Martella stands and pushes in her chair. "The Exaltation Gala begins in an hour, but the lines for servants and guests can be long."
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Elaessa:
The badge doesn't hide anything or seem particularly valuable. "Elaessa is correct. I have more responsibilities than time, which is one of the reasons for your employment. I need agents who can think on their own, not just follow orders. I suggest you make and discuss your plans while traveling to the Gala," Martella continues, "But if something critical does arise, I will be in the senate gallery most of the evening." “Overall, tonight promises to be an historic evening, but an evening of work nonetheless. And in the sort of work you’re embarking upon, the line that divides success and failure is drawn by the people you know. You have your own tasks to accomplish, but I’m counting on you to support one another to ensure success and discretion. If you need assistance, kindly ask for it. If your assistance is required, give it. And if I’m to be blunt, I would like just once in my adult life to simply enjoy a gala I attend, rather than scamper about with clandestine busywork. If you all complete your work without need of me to clean anything up, I will happily double my promised fee."
Elaessa:
There is only so much you can learn without bad manners, i.e. by actually handling the cricket or patting down Martella, but . . .
The cricket has a lot of parts. It doesn't look like a work of art, i.e. something that has been sculpted from one piece. Martella is wearing an elegant, yet understated gown, definitely of a value similar to a noble's outfit. "Each helps me in a different way," Martella answers Victor, "and we lack the time to discuss them all. Whether and how you work together is up to you. Your judgment is one of the things I wish to test and learn about." Martella stares at Allyo long enough to make everyone feel awkward, then lifts the corners of her mouth as if smiling. Without laughing, she says, "Sailors have such a strange sense of humor." Returning to Victor's question, she continues, "You will certainly have much time to yourselves, and I encourage you to make the most of it. This may be the only time in your lives that you have access to so many in power; it would be a shame to waste the opportunity."
Several minutes after your wine and charcuterie board arrive, Martella suddenly stands up from a nearby table and walks over. "Thank you all for coming." She places several file folders, her hat, and a brass cricket on the table, then rests both hands on the stack of papers. "I'm glad you got to know each other a little, as you'll be working together this evening. Have you any questions about your individual missions?"
As people are being readmitted to the senate and finding their seats, Martella approaches Pavo. "Please give this letter to your newest friend--after the ceremony. I'm told it's of a personal and emotional nature." She hands Pavo a letter, neatly folded and sealed with wax embossed with a simple heart, rather than a noble signet.
Spellcraft DC 24:
If wound as a full-round action, this elegant clockwork cricket clicks and chirps softly for 2 minutes. Though it’s generally too subtle to be noticed, this noise obscures speech and similar sounds nearby; speakers within 5 feet of the brass chatterbox can hear one another without difficulty, but anyone beyond this space takes a –5 penalty on Perception checks to overhear details of the conversation. If attached to a door, the brass chatterbox instead imposes this penalty on Perception checks to hear noises through the door. Martella's shoulders shrug a little as she answers Ayalina, "Were you trained to control a dangerous situation or to let your adversary choose the battlefield?" As the conversation wraps up, she fingers the brass cricket from the railing. "You wouldn't believe the time, skill and money put into just one of these. And I wouldn't tell you anyhow." Martella hands the cricket to Pavo, "But you will return it in perfect condition. Simply wind the key for a few seconds, and it will chirrup for a couple minutes."
"I didn’t ask you here just to look over your shoulders. There’s a young woman here: Malphene Trant, the daughter of Senator Trant. She’s a belligerent ass, and a bully as well. If she’s here, it’s likely to intimidate one of more of the junior senators into backing her father. If one or more of you could keep an eye on her and--quietly intercede should she try, I would be quite grateful. "She has auburn hair, and normally keeps it in a bun so that it doesn't get in her way during a fight. Unfortunately, I haven't seen her yet tonight, and don't know what she might be wearing."
Repost with right alias:
"Light will just send the rats scurrying for shadows, but perhaps a little wind would dispel that fog and catch them off guard."
Martella turns toward Pavo with a big smile, "Wonderful news, you have done well." "Speaking of that," Martella pulls another sealed letter from her things, "deliver this to Lady Glorianna Morilla." When he points to the cricket, she gives him a smile almost as big as one she gave to Pavo, [b]"They create a soft buzz that makes it more difficult to eavesdrop on conversations. Mechanical tinkering is a joy of mine, but you wouldn't believe how frustratingly difficult the things are to create!"
Perception DC 15:
There is a brass cricket sitting on the railing, which you recognize from here. Each of you suddenly receives a telepathic communication from Martella, asking you to meet her in the gallery. When you first arrive, she is grinning and clapping gently as she watches one of the jugglers, but hurriedly composes herself and assumes an elegant, yet blank pose. She has sectioned off a small meeting point on the upper walkways with chairs and a pot of fresh coffee, and begins as soon as the last person arrives. "I hear that you have done quite well making friends with the servants and our noble-to-be from Breezy Creek. In truth, I think you have accomplished as much as would be possible on those fronts." Martella puts two sugars in her coffee and says, "Now, tell me of the other fronts in our little war."
Tiber finds his employer in the gallery, and follows her to the Emperor's Hall, where she quickly writes and seals a letter. "Deliver this to Count Orlundo Zespire in the archives. The senator has light brown hair turning to gray and slicked back. I believe he wore a green doublet today." Once there, the Count tells Tiber to stay while he composes a response.
