"You both should end up working together more closely" (part 1) -- Marauder Moe

[Nyr]

Finally, one of the first logs from last year's spying antics.  A bit of setup:

Ella is one of the spies embedded in Tuluk.  She has managed to join the Bards of Poets' Circle.  She learns something at a meeting with her handler, Reon...

A Grassy Knoll
 A large, grassy knoll covered with pech grasses rises up in the center
of this quarter.  Smoke plumes can be seen wafting up from numerous small
huts, and two large wooden structures can be seen off towards the east.  At
the summit of the hill rests an ancient well that has collapsed in upon
itself.
A few small piles of sawdust are here.
A tall plant, smelling of citron, grows here.
A half-giant Tuluki soldier looms here in staunch silence.


A foreign presence contacts your mind.

The solid, brown-haired man sends you a telepathic message:
   "Busy?"


You suffer from use of the Way.
You contact the solid, brown-haired man with the Way.


You suffer from use of the Way.
You send a telepathic message to the solid, brown-haired man:
   "Not really."


The wind picks up some speed.


The solid, brown-haired man sends you a telepathic message:
   "I'd love to hear your music.  Come on by the Tooth, just past the bar."


You sense a foreign presence withdraw from your mind.


You dissolve the psychic link.

.......

Hope's Sojourn [N, E, S]
 A wide, dusty street winds its way past rows of large, brick
buildings.  Numerous granite stones have been set into the surface of the
street forming a smooth and somewhat irregular path.  Rising up from either
side of the road are large, brick buildings that have been erected seemingly
on top of each other.  Overlooking the street are large, circular holes that
have been carved into the sides of the majority of buildings to serve as
windows to the outside.  Sturdy, rugged flaps hang down from each of them to
shield against the often times harsh weather of the Northlands.  The common
buzz of daily life filters throughout the street, mingling with the
occasional whisper of wind to provide unique melody.                      
 Sounds of laughter and dining can be heard coming from the building on
the eastern side of the street.  
A tall stone frieze has been carved into the wall here, looming over the road.
The short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak is standing here.
An ashen-skinned, dusky-blonde haired girl trots along the street humming.
The veiny, smooth-skinned youth loiters beside the tavern entrance.
A scruffy, one-eyed Kuraci leans here, a tube clenched between his teeth.

The short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak looks up at you.

You look down at the short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak.
 Barely looking to have entered her teens, this human female before you
sports a head of unruly, dirty-blonde curls that fall about her face and
shoulders.  Slim, darker brows rest over deep, sapphire-hued eyes that in
turn frame her small, button nose.  Her cheekbones are well pronounced,
given the lack of fat to her cheeks themselves, before meeting with her
dainty jawline and sharply angled chin.  Thin and pale pink, her lips
occasionally part to give a glimpse at a full set of off white teeth.  A
scrawny neck connects to a narrow pair of shoulders before lowering into
long, thin arms and nimble-looking, callused hands.  With next to no extra
padding to speak of, she sports a barely noticable bust and a reed thin
stomach that connects to her boyish hips.  A little on the short side, her
legs are little more then twigs, showing little in the way of muscle
definition before ending in small feet.  While holding a dark tan similar to
most who live beneath Krath, her skin shows a good deal of scrapes, scars,
dirt and the odd bruise or two.  
The short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak is in excellent condition.

The short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak is using:
<neck>                   a blue and purple inked band
<across back>            a rough canvas backpack
<on torso>               a sandcloth halter
<on arms>                a pair of black-trimmed, green sandcloth sleeves
<hands>                  a tattoo of a six-pronged star
<as belt>                a gurth-buckled belt
<hung from belt>         a bone-hilted, carru-antler longknife
<hung from belt>         a bone-hilted, carru-antler longknife
<around body>            a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak
<on legs>                a set of carru-hide leggings
<on feet>                a pair of high black and green leather boots

She is carrying:
nothing obvious

Politely, in a soft tone, as she moves through the crowds, the short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak says to you, in sirihish:
   "Hi.."

Nodding with a small smile, you say to the short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak, in sirihish:
   "Hello."

The moustached, mulleted man has arrived from the east, reaching for his hood.

The moustached, mulleted man raises the hood of his hooded, hawk-scorched leather duster.

The figure in a hooded, hawk-scorched leather duster walks south.

Slowing a moment near the tavern entry to peek inside, the short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak says to you, in sirihish:
   "Been a dull week, hope it picks up for ya, if ya goin' in."

A foreign presence contacts your mind.

The solid, brown-haired man sends you a telepathic message:
   "The other "just past the bar."  Spice den."

The figure in a hooded, hawk-scorched leather duster has arrived from the south.


The figure in a hooded, hawk-scorched leather duster walks north.


You say to the short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak, in sirihish:
   "Oh?  Looks like a nice crowd."


You sense a foreign presence withdraw from your mind.


Starting to pad her way in, the short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak says to you, in sirihish:
   "Yeah, not much doin' in it though. Heh. His Light! May buy ya a drink later t'improve it some."


The night has begun.


The short figure in a hooded, darkly-stained sandcloth greatcloak walks east.


