Corco's Villa (IC)

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

50 years is a long time ago, especially as careers are concerned. Halcyone notices a pattern: most of the priests fitting the description are in the high priesthood now, or did very well for themselves before retiring.

Well, that does look kind of suspicious, but... Maybe being posted to the Emperor's tomb is a really prestigious posting? Like; the best of the best are assigned to the tomb, because it's so important and all, and the best of the best rise to the top, because they're the best. I'll take a look at records from five hundred years ago (or some other suitably long ago time) to check this.

[314] 22-01-31 15:43:31 GMT
Research
3d6 <= 15
3 + 3 + 3 = 9 ... success

Originally Posted by ericthered

The current high priest of architecture (the one Vassarious bugged) is one of these individuals.

Can I retroactively have V fill me in on the security of the H. Priest of Architecture, and perhaps if he has a way to access the bug?

[315] 22-01-31 15:49:25 GMT
IQ
3d6 <= 16
6 + 3 + 3 = 12 ... success

Originally Posted by ericthered

There are a few retired priests still alive as well.

Would the retired priests have tighter security or looser security relative to the active priests?

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"I may need some assistance in delivering the message properly. I can visit only some people in dreams, and claiming to see the emperor in a dream is a reasonably common effect of the mentally ill. There is a reason I reached out to Halcyone first. But if you could bring a general down here, That will be a different matter."

It was easy enough to drift in here as an air elemental... but what would be involved in bringing someone down here?

This is problematic, I don't know the players, and Halcyone has already pulled the trigger on the kidnapping and is expecting to rendevous in something like 16 hours and we can't communicate. hmnnn.

Originally Posted by ericthered

The route between the tunnel and the stones... You've got to get past a few walkers among the tombs, stay out of sight of a few guards on the walls, and evade a couple of gaurds responsible for the whole of the tomb itself... those guards at the tomb should be easy enough to invade, because there aren't enough to cover all of the entrances.

They would not be able to pass the guards in the guise of an immortal and their prisoner? Okay, we can be stealthy.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well, that does look kind of suspicious, but... Maybe being posted to the Emperor's tomb is a really prestigious posting? Like; the best of the best are assigned to the tomb, because it's so important and all, and the best of the best rise to the top, because they're the best. I'll take a look at records from five hundred years ago (or some other suitably long ago time) to check this.

Looking into the older records... The "best of the best" effect is there, but not nearly as pronounced. The Janitors especially didn't used to do as well... nor have the janitors a mere 70 years done as well.

Can I retroactively have V fill me in on the security of the H. Priest of Architecture, and perhaps if he has a way to access the bug?

Yes.

Would the retired priests have tighter security or looser security relative to the active priests?

retired priests will have looser security.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It was easy enough to drift in here as an air elemental... but what would be involved in bringing someone down here?

The cave has entrances on both sides of the line. Once you've convinced a general to come down here with you, they can take care of getting there and there will be no problem at all.

They would not be able to pass the guards in the guise of an immortal and their prisoner? Okay, we can be stealthy.

not all the way into the emperor's tomb: interrogations go to a slightly different location. You can probably get 3/4 of the way from the secret entrance to the tomb that way, as long as you dodge any immortals and the emperor. So the last 20 yards you couldn't use that for.

[the_matrix_walker]

Vassarious will see if there is any biographical data on the rebel generals available on the net, and tries to identify the best candidate with the help of their immortal companions. If that's not possible, they will discuss the best place to go to find one of the Generals to bring back.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Looking into the older records... The "best of the best" effect is there, but not nearly as pronounced. The Janitors especially didn't used to do as well... nor have the janitors a mere 70 years done as well.

Well that settles it. I suppose I could just start systematically breaking into each of their houses and interrogating them, but sooner or later somebody would figure it out.

Surely these people are important enough to have biographies and memoirs in stores and stuff. Maybe I could hunt those down and figure out who the likely ringleaders are?

[316] 22-02-02 05:22:39 GMT
Research
3d6 <= 15
2 + 1 + 4 = 7 ... success

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Vassarious will see if there is any biographical data on the rebel generals available on the net, and tries to identify the best candidate with the help of their immortal companions. If that's not possible, they will discuss the best place to go to find one of the Generals to bring back.

