Corco's Villa (IC)

[ericthered]

Corco's villa is a dimensional hide-away, a world between worlds, of indeterminate size, and brimming with visitors from all sorts of places. Most of them spend their time in the Gardens, but the library, the kitchens, and the personal rooms are also popular. Less popular are the prisons, which double as a military center. Strolling outside of the villa, a wander will find only scenic wooded hills and mostly empty and rocky seaside. Visitors give many reasons for being here, but most will relate one deal they made with Corco or another.

The permanent residents all claim to be one big family. They seem to have Mediterranean features, and while they speak many languages, seem to speak a dialect of latin to each other. They ensure all of their guests are properly housed, fed, and maintain a semblance of good behavior.

Corco has a mission for our crew. The short chubby fellow, bobbing with exuberance goes searching for...

Halcyone, The Tendriloid
Vassarious, The Dragon

Where in the villa does he find each of them?

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Where in the villa does he find each of them?

Having grown bored with exploring the Villa and its grounds after many a lazy afternoon, Halcyone is wandering around looking for a visitor to talk to (though occasionally she gets distracted by an odd looking bauble she missed the first three times through the room). Usually her bubbly enthusiasm and seemingly endless torrent of questioning doesn't bother people too much, though sometimes she gets a bit carried away.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Having grown bored with exploring the Villa and its grounds after many a lazy afternoon, Halcyone is wandering around looking for a visitor to talk to (though occasionally she gets distracted by an odd looking bauble she missed the first three times through the room). Usually her bubbly enthusiasm and seemingly endless torrent of questioning doesn't bother people too much, though sometimes she gets a bit carried away.

The best place to find strangers to talk to is the garden: indeed, that seems to be the garden's primary purpose. The Garden has a strange rule to enforce civility: one may only speak if a bird is on their shoulder, arm, or back. Or something approximating a bird. The area swarms with birds, and they seem to try and match who they sit on. Halcyone often attracts some of the more unusual creatures. Today its a quadcopter with four thin mechanical legs for perching.



Halycon is talking to a former battlesuit trooper with a raven on his shoulder about some aquatic squid-like aliens he encountered during his service through his galaxy when Corco finds her. He bounces up to the pair with a snow-white falcon on his shoulder.



"Halycon, I have something to talk with you about for just a little. No, Gerriack, I haven't heard anything. I promise to tell you exactly when I hear something. Be Patient. Enjoy the garden. It will come."


Corco leads Halycon through the villa, near the quarters where the family lives. They are all bustling about doing something, carrying things to and fro. He rounds a corner, and you see a vaguely Chinese shop build into the side of the villa. Its stocked with tapestries, sculptures, paintings, vases, and other bric abrac, presumably for sale. A small Asian woman is in the center, forming a pot out of clay.



"Pang Zhen! I have your hero! tell her about your prophesy."


The woman regards Halcyon with piercing eyes. Then she slowly closes them and intones:


The emperor is the foundation of the world
Yet the emperor's foundation is cracked
Find the emperor, and you will find naught but the crack

Find the first crack, and you will find the the true emperor
For the emperor is a servant, but who serves the emperor?


"Could you please tell the hero world is this prophesy related to?"


"The five worlds of Maximus, of course"


"Thank you sweetie. Come Halcyon, we have work to do."


As they walk to the library, Corco talks about the situation. "Maximus is a very strong Skerry. One emperor for nine hundred years. keeps the place safe. I never have to worry about demons there. They wouldn't know how to kill Maximus. He's lent us troops on occasion. good guy. Or at least he was 400 years ago."


"There is trouble on his worlds. A rebellion. A big rebellion. Most strange for Maximus. I would not interfere with his affairs normally, but... Ok, I might interfere anyways, but the prophesy! something is wrong! I need you to fix it. Stop the war. Find the crack, or the true emperor, or whatever that woman means."


"You can do this, yes?"


They arrive at the library. Corco points Halycon to a section on the maximus skerry, crisp newly printed books with gorgeous color plates talking about the five worlds, the four soldier breeds, and the legion of undead heroes led by emperor Maximus. The worlds are just a little low-tech for Halycon, with space technology and power armor, but no atomic weapons, and what she would call delayed computer development.

