The Laborers' Conclave is a collection of buildings and hovels arranged near the center region of Floor B25. It is the place where the workers of this floor receive their assignments, and where they congregate after their work shifts are over. Some live here, but not all of them; those who do not very likely have their own ways to reach the floor(s) above.

Sites of interest include the Information Center, the Mining Supply Store (new workers can get base equipment for free), the Food, Drug and Alcohol Distributor, the B25 Foreman's Office, the 'common rooms' for eating and imbibing (and, occasionally and amazingly, entertainment) and the main square where workers sit and congregate, warmed by bonfires.

The mining sectors between the Lost Corridors and the Conclave are patrolled, largely by automaton sentries: large, hulking armor-like shapes and smaller, more nimble spider-like ones. Human patrols are surprisingly rarer but not impossible to come across; the automatons are simply more efficient to use to sweep for undesirables or out-of-place citizens. It's uncertain whether the escaped Celestials are explicitly being searched for, but one would believe yes -- the fact it is done so subtly makes that fact all the more unnerving.

---

OOC: If you're just starting in this thread, begin with a Dex+Stealth roll to move undetected from the PC's base to the Conclave, stunted if you wish! If you're in an animal shape you may not need to roll, or will get a bonus, depending on the shape.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:38, Wed 18 Feb 2009.

Dashu met up with his lunar friends just before they left.  He was already wearing the work clothes of a miner and carried a couple of tools for aesthetic purposes.  It was something he had seen several of the workers in the conclave do.  "You guys ready to head out?" he asked when the other two arrived.  "Remember, if either of you have small enough forms,  I might be able to fit you into my jacket and you can ride with me if you're not comfortable sneaking around by yourself."

[Private to GM: Activate Ebon Shadow Form (personal) and anima banner (peripheral but spending the extra mote to keep the anima down).

Today: Peleps Dashu rolled 2 successes using 12d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 1,3,4,5,2,5,3,5,6,1,2,10. Dex + Stealth Roll. (grrr...)

Today: Peleps Dashu failed (no successes) using 4d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 3,3,2,2. Int  + Larc (disuise). (sigh... I suck at being a Night Caste I think)
]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:50, Fri 13 Feb 2009.

Xurizu was wearing his disguise too, supplemented by a few of the papers Granite Creed had left behind in a small satchel.  Xurizu had been careful to ensure that none of them mentioned the name of the mine, just sheaves of figures.

"I think I will ride with you, yes," he nodded to Dashu.  "I'm not sure I can sneak past the sentinels you described," he says.

"No need, for me," says Nanaret when she appears, almost startling the others with how convincing her disguise at first glance. Though she does not necessarily have the thick muscles of a laborer, she certainly appears fit and limber -- the type of miner who would be charged with fitting into tight spaces, exploring deeper recesses of the mine, setting charges where their 'analyst' deems appropriate. But she is far from weak: she could definitely make use of the tools on her belt for labor or as weaponry, with no less power and much greater precision than most any mortal.

She nods confidently: "Should be fine sneaking about on my own. My spirit form is small though, if ever I need to use it..." The Changing Moon shows them by indicating with her hands. It is about 1 foot long. "Tail is longer, though..." Her lemur tail is unseen at the moment, as are her ears, but Dashu and Xurizu would easily recall its long, bushy appearance.

"I am sorry we do not know one another so well. We came from different levels. I hope we will make good companions, I wish us to... trust each other." She says this while cocking her head curiously to one side, as if making sense of the concept for the first time. "I follow your lead, Dashu."

Shadowing Dashu's footsteps, Nanaret moves dextrously, trusting in her skill to use the surroundings to her advantage. Now and then she ducks into narrow shortcuts, disappearing for short, disconcerting intervals before catching up with her group at the next opening. When sentries come close, she seeks notches in the earth to press her body into, remaining utterly still, or slips into the shadows cast by the bright work lights and hulking machinery of the mining sector.

[Private to GM: Dex+Stealth, using Impossible Joints for +2 stealth, +5 excellency and +1 success from WP. Rolled 6 sux, 7 total.

Also, though I'm using Perfection of the Mockingbird I also rolled for Disguise just in case. Spent another WP. Got 5+1=6 sux.]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:33, Sun 15 Feb 2009.

"Don't worry about not knowing us very well.  On the Forbidden level, they kept us pretty well isolated so even though Xurizu and I were neighbors, we didn't get to know each other until the jail break.  But if you guys are ready to head out, then I am as well."

With that he let Xurixu change into his king snake form and Dashu carefully picked him up.  and placed him inside his coat pocket.  Having already activated one charm to help with stealth, Dashu spends a moment concentrating and pushes his essence to help him blend in further, all the while thinking on his training.

"Be as quite as a mouse evading a hawk," he constantly told himself, "but be as quick as the hawk who strikes."  With this motivation, Dashu made his steps light and swift, his weight constantly being on the balls of his feet it increase mobility and reduce the amount of sound being produced from the steps.

As they enter the guarded areas, Dashu tries to recall places that made for good hiding the first time he came as well as places which he wished he had tried before.  He kept an eye open for the small nooks and crevices which would allow the mobile sentinels to hide.  And he moved as quietly as possible around those.  Furthermore, he always noted where the gaze of the stationary sentinels was facing and tried his hardest to find a jutting rock or a crevice in the wall in which to hide to avoid the gaze when it came his way.  When it wasn't looking, Dashu would quicken his steps to the next good hiding spot.

[Private to GM: Okay, stunting the stealth, and activating the Easily Overlooked Presence Method to see if that helps.  If nothing else it'll help when I get to town I'm sure.]

Dashu and Nanaret are, fortunately, both quite suited for the task of remaining out of notice. Both of them manage to dodge the sentries quite handily, though now and then Dashu encounters some close calls, managing only with his preternatural dexterity to duck, tumble and roll himself and Xurizu (in King Snake form) out of the proximity of the automatons' sensors.

Once they encounter a human patrol. Dashu had seen next to none of these on his last excursion. This time, he comes nearly close enough to stumble right into their path, but at the last moment follows Nanaret's instinct to pull back into the shadow of a heavy drilling implement. They watch the small force move by: a typical formation, a leader in dragon armor and a squad of five mortals in ashigaru armor, wielding purely magitech arms: shock pike, miniature essence cannon, a power mace at the belt of the leader.

Finally they come near the outskirts of the B25 Conclave. It appears no different than before, at least on the surface. But the perimeter appears to be more heavily watched, though not by men in armor: they appear to be civilian guard. [Private to Peleps Dashu: To your eye, these guards move and behave in entirely too disciplined a fashion to be normal civilians. You could roll Perc+Investigation to figure out more.] There are no walls to the conclave, however, so they cannot watch everywhere at once, instead setting up in checkpoints at each of the four cardinal directions.

---

OOC: You could either try to sneak past the perimeter, see if you can get yourselves past the checkpoints with social skills, or anything else. If Xurizu wanted to take human form first he could step somewhere out of sight of the conclave and do so, they're still far enough.

Squatting at her hidden vantage point, Nanaret gets her first glimpse of the scattered buildings of the Conclave, relieved that they have made it safely. She had expected there to be more guards. "So this is the laborer town. I believe I can speak to the checkpoint guard; I can be... most persuasive. Maybe even speak for you as well, Dashu. But if you wish to take more furtive route, I would not be adverse to follow."

"Either way..." The monkey-lunar looks up to Dashu, continuing to speak quietly while keeping alert for any more patrols or sentries that may come close to their position. "We should get our story straight, yes? Does not need be complicated. Maybe can say we have come from another sector and have been reassigned. Or need a new assignment entirely. Maybe we got skipped over due to bad organization of previous bosses. Bureaucracy can be imperfect."

She wonders to herself whether Dashu would be able to keep a snake hidden on her person, though.

Dashu listened intently to Nanaret and then said "If you can talk our way in, that sounds fine.  Honestly, they might not notice me much anyway right now.  Last time I was here, I was told to look for Mnemon Ummir or Ironbeak as the foremen that new guys would go to so those names might help make your story more believable."  Dashu looks down into his coat pocket to see how his friend of a king snake was fairing with the trip.  He held the pocket open in case the lunar wanted out at this point but he was okay with carrying the highly venomous serpent.

That being said, he found the increased security around the compound more troubling.  He feared word of their escape had spread by this point.  "Lets observe the guards for moment.  The more we know about them, the better.  They weren't here last week. If nothing else maybe we can see where they're from and hopefully what they're looking for."  With that Dashu begins making observations.

[Private to GM:

Buying 2 sux with excellency

Today: Peleps Dashu rolled 3 successes using 9d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 3,8,2,3,4,2,10,5,5. Perc + Invest: examin guards.

5 sux total.
 ]
This message was last edited by the player at 22:38, Tue 17 Feb 2009.

Xurizu does indeed take the opportunity to exit his previous resting place, coiling briefly down the outside of a nearby pillar before he reaches the ground and soon restores himself to his normal size in an impossible blurring of form.  "Thank you for the ride this far," he says softly as he finishes his transformation.  "Putting new security in place so fast after your last visit is a little worrying, although perhaps it was always intended to be here and on your previous visit you beat it here.  I suppose we won't know unless we ask, or our observations tell us something, though."

With that, Xurizu too started to observe the conclave.  Unlike Dashu, he was in part looking for the things that could not be seen.  Thanks to his magic, being impossible to spot was worse than lighting up a beacon, a surefire way to be noticed.  It was with magic like this that he looked over the buildings and the people who walked between them.

Of course, he was looking for the things that could be seen, too.
[Private to GM: Using Eyes of The Cat.  Any stunt bonus, I'll spend on more Perception dice, too.  Base pool is 8.]

From watching the protocol the guards observe, Dashu finds similarities to officers who have undergone Peace Force training. These are likely members of Five Coils' police, but are specifically integrating themselves into the conclave as civilians. Most of them are simply well-trained mortals, but their COs are probably Dragon-Blooded.

Nanaret and Xurizu watch the guards as they deal with new arrivals. It doesn't appear to be a thorough check: most they wave in after a quick glance at their faces and ID tags. However, now and then the guards stop a laborer to ask them a few questions, showing him an artist's rendition of a man. Xurizu's sharp eyes can even see some details one of the pictures from a distance, an impossible feat for anyone but an Exalt. A man with brown hair, or is it red?

Looking within the compound itself, they see fewer people hanging around outside than Dashu originally described. That doesn't mean there are less people -- more that the common rooms are probably bursting with laborers now. One particular building appears to be drawing the most people: Nanaret and especially Xurizu believe it to be a place of worship, from the mon of Pasiap they can make out carved over the door lintel.

[Private to Ledaal Xurizu: You see a total of four lookouts on rooftops, perfectly still and invisible except by supernatural means.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:16, Wed 18 Feb 2009.

"They're looking for someone, definitely," Xurizu says softly after a few moments observation.  "They have sketches of a man, the one they're looking for.  It's hard to make out his hair colour or exact features though, from this far away," Xurizu continues, remarking on the small scrap of paper in the distance.  He glanced to his companion.  "It could be you, my friend.  The one they're looking for definitely has red or brown hair."

"And ...oh," he suddenly tenses a little.  "That isn't good at all.  His finger briefly points to four deserted rooftops.  There are people watching from there, utterly invisible, perfectly still.  Whoever they're looking for, definitely has them all riled up."

Nanaret narrows her eyes slightly as she takes in the sight of the guards and their periodic investigations. "If they saw you somehow, Dashu, that complicates... though you wear different clothes now. Different disguise."

"Still I think the best way to enter is to not appear suspicious at all." Without her expressive lemur ears, she scratches her head thoughtfully instead. "We approach the conclave as normal. Leave it to I and Xurizu to do talking. Probably least complicated way. Or if you think can evade notice easier, perhaps slip in while we talk to guards, or make distraction. Easier to move freely once past the perimeter."

"Better if we can come in as part of a group. Lose ourselves in numbers when work shift switches, might mean less likely we are questioned, yes?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:56, Wed 18 Feb 2009.

"Hmmm, yes well, I did have something of a disguise on then too so I should look sufficiently different now to where it shouldn't be too much of a problem.  However, I'll go with whatever plans you two think are best in this situation."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:13, Thu 19 Feb 2009.

"We are in agreement, then?" Nanaret looks to Xurizu, prompting a response. Now that she has some idea of what they are up against, she is rather restless to be on with the task. "We walk in together with next shift, cover for Dashu if need be?"

"Could be possible to sneak also, but if we be caught this early, harder to explain out of that than be questioned with nothing to be guilty about."

Before they go, Dashu takes time to deactivate his form charm, as obvious magic would only attract attention to the group if they intended to blend in with a group of workers.

Xurizu considers, giving the invisible watchers another suspicious glance, before he nods.  "Yes, that sounds like the best idea.  Sneaking might be possible, but you'd never know if the invisible watchers would be looking at you."

"I wonder if we should go in together, or perhaps if one of us should be separate.  That way, if we're spotted, the unspotted ones at least have a chance to notice and help from 'outside' as it were," he ventures.  "But either way, wait til the next shift goes in, yes."

"Mmmm... but I am concerned we may need speak on Dashu's behalf. As we cannot be sure how good an eye these guards really have." Nanaret considers the suggestion carefully, though, keeping an eye out for the next deluge of off-shift miners. "Well, maybe we two moonchosen go separate. And one of us bring Dashu as company. Xurizu, it is my first thought to leave it to you, you knew each other longer. But if you prefer I do, then I will."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:00, Sat 21 Feb 2009.

The Exalts have some time to put their thoughts together before they see the next group of workers filtering in from more distant areas of Floor B25. They don't come from a single direction, but in groups from all four quadrants, some deposited close by via the mining railways and others moving in on foot.

One such group looks as if it will pass close by where Dashu, Nanaret and Xurizu are currently hiding. They trudge along, some chatting amongst themselves, others mostly dour and keeping to themselves, but it looks a large enough group to potentially blend into. More than a few of them sound particularly disgruntled about the increased security as well as the workload leaving them less free time, at least from the snatches of conversation they can hear from their vantage point.

---

OOC: there will be a roll involved depending on how you decide to step in. I'll let you know what the roll is next post (or you can tell me if you are trying for a particular Att+Abil combination). The diff. will be fairly easy, I'm mostly seeing just how well you do at this point as it may give you bonuses later, if you can seem natural among this crowd. :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:50, Sat 21 Feb 2009.

Xurizu considers.  "Perhaps we are better sticking together.  Two people are better at vouching than one," he concedes just before the groups of workers hove into view.  Xurizu decides that a mining clerk such as himself would be best to find a similarly skilled worker to walk in with, as dangerous as that might be from a revelatory point of view.  A clerk shouldn't hang out with miners, after all.  Therefore, satchel in hand, he stepped out of the shadows and almost right into one of the few clerks coming into the conclave, one close to, although obviously not grouping with, several groups of miners to give Nanaret and Dashu all the choice they might want, and to keep him close enough to vouch for Dashu when they reached the checkpoint.

"Oh...I am sorry," he apologised to the man he had almost sent over.  "I just didn't see you there.  I'm Jenci," he said, picking the name of one of the few childhood friends he remembered.  His voice raised for just a few moments, to let that carry to Nanaret and Dashu.  He was sure both of them had skill in keeping stories straight, and would remember it.  "I haven't seen you here before ..."
[Private to Gatekeeper: Just trying for a straight Manip + Presence roll as I insert myself into a group, making the conversation all about the other person :)  Putting 3 dice in from the first excellency for a pool of 9 before stunt.]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:21, Mon 23 Feb 2009.

Nanaret watches the group of miners to ensure they are not immediately looking toward her direction. She stands up with Dashu and immediately starts walking, keeping pace with the men and women just getting off shift. Half-dragging Dashu along, she merges confidently into one of the groups just behind 'Jenci' and starts talking before either suspicion or bewilderment at their sudden appearance can set in.

"Man, I'm telling you, haven't seen men worked this hard since that silver vein a few years back," she starts off briskly 'in character', recalling the event from memory. Improvising, Nanaret doesn't go for exact facts, just talks fast enough that people won't catch a mistake if she made one. "When was that, 81? 82? Everyone was doing overtime, graveyard shifts, might as well have thought the stuff would just disappear if you didn't pull it out fast enough. Shame, too, you never see even a fraction of the worth. Goes to the nobles or the militia, heh, you'd think we're going to war, but who'd be warring with us down here -- come on, Freidr, stop dragging your feet. I won't be doin' the work of two men 'cause of you, you loafer!" She smacks Dashu lightly on the head, figuring they could work out as they go why he's keeping his head hunched down. He could be tired, drunk, infirm or just plain dumb.

