IC: DH The Purity of Sacrifice

[dojango]

Luis leans in very closely to the flunky and says, "Those traitors nearly got me and my buddy killed. This is personal. And we don't want them to know we're coming. So how about you help us, or are you a traitor to the guild as well?"

Spoiler

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Intimidate (1d100)[4]

[Blindfolded Ape]

"Very well," the lead servitor says, stepping back and motors whirring making a lumbering attempt at something like a courtly bow. Straining to rise it says, "Please follow me." The electrified gate screeches open as the other guarding servitors step aside. The lead servitor turns and begins marching forward with heavy steps. Once the acolytes begin to follow, a second servitor turns, taking up the rear.

As they acolytes draw closer to Forge Enclave Omicron 5038, the air becomes filled with the thunderous cacophany of tens of thousands of machines booming and clanking and whirring and buzzing. The chorus grows louder and louder as the acolytes enter the first forge building and follows them through the cavernous steel hallways. At one point the lead servitor stops, extending a cable to plug into a computer monitor. The screen flashes as digits and data flash into life before sliding away. After a long moment, the lights go out, and the servitor says with what might be satisfaction, "Magos Petrovskii is in the foundry of armaments, chamber XIV," as if this was supposed to have much meaning to anyone.

The servitor again leads the group through another labyrinthine series of hallways before leading the acolytes into a massive chamber, large enough to fit a land to space vessel, filled with machines the size small homes bristling with robotic arms and tools and connected by a webway of conveyer belts. Lesser priests move hurriedly between the machines, checking auspex, and working at computer stations.

Magos Petrovskii stands at one such computer monitor, surrounded by a small retinue of Tech Priests. He and his congregation stand before the station, heads bowed, chanting in monotone binary. Petrovskii is holding fuming incense bowl by a chain, grey smoke whisping out. The retinue continue their prayer, even when the acolytes are standing before them, their two servitor escorts now standing with heads bowed in parody of the congregation. It takes almost five minutes before the prayer is complete, and Magos Petrovskii raises his head to face the acolytes. The servitor with the autocannon steps forward and says, "This is acolyte of the Omnissiah 0x880804-Null, and his... colleagues. They wish to discuss concerns they have with High Magos Petrovskii in private."

Petrovskii's lensed gaze turns first from the servitor, to Null, then to the other acolytes. His gaze seems to linger on Marcella. He does not wave away his retinue, instead speaking in front of his group, "Greetings 0x880804-Null. How may we be of service?"

With a deep bow, -Null begins to speak as he rises. "Greetings, venerable Magos. I come before you with these...mostly uninitiated," an optic makes a quick turn to Hound before continuing, "to request your assistance in what they have described as a rather private matter. A matter of security, they say, though it would be foolhardy to doubt the words of a great Magos such as yourself." He casts his optics over the retinue, a few odd jerks and ticks of his body coming through from the last remaining adjustments to being within planetary gravity.

"Perhaps this matter would be best discussed more privately? While they would certainly not dare cause trouble here under the Omnissiah's gaze, perhaps they will be more forthcoming."

[Bennosuke]

Luis' words cause the woman to shrink back, practically folding into her robes. "Oh," she yips anxiously like a dog whose paw has been stepped on, "Well then... uh, I uh, I can help you." She takes another step back away from Luis. Glancing over her shoulder, the Credit Guild intern says, "Why don't you just follow me, and I will take you to our sanctum of records." Her voice trails off, lifting shrilly as she turns and begins speed walking down the corridor.

The acolyte leads Luis and Arl past door after door after door, finally stopping at a pair of arched double doors that contrast the other more modern office entrances. Pushing into the next room, the three are standing in a cavernous library, filled with stacks upon stacks filled with nothing but leather cylindrical tubes, each one with a parchment label. The acolyte walks over to a computer terminal, and trying her best to smile at the two feral worlders says, "Okay, why don't you give me the names of the people you are looking for," her voice wavering and high pitched.

