Which task is, in fact, at hand.

Hooooooold on a second, when did it become common knowledge that Jovan avoids sunlight specifically and isn't just a super-paranoid recluse? Did I miss something?

Professors comment about allergies is what sparked Zo's response. Zo, doesn't know what specifically what your allergy is. Zo put an "if" in there for a reason, he is not really sure just that is the one that would make most sense to him. You can avoid the Soy Latte or <insert most other common allergies here>, the sun not so much. But again it is an intuitive guess on Zo's part. Also, being an Ork growing up in the barrens he knows more than a few metas that have similar issues with sunlight. IIRC Professor knows for sure because I recall him assensing you at some point.

Keep in mind I'm playing a street smart ork ganger. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Professor is an imperfect runner, not yet wholly paranoid and secrets-oriented. He will slip up on occasion and thereby potentially make life difficult for his crew, which of course will make life difficult for him.

There will be occasion for you to be pissed off at him. Hopefully not enough to shoot him in the face, though.

Oh, and this allows me to on occasion cover up my own mistakes by blaming them on him. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Void, in turn, is going on what Zo said, although he hasn't made any vampiric connections yet.

And Zo has not either. Many an ork has sunlight allergies. Zo himself doesn't like salt water.

Ok, I suppose I can accept that as a valid answer. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Glyph, give me a memory test for Void, please.

Here is Void's memory test.

*Edit* I am assuming 4 hits is enough, because it is a location he knows, from a dream just the night before. If it isn't, just let me know and I will edit Void's post in the IC thread.

Things to help me write my post:

Recognizing the snake theme in Uncle Zola's clothes as a magician's expression of a mentor archetype: Logic 6 + Magic Knowledge 5 + College Education 1 = 12d6 = 4 hits. So Jovan is presumably able to recognize that magicians, especially powerful magicians, are very into symbolism and meaning and would not decorate themselves with such themes out of mere fascination.
Searching for major magical archetypes (as a hermetic would call them) found in Voodoo tradition: Data Search 2 + Pocket Mage Library 2 = 14 hits in 8 rolls, which hopefully is enough. No glitches, thankfully.
Figuring out possible options and necessary components of each to deal with Uncle Zola: Logic 6 + Tactics 1 = 7d6 = 2 hits.
Remembering information about shedim: Logic 6 + Magic Knowledge 5 + College Education 1 = 12d6 = 4 hits. Not bad. Shame Jovan doesn't have a Magical Threats skill, though. That would go well with his interests.

Post will be coming later today.

@pbangarth:

There's a strong likelihood that Uncle Zola has the mentor spirit Damballa (Great Serpent). Lots of interest in new things, mysteries, problems to be solved. Bonuses to Binding and detection.

A powerful voodoo magician, if walking possessed, will be very difficult to hurt with mundane weapons.

Voodoo has CHA as one of the Drain attributes, so U.Z. is likely charismatic... and therefore may have multiple spirits at his command.

Professor was unable to astrally perceive U.Z.'s awakened nature, so U.Z. is probably experienced enough to have multiple metamagics.

Your post is fine. The intersection is one through which the team passed on the way back from the barrens with the trucks. Void's dream may just be a manifestation of a sighting that didn't register right away. "Resting" may have been in a vehicle on the way out.

Jovan definitely realized 2 and 4, but it is 1 and 3 that I was uncertain about. I think that hermetics view mentor spirits as just archetypes that magicians follow, rather than living spirits in and of themselves (am I remembering that correctly?). But are the characteristics of people who follow certain mentor spirits common knowledge among the magical community in the 6th world? I didn't know whether Jovan would know that U.Z. would be highly charismatic and interested in mysteries and hidden secrets just from figuring out the Damballah mentor spirit connection. This is for my own information as a roleplayer, btw.

I think a lot of info is available to those who study long enough. I figured Jovan fit that category.

Holy crap! Zo just turned into a dwarf! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

So should I feel shorted? Did Prof short circuit? Must be professors short memeory.... Problem with dwarves are their short commings...


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Roll to see whether Jovan senses something in ZO's Urban Brawl reference: Intuition 6 + Behavioral Probability 1 + College Education 1 - 2 arrogant nosferatu with a superiority complex = 6d6. Invisible Castle is down, so I rolled 6 dice and got 1 hit. I'm not sure whether that's enough... Poor ZO. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Too many games, too many things going on at home, and too little attention to detail. Sorry, Warlordtheft. I altered my post.

I'm desperately trying to keep my basement apartment from flooding as warm weather is trying to turn tons of snow into a torrent through my front door. Once I get some sleep I'll catch up on the conversation. You guys go ahead, though! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Yeah, I don't think one hit does much, Jovan. You do know he's talking sports-talk, though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

No worries. We'll keep going without you for now. I'm walking Jovan's talk and putting together an action plan in my spare time this weekend. Couple questions for you in the meantime while you're fighting off the floodwaters:

• Do we know from Orlando how strong the FAB in the walls of the Spaniard's apartment are?
• My feeling is that Jovan would be very keen on being the planner of our infiltration from afar and not be physically present for it, as he sees Uncle Zola as a significant threat to his anonymity and security (and if someone is already onto Zo and Void, then Jovan would also see himself as the team's intellectual ace in the hole that should be kept a secret from prying eyes). Assuming he sends a remote service spirit to assist them and everyone else is ok with this, would good Tactics and Plotting rolls and good planning on my part be able to give the rest of the team bonus dice on actions related to infiltrating the apartment?
• Is it possible to "calibrate" GloMoss to Void's personal background count, so that it only activates if it senses the presence of additional magic (like a possessing spirit) unrelated to his personal domain?

Orlando thinks it is "the best available."


Couldn't hurt. Problem is, if you want to use the spirit as your astral "eyes and ears", I think you would have to be within the control range based on your Magic. Otherwise the concept of remote service has little meaning.


Hmmm.... no.

Are folks waiting for something from me? Rattle my chain if you are.

I'm behind on work as always and my schedule is heating up substantially as midterms approach, which is why I have not returned to this yet. My apologies. The main obstacle I have been encountering in putting together a plan for the infiltration has been Void's quirks, to be honest. He's the best infiltrator we have on our team, and his ability to perceive small things is on par with ZO's and slightly less than Professor's, and his memorization ability is also quite high. That has suggested to me that he should go into the apartment with ZO and/or Professor to improve the group's awareness and help them get inside. However, his personal background count is problematic, because it would severely hamper ZO's combat abilities and Professor's perception and memorization abilities if he was inside the apartment with them, as well as drastically reduce the Force of any spirit Jovan sent remotely to accompany and support them. Moreover, if Void infiltrated the apartment by himself, he would be in a vulnerable position of isolation from the others - the anti-wireless wallpaper inside the apartment will block any commlink communication, and even if Jovan can sneak a spirit or watcher inside through the FAB (which I have currently have two ideas on how to do), Void's BGC would likely just disrupt it.

I'm going to give this some more thought and get back to you in a few days. Does anyone have feedback or know of options I've missed in the meantime?

I will keep Professor out of IC runs as much as possible. It's your show, guys, and he will be the fixer/info man. If the team really thinks they need him, then he will take part.

Forgot about the Viper coms, I thought we ditched those. Zo already got rid of the commlink he used last night.