The Goblet of Malice IC Thread

[Crel]

Arthen:

Arthen looks at Kashol quizzically for a moment, then laughs. I'm sorry sir, I believe you misunderstood me. I would not suggest that we use it for a suicide run. That would be as pointless as simply waiting around for Dallemi to sniff out our next hideout. What I do suggest is that we should try to reproduce this fuel, or even make another plane. If we have access to wands, who needs to send our brightest up into it on a potentially dangerous mission? We would only need people who were trained to fly it and attack. Obviously, we would need to make sure they would be able to escape. Do you want me to lead such an attack? Very well, I am willing.

If we would be simply crashing it into a mountain or something though, why not crash it into Dallemi's fortress, or another somewhat important strategic point instead? Maybe a warehouse or whatnot, that would be easier for the operatives to escape from. It's not as if crashing into the ground will be any more difficult to make sure they don't die than if we crash into a fortress. The only difficulty in planning will be in finding a target that would be easily escapable, while still worth the risk to do damage.

I would like to offer an apology. I did not mean to explode on you Kashol, I just get frustrated when people seem to be getting complacent, or don't use the tools they are given to their full potential. I agree with you, Imani on that. No one thing is wholly evil, it is weakness of heart within that allows evil to enter a person, and eventually a nation.

When Arthen finishes speaking, he glances over to see what everyone else is doing, then ambles over to Pico, peering into the vial. Is this the fuel? he asks. Um... does this really do anything? Not trying to bring offense, but are you sure that this goop can make that fly? Looks like mud.

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Arthen rolls an appraise check also (1d20-1)[16].

[Thunderbuckets]

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I hate to be a bother, but could I get the results of mine and Arthen's Appraise checks?

[Deathslayer7]

You guys are unsure how valuable it is.

But knowing that it cant be reproduced, only makes matters worse. You have no idea how much it will go for.

I will allow alchemy checks if someone wants to try that.

[Thunderbuckets]

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Sorry to be a buzz about this...

One of my current abilities has a gp limit related to it, and could be a solution to this problem. If the idea of the Appraise check is to estimate an item's value even if I've never seen it before, (because isn't that the principle behind it? Trying to figure out how valuable something is without knowing for certain anything about it?) then can't it at least give me a rough estimate? I'm not trying to make these checks for no reason, I have a legitimate goal and ends in mind, and I need to know the very rough value to do it at... (Not trying to sell or swindle the fuel or anything, just need to know.)

Sorry to keep harping on all this, but I really would like to know the gp value.

[Deathslayer7]

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well, first off, this type of fuel is only useful for aircrafts, nothing else. And how many aircrafts are in the world? not many.

So I would probably label it around 100gp since it is valuable. But only to people like Lord Dallemi, to regular people, I would say 1gp.

[Thunderbuckets]

Pico

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Thanks. Sorry for being a nuisance about the gp thing.

Pico smiles at Arthen's observation and dips a finger into the fluid, rubbing it between his fingers before shaking it back into the container. "If he says it'll fly, then it probably will - he's read the manual, right?" He pockets the vial and smiles at Kashol. "Right. I can make as much of this stuff as y' need. Take me about fifteen minutes."

He yawns and reaches for another cup of tea.

[wxdruid]

Imani

Imani watches, listens and finds this conversation rather interesting, but she doesn't have anything to add. Fuel for something that may or may not fly has never been one of high priorities, but she listens to learn more and she thinks Pico is rather sure of himself for a substance he hasn't seen before.

[Deathslayer7]

Kashol raises an eyebrow at Pico's bold claim. Our best alchemists haven't been able to reproduce that fuel, and you think you can?

[Faulty]

Caelanna Naionna

Caelanna furrows her brow. "Arthen, I understand your concern but we can't rush into things. You're human and young, you don't have the experience to know you can't rush in wildly. Kashol understands this better than you or I; we destroy the flying device, and then attack Dallemi in a calculated manner." She sighs. "You might have trouble understanding, but you're way is a great way to get killed."

[Thunderbuckets]

Pico

Pico matches Kashol's stare, as his facial tattoos draw away from his eyes, and his right eyebrow matches Kashol's skeptical stare. "Don't know anythin' about your alchemists, sir, so I wouldn't know what 'best' means for them. But yeah, I can reproduce this stuff exactly, and I can do it much quicker and simpler than they can, and I don't even need alchemy to do it." He finishes his tea and puts the cup down. Reaching into his mane of hair, he produces a pair of large spectacles from nowhere and puts them on to re-examine the vial, which has reappeared in his hand.

