Blood in the Water OOC Thread, Cyberpirates: Chatter here! Options

[Karoline]

To be honest we have everything more or less covered. I think we're likely weakest in the area of magical support, as I'm fairly sure we only have one full magician.

I'm running as medic, and although I'm not specialized in it, Jane is basically amazing at anything linked to logic. Same goes for Demolitions, not sure if we have anyone particularly good at it, but Jane has over a dozen dice to throw at it with just dabbling.

I think one area that we are exceedingly well covered in is combat roles, both CC and ranged, though I don't know if we have any really long ranged types.

[ravensoracle]

Well I just sent a rough draft for a Frogman type character. Loaded him up with MBW 2 so that he can be plug and play if needed. Though If absolutely needed I can switch up to a Magic User for Additional Support.

[bmcoomes]

Well crap, I do cover long range combat. But as the team goes should I stick with the street sam then? I could whip up a mage sense it look like we need more. I do have a themed mage somewhere. Though he not as fleshed out as my street sam.

[SleepIncarnate]

No need, go with what you made. If everyone else agrees to more magical support, I can go that route. Have a few mage type characters kicking about in my backlogs.

[Inane Imp]

I'm stating my guy as Sailor first / General combat dogs-body second. So essentially as a 'Transportation' character. Expect me to be in the Zod smoking a cigarrette whilst you guys take down the ship. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) (If all goes to plan that is, if it doesn't I get to be the guy who pilots the Zod in through enemy fire to collect you shot-up meatbags (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ) Well, thats if I'm accepted - here's hoping.

Looking at the IC stuff so far (with an outsiders eyes). Another mage would definitely appear to be useful so that they can support one-another. One would expect the frogman type character to cover Demolitions from a practical point (as opposed to Jane managing it purely on smarts).

Other than that, one would expect a lot of overlap: to take down a ship without too much hassle you need to secure 3 areas pretty much simultaneously (or in very short order). Bridge (and communications centre), engine-room and whatever you are there for. If you allocate 2 men to each objective that is 6 combat characters. Plus 1 hacker, 1 rigger, 1 guy to look after the yacht, 1 guy to drive the zod and a support mage on the yacht as magical/astral back-up... I'm already at 11 guys.

Obviously you can do it with less by accepting risk in various areas. But somewhere around the 10 man mark, with a combat heavy focus works nicely. In terms of combat, I'd expect, onboard another ship your looking at medium range firefights (Shotguns, SMGs and bullpup ARs) and to protect the ship your looking at HMGs and LAWs/ATGMs (either in smart firing platforms, or fired by characters). So between the combat characters I'd expect a significant overlap of skills.

Edit: That being said, the recent rescue of that US Captain from pirates was initiated by sharpshooters taking out the guards from the quarterdeck of a US warship. So LR firesupport would also be cool.

[Karoline]

One would expect the frogman type character to cover Demolitions from a practical point (as opposed to Jane managing it purely on smarts).

Should point out that purely by smarts for Jane is 13 dice in this case, so she does do a fairly good job if she needs to, but she lacks the equipment for it and the general desire to perform the task.

Similarly she has 19 dice in first aid, even though she wasn't really originally supposed to be the ship's medic.

Ah well, putting that logic 9 to good use.

[SleepIncarnate]

Yinglong


Stats

[ Spoiler ]

Character Name: Necia Kamino
Runner Name: Yinglong
Former Military Callsign: Kitten
Fake SIN: Nuriko Kamitoku
Fake SIN: Aya Tsukiono
Age: 29 (looks about 16-19)
Ethinicity: Japanese-Italian
Metatype: Elf (30 BP)
Sex: Female

Primary Attributes (170 BP)
Body 2
Agility 4
Reaction 3
Strength 2
Charisma 4
Intuition 4
Logic 4
Willpower 5

Special Attributes (60)
Magic 5
Edge 3
Essence 6
Initiative: 7 (1 Pass)
Astral Initiative: 8 (3 Passes)

Skills (106 BP)
Conjuring Group 2
Assensing 2
Astral Combat 2
Ritual Spellcasting 1
Counterspelling 2
Spellcasting 4
Longarms 3 (spec Sniper Rifles)
Survival 1
Perception 1
Infiltration 1
Dodge 1
Parachuting 2
Swimming 1

Knowledge/Language Skills (24 Free Points)
English N
Japanese 3
Italian 3
Magical Threats 4 (spec Shadow Spirits)
Magical Theory 3
Astral Research 3
Military 3 (spec Air Force)
Classical Music 2
Cooking 2

Qualities (10 BP back)
Positive
Magician
Restricted Gear (Sustaining Focus)
Mentor Spirit: Tyr (Wise Warrior)

Negative
Sensitive System
Spirit Bane (Shadow)
Big Regret (lost most of unit)
Distinctive Style (bright purple hair with silver streaks)

Spells (18 BP)
Armor
Heal
Improved Invisibility
Increase Reflexes
Manabolt
Stunbolt

Contacts (8 BP)
Fred "Flash" Riggs, Maj. Ret. - Talismonger, former supervisor (Conn 4/Loyal 4)

Spirit (2 BP)
Guardian Spirit (Force 5, Natural Weapons power) - 2 tasks

Gear/Lifestyle (16 BP) 80,000 neuyen
Ares Desert Strike w/ external smartgun, 5 spare clips, 400 rounds ammo
Enfield AS-7 w/ external smartgun, 5 spare clips, 400 rounds ammo
Lined Coat
Commlink: Novatech Airware with Iris Orb OS, subvocal microphone
Magical Lodge Materials (Force 6)
Sunglasses w/ Flare Compensation, Image Link, Smartlink
Goggles w/ Flare Compensation, Image Link, Smartlink
2 Fake SIN (rating 4)
Sustaining Focus (rating 5)
Dodge Scoot (scooter)
2 months low lifestyle

Total Spending: 400 BP
Metatype 30
Attributes 170
Special Attributes 60
Skills 106
Gear 16
Spells 18
Spirit 2
Contact 8
Qualities -10

Forgot something.....
Street Cred 0
Notoriety 1
Public Awareness 0

History/20 Questions

[ Spoiler ]

Name: Necia "Kitten" Kamino
Runner Alias: Yinglong
Fake SIN: Nuriko Kamitoku
Fake SIN: Aya Tsukiono


Born in Seattle to a pair of UCAS Air Force Pararescue jumpers, Necia was destined to follow in her parents footsteps and join the military when she grew up. Her childhood often involved travelling because of her parents jobs, and as she grew up, she seemed to be the very picture of military discipline, excellent personal standards, and talent beyond most of her peers, graduating from high school 2 years early and enrolling in the Academy as soon as she could at 17 (with parental permission), majoring in music.