"The Tembo's Tooth" - Tavern [E, W, D, Quit]
 Smooth, sanded cylini planks have been laid across the floor of this
cramped room, their polished surface flickering in the lights of the candles.
Dark stains splatter the wooden floor at odd intervals, disrupting the
otherwise smooth contour of the wood with slight warps and bends.  A curved
bar, formed from what appears to have once been highly polished agafari wood
extends from the northern wall.  Spaced around it are several bare, ascetic
wooden barstools.  A sturdy trapdoor has been set in the floor behind the
bar.  Several rows of shelves have been inset into the wall behind the bar
and contain a variety of local ales and liquor.  Willowy, vine-like plants
drape from rounded clay bowls, the gloss of their leaves reflecting the dim
light of the candles spaced around the room.  Rows of booths line the
northern and southern walls while the center of the room is occupied by
two rounded tables.
The Tuluk bulletin board is here propped up on a stand.
The brawny russet-skinned dwarf is sitting at a curved, agafari bar.
The reddish-blond, slender man is sitting at a curved, agafari bar.
The trim, wiry young man is sitting at a curved, agafari bar.
The bulky, obsidian haired man is sitting at a curved, agafari bar.
The lithe, henna-haired woman is sitting at a curved, agafari bar.
The lanky, jade-eyed youth lounges at the bar.
The ancient, tremulous man sits at a far table, chatting to some youngsters.
Leaning against one wall, a curly-haired man keeps an eye on the tavern.
The black-bearded, heavyset man leans against the bar, frowning.
Sitting at a booth, the rangy, iron-haired woman converses with some hunters.
The robust, head-shaven man stands patiently behind the bar.
The toned, ruby-red half-giant sits cross-legged beside the bar.


The lithe, henna-haired woman stands up from a curved, agafari bar.


The lithe, henna-haired woman walks west.


The solid, tanned woman glances back outside briefly, then shrugs to herself.


At a curved, agafari bar, the trim, wiry young man speaks, grimacing slightly.


e (wandering through the tavern)
"The Tembo's Tooth" - Spice Den [N, E, S, W, Quit]
 A haze of sweet-smelling spice dominates this circular chamber,
tantalizing your senses with its seductive allure.  The room has been
fashioned into a large circle, set halfway within the grasp of the hard
packed earth.  The walls are lined with long baobab planks, stained a rich,
earthen hue that add to the relaxing atmosphere of the den.  A line of
plush, silken pillows and stuffed mattresses have been strewn about the
entire room, providing welcome arms to any that would enjoy their purchase
immediately.  
 A wooden ramp, covered in thick rugs of woven cloth, leads to an
impressive circle of raised stone in the center of the room.  In the middle
of the circle stands a small area for a merchant to conduct their business
from several stations about the stand.  
 Along the walls lay several dim, oil lamps marking the path along the
ramp that leads up and out of the den.  A small stage curves along the
northeastern wall, a polished agafari pole affixed in the middle of it.  
A multi-ringed dartboard hangs on the wall.
The solid, brown-haired man is standing here.
Back straight, the hard-eyed man keeps an eye on the tavern.
The well-kept, silver-haired woman stands at the center of the circular bar.
The husky, unkempt half-giant leans lazily against the doorway.
A grim dwarf with bloodshot eyes stands near the stage, arms over his chest.


Taking a seat with a yawn, the solid, brown-haired man sits at a small, polished wooden bar.


You look down at the solid, brown-haired man.
Of an average height for a human, this middle-aged man's appearance can
best be summed up by one word:  solid.  His light skin hints at something
sturdy beneath it, though it is difficult to tell at a glance whether  that
might be muscle or fat.  Scars mar his skin here and there, with more of
them showing up near his callused hands.  Agafari-brown hair might spill
down past his shoulders were it not bound up tightly with leather.  His eyes
of pale green peek out from beneath craggy, thick eyebrows to situate
themselves on either side of a bold and slightly bulbous nose.  A squared
jaw and thin lips finish out the rest of his features.  
The solid, brown-haired man is in excellent condition.

The solid, brown-haired man is using:
<in right ear>           a red feather earring
<around neck>            a white, tembo-hide gorget
<across back>            a sturdy white tembo-hide shield
<on torso>               a white, sturdy tembo-hide vest
<left shoulder>          a pale, faint-looking scar
<around right wrist>     a white, tembo-hide bracer
<around left wrist>      a white, tembo-hide bracer
<hands>                  a tattoo of a six-pronged star
<secondary hand>         a red-striped granite tankard
<as belt>                a supple grey leather swordbelt
<hung from belt>         an ivory-hilted, bone broadsword
<around body>            a white linen greatcloak
<on legs>                a pair of white, tembo-hide leggings
<around right ankle>     a red and black stone anklet
<on feet>                a pair of white, tembo-hide boots

He is carrying:
nothing obvious


You sit at a small, polished wooden bar.


At your seat, you say in sirihish, with a friendly smile:
   "Hello again.  It's been some while."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, holding up his red-striped granite tankard:
   "Ho there.  You get something to drink?  This shit's pretty good."


At your seat, you say in sirihish, shaking her head:
   "Not yet."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, grunting:
   "Ah.  Spice would be good, though, nah?"


At your seat, you say in sirihish:
   "That it would."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, passing his small cloth pouch over to you:
   "Here ya go--go buy yourself some spice or somethin'."


The solid, brown-haired man gives you his small cloth pouch.


In a small cloth pouch (carried) :
a few piles of allanaki coins


At your seat, you say in sirihish, grinning:
   "How nice!  I thought I might perform in the other room too, if you'd like to listen."


You get your pile of allanaki coins from your small cloth pouch.
There were 500 coins.
It is very light.


You open your rough canvas backpack.

You put your small cloth pouch into your rough canvas backpack.


You close your rough canvas backpack.


You give the well-kept, silver-haired woman 19 obsidian coins for a booklet of rolling papers.


