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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nephis" data-source="post: 9559531" data-attributes="member: 20459">[This time, Dear Readers, it is I, [USER=20459]@Nephis[/USER] , who consolidates the words and ideas of myself and [USER=1282]@darkbard[/USER]. Enjoy!][HR][/HR]As the door to the establishment closes, TWYLL quickly thinks through any possible actions she might be able to take in helping their now-joint cause. Clearly the drow needs to pick up the thread Pritchard had to drop. At the same time, she must be careful what will be "shared" with Valindra. A movement out of the corner of her eyes catches her attention: Belyse has reappeared from behind the screen, clearly having heard the exchange and the door closing behind them. The sight of the former Harper gives the Bregan D'aerthe spy an idea: she has long known through Jarlaxle that certain Harper agents have some passing knowledge of the drow secret language. Is it possible that Belyse is one of these agents? She racks her brain to remember whether she has ever heard any mention of this from either Jarlaxle himself or his second, Kimmuriel Oblodra. She will simply have to find out herselfShe waits a beat - is the coast truly clear? - then slips over to where the proprietress is standing. Their eyes meet and mirror the wary watchfulness of the other. The drow - ever mindful of the curious ear of Lily-Rose (who has followed her across the room) and even more mindful of the sensor listening and watching her every word and action, begins to speak. Her speech, however, is two-fold: as she uses her mouth to voice words and sentences, her fingers begin to move in her native hand signals:* ALOUD WITH VOICE: "Pritchard has removed the threat from your establishment and is dealing with the situation outside."* SILENTLY WITH HANDS: <Understand ... yes equals silence ... hand only ... important ... I help Harpers ...>* VOICE: "As you asked, there has been no bloodshed. The floor remains clean. Your boy remains unharmed."* HANDS: <... you help her ...> Twyll tilts her head - could be toward the clean floor, could be toward Lily-Rose <... climb boat ... I help ... > Twyll spells out the names <... T.H.E.R.Y..I.S. and T.O.R.A.M. ...> In spelling out their names, Twyll has decided not to use the signs that the Bregan D'aerthe have come with for these two well-known Harpers: "Many-faced Harper" for Theryis and "Hot-headed Harper" for Toram (or the more recent name of "Loverboy" in recognition of his infatuation with the newest and final performer of "Cymril"). As Twyll makes these gestures and subsequently awaits a response from Belyse, the drow has the sense of electricity flashing across her skin, down to her fingertips and toes, up to her scalp, stinging her eyes and nose. As these sensations cause her eyes to water, she desperately holds onto her poise and keeps her attention on the proprietress.[HR][/HR]Twyll is using a new custom move to do with using Drow Hand Signals to avoid Valindra's scrutiny (with NPCs).r1,3+1 INT = 5. Ack! It's contagious! And I mark XP.Regarding sensing the location of Valindra through her sensor after having used Drow Signals:Question:Answer:Twyll countersurveils via Discern Realities (I am deploying the +1 forward acting on (iii) it could be used against her to locate Valindra):DISCERN REALITIESWhen you study a situation or person, looking to the GM for insight, roll +WIS: on a 10+, ask the GM 3 questions from the list below; on a 7-9, ask 1; either way, gain +1 forward on your next move that acts on the answers.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What happened here?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What is about to happen?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What should I be on the lookout for?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What here is useful or valuable to me?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Who or what is really in control here?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What here is not what it appears to be?</li> </ul>r5,1+1 WIS +1 Forward = 8, 1 question: What here is not what it appears to be?[HR][/HR][USER=1282]@darkbard[/USER] thinks the manifestation of GIVE ME FUEL, GIVE ME FIRE is supernatural in nature, an instantiation of the diabolic intelligence that has marked PRITCHARD with its BURNING BRAND. Hence Pritchard bears witness to scenes in the following cutscene montage to which he never could have seen himself.[HR][/HR]<Nimor Ironvice stands close to the ring in the center of a chamber deep underground amid a crowd of shouting, cheering dwarves. In the ring, two drakes; about the size and build of bull terriers, one mottled green, the other a black and red brindle; tear and claw at each other. The brindle proves victorious but suffers a grievous wound.<Flash>Ironvice hands over a coin purse to a well-dressed and rotund dwarf who shakes his head pityingly.<Flash>In a cozy private sleeping chamber, Ironvice tends to the wounded drake with medicinal poultices beside a glowing potbellied stove.At the chamber door, open a crack, an eye peering in at the occupants, diabolical intent visible in its glare.<Flash>Daylight. A bright boulevard in Waterdeep. Ironvice strolls nonchalantly, tipping his tricorn hat seemingly at random to passersby. He wears a fatuous grin. Behind him, ambling cheerfully but with a limp, trails the drake.<Flash>Ironvice returning to his empty chambers. Panic in his voice. “Chompers? Where are you Chompers?!?”<Flash>Mordai Vell sits upon a lavish armchair in a well-appointed apartment, stroking a brindled drake curled up on a hassock beside him. “Good boy, Chompers,” he purrs. ***“Look, Ironvice, I don’t like this game any more than you do. Mordai Vell exercises control over people in a way no mortal man ought. He treats others like a cruel master does his hound! It’s despicable.  “And so, while I understand you have a job to do, I ask of you, I beg of you: let us protract this loathsome game a bit longer. Allow me to walk away from here today. I have other, urgent matters to attend to, more urgent than even this ‘friendly invitation’ to Vellgard Manor. Three days is all I ask. Surely, you can find me at any moment, as our rendezvous here reveals. Give me that time! Then I will come with you, and you will have fulfilled your duty. And extracted yourself from whatever hold the magus has upon you. Vell is renowned for his patience, his schemes and machinations taking months and years to play out! Surely, he is distracted enough currently in his stratagem of ingratiating himself with General Sabine and Neverember that this extra time will mean nothing to him!” [HR][/HR]It's pretty clear Pritchard makes a Parley move here (I would like to deploy the +1 forward he received in learning Mordai Vell spent years working toward an apotheosis ritual that I subverted—your (ii) in post 18, which, at the least, hints at the tiefling’s willingness to play the long game), hoping to buy time and subconsciously exploit the secret knowledge he has plucked from Ironvice’s not-so-iron bosom!PARLEY (vs. NPCs)When you press or entice an NPC, say what you want them to do (or not do). If they have reason to resist, roll +CHA: on a 10+, they either do as you want or reveal the easiest way to convince them; on a 7-9, they reveal something you can do to convince them, though it’ll likely be costly, tricky, or distasteful.R1,4 +1 CHA +1 forward = 7.</blockquote>

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