"Then I shall see you at the Exaltation Gala."
Martella meets briefly with each individual to assign their tasks and answer questions, then provide directions to a market along the way to the senate. "You still have a few minutes, if your resources need resupplying before the gala." Ayalina:
Spy (Rising Star): Martella needs someone to keep tabs on political rivals and update her if they change their tactics, most notably High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus. This agent must stay close to the military commander, watching for unusual behavior or listening for snippets of conversation, and warn her if he takes any unusual actions, all while remaining unobtrusive.
Spying requires a total of three Perception or Sense Motive checks, but to approach close enough to attempt one of these checks while remaining unnoticed requires the agent to first succeed at a Disguise or Stealth check (this check is not considered part of the PC’s social action). Delena:
Fraud (Disgraced Noble): Martella needs to discredit a few prominent senators backing primogeniture—not necessarily to sway their votes, but to undercut their influence after the vote.
This agent must create a scandal surrounding one of the major opponents to the repeal of primogeniture. Doing so requires first identifying an opponent, either with a Sense Motive check or by coordinating with another PC (such as one taking the Discovery mission), and then by spreading rumors with a Bluff check and manufacturing or co-opting damning evidence on the fly with a Linguistics check. Pavo:
Sabotage (Young Reformer): Some senators are too powerful or stubborn for the PCs to influence their votes, but that doesn’t mean they’re beyond some petty revenge. Martella would like to exact some retribution against her more powerful half-brothers, who have contributed a large bottle of rare, 150-year-old red wine from family holdings in the Opparos province, now held in the senate’s kitchens. Martella provides a single syringe filled with a putrefying agent to render the wine embarrassingly undrinkable but warns her agent not to steal the bottle and to conceal any signs of tampering; it must be drunk at dinner and appear to be of terrible quality or—even more scandalously—a forgery.
Recognizing the correct bottle in the crowded kitchen requires an Appraise check or Knowledge (nobility) check, while injecting the putrefying agent without leaving any trace of tampering requires a Disable Device check. Thalasou:
Discovery (Taldan Patriot): Martella is confident Eutropia has gathered the votes necessary for her cause, but she hates loose ends. She tasks this agent with uncovering the true dedication of two senators: Duke Centimus and Countess Abrielle Pace. It is unknown if either supports Eutropia’s bid to end primogeniture, and while their votes will be apparent after the senate convenes, Martella wants the PC to discover their positions in advance, as well as the reasons each noble holds that position.
Divining each noble’s motivations requires a Sense Motive or Perception check after at least one member of the party has put the noble at ease with one or more successful Influence checks. Tiber:
Aide (Athletic Champion): In addition to spies, Martella legitimately needs a senatorial aide as both a cover for her other false aides and to run communications between allied politicians. This is by far the easiest job available, but also the most time-consuming, requiring the PC to run messages between various politicians.
Navigating the crowded senate floor to deliver messages quickly requires an Escape Artist or combat maneuver check.
"It was the symbol of House Voritas, though what it signified--" Martella stops speaking and tilts her head slightly. Once Tiber finishes his drink, she finishes her answer, "I hope you have not changed your mind about working for me in an hour?" She pauses for a couple of seconds, then says, "I haven't studied House Voritas' history to answer your questions. Quite honestly, they are unimportant other than for the fact that their badges outlasted the family itself. To function, they simply need to be kept on your person. But senate rules require them to be worn at all times. If you receive a message from me, you will have one minute to send a short reply." The lady pauses to eat for a minute and let others talk, then continues, “Overall, tonight promises to be a historic evening, but an evening of work nonetheless. And in the sort of work you’re embarking upon, the line that divides success and failure is drawn by the people you know. You will each have your own tasks to accomplish, but I’m counting on you to support one another to ensure success and discretion. If you need assistance, kindly ask for it. If your assistance is required, give it. And if I’m to be blunt, I would like just once in my adult life to simply enjoy a gala I attend, rather than scamper about with clandestine busywork. If you all complete your work without need of me to clean anything up, I will happily double my promised fee. “I trust your activities won’t occupy your entire evening, so by all means, enjoy the party and make friends. This is an excellent opportunity for you to begin your own political ambitions, but do be discreet.”
Martella Lotheed places five metal badges on the table. Each pictures a serpent grappling a unicorn in combat, and has a pin to hold it in place on clothing. Her own lapel sports a similar, but fancier badge. "Those are senate aide badges, belonging to the staff of the long dead Senator Voritas. Such defunct badges are traditionally used to identify guests rather than sitting senators or their staff. "Additionally, they will allow us some limited communication during the Exaltation Gala. Keep them visible on your persons at all times." Spellcraft DC 24:
This brooch features the heraldry of a Taldan noble family, marking the wearer as an aide to the associated senator. All senate aide badges are part of a set, attuned to a single master senator badge during their creation. A creature wearing the pinned brooch can receive telepathic communications sent from the wearer of the master senator badge. Once the wearer of the senate aide badge receives a message, she has 1 minute to send a telepathic reply of up to 25 words. Sending a reply requires a full-round action of concentration. The wearer of the master senator badge can send up to 10 telepathic messages per day, targeting either a specific badge or broadcasting to all badge wearers, and knows the approximate direction and distance to all wearers of senate aid badges attuned to the master badge.
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