Palatine Hill- Rome, Italia Morning - March 14, 44 BC
Adelphus vanished in the crowd partway up the Palatine Hill. His pursuers continued in the direction they had been last seen him run, but they had lost sight of him. The crowds were not much thinner here, though most of the people were heading towards the Forum rather than away from it, which made moving against the tide difficult.
OOC,Everyone, please roll Spot Hidden.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 5:38 am
by Ritterton
Artemis tried following the old man that was heading towards the Palatine Hill. Yet, the mass of people moving about quickly caused him to loose sight of the elder, and made it feel like he was walking upstream in a very strong river current. He felt that staying down in the Forum would at this point be a distraction, as Fortuna had already smiled upon him with his encounter of Senator Germanicus, who he had lost in the crowds. He looked about and tried to get his bearings and sense of direction.
The crowd continued to press against him as he pushed onward towards the Palatine Hill.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 3:35 pm
by aine
Celia Alba makes her way slowly towards Palatine Hill. The crowds are becoming bigger and more boisterous. She stops for a moment and looks about but sees only the hustle and bustle. She continues on.
Spot hidden,Fail - 85
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 6:10 pm
by Thorn
Spot hidden 45 % [dice]0[/dice]
Brook follows Story and Elisabeth, not quite sure where they're going, but not wanting to lose them in the crowd. She looks around as she walks hurriedly.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 8:09 pm
by dustakr
spot hidden,[dice]0[/dice]
Spurius heading towards palatine Hills, He thinks of getting hold of his horse as soon as he can manage to leave forum, a very crowded place now...
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 1:51 am
by jaysun81
FAIL,Rolled a [b]43[/b] (Spot Hidden 28%)[i] Invisible Castle appears to be down.[/i]
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 12:21 am
by Grognardsw
Aricus, ex-gladiator
Aricus rubs out his pulled muscle while looking about.
Elizabeth rolling Spot Hidden, stat 48% (aarrggh: Invisible Castle down!)
[dice]0[/dice]
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 3:47 am
by Mr. Handy
OOC,[b]Lucius[/b]'s Spot Hidden roll (61% skill) on Palatine Hill:
[dice]0[/dice]
Elizabeth Young,Looking up the hill, [b]Elizabeth[/b], could see no sign of [b]Adelphus[/b]. However, she did spot the other augur who had been with him at the gate of a palace high up the hill. The palace looked to have Egyptian-styled decorations, and two bare-chested Egyptian-looking guards stood just within the gate conversing with him. They opened the gate and allowed him to pass inside.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 5:45 pm
by yockenthwaite
"Look up there!" says Elizabeth urgently to Story and her fellow TARDIS travellers, pointing high up the hill. "Can you see that palace up there? The one that looks Egyptian? Remember the other fortune teller who was with the strange old man? I just saw him go inside that palace. The guards let him go straight through the gates."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:46 am
by jaysun81
Story looks in the direction that Elizabeth is pointing and say, "Egyptian you say? Let's take a look."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 11:11 am
by aine
Caelia Alba spots the strange old man and his two female companions pointing to something further up the hill. She follows them as they continue climbing and notices they are heading towards the Temple for the Egyptians. Caelia used to visit here as a young girl as part of her studies but she hasn't been back for a while.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 11:20 pm
by dustakr
OOC,Spurius returns to his outpost, reports in an old man he found at forum and willingness to investigate more about old man near Palatine Hills..he prepares himself for little voyage...gets his horse and weapons.. ready to leave outpost again towards palatine Hills...
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2015 5:22 am
by Mr. Handy
Story and his companions, rejoined by Lucius, soon arrived at a lavish guest palace. The gates were guarded by a pair of muscular, bare-chested Egyptian guards with odd curved swords at their belts, who were standing inside the gates on the palace grounds.
Caelia followed the Britannian party at a discreet distance, and she saw that their destination was not in fact the temple, but a nearby guest palace.
OOC,[b]Spurius[/b], it will take you some time to get to the outpost. In that time, you will likely lose track of the other people here, who seem to be on the track of something, and [b]Adelphus[/b]'s trail will have time to grow colder. You can still do it if you like. In that case, you'll need to wait until I'm ready to split and merge threads.
