Dreams slipped in after everyone else, scanning for anything hidden. If the pursuers went past, Heaven only knew what could be scavenged around here.

[Private to Gatekeeper: OOC: 10:46, Today: Dreams-of-Light rolled 1 success using 4d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 2,4,2,8. Per + Awa. ]

The group of Celestials settles into the dark storage room, shutting the door behind them and staying quiet while the monks coming in from the opposite door step into the hall.

Only Dashu seems to be able to make out any pertinent details in the room. Dreams sees absolutely nothing -- to her, it's so dark she can't even see her own hands. Without her night-vision eyes, even Nanaret is all but blind, and Xurizu's senses do not fare much better.

The monks' footsteps rush by, moving toward the room of worship. There are more voices emanating from there now and they all sound worried, even argumentative.

[Private to Saina Nanaret; Ledaal Xurizu: Your senses confirm for you the feeling that the right side is an open closet with robes and cloaks hanging from it, but you can't tell more detail than that. Stored on the left side are racks and shelves that hold weapons of the blunt variety, mostly clubs, tetsubos and staves. The far end seems pretty solidly filled with boxes.]

[Private to Peleps Dashu: Here's what you see... I used your first roll, since an external penalty actually subtracts successes, not dice. So here is a 6 success result!

On the right there's clothes hanging from an open closet. They seem to be more acolyte robes, as well as hooded cloaks. On this side there are also some low shelves with breastplates and lamellar crafted to wear with the robes. On the left, several shelves of racks hold weapons. Most of them are blunt weapons -- clubs, tetsubos and staves. Another shelf holds cesti and fighting gauntlets, and you find a few fighting chains dangling from hooks. All of the equipment is mundane, exceptional in quality and elementally enchanted, though you can't tell how just from looking at them in the dark.

The boxes, you can't tell what's in them, you'd have to go and mess with them to see what's inside. More interestingly to you is the sound of airflow you hear toward the far left corner of the room. You think there may be a door or passage there but the stacks of boxes are covering it.

Lastly you are certain the people coming by moved on and there's no one outside the storage room right now. The people in the worship room seem to be arguing because they can't make up their mind what just happened in there, and the panicked voice of "Liam" is contributing to the confusion.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:27, Wed 15 Apr 2009.

Nanaret waits until she hears nothing from outside. Rather than turning on the light -- which she would rather not do unless absolutely necessary -- she expends a touch of personal Essence to shift to her night vision eyes. Her companions don't really notice the difference unless they're looking straight at her: her eyes reflect a golden-yellow color in the dim light seeping through the cracks of the storage room door.

The Lunar soon steps away from the door, moving toward the right hand side of the room. She picks up a cloak for herself, draping it over her shoulders, then she crosses to the opposite side, picking out a seven-section staff. She has the much better one Danae made for her waiting at the settlement, but the moonsilver would not have gone over well at the conclave checkpoint, so mundane would have to do for now. Folding the staff into a compact shape she tucks it into her sash, behind her so that the drape of her cloak covers it.

Then she grabs a cloak to hand to Dreams-of-Light, too, in case she could not see them in the gloom.

As she waits for the others to adjust to the darkness, or take some equipment if they wish, Nanaret whispers in Spring Dew's polite, measured tone: "This appears to be a dead end. One of us should step out and check the other door before more of the monks come by."

Dashu picks out two of the fighting chains and a cloak for himself.  He coils them both and then tucks them into pockes found on the inside of the cloak.  At Nanaret's insistance on going back out, he whispered as quietly as he could manage, "No I hear airflow in the left corner.  We can use the boxes covering it to baracade the door. Grab what you can.  It looks like some of these weapons are enchanted."

Xurizu nodded to Dashu as he wrapped one of the cloaks around himself, picking up a pair of tonfa.  Having something other than a knife might help.  He didn't really want to take that much more, since all the larger weapons seemed quite improbable for him to carry, especially concealed.

"Well, lets wait a few moments, then start to move them quietly," Xurizu says as he lifts one of the boxes oh so slightly, trying to judge what was within them - or at least how immediately noisy it might be.

With her night-eyes, Nanaret sees a few more interesting details she didn't before. [Private to Saina Nanaret: You can see the robes are definitely acolyte robes. The cloaks are plain woolen cloaks, that's all. Also you can find the breastplates and lamellar sitting on a low shelf partially hidden by the cloaks, as well as some fighting chains hanging on the wall next to the shelving holding blunt weapons. There are also some shelves that were previously less apparent with cesti and fighting gauntlets.]

