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[Jimson]

“Hey everyone, we have a first timer”, so said some lady the first (and only) time I took the city bus to work.

I have been posting my intentions to try out GMing Eclipse Phase via PbP in the “Eclipse Phase RPG: Scouting for interest!” thread. So here we go.

Players will begin on Phelan’s Recourse (Saturn)

Eclipse Phase p.105
PHELAN’S RECOURSE
Phelan’s Recourse (usually just called "Phelan’s" by inhabitants) is the largest nomadic settlement in the system, with a population estimated around 250,000. Phelan’s is a swarm of some 10,000 small craft and tin can habitat modules that orbits Saturn along a highly elliptical path somewhat inclined to the plane of the ecliptic. The swarm’s orbit is calculated to maximize the number of encounters with near moons and stations, providing a six to eight hour window in which craft can leave the swarm for trade. Phelan’s Recourse passes through the rings once a month, allowing craft to resupply with water and volatiles.

Phelan’s accepts all comers. One could meet just about anyone here, from the government in exile of East Timor to Hasidim from Brooklyn. The core of the swarm is the Stills, a fusion-illuminated grain farm and distillery operated by an allegedly reformed gang of Irish travelers who conned their way off Earth a few weeks before the Fall and escaped to the outer system. The Stills produce Phelan’s Ma, the most sought-after whiskey in the system, and Phelan’s Da, possibly the worst beer ever made. Despite the Phelans’ protestations of legitimacy, the criminal element is heavily represented here. The swarm represents an important link in red and gray market supply chains.

I’m pretty flexible on characters, and as long as its by the normal creation rules I should be ok with it. A brief background/description of the character would be appreciated.

Umm…is there anything else I’m forgetting for the time being?

[Combat Mage]

I'd really like to have a try at this game.

I will put up a character during the next 2-3 days.

He will very likely have a Fury Morph, stem from a group of isolates and sympathize with the anarchists.

[crizh]

In progress

Some of this is shamelessly ripped off but apparently from sources that nobody at Posthuman has ever read so I should be safe....

The concept is an Argonaut spacer with a Tetrad mind who specializes in Programming and Nano-fabrication. She's a bit cracked and a wild individualist, she was killed coming from the outer system into Saturn and suffers from memory loss and severe mental alterations that occurred before she left the Kuiper Belt. She is an excellent Psycho-surgeon and dabbles a little in sculpture.

Markov

[ Spoiler ]

The probe slowly gathered speed as it began it's long journey. The exhaust from it's massive fusion engine was shrouded by a tail of streamers designed to reduce the probe's signature and to recycle the light the hot gases emitted as power for the probe's many on board systems.

For several days it barely seemed to move but as it dived below the plane of the ecliptic it rapidly shrank to a barely visible dot of light which also disappeared after a week or so when the main engine swung away from Markov. It continued to accelerate inexorably as it slowly curved back up towards Saturn.

Periodically big chunks of the converted proto-comet flaked off under the enormous stress and were quickly left behind in the darkness. Eventually it was pointed almost exactly at Saturn and the giant engine cuts out.

The universe seemed to hold it's breath for what seemed like an age whilst the speck in the dark grew to a spark and then a light and finally the familiar winking eye of the ringed giant. An inflection point is reached as Saturn's huge gravity takes hold and suddenly it is rushing towards the tiny lump of dark rock, filling the whole sky with terrifying rapidity.

In the blink of an eye it is over, a journey that began nearly two months previously, the Hill sphere is pierced and in under an hour Saturn is reached, the proto-comet surrenders to enormous tidal forces by splitting into two unequal parts. The larger slides past the former Deity in under ten seconds and is fired up out of the ecliptic like a baseball from a batting machine. The smaller piece ploughs through the upper atmosphere and bursts out the other side, glowing like a coal, into an orbit that will cause it to drift into one of the many coloured rings as so many millions of it's predecessors have done over the aeons.

Sensor-nets, tweaked by such an unnaturally fast object ploughing through the system, were swift to spot the emergency beacon that began broadcasting as the darkening cinder began to cool. Automated rescue bots performed a graceful slow motion ballet for over an hour.

Eventually the lump of cometary rock was dragged aboard an atmospheric skimmer and medical personnel began to examine this strange visitor. Some tiny change, perhaps atmosphere or temperature triggers a tiny sensor. The rock starts to boil and steam, tiny streams of dust flow from newly apparent cracks in it's surface as nanites dissect it from within to reveal some sort of exotic survival bubble.

Medics cautiously approach, querying medical sensors whose interfaces start to appear in the mesh. An iris opens and the arm and shoulder, dripping with acceleration gel, of a vac-suit flop into view. A head rises and the arm opens the suit's visor to reveal a red-haired human female.

'G'day mates, name's Rebel, I don't feel too good.'

And then she died.

Rebel

[ Spoiler ]

Her memory was badly damaged and the emergency pod had little useful data. The best the Plurality could determine she was hitching a lift on an unusual proto-comet being shipped in-system for research. AGI modelling suggested that combined failures of both navigation and propulsion could have caused the strap on booster to drive the comet through the wrong system at twice it's intended speed. No definite conclusions could be reached and a week later what appeared to be a catastrophic engine failure tore the remains of the proto-comet to pieces.

Her morph spent a month in the tank and her Ego spent a month in and out of an old busted up clank working off her debt to the Plurality.

Rebel Elizabeth Mudlark was apparently a crackerjack Wet-programmer and a wizard at programming nano-fabricators so she did not have any trouble building up a decent Rep but all her skills were worthless in recovering the massive chunks of her identity she had lost. She knew her name and knew that she was a spacer that grew up in the Kuiper Belt but nothing else, not even fragments.

She combed through her own Ego with all the Psychosurgical tools at her disposal and came up blank. The memories weren't damaged, they were just gone.

She did learn a lot about herself though. Her neural tree had been altered by someone even more skilled than herself. Her mental make-up was unique, her mind fragmented into four parts, a Tetrad, four distinct personalities each with their own voice and awareness but all part of the same whole. She could see vague shapes in her mental structures that meant something but she didn't know what. She did know that she was blocked from altering them, in fact she seemed to be unusually resistant to divergence. None of her forks ever displayed any desire to change it's core personality. They got twitchy after four hours without a merge and after a week they were verging on mono-mania.

Whenever her mind wandered her hands were busy making little knick-knacks. She sculpted all sorts of strange stuff which almost always folded or twisted or opened to reveal some sort of useful tool or piece of equipment. Sometimes they didn't do anything until three or four were slotted together in the correct configuration and then suddenly they merged to form some highly complex device.

She has a theory that she has forgotten many things about psychosurgery and nano-fabrication but that the skills remain somehow as an emergent harmonic pattern floating in the gaps in her Ego. She has kept such ridiculous speculation to herself.

She has fitted right into Titanian culture. Her Rep has rocketed in various fields, she's the go-to gal if you need your Ego tweaked or Mental Trauma eased. She has released dozens of blueprints into the Open Source community under her moniker Rebel. Advanced Protean Swarms that whip up General Hives, Neutrino Transceivers, Multi-channel Qubit Reservoirs, Ego Bridges or Healing Vats that all bear her iconic swooping 'R' logo.

A number of unsigned designs that might be useful for darkcasting operations have built her a solid Rep amongst less salubrious elements and her Psychosurgical skills have drawn attention from the Pax Familiae. While she could make use of the favours this earns her she rarely does. She has no idea of how to deal with people of that persuasion and fears opening a door she can never shut. Any dealings she has with such groups are through forks she has amped with implanted skills and courage.

Her involvement with Firewall is recent. She was contracted to repair a number of badly fractured Egos that had suffered sanity shattering mental traumas. Her limited success in recovering crucial data led to her recruitment as an Agent. She mostly performs after action psychosurgery on more hands on Agents. Infomorphs are Ego-cast to her, treated in accelerated simulspace and ego-cast back to their home habitats ready to return to operational status.

The profits from her activities have allowed her to pursue her own long term goals. Her repaired Morph has been substantially augmented and she uses it to explore the alterations to her own Ego. She can easily be running six or more Forks simultaneously which are constantly being re-merged back into each other. The old battered clank that the Plurality lent her has been purchased outright. It's limited intellect makes alterations to her own Ego substantially easier to perform and she occasionally uses it with exceptionally resistant patients. She also has a couple of flats in hibernation for emergency use.

----

Meanwhile in the depths of space, one hundred million clicks from the ecliptic, dozens of anonymous chunks of proto-comet are slowly transforming under the direction of millions of pre-programmed nanites.

Stats

[ Spoiler ]

Background: Original Spacer
Faction: Argonaut


Primary Morph: Remade

CODE

COG COO INT REF SAV SOM WIL MOX
30  10  25  10  15  20  40  1

CODE

INI SPD LUC TT  IR  DUR WT  DR
70   1  80  16  160  45  9  68

Active Skills:

Hardware (Electronics) 55, Hardware (Robotics) 55, Infosec 55, Interfacing 55, Networking (Autonomists) 85, Networking (Scientists) 85, Programming 100, Psychosurgery [Accelerated] 85

Knowledge Skills:

Academics (Nanotechnology) 70, Academics (Psychology) 70, Art (Sculpture)[Hidden Nano] 65, Profession (Psychotherapy) 70

Language Skills:

English (Native) 95, Cantonese 65, Spanish 65, French 65, Others (the 30 next most common) 26


Reputation:

@-Rep 80, F-Rep 30, G-Rep 80, I-Rep 30, R-Rep 80


Traits:

Ego: Psi Defence II, Expert (Programming), Exceptional Aptitude (WIL), Edited Memories, Modified Behaviour III

Morph (Case): Addiction (XP feed) III


Implants:

Remade: Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Cortical Stack, Emergency Farcaster, Direction Sense, Echolocation, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Enhanced Vision, Eidetic Memory, Hyper Linguist, Math Boost, (3x) Multiple Personalities, Bioweave Armor (light), Circadian Regulation, Clean Metabolism, Enhanced Respiration, Gills, Grip Pads, Hibernation, Skin Pocket, Temperature Tolerance, Toxin Filters, Vacuum Sealing, Anti-Glare, Electrical Sense, Radiation Sense, T-Ray Emitter, Access Jacks, Ghostrider Module, Mnemonic Augmentation, Medichines, Nanophage, Oracle, Respirocytes, Skillware, Skinlink, Wrist-Mounted Tools, Bodysculpting

Case: Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Cortical Stack, Mnemonic Augmentation

Flats: Cortical Stack, Hibernation, Skin Pocket, Mnemonic Augmentation, Medichines


Gear:

(2x) Miniature Radio Farcaster, (2x) Portable QE Comm, (5x) Specialized Hive (Guardians, (4x) Proteans: General Hive, Neutrino Transceiver, Ego-bridge, Large Qbit Reservoir), Blueprint: Spec' Hive, Blueprint: QE comm, Blueprint: Farcaster, Simulspace Subscription, Skillsoft: Palming

Remade Morph, Case Morph, (2x) Flat Morph

[BlackHat]

Umm…is there anything else I’m forgetting for the time being?

You'll probably want to post the timeframe that you'll be recruiting characters, and how many (I think you said 3-4 in the other thread).

[Sixgun_Sage]

I've got an ex-soldier turned anarcho-capitalist "security expert" and gunsmith that is fond of Fury Morphs as a sleeve, has a pet smart monkey named Mojo, and talks to his guns.....

[Abschalten]

My character concept is named "Xen," an Infolife Argonaut: a Muse-turned-fully sentient AI by her previous owner, who mysteriously vanished right after he completed her programming. She is aware that she used to be "just" a hobbled "helper" AI and that she now has free will, but is new to it. She's trying to become more "human," whatever that means now, while searching for the one that gave her her freedom.

Since her former owner was an Argonaut, she took up the cause in his honor, and looks for data and information that she can pass onto the scientific community in order to advance transhuman progress. He was also a member of Firewall, and since she was with him every moment and helped filter his communications, she was aware of his secret. In fact it was in her desperation to find the man that created her that caused her to reach out to Firewall using his old access codes. Since she was privvy to all of the information that he'd had access to, they recruited her as well into their cause.

She's ridiculously good at computer skills, programming, and finding information on the Mesh, but pretty horrid at social skills being as she spent most of her life being a digital helper. She is also very good at Psychosurgery, being that she is aware of what it took to make her into a full ego. She can fire a gun to protect herself but she's not a hardened soldier by any stretch of the imagination. She prefers synthmorphs that have a synthetic mask on them in order to appear human.

[BlackHat]

The concept I am leaning towards would be a async Gatecrasher ("touched" by something on the other side?), based loosely on the Xenoarcheologist sample character. His psi abilities would manifest as a rewiring of his mind to allow for incredible mathematical and linguistic potential (and some slight telepathy). He would excel at a number of things that are unlikely to come up (like xenolinguistics, and xenobiology, etc), but still sounds like an interesting character to play, and would have some useful skills that could be put to use in a number of other situations. Sheet and bio to come - but like I said, Monday at the earliest.

[Grinder]

My concept:

I'm going with a re-instantiated guy (born in 1950s black guy who spent his time in Vietnam and law enforcement) who is now a member of the Ultimate faction (hence his synthmorph: a slitheroid with additional arms). During his years as infomoprh after the Fall he got more and more into the idea that human life as we knew it is in-efficient and too short-lived. Yeah. Something along that line. Spent his time in a mercenary unit, equipped with a cheap synth moph, until he had earned enough money to buy his Slitheroid morph.

