Corco's Villa

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well it's appreciated all the same :)

Seconded! Here Here!

Originally Posted by TGLS

Yeah, a slightly nicer Maximus (i.e. someone who didn't sick his guards on V right away), or not knowing anything and I would have been more inclined to close out my investigation of the rebels.

You already had gotten the story of Octavian's vision and lead for The Caverns of Calthyone' before our first communication.

I did have some good suspicions at that point, but didn't verify anything.

Don't get me wrong, I'm having fun with it! Just not what I'd call productive.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

If you want to be nice enough to give us a roll, I will certainly take it.

This seems like a fine use of a Destiny Point for Player guidance...

But I'll make the roll and you can claim a Destiny point if you like.

This is the sort of thing that careful planners would have come up with, but that I don't want to bog the game down with. And you as players did give it some thought.


No destiny point required. The penalty is growing though.

[the_matrix_walker]

We're outnumbered by like 200 to 1 at the tomb.

There isn't enough resistance in this world to help with a distraction.

The temples available won't hide us, and it's been established that Vassarious would need a teacher to figure out how to modify anything.

Vassarious can't shapeshift without giving away their position.

Vassarious can't get past the checkpoints, and there is a fair chance that the Kunifax identity is blown. (But we could jump someone and have Halcyone take a new identity).

Vassarious' skill levels are too low to try and hack in and do anything sweeping.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to how we close this case.

[ericthered]

You've thought of a number of ways forward already.



I will point out that the emperor has been tracking both you and Halcyone.


You also have a teacher/expert on the magic, if you think about it.



V has wild card skills and wildcard points to burn, so while they might be 14's, I'd hardly call them "useless" ... they're still a secret agent with points to cover failed rolls and the ability to fight their way out of most situations.



The team might have to settle for a multi-step plan though. You won't be able to simply fight your way through.



The resistance is not active in the capital. You might be able to scrounge some up on this world.



I have confidence in this team to accomplish the mission.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

I'm at a bit of a loss as to how we close this case.

OK, here's a plan with too many moving parts at the moment.
1) One of us heads into the tomb and Jenga's over the emperor's pattern
2) At the same time, one of us gets into position to replace the priest in charge of fixing breaks in the pattern.
3) Then it's just a matter of having the pattern reassembled correctly.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by TGLS

OK, here's a plan with too many moving parts at the moment.
1) One of us heads into the tomb and Jenga's over the emperor's pattern
2) At the same time, one of us gets into position to replace the priest in charge of fixing breaks in the pattern.
3) Then it's just a matter of having the pattern reassembled correctly.

1] We can't get to it.
2] I don't think this needs to happen, I think once it's back in its proper place, I think Maximus will take care of the rest.
3] See #1

We know we need to get to it and re-arrange things... The issue is how to gain entrance to a place where everyone with clearance is recognized by the guards at the checkpoint. Halcyone might be able to pull it off replacing someone, but without shapeshifting, Vassarious can't.

V could shapeshift to his air form and slip in, but they would know the form he is in and be on alert. once inside, he can't shift back without giving away his presence, and can't move the blocks in air form (I don't think).

[TGLS]

I dunno, I kinda figured that the problem was having to make alterations for half an hour. If we break the pattern, we take the emperor off the table, which means:
1) Unrestricted shapeshifting
2) The Heroes could be reasoned with
3) They're going to try to put the pattern back together so we could subvert that.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I dunno, I kinda figured that the problem was having to make alterations for half an hour. If we break the pattern, we take the emperor off the table, which means:
1) Unrestricted shapeshifting
2) The Heroes could be reasoned with
3) They're going to try to put the pattern back together so we could subvert that.

It sounds like we might get some time before being discovered to rearrange things if we can get to the stones undetected, which seems to be the crux.

1) If we're discovered, shapeshifting becomes somewhat moot. The transformation takes 10 seconds, far too long for tactical situations.

2) We can certainly try reasoning with them once Maxmux is "offline".

3) Perhaps if we're interrupted, but if the process is completed, then the true Maximus is likely to take immediate steps to make sure everything is put right and kept that way.

[TGLS]

I'm just going to merge both posts:

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

1) If we're discovered, shapeshifting becomes somewhat moot. The transformation takes 10 seconds, far too long for tactical situations.

2) We can certainly try reasoning with them once Maxmux is "offline".

Hm. Well the way I see it, I could yank one or two blocks, the pattern gets wrecked, and then we would have lots of time and flexibility with putting the pattern back together.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

3) Perhaps if we're interrupted, but if the process is completed, then the true Maximus is likely to take immediate steps to make sure everything is put right and kept that way.

Maybe? I think it's more likely they end up restoring from their most recent picture they have of the stones.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"To what end? The priesthood became corrupted and made these changes and it seems clear there are a number of people involved, who are likely mostly dead by now if it were 60 years ago. If they yet live, I'm sure Maximus' investigation into the matter will reveal any remaining perpetrators."

I suppose you might have a point there.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"Perhaps he has sent instructions to watch or track him if he appears. There is no way to know if they were instructed to report on Maximus' servant's movements without alerting them."

I don't know how you plan to get us into the middle of an active war zone and through a guarded tunnel without credentials on Kunnifax's level.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"I'm concerned that if we split up and you take this priest before we are ready to infiltrate and there is a delay in my return, it could complicate matters."

Well given my plan was to take this priest tomorrow...

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Hm. Well the way I see it, I could yank one or two blocks, the pattern gets wrecked, and then we would have lots of time and flexibility with putting the pattern back together.

Good point. Eric did say he would be disabled along the way.

Originally Posted by TGLS

I don't know how you plan to get us into the middle of an active war zone and through a guarded tunnel without credentials on Kunnifax's level.

I was trying to arrange identities to combine with our general sneakiness, but maybe I was underestimating the difficulty of the trip.

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well given my plan was to take this priest tomorrow...

I suppose if I do shapeshift and use the air elemental from I might be able to slip through undetected and just head back and forth...

Originally Posted by ericthered

It would take about eight hours to fly there, and then however long to infiltrate and talk, and then eight hours to fly back.

Is that under V's own power as an air elemental, or did you mean an aircraft?





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PS. Sorry for being a bit frustrated on the board... I've been a bit frustrated elsewhere and there is bleed.