A few notes to begin this.
1. As Lucy isn't a part of Aurora yet, noting the time in the topic title and a few other current things won't apply.
2. I post Lucy as I can, but she loses tiebreaks to other PCs. This is an extra thing for Cor, don't want other threads losing out because of this.
Aurora.
Lucy's heard of it several times since she came to this strange new world. A rumor, a new memory to settle in the empty space all her lost memories left behind. A magical fortress of vast lore and vaster power, one that travels the planes (what a concept these planes are) freely. To Lucy's mind, there is only one solution as she leaves behind Nature's Heart.
She has to reach Aurora.
A framing question to begin. Does Lucy have the means to reach Aurora once she learns its location already, or would she have to rely on portals or others to get there?
Lucy is capable of Plane Shift and from that point Greater Teleport SLAs seal the deal~
Awesome, do you have GI or anything like that?
Indeed I do! +20 native, +35 with Divine Insight.
[20:45] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+35 GI
[20:45] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 45 > [d20=10]
In your wanderings and meanderings to find yourself, you hear whispers. The Astral, Arborea, Ysgard. Other places. Water, perhaps. But recently you hear of Elysium most of all, deep in Elysium. You believe you could reach it, but not without risk. Elysium is not a pleasant place for succubi, after all.
What to do, what to do....
Lucy decides to try her luck at Brightwater, first. It's the most inclusive heaven, while at the same time offering just about anything for sale. She should be able to find a guide to Aurora there, one in whose presence she would be safe. If that fails she'll have to use a Sending to her contact and hope for the best, but that automatically starts her from a position of weakness. After all, it would mean she can't even get to the front door on her own.
Will plane shift over to Brightwater, I believe I'll automatically be routed to one of the acceptable dimensional travel points. I'll GI from there for anyone who is planning to go to Aurora, or who has been to it before and would be able to vouch for me!
[21:06] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+35 GI
[21:06] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 47 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Tiny_Ko_Army roll for Serith < 16 > [d100=16]
You go around and search, talk, see what's going on.
You end up in a fancy bar. It's all wood and gold here, dimly lit, just enough to give the wood and gold its own luminescence.
The woman opposite you has short red hair and wears a matching red dress. She's sipping a glass of something orange-black. It's a cozy, personal little booth, the two of you chatting away about this and that, a bar-room meeting of chance. "There's another one of your kind here," Ruby mentions, her name matching her color. "But you mentioned Aurora?"
"So I have!" Lucy agrees brightly. "Incidentally, there should be another of my kind at Aurora, so they don't appear to discriminate either. I wish I could say the same about Elysium," she continues in a tone inviting commiseration. Still, it's not like her to dwell on things, especially what she can't change. "I don't suppose you'd have an ingenious, out of the box idea for squaring the circle on this little problem?"
"I work for the Silverbrow Consortium, we have occasional dealings with Aurora."
Ruby drinks a little more and smiles coyly, "Mister Sisatar - the owner of the Consortium - is always interested in business. Getting you to Aurora safely is just another type of business. If you prove to be worth selling our services to, we can come to a mutually profitable accord. You understand that due to your heritage, a divination will be required before any offer is extended."
Ruby holds up a single perfect hand, nails a perfectly matching red to her hair. "It's mandatory, Mister Sisatar takes our reliability and security seriously. It will cost 100 gold, which you are expected to pay. Should this be agreeable, we will then move onto contacting Aurora and seeing if they are willing to have you come over or arrange an alternate solution."
"That would be acceptable, Miss Ruby," Lucy agrees, shaking the hand the redhead extends. Once her own limb retreats, ten strange platinum coins remain in Ruby's grasp. "Out of curiosity, while we wait... how common is true seeing in these parts? I must admit I expected it to be a factor, but as it is my first trip to a heaven I don't yet have a proper understanding of how wide-spread it is, or what the etiquette on seeing someone's true form would be."
"Ah. A sticky situation,' Ruby says, "In Brightwater, discretion is king so long as it is reasonable. You have been detected and are being monitored. Brightwater's security is good and discreet, but you're also being allowed to do as you please until you break the rules. If you are good enough to beat Brightwater's diviners, you're good enough to beat anyone on the streets."
Another sip of her drink, putting it down after. "I myself use true seeing every day and take defensive measures. Mister Sisatar does not hire mere humanoids." She smiles, and for a moment you see row after row of sharp, deadly teeth. Draconic teeth, your studies of the arcane inform you. She then goes back to her drink and finishes it off. "You understand?"
Lucy's tail swishes unseen, butterfly bow adoring the tip. "Perfectly, Miss Ruby."
"The gold, please," Ruby says, "This will be taken care of promptly."
"I know I offered platinum of equivalent value, due to it being easier to carry," Lucy muses, tilting her head. "Must it be actual gold?"
I gave her money after we shook hands.
