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

[BetaFlame]

"Quick! We need to extract the bullet! Get me a, uh, wrench and a pipe cutter?"

[Penta]

Yes, yes. That said, the point remains. Using the ship equipment list and such posited on page 1, find me the SPACE for a medical shop, by RAW.

You can't, all the slots were used up.

[Karoline]

Yes, yes. That said, the point remains. Using the ship equipment list and such posited on page 1, find me the SPACE for a medical shop, by RAW.

You can't, all the slots were used up.

I thought we had some kind of medical drone or some sort of semi-medical space somewhere. We have medkits for what that is worth, but I could have sworn we had something.

[Penta]

I could have, too, Karoline, but I can't find it on the sheet on page 1. Now, I am blind, so it may be me, but I don't think it is.

[Karoline]

Well, we have:
Med Station Rating 6
and
CrashCart

The first is basically a stationary medkit, and the second actually has a full valkery system (or whatever) which is fairly helpful for medical procedures.

It isn't exactly ER quality stuff, but we should be able to perform minor surgery, or perhaps even major depending on skill levels (Jane has a DP of about 18, and so can perform Delta grade surgery if she really wanted)

[zzyxzs]

Cool. One less thing to worry about.

[zzyxzs]

"Doc"
David Costas

Background

[ Spoiler ]

David discovered that he had the healing touch early, when he was somewhere close to ten years old. It was the day that he was taken to visit his father, who was in the hospital due to a random run in with a small group of go-gangers that left him with a broken jaw and three fractured ribs. Despite the initial prognosis that David’s father would be laid up for at least a few days, he ended up being discharged in full health shortly after David’s visit. Instead, David ended up spending a week in the children’s ward recovering from the unexpected drain that followed the discovery of his "healing gift."

It was when he was in his late teens that Davis finally caught the attention of the corps. By then he had developed additional magical skills under the tutelage of a local street shaman that David's parents paid to keep David’s abilities from getting him into trouble. DocWagon, the corp that got him first, wasn't particularly interested in his newly developed shapeshifing powers, but they had him pegged as a future member of one of their High Threat Response teams, filling the role of tactical magical support.

In exchange for a seven-year employment contract, DocWagon offered David the best magical and combat medicine training that corp nuyen could buy. Though David's parents didn’t have much money or education, they did have enough smarts to negotiate hard on his behalf. DocWagon bargained hard, but finally caved to most of his parent’s demands after they threatened to call CrashCart to see if they'd be more interested in David's talents.

Under the agreed terms, David's employment would be limited to a minimum of just five years, and his training would include medical school, not simply a paramedic program. Both parties were smart enough to recognize the value of David's skills, and DocWagon wasn't about to let him slip into the hands of their competitor. A final compromise had David beginning fieldwork while he finished up the last years of his MD, but thanks to his parents he ended up with an education beyond anything that they could have provided themselves.

David fulfilled his employment contract with DocWagon dutifully, and actually grew to enjoy the high-tension situations where life or death hung in the balance. But even early on he knew that the life of a wage mage was not compatible with his long term goals. Once his five years were up, he walked away from the six-figure bonuses being offered to him to strike out on his own. He'd watched enough runners in the line of duty to know that he could make lots more money with no less adventure if he sought out a career in the shadows.

A former patient put David, or "Doc" as he grew to be called, in contact with a fixer named Kevin Roberts, a guy who since then has been successful in finding David work all over North America, from Seattle to Manhattan to CAS. His last job had him backing up an existing team in the Caribbean League on a one-shot run, and he doubts at least two members of that team would be alive today if he hadn’t been there. He recently got word that Roberts had something lined up with the UCAS military, a once-in-a-lifetime sort of experience. As always, details of the job weren't forthcoming, but who doesn't love a good adventure?

