I really hope that was a Solitaire that mugged a Hobo for a coat and bowler hat xD
I'd even give him/her new best friend potential. Who doesn't like insane clowns, excuse me, insane murder clowns?
[X] The edge of the dance
[X] [WHAT] You had something else in mind... (Write-in.)
-[X] [WHAT] Try to spot the garish person and keep an eye on them subtly.
Well this has been a very entertaining quest, it's funny that usually in 40K Chaos is something players always have to keep wary of and be afraid. But in this quest, every time we come across Chaos they are the ones terrified of us, its very satisfying.
[X] The edge of the dance
[X] [WHAT] You had something else in mind... (Write-in.)
-[X] [WHAT] Try to spot the garish person and keep an eye on them subtly.
[X] The edge of the dance
[X] [WHAT] You had something else in mind... (Write-in.)
-[X] [WHAT] Try to spot the garish person and keep an eye on them subtly.
[X] The edge of the dance
[X] [WHAT] You had something else in mind... (Write-in.)
-[X] [WHAT] Try to spot the garish person and keep an eye on them subtly.
I am pretty convinced that was not a Harlequin: Not tall enough, humans are fully capable of extreme garish outfits, didn't react like we were scooping their soul out with a spoon,
Except Ari is noted to be rather tall herself, and Solitaires are Harlequins who have had their souls removed in order to play the part of She-Who-Thirsts in their troupe.
So, it is absolutely possible that we just... Befriended? Acquainted? Something-ed?... A Harlequin.
[X] The edge of the dance
[X] [WHAT] You had something else in mind... (Write-in.)
-[X] [WHAT] Try to spot the garish person and keep an eye on them subtly.
I suspect garish is a cultist who mistook us for a coconspirator. Even if he isn't he is interesting.
[X] The edge of the dance
[X] [WHAT] You had something else in mind... (Write-in.)
-[X] [WHAT] Try to spot the garish person and keep an eye on them subtly.
Except Ari is noted to be rather tall herself, and Solitaires are Harlequins who have had their souls removed in order to play the part of She-Who-Thirsts in their troupe.
So, it is absolutely possible that we just... Befriended? Acquainted? Something-ed?... A Harlequin.
I'm gonna rephrase what I said to be blunter: Meeting a Solitare is unreasonable, because it assumes that this person must be an Eldar instead of a weird human, in a place where we're dealing with a bunch of weird humans. Because like, that bifurcation, garish color scheme and such? That lines up with Slaaneshi worshipers being subtle. In this context a human heretic needs less assumptions because we know they're already here and a problem.
[X] The edge of the dance
[X] [WHAT] You had something else in mind... (Write-in.)
-[X] [WHAT] Try to spot the garish person and keep an eye on them subtly.
I suspect garish is a cultist who mistook us for a coconspirator. Even if he isn't he is interesting.
I'm gonna rephrase what I said to be blunter: Meeting a Solitare is unreasonable, because it assumes that this person must be an Eldar instead of a weird human, in a place where we're dealing with a bunch of weird humans.
Are you noticed? Rolling... - 20 (Time) + 20 (Obvious) - 20 (Misidentified) = No sign of anyone noticing you.
Are you identified? Rolling... - 20 (Time) - 20 (Costume) - 20 (Misidentified) = No sign of anyone identifying you.
Can you avoid a dance?: 49 - 40 (Charisma) + 20 Psychic Abomination + ??? = No, you can't.
Who offers? Rolling... = ???
Dancing: 67 + 20 (Dexterity) = 87 Well enough.
Small Talk: 39 - 100 (Charisma, Paranoid, Shy, Psychic Abomination) = -61 Being a Pariah is suffering.
Mind Your Manners: 53 + 20 (Composure) + 30 (Iron Will) - 61 (Suffering) = 42 Bare failure.
Fallout: Rolling... = ???
Overhear anything? Rolling... + 20 (Guile) - 40 (Not trying) - 20 (Stressed) = Nothing.
Where's Waldo? Rolling... + 10 Child of the Long Night - 30 (Very distracted) = ???
Random event: Rolling... = ???
Everything about the person you just met is incredibly suspect. They appeared out of nowhere to talk to you, they asked a bunch of very personal and extremely odd questions, and then they vanished the moment your back was turned. You're not going to let them slip away so easily.
If you can figure out where they are, which is easier said than done. You look about again, just in case you missed them the first time, but there's no clue as to where they went. You decide to head towards the dance. If they're dancing, they should be easy to spot.
You make your way through the clumps of chattering people that loosely surround the dance. The party's just started, but the dance is already well underway, and as you look at it you're struck by how surreal the situation is. People are swirling about each other, their steps (mostly) in time with the music. The air is full of bright fabrics swishing about and happy voices intermingling. Plumed beasts cavort with gilded gargoyles as saints gossip with dancing girls. It feels unreal, as if you're locked alone in a dark room, and all of this is merely a bizarre video you can't look away from... You're getting distracted. Head in the game. You blink a few times, and the strange fugue subsides.
You survey the dancers more critically. It's hard to pick out individuals in the dance, since everyone is constantly moving in between each other. Their vibrant colors and strange outfits would make them stand out in a normal crowd, but when they're all together the effect is so confusing it can be hard to figure out where one costume ends and another begins. Still, since you know what you're looking for, that simplifies things. "Would my lady honor me with a dance?" No sign of them. Maybe there's a better vantage point elsewhere. The balconies have a wider view, and if you can find someone familiar, you can ask if they've seen them.
