Corco's Villa (IC)

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Right. Next I'll take a nap (can't imagine I got much rest hiding in bushes and a shrub. After that, I'll put the uniform in a paper bag along with the bindings.

Or the trunk, I'd guess

Then I'll aim to get to the park & ride where the priest parked yesterday near the end of the day but early enough to make a return trip. I'll find the priest's car again, find somewhere to discreetly change (a bathroom could do), and then disguise myself as the priest drive back to his house in his car.

Hm. Only by four. Once I get back to his house, I'll stick the bindings in a closet in a guest room. I'll be keeping the paper bag. Then I'll head back to the park and ride. There, I will find somewhere to change again, this time into nothing, toss the uniform and my old clothes into the paper bag and then into the trash, and then hide myself in the trunk. Stealth to not be seen while I do all this:

By five and five. Then I guess I'll wait until he drives the car back home.

No one challenges Halcyone. She arrives at his home in his trunk on schedule.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Vassarious heads a few miles out away from the Hotel before taking his air elemental form and heads over to stow away on a flight to the portal. If possible, he will stealth along all the way tothe caves.

The cargo section of the plane is quite room, at least if you're diffuse and can fit in cracks. The hardest part is determining which plane is headed to the right location.



No agents of maximus bother V. He arrives in the cave, where Kunnifax and Holo-maximus are discussing cell phones and their implications and use. Kunnifax seems to notice your presence, even in the poor lighting... or perhaps especially in the close normally still air of the caverns.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

No one challenges Halcyone. She arrives at his home in his trunk on schedule.

OK. I'll get out of the trunk around seven, eight o'clock and listen to hear if there's any activity in the rest of the house. If it seems like there's only the one person in the house, I'll slip into the house proper and try and get a better fix on his location.

[288] 22-01-21 14:20:59 GMT
Perception
3d6 <= 16
4 + 4 + 6 = 14 ... success
[289] 22-01-21 14:21:33 GMT
Stealth
3d6 <= 16
3 + 3 + 1 = 7 ... success

[the_matrix_walker]

"Kunnifax and the true face of the Emporer I presume. I am Vassarious. You have met my partner, Halcyone. We work to restore your true self but have run into some obstacles. the imperial forces can detect our use of magic and our communications, so I have come here to be screened from their senses while I report in to Corco, and to gather any additional intelligence that may be of help in penetrating the temple to set the stones right."

While they are conversing, Vassarious takes their angelic form to better communicate. They ask about any secret entrances or ways they may circumvent security as well as if one of the nearby temples can be adapted to hide them from the false Maximus' senses to shapeshift and communicate while near the main temple.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

OK. I'll get out of the trunk around seven, eight o'clock and listen to hear if there's any activity in the rest of the house. If it seems like there's only the one person in the house, I'll slip into the house proper and try and get a better fix on his location.

He's in his office on his computer. And He's alone.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"Kunnifax and the true face of the Emporer I presume. I am Vassarious. You have met my partner, Halcyone. We work to restore your true self but have run into some obstacles. the imperial forces can detect our use of magic and our communications, so I have come here to be screened from their senses while I report in to Corco, and to gather any additional intelligence that may be of help in penetrating the temple to set the stones right."

While they are conversing, Vassarious takes their angelic form to better communicate. They ask about any secret entrances or ways they may circumvent security as well as if one of the nearby temples can be adapted to hide them from the false Maximus' senses to shapeshift and communicate while near the main temple.

Kunnifax: "Friend or Foe?"
Maximus: "It's telling the truth. Matches the capabilities described for Vassarious, and I don't know where the corrupted Maximus would get that sort of shapeshifting. Any mind control would cease in here."


Maximus: "I'm flattered by being called the 'true' emperor, but I'm just a copy. A backup, really. I'm not hooked up to the emperor's body, and that matters."


Maximus: "oh, you need the blocking effect. This place will work. Converting a nearby temple to have a blocking effect... That's doable. Or even giving you a simple pattern to block the scrying. I don't know that I want that knowledge out in the world though... It could be used against me."


