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Ignatius Malbau The Docklands Port Remonstrance Across the street from the Warehouse Ignatius watched Barry flick his disgusting groundpounder habit into the water and enter the warehouse. It figured that guy would be late for the shift change. Did he even know there was a shift change? Ignatius wasn't a stickler for schedules, mind you, but their instructions had been explicit, even if it'd been weeks without anything to actually do on their shifts. Made sense to keep the warehouse staffed, at least. The local streetgangs paid attention, wouldn't hesitate to break in to warehouse when nobody was there, try and lift some loot or just smash windows for fun, but for the most part they were too timid to go for an occupied building. Ignatius had let it be known the place was sitting empty, anyway, which wasn't a hard rumor to circulate; nobody'd made any deliveries since the lease was signed, and the local "businessmen" noticed that, too. Ignatius idly thought that maybe they should arrange for a delivery of something. Would that make them seem less suspicious, or just unnecessarily complicate their cover? Anyway. He looked down at the plastifoam cup that still contained a centimeter or so of brownish-green muck with lumps in. "Food." You ate this poo poo and acted like you needed to, if you wanted to blend in around here. He reached out with one long, thin arm, and flicked it off the rusty black steel parking bollard he'd set it down on, and watched as the muck inside, owing to excessive viscosity, totally failed to splatter as the cup hit the ground. It crunched under his well-worn groundpounder boot as he stepped off the curb, hesitated for an instant to let a big growling smoke-belching cargo transport vehicle - a "truck," he reminded himself - crawl past, and then crossed the street. As the autosentry recognized his credentials and clacked the door open, he peered into the half-lit gloom of the warehouse, spotted Barry loitering near the lockers off in the corner peering at a dataslate, and made to join him. "Ayo, Barry," he greeted, adding a half-upward nod. "Servitor found you, huh?" Ignatius didn't lead off with his own impression. He wanted to know what Barry would volunteer of his first thoughts about the mission. Ignatius had been hanging around with these people for weeks now, but he still didn't have a strong sense of how they operated, like, how they'd actually work. They weren't really a team, yet. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 22:34 on Jan 21, 2016 |
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Jan 21, 2016 01:36
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Ignatius Malbau The Docklands Port Remonstrance In the Warehouse "Ah, I don't eat that poo poo because I like it, Barry," Ignatius replied with a sour grin. "I eat it because, you know that poor bastard who loiters at the end of the block all the time selling smokes? And the crew at the Ubemar warehouse, two bays over, you've seen the one, they handle empty algae tank cargo? They eat that poo poo, because it's the cheapest thing you can buy around here that'll hold body and soul together. So I eat it too." Ignatius taps his head with a pale index finger. "They can all see I'mma Voidborn. I got the skin, the build, you know. But I eat the same cheap poo poo they do, they notice that. Maybe not consciously, but their brain notices. I must be a poor bastard just like them, eh? Must be some offworlder down on his luck, workin' a poo poo warehouse job in a poo poo neighborhood of this poo poo city on this poo poo planet, just like them." Ignatius was dressed the part, too. Port Remonstrance was located in the equatorial region. It was hot out, humid, but with so little land mass, they got a lot of wind, a lot of storms. So the local garb tended toward thin, easy-breathing plastic mesh that shed moisture, bare arms and legs, lightweight brimmed hats that kept the glare out of the eyes but still breathed. Round the docklands, closer to the water, it was a little cooler, and accommodations had to be made for the work environment, so you saw heavy protective boots and gloves, sometimes light work armour, but always with vents and holes and on the occasion a full ventilation system chugging away on a light backrack with tubes running into an environment suit. So Ignatius had on a pair of baggy, brown, plastimesh shorts that stopped just above the knee, heavy low-topped work boots, a stained used-to-be-white vee-necked sleeveless plastic shirt, and a tough synthetic welding jacket with reinforced patches at the elbows and shoulders, brown, with rows of horizontal vents cut into it under the armpits and down the back. The crew knew he kept his sidearm tucked into that jacket, along with that long sticker of his, one in each breast. He usually had a shoulder bag as well, the type you might use to carry around heavy tools, where he kept his auspex and a few other odds and ends, but just now he didn't have it on him. In the gloom of the warehouse, Ignatius lifted the brim of his hardhat, an ugly plasteel affair with diagonal yellow and black stripes underneath a small constellation of worn, peeling stickers advertising various brands of alcoholic beverage. Most people would have found his face unremarkable, aside from the features typical of the voidborn - pale, bony, long, with high cheekbones and dark hair - but someone as observant as Barry was likely aware of the incongruity of a "docklands worker" who somehow didn't have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or brands. "Be discreet," Ignatius added, nodding at the dataslate. "We don't know yet if the Deculon name is one folks notice if you mention it, or if they're a regular feature of the local gossips. Lemme know what you find. And I wouldn't put Ciznero's name in anywhere, yet. Most likely the Adept has a cover, and we don't want to blow it." That was the sort of thing Barry should already know, but Ignatius wasn't going to take the chance. I've decided the planet's tropics are on the warm side of human-standard climates, wet, and based on that, I've thrown in some basics of Port Remonstrance working-class fashion. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 23:22 on Jan 21, 2016 |
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Jan 21, 2016 23:19
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Ignatius Malbau The Docklands Port Remonstrance In the Warehouse Ignatius watched silently as Gamma entered the warehouse. The psyker gave rise to conflicting feelings in him, which he didn't care to discuss. On the one hand, she was, like him, Voidborn; her body type, her skin, the way she minded corridors and corners, it all had a familiarity to him. She was somehow more human; groundpounders were all a little abhuman by comparison. On the other hand, she was a (registered, sanctioned) psyker. Every ship had psykers, of course, you couldn't navigate without them, but the dual nature of the ship's navigator - revered, as the only thing keeping them alive, as they plunged in and out of the Warp, and feared, for the horrifying risk each psyker represented - set them apart from the rest of the crew. A sacred object but also a living person. The ship's most direct connection with the Astronomicon, the Holy Emperor Himself, on his golden throne; otherworldly, beloved, terrifying. Gamma wasn't an astronavigator, though, or at least, not that Ignatius knew of. Maybe she had never reached out and felt the presence of the Emperor? Or perhaps He was always there, his light shining somewhere in the back of her mind. Ignatius shook his head, suddenly, to dispel fuzzy wandering thoughts. Gamma was his co-worker, a fellow Acolyte, and they had a job to do. "Ignavus is off-shift, but due back shortly, I believe" he intoned. "I suggest we wait here for him. It would seem we have ample time to conduct our mission, and I want to hear his first insights before we form a plan of action." I am using internal monologue to create Ignatius' impressions of the other characters, since I never got around to it in the recruitment thread. e. I wrote this before the update just above, so please mentally insert it into the chronology as such. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 01:21 on Jan 23, 2016 |
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Jan 23, 2016 01:13
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Ignatius Malbau The Docklands Port Remonstrance In the Warehouse Ignatius shifted uncomfortably. "I can of course pass for a noble," he interjected, "but as a reminder, none of you should speak my surname outside this warehouse. My family... well, it's unlikely anyone in this sector has heard of it, but if they have, and chose to make inquiries, there's a remote chance it could jeopardize our cover. We styled ourselves as nobility - by the Warp, we were nobility - but no longer. On the other hand, my cover as some sort of dockworker will also be inappropriate if we are to mingle at some Deculon party. I suggest we keep things simple, refer to me only as "Ignatius," and if anyone presses for my status, Eadian can refer to me as his concierge." After a moment scrutinizing the scrolling data entries Cogitatio is projecting onto the greasy steel welding table shoved into the corner near the lockers, Ignatius nods. "I can pilot that thing, Aperta. It's probably a six thousand year old rustheap, but I'm confident you can make it flightworthy. In the meantime, I suggest we make use of an air taxi." A thought suddenly occurs to him. "You know, we could probably just buy the drat thing. Maybe several of them. Folks around here are going to see it coming and going, maybe 'aerospace salvage' is a reasonable cover for our currently empty factory here? There's so many junked craft on that list there, they can't be all that expensive. Let me have a chat with those Munitorium chaps, I've worked with their type for years. I'm sure I can talk them into an above-the-board arrangement of some kind or another." Ignatius worked with the Munitorium when he was in the Navy, as a naval liason officer; he is also skilled in Commerce, Charm, Deceive, Inquiry, Tech-Use, and Operate - Aeronautica, any or all of which could apply to 'procure inoperable aeros from the Munitorium under the pretense of a contract for their refurbishing.'
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Jan 24, 2016 08:23
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Ignatius Malbau The Docklands Port Remonstrance In the Warehouse "Hmm." Ignatius looks up at the roof of the warehouse suddenly, and then glances around at the front, the back and back to the group. "You know, It occurs to me we don't actually have a good place to, uh, land. Better hold off on that flyer until we've figured that part out, eh? In the meantime, I think I'll see what sort of dirt I can dig up on these Deculons. You know, the sort of thing doesn't get spread in the reputable media." Unless anyone else has something to add, Ignatius is going to head out on his own, to the local watering holes, pawn shops, underground roller derby rinks, and CCG tournament gambling dens. He'll keep a low profile, casually bring up the Deculon family while making it seem like it was the other person who brought them up, and see what sorts of rumors he can dislodge. Charm, Deceive, and Inquiry, each at Fel: 40, plus any modifiers. Charm to make people think he's a friendly guy to talk to, Deceive to make people not realize he's looking for information about the Deculon family, and Inquiry to find out what there is to be found out among the social scum classes.
