Gilda rubs her wrists and attempts to work the kinks out of her body from being in such an uncomfortable position for some amount of time.

“How long have you been tied up?” you ask.

“I don't know, maybe fifteen minutes? Twenty?”

You grimace as you look to the bodies in the room. These look like some of Betsy's elite. These were good men. Etriarch's missing. Rowe's implicated or being framed. This is not good.

“Alan are things alright? I heard the bells ringing. Are we under attack again?” Gilda asks, a hint of fear and dread in her voice.

“No. I'm afraid it might already be over.”

“AL!” you hear a shout from the main hall. Gabby's voice. You hear her footsteps as she approaches. “Oh, shit . . . ” she utters as she spots the dead man in the hallway and then looks in to see the scene you're currently standing amidst. She looks up to you.

“Overseer's Complex is actually still pretty well guarded. I told Blackburn about your hunch and, well, guess we know what the fuck happened.”

Funny. You don't feel that way at all.

>What next Alan? (write-in)
>What should Gabby and Gilda do? (write-in)

If this seems too open-ended I can give some options soon.

>>274381
try and see if we can find Muffins.

ask gilda if she has any idea where they went.

ask gabby and gilda where they would go/use as an escape route in this situation.

>>274381
Call to Muffin or Pascala if we can.
We gotta get Tornado and start looking for Etriarch and Rowe.

Ask Gilda if the paper that Rowe was reading is still here. That could shed some light on what happened.

Ask Gabby if she can get the town guard on alert to keep the Imperial group from leaving town.

>>274381
Oh, wait, any boot prints in the blood? A trail we could follow?

Writing!

File: Muffin.jpg (75 KB, 600x423)

75 KB JPG

You look at the blood spatter and search for bloody boot prints. Nothing so obvious seems to stand out. Whoever killed these men was as careful as they were artful.

“Gilda do you have any idea where they went?”

“I didn't see Etriarch when I entered the room. Only Rowe and these deceased guards. She punched me in the face, tied me up and walked out that door.”

“The fuck?” Gabby asks.

“It's a long story Gabby. And we're not sure it's the real Rowe. Either of you have any idea what escape route the Imperials would take after nabbing our informant?”

Gilda rubs her arm. “The front gate?”

Gabby shrugs. “Either scale the walls at a relatively unguarded point or swim out. Considering which elemental was drawing the most attention, I'd say they scaled the walls.”

“Alright,” you mutter. “Gabby, go alert the town guard we have an escaped prisoner and potential Kardassian agents inside the city. Gilda, what was Rowe reading?” Gabby rushes out of the room, while Gilda puts her finger to her chin in thought.

“Umm, I believe it was a letter.”

“Where is it now?”

Gilda looks round the room. “Ah!” she utters and walks into the cell, still open from whoever picked the lock. You follow her line of sight and see bits of ripped up pieces of paper scattered on the ground. Gilda squats and begins gathering the little bits together into one big pile.

“Here it is!” Great. “I'll bag the pieces,” she assures you.

You feel the hairs on your neck stand on end. Muffin's nearby and he's on edge. You tell Gilda to give you a moment before you stride outside the building and stare into the dark night looking for your flying squirrel familiar.

You catch sight of him as he glides to your shoulder in a state of semi-panic.

“Bad news, Alan,” he squeaks. “Rowe broke the bluejay out of where it was being confined in Eve's room, I think. She then cast a spell that immobilized me to stall me from informing you when I spotted them. Rafs said Rowe should kill me but she declined and said something about doing enough to you for one night. Rowe then told me to tell you she left a letter in your room. I, uh, don't really know what's going on right now.”

. . .

GREAT!

>Go read that letter
>Pursue Rowe
>Something else? (write-in)

>>274686
>>Pursue Rowe

Alright, roll me 1d100 + 25, best of 3.

Roll high!

Rolled 81 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>274751

>>274686
>Something else? (write-in)
"Muffin, go get the letter and bring it to me. If you find Pascala, send her my way. I'm going to get Tornado and track down Rowe."

At this point, we have to assume that Rowe is deserting.
She may not go to the Imperial side, but her misguided elven instincts probably are making her "defend Nature" from the Republic and Empire.

Rolled 90 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>274751
rolling for third place.

Rolled 55 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>274751

Writing!

File: Gale.jpg (31 KB, 420x532)

31 KB JPG

No. NO. You find yourself shaking slightly. You turn to Muffin. “Go back to the Circle. Grab the letter. Grab Pascala. Meet me by the Fighter's Guild stables. We're tracking down Rowe.”

“And then what?” Muffin asks tentatively.

“Then I don't know. Now go.”

Muffin glides off to his task while you find yourself sprinting though the city. You Urban Step your way to cross entire streets in the blink of an eye. You channel Expeditious Retreat to increase your speed. You even find yourself tapping into your ki to give you an even greater boost of speed. You are a blur as you zip through Seaside.

You finally make it to the stables after what feels like an eternity to you and start readying him for the journey.

“We're going to be riding hard and fast, Tornado.”

He wouldn't have it any other way.

“Going after Rowe?”

You turn around and see Gale giving you a good-natured grin. You scowl and squint at him.

“Yes,” you answer curtly. “How did you know that?”

He looks a bit taken back by the severity of your answer. “She saddled up and left about ten minutes ago. Said it had something to do with the elementals."

There's a paus as he cocks his head and studies your face and posture a bit as you digest that information.

"Everything alright?” He asks, concern in his voice.

>Tell Gale the truth (what is the truth, by the way)
>Blow him off
>Something else? (write-in)

>>274911
We'll tell him later.
just figure out which direction Rowe went in.

>Something else? (write-in)
"I don't know. Which way did she go."

I know I'm late but you can have Ed use Mending on the shredded letter later.

Writing!

File: Wolf.jpg (9 KB, 259x194)

9 KB JPG

“I don't know. Which way did she go?”

Gale sucks air through his teeth. “Eugh. Sounds rough. Um, she went out the southeastern gate.”

“Thank you,” you tell him. “If you get the chance, tell Ed to talk to Gilda about a letter. I figure he'll know what to do.”

Gale gives a half-hearted two finger salute. “Got it.”

You mount your horse and gently trot him out of the stable. You wait an excruciatingly long few minutes before Muffin shows up. Pascala trots up to you beneath him, a simple letter held in her maw.

You take it from her. It simply says “To Alan” on the front. When you look back up you are startled at the sight of an animal you didn't expect following Pascala.

“Hey Sif,” you call out to the wolf. He cocks his head at you.

>Read the letter
>Cast Speak with Animals and talk to Sif
>Go after Rowe
>Something else? (write-in)

No, you cannot multitask.

>>275066
>>Go after Rowe

>>275066
>Read the letter

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>275066
>>275070
>>275083
well, since no one else is likely to pop by,

1 for rowe
2 for letter

>>275197
Eh, sure.

Writing!

>>275197
I was that other guy in the rags to riches quests when it eventually just became the two of us voting. Good times.

>>275217
huh. Were you springhead or someone or an anon?

>>275217
Yeah, those were good times
It's a shame Rags had to leave it, busy with life and all.

Nice to see you again, though.

Dammit, I was driving and couldn't post.

If we had cast Speak with Animals, we could have asked Sif what the fuck is going on, and to help us track Rowe down.
I admit, he might try to lead us astray since Rowe leaving her Animal Companion behind as a distraction or because she expects to not come back alive are really the only two reasons for Sif being here.

File: Blue Jay.jpg (327 KB, 2400x1600)

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You stuff the letter in one of your saddlebags and whistle for Pascala to hop on. You leave Sif behind as you make your way for the southeastern gate. The guards on duty let you through easily, most likely about as easily as they let Rowe through. Things seemed to have calmed down in this part of Seaside. The fire elemental is nothing more than a scorch mark and it looks like off in the distance Flid and Azdor are communicating with the air elemental.

That doesn't concern you however. No, you're very singularly focused today. You kick Tornado into high gear as you gallop across the plains in search of your lover.

You almost feel a bit bad for how strenuous an effort you're putting on your loyal steed, but he seems just as determined as you are.

At first you find yourself woefully incompetent at tracking Rowe's movements. You can't even seem to find any obvious path or signs of hooves. You just pick the direction you think she's most likely to take – one heading for the forest – and follow it. Right at the moment you feel overwhelmed and out of your league, sure that you've lost her – your drive to find her kicks in.

Rowe will help you find Rowe. Her tracking skills. You need them. And you pluck them from the ether as you scan the horizon and the grasses of the plains. You quickly and expertly find the matted greenery that only a rider going at full speed could flatten. Clod and clumps of kicked up dirt forming what seems to your newly enriched mind like the most obvious of trails. You spur Tornado after her.

You know you're catching up. The trail is getting just ever so slightly fresher. You'll overtake her long before she makes it to the tree line.

