Shake the dust off your feet

[Anastasia]

Meanwhile at least Malcanthet stopped, as you settle in and...

Perception again.

[Ebiris]

Take 10 for 98

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 801+20/801
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 41), extended nondetection (CL 41), greater heroism (CL 38), epic mage armour (CL 39), sensual blessing (CL 40), divine insight (CL 38), energy immunity (electricity) (CL 41), energy immunity (fire) (CL 41), energy immunity (acid) (CL 41), greater anticipate teleportation (CL 40), greater foresight (CL 40)
Defences: AC 94, CMD 110, spell resistance 53, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, imprisonment, banishment, and fear), nondetection (DC 56), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: tremorsense/blindsight/scent 6 miles, see magic, clearsight 60 feet, perception +88
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/10/9/8/14/9/9/8/7/2/7/4/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/23/11/7/16/5

Marie HP: 760+20/760
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 41), bibliotheca arcana (CL 38), extended nondetection (CL 41), greater heroism (CL 38), epic mage armour (CL 38), sensual blessing (CL 38), divine insight (CL 38), energy immunity (electricity) (CL 39), energy immunity (fire) (CL 39), energy immunity (acid) (CL 39), neutralise poison (CL 38), life's grace (CL 38), duelist's friend (CL 38)
Defences: AC 84, CMD 85, spell resistance 53, energy immunity (electricity, fire, acid, sonic negative), status immunity ((petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, fear, death effects and disintegration), nondetection DC 56
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +15 insight knowledge, +25 competence perception
Perceptions: Greater arcane sight 120ft, tremorsense/blindsight/scent 1 mile, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/10/9/9/7/8/8/8/7/4/6/7/5/4

[Anastasia]

Not five minutes later, you suddenly note several scrying sensors over where the wagon was, well over half a dozen of them.

[Ebiris]

Alicia gives them a look over, checking to see who's responsible.

Using divine insight, take 10 for 87 to discover caster.

[Anastasia]

There are four casters: Balie, Ggzay, Mn and Pasi.

[Ebiris]

Knowledge to identify them? Take 10 for 72 on arcana/planes/religion where relevant.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 801+20/801
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 41), extended nondetection (CL 41), greater heroism (CL 38), epic mage armour (CL 39), sensual blessing (CL 40), divine insight (CL 38), energy immunity (electricity) (CL 41), energy immunity (fire) (CL 41), energy immunity (acid) (CL 41), greater anticipate teleportation (CL 40), greater foresight (CL 40)
Defences: AC 94, CMD 110, spell resistance 53, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, imprisonment, banishment, and fear), nondetection (DC 56), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: tremorsense/blindsight/scent 6 miles, see magic, clearsight 60 feet, perception +88
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/10/9/8/14/9/9/8/7/2/7/4/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/23/11/7/16/5

Marie HP: 760+20/760
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 41), bibliotheca arcana (CL 38), extended nondetection (CL 41), greater heroism (CL 38), epic mage armour (CL 38), sensual blessing (CL 38), divine insight (CL 38), energy immunity (electricity) (CL 39), energy immunity (fire) (CL 39), energy immunity (acid) (CL 39), neutralise poison (CL 38), life's grace (CL 38), duelist's friend (CL 38)
Defences: AC 84, CMD 85, spell resistance 53, energy immunity (electricity, fire, acid, sonic negative), status immunity ((petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, fear, death effects and disintegration), nondetection DC 56
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +15 insight knowledge, +25 competence perception
Perceptions: Greater arcane sight 120ft, tremorsense/blindsight/scent 1 mile, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/10/9/9/7/8/8/8/7/4/6/7/5/4

[Anastasia]

All four are part of the Bloodwine Cabal, a group of pan-fiendish fiends who focus on wealth and greed. It's a very small club because only a few mix the talent to join, the desire to run away from where they were before and the ability to cooperate with the other side. All that's known is that they once had the patronage of the previous Oinoloth.

Baile is a succubus, Ggzay a hamatula, Mn a powerful daemon descended half fiend and Pasi a cornugon.

[Ebiris]

Alicia connects the dots thusly. The greedy fiends had an expedition to Salt to acquire vast wealth, with a big investment in magic for the carriage with space and the nightmares and such, and so got some kind of alert when it got blown up and so they're scrying to see what happened.

This is all fine and of no consequence to her own mission here, so she lets it be.

[Anastasia]

Indeed, the scrying sensors look about and soon fade.

However, a minute later, another creature appears. A gray skinned and sallow humanoid, strong and masculine. He wears chain armor and carries a sword in hand, along with a spell component belt. His expression is stormy as he takes it all in and gestures, words of magic spoken. Greater arcane sight, you know the spell well.

[Ebiris]

Knowledge on him? Take 10 for 72 on arcana/planes/religion where relevant.

Alicia gives him a look over on his arrival. They're well past the range of arcane sight so he's not going to be spotting them any time soon.

[Anastasia]

That's Mn, who you just learned about. He looks competent - he holds himself well, but he's also visibly angry.

[Ebiris]

Must have been a big investment down the drain. And they actually got out of Salt, they were almost in the clear!

Not so much her problem though, he can have fun investigating that.

[Anastasia]

A few moments of examination before long and loud, a scream that carries.

"FUUUUUUCK!" Mn kicks at the ground and swears, sending bits of ruined debris into the air. "FUCK FUCK FUCK! THAT WAS HALF A MILLION GOLD COINS, YOU DRACONIC ASSHOLE! I WILL FUCKING SKIN YOU ALIVE AND EAT YOUR ENTRAILS RAW!"

[Ebiris]

Marie glances back that way herself. "You wonder how many people have made that promise?" she asks, a quiet whisper.

"And yet," Alicia agrees with a sage nod.

[Anastasia]

And yet Tor Salinus still breathes. Not even Seira has wreaked her vengeance on him. I almost admire his tenacity in being such a monstrous asshole and yet still being alive. It takes a special sort to do what he does.