Corco's Villa (IC)

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Eventually, a portal opens, and the three are able to return to the Villa. It seems that There is not immediately a task for them... Which often indicates they will be playing "offense" on a world soon.

Before Silvestro heads off to deal with his next task, I ask him who won the go match.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Before Silvestro heads off to deal with his next task, I ask him who won the go match.

"Which one? We played many matches. I think we're 5 to 3 in favor of his majesty right now."

After a few days* Pang Zhen invites you to her shop. She is painting paper screens with scenes of ponds and flowers. As you arrive, she takes her time to finish her current flower, closes her eyes, and then says:

"The Time has come on Bel -3, when a great king shall fall. Your hands shall shake the spear that does this."

She opens her eyes slowly. "Bel-3 is a world strongly touched by fate. Remember this: that on that world, what will happen, will happen."

* so you have time to get up to stuff if you want

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Halcyon receives three of those underwater riffles, but these have the stamp of the emperor on them, as well as an underwater pistol.

Well naturally I need to figure out where to put this in my apartments!

[671] 23-06-21 04:06:00 BST
Artist (Interior Decorating)
3d6 <= 14
2 + 5 + 6 = 13 ... success

Good... All these knick knacks are in the right place now, just so... Welp, bored now! Maybe they need help feeding all the soldiers as they return.

[672] 23-06-21 04:11:38 BST
Cooking (default)
3d6 <= 11
3 + 1 + 2 = 6 ... success

Then when all the activity settles down I decide to go looking for a kitteh. Maybe unusual kittehs, with weird colors, prehensile tails, maybe talking kittehs, or those weird kittehs who do all those strange "magick" things. Or maybe that smol black one that's cute as a button I see around the kitchen!
Oop! There it is! Let's take that cuute kitteh away, and snuggle!

[673] 23-06-21 04:23:36 BST
Animal Handling (Small Cat)
3d6 <= 15
3 + 6 + 4 = 13 ... success
[674] 23-06-21 04:23:59 BST
Filch
3d6 <= 13
5 + 6 + 5 = 16 ... failure

Uh oh, I've been caught taking away the kitty...

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Which one? We played many matches. I think we're 5 to 3 in favor of his majesty right now."

"I was thinking the one you were playing when we first met."

Originally Posted by ericthered

She opens her eyes slowly. "Bel-3 is a world strongly touched by fate. Remember this: that on that world, what will happen, will happen."

"Well that's just a tautology. If what will happen won't happen, that would be a plain contradiction."

Well, time for some research. How many kings are on Bel-3 anyway? How are great?

[675] 23-06-21 04:33:12 BST
Research
3d6 <= 15
6 + 5 + 5 = 16 ... failure

Originally Posted by ericthered

* so you have time to get up to stuff if you want

Apparently the answer is yes!

[the_matrix_walker]

((Sorry, not a lot of time to spend on my post))

Vassarious will try and engage with the emperor socially as time permits before they return to Corco's. The accept the sculptures graciously.

Upon returning to Corco's Vassarious tried to find some nice places in the gardens to display the sculptures publicly.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well naturally I need to figure out where to put this in my apartments!

Good... All these knick knacks are in the right place now, just so... Welp, bored now! Maybe they need help feeding all the soldiers as they return.

Sariza is in charge of the Kitchens. The Small Plump woman gives Halcyone a long hard look...

"You can help Chop! Don't let me catch you taking any food back to your quarters!"

Then when all the activity settles down I decide to go looking for a kitteh. Maybe unusual kittehs, with weird colors, prehensile tails, maybe talking kittehs, or those weird kittehs who do all those strange "magick" things. Or maybe that smol black one that's cute as a button I see around the kitchen!
Oop! There it is! Let's take that cuute kitteh away, and snuggle!

Uh oh, I've been caught taking away the kitty...

Wow, that's actually on your sheet.

Halcyone finds a large grey "Cat" with six legs, thick hide like an elephant, and no tail. It enjoys the effection, but when Halcyone picks it up, He says

"Hey! put me down!"

"I was thinking the one you were playing when we first met."

"Lets see... That would be the fourth game? I think that was the first one I won."

"Well that's just a tautology. If what will happen won't happen, that would be a plain contradiction."

"And yet it is stiff with prophesy and the unlikely fulfillment of such."

Well, time for some research. How many kings are on Bel-3 anyway? How are great?

Quick Reading in the library reveals Bel-3 has around three hundred Kings, scattered about Europe, India, China, and other places. But there is a single "Great King" of Babylon, the immortal God-King Bel, who rules from Egypt to Persia with a fist of iron. Other possibilities include Maguma, a ruler of a mighty kingdom just south of the sahara, Tryrathian, based in the balkans, and a Chaitan, building an empire from the Ganges delta.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Vassarious will try and engage with the emperor socially as time permits before they return to Corco's. The accept the sculptures graciously.

There isn't much time... but there is enough to ceremonially receive the gifts.

Upon returning to Corco's Vassarious tried to find some nice places in the gardens to display the sculptures publicly.

Doing so is quite simple. It seems the garden is either made for this, or has slightly reshaped itself to make space.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"You can help Chop! Don't let me catch you taking any food back to your quarters!"

"Of course I won't." I'll just graze a little.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Wow, that's actually on your sheet.

Halcyone finds a large grey "Cat" with six legs, thick hide like an elephant, and no tail. It enjoys the effection, but when Halcyone picks it up, He says

"Hey! put me down!"

