To Gain the Spark IC

[AmberVael]

Typhae

One of Typhae's wings curls around her as she whispers something, and in a moment she appears far more human, if still just a tiny bit off. Still, it's far better than she was, and it's doubtful that someone would comment on her. Her hair has become a normal black, while her eyes are a lighter blue, but otherwise she's changed little.

<I'm good to go.>
She says, giving a grin and a wink.
<I think you should probably sneak around, 'trix. You and Caleb, perhaps? He seems good at that sort of thing. Serah and I can probably handle social interaction, and...>

Typhae looks at Gram, and appears a bit stumped.
<You can... um... what do you suggest?>

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Alter Self to Tiefling.

[Barbarian MD]

Gram looks down, as if to examine himself. Glancing back up to address Typhae, the expression in his body language suggests a shrug.

"I had thought to walk openly to protect you on the streets. If you desire, I will cloak myself, but I doubt it will provide any significant disguise...

"Hrmn. Or I could maintain more distance." With his eyes, he gestures to the skies with meaning.

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It's night time, right? Otherwise, a flying bear would cause more trouble than it solves.

[Ryuuk]

Serah

Turning to the streets, Serah looks over the pedestrians. A sentient bear, walking down these streets, might cause some panic. It would be fun to watch, though. Well, perhaps... was this place even mostly human?

OOC:

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Mindsight lets me sense every creature with an Int score within 100ft, telling me their location, Int score and type. Could I get a quick survey of what's around us? If it's all humanoids, then we might have to worry about Garm, but if I pick up things like Monstrous Humanoids or Magical Beasts, then it seems we're in a more diverse city, and Garm might have an easier time. If she gets any readings quick trip to where this minds are, scouting through the Ethereal plane, would confirm.

Actually, could I roll a few knowledge checks to have an idea of what to expect from this city? Knowledge History or Local should fit, both are at +25. How big is it, how much diversity, how is it governed, any of that would be useful.

Knowledge History: (1d20+25)[39]
Knowledge Local: (1d20+25)[27]

[industrious]

As the group peers into the overcast sky, it begins to drizzle. Grumbling in protest, the pedestrians walk slightly faster, but don't seem to cause any major fuss.

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All humanoids. The capital, while metropolitan compared to most smaller cities, is not very diverse when compared to cities of equal size. This is due to the isolationist policies of the Ruling Council, whose politicking has given Baator many a soul in trade.

[AmberVael]

Typhae

After allowing the others enough time to figure out what they're going to do, Typhae releases her wings and the invisibility they provide
"Lets all meet back here in a few hours, say around four or five. It might not be a pleasant area, but I don't think any of us have to really worry about protecting ourselves too much, and we already all know it.
"Sound good?"

[shadowedsoul]

Perhaps we should split into teams instead. We might not trust each other, but as long as we have the same goal then there's no reason not to work together.

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I'm not especially good at the gather information checks, but I'll aid another on Typhae's (or whoever's)-
(1d20)[4] I think this is +6, but the myth-weavers server seems to be too busy to let me see it.

edit: Yeah my bonus is +6, so someone gets a +2 to their roll.

[Barbarian MD]

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Ryuuk hasn't suggested the illusion thing IC, so I'll roleplay for now. Fortunately, it will be suggested before we leave the alley.

"I will accompany whomever wishes it."

The archon arranges his hood to hide his face in shadow and pulls his cloak tightly around him. The cloak does not quite stretch all the way down, however, and snow white bear paws are clearly viasoble poking from underneath the garment. The humor of the situation is not lost on him, and he lets out a small snort.

"I suppose it must be decided on in advance: under what circumstance should I reveal myself?"

[Ryuuk]

Serah

Serah tilts her head as she looks over the Gram’s ‘disguise’. “Hmm… No, it doesn’t quite suite you. Not a brave defender of the heavens, at least… People would be more afraid of you than me; we can’t have that, can we?” With a smile, she gets off the wall. Arms crossed and a hand on her chin, she takes a step towards the Archon. “Ah, I think I’ve thought of something better, hold still…”

A mass of color rises from Gram’s feet. With measured gestures, Serah begins to sculpt it. Hoofs, a white trimmed coat, a horse’s tail and head. Fur is replaced by heavy armor, though she stops for a brief moment when her eyes land on his crest. Regardless, she continues, now paying attention to the details.

