Letters from Baator 16: Contracted Fees

Department of Humanities

Psychology/Sociology Section

For: Chief Engineer

Subject: The cost of contracts

 Every desperate sod wants to make a deal with the Baatezu, or so it would seem. However, it's interesting to note that no one wants to pay the price when it's day comes. Contract payments are the objects of fear. It seems that the Baatezu are willing to bide their time for welchers just because of the fear it generates.

 Imagine fulfilling a contract and having the other party renege on their end. Now imagine that you have an unlimited time to pursue the means to getting your payment. Since the Baatezu are immortal, they do not need to worry about would-be welchers. They have the option of biding their time and waiting until the poor sod is on his deathbed before coming to collect their payment - plus interest.

  It is just as easy for the Baatezu to rejuvenate or prolong a sod's pathetic existence long enough for the Baatezu to enjoy every nuance of pain and fear harbored by the welcher. The Baatezu will keep the tormented individual alive for as long as they deem necessary. In the end, the price the sod paid is worse than what they would've paid had they only done so on time.

 Very rarely do canny berks outfox the Baatezu at their own game. Only a true blood does so and keeps it secret. A body'd be barmy to tout their own success in such an endeavor. Not only that, but these few individuals find out how quickly that letting their bone-box rattle loosely will send them to the dead book. It's safe to say that these deaders are better left to their own end. It's not wise to associate with their ilk as the Baatezu will undoubtedly come after them.

 In general, it's best to just avoid the Baatezu and their contracts. Their contracts are best left to the evil, the desperate and the barmy. There's nothing to be gained by dealing with the Baatezu. That is unless you are looking for misery. You want to know what some of the physical scars are from Baatezu deals? That's easy, go look at Darkwood. The answers are plainly on his face.

Xavierra Tempeste, Shaper 2