be some bloodletting soon. ANd in a big way."

"That is what the Fire Knives are doing here. Sharks who have smelled blood in the water so to speak."

****

Derrick changes tack. "You mentioned the Banities. I believe I had an encounter with them after our meeting at the rocks. What can you tell me about them and do you know how they connect to the Cabal? Its surely no coincidence that they came looking for me after your people managed to weaken me."

"Surely not." replies Sorg. "They are vultures and grave robbers at heart. Strike when the strikings good and the meat is already soft and tender like."

"That Banite priest with the Cabal. Ain't got a clue lad. But Bane worshippers are not all under the same roof if you get my drift. Each Dreadmaster heads his own little domain. They all answer to Fzoul at least in lip service but when they lip off too many times then there usually ends up being a new DreadMaster on the horizon. And usually quite soon."

"Now I don't know much more about that group from Neverwinter and the House DeWinter either. Except they have enough juice to stay in business even though they might have been outted a time or two in the past for minor issues. But I am not sure if being noble or having noble connections can square away all that they have done if it were to come to the full light of day."

"But here in Waterdeep. They keep there heads down and do there business. They have there hands into all kinds of nastiness. One of the major sources for buying and selling in the slave trade. Drugs. Illegal magic. All kinds of things. Waterdeep has for a long time been plagued by nobles with no scrupples, merchants after a bit of coin, and dark wizards who deal in anything."

"People disappear all the time and drop down the pipe quite literally to Skullport. And all kinds of refuse washes back up to get distributed around the city."

"The Banites are only one of a number of channels in this trade. The Lords are always stomping out one or another of these little bands but so far the Banites have avoided the big heel of that boot. Probably more luck than anything."

"They have a roving temple down in the sewers or so I heard. They appropriate some drainage basin or some section of the sewers. Set up shop for a few days.
And then move on. The city rat catchers guild has a standing bounty by the Lords whenever they turn up some new evidence and get the City Watch moving in."

"But the sewers are big and in some places tied into the Undermountain. Hard to nail those slippery bastards down."

"They have been involved twice in less than a week with Dirk the Smuggler down by the Dock Wards. He has an inn called the Dripping Dockhand two streets off the waterfront. And also owns at least three of them piers down by the lighthouse."

"So he squeaks out a good business with that inn and those docking fees. And a considerable bit more digging up info on shipping routes and cargoes which he sells to various ... entrepreneurs. As well as being apparently able to get things in and out of the city without going thru proper customs inspections or paying of the city taxes."

"You could always squueze there a little and sees what pops out of its hole."

"Also, what do you know about the Prelate and the war he is planning?", asks Derrick. "Some seem to feel that what's happening to us is connected in some way to his plans, so I'm trying to put some pieces together."

"Best you ask him. I am not in that business of throwing my men into a butchers meat grinder for no juicy deals. All I know is that he has been stoking up the fires back in Sembia for some months against the elves again. Got a bunch of the merchant nobles together to pool some hard coin together and they are recruiting mercenaries by the boatloads."

"There will be a bunch of blood spilled down there and soon. But whose and in what dorection it will flow I don't know directly."

"Only if I can see an edge or an advantage to market will I get involved in that quicksand."

****

> On the line of Undermountain, what can they tell me about the matron
> mother that wants Olath killed? Also, what sort of payment/credit is
> he offering were I to bring her head. Seems a pretty valuable
> commodity if I was able to succeed at it.

Olath shrugs.

"Just the name. Shobolar. A powerful house. One of the top 8 in Menzobrranzan."

Seeing the look of confusion on Derrick's face Olath chuckles.

"OK let me put it this way. She lives about 2-3 weeks travel from here in the Underdark one of the most deadly places in the known Realms. Think of the worst horrors and nightmares that you have fought and multiply this by a hundred and you will get a feel for the Underdark."

"The matron mother of this house lives in one of the most fortified and evil cities of all the drow. In that city standing between you and your goal will be a good 20-30 thousand drow and a good 100 thousand slave soliders and lesser beings."

"If you get to her mansion then there will be the house mages, priests, and soldiers which have been building the places defenses for centuries. And wield no small power themselves."

"You will never make it."

Sorg laughs and slaps Derrick on the back as he sees the other is getting ready to get up.

"I will put it to you this way. I did some digging when I was researching you. You pissed off a powerful sect of priests from a demon prince by the name of Grazzt not too long ago. When we squeezed on a mage to contact the nether realms to dig up info on you we found out a lot of interesting things from his little summoned bit of nastiness from the Abyss."

"Bring me the head of that matron mother and her daughter and I will deliver to you each and everyone of those priests. Tied on a little silver leash for you as your plaything."

Olath's jaw hits the floor his look is so dumbfounded.

"You have got to be...."

"No worries mate. He isn't that good. No offense laddie. But if I was in a position to bring you down you would not stand an chance in this."

Derrick shrugs, "2-3 weeks away is a lot of traveling just for that anyway. I may, or may not be, that good, but the only reason you even hurt me was because you got the drop on me. When I'm hunting, the odds are definately reversed."

"If I find myself close to there, I'll size up the situation and decide. If I die, it solves a lot of problems, doesn't it?" He smiles, not apparently concerned about the notion of dying.

"Besides. If she is stupid enough to come after my friend and leaves her little pit of webs I might just take a bit of action there myself. Who knows. Could be fun."

****

OOC: Another question that got asked OOC:
> What does Sorg know about events in undermoutain.
> Is there something specific
> going on that would draw adventuers there recently?

Sorg knows nothing about Undermountain. Olath can only confirm the rumors. There are always adventurers going down into the Undermountain. There has been a recent influx of...stranger than average adventurers.