To the surprise of her parents and everyone else, when Haley's Comet came around in 2061, she Awakened with her previously dormant magical talent. Already part of the Academy, she began rigourous training in magical studies, and within a year was assigned to working in the field under the instruction of Major Fred Riggs, better known as Flash to his unit. She worked with him in the field for a year, serving as a Captain beneath him, earning the call sign Kitten because her apparent youth (something most chalked up to her being both asian and an elf) hiding the fact that she had claws of her own. At the end of that year of field training with Flash, she was given her own unit and sent on a mission to investigate and eliminate an insect spirit infestation in a relatively small town in Illinois by the name of Danville.

The mission went south very quickly. There were no insect spirits anywhere in the town, but huge portions of the town had been overrun by shadow spirits, which her team had not been prepared for, having expected to find spirits in physical forms, not manifesting astral beings. Worse still, something about Necia drew the spirits to her unit like moths to a flame, and while she and the couple other mages in her unit were able to fight to protect themselves, most members of the unit weren't so lucky. The unit suffered 80% casualties, and though Air Force brass made it clear to her that they didn't blame her for the loss of so many under her command, and in fact promoted her to Major for managing to save what little she could, she still blamed herself, now knowing that she was the beacon that led them there. Trying to encourage her to stay in and cheer up, Flash gave her a rare and powerful sustaining focus to keep. When the Crash came the next year, she took advantage of her new SINless state and got the hell out of dodge, and straight into the shadows.

Deciding that the best way to stay off the radar of the military was to change her image, she cast aside the more formal, upright styles of her former years, and instead took on the more sleek styles of the fetish and club crowds, even going so far as to dye her hair. She still kept in touch with Flash somewhat throughout the years, and in time, he managed to hook her up with a Johnson who would hook her up with some great deals. She was wary, but this was Flash, and he had earned her trust many times over. Little did she realize just what kind of help he was looking to give.


20 Questions (Yay!)

-Where does Necia come from, what is her lineage, who were her parents, and what did she inherit from them?
Necia was born in Seattle, child of Yoji and Katherine Kamino, UCAS special forces medics who taught her the importance of honor, respect, and discipline. Though she outwardly pretends to have thrown most of these away, she still carries them close to her heart.

-Assuming they could speak, what would each of Necia's parents say about her?
They would try to tell her that it wasn't her fault, and that she could still serve with honor, that she should give up running and go back to the military.

-Where was Necia and what does she remember about major recent events in the history of the Sixth World?
Necia was in the Academy during the outbreak of SURGE following Haley's Comet, and remembers it with a clarity few do, as that was when she Awakened. She remembers the Crash equally well, and also with that same bittersweet feeling, as it brought her freedom from those she no longer could trust.

-What is Necia's living space like, and what has she added or changed to make it her own?
The most obvious would be her magical resources, of course. Less obvious would be the fact that she spends extra on some of the amenities most living in a dingy apartment like hers don't have: real food half the time, an eclectic display of music fandom, old antique musical paraphernilia (like an iPod). Likewise, most of the time she just has dirty laundry tossed all over the place, and it's not uncommon to find a bra or shirt hanging over a lamp.

-What does Necia believe in, what are her convictions (if any), and why does she hold them?
Necia still believes in personal honor, and protecting those who need it. She refuses to kill children, and is cautious about wetworks runs as a whole.

-What do I dislike most about Necia?
She sometimes overdoes it with the pseudo-rebellious attitude, to the point that it's laughably fake.

-Which of the Big Ten does Necia hold in the highest (or least low) regard, which does she like the least, why?
Saeder-Krupp is least low simply because it is run by an ancient and powerful being who most likely has a bit more wisdom than most of the people in charge of the other corps. Ares is lowest simply because of its close ties to the military.

-It's Sunday morning and Necia has no other commitments until tomorrow afternoon, what does she do?
Sleeps in, makes as close to a palatable breakfast as she can while listening to old music, reads some books. That night she'd go out to a club dressed on whatever the theme was.

-What does Necia think of ordinary life, mainstream culture, and those that abide by it?
Simply put, she thinks most are being fed a line of bull by the corps or the governments and liking it, while only a few try to make changes to the system from within.

-If Necia had a lingering nightmare, what would it be?
The attack of the shadow spirits in Danville, Illinois, and having to watch every single one of those men dying as they screamed for her to help them while she was powerless to do so, barely able to save herself.

-How did Necia come to be known by her street name?
On a run with a few chinese runners, one of them remarked at her ability to remain completely invisible while still blowing someone away, as though from the shadows. He called her fierce as a dragon and smooth like the shadows, and so the name stuck, the chinese words for "shadow" and "dragon".

-What is Necia's ethnic background?
Italian and Japanese

-What does Necia dress like?
Usually fetish or clubwear in black, silver, or purple under a lined trenchcoat.

-What does Necia look like?
Necia looks young enough to still be carded, as though she were in her mid to late teens, and despite her Italian heritage, she looks completely Japanese even to most Japanese people. Her hair is dyed a bright purple and often has silver streaks through it.

-Does Necia have any physical quirks?
Necia is usually chewing on something.... her lower lip, the tip of her finger, a tool, whatever is at hand. This becomes especially noticable when she's deep in thought. She also alternates between moments of showing no emotion at all, as though studying, and being full of energy and seemingly emotional.

[Inane Imp]

Should point out that purely by smarts for Jane is 13 dice in this case, so she does do a fairly good job if she needs to, but she lacks the equipment for it and the general desire to perform the task.

Similarly she has 19 dice in first aid, even though she wasn't really originally supposed to be the ship's medic.

Ah well, putting that logic 9 to good use.

Karoline - the way I see Jane from reading her, I cannot imagine her sneaking onto a ship and placing a bomb in the right spot to have the desired effect. I can imagine her working all that out and building the bomb; but, somebody else is probably going to have to sneak on, place the bomb and put the detonator into the explosive. That's what I meant between the practical and the smarts.

