OOC- Shadow's Dawn: Diving into the past Options

[pbangarth]

@Pbangarth
She resists that hideous mana bolt for 9 successes.

So you got 14, she got 9. Nett 5 (critical success in a very stressful situation, so you can have an edge back). Total damage is 17. She goes down big time, knocked across the room and collapses onto the floor.

Well done...I though she had your number.

By the way, while you are correct that normally you would be disrupted if your mental tract was filled, your link to your home plane is currently not available to you, so if you are disrupted you fall unconscious.

I thought Mandala was a goner too. Sometimes the universe rewards bold action, though. Other times it just crushes you.

I will post IC later today, though it may be late evening my time when I can do it justice. Thank you for the Edge point!!

The wedding was a smash hit. Great food, good people, unending booze, fantastic band (Soul Stew, from Toronto). I danced the whole evening. Well, except for the eating and drinking. Oh... and the ceremony.

The young couple are madly in love and hugely suited to each other.

[Seth]

@sabs@Aria <---------edited
You get the data...there is a lot of it. Quick glimpse: His daughter is being held in a school for the gifted. The shadowrun team data is details on a a group of experienced shadowrunners arranged through a fixer.

[sabs]

removed to protect the guilty

[Seth]

Oops sorry sabs. I meant @aria. My bad. I'm editing the original

[Alyena]

@Pbangarth

Glad you had a good weekend!

In line with the GM's suggestion will roll initiative for Alyena in round 12

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955672/

This gives 2 successes, so go on 10.

Alyena sees the mind control attempts on Bjeorn and Marduk. Will try to counter the control on Bjeorn on IP#1 before he does something Marduk might regret!

Counter spell Warder's mind control:

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955681/

10 successes! I now have 1 grumpy GM as it negates Warder's spell!
Marduk does not need to dodge Bjeorn's claws.

Will hold IP#2 in case another counter is needed for Marduk. If that goes ok, will hold IP#3.

[Seth]

OK Bjeorn, Alyena and I are all physically in the same room, so here is the combined summary. Rounds 11 and 12 are quite exciting/hectic, so we all cooperated on this post.

@sabs,
Could you just summarise what you did in rounds 11 and 12 with links to your posts. I think you bolted Warder at the beginning, but I am not sure where you are now.
Can you make the saves vs mob mind. As well as willpower + counterspell (manip), also add your highest mental attribute (this is a house rule...you add your highest mental attribute to resist mob mind/possession etc).

Round 11:
Alyena attacks Warder's wall and blasts a hole in it, dealt with above

IP 1 through 4, Bjeorn attacks the guards and smashs one of them into little pieces. He dodges their attacks

[ Spoiler ]

IP 2
Attack on the first guard 3: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955649/
First guard defence 6: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955651/
They attack you: 2, 4,http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955652/ the 3 and 2 are the second attack

Bjeorn's defence
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955655/ 4, 2, (including the die off the end for multiple dodges)rolled 4 by mistake

IP3
Attack on the first guard 4 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955658/
First guard's defence was 2 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955659/
Goodbye guard number 1

IP4
Attack on the second guard 2 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955661/ (miss)

Warder did "something" in IP 1 and 2, and casts mob mind in IP 3. This failed (first roll on http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955667/ for casting, first roll on http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955668/ for defence)

Round 12
Alyena's initiative: 10
Warder's initiative: 15 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955674/
Bjeorn's initiative: 11 (we lost the link to invisible castle)

IP 1:
Bjeorn finishes off the second guard 4 successes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955663/, Defence 1 successes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955664/
Warder casts mob mind 10 successes (2nd roll on http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955667/ ) which gets Bjeorn. Mu ha ha! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif)
Alyena dispells the mob mind (booooo)

IP 2:
Bjeorn morphs into human form
Warder casts mob mind 5 successes (3rd roll). Bjeorn sneers at this attempt

IP 3:
Bjeorn picks up a grenade
Warder casts physical barrier across the hole 7 successes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955692/ ... not nearly as good as he wanted

IP 4:
Bjeorn casually smashs through the physical barrier with his off hand, and has a grenade in his main.

[sabs]

I believe that:
Round 11: I dodged into the room, dropping my Combat Sense spell, and not bothering to fix it.
Round 12: I haven't gone yet.. but I will probably cast levitate at one of the guards in the hallway and fling him into the others.

so I'm adding Willpower+Logic+Counterspell? for a total of 19d6: 6 2 6 2 2 5 1 1 6 3 5 6 5 3 2 2 1 4 2 (7) hits I think this resists?

Am i right in thinking that I can't cast out of this room without having issues with the ward?

