Inside the Great Maker - IC Thread

[Psychie]

Most Assurant looks at the woman in front of her. "We have come to suspect that the recent border incidents have been either instigated by someone, or simply created out of whole cloth to formulate distension between Estasia and Kamak. But what you are suggesting of having one of our own Assemblymen replaced by this Exalt is a fantastic claim. Do you have any proof of this before we go accusing one of our highly placed citizens of being an impostor? Some means of being able to identify this Black Spiral Dancer in our midst?"

OOC Can I identify what Caste of Exalt that Stalwart Champion is?

 

[Sherwood]

OOC Can I identify what Caste of Exalt that Stalwart Champion is?

Give me an Int + Lore roll to try and see.

 

[Psychie]

Int + Lore of 7 dice coming up.

3 Successes total

 

[Sherwood]

Strangely enough, you are certain by her current appearance that she is not any Caste that you are familiar with, but beyond that you are uncertain as to just what she is. Perhaps a machine spirit or little god of some kind?

Stalwart Champion shakes her head. "You of all people should know just how easy it is for an Exalt to be able to disguise their appearance. Proof that you are facing a hostile Exalt will be difficult to come across, but it should not be impossible. Look for anyone seeking to bring battle between your Nation and Estasia. That is her overriding goal, after all."

 

[WlfSamurai]

Unit unfolds her arms and puts a hand on her hip. “What you’re saying is very dangerous. For us. For Ein. For you. And so far we have contradictions from you. You’re saying it’s easy and then it’s difficult. Which is it?”

Unity does her best to calm her anger. She can feel it growing as alongside her annoyance.

 

[Sherwood]

Champion says, "Well, let us try and narrow down the suspects. It would have to be someone that has access to all the people that were suborned into the attempt on the delegates from Estasia, someone that could get access to the weapons used, or at least access to someone that has access to the weapons. After all, Black Spiral Dancer has shown that she possesses the ability to alter people's thoughts and memories. Finally, who has been the most vocal of your Assembly members in the call for war? If it is not Dancer herself, she will be close to that person in order to be able to control them."

 

[Psychie]

Most Assurant pauses to think. Who has been pushing for war more than anyone else? "As far as access to the armory, any of the Tripartite Assembly could have been the one to get those Essence Pulse Grenades."

OOC I presume that we would know which one of the Ministers fit the profile of a warmonger?

 

[Sherwood]

OOC I presume that we would know which one of the Ministers fit the profile of a warmonger?

Yes indeed. Of the five members of the Assembly, Autocrat Garret is the most vocal with his desires to bring justice to Estasia by any means possible. Out of the rest, Celebrant Mera is the most outspoken opponent against going to war, with both March and Riku falling in with her. Hammon and Tuk'Tanorn both seem to be more in favor of a fight, leaving Romas as the only unknown on the issue due to his recent assentation to his position.

 

[Psychie]

Most Assurant looks over at Unity. "If we are looking for an Assembly member that fits all the check marks, Autocrat Garret is at the top of the list. He would have access to the armory for the grenades, and would be able to get to the various members of the grenade throwers. We should be able to come up with a search algorithm to examine the security tapes to see if we can't cross reference contacts with the ambushers to see if there is anyone that they all meet up with. It will take some time, but that might be our best bet to identify our culprit."

 

[Psychie]

With a sudden thought, Most Assurant says, "It could also be that this Black Spiral Dancer is using one of the outspoken critics of going to war as a cover. Damn. That opens up our list of suspects wider, forcing us to have to investigate everyone on the Tripartite Assembly and their staffers."

 

[Sherwood]

Stalwart Champion nods. "I wouldn't put it past Dancer to try and conceal her presence here by picking someone espousing the exact opposite goals to her true purpose. Autocrat Garret and his staff are some of the people that needs to be looked at, but do not overlook the Celebrant and her people. I am willing to help you look through the files, hopefully being able to find that one link to guide us to our quarry. Assuming that you are willing to allow me to do so.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Unity nods. "I agree. But, I also think we should keep this between just us until we know more. Let's start with Garret as the most obvious and expanded out once we can rule him out. That way we can focus our efforts and eliminate possibles faster."

 

[Psychie]

Looking closely at Stalwart Champion, Most Assurant asks, "With all that you are sharing with us, how do we know that you are not this Black Spiral Dancer, looking to sow dissent between the Champions of Ein and the Tripartite Assembly? We don't even know what you are, be it mortal, spirit or Exalt! Would you submit to a memory probe to allow me to see the truth of your words?"