"You've been goin' about this the wrong way, anyways, tryin' to figure out what this stuff is and build it from the ground up. See, you need to go at it from a different angle t' make any headway. It's Pico's Law #7: 'The fastest way to get around a wall is to blast a hole in it.' " He sets the vial down on the table and polishes his glasses on a sleeve. "An' in this case, I'm your demolition expert. Only question is, how much do you want t' get through that wall?"

[Deathslayer7]

And just how do you plan on getting through that wall? Kashol asks. It's easy to talk big.

[Thunderbuckets]

Pico

Pico grins a bit, enjoying the verbal sparring. "See, where I come from, we wouldn't call puttin' truth to words 'talkin' big.' Then again, some might claim if Art here said he could fix broken bones by touchin' them, or Marianna could conjure fire from her fingertips, or I could change m'shape with but a thought, well now, they might think that was 'talkin' big.' But they just didn't understand the way the magic works." He rolls the vial towards Kashol, then picks up the teapot from the centre of the table.

"But, like any nonbeliever, y'want proof that the bard can indeed pull the wererabbit out of his hat. Fine." He empties the last of the tea into a single cup and regards the empty pot. "That sample was all I took from yer fuel tank. Everyone was watchin', everyone knows that. I don't have a speck a' the stuff on me. Give me fifteen minutes alone and I'll fill this teapot with fuel identical to the stuff yer precious airplane runs on. No illusion, no trick, no pretend, but real, honest, actual fuel. I do that, you start believin' that I know what I'm sayin' and that mayhaps I'm not jus' 'talkin' big' as you so kindly put it..." He holds out his hand to shake Kashol's in agreement before regarding the rest of the table, his other palm outstretched with a steaming cup.

"Anyone want the last a' the tea, then?"

[Deathslayer7]

15 minutes alone? Kashol says, rasing his eyebrows again, wondering why Pico wants it alone. If you say you can do it, you can do it here and now, but somehow, I don't think you can. Whatever you need will be provided.

OOC: Anyone seen Pink?

[wxdruid]

Imani

Imani agrees with Kashol. Do your miracles in public and for public verification or you're just blowing smoke. She waits to see how this will play out. In the meantime, Sir, is there anything we should be doing to get ready? She doesn't know all the arrangements, therefore it makes sense to ask.

[Thunderbuckets]

Pico

"I could try an' do it here an' now," Pico muses thoughtfully, "Problem is, this area ain't exactly ideal workin' conditions. I'm gonna need intense - which I use to mean total - stillness and silence to concentrate, or this thing could blow up in our faces. And don't mean to be insultin', but... well, a crowded hanger bay and dining hall doesn't 'xactly promise no interruptions." He removes the spectacles and stands up. "Hence why I wanted somewhere alone and quiet. A closet'll work, even."

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Two things.

First, I haven't been making any Bluff checks up to this point, mostly because Pico's been telling the truth; he can reproduce the stuff exactly and it will only take him about fifteen minutes, and silence and stillness are both conducive to him working on it. However, I will make one Bluff check right now, solely relating to his use of the word 'total' in the above statement, since while he does need to not be disturbed, he's stretching the truth a little so he can have some privacy, and wants to convince Kashol that he can't do it any other way. Other than that, the rest of the statement is factually accurate. Bluff Check: (1d20+19)[21]

Second, I don't want to derail the plans for the rest of the group; if y'all want to go check out the airplane while Pico is off running his fuel manufacturing plant, then that's probably more interesting stuff to do, so don't feel like you need to stop because of me.

Cool.

[Faulty]

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I PMed Pink a few days ago about something else and he hasn't PMed me back.

[Crel]

Arthen:

Arthen nods towards Caelenna and says, Perhaps you are right. I may be acting a little to rash. Hopefully I haven't insulted anyone. Its just that I felt like we were being a bit lethargic. However, if we want to destroy the airplane so that Dallemi doesn't get it, why don't we just have the mages blast it up a bit? This is a bit rickety, I'm sure a good fireball or three would make it unusable pretty quickly. Or, have you already tried that?

So, Pico, you say that you can reproduce the fuel? How about being able to make more planes? Or is that a little too much? Cause if we all were in these in sets of two, one to fly and one with a couple a blasty wands, providing of course we had them in tip-top shape, well, who needs dragons?

