A book and many things to do

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa continues on, inspecting the layout of the building and land for tactical advantages and innovations to use herself.

[Anastasia]

Got any ranks in anything relevant to that?

[Iron Dragoon]

K: Engineering.

[Anastasia]

Gimme a roll.

[Iron Dragoon]

K: Engineering/Bibliotheca/Cunning Knowledge:

[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+63 : 9 + 63, total 72[/blockquote]

[Anastasia]

It's a solidly built, classical fortress. It's well made and competently so - you'd hate to have to take it without magic, let alone what unseen magic may protect it further.

The gates are opened as you approach and you head inside. Within are devils - largely barbazu drilling, practicing without pause, overseen by a handful of hamatula. They never speak, practicing in silence save for footsteps and the swings of their polearms.

Near the gate a little red, spiky and winged thing awaits, like a gargoyle, perching  against the wall. "Jaremmmmmmm," he says, drawing it out. "You're expected, as is Alyssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Then announce us and bring us to our meeting."

[Anastasia]

"Yes, ma'ammmmmmm," The gargoyle-like creature says, "Follow."

Dolmaya adds as you follow, "Spinagon, a loathes little devil barely better than a lemure. Little more than a spy or a page." Her voice is rather chilly, "Vicious if you give them a chance to express it."

[Iron Dragoon]

"They all are. Strike when they feel like victory is sure."

[Anastasia]

The spinagon keeps on flying, not saying a word.

Jarem smirks a bit, "This one's well trained. They already cut your balls off, devil?"

Not even a reaction, being lead deeper in.

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa walks along, inspecting the castle and memorizing the layout as they go.

[Anastasia]

You're in, past all the mundane things and into a hall. A hall decorated well with red and orange banners, hanging from the roof. A long table of smooth wood is here, a cornucopia in the center. It is filled with fruits of all kinds.

There are many windows looking out over the fields, and at once of them a pit fiend stands in the sunlight. He is shined on without flinching, hands behind his back as he looks out at the workers. He is a taller pit fiend, looming big but with a slender profile, wings curled around his fine silken clothes.

"S-" Is all the spinagon gets out.

"There's no need," The pit fiend's voice is completely pleasant, fatherly. "You've done your duty, Hales." Instantly the spinagon perks up, "Take a fruit and leave us."

Silently the smiling fiend bows and flies over to the cornucopia, snaring a pear before flying out and closing the door in behind him.

"Jarem, you've gotten into trouble," The fiend says, as an apple flies up through unseen forces, into the pit fiend's claw as he turns. He catches it and takes a bite, a crisp crunch as juice stains his lips, his serpent-like tongue coming to lick it away.

With an overdone shrug, "You know how it is. You take plunder and it turns out someone else wants it. Hazards of getting money, everyone wants it. Ever been there, Agreil?"

"Once or twice. Violence always solves it, eventually." After another bite of his apple, "Let's get to brass tacks. You have something Duchess Rosier owns and she expects her items returns immediately, Alyssa. I'm sure you have them and are ready to return them."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Not all of them, but the ones she wants, yes. I'm sure you can understand that I'm leery of returning powerful items to someone who may simply turn and use them against me. Though I'm sure I wasn't quite on her radar before this, I certainly am now."

[Anastasia]

With a smile that shows white teeth and fangs, "If you return the items, the Duchess has no reason to use them against you. The loss of certain other goods worth purely money is troubling, but we can write that off as adventuring enthusiasm."

Dolmaya looks on at this all before clearing her throat, "In writing. We want anything like that in writing and reviewed, devil." Stepping forward, "You understand how important it is to have matters all laid out so everyone understands their duties and responsibilities."

"That's only proper," Agreil agrees, another bite of his apple. "We can work out a binding contract to ensure that."

[Iron Dragoon]

"I agree to the framework of it. Details in the documents to be gone over, of course. That aside, there's also the matter of how this... request... was delivered. While the threat used in it is certainly balanced by loss of the item,  I don't like my people being threatened. This message could have been handled much more professionally and respectfully. You surely understand the value of respect, Lord Agreil."