The Crown's Council (team Mexilhoeira IC)

[Nanshork]

Ozielle sees no point in hiding herself, even if she is somehow recognized it shouldn't matter. She looks around, machine minions in tow, to see what all the fuss is about.

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I forgot that I can take ten on stuff until after I rolled.

Spot: 17
Listen: 16
Sense Motive: 22
Gather Info: 5

My minions have Low Light Vision and Darkvision 60ft but I have no special senses.

[YuweaCurtis]

"Oi, you forgot about me!" Melody shouts screeching to a halt on her sports motorcycle and peeling back her googles. She probably would have slide in, but the sidecar containing her friend would have made it pretty awkward. As the petite devil girl dismounts and approaches the businessman, her friend shakes her head disappointingly. It seems Melody may have waited a bit to long in order to be stylishly late. She beacons the man, knowing that contracts are needed to be signed for this sort of thing. After signing she would throw her hoodie up carefully over her small horns and walk the bike, keeping pace with the group. She takes a look at the rest of the party. "Wow, where did some of you even come from?"

[Jarob22]

Ghu'Del is in his alternate form - his retained characteristics are a shell on his back and black eyes with vertical pupils. He is covering the shell with a long, thick cloak, so it looks like it might be a covered backpack, and the eyes would be noticeable at only close range. He is attempting to be stealthy as he's a bit of a looker at the best of times (and not in the good way), but still looks around, being curious at the various things going on.

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I managed:
Spot: 23
Listen: 14
Sense Motive: 12
Gather Info: 9

Hide: 18
Move silently: 24

He has Darkvision to 60ft and the Scent special ability.

[Skyrock]

Viborata has changed once again, this time into the silken pantaloons of her Areian homeland. Her neck is adorned with colorful wooden beads bought from one of the trinket stands, helping to obscure and draw attention away from her holy symbol.
She mostly mingles with the fellowship of Céu Musical, where her complexion and dress mode are most inconspicious, but also ventures forth from there several times to the other parts of the crowd under the guise of collecting drinks and similar errants.

Atkirza has changed too, into her familiar black monk leathers. She too has used beads to obscure her holy symbol, but in her disdain of colorful and cute things has done a much more sloppy job.
Looking at all the other fiends flopping around, she too takes to the skies to mingle among the other damned. Using her natural telepathy, she alternatingly keeps silent contact with the others.

~.~o~O(((If you see something, say something. I'm keeping tabs from up here and will alert everyone if something goes down.)))O~o~.~

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Atkirza: Spot 5, Listen 13, Sense Motive 11, Hide 8
Special senses:
- Darkvision & See through magical darkness 60'
- Scent (by adopting Hunter's Sense stance)
- Telepathy 120ft

Viborata: Spot 8, Listen 15, Sense Motive 32, Hide 15
Special senses:
- Low-light vision
- detect evil at-will
- Pierce Illusion (gets a Will save to see through any magical illusion or disguise without needing to interact or disbelieve first)
- +4 competence bonus on Spot checks against the Disguise skill

[oslecamo]

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As you walk through Portimão, a lot of the fairies seem to look at you a bit longer than they stare at anything eles, and you hear your name being brought up in their chatter as soon as you turn your back on them.

A few minutes later of this behaviour repeating you start getting an hunch it’s not only innocent curiosity you’re drawing from the fey. Then suddenly somebody invisible whispers behind you:

“You’re Marina’s old doll, aren’t you? What are you doing in Jóia? Miss your owner? I understand, you’re pretty well made but Marina got too old to play with toys like you anymore and so she abandoned you. Marina abandoned a lot of nice things she doesn’t care about anymore.”

The voice sounds so calm and confident on what it says that Ozielle has trouble believing it could be anything but truth. But the chobit knows Marina, probably better than anybody else, seeing her grow up since she was a little kid, and so Ozielle knows the one whispering behind her is lying.