Caelia Alba,[b]Caella[/b] recognized the palace as the one where [b]Queen Cleopatra[/b] was staying as a guest of [b]Julius Caesar[/b].
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2015 4:32 pm
by Grognardsw
Spoiler:
OOC: To confirm, Aricus is in the Forum and not with the Palatine group?
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2015 9:12 pm
by dustakr
OOC,if I recognize old man as Adelphus, I can go on asking about him while walking towards palatine Hills.
I was thinking as I had only glimpse of him running past me..I may not even know what it was..I could roll spot hidden again or ask about an old man to passerby..then again I am new to investigating / coc / rping and still learning..
then I thought If its going to take that much time..why not get prepared, get some help, catch up at palatine hills.
[i] If its allowing Spurius to continue its course of action and get back into pursuit, he can wait else please suggest as he can walk towards palatine hills as others..[/i]
still not sure how to interact with other PC, cause I could recognize the faces but unaware if had any conversation with them before...
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2015 3:12 am
by Mr. Handy
OOC,[b]Aricus[/b], you can still be in the Forum if you like. You'll remain in the current thread until I'm ready to split and merge them. Please let me know what you're doing there, or, if you're going somewhere else, where you intend to go.
[b]Spurius[/b], you witnessed the scene in the Forum at the beginning of the adventure, in the previous thread, and you recognize the other people who are heading up the hill trying to find [b]Adelphus[/b] (whose name you know from the earlier conversation that you observed). You already failed your Spot Hidden roll here, so you don't get to roll again, but you do see how [b]Elizabeth[/b], who did see something, and her friends have reacted, and you see where they went. If you want to talk to other PCs, all you have to do is speak in character in your post and say whatever you want to say to them. Then they can respond as they see fit. If you want to ask random people on the hill if they've seen [b]Adelphus[/b], describing him to them, please roll Luck.
You could still go to your outpost to report what you've seen and try to get help. Now that you've seen someone go to the palace, you can find it again. Keep in mind that you'll want to be careful what you tell people about what you noticed about [b]Adelphus[/b]. While Romans do believe in magic, it's not something they see every day, and it may take some effort to convince people.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:59 am
by aine
Caelia Alba watches the party go to the door of the palace. They must be exalted guests indeed, she frowns; they don't look Egyptian at all, except the young girl, possibly. Unless she can think of an excuse to enter the palace too, her mini quest is at an end. And then she spots someone else who seems overly interested at what is happening at the palace gates; a man who seems fraught with indecision. Caelia walks towards Spurius and raises her hand to get his attention.
Mr. H Spurius,If Spurius doesn't want to head back to the outpost, Caelia may just catch him before he leaves...
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2015 11:49 pm
by jaysun81
Upon approaching the lavish guest palace Story looks at the bare-chested Egyptians and says, "Greetings my good fellow. We seek entrance into the palace in order to speak to the fortune teller who just entered mere moments ago."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 10:34 pm
by Grognardsw
Aricus, ex-gladiator
After walking off his pulled muscle Aricus tries to dismiss thoughts of the serpentine old man. Perhaps the gods are sending him a message, but the ex-gladiator isn't sure what it means. Will there be treachery in the arena tomorrow? He ponders this while getting back to his stroll of the forum.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 11:06 pm
by dustakr
OOC,I guess spurius will eventually decide to reach out post.. At least he knows where to look for Adolphus, now convincing fellow mates at cavalry won't be issue as I would mention of old men running towards palatine hills, scared of something and may want help. Please omit my last post of reaching to out post.. If it's not making any difference to my char's trail towards palatine hills.
"Yes,... "Spurius acknowledges back to Caelia Alba, "I wonder I have been fooled of some trickery by that fortune teller, I was almost convinced by Adolphus running away like this, as he hiding something."