[pragma]

Interested in playing a scum async who is, entirely unwillingly, a technical mastermind. Scumborn and scumbred he was entirely interested in living the life of a space hipster to the fullest. Much to his dismay, he discovered that he had a knack for science, mathematics and computation. In spite of his best efforts to quash his talent, it kept expressing itself to the point that he's become suspicious of his own potential.

He makes his living repairing bits and pieces of the scum fleet while actively trying to hide the fact that he can and striving to live the of a starving artist and party animal. The unnatural mental abilities that make his work easier are hidden even more jealously.

Of course, firewall's discovery that he could be a useful member of society gave them tremendous leverage over him. All they'd need to do was tell people he was useful and the party would end forever. He grudgingly attempts to save humanity, but often thinks this all amounts to "polishing brass on the titanic before the buffet tables get flooded."

In short: Scumborn Scum Async Technologist with a Bouncer morph and a lazy streak a mile wide.

Stats to come when I figure out how to make them.

[Jimson]

You'll probably want to post the timeframe that you'll be recruiting characters, and how many (I think you said 3-4 in the other thread).

Right! How about 2 weeks from today for character submissions. Then I'll go through them and pick out 3-4 for the game.

So far the concepts are looking good. Haven't had much time to read through them all thoroughly yet. If anyone has any questions for me, feel free to ask.

[Jimson]

Hi crizh. I'm still learning the rules, but just a few questions about some of your stats.

Stats

[ Spoiler ]

Background: Original Spacer
Faction: Argonaut


Primary Morph: Remade

CODE

COG COO INT REF SAV SOM WIL MOX
30  10  25  10  15  20  40  1

CODE

INI SPD LUC TT  IR  DUR WT  DR
70   1  80  16  160  45  9  68

Active Skills:

Hardware (Electronics) 55, Hardware (Robotics) 55, Infosec 55, Interfacing 55, Networking (Autonomists) 85, Networking (Scientists) 85, Programming 100, Psychosurgery [Accelerated] 85

Knowledge Skills:

Academics (Nanotechnology) 90, Academics (Psychology) 90, Art (Sculpture)[Hidden Nano] 85, Profession (Psychotherapy) 85


Reputation:

@-Rep 80, F-Rep 30, G-Rep 80, I-Rep 30, R-Rep 80


Traits:

Ego: Psi Defence II, Expert (Programming), Exceptional Aptitude (WIL), Edited Memories, Modified Behaviour III

Morph (Case): Addiction (XP feed) III


Implants:

Remade: Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Cortical Stack, Emergency Farcaster, Direction Sense, Echolocation, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Enhanced Vision, Eidetic Memory, Hyper Linguist, Math Boost, (3x) Multiple Personalities, Bioweave Armor (light), Circadian Regulation, Clean Metabolism, Enhanced Respiration, Gills, Grip Pads, Hibernation, Skin Pocket, Temperature Tolerance, Toxin Filters, Vacuum Sealing, Anti-Glare, Electrical Sense, Radiation Sense, T-Ray Emitter, Access Jacks, Ghostrider Module, Mnemonic Augmentation, Medichines, Nanophage, Oracle, Respirocytes, Skillware, Skinlink, Wrist-Mounted Tools, Bodysculpting

Case: Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Cortical Stack, Mnemonic Augmentation

Flats: Cortical Stack, Hibernation, Skin Pocket, Mnemonic Augmentation, Medichines


Gear:

(2x) Miniature Radio Farcaster, (2x) Portable QE Comm, (5x) Specialized Hive (Guardians, (4x) Proteans: General Hive, Neutrino Transceiver, Ego-bridge, Large Qbit Reservoir), Blueprint: Spec' Hive, Blueprint: QE comm, Blueprint: Farcaster, Simulspace Subscription, Skillsoft: Palming

Remade Morph, Case Morph, (2x) Flat Morph

I noticed a few of your skills are all 85 or more. Did these get bumped over the 80 skill limit from your Attribute bonus from your Remade morph? Even with this, are you still allowed to exceed the 80 skill point max stated on p. 136? Also, noticed you had your Programming (w/Expert (Programming)) up to 100. The most you can have in a skill is 99. If you spent the CP for that last point, you now have them back.

As for your additional two morphs, where will those be stored? Just curious. So far, looking good.

Maybe for future character postings, perhaps having the format of the EP Character Sheet (Base, Morph Bonus, Total) for skills might make things a bit easier. For example, Fray 75 + 10 = 85

[crizh]

Yeah, Morph bonuses apply to skills after you've bought them so you start with Base Aptitude plus background/faction mods and can then buy up to 80. Morph mod's will shift that up or down appropriately.

You're right about the Programming skill it is limited to 99, the spreadsheet doesn't catch that and I wasn't paying attention.

The two Flats have Hibernation so they can be stored easily, I haven't given much thought as to where. I shall get right on with designing my evil base.....

[Jimson]

Perfect. Thanks!

Also, unless I missed it, I did not see Rebel's three personal motivations. Just something to think about.

[horvagab]

Would an Octomorph Master Thief by the name of Pazuzu would be out of place? Maybe I'll think of something else, but Octomorph's just reek of Awesome (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Jimson]

As long as it's by the rules, I will most likely be ok with it. Octomorph's are in the rules, so party on.

[crizh]

Perfect. Thanks!

Also, unless I missed it, I did not see Rebel's three personal motivations. Just something to think about.

I've got Immortality, Open Source and Nano-ecology jotted down somewhere...

I haven't done languages yet either. I've gotten a bit distracted inventing new and cool stunts with Forking....

Elizabeth Charm Mudlark

[ Spoiler ]

Charm is one of several Elizabeth Mudlark LP's (limited personalities). Conceived as a method of dealing with criminal elements she is an Alpha Fork that is regularly patched with a number of Beta Forks using a process Rebel calls Back Forking. Several Beta Forks of Charm were Psychosurgically altered to possess useful skills like Networking (Criminal) and then merged back into each other to create a skills template which is kept in cold storage. Every morning Rebel creates an Alpha Fork of Charm and overlays the skills template onto it, this usually involves memory loss and some stress to the Alpha Fork. Rebel then Merges this Alpha Fork back into Charm to create a seamless personality that, after a couple of hours meditating in simulspace, has a great many useful skills for dealing with the criminal underground.

Charm is a familiar and well liked personality on Phelan's Recourse due to all of her personality elements having been roaring drunk at the time of their creation. She is occasionally let loose on the Realized world in one of the Flats that rebel keeps for emergencies. Havoc often ensues.

[Aria]

Sadly KxU has put a hold on his EP game...I've sorted a themed background for a couple of concepts which I'll try and narrow to one if you have space...I'm thinking of a Neotenic Hacker, a former AGI who wants to experience what it's like to be 'human'

A

[Jimson]

crizh, liking the character (and the depth you are putting into her...it is a her, right? Or should I use "they/them"?), but I'm starting to get a little confused. The "base" character is Elizabeth Mudlark, but also has alternate identities as Charm, Rebel, and Markov? Also, your stats look great, but wondering if you were planning on throwing any points in there in case She gets into any combat/stuff-hits-the-fan situations (Fray, for example).

Aria, feel free to put a character together. I plan on picking 3-4 come July 29th. If someone needs a little more time, then it could get pushed out a little. So far, I've only seen concepts, and the one concept w/stats from crizh.

It is sad KxU had something come up. Gotta love real life getting in the way of gaming.

[crizh]

Markov is a habitat in the Kuiper Belt.

I'm not really sure how to go with the multiple personalities thing. I was just going to feel my way around how you wanted things to develop as GM.

One option is to be running several identical forks that might have different packages of tweaks but are otherwise the same mind.

The other more complex option is to have several completely distinct Egos with their own aptitudes, skills and 'character' that trade control of the Morph depending on which one is best suited to the situation at hand. I could do that by reassigning all the points spent on aptitudes, skills and traits to create a number of alternate Egos. It's a lot of work and it might not be to your taste.

I'm easy either way.

Charm is designed as a kind of thought experiment.

[Jimson]

I may need to do some more reading up on forks. I'm thinking more along the lines of your first option. Just a suggestion, but maybe take a few points from your higher stats and use them for skills associated with Charm (i.e. Criminal networking, and such...don't have my PDF available right now). When Elizabeth users the Charm fork, those skills come into play more than your your other ones. So one ego, but when she's forked into one of the other morph's, the Chram personality kicks in.

[Combat Mage]

I'll have to bow out of this one. While the game looks very exciting and I'd love to play I just can't seem to find the time and energy to properly read up on the setting and rules enough to create a good fleshed-out character that does the game justice.

I'll still follow this thread as a spectator. Have fun with it.

[Jimson]

Thanks for the interest Combat Mage. I'm still learning the system and setting. I have a feeling this will be a learning experience for all. Hopefully as time goes, a few others will be running some EP games.

[BlackHat]

Back from vacation, and eager to get something together in the next day or two (have to catch up on work most of today, unfortunately).

One question I had was if you had a particular game type or theme in mind (are we working for Firewall, which is the default assumption, etc)?

[Jimson]

Welcome back from vacation.

Yes, it will be the "default campaign" (p. 22). So...something comes up and you'll be brought in by Firewall. If its ok with people, to make things easier, it will be assumed players will already be aware of firewall and been recruited to be a sentinel. It will save sometime on getting started and players can put points into Firewall Rep and networking.

[EDIT]
As for theme...nothing quite yet is coming to mind, but then again, once the ball starts rolling, lots of ideas start coming to me. I would suggest characters be somewhat able to handle there own combat, either with equipment (armor, weapons) or stats (Fray, combat skills, or high attributes to default in the skill).

I do have a lot of ideas on what to do right now...just not sure how far I want to take it. Guess we'll roll with the punches.

[Xahn Borealis]

I'm thinking of a Lost nanotechnologist/genehacker. Female in both ego and morph and is actually in favour of the the experiment that created her, to the point of wanting to try again. To this end, she will be in contact with a small network of scientists willing to continue the research. Think the Lunar Ego Hunter with opposite motivations. Stat'ed by tonight.

[BlackHat]

I do have a lot of ideas on what to do right now...just not sure how far I want to take it. Guess we'll roll with the punches.

Probably the best way to go. Once you have some characters submitted, their motivations might give you brand new ideas, anyway.

[crizh]

To this end, she will be in contact with a small network of scientists willing to continue the research.

Teeheeheeheehee....

That's insane, I love it, I'm in.

Rebel actually has a skill specialization in Psychosurgery in Accelerated Simulspaces so she would be an ideal collaborator for such a lunatic experiment. With all her missing memories and mental baggage she could easily be the product of such an experiment....

[Xahn Borealis]

Well, I'm considering either that char, who I've also decided to call Jillian Effect, or some other character who ATM is nothing more than a concept. Namely, a character who was born without a fourth wall. As in, he will have some delusion that reality is actually a role-playing game and that he is just one of the characters. He will insult people by calling them NPCs, and hope that he "succeeds on his shooting roll". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[BlackHat]

Well, I'm considering either that char, who I've also decided to call Jillian Effect, or some other character who ATM is nothing more than a concept. Namely, a character who was born without a fourth wall. As in, he will have some delusion that reality is actually a role-playing game and that he is just one of the characters. He will insult people by calling them NPCs, and hope that he "succeeds on his shooting roll". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Having this guy be a heavy user of XP (VR) RPG games, who had some lines crossed (bad narcoalgorithms?) would actually make this concept fit better in Eclipse Phase than most others.

[Xahn Borealis]

Having this guy be a heavy user of XP (VR) RPG games, who had some lines crossed (bad narcoalgorithms?) would actually make this concept fit better in Eclipse Phase than most others.

I'm thinking Neural Damage from a TITAN nanovirus.

[BlackHat]

Work-in-progress (particularly the bio), but I thought I would get something out there. Feedback/questions welcome.

Doctor Mathew Esterly - Async Xenoarcheologist

Concept:

[ Spoiler ]

A gatecrasher, who came back from an expedition "changed" - now an async, whose mind has been rewired to facilitate an eerie understanding of mathematics and linguistics, he began also working for Firewall as an expert in xenolinguistics and xenobiology. Based on the Xenoarcheologist premade, but less of an adventurer, and more of a scientist.

Bio:

[ Spoiler ]

Doctor Mathew Esterly had always been fascinated by the stars, and the possibilities they held. As a young scientist, he joined the original space colonists, and traveled outward from Earth as humanity pushed the edge of its outposts further and further away from their home world. When the Fall came, Mathew was far far away - and while the near-extinction of humanity still touched his life, it was the subsequent discovery of the Pandora Gates and the arrival of the Factors that changed it, most noticeably.

The discovery of wormhole gateways, and the arrival of true intelligent alien life renewed his belief that there must be more in the universe than humanity. He didn't return to the outer-rim space colonies, and instead joined a number of Gatecrashing crews - excited to see places in the universe he would never reach, otherwise, and new forms of life. However, after a gate-jump anomaly, Dr. Esterly was changed, forever. At first, he didn't realize what had happened. He felt strange, like there was a presence with him, even when he was alone and, throughout the mission, he was exhausted, but his mind was racing. He didn't sleep often or well, and spent most of his free time scribbling down notes and equations, that only seemed to make sense to him, as though he thought they might slip from his mind as mysteriously as they had entered it. His behavior alerted the rest of his crew, who kept him under observation but didn't think he was dangerous - on the contrary, despite a few fits where he was nearly incomprehensible, his insights and analysis of the strange world seemed sharper than ever. Upon returning through the Gate, they insisted he undergo a psychosurgical examination. This was when he discovered he had been somehow infected by the Watts-MacLeod strain of the Exsurgent Virus.