Vassarious doesn't have access to the net, but can get it if he leaves the cave.



The best place to find a general is to either locate a headquarters on the front, or to journey to the rebellion's capital on Lithus city, which is another long plane ride away.

Originally Posted by TGLS

Surely these people are important enough to have biographies and memoirs in stores and stuff. Maybe I could hunt those down and figure out who the likely ringleaders are?

That's a good bet. You can go looking for them in bookstores, in electronic form, or even perusing your "host's" library. It will take a good bit of reading though...

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

That's a good bet. You can go looking for them in bookstores, in electronic form, or even perusing your "host's" library. It will take a good bit of reading though...

OK, I'll make a scrounging roll for the bookstores, a computer operation roll for the electronic copies, and research for my "host"'s library.

[319] 22-02-02 14:36:45 GMT
Research
3d6 <= 15
4 + 3 + 6 = 13 ... success
[318] 22-02-02 14:35:47 GMT
Computer Operation
3d6 <= 16
1 + 5 + 6 = 12 ... success
[317] 22-02-02 14:35:28 GMT
Scrounging
3d6 <= 16
2 + 4 + 6 = 12 ... success

And I guess I'll start reading and analyzing:

[320] 22-02-02 14:50:24 GMT
Memetics!
3d6 <= 15
2 + 5 + 4 = 11 ... success

[the_matrix_walker]

With time being a factor, Vassarious elects to contact a leader on the front.

They return to elemental form for the journey and head out to the front on the side of the rebellion. Vassarious seeks out the encampment of the leadership and tries to locate a General to bring back to the caves.

If Vassarious is able to locate the leadership, he waits until they are alone and reveals their presence...

"Victory is at hand, General. The secret reality of your conflict is upon the cusp of revelation, and you have but to reach out to grasp it. Once this mystery is unraveled, the path to your people's deliverance will be made to be clear to you. You have allies you have not even imagined standing ready to fight. I have traveled here to invite you to come to learn the truth of things, so that our efforts may be combined to bring a swift resolution to this conflict."

Spoiler:  

FACEMAN!
3d6 <= 14
5 + 1 + 4 = 10 ... success

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

OK, I'll make a scrounging roll for the bookstores, a computer operation roll for the electronic copies, and research for my "host"'s library.

And I guess I'll start reading and analyzing:

It takes a day or two, but Halcyone starts putting together a structure of who was in on the job and who led it. The original ringleader is easy to determine: the high priest at the time of change, who began meddling with the composition of the relevant priests over 65 years ago. That man was an priest of architecture out on verdaze earlier in his career.


There seems to have been a moment of crisis 46 years ago, when the guilty priests started to really press their advantage.



The current ringleaders seem to mirror the actual priestly heirarchy at this point... with the exception of a single retired priest who is the first thanked in a lot of the more recent memoires... Colutus seems to still be active, even though he is retired, and also seems to be in charge of reviewing the memoires published by the group.



The priest Halcyone is staying with notices Halcyone reading one of their books at one point. "What are you doing with my book!?"

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

With time being a factor, Vassarious elects to contact a leader on the front.

They return to elemental form for the journey and head out to the front on the side of the rebellion. Vassarious seeks out the encampment of the leadership and tries to locate a General to bring back to the caves.

If Vassarious is able to locate the leadership, he waits until they are alone and reveals their presence...

The general's tents are clearly marked... at least lesser generals. A quick search only reveals about the second rank of general. The others must be in a more secure location. Will he continue his search or grab a second rank general?



Generals are hard to find alone, always surrounded by a swirl of people. Your first opportunity might be the bathroom...

"Victory is at hand, General. The secret reality of your conflict is upon the cusp of revelation, and you have but to reach out to grasp it. Once this mystery is unraveled, the path to your people's deliverance will be made to be clear to you. You have allies you have not even imagined standing ready to fight. I have traveled here to invite you to come to learn the truth of things, so that our efforts may be combined to bring a swift resolution to this conflict."

Is he going to be holding his glowing sword for this? What form?

[the_matrix_walker]

Vassarious will keep looking for full General...

When Vassarious finds his General, he will address him while in elemental form. They do not wish to change shape outside of the cavern. They do not want to take the risk of giving away their location and giving the corrupted Maximus a flag to start watching.