So, the party strengthens the entire vast complex and The Guardian works to keep it clear as well as he can (he still refers to himself as that). With matrix weak, the possibility of further intruders is always present. The Guardian conjures several smaller helper-spirits to help with the task of keeping things clear and the situation seems as safe as it could be.
As this is happening, Jocinth talks strategy in the hive mind... "::I believe that in returning to The Pillars Of Time and attempting to retrieve the planar material from the Lizard Gambling House, we should keep our options up. We don't know what price this gambling house will charge for the material, if they know much about it even. But we shouldn't give away that it's what we want. The main thing really, is to gather information while distracting others from our motives. We might end up winning the material, stealing it, bluffing or intimidating the house into giving it to us ... but we don't yet know what we can do..." thinks "::Some of us could make a very flamboyant appearance, appear to be powerful even for the powerful, distracting the house, others could be very low key. Sometimes servants can learn things from other servants... but I think we should again select our roles though Azzim might repeat his previous performance... Also, find out what more information our friend can give us. What do you think?"
Rollo is seen dressed like Elton John.
Did someone say flamboyant!
"Gift. You stick by me", Omdor (Arlo) grunts. The dwarf then changes his tone. "..please?"
"Do we want to make a stir?" asked Azzim, "I could prepare to put on a show... Starting perhaps with an entourage of summoned genie servitors, I could then assume the guise of... well almost anything really. It might be entertaining to pose as one of the more powerful Inevitables or even a Protean. Or perhaps as distasteful as it might be I could pose as something from one of the lower planes, after all I doubt many denizens from the higher planes frequent this casino."
Terexaltherin bows to Xaxoniamox once the strengthening work is done. I think that's all we can do now, Xaxoniamox. We'll have to go get that material back for you now to do more.
The little dragon quashes the selfish corner of his mind that wants to ask about a reward in the form of knowledge as he turns his thoughts to the rest of his group.
You know me, I can do the quiet infiltration while the rest of you draw attention. I don't know if I'd be able to break into their vaults, but I could at least look around, listen to what's happening, and try to get a feel for what it would take to get the material.
Jocinth smiles, "And making everyone grander is certainly one of my specialties. I can shape your forms as you wish though some of you are also capable. Let us get our plan together, a rough story of who you are, what you're going to gamble for and related intrigue. An adventuring party who just came into a vast treasure or a hunting or the retinue of a powerful interdimensional Baron, from whatever outer plane one wishes really... We can perhaps start spreading our story with nefarious Tharex, who seems eager to spread stories."
The Guardian offers summon a number of spirit servitors for your purposes as well.
"Gift. You stick by me", Omdor (Arlo) grunts. The dwarf then changes his tone. "..please?"
Gift nods and walks over to her father, standing by him.
She had most of her powers on low level. So he looked like an 18 year oldwith a happy grin on her face.
"Sure Pops"
If I'm going to sneak around, it's probably best if I be something that won't draw much attention. Just a pet cat or something, not even a familiar, Terexaltherin suggests. The rest of you probably could pull off being a wealth adventuring party better than anything else, it gives you an excuse to be well-armed.
Azzim mused, "If Terex wants to snoop around, the least we can do is come up with a suitable distraction... I'm thinking of posing as something obviously powerful, but it has to be something that might realistically visit the casino without an army."
With a little sigh he suggested, "I've never seen a real one, but I've seen several paintings of Gylou Devils. Think tentacles, lots of them. A pair rising from the crown of a femine head with a lower body that's a mass of writhing tendrils. A Gylou could plausibly be on mission from their nameless infernal mistress to gamble at the casino to obtain time tokens. I could perhaps veil one of you as my bodyguard, perhaps as a Brutalis Devil. There are ways to mask our alignment auras... What do you think?"
Rollo thinks a moment.
Perhaps, two separate parties for this endeavor? I will go alone as myself. A disgruntled employee with an inch for Timeless shenanigans.
So, the party makes the final preparations to return the Lizard Gambling Hall and prepares to go through the gate to the Pillars Of Time and pass the gossip-prone Tharex.
Gift will go to a Noble and her bodyguard.
She is going to find lost souls to add to her hive mind.
Her clothing is simple and elegant she flouts more than walks. Drifting into the room.
Omdor acts as GIFT's bodyguard. The paladin will use detect evil as much as he can to help protect the team.
