Following the older woman, Ariel reappears outside the meeting room as well, shotgun in hand as usual. Subconsciously assuming a flanking position next to Inellia as if to serve as an escort, she casts a glance towards the other Imperial servants gathered here, apparently having nothing further to add.

After a few more seconds studying the armsman, Estelia turns to the Sister. One question does occur to her, "do we have enough currency to purchase transport down to the surface? Or perhaps some pilot would take on one of the Frateris Clergy free of charge?" She turns to the Father as she finishes her question.

Ariel's eyes widen slightly at Estelia's comment. Apparently she had not anticipated this potential issue, and though it may be excused on part of their lack of experience outside convent life, it seems to worry her that what she would argue to be the more rash of the pair would think further ahead than her.

On 3/2/2017 at 6:22 PM, Covered in Weasels said:

On 3/4/2017 at 11:26 PM, Servant of Dante said:

After a few more seconds studying the armsman, Estelia turns to the Sister. One question does occur to her, "do we have enough currency to purchase transport down to the surface? Or perhaps some pilot would take on one of the Frateris Clergy free of charge?" She turns to the Father as she finishes her question.

On 3/5/2017 at 8:15 PM, Lynata said:

Ariel's eyes widen slightly at Estelia's comment. Apparently she had not anticipated this potential issue, and though it may be excused on part of their lack of experience outside convent life, it seems to worry her that what she would argue to be the more rash of the pair would think further ahead than her.

Inellia nods considering the question, "Lax do you know how much it'd cost?"

*static* "Depends on method of travel mam, and how comfortable you like to be compared with how much privacy you want. As for free of charge, probably something you could negotiate, but it's just what strings you can pull." *static* he quickly replies.

Balthazar chimes in with his travel preferences: "I don't have a particular need for privacy or comfort on the journey down. We won't be on a particularly long trip, so an easily obtained flight on a commercial mass transit shuttle or pilgrim transport is fine by me."

Estelia nods, "I'm sure you know how much this sort of thing will cost better than I."

Taking a moment to ponder the options for travel just mentioned, the dark-skinned novice finally chimes in, nodding to the priest's suggestion: "I suppose it would attract less attention, too, if we just blend in with the average citizen."

On 3/8/2017 at 4:24 PM, Covered in Weasels said:

Balthazar chimes in with his travel preferences: "I don't have a particular need for privacy or comfort on the journey down. We won't be on a particularly long trip, so an easily obtained flight on a commercial mass transit shuttle or pilgrim transport is fine by me."

On 3/10/2017 at 8:05 PM, Servant of Dante said:

Estelia nods, "I'm sure you know how much this sort of thing will cost better than I."

20 hours ago, Lynata said:

Taking a moment to ponder the options for travel just mentioned, the dark-skinned novice finally chimes in, nodding to the priest's suggestion: "I suppose it would attract less attention, too, if we just blend in with the average citizen."

Inellia nods, "That seems settled then, now I really must get going if I'm to get anything set up by the time you manage to get down there as well. Goodbye for now, may He guide your path." She bows slightly and makes the sign of the Aquila.

"Go on Lax, lead the way." She makes a gesture for him to go ahead. Lax gives a curt salute to the group and begins leading Inellia toward the private shuttle.

Lowering her head and closing her eyelids for a moment, Ariel pays her respect to their parting contact. With Inellia gone, she returns her attention to the remaining two comrades-at-faith, or more specifically the Thaurian priest, expectantly looking up to the man.

Balthazar looks to his two charges and says, "Very well, Sisters. We had best be on our way to the docks to charter a flight down to the surface."

Estelia returns the sign of the Aquila to the Sister's retreating back, only slightly annoyed that she had not waited for her to do so. She nods again when the priest speaks, and moves to follow him.

On 3/12/2017 at 2:53 PM, Lynata said:

Lowering her head and closing her eyelids for a moment, Ariel pays her respect to their parting contact. With Inellia gone, she returns her attention to the remaining two comrades-at-faith, or more specifically the Thaurian priest, expectantly looking up to the man.

On 3/13/2017 at 10:06 PM, Covered in Weasels said:

Balthazar looks to his two charges and says, "Very well, Sisters. We had best be on our way to the docks to charter a flight down to the surface."

