Dragon Quest III [ME6]

[Ikkit the Bastard]

"Did you have something particular in mind, or should we get creative?"

[Makeshift]

Raucous laughter, once again.

"Oh my short friend, you would go far here. If you are ever in need of permanent employment..."

The Nalfeshnee's smile closes a fraction.

"I always enjoy creativity, especially if it is... Impressive, creativity."

[Ikkit the Bastard]

Not sure who in the little group spoke Abyssal, Ikkit translated the gist of the brief exchange.

"'E'll swap us th'skull fr'a suit'ble r'placement. Somethin' suitably aesthetic. Ain't too particular on th'how of it."

He figured the fiend would interject with any other details or clarifications, but at least they had a place to operate from.

[Illiam'iira]

"Does it need to be a skull?" All Illi has is a rat skull, which isn't a suitable replacement... though she has some ideas... unpleasant ideas. Dangerous ones. For her AND her future. Ugh.

Looking up at the nalfeshnee, she asks, "What is your Grand Design supposed to be? That might help with your, uh... replacement..."

[Makeshift]

The nalfeshnee seems to actually become animated and earnest for just a second, as he launches into an explanation.

"Ooh! Well it's sort of hard to see now, because of all the carnage and corpses, but I'm redoing the foyer, you came through there. I'm imagining sort of an open space solution with screaming animated skulls and living lizard men impaled on the ceiling. Sort of a reptile chic, if you can imagine. Oh it will look just lovely, but the demon's in the details, and such small but well formed dragon skulls are hard to come by, it would be at the center of a sort of mandala pattern I am envisioning for the ceiling."

[Illiam'iira]

"Hm." So she was right -- this demon's an artistic type. She can speak to that. Illiam'iira takes the time to look over foyer and ceiling, imagining in her mind the nalfeshnee's artistic vision without judgement. Considers it. "Reptile chic?" She rubs her chin. "I think I understand, but I'd like to know more. What's your inspiration -- what mood are you trying to invoke in your audience, in yourself? Can you tell me? I think I can help, and I have a friend who's an exotic acquisitions specialist, so even if we can't give you something now, we can get it to you eventually."

She pauses a moment. "I mean, if you'd like. It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow creative." She gives the nalfeshnee a curtsy.

OOC: I'm okay with skipping most of this IC conversation since this thread is holding back daychange, but Illi wants to tease out a trade that the nalfeshnee will be happy with by "speaking his language" as an artist. Let me know if I need to roll any sort of persuasion (and would love Aid from Cyprian and/or Akh lol)

[Ikkit the Bastard]

[OOC: Likewise, assume Ikkit interjects to smooth over any linguistic hurdles- and also let anyone else who does speak Abyssal keep the fact under their hat]

[Cyprian Kircheis]

Cyprian looks tiredly at the lot as the conversation progresses. He stops himself from wondering aloud why they don't just kill him and be done with it. But he continues to follow Akh's lead and boosts his and Illi's persuasion roll.

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(Cyprian has a 12 in persuasion if you want him to roll it. Either way we've both got advantage on charisma checks now. Enhance Abilities cast as a lvl3 spell.)

[Makeshift]

"Hm." So she was right -- this demon's an artistic type. She can speak to that. Illiam'iira takes the time to look over foyer and ceiling, imagining in her mind the nalfeshnee's artistic vision without judgement. Considers it. "Reptile chic?" She rubs her chin. "I think I understand, but I'd like to know more. What's your inspiration -- what mood are you trying to invoke in your audience, in yourself? Can you tell me? I think I can help, and I have a friend who's an exotic acquisitions specialist, so even if we can't give you something now, we can get it to you eventually."

She pauses a moment. "I mean, if you'd like. It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow creative." She gives the nalfeshnee a curtsy.

The nalfeshnee has a habit of going on long tirades and tangents. He's really into this.

The gist of it is, he's looking for something precious, dangerous to acquire, and draconic. If there's tragedy involved in it he'd be even more extatic.

On the other hand, it's painfully obvious he's really only superficially artistic. He circles the same old tired tropes of infernal interior design with gleeful abandon, never ranging very deep into the meat of things. It's all screaming skulls and moaning bodies with him. So if you managed to reason enough about a certain skull's (any skull would do, but the more mundane the more difficult) artistic merit, he'd probably buy it.

[Cyprian Kircheis]

"If I might ask, are you just going for the chic of shrieks and moans because it's in season? Or are you trying to make your place stand out for your own protection? In other words exhibit cruelty and those that might harm you will be kept at bay?"

Trading one skull for another's seemed a little backwards to Cyprian.

"It doesn't seem to be working I fear. Have you tried going the opposite route? Like making an oasis in the abyss? Saying look here at my wonders. Maybe add a waterfall, life, art, a few shrubs perhaps. You know you're not far from a portal to Sigil. You could even make a trading hub run through these lands if you want."

He beckons to the mess of bones and what not lying around.

"If you went that route you could trade these bones to my lady's order. Probably make a killing."