Dune RPG, House Langley - IC

[Hemnon]

The Imperium, it's vast, near galaxy-spanning in range - of course this doesn't mean every single star or stellar system has and is inhabited and settled by humanity. Quite the opposite in fact.
But, Humanity's reach is vast and no alien intelligence have been discovered over the last 20.000 years or so since Humanity left Old Earth for the stars.
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In one little slice of the Galaxy, in one star system, on a singular planet, sits the powerseat of a House Minor of the Imperium - The House Langley. It has roots back to old Irish Roots from the time of Earth, but no one really think of that... and why should they, humanity's as a modern species been living out in the galaxy longer than any civilization's been present on earth. They, The House Langley, holds the patent and secrets on the production and distribution of the Spice Harvesters so well-used on a certain Desert Planet.

It's the year 10.190 AG, in the 4th month of the ancient calendar, just some months ago during the New Year's Inaugeration, the Emperor Shaddam IV put out a statement of opening Arrakis, Dune, The Desert Planet, to EVERY House in the Imperium - All getting a variable slice of that ball of dust, and access to self-procurement of the Spice Melange (with an Imperial Tithe on what is harvested, of course).
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But, this story will not focus on the Emperor, or some Great House's potential doom... This story is on House Langley, and the events that followed that fateful decision by the Emperor.... and the future decisions of the House's Ruler, his Advisory Staff and their Agents.
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Please feel free to note out where your character is and what they are doing there (on the home planet? busy dealing with a minor territory-uprising? At a party escorting someone? Busy in a negotiation Deal on Arrakis with a Spice Merchant? Something completely different? Just make mention of the where, when, why and Howcome).
If any of you wish to be alongside another Player Character, please discuss it first with that character's player in the OOC.
If the need arises and importance occurs with your character not present, you get to make a nice minor support character (do not worry, we'll go through it all when it becomes valid), or decide to spent some Determination to create a more notable Supporting Character than 'random henchman number 5'.

As for the Goal currently? Succeed in what your characters are up to. Advance the interests of House Langley... and hopefully avoid stepping on sensitive toes and make enemies... and hopefully not run into a certain Rival House out there.

[davyjones]

Ina Balakin shades her eyes against the Arrakeen sun as she steps out of the shuttle, uniform jacket slung over her right shoulder; the heat is oppressive, significantly worse than any of the desert biomes she trained in back home. How do people survive in these conditions? she wonders inwardly as she slowly paces out onto the tarmac.

Of course, she knows the answer; humans are unique among the animals of Old Earth in that they could adapt their environments to suit themselves and they could take their preferred environments with them. It’s how they came to fully dominate the Earth and then move out into the stars. Still…

Seeing techs begin to unload cargo, the former medic intercepts them as they draw out an odd-shaped 30-inch hard case from the hold. Taking it in hand, she quickly inspects it for any scuffs or damage, then checks the temperature regulator. Relieved to find nothing out of order, Ina turns and heads for the double doors the shuttle’s onboard displays showed as the “arrivals” terminal. She’s supposed to be meeting the outpost’s protocol officer to get settled in before beginning workups for Lady Langley’s upcoming visit.

The terminal is thankfully air cooled, and Ina heads to check in at the counter. Processing her arrival is quick and painless, and the agent heads to the terminal lounge to await Major…somebody or another, she couldn’t remember his name, to be honest; it was easier to look for a major’s rank and go from there.

“Yips?!” comes an excited call from somewhere over her right shoulder. She whips about, ready to spit acid at someone using her former nickname when she spies the warm features of an old, old friend.

“Ciaran?” she answered, completely surprised by her old squadmate’s presence. Emitting a high-pitched squeal, she sets down her case, leaps into his arms as he approaches, and plants an affectionate kiss on his cheek when he lifts her off her feet with his trademark bear hug. Ciaran Breathnach is a mountain of a man of ancient Celtic heritage, with whom Ina served early in her career as a medic. He was her “bodyguard” in those days, so to speak, often assigned to keep the “bad guys” from shooting the platoon's medic during a skirmish. It was Ciaran who coined her nickname, and one of the few folks who still has blanket permission to use it.

As he sets her down, she asks, “So, are you still with the 33rd? I didn’t think they were on station here.”