“There's the bastard,” Muffin chitters next to your ear. You look to the sky and sure enough see the blue jay soaring above. Seems like he's trailing behind her. There isn't anywhere to hide and unfortunately Tornado is too heavy to make invisible compared to your current magical potence.

>Shoot him out of the sky
>Let him go
>Something else? (write-in)

>>275337
>>Let him go
>Something else? (write-in)

speed up

>>275337
>Let him go
He's Etriarch's animal companion, and in respect for his previous service to the Republic, we'll let him go. Once.

Next time, we're shooting him down and letting Pascala tear him apart. Threaten to kill Muffin? There will be consequences.

>>275337
>Let him go

Roll me 1d100 +25, best of 3.

Rolled 55 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>275389

Rolled 19 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>275389

Rolled 74 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>275389

Writing!

>>275437
When we catch up with Rowe, we should talk telepathically to her. That way we can check if it is her or somebody else.

>>275486
Shouldn't Pascala be able to smell whether it's Rowe or not?

We need to read that letter as soon as we can, but without losing track of Rowe.

File: Tornado.jpg (7 KB, 284x177)

7 KB JPG

You leave the blue jay be. It soon notices you following and flaps its wings to get ahead of you. You see it dip low on the horizon. Which means it is probably informing Rowe of your presence. And the fact that you can make it out diving so close means you really are gaining on her.

No one can outrun the Tornado! You try to spur your horse on to faster speeds, but Tornado assures you he can't go any faster. Not unless you want his heart to explode literally the way yours is figuratively.

A few minutes later and Pascala barks out a warning. You spot amongst the grasses a coil of blended-in vines that a quick detect magic informs you is magically enchanted. A trap!

You pull the reins at the last second and guide Tornado around the snare. Seems Rowe is adamant about you not catching up to her.

Too bad. You just push forward with even greater intensity. You come to a section of rolling hills. Tornado gallops up and down them, steady and smooth like you're rolling across the plains the way a marble rolls across a table.

You come to a sudden stop at the crest of one particularly large hillock.

Rowe sits atop her own horse not too far away. Her brow is furrowed in a combination of anger and regret. The blue jay perches on her shoulder.

(Stop following me.)

>Alright!
>Explanation?
>Take her in!
>Something else? (write-in)

>>275530
>>Explanation?
>>Take her in!

>>275530
>>Explanation?
This better be a good one.

>>275530
>Explanation?
"Didn't get a chance to read your letter. Both of them. I'm going to find out what the shredded one says, magic is nice like that so save us both the trouble and come clean."

>>275530
>Explanation?
>Something else?
I want to hear it from you.

>>275530
"Rowe, why are you doing this? You killed two guards. You're helping the our enemies. Is it because you love him? Or because you owe him?"

Writing!

>>275581
We should wait to hear from Rowe whether she helped Etriarch escape or she's trying to bring him back from the Imperial rescue party before saying that.

>>275581
Making some assumptions there.

Remember Gilda only saw Rowe reading a letter amongst the bodies. If she had done it, and I'm not saying she is entirely ruled out, why would she just be standing there at the scene of the crime?

My best guess is Etriarch killed them, left the letter, and now she is an accomplice for some reason after reading it. Might just be being optimistic though.

>>275601
>>275611

ok, yeah, hold that in reserve then.

“Can I get an explanation, please?”

(You didn't read my letter?)

“I want to hear it from you. I'll get around to reading them. Both of them. Mending's quite a handy spell.”

(There's a spell for that?)

“There's a spell for that. So save me the trouble of reading it and come clean.”

(You saw Etriarch's cell then?)

“Yeah, and the guards and Gilda.”

(Tell her I'm sorry about that.)

“Tell her yourself.”

(Et's dead by sun up unless I'm in front of their fort, alone and reporting for duty. That's the jist of the one I tore up.)

“And the other?”

She swallows. (Goodbye and DO NOT FOLLOW ME!)

>Do you know who killed the guards?
>It's a trick. They'll kill you or worse.
>We're going back. Now.
>Maybe we can intercept them?
>Alright. Go!
>Something else? (write-in)

>>275711
>>Do you know who killed the guards?
>Maybe we can intercept them?

>>275711
>Something else
"And then what, Rowe? You work for Killmen, and then the two of us have to fight each other in the forest.
"You, working for the Empire, and fighting me and all your friends, and the entirety of Seaside.
"That's what's going to happen.
"Unless you let me help you, we get to their fort, and break out Etriarch."

>>275711
>Do you know who killed the guards?
>Maybe we can intercept them?
>Something else? (write-in)
"Then we'll use the cover of darkness to get him out. Come on we are losing daylight."
>What makes you think this isn't a trick.

Writing!

I really hope Rowe sees reason and let's us help her.
Because otherwise we might as well fight out right now instead of in a week's time when she's fighting for the Empire.

I mean, does she really not understand what "report for duty" means? Or does she really not care that she's going to have to fight and probably kill her friends, and Alan?

>>275807
maybe Etriarch means more to her. That, and she's probably really guilty for having left him like that.

>>275827
Etriarch has no qualms about working for the Empire; I think we don't have any doubts on that anymore.

So, if Rowe really does show up to save Etriarch, the Empire gets one of their operatives back and neutralizes one of the Republic's.
After what's happened, Blackburn isn't going to trust Rowe as much anymore.

What I want to know is what Rowe planned to do after showing up to work for the Empire.

Did she plan to escape at the first opportunity with Etriarch? That plan assumes that Etriarch would go along, which is now seeming to be unlikely, and that the Empire's top team doesn't just catch up to them (from what we've seen, they're as good, if not better than, our party and probably on-par with Irontide's).

Did she plan to commit suicide after ensuring Etriarch is safe? That still means that Etriarch works for the Empire and we'd have to kill him, or he kills us.

Commit sabotage internally and hinder the Empire's efforts here? She'd still be getting sent out and we'd have to fight her, and Killmen seems smart enough to have Rowe and Etriarch work in different teams so that Etriarch is always a hostage to ensure Rowe's good behavior. Etriarch didn't seem to have forgiven Rowe yet, so he likely wouldn't care about Rowe's safety.

File: Kyra's new sword.jpg (3 KB, 225x225)

3 KB JPG

“Do you know who killed the guards?”

(I'm not sure. Kyra, probably.)

“Kyra?” you ask with a bit of an edge to your voice.

(Cuts line up with a curved sword. Like a katana. It would make sense too. Could be Dart. Maybe someone else entirely. I don't really care enough or have the time to find out.)

“Maybe we could intercept them?”

(Can we?) she thinks incredulously. (Etriarch is just as good at covering his tracks as I am and whoever broke him out is even better.)

“Etriarch is willingly complying with the people threatening to kill him?”

(I doubt he knows. The letter was sealed. I tried to track whoever killed those guards and found nothing. Whoever they are they're a fucking ghost and I'm not entirely sure I'm being figurative when I say that. I brought this guy along –) she jerks her thumb to the blue jay (on the off chance he gets a whiff of his master but so far we're not picking up anything. And I don't exactly have a lot of spare time to muck around. Even if I found Etriarch and his captors that still doesn't guarantee he lives through that fight. This way does.)

“Unless it's a trick. What makes you think this isn't a trick?”

(Because it makes sense and I'm not gambling or playing chicken with his life.)

“So, what, you just go work for Killmen? And then what? We end up fighting each other.”

(The letter said I wouldn't have to worry about that. Deep ranging. That's the job. Farther than anything either side has done into the Island. I'll be away out of everyone's hair.)

“Until?”

(I don't know, until you kill the bastard. He's not going to threaten you with Etriarch's life. You can do whatever you want. I'm the only one he's got by the short and curlies.)

>We're going back. Now.
>Alright. Go!
>Convince Rowe to stand down [Charisma Check]
>Ask something else? (write-in)
>Suggest something out of the box (write-in)

>>275943
>>Convince Rowe to stand down [Charisma Check]
Yeah, but when you're over on their side, he's going to use you as bait for me, just like Etriarch was for you.

>>275963
or us.

>>275943
This island won't stay unexplored for long. We will cross paths eventually.

Would Killmen bluff, like how the torture of Etriarch was partly for show?

>Ask something else? (write-in)
And even if Etriarch survives, what guarantee did the letter give that Etriarch wouldn't be sent out against Seaside, and we'd have to kill him?

Rowe would be deep ranging; she wouldn't be there when Etriarch gets sent out with another team, this time to either fight against Seaside directly or to kill Etriarch before he can defect back to the Republic.
The Empire knows where Seaside is located now. It's only a matter of time before they attack directly. Rowe going into the depths of the Island just means that she'll be away when the people she's befriended are either killed by her old friend, or we have to kill him.

>>275943
>Suggest something out of the box (write-in)
Let's get Etriarch out and assassinate Killmen. Come on we both are really good at ranging and stealth. We can deal with a fort.