[ntwi]

Having someone else make the explosive charge and simply using it is that way I tend to look at it as well. Eric Gonzalez (Currently being looked over by Penta) knows just enough about explosives to take the linear cutting charge some else put together, spray adhesive on the door jamb next to the bolt, slap the charge in place, insert detonator and back around the corner before blowing the charge. Sure, if he had the technical ability he could make it on scene with a can of sprayfoam explosives, but it's often better to leave that in the hands of the experts. Just my 2 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) .

[MusicMan]

...I don't know if we have any really long ranged types.

That'd be my character.

[Penta]

Okay, 1200 EST update for today:

Inane Imp and Sleep Incarnate are the latest people to submit approved characters.

I really have no clue how the hell I'm going to fit everybody.

I'm still hopeful that the 3 remaining oldsters will return! However, if any of the other oldsters remember their email addresses, it'd be nice to have them, because I lost them, and I'd like to email with a poke. Especially since one of them was the XO. Mighty inconvenient for him to disappear.

For no karma but for my gratitude, I'd like one of the oldsters to:

1. Count how many people have posted up since things got moving again - how many newbies we're dealing with. Include BetaFlame in this count, please. I keep trying to, and keep losing count.
2. Email or PM me that count.

This will enable me to figure out whether we're breaking 12 players. If so, by how much. For those wondering how the ship's designed. In one of the BitW threads is a link to a Piloti Navi (some number I forget).

That's the RL ship we're using as a design-base, including for vital numbers like how many people it can fit. Inane Imp made the good point that most ships like this can have a pretty big crew. Like, in the 40s.

However! For the sake of my sanity, we're not going past 12 players at any one time. 12 players will in fact require help - someone stepping up as an assistant GM and helping me create the crunch, letting me focus on the story.

[Penta]

Some further stuff.

Okay...Oldsters, I'd still like that help conducting a census, but just at a glance I can tell that we're at at least 12 people when I count in the missing oldsters.

At least 12 people. Frankly, the sheer size of the group makes me amazed. (And, among other things, feel really good that my ideas can have appeal. My ego likes that.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

Hence, I'm closing the door to new admissions - if you've already been in contact, you can ignore this. If not, well, my apologies; I'm only looking for people to be reserves now. There's just no way I can figure out how to make a game with more than 12 people proceed at a sane pace. If we prove to have more than 12 people already, I'll try to figure out a fair-ish way of figuring out who gets an open slot and who goes on reserve.

Also.

I'm looking for an assistant GM. You can be new or old, but I prefer that you be a player. If there were a job ad for such a thing, it'd mention 'no experience necessary'. It'd also mention the following:

You do not need to have a complete SR collection (I don't, though my PDF-collection comes pretty close....nevermind that it's inaccessible), but having a reasonably complete collection of SR4/SR4A stuff is pretty essential. Having more than SR4 stuff is a bonus that will be considered.

You must have a good grasp of the rules all-told: That will be your primary task. In a sense, I'm going to delegate the crunch side of SR GMing so I can focus on the cat-herding and story side (the story work, IMHO, increases exponentially once we get past 10 players.) I'll still probably do most stuff, but I can already tell I'll need help handling the load, especially during combat.

Yes, you may still have a character while doing this - for everybody else, we'll figure out ways to make sure it's fair.
---

What it requires beyond that:

Obviously, being around is essential. Preferably daily, but at least a few times a week.

If you have AIM or google chat, all the better - I'm on those pretty much constantly when I'm at home, and they speed up things by a lot. However, all I really require from anybody helping me GM is their email address.
---

What are the benefits?

Well, it's not like I can pay. But hey, you'll get the satisfaction of helping your fellow players, and there's a good chance I'll use you to bounce story ideas off of.

---
How to apply?

PM me. Include your email address. Tell me about yourself.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

When I've picked my assistant, I'll let everybody know.

***

On that note: This thread has reached 15 pages. At what point should I consider starting a new OOC thread, all? I'm not sure, and so I want to crowdsource the decision.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[ntwi]

Eric Francis "Nemo"
Currently somewhere in the Caribbean (not onboard ship)

BIO:

[ Spoiler ]

Eric Francis (Nemo) was born on Oct 27, 2040 to a pair of Fed Boeing researchers (Dave and Cindy). He grew up in the Fed Boeing enclave in Seattle, and was able to obtain a solid education (if somewhat slanted towards Fed Boeing). He wasn't much of a book learner to his parent’s disappointment, preferring the active life and acting intuitively instead of the logical approach his parents took. His goblinization to Ork at 13 was also a shock to his parents, although they accepted it with good grace. His younger sister Kayla, who was almost identical in appearance to their mother (before their mothers cosmetic mods at least) and had their intelligence, quickly became the center of his parents lives. High school became more difficult for Eric, as he struggled through classes that his younger sister had already aced, and he felt the weight of his parent’s disapproval though they rarely mentioned it. His allergy to caffeine (Moderate, Common) never helped the situation either, as not only could he not drink sodas with his friends, but he couldn't pull all-nighters before major exams. On the sports field he excelled, and he grew to relish the controlled violence in football and soccer.

Despite the Fed Boeing tilt to his education, or perhaps because of the focus on the military-industrial part of it, Eric grew up wanting to do something and leave his thumbprint on the world. The guns, explosives and cool toys were another bonus to Eric. He joined the UCAS Army in 2057, and less than a year later his world was shaken, never to be the same again. In December 2058, Deus awoke, trapping over 100,000 people inside the Renraku Arcology, and began his inhumane experiments upon them. Eric volunteered for the unit deployed to contain the threat, as his younger sister Kayla had been shopping there during the shutdown. Despite his best efforts, and those of all who he could coerce along, no trace of his sister was ever found. This slowly festered and became a Prejudice(Spec, Bia) against Technomancers. Volunteering and switching units as they rotated through, Eric spent the next seven years fighting the minions of Deus and getting advanced training when he was forced back from the front lines. Together with a fellow Rigger (there was a difference back then), they turned the sensor data from Eric and others into a datasoft and then a mapsoft that was continually updated and helped keep Eric alive. That mapsoft and Eric’s attention coprocessor identifying things that had changed introduced Eric to Jeffery Mayes, the Supply NCO. Eric had returned to the Platoon OP with his squad to rearm and relax when he noticed changes in the air ducts and set up his squad right as a pair of Mantas burst out of the duct. Ever since, Eric and Jeffery have had each others back when it came to gear “lost” in the field (that found its way into someone’s pocket). Eric had the stealth and quickness to aid Jeffery in acquiring the things that make a soldiers life easier, and Jeffery was always ready with a bit of extra gear. Jeffery certainly was of great assistance when Eric was looking for cyber/bioware to keep him alive, and could be relied upon to acquire the ware, turning himself into a “Black Market Pipeline for Wares.”

