Brightest before the duskfall

[Anastasia]

"That very thought crossed my mind," Jessica agrees, taking a seat. She's not even dirty as she rests back, "Magma. A demiplane laboratory."

[Ebiris]

"So how did you find it out? And what do you know about this demiplane he's set up on?" Alicia asks.

[Anastasia]

"The location helped," Jessica says, "With what's brewing in Fire with the Crimson Firebrand, news about Fire and connected planes is flowing fast and free." A moment to exhale as she rests, wings becoming shadowy things that cloak her, surround her in protective, warm darkness from her neck down. "Brokers are paying a premium for news from there too."

After a moment to let you absorb that, "The source is reliable, one of my best ones there, and ideologically sympathetic to righteousness. To the point that if things ever turn against them on Magma beyond tolerance, they have an open offer of refuge in Sylica. Anyway, Pardol brought a bunch of demons over and being demons, some of them went about and did demon things. The natives noticed."

Antenora's there in between blinks of the eye. "Are you shielding his identity?" she asks calmly. She's in her full armor now, her spear nowhere to be seen.

"Yes," Jessica bows her head, "I'll tell you if you ask of course, but they're in a somewhat delicate position. It's good sense to protect their identity because of that."

"I know, I didn't mean you didn't trust us," Antenora says gently, "But I know well the reasons why someone may keep their identity a secret. It's good spycraft to do that, within reason."

[Ebiris]

"It's fine, knowing the source's name makes no difference to me," Alicia says. "But still. Very odd. Why isn't Pardol in Thanatos where he'd be far safer from reprisal? To make himself a more tempting target? Has the feel of bait."

"To play, ah... devil's advocate," Marie speaks up, looking appropriately contrite about her phrasing, "He could be there to escape Orcus's notice if he's doing an off the books operation. His ravings suggest this is motivated by personal spite over Orcus's attention not being where he wants it to be. Of course it's easy to put on a performance for someone you know is going to be captured and mind-read, so I'm not saying it's not bait."

[Anastasia]

Antenora smiles at Marie's particular turn of phrase. "Regardless, it's very well reasoned. Yes, it may well show to bait to any with a mind, but it's logical you infer it's not on some analysis."

"It's interesting but does it change our calculus?" Jessica asks simply, "Or even with the thought we may well want to spring this particular trap?"

[Ebiris]

"If it's a trap for us, lets not spring it ourselves," Alicia says. "We can use intermediaries. Marie, since you had so many better ideas last time we got entangled with the Abyss, I'll leave this one to you. Show how tricky you can be."

"At last!" Marie crows. "Jessica, tell me exactly where that demiplane's entrance is? I'll whip something up. I might need some material resources from you as well Alicia, but I can handle this."

So things can be skimmed/handwaved as necessary, Marie is going to pose herself as an inevitable (with appropriate knowledge check to choose an obscure one likely to have a grudge against Pardol) and recruit some mercenaries/rouse up some natives, buff them with spells and bardsong and have them storm the demiplane to capture Pardol for her.

[Anastasia]

Okay. So I can coordinate any response, are you going to work with Moore's group at all with this?

[Ebiris]

It sounds like Kaja and Cresiel were going to smash the place themselves? Honestly if they do that she doesn't really need to do anything, but she'll ask that they hang back to let her try it her way, and if shit goes bad/the trap gets sprung they can come in as reserves.

[Anastasia]

Okay. Does that work for you, Moore?

[Nephrite]

All good here.