Ina
The people in the prison encampment are friendly, albeit too quiet by half. They're quick to point out the walls to the shipping container-turned-makeshift cell are thin, and Bastion's guards are always listening. You meet a friendly bladesmith named Beauregard, though, and Skips, a card shark with a twinkle in his eye.
And yet, you being you, people still talk.
You're able to piece together a few clues, similar to what Burr knows: Bastion's forces round up people who look like they need help, before someone else can't round them up first. Sometimes, it's friendly, like it was with you (Skips was even allowed to keep his playing cards), other times... not so much.
But why, you ask? Why pull people off the streets like this, especially when they haven't actually met whoever this Scrying Pool figure is?
The goal, as your fellow prisoners seem to gather it, is twofold: either isolate Scrying Pool so he feels like he's on his own and leaves, or make his supporters so desperate they make a large public move, and they can strike back in earnest. The end goal seems the same: Get Scrying Pool out in the open.
There's decidedly a power struggle unfolding in Curm, it sounds like. People loyal to Bastion (or too invested in the Status Quo to do anything), and an underground resistance support network. People in need get quietly brought to Scrying Pool, given what they need (people are very vague on that point), and in return, they help out Scrying Pool (again, very vague).
It's an eventful night of conversation when you hear a righteous commotion outside.
Burr
"WHAT ARE YOU, MADE OF ROCKS!?"
It takes probably an hour to an hour and a half to pull you to the encampment. 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. Large shipping containers are scattered about, large enough to hold several people. Outside the fencing is the farmland, and the chasms, and the War Machines.
They eventually toss you (as best they can) into a cell... which just happens to contain your old pal Ina.
Jason & Zane
There are a few close calls, but you arrive at the construction site shortly after Burr. Not a soul notices you. You see him get tossed into a shipping container-turned-holding cell, and Luke & Wedge chuckle and walk off to chat with their friends.
Everyone
You're in the construction site. Soldiers and town guardspeople abound. What do you do?
Burr chuckles as Wedge and Biggs deposit him inside the cell.
"Nah, gotta eat something!', he yells back at the pair, "And when are we going to get a feed?"
Burr's smile fades as he scouts out his cell.
He grimaces as his foot taps against the metal floor.
"Pity"
Burr turns to his fellow prisoners.
"Morning!", he says, groping around in his cloak pockets for something, "The guards treating you well? Any idea when they'll let us leave?"
Burr grins at Ina, "Or are we just waiting here for something to happen?"
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
(It's still night, right?)
Ina frowns, "Burr, Ah thought you 'n the rest found a safe place ta sleep?" She sighs, "Ain't much to see here. I imagine they'll let us out come morn', or whenever Ah ask 'em nicely. Ah would think it's best we don't make our presence too obvious, for the time."
She turns to Beauregard, "Am Ah right? Will we be free come daybreak or does Bastion have other plans?"
"Other plans, not so much, but he doesn't exactly have much intention to let us out either. For you," and he points at Burr, "you're a hassle and you'll get the fifth degree tomorrow mornin' and get told 'we'd better keep you here to keep you outta trouble.' You," he says, pointing to Ina, "you were nice, so you'll get the runaround of 'there was a chasm opened up nearby, we'd better keep you close to keep ya safe.' They know how to bluff ya. You'll get to walk around the construction site, but the truth is, you're a prisoner here, same as us. After all, I been here a month."
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
"Ah see. Well, Ah guess we all better get outta here in the morn'." And there's a confidence in those words that could make even the most hopeless of the prisoners sit up and take notice.
(I don't have a power to apply here (and for a brief moment I wish I was Command instead of Deception) but I'd like to prime these prisoners to expect that we will, in fact, be escaping in the morning. I can make a charisma check if it makes sense.)
Ina leans in closer to Burr and drops her voice so only he can hear her, "If we can get all these prisoners out and get in touch with this 'Scrying Pool' we'll be a force Bastion won't be able ta ignore. Might get him out in ta open ta negotiate, or..." she trails off deliberately.
Burr looks up and chuckles, 'Well, it was a safe space to sleep until some big bugalug hurt his foot tripping over me.'
He turns back to studiously covering his hands in pocket sand.
Having exhausted that meager supply, Burr starts roaming the container in search of more sediment.
