On 1/15/2020 at 2:46 AM, Lynata said:

"Like a street vendor. No, the conspicuously well-dressed daughter of a street vendor, who has been tasked to do her father's business without time to change."

She fixated the other girl with a serious, lecturing look: "You haven't been lured into agreeing to some strange sale by one of the local merchants, have you? We can probably get your currency back if we go right away--"

21 hours ago, Servant of Dante said:

”Really, I was hoping the weird weapons would take attention from how much I don’t look like a noble’s granddaughter. I’m bringing this too though,” she reaches into a fold in the dress and draws the compact autopistol from its hidden holster.”

8 hours ago, Covered in Weasels said:

Balthazar went searching for a new weapon to complete his disguise. As much as it pained him to leave his ceremonial warhammer at the villa, it was simply too conspicuous to carry on their next assignment. While perusing the market stalls and storefronts of the hive, he happened across the estate sale of a deceased minor noble. Among the antique furniture and paintings was a fine broadsword with an ornate gilded crossguard in the shape of an aquila. The weapon had apparently been intended as a duelling piece for the noble, but as its late owner had no further use for it Balthazar was able to acquire it for a very reasonable price.

After the final preparations have been completed for your associated disguises Inellia gathers you all once again in the meeting room.

Putting aside a data-slate she looks over your disguises with neither approval or lack there of and opens with, "No, you have your identities, your cover, and your disguises. What have you determined to be your plan of approach to this situation at the Alms House?"

((We'll pad this out on the discord before posting it here, but I'd like to know the plan of approach for the sake of prep lol.))

On 1/15/2020 at 3:13 PM, Servant of Dante said:

But I’d been looking for days! I had this first one I found in the armoury here and I just couldn’t get the idea out of my head that it’d be much better to carry more of them.

Ariel scoffs. "Too bad you do not have six arms as well, lest you might have this bundle of fireworks at least shoot as fast like a proper gun, if not as true." The words might seem harsh to outsiders, but both novices had practically grown up teasing one another in a rare form of kinship that, by virtue of the fate the Emperor had chosen for them, lasted beyond their Schola years. "I shall pray one of them shan't explode in your hand."

On 1/16/2020 at 4:32 PM, ThenDoctor said:

((We'll pad this out on the discord before posting it here, but I'd like to know the plan of approach for the sake of prep lol.))

((Fine with me! I just had to add something given this kind of opening ))

On 1/15/2020 at 10:13 AM, Servant of Dante said:

On 1/15/2020 at 11:34 PM, Covered in Weasels said:

On 1/17/2020 at 9:53 PM, Lynata said:

((After having explained their plans to Inellia - through Discord))

She nods after the discussion of the group concludes their discussions, "So, Estilia will take a position in order to scope out the Alms House in order to get an understanding of the coming and going to the location for a few days, while Balthazar and Ariel will make general inquiries to the populace around the location to learn a bit more about the impact the house has had in the general area, eventually leading to the trio going to the alms house itself and making contact with those inside. Once inside the greater part of your cover identities will be used in the hopes of at least learning a bit more of what the House actually does...along with whatever else they don't want known to the public, if anything. Hopefully learning where Rosalind Novianna is, theoretically at the Alms House, and what the connection of the blue handkerchief is to the overall situation of the cult. Am I correct?"

Estelia nods, “that sounds fine to me, Sister, as long as we can avoid getting caught doing the initial scouting.”

14 minutes ago, Servant of Dante said:

Estelia nods, “that sounds fine to me, Sister, as long as we can avoid getting caught doing the initial scouting.”

She inclines her head slightly, "The goal of any plan that doesn't involve a pyre I suppose."

"An excellent plan if I do say so myself. Emperor willing, this should provide us some promising results. "

On 1/17/2020 at 9:53 PM, Lynata said:

Ariel scoffs. "Too bad you do not have six arms as well, lest you might have this bundle of fireworks at least shoot as fast like a proper gun, if not as true." The words might seem harsh to outsiders, but both novices had practically grown up teasing one another in a rare form of kinship that, by virtue of the fate the Emperor had chosen for them, lasted beyond their Schola years. "I shall pray one of them shan't explode in your hand."

