Game: We're Still not Quite Dead Yet

Canzonzabar:

You and Trift arrive at the front gates of Osael's mansion. A smallish stream of people, representing a decent cross-section Sigil's diverse upper class is trickling in through the open doors. Osael's mansion is made of white marble, carved with images of each of the layers of Mount Celestia. The mansion is roofed with elaborate copper domes and high gables. The copper is green form years of wear and acid rain. As with most buildings in Sigil, it is adorned with tall ornamental blades (highly polished steel, unlike the rest of the roof).

At the top of the steps, you are greeted by an aasimar doorman, wearing a white and silver tunic and pants. He carries a small leather book and a quill pen in one hand, and greets people as they enter. He seems entirely unbothered by your general fiendishness.

To you and Trift: "Good day sirs. Do you have an invitation?" (I'm assuming that you introduce yourself) "Canzonzabar," He says to himself and flips through the book and checks off what you think is your name. "Very well, please come in. You may leave your weapons and cloaks with a servant in the entryway if you would like. It is entirely optional, of course.

You enter a fairly small (by the standards of Sigilian mansions) entrance hall. Through another set of opened oak doors is the hall of the mansion. It is not yet filled with guests, but there are still quite few people present. Most are milling about talking with other guests. A few have claimed seats at one of the several large circular tables or have clustered around a bar at the rear of the hall. You can see that some of the hall has been set aside for dancing, and a large stage has been set up for the orchestra, who is sitting quietly at the moment.

Looking around, you can see Yebena pacing alone near the wall closest to the most densely filled tables. You can tell (by the ears again) that she is listening to the various conversations. You very much doubt that she has noticed you.

Yebena has chosen to wear a grey robe trimmed in a dark blue-purple. The midsection of the robe is covered by three heavy looking articulated plates of black metal. The robe is a compromise between something distinctly Ghennan (heavy fabric, high collar, etc.) and regular Sigilian fashion. It is also very much unlike her previous choice of attire, which made her look large and scary—but not at all fashionable, at least not in Sigil. You don’t know about the latest Ghennan fashions, and you don’t particularly care either.. Although you almost miss it at first, you can also see that Yebena is being shadowed by (you presume) a nycaloth bodyguard. Disturbingly like his mistresses, the grey-tuniced nycaloth is tall, and unhealthily thin. You can see no openly carried weapons or armor on his person.

Poke?

Sidharta & Bruce:

Lors Oakry lives on 3 Lantern Way. Living up to it's name, it is indeed heavily lit lanterns (much more so than the rest of the clerk's ward, which is not nearly as densely lit) It is a private neighborhood, and you see two guards wearing red uniforms carrying pikes standing by the gates. They look extremely alert and pace back and forth. You doubt that the guards would let you in at this hour. You are too far away to have been noticed yet. You also suspect that there is a 3rd guard in a guardhouse by the gate, but you can't see for certain. (Sidharta can see that the two guards have several magic auras on them, probably weapons, armor, etc. The stone guardhouse blocks any possible auras of the potential 3rd guard)

You cannot get close to the house because of this, and you will need to get by the guards to do so.

Any sane person would be asleep at this hour, though. The floorplan guess is not detailed enough to indicate the location of a bedroom. Most likely, it does not border any window.

Immediately next to them

OOC: It's the neighborhood that's guarded, not the building as far as you can tell. You can see the building from where you stand (it is about 100 feet from the gate to the neighborhood). If you moved, it would no longer be visible to you. You'd have to walk around the entire nighborhood.

Sidharta:

Walking around the neighborhood does not provide any useful information (you can't see the house well) but you are not seen.

It is is very early morning of day 1, so you have slightly less than a day and a half.

OOC: I'm not saying it's a backstab at all, but it's a principle that prevents the possibility of hard feelings when the actual backstabbing propper begins.

Canzonzabar:

Yebena addresses her bodyguard quickly, and he pulls out a chair next to Yebena on her right (She is left handed. Between fiends, it is usually polite to seat people by the off-hand of the host. In the case of a spellslinger, it's more of a formality than anything else, but the courtesy is still extremely inconsistent with Yebena's actions.) The nycaloth does not pull out a seat for Trift, and returns to his own.

