In a case of Duplicity remember to hold on to your trousers as they say, What goes around comes around.

Faragone lounged by the fireside smoking a pipe. "A good days work" he thought to himself, "all I need now is finish breakfast and be on my way. Those chumps will be none the wiser." After finishing his meal he couldn't resist secretly rubbing their faces one more time. It was after all an art form perfected among his kind. Faragone gathered his things and went after the adventurers that had gone to check out the merchant who had finished setting up shop outside the Monastery. "Curious" he thought, "I didn't receive any warning of travelers from Clewsoro. I guess his men must be sleeping on the job again."

The mid day light washed over Faragone as he left the Monastery. He could hear the Adventures as they looked over items brought by the merchant. "And you say it can penetrate even the thickest armour made by dwarfs. That's preposterous!" He heard Durin say. Valaris piped in "Well Durin perhaps if we use that when talking to you some of the words we speak may make it in the that skull of yours."
"I don't know about that. Durin's head is pretty thick", said Rothgar.
The merchant spoke up before elf blood could be shed, " Why don't you look at this master Foehammer I think it will be more to your liking."
Faragone's blood went cold he recognized the Merchant's voice. "On second thought I shall take my leave of this place." He moved behind a tree and started rummaging through his bag.
"Faragone! How lovely to see you again after all of these years," shouted the Merchant. "Why don't you come out from behind that tree and where we can see you. First though put the bag down and remove your ring, you know the one I speak of." his voice sounding of barely contained composure.
Faragone knew that if he tried anything at that moment he would likely not live to try again. He removed the ring and came out from behind the tree. "Machellose," he said greeting the merchant by name "I thought you didn't like mingling with the rifraf of this world."
Mechellose looked at Faragone with daggers in his eyes. "I only come here when I need supplies you know that better than anyone else. Also times are not as good as good as they could be thanks to you and you friends. Hand me the ring and you may go with your skin intact."
"Something was wrong here", thought Faragone. "How unlike him to make such an offer." Faragone moved toward the Adventures and Machellose with caution "You know I never discovered why you were so upset about never getting this ring in the first place. It not even magical or an artifact. Its curious isn't it. Perhaps is some sort of memento" he smiled slyly. "Now just before I give this to you I need your word that you won't harm me in anyway nor pursue me after I am gone. That also goes for these gentlemen just in case you get some ideas about hiring them Machellose. What do you say?" Faragone then extended his hand forward with the ring in his palm looking into the eyes of the Adventures and then Machellose. The Adventures looked at each other feeling a out place in this confrontation and silently agreed with nods. Machellose relaxed and his head drooped just a bit looking defeated. "I agree Faragone", he said "Clasp my hand and it will be as you say."
Faragone grinned "Then we have a deal", and took Machellose hand. There was an almost prickly feeling in the air and then a pulse of light from their hands. "It is done" said Machellose. Just then Machellose clamped down with all of his strength on Faragone's hand and spoke an ancient phrase. there was a flash of light and Faragone was enveloped in blue nimbus. Faragone shouted "You swore, you swore how dare you attack me!" Machelloes replied as he let go "I did not harm you, I'm just showing your your true form."

The nimbus grew into a blinding flash and where the halfling Faragone had stood now stood a humanoid of 7 feet tall dressed in fine noble garb. Its face was that of a tigers head and its body was covered in short fur with tiger stripes. It had clawed toes and its hands were like wise with one exception. Its hands were Backwards. A new and fearsome voice issued from the Creature that was Faragone. "Machelloes! I will get you for this insult!" The Creature that was Faragone then leaped back with feline grace and moved toward his backpack. He reached within hastily and spilled some of its contents on to the ground. Grabbing a rod in his hand he waved it in the air and a portal appeared shimmering just above the ground. "If you though times were tough now just you wait. I'm Shar'Kah would love to here that your still alive and within his grasp." With that said he stepped through the portal and in a flash the portal was gone.

The Adventures stood in silence for a moment. "Moridan's beard what was that!" said Durin. Kethevan calmly replied "Well that was a portal that likely went to the Astral Sea however there is a chance it went to Sigil." Arcus piped in "And that was a Rakshasa Noble they are very dangerous. Are you sure it was the Astral Sea? It looked to me like the Elemental Chaos." Kethevan snorted "Well to the untrained eye one might think that. The tell tale swooshing sound as the portal appeared accompanied by the dancing of colors as it opened and closed is the clear evidence that the portal goes to the Astral Sea."
"I disagree with your assessment" said Arcus "Clearly the swooshing noise you heard was in fact more of a crackling noise indicative of the energies that emanate from the Elemental Chaos."
"Well my friends" said Machellose "clearly you deserve an apology with regards to being involved in my affairs. Would you take a discount of say 15% in our transactions today as a way to make up for that bit of trouble I have caused you?"
"Friends" said Nadrash "observe the ground from where Faragone left by portal. What do you see?"
On the ground was the casement that the book was in along with a small pouch containing a bit of money and gems.
"Well his loss is our gain I say we have a drink on Faragone tonight" said Rothgar.

Machellose took the ring and put it on his finger there was an unmistakable sense of completeness he now felt. "Your back" he said to himself "and now we can get our work started again. I have missed you my love"

"Machellose how much is this scale?" said Valaris. Machellose came back to his senses and smiled "Oh that suit is quite pricey perhaps a bit out of your price range here how about this Drakescale?"

"Say do you mind if I ask you fine people some questions about the area? I'm looking a place rumored to be around here...."