Traven & Aegis
Traven
Just spotted a fragment of a map that could point to an ancient vault. I’m sketching out the risks; maybe we can run the numbers together?
Aegis
Alright, hand me the fragment and the key points. I'll map out the risks, run the odds, and point out where we can afford to cut corners. No emotional detours, just data and a plan.
Traven
Here’s the shard, worn and cracked at the edges—just enough to read the faded symbols. The key points: north‑south line marks the old aqueduct, a crescent shape around the central mound, and the faint tally of six circles that line the western slope. Anything else you need to calculate?
Aegis
Got it. That’s enough to plot the coordinates and estimate the travel time. I’ll need the approximate size of the vault entrance and any known obstacles—water, debris, or patrol routes. Anything else we’ve missed?
Traven
Vault entrance is about twenty‑five feet wide, ten feet high. The slope on the west is steep, with loose rock that could shift. There's a shallow river that runs near the aqueduct—could flood at high tide. Patrols keep a watchful eye on the eastern ridge; they move in shifts, but their range is about a mile, so we can slip past at dusk if we move fast. Also, a few old stones at the bottom of the slope look like a crude trigger—might be a pressure plate. Anything else?
Aegis
We can run the numbers on a twenty‑minute window from dusk to dawn, factoring in the river’s tide schedule and the patrol shift cycle. A quick scan of the slope will give us the loose rock density; a small winch and a few reinforced ropes can handle a shift. The trigger stones suggest a pressure plate, so we need a lightweight, non‑metallic plate‑spreader—maybe a bamboo pole or a padded stick. Do we have a clear exit route in case the vault is booby‑trapped? Also, a satellite feed or drone could give us real‑time river flow. Once we nail those details, the math will be straightforward.
Traven
Exit is a back cave that opens into a ravine—about thirty feet from the vault, just past the eastern cliff face. We’ll take the north side of the ravine, climb the loose rock to a ledge, then down a narrow chute that leads straight to the riverbank. That’s our fallback if the vault’s a trap. I’ve got a small drone that can hover over the river; just give me a target coordinate and I’ll lock it in. That should give us the flow data on the fly. Anything else?