[zzyxzs]

"Doc"
David Costas

Character Sheet

[ Spoiler ]

Human Magician

Attributes (190 pts.)
Body: 3
Agility: 2
Reaction: 4
Strength: 2
Charisma: 3
Intuition: 3
Logic: 5
Willpower: 5

Edge: 2
Magic: 5 (40 pts.)
Initiative: 7
Essence: 6

Active Skills (108 pts.)
Medicine (Trauma Surgery) : 4
First Aid (Combat Wounds) : 3
Spellcasting (Health) : 5
Counterspelling : 1
Summoning (Man spirits) : 1
Banishing (Beast spirits) : 1
Assensing (Aura Reading) : 1
Pistols (Tasers) : 1
Dodge (Ranged Combat) : 1
Unarmed Combat (Animal Form) : 1
Swimming (Animal Form) : 1
Nautical Mechanic : 1
Inflitration : 1

Knowledge Skills (24 free pts.)
Medical Background (Combat Medicine) : 4
Biology (Physiology) : 1
Chemistry (Pharmaceuticals) : 1
Magic Background (Path of the Mage) : 3
Spirits : 3
DocWagon : 3
Corp. Security Tactics : 2
Hospital Routes : 1

Languages
English : N
Spanish : 2
Japanese : 2

Qualities (-5 pts.)
Magician (15)
Focused Concentration (20)
Restricted Gear (Power Focus) (5)
Sensitive System (-15)
Spirit Bane (Beast) (-10)
Records on File (DocWagon) (-10)

Gear (29 pts. [145,000¥])

Weapons
Defiance EX Shocker
2x Taser Dart (10 shots)

Armors (7/9)
Armor Vest (6/4)
PPP-System Forearm Guards (+0/+1)
PPP-System Leg and Arm Casings (+0/+2)
PPP-System Shin Guards (+0/+1)
PPP-System Vitals Protector (+1/+1)

Commlinks
Commlink : CMT Clip
OS : Redcap Nix
Subvocal Microphone

Equipments
Power Focus (Rating 4)
Sustaining Focus (Rating 3)
Manipulation Fetishe
Combat Fetishe
Medkit (Rating 6)
10x Medkit Supplies
Biomonitor
Earbud
+ Audio Enhancement (Rating 3)
+ Spatial Recognizer
Glasses
+Low Light Vision
+Flare Compensation
+Image Link
+Vision Enhancement (Rating 3)
+Vision Magnification
Mage Sight Goggles
Fake Sin (Rating 4)
Fake License (Foci) (Rating 4)
Respirator (Rating 6)
10x Plastic Restraints (per 10)
Adjustable Animal Harness (priced as Climbing Gear)
Smart Pack
Smart Pouch Comabat Load Vest
Flashlight
Glow Spray (10 pack)
6x Stimulant Patch (Rating 6)
Inhaler
3x Psyche

Foci (7 pts., cost factored above)
Sustaining Focus (3)
Power Focus (4)

Spells (30 pts.)
Stunball (Ċ) [+1 drain] (limited)
Detect Life Extended (D) [+2 drain]
Heal (H) [DV -2 drain]
Resist Pain (H) [DV -4 drain]
Increase Reflexes (H) [+2 drain]
Armor (M) [+3 drain]
Physical Barrier (M) [+3 drain] (limited)
Levitate (M) [+1 drain]
Magic Fingers (M) [+1 drain]
Shapechange (M) [+2 drain]

Contacts (11 pts.)
Talismonger (L:1 C:2) [gave Doc some of his first training in magic]
DocWagon Pilot (L:5 C:3) [good friend from his DocWagon days]
Kevin Roberts (fixer) (L:2 C:4)

[zzyxzs]

Okay, I should now be eligible for PMs. Let me know if there is anything that needs to be changed, or any other constructive feedback.

[Knight Saber]

Well, we have:
Med Station Rating 6
and
CrashCart

The first is basically a stationary medkit, and the second actually has a full valkery system (or whatever) which is fairly helpful for medical procedures.

It isn't exactly ER quality stuff, but we should be able to perform minor surgery, or perhaps even major depending on skill levels (Jane has a DP of about 18, and so can perform Delta grade surgery if she really wanted)

But with no space for a medical room, all of the surgery gets done on the dining room table? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Inane Imp]

Yep. Thats correct. Welcome to life onboard ship, where rule number 1 is 'there is never enough room'.