Dreams-of-Light can make out a few more details herself, now that her vision has adjusted to the darkness. [Private to Dreams-of-Light: The right side of the storage room is an open closet with robes and cloaks hanging from it. Stored on the left side are racks and shelves that hold weapons of the blunt variety, mostly clubs, tetsubos and staves. The far end seems pretty solidly filled with boxes.]

Xurizu tries to lift one of the boxes and finds that it is much too heavy for him to even move. He strains just to lift even a corner, so stops before his arms give out. The other Exalts find the task of lifting the boxes feasible enough, as long as they stick to one or two boxes at a time.

---

OOC: Safely lifting the boxes needs a Strength+Athletics of at least 4. (It's actually more like 3 to lift it at all, but 4+ would mean you would be able to do so without trouble or noise.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:35, Thu 16 Apr 2009.

Noticing some light armor stashed where the cloaks drape over the floor, Nanaret also grabs a breastplate and fits it on over her acolyte robe. The extra protection is welcome, beyond the fact it supplements the part she is trying to play. An Immaculate moving cargo as crucial as a collared Anathema ought to be both armed and armored, after all.

She thinks of grabbing one of the cesti... and finally does, but doesn't fit them on, just carries them in the bundle of work clothes and tools she is carrying.

Finally, Nanaret puts her bundle aside for a moment to help Dashu start moving the boxes, helping to stack them up quietly against the door leading into the hall. "Which way are we going once we are outside?" she asks midway through the task.

Dreams moves over to the boxes, lifts the lightest one she can find, and tucks a number of light, portable, potentially useful objects under her robes. She shrugs slightly at the moment, still remaining silent.

Three Exalts make the box lifting task easy enough, and there are enough of them to form a barricade at least two boxes thick. Behind the boxes at the far left corner of the room, there is the outline of a door, just as Dashu had suspected.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:31, Fri 17 Apr 2009.

After taking a quick look in the boxes for items which could serve as lockpicks, Dashu moves towards the door to determine if he can open it.  He then listens to see if he can ascertain any danger which might be waiting for them on the other side.  If he doesn't sense anything, he tries to gently open it so as not to draw the attention of whatever maybe on the other side.
[Private to GM:
Today: Peleps Dashu rolled 5 successes using 9d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 2,5,10,10,4,1,3,7,2. Perc + Awareness. ]
This message was last edited by the player at 13:44, Fri 17 Apr 2009.

The boxes contain dry food items, mostly. Flour, rice, salt, even some sugar which is actually quite rare in the Earth district. Some contain pickles or preserved meats, all in sealed jars stacked in the boxes, or bottles of what could be vinegar or rice wine.

As for lockpick materials, Dashu finds a bit of wire wound around a partly empty bag of rice to keep it shut.

At the door, Dashu hears intermittent footsteps, distant voices conversing, but they never linger close by, moving away from the vicinity of the door. From the echo of these sounds, he can ascertain that beyond the door is an alleyway just outside the temple. He also hears, closer than the footsteps or voices, a grating breathing sound that he realizes is someone snoring.

When the Night Caste moves to open the door, the doorknob rattles slightly but the door stays shut. It is also locked.

---

OOC: Everyone else who gets at least 1 success on Perc+Aware (automatic if you have 7+ dice pool) can at least hear the footsteps and the snoring sound if they stop to listen.

Xurizu looks faintly embarrassed at his inability to lift the boxes, although it's doubtful that any other than Nanaret will be able to see this embarrassment in the dark.  Since he can't useful employ himself lifting things, he instead lays out, in low tones, the route that they will have to take once they get out of the building and then after that, explaining the plan: That they will be smuggled out of the conclave as 'mining supplies' and then let out at a waystation beyond the conclave limits.

As the door is cleared, and the noise becomes more audible, Xurizu whispers once more. "There's someone out there.  Sounds like they're asleep" for the benefit of anyone who had not heard.

Dashu takes the wire and slips it into the key hole.  He carefully moves the tumblers out of the way.  In the end, he relied much more heavily on his natural dexterity than he did on his actual skill, but the result was the same.

If the lock comes undone, Dashu tries to open the door as silently as possible so as not to wake the man on the other side or to attract attention to the group.