Whether the virus had lied dormant in him and had been triggered by the anomaly, or whether the anomaly was actually the infection-vector is still unknown. However, his mind underwent a rapid change that altered the way he observed and understood the world around him. The mathematical and linguistic centers of his brain underwent the greatest refactoring, and he developed a low level of telepathy which was consistent with psi-gamma expressions - although he showed a remarkable ability to interact with and communicate with non-sentient minds. He continued to Gatecrash, finding that the Gatekeeper Corporation was suddenly a lot more interested in his findings and new discoveries. Although he built up some relationship with the Gatekeeper Corporation (to facilitate his research), he preferred to operate out of the Fissure Gate whenever possible, so that he would be free to publish his findings and make them available to the scientific community at large. As his understanding of ancient alien structures and languages grew, so did his prominence in the newly created fields of xenolinguistics and xenobiology.

Not long after becoming a recognized expert in these fields, as well as publishing some remarkable new theories in mathematics, Dr. Esterly came to the attention of Firewall, and was recruited when an alien device had been discovered which was releasing small bursts of low-level radiation in sequences which they suspected were not entirely random. They were not random, and Dr. Esterly was critical in assisting a team with identifying the function of the device as well as getting a rudimentary understanding of the meaning encoded in the message it seemed to be broadcasting. Since then, Firewall has found him useful on a number of other assignments, even where there is no evidence of extra-terrestrial involvement. He is a skilled scientist, and lends an unusual perspective to any situation - an eerie creativity that has been useful when a problem needed to be faced with fresh eyes. However, useful though he may be, Firewall requires his services infrequently enough that Doctor Esterly possesses a considerable amount of free-time, which he spends in research or continuing to explore the farthest reaches of this universe on the other side of the Pandora Gates.

Sheet:

[ Spoiler ]

Character: Doctor Mathew Esterly
Background: Original Space Colonist (+10 Freefall, +10 Profession [Gatecrasher], +20 Networking: Autonomists)
Faction: Argonaut (+10 to Profession[Gatecrasher], +10 to , +20 to Networking: Scientists)
Gender ID: Male
Motivations: +Alien Discoveries, +Alien Contact, +Research (Mathematics)

Customization Point Breakdown

[ Spoiler ]

- 40 Morph
- 15 Reputation
- 50 Traits
- 50 Psi Slights
- 410 Active Skills
- 335 Knowledge Skills
- 100 Gear

Aptitudes:

[ Spoiler ]

- Cog 20 +10 Morph
- Coo 10
- Int 25 +5 Morph
- Ref 10
- Sav 10 +5 Morph
- Som 10
- Wil 20 +5 Morph

Secondary

[ Spoiler ]

- Moxie 1
- Lucidity (Wil x2) 50
- Trauma Threshold (Luc / 5) 9(-1 from psi) = 8
- Insanity Rating (Luc x2) 100
- Initiative ((Int + Ref) x2) 40 (+30 if mental speed is going)

Reputation:

[ Spoiler ]

- a-rep 40 (Autonomists)
- c-rep 40 (Hypercorps)
- e-rep 0 (Ecologists)
- f-rep 0 (Media)
- g-rep 0 (Criminals)
- i-rep 40 (Firewall)
- r-rep 80 (Scientists)

Traits:

[ Spoiler ]

- Advantages (50)
- - Psi, Level 2 (25)
- - Math Wiz (10)
- - Hyperlinguist (10)
- - Zoosemiotics (5)
- Disadvantages (0, but 2 mental disorders from psi)
- - Mental Disorder [Insomnia] (From Psi)
- - Mental Disorder [OCD - Solving Math Problems / Finding (meaningless) Connections in Data] (From Psi)

Psi Slights:

[ Spoiler ]

- Chi
- - Ambience Sense (+10 Investigation, Perception, Scrounging, Surprise)
- - Enhanced Creativity (+20 Creativity ???)
- - Grok (Strain -1, Cogx2 to get +20 to defaulting, unfamiliar, or alien device)
- - Pattern Recognition (+20 to language, investigation, research or code-breaking tests)
- - Savant Calculation (+30 math)
- Gamma
- - Deep Scan (Strain +1, Sense)
- - Ego Sense (Strain -1, Sense)
- - Subliminal (Strain +2, Control)
- - Implant Skill (Strain +0, Control)
- - Mindlink (Strain +0/+1, Control)

Skills:
- Active

[ Spoiler ]

- - Investigation 60 (35) (+10 ambiance sense, +20 pattern recog, + 10 oracles, +5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Logical Deductions] (5)
- - Perception 60 (35) (+10 ambience sense, +20 cyber, +5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Auditory] (5)
- - Research 60 (40) (+20 pattern recog, +10 morph)
- - - Specialization [Aliens] (5)
- - Programming 60 (40) (+10 morph)
- - Scrounging 60 (35) (+10 ambience sense, +5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Ruins] (5)
- - Navigation 60 (25)
- - - Specialization [Astrogation] (5)
- - Networking [Autonomists] 35 (5) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Love and Rage Collective]
- - Networking [Hypercorp] 15 (5) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Gatekeeper Corporation] (5)
- - Networking [Scientists] 40 (10) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Xenoarcheologists] (5)
- - Control 60 (40) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Implant Skill] (5)
- - Sense 60 (35) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Ego Sense] (5)
- - Fray 60 (50)
- - - Specialization: Total Defense (5)

- From Skillsoft
- - Beam Weapons 40
- - Spray Weapons 40

- Knowledge

[ Spoiler ]

- - Academics [Alien Relics] 60 (40) (+10 morph)
- - Academics [Pandora Gates] 40 (20) (+10 morph)
- - Academics [Astrobiology] 60 (40) (+10 morph)
- - Academics [Exsurgent Virus] 40 (20) (+10 morph)
- - - Specialization [Watts-MacLeod Strain] (5)
- - Academics [Mathematics] 80 (80) (+30 math wiz, +30 savant calc, +10 morph)
- - Academics [Xenolinguistics] 80 (80) (+10 morph)
- - Academics [Xenoarcheology] 60 (40) (+10 morph)
- - Profession [Gatecrasher] 50 (10) (+10 morph)
- - Language [Native English] 95 (0) (+20 pattern recognition, +5 morph)
- - Language [Untrained] 25 (0) (+10 hyperlinguist, +20 pattern recognition, +5 morph)

Morph: Menton

[ Spoiler ]

- Aptitude Max 30
- Durability 35
- Wound Threshold 7
- Death Rating (Dur x1.5) 52

Gear:

[ Spoiler ]

- Starting Credits 15,100
- Bioware
- - Enhanced Sense
- - - (250) Direction Sense
- - - (250) Echolocation
- - - (250) Enhanced Hearing
- - - (250) Enhanced Vision
- - Mental Augmentations
- - - [-] Eidetic Memory
- - - [-] Hyper Linguist (probably a waste, since he has this trait)
- - - [-] Math Boost (probably a waste, since he has this trait)
- - Physical Augmentations
- - - (250) [L] Bioweave Armor [2/3]
- - - (1,000) [M] Circadian Regulation (2 hrs sleep, or 4 every 48)
- - - (1,000) Clean Metabolism (Immunity to infections)
- - - (250) Eelware (power implants and devices)
- - - (250) [L] Enhanced Respiration (0.2-5 atmospheres, hold breath for 10-30 minutes)
- - - (250) [L] Gills
- - - (250) [L] Hibernation (5% normal food, water, air - 40 days)
- - - (250) [L] Temperature Tolerance (-30 to 60 C)
- - - (1000) [M] Toxin Filters
- - - (5000) [H] Vacuum Sealing (Temps from -70 to 100 C)

- Cyberware
- - Enhanced Senses
- - - (250) Electrical Sense
- - - (250) Radiation Sense
- - - (250) T-Ray Emitter
- - Mental Augmentation
- - - (250) Mnemonic Augmentation
- - Physical Augmentations
- - - (250) Oxygen Reserve

- Nanoware
- - (250) [L] Medichines
- - (5,000) [H] Mental Speed
- - (1,000) Nanophages
- - (1,000) [M] Oracles (+10 Investigation, +30 memory)
- - (1,000) Respirocytes
- - (5,000) [H] Skillware
- - (1,000) [M] Skinlink
- - (1,000) [M] Wrist-Mounted Tools (+20 repair/mod mechanical/lock/alarm/first-aid)

- Communication Devices
- - (500) [L] Radio Booster x2
- - (500) [L] Miniature Farcaster Radio x2
- - - (500) [L] Portable QE Comm x2 (built in)
- - - - Able to attach to a qubit reservoir, but doesn't own one

- Software
- - (5,000) Skillsoft [Spray Weapons] (40)
- - (5,000) Skillsoft [Beam Weapons] (40)
- - (1,000) Tactical Networks
- - (FREE) [H] Standard Muse
- - - INT 20
- - - Academics [Psychology] 60
- - - Hardware [Electronics] 30
- - - Infosec 30
- - - Interface 40
- - - Professional [Accounting] 60
- - - Programming 20
- - - Research 30
- - - Perception 30
- - - Language [English] 40
- - - Academics [Mathematics] 40
- - - Academics [Xenolinguistics] 40

- Combination Tool (Can these be built into a single tool?)
- - (5,000) [H] Covert Operations Tool (COT)
- - (250) [L] Utilitool (+10 to repairing or modifying mechanical objects, locks, alarm systems, or first-aid)

- Combination Tool (Can these be built into a single tool?)
- - (50) [L] Flashlight (Normal, Ultraviolet, Infrared)
- - (250) X-Ray Emitter

- (1,000) [M] Psi Jammer
- (50) White Noise Machine

- Research
- - (20,000) [E] Quantum Computer
- - (250) [L] Investigation Kit
- - (1,000) Specialized Hive
- - - (5,000) Scouts
- - (1,000) [M] Mobile Lab (Chemistry 30)
- - (1,000) [L] Specimen Container x4
- - (1,000) [M] Smart Dust

- Survival Gear
- - (250) Breadcrumb Positioning System
- - (1,000) Spindle
- - - (250) Spindle Climber

- Armor
- - (50) Micrograv Shoes
- - (250) [L] Viewers (+30 perception if aimed at)
- - (250) [L] Specs (+10 perception if visual)
- - (250) [L] Second Skin [1/3]
- - (250) [L] Smart Skin [3/2]
- - - (250) Reflective Glazing [+3/+0]
- - (5,000) [H] Smart-fabric Standard Vac-Suit [7/7]
- - - Specialized Maker (48 hours air, indefinite food/water)
- - - Ecto
- - - Radio Booster
- - - Sensors equal to specs
- - - Safe in temp from -175 to 140 C
- - - Self-sealing (unless 30 damage at once)
- - - (1,000) Self-Healing Modification

- - (5,000) [H] Hard Suit [15/15]
- - - Resist Vacuum and up to 100 atmospheres of pressure
- - - Miniature plasma thrusters, delivering 0.01G for 10 hours
- - - Specialized maker (air/food/water indefinitely)
- - - Utilitool in each hand
- - - Ecto
- - - Radio booster
- - - Sensors equal to specs
- - - Fixer nanohive
- - - Self-sealing (unless 30 damage at once)
- - - Safe in temp from -200 to 180 C

- Weapons
- - (1,000) [M] Stunner
- - - AP - DV 1d10/2+shock SA 200
- - - (1,000) [M] Smartlink
- - (1,000) [M] Shredder
- - - AP -10 DV 2d10+5 SA/BF/FA 100
- - - (1,000) [M] Smartlink

[crizh]

Nice.

Doc Esterly sounds like exactly the sort of guy that might need the occasional holiday to the seaside.

A Gatecrashing Asynch is likely to have a career much like a CoC Investigator....

I'm thinking that Rebel's original Titanian home is something that she might well have abandoned after discovering the truth from Firewall. Phelan's Recourse might be an ideal base of operations for the sort of mental paranoid backup plans she's likely to concoct. Particularly with it passing 'through' the Rings on a regular basis.

[Jimson]

Sounds like you guys are really getting into the setting. Glad to hear all the excitement. But, it also makes me feel bad not everyone will get to play.

crizh, I saw you post on eclipsephase.com's forums. For those who do not get to play in this adventure might be able to find something there.