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, bobbing his head to you:
   "Oh, sure.  That'd be swell, but I have a little I want to enjoy in here, away from the usual crew."


At your seat, you say in sirihish, nodding gently:
   "Alright."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, shaking his head after a moment's pause, swigging from his red-striped granite tankard:
   "So, performing.  You doin' that thing now?"

Assessively, the solid, brown-haired man looks at you.


At your seat, you say in sirihish, nodding eagerly:
   "I am."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, lifting a hand to point to your face:
   "Looks like ya got yourself a new bit of ink there.  Congratulations are in order, I think...?"


You give the well-kept, silver-haired woman 144 obsidian coins for a pinch of dark-red, golden-flecked spice.


At your seat, you say in sirihish, with a quick grin:
   "Thanks, yes.  Was a difficult audition, but I made it."


The lithe, henna-haired woman has arrived from the west, wandering through.


Smiling a greeting to you and the solid, brown-haired man, the lithe, henna-haired woman sits at a small, polished wooden bar.


You look at the lithe, henna-haired woman.
This woman has shoulder-length hair dyed a reddish brown and it frames a
rounded, softly accented face.  She watches the world from dark brown eyes,
framed by thick black brows and lashes and her nose is blunt above thinnish
lips.  Her caramel-hued skin is flecked with small scars and imperfections
and she has slight contours that tell of her femininity.  Her lithe physique
and lean limbs tell of an active lifestyle, and her hands have callus-tipped
fingers.  
The lithe, henna-haired woman is in excellent condition.

The lithe, henna-haired woman is using:
<in hair>                some pink flowers
<on face>                smudged kohl eyeliner
<neck>                   a blue and purple inked band
<across back>            a blue silk backpack with purple lily embroidery
<on torso>               a loose-cut white linen blouse
<around right wrist>     a wood-clasped charm bracelet
<around left wrist>      a wood and amber bracelet
<hands>                  a tattoo of a six-pronged star
<on left index finger>   a rose-carved wooden ring
<as belt>                a finely-embroidered jade sash
<around body>            a hooded, amber-fringed leather shoulder cape
<on legs>                a pair of loose-fitting, dark green silk leggings
<right ankle>            a tattoo of three orange triangles
<on feet>                a pair of black linen slippers

She is carrying:
nothing obvious


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish:
   "Evening."

At your seat, you say in sirihish, smiling at the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "Hey Alize."

[Nyr]

With a warm smile, the lithe, henna-haired woman looks at you.


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, glancing between the lithe, henna-haired woman and you:
   "Oh--well, hello there!"


At your seat, you say in sirihish, to the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "I was thinking about going out there to play a song.  What do you think?"


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish:
   "How are you Ella? It's been a while. And why not?"


The solid, brown-haired man looks at the lithe, henna-haired woman.


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish, looking between you and the solid, brown-haired man:
   "Perhaps ask them if they want one? What do you think?"


The lithe, henna-haired woman looks at the solid, brown-haired man.


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, shrugging his shoulders:
   "Oh, I'd be happy to listen to one, though I have a few things I was hoping to run by you two lovely bards."


At your seat, you say in sirihish, shrugging:
   "I was just going to play."


Somebody drops a glass of mead.


At your seat, you say in sirihish, looking to the solid, brown-haired man:
   "Oh?"


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish:
   "Hmm, well. You could try that too!"


The lithe, henna-haired woman looks to the solid, brown-haired man with amiable enquiry.

At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, nodding back to you, nursing his red-striped granite tankard:
   "Yes.  Good to see you've met.  There was this Irofel bard I was trying to place and figure out...but Krath if I couldn't remember the name."


The solid, brown-haired man drinks spiced-mead from his red-striped granite tankard.


You are a little thirsty.


At your seat, you say in sirihish, nodding:
   "Certainly we know a few."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, licking his lips for a moment:
   "Does the name Adaren Irofel mean anything to either of you?"


The solid, tanned woman pauses a moment, shakes her head, then looks to the lithe, henna-haired woman.


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish, lips twisting to the side musingly a moment:
   "Hmm, yes. The name sounds familiar I think."


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish:
   "I've heard it in passing."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, nodding slightly to the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "Well, maybe you can enlighten your bardic sister right there on the matter."


The solid, tanned woman looks at the lithe, henna-haired woman curiously.


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, clearing his throat, lowering his voice a trifle:
   "It's quite interesting that both of you've become apprentices of the Bardic Circles.  Congratulations are in order, of course."


You are a little thirsty.


A stoic, broad-shouldered man has arrived from the east.


The muscular, jade-eyed soldier has arrived from the east.


A stoic, broad-shouldered man runs west.


The muscular, jade-eyed soldier walks west.


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish, smiling to the solid, brown-haired man:
   "My thanks, I look forward to working with Ella actually. We always just seem to meet in passing."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, as he eases his elbows against a small, polished wooden bar, propping up his chin:
   "Well, you both should end up working together more closely.  While two different Circles might not interact on a regular basis..."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, glancing pointedly to you:
   "...they certainly will work together from time to time, on important projects."


At your seat, you say in sirihish, chuckling:
   "I'd certainly like that.  Mostly I think we just have bad timing."


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish, bobbing a nod, brown eyes bright:
   "We'll form a troupe!"


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, cracking a grin at you:
   "Timing is everything."


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish, almost cheekily to the solid, brown-haired man:
   "And then who will get the credit when we're famous?!"


At your seat, you say in sirihish, nodding eagerly at the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "Right!  Like we talked about after that party some months back."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, peering at the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "Well, I suppose ol' Reon here will.  Because I'm a very good identifier of bardic talent, I am."


