IC: DH The Purity of Sacrifice

[Bennosuke]

"It did not jump from the fires like some magic possessed object in a feral world fable," Magos Petrovskii says flatly, "but we have not tried to reclaim anything from the fires, if this is what you are asking! The heat of this furnace reaches nearly one fifth the heat of a burning sun, and is too hot for any material of mankind to resist."

[LairdMaon]

Vapid curiosity colors Mallory's face. His mouth opens and a single question falls out and tumbles to rest in front of the Magos.
"What about materials from outside mankind?"


edit: replaced 'Good' with 'His', as was intended. stupid predictive text...

[rax]

"That's...a not entirely misguided line of inquiry, Regulator," Hound interjects with a surprised but approving look at Mallory.

[Bennosuke]

While the others are speaking with The Magos, Marcella extends her psychic perception, allowing her senses to extend out like a wave washing over the sweltering basement. Sounds begin to dull, her vision fogging as discrete shapes become colorless blurs. But try as she might, Marcella just isn't sure if she sense the presence of any warp taint here. The Xenos weapons had been oddly resonant before, and she should know what their presence felt like, but Marcella just is not sure if they were here. Maybe it was the distraction of the heat, or the grinding thrum of the conveyer belt and the roar of the furnaces, but Marcella just can't seem to concentrate enough.

(OOC: I'll let you roll again, but at a -10)

Switching strategies, Marcella begins to use her abilities to instead sense living presences. Across the expanse of the cavern, the psyker can sense the cool light of living individuals, many whom have their light dulled by the addition of Martian technology. She can feel them move to and fro in the dungeon, scrabbling about their labors. She becomes so acutely aware of everyone that she can almost feel their emotions, their fatigue, their crushed hopes and dreams.

Magos Petrovskii turns on Mallory, raising a pointed finger at the mutant. Despite his machine cowled face and monotone voice, there is malice in the priest's words, "Outside of mankind? Hah, the technologies of The Omnissiah shine more brightly than all others. His will and knowledge is unparalleled. No warp tainted or Xenos technology could withstand the heat of the furnaces that he hath lit." Other than bruised pride, was there something... almost defensive about the Tech Priest's response?

[rax]

"Your faith is an inspiration to all, Lord Magos, but are you absolutely certain that no material whatsoever could resist this furnace? The galaxy is vast and the foul xenos numberless - surely even the Adeptus Mechanicus haven't been able to test their furnaces on every material wrought by alien blasphemers?"

[Bennosuke]

Magos Petrovskii emits something like a static burst that is probably the vox interpretation of a mirthful chuckle. He crosses his arms over his chest and replies, "It would be heresy to conduct such studies,", and again there is something uncomfortably defensive about this statement, "but I hold my faith in The Machine God!"

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Being unable to detect the slippery presence of the warp was frustrating for the psyker, like something was constantly brushing up against her fingertips as she strained forward to grasp it.

Giving up, she waited until the Magos was distracted before shooting a quick look at her nearest companion. The look said it all: I'm not sure.

"Magos," the Psyket asked, "what proof of destruction are you able to provide that I could take back to my superiors?" She asked, her tone once again diplomatic.

It was clear from the Magos' own timbre that he was hiding something.

[Bennosuke]

Magos Petrovskii turns his attention to the Psyker. Spreading both arms out as if he has nothing to hide, he replies, "Unfortunately, I have little to offer. You asked for the destruction of the items you brought me... and I have done that to the best of my ability." The Magos pauses for a moment, and then with a shrug that could be described as self-satisfied adds, "Unfortunately, we do not keep security cameras in the furnace dungeon. The high heats... disrupt their signal."

(OOC: Anyone want to give me a Tech-Use or Logic roll here?)

[Blindfolded Ape]

With a customary bow and binary chattering, -Null speaks up. "Perhaps some unique material or emission of the construction could be traced without entry? While the taint of heresy would surely be scrubbed by the Great Furnace, the Omnissiah's Blessing would have protected anything worthy of such blessing, and could be followed." He turns to Marcella, hands flying over his data-slate as he prepares to take notes. "Were there any notable components used in the composition of these items?"

[Bennosuke]

It takes Null almost no time to recognize the bald faced lie that Petrovskii had just made. (OOC: If Hound does spend the FP, he recognizes this as well, though he's less confident and it probably takes him a moment longer).

There was no way the high heats of the furnace dungeon would disrupt any form of recording device. While there did not appear to be any security devices in the dungeon, it was unlikely that a Foundry could not have the scientific knowledge available to install the appropriate technology. For Throne's sake, the Magos lensed eyes likely had recording technology that was functioning even now as the group spoke! Now, whether it was a wise idea to call the Magos out on his obvious lie was another consideration entirely...

"It... may be worth considering," The Magos says hesitantly, his vision shifting from Null to Marcella and back again. He adds, "However, we unfortunately made no such evaluations of the technology before disposing of it; as is protocol with all heretical technology."

