Rogue Trader - Masquerade

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Montresor
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Post by Montresor »

Galen's eyes narrow above his handkerchief, though only briefly. 'Deltael is richer and more powrful than almost any Rogue Trader in Koronus could ever hope to be. There are two kinds of Rogue Traders in the Expanse, so the satirists say - Deltael's Men, and those who are to be Deltael's Men.

'I am his ally. Which is to say, he gets more out of the alliance than I do. He knows me, but he's not the kind of man that even you and I would dare talk to casually.

'Stavram and Deltael go back nearly three decades. Stavram was an acolyte in the Inquisition when Deltael knew him, working under another Inquisitor. With Deltael's influence, Stavram rose to the rank of Inquisitor quickly. He's ruthless and ambitious. But it's said he never condemns when he has nothing to gain.

'Heale? She's a friend of Deltael, like me. Moriah is aggressive and probably the most power-hungry person I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with. Be wary of her. Don't cross her. She needs little encouragement to eradicate competition . . . and that's her greatest failing'.
Last edited by Montresor on Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Andrea Chan-Gauthier
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Post by Andrea Chan-Gauthier »

As she realizes the identity of the man with her Captain, Andrea bows low. "My lords, at the risk of seeming callous to the suffering of others, might we not do well to... um... encourage others here to attempt an assault? Just so we can discover the outcome?"

She glances around again at the crowd. "Gabriel and I... that is, Lord Kaustis-Yuril and I had the chance to speak with a group of recently wealthy young men, out to hunt and kill every xenos beast they could. Until the Lord Inquisitor cut short their fun, they were even jesting about hunting here at the party. It seems to me that such as they could be easily persuaded to make an organized assault, even without much in the way of weapons, against our captors. When they are destroyed in the attempt, those of you with a military bent can determine a more useful way of succeeding where those men failed."
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Montresor
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Post by Montresor »

Gabriel coughs and raises a hand in protest. 'Madam, I will have no part in a plan which sacrifices the lives of people of quality. If we enlist these hunters, let us do them the decency demanded of their social station and not use them as shields for our cowardice'.

The young nobleman appears polite but is clearly very angry with Andrea for having suggested such a deception.

'Agreed,' Galen states. 'Introduce yourself. And I suggest you all remove these childish disguises. Better that we may know who we stand with'. Without another word needed to be said, Galen's retinue of five men and women remove their masques and cast them on the couches.

Navigator Julient retains her masque, doubtless because it conceals her Warp eye.
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Post by Andrea Chan-Gauthier »

Since her masque has what she believes to be a fully functional air filtration system in it, Andrea also chooses not to remove it.

"Sir, in a room filled with nobles and almost none others, whom would you have us sacrifice? Who do you think would volunteer for the job? Even Delteal's guardsmen seem to be suspiciously lacking in the room. I concern myself with the safety of my Lord-Captain and then the crew of his ship. These others here... they deserve our respect, but not at the cost of our lives."

She turns to Garrius, "But, as always, I will be guided in my actions by what My Lord suggests."
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Post by Montresor »

Unexpectedly, Lord-Captain Galen stands up. His retinue also stiffen their backs. Looking straight into Andrea's eyes, he says: 'Madam - you have just been asked by a holder of a Sacred Writ to introduce yourself,' Galen's voice is cold and formal, 'I suggest you do so promptly. Otherwise, I shall put forward the notion to your Lord-Captain Amphael that you are in fact correct - that we do need a sacrifice to determine the strength of these sentries, and that it should be none other than yourself'.
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Post by Andrea Chan-Gauthier »

Andrea stutters for a moment, in surprise. "My... er... I beg your pardon, Lord. I am Andrea Chan-Gauthier, of Malfi. Seneschal-Majoris for the Invictus Aeterna. My Lord, I humbly apologize for my rudeness, in my... well... with all that's going on... I thought... no, it doesn't matter why; the fault is mine regardless. I acknowledge my mistake and simply beseech your Lordship's pardon." She curtsey's low to him, and even removes her mask, though with a pause of terror as she inhales her first breath without the air filter. She remains bowed until he responds.
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Post by Montresor »

'Fine,' Galen says, waving a hand in a short motion. 'Stand up. What of your Seneschal's plan, Garrius?'

'I will have no part in a plan which confirms us cowards,' Gabriel interjects.
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Post by Andrea Chan-Gauthier »

Andrea stands up, slightly dizzy from having held her breath as long as possible. She turns to Garrius, though says nothing, and surrupticiously puts her masque back on, while waiting for his response.
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Post by Montresor »

While, Andrea, Garrius, Galen, and their companions discuss their plan of action, the cloud begins to grow denser. Despite the gas dispersing before it reaches ground-level, a faint line of blue liquid begins to coat the revellers, the furniture, and the floor. The banners drip with blue rain, the liquid having saturated them enough by now.

