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[Epic] Scions of the Endless Falls


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"Well, get on with it then, the dirt down here just isn't as interesting as it was a minute ago." Sigrún waits patiently, still.
 

To the other two If they know, they know. My original intention was to wait for the members visiting Celestia. Stay hidden if you want, I don't think they know you are there.

OOC: I apologize for my absence, I was visiting Las Vegas for the weekend, and now I'm stranded due to car trouble.
 

OOC - I'm not even sure our Celestia players are even playing any more. They haven't posted since the coure fairy NPC asked them a direct question, and that was a while ago. They should have been handling that while we do this, anyway. So I don't know what's going on there.

Hastily donning his Melavarn disguise - adding a few magical touches to complete the effect - Arion takes another moment to create a gaudy illusion to mimic a particularly colorful teleportation effect while stepping out of the shadows.

Waving a hand before his face to clear away the residual wisps of bright-red smoke, Melavarn smiles at the githyanki. "Greetings, gentlebeings! I see you've already met my bodyguard, Su'ryuu. Fortunately she happened to be sojourning on another plane when this tragedy occurred, and has been most helpful in fending off scavengers while I pursue my project here. I'm not sure who else she expects to arrive, though, since we're the only one's here that I know of, and it seems most unlikely that there be anyone besides us and--"

Stopping in midsentence, as though realizing that he was tangenting pretty badly, Melavarn gazes at the githyanki diplomat for a few moments before continuing. "I am Melavarn the Resplendent, illusionist extraordinaire. Now, I asked you to come here, though my proxy over there, so you could help me with the reshaping of this plane. It has a lot of potential, you know! I see a replacement for all the nasty sides of shadow magic here. I'm willing to turn over this island of real matter to you afterwards, since it's the protomatter soup I'm interested in. Your assistance would be a mere matter of scouting the area and providing a little extra security. Can't have claim jumpers coming in and mucking about, can we?"

"I normally don't deal with githyanki, of course, you have something of a nasty reputa-- Er, you're not really in the circles I usually travel in. But everyone else is just being terribly squeamish about taking advantage of this opportunity, and well, Su'ryuu suggested I contact you and see if we couldn't work something out. A mutually beneficial arrangement!"

Melavarn gives the githyanki a theatrical "let's keep a secret, eh?" wink with these last words, before smiling broadly and waiting for their reply to his initial offer.

To the party, Arion communicates his plans. His words are calculated to make the githyanki party seem him as worth talking to but easily manipulable before they do away with him. With any luck, Arion plans to get the lot of them wiped out by some other group trying to exploit the Falls, thereby shifting the blame for any ensuing conflicts onto the Lich-Queen's people while we pursue our goals more quietly.

Isida - [sblock] I'm casting alter self and programmed image. I'm applying the last half of my improvisation effect to the disguise and recasting it before I reveal myself. Half of this new pool is going to the Diplomacy check. I'm going to leave the remaining +26 bonus from the second spell to you; Arion will use it sparingly whenever he judges that Qu'var (sp?) might see through his Bluffs.

And now some skill rolls to use as you see fit. The bardic knowledge roll will be to determine how much of the improvisation effect is necessary to put Arion's diplomatic skills comfortably in the ballpark of Qu'var's:

Disguise: 95 (105 with magical component)
Bluff 1: 64
Bluff 2: 65
Bluff 3: 71
Diplomacy: 70
Perform (Oratory): 57
Bardic Knowledge: 52

The Perform (oratory) check is directed at the rest of the githyanki party. I want their diplomat-leader to take me semi-seriously as a negotiator (maybe have him wonder if I'm as foolish as I appear), and the rest of them to at least consider just attacking. Just for a little intra-party tension, you know. Could be explotable later.

I'm obviously trying to work a lot of nuance into this dialogue, but then, what else am I going to do with these skill bonuses? :cool: [/sblock]
 
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Arion BUMPs the ground, suddenly remembering to telepathically communicate the goings-on with Sigrún so he can get his opinion.

(And I shall pay ye back twofold, Isida! :p )
 


Sigrún laughs, although being ethereal and under about six feet of earth muffles it to anything but a mental chortle. "Well, do enjoy, I've still got a few minutes to waste under the earth before it gets too cramped for my style."
 

*The githyanki party looks very nonplussed at the appearance of the extravagent, foppish magician. Though Qu'var looks as though he possibly believes the man, he obviously holds some doubt in reserve.*

"Perhaps there has been a misunderstanding. I was given to understand that we were to have use of the protomatter. Though we would graciously accept this isle, it is the protomatter that interests our queen. A compromise could be reached, of course. We could allow you some of the protomatter, perhaps in a demiplane of your own, while we manage the rest of it. Such a generous offer would be very advantegeous for you. You would gain an alliance with our queen, which is of no small value. We are skilled in the forming of protomatter, and would be happy to advise you. Certainly you must accept such a generous offer," Qu'var says with an ingratiating smile. Though he covers it well, he's obviously peturbed at this sudden change of terms. He's nervous, suspicious, and starting to get angry. But nothing of this shows on his bony face.

*Behind him, his companions begin to subtly grip their weapons tighter...*
 

*Deep within the cave, the party from the Court of Stars arrives. Fairweather is there, her face tense and fearful.*

"Careful! The githyanki party is here! They don't know where we all are... and I think they're about to do something violent," she cautions.
 

OOC - Need to think for a bit. I'm going to let the other party chime in first, confirming that they're still in this game. Hopefully they'll contact me or Su'ryuu telepathically before doing anything rash. *crosses fingers*
 

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