On 3/14/2017 at 0:28 AM, Servant of Dante said:

Estelia returns the sign of the Aquila to the Sister's retreating back, only slightly annoyed that she had not waited for her to do so. She nods again when the priest speaks, and moves to follow him.

((Whelp I apparently didn't have anything in my notes >.< oh well))

The group makes their way through the check points towards the docks, while you no longer have your writ of authority it seems the word has gotten out among the armsmen to let this particular group through.

The bustle of the station increases once again as you arrive to the area that you originally docked off of your transport from, the various dialects of the Imperium assail your ears once again, all flowing into a strange murmur that only low gothic can a Babel of tongues.

There are guards and tech wrights walking to and fro, as well as dozens of laymen off or onloading supplies or fuel to their various ships.

At this point it would seem to be up to the group as to which particular ship you're looking to take down to the Port. ((I need to know the type for the availability))

Ariel keeps pace with the Thaurian priest, shotgun in hand but barrel lowered so as to indicate the absence of hostile thought. It takes some time for her to notice, but the quasi-preferential treatment the group receives as they pass the checkpoints causes her to narrow her lips in thinly veiled skepticism. At first thankful for the lack of further interruptions, it had quickly dawned to her that such niceties might mark them as privileged and thus attract undue attention. Still, by this point there was nothing she could do about it, and so the novice kept her thoughts to herself.

((Do remember that Estelia has a giant golden Ecclesiarchal -(][)- on the front of her flak armour, which she is still wearing if that makes a difference in how much attention she attracts ))

Estelia is pleased when the armsman at the checkpoints they pass do not try to take her knife or ammunition. Since they are leaving the station, she would not have let them be taken as easily as before. Though perhaps it would have been just as easy to keep the writ, since she it seems all of the station personal already know who they are. She hopes the security chief had not mentioned their Inquisitorial ties. That they are visually on the business of the Adeptus Ministorum should be enough to explain any preferential treatment, in the Novice's mind.

If asked by the Father, Estelia will favor a smaller ship, maybe even one they can get to themselves for a reasonable price (though she doesn't know what a reasonable price would be)

((Before I make a decision, how big is the "passenger ship" option? Is that Earth commercial airline size or significantly larger? Judging from the descriptions, a system ship sounds like the smallest vessel of the bunch -- is it small enough that the Acquisition level represents chartering one as a personal transport?))

1 hour ago, Covered in Weasels said:

((Before I make a decision, how big is the "passenger ship" option? Is that Earth commercial airline size or significantly larger? Judging from the descriptions, a system ship sounds like the smallest vessel of the bunch -- is it small enough that the Acquisition level represents chartering one as a personal transport?))

((As I understand it most of the ships are technically for extra system travel. However it'd make sense that they'd have other vessels that would go down to Port Gyre to drop of materials once they've gotten clearance from Kappex. So any of the ships are up for grabs technically. It just depends how you want to arrive. As for how big? It's 40k so the answer is bigger than it should be. The Aquisition level is chartering travel for the group from point A to B, not buying the ship itself. The section they're under, Travel Through the Void, mentions as much in the actual text. It's not a dangerous or long trip so for this test lower the difficulty (make it easier) by one step.))

5 hours ago, Servant of Dante said:

((Do remember that Estelia has a giant golden Ecclesiarchal -(][)- on the front of her flak armour, which she is still wearing if that makes a difference in how much attention she attracts ))

((Depends how this next bit goes I'd suppose.))

Balthazar turns to the Novices as they walk through the bustling crowd. He raises his voice above the clamor of humanity and says, "A pilgrim ship seems like a good choice for people of our station. We won't stand out among the other faithful on their way to the surface."

((Rolling Influence test to acquire the pilgrim ship transportation -- +20 for Common availability and location on top of 25 Inf, so a target number of 45. Rolled a 39 for one degree of success!))

On 3/15/2017 at 8:05 PM, Lynata said:

On 3/17/2017 at 4:12 PM, Servant of Dante said:

3 hours ago, Covered in Weasels said:

((Rolling Influence test to acquire the pilgrim ship transportation -- +20 for Common availability and location on top of 25 Inf, so a target number of 45. Rolled a 39 for one degree of success!))

The pilgrimage from Kappex to Port Gyre will take a few hours, you'll hit planetside at 1200 Standard Imperial.