>>276039
I'm pretty sure that's the plan that Rowe wanted Alan to do.
She goes to the fort, makes sure that Etriarch is safe, then she leaves for the depths of the island. Then Alan and the rest of the party rolls in and assassinates Killmen and rescues Etriarch so Rowe can come back.

But considering how long the Empire has been here, and the fact that they've got an Irontide-tier party on their payroll, they'll probably put some kind of cursed Collar of Obedience thing on Rowe to make sure she complies, or some kind of cursed tracking collar so they can track her and make sure she doesn't double-back.
Or more simply, make her part of a long-range recon team and so she won't be able to leave because there's going to be 5 other people with her, just as good at tracking, to keep her in line.

Something out of the box might be to go back and tell the air elemental that Burn's progeny would really like it if it could help wipe out the Imperial fort, the place where the wizard that summoned it lives. Along with help from the water and earth elemental if they're willing.

>>276065
I just got a bad feeling if we let Rowe in there shit is going to go bad.

Honestly I'm not really sure what to do with all your votes. I'm declaring the "dedicated" run officially over. I'm gonna give this some time to stew and y'all to think about it. I know I need some time to think about the next post which will probably be very important.

>>276076
Well, first we ask her questions>>276008
then we talk her down>>275963 using the reasoning from the several posts here:>>275963
>>275990
>>276008
>>276065

then we suggest alternatives>>276039
>>276065

>>276076
I personally want a mission impossible segment with Rowe and Alan infiltrating the fort and busting Etriarch out. We got incognito animals, mental link communication, teamwork feats, etc. Still will be tough though.

>>276076
>>276113
Like if you want you can draw parallels to the situation in her past with the woods where Etriarch was held hostage and this situation but remind her that this time around she is much, much stronger and not alone.

>>276074
Yeah, Killmen could do a lot of things to make Rowe compliant, or he could just kill her.

>>276113
That'd be fun to do, especially if we used our teleport to stage the rest of the party within range when we need our extraction.
But the letter only gave Rowe just enough time to make it to the fort if she drove her horse to death and rode through the night.
And there's the opposing players to consider, too.

Let's think of some outside the box plans.

Like, what if we use the doppelgangers or the succubus? Pull a switch and have them go in as Rowe and then let us in later to break them and Etriarch out?
>Problem: Doppelgangers can obviously be detected (not knowing enough about Rowe to pass inspection, may not be scented right and therefore detectable by animal companions/familiars, blood check). Succubus can't be trusted because is unbound, and could be detected magically.

Maybe have Alan assimilate the ability to change shape or polymorph?
>Problem: takes time (can't teleport back to Seaside then the fort, because we've never been to the fort), taking in such obviously non-human powers may have bad side-effects

Call the elementals to help us get to the fort faster and attack it/break out Etriarch.
>Problem: Only the air elemental may help us, Etriarch may still get killed in the fighting ( and that's what Rowe will fight against; she wants Et safe at all costs, even at the cost of Alan's love it seems )

Get the party together, have members of Irontide's party also come with, use the air elemental to get everyone to the Imperial fort before whoever broke out Etriarch can arrive (unless the spellcaster with them knows mass teleport), kill Killmen, and set a trap for the rescue party.
>Problems: All of them.

Alright, so no matter what you're trying to convince her of something so let's at least do the Charisma check.

1d100 + 7, best of 3.

Update will come when it comes.

Rolled 94 + 7 (1d100 + 7)

>>276158

File: 1464474379979.jpg (15 KB, 322x323)

15 KB JPG

>>276163

Rolled 15 + 7 (1d100 + 7)

>>276158

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>276158

>>276150
I think we have to take the risk of a fight where Etriarch could potentially get killed, the same risk of Rowe and Alan potentially getting killed. There are no 100%s in a fight. We can mitigate it however.

Maybe Rowe rides up to the gates and demands she speak to Etriarch before agreeing to anything? We can be in the treeline and be prepared to snipe problem soldiers and summon the Air Elemental to confuse and meat shield for us when the plan goes off. Isn't there a wind spell in Pathfinder that can block projectiles within an area. Have the elemental do that while we pull out with Etriarch.

Dunno spitballing.

>>276186
The big problems I can think of are:
>the air elemental
We don't know its current status; whether it can still fight or not. Also, are we sure that we want to impose more on it, and use up more of this Burn's debt, when Eve may or may not be one of Burn's progeny?
I mean, I'd feel a lot better if we could know for sure that Burn is a relative of Eve's. Then it's just "dumb grandkid using up a bit of the family fortune" levels of bad versus "someone impersonating me and my kin to get favors out of greater elementals" levels of bad. Right now it's just a 50% shot either way.

And the Empire isn't dumb; like Seaside, the tree line will likely be very far from the fort, at least beyond the range of a longbow.

>I think we have to take the risk of a fight where Etriarch could potentially get killed
I'm willing, and I'm sure that after this entire mess, Alan is willing to take that chance.
But we need to convince Rowe to also take that chance.
Remember that she gave up on Alan, Sif, and the rest of her friends to not take that chance.

>>276219
we still have invisibility, don't we? can we infiltrate the enemy fort and sneak both of them out?

>>276231
That might work, but it also depends on if there's going to be a guard on them (which is pretty likely), how paranoid Killmen is, and how much resources the Empire has poured into this project (whether they have magical security).

It could work, but we'd have to be very careful.
And this all assumes that Etriarch will even come with us, or if he's completely gone over to the Imperial side.

>>276219
Well he doesn't really need to put up much of a fight. Just distract and take hits while Rowe throws Etriarch on her horse and books it in this scenario.

But idk. A lot of variables.

>>276251
I wonder if we can relay the position of the enemy fort once we find it? Hope Tornado knows his way back.

I think we also need to consider that a party of the Empire's operatives was able to get into Seaside and break Etriarch out.
It's obvious that they want Rowe working for them more than they want Etriarch back, but the problem is that they were able to get past our defenses in the first place.
Unless we terminate the party, they'll just come after Etriarch and Rowe again.

>>276279
then we get Etriarch and Rowe back, and use them as bait for that party, catch them in a trap.

>>276326
What if they do something like open a portal near the Overseer Complex and have some elementals rampage inside Seaside?

Consider things from Killmen's point of view: if he no longer holds leverage against Rowe and Etriarch, then eliminating the main Republic outpost will do just as good of a job, eliminating the magic arms race in favor of the Empire.

>>276350
Why not just eliminate the outpost outright?
Seems like far less trouble.

ok, so...
Can we still write on the envelope of the letter or something? Because I'm hoping we can make a rudimentary map leading to the enemy fort on the paper/parchment that we have on hand. Or just use directions from Rowe. Or maybe it was already on that letter she read.

explain shit to the others and have Tornado deliver it.

Anyway, if we can go invisible, let's ride along with Rowe and drop off from her when we need to infiltrate the fort.

Figure out where Etriarch and Rowe will be held.


Now, as for our teleportation, we can teleport other people to our position and/or can we teleport people away to some other place?

>>276360
>Why not just eliminate the outpost outright?
Probably because of Irontide's party and Alan's party. Without knowing whether they are there, and their relative strengths, Killmen probably considers it too reckless for a stand-up fight.

>>276361
If we're having Tornado go back, we could ask Essentia for a teleport of our party to the Imperial fort. Our wouldn't be enough, and the amount of energy that it expends might be detectable to the wizards in the Imperial fort, much like how the summoning was detected by Essentia outside Seaside.

>>276387
Considering how he needed to make a major distraction this time, I think Killmen might not risk having to do this sort of abduction again.

Now that we know, we'll be more prepared for it if it happens again.

Can we ask Essentia to teleport us out of the fort?

>>276400
>Can we ask Essentia to teleport us out of the fort?
How would we signal her for an extraction?
Bringing the Archmage without having a full array of spells properly slotted doesn't sound like a good plan at all.

>>276458
how many of the archmages know teleport?
Because, maybe if we ask one of the to teleport in, they could also bring another one to teleport all of us out.

As for signalling... maybe... we could tap into the subconscious connection with Gabby and see if it works? Like, test it now and see if she gets it?

>>276474
>how many of the archmages know teleport?
There's only one Archmage, and that's Essentia.
We'd have to ask Azidor if he knows Teleport, and Flid likely doesn't because he didn't teleport out of the Tower when he was stuck in his room being assaulted by a blood golem.

Signaling Essentia is a moot point.

>>276500
So, basically, if we're going to the fort, we're going to have to break in and break out entirely through conventional means.

I think we may need to pray to the Great Will for a sign, specifically a sign on where Etriarch is right now so we can track him and get him back.

>>276518
>outside the box
Teleport back to Seaside.
Have Quissonce set up a divination in the Archmage's time-accelerated planet.
Use divination to find Etriarch, using his connection to the blue jay as a link.
Teleport to Etriarch (using the divination results) and fight the rescue team.