[rax]

Something clicks in Hound's mind as he listens to the Magos and his features contort into a cold smile, but he says nothing, waiting to hear how the others respond to Petrovskii.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella


Feeling that this guy was full of dung, Marcella kept quiet and let the others speak.

[Blindfolded Ape]

-Null chirps with delight, not quite picking up on the finer subtext of the social interaction. "We shall begin shortly then. These able meat-beings have surely done their part in documenting the items themselves, and my services are currently owed in where they may be needed, therefore we shall not take any unnecessary time of yours, great Magos. Merely direct us to where we may inspect the residual slag, and we shall begin our efforts."

[Bennosuke]

The Magos raises a metallic fist, one finger pointed towards the massive furnace. "At your leisure then," he says in a rather unceremonious response to Null. Petrovskii casts his gaze over the ensemble of strangers, takes a single step back and crosses his arms over his chest. The posture screams, "Do your worst, I dare you!"

(OOC: I am actually looking forward to seeing how the group responds to this :)

[rax]

With a faint smile, Hound looks around for a shovel and a bucket of some sort, then makes his way over to the small pile of ash and slag that has collected in front of the furnace and begins shovelling generous heaps of it into the bucket. The heat is horrific, but he distracts himself by mentally repeating prayers to the glory of the Emperor.

[Bennosuke]

Hound can feel the hairs on his arms prickle as he draws near to the rippling waves of head coming from the furnace, and by the time he is finished collecting a few heaps of soot and slag, his clothes are drenched and sticking to his flesh. "Will that be all?" The Magos asks proudly once Hound has returned.

[rax]

Hound gives the Magos a cool smile. "Unless anyone else has further questions for the Lord Magos, I'm sure we've taken up enough of your time...for now," he replies with a look at his companions.

[Bennosuke]

Marcella shrugs, and with a dower almost apologetic tone says, "I've got nothing else."

(OOC: I have my final subspecialty board examination tomorrow. I will give everyone till tomorrow afternoon a chance to speak up in case they want to instigate anything else in the Tech Priest scene, and will otherwise move things along tomorrow... unless I'm totally fried after a 7 hour test, which is possible. That said, hoping to have an improved post rate in general after tomorrow with not having to study for a once a year 2 thousand dollar test)

[Bennosuke]

(OOC: And having gotten no replies...)

"Very well then," The Magos says, clasping his hands together with a robotic sort of enthusiasm, "I shall have you escorted back out of the temple. Thank you very much for your time... and your service. Please follow me."

Pulling one sleeve back, Petrovskii begins typing something into a small control panel on the back of one forearm lacking almost any visible flesh, and begins leading the acolytes through the cavernous tunnels back the way they came. After several winding and confusing turns, the group are met by a small retinue of servitors, this one equally armed but of different "composition" than the last. Unless anything is tried, the servitors will escort the acolytes out of the manufactorum, leaving them back at the gates.

[rax]

Once outside, Hound suggests that they head back to the safe house to rendezvous with the Arl and Luis.

(Assuming no one suggests anything else...)
"Well, that went about as well as could be expected, I think. Although we've no concrete proof, it's clear the Magos is lying. His story about the heat of the furnaces disrupting the working of recording devices is arrant nonsense, and if he's lying about that merely to keep us from asking more questions about the items he says he destroyed, then it's a safe bet he did no such thing. Whether that's because he never intended to or because he was unable to remains to be seen, but clearly everything the Magos says and does from now on must be treated with the utmost suspicion," Hound speaks to the others as they make their way back to the safe house.

"For my part, I think we should strongly consider bringing in Harl Kander for further questioning. He may not know the details of what the Magos is up to, but he can surely provide more information than he has revealed so far about the Magos' affairs and the timing of events."

[dojango]

At the safe house, Luis is relaxing, feet up on the table as he watches a propaganda war film on the pict-screen. A pile of empty wrappers is scattered by the foot of the chair "Yer back, eh? And not turned into servitors? Must have gone well. Here's the files on those credit guilders we heard about down-hive. Can't make no sense of them, but if one of you's got letters, maybe we can go pay them a visit? That is, once this kid avenges his father and restores the rule of the Emperor to the planet..." A series of loud explosions comes from the pict-screen.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Marcella listened to Hound as they walked back, but her mind was cluttered. That was the first time in a very long while that she had been unable to focus her mind and perceive a presence of absence before her.

"I agree, the Magos is certainly involved and we should consider surveillance of some sort. Perhaps predict the most likely means of smuggling the weapons to the upper hive. Can one of you imagine if you were in his position, how you would pursue such a crime?"

[rax]

On the way to the safe house
"I am still unclear as to the Magos goals and the depths of his involvement with the smugglers. Some sort of surveillance would be in order, but it seems unlikely that he will take an active hand himself. He is a Magos of the Adeptus Mechanicus - he has all the resources of the forge enclave at his disposal if he needs someone to run errands for him," he answers Marcella.