“That should do it… What do you think?” Where the Gram once stood there is now a well built human rider on a heavy mount. His tabard has the same design as the archon’s armor and crest, and the horse is the same color as his fur was. His face, which stands at the level that Gram’s did, shares some of his grizzled features.

“You’ll have to stay close to me so I can control the illusion, but the image is about the same size as you are. The those who don't see through it should avoid you naturally. I guess that means we’re staying together.” She nods to herself contempt with her work. "As for when to break it... I guess whenever the wrath of the heavens is needed."

[Barbarian MD]

Gram examines himself, looking closely at the hazey illusion and forcing himself to believe in its reality. The image suddenly swims into focus, and the archon in genuinely impressed in the way shw captured his essence in a completely different form.

"Bravo, child." He extends an arm in chivalrous courtesy. "After you, my lady."

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Aid another on gather info: (1d20)[1] (I'm on my phone, but I'll try to look up my modifier soon.)

[AmberVael]

Typhae

"Hm, no, I think I'll work alone. See you later!"

Typhae waves and walks away at a decent clip, fully intending to leave the group behind as she goes out to start an information hunt. Of course, before she goes to find information, she needs to have a good place to find it...

With that in mind, Typhae begins using her various senses and skills to try and locate a relatively large group of people. Some sort of social gathering place, like a tavern, but maybe something more interesting. Typhae has nothing against taverns, of course, but she's more attracted to fascinating things, and taverns have rather lost their charm.

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For the moment, with roam somewhat at random for a place of interest, though she'll use her 100ft mindsight to try and locate large groups of sentient beings.

[Barbarian MD]

Gram, hearing Typhae's remarks, turns back to the man.

"Caleb, will you join us then?"

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Two things: if you're not aiding Typhae, you can aid Serah. We can clearly see by my previous roll that I won't be of any help.

Secondly, we definitely need to find a bar. ;)

[shadowedsoul]

Calebros grins at Gram's invitation.
Certainly sir knight.
He says with a mock bow.
Shall we be on our way then?

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Transferring my aid another to Serah I suppose.

Finding a bar may need to wait until you're not disguised as a guy on a horse though.

[Ryuuk]

Serah

Eyes closed, she takes a slight bow when praised. “’trix, perhaps you could follow Typhae, or us if you so wish. It may be best if you remained hidden though, unless you can become human.”

“…and I concur, we’ve got an appointment with a barber.”

Once outside the alley, Serah will walk ahead of the group, although she feigns a more modest attitude. She’ll try to find a way into a better part of town, and look for anyone who may seems likely to aid travelers or has a decent intelligence. Once she finds someone who fits these characteristics, she’ll approach rather timidly.

“Excuse me, sir… Sir! Please, we’re rather lost, if you could spare a few moments to guide our way... You see, we’re travelers; we’ve just arrived and my lord is looking for someone, if you could just point us in the right direction…” In her tale, she becomes a servant and Calebros turns into a squire to Gram’s knight errant. They’ve come to deliver a message to a Vincent Luixi, a man who they were told had some sort of link to the ruling council. Sometimes she assures them that her lord repay them, others she asks as a personal favor, while even in some cases, she tries to cal on pity, speaking of how her lord runs out of patience quickly. The effect is usually the same though, the Sewaneian usually feels compelled to aid in however way he can, or if he truly knows nothing, he’ll try to tell them where they might have better luck, a more knowledgeable friend or a place where such information is kept. There was just something about her smile, her eyes… They seemed to force them to act, whether they wanted to or not.

OOC:

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Mindsight to find those who are smart, Detect Good to find those that mean well, Charm to befriend, Suggestion to put the right idea in their mind and Detect Thoughts to know just what will work best. Serah will be using all of these to play anyone who might seem useful in their search. She’ll try to stick to the streets, that way her ‘lord’ doesn’t have to dismount.

(1d4+1)[2] Hours
Gather Information: (1d20+49)[60], +27 normally, +20 for + Factotum Level, +2 Aid Another
Balam’s Reroll if Below 5

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Gather Information: (1d20+49)[56]

[whoiam]

For her part, 'trix sticks with the larger group. Not exactly *with* them - she takes the first opportunity she can to climb onto a rooftop and lighten her pigmentation to a pale slate grey. If you're going to have to go roof to roof, you may as well blend into the sky...

[industrious]

Team Beyond Good and Evil

Sifting through all the various people in the city took some time; many, while willing to help you, simply didn't know anything about Mr. Liuxi. However, one portly nobleman laughed at your query.

