Zane nodes to Burr as the other man gives him instruction on how to get in contact. He had been traveling with Burr long enough to know that the powers that Burr held would in fact be able to accomplish what the man spoke of him, and for a moment, he felt a slight moment where he looked at the hole and considered jumping down it himself.
But, the tense feelings in the air still hung, and the fact that a group of people was even gathered in a hole seemed like enough of a sign that he should find the other two. Something was different now about the city, and they should be together to discover what that was.
Zane headed off, away from Burr and his hole, and towards the market, looking for Jason and Ina.
Jason calmly walks into the garden, surveys the situation, and approaches the statues. He starts by simply inspecting them, but the details of the craftsmanship impinge themselves on him. Anyone watching would just see Jason walk around, occasionally touching; perhaps a particularly sharp observer would note that Jason only touches parts of the sculptures of particular significance, either structurally or artistically.
Jason knows what's really happening, but in his mind, he still frames gaining the knowledge as inference from details of the objects--the quality of the statue means the artist had a real gift, the particular nature of the marks on an arm must have come from an artificial limb, the purity of the artistry speaks of youth. Of course, no youth in this context has the resources to drive this construction, and the size of the garden speaks of aged ambition. Now, in the end, Jason gets more information than anyone could possibly infer from the physical facts, and once he is absorbed in the project of examination, the images flow freely: the red cheeks and hair of the youth, the older man's outsize armor and the need for recognition it represents.
There is more happening with this Bastion than I know so far, Jason thinks to himself. If it is getting dark now, he'll look for the others, but visiting a war machine is still on the agenda.
Generalísimo de Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina
Ina
You hear a sales pitch from someone selling this inky blue goo in a mason jar.
"It's got a flavor that's... it's hard to describe because it doesn't taste like anything, but it kind of tastes like everything? It's a great jam, a great cocktail mixer. And I know what you're thinking, but once you pull it from the chasms, it's totally safe. It stops and it settles."
With your Godbound blessing, Ina... you know this is mostly true, oddly enough. The cocktail mixer fact is the closest to a lie because it's a fairly thick jam, so it's easy to ruin a drink with a glob of mystery-goo, but if you have a light touch, or just tap the jam with the back of your mixing spoon, you can infuse a really nice flavor with it.
Jason & Zane
The two of you looking for each other can find each other pretty easily. And while it might take a moment, you can guess where Ina is passing her time, and are able to track her down shortly after.
Burr
"Well, people need to be home before dark. That's what Bastion says. That's when his guards hit the streets to patrol for chasms. Or at least, that's what he says they're doing. Down here, we know better. He's hunting for the Scrying Pool." It's at this moment you see that tunnels seem to spread out in a few different directions...
Zane tracks down Jason, and then the two of them find Ina in the marketplace.
Having found the others, Zane quietly shares his concerns. “Did either of you feel that? Something changed when the sun went down. It’s as if the city is suddenly on edge.”
0
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admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
I think where Zane and Jason find Ina is in a bar (or just an open-air drinks stand?) with the equivalent of a vodka-soda in a glass in front of her and looking skeptically at a small spoon of blue goo taken out of the jar by her right hand, and they come in right as she shrugs, mixes it into the drink (which I assume turns into a blue raspberry-looking monstrosity) and downs a gulp.
So, they're exactly right. It kinda tastes like nothing on first sip, just seltzer and bland, slightly stale tasting vodka. Then, it tastes... blue? Electric? Like standing in the summer rain? Like a taste from a memory that's just escaped the back of your mind, and oh if you could linger on the memory just a bit longer?
It's a pretty solid cocktail.
People all around the three of you are starting to pack up slightly quickly. The bartender of this fine bespoke open-air cocktail stand limps over to you. "Alright, friends, last call, then I gotta send ya on your way. Any requests?"
"The Scrying Pool?", Burr asks, tapping an echo down a cave, "What's that then?"
"And we're down here to avoid the patrols aren't we?
Seems an awful lot of room for it."