(OOC: Giving Luis 50xp for the exceptional roll)

************************************************** ***********************

The Magos listens to Null, his round glass lenses and metal covered face belying almost no emotion. He crosses his hands before him in the shape of The Omnissiah's cog, and replies, "Greetings, disciple of the Deus Mechanicus," his voice a low robotic rumble, "you and your... companions are welcome." But he stops here, raising a gloved hand to point at Marcella, "Her, I recognize her!" His voice echoes in the cavernous factory, paying no mind to Null's request for privacy.

[rax]

"Indeed you do, Magos Petrovskii. She is a material witness in our ongoing investigation and we are here to discuss certain...items...that she remanded into your care. I am Verispex Adept Hound, assisting Regulator Mallory in this matter," Hound introduces himself.

[Bennosuke]

"Material witness?" the Magos asks, anger somehow coloring his monotone robotic voice. You get the sense that the machine priest is struggling to hold his body in check, but you can see both gloved hands tighten into fists. Accusingly he asks, "What is this? What are you talking about?" before turning his ire on Null and adding, "why have you brought these... non-believers here!?"

[dojango]

Fortunately, Luis had one of the new literate adepts write him a list, which he pulls out and hands to the young flunky. "Here's the names of the traitors. Need their addresses, who's bossing them around, personnel files, that sorta thing."

[rax]

"Peace, honoured Magos!" Hound tries to placate the tech-priest. "We do not seek conflict - we wish only to learn what you know so that we may conclude our investigation. This Credit Guilder had only limited...understanding...of these matters. You are a Magos of the Adeptus Mechanicus - when seeking knowledge, whom but a servant of the Omnissiah would we turn to?"

OOC: The good Magos seems...unsettled. Perhaps Scrutiny could help determine whether or not he's nervous about us asking questions about the Warp weapons or whether he's genuinely offended for more acceptable reasons. Sadly, Hound is untrained in Scrutiny, but if no one else has it, here's an untrained check.

Scrutiny (1d100)[59] vs. 20 (Per 40 / 2)

[Bennosuke]

"Very good brother," the Guild acolyte says, nodding her head in a curt bow. She takes the list and begins punching names into the computer console, writing down digits and periods to gather scroll location in some sort of cryptic and primitive record keeping system.

(OOC: Okay, please give me a list of the names that Arl and Luis are providing)

************************************************** *********************

"Let us talk in private then," The Magos barks, his frustration clearly not ameliorated by Hound's words. He waves one arm at the retinue of tech priests and acolytes, dismissing them from his presence, before indicating that Null, Hound and the others should follow him.

Hound really can't make hide or hair of the Magos' behavior, The Tech Priests truly were an odd bunch; though it was perhaps not hard to imagine the priest's anger arising from the group coming to investigate his temple.

Magos Petrovskii leads the group to his private study, a massive chamber that would be familiar to Marcella. The room is dark except or the light of tens of votive candles grasped in cog-shaped holders along the stone walls, and from the glow of a number computer monitors suspended by mechanical arms reaching down from the ceiling. In the center of the room sits a massive plated chair bristling in sockets electrical cables and wire antennae. The Magos does not cross to his seat, but instead waits till all the acolytes are in the room before reaching for a console near the door, triggering sound proofed metal doors to slide closed.

"Now what exactly is it that you wish to investigate," The Magos' voice booms in the cavernous chamber, adding, "and let me remind you that the planetary enforcers have no jurisdiction within these walls. This is a haven of the Machine God and the laws of Mars hold sway here."

[rax]

"That is a given, Lord Magos, but I think you will find our interests are aligned in this matter. Reports of xenos weapons tech being traded in the Underhive have reached us via the Planetary Enforcers, and unless I am very much mistaken, the Cold Trade is frowned upon by the laws of Mars as well as Him on Earth. Would you not agree that it is imperative to put a stop to such heresies and punish those guilty of spreading blasphemous technology?" Hound replies.

