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Inactive Inquisition Quest: Mysteries of Brocante

CappenVarra

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so we're limited to devouring soulless automatons, e.g. infected human flesh?
 

baud

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RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
so we're limited to devouring soulless automatons, e.g. infected human flesh?

Well, you're limited to eating the tasteless food rations that are produced on Brocante.
Also the human infected by the virus stay, well, human, up until their death, they're not transforming into zombies. And I don't think the situation will devolve that badly you'd have to resort to cannibalism (or will it... :smug:)
 

Gondolin

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rQg4lRf.jpeg


https://imgur.com/gallery/pf1Bg2X
 

baud

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CPqwf93.jpg

Part 8: Back to Hubei

The drive back is quiet, you only see a few supply trucks on your wayt to Hubei, most likely bringing medicine to Hangul. You drive in silence, Electryos preparing the documents from the dispensary for transmission and Telemacus praying quietly under his breath. Though you join Telemacus for the litany of the Saints as the city come in sight, finishing just as you reached an entry checkpoint manned by a few bored militia. Like at the other checkpoints, they let you go after a cursory check of your papers. Inside the city, not much has changed, the same stillness of a city under strict lockdown. You quickly reach your temporary home at the Health and Mores department office, parking your car in the garage.

---

Once arrived, using the comm station at the offices of the department and your comm codes, you open a connection to Interogator Vince. The rough low-hive accent of Vince answers you, still recognizable despite the bad quality of the comm line.

"So, 'been busy so far? Here it's all fracked up, the last pack of cultist was hard as nail and Formose bought it. Died trying to save one of the goons we paid to help us."

"May he rest with the Emperor" you say softly.

"Too bad it was for nothin' in the end, we had to purge them, they saw too much. Heard too much. We can't risk the cult popping up again in a generation. And Alec's in bad shape, nearly got cut in two, but Clo said he'll live. So, how bad is it for you?"

You start your report "The ids you've provided us have worked really well so far, we've been able to move freely all around Wahun. We're back in Hubei after investigating the village where the virus first appeared and a dispensary in the same area. No sign of Chaotic corruption or Warp intrusion, as far as we could tell."

"I feel like there's going to be a but..." Vince sighs.

"...But we got a clue indicating the virus might not be a natural occurrence. Electryos noticed a sabotage in the pump of the village well, holes that could have been used to introduce the virus in the water supply, contaminating the villagers right during a local festival, so that it would spread in all the surrounding villages."

"Mh. I suppose you don't have any lead right now?"

"No", you admit, "but we have a few venues of investigation left to follow in Hubei."

"Good. In theory, there should be only a few cultists left, so you aren't needed right now back here in Villeneuve, though don't dally too much, Bossman want us off planet once we've finished them, especially if that virus ain't another warpy drek. Anything else?"

"We copied some of the paperwork from the dispensary, could you get someone to give them a look?"

"Maybe. It depends on what you're interested in."

"Well, there's a handful of medical documents on the infected of the dispensary, maybe Clo or Herbert could check if there's any signs that the illness is related to the Warp. So far it doesn't look like it, but those documents might contains clues on this. Neither of us has any idea on how to analyse this, so we rely on you for that."

"Well Herbert doesn't have any medical knowledge, so he's out and Clo's currently elbow-deep in Alec's guts, so she won't be able to work on it right now, but I think she'll have time to give it a look before tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, I'll send the documents. The Emperor protects."

"See you around, Balda." Vince concludes as you close the connection.

You turn to your acolytes, with Electryos already busying himself with a cogitator to send the documents and Telemacus looking at you.

"Well, we've got our job cut out for us. But we don't have much to work on right now." you say to him.

"We can still check the hospital or with the Magos. We might get more information on the virus this way, but I don't see how it will help us find the guilty party."

"We might learn where the virus is from. Also remember that patients transfer from the Hangul dispensary? It seemed suspect, why would they move comatose patients in the later stages of the illness, instead of the ones that just started showing symptoms? Was there any information on this from the dispensary's documents?"

"Well, I have the name of the administrator who authorized this, but not much else.", he answers, leafing through the paperwork. "He's called Basam Damdu, a local administrator, part of the Board of Mining Ressources, responsible of the healthcare on Brocante, among other things. He has an office in the main Administratorium of Hubei."

"If you want to investigate this transfer, we could start there." adds Electryos from his cogitator.

So where do you choose to continue your investigation:

[] Hubei Central Hospital, to ask the doctors about the virus.
[] Bio-magos Magos Zhou's lab, to ask if he knows anything.
[] Administratorium of Hubei, to ask a few questions to Basam Damdu on the patient transfer from Hangul
 
Last edited:

Baltika9

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[] Bio-magos Magos Zhou's lab, to ask if he knows anything.

Let's give this vote-counting program a shot, yeah?
 
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CappenVarra

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[X] Administratorium of Hubei, to ask a few questions to Basam Damdu on the patient transfer from Hangul
 

baud

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RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
Let's give this vote-counting program a shot, yeah?

