Ral Myres, for his part, has continued with his quest for artifacts and made some headway. Though he still lacks either obscenely valuable, powerful, or plentiful artifacts he has nonetheless begun assembling a fair number of lesser ones. Included in this is a sword that effortlessly slices through any non-magical item and an amulet that warns him of impending danger. Useful items.

Elven Strike Team:

Your elf’s henchmen have done well, and even now are carrying the limp, unconscious body of the cook back to their transport. The plan went well, and the two “assassins” were most convincing, as was the “savior” who spirited her away. The only problem came when she threw herself in front of a flying dagger to shield her beloved, but thankfully the wound was minor and easily rectified afterward with a healing potion. Even now the city is in an uproar searching for the assassins, though subtle encouragement by the brown haired “aristocrat” elf has already begun spreading the rumors of his death being at the hands of spurned nobility within the city (or perhaps even that dreadful peasant girl!) rather than a foreign power. Such rumors are apparently far more palatable than the alternative and have taken root quickly.

Focus:

Your most pressing interests, however, lie in none of these things. Casting your gaze afield, you instead turn to the elven land of Dar’an, mobilizing for war. Surveying the lands, you are immediately struck by the strange dichotomy of the lands; contrasting urban and rural lifestyles. The vast majority of the kingdom is undeveloped, the free elven peasantry living alongside nature rather than in contrast to it. Farming and food production comes mainly in the form of nutritious and edible funguses, tended to in underground farmeries or even beneath the roots of the vast great trees, sometimes large enough to house an entire village in hollowed shelters under their bases.

In contrast to this, there are five great cities scattered throughout the land equidistant from each other, with the greatest in the center. Likewise built with the trees and nature in mid, these complex and massive cityscapes extend for miles... in every direction. Not content to merely expand outward, they have built upward as well, raising hundreds of stories and carving into the grand trees themselves for shelter, using an interconntected labyrinth of free-floating bridges to span between the hundreds of massive edifices.

Even more amazing, though they live in harmony with nature it is obvious they do so as its masters rather than equals; every tree within the cityscape glitters with stonework and metalwork both beautiful and practical, embedded into and around the tree-homes themselves and turning the city into a place that seems more like hundreds of tree-shaped stone superstructures rather than actual trees. The ground has received the same treatment as well, rather than the more natural dirt roads and village streets they have layered every inch of the city proper with flagstones and magically shaped rock, creating a truly urban environment in the midst of nature itself. Though vast leaves spread overhead and the forest presses around the edges of the cities, within their bounds is an urban landscape to match that of other races; a true glittering gem within the foliage with bathhouses, libraries, forges, palaces, housing, and all the other various requirements for the modern city-dweller.

Rural or urban, however, everywhere you go you see signs of the mobilization. Thousands migrate to the cities each day in answer to the call, filling barracks long unused. Elven blademasters from across the lands, often secluded in isolated schools for reasons you don’t comprehend, come to train and arm themselves for the conflict to come. Even the archmages have begun preparing for war, daily crafting powerful golems to shield them in the midst of battle as they work their terrible magics on the foe. The peasants themselves aid the effort too, stockpiling food for the armies and making a processed derivative called ‘mithras’, a trail-food packed with weeks of nourishment, or perhaps instead volunteering to act as support staff for the armies, servants or cooks and the like.

Amidst it all, however, your omnipotent abilities allow you to detect something... odd. Flitting through the shadows around every city -- though especially within the main focus of the mobilization, the capital Letha -- shadows skulk around the edges of sight and sound. Elven shadows. Skillful spies and assassins, they listen in on the massing warriors, mages, and peasants before delivering their reports to others, who in turn carry them up the chain, eventually to an unassuming man in the royal palace. Though it is their duty to obey King Arthimar and his summons to war, not all are happy about the fact... and some that voice this too brazenly are quick to change their tune after finding a new dagger under their pillow. You note that it is only isolated grumblings, however, and the higher you go the less frequent they become. Within the palace court itself and highest ranking generals there is no dissent what-so-ever, and some of the older blademasters among the lower ranks often take to silencing such talk themselves with sanctioned duels. A complex situation, indeed.

Part 1: http://archive.easymodo.net/tg/thread/14304400/
Part 2: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14309655/
Part 3: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14330103/
Part 4: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14365301/
Part 5: http://archive.easymodo.net/tg/thread/14397582/
Part 6: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14420843/
Part 7: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14452357/
Part 8: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14474488/
Part 9: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14498610/
Part 19: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14536106/

rolled 57 = 57

Oh sweet, OmniQuest

...
just when I was going to sleep

>>14605899
Clearly I do it to spite you.

>>14605889
Part 10, not part 19. In case people didn't notice the problem.

rolled 30 = 30

>>14605870
>>14605876

Have 1/100 of the trees of one of the non-capital cities go berserk and destroy everything just for shit and giggles.


...What? We can do everything we want to, right? Lets have their beloved trees go against them with no way of telling WHY it happened or if it is going to happen again, making them live in perpetual fear for several years that their homes will randomly massacre them without provocation.

rolled 56 = 56

>>14605957
Meh, thats what I get for living in Eastern hemisphere.

anyway, good luck with your quest
I relly need to sleep

Looking forward reading it from archives

>>14605969
Errr. I don't know if I conveyed this, but the trees within the city are hollowed out with 90% of the remaining outside surface replaced by stone, metal, and glass with hundreds of arched stone bridges interconnecting them, kept alive via magic.

Sort of: "We're elves and live in trees, but it sucks to be au-natural. So they went; Yo dawg, I heard you like trees so we put some stone in your trees so you can elf while you modernize."

Making the trees sentient would probably do little but make them thrash about and crack a few stone walls while screaming in agony.

What are our plans when our party of heroes reach Kaza?

I think we wanted to make some kind of a conflict between Larissa and them ... but methinks, they will resolve any problems diplomatically.


Anyway, I really want to see the incoming battle between Palal and Vassik. Only one of them can come out from here with godhood.
will it be the good-natured Druid or the evil villain?

I'm putting my money on the Druid but the villain also has a good chance at winning.


We should start planting very subtle suggestions in Druids mind for world-domination through the mind-worm (this should be safe, right?)
Vassik doesn't really need outside help to get motivation for taking over the world, I think.

>>14606030
aw shit
would have been funny


Not like we don't have the power to do so anyway... maybe even revive the trees, but it will be obvious that it weren't the trees which turned on elves.

>>14605848
Let's figure out exactly why the elves are mobilizing for war. What's their leadership structure look like? Who are their leaders? We should be able to figure that out without too much difficulty, probably by just going to their capital and watching people.

>>14606030
Oh, also, they are big. Like, 'full grown redwoods are equal to tiny-ass saplings' level big.

>>14606074
I'm pretty sure they are getting ready for the country which Larissa is leading from the shadows.

>>14606076
Oh, I guessed that. Would have added to the terror effect.

>Amidst it all, however, your omnipotent abilities allow you to detect something... odd. Flitting through the shadows around every city -- though especially within the main focus of the mobilization, the capital Letha -- shadows skulk around the edges of sight and sound. Elven shadows. Skillful spies and assassins, they listen in on the massing warriors, mages, and peasants before delivering their reports to others, who in turn carry them up the chain, eventually to an unassuming man in the royal palace.

Might as well keep an eye on this.

>>14606074
We know Larissa has family here. Let's find out who she is and see just how important she used to be in this place as well.

That or we can just peep on their leader for a bit and perhaps start reading through documents they might have.