"Anyway, I'm Bryn and this fellow's Freidr. Used to work couple floors up, just got reassigned. We weren't always in mining, you know? We were more the packing side of things, but things are starting to get more mechanized, like with all those sentries about. We're not careful, all us miners might get replaced with robot miners and we'll all be out of a job! Haha... I mean, yeah, sounds good to start with but then where'll we get our vouchers and booze, eh?" As the checkpoint looms closer, Nanaret nudges at Dashu's ribs with a well-placed elbow. "All right bro, we're getting at the checkpoint, better be at your best behavior. Next you know they'll be asking for stripsearches too..." she mumbles, looking distinctly cross.

[Private to GM: I'm going for Manipulation+Performance. Basically, taking the role of a miner, trying to 'hide in plain sight' so to speak with superior acting and a deluge of words to misdirect attention. I'll use whatever stunt I get to pay for 2nd manip excellency.]
This message was last edited by the player at 06:04, Tue 24 Feb 2009.

Two Lunars misdirecting in tandem is more than enough to fool this group of mortal men. They don't so much as bat an eye and even seem welcoming of the newcomers in their midst. If anyone recognizes them, they certainly do not say it.

The man Xurizu had run into is wearing a dusty grey coat with a front pocket bearing a nametag: Evorn Cairen. He is a somewhat older man, brown haired, bespectacled. "Cairen is my name. Good to meet you, friend Jenci. Well, I've been working B25 nigh on 8 years, so I suppose you're new folk like that chatty one back there? Not a very good time to be transferring in if you ask me... Recent events have gotten the guard all jumpy. They'll be wanting identification that it looks like you don't have." He glances at Xurizu's breast, though it's not with any suspicion -- more sympathy.

The miners in Nanaret's group can hardly get a word in as she goes on, and on, and on. In any case, they are much more focused on her than on Dashu. A lot of what Nanaret says actually resonates with the laborers, and many of the grumble in assent at the truths she speaks, drawing them toward stronger solidarity. "More people disappearing lately, too," says a man somewhat behind Nanaret. "My brother, he got nabbed few days ago. I don't know what for, they just took him and he hasn't been back."

"Heh, it's hard to compete with machines," says another bitter-voiced miner toward Nanaret's right. "We've got more needs, and we've got minds that can think for ourselves."

"Shhh, fools!" hisses a third speaker. "We're getting close to the perimeter. Some of us like our quiet lives."

Dashu silently follows Nanaret's lead, hoping his charm would keep him from attacking too much attention.  He marks out the man who talked about his brother being taken in his head for questions later.  Knowing the reason for the increase in security would be wise.

[Private to GM: Deactivating Ebon Shadow Form since it's Obvious magic but I'm leaving the Easily Overlooked Presence up.]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:17, Tue 24 Feb 2009.

Nanaret keeps up the conversation as far as she can stretch it, until she can see that people really aren't giving Dashu more than cursory attention.

"So, you folks are all old time workers in this place? Anything you think I oughta be careful about in the conclave? You know, temperamental foremen, local customs, that sorta thing. I figure I'll get some trouble at the gate, but don't we all? I mean what happens if you've got no ID, they send you to the firing squad?" She grins carelessly, no doubt making that nervous guy next to her even more nervous.

"Seriously though, who'm I supposed to ask for if I'm new in these parts?" Nanaret remembers the names Dashu gave earlier, but thinks she may as well double-check, especially if it helps makes her role more believable. "Think it's a fellow named Ironbeak?"

"H-hey, it's nothing like that. I mean. They'll just bring you in for questioning --"

"And never let you out!" adds the man who'd lost his brother. "I'd be careful if I were you. And yeah, it's Ironbeak for the newbies. Ummir is the master of the conclave, but he's an ass on his best da... ow." A jab from his friend silences him quickly. [Private to Peleps Dashu: The brother-less man's name is Vergun. He's squat, bit of a round belly, but looks strong as an ox. He has black hair and brown eyes.]

The Exalts find their group slowing down now that they near the checkpoint, where the laborers are being herded into single file. The four 'invisible' lookouts Xurizu sees on the rooftops haven't moved from their positions.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:46, Wed 25 Feb 2009.

"Cairen," Xurizu nods, committing the name and face to memory.  "I wasn't told anything about any identification when I left but that might have been a while back ... you loose track sometimes, when you're moving, don't you?," Xurizu says.  "How long has this been going on?" he asks of his newfound friend as he listens to the tale Nanaret is spinning behind him, making sure to commit that to memory too.  Less chance of making a slip up, that way.  And she could give him context he'd never recall on his own.  While he's doing this, he tries not to glance too many times at the watchers, but keeping tabs on them is a priority.

Then he finds the line is slowing and the checkpoint getting closer.  Hmm, the scribe curious well above his pay-grade, that might work. he muses to himself.  The idea, of course, was to hold up the line enough that the next few people, Dashu included, would be ushered through quickly.  He readies a friendly, but nervous, smile.

The chattering between laborers quiet down considerably once they approach the checkpoint enough. Assembled in a single file, most of them wear a serious expression and walk docilely towards the detachment of soldiers, unwilling to risk their position - or worse - by appearing suspect in any way. Ahead, a group of five civilian guards, identifiable by their deep brown uniforms and dark berets bearing the crest of the Coils, handle the questioning of the workers. The interrogation proper seems to be handled by what appears to be the group's officer, judging by the gold trimmings adorning his uniform. He is the only one to speak, while the rest merely observe and act as deterrent. From this close, the Exalts can observe that they carry no visible lethal weapons, the only implement they seem to carry being truncheons hanging from their belts. Despite this fact, however, the mood is palpably fearful on the workers' side.

The silence and solemn nature of the situation seems to amplify every sound, from the shuffling of boots and clothes to the coughing of an older worker further down the line. Ahead, the voices of the guard officer and the interrogated workers seem to fill the void slightly, although it seems to build a sense of unpleasant anticipation in those whose turn will soon come.

Cairen adjusts his spectacles and lowers his head slightly, responding to Xurizu in a more hushed tone now. "That was set up in the past week, actually. Not everyone is used to it still, and as you can imagine, it didn't have a positive effect on people's morale. Those already paranoid are getting more so, and those who didn't use to be are starting to be afraid that the words of their brethren were true all along." He pauses, looking towards Xurizu for a moment. "You folks from above might not have heard, but down here, we heard that something happened in the district of Water below. They closed it off and keep traffic from traveling there, or so I heard."

"It's been quarantined." Corrects a woman behind them, the only female worker in their immediate group. She seems middle-aged, with cropped light brown hair, an imposing physique and a dour disposition. She raises a gloved hand to her leather cap, adjusting it as she speaks. "There's been some sort of epidemic down there, seems like. They didn't want it to spread, so they've closed the gates until they get the sickness under control." She pauses, regarding Xurizu and the new arrivals with a gaze reminiscent of that of a vulture.

"S'not all though. I hear there's been an intruder recently too." She says, her gruff voice making the matter-of-fact statement seems more harsh than it probably is. "Hasn't been confirmed yet, but there's whispers of it here and there. Just what we need, more to make these hardasses more suspicious of us." She shakes her head, but adds nothing else for now, given that their group is starting to get in line to pass the inspection themselves.

"You got that right," says Nanaret aloud, appearing to agree completely with the gruff older woman. Inwardly, she keeps the name 'Ironbeak' in mind, and 'Ummir' as one to avoid. "Entirely too much suspicion on us common folk just trying to make a living. 'Cause we were born without the Blood. Or born without station. Easy enough to point the finger at us when things go wrong."

"News don't travel far. You know how it is 'round here, they want to keep us dumb. They want to keep us occupied, stagnant. Like the saying goes. 'Easier to move down than up.' Unless you're tough enough to be a soldier, pretty enough to be a concubine, smart enough to work at a desk. Or one of the Chosen." The Lunar-in-disguise counts those off impertinently on her fingers, one by one, lingering on the word 'Chosen'. By speaking so openly and carelessly, she paints herself a fool running her mouth -- better a fool than a scapegoat. At the same time, though, she tries to 'innocently' test the laborers for reactions. What do they think of the Exalted, or their place in the world? "Then it just depends on what kind," Nanaret says, real hushed now that the line's slowed. "You're either on top or scraping bottom. Funny how power works, eh? It polarizes you and then you just have to be involved... by force or obligation...."

She continues to mutter to herself as she adjusts her cap and her outfit, nudging her 'brother' forward and glowering along with the other workers at the looming guards. Her 'transformation' is all but complete; she is fully into the character of Bryn, her commonly known personality fading. "Hmph, intruders... not as if anything can ever intrude when we're all walled in by metal and machines..."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:26, Thu 26 Feb 2009.

"Closed off?" came the incredulous whisper.  "Never heard of them doing anything like that before.  A quarantine might do that though," 'Jenci' concedes, trying hard to make it seem like he had just been about to suggest that.  He evidently fancies himself to be a man of knowledge.  The key word being 'fancies'.  "Don't see how there can be an intruder though, there's too much metal and machinery around here," he speaks a little louder than 'Bryn', for the benefit of those who didn't hear her muttering.

And waited for his turn in the line.

"See, that's what I mean." The woman seems already a bit more amenable, her views seemingly similar to Bryn's. She puts herself in line as well, but she keeps voicing her opinion in whispers, now that she has already been riled up. "They take us for stupid, just 'cause we don't live with big books and fancy desk jobs. Like we'll swallow anything they'll tell us, just 'cause they say it. I don't care what they say, I'm not a dog that sits when it's told to sit. I don't care if you're a machine or a suit or even a Chosen. I don't do tricks."

The word 'Chosen' does bring some reactions in the crowd, reactions that Nanaret can then observe and gauge. Some workers seem to treat the mention as a bad omen in and of itself, muttering to themselves and looking over their shoulders as if Nanaret had just cursed them. Others shake their heads in quiet rage and indignation, visibly incredulous that such a strongly blasphemous concept be thrown around so casually. Yet, a number of workers seem not to have such strong reactions - instead, they seem to react rather mildly to the words.

"I worked with one." A male worker announces. He cannot be older than his early thirties, with unevenly cropped scarlet air and features that give the impression of a timid, honest fellow. The words he just uttered are quiet, and yet they carry the same effect as if someone had dropped a big piece of metal. Those in range of whispers immediately quiet down, and the shy fellow seems to have suddenly become the center of attention. "He was a collar-wearer, and he was working, just like us. Some of the other guys just treated him badly because of that, but he just did his job and kept quiet. Me and some of the boys, we ended up working directly with him on a few occasions. Didn't seem all that bad. I mean, he talked like a normal fellow, and he didn't seem all that different from us, really. Was trapped just like any of us is. Maybe worse, in a way, 'cause so many are giving them the dirty eye."

"Watch your mouth, you fool!" Suddenly, the timid fellow gets elbowed from behind by a taller fellow with dirty blonde hair and a healthy growth of stubble. "You're so gullible. It's cause of people like you that those devils can get what they want. But see, that's the thing - that demon looked like you because at the time, he was like you! He didn't have any of his powers, 'cause those collars shut them off. So of course he was meek and stuff. You can bet he'd have been different if he didn't have that thing on. If you'd seen him then, you wouldn't have confused him with a human! There's a reason why these things are shackled. They destroyed the world above! And it's because of people like you that they get their way!" Another fellow immediately intervenes before a fight breaks out, leading the red-headed man to start staring at the ground meekly, remaining silent and avoiding eye contact with others.

Meanwhile, Cairen looks towards the checkpoint, and responds to Xurizu with a small smile. "Oh, I think there's ways, if you're industrious enough. I mean, they're not infallible, right? They just want to make us sheep believe so." He adjusts his spectacles for a moment, removing them once he spots a blotch of grease on them. "As much as I hate this sort of situation, there's still a part of me that wouldn't mind seeing someone owning up to them, even if just once. But you know, I'm not a lad anymore. That sort of stuff is only good for novels."
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:03, Fri 27 Feb 2009.

Dashu had been quietly observing all the actions and reactions of the workers while at the same time, trying to go completely unnoticed in this crowd.  If it was "him", these guards were looking for, then it was him in a different disguise.  Granted it had been entirely a makeshift one, but he had disguised the color of his hair and blurred some of his facial features so he had no doubt that between his disguises and his new trick, he would pass mostly unnoticed as long as he didn't draw any attention to himself.

When Nanaret had mentions the Chosen, he keeps a straight face and tries to give no one reason to suspect that the new comers were all just that.  He also keeps quiet instead of making any comments on the subject despite wanting to try to dispel thoughts.  He wasn't good at changing opinions of others and he needed people to not be looking at him.

He tried to relax.  He knew from his experience in the Peace Corp. that those people who looked uncomfortable usually got the most attention from the authority figures... unless everone looked uncomfortable.  Then it was the ones who were relaxed.  The nail that sticks up is the nail which gets hammered.  Regardless, Dashu tried to look very much like a tired, slightly disgruntled worker who had little to fear from a what has been instated as a routine checkpoint and fully expected to just be waived on through without any reason for being detained any longer than the others.

Satisfied enough with having riled up the miners this way, Nanaret mostly keeps quiet as well. She grins at the older woman, though, whispering a few last comments her way. "You must be real tough if you've survived this long with that attitude. That's a compliment! Me, I'm just hoping not to piss anyone off here on my first day in B25. Makin' waves just isn't so appealing when you're on an empty stomach..."

That said, she follows suit with Dashu and Xurizu, waiting serenely for the guards to interact with them. She tries to secure a place in the line close to Xurizu for herself and her 'brother', too. With luck, the miners' obvious unrest will distract the people at the checkpoint enough to make them just a little less watchful in general.

The older woman chuckles silently. That's the only way to start out, if you're smart. When you start not having to worry so much about your meals and the roof over your head, that's when you start to think of other things. When you're my age, it's going to be all you think about. She turns around, glancing back towards Bryn before resetting her gaze towards the checkpoint. Name's Hilde. the woman whispers, without looking back. Seek me out once you're in there if you ever feel like it. I'll show you the ropes.

At this point, the Exalts are close enough to be put into the file proper - Xurizu, Nanaret and Dashu, preceded by Cairen and Hilde. The whole process gives the impression of a somber procession, everyone falling deathly silent once they stand behind one another. Glance of sympathy are sent the way of the trio lacking IDs - some in a fashion that plainly states that they pity them, or have an attitude of 'better you guys than me'. Others seem more sympathetic to the situation, perhaps also remembering their first interrogation when the checkpoint was established prior. In any case, the new arrivals did manage to leave an impression on the workers. Many times, sharing a burden seems to create bonds, and perhaps that is what the established workers see in the trio: similar folks who happen the same sort of fate, and thus to whom they can immediately relate.

Questioning continues without incident, the line ahead shrinking until it is time for Cairen to go, and soon after Hilde is called. Individuals walk alone towards the checkpoint, where the officer in charge issues questions proper. Two guards stand on either side of him, keeping an eye on candidates while they are being questioned. The line proper stops about eight or ten feet from the checkpoint proper, and the last two guards keep the file from crossing a line marker that has been traced to mark the perimeter of the waiting area.

While the Exalts wait, one of the guards inspects the newcomers, noticing their lack of IDs and looking over them more closely. He is a short, stocky fellow with an uneven goatee and unpleasant brown eyes, and he walks with more importance that his position should grant. "You." He says, sweeping his truncheon towards the three, and tracing a circle in the air as if meaning to ensnare all of them in an imaginary fence. "You don't have proper identification." He states, as if his discovery is an accomplishment worthy of the world's best detectives. "You'll have to go together and clear this case with the Officer." Once again, even though he is only stating the obvious, his tone would almost suggest that he somehow imparted some breakthrough information upon them.

Ahead, Hilde is allowed through, and the officer makes a sweeping gesture signaling the next in line to come in. At this, the guard repeats the gesture to the three Exalts, indicating for them to advance to the checkpoint. Once they have approached enough, the Officer in charge raises a hand to indicate them they have come far enough. The man has black shoulder length hair, tied carefully in a ponytail, and calm but very serious features.

"Well." He starts, after examining the three in turn. "I trust that you are aware of the procedure implemented in this area at the present time. You lack proper identification - but you must have an explanation for this, yes? It would not be a very smart move to walk up here without one. So now, let us hear it. One at a time. And in a concise manner. There are other people carrying proper identification waiting to get inside."

[Private to Ledaal Xurizu; Peleps Dashu; Saina Nanaret: Okay, you're now at the Checkpoint proper, so it's time to make your case. The initial statements will likely color the rest of the conversation, so give it your all! You can consult each other briefly OOC as to the way you will handle this, but  ICly, you are likely going to have to run with the ball and hope the others catch the cues. Good luck!]

Hmm... Hilde. A name could lead to something more. But first, to deal with immediate problem.

"Greetings, Officer." Nanaret says with the utmost of respect she does not feel, making sure to look at the badges of every one of the checkpoint guards she encounters. Especially the one that's rather full of himself and stating the obvious, and the leader that has just asked them to explain themselves. "It's simple enough, sir. My brother Freidr and I -- my name's Bryn -- are transferring here from B23 and we've yet to get our IDs. We were told to go and speak to Ironbeak and so that's what we're doing."