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Jan 30, 2016 02:02
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Port Remonstrance Ignatius winces, as the likely payoff for several hours' worth of slumming disappears into the scattered garbage-piles and leaking sewer pipes of what the locals not very affectionately call The Rookery in an utterly futile attempt to catch up with a native-born sib a fifth his size with a head start. She was very obviously letting him keep up, the better to ensure he was led into whatever dead-end trap her compatriots were waiting for him in. If he was lucky, he'd survive the experience. Of course, more of her sibs... no, he reminded himself, these are groundpounder urchins, they're probably only related by social status and proximity of residence... more of her gang were in evidence, sizing him up. Ignatius briefly considered his dirk. But stabbing little kids outside a bar where at least a few of their daddies were probably drinking away their wages right this moment seemed like a poor tactical choice, and that wasn't even accounting for the queasy rush of consciencous objection he felt at the prospect of cold-blooded child murder. He could threaten them with the dagger, but if these kids were robbing grown men in the slums in broad... well, ok, highly filtered, gloomy daylight, then they certainly knew how to deal with a man with a knife. Better to view this as an opportunity. He had some inkling of what those kids' lives were like. His own childhood had been infinitely more privileged than theirs, yes... but still. They were, Ignatius judged, too young to have had the natural-born spirited sense of curiosity and lack of personal caution all free-running children left to roam without adult supervision display, worn down and ground away by the dual crushing weights of poverty and responsibility. "Here," Ignatius addressed the one most blatantly not hiding from him, a medium-sized... girl, probably... in a one-piece orange plastic coverall with the arms and legs cut off and about a dozen different holes patched with the generous application of Impyrial Megacola stickers. "Givya four sticks a lho anna stab a nitrobuzz fer thet man's ID card," he offered, pointing in the vague direction of the fellow her compatriots had just robbed. He had twelve lho sticks and three syringes of "nitrobuzz" in his left breast pocket, actually, but there was no sense opening negotiations with his whole stash. "But nothin' if he don't survive!" Ignatius added hastily. Ignatius attempts to recruit the urchins by bribing them with drugs in exchange for the identification card of the man he just failed to get information from. My plan is to use the ID to check his employment record, figure out what small boating company he used to work for that used to shuttle Deculon scions around in, and then maybe go take up a new line of employment as a Deculon brat boater, for Deculon brat interrogation purposes. Or, failing that, I have another idea.
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Feb 4, 2016 03:25
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Port Remonstrance Ignatius lingered for a few minutes outside the filthy Rookery bar after the last of the children had scattered off to pursue the next item on their undoubtedly larcenous agenda. He liked to take his time, see if any bystander or patron had taken an interest. Eventually, though, it was time to go, and Ignatius had to admit this angle was a near-bust. OK, maybe the hard-luck boatman thing had some possibilities, but without a solid lead, there wasn't much more to be found out in the Rookery. Well, there were other things one could do here. The morning was waning, but it was far too early to head back to the warehouse in hopes of a rendezvous with the other acolytes... might as well take advantage. It was time to find a pawn shop. Ignatius is going to burn a couple of hours locating the seedy sort of outfit where a man can procure research chemicals, interesting drug precursors, etc.: the sort of contraband he doesn't trivially turn up back at the docks. He's not going to take a big risk - no crime kingpins or whatever - but he's going to see what he can find, with an open mind to the possibilities, and buy some definitely, without a doubt not legal stuff. Commerce (35), Medicae (35), Inquiry (40), Trade: Chymist, and Clues from the Crowds where applicable.
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Feb 8, 2016 06:26
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Port Remonstrance Having mostly pissed away the first third of this daycycle, Ignatius decided it wouldn't be a terrible time to check back at the warehouse. It was loving annoying how hard it was to stay in touch with people, planetside; aboardship, using the intercoms to coordinate with sibs was second nature. He idly considered the possibility of getting himself his own little floating skull servitor, just for relaying messages. But nah. Those things were really conspicuous. Sure, sometimes he wanted to look like the kind of fellow who can afford his own servitors, but what did you do with the thing when you needed to go scum it up in a scummy part of town? Contraband merchants tended to balk at conducting business under the watchful, doubtless recording glowing red laser eye of a servitor skull. Whatever. Ignatius tried not to sulk as he made his way back to base. Those kids might prove useful, but they'd hosed up the payoff for several hours of slumming. Maybe one of the others had turned up something more useful. Ignatius will rendezvous with Aperta at the warehouse.
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Feb 16, 2016 05:36
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance Ignatius peered at the silhouette filling the doorway at the opposite end of the cavernous, poorly-lit warehouse. It was obviously Aperta, which wasn't too surprising, but the techpriest's location was something of a mild surprise. "The Omnisiah works in mysterious ways," Ignatius called out somewhat obliquely, as he made sure the main door had closed and locked behind him. Glancing around to confirm his assumption that none of the other acolytes were here, he paced briskly across the cracked, filthy ferrocrete warehouse floor, angling to join Aperta so he wouldn't have to shout a report. Along the way, Ignatius unslung his bag, where he had already stowed the more cumbersome accessories to his "grubby dockworker" disguise - the helmet, the jacket, and so forth. Aperta Ignavus felt very familiar to Ignatius, even though he barely knew the man. There had been techpriests aboard his homeship, and during his time as a naval liaison to the administratum, he'd worked with many more. Every one of them was different... but, in certain ways, they were all reliably, comfortingly similar. You could safely assume, for example, that a techpriest was a literalist. That didn't mean they were incapable of subtlety - far from it! But they tended towards a sort of verbal precision, using words for their exact denotative meaning (and assuming whatever you said to them was equally intended). They cared about the machines, and when your own survival, the survival and livelihood of your entire extended family, depended on those machines functioning continuously, that was a drat good thing. Yes, at times it seemed they cared more about the machines than about people, but Ignatius supposed that wasn't really the case, despite outward appearances; techpriests cared about the machine spirit... that is, they were highly empathetic people by necessity. They were also universally competent, and that was something Ignatius respected above most other considerations. They were invariably experts, and on top of that, diligent, tireless workers, with little if any propensity for self-destructive vices. Ignatius had sold enough drugs to minor nobles and festering drunks alike to have cultivated a profound and abiding contempt for both, although he never, ever let that show. He'd known a techpriest who enjoyed having his skull pumped full of amphidrines, but that was entirely due to the hyperactive focus it had given him, which allowed him to sustain multi-day marathons of uninterrupted highly complex precision labor. Upon reaching a more comfortably conversational proximity to the man waiting in the rear doorway, Ignatius gave the man a small shrug by way of partial explanation. "I cannot report a success in our most immediate goal of specific, actionable intelligence about our quarry," Ignatius began, using a more elaborate vocabulary with Aperta than the techpriest had heard from Ignatius when they were in the company of the other acolytes. "However, I have generated a tenuous lead. I cultivated a contact who, in his occupation as ferry pilot, has had frequent interactions with various members of the Deculons, as well as other prominent nobility. My subterfuged interrogation was interrupted when my contact was robbed by the organized criminals claiming that street as their territory; I have engendered a positive relationship with the 'gang' in question, who will deliver my contact's identification and other non-fungible personal effects tomorrow. We may find them useful depending on the results of our compatriots' investigations. Additionally, I have established a contact in the same area with a chymist supplier, whom we may rely upon for some potentially useful substances as and when we find the need for them." Ignatius chooses to leave out for the moment his acquisition of the "Lagniappe" ampule. As favorable as he feels towards the techpriest, he is acutely aware of the ever-present skull servitor, and it's no-doubt always-running recording devices. When this mission is over, there's a definite possibility that whatever he says in Aperta's presence will become a part of the official record... for good or for ill. One does not survive for years as a junior officer in the Imperial Navy by entering one's... let's say 'unsavory' behavior into the record books for any superior or rival officer to use as ammunition. "I must say, Aperta, that I find the lack of a planetary or even city-wide comms system to be an enormous frustration. How do the natives manage? No, don't answer that, it is a rhetorical query. Why don't you tell me exactly how the Omnisiah has blessed you so far today? Perhaps... something to do with the transportation issue we discussed this morning?"
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Feb 17, 2016 08:11
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance After gawping at Aperta's acquisition still dripping seawater and small, crawling crustaceans onto the floor of the drydock and making a few pointed comments about the conspicuousness of the logos and names painted on the side, Ignatius gets down to business lending two hands and a surprising mechanical competence in assistance. With a definite priority placed on getting some paint slapped over the identifying markings before the neighbors notice.
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Feb 26, 2016 23:54
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance After hearing of the others' successes - in particular, the social invitation - Ignatius relays his own results for the last day's work in subdued, apologetic terms. Apparently he's made contact with a local underground chymist supplier, and is expecting a small package from a street gang of vague description. He's much more interested in the breakthroughs made by Eadian, Bulworth, and Gamma: a Deculon building definitely designed by Cisneros. A library with extensive records on the Deculons. An invitation to Iseppo Deculonius' next gambling party! These are all things Ignatius can sink his teeth into. "Eadian and I should certainly attend," Ignatus suggests. "Bulworth probably as well. Gamma, Aperta... you'll be more conspicuous, and there's significant risk if your, ah, talents, are revealed... but I bet we can concoct sufficient cover stories and disguises if you want to get in as well." To the matter of the ferry, Ignatius is adamant the boat needs a name - something to do with Voidborn superstitions about unnamed ships being cursed - but doesn't have any immediate suggestions, beyond "something inconspicuous." Ignatius conveniently forgets to mention the minor detail that the local street gang he's in touch with is composed of children - he's not outright lying to the others, but he figures one or two of them might not fully appreciate the degree to which unsupervised urchins immersed in street culture and violence can be a resourceful but dangerous crew. He also doesn't mention the expected contents of the package they're sending him, wanting to see for himself exactly what they come up with. And he's definitely not mentioning the Lagniappe ampule within sensor range of the Cogitatio unless he feels he has to.
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Mar 2, 2016 03:00
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance News is shared, Bulworth grabs some grub, there's an accumulation of marine-grade paint on Ignatius' work boots, and a gradual sorting out of things. "This social event, the party," Ignatius eventually asks, at a moment when everyone is nearby; "It's too much of an opportunity to let slip. Obviously we could just gather intel, get some more on the Deculons, but there's the possibility that we could actually locate our target directly. I think we should consider in advance how far we want to go, and what we can get away with. For instance, do we want to bag Iseppo? Or maybe just use him to get an audience with Orsa person, even higher on the chain? On the one hand, if we bag him and he doesn't lead us straight to Cisneros, we'll have a tough decision to make: if he disappears, that raises questions and might blow our cover. But if we let him go after an interrogation, might be we blow cover even worse, might be the Deculons figure out Cisneros is an acolyte. Could get Cisneros killed, or worse." Ignatius scowls. "If you guys say let's bag him, I'm game. But that's not how I did things when... ah, when I had to work more independently, you might say. These groundpounder nobles, they're insignificant, but on their own little planet they're the biggest deal around. They think the whole universe revolves around them. Vanity, you see? What I'd do is, I'd figure out what they want, and I'd get it for them. It's always the same... some awful drug, some particularly pliant 'servant,' some sordid gossip about another local noble they're squabbling with. Get 'em what they want, only it's not strictly legal, and then they have to help you out, or maybe something gets public and they're embarassed. That's the kind of threat they care about, by the way..." Ignatius grins sourly. "Threaten some third cousin with a broken arm? He'll give you his purse. Threaten him with being publicly exposed as an embarrassment to his family? He'll spill his guts, give you anything. It's the worst possible outcome... loss of status, loss of influence, being disavowed by the family core." "So I figure, let's dig up what we can dig up on Iseppo, maybe see if we can dig up anything on Orsa too. At the party, we find a way to corner him in some quiet room without drawing too much attention. Feed him something useful on Orsa, or hit him with something nasty about himself, and see what comes out. Mention Cisneros? Ehm. Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe just suggest we need access to the family's designers and architects. Maybe just a list of all of 'em, how to track 'em down, an that doesn't point to Cisneros too obviously." Ignatius sits back, and spits on the floor. "Or plan 'B,' if we gotta, we bag him. In which case, we better know how to manage the security there, have our exit route ready, and it wouldn't hurt if we had a backup route or two as well."
