'Pinball''s page

Pinball heaves an enormous sigh once they're back on the ship and leaving Cheliax behind. She may have some innate skill at it, but she hates lying, and it feels as if her insides have unknotted once the burden of the cover is well and truly gone. She spends a lot of time sprawled on the ship's deck soaking up sunlight and repeating the calming mantras of Irori to herself.

Back in Absalom, she bobs a quick bow to the others, wrapping up a little package of Garret's cakes for her next bit of travel. "Well done, everyone. I'm glad we could accomplish that without unnecessary bloodshed."

(Thanks for the bot, that is in fact just what I'd have done!)

Pinball looks down at the maze of buildings leading to the docks. "Stay in the shadows, stay in the shadows..." she mumbles, and tries to do that.

Stealth (size bonus): 1d20 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 3 + 4 = 21

Perform says it can be used untrained, so! Continuing to take advantage of the circlet + potion

Pinball has no formal musical training, but she can carry a tune at least. And she was traveling through Andoran not so long ago, and heard a ditty... she jumps atop a barrel and starts singing at the top of her lungs.

"And I'm proud! To be! An Andoran!
"Cuz at least I know I'm free!
"And I won't forget the knights who died!
"Fighting Chelish ty-ran-ny!"

Pinball isn't Andoran, but hey.

Perform, circlet, eagle: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 2 + 2 = 10

....someone throws a tomato at her. Hard.

Darn, used all my rerolls.

"Liar, liar, pants on fire," Pinball chants in a sing-song tone, and starts shouting out some 'facts' of a sort to the crowd, taking advantage of the current spell she's under. "Asmodean priests like this one have their hearts carved out when they join the clergy, and a tiny imp caged in their chest instead!"

For all Pinball knows, that one might be true.

Bluff, circlet, eagle's splendor: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 2 + 2 = 18

Pinball follows Garret with a tuck-roll of her own, but now comes up against a new set of challenges. None of which are really her strong suit...

Though H.A. is usually trained only, it can be used untrained on domestic animals: "If you have no ranks in Handle Animal, you can use a Charisma check to handle and push domestic animals, but you can’t teach, rear, or train animals." So we'll go for that! Still including the potion bonus, but if it's expired by now just subtract 2.

Handle Animal, circlet, eagle's splendor: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 + 2 = 22

Pinball doesn't know much about animals. But she knows loud noises spook them! She squints forward, and the noise of a roaring lion bursts out from behind the mules!

Pinball nods, turns her head back to their newly freed prisoners and the invisible Zefiro, and says, "Let's drop those ropes 'binding' your hands! Zefiro, since we can't see you, call me-- Pinball-- if you're having trouble keeping up!"

Outside in the sunlight she blinks, studying the crowd a moment and the food... and seeing an opportunity.

"Excuse me, may I please have some of that food?" she says at her clear-eyed sweetest to one of the priests. Puppy eyes have nothing on gnome eyes.

Diplomacy, circlet and eagle's splendor: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 2 + 2 = 23

(If successful) No sooner is one of the trays of cheap bread in hand does Pinball execute a discus toss over the crowd with the food-tray-- sending chunks of bread spinning off in all directions.

I took the liberty of moving myself on the map to the entryway since I'm assuming that's where we currently all are; on the map we're kind of scattered. Not seeing a token for Galvar, unless it's the last guard-helmet in the entryway? In either case:

Pinball races up beside Garret and lightly taps him. "Sorry," she murmurs. "You don't seem like an awful man. If you surrender now and let us out of here, that would result in you getting hurt the least."

Attack vs flat-footed Touch and maybe prone? AC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

(Laughing Touch; subject can take only move actions for one round, because they are laughing)

What do you mean, 'give him something,' Blanmieux? I mean, it's too late now, but if you had a plan in place I don't think it was clearly communicated. You mentioned something in the OOC about a 'combinaison'; I was interpreting that as 'it's time for us to attack,' and Garret may have been as well. Anyway, it's a moot point now, and I think we got the most possible out of that bluff we were going to anyway. :3

Pinball gives Garret a tiny nod when he launches two attacks, but hasn't acted yet herself since Garret probably kicked off a surprise round :P.

Pinball takes a deep breath and pops a snappy salute to Galvar.

"Sir! All due respect, sir, these prisoners were in the process of an escape. Somehow, the mechanism restraining them was destroyed. We found these three prisoners extricating themselves from the device, and we quickly subdued and restrained them and wanted to bring them to you for questioning, sir. I apologize if we overstepped our bounds but we didn't want to take any chances. There were only three prisoners in there; are all accounted for, sir?"

