Zhentarim Instruction: Varram's Paymaster
Zhentarim Instruction: Varram's Paymaster — an order from Rian Nightshade to Shade, carried verbally to Nuts Deep during the downtime. Nothing of it exists on paper in Rian's hand.
Ollam Pryce found Shade in the yard on the eighth day, said what follows in something under a minute, and went back to his freight. He would not repeat any of it, and said he had been told not to. Shade set it down in her own hand the same evening. She has not shown it to anyone.
Rian's words, as Ollam gave them.
The wyrmspeaker at the bridge has six with her. They do not talk, which means they are paid. Find out who pays them.
Buy that one. Not the six. The one who pays.
Two hundred to open and eight hundred if they come, and the Network will honour it without asking what it was for. Above eight hundred, write to me first.
Do not kill them. A dead paymaster is worth nothing to me and I would have to start again somewhere else.
If Varram keeps papers and you take them, they come to me before they go to Waterdeep. Copy out whatever you like first. I am not asking you to hide anything from your Council.
Ollam added, on his own account, that he had been asked to say it exactly, that he had practised it the whole way up from Elturel, and would she please not ask him anything about it.
What it asks of the company
- Varram's escort of six are on a wage. Find who pays them, and buy that person rather than the escort.
- The Black Network will honour two hundred to open and eight hundred to close, without asking what it was for. Above eight hundred, write to Rian first.
- The paymaster is to be taken alive. A dead one is worth nothing to the Network.
- Any papers taken from Varram go to Rian before they go to the Council. Copies may be made first.
See also
- The Broken Latch — Shade's crew
- Zhentarim · Rian Nightshade · Shade
- Harper Dispatch: Boareskr Bridge — where the escort of six was first reported
- Quests · Renown Tracker