Vote Tally : Inquisition Quest: Mysteries of Brocante | Page 5 | rpgcodex > ITZ happening [Posts: 108-112]
##### NetTally 3.1.0

[X] Bio-magos Magos Zhou's lab, to ask if he knows anything.
No. of Votes: 3
[X] Baltika9
[X] Endemic
[X] Gondolin

[X] Administratorium of Hubei, to ask a few questions to Basam Damdu on the patient transfer from Hangul
No. of Votes: 2
[X] CappenVarra
[X] Kalarion

Total No. of Voters: 5

It seems to be working. So I think I'll be locking this tomorrow.
 

Baltika9

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Flipping to:
[X] Administratorium of Hubei, to ask a few questions to Basam Damdu on the patient transfer from Hangul
 

baud

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RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
What's nice about the vote count program is that it's taking into account the flip flop:

Vote Tally : Inquisition Quest: Mysteries of Brocante | Page 5 | rpgcodex > ITZ happening [Posts: 109-116]
##### NetTally 3.1.0

[X] Administratorium of Hubei, to ask a few questions to Basam Damdu on the patient transfer from Hangul
No. of Votes: 4
[X] CappenVarra
[X] Azira
[X] Baltika9
[X] Kalarion

[X] Bio-magos Magos Zhou's lab, to ask if he knows anything.
No. of Votes: 2
[X] Gondolin
[X] Endemic


Total No. of Voters: 6


So locking the vote for the administratorium of Hubei
 

baud

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RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
1PiAWHU.png
Part 9: Administratum delving


You leave the office after a quick meal of packed rations (flavor of the day: moldy cardboard), before driving to the Administratum building where Basam Damdu's office is located. It's a low building, of recent construction (well, recent for the planet, so less than a century old), located toward the edge of the town, along the Liuxihe river that crosses the city. You reach it around the middle of the afternoon.

Using your Health and Mores credentials, you easily find a parking spot close to the entrance of the building. As you enter, you find the usual smell of Administratum offices, a rancid mix of dusty parchment, spilled ink and restlessness. Even if you were taught at the Schola alongside future Administratum clerks, it's not an environment you are overly familiar with, so you say to Telemacus:

"Can you take the lead on this one? At least until we can talk to Basam Damdu. You're more used to the pencil-pushers than myself, so you'll do a better job."

"I agree. But, since you're still in charge, do you prefer that we go fast or follow the rules?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we want to meet a high-ranking administrator, so if we follow the rules we'll have to make an official inquiry, fill some paperwork, get shuffled around the building, before we can meet him, so that'd take a few hours, especially since the place won't be fully staffed due to the pandemic. But we'd stay discreet at least, even if we'll leave a paper trail of our visit. Whereas going fast, we'll just grease a few palms, bypass a few clerks, not fill any paperwork and just go to his office as quickly as possible, which would take much less time, but might ruffle some feathers."

"Hmm..."

So how do you move?

[] Sedately, respecting the rules and filling the correct paperwork
[] Quickly, playing fast and loose with the rules

---

"The services for drugs distribution, hospitals allocation, doctor formation, nurse formation, surgeon formation, human resources, building management and Faith healing are closed due to the pandemic. All meeting are adjourned indefinitely. Paperwork treatment is slowed down, keep calm and praise the Emperor." The clerk manning the front desk drones as you approach. "Here is your AL-8C.c form of entry..."

---

"Members of the hallowed department of Health and Mores? I will need a recognizable token of your authority. Or three proof of sufficient devotion. Per person..."

---

"Meeting honored Ordinate Basam Damdu? To do that you'll have to fill the consecrated forms D-114 and X-8c.1 and complete the rite of background check of your persons on the holy Cogitator. Once this is done, you'll have to go through the Office of Appointment, down the hall, on your right..."

---

"Is your D-111 form completed and adorned with the appropriate stamps? And before meeting the administrator, the time control Cogitator need to be beseeched so that an appropriate meeting timeframe is allocated..."

---

"As you should know, all supplicants of an administrator must see a subordinate prior to the meeting, in order to prepare it, including the redaction of a memorandum of the points to discuss. Do you have the appropriate paperwork ready before we begin..."

---

At last, you enter the office of Basam Damdu. You can see the Liuxihe river through the arched windows, in front of which is seated a tall man, dressed in Administratum robes. You can see on his bald skull the bionic implant used to interface directly with cogitators, like the one Telemacus is sporting, though much less bulky, likely reflecting his high rank in the local hierarchy. Like most notables in the region, he's sporting a short mustache.

"Inspectors of the Departement of Health and Mores. How may I be of service, for the Emperor?" He says as a manner of welcome, even if the tone of his voice and the barely hidden sneer hint that he's not that interested in helping you.

"Administator Basam Damdu. We have a few questions regarding a transfer order you signed a few weeks ago." you begin.

"I am listening."

You start by taking out from your bag a copy of the transfer order, retrieved from the Hangul dispensary. "Fifteen days ago, paramedics driving four medicalized trucks arrived at the Hangul dispensary. They showed a transfer order for 80 patients of the dispensary, transfer order signed by you. One could question the wisdom of moving comatose patient, especially when the hospitals of the capital were nearing the breaking point. "

If the reception had been cold when you had entered the office, now it is glacial.