“No, the 79th Cavalry now, dragoon sergeant in the ‘mirf,’” he replies. The MRRF, or mobile rapid reaction force, is a landmobile light armor battalion built to respond quickly to urban and overland emergencies when airpower is unable to easily access a trouble site. It’s an elite unit within the house military, and often one of the most active and dangerous assignments to boot.

“Geez, Ciaran, whose backside did you have to kiss to get that posting?” she teases, reaching for her jacket to don it. Too hot outside; too cold inside. One would think there was no such thing as moderation.

“Oh, you don’t know the lengths I went to –” he stops short, eyes growing wide. It takes a moment before Ina realizes why, and traces his gaze to her shoulder boards. “Who the hell did you sleep with to get that?”

“Language, and no one,” she replies. Seeing his eyes filled with disbelief, she added, “Really! Became friends with a doctor at my last command, and she took me into her confidence. Next thing I know, I’m on the household staff.”

“Household staff? Then why’d they toss you to the as– er, backend of the known universe?”

“Can’t share details, even with a dragoon sergeant,” Ina responds affectionately. “Or old friends.”

As she spies a major with thinning hair rush in through the terminal door and look about anxiously, she grasps his hand. “I have to go; we’ll catch up, though. I promise.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ciaran says, throwing the colonel a crisp salute. He notices the major's approach, then gives a slight bow and takes his leave.

The olive-skinned officer takes a moment to catch his breath, then says, “Colonel Balakin? Major Mazandarani, base protocol…”

[bladescape]

Pack on his back, kit confirmed. Emergency rations and water lined. Got his tools of the trade. Madrias.

Zoral's fingers tapped quickly over his body in an almost routine, each tap confirming he had all of what he expected on himself. And then again to make sure he didn't miss anything. The slumped service officer that was supposed to be in charge of this vehicle lay face down on the table within arm's reach, no motion. One last check, one last confirmation, and he scanned the room quick for other devices, other complications.

Nothing.

Grabbing the cap of the downed officer, Zoral fitted it to his head as he stepped out of the cabin, his languid and careful stride suddenly stiffening as he let the mental mask settle over his face. Military, they would expect, so he changed the stride to be clipped, harsh almost. It was always strenuous to pretend to be a mil, but Zoral never complained.

The menials fluttering around unloading the cart paid him no mind, and given a driver was expected, no one initially took umbrage to his arrival. Taking advantage of the slight laxness and assumption, he stepped past the waiting guards and moved onwards, already mentally tapping out the steps until his next movement. In a way, moving through security like this was almost a dance, and Zoral had to force the smile bubbling up at that thought to flatten in a grim line.

The groundcars he was looking for finally in sight, Zoral allowed the tension to slip slightly as he nodded to the guard on duty, heading past him without much issue. Single Groundcar on the rock-hard village set wouldn't be noticed at first either, and House Kadren probably wouldn't realise what had happened for at least a few hours. Up until people looked for the report and discovered the dead driver.

Didn't matter to him, he had a good idea of their capabilities already.

The one thing he wasn't looking forward to was the heat once he got back outside. Blasted planet was like standing inside of some cooker constantly, and never let up until you got out of sun and sand. Also didn't matter where you were, there was always more sand.

Swinging himself into a groundcar, Zoral mentally mapped out the path he'd drop this vehicle off before slipping into neutral terrain to get back to the House Langley hold. That was... one third of the local nearby Houses intel complete?

He'd have to check with the info officer once he got back.

Didn't matter, he'd done his job. The vehicle purred to life with a nice thrum as the agent carefully guided it out the rampway. Due two hours until he could be back in Langley lands.

He needed a rest...

[Lord of Gifts]

The outpost was entirely unimpressive, both in size and construction. The climate was harsh, and the locals unwelcoming. On any other world it would have been deemed a waste of resources, and swiftly abandoned. But this was not any other world; this was Arrakis. Dune. The one and only source of the spice Melange, upon which Imperial society depended. Even a hovel here held more political value than a palace on Crymsa Secundus.

Of course, this value did nothing to alleviate the usual strategic concerns. So it was that Maya had spent the day patrolling the outpost, probing for weaknesses, and collecting data on the important factors that were hard to properly judge off-site. Chief among these was the fatiguing effects of the heat. She would have to recommend the guards were rotated more often, as most of them seemed too exhausted to meet proper performance standards by the end of a shift. Perhaps advice from a sympathetic Fremen could help adapt them adapt their doctrine and training methods to the conditions, but intelligence suggested that such a teacher would be hard to find.