A bold-faced lie, but a Lunar's lie may well be the truth, with how confidently and effortlessly she speaks it. She thinks of including 'Jenci' in her explanation, but since Xurizu is trying to appear more of a clerk she thinks he'd be better off without too close a relationship to the miners. The harder part of course would be how the men react to Dashu. She had some things in mind to make it impossible for them to question him, but decides against drawing over much attention to the man unless necessary.

Continuing to engage the guard's attention, Nanaret removes her cap, revealing a completely normal head of bluish-black hair. No monkey ears, no caste marks, nothing but honest grime on her brown complexion, typical of lower district folk. "We were told we'd have trouble at the gates. But they said Ironbeak would know what to do with us. We're real sorry to trouble you sirs." She hangs her head in a convincing show of remorse.

[Private to Loremaster: Using Mask of White Jade to defend against any attempts at lie detection, I'll use a WP if necessary.]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:26, Sun 01 Mar 2009.

Dashu tries to look insinificant but really says nothing and lets Nanaret do the talking.  His hope that they simply didn't notice him in the crowd had failed but now he was going to act the part of her brother, and really it was common sense that at checkpoints, one person from a group do the talking.  He would react when spoken to directly but until then all he did was nod when Nanaret called him her brother and prepared several lines to go into more exposition if they seemed to not buy the story.

Dashu also made it a point to not make eye contact with the guards at this point.  He didn't look away from them, but he kept his head bowed in somewhat of a submissive posture with his hands clasped behind his back.  He tried his hardest to make himself look like the paragon of deference.  As much as he knew Peace Corp. training tried to teach its officers not to base its investigotions of suspects on these kinds of appearances, he knew all to often that young officers based their decisions on pride.  Those who acted respectful of their position would not be looked into as carefully as those who's body language conveyed the sense that they believed themselves the equal of the officer.  And while they hadn't been wearing the uniform, Dashu had recognized their training.

Due deference and letting Nanaret do the talking was Dashu's plan to avoid being inspected too closely.

"Well, I-" 'Jenci' started to say before 'Bryn' cut him off, and the naturally meek little scribe was forced to listen to her explanations.  He was obviously a little nervous at this checkpoint, at the need to explain himself, occasionally touching to the papers in his satchel for some reassurance, but it was the nervousness to be expected of any honest (and slightly nervous anyway) scribe to be caught at such a checkpoint.  Eventually though, 'Bryn' finishes her speaking.

"I'm um Jenci," Xurizu nodded.  "It's as er, miss. Bryn said.  I was transfered down from B23.  When I set off they just told me to report to um ... Ironbeak.  They didn't mention anything about um, checkpoints when I was leaving.  In the line they mentioned um .. intruders?  We're not in any danger are we?" he nervously patted his bag again.

"Not that eerr, we've seen anyon-" he immediately tried to be helpful.  And then realised the guard hadn't asked him about that.  He shut up, and waited for more questions.
[Private to GM: If rolls are needed, pool is 9 (with three excellency dice) before stunt.]

Nanaret's observation of the badges gives her the names of the five guards: The two guards next to the waiting line are called Bertram and Arjad - the latter being the one that seemed to be enjoying his position a little too much. Lionel and Dorian are the checkpoint guards. The officer himself is named Janek, although Nanaret cannot tell his actual rank by his badge alone.

"That's right, Ironbeak is the person to see. Once you are past the gates, that is. For now, we are the ones to decide whether or not you will even make it that far." The officer's voice carries a bit of an edge, but he does not seem to be threatening them... yet, anyways. Instead, he inscribes the names down on a form he carries, as well as some information the others cannot quite see.

"Bryn, Jenci, and... Freidr." The officer and soldiers' gaze does rest on the still silent brother for a moment observing his attitude and posture. "I see." The officer writes some more notes on his form, and the next moments pass in heavy, tense silence. Meanwhile, the other two guards continue to watch the group intently, their gaze unwavering.

The man lifts his head as 'Jenci' speaks up, and he watches him intently. Another moment passes, in tense silence, before he finally speaks again. "The checkpoint was built recently to deal with possible health issues that might be brought from other districts. We of the Peace Force have to move faster than the paperwork, for efficiency's sake." He pauses to scribble a few more observations, then continues speaking while writing. "We have to enforce the new laws even if certain people are still unaware of it, I am afraid."

He does lift his head up as Jenci mentions the intruder, however, and seems to watch him for another moment. He raises an eyebrow slightly, then smiles slightly as he write another short comment. "I would not believe everything I was told if I was you, mister Jenci. Miners spend so long in the dark that they often start to see things lurking in there." He smiles a bit at that, as do the two guards next to him. "You have nothing to fear, mister Jenci - as long as your story checks out, all will be well."

Officer Janek watches his sheet carefully, as if scanning to see if he has made any mistake or forgotten anything. His lips quiver slightly as he reads, but since he does not fully pronounces what is written on the sheet, the Exalt cannot tell exactly what is on there. "Well then." He says, after reviewing for a little moment. "Is there anything you would wish to ask to corroborate the statements given here, mister Freidr?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:05, Tue 03 Mar 2009.

Dashu tried his hardest to seem very meek was he replied, "Not really, sirs.  Bryn, pretty much said everything important... We're just here to do our part.  Didn't mean to cause a ruckus or anything.  An' I we've been feel'n fine." Nothing Dashu says is really a lie.  Nanaret did say what was important, they were there to do their part...in something at least, they didn't want to cause a ruckus, and they had been feeling healthy.  He just presented it in such a way that he thought the guards would find to be likable enough while maintaining the character of his disguise.

[Private to GM: Don't know if I'll have to roll but if so, I'm aiming for a charisma based roll of somekind so I'm avoiding lies and trying to put forth the character traits they would find to be socially acceptable given my disguise.]
This message was last edited by the player at 06:05, Mon 02 Mar 2009.

"He's a good man, my brother," Nanaret nods, smiling fondly down on 'Freidr' as she speaks on his behalf. "Never once done nothing wrong." Not necessarily a lie, other than the 'brother' part -- after all, Nanaret has no idea of Dashu's actual record, and with luck the guards here wouldn't either.

"Let me tell you a story, Officer..." And she segues into a long-winded tale about Freidr's good deeds, starting with a stranger who had been caught in a cave-in and trapped with his legs crushed. As Nanaret tells it, Freidr stayed with the man, bringing him food and water, keeping him talking to take his mind off the pain, encouraging him should he give into despair, until the machinery and manpower could be spared to free him. As she continues on to another anecdote (this one about a widow whose life savings was stolen, and Freidr's unprecedented generosity toward her), her eyes glow with a deep pride for the man she calls brother, and the honest but simple good deeds he has done.

The intent is of course, partially to bolster opinion about Freidr, but also to distract and misdirect the guards so they will be impatient enough to simply push them through.

[Private to Loremaster: I'll let you figure what is most appopriate... though I don't think this is an outright lie, but more of a fabricated story. So I'll probably go with Manipulation+Performance if I can. :) 10 dice + 3 sux bought with excellency. I'll get back motes with whatever stunt I may get.]

Officer Janek listens intently to both Janci and Bryn's stories, his features unreadable the whole way through. He purses his lips as both relate their parts, and once again, he takes a few notes as Bryn relates her anecdotes concerning her brother. In time, however, he does let his gaze stray from the talkative woman to the line behind her, then back at Bryn.

After a while, he starts scribbling once more, and clears his throat before interrupting Bryn's recollections. "I believe that will be enough, thank you." He finally says, finishing his writing and tearing off the page. "Your story seems to be in order, so I will be handing you your Checkpoint confirmation. You have to hand it over to Ironbeak, or he will not give your your ID. It is your proof that you passed the checkpoint." He hands the piece of paper over to Bryn, but pulls it back when she reaches to grab it.

"Do remember, however, that you are still newcomers. You have passed the Checkpoint and are allowed in, but you better keep in line once inside. Make one misstep, and you'll be hearing from me again sooner than you would like, I am certain. Do I make myself clear?" He waits for the assent, then hands the paper back to Bryn, and signal for them to cross over.

"Welcome to the B25 Laborer's Conclave." He recites in a monotonous tone, now writing again. "Next!"

The conclave proper is not necessarily an impressive affair as it is a convenient one. Rugged and functional, its plainly cut buildings almost seem to merge with the cavernous landscape, a grimy portrait in almost monochrome tones. From rough estimates, it seems that the settlement could house several hundreds people, perhaps a thousand if pushing. The sound of people talking, boots on hard stone, clanking metal and rolling wood - all become amplified by the gigantic cave in which the settlement sits, mixing the cacophony ahead into a mishmash of various tones and timbres.

Not many workers are actually congregated in the square at this moment. Those who are seem to be paying little attention to the newly arrived trio, instead conducting their business without much gawking around. From here, many options are open to the Exalts.

Ironbeak's office stands close to the checkpoint entrance, and is marked by a plaque on the wall next to a heavy mahogany door. Further ahead, they can spot the more luxurious-looking B25 Foreman's Office, sitting next to double doors who apparently to some sort of common room or mess hall. Further down, a couple shops can be spotted - one is a Mining Supply Store, while the other seems to be a distributor for food, drugs and alcohol. Close to the shop is a humble looking building that bears a white sign upon which is painted, in stark letters, 'Information Center'.

On the western side of the square, a squat round building stands. The lintel bearing the mon of Pasiap, as well as the Immaculate monks standing in proximity seem to indicate that the building is a temple. It would be impossible to tell otherwise, the structure almost indistinguishable from the rest of the habitations scattered around the conclave.

From here, where to go and how to proceed rests solely on 'Bryn', 'Jenci' and 'Freidr'.
[Private to Saina Nanaret: You got a +2 Stunt for your last post, so you can recover 4 motes or a Willpower as requested.]
[Private to Ledaal Xurizu: You got a +2 Stunt for your last post, so you can recover 4 motes or a willpower as you see fit.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:16, Tue 03 Mar 2009.

"I understand, Officer Janek," is Nanaret's immediate reply when she accepts the paper the man gives her. "Thank you." She commits his name and that of the other guards to memory. Keeping track of names is something important, whether she uses it to enhance the authenticity of her character, or to point out who to blame should the guards have made a blunder.

When she, Xurizu and Dashu have stepped toward the interior of the Conclave, Nanaret exhales a deep breath, then straightens her back purposefully. Though they have surmounted the most difficult part of entering the Conclave, the dark-haired 'miner' does not let down her guard. Janek had very nearly suspected them, and so she expects the man would have some way to keep an eye on them. Even if not, always better to give the people around them as little as possible to find suspicious.

"I think we should go straight to this Ironbeak, first... deliver our paperwork." She points out the form in her hand, which she guesses includes checkpoint confirmation for all three of them. "Once we have our identification we won't have to deal with the guards so much. Only problem is..." Nanaret waits until they have moved out of direct line of sight of the checkpoint guards, who appear preoccupied with the next set of laborers. She leans casually against a nearby building to appear as if she is conversing quietly with friends. "We must act as workers here to keep IDs valid. Means we must really work, and show up regularly at whatever job we are assigned to. And keep minimal our association with the others. Maybe even better if only one of us go back to report after IDs are gotten, then return... what do you think?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:06, Tue 03 Mar 2009.

Now that they were out of earshot of the guards, Dashu spoke in a whisper to his two friends.  "We'll do what we have to... lets face it, with this sort of security, we might not get another chance at coming back here.  If we stay then we need to work.  If we leave, they'll notice and our disguises will be useless in keeping us from suspicion.  When we left, our general plan was to just present ourselves as unremarkable workers.  Now we have names, notable faces, a backstory, jobs, and personalities.  We aren't unremarkable anymore.  The sooner we can fade into obscurity, the better.  Maybe the bookkeeping is lax when it comes to keeping track of who's in what shift, but even then, that can only take us so far.  From here on in, we have pretty much one shot at it so lets make it count.  We go get our I.D.'s first, but after that lets get to gathering intelligence, if this takes time, then we'll put then we'll put in, but we need to do this right the first time."  Dashu then turns and begins to make his way towards Ironbeak's office.  Once the papers were out of the way, he fully intended to find his mark from earlier and find out about what the guards were doing.  He also knew that he needed to help Xurizu find his answers as well.

Nanaret frowns slightly. "The IDs we will get mean we can come and go for short time, at least, until our documents are examined in detail. I still think is best to return at least once. I will go. Otherwise our friends wonder where we go, and they come after us, not good."

"A shame to not have friend in higher place who give us permanent identity." The wiry, dark-haired woman shakes her head slightly. Well, nothing to do about it for now. Even if Dashu insists on staying, she could return to inform the others they would be in deep cover for a time, if need be. Just one quick excursion there and back; as long as she keeps an eye out for any sentries trailing her, she is confident she can make it. And if she is discovered -- Dashu and Xurizu would still be in the Conclave, and she could distract whoever discovered her from finding their camp. Better her than everyone.

Silently Nanaret resolves herself to this course of action, and follows Dashu to meet with Ironbeak.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:40, Wed 04 Mar 2009.

"That sounds like a good idea, 'Bryn'," Dashu says with a small smile.  "We'll come up with a rendezvous point and time before you leave."

'Jenci' nods.  "You're best placed of all of us to do that," he agrees with Nanaret.  "And it wouldn't do to let the people back home worry about us."

"But lets go and get those IDs before the peace corps have us up for malingering," Xurizu agrees.  "After that, to work.  Hopefully, Cairen can explain a little about what happens here."

With this, the Exalts march on to take care of their 'business', and Iron Beak's office.

The Conclave is a quiet place at the moment, and at first it is an almost eerie prospect. One would expect the town square to have more traffic and bustle at this time of day, and that fact it does not gives it a surreal, strange emptiness. But then, as the Exalts in disguise cross the main square, the reason becomes apparent.

A chime echoes across the square, signaling the end of mass in the nearby Immaculate temple. Soon after, the doors to the structure slowly open, revealing a throng of faithfuls now coming out through the courtyard like a river spilling out of a broken dam. Miners, other workers, wives and husbands, children, all come out of the building, chattering quietly among themselves and filling the desperately empty square with welcome background noise. It almost feels like a relief, in the similar manner a sudden rain will be one after a long, heavy and gloomy day.

Walking by gives the Exalt group an unexpected glimpse within the temple itself as well, a rare chance to observe its inside without having to infiltrate it. The walls seem made of white jade, but carry the same spare aesthetics as the outside, making it more of a humble structure than a grand one. From their point passing by, the group can catch sight of an altar on a dais, and several lintels also bearing the mon of Pasiap - between each, a painting representing one virtue of the Immaculate teachings hangs within a simple ebony frame. Several monks are assembled near the doorway, no doubt watching the faithful go. With them, a creamy-skinned women also loosely dressed in Immaculate robes - albeit in a manner that reveal a good deal of skin - stares out at the courtyard as well. There would be no real reason to single our this person, other than the distinct way she wears the Immaculate clothing, if not for a simple detail that none of them can miss.

The beautiful woman wears a tight collar around her graceful neck. The same sort of collar all of them wore only some time ago, while they were still prisoners.

The glimpse almost seems to last longer than it really does. In a moment, the doors close once more after the throng of faithfuls and three Immaculate monks step outside, and the people go about their business as usual. With the added number of people walking into the square, it now seems like a good idea for the group to go about their business, lest they draw unwanted attention.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:37, Thu 05 Mar 2009.

Ironbeak's office could use a good round of cleaning up - the whole place has an air of organized mess. Important-looking documents litter the main desk, as well as two side tables and the top of a rusty file cabinet who seems to have seen much better days. Strangely enough, however, the whole disorganized clutter still manages to emanate with a certain sense of order - almost defying the usual definition of the term, the chaos within the small office seems to make sense, when one lets go of one's preconceived notions. And that is something one definitely needs to do when laying eyes upon the room's owner, Ironbeak.

"Forgive the added mess. New checkpoint gives me a damn lot more paperwork than I usually have. Takes all my efforts to keep the tidal wave under control." The man's voice sounds almost like a man talking within a hollow metal tube - it echoes and distorts in a way a voice should not, and yet it has a certain soothing quality to it, once one gets past its surprising nature.

Ironbeak himself might, at one point, have been human. That much can be hypothesized from the dark flesh of his face and neck, his exposed right shoulder and the black dreadlock-like strands of hair that he keeps tied back in a ponytail. Many parts of him, however, look much more like machinery than human limbs. His right arm is an amalgam of metal and tubes shaped to resemble a normal man's arm, with dull iron-colored metals plates and copper wiring showing underneath. The hand at the end of the powerful appendage is bulky and powerful-looking, despite being seemingly capable of precise motor movement. One of the plates seems to join his shoulder with his chest, where the metal disappears beneath a fitted black coat trimmed in silver. The man's other arm is covered by the coat's sleeve, but at the end another mechanical hand can be clearly seen, this one much finer and more human-proportioned.