 

[Sherwood]

Stalwart Champion shows a slight smile. "I was hoping one of you would ask that. To be honest, I could be her, using sweet words to do just as you suggested." She pauses, looking at Most Assurant with silent contemplation. Finally, she lets out a sigh. "As much as I don't wish to do so, you do need to be able to trust me. So, I will submit to your mind scan of my memories. I hope you understand that I am placing a lot of faith in you, because once the connection is established, I will be quite helpless to stop you from pillaging my mind."

She flips back her hood to expose her head, and she turns her face to the side to allow you access.

 

[Sherwood]

Bump for Psychie What do you do?

 

[Psychie]

Most Assurant is almost willing to pass on the offer, knowing that it would not have been made if there was anything to hide. Almost. The thought of bringing charges against one of the Assembly members on some stranger's say so makes her skin crawl. What if this was all a finely woven story by this woman? Just to bring suspicion on their leaders? What if she is the one causing all the strife between Kamak, Yugash and Estasia? No. This must be looked into.

With her probe at the ready, she steps forward and gently places her hand at the base of Stalwart's skull and inserts it. She will immediately begin to sift through the memories of this woman to see what she can uncover.

 

[Sherwood]

With the probe in place, Most Assurant begins to sift through the memories of Stalwart Champion. First thing that you can see is that she is indeed an Exalt, but of a Caste you have never seen before, being made from Adamant! Her earliest memories are similar to yours, with her waking up inside a Vat, which shows you that she was indeed made in a Metropolis somewhere, hidden out in the Outer Reaches.

Her thoughts go on to show how she has spent most of her time in the Outer Reaches, looking out for the small communities that have made their homes away from the larger cities of the Eight Nations. You then see images that show Stalwart standing side by side with the same person that you saw in the deep memories of the brainwashed killers. They act towards one another as friends!

Then, there is a horrible thought of how Stalwart is nearly destroyed by her companion, giving her a strong drive to track down the one now calling herself Black Spiral Dancer. With Stalwart hot on her trail, you see the frustration in her mind at the fact of being one step behind her hated foe, up to the point where she tracks her to Ein.

Unless she has had a long and very extensive alteration of her memories, Stalwart is telling you the truth.

While you are in her mind, do you take the opportunity to implant anything, or do you leave her mind unaltered?
Psychie


T Tinytiger28

Excessively Agreeable Aren is currently on a pneumatic train, racing between the two Nations of Kamak and Yugash. You are on your way back to your home city of Ein, after spending a diplomatic mission to your allied Nation, spurring them forward in the work they are doing to repair the damage done in the long battle that has just ended between Yugash and Estasia. Your home of Kamak has been sending their ally large shipments of supplies and technical aid to help the stricken nation, and you were sent along to bolster morale and see just how well things are really going.

You are also aware of something very important, a secret so great that it could rock the very foundations of all of the Eight Nations. Before the war with Estasia, Yugash had started a very secret endeavor under the name of Project Razor. The goal of this undertaking was to break through the Seal of Eight Divinities that separate all of Autochthon from the ancient homeland of Creation! They had hope to be able to establish contact with the Solars that lead the great counsel of the Deliberative, seeking their aid in helping to bring the Great Maker back from the brink of falling into his own death, turning the lands of Autochthon into a new Underworld.

But the war between Yugash and Estasia but a serious damper on their ability to finish this, and in exchange for sharing their work, Yugash is begging for aid in getting their work complete. Right now, you are carrying a data crystal with the entirety of their research, with the hope that Ein will honor this request and not leave their ally stranded and swinging in the breeze and give nothing to them in return.

 

[Psychie]

Without causing any harm to her fellow Exalt, Most Assurant will remove the probe from her skull and step back to a respectful distance. She says, "That was . . . most informative. I saw in your memories of you being betrayed by one that you trusted, which explains why you are so focused on this Black Spiral Dancer." She looks over at Unity. "I am confident that her thoughts are her own, and that she speaks truly. We can trust her to aid us in our hunt for our common foe."

Turning back to look at Stalwart, she says, "You know our enemy better than we do. How do we find this Black Spiral Dancer and stop her?"

WlfSamurai

 

[WlfSamurai]

"Good," says Unity. "One down, the rest of the populate to go." Despite her sarcasm, a strange sense of relief washes over her. Even if Stalwart Champion is not a true ally, at least she knows the true score. Or least has a similar goal. Friends, allies, hell even rivals were becoming hard to come by.

After Most Assurant asks her question, Unity adds, "Yes. We can use any information or help you can give us. It's clear this is going to be a long road."