((Fine with me! I just had to add something given this kind of opening ))

On 1/30/2020 at 8:49 AM, Servant of Dante said:

Estelia nods, “that sounds fine to me, Sister, as long as we can avoid getting caught doing the initial scouting.”

7 hours ago, Covered in Weasels said:

"An excellent plan if I do say so myself. Emperor willing, this should provide us some promising results. "

Inellia nods, "His will be done." She motions with her hand, dismissing you, "Well, now's as good a time to begin as anything. I've taken the liberty of acquiring an autocarridge transport of the proper quality for such traveling under your cover that will be a competent masquerade for Ariel and Balthazar. For now, at least for the week, its services have been sequestered for the "traveling nobles". Longer than that, and you'll have to find other means of staying in the area if it's your will. For Estellia, of course you may travel with them initially, or you may find other means of travel to the mid levels for cover while scoping out the area."

Estelia shifts from foot to foot, nervous at the idea of traveling alone, “It might be a good idea to find another way up, though I might just get myself lost. I wouldn’t want to just be seen before I even got there to snoop around.”

Casting a sideways glance, Ariel studied the other novice critically. "We could always switch places, Lia. Of the two of us, you may be better equipped to deal with the locals. Remember the platform?", she seemed to reference the trio's trip on the lift after their arrival on this world. You blab all the time , is how she might have put it another way if the situation were less serious and allowed for some of their usual teasing.

"I'm the better climber, anyways", she still added matter-of-factly as she directed her head back to the front, eyes closed, as if to make up for the other's lack of confidence.

((Balthazar doesn't actually have anything else to af at this point, that seems like a good place for a scene transition.))

On 2/10/2020 at 7:16 AM, Servant of Dante said:

Estelia shifts from foot to foot, nervous at the idea of traveling alone, “It might be a good idea to find another way up, though I might just get myself lost. I wouldn’t want to just be seen before I even got there to snoop around.”

On 2/10/2020 at 10:25 PM, Lynata said:

"I'm the better climber, anyways", she still added matter-of-factly as she directed her head back to the front, eyes closed, as if to make up for the other's lack of confidence.

7 hours ago, Covered in Weasels said:

((Balthazar doesn't actually have anything else to af at this point, that seems like a good place for a scene transition.))

Inellia nods understandingly, "That is true, the lack of familiarity of anyone to a new world can be difficult to navigate at the best of times. Getting lost on such an important assignment would only lead to inconvenience at best, and at worst falling into the hands of the enemy...No, it might be best for you to take the ride with Ariel and Balthazar, and then sneak off closer to the Alms house. Though, you should go regardless, sooner than later. You'll have to figure out if you wish to come back to the Villa or find lodging there later on however, I leave that decision to you."

She dismisses you with the sign of the Aquila.

___

The Autocarriage in question is much like the very porminent ones you saw on the way to Port Gyre itself, better than the one that you used initially at least. The Cyber-equine used in the autocarriage has been well groomed and maintained, and the quality of the seating is certainly the comfiest you've likely experienced as well. It even recycles and cools the air within the carriage during the trail.

The windows remain tinted during the trip, allowing the nobles occupying the carriage to not have to sully their eyes with the eyesore that Desoleum can be, so the majority of your trip is with yourselves, while the soft shaking of the carriage on it's shock system only moves slightly with the roads of the hive as you travel from the Apex to the Mid-Section.

((So I figured at least a round of dialogue exchange, or more, on the trip.))

Estelia turns to Ariel as they travel “If you would rather do the sneaking, you can, I just assumed I’d be better at not getting seen.”

Having assumed she would be doing the stealth part of this mission, Estelia is wearing just her body glove, hoping the black would blend in better.

”As for talking to people, we don’t want to pose as the nobles we will be posing as when we come here later, right? That might be suspicious. I guess we can be no one in particular and just ask around among the people leaving the premises.”

A corner of Ariel's mouth curled upwards, forming a slight smirk at the other novice's words. "Confident as always, Lia. But as I recall, you always did have an aptitude for being hard to find when Sister Galene took notice of your little exploits."

Her own bodyglove was largely concealed beneath the ragged duster she'd been wearing as part of her guise as Balthazar's escort. Given the subdued nature of their inquiry, she had left the large shotgun as well as her newly acquired plasma back in the mansion, trusting instead in the less powerful, but also considerably less noticeable presence of the laspistol and dagger, the latter sheathed in the inside of her right boot, the former holstered beneath the cover of her cloak.