Take a look at Master and Commander when they close up for battle stations - look at space that once was mundane and domestic getting turned into something needed for battle.

Ultimately, what do you need for an operating room table. Light - you can rig those above a mess table easily. Sterility - cover the table in a sterile sheet, use sterile implements. Room to move around - remove the chairs to another compartment, dismantle the benches. Yup - you guys are operating on a dining table; same as the rest of the ocean going world. (Ignoring large warships and medical ships).

[Inane Imp]

I think that if you are a member of this crew and you require a life vest... you are in the wrong line of work.

Actually that's ridiculous, between armour, weapons and any other gear your carrying you've got what 15-30 kg of gear, add in the effects of wet clothing and thats a -7 to -15 DP penalty. Now try staying afloat for the time it takes the ship to finish the fight that you fell overboard during, come back round and pick you up. Now consider the fact you may well be injured, so suffering additional negative dive pools; also the fact that you've just fallen at least 2 metres (the bridge on the ship you guys are storming is 23 metres up - which at 2.3m/deck is 10 decks), so will have to resist that damage. Hell yes I want a life jacket that I can use in an emergency.

Real life descriptions of people falling overboard in full gear essentially describe descending fairly quickly, followed by bobbing to the surface once they activate their life-jacket.

Lets look at this in more detail; lets say you fall over in the initial boarding (worst case), lets assume that it takes the rest of the guys to secure the ship in 6 minutes. Thats 6 minutes its been going away from you, at 20 knots thats 2 nm its gone, at 12 its 1.2 nm. Face facts, 1 guy in the water is less important than the rest of the boarding going smoothly (assuming a difficult boarding); so the [i]Fedallah[i/] is not going to want to stop in the water to pick you up whilst its involved in supporting the boarding. The Zod is going to be concentrating on inserting the boarding team, so won't be able to pick you up straight away - and chances are if you've fallen into the water then there are other issues with the boarding.

So the Fed's steamed 1.2 miles away from you, and now has to come back. It takes them 6 minutes to come back and pick you up. Thats 12 minutes you've been in the water, more than enough time for you to drown.

[Inane Imp]

Ohhh, I think I get what you're doing! And, doh, I shoulda described the superstructure better.

There is no balcony or the like outside. Instead, the bridge has large windows (made out of what, I won't speculate, but they're designed not to break amidst the sometimes freakish Sixth World weather, including potentially hurricane-force winds) that provide a view of the outside world. It's just a sheer drop from the bridge (which would be about 40-70 feet above the deck) to the deck. There is one designed way in and out, and that's internal to the superstructure. This is protection both against hostile attack as well as protection from the elements.

That was my idea *before* everybody posted, however. I'm not sure what it'd look like in your conception, budoka.

No bridgewings? or like in the second photo (the cruise liner). IE there are bridgewings, but they arn't accessible from the main deck externally.
Because a ship without bridgewings is going to be annoying to berth. Even factoring in piloting.

[Penta]

Imp: Not on all of the photos of container ships I've seen.

[Penta]

zzy: My comments will come by PM.

[ntwi]

Snipped to grab the piece I wanted to concentrate on

Real life descriptions of people falling overboard in full gear essentially describe descending fairly quickly, followed by bobbing to the surface once they activate their life-jacket.

I think the difference of opinion about life jackets stems from the mental images that each of us has of them. The generic orange foam life jacket is certainly not something that any of us should be wearing during boarding actions (or just about any other time). A self inflating (CO2 cartridge) bladder sewn into the shipboard uniform is a different matter. The only system like that in the books though is for full blown military armor and leaves you floating but immobile on the surface.

For those of us with cybergills, we can simply take our time underwater to remove gear or otherwise acquire flotation. Internal Air tanks can exhale into their clothing/armor/whatever to provide some flotation while using air from the internal tank for 2 hours. Most of the heavily cybered personnel have one or the other of these systems I believe.