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish:
   "You see? Taking the credit already!"


The solid, brown-haired man stops using his red-striped granite tankard.


The lithe, henna-haired woman smiles and tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear.


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, patting a small, polished wooden bar:
   "Look, I guard the Hlum.  I don't get to spend too much time away on my own to figure out bardic antics all of the while."


You are a little thirsty.


The solid, tanned woman chuckles.


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, smirking towards the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "I don't suppose you've heard anything particularly exciting lately?"


A foreign presence contacts your mind.


The image of the solid, brown-haired man wavers slightly in your mind.

At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish:
   "Well on a personal level my life is exciting."


You suffer from use of the Way.
You contact the solid, brown-haired man with the Way.


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish, her voice gentle:
   "If all goes well, Sun King willing, in a year's time i'll be Faithful Lord Talius's aide."


You suffer from use of the Way.
You send a telepathic message to the solid, brown-haired man:
   "Come again?  You've had a bit to drink I'm afraid."


The image of the solid, brown-haired man wavers slightly in your mind.


You suffer from use of the Way.


The solid, brown-haired man sends you a telepathic message:
   "Sorry...that...happens.  I was going to say...I assume this is quite clear?"


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish, smiling a touch whimsically:
   "Also, I have a mate now. Xen, Courier of Tenneshi and almost definitly going to be a Tenneshi aide soon."


You suffer from use of the Way.
You send a telepathic message to the solid, brown-haired man:
   "Of course."


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, smiling over to the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "Impressive."


At your seat, you say in sirihish, glancing at the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "You and Xen?"


You are a little thirsty.


You suffer from use of the Way.


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish, bobbing a nod between the solid, brown-haired man and you:
   "Yes, actually, the Chosen Lord is terribly generous to me, and has offered to talk to me about his vast knowledge of histories."


The solid, brown-haired man sends you a telepathic message:
   "Another bit of spice-payment will be coming your way.  I'd go take a little seat outside of the Sanctuary on that bench."


You sense a foreign presence withdraw from your mind.


At your seat, the solid, brown-haired man says in sirihish, curiously, peering intently at the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "Histories?  My, that's a quite fascinating subject...like what?"


You dissolve the psychic link.

At your seat, you say in sirihish, with a small smile:
   "If you two would excuse me?  I need to go get something to drink."


The solid, brown-haired man nods at you.


At your seat, the lithe, henna-haired woman says in sirihish, dipping a nod to you:
   "See you soon."


At your seat, you say in sirihish, smiling at the lithe, henna-haired woman:
   "Certainly!"


Nodding to the lithe, henna-haired woman and the solid, brown-haired man, you stand at a small, polished wooden bar.


You push away from a small, polished wooden bar.


.......


North Salt Road [N, S, W]
 Rows of pale stones form the backbone for this broad avenue, settled
into the ground with graceful fervor.  Decorating the edge of the street,
the buildings and storefronts are universally adorned with garish and tawdry
sculptures, bas reliefs, and murals.  The road is filled with a continual
throng of humans and demi-humans alike as they scurry about the bustle of
daily life.  
 The heavy traffic from the incoming trade splits here, dividing between
the north and off to the south.  A low-rising vacant pedestal, an elongated
oval shape, causes the crowds to pass around it.  A stone bench rests on
the eastern side of the intersection, out of the way and placed for viewing
the flow of pedestrians.
The tawny, blonde-haired woman strolls down the street, eyes bright.


The solid, tanned woman glances at a small white stone bench thoughtfully.


The tall figure in a scrub-camouflaged sandcloth duster has arrived from the west, riding a yellow sunback lizard.


You think:
   "I'll do a little practice."

A yellow sunback lizard walks north, carrying the tall figure in a scrub-camouflaged sandcloth duster on his back.


You sit on a small white stone bench.


You stop holding your light brown, leather instrument case.


You open your light brown, leather instrument case.


You get your simple wooden lute from your light brown, leather instrument case.
It is very light.


You hold your simple wooden lute.


Your new ldesc is:
The solid, tanned woman sits on a white stone bench here, practicing on her lute.


The solid, tanned woman plucks the strings and makes some adjusments to your simple wooden lute's tuning pegs.


The solid, tanned woman gently plays a few scales up and down the fretboard.

Carved of smooth white marble, this stone bench is patterned with
triangles and bas-relief curves.  Its size seems designed to hold two humans
comfortably or three with lesser ease.  Its feet are carved into clawed
feet, each securely grasping a ball of matching stone.  
You are sitting on it.
On a small white stone bench (here) :
a black snakeskin carrying pouch
a sprig of aromatic leaves
a spray of graceful white blossoms

You get your black snakeskin carrying pouch from a small white stone bench.
It is very light, and more than half full.

The burning sun rises high into the sky, searing the earth.
The scarlet face of Jihae rises, staring down from the sky.

You think:
   "Hmm, someone has left this behind."

You open your rough canvas backpack.

You put your black snakeskin carrying pouch into your rough canvas backpack.

You close your rough canvas backpack.

The solid, tanned woman goes back to practice, now strumming a breezy melody on your simple wooden lute.

You think:
   "Alright, now I'm -really- thirsty."

The solid, tanned woman lets the tune end.

You put your simple wooden lute into your light brown, leather instrument case.

You close your light brown, leather instrument case.

You hold your light brown, leather instrument case.

You stand up from a small white stone bench.