Maximus knows little about the way that temple complex security is run: he apparently only spies on Lithus.



Kunnifax knows a little more. The immortals have access to a "secret" tunnel that's actually actively maintained. Its purpose is discreet exit of the inner courtyard from the public. It has a few security systems posted in it, but these are by necessity lightly maintained. A few human guards with top security clearance, plus the eye of the emperor* and the fact that it dumps you out in the middle of the immortal tombs.



*Kunnifax is not sure how close Maximus, and especially current and altered Maximus, watches that passage. Holo Maximus doesn't know either, but helpfully supplies the information that Maximus proper can only watch about 20 places at once.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

He's in his office on his computer. And He's alone.

Well, first I'll go fetch the restraints I got earlier. Then, if the computer faces away from the door (even to the side will do), and I'll try to sneak up on him. If not then I'll wait next to the door, and trip him when he leaves.

[the_matrix_walker]

Vassarious will do their best to try and get as much information on adapting the temples or obtaining the "pattern" he spoke of.

He also asks about the man he's sending visions, and if there are others. Can he reach out to more people? It seems like the best course is to try and organize a simultaneous strike across battlefields and worlds to distract altered Maximus long enough for them to penetrate the tunnel and fix the stones.

FaceMan!

3d6 <= 14
5 + 6 + 2 = 13 ... success

They will ask Kunnifax how quickly the immortals recover, and how many there may be at the main complex. They pull out their laptop to make notes of the details of the tunnel and potential defenses and share the materials with Kunnifax to point out missing details.

Tradecraft!

3d6 <= 14
1 + 4 + 2 = 7 ... success

Wish I could swap those! I will spend my FaceMan! WP for extra margin if it will make a difference.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well, first I'll go fetch the restraints I got earlier. Then, if the computer faces away from the door (even to the side will do), and I'll try to sneak up on him. If not then I'll wait next to the door, and trip him when he leaves.

He's facing away from you... I don't think the outcome of this is really in doubt. I suppose the real question is if you use your extra arms or not. Take this as far as you can with rolls.


He will ask who you are, what you want, and make threats that he knows powerful people who will take revenge.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Vassarious will do their best to try and get as much information on adapting the temples or obtaining the "pattern" he spoke of.

He also asks about the man he's sending visions, and if there are others. Can he reach out to more people? It seems like the best course is to try and organize a simultaneous strike across battlefields and worlds to distract altered Maximus long enough for them to penetrate the tunnel and fix the stones.

There are not many people he's sending visions to. Holo-Maximus can actually manifest to anyone, anytime, but doing so lets the Maximus at the capital spot him and trace him. Sending visions lets him do it quietly... but he can only visit around 1 in one thousand people, and they must be on the same world. If they can defend the shrine, he can do a lot more, but holo-maximus has about a fifth of the capacity of capital maximus.



The faceman roll will work, but I'm curious what basic content Vassarious will use to convince holomaximus.


Maximus takes a few hours to work out a scheme, and during that time he's doing a lot with the holographics of the shrine, making models of temples and moving things around.



He gives V four designs.



The first is for a healing temple. Moving 13 blocks across the temple will turn the entire building into a shielded area. It will also impair limb regeneration and cancer treatment at that temple until fixed


The second is for a gate temple. Moving 6 blocks will turn it into a shield. It will also shut down the gate, stranding anyone and anything in the middle.



The third is for a gate temple without shutting it down. That requires moving 37 blocks and then adding 9 very small ones.


The fourth design is for a small portable shielded area. It requires 57 blocks that weigh 200 lbs altogether, and must be placed quite precisely. It makes an area about the size of a phone booth.

They will ask Kunnifax how quickly the immortals recover, and how many there may be at the main complex. They pull out their laptop to make notes of the details of the tunnel and potential defenses and share the materials with Kunnifax to point out missing details.

In gurps terms, the Immortals have normal regeneration and regrowth, plus very rapid healing, which doubles the HP regained. They mostly have ST 20, though some were stronger in life and have more.