So, Azzim and much of the party enter reenter the Pillars of Time, breathing again the sharp but swampy air, beholding the strange pillars, the baleful lights, the broken, spongy terrain. Azzim travels in the guise of a Royal Gylou Devils, one of several such devils who maintain a luxurious presence in various material planes (Are they acting on their own or serving those deeper in hell? That can be left mystery...), while the much of the party travels as the retinue while Rollo takes up the rear...
When the group reaches the perch of the Tharex, it cries out, in it's shrill but gurgling voices, "Honored madam, you do my humble valley and myself a great honor in turn with your presence. May I beg to know your name? I am well known for my connections in The Pillars and I can already think of several ways I could enhance your business and reputation..." as it bows lows (without the leaving the safety of it's position on a large quartz cube).
As Gift walked throw the crewed, she spotted someone she had not seen for a while. And elf and elf she knew very well. Her lover from a few months ago. She was dressed in fine clothing and looked like any other gambler.
Entering the Gambling Hall (this time as himself), the dhampir takes in the strangeness off ot all, as if he were in a stupor. Gliding an inch above the flooring, the Arcanist makes his way to the bar.
Viewing the many imbibed present, Rollo notices a student at University that the Sage attended over a century ago.
Loges Brokencrown! How long has it been? Slumming it, I see.
Loges (looking like Gandalf with the Arcane ability) smiles at seeing the dhampir.
Rollo! Been a bit. Sit and tell me everything.
And, he does.....
Terexaltherin, to fit in with the group, gets as close as he can to looking like a hellhound puppy. He doesn't speak, obviously, when meeting the Tharex.
The 'Gylou Devil' slapped aside several tentacles which had snuck out of her sea green silk bodice and she answered the Tharex with a voice of pure honey, "You may call me Xi'xickixidill. Take a care however, I have skinned alive more powerful beings than you for the insult of mispronunciation! As for my needs, naturally they are subject to my infernal mistress's desires. And she desires certain, lets call it merchandise. Merchandise the Casino is sometimes known to accept as payment. I'm sure I'll manage one way or another, but of course if you have any advice that will be noted."
The 'Gylou Devil' slapped aside several tentacles which had snuck out of her sea green silk bodice and she answered the Tharex with a voice of pure honey, "You may call me Xi'xickixidill. Take a care however, I have skinned alive more powerful beings than you for the insult of mispronunciation! As for my needs, naturally they are subject to my infernal mistress's desires. And she desires certain, lets call it merchandise. Merchandise the Casino is sometimes known to accept as payment. I'm sure I'll manage one way or another, but of course if you have any advice that will be noted."
[dice=Bluff]1d20+19
The Tharex is not much larger than a man but their bulk is in different places... Hearing the words of Xi'xickixidill, it speaks with relish and exaggerated care, "Madame, Xi'xickixidill and I would join in any such skinning, even if it were my hide involved. And indeed I would eager join as your 10,000 year slave in any case, if I were not solidly attached to this perch. But still, I can serve as your Harald and moreover, I can offer you the small and miserable bits of information a pathetic being such as myself gathers..." It proceeds, following flawlessly the proper groveling protocol of infernal realms and offering it's store of gossip in exchange for any new tidbits from it's new best friend. It notably offers tales of a couple individuals possibly known to the group....
Entering the Gambling Hall (this time as himself), the dhampir takes in the strangeness off ot all, as if he were in a stupor. Gliding an inch above the flooring, the Arcanist makes his way to the bar.
Viewing the many imbibed present, Rollo notices a student at University that the Sage attended over a century ago.
Loges Brokencrown! How long has it been? Slumming it, I see.Loges (looking like Gandalf with the Arcane ability) smiles at seeing the dhampir.
Rollo! Been a bit. Sit and tell me everything.And, he does.....
Loges looks at Rollo with a half-smile. "Quite a pickle you have there. Strangely enough, I am in a position where I may be able to aid you. It's just certainly other things stand in the way." He stops and stares at the Dhampir. "And now you get to feel how I felt on that day..."
Then GIF saw someone odd when they had found the crystal soul cage, the village she held with had memories and now here, was what was thought to be a lost soul. The mage on the hill, whose tower, still stood in the simulation of the village she held the copies of the souls in.
She walked over. Walking up to the well-dressed mage she said.