[dojango]

The list of names is "Sir Drimmle, Guilder Jen, Guilder Ollof, and Guilder Kimpler."

[Bennosuke]

Hounds words seem to change the Magos' posture. The anger seems to quell as the machine man's fists unclench to the soft sound of servos whirring. Petrovskii instead moves to adjust the hood of his long crimson robes before saying, "Very well. My apologies, but it appeared to me that you had come here with ill intention. Let me be clear, this woman and her associates in the Credit Guild came to me asking me to dispose of technology they had acquired in the underhive," he points at Marcella with this. He takes a step closer, gaze focusing on Marcella, even as he speaks to the others, " I have kept my end of that bargain. I presume then that she and her associates have been arrested then? Where are her shackles?"

**************************************************

The woman's fingers move swiftly over the keys, pecking away like a wild grub spear would at a maggot filled carcass on Luis' home world. "Very good sirs," she says, turning her head to speak to Luis and Arl, even as her hands kept magically typing, "I will have their files copied for you. It should take about a half an hour to have it all ready. There is a refresh room down the hall if you would like to wait there. I can bring the files to you when they are ready if you won't want to have to stand around here."

[BananaPhone]

Marcella


Marcella remained quiet and seemingly impassive as the Magos loomed over her with his boisterous threats.

"That is what we have come to witness and verify," her soft voice spoke up.

"I do not see how my apprehension facilitates that goal."

[rax]

"Apologies are unnecessary, Lord Magos. However, apprehending this woman and her team would serve no purpose at present. They are assisting the investigation by continuing to go about their business. If all goes well, this will draw out others who are involved in these matters," Hounds replies.

[dojango]

Luis shrugs. "Didn't come here to refresh. Can do that at our next quarterly team meeting." He remains in the room, leaning up against the wall.

[Bennosuke]

Magos Petrovskii looks from one member to the next, tension appearing to creep back into his shoulders. After a moment he says, "Hmmm... I must be confused then. How can I be of service? Unfortunately I have already sent the technology that was left in my care to be incinerated as requested." The Magos pauses, his round glowing lenses seeming to study the group and their response to this statement.

**************************************************

"Very well," the Guild initiate replies in a slightly disappointed voice, "then I guess I will just get to it then." She begins the process of retrieving the requested documents, a process that might be strange to Luis and Arl, but which goes how one might expect. Working at the computer desk, the woman records the various locations of the scrolls. Leaving the terminal intermittently to wander down the rows of stacks, each time eventually returning with an amber patinaed leather tube, each one marked with a piece of curling parchment stamped onto the container with a seal of red wax. This process takes almost a half hour, while the Guild initiate intermittently stops to shoot a suspicious glance over at Arl and Luis. At one point she even chuckles and says, "Promise you weren't sent here to monitor and grade my work?"

Once she has collected all the scrolls, the initiate begins the process of making copies for the two supposed guilders. This entails opening each tube and scanning the scroll on a large rectangular machine, which spews out blank pieces of parchment onto which robotic arms begin to scratch out copy using ink and quill nibs.

Finally the Guild initiate returns to Luis and Arl with a stack of papers. Handing them over she says, "This should be all the files you requested sirs. I assure you they should be in order. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

[Wyndeward]

"Very well," the Guild initiate replies in a slightly disappointed voice, "then I guess I will just get to it then." She begins the process of retrieving the requested documents, a process that might be strange to Luis and Arl, but which goes how one might expect. Working at the computer desk, the woman records the various locations of the scrolls. Leaving the terminal intermittently to wander down the rows of stacks, each time eventually returning with an amber patinaed leather tube, each one marked with a piece of curling parchment stamped onto the container with a seal of red wax. This process takes almost a half hour, while the Guild initiate intermittently stops to shoot a suspicious glance over at Arl and Luis. At one point she even chuckles and says, "Promise you weren't sent here to monitor and grade my work?"