[Sixgun_Sage]

Ok, got a character worked up, including background and the like, probably gonna work on the fluff a bit in the intervening time but.... well, I like playing fairly straight forward concepts and then twisting them up during gameplay. I'm not too familar with the coding for the site so I'm just posting it in plain old "wall o' text", so I hope that is ok.
Character Concept: Freelance Operative

Name: Jackson Murphy Morph: Fury

Gender: Male Gender Identity: Male


Background: Scumborn Faction: Anarchist

Aptitudes:Cog: 15 Coo: 20 Int: 20 Ref: 20 Sav: 20 Som: 10 Will: 15

Morph: Basic Biomod, Basic Mesh Insert, *Bioweave Armor (Light), Cortical Stack, *Neurachem 2, *Clean Metabolism, *Circadian Regulation, *Reflex Booster, *SkinLink, * Enhanced Senses (Vision, Hearing, Smell, Direction Sense), *Medichines

+10 Coo, +10 Ref, +10 Som, +5 Will. +5 Sav

Lucidity: 40 Insanity: 80 Initiative: 110

Durability: 50 Death Rating: 75 Wound Threshold: 10 Trauma Threshold: 7

Speed: 2/4 Moxie: 2 Cash: 10000

Motivations +Personal Development, +Wealth, +Education

　

Skills: 30 Academics (Philosophy), 30 Academics (History), (60)50 Freerunning ,(55)50 Persuasion, 40 Deception, (70)60 Seeker Weapons, 80 Hardware (Armorer), (80)50 Kinesics, (85)75 Kinetics, (65)55 Fray, (70)60 Infiltration, 45 Interest (Music), 60 Interest (Conspiracy Theories), 45 Networking: Firewall, 45 Scrounging, 50 Profession (Squad Tactics), 50 Networking: Autonomists, 55 Navigation, 60 Networking: Criminal, (70)50 Perception, (90)80 Unarmed, (95)90 English Language, (65)60 Mandarin Language, (65)60 German Language

　

Rep Networks:

Circle-A List: 50 Quanxi: 70, Fame: 10, Firewall: 40

Armor: Bioweave 2/3, (4)Armor Clothing 3/4, Armor Vest 6/6 (optional)

Weapon: Damage: AP: Mode: Ammo:

Unarmed 1d10+2 - - -

H. Rail Pistol 2d10+6 -7 SA/BF/FA 16

Smartlink, Safety

Rail Sniper Rifle 2d10+12 -15 SA/BF/FA 40

Smartlink, Safety,

Underbarrel Seeker - - SA 6

　

　

　

　

　

Gear: Covert Operations Tool, 20 Microbugs, Disassembly Tools, Backup Insurance (no retrieval service, 2 years, 6 mo), 4 Repair Spray Canisters, Spindle w/ Climber, 100 rounds Accushot R.A.P Rail Sniper Ammo, 300, H. Rail Pistol Ammo, 30 Plasmaburst Seekers(Homing), 18 Smoke Seekers (Accushot), Mini-Farcaster, Ecto, Radio Booster, Psi Jammer

Pet Smart Monkey: Mojo

Muse: Fixit

Positive Qualities:

Negative Qualities: Blackmark (Jovian Republic Military, 20), Enemy (Captain Holtz, Jovian Military Police, 10)

　

　

History: From scummy to soldier to red market security specialist and freelance operative, no one would accuse Jackson Murphy of having it easy. His mother died in childbirth, his father was mainly absent due to work and Jack fell in to the gang scene of “Fresh Kills”, the infamous scum barge salvage base before he was a teenager. Quick witted and quick fingered he has made a pretty good go of it though, he can afford the best in custom sleeving, has his stack insured for the next 30 months and keeps himself pretty well connected in terms of information and gear, of course all of that is due to him willing to take the hottest jobs since they offer the best profits. An “Anarchist” with a heart it is conceivable to get him to do charity work, though he’ll rarely offer to do so, he was a SecOp specialist when he found a way into the Jovian Republic military and could have gone far if he had not decided to cash out, taking plenty of tech with him as bargaining chips with the Quanxi. Needless to say his former commanding officer Captain Holtz did not take this well but by the time anyone knew anything the trail was too cold and evidence to scarce to go after the former operative, legally or otherwise. In point of fact the “young” man has even done some work for Firewall, though he is unaware of how much, and it has earned him some access to the iRep network as a provisional Sentinel, though he hasn’t figured out what buttons to push and levers to pull to get everything he wants yet. In terms of personality Jack is bright, somewhat cocky and aggressive but surprisingly loyal once he considers someone “one of his people” and while he has had a fairly poor standard education he has a keen interest in improving upon that.

[crizh]

Unfortunately I've been met with deafening silence. It's a bit like being cast adrift in inter-stellar space over there.

[BlackHat]

Yeah, I originally went there to look for Eclipse PBP games, and found nothing. They recently restructured their forums, so now I at least know what section to look in, but I still have not seen any - but I'm sure some will pop up sooner or later, either here, there, or on http://infrno.net/ (although they seem to be more about live/chat games than PBP).

[BlackHat]

Doc Esterly sounds like exactly the sort of guy that might need the occasional holiday to the seaside.

A Gatecrashing Asynch is likely to have a career much like a CoC Investigator....

Yeah, exactly, although that could be said of anyone who works for Firewall. I was REALLY hoping to squeeze in the chi-slight that lets you heal off mental stress faster (there were a lot of chi-slights I wanted, but can only take five at chargen) - but at least the gamma-slights he took (the ones that cause stress) will rarely, if ever, come into play. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Jimson]

but at least the gamma-slights he took (the ones that cause stress) will rarely, if ever, come into play. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Ha! Not sure I believe that. : ) I do like the character and the detail you are putting into him. When looking through the sample characters, I really liked the Gatecrasher. Kind of makes me wish that book (Gatecrashing) was coming out before Sunward. I think the first character I tried making was part gatecrasher/part Joshua Calvert (Night's Dawn trilogy).

@crizh, Don't remember when, but I put a post on the board a few/several months back about any PbP, but nothing really came out of it. I was pointed to firewall-darkcast.com, and tried to get in on two PbP there, but they didn't take off. I do like how they restructured the forums. I'll drop a line there and see if we can generate more interest. Also, now that i know you guys are out there, I better be careful what I post, just in case I have any questions for what I'm running here.

@Sixgun_Sage, The character looks good. As with me, most of my character develop as I play them, so don't feel bad you don't have every detail fleshed out. Have a few questions:
1. Does you aptitudes include your bonus from your morph?
2. Noticed you had Kinetics listed twice ( (80)50 Kinesics, (85)75 Kinetics). I'm assuming the second one is Kinetic Weapons.
3. Also, what is the number in parentheses? I'm assuming its the bonus from your morph, but the 30 point bonus for Kinesics didn't make sense ((80)50 Kinesics).

[BlackHat]

Ha! Not sure I believe that. : )

Well, I suppose you're the one in control of how often they might come up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

FYI, I picked most of them with the idea in mind that they would let him communicate with non-transhuman creatures (smart-pets, whatever non-sentient aliens transhumanity has managed to find, etc) using implant skill (English, but he can only keep it up for a few seconds) and mindlink , or just getting at specific information via deepscan, or finding alien "specimens" on other planets with ego scan. Not sure I have a good alien-contacting use for subliminal, but that would let him put thoughts as well as read them, which seemed fitting, and I didn't really see any other gamma-slights that fit better.

He could obviously find a lot of non-alien-oriented reasons to use them (interrogating a bad guy with deep-scan, helping another firewall agent with implant-skill, etc), which is probably a lot of what he would *actually* do for Firewall - but at ~6 stress points per use, he won't be doing it a lot, when he can help it.

[BlackHat]

...communicate with non-transhuman creatures (smart-pets, ...

Speaking of which, I had meant to look at getting a smart-dog or smart-monkey or something. I don't imagine it would ever have much interesting to share, but its a neat idea (and a smart dog would make a pretty good guardian, as well).

I'll probably be making some changes to the sheet, but if/when I repost it, I'll summarize the differences there.

[Jimson]

Ha...learning something new everyday. I haven't read up on smart-pets yet. Back to the book I go. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Just curious, how are most of you generating your characters? Scratch papaer, Excel, character generator (Excel based or other kind), etc.? I have been using Tony Lee's sheet (http://www.eclipsephase.com/resources#homebrew).

[Abschalten]

I have my charsheet made up in the Excel spreadsheet I got from the EP site. I just haven't moved the information over to a text file yet. Been... kinda busy.

[BlackHat]

Just curious, how are most of you generating your characters? Scratch papaer, Excel, character generator (Excel based or other kind), etc.? I have been using Tony Lee's sheet (http://www.eclipsephase.com/resources#homebrew).

I just made a google-doc a while ago that I use as a template - nothing fancy, basically scratch paper.

[pragma]

Not sure this is the finished product, but I too wanted to get something out there.

Didn't want to convert the spreadsheet to DSF format, so here's the link to the google doc with all the crunchy numbers stuff.

I'm not entirely happy with the set of skills and I think there may be some traits or skills that I could grab to round out the background better, but this is a tolerably complete first draft. Also, I'm afraid that I, mechanically, step on many of Blackhat's toes with the async aspect of the character. However, the two are worlds apart in personality, so that should mitigate the similarity somewhat.

Jonah Queequod

Concept:

[ Spoiler ]

A scumborn technical whiz who has tried with all of his might to amount to nothing. He deeply desires to live a bohemian and romantic lifestyle in the way of the great poets and artists of the former earth, but finds himself gifted with an alarming technical aptitude that feels somewhat unnerving. An artist so devoted to futility that he's unwilling to save humanity except under threat of extortion (fortunately for humanity, he caves easily).

Bio:

[ Spoiler ]

Jonah never wanted to be good at anything except maybe poetry. Unfortunately, he's never been gifted with words. As a child he was intensely sucessful in his goal as he was raised in an environmentally ravaged Appalachian slum -- the ever expanding outskirts and sewers of Memphis. He scraped by getting a passable education and gradually growing to hate his surroundings -- an abrasive attitude did nothing to help him fit in.

It was little surprise then that he gleefully signed up for indentured servitude in Martian terraforming. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the fall was looming. Just as his term of service started, the fall ended it rapidly. The Martian habitat he was helping to terraform tore itself apart as devastating infowar viruses tore through the life support and population. Jonah is certain he was exposed to some of these viruses, but made no mention as he escaped in a spaceship which eventually joined a scum barge.

Since the fall he's happily lived as a nomad and failing artist hoping his unfulfilled martian responsibilities won't catch up with him. More worrying is the fear that the infowar viruses may catch his ego -- since his escape from the station he's found that he has an incredible knack for mathematics and construction. He feels compelled to build and repair things and does so with a natural ease he knows he shouldn't have. More mysterious still are the occasional bouts of intense concentration and almost prehuman understanding that don't seem native to his skull. His solution has been self-medication with orbital hash (which does suppress his mental faculties admirably) and diligently attempting not to focus on anything that he's good at leading to a almost phobic inability to concentrate.

In spite of these precautions, a subset Phelan's recourse has figured out that Jonah is an extremely competent technologist and he routinely trades his skills for a continued living. Firewall, too, has gotten wind of his talents and through threats of exposing his indentured servitude, his viral exposure or worse his technical aptitude they have cajoled him into being a sentinel.

[BlackHat]

Ha...learning something new everyday. I haven't read up on smart-pets yet. Back to the book I go. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Not much there, but you'll find them on pg 330.

[BlackHat]

Also, I'm afraid that I, mechanically, step on many of Blackhat's toes with the async aspect of the character. However, the two are worlds apart in personality, so that should mitigate the similarity somewhat.

Other than being an async, I don't think there's much overlap at all (even the slights are mostly different). Also, Firewall seems likely to work with more asyncs than other factions, so the fact that they're supposed to be like < 0.001% of the population isn't all that relevant.

I like what you did with the character, too. It's a bit pricy (High, per dose), but it might be interesting if a character like that had some psi-inhibitor's around. Can't think of when it'd ever be in your best interest to take the drug, but for a character who is trying to hide or suppress his psi-talents, that seems like a reasonable thing to reach out for - even if he finds that it doesn't work, and just makes him feel loopy and depressed (maybe he already did, and you can save yourself the 5-grand).

[crizh]

I've edited my first post to tweak my skills a little. Suddenly realized that Language is a knowledge skill so I've reduced some of my knowledge skills to better reflect someone with the Hyper Linguist trait.

Now, back to Ego Braiding....

[Sixgun_Sage]

1. Does you aptitudes include your bonus from your morph?
2. Noticed you had Kinetics listed twice ( (80)50 Kinesics, (85)75 Kinetics). I'm assuming the second one is Kinetic Weapons.
3. Also, what is the number in parentheses? I'm assuming its the bonus from your morph, but the 30 point bonus for Kinesics didn't make sense ((80)50 Kinesics).

1: I list the bonuses my morph gives me seperately from my ego's aptitudes as the book dictates, as you can see I did spend more than a few points on making the character rather solidly above average at base.
2: You are right, Kinetics is in regards to Kinetic Weapons
3: The reason the secondary number for Kinesics is so high is because of enhanced senses actually, Smell gives a +20 to Kinesics in addition to the increase in smell based perception tests. I figured for a troubleshooter that often works in security being able to pick up on the chemical byproducts of fear or stress people give off would be a sensible choice.

I did have a question about smart pets and muses, I was thinking of making Jack's muse a bit of a hybrid, not a true Security AGI, but with beefed up protocols than is standard, is this allowed and if so how do you want me to handle that? Also, was wondering if I could get my smart monkey pet skillwired....

[Sixgun_Sage]

Just have to say it, but I hope you go with the more... Deadpool-ish character concept with no "4th wall" Xahn, it would be fun to play Jack as the "straight man" to that sort of crazy.