There are 22 immortals at the complex, but last Kunnifax checked, they were mostly dormant, with only about four of them awake.


The Tunnel's entrance is in an "amphitheater", which turns out to be a conference center. It has good but mundane security protecting the outside, and then a guard who really knows what's going on in the basement. The guard is traditionally among the best of the best of the army, but with a war going on, standards might have slipped. The door is locked, and the guard and the immortal badge together open it. Kunnifax thinks there are probably cameras in the tunnel, but he can't be sure ("I've been dormant for a seventy years, give me a break. I'm happy I know what a camera is"). There is another traditionally expert gaurd at the other end of the tunnel, with another door requiring two locks, and then you exit through a door into the lobby of the first immortal.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

He's facing away from you... I don't think the outcome of this is really in doubt. I suppose the real question is if you use your extra arms or not. Take this as far as you can with rolls.

Yeah, I'm probably just being overly thorough. Let's go sneak up behind him:

[292] 22-01-25 21:15:29 GMT
Stealth
3d6 <= 15
6 + 2 + 6 = 14 ... success

Grab him (just with the two upper arms):

[293] 22-01-25 21:20:46 GMT
Judo
3d6 <= 16
2 + 6 + 6 = 14 ... success

Toss him to the ground (I guess I'm pulling him out of the chair too?)

I'll be generous and assume he somehow rolls with 12.

[294] 22-01-25 21:24:03 GMT
Takedown Quick Contest Pt. 1
-3d6 +21
- 6 - 4 - 3 + 21 = 8
[295] 22-01-25 21:24:15 GMT
-3d6 +12
- 2 - 4 - 1 + 12 = 5

And pin him to the ground (again generous 12).

[296] 22-01-25 21:27:05 GMT
Pin Contest #1
-3d6 +21
- 4 - 2 - 2 + 21 = 13
[297] 22-01-25 21:27:21 GMT
-3d6 +12
- 6 - 1 - 3 + 12 = 2
[298] 22-01-25 21:29:37 GMT
Pin Contest #2
-3d6 +21 <= 0
- 1 - 2 - 5 + 21 = 13 ... failure
[299] 22-01-25 21:29:45 GMT
-3d6 +12
- 1 - 6 - 5 + 12 = 0
[300] 22-01-25 21:30:40 GMT
Pin Contest #3
-3d6 +21
- 3 - 2 - 2 + 21 = 14
[301] 22-01-25 21:30:44 GMT
-3d6 +12
- 1 - 3 - 4 + 12 = 4
[302] 22-01-25 21:31:28 GMT
Pin Contest #4
-3d6 +21
- 3 - 2 - 4 + 21 = 12
[303] 22-01-25 21:31:33 GMT
-3d6 +12
- 5 - 5 - 4 + 12 = -2

OK, so he's dealt with in about 4-5 seconds. Regular contests are a pain to run. According to MA73, it takes 2d seconds to cuff him up, but I think we can just agree he'll fail to break free.

Originally Posted by ericthered

He will ask who you are, what you want, and make threats that he knows powerful people who will take revenge.

I suppose my answer depends on whether he could identify me or not. Given my plan is to pretend to be him for a least a couple of days, I think anyone will figure it out what happened by the time they find him. I'll try to shock him into compliance.

"I'm an transdimensional interloper here to investigate the emperor's bizarre behaviour that began, oh, fifty, sixty years ago. Unfortunately, they don't just let anyone into the emperor's temple complex, so I need to take someone's face so I can infiltrate the facility. Unfortunately for you, the face I need is yours!"

I assume at this point he's suitably terrified.

"Relax, I don't need to literally take your face. I just need your employee pass and for you not to go to work for a little while."

I briefly pause to consider his powerful friends remark.

"You do know a lot of very powerful people, but you're not that close with any of them, are you? Surprised? I know everything. Unless the emperor watches over you every now and again, or you have a dinner date with one of the undying heroes, you're just not that threatening"

"Now settle down. We're going to be besties for the next few weeks. Have you eaten yet? Which services have access to your house during the day while I won't be here?"

