Fire and Spice

This Efreeti is named "Zagarus". He speaks in Tongues, so we all hear it in our own languages.
"Lovely to meet yall. I have heard good things, and am looking forward to working together".
He sizes us up.
Beau & Keshyk know of the Efreeti. They are evil, and there's often bad blood between them and the Djinn (fire genie vs air genie).
 
Thulgrim says "He's young for an Efreeti, which helps. He's intimidating, but alone he may falter. With you all, we can turn the tides though."
 
Zagarus claims he owes the family a life-debt, due to son Dolgram 'rescuing' him from a lava drift.
He's from the City of Brass in the Elemental Plane of Fire.
He fell into a magical volcano that should've killed him. He was playing games with other children.
I'm calling him "Red Rover" in my head from now on.
Anyways, Dolram pulled him out of the river of lava which he ended up in.
He's got a black metal Scimitar. Large, almost great-sword sized.
 
Our party gives him a promise to be neutral or better in the coming conflict.
I mention that I would see the revival of the smithing talents, and this resonates with the family.
 
Thulgrim gives us a history lesson on the Jailbreakers:
"For the last 200 years, we've had this name. 2 reasons we fight: To leave the city, and to leave behind the shackles of the Strothgans. The Forge is the Key!"
Gwen: "Ever since the Forge came back to life, and the lava flowed from underneath, the Strothgans & Cogarts have been researching in the archives of the Academy to get it back up and running. I have been apart of that and have learned some info, which I have passed on. The majority of tombs/journals that we REALLY need are outside of our reach. A corner of the academy houses them under lock&key (and guard)."
"We need 4 things:

the locked away info

access to the Forge

our history, as seen in this script I've read to you

a distraction"

Fulgrim: "In 2 days we host the 'hauling', the monthly competition to hoist water from the deepwell. Each clan sends representatives to pull out their water."
"We plan to take advantage of that. The mountainFists will be active to distract those in the Watchman District, since they've been more vigilant lately."
"Then, we launch 2 efforts: wrest control of the Forge and garrison it. Zagarus will help here. The second is to go to the Library and retrieve those documents stealthily."
"So, in exchange for your help, perhaps we could help you? Why did you come down?"
 
We recall that Orik sent us to track down the fire creatures, suspecting that the long lost peoples or their ruins down here might be related.
We've heard reports of creatures coming from the Forge down to the lake.
 
Beau brings out the ore we were given from the Dwarves. Perhaps that can be our reward? It's called Mordikite, and can be used to make shape-fitting armor.
With some new knowledge + skill, some dwarves could maybe make it, or something else interesting.
 
We learn that the pale blue crystals that Beau and I have store some energy. They only glows while in the caves -- they require processing to utilize frequently.
 
After Zagarus mentions some things about 'his father' in the Plane of Fire having guards, we think he is the 'Prince' that the Fire Elemental we recently slayed was looking for.
 
When we recall the Prince, and generally Planar phenomena, we remember our conversation with Marais Arcellius in the Adventurer's Guild: There have been magical contractions (intervals getting shorter, length getting longer) occurring, where the planes get closer. She speculated that it is this phenomena we are experiencing now, what with many planar threats looming.
 
We decide to help the Jailbreakers take the Forge, not fully trusting Zagarus, and also wanting to guarantee that we resolve the fire creatures we were sent down to take care of.
 
To avoid suspicion, we once again sleep at the Temple of Gond.
 
The next morning, we plan our day. First we hit the market, and then we do some spy-craft.
 
Bim spends a few hours and finds a critical component needed for scrying: a finely-crafted silver mirror for 1000g.
 
I find some excellent metal-framed nets, and buy them out.
I also sell out my spices, and then buy out remaining ones.
 
Beau finds some super-fine gray-white silk from that spider farm we found. He buys a square-yard and a couple of spools. They appear to lend themselves to magical infusion.