The only thing that he can place is that Jewelia has been hiring adventurers to go down there for something and that there is a Red Wizard hiring adventuers to go after some magical tomes.

As Derrick's conversation is concluding with Sorg, a woman approaches the table.

"Excuse me. It is so terribly noisesome in this tavern but as I was passing by, I could have sworn I heard you say something about going down into Undermountain. I happen to be planning a short jaunt into undermountain, myself. Perhaps we can be of use to one another. I know a few spells, I have a magic item, and I hardly ever just stand there and scream when danger approaches..."

A tinkling of tiny laughter escapes the beautiful blond woman.

"Excuse me, where are my manners? I am Jewelia," she says, introducing herself. She holds her hand out to Derrick wrist up and palm down as would an aristocrat to a supplicant. It is apparently not done as a slight but her every mannerism is one that screams that she is a high born lady in every bone in her body and can do nothing else but act this way. But as she awaits the kiss on the back of her hand Derrick can sense that she is bubbling and full of life.

Derrick casts a glance at Sorg and looks at the curtain by the table like he's been slightly betrayed if the conversation was overheard.

Jewelia notes the look Derrick shot to Sorg causing a small smile to form briefly on her full lips.

The tan hand hovering in front of Derrick peeks out of an ivory-cuffed sleeve which is itself made of sheer green fabric. The sleeve extends up her arm where it meets a velvet gown, also green. The plunging neckline, the intracate braiding and coiffeur of her blond hair, and the fact the the woman fairly exudes warmth and life, all serve to highlight the woman's exotic beauty.

The human man standing just under six foot in height in oversized brown robes with a cloak loosely hanging over him looks at Jewelia for a moment. She notes he has a backpack with bedroll hanging off of it and a quiver of arrows and an unstrung bow next to that. Overall, he is very unremarkable and very forgettable.

He pulls the hood of the robes back with his gloved hands revealing jet black hair and simple green eyes, gives her a simple smile, but leaves her hand just hanging in mid-air.

"I have just recently learned I might be needing to go to the undermountain, but I'm not sure of the details. What is your business there and what sort of help are you looking for? What sort of skills do you have could be of help to me?"

His tone is simple, direct but not exceptionally rude, unless she takes the not kissing her hand as offensive...

Although Derrick's plain features were easily forgettable to some, hers were not. Although she seems to take no offense whatsoever when Derrick declines to take her hand, the action nonetheless stirs recent memories. Memories of another introduction. One that took place not so terribly long ago..

The woman appears not to recognize Derrick any more than she does Durnan, Sorg or Olath; there isn't even a hint of recognition in her demeanor. But everything from her dress and demeanor, her styled hair and manicured nails, the lilting accent to her words and the charm she exudes all distinctly remind Derrick of Ennelda.

On closer inspection, he can see that this is a different woman. While strikingly similar to Ennelda, Jewelia has light laugh lines etched at the corners of her mouth and eyes where Ennelda's had none and her face is slightly more rounded. Although these things are difficult to judge, Jewelia appears to be at least several years Ennelda's senior. Yet the resemblance is nonetheless quite clear.

Derrick looked at her curiously, but made no true indication of recognition that she might be related to someone he had already met.

"I have been asked by the prelate of the Temple of Mystra in Neverwinter to recover a book that he believes is in Undermountain. It has little value in and of itself for it has been cursed by the Lady of Mysteries, herself. The book originally appeared to be a journal written by Mystra herself while she was still mortal. Evidently it was really created by Cyricists who wished to make Mystra appear in a less-than-favorable light. It has since been cursed and now appears to be nothing more than a book on esoteric magical theory but the Temple understandably wishes to destroy the blasphemous work. The prelate will remove the curse, of course, and has offered to restore any who fall while questing for its recovery."

"And what entices you gentlemen to delve into Undermountain?"

Derrick looks down at Sorg and shakes his head, "Not us. Me. And, perhaps some others I have recently met up with." Pausing for a moment, he looks over by the bar since there are still no other empty seats, "Let us talk at the bar as I don't need to take anymore time here."

Walking away from Sorg's table, he finds a place at the bar, orders a quick drink and then turns to Jewelia. "I'm searching out someone who wants me dead.
Its a long and complicated story, but not one I want to go into right now."

"Do you know where the book is or who might be in possession of it? If it appears our paths might cross, I can always use an assurance of a resurrection going into dangerous territory."

"Also, why do you want to go personally? It doesn't sound like your skills are up to the level of danger that may be encountered.... at least, not from your brief description."

"Lastly, what is being offered for the retrieval of the book? "

Jewelia follows Derrick but remains standing facing the bar rather than taking a perch atop one of the barstools. She gives him a speculative look as he speaks and when he finishes, she responds.

"Yes, I think you're right. Perhaps I should not go down into Undermountain, myself. Perhaps you shouldn't either. But if your path does happen to cross that of the Tome of Larcac, my advice is to take it to the temple of Mystra in Neverwinter. They're not offering any rewards but they will remove the associated curse attached to the tome with no questions asked to whomever returns it to them."

She was about to say more but paused and tilted her head slightly to the side as if listening to someone whisper into her ear.

"It is time for me to go," she said abruptly. There was a brief look of concern on her face that was quickly replaced by a warm smile. "Good luck to you. I hope you find what you're looking for."

Her hand went to the slender dagger sheathed at her waist but she did not draw it, merely resting her hand on the bejeweled hilt. Her gaze seemed to unfocus for a moment and then she disappeared, leaving only a thin ribbon of green light outlining where she had stood a moment ago. And then that, too, faded and was gone.