'I suppose you met up with Zane though. The others should be safe enough if they stayed put.'
Burr taps on the container, 'And this seems safe enough for a sleep.'
'Had to do something though. The others were going to lead those two back to our quarters, and I don't like it when our folk get rounded up like cattle neither.'
Burr inspects his knuckles, making sure they're well-covered.
'Anyway, the others are free to do what they will.
Can't say I disguised where I was taken, and Zane should contact us when they make a move.
May as well take some rest while you can get it.'
Burr grizzles at the floor again.
'As comfortable as the lodgings are'
Burr briefly looks askance at Ina.
'... I'm not much one for politics.
This Bastion fellow has some nasty tactics that we've fallen afoul of, but I don't know who this Scrying Pool person is.
At least he's not terrorising the streets though.'
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
"Yer in a city, darling. Ya can't avoid politics," Ina says with a smirk. "But Ah ain't meanin' to run for city council. Ahm certain Bastion could tell us 'bout anythin' we're interested in."
Zane follows the two guards who drag Burr silently, cautiously dodging the attention of anyone they might get near until they reach a construction site. Perched at the end of the site, Zane is able to see as Burr is thrown in a shipping container that looks to contain others. For a moment, Zane scans the area before whispering quietly to Jason.
"Burr is down there, and they aren't likely to be letting him go. I have no doubt that he could free himself, but it would be helpful to let him know that we're nearby in case we can offer any additional help." Zane's brow furrows and he tries to think of ways to let their companion know they were able to assist, before a flash of realization hits him. "Ah of course." he pauses for a moment, looks around one last time to ensure no one is near to see them, then says,
Burr grimaces a bit as the sound from the guards outside starts to fade, overlaid by the quiet outside the compound.
"Seems like our friends are already making to get in contact with us.", Burr whispers to Ina.
"Are you sure you're set on getting out in the morning, or should we just get started on this now?"
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
(Ina's logic is that if we escape now it'll basically just be the two of us and maybe a few people in the crate with us. We won't be able to gather a general jailbreak because everyone else is going to be confined to their own crates, whereas tomorrow they'll be out in the "yard" and be able to mingle with the wider prisoner base. Does that make sense?
Ina believes she could just walk out of this prison any time she wants, so just escaping without accomplishing a larger objective doesn't interest her.)
(Burr thinks we can totally take everyone who's left in the camp, esp. since there must be guards patrolling the streets instead of guarding their prisoners.
And that opening the containers ourselves shouldn't be an issue)
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
(Yah, but it'll take more time to break people out ourselves and that's more likely to bring the bigger threats down on us. I'm not picky though, if Burr goes Ina will follow with a resigned shrug.)
Burr looks at Ina who offers a half-hearted shrug.
He takes that as acceptance.
The original plan was to break these people out himself after all, and time waits for no-one.
Burr sets to work tracing a message in the dust.
And then he opens all his eyes.
"Burr, I've found the others."
There's a moment of silence.
Then Zane feels a tap on his foot.
On the ground, Burr's imprinted the words:
"You coming in, or are Ina and I coming out, or what?"
There's also a rough approximate map of the compound, with the trail to Ina and Burr's container drawn in.
Also some "Guards" and "Other prisoners?" in other containers.
..
"Looks like you can see this though" appears shortly after.
Zane looks down at his feet as he feels a tap. A rough map appears, along with writing from Burr. Zane points down and he speaks to Jason. "Looks like Ina and Burr ended up together. Are we going in to break them out, or should we hold back and let them lead and just support them as needed?"
Jason leans over and inspects the map. "I can break through the walls trivially, and they can't keep my weapon from me. We should probably act in concert, or, instead, one shortly after the other, so that one group acts as a distraction for the other. If I let myself be taken, could you assist as we come out, or would you prefer we stay together?"
Generalísimo de Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina
Zane thinks for a moment. "With my bow, I can probably provide a pretty good distraction, but I'm not a ton of use otherwise in a fight. If you want to go in, coordinate with the other two, I'll wait here for some sort of signal from you, and start shooting to distract once you move."
Jason nods and steadies himself. He will break cover and walk toward the complex, but only after repositioning, both to seem as though he's coming from the statue garden and to prevent blowing Zane's cover. "Hey, you guys seem to be in charge; I'm a stranger here. Is there a place I can stay? I got caught up looking at your statues..."