Bluff check, with the circlet, and the potion, and the innocence spell: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 2 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 2 + 2 + 10 = 25

"I think the time for talking is probably past based on what Garret says," Pinball says with a shrug. "But I suppose I can try."

She digs out a scroll, and turns to Zefiro. "Our priority is getting you out of here. I'm going to make you invisible; it will last for about three minutes. It's not very long, but it might buy you some time, and keep you safe from the guards trying to take you down."

She looks apologetically at the other prisoners. "I'm sorry, I don't have scrolls for all of you as well."

"Let's go. But remember what we were told at our briefing: a full slaughter will just make it that much harder to get out of the city. If we can do things without killing, all the better. Zefiro, please stay behind us. The rest of you, put your hands behind your back and let's tie them loosely with rope-- pretending you're still prisoners. I can try and bluff our way out of this one more time."

(Willing to try one last bluff as we go out into the hall, but I'm pretty sure that'll be a hard sell with the prisoners obviously no longer in that contraption. We can try it, but be ready to fight, I'd say. The bluff Pinball will try is that we caught the prisoners trying to get out and were escorting them to the captain for security purposes, I suppose... unless someone has a better lie.)

(Just before we go out: casting shield on self; casting invisibility on Zefiro (3 minute duration); drinking the potion of eagle's splendor (3 minute); casting innocence on self from a scroll (1 minute) )

Pinball breathes in relief as Theleb is able to heal the group of prisoners. "We're going to get you out of here," she says to Zefiro. "One way or another."

(If anyone of the prisoners is still down after Theleb's channels, Pinball will help with further healing with her own wand so that it's not all on Theleb.)

She looks a bit bemused at Blanmieux's words much like Garret, but will activate Blanmieux's wand for him. (Feel free to roll your own healing, Blan)

Looking over the other prisoners, she says, "We weren't expecting multiple prisoners, but I'm ill-inclined to leave anyone to Chelish justice. What's your names? Who are you?"

(Are the other prisoners the Bellflower halflings?)

"Hang on!" Pinball cries, and rushes in once the chains stop their whirling.

More effective if Theleb channels, getting all of the prisoners, so I'll give him a chance to post, but failing that, Pinball is more than willing to use her wand to start healing, starting with Zefiro.

I'm not entirely sure where Zefiro and the other prisoners are on the map, but I'd suggest that we get Theleb within 30', if possible, with clean line of effect to them-- that way he can channel to heal if they get badly hurt in the process. I can only heal from adjacent, alas. Without knowing exactly where Zefiro/etc are, I'm good with my current position on the map, which is at the door of the room. The prisoners have been greased with two wand charges from me.

Pinball turns on the prisms, then, and uses two charges of grease on the prisoners.

As I understand it, I think we want the silence ON to cover the noise of an adamantine scythe hacking through a chain, or screams from the captives if that still hurts them. There's no guards present right now directly watching us (I don't think), so I don't think we need a diversion so much as a damage roll, once we have the silence fully activated.

Energy damage is probably only going to be 50% effective, so Pinball can't contribute much damage here, sorry.

Without moving from her spot, Pinball actives her wand of grease to get the chains surrounding the prisoners greased so that they hopefully slide off without unnecessary pain.

(I'd do it as much as possible to try and get all four prisoners, GM; so that would be 4 charges? And sorry to keep asking basic questions but it seems we as a party are still slightly confused: is the silence effect currently on, or off, as relates to covering the noises we'd make? If it's off, we need to make escape artist checks to reach the prisms to turn it on? If the latter is the case:)

Pinball throws another casting of grease on herself using her wand, then tries to reach the prisms to activate full silence.

Escape Artist: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 + any bonus grease might theoretically give

I don't think anyone among us has Disable Device, unfortunately. So our only method of breaking the trap may be to... break the trap. Though it's a good suggestion to hunt for some other method of shutting it off; hopefully someone with better perceptions than either of us. ;) )

Perception for a switch?: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

"Hmmn. Not picking up any magic here. It looks like just gears and winches, really. Blanmieux's scythe should be able to make short work of those, but I agree, we should silence the area first."

Pinball gives a little wave to Zefiro, and the others by extension really. "We should have you out soon!" she calls softly.

Silence doohickey, then adamantine scythe goes to town?

"Hmmm. Let's see if we can figure out what the nature of these chains are..."

Detect magic, then if relevant:

Kn Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Spellcraft, charge of identify wand: 1d20 + 5 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 10 = 25

Pinball also draws a wand of grease, but doesn't use it just yet.

Are the other captives halflings?

