Contract between Asmodeus & the Battleborn

Thank you for inviting me to your plane for this little chat. I do hope I can be of some small assistance.

— Asmodeus

On 9/2/1497, the Battleborn entered into an agreement with Asmodeus, Supreme Master of the Nine Hells. The signatories were Aurum Bearinglight, Ander Greycastle, Enala, Eninn Stonehearth, Ezmerelda, and Sanosha.

Contract Text

2 Eleint, 1497

We, the undersigned (Ander of House Greycastle, Sir Aurum Dawnbringer, Enala One-Arrow, Eninn Stonehearth, Ezmerelda, Lady Sanosha), collectively known as the Battleborn, are granted temporary ownership of the Keystone (Shard of Glory) and Retribution (Shard of Justice), hereafter collectively called the Items, & permanent ownership of Bel’s Bracers, by Asmodeus, Supreme Master of the Nine Hells, pursuant with the clauses and stipulations listed below.

Article 1: Length of Agreement & Restrictions on Use

1. The temporary ownership of the items expires one second before midnight on 2 Eleint, 1502, unless the Sphere of Eternity is assembled and activated (with or without the Keystone), in which case the term of temporary ownership ends immediately.
1.a. The Battleborn may choose to end their term of ownership prematurely, but only if all the signatories of this Contract agree to do so.
2. The Battleborn must begin the Return procedures specified in Article 3 within 168 hours of the end of their term of ownership.
3. The Battleborn will not use the Sphere of Eternity, with or without the Keystone, against Asmodeus.
4. Asmodeus agrees not to use the Sphere of Eternity to destroy the Material Plane.

Article 2: Terms for Delivery

1. Delivery of the Items & Bracers to the Battleborn shall occur within fifteen minutes of the signing of this contract.
2. A Token in the form of a golden amulet with a red button in the center shall also be provided.

Article 3: Terms for Return

1. To Return the Items, the Battleborn must return to the intersection where this agreement was signed and press the button on the provided Token for six seconds or until it glows red, ensuring that the Token is not within a magic suppressing field. The Battleborn must then wait a minimum of 24 hours for Asmodeus to arrive. During this time, they may not, through action or inaction, attempt to prevent Asmodeus' arrival.
1.a. The Items may be collected by Asmodeus at any point after the term of ownership has ended. Once notified that Asmodeus has invoked this section, the Battleborn must immediately surrender the Items in their present form to him. They cannot, through action or inaction, attempt to prevent Asmodeus from obtaining the Items.
1.b. Section 3.1.a may NOT be invoked if the Battleborn have used the power of the Sphere of Eternity to draw a deity to them and have not yet defeated or killed said deity, except as outlined in Section 3.1.c
1.c. If at any time the Battleborn have been incapacitated or killed and the Items are in danger of being taken, Asmodeus reserves the right to intervene and confiscate the items to prevent this loss. Asmodeus is required to return the Items to the Battleborn upon request IF the term of ownership as described in 1.1 have not yet expired.
2. Once Asmodeus has been given or taken possession of the Items, he will provide a receipt to signify the satisfaction of this requirement.

Article 4: Payment to be Rendered

1. The Battleborn agree to serve under the command of the current Duke of Avernus, presently Zariel, in military actions related to the Blood War, for a period of 1 year. This service can be called upon at any point after the successful Return of the Items as described in Article 3, but not later than 10 years from that date. Eninn shall serve for an additional 59 years.
2. For every ten years of consecutive service, Eninn shall be granted one day on the Material Plane before she can be called again.
3. Should Enala’s contract be collected, she shall be allowed to serve with her companions in the Blood War during their times of service.
4. The obligation can be broken up however the Duke of Avernus wishes, with minimum service periods of one year (or the remainder of the required time, whichever is lesser). All Battleborn will serve their time as a group. Should any Battleborn have died before their period of service is satisfied, they will be brought from whatever afterlife their actions have earned to Avernus during periods of service in order to fulfill this contract. If they die during their term of service, they must accept any attempt to resurrect them during the term of service.
5. Should Asmodeus collect additional Shards of Eternity due to their being fused into the Sphere during the Return procedures outlined in Article 3, 10 years of service shall be forgiven for each additional Shard of Eternity so claimed, to a minimum of zero years of service.

Article 5: Terms of Enforcement

1. Should any signatory of the contract break this agreement, their soul shall be forfeit and be considered the property of Asmodeus.
2. Should Asmodeus breach the contract, he must inform Primus of the transgression who shall enact punishment on Asmodeus, which will include at a minimum a restoration of any price paid, permanent ownership of the Items, and each signatory may choose a soul to be freed from Asmodeus, provided the soul is willing.

Letter left by Asmodeus

At the conclusion of the negotiations, Asmodeus left. In its place was a bundle of papers, tied with a blood red ribbon. The bundle included a copy of the contract for each of the Battleborn. The seals were there, but it's as if they were...drawn on the paper. The effect was quite odd. Additionally, there was a spell scroll: Gate, a ninth level conjuration spell. Finally, there was a note, written in a neat hand.

Battleborn,
As it is in my best interest if you succeed in your mission, I have left you some advice, and an offer for aid.
First, the advice. Once started, the Sphere will take significant time to activate, and until it does it will be like a beacon fire for your enemies. You should expect an attack, one that will almost certainly include armies from the Abyss & the elemental planes. You will need allies, and should choose the battleground carefully. Were it me, I would do this in the middle of a city; the bigger, the better. The plunder and carnage will distract the undisciplined demons, make their attacks unfocused...Just make sure it's a city you don't care much about. If there's a city you were planning on destroying anyway, this would be a remarkably efficient way to do it.
When it comes to fighting the hordes of the Abyss, none are more experienced than my legions. I offer you my services in this regard. Inform my commanders on Avernus of the date and time you intend to begin, and use the Gate spell to open a portal to Avernus (Specify Zariel when you cast it. She will be ready, and this will ensure the portal goes to the right place). Any who seek to disrupt your usage of the Sphere shall meet our steel.
Lest Aurum be worried, I give you this promise: Should you bring my soldiers to the battle to defend the Sphere using the Gate spell, any devil who passes through that Gate shall aid you & your allies in the fight to defend the Sphere of Eternity while it is being activated, and return to Avernus within 6 hours of its successful activation.
I do hope you will accept this token of good faith. I would so hate for Tharizdun to destroy the Material Plane.
Sincerely,
Asmodeus
Supreme Master of the Nine Hells

Related Historical Events

• 1497 DR
  Signed contract with Asmodeus