Once she has collected all the scrolls, the initiate begins the process of making copies for the two supposed guilders. This entails opening each tube and scanning the scroll on a large rectangular machine, which spews out blank pieces of parchment onto which robotic arms begin to scratch out copy using ink and quill nibs.

Finally the Guild initiate returns to Luis and Arl with a stack of papers. Handing them over she says, "This should be all the files you requested sirs. I assure you they should be in order. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Arl fingered the rosette in his pocket, glad to not have to invoke that power and reveal their hand.

"All we require now is your discretion, initiate."

[dojango]

"Aye, discretion," adds Luis. "But one more thing. Kin you look up there if the Guild has any business with Lord Durchess? Can you pull up his file as well? Seems like he might be behind muscling into the Guild's business down in the Underhive. This might just get... political."

[rax]

"And we thank you for seeing to the destruction of this technology, Lord Magos. There are in fact two further matters which we are hopeful you can assist us with. The first matter concerns a human hand, which I believe the Credit Guilders turned over to you for analysis? It was recovered by them at the location of a gun battle in the Underhive. Have you been able to find anything that could help determine who the hand belonged to?" Hound asks Petrovskii.

[Bennosuke]

The guild initiate gives Arl a courteous bow, a subtle grin fluttering across her lips momentarily. She rises as Luis speaks, and nonchalantly replies, "Oh, I am sure Lord Durchess does business through the guild. Almost all noble houses do." But seeing that Luis is serious in her request, she quickly gives him a bow too and says, "As you wish sir," hurrying back to the monitor.

She gets to work typing, her fingers still moving at a baffling speed as they tap tap tap at the keys. A moment goes by and the initiate stops typing. A frown begins to spread across her brow, and then she is back typing at the keyboard, working even faster. After another series of keys she stops again and looks up at Luis and Arl, face slightly red, forehead shiny with perspiration. "My apologies," she says hesitantly, "it uh, it looks like The Lord's file is restricted. I don't have clearance to access it."

**************************************************

The Magos turns his attention back to Hound, folding his hands into billowing red robed sleeves and says, "Yes... the hand. I had my acolytes begin to analyze it this morning. I have not heard much back yet, except that I can tell you that based on epigenetic markers and protein staining, there is reason to believe that it is or was the hand of an off worlder, and certainly did not belong to a malnourished underhiver. I will be happy to provide you with more information once I have it, if you will provide me with a means of contacting you."

(OOC: Feel free to give me a scrutiny test, anyone who would like)

[dojango]

Luis shrugs, and finishes stowing the scrolls in his bag. "Guess that's the bossman's problem. C'mon, chief, we got interviews to do. Make sure to bring the pliers." He waves at the woman and heads back out towards the exit to pick up his stowed gear and head back to the safehouse so that one of the literate team members can decipher what information he's acquired.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Marcella pursed her lips.

"What verification have you documented to confirm the destruction of the items provided?"

[Bennosuke]

Spoiler: OOC@Dojango and Wyn

Show

Unless there is anything else you want to get done, I guess I'll need you to hang tight for a moment till the other players finish their scene with the Magos, but please let me know if there's something you want to try to do in the interim.

**************************************************

"Would you like to see the molten ashes of their remains?" The Magos says haughtily.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

"Yes, actually," Marcella responds flatly.

[Bennosuke]

Magos Petrovskii's vox spits out a hiss of static which may be a sigh before the Magos says, "That can be arranged then." But of all the acolytes, it is only Mort who has any confidence in their perception that The Magos is certainly lying, or at least not being truly forthright with the group. "If you would like, I can escort you all down to the incinerator dungeon."

[dojango]

Spoiler: OOC@Dojango and Wyn

Show

Unless there is anything else you want to get done, I guess I'll need you to hang tight for a moment till the other players finish their scene with the Magos, but please let me know if there's something you want to try to do in the interim.