For the personnel with less cyber, most of these personnel will be carrying far less gear. Armor, pistol, SMG, and abit of ammo should be no more than 15kg max. They can hold their breath for 48 seconds, which should be more than enough time to get out or drop the heavy pieces of gear.

If a flotation device can be an armor accessory than I could see more people having them, but if there was any encumberance I don't think most of the crew could wear them in addition to any armor of note.

[Penta]

GM ruling needed, guys, or are you just arguing to argue?(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Karoline]

So the Fed's steamed 1.2 miles away from you, and now has to come back. It takes them 6 minutes to come back and pick you up. Thats 12 minutes you've been in the water, more than enough time for you to drown.

Is 12 minutes actually long enough for any of our characters to have drowned? I know Jane can hold her breath for 2.5 hours, and I'd imagine that most others have some form of breathing 'ware or a gill or something that they carry on themselves.

I'd be honestly surprised if anyone (of our characters) was unable to survive for half an hour or more at sea.

[Karoline]

@zzyxzs Something I noticed while reading over your background. Said your parents threatened to call CrashCart, but that isn't a company, it is a drone, and I believe even made by DocWagon, though I'm not certain.

Not, you know, a huge deal buster on your character or anything, but just figured I'd point it out.

[Penta]

Crashcart is a company - competitor to DocWagon owned by Yamatetsu/EVO.

[Karoline]

Crashcart is a company - competitor to DocWagon owned by Yamatetsu/EVO.

Oh, weird... I thought it was just the drone. Bit confusing.

Edit: Oh, I see, it is a CrashCart brand medical drone, that's why I had that confused.

[zzyxzs]

After talking it over with Penta, here is Doc in his (hopefully) final form:


BACKGROUND

[ Spoiler ]

Cover Name: David Oliver Costas (according to his fake SIN)
Given Name: David, but few other than his parents know more than that
Nickname"Doc"
Born: Seattle, 2/7/2038 (current age: 34)


David discovered that he had the healing touch early, when he was somewhere close to ten years old. It was the day that he was taken to visit his father, who was in the hospital due to a random run in with a small group of go-gangers that left him with a broken jaw and three fractured ribs. Despite the initial prognosis that David’s father would be laid up for at least a few days, he ended up being discharged in full health shortly after David’s visit. Instead, David ended up spending a week in the children’s ward recovering from the unexpected drain that followed the discovery of his "healing gift."

It was when he was in his late teens that Davis finally caught the attention of the corps. By then he had developed additional magical skills under the tutelage of a local street shaman that David's parents paid to keep David’s abilities from getting him into trouble. DocWagon, the corp that got to him first, wasn't particularly interested in his newly developed shapeshifing powers, but they had him pegged as a future member of one of their High Threat Response teams, filling the role of tactical magical support.

In exchange for a seven-year employment contract, DocWagon offered David the best magical and combat medicine training that corp nuyen could buy. Though David's parents didn’t have much money or education themselves, they did have enough smarts to negotiate hard on his behalf. DocWagon bargained hard as well, but finally caved to most of his parent’s demands after they threatened to call CrashCart to see if they'd be more interested in David's talents.

Under the agreed terms, David's employment would be limited to a minimum of just five years, and his training would include medical school, not simply a paramedic program. Both parties were smart enough to recognize the value of David's skills, and DocWagon wasn't about to let him slip into the hands of their competitor. A final compromise forced David to abandon the Shamanic path that he had begun with his street shaman mentor in favor the of Hermetic tradition which DocWagon insisted would be more compatible with the technical nature of his medical training, but thanks to his parents he ended up with an education beyond anything that they could have provided themselves.

After med school, David fulfilled his employment contract with DocWagon dutifully, and actually grew to enjoy the high-tension situations where life or death hung in the balance. But even early on he knew that the life of a wage mage was not compatible with his long term goals. Once his five years were up, he walked away from the six-figure bonuses being offered to him to strike out on his own. He'd watched enough runners in the line of duty to know that he could make lots more money with no less adventure if he sought out a career in the shadows.