[Private to GM: 10:47, Today: Peleps Dashu rolled 3 successes using 7d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 6,2,2,9,2,5,10. Dex + Larceny (lock pick). ]
This message was last edited by the player at 15:56, Sun 19 Apr 2009.

The man sprawled near the other side of the door seems to be deep asleep. In fact, he stinks very strongly of alcohol. Likely a drunk camping out here hoping to get a shot at the stash of rice wine inside, but instead he passed out from the drink he already had. With the Immaculates and Peace Force kept busy by the Freerunners and now the Celestials, relatively minor vagrancy such as this in populated areas is becoming more frequent.

Dashu peeks out and sees that the alleyway is currently clear, besides the passed out man. On the far side of the alley, he sees several large squat buildings set next together in rows. The buildings have no markings besides the numbers painted in large bold numerals across the double doors leading inside them. From the crack in the door Dashu opens up, the Exalts can clearly see the number on the building across the way: 3865.

Dashu and Xurizu remember what Mockingbird told them, and notice that the numbers are going up towards the left, from the perspective of the now-open door.

---

OOC: All right, assuming you're all geared up you can make your way outside. You can either try to sneak (Dex+Stealth) or you can just walk in plain sight and attempt to act innocuous. This would probably be a non verbal social roll of some sort (maybe Charisma+Presence but I will consider other combinations if you can justify 'em). In Nanaret's case her disguise will also help. [Private to Saina Nanaret: roll Int+Larceny+2, since you adjusted your outfit somewhat]

Dreams bowed her head and continued to walk humbly under 'Spring Dew's' supervision.

"There are invisible watchers on the roofs of the Conclave," Xurizu re-iterates in a whisper as Dashu works with the door.  "If there are any that might be able to observe our passage, I'll clench my fist as I walk, on the side of the street they're on."

Xurizu activates the Eyes Of The Cat as he exits the temple, casting his eyes up to the rooftops for the invisible watchers he had just warned the others of.  The cloak he had picked up concealed his lack of muscle for the post which he had now adopted, that of an acolyte guard.  He obviously has nothing to concern him, though, except for the safety of his charge.  Or at least, that was the attitude he was projecting, keeping his head high as he walked so that he could see the roof on either side of the street, leading 'Spring Dew' and Dreams as they walked to their exit point.

Nanaret nods at Xurizu's warning. She feels confident in her disguise, and decides she need not embellish it with any further personality quirks that might only serve to draw more attention, rather than less.

Before heading out she suggests to Dashu in a whisper, "Please take the rear and keep an eye on us. I cannot be very attentive in this role." Her night eyes shift subtly back into their normal dark color as she speaks.

With that last tidbit arranged, 'Spring Dew' exits the storage room with Dreams, stepping over the drunk man. Despite the audacity of bringing out a 'collared' Celestial in plain sight, she walks with straight posture and unhurried steps, guiding the Zenith with one hand gripping her forearm. She keeps her eyes forward, resisting the temptation to look around her. It is of utmost importance the disguised Lunar give the impression she knows exactly where she is going, even though in actuality she is following Xurizu.

[Private to GM: 17:17, Today: Saina Nanaret rolled 6 successes using 8d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 9,2,2,10,2,2,10,9. Int+Larceny+stunt +a wp for success. I used my +2 stunt to regain WP again. Anyway, I think I'm just going to walk and rely on my outfit, I can also use Perfection of the Mockingbird if need be.]

Dashu simply nods to the two lunars and takes position in the back.  He huddles into his cloak where no one would really recognize him with the group.  He was, after all, still in his miner's disguise.  He managed to stay just a step back from everyone else and kept close to the buildings, staying in their shadows as much as possible.  He moved silently enough to where the average person wouldn't have even noticed him.

[Private to GM:

21:14, Today: Peleps Dashu rolled 5 successes using 8d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 2,6,8,9,10,2,9,4. Dex + Stealth.

I DIDN'T BOMB THE STEALTH ROLL!!! THE NIGHT CASTE FINALLY DOESN'T SUCK AT SNEAKING!! ]

Passing through the alleyway is a bit of a nervewracking experience, as it does not remain empty and unviewed the entire time they walk across and toward the warehouse Mockingbird told Xurizu and Dashu about. Once, a pair of laborer citizens walk right past them, though once they see the Anathema being transported, they give the group a wide berth. Another time a guard passes the intersection ahead of the group and glances at them, pauses, and continues his rounds.