The man upon the balcony removes his masque to show that his face is covered in black cloth. It has been wound about so as to cover any trace of flesh or features. There are not even spaces remaining for which he can see or breath through.

'Look closely at my mask. It is one Deltael has forced me to wear for many years now. This gas,' he directs a finger heavenward, 'when combined with the peculiar nature of my prison, stripped my form bare. Do you feel it growing thicker about you? Weighing at your fine clothes . . . soaking through to your flesh? Soon you shall. From there, the corruption will seep through your pores and to your vital organs. This is a concentrated version of what I had to endure. One hour for every year, Deltael. That is all I ask'.

Unexpectedly, there is a roar of laughter from Cyrus Deltael. Inquisitor Stavram stands beside his throne, watching the proceedings with caution. Deltael's platform begins to descend from where it came.

'DELTAEL!! You coward! H-how dare you flee!' the man swathed in black tenses and yells at Delteal, but there is still something like cruel joy to his tone.

As Deltael's platform descends, a handful of guests try to charge and board it. Stavram draws a bolt-pistol from within his robes and holds them at bay. Screams of cowardice and pleas for aid assail the great Rogue Trader and his Inquisitor ally as they slowly dissappear from view.

Silence descends for an instant before panic erupts with a fury. Scores of revellers charge the sealed exits, crushing against each other in a desperate bid to escape through sheer force.
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"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.

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Post by Andrea Chan-Gauthier »

Andrea's fear spikes. Through your skin? Not from breathing? She turns to the cloth-wrapped enemies, and watches their responce to the pandemonium. Especially how they react to any who attack them.
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Post by Montresor »

A small crowd of guests begin to pelt amasec glasses at the sentries. Some even hurl their disguises. Most projectiles go wide of their mark, while some hit the sentries dead on. Not a single one of the sentries reacts to this barrage, and the mob swells with confidence.

Pleas of mercy can be heard all around. Members of the high and mighty fall to their knees and denounce the name of Cyrus Deltael, begging the figure on the balcony to stop the flood of gas. Near the sealed exits, the cries of people being crushed to death are now being heard.

A masque, resembling an Aquila, hurtles straight at a sentry, impacting with its own masque. The face of the thing is exposed and a terrified quiet descends upon those who see it. Few are sure of what it is that they see, but some ancient memory in their soul stirs and fills them with a dread which consumes their ignorance. The sentry's face is a black metal skull, with tireless mechanisms ticking and pumping away. Eyes which have never known life, but are instead little more than sophisticated scanning devices, stare back at the crowd. This is no servitor, or construction of the Mechanicus. The soulless technology regarding the crowd belongs to a Darker Age of forbidden and dangerous Science.

A woman in Galen's retinue makes the sign of the Aquila, warding the half-understood threat from her vision. 'What in the Emperor's name is it? A servitor?'

Galen's voice comes out as a dry whisper. 'Robotics . . .'
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Post by Andrea Chan-Gauthier »

[Forbidden Lore: Archeotech check. Does Andrea know anything useful about robotics, like how to build an EMP device?]
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Post by Garrius Amphael »

Garrius watched the events unfolding quietly. With each passing moment the prospect of charging the offender increased. But one more thing tugged on Garrius's mind.

"Galen, you know this man better than I, but surely, now that Deltael has escaped, he will send for help? Or would he leave us all to our fates in here?" Garrius couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right about everything he saw.
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Post by Montresor »

Andrea Chan-Gauthier wrote:[Forbidden Lore: Archeotech check. Does Andrea know anything useful about robotics, like how to build an EMP device?]
[A success on the Archeotech test - thanks for remingding me Andrea had the skill! Although Andrea cannot get a close enough look at the sentry, she is almost certain that the thing is a robot - the kind of thing she used to look at schematics of in forbidden texts. She knows that such a piece of technology would be exceedingly rare in the Imperium, and exceedingly ancient. If anyone had the capacity to make such tech from scratch, their equipment would be worth an untold fortune in illegal trade. The success was only ordinary and, lacking any tech use abilities, Andrea hasn't the first idea what an 'EMP' device is]
Garrius Amphael wrote: "Galen, you know this man better than I, but surely, now that Deltael has escaped, he will send for help? Or would he leave us all to our fates in here?"
Galen stops to think, scanning the chaos erupting, the absence of Deltael, and Garrius. 'Deltael is no coward, but I cannot deny that his action was cowardly. He must know that his reputation would be seriously damaged by this. It's disgraceful to think an ally capable of this but . . . what if he's betting on the gas working?'

Bedlam has gripped the Hall. The cries of mercy, screams of terror, and anguish of the suffocating is almost deafening. An angry mob can be seen collecting as many projectiles as they can lay their hands on. Some of the men and women in this group can be seen pressing isolated people into service.

Julient looks between Garrius and Galen. 'We should get out of here. Now'.
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"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.