The platinum is smoothly taken and Ruby's eyes flash red. There's the faintest stirring of power, familiar in a way you can't quite recall.
"Ah. I believe we can come to a profitable accord," Ruby stands, "Come with me."
"Wonderful!" Lucy agrees, following suit.
You are escorted to the Silverbrow Consortium. A pleasant restaurant seen before by others, if not yourself.
Skipping description since various PCs have been here three or more times now, feel free to ask for one if you want one.
"Would you like something to eat while we wait?" Ruby asks, "It will not be long, we are getting in touch with Aurora now."
"I wouldn't mind trying a local specialty," Lucy responds pleasantly. "Perhaps you could recommend one of your favorites, Miss Ruby?"
"The chocolate is top quality," Ruby smiles slightly, "There's chocolate cream pie this week and it's exceptional."
"That sounds lovely. I'll have some of that pie, then!"
"I'll have quartz in brine," Ruby orders, unseen servants of force shimmering about and bringing it. It's a large slice of decadent, silky-soft chocolate pie. A little bit of cream is atop it.
Ruby gets a bowl full of water and quartz crystals, which she takes one of and puts into her mouth. It cracks loudly as she chews, "Pardon," Ruby says coolly once she swallows, "Chewing rocks is a difficult trick to do quietly."
"Have you considered a localized Silence effect?" Lucy suggests, placing a kerchief in her lap before trying the chocolate. "In fact, much like Prestidigitation affects our taste buds, one might design a spell that did the same with affecting sounds to appear pleasant."
"I often do, but my energies are needed for other affairs today."
Sure, Ruby says that, but who cares? That is the best chocolate you can remember having. A low bar all considered, but it is beyond good and into spectacular. Rich, smooth and just jaw dropping. You find yourself taking another bite before even thinking about it.
Ruby smiles slightly and pauses, "Ah, a representative is coming now. We will get to this soon."
Taking another bite and savoring it before dabbing at her lips with a handkerchief, Lucy asks, "I do hope we have time to finish the meal?"
You indeed do before a woman similar to Ruby appears, except with a blue theme. "Sapphire," she introduces herself, a slight, mysterious little smile on her face. "I have contacted Aurora, we await a reply."
"A pleasure, Miss Sapphire," Lucy greets her with an answering smile. "I'm Lucy."
Perhaps if she waits long enough, she'll meet their sister Emerald as well?
"Charmed," Sapphire joins you, "It should only be a few minutes unless their internal deliberations take longer than anticipated."
Lucy is briefly tempted to ask them what they said to Aurora, but in the end her patience wins out. She can always sell her skills properly later, if Ruby and the Consortium failed to adequately describe them.
It's perhaps an hour of light chatter before Sapphire rises, "A representative of Aurora is here to meet you," she says, "I will return with him presently."
Lucy smooths out any wrinkles in her long skirt and rolls her sleeves back down in preparation of the meeting!
The man that comes in is square-jawed. You notice that first of all - he's handsome in a very masculine way, strong and moving with a rough sort of grace. He wears a polished breastplate of mithral and carries a silver greatsword on his back, his black hair a bit on the messy side. He pairs a cloak with it and heavy gloves.
"General Adrian of Aurora," he introduces himself, staying standing. "You're Lucy?"
"A pleasure, General Adrian," Lucy says brightly, standing up as he arrives and curtsying once he's closed the distance between them. "I am indeed Lucy."
In stark contrast to that display of martial prowess, she's dressed in a long, flowing skirt and a long-sleeved shirt in pastel colors, a darker vest over it. A sack with a variety of knickknacks rests on the floor at her feet, a greatsword's pommel peeking out of it unceremoniously.
"Charmed," He flashes a smile, a nice one. "So you're interested in Aurora?"
"Oh yes! One of the premier sages across the planes has made it his home, so that alone is worth consideration!" Lucy chirps. "I would like to join. Being a wizard of some capability with little love of devils, I would be happy to share my research for the good of the Crusade."
"So you want to do research?" Adrian asks, "Anything else there?" He keeps his gaze on your own, not even dipping down once.
"It would be nice to make a home at a place that would look at you for who you are," Lucy admits. "I suppose I can't really complain about how my race is treated everywhere, but it does get tiresome now and then."
"Yeah," Adrian says, not commenting beyond that. "We'll give you a chance, but if this is a fiend playing around, you know how this will end for you."
"Wonderful!" Lucy claps her hands, ignoring the threat. "How do we proceed from here, General Adrian? Via a gate right to Aurora's doorstep?"
"Yeah, we have that," Adrian says, smiling a bit. "Come on, follow me. It's a bit of a walk to where we're getting a portal."
Lucy looks around for Ruby or Sapphire to thank them for their support, before hurrying after Adrian!
Moving you over to Calleigh's thread and locking this one.