(IC) Lost in Dreams (Julian)

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Its a little cubby-hole in a passage. So people walk by the nook every 5 minutes to an hour, depending on the time of day.

Yeah that's too often. I'll wait until the hole is bigger.

Originally Posted by ericthered

(I didn't charge you for the chalk... but I can see one small piece being provided complementary with the vasic stone)

Well I guess that's the next thing on the list. I wonder if they sell chalk monopolies to raise funds

--

I eat the overcooked rice and write another diary entry. Then I guess it's time to sleep

[ericthered]

Julian sleeps, dreaming of Reslin and Togar camping around a fire, scowling at each other in silence.

Brog is there in the morning.

"We need a better place to hide your stuff. Especially if you have a vasic stone. I'll help you register your stone with the Kapatas."

The Kapatas is scowling at Julian and teaching him a new word that he thinks translates to "reliability" when two soldiers come into the mine looking for Julian: "We need his eyes."

To Julian: "The Shuzu thinks we caught Tarbreth. We need you to confirm it, and possibly to help break him. You'll be rewarded for your time."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Julian sleeps, dreaming of Reslin and Togar camping around a fire, scowling at each other in silence.

I guess they lost their Vasic? Or maybe they figure the centipede doesn't like fire?

Originally Posted by ericthered

Brog is there in the morning.

"We need a better place to hide your stuff."

"Your place?", I suggest

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Especially if you have a vasic stone. I'll help you register your stone with the Kapatas."

"Register? What does that mean? Will I have to pay a fine if I don't register it?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

The Kapatas is scowling at Julian and teaching him a new word that he thinks translates to "reliability"

This feels pretty familiar despite not understanding about half of what he saying. I always end up screwing up and ruining good things. Anything I say will probably sound like excuses, so maybe I could try explaining after the shift.

Originally Posted by ericthered

when two soldiers come into the mine looking for Julian: "We need his eyes."

To Julian: "The Shuzu thinks we caught Tarbreth. We need you to confirm it, and possibly to help break him. You'll be rewarded for your time."

I say to the Kapatas, "I'm very sorry, it looks like I won't have [reliability] again today."

Surely the Kapatas isn't the kind of guy to argue with soldiers. Once we get underway, I'll ask about the soldiers who were following me around yesterday.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I guess they lost their Vasic? Or maybe they figure the centipede doesn't like fire?

Who knows?

"Your place?", I suggest

Brog: "I suppose I could do that..."

"Register? What does that mean? Will I have to pay a fine if I don't register it?"

Brog: "No, so they know you get to keep your stone and take it home. They check us for stones when we leave right? But you show them your stone when you come, and you can leave with it too."

I say to the Kapatas, "I'm very sorry, it looks like I won't have [reliability] again today."

Surely the Kapatas isn't the kind of guy to argue with soldiers. Once we get underway, I'll ask about the soldiers who were following me around yesterday.

He isn't the type to argue with soldiers, but he still has one more thing to say:

"If you want pay, you need to work!"

"I don't know anything about following you" the soldier says. "You can ask Shuzu Lorek".

When he gets to Lorek's building, he is lead into a room with Shuzu Lorek and Tarbreth. Tarbreth is chained to a chair.

Tarbreth: "I don't know this kid! I've never touched him! he's just trying to rip you off!"

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Who knows?

Probably Reslin or Togar, not that Julian expects an answer

Originally Posted by ericthered

Brog: "I suppose I could do that..."

"Sounds good to me."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Brog: "No, so they know you get to keep your stone and take it home. They check us for stones when we leave right? But you show them your stone when you come, and you can leave with it too."

"Oh, so it would be OK to swap a darkened stone for a lit one in the tunnels?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

He isn't the type to argue with soldiers, but he still has one more thing to say:

"If you want pay, you need to work!"

I nod in agreement. Seems like a firm but fair kinda guy.

Originally Posted by ericthered

"I don't know anything about following you" the soldier says. "You can ask Shuzu Lorek".

I'll wait until after the interrogation to ask him about that.

Originally Posted by ericthered

When he gets to Lorek's building, he is lead into a room with Shuzu Lorek and Tarbreth. Tarbreth is chained to a chair.

Tarbreth: "I don't know this kid! I've never touched him! he's just trying to rip you off!"

"I suppose playing dumb comes naturally to someone as stupid as you, Tarbreth"

I guess whatever Julian rolls is complementary to Lorek's Interrogation roll?

"I mean, I'm only starting out spying on people, but this was just pathetic. Getting a good look at you and the bearded man, finding and destroying your cache of spears... Too easy."

