Editing Deal with the Devil

{{infobox quest
| name      = Deal with the Devil
| image     = 
| start     = [[Throne room events#Hellknights Arrived at the Castle|Hellknights Arrived at the Castle]] throne room event
| location  = [[Tuskdale]]<br/>[[Secluded Lodge]]<br/>[[Brineheart]]
| type      = chapter
| parent    = [[The Twice-Born Warlord]]
| reward    = [[Brineheart]] location and [[Kingdom projects#Trading with Brineheart|Trading with Brineheart]] (Support Darven)<br/>[[Kingdom projects#Alliance with Linxia|Alliance with Linxia]] (Support Linxia)
| code      = DealWithDevil (e3c9043b10a18c44e855c7d675741945)
}}{{intro|a quest }}

==Journal==
{{quote|The dangerous criminal Darven is hiding somewhere in our barony! Linxia, a hellknight from Cheliax, is pursuing him — and again, it's happening right here in our barony! Suddenly our quiet (though was it ever truly quiet?) barony has turned into a buzzing beehive. And it's only the beginning!}}
{{questbox|obj=Await the conclusion of Linxia's investigation ||exp=360 ||code=Objective_1_LinxiaInvestigates (5f056aeaa7dadb448aaff662557230ea)
|text=The hellknight Linxia is searching our capital for Darven, a wanted fugitive! Hunting criminals is a noble business, but still I feel a little uncomfortable. I don't know about the {baron/baroness/king/queen}, but this woman gives me shivers.
}}
{{questbox|obj=Await further developments ||exp=360 ||code=Objective_2_LinxiaDeniedInvestigation (b66c258ccc854744e9e4ad1c6eb39216)
|text=Linxia was going about her investigation, interrogating our subjects (!), breaking into their homes (!!), and burning their books (is she completely out of her mind, or what!?!) — but of course, our {baron/baroness} couldn't allow this. Linxia seems to have halted her investigation. But for how long?
}}
{{questbox|obj=Talk to Linxia ||exp=480 ||code=Objective_3_ConfrontLinxia (67b4af6271ac5b44aa394b0d46b89d1c)
|text=While Linxia was looking for Darven, Darven found us. The deal he offered looks tempting, but I have no idea what our {baron/baroness} is going to do. In any case, Linxia's investigation must be put to an end as soon as possible. Otherwise, this fanatic will leave half the barony in ruins. We should travel to the Secluded Lodge on the edge of the southern Narlmarches.
}}
{{questbox|obj=Defeat the hellknights ||exp=480 ||code=Objective_4_KillHellknights (e627b8e6b48e6dd40a2f6349acdeb22a)
|text=I knew from the very beginning that this would end in a fight! Well, if it's meant to be, so be it! Let's show those book burners that they should never have come to our lands!
}}
{{questbox|obj=Await further developments ||exp=720 ||code=Objective_5_WaitForDarverReappear (641adc7d049ae3441b8466a777dd1f0f)
|text=Darven has disappeared again. (What's wrong with that fellow?) And Linxia's gone with him. (I mean, they disappeared separately, but they both disappeared at the same time... oh, I'll have to rewrite this later.) Anyway, we have no other option but to be patient again. But I'm sure this story isn't over yet.
}}
{{questbox|obj=Go to Brineheart ||exp=720 ||code=Objective_6_TravelToBrineheart (eea7a6940473579409d74079c8bf669f)
|text=Our old friends Darven and Linxia are at each other's throats again — and this time is seems quite serious. We'll have to go to Darven's city to sort everything out and make sure everyone gets what they deserve.
}}
{{questbox|obj=Defeat Darven ||exp=2400 ||code=Objective_71_DefeatDarven (8951cd53d9d4910458d6bcc39dd2996d)
|text=Darven is a runaway criminal, he deserves punishment. It's time to deal with him once and for all!
}}
{{questbox|obj=Defeat Linxia ||exp=2400 ||code=Objective_72_DefeatLinxia (c4a422a1b4bf8644ba00e35afc4e6d31)
|text=Linxia tried to establish her own rules here, and kept getting on our nerves. It's time to explain to that book-burner that she's not welcome here.
}}
{{questbox|obj={{color|*|-}} ||exp=0 ||code=HiddenFail (32869d0abb4ce23469c648bbd00e959a)
|text={{color|*|Hidden Failure}}
}}
{{quote|The story of the conflict between Darven and Linxia ended with the absolute victory of our leader! From this story, one can draw some interesting conclusions: don't make any agreements with suspicious persons (especially Mammon). Hellknights are extremely tough, and it's best not to stand in their way. And most importantly — our leader is much tougher than all of them combined!}}

