I'll see how far I can push it, Terexaltherin 'says'. He continues his telekinetic tinkering, now trying to swap out what the screen will display to show the true communications the deceivers have been having.
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It's a mass suggestion device! Terexaltherin reports to the rest of the group. I have an idea... Subtly, trying to stay unnoticed, Terexaltherin uses his fine telekinetic control to try to alter the targeting on the device so it targets solely Durnan and Ithith rather than anyone else.
Terexaltherin keeps careful track of his tap on the Deceivers' communications, hanging back from the group and trying to stay unnoticed as he does. He does send some telepathic suggestions as he does so, however. Point out all the lost productivity due to the need for rework, not to mention the risk of flaws slipping through the process at present. If they're going to be nasty about it suggest that the requirements aren't being well-specified at the beginning, and if they really push start pointing out the circular nature of the authorities.
Terexaltherin observes the action for as long as he thinks reasonable before going back to the others. Something feels weird in the testing bureau but I can't put a claw on what. Are we ready to start encouraging some official complaints?
Apologies, having computer issues at present.
Terexaltherin begins looking into the approvers at the testing bureau, looking for signs of Deceivers. Is one of you going to start relying those spirits with complaints to make an official complaint? I'll keep eyes and ears out for who we're searching for while you do.
I'd say we should find those who have been treated badly by the current circumstances and start encouraging them to make some noise, Terexaltherin says, after a moment to think over Monel's suggestions. That should get our opposition talking and moving without revealing our hand too much.
Terexaltherin reports on his findings to the group, then 'says', Ideally we can reveal this Deceiver without revealing just how much we're tracking this group. See if there's a way to seem like we've 'stumbled onto' how something's odd, and see what crawls out of the woodwork as we push. I'll keep monitoring their communications as we do.
Terexaltherin notes down the false identities, and looks to see if there's any way to backtrace their communications.
This is some *very* sophisticated equipment. Maybe when we're done I can take some back with us to study... Lyra would probably like that, too, Terexaltherin 'says' wistfully. For now, though, we shouldn't do anything obvious. He pauses a moment. I wonder if I can forward the communications...? It would be useful to be able to listen in... The little dragon thinks of whether or not he could do something like that with what he has at claw.
Terexaltherin follows along with Arlo and takes a look at the various rooms behind the hidden door.
Wait... this one here has equipment for communications and teleportation, Terexaltherin 'says' to Arlo. This is probably how our saboteur is doing their work unnoticed. Let me take a look at the equipment and see if I can backtrace them.
Yeah, this is definitely the work of our saboteur, Terexaltherin says, telepathically sharing some particular points that most clearly show the problem along with his analysis of them. The question is, who's in on it and who's just being duped? He watches the reaction to Lyra's proposal for hints.
Terexaltherin analyzes the prospectus as best he can, suspecting it only hints at the truth of what they're working on here.
Terexaltherin joins in with the group quietly partway through the tour, letting the others explain his presence. When he sees that Lyra is going for the door, he asks some questions about details of the calculations to distract those around him.
Terexaltherin is off somewhere else at the moment. He replies back, That does sound like an opportunity. I think I'll stay uninvolved for the moment and see if I can pursue other leads. The breakneck pace of work here certainly seems designed to hide some flaws... Rather than looking for those flaws, however, Terexaltherin is on the trail of why the pace of the 'town' is so frenetic. Still in his scholar persona, he's asking around after the history of Helaronthrop, seeing if he can subtly identify any other agents or collaborators of their target by tracing how the place has changed recently...
Terexaltherin mingles freely, posing as a scholar and researcher knowledgeable in geology and minerals. He compliments the work of many crafters, subtly examining their works and the beings themselves for signs of anything off while chatting.
Well, it sounds like we can enter just as-is and pretend we're coming in to work, as long as we don't do anything to draw attention. Then once we're in Helaronthrop we can get a better look at how things are, pretty standard infiltration tactics.
That sounds like a good enough plan. What more can you tell us about Helaronthrop?
Terexaltherin thinks it over. If there are a lot of other suborned spirits around the fake Narvus, he doesn't think charging right in is the best approach. So it sounds like we could pull off an infiltration, maybe spend a bit more time setting up the 'big reveal' this time instead of doing it by the tips of our claws this time, he 'says' to his companions. The question is, should we ask a couple of them to introduce us to help us infiltrate, or is it safer if we just go ourselves? What do you think?