"Good plan. Between that and Blanmieux's pouch we should be able to carry everything and let the Society sort it out later. And yes, let's hurry to the interrogation chamber-- Theleb is right, time is of the essence. Once we find Zefiro, I can make him invisible for three minutes, at least."

Pinball moves with the others towards said chamber!

"No magic I can see," Pinball informs the others. She keeps a wary eye on the fiendish-looking statues.

Pinball gives Blanmieux a thumbs up, then casts a spell to study magic in the room. "Let's see what enchantments are here... and Garret, your sharp eyes would be useful in case of mundane traps. And in just finding Zefiro's name, I suppose."

Yeah I already agreed with you up there. :P *points up*

Pinball isn't a hundred percent convinced. "Hang on," she murmurs. "What about the fact that the 'ix' in 'ixpressly' is 9 in some numbering sytems? The Taldanes use those numerals, at least, and Cheliax was originally a Taldane colony.

"Or, there's a set number of words in each line, and there's nine lines-- look:"

3- Asmodeus even stated
4- Of our wretched fate
4- That he hath reevaluated
3- Every spirit’s weight.
6- For what would be the fairest price
4- Of souls ixpressly grown
7- If I’ve an essence full of vice
6- And sin in evil Abrogail’s Thrice–
9- Damnéd Hall of Sacrifice to cast before his throne?"

She muses over Blanmieux's suggestion some more. "...I think you're right though. Good eye."

Willing to try Blan's combo

"Oops," says Pinball. "Very well. Let's try and get to the vault unobserved, then. We stalled Galvar with some lies earlier but that won't last forever.

"Unfortunately, I have nothing to make guards sleep. I have a few simple distracting magics, like making illusory sounds and the sort, but our clever sleep attempt was mostly the oil of taggit, which several of the guards threw off. If we have everything we need from the archive here, let's get to the vault and get the damning materials on Zefiro."

"We've actually been in the office," Pinball admits. "We found a note of what seemed like, well, the typical sort of Asmodean-propaganda, really-- but maybe it's tied into this vault you've mentioned. Maybe it's the password."

Pinball waits for Blanmieux to retrieve the note from his useful pouch, then murmurs, "...ixpressly... mere poetic license, or a password, given that it's not the usual spelling? Hmm. Is the vault accessible from this room, Krima? --and thank you for all your help. We'll do our best not to blow your cover-- if we get discovered, we'll threaten you and pretend we're holding you hostage, okay?"

Ahh, shoot, looks like it double-posted; I'll delete the second post (and my much higher Diplomacy, sniff ;__; ).

Sense motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5

Oblivious to Galvar's look, Pinball's shoulders slump with relief as she's no longer required to tell lies and can return to truth with the Bellflower operative.

"Pleasure to meet you, Krima, my name's Pinzell," she says, speaking quiet and fast. "We're trying to retrieve a gentleman from this terrible facility who doesn't deserve to be here-- though I doubt any of the people here do. The Network helped get us inside. We're here in the Archive specifically because we're hoping to get our friend's papers out as well-- documents pertaining to Zefiro, a librarian. Could you help us find them? Or, really, help us at all? And what of the other prisoners here? If they've been as wrongly imprisoned as our friend, maybe we can help each other?"

Diplomacy, circlet: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 2 = 21

Sounds like there's more votes for the archive!

Haha, I'm half-surprised that worked! Go team.

Pinball hurriedly scans the office for magic as per Blanmieux's suggestion, to be sure they're not leaving anything relevant, and takes the key to pass to Blanmieux for safekeeping in his pouch.

"Silencing the prison seems like it could be potentially useful," she observes, "but if the effect ends once a creature passes through the wall of silence, that doesn't help us much when we need to spring Zefiro. Our priority right now is finding him, but we need to manage to hit the archives too and retrieve the damning evidence. I'd say Zefiro first, from here. I can make him invisible for three minutes' time-- not much, but maybe enough for us to hit the archives next."

Pinball "inspects" the unconscious guards, making a show of checking their pupils and mouths, and then the soup itself with a wary sniff.

"Sir..." she says carefully, looking back to Galvar. She drops her voice to speak in Serious Confidence to the chief. "You said there were Bellflower operatives being held here. Do you think it's possible this is part of some Bellflower...scheme? To free their fellow traitors? These dedicated guardsmen falling unconscious might be just a distraction, and meanwhile hidden operators could be going to the cells as we speak. Should we maybe go check on those prisoners?"

Bluff, bluff, bluff your boat, gently down the stream?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Blanmieux, you realize that 'disguise' spells can only drop your height a foot, right? If you look like "a gnome," you look like a pretty tall one...

