Realms S1E88 Curious Arrangements

Buying potions from a maybe goddess, gambling their souls, having “tea” with a Devil, and just to name a few questionable decisions of the Light Bringers they continue to spend time in the Fire Ward city of Duthore.

### Player Characters Present

Jeidobii, Torq, Denahi, Cerise, Seian, Tormund

### Synopsis

The Light Bringers chat with Estar a little more and learn that Fecina’s scouts had been taken by a devil named Kelku who likes to frequent a casino named Elysium. The party decides they will make an attempt to free the scouts from that Devil. Jeidobii and Denahi feeling very enthusiastic about the prospect of gambling, while Seian is enthusiastic about leaving.

Jeidobii suggests they stop at a potion shop along the way and while they  takes the opportunity to interrogate their newest companion Tormund, wondering why the Lich Vulraak sought out his former group the Travelers and why he left Tormund alive, questions for which Tormund has no easy answer.

They enter the potion shop and realize they’ve been transported into a pocket dimension, as they meet an eccentric, old elf woman who calls herself Ilama Napha. Torq asks if she has anything for corruption magic, and she says no but she could make something for them from the pages of the book of corruption magic. Before they leave Cerise asks if her name comes from the Goddess of Peace, Napha. Ilama answers vaguely and Seian suddenly suspects they might be talking to the Goddess of Peace herself.

On their way from the potion shop, Seian is stopped by a small devil girl and red dragonborn boy, entranced by him. Their mother approaches and informs Seian that their father was a red dragonborn, but had passed away and were excited to see someone who looked like him, and flirts with him a little before she takes her children away.

As they approach Elysium, Jeidobii says the passphrase he had learned from the Fire and Ale barkeep, and is laughed at, a passphrase being totally unnecessary. Jeidobii beings plotting his revenge. Entering Elysium, their disguises are dispelled, though no one seems to pay them any mind. They move through the games and Jeidobii picks up a friend “Anna” who he flirts with. Money is gained and lost. After a round of the card game Hycross, Jeidobii runs off for some private time with his new friend.

Minutes after Jeidobii's departure, Kelku arrives with an entourage and joins their table, declaring only high-rollers need to stay. Cerise suggests they gamble with souls and he offers to put up souls he owns against their souls. Cerise folds, and Tormund wagers his soul against the other three. Then to everyone’s shock Seian wagers his soul. Torq wagers his. When the hand passes to Denahi she puts in her soul and raises 10k gold. Kelku does not fold but matches, and everyone puts in the money while Cerise shakes her head. When the cards are revealed Tormund and Denahi both have 4 of a kind, Seian and Torq both have a Full House, Kelku could not beat any of them and the pot is split between Tormund and Denahi.

Jeidobii, alone with Anna, after their “tea” discovers she was more than she seemed, she sees in Jeidobii’s mind they have been talking to Estar and to her horror has given him information that could help him seize the throne. Jeidobii doesn’t quite understand her horror until a guard bangs on the door asking for “Lady Orianna” the Devil Queen herself.