He wears black trousers over his black polished boots - work boots, although they seem to be kept pristine. The heaviness with which the man walks betrays that one or both of his legs might also be crude machine implements, as well as a good part of his torso. At the collar of his coat, an assemblage of wires, copper tendons and tubes form half of his neck, and the leftmost part of his face is the color of polished iron, shaped and curved to match the shape of his otherwise human features. The space where the implants meet skin seem raw and pinkish, adding to the crude appearance of Ironbeak's machine half. The metal man turns slightly, making it apparent that one of his eyes is a glowing blue orb, connected to a plate in the back of his head by two pieces of silver and black tubing. Rifling through the papers at the top of the cabinet while chewing absent-mindedly on an unlit stub that likely used to be a cigar, the mechanical man speaks again.

"Here it is. Can't even figure out where I put my new forms anymore. Just got asked to change the format, and because I didn't have had time to convert all the old ones to the new specs, I can't get rid of the whole template yet. Long story short, I can't navigate my office properly. It's a pain, I tell ya." Despite his almost fearsome appearance, Ironbeak seems to be a laid back fellow, much more pleasant than the checkpoint guards that they have just met.

"Allright." The man say, picking up a pain with his more agile left hand. The pen clicks as the metallic hand touches it. "Let's take it again from the top. I believe you folks have some papers and a request for me?"

Nanaret, catching a glimpse of the collared woman, immediately averts her gaze and enters the office without comment. Her mind, though, considers the implications: another of the Celestials, imprisoned so close to her companions' base? The woman could well be used against them, but what if they attempt to free her instead?

It would be easier just to leave the woman behind -- even temporarily -- but Nanaret is sure that she and any one of her companions would wish to be freed, if in the collared one's place. The idea of just leaving her there bothers Nanaret deeply.

But, how to help her with low risk to the others? Perhaps a single infiltrator, then...

Still, there are entirely too many leads to look up on, and Nanaret has more immediate considerations to think about -- such as dealing with the machine-man behind the desk. Ironbeak reminds her very much of Tycho, but even more mismatched, with the machine-parts so disfiguring the parts of him still recognizably human. It seems strange to her that a man with such a powerful body would be employed in a bureaucratic manner. Perhaps an intimidation tactic of sorts.

Well, in that case... "Um, yes sir," Nanaret replies to Ironbeak, in a tentative voice. Gingerly, she stretches out the hand holding the checkpoint paper, as if almost expecting the man's large machine-hand to crush it. "I'm Bryn, this here is Freidr and Jenci. We just went through the checkpoint... we've just been reassigned for work here, and need some new IDs, if it's not too much trouble." She scratches her head sheepishly with her free hand in a nervous affectation. "I mean, I guess it is trouble, but... you know. We transferred at a bad time, but we didn't have much control over that. We just go where we're told."

Dashu, for the most part, took Nanaret's lead when it came to seeing the collared Celestial.  "I don't want to just leave her there," Dashu thinks to himself.  While he can be difficult to approach sometimes, Dashu has very strong feelings against slavery and particularly the slavery of other Celestials.  However, he realizes that first things come first.  They needed their ID's.

When Dashu first sees the foreman, he is somewhat amazed.  He never expected to see someone so similar to Tyco running around.  Secretly he wondered if Ironbeak was a mortal version of Tyco, or perhaps even the Exalt's prototype.

Keeping with the facade that he used earlier with the guards, Dashu tried to act as respectful and deferential as possible towards the foreman.  He did however feel more comfortable in addressing him than he did the guards so he tried asking a few questions while remaining in character.  "Sir, if ya don't mind me asking, when we were told about our transfer, no one mentioned all tha security.  We didn' find out 'till tha last second.  What's go'n on?  Is there somethin' we need to be worried about?"

[Private to GM: Activating judge's ear technique.

Peleps Dashu rolled 4 successes using 8d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 2,5,9,7,5,3,2,10. Chr + Invest. ]
This message was last edited by the player at 04:21, Fri 06 Mar 2009.

"Oh, not a problem on you folks' side." The mechanical man says, grabbing the paper from Nanaret's hand and watching it carefully. He switches it to his bulkier hand, switching his cigar with his free limb as he reads. "It's from upper management. Foreman's being an overbearing ass about it too, as you can imagine. He's got his orders too, of course. All comes from the top." Immediately, he starts off writing on one of his forms. It is unknown whether or not it is due to him having filled so many, or because of his machine parts, but he somehow manages to fill in all the information while continuing to speak, lifting his head once to meet Dashu's gaze.

"What's that? Oh, you mean the Checkpoint and the IDs and all that jumbled business. That's kinda new." He pauses in his form filling, and starts to jerk the pen violently three or four times. "Damn pen keeps jamming just when it's important business. Anyways, that's because something went down some days ago in the Water District. Place is closed down now, apparently. They've tightened security out in all the other Districts, but especially ours. Mostly since we're sitting right on top of Water's head. Just our bloody luck, right?" He grins, chewing on the stub in his mouth.

"Supposedly some guards saw someone snooping around these parts, too. That half of the rumor gets everyone excited, as you can imagine. They don't know how that will affect them, if the person was just a vagrant or some slasher or whatnot. The rumors go wild." He shakes his head, then signs the document, pausing momentarily while examining it. "Don't have to tell you what it's like here - toiling day in and day out, the slightest bit of unconventional happenings gets people all caught up in it. Makes up for having to focus on their boring lives. Er, no offense of course, since you're gearing up for that lifestyle too, huh?"

With that, he puts the filled in forms in one drawer of his file cabinet, then pulls out three blank cards bearing the seal of the B25 Miner's Conclave, and fills in each of their information in turn. He hands the cards over, along with some pens. "Sign these please." He says, still busying himself organizing various papers around the office. Once signed, he checks out each signature in turn, apposes his on each of the cards, then puts a transparent laminate layer on top of all of them. He observes his handiwork carefully, then grins, revealing some silver teeth dispersed among his human-like ivory ones. "There, that should do it." He hands the cards over, making certain to give the right one to each individual. "That wasn't as painful as it was gearing up to be, was it?" He grins again, and leans back slightly, grabbing the cigar stump from his mouth with his smaller mechanical hand.

"If that's all you need from me, fellows... Then you're free to head out in and be good little worker bees."

[Private to Peleps Dashu: Dashu doesn't detect any outright lying from Ironbeak, but he does detect that he might be concealing things about the Water District situation. Although there is no lie, he seems to be vague on purpose on that topic,  and Dashu gets the feeling he knows more than he lets on.]

Xurizu had been silent after they'd spotted the woman, presumably a Celestial like themselves, within the temple.  He'd stared a bit, but then a scribe like himself probably would.  Her presence here worried him though.  How long had she been here?  Was she here before this trouble or was she a trap for them?  It is with thoughts such as these that he follows the pair into the office of Ironbeak.

He accepts the papers with a grateful smile, and a "Thanks," before he listens to what he tells them of the conclave and the events happening around here.  It's as they're being shown out that he speaks up a little more, blushing slightly.  "Erm, as we were walking in here I saw ... someone in the temple.  She ... she was be-... I mean, who is she? Um."

Nanaret puts down her signature when asked for, signing for a 'Bryn Freiwald.' A throwaway identity -- a name she'd heard from somewhere -- but one that would hopefully buy them some time. She can only hope that records are not nearly so well kept track of so far down the Coils.

"Not so painful, sir," Nanaret says with a hesitant, though mostly relieved smile upon receiving her ID. "And no offense taken. It's a tough way to make a living, but it puts food on the table and a roof over my head."

The disguised Lunar affixes her ID card to the breast of her worksuit. While 'Jenci' professes his interest in the collared woman (who really was beautiful, though scantily clad to be kept in a temple) Nanaret decides it's best that not all of them linger, in case it is seen as suspicious. In particular, she does not want to appear as if she has any interest in the enslaved woman at all. Later -- after she's returned with her report -- she could give a shot at casing the temple for an infiltration. But not a moment before. Being too hasty could endanger all of them, collared or not.

"S-sorry, one more thing..." Nanaret apologetically interrupts Jenci's question, if only for a moment. "We've got some lodgings with this job, right? I'd like to go and check 'em out, get myself settled a bit before the next work shift." This is not a lie: she believes her best chance would be to wait until tomorrow to risk sneaking back to her allies' camp. Leaving too soon would be too suspicious -- it would make more sense to slip the visit sometime before or after the next shift, and rest in the meantime.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:48, Sat 07 Mar 2009.

Dashu, under the guise of borrowing the pen from 'his sister', glaces looks at her ID card to see the last name she wrote down.  It would not do for them to wreck their story by getting their names wrong.  After he scrawled out his own alias, he placed his ID on his clothing, he decided to follow Nanarett's lead.  He was anxious to find people to talk to.  They should probably make a quick stop by the outpost to do their trading before Nanaret left.  This way they could make two trips with the goods and get more things back to the base camp.  "Thank you, very much," Dashu said to the foreman.  "Err, are we assigned shifts down here or do we sign up for whatever shift we want?"

"She?" Ironbeak answers, removing the blackened stump from his mouth as he speaks. "You're sure she wasn't just someone going to mass?" He says, watching Xurizu intently as he asks. "Oh wait, you must mean the woman that's hanging out with the monks. Beats me, honestly. If she's with them, she might be either with them or working for them. Either, way, she doesn't come out much. I don't even really know her name. 'Course, I don't really spend much time on holy grounds, so I'm probably not the best person to ask." He grins, then puts the cigar back in his mouth.

"As for lodgings, you're correct - they're part of the deal when you sign up for this job. We've got enough of a tough time getting more workers for the expanding operation, so we just give them a roof to rest under as part of the bargain, to try to sugar the deal a little." He pauses, then nods. "Check the directions once you get back to the square, that will clear that out. Present your ID and they'll realize you're not roomed yet and clear that out for you. If you run in any trouble, let me know and I'll help with fixing it."

"You'll get assigned shifts, though I'd say you're looking at a 1 to 2 days wait before you get your actual assignment. Boss and I are tearing our hair out keeping the roster up to date and cleaned out, what with the new changes and such. On top of the people requesting temporarily leave, injured workers, people taken away for questioning, and new arrivals, it's a mess to keep an accurate depiction of our mining teams. But in a day, two at most, we'll have your schedules and assignment well and ready. Just get acclimated with the scenery and the people until then."

He checks some of his forms and documents, then lifts his head once more. "Well, not that I'm bored, or that you're not pleasant fellows to chat with, but if you'll excuse me... I've got a mountain of paperwork I need to get done before the end of the day, so I've got to get to it. Hope you enjoy your new settlement, fellows. If anything crops up you're not sure how to handle, come back in and if I can spare the time, I'll help you out." With that, he salutes them with his smaller hand, and immediately gets back to work. One can immediately tell that his examination of the situation was no exaggeration - the pile of papers he seems to be starting to work on is stacked at least a foot and a half high, and two more similar piles rest right next to it.

Once past the door and back in the square, the Exalts can get a better look at how the square usually looks like - the bustle is definitely more prominent now that mass is over. People come and go, chat and argue with one another, and the settlement seems much more lively overall. The amalgam of people does not only bring comfort, however.

From at least two different spots in the square, the group can point out guards wearing the same uniforms as those manning the Checkpoint. The sentries are evidently not making any efforts to stay hidden, nor do they try to conceal the fact that they are watching the newly arrived folks - it becomes rather clear that they are carrying both a warning and a threat. We are watching you. The realization dawns that the peace force probably has detachments observing new arrivals for a time, to ascertain that they act appropriately and do not engage in suspect behavior, as well as provide a deterrent for those who would have considered such actions. [Private to Ledaal Xurizu: If you glance up at the rooftops again your scenelong charm will still allow you to see the invisible sentry/snipers waiting where you saw them before.]

Whether they are using this method as an intimidation tactic or because they have suspicions concerning the concealed Exalts, they cannot determine. One thing is certain, however: whether they like it or not, they will have to lie low and play their roles for a short while, until initial caution about them starts to fade. Until then, they will have to do their best to mingle with the population, and try to keep up their act to the best of their ability...

[Private to Ledaal Xurizu; Peleps Dashu; Saina Nanaret: Ok, here's the deal: you'll be spending 3 days in the Conclave under observation, while the main thread moves on to next week. You can detail your actions for those 3 days in your next post (while keeping in mind that you are being observed in the meantime). Once you've described how you'll spend those three days, we'll skip ahead, let Nanaret leave, and handle the core of your investigation/information gathering.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:43, Sun 08 Mar 2009.

Dashu had spent the last 3 days trying to do nothing out of the ordinary.  He went to the store to try and sell the items they had brought with them, a perfectly normal act for someone who just moved and needed money.  Past that he tried to fit in as much as possible.  However, he didn't try to stay out of sight.  He figured sneaking around and ditching his tail were the quickest ways to draw attention to himself.  It would scream out that he did not want to be seen.  He had taken the time to ask some questions though.  He kept his eye on the man named Vergon.  He didn't want to be seen with him just yet as he was obviously someone who the authorities would find suspicious.  However, Dashu did want to know how to find the man when he thought it was safe to do so.  Dashu did, however, ask question around town.  Aimed to get information.  He noted who some of the frequent visitors to the temple were and questioned them on some simple things such as the time of mass, who the local monks were, and most importantly, who the collared woman was.  When he was certain that he and his friends were out of ear shot of anyone else, he asked his friends, "Does either of you have any idea how to remove the woman's collar?  I think... I think we should try and free her."

Nanaret thinks that she would be able to avoid notice or misdirect the guards' attention should she wish to move around freely, but the point of her and Dashu and Xurizu coming into the Conclave is not just to sneak about, but to gather information. Establishing their new identities as regulars in the area would make that task plenty easier than having to constantly remain hidden.

So she lays low for a couple days, awaiting her assignment while exploring the Conclave to get used to the layout and the area. During her exploration she tries to figure out the rhythm of the guards' shifts and the logistics of their assignments, both the stationary ones at the checkpoint and the ones watching the grounds. She is also careful to attempt her observations in a casual manner, or disguised as another purpose entirely. Therefore she rarely walks about without a specific destination in mind, whether it is to her lodgings, to the distributors for gear or food, to check on schedules at the information office or to one of the Conclave's taverns. Even better if she can persuade someone join her to chat, either a local or Dashu, who of course is playing her brother so it wouldn't at all be unusual for them to be seen together.

Nanaret also keeps an eye out for signs of criminal activity of any sort: pilfering, gambling, shady deals, back-alley beatings. The monkey-Lunar does not intervene, or give an impression that she notices the activities should they exist. Instead, she builds an impression of how constraining the laws in the Conclave are, what sort of crimes people feel they can get away with there. Her hope is that the Celestials may eventually find allies among the underworld of Coils -- as they would be the best suited to help them 'beat the system'.

Most of all, Nanaret does her best not to appear like a loner, establishing some credibility with the locals. 'Bryn' is almost boisterously friendly, always in a good mood and as motor-mouthed as she presented herself at the checkpoint. She is the type to quickly make acquaintances and greet people by name, without a care for whether they are clerks, off-duty guards or fellow laborers. Hilde is the first she actively attempts to befriend, asking the older woman questions about the job she'll likely be doing and pointers about how to survive in the Conclave without stepping on any toes. She mostly sticks with newbie-friendly questions for now, gauging Hilde's reactions.

[Private to Loremaster: I think there may be several rolls involved in what I'm doing. I suppose a couple of Perception rolls, one to try to figure out the guards' shifts, patterns of patrol, etc. and another to notice crime elements. And another roll (or more?) to basically hide that she's trying to look... I guess Stealth of some sort? If any of my Excellencies apply (1st Dexterity, 2nd Manip. or 1st Perception Excellency), I'll spend the maximum I can spend, unless it means I'll run out of Personal Essence. I should be rested with full Essence each morning, though, or so I hope.

The harder part will be trying to gauge Hilde, since motivation sense is either Perception+Intelligence or Socialize and I have neither! :O so I'll spend a WP along with Perception Excellency.]

When Nanaret manages to meet with her 'brother' again, she nods at his assertion while making sure to keep an eye out for eavesdroppers. "I also would like to help her. But not sure about collars, we only removed after deactivated. Maybe works like other such devices, requires Dragon's touch..."

"Mmm... has been much too long to wait to return, so do not want to attempt too risky action before I go to report. Maybe in meantime, should look into examining the temple. See who guards it, entrances and exits." The disguised Lunar rubs her grimy chin thoughtfully. "Or we can actually attend mass. It be good way to see some of the interior."

She realize that could be risky, too, but it would be a test of whether their identities are solid, and besides, they'd stand out more if they didn't attend mass at all.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:32, Sun 08 Mar 2009.