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Post by Andrea Chan-Gauthier »

"Even if he intended to save us before the gas had a chance to work, people are already dying just in the crus by the doors." Looking directly at Gabriel, "My lord, it would seem that the consensus of this great gathering, unquestionably the entire elite of this sector's civilization, does not share your opinion on how unacceptable it is to sacrifice other nobles in one's attempt to survive."

To Julient, "Where can we go that would be safer?" Andrea inspects the edges of the room. That gas wasn't really a gas... it was more of a mist. It would soak into cloth more than blow through it. She looks especially for alcoves with curtains on them, places where the cloth might protect them from the misty air.
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Post by Montresor »

Andrea Chan-Gauthier wrote:"My lord, it would seem that the consensus of this great gathering, unquestionably the entire elite of this sector's civilization, does not share your opinion on how unacceptable it is to sacrifice other nobles in one's attempt to survive."
Gabriel stiffens and grows cold. 'Coward,' is the only word he says to Andrea before turning to face the others more bodily.
Andrea Chan-Gauthier wrote: To Julient, "Where can we go that would be safer?"
'We find a way down the pit Deltael fled to. We have no choice. The doors aren't opening. No rescue is coming. We may have twelve hours until we die, but who knows how long until we become invalids or worse?'

Julient looks back at the balcony, her mask hiding any concern. 'And something else bothers me. That man, on the balcony . . . he has no psykic trace . . . not even a latent hint. I can get no sense of anything from him at all. Almost as if he doesn't exist'.
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Garrius Amphael
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Post by Garrius Amphael »

Garrius stared at Andrea for a moment longer than necessary. She was embarrassing him. Stepping in close so that no others could hear, his harsh whisper was all that gave away his actions

"Miss Chan-Gauthier, try and be a little more... tactful with your more controversial thoughts. We are in the company of influential people and would do well to act befittingly, despite the circumstances."

Standing straight, Garrius tried to regain composure.

"Right, Julient's plan is the best we have so let us get under way. Peraton, take the other noblemen here and find a way to follow Deltael, and ensure protection for each other against the mob. Galen, your aid here would be most appreciated."

Scanning the crowd, Garrius tried to spot other notable people in the crowd, particularly Heale and her ensemble.
Last edited by Garrius Amphael on Tue Jun 15, 2010 2:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Andrea Chan-Gauthier »

Andrea simply stares at Garrius, as he turns away and prepares to leave.

"Yes, my Lord." she replies quietly.
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Post by Andrea Chan-Gauthier »

[Andrea is feeling kind of petty at the moment. She'll go along with whatever plan they come up with, but she was told not to pretend to be military... so she'll trust Garrius to handle all that stuff for her. If somebody suggests climbing down the shaft, she'll at least use her enhanced vision to look around for rope-like objects (curtains, those little felt rope barricades for managing lines at movie theatres, etc.). Otherwise, she'll just obey orders and be quietly sullen.]

[And if Garrius doesn't manage to save her, she'll make a deal with the beautiful face, come back and haunt his loser ass until the end. Do not underestimate the scorn of a spoiled rich girl.]

EDIT - Andrea will wait until nobody else has an idea, but eventually will volunteer to climb up the heavy curtains and cut them down. She'll suggest that once one has fallen, those below hold it like a trampoline and she fall down onto it. She'd do this for several curtains so that a long enough "rope" could be made.

If nothing could be found to attach the "rope" to on the top of the pit, she'll suggest that many hold the rope at first, and then as people get down to the bottom, they form a human pyramid up the wall. Eventually, when there are few people above, they can more easily drop down onto the backs of those below. Then, the pyramid disassembles, and everyone continues on.
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Post by Montresor »

[Many of those present were keen for Andrea to volunteer, some probably out of a perverse desire to see her take a fall. I made an opposed Command test between Garrius and Galen (Galen was in favour), and Galen won. Andrea is the first to climb a banner. Almost at the summit, Andrea would have taken a terrible fall, though I assumed the use of a Fate Point for a reroll and she was alright. A small cheer goes up from the growing crowd of onlookers, just noticeable above the commotion.

Quickly, Gabriel, Peraton, and some of Galen's retinue volunteer to help cut banners free. Though at some risk to themselves, noone takes a fall of more than a half dozen feet. In the meantime, Garrius questions the waiters from Deltael's staff. He just managed a success on an Inquiry roll and gleaned a small amount of information - Rumours of dissatisfaction with Deltael amongst the crew had been rife. Deltael had been becoming increasingly eccentric, domineering, and egotistical. Few are surprised that so many of his men could betray him, bribed or otherwise
]

Several banners dangle in a long makeshift rope, hanging into the black, metallic pit. Cool air slowly rises from the pit, uncontaminated by the haze above. A crowd of thirty people, including Heale and her retinue have gathered to watch the endeavour. By the slack in the rope, it appears the banner has been able to touch the base.

Galen whispers to Garrius and those close enough to him, 'how would you procceed? This crowd will tear the rope if they all rush down at once . . . and that's probably what they intend'.
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"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.

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