Batpony 8-05 table 2 (Inactive)

Game Master Batpony

Haldoc will stand guard in the casino' gaming room, hoping that he might be able to notice anything unusual during the night that might lead the party to achieve their goal.

Viorec suggests that he can act as a "greeter," which will give him the chance to conduct detect magic scans of the guests.

"If we are to prevent this person from entering, I can accompany Viorec as a greeter at the entrace," Bailey posits. "If we notice them, I'll lay 'em out flat. Failing to figure out who it is, we can begin to roam once all the guests have arrived."

I'll put in a summary of activities here, let me know otherwise if I've misinterpreted or if you want to do a bit more. Guest will be coming through-out the night, so you can imagine you'll likely be posted there for a long time.

Summary of activity

Foyer
Viorec - Detect Magic, general observation
Bailey - general observation
Gaming Room
Haldoc - general observation (look-out for unusual activity)

Rolvark thinks for a moment before speaking up "I'll patrol both the lounge and the member's lounge. In a worst case scenario that our target has made it in at least we can try to stop anything that happens"

"I'll walk with you Rovalk." offers Vagantem.

"Eyes open, and remember to salute the general if she turns up!"

I'll place our witch with Haldoc then since we're going in pairs. Summary of activity:

Foyer
Viorec, Bailey - Detect Magic, general observation
Gaming Room
Haldoc, Savron - general observation (look-out for unusual activity)
Main Stage, Lounge
Rolvark, Vagantem - general observation (look-out for unusual activity)

Slowly as the place opens, more and more folk come in. An hour after the casino opens, a woman matching the description Captain Othis provided enters the casino and passes through the foyer. She wears casual clothing. Besides that, so far they do not observe anything unusual, detect magic also only comes up with small trinkets, mainly decorative in purpose.

Would Viorec and Bailey like to do anything?

"The game room sounds better then what we have been doing. I will go with Haldoc. Best we stick together in pairs."

Before I respond: just to be clear, does she look like the written description or does she match the picture of the general? ...are there significant differences in the two?

Bailey moves with the woman, keeping a small knot between them but following her into whatever room she goes into. Hopefully, my appearance will keep me safely lumped into the 'extraplanar gambler' category. As long as no one decides I'm with the City of Brass...

She matches the picture and description of the general. There's no significant difference in the two.

Viorec snaps to attention. "General, ma'am. Welcome to the Glitterfang Halls." As soon as her back is turned, he nods frantically at Bailey, indicating that the ifrit should follow the "general."

The general nods back in some sort of appreciation and continues to go about her merry way. She immediately heads into the gaming room and is followed closely by Bailey.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Viorec watches the general closely, but doesn't see anything amiss. Well, at least Bailey is with her if she does turn out to be our fugitive con artist...

Everyone else can attempt the perception DC18 check now. Except Bailey, since he's tied up with the general.

perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2

Vagantem looks around the bustle of the room.

How on earth are we supposed to do anything in this place? Unless anyone draws a weapon we are virtually useless

Still, she keeps looking, doing her best.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Haldoc will inform his colleagues on what he has discovered (whoever is presently nearby) and then try to keep track of the individuals.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Rolvark notices something after the general is accompanied by Bailey and pulls Vagantem aside

"Look there...do you see those four? That group that are disguised as an Oread, Ifrit, Undine and Sylph. Interesting, and very suspicious. Not illegal though. I'm going to keep a close eye on them. You wanna stay here in case anyone else happens along? Or do you think these are our targets?"

The four are not travelling together. It's individuals that came in at a different time. Need to know if you're going to do anything about them or just observe them.

At this point I'm assuming you guys are sharing information, so everyone knows of the suspicious individuals, but since on one has said anything, you're also not taking action on them yet. Feel free to read the previous spoiler.

The night continues in as you keep an eye out for more suspicious activity. Viorec stands firm guarding the entrance. Bailey sticks to glue on the general, who seems to be having a good time. So far Bailey is unable to see the general do anything suspicious.

Following check is for those in the gaming room (Savron & Haldoc), with exception of Bailey since I assume he is not making general observations but sticking close to the general.

I'm also aware that Savron has been MIA quite a while, so to have it fair, I'll allow one of you to swap places to make the above checks.

After Savron swings by to relay the information about the four mysterious figures, Viorec frowns. "Interesting. And concerning. Good evening, ma'am," he adds to an approaching guest, flashing a quick smile. Once she's gone, he turns back to Savron. "Tell the others we should keep an eye on these four. Any of them could also be our con artist...or someone, something else entirely. I admit I'm surprised to see ifrits here...though I suppose Bailey has had a warm enough welcome."

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Haldoc relays to those close by what he has acutely seen. The in-disguise Oread seems to have a particularly unusual run of good luck, particularly on highstakes bet, and has amounted a small fortune. Likely this is due to the fact that she is actively replacing some of the tiles with some hidden under her dress.

Haldoc then sighs. I suppose we should address the situation, however I'm not the social type. Perhaps one of you could break the ice with the woman?

Are we supposed to simply make her leave or report her to the establishment? That may change Bailey's course of action.

"Sounds like a job for me," Bailey whispers as he hears this information. He does his best to sidle up to the oread and to strike up a conversation, veiling it subtly over the surface to all but the intended recipient. The ifrit begins in a self-assured drawl. "Good evening, madam. You may know me as Bailey. I see you have amassed quite the sum so far. My heart is quick to follow women of wealth and luck. Perhaps when the night is a bit older we can retire to my abode, and see what lies underneath that fancy dress, if I may be so forward." Internally, Bailey is cringing at himself and his newly adopted persona and resolves to never use such pick-up lines outside of work.

Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Bailey is trying to pass a secret message using Bluff to the oread that he knows her secret. If we are trying to make her leave, he will follow up with a message from a distance formally asking her to do so. If we want to report her, I'll see how she reacts before I try anything.

Management has left the responsibility to you to take care of Inysha.

The Oread looks around, but since there is no real confrontation, continues to do her thing.

In that case...

Bailey slinks back to the others and sends the woman a message. "We know you are cheating. Leave now, and quietly, and this need not escalate. Otherwise, you will be forcibly removed."

Edit: Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Diplomacy roll please :)

Have we got any instructions about general cheating, or only about protecting from Inysha?

Once aware of the cheater, Vagantem joins other members of the team in the room, keeping a careful watch. For a moment she considers her orders...

Your instructions are specific to Inysha, but from what you've learnt you believe this to be trademark Inysha.

Upon hearing Bailey's threat, the Oread decides it'd be best for her to make a leave. And makes an attempt to do so, of course with the money she'd earn.

"Uhhhhhh..." Viorec glances frantically at Bailey as the oread approaches the exit. "Ma'am, if you will, please step aside for a few moments with me. I just have a few questions to ask you."

Diplomacy??: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18

The Oread sighs and steps aside. "Yes?"

Seeing the situation in good hands, Haldoc will return to scanning the floor for other unusual behavior.

Vagantem slips up beside Viorec, adding more presence to the situation.

"Returning illicit winnings would be a sign of generosity."

diplomacy(aid): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6

Bailey follows suit and chimes in. "I don't think you'd want to add this prestigious establishment to the list of casinos you're banned from."

Can't fail to aid that Diplomacy check.

Viorec nods at Vagantem and Bailey. "As my colleagues here say, it would be good of you to return the money that you won through...subterfuge." He smiles tightly. "I'm sure you see that it's better that than discussing who you really are under that mask."

Diplomacy (aided by Vagantem and Bailey): 1d20 - 1 + 4 ⇒ (5) - 1 + 4 = 8

Your job is to make sure she never comes back lol.

The in disguised Oread raises her voice, "I've already agree to leave, what more do you people want from me? Let me just go about my business, I won this fair and square!"

Nearby patrons have started to notice the heated conversation, and within the minute pieces of paper start circling round the room, where Viorec, Vagantem, Bailey, and the Oread stand.

Vagantem suggests "You won, but not fair or square. There are additional tiles hidden on you that you were playing....Inysha"

I'm going to move us on, you've met the objectives at this point that restoring to violence would be unnecessary.

The Oread's face turns for the different as you mention her name. She panics and stutters for a moment, "No..that's not true... I.'ve..I" Not a moment later, she lifts her dress and tussle all her winnings in the air, creating a giant crowd stampeding through, hindering you to get to her.

She makes a mad dash to the elevator, and with the heel of her shoes trigger some sort of jamming mechanism in the elevator. This allows her safe getaway, and forces a temporal stop of the elevators behind her.

As the night dwindles, you are able to report back to the boss, who on the most of it seems pleased that you manage to get rid of the perpetrator. He rewards a sack of gems for your troubles. Your duty her seems to be done and he allows you return to the ungrounded barracks.

"Well... that went better than expected!" sighs Vagantem.

"What do we do with the gems? They our pay? Or I guess we should turn them over to the captain. But maybe with some witnesses... just in case she palms them and then says we never handed them over."

I had assumed that the gems were for us. If the payment were intended for the captain then I would think arrangements would have been made directly.

"Granted, we are working under the Captain's orders, perhaps they are for her," Bailey yawns. "Let's just hold onto them until the Captain asks, at which point we may need to relinquish them. Hopefully not, though. Still, that went well, I'd say."

Unanimously, the group agrees that the reward is your pay. After all, the work here is a great publicity stunt for the Ungrounded. The rest of the night is nothing out of the ordinary, and you return back to the barracks at around midnight.

We can go straight to next day where you are tasked with your next job, unless you guys have other matters you'd like to discuss/ do?

"I don't like how the captain set us up to try and arrest the general..." says Vag. "That is getting beyond reasonable."

Viorec frowns darkly. "I can't help but agree. I've been among the most reluctant to make trouble with the Captain, but at that point she's not being hard on the new recruits--she's sabotaging a job, which must be a pretty big deal in a merc company like this. The only question is how we confront her."

"Or do we just complain to her CO, presumably the General. Of course it is then her word as a respected member of the company, against ours, a load of raw recruits that she is supposed to be mean to. However it may at least alert them to her causing problems with others in the future."

Still intent on searching the Captain's quarters, especially in light of situation at the casino, Rolvark discreetly asks around the barracks if anyone has the necessary skills to persuading locks to open...

GM, can I ask around the barracks for help from NPCs? Maybe that bunch of recruits we defeated earlier?

As you ask around, none of the other recruits are keen on breaking in to the captains office. Maybe you want to ask those bunch of recruits something else?

"Is the captain this rough on everyone?" asks Vagantem.

"She seems determined to see us fail. Does anyone know why?"

Viorec, canvassing the recruits with Vagantem, adds, "And do you know anything about any bad blood between the captain and the general? There was an...unusual incident during our last job concerning the two."

The Oreads answer some of your questions, but seem to deflect on parts of them. A hint of fear in their eyes, likely indicating why they haven't answered your question.

"After our failure at training, we have been sent to do solitary cleaning for a week. We came here full of hope, but we don't know anymore. The general? We've never met or heard anything about that."

Diplomacy or Intimidate to press further on your unanswered question.

Diplomacy, Inner Beauty: 1d20 + 9 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 9 + 4 = 29

"Don't worry, friends," Bailey grins. "It's not like we're going to tell her about this. We just want to know what's going on, the better to succeed here. Our organization seeks a potential alliance in the Ungrounded."