Well yes technically Arueshale may not have been telling the exact truth when she said the hag knew about the powerful demons. But since she was hunting Arueshalae, and closing in on her too - then if Abramo wanted that information, he did in fact need to fight the hag. So it wasn't quite a lie, either.

That is... not really a great way for would-be allies to deal with each other. But. After all, no formal contracts had been signed, no agreements made. Arueshalae offered information which Abramo wanted, and told him how to get it, and behold, he did what she suggested and now he has the information. (She didn't even mislead him about the risk involved - she did say there would be a fight.) It is not quite a trade; but - he did come out of the transaction better off. He'll allow it... once. If Arueshalae has any desire to work with the Crusade in the future, she will kindly deal honestly and openly with them, and offer all the relevant information and state upfront what quids she desires pro quo.

That's... not easy for a demon. It becomes a habit, after the first couple of centuries, to deal in deception and manipulation whether it's necessary or not. 

It's also more trust, even conditional and with an implied threat, than anyone has extended Arueshalae since - well, ever. Arueshalae is a little impressed, actually. And Abramo has even managed to keep his eyes on her face; not many men do.

Well really now, what is he, forty?

Abramo did actually notice that Arueshalae is, well, a succubus. But erotic attraction only gets so intense, the body can only respond so strongly! Sure, she's literally supernaturally hot; the fact remains that this is only say a 50% increase in hotness over that of an athlethic, healthy human woman in her early twenties. (Women are really super attractive to heterosexual men, strange but true!) There are lots of smoking hot women in the Crusade, even without anyone throwing Fireballs around, whom Abramo could totally drool over if he weren't, you know, a professional with like three ounces of self-control. And also fifty-mumble years old; he admits that in his thirties his eyes might have dropped downwards for a few seconds.

Then Arueshalae will totally join up! And promise to deal straightforwardly with Abramo going forward, Desna be her witness.

Desna's not actually the best goddess for that sort of thing (or indeed anything, since there can only be one Best Goddess), but they'll have to take what they can get.

Then they will search the Molten Scar for further clues. And Arueshalae can come along as the DPS in place of Lann, let's see how those pure ranger levels, ah, stack up. 

Oh really. Yeah how about five enhanced Vrocks, how does that stack up? 

Actually they go very nicely into the new area-effect spell Abramo has been itching to try out!

Banishment.

Calamity! We did not foresee this!

Indeed it is hard to see how anyone could, as prophecy is broken. Unless the demons know something Nenio doesn't? Tell her more!

...Nenio really must insist that Abramo not send her experimental subjects out of the plane, in the future, until she's had a chance to extract what they know.

Among the prisoners at the Molten Scar is Seelah's former friend Jannah.

Who ran away when Curl revealed himself to be a cultist. But... Seelah would like to be not quite so quick with that "former" friend, please. It's not as though her own past is spotless.

Abramo will apologise for putting words in Seelah's mouth. Indeed Jannah is going to need a friend; because her crimes, unlike Seelah's, were committed after joining a military order, swearing obedience, and receiving a lawful order to attack, in response to which she first ran away and then disappeared. That's... not a great set of facts, legally speaking. Abramo doesn't quite see how to call it anything but cowardice in the face of the enemy and desertion.

Uh, boss... look nobody understands better than Woljif that friends are friends and you look after your friends, and for sure nobody's gonna complain about a high-level rogue sliding out of stuff that a low-level paladin catches The Book for, those are practically defining class features of rogue and paladin... but you Lawful types are always going on about consistency and stare decisis and stuff. Isn't this, like, kinda similar to - recent events in Woljif's life? That nobody gave him any shit about?

It's not, actually. The difference is that Woljif didn't run away after receiving a direct order to attack from a superior officer in his chain of command. That's kind of important to us Lawful types.

...and yes fine Abramo will admit that results matter too. If he'd found Jannah infiltrating a largish cult and neutralising them by sheer force of personality, he might be a bit more inclined towards the allegedly "Good" options in this here dialog. But as it is - well, she's entitled to a court martial. And the charges aren't as serious as Nurah's, she might escape the noose even if found guilty. But, to be honest, he would not choose to sell her life insurance. 

And on the plus side, Jannah is a human and, if hanged, will strangle much faster than a halfling! (Or a gnome, for that matter.) Although this is of course a somewhat minor consideration compared to the afterlife she goes to. Unfortunately she is unlikely to be found Lawful after the major decision of her short life is breaking an oath, so Hell will not get an opportunity to make sterner stuff of her. 

What? Regill isn't allowed to disagree with Pharasma on how Creation ought to have been designed? In point of fact, he has as many as several ideas for improvements, which he will certainly point out to Pharasma when he sees Her. It's the plain duty of every good officer to give their superiors advice.

...yeah, ok. They can agree on that much at least. And Seelah appreciates the effort but she would like Regill to stop trying to be comforting now. And, um, maybe not try it again until he's put a couple of skill points into it.

Speaking of old friends, Lann is kinda curious about why Sull hasn't shown up with the mongrels yet. Could we head back to Kenabres and check on them?

Very reasonable. Fortunately Abramo has foresightedly been creating a network of Teleport Circles (and wow, if the Jackal had had these things in its science-from-beyond-the-known-stars toolkit the war would have been over in three months) and getting to Kenabres does not waste three days of weary marching.

Yesh, well. Wenduag kidnapped Dyra and is holding her hoshtage sho we don't go anywhere, and we're too dishpirited to sho mush ash shend a meshage about it. You know how it ish.

No, actually, Lann does not know how that is. Lann is kind of annoyed about it in fact. 

Abramo presses his lips together in pain. You cannot allow hostage-takers to get their way, that just gets you more hostage takers. He believes in that principle and intends to follow it. But it can't be denied that it's not good for any particular hostage, only for the many who aren't kidnapped in the first place because of the incentives. And - Dyra, of all people? That's who Wenduag chose for her victim? The harmless little cleric of Abadar - the first person, actually, to say the name 'Abadar' in Abramo's hearing, the person who introduced him to his employer - Dyra, who wanted nothing other than to make everyone better off with trade? That's... Abramo is momentarily lost for suitable epithets, until it comes to him: This is not fair dealing.

It shall not stand.