Such is often the case with those who fall to evil, Terexaltherin comments heavily. After a long, quiet moment, in which he manages to broadcast a sense of brooding, the little (currently-plant) dragon 'says', We need to continue on and get to the root of this corruption, this impostor spirit. His thoughts focus on the earth spirits. Did you ever see the supposed 'Narvus'? Is there anything more you could tell us about what you've seen?
Anyone have some truth magic? I really need to expand my scroll stash. We need one quickly to make sure Natesh here doesn't come back, Terexaltherin 'says' to the group, including Monel. To the earth spirits, he says, Did you meet with this imposter Narvus? We've clearly got to deal with the root problem here, even if we've succeeded in trimming this branch. We have an approximate location, but anything you can add would be helpful.
Terexaltherin doesn't trust Natesh to truly be dead, so he thinks over whether or not what they'd done should have been enough to destroy him.
Stay wary, he may not be as down as he looks, he warns his friends, then turns his telepathic broadcast to include the earth spirits. We represent a coalition of multiple camps from the Groves Of Ansthenia, he explains. We've been tracking a worrisome upward trend in the number of recently-created planes that fall to corruption, and came to suspect flaws were being introduced into their foundations somehow. As we investigated further, we discovered the Camp of Crystals was supposedly receiving shipments from Narvus... a spirit who was suspected dead for nearly ten thousand geodal years! Further investigation revealed subtle problems with the crystal deliveries, further cementing our suspicions. And when we detected this deceiver here... well, it's all but certain whoever is claiming to be Narvus is not who they seem.
Terexaltherin trails behind Natesh, willing to be considered of no threat right now while Arlo and Lyra engage. With tremorsense stealth is practically impossible, but being ignored could be just as usable for a sneak attack...
Terexaltherin sees that his attack didn't do a lot... as he'd expected. What he really needs is for Arlo to get in there and hold the thing's attention... for now, he'll try a mental attack. Focusing his will, he tries to stun Natesh with a blast of psionic noise.
However, he's not able to penetrate his target's innate resistances.
Terexaltherin winces inwardly at the pain of the attack but focuses his mind on the enemy. In sand like this, his telekinesis has plenty to work with, if he just concentrates on say, just around its head...
Hah! A transparent lie. The effect is an anti-magic sphere, as any of you could determine by getting close enough to my colleague. However, I would suggest you disperse, for once this deceiver realizes his game is up he will no doubt grow violent, and for all his lies he *is* dangerous in battle.
Terexaltherin waits for everyone to make their moves, then 'swims' forward just a little, getting just barely into perception range of the assembled earth spirits. Deceiver! False one! We know the spirit you claim to serve perished centuries ago! The crystals you deliver carefully chosen to sow chaos! We will reveal you for who you really are!
Honestly... if you three just started slowly getting into combat-ready positions--you know, spreading out to flank, that sort of thing--we might be able to push him into showing his true form. Combine it with an accusation and some evidence and we can probably tip things over the edge. If we want to do that, I could show myself just as he's getting near the edge.
I was figuring Terexaltherin just did something so I'd let someone else speak up right now.
Terexaltherin briefly debates what he can do. He's never... quite felt comfortable turning his telepathy towards outright lying. And revealing his presence to 'BlackForge' seemed like something to hold off until the last possible moment if he could. Instead he tries to identify which of the other spirits seems most uncertain.
Once he's picked one, he carefully reaches out with his telepathy. Quietly. Don't show any sign of something being wrong. You may be in terrible danger. As you might have guessed, this isn't a random encounter. We've been on the trail of some dangerous interplanar criminals. Did you know the earth spirit who's supposedly making these crystals you're waiting on has, according to all records we've been able to access, been missing for more than a thousand standard years? At best you're being conned, but at worst... well, these criminals have been known to kill to keep their secrets. Your best chance, if you asked me, is to casually start a conversation with one of the other spirits. The kind of thing that seems natural and you can draw away a little from the others during without seeming suspicious. Then you won't be in the crossfire.
Well, ideally we'd get him to admit to something shocking enough to make these spirits he's duped realize how far they've sunk, but that may not be possible, Terexaltherin adds in to what Azzim said. But it might also work to just force him to reveal his true form. I'm not sure anything other than an antimagic field would do the trick, though, and given *we* are also depending on magic to be here, that would be hard to pull off.
...I still haven't added stuff to Terexaltherin's spellbook. I need to do that. XD
Ideally we can figure out a way for Natesh to out himself, but chances are pretty good that won't be easy. Maybe if we could draw him out somehow, string him along thinking there's a big enough payoff, a chance for greater corruption, if only he plays his hand...? Any ideas along those lines? On the other claw, there *is* a reason I'm back here. A stealth attack is kind of out of the question on this plane and with the senses involved but a pincer attack might take him out quickly. Any idea if he'd revert to his true form if killed? Terexaltherin gives that question some thought himself.