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Mar 8, 2016 00:30
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance Gamma's rather pointed question obviously startles Ignatius - he almost recoils, but gets control of himself in a bare instant, breathing out slowly and looking up at the ceiling for a moment, and then closing his eyes, composure fully restored. "Yeah." he responds, after another moment. "It was different than these planetside nobles, mind you. My family, we were spacers, we had ships, the ships were useful, you know? We transported cargo and passengers. That's important. But... OK, sure, families like these Deculons, they keep order, they ultimately ensure a planet can manage its tithe, but..." Perhaps confronted by his prejudice, Ignatius can't quite manage to piece together a coherent justification for it. He shrugs a little lamely, and gives it a shot anyway: "...but yeah. We were wealthy, sure, but our wealth wasn't made or sustained by keeping others poor. Look, Gamma, maybe you haven't been out to the nastier parts of this island, but there's a big heap of poo poo out there, and it's that stinking pile that holds families like the Deculons up in the fresh air above it all. We're gonna go to a gambling party for the privileged while kids scrape in the muck for scraps of food. Maybe I don't care much for guys like Iseppo." He nods along, though, as Aperta makes a suggestion. "Yeah, OK, I hear ya. We don't have to squeeze Iseppo as plan A, maybe just a nice gift and the right way to ask and he gives us what we need. I can do that, I've done that a thousand times. Though, um. A nice drink for a fancy noble isn't just alcohol, Aperta, luxury goods have to be luxurious, you know? Or if not that, then exotic, at least. Bet I can scrape up a bottle of something a guy like Iseppo can't easily lay hands on by himself." Ignatius is happy to go along with a gentler approach. He's fine with The Pelicanus. DJF, did the urchins already drop off their package for Ignatius? If so, anything in there besides the basic ID and a ferry license? Ignatius will show the rest of the crew those two items, but might keep to himself anything else, depending on what it is.
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Mar 9, 2016 18:43
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance Ignatius is visibly discomfited, but he gamely sticks to his guns. "Well... well, sure, of course, there was family crew and there were nonfamily crew, but every one of them worked. They were all employed, and fed, and had a place to sleep and... you know, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being in charge, you know, we were nobles. The ships were our birthright. But the crew aboard our ships didn't have to resort to killing one another over scraps. It wasn't the same." He's saying it like a man who knows it's coming out wrong, but can't find a way to explain it quite right. "Anyway, I see your point," Ignatius says, doggedly changed the subject. "This Iseppo, maybe he's one of the good ones. We'll see. If he's cooperative, I won't try to muscle him. So let's figure out how best to get his cooperation, then. A gift, a good start, but this guy is gonna be partying and gambling and not really looking to chat about architects. Any ideas?"
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Mar 9, 2016 19:37
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance "I've no idea, but I can find out" Ignatius replies to Gamma's last question. "But I agree, we should scout the party location. Eadian, I think we should represent at the party that we are more than simply visitors, as you suggest. Perhaps we're offworlders associated with one of the less prominent noble families - one situated in the southern islands, for example - and we are looking to raise our patron's status by commissioning new public works. Perhaps we're at the party to enjoy ourselves first and foremost, try our luck at the card tables, but then, we've seen some recent works by the Deculon family that have piqued our interest. To that end, I suggest we use the next couple of days to establish sufficient ties to some obscure family to pass muster. We're.... cousins, maybe. Or we have cousins who intermarried with families in the south. Trading partnerships? Something like that. I suspect we won't need to elaborate, the attendees will be mostly focused on their pleasures, with some idle chat that orbits their various local intrigues and projects. All we need are a few answers to more pointed questions that won't raise further questions." "Meanwhile, Aperta, I think we're in dire need of improved comms. I suggest we source a set of microbeads. Perhaps a central transceiver in the ferry? I can assist with procurement of assets. I am also expecting shortly a... well, a ferry license, formerly belonging to a contact I made earlier today. I think if we outfit a cabin with some reasonably fine appointments - the sort of basic luxury a noble passenger taking a ferry home from a party might expect - it could come very much in handy later. We'll try to corner Iseppo at the party, but if that doesn't work, a fallback plan: I'll tell him we have a chartered ferry waiting and offer him a ride. Maybe convince him we have some refreshments on board he'd be interested in sampling? We'll need room for Iseppo and his closest bodyguards." Ignatius looks over the other Acolytes appraisingly. "Let's get particulars. I want to know how many guards Iseppo has, and where they're likely to be stationed. Plus any additional security arrangements for the party... most likely those will be planned in advance. Let's get a full attendance list if possible, and then 'attach' ourselves to a family that is definitely not going to be at the party. There must be dozens of outlying families. Perhaps we can find one that isn't too disreputable, isn't at war with one of the attending nobles, and could reasonably have offworld dealings. That library should serve as a good resource. Everyone needs some good clothes, too: dress conservatively, in line with the latest styles but not too flamboyant. Places to conceal a small weapon or four are a good idea. Oh... those microbeads, I wonder if we could conceal those, too? Make them look like jewelry, or work them into a collar or somesuch? I'd prefer we all be able to communicate at the party without having to gather." "And lastly, we'll need a reasonable bankroll. I do not intend to conspicuously win too much, but if the bankroll is too small, chance could wipe out the stack before I've had time to chat with the other players at the tables. Who else is planning to play? Eadian, I think? Anyone else?" OK the ideas and plans are not exactly streaming forth so, per the side thread discussion, Ignatius is nominally taking charge. Now is the time to object to any of my suggestions, in-character or not; otherwise, I suggest each of you take on one or more of the tasks I mentioned, along with anything else you were planning on doing before the party. Let's get this game back in gear, guys.
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Mar 15, 2016 22:42
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance "Ah, I wasn't clear: my apologies. I intended that we pose as offworlders, as you say; only that we could use some reason for the nobles at the party to bother to converse with us. This is how they think: 'what does this person offer me? How can I gain advantage through association with them? Can this person improve my status, or help me to sabotage a rival?' Everything is competition, among nobles: that, and leisure, of course: 'can this person get me drugs I've never tried before' is a good one. So: I suggested association with a family not present or easily contacted, only to give the others at the party a reason to possibly want to talk with us." Ignatius shrugs. "But you're correct, Barry, that it adds a complication and is a potential avenue for someone to undermine our cover. Administratum diplomatic envoy, though... not a bad idea, I'd say. I was a liason with the Administratum when I was in the Navy, I can pull that off I believe. Being the victim of a paperwork mixup isn't very prestigious, though... makes us seem like buffoons. Perhaps we simply do not say why we are here in Port Remonstrance. Let them fill in the blanks... wonder if we're potential allies, or rivals. Let a noble wonder that, and she'll likely act to ensure you're an ally... and that's an invitation to a conversation, perhaps disclosure of valuable information." Ignatius turns back to Aperta. "I'd be happy to help with the work on the ferry, of course! But I assure you the cabins on the Pelicanus, while functional, lack a certain luxurious quality that your typical noble expects. High quality fabrics, overstuffed cushions, well-stocked side bars, fully automated toilet facilities, crystal chandeliers, silver plating on the skulls, that sort of thing. Don't worry, Aperta, I'll take care of that part. You can focus on the 'delicate essentials' you mentioned. I'll make sure the velvet curtains on the windows have a stylish gold fringe and that there's a good selection of inhalants to smoke." Ignatius finishes by favoring Eadian with a little, knowing smile, as if to say: Heh: poor Aperta, he just isn't going to understand this.
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Mar 16, 2016 21:03
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance "The vessel was formerly the personal transport of the High Administrator, yes? Who at times entertained personages as influential as the planetary governor? I suspect the restoration of luxurious appointments it most likely had in the past will feel quite familiar and comfortable to the machine spirit." Ignatius, born and raised aboard a voidship, is not above a certain romanticism when it comes to vessels. Even humble planetsider water vessels like The Pelicanus.
