Giantslayer: Anvil of Fire (revised) (Inactive)

Game Master Artofregicide

When Ingrahild dies (as confirmed by her Deathwatch Eyes), Argea uses an immediate action to activate her revelation Sudden charge, flying back out of her current fray and outside of the silence. She casts Breath of Life, then flies over to Ingrahild to deliver the spell to her body.

Breath of Life HP restored: 5d8 + 12 ⇒ (4, 5, 2, 2, 5) + 12 = 30

Looking back and forth confusedly, Fulk stands momentarily frozen, a dumb look on his face. Then, hesitantly, he aims for he impostor who attacked him. She must not be his friend. After all, he doesn't look like himself either right now. He looses a volley of arrows.

Attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (4, 5) + 4 = 13

Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (2, 5) + 4 = 11

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4) + 4 = 11

I deleted the post above, as I tried editing it and it bugged out. Then got pulled away...and when I came back it was all no longer copied. I’ll get it back up soon, with the above all rolled in. A lot to chew on here

Will Vs charm: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23 Negated by protection from evil? Does this mean not effected?

Fort vs pain?: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36

Will vs Slow: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29

Fort vs Bleed: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

Fort vs Sickened: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33

Negated by protection from evil? Does this mean not effected?

If you have protection from evil already active, you are immune because the spell mimics charm person. Otherwise, you are now charmed as per charm person. Also, the bleed and sickened are part of the same symbol, there's just two of those symbols (one on each hand).

Fulk and I are both in a silenced area, so I'm assuming neither of us can hear Faux Vashta. So I'm also not going to try to Diplomacize him. I think Fulk tried to attack me, but missed?

Vashta grunts as the arrows hit her, again threatening to kill her, though finally her mind is her own again!

Realizing everything seems to be not as it seems, she concentrates again and casts -- reappearing on the balcony by her doppelganger!

She turns her stare on it and prepares to bring her sword to bear.

Swift action: Set hypnotic stare on Fauxshta; -3 to Will saves, attack rolls, Reflex saves, plus -5 ft. to all speeds

+3 giant-bane rapier parry: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38
+3 giant-bane rapier riposte: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (9) + 19 = 28
Damage (inc. 3 precision damage): 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Painful stare: 3d6 + 5 ⇒ (2, 1, 6) + 5 = 14

Ulmo came to a halt as the knife went down. He didn’t feel guilt, for his sister was a warrior. To surrender to the enemy would have been the gravest insult he could have made to her and to all of their kin who had died. But the hatred in his heart flared to life. He resolved to make the mage pay. To make him regret his actions, whatever the cost. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he saw *all*.

The anger fled, as he staggered backwards in confusion. Pointing at what appeared to be Fulk ”That isn’t Fulk! It’s...a monster! Forge’s embers, what is that thing?!” The symbols and the sheer flood of illusions completely threw him off balance.

Fulk and I are both in a silenced area, so I'm assuming neither of us can hear Faux Vashta. So I'm also not going to try to Diplomacize him. I think Fulk tried to attack me, but missed?

Vashta grunts as the arrows hit her, again threatening to kill her, though finally her mind is her own again!

Realizing everything seems to be not as it seems, she concentrates again and casts -- reappearing on the balcony by her doppelganger!

She turns her stare on it and prepares to bring her sword to bear.

The real Fulk is not in the silence, but as far as you know the "real Fulk" is the "Mage" and the "Mage" is the "real Fulk". Also, how can you teleport/dimension door and full attack in the same round? Swift quickened dimension door + dimensional dervish? As a psychic caster, I assume that silence doesn't interfere with your casting. Once on the balcony, you can make your plea to Fulk but he's still in the silence as far as you can tell (because of the swapped identities).

Ulmo came to a halt as the knife went down. He didn’t feel guilt, for his sister was a warrior. To surrender to the enemy would have been the gravest insult he could have made to her and to all of their kin who had died. But the hatred in his heart flared to life. He resolved to make the mage pay. To make him regret his actions, whatever the cost. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he saw *all*.

The anger fled, as he staggered backwards in confusion. Pointing at what appeared to be Fulk ”That isn’t Fulk! It’s...a monster! Forge’s embers, what is that thing?!” The symbols and the sheer flood of illusions completely threw him off balance.