The trip itself is not overly pleasant, you're in a hold with quite a few other pilgrims on their various travelings to places across Askellon to worship at. You overhear talk of them hoping to visit the Grand Shrine of the Oath, or one of the many other minor places the Creed is preached in Desoleum Primus, the main hive city of Desoleum herself.

Others are continuing a pilgrimage taking them through the plains and the hive, from there travelling to Thaur and the other Holy Stations of Askellon.

Countless vessels run this route including this one.

This fact alone makes Father Balthazar a popular topic, many pilgrims come asking for blessings or prayer from a priest of Thaur itself.

While Estellia and Ariel are respected in their positions, their actual identities unknown currently, they are treated with deference under the guise of being students of Father Balthazar.

((Ok, so this would seem to be an ending of part 1 I guess of out little endeavor, I wanted to wait until you were off the station to give you xp, so I'll do it now. Here's the breakdown:

640 XP for various tests.

360 XP for Roleplaying reward to even it out.

For a grand total of 1000 XP.

Spend it now before I begin the next part at Port Gyre. I hope we're all still enjoying ourselves, and it's been a pleasure to play with you so far.))

On 3/19/2017 at 5:00 PM, Covered in Weasels said:

On 3/17/2017 at 4:12 PM, Servant of Dante said:

On 3/15/2017 at 8:05 PM, Lynata said:

There's nothing to look out of on the small vessel that the Pilgrim ship uses to get people down to the port, so the group is denied an approaching site of planet Desoleum, and a top view of the hive Desoleum Primus as well as Port Gyre.

As the throng of humanity that exits in the cramped space finally gets the chance to exit the warband is first visited by the deafening roar of engines which drowns out the shouts of labourers and even the augmented voices of overseers.

The stench of burning promethium is everywhere, and the port is very busy with constant inter-orbital traffic that results in an ever-present bank of exhaust and smog that hangs low over the port, casting it into perpetual gloom.

As they manage to exit the ship they find themselves on landing pads of different sizes dominating the majority of Gyre’s surface, arrayed at varying elevations. Many of the platforms seem the private property of various individuals and groups; these are in fairly good repair. They are frequently adorned with statues and ornate archways; even the loading cranes are decorated with mythical creatures, lions, and other symbols of strength.

Other platforms, such as yours, are purely functional, covered with decades of grime and scorched by centuries of constant exposure to the flames of orbital jets.

Situated between the landing platforms—some at floor level, others suspended by reinforced struts—small officios house representatives of the Consortium, as well as various merchant houses and trade concerns, and no small number of taverns and gambling halls.

The landing platforms are seemingly accessible by wide stairs, with ladders providing secondary access, and high-volume cargo lifts that lower directly to the tunnels beneath. Some of the largest offer direct entry to the mag-rails and vacuum transit tubes that lead to Hive Desoleum or across the wastes.

While this group of pilgrims you traveled with had seemingly calmed down from the excitement of the presence of the group many others haven’t seen the Thaurian priest and his aides, and so they have now all but surrounded the ship and group while various other members of the port try and make their way through to unload or upload various supplies and fuels.

The group is barring their path, and are utterly oblivious to the obstruction they are creating as they marvel at the group and their surroundings. They are reading aloud from holy texts, and corporally mortifying their scarred flesh. They are mostly clad in worn sackcloth robes, barefoot or wearing leather strips wound around their feet. Many proudly bear the scars of flagellation, or sheets of prayer parchment pinned to their flesh.

Estellia and Balthazar are all but surrounded and separated from Ariel by pilgrims dropping to their knees and begging for the character’s blessings. They are grabbing at the hems of Balthazar’s robes and trying to reach out and touch Estellia’s armor ((the Ecclesiarchal =][=)).

The dock hands are certainly getting more and more fed up with the situation from simple visual cues. The workers themselves seem simple enough, many have bionic auditory implants, and respirators, those that don’t are likely deaf and coughing up globs of black tar in between yelling at the throng of pilgrims.

Their way is obviously blocked until the situation is dealt with.

((Welcome to Port Gyre. Oh and if you haven't reset your Fate Points))

The trip down in the cramped transport and its dark passenger hold had only seemed to sour the dusky novice's mood further. While Kappex Station had already seen the convent-raised Sororitas assaulted by the unsettling sounds and smells of the lives of Imperial commoners, the impression within the flyer was magnitudes stronger. Even Ariel seemed to have difficulty to mask her displeasure, though her attitude was as much a product of the unusual atmosphere she was exposed to as it was a degree of guilt and unrest.