Xurizu glances up at an opportune moment and sees one of the rooftop snipers looking right down the alleyway, invisible to anyone but him. [Private to Ledaal Xurizu: The stealth-armored woman does not notice Dashu at all, but her gaze focuses solidly on Nanaret and Dreams, watching their advance down the alleyway without reaction.

The sniper moves on to scrutinize Xurizu. Something about him feels... off to her. Unfortunately, he can't watch her constantly without further drawing suspicion. By the time he figures out she's onto him, she's already nocked an arrow to her bow and is aiming toward him.]

At this point the group is just about to turn the intersection toward the corner where Warehouse 3876 is nestled. The door actually faces the cross-street, rather than opening into the alleyway at the side of the temple. [Private to Ledaal Xurizu: Moving into the cross-street would obstruct the sniper's aim, possibly force her to move to a better vantage point. The possibility of drawing off her attention may occur to him, if he doesn't want her to notice where the group is going into. In any case, OOC, you have one action to do something before she shoots.]

Damn, spotted, Xurizu thinks as he balls his hand into a fist to indicate the hidden presence on the roof above.  As he does this, with his other hand which is concealed from the sniper, he gestures to Dashu to lead the pair from here.  Then he started to sprint for the cover of the cross-street, hoping to draw her attention away from the the other three, and gain a little cover from the arrow she was knocking across her bow, diving behind a pile of crates stacked by the side of the warehouse.  She can't see where we're going, we might have to sit around entirely too long for that to be safe for any of us.
[Private to GM: I'm willing to spend Excellency Motes on dodging, but I'm trying to get into cover, and draw the sniper away from the warehouse.  Ideally I can break contact and get back with her, but if not, I guess I'm finding my own way out.]
This message was last edited by the player at 19:53, Wed 22 Apr 2009.

Dreams keeps her head bowed, trusting in the others to warn her if danger should occur. If they failed, she was likely dead.

When Xurizu suddenly bolts in the other direction, Nanaret does not freeze or falter. She just keeps moving, holding Dreams by the arm, and turns the corner her fellow Lunar was about to take.

The other thought that occurs to her is that she may be able to save this situation by pretending to subdue Xurizu herself, using her disguise and her acting ability. But even before that her priority is to get Dreams-of-Light out of danger.

She finds the warehouse that Xurizu's directions lead to, checking inside quickly for anything amiss before letting Dreams in with her.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:00, Wed 22 Apr 2009.

Dashu silently took the lead as Xurizu bolted off.  The way to the wearhouse was relatively straight forward.  He hoped his friend would be okay, but knew the other two would need him when they arrived at the wearhouse.  He still kept to the shadows to avoid notice from the invisible snipers.

Dashu, Nanaret and Dreams-of-Light take the opportunity to slip into Warehouse 3876 while Xurizu draws off the sniper. The first thing they notice is that the warehouse is not empty. There are laborers inside moving boxes to and from conveyor belts, and a tough older foreman with short cropped black hair standing on a platform, wiping her sweaty forehead and neck with a rag. She doesn't acknowledge any of the three Exalts entering the warehouse, but mutters a line loud enough for them to hear: "Man, I wish I could just push a pencil rather than break my back everyday."

The stealth-cloaked woman on the rooftop firing in Xurizu's direction does not seem intent on striking him. The energy arrow that flies from her bow impacts with one of the crates near where Xurizu is hiding, splintering it rather spectacularly. It seems she is aiming to warn rather than kill at least for the moment, or baiting Xurizu to see how he will behave.

From his hiding place Xurizu has only a partial view of what the woman is doing. [Private to Ledaal Xurizu: You do glimpse the still-invisible sniper touching a hand to her ear. Likely communicating with others. Then you see her leap from the rooftop to another, propelled by the superior strength of the exomuscular fibers of her armor, to get a better vantage point. The impression is that you may get people intercepting your position so you'll either want to keep moving or find a better place to hide. Roll Dex+stealth if you move, Wits+stealth if you try to hide in place. This may also a good spot to potentially stunt learn something :) don't have to though, just suggesting!]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:07, Thu 23 Apr 2009.

Dashu looks at the woman and smiles a bit, acting out the part of a friendly miner while delivering the line needed to get the escape underway.  "Careful what you wish for, you could break more than your back sitting at the top."