Corco's Villa (IC)

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"These ones at least. Most of them need to be cut to ribbons."

"I'll be heading back to finish setup of my monitoring equipment."

I head back to pickup the second hive and set it up in a far off storage area.

Halcyone roots around for a good hiding spot, finds one that satisfies her, and sets it up in the industrial end of the vessel, above the screw (the propeller that moves the submarine).

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"Very well, an inspection then."

Its a long and large vessel. There are six compartments. The 2nd one is the emperor's quarters, dedicated to his business and luxury (the empresses quarters are here as well. The 1st chamber is about half functional for the submarine, including torpedo tubes, and half support for the emperor: the kitchen, personal guard's quarters, and so forth. The 3rd chamber is dedicated the the use and support of the emperor as well. Chamber 5 holds the reactor, and chamber 6 the drive. Chamber 4 holds the main crew facilities. The submarine is opulent and well built, but the facilities are either intensely crowded or needless spacious, depending on their purpose. V notices a lot of the crew are quite small individuals.



Two guards are following V around, granting access to things. One of them says after about three minutes of walking around: "your friend Silestro wants to know how the demon hunt went."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Halcyone roots around for a good hiding spot, finds one that satisfies her, and sets it up in the industrial end of the vessel, above the screw (the propeller that moves the submarine).

Excellent. Now that everything's in place I'll go find Silestro and ask for a briefing on the situation. Are there anymore demons aboard? Are they sure there's only one shapeshifter? Where is it likely we will face another attack? Where will we fall back in case we're overwhelmed? Is it likely the demons will try to capture the ship intact or will they attempt to sink and use an heir?

[the_matrix_walker]

"You can report it is ongoing... Once we complete our inspection, we will meet with him and discus."

Vassarious continues to try and sense any unwanted visitors as they tour the vessel.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"You can report it is ongoing... Once we complete our inspection, we will meet with him and discus."

"He wants to know what he can do to help, and what attacks to be ready for."

Vassarious continues to try and sense any unwanted visitors as they tour the vessel.

Vassarious can't sense any other supernatural beings nearby, beyond himself. (Perception is 14, and V's been running detect a lot, so there probably isn't anything within 50 yards of the sub)


Anything specific you're checking for other than if the supernatural sense goes off?

Originally Posted by TGLS

Excellent. Now that everything's in place I'll go find Silestro and ask for a briefing on the situation. Are there anymore demons aboard? Are they sure there's only one shapeshifter? Where is it likely we will face another attack? Where will we fall back in case we're overwhelmed? Is it likely the demons will try to capture the ship intact or will they attempt to sink and use an heir?

Silestro is just inside the Emperor's throne room... Halcyone is confronted by the guards briefly outside the chamber, and she can see a translucent blue barrier at the door. Silestro says "Step through the Barrier", and Halcyone goes through without feeling any effect. The Emperor is playing a game of Go with someone. Maybe Silestro. The pieces seem to be magnetic.



Two more samurai with both guns and swords stand ready. The Emperor wearing black robes covered with red and gold embroidery, and carries a sword of his own. Silestro wears deep blue robes with wide trimmings.



Silestro: "Welcome. Please bow to the emperor thrice... slowly. This is his Majesty Morihito. And I am Silestro, master of Water and Wards. I have been entrusted with ensuring the emperor's safety. No supernatural creature can cross that barrier, not without making a huge fuss, anyways."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

The Emperor is playing a game of Go with someone. Maybe Silestro. The pieces seem to be magnetic.

Who's winning?

Originally Posted by ericthered

Two more samurai with both guns and swords stand ready. The Emperor wearing black robes covered with red and gold embroidery, and carries a sword of his own.

I guess these emperors aren't so preoccupied with ritual that they gain more power when they retire.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Silestro wears deep blue robes with wide trimmings.

Silestro: "Welcome. Please bow to the emperor thrice... slowly."

I briefly consider curtsying, given I'm more used to that, but think better of it. I bow three times.

Originally Posted by ericthered

"This is his Majesty Morihito. And I am Silestro, master of Water and Wards. I have been entrusted with ensuring the emperor's safety. No supernatural creature can cross that barrier, not without making a huge fuss, anyways."

And the emperors aren't simply called 'the emperor' here either.

"So, what are we taking about by a 'huge fuss'? Like a bunch of alarms go off? Or is it like a pain field or something? Will you be meeting V outside of the throne room?"

Then I'll ask my other questions.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"He wants to know what he can do to help, and what attacks to be ready for."

As would I... I think I've seen enough for now then. Bring me to him.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Anything specific you're checking for other than if the supernatural sense goes off?

They are also on the lookout for anything like curses, spell aspects, portents, anachronistic tech, omens, or just plain ol' shifty characters.

(( Faceman! - 14 / Occult! - 14 / Tradecraft! - 14 ))

Originally Posted by ericthered

Silestro is just inside the Emperor's throne room...