[Seth]

@sabs
Thanks. Thats roughly what I thought.

In total Warder casts mob mind 3 times. You have survived the first. Two more to go! Fortunately Alyena has already dispelled the second one. The third spell has 5 successes.

You are correct: the ward will interfere with spell casting though it. You can just walk through it, or you could carry on attacking Warder.

[sabs]

Rolled badly: 19d6: 3 5 3 1 3 4 5 3 4 3 5 4 6 6 1 3 4 1 2 (5) hits. So I still resisted.

Stupid Warder, we hates him. What seems to be the force of the Elemental Wall protecting him?

[Seth]

Force 11. Hes the man when it comes to doing big wards elemental walls. Its hard to dispel it (10 pts of drain) but it's possible to blast a hole in it.

[sabs]

It's true, that's a ton to dispell,
I get 6 dice to cast a spell on the barrier, which I think means I can't hurt it?

[Alyena]

@ Sabs

Stupid Warder, we hates him

lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Can you levitate one of the guard's grenades through the hole in the ward?
Bjeorn is throwing one in but more can't hurt.

Just imagine Alyena's spirit form is yelling "Blast him, blast him now!"

[sabs]

I can totally levitate the grenade, that's not a bad idea.
Force 9 Spell reduced to Force 5 for effect (5 max hits)
Magic(6)+SpellCasting(4)-Backgroundcount(4)=6d6 2 1 6 5 5 6
Threshhold is 1(I think) 3 net hits
Drain: f/2+1=5 15d6: 5 5 1 6 1 2 5 3 6 4 3 5 3 2 2 (6) hits. No damage.

Grenade will go flying through that hole at 15m/turn. I'm pretty sure that means the grenade will make it inside the barrier. Can I use levitate to draw the pin?

I need to get a copy of Street Magic at work, so I can figure out what Analyze Magic does (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Alyena]

@ Sabs

Don't think you can use levitate to pull the pin.

Suggest you pull it, dare I say, like an ordinary mortal then send it on its way with levitate.

That way you can have the pin as a keep sake (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Seth]

@sabs,

I've been looking at your character sheet thinking about what to do. The big problem with Warder is that he is behind a defence wall (both guards and magic), and is casting actually quite unpleasant magics back at you. The background count is causing you a lot of pain, and restricting options. Here are a few ideas

• Could you stop the casting back? Monologuing is something that you can do quite well (entralling performance), you would be at a few minus's but you are quite likely to cause him to loose a few seconds worth of actions, which could make quite a difference.
• Alyena's idea of the grenades is a good one
• Another option for you is to use your knowledge skills, or psychometry.
• Warder was "doing something" for the first couple of rounds, you could work out what that is (spell theory/arcana/magic theory)
• In the room there is a codex (think ancient ring binder with copper wire through holes in the parchment, wooden covers) open in a reading stand. The codex is huge: its 6 foot by 3 foot pages, and has hundreds of pages. On the current page is a very detailed schematic of a pyramid with complex blood wards. The blood is glistening and is obviously fresh.
• On a little table next to the codex is a black obsidian dagger, and a skull with intricate amber runes carved into it...lots and lots of runes.
• In a box next to the codex is a cooler box, with biohazard symbols on it

IMO Analyse magic is a tool mainly used by people without good assensing skills, as it lets you use spell casting instead of assensing for specific things. It also means that you can "try again" without the -1 penalty, hoping to get lucky.

Type: M • Range: T • Duration: S • DV: (F ÷ 2)
Th is spell allows the subject to analyze a spell, spirit, astral
form, focus, or other magical item/eff ect within range of the
sense as if assensing it. To determine the information obtained,
note the net hits and consult the Assensing Table (p. 183, SR4).
Note that this spell does not confer astral sight, nor does it detect
the auras of mundane items or living things. To analyze astral
forms or other non-physical astral-only things, the subject must
be astrally perceiving or projecting. Th e caster must touch the
subject of the spell.

[sabs]

I was actually thinking of trying to monologue him. Distract him from what ever he's doing. I missed the description of the room with all that stuff in it. I think instead of casting, which isn't doing anyone any good. I'd rather try to use assensing and arcana to try and figuoure out what he's doing in the room. I think that's all I could reasonably do during Round 12.

Round 12: IP 1 Assenssing: Intuition(3)+Assenssing(6) 9d6: 3 3 3 5 6 2 5 1 1 (3) hits
Round 13 Initiative: 6d6 6 5 3 6 4 2: 9
Round 13: IP 1 Arcana: Logic(8)+Arcana (4)+Encephalon(1)+PuSHeD(1)=14d6 1 1 5 3 4 6 6 2 6 2 3 1 6 2 (5) hits

General "what the hell is going on" Going to focus on the various items, and use psychometry as I can.