==Walkthrough==
===Await the conclusion of Linxia's investigation / Await further developments===
* In the first talk when [[Linxia]] visits your [[Throne Room]] you get to choose:
*# (Lawful Neutral) Activates [[Throne room events#Linxia Terrorizes Your People|Linxia Terrorizes Your People]] persistent event.
*# (Chaotic Neutral) Activates [[Throne room events#Linxia Is Asking Around About Darven|Linxia Is Asking Around About Darven]] persistent event and removes [[Unlockable Key Flags#LinxiaLikesYou|LinxiaLikesYou]] key flag.
* Once you exit the Throne Room you get the first event with hellknights interrogating your citizens.
** Telling them to stop changes [[Throne room events#Linxia Terrorizes Your People|Linxia Terrorizes Your People]] to [[Throne room events#Linxia Is Asking Around About Darven|Linxia Is Asking Around About Darven]] and removes [[Unlockable Key Flags#LinxiaLikesYou|LinxiaLikesYou]] key flag. Also [[Darven]] will spawn in [[Tuskdale]] the next time you visit it.
** (Lawful Evil) choice lets them continue their job.
* There is also a second event on south road with the same choices.
* Unless you told hellknights to leave you will need to wait 60 days until [[Darven]] appears at the entrance of [[Tuskdale]].
* Talk to him, he will try to bribe you with 10000{{coin}}, you can increase that amount to 15000{{coin}} with [[Diplomacy]] DC 26 check {{color|+|+240xp}} or to 20000{{coin}} with [[Diplomacy]] DC 32 check {{color|+|+1440xp}}.
* The final decisions:
*# (Lawful Neutral) or (Chaotic Neutral) to agree to help him.
*# (Neutral) or (Lawful Evil) to refuse.
* Whatever you choose, your next lead is going to [[Secluded Lodge]].

===Talk to Linxia===
* Enter [[Secluded Lodge]] and the talk with [[Linxia]] begins.
* To keep [[Unlockable Key Flags#LinxiaLikesYou|LinxiaLikesYou]] key flag intact:
*# (Lawful Neutral) ''"Darven told me where to look for you."'' then ''"I don't have to explain anything to you."''
*# Any other choice then ''"Darven told me where to look for you."'' then ''"I don't have to explain anything to you."''
* In any case, no matter what you say you will have to fight the hellknights.

===Defeat the hellknights===
* Once [[Linxia]] is brought to low health she teleports away and more hellknights appear on the stairs to the second floor.
** There is an optional group of hellknights on the second floor, including [[Hellknight of the Rack (Cleric 9) (Deterrence)]] which drops [[Deterrence]].
* After the fight talk to [[Darven]], you will get your monetary reward (if you agreed on any).
* Final lines will affect the enemy groups you will have to fight in [[Brineheart]]:
*# Ally with [[Darven]]: ''"I'll take your deal."'' or ''"I don't care to help you. You're on your own."''
*# Ally with [[Linxia]]: ''"Get out of my {barony/kingdom} at once! — And don't let me catch you around here again!"'' or ''[Attack] "Death to the traitor!"''

===Await further developments===
* 30 days later during [[Throne room events#A Mysterious Letter Has Arrived at the Castle|A Mysterious Letter Has Arrived at the Castle]] throne room event you will get a letter from either [[Linxia]] or [[Darven]], depending on your choice in [[Secluded Lodge]].
* You can actually refuse to participate and fail the quest at this point.

===Go to Brineheart===
* Enter [[Brineheart]]
* Defeat the first set of enemies.
* Approach [[Darven]] and [[Linxia]] and conversation begins. You can get only one {{color|+|+2400xp}} reward for [Defeat Darven/Linxia] objective, depending on whom you kill last before they are gone.
* If you sided with [[Darven]]
*# (Neutral Good), (Lawful Neutral), no-alignment choices to attack [[Linxia]]
*# (Chaotic Neutral) to attack [[Darven]]
* If you sided with [[Linxia]]
*# (Neutral Good), (Chaotic Neutral), no-alignment choices to attack [[Linxia]]
*# (Lawful Neutral) to attack [[Darven]]

===Defeat Darven / Defeat Linxia===
* After defeating [[Darven]] you get to pick alignment choice to get second part of dialogue (Lawful Neutral), (Neutral), (Chaotic Neutral), (Neutral Evil):
*# (Lawful Neutral) if [[Unlockable Key Flags#LinxiaLikesYou|LinxiaLikesYou]] was lost. She will go away.
*# (Lawful Evil) if [[Unlockable Key Flags#LinxiaLikesYou|LinxiaLikesYou]] is still active. She will go away and you get [[Kingdom projects#Alliance with Linxia|Alliance with Linxia]] project.
*# (Chaotic Neutral) or (Chaotic Evil) to attack Linxia. You get to talk with [[Darven]] after that.
*# (Neutral) She will go away.
* After killing [[Linxia]], if you supported [[Darven]] before you get 50000{{coin}}
*# (Chaotic Evil) to attack [[Darven]].
*# (Lawful Neutral) [[Darven]] will go away.
*# ''"I'll most certainly be taking you up on that invitation. And for now — farewell."'' to unlock [[Merchant (Brineheart)]] and [[Kingdom projects#Trading with Brineheart|Trading with Brineheart]] project.
* After killing [[Linxia]], if you didn't support [[Darven]] or betrayed him you get 25000{{coin}}
*# (Lawful Good) or (Chaotic Evil) to attack [[Darven]].
*# (Lawful Neutral) or (Neutral) [[Darven]] will go away.

==Notes==
The odd structure of the quest and Gary Stu-ish nature of Darven is commonly attributed to Owlcat Games not having written it themselves: this quest was designed by a Kickstarter backer who donated at the $4,000 tier.