Pinball's expression of earnest innocence only grows at the cry from the cantina.

"Oh no!" she says very seriously. "I hope it wasn't anything in the soup. I just had some, and it tasted fine to me. Do you feel alright, sir? We'd better go check on the others at once-- I have some training in the healing arts."

Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16 (Minus whatever penalties you think fair for the circumtances, GM)

I'm not sure if it's the language barrier or what (your English is certainly much better than my French will ever be, but there's still the occasional slightly confusing usage), but I'm not... entirely sure what you're proposing there, Blanmieux.

At this point, trying to bluff that we're not responsible for the guards passing out, when Galvar has just begun to be suspicious of liquids being brought to him, may still be possible, but I'd think it would probably come with some severe penalties (at least, it would if I were GMing). We can try it, but I'm pretty sure this is about to swing violent.

*goes to post accordingly*

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 2 = 16

Assuming no problems in Garret returning to us:

Pinball listens to Garrett's intel with a sober little nod, while Blanmieux is distracting Galvar with talk of the potential for opportunities outside the Chelish prison system.

"Probably an archivist or clerk," she murmurs. "Okay. We have a four hour window before a shift change arrives, according to Galvar. Can we get that oil into the stew? Give the guards a nice nap? As for Galvar himself... it'd make our lives simpler if he was... cooperative. That love elixir might do the trick."

(My plan here is to nip into the mess while Galvar is talking Advancement with Blanmeiux, grab a bowl of soup before we've taggit-ed it (is there coffee? I'd love to use coffee, haha), add the love potion while walking back to Galvar (preferably while unobserved), and then offer it to him. If I need mechanics rolls for any of that other than the bluff, like a stealth or sleight of hand, GM, please let me know. I think we're done with the talking at the moment, but I'm not necessarily speaking for the rest of the party there!)

"Sir, I grabbed you something from the mess too-- no reason you should have to wait until end of shift to eat or drink something. Hope you don't mind," Pinball says with disarming, clear-eyed innocence.

Bluff, circlet: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 2 = 23

"Here, sir, I brought you some coffee/a bowl of soup from the mess hall!"

Unfortunately, Pinball's natural CHA score with the circlet is our best 'Bluff', and it's only mediocre, and, as proven, I can still roll crummy. Dammit, Jim, I'm a paladin, not a bard. ;)

But no, I'm willing to attempt the whole 'bringing Galvar a drink' thing. It sounds like the woman in the archives may just be a staff archivist, though we should be prepared for her being a possible caster, you never know. If we get Galvar charmed via the love potion, we have him in a position to give orders-- we could just have him order her out to give a report or something, slip in, take the documents we're looking for...?

Technically, there's nothing stopping us from using the elixir on Galvar. Works just as well on dudes...

***

It might be helpful if we did a bit of OOC discussion of our intended plan here. PBP is kinda rough for that-- the stuff that would develop in normal tabletalk just doesn't get... said, or it's harder to be sure you're at a consensus. Here's what I'm understanding the current plan to be:

Garret, once he's done investigating the archives, can poison the soup with the oil of taggit. We have a reasonable time window to work with so we let the guards get dosed, and once they are asleep or a majority of them are asleep, we subdue Galvar and coerce any keys or other information out of him. Is that in line with what everyone else is thinking?

Okay, guys, really sorry for my delay in posting. Life's been wacky.

I like Garret's suggestion of putting the oil of taggit into the stew, that seems like a great idea. I'll take the items that Garret mentioned for me unless someone else wants to make the case for them, but I think I'm highest Cha in the party.

Pinball tries to keep Galvar busy and distracted so that the others can surreptitiously handle some scouting and possibly dosing the soup.

"What of our schedule-- how long until we and these current guards are relieved? The end of the day?" Pinball asks, trying to get a sense of how much of a time window they would have before a new shift would arrive, should they subdue all the current guards by means of the oil of taggit. "This librarian sounds like not much of a threat. Is he being interrogated today, or just held?"

Bluff, with the circlet: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 2 = 8 Oy. Will use my daily reroll of a nat 1 from Eternal Hope trait.
Bluff, with the circlet: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 2 = 11 ..... will use my portfolio reroll. And GM stars. Jesus.

BLUFF, DANGIT: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 + 3 = 23

So I've been slammed first by work deadlines this week and then by managing to wrench my back while getting my grandmother's wheelchair out of a car... wound up losing a day and a half to loopy pain meds. :( Sorry about that.

I will try extra double hard to post later today (going to bed right now). Sorry for the delay!