[pbangarth]

Before Round 13 starts, Mandala has one more IP in Round 12.

Round 12, IP #3:

Having knocked Zeia out well and truly, Mandala will rush to Aren's side and materialize, in preparation to heal him. I'll write this into the IC post.
#####

Initiative for Round 13, for whenever it matters:

12 dice (materialized, so slower) ==> 5 HITS
==> 17-2 for damage = Initiative Score 15.

[pbangarth]

@Pbandgarth
Its 20th July 1944 with a meeting with Hitler. von Trescow was believed to be "the evil spirit behind Operation Valkyrie". Karl Meyer was responsible for recruiting many of the people that conspired to kill Hitler that day (with a briefcase full of explosives) in Operation Valkyrie. Most people involved felt that it would fail, but it had to be tried anyway.

Summarising "yes its Operation Valkyrie". Personally you suspect that you might have been successful, and some of the immortals created a simulacrum, or a double stepped in, as Hitler (who wasn't very stable before) went absolutely crazy afterwards, and was hardly seen again except by very trusted people. But who knows?

I'm sure folks all have their own things to add, but here are some brainstorming ideas for Mandala in the WWII scene:

OK. The thing is, our magical nature really puts a skew on the historical scene. I have to figure out how Mandala is to act in this situation without just out and out stunbolting Hitler into oblivion(or his simulacrum... which I guess Mandala should be able to Assense anyway, given that he doesn't trust Queen Alachia in the least), and dematerializing before he can be captured/slaughtered. This assumes that the detection of magic rule would apply and someone would notice Mandala 'doing something funny'. This applies to all the other magically active people in our group.

The Pacifist(1) Quality may be reason enough, but for crying out loud, by now Mandala knows about the genocide going on. That in and of itself should be enough to override the Quality. There could also be a stricture from Alachia. Certainly that would give cause for Mandala's low Relationship with her.

Mandala is dual-natured, so if there is anything with an aura around, he should be able to detect it. Protections on Hitler or the room, powerful spirits (reduced, obviously), whatever.

I miscalculated earlier. The background count is -4 for Mandala, so his Force goes to 5. With Force 5 he only has to lose Aura Masking, and can keep the Movement power. Might be handy here. Speaking of the background count, Mandala can share his Resist Background with others (balanced with the number of powers he can maintain at once) so if there is a particular adept power or something the team needs here in the WWII scenario, let's talk.

Mandala can Psychokinese too, so we don't need a spirit to do it. Of course, there is the magic detection thing again. Wait. This is a Spirit Power, not a spell!

Any use for the Chaotic World spell as a distraction? Or is that too obvious?

How about filming the event? Surely Norbert Schantz would be involved in that aspect of things. Even if he wasn't doing the filming (as he is part of the group being awarded), he would move around, check camera angles, move things in and out of the scene, give his opinion and such and be an artistic pain in the ass people will be eager to ignore.

Hmmm.. could Mandala got to the bathroom, come back astrally and materialize inside Hitler's briefcase, and with Mindnet on give a detailed tactile analysis of the key, which someone like Marduk, Ambrose, or Ryl with Eidetic Sense Memory could recall exactly and just copy? Or do this just before we all go in?

[pbangarth]

WWII scene

In response to Marduk's question, Mandala will cast Mindnet on the whole crew present. Too bad Cleansing only works on aspected domains.

Force 4 Mindnet(extended): Magic 5 + Spellcasting(detection) 3(5) + Edge 5 = 15 dice, exploding 6s, threshold 4 (there are 4 others besides Mandala)
==> 3 HITS.... *sigh*, it fails

Drain (4/2) + 5 = 7S
Resist Drain WIL 7 + CHA 8 + Centering 4 = 19 dice ==> 5 HITS.... *sigghhhhh...* 2 Stun damage to Mandala

Try it again:

Force 4 Mindnet(extended) 15 dice, exploding 6s, Threshold 4 ==> 6 HITS... success! We are linked.

Drain 7S
Resist Drain 19 dice ==> 8 HITS no further Drain.

[Seth]

@WWII
I am quite happy if you attack Hitler. Have you ever heard the word "whitewash". i.e. "it was a briefcase bomb, honest". You haven't seen Hitler in the flesh, but you know that many of the other immortals support him, so he must have something going for him: maybe its his charisma. You also suspect that many of the immortals that support him don't know about Auschwitz...

