Dealings with Devils

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## *Snake Eyes* Episode(s)

### Released

24 Jul 2021 (Twitch)
26 Jul 2021 (YouTube)

## Players

### Cast

Kenishra as:
- Mu
- Pringle
- Lavi

## NPCs

### Major

Burnie
Jupp

### Recurring

Bogden
Lars Dahn
Sofia Wexler
Gerhardt Wexler

### Minor

Cidali
Carstein

## Links

### Video

YouTube

*Snake Eyes*

"**Dealings with Devils**" is the 6th episode of *Snake Eyes* Campaign One. It premiered on July 24th, 2021 on the Check Republic's Twitch channel and on YouTube on July 26th, and features the characters Mu, Pringle, and Lavi. There is also a minor appearance from Pae'dor.

## Summary

Mu and Burnie arrive in Florica, where Mu is able to recover one of their books – but not without cost; in the Holy City, Pringle receives her first assignment from the Syndicate, leading her to the trade city of Xerith; and in the Zhash Basin, Lavi and Jupp grow closer as they search for Pidge.

## Synopsis

### Part I: Mu

Traveling with Cidali and the rest of the caravan, Mu and Burnie enter the city of Florica in the early evening. They discuss the best course of action to pursue the stolen books, and agree that Burnie should take the lead, since Mu is (by their own admission) not good at talking to people. Mu notices that Burnie is acting strangely towards them, but is unclear on the reason. Burnie heads off to ask around about the books. Meanwhile, Mu and Cidali head to the Great Conservatory. As they walk, Mu tries to understand the concept of friendship, which is foreign to them.

Cidali escorts Mu into the Conservatory, where Mu is impressed and fascinated by the wide array of exotic smells. They begin to take samples, while Cidali meets and chats with another elderly scholar. Mu encounters an apple for the first time. Cidali and Mu discuss Mu's future plans; Mu explains that they view plans only in terms of the next short step in experimentation. After Cidali takes her leave for the night, Mu heads out into the city in search of Burnie.

At the outskirts of the city, Mu is confronted by a group of five strangers. The apparent leader of the group is polite, but clearly intent on chatting with them. Mu explains that they're seeking Burnie; the leader offers to assist Mu, and together they soon find Burnie at a local bookshop. While the unknown five individuals wait outside, Mu enters the shop. The shop's proprietor explains that a group recently sold him one of the stolen books; he offers to sell it to Mu for 10,000gp. While Burnie confronts the shopkeeper, Mu begins experiencing a panic attack and again steps outside. After explaining the situation to his group, the leader offers to assist Mu in recovering the book, in exchange for an unspecified favor. The violent nature of the group becomes clear, but Mu is intent on recovering the book, and agrees to the deal. They make plans to meet later at a local tavern.

Mu and Burnie head to the tavern. Over drinks, as Mu samples beer for the first time, Burnie explains that he views himself as being in Mu's debt. Mu tries to explain that they weren't intentionally trying to free Burnie, but Burnie is unconvinced. The leader of the group arrives as promised, finally giving his name as Bogden. He probes Mu's abilities, and Mu offers their expertise at bomb-making and explosions. Bogden agrees to trade these skills for the book. Mu and Burnie lodge at the tavern for the night.

Mu meditates for a brief period as Burnie sleeps, then steps out to explore the city. They catch the scent of something delicious on the wind, and follow their nose to a bakery, where the baker gifts them a donut. Mu returns to their lodgings and, killing time and misunderstanding the apparent lack of boundaries Upstairs, attempts to collect saliva and hair samples from Burnie, before stepping out again.

Mu once again encounters Bogden and his cohorts, and is led to a fine house in the Raven Hook district. Mu, using three bombs, makes short work of the wall, allowing the criminals to freely enter the property while Mu makes a clean getaway. Mu returns once again to their lodgings, where Burnie, now awake, is disappointed by Mu doing the job without him. The two go for a walk (which boosts Burnie's spirits), and are stopped by Bogden and his group (now with a sixth person in tow). Bogden gives Mu the book, pleasing them immensely. As Mu and Burnie turn to leave, they overhear Bogden address the newcomer as Pae'dor.

(22m; detail re-listen)

### Part II: Pringle

In the Holy City, Pringle is still in bed with Carstein, being "starfished". Able to get a little sleep, she dreams of being in hell and meeting with Mephistopheles, who explains that she must serve him by journeying to Xerith, there confronting the "betrayers", and avenging the deaths of her fellow cultists. Pringle asks about her future with the Syndicate, but wakes before receiving an answer from her god. Pringle prepares for the day and is tempted to leave immediately, but is waylaid by Carstein, who insists on introducing her to his employer and properly establishing her place in the Syndicate. They travel to a house in an upper-class district of the city.