"Do not presume to challenge my judgement. The pandemic has been difficult enough to deal with and I have no need for muckrakers wasting my time."

This time the sneer is not even hidden and the contempt he has for you is obvious.

"Though the order is missing any information on where the patients should have been transferred too."

"This information is covered by medical privacy."

"So you ordered to move 80 patients and now you are refusing to tell us where they ended up?"

"Yes. Do not think I will hesitate to lodge a formal complaint for this."

"My duty is to the habitants of Brocante, to check if they are receiving the necessary medical attention from the Board of Mining Ressources. From your organisation, which seems now lacking."

"And the reach of your little department of noisy guttersnipes is limited by regulations, specifically the Villeneuve acts. And even if you could access this information, you'll have to go through the proper channels, not barge in my office like an uncultured swine and throw accusations left and right. Now leave my office, so that I can continue my work."

Do you:

[] Leave
[] He's hiding something, lock the door and interrogate him.
[] He's hiding something, knock him out and search his office.

Following the rules is basically the first part of this video, only with more skulls everywhere.


The choice of following the rules or not is for characterization and determining when you see Basam Damdu.

Basam Damdu is more or less copied (both physically and personality-wise) from the comic book character.

Also, Baltika9, the last part had some dialogue copied from one of your comments, I forgot to tell you.
 
Last edited:

Baltika9

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[X] Quickly, playing fast and loose with the rules

[X] He's hiding something, lock the door and interrogate him.

Pretty self-explanatory. We literally can't afford to spend time on his shit.
 

Endemic

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[X] Quickly, playing fast and loose with the rules

[X] He's hiding something, lock the door and interrogate him
 

baud

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RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
Guys, before you vote for interrogation, you realize it's likely it will turn violent, right?

Also what do you think of Basam Damdu?
 

Baltika9

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Obstructive prick, really. Or he might just be overworked and stressed the fuck out. If he knows something, he won't share more than he absolutely has to. If he doesn't, he'll still make us jump through hoops to tell us as much.

Nevill, your expertise is needed. And I just remembered that we were explicitly instructed not to go Full Retard on this investigation. Yeah, I should probably reconsider.
 

Gondolin

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Meh. I wanted more information before we braced this moron. Now we've tipped our hand.

[X] Quickly, playing fast and loose with the rules

[X] He's hiding something, lock the door and interrogate him.
 

Nevill

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Shadorwun: Hong Kong
"So, 'been busy so far? Here it's [a] all fracked up, the last pack of cultist was hard as nail and Formose bought it. Died trying to save one of the goons we paid to help us."
Electryos noticed a sabotage in the pump of the village well, holes that could have been used to introduce[d] the virus in the water supply
To do that you'll have to fill the consecrated forms D-114 and X-8c.1 and complete the rite of background check of your persons on the the holy Cogitator.

Also what do you think of Basam Damdu?
I think it isn't a coincidence that his name in an anagram for Adam Dumbas.

[x] Quickly, playing fast and loose with the rules

Nobody has time for this.

Nevill, your expertise is needed. And I just remembered that we were explicitly instructed not to go Full Retard on this investigation. Yeah, I should probably reconsider.
Too late? We have wasted our time on this lead. Either we shake him until something falls out, or we have to leave.

And the option to knock him out is not particularly more inconspicuous.

Maybe we can inject him with a virus and put him in the hospital once we find incriminating evidence. Burning on his job in the line of duty, can a servant of the Emperor wish for a more poetic end?

And what difference does it make if he enters a coma now or in a few more days?
whistle2.gif


*frees the space on a bookshelf for the "Codex leads an investigation" masterpiece*

[x] He's hiding something, lock the door and interrogate him.
 
Last edited:

baud

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RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
"So, 'been busy so far? Here it's [a] all fracked up, the last pack of cultist was hard as nail and Formose bought it. Died trying to save one of the goons we paid to help us."
Electryos noticed a sabotage in the pump of the village well, holes that could have been used to introduce[d] the virus in the water supply
To do that you'll have to fill the consecrated forms D-114 and X-8c.1 and complete the rite of background check of your persons on the the holy Cogitator.
Thank you.

Also what do you think of Basam Damdu?
I think it isn't a coincidence that his name in an anagram for Adam Dumbas.

Well, since I stole the name from a Belgian comic book (and not one that's full of puns), I think it's a coincidence, but nice find.


And surprising no-one, going fast and hitting Basam wins

Vote Tally : Inquisition Quest: Mysteries of Brocante | Page 5 | rpgcodex > ITZ happening [Posts: 119-126]
##### NetTally 3.1.0

[X] Quickly, playing fast and loose with the rules
[X] He's hiding something, lock the door and interrogate him.
No. of Votes: 5
[X] Baltika9
[X] Endemic
[X] Gondolin
[X] Kalarion
[x] Nevill

[X] Quickly, playing fast and loose with the rules
[X] He's hiding something, knock him out and search his office.
No. of Votes: 1
[X] Azira


Total No. of Voters: 6
 

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