Dashu thought for a minute and agreed.  "It would be a good way to possibly get close to her.  It's not like they keep things in the temple which single out 'Anathema'.  Besides, it'll give us more contacts to ask questions of."

Nanaret smiles at Dashu. "Am glad you agree. Is discouraging to wait and do nothing for so long."

"But they will notice should we succeed and she is gone. When we do the job--has to be as completely other identity. Quick, get inside and out, get her away from here. Create distraction, so less chance for interruption."

Her lips quirk again slightly at her next idea. "Perhaps can attempt it as ourselves. None here have seen us as we are, after all... But maybe thinking too far yet."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:00, Sun 08 Mar 2009.

Jenci spent his 'settling' days away from Dashu and Nanaret in the main.  Whilst it was obvious he shared some feelings for them, thanks to their common travel and arrival, they were miners and he was a clerk and so he kept away from them to a degree.  Instead he spent what time he could with Cairen and the other clerks and scribes.  Mostly he listened, rather than spoke up, the better to keep his ignorance of current events to himself.  By the end of the three days, of course, he's able to converse about a variety of current subjects, just having absorbed the information.  He makes no real attempt to push any for more information yet, just making sure he is known, and known as being friendly to the administrative staff of the mines.

When he does get to talk to the other two, he's glad that they too are talking of freeing the woman.

"As ourselves might be best.  We're not risking any new identities that way, and when it's worked out who we are ... well, they'll figure out we escaped soon enough anyway."

"As for the collar, I might be able to," he says, not entirely sure.  "I never figured out how to do mine, but I imagine it's easier from the other side, or they'dve let us talk more amongst ourselves.  Worst comes to the worst, we can probably get her back without that though.  I'm sure Danae can do something about them."

And so, for the first few days, the infiltrated group lays the groundwork of their impersonation work, interacting their locals and establishing their own personae.

Now that the new arrivals actually have their identification and paperwork out of the way, the general population seems much more open towards them. Dashu's efforts to mingle end up paying off in the end, with a group of miners taking him 'under their wing' so to speak, and showing his the ropes of life in the conclave. By the time the Investigator moves in with his questions, the rest of the group have had their tongues loosened enough to speak of what they know, and reveal information without much fear that Dashu is 'the enemy'.

He quickly learns that the monks are, like he suspected, representative of the Immaculate Faith in the Conclave, and that gatherings like he had witnessed upon his arrival was actually mass. Dashu also learns that most people attend mass at various times (depending on their schedules), even though not everyone is necessarily a strong believer or devout faithful. Most people have at least some belief in the teachings, but those who don't for various reasons usually wish not to rock the boat and keep their thoughts and beliefs quiet.

Finally, he hears that rumors are circulating concerning the woman he saw at the church. The rumors confirm that she indeed is an anathema, kept by the Immaculates for her skills as a healer. In hushed tones, some whisper that they have witnessed proof of her being mistreated - mostly in the form of marks suggesting corporeal punishment - something that spans polarized comments within the worker base. Some believe that the Anathema do not deserve respect and should be treated as the demons the teachings paint them to be, but a lot of the workers are much more ambivalent about this occurrence. Whispers of mistreatment are scattered here and there, and Dashu can see that the sight of the scarred woman has had a profound effect on a lot of them.

Nanaret has also been busy, and her observations have borne their fruits. Unfortunately, however, her observation of the guards have not managed to bring in the results she has hoped. It seems that because of the recent raising of the checkpoint, and the recent mobilization of the peace force, the guards find themselves almost in the same situation as the workers - namely, their scheduling is erratic and irregular. It becomes difficult for her to figure out shifts and patterns in the guards' schedules, mainly because there are countless minute changes and switches pulled that throw off any pattern recognition she might have. With that much chaos, she cannot get much useful information out of her watches, other than their organization seems a bit strained.

She gets much more success trying to find out about the criminal element within the Conclave do produce more interesting results. She manages to spot several clandestine occurrences, and she can immediately spot that petty crimes are, on the whole, rather rare. The proximity of the checkpoint and the constant looming presence of the Immaculates seem to act as a deterrent for most people, keeping isolated cases of crime a rarer affair. All this means, however, is that those who wish to partake in criminal endeavor have to be cleverer, better organized, and/or having better resources or networks than others. And it is that sort of organization that Nanaret becomes aware of.

Through her observation, she gets acquainted with a name: Mockingbird. Whispers have it that he or she is someone based within the Conclave that holds sway over an extended smuggling operation. Word on the street is that Mockingbird can, through means unknown, smuggle goods not only between floors, but between districts as well. Nanaret hears tall tales of this organization, but the core she can observe and verify is that this 'Mockingbird' is evidently a very prudent and methodical person. Although she thinks she can spot warehouses where smuggled goods might be stashed, the actual merchandise never seems to be where she expects. She never manages to see the supply lines, or how the exchanges are conducted. All she knows is that various contacts and 'enforcers' work within the Conclave, most likely miners working for Mockingbird along their work in the mines. She can identify a few ways they seem to pass messages between one another, and she is rather confident she could enter communication with them with a little preparation and fieldwork. She even manages to flag a few key individuals she is certain work for this group.

Speaking with Hilde proves a pleasant enough affair, although it is a harsh one. The older woman does not try to cushion Bryn nor does she tries to sugarcoat how life in the Conclave is. She portrays it as the harsh and difficult thing it is, but through it all, Bryn can perceive that Hilde has a genuine desire to help out. Not only with getting established either, but rather just... helping out in general. Her gruff exterior hides a caring and helpful core, and Bryn catches glimpse of it between powerful back claps and intense work sessions. Hilde proves a solid and helpful contact, and one that Bryn believes she can count on.

Meanwhile, Xurizu spends some time among Cairen and the scribe, who seem pretty friendly and willing to help the new 'fledgling' learn the ropes of the more bureaucratic work in the Coils. Through them, he actually learns more about the Immaculate temple also, and about the woman supposedly held within. Through his listening, he can hear tales of her mistreatment just as Dashu did, and the overall tone among the bureaucrat seems to be a lot more sympathetic towards her. They are not trusting her per se, but still seem to believe the marks they have witnessed represent excessive behavior. Xurizu can extrapolate that many of them are unfavorable to it.

As time passes, the three start to be more accepted within the Conclave, and with it, they can also perceive that they are watched less closely than when they first arrived. The opportunity for deeper investigation (and Bryn's possible trip back to camp) is presenting, and with a little planning and preparations, the Exalts start to see their efforts bearing fruit. Using the things they have learned and the contact they have made, the can now get to the core of their plans...

Nanaret has much more to speak about, so decides to invite her 'brother' and 'clerk' friend over to the dormitory lodging. Her individual room is not much larger than a walk-in closet, and probably just as comfortable, but it's still more private than speaking out in the open.

Before entering, she checks the adjacent rooms and the hall outside for anyone who might be listening in. She'd already went through the entire slow process of looking for any sort of device that might be listening in or recording their conversations while there, but one could never be more careful while undercover.

Finally Nanaret invites Dashu and Xurizu in. She lets them sit on the rickety bed while positioning herself in a spot across from the door, her eyes on the crack between door and doorway so she can catch any sight of movement outside. Then she fetches the three bottles of cheap beer she's put away, part of her meager daily stipend, opens them and offers two to her 'guests'. If they ended up caught conferring here, they might as well look like they're just chatting over drinks in private.

"All right. So... this what I find out lately..." Nanaret goes into detail about her discoveries. The guards, she says, are more disorganized than they seem at first glance. She also describes what little she's discovered of the smuggling operation headed by 'Mockingbird', and also of her new friend Hilde. "When I return, perhaps Mockingbird may be willing to ally. Smuggling goods is step away from smuggling people."

"But I should leave here for the outer camp, soon -- maybe after we attend to mass? What you think?"

(OOC: Hope no one minds the change of scenery, I figured if Nana would be reporting ALL of that it'd be too detailed to feign as part of a normal conversation in public. Also, I noticed Loremaster didn't mention whether we got any goods to return, should we assume we succeeded at getting some salt and medicines at least?)
This message was last edited by the player at 18:25, Mon 09 Mar 2009.

After retiring to the dorm, Dashu listened to what Nanaret had said and then related what he had discovered about the mistreatment of the woman.  He concurred that getting this Mocking bird to help when Nanaret returned might be advisable.  In fact he suggested that he and Xurizu make contact with the man prior to her return in order to have everything in order and ready to escape.  Speed would be key in getting out of the compound with their fugitive.  First, initial contact had to be made with the woman.  Dashu figured he would be able to do that easily by entering the temple and leaving a note telling her to be prepared escape.  As he related this back to his friends, he asked "What would be a proper time frame?  How quickly do you think you can get back to camp and return?  You can't be gone too long or the guards will notice."

Xurizu nods unhappily when Dahu speaks of her mistreatment.  "The scribes have been talking of it, too," he confirms, though has little to add in addition to what Dashu has said.

"Won't setting up to smuggle a person out take a lot of time?" Xurizu questions.  "Though I suppose we'll know more once we get in touch with this 'Mockingbird'.  What will we pay though?  I think convincing them to help out of the goodness of their heart is unlikely to work..."  he concludes, a little cynically.

"We also need to consider what will happen if we're chased.  We can't lead them back to the camp."

"Mmm. I do not think it will take more than few hours," Nanaret replies, after a swig of the rather bitter beverage. "Not even a day... unless there are... complications."

"Mockingbird already has facilities in place. I think he would need little setup if we can get the collared one out. I will tell you of the protocols I know to contact his people, if you wish establish contact while I am gone." She spends another several minutes describing their rather esoteric methods. With this sort of clandestine communication, rarely anything is said directly. Intents are implied, and often messages are passed through subtle nuances and unexpected senses. By the time she is done though, Dashu and Xurizu think they can mimic what she has shown them enough to at least get the smugglers' attention. She also describes the few individuals she flagged as part of the organization. (OOC: sorry so vague... I figured Loremaster had an idea of what he wanted these things to be, though I can edit and come up with something myself if I have to!)

"I personally do not think we should take her out during mass. Is only preliminary attempt. We go to get idea of the interior. And then slip inside later time. When fewer people there. Even better, if we arrange disturbance to bring Immaculates away... or if allies can."

Nanaret sighs, rubbing her forehead, getting grime on her palm in the meantime. "I should leave now. Unless you have more to contribute. I will be back soon as I can."

One thing the Lunar will do before leaving is inform Hilde that she will be stepping out for a stroll after work, looking for a valuable item of hers she dropped during one of the previous shifts. A simple charm, she tells her, one her own mother gave her. Priceless in value, and one she would not want the guards to go stomping around looking for. Better she goes to find it personally, and quickly.

If Hilde is to be trusted, she will cover for her. Or so Nanaret hopes.

"Ah. One more thing. We do not need rely on Mockingbird. He may help us but may not. If not we may have to fight our way out or come up with something impromptu. But I do not care. I will fight if needs be. I will not leave her there."

The dark-haired 'miner' shrugs helplessly. "Just means if they see me, I not bring her back to the camp if we escape. That is all. Is up to you whether you follow me in this or not."

"I agree.  The less we have to rely on him, the better for us.  And don't worry, we won't try and break out in mass.  However, it would be foolish of us to try and free her and not try and make sure she's ready.  We're just going to talk," the investigator concurs.  He then looks at Nanaret and says,  "May the Sun turn his gaze from your path that you may return swiftly and quietly."

After Nanaret leaves them to begin her return mission, Dashu confers with Xurizu about Free, the Creeds, and setting about making springing an escape for the woman in the temple.  They have much to do and little time in which to do it.  Fortunately, Dashu has planned to meet with the workers who had taken him under their wing soon.  He fully plans on subtly asking questions inquiring about the town in which the Celestials now resided, the happenings there, and Free.  He also wants to check any missing person adds and public warrants the peace corp. might have published.  Lastly, Dashu wishes to stop by the stores to inquire after a woman fitting the description of Creed's wife.  He figures that is she was in town, she would have eventually tried to buy something.  [Private to GM:

Here are the rolls.  I didn't know how many you wanted for the extended rolls so I just rolled 5 times.

Peleps Dashu rolled 1 success   ... 5,3,6,1,3,8,2,4. Chr + Invest.
Peleps Dashu rolled 7 successes ... 7,3,6,2,9,10,10,9. Chr + Invest.
Peleps Dashu rolled 3 successes ... 5,3,8,5,8,7,3,6. Chr + Invest.
Peleps Dashu rolled 3 successes ... 5,7,5,4,2,10,2,5. Chr + Invest.
Peleps Dashu rolled 2 successes ... 7,2,5,2,7,4,1,4. Chr + Invest.
I do plan on using my combo too.
]
Before he leaves to go make his inquiries, Dashu invites the lunar to join him, but if he so declines then he arranges to meet with Xurizu at Dashu's dorm when they are finished.  From there they could make contact with Mockingbird.

After his return from gathering information, Dashu begins thinking about the escape.  "The way I see it, we need to try and get this Mockingbird to allow us unfettered access to a smuggling route.  He might be able to figure out going to smuggle a person out of the conclave, but we can't let him know which person.  Besides, this shouldn't be too hard.  Most criminal types would rather not be caught and if we can convince him he's better off not knowing the dirty details but he'll get paid, then we should be able to get what we want," he says to Xurizu.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:02, Thu 12 Mar 2009.

"Take care out there, Nanaret," Xurizu says softly as the Lunar makes her preparations to depart.  He had been paying careful attention during her talk on the smugglers and had done his best to memorise the signs.  Knowing where Dashu is planning to visit, Xurizu adopts a slightly more complex plan.  Rather than following him around the town--suspicious given their disparate jobs--or asking similar questions, which might be just as bad instead he aims to meet with Dashu at the stores, so that he might hear whatever is said about Creed's wife ... and any reactions to it first hand.  Aside from that, he makes his own enquiries amongst the scribes and bureaucrats of the Conclave, some clandestine and some not.  He's mostly trying to gauge their feelings further, after the encouraging start of the disapproval of the treatment of the woman they are to rescue, especially in the light Cairen's odd comment about sheep.  It suggested to Xurizu he might know more and this is something Xurizu attempted to extract from the man, although subtly.

When they returned to plan, Xurizu looked skeptical.  "Unfettered access to a smuggling route?  That's a lot of trust to gain in only a very few days.  Especially for something so large as a person.  Can't be many ways to get that out of here.  Still, discouraging his questions has got to be a good thing."

"We might need something to sweeten the deal still.  We are asking for a lot."

Dashu talks in a hushed tone to his lunar friend.  "Do you have any ideas on how to sweeten the pot?  We... don't have much to give him.  We could offer to take something of his out of the compound and deliver it when we get free.  And perhaps unfettered is a strong word.  We could tell him we're smuggling someone out, there's no money involved and it's for personal reasons and not money.  We can expect the worst security from the guards and the less he knows the more he's protect.  Basically, we need a coyote out of town.  I doubt if he knew the danger, he would turn us in because the trail would lead back to his crime ring, but we need to present the dangers to him as being as low as possible so we can come to an agreement on price."

"That's the tougher question.  I don't know about offering to carry something somewhere.  He's only likely to want it moved to another conclave, and we can hardly admit we're not from one of them.  Some of the jelly perhaps, but again, that might be too revealing of where we come from."

"... A Coyote?"

Dashu listens to his friend and then says, "Hmm, the jelly would be too revealing of where we come from only if it was in the hands of someone who could identify it."  Then without missing a beat, he cooly explains what a coyote is with a since of pride.  Not all of his experience as a criminal investigator will go to waste.  "A coyote is the term given to people who are in the business of smuggling persons across boarders.  From what I know on the subject, it was named after an animal I haven't ever seen in the 5 Coils.  The animal was something of a scavenger, which, in general is how the smuggler and the smugglee live during their crossing.  I suspect that the term carried over from the previous age.  Payment systems varry from coyote to coyote.  Long story short, it's a coyote's job to know how to get inexperienced people around checkpoints."


OCC: The term coyote is what's generally used with regards to people who smuggle illegal immigrants over the USA/Mexico boarder.  I figure the shoe fit in this case so I just adopted it for use here.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:40, Fri 13 Mar 2009.

After a moment's pause, the investigator makes a simple statement, "We won't know his price unless we go talk to him.  We need to go see the first contact to arrange the meeting."

Suddenly, Dashu stops walking and a look passes over his face as though he had an epiphany.  Realizing this sudden stopping would attract attention he acted like he was looking at a sign on the street.  He then started walking with Xurizu again but whispered, "What if we're going at this all wrong?  What if instead of us trying to take her out of the compound, we try to keep them from bring her back into it?  If we can arrange for an accident to occur, then they'll be forced to send their healers to help.  In the confusion, we take her collar off and... leave."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:47, Sat 14 Mar 2009.