@Sabs
Warder doesn't look like a people person to you. Intimidate yes, leadership no. Charisma is good though! One success on his resistance. Given that he is in combat, I think that will distract him for 2 IPs. Bad time for him: I suspect Bjeorn will be introducing him to Mr Grenade real soon, I will have to read up on the chunky salsa rules.

Nice psychometry roll I think its a critical.

• The codex is showing a map of the pyramid. Its a bit like a magical tacnet. The blood lines show the wards, underneath it are marks that show where magically important things are happening. Right now magically important things are happening in the temple area and here (mostly you lot and warder). Warder has raised a red alert and that is showing on the tacnet, as is a reply "on my way: Xipee Topec". Warder is linked to a number of wards, but is not linked (as far as you can tell) to the main blood magic ward surrounding the temple. That is linked to someone in the temple area.
• The dagger is very interesting, it is destroying the aztech aura around it (range about 2 feet). You suspect it is a dagger designed to cut through aztech magics.
• The skull is wierd. It is tightly linked to the magics or one of the people on the temple level. It is effectively a sympathetic link to someone or something (think voodoo doll)

@Mandala
Thanks for kicking off the WWII stuff.

@Everyone
I thought I had posted a summary of the end of rounds 11 & 12, but I cannot find it! I'll post it again later this evening

[Aria]

@Everyone
I thought I had posted a summary of the end of rounds 11 & 12, but I cannot find it! I'll post it again later this evening

It's in the recruitment thread (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Here!

[sabs]

I am so picking up that god damn dagger (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
I think that will be my action on Round 14.. pick up dagger.

[Seth]

OK copied from the recruitment (how?) thread

Current situation:

• It is the start of rounds 13&14
• The time is 00:00:50
• The background count is zero in the reactor corridor, up the stairs and on the ground floor it is aztech 4
• Aren is being NPCed, and has zipped ahead, and is currently lying in a bleeding crumpled pile at the bottom of the stairs to the level above the ground floor. He still has a few rounds before he will bleed out.
• Bjeorn, Alyena and Marduk are inside room 5 / Warder's room. Room 5 has another hideous ward on the door. Warder is inside yet another magical barrier, and is being monologued by Marduk
• Ol'Scratch is being NPCed, and is performing the ritual to open door 27a. The ritual will be concluded when the flashback discovers the secret.
• Mandala has just "dealt" with Captain Zeia, and is with Arren
• Fearghas is dealing with the guards in the corridor
• Ryl is still in the basement corridor

Matrix

• Ryl has revoked all the accounts in the internal matrix
• The mean IC has attacked and defeated the two guards. One of them is having a very bad day with some psychotropic nastiness
• Jonathan has arrived and is searching for Ryl. He is also trying to reboot the system
• For some reason the reboot is not working
• Zero is trying to recruit Jonathan
• The Aztech tacnet is down

External

• The General Quarters alarm has just stopped, although red flashing lights are still flashing
• Ryl's assessment is that the guards that were off duty will still be getting their armour on / equipped for another few seconds.
• Plan 'Blood Alpha One' has been activated and the hideous blood ward is now fully in place.

WWII

• You have a timeline
• You need to decide how to swap the briefcase.
• You need to IC move on to the meeting time

[Alyena]

Alyena still has 2 IP left in round 12.

IP #2 she was holding in case the Mob Mind got Marduk as he has resisted she will now assense Warder's spells.

Using 4:1 rule she can see the spell giving him multiple actions per round.

IP #3 she attempts to dispell that: I get only 3 successes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2957295/

Ah well there's always next time.

The codex is showing a map of the pyramid. Its a bit like a magical tacnet. The blood lines show the wards, underneath it are marks that show where magically important things are happening. Right now magically important things are happening in the temple area and here (mostly you lot and warder). Warder has raised a red alert and that is showing on the tacnet, as is a reply "on my way: Xipee Topec". Warder is linked to a number of wards, but is not linked (as far as you can tell) to the main blood magic ward surrounding the temple. That is linked to someone in the temple area.

I'm definitely not a happy bunny:

1) Magic in the temple
2) Xipee Topec on his way
3) Warder not maintaining the big blood ward

Somebody (that's you Mr GM) is off my Christmas list!

[Seth]

I am so picking up that god damn dagger

Just make a willpower + countermagic (manip) save (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif) (I'd suggest a point of edge if you get <3 successes). And a psychometry roll
It reduces the background count by 1 pt of aztech when you hold it. Given that Warder is boosted by Aztech magics, it must do something else...

Somebody (that's you Mr GM) is off my Christmas list!

hey I gave you a book, a dagger and a skull, what more could you ask for.

@alyena
Good idea with the dispel. Unfortunately it rolled really well: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2957297/ 7 successes. So he's still moving going fast