[Nyr]

The spies were given a contact that would be their handler, but even the contact went by a pseudonym.  After he met them and revealed himself (individually), he was known by his real name, Reon.  We picked "Hlum Guard" as the job he'd garnered, and as later logs will hopefully show...that turned out to be a really lucky pick for a cover job.  The money drop here was intended to keep funding Ella's "activities," and while I remember several of these drops, I'm not sure if all three spy PCs utilized the same method.  In this case, this would've been the first meeting between Ella and Alize in which they both were made aware (by use of another name, Adaren) that they were both on the same side.

I found it funny, really, that two of the spy PCs managed to become members of the Bards of Poets' Circle.  It could only have been better if they'd been in a play about there being Allanaki spies in Tuluk vanquished by the Forces of Good.

[Dresan]

I too find it really funny they managed to do all that and not get found out somehow. 


I'm glad to see these logs though and I would love to see the biographies of these spy characters if possible too.

[Cutthroat]

I like how the log starts on a grassy knoll, to make it clear there's a conspiracy going down... 

I like how the conversation makes it clear enough that they are working together to do something, but enigmatic enough to hide everyone's true intent, and hopefully reveal more of it with additional parts to the log. It seems like a log that will stand a lot stronger when all the parts are in, but I appreciate the effort to show how players were involved in a part of the game's history.

[KankWhisperer]

First rule about Secret Conspiracy Club: Don't think about Secret Conspiracy Club!
Second rule about Secret Conspiracy Club: Don't think about Secret Conspiracy Club!

[Booya]

My logs are all on our computer we can't get into at the moment. The fan's gone or something. I'll send them when I can!

Found them on backup drive. They're all a chronological mess but I'll try and get through them.

[Booya]

First rule about Secret Conspiracy Club: Don't think about Secret Conspiracy Club!
Second rule about Secret Conspiracy Club: Don't think about Secret Conspiracy Club!

Speaking for myself, I was very aware that it would be easy to play a pretty much flawlessly secret spy - but that wouldn't have been fair to other players, the story, and wouldn't have been half as exciting. It was a fine line between making it painfully obvious, and painfully obscure.

I had to balance ooc and ic knowledge - both mine and other players' - as well as juggling adrenalin and whatever else was going on. For example - in the scene above, if a Faithful (or other PC) had been watching in on that scene - ooc they would have noticed that a Hlum guard is in play. (*brrrrin brrrrin* curiosity alarm bells!). If they were a 'bender they might have noticed that Alize was busy making sure her 'mate' wasn't about to sneak/come in and start asking awkward questions...and so on.

I think that struck a more subtle, interesting balance than:

think Oooh, my secret handler has just wayed because I'm a spy for Allanak. I'd better wall up immediately between making sure blah blah blah...

[Dresan]

I don't know. If there happened to be a mindbender around I suspect they should have had an easy time figuring out what was going on, at the very least I think they should have. However, its just  lucky there were no mindbenders around in the entire city at the time I suppose.

I think the spies had one benefit going for them and that is the fact I doubt anyone playing in tuluk at the time expected something like that to happen. A lot of people from soldiers to jihaens were shocked that this occurred, in the same way people would be shocked at seeing a tank just rolling through the city. Its just something people didn't think possible for one reason or another so it would be very difficult to put one and one together. One of them also became a consort hulm noble too, right? I'm curious how this happened because I thought it was during the grey hunt that the winning person could chose a consort. During a ceremony, with templars present. I guess muk didn't show himself in this one.  Then again if it just happened later with no oversight or approval, its some more good luck.

At the end of the day considering how beneficial it was to the lirathan order, I'm kinda hoping to see log with oralia negean as doing a little cameo, laughing in the shadows say, 'Good, everything is going according to plan' before giving a classical evil laugh. Or a log showing how these character were clearly far more special/ talented/skilled/mystical  then most to have gotten that far.

I think the role play of these character was good though, I have nothing against the players who played these characters, and I am enjoying the logs and I am really hoping to see their bios. Its probably just the cynic in me when I think that most PCs would not be able to pull this off without the staff's approval and their utmost blessing. But these PCs did in the end so what do I know.  

[Nyr]

I don't know. If there happened to be a mindbender around I suspect they should have had an easy time figuring out what was going on, at the very least I think they should have. However, its just  lucky there were no mindbenders around in the entire city at the time I suppose.

Have you ever heard of the term 'security through obscurity?'  Don't look like something you need to target and you won't be targeted.  It doesn't always work, but there you have it.

These were spies.  They went in with a specific mission, but their primary purpose before being told their later goals was "avoid the notice of the templarate" and they were given specific instructions representing years of training.  As I said earlier, we expected at least one of them to get caught at some point, likely due to a screwup.  The whole point of being a spy is to avoid notice.  If you have a templar interrogating you, you are boned (I believe we went so far as to let each player know that if they ever got interrogated, they had essentially lost).  Again, spy operation, compartmentalization of activities, etc...a lot was taken from fictional and real world accounts of how such things would work.  For instance, as the plot and game progressed, each spy grew to know each other spy, so that was one more area of implication they could provide if they were ever interrogated...but they weren't, because they seemed normal, because they passed muster, etc. 

You don't investigate people that seem normal, do you?  Except...now, in Tuluk...you might.  Because of this.  This was also an intentional part of the plot--if the spies had been all captured/killed, we would've rolled with it and that would've made things amp up faster as far as Tuluki oppression PRIOR to the battle at Tyn Dashra...but that didn't happen, so we were able to utilize it later.  This will (probably) be harder in the future because of the notoriety of this particular case, but certainly not impossible.

Each one had specific instructions to initially observe and report. They had to blend in and escape notice.  And they did. 