"Well, I shall keep in the back and trust in the Father's ability to sway the populace", she announced, fully aware that her brooding, often frosty disposition gave her the opposite effect of Estelia's charisma. "I do not foresee much trouble out in the open ... but in a place like this, you never know. It makes you wonder why they do not simply raze the place and build it anew from the ground up." Her words spoke the innocent wisdom of a sheltered upbringing behind convent walls.

On 2/21/2020 at 10:26 AM, Servant of Dante said:

”As for talking to people, we don’t want to pose as the nobles we will be posing as when we come here later, right? That might be suspicious. I guess we can be no one in particular and just ask around among the people leaving the premises.”

On 2/22/2020 at 10:16 PM, Lynata said:

"Well, I shall keep in the back and trust in the Father's ability to sway the populace", she announced, fully aware that her brooding, often frosty disposition gave her the opposite effect of Estelia's charisma. "I do not foresee much trouble out in the open ... but in a place like this, you never know. It makes you wonder why they do not simply raze the place and build it anew from the ground up." Her words spoke the innocent wisdom of a sheltered upbringing behind convent walls.

On 2/19/2020 at 7:02 AM, Covered in Weasels said:

The auto-carriage arrives a ways down the street from the alms house (rather than right in front of it to not cause a stir), and you seem a seemingly different sort of lot from what you've previously experienced. The hustle and bustle of various peoples in the Port aren't here, many look very similar to eachother. Simple factory workers and the like that you noticed on the elevator ride between hive levels previously. There is some "rif-raff" however on the sides of the street, it's hard to escape scum in a Hive city outside of the High Levels of course.

People do take a general note of the arrival of the carriage but quickly get back to whatever they were doing instead of scoping out potential targets, sizing up equals, or standing in awe of the finer things of imperial technology.

You can smell faintly down the street sweet-meat vendors, but not the dangerous sort of "meat" that you may fear the origin of, it does actually smell like Grox even if it's not exactly prime quality, and the smell of human refuse is lessened in this part of the mid-hives as well. You may note a small patrol, three, of Enforcers walking through the street, but they don't beat anyone out of their way like you may have noted in the lower areas. People merely move aside knowing their place. While no street preacher is around you do not a somewhat functioning laud hailer calling out broken Imperial catechisms and hymnals.

In relation to your mission, you not mainly the two following things:

- The Alms house looks unassuming enough. A simple fabricated building with what appears to be portions of it reconstructed to a semblance that doesn't seem to be about to fall apart. You see the poor and downtrodden sitting around outside, but at the moment no workers from the house (that you can tell) are outside assisting them. You note that there seems to be some form of heat and burning going on as there is smoke coming out of the top of the building. Not in an on fire way, but rather, a fireplace or cooking equipment way. The building itself is nestled between hab units of middling size, but notably they are not connected to the alms house. Some of this repair seems to have disassociated the house with the other habs around it. As for sneaking in/around it, that's another issue.

- The area around the House is a series of hab units, they do have windows, or holes in them for various viewing ports, also across the street division are more habs that one could feasibly enter in to as well and view the alms house from, it's a matter of reaching where you'd like to go and then getting a veiw-point that you'd find useful to scoping things out. Alternatively there are of course alleyways in multiple places you could lay low in and simply sit for the day, it depends on how you want to be seen. Getting out of the auto-carriage unnoticed is one thing obviously.

((Various Tests and Modifiers:

Athletics (+20) - Lots of places to grab on to

Awareness (+0) - It's a specific area you're scoping out

Charm (+10/+0) - Depends on who's talking

Common Lore (-20) - It's a specific section of the hab

Deceive (+10/+0) - No one has a reason to not believe you, depends on circumstance

Inquiry (+10/+0) - Depends on circumstance, could be increased with bribe

Intimidate (+0) - Depends on circumstances

Scrutiny (+0) - You don't inherently know anyone here or their tells

Security (+10/+0) - Depends on circumstances and just what you're breaking into, may decrease

Sleight of Hand (+20/+10/+0) - Depends on what you're trying to lift

Stealth (+20) - There's a lot of circumstantial stuff going on to help with Stealth currently))

Leaning back from the window she'd been looking out of, Ariel nods to her compatriots. "It appears we have arrived. Are we ... just going to get out? I'm not quite sure how to proceed."