[Harmony]

Helene Valencia Langley

Many believed the heat to be unbearable, I did not. It was a matter of adjustment and reaction to the heat, a hard thing to learn, but as natural as walking once mastered. I could feel the heat. Sense how it attempted to devour any exposed skin, leaving only angry red hue in its wake. Off the planet the spice was the commodity everyone wanted. On the planet, water. I was always dangerously low on it, even as my name would net me the amount I wanted, it was good for the morale to be the last to drink, not the first. I am not quite sure why Adam sent me here, but he sees enemies everywhere. I could see why this place would breed contempt, and there certainly is some power being placed here. I am guessing I will discover nothing and return with nothing.

I made the unpopular call of using my troops to relieve the guards, but to my defense I do take some of them myself. The heat made everyone sluggish, and created a window of vulnerability. They will acclimate soon. The human body was surprisingly adaptable, something which I am evidence off.

[Hemnon]

Ardith Gol - Small Outpost Village near Arrakeen.

The weather was, as just about 100% elsewhere on this dustball of a planet, Hot, Dry and the sunlight sharp to the point of eyeprotection being needed.

Zoral, Helene, Ina and Maya - all four of some standing within the House Langley, had arrived intact and well as part of the en masse Heighliner transportation to Arrakis that had started with MANY smaller houses occupying small parts of the massive spacefaring vessel, eventually doing that final Space-Folding and arrived in orbit of Arrakis, to where the various space vessels docked in the huge Heighliner began spewing forth to land and ferry back and forth goods to the planet below.
Most valued of all were the Water, the very 'lifesblood' of life on Arrakis.

in Ardith Gol, only House Langley held power, although it was little more than a somewhat-sculpted central livingspace 'fort-style' fortification, with outlying village-space where Arrakis-natives lived and farmed moisture and whatever would grow in and on those windtrap contraptions.
Everything were set in place, whatever the machinations the 4 members of House Langley had in mind, they had the chance to do so here on Arrakis.

Zoral, being busy with his ground-vehicle ride, would not be interrupted by anyone or anything until he'd finally arrive at the main fort, where an aide to the local info-gathering network's leader would be standing in the shade, sweating a storm, but had no real way to deal with it beyond wipe his face with a mono-weaved cloth that could absorb and contain the waters of his sweat for later refiltering and such.... the pains of the people without stillsuits.

Ina would remain fully uninterrupted by any else, except for a report filtering her way that'd hint at some local sandworm activity. Nothing to worry about, but just a 'forecast notification'.

Maya's patrolling and guard-rotation tactics did wonders for morale of the troops present at the outpost, knowing that a senior officer was going through the same suffering as themselves, even tho they had environmentally supportive guardstations that at least in part aided with the overwhelming heat, sand-intense breezes, etc. That Maya also made sure to keep the guards from remaining in position for too long at the time also helped them stay sharp and focused.

Helene's surprising sense of 'ease of adaptation' could perhaps just be an initial bodyshock to the intense change of environment, but only time would tell after all.

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Currently the setting is open for each of you to basically voice out what you'd want to do. Oversee the finishing setup of the outpost? Involve yourselves in the rationing and watchrotation of the water-reserves? going to arrakeen via ornithopter for whatever reason? etc. etc.
Just make mention what you intend of your character to do, and if you see a lack of an asset that would allow it (such as security clearance to a no-go area, getting access to an ornithopter, etc.) you'd of course start out with trying to gain that asset for use.

Also Harmony, i'd like you to roll a Discipline Test (you get to select the Drive you wanna use, but remember to justify why you use that drive and how it makes that Discipline Test happen - Remember that if you have a drive statement for another Drive than the one you wanna use that fits the situation, then you MUST use that Drive instead, even if it is of a more negative effect) for your character to show having adapted or at least somewhat adjusted to the insane heat-sensation of Arrakis. I'm allowing this cuz of the Prana-bindu Conditioning which allows your character to have stronger control of her own body. Difficulty will be 2 (Arrakis Heat - Daytime) due to the fact Arrakis is way more taxing on the body than just about any other planet in the Imperium.
Would also ask if you could use third-person like the rest of us, by any chance? just an ease of reading to have every write in the same 'pattern'.

