---
Wrong name :D
"Heightened Senses Sight (100)" is what I have, still gives a +10 I believe ill go check now.
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The Prophet-Designate smiles benignly at Uriel, and answers:
"That song is from the ... wider Empire, is it not? No matter, though I'm curious about such things. The greatest difference between their teachings and mine own is the place of faith and religion. In their view, man serves the faith of the God-Emperor.
In mine, the faith of the Emperor-Emergent serves man."
At this point, there is an insistent *be-beep be-beep* sound from somewhere. Looks of slight amusement or annoyance pass over the faces of those who notice.
You may roll an easy perception test to locate the source, if you so please =)
Uriel shrugs, "It might have been. I lost my parents at a very young age so I can't say for certain."
"Mine, you say? Ours, right? Doesn't faith belong to all?"
She shakes her head. "I'm so sorry, I just have so many questions but I shouldn't be asking them here."
Spoiler[roll0] for Awareness (Easy +30) TN: 75
Grah! My busy. Is the Hard Perception test for Wormwood, too?
[roll0] vs Awareness +10, Hard -20, TN 31, I suppose.
d100s are my friends.
Perception rolls eh? Well with my massive 31 perception with a -20 it needs to be 11 or below. Emprah guide this RNG!
[roll0]
Not even close. Its a very shiny chapel after all.
Bah - your rolls are pathetic. The God-Emperor has decided to keep this secret from you awhile longer. Quite possibly forever.
At any rate, some of those aware/perception rolls are at least good enough to discover that the beeping came from Uriel somewhere. Backpack, pocket, somewhere.
Uriel:
The Prophet-Designate answers "Faith belongs to all - hence, your faith it yours alone. It wouldn't belong to you, if it had to also be mine, would it? But ... that's merely rhetoric.
Know this: The Emperor shall come again. As Prophet-Designate, I know this beyond question. He shall guide us as he once did - in freedom. And we shall throw off the shackles that now bind humanity."
Crisis:
You figure your disguise is working - at least you're fairly certain no one is paying any particular attention to you.
However, I should like to point out that you are all rather obviously outsiders. You are citizens of the empire on a world that has had only the very, very slightest contact with Imperial Culture, ever (that being through deGrassi and similar agents). You mode of dress, imperial dialect, and mannerisms all mark you are ... foreign.
So you're disguised as someone unimportant. But an unimportant outsider.
Also, you have an eye for a certain type of details. You feel confident that no one here is armed or poses any threat - no one is expecting an attack.
"I do not doubt that. I think my only question is whether HE is on the Golden Throne as those of the Imperium believe or if he has passed in time and is free to be reborn as others believe. That is something I am always looking for signs of."
She listens and her face grows annoyed. "You'd think I'd have turned that off before going into a place of worship. How incredibly rude of me! A moment, please. I beg you."
She'll reach into a pocket, I guess it is pocket-sized anyways. She'll check whatever is beeping as it could be a couple things I carry. Discreetly would be good but we know that won't happen! :smallamused:
----
I'm a little concerned with a couple things that are making my spider senses tingle. We will see what happens here.
The Prophet-Designate speaks as you dig through your belongings, looking for the offending device:
"The husk that sits the Golden Throne is the Emperor - and is not the Emperor. Those are his remains, mummified - his prison, his eternal hell. But we are on the very verge, child. He shall emerge, rise again, and return to us. Here, on Eden, child. And soon - we are almost ready."
Anyone who has it, please roll scrutiny. You may, of course, also roll untrained.
Meanwhile, Uriel locates the source of the annoying beeping - her Holy Book.
Such books are effectively complex data slates, and in principle, they have a load of functions, including the ability to record, store and display data - and receive messages. They are rarely used in this way, however - because it kinda ruins the mood if you accidentally play a recording of your household shopping list while preaching.
However, Uriels Holy Book has just received a message. Despite not being set up for such, by the way.