With a 23, Umlo fails the save vs. charm. Unless he's under an effect that makes him immune, and I've gone back through the thread and haven't found it.

Thought you said prot from evil? But I’m confused. Whatever it is, please tell me the status and what it entails for my actions

Thought you said prot from evil? But I’m confused. Whatever it is, please tell me the status and what it entails for my actions

Do you have protection from evil currently cast on Umlo?

If yes, Umlo is immune.

If no, Umlo is charmed.

No attack at all (because as you noted, I teleported) -- that's a parry and riposte if it attacks me.

As far as the silence, I don't think *I'd* have heard it and know I need to say anything, because it happened when I was in the silence. If I'm wrong, though, I can certainly try to sway him.

No attack at all (because as you noted, I teleported) -- that's a parry and riposte if it attacks me.

As far as the silence, I don't think *I'd* have heard it and know I need to say anything, because it happened when I was in the silence. If I'm wrong, though, I can certainly try to sway him.

Gotcha! And yeah, nevermind, you're correct that you wouldn't have heard the conversation. Carry on, carry on.

When you brought it up I thought you were saying someone cast it on me. Guess I’m charmed. It’s the unluckiest result. All debuffs that would stop him from murdering the party were passed and now he works for the enemy. Let’s see how it goes!

Unless the spell was charm person? Because if so “ This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw.“ Because if that is the case Ulmo passed

When you brought it up I thought you were saying someone cast it on me. Guess I’m charmed. It’s the unluckiest result. All debuffs that would stop him from murdering the party were passed and now he works for the enemy. Let’s see how it goes!

Unless the spell was charm person? Because if so “ This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw.“ Because if that is the case Ulmo passed

Sadly, only the effect is that of charm person, and does not include the clause about being threatened, so Umlo is indeed charmed.

However, the charm only applies to the "Mage" and not his allies. You still regard your allies the same as before. Additionally, it isn't mind control. You just treat the caster as your trusted friend and ally, though he can make opposed charisma checks to try and convince you to do stuff you wouldn't normally (and has a very high chance of succeeding). I need to start doing that with Fulk also, actually.

The Sczarni Spies: Round 9

All: With no actions from Dizzy, I'm going to NPC her for this round, based on the instructions given to her by the "Mage".

Dizzy: With no one attack the "Mage" meaning Fulk anymore, Dizzy just readies to defend him. I think that's the fairest resolution of her turn.

Umlo: We'll say that Umlo was able to make his sudden outburst before the charm effect took over, especially with the roll being so close.

Additionally, it appears you took two standard actions in the same turn (casting cure critical wounds and true seeing), so unless I'm missing something (and I may be) you should only have a move and swift action left for this turn. I'm going to apply the CCW to Ingrahild once she got breath of life'd so it isn't wasted, and technically you could have done it anyway unless you dropped the charge.

Vashta: As far as I can tell, you only get one parry. If you have combat reflexes or another way of getting AoO's (and therefore parrys) let me know as well as rolling them to see if you can stop the other two attacks.

The battle is not over- not by far. And now Umlo too has succumbed. One by one, the party falls to the will of the "Mage". How long until the others are overwhelmed?

Following her orders, Dizzy spins her wicked blade and prepares for more threats towards her companion, but otherwise takes no action.

Umlo's eyes are opened to the true nature of your insidious foe, but a powerful ward carved into its very flesh compels him to treat the monster as his trusted friend... all feelings of hatred for the creature pushed back into the recesses of his mind.

Argea breathes life back into Ingrahild, who wakes and gasps to life. Confused, anguished, and terrified, the dwarven woman doesn't even attempt to stand - just does her best to defend herself while scooting slowly closer to her brother... still, she clears her throat (spitting up still fresh blood) and begins her chant, this time with some gurgling Everyone gets toughness and mobility again

Realizing that she must prove herself to be the true Vashta, Vashta vanishes into thin air and reappears on the balcony beside her pretender - ready to defend herself and give back twice as much.

Making a decision, Fulk fires a volley of powerful arrows at what he believes to be a monster impersonating his friend. Yet a better combatant in melee than archery, none of his shots connect.