"My lady?" You turn to see a man dressed up as a... tower of some kind? Is all of that real stone? How on Terra is he standing upright? He's looking at you expectantly. Why...? Oh. Oh. You glance aside. A small cluster of people are watching you some distance away. His friends, presumably. Did they put him up to this? Your skin prickles. They don't know who you are.
"Of course," you say.
He offers his hand, and you force yourself not to flinch from the contact. You've heard the saying "butterflies in your stomach" used to describe how you feel right now. You've never seen a butterfly, but they must be terrifying creatures. The man leads you onto the dance floor, and places his hands on you. The feeling makes you want to squirm. It's not that he's careless or aggressive. Quite the opposite; he seems almost tentative. Somehow, that's feels even more alien and intrusive.
You begin to dance, and you give quiet thanks for Claritus' foresight. You can't imagine how utterly awful this would be without practice. As it is, even with the dance steps memorized and practiced, trying to execute it while shutting out all the other distractions takes all your concentration.
"They must have paid very handsomely for the decor."
"Yes," you say abstractly, frantically trying to remember if this next song is a three-step or a four-step dance. Four-step? You'll have to ask Claritus what in Sanguinius' holy name "four-step" actually means. Step, turn, step, turn...
"Have you seen any of the attractions yet?" he asks.
"No," you say. Not for the first time, you wish you knew a polite way to tell someone to be quiet. You're trying to dance here, and he's distracting enough when he's not talking. Damn it, you almost forgot to step out and then back in again.
"I hear they have real xeno skulls on display. Teeth the side of your fist. Good thing we've got the Sisters and Marines to show them what for, eh?"
"Fascinating," you respond, ducking slightly to avoid an errant servo-skull, wobbling dangerously under an overloaded tray of drinks.
"Uh... so, do you think... You know the Inquisitor?"
Alarm bells go off in your head, and you very nearly stumble on the next step. Then you realize that last question isn't necessarily rhetorical. "Not personally," you hedge, while you try to figure out your options if he doesn't like that answer. You can't run or fight without causing a scene. Unless... Are you still being watched? Damn. His friends are keeping an eye on the two of you. You expected as much.
"Ahaha, yeah, of course not," he says. "He's kinda scary, am I right?"
So that was a question. Or he's pretending it was. Either way, why would he even bother asking you a question like that? Was he hoping you'd slip up and feed him information? Or maybe you're overthinking this, and he was just hoping you'd say something embarrassing. It wouldn't be the first time a bored good-for-nothing and their pals decided to have some fun at your expense. But wait, why would they pick you? They don't know who you are. Right?
"Yes. Why do you ask?" you say sharply.
"Ah, no reason," he says feebly. Funny. That's what they all say. For a brief moment, you feel an overwhelming urge to tell him to go play in the airlock. You bite your tongue so hard you nearly draw blood. Remember where you are. The temptation passes.
"I see," you say instead, and it's satisfying to see him flinch a little.
Thankfully, it seems he gets the message, and he's mercifully silent for the rest of the song, so you can devote your spare time to looking about for your quarry. But no luck. They're clearly not on the dance floor, and you can't see much of the rest of the room. You catch a few glimpses of color that might be them, but nothing clear enough to be sure.
You recognize a few people as you look about. The Inquisitor dances past, hands locked with someone even taller than he is. The Governor's praise seems to have been genuine, because he makes these moves look as easy and natural as walking. Iona slides past, not far behind, giving you a conspiratorial smile over her partner's shoulder. At least someone is having a good time here.
Eventually, there comes a brief interlude. Your dance partner gives you a little bow and thanks you for the honor, sounding as relieved as you feel. Maybe he was planning something, but lost his nerve...? Or maybe he was supposed to be a distraction. Either way, you are beyond caring at this point. You give a perfunctory response, and thank every Saint on Terra and Mars, it's over. You immediately turn and retreat to a safe distance from the dance, rubbing at your shoulder.
You resume your search in earnest, keeping a safe distance from the dance this time. Eventually you catch a glimpse of a their grinning mask on the upper balcony at the far end of the room... are they talking with someone? You waste no time in getting to the balconies, nearly running in your haste to catch them. But when you arrive, there's nobody there. Tonight is not off to a great start.
The time is 6:30 PM.
Where do you go? [] [WHERE] The center of the dance. (Not right now.) [] [WHERE] The edge of the dance. (Not right now.)
[X] [WHERE] The edge of the dance floor.
[X] [WHERE] The balconies.
[X] [WHERE] The refreshments table.
[X] [WHERE] One of the atriums.
-[X] [WHERE] The north atrium, where the Sisters are displaying their trophies of battle.
-[X] [WHERE] The west atrium, where a religious order is demonstrating their martial prowess.
-[X] [WHERE] The east atrium, where a carnival is providing a variety of entertainments.
What do you do?
[X] [WHAT] Find someone you recognize and talk with them.
-[X] [WHAT] (You may specify who you want to talk with.)
[X] [WHAT] Find someone you don't recognize, and talk with them.
-[X] [WHAT] (You may specify who you want to talk with.)
[X] [WHAT] Listen in on conversations.
-[X] [WHAT] (You may specify a desired target.)
[X] [WHAT] Watch the guests and see if you can identify anyone else. [] [WHAT] Try to get a dance. (Not right now.)
[X] [WHAT] Wander around the room and see what you can find.
[X] [WHAT] You had something else in mind... (Write-in.)
If you choose a specific target for any action, the difficulty of that action may increase.
I'm going to be so sad that a genuinely *rare* moment ends up not actually coming to anything because we followed up the crit-fail on their part with a flob of our own.
:<
[X] [WHAT] Listen in on conversations.
[X] [WHERE] One of the atriums.
-[X] [WHERE] The north atrium, where the Sisters are displaying their trophies of battle.
