Edwell took his seat in the groundcar, hopeful that this ride would be less bumpy than his last. The Sardaukar driver would be taking them to the Sook, the marketplace of Arrakeen and where they would find the Water Sellers' Union and possibly some answers. Like much of Arrakis, the Sook was an area wrought with danger, so Edwell had enlisted the aid of some fellow delegates.

OOC: No threat cost thread for Edwell for Day 2.
Wearing his stillsuit beneath some robes.

Claudius decided to do a ride along in case there are any records to review. His still suit is under his tweed jacket, vest, and bow tie, and his cloak over the whole thing. It is surprisingly cool for so many layers.

To move deeper into the Sook, they would have to get out of the car. The alleys were too narrow, the crowd too thick. It looked like life recovered quickly after yesterday's pogrom, even if there was palpable anxiety permeating the putrid air in which no two smells could be told apart.

The howls of water sellers reverberated clangorously over the buzzing hum of all other commercial activity.

[Limited Visibility, Crowded, Overburdened Senses]

[2 Threat: Viral Anxiety]

From the crowd a lone figure approached the car, one that could be recognised by those who already had met her. She was wearing concealing robes over her stillsuit but her fremen-bleue eyes could not be mistaken.

It seems she waited for them to come out near an alleyway

Before exiting the car, Edwell addresses the occupants.

"To make sure we are all on the same page, Dorian and I were out in the streets this morning when we were attacked by what we could only assume are members of the Water Sellers' Union. The reason I am here instead of Dorian is because we want information, not retaliation. Something as small as an attempted assassination can be overlooked if the source of the transgression can provide some benefit. To that end, depending on how our conversation goes, I may leverage some information against them to force their cooperation. If you have a better plan or better cards to play once we get in there, feel free to step in. Any thoughts, concerns, questions?"

Cuyler had joined them, wanting to see more of the area. Like Edwell, she was also a capable investigator, in her own way.


- - -
Stillsuit on

Bomilcar is present, and listens to the man. Nodding, he responds. "Stay close. I'm watching."

[Trait for scene: Quietly Intense]
Stillsuit on
Ooc: don't know if I am doing that right]

Since no one had any questions, he carried on. "We have been told the Water Sellers' HQ is also a rather garish brothel. It shouldn't be too hard to find, unless our local guide has any information." Edwell looks towards Ahmina. "For those who haven't met her, this is Ahmina. She is on loan from the Count's services to provide a local perspective and insight on our mission."

Ahmina lowered he head when her name was spoken. They might still have been in the car but she recognised when she had been identified.

She was waiting for them to get out now.

The chaotic crowd outside awaited. The aforementioned place must have been located somewhere deeper into the Sook.

Exiting the car, Edwell walks up to Ahmina who had been patiently waiting outside. "Good to see you again Ahmina, I am glad to have your assistance. This is Mr. Claudius Reins, Ms. Cuyler Gray, and Mr. Bomilcar Thorvald." He introduced the others.

"Are you familiar with the Sook? We are looking for the brothel the Water Sellers' Union operates."

Cuyler followed along. She wasn't expecting a brothel.

Ahimina bowed her head once more

''I have some experiences navigating the sook sahid...I know where the building is.'' she pauses and looks at the crowd ''Though going through the side streets might be quicker and perhaps safer''

The side-streets were indeed darker and emptier. If one knew the way, they could save some crowd-compaction while pushing through.

"Lead the way and we shall follow." Edwell says to Ahmina while taking in his surroundings. He would take Bomilcar up on his offer and stay close.

[This shall be an extended task: you have to collect 15 successes to get to the target. The Difficulty is 1 per roll, but I raise it with 1 Threat on each roll to 2. Apply traits of the thread: Limited Visibility, Overburdened Senses, Viral Anxiety as difficulty raisers whenever it makes sense in the context of the roll. Remember that failures at 3 or more let you earn Advancement Points, which I think represents the learning curve of Arrakeening by Night.]

[Follow the structured time i.e. take turns as if you had rounds.]

[You can use any Skill/Focus/Drive combination that makes sense for passing those dark, dangerous streets. I am yielding some narrative control to you, so if you want to describe a quick brawl with a random opportunist and use Battle, that's cool. Normally though some Understand, Move, Discipline and Communicate may make more sense. What I'd like you to explore is to try out different Drives and their Statements to build some 'Arrakis identity' for your characters. I'll be hopping in with immersion posts.]