Finding the other acolytes not yet returned from their mission, Luis dumps the tubes containing the paperwork on a table in the safe house and then goes out for a ratburger and soyfrites.

[rax]

"That will be fine, I think, though the call is, in the last instance, for Regulator Mallory to make," Hound responds to the Magos' offer of getting back to them with more information on the hand.

When Marcella starts challenging the Magos, he shoots her an annoyed glance, but then backs her up. "I'm sure we'll find everything in order, Lord Magos, but it would be interesting to see what remains the blasphemous artifacts all the same."


OOC: Hound would ideally like to quiz the Magos about the mission he gave Harl Kander as well, but he'll hold off for now. If Marcella is able to determine that we're not being shown the remains of the warp weapon, then that will be proof enough that Petrovskii is lying to us. Hound would then be prepared to assume that he's actively involved in the affair, either as a rival trying to get his hands on the weapon, or as a conspirator trying to cover his tracks. Either way, he's unlikely to tell the truth and the party doesn't seem to have the skill set to talk him into letting slip something incriminating.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

The incinerator dungeon?

Sounds like a wonderful place to be escorted to by a half-man, half-robot abomination. What could go wrong?

"Yes, that would be appreciated, Magos," Marcella replied, her tone diplomatic and even.

"The Credit Guild wants to ensure that it receives what it pays for," she added, as further pretext for why she was here.

[LairdMaon]

Mort's face changes shades as he picks up sign of a falsehood. He taps Null on the shoulder and whispers, "Is this official known for his honesty and integrity? I might not understand much of what your kind have going on here, but I can't stand the taste of this guy's lies."

Yep, that was in a whisper. The kind of whisper that could be heard within the winds of a turbine while emergency vehicles scream by. Nothing but tact for the Regulator.

[Bennosuke]

"Very well," The Magos replies flatly to Marcella, "I shall lead the way." Magos Petrovskii leads the group out of his chambers, and through a winding series of immaculate and utilitarianly decorated hallways, stopping at a large platform elevator with metal cage fencing. There is not a spot of rust on the slightly oiled iron bars, and the elevator purrs as it begins to descend, once all the acolytes have gotten on board.

The elevator passes floor, after floor, after floor, going down in what seems like an almost interminable descent. After what seems like nearly ten minutes of near silence, the platform finally stops in what feels like a subterranean cavern made of concrete and pillars of marble and steel. Heat blasts out at the acolytes, and somewhere in the distance you can hear a low roaring rumble from the furnaces. As the group follows The Magos down the dungeon passage, they pass massive wheeled trucks and transport carts singed, and stained with large smears of black ash. The heat grows more intense, the roaring louder. As the group draws closer to the incinerator room, they begin to pass hunched skeletal tech priests and servitors, who scuttle about their busy work. Lensed eyes peer out from the shadows of the hallway to watch the great Magos Petrovskii lead this group of outsiders.

The passage opens up into a massive chamber, larger than some small churches to The God Emperor. Conveyer belts rumble, carrying piles of scrap metal and damaged machine parts on a march towards furnaces; towering pillars of coal black iron with mouths filled with fire. Each chimney of fire is numbered with bronze imperial numerals. The heat in the furnace dungeon is near overwhelming now, almost unbearable for anyone wearing more than the lightest of undergarments. Magos Petrovskii leads the group through the chamber, passing several furnaces, weaving between servitors and conveyor belts, before stopping at furnace XIII. Orange tongues of fire dance within the mouth of the furnace, several of them lapping out, reaching out. Pointing at the mouth of furnace XIII, the Magos says, "This is the burner used to destroy the items, as requested. It is one of our hottest."

[rax]

"This is a most impressive facility, Lord Magos! Was there any difficulty in disposing of the tech? Any materials involved that were able to resist the righteous fires of the Omnissiah?" Hound calls out over the background noise.