Oops! I set it back down, briefly try to play it off, and then change my mind say, "Sorry kitty, I didn't mean too upset you like that..."

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Lets see... That would be the fourth game? I think that was the first one I won."

"Good omen I guess."

Originally Posted by ericthered

"And yet it is stiff with prophesy and the unlikely fulfillment of such."

"OK V. Let's head over to Bel-3 and go on a spear shaking safari. Surely one of them will tag the king."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Quick Reading in the library reveals Bel-3 has around three hundred Kings, scattered about Europe, India, China, and other places. But there is a single "Great King" of Babylon, the immortal God-King Bel, who rules from Egypt to Persia with a fist of iron.

"Well, if he's the great king, maybe he's the one we'll ring." I read a bit more; does he seem like a jerk? And this is Bel-3? What happened to the other Bels?

Originally Posted by ericthered

Other possibilities include Maguma, a ruler of a mighty kingdom just south of the sahara, Tryrathian, based in the balkans, and a Chaitan, building an empire from the Ganges delta.

Do they seem like they need to be bumped off? Which ones (including Bel) are in the most precarious state?

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Of course I won't." I'll just graze a little.

After a short time, she is given onions and spicy pepper to chop.

Oops! I set it back down, briefly try to play it off, and then change my mind say, "Sorry kitty, I didn't mean too upset you like that..."

"Just because I look like a Cat doesn't mean that I will follow any one who scratches me behind the ears home. Sheesh." He stretches and kneeds the pillow he has been replaced on.

"Well, if he's the great king, maybe he's the one we'll ring." I read a bit more; does he seem like a jerk? And this is Bel-3? What happened to the other Bels?

Bel is named for Bel... the other Bel worlds all seem to have an impressive Mesopatamian Monarchy centered in Babylon, and a fair amount of magic floating around.



This particular Bel is an immortal who claims Godhood, rules over as much of the world as he can, and burns to the ground any city that disagrees with either principle.

Do they seem like they need to be bumped off? Which ones (including Bel) are in the most precarious state?

Bel seems to be the least precarious: no rival states, no rival claimants, a court terrified into obeying him, and his secret of immortality* appears safe.


That said, none of the kingdoms look precarious . Maybe Tryrathian, as the Empire of Bel inches closer?


*Imortality on Bel-3 is a matter of having a single way that you can be killed. Maybe you can only be killed by a spear to the heart, or by drowning, or by a woman, or by hemp. They essentially have unkillable and regeneration/regrowth otherwise.

"OK V. Let's head over to Bel-3 and go on a spear shaking safari. Surely one of them will tag the king."

Not for me.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

After a short time, she is given onions and spicy pepper to chop.

I take a hint after absentmindedly chewing on a piece of pepper.

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Just because I look like a Cat doesn't mean that I will follow any one who scratches me behind the ears home. Sheesh." He stretches and kneeds the pillow he has been replaced on.

Well, he looks and acts like a cat... I'll go look for some tuna to help apologize some more.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Bel is named for Bel... the other Bel worlds all seem to have an impressive Mesopotamian Monarchy centered in Babylon, and a fair amount of magic floating around.

This particular Bel is an immortal who claims Godhood, rules over as much of the world as he can, and burns to the ground any city that disagrees with either principle.

Charming fellow. Are the other immortals just as nice?

Originally Posted by ericthered

Bel seems to be the least precarious: no rival states, no rival claimants, a court terrified into obeying him, and his secret of immortality* appears safe.

I take it that Corco is not aware of the secret of his immortality either. How about the other three?

Originally Posted by ericthered

That said, none of the kingdoms look precarious . Maybe Tryrathian, as the Empire of Bel inches closer?

Well so much for hoping someone was already at work with this, and we could help get them across the finish line.

Originally Posted by ericthered

*Immortality on Bel-3 is a matter of having a single way that you can be killed. Maybe you can only be killed by a spear to the heart, or by drowning, or by a woman, or by hemp. They essentially have unkillable and regeneration/regrowth otherwise.

Unkillable 2 or 3? I assume 3, though if 2 I guess Halcyone and V could bring him back to the villa and spend a few days getting creative with spears...

Originally Posted by ericthered

Not for me.

Well, I'll figure out more ways to put all these arms to use...

[the_matrix_walker]

"The Time has come on Bel -3, when a great king shall fall. Your hands shall shake the spear that does this."

Vassarious will prepare and serve tea for the group while they discuss.

"And this is a desirable outcome? Or does that matter not and it's simply easiest to walk with the wind at your back when fate demands what it will?"

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Vassarious will prepare and serve tea for the group while they discuss.

"And this is a desirable outcome? Or does that matter not and it's simply easiest to walk with the wind at your back when fate demands what it will?"

"The Kings of Bel-3 grind their subjects into the ground and delight in blood. Such an outcome is not certain to be desirable, but is likely so."

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well, he looks and acts like a cat... I'll go look for some tuna to help apologize some more.

Charming fellow. Are the other immortals just as nice?

"Bel takes pride in his bloodthirst and cruelty. The others incline in a similar direction, but lack either his dedication or his success."

I take it that Corco is not aware of the secret of his immortality either. How about the other three?

"Our agents are unaware of how to kill any that we believe would substantially improve conditions on that world."

Unkillable 2 or 3? I assume 3, though if 2 I guess Halcyone and V could bring him back to the villa and spend a few days getting creative with spears...

An interesting tactic...