Xurizu nods, "Ah, I see.  Yes, I suppose that is appropriate," he nods to the explanation of a Coyote.  "But I wasn't worried about the smuggler knowing what it meant, but rather ... what would happen if he were caught with it?"

In response to Dashu's brainwave though, he has to frown and shake his head.  "What if someone died?  It would have to be serious indeed for them to send out, and that would be playing with other people's lives.  What, too, if she doesn't want to go until people are well once more?  Perhaps an accident that befell one of us might get us a private word with her, though ..."

OOC: I had no idea about the term OOC, so I figured it might as well be IC ignorance too.

And so while Nanaret is away, Dashu and Xurizu continue on their investigation, trying to gather more information about their situation and the topics that are of interest to them.

The pair work separately, but get into a lot of conversations each on their side. The main interest in such conversations is to compare the views Dashu can get form the workers with the ones Xurizu can get from the more erudite side of the Conclave. To their surprise, things are not that dissimilar between the two - certain things the inhabitants seem to share, despite their obvious differences.

This time spent investigating provides them with an impressive collage of comments and opinions. And yet, some of these talks and comment seem to stick more in their minds than others...

***

On the state of the Conclave...

27th Deep Mining team leader, Caleb Briggs.
Caleb is one of the oldest miners on camp, at 66 years old. He is due for retirement, at an age where many other miners have to take their leave for various health problems - be they joint and muscle related, or more insidious like lung and respiratory problems. Against all odds, however, he is still one of the most active deep miners the Conclave has. He still is responsible for a unit of eight men, most of which are half his age or less. And yet, none of them question the abilities or knowledge of the man that earned the nickname 'Iron Mole'.

"This place? When I started out in here, what you saw was what you got." The older man says to Dashu, reclining slightly after loading the last piece of heavy machinery into a transport crate. Dirty fingers rub his creased brow, and he gazes through the Conclave, as if seeing how things used to be. "It was never pretty. It never really was happy either, at least not as a whole. All we are here are a bunch of workhorses, and not really by choice either. Most of us, we'd only want better lives for our kids, y'know? Slave day in and out so our sons and daughters don't have to do it themselves. But look at me. I'm with a team of guys that could all be my kids. All this slaving, and we've accomplished nothing. And I think people are finally starting to see that. And that's not something they want us to see, because those that do see that are getting pissed off."

"That business what with the checkpoint is just another chip in the pile, y'know? But it's starting to accumulate, 'specially with the younger fellows. Many of them are just roughhousing now. They're wanting to say something, and they can't do it to the bosses' faces, so they just do it where they won't be seen. They join gangs, or try to join that outfit of that one guy... What's the name again... Mockingbird. That guy. Or they try to find out about that 'Free' person, and try to gain his attention, whoever he is. Y'know, nothing huge or especially out there. But for an old dog like me, I can spot the difference right away. There's a lot of anger in the air. Lots of frustration. Who knows where that's gonna lead."

The old man gets back to his feet again, and grunts as he starts to load another piece of heavy machinery in another crate. "Things are different than they used to be. But its not that things used to be better."

"We were just more docile."

***

Chief Inventory clerk for the surface mining venture, Adrian Delaris.
Adrian is a well groomed individual in his late thirties, and one of the most 'successful' bureaucrats of the Conclave. He is a ruthlessly methodical man, one who tolerates no sloppiness in work - a trait he inherited from his father, just like his position. To those who earn his confidence, he sometimes reveal that what he would truly have wanted in life was to become a clock-maker - his passion for exactitude and detail perfectly exemplified by timepieces and clockwork devices.

"Whoever tells you there is any partisanship to be had down here is a right liar". The man says, smiling softly, as he overseas the extensive inventory call of one of the mining warehouses. Having taken a liking to Xurizu's attitude, he speaks rather freely of his own observations after over a decade taking care of his late father's position. "Outsiders would believe that there is some sort of 'rivalry' or 'resentment' between the clerks and bureaucrats and the miners themselves. That is an erroneous notion. They do not think we are weak and cushy, and we do not think of them as boorish and stupid. One would think that would happen, but it does not happen here."

"That is because we both realize we are in the same mess, in the end. Look at it this way. Neither of us gets the better living accommodations. Our spouses and children crop up the same sort of mining-related diseases no matter what our line of work is. Neither of us is treated more kindly in the eyes of our superiors. We clerks know little more than our mining brethren. None of us truly knows what our excavations will provide, as we never see the purpose nor any final product. In the end, all of us are little more than herded cattle put in pens based on our abilities."

He smiles again, this time sadly. "Cattle herded by the same peasant do not denigrate one another."

***
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:09, Mon 16 Mar 2009.

On Creed's wife...

Melinda Colgrave, main clerk at 'Corgrave's', main distributor of food, drugs and alcohol in the Conclave.
The middle daughter of the owner of 'Colgraves's', Melinda is a bright and cheerful woman, a somewhat rare sight among the heavy gloom that seems to permanently surround the Conclave. Like her three siblings, Melinda also works the family business, taking over the position of main clerk from her mother after Mrs. Colgrave's health did not allow her to keep such continuous working hours. Melinda is now the main face of Colgrave's, and keeps up her work with an attitude that seems to momentarily eclipse the grimy environment she is in.

"So you say she looked like..." The woman says, having just finished handing out change to her previous customer. Both Dashu and Xurizu are within earshot - not too difficult within the small counter area at Colgrave's - when she finally gives her answer. "Oh... Oh! I think you mean Patience! Yeah, of course I know her. She was the one who took care of the shopping in her household. I actually liked her a lot, and spent some time chatting her up when she came along... But then, I have a tendency to do that with pretty much everybody." She smiles a bit sheepishly, before returning to a more pensive mood.

"Is she a friend? I'd love to have news of her, really. I'm kinda sad she never stopped by to say goodbye. She just left, about a month ago. Can't really blame her though... After that one disease that wiped out the settlement she and her husband lived in and all. I heard her husband died there... That's awful, isn't it?"

"Patience herself hasn't been seen here since then, so she probably moved out of the Conclave or something. Maybe to live with relatives? I hope she's doing okay." The girls looked down for a moment, before smiling again.

"Is that all I can do for you? You should get some of these apples, we just got them, and they're delicious!"

***

On Free...

Street collector for Mockingbird's Organization, Red Lorelei.
The woman known as Red Lorelei is, incidentally enough, one of the most feared collectors employed by Mockingbird. A woman collector in a mining settlement might seem like a bad idea at first, but Red Lorelei makes the concept work without a hitch. Some whispers that oftentimes, it only takes the mention of her name for victims to suddenly and miraculously come up with most if not all of the money they owed, all within record time. She does not hide her name, and yet the Dragonblooded have yet to try to make a move against her - the fact no one has dared try to rat on her a testament to how much respect she has in the Conclave.

"Free? Yeah, 'course I know of him. Everybody who's somebody has heard of the guy, even if they pretend they don't." Leaning against a wall, the fiery redhead eats the wrapped sandwich she brought with her, her free hand gesturing to illustrate the points she speaks of. Once or twice her fingerless gloved hand comes close to Dashu as she continues to expound. "I work everyday to preserve the Mockingbird's interest, right? It's my job, and I get to bust a few heads in the process. But for that Free guy? Man, I'd probably do this shit pro bono."

"I mean... Come on. Even the people who don't want to have anything to do with him have to admit the guy has balls. He's the only one really willing to stick it out to the man and come back for seconds, right?" She pauses at that, taking another bite of her sandwich. Peering down, she brushes a few crumbs that cling to her leather vest. "There's no real way to know how these guys think or operate. And what better way not to get caught? People can't catch you if they can't figure you out. I hear it's him and his wolf pack gang, or whatever they're called. Did you hear that the wounded that arrived at the temple recently were supposedly wounded by Free and his guys? Man, these people were mauled. I consider myself lucky I'm clearly on the same side, since Mockingbird helps out Free with stuff once in a while. But you keep that part quiet allright? I wouldn't want to have to visit you later." She grins, and winks in Dashu's direction.

"Some people say that eventually, things are just gonna blow up, you know? That Free's gig is eventually gonna spill, and that it's going to be uncontrollable." She pauses, then stares at Dashu for a moment, a wolfish grin forming on her features.

"Me? Are you kidding? When shit starts up, I am so there."

***

Deep Mining expedition planner, Evorn Cairen.
Among the clerks and bureaucrats of Five Coils, Evorn Cairen has one of the most difficult and demanding lines of work - he plans out and organizes the deep mining expeditions, meaning the life of men, not to mention the care of expansive equipment, are continuously under his responsibility. His days are spent looking over recon reports and making calculations, all so he will not endanger miners or equipment in ventures that will turn out to become dangerous. He spends his life in an office, and yet Evorn Cairen sees more danger then even the most hardy of miners out in the field. After all, one simple miscalculation on his part could potentially snuff the lives of dozens of men in but an instant.

"Ah, so the rumors do catch on quick, I see." Cairen says, smiling at Xurizu as he carefully wipes his spectacles with a soft cloth. There is still a ton of paperwork on desk, but Cairen insisted that he needed the break anyways, and thus leaned in his chair to listen to the tales Xurizu brought from the outside. "Free is on almost every lips now, it would seem. I suppose that is because you do not really see people acting in a way that contradicts authority around here. Or... no, I should word this differently. You do not see people acting in a way that openly contradicts authority around here."

"Oh, my theories on who Free is? I am not so bold as to claim I have a perfect assessment, I'm afraid. The character is fascinating, of course. Tales in turn depict him as a hero and as a madman. Stories of his heroic combat against oppression fly side by side with tales of his savagery and the brutality of his actions. When one anecdote paints him as a powerful freedom-fighter, another surfaces that makes one question his methods. But it is undeniable that no matter who he is, he has a profound impact on the collective whole."

"But I am dodging the question, am I not?" He says, smiling, as he places the spectacles on the tip of his nose. "But here is the whole truth. I believe it does not really matter who Free is. If you spend enough time observing, you will realize something - Free has grown into more than a simple idol of icon. It is still faint and generally unspoken, but Free has become somewhat of a mouthpiece. He carries all of the pent-up feelings these people have about the Conclave, about the Coils in general. That is why, he is both hero and villain. These traits are within each and everyone of us, and desire for freedom cohabit in here with lust for savagery in retribution of what was done to us. The legends give a voice to the unspoken fantasies of the people, and that is what gives so much power to this name." He pauses, then leans back in his chair. "I do believe that is the closest thing I have to a 'theory' concerning him."

"I believe that in the end, Free is each and everyone of us. And that is why the Coils are so afraid of him."

Dashu thinks about and then says, "Well I do have my sais, I supposed.  Mockingbird might be interested in those.  I hate to give those up but we're talking about smuggling a collared woman out of noses of the Immaculate monks.  They're exceptional workmanship and very valuable.  However, I don't think they can be traced back to the current hideout in anyway.  Shall we set up the meeting?  The way I figure it, we can figure out how to get her out of the temple and then get her to coyote.  That way, they won't have the chance to back down before they know who it is we're smuggling out.  From there we can get her out of the compound using his know how past the security checkpoints.  Either that or we just pay the coyote to show us how to get out.  The big problem is the collar.  Who knows, maybe with how much my weapons are worth, they'll give us some help in that department too or even set up a meeting with this Free person."

With this statement, Dashu then takes a second to trade notes with Xurizu about the information they gathered, he says in an uncharacteristically sympathetic voice, "How are you holding up with all this?  Does any of this help you in anyway?"

Xurizu nodded.  "We should meet with the Mockingbird.  We might need your sai's if the deal goes sour, but they should serve to open the bargaining, to show we can offer goods of quality," he spoke.  "If they don't know who it is, they won't charge so high a price, nor wonder who we are to wish her free and in a manner so bold.  I doubt they'll know much about the collar, but Free might.  If that doesn't work, I'm sure someone at the camp will be able to do something."

Xurizu sighed a little.  "I'm ... fine.  It's ... there are a lot of people here though.  I'm not used to seeing so many, not ... not whilst having to live amongst them," he admitted.  "I think I'm coping okay.  It helps that I'm new round here.  It's helping to cover for the things I don't know, not that we talk much about the rest of Five Coils.  As for helping me, I'm not sure.  They don't know much about Patience.  I'm not even sure what knowing more about her will tell me, but I feel I have to start somewhere."

"Well if it's true that Free is opposing the status quo here, then I get the feeling we'll run into him sooner or later.  And you said Patience had a connection with him.  Since she's not here, we'll ask him where she went when we meet him,"  Dashu says with a slightly awkward tone in voice.

"'Bryn' did tell us how to get to the Mockinbird, so I'm guessing we should arrange that meeting... and I do hope that part of our payment doesn't involve me being set up with his enforcer lady friend,"  Dashu whines outloud.  This brief moment of unprofessionalism would shock anyone who's known him for very long.

"From what you've said of her ... well, I wouldn't want to be the one setting her up, that's for sure."

"Still, we have an idea of what we're willing to pay, and what we might be able to offer.  We need talk with Mockingbird before we can go further," he agreed.

"I agree... lets go talk with him,"  Dashu said and they began making their way towards the place where they could find Mockingbird's contact.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:08, Sun 22 Mar 2009.

Even with the proper knowledge of how to contact Mockingbird, the whole affair ends up being quite labyrinthine and time-consuming.

It immediately appears to both Dashu and Xurizu that this 'Mockingbird' is actually an exceptionally careful and methodical man. Following the instructions they have been given, the duo soon find themselves in a contact chase that seems to span the whole Conclave - not one 'employee' seems to know the whole procedure of how to contact their leader, the knowledge visibly separated between a myriad of men and women positioned across the Conclave. It is likely a security measure, meant to keep one particular person from being able to reveal too much about Mockingbird's operation.

And yet, the word of one of the contacts they speak to seem to give them slight cause to worry: an old man, who gave them an almost toothless grin as they give them the password they handed him... "Of course. Come right this way...The Mockingbird is expecting you."

The last contact they meet, a warehouse employee going simply by the name 'Yun', finally takes them to meet the man himself... After blindfolding the both of them and taking them on a disorienting walk in what seems to be a maze of alleyways, during which they perceive going through multiple doors and gates. All throughout, they can identify the smell of steam engines and oily machinery, likely putting their location somewhere in the Conclave's industrial district. After a long walk, the duo is finally pushed past one last heavy door and made to sit in rather comfortable chairs. "Count to 20." Yun instructs them, his gruff voice barely above a whisper. "Then you can take out the blindfolds. Don't cheat - you'll be watched."

Once the allotted period of time passes and they return to light - and get past the initial adjustment period related to finding themselves in darkness for a prolonged period of time - Dashu and Xurizu find themselves in a warmly-lit office. Sparsely furnished, it nonetheless gives an impression of elegant minimalism, a warm contrast established by wine-red walls and a pristine black carpet. A few pieces of artwork adorn three of the walls, all of them realistic depictions of urban landscape from within the Coils. The Exalts are seated in comfortable leather seats, facing a heavy mahogany desk engraved with simple but elegant autumn leaves patterns.

Facing them, comfortably seated behind the desk, a man looks at the pair, a faint smile on his lips. He looks to be in his mid-fourties or so, with iron gray eyes and long black hair streaked with gray here and there, tied back in a neat ponytail. He is dressed neatly without being overly fancy, his choice of clothing matching the color scheme of the room - a deep red high collared shirt and a black coat, completed with leather gloves and blue-tinted spectacles with silver rims. Between the index and middle of fingers of his right hand, a cigar burns slowly, filling part of the room with dusky smoke and a fragrant aroma.

At the man's right side, a woman stands straight, also looking at the Exalts with almost predatory interest. Her skin is a warm brown, and her tilted eyes are a dark shade of brown, making them almost as black as night. She is dressed in a rich blue-black kimono adorned with an intricate pattern of deep emerald ivy and lush purple bellflowers, the cut of the garment perfect for her figure. Her black hair is meticulously arranged in an upswept twist, baring the graceful shape of her neck.

"Sorry for the long ride, sirs." The man says, after taking a draw from the cigar and letting out a plume of smoke. "I'm certain you can understand the reasons behind such an... arrangement, however. In these troubled times, one can't be too careful about his business."

He pauses, peering at the duo carefully before speaking on. "Around here, I'm known as The Mockingbird. That's not my only name, of course, but that ought to be enough for now." The man pauses, lifting his chin slightly as he speaks. "Word on the street is that you wanted to speak to me. According to my sources, you've only just arrived, so I have to admit that did pique my curiosity a bit, so I decided to allow you to make a case for what you want face-to-face, which is not something I usually do." He smiles, and then gestures towards the woman at his side as he speaks. "Oh, and before I forget... Don't be intimidated by the Shadowed Blossom - anything you say to me, she is trusted to hear."

Mockingbird leans in his chair, and lifts the cigar closer to his face. "Now gentlemen... What is it I can do for you?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:30, Mon 30 Mar 2009.