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Mar 16, 2016 23:04
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance Ignatius looked sharp tonight, and he knew it. The iridescent thread used to embroider the brocade on his double-breasted long-tailed jacket made the pattern of stars, comets, tiny planets, and even tinier voidships shimmer slightly as he moved under the fragmented lighting of the crystal chandeliers. The black fabric of the jacket contrasted nicely with the ivory and burgundy secondary colors he'd chosen for his breeches, the cuffs protruding slightly from his jacket sleeves, and the fashionable mandarin collar of his inner vest. He also wore the autopistol openly on a shagreen bandolier across his right hip; a well-worn, practical, embellished firearm that subtly whispered to anyone security-trained on the premises "this is not some idiot noble's fashion piece." His dagger was tucked into the breast of the jacket, along with a few other small items. Tucked under his left arm was a somewhat awkward thick red velvet bag with black, oiled leather handles and little chromed feet. Inside was his party gift for Iseppo, which he'd offer when he had a chance, but also a little device he'd spent the last two days working on. He meant to make an impression, and just now, it seemed like an impression would be required. Looking around, Ignatius spotted a small, tall wooden table - the sort of thing one scatters about a room so that standing guests have a place to set down a drink. Ignatius pushed the two nearly-empty cocktail glasses already occupying the table to the edge against the wall, and then pulled out his little machine and set it down in the middle. He was already attracting the attention of security. Nothing overt, yet, but this had to look a little suspicious. Ignatius smiled, and gave a little bow towards the nearest bruiser, and flicked on the power switch. Immediately, the complicated-looking brass, chrome, and leather device whirred into life. A tiny accordion began to pump, expanding and contracting, sucking in air. Tiny bubbles rose inside an elaborate glass and brass bulb at the center of the machine, showing that the bright pink fluid inside had begun to be used. A couple of bare seconds later, an iridescent, filmy surface began to expand from the round, curly brass horn at the front... slowly at first, but then much faster, it swelled, wobbled, and then broke free... a floating bubble that wafted through the air of the party room! It was immediately followed by another, and then another... within a handful of seconds, a stream of bubbles had begun to swirl and waft about the place, following the eddies and currents of the party's atmosphere. This by itself might have seemed almost infantile - a child's toy. A few bemused party-goers had turned already, looking at Ignatius with a mixture of skepticism and slight disdain. But Ignatius spoke up, making an announcement to whoever was nearby: "Not ordinary bubbles, my friends! Oh no! You simply must try them!" To illustrate, Ignatius tilted his head back, moving quickly to position his face below a fat bubble that was just descending from the swarm. Suddenly going up on his tiptoes, he popped the bubble with the tip of his nose... and to the surprise of those watching, what was now clearly definitely not just air inside the bubble flashed bright pink as it made contact with the air of the room... a little puff of hazy pink gas, which Ignatius heartily inhaled. Landing back on his heels, he held in the breath for a long moment, before jetting two pink tendrils out his nostrils. "Whooooo," he breathed, shaking his head in an exaggerated show. "That's the stuff!" Ignatius has used Tech-Use (35) (plus the help of Aperta, perhaps), to construct a device which blows bubbles full of a drug. He used his Trade (Chymist) talent along with the contact in The Rookery who provides +20 on Requisition tests for chems, drugs, and precursor chemicals, to create the drug inside; it's just a very mild fast-acting vaporized hallucinogen, combined with some stuff to make it turn pink on contact with the oxygen in the air. Another chemical is used to create the surface of the bubbles, which isn't quite as fragile as soap, so that the bubbles can survive mild amounts of contact with chandeliers, clothing, etc. At the moment, he is using Charm (40) to get a large portion of the swarm of nobles to chase after swirling bubbles of fun drugs as a sort of silly game. Instead of leaving things to chance, though, I'll use Sway the Masses to automatically succeed on this Charm test with a number of degrees of success equal to my Willpower bonus (3). Finally, Ignatius has used Deceive (40) to make it look like he's just taken a big huff of the drugs, but he's actually just held it in his mouth and then blown it out his nose, instead of inhaling it into his lungs. In any case, it's supposed to be mild enough that one bubbles' worth shouldn't be impairing. Much. At least to someone experienced with drugs. Which Ignatius definitely is. Ignatius has pre-arranged with Eadian that when Ignatius sets this thing off, Eadian will try to get closer to Iseppo. Ignatius will then join the pair, if he has a chance.
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Mar 22, 2016 00:23
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance Finally, Ignatius had Iseppo's full attention. Well, OK, it was split between himself and Eadian, of course, but Ignatius has always worked alone in the past... so he just does what his instincts tell him to do. He accepts Iseppo's proffered hand with a firm but not too firm handshake and a substantial but not too deep bow. He introduces Eadian first, using the man's full family name, and then himself simply as "Ignatius." He elaborately thanks Iseppo for their invitation, complimenting him to excess on the setting in vague but effusive terms. Then he reverses course, eyeballing one or two of the less savory-looking security goons with a raised eyebrow and an offhand comment about the riff-raff. Then he vaguely suggests that he and Iseppo might be fabulously wealthy. Immediately afterwards, he comments on the upcoming games, suggesting without saying so that a big win would be really important to him. Finally, he identifies the most scantily-clad nubile woman in the room and makes an off-color comment about her desirability. None of it is of any substance, and if you asked him later, Ignatius wouldn't have been able to tell you exactly what he said. It wasn't important what he said, what mattered was Iseppo's responses, which Ignatius took very, very careful note of. Ignatius is switching through a set of little probes: sucking up (is Iseppo vain?), being prototypically classist (does Iseppo agree or disapprove of disdain for the poor?), pretending to be very rich (is Iseppo impressed, or unimpressed; is he anticipating winning Ignatius' money, or does he not care at all about it?), pretending to be a degenerate gambler (would Iseppo be happy or annoyed to have someone who has some strong need to win, at his tournament?), pretending to be lecherous (is Iseppo a gentleman or a cad?), and so on. Basically prodding to get a read, but not ever saying anything solid that could permanently color Iseppo's understanding of Ignatius and Eadian's position or habits. So this is probably either Inquiry (40) or Scrutiny (30). If Eadian chimes in, Ignatius will improvise along with him, going for a teamup scrutiny, with Ignatius trying to give Eadian a bonus to his own checks.
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Mar 29, 2016 00:58
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance "I'm on it" Ignatius says, close enough and in the general direction of Eadian that a bystander would assume he was addressing that man and not a microbead. Standing up from his spot just behind Eadian, Ignatius wobbles visibly, but then catches himself. Regarding his empty glass with a wry grin, Ignatius weaves a someone circuitous path in the general direction of the north wall. The bald guy isn't especially difficult to spot - Aperta's description is characteristically accurate. Pausing to swipe another drink from a passing servant, Ignatius' eyes wander - he is a fairly inebriated noble scoping out the room, maybe looking for someone in particular, maybe just eyeballing the more exposed cleavage. Certainly he is not paying any particular attention to the guard near the wall. Ignatius is sizing up the guard. Scrutiny (30). He is specifically looking for: any identifying features that would tell him whether this is one of the "house" guards hired by Iseppo, or a personal guard of one of the guests; any indication if the man is a higher-ranking fellow or just bottom-rung muscle; whether it appears the man is clearly stationed here intentionally, or has just chosen a comfortable spot to hang out; and maybe most importantly, if he looks like he could use a drink. Barring any or all of that, I just want a detailed description of the man.
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Apr 16, 2016 21:52
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance "Hey," Ignatius addresses the guard. Ignatius wobbles a bit, suddenly 'noticing' the guard standing there. He gives the cygnets a farewell leer and then manages to steer himself over to the bald man, halting well inside any reasonable semblance of ordinary personal space boundaries, staring balefully at a spot two or three inches behind the back of the man's head. "Heyyyyyy, you look uh, piquid. Green around the gills, you know?" Ignatius stares, grinning. "They've got uh, I heard! Hey! They've uh, they've got something for the you know." Ignatius rubs his belly, nodding, giving a very knowing expression to his new best friend and co-conspirator. "The gut fuckery. Badshits. I got some earlier, guy in, in, in, in blue, with the silver trim, downstairs in the fass... fasscil... in the toilet. Clear ya right up!" Ignatius drapes an arm over his pal, this man who has been his confidante and reliable companion for years probably, almost forcibly steering him towards the lifts. "Come on, I'll take ya to him. Need some more myself, you know? Bit ah, bit, too much fish juice in them Flaming Flounders I been drinkin'." Ignatius makes up a lie about someone downstairs with a stomach remedy and then not-quite-forcibly assists the guard in going off to find them. If the guard fights back he'll relent, but it seems like the man will probably cooperate. We'll go wander around drunkenly downstairs where Ignatius will fail to find the man he's looking for, and probably the guard will wind up in the toilet anyway. Call it a Charm or a Deceive or maybe even a Medicae roll, whichever seems most applicable.
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Apr 19, 2016 22:43
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Party Back Room Port Remonstrance Ignatius stretches slightly, allowing the firm yet pliant bolsters of his luxurious lounge chair to envelop his gangly form in a way that reminds him of the high-G crash couches one might find installed in a luxury-class planetary drop shuttle. They creak, and for a moment Ignatius is distracted by the fabric which, now he looks closely, is unmistakably oiled cured sea animal skin. There's a row of beautifully carved suckers adorning the wood(!) accents along the outside edges of the armrests, and the high back of the shagreen chair is encrusted with serrated, triangular teeth set into an intricate pattern. The iced drink in his hand is even more fantastic. Ignatius gestures with it, indicating those of his colleagues present with an alcoholic sweep without even a hint of drunken tilt. In fact, to anyone paying more attention to Ignatius than they ought to have, he's undergone a remarkable sobering in the last fifteen minutes or so. "We," he frowns in exaggerated contrition, "have a confession to make, I'm afraid. I'm terribly sorry, dear fellow, but... as I suspect you've already guessed, our attendance at this simply delightful gathering of yours is not entirely for pleasure." He takes a quick sip, gauging Iseppo's reaction for a moment, but continues before the man has an opportunity to respond. "Happly," Ignatius smiles adroitly "I believe we have an opportunity you'll be interested in... something of mutual benefit to our various interests. Oh, I suppose you must hear such things constantly, no? The sales pitch, from some minor functionary or distant cousin, hoping to climb their way up in the world by attaching themselves to someone more important. Tsk." He shakes his head knowingly. How sad and pathetic, those other people, for doing exactly what he is doing now. "This is different. In truth... and, Iseppo, I mean no disrespect, very honestly I don't. But in truth, what we have to offer is more important, and an opportunity for you - indeed, for your entire family, and for this planet - to climb their way up a little, in the eyes of the Imperium of Man." Ignatius leans forward, now, forgoing the luxury of the recliner in favor of an upright, serious posture. He sets his drink down on the low table to the side of his