Dust and blood

[Iron Dragoon]

"Mmm... An interesting choice. Do you have a line on him already? I believe he fights using misdirection, proxies, and traps? He'll be hard to pin down and logically have multiple methods of escape even if we do."

[Anastasia]

"Nothing concrete," Is the answer.

Sulia cuts in here, "Of course, that would be the first part we work on. It's not an easy quest, but one that could profit us greatly."

Jarem listens to it all, "What about his allies? Even if you think he doesn't have any, he's a devil. He has allies."

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa nods, "And likely agreements no one knows about until he calls on them. There's certainly going to be protections against scrying and divination, but I've set something up to help with that. I'll let you take a look at my crystal so you can have a template to work from and improve on. Though any improvements you think of, I would greatly appreciate being included on so I can incorporate them myself.

We'll also need to make agreements with a few outside interested parties to have some emergency reinforcements ready, in case he pulls in more devils than we can find out about. Finding some other critical targets of his and arranging strikes from others against them to force him to split his attention would be wise, as well. Perhaps The Red Knight?

Hmm... There's certainly potential here, but I won't agree to anything until we get some solid working information on this. That said, Jarem, your opinion outside of worry about his allies?"

[Anastasia]

Privately, we're cooperating with Hell in our true task, Alyssa. Remember that's a factor, too, and not one we can tell them. In fact, come up with a reason for the two of us to slip out a few minutes so we can talk about this ourselves.

[Iron Dragoon]

True, but I also believe he specifically stated that anything outside of the fight against Shar was outside of the agreement, too.

To the others, "In any case, I have to step out for a moment. Shar made a direct threat against my family, and Jarem and I need to put something in place against that. Come up with some ideas and when we get back, we can keep the discussion going."

[Anastasia]

"Oh dear, let me know if I can help," Sulia offers as you make your escape with Jarem.

Once out and in a room sealed by will, "You're right, but we'd still best step with caution. Baator's willing to be ruthless, too."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Mmm... At the least, then, perhaps we should contact the others and get their opinions on how this will impact the alliance."

[Anastasia]

"If we say no, we also need an honorable, sensible reason to or we risk offending our guests," Jarem points out, "So if it goes that way, that's another consideration."

[Iron Dragoon]

"A variation on the truth. Some of the more powerful gods we have contact with have informed us that our involvement in such a fight will disrupt their plans for our development and have requested we not participate."

[Anastasia]

"A baldfaced lie," Jarem says, "As long as you're good enough at it that they don't pick up on it. If they figure you're lying, even if they don't show it, they will remember that."

[Iron Dragoon]

"It's not a lie. If it's something the others involved with this agree it puts the alliance in danger, then will disrupt their plans, and our development."

[Anastasia]

That gets Jarem to smile a bit, "Alright then, Alyssa. Contact them and we'll find out."

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa huffs, "Fine, then you come up with the excuse! Get some practice at diplomacy since I've been doing it all."

Regardless, she sends a message to the other gods involved in the alliance, Would an attack on Gargauth violate the agreement we have with them concerning the fight against Shar? An opportunity may have presented itself.

[Anastasia]

Who precisely are you messaging?

[Iron Dragoon]

All the main peeps in the nodes, or their 2nd-in-commands.