OOC<div class="floatright">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a2/59/1e/a2591e328184bcc30c32e9ba2bd27924.jpg)</div><br/>@Kipp, it's up to you how you want to play the scene - you can go straight for Persuade (or Trick) to try and convince Sarah or attempt a Figure Someone Out before starting to close the deal.<br/><br/>This post is designed as an information dump. However, feel free to elicit more information from/about Jizaren and/or Sarah.<br/><br/><hr/>The deal was struck, at least between Sarah and Taryn. Sarah was not what Jizaren was expecting - the first in a series of transient mortals selling their bodies for some tawdry benefit. Instead, Sarah was looking for a long-term deal. Jizaren should be happy.<br/><br/>Unlike Taryn, Jizaren was too powerful to manifest in the mortal realm fully. With Jizaren unable to manifest, Sarah and Taryn would need to visit Jizaren. In a demonic plane, Taryn could be captured and put back to work. Taryn and Sarah would need to meet with Jizaren in the Dreamscape, where the occupants could shape the landscape and themselves.<br/><br/>Sarah and Taryn found themselves in mockery of a Western Town. The backdrop was so cheesy it was meant to be more an imitation of a movie set than reality. Sarah was dressed like a cowboy, complete with Jeans and Chaps, cowboy boots, and, interestingly, a belt, holster, and six-shooter. The pair had manifested outside a beat-up wooden building with the title Marshal. There was even a little black board that said: "The Marshal is:" and the word "Available" scrawled in chalk.<br/><br/>Entering the building, Sarah and Taryn found Jizaren. The demon was dressed in western garb but had taken a demonic form, complete with red skin and a pair of Black curling Ram's Horns. Jizaren stood as Sarah and Taryn entered. "Ah, Taryn. So this is your applicant, the one Jane found for you. Come, sit, and let us talk over the situation.<br/><br/>Once the two women were seated, Jizaren looked intently at Sarah, "I'm sure you've heard all sorts of nasty rumors about us demons out to get your immortal soul, devious, untrustworthy." Jizaren laughed, "And there is some truth in all of that."<br/><br/>"So, let me help put things into context. One can dominate the other when one side is weak, and the other is strong. A strong Demon can possess a weak human, but a strong human can possess a weak demon. So there are stories of demonic possession and humans summoning and binding demons. In our case, that is not a possibility. Your strength of will makes you a poor candidate for possession."<br/><br/>"There are transactional arrangements. The human provides something the demon wants - say, a human sacrifice - and in return, the demon provides something the human wants - usually something tedious like wealth or magical knowledge. However, the most potent arrangements are when human and demon are in alignment when they have a mutually beneficial relationship."<br/><br/>"To move from the generalities into the specifics, Taryn has constructed a three-way bargain. She provides you with magical clothes that sustain your life and livelihood. You serve as my host when I need to visit the mortal realm, I give Taryn a too-be-determined payment. The strength and the weakness of this agreement are that should any of the three of us fail to live up to our bargain, the deal unravels."<br/><br/>Jizaren smiled at Sarah, exposing his demonic canines. "You should be clear that you are committed while Taryn and I are involved in this deal. Losing access to Taryn's magical clothes will mean your eventual death."<br/><br/>Jizaren looked at Taryn, "I have some information for you. Tazziuz & Karimed have put aside the quarrels. They feel that as there are two Imps - Jane and yourself - it gives them one Imp each. So, they have plans to come for the two of you. As long as you care for my host, I will protect you. This will indirectly protect Jane."<br/><br/>Jizaren looked at Taryn appraisingly, "I'll leave it to Taryn to determine whether coming back to hell to serve Tazziuz & Karimed is better or worse than death. However, I feel that Taryn will be motivated to ensure that you are taken care of."