chair, and regards Iseppo with cool, sober seriousness. "We have evaluated you, Iseppo, and your family, and we feel you may be entrusted. And I hope that you understand, what I will tell you now must be held in the strictest confidentiality, at least for a short while. In a few weeks, the need for secrecy will have passed, and public announcements will be appropriate. But we must get started on the project immediately." Ignatius sits back a little, enjoying the impact of his next statement. "You see, when the Black Fleet arrives, the groundwork must have been laid. Our superiors in the Imperial Navy do not care much for complications. It's not enough to have selected a build site: they will want any bureaucratic obstacles dealt with, the local planetary political issues settled. One clear, undisputed local owner of the project - that's you, you see, Iseppo - with the wherewithal and resources to see it completed swiftly and with careful attention to the details." Ignatius recovers his drink. Takes a sip. Lets things sink in a moment. Holds up a finger to forestall a flood of obvious questions. "Details, yes, of course, all of the details. We, my colleagues and I, will continue to direct and control the project, during these sensitive initial stages. Necessary, for security reasons. When the Black Fleet arrives, we will be contacted, and give a full report of the situation. We'll be leaving shortly thereafter, and less, hmm, specialized officers will be instructed to work with the locals to complete construction. The facility will of course be commanded by a Naval officer... but, doubtless, some half-retired admiral who will treat this duty as an extended vacation on a tropical pleasure-planet, and leave all of the administrative functions to the locally-hired staff." A swirl of the ice, another sip, with an appreciative nod. It really is a fantastic vintage. "We are at war, Iseppo. The Imperium of Man. Ourybia must do its part. For centuries this planet has exported... well, let us be charitable and call it 'seafood,' but the Navy has identified another resource that Ourybia will be privileged to provide. You see... it seems we need your seamen." Someone snickers, drawing a sharp glance from Iseppo, but he misses who it was. "Ahem. Well. There are systems in this sector where we're fighting the Xenos scum, and apparently there's an unusually high number of water planets, and apparently due to some incredibly ancient law, warfighting using watercraft comes under the rubric not of the Astra Militarum, as one might expect, but rather the Holy Fleet. The Navy needs to recruit commissioned officers, and desires in particular recruits with experience operating sea vessels. Ourybia is most fortunate to have an abundance of men and women with the appropriate experience. Therefore, if your family is willing and able, Iseppo, my associates and I propose a joint project to build a magnificent new Imperial Navy recruiting office, right here in Port Remonstrance." Ignatius stands, relinquishing the magnificent comfort of the chair to cross the room to the sidebar. Two cubes of ice clink into his glass ahead of another double-shot of ancient amasec. "It's not only an opportunity to erect an important building, Iseppo. The facility will employ at least two or three hundred civilians... not only clerks, but administrators, managers... accountants. Locally hired staff must be of the proper level of education, must be able to liaise with offworld Navy personnel, and with the Adeptus Administratum. You understand, Iseppo? People of substance. I'm sure you can see the advantage, to yourself, to your family, to be the partner from the outset? You'll be well placed to, ah, make recommendations. Be sure that the most important positions go to the best candidates. What's more, you'll be the first point of contact for the Navy. I doubt a man such as yourself needs to be convinced of the value of having contacts in high places?" "But of course, this opportunity comes with its costs." Ignatius retakes his seat, glancing at the others for a moment. "We have initial funding. Before the Black Fleet arrives, a site must be secured, and we are expected to have a site survey. The Navy will, on approval of the plans, extend additional funding, but the on-world partner is expected to contribute to the finances. Once the facility is completed, ongoing operational costs will be counted against Ourybia's tithe; any rebate against that, you'll have to negotiate with the planetary governor." Ignatius balks, suddenly, a look of concern on his face. "The governor has not been informed of this project, Iseppo. We have strict instructions on this point. I don't know precisely why, that was deemed unimportant for us to know, but I have some hints that he is not considered to be entirely... reliable. In my experience, that means he's likely to bungle things, or perhaps cause undue delay, but in this case I don't know enough about your governor to hazard a guess. Our task is to establish a rapport with a prominent family, initiate the project, and then the Governor will be informed after it is a fait accompli." "My good fellow, I do apologize, this sort of business is hardly appropriate for a party. Eadian and I had thought this merely an opportunity to introduce ourselves, get to know you. But, what with the little... disturbance... going on outside? Why, here we are, might as well get things going, eh? Of course you'll have questions, no doubt, and perhaps you'll need to consider things. Please, do take your time, a day or two if need be. Any longer, though, and, well... we must press forward. We'll have to approach another family, if the Deculons aren't able to commit quickly. I'm sure you can understand?" Okay, whew. Ignatius is telling a whopper, which is assuredly Deceive (40), but hopefully influenced by our very high Influence, plus if applicable, Breeding Counts. Ignatius is also flattering Iseppo and his family, hopefully: that's more Charm (40). I've got Peer [nobility], I forget what that does exactly. And, I'd be delighted if Eadian chimed in to boost my attempt with his own skill checks. My intent is to follow up any questions with the request to use Cisneros - I want Iseppo to think that it's just one detail in a larger plan, albeit one that needs to be worked out quickly. If I have another chance to post before the scene resolves, I'll mention we've identified Cisneros as someone we'd prefer, if that's a possibility. You know, all casual like, like it's no big deal if the answer is 'no'.
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May 3, 2016 01:52
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Party Back Room Port Remonstrance Ignatius nods along, interjecting neutral noises and noncommittal comments here and there. For the most part it does not matter what advantages Iseppo imagines his family will gain by this fake project that will never actually happen, but there are limits to be imposed; if for no better reason than to try to keep the whole thing from becoming sufficiently public that the lie is impossible to maintain. "Ah, interesting, building new land eh? That sounds... expensive, and time consuming, but I suppose it gets us the ideal footprint for the facility?" Noncommittal. Perhaps steer towards consideration of a site that would not require immediate contracts being signed with heavy orbital lift/drop subcontractors. "Other delegations? Oh, no dear fellow, have no fear. There's only us... we would go to another family if things did not work out with yours, but we are already confident the Deculons are the best option, or we would not have reached out to you first." Noncommittal. Perhaps do not imply there are meetings that Iseppo should try to spy on, just in case he succeeds in discovering there are no meetings. "Criunix-built plasma-battery ships? Fascinating, I'm sure the Navy would be interested in the possibilities. Perhaps a proposal could be drafted, once we have provisional approval of the facility's plan?" Noncommittal. Perhaps do not encourage Iseppo to send a delegation to Criunix that would tell them untrue things about facilities that won't be built on Ourybia. They shouldn't seem too eager, anyway. Iseppo would expect resistance to his more grandiose ideas... if every excess was too easily agreed to, that in itself would be suspicious. But there is the crux of the matter to get to, in the end. A throwaway, not to seem too important. "For the first phase of the project, my dear man, we'd like you to draw upon your family's contacts - quietly, of course, no big announcements - to form a small task force with the expertise we're currently lacking. For site identification and construction, I believe you'd have a geologist and a hydrologist you regularly work with, no? And for initial bureaucratic obstacles, you no doubt have a talented clerk or two? And ah, I believe your family has a famous architect... we were privileged to inspect a recent project of yours, the water treatment facility? If it's possible, perhaps that person could consult, start sketching up some plans based on requirements we will provide for the facility design?" Don't even have to name Cisneros, that might seem too specific. Just give Iseppo an unambiguous cue to identify our target, and a request to get Cisneros directly in contact with us quickly. Assume this takes place just before we are interrupted by Thunder and/or by Bulworth's warning. Ignatius will give no visible indication that he's wearing a com bead until/unless it's necessary. Once Thunder shows up, Ignatius will be in favor of suggesting an immediate departure using our boat, unless Iseppo has some other idea. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 23:41 on May 12, 2016 |
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May 12, 2016 23:39
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Ignatius Malbau The Rookery Party Back Room Port Remonstrance Just for a moment, Ignatius' gaze fixes on nothing in particular, listening to events unfold over his hidden comms. He still nods, Iseppo is going on about submersibles or something, and a moment later is smiling back, with a little shrug. "To be honest, I don't know much about subsurface naval operations. I suppose you could propose something to the higher-ups once they're here." By the time Bullworth bursts in, Ignatius is already reassuring himself that the familiar weight of his pistol is in the right place, rising from his seat, and sipping off the very last gulp of his amasec. "I assure you, Iseppo, that my colleague is not exaggerating. You are of course free to utilize whatever alternative exits you might have planned, but, ah, if our modest little vessel - it's right outside, at the nearest dock - if our modest little vessel would be of any use to you, you are cordially invited of course. Along with Messers Thunder and Lightning, of course, and anyone else you'd care to bring. Only, we are going now, and so, if you care to join us, I'm terribly sorry but I must insist there can be no further delay." Ignatius' little speech is delivered calmly but quickly, as he pulls out his pistol, checks the safety, visually sweeps the room to make sure no personal items are being left behind, and then makes for the door. Ignatius would prefer to follow behind Iseppo, if the man is coming, but will use personal urgency to impress upon Iseppo that it's time to go regardless. I'm thinking being rapidly left behind would not make Iseppo very comfortable and that's the only alternative I want to give him. I don't particularly want the shotgun. If either Thunder or Lightning are present, perhaps we can give it to one of them. Show of trust.
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May 24, 2016 01:33
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Ignatius Malbau Upstairs The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance Ignatius scans the room, listening to comms, and glances back once to confirm Iseppo is following. Cutting straight through the milling crowd of drunk nobility would be no problem for him, but Iseppo has multiple hinderences: his limp (if it's real), his hesitance, and perhaps most importantly, the strong likelihood someone will interrupt him and try to have a conversation. There's no obvious way up onto the stage, and in any case that might make things worse, so Ignatius leads the group along the wall, skirting the crowd and aiming to meet up with the rest of the crew. "The situation downstairs is deteriorating rapidly, and will spread upstairs within minutes" Ignatius comments politely to the elderly Deculon, "But we have little choice of exit. We will make a path and keep you safe, sir, and in a few minutes we'll be enjoying refreshments aboard our boat." I want to go into the main upper floor room, but skirt along the north wall heading westward, and then at the corner, turn south and meet up near the upstairs bar. I don't want to get too far ahead of Iseppo, so if he's taking full actions of 4 meters each, I'll take full actions moving at about 4.5 meters each, (so after six full action rounds I'll be about three meters ahead of him).