As a Sister Sororitas, she had spent her entire youth behind the safe walls of the Convent Sanctorum and the St. Valerius Schola Progenium, shielded from the seductions and impurity she had sworn to eradicate, yet she knew her penultimate purpose was to serve here on the outside, to carry the Emperor's light unto the farthest corners of his realm to either illuminate his servants or torch his enemies. She would simply have to get used to what this would mean for her ears and her nose, much like her back had to get used to the Drill Abbots' beatings in the schola.

Booted feet passing over the scorched metal of the platform, she could not help but wonder how a place that regularly saw the cleansing warmth of fire could get so dirty, idly musing how the priests and saints she had read so much about would turn such observations into religious musings carrying some important message. The young novice was quickly and violently pulled out of her philosophical thoughts as more and more pilgrims seemed to swarm the group's immediate vicinity, bumping the lithe girl's shoulders and almost throwing her off-balance in their attempt to pay obeisance to the Thaurian priest. After silently cursing herself for the moment of laxity, her battle senses, honed in countless simulated combat drills, caused Ariel's lithe form to tense up, narrow eyes darting around as she scanned the crowd for signs of immediate threat. The sheer number of people alone was quickly turning into a risk, and already she had trouble to maintain eye-contact with her companions as men and women twice her age, and frequently twice her bulk, pushed and shoved past her in an attempt to lay eyes on the blessed figures.

Briefly tilting her Lawbringer shotgun sideways to scan its condition, the novice reflexively confirmed its ammunition feed before pumping the forend, a large calibre fragmentation slug the kind the Arbites used to disperse crowds of ration protesters neatly sliding into the chamber. She had no intention to actually fire the weapon if she could prevent it, and thus did not remove the safety. Yet.

"Father...?!", she raised Balthazar, her voice coloured by urgency. It was a request for instructions as much as it was a warning.

Estelia wrinkled her nose as she stepped onto the transport. It smelled as though many of the pilgrims had not bathed in weeks. For people who claimed to be seeking the Emperor's grace, they took little care of their forms in His image. While their dress was appropriate of one seeking communion with Him on Terra, she grimaced at the flagellation wounds on several backs that had been left unwashed and now showed the sickly yellow of infection. Mortification of the flesh in return for sin was right and proper, but one must not let the wounds resulting from this sacred purpose be tainted by disease. No doubt this also added to the smell. The Novice stood close to Ariel and the Father, partly in an attempt to keep away from the worst smelling of the pilgrims, but it seemed many of the men and women aboard the shuttle were excited at the chance to meet a priest of Thaur. Estelia was content to stand just behind and to the side of the Father, back against a bulkhead, and allow the priest to entertain the pilgrims.

The air of the landing pad, though doubtless churning with toxins, was a relief after the atmosphere aboard the shuttle. The smell of promethium exhaust even reminded Estelia of the training grounds around the Convent. The seething mass of faithful that surrounded them as they attempted to disembark, however, was not a relief. Estelia could do little but tolerate the hands pawing at her breastplate, wondering how long it would take her to polish the gold inlays in the holy symbol there back to their normal luster. She griped the buts of her pistols firmly, in case someone thought to make a souvenir of one of her weapons. The Novice noticed Ariel was no longer beside her a second before she heard her call to the Father, faintly. As Estelia's head came only to the shoulder of many of the pilgrims around her she found her sight blocked.

"I'm going to find Ariel," The Novice says, pulling her weapons from their holsters and begins pushing her way to the top of the shuttle's loading ramp, swatting the limbs of eager pilgrims away from her armour as she goes.

Balthazar steps forward, hands outstretched as if performing a benediction on the assembled crowd. Unlike the sisters, he is accustomed to walking among large crowds of the Emperor's faithful (though the Thaurian natives were usually much more somber than the enthusiastic pilgrims at Port Gyre). He does his best to briefly engage each person with a nod, smile or quick blessing.

As the dockhands become visibly frustrated with the situation, Balthazar decides they should move the gathering elsewhere. He addresses one of the nearby workers: "Hello, friend, Emperor's blessings upon you! What is the best way to the nearest church or holy site?" He intends to lead the procession of the faithful to one of these places, hopefully blending into the crowd of pilgrims in case anyone is watching for their arrival.