Per time acceleration, this will take 15 minutes.

>>276532
Of course, teleporting along Rowe or Gabby as well.
And assuming that the rescue party doesn't have an anti-scrying defense item or spell active.

>>276532
I forgot we had time dilation chambers. Thank you.

>>276532
>>276533
Yeah, ok, so we teleport in our whole party and some other volunteers (like other soldiers/guards). Should we also get Irontide's group?

>>276546
>so we teleport in our whole party
Assuming we can, or Essentia is able. That's a big assumption, though.

>Should we also get Irontide's group?
Maybe Dart and Azidor, and their monk guy, but that's about it.
And even then, they may refuse. Or make things worse.

>>276555
how'd they make things worse?

>>276532
Unfortunately you can only teleport about 15 ft and only yourself.

IIRC, Etriarch would have preferred to die in the Sfar forest rather than have it burned down. This is a similar situation, his life for Rowe's and the Seaside population's. I'd prefer to have him dead rather than lose Rowe, but I don't think she will be okay with that.

>>276578
I thought we had a better version of teleport than that, and Urban Step was the 15ft version.

>>276601
Urban Step is just between any two doors with around 100 feet or so.

do the prayer to the Great Will looking for where Etriarch is and go in that direction and intervene. If that's not possible...


What if...

We go in her place?

They'd be expecting Rowe, but may be surprised to see us. We also mention that they seem to want her pretty badly, so we're pretty sure they won't just execute Etriarch, especially since we managed to apprehend her before she managed to make it to the enemy fort.

That, and we're here to negotiate their surrender, since their position is now compromised, they'll be at a disadvantage.

I mean, they don't know that we're dating Rowe, so hopefully they can't use that as leverage.

>>276606
They wouldn't surrender. Seaside is pretty much fucked up currently and they probably have reinforcements on their way.

I really don't think Rowe or Alan should turn themselves in to that fort. Bad vibes.

>>276612
Yeah, they probably wouldn't surrender, but we're basically feigning a reason why we're there and also kind of explaining why Rowe wasn't there.

if we have any kind of magic to sort of 'tag' us with some sort of recognizable energy, we could use that to allow our allies to find us?

>>276606
>>276622
This entire idea is stupid, because why wouldn't they just capture/kill us?
Or just kill Etriarch if he won't be usable as leverage against Rowe?

Wait, doesn't Quissonce have access to her mirror world? Does this mirror world connect to other mirrors?

If we can find one such mirror, maybe we could use that to transport people in to the enemy base.

>>276648
>>276648
Nah that's a temporary thing and it does not connect between other mirrors.

>>276664
but in regards to these pocket dimensions, are there others that we can use to open up to other places?

>>276673
Not that you know of.

Can we just make a small prayer to ask for a sign? Please?

I'm out of ideas right now.

>>276695
well, in addition to the prayer,

Might as well go invisible and tag along with Rowe and infiltrate the enemy base. We'll see how things go from there.

Have Tornado deliver the message and make sure the letter has directions and what we're planning to do and what contingencies we might have in mind.

Definitely ask them to send scouts out here to figure a way to break in or just raze the place.

>>276711
>>276695
Its alright. I think I'll present a list of options whenever I update tonight.

>>276725
We can try to infiltrate the Imperial fort while Rowe has their attention, but that's also the exact thing that they would be on guard against.

With our new-found ability to meditate and get our spells recharged, we could stay in Tornado's saddle and have him follow Rowe's horse while Alan recharges his spells.

Otherwise we'd be going to the fort without a full magical payload.

One thing that I'm thinking about is that we have Pascala with us, and she knows Etriarch's scent.
She's no bloodhound, but as a dog her sense of smell would be far better than a blue jay's.
And while an animal companion can detect their master, and vice versa, the range of this link is far smaller than the smell trail that a person would leave behind.
We should ask Pascala if she can smell Etriarch anywhere.

>>276725
I checked back in the archives, and Etriarch was aiming to kill Alan with an arrow to the heart.
If Etriarch really was just trying to get information on Rowe, he was doing a shit-poor job of it by trying to kill the people who would have that information.

>>276821
I mean, in his defense, there were two of you.

And Kyra's prettier in his opinion, don't worry you're still the cutest.

>>276821
I have the feeling that Etriarch was/is still working for the Empire and that it was all a trick to get Rowe to defect. If everything works perfectly and we get to infiltrate the enemy camp we might even find him drinking happily with his comrades.
In that case, I don't know where the blue jay stands. As a familiar probably with its master, that means it is spying on us and will tell our plan.

>>276846
>>276847
I re-read the interrogation scene.

Etriarch, instead of saying that he's glad to be back with the Republic, said that he hoped that his IMPERIAL rescue party was outside the door and about to bust in and kill all of the REPUBLIC officers in the room.

And the callous way that he was going to kill Republic soldiers because he didn't want to answer questions on where he was, and fully intended to go back to the Empire, makes it very likely that this was all planned out by Baron Killmen, and Etriarch fully played along with it.

I don't know if we should tell Rowe now, or get the evidence first and then tell her.
And if she would even care if Etriarch fully defected to the Empire instead of just working for them under duress.

>>276855
Since the next story post will be Alan trying to convince Rowe not to go, our musings could be used as write-ins. The roll was 101 which I guess is a success, but with precise points it might turn from persuading to convincing. Or at least make her skeptical enough not to fall for a trap.

>>276935
Etriarch told Rowe that he didn't intend to cooperate with Killmen.

But that's pretty at odds with his comments about how he wanted to be rescued by the Imperial rescue party and hoped that all us Republicans would be murdered by them.
Or the fact that if he had just said he escaped Imperial custody and had intel for us, his work for the Empire would have been forgiven.

Instead of, you know, doing everything he could to make it sound like he planned to go back and work for the Empire as soon as he got out.

Etriarch completely buried that part of the interrogation. We should have brought that up with Rowe, instead of helping her defend Etriarch against Blackburn and Dart.

>>276948
>But that's pretty at odds with his comments about how he wanted to be rescued by the Imperial rescue party and hoped that all us Republicans would be murdered by them.
How much of this was bluster because of being tortured, and how much did he really believe?
Don't know.

Also, let's think about him shooting Alan.
He knew there was a Republic outpost on the island. He did not know that the Republic was unaware of the Empire's outpost.
Now, he said that he decided to break from the Empire's control in order to find Rowe.

If that was the case, why attack Republic forces when EVERYTHING would go better by saying you're an escaped POW from an Imperial outpost? Attacking Republic soldiers would only work out if you intend to go back to work for the Empire.
Because if he had succeeded, he would have killed a Republic soldier, he would have been tracking down another Republic soldier, and we all assume that he expected to be given the name of a Republic general that he would then go and assassinate.
Leaving him to either be killed in retaliation, go on the run from both the Empire and the Republic, or go back to working for the Empire.

And considering what he said to us, how it seems pretty obvious that he was awaiting Imperial rescue from what his animal companion told us, there was no sign at all that he resisted being taken by the Imperial team (that was described to us in Trick's post), continued to tell us to go to Hell and was completely unrepentant for attacking us and working for the Empire, and even while knowing the composition of his rescue party doesn't tell us to be on the alert or inform us of their capabilities, it does put him in a pretty bad light.

We gave him a chance, and I'm regretting that choice now.

>>276847
>that means it is spying on us and will tell our plan.
We can communicate our plan via mindlink, so it can't overhear it. We could turn Tornado around and tell him to go back to Seaside, and then when they're out of range, go invisible and use Expeditious Retreats and our improved running ability to catch up with Rowe and stay with her until she gets to the Imperial fort and do our recon.

>>276935
I think the one problem with pointing out to Rowe that Etriarch might have been working voluntarily for the Empire, and is going back into their service of his own choice, is that she may believe that they will still kill him if she doesn't show up.

Though, all things considered, that doesn't make much sense for the Empire to do.
Etriarch, willingly defected to the Empire and apparently doing a good enough job for them that he was given control of some mooks, is a valuable asset.
If Rowe shows up, the Empire has both Etriarch and Rowe working for them.
If Rowe doesn't show up, what does the Empire gain by killing Etriarch, who was going to continue working for them regardless of Rowe defecting to the Empire?
Punish Rowe? She was still going to be an enemy of the Empire, and killing Etriarch would just make her more motivated. Maybe even enough to redo the Sfar Forest Incident.
Show that the Empire, or at least Baron Killmen, doesn't bluff? I suppose a sociopath like him would do it.

And it's that second reason that Rowe is really concerned about, and that we would have to address somehow.

File: Lost Island 3.jpg (61 KB, 1024x768)

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“Except when you're on their side then they have me by the short and curlies.”

(I doubt they have any idea we're together. And besides that's different.)

“How?” you ask, stupefied. Rowe would make a pretty substantial bargaining chip if you're going to be honest with yourself.