"When you have the time, perhaps you could also turn your witch senses onto this residue?" Hound continues, lifting the bucket of slag and ash he brought with him from the enclave. "If there's no trace of the signature you felt before, that isn't really conclusive proof by itself, but taken with the Magos' lies it at least adds to the circumstantial evidence."

"If we cannot conceive of a way to keep watch on the Magos, there's also the matter of this Mercutio fellow we could pursue. If we can find out who he was, we may find new leads to follow."

At the safe house
Hound pointedly ignores the film and reaches for the print-outs Luis and Arl have gotten hold of. "It looks like you had more direct success on your assignment than we did. We were able to ascertain that the Magos is lying about what he did with the weapons, but we have no concrete proof of any wrong-doing. Now, let's see what these records say," he mutters as he begins to leaf through the print-outs.

[Bennosuke]

(OOC: Why don't we just assume that the two conversations are all happening at the safehouse to condense the conversations and include all the players)

[BananaPhone]

Marcella


If Marcella was insulted at the insinuation of using her 'witch senses', she didn't show it. Indeed, she wanted another try at it. Her personal pride and ego demanded it.

Listening to the rest of what Hound said, the Psyker nodded in agreement.

"Perhaps Mercutio is the weaker link of the two. I imagine surveillance of a Magos with his own foundry would be quite difficult and fraught with potential risk. But Mercutio? He may be the easier target."

[rax]

"There's the small hindrance of Mercutio likely being dead, but we may still be able to trace his steps up until the ill-fated meeting in the Underhive," Hound answers Marcella without looking up from the papers he's scanning. "Any luck with the slag?" he asks.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Marcella pursed her lips and slowly shook her head.

"Not yet," she answered smoothly, "a little more time needs to pass before I attempt another...impression."

[rax]

"Interesting - is such a time delay a normal feature of your power or a direct consequence of an earlier failure?" he asks, still perusing the details of the Credit Guilders.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

"The mind is an endless mystery. Time is required to recompose," Marcella responded, chin resting on her hands as she seemed to half stare off into space.

[Bennosuke]

While they had waited for the others to arrive, Arl and Luis had taken the time to begin reviewing the stack of scrolls and data slates provided them by the Credit Guild. Though they had not done the most extensive of research, they have the following information:

Spoiler: Sir Drimmle

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The headshot attached to this file depicts a severe man who without rejuve treatments was maybe in his late fifties, with a gaunt pale face, cold blue eyes, and a spider web of a mustache.

Sir Pennifry Drimmle is a Super Nova ranked member of the Service branch of the Credit Guild, whose is directly responsible for handling the account of House Durchess. Apparently twice in the past The Credit Guild has run investigations into Drimmle's activities, once when one of his rivals in the Guild mysteriously disappeared (not enough evidence could be gathered to draw a verdict), and once for a "questionable" transfer of funds that Drimmle made on behalf of The Durchesses to an off-world encrypted account of unknown personage. The file includes a quick background on his well-to-do upbringing and schooling. It also provides an address, what appears to be a luxurious two floor apartment attached to the spire where the Durchesses live.

Sir Drimmle's direct superior would be Lord Servicer Gildfrey , who heads the entire Service Branch of the Credit Guild.

Spoiler: Guilder Jen

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The headshot shows a malnourished looking woman with pale sallow skin and thinning ruby red hair. Her green eyes are hard and too small for her rounded face.

Guilder Ara Jen is a Sun Flare ranked member of the Service branch of the Credit Guild. She works directly under Sir Drimmle, having been employed directly to service of the Durchesses for almost 15 years. Her file mostly lists her duties and transactions under Drimmle, and thus mostly corroborates the information provided in his file. She also was apparently investigated for the transfer of funds scandal, and though it appears she sent Astropathic communications to an orbital docking station 129, no further information could be gathered. The Astropath whom she employed actually hemorrhaged to death only hours after sending her communication.

Ara Jen is listed as living in a small hab in the midhive, not too far from where the acolytes are making their base.

Spoiler: Guilder Ollof

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The headshot attached shows a young man with a main of lavish blond hair and beard. He appears well fed and pleasant enough in the photo.

Guilder Nathanial Ollof is the 8th son of small Merchant House Ollof. Though he is of noble background, he reportedly became a guilder due to the dwindling funds in his house's accounts, and all the main roles in the family business having been taken by his older siblings. His file lists concerns for laziness, lack of fastidious accounting, and on multiple occasions apparently reporting to the office inebriated. He has only been with the guild for a short time, where he was placed in the employ of Sir Drimmle. He is ranked Ember.

Ollof's hab is also listed as being in the midhive, but would be a bit of travel from where you are staying as it is closer to the wealthy spires.

Spoiler: Guilder Kimpler

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Kimpler's headshot shows a portly man with a shiny bald head and round brown eyes, scowling.

Guilder Joffrey Kimpler is listed as rank Flare in the Service division. His file appears to be filled with redacted or otherwise missing material. It lists that he has been employed by Sir Drimmle for the better part of six years. However, almost nothing can be found on his background, and it lists no home address.