The hardened Sczarni takes a swift step backward, dropping her dagger and handcrossbow to the ground. She instead unwraps her scarf from her neck and wields it as though it were a weapon. She then channels her mind against Argea and just barely manages to unravel her angelic form, stripping her of her celestial wings and divine protections. Worse yet, Argea stands above the treacherous lip of the well, and with poor luck may fall in...Argea must make a DC10 acrobatics check or fall into the well. I've already rolled to 50% to see which side she fell in.

She then levies her gaze on the closest victim, hoping to allow her master to overpower their mind...

All: Depending on whether Argea falls or not, Juliac will either focus her gaze on Argea (if she does not fall) or Ingrahild (if she does fall). Whoever is affected by the gaze takes a -3 to Will Saves, attack rolls, intimidate DC and opposed sense motive checks.

Still sitting nearly motionless above the well, the projection of the "Mage" begins to glow, eyes and tattoos again aflame. This time, it focuses its power on Argea, who has been stripped of her wings and celestial protections.

The sudden appearance of a heavily battered and bleeding Vashta seems to do nothing for the archer who has taken her form. The creature simply reposition out of her reach, drops its bow, and lashes out with long, tendril-like arms. The first Argea manages to knock aside with her blade, but is unable to return the favor due to the distance. The second blow slams into her waist, smashing the arrow shaft deeper into her gut 28 points of damage, I believe with the Toughness bonus HP that puts Vashta to exactly 0, but I could be wrong. before making a securing a crushing grip around her abdomen Vashta is grappled. Though the creature takes her appearance, Vashta sees through the ruse. She can feel its suckers latch onto her flesh, they do not drain her blood, not yet.

Cliffhanger

Initiative:
Dizzy: 29
Umlo: 27
Juliac: 20
Mage: 20
Fixers: 20
Argea: 20
Vashta: 18
Ingrahild: 16
Fulk: 4

Ya, I'll ready an action to disarm anyone who attacks "Fulk."

GM, you're correct on the parries. Just 1/round. I have myself at 31 hp if the Toughness continued past Ingra's brief demise. Which would leave me with 3 hp post attack. I believe the grapple also draws me in close, so will continue to attack ("If you successfully grapple a creature that is not adjacent to you, move that creature to an adjacent open space (if no space is available, your grapple fails").

Vashta launches a furious attack at the creature, though her badly bruised, beaten and bloody form makes it hard to seem at all intimidating. It's a fight for her life, though, she knows.

+3 giant-bane rapier: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (13) + 19 = 32
Damage (inc. 3 precision damage) plus sonic: 1d6 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 3 + (3) = 8
Painful stare: 3d6 + 5 ⇒ (4, 6, 5) + 5 = 20
Intimidate (swift action): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20

+3 giant-bane rapier: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
Damage (inc. 3 precision damage): 1d6 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 3 + (2) = 10
Painful stare: 3d6 + 5 ⇒ (5, 2, 3) + 5 = 15
Crit?: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34
Damage (inc. 3 precision damage): 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Assuming the 29 hit, that puts my back to 4 panache

She gets ready to defend herself, knowing one more hit may be the end.
Parry?: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20
And back down to 3 panache if the parry attempt goes off.

If the first blow kills this thing, I'll duck behind the barrels for some cover.

”Stop!” Ulmo called out. He pointed at his ‘best friend.’ ”Drop yer illusions! These are good people and they won’t be afraid when they see yer real form. We’re best friends, aye? Ye...yer...name?” He said, unsure of why he couldn’t remember his best friend’s name. ”...and...Fulk? Drop the illusions ye have on him.” He said, pointing at Fulk next. ”We don’t need to fight.” He said, looking directly at the mage.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (1) + 21 = 22

Ulmo said all of this while standing defensively over his sister. If anyone dared attack her, he was ready to kill them.

GM, you're correct on the parries. Just 1/round. I have myself at 31 hp if the Toughness continued past Ingra's brief demise. Which would leave me with 3 hp post attack. I believe the grapple also draws me in close, so will continue to attack ("If you successfully grapple a creature that is not adjacent to you, move that creature to an adjacent open space (if no space is available, your grapple fails").

