Cornugon sometimes called horned devils are some of the most intelligent of the non-unique infernals. They stand a head taller than the standard man, though they are often hunched forwards using their tails to hold their balance and allow quick use of their wings to take to the air if the situation requires it. While physically powerful when compared to men, it is their skill in almost every field of magic and their mind that are the true threat. While they are able to tear a man apart with their clawed hands they are far more likely to get him to die at the hands of someone who could have been his ally. They tend to act as supervisors to other infernals or work on something to complicated or difficult for a lesser fiend to be used.

General Fuller

“Then we will need to use Adrian as our weapon against the monsters. We need to show results within a couple of days or we will be relieved by someone else. How can we control or manipulate the boy?” Director Talmage says after a few moments of silence.

A man from the CIA is the first to respond, I do not remember his name.

“The easiest way would be for us to hold people he cares about hostage. I can arrange for that to happen.”

“That’s sloppy, what are you going to do when he later turns on us? A hostage situation cannot last forever and what’s to keep him from turning anyways, he can make guns not function remember” I counter.

“Do you have a better idea?” the man from the CIA says his offence to my words clear.

“We could draft him” I say.

“And who could keep him in line? A draft is compulsory service, how would we compel him if not by threatening what he cares about?” the man from the CIA says out of both spite and validity.

“Or we could play on his desires” Secretary Jasmine interjects.

“Oh and what desire to we play on? Safety? Food? He is killing and eating things that the only way we have of killing might be a nuke. Or do we sick him on the Althaen? The group that as disgusting as they are can hold back the monsters we can’t kill.”

“With what every young man wants, wealth, fame and women. Plant women by his side to nudge him in the direction we want and pay him with things.”

My head and several others in the room nod at her idea. That could work.

Adrian

Clothes shopping took damn near the entire day. An exaggeration but it did take hours and hours of boredom. I don’t understand why they had to have my opinions on every article of clothing. If it fits and they like it that’s good enough, besides even if I didn’t like something why would I say they were anything less than pretty?

[I liked it, we spent the whole day showing off our hoard. ]

[We don’t have to be there for them to buy stuff, nothing would have been different if we were somewhere else.]

[I disagree, the males who saw us would not have been jealous of our hoard. ]

[ Oh, and what of having to play dress up with different combinations of the same clothes?]

[Best part.]

[ It was a waste of time. What possible purpose did it serve?]

[ Showing off our magnificence, making the females want to be ours and letting the competition know we are better.]

[ That doesn’t explain why they wanted it.]

[ Yes it does, to show us off.]

“What is it?” Lysan asks with an innocent smile pulling me out of my conversation with dragon-me.

“The people following us probably” K says.

“No, they have been doing that all day. I was talking to dragon-me” I say. Lysan and Talia frown a little bit, they don’t like him.

“What about?” asks K.

“The shopping.”

I must have had a slight frown on my face as the three of all move slightly closer to me as K whispers in my ear, “thanks for coming with us; we'll make it up to you tonight.”

“I thought that paying me with sex was already part of your plan to get me to protect and feed you already” I say with a teasing smirk.

Lysan immediately turns red while K quickly has a smirk similar to my own as she says “I guess we’ll just have to find something else to do then.”

Then her smirk vanishes as the four of us notice some dwarves walking up to us rather than down the street. The four of them stop about twenty feet from us, one has a pendant of a silver rose on his clothes while the other three are in some sort of chain mail. The dwarf in clothes is the one among the who speaks, the other three simply continue to look around with their eyes, ready to fight if need be.

“I am sorry to interrupt you, but I am afraid that I must. I am a clerk for the Center of Financial Affairs and authorized to act on both their behalf and that of the city of Rüthgart. My name is Thrane Goldenrock, and I would like to speak to you Lord Ravnos and your present company.”

“About what?”

“Your application to be recognized by the Dwarven Nations as well as the fees pack Bloodclaw has been defaulting on.”

“And I assume it has to be now too doesn’t it?” I say with a hint of sarcasm, irritated at this turn of events.

“I am afraid refusal would reflect negatively on you application. Please do not make the mistake of thinking I am trying to blackmail you, I simply want to expedite your application process and aid you in dealing with the debts pack Bloodclaw has.”

Before I begin to react to him, K whispers something lightly so that the dwarves would not hear her speaking. “He isn’t being malicious, he wants to help even though I am sure there is some way he profits from helping us.”

I manage to put on a fake smile though I am sure he can see the irritation beneath it and continue our conversation.

“Some notice would have been nice, but alright. Do you want to talk here in the street or have you prepared a place to conduct this business?”

The dwarf instantly and genuinely smiles as he answers me, “of course, hospitality is a measure of sincerity in business after all. Please follow me.”