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Melody fits right with all the crowds, quickly learning where the musicians of each band are resting before the big show tonight and how she may talk to them this afternoon, even bring some friends of her own along, and also further confirmation that Vaidade is currently in Portimão. Also that she already befriended many of the local fairies for her mission, using them as her eyes and ears. The most daring of those are actively supporting Vaidade’s current “pranks” or even serving as her proxies.

The band registrations are still open so Melody’s still in time to officially join the band battles, no entry fee.

Emily spots a suspicious flow of fairies going back and forth from the location where Ozielle went.

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With all the animated crowds and their attentions focused in the various exotic entertainments, Ghu’Dels tactics allow him to easily remain unnoticed.

While blending in, Ghu'Dels  spots a quite suspicious flow of fairies going back and forth from the location where Ozielle went. Also that they seem to be subtly leading the chobit maid, blocking one passage here, opening another there, away from the big crowds and deeper inside the city where the streets are narrower.

Then you smell several invisible beings for a moment, all swiftly flying in that direction. Smelling like fairies.

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Atkirza sees and hears only the merrymaking and partyng all around. She smells some invisible fairies zooming around now and then but there seems to be nothing wrong with them.

Viborata sees and hears the same things, but she also senses what’s underneath. First plenty of illusions, although they all appear to be used just as part of the festivities and aren't covering anything particularly malicious. Second several hunches about the dark dealings playing under the guise of the charity concert. Several of the present workers of the democracy of Automática, Sultanate of Areia and Dragão Empire seem to be relatively honest and believe they’re actually doing charity work, but the remaining ones are clearly using it all just a cover for their actual mission. Seemingly innocent words and phrases are are actually codes. Threats and negotiations. Not just for the business with Vaidade, but even some about what to do with Jóia as a whole. Each of the factions trying to make a temporary alliance with another to take out the third. Even some talks of simply working together and dividing the spoils, today Vaidade as a proof of concept, tomorrow the rest of Jóia. They’re being pretty professional about it all, avoiding any unwanted attention from the crowds.

Still such secret negotiations in plain sight seem to be stalled out and the way things are going now it appears like they’ll just do the bidding competition tonight during the band battles to win Vaidade’s offer. Unless something pretty big were to happen beforehand.

And all above in the sky, several of the flying fairies appear just as guilty, carefully observing everything and reporting to others that then go inside buildings. Their movements may appear random, and most are, but there’s clearly a clever network in operation using the fey chaos as cover.

[Jarob22]

"I sense our companion may soon be in trouble", Ghu'Del says, pointing to where Ozielle has melded into the crowd. "Fairies, lots of 'em. They're never up to much good from what I've heard...let's go follow her!"

Ghu'Del attempts to follow Ozielle, trying to follow her movement, the movement he's seeing in the fairies and her machine-like scent, beckoning the rest of the party to follow him.

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Not sure what I would roll here, I can roll spot again if you'd like?

[Skyrock]

Viborata relays her message telepathically through her conduit Atkirza. ~.~o~O(((Watch out, there is more to those fairies than it may seem like. They are from a fourth faction bidding for Vaidade - who their master or mistress is, I cannot say, but it is none of the three countries we have already been told about.

Speaking of the bidding, it will go down tonight. Not tomorrow night. Not next week. Tonight! And the band battle will decide it. Our jaws must snap her tonight or never!)))O~o~.~

While Viborata hangs back a bit, not being the type to get into combats, Atkirza seemingly playfully flaps clöser to Ozielle's position, ready to dive if things escalate.

[Nanshork]

Ozielle stops abruptly when she hears Marina's name and listens closely.  As the whispering goes on, a smile grows on her face and she quickly re-configures herself.