Dashu decided to take a negotiating tactic that was slightly out of character for his disguise and spoke confidently despite being in a poor negotiating position.  "Well for starters and to cut straight to the chase, we need a coyote.  We want to sneak someone past the security measures.  Odds are when we do it, the guards will be on a higher alert than usual, so the more discrete the path the better.  You seemed to be the man to be the man to talk to.  Secondly, we were hoping to get some information while we were here."

As they're lead through the many twists and turns of the blindfolded chase, Xurizu, having little better to do, sets himself the task of remembering each and every one of them, committing them to the mnemonic of a miner's ditty he had recently learned.  He combines this with memories of the times when the steam sounds and oily smells are particularly intense.  And then, when the blindfolds are off, he commits himself once more to the present, his eyes catching a little on the elegant form of Shadowed Blossom before he gives his attention to the Mockingbird.

"It's as my friend Freidr says," he conceeds with a small smile, obviously a little distressed at the man's bluntness.  "We'd like to get someone out of the Conclave."
[Private to Gatekeeper; Loremaster: I'm willing to spend 4m (for +2 sux) on the Intelligence + Whatever roll to memorize the route taken.]

Xurizu, through his concentration and forced associations, manages to get a good idea of where they are in the conclave and the route they must have taken. He might not know it perfectly, but he has a good idea of where they are and how he could make his way back to the area, if not for the exact building they are in.

The man known as Mockingbird peers at his two guests, letting some of the smoke from his cigar drift upwards as he does so. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, and he tilts his head slightly. "Direct and honest I see. Well, that makes things a lot simpler, for sure." He nods, then drops some of the ashes from his cigar into a nearby ornate ashtray before speaking again. "Now, to address those... 'requests'. I'm not sure you're knocking on the right door, here. Sure, you're giving a really precise idea of what it is you need, but that doesn't mean I'm the person to take care of that. Obviously you have that impression since you came to me, but I'm not certain we've reached a point where I can confirm or deny those hunches yet."

"The first order of business here is something that lies on your side of the table, gentlemen. It's a question you should answer first." He takes another draw from the cigar, then smiles once more.

"How do I know you are not working for the peace force or the Terrestrials? And what guarantees do you bring for me to believe anything you've got to say? Remember, I do not usually organize face-to-face meetings with people I've never spoken to before. I make a tremendous leap of fate here - I dare hope you've got something to reciprocate that gesture of trust."

Shadowed Blossom smiles at Xurizu's brief attention, her dark eyes glittering. She saunters around the corner of the mahogany desk, and perches with languid ease atop its surface, crossing her legs. The black silk falls away from one of her dusky thighs, and she leaves it that way, showing off toned musculature with her curves.

She listens raptly to the conversation, sizing up the two men in the leather seats between glancing idly at her perfectly shaped nails or running her fingers through her silky sleeves as if simply to enjoy the sensation of the rich fabric.

Dashu silently and descreatly studies the Shadowed Blossem as she pays attention to her long robes.  For some reason she strikes him as more than a mere companion and wonders how quickly the robes could produce weapons.  Finally, he speaks "I'm afraid you'll have to give us just a moment to think, sir.  You're asking us prove a negative which is much harder than proving a positive.  It's always easier to prove something is true than it is to prove it it isn't."

[Private to GM: Rolling an awareness check on Shadowed Blossem]

There is a slight pause after Dashu asks his question, a pause during which he can make some observations about Mockingbird's companion. [Private to Peleps Dashu: There isn't much to be gleaned about the woman - not much that is hidden, in any case. Dashu does notice a couple details that do attract his attention, however. First, her ears are not normaly shaped - they are slightly pointed, elegantly carved but still inhuman. Also, her hair seems to almost have a life of its own; once or twice, Dashu could swear that he can see its arrangement slightly change shape.]

"Is it?" The Mockingbird asks, leaning against one armrest of his chair and regarding the duo carefully before continuing. "Not in my line of business, mister... Freidr, was it? In the type of work I do, people have to prove negatives for a living. Otherwise, no deals would ever be concluded, because none of us comes with legal, hard-hitting proof." He pauses to take another draw of his cigar, and as he speaks again, only his eyes seem visible in the plume of smoke he just exhaled.

"I will tell you what the secret of such dealings is. The secret is a certain form of trust. It's about leveraging something that shows you have the intention of committing yourself to the deal. That you're willing to take some risks for it to work. That way, the other party has more of a feeling you're serious, and you're not simply trying to take advantage of them."

"I've taken my precautions, of course - I didn't meet with you unprepared, because I don't know you. But I've still taken risks. You now both know my face. You know what this office looks like. You know the smells and the feeling of the general idea you were brought through. I don't know either of you. I don't know how you'll make use of this information. You could even be passing it on to the Peace Force later... Honestly, you both have enough to get an investigation started, maybe even get a raid of the premises. Maybe it wouldn't necessarily mean I'd be arrested, but it would seriously hinder my ability to continue my trade in this district. That's what I brought to the pile. That's my initial offer."

He nods, then leans back in his chair, setting the cigar aside for a moment. "And yet, when I ask you what you're leveraging in return, you're saying you're not certain. Seems to me like this little deal is not so fair and even, is it?"

"You have to be willing to give something to gain anything, gentlemen. Perhaps this... favor of yours is not worth that much to you, after all."

Dashu ponders this statement a moment and then replies, "What you're saying makes sense.  Still, I fear there is little we can do to prove beyond all doubt of a doubt who we are not.  I will state this though, the Peace Force and the Terrestrials are not our friends nor our employers.  Nor do they hold any sway over us in any form or fashion.  In fact, I think they might be looking for me.  I made a trip here once while disguised and then left.  The security measures weren't in place when I came the first time but were here when I came back.  From this you can deduce what you will about us.  Mainly it should be that we never had an intent on staying.  None of this outright negates the possiblity that we could be working for one of your enemies though, so you're just going to have to trust that we never intended to stay and our circumstances have changed to where we need assistance in leaving.  Just like we're going to have to trust that turning me into the authorities would be unprofitable to you.  That's our commitment to the deal."

Here Dashu stops, grins, and then says "Of course if we have the wrong man then we're sorry to waste your time and only ask that you point us in the right direction."

[Private to GM: activating judge's ear technique]
This message was last edited by the player at 15:54, Wed 25 Mar 2009.

Xurizu gives Blossom a small smile back, though his general demeanor suggests a consideration of beauty in much the same way one might consider a panther or a snake beautiful.  He definitely doesn't think her role here is just to look pretty.

"I have my own reasons for wanting to avoid the Peace Force, though not, admittedly, as Jenci," Xurizu says, offering something himself.  "But you can be assured we're not working with them, or for any other foes you might have acquired over your years in business."

"And by the same token that we know your face, you know ours.  You could ship us to the Peaceforce as agitators 'Oh, I'm a good citizen' or otherwise make life almost impossible for us here.  Or just let things slip at the borders and ... well, we'd be in deep trouble."

"After all, we only have your word that you're the Mockingbird.  Not that I particularly doubt this.  After all, as you pointed out, we can see your office and it's a nice one."

"See, now we're starting to speak the same languages, gentlemen." Mockingbird finally says, his lips widening into a smile. "I trust you with a small tidbit of dirt on me, you supply me with a bit on you, and now we're on even ground. Now we can talk." He nods, and leans back in his chair once more.

"Oh, and for the record, it wouldn't be profitable for me to go and blather anything about you people. The ones in charge are paranoid right now - they're actually doing background checks even on people who give info to them, because they're afraid someone might be doing disinformation campaigns. They're not really fully in control, you see. You probably felt it while you were around, right? Things are actually pretty volatile, right now. And my contacts tell me it's not just in this Conclave, but everywhere in the District. Just a little spark, and who knows what might happen..."

He shakes his head, his smile widening for a moment. "In any case, it means we both are in the same situation. If you've got business you'd rather keep behind the curtains, then neither of us would benefit from going around backstabbing one another. Which means, in simple terms, that you've got my ear. But now, you've got to be able to drive your bargain."

"Start by giving me details about this job, first and foremost. I want to know what sort of person you want shipped over the checkpoint. I want to know the risks I might have to take, before we can even start talking about a price."

He has contacts beyond the Conclave.  Those might be useful to get access to as well, but later, Xurizu considered as he pondered how to say what needed to be said.

"The whole place does seem ... on edge, yes.  A very tense place to come too and not as we had been lead to believe." And we might be providing that one thing.

"As to your actual question.  The person we would like to get out of here is female and she's willing to go," he spoke a little for her, but he was pretty sure that she was.  And it would give the wrong impression if he thought they were kidnapping her, not least because an unwilling person is harder to smuggle.  "I don't think that the powers that be would be too pleased in her taking a leave of absence, but that's where you come in more than anything.  There's definitely a risk to you in helping us with her, that is true.  Probably more than helping a random person in the Conclave, but if we do our part well, it won't be that much more."  He didn't think there was much point in saying that if they didn't, escape wouldn't really be an option.

"I see." Mockingbird says, listening intently to Dashu's words. "So you're talking about a person who will undoubtedly drag some heat with her. Someone who will be missed if they disappear. So we're talking about a search that's likely to continue after she's out, right?" He pauses, then takes a long draft on the cigar before continuing.

"Let me make something perfectly clear here, gentlemen. I'm not asking these questions because I'm afraid of getting wet. I've taken the whole douse before, and I likely will again in the future. This is my line of work, right there. So I'm used to taking heat. If I wasn't ready for that, I wouldn't be in this business - not in the sort of setup we have here in the Coils, anyways. Let me tell you something. Here, if you're just out for riches, you've much better off doing something else with your time. Too many risks, and you can't really reap that much rewards cleanly. Even if you make stacks of money, the way you use it is controlled and scrutinized. So even if you got bags full of dough waiting in your coffers, you wouldn't be able to live better than you would if you had a ranked miner or clerk job. So basically, you'd risk your neck everyday and wouldn't be able to actually reap the benefits of your toiling. So you need other reasons to be in this business."

"This big parenthesis aside... I'm a thorough man, gentlemen. I like to know exactly what lies ahead, because as a professional, that also means I can actually prepare for what lies ahead accordingly. That's my commitment, as a person carrying a special service for another. Because I don't have any backing, I have to make my own 'advertisement'... And the only way to do it is to be the best at what I'm undertaking." He takes a breath, the relaxes again in his chair.

"That, and like you've been made aware earlier, all of this is not about money. It doesn't mean it's not business, however." He pauses again, this time tilting his head to the right as he smiles. "What I mean is that the best kind of currency down here is favors. I determine what people need, I evaluate what its worth, and we exchange services. I cover your back on this one, you cover mine on the next one. That's why I went through all that jazz about trust. It's the only way to make those sort of deals happen."

"So my question is not so much about a yes or no necessarily. It's about preparation, and its about price."
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:12, Sun 29 Mar 2009.

Dashu feels that he's starting to see the way this deal was shaping, but he was still uncertain on exactly what Mockingbird was wanting to arrange.  "The next one?  Sir, the whole point of our little excursion is to make sure we're not around.  Like I said before, I came here before but in a disguise so I doubt you're thinking we'll wander into one of your contacts in another conclave using the same names and such.  That means that either you've got a favor you want done before we leave or you want us to do something after you get us out.  In the case of the later, I'm sure you'll be interested in knowing if it's us who's paying off our debts.  After all, you wouldn't want to do future business with someone who broke your trust.  What is it that you want us to do, and how will we be able to prove that our... account... is paid in full.  I guess what I'm saying is this, what's your price and if we find it acceptable, how do we let you know we've paid-in-full."

"Hmm." The Mockingbird stops and thinks for a moment, gazing downwards as he leans back in his chair once more. He lifts his gaze again, eyes narrowed slightly as he smiles. "Well, I suppose I should try to explain my position first, before I go on about what I'm looking for."

"Things... are orderly around here, but barely. They're holding on to a thin shred of a thread, as it stands. That means that, for those who are smart enough to see it coming, there's actually a possibility of chaos - and change - hanging just at the horizon. Of course, that means good things for me. Some other sleazy 'businessmen' might think that their business will go bad if the oppression is lessened, but I'm not like that. As I said earlier, I'm not in it for the money. I have other reasons for being in business."

"In any case... Because of this wind of uncertainty ahead, the people in power are keeping a tight leash on everything. I've got my ways to find out about things and contact other floors, for example, but that's becoming increasingly difficult now."

"To add to the headaches, there's the matter of the Water District. I've been cut off from them, and I can't actually reach the district at all anymore. The authorities claim it has to do with some sort of epidemic, but my information and observations tell me it's bull. But even knowing that is of no use to me, as no one is talking as to what has been going on down there."

"What I'm getting at, gentlemen, is that these are troubled times... And in such times, the most valuable of currencies is information. Of course, not all information is worth the same price... But I'm wondering if gents like you, coming from outside of this Conclave, might have heard a thing here and there. Who knows? Maybe there's something in there that might be valuable... Something that might be traded for, say, a service offered by a third party."

He wants to trade for one of the few things we are rich in, Xurizu thought, though those thoughts he kept schooled well away from his face.

"I think, then, that we might be able to come to some kind of understanding," he said with a smile.  "And though I don't want to get us ahead of ourselves, perhaps this relationship we are forming might have a future beyond our most immediate want.  I am sure you know things that are of interest to us, even as we know things of interest to you."

"But perhaps if we first return to our original purpose in this visit, that of the person we wish for help in extracating from the Conclave.  I think you might find her an interesting test of your abilities, if not something you can brag about any time soon ... but then I'm sure a man like you knows the value of caution?  Also, I should say that we are only asking for your aid in getting her across the boarder, getting her out of her situation is something we will manage ourselves."

"But what do you know about the Temple, here in the Conclave?" He smiles a little, as he asks the question.  He was fairly certain that was answer enough for the 'who'?

"Perhaps that's something we could think about, yes." Mockingbird agrees, nodding his head slightly to Xurizu. "You see, I'm always up to maintain fruitful business-like relationship with people who are worth it. In the kind of work I'm in, good partnerships are even more valuable than cash and riches. It basically implies that I get to make a 'trade route', if you will - something that us underground businessmen can't usually make. So if all goes well, I'm first to say I wouldn't be against the idea of actually building a mutually beneficial agreement."

The mans smiles at Xurizu's words, tapping some of the ashes form his cigar into a nearby ornate ashtray. "I might be familiar with it, yeah, and the kind of... cargo they hold there." He pauses, regarding the two men with a renewed interest, an appraising glace in his eyes. "Which also somewhat confirms a hunch I've been having about this whole ordeal. You said you were responsible for the little intruder mishap. That's made me wonder, when it happened, and even more so when you said it. It's also made one of my men intrigued, and he actually looked more deeply into the matter for me. So far he's only come up with hunches and hypotheses, but your words seem to confirm a hunch he's had."

He pauses, deeply in reflection. He exchanges a smile with the woman sitting on his desk, although there is no malice in it. For the first time since they first saw him, it seems like the Mockingbird is enjoying himself, as if he had suddenly found some sort of treasure trove.

"Gentlemen... regarding your little problem, I think I can find a way to help. If you can extract your... cargo from where she is held, I'll handle the rest, and can have her shipped to a destination of your choosing within the Earth district within a day, two at most if things get dicey with the guards for unforeseen circumstances. The trustworthy man I've spoken of earlier can see to the arrangement of this affair, passing it as a mining supply shipment and making it official in the Coils' paperwork. He is really good at that, actually. Perhaps you're familiar with him? In the Conclave, he goes by the name Evorn Cairen." The man smiles, a bit more widely.

"In any case... Now that you've confirmed my little hunch, I'd like to settle on the matter of price, Gentlemen. You see, I've been concerned about some things that have been going on recently, and I can't trust the information disseminated by the Dragonbloods. But if you are who you claim you are, and if you are looking for what I think you're looking for, then you can help me. And if you can help me, perhaps I can help you more in the future, because if I'm right, then we might have more goals in common that you might think." He nods, then leans back in his chair.

"Here's what I want, gentlemen. I want the full truth as to what has occurred in the Water District."

Dashu thinks for just a moment, and then puts on his most charming act.  Delving into his knowledge of illict deals, he feels he's able to speak with some certainty here, "If what you're saying about the value of information and trust is true, then I think ALL that we know might be a slight overpayment for just our escape.  If you recall, we did also mention we had a few questions concerning matters of our own personal interest at the beginning of our meeting.  Perhaps those can be included in our deal depending on how valuable you believe the information we impart to be."

[Private to GM: I assume I haven't heard a lie yet.  I did activate my judge's ear.]

[Private to Peleps Dashu: Yeah, I've been keeping track. Mockingbird's been honest the whole way through from your charm useage. Seems like he is being honest about the whole deal.]

The man pauses, taking another draw from his cigar while remaining contemplative for a time. He remains this way for a moment, before nodding and speaking again. "Fair enough, I've got no objections for that. You give me the full disclosure of what occurred down in Water District, and I'll throw in answers to a few of your questions on top of taking your dangerous cargo out of here. How would that sound?"