CURRENT SCENE TRAITS:
Arrakis Heat - Daytime.
Improved Troop Morale.
House Langley Outpost.

[davyjones]

Ina inserts herself into the paramedic rotation to occasionally spell the garrison personnel. It’s good for her to keep in practice, even if it’s only once a week or so. She’s pretty sure she won’t get any time when Lille-Marie is on station; her schedule is bad enough with the other Lady Langley here. Speaking of, she needs to keep track of Helene's comings and goings, too; the Heir needs to know what her potential rivals are doing...

The colonel also makes sure she keeps her promise to Ciaran, and they share a few meals over the next several days to catch up.

She takes an interest in the sandworm reporting; she’s neither an eremologist nor a zoologist, but, from a strategic point of view, these great monsters are a wild card that could change entire battlefields.

Ina also takes some time to talk to the intel folks, to get the skinny on House Vertos’ configuration on the ground. Secretly, she hopes her friend Dr. Agathangelou is on Arrakis.

[Hemnon]

Ina inserts herself into the paramedic rotation to occasionally spell the garrison personnel. It’s good for her to keep in practice, even if it’s only once a week or so. She’s pretty sure she won’t get any time when Lille-Marie is on station; her schedule is bad enough with the other Lady Langley here. Speaking of, she needs to keep track of Helene's comings and goings, too; the Heir needs to know what her potential rivals are doing...

The colonel also makes sure she keeps her promise to Ciaran, and they share a few meals over the next several days to catch up.

She takes an interest in the sandworm reporting; she’s neither an eremologist nor a zoologist, but, from a strategic point of view, these great monsters are a wild card that could change entire battlefields.

Ina also takes some time to talk to the intel folks, to get the skinny on House Vertos’ configuration on the ground. Secretly, she hopes her friend Dr. Agathangelou is on Arrakis.

Most of the medical requirements within the encampment area is related to heat exhaustion and dehydration - along with various sunburn troubles, sinus-bleedings from the hot, dry and sand-swirled air, etc. Luckily, so far, everything's seemed to go smoothly with the outpost's encampment setup so there's been no signs of sabotage, infiltration by other houses, etc.

The reports about the Sandworms might be a bit beyond Ina's understanding, but if she took her time with scrutinizing them, perhaps she could find something of worth, maybe even related to certain patterns or 'hotspots' of repeat-activity and noted areas of Wormsigns.

Alas, it seems that House Vertos have either by chance or by intent, ended up with their own small slice of Arrakis on the far westward side of Carthag (almost direct opposite edge of habitable surface-area on Arrakis, compared to where House Langley's been settled). It could even be an unspoken agreement with House Harkonnen who rules that great City, that House Vertos were given the chance to settle near said city.
But, whatever the truth may be, it'd require quite the effort of sending spies, contacting informants and covering it all up, to gain any info of note about Ina's friend, the Dr. Agathangeiou.

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If you wish, you may have your character spend some time looking more indepth at the sandworm reports. It'll be an Understand Skill test, and you have to justify which Drive you wanna put to use with it. Truth may be used if you wish, since the Drive Statement deals with the truth in the hidden meanings. It might not be fully fitting, but it holds some relevance, so if you wish, use that Drive. Especially since Faith dun really seem to fit here.
The difficulty is 1 to get some basic understanding of the Intel Reports (and thus a Temporary Asset to make use of later), and any additional success will grant you one free question to ask me the GM in relation to the Intel Reports about the Sandworm Activity.

[bladescape]

Zoral continues his work mapping out rivals, House Langley needs to know where and when it's opponents are moving after all. Primary goal is just checking who would potentially compete with them and who to be careful of, who has the reason and stance to potentially infringe on lands or break away from agreements for gain.

Once the info packets have been completed, his primary next goal is to weed out any House Agents that have slipped through into House Langley holdings. After all, he's too good to expect to have caught them all on the way in. So the next strenuous period is to cut out all the information leaks in the upper ends of the holdings. The primary goal is that when the House Representative arrives, there's nothing much others will have inside to compromise against her.

Zoral also, as a hobby, starts keeping track of who acclimatises to the weather best on Arrakis. The horrible heat is definitely something that will cause issues, and whether or not it isolates anyone infiltrating, he finds it amusing to keep track of who of the notable arrivals actually survives the heat best.