Generalísimo de Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina
A tapping footprint stops blinking next to the map.
Burr opens his eyes back in the container.
"Sounds like Jason's coming in, Ina.
Best get ready to move."
Burr gets up and stretches.
"Here's hoping he gets thrown in with us.
Suspect it'll get loud outside if he doesn't.
Zane's keeping away from the place though; see if he can't cause more damage that way."
Several guards reach for their weapons as you approach, Jason, but once you speak up, one very confused soldier steps up and, obviously confused, welcomes you.
"Hey there. Uh, yyyyyeah, we've got, uh, spaces."
Suddenly, you hear a familiar voice, one of the guards you encountered earlier, shout in your direction. "HEY!"
You turn around and there he is, seven feet if he's an inch, staring you down in his battle armor. He turns to his compatriots.
"We just dragged in a few more scragglers, 3A is full up. Stash this one in 7G for the time being."
They start to politely walk you in the opposite direction from where Burr and Ina are being kept.
Jason & Zane
There are a few close calls, but you arrive at the construction site shortly after Burr. Not a soul notices you. You see him get tossed into a shipping container-turned-holding cell, and Luke & Wedge chuckle and walk off to chat with their friends.
And it's decently-sized area, probably about a dozen shipping containers, each sized to hold about three people semi-comfortably. Tents scattered between. Probably to get to Burr's cell would take a few minutes of stalking if you're being stealthy, a healthy run if you're not.
Jason follows the guards, noticing how many guards there are throughout the complex and paying attention to where he knows his companions are. He won't offer, but if they ask him to give up his greatsword he will dutifully do so.
What do the insides of the shipping crates look like? I'll inspect what they're made of pretty carefully in order to confirm, but I am assuming a power that lets me break through "5 feet of stonework" as a part of my movement will be sufficient to get through these.
Generalísimo de Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina
You hand over your greatsword, and Biggs seems extremely impressed. You're led inside a crate, with several other people lying around, mostly asleep. The crates themselves are metal, some kind of alloy, extremely durable, even moreso than iron or steel, but also very thin.
Jason looks around at the nearest wakeful. "What is this all about? I'm a stranger; do they normally just gather people up?"
What kind of activity level is the camp at, and is it seem to be ramping up or down? I basically hate this whole thing, and I'm gonna break basically everybody out, but I'd prefer they be less interested in me when I do, so I'm trying to figure out whether that means now or later.
Invictus on
Generalísimo de Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina
Jason looks around at the nearest wakeful. "What is this all about? I'm a stranger; do they normally just gather people up?"
What kind of activity level is the camp at, and is it seem to be ramping up or down? I basically hate this whole thing, and I'm gonna break basically everybody out, but I'd prefer they be less interested in me when I do, so I'm trying to figure out whether that means now or later.
An old woman in the cell shrugs. "Have been lately. Not much you can do, 'cept sit back and relax."
It seems not everyone in town even knows the full deal with what's going on. One day the town guard got real jumpy and started locking people up. A lot of folks don't even know why.
Activity is definitely low, especially with the guards out patrolling the streets. You have a feeling this is as empty as the campsite is going to get.
"Well, if you want, you will be able to leave momentarily. I will not be staying, and honestly, I suggest you also leave," Jason announces to the room. He then summons his greatsword back to him, the familiar steel reappearing on demand as it always does, positions himself toward his best assessment of the container holding Ina and Burr, and then he starts running, parting the metal container like a curtain, with the force of the blow tearing the metal sideways into an opening more than large enough for Jason.
As Jason approaches any similar container, he shouts "Down down down!" and bludgeons open the container with the pommel instead of a wide swing.
I'm using the Sword passive to bring my weapon back to me, and I'm committing effort to keep Shattering Hand active, mainly for destructive purposes but also for damage as necessary
Generalísimo de Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina
There's a distant crunch, and the sound of shouting from across the camp.
"I think that's our cue, Ina"
Burr nods at the other occupants of the container.
"With your leave"
He then plants a dusty knuckle solidly into the container door.
(Burr is attempting to use the mud as 'gloves' because while punching rock is fine, punching metal is another matter and Burr doesn't have immunity to that)
(It's not clear to me how damage works.. I rolled the damage die initially because I assumed that whatever damage a Godbound could do it would rather do a number on the crates.