"Well hello Master Kimily, you don't know me but I know you"
And so, once discussion with the Tharex finishes, the party continues to the Lizard Gambling Hall, with Gift and Rollo both walking ahead of the party ... and quickly meeting old "friends". Once the entire group arrives, the Garthig does his best to suddenly vanish into the crowd and soon The Curator makes contact, joining the hive mind... ::News, some of it good, some hard to say... I have discovered that our planar material is in the 'questionable items' sections of the treasury. Under normal circumstances, we could apply pressure to management and they might well surrender it. But things are not normal - everything is in uproar, management is very, very occupied. Something has destabilized futures betting process and a wild variety of individuals have made their way to bet at the main table, where key future events on various planes can be bet on (but to where those who lived these events have somehow been able to transport themselves)... Everyone is frantic and we need to guard that the material doesn't leave the house surreptitiously... Anyway, here are 15 time tokens, that's counted a fortune here. Perhaps if we're in a position of breaking the bank, the management will listen to us... And the Dark Trader may be here somewhere seeing if they can get at the planar material"
And you see in the main room, a surging throng of creatures and humanoids, betting, arguing with croupiers, talk strategy, leaving with winnings... The main table in the main room (not the small room you were in) is about 100'x100' on the outside and 85'x85' on the inside (where croupiers and other lizard-workers/manage stand. There's a glow board in the center of the table with events and their odds are flashing down... The main room itself is huge and luxurious, exquisite food and drink for all manner of creature, crystal chandeliers lit by magic, carved dark wood walls but no one pays it any mind... Everyone betting is desperate to find more money for the certain bets that they are now making...
"Well hello Master Kimily, you don't know me but I know you"
The mage turns to Gift, "Well, if you know me, perhaps you can help me raise some funds, I'm looking at a certain bet but I have only a fraction of a token on it as things stand...."
Madame Xi'xickixidill raised one demonic eyebrow at the Tharex and inquired, "You offer to serve as a herald is intriguing, how would you propose to do so when you are in your own words 'solidly attached to this perch'?"
Knowing that a sharp mind would be required, Azzim cast several spells in preparation. Firstly he enchanted his canteen of water which turned into a sparkling magical wine which he downed in one go. Then he cast another spell which heightened his perception. Followed by another spell to help him blend into his devlish role.
Casting a baleful gaze over the throng, Azzim in his Gylou Devil disguise felt his heart skip a beat, for at the table was Captain Ahmed. The very same Captain Ahmed who inadvertently brought Azzim to Sigil. The very same Captain Ahmed who had bee unmade by The Lady of Pain's shadow. It should be impossible for him to be here under normal circumstances but these where anything but normal. It seemed highly unlikely that Captain Ahmed would recognise him, so he got back into character and found a seat at the main table.
At first 'Madame Xi'xickixidill' watched to get a sense of how the bets where placed. Waiting for a key moment where it looked like the house might be on the loosing side, Madame Xi'xickixidill then placed down several time tokens and placed a bet of her own.
The mage turns to Gift, "Well, if you know me, perhaps you can help me raise some funds, I'm looking at a certain bet but I have only a fraction of a token on it as things stand...."
"Tell me more Master Kimily, why is this bet of such importance to you?"
"And think your response, don't verbalize, it's safer this way"
Ignoring the sudden influx of luck for a moment, Rollo locks eyes with Loges.
You thinking National Treasue style, or Young Guns?
Terexaltherin plays the part of the eager puppy once the group arrives at the casino, darting around underfoot in the crowded room. While doing his best to seem innocuous (or, well, as innocuous as a hellhound pup can be), he is actually searching for suspicious characters, well aware that the Dark Traders may have agents here. And he's also looking and listening for any hints that might help him get into the vaults if they end up needing to break in instead of win the material...
With careful play, Madame Xi'xickixidill picks up seven time tokens in the next hour of gambling... A remarkable feat - aided by a high level of distraction among the house croupiers...
"Tell me more Master Kimily, why is this bet of such importance to you?"
Stares at the young psionic ... "That bet, on the Battle Of The Cyanthogen Hammer, I was there, I know the outcome...
Meanwhile, Loges looks at Rollo, "I'll let you be the judge of that but I have three boys will be carrying out the material at 10 pm sharp. If you help me carry it the final distance, you might reap some of the reward..."
Stares at the young psionic ... "That bet, on the Battle Of The Cyanthogen Hammer, I was there, I know the outcome...