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Jun 3, 2016 19:37
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Ignatius Malbau Upstairs The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance This was not working. The strong priority of allowing Iseppo to believe that he was successfully manipulating the Inquisition acolytes was, unfortunately, clearly overridden by the stronger priority of not allowing Iseppo to be torn apart by a violent mob. Ignatius halted midstride, whirling around, and fixing Iseppo Deculon with a vacant look - actually staring at a point a few inches above and past the man's left shoulder. Entirely unnecessarily, but for additional effect, Ignatius' jammed his left index finger into his left ear, the universal gesture of a person trying to hear a comm bead over the noise of a crowd. He gave it two seconds, the interval coincidentally filled by Gamma clearly agreeing with his own assessment, and then refocused on Iseppo's face. "The situation downstairs is out of control and there are already a dozen fatalities," he half yelled, just as the Deculon caught up with him. "It'll be upstairs in moments, and if we're not past this crowd to the staircase by then, we are not going to get out. I'm sorry, sir, if it hurts to do so, but we have to run." Ignatius starts shoving into the upstairs crowd at a direct angle for the stairs, leading with the right shoulder, keeping the pistol in his right hand below the eye level of the milling party-goers, glancing back to add, "If you can make it to the stairs, Bullworth and I can carry you from there! Run!" As he starts plowing through the upper crust, Ignatius projects his voice: "Clear a path! Coming through! Step aside, please, move!" Ignatius is trying to give Iseppo an excuse to maintain his pantomime of frailty - he can pretend like running on his "bad leg" hurts or whatever - but Ignatius is going to move at his maximum speed through the crowd regardless, and assume that Iseppo will keep up. If he gets to the top of the stairs and Iseppo isn't still tailing him, then the crew can do what they can to hold back the mob and/or go back for him. If Bullworth makes it onto the catwalk, Ignatius will point him out to Iseppo and tell Iseppo that Bullworth is going to give us clearing fire if we need it. Ignatius is also trying not to directly panic the upstairs crowd as they push through, but he's also not really concealing his gun, just keeping it low - the tendency when someone shoves towards you is to look at their face, not what they're holding at waist level. I think Command works here, for clearing a path? Ignatius will use a fate point if he fails a Command test to make the crowd part, using Sway the Masses to succeed by WP bonus of 3. pre:WS: 30 BS: 30 S: 25 T: 30 Ag: 30 Int: 35 Per: 30 WP: 30 Fel: 40 Inf: 40 Wounds: 12 Fate: 4/4 Insanity: 0 Corruption: 0 Compact Autopistol - Pistol / 15m / s/-/6 / 1d10+1 I / pen0 / clip9 / reload full / 0.75kg Shock Maul - Melee / 1d10 + 3 E / pen0 / Shocking Stiletto dagger - Melee / 1d5 R + SB Mesh Cloak: Head 0 Arms 4 Torso 4 Legs 4 Double Team: +10 on melee attacks where you outnumber opponents. If other friendly has DT, +20. Sway the Masses: may spend Fate to auto succeed at Charm, Command, or Intimidate with degrees equal to WP bonus Breeding Counts: When highborn char would reduce my Inf, reduce by 1 less (to min reduction of 1) Inured to the Xenos: +10 to Fear test caused by aliens and a +20 Interaction skill test with aliens Scrutiny (Per) Commerce (Int) Common Lore (Rogue Traders) (Int) Linguistics - Orks (Int) Operate - Aeronautica (Ag) Charm (Fel) Deceive (Fel) Inquiry (Fel) Medicae (Int) Tech-Use (Int)
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Jun 10, 2016 22:41
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Ignatius Malbau Upstairs The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance Ignatius trots forward a few yards and then almost cartoonishly skids to a halt, his left finger back in his ear. "Downstairs is cut off," he declares in the general direction of Iseppo. "We're going out a back window. Bulworth... is getting us a rope, it looks like. Let's go!" He hopes to hell Bulworth is right, but the man has a better view, and as the former Arbites dives for the curtains, Ignatius thinks he knows what it is. Ignatius is going to turn and head back towards the back rooms, hopefully bringing Iseppo with him. If they get separated it'll probably be up to Eadian in the rear to get Iseppo turned in the right direction. I'll go through the crowd if possible, or around if necessary. pre:WS: 30 BS: 30 S: 25 T: 30 Ag: 30 Int: 35 Per: 30 WP: 30 Fel: 40 Inf: 40 Wounds: 12 Fate: 3/4 Insanity: 0 Corruption: 0 Compact Autopistol - Pistol / 15m / s/-/6 / 1d10+1 I / pen0 / clip9 / reload full / 0.75kg Shock Maul - Melee / 1d10 + 3 E / pen0 / Shocking Stiletto dagger - Melee / 1d5 R + SB Mesh Cloak: Head 0 Arms 4 Torso 4 Legs 4 Double Team: +10 on melee attacks where you outnumber opponents. If other friendly has DT, +20. Sway the Masses: may spend Fate to auto succeed at Charm, Command, or Intimidate with degrees equal to WP bonus Breeding Counts: When highborn char would reduce my Inf, reduce by 1 less (to min reduction of 1) Inured to the Xenos: +10 to Fear test caused by aliens and a +20 Interaction skill test with aliens Scrutiny (Per) Commerce (Int) Common Lore (Rogue Traders) (Int) Linguistics - Orks (Int) Operate - Aeronautica (Ag) Charm (Fel) Deceive (Fel) Inquiry (Fel) Medicae (Int) Tech-Use (Int) Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 18:10 on Jun 20, 2016 |
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Jun 17, 2016 21:24
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Ignatius Malbau Upstairs The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance With Bulworth dragging in the drapes, this new plan was suddenly looking a lot better. "A LOT better,", Ignatius couldn't help but declare out loud, as a flash of flame, plume of smoke, some very disturbing screaming, and the din of automatic weapons fire all emphasize that the area downstairs of the balcony is not a Good Place To Be Right Now. To his voidborn instincts, attacking a viewport is deeply wrong on an instictive level. But Ignatius swallows hard, telling himself it's a window, it's just a window, there's air outside before bringing the heavy mass of his pistol around in a hard slam against the... glass? Transplex? Transparent aluminum? Whatever. Ignatius will open the window through the most expedient method: smashing it, or if that doesn't work, either shooting it with the autopistol or opening if if there's an obvious window opening mechanism. If after doing so he still has actions left, he'll scope out the situation outside the window. pre:WS: 30 BS: 30 S: 25 T: 30 Ag: 30 Int: 35 Per: 30 WP: 30 Fel: 40 Inf: 40 Wounds: 12 Fate: 3/4 Insanity: 0 Corruption: 0 Compact Autopistol - Pistol / 15m / s/-/6 / 1d10+1 I / pen0 / clip9 / reload full / 0.75kg Shock Maul - Melee / 1d10 + 3 E / pen0 / Shocking Stiletto dagger - Melee / 1d5 R + SB Mesh Cloak: Head 0 Arms 4 Torso 4 Legs 4 Double Team: +10 on melee attacks where you outnumber opponents. If other friendly has DT, +20. Sway the Masses: may spend Fate to auto succeed at Charm, Command, or Intimidate with degrees equal to WP bonus Breeding Counts: When highborn char would reduce my Inf, reduce by 1 less (to min reduction of 1) Inured to the Xenos: +10 to Fear test caused by aliens and a +20 Interaction skill test with aliens Scrutiny (Per) Commerce (Int) Common Lore (Rogue Traders) (Int) Linguistics - Orks (Int) Operate - Aeronautica (Ag) Charm (Fel) Deceive (Fel) Inquiry (Fel) Medicae (Int) Tech-Use (Int)
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Jun 24, 2016 00:47
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Ignatius Malbau A Jetty Outside The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance Pursuers, presumably more of these warp-addled nobles. Ignatius glances back, up the jetty, seeing with some relief that Aperta has taken custody of Iseppo. It'd take a minute to get their boat away, so, the task at hand was clearly to delay - or kill - the two crazed figures coming out of the shadows with blooded knives. Ignatius sidestepped to a nearby stone archway, bracing against it as he put some fire in the direction of the would-be assassins. "Clear back from those barrels," he barked between squeezes of his autopistol's trigger. "We can set them off, if we need to."  Half action to move as indicated, half action to shoot at the nearer of the two assailants. Ignatius will have used an action prior to this scene to reload. pre:WS: 30 BS: 30 S: 25 T: 30 Ag: 30 Int: 35 Per: 30 WP: 30 Fel: 40 Inf: 40 Wounds: 12 Fate: 3/4 Insanity: 0 Corruption: 0 Compact Autopistol - Pistol / 15m / s/-/6 / 1d10+1 I / pen0 / clip9 / reload full / 0.75kg Shock Maul - Melee / 1d10 + 3 E / pen0 / Shocking Stiletto dagger - Melee / 1d5 R + SB Mesh Cloak: Head 0 Arms 4 Torso 4 Legs 4 Double Team: +10 on melee attacks where you outnumber opponents. If other friendly has DT, +20. Sway the Masses: may spend Fate to auto succeed at Charm, Command, or Intimidate with degrees equal to WP bonus Breeding Counts: When highborn char would reduce my Inf, reduce by 1 less (to min reduction of 1) Inured to the Xenos: +10 to Fear test caused by aliens and a +20 Interaction skill test with aliens Scrutiny (Per) Commerce (Int) Common Lore (Rogue Traders) (Int) Linguistics - Orks (Int) Operate - Aeronautica (Ag) Charm (Fel) Deceive (Fel) Inquiry (Fel) Medicae (Int) Tech-Use (Int)
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Jun 27, 2016 16:26
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Ignatius Malbau A Jetty Outside The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance "drat," Ignatius mutters, as the nearest assailant engages Eadian. There was no clear shot to help the man, so Ignatius would have to trust his ally to manage. Instead he ducked backwards, staying in cover and finding a new line of fire. As his pistol barks, Ignatius palms his shock maul in his left hand, figuring that as his gun emptied he was going to have to get stuck into it in short order. Half action to move directly north three meters, half action to shoot at the nearer of the two enemies west of the fire. Full auto. If I can spray both of them with a full auto burst, let's do that. pre:WS: 30 BS: 30 S: 25 T: 30 Ag: 30 Int: 35 Per: 30 WP: 30 Fel: 40 Inf: 40 Wounds: 12 Fate: 3/4 Insanity: 0 Corruption: 0 Compact Autopistol - Pistol / 15m / s/-/6 / 1d10+1 I / pen0 / clip9 / reload full / 0.75kg Shock Maul - Melee / 1d10 + 3 E / pen0 / Shocking Stiletto dagger - Melee / 1d5 R + SB Mesh Cloak: Head 0 Arms 4 Torso 4 Legs 4 Double Team: +10 on melee attacks where you outnumber opponents. If other friendly has DT, +20. Sway the Masses: may spend Fate to auto succeed at Charm, Command, or Intimidate with degrees equal to WP bonus Breeding Counts: When highborn char would reduce my Inf, reduce by 1 less (to min reduction of 1) Inured to the Xenos: +10 to Fear test caused by aliens and a +20 Interaction skill test with aliens Scrutiny (Per) Commerce (Int) Common Lore (Rogue Traders) (Int) Linguistics - Orks (Int) Operate - Aeronautica (Ag) Charm (Fel) Deceive (Fel) Inquiry (Fel) Medicae (Int) Tech-Use (Int)
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Jul 5, 2016 18:29
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Ignatius Malbau A Jetty Outside The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance Ignatius considered his options for only a bare moment, as the magazine in his pistol emptied. The assailants were apparently unconcerned with the threat of being burned alive, which in Ignatius' experience was solid proof that they were completely beyond reason... he had the quick reports from his colleagues who had been downstairs to witness the mob, of course, but now he could see their description of the savagery of the attackers had been, if anything, understated. These people were out of their Emperor-damned minds! The prospect of getting face to face with one of them did not appeal. However, as he heard Barry shouting to Eadian to run, Ignatius decided on the least terrible course of action. "Barry and I will hold off any that get past the oil," he shouted. "Eadian, you can light them up as soon as you're clear..." Ordinarily he wouldn't telegraph his plans in a way the opponent could easily understand, but these people weren't thinking clearly, or at all. Might as well be as coordinated as possible. Staying put and readying an action to clobber the first bad guy that tries to get past me up the dock, or that engages me, with the shock maul. If I have additional half-actions left, use it to move to intercept any baddies trying to get past me up the dock. Or, if that doesn't happen, use it to holster the empty pistol. pre:WS: 30 BS: 30 S: 25 T: 30 Ag: 30 Int: 35 Per: 30 WP: 30 Fel: 40 Inf: 40 Wounds: 12 Fate: 3/4 Insanity: 0 Corruption: 0 Compact Autopistol - Pistol / 15m / s/-/6 / 1d10+1 I / pen0 / clip9 / reload full / 0.75kg Shock Maul - Melee / 1d10 + 3 E / pen0 / Shocking Stiletto dagger - Melee / 1d5 R + SB Mesh Cloak: Head 0 Arms 4 Torso 4 Legs 4 Double Team: +10 on melee attacks where you outnumber opponents. If other friendly has DT, +20. Sway the Masses: may spend Fate to auto succeed at Charm, Command, or Intimidate with degrees equal to WP bonus Breeding Counts: When highborn char would reduce my Inf, reduce by 1 less (to min reduction of 1) Inured to the Xenos: +10 to Fear test caused by aliens and a +20 Interaction skill test with aliens Scrutiny (Per) Commerce (Int) Common Lore (Rogue Traders) (Int) Linguistics - Orks (Int) Operate - Aeronautica (Ag) Charm (Fel) Deceive (Fel) Inquiry (Fel) Medicae (Int) Tech-Use (Int)
