IC-Ep 1-Walk Like an Egyptian(Titus Iunius Philo only)

[Mr. Handy]

Palatine Hill- Rome, Italia
Morning - March 14, 44 BC

Titus Iunius Philo could not hope to keep up with Adelphus, and he soon lost sight of him in the crowd. However, he had a pretty good idea where the man - if man he was - was going. He soon arrived at the guest palace where Queen Cleopatra was in residence. The gates were guarded by a pair of muscular, bare-chested Egyptian guards with those odd curved Egyptian swords at their belts. There was no sign of Adelphus, but if he had come here, he had a big enough headstart to have gotten inside long since.

Spoiler:

Titus, please roll Spot Hidden.

[CrackheadC.]

Titus, not wanting to walk up to the muscular - and more importantly armed - men with no plan took a look at his surroundings first to see if there was anything to help him. He didn't have much luck at it though.

Carrying arms in Rome was against the law, was it not? Though I suppose emissaries and important foreigners must get a special dispensation. Titus thought long and hard before his next move. If I simply ask to see Adelphus, they will say he is not there. If I lie and say I was called to see Cleopatra, or that I am an assistant to Adelphus that would put me at too much risk.

Spoiler:

Can Titus think of a legitimate reason to be there or call on Adelphus while he is there? Do Augurs have assistants/ is cleopatra looking for more augurs? My only idea at the moment is to parlay my earlier augury into a potential warning for Cleopatra, but such a warning might be seen as a threat or she might know already.... I'm just spitballing here. If there is no more information I could derive let me know and I'll pick a plan and go with it.

[Mr. Handy]

Spoiler:

The Egyptian soldiers are inside the gates, within the palace grounds. It would be illegal for them to take their swords out onto the streets, however.

You could always claim to be a colleague of Adelphus and say you are here to see him. From what you know of Adelphus, he works alone, though augurs have been known to take on apprentices (that's how you learn to be one). You're free to make up any story you like to try to gain entry. If you do that, please roll Persuade to try to convince the guards, though it will take some time.

[CrackheadC.]

"Gods be damned, I have to try at least," Titus thinks. The augur approaches the entrance to the guest palace, careful to stay out of the property itself and on the street.

"Ho there!" Titus attempts to get a guard's attention, he gives a customary (for Romans at least) salute. "A word, if you will?"
"I hope they speak Latin" flashes across his mind, Titus didn't even consider that the guards may not understand him.

Spoiler:

I'm not quite sure how a Roman would address a stranger. I threw in the Roman salute even if it is a bit apocryphal.

[Mr. Handy]

"Ave," replied one of the guards, who at least spoke some Latin. It made sense that he would if he were stationed here to interact with outsiders. "What is your business here?"

[CrackheadC.]

Relaxing a bit and speaking with confidence and certainty, Titus continues, "I was told to meet master Adelphus here should anything important come up. I used to assist him in his auguries before striking out on my own. I have seen something that I believe master Adelphus would help make sense of."

[Mr. Handy]

"Then enter, wise one," said the guard, opening the gate and stepping aside to allow Titus entry. "You will find Adelphus in the antechamber in the main building." He pointed down a winding path that traversed a garden towards a majestic palace with Egyptian decorations. "Up the stairs, through the front entrance, and keep going straight ahead. You can't miss it."

[Mr. Handy]

Spoiler:

Titus is moving to the thread linked below:

A Royal Audience