"Not that. Him. The Scrying Pool is... well, he's a person. He guides us. In secret."
"And no, this isn't where we hide. Well, it is..." The young man in front of you looks around. "But it's also how we move through the entire city undetected. So long as they don't find out about it."
"A person?", Burr starts quizzically, "How's the Bastion going to find a person by sweeping the streets?
Unless he already knows what he looks like?
Short of that, he'd have to be scooping everyone up and throwing them all in jail until someone bleats."
"That's exactly the plan. Scooping up anyone he thinks might have an idea where to find Scrying Pool. Mostly folks who obviously look like they need help. After all, that's who we bring to Scrying Pool, so he can give them his... guidance."
Zane, Jason, and Ina
The bartender slides you all a drink of your choice as the open-air tasting area quickly clears out. As people rapidly close up and lock their doors, you see several large figures making their way towards you. People sift pass them, and pay them some obvious signs of friendliness (tipped hats, pats on the shoulder), but everyone is at the same time hustling by as quick as possible.
They don't seem to be stopping anyone, but they do stop at some points and peer down alleyways and into windows...
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
"Seems we're bein' encouraged to get inside. Might be what ya were feelin', Zane."
Ina's going to lean against the bar facing towards the street that the large figures are making their way down. She has no intention of going into hiding without at least having a chat with (and getting a closer look at) these guards. She'll put on her best "confused traveler in a strange and scary city" look as the figures approach.
Zane looks at Ina, then turns and follows her gaze to the large figures moving down the street. For a moment he considers suggesting the three of them head inside somewhere but something, maybe it was just the feeling he was getting off Ina or maybe it was the comfort in Burr’s power, left him more curious than concerned.
“What is going on in this city? he says in a low tone to the others.
Burr's face could be mistaken for flint; sharp and hard enough to strike a spark off.
"Show me. Show me these prisoners."
Burr blinks.
"Um. If it's not too much trouble. We can go tomorrow if that's better. Gotta sleep sometime!"
"If you want to see Prisoners, that's going to be a much larger order. They're with Bastion and his goons. We can intro you to Scrying Pool though, if you like. Probably in the morning though, becauseSHH shush shush get down."
There are footsteps overhead of the grates. You get pulled into a shadow by your new friend just in time to see several armored guards walk overhead, peering down alleys and into windows.
@discrider just to clear any potential confusion, these folks are opposed to the ones taking prisoners. I wasn't sure if you were demanding to see THEIR prisoners, or asking them to take you to where Bastion is KEEPING prisoners.
... The same guards that exit an alleyway and make their way towards Jason, Ina, and Zane.
The bartender has packed up his wares and disappeared by the time they're near you. Three of them, none of them massive in size, but they make up for it in battle armor. One carries a heavy crossbow, the second has two swords strapped to their back, and the largest of the three has pads on their knuckles that seem to crackle with electric power.
The leader of the trio, with the swords strapped to his back, speaks up. "Howdy, folks. You seem... new. Having trouble finding a place to sleep tonight? We ask because, well, you might not know about the curfew."
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
"We're new. Didna know about the curfew. Not had any trouble findin' a place ta sleep, though." Ina grins, "that answer all yer questions? Ya'll are awful well-armed for street sweepers."
(Ina's not specifically trying to provoke the guards, but she is trying to get a feel for their default level of aggression so provocation may be what occurs.)
Burr
As the guards pass overhead, your friend, young, scruffy hair, in a knit poncho, gives a chuckle. "You want to launch a rescue mission tomorrow? You'll be taking on a few dozen of those chumps, but we can help get you where you need to go to do it."
Everyone Else
You can't see his face behind the visored helmet, but he chuckles. "Well, if you've got a place to sleep, we suggest you get there, before you get a close look at we need the weapons." His tone is strangely warm for his words.
His associate with the crossbow nods, and then she stumbles and flails for a moment. "NOT LIKE THAT, that came out as a threat."
The largest of the three, his voice booming, chimes. "Wasn't it supposed to?"