Carstein presents Pringle to Gerhardt and Sofia Wexler, siblings in charge of the criminal organization's branch in the city. He inadvertently credits Pringle with completion of the job he was assigned; the Wexlers are less than impressed by this, and by Carstein's revelation of their illicit activities to an outsider. He is dismissed. Taking advantage of Carstein's unpopularity, Pringle charms the Wexlers, who decide to test the Fel by assigning her a task: make a wax impression of a key held by a wealthy businessman whose vault in town they wish to rob. Gerhardt writes up a contract to this effect, promising a full induction into the Syndicate (along with a regular stipend, a cash payment, and other benefits) for Pringle upon her success. Pringle is also given the 200gp that would have gone to Carstein for the previous night's job.

Leaving the house and Carstein, Pringle tracks down the businessman: Lars Dahn, a merchant and the head of a trade caravan. She finagles her way into his service and sets about getting into his good graces as the caravan heads for Xerith, while also carefully observing his routines to find an opportunity to copy the key he keeps on his person. The caravan pauses for resupplies in Zhash's Crossing, where Pringle is tasked with acquiring various needed items. She encounters racist attitudes at the local tavern, to which Dahn strongly objects when he hears of them, showing his decent and caring nature. The caravan continues on its way, having picked up two additional travelers who paid for passage.

### Part III: Lavi

Outside the same bar, Jupp tries to explain the meaning of the kiss he planted on Lavi: he was unnerved by the strong demonic aura he sensed around Pringle, and was attempting to deflect the Fel's attention. Lavi, still outraged, angrily explains that this was her first kiss, and that she considers an important life moment stolen from her. Jupp is appropriately mortified, and apologizes profusely, suggesting at length that the kiss "didn't count" because of the absence of romantic feelings attached to it. Lavi, mollified, suggests to Jupp that they agree to tell each other if they ever do get the right feelings from a kiss; he agrees to do so.

The two discuss the dangers of the open road in their continuing search for Pidge, and elect to search for a caravan to travel with instead. They arrange for passage with the Crimson Dahn Traders en route to Xerith, with Jupp insisting on paying his own way despite Lavi's offer. Along the way, Lavi apologizes for surprising Jupp in the bath, who struggles to explain why the nudity was an issue. The conversation becomes awkward. Lavi expresses her worries about never finding Pidge; Jupp mixes her a drink for comfort, and the pair proceed to get pleasantly drunk. Jupp confesses that he has never felt the romantic love he's only ever read about in books; Lavi in turn explains that she's decided to never like anyone who mistreated her sister. Comparing their limbs, Lavi offers to take Jupp flying, an experience which he finds terrifying. Only after landing does he confess his fear of heights. Their affection for each other growing, they cuddle up and go to sleep, as the caravan continues south.

## Key Points

### Plot & Lore

* The Pack (not yet named as such) is introduced in the form of Bog, his unnamed companions, and eventually, Pae'dor.

### Character

#### Mu

* Mu is oblivious to Burnie's growing romantic interest.
* Mu realizes that they can no longer return to Mythelion, and are not particularly concerned, so long as they're still able to read the books they've set out to recover.
* Mu finds the smell of books and old paper soothing.

## Memorable Quotes

### Part I: Mu

* "I'll do it as a friend." "A what?" – Burnie, to Mu.
* *Talk to Burnie about why he's acting weird.* - Mu, writing in their To Do list.
* "A friend is someone you can trust and whose company you enjoy." "Yeah, I don't think that exists where I'm from." – Cidali and Mu.
* "I exploded a wolf earlier and then accidentally broke its neck when it bit me." – Mu, explaining the quality of their explosions.
* "What's your friend Burnie look like?" "A human." – Bogden (not yet introduced as such), and Mu.
* *Figure out how to make beer.* - Mu, putting the most important tasks in their To Do list.
* "You don't always have to be so damn monosyllabic, Pae'dor." – A wham line from Bogden.

### Part II: Pringle

* "It's unnatural. Just like Pringle." – Keni, on Pringle's 20 dice roll.

### Part III: Lavi

* "I need you to understand that I am a strong, independent man who don't need no harpy to take care of him." – Jupp, semi-seriously, on paying his own way.
* "Would it make you feel better if I went to bed with you?" – Lavi, to a Jupp thankfully too drunk and distracted to get flustered by the accidental double entendre.

## The Dice

 4
* Fortitude

* Even better than a Nat 1: a 2 is rolled for Mu's climb check... which is adjusted to 0 with their -2 modifier. Glorious.

## Trivia & References

* Mu, an alchemist, makes mention of the "rule of give and take", a likely reference to the "law of equivalent exchange" that is a central concept and theme of the manga and anime series *Fullmetal Alchemist*.
	+ Keni Note: "It was not a reference but rather how I view life. However, I do think it is funny that that matches up with FMA."
* Mu references DNA. Dark Elf alchemy has an impressively advanced understanding of biochemistry.
* Keni describes Lavi as "looking like Tinkerbell when she's pissed".