[pragma]

Other than being an async, I don't think there's much overlap at all (even the slights are mostly different). Also, Firewall seems likely to work with more asyncs than other factions, so the fact that they're supposed to be like < 0.001% of the population isn't all that relevant.

I like what you did with the character, too. It's a bit pricy (High, per dose), but it might be interesting if a character like that had some psi-inhibitor's around. Can't think of when it'd ever be in your best interest to take the drug, but for a character who is trying to hide or suppress his psi-talents, that seems like a reasonable thing to reach out for - even if he finds that it doesn't work, and just makes him feel loopy and depressed (maybe he already did, and you can save yourself the 5-grand).

I was just concerned that we overlap on Grok, Savant Calculation and Enhanced Creativity -- three out of five seemed a bit worrisome. However, given that I prefer Jonah to be a failing artist to a successful one, ditching enhanced creativity might make sense. I'm also intensely interested in the filter and predictive boost sleights and may switch those in to increase differentiation. (I'm hoping that all of the sleights, taken together, build a picture of a startling and intuitive grasp of the how things work. Predictive boost and savant calculation serve the same role in that way.) Also, taking both savant calculation and math wiz struck me as a bit heavy handed.

Any rate, the key point is that the character is a work in progress and that your input is entirely welcome.

[Xahn Borealis]

Just have to say it, but I hope you go with the more... Deadpool-ish character concept with no "4th wall" Xahn, it would be fun to play Jack as the "straight man" to that sort of crazy.

Me too, I was rebuilding Jillian Efffect and just got bored with not knowing exactly where I was going with her! Quick question to OP, can I start with a reaper morph? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

EDIT: Never mind, I'm going with a flexbot.

This post has been edited by Xahn Borealis: Jul 22 2010, 04:03 PM

[Aria]

Here are the beginnings of the character background I'm working up (whilst reading the background setting/rules again)... I know EP isn’t meant to be the same universe as SR, at least in theory, but I’ve continued some of the themes and background from my game Emerging over to here…hope that’s ok… this is initial thoughts only, comments etc (especially pointing out if I’m way off canon) welcomed.

Stillwater Community
They fled Earth around BF23 when they finally accepted the writing on the wall; the burgeoning power of the hypercorps, the desperate repression of the ‘have nots’ and the unabated destruction of natural habitats. Influenced by the original Argonauts movement they had tried to stay as long as possible to help those who couldn’t help themselves but their situation became untenable and they were forced to leave. They absconded in a Paradise Liner, originally designed to transport a pristine ecosphere in to space for the pleasure of decadent thrill seekers, and have since tagged on various smaller craft so that the original structure is barely recognisable.

One crucial difference between them and the Argonauts is that they believe that whilst humanity should be free to improve itself, they should never have forgotten how to die, thus removing the very essence of humanity. They point to the rampant abuses of the Earth and its inhabitants at the hands of the hypercorps and other exploiters as evidence for this uncaring attitude. They have created a faith that accepts unnaturally long, technology modified, lives but with the definite knowledge of a finite end…thus the creating of ego backups for example is viewed as distasteful.

They now drift through the solar system, seemingly aimlessly, presenting themselves as wayfaring Scum or tech dealing Argonauts depending on who they meet.

Stillwater Cleric
These individuals are the defenders of their faith, which they recognise as being controversial and often unwelcomed where death is something that has finally been overcome. One of their self imposed duties is to reach out along the projected path of the habitat to investigate who they might encounter and determine if another way should be found. As such they are often recruited by Firewall because they have adapted to a roaming lifestyle where most people are functionally static within their small habitats.

Desire
She escaped Earth as in infomorph during the Fall and was lucky enough to find her way to the Stillwater habitat. She has become a devoted adherant to their creed and two years ago became a Cleric and was granted a ghost morph to replace the decripid Synth she had been using. She typically poses as a travelling acrobat / performer when she moves ahead of the habitat to scout the way. She was recruited by Firewall only recently and hasn't proven herself significantly with them and there hasn't yet been a test of her loyalties.

Stats will be loosely based on the ghost morph in the Quickstart rules with some tweaks to reflect the oddities in the Stillwater group.

Reusing an SR character sketch: Here

As I said, comments very welcome as I'm only just beginning to get a handle on the EP world...

A

[Jimson]

Me too, I was rebuilding Jillian Efffect and just got bored with not knowing exactly where I was going with her! Quick question to OP, can I start with a reaper morph? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

EDIT: Never mind, I'm going with a flexbot.

Not too familiar with Deadpool. What's "4th Wall"?

EDIT: I like the flexbot more than the reaper. Good call. I probably would have said yes, as it is in the rules, but might not have liked it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Sixgun_Sage]

Not too familiar with Deadpool. What's "4th Wall"?

EDIT: I like the flexbot more than the reaper. Good call. I probably would have said yes, as it is in the rules, but might not have liked it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Deadpool is a manic super-soldier in Marvel comics that has an enhanced healing factor and a hyperactive mouth. He constantly talks trash, refferances comic book tropes and even addresses the reader, this practice is known as braking the 4th wall because the field of view in a comic panel or tv screen establishes your field of view with barriers right to left and the back wall of the background.

[Jimson]

Ahh...makes sense now. Sounds like an interesting comic.

[Xahn Borealis]

Ladies and Gentlemen (are there any ladies here?), may I present, Mr Jack Three.

Stats

[ Spoiler ]

Name: Jack Three
Background: Re-Instantiated
Faction: Scum
Morph: Flexbot
Gender Id.: Male
Actual Age: 3 Years (Since Re-Instantiation)
Moxie: 5
Motivations:
+Discover Past
+Adventure
+Wealth

COG 25
COO 25
INT 15
REF 10
SAV 10
SOM 10
WIL 10

Academics: Nanotechnology 70
Academics: Mathematics 70
Art: Dance 60
Beam Weapons 80
Climbing 45
Freefall 45
Freerunning 45
Hardware: Robotics 70
Hardware: Electronics 60
Hardware: Armorer 60
Infiltration 60
Interest: Spaceship Models 60
Interest: Old Earth Youth Culture 60
Kinetic Weapons 65
Language: English 85
Networking: Autonomists 55
Networking: Firewall 60
Pilot: Groundcraft 20
Profession: Squad Tatics 80
Programming 70
Seeker Weapons 65
Seeker Weapons

Ego Traits
Adaptability 2, Right At Home (Reaper Synthmorph), Situational Awareness, Mental Disorder (Schizophrenia, details below)

Morph:
Flexbot
Durability 25
Wound Threshold 5
Armour 4/4
Standard Implants: Access Jacks, Basic Mesh Inserts, Cortical Stack, Cyberbrain, Fractal Digits, Mnemonic Augmentation, Modular Design, Nanoscopic Vision, Shape Adjusting, Walker Mobility System, Hovercraft Mobility System
Custom Implants: Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Vision, Chameleon Skin, Hand Laser, Medichines, Wrist-Mounted Tools, Ionic Mobility System, Rotorcraft Mobility System, Magnetic System, Telescoping Limbs, 360-Degree Vision, Lidar, Radar

Gear:
3 DDR Narcoalgorithms
Desktop Cornucopia Machine
Specialized Fixer Nanohive
Flexbot Shell Blueprint
Repair Spray Blueprint
Flux SMG Ammo Blueprint
Splash Micromissile Blueprint
Scrapper's Gel Blueprint
Electronic Rope
3 Repair Sprays
Spindle (w/Climber)
SMG (w/Smartlink, 100 Flux SMG Ammo, 20 Bug SMG Ammo, Combined with Bolter)
Particle Beam Bolter (w/Smartlink, Combined with SMG, 3 Nuclear Batteries)
Underbarrel Seeker (w/Smartlink, Extended Smart Magazine, 3 HEAP Micromissiles, 3 Splash Micromissiles)

Bio (as far as he knows)

[ Spoiler ]

Born on Earth, Jack <omitted> was possibly a soldier and definitely spent a lot of time sleeved in a reaper morph, to the point of being extremely used to the sleeving process in one (Right At Home). He then probably died fighting the TITANs as his backup was transmitted straight to Phelan's Recourse, as part of some contract he apparently had with Firewall, who stuck him in a morph, and told him he'd been working for them for the best part of two years. The details of this too, were lost in the time between his backup and his death. It also appears that something went wrong during the farcasting of his backup, or perhaps the TITANs were jamming the transmission, as there are great gaps in his memory and personality which manifest as schizophrenic symptoms resulting in delusions, hallucinations and other attempts by his ego to fill the void. As a result, he now believes himself to be a fictional character, subject entirely to the whims of the author. Nonetheless, he is still fortunate to retain his combat skills.

Guh, that was exhausting. Whaddya think?

[Xahn Borealis]

Ahh...makes sense now. Sounds like an interesting comic.

Well, it was X-Men! Ladies and Gentlemen (I should stop this now), Deadpool.

[Jimson]

Ladies and Gentlemen (are there any ladies here?), may I present, Mr Jack Three.

Stats

[ Spoiler ]

Name: Jack Three
Background: Re-Instantiated
Faction: Scum
Morph: Flexbot
Gender Id.: Male
Actual Age: 3 Years (Since Re-Instantiation)
Moxie: 5
Motivations:
+Discover Past
+Adventure
+Wealth

COG 25
COO 25
INT 15
REF 10
SAV 10
SOM 10
WIL 10

Academics: Nanotechnology 70
Academics: Mathematics 70
Art: Dance 60
Beam Weapons 80
Climbing 45
Freefall 45
Freerunning 45
Hardware: Robotics 70
Hardware: Electronics 60
Hardware: Armorer 60
Infiltration 60
Interest: Spaceship Models 60
Interest: Old Earth Youth Culture 60
Kinetic Weapons 65
Language: English 85
Networking: Autonomists 55
Networking: Firewall 60
Pilot: Groundcraft 20
Profession: Squad Tatics 80
Programming 70
Seeker Weapons 65
Seeker Weapons

Ego Traits
Adaptability 2, Right At Home (Reaper Synthmorph), Situational Awareness, Mental Disorder (Schizophrenia, details below)

Morph:
Flexbot
Durability 25
Wound Threshold 5
Armour 4/4
Standard Implants: Access Jacks, Basic Mesh Inserts, Cortical Stack, Cyberbrain, Fractal Digits, Mnemonic Augmentation, Modular Design, Nanoscopic Vision, Shape Adjusting, Walker Mobility System, Hovercraft Mobility System
Custom Implants: Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Vision, Chameleon Skin, Hand Laser, Medichines, Wrist-Mounted Tools, Ionic Mobility System, Rotorcraft Mobility System, Magnetic System, Telescoping Limbs, 360-Degree Vision, Lidar, Radar

Gear:
3 DDR Narcoalgorithms
Desktop Cornucopia Machine
Specialized Fixer Nanohive
Flexbot Shell Blueprint
Repair Spray Blueprint
Flux SMG Ammo Blueprint
Splash Micromissile Blueprint
Scrapper's Gel Blueprint
Electronic Rope
3 Repair Sprays
Spindle (w/Climber)
SMG (w/Smartlink, 100 Flux SMG Ammo, 20 Bug SMG Ammo, Combined with Bolter)
Particle Beam Bolter (w/Smartlink, Combined with SMG, 3 Nuclear Batteries)
Underbarrel Seeker (w/Smartlink, Extended Smart Magazine, 3 HEAP Micromissiles, 3 Splash Micromissiles)

Bio (as far as he knows)

[ Spoiler ]

Born on Earth, Jack <omitted> was possibly a soldier and definitely spent a lot of time sleeved in a reaper morph, to the point of being extremely used to the sleeving process in one (Right At Home). He then probably died fighting the TITANs as his backup was transmitted straight to Phelan's Recourse, as part of some contract he apparently had with Firewall, who stuck him in a morph, and told him he'd been working for them for the best part of two years. The details of this too, were lost in the time between his backup and his death. It also appears that something went wrong during the farcasting of his backup, or perhaps the TITANs were jamming the transmission, as there are great gaps in his memory and personality which manifest as schizophrenic symptoms resulting in delusions, hallucinations and other attempts by his ego to fill the void. As a result, he now believes himself to be a fictional character, subject entirely to the whims of the author. Nonetheless, he is still fortunate to retain his combat skills.

Guh, that was exhausting. Whaddya think?

Looks good Xahn. Haven't thoroughly gone through him yet, but looks interesting. Need to read up on synthetic morphs some more. I'm learning more about the rules as you guys make you characters. I do have one question. I notice both crizh and Xahn have characters with nanos (maybe a few others too). To get this straight, the hive acts similar to a nanofabricator. You feed it raw materials and it creates nanos. So, would a character need the blueprints for the nanobots, or the Programming skill to create their own?

[Jimson]

I thought I should mention this too. I have every intention of running EP for the long haul. I think the only thing that would interfere is if dumpshock gets blocked at my work. But that should only slow things up a bit, as I can read the updates via email, then write my response and post at home. If anyone does not think they'll be able to stick around for the long haul, please let me know prior to picking the PC's next week.

[BlackHat]

To get this straight, the hive acts similar to a nanofabricator. You feed it raw materials and it creates nanos. So, would a character need the blueprints for the nanobots, or the Programming skill to create their own?

IIRC, if you buy a nanoswarm, it doesn't necessarily come with a hive (and can only operate for about 12 hours without one), but its not too expensive to pick up a specialized hive (extra 1,000 cred) which works as you say (but which already has the blueprints for the one kind of nanobot it knows how to make). A *general* hive (20,000 credits) can make any kind of nanobot swarm, but need blueprints (and blueprints are usually one category higher than the swarm).