I think the spies had one benefit going for them and that is the fact I doubt anyone playing in tuluk at the time expected something like that to happen. A lot of people from soldiers to jihaens were shocked that this occurred, in the same way people would be shocked at seeing a tank just rolling through the city. Its just something people didn't think possible for one reason or another so it would be very difficult to put one and one together.

Probably so.  We kept a tight lid on OOC secrecy regarding the plot, and we had the luxury of being able to pick from a lot of players people that were trustworthy (we could see their karma/notes and know that they'd do a great job if given a chance to do so).  We did stack the deck in that regard.  A normal PC that wants to set up a spy network isn't going to be able to review account notes and karma of people involved and might well pick someone that has notes to the effect of their past OOC coordination with roles.  We also staggered the entry of the spies and set them up to be autonomous precisely to prevent the kind of OOC sniffing that might occur around a plot like this--just in case people assumed "hmm, three people entering the game at the same time, must be that secret role call, I will watch them for OOC reasons and see what happens!"

One of them also because a consort hulm noble too, right? I'm curious how this happened because I thought it was during the grey hunt that the winning person could chose a consort. During a ceremony, with templars present. I gues muk didn't show himself in this one, like the last either.  Then again if it just happened later with no oversight or approval, its some more good luck.

Yes, that's exactly correct.  When the Hlum existed, as the Grey Hunt finished, a new Hlum noble was selected as the winner.  That noble could then either choose a consort that was also a commoner.  And that's what happened.  During a ceremony, with templars present.  And if anything had slipped, then the plot would've been boned, and then the Hlum get wiped out faster than we on staff planned.  I think we have a log of that.  FWIW, we didn't orchestrate that.  That was all PC action right there.

At the end of the day considering how beneficial it was to the lirathan order, I'm kinda hoping to see log with oralia negean as doing a little cameo, laughing in the shadows say, 'Good, everything is going according to plan' before giving a classical evil laugh. Or a log showing how these character were clearly far more special/ talented/skilled/mystical  then most to have gotten that far.

Nope.  All mundane with skills representing years of training.  And as far as "beneficial" is concerned, it really depends on how you look at it.  Short term, perhaps...maybe.  I mentioned somewhere else that any Zalanthan victory is a Pyrrhic one.

I think the role play of these character was good though, I have nothing against the players who played these characters, and I am enjoying the logs and I am really hoping to see their bios. Its probably just the cynic in me when I think that most PCs would not be able to pull this off without the staff's approval and their utmost blessing. But these PCs did in the end so what do I know. 

Yeah, I was about to say...ya'll some cynical people. 

If you want to do this, you absolutely can.  But you aren't going to roll up a PC right now, join the Legions, and say "I want to be a spy embedded in Allanak."  You would have to spend years IC working on everything, from learning about the culture of Allanak to passing as an Allanaki...etc.  The same goes for the opposite, or for being a Kuraci spy embedded in either city-state doing this or that.  The long game is what you'd have to go for, and that'd also depend on PC leaders willing to push for the long game and not short-term gains that are easier to realize.  There's the possibility of failure.  And yeah, you'd need staff willing to help (there are some things that would require staff assistance, probably not as much as you'd think though--just very basic stuff). 

Like I said, we accelerated the process of what could have been achieved IC, and not much more than that.

Spy stuff is one of my favorite things in the game if done correctly/played out well.  It relies on secrecy, not just IC, but OOC.  You have to pick the people IC that you can trust, and they have to have people they trust, and so on.  Any link in a chain can be corrupted, so you have to make sure there's a short chain or a set of trustworthy people, and then that's where you have the potential of OOC plot leakage. There's nothing worse than a plot ruined because someone blabbed to someone else (sometimes even in a well-meaning way) before it came to fruition.

Revealing these logs (as more come in/get posted) will show a few things, I hope:

• what was going on behind the scenes prior to and after the HRPT--like, what led up to it all, what these spies were doing, etc
• the kind of intrigue/plotty stuff that people sometimes hint at saying "happens all of the time" behind the scenes, but don't ever show it since they didn't have a log/etc (if you have logs of this stuff and it passes the rules of this subforum, please put in a request and I'll do my best to help facilitate posting after review)
• you can do this, too.  you might not be successful, you might die in the process...but with effort, skill, luck, and not blabbing to people about your OOC plans with the role (this part is pretty key!) you can absolutely be involved in this kind of thing.

[Dresan]

I understand what you are saying and it does makes for a more interesting and fun game. However, it does feel like in this case some of Tuluk's natural defenses against this sort of thing was overlooked in favor of providing a more enjoyable experience, namely the vnpc and npc templar presence. Again its fair what you said, the place is full of people, you can't expect to investigate everyone's history thoroughly if there was no reason back then, it makes sense.

On the same thought process, I should be able to make a character that slaughters people in the dead of night in the streets of tuluk. It wouldn't be hard to make them someone who had no reason to be investigated or just aren't really around to be investigated. Sure after several murders you might oocly ask me to stop and deduct karma because all i do is craft somewhere with my mind barrier all time and murder people but unless the PCs playing the game catch me and bring me in for questioning or specifically point them out my PC should get away with it. In no shape or form would you ever bring the virtual/npc world to life in order to assist the PCs in identifying my PC.

I hope this is the case because this seems like there is much more potential for fun. Perhaps the serial killer example is a bit too extreme. When you say i can do this too and I may or may not be caught, do you mean that the only way I get caught is if a PC and only a PC feels they have reason to suspect me just like those PCs did? The only reason I ask this is because if this isn't the case, then it feels like the entire thing is biased. And you are totally right this probably stems from a very old cynicism, probably older them me at this point and there was a term for it back in the day, 'THE IMMS EAT MY BRAINZ', I think?