He then grins sheepishly, glances at Caelenna, and asks, Am I getting a bit too rash again? Whups. So, did I spew any decent ideas at least?

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Hey Thunder, what ability is this, out of curiousity. Fabricate? Or is it a Changeling Racial ability? I don't know much about changelings, or have any idea what this is, so I'm really really curious. If you don't wanna say, thats fine, but if you do, please please please do so!

[Deathslayer7]

Kashol sees right through your lie. Here. Now. You got 15 minutes. I'm going to take the others to the plane, if you need anything, just call for me.

With that, he leads the group to the gnome, and lets Pico has his 15 minutes to reproduce the fuel.

[Thunderbuckets]

Pico

With an appraising stare, Pico looks calmly at Kashol and his edicts. "Right. Then get me the followin' objects: two shallow basins - red if you have 'em, three eggs, somethin' made of silver, a pint a' goat's blood, half a pound a' brimstone, a bone that came from a zombie's arm..." he grins. "Nah, I'm just messin' with you. This time, at least, I got the material components I'll be needin' right here."He pulls a small sack of gold pieces out of his pocket and frowns, jiggling the hefty bag before sighing and emptying it out on his lap. "I will be needin' a bit of silence, though."

Pico's cloak unravels from his shoulders and creeps across the floor, arcing up to form a thick wire curtain separating him from the rest of of the room. Wire hangers unfold from the tops to hang and support the plush, soft material, conceivably to block out the outside sound. "
That should do the trick," comes the monk's muffled voice from inside.

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God, I love my hat of disguise. Shifting my clothes into a weird tent-like garment that wouldn't be out of place on some avante-garde fashion runway in Milan.

Once concealed, Pico scoops the sack of gold pieces - which shimmer for a second before they look all of a sudden like a bag of caltrops - down into the bottom of his bag before removing his vest and staring down at his pale torso. Closing his eyes, his tattoos shimmer and shift on his chest before forming into a small image over his sternum, about six by twelve inches, of a sealed round glass flask filled with a familiar-looking rainbow hued-liquid. He takes a few seconds to look at it, adjusting the shape and size of the bottle, not to mention the hue and color of the fuel until it's just right.

Satisfied, he reaches into his rucksack and pulls out a set of delicately plated golden needles, which he handles and manipulates like an artist. With his other hand, he removes a long strap of canvas cloth, with a row of delicate colored bottles lined up like wizards at an apothecary. He runs his fingers down, passing over jet black, sky blue, lemon yellow, before finding a small jar of dull grey. Opening it up, he reveals a viscous grey liquid.

Breathing in the smell, he tips one of the needles into the fluid, which undulates mildly under the metal probe. The needle slowly draws the grey ink up into a hollow chamber in the middle. With a look of utmost concentration, Pico places the needle to the image of the bottle on his chest. The ink inside the chamber begins shifting colors, adopting a rainbow hue - not unlike the tattoo itself. Devilishly grinning, Pico begins tattooing the ink into his chest, over the exact pattern of the illusory bottle.

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Sorry, Crel, I'm actually not a Changeling, just a human with good Disguise and Bluff skills. Everyone, say hello to Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments. Now tattooing the image of non-magical fuel onto my chest, in a 1L bottle (which doesn't break the gp limit for the Pigments, thankfully.) It does, however, require a DC 15 Tattoo Artist Check to succeed. (1d20+14)[21] Gotta love bonuses. In ten minutes, once I've finished the tattoo, the bottle will expand to three dimensions and I'll have fuel for a plane. And five minutes to relax.

Pigments Now Used: .5 square feet

[Tyrael]

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Wow, Thunder. I never even suspected that. That's awesome.

Martin

Martin shifts impatiently from one foot to the other. He isn't entirely sure how he can help, but he is simply anxious to get it all over with.

[Deathslayer7]

Kashol comes back in 5 more minutes to see the container. He takes the container, and pours some of the liquid into the cup. He then takes some flint and steel and lights some sparks onto it. After a few moments, the fuel catches on fire and lights up. Kashol stares at it, as if slapped in the face.