"Well now that is most interesting"
"Team, I want to test something, Got someone here who knows the outcome of a betting event, I want to bet on it and see if they outcome has been changed."
"::Interesting, definitely worth a try. By the way there's somebody here who I saw unmade... I put his presence down to the branching multiverse theory, you know the one where a new universe is created for every decision. Perhaps somehow we are traveling through the skein of space-time from one reality to another. That's quite disturbing if so, especially if it turns out somebody was able to direct the travel and rewrite history.::" replied Azzim over the hive mind.
Gift moved close in, a part of her power showing in her eyes, which glowed Blue.
"Well then if you know the bet so well. I think I can add my own stake to yours. That should do it. Any flesh or life that's bet, is yours alone. My bit of this is just wealth only"
Terexaltherin isn't having much luck spotting anything useful, but he keeps up his watch. Hearing from Rollo and Gift, the disguised dragon sniffs around the people they've marked as interesting, to see if he can pick up anything they're hiding...
National Treasure style then. Nice. The entire stash? Gonna need a bigger boat.
Rollo telepathically informs the group.
It is 70 shadows (roughly 8 pm) in Lizard Gambling House. Several spectacular bets have been made. Gift loaned four tokens to Master Kimily and they have returned eight to her while collecting considerably more themselves... while whispering "There are more battles I remember here. to any backers they can find...
Loges Brokencrown seems to be doing counter-bets while chatting with various croupiers, trying to even the odd and calm the house... Time tokens and exotic artifacts are all that's being bet currently and they flow freely...
Looking around further, Terex is getting the same feel as Azzim - people who should not be here, are here. Certain individuals seem to waver and vanish just before Terex can get a good look at them....
After observing and playing for a while, a realisation hit Azzim which he shared with the group.
"::All these bets on the flow of time are stabilised by the Pillars of Time, but even so things can go wrong. If things get too far out of wack, The Pillars may eject the casino! This is why the place is in such uproar. If the casino does get ejected the time tokens will likely go poof along with it, so maybe we should try to send some away?"::"
This was both a risk as well as an opportunity so Azzim in his Madame Xi'xickixidill guise made a series of increasingly bold bets, hoping to capitalise on the chaos.
Rollo grins.
Perhaps, prior to the Pillars erasing this particularestablishment, we can go ol' school? Terex would you be able to just steal every Time Token in this room? Put them in a PortableHole and we win. I am a bit rusty, but I may have done some goid ol' stealing back in my youth.
The Arcanist then considers something.
I could probably stabilize the place for a time (hehe) while you work.
She collected her winnings and bowed at the mage.
"Until next time"
Then she lets Hexqin lose to study the artifacts being traded, if it finds anything psionic or high tech she will try to picqure it.
"I have a 40-instant hive mind, each instance can use far hand to grab up to 5lb of matter 30' away. I can do a mass grab on whats on the tables."
As she said this she was bumped.
The bump is was a large Dragon-nute-like like being, in a fine red suit with lots of gold, that was not what spiked her attention, it was the hand reaching into a fine cut made in her time token pouch. Her mind felt that of the pilferer and locked it, stunning it into a frozen state.
She herself stood still as well. She felt the mind struggle.
"Well Well little, I take it the walking tank in a suit is your acumplis. And cleverly use a portal to slip your hand into my pouch. Let's see where you are."
Her second Psicystal zipped off and when hinting, found an attractive female elf-like being with its arms stuck into a bag, its body locked.
"There you are Miss pick Pocket. Now call off your Big chum who is coming back and come have a drink with me. I want to talk deal. More than just a few coins, Ill be waiting"
And she lets go of the mind, the hand pulled back and the portal closed. Mister Dragon seemed to get the message and come up with a little less aggression.
Gift looked up at him.
"Join in at a booth, What do you and the wife like to drink while we talk"
"I may have lucked out team, Spotted a pickpocket team, man and wife, having a drink with them now. They may know where they stash the Time Tokens here in bulk."
She paid for the booth and drinks and waited for the Small elf to join them.
Madame Xi'xickixidill picks another five tokens and feels the chaos slightly increase
Rollo grins.
Perhaps, we can go ol' school? Terex would you be able to just steal every Time Token in this room?
Loges glance at Rollo and look realization comes onto his face -"My dear, you almost get it ... but not quite. You're thinking 'steal the tokens' but you don't realize ... they too vanish when the House goes, where ever they are... that's why I'm aiming for other things... but if you could stabilize things for a bit it would help" (and no, Rollo wasn't talking to him but Loges too is an excellent judge of motives...