Eric’s life took another turn in 2065, when his next orders stated “Drill Sergeant Academy” on them. The Army, in its infinite wisdom, had decided that some of the best should be the ones teaching the new recruits. Eric pushed through, and completed his tour, but when his enlistment was up in 2068, he waved goodbye to the Army and moved to a warmer climate.

Eric collected up his savings, and moved to the Caribbean League, settling in Miami. He quickly fell in love with the water and acquired a cybergill and internal air tank to explore this new wonderland. Eric settled into the life of a dive bum, albeit one with a storage unit of mostly illegal gear. The second crash brought more shocks to his life, as his father became a vegetable plugged into the matrix, and his mother died shortly after, as her SIN was corrupted by the crash, and an overzealous Lone Star unit blew her away. No legal redress was possible because all the available data showed a criminal sin.

Eric continued a slow moving life of sun and water in Miami before a sharp eyed dive boat captain noticed and recognized the careful movements and sharp eyes for what they were. Captain Burton quietly approached Eric about helping keep another diver safe while they gathered materials in a remote area. As his money was running low, and not wanting to sell any of his carefully collected and customized gear, Eric agreed. He slowly developed a name for himself securing areas while others gathered Telsma or picked up drops from smugglers. Working part time for Captain Burton on legitimate trips helped him keep officially afloat, and if a dive bum spends all his time at sea, who would expect otherwise. He’s continued to work the occasional odd run, and even worked on smuggler crews on the occasional run when they needed the extra muscle for security.

Things I had forgotten to cover:
Physical Appearance: Doh, how did I miss this one. Standing at a mere 6'1”, Eric is a little on the short side for an ork, but with his bulk noone would mistake him for anything else. Despite his stocky stature, he has a quiet grace to his movement, knowing exactly where his body parts are and where his balance is. With what little hair he has cur short and an erect bearing, it is easy to see something military about him, and when someone sees the thousand yard stare in his brown eyes they wonder just what those eyes have seen. He’s sucked down enough UV radiation over the past few years to develop the deep brown of island dwellers and sun worshippers. He’s commonly seen around the docks in his Urban Explorer jumpsuit, and in the water wearing his diving armor wetsuit.

Crunchy:
Stats

[ Spoiler ]

Eric Francis 415pts

Race: Ork 20pts

Stats: 180pts
Body 7(11)
Agility 5(7)
Reaction 3(5)
Strength 4
Charisma 2
Intuition 5
Logic 2
Willpower 3
Edge 1

Skills

[ Spoiler ]

Active Skills: 180pts
Automatics 5
Pistols(Taser) 2(4)
Unarmed 2
Perception 4
Dodge 4
Infiltration 5
Shadowing 2
Athletics Grp 3
Navigation 2
Diving 2
Pilot Watercraft 1
Nautical Mechanics 1
Etiquette(Military) 2(4)
Leadership(Tactics) 2(4)
Survival 1
First Aid 1

Knowledge/Language: 0pts (42/42)
English N
Spanish (Linguasoft) 4
Military Politics 3
Military Procedure 4
Border Patrol(CG) 2(4)
Parazoology (Water) 2(4)
Smuggler Hangouts 2
Smuggler Routes 2
Wines 2
Impressionist Art 2

Contacts, Qualities and Resources

[ Spoiler ]

Contacts: 10pts
Kevin Roberts (Free) 2/4
Jeffery Mayes Army Supply NCO 4/2
Captain Burton Fixer/Smuggler 2/2

Qualities: -25pts
Black Market Pipe(Ware) +10
Allergy (Common, Mod) -15 Caffiene
Records on File -10 UCAS Military
Sinner (Standard) -5
Prejudiced(Spec, Bias) -5 Technomancers

Resources: 50pts 250,000

Cyberware/Bioware

[ Spoiler ]

Cyberware/Bioware
193,005 0.225 Essence Remaining

Wired Reflexes II
Attention Coprocessor 3
Orientation System
Radar Sensor 4
OXSYS Cybergill
Internal Air Tank

Cybereye Rating 3
Low-Light
Thermographic
Smartlink
Vision Enhancement 3
Flare Compensation
Protective Covers

Bone Density Augmentation 4
Muscle Toner 2
Synthacardium 3
Sleep Regulator
Gecko Hands

Weapons

[ Spoiler ]

Ares Predator IV 350

Defiance EX Shocker 500
Smartgun
Gecko Grip
Personalized Grip

Morrissey Elan 1,120
Barrel Reduction
Smartgun
Gecko Grip
Personalized Grip

Colt M24A3 Water Carbine 2,000
Gecko Grip
Personalized Grip
Smartgun, External Top Mount
Powered Folding Stock
Shockpad
Foregrip

Nitama Optimun II 2,820
Gas Vent III
Gecko Grip
Personalized Grip
Barrel Reduction
Underbarrel Shotgun
Additional Clip

Ammunition: 3,220
100 EX-Explosive
300 Gel Rounds
300 Regular
20 Shock Lock
60 Stick-N-Shock
20 Taser

Gear

[ Spoiler ]

Gear: 17,895
ARE Wall Space (Impressionist Art)
Earbuds w/ Enhancement 3 and Select Sound Filter 1
Cellular Glove Molder Rating 3
Keycard Copier
Maglock Passkey
Sequencer
Biomonitor
Medkit Rating 6
Medkit Supplies
10 sq m Camouflage Netting
Ghillie Suit
Tag Eraser
White Noise Generator Rating 6
10x Mapsoft Rating 6
(Seattle, Renraku Arcology, Miami, Florida Keys, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Virgin Isles, North Coast of South America, Wreck Dive Sites)
Latex Face Mask
4x Lae's Cigarette
2x Concealable Holster
Fake Sin Rating 4
5x Fake License Rating 4
Combat Load Vest
6x Ammo pouches
4x 1 liter Smart Canteen
Ration Pouch (3 day)
3x Stim Patch Rating 3
1x Trauma Patch
1x Tranq Patch Rating 6
Goggles with Ultrasound

Armor: 15,900
Full Body FFBA (Fire Resist 3, Insulation 3, Nonconductivity 3)
Urban Explorer Jumpsuit and Helmet
Armored Jacket
Diving Armor
Chameleon Suit
SecureTech Vitals Protector

Commlink: 12,850
Novatech Airwave (3/3) upgraded to
Response 5
Signal 5
Novatech Navi (3/4) upgraded to
Firewall 5
System 5
All Common Use Programs at Rating 5

[Inane Imp]

Filipino Sailor (402BP)
Phil Molomolo
Human
Age: late 20s
Location: Conveniently, where-ever the ship next pulls in.

