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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kelleris" data-source="post: 1865348" data-attributes="member: 19130">Arion's trip to Sigil:After making his way to the prime he had in mind (which turned out to be named Metavelvra, and is a backwater by any standard), Arion finds a place to rest and clear his mind before heading on, an out-of-the way inn called The Choking Peacock.  Once he has rested there and regained his spell slots, it is just a short shadow walk to the Arch of Cages, and thence to Sigil.  In the interests of remaining undetected, he casts Nystul's magic aura on all of his gear before resting the previous night, with the exception of the orb of illusory power.Once arrived in Sigil, Arion will appropriate some mundane clothing and pose as Melavarn the Resplendent for the duration of his stay, a semi-famous illusionist who was devoured by wild hell-boar a few days ago.  Most people haven't heard the news yet, because it happened in a very secluded part of the seventh circle of Hell.  Arion heard the news only yesterday through a a long chain of half-clues and misdirection, culminating in an imp named Chonkviper, the only eye-witness.  He figures the disguise (and requisite bluff checks) will hold up long enough for him to do his business, and then evaporate after he has no use for being followed.  The disguise is purely mundane, but very good, with the rolls below.  I don't know that, of course, but that's probably not going to matter anyway.After spending a day making sure that those who think they know what's going on think that Melavarn is back for some business of his own, Arion will meet with Whoogle, Avai, and Sss'sh'sss in turn.  He will tell them the truth about the destruction of the Endless Falls (how these people could not notice that whole plane was bamphed is beyond me, in any case), but not that anyone survived.  Instead, "Melavarn" will wax on about the potential for creating a less-unpleasant analogue of the Plane of Shadow via all that protomatter.  Melavarn's distaste for shadow spells is well-known, so this fits perfectly with his character.  Arion will solicit the following information from each of his three contacts:Whoogle - Arion seeks general advice on not offending the gods, and any information on recent activities amongst the upper-level servants of the gods, especially any recently-created strongholds or movements of very powerful guardians.  Melavarn is afraid that his meddling will be punished, although he means no disrespect.  Any pull that Whoogle can manage in terms of persuading the gods' servitors (and them themselves if possible) to ignore any tampering with the protomatter there will be rewarded handsomely at some unspecified future time.Avai - Arion is interested in any information regarding the movements of powerful outsiders, particularly abominations of any kind.  He will shamelessly drop hints as to the pleasure of Avai's beloved at the thought of having a non-evil plane from which mortal spellcasters can draw quasi-real matter, without actually lying outright at any point.  He also hints strongly that a business alliance would greatly further her own mercantile pursuits if Melavarn's venture pans out.  The idea is to appeal to both sides of her nature; Arion particularly wants Avai as an ongoing ally.  If he feels that she is sufficiently enraptured by the thought of an alliance, he will confess his true nature in the hopes of gaining a more solid ally.  If he does so, he will unleash a storm of disinformation (glibness-boosted Bluff checks) amongst her staff, lieutenants, and primary business partners through whatever indirect channels he deems best.  With any luck at all, Avai will be completely convinced that Arion is a good guy here, and know enough to help him, while being utterly incapable of convincing anyone that Melavarn is anyone other than who he says he is.Sss'sh'sss - Arion mainly wants information on his erstwhile companions from Sss'sh'sss.  Any holes in his knowledge he will attempt to fill from Sss'sh'sss's store of strange facts, and he will attempt to build as strong a mental picture of the other party members as possible (this includes alternates, since Arion has a list in his mind of everyone who could possibly have survived).  Pretending to do it as an afterthought, "Melavarn" secures a promise of aid from Sss'sh'sss to help him with any residual undead created by the destruction of the Endless Falls.Everyone - General information of the sort we're after.  Arion also wants very badly to get some idea of the metaphysical terrain we're on here, and will probably raid any major libraries for theories of the divine nature while in Sigil.  As a side thing, he will start spreading a rumor about the destruction of the Endless Falls in an attempt to turn public opinion against the three greater Powers.  He also makes a special point of sneaking into the Athar and Godsmen strongholds and giving an impassioned speech to a very fascinated factol to the effect that the gods are overstepping their appropriate bounds.  He is disguised as nobody in particular on these occasions - it is the force of his oratory that will get the point across.Total time:  One very busy week, week and a half.Rolls:Disguise Bonus: +100Disguise Roll 1 - 113 (13)Disguise Roll 2 - 105 (5)Disguise Roll 3 - 120 (20)Bluff Bonus: +82Bluff Roll 1 - 92 (10)Bluff Roll 2 - 92 (10)Bluff Roll 3 - 101 (19)Bluff Roll 4 - 95 (13)Bluff Roll 5 - 98 (16)Gather Information Bonus: +20 (though I'm not going for ambient knowledge)Gather Information Roll 1 - 30 (10)Gather Information Roll 2 - 25 (5)Bardic Knowledge Bonus: +47Bardic Knowledge Roll 1 - 58 (11)Bardic Knowledge Roll 2 - 63 (16)Bardic Knowledge Roll 3 - 60 (13)Bardic Knowledge Roll 4 - 52 (5)Bardic Knowledge Roll 5 - 60 (13)Bardic Knowledge Roll 6 - 63 (16)Bardic Knowledge Roll 7 - 62 (15)Bardic Knowledge Roll 8 - 60 (13)Bardic Knowledge Roll 9 - 62 (15)Bardic Knowledge Roll 10 - 55 (8)Sneak Bonuses: +78 (mean)Sneak Roll 1 - 90 (12)Sneak Roll 2 - 85 (7)Sneak Roll 3 - 89 (11)Diplomacy Bonus: +36Diplomacy Roll 1 - 52 (16)Diplomacy Roll 2 - 50 (14)Diplomacy Roll 3 - 51 (15)Perform (oratory) Bonus: +122Perform (oratory) Roll 1 - 132 (10)Perform (oratory) Roll 2 - 128 (6)Things to keep in mind: I use glibness (+30 to lie) and improvisation (+49 to a skill) liberally.  I carry Akumunaga hidden at all times (Sleight of Hand +128 to conceal it).  It provides me with, among other things, one known d20 result per day, so I replaced one of each set of 3 with another roll.  The bardic knowledge checks are to collate and organize the information and to gain circumstance bonuses on other checks by knowing what to say and other things about the people I deal with.  While sneaking about deliberately, I use alter self to take splinterwaif form (+10 Hide) and while speaking to spread rumors or giving a speech I take sirine form (+8 Perform).  Where appropriate, this will give me a -4 penalty on Disguise checks to appear as Malevaran.</blockquote>

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