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Jul 18, 2016 02:36
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Ignatius Malbau A Jetty Outside The Rookery Party Port Remonstrance Ignatius thumbs off the activator on his crackling shock maul, and tucks it back into his jacket as he turns up the dockway. That had been a frightening interlude, but he enjoyed a flush of professional pride now that their escape was entirely clear - there had been more than one fuckup to be sure, but this new crew had gelled well and not only had they secured their objective, nobody had even gotten hurt. Well. Nobody of importance to their mission. He was looking forward to a stiff drink, and already starting to consider exactly how to address Iseppo once they were all safely ensconsed in the luxurious appointments of their watercraft, when Bulworth reminded him of Iseppo's bodyguards. Was there some reason to expect they might have not only survived, but knew that Iseppo had been extracted? "Has anyone told them we're out here?" he asked over his shoulder, as he jogged across the gangplank. Exeunt, stage right. If there are multiple rounds, Ignatius stows his maul, and then reloads his pistol. pre:WS: 30 BS: 30 S: 25 T: 30 Ag: 30 Int: 35 Per: 30 WP: 30 Fel: 40 Inf: 40 Wounds: 12 Fate: 3/4 Insanity: 0 Corruption: 0 Compact Autopistol - Pistol / 15m / s/-/6 / 1d10+1 I / pen0 / clip9 / reload full / 0.75kg Shock Maul - Melee / 1d10 + 3 E / pen0 / Shocking Stiletto dagger - Melee / 1d5 R + SB Mesh Cloak: Head 0 Arms 4 Torso 4 Legs 4 Double Team: +10 on melee attacks where you outnumber opponents. If other friendly has DT, +20. Sway the Masses: may spend Fate to auto succeed at Charm, Command, or Intimidate with degrees equal to WP bonus Breeding Counts: When highborn char would reduce my Inf, reduce by 1 less (to min reduction of 1) Inured to the Xenos: +10 to Fear test caused by aliens and a +20 Interaction skill test with aliens Scrutiny (Per) Commerce (Int) Common Lore (Rogue Traders) (Int) Linguistics - Orks (Int) Operate - Aeronautica (Ag) Charm (Fel) Deceive (Fel) Inquiry (Fel) Medicae (Int) Tech-Use (Int)
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Jul 20, 2016 02:16
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Ignatius Malbau Aboard the Ferry Some Port Remonstrance Jetty Port Remonstrance Eadian was a little quicker on the uptake, Ignatius having struggled to conceal his immediate surprise at encountering a large, unknown man unexpectedly - a man who on first glance was heavily armed but currently wielding amasec and a big grin. And that was OK. After tuning in to the comms chatter, and Max Flightmaster introducing himself, Ignatius is fully composed and onboard with the cover story evolving in the room. "Flightmaster! Good to finally meet you face to face. Ignatius. I see you've met Mr. Iseppo Deculon already: we've only just been solidifying arrangements with his family for the new Navy officer training facility... I assume you've read through the briefings, of course." Ignatius is shaking hands, conducting Iseppo to a comfortable seat, effortlessly compensating for the slight roll of the deck as the ferry pulls away from the jetty with the instinctive skill of the voidborn. "Iseppo, as you earlier surmised, we have several additional agents on-planet conducting various tasks... Aperta put out a general request for assistance for this evening, but the rest of us didn't know exactly which of our agents would be responding." Ignatius favors Iseppo with a conspiratorial wink. "You might say we've established tonight that there's no need for assets to continue to work any, ah, other angles? Your family is clearly the best option for our little... partnership." Ignatius finds himself a drink, shrugging off body armor and weapons onto a convenient settee tucked into the corner of the luxuriously appointed main cabin space, and returning to sit opposite Iseppo. "Now, I must say, that disturbing display of violence back at the party, that was quite unusual, no? Not just some little scrap between exuberant youths who have overendulged. I'm afraid quite a few of your guests are now dead. I don't suppose we can be of any assistance? I mean, if this is some sort of inter-family business you'd rather we kept out of, we will of course leave it to you, but..." Ignatius leaves the question hanging. Arrangements to meet with their target were probably not at risk, but he wanted to continue to play the part of a Naval attache setting up a partnership with the Deculons, and in Ignatius' estimation, some curiosity and a vague offer of assistance would be more fitting with the cover story than either of total apathy, or excessive interest. Not really applying any skills here, Ignatius is just trying to make sure the cover story fits. But if Iseppo feels like talking, or asking for something, Ignatius is giving him an opening.
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Jul 29, 2016 23:37
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance "Immediate extraction of Cisneros is a problem even if she is not a rogue psyker," Ignatius comments. "The Deculons will of course be upset that she's gone, and we will have to keep her contained and safe for another month, while they attempt to locate her... and us. This warehouse has provided us with good cover, but our presence here is probably not a secret, and as one of the most prominent families on the planet, the Deculons assuredly have the resources to penetrate the building. If we take Cisneros now, we will have to retreat to a completely secure location, and remain hidden until the Black Fleet arrives." Ignatius shrugs. "On the other hand, if we maintain the cover story, meet with Cisneros, and then allow her to go, we will have to set up another meeting later - I'm sure we can come up with a reasonable justification for that - but also advance the 'project,' and that will require significant additional efforts in order to appease the ambitions and allay the apprehensions of the Deculons, who believe they're being given an enormously prestigious opportunity to spend an enormous amount of money, and thereby gain favor with the Imperial Navy. They will not be satisfied unless we appear to be making real progress. Moreover if Cisneros is especially alert - or if she is a psyker - she may recognize us for what we are. And we do not yet know whether Cisneros wants to be extracted, or knows that she has the attention of the Inquisition, or if she is a fugitive. The lack of information about her has left us without certainty as to her disposition and capabilities, and that is an operational risk we must account for." Ignatius leaves it at that: he leans back in the rather uncomfortable plasteel chair that he had positioned near the table and lockers in the corner of the warehouse where the group tended to meet, eyes scanning the others' faces. The team had done rather well so far without a clear leader, but Ignatius wondered again what they would do when, inevitably, some issue came up upon which they could not reach consensus. Perhaps this one would be it? His eyes fell on the newcomer, Flightmaster. A fellow Naval officer... well, former, of course, they were both Inquisition now... the man likely felt equally uncomfortable with the lack of a chain of command for the mission. The question was, did Flightmaster assume that, as an officer, he was now in charge? Unsure, Ignatius glanced at Gamma, their Navigator - he could not help but still think of the voidborn astropath that way - wondering about the scene back at the party, and what she had said about it. Who was the actual target of that assault... the Deculons in general? Iseppo? Some other prominent attendee - there were certainly plenty of others there with the prominence to have been the target of a rather unconventional assassination attempt. Or, could their cover be compromised, and they be the intended target? She caught him looking, so he nodded to her. "I think you're right, Gamma. It's our duty as agents of the Inquisition to uncover unsanctioned psyker activity. If there is a heresy, we should discover it, and root it out. Not at the cost of our primary mission, of course, but... we cannot be certain if this is connected with our primary mission or not, without more information."
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Aug 2, 2016 17:37
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance This Max Flightmaster fellow was giving Ignatius flashbacks. Most of his career with the Imperial Navy had been spent in an administrative function, liaising with the Administratum to arrange and manage supply to the Naval fleet during the war. These duties involved almost no contact with noncoms, and none whatsoever with regular enlisted men. But, Officer Max Flightmaster seemed to fit perfectly into that category of ambitious, capable, but thoroughly navy junior officers he had frequently dealt with. They wanted to get things done, now, were very optimistic about their chances of success, and assumed that everyone else around them was on board with The Mission. Whereas for Ignatius... well, his role had been more of a role. Oh, he'd been highly effective, he knew very well how to negotiate, grease wheels, bypass bureaucratic obstacles. It was all about working people; the regulations and forms and processes were all rigidly inflexible at first glance, but inevitably the people in charge of them knew how to get around them, make things go quickly, expedite processes, provided the exactly correct sort of motivation. Which in some cases meant subtle threats or even blackmail, in other cases subtle bribery, and occasionally just the simple and surprisingly effective offer of a friendly ear, willing to listen to them complain about their problems for a few minutes and offer some form of condolence. But he was not at all indoctrinated. It had been the monumental indifference of the Administratum that had dispossessed his family. The Navy was no different; millions were sacrificed, in order to save billions, that was the way things were, and one could either accept that and find a way to survive, or be crushed by it. Ignatius was flexible. What he was not, was patriotic. He was at heart a pessimist, he supposed. Well, and also, deep down... a noble. One of the last survivors of the Malbau line, most likely. Oh, this new Inquisition gig was definitely an improvement, it felt more like he had at least the opportunity to accomplish something. Maybe. If getting Cizneros was actually important. This Max character... well, it was too soon to tell, Ignatius reminded himself. He might just be trying to make a good first impression. Or he might just be really enthusiastic about gear, that was a pretty common thread in the military. Dude just really wanted to get himself some tactical flashlights and boxes of brand new dataslates. Ignatius cocked his head at the man, shrugged a little, and replied simply "Sure, I'll be happy to come along, Mr. Flightmaster. There's an item or two I'd like to pick up... I admit I was not planning on going through the Munitorum, but I suppose it won't hurt to try there first." He thought for a moment about the cover story. "We impressed upon Iseppo that the first steps would be identifying a build site, and then working out some design parameters for the construction, so that when the Black Fleet arrives with more of our staff, we'll have a basic proposal ready. No actual construction, but you're right that it would make sense for us to begin to staff. A handful of clerks to start handling paperwork, respond to queries by Deculon administrators, start preparing budget estimates and feasibility studies and so on." Ignatius smiles. "In fact, we can imply to the Munitorum staffers that our project will certainly involve a great deal of their assistance... and a concomitant increase in their budgets and requisitions from offworld. I expect that might apply holy unguents to a few cogs, no?" Ignatius wants a good or best quality las pistol, with a custom grip and a laser dot sight. He'd also like to stock up on basic smoke and stun grenades, and he will make or acquire a concealed holster for the las pistol. He is also willing to accompany Flightmaster on his investigation of the recent killings, although he is worried about Flightmaster's lack of undercover subtlety and may need to head back to the slums to do some rumor gathering on that subject on his own, in a more incognito fashion.