13 hours ago, Covered in Weasels said:

Balthazar steps forward, hands outstretched as if performing a benediction on the assembled crowd. Unlike the sisters, he is accustomed to walking among large crowds of the Emperor's faithful (though the Thaurian natives were usually much more somber than the enthusiastic pilgrims at Port Gyre). He does his best to briefly engage each person with a nod, smile or quick blessing.

As the dockhands become visibly frustrated with the situation, Balthazar decides they should move the gathering elsewhere. He addresses one of the nearby workers: "Hello, friend, Emperor's blessings upon you! What is the best way to the nearest church or holy site?" He intends to lead the procession of the faithful to one of these places, hopefully blending into the crowd of pilgrims in case anyone is watching for their arrival.

The dockhand gestures not fully hearing the Father, cupping his hand to his augmentic listening device. He inclines his other hand in a direction, but Balthazar can tell that without some guiding force the pilgrims will not allow the group to move far at all, let alone disperse from where they are.

((This will be either a +10 Charm or a +0 Command. Should you choose to try and sway the crowd orally. As well as Estellia a -10 Awareness test will allow you to hear Ariel's urgent plea.))

On 3/22/2017 at 0:31 PM, Lynata said:

Briefly tilting her Lawbringer shotgun sideways to scan its condition, the novice reflexively confirmed its ammunition feed before pumping the forend, a large calibre fragmentation slug the kind the Arbites used to disperse crowds of ration protesters neatly sliding into the chamber. She had no intention to actually fire the weapon if she could prevent it, and thus did not remove the safety. Yet.

"Father...?!", she raised Balthazar, her voice coloured by urgency. It was a request for instructions as much as it was a warning.

Ariel is now hopelessly surrounded, and is now being compressed by the crowds sheer numbers. This is not dangerous yet, but has the capability of reaching that point if not dealt with soon.

On 3/22/2017 at 3:48 PM, Servant of Dante said:

The air of the landing pad, though doubtless churning with toxins, was a relief after the atmosphere aboard the shuttle. The smell of promethium exhaust even reminded Estelia of the training grounds around the Convent. The seething mass of faithful that surrounded them as they attempted to disembark, however, was not a relief. Estelia could do little but tolerate the hands pawing at her breastplate, wondering how long it would take her to polish the gold inlays in the holy symbol there back to their normal luster. She griped the buts of her pistols firmly, in case someone thought to make a souvenir of one of her weapons. The Novice noticed Ariel was no longer beside her a second before she heard her call to the Father, faintly. As Estelia's head came only to the shoulder of many of the pilgrims around her she found her sight blocked.

"I'm going to find Ariel," The Novice says, pulling her weapons from their holsters and begins pushing her way to the top of the shuttle's loading ramp, swatting the limbs of eager pilgrims away from her armour as she goes.

The crowd seems to be intimidated by Estellia, although they are still packed enough to not let her through, there is just roughly an arm's length of space from her to the crowd.

((You'll have to make a -10 Awareness test to determine where Ariel has gotten pushed to in the crowd in its current state))

((Awareness test: 20(Per) - 10 = 10 Roll : 76 Fail ))

Estelia pushes as far as she can toward the top of the ramp, but she is still surrounded by pilgrims taller than herself, and cannot find the other Novice. Frustrated, she moves back the way she came, toward the father, attempting to clear the crowd away from herself with her elbows and the buts of her pistols. Gently.

Seeing the general confusion among the crowd, Balthazar finds a nearby step or shipping crate (if one is available) and climbs to a better vantage point, hopefully putting his head above the crowd. With a brisk rap from the butt of his hammer, he brings his laud hailer servo skull online. It flies into the air just above his head and magnifies his voice for all to hear:

"Greetings, faithful of the Emperor! Truly I am blessed to find myself in such pious company as soon as I set foot upon this world! Let us make our way to the nearest place of worship, that we may give thanks for our safe journey!"

((Rolling Charm +10, target number 48. Rolled a 55, giving me one degree of failure unless the laud hailer grants some sort of additional bonus.))

As Balthazar says this, he scans the crowd for a sign of either Estelia or Ariel. ((Balthazar doesn't have a microbead yet, I'll have to fix that as soon as possible Should I make an Awareness test for that too?))