Pinball nods slightly at Manius's explanation. "Good to know..."

She walks at Galvar's elbow, nodding attentively here and there. "Understood, sir! Are there any.... problem prisoners we should know about? With the riots and all-- that rabble outside seemed worked up. Do we have ourselves any 'celebrities' as guests right now?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

(She's trying to tease out information about Zefiro, of course)

Similarly, Pinball will use one of her scrolls of disguise self on herself to look less recognizably like herself, and her wand of mage armor, and her longstrider wand on herself-- once we hear the interrogator and the others coming back out.

UMD longstrider: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
UMD longstrider: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21 success, 1 hour longstrider

When they're presented to Galvar, Pinball-- now looking like a nondescript halfling with dull brown hair-- salutes smartly.

"Ready and willing to help where needed, sir!"

Do we need Disguise checks? If so, here is Pinball's, using a use of her disguise kit and a scroll of disguise self.

Disguise: 1d20 + 5 + 10 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 10 + 2 - 2 = 32

She gives Tamrin a nod as he disappears again, and looks to Galvar, their new 'boss.'

"Orders, sir?"

"Yes, Mister Tamrin's plan is perfectly solid. Tamrin, do you have soldier uniforms already or should I get some when I shop?

"Once we're in disguised as replacement guards, per Tamrin's plan, we subdue the one left to oversee us and get the information as to Zefiro's whereabouts. So... no killing him, at least until we have the information we need, though of course we'd be better to leave as few bodies behind us as we can help, as Tamrin says. Hopefully the supervisor will see reason once he or she realizes the situation, but if not, coercion will have to do... I like your idea, Garret, of trying to get the information from him before we subdue him. I can try that-- I'm decent at talking.

"Anyway. Once we know Zefiro's location, we go directly there, get him out, and get out as quickly as possible. I'm going to get a scroll of invisibility-- should we run into patrols or problems on our way out, I could make Zefiro invisible for up to three minutes, at least."

Pinball gazes at the ceiling a moment, then decides to utilize her resources in a different fashion and resumes compiling a list of scrolls she needs to purchase as she waits for any further information Zarta or Tamrin think is relevant.

Sorry, GM, one more addition-- snagging a scroll of invisibility. I swear it's the last purchase!

Pinball gives Blanmeiux a blank look.

"....why would you want to tell everyone that? I'm under the impression we're trying to operate under a low profile. If you go around announcing your, ah, 'title' as a Hellknight... and that name becomes associated with the prison break of a political prisoner... I would think that would negatively impact your future career as a Hellknight. Of course, if you're content with explaining to your own Hellknight superiors why you were anywhere in the vicinity of a prison break, I suppose that's your own prerogative."

She turns back to Zarta and to Tamrin. "Is there anything else you think we ought to know about the situation?"

Pinball frowns more and more as more is said. Locks and traps, oh joy. Frowning is sort of Pinball's natural expression.

"It would be very difficult for you to pass for me," she says absently to Blanmieux. "You're much taller, for one thing. Alright. I'm going to have to do a lot of shopping."

Pinball frets with her strand of prayer beads, counting to herself and budgeting in her head.

MORE stuff to buy, ha. Adding on:
-scroll of knock
-scroll of locate creature
-scroll of innocence
-scroll of ape walk
...and a skeleton key.

"I'll make some quick purchases from Arcane Lane," she decides. "Beyond that, I'm ready to travel..."

Pinball's face settles into the droopiest look at their briefing. Ohhh great, a prison break. Back in Cheliax. The mission gets better, and better...

She spares a sympathetic look at Manius. While she has no love for Hellknights, she imagines this mission must be giving him even more ulcers than it is here.

Garret's question earns an approving nod. "Smart thinking. I'll buy a disguise kit-- spells and scrolls are great, but makeup and wigs and the like will last all day if you don't smudge it... I think I'll pick up some more scrolls while I'm at it, though."

(Disguise self is a 1st level spell that lasts ten minutes, but I think I'm the only one who can cast it. Disgise Other would last 30 minutes from a scroll, but it'd be pricier as a 2nd level spell; still, Pinball's certainly willing to cast it for anyone who goes ahead and gets the 2nd level scroll.)

Purchases for self- disguise kit, 2 more scrolls of disguise self. I think I should have plenty of gold for that but I'll doublecheck later today

Yo

Take your time, I'll be ready whenever.

Purchases making before we resume: Scroll of comp. languages to replace the one I burned; scroll of resist energy, the wand from the chronicle sheet, scroll of scorching ray

No day job. On board for part 3.

Pinball peers at the documents with the others but defers to Theleb's insights.