If I choose (A), does the piper become an inventory item or a companion in my quest?
A hired companion. +5 to all intimidation checks for as long as you can afford to pay them.
C) SEO consulting for the occult
Excellent choice! The shaman begins whistling and occult-related listicles and Buzzfeed-style quizzes start appearing on your domain. You now rank 4th for three occult-related keywords of your choice.