Gift in noble disguise Looks around the casino. It is evident that the chaos has only slightly decreased the alertness of the gamblers, dealers, croupiers and officials. All the stakes heavily guarded by magic, physical and technological means. Still, strange psi-electronic box is being wagered in one corner and could probably be easily won...
As she sat with the two pickpockets she pointed out the strange psi-electronic box and that she would pay them.
"I'm going to try and win that box but if not you are may back up, you will be well paid"
She gets up and goes to try and win it.
Yeah, I don't think trying to steal just now is a good idea... Terexaltherin responds. What bothers me is *how* this casino has reached this point? It can't be an accident. Someone's got to be behind it. Someone who wants to grab something in the chaos. I'm going to see if I can tell who's trying to increase the instability here... I figure chances are better than even they're a Dark Trader agent.
The disguised little dragon weaves his way between feet and under tables, observing both the beings in the casino and the flow of magic, trying to see if he can get a clue as to who's knowingly destabalizing the situation and who's just an opportunist.
"I'm going going to try and win it then"
Rollo winks at Loges.
The Arcanist then begins to gather arcane energy to create a stabilization field around the Gambling hall.
Rollo reaches out and the Sage taps into a Soul Shield!
"::Terex is right, The Dark Traders or their agents are almost certain to be here. Careful of those two Gift, who knows what allegiance they have...::
At the gambling table, Madame Xi'xickixidill cast her baleful gaze around the room, looking for anyone unusually suspicious.
At about 8:30,
Gift is engrossed in gambling for a strange box, which exerting a strange fascination on all those gambling for it. The thing floats in the center of a table on the room's edge and players use a combination of psionics and rolls of special dice to move it to themselves. . Master Kimily sends a plea for more capital but it is ignored in the excitement of the table...
Loges smiles at Rollo - "you always came through in pinch ... and I mean that in every way"
Scanning the room, Terex realizes the most suspicious group isn't in the chaotic main room at all but in one of smaller side rooms. A group seeming to be a wealthy human extended family seem to be gambling very conservatively while chatting morosely. And what suspicious is their complete unconcern with the main room and its implications. And no gambles here merely for fun, though some make a show at that...
And wracking their brains, Terex and Azzim can't see anything but "ordinary" mass hysteria pushing things towards instability currently but piecing together events he saw as he entered, Terex has a sudden intuition Rollo's friend Loges may have set the circumstances in motion...
10 moves towards Gift
Terexaltherin broadcasts a sensation of unease to his allies. Rollo... I think Loges gave this whole situation a push... how well do you know him? Anyway, these folks over here seem rather suspicious to me. He sends an image of the group in the side room. See if you can get anything out of Loges about what's really going on, and I'll see if I can get closer to these people and figure out what they're up to.
Terexaltherin, still in his 'hell hound puppy' disguise, does his best to approach the side room unobserved, slipping in if he thinks he can, and observe and listen to the 'family' within for any signs of who they really are.
Rollo mentally shrugs at Terex.
How well do I know him? That is an interesting topic actually. I must warn you that our [i]meeting really f$&&ing breaks the 4th wall is all I should comment on, but a few drinks may alter that.[/i]
Loges then smiles weakly at Loges.
S!+* starting Dark Trader upper management, I see. Impressive actually. What you guys gonna do with all this Time?
8:45 Gift is absorb in winning the strange and fascinating box...
Loges glances at Rollo, "My dear, pshaw, I would never be an employee. I'm an independent contractor as always. Selling everything, committing to nothing. That's how I remember you as well, back in the day. Now, my patrons have offered me remarkable things and I will share if you wish..."
Terex sizes up the family in the next room. If they're disguised, it's an absolutely remarkable one (which isn't impossible in the circumstances). They speak rather stiffly and even repeat some of their repartee. They appear to be Bandevarian nobles but who knows the names of the houses involves . They basically seem to be waiting, biding their time while putting on a dull show.
Terexaltherin passes along what he's observed of the suspicious nobles. Anyone recognize them? They're doing a fairly bad job at pretending they're not waiting for something.
The little dragon makes sure he's in an unobserved spot, then looks over them with detect magic to see what kind of magic they have on them. Maybe something to alert them when whatever they're waiting for happens?