So.. should Burr be careful hitting armoured opponents or how does this work?)
The damage die and attack rolls are more for actively engaging with opponents in combat, as opposed to straight, static feats of strength like tearing through a wall. So in this case, even if you're throwing a punch, you're trying to exert legendary strength.
admanbunionize your workplaceSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
edited August 2020
As Burr punches his nearly bare fist through the door Ina says to the stunned prisoners, "We're escaping. Ya'll best come with us 'less you're comfy here. Also, shut yer eyes." She then steps up behind Burr, closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and becomes the sun. The light is blinding even before it reflects off the metal walls of the crate, if anyone could bear to look towards it for more than a second they would see nothing that reminded them of Ina, and when she speaks it's with the echoing boomcrackle of a thousand solar flares, "LET'S GO."
(Committing effort to activate Body of Burning Light.)
Posts
The people in the prison encampment are friendly, albeit too quiet by half. They're quick to point out the walls to the shipping container-turned-makeshift cell are thin, and Bastion's guards are always listening. You meet a friendly bladesmith named Beauregard, though, and Skips, a card shark with a twinkle in his eye.
And yet, you being you, people still talk.
You're able to piece together a few clues, similar to what Burr knows: Bastion's forces round up people who look like they need help, before someone else can't round them up first. Sometimes, it's friendly, like it was with you (Skips was even allowed to keep his playing cards), other times... not so much.
But why, you ask? Why pull people off the streets like this, especially when they haven't actually met whoever this Scrying Pool figure is?
The goal, as your fellow prisoners seem to gather it, is twofold: either isolate Scrying Pool so he feels like he's on his own and leaves, or make his supporters so desperate they make a large public move, and they can strike back in earnest. The end goal seems the same: Get Scrying Pool out in the open.
There's decidedly a power struggle unfolding in Curm, it sounds like. People loyal to Bastion (or too invested in the Status Quo to do anything), and an underground resistance support network. People in need get quietly brought to Scrying Pool, given what they need (people are very vague on that point), and in return, they help out Scrying Pool (again, very vague).
It's an eventful night of conversation when you hear a righteous commotion outside.
Burr
"WHAT ARE YOU, MADE OF ROCKS!?"
It takes probably an hour to an hour and a half to pull you to the encampment. 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. Large shipping containers are scattered about, large enough to hold several people. Outside the fencing is the farmland, and the chasms, and the War Machines.
They eventually toss you (as best they can) into a cell... which just happens to contain your old pal Ina.
Jason & Zane
There are a few close calls, but you arrive at the construction site shortly after Burr. Not a soul notices you. You see him get tossed into a shipping container-turned-holding cell, and Luke & Wedge chuckle and walk off to chat with their friends.
Everyone
You're in the construction site. Soldiers and town guardspeople abound. What do you do?
"Nah, gotta eat something!', he yells back at the pair, "And when are we going to get a feed?"
Burr's smile fades as he scouts out his cell.
He grimaces as his foot taps against the metal floor.
"Pity"
Burr turns to his fellow prisoners.
"Morning!", he says, groping around in his cloak pockets for something, "The guards treating you well? Any idea when they'll let us leave?"
Burr grins at Ina, "Or are we just waiting here for something to happen?"
Ina frowns, "Burr, Ah thought you 'n the rest found a safe place ta sleep?" She sighs, "Ain't much to see here. I imagine they'll let us out come morn', or whenever Ah ask 'em nicely. Ah would think it's best we don't make our presence too obvious, for the time."
She turns to Beauregard, "Am Ah right? Will we be free come daybreak or does Bastion have other plans?"
(I don't have a power to apply here (and for a brief moment I wish I was Command instead of Deception) but I'd like to prime these prisoners to expect that we will, in fact, be escaping in the morning. I can make a charisma check if it makes sense.)
Ina leans in closer to Burr and drops her voice so only he can hear her, "If we can get all these prisoners out and get in touch with this 'Scrying Pool' we'll be a force Bastion won't be able ta ignore. Might get him out in ta open ta negotiate, or..." she trails off deliberately.
He turns back to studiously covering his hands in pocket sand.
Having exhausted that meager supply, Burr starts roaming the container in search of more sediment.