Background.

[ Spoiler ]

Filipino - worked as a deck hand in his youth until he could get out of the Philippines.
In Thailand he was involved in a fight with Japanese sailors - they killed a young Filipino sailor, he was branded a criminal. Got involved in the Philipeano resistance. He was badly burnt during the revoultion when the Japanese military sunk the vessel he was on, leaving him with a Phobia of fire (represented by a mild Allergy). He picked up most his 'ware whilst in hospital recovering; the rest was the outcome of illgotten gains. After victory vs Japan, his family was dead all his friends were settling down and he was at a loose end. Returned to sea. He's a good hand to have at your back on shore, or at 3 o'clock in the morning when a fast mover appears on radar.

Has recently spent some time in the Caribbean, serving as the third officer on the Expedier Maru, out of Kingston. Despite doing well with that crew, he left when he was offered a higher paid job on the UCAS/CAS seaboard. Lost that job when he broke his (Japanese) first officer's nose. He was lucky the Master convinced the first officer not to press charges. Has since been living off his last pay-check, looking for work. No reputable shipping company will hire him.

20 Questions.

[ Spoiler ]

-Where does Molomolo come from, what is his lineage, who were his parents, and what did he inherit from them?
Molomolo was born to a traditional poor Catholic Filipino family during the Japanese Imperial occupation. The lack of metahuman expression within their immediate family meant that initially his family was not treated as harshly as others. This meant he was able to gain employment at sea as a deck-hand. His parents instilled in him a Catholic set of values, and a strong but quiet pride in himself and his country.

-Assuming they could speak, what would each of Molomolo's parents say about her?
They would be proud of him for his actions during the revolution, proud of his return to a successful normal life, disappointed with his last turn back to violence, and shocked at the burning anger inside their child.

-Where was Molomolo and what does he remember about major recent events in the history of the Sixth World?
The key events for Molomolo are those of recent Filipino history. He was born in 2045, during the period of repression that began in the Philipines after the first Crash. He was in his teens when he saw the hopes that followed the Ring-of-Fire erupting turn to ash. In 2064 and the assanination of the Japanese governor he was involved in a street brawl in Thailand. One Filipino sailor died, but all involved were branded criminals. He was smuggled out of Thailand by some Huk sympathisers and joined a pro-Huk pirate crew. He continued the fight until the Japanese were successfully ejected from the Philipines. He missed this event as he was in hospital recovering from severe burns to his torso that he's suffered when his boat was sunk by Renraku security forces.

-What is Molomolo's living space like, and what has he added or changed to make it his own?
Molomolo's space is very austere. He keeps a few traditional wood carvings which he takes with him, otherwise all his possession fit into a couple of duffle bags so he can take them from ship-to-ship.

-What does Molomolo believe in, what are his convictions (if any), and why does he hold them?
Molomolo was raised a Catholic, and whilst he is now non-practicing he still believes in a Catholic heaven and hell. He is also a strong believer in nation self-determination. He has pro-environmental and anti-corp tendencies but these are more an ingrained response to the Japanacorps rape of the Philipine islands than anything else.

-What do I dislike most about Molomolo?
He is rabidly anti-Japanese. This often causes friction with people he should get along with.

-Which of the Big Ten does Molomolo hold in the highest (or least low) regard, which does he like the least, why?
Molomolo views the Big Ten through the prism of 'what have they done for/to the Philipines'. As such Renraku is placed the lowest, followed by the remaining Japanacorps. He has no real favourite amongst the other corps, tending to favour whoever is sticking it the Japanese the most at the time. The exception is Aztechnology: he views a lot of their oppressive actions as of the same ilk as the Japanese occupation of the Filipines.

-It's Sunday morning and Molomolo has no other commitments until tomorrow afternoon, what does she do?
He'll wake up late, feel guilty about missing Church despite the fact it has never done anything to help him, watch a sim/listen to music/ catch up on the news and, maybe, go for a run. Afterwards, he'll head to a bar near the wharves where he'll gravitate towards a group of sailors (Filipino preferrably) where they'll tell tall stories and catch up on news on whats happening at sea.

-What does Molomolo think of ordinary life, mainstream culture, and those that abide by it?
Molomolo is aware of the mass political unconciousness that mainstream culture engenders; but overall he's reasonably happy with the status quo. He'd prefer to be part of it than on the outside as he now is, again.

-What did Molomolo want as a child, what are his goals now?
A free Philipines, he often imagined himself as a freedom fighter. These were just the idle fantasies of youth, no matter that he did end up fulfilling them. Now, he wants to earn enough money to live, retire and return to the Philipines to settle down.

-If Molomolo had a lingering nightmare, what would it be?
He has nightmares centred on fire at sea or of drowning in a sea of flames; during periods of high stress he will often wake up sweating from this dream. Essentially its a dream accented memory of his injury.

-Who are Molomolo's contacts?
During his time onboard Molomolo became fast friends with Jimmy Cliff and the crew of the Expedier Maru. Most of Molomolo's other friends are part of the Filipino diaspora and maritime communnity. He has a network of aquaintances and friends-of-friends up and down the Western Atlantic seaboard, every port he pulls into it seems he knows somebody who lives there (or who knows somebody who knows somebody who lives there, who has arranged an introduction).

-How did Molomolo get his gear?
Molomolo's cyberware was implanted during his time as a pirate while his Muscle augmentations were added whilst he was recovering in hospital to compensate to the extensive damage.

-How did Molomolo come to be known by his street name?
Street name?

-What is Molomolo's ethnic background?
Traditional Filipino. He has a trible tap tatto on his chest, although half of it is now deformed by scar tissue.

-What does Molomolo dress like?
At work he wears overalls, ear plugs and goggles. Sturdy practical clothes that allow him to work in engine spaces if necessary. Ashore he'll wear a pair of loos fitting pants, a t-shirt and a jacket most of the time. He's not a dag, but he doesn't pay much attention to his clothes.