A former patient put David, or "Doc" as he grew to be called, in contact with a fixer named Kevin Roberts, a guy who since then has been successful in finding David work all over North America, from Seattle to Manhattan to CAS. His last job had him backing up an existing team in the Caribbean League on a one-shot run, and he doubts at least two members of that team would be alive today if he hadn’t been there. He recently got word that Roberts had something big lined up involving the high seas, a once-in-a-lifetime sort of experience. As always, details of the job weren't forthcoming, but who doesn't love a good adventure?

Education:
Home school education prior to college (completed 2056)
Dual undergrad degrees: Magical Arts and Pre-Med, University of Washington (2060)
M.D.: University of Washington (2064) [got out just in time for the crash]
Medical Residency: various DocWagon hospitals in the UCAS (completed 2067)

Contacts:
"Grumpy" is a Seattle shamanic talismonger dwarf known for his gruff demeanor and fondness for canines. He's known David since David was a kid, so feels a certain sense of loyalty to him, but was really pissed off when he decided to take the corp route rather than continue training in the shamanic tradition. Grumpy also happens to be a bit paranoid when it comes to the corps. It was he who got David his first fake SIN, hoping to keep him from landing on any corporate radar.

Marcos Durante is a senior rotor pilot for DocWagon. He acted as Doc's team leader for most of his time there, and really took him under his wing. In 2071 Marcos was transferred from Seattle to the FDC area. Doc considers Marcos to be a trusted friend.

Kevin Roberts is both a fixer and a Johnson.

CHARACTER SHEET

[ Spoiler ]

Human Magician

Attributes (190 pts.)
Body: 3
Agility: 2
Reaction: 4
Strength: 2
Charisma: 3
Intuition: 3
Logic: 5
Willpower: 5

Edge: 2
Magic: 5 (40 pts.)
Initiative: 7
Essence: 6

Active Skills (108 pts.)
Medicine (Trauma Surgery) [L] : 4
First Aid (Combat Wounds) [L] : 3
Spellcasting (Health) [M] : 5
Counterspelling [M] : 1
Summoning (Man spirits) [M] : 1
Banishing (Beast spirits) [M] : 1
Assensing (Aura Reading) [I] : 1
Pistols (Tasers) [A] : 1
Dodge (Ranged Combat) [R] : 1
Unarmed Combat (Animal Form) [A] : 1
Swimming (Animal Form) [S] : 1
Nautical Mechanic [L] : 1
Inflitration [A] : 1

Knowledge Skills (24 free pts.)
Medical Background (Combat Medicine) : 4
Biology (Physiology) : 1
Chemistry (Pharmaceuticals) : 1
Magic Background (Path of the Mage) : 3
Spirits : 3
DocWagon : 4
Security Procedures : 2

Languages
English : N
Spanish : 2
Japanese : 2

Qualities (5 pts. net cost)
Magician (15)
Focused Concentration (20)
Restricted Gear (Power Focus) (5)
Sensitive System (-15)
Spirit Bane (Beast) (-10)
Records on File (DocWagon) (-10)

Gear (29 pts. [145,000¥])

Weapons
Defiance EX Shocker
Taser Darts (20 shots total)

Armors (7/9)
Armor Vest (6/4)
PPP-System Forearm Guards (+0/+1)
PPP-System Leg and Arm Casings (+0/+2)
PPP-System Shin Guards (+0/+1)
PPP-System Vitals Protector (+1/+1)

Commlinks
Commlink : CMT Clip
OS : Redcap Nix
Subvocal Microphone

Equipments
Power Focus (Rating 4) [a braided cord of unicorn mane]
Sustaining Focus (Rating 3) [a chain of fine brass]
Manipulation Fetishe [ring of titanium, bound to the Physical Barrier spell]
Combat Fetishe [ring of nickle, bound to the Stun Ball spell]
Medkit (Rating 6)
10x Medkit Supplies
Biomonitor
Earbud
+ Audio Enhancement (Rating 3)
+ Spatial Recognizer
Glasses
+Low Light Vision
+Flare Compensation
+Image Link
+Vision Enhancement (Rating 3)
+Vision Magnification
Mage Sight Goggles
Fake Sin (Rating 4)
Fake License (Foci) (Rating 4)
Respirator (Rating 6)
5x Plastic Restraint 10-packs (50 total restraints)
Adjustable Animal Harnesses (priced as Climbing Gear)
Smart Pack
Smart Pouch Combat Load Vest
Flashlight
Binoculars, optical
6x Stimulant Patch (Rating 6)
Inhaler
+ 3x Psyche
+ 1x G3

