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Message: <blockquote data-quote="darkbard" data-source="post: 9079389" data-attributes="member: 1282">I found the bolded bits very tempting as a player, but having talked the option over at length with [USER=20459]@Nephis[/USER] , we realized that only Chanvati has a vested interest in risking everything to preserve the status quo in Bantouk (to some degree, at least); the others range from deeply commited to overturning the current celestial order, and its mortal hierarchy, (Ibhea) to personally commited to protecting Qamra (Pa'avu) and, by extension, the Blessed (Arunny). For all characters, Caiphon has become a major nemesis, and averting the Legion of Ruth and its invasion as a way of weakening/counterbalancing Caiphonian agents within the Empire seems unwise at this point.Further, both [USER=20459]@Nephis[/USER] and I are interested in exploring the Legion of Ruth, its nature as mortal force of Vezzuvu, and other such matters further; opting in to a deceleration now would work against that, to an extent.Anyway, with this rationale in mind, we're going to make a futher move in the SC and see where that takes us. The attempt here, as should become obvious, is to avert a bolstering of Bita-Bahlin's forces (mechanically, retaining the L+4 status of the encounter with the first bullet-pointed parameter above intact).[HR][/HR]"You think me playing the hero, do you, Bita-Bahlin?" CHANVATI begins declaiming. "Well, then, why do you not face us, heroes to heroes? There is no need to call in reinforcements. Surely a wily agent of the Lord of the Third recalls how his master lost in his greed-driven gambit to overthrow Mephistopheles at the Battle of Ten Thousand Tridents, not through a deficit in numbers but--quite the opposite--through the intervention of The Lord of the Nine Hells against Mammon. Asmodeus grew irate at Mammon's attempt to overwhelm the legions of Mephisopheles, and so, despite the numerical advantage against his foe, the Lord of the Third was checked by a power greater than he had bargained for as enemy. Mammon's forces won the battle but were driven back by the combined might of Asmodeus and his daughter, Glasya, rebuking Mammon's greed and restoring order to The Hells."As the psion continues his oration, he catches sight of Arunny, fairly glowing with the power of her goddess, even here under the moonlight, and he feels his bravado surge, for with these servants of Omthala at his side, what might he not accomplish?!?"Think how your master would 'reward' his servant were you to bring similar ruin upon his schemes in valuing protecting your own skin above any other concerns! Better to fall here in this backwater settlement than face such reprisal. Or do you not believe yourself potent enough to take us? Ah, that would explain your flight from the burning meeting hall. A mystery solved, Bita-Bousseh, at last! Cowardice is our answer!" Chanvati imbues his goading lure with psionic potency, the better to weaken the resolve of his opponent.The merchant prince turns to face his consort and casually throws his hands out at his side in a gesture of resignation at having missed so obvious a clue.[HR][/HR]Chanvati makes a Secondary Skill History check (I'm actually going to make this against the Moderate DC rather than Easy since the nature of the information is so esoteric and I don't think warrants an autosuccess for the bonus), r(7) +13 = 20 vs 16 Moderate DC; success for +2 bonus forward. He also receives a +1 bonus from Arunny's Group Diplomacy and expends Adept's Insight for a further 1d4+1 bonus to his Primary Skill Diplomacy check, r(10) +13 +2 +1 +r(2)+1 = 29 vs 16 Moderate DC. Success.To clarify my intent, should this not be clear, Chanvati is using Diplomacy here to influence Bita-Bahlin's sense of pride, independence, and fear of reprisal to goad him into overconfidence.</blockquote>

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