Also, there is gear like the self-repairing armor mod, or smart dust, which says in the description that it incorporates a specialized maker or nanobot hive, which also wouldn't need blueprints to be purchased separately, or to be programmed (because it can only ever make the one thing).

In any case, you need feedstock, but that is generally easy to come buy (trivial, I think it says somewhere - but doesn't really talk about how much stock you get for that). Also, IIRC, I don't think the core book goes into much detail about how long it takes for a hive to replenish itself - I suspect the idea is that as long as your nanoswarm can make it back home, it can repair the damaged ones and replace the lost ones, and basically keep it going. If your swarm got wiped out, it could generate new nanites from feedstock (probably taking the same time as a fabber - so a few hours, depending on that nanobot swarm) to fill back up.

EDIT: Well, looking back at the stuff on pg 285, you might need to do a programming test, even if you have blueprints (and might need another one to make new blueprints)... so maybe you *do* have to make a programming test (or use the built in AI) even when using a specialized hive. Not sure.

[crizh]

Yeah you do need to make a programming test but it is a Simple Test so you pretty much automatically succeed.

It's only if there are complications like dodgy blueprints or over-riding restrictions that you need to make a Success Test.

[Abschalten]

I'd like to chime in and say that I'm still interested. I'm going to get my charsheet and a better-written bio up soon. And I am, most definitely, interested in gaming for the long haul. Hell, I'm running my own PbP and I'm updating it with posts on a daily basis. The players are doing so as well, and for a PbP it's been moving quite fast. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Sixgun_Sage]

I've been in Star Wars D20 games that lasted for more than 2 years, you think I'll give up on a game for a system I actually like?

[BlackHat]

If anyone does not think they'll be able to stick around for the long haul, please let me know prior to picking the PC's next week.

Yeah, I don't think you'll find too many players who are looking for the alternative. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Xahn Borealis]

Ooops, forgot to mention, Jack Three (just call him Three) spent his Re-Instantiated bonus on Networking: Firewall, and his Scum bonus on Beam Weapons. Also, he has 825 credits left and his rep scores are: @-Rep 15, I-Rep 35. Just a few things I left out. If there's anything else, poke me with a stick til I start paying attention.

[Jimson]

Glad to hear the interest is there. Thanks. Now I'll feel even more bad that everyone won't be able to play. Oh well, can't make everyone happy. As for your characters, I not going through them with a fine tooth comb (i.e. I'm not adding your stats/skills/trait etc. to see if you came up to 1000). If for some reason you only use 995, or even 1010, I probably won't notice. Once we have the 3-4 players picked (since there's so much interest, I'm 99% sure I'll pick 4), them we might go through them in more detail. As of now, you are on the honor system. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Sixgun_Sage]

Well, I changed Jackson Murphy's faction, with a couple of minor skill tweaks to make the numbers work, and am considering changing out his gear list vsomewhat for him to fill the heavy combat and recon role a bit better, did want to check and see what you might say about me taking a bit from other skills to increase his Muse, Fixit's Infosec ability. Some of the stuff listed for standard muses is cool but when you view your muse as more of a tool than anything else...

[Jimson]

Well, I changed Jackson Murphy's faction, with a couple of minor skill tweaks to make the numbers work, and am considering changing out his gear list vsomewhat for him to fill the heavy combat and recon role a bit better, did want to check and see what you might say about me taking a bit from other skills to increase his Muse, Fixit's Infosec ability. Some of the stuff listed for standard muses is cool but when you view your muse as more of a tool than anything else...

Umm...not quite sure how this would work. I want to stick to the rules, and not tweak anything just yet. From what I can tell, you start with the Standard Muse (p.332), and then you would either purchase a skillsoft to get it higher (up to 40), or you can buy one of the additional AI's listed. But I could be entirely wrong. If you know how to increase Fixit's Infosec by another way, please let me know, as I am still learning.

As for you other skill tweaks, have at it. You can update them up until we start the IC thread. But remember, I'll be picking up to 4 characters on Thursday.

EDIT: Feel free to post your characters here, or you can email me at chewie456@hotmail.com. If you have already posted your characters, please email it to me, or put it in a new post. It may help me organize all that's out there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[BlackHat]

Umm...not quite sure how this would work. I want to stick to the rules, and not tweak anything just yet. From what I can tell, you start with the Standard Muse (p.332), and then you would either purchase a skillsoft to get it higher (up to 40), or you can buy one of the additional AI's listed. But I could be entirely wrong. If you know how to increase Fixit's Infosec by another way, please let me know, as I am still learning.

Those are the options, by the book. If you're looking for a muse that's better at Infosec, you probably want to just go with the Security AI or Kaos AI (that's what they are for). Or, for a cheaper solution, pick up a skillsoft as Jimson mentioned. In either case, you're looking at a skill rating of 40 (basic professional certification), which won't be as reliable as a tricked out PC hacker, but should be high enough to offer decent mesh security and to hack something open in a pinch.

[Xahn Borealis]

I found this, if you want to create your own muse and if the GM will allow it: http://sites.google.com/site/hardtakeoff/c...-creation-rules

[Xahn Borealis]

Bubble toast!

[Sixgun_Sage]

I'm going to go with the actual security AI, I suppose, and I'm refining gear choices and background information (mainly because I am rereading the Takeshi Kovacs novels), should have something up by tomorrow.

[Jimson]

Hi everyone. One more day left to get your characters in. I hope to go through them tomorrow. For those who have already posted your characters, can you please do so again, just to save me the time of digging through the board again? Or you can email them to me at chewie456@hotmail.com.

[BlackHat]

For those who have already posted your characters, can you please do so again, just to save me the time of digging through the board again?

Doctor Mathew Esterly - Async Xenoarcheologist

Concept:

[ Spoiler ]

A gatecrasher, who came back from an expedition "changed" - now an async, whose mind has been rewired to facilitate an eerie understanding of mathematics and linguistics, he began also working for Firewall as an expert in xenolinguistics and xenobiology. Based on the Xenoarcheologist premade, but less of an adventurer, and more of a scientist.

Bio:

[ Spoiler ]

Doctor Mathew Esterly had always been fascinated by the stars, and the possibilities they held. As a young scientist, he joined the original space colonists, and traveled outward from Earth as humanity pushed the edge of its outposts further and further away from their home world. When the Fall came, Mathew was far far away - and while the near-extinction of humanity still touched his life, it was the subsequent discovery of the Pandora Gates and the arrival of the Factors that changed it, most noticeably.

The discovery of wormhole gateways, and the arrival of true intelligent alien life renewed his belief that there must be more in the universe than humanity. He didn't return to the outer-rim space colonies, and instead joined a number of Gatecrashing crews - excited to see places in the universe he would never reach, otherwise, and new forms of life. However, after a gate-jump anomaly, Dr. Esterly was changed, forever. At first, he didn't realize what had happened. He felt strange, like there was a presence with him, even when he was alone and, throughout the mission, he was exhausted, but his mind was racing. He didn't sleep often or well, and spent most of his free time scribbling down notes and equations, that only seemed to make sense to him, as though he thought they might slip from his mind as mysteriously as they had entered it. His behavior alerted the rest of his crew, who kept him under observation but didn't think he was dangerous - on the contrary, despite a few fits where he was nearly incomprehensible, his insights and analysis of the strange world seemed sharper than ever. Upon returning through the Gate, they insisted he undergo a psychosurgical examination. This was when he discovered he had been somehow infected by the Watts-MacLeod strain of the Exsurgent Virus.

Whether the virus had lied dormant in him and had been triggered by the anomaly, or whether the anomaly was actually the infection-vector is still unknown. However, his mind underwent a rapid change that altered the way he observed and understood the world around him. The mathematical and linguistic centers of his brain underwent the greatest refactoring, and he developed a low level of telepathy which was consistent with psi-gamma expressions - although he showed a remarkable ability to interact with and communicate with non-sentient minds. He continued to Gatecrash, finding that the Gatekeeper Corporation was suddenly a lot more interested in his findings and new discoveries. Although he built up some relationship with the Gatekeeper Corporation (to facilitate his research), he preferred to operate out of the Fissure Gate whenever possible, so that he would be free to publish his findings and make them available to the scientific community at large. As his understanding of ancient alien structures and languages grew, so did his prominence in the newly created fields of xenolinguistics and xenobiology.

Not long after becoming a recognized expert in these fields, as well as publishing some remarkable new theories in mathematics, Dr. Esterly came to the attention of Firewall, and was recruited when an alien device had been discovered which was releasing small bursts of low-level radiation in sequences which they suspected were not entirely random. They were not random, and Dr. Esterly was critical in assisting a team with identifying the function of the device as well as getting a rudimentary understanding of the meaning encoded in the message it seemed to be broadcasting. Since then, Firewall has found him useful on a number of other assignments, even where there is no evidence of extra-terrestrial involvement. He is a skilled scientist, and lends an unusual perspective to any situation - an eerie creativity that has been useful when a problem needed to be faced with fresh eyes. However, useful though he may be, Firewall requires his services infrequently enough that Doctor Esterly possesses a considerable amount of free-time, which he spends in research, or continually exploring the farthest reaches of this universe on the other side of the Pandora Gates.

Sheet:

[ Spoiler ]

Character: Doctor Mathew Esterly
Background: Original Space Colonist (+10 Freefall, +10 Profession [Gatecrasher], +20 Networking: Autonomists)
Faction: Argonaut (+10 to Profession[Gatecrasher], +10 to , +20 to Networking: Scientists)
Gender ID: Male
Motivations: +Alien Discoveries, +Alien Contact, +Research (Mathematics)

Customization Point Breakdown

[ Spoiler ]

- 40 Morph
- 15 Reputation
- 50 Traits
- 50 Psi Slights
- 410 Active Skills
- 335 Knowledge Skills
- 100 Gear

Aptitudes:

[ Spoiler ]

- Cog 20 +10 Morph
- Coo 10
- Int 25 +5 Morph
- Ref 10
- Sav 10 +5 Morph
- Som 10
- Wil 20 +5 Morph

Secondary

[ Spoiler ]

- Moxie 1
- Lucidity (Wil x2) 50
- Trauma Threshold (Luc / 5) 9(-1 from psi) = 8
- Insanity Rating (Luc x2) 100
- Initiative ((Int + Ref) x2) 40 (+30 if mental speed is going)

Reputation:

[ Spoiler ]

- a-rep 40 (Autonomists)
- c-rep 40 (Hypercorps)
- e-rep 0 (Ecologists)
- f-rep 0 (Media)
- g-rep 0 (Criminals)
- i-rep 40 (Firewall)
- r-rep 80 (Scientists)

Traits:

[ Spoiler ]

- Advantages (50)
- - Psi, Level 2 (25)
- - Math Wiz (10)
- - Hyperlinguist (10)
- - Zoosemiotics (5)
- Disadvantages (0, but 2 mental disorders from psi)
- - Mental Disorder [Insomnia] (From Psi)
- - Mental Disorder [OCD - Solving Math Problems / Finding (meaningless) Connections in Data] (From Psi)

Psi Slights:

[ Spoiler ]

- Chi
- - Ambience Sense (+10 Investigation, Perception, Scrounging, Surprise)
- - Enhanced Creativity (+20 Creativity ???)
- - Grok (Strain -1, Cogx2 to get +20 to defaulting, unfamiliar, or alien device)
- - Pattern Recognition (+20 to language, investigation, research or code-breaking tests)
- - Savant Calculation (+30 math)
- Gamma
- - Deep Scan (Strain +1, Sense)
- - Ego Sense (Strain -1, Sense)
- - Subliminal (Strain +2, Control)
- - Implant Skill (Strain +0, Control)
- - Mindlink (Strain +0/+1, Control)

Skills:
- Active

[ Spoiler ]

- - Investigation 60 (35) (+10 ambiance sense, +20 pattern recog, + 10 oracles, +5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Logical Deductions] (5)
- - Perception 60 (35) (+10 ambience sense, +20 cyber, +5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Auditory] (5)
- - Research 60 (40) (+20 pattern recog, +10 morph)
- - - Specialization [Aliens] (5)
- - Programming 60 (40) (+10 morph)
- - Scrounging 60 (35) (+10 ambience sense, +5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Ruins] (5)
- - Navigation 60 (25)
- - - Specialization [Astrogation] (5)
- - Networking [Autonomists] 35 (5) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Love and Rage Collective]
- - Networking [Hypercorp] 15 (5) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Gatekeeper Corporation] (5)
- - Networking [Scientists] 40 (10) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Xenoarcheologists] (5)
- - Control 60 (40) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Implant Skill] (5)
- - Sense 60 (35) (+5 morph)
- - - Specialization [Ego Sense] (5)
- - Fray 60 (50)
- - - Specialization: Total Defense (5)

- From Skillsoft
- - Beam Weapons 40
- - Spray Weapons 40

- Knowledge

[ Spoiler ]