(I owe him everything I have. The least I can do is ante up my life for his.)

“Even if Etriarch survives what guarantee is there –”

“YOU'RE RIGHT! THERE IS NO GUARANTEE!” she shouts at you, scaring the bird on her shoulder. “THERE NEVER HAS BEEN AND THERE NEVER WILL BE! THERE WASN'T ONE WHEN HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF FOR ME! THERE WASN'T ONE WHEN I SET MY HOME ON FIRE! THERE ISN'T ONE NOW! But that is how it has been since the beginning. The day we MET he was sticking his neck out for me and I have always done the same for him. That is our relationship. That is how we function. When one of us is in the shit, the other one wades in neck deep. No questions.”

She borders on hyperventilating in the following quiet. She puts her face in her hands and tries to rub away the hurt.

(This is why I wanted to say goodbye via letter.)

The two of you sit in silence as your respective horses shift to the background music of crickets. The cloudy sky drifts by, allowing for momentary moonlight to brighten

“Have you ever heard of the gambler's fallacy, Rowe?”

She furrows her brow. (Yeah. Like when you flip a coin a bunch of times and you keep getting heads so eventually people start thinking tails is more likely to come up.)

“Well, there's the reverse of it too. Heads come up so many times people start thinking the coin's more likely to be heads. Like heads is the way of the world.”

(Maybe the coin is rigged.)

“Or maybe a bunch of risky gambits has worked out in your and Etriarch's favor by sheer luck to get you here. It doesn't make this decision any less risky.”

(I've thought about it. This is the best chance for him.)

“For him? Probably. Not for you. Not for me. Not for Seaside or any of our friends. Do you not care about any of those things.”

(Of course I care.)

“Then why are you throwing them away.”

(Because I've done it before.)

“Everything you've already given up for Etriarch's sake is not coming back. I know it sucks thinking you'll never be able to properly repay someone for their kindness. But you know what Etriarch wants. He told you himself. Don't let his sacrifice be in vain.”

(. . . He's not dead yet.)

“No, he isn't. And maybe – together, we can make sure he lives to see tomorrow night without you exiling yourself. Alright? This time you're not alone.”

(We have no time.)

“It can't be much later than one in the morning. So that gives us four hours to come up with something.

(Three.)

“Three and a half. More if we're smart about how we use it. And I think I have an idea about how we're going to rescue him.”

(What is it?)

>We're going to teleport in and nab him
>I'm going to sneak into their fort
>I'm going to sic an air elemental on them
>Something else? (write-in)

>>277167
>We're going to teleport in and nab him
Once we have him
>I'm going to sic an air elemental on them
While we escape

>>277322
>>277170
Might be prudent to teleport into somewhere hidden in the fort, take out a couple guards silently, and take their uniforms to move around bit more freely while we locate Etriarch.

>>277322
this
>>277170
>Something else? (write-in)
perhaps we should also explain our musings over his loyalties as well?

>>277167
>>277372
>perhaps we should also explain our musings over his loyalties as well?
Yes we should. Tell her that although we might be wrong, it smells very fishy, because...: Then list all the things the players wrote in.

>>277170
Go invisible, teleport in and nab him, teleport out.

So there's no way for Pascala to get Etriarch's scent? We can't intercept them before they get to the fort?

>>277407
I'm personally against it until we nab Etriarch or we see him celebrating in the Imperial fort, or at least hear him saying that he's glad Rowe defected/got caught.
Because Rowe's unwavering and blind trust in Etriarch is not something I think Alan can shake.

>>277322
>>277338
Remember the range of our teleport: it's only 15 feet.

>>277711
I think you're right with Rowe's blind trust. The problem I see is that if we don't say anything now, she will be taken completely by surprise when he turns on her/us and in the time it takes her to realize she's been played he can do whatever he wants. If we tell her our worries she might keep an eye open at least. We don't have to convince her he is a bad guy (we don't know ourselves for sure) but she should plan for the possibility that he is.

>>277756
15ft should get us inside through the walls of the fort without having to scale them. From there we can go stealth and take out a couple guards to get some uniforms if need be. Remember its going to be dawn so people will be groggy or sleepy.

>>277890
I don't think we need uniforms since this is the Imperial version of Seaside so it'll be full of adventurers as well as soldier-become-adventurers. Remember that not a single former soldier was in uniform. Putting on an ill-fitting guardsman outfit would take too much time.

Also, I think the fort is goin to be on high alert. They're going to be expecting a high-level enemy soldier that they can't be sure is actually going to defect or is coming on a suicide mission.

>>278142
Well military forts and how the Empire is makes me think their might be uniformed soldiers. We'll have to scout it out when we get there.

Are we going to completely ignore the abilities of Pascala?
Or was there a reason that Rowe didn't take Sif along? He could track better than the blue jay could.

>>278659
If we could intercept them before they got to the fort I'd be all for it. That is the best case scenario.

>>278683
So let's ask Pascala if she remembers Etriarch's scent and if she can find it.

Honestly, asking the blue jay to track Etriarch was a mistake on Rowe's part: blue jays have a terrible sense of smell, and it was traveling above the trees so that it wouldn't be able to see Etriarch under the canopy.

If we don't suggest Pascala now, we'll end up going with just the teleport option.

>>277170
>Something else?
Use Pascala's sense of smell to track down Etriarch.

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“Well, first idea is that this will be a lot less risky if we can intercept the rescue team before they make it back to the Imperial fort. Do you think Pascala here has any chance of tracking Etriarch by scent?”

Rowe shakes her head. (Bloodhounds were probably the first major hurdle Etriarch and I had to deal with back on the Mainland. Concealing his scent would be child's play at this point.)

You grimace. You figured that might have been the case. Even you know how to conceal your scent from tracking animals.

(And Rafs here hasn't been able to tap into his link to Etriarch since I picked him up. Which means he isn't anywhere nearby in about a mile's radius.)

“Alright, then my next idea is that we scry Etriarch's location using the blue jay as an aid.”

(That thing Quissonce did with the crystal ball? Doesn't that take an hour?)

“Yeah, but if we do it in the Archmage's domain we're done in ten minutes according to this world's time frame. Then once we have an idea of where he is – whether that is in the fort or someplace else – we teleport to him, grab him and then teleport back to Seaside.”

(There's a spell for that?)

“There's a spell for that.”

(Maybe I need to start paying more attention during some of those meetings.)

“And while we're saving Etriarch I'm going to sic an air elemental on them because fuck the Empire. Now can you get behind that plan?”

She takes a moment to think about it. Indecision on her face. An internal struggle.

(Yeah, I can.)

She spurs her horse towards yours and begins to ride back to Seaside. You swivel Tornado around and follow.

The two of you travel at a good clip, but not a full out sprint. An awkward, tense silence fills the air as the cold night winds whip at your face. You decide to break it with an uncomfortable topic of conversation.

“Rowe. I know you may not want to hear this,” you begin, “but I believe this may have been orchestrated by Killmen with . . . Etriarch's full understanding and cooperation.”

(No fucking way.)

“He's cooperating with the Imperials who rescued him.”

(Well, maybe we shouldn't have put him in a room with a torturer and then locked him up in a cell.)

“That was after he tried to kill me. Arrow to the heart, Rowe. Why attack us at all? He could have walked up to us and told us he was a POW.”

(He is not loyal to the Republic, but that doesn't mean he's loyal to the Empire. He was planning to assassinate a General! That's treason. I accept that and I understand why. But even if he was disillusioned with Ceril he would never view the Empire as a better alternative. He's seen up close and personal what they do and how they act. Nothing could make him willingly work with them outside of . . . mind control, altered memories, some sort of threat – there has to be SOMETHING behind any cooperation with the Imperials. I promise you we destroy that base and kill that General – Baron – Killmen, whatever he's fucking called and Etriarch will at the very least not work against us.)

“ . . . We'll see. I'm just don't want you to be surprised if the . . . worst comes to pass.”

(Thank you. Speaking of . . . surprises. I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me what the . . . repercussions are going to be for this.)

>I'm leaving that up to Blackburn
>You're apologizing to Gilda
>Nothing. Water under the bridge.
>It better be an amazing fucking hat.
>We're through.
>Something else? (write-in)

>>279513
>>You're apologizing to Gilda
and
>It better be an amazing fucking hat.

>>279513
>>279538
Seconding. Hitting a friend is serious so the apology is very important, that will not be easy. At the same time, the hat reference takes the sting out of it.

>>279513
>You're apologizing to Gilda
>It better be an amazing fucking hat.

>>279513
>You're apologizing to Gilda
>It better be an amazing fucking hat.
Tell Rowe we aren't breaking up with her or anything.

>>279791
>Tell Rowe we aren't breaking up with her or anything.

I think it's already implied with the hat comment.

>>279513
>>You're apologizing to Gilda
You must have a mean right hook.
>It better be an amazing fucking hat.

Number of voters explodes on Father's Day?