 

[Tinytiger28]

Aren's blonde hair bounced as the train rumbled on. His chocolate brown eyes skipped across the ever-changing blurry image streaking away out the window. Though he appeared to be staring with great intensity, you would know by the starry glimmer in his eyes that his mind was in a different world entirely.

What you wouldn't know would be what exactly that world was.

It was a crazy idea, really. Breaking the Seal of the Eight Divinities. Even if it was very possibly impossible, he couldn't shake the idea that perhaps this data, this research, was exactly what everyone was waiting for.

He could scarcely begin to imagine what it would be like. He wasn't even sure he wanted to. It seemed silly to get his hopes up over something that difficult to accomplish, but the ideas flooded his mind anyway.

Ah well, it couldn't hurt to dream.

 

[Epiphany]

Aren seems withdrawn. Not the kind of withdrawn that was a malaise occasionally seen among the Populat, the kind that needed reporting and correction. No, this has the look of someone deep in thought, with so much on their mind they can't spare the processing power on social niecities.

Which more or less suits Mercurial Intelligence Alloy just fine.

Draped in her typical Kamakian black robe with hood, she's free to look out the window as well without having to make small talk. Socialization is good, of course, ideal, even necessary for the ongoing health of any Alchemical. But the passing scenery is a fine excuse for distraction. Certainly, she's very rarely traveled so this really is an excellent opportunity to see parts of the Great Maker she never gets to see. At least, that's a convenient excuse.

Because the truth is she suffers from the malaise that would get the Populat reported. Despite a year of work, nothing's been able to shake it yet. At least the trip to Yugash was refreshing for the simple change of scenery. But now she's on this train, heading back home, heading back to an apartment too big for her, empty without the woman who'd illuminated her life for the past seven years. There are more important things to think about. This Project Razor, breeching the Seal of Eight Divinities? Five thousand years and there might never be a more momentous day after the day the project succeeds, and it could happen in her lifetime! Remembered excitement lifts her mood for just a brief moment before it fades again.

"I need a life," Mia says to herself. Her golden eyes shift to her companion before returning to the view. Small talk in public isn't something Kamak's people do well and, now that she has a smidgen of interest in talking, the social niceties of their culture are too much for her to overcome.

And so she sits and watches the train pass by, conscious of the tremendous responsibility they have, that Aren in particular has for the data crystal in his possession. Focus on the mission. Once it's turned over to the Tripartiate, then she can go back to brooding.

 

[Psychie]

Most Assurant ponders for a moment, then says, "One thing we need is more help that we can count on. If I recall correctly, there are two Champions that have been out of the city for a while. Both Mercurial Intelligence Alloy and Excessively Agreeable Aren are due to return to Ein later today. We should enlist their help in this hunt upon their return."

 

[Sherwood]

Stalwart Champion nods, looking pleased at the idea. "Excellent. With her mind control powers, anyone in the metropolis could be reporting back to her and never even know that they were doing so. Having your Champions on board with the hunt for her will be a great boon."

She then pulls out of the folds of her robes a small white crystal, easily able to fit into her palm. A close look at the gem shows that the surface is a ever shifting pattern, almost hypnotic. "This Core is designed to be able to locate deposits of Adamant. It is currently attuned to me, so it won't register my presence and throw off the readings. Unfortunately, I have not been back to the . . . Paratopolis where it was forged, and it is nearly out of power. As such, the range of the Core is only a few feet before it no longer can sense the presence of Black Spiral Dancer."

"It may be possible to make more of these Cores, but it will require the technicians to dismantle this one to be able to engineer a duplicate. Whichever way you want to do this, it will either take a very close proximity to her to show any readings, or risk losing the Core if your people here cannot duplicate its design and make more. What do you want to do?"

A glance at your chronometers tells you that the train with Mercurial Intelligence Alloy and Excessively Agreeable Aren should be arriving in the next five hours.

 

[Psychie]

Most Assurant frowns. Somehow, she had been hoping that it would be easier to locate this Black Spiral Dancer than it seems to be working out. Tapping a finger on her chin, she says, "I believe that while time is important, it will be difficult to get this Core close enough to all the suspects necessary before it loses all power. Let us try and replicate it. If we explain to Ein our concerns, she should be able to move this project to the head of the line and get several of these made. I do have a question, though. If we can duplicate this Core, what is its effective range at full power?"

 

[Sherwood]

Stalwart says, "At its full power, the Core has a range of nearly fifty feet. I do hope that whatever direction you decide to go with, a decision is made soon."