Uriel:
Spoiler
The message looks thus:
++++
0ft3btD1nkd7z5bhzrveh
lhtmvwsba4itv610q0l1
z39276g2vrenyqp21es0
z61lz1g5k8o9c0jE2lgft
amzcawgfa8g0oybex0ic
5jdwtrbdldvfg6orzfqn
dr5wLlvm1bfrznpacjf7n
vqy05m94ks4tr90f1de8
spdt20287l2hmqexi3k8
sj11v77x0p7rtu9cqcuc
3q3qwfqspwljy5pdlqru
uevh2wn5cjvqn92e56d5
ws19j62qhc7f3frbiTj7o
o6bkeposguhuav2qul2n
f9bknnclr9umarfakai1
bjk4xi2saft14h5pk185
fAfwc3bcndl7rnbuuszbs
g5l12nlzbd30pcs1c7ve
hlih3pndtc1ocyqdo5e6
othcl979kswag8y03plt
++++
"I have always wondered if it was so. Then again, I've always wondered why we, humankind, could not just simply heal HIS hurt. Technology fades, I know this, but we have wonderful tools from more glorious times. Do they not regrow limbs and other body parts now? What about then?"
Trying to calm things down, Uriel speaks softly and steadily. "I have so many questions but one will do. Tell me, how can you be so sure it will be here? You seem absolutely certain and maybe I am just a touch skeptical. Were there signs? Did you receive a vision? I would hear that tale if you would tell it."
Peering at the book, she grows ever more annoyed, "Ah, speaking of technology...REALLY!?!" Book in one hand and her other balled in a fist, she forces herself to calm. "Ah well, maybe someone can make sense of it. Looks broken to me."
The look of utter exasperation she gives is telling, "I can talk theology all day but this..."
Spoiler[roll0] for Scrutiny TN: 45
If she knows how, load translate function but it is likely a cipher or computery thing which are skills she does not have. Some help would be great though!
Scrutiny:
SpoilerThe roll reveals what you already suspect: You detect no religious conviction in his claim that the Emperor shall be reborn. This man knows it to be so - of course, he might be wrong, but to his own mind at the very least, this is a simple fact. And not a religiously held belief.
Tech:SpoilerI happen to know Wormwood has taken an interest in things techy - I do seem to recall he has also stated that back when you met with Maldanis. Or I could recall incorrectly - regardless, it is so =)
The Prophet-Designate weighs his words a moment, before answering:
"How can I know, you ask? Well ... how can I explain? It is not a singular, miraculous happening, but rather a long road down which we've travelled a long time. We are still on that road, a form of pilgrimmage if you will - but the end goal is in sight."
"Everything you say just leaves me with more questions. You speak of a long path laid before you and this is curious to me." Uriel smiles and gazes at those around her. "You must understand, I know a thing about Faith. Faith is one of those things you just don't know, you believe in it to be so." She turns back to the Prophet-Designate. "Not with you, though. You are absolutely certain. You know it, because you are privy to something others are not. You say, 'a long path?' I hear, 'a long plan.' You say, 'pilgrimage.' I hear, 'exile.'
Uriel sets down her Holy Book on a pew, hoping someone will look and figure out the code. She looks directly into the Prophet-Designate's eyes, zeal burning in her own eyes. "I think it's time for the truth. What is going on here? Who are you and what are your plans?"
----
I can only imagine the response, some foreign girl talking to their Prophet like that. The image in my head is priceless! Get ready though, Uriel found out enough of what they are up to and she isn't pleased, but there might be an opportunity here too. I wonder...
Wormwood silently made his way to Uriel's Holy Book and began trying to figure it out, more out of curiosity than any desire to help.
SpoilerTech Use +10! TN 58, unless it's hard or something.
[roll0]
Crisis stands ever ready besides Uriel, her hands tingling with anticipation ready to quick draw her Stiletto and plunge it deeply into the heart of the heretic preacher before her.
Aware that no one in the vicinity seems armed she turns her attention to more distant people and features of the building. Checking for potential entrances or potential threats. She looks particularly at the lips of those facing her whom might be talking, attempting to read any signs of a threat.
SpoilerAwareness: [roll0] TN: 53
Lip Reading: [roll1] TN: 43 (-10 every 10ft)
---
I swear, the dice gods are not on Crisis' side...