I'm sorry to all of you. Remember, even if your dad left or is dead he still loves you. <3


Writing!

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“You're apologizing to Gilda.”

(Yeah, that's a given.)

“And it better be an amazing fucking hat.”

It takes her a second but she chuckles at the connection. (Alright, I'll make sure it blows you away.)

The joke breaks the tension and the following silence is much more amicable.

You make it back to the gate roughly half an hour later. The guards let you in without question and Betsy gives you a nod upon your entrance.

You ride up to where Azdor and Flid are still entertaining the Air elemental – now within the gates, in an outer courtyard. The rest of the Circle Magisters and the Archmage are there as well. Essentia, The Sculptor, Ed, Quissonce, and . . . Eve. Regular old gnome Eve. Well, she still has the scales and the sharp teeth and the reptilian eyes but she's no longer a dragon. And judging from the dejected look on her face she is quite upset about that fact.

You walk over and tap Quissonce and Essentia on the shoulders. You draw them away from the rest of the crowd and explain to them in a soft tone the ultimatum and the plan you came up with.

“Alright, give me the bird,” Quissonce says to Rowe. Rowe whistles and Rafs jump off her shoulder and onto Quissonce's. “I'll try my best to scry him.” She strides away towards the Circle. Ed follows after her.

“I can bring four others with me and if you give me an hour out here I can have two casts of it prepared,” Essentia informs you. “If I get a good look at where we're going I can put us right on top of him and bring us out in only a few seconds.”

“We'll need to keep a spot open for Etriarch,” Rowe says. “And I'm definitely going! So assuming you're taking the third spot, who else do you want to bring?”

>Do you want the third spot? (Y/N)
>Who else is coming? (Write-in)

AND

>Speak with Eve
>Ask the Air Elemental for support
>Ask about the other two elementals
>Search for Kyra
>Search for Dolah
>Something else? (write-in)

>>280273
Hm... I'm not sure about bringing a third person. With our luck, we're likely going to lose someone on this teleport in exchange for Etriarch or we're getting betrayed and that'll be more people who get stranded on the other side.

>Speak with Eve
>Ask about the other two elementals
>Search for Kyra

>>280302
With your luck Wrenloft you'll roll a 96 and everything will turn out in Alan's favor

>>280331
I'd rather not ask more of the dice gods. They might think I'm greedy.

>>280273
>>Do you want the third spot?
Y
>Who else?
Well if it's a quick snatch and grab we probably want Kyra.

So in that case
>Search for Kyra
>Ask Air Elemental.

>>280419
>Well if it's a quick snatch and grab we probably want Kyra.
Yeah, but we're also getting dropped right on top of the target for extraction, too.
Wouldn't Gabby, with her monk speed and Flurry of Blows be a better option?

>>280273
>Do you want the third spot?
Y
>Who else is coming?
Gabby

>Ask the Air Elemental for support
>Ask about the other two elementals
>Something Else:
Get as many vials of Alchemist's Fire, scrolls of buffing spells (Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Haste, Mage Armor, Invisibility) and if they have them, wands/scrolls of AoE spells to cause havoc when we teleport in.

Assuming that the air elemental won't put its life on the line for us, how about this:
Ask it to simply drop, with some force, satchels of Alchemist's Fire and whatever nasty gifts Ferrek can brew together, into the fort.

It can get in and out without getting into a fight and it pretty much will be nearly invisible.

Now, as a military installation and these being trained soldiers/adventurers, a big attack will probably cause them to take the prisoner/Etriarch into a secure area. I don't know if we want the air elemental to attack before or during our insertion.

>>280656
perhaps during the insertion to cause the maximum amount of chaos and confusion.

>>280679
As I said, trained personnel would take Etriarch into a secure area, possibly one with an anti-magic field or a dimensional anchor to prevent teleports, as soon as an attack starts.

>>280683
We are literally jumping onto his position. They wouldn't have time to take him anywhere as we would be killing them/Air Elemental up in their shit.

>>280689
>We are literally jumping onto his position
That's if Quissonce's scrying works and Essentia can do it.
Otherwise she'll only be able to give us the general area.

>>280656
>whatever nasty gifts Ferrek
Do you mean Predipus? He's the alchemist.

>>280727
well, let's just see how the scrying goes before we get the air elemental involved.

>>280728
Oh, right. I got him mixed up with the Sapper.

>>280741
Yeah, let's see how well the scrying goes.


Roll 3d100, best of 3.

Rolled 57, 47, 5 = 109 (3d100)

>>280777

Rolled 16, 65, 1 = 82 (3d100)

>>280777
Come on, we need some good luck here!

>>280800
I feel as if the dice gods are displeased with us, somehow.

Rolled 39, 67, 11 = 117 (3d100)

>>280777
Let me salvage this.

>>280820
Welp we are fucked. Sorry Etriarch. Hope you were a traitor so they won't actually kill you.

All isn't lost yet, I think.

If we can't get Etriarch himself, we can still get the fort.

57, 67, 11

>>280833
We need to save him somehow, Rowe will not forgive us if we don't.

I'm not going to update until after I watch Game of Thrones. I would advise you all not to panic.

Also it is currently a three way tie between

>Bring Gabby
>Bring Kyra
>Bring no one.

So I'm holding a re-vote I guess. Choose one.

>>280907
If I may? I think this vote may be better split into two parts.

The first is whether or not we do bring a third.
The second part is which one of the two candidates is best for the job.

I would not be in favor of bringing a third, but if I did, it would be Gabby.

>>280907
Shit actually, um, SPOILER ALERT.

You won't find Kyra. So, um, that isn't an option actually.

>>280907
Does not bringing a third person increase the chances of successful teleportation?

>>280928
You're right. But thankfully, >>28093.

>>280932
ok, starting to get a bit suspicious about Kyra now.

Can we ask some of the guys at base to go look for her?

>>280937
Doesn't affect it at all.

>>280907
>>Bring Gabby

Rolled 88 (1d100)

Pay no attention to this roll.

>>281020
Is Kyra actually a double-agent for the Empire?

Is anyone else going to vote for bringing Gabby or no?

Also, Trick, are you still writing?

>>281345
Who else would come?
Dart?
I kind of doubt that she'd cooperate.

>>281433
let me rephrase that.

>Bring Gabby
>Bring no one.

between these two choices, what do our other plays want to choose?

Gonna start writing now. And then I'm gonna go to sleep. So don't worry about it. You can vote in the morning. Don't wait with bated breath.

>>280907
>>281442
I'm fine with both options. Bringing Gabby means another strong fighter and it would also be a sign that we trust her with such a delicate operation (although we have to tell her our worries about Etriarch's loyality).

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“I think we should probably bring Gabby along as well,” you tell her. Rowe nods.

“I'll go find her and give her a heads up.” As Rowe leaves your side you turn back to Essentia.

“What happened with the other two elementals?” you ask, curious.

“Quissonce was unable to make the Water elemental see reason and was forced to slay it. The Earth elemental was quite stubborn but somehow Ms. Helbot was able to establish some sort of amicable relationship via what seemed to be a staring contest. She eventually grasped the closest thing it had to a hand and the two of them disappeared. She reappeared a few moments later and when I asked her about it she refused to respond.”

So the Air Elemental is the only one left. You let Essentia get to her duties elsewhere while you approach the Air Elemental who is floating around by Flid and Azdor. Thankfully that Tongues spell is still working. Man it sure lasts for some time.

“Hello there!” you shout up to where it hovers far from the accursed ground. “Thank you for the help.”

“ANYTHING FOR ONE OF BURN'S PROGENY!” He did just say anything. Guess he hasn't figured out that Eve is the dragon from earlier.

“Would you mind assisting us once more against the people who forcefully brought you here?”

“CERTAINLY!”

“Alright, would you mind flying and waiting next to that large tower. I'll give you directions and more details in a bit.” The air elemental begins to float away in accordance with your request.

You decide to search a bit for Kyra afterwards. You don't spend too long since you should probably make it into the Archmage's Domain in around ten to fifteen minutes to check on the scrying. But you search the usual areas and even ask around. It seems no one has seen Kyra in quite a while.

Rowe's offhand remarks about the wounds and her suggestion Kyra could be a double agent makes you uneasy. Etriarch did suggest there may be spies in your own city. You tell a nearby guard to spread the word out that you're looking for Kyra.

File: Archmage Domain.jpg (194 KB, 800x496)

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Unfortunately you're on a bit of a time crunch right now and make your way to the Circle. By some stroke of luck, Gabby and Rowe arrive at the tower the same time you do.

As Rowe takes the lead. Gabby gives you a panic-stricken look. You wave her off. At this point this is not even edging close to awkward for you.

The three of you make it to the seventh floor together right as Quissonce is finishing with the scrying process. Ed sits off to the side cross-legged and napping while Rafs perches himself atop the crystal ball.