[TGLS]

"So the emperor and the skerry have the same name... Was the skerry named for the emperor or the other way around?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

"There is trouble on his worlds. A rebellion. A big rebellion. Most strange for Maximus.

"Any idea on the apparent cause?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

"You can do this, yes?"

"Absolutely! You can count on me!"

Originally Posted by ericthered

They arrive at the library...

"OK, right now I think there are two possibilities as to what the prophecy means:
1) Maximus has been replaced in some way, and thus first crack relates to Maximus's replacement and how to recover him. Finding the emperor finding nothing but the crack would refer to how you're only finding Maximus's replacement.
2) Maximus hasn't been replaced, but has had his authority subverted by one of his subordinates. The first crack would be the subordinate that is abusing Maximus's authority. This would relate to 'for the emperor is a servant, but who serves the emperor?'

Either way, I'm going to need to read up on Maximus the emperor and Maximus the skerry's government."


No use wasting time, but there's no dicelog here yet. I'd like to make an Intuition roll to start on the right book and a Research roll to find:
1) Biographical information on Maximus, both from the far past (four hundred years ago seems to a good starting point as to the most recent point as to when Maximus was "normal") and from recent past to see if Maximus has changed drastically.
2) Information on the bureaucracy and structure of government for the Maximus Skerry. I'm unclear as to whether it's practical for one or a few subordinates control access to the emperor so they abuse his authority.

[the_matrix_walker]

Vassarious can often be found chatting and trading stories with the unusual folk he encounters in the gardens, but on this day they are stretched out with wings extended but at rest, sunning themselves on a great rock outcropping, overlooking the garden and people-watching, and entertaining themselves making stories for the people they see but does not know...

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Vassarious can often be found chatting and trading stories with the unusual folk he encounters in the gardens, but on this day he is stretched out with his wings extended but at rest, sunning himself on a great rock outcropping, overlooking the garden and people-watching, and entertaining himself making up his own stories for the people he sees but does not know...

Vassarious becomes aware of one of the house-hold standing on the rock behind him. He's pretty sure the girl did not climb up the rock. "Message for the Dragon from Corco" she says "Go meet him at Pang Zhen's shop. She has a prophesy for you, and He has a job for you"


(assuming he comes to the shop)



Pang Zhen gives Vassarious a slight nod as he enters "Greeting Dragon. Welcome to my shop". Corco smiles "So very glad to see you. So very glad. My flower, could you tell him the prophecy?"



The emperor is the foundation of the world
Yet the emperor's foundation is cracked
Find the emperor, and you will find naught but the crack
Find the first crack, and you will find the the true emperor
For the emperor is a servant, but who serves the emperor?

Corco: "so you see, we must do something! This is the Maximus skerry! wonderful place! Usually no worries! But now? They are fighting each other, and the emperor does nothing. You must help. You will help? It is part of our little agreement."


"I have a helper for you. Same deal as you. She is studying the skerry right now. Shall we go meet her?"


OCC: have the two characters met before? its up to you two.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"So the emperor and the skerry have the same name... Was the skerry named for the emperor or the other way around?"

We call the skerry after the Emperor. Before the Man, there was no skerry. He built it. Very smart man.

"Any idea on the apparent cause?"

"The cause given is as old as time. They say they are oppressed. That the nobles are taking all of their belongings, that they do not obey their own laws, that they hurt the little people by not caring. They also say that the capital no longer cares about the concerns of the provinces. That Arthus does not understand Lithus, and Arthus should let Lithans be Lithans and keep their hands to themselves.



I would not wonder, but it is happening on Maximus. Maximus stopped this for years and years and years. Both sides say the emperor is with them. Yet he has not awoken. I wonder why it is happening now?"

Either way, I'm going to need to read up on Maximus the emperor and Maximus the skerry's government."

No use wasting time, but there's no dicelog here yet. I'd like to make an Intuition roll to start on the right book and a Research roll to find:
1) Biographical information on Maximus, both from the far past (four hundred years ago seems to a good starting point as to the most recent point as to when Maximus was "normal") and from recent past to see if Maximus has changed drastically.
2) Information on the bureaucracy and structure of government for the Maximus Skerry. I'm unclear as to whether it's practical for one or a few subordinates control access to the emperor so they abuse his authority.

