Sigil: The City of Doors

It began with a chance meeting, or perhaps fate's cruel sense of humor, in the dimly lit alleyways of this enigmatic city. Sparks of rivalry ignited almost instantly, fueled by millennia of disdain between their elemental kin. Barbs and insults flew between them like shards of crystal, each word echoing with the weight of their elemental essence.

In the labyrinthine Lower Wards of Sigil, where narrow pathways snake through towering buildings, an unexpected confrontation unfolded. The Djinni, his form shimmering with the hues of a desert sunset, and the Dao, a solid mass of elemental earth, found themselves at a deadlock in a path barely wide enough for one to pass. The Djinni, with a casual and carefree demeanor, floated in the air, blocking the passage. "I shall not deign to stoop beneath you, Dao," he declared with an air of superiority. "My essence is of the heavens, and to lower myself would be an affront to my very nature."

The Dao, unyielding and resolute, stood firm on the ground, refusing to budge. "It is the way of the earth to be unyielding, Djinni," he rumbled in a voice like shifting tectonic plates. "I shall not step aside to accommodate the whims of one who flits about without purpose." Their disagreement spiraled into a tempest of insults, echoing through the narrow passage. For each word flung like a dagger, the elemental aura surrounding them intensified, creating a palpable tension in the air. Pedestrians scurried away, seeking refuge from the gathering storm of elemental energy.

As the Djinni and the Dao squared off, neither willing to yield the pathway to the other, a group of unlikely witnesses arrived on the scene. found themselves caught between these two ancient beings locked in a clash of pride and elemental stubbornness. A Harmonium patrol would, no doubt, be there soon to placate them both, but it's likely going to be some damage to the buildings and bystanders. The fastest route is to keep their ire on you until the Harmonium arrives.

[Combat is open for the first 4 players and will begin in roughly 6 hours.]

A very tired girl stops to catch a glimpse... then freezes. Well fuck her morning then. With a twirl and a haunting note her brow sports a crescent moon and her crown four twinkling little stars.

"Hey!" The Clueless does the least sensible thing and runs towards the two opposing forces. "Hey! This is a public street! Wouldn't you do better to settle this in the Hive Ward? They've got the Blood Pits there!"

OOC: Casting Fey Crown ahead of time, lol. -1 5th level spell. And attempting Persuasion(tm)

It was entirely too early for this shit.

But when two genies decide to have a shouting match right outside of your kip, staying in bed is just about impossible.

"OI! SOME OF US LIVE HERE, YOU LEATHERHEADS! FUCK OFF OUT SOME PORTAL AND LET ME GET BACK TO SLEEP!"

Cities were annoying. So much stone and timber used to build so many buildings. Only to add more buildings between, behind and on top of those buildings. It wasn't surprising that they became a maze of streets and alleys that could become impossible to navigate. Sigil was perhaps the worst of all the cities throughout the planes.

This is why Whisper spent most of his time in the market.

But, here he was, stumbling around the Lower Wards And, there was someone yelling.

He stepped out of an alcove and looked around. He spotted Illi just as someone closed and locked a gate, blocking the way he'd come. There was Ikkit, too. He saw what they were shouting at and sighed. It was going to be one of those days.

"Oh, not good. Best we keep this from getting too out of hand."

Amelie had only happened upon the scuffle on a walkabout through the lower ward, but after all, this is why she was here to begin with. She prepared herself to intervene until the rightful authoritative figures could arrive to handle the situation correctly.

"Amelie! Ikkit! Whisp!" Illi perks up! She knows n trusts these nerds!

""Hey! I know you two can hear us!" Whisper shouted at the elementals in Primordial. "Are you going to be reasonable about this, or just stubborn?"

Ikkit's player, knowing he'd be away from the ability to roll dice or write terribly complex posts, left some ghosting instructions in his private forum.

Ikkit's ears twitched, and he bared his sharklike teeth in a smile. He wasn't used to having backup he trusted in these sorts of situations, but he certainly didn't mind.

"...Why, dear Dao, it is only logical that I, a Djinni of the sky, should not descend to the Earth's level. It is beneath my celestial nature to stoop so low." The Dao glares back, to the Air elemental "You speak of 'nature,' Djinni, but it is the Earth that holds the very foundation of existence. It is you who flit about aimlessly, like a fleeting dream." The Djinni scoffs, then raises an eyebrow, his form flickering like a mirage "Aimless? My purpose is the boundless expanse of the heavens, not the stagnant weight of the earth. My path is to soar, unburdened by the trivial concerns of the terrestrial."

The Dao raises his eyebrow, his stony demeanor unwavering. "Trivial, you say? It is in the solid embrace of the earth that life takes root and civilizations thrive. Your 'soaring' is a mere illusion, a transient gust of wind compared to the enduring strength of stone." The Djinni with a condescending smirk, responds. "Strength, perhaps, but not grace. You Dao are as inflexible as the rocks you embody. To yield would be to acknowledge the elegance of the skies, something your earthly disposition could never comprehend."

The Dao, his tone growing more resonant, responds "Elegance without substance is mere frivolity. The earth is unyielding, for it bears the weight of existence. Your disregard for that is the very essence of frivolousness. And now you have a half-breed to argue you case?! How pathetic!"

They both stare at Whisper and the others as they approach, awaiting to see what sort of nonsense they will put forth.

Skill Challenge: Elemental Impasse
Background: In the narrow pathways of Sigil's Lower Wards, an impasse has arisen between a Djinni and a Dao. Their elemental pride threatens to erupt into combat, but the PCs aim to use their skills and wits to convince one of the genies to yield the path without violence.

Objective: Convince either the Djinni or the Dao to yield the pathway without resorting to combat.

Setup: The skill challenge consists of four rounds, with each round representing a new attempt to persuade one of the genies. The challenge begins with both genies highly resistant to compromise, and each round offers different approaches to convincing them. Spells are allowed, but any hostile spells or actions will provoke combat immediately by both parties against you, so it may not be wise to give them a common foe.

Each PC must select one target to try to convince each round.

Round 1: Diplomacy or Persuasion (DC 14)
Description: The PCs can try to diplomatically reason with one of the genies, emphasizing the importance of harmony in Sigil and the potential consequences of their feud.
Success: The genie shows signs of reconsideration.
Failure: The genie remains obstinate.

Round 2: Insight or Investigation (DC 16)
Description: The PCs may attempt to uncover personal information about either genie that could be used to leverage their willingness to yield. This could be a personal history, a preference, or a vulnerability.
Success: The genie becomes more open to negotiation.
Failure: No useful information is revealed.

Round 3: Arcana or Nature (DC 17)
Description: The PCs may tap into their knowledge of elemental beings to present a compelling argument about the importance of elemental balance in Sigil.

Success: The genie begins to see the bigger picture.
Failure: The argument fails to sway the genie.

Round 4: Performance or Intimidation (DC 19)
Description: If all else fails, the PCs can attempt to use an impressive performance or a display of strength to influence the genie's decision.
Success: The genie relents, unwilling to escalate the situation further.
Failure: The genie becomes enraged.

Outcome: Both Jinn must be placated with a equal amount of successes in order to avoid combat. Players may choose not to roll and instead aid in the task and instead offer the aid skill. If one has more successes than the other one, the one with the lower successes will attack the party for being insulted, while the other one aid in combat, for feeling like they were validated in their righteous cause. In the unlikely event that no successes are made, both will attack the party for being interrupted during their important discussion.

Looking to the others, Whisper said, "See if you can reason with them. I'll help where I can."

- - -
Whisper will aid the others as they need it.