"I strongly feel reporting that behavior to authorities at my out post, then again I also fear how sane I would feel after telling them what I saw..."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 6:12 am
by Mr. Handy
The guards looked Story and his companions over as they approached the gates. "Hail, friends!" one said to them. "I'm afraid we cannot let just anyone into Queen Cleopatra's palace. If you wait outside for the augur to leave, he could read your future at that time."
Caella and Spurius observed this exchange from a short distance away.
Aricus wandered through the crowds back in the Forum. There were entertainers here, singing, dancing, and juggling to the amusement of the crowds. Some of the people recognized him and stared admiringly, paritcularly the ladies. Gladiators were always popular with women. If any of the people had noticed the encounter with Adelphus earlier, they showed no sign of it. Some people were flowing to the Theater of Pompey nearby, where the fights were due to take place tomorrow. Today, though, a play was being presented, and Caesar and several Senators, including Germanicus, were in attendance.
OOC,[b]Story[/b], [b]Elizabeth[/b], and [b]Brook[/b], you may each roll History. Also, if you want to try to convince the guards to let you inside, please roll your choice of Persuade or Fast Talk (and also post what you says to try to convince the guards).
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:43 am
by aine
"Maybe you should investigate further first, so you have something solid to tell your superiors." Caelia suggests to Spurius with a smile. Her own curiousity is aroused now and she rather feels it would be easier with the soldier around. The strange party obviously aren't guests after all if they are being turned away from the palace. She decides to throw caution to the wind, and as her father had always said; 'You'll never learn anything if you stay on the path.' "Come with me and look official." She says to Spurius, and she walks up to the group outside the palace, smiles at them and then speaks to the guard in Egyptian,
Egyptian,[color=#0000BF]"I am the interpreter for these people, they have some very important news for Queen Cleopatra, may she live for ever, and her staff. It will go badly for you if the news is delayed. It may be better if you let us in.[/color]" Rolls: Egyptian(41) 36, Persuade,(15) 17
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 2:16 am
by yockenthwaite
Elizabeth rolling History (stat 70%):
[dice]0[/dice]
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 4:10 am
by jaysun81
HISTORY SUCCESS,[url=http://www.unseenservant.com/default.asp?do=showone&id=72629&macid=0]History 55% - [1d100] = 29[/url]
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:31 am
by Grognardsw
Aricus follows the crowds into the theatre to watch the play.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:37 am
by Mr. Handy
The guard returned Caelia's smile, though he looked uncertain. He also spoke in Egyptian.
Story/Elizabeth/Lucius/Brook/Caella,"And who seeks an audience with the great [b]Queen Cleopatra[/b]?" he asked.
[spoiler][b]Caella[/b], if you tell him who you are, please roll Status.[/spoiler]
Story,[b]Story[/b] knew that [b]Cleopatra[/b] had been staying in Rome as [b]Julius Caesar[/b]'s guest at this point in time, and that she was also his mistress. After his death on the Ides of March, she would later side with [b]Marc Antony[/b] in his failed effort to take control of what was left of the Republic. [b]Octavian[/b], later known as [b]Augustus Caesar[/b], would prevail in the civil war that followed, defeating [b]Antony[/b] and [b]Cleopatra[/b] at Actium about twelve years from now. With their doom sealed, [b]Antony[/b] committed suicide. [b]Cleopatra[/b] tried to seduce [b]Octavian[/b], but he was immune to her charms, so she too famously killed herself with a venomous asp.
OOC,[b]Aricus[/b], I'll move you over there once I'm ready to merge and split threads, hopefully this weekend.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2015 11:50 am
by aine
Caelia looks at the group for a moment, thinking hard of her journeys in Egypt before turning back to the guard, "Their names would mean nothing to you and are unimportant anyhow but they have come straight from Khmun, from the temple of Thoth." She turns and whispers to Story, "This good guard wants to know your names before he considers letting you in."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2015 8:51 pm
by dustakr
Spurius joins the group...while thinking of gathering more evidence from palace where Adelphus is now hiding..
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:48 am
by jaysun81
Story looks at Caelia momentarily as he attempts to quickly discern her intention before turning his attention back to the guard. "My name is Story." Gesturing towards his companions he continues, "Brook, Lucius, and Elizabeth."