Quissonce silently waves for the three of you to approach as the images becomes clear on the crystal ball's reflective surface. Essentia strolls over from where she has been meditating to also examine the picture.

Etriarch lays asleep in a bed with purple satin sheets and soft red pillows. The floor seems to be stone but is covered by an assortment of rugs. Lying next to him is a beautiful brown-skinned elven woman. He's spooning her, his arm draped over hers. You can't be 100% sure, but a betting man would say they were both naked.

Quissonce and Essentia huff and tsk in almost perfect unison. You spare them a glance. Both seem particularly irked.

“Jungle elves.”/“Jungle elves.”

“What?” Gabby asks, confused.

“There are a few remote, tropical Islands southeast of Ceril with indigenous elves,” Quissonce explains. “They're the source of all those negative stereotypes you've let enter your yokel, backwoods head.”

“Pretty sure that's just the porn.”

“Those islands are independent though, aren't they?” you question.

“A few have integrated into the Roscoli in some fashion. The rest are either fiercely independent or too tribal and vicious to attempt contact with,” Essentia answers.

“She's probably a mercenary,” Quissonce guesses. “Or a whore.”

“Well one thing's for certain,” Gabby chimes in. “Our damsel in distress there,” she points to Etriarch, “certainly got an upgrade. If only Gilda had been a bit more hospitable.” She chuckles.

You look to Rowe. Her mouth is a tight, slim line across her face. She rubs her left arm with her right hand.

“Rowe? You alright?”

She carefully clears her throat. “It would be very hypocritical, petty and unreasonable to be mad about this,” Rowe tells you behind a veneer of calm.

“But you are,” Gabby states.

“Oh, I'm fucking livid.”

“You said something had to be behind him cooperating,” you point out. “Perhaps it's someone. That doesn't look like a man about to be executed.”

“Hey!” Gabby interjects. “You don't know that. Maybe they asked him what he wanted for his last meal and he gave them a very clever answer.” Gabby chortles as she rolls back to sit on the grass.

“Well I believe I have a distinct image of where we're teleporting too,” Essentia informs you. “Are we going through with the plan?”

>No, we aren't
>Yes, we are
>New plan! (write-in)
>Something else? (write-in)

>>281702
>New plan!
Sorry, Gabby, you gotta stay back on this one.
We go in with two slots open in the teleport party.
Pop in, grab both Etriarch and the other elf, pop out.

Additionally, does the Circle have scrolls/wands of Sleep ready, that we can use? If we can hit the both of them with Sleep, we won't have to worry about them struggling, raising the alarm, or otherwise compromising this operation.

>>281702
>>New plan! (write-in)
Do we have audio as well? How long can the scrying continue? Will it be long enough until past the deadline? If yes:
We wait for the deadline to pass, watching Etriarch. When the deadline passes, there are two possibilities:
Either the guards come, tell Etriarch Rowe didn't appear and that they are going to execute him now (without audio, we'll see Etriarch's panic-stricken face). Then we teleport in, start shooting and teleport out with Etriarch.
Or the guards come, tell Etriarch Rowe didn't appear and the plan failed. Then we teleport in, start shooting and teleport out without Etriarch.

>>281725
... or with Etriarch as a prisoner, to be executed for treason.
Excepting the case of the teleport failing, it is a win-win-situation where we learn the truth. And if Kyra is a double agent she might be there as well.

>>281725
You've got about ten minutes of scrying time left and probably I'd say anywhere from two to two and a half hours until the beginning of the sunrise.

>>281733
Is there a place to hide two heavily armed war heroes in the room? We could teleport in while Etriarch sleeps and hide, then watch from there.
And can we take a look at the door? Thin cloth curtain or standard door vs heavy prison door?

>>281722
If we do this, then we should use a Sleep spell, then separate Etriarch from the elf. Interrogate her first. She might tell us whether it is a last request or the reward for a good spy.

>>281741
>Is there a place to hide two heavily armed war heroes in the room?
Don't forget Essentia as well, since she needs to come with us for the teleport out.

Staying and hiding seems like a bad idea, what with keen elven hearing, both Etriarch's and the jungle elf's.
They could easily hear our breathing.

>>281741
Your image is a bit top down oriented and as such you can't see the door to the room. However, if this is a prison cell you're seeing then damn it's a pretty swanky prison cell.

>>281750
Or we teleport in silently, (then perhaps put them to sleep), then look out of the room whether there are armed guards or something similar.

>>281750
So is Rowe angry at Etriarch for making it sound like his Imperial service was bare-bones and barely above POW camp levels when in fact he's got better accommodations and perks than her, or because he's in a relationship with another elf?

>>281750
Oh, could we ask Rafs who the island elf is, and her relationship with Etriarch?

>>281784
this first, please.

Then we'll consider teleporting in.

I wonder if it's possible to ward a place such that you can teleport in but can't teleport out? I'm fearful that the Empire may have set up a trap like that...

File: The Singing Female.jpg (42 KB, 436x576)

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“I'm not sure yet,” you tell Essentia.

You cast Speak with Animals and look to Rafs.

“Who is that woman?” you ask him.

Gabby laughs. “Holy shit are you chirping, Al?”

Rafs bends his body upside down to stare at the image on screen. He looks back up to you.

“The Singing Female,” Rafs tells you. She was one of the people he mentioned to Eve earlier about being part of the rescue team for Etriarch. So she isn't just some prostitute.

“What's her relationship to your master?”

“Hmmmmm, they're pair bonded?” That comes out more as a question than a definitive answer.

“You aren't sure.”

“Humanoid love is fickle and inconstant.”

>We're teleporting in and grabbing both
>We're teleporting in and grabbing Etriarch
>We're not teleporting at all
>Something else? (write-in)

>>281944
Wait a minute; they're both elves.
Why are they sleeping?

>>281997
>>Something else? (write-in)
first, ask what Rowe if she wants to go through with this.

If no, don't go.
If yes, grab both.
And yeah, let's try and prepare sleeping spells.

also, any answers for>>281944
and>>281999 ?

>>282021
>If no, don't go.
>If yes, grab both.
actually, let's hold this off until after we've heard Rowe.

>>281997
>Something else? (write-in)
"So Rafs, is the Singing Female loyal to the Empire or the big Orc that your master obeys?"

I think we're going to need to grab both, and we should punch in loaded for bear and fully buffed up.
But first, I'd like to know if we're going to have a loyal Imperial on our hands, a merc we can bribe away, or another Cerilian POW.

>>281780
Could also be that she realized that Etriarch isn't just cooperating with the Empire, but is now actively working for and supporting them, for a woman.
Even after that whole rant he gave about how Rowe deserves to die for what she did to the Sfar Forest yet the Empire will do the same thing to the forests of this island and he's helping them do it.

File: Etriarch.png (106 KB, 250x355)

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"So Rafs, is the Singing Female loyal to the Empire or the orc that your master obeys?"

“ . . . Yes?”

“You don't sound sure about that either.”

“Hard to tell. The orc does not inspire loyalty.”

Well, that isn't conclusive. You look back to the scene still playing in the crystal ball.

. . .

Wait, why are they sleeping?! They're both elves. At least you're pretty sure Etriarch is full elf. Both of them are lying down with their eyes closed. Is this some sort of trick?

You listen in to the scene. You close your eyes and try to listen to their breathing patterns. It comes through the crystal ball ever so quietly but it's enough to notice that isn't the sound of slumber.

“They aren't sleeping,” you comment.

Rowe looks to you, confused. “They aren't?”

“Course not,” Gabby responds like it's the most obvious thing in the world. “They're meditating.”

“They haven't even assumed the proper position,” you point out.

“Well yeah. Figure they did that about twenty minutes ago.” Gabby laughs wholeheartedly until Rowe cuffs her on the back of the head.

“There is no proper position,” Quissonce answers. “If you're an elf you meditate. It would be awkward and quite frankly impersonal if we sat up and crossed our legs while sleeping with someone else post-coitus. Especially if that person couldn't do so themselves.”

“They're both elves, though. They can both meditate,” you point out.

Quissonce blushes. “Oh yes, well I was merely talking about a hypothetical. Longing for intimacy, personal resistance to the biological shift, the fact that lying down on that bed looks incredibly comfy. All possible explanations.”

“So then what's the big difference between sleeping and what they're doing?”

“They're still lucid,” Essentia answers. “They'll sense the magic when and if we pop in. They'll have a moment to react.”

“Could we hit them with some sort of sleep spell to make them easier to handle?”

Essentia shakes her head. “Elves are immune to magical sleep effects. You can knock them unconscious via natural methods, however.”

You sigh out. That makes thing a tad more complicated. You look to Rowe. “You still want to go through with this?”

Rowe shrugs in defeat. “Either I'm overreacting and he's still in danger. Or I'm not and I need to kill him. Regardless, yeah. Let's be on the offense for once.”

