Remove ads

Mare Internum: An Exalted Quest

Reader mode
Honestly this update made my stomach drop. There's something so insidiously creepy about this kind of thing. I think this was a pretty excellent reveal.
 
zxzx24 said:
Are we even on our side?

It seems unwise to presume.

On the other hand this Poor sid. This is quite the embarrassing screw up.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
If we're a secret infiltrator into the Scarlet Empress' service, we're so good that we've successfully fooled ourselves, so I'm sure we'll be fine. XD

As for the Sid, Resplendent Destinies are very strong disguises, but Exalts and other powerful beings can occasionally see through them if they roll really well, or have very high end awareness charms. I'm sure it's a known problem. The straightforward solution is probably abandoning the destiny (if it's disposable, some are too important to give up) and making a new one, or switching to more conventional stealth instead of hiding in plain sight. Sidereals have some excellent stealth charms if they go that route.
 
Last edited:
Remove ads
The Proud Do Not Endure 51
  • Threadmarks
    • KreenWarrior said:
    [x] Insist that there is an infiltrator in your midst.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    "There should be thirty-nine, right? There were forty-one, two are dead," Fincher winces at this. "we have thirty nine. But we have forty."

    FINCHER: "There were always forty-two."

    ORISON: "That's what I made it as well."

    "No, you see, you only think you thought that, but... I don't know, I think your memories are being altered?"

    FINCHER: "Oh yeah? Then why aren't your memories altered?"

    "Maybe because of my enormous brain."

    FINCHER: "Boss, this is stupid. There were forty-two. I told you there were forty-two, think about it."

    You think about it.

    four incapacitated leaves me with thirty-eight able legion

    "Alright, I concede that my thoughts are also being affected. This is even more insidious than I expected. Maybe if I ask a few of the-"

    FINCHER: "No!" she slams her hand on the old kitchen counter, sending up a plume of dust. "Fucking enough of this. My people are tired, and cold, and hungry, and we do not need this shit." She advances on you, finger raised. "Do not say a fucking word about this bullshit to anyone. Stop talking to yourself. Stop talking to your fucking fingers. Stop being so fucking weird around people. They are having a hard enough time already."

    ORISON: "Hey, easy. We're all on edge, but-"

    FINCHER: "Just... fuck!" She throws up her hands in frustration. "I'll talk to the Paleans so you can all fuck off. Just sit still and don't eat any fucking paint."

    She storms out of the room without another word.

    Orison turns to you, eyebrows raised.

    ORISON: "I think you annoyed her."

    [ ] Do you believe me about the numbers?
    [ ] Maybe the infiltrator is manipulating her mood.
    [ ] I'm going to investigate.
    [ ] What's her problem?
    [ ] Should I apologise?
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] I'm going to investigate.
    -[X] Resolve to thank her at a later date.

    Weve got our smoking gun lets take advantage!
     
    The Proud Do Not Endure 52
  • Threadmarks
    • JustGazzer said:
    [X] Do you believe me about the numbers?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    "Do you believe me about the numbers?"

    The scalelord adopts the masterfully neutral expression of someone who works with temperamental demigods for a living and sometimes has to give them bad news.

    ORISON: "Lady, as much as I want to take to your perspective, I remember every one of those forty-two. I know their names, their backgrounds, their families, some of them. Half of them I've known for years. That's my job. It's the Talonlord's job too, at one level of remove. We remember how many there were. And, well, I can't expect you to know the group that well, being an outsider. Especially what with your, er, recent difficulties."

    INTEGRITY: He thinks you are compromised.

    SAGACITY: He is definitely right! You're acting completely irrationally!

    [ ] So what should I do?
    [ ] I still want to investigate.
    [ ] I've never seen Fincher like that.
    [ ] I'm just going to stay here and keep quiet.
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • It's fine if an amnesiac's reputation is tarnished slightly, if there's a potential threat here and we can uncover it.
     
    Last edited:
    The Proud Do Not Endure 53
  • Threadmarks
    • JustGazzer said:
    [X] I still want to investigate.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    "I still want to investigate."

    Orison doesn't make any overt movements, but his whole body shifts into a subtle tension, ready for action.

    ORISON: "I'm pretty sure the talon gave you an order. Even if you think that doesn't apply to you, it applies to me."

    He's standing between you and the door.

    "Are we going to fight about this?"

    He's a big man, and armoured too. There's strength in his movements, and confidence in his stance. He's been in a lot of fights, and won most of them.

    You are considering the best way to force your way past him when he answers.

    ORISON: "No, not my place. But I will get the talonlord. I don't really want to do that, because it's going to get ugly. Please reconsider."

    You are already decided though. Things are going to get ugly either way. But you have to know.

    Knocking out Orison will give you more time before Fincher realizes what you are doing.

    [ ] Incapacitate Orison.
    [ ] Just push past him.
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • I'm kind of surprised the protagonist missed the obvious argument before about why he perceived a change and the others didn't; he's Exalted and harder to affect.

    Then again, his knowledge does seem pretty patchy.

    As for the options in this vote, they're both bad. It's hard to say which is less bad.

    As far as figuring out who the Sidereal is, we might want to go back and look at which characters weren't around before the numbers changed but are now.
     
    Last edited:
    [X] "Alright, I won't go investigate." (Lie, immediately go investigate.)
    -[X] If that fails, incapacitate Orison.
     
    KreenWarrior said:
    Somehow I completely missed Fincher being a DB, good to know.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    She was mentioned explicitly to be a young DB when the MC first interacted with her and a couple of times since. She hasn't done anything openly supernatural, but she has exhibited an exceptional sense of smell on par with the MC's high-difficulty Awareness rolls and has also shown implicitly supernatural medical skills (she figured out a lot about your unusual internal physiology after a brief exterior examination with simple tools).

    She can do lots of other stuff, she just hasn't had a chance to show off yet.
     
    Last edited:
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top