"And your name, lovely lady?" the guard inquired of Caelia.
Caelia Alba,[b]Caelia[/b], if you tell the guard your name, you should make the Status roll.
Story,[b]Story[/b] could tell that the guard was devoted to his duty of protecting [b]Cleopatra[/b]. He did not regard the group as a threat, but rather as a potential annoyance to his queen, and he was uncertain whether or not to grant them entry. He was also quite taken by [b]Caelia[/b], and he clearly wanted to let her in, but he was torn between his feelings and his duty.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 3:29 am
by Ritterton
Artemis continued pushing upward towards the top of the Palatine Hill, against the crowds that seemed to be leaving the holy for the more mundane and secular pursuits below. The curved ramp was packed and he was growing tired of trying to find the way to move forward, but did so. People swirled out of the opening and he tried moving to some plot of land that didn't already have two or more bodies in it, and also provide him some location from which scan the crowd for anything familiar, or of interest. He felt that it might be worthwhile finding one of the many veteran run establishments for a meal.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 4:08 am
by yockenthwaite
Elizabeth smiles and nods to the guard as Story says her name.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 11:09 am
by aine
Caelia smiles back at the guard, "I'm Caelia Alba, daughter of Caelius Albus Graecus, the famous physician. I came here once to deliver a child for an ambassador's wife but I don't think you were here then. And no I'm not an official interpreter but I do speak Egyptian although not as well as you. Where about in Egypt are you from? I don't suppose this business will take very long." She turns to Story, wondering about his strange name, "Story, are you still keen to enter the palace and deliver the message?"
Status,(70): roll 54
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 4:18 pm
by jaysun81
Story looks at his companions then back to Caelia all the while curious about this supposed message. He narrows his eyes momentarily at her before smiling and saying, "Of course, of course."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 5:46 pm
by Thorn
Brook smiles at the guard, feeling excited about the possibility of seeing Cleopatra herself.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:34 am
by Mr. Handy
Artemis caught up with the group of people outside the palace gates, whom he recognized from the Forum.
The guard's smile widened. "Why did you not say so in the first place?" he asked. "I have never met you, but your reputation is golden here. You are known to be a friend of our people. Truly, the tales of your beauty do not do you justice! I am from Alexandria, home to the Great Library and the Great Lighthouse. I was not here when you delivered the ambassador's wife's baby. I came here more recently than that, with Queen Cleopatra's entourage. I'm sure she would be delighted to meet you and your friends!" He sent a messenger slave off to the palace at a run, and he and his fellow guard opened the gates and stood aside, gesturing to the winding path that traversed a garden towards a majestic palace with Egyptian decorations. "Welcome, visitors! Please, follow the path to the main building. If you go up the stairs and through the front entrance, then proceed straight ahead, it will take you to the antechamber outside the Queen's chamber. You may await her there. She has affairs of state to deal with, but they should not take her long. You will no doubt find the augur already within."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 7:30 am
by Ritterton
He watched as the group was greeted by the guard and noticed that most had no real clue that he had paused. They looked familiar, yes, earlier in the Forum they were about when the one went skirting off. I will just stay in the back, follow along, if nothing else, I can say I saw a Queen's audience room, there will be a story to share at the inn when I return for certain.
sneak 62,[dice]0[/dice]
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 11:32 am
by aine
"My favourite city! Alexandria is so beautiful and you are very lucky to live there. I spent a lot of time in the Great Library." Caelia flutters her eyes at the guard modestly, before gesturing to the others to enter. She nods briefly to Spurius and notices the insignia on his uniform; she smiles a little sadly and then enters the palace.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 6:42 am
by Mr. Handy
The guards were focused on Caelia, so they did not notice Artemis slipping in at the back of the group or merely assumed that he was part of her retinue. Once everyone had entered the palace grounds, the guards closed the gates behind them and stood at their post. Caelia, Lupus, Artemis, Spurius, Story, and his three companions proceeded down the path through the lush gardens, now out of earshot of the guards.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 2:48 pm
by aine
"I'm not sure why I did that. I hope you don't think me too presumptuous!" Says Caelia quietly to the others, as they walk slowly on. "We'll have to come up with something interesting but at least we are inside." She is impressed with the beautiful surroundings; it looks like there has been some new interior decorating recently in the latest style.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:23 am
by jaysun81
Story looks at Caelia and smiles, "Presumptuous? Being presumptuous is the spice of life." Looks around at his companions for a moment before continuing, "That said, things are quite spicy as you set a rather high bar for all of us." Running his right hand through his hair he exhales and says, "May the good Queen find it either plausible or entertaining."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:04 am
by dustakr
Spurius gets an odd smile on his face while listening to new visitor, Story. Spurius walks near Caelia, 'Is there anything bothering you, Miss?..' Spurius asks Caelia, 'since you are familiar with place, it's better to know of any danger inside palace.'