Lets get a dicelog up then. I've invited TGLS. I'll invite Matrix Walker if he'll pm me an email address. The rolls so far are so good.



Maximus began his rule 900 years ago. His first 20 years were among the most eventful, in which he united the world, and invented sacred architecture and used it to preserve him and his greatest warriors for all time. They don't always walk around though: Maximus has spent most of his life inside of his temple, able to quickly travel his world as a spirit, observing conditions. He only "wakes up" every so often, averaging 40 years between bouts of activity. Usually he awakes to either solve a social crisis or to invent something, like portals to another world, or chimera warriors based on snakes, bulls, birds, or cats. Maximus has been dormant for 81 years.



Maximus is served by a hierarchy of priests who tend his temples and tomb, espouse his philosophy, and control a small segment of technology, mostly human bio-tech and the world-portals. They are quite wealthy and have a lot of influence over public opinion. Or at least they did. The breakdown of that trust is a key part of the rebellion.


The worlds are ruled by five governors. The governors are appointed by a hereditary senate: when maximus is active they pretty much appoint whoever maximus says, but its been 55 years since maximus has appointed a governor. It takes a lot to recall a governor. The governors as a council control the central organizations, like the army, though in practice they each control the arms on their world individually.



Maximus in his spirit form can show up anywhere to anyone on any of the five worlds. Entry into his temple, where one is sure to gain his attention, is strictly controlled by the priests, who usually refine and reduce and present polished summaries of events and issues near the "tomb" at the center of his temple.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"They also say that the capital no longer cares about the concerns of the provinces. That Arthus does not understand Lithus, and Arthus should let Lithans be Lithans and keep their hands to themselves.

I would not wonder, but it is happening on Maximus. Maximus stopped this for years and years and years. Both sides say the emperor is with them. Yet he has not awoken. I wonder why it is happening now?"

"Perhaps Maximus wants them to have it out instead of just letting the steam build up over and over again. Is the rebellion divided between the worlds or more like division between classes? Is the unrest localized?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Maximus began his rule 900 years ago ... Maximus has been dormant for 81 years.

Well, with what I've read and heard about Maximus, does it make sense that he'd deliberately remain dormant this long? Or do I need more information? Throwing in a Memetics! roll here:

[3] 21-06-03 19:49:31 BST
Memetics!
3d6 <= 15 : 1 + 1 + 3 = 5 ... success

Originally Posted by ericthered

The worlds are ruled by five governors. The governors are appointed by a hereditary senate: when maximus is active they pretty much appoint whoever maximus says, but its been 55 years since maximus has appointed a governor. It takes a lot to recall a governor. The governors as a council control the central organizations, like the army, though in practice they each control the arms on their world individually.

So who are the most recent five governors, what's their policy on the rebellion, and who appointed them? Research roll here:

[4] 21-06-03 19:51:12 BST
Research
3d6 <= 15 : 3 + 1 + 2 = 6 ... success

Originally Posted by ericthered

Maximus is served by a hierarchy of priests who tend his temples and tomb, espouse his philosophy, and control a small segment of technology, mostly human bio-tech and the world-portals. They are quite wealthy and have a lot of influence over public opinion. Or at least they did. The breakdown of that trust is a key part of the rebellion.

Maximus in his spirit form can show up anywhere to anyone on any of the five worlds. Entry into his temple, where one is sure to gain his attention, is strictly controlled by the priests, who usually refine and reduce and present polished summaries of events and issues near the "tomb" at the center of his temple.

So the priests can give Maximus a distorted view of events, but on the other hand Maximus can easily just go and find out for himself... Maybe he's distracted or trapped by something? I don't have the occult expertise to determine if that would be plausible.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Corco leads Vassarious to the library, where Halcyon is pouring over books.

"You two will work together. Halcyon, this is Vassarious, a dragon. Vasarious, this is Halcyon... who is probably better at explaining what she is than I am. You will get to know one another yes? You both have the deal: you help me for a bit, then I help you"

I hold out a lower tendril to shake hands (I rather not lose my place), then say,
"A dragon? I thought they were taller and scalier. 'All dragons are different', at least that's what I've heard. Know anything about how someone could stop Maximus's spirit from going wherever he pleased?"