>We're teleporting in and grabbing both
>We're teleporting in and grabbing Etriarch
>We're not teleporting at all
>Something else? (write-in)

>>283343
>We're teleporting in and grabbing both
>Something else: we're going to buff the fuck out of ourselves before we go in
Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Haste, Mage Armor, Blur, Mirror Images.
Also any weapons/staves that can give us non lethal options. Like stun prods or something. Magic rope that will try to tie them up on its own.
An area silence effect that will prevent them from raising an alarm.
Have Web prepared to be cast on them as soon as we pop in so that they're immobilized.

Anything else we can do to stack the odds in our favor?
Remember, there's no such thing as overkill; just "I'm out of mana" and "on cooldowns".

>>283380
Alan does know Flurry of Blows and Stunning Fist, so that should help.

>>283380
>Mage Armor

Mage Armor is a meme. It does not stack with regular armor.

>Mirror Images

That spell only works on the caster. If you don't know it you can't utilize it.

>non lethal options

You have a quarterstaff and your fists.

>An area silence effect that will prevent them from raising an alarm.

Nobody you know knows a spell like this.

>Magic Rope

As much as I like this idea you really don't have time to go rooting around for magic items and neither you nor Rowe knows any magical rope spells.

>Web

Sure, Essentia can do that, but she won't be able to have it prepared.

>Haste, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Blur

Combination of you, Ed and Eve can buff Rowe and yourself with all of these.

>>283463
Actually, Shield would be better than Mage Armor since it can protect from Magic Missiles, though I wanted the Mage Armor for protection from ethereal weapons.

What about a scroll of Mirror Image?

And Ed does know the Animate Rope spell.

>>283463
>Sure, Essentia can do that, but she won't be able to have it prepared.
A scroll of Web, then?

>>283532
When I say prepared I mean ready to cast instantly. She can't ready any actions because she's teleporting you in.

>>283527
Ed can't command the rope from here.

>>283656
Could Alan and Rowe prepare any actions? Or is the disorientation too bad for that?

And even if Rowe and Alan have armor on, Essentia doesn't. Won't she need Mage Armor?

>>283701
I assume your prepared actions are either to knock out or firmly grab your targets.

>>283718
Aside from making sure that Essentia is also safe because we can't teleport out without her, I'm out of any further preparations we can make within the timeframe.

Alright! Roll me 3d100, best of 3.

First has a bonus of 39.

Second has a bonus of 27.

Third has a bonus of 20.

Rolled 96, 5, 36 = 137 (3d100)

>>283970

Rolled 48 (1d100)

>>283970
That's a lie.

First actually has a bonus of 42.

Second actually has a bonus of 28.

Don't pay attention to this roll.

Also I guess I should ask.

>Tell the Air Elemental to Attack
>Don't do that

Rolled 41, 28, 4 = 73 (3d100)

>>283970
Triple nat 1s

>>283992
>Don't do that
If we are just warping into a bedroom and warping out we probably don't need him. Unless things go really wrong.

Rolled 37, 97, 82 = 216 (3d100)

>>283970
Don't attack

>>284093
Clutch rolls on the two that needed them.

>>283992
Wait, would the attack be timed so that it happens at the same time as the teleport, in order to force Etriarch to hesitate on which threat to fight, or would it be more of a "go and attack" and the attack would happen some time before, during, or after the teleport, determined by RNG?

>>284153
I mean depends. What you want? I never understood that part of your plan.

>>284161
Have it coincide with our attack.
Make it so that the rest of the fort can't come bearing down on us as we try to subdue Etriarch and his girlfriend (likely a bard) and they resist and call for help.

>>283977
>>284093
damn, you guys roll good

So, trick, are you writing the next part now?

>>284580
Ye, trick, what's up?

Starting to write it now!

>>284093
I'm interpreting the don't attack here as a vote for not asking the air elemental to attack. Correct me if I'm wrong before I post dat update in like 2 hours.

shouldn't we have the air elemental attack, though? I mean, what else are we going to use it for? At least it could be a useful distraction for us.

Hm, come to think of it, why not bring the air elemental as our third? wouldn't that be wicked?

>>285008
Y'know, I already had you guys vote on that plan earlier so I realize I shouldn't do double jeopardy by having a vote to alter the plan.

>>285008
Only you and Rowe can go if you want to bring back Etriarch and The Singing Female.

>>285014

eh, ok.

“Alright, let's do this. Gabby, would you mind grabbing Eve?” Gabby nods her head and leaves to look for her. Essentia begins meditating once more to prepare herself.

The rest of you grab your scrying equipment and exit Essentia's domain. You spend the next forty minutes practicing your skills with your quarterstaff. It gives you reach, meshes with your monk training and provides a nice non-lethal way to take done the two naked people you're about to ambush.

Essentia finally exits her domain as it's probably nearing three in the morning. You take this as your cue to make your way to a nearby window and shout up to the air elemental that his services will now be required. Rowe relays to you the general directions to the fort and you assure the elemental that from his position in the sky he won't be able to miss it.

You gather with Rowe, Gabby, Essentia, Eve, Ed and Quissonce in the meeting room on the sixth floor and after mentally psyching yourself up for what you're about to do you begin with the application of buffs.

You apply Bull's Strength to yourself and Rowe while Ed hits the two of you with Cat's Grace and Eve casts Blur on all three of you who are about to leave.

At the last second Quissonce hits you and Rowe with Haste in rapid succession. Strong, dexterous, fast, hard to hit. Perfect set up for what you hope is the shortest raid of your life.

Alright. The Archmage grabs your hand and then Rowe's. You squeeze your quarterstaff around the middle tightly with your other hand.

“Be prepared for nausea,” you advise your lover.

“Too late,” she replies.

It still tingles.

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The three of you are in the darkness of the bedroom you spied upon earlier, only a small, dying candle providing any light.

Etriarch sits up first, noticing you almost immediately. He reaches for his bow – well not his bow, but a bow – before hesitating as he recognizes Rowe, who unfortunately wobbles slightly, slowing her speed in this operation as she experiences the discomfort of teleportation for the first time in her life.

“Rowe?” he asks surprised as the woman beside him reacts a fraction of a second slower, opening her eyes and taking in your team.

“If you wanted to join you could have just –” WHAM!

You bring the base of the quarterstaff to the back of her head with just enough force to knock her out cold. Not worth the risk letting the enemy banter right now.

“What the –” Rowe finally regains her bearings and rushes up to Etriarch, shoving a hand over his mouth and thrusting his head back against a pillow, drawing a dagger up to his throat.

“Shut the fuck up!” Rowe tells him as you dart in and scoop the naked women up and over your shoulder. “We're leaving right now. You fight me and I cut your throat.”

They lock eyes. He stops struggling. You walk around to their side of the bed with your unconscious captive. Essentia moves up and places her hand on Rowe's back. She reaches a hand out to you and you firmly grasp it.

Essentia utters the incantation and you start to feel the – movement, wind, blade SHIT!

You let go of her hand and bring the quarterstaff to bear against the sword, as invisible as whoever wields it.

It bites deep into the wood of your glorified stick enough strength behind it to push you off balance, but you manage to twist and parry the blow to the side and away from the Archmage's neck.

“Al–” Rowe's voice is cut off as the three of them disappear behind you.

Your eyes search for the attacker. Still invisible. Shit. Can't hear him breathe, rustle, move. A fucking ghost.

>Glitterdust! Attack!
>Glitterdust! Run!
>Write-in

>>285210
>>Glitterdust! Run!

>>285210
>Glitterdust! Run!

>>285210
Should we just drop the bitch? She is just going to slow us down while are on the run, she wasn't the main target and for all we know she is just some whore.

>>285227
Good point.

>Drop the elf? (Y/N)

>>285230
Y. Hell toss her at the invisible dude once we glitterdust him.

>>285230
Y. Might as well deal with her later

Roll me 2d100, best of 3. I'll figure out bonuses later

Rolled 11, 93 = 104 (2d100)

>>285210
>>Glitterdust
look at the attacker first before deciding to fight or run

>>285230
>Y

Rolled 92, 23 = 115 (2d100)

>>285433
I can roll the other dice, too, if nobody else is here.

Rolled 91, 83 = 174 (2d100)

>>285433
Third roll, but I'm already fine with both over 90

Rolled 66 (1d100)

I'm not updating until tomorrow morning, so if anybody else wants to roll and hope for that nat 100 be my guest.

The bonuses are +4 for the first roll and +23 for the second roll

Rolled 47, 14 = 61 (2d100)

>>285433

>>285227
>for all we know she is just some whore.
We know she's an operative of the Empire, definitely good enough to be part of an assault/rescue team.
Knowing things on this island, a magic user of some kind.

>>285230
N

>>285210
>Glitterdust! Attack!
I really would rather not have an enemy with Improved Invisibility running after our ass and raising the alarm while we're trying to get out of the Imperial fort.