Her eyes may be hidden, but she shoots daggers at the big guy. "Well... not immediately, if they're being... Listen, the chasms. They tend to make moves at night, people get swallowed up. We fight 'em off, it can get messy. We suggest you find a safe spot for the night and let us do what we do."
The man with the swords leans in. "Right, then there won't be problem."
"WEDGE, what did I JUST say."
"Sorry, I got distracted."
EDIT: Oh right, I forgot Ina's power! If it wasn't obvious, everything she's saying about the chasms and "why they need the weapons" is a crock.
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
(Dex if these three are named Wedge, Biggs, and Jessie I swear to god...)
"Y'know, now that I think about it, we only found room for two so ya'll better take me somewhere I'll be safe." Ina looks back at her companions and winks, tossing them the jar of blue goo, "make sure th' old man sees that. You know how he enjoys... exotic flavors."
(I decided it would be more interesting and potentially useful for Ina to get herself thrown in the aforementioned prison.)
(Of course they're not named Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie, that'd be absurd.)
"Um... you..." Wedge looks back to the other two.
"Should we..." the big guy rubs his knuckles together...
"Absolutely should, we should help this lovely young woman find some safe shelter tonight. Wedge, Luke, make sure these two know how to get to their lodging, and I'll escort her to our safehouses." She guides you by the shoulder into the night.
"You got it, Biggs."
Wedge waits a moment before addressing you. "Alright you two, my supervisor is gone, so I don't have to be nice. Get off the streets before you get hurt, got it? You got a place to stay, stay there. Otherwise, you've been lying to us, and we'll find a place for you to stay."
Zane was about to interject as the guards approached, but held back as Ina spoke up. Thankfully that instinct was correct, as it led the guards to explain a little further. Zane nodded silently, but had to choke back a sound as Ina voluntarily offered to be taken in to their jail. His eyes narrow and try to decide if she was just crazy or if there was an actual plan here, but he landed on not wanting to know for sure just yet as he catches the jar of blue goo.
"Right. Well, then. I guess it's off to our rooms, get out of your way." Zane gives a pointed look at Jason and starts walking back towards the way where he had split with Burr.
Burr whispers back.
"Probably don't need to wait that long"
---
It's at about this point that Wedge trips over a snoring Burr.
It's not entirely clear when Burr manages to come under foot, until suddenly Wedge is falling over the scruffy bundle that's always been occupying this particular street corner.
If it matters, Burr can't be scryed with the Time word.
And Burr sort of has invisibility from his Way of the Open Palm low theurgy.
He doesn't really go invisible though. He just fades into the background
Jason and Zane, you're watching Luke and Wedge trot away, when Wedge completely wipes out over a mass of blankets and cloth, that you very quickly recognize as Burr.
Wedge, furious, clamors to his feet and pulls out his dual swords. Luke rubs his fists together and they start to pulse with energy.
What do you do?
Ina
You're a decent distance away when this happens; you've been escorted off to the outskirts of town, at what appears to be a construction site. There's makeshift fencing around the border, and a number of guards, some armored up like Biggs, some wearing fatigues and carrying weapons, others wearing what look like construction overalls.
Biggs explains the situation again and again as you walk: The chasms have been opening up and swallowing people whole, so Bastion installed a town guard to keep the peace. They operate at night. It's all repetitive and all a lie. You know damn well they're scooping people up, but you're not sure why yet.
She guides you to what appears to be an industrial-sized shipping crate, and pulls open a garage-style door, revealing a number of cots and a few sleeping people inside.
"It's no palace, but it'll keep you out of trouble until morning. Sound good? Sounds good." With that, she slams the door shut.
Zane holds back behind Jason, keeping himself still to prevent the guards from being more threatened by two people coming towards them. He keeps his hands to his sides so that he can draw his bow if needed, but isn't moving in a way that would indicate he has an intent to attack. For now, he is content to watch more, as he knows both Jason and Burr are a handful in a fight by themselves.
