Corco's Villa (IC)

[ericthered]

Even if they weren't following a particular trail, they probably could have picked it up from my frozen arm. While I can look like a lotta things, they'll probably catch the smell of seafood from outside of room

Is there only one path from my room to an exit? Maybe I could climb out the window, into another room (where the occupant is sleeping), and slip out of the inn while they're busy searching the first room. And if that's not an option, maybe just climb down and blend into the crowd.

Or, you know, the scent of blood. Either one.



Halcyone easily slips out of the window, and makes her way away from the inn. They can't follow her as fast as she can move... as long as she keeps moving.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Vassarious shifts their shape back once again to give pursuit!

As its quarry stops at a shop to purchase some fresh food, the air elemental ducks into an alley to transform and report. The time works out, the orc shadows his target, and finds another moment farther down the street to shift back.



The orc enters the back of a building attached to a granary. It looks somewhat official. The elemental flows in after him. Two orcs are there to greet him. They talk a little about their "movement"... about who will be there tonight. They talk about getting everyone together to figure out their next step. They want everyone present for the "unveiling".

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Or, you know, the scent of blood. Either one.

The blood probably doesn't smell like anything they're used to, in any case.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Halcyone easily slips out of the window, and makes her way away from the inn. They can't follow her as fast as she can move... as long as she keeps moving.

I probably can't run until scab over. And even if I could, I still need somewhere to rest.

Well, if they're looking for me by smell, the best place to hide is probably somewhere smelly. Or at least cut through somewhere smelly to make them lose the trail. This town have a sewer or a dump anywhere nearby? If so, let's slip inside and make them lose the smell trail. Yuck.

[45] 22-08-23 18:24:21 CEST
Urban Survival
3d6 <= 16
2 + 3 + 4 = 9 ... success
[46] 22-08-23 18:25:49 CEST
Stealth
3d6 <= 15
5 + 3 + 3 = 11 ... success

Sorry, I did this in Julian's dice log

[the_matrix_walker]

Vassarious listens to the initial greeting, and when it is apparent they're waiting for others, they will slip out to change forms back and forth again, just long enough to report this new location and group to Halcyone before returning to spy on the group.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

just long enough to report this new location and group to Halcyone before returning to spy on the group.

Right; assuming everything's in sequence, I'll inform Vassarious that the inn has been compromised and the Lizardmen can track by smell.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

The blood probably doesn't smell like anything they're used to, in any case.

I probably can't run until scab over. And even if I could, I still need somewhere to rest.

Well, if they're looking for me by smell, the best place to hide is probably somewhere smelly. Or at least cut through somewhere smelly to make them lose the trail. This town have a sewer or a dump anywhere nearby? If so, let's slip inside and make them lose the smell trail.

You're in luck, have two options. One is rolling in some conveniently available excrement. The other is going for a swim in the river the town is built around.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

You're in luck, have two options. One is rolling in some conveniently available excrement. The other is going for a swim in the river the town is built around.

Eh, the clothes will probably get dry faster than can clean the **** off them. I hope the next world I go to has good plumbing.

[498] 22-08-24 15:20:30 BST
Swimming
3d6 <= 13
1 + 1 + 2 = 4 ... success

Now let's hide in an alleyway and dry off while I continue to sort through the surveillance on the grand lodge.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Halcyone is in her room, watching the lodges and trying to find someone worried about the most recent event

I'm pretty sure I found at least two, but I'm not sure if they're the right kind of worried, am I?

HT for possible infection from the dip in the lake

[499] 22-08-24 15:23:38 BST
HT
3d6 <= 13
4 + 3 + 4 = 11 ... success

--

I suppose we're having a second meeting now.
"The inn's compromised, the lizards here can track by smell. I'm going to try to lose my trackers and dry off. I suppose you don't need any support on tracing your quarry? Any swarms needed?"

[ericthered]

Halcyone and Vassarious are slowly conversing through the gems, when the two of them each run across a clue.



Vasarious's group explicitly mention "The Stone Melder", as something they have access to.



Halcyone picks out two Orc Knight Shamans who are both concerned about the security of a specific obscured statue... but who aren't telling anyone else. One is a huge orc with a veritable mane of hair. The other is a small female orc with a large scar running from her chin up her cheek and through her ear.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Halcyone picks out two Orc Knight Shamans who are both concerned about the security of a specific obscured statue... but who aren't telling anyone else. One is a huge orc with a veritable mane of hair. The other is a small female orc with a large scar running from her chin up her cheek and through her ear.

Well, first things first. Let's assign a swarm to... Lion and Scarry.

"OK, so your mark is saying they have a stone melder as something they have on hand. I've got two Grand Order orcs on tape talking about how they're worried about one of the two foggy statues... I don't think it's a wild guess to say that they're related."

"Who do you think we should snatch and interrogate? One of the Grand Order people or one of your group? I'll go fetch my sleep minineedler... Probably should have done that before raiding the melder vault."

[the_matrix_walker]

"It would appear we have found the source of our pending disaster... It is likely this group releasing the slumbering melder that causes the trouble. Can you redirect a swarm of your bugs to keep tabs on this group so we can track them to their hidden prize before their unveiling? I will monitor them firsthand until your creatures arrive unless they depart to seek out their melder.

If these up-and-comers have any idea on how to compartmentalize their secrets, then unless we get a clear verification that one of these individuals has the information we need, the interrogation of the rebels will likely be fruitless. I doubt the Knight Shaman have any more information of use to us.

Am I getting ahead of myself and making too many assumptions?

Once we question someone, they will need to be converted or contained, which adds a level of complication."

What is our timetable until the time of the fulfillment of the prophecy?

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Halcyone picks out two Orc Knight Shamans who are both concerned about the security of a specific obscured statue...

Did they let slip which statue?

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"It would appear we have found the source of our pending disaster... It is likely this group releasing the slumbering melder that causes the trouble. Can you redirect a swarm of your bugs to keep tabs on this group so we can track them to their hidden prize before their unveiling?

"You got it."
I'll attach a swarm to the three in the group. That makes:
-> Lion
-> Scarry
-> Porglin
-> Granary #1
-> Granary #2
-> Nodding Knight
-> Porglin's House
-> 5 Lodges
-> 8 Free

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

If these up-and-comers have any idea on how to compartmentalize their secrets, then unless we get a clear verification that one of these individuals has the information we need, the interrogation of the rebels will likely be fruitless. I doubt the Knight Shaman have any more information of use to us.

Am I getting ahead of myself and making too many assumptions?[/COLOR]

"Fair point on the Knight Shamans, though I think it's a reasonable inference that at least one of the three who are talking about getting everyone together for an 'unveiling' know or know who knows where the melder's being kept. I'm not sure if we can just surveil our way to someone checking up on the (frozen?) melder."

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

What is our timetable until the time of the fulfillment of the prophecy?

Well we arrived during the day, and it's night now, so I'd guess about 36 hours.