"And getting you to capture me... Did you think I went along with you because I was afraid? Of you?" I steady my hand before it betrays my false confidence, "Don't make me laugh. It was all part of the plan. Make you give up more of your operation, get a couple of your men killed... All for nothing in the end."

"At this point, I suppose you could keep your mouth shut, and face some nasty fate... Or you could try to cut a deal and save your skin. Up to you."

I went with Fast-Talk; Julian's just stitching facts together after all. If Acting would work instead that'd basically be a +1 to the skill. It's a pretty clear success, so I guess it doesn't matter.

[125] 23-02-04 21:56:07 CET
Fast-Talk
3d6 <= 12
1 + 3 + 4 = 8 ... success

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Sounds good to me."

"I can do that."

"Oh, so it would be OK to swap a darkened stone for a lit one in the tunnels?"

"If no-one notices you, yes. Some people do that when their stones are chipped. Its against the rules, but they can't stop you unless someone sees you do it."

"I suppose playing dumb comes naturally to someone as stupid as you, Tarbreth"

"My name is Kilan".

I guess whatever Julian rolls is complementary to Lorek's Interrogation roll?

If that's the way you want to play it.

"I mean, I'm only starting out spying on people, but this was just pathetic. Getting a good look at you and the bearded man, finding and destroying your cache of spears... Too easy."

"An easy story to tell. You have the wrong man. He's tricking you! I bet he's one of them."

"Don't make me laugh. It was all part of the plan. Make you give up more of your operation, get a couple of your men killed... All for nothing in the end."

He hesitates, for just a moment, and then says "He's lying for your money."


Lorek: "Oh, you wanted to know about your men, didn't you? You still don't know how the kid got back. I'm going to take that as confirmation. We'll get the truth out of you eventually. And we'll find the rest of your men."



Lorek to a guard: "Go get him his money. We've confirmed what we need. And get me some heat vasic stones."



As Julian leaves, Tarbreth glowers at him.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"I can do that."

Well let's do that.

Originally Posted by ericthered

"If no-one notices you, yes. Some people do that when their stones are chipped. Its against the rules, but they can't stop you unless someone sees you do it."

"Damage to the stone would be a problem, wouldn't it..."

Originally Posted by ericthered

He hesitates, for just a moment, and then says "He's lying for your money."

Lorek: "Oh, you wanted to know about your men, didn't you? You still don't know how the kid got back. I'm going to take that as confirmation. We'll get the truth out of you eventually. And we'll find the rest of your men."

I breathe slightly easier; hopefully without Tarbreth the rest of the soldiers are headless chickens.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Lorek to a guard: "Go get him his money. We've confirmed what we need. And get me some heat vasic stones."

I rather not stay to watch Lorek torch Tarbreth, but I stay around to ask: "After I left yesterday, a few guards followed me back. Would you know anything about that?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

As Julian leaves, Tarbreth glowers at him.

Well let's collect my money and get out of there before they start burning Tarbreth. Then maybe I can get back to the mine and offer to work (half?) a shift free to smooth things over with the Kapatas.

--

I worry about being followed on my walk back; the guys guarding Bumundo aren't really any better than the ones who wanted to take it, are they... If they know figure out about me, then I'm finished...

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Damage to the stone would be a problem, wouldn't it..."

"Yeah, they break after a while".

I rather not stay to watch Lorek torch Tarbreth, but I stay around to ask: "After I left yesterday, a few guards followed me back. Would you know anything about that?"

"ask the man giving you the money." He glances at Tarbreth.

Well let's collect my money and get out of there before they start burning Tarbreth. Then maybe I can get back to the mine and offer to work (half?) a shift free to smooth things over with the Kapatas.

Julian gets 200L in payment.


The man giving the money explains the following: "We want to verify your story, of course. The obvious out for anyone you tell us about is for them to claim that you are lying or up to some other plot."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Yeah, they break after a while".

I glance at my hand. I wonder if I'll break after a while. Well, before I die.

Originally Posted by ericthered

"ask the man giving you the money." He glances at Tarbreth.

The man giving the money explains the following: "We want to verify your story, of course. The obvious out for anyone you tell us about is for them to claim that you are lying or up to some other plot."

"I see."

I wonder if the guards reported a problem.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Julian gets 200L in payment.

Well this is an awful lot of money. "Is there somewhere I can store this?" I try to communicate the idea of a bank.

If there isn't or not for this much money, then I guess I'll spend the rest of the day looking for somewhere to hide all this money like I'm a pirate or something.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

If there isn't or not for this much money, then I guess I'll spend the rest of the day looking for somewhere to hide all this money like I'm a pirate or something.

The obvious place is somewhere in the vegetation outside of town: the question is how far out of town? or is it best hidden inside of his little cubbyhole?