0
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admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
Ina looks around the dark crate and sits down against the wall, "not the best place I've spent the night, but not the worst" she says to no one in particular. She looks around to see if anyone has any interest in her arrival.
(Ina will probably try to talk to someone in the prison regardless of whether they talk to her first, but I'm moving this weekend so I'm going to be mostly out of pocket until Monday.)
(Sounds good; I've been a bit out of pocket for a few days but the next big thing that's gonna happen is between everyone else and the guards, so timing wise that works out; I'll share what Ina learns on Monday, and post what happens to Burr later tonight)
As Wedge climbs to his feet, he and Luke alike make a big show of their frustration.
"ALRIGHT BUDDY," Wedge yells, "YOU'RE COMING WITH US." He pulls Burr up to his feet as Luke rubs his knuckles together, building a charge akin to a defibrillator powering up. Wedge, as he's yelling, is almost looking around, hoping to catch someone's attention, or inviting someone to hear him making Burr "disappear."
Burr: What do you do as they forcibly pull you to your feet? Jason & Zane: Wedge has grabbed ahold of your friend and is making it painfully obviously (almost suspiciously obvious) that he plans to "disappear" him. What do you do?
"WOAH, THIS IS A BIT FRESH", Burr shouts, as Wedge struggles to pull him upright.
"YOU ARE GOING TO BUY ME DINNER FIRST AREN'T YOU?"
Burr, weighing as much as like five to ten bags of cement, looks up at the struggling Wedge.
"You guys have food don't you?", he whispers, "I could do with a good feed".
Burr is attempting to abuse Obduracy of Stone to take on more aspects of rock and increase his weight to 'draggable by two people'.
As you follow, you spot other guards and patrols walking the streets.
I'm going to need some kind of DEX check, or relevant power use, to avoid being seen as you trail Burr to the encampment. One roll for the both of you, whoever has the better attribute can roll.
Normally, I would give this a -4 (there are plenty of patrols, you were spotted earlier); but with Burr's power use, I think it balances out. So, a flat roll.
Posts
But, the tense feelings in the air still hung, and the fact that a group of people was even gathered in a hole seemed like enough of a sign that he should find the other two. Something was different now about the city, and they should be together to discover what that was.
Zane headed off, away from Burr and his hole, and towards the market, looking for Jason and Ina.
Lifting the grate, Burr squeezes himself through the open drain and drops down into the channel underneath, before pulling the drain cover back to.
"Evening.", Burr whispers at his hosts. "Mind if I ask why everyone is rushing home? Otherwise, I'd be sleeping topside."
Jason knows what's really happening, but in his mind, he still frames gaining the knowledge as inference from details of the objects--the quality of the statue means the artist had a real gift, the particular nature of the marks on an arm must have come from an artificial limb, the purity of the artistry speaks of youth. Of course, no youth in this context has the resources to drive this construction, and the size of the garden speaks of aged ambition. Now, in the end, Jason gets more information than anyone could possibly infer from the physical facts, and once he is absorbed in the project of examination, the images flow freely: the red cheeks and hair of the youth, the older man's outsize armor and the need for recognition it represents.
There is more happening with this Bastion than I know so far, Jason thinks to himself. If it is getting dark now, he'll look for the others, but visiting a war machine is still on the agenda.
You hear a sales pitch from someone selling this inky blue goo in a mason jar.
"It's got a flavor that's... it's hard to describe because it doesn't taste like anything, but it kind of tastes like everything? It's a great jam, a great cocktail mixer. And I know what you're thinking, but once you pull it from the chasms, it's totally safe. It stops and it settles."
With your Godbound blessing, Ina... you know this is mostly true, oddly enough. The cocktail mixer fact is the closest to a lie because it's a fairly thick jam, so it's easy to ruin a drink with a glob of mystery-goo, but if you have a light touch, or just tap the jam with the back of your mixing spoon, you can infuse a really nice flavor with it.
Jason & Zane
The two of you looking for each other can find each other pretty easily. And while it might take a moment, you can guess where Ina is passing her time, and are able to track her down shortly after.
