Corco's Villa (IC)

[ericthered]

Guard: "They can do that? Scary. Let us know if you need anything. I'd thought an awake emperor would actually use us."


He opens a door behind him, which leads into a sort of airlock with iron bars on each side and two machine guns pointed into it. Kunnifax's badge is placed at one scanner, and the guard enters something into a pinpad. The first set of bars unlock, the hand truck is wheeled in, and the door shut, and the second set of iron bars unlocks.



"Long Live the Emperor" the guard wishes as they start going down a steep ramp.



After about 100 yards, the tunnel stops looking modern, and transitions to a rough shaft lined with ancient masonry. The hand truck (dolly) bumps and shakes over the ancient stones.



They come to the receiving gate, which has gun emplacements behind the steel gates. The guard is waiting for them.



"Kunnifax, that was a long trip! Any inside news on his imperial highness?"

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Long Live the Emperor" the guard wishes as they start going down a steep ramp.

"Long live the Emperor!", I call back.

Originally Posted by ericthered

After about 100 yards, the tunnel stops looking modern, and transitions to a rough shaft lined with ancient masonry. The hand truck (dolly) bumps and shakes over the ancient stones.

I wonder how old this tunnel is.

Originally Posted by ericthered

They come to the receiving gate, which has gun emplacements behind the steel gates. The guard is waiting for them.

"Kunnifax, that was a long trip! Any inside news on his imperial highness?"

"I wish. This prisoner's partner somehow cut my connection with the emperor. And well, her partner's dead so I'm left to question her."

[369] 22-03-22 14:17:53 GMT
Memetics!
3d6 <= 15
6 + 2 + 3 = 11 ... success
[368] 22-03-22 14:17:45 GMT
Acting
3d6 <= 15
5 + 6 + 1 = 12 ... success

Looks like we managed to talk our way through. Can I remain inconspicuous enough walking up to the key wall with the dolly or should I let V out and stash the dolly somewhere first?

[the_matrix_walker]

"Easy on the turns there! These old bones can only take so much! I'm sure this is just a terrible misunderstanding. This young man kicked me in the face! Are you my grandson?"

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I wonder how old this tunnel is.

The temple complex was built around 19 centuries ago, when maximus first came to power. The tunnel can't be older than that...

"I wish. This prisoner's partner somehow cut my connection with the emperor. And well, her partner's dead so I'm left to question her."

"The emperor will set her right!" He pointedly ignores the old lady strapped to the hand-truck.

"Easy on the turns there! These old bones can only take so much! I'm sure this is just a terrible misunderstanding. This young man kicked me in the face! Are you my grandson?"

You make me laugh.

Looks like we managed to talk our way through. Can I remain inconspicuous enough walking up to the key wall with the dolly or should I let V out and stash the dolly somewhere first?

You've got to get 50 yards from the building you are in now to the emperor's tomb. You need to do so in full sight of the guards on the walls, and anyone else walking around the inner complex.


checking the time, the distractions are well underway right now, but not near the complex.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

You've got to get 50 yards from the building you are in now to the emperor's tomb. You need to do so in full sight of the guards on the walls, and anyone else walking around the inner complex.

Well, unless the inner complex isn't very, um, complex, I'm sure I can find some corner to let V out unseen.

[370] 22-03-23 14:05:08 GMT
Stealth
3d6 <= 15
4 + 6 + 2 = 12 ... success

Then I'll fold the dolly up into a little ball.

[371] 22-03-23 14:08:21 GMT
ST
3d6 <= 21
6 + 6 + 5 = 17 ... success

Or strain myself doing so I guess.

So now how to get in the Emperor's tomb. I guess there are clear lines of sight from every direction of the tomb? The question now is, "How to get in the tomb?"

I could try to distract security with, "The prisoner escaped! We need to mount a search!" but that'd probably tighten security around the tomb. I suppose Kunnifax won't have a problem just walking in to the tomb. I don't suppose there's any need for a healing temple behind the third wall? Then we might be able to transform V into something better suited to entering the temple.

[the_matrix_walker]

Vassarious keeps an eye out for cameras and security measures they may not have expected.

Can you recap the remaining distance to the stones?

It may be better to keep the dolly until we get to the unobserved area of the stones we need to re-arrange.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Vassarious keeps an eye out for cameras and security measures they may not have expected.

These all seem to be in the tunnel, and as expected.

Can you recap the remaining distance to the stones?

Out the door of the building you are currently in, 20 yards through an open courtyard which always has guards watching and usually has a preist walking around, into a door of the emperor's tomb, 5 yards down a main hall (high likelihood of seeing an immortal, emperor, or priest), 5 yards down a secondary hall (low likely hood of seeing someone), and into the third hall with the wall.

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well, unless the inner complex isn't very, um, complex, I'm sure I can find some corner to let V out unseen.

This is correct. this architecture is lousy with nooks and crannies.

Then I'll fold the dolly up into a little ball.

Or strain myself doing so I guess.

TL9 material tech is like that... You can't fold it up without making a loud noise.

I could try to distract security with, "The prisoner escaped! We need to mount a search!" but that'd probably tighten security around the tomb. I suppose Kunnifax won't have a problem just walking in to the tomb. I don't suppose there's any need for a healing temple behind the third wall? Then we might be able to transform V into something better suited to entering the temple.

There are no healing temples behind the third wall. They're all near the second or later. V does have elastic skin abilities at the moment...

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Out the door of the building you are currently in, 20 yards through an open courtyard which always has guards watching and usually has a preist walking around, into a door of the emperor's tomb, 5 yards down a main hall (high likelihood of seeing an immortal, emperor, or priest), 5 yards down a secondary hall (low likely hood of seeing someone), and into the third hall with the wall.

Can we take different routes to the Emperor's tomb? How far could we get before we'd have to converge? Maybe V could pretend to be Retifurus, though that might get caught fairly easily. I suppose if V could easily pretend to be a priest (though we might need to retroactively take a uniform), but is there enough priestly staff to be spotted on sight?

Originally Posted by ericthered

TL9 material tech is like that... You can't fold it up without making a loud noise.

I suppose it's a good thing that V wants to keep the dolly.

[the_matrix_walker]

Why change up anything before getting to our destination? Also, the dolly may come in handy for shifting blocks. If the restraints have been modified so Vassarious can break them away or slip them easily, they can just "escape" when the need arises. Unless we find someone in a spot outside of the camera view who we can take out and replace, we're probably better off keeping our current roles. With the distractions underway, I think it unlikely the emperor will be in the halls.

What is further down the hall from our destination? Could there be a holding area or some other space we can claim to be heading to before checking in with the emperor?

I would recommend against advertising the story of the connection to the emperor being cut, as it may inspire someone to be "helpful" and report our presence to the Emperor.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Why change up anything before getting to our destination?

What is further down the hall from our destination? Could there be a holding area or some other space we can claim to be heading to before checking in with the emperor?

I dunno. I kind of see walking in with a prisoner as a little suspicious, but walking in the the emperor's tomb? Why would there be holding cells there to begin with?