Her eyes soon focus on the preacher she had already identified as the most skilled person to talk information out of the dwellers of this city sector: "I'm not sure of how much help I can be, Father, but if you have any ideas, I am at your disposal."

“I’m going to take a look around I think.”

Taking Ariel’s (backhanded) complement as a go ahead, Estelia slips out of the auto carriage when no one seems to be watching and slinks into an alleyway.

((Stealth: 45 Ag + 10 skill + 20 difficulty = 75, roll 46 (in discord) for 4DoS))

The Novice slinks around to the side of a building adjacent to the House and attempts to climb up to the roof for a better view.

((I’m feeling bad about not having posted Faster, but I’m not sure if I can use Acrobatics rather than Athletics so I will roll both and let Doc decide which result to heed.))

((Athletics: 30S + 0Skill + 20Difficulty = 50, roll 69 for 2DoF, FP reroll for 19, 5DoS))

((Acrobatics: 45Ag + 30Skill + ?Difficulty = 75 perhaps, roll 76 for 1DoF adjusted by Difficulty, if Difficulty is Challenging or higher, FP reroll, otherwise it’s a success (2DoS). Reroll for 53 for 3DoS, adjusted by Difficulty (again this reroll only matters if difficulty is +0 or harder)))

Estelia makes her way to the top of the building and scans the House and its immediate surroundings, keeping a low profile as she does so.

((Awareness: 20Per + 0Skill + 0 Difficulty = 20, roll 58 for 4DoF))

”Throne blight it, you never think things through do you Estelia?” she whispered annoyedly, not seeing anything of interest from her current perspective, “at least I didn’t fall . . . “

On 3/6/2020 at 8:58 PM, Servant of Dante said:

“I’m going to take a look around I think.”

Taking Ariel’s (backhanded) complement as a go ahead, Estelia slips out of the auto carriage when no one seems to be watching and slinks into an alleyway.

((Stealth: 45 Ag + 10 skill + 20 difficulty = 75, roll 46 (in discord) for 4DoS))

The Novice slinks around to the side of a building adjacent to the House and attempts to climb up to the roof for a better view.

((I’m feeling bad about not having posted Faster, but I’m not sure if I can use Acrobatics rather than Athletics so I will roll both and let Doc decide which result to heed.))

((Athletics: 30S + 0Skill + 20Difficulty = 50, roll 69 for 2DoF, FP reroll for 19, 5DoS))

((Acrobatics: 45Ag + 30Skill + ?Difficulty = 75 perhaps, roll 76 for 1DoF adjusted by Difficulty, if Difficulty is Challenging or higher, FP reroll, otherwise it’s a success (2DoS). Reroll for 53 for 3DoS, adjusted by Difficulty (again this reroll only matters if difficulty is +0 or harder)))

Estelia makes her way to the top of the building and scans the House and its immediate surroundings, keeping a low profile as she does so.

((Awareness: 20Per + 0Skill + 0 Difficulty = 20, roll 58 for 4DoF))

”Throne blight it, you never think things through do you Estelia?” she whispered annoyedly, not seeing anything of interest from her current perspective, “at least I didn’t fall . . . “

While Estelia doesn't notice anything related to the Almshouse other than what you've seen from the carriage you do note that generally speaking, at this time, there's basically no new traffic going in to the house. Nor is there anyone coming out of the house. What that may mean is pretty relative to its surroundings, it could be a shift change of some sort.

At this area in particular, you do note that there's essentially no Scum activity in the alleyways near the Almshouse itself either for whatever reason, they seem to be staying away from the area.

You could attempt to re position yourself, but you know it'd likely require actually getting in to a different place (with security or maybe even Tech-Use).

On 2/19/2020 at 7:02 AM, Covered in Weasels said:

((Balthazar doesn't actually have anything else to af at this point, that seems like a good place for a scene transition.))