I suscpect the barrier could pose a bit more of an obstacle for Vassarious...

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Who's winning?

Its pretty early in the game.

I guess these emperors aren't so preoccupied with ritual that they gain more power when they retire.

You'll have to tell me that story.

I briefly consider curtsying, given I'm more used to that, but think better of it. I bow three times.

Silestro seems to approve. The emperor nods, and lets Silestro and Halcyone get to their conversation.

And the emperors aren't simply called 'the emperor' here either.

There are multiple emperors all using the same title. Two in china have already been killed by the demons.

"So, what are we taking about by a 'huge fuss'? Like a bunch of alarms go off? Or is it like a pain field or something? Will you be meeting V outside of the throne room?"

"A lot of light and noise, and a lot of magical power. Who is V? I know two more of Corco's people came aboard, but I don't know what you can do. We can move just outside to accommodate them. This field keeps out magical creatures, and also magical spells. except mine.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

As would I... I think I've seen enough for now then. Bring me to him.

V is led to the throne room, and sees Halcyone and a man blue robes just outside.

ask for a briefing on the situation. Are there anymore demons aboard? Are they sure there's only one shapeshifter? Where is it likely we will face another attack? Where will we fall back in case we're overwhelmed? Is it likely the demons will try to capture the ship intact or will they attempt to sink and use an heir?

Silestro: "I don't know how many demons we had, only that we had at least one. I heard something about you being able to do something about that."


Silestro: "This is the fallback. We could possibly go through the servant's passage out back, but then we use my ward, and that means the demons can tell where the emperor is and attack in a bunch of other ways."


Silestro: "The demons want the emperor alive. They'll try to take the ship at least mostly intact. at least intact enough to gate the emperor out if they get him. I could see them trying to sink it, but the heir is well protected as well... I think they'll go for capture."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

You'll have to tell me that story.

Well the short version is that Japanese emperors were often so busy attending to ritual that many emperors abdicated in favor of their heir to wield power from behind the scenes.

Originally Posted by ericthered

There are multiple emperors all using the same title. Two in china have already been killed by the demons.

Well I was more referring to how the Japanese emperor is referred to in Japan as "Reigning Emperor" or "Majesty" and not by their personal names (and not their posthumous names either.)

Originally Posted by ericthered

"A lot of light and noise, and a lot of magical power. Who is V? I know two more of Corco's people came aboard, but I don't know what you can do. We can move just outside to accommodate them. This field keeps out magical creatures, and also magical spells. except mine.

"The other of Corco's people. Shapeshifter. I guess it will be easier for everyone if we meet outside."

Originally Posted by ericthered

V is led to the throne room, and sees Halcyone and a man blue robes just outside.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Silestro: "I don't know how many demons we had, only that we had at least one. I heard something about you being able to do something about that."

"Yeah, it's all over the walls now. Or hopefully in a bucket. If you're not sure, I guess it's possible that we have a second shapeshifter; we'll need to keep our eyes peeled."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Silestro: "This is the fallback. We could possibly go through the servant's passage out back, but then we use my ward, and that means the demons can tell where the emperor is and attack in a bunch of other ways."

"Well, as long as they don't take the rest of the submarine and pound us with reinforcements until they get in."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Silestro: "The demons want the emperor alive. They'll try to take the ship at least mostly intact. at least intact enough to gate the emperor out if they get him. I could see them trying to sink it, but the heir is well protected as well... I think they'll go for capture."

"Good to know. If the demons started dropping depth charges, we'd be pretty useless."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Silestro: "gate the emperor out if they get him."

"I guess that isn't an option for us?"

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well the short version is that Japanese emperors were often so busy attending to ritual that many emperors abdicated in favor of their heir to wield power from behind the scenes.

Well I was more referring to how the Japanese emperor is referred to in Japan as "Reigning Emperor" or "Majesty" and not by their personal names (and not their posthumous names either.)

You know more of Japanese emperors than I... this stuff is not easy if you don't know where to look. That said, Silestro isn't japanese, and he wasn't selected for his knowledge of Japan. He's here because he has a very useful skillset for defending a submarine against teleporting demons. This is a fairly divergent japan.

"Yeah, it's all over the walls now. Or hopefully in a bucket. If you're not sure, I guess it's possible that we have a second shapeshifter; we'll need to keep our eyes peeled."

"Please do keep your eyes open. And I've heard you need to be thorough on these things, but that's something else. A bucket."

"Well, as long as they don't take the rest of the submarine and pound us with reinforcements until they get in."

"That could happen... but it could happen anywhere, and they're very good at surrounding people"

"I guess that isn't an option for us?"

"It is, if we want to signal where we are to the demon leadership and then hope Corco has someone to move us. I personally can't do it."

[the_matrix_walker]

"Appologies for my tardieness. I wanted to scout for other possible stowaways."