[304] 22-01-25 22:08:40 GMT
Memetics! to sell this to him
3d6 <= 15
2 + 2 + 6 = 10 ... success

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

There are not many people he's sending visions to. Holo-Maximus can actually manifest to anyone, anytime, but doing so lets the Maximus at the capital spot him and trace him. Sending visions lets him do it quietly... but he can only visit around 1 in one thousand people, and they must be on the same world. If they can defend the shrine, he can do a lot more, but holo-maximus has about a fifth of the capacity of capital maximus.

Would it be possible to send visions to all those that he can at once as a broadcast? Would a big multi-broadcast be in and of itself a big enough distraction to possibly avert Corrupted-Maxumus focused elsewhere?

Originally Posted by ericthered

The faceman roll will work, but I'm curious what basic content Vassarious will use to convince holomaximus.

Pledging to do their best to keep his secrets secret. Pointing out the urgency and the cost of failure.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Maximus takes a few hours to work out a scheme, and during that time he's doing a lot with the holographics of the shrine, making models of temples and moving things around.

Vassarious will take video on their phone, and promises not to allow it to fall into enemy hands.

Originally Posted by ericthered

The Tunnel's entrance is in an "amphitheater", which turns out to be a conference center. It has good but mundane security protecting the outside, and then a guard who really knows what's going on in the basement. The guard is traditionally among the best of the best of the army, but with a war going on, standards might have slipped. The door is locked, and the guard and the immortal badge together open it. Kunnifax thinks there are probably cameras in the tunnel, but he can't be sure ("I've been dormant for a seventy years, give me a break. I'm happy I know what a camera is"). There is another traditionally expert gaurd at the other end of the tunnel, with another door requiring two locks, and then you exit through a door into the lobby of the first immortal.

Does Kunnifax have his immortal badge? Vassarious asks permission to take Kunnifax's shape, as it may come in handy.

Vassarious will also explain that he has an approximation of Maximus' form that has a mental link if they think that may be useful. Holo-Maximus could see an advantage in it, or be able to teach him something about it.

Vassarious will write a report with the information they've gathered about the situation and players. they will password protect the stone formation video with instructions it only be opened in the event they fail and another team must be sent to replace them, as it contains sensitive data we've promised to keep restricted. They include that they are still working out the details of engineering a distraction. Vassarious details that their communication can be tracked outside of specific circumstances, so he will remain in the safe zone for two hours to await any response they may wish to send.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Would it be possible to send visions to all those that he can at once as a broadcast? Would a big multi-broadcast be in and of itself a big enough distraction to possibly avert Corrupted-Maxumus focused elsewhere?

Its not a bad idea. The visions are intentionally supposed to be something corrupted maximus won't notice, but a broadcast would get notice, especially on other worlds.



The broadcast itself would steal a lot of corrupted maximus's band width, but only all of it if he's then trying to watch all of the people effected and stop them from doing something.

Pledging to do their best to keep his secrets secret. Pointing out the urgency and the cost of failure.

ok, thought it might be something like that.

Does Kunnifax have his immortal badge? Vassarious asks permission to take Kunnifax's shape, as it may come in handy.

Halcyone has the badge.

Vassarious will also explain that he has an approximation of Maximus' form that has a mental link if they think that may be useful. Holo-Maximus could see an advantage in it, or be able to teach him something about it.

Maximus asks him to show the form so he can inspect it: the mental link should be similar to what kunnifax has.

Vassarious will write a report with the information they've gathered about the situation and players. they will password protect the stone formation video with instructions it only be opened in the event they fail and another team must be sent to replace them, as it contains sensitive data we've promised to keep restricted. They include that they are still working out the details of engineering a distraction. Vassarious details that their communication can be tracked outside of specific circumstances, so he will remain in the safe zone for two hours to await any response they may wish to send.

They are sent a simple message after 30 minutes. "Do what must be done. Keep up the good work. -- Gurdo"