-What does Molomolo look like?
He is short and wiry with a dark Filipino complexion and black hair. He has extensive burns down his left side, stretching from mid-thigh to his upper arm. The muscles appear to be slightly mis-shapen from the damage.

-Does Molomolo have any physical quirks?
Molomolo has a very slight limp on his left side, its not actually that that side is less capable just that when he learnt to walk again he favoured his right side. Its rare to see Molomolo not smoking or chewing Betel; when he smokes a cigarrette, without realising, he often does it 'field style' held between his thumb and forefinger with the ember ready to be cupped in his hands.

-What are Molomolo morals?
Molomolo is essentially a moral person, but one who understands that violence is a necessary part of the world. He would shy away from cold blooded murder and the killing of innocents, but has killed in the past. He has far less moral qualms where the Japanese are concerned, although he would not kill even a Japanese child without a very good reason. He likes to think of himself as a loyal and honourable person, and does not easily betray people he has given his loyalty to.[/QUOTE]

Attributes: 220BP

[ Spoiler ]

BOD AGI REA STR CHA INT LOG WIL EDGE INIT ESS
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
4 3(5) 5(7) 2(4) 3 4 4 3 3 10/2 2.0
30 20 40 10 20 30 30 20 20

Qualities: -30BP

[ Spoiler ]

Positive Qualities: 5BP
Linguist 5BP

Negative Qualities: 35BP
(Criminal) SINner -5BP Phillipeano - he's a criminal in Japanese and corporate jurisdictions. But not UCAS, CAS and Caribbean league. But I'd still expect him to get hassled more whenever he's in trouble. IE he's a man with known criminal associations, but not technically a criminal himself.
Actively Predjudiced: Japanese -20BP
Mild Addiction (Stimulants) -5BP
Mild Allergy (Proximity of Fire) -5BP

Skills: Tot: 172P

[ Spoiler ]

CLOSE COMBAT 2 20BP
FIREARMS 2 20BP
ATHLETICS 2 20BP
Dodge (LR) 3(+2) 14BP
Etiquette (Maritime) 2(+2) 10Bp
Negotiate (Bargaining) 1(+2) 6BP
Perception 3 12BP
STEALTH 1 10BP
Nautical Mechanic (Zods/RHIBs etc) 2(+2) 10BP
Computers 2 8BP
Gunnery (Ballistic) 1(+2) 6BP
EWAR 2 8BP
Pilot Watercraft (Zods/RHIBs etc) 4(+2) 18BP
Navigation (Nautical) 2(+2) 10Bp

Knowledge Skills (24Free)

[ Spoiler ]

Language Skills
Tagalog N
English (Nautical) 4(6,+2)
Japanese 1(3)
Spanish (Street) 2(4, +2)
Thai (Street) 1(3,+2)

Knowledge Skills
Seamanship 3 p
Bridgemanship 2 p
Filipino History and Culture 2 I
Maritime Procedures 2 P
Small Unit Tactics - Piracy 2 P
Anti-piracy Tactics 2 P

Contacts: 22 BP

[ Spoiler ]

Phillipeano sailors. Western atlantic seaboard. 2(+10)/2 1000+ members, Global, Minor magical assets, minor Matrix presence. Informal group. Consists of familiar bonds, friendship's forged a sea, a shared cultural identity and a distance from home. Molo gets extra cred as a war-vet

Jimmy, Sara Cliff and crew of the Expedier Maru 4(+1)/3 Old crew. Left because offered a lucretive job as second officer on a UCAS registered vessel. Jimmy is the captain of the Expedier and Sara is his wife and 'factor' ashore in Kingston. He has three permanent crew and a often employs upwards of five security guards. This bites into legitimate profits, so he does a lot of smuggling and on selling of stolen goods to more lucrative markets. Reasonably well connected in the Kingston/Caribbean maritime scene (ie knows likely pirate hot-spots, agents in all the major ports, weather paterns and could probably connect you to the second hand ship market).

Gear: 18BP (86,040/90,000Y)

[ Spoiler ]

Cyberware: TOT: 31,000Y/2.7
Wired Reflexes 1 8R/11,000Y/2
Reaction Enhancers 1 5R/10,000Y/0.3
Attention Co-processor 3 8/9,000Y/0.3
Datajack -/1,000Y/0.1

Bioware: TOT: 30,000Y/0.4
Muscle Augmentation 2 10R/14,000Y/0.4
Muscle Toner 2 10R/16,000Y/0.4

Armour: TOT: 5,100Y
3x Industrious Coveralls (5/4) 4/2,700Y Includes: 2 Fire and 2 Chemical Protection
3xFF Shirt (3/0) 6/1,500Y
Light Armour Jacket (4/2) 5/600Y Victory Heavy Armour Clothing
Obvious Forearm Guards (+0/1) 6/200Y
Discrete Shinpads (+0/1) 5/150Y
Discrete Leg and Arm Casing (+1/1) 6/350Y
Discrete Vital Protector (+1/1) 4/200Y

Electronics: TOT: 2,555Y
Binos 3 8/775Y/[3]
- Vision mag Free
- Low-light 4/100
- Image-link -/25
- Visual Enhancement 2 4/200
- Laser-range Finder 8/100/[1]
- Skinlink -/50/[1]
Goggles 4 10R/925Y/[3]
-Image Link -/25
-Smartlink 4R/500
-Flare Compensation -/50
-Low-light 4/100
-Skinlink -/50/[1]
Earbuds 6/705Y
-Audio-Link -/25
-Select Sound Filtering III 6/600
-Skinlink -/50/[1]
Tag Eraser 6F/150Y

Commlink: 5,780Y All software is pirated.
Novatech Airware -/2,300Y/[3/3]
-Skinlink -/50Y/[1]
-Optimization: Command 6/500Y/[1]
-Satlink 4/500Y/[1]
Iris Orb -/1,000Y
Basic+ -/400Y
Command 5 1/800Y
-Optimization III
Scan 5 1/800Y
-Optimization III
Admiralty Tide Tabels (VI) -/60Y
Admiralty Ocean Passages of the World (VI) -/60Y
Admiralty Pilots, Caribbean (VI) -/60Y
Admiralty Pilots, West Coast NA (VI) -/60Y
Bowditch Practical Navigator (VI) -/60Y
Marine Meterology (VI) -/60Y
Browns Funnels and Flags (VI) -/60Y
Janes Fighting Ships 2072 (VI) -/60Y