I say we should try to listen in while incorporeal to peasants and higher-ups alike and try to find out hwy they're going to war. Especially listen to any plans from the generals and king. At the same time maybe we'll stumble upon something related to Laressa or her mother.

Let's try to find out what we can about Laressa while we're here, and eavesdrop on some of the lesser dissident elves and see what's up with them.

>>14606306
Is this detailed enough Vedi? I can't remember exactly how detailed and planned out our suggestions need to be.

Knowledge is power as they say, but while you have power in abundance you sadly lack knowledge. That must be remedied. You set about observing the workings of the elvish nation, and before long are rewarded; it seems to find out what you wish to know the palace itself will be the best option. Shifting focus to the grand structure in the middle of the city, you can’t help but be slightly impressed. The palace reaches thousands of feet into the air, what wood is left is all intricately carved... but much like the rest of the city, stone has replaced what was at one time alive. What catches the eye, however, is how it is layered from base to branch with gold, catching the light and reflecting it, shimmering in the light of day or glowing with pale unearthly beauty at night.

Towering to easily twice the height of even the tallest other tree within the forest, it houses three main branches; city government on the lower levels, the main workings over the nation within the middle, and at the top the royal court and specialized offices. The military structure, situated near the top, seems to be composed of a dozen elven legions ranked according to skill. Their tactics and specialities all vary with the general in charge, apparently given complete leeway in determining his fighting force’s composition, but one thing all the generals share is that they pay direct homage to the king. As does the governor of the capital and each of the governors of the other cities, you note, with each having residences here and being required to teleport in to report once per month. Likewise, the head of each national institution reports directly to King Arthimar himself, or at least his staff who then passes it on to him.

The court itself consists of nobles from across the realm. There appears to be a constant strem of them both coming and going from the palace, housed in reserved residences there. Required to visit much as the city governors, they compose a grand court. Hundreds of nobles are resident at any one time, and there is always some party, sport, or (very commonly) duel taking place among the fantastically appointed halls of the palace. Be it within the expertly-manicured hanging gardens, the myriad lounges and gathering areas, or even the grand royal reception hall itself; intrigue and cunning is the name of the game and all seem to play it. The nobles are not alone, however, and though the classes seem fairly rigidly stratified you note that many of the more common folk appointed to high office for their skills play the political games as well.

Demographics of those present are wide-ranging, with the entire nation being represented in one form or another. You note southern elves as darker in skin tone with white hair and black eyes, and northern elves being pale and dark haired. The greatest number ofresidents, however, live in the center kingdom; there the variations seem to be different and more subtle. Peasantry seems to tend more toward brown hair and eyes enhanced by more rounded (though still not nearly ‘human’) features, with the nobility having blonde or red hair and green eyes to complement their aristocratic features. The king and his children, claiming lineage from the god Sylvus, sport golden hair and bright azure eyes, rounding out the list.

More interesting than that, however, is the free reign with which the elven spies come and go from the palace itself. Not only that, but the unassuming man, named Lord Orias (though you note it is only the nobility who call him that, to those who report to him it is Master Orias) is nearly always within the royal section of the palace... indeed, often speaking to the king himself and giving reports of the mobilization situation and, on one occasion, a report that the ‘latest assassin’ had failed and another team had been dispatched. Oddly enough and unlike the other organizations, however, he does not seem to be the highest ranking member. Often in briefings you hear both he and the king refer to ‘his Mistress’ or ‘the Grandmistress’. The reason for this deviation is never discussed, however, leaving the matter open.

On the military side, perparations for invading the Parthian Empire and deposing the current Emperor seem well underway. The entire nation has converted to preparing for war, and food stockpiles, weaponry, and soldiers are all being amassed. All that remains, it seems, is for the generals to finish jockeying to be the first deployed to clash with the foe... apparently a high honor.

>>14606648
>Often in briefings you hear both he and the king refer to ‘his Mistress’ or ‘the Grandmistress’.
In what sense? As someone still working for them, as a power within the palace, as someone else...? This title is interesting and I'd like to find out more.

Also, I would like to use a few quick divinations to find out when Laressa was last here, and where she lived when she was. Check it out, for our own amusement and edification. Shouldn't be too tough.

>>14606637
>>14606642
>>14606648
Oh, and you heard no specific mention of Laressa by name or title during your entire investigation.

>>14606679
In the sense that he sometimes said things like "I will convey your wishes to the Grandmistress, sire." after being given a order.

A quick divination reveals that the last time she was in the palace or elven lands in general was 217 years ago.

Hey, could I make a request? When we're partaking in an action, could we manifest as something more humanoid and walk the earth? It's just that honestly, I don't find that this quest has neither restriction nor hook, and limiting our power in endeavours could help that. Just my two cents

>>14606753
Sure you can. Just specify who, where, ect. You might also need to justify the why to other players.

>>14606753
>When we're partaking in an action, could we manifest as something more humanoid and walk the earth?
I would rather not. Manifesting means that people spend all their time reacting to us instead of doing all the things that we wanted to learn about in the first place. It's annoying and a waste of our goddamn time to deal with that.

>>14606648
Hmm. So they are indeed attacking the Parthian Empire eh? The big question is why exactly. The question is how do we best figure that out... Which I am drawing a blank on unfortunately. I assume we can see the kinds of messages that Lord Orias carries and the kinds of markings it needs to look genuine. Can we create one that basically tells him the grandmistress requires his presence? Then we can follow him and find out who his boss is and likely more information.

>>14606887
Presumably he's in frequent contact with her one way or another, if he's giving her messages from the king. We should be able to just stalk him until he goes to see her normally without making signals using systems that we don't understand to fuck with the daily lives of some very paranoid people.

Did the divination spell tell us WHERE the grandmistress is? If so, lets go spy on her and she what her deal is.

>>14606940
Fair enough. When I posted the above suggestion, I was assuming he isn't going to see her anytime soon and that would hopefully speed up his return to her. That and it'd be us actually doing something. I'm just wondering if his mistress is Larissa's mother.

That and why they're going to attack Parthian and beyond going into someones mind and making them a veggie, we'll probably need to find someone high up and see if they have anything we can look at to figure it out or perhaps manifest and interact with them.

>>14606982
Wat? That's not what you looked for.

>>14607047
Yeah, I thought we were just looking into when Larissa was last here.

Also Vedibere, you said on monday that you're sticking to a certain area per thread. Is this elf related only or can it include Larissa if we so choose?

>>14607075
The elven nation is currently part of the Laressa plot, though it can obviously branch off if you somehow create an entirely new thread here.

>>14607115
Thought as much. Well I stand by what I posted earlier at this point - let's follow Lord Orias for a bit and see if we can find this Grandmistress. If he doesn't go to her, at that point we should either try the fake message idea assuming we can make one that at least looks credible or just try ripping the info out of someone who works for him that seems higher up than a mere minion.

The way I see it, even if the message doesn't work, as long as it looks legit enough, it'll probably be something he'll want investigated and perhaps report to her.

Where is everyone tonight?

>>14607292

Lets face it, this quest is a little bit slow. People are here and there, but as not much of interest happens people check back only rarely.

>>14607292
Probably going to take a little longer to get rolling than usual, hiatus most of this week and all. I figure I'll keep the thread going much longer than usual though to make up for it, especially since some people seem to only be joining in around 02:00 and were commenting that they couldn't get shit done because I usually ended around then or a bit after.

>>14607155
Tracking down the Grandmistress in a subtle fashion seems the proper move for now. If we can't find her or run into other problems, we can contemplate methods that others might notice or a new strategy.