Again I think the entire spy plot was really cool. I just hope the same curtsey they had in terms of difficulty in caught is extended to every PC attempting plots (and I'm not saying it hasn't been either, again just probably my own misguided cynicism in thinking otherwise). In which case playing muggers, murders and other criminals in tuluk should be as viable as anywhere else in the known as long as get sent to a jail cell in tuluk or be in a position to be suspected/questioned.  

[BadSkeelz]

These logs show you can play a bard and have drinks in the tavern. I'm still waiting to see "Exist under the nose of those best equipped and whose job it is to root this sort of thing out" part. Or even an acknowledgement that this character is a spy.

Maybe it's all just too subtle for me.

The fact that these people were communicating anything sensitive over the Way suggests they either had extra staff protections, somebody really dropped the ball or someone made a decision not to investigate. I like to think it was the last of the three.

In no shape or form would you ever bring the virtual/npc world to life in order to assist the PCs in identifying my PC.

I can say with certainty that this is a false statement.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

In no shape or form would you ever bring the virtual/npc world to life in order to assist the PCs in identifying my PC.

I can say with certainty that this is a false statement.

Nor should it be something that should happen. VNPC/NPC reactions and actions cover loopholes that PCs simply can't or aren't currently available to respond to. If no PC caught you waying to someone else that you were going to kill the God-King, and the IC world's laws indicate that with a near certainty someone would have caught that, then VNPC/NPC response is not only valid, but should be expected.

[BadSkeelz]

In no shape or form would you ever bring the virtual/npc world to life in order to assist the PCs in identifying my PC.

I can say with certainty that this is a false statement.

Nor should it be something that should happen. VNPC/NPC reactions and actions cover loopholes that PCs simply can't or aren't currently available to respond to. If no PC caught you waying to someone else that you were going to kill the God-King, and the IC world's laws indicate that with a near certainty someone would have caught that, then VNPC/NPC response is not only valid, but should be expected.

Whole-heartily agree. The world can be a lot more populated than it appears to be from just NPC positions.

This is dragging us off topic, though.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

This is dragging us off topic, though.

Oh, uh. Yeah. Cool, uh, log, dude. Cool log.

[Nyr]

I understand what you are saying and it does makes for a more interesting and fun game. However, it does feel like in this case some of Tuluk's natural defenses against this sort of thing was overlooked in favor of providing a more enjoyable experience, namely the vnpc and npc templar presence. Again its fair what you said, the place is full of people, you can't expect to investigate everyone's history thoroughly if there was no reason back then, it makes sense.

I don't think you understand what I am saying.  I think you are ascribing godlike powers or impassible barriers to entry for either city-state.  I think you are also assuming that the virtual world and NPC templars weren't taken into account.  Both assumptions are incorrect.  Given your restating of your cynicism I'm not sure why you would believe this but take it for what it is worth.

On the same thought process, I should be able to make a character that slaughters people in the dead of night in the streets of tuluk. It wouldn't be hard to make them someone who had no reason to be investigated or just aren't really around to be investigated. Sure after several murders you might oocly ask me to stop and deduct karma because all i do is craft somewhere with my mind barrier all time and murder people but unless the PCs playing the game catch me and bring me in for questioning or specifically point them out my PC should get away with it. In no shape or form would you ever bring the virtual/npc world to life in order to assist the PCs in identifying my PC.

This is not on the same thought process at all.  You're comparing a plot in which PCs were set off on their own and could have been caught, but weren't...to no plot, just hack and slash herpity derp.  This isn't even the first time a PC has been in a scenario masquerading as something else.  It has happened successfully two other times.  Both times, staff were involved in the process as it helps to flesh out the virtual world.  Both times, we set up rules for what would get them caught (virtually as well).  We absolutely would help assist in identifying your serial killer slasher that has no real plot behind it whatsoever.

I hope this is the case because this seems like there is much more potential for fun. Perhaps the serial killer example is a bit too extreme. When you say i can do this too and I may or may not be caught, do you mean that the only way I get caught is if a PC and only a PC feels they have reason to suspect me just like those PCs did? The only reason I ask this is because if this isn't the case, then it feels like the entire thing is biased. And you are totally right this probably stems from a very old cynicism, probably older them me at this point and there was a term for it back in the day, 'THE IMMS EAT MY BRAINZ', I think?

Yeah, your cynicism is bleeding through pretty strong at this point.

Again I think the entire spy plot was really cool. I just hope the same curtsey they had in terms of difficulty in caught is extended to every PC attempting plots (and I'm not saying it hasn't been either, again just probably my own misguided cynicism in thinking otherwise). In which case playing muggers, murders and other criminals in tuluk should be as viable as anywhere else in the known as long as get sent to a jail cell in tuluk or be in a position to be suspected/questioned. 

Like I said, I think you're far too cynical.

[Reiloth]

I definitely think it's your cynicism speaking, bro.

Work with the Staff, sending reports, asking questions, instigating 'plots' (Though I recommend you self-start/perpetuate most of them). You would be surprised what Staff pick up the ball on, and start fleshing out themselves.

Staff are people too, and seem to also want to start plots of their own. We refer to these commonly as 'railroad plots'. A railroad plot now and then is not only desired by Staff, but by Players too. I fail to follow your logic that it equals special treatment for Staff to also have fun with something and build up a plot from the ground up.