"Doll?  These are dolls.  I am something more," she responds, gesturing at her machine minions.  "I don't know why you thought such a lie would work on me, but you don't know what you're talking about little one.  I am Marina's everything."  Her voice drops to a growl on the last word and her minions turn to face the (assumed) fairy who whispered in what is obviously targeting mode.  (If that fairy somehow isn't within 65 feet or I can't identify which it was then each minion very blatantly targets a different invisible fairy because I'm sure there are at least 3 within range.)  Ozielle herself doesn't move although there is a sudden flicker of motion at her hands and shoulders as she partially deploys and then returns  a few of her weapons (mostly as an intimidation tactic but the lie made her angry).

"Now, why don't you be a good little fairy and tell me why you want to keep me from my mistress before I cook you and feed you to my friends."  Her smile gets wider as she says, "The perfect maid can cook anything."

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Swift action, Sudden Improvisation to change my personal upgrades.  I now have Blindsight of 65 feet.

Take 10 on Intimidate for a total of 19.

Yes, my support minion with just a slam attack is still pretending to target.  It's not like anyone will know better.   

[oslecamo]

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Ghu’Del and Atzirka arrive just in time to see Ozielle talking at what seems like thin air.

"Now, why don't you be a good little fairy and tell me why you want to keep me from my mistress before I cook you and feed you to my friends."  Her smile gets wider as she says, "The perfect maid can cook anything."

The chobit maid’s sensors detect six invisible being buzzing around her, then two of them end their invisibility after her intimidation.



Both fairies bow in awkward apologies before speaking quickly in nervous tones, clearly trying to get in Ozielle's good side.

: “Airy told us that Marina doesn’t deserve your dedication and you’ll end up pretty badly if you get near her again!“

: “Airy also told us that you may be feeling lonely and bored and so we should play with you and that you like it rough!”

: ”“Please don’t turn us into stew! I’m too thin!”

: “Or salad! I’m too young!”

: ”Nor cake! I’m too sweet!”

: “Neither barbecue! I’m too soft!”

: ”Can we be friends? I’m Ain.”

: “Yeah let’s be friends instead! I’m Noin!”

The still invisible ones add their own comments:
“Traitors!”

“And after all the trouble Airy went through to organize this...”

“Marina is a big meanie just like Lucy and Anne!”

“Clearly you caught your owner’s meanie ways!”

Then all four together:

“Walk away from Portimão now or prepare to play with us!”

[Nanshork]

Ozielle becomes all sweet and niceness to the two fairies who appeared. 

"It's nice to meet you Ain and Noin!  Of course we can be friends, I would never cook my friends!  And I'm not mean, Marina is just super important to me. I don't want to hurt any of you, but anyone who would try to stop me from seeing her isn't my friend and I will hurt you if I have to.  It sounds like Airy is lying to you, and that makes her not your friend.  I would never lie to my friends, just like I would never walk away from them.  I'm not leaving!" 

She stomps a foot and makes a hmmph noise after that final declaration.

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Does the name Airy mean anything to me?  I can take 10 on any knowledge skill for a total of 11 if need be.

I can also take a 21 on diplomacy to try and defuse this if Intimidate didn't make that impossible.

[Jarob22]

Ghu'Del notices the strange conversation and walks up to Ozielle and says "This lot bothering you?" Muttering under his breath he adds: "Fairies are always trouble...".

He looks meaningfully at Ozielle, then down at his hands where his pincers would be and stands beside Ozielle.

[Skyrock]

The alley is filled with quiet but audible low dins of bells, as if coming from far away, and drops of crude, half-congealed blood fall from the sky like a macabre shower, mostly where the hostile fairies are gathered. Soon afterwards, the source of those supernatural disturbances comes swooping down on black erinye wings.

"Prepare to play with us? Aw, you are being so eager to play! After those two have opted out, I am so glad to still find willing playmates!"

Atkirza presents her sweetest shark grin, and her chains rattle with excitement. She gives a disapproving side glance to Ozielle.

"Your two new friends are fine. Take them with you, and do so quickly before I alter the deal. - As for the others, let me have them, and let me elate them to now heights of sensation. First let me pull off their wings, then their right limbs, then their left - and then we will really explore the further regions of pain and pleasure, my ears savouring every sweet, sweet scream as my sharp hooks map nerve nerve clusters they didn't even know they possessed..."