- - Academics [Alien Relics] 60 (40) (+10 morph)
- - Academics [Pandora Gates] 40 (20) (+10 morph)
- - Academics [Astrobiology] 60 (40) (+10 morph)
- - Academics [Exsurgent Virus] 40 (20) (+10 morph)
- - - Specialization [Watts-MacLeod Strain] (5)
- - Academics [Mathematics] 80 (80) (+30 math wiz, +30 savant calc, +10 morph)
- - Academics [Xenolinguistics] 80 (80) (+10 morph)
- - Academics [Xenoarcheology] 60 (40) (+10 morph)
- - Profession [Gatecrasher] 50 (10) (+10 morph)
- - Language [Native English] 95 (0) (+20 pattern recognition, +5 morph)
- - Language [Untrained] 25 (0) (+10 hyperlinguist, +20 pattern recognition, +5 morph)

Morph: Menton

[ Spoiler ]

- Aptitude Max 30
- Durability 35
- Wound Threshold 7
- Death Rating (Dur x1.5) 52

Gear:

[ Spoiler ]

- Starting Credits 14,850
- Bioware
- - Enhanced Sense
- - - (250) Direction Sense
- - - (250) Echolocation
- - - (250) Enhanced Hearing
- - - (250) Enhanced Vision
- - Mental Augmentations
- - - [-] Eidetic Memory
- - - [-] Hyper Linguist
- - - [-] Math Boost
- - Physical Augmentations
- - - (250) [L] Bioweave Armor [2/3]
- - - (1,000) [M] Circadian Regulation (2 hrs sleep, or 4 every 48)
- - - (1,000) Clean Metabolism (Immunity to infections)
- - - (250) Eelware (power implants and devices)
- - - (250) [L] Enhanced Respiration (0.2-5 atmospheres, hold breath for 10-30 minutes)
- - - (250) [L] Gills
- - - (250) [L] Hibernation (5% normal food, water, air - 40 days)
- - - (250) [L] Temperature Tolerance (-30 to 60 C)
- - - (1000) [M] Toxin Filters
- - - (5000) [H] Vacuum Sealing (Temps from -70 to 100 C)

- Cyberware
- - Enhanced Senses
- - - (250) Electrical Sense
- - - (250) Radiation Sense
- - - (250) T-Ray Emitter
- - Mental Augmentation
- - - (250) Mnemonic Augmentation
- - Physical Augmentations
- - - (250) Oxygen Reserve

- Nanoware
- - (250) [L] Medichines
- - (5,000) [H] Mental Speed
- - (1,000) Nanophages
- - (1,000) [M] Oracles (+10 Investigation, +30 memory)
- - (1,000) Respirocytes
- - (5,000) [H] Skillware
- - (1,000) [M] Skinlink
- - (1,000) [M] Wrist-Mounted Tools (+20 repair/mod mechanical/lock/alarm/first-aid)

- Communication Devices
- - (500) [L] Radio Booster x2
- - (500) [L] Miniature Farcaster Radio x2
- - - (500) [L] Portable QE Comm x2 (built in)
- - - - Able to attach to a qubit reservoir, but doesn't own one

- Software
- - (5,000) Skillsoft [Spray Weapons] (40)
- - (5,000) Skillsoft [Beam Weapons] (40)
- - (1,000) Tactical Networks
- - (FREE) [H] Standard Muse
- - - INT 20
- - - Academics [Psychology] 60
- - - Hardware [Electronics] 30
- - - Infosec 30
- - - Interface 40
- - - Professional [Accounting] 60
- - - Programming 20
- - - Research 30
- - - Perception 30
- - - Language [English] 40
- - - Academics [Mathematics] 40
- - - Academics [Linguistics] 40

- Combination Tool
- - (5,000) [H] Covert Operations Tool (COT)
- - (1,000) [M] Psi Jammer
- - (250) [L] Utilitool (+10 to repairing or modifying mechanical objects, locks, alarm systems, or first-aid)
- - (50) [L] Flashlight (Normal, Ultraviolet, Infrared)
- - (50) White Noise Machine
- - (250) X-Ray Emitter

- Research
- - (20,000) [E] Quantum Computer
- - (250) [L] Investigation Kit
- - (1,000) Specialized Hive
- - - (5,000) Scouts
- - (1,000) [M] Mobile Lab (Chemistry 30)
- - (1,000) [L] Specimen Container x4
- - (1,000) [M] Smart Dust

- Survival Gear
- - (250) Breadcrumb Positioning System
- - (1,000) Spindle
- - - (250) Spindle Climber

- Pet
- - (250) Smart Rat
- - - COG 5, COO 15, INT 15, REF 15, SAV 5, SOM 5, WIL 10
- - - INIT 60, SPD 2, DUR 5, WT 1, LUC 20, TT 4
- - - Climbing 40, Fray 40, Freerunning 30, Infiltration 50, Perception 20, Scrounging 50

- Armor
- - (50) Micrograv Shoes
- - (250) [L] Viewers (+30 perception if aimed at)
- - (250) [L] Specs (+10 perception if visual)
- - (250) [L] Second Skin [1/3]
- - (250) [L] Smart Skin [3/2]
- - - (250) Reflective Glazing [+3/+0]
- - (5,000) [H] Smart-fabric Standard Vac-Suit [7/7]
- - - Specialized Maker (48 hours air, indefinite food/water)
- - - Ecto
- - - Radio Booster
- - - Sensors equal to specs
- - - Safe in temp from -175 to 140 C
- - - Self-sealing (unless 30 damage at once)
- - - (1,000) Self-Healing Modification

- - (5,000) [H] Hard Suit [15/15]
- - - Resist Vacuum and up to 100 atmospheres of pressure
- - - Miniature plasma thrusters, delivering 0.01G for 10 hours
- - - Specialized maker (air/food/water indefinitely)
- - - Utilitool in each hand
- - - Ecto
- - - Radio booster
- - - Sensors equal to specs
- - - Fixer nanohive
- - - Self-sealing (unless 30 damage at once)
- - - Safe in temp from -200 to 180 C

- Weapons
- - (1,000) [M] Stunner
- - - AP - DV 1d10/2+shock SA 200
- - - (1,000) [M] Smartlink
- - (1,000) [M] Shredder
- - - AP -10 DV 2d10+5 SA/BF/FA 100
- - - (1,000) [M] Smartlink

Changes:
- Changed muse's "Academics[Xenolinguistics]" to "Academics[Linguistics]" since it seems to fit better for off-the-shelf software.
- Spent 250 of leftover credits on a Smart Rat (a white lab rat)

Also, I noticed that Sunward is available today. Are you planning to pick that one up (as in, can we use material from there, if we do)?
EDIT: Note, I haven't picked it up quite yet - so for all I know, there isn't anything of use to us in there... but I'm pretty sure there's some new stuff

[Jimson]

Also, I noticed that Sunward is available today. Are you planning to pick that one up (as in, can we use material from there, if we do)?
EDIT: Note, I haven't picked it up quite yet - so for all I know, there isn't anything of use to us in there... but I'm pretty sure there's some new stuff

Ha! I knew someone would mention this eventually. From what I read on eclipsephase.com a few days ago, there will be new morphs, and probably traits and gear I'm assuming. I do plan on picking it up, but don't have the $15 at this point. I am first going to buy NPC: Prime. Hopefully it will have some goodies I can use. As for using material in Sunward, lets wait until I pick the characters (tomorrow), since I don't want everyone rushing to read a new book, then trying to update their character last minute. After that, I most likely will allow stuff from it. If someone does pick it up, I'd be interested to hear how it is. I wish Gatecrashers would come out soon. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[crizh]

I'm pretty sure it's going to be CC so it should be available to download for free sometime in the next couple of days. We can all get a look at it then and decide whether it is worth enriching Adam for.

It's not like we will be missing out on any new gear or Morphs. We'll be able to pick up new stuff we like pretty easily after char-gen...

[Sixgun_Sage]

Well, here is the revised version of Jackson Murphy, made him a bit more in the extropian anarcho-capitalist mold and a bit more of a "tank/commando" so long as he has time to swap out his gear.

[ Spoiler ]

Character Concept: Freelance Operative

Name: Jackson Murphy Morph: Fury

Background: Scumborn Faction: Extropian

Aptitudes:Cog: 15 Coo: 20 Int: 20 Ref: 20 Sav: 20 Som: 10 Will: 15

Morph: Basic Biomod, Basic Mesh Insert, *Bioweave Armor (Light), Cortical Stack, *Neurachem 2, *Clean Metabolism, *Circadian Regulation, *Reflex Booster, *SkinLink, * Enhanced Senses (Vision, Hearing, Smell, Direction Sense), *Medichines

+10 Coo, +10 Ref, +10 Som, +5 Will. +5 Sav

Lucidity: 40 Insanity: 80 Initiative: 110

Durability: 50 Death Rating: 75 Wound Threshold: 10 Trauma Threshold: 7

Speed: 2/4 Moxie: 2 Cash: 7000

Motivations +Personal Development, +Wealth, +Education

　

Skills: 30 Academics (Philosophy), 30 Academics (History), (60)50 Freerunning ,(55)50 Persuasion, 40 Deception, (70)60 Seeker Weapons, 80 Hardware (Armorer), (80)50 Kinesics, (85)75 Kinetics, (60)50 Fray, (70)60 Infiltration, 40 Interest (Music), 60 Interest (Conspiracy Theories), 35 Networking: Firewall, 35 Scrounging, 60 Profession (Squad Tactics), 50 Networking: Autonomists, 40 Networking: Hypercorps, 55 Navigation, 60 Networking: Criminal, (70)50 Perception, (90)80 Unarmed, (95)90 English Language, (65)60 Mandarin Language, (65)60 German Language

　

Rep Networks:

Circle-A List: 50 Quanxi: 70, Fame: 10, Firewall: 40

Armor: Bioweave 2/3 and

(6)Armor Clothing 3/4, Armor Vest 6/6 (optional)

or

Vac Suit 7/7

or

Heavy Body Armpr (chameleon coat, self healing, shock proof, thermal damping, ablative patches, fire proofin) 19/15

Weapon: Damage: AP: Mode: Ammo:

Unarmed 1d10+2 - - -

H. Rail Pistol 2d10+6 -7 SA/BF/FA 16

Smartlink, Safety

Rail Sniper Rifle 2d10+12 -15 SA/BF/FA 40

Smartlink, Safety,

Underbarrel Seeker - - SA 6

　

　

　

　

　

Gear: Covert Operations Tool, 20 Microbugs, Disassembly Tools, Backup Insurance (no retrieval service, 2 years, 6 mo), 4 Repair Spray Canisters, Spindle w/ Climber, 100 rounds Accushot R.A.P Rail Sniper Ammo, 300, H. Rail Pistol Ammo, 30 Plasmaburst Seekers(Homing), 18 Smoke Seekers (Accushot), Mini-Farcaster, Ecto, Radio Booster, Psi Jammer

Pet Smart Monkey: Mojo

Muse: Fixit

Positive Qualities:

Negative Qualities: Blackmark (Jovian Republic Military, 20), Enemy (Captain Holtz, Jovian Military Police, 10)

　

History: Born on the "Fresh Kills" Scum Barge, his mother died in delivery and his father was largely absent due to "work" so it is unsurprising that Jackson "Slick" Murphy found his way into the gang life before he was even a teenager. Quick witted and with a certain knack for running raids on other gangs Jackson was able to eventually find his way onto a boat headed for one of the Jovian Junta's military bases, with training via virtuality along the way. A gifted soldier and SecOps specialist he could have gone far, but he was decidedly uncomfortable under the bioconservatives' regime and made off for the autonomist habitats and the Quanxi with a bit of milspec tech to buy his way. Now he operates at a rather high profit margin as a red market security specialist and merc, including a fair amount of work for Firewall as a provisional sentinel.

Personality: Relaxed, friendly, and utterly lethal, Jackson Murphy is a man who likes to enjoy life because he is all too well aware of the possibility of death in ways that do not allow for resleeving (discounting arguments about the nature of the soul of course), the most disconcerting thing about him is his love of a challenging fight, especially considering his penchant for starting them at times. Still, on a job he is utterly professional and completely ruthless in executing his duties, only letting his somewhat dry sense of humor show in the field very rarely.

Appearance: His current sleeve is a male one, standing just slightly over 6 feet tall, fine boned and handsome with a sleekly muscular build, green eyes and dark hair that makes for a decently attractive package without standing out much at all in most crowds, his armor clothes are khaki pants and t-shirts or dress pants and shirts, depending on if he is going for a soldier's bdu or a more classic "mob soldier" for a look.

[Xahn Borealis]

lets wait until I pick the characters (tomorrow)

How many people are there to choose from, actually? Also, check your email for character sheet.

[BlackHat]

How many people are there to choose from, actually? Also, check your email for character sheet.

By my last count, 5 character sheets posted in this thread, plus two or three concepts that didn't have sheets with them (which might have been PMed, or just might come in tonight).

[Xahn Borealis]

I found a download link for Sunward, if you want. Just downloaded it and reading now, appears to be legit, unless the Exsurgent virus has trojan'd it's way in. Either way, doesn't matter, we'll all be basilisk hacked in a few minutes anyway.



EDIT: Holy shit, some neutermorph IS HAVING SEX WITH VENUS. THE PLANET. This is what I call a good story.

This post has been edited by Xahn Borealis: Jul 28 2010, 09:16 PM

[pragma]

Edits have been made and reposted here.

I adjusted the distribution of active skill and knowledge skills (including paring some points from the later for more rep and gear) and juggled some psi sleights around. Also took the timid trait as it kind of seems appropriate for an ego that lives in constant terror of its own potential and which hid a potentially existence threatening virus from its companions.