"Your lord is wasting his time, then. Liuxi is-was actually-the court barber. Then he got fired. He's nobody of importance now."

Typhae

Wandering the streets, the unique entity eventually finds her way to a church, where a wedding is being performed. A tall, sombre-looking man with salt and pepper hair is marrying someone who seems a good deal younger. Oddly enough, she's the one who looks happy at the occasion; he looks more bored than anything else.

[Barbarian MD]

Gram flips a platinum piece to the man in gratitude.

"Thank you kindly."

The knight on his horse leans in closer over the bridle.

"Hrmn. Fired, you say? The poor man. Whatever for? And would you know how we could reach him now?"

[industrious]

The man examines the coin for a moment, before putting it into a lavishly decorated purse.

"He nicked the king on the chin," the man says. "He's got his own little barber's shop somewhere in the commoner's areas. I wouldn't go there if I wanted to."

[Barbarian MD]

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SLA: Detect thoughts (I think it's a Will Save DC 16).

Gram flips another platinum piece to the man and leans back in the saddle.

"In truth, that is a shame. No professional should meet that fate.

"Where can we find this shop of his? Has he been on his own long?"

[industrious]

Will Save:(1d20+2)[18]

"Sorry, but I don't really know exactly where the man's shop is. He's near some street that begins with an F. Sorry I couldn't be anymore help to you, sir."

The man starts walking off, the coin flipping through his fingers as he does so. Somebody's had a very good day.

[Barbarian MD]

The illusion nudges his horse forward, which begins to clop further down the street. The knight turns to the others and shrugs.

"Shall we search for the shop, then? Or do you have other ideas?"

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Hmmm... I don't suppose you can Heighten an SLA somehow? It might almost be worth the cost of a feat for Gram's SLAs to actually be effective.

[AmberVael]

Typhae

A wedding wasn't a very good area to socialize, at least, not during all the pomp and ceremony. Definitely not an area to find information, really.

On the other hand, Typhae did pause, her curiosity aroused at the contrast between the man's attitude and the woman's. Nervous, scared, excited, second thoughts and happiness... these were all things she expected. But the man didn't even seem to care. Why? The woman he was marrying didn't seem to share his lack of enthusiasm, which made it stranger.

Perhaps an arranged marriage? But then why would she be happy?

Typhae lingers, tilting her head as she examines the man and his wife more closely, as well as all the gathered parties. If need be, she'll coil her wings around herself and slide in invisibly.

[Ryuuk]

Serah

"We're on the right track, we know he's still in the city." Serah had stepped back when Gram took the initiative. While watching the 'helpful' man go, she just focused on maintaining the illusion, while wondering just how right her hunch was. He seemed to have fallen into the role pretty naturally. It was likely, celestials came from mortals too. Hard to believe though, that a lowly mortal knight would eventually be able to do what she'd witnessed the wearer of the crest do so long ago.

Well not so much, she knew her own history perfectly. She may have shed her mortal coil in the gallows, but that would only be her 'humble beginnings'. "Lets try to find his current residence. A street that started with F..."

---

While walking through the streets in their search, "My Liege, I wonder, how long have you been a 'Guardian of my Heavens'? There's more curiosity than malice in her voice.

OOC:

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If there are no other suggestions, I say keep looking, but for Vincent's shop now.

It might be useful if Gram has a feat to spare, but Serah's Detect Thoughts DC can pick up the slack.

[Barbarian MD]

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What feat would you suggest?

By the way, Gram was once a human level two paladin. He got skewered by a pack of kobolds in a dingy dungeon. No one notixed or cared about his death, except for his goddess. He accomplished nothing in his first incarnation. It's a tongue in cheek reference to a game whoiam is running that the dm an I are in.

So Gram got his signatuew crest when he became a Warden Archon.

Gram remains silent as they pass by a merchant hawking his wares. Once they are less likely to be overheard, he turns to her.

"I have been upon the Walls for just over 400 years. And a servant of the Heavens for 586."

He gives her a smile. "It will be 587 in three weeks. My re-birthday."

[Ryuuk]

Serah

"Ah, I see why I'm a child in your eyes then. I'm almost half as old as you..." Looking through her illusion, she looks over the crest once again. "and 4 centuries... I'd have gotten rather bored in you place. I wonder, would you happen to remember an attack on the central wall some 8 decades ago? I believe it was lead by a bloated member of the Hezrou caste who found himself alone with his followers after his initial charge. Not that that was any deterrent for him, really."

