Board Thread:Skyrim/@comment-108.248.201.126-20140428015153/@comment-16047389-20140428181719

It's not that the Ideal Masters actually make "bad deals". They just require you to come to the Soul Cairn in order to finalize it. Upon arrival, they beset the other undead creatures upon the Mage to slay them so they can aqcuire their soul. Some Mages must have made successful deals before, though. If not, then no one would ever attempt to make a deal with the Ideal Masters.