I do still want to do some scrying on the past in order to find out Laressa's backstory. As long as we don't touch anything, it should be well within our capability to pull up some movies of reality. I'd be interested in seeing the last time Laressa was here, and what happened to bring her the first of her slowly accumulating elven posse. Let's get some backstory and the bits that we missed filled in here.

>>14607292
>>14607316
Personally I'm following this quest, but Friday is my tabletop gaming night, so I can't do much more than read updates when our GM is busy with someone else.

I'll be here monday, though.

There are many directions to investigate, but the most promising one seems to be this Grandmistress. Though you have not once seen him leave the palace, you do note that Lord (Master?) Orias does telepathically contact others several times per day. What follows is a tedious wait interspersed with occasional bouts of activity as you trace who he communicated with. Eventually, however, you are rewarded: he ciphers and sends one of the messages the king gave him; an order to increase the covert defenses of certain key areas to ensure no foreign influences take advantage of the absence of so many loyal elven warriors.

Tracking it, however, proves altogether more difficult than you had initially feared. You trace it to no less than three other mages, each relaying the coded parcel through three others in different elven cities, and three more beyond them. Considering the brief period in which the messages were transmitted, the powerful anti-scrying wards on the communications and recipients, as well as the fact each mage moved to a different area immediately afterward... well, you must admit you doubt any mortal agency could track it without being detected.

You, however, are quite able to do so.

The final message transmission is received by a rather potent group of magi residing in a stone tower, deep within the one of the mostly uninhabited reaches of the elven lands. Six mages sit in the glass spire of the thin, invisible, and warded needle. After the message is both received and confirmed to be legitimate, however, one sends a telepathic message below and hands the scribed and sealed missive to an young, blonde errand runner. With a quick bow he departs, running down the winding spiral staircase to the bottom of the tower, where it widens into a great empty hall. Large marble columns within ring a complex symbol on the floor, and after pausing briefly and speaking a few words he strikes several parts of the symbol with his heel. Finishing, he turns and a door (one of several secret passages you can feel throughout the area) opens, leading down into the earth itself.

Unlike the tower, however, this underground is vast and filled with people. An entire community thrives underground here, much like that of the Kamada, though far more vast. Indeed, on closer inspection there are many differences; where the Kamada were austere the halls here are stone-lined and intricately carved and inlaid. Overhead are chandeliers that diffuse magical light throughout the halls and rooms, keeping the large vaulted areas bright as opposed to the Kamada’s shadowy, claustrophobic corridors. Even the elves themselves seem different, garbed in fine red velvits and black silks rather than the common fabrics you saw at the merchant underground. The runner, for his part, scurries past dozens of elves who are walking through the halls or training with each other in great brightly lit rooms, occasionally being called to a stop with “Hold, apprentice, state your business.” but quickly resuming his trek after flashing a medallion he wears about his neck. Down and down he goes, occasionally being stopped by guards or a door and showing the medallion.

Eventually he reaches the lower levels, passing to the end of a long, richly adorned hall with several doors to offices branching from it. Eventually he stops and waits at the end of it, standing in front of the final door with no handle and saying nothing. After roughly ten minutes the door opens and two elves depart from inside, passing the averted eyes of the runner without speaking. “Come.” rings out from inside in a female tone, and he enters before the door shuts once more behind him. Within is a tastefully decorated office adorned by a desk placed near the far wall, facing the door. Behind it are a dozen shelves, reaching up to the high vaulted ceiling and crammed with powerfully warded containers that you peer through to reveal house artifacts of considerable power. To either side stand not walls, but the ends of bookshelves, six to a side and spanning the full height of the room, continuing off to the sides for quite a distance.

The apprentice, for his part, silently waits on the dark green rug that leads to the chairs in front of the desk, eyes downcast. Time passes and you begin to grow bored, but eventually his (and your) patience is rewarded. From the row of bookshelves on the right slowly walks an elven woman with long golden hair reaching to her knees and dark green eyes focused on a tome she has in hand as she walks. Her features are elegant and aristocratic, exceptionally beautiful by any measure and bearing a marked resemblance to Laressa’s. She is clad in a form-fitting dark blue dress with gold stitching which covers from her neck to the floor, and as she reaches the apprentice closes and stashes the book within one of her dagged sleeves -- an extraplaner storage space, you note -- before raising an eyebrow and speaking in a silken voice, “Yes?”

“A message from the Attache, Grandmistress.” with that he hands the message to the woman in blue, never looking up. She takes it and, opening it, quickly scans through and nods. “I see. Very well, return to your duties.” At this the young apprentice bows, turns, and departs, the door opening and closing behind him with a motion of the woman’s hand. After he has gone she returns to the desk and, sweeping her dress to prevent it from catching, sits in the high backed chair behind it. Heaving a sigh, she retrieves the book she stashed in her sleeve and lays it upon the desk before returning to writing a coded message of her own.

>>14607893
Laressa is the daughter of the elven supreme spymaster? Hah! That's fairly awesome. Let's spy on the Grandmistress for a while. See- as subtly as we can- if she keeps any significant records, journals, mementos, etc, that we might be able to glean a little history from; probably not, but it's worth checking. If not, at least read a few letters or hear her conversations; if we can't be bothered to watch her all the time, set up a monitoring spell to let us see/hear the potentially interesting items while we investigate her life.

>>14607994
I'm tempted to just say we should talk to her at this point. Directly. Kind of tired of sticking around behind the shadows and that one guy talking to Larissa did say her mother was trying to help her as best she could.

>>14608148
That could go either really well or really poorly, depending.

I suppose that if everything goes horribly wrong we can make her explode and never tell Laressa it was us. Or maybe tell her it was us if we feel like a trollface at some point.

We'd have to come up with a decent intro, though. Something stylish.

Hmm, I'm not sure how much more we can learn at this point without actually intervening.

Can we take a quick skim of the books? Maybe the spymistress keeps a journal hidden somewhere.

>>14607893
What was she reading before?

>>14608148
>>14608162
I don't think we should talk to her yet. We can do a bit of silent information gathering before we do that, if we do it at all. There are all kinds of documents in this room we can read over first.

Idea! We pull Laressa and her mom into a shared dream world next time they're both asleep. Obviously make it obey dream rules- everything should be vague and shifty, mutable with the application of willpower, etc. so that they both get the sense that it actually is a dream. And stop them from seriously hurting one another, if either tries. But I'd like to see what they do.

>>14608186
A quick skim of the books reveals several things:

1. Both sides of the room are much much larger than the hollowed-out space allows, the shelves trailing seamlessly into a large extraplanar library.

2. They are in coded ciphertext.

3. They are (most likely, judging by materiel, aging, things like that) chronologically ordered.

4. The section corresponding roughly to the time Laressa departed is empty.

>>14608186
>>14607994
She wears a pendant with Laressa's picture inside. Also a poisoned needle, miniaturized scroll of teleport, and tiny, tiny lockpick, all behind the picture. You find no journals. I mean, a spymaster that keeps a journal?

>>14608162
Why do we really have to do anything to her? We can say whatever we want and do whatever we want. She can't really hurt us. Just say things to make her think we're some powerful wizard that has interest in that nation since we think there's some artifact we want there or something.

>>14608270
Part of me wants to do what we did with Laressa when we first met her and just go all out and show how powerless she is around us.

>>14608330
I was just thinking something similar, offer her anything she wants, and then decide ourselves exactly what to give her to allow her to get what she wanted.