[Thunderbuckets]

Pico

Wincing just slightly at the pain, Pico finishes the last imprint, leaving behind a realistic and glittering image of a rainbow bottle. A wave of his hand sweeps away the tattooing tools back into their kit as he places a hand on the tattoo and closes his eyes in concentration. With a slight Pop! sound, the bottle seems to slide up out of his chest and land plumply in his hand, leaving behind no mark but a patch of reddish skin.

He uncorks the bottle to sniff the fluid, then smiles a tight grin. Reaching into his bag, he comes up with a second vial, which he fills with a couple spoonfuls of fuel and pockets. Satisfied, he stands, his cloak retracting into his collar before vanishing.

He empties the contents of the flask into the teapot, pockets it, and kicks back, awaiting the return of Kashol. Tattoos swirl back in to cover his torso, pulsing slightly as if in triumph.

At Kashol's return, he perks up. "Right, then. This should do the trick." As the Covenant man ignites a cup of the fuel and stares at it in amazement, Pico claps his hands childishly at the sight.

"Huh. Is that what the stuff does? Bloody impressive, I must say." He picks up the cold, undrunk mug of tea he poured fifteen minutes earlier and holds it above the fuelled flames, reheating it. "Seems pretty useful, though," he notes dryly before swigging the brew.

[Crel]

Arthen:

Arthen gazes in wonder at the bottle of the fuel that Pico just created. That's amazing... he mutters under his breath. He then enters the plane, following what appears to have been Kashol's instructions, for the time, at least. So, did you figure out how to fly this yourself? he asks the gnome engineer. Thats pretty impressive, if so. I guess we are going to learn how to run this thingymabober, to some extent at least? Sounds fun.

Arthen looks around inside the plane, wondering what the many levers and gauges (presumably) do.

[Deathslayer7]

sorry guys. internet has been screwing with me lately. it goes on and off whenever it feels like. Have a guy coming to check it out today to see what's wrong.

[Deathslayer7]

To make things simpler, and to get everyone on the same page...

Kashol stands up from the table. Come on. I'll show you the airplane. I think there is going to be a change of plans slightly. Maybe now, we might not actually destroy it. A lot of thoughts seem to be racing across his mind, but he keeps them to himself.

He brings you to the entrance of the airplane which stands 10ft off the ground. Mihijo! Kashol calls out. A voice calls out What!? seemingly annoyed at the interruption. We have visitors! Instantly, a gnome's head pops into view and eyes you all.

He looks at you all studying you for a moment. What a pathetic looking group you got there Kashol. he says, ignoring you all. Is this really the best The Covenant has to fly this contraption?

Kashol laughs, ignoring the comment. Don't underestimate them too fast my friend. They have a good heads on their shoulders and good hearts. Your job is to teach them how to fly this thing,

With that Kashol leaves. The gnome motions you all up into the airplane, and tosses down a rope ladder.

[Tyrael]

Martin

Martin awkwardly heaves himself up the rope ladder, bracing his enormous claw on the doorway to steady himself. His talons leave faint dents in the metal when he takes them away. With a grunt, Martin climbs aboard and sits in one of the chairs, awaiting takeoff and whatever else might happen.

[wxdruid]

Imani

Imani isn't that impressed by the 'trick' used to reproduce the fuel and wonders if he can actually do it in any serious amount. She follows Martin up the ladder, being careful not to slip and to actually make it up into the airplane. Once she gets inside and while waiting for the others, she'll look around a bit, but not touch anything.

[Faulty]

Caelanna Naionna

Caelanna's face has a look of dead, plain annoyance. "This idea is horrible, absolutely horrible!" She squeezes her eyes together and rubs her temples. "I cannot get on this... I cannot..." she begins to mumble to herself rapidly.

[Nephili]

Marianya

Marianya gives Caelanna a sympathetic glance, before pulling herself up the ladder, slightly out of breath by the time she finds herself inside the airplane. She stands against the wall close to the door, not wanting to wander too much as she looks around slowly, although she seems to give Pico a curious glance as well, having watched him reproduce the fuel with interest.

[Crel]

Arthen:

Arthen pats Caelenna on the back, saying Come on, its gonna be fine. Its not going to bite you. Or, if you absolutely have to, just close your eyes, and pretend you're on an eagle or something.

Arthen then walks up to the plane, and climbs up the ladder. He gazes around at all the different gizmos and gadgets, then reaches for a lever, as if to pull it (hey, he's got a negative INT mod, I gotta do something somewhat stupid), while asking Mihijo, So, lets get started. What happens if I pull this?