OOC: SRM04-00: Back in Business, OOC thread for Back in Business Options

[Slacker]

Astral Perception initially to check for wards or roaming astral spirits. When I don't notice anything, I'll find a place to sit down before projecting, preferably out of direct sight of the smugglers. "I'm going to try scouting magically... watch my back..."

Still trying to be careful not to be noticed, though, even while Astral. Just in case I come across something that can see the Astral...

Are you only going to be looking at the boat or roaming around the area too? Any smugglers that deal primarily in talismongery would likely have wards/watcher spirits and such.

Rather than draw this out, I'll go ahead and tell you that you find nothing on the Jack's boat. It is unoccupied with nothing astrally active aboard.

[Slacker]

Ol' Mr. Quixote is gonna go a'looking for any matrix activity in the area, see if there's anything to lookit, analyze, hack into, or otherwise provide something in the way of electronic intelligence. That's a free action for active/passive nodes. Gonna do a general scan for hidden nodes in mutual signal range.

Scan (6) + Electronic Warfare (1) + PuSHeD (1) + Encephalon (1) - Wound Modifier (1) (8d6.hits(5)=3, 7d6.hits(5)=5, 6d6.hits(5)=3, 5d6.hits(5)=2, 4d6.hits(5)=1)

14 hits total (5 combat turns worth of time) so a bit shy of finding anything, and I don't feel...confident extending out further on the dice with the diminishing returns on extended tests. However, I figure there's probably gotta be some sort of device/signal on Mr. Jack's boat. I imagine/hope I can make a specific detect hidden node test. If not, feel free to throw the roll out.

Scan (6) + Electronic Warfare (1) + PuSHeD (1) + Encephalon (1) - Wound Modifier (1) (8d6.hits(5)=1)

Yeesh, one hit, never mind. Also, have we heard from Forces lately? If no, is it possible I could hack his drone and take it over? I'd give it back later, honest ork (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Your Scan certainly finds nodes in the area, some are obviously just commlinks, some are home units or business networks, and some others are shipboard computers... including one on Jack Turner's boat.

And no, we haven't heard from Forces in Motion at all. So i'm just keeping with the in-game idea that he and his drone are suffering some major software glitches. Once you guys got to the Pirates Cove, he headed to a first pub he saw and plopped down on a chair, ordered a soybeer, and started taking apart the drone and his commlink in an attempt to fix them. When he comes back we'll time it out as if he had finished fixing everything and just caught back up to you all.

Oh and i'll leave the Kraken off the last combat to make up for the missing drone.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[taeksosin]

Blah blah blah, bring up an AR display and throw an analyze/matrix perception at Jack's ship's node. Checking the system/firewall, presence of any data bombs, presence of IC, nodes that go off it that may be cameras, things of that like.

Analyze (6) + Computer (4) + PuSHeD (1) + Encephalon (1) - Wounds Modifier (1) (11d6.hits(5)=4)

[Slacker]

Blah blah blah, bring up an AR display and throw an analyze/matrix perception at Jack's ship's node. Checking the system/firewall, presence of any data bombs, presence of IC, nodes that go off it that may be cameras, things of that like.

Analyze (6) + Computer (4) + PuSHeD (1) + Encephalon (1) - Wounds Modifier (1) (11d6.hits(5)=4)

Seems to have pretty basic security system/firewall = 4/4, you don't detect any data bombs, or IC.

[Kiirnodel]

I will take a quick look and quickly head back, don't want to draw any attention from the other smugglers' watchers and such.

I let the team know that the boat looks clear. "Doesn't seem like anyone is on the boat..."


Something that came to mind, that I would like to try. It doesn't really have to do with our mission at hand, but I want to try and make amends to the Skraacha... And so, particularly if Pip doesn't know anything else, he might be able/willing to run a little errand.

I will run this by the group quickly before I ask him, so if they think there is no way they want to do it I won't bother... Particularly since I would like Mr. White to help me out with talking to them.

Based on people's reactions (particularly since even Pip mentioned it when we first met him) it seems like my actions were misconstrued by the gang. Gardner is particularly concerned with having one of the major gangs down in Ork Underground annoyed at him (it's not like he can really lay low). I want to make sure they realize that while I may have targetted them to keep them from further injuring the civilians, I didn't cause any lasting damage (a couple hours of bed-rest and the guy that was stunbolted is good as new).

So my thought is that since Pip isn't likely to want to hang around here and potentially find himself in a fight that can obviously break out any minute among the smugglers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) that he might deliver a message and come back to potentially guide us back once we're done...

So, thoughts from the team on all this?

[Slacker]

I will take a quick look and quickly head back, don't want to draw any attention from the other smugglers' watchers and such.

I let the team know that the boat looks clear. "Doesn't seem like anyone is on the boat..."


Something that came to mind, that I would like to try. It doesn't really have to do with our mission at hand, but I want to try and make amends to the Skraacha... And so, particularly if Pip doesn