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Well, there's the Heighten Spell-Like Ability feat from Complete Arcane, but it's limited uses for a +2 boost to DC.

And don't worry too much about the above, I've got 180ish years of crawling up the demonic hierarchy to to flesh out, why not have her stand on before the gates to celestia at least once

[Barbarian MD]

"Indeed, yes. If I remember correctly, the Archangel Arderas took his head soon after for his imprudence. It is such a shame, even for one such as himself, that he should meet such an end. I prayed for him and buried him myself when that grim day was through...

"And you? When did you... How did you find yourself in your position?"

[Ryuuk]

Serah

Serah keeps walking, staying silent for a while. "If I didn't know better, I would simply tell you that I was born into it. It wasn't that clean though. I know of my first life in the same way a reader knows a character from a novel. The memories aren't there, but I know that I got what I deserved... I was a monster that was only briefly able out to lash out against the world." She seems almost proud. Almost.

"As to where I am now though? Simple dedication. In a way, life is much clearer now. All of this," She waves her arm across the horizon, filled with its buildings and people. "boils down to one simple truth: You either serve or you order. You start as the servant and desperately look for ways to get to become the master. However, it took me a while to learn that every master is simply a servant to someone else and that every servant is playing the same game. There are very few true lords and even they must deal with each other."

"The Hezrou I mentioned? His only motivation behind the attack was to gain the favor of a lord in order to be elevated beyond his position. We that joined him did so because he currently stood above, there was no choice. At least, not one for the weak... Did you know it's easier to fight for an empty spot than for an occupied one...?" She smiles. "Half his forces fled once yours arrived. Those that didn't stayed because they either couldn't leave or they wanted to watch his end." She eyes meets Gram's gaze, then Calebros' "It was quite a show, I must admit. And Arderas... You will burn, a fitting name."

[shadowedsoul]

Calebros simply listens to the exchange, filing away any information he learns about his new comrades for future use should it ever become handy. As they walk through the town he keeps his ears and eyes peeled, knowing how fallible supernatural detection methods can be.

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So it took me so long to post, it's been a crazy week. Stuff's calmed down for the time being though.

anyway-
Spot-(1d20+40)[50]
Listen-(1d20+35)[36]
Also got blindsight out to 60 ft.

I don't really expect anything interesting to pop up, but Calebros is crazy paranoid, having been raised as a stealthy killer in hell and all.

[industrious]

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Nothing really interesting via Calebros.
Assuming another take 10 on a Gather Information Check.

Typhae

The wedding ceremony reaches a crecendo, as the cleric declares the couple to be wed. The blushing bride leans in for the traditional kiss...which, after an awkward few seconds, comes in the form of a stiff, passionless peck on the lips. The Astral entity had seen more passion from modrons. The crowd seems placated though; someone in the front row is sobbing quite loudly.

Shortly after that...calling it a kiss would be an insult...the formality of the occasion dissolves, and the newlyweds begin skipping(or deliberately walking, in the case of the man) back down the aisle.

Team Outsider

Making your way through the winding street, you eventually find yourself in a part of the city only slightly better than the alley you teleported into. In a small cobblestone square, where a man in extremely gaudy, low-quality clothing is hawking his talents as "the finest barber in the city".

[AmberVael]

Typhae

Typhae slips among the guests as it all begins to break up and decides there is a simple way to get enough information to work off of from here to figure out what was going on... and if she decided it was worthless, maybe she could bluff her way into getting where she needs to go.

With that thought in mind, she reaches out and tries to more fully examine the thoughts of the people around her, quietly murmuring a few words and spreading her wings out over the heads of the gathered people to focus her power.

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While still invisible, Typhae will cast Detect Thoughts from her Beguiler list, then concentrate on it. She's looking for information regarding the wedded couple, which probably shouldn't be too hard to pick out given the number of people and the focus of the occasion. DC 19.

[industrious]

Typhae

The wedding couple brushes past you; they apparently didn't notice your presence.

The assembly's thoughts vary widely, but several of them do stick out. Sifting through the more...shallow thoughts on the couple's appearance, you find several key pieces of information.

She's certainly married up. The man used to work in the palace, after all.

Why's he so wooden? You'd think he'd be more passion-filled on his wedding day. Maybe those rumors are true, after all...

I give it three months. He's always got pretty women-men as well-going in and out of his shop, and I never see them leave-at least through the front.

Vincent, you dog. She was going to be mine.