Persuade roll... hmm. You are no Persuader, Rand- too much anger in you since your fall. Takuan is your charmer.
Luckily, a statement like that can default to Leadership at a higher difficulty. Unluckily you don't have that either...
... but frankly that is a fault. What has happened is that Leadership and Persuasion have become Lying and Intimidate, essential skills both for a Dark Master but you really should have SOME Leadership skill, even if at +0; falling won't have taken that from you.
I'll talk to my brother about re-tooling the Bane later- for now you can have a 10 in Leadership.
Evens is a 10, but you have Authority, which gives you +2 for a 12, a pass. He does as you say- his legs almost respond on their own. You just have a knack with getting people to do what you want, Rand...
The way on seems to be a very long and unsafe flight of stairs. Like they haven't heard of lifts, or something...
(Quite true, yes he does...)
(Tanic and I shall do most of the talking, I suppose, but depending on what is happening Gallador and Takuan can pop in...)
(Rianna won't say anything as stupid as Galder will, but just remain silent... 😉 )
Rand continues climbing the stairs, the others following behind him. He keeps his senses open to his surroundings.
Rand- this place is an emotional MESS...
At the top of the stairs, the head goons opens a trap door, and you guys walk up into...
... a central cacophony of mess and noise! This appears to be lart of the main lower leve, nad there are people EVEEYWHERE! The decor is dull grey stone, but life flows all around you, as people yell and shout, and around about there are a few fights, and the odd blaster shot going off, smoke of various odours drifts by, and species of every type can be seen...
... and this is just in a glance.
In fact, other than the supporting pillars, there is no structure at all to this level. It is vast, open great hall that must stretch for half a mile.
On second glance, the fights look more organised than the brawls you originally asusmed them to be. In fact, they seem to be what you would normally term undergorund boxing fights, but here the 'underground' is superfluous; that which is criminal is the norm here. No worse than being in Nar Shadda, in all honesty, though that said it is bloody horrible on Nar Shadda and everything here is so... open...
The shooting too... mostly in the forms of contest. The smoke is because half the population of this place is smoking something, some of them being very alien and smoking stuff that is even more alien. All of them, of course, have supplied of yaran, and seome seem to be mixing it with other stuff to make it more palatable.
And around these spectacles, people taking bets on them, and around that, people taking bets on the bets, and hopefuls looking in, wanting a chance themselves, and obviously some people of importance taking money from some of the others...
Your Empathy is overwhelmed, trying to look at the entire scene. The chains of respect and authority are incredibly complex and shifting. Two things are for sure- they are definitely solid and content people... but they all have a certain respect/fear of authority drummed into them. The links may be complex, transitory or even weak... but the links to someone to pay respect to are always there. To get anything more specific you would have to look to one group at a time.
At least a hundred places are blasting out varieties of music, which sound fine when you are close to them but sound like an insane mess when yuo are not particualry near to one- Rah. your sensitive musical ear feels like it is being ravaged by a Hutt.
But for now, you must bypass all this... because you are being led further up. More stairs... somewhat of a 'classical' theme to the citadel., it seems.
The upper levels of the citadel are markedly less noisy. Also, members of your escort drop out the further you go up, and the more observant amongst you note concealed cameras making scans of you as you move along, and guards both obvious and discreet at doorways and corners.
The stairs between the various landings you ascend twist and turn; there appears to be no great logic to the construction of the Citadel.
And then, as you pass through a security-coded thick stone wall, the decor changes at once, to a far more luxurious look, and with battle-armoured heavily armed guards all around, who stare and look at you as you come through. One with an insignia of rank comes forwards and bars you rway.
"These novices have tribute for Mistress Jena," says the chief goon.
"I am not aware of any such thing."
"The Mistress is expecting them. You may pay the penalty if her gift is delayed."
"You had better hope she likes it, or your penalty will be far worse." But he steps aside.
A few more corridor turns through the gold-inlaid walls... and you are at a jet black door, upon which the goon knocks four times. The door slides open.
"Enter..." he says.