"I am prepared to make an offer, Canzonzabar. It is one that you may be interested to hear and would be wise to accept. First, I offer to ignore your unwise choices of words previously. In the future, you would be wise to remember that I lack the emotional vulnerabilities of mortals. Flattery and charm will serve only to waste your time and more importantly my time. Secondly, I will give you your archon and all of the records seized one week ago as I had previously promised with no catches."

"In return, I expect that any future dealings we may have will be conducted civilly and respectfully. This applies to me also."

"Perhaps you consider these terms to be too generous? Where do I gain? First think of what you gain. At this point, I think that you are canny enough to realize that you have been set up to take a fall by your superiors. You also know that you are a poor choice for a scapegoat. There are many less useful Baatezu to sacrifice on the alter of politics. This suggests that the conspirators above you are strongly invested in this plan of theirs and that it is something very big. This should come as no surprise considering the turmoil in Baator in recent years.”

(That is, the rise of Glyssa to power and the increased tension between the Lords of the Nine. Given the Abyss’ recent defeats (Demogorgon’s death, and Orcus’ failed plots, etc.) there has been pressure from the Dark Eight to increase Blood War troop commitment. The Lords of the Nine have resisted this forcefully, and reduced troop commitment, swelling the size of their personal armies, in an attempt to consolidate their own power.)

“Now, consider what effect being unwillingly dragged into an infernal plot will have on the rest of your allies—such as they are. They will eventually appreciate how far over their heads they are, and the true extent of the danger that they are in. I am certain that this realization will not endear you to them, and reasonable or not, their ire will be directed towards you, as the nearest Devil. You need an ally who has a stake in the success of this plan, not merely the potential gain along the way. Like it or not, that leaves only me, Baatezu. My ends and my means coincide with yours. I back the same side that you do, and have a strong stake in their victory. Not as strong as yours, of course--my existence does not hinge on my success or failure, and I can fold whenever I choose, but I stand to gain considerably by your success. Enough even to easily justify fulfilling my previous bargains, and offering forgiveness in order to make peace with a potential ally. What say you?”

Yebena offers you a clawed hand to shake.

Canzon:

OOC: The package hasn't been delivered yet

"You would be wise to remember that I am Fashaq's direct superior and approved of the creation of this weapon, fully aware of it's power and the potential consequences of it's use. In any case, Fashaq does not pose a threat to me. He is incabable of creating anything that will directly harm annother Yugoloth. Anything--from the simplest wands to blades like this one."

"As influence goes, I do not question that you could implicate me. I merely remind you that I do not find being implicated to be a terribly worrisome prospect."

"I am not worried about being found responsible for this assasination. I do not live in Sigil for the fresh air, after all. I also very much doubt that you will be the subject of any investigation if the assasination succeeds. At least not right away. The origin of the weapon insures this. Considering the cost of such a weapon and the nature of it's maker, it will be a Noble Baatezu who will take the worst of the fall. You may well escape unnoticed in the ensuing political turmoil, and it is not inconcievable that you could talk your way out of your demise if nescesary. If the plot is thwarted, though, you might consider speaking with him," says Yebena, indicating Osael at the far side of the room with her jaw. "If the assasination succeeds, it seems more likely, your superiors will keep your involvement secret and use it as blackmail material to ensure that you cooperate loyaly with them throughout."
"There is also the question of what this assasination will bring about. Given the current political climate in Baator, assasinating someone important and then pinning it on a noble scapegoat, may not even be the goal of Dispater and Mephistophles. A civil war, with this as the declaration is a very real possibility. Given their current position of strength, it is perhaps the most likely outcome too. It is also the best case scenario for you since you are with the strong side. If you can survive the initial uncertanties, you stand to gain if and when the war is won. If it is lost...well, who better to imagine a worst-case scenario than yourself?"

"There is a diference between a fall or the fall and for whom. Note that your direct superiors have been intentionaly distant in this matter. You have received nothing in writing from them directly that would serve as proof, if I am not mistaken. You will take the fall for them. In the overall scheme of things, you will not be the only participant or non-paticipant to be found responsible and will only take a fall."

"I never said that an asasination was against your interests, only that such a plot would prove potentially dangerous to you, especially when your other allies who have been dragged into this catch on."

"You may have misheard. Ossael has no interest either way in the sucess or failure of this scheme. I was merely suggesting that the safest and most effective way to escape both the displeasure of your superiors at your failure and the anger of the targeted party would be to redeem yourself and hide behind something large on Mount Celestia."