The good news: Ingrahild restarted her performance after coming back, so you have toughness back. I also miscalculated the damage (it's overall less).

The bad news is that you actually take 26 damage between two attacks, plus the creature uses its blood drain on you for one point of CON damage for another 13 unless you've already taken a point if CON damage.

The conditional good news is if you're still standing, you super kill the thing.

At Umlo's impassioned plea, Dizzy says...nothing. Truly, the world must be coming to an end.

If I took 26 damage, I should be at 5 (instead of 3) with Toughness after that attack. The Con damage shouldn't do anything at this point: "For every 2 points of damage you take to a single ability, apply a –1 penalty to skills and statistics listed with the relevant ability." So it doesn't actually matter that the damage would take me from 20 to 19; I'll only lose the HP when I take 2 Con damage.

If I took 26 damage, I should be at 5 (instead of 3) with Toughness after that attack. The Con damage shouldn't do anything at this point: "For every 2 points of damage you take to a single ability, apply a –1 penalty to skills and statistics listed with the relevant ability." So it doesn't actually matter that the damage would take me from 20 to 19; I'll only lose the HP when I take 2 Con damage.

That's actually not how I rule ability damage. I think it's an overly literal interpretation based on a simplification of the math involved. Regardless of whether it's a houserule or RAW, I have the penalty kick in once you drop past an even number threshold. So if your ability is odd, you don't take any penalty. If it's even, you do. I think we've been over this, but this is my final answer. This will apply the same to your enemies as your characters.

OK, then I'd be unconscious at -8 hp

Stabilization?: 1d20 + 2 - 8 ⇒ (19) + 2 - 8 = 13

Are we all up?

Are we all up?

Yes. Everyone is up after each of my posts.

Fulk shakes his head, still confused, as one of the Vashtas on the balcony drops. I'm so confused. I don't know who anyone is. Why can't I hear? Fulk walks away from everyone, hoping that might restore his apparently damaged mind.

Honestly, I don't know what else I'd do. My 'friend' told me to attack Vashta, but she's since dropped. This whole combat has got me all sorts of confused.

Honestly, I don't know what else I'd do. My 'friend' told me to attack Vashta, but she's since dropped. This whole combat has got me all sorts of confused.

Sorry of it's confusing, you are up against an enemy with powerful enchantment and illusion magic. But a quick summary:

Can I use Surprising Charge as an immediate to get myself to more stable footing?

Surprising Charge (Ex): Once per day, you can move up to your speed as an immediate action. You can use this ability one additional time per day at 7th level and 15th level.

Can I use Surprising Charge as an immediate to get myself to more stable footing?

Surprising Charge wrote:

Surprising Charge (Ex): Once per day, you can move up to your speed as an immediate action. You can use this ability one additional time per day at 7th level and 15th level.

Normally yes, but the problem you run into is that you're in the air with no fly speed (as the spell is dispelled). Unless you used an immediate action to move before the casting?

Argea Godhand wrote:

Can I use Surprising Charge as an immediate to get myself to more stable footing?

Surprising Charge wrote:

Surprising Charge (Ex): Once per day, you can move up to your speed as an immediate action. You can use this ability one additional time per day at 7th level and 15th level.

Normally yes, but the problem you run into is that you're in the air with no fly speed (as the spell is dispelled). Unless you used an immediate action to move before the casting?

I will need an action from Argea or I'll have to NPC her, and I don't want to on such an important roll. If you beat the DC10 acrobatics check not to fall in, you can take your immediate action to sudden charge. Otherwise, she'll need to make a DC15 reflex save or fall in. If she fails that save, Ingrahild will cast Saving Finale to give her a second save. If Argea fails both, she falls 180 feet and takes 68 falling damage unless someone can intervene (including Argea).

I don't have any wat of identifying the spell beforehand so here goes...

Acrobatics: 1d20 - 5 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 5 - 1 = 4
Reflex: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 8 - 1 = 14
Reflex Save, saving finale: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 - 1 = 17
Will save: 1d20 + 11 - 1 - 3 ⇒ (12) + 11 - 1 - 3 = 19

I don't have any wat of identifying the spell beforehand so here goes...