((Balthazar posted his intent on the Discord:

So Balthazar's going to make some social skill rolls like Inquiry to poke around and see what he can learn. His recommendation for Estelia is to keep an eye out for anything suspicious (I don't remember her skills but I imagine she's better at this that Balthazar)))

You note that most in the mid hives here stay a respectful distance away from what they perceive as nobility. As with the auto-carriage they take a look and then get on with their business. Most give pleasentries to your inquiries as they do have places to be (day-jobs), so the ones that you can talk with are either the vendors on this street, or those milling about the alms house itself.

Out of the sheer physical presence of being there you do note what the Alms house is called "Mother's Embrace Almshouse".

((If you talk with the vendor or the scum it's +0 but if you talk with those milling around the house it's +10))

On 3/3/2020 at 10:31 PM, Lynata said:

Leaning back from the window she'd been looking out of, Ariel nods to her compatriots. "It appears we have arrived. Are we ... just going to get out? I'm not quite sure how to proceed."

Her eyes soon focus on the preacher she had already identified as the most skilled person to talk information out of the dwellers of this city sector: "I'm not sure of how much help I can be, Father, but if you have any ideas, I am at your disposal."

((As listed Awareness is +0))

Even from a general looking around, past the things you already note from the carriage arriving, you can tell that life here is (relatively) better than anything anyone in even the lower-mid hive experiences. People here don't seem so...I suspect Ariel would describe them as depraved, or faithless, they merely seem focused on getting their giving duties completed. The Scum at least seem to be keeping to the back alleys for their own observations.

You even note some of the people walking past the almshouse making the sign of the acquila as they pass.

Estelia decides to stay where she is for the moment, she isn't confident in her ability to force her way into anywhere else. Settling in on the rooftop and trying to keep her profile low to avoid being seen, she continues to watch the Alms House, waiting for any update from the Father or Ariel.

After a few minutes, the novices grows in frustration, resolving to make her way elsewhere. She tries to force her way into the building from the rooftop to find a better vantage point.

((Security: 30 Int - 20 Untrained = 10, Roll: 39 for 3DoF))

She realizes too late she has no idea what she's doing trying to pick a lock.

For the moment, Ariel merely keeps her eyes open as she accompanies the priest, inspecting the hivesfolk going about their business. The still-strange environs and the busy way the people move about, however, make it difficult for her to spot anything out of the ordinary, perhaps chiefly because the novice is still struggling with what 'ordinary' would actually mean for a place like this.

((Awareness Test result: 89))

Balthazar approaches the alms house. He mingles with the crowd, occasionally asking questions of passerby to get a general idea of what's going on. He puts on the affectation of a mildly interested noble, trying to appear as throughly unremarkable as possible.

((Rolling Inquiry at +10, target number 68. Rolled a 31 for 4 DoS.))

10 hours ago, Covered in Weasels said:

Balthazar approaches the alms house. He mingles with the crowd, occasionally asking questions of passerby to get a general idea of what's going on. He puts on the affectation of a mildly interested noble, trying to appear as throughly unremarkable as possible.

((Rolling Inquiry at +10, target number 68. Rolled a 31 for 4 DoS.))

There are two "dregs" milling around the outside of the alms house (Tandy (f) and Skive (m)) who give you a general set of answers about what they're at the alms house for which amounts to ((I'm presenting this like any other Inquiry table with multiple successes having different entries)):

One:

"The alms house is the only place we can go that we don't get thrown out of. They take care of us, feed us, give us a place to rest. They even let some of us stay on to help out the others if we show enough faith."

Two:

"Strange sometimes, don't like using formal names. Always brother this sister that. Never met a mother or father though. Last one that asked got a mean as **** look for the question like it was an insult to be saying the word or something."

Three +:

"Never been to their more private faith meeting, those that go get on the boat real fast. I think it's just 'cause they're actually making a bit of something of themselves. They're supposed to have a...I guess outreaching program lower in the hive. I ain't going lower unless the Enforcers kick me down there, so I can't help you there."

((You may feel free to follow up with more questions as you please))

On 3/18/2020 at 12:46 AM, Lynata said:

For the moment, Ariel merely keeps her eyes open as she accompanies the priest, inspecting the hivesfolk going about their business. The still-strange environs and the busy way the people move about, however, make it difficult for her to spot anything out of the ordinary, perhaps chiefly because the novice is still struggling with what 'ordinary' would actually mean for a place like this.