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Using Ghost Sound and Prestidigitation for special effects. Intimidation result 21.

[oslecamo]

"It's nice to meet you Ain and Noin!  Of course we can be friends, I would never cook my friends!  And I'm not mean, Marina is just super important to me. I don't want to hurt any of you, but anyone who would try to stop me from seeing her isn't my friend and I will hurt you if I have to.  It sounds like Airy is lying to you, and that makes her not your friend.  I would never lie to my friends, just like I would never walk away from them.  I'm not leaving!" 

She stomps a foot and makes a hmmph noise after that final declaration.

: ”Yay we’re friends!”

: “I can understand never abandoning a friend, but you really, really never told lies to Marina?”

: ”Not even nice ones like telling her she’s the prettiest thing in the whole world?”

: “Or some soothing bedtime stories and songs?”

: “You never told Marina that the Winter's Envoy will bring her gifts if she’s been a good girl?

: ”Nor that the Bonnie will send her boogey vampire after her if she misbehaves?”

“Also what’s a friendship whitout a little prank or two now and then?”

: “What did you tell Marina when she asked where babies come from?”

“Well you’re not fooling us Marina’s doll, if you don’t lie only to your friends then it means you lie to everybody else which means you’re bluffing!”

“Yeah no use trying to play all nice after trying to be scary!”

“Oldest trick in the scroll really. And Airy does it much better than you!”

“Your head must be all empty, you’re just a doll after all.”

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Airy was a fairy that lived centuries ago who almost certainly performed great deeds, although so many legends have been written and changed over the generation about her that it’s hard to tell fact from fiction nowadays, and she could’ve been either a saintly heroine or cruel villainess depending on which versions you believe. Either way, the name Airy has more than once been “borrowed” by powerful and arrogant fairies aiming high, often claiming they’re a reincarnation or avatar or even the real deal returned.

"Fairies are always trouble...".

“Flattery will get you nowhere!”

“We have a reputation to uphold!”

“Go somewhere else before we cook you!”

“Crab meat! Crab meat!”

"Your two new friends are fine. Take them with you, and do so quickly before I alter the deal. - As for the others, let me have them, and let me elate them to now heights of sensation. First let me pull off their wings, then their right limbs, then their left - and then we will really explore the further regions of pain and pleasure, my ears savouring every sweet, sweet scream as my sharp hooks map nerve nerve clusters they didn't even know they possessed..."

: “K-KKKYYYAAAA!”

:”S-Sooo ccoooool! Can you do it again?”

“A pretty decent evil monologue, I’ll give it a 7/10.”

“The supporting illusions were kinda cheap though.”

“Anyway you-re clearly the villain here, meaning we get to be the heros just like Airy!”

“Always wanted a chance to play with a real demon lady!”

The other fairies sound either too brave or too idiotic to back down so far.

[Nanshork]

Ozielle frowns slightly.  Maybe she forgot what it was like to deal with fairies, but these are all acting like insane children.  Slightly evil insane children at that.  Even Marina was never this bad. 

She's done trying to deal with them logically.

"You can't threaten to cook someone after I threatened to cook you!  Copycats!"

[oslecamo]

"What does a doll knows of cooking anyway?"

"Bleh bleh!"

"Nyar nyar!"

"Pfftt!"

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From what you’ve seen and heard those seem to be basic fairies of the smaller type, so “insane children” is a pretty precise description. Since they reform the day after dying, they have little use for “boring” things such as “common sense” and “logic”.

Still that they’ve stood up to your intimidation suggests those fairies are greater than your average one. Maybe suggesting some sort of game would be a good alternative to get them to play nice. Or some physical violence may be in order.