The Prophet-Designate replies calm as ever:
"Of course you have more questions. Faith is a life-long journey, not a matter to be resolved in a few moments of conversation. But the Emperor is returning to us, and you should rejoice. Mankind shall be free and prosperous. But seek the answers to your questions, young priestess - I'm confident you will see the light."
With that, he turns to make his way back to his chambers.
It's interesting, actually. The message is heavily encrypted - but not only that, it's also scrambled. It's like two forces working at cross purposes, quite possibly without knowing it. One encrypted a message to keep it from being discovered. Another scramled communications, to prevent messages being sent.
It has a cleverly embedded carrier signature, though.
You detect no threats. However, some of the people closer to Uriel and the Prophet-Designate look like they have had enough of her ranting against their religion. Not that they are turning hostile - they kinda just want her to shut up =)
Stig has honestly no clue as to what in the Emperor's name is going on. He won't be doing anything to make things worse...
Yet.
So as of right now, he's prepping himself for combat; releasing the catches on his pistol holsters beneath his large coat and glancing around again, looking for anything suspicious.
Since this is mostly just looking for anything unusual, rolling against a 31.
[roll0]
Wormwood looked at the message with a nervous smile, then returned to Stig, calling over Crisis as quietly as he could.
"I, uh, think we should leave," he said, showing what he'd found. "Message is from Delta. He might, uh, might be in trouble."
Crisis moves briskly towards Wormwood, her head bowing as she makes it in an attempt to look humble and keep up her disguise.
It says?
Her voice hush yet hurried.
"I don't know, but someone didn't want the message to get out, and it came heavily encrypted from Delta. It's not good," Wormwood whispered.
Uriel nods, "Of course, of course. Let's hurry if we can."
----
I would have replied earlier but being up at 330a and going to bed at 1030p with no time between jobs is getting to me. Sorry about that, just very time strapped during the week atm.
Practical stuff: Sorry for slow updates - it's the whole 'real life and job' thing. I do however have more time in the coming week, so that's nice.
There is a pattern that I wanted to point out to you guys - just because you might have missed it, but your characters wouldn't, I think.
Vanguard isn't really a name, but a description. Prophet-Designate also isn't really a name, but a description.
Anyways:
Worried about the unexpected message from Delta, you leave the Cathedral. You re-convene outside, where you can lay further plans without having hundreds of strangers (and potential enemy agents!!) listening in.
"What are the odds we can easily find a way back up to the station, I wonder? I imagine they are not very good and that is largely my fault." Uriel breathes a deep breath and continues. "It is clear we need to get to Delta if we can but just how to do this I am not sure of. It doesn't help that we are foreigners in a foreign land. Still, there must be a way..."
I remember something about the Temple and we should stay clear of it, which, means we should go there, boring to them is exciting to us! I also vaguely remember the University and I know that my weak and feeble self was not deemed good enough to go to Tempest but I think Tempest is another system. And he mentioned Dungeon as well. Presumably we can get ground transportation to places on world or we could get a shuttle to return to our ship.
Return to the ship or investigate further? Anyone? :smallsmile:
Tempest and Dungeon are other planets in this system - specifically, Tempest is a gas giant two stops out, and Dungeon is a hot, sun blasted rock one stop further in.
I'll point out - without in any way trying to direct your actions - that really astute meta-players might predict that getting off this planet again could be connected to the other points of interest.
"Well then, what shall we do? Do we return to the ship immediately or do we investigate further? We could check the crash site, Temple I think it was called, and see what we can find there or we can go to some other place."
"We aught to check with Delta 'afore we do anything else. Make sure the ship hasn't blown up or something."
Yes, rather we follow a solid lead whilst we have it than search for heresy in a an entire system on foot.
Her face stern and eyes cold, she scans constantly for danger.
Spoiler[roll0] 53 (per 33, +10, HightSensSight)
Paranoid Wormwood tried not to think of every little thing that could go wrong.
"Yes, let's hurry back to the ship. Or what's left of it."
Uriel nods grimly, knowing deep down this was likely her doing.