As i've grown, playing this game, I have realized the detriment to my PCs and the wrenches thrown into the plans have been some of the more fun experiences. From what Nyr is saying (IE: the Hlum possibly being found out sooner than Staff expected, and needing to roll with that), Staff seems good with improvising based on player interaction and conclusions with plots like these. It seems like this plot had a beginning idea (Spies from Allanak in Tuluk, for a specific reason), a middle (let's release the Spies into the wild and see what happens), a penultimate climax (Oh look, a couple of the Spies did something we didn't expect and joined the Circle), and the climax (Spy stuff happens).

It seems like a well rounded railroad plot to me. Just enough player interaction/decision to change what was planned, and the ultimate goal seemed (correct me if i'm wrong?) carried out.

[Nyr]

The fact that these people were communicating anything sensitive over the Way suggests they either had extra staff protections, somebody really dropped the ball or someone made a decision not to investigate. I like to think it was the last of the three.

Why not option four:  it wasn't as sensitive as you (the OOC observer knowing OOCly that everyone involved IS a spy that managed to do damage to Tuluk) think?

[HavokBlue]

I don't want to start a conversation about another plot or topic entirely,  but for those of you saying or thinking this couldn't be done by normal PCs, I very much challenge that point.

Like Nyr says, you can do it, but you will have to spend more time working at it. A former PC of mine involved in the fire and riots in Allanak a few years ago ended up in a position to play spy for both sides, with Allanaki Templars wanting to use him to infiltrate Tuluk, and Tuluki Templars wanting him to return to Allanak as part of their sekrits. Being a good Allanaki patriot (albeit a radical one who ate dead people and burned shit down), my PC played along with the northerners  and actually started taking lessons on Tuluki customs and etiquette, was given a new name, fake story, so on and so forth. If he hadn't met his end during an untimely jaunt back to the Labyrinth, I'd have had to put in a lot of effort to achieve big things, but they were achievable.

Have realistic expectations for the effort and time it will take to accomplish your goals and you'll enjoy things more.

[KankWhisperer]

I see it as a similar scenario to this.

You have a friendly basketball game at the company picnic. Team A has some fairly athletic but normal people. Team B has the same except a dominating world class center. Team A drives for layups and are rejected repeatedly because the guy is just too good. They can make some outside shots but the paint is his. Suddenly the boss of the company, seemingly no different athletically than the rest of Team A, comes off the bench and drives by the center for a layup. I don't think you'd have to be very cynical to wonder if the center let the Boss slip one past.

[Malken]

I genuinely wish to know how these spies have gotten around to surviving a certain PC, who, for years both IC and OOCly, has been known to be able to put an end to pretty much every crimes ranging from petty dissing of a Tuluki noble in private to other major plots without mercy, while these spies are able to survive for years without ever being discovered, not one of them? To me, they would have had to go around without thinking about what they do, without having their past known and without (no background mention of said past, reasoning for who/what they are, no current bio, etc..) "acting" as spies AT ALL until the precise moment they would all be ready to act together. How is that even possible? I think it's a fair question if you've posted the log.

This PC -was- known to be around during the time the spies were also around and I just don't understand how that PC would never have spied back/researched/observed these PCs when said PC was known to almost stalk pretty much every citizens of Tuluk - ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE MAJOR POSITION THAT ONE OF THE SPIES ACHIEVED - Talk about a major lack of background checking when said PC was also known to background check petty warrens pickpockets.

I'd like to know how it really all went down, otherwise it just sounds like that certain PC was told on an OOC level (there's no real way on an IC level that she would be told realistically speaking..) not to mingle with that plotline, otherwise it would be shot in the foot a day after it was even attempted, like so many other plots were ended by the same PC in the past.

I think many players just don't dare openly questioning the reality of this plot when in fact it would certainly teach many of us who never dared attempting something like that because of said PC mentioned being all-knowing about mostly everything and everyone. I understand that things may now be different, but it certainly wasn't during that plotline.

I also notice in the log that nobody thinks except some vague thoughts by one PC at the end.. Is that the trick to it all, no thinking..?

[BadSkeelz]

Maybe that PC just wasn't online when these PCs were?

Malken's questions are pretty much my questions about this. Tuluk has the reputation of nothing illicit being able to get past the Templarate, and yet this somehow did. I'd rather it come out that "yes, strings had to be pulled in an effort to create a better Tuluk" than success being achieved by something so meta as not using Thinks. The middle ground - that these characters really did succeed on their own skills and luck without any OOC protection - is just something I haven't seen proven yet.

On a related note, I think it's quite apropos that a thread about conspiracies is filling up with posts about conspiracies.

[Cutthroat]

Given that this is only part 1 of what is presumably a multi-part log about a really complicated plot, my guess is that some of these questions will be answered in future log submissions.

[Malken]

Maybe that PC just wasn't online when these PCs were?

Let's pretend that I haven't seen them together more than on one occasion, Tuluk is ICly and virtually full of PCs like that one like you mention on your second point.

Yeah, like Cutthroat says, maybe part two will show us that all the Faithful Ladies of Tuluk were in it and were planning to overthrow Muk Utep, which is why now there has been changes (I'd seriously buy that if it was the reason. Muk Utep might have been stringing them along because he's a major troll and was waiting for the big surprise party before popping the balloons!).

[Reiloth]

I think it's a little silly to jump to conclusions like that.

People are human (silly, I know), meaning they make mistakes, think things are unimportant when they are important, and basically fuck up sometimes.

I bet a lot of Tuluki Templars were putting their feet in their mouth after the last HRPT.