Corco's Villa (IC)

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

[Sing-song] "Digging a hole. Digging a hole. Big deep hole, that's where you're gonna go."

I think better of rolling the boulder into the hole and giving them a sarcastic oops.

They are buried. No marker, I guess. Maybe the one guy can get out before the moon hits the wrong phase.

"I guess we'll have to ford the river."

Yi: "Or sneak our way across a ferry. The Euphrates is populated down its length."

"Worried about something?"

Yi: "This is how I always sleep. I've made many enemies in my glorious career."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

They are buried. No marker, I guess. Maybe the one guy can get out before the moon hits the wrong phase.

Even if he managed a foot a day it's tight...

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yi: "Or sneak our way across a ferry. The Euphrates is populated down its length."

"Well that certainly sounds drier."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yi: "This is how I always sleep. I've made many enemies in my glorious career."

"Fair enough."

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

They are buried. No marker, I guess. Maybe the one guy can get out before the moon hits the wrong phase.

He lost his life in the battle... if he manages to reclaim it, so be it, but no sleep will be lost over a failed assassins' death.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yi: "Or sneak our way across a ferry. The Euphrates is populated down its length."

Can we go over what we know of Bel's capabilities and defenses? One of the selling points of teaming up with Yi was his great knowledge of the defenses...

This seems like a lot of nonsense hunting around for what can kill him when it's easy enough to incapacitate them indefinitely, and a lot easier to convince someone to give up his secrets if we already have his remains in a chest.

In fact, they probably have a number of standard solutions here. In a world where unkillable 2 is common, they probably have storage facilities for troublesome ancestors.

Or is that cheating and fate says we have to set other things in motion by "shaking a spear"?

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

In fact, they probably have a number of standard solutions here. In a world where unkillable 2 is common, they probably have storage facilities for troublesome ancestors.

Or is that cheating and fate says we have to set other things in motion by "shaking a spear"?

I mean my assumption was that "average" immortals get Unkillable 2 and a bunch of regeneration, while god kings stack on ridiculous levels of luck, serendipity and super luck against things that would likely put them in a position that seems likely to kill them.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Can we go over what we know of Bel's capabilities and defenses? One of the selling points of teaming up with Yi was his great knowledge of the defenses...

Yi has been focusing on his non-mystical defenses to start with: Bel's daily routine, the layout of the palace, the relative locations of guards, the timing of scheduled scrying, and the routines of key allies. He's accumulated quite a bit of information. The physical walls provide a good deal of protection, in three layers: the city, around the royal complex, and the palace itself. All of these are manned: the city by mortals with monstrous and immortal leadership, the royal complex by monsters with immortal leadership, and the royal complex by immortals with monster support. Four circles of witches bear the brunt of the divination: three circles rotate so as to always be ready, and the last is used "offensively".



Yi says he has a few different ways to get in:

• Three stealthy routes involving climbing and swimming
• leverage on people who could just let them in
• The information to pose as guards
• smuggling in inside via food deliveries
• Walking in as prisoners (He's oddly comfortable with this one)

Anything specific you want to know?

This seems like a lot of nonsense hunting around for what can kill him when it's easy enough to incapacitate them indefinitely, and a lot easier to convince someone to give up his secrets if we already have his remains in a chest.

In fact, they probably have a number of standard solutions here. In a world where unkillable 2 is common, they probably have storage facilities for troublesome ancestors.

The catch here is allies: Bel has an army of monsters, immortals, and witches that will work to return him to his status as a functional ruler. And make it hard to walk out of here with his body. If you could convince them to turn on him, that would help, but you still risk someone undoing the "sealed evil in a can", and bringing him back.

Or is that cheating and fate says we have to set other things in motion by "shaking a spear"?

That's not cheating. As far as you can tell.

Originally Posted by TGLS

I mean my assumption was that "average" immortals get Unkillable 2 and a bunch of regeneration, while god kings stack on ridiculous levels of luck, serendipity and super luck against things that would likely put them in a position that seems likely to kill them.

That is more-or-less correct.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yi says he has a few different ways to get in:

• Walking in as prisoners (He's oddly comfortable with this one)

Anything specific you want to know?

"That's all well and good but that also gets us in unarmed. Have a way of getting our stuff in too? Maybe one of us could pretend to be a traitor?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

The catch here is allies: Bel has an army of monsters, immortals, and witches that will work to return him to his status as a functional ruler.

"And if he's dead, they'll what, give up and leave? Fight each other for the throne? Murder the lot of us in revenge?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

And make it hard to walk out of here with his body. If you could convince them to turn on him, that would help, but you still risk someone undoing the "sealed evil in a can", and bringing him back.

Surely if we want to go that route, getting Corco to let us bring Bel back to the villa is a more effective route.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"That's all well and good but that also gets us in unarmed. Have a way of getting our stuff in too? Maybe one of us could pretend to be a traitor?"

Yi: "I'm comfortable unarmed. The traitor idea... it would take some selling, but its doable."

"And if he's dead, they'll what, give up and leave? Fight each other for the throne? Murder the lot of us in revenge?"

Yi: "Probably all of the above. If he's dead, they general consider it time to move on. Revenge is to be expected. We need a plan to exit as well as to enter."

Surely if we want to go that route, getting Corco to let us bring Bel back to the villa is a more effective route.

That's fair. Normally Corco doesn't like a bunch of comings and goings, but bringing back the ashes of the world's namesake evil tyrant to be kept in a vault is fine. Though that's not an option that Yi knows about.

[the_matrix_walker]

I wasn't thinking of sealing him forever, just indicating they likely had local options as it is likely a somewhat common problem here.

It makes sense that if we took him out without deposing him that they would likely just have another take his place in the existing system and the hierarchy would remain mostly the same... So I guess it makes sense to keep following Yi until destiny does the job we've come to facilitate.

[ericthered]

No one bothers you that night.

"the river" isn't just a body of water, its a more densely populated area. Its a good place to pick up more fodder for horses and food for yourselves. Its a few hundred feet across. When you reach the river, an old woman is waiting for you, along with a boat.

"I have a question for each of you." She says. "and a warning, if I am pleased with your responses*"

Yi mutters: "She's more powerful than she looks."

She Points at Vassorious: "Have you chosen to trust fate because you feel powerless, or because you desire its result?"
She Points at Halcyone: "What is the greatest desire of your Patron in this land?"
last, she points at Yi: "Do you have more to fear from the powerful, or from the unexpected?"

*she's asking for a small amount of money or a gift... but in line with the beggar she's presenting herself as.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Have you chosen to trust fate because you feel powerless, or because you desire its result?"

"I desire the result.

I am a mercenary whose sole purpose in this world is to fulfil fate's prophesied decree. I trust the prophet over the prophecy, but that's not important... We are in a place of strong currents that lead to a conclusion, and when that end comes, my duty will be done, no matter the outcome. So I desire the result, even if I am uncertain of what the result will be. So I will follow the flow in this place of currents, until the part I have to play presents itself."

Vassarious hands over some currency, enough for a modest meal.