Jaela: getting stuff done (Jaela)

[Anastasia]

"Well shit," Dana grins back, before Berop returns.

"He will see you now."

[Corwin]

"Excellent," Jaela returns, ready to follow.

[Anastasia]

You are brought back into Crellen's room. It's much as you remember it: Fine marble floors, inlays of wood, art on the walls. The chairs are just as soft and stuffed as before, and the throne is as you remember.

Crellen is much the same, save for a sardonic smirk on his face. "Jaela of Aurora," he greets, "You return again?"

[Corwin]

"Just for a brief, friendly visit," Jaela says, taking a seat. "It's nice that you recognize the name we've made for Aurora in the last... has it been half a year?"

[Anastasia]

"Longer, I think," Crellen says, expression shifting into neutrality. "It is strange how things work," he says, as the other three sit. "I had thought you untempered, unwilling to stand up and take what you wanted. You fled from this place with barely an effort, at the first sign of resistance."

[Corwin]

"Not quite," Jaela responds calmly. "We sought you out as a fellow Lifasan. You tested our resolve, you seem to be saying? So had we at the time, and we didn't want to build a core of Aurora's defense around someone who couldn't believe in the mission passionately enough."

She spreads her arms. "That's all in the past, be it a good decision or bad. The present situation is that Aurora is here to stay, and your high position within Kossuth's clergy offers us both a chance to advance our agendas."

[Anastasia]

Mei steadily meets his gaze, to which Crellen raises an eyebrow then turns to Jaela. "Passion unforged is little more than heady feelings and brave words. Struggle is the forge-flame that hammers out weakness and leaves behind steel."

After a moment of that, "I'm listening. What are you proposing?"

[Corwin]

"I was thinking that Kossuth might appreciate Fire going for its traditional neutrality rather than the present situation. We have the ability to knock down efreet slaver and devils camping out on Fire. You have the ability to provide us with the intelligence leading up to successful operations, and quite possibly the pull to organize a meeting with interested groups who might want to join the Crusade."

[Anastasia]

"To cut to the quick, what is in it for us?" Crellen asks.

[spoiler]

Dana
HP: 324+18/324
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and Will saves, immunity to poison and disease
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used: 262/262 Power Points

The Master
HP: 304+12/304
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and Will saves, immunity to poison and disease
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Mei
HP: 457+23/457
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and Will saves, immunity to poison and disease
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

----

Spell-like abilities

1/day-daylight. Caster level 22nd. The save DCs are 16 + spell level.

Dana manifests as a 22nd level psychic warrior. The save DCs are 17 + power level.

Power points: 262

[1 pp]1: Defensive PrecognitionA, Offensive PrescienceA, VigorA.
[3 pp]2: Body AdjustmentA, Dimension SwapA, Strength of My EnemyA.
[5 pp]3: Breath BarrierA, Dimension SlideA, Greater Concealing Amorpha.
[7 pp]4: Energy AdaptationA, Psionic Freedom of Movement, Steadfast Perception.
[9 pp]5: Empower Weapon, Oak BodyA, Perfect RiposteA
[11 pp]6: Breath of the Black DragonA, Form of DoomA, Inconstant LocationA, Personal Mind Blank, Stygian TouchA
[13 pp]7: Dana's AdjustmentA, Dana's CounterA

A - Power can be augmented.

Dana manifests as a 1st level ardent with access to the pain + suffering and physical power mantles. The save DCs are 17 + spell level.

[1 pp]1: Adrenaline BoostA, DisableA

Mei casts as a 12th level paladin. Her spell DCs are 21 + spell level. Her spell themes are protection and boosting.

Check spells per day.

[4/day]1: Divine Favor, True Strike, Lesser Restorationx2
[4/day]2: Divine Protectionx4SC
[4/day]3: Righteous Furyx4SC

SC - Spell Compendium.

Mei uses invocations as a 23rd level warlock.

Least: All Seeing Eyes, Eldritch Glaive, Otherworldly Whispers.
Lesser: Baneful Blast(Evil Outsiders), Celestial Flight, Eldritch Chain, Spirit Blast, Wall of Light.
Greater: Eldritch Cone, Heavenly Endurance, Penetrating Blast, Vitriolic Blast.
Holy: Caster's Lament, Eladrin Form, Impenetrable Barrier, Steal Summoning.
Epic: -

[/quote]
[/quote]

[Corwin]

"I'm thinking you can't have it both ways," Jaela muses. "Either you wanted to support the Crusade and were checking to see we were up to snuff, or you never wanted to have anything to do with us. But if it's the latter, it sure doesn't come across that way from how you talk."

She pauses, before saying, "What's in it for Kossuth, then? I think I outlined that as well. Fire gets a bad rep that's sadly deserved, but it doesn't need to be that way. I can't quite take on Imix to even the scales just yet, but there's shitty people giving Fire a bad name that I can and will deal with."

[Anastasia]

Mei rises quietly and gos to stand in front of Crellen, meeting his gaze. After long moments of it, "This one is good at saying things without saying a word, isn't she?" he remarks. "Are there any particular targets in the slave trade or devil outposts you're looking for?"

[Corwin]

"Right now, I want to hit the ones that would cause the most waves," Jaela responds. "Something to spread our name across Fire and get likeminded groups to consider joining forces with us. If things work well for the both of us, we could think of more specific targets then. How does it sound?"

[Anastasia]

"Fine," Crellen says, and Mei goes right back to sitting down. "The biggest is Fourfires and is controlled by the Emir of Livestock, Jalal Sarrani. He prefers to concentrate all of his efforts into one ranch. The real problem is the efreet who runs it, Hasan of the Obsidian Triumph. He's a minor noble who came up through the Branded, the Grand Sultan's personal harem guards."

Crellen pauses to snap his fingers, a servant coming from an unseen side door. She brings a silver tray with drinks on it - looks like ice water, unmelting despite the heat. He takes a glass and sips, "He's smart, driven and refuses to accept anything but the best from his men. Over the ages, he's built up a reputation of forging the efreet who work for him into the finest soldiers. Several have received invitations to join the Branded or other prestigious services."

A pause for drinks, everyone taking one. Dana gulps hers down, "So he's a hardass. We break hardasses all the fucking time."

"He's a hardass with almost unlimited money to spend on defenses." Crellen counters, "A competent hardass who even found enough money to bribe dao, djinn and marid spellcasters to helping with Fourfires's defenses, as well as more exotic aids. He's even gifted with a weapon from Kassim of the Honored Flame, one of the few low nobles to enjoy such an honor."

[Corwin]

"Dana's right, though. I can't imagine someone better suited to break through his defenses. Do you know what they are in more detail, or whether he stays at that so-called ranch, or away?"

[Anastasia]

"He doesn't let anyone who isn't a worker or a slave in there." Crellen says, "He even resisted pressure from us to visit, and managed to find a way to mitigate any political fallout. Hasan's good. As for the rest, he stays at the ranch or in the City of Brass. The location is semi-public knowledge, if only due to efreet business records and the occasional attempt to destroy Fourfires."

Mei nods sharply.

"You speak as if it is a mountain to overcome, rather than a mere hill to travel across." The Master remarks, enjoying his water.

"Does Aurora have an efreet loyal to them? If you do, use him. I would guess - but don't know for certain - that some of his defenses may be keyed to efreet. Beyond that?" Here he considers and ultimately shrugs, "He's good at keeping secrets."