He leads us to a rather large house, two stories tall and looks like it has at least a dozen rooms per floor on it. Clearly it was built for a large and wealthy family to live in it. Once we are inside a dwarf greets us, the dwarf smells like a woman but I’m not sure due to the beard.

I nor the trio understand what she? said but Thrane replies before she bows slightly and leaves. Thrane then leads us to a room with a personal bar and pool table, though the table is now surrounded by chairs.

“I apologise for the strangeness of the table but this room seems to be the room for business transactions as it has the largest table and a supply of celebratory drinks. Please sit, I can tell you about how I can help you as we wait for the bread and meats to arrive.”

We all sit down as Thrane continues to speak.

“Lord Ravnos, I am sure by this time you are aware that my kin are primarily motivated by one thing, commerce. I am afraid that there are several influential people among my kin that think that you and the people from your homeland are bad for business, you bring tension into the complex relationships that exist already. I however disagree, your people with the vast amounts of luxuries in even a war-torn city clearly must be a wealthy and industrious people much as my own are.

While trade between us would certainly be mutually beneficial we are suffering from a language and culture barrier as well as the appearance that your country is unable to handle the demonic incursion.

You yourself need help with some paperwork, specifically the lack of a dwarven citizen in good standing to vouch that you would be a beneficial interaction, the scribe at the gate misfiled your application, it lacks your signature, lacks a house insignia, and you are associated with two parties who no longer have good credit. As it stands that application will never be approved and when it gets to the top of its queue will be answered with a call for deportation of an undesirable.

I can solve all of those problems and get the original fee and bribe refunded. At which point the four of you would regain the ties of both House Alanthíer and Pack Bloodclaw, able to renegotiate the deals they had with the dwarven people. Would you be interested in my assistance?”

“Yes, but first why do you want to help me?”

“There are several reasons for that; first and foremost we speak a common language, one that you aside from an accent are quite good at even though you could only have started learning a few weeks ago. You are able to travel through territory infested with enemies and are thus martially powerful, one who is able to use magic and if I work through you as a connection trade can occur without using the Althaen as an intermediary and without breaking the contract they have with the Dwarven Nations. As you currently hold the interest of the leaders of your people in this city, you can get me in direct contact with whoever it is that I need to talk to in order to make the deals necessary for trade.”

“Alright, why are you being so candid?”

“I see this as an investment, if this interaction goes well your value to me only increases.”

“One final question before we can begin, will this deal be enforced by a geass?”

“Yes, I was planning on it to assuage your possible worry of betrayal.”

“Very well, let’s have the contract written in Althaen. That language is at least good at eliminating double meanings.”

“I am sorry but the accord of universal business states that all contracts between citizens of the Dwarven Nations and List of Approved Peoples must be in the dwarven tongue.”

“That would not apply as I am not on said list am I? I am applying to be on that list and this contract would predate my inclusion to that agreement. I am not trying to get advantage by changing the tongue of the contract, only to be able to read it myself.”

Thrane frowns and thinks for a moment before nodding, “indeed you are right you are currently not under the jurisdiction of such restrictions. Very well, shall we begin? I will enjoy being able to show my uncles this opportunity”

With a nod, we begin to discuss and argue over what it is exactly that we want from each other. After some time we conclude on the following agreement.

Thrane Goldenrock son of Daerun Goldenrock, Chief Clerk of Division 43 of the Center of Financial Affairs and heir of clan Goldenrock whose hearth lies in Rüthgart acting as head of his own household agrees to for Adrian Ravnos, son of Randy Ravnos and acting on his own authority, the following: First, handle any and all issues of paperwork between him and the Dwarven Nations pertaining to his application for the List of Approved People and the subsequent fillings for recognition of his various statuses. Second, to restore the good name and standing of House Alanthíer and Pack Bloodclaw. Third, act as an intermediary for the acquisition of goods and services on his behalf. Fourth, aid him in any interaction with the Dwarven Nations at cost. Fifth, to provide the information and resources for him to learn Dwarven and its subdialects. This includes the handling the possible expenditure of wealth in order to accomplish these things in a timely manner.

In return Adrian Ravnos is to for Thrane Goldenrock perform the following. First, to create translation and pronunciation guides for the three Terra languages that he knows. Second, arrange for a peaceful meeting to occur between Thrane Goldenrock and someone who can make the needed deals for international trade to occur between the USA and the Dwarven Nations. Third, provide advice and information as to what things would be of value to offer the USA. Fourth, compile a list of useful technologies that should be traded for along with their value in the eyes of his people. Fifth, to utilize Thrane Goldenrock for any future interactions with the Dwarven Nations.