Welcome back home

Fuck.

Oh well, what's done is done.

I wouldn't be opposed to some roleplaying between the three of you during your rather lengthy trip back.

Suuuuper. I think we need to have a 3-person roleplay thread taking place in the hull or somewhere avoiding visibility, for basically everything that happened on our little trip. There will be some drama(which is why we should do it!), but let's remind ourselves to keep out-of-character drama away from the roleplay, please. And then a separate thread for me and Zeiss to clear the air. I might also talk to Higaide.

Quickly Arch, can I say that I bought some cheap-but-edible rations for the trip in the market, a quick grab-and-go? First edible thing I see (not counting anything fancy-looking), I take 6 days' worth, not even bothering to haggle.

To keep real life drama out of the way: I, the player, screwed up. I should have talked to the guy first and it was 100% my fault it turned out this way. I'm actually angry at myself for making such a huge mistake so no need to remind me of that fact.

Concerning the idea of roleplaying a discussion about the subject, I don't mind.

I have to confess, i wasn't at the top of my game during this little excursion.

The signs were there that a direct approach wouldn't be a good idea from the moment we saw the Dwarf, but i just didn't connect the damn dots until the people guarding the exit turned out to be none other than the Alluvian army.

I'm okay with Rory having some nice pretzel, nut, and chocolate rations.

I accept, Zeiss. I accept, K, but I believe that if we went with the punchy route, we could still have talked our way out of it or gotten off easy, even though I definitely would have been caught trying to grapple with the dwarf.

Aagh, trail mix!? Oh alright. thrifty murdering fugitives can't be choosers, I knew that when I asked.

Think mode: ON ver 1.01 Ivy Maeve Heavy Industries Ltd

The two lookouts weren't identified as Alluvian military. The rest of the squad was all decked in official Alluvian Army armor, but the two lookouts were not.

It wasn't that we missed it - Zeiss specifically looked for details on the Dwarf and came up empty, while Advoc was able to tell at a glance that the frigging phalanx of troopers just around the bend were Alluvian Military. Try as i might, i can't get my head around that one.

If it were some kind of black op, they would have all donned nondescript armor. There's no point that i can see to only a small part of the group making itself unidentifiable (especially the one that's supposed to stand in plain sight and warn would-be-intruders away, in what is largely a public space (or the next closest thing, considering it doesn't seem to be unusual for people to be prowling around)), while the rest just flash their colors. The Dwarf didn't identify themselves either, and he clearly had a chance to, before Advoc blasted him.

Only thing i can think of, is they were setting up to ambush someone at that very spot. The Dwarf seemed to be bait, as Mr Elf promptly demonstrated how they could cover the hallways without making their presence known. But then, why have the main force so far away that the guy had to run and yell that they were under attack?

Another possibility is that they were passing off as Alluvian military, and we just walked into them setting up for something, but that's a bit too farfetched, with what little we know.

Well, I have some meta knowledge about the situation. I think I know what it was all about.

Another possibility: that was the Aluvian military and they were planning something where they couldn't show their true colors. In either case, it's bad.

You going to share this in-character?

Maybe when Higaide's calmer, he's in a rather dark mood right now.

But like i said - if that were the case, they wouldn't be flashing their armor with their main force of 28 people while just two dudes remain undercover.

Okay. I still have something.

It just occurred to me that when you tried to bluff them into thinking the Alluvian army was there, poised to attack them - holy radiance and everything, they actually backed off for a full 18 seconds before coming back.

Also, Arch described their reaction as "a few startled yelps and screams as the individuals, whomever they be, start suddenly making far more noise than they had been previously".

Even if they were being hit with a spell, that is not the level of discipline i expect from a standing army.

True. Good observation.

Time to meet Lady Lightmane's liaison.

But first we're sailing away. Urg, we have to wait a day. Damn. Anyway, try to remember that these people can enslave people and make them do what they tell them. If we were able to neutralize them quietly, I'll bet we would have found some strange device on them that just wouldn't come off unless you got gross with it, like those rings. They were probably just watchdogs, and the rest around the corner were probably the real deal, the employed Vyeotian people impersonating the military. We learned that they do that too.

I'm actually not sailing away. Going straight for a taxi.

Okay. What about the plan?

Wait, what's this thing about them being able to mind-control people via implant? I think i missed that part somewhere.

The Vyeotians have proven the ability to dominate someone via technological implants. At least, that's what you think they were doing.

Well, me not sailing away means I'm not following the previous plan.

Don't know if it's stupid or not. Yet.

How are we going to use that special secret entry? I mean unless you're giving us directions to get to your secret passage, we have no chance of finding it. Or is there no urgent reason for us to leave the city after all?

If Zeiss is right, there's a more urgent one to find Ursolan as soon as possible. And i'm pretty sure we're doing that together.

Are all three of you going? I'm still in vaguesville over here in the GM Circle.

Well, it's either that or go home and watch TV. I came this far, i know i want to see it through.

Well, I'm going. You can come with me to chat with Ursolan if you want to. Well, Higaide kind of confirmed he wanted to come. What about you Rory?

Alright, sure. It beats being absent from Holtburg for a full day. For now, anyway. Better to stick together.