[oslecamo]

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Disappearing from sight to approach conversations and appearing again for the right questions at the right moment, Kazimir manages to  learn where the musicians of Automática are resting before the big show tonight and how he may talk to them this afternoon, even bring some friends of his own along, and also further confirmation that Vaidade is currently in Portimão. In addition that she already befriended many of the local fairies for her mission, using them as her eyes and ears. The most daring of those are actively supporting Vaidade’s current “pranks” or even serving as her proxies.

During his information gathering, Kazimir  spots a quite suspicious flow of fairies going back and forth from the location where Ozielle went. Also that they seem to be subtly leading the chobit maid, blocking one passage here, opening another there, away from the big crowds and deeper inside the city where the streets are narrower.

[Jarob22]

"Cook me?"

Ghu chuckles, "You may find me a somewhat...bigger meal than you anticipate. I'm getting a little tired of this, however."

He lunges and his hands turn into pincers, one bigger than the other, and attempts to grapple the two fairies who are buzzing around Ozielle.

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After Nan poking me about this, it seems I misread what was going on - I assumed the two visible fairies were the ones doing all the talking, but he's pointed out that it's just the invisible ones doing most of the taunting. However, I didn't spot that, I've already made my rolls by the time he pointed it out, and Mr Krabs in general was not paying attention. My bad 

I deliberately did not roll a real attack and only rolled to grapple, I did not want to hurt them off the bat.

I rolled a nat 1 vs ain and a total of 38 vs noin.
If I manage to grapple noin and we aren't going into combat phasing, then:

Ghu attempts to look like he was just batting at Ain, then looks down at Noin in his other pincer and grins, "Would you like to play a game? It's called shake-and-squeeze - I shake, and if you don't tell us what we want to know, I also then squeeze."

If I don't manage to grapple Noin, and we arent going into combat phasing, then:
Ghu attempt to make it look like he was batting away at the two fairies and says "Would you like to play a game? I call it 'follow Mr Pinchy'."

If we go into combat phasing, then so be it. I'll edit this post with whatever outcome happens and post it outside the spoiler.

[Nytemare3701]

Surprised at seeing his lead come to fruition so quickly, Kazimir attempts to mentally map out the most likely location for an ambush and moves accordingly. Arriving in time to hear the exchange, he moves to put himself in striking distance of at least one hyperactive fey, moving only as they are being loud, so as not to attract any attention.

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K:Local 1d20+20 : 17 + 20, total 37

Assumed success due to catch-up narrative

Hide 1d20+9 : 18 + 9, total 27

Should have a +20 for invisibility and +5 for distracted enemy, right?

Move Silently 1d20+9 : 7 + 9, total 16

+5 for distracted enemy? Additional bonus for loud noise?

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Kazimir waits silently until the fight breaks out in earnest. If he detects a spell or SLA being cast towards his allies, he will step in front of it to absorb it, hopefully without breaking stealth.

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"What kind of menagerie have I walked into on such a remote street? Are you all part of the festival crew?"

[oslecamo]

Ain suddenly decides to check something in the ground and dodges Ghu's claw despite being completely distracted, while Noin is easily caught. When Ain notices her friend's been caught and hears the explanation she calmly replies

: "Oh we know that game mister crab, but we don't like it much. Can't we play something else?”

Even Noin sounds relatively calm.

: “Yeah, like it's too easy to escape something like this, look! Just a moment... Any minute now... A-Ain, I can't slip out!”

The still invisible fairies snicker:

"Hahaha, Noin's so out of shape she can't even free her movements!"

“Serves you right traitor!”

“Don't come asking us for help now!”

“Do whatever you want with Noin, see if we care!”


: "O-Ozielle? Isn't mister crab our friend too? Why is he doing that to Noin?”

:"I don't want to be squeezed like this! Let me go! WWAAAHHH!"

Kazimir makes good use of the distraction to position himself strategically.

[Nanshork]

Ozielle scowls at Ghu. "Ain and Noin are nice. These are the mean ones that want to cook you," she says as she points at the four invisible fairies.

"Please let her go."

She completely ignores the invisible fairies after pointing them out.