** spoiler omitted **

Unfortunately, you do not. Worse yet, Argea is dominated.

Argea Godhand wrote:

I don't have any wat of identifying the spell beforehand so here goes...

** spoiler omitted **

Unfortunately, you do not. Worse yet, Argea is dominated.

Yep, understood. Orders, Cap?

Trunau: Day Two

All: For the moment, it appears combat is over. This isn't a traditional loss for the party, but as far as I am aware all of the conscious PCs are currently under the effect of either charm or dominate. We have a couple of options moving forward, more on the discussion thread (as to not derail the IC thread.

Argea: The first command that Argea is given is to stabilize Vashta (via the stabilize spell, or her lowest level cure wounds spell and in that order). I'd assume this does not provoke a second save.

Vashta: Unless there is a significant intervention, Vashta is stabilized in 3 rounds, which does not give her time to bleed out. You should still roll 2 attempts to stabilize just to see if you lose HP.

The battle is over. Their skills honed against the raging strength of giants, the Heroes of Trunau could not stand against the insidious power of mental command.

Ingrahild looks around, disoriented but quickly realizing that her friends are under the influence of your enemy. Out of options and needing to make a quick decision, the woman quickly casts a spell without giving up her guard. She reaches out and touches both Argea and Umlo before disappearing.

Argea cannot be willing to be Dimension Door'd, and I'll leave it up to Umlo whether he goes with Ingrahild or not.

Though wearing an illusion of Fulk's skin, the "Mage", the creature brings to press its dominance over the remaining creatures. After giving a command to Argea to staunch Vashta's wounds, then quickly gathers the survivors. This completed, it commands Dizzy to dimension door Argea and Vashta to the bottom of the well. It will then also dimension door Fulk and Umlo (if he's still there) down to the bottom of the well as well.

"Come friends, I have something to show you..."

This is assuming that we go ahead with the playing things as is (options 1 or 2).

Initiative: Combat over
Dizzy: 29 (dominated)
Umlo: 27 (charmed)
Juliac: 20
Mage: 20
Fixers: 20
Argea: 20 (dominated)
Vashta: 18 (unconscious)
Ingrahild: 16 (escaped)
Fulk: 4 (charmed)

Dizzy complies without comment.

Merely believing the mage to be a his best friend was not enough to stop Ulmo from implicitly trusting his sister. If she felt the need to cast a spell on him, he accepted it without question. For she didn’t act without reason, and as such questions would come when appropriate.

1d20 + 2 - 9 ⇒ (20) + 2 - 9 = 13

Vashta manages to stabilize herself, though remains blessedly unconscious.

Trunau: Day Two

Five hours after the Heroes of Trunau entered the old Cistern building, they return victorious. Juliac has fled town, and the rest of the Sczarni follow suit soon after. None but Ingrahild retain any knowledge of their desperate fight, nor the mysterious mage. When she emphatically demands that you return to the building for the sake of evidence, you find no proof of anything more than a small scale criminal operation now cleared out. Eventually, an exasperated Ingrahild gives up trying to convince you otherwise.

Only Umlo feels a tinge lingering of hatred and rage that he cannot explain...

You do discover a tunnel at the bottom of the now dry well that leads into Uskeroth's Tomb, which the Sczarni were using for their operations. You amend this vulnerability to the town's defenses.

You also have the opportunity to heal your wounds and any other damages from the fight with the Sczarni. You also give your report to the council that the threat has been neutralized, a sullen Ingrahild silent in the corner.

It is now mid-afternoon, and you are promised to meet the dragon Naximarra at the barterstones once the sun sets. According to her, the dragon hunters should arrive in Trunau the next day. You'll need to plan to ambush them, and deprive the Storm Tyrant of powerful agents and perhaps even learn more of this new weapon he has deployed.

What do you do?

Pad300 will set in once they have their character figured out.

With a pop, a small figure appears beside the Hopespring, and promptly exclaims "What the F***! I'm only 2 days late, why the hell is there iron slag all over the Hopespring?!? Someone's going to pay for that...". Looking around with narrowed eyes, he sets off for council room, his best hope of getting a coherent accounting of what's been happening.