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Aug 6, 2016 18:30
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Ignatius Malbau Remonstrance Morgue Port Remonstrance Ignatius observes the baroque edifice of the morgue silently for a few moments. He patted the deep pocket of his cloak, where he had decided to temporarily stash his new weapon until there was time to fashion a fully-concealed holster custom-fit for it." We could just go in the front door," he commented to the broad, imposing figure beside him, "But I'd rather not draw too much attention by checking in all these weapons." Well. "Any more attention than we'll draw regardless, that is" he half-joked, giving Max a wry smile. It was difficult not to notice Max Flightmaster. He... bulged, in a vaguely threatening manner. "I suppose we'll need some sort of simple reason for being here. We could claim Iseppo sent us to inspect Deculon bodies, but if that gets checked, he might be annoyed about it. We're out of uniform, so I don't think going with a Navy angle is ideal." After another moment's thought, Ignatius adds "We could just bribe our way through. Sometimes I find a fistful of scrip goes a lot farther than a convoluted explanation for why you're supposed to be permitted entry."
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Aug 17, 2016 15:22
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Ignatius Malbau Remonstrance Morgue Port Remonstrance Ignatious shakes his head emphatically. "No way, Flightmaster. This isn't wetwork. We're not going to murder loyal citizens merely for seeing us. If we are caught and they attempt to detain, we have our cover story, and we have a high-level local family connection. Either I talk our way out, or we pull strings. Iseppo all but requested us to investigate the murders he referred to, so he might be annoyed if we get caught busting into the morgue, but it's not going to blow our cover. And for that matter, even if our cover gets blown, we will still have options to lay hands on Cisneros: we can pull rank, invoke the Inquisition, and it'd be a big noisy mess, but we'll get her." Ignatius pats his shock maul. "Nonlethal force, Max, unless lethal force is used against us, or against a high-value ally we need to protect, like Iseppo." Yeah uh lets not murder people just for seeing us, that'd probably be a hit to our subtlety, not to mention it's outright evil."
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Aug 22, 2016 19:02
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Ignatius Malbau Remonstrance Morgue Port Remonstrance "Agreed," Ignatius replies, quickly and calmly switching off his auspex, pushing the last body back into its cold storage, committing the name and other information on the chart stapled to its foot to memory, and then following Max out the way they'd come. As soon as they have cleared the building, Ignatius has a dataslate out, making notes. "This is not what I was expecting, Flightmaster. I supposed some sort of intrigue between rival houses, but the victims don't appear to be related to one specific house... and the murderer is either mutant or xenos or both. We need to confer with our colleagues." Ignatius' experience with xenos is mostly limited to the orks, and his experience with mutants is mostly limited to the kind of pathetic unfortunates you find in the worst parts of slums - humans and abhumans adversely affected by exposure to toxics and radiation, in the largest part, as opposed to the warp-influenced mutations he has only read about in Naval officer training manuals. Even so, he racks his brain to think of some possibilities, as the pair make their way - mostly in silence - back to the warehouse to reconnoiter with the rest of the team. Whatever I can get from skilled or unskilled checks on Common Lore and/or Peer checks. Also, in case it makes any difference or would have been useful, Ignatius uses his auspex on the bodies. It's like a gothic-themed tricorder, right? Maybe he can pick up some unusual sensor readings. If the morgue's body tags included information on the exact coordinates where they were recovered, I'm definitely making a note of that; we might want to drag Gamma to one or more murder scenes to see what she can turn up.
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Aug 25, 2016 23:55
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Ignatius Malbau The Warehouse Port Remonstrance Ignatius makes himself useful, back at the warehouse. There are samples to analyze, new equipment to fiddle with, he can assist others, and if there's time, he steps out for a bit to find someone who can install a concealed holster for his new gun into his fancy armor cloak. When the rest of the team eventually arrives, Ignatius urges them to help follow up on the mysterious murders investigation. He can't shake the hunch that they're connected to the rest of the weirdness... and even if they aren't, solving the mystery for Iseppo helps to cement that man's faith in their ruse.
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Sep 9, 2016 17:09
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Ignatius Malbau Deculon Manse Inland Noble Quarters Port Remonstrance Ignatius flows into the sprawling decadence of the Deculon estate with ease, as if he absolutely belongs there, which of course he does. Perhaps there are a few gentry scattered around who would remember him from the ill-fated party? If so, they would spot the same fellow they remembered from before: well-dressed, stark-looking and obviously offworlder, certain to always be sipping from a glass, genteel, faintly immodest, and unmistakably enjoying himself. That's the show, anyway. Ignatius is not enjoying himself. This event was another obstacle between the team's goal of meeting Cizneros in person, ideally alone and unmonitored, in order to ascertain her disposition towards their mission, and of course, ultimately obtain her person, whole and alive, one way or another. It was obvious as soon as they arrived that no such encounter was going to take place today. Iseppo was putting on another show, and not just for the "naval delegation"'s benefit. His last party had ended in disaster, and now he needed to re-establish his own position and prestige with an elaborate affair that, very importantly, did not get half the attendees killed. Additionally, the word was undoubtedly out - not widely, most likely, but to a number of key cousins, necessary nephews, and indispensable inlaws - that a big deal was going down, involving the Imperial Navy, and completely dependent on Eadian, Ignatius, and their cadre's disposition towards the Deculons. In other words, Ignatius knew he was on display, and many of the finely-dressed folk taking their leisure about the premises were sizing him up with the ruthlessly shrewd judgement of lifelong courtiers. There was not going to be a private meeting with an architect. So be it. Ignatius proffered up courteous bows, polite but firm handshakes, knowing nods, and the slightest air of "inscrutable voidborn" to all and sundry as Iseppo paraded them around the garden. Bullworth added to the effect nicely, being present at precisely the right distance to be noticed, a little intimidating, but not to the point of alarming. Eadian... was Eadian, more the actual-noble than Ignatius, and with the added air of a man who the Deculons owed, having been manhandled, and who knew it, and who was being really very polite about it, which just made it even clearer to these people that he knew that they knew that he knew that they owed him. And Gamma was tailing the little party, staring weirdly at him, which Ignatius tried to ignore as best he could. He shouldn't feel embarrassed at being perfectly at home among these wealthy, powerful elites... it was his job, wasn't it? The privilege and power of his own family had been wiped away in a day. He was a working man, now. If the mission called for expensive clothes and luxurious appointments and well-aged amasec, well, why should he feel guilty about it? Well. Ignatius could handle his well-aged amasec, which he was careful to take with ice, holding the tall thin glass in one hand and then the other, continuously warming it so as to melt the ice and dilute the booze as much as possible. When they wound up at the garden's central gazebo, suddenly confronted with Cizneros on a screen, not being excessively intoxicated made the critical difference between blurting out a profanity, and simply showing a little surprise. Not only not a private meeting, but not even in person. gently caress. "Adept Cizneros! Delightful to meet you at last," Ignatius bows, getting his disappointment quickly in check. "If I may say so, we're quite impressed with your work. Iseppo here is lucky to have you at his family's disposal... it is in no small part due to your evident competence that we have selected the Deculons as our primary partners in this little project. ... You are familiar with the project, yes? I think you may find this to be a unique challenge. The facility and grounds must meet exacting specifications, of course, but within those specifications, there is significant room for, ah... creativity." Ignatius continues, using whatever time is afforded to describe in broad outlines the need for a construction in an ideal location, which will greatly impress upon the locals the majesty, power, and prestige of the Imperial Navy, making use of design language now tens of thousands of years established - the Gothic arches, the encrustations of imperial eagles, the skull motifs designed to impress upon all who view it the sacrifice of brief, temporary, insignificant individual lives for the immeasurably more important protection of the Imperium, and so on. But within those parameters... well. Local sensibilities may have some influence. Nods to the oceanic character of the planet and its culture may be permitted, suggesting the focus on the Navy's interest in officers with surface wet-navy experience and skills? A waterfront location, with extensive docking facilities, wet and dry docks, well tied into the local infrastructure. Reasonable and prudent defensive emplacements... after all, this facility could last for thousands of years, and who knows what security requirements might become regrettably necessary in that time? Not to mention certain accommodations, of the expected levels of comfort, for the higher-ranking administrative staff, many of whom, by necessity, will be drawn from the local population, of course! With assistance from the others, Ignatius impresses upon Cizneros the sheer scope of the proposed project. She is in a unique position, indeed. This is no mere water pumping installation. There are many more details to be worked out. The party would like to see some initial concept sketches and design ideas soon. Perhaps a private meeting could be arranged? Somewhere with less distractions, perhaps? Time is short... perhaps in a week? Schmoozing to maintain cover, drinking lightly to maintain the persona Ignatius has presented to Iseppo and especially to the nobles around him, and then attempting to tempt Cizneros into wanting an in-person meeting for reasons that are entirely reasonable and not at all suspicious.
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Sep 21, 2016 20:45
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