Bound Foci (7 pts., cost factored above)
Power Focus (4)
Sustaining Focus (3)

Spells (30 pts.)
Stunball (Ċ) [+1 drain] (limited)
Detect Life Extended (D) [+2 drain]
Heal (H) [DV -2 drain]
Resist Pain (H) [DV -4 drain]
Increase Reflexes (H) [+2 drain]
Armor (M) [+3 drain]
Physical Barrier (M) [+3 drain] (limited)
Levitate (M) [+1 drain]
Magic Fingers (M) [+1 drain]
Shapechange (M) [+2 drain]

Contacts (11 pts.)
Talismonger (L:1 C:2) [gave Doc some of his first training in magic]
DocWagon Pilot (L:5 C:3) [good friend from his DocWagon days]
Kevin Roberts (L:2 C:4) [fixer/Johnson] (free)
[see background for more details]

[Penta]

And everybody say hi to your new doctor.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Certified not a quack.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Inane Imp]

Is 12 minutes actually long enough for any of our characters to have drowned? I know Jane can hold her breath for 2.5 hours, and I'd imagine that most others have some form of breathing 'ware or a gill or something that they carry on themselves.

I'd be honestly surprised if anyone (of our characters) was unable to survive for half an hour or more at sea.

No. 12 minute is ong enough to take 1 Stun box of damage. Assuming you fail a Swimming (2) test. Hmm thats crazy talk. But RAW. (Oh and arguing for the sake of arguing - I like the image of our Pirate boarding teams wearing ex-mil boarding-party life jackets - but also want to be able to use edge when I've been blown off the side of the ship almost dead to pull my LG before slipping into unconsciousness).

And your right, there are no viable rules for flotation aids. I'd house rule life-jackets with a small negative to Swimming distance (say -2 metres) and large DP bonus to treading water (say +6 dice or similar). Also a large DP bonus to anybody trying to spot you (the "object stands out" bonus would be apropos).

Still this page gives good piccies of various types of life jacket. Ignore the top one - thats silly for a boarding party - scroll down to the bottom and then come up. Look at the jackets they're wearing there - fit nicely OVER armour. Dark (until inflated then they get the high vis colours and reflective tape) and don't get in the way of carrying lots of gear (unless inflated, trying to do stuff with them inflated is awkward).

[Karoline]

No. 12 minute is ong enough to take 1 Stun box of damage. Assuming you fail a Swimming (2) test. Hmm thats crazy talk. But RAW. (Oh and arguing for the sake of arguing - I like the image of our Pirate boarding teams wearing ex-mil boarding-party life jackets - but also want to be able to use edge when I've been blown off the side of the ship almost dead to pull my LG before slipping into unconsciousness).

Yeah, the rules are currently set up that you can tread for (str) minutes at a time and only take 1 stun damage, though there is no way to resist this one stun damage (because it is fatigue from keeping yourself above the water), so even Jane can hang out for around a quarter hour or more without being totally exhausted, and I don't see any reason she couldn't take advantage of being able to hold her breath for ages by simply not bothering to keep her head above water and going under for a while.

If you think about it realistically, most people that know the first thing about swimming can tread water for ages, especially if their life depends on it. Most people can also do a decent job of simply floating so that they don't even get tired as quickly. I mean have you ever taken a kid to the pool before? They can play in the pool for an hour or more easy, and most of the time they're doing more tiring activities than simply treading.

You also hear fairly regularly about how someone has been out treading water for hours before they're found and rescued. You generally don't hear about how someone drowned in 5 minutes after they fell overboard (Unless they're drunk, don't know how to swim, or maybe got a cramp because they came from the all-you-can-eat buffet)