Misc: TOT: 4,150Y
100 Doses G3 (Bottle of 'vitamins') 6/500Y
500 Doses Betel (Box of 50 10 packs) -/500Y
400 Snuff Cigarrettes (4 Cartons of 10 pkts ea) -/2,500Y
Mechanics Tookit -/500Y
Respirator 6 -/150Y

Weapons: TOT: 1,060Y
ARES Predator 4R/350Y
-Fake License IV 12F/400Y
3 Spare clips 4/15Y
100 Rounds 200Y
Rigging Knife -/20Y
Ceramic Knife 4/75Y

Lifestyle:
Squatter 1 Month

Purchased Gear: 6395Y
Nitama Optimum II 10F/2,760Y/[4/6]
-Skinlink 6/50Y/[1]
-Single-point sling -/10Y
-Gas-vent 3 6R/400Y/[1]
-Camera Upgrade (Vision Mag) 6/100Y/[1]
-Camera Upgrade (Thermographic) 6/100Y/[1]
6 Spare clips 4/30Y
50 Shock-lock Rounds, SG, Cased 10F/350Y
50 Flechette Rounds, SG, Cased 2R/500Y
50 Gel Rounds, SG, Cased 4R/150Y
400 FMJ, AR, Cased 2R/800Y
Half FFA (4/1) 7/1,250Y/[4/6]
-Biomonitor -/300Y/[1]
-Skinlink -/50Y/[3]
Subvocal Mic -/100Y/[1/1]
-Skinlink -/50Y
Combat Load Vest 8/455Y
-2 x AR Pouch
-2 x SG Pouch
-2 x Grenade Pouch
-1 x Smart Canteen

The last group of Gear - 'Purchased Gear' - is gear he's going to have to buy IC as I don't see him walking around with that sort of stuff, noting he is basically a legitimate character.

[Penta]

1215 EST 1/25/2010:

Okay, so.

I mentioned I was hunting for an assistant GM.

I'm not anymore.

3 people applied. All, surprisingly, newbies. Nonetheless, I definitely appreciate the volunteerism.

From among them, I'm picking SleepIncarnate - SI, email me please.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

With that, however, I'm going to make SI's bailiwick explicit:

It's purely "crunch". When it comes to world stuff, it's entirely my call. Where it's crunch/stat-related, I'll fall back on SI's thought-process, suitably explained.

Why I picked SI?

Simple, she presented the best grasp of SR4A crunch.

Notable mentions go to Inane Imp and bmcoomes, who also stepped up. Nonetheless, I had to pick *one*.

Despite all that, I'm going to lay out an important GM principle of mine: When in doubt, I crowdsource.

I am no stranger to researching til my eyes bleed. I can pull things from my ass with the best of em, when required. All for the purpose of bettering RP.

But one of the benefits of a group this big is the sheer variety of experience, and I intend to use it. It's my hidden motive for getting to know everybody: The better I know you, the more likely I am to know whose brain to pick when I have a question.
---

My email is freely available, as is my googlechat info (however, I accidentally deleted all but one person from here, ooops). AIM is also available (where I accidentally deleted everybody). Talk to me, please. I like to talk.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

---

On that note...CollateralDynamo and I talked just now - he'll be back soonish, and hence all we're missing is Whizbang and Marwynn from the original 8. If someone could raise them, it'd be greatly appreciated. If they don't respond by Thursday (I PMed them over the weekend), we move on without them - their characters will remain, just in case they return, but I won't wait to move the story along anymore.

---
With 6 players, and *counts* ...6 newbies, I can accept everyone if I expand to 12 people. However, in the event that the 2 missing folks return: 2 people will go on reserve, because I can see now that I will be going slightly nuts trying to work 12 storylines. 14 would be impossible. I'm going to aim to be fair on this, but my first goal is a cohesive group. If I can find a fit for you somehow, you're more likely to get the PM from me outlining "What happens ashore" while the ship is dealing with the Chantico's Bounty. If you don't get that PM, I'm not rejecting you, I just can't find a fit for you among the crew, and hence I'm holding you on reserve. Keep talking to me if you're still interested.

(On the other hand, if you decide for some reason that you don't want to be picked now, PM me with that, too, and I can easily put you on my reserve list.)

---
Some final housekeeping notes:

When we reach 20 pages on this thread (we're around 15 now), I'm going to create a new thread, for easier reading (as it can get hard going through 20 pages of thread). Please, if your character is on page 1, have a copy ready to post on page 1 of the new thread. If your character isn't on page 1 but you're picked, same thing! After all of the PC bio and sheet posts on the new thread, I will again post the stuff for the ship.

John

[Inane Imp]

Could you please include links to all Blood-in-the-Water related threads as well. I'm fairly certain I've read a third thread (this OOC one, the IC one and one other) but can't seem to find it. A single place to go for all of the links would be awesome.

[Penta]

Yeah, that's the chargen thread. It's not essential, but it is useful. I'll make a note to include a link to it when I post the new thread.

[Penta]

More blather, since I'm at school 2 hours early and have nothing that I can do.

I've picked the 4 people who'll be joining the crew regardless of who doesn't return. The other two people will either be joining to fill the slots left open by our missing people, or will be on reserve.

The people who'll be joining upon reaching port: SleepIncarnate, Inane Imp, ntwi, and BetaFlame.

The 4 of them will be getting a common PM from me once I get home from class tonight, outlining what happens off-camera in terms of recruitment, training, etc. (If Dumpshock let me PM multiple people at once, I would be doing that.) IMHO, it's less cool than the first meet, but I tried to keep some of the cool factor. Off-camera is the key word; to keep things simple, the camera will generally focus only on the crew.

Bmcoomes and ravensoracle, don't lose hope - you're on the reserves list. I just can't deal with 14 people at once. I wish I could, but I have a feeling it'd go badly if I tried. If slots open up, I'll tap you. Till then, please keep up with the threads.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[SleepIncarnate]

As my first note of crunch GM-assist role, I'm asking all players of Adepts to PM me with their character's Magic rating and adept powers, one of the cooler changes (for players) in SR4A was a reduction in the cost of a couple adept powers (one of which is probably the most common one taken) and so you may have more power points to spend on new powers when you reach port (if penta allows, of course). Otherwise, my basic role will be pseudo-rules lawyer so asically I just double check number crunch stuff in case he misses it, and unless it's something major I'll just give reminders here and there. And we're all human and make mistakes, I always forgot the +2 bonus to all rolls in hot-sim until I reread that section of SR4 for making a TM so don't worry that I'll be "that player". And with that, let the fun begin.