[I am collecting Complications from this. Their final count when your reach the brothel will determine... something. Range is 18-20.]

Cuyler asked around. She didn't expect a direct answer, but she watched for how people around her reacted. Did they turn a certain way? Did they walk off? What did their body language say? It might not tell her much, but it was a start.

- - -
[Day 2 - FMS] Death by Sook Sook, Asking around, but looking for reactions, Discipline/Truth, Limited Visibility, Observe, TN 16, Difficulty 3: 2#1d20 9 6
“What one wishes were true is seldom so.”

3 Successes (Not sure if Constantly Watching would apply or if Passive Scrutiny would add anything)

As they made their way through the side streets, some of the locals became suspicious of their presence there. Some questioned them, while others outright threatened. Edwell did his best to assuage their hostilities, but it seemed to no avail.
-----
FMS2, To The Brothel, Communicate 8 + Truth 7, Focus diplomacy, Viral Anxiety, TN 15: 2#1d20 1 17
Failed 2 successes vs 3 difficulty

Running total: 5 successes

Reins Discipline/Truth TN 15 Crit 7, Diff 4, +1 Threat for extra Die, (Limited Vis/Anxiety/composure): 3#1d20 11 3 11

Diff 4, 4 Succ
9 total
Reins does his best to help find the correct route, keeping his eyes peeled and his mind on the task despite the poor lighting and palpable anxiety pressing in from those around him.

Bomilcar stands between the group and toughs looking at them like targets. When one steps up to him and the group and throws a punch, the bodyguard turns his head back to face him. He wipes a bit of blood away from his lip.

"Fun," is all he says but the glare makes it obvious that it wasn't going to be fun for the man that hit him if they didn't back off.

So they did just that.

D2 FMS, Discipline + Justice, Focus: Resolve, TN 13, Crit 7: 2#1d20 4 17
2 successes
Total: 11 successes

As the guide Ahmina had more pressure to: 1) not lose them 2) not get too much bad attention. This was why she had chosen the side streets to begin with and she had her training to guide her. Furthermore she had been tasked by Liet and that brought a certainty that cut through the assault on her senses

Agile as a cat the young fremen nimbly dodged boxes, chickens, children and the occasional random rushing peon while not standing out in the bustle of the city for anyone except those who already knew to follow her

---
Navigating the Sook, Move (unobtrusive)+Faith Tn 15, nimble (diff-2), subtle step. -neg: limited visibility viral anxiety: 3#1d20 4 14 14

4 successes

total: 15

They had lost a lot of cultural immersion and had gained a gamut of distinct smells of human refuse of all kind by exploring side-passages, but in the end it worked out, and none seemed wiser for it.

Here, the shouts of water sellers were much louder, as they had fanned out from the place they now reached. It was a large, two-story affair, and if one made their ears focus on it, sultry giggles could be heard coming from somewhere within it.

The name was Desert Sipwell. Against the garish background of almost anything around, only peppered with things of greater worth, this place spoke of relative opulence.

They weren't stopped from entering, though what they saw within might have given them a stop.

It was an antechamber, but arranged like a resting lounge, with rugs and colourful cushions scattered around, heavy curtains barring off the noise of the steet, pinkish glowglobes hovering around in random places. Fresh water in a sealed flagon, a true luxury, stood on a table in the middle of the room. There was no certainty where the passage is, as the walls were covered with suggestive tapestries and panoplies of beaded strings. In addition, incense burners had something choking sweet in them that permeated the space with a thin shade of smoke. The room, the water, the passages - had a guard, who was being fanned by a scantly dressed woman.



"I am Emrys Jago!" The man said in reverberating baritone that possessed hard 'r's and very song-like vowels, akin to an arena announcer. "What brings you to the Selamlik!" It sounded like he couldn't intone a question; everything sounded like a selling pitch. In the light of this understanding, he just might be on the offer, given his impeccably pedicured muscles, oiled-up skin, provoking pose and a dastardly smile. But the kindjal at his hip suggested he was still more than that.

Ahmina bowed her head and moved behind the group of auditors as would be proper.

Edwell stepped forward and lowered his hood. "Unfortunately, we are here on business rather than pleasure today. We would like to speak with the representative for the Water Sellers' Union. I am told they are the proprietors of this establishment."

"You will speak to me, Emrys Jago!" The man replied with the previous cocktail of emphases. He was certainly one of those guys who liked the sound of their own name.