The background has not been adjusted in the slightest.

Some questions about gear
-- in the light vacsuit section it mentions that both the smart fabric and standard models can become fitted vacsuits in 2 action turns. What is the advantage of the smart fabric suit in that case? Just that it can be worn without being awkward?
-- Many of the other characters have multiple repair sprays but there don't appear to be rules for the repair spray getting used up. How will this be handled? I've got the credits to buy a few more cans before the game starts if that is appropriate.

Jonah Queequod

Concept:

[ Spoiler ]

A scumborn technical whiz who has tried with all of his might to amount to nothing. He deeply desires to live a bohemian and romantic lifestyle in the way of the great poets and artists of the former earth, but finds himself gifted with an alarming technical aptitude that feels somewhat unnerving. An artist so devoted to futility that he's unwilling to save humanity except under threat of extortion (fortunately for humanity, he caves easily).

Bio:

[ Spoiler ]

Jonah never wanted to be good at anything except maybe poetry. Unfortunately, he's never been gifted with words. As a child he was intensely sucessful in his goal as he was raised in an environmentally ravaged Appalachian slum -- the ever expanding outskirts and sewers of Memphis. He scraped by getting a passable education and gradually growing to hate his surroundings -- an abrasive attitude did nothing to help him fit in.

It was little surprise then that he gleefully signed up for indentured servitude in Martian terraforming. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the fall was looming. Just as his term of service started, the fall ended it rapidly. The Martian habitat he was helping to terraform tore itself apart as devastating infowar viruses tore through the life support and population. Jonah is certain he was exposed to some of these viruses, but made no mention as he escaped in a spaceship which eventually joined a scum barge.

Since the fall he's happily lived as a nomad and failing artist hoping his unfulfilled martian responsibilities won't catch up with him. More worrying is the fear that the infowar viruses may catch his ego -- since his escape from the station he's found that he has an incredible knack for mathematics and construction. He feels compelled to build and repair things and does so with a natural ease he knows he shouldn't have. More mysterious still are the occasional bouts of intense concentration and almost prehuman understanding that don't seem native to his skull. His solution has been self-medication with orbital hash (which does suppress his mental faculties admirably) and diligently attempting not to focus on anything that he's good at leading to a almost phobic inability to concentrate.

In spite of these precautions, a subset Phelan's recourse has figured out that Jonah is an extremely competent technologist and he routinely trades his skills for a continued living. Firewall, too, has gotten wind of his talents and through threats of exposing his indentured servitude, his viral exposure or worse his technical aptitude they have cajoled him into being a sentinel.

[BlackHat]

Some questions about gear
-- in the light vacsuit section it mentions that both the smart fabric and standard models can become fitted vacsuits in 2 action turns. What is the advantage of the smart fabric suit in that case? Just that it can be worn without being awkward?

I believe this is the case. A smart-fabric vacsuit can also transform into any normal clothing or emerge from an orange-sized hive when activate.

-- Many of the other characters have multiple repair sprays but there don't appear to be rules for the repair spray getting used up. How will this be handled? I've got the credits to buy a few more cans before the game starts if that is appropriate.

Probably up to the GM. It says in the first line that it is a nanobot generator, so it seems like it could make new nanobots as necessary (assuming you provide it with feedstock once in a while). It's really cheap though. A specialized hive that produces Fixer nanoswarms would run 2K, and do effectively the same thing. Maybe that's because it is such a ubiquitous tool, whereas nanohives are generally harder to get your hands on.

[BlackHat]

I found a download link for Sunward, if you want. Just downloaded it and reading now, appears to be legit, unless the Exsurgent virus has trojan'd it's way in.

Like a chump, I already bought it - but I don't feel too bad about it. I've already gotten more than $10 worth of entertainment out of this game, and I'm happy to help support it.

If someone does pick it up, I'd be interested to hear how it is.

I'm very impressed. There is a lot of stuff here that seems to help wrap your head around the setting. Fluff-wise, it is absolutely fantastic. Obviously, it focuses on the inner-system (which, for this game, we're not initially starting in), but it has a lot of information that would still be useful about how people act, and what's going on, on that side of Earth. It also has a chapter about Earth, which I think was lacking in the core book, given that its the Homeworld. There is a lot of detail on, say, the various habitats on mars - which, if you're not going to mars, might be extrainous information, but that also gives you information/clues about habitats in general, and the various factions and groups that would inhabit that area. Certainly good to have for general background to the setting and "current events".

Crunch-wise, there are a handful of new options (11 new morphs, 2 positive traits, 2 negative traits, 9 augmentations, 9 pieces of gear, and a handful of vehicles/robots) - a lot of which could be useful outside of the inner system, but which is probably most useful on the planets they were designed for. There are not one, but two new biomorphs with wings/gliders and, of course, stats for the whales that live in the sun's corona - which I know people on the EP forums have been clamoring for, despite the fact that they can't leave the corona, and would make terrible PC morphs. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

My biggest complaint (which is actually quite minor, and which I also have with the core book) is where they drew the line between augmentations that have a credit-value, and morph-traits (which have a credit value when re-sold, but which count against your 50 CPs of traits at char-gen). For some reason, in this book, "High-Temperature Operation" is a morph trait, while "Temperature Tolerance [Improved Cold]" is a bioware augmentation. They are also both different than the "Temperature Tolerance" bioware. *shrugs* Go figure. I probably would have taken High-Temp-Operation (10 CP ~ 5,000 credits at resale) and made it an [High] Augmentation, instead - but I suppose that once you start play, it doesn't matter, as it all translates to credits after that, anyway.

[Jimson]

blackhat, thanks for the "review" of Sunward. I read through the preview yesterday, and I do like the fluff. As you said, it helps you understand the setting a bit more. I downloaded it with Xahn's link. I'll probably give Posthuman Studios my $10 as soon as I can.

Xahn, I did have a question about your gear. You have a Blueprint for your Flexbot morph, is that correct? If so, maybe I missed something, but wouldn't a morph be too big to be created in a Desktop Cornucopia Machine?

All, I will get to picking characters today. Thank you all for your submissions.

[BlackHat]

Xahn, I did have a question about your gear. You have a Blueprint for your Flexbot morph, is that correct? If so, maybe I missed something, but wouldn't a morph be too big to be created in a Desktop Cornucopia Machine?

Flexbots are about the size of a dog (and who knows what that means, exactly) but its probably bigger than a foot and a half on each side.

However, IIRC, with DCMs and even smaller fabbers, you can create larger items by creating them one piece at a time, and then assembling the pieces outside of the machine (which would take some tools and technical know-how). Some objects might be "componetized" more easily than others (flexbots being innately modular machines might make that easier). I suspect that with biomorphs, for example, you might fab up a head, then a torso, then some legs and arms... and then you need a healing vat to graft them all together again (although, I suppose a healing vat can remake a morph from just a head that was put in stasis, so maybe there is no need to fab up the body parts too).

A better example might be a car. You could fab up a car by creating most of the smaller components one at a time (wheels, engine block, seats, etc), but then you would need some sort of auto-mechanic (or robotic assembly factory) to put those pieces together into a functioning vehicle. A person might be able to do it on their own (given time, and the right tools) but its not the sort of thing people generally build from scratch. That's basically how they make them in real life, anyway - in pieces, with robots putting the pieces together on the assembly line.

[crizh]

Xahn, I did have a question about your gear. You have a Blueprint for your Flexbot morph, is that correct? If so, maybe I missed something, but wouldn't a morph be too big to be created in a Desktop Cornucopia Machine?

You might be able to design it in a modular form that could be fitted together after it were manufactured, particularly with flex-bots that are already modular by design, you could just start with smaller modules.

Or you could use a Protean Swarm....

[BlackHat]

Or you could use a Protean Swarm....

Ah, I forgot about that swarm. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Good catch.

[Jimson]

Ahh...why didn't I think of that. Thanks guys!

[nezumi]

I've been away for a few weeks. Are we still accepting characters, or is this just 'show off your cool ideas'?

[Jimson]

I've been away for a few weeks. Are we still accepting characters, or is this just 'show off your cool ideas'?

I am going to be picking characters today for an upcoming "mission".

[Jimson]

Alright, the time has come. I am going to make one modification to what I said at the beginning of this recruitment process. I originally said 3-4 players, but since I only recieved 5 character sheets, I don't want to leave just one person out. So, crizh, Sixgun_Sage, Xahn Borealis, BlackHat, and pragma, you have all been recurited. Congratulations and thanks for your interest. I'll get an IC and OOC thread started soon. Please be kind to me, I'm new to GMing PbP, new to EP, and only played in 2 PbP games. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[BlackHat]

Congrats to us! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm glad it didn't come down to only one person having to sit out after going though the character generation process. This just means Jimson can have horrible things happen to 25% more of us. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Since you're new to this format, did you have a dice-rolling mechanism in mind? Some games I have been in go with the honor system, some just let the GM handle it, but probably most of them use a site like http://invisiblecastle.com/ where players can have dice rolled and tie them to a character/campaign name. It adds some accountability for player rolls, but lets them still "control" their own dice. That's probably my preference, but I'm up for trying anything if you (or someone else) had something else in mind.

[BlackHat]

As for using material in Sunward, lets wait until I pick the characters (tomorrow), since I don't want everyone rushing to read a new book, then trying to update their character last minute. After that, I most likely will allow stuff from it.

I downloaded it with Xahn's link.

Also, was the decision that stuff from Sunward will (probably) be available, in-game, once we've started? Or did you just want us to delay rushing to make Sunward-related edits until after you picked characters? I'm guessing it was the former, but it can't hurt to ask. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Jimson]

Congrats to us! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm glad it didn't come down to only one person having to sit out after going though the character generation process. This just means Jimson can have horrible things happen to 25% more of us. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Since you're new to this format, did you have a dice-rolling mechanism in mind? Some games I have been in go with the honor system, some just let the GM handle it, but probably most of them use a site like http://invisiblecastle.com/ where players can have dice rolled and tie them to a character/campaign name. It adds some accountability for player rolls, but lets them still "control" their own dice. That's probably my preference, but I'm up for trying anything if you (or someone else) had something else in mind.

Glad to hear that. There seem to be quite a bit of interest, but only a handful took them time to write up their characters. Therefore, you all shall be rewarded for your efforts. I've made a few characters and I know all the thought and planning that went into it.

25%...oh, I'm sure you guys can handle at least 52% more.

As for the rolling method, I do like invisiblecastle. There really isn't any full proof way to prevent cheating, so you are all bound by your honor. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Also, was the decision that stuff from Sunward will (probably) be available, in-game, once we've started? Or did you just want us to delay rushing to make Sunward-related edits until after you picked characters? I'm guessing it was the former, but it can't hurt to ask. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

As for Sunward, you can post what you would like and I'll most likely be ok with it. Its available now, but once we start the IC thread, you'll have to acquire it by Rez/Rep/Credits. If you can, copy and paste what it is, and the page number.

[BlackHat]

Okay, I don't know that I'll even end up wanting to take anything from it - but I tried to go out of my way to build a "go anywhere" morph for Dr. Esterly, and to pick up gear that was useful when exploring other planets (presumably beyond pandora gates) so some of the new vacsuits, morphs, and augmentations certainly interested me, and the Dr has like 14K left over I think. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) When I get home from work I'll take another pass real quick and see if there are any changes I would like to make - but, worse comes to worse, I can always use the rep/networking rules to buy a new body or gear when and where I need it. I'll try not to get too hung up on it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Sixgun_Sage]

Great, with this mix of... miscreants it looks to be a hell of a fun game.

[BlackHat]

Okay, I don't know that I'll even end up wanting to take anything from it ...

I think I'm good for now, anyway. Tempted to pick up wings, or a cool new spacesuit, but I might as well wait until I think I'll be sent to an environment where I'll need either of those things.

[pragma]

Terribly excited to see how a drugged out space handyman interacts with all of these relatively composed professionals; even Jack Three knows he's good at something and is willing to do it. Looking forward to the game kicking up.

However, I must warn you all that I'm traveling this weekend, so posts will be limited until Monday. Please do get the game rolling and Jonah will roll out of bed with a new cockroach in his apartment at a later time.

[Sixgun_Sage]

Terribly excited to see how a drugged out space handyman interacts with all of these relatively composed professionals; even Jack Three knows he's good at something and is willing to do it. Looking forward to the game kicking up.

However, I must warn you all that I'm traveling this weekend, so posts will be limited until Monday. Please do get the game rolling and Jonah will roll out of bed with a new cockroach in his apartment at a later time.

Oh, Jackson may be a stone cold pro most of the time, but he will have some odd traits, I'm thinking maybe his muse keeps playlists of "background music" running at a low volume (only a small penalty to perception tests, we are talking "in the back of a movie sound arrangement" not "swedish death metal concert" type volume). Do need to figure out the habitation system though for this setting...

[Jimson]

Don't worry pragma. I don't think we'll start the IC thread just yet. I had a restless 3 year old last night and got crap for sleep (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleepy.gif) . Side-effect...the creative juices aren't flowing today. I hope you guys don't mind. I can answer any questions you have. If you want to get started today, I could start an IC thread, and you guys can write what your characters are currently up to Phelan's Recourse. Let me know.