Burr
"Well, people need to be home before dark. That's what Bastion says. That's when his guards hit the streets to patrol for chasms. Or at least, that's what he says they're doing. Down here, we know better. He's hunting for the Scrying Pool." It's at this moment you see that tunnels seem to spread out in a few different directions...
Having found the others, Zane quietly shares his concerns. “Did either of you feel that? Something changed when the sun went down. It’s as if the city is suddenly on edge.”
It's a pretty solid cocktail.
People all around the three of you are starting to pack up slightly quickly. The bartender of this fine bespoke open-air cocktail stand limps over to you. "Alright, friends, last call, then I gotta send ya on your way. Any requests?"
"And we're down here to avoid the patrols aren't we?
Seems an awful lot of room for it."
"And no, this isn't where we hide. Well, it is..." The young man in front of you looks around. "But it's also how we move through the entire city undetected. So long as they don't find out about it."
Unless he already knows what he looks like?
Short of that, he'd have to be scooping everyone up and throwing them all in jail until someone bleats."
Zane, Jason, and Ina
The bartender slides you all a drink of your choice as the open-air tasting area quickly clears out. As people rapidly close up and lock their doors, you see several large figures making their way towards you. People sift pass them, and pay them some obvious signs of friendliness (tipped hats, pats on the shoulder), but everyone is at the same time hustling by as quick as possible.
They don't seem to be stopping anyone, but they do stop at some points and peer down alleyways and into windows...
Ina's going to lean against the bar facing towards the street that the large figures are making their way down. She has no intention of going into hiding without at least having a chat with (and getting a closer look at) these guards. She'll put on her best "confused traveler in a strange and scary city" look as the figures approach.
“What is going on in this city? he says in a low tone to the others.
"Show me. Show me these prisoners."
Burr blinks.
"Um. If it's not too much trouble. We can go tomorrow if that's better. Gotta sleep sometime!"
There are footsteps overhead of the grates. You get pulled into a shadow by your new friend just in time to see several armored guards walk overhead, peering down alleys and into windows.
... The same guards that exit an alleyway and make their way towards Jason, Ina, and Zane.
The bartender has packed up his wares and disappeared by the time they're near you. Three of them, none of them massive in size, but they make up for it in battle armor. One carries a heavy crossbow, the second has two swords strapped to their back, and the largest of the three has pads on their knuckles that seem to crackle with electric power.
The leader of the trio, with the swords strapped to his back, speaks up. "Howdy, folks. You seem... new. Having trouble finding a place to sleep tonight? We ask because, well, you might not know about the curfew."
(Ina's not specifically trying to provoke the guards, but she is trying to get a feel for their default level of aggression so provocation may be what occurs.)
As the guards pass overhead, your friend, young, scruffy hair, in a knit poncho, gives a chuckle. "You want to launch a rescue mission tomorrow? You'll be taking on a few dozen of those chumps, but we can help get you where you need to go to do it."
Everyone Else
You can't see his face behind the visored helmet, but he chuckles. "Well, if you've got a place to sleep, we suggest you get there, before you get a close look at we need the weapons." His tone is strangely warm for his words.
His associate with the crossbow nods, and then she stumbles and flails for a moment. "NOT LIKE THAT, that came out as a threat."
The largest of the three, his voice booming, chimes. "Wasn't it supposed to?"
Her eyes may be hidden, but she shoots daggers at the big guy. "Well... not immediately, if they're being... Listen, the chasms. They tend to make moves at night, people get swallowed up. We fight 'em off, it can get messy. We suggest you find a safe spot for the night and let us do what we do."
The man with the swords leans in. "Right, then there won't be problem."
"WEDGE, what did I JUST say."
"Sorry, I got distracted."
EDIT: Oh right, I forgot Ina's power! If it wasn't obvious, everything she's saying about the chasms and "why they need the weapons" is a crock.
"Y'know, now that I think about it, we only found room for two so ya'll better take me somewhere I'll be safe." Ina looks back at her companions and winks, tossing them the jar of blue goo, "make sure th' old man sees that. You know how he enjoys... exotic flavors."