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 11:33 am
by aine
Caelia smiles at Spurius. "No, I know nothing of any dangers here as long as we are on our best behaviour around the Queen of course. Maybe you wouldn't mind being my bodyguard while we are here? It's a good excuse for your presence. My husband was a soldier just like you but he died a while ago, in battle." She says to everyone, "That one that you were following - does he present a danger to the Queen? Maybe you can alert her to that."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 8:53 am
by yockenthwaite
"Yes he may do," says Elizabeth, nodding in response to Caelia's question. "I didn't see him properly, but some of the others did. There is something very strange about him, which could be dangerous for Cleopatra. Yes that may be a good thing to mention to her."
As they walk she looks around her with interest, trying at the same time not to appear too overawed by her surroundings, and the thought of meeting Cleopatra.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 4:40 pm
by Thorn
Brook takes in the sights, grinning. Just to be able to see what these buildings were like inside was amazing. Most of them was little more than rubble in her own time. She catches herself humming a few bars of Walk like an Egyptian, then bites her lip, embarrassed.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 6:46 am
by Ritterton
Artemis is surprised that he is ushered in with the others. He smiled in amusement as the named Caelia used both her titles and her charms to keep the guard's attention. It was her distraction them that allowed him to move on in with them. Curiosity if nothing else was his guide. To see the fabled chambers of the Queen of Egypt would be something that would be of legend when he returned home. To actually glimpse the young queen who captured the heart of general of the senate, that would be even more remarkable. The grouping was bit reflective of Rome's reaches with accents being from places that Artemis did not recognize. He didn't even recognize the music the dark haired, young maiden was humming to herself in front of him. He continued to strain to listen to the conversation ahead of him between the physician's wife and one of the other travelers who were talking about someone the smaller group had been following and who could pose a threat to the queen. Especially with the size of the dark Nubian guards they had already encountered who were taller than Artemis by a good head or more.
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:33 am
by jaysun81
Story nods in agreement to Elizabeth's comment and says, "Quite right. There was something quite... foreign about the old man. I'm afraid he isn't what he appears to be." Upon hearing Brook hum the tune he looks at here and smiles before saying, "Your connection to home, even in the strangeness of the present... whatever present that may be, is soothing." Noting her embarrassment he turned his attention to Caelia. "So, I take it that like your father you are also a physician?"
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:59 pm
by aine
Caelia bows her head to Story, "I am. I often help my father but I am a physician in my own right. It is a somewhat difficult profession to pursue as a woman and it means I can't always use my skills to the full. But I enjoy learning; I traveled to Greece and Egypt to discover their medical theories and medicines too. I'm afraid the lure of seeing a bit of Egypt again has possibly led me astray here!" She laughs. "Are you from Rome? Or further afield?"
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 11:24 pm
by jaysun81
"We're from the temple of Thoth in Khmun." says Story with a wink. After a moment he smiles at Caelia and says, "We're from a great distance away, some of us much further than the other..." Gesturing from Lucius he continues, "Except for Lucius. He's closer to home than the rest of us." Having said that Story stoops down and smells a flower. Standing back up he looks at the group, "Some times you've got to stop and smell the roses."
Re: IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)
Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2015 6:26 am
by Mr. Handy
OOC,[b]Aricus[/b] is moving to the thread linked below:
