The reedy little psyker looks positively terrified as the arbite starts shouting and, with the speed of conditioned obedience and fright, darts towards the staircase, staff and laspistol held high above his head in what may be the most inefficient serious rendition of storming the castle ever seen.

Caradoc drops through the cellar door and appraises the situation. Sensing no immediate threat from the servant, he begins to examine the barrels of wine. "Quite a collection," he observes, "if only we were here on social business rather than the orders of the... Arbites."

The servants eyes widen as he immediately holds his hands over his head and let's the hover trolly float away until it bumps harmlessly into a barrel. He appears frightened, but also very cooperative.

"Whoa! If you're here about the smuggling, I don't have anything to do with it!"

------------------------

This dude rolled 2 DoF on his portion of the intimidate check...

Mhos frowned slightly at seeing the trolley being thoughtlessly thrown into the barrel by the organic. Perhaps he was over exaggerating he was particularly defensive for technology of any sort.

The arbite seemed to have the matter in hand, and speaking with fully organic humans never seemed to end well for members of the Mechanicus. He'd allow the arbite to do what it seemed they were best at, getting people to confess to nearly every crime the Imperium had to offer.

And that is exactly what I will do

----

I constrain this pity excuse of an good imperial citizen and drag him in a corner.

"So you know exactly, what is going on here! If you confess now and in a way that I believe you, I maybe and only maybe, if your answers satisfy me, spare you from a hard sentence!" I glare in his eyes as I wanted to read his mind. "What do you know about the smuggling operations of your master!"

----

I want to interrogate him, about the smuggling operations, especially if they smuggle with xeno artifacts like the one we know. I want to question him about his master and his co-conspirators, too.

Interrogation (WP), WP 32, rolled 22, exactly 1 dos for now.

+20 on that (or two more DoS, basically) because he is terrified of you.

"I don't really know much about it; I'm just the chef. But I do know that Lans' bodyguard handles exchanges for objects of some kind. Lans keeps these things stashed in some kind of museum on the top floor."

------------------

I'm going to start handing out experience on a weekly basis now. Everybody gets 400 for playing and 100 for roleplaying. 500xp in total.

I guess I do not think he would lie to me. I ease up a little from him.

"How many more persons are in this building and when do you expect your master to be back?"

Scab continues running up the stairs, then pauses midway and raises a finger. He slowly turns around, notices he's essentially storming the castle alone and loiters on the steps, keeping an eye on both the conversation and what may be ahead in a fidgety manner.

Turning away from the barrels, Caradoc strolls ever leisurely toward the stairs and nods his encouragement to Scab.

"When you're finished extracting information Ferro, maybe the chef would be willing to show us the room on the top floor where the contraband is being kept."

-----

So we get 500 xp now? I won't complain, but I certainly feel spoiled by all of this xp.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5x2btpazpk0npym/Caradoc1.pdf?dl=0

((Yeah, I feel like every two weeks might be better in terms of staggering. Maybe even 3 weeks.))

Seeing that the arbite has the situation in hand Mhos looks over the cellar again wondering how his mechandrite missed the chef to begin with. Hoping the cart's damage was only superficial he also goes to the stairs wanting to inspect the mansion fully for possible heresies.

I agree. It is a kind gesture to keep us hooked, but I think it is not necessary. We play this out of fun not for the xp or at least I do.^^

I would not deal out XP on a time based basis, as you are seemingly not online once in a while for some days and then there would be XP awards and nothing has happened at all.^^

I might suggest to simply award XP, after a location is finished? E.g. when we have searched the estate and want to leave and then not so much XP...You can boost the XP distribution in special events maybe...so there would be character progess despite the slow moving story, but our characters would not outrun the story and the equipment^^

But I take the 500 XP and put them to good use on my toughness

((That seems like a more sound idea.))

Yeah we can try that out. My main concern is giving you guys xp without turning you into gods by the end of the adventure, lol.

((Exactly, so a small amount say 100-200 at the end of each "setpiece" should suffice. Leave it up to you to decide what encompasses a scene. If the adventures are divided into parts that might work better.))

((Don't worry about it, really. If I wanted quick gratification, I'd log on to Call of Duty for ten minutes ))

"There's about 10 servants in total, including me. Lans and his guard will be back any moment now. Last I heard they weren't going anywhere important today."

-------------------------------

So apparently I never actually posted my reply the other day. Oops

"That is not what I wanted to hear. Do you have access to his museum at the top floor?"

I wait for his response, then I turn worried to my companions. "What is our plan? Shall we try to seize evidence on the top floor first or ambush Lans and his guard when the enter the mansion and interrogate the heretics?"

-----

What's up? Did you wait for me?^^

I had trouble with my internet provieder ;P

"Truthfully, this battleplan is dependent upon whether these servants are willing to defend their master or not. If they are lax like this one here then I believe ambush is the best idea, but if they will defend themselves and their master then we should likely gather evidence first to prevent their ability to possibly use any items against us."

"I do not have access to that realm of the mansion: My clearance is for the wine cellar, kitchen, and pantries. If you want to go to those places you can have my key, but said key won't take you much farther than the first floor". The chef doesn't really have much more to add to the conversation

"Tell me, heretic, are the other servants armed, when yes, with what?"

----

If they are not armed I suggest, we capture Lans and then search the mansion. What do you think?

"Mhos nods in agreement, I am merely an instrument of of the Omnisiah's retribution. I leave it in your hands to direct that instrument."

Caradoc nods in agreement and turns to the chef, "It is of the utmost importance to know whether or not your fellow servants would dare to interfere with our investigation."

In what seems an uncharacteristic display of caution, he says, "I vote for securing the remaining staff before proceeding to the top floor. The last thing we need is a surprise."

"Nobody else is allowed to wield weapons in case of subterfuge. Lans is a bit paranoid, you see, and is worried that one of us might turn against him. Consequently, he pays us well. With that said, I don't think anyone is paid well enough to get in your way"

I want to get sure, that he is telling the truth and would like to roll a scrutiny roll...

Shall we roll the dice now always up front? It saves some time...

As it was done before, I will do it now again, if you rule no, that's ok, too.

Scrutiny; Int 35, rolled 68...ok...^^

Doesn't look like you can interpret anything about what he is saying regarding the truthfulness.