[BetaFlame]

Sorry, I wasn't around for two days, I had an modem issue and had to get it replaced, but had to wait on my paycheck to deposit (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

So, just to make sure, I am in, and we are joining up AFTER the current trial run, correct?

If any of you other players wanna chat about what is going on, or if you think I need to make any adjustments to skills and so forth to cover any blanks (like if Marwynn doesn't come back, I might need to change my skills around if it is okay with Penta) please message me and let me know. You can reach me on AIM at BtaFlme just about anytime. Just tell me your dumpshock name in the opening message so I don't ignore you off hand (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I'm usually invis on AIM, so even if you don't see me online, I might be lurking.

[Penta]

Sorry, I wasn't around for two days, I had an modem issue and had to get it replaced, but had to wait on my paycheck to deposit (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

So, just to make sure, I am in, and we are joining up AFTER the current trial run, correct?

Fair enough - thanks for keeping us informed.

You have it right. You're in, you'll be...Well, the PM will lay out the IC timeline a bit more firmly for the new players such as yourself. The end result though is that your character will meet up with the current crew *after* the current mission, yes.

My AIM...I'll let people know upon request, but as I'm more allergic to spam and the like, I don't like posting my screen name where any bot can see it.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

What I'm going to do (Class was all intro crap and ended early so I've had time to think): If Marwynn and Whizbang don't come back (though I really hope they do!), I will...Ugh, find some way to explain their absence that allows them to come back later (GM headbang: this is where SR really, really sucks...If a player goes missing you really have no options to explain a temporary absence, especially in a campaign like this!)...and slot in players to make up the numbers. I'm uncertain about allowing sheet changes - let me think about it some more.

What would be optimal, of course, is that Marwynn and Whizbang (whose profiles say they're around, but they aren't responding to PMs...Anybody know their emails?) return. That just makes things a thousand times simpler, for one thing.

If, of course, they don't, then we'll have to figure out something. I'm open to suggestions; the objective is to find a way to explain the characters' absence that is temporary and basically allows for them to come back with minimal problems if they get in contact again and decide to resume play. In a normal shadowrun campaign, you can just say they aren't available. In this campaign, that isn't quite so believable.

Hence, I'm going to lay down something: Port calls are an excellent time for everybody to review their availability OOCly. I have zero hard feelings if people need to bow out for some reason - whatever happens, happens. You're welcome to return later, even! But if you even think you may want to return, I really strongly advise working with me on an exit that makes a return believable with minimum stress. I can devise *something*, I just need your help to do so.
---

I'm going to nod sagely at SleepIncarnate. Everybody was supposed to have designed their characters with SR4A. But! To err is human, and I would be unsurprised if people accidentally spent according to SR4 rules when designing adepts. So I'm going to allow I one-time opportunity for any adepts to review their sheets and make fixes to account for that if necessary.

So, for everybody just skimming the thread:

1. SleepIncarnate is the Assistant GM for crunch-stuff. Aim all questions at me, but understand if she issues the reply.
2. SleepIncarnate, BetaFlame, ntwi, and Inane Imp are the new players who'll be joining the crew at whatever the next port is. (No I have not decided, stop asking!)
3. I'm waiting to hear from Marwynn and Whizbang. I will keep waiting until Thursday night, at which point we resume play regardless, and their characters fall under GM control until they come back, or they say they're not playing anymore, or something.
4. If anybody has their email addresses, I'd like those.
5. I'm open to suggestions on how to handle the characters of players who disappear suddenly or have to step back for a time.

[BetaFlame]

My suggestion for the characters that don't come back, let SI run them as NPCs for this run, then let them "retire". Maybe sealife wasn't to their likeing?

As for sheet edits, it would mostly be a skill swap to get Assensing since I would become the primary mage by the looks of it. Nothing major (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[SleepIncarnate]

My suggestion for the characters that don't come back, let SI run them as NPCs for this run, then let them "retire". Maybe sealife wasn't to their likeing?

As for sheet edits, it would mostly be a skill swap to get Assensing since I would become the primary mage by the looks of it. Nothing major (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I dunno if I agree with this, as I don't like the idea of someone playing someone else's character, and being as I'm IRL in the military, I can understand sudden disappearances for a few days to a couple weeks at a time when it comes to the internet.

[Penta]

Another day with too much time on my hands. So I'm going to reply to BetaFlame and SleepIncarnate.

SI: It's an idea that I think raises hackles in most, if not all of us at first glance. Personally, I'm very...possessive about my PCs.

I can see BetaFlame's point, though. ICly, it's just on the verge of combat. They've both posted as being aboard, so it strains belief to suddenly presume they're not there when the time comes for them to, well, do what they were hired for.

Nor does the campaign structure, being at sea and all, really allow for temporary absences. (In a normal shadowrun campaign, one could just say, I dunno, they somehow couldn't make it to the meet. Harder to explain an absence mid-run, which is basically the situation here.)

I can understand sudden absences, too. I've reached out to both Whizbang (he helpfully has an email address posted on his member profile, who knew?) and Marwynn (through the send email function in the member profile) to query them about coming back to play. Whizbang, though, hasn't been about since October sometime if his profile is accurate. (Meanwhile, Marwynn was around an hour ago according to the same profile. Hm.)

I'll never penalize a player for having RL happen to them - hence why my idea above, what I was looking for suggestions on, was to find a way we could explain *temporary* absences....IE, ways in which someone could be absent due to player not posting suddenly, but not be dead/deserted/whatever, and come back without penalty ICly or OOCly. While they're gone, we still need to explain the absence.

It's especially knotty in this case because: A. They posted being about...Then suddenly they're not here. B. There's no really believable way they could not be there in the span of time which elapsed.
---

So, my thought is to not decide at the moment. I'm giving Marwynn and Whizbang another 36 hours (til noon EST on Thursday) to speak up before I post the cutscene of the Fedallah's (or the Zodiac's) approach to the Chantico's Bounty, and the combat begins. If they don't speak up by then, I'll figure something out.

[CollateralDynamo]

Alright you primitive screw heads, your XO is back in the saddle.

Sorry for the delay, I counted this game dead and wandered off, now I have a bit of catching up to do. Good to see new people coming aboard! And I guess its time for me to look at that IC thread we got going.