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This is going to be tough with most of us having a negative modifier. Do we want to give the strongest pieces to the weakest bonuses? That would, in a way, even out the odds for all of us. As far as I know, exceeding the DC by 1 or 20 yields the same result, so I don't think having multiple huge bonuses will necessarily be better than several moderate bonuses. Also, what exactly is the charge against us?
Wide eyed, Xabala freezes in place as Agatha eyes her up, hair standing on end and the taste of fear in her mouth. Oh shit. Very slowly, she raises her hands and opens her palms towards the Agrawgh. Stepping forward gingerly, she carefully draws her wand of Cure Light Wounds and tries to heal the thing. Being so close to an annoyed large creature is never a wise idea, hopefully healing is a language it can understand. Erastil, guide me in my time of need.
"Durandal, why don't you lead a conversation with the Captain about something related to the planes. If you can, putting the Fire Plane superior to the Earth Plane should keep her attention. The rest of us can either help keep her attention, or search the office. Getting her out of the office should be easy enough. I will procure some texts from whatever functions as their library on the topics and set the stage, as it were," she offers. Xabala leaves for a little while to locate some books on any topics relating to the Elemental Planes and sets up a table with some chairs around it to facilitate a discussion.
"There have been serious transgressions against the Society and I agree that they must be punished for it. We are here to join two communities together and it is clear that our flock needs to be protected. The best I can do is keep watch. As far as entry, acquiring a key or luring the Captain out of her office are likely to be our best bet." Xabala is resolved in her decision, yet still uncomfortable with having to act underhandedly. If we are going to make our case, we need evidence. Otherwise this may only get worse. I detest these methods, but the Society's reputation is at stake.
Robyyn is quite astute, he saw through that lie! However Xabala's admiration wanes a little when the Sylph seems to seriously consider her words. "Once a cheat, always a cheat. I don't believe her for a second. Let's get her out of here. Even if she was being honest, we have orders to prevent her from participating." If everyone is cool with barring her entry...:
"Ma'am, these are your options: leave and don't return, or stay and we will remove you forcefully," she says sternly. ________ Rolls:
Xabala approaches the woman with a deep bow. "General Faiza bint Hanif, I am Xabala and I am here on behalf of your Ungrounded. It is a pleasure to meet you! Enjoy the grand opening!" she says heartily and with a smile. The Boss' information indicates this is unlikely to be our mark, but it is worth a cursory inspection.
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Xabala scowls deeply as The Boss reveals the truth. How dishonorable. Captain Othis will answer to this. How could I have been so easily fooled? I will have to consult the Parables and speak with Grandfather. "Sounds reasonable, unless there are any other ideas?" Let's get this over with and then reveal the true rat in our midst.
"Hold. This is concerning. Our Captain with the Ungrounded has given us an entirely different description than yours. It is imperative that this is resolved before we begin," Xabala declares, clearly bothered by the major discrepancy. I will not wrongfully accost any individual, for any reason. She gets the tablet that Captain Othis let them keep and places it before Boss. "If your description is correct, then who is this?" Has Herman been right all along? Have I let my pride blind me, allowing myself to LEAD OTHERS into further deception?
"It is nice to meet you, Boss. I am Xabala. What entrances are there into this facility? Presumably, the Member's Lounge will be a target as well as any other sources of food and drink. Where might those be? Do your staff have a way of visibly distinguishing themselves? Pretending to be a staff member would be an easy way in," she asks, hoping her allies will come up with other questions to cover any bases she missed.
"Robyyn, I understand that the Captain has proven to be untrustworthy and dishonorable, however responding in kind only puts us on her level. As I said before, I will have no part in sneaking into her office. However, I am willing to assist in a distraction, but only because the Society's reputation does appear to be the target here." Xabala stands at attention while being briefed by the Captain. "Very well, Captain. How will we identify ourselves to the casino? Will we be working with their standard security as well? Finally, how are we to dress for this event and will weapons, drawn or otherwise, cause a disturbance?"
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"Captain Othis, a word if you please. When I was struck, I noticed some black powder on the blade and felt woozy for a moment. I am not the most experienced fighter, but I've been hit before and this was no ordinary feeling. I believe that their weapons were poisoned," Xabala states with conviction. "I don't know the rules of the Ungrounded, however this seems to be particularly underhanded and dishonorable for a sparring match."
Xabala is speechless as Robyyn gets reamed for an exemplary performance. How can she punish him for doing well? She should be rewarding him for the results of his hard work! During dinner, she stares at Robbyn's seat with disappointment and does her best to stow food in her pockets for him. "Robyyn, a word," she informs him once they are in their room. "Your punishment is unjust, I'm sorry you had to go through that. Don't let it crush your passion for knowledge. It isn't much, but I was able to bring some food for you," she says while handing him her pocket's contents. "If you wish to investigate after hours, I will have no part of it and will remain here," she comments while cleaning her room.
Xabala nods her head as Robyyn recites his knowledge then adds in some of her own. "Utilizing environmental factors may also be in your benefit. Obviously water elementals can douse flames with ease, but stationary pools of water and even magic are effective tools to stop even an elemental's fiery wrath. Large, contiguous pieces of damp vegetation, like the kind found in the Mwangi Expanse, can be used as a blanket to assist in smothering the flames as well." "Damien! Everyone has their place and it is through our teamwork and versatility in skills that allow us to prevail over all threats. You would do well to expand your knowledge base by learning from him rather than teasing him," she lectures with a scowl and her arms crossed. When conversation turns to Shaitans, she looks down in shame. "Captain, I must regretfully admit that despite my connection to the Plane of Earth that the abilities of Shaitans are not my area of expertise. Even I can learn something from Robyyn and I've spent years learning about Outsiders as well!"
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Leaping into action, Xabala helps the others pull Damien form under the muck. "Don't fight the water Damien, do your best to be patient and let the water help you!" To prove her point, she then dives into the pit and swims right across. "You can do it Damien! If it isn't against the rules," she says as she turns toward the Captian, "Perhaps you can remove your armor?"
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"...you're not even going to try?" Xabala calls down, dumbfounded at Damien's revelation. What? I know this can be hard for some people, but what would possess someone not to try? How will he ever achieve anything? A community begins to decline when even one member doesn't believe in himself. "You can do it little halfling, make the climb!"
"Yes ma'am!" Taking a quick glance at the wall, Xabala sees nothing out of the ordinary and begins following her orders. She starts making her way up, but just after halfway her grip slips and she almost plummets to the ground! Catching herself just in time, she manages to continue making steady progress up the wall.
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"No problem!" Xabala responds to the order. She quickly notices the grease on the log. Dead center the whole way. Just like running along the branches of a tree after the monkeys have swarmed through... Backing up, Xabala heads over the log at a brisk jog, carefully placing her feet as close to the center of the log as she can. After a couple of strides, she has made it and throws herself to the ground before the razorwire. "Keep it up everyone!" With an unnatural grace, she manages to quickly worm her way right through the obstacle. The Mwangi Expanse has prepared me well, I've done this all before. I pray that Grandfather's teachings continue to see me through these tests. I would much rather take the Efreeti though... She stands up at the end to see how everyone else is faring. ________
Rolls: Greased Log Bear Crawl
Not a stranger to tedious, manual labor, Xabala manages to keep up her stamina through the first half of the morning's work. "I don't think any of us really knew what we were getting into, but this is only a temporary situation. Besides, many of these tasks are beneficial to the Ungrounded community as a whole!" she says, trying to cheer up her flagging companion. Erastil teaches self-sufficiency and that in order for a community to thrive, everyone must pull their weight. Training consumes resources that could be spent elsewhere, so in return we must put in our share of the work.
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Those brutes, I'll show them- Dance, sing, or story? That's more reasonable than barring us from dinner outright, however my talent for any of those options has never been noteworthy. Xabala shifts uncomfortably, the idea of performing in such a way on the spot clearly beyond what she is used to. She decides to jump in after Herman's gymnastics. "I am from Kibwe, in the Mwangi Expanse. All manner of demonic beasts plague the jungle around my city, and it just so happens that..." Xabala goes on to tell a tale about how the virtues of Erastil's teachings have made her successful in hunting demons and teaching other townsfolk to become more self-sufficient.
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Filthy! Who would show guests to a room like this? Grandfather would never have accepted anything like this. Xabala claims the bed furthest from the door and will clean everything in her area up. "Durandal, would you mind using some of that magic on my area too? Erastil has not seen fit to grant me such an ability." With her task completed, she turns to Robyyn. "I suspect some sort of test. This may be the first trial of many we will face. The Captain did not appear pleased to see us, or that this arrangement was even made. I would not be surprised if we are to be set up for failure or otherwise thrown to the wolves. We should remember to work together and represent the Society as best as we can," she says resolutely.
Used to this sort of treatment, Xabala stands at attention as she listens to Captain Othis' words. "Dell, it is nice to meet you and thank you for taking the time to show us around. My name is Xabala," she says as she extends a hand towards the oread. "What can you tell us of the training we will be undergoing? And perhaps where the Mess Hall is?"
"This is incredible!" Xabala says as she takes it all in. With such wealth, they must have many means of combating demons at their disposal. This training may be even more useful than I previously expected. "Reyshal ik Jalman, what can you tell us of the training we will be undergoing? Additionally, are there any laws that we may not be aware of that would be prudent to observe during our stay? I have no desire to impose upon you or your people, intentionally or otherwise," she explains as she continues to stare in awe at the beautiful colors and designs. Grandfather would love it here. I shall discuss it with him when I return.
"Reyshal ik Jalman, it is an honor to meet and travel with you," Xabala replies, returning the bow. "I am from Kibwe, in the Mwangi Expanse. I under the tutelage of Erastil and my Grandfather, I have spent my life combating the demons within the jungle to contribute to the ongoing safety of the city."
A black haired woman with brown skin stands at attention during the briefing. Her thickly braided hair is pulled back together into a large ponytail. Her green and brown cloak mostly conceals a shirt of shimmering mithral chain and ends at the top of her leather boots. Prominently displayed across the cloak's shoulders is the holy symbol of Erastil. All of her equipment is incredibly well maintained and clean, with the exception of her bow, held within the quiver on her back, displaying dark dirt stains on one end. "Ma'am, I shall do my best to bring honor to the Society," she states. Not my first choice, but there are always lessons to be learned. To the others, "I will add that the Opaline Vault, also known as the Rainbow Metropolis, is the capital of the Peerless Empire, and a planar hub for entertainment and trade. Sultana Ashadieeyah bint Khalid rules from a gem- studded palace. The Vault’s diverse population includes a small percentage of noble shaitans known as pashas, as well as dwarves, elementals, elves, and oreads," she recites encyclopedically, obviously proud of herself. Those lessons with Grandfather always find a way to be useful. "I am ready to leave as soon as my compatriots are."
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