IC-Ep 1-Cold Pursuit(Everyone else)

[dustakr]

Spoiler:

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..."

[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.

Spoiler:

Story, Elizabeth, and Brook, 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).

[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,

Spoiler:

"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." Rolls: Egyptian(41) 36, Persuade,(15) 17

[yockenthwaite]

Elizabeth rolling History (stat 70%):

yockenthwaite rolled 1d100:
78

[jaysun81]

Spoiler:

History 55% - [1d100] = 29

[Grognardsw]

Aricus follows the crowds into the theatre to watch the play.

[Mr. Handy]

The guard returned Caelia's smile, though he looked uncertain. He also spoke in Egyptian.

Spoiler:

"And who seeks an audience with the great Queen Cleopatra?" he asked.

Spoiler:

Caella, if you tell him who you are, please roll Status.

Spoiler:

Story knew that Cleopatra had been staying in Rome as Julius Caesar'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 Marc Antony in his failed effort to take control of what was left of the Republic. Octavian, later known as Augustus Caesar, would prevail in the civil war that followed, defeating Antony and Cleopatra at Actium about twelve years from now. With their doom sealed, Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra tried to seduce Octavian, but he was immune to her charms, so she too famously killed herself with a venomous asp.

Spoiler:

Aricus, I'll move you over there once I'm ready to merge and split threads, hopefully this weekend.

[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."

[dustakr]

Spurius joins the group...while thinking of gathering more evidence from palace where Adelphus is now hiding..

[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."

Spoiler:

Psychology 90% - [1d100] = 3

[Mr. Handy]

"And your name, lovely lady?" the guard inquired of Caelia.

Spoiler:

Caelia, if you tell the guard your name, you should make the Status roll.

Spoiler:

Story could tell that the guard was devoted to his duty of protecting Cleopatra. 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 Caelia, and he clearly wanted to let her in, but he was torn between his feelings and his duty.

[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.

[yockenthwaite]

Elizabeth smiles and nods to the guard as Story says her name.

[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?"

Spoiler:

(70): roll 54

[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."

[Thorn]

Brook smiles at the guard, feeling excited about the possibility of seeing Cleopatra herself.

[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."

[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.

Spoiler:

Ritterton rolled 1d100:
89

[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.

[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.