'I suppose you met up with Zane though. The others should be safe enough if they stayed put.'
Burr taps on the container, 'And this seems safe enough for a sleep.'
'Had to do something though. The others were going to lead those two back to our quarters, and I don't like it when our folk get rounded up like cattle neither.'
Burr inspects his knuckles, making sure they're well-covered.
'Anyway, the others are free to do what they will.
Can't say I disguised where I was taken, and Zane should contact us when they make a move.
May as well take some rest while you can get it.'
Burr grizzles at the floor again.
'As comfortable as the lodgings are'
'... I'm not much one for politics.
This Bastion fellow has some nasty tactics that we've fallen afoul of, but I don't know who this Scrying Pool person is.
At least he's not terrorising the streets though.'
"Burr is down there, and they aren't likely to be letting him go. I have no doubt that he could free himself, but it would be helpful to let him know that we're nearby in case we can offer any additional help." Zane's brow furrows and he tries to think of ways to let their companion know they were able to assist, before a flash of realization hits him. "Ah of course." he pauses for a moment, looks around one last time to ensure no one is near to see them, then says,
"Burr, I've found the others."
"Seems like our friends are already making to get in contact with us.", Burr whispers to Ina.
"Are you sure you're set on getting out in the morning, or should we just get started on this now?"
Ina believes she could just walk out of this prison any time she wants, so just escaping without accomplishing a larger objective doesn't interest her.)
And that opening the containers ourselves shouldn't be an issue)
He takes that as acceptance.
The original plan was to break these people out himself after all, and time waits for no-one.
Burr sets to work tracing a message in the dust.
And then he opens all his eyes.
"Burr, I've found the others."
There's a moment of silence.
Then Zane feels a tap on his foot.
On the ground, Burr's imprinted the words:
"You coming in, or are Ina and I coming out, or what?"
There's also a rough approximate map of the compound, with the trail to Ina and Burr's container drawn in.
Also some "Guards" and "Other prisoners?" in other containers.
..
"Looks like you can see this though" appears shortly after.
Burr opens his eyes back in the container.
"Sounds like Jason's coming in, Ina.
Best get ready to move."
Burr gets up and stretches.
"Here's hoping he gets thrown in with us.
Suspect it'll get loud outside if he doesn't.
Zane's keeping away from the place though; see if he can't cause more damage that way."
"Hey there. Uh, yyyyyeah, we've got, uh, spaces."
Suddenly, you hear a familiar voice, one of the guards you encountered earlier, shout in your direction. "HEY!"
You turn around and there he is, seven feet if he's an inch, staring you down in his battle armor. He turns to his compatriots.
"We just dragged in a few more scragglers, 3A is full up. Stash this one in 7G for the time being."
They start to politely walk you in the opposite direction from where Burr and Ina are being kept.
also this is all still the same day as when we fought the scythe animals, right?
And it's decently-sized area, probably about a dozen shipping containers, each sized to hold about three people semi-comfortably. Tents scattered between. Probably to get to Burr's cell would take a few minutes of stalking if you're being stealthy, a healthy run if you're not.
I'd say if you're cutting the straightest possible line, you could get over there in a 400 meter dash sprint time, so to speak.
"Maybe we're moving in the morning after all?"
Burr paces and tries to hear through the walls of the container.
"Thought Jason was planning on starting something, but.. no Jason, and no noise"
Burr rubs at the bottom of his nose with a finger.
"At least Zane knows where he can sleep if it comes to that."
An old woman in the cell shrugs. "Have been lately. Not much you can do, 'cept sit back and relax."
It seems not everyone in town even knows the full deal with what's going on. One day the town guard got real jumpy and started locking people up. A lot of folks don't even know why.
As Jason approaches any similar container, he shouts "Down down down!" and bludgeons open the container with the pommel instead of a wide swing.
"I think that's our cue, Ina"
Burr nods at the other occupants of the container.
"With your leave"
He then plants a dusty knuckle solidly into the container door.
(Burr is attempting to use the mud as 'gloves' because while punching rock is fine, punching metal is another matter and Burr doesn't have immunity to that)
Geth roll 1d10+3 for punching a door
(Burr having immunity to damage from earth)
So.. should Burr be careful hitting armoured opponents or how does this work?)
(Committing effort to activate Body of Burning Light.)