"I think I might trust a man like that with the arrangements, yes," Xurizu said with a little grin.  I knew something wasn't quite level with him.  Didn't know he was quite that far off of it.

He glanced sidelong at Dashu, as if asking So where do you want to start?Their story, after all, began on the Forbidden level.  And there was only one sort of being found there.  Then again, almost any tale, except the most heavily edited, would reveal things of that nature.

Dashu looks back at Xurizu and nods.  The unspoken words being simply "Start from the beginning and tell him what happened."  Then a small smirk appeared on Dashu's face that could only be interpreted on way, "Light 'em up!"  With that a hollow golden circl appeared on Dashu's head marking him for what he was, a Chosen of the Unconquered Sun, A Night Caste, and one of the Wretched.

Xurizu's eyes widened a little as he saw the pale ring on Dashu's forehead, but then he grinned too, and willed a mote of essence into his own caste mark, a pale silver ring appearing on his brow, revealing him to be a No Moon, one of the Ogres.

He turned back to face Mockingbird, looking carefully at his reaction. "For myself and ... Freidr, our stories began below the Water levels.  On floor B31.  The Forbidden Level.  Around two weeks ago, I suppose.  The collars around our necks, which controlled our essence simply ... stopped working.  That's when it all began, as we stepped out through doors unlocked, into the maze."

"It was a few minutes after that that the countdown to the purge began.  Out of fear of the scant few of us who escaped the Forbidden levels.  So that was when we started to run."

---

OOC:  I'm going away for a few days, starting tomorrow, so you'll have to take over now Dashu.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:23, Sun 05 Apr 2009.

Dashu picked up the story where Xurizu left off.  He handled it like a detective relating the facts and nothing but the facts.  "After the purge began, we immediately started to make our way to the top level of the Water District.  We met heavy resistance but received help from a man named Pale Gaze.  Ring any bells?"  Dashu asked before continuing.  As we progressed up the levels we found others like us.  Exalted who had been collared but who's collars had been deactivated.  We had several battles, one of which involved two warstriders.  You can imagine the collateral damage was extensive.  However, the actual fighting was nothing compared to the riots that were happening.  The Immaculates tried to suppress the people while they initiated their purge.  They expected everyone to sit still and die.  We managed to make our way up the Gatekeeper where we met still others like us.  They had recruited several mortals to their cause.  Long story short, we managed to restore the programing of the Gatekeeper to its original programing before the Dragons managed to scramble its thoughts.  I'm not the best with tech and I'm still not exactly sure how they managed.  We also discovered that whatever it was which deactivated our collars pinpointed our specific collars.  It wasn't a system wide shutdown.  That indicates someone wanted us free.  I'm not complaining.  Anyway, they sent Equalizers to stop us.  However, when the Equalizers had us corned, they didn't stop the purge.  They said that it was because they didn't know if any other 'Anathama' had been released.  They don't have to wipe out an entire district to deal with stay Anathama though.  They're usually quite good at capturing us.  Regardless, the Gatekeeper interfered and now we're here.  Nothing remotely contagious, except maybe rebellion.  Personally I'm of the opinion that they were looking for an excuse to reduce the population of the Coils but I don't have enough information to confirm that yet.  Those are all the details that come time mind, but if you have specific questions, feel free to ask."  Dashu stopped his story here.  Mockingbird had wanted what they knew of the Water District.  He didn't feel that included knowledge of where the rest of the Exalts and human escapees were hiding.

Mockingbird listens intently to Dashu and Xurizu's tale, his chin raising and his smile widening at the view of the bright Caste marks appearing on their foreheads. He says nothing when this occurs, perhaps out of politeness or respect, but it is clear the man is neither afraid nor disdainful at the display. In fact, it seems to make him even more inclined to listen to what the men have to say.

He does not interrupt at any moment during the tale. His expression darkens at certain passages, and he nods grimly as the Exalts recall the happenings of their escape and the dangers the people of the Water District have faced. As he listens, he gently taps the end of his cigar, causing some ashes to fall in the ashtray, and leans back in his chair with an expression midway between gratefulness and worry.

"Thanks." He finally says, nodding at Dashu's ending of the tale. "Might not seem much to you, but it does to me. Without going into details... I was born in the Water District. I ended up slipping through the cracks here and there, but you never forget where you're from. I still need to find a way to get back in contact with the District, but at least now I know it's fallen off the register for a good reason, and not because the Terrestrials blew it off the Coils. Good to know."

He nods, then looks at the other two men in turn. "I won't ask for more than I've bargained for. Just confirm for me that the District and its people survived, and my end is taken care of." He nods then smiles a bit.

"Which leaves your end of the bargain. You've had some things to ask, I thought."

Dashu looks at the man before him.  He obviously still felt connected to his roots, or at least wanted them to think he felt connected.  Dashu decided to dwell on this later, as they had pressing business to attend to. Once again Dashu cuts straight to the point but tries to limit the information he reveals about themselves.  Afterall, even if information is currency, having too much at one time can be as much a liability as carrying too much cash on you.  Someone's just as likely to come along and take it.  "I cannot offer you anymore assurance than this, when we left, the Gatekeeper had stopped the Purge.  I don't know what has happened in the interum.  But as for our questions, on our arrival we ran accross some information about a conclave not so unlike this one in the tunnels.  It was one run by a man named Creed.  He was married to a woman named Patience.  The town, by all accounts, was unpopulated.  The events that happened there, are one of personal curriosity to my friend here and myself.  Namely, we know that Creed is departed and his wife was seeking Free.  She apparently came to this conclave but has left.  That doesn't explain where the inhabitants of the conclave went.  Will you please tell us what you can of these events?  What happened to the settlement and Patience?  And lastly, we're interested in Free.  It would appear that if we don't share common goals, we at least share a common enemy.  How could we get ahold of him?"

The man smiles and nods, before raising a hand at Dashu's semi-apology. "That's quite allright. You assured me that some people survived. You also assured me that the purge was stopped. If there's people alive down there, I'll find a way to reach that. That's pretty much what I do." He smiles again, a bemused expression on his features once Dashu asks his questions.

"Funny you'd ask those two questions. They're not as unrelated as you might think." He nods, then takes a drag from his cigar before continuing. "First and foremost, to make sure we start on the same time here - Creed's not just departed. He's been killed. Even I don't know what happened to the Conclave he was in charge of after that. It's like a blanket just... Fell over it." The man pauses, obviously worried for a moment. For a man like Mockingbird, lack of information is like a defensive weakness for a gladiator: a glaring opening that might be exploited and thus must be protected at all times.

"Patience... She was here, for a time. But she didn't stay all that long. Woman was terrified, as you can imagine. Whoever offed her husband might come after her, she thought. And that's not an improbable thought if you ask me. In any case... She wanted out. Wanted out of her life, wanted out of here. So she came to me, and I arranged for her to get out of here. Last I head, she took on a new name and a new life. Even I don't know the details, so we didn't leave any loose ends. But I can give you a lead. She went over to B22, and that's where she lives now. And the people who are protecting her now, the people who've taken her there... Were actually Free's people."

He smiles a bit, letting the implications sink in. "So you see, your two questions become irrevocably intertwined now. Because if you're to approach Patience at all, I'd strongly suggest you get in contact with Free first. If you don't go through the channels his people have set up... You might very much look like you're out to off Patience, and then you might get yourselves in trouble."

"Meeting with Free is always a complicated affair, as is meeting with me. Well, usually anyways." He smirks, then tilts his head to one side. "Tell you what, though. I'll help you get in touch with him, if you give me a little bit of time to get this together. It's a bit of work, but I'd be willing to do that for a consideration of future trade, if you catch my drift."

"Yeah I catch your drift.  Which brings me back to what I said earlier.  We don't know how to contact you when we leave this place.  Plus, we're leaving these names behind when we get out of here."  Dashu smiles a bit at this thought "You obviously understand the value in the peace force not knowing your real name, so we'll follow your lead in this.  If you give us protocol to contact you in different areas of the Coils, we'll leave you some calling cards to identify us by.  I think I'll use 'Talon' and unless my friend here wishes something else, he could go by the name 'Hood'."  Dashu didn't particularly feel like explaining to the man that these were actually body parts of animals that appeared in their anima banners.  "We'll try and make sure that anyone else you meet comes through us first so you know you can trust them.  I think I can safely call our group, 'Sky', though."

"Right." We'll establish a protocol so we can communicate with one another if you find yourself out of this Conclave." He pauses, and looks towards Dashu with an appraising look. "Talon, Hood and Sky it is. Now, we've got to establish a way for you people to pass messages to me and vice-versa. See, because of the nature of the Coils, I've got some people working for me that have never even seen me before - we all work through codes and visual passwords and that kind of affair... Usually. There is, however, more direct channels, in case we need to take care the sort of business you people require."

The man pulls a drawer of his desk, pulling out an obsidian scroll from it and laying it on the wooden surface. "You folks are going to be on the move, and so protocols can't be established easily - at least, not easily in a way that will keep security at a maximum. Fortunately, that's what these things are for." He taps a finger on the scroll, tilting his head before speaking again. "They call these a Prayer Transceiver. They're a valuable thing, even in here. I'm not sure exactly how that works out, but here's the basic gist: the scroll has a prayer on it that lets you send messages. Don't worry about not being a priest or a prayer type - the scroll actually helps out with performing the thing right. Once you send your message, it's sent through a God that reroutes the message to the recipients directly. So basically, without wrapping your head around the more esoteric details, it actually is untraceable by other people who might want to listen in. You'll have to put a little bit of your power into it to make it work, but I know it's no problem for people of your kind."

He pushes the scroll across the desk, and nods. "Think of it as a gift to cement our business partnership." He nods, and smiles as he leans back. "That fine with you? If so, we'll discuss the details of where to take your cargo once you spring her out of her holding cell."

[Private to Gatekeeper; Ledaal Xurizu; Peleps Dashu: Okay, here's the mechanical side of this 'gift' - the Prayer Transceiver is basically a scroll that will allow you to communicate with Mockingbird by sending a prayer that is rerouted through Heaven, and thus is impossible to intercept by outsiders. In order to send a message, you have to make a Prayer Roll - although the scroll itself confers 7 Extra Successes for that particular task. The bearer of the scroll needs to commit 2 motes of Essence to keep the scroll's magic fed and communication up.]

Dashu takes the scroll and says a simple "Thank you.  This will be most helpful to both of us, I'm sure.  I will insist on you giving us a password if you try and contact us to let us know your end of the communications hasn't been compromised.  You may choose it.  And I'll defer to your judgement on what needs to be done with contact.  We came to you for your expertise after all." Dashu then listnes eagerly for the details.

Yes, that would be especially unfortunate if Free's people know more about me than I do.  Which doesn't, admittedly, seem to be too much of a challenge right now.  I'm sure I've met one or maybe two of them.  It might even be best if I wasn't involved in meeting her at all.  However much I feel strangely compelled to ... such are Xurizu's thoughts as he contemplates what the Mockingbird has mentioned.  The appearance of the scroll and the apparent end of the conversation snaps him out of it, however. "Yes, thank you for the scroll." He too, listens for the details.

"Well, here goes. You'll already have your hands full calculating the logistics of getting the woman out of the temple, so that's what you should be focusing on. My side will handle all the intricacies of actually getting you out of the Conclave." He nods, grabbing a piece of paper and a stylus, and drawing a crude map while talking.

"This here's the temple. What you want is to take your cargo northwest from there, up to this area." He circles a rectangle he has traced on the paper, possibly illustrating a particular building. "There's a warehouse here, right on that street corner. The warehouse number is 3876. That's where you should be headed." He pauses, then slides the paper across the table to let the two men have it. "It's a mining supply depot, basically. Almost every day, mining teams go through there and secure cargo to get out to other conclaves, or mining ventures outside of the conclave, that sort of stuff. Cairen is in charge of organizing the mining expeditions, so he's the perfect man to arrange the number of crates we're sending and making everything balance out paperwork-wise - and since most of the Terrestrials won't dirty their hands with the menial work the miners do, reality is in the paperwork."

"I'll notify my smuggling agent over there, and he'll have you prepared. Unfortunately, don't expect a comfortable ride - I'll have to ship you out in mining equipment crates, so the ride will be short, but unpleasant." He nods, then takes another draw from his cigar before extinguishing it in the ashtray.

"Once you're past the checkpoint, you'll be on your own. The convoy will stop at a clear distance from the checkpoint and some of the workers will help you out of your hiding spot, but after that, it's up to you. You have your own reasons not to want to divulge where you're heading, and I respect that. Just be aware that this also limits the kind of support I can give once past the checkpoint gates. What I can do though, is to arrange a transport accident a bit further down - in that case, that means that the nearby patrols have to go secure the area and provide assistance. This should help widen the holes in the net for you."

"That's what I can provide you with, gentlemen."

Dashu seemed entirely satisfied with the plan.  The distance to the warehouse didn't seem overly far and with a suffient amount of stealth, they should be able to make the distance without a hitch.

[Private to GM: 07:36, Today: Peleps Dashu rolled 3 successes using 8d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 5,5,3,7,9,5,1,7. Perc + Awareness.]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:53, Tue 14 Apr 2009.

Dashu's observations seem to corroborate his initial appraisal - the route described is not improbable nor is it unreasonable. There is a distance of about two blocks at most between the temple and the warehouse indicated by Mockingbird, meaning that the only variable would be the amount of traffic in this area at that given time.

Since the streets are secondary ones, they will likely not have to worry about heavy traffic or numerous witnesses - the main difficulty might be to anticipate the coming of a patrol, but it is nothing, in Dashu's mind, that a group of Five Exalts cannot deal with.

"Just make certain you don't bring a trail or a pursuing unit with you to the warehouse. The last thing either of us want is for the Dragonblooded to start snooping into the shipping lines I use - Cairen worked long and hard to get to where he is, and suspicion might jeopardize the whole thing. But I know what you people are capable of, and so you should be able to take care of this in a manner satisfactory to the both of us."

"Now. That seems pretty satisfactory on my side. Is there anything else I can do for you gentlemen?"

As soon as it seems like the conversation will conclude, Shadowed Blossom stands up alertly from her perch and smiles to Dashu and Xurizu, bowing fluidly. Though she has not spoken a word, they have a distinct feeling the dangerously beautiful woman has paid attention to every last word of the conversation.

Blossom saunters over to stand near Mockingbird's chair, posed there with one hip jutting out and her silk-clad arm draped languidly across its back. Her dark eyes regard both Celestials, meeting their gazes solidly, but without hostility. Again both of them get the feeling that she is not quite human...

[Private to Peleps Dashu; Ledaal Xurizu: I'll give you a chance to figure out what Blossom is before you go, it's a Perception+Occult roll if you want to. Don't necessarily have to make another post just for that, you can PM it to me :)]

"This seems to be a solid plan.  Thank you again sir."  With that, Dashu clearly indicates he's ready to leave the meeting.  He does take a brief moment to note Blossom and her movements.

"Nothing immediately occurs," he agrees with Dashu.  "And the plan certainly seems workable, yes," he says before his eyes are once more drawn to the beauty of Shadowed Blossom and her graceful movements ... and her hair.  Now what's she doing, all the way down here? he thought, with a sudden small rush of associated memories.  He didn't know much in the way of details regarding how they came into being, but her kind were normally found on the levels above here.

"A pleasure doing business with you," he nods to the Mockingbird.

"You'll only have to say one thing when you arrive to the warehouse. The loading foreman will not acknowledge you when you step in. All he'll do is say, to himself, 'Man, I wish I could just push a pencil rather than break my back everyday.' To which you'll respond, 'Careful what you wish for, you could break more than your back sitting at the top.' And that's it. He'll know it's you, he knows what he's doing, so he'll take it from there."

"And with that, we're all set." Mockingbird nods, another smile on his lips as he pushes the tinted spectacles up the bridge of his nose. "You seem to have what it takes, but just as a precaution - keep your head down, stay away from the spotlight... And keep your wits about trusting anybody. Keep the scroll close, 'cause it's the method I'll use to keep in contact with you. If anybody approaches you and asks questions... They're not my people. My guys are given their own instructions. They don't ask questions. If someone does ask you anything, either get out of there fast or be prepared to fight, 'cause it's probably a trap."

He nods, folding his hands together on top of his desk as his smile weakens somewhat. "Be careful, gentleman. And until we can do business again. I trust you can find your way out by now. There should be no more need for blindfolds and subterfuge."

OOC: I think general consensus is that this scene has ended, but to make things official and put a conclusive mark, I'll declare end here, for archiving purposes.

Thanks to Dashu and Xurizu for participating, and in the hopes that the whole affair wasn't too tedious for you to play in. ^^
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:34, Mon 20 Apr 2009.