((Awareness Test result: 89))

Life in the mid hive is just as varied from you as you can tell that the higher levels and even the port vary. Each are a land unto their own, whereas on a shrine world there are pilgrims and priests and even they can look similar at times. Here you note that there is no natural light, much like in the area of the villa, but here there are not natural sun lamps, merely industrial street lights that likely have times of service...provided the machine spirits are awake as a few are asleep. Though you do note an adept seemingly coaxing one back into dutiful service down the street.

Even from here on the outside of the alms house you note none of those milling around have the particularly blue handkerchiefs of note. Not Tandy or Skive, though their connection to eachother you aren't inherently sure about either.

On 3/17/2020 at 9:21 AM, Servant of Dante said:

After a few minutes, the novices grows in frustration, resolving to make her way elsewhere. She tries to force her way into the building from the rooftop to find a better vantage point.

((Security: 30 Int - 20 Untrained = 10, Roll: 39 for 3DoF))

She realizes too late she has no idea what she's doing trying to pick a lock.

It would appear not for lack of skill that Estellia cannot get into the building, but for lack of care to the workings of the lock or the door mechanisms that are keeping it shut.

((You may attempt another test to try to open it (Strength +10))

You do note that the areas surrounding the alms house don't seem to be overly run down, a run of the mill mid-hive worker house for the various manufactorums that suffuse Desoleum Prime. Scum must seem to stick around the street level, or at least the alleyways.

((forgot to roll for Faith in the Creed before when I spent a FP. Roll: 1, FP regained lol))

"Throne!" Estelia curses under her breath as the door refuses to open for her. Trying something a bit more direct, she steps back and attempts to force it open (all while trying to stay quiet to avoid notice)

((S + 10 = 40, Roll: 55 for 2 DoF; FP re-roll: 58 for 2 DoF again. Rolling for Faith in the Creed to see if I get the FP back, Roll: 1, holy crap I got the FP back again so I still have all 3 of my FP available))

Estelia is unable to brute force the door open, perhaps unsurprising given her small stature. Perhaps she would have to look for another way around. She looks to nearby rooftops to see if she might be able to traverse across them to a better vantage point.

Failing to spot anything out of the ordinary on her own, Ariel turns her attention to the questioned hivers, listening to the conversation Father Thorne had involved them in. For the most part, their answers seemed what one might expect, too. From her own familiarity with the Sisterhood's titles and conventions, she knew that a title like Father or Mother would most likely be reserved to a single leader.

"On the boat?", the Sororitas asked in naive lack of familiarity with hive slang. "Do you mean a voidship, or is there a sea in the levels further down?"

((Rolling Inquiry, -20 Untrained for TN 10 -- Result 71, 8 DoF))

On 3/28/2020 at 11:01 PM, Servant of Dante said:

Estelia is unable to brute force the door open, perhaps unsurprising given her small stature. Perhaps she would have to look for another way around. She looks to nearby rooftops to see if she might be able to traverse across them to a better vantage point.

((Sure at this point, give me an Awareness +0 given enough circumstances have changed))

While this roof is simply facing the front of the Alms house, there are roofed areas all around, that or more decripit buildings, fire escapes, or even possibly an empty hab unit that may be occupied with differing views of the house.

On 4/1/2020 at 5:18 AM, Lynata said:

"On the boat?", the Sororitas asked in naive lack of familiarity with hive slang. "Do you mean a voidship, or is there a sea in the levels further down?"

((Rolling Inquiry, -20 Untrained for TN 10 -- Result 71, 8 DoF))

Ariel gets an incredibly confused look from the two of the scum, as if she were less intelligent than the two of them individually.

"Throne are you on about? Ain't anything at Gyre." says Skive

"Don't know about the slum sea to be fair." offers Tandy

They both take a read of you to try and figure out just where that came from, but shrug it off to your theoretical privilege in the situation.

Estelia makes her way quietly to partway down the fire escape of a building to the left side of the alms house (left when looking at its front entrance). She squints her eyes, trying to pick out any details she missed or any suspicious activity that wasn't visible to her before.

((Awareness: 20 Per + 0 Known + 0 Difficulty = 20; Roll:48 for 3 DoF Faith PFint reroll: 68 for 5 DoF so it just made it worse. Faith in the Creed: 8, so Estelia is down to 1 FP))