(I decided it would be more interesting and potentially useful for Ina to get herself thrown in the aforementioned prison.)
"Um... you..." Wedge looks back to the other two.
"Should we..." the big guy rubs his knuckles together...
"Absolutely should, we should help this lovely young woman find some safe shelter tonight. Wedge, Luke, make sure these two know how to get to their lodging, and I'll escort her to our safehouses." She guides you by the shoulder into the night.
"You got it, Biggs."
Wedge waits a moment before addressing you. "Alright you two, my supervisor is gone, so I don't have to be nice. Get off the streets before you get hurt, got it? You got a place to stay, stay there. Otherwise, you've been lying to us, and we'll find a place for you to stay."
"Right. Well, then. I guess it's off to our rooms, get out of your way." Zane gives a pointed look at Jason and starts walking back towards the way where he had split with Burr.
"Probably don't need to wait that long"
---
It's at about this point that Wedge trips over a snoring Burr.
It's not entirely clear when Burr manages to come under foot, until suddenly Wedge is falling over the scruffy bundle that's always been occupying this particular street corner.
And Burr sort of has invisibility from his Way of the Open Palm low theurgy.
He doesn't really go invisible though. He just fades into the background
Wedge, furious, clamors to his feet and pulls out his dual swords. Luke rubs his fists together and they start to pulse with energy.
What do you do?
Ina
You're a decent distance away when this happens; you've been escorted off to the outskirts of town, at what appears to be a construction site. There's makeshift fencing around the border, and a number of guards, some armored up like Biggs, some wearing fatigues and carrying weapons, others wearing what look like construction overalls.
Biggs explains the situation again and again as you walk: The chasms have been opening up and swallowing people whole, so Bastion installed a town guard to keep the peace. They operate at night. It's all repetitive and all a lie. You know damn well they're scooping people up, but you're not sure why yet.
She guides you to what appears to be an industrial-sized shipping crate, and pulls open a garage-style door, revealing a number of cots and a few sleeping people inside.
"It's no palace, but it'll keep you out of trouble until morning. Sound good? Sounds good." With that, she slams the door shut.
"Sorry lads. Didn't mean to be any trouble. I'll move somewhere else if this is your corner"
(Ina will probably try to talk to someone in the prison regardless of whether they talk to her first, but I'm moving this weekend so I'm going to be mostly out of pocket until Monday.)
As Wedge climbs to his feet, he and Luke alike make a big show of their frustration.
"ALRIGHT BUDDY," Wedge yells, "YOU'RE COMING WITH US." He pulls Burr up to his feet as Luke rubs his knuckles together, building a charge akin to a defibrillator powering up. Wedge, as he's yelling, is almost looking around, hoping to catch someone's attention, or inviting someone to hear him making Burr "disappear."
Burr: What do you do as they forcibly pull you to your feet?
Jason & Zane: Wedge has grabbed ahold of your friend and is making it painfully obviously (almost suspiciously obvious) that he plans to "disappear" him. What do you do?
"YOU ARE GOING TO BUY ME DINNER FIRST AREN'T YOU?"
Burr, weighing as much as like five to ten bags of cement, looks up at the struggling Wedge.
"You guys have food don't you?", he whispers, "I could do with a good feed".
Burr is attempting to abuse Obduracy of Stone to take on more aspects of rock and increase his weight to 'draggable by two people'.
Together, they roughly pull you to your feet and start to pull you down the alleyway, away from Jason & Zane.
Jason & Zane, your move.
”Are we going to stop them? Or are we just following them?”
I'm going to need some kind of DEX check, or relevant power use, to avoid being seen as you trail Burr to the encampment. One roll for the both of you, whoever has the better attribute can roll.
Normally, I would give this a -4 (there are plenty of patrols, you were spotted earlier); but with Burr's power use, I think it balances out. So, a flat roll.
Geth, roll 1d20+2 for Evade the cops