He arrives in time to hear the report to the council about the sczarni. Seeing Ingrahild unoccupied in the corner, he slides in beside her and whispers, "What the devil have you idjits been up to while I've been away? The Hopespring's got a pile of iron slag in it, for Cayden's sake..."

ArtofRegicide, can you give me something along the lines of "Ingrahild tells Trevlin about ..., while the others discuss the plan", and because I've been following, we are pretty much set to go.

”Trevil?! Is that ye?” Ulmo walked over, a smile on his face. It was becoming a rare sight to see him with a smile that didn’t involve bloodshed as of late. The loss of his homeland had left him somewhat unhinged. ”Good timing lad. Good timing! Fulk is heading off, ye know? Mission requires a degree of stealth, ye know? So he’s putting his strength to use elsewhere. Speaking of which, we have an ambush to plan. Bloody-fooking-genocidal-Dranngvit-Damned-GIANTS! They done wrecked the town. As ye can see. But we’re going to ambush their heavy hitters. Working with the dragon Naximarra. Yer a right stealthy one, so this should be up yer alley, aye?”

Lesser Restoration for Con: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Cast again to get to full con
Cure Critical: 4d8 + 12 ⇒ (2, 5, 6, 5) + 12 = 30
Cure Critical: 4d8 + 12 ⇒ (6, 4, 3, 3) + 12 = 28
Cure Serious: 3d8 + 12 ⇒ (2, 3, 3) + 12 = 20
Cure Moderate: 2d8 + 12 ⇒ (8, 8) + 12 = 28
Argea can heal people up- what's needed? I only have two more 6th level slots for Heal or mass cure mod, but I've got quite a few lower level slots left.
L6: 2/4, L5: 5/7, L4: 4/7, L3: 6/7, L2: 4/7, L1: 7/8

Ingrahild looks at Trevil uncomfortably, and then as best she can relays the events of the past day and a half, as well as the plans for the future. She only barely fights off her stammer, though whether that is due to being shaken by recent events or innate shyness is hard to say. Still, she's clearly happy to see the tiefling back with the group. Only if pushed does Ingrahild describe the effects at the Old Cistern, which none of her fellow party members seem to remember the same way she does...

Chief Defender Halgra of the Blackened Blades corrects Umlo:

"I'm keeping Fulk with me. Should the be another attack on Trunau, and I expect it to be only a matter of time until there is, we need a great warrior. He has volunteered for this duty, as he'll have more luck running down giants on the field of battle than sneaking through tunnels and giant fortresses."

She rests her hand on that powerful half-orc, who will certainly prove instrumental in protecting your home. You can sleep a little more lightly knowing that Fulk and his hulking mount are well suited for this task.

I was at -7 of 102. Might be worth seeing if we can get a couple scrolls of heal?

"Trevil, darling," Vashta explains, giving the halfling a hug and kiss on each cheek. "You've missed all the fun so far. We lost Argos, dear, but have gained Argea in his stead. Since then it's been absolutely quiet, but we do have a dragon to meet with, and need to prepare for that."

Ulmo gets a fist bump, "Hey brother in giant blood, let's knock our thick skulls together and see what we can come up with"

Vashta gets a smack on the butt, from Trevil's prehensile tail, in the middle of her hug (Halfling... HALFLING! I have a prehensile tail for Chrissake) and "Hey tease, this trickery should be right up your alley as well"

Argea gets a long look up and down, and "That's a new look for you..."

Dizzy gets a nod and a fist bump as well, "Good to see you again"

Ingrahild
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 2 = 11 +2 Wis +2 alertness>familiar>elemental whispers
This is to figure out that Ingrahild's not telling me everything... Let me know what I figure AoR

Vashta puts her hand to her head, wondering if something's happened that she thinks her friend is a halfling for some reason. But no, her mental defenses are strong. She can't imagine anything would make her be so confused.

Ingrahild is bad at hiding her feelings, you can tell that she's omitting something not out of deceit but feeling unheard and let down.

"Trevil! Yes, it's a change. I'm still trying to sort out what's me and what's Argos. I trust your business went better than ours?"

Argea gets a long look, "Given I didn't die, I'm gonna say I'm confident that my business went better than yours...'