Uh, Lyra, remember we're appearing as plant spirits right now? Let's not blow our cover yet. If we keep them talking there shouldn't be need for threats. Azzim, probably do that out of their perception radius, right?
Grateful for his stronger telepathy, Terexaltherin suggests to the others, We should definitely express some interest and curiosity here. We're trying to figure out what's happening, whether these are knowing agents of our enemies or simply duped. So try to get them to talk about why they're here, what the crystals they're waiting on are, things like that. Suggest we're debating about a trade.
I was waiting for the people who weren't trying to sneak to speak up, but I guess Terexaltherin has this nice telepathy for something... :D
Terexaltherin stays out of range of the spirits 'behind' them, waiting for any sign of trouble.
I suspect they're minions of our target, so either corrupted, not what they seem, or otherwise compromised. Quick, hold their attention, I'll try to get around them to cut off their retreat in case any of them try to go warn their boss. Terexaltherin takes a guess as to how far they can sense and starts taking a wide circle around them, trying to stay just out of that range.
Terexaltherin realizes Lyra might not have heard all the details of what's going on yet. Oh right, Lyra, to catch you up--it seems likely that some corruption is being introduced by an impostor who's sending crystals to the Camp of Crystals. They're hiding out in Helaronthrop, hence asking for Runethia's help. He pauses, then includes Runethia in his next telepathic message. You know, they may know that we specifically are looking for them. They and their agents have been conspicuously absent whenever we've showed up.
That would be *very* helpful, thank you. Six... we'll want at least four of us... I don't know if we'll have more or not. We'll have to discuss the details with the full group, Terexaltherin replies. Too large a group may give too much warning, but without knowing the danger we'll face at the end, too small a group would be dangerous.
More of a calculated risk than trust really, if I'm perfectly honest, Terexaltherin replies. Our line of work involves a lot of them.
Terexaltherin flies closer to a convenient perch and gives the plant spirit a respectful nod. Greetings, I am Terexaltherin. Lyra is correct, there is something I wish to speak with you about. He hesitates just a moment, but from what he'd been able to catch he thinks getting straight to the point is best. We've come to suspect that a force trying to introduce some subtle corruption and dissonance into the planes is active in this planar region, and we've tracked some possibilities down to the plane of Helaronthrop. Unfortunately, we didn't come prepared for traveling through the large stretches of solid stone it would take to track this lead down. I'm given to understand, however, that it's possible you could assist us with this. Is this correct, and what would you ask of us for your assistance, if you are willing?
Sounds like it's time to bring Lyra in on this, Terexaltherin 'says'. He flits over to where Lyra is. Oh, Lyra, I believe you're speaking to just who we need to talk to, he comments as he approaches. He gives a wordless sense of 'waiting until a break in the conversation' as he settles in beside her.
I guess we'll need to look for some specialists, then. You were saying something about a powerful plant spirit being able to help maybe?
So, Azzim, do you think you have a solution to getting through all the rock we'll need to, or should we be looking for others around here to help out? the little dragon asks.
Terexaltherin agrees with Azzim, and shares his observations of the spirits 'Narvus' has been using as intermediaries. I could probably follow one of them if we can't think of a better way to track down the exact location of our suspected fake, he adds.
Azzim nodded and replied sadly, "Free will and all that, but if you go looking at the records of the multiverse even so, a very clear pattern of tampering emerges. We're not talking a few planes here either, there's thousands we know of..." But the Dark Traders aren't the *only* such group out there. We shouldn't assume it's them too early, Terexaltherin cautions. We need to investigate more thoroughly. So the first question is, is there more for us to investigate here and now, or is our next step to track down our impostor?
Yes... who can be trusted to keep a secret there? Not to jump into action too quickly? Anyone you know personally? Terexaltherin asks.
Well, as you've guessed, we *are* also investigating the same subject, Terexaltherin 'says' to Monal. I'd noticed there was something 'off' about the crystals 'Narvus' was sending to the Camp of Crystals. Nothing directly harmful, but... He shares some images of the overwork problems the camp was suffering and the subtle ways the crystals were contributing. So that's why we started digging into Narvus's history, and found that Narvus was thought dead for long enough a sudden reappearance like this is *very* suspicious. The question now is, is anyone else involved? This 'Narvus' has been hiding out on Helaronthrop the last few days, working only through intermediaries. Are they agents or just duped by a clever deceiver?
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