>>14608372
Or inquire as to her nations interest in invading the Parthian empire. As I said, we could just make up some excuse that there's something relevant to our wizardly interests in that nation and we want to ensure it won't be threatened by their war.

>>14608324
>She wears a pendant with Laressa's picture inside.
I wonder what the Grandmistress would do if we made this display her as she actually is at all times. No context or anything but Laressa, just a moving image of her which displays whatever she's doing.

>>14608372
>>14608330
I don't really want to do that. In general, we already know what our actions are- and we're almost always inclined to approach things by throwing power at them. But actual amusement emerges from seeing what other people do, how they act, watching dramas unfold. In this case, Laressa's mom is a fairly major player in Laressa's show- and I don't really want to make ourselves more of a character than we already are in that particular piece.

>>14608324
Are the books spelled? Any magic we could co-opt to trace the missing pieces?

>>14608420
>I wonder what the Grandmistress would do if we made this display her as she actually is at all times. No context or anything but Laressa, just a moving image of her which displays whatever she's doing.


That would depend on whether the gradmistress is inclined to actually look at the picture. Some people rarely ever open the lockets they wear.

>>14608324
Pop in and ask her why the Elven Kingdom is gearing up for war. Watch for reaction.

>>14608458
If we do pop in, make sure that we're using a new face, new clothes, new equipment, etc. Steal a look (and, hell, accent and mannierisms) from one of the more interesting archmages that we've known in our many millennia of existence.

>>14608423
They all have tracking spells on them, yes. (smart call, by the way) Co-opting and using those spells yourself reveals that the targets for the missing section do not exist anymore, though the spells still do. This leads you to conclude the books were not merely hidden or disjuncted, but destroyed.

i think we should alter our tricks for once.

how can we go about dicking around in beings dreams? is it still very likely to turn them into vegetables or can we more easily influence such things?

>>14608494
Thanks, and damn it. Nothing's ever easy. Even when you're omnipotent.

So, manifesting or not?

If yes:
As what/who?
Where?
Magical lockdown of area?
What do you do/ask/say/whatever?

If no:
What do you do?

>>14608540
>>14608494
Wait, we're omnipotent, so can't we just pull the pieces back together?

Of course even if we can that still leaves the cipher...

I'd rather not make someone braindead just to learn to decode it. We really need to find a psionic savant and have him tutor us on the finer points of telepathy.

>>14608560
I thought this was fairly clear by this point, but I'll state it just in case: This is not D&D. No psionics.

>>14608560
I know there's a no mind fuckery thing going on here, but can we at least read surface thoughts? Like, Laressas mom is writing a note in cipher right now, could we learn the cipher by "listening in" while she writes and comparing what she's thinking of saying with what she's writing?

>>14608560
>>14608595
Heh, you guys just never give up on the telepathy angle.

>>14608595
Only if you want to risk breaking her mind. There's no "oh I'll just passively listen in blah blah that's harmless right?".

If it has to do with something/someone's mind then, barring rare exceptions (like sending or appearing in dreams) you are probably going to break them somehow. Maybe not, sometimes you get everything right. But it's much more likely that they either die or, even if you succeed, they are somehow irrevocably changed as a person.

>>14608638
appear in her dreams as Laressa asking her why she pushed us away.

i think we should be able to use that as leverage to get what we want to know and stay stealthy

>>14608677
Can we make a computer out of undead to decipher it for us?

>>14608560
>>14608540
You are missing a point; if the section corresponding to Laressa leaving is gone that only means that the parts before that are still intact, which means there could still be plenty of info about our favorite that's only out of reach because of a code. We could just make copies of the books and then work out the cipher on our own. But that would be time consuming and boring. Do we really care enough about Laressas' past to do that, when we could just ask her about it in person when she sets up that dinner? You know she'd probably be flattered we even care about her past at all.

>>14608701

Holy shit, I remember the undead quantum computer thread, that was fuckin epic. Unrelated, but awesome.

>>14608701
We could but it might be easier just to use a real supercomputer, we are bound to have run into one or two in our lifetime of fucking with the multiverse.

>>14608747
Do you think Vedi would actually let us do that? cause so far it's the only idea I feel like getting behind since no one has gone so far as to suggest what to actually say to Laressa's mother if we do talk to her in person.

>>14608794
No to the computer, but it's not hard to crack the cipher when you're omnipotent... just time consuming and boring. Very boring.

Lets just ask her to tell us what we want to know. I'm guessing we can detect lies and truths. Have a nice chat over tea about Laressa. I don't think telling use her plans really would have any bearing on the greater world insofar as it doesn't present an immediate threat to Laressa or the heroes. That and entering mistress of spies chambers without setting off alarms or being seen by guards would probably let her know we mean no harm being her not being dead at our feet.

>>14608912
I'm just going to redirect you to this >>14608549 post.

So yeah, if you can work out that stuff, I'll be happy to second or third your suggestion.

Let's appear to her the same way we appeared to Laressa. Tell her we're just a curious and powerful being, and offer her something for her time.

Mothers and daughters tend to share tastes in men.

>>14608549
>So, manifesting or not?
No.
>If no:
>What do you do?
>>14608270 is a nice plan unlikely to have serious effects on the actions of our subjects here and which does not reveal our presence, but might give us some interesting stuff. I'd like to use it first, and only resort to more personally active methods if we're not content with the results.

>>14608872
>just time consuming and boring. Very boring.

but on the up side we'd be able to read any coded dispatches that we came upon in the future. and just reading some documents would be much faster than waiting for people to discuss things

>>14609008
Seconding, if only to get this show on the road.

would still like to decode the cipher though. the potential history in those books is going to be bugging me for the rest of the quest if I don't get to know it.

>>14608935
>>As what/who?
Same form we visit Laressa with. This is personal inquiries so lets make it personal.
>>Where?
Our office. Is a bit safer for her minions that way so no automatic alarms are tripped etc.
>>Magical lockdown of area?
No need I'm sure her underlings are used to her dissappearing at her leisure.
>>What do you do/ask/say/whatever?
We are interested in the condition of Laressa's departure from the elven lands as well as a bit of reasoning why the elven nation "Appears" to be taking direct action against her other than the obvious Laressa being an agressor. I'm sensing a political motive beyond safeguarding their lands and people. As in I suspect Laressa may be an heiress to the crown therefore have a legitimate right to the elven kingdom.

>>14608943
>>14609043
>>14608912

“Hello.” This simple word is enough to cause the woman before you to freeze and carefully look up. Calmly, darting her eyes about the room, she assess the situation the situation before returning her gaze to you and drawing her dark green eyes over you over as well. After a few moments she finally responds, still motionless with her quill in hand “Hello to you as well. Would you care to have a seat?”

You nod and move to one of the excellent leather chairs, clad in your true form. “Don’t worry, there are no blades or spells aimed your way presently, feel free to move as you wish. Ah, but I wouldn’t advise calling any guards or attacking me.” You deliver the last part with a smile, which she returns.

“Oh, no, I think we’re well beyond that.” she responds, closing her books and placing her quill back in the inkwell. Sitting straight, she clasps her hands on top of the desk and assesses you cooly, “I would be most interested in how you came to be here, should you feel inclined to provide it. Though I assume you have other things you wish to discuss?”

“Indeed. Not the things you most likely are assuming, however. I wish to know... about your daughter.” At this she stiffens a bit and you can see, thanks only to a quite literally nearly infinite amount of practice, the slightest trace of emotion on her face. Even that trace, however, is gone in an instant.

“Ah. Well, so many things to talk about. What is it you wish to know?”

>Slight retcon, forgot to change it.

"Of her past. I am a man of many means, as you can tell, but of this I seem to be sadly incapable. I thought that surely here, of all places. But alas, they've been destroyed haven't they?

I don't want to know anything that you deem could harm her. I simply want to know more about who she is as a person. The two of you are both certainly people of great import in the world as it is."

>>14609104
This is a "wat do" in case you want to add in any questions that >>14609043
didn't cover, by the way.

>>14609104
"I noticed your records are incompletet, do you care to elaborate on the reason they were destroyed?"

>>14609160
Avoid assurances that we don't want to harm Laressa, the spymistress has been doing this for a very long time and any slip ups could reveal things we don't want to reveal.

>>14609218
agreed, stick with the "supremely powerfull but simply curious" approach

>>14609218
Nah we should lay our cards out on the table. A show of such openness to her will have the desired effect. We have proven skilled enough to infiltrate her lair. Any truths we speak will be suspect to her and the more believable and confirmable the truth the more the remaining ones become suspect. Shes probably used to deceptions within deceptions. We can play her paranoia best against her by not hiding anything. Other than who we are and anything about laressas plans that we might know of course.

>>14609246
This.

Nothing is more frustrating than someone who beats your game by not even bothering to play.

>>14609246
Alright, so long as we give no indication that Laressa rose to power because it was what we wanted. We don't want to reveal that we can play the entire world like that.

“Your name would be of use.” You respond.

“Oh, do forgive me. I am Lady Celedine of house DeKiron, Grandmistress of the Royal Shades. You would be?” she trails off, and you respond with a grin “Unimportant to know about.”

She shakes her head and returns a small smile, nodding, “I somehow doubt that, but fair enough. Your questions about my daughter?”

“Well Celedine, to start with I would like to know how it is she came to leave the kingdom and what reason Dar’an has to move against her. Trivial issues, really, and I usually would not have bothered you with them. Sadly, however, your records are quite incomplete.” You give a smile as you finish and this time she does not return it, instead narrowing her eyes and sizing you up.

“I see. You would then be... an acquaintance of my daughter’s? Perhaps you should instead ask her instead of I, as it is hardly my place to say.” At this, however, you let the smile drop. “I don’t believe I was asking.”

She locks eyes with you and you hold her stare, icy cold and calculating. After a long minute she breaks it and gives a half shrug, leaning back in her seat. “I suppose you weren’t, and if you know she is alive then you already are more knowledgeable than most. The silly girl attempted a coup and failed, but managed to sneak away using skills she had learned here to evade even the most skilled assassins I sent after her. Even now she continues to slay anyone I send, even the master assassin who trained her, with over two thousand years of experience. I would say I was proud, if she were not a traitor.”

>>14609246
yea.

She sighs before continuing, “As for the war, well, she’s raising an army and the king feels that he should quash this before she grows too strong or,” a small grin returns to her face, “it is publicised that he lied about her death after being unable to catch her.”

At this you nod sagely, but tilt your head as if in confusion, “Well that makes sense, but a few things still puzzle me.” At this she raises her eyebrows and you continue, “Leaving aside the... dead assassins, how exactly would she have claimed the throne. What support would she have had?”

At this she actually does display surprise, though she quickly controls it, “Well, during her time here she grew close to several key elements that existed in the past. The support of powerful members within the elven intelligence network was a boon, no doubt. She also spent time at court and convinced several powerful nobles to side with her, lending her an army and political backing. But it was foolish to challenge the king, no?”

By the end of her statement you see her probing you for some sort of answer, but you ignore it and continue. “And how exactly did she convince all of these people to back her?”

At this Celedine shrugs, “Among the Shades there were many who followed her out of friendship, admiration, or a desire for power. As for the others...” she closes her eyes and smiles before slowly opening them again, “In elven politics it’s hardly difficult for the king’s only daughter to find supporters with a bit of charm and promises of power.”

>>14609466
>Even now she continues to slay anyone I send, even the master assassin who trained her, with over two thousand years of experience.
*Snicker* That would be the one currently telling Laressa her mother is helping as much as she can, I take it...

>>14609474
If wat do: Who does the spymistress support. Her daughter or the king? Purely speculative of course. Either way we should start spreading rumors in the elven cities of the Kings daughter being alive and being at the head of the human army. Spread some extra dissent. Add some dissent amongst the higher ranks too. The possibility of a new ruling order should have the nobles at least begin considering upping their standing with the new possible queen.

>>14609596
Also shes telling us an awful lot of potentially destructive things for the king so I'm betting on her being officially for the king but secretly for Laressa.

"Ahh, a princess. That explains much.

Despite her willingness to offer herself for gain, she has been offered several suitors that other women would jump upon at the slightest opportunity. She has denied all of them - even in simple companionship.
Why would that be, in your opinion?"

Yes, I'm aware that it's due to safety/she has a crush on us. But I want to know what her mother thinks about it. That alone can tell us a good bit about each of them.

>>14609585
Isn't he also telling the mother that he's actually sent those assassins to assassinate her?

Seems like this dude is playing both sides. I'm impressed, we should keep a closer eye on him.

>>14609474
Hm. It sounds like a rather classic tale; while Laressa would doubtless have played it out with style, nothing that we haven't seen before. I like what she's doing now better.

>>14609596
She obviously supports the king, at least publicly, or Laressa wouldn't be holding a grudge against her. My guess is that she won't side with Laressa unless she actually believes that her daughter will win.

>>14609620
>Ahh, a princess. That explains much.
While she is doubtless picking up just how much we don't know from context here, I am not inclined to openly admit to being ignorant of anything.

>>14609620
>Despite her willingness to offer herself for gain
wut? she has done the exact opposite of that the entire time

>Tha northern dwarves ‘ave been holdin off tha great orc clans fer generations
Let's give the most ambitious orc chieftain the greatest military mind ever existed.

>>14609620
I'll go with this.

Spymaster could be lying to us and actually supporting the daughter.

>>14609649
The mother just told us she did that to gain favor in the elven court. Fuckin' READ.

>>14609676
all I saw was that she promised power not whored herself out

besides the old elf said she rejected everyone back in the elf lands too

>>14609700
Fuckin subtext, come on.

>>14609676
She implied it, but she's a spy and wants to know more about us. We can't assume that her implications are necessarily truths, even if she's avoiding lying.

You know, it is entirely possible that she's lying through her teeth about all of this. It seems unlikely that she would just give away all this information when asked, as quite a bit of it is potentially damning.

>>14609754
We should verify everything with Laressa at Dinner Whenever we get to that point. Alternatively just drop in on Laressa to verify these things. Subtly of course.

>>14609474
"Hmm. Well, she has a bit more than smiles and promises at her disposal, these days. Tell me of her nature as she was here, if you would."

>>14609754

Well it has been sufficiently demonstrated that we have no problem penetrating her defenses. She has probably calculated that we can simply drop by again and off her if we find out she's lying.

>>14609620
Seconding, because what the hell we're already here.

"She is a princess, then? That... explains much.

Despite her willingness to offer herself for gain in the coup here, she has been offered several suitors that other women would jump upon at the slightest opportunity. She has denied all of them - even in simple companionship.” Raising your hands questioningly, you continue, “Why would that be, in your opinion?"

She raises her eyebrows, ostensibly surprised but... you catch something else too, subtle, before she responds, “Oh? My, quite the change from her past! My apologies then, I shall need to update our dossier on her. I have to wonder at her actions. She surely seemed to have a taste for companionship in the past, especially the powerful archmages, though she did so love to play hard to get with them. Ah well.” She shrugs but then looks thoughtful, as if struck by a sudden thought, “Though I have to wonder, perhaps it’s a test. To see who will stand by her side to the end despite that, to claim their reward after all is said and done...” she trails off.

After a minute or two of silence she clears her throat, “Well, would that be all? I would still simply love to know your... method of transport.”

>>14609894
"I just think happy thoughts, and up, up, and away!"

>>14609894
I'm an optical illusionnnnn...
Wave our hands like an idiot

"I wasn't corporeal until I decided to create a physical construct to house my consciousness. I constructed it in this room."

>>14609894
Haha, oh wow. She thinks we're courting Laressa and got rejected but is trying to convince us we should stick around and help fight anyway.

I like her, bitch is subtle.

"I`m a Wizard. Once upon a time."

>>14609930
This.

>>14609894
"Oh, my method of transport is very basic. You see, I simply wish to be elsewhere, and I am." Trollface because it's true. "Tell me more of Laressa. Her nature and wishes, as you knew them here or since."

While witty one-liners or whatever are cool, they don't constitute any sort of action by themselves.

>>14609923

Ha, I like it. Maybe make our image waver a little bit while we make exaggerated gestures.

Just tell her that it wouldn't work for her in anycase.

She's been honest with us so far, I like her. Let's give her a boon. Enchant her locket with the Laressa hologram. Like suggested by:
>>14608420

>>14609932
I laughed at that as well; it looks like she wants her daughter to do well after all, if she's trying to get random archmages on her side. But I'm certainly not going to correct her impression.

>She's been honest with us so far,
Are we reading the same text? Because I see a woman who has been lying through her teeth the entire time to further her own agenda.

>>14609968

I think we're going to:

>>14609923
>>14609932
>>14609973

Then leave. Or maybe not leave, but vanish and stick around incorporeal for a minute to see how she reacts to our disappearance.

>>14609991
Then we should boon and curse her. Every word she speaks from now on shall be the absolute truth as best she knows it. Also no one will be capable of lying to her to the best of their knowledge either. Could be a curse or a great boon depending on how she uses it. Of course we're exempt from the power.

>>14609968
Lets do this >>14609654

>>14610025

I don't like this plan.

>>14609894
>I would still simply love to know your... method of transport.”
Wherever there is amusement, you will find me.
Wherever there is a spectacle, I'll be there.
Wherever there is interesting information, you will find...
That guy with the awesome hat!

When she then inevitably points out we aren't wearing a hat, let alone an awesome one, create one on our head.
Unless we already are wearing one, in which case nvm that part.

>>14610025
That doesn't seem like a boon at all for a politically manipulative spymaster secretly supporting her daughter. In fact, it sounds more like an instant death sentence to me.

>>14609991
Yeah, I see that too. Still, no matter, really; lies are all part of the risk we take by stepping onto the stage.

>>14610025
Let's not flash that kind of might for no better reason than a few lies.

>>14610026
That would be a change of setting. Barred except between threads, I believe.

>>14609968
I am interested in asking the question in >>14609964:
>"Tell me more of Laressa. Her nature and wishes, as you knew them here or since."
If only because while we've learned a bit here, it's mostly facts. I want impressions, too. And also I'd be interested in seeing what her mom would say about her, particularly given >>14609932.

>>14609991
I dunno, we haven't caught her in an outright lie yet. She seemed to have answered our questions in earnest so far.

She may have phrased some of her conjecture to fit her own goals, but nothing that suggest she means us harm. And she's been civil, I like it.

>>14610036
I like this idea.

I say we offer her a reasonable boon. If she asks for somthing reasonable, grant it. Then leave

Before we go, I want to know exactly where she stands on Laressa's motives. Ask her straight up if she would support Laressa or the King if it came to a fight, either overt or covert.

And tell her that our methods of movement are so far beyond her that knowing them would be useless to her.

You give a smile, “I don’t have any actual body and am a being unbound by form or limit, I simply willed a form into existence in this room to speak with you.” She flashes a smile and giggles elegantly, “Ah, perhaps you shall grant me the secrets to the universe, then? The dark nexus of power that fuels your abilities?”

You simply shrug, “Sadly, I think they are out of your reach. Keep trying, though, and maybe one day you will learn some secrets about me.” she seems about to reply, but you continue, “I, however, and somewhat boring. Perhaps you can tell me more about Laressa? Her wishes and, perhaps, a bit of her nature as well? You must know her well after all, being her mother.”

Stymied, she leans forward and rests her arms on the desk while replying, “Ah, back to the tedious subject of my daughter rather than your delightful self, I see.” She shrugs, “The foolish girl never consulted me about her desire to take over Dar’an, so I am hardly an authority there. I assume that now she’s seeking power within the human lands. The king keeps ordering assassins and mounting this war, but from the reports she is a mere Duchess. A powerful position to be sure, one anyone would desire... but alone I hardly think she is going to rise above it.”

“Oh? Why is that?” you prompt, and with a smile she continues, “Well, it ties into her nature. You see the poor girl could simply never construct a real plan on her own, from a child all the way until she was grown. She always needed strong advisors and powerful help to support her. They are really the ones who run the show.” She smiles and stands, her long hair swishing behind her as she retrieves a decanter and two glasses from a shelf behind her.

“Last time she tried to break off on her own her coup plans crumbled, easily brushed aside by the king who exterminated all traces of the rebellion root and branch.” she says as she sits again, before pouring the dark amber liquid and handing you a glass, “No, I imagine she’s a perfect tool for whoever is manipulating her. Cheers.” And with that she lifts the glass, watching as you do the same out of politeness. A fine rum, though you have had better.

After you finish she gives a warm smile and speaks, “So, how exactly did you get here?” You shrug, “Oh, you know how it is. You just sort of think happy thoughts and poof, there you are.”

At your reply she blinks and narrows her eyes, “Ah, I see. My... apologies for asking again.” As she stands and puts the decanter away once more, however, you note that her smile is rather taut and her eyes flick over a half dozen other items on the shelves before she sits back down.

“So then, did you have any... other business with me? I am sure you are very busy, after all."

>>14610236
"nothing right now, but since you have been kind enough to answer my questions I feel I boon is in order, what would you wish?"

(if she askes about our powers again then put on a serious face and tell her we ahve already told her, but she is free to waste her boon on that if she wishes)

>>14610227
>>14610236

"You'd be suprised. I might as well be off though, you can hardly get any of your own work done while I'm here chattering away. Sorry for just popping in and leaving Lady Celedine, but I must say you've been a lovely host."

Then we disappear and.... wait? See how she reacts when we vanish?

>>14610274
>>14610275

Mix these.

>>14610274
Why are we handing out gifts to everyone? We don't need to do it and I don't think we should. It'll just overly complicate things.

When we leave, let's go drop by and say hi to Laressa. Find out her side of this whole story, and enjoy the doubtlessly lovely meal prepared by her new cook.

>>14610236

"You would be surprised how much free time one could have when measured against eternity."

If no one else has any more suggestions, I propose we offer her a boon for accommodating us.

In other news, it's good to see them underestimating Laressa. It seems that she's really taking the lessons from her first attempt to heart.

>>14610282

Encourages cooperation if we choose to appear again. Also makes them look forward to visits.

>>14610236
No one disrespects us. No one. Pull her into our 'office' to show her our power.

>>14610292
>In other news, it's good to see them underestimating Laressa. It seems that she's really taking the lessons from her first attempt to heart.

I... I don't even know how to respond to this.

You just got the wool pulled over your eyes by a fictional fucking character.

>>14610274
We're not the goddamn information fairy who jumps about giving you superpowers if you keep a dossier of information regarding people under your pillow

>>14610236
"Less so than one would think. But I will not impose upon you further. Farewell."

Then just vanish. Or rather, become undetectable and see what she immediately does. Do not muck about with boons. She doesn't need one.

>>14610324
Oh, I apologize for not living up to your expectations, anonymous.

Please tell us of your views so you can feel superior to other anons, because insults and condescension is necessary when correcting people.

>>14610319
Surely we are secure enough in our power that we don't need to shock and awe everyone who even slightly disrespects us. If we revealed ULTIMATE COSMIC POWER to everyone who ever sneered at us, we'd never get anything done, and everyone in the universe would know we existed. I'm sure this has happened before, and is one reason why we annihilated a universe.

>>14610369
where the hell is the fun in slinking and sneaking in the shadows and hovering over things just looking at reports? If you have the power, why not exercise it?

>>14610382
hell, wouldn't it be actually interesting to see the universe try and fight us?

>>14610382
Where the hell is the fun in shock-and-awe-ing everyone we meet? We ARE exercising our power by merely strolling past their wards. Just declaring ourselves the king of all creation would be boring as hell, even if we could do so rather effortlessly.

>>14610387
It would interfere a little bit with the plans we already set down. And I think we've had universes fighting against us many times before, that's why we got tired of it.

Personally I'm in favor of just enchanting her locket to show what Laressa is doing and then vanishing. But honestly I don't know what to do next in this area, that's why I wanted to go with a boon.

For people against the boon, please suggest a next course of action.

>>14610401
Orc warlord time.

>>14610401
I want to question her about her stance on Laressa's actions, then just leave. No more words, no boon, nothing. Just leave her.

And then go find out Laressa's story. We've never done more than give her some toys and direction, meanwhile we've been getting involved with lots of other people. We should know the person we're grooming as the BBEG very well.

>>14610418
when we leave i want us to use the doors

>>14610426
That would be hilarious. She's so set on finding out how we got in.

Use the doors, then disappear the body when we round a corner.

>>14610401
Vanish, and then see what she does. I imagine that she'll immediately take some sort of step as soon as she thinks we're gone, and I want to see what it will be.

I have little doubt that she'll take action at some point soon based upon what we've done and said here; she now thinks that Laressa has somehow gotten a post-epic archmage on her side, and one careless enough to let that slip for no good reason. That would rather upset what are likely some rather careful plans on her part, and that of her nation. For someone in her position of power this could mean drastic changes in the invasion plans.

>>14610444
We could make it appear from her side that we just strolled out and closed it behind us, while making it seem from the other side that the door remained closed. Maximum trolling there, I think, since any guards in the hall won't know what the hell is going on.

>>14610426
>>14610444
>>14610452

Since people have voted against the boon, I vote for this course of action.

Alright, 5 am and time to sleep. Don't do anything stupid.

>>14610507
Honestly, when was the last time that we failed to be collectively stupid when given the opportunity? Without your expert guidance idiocy is certain, Anonymous.

“Actually, you would be surprised how much time eternity really is. I am taking up your time, however, and hope you fare well.”

With that you snap out of existence, or at least the meat puppet you were controlling does. Celedine, for her part, takes it in stride, returning to her paperwork. After about five minutes she waves her hand at the door and the apprentice you saw before enters, “Grandmistress, the task is done.”

At this she stands and strides out the door, the apprentice following her out as it closes behind them. He scurries off after being dismissed and she calmly walks through the corridors, occasionally smiling or returning a greeting from those she encounters. Eventually she reaches a deserted portion of the underground fortress, a seemingly dead-end corridor with nothing important on it. The reality, however, soon becomes obvious as she activates a concealed winding staircase that leads even farther down, to a labyrinth below.

Flitting about, you take stock as she winds her way to the center of the hideously complex maze. There are six entrances to it, and the wards upon it are some of the best you have ever seen, surpassing even the ones on her office and within the Kamada stronghold. Within the maze itself are myriad traps both devious and horrific, magical and mundane, all of which she quickly and efficiently circumvents. Finally, at the center waiting for her stand four figures and a plethora of some of the most potent artifacts you’ve seen, one of them even a veritable “doomsday weapon” on par with the Orbs of Divinity, though of different make and function.

“Celedine, what has happened?” asks one, followed by another adding, “And why did you summon us here instead of your offi-”, only to be cut off.

“Enough! I was just paid a visit in my /office/ by a mage who completely circumvented our wards and was unaffected by the Decanter. Not only that, but he was asking about my /DAUGHTER/!” She all but screams the last word, and the four all pale. “I- how, I don’t unders-” one begins, only to be cut off again, “I don’t know! He was interested in Laressa and did nothing but ask questions about her. She must be warned, /now/! I’ll not have some random wizard tearing down four hundred years of planning.” At this she whips out a sheet of parchment and a quill from within her sleeves, quickly scribing down coded words. “I’ll list the events and questions he asked verbatim, as well as the answers I gave. Make sure she is told to memorize them well enough to give under torture or when taken by surprise. Send...”, she pauses and looks up. “Who do you think is best, Selvaris?”

The tallest elf in the chamber, a brown-skinned southerner, places his hand on his forehead and screws up his face thinking, before shaking his head, “I don’t know, with something this unexpected I think it might be best if I go myself. Celedine nods, resuming her rapid scrawling, “Good, stay there, I just received another demand from the court to send an assassin, so I’ll be able to have you ‘randomly’ assigned and then scyed as dead three months in. Here.” With that she finishes her transcribing of the past events and, rolling up the parchment, hands it to the man.

The four turn to leave, but she holds up her hand, stopping them, “From this point on, no plans are discussed anywhere but here, understood?” At their nods she returns with one of her own before turning to Selvaris and giving a warm, heartfelt smile, “Good luck my friend, watch over Laressa for me. Please. I... worry, even if she doesn’t believe it.” He bows, “Of course, my lady.”

Apparently finished, they all depart, winding their way back towards the hidden staircases.

>>14610536
This? This is hilarious.

>From this point on, no plans are discussed anywhere but here, understood?
Drop an undetectable recording device, right in the middle of their secret meeting zone. Should let us keep good track of their faction's plans.

>She must be warned, /now/!
I'm torn. On the one hand, seeing what Laressa does when she gets their warning will be awesome. On the other, being the first one to bring up this conversation and seeing how she reacts when we mention it would be great, too. Damn, which way to jump?

I'm thinking the first. We'll want to see that conversation, and unless I miss my guess very much she'll try to call us up right afterward.

>>14610536
Impressive! Correct me if I'm wrong, but this makes it seem that this Grandmaster had planned for her daughter to perform a coup against the current king but was foiled. She then made it so that the blame falls on her daughter alone so that she wouldn't lose access to all their resources.

Do a non-corporeal giggle and let's see what the king is up to, if he suspects betrayal and such.

>>14610536
*Falls over giggling*
Oh, gotta love unintentionally causing massive panic by your very presence.
For bonus points, should we arrange for Laressa to recieve this news right when she pulls her inevitable "dinner from the finest chef in the world" invite?

>>14610577
I was thinking maybe trick her into attacking this messenger, and further escalating conflict against her

I think I'll end it here for tonight, next thread Monday at 18:00.

Vote for next focus:
1. Stay with Laressa
2. Heroes
3. Mardana-Fel
4. Other (specify)

>>14610577

I would very much like to see how that conversation goes. And then we can talk to her afterward to discuss if and how this would interfere with her goals. Or whatever /tg/ decides to discuss.

>>14610610
You can't ask us not to be curious about Laressa after this!

1111111111111111

>>14610577
Agree, probably best if we are there first-hand to see her reaction to the "warning"

>>14610610
Must see results of unintentional trolling... Must witness hilarity... Plan "Elf fuckery" is go!

And no, not in the literal sense.

>>14610600
>Correct me if I'm wrong
Now why would I ever do that? Pic related, my face when people were actually believing her.

But seriously, you aren't completely correct but you are on the right track.

Leave a note in her desk
"Dear Lady Celedine
What gave you the idea i wanted to hurt little Laressa, and i am saddened to discover that most of what we discussed was falsehood, and here i was considering giving you a boon for indulging me.
Yours truly Unimportant Spectator"

Our reaction when larissa gets annoyed at us for risking her plan.

>And no, not in the literal sense.
Why not? Hell, both Laressa and her mom are hot as hell, evil, sexy, mastermind-women. I'd tap that, hard.

>>14610640
this.

Make the text on the paper undecipherable and illegiable to anyone but her though.

>>14610610
Stay with Laressa.

However. Drop a note to Ral Myres in Mardana-Fel that Palal Greenward will be no small danger after achieving his current objective and that, by Ral's contract, we wish Palal sought out and warned. Give Ral a location which will let him get to Palal with only dangers within his capability to handle. Imply in the note that we wish to see Palal's objective achieved with minimal fuss. Set an alert for ourselves up so that we'll know when Palal actually reaches the Orb; at that point Mardana-Fel will likely be an interesting plotline and we'll want to focus on it for a bit.

>>14610645
how hard would you tap that though?

>>14610640
>>14610650
No. There is little or no further gain in demonstrating that we can find out whatever we want; this situation is already going in amusing directions. Besides, as long as she thinks that she's got a working sanctum, she'll be inclined to use it and treat it as secure; that is to our advantage in terms of being able to keep track of what she's doing.

>>14610640
>>14610650
I agree

>>14610655

>>14610655
Never has this macro been more appropriate.

>>14610672
>>14610673
Hit-it mind.

>>14610659
I agree. I also vote that we construct an undetectable watcher that will warn us of any meetings and also record them for us in case we're indisposed.

>>14610630
Gotta admit, I was mostly taken in by her cover story. I was gladly wrong given how deep the lies are. And we don't even know if we're just scratching the surface! How lucky for our character that he picked that bar to start his entertainment.

>>14610645
Because this is /tg/ and she's an elf, not a dwarf?
Seriously, though, because it would disrupt the amusement. It's much more fun playing hard-to-get. And then she might realise that we are toying with her and don't really give a shit about her beyond whatever fleeting amusement she might bring in the long, boring ages, and then start getting all huffy and do annoying things to try to spoil our fun, like tell all the gods about us. And then we end up crushing /another/ reality.

Also, it's kinda like fucking a pet. Not really in good taste.

>>14610693
Eh, I thought it was pretty obvious that she was lying all along and trying to manipulate us into supporting Laressa. Maybe I'm just naturally suspicious, but she is a spymaster and we just walked in out of nowhere.

I honestly would have been disappointed if she told us the truth about her daughter being catty, chaste, a master plotter, justasplanned.jpg, and all that stuff. It made sense that she would try to lure the visiting uber-powerful wizard to support them with tales of how he could woo and manipulate a pliable young elven princess.

It also wouldn't have made sense for all that stuff we saw about them saying how unusual it is that Laressa has a crush to be false. They didn't even know we were watching, they had no reason to lie.

This is probably a bit silly, but when Celedine (or whatever her actual name is) sends Laressa that message, I think we should add on a message of our own at the very end, that only Laressa can read. Maybe commenting on the fact that her mother is a remarkably good liar.

>>14610693
>Gotta admit, I was mostly taken in by her cover story. I was gladly wrong given how deep the lies are. And we don't even know if we're just scratching the surface! How lucky for our character that he picked that bar to start his entertainment.
Do you mean laressa? She never gave us a cover story, afaik everything we observed about her so far like rejecting suitors is true. The one lying was her mom. Hell, we don't even know the her mom was telling the truth about the coup and princess part.

>>14610724
>And then she might realise that we are toying with her and don't really give a shit about her beyond whatever fleeting amusement she might bring in the long, boring ages, and then start getting all huffy and do annoying things to try to spoil our fun, like tell all the gods about us.
Actually, before engaging in any romance with Laressa I would support telling her straight up that, fair warning, we haven't been really romantic with anyone in about twelve millennia and our last long-term relationship was several times that back. So she should know that if she really wants to go for us we're willing, and she is without a doubt the single most interesting individual we've found thus far on this world, but it'll still probably end up with us getting bored leaving her. Because love is blind, she'll ignore our warning.

Then, when we get tired of toying with her, we can tell her "I told you this would happen" and watch her frustration/sadness/rage/whatever other reaction she has. Maybe that'll keep her interesting a bit longer. Hell, her trying to do something to regain our love could make for a great show to watch, for a while.

>>14610693
Are you
>implying
that it was Laressa and not Celedine who was lying? I mean, I'm not a waifu fag or anything but pay Laressa her dues, according to everything we know she has never slutted it up to gain power.

>>14610650
>>14610640
Not a fucking chance. We gain nothing playing around like that and lose the ability to keep up with the Death Note level planning that's going on here.

>>14610630
Yeah, I figured she was lying, but I never realized just how well she was playing us.

Actually I'm even more in favor of learning those ciphers now, as Celedine spoke of a plan 400 years in the making, and I have to wonder just how much of that plan Laressa is aware of. The way she acts you'd think most of this was her idea, and her mother had little to do with it. Celedine, on the other hand, gives the impression that all of this was foreseen.

>>14610780
We know she has never slutted it up to gain power since we met her anyway.

>>14610800
>Not a fucking chance. We gain nothing playing around like that and lose the ability to keep up with the Death Note level planning that's going on here.
Agreed completely. Information is power.

>The way she acts you'd think most of this was her idea, and her mother had little to do with it. Celedine, on the other hand, gives the impression that all of this was foreseen.
JustAsVedi-Planned.jpg? I like it, even with omnipotence we don't know what the truth is for sure.

>We know she has never slutted it up to gain power since we met her anyway.
All her friends and companions seemed shocked that she was interested in pursuing anyone at all, that probably means she never has. I could be wrong, but I would put money on it.

>>14610836
Of course, it could also mean she tried it in the Elven Kingdom, and after she failed and was thrown out (assuming for the moment that that's what really happened) she swore an oath not to rely on that any more, or something like that.

>>14610916
That sounds like a real stretch, IMO. The only one who has said she did, ever, was the her mother who lied out her ass about EVERYTHING. Everyone else was surprised she had a dude and she's been nothing but hostile to everyone but us. I don't see any reason to believe the person who has lied the most in the entire quest over clear evidence to the contrary.

>Slut vs Anti-Slut debate still going.
Man, what? Seriously? Here, problem solved: Laressa is a virgin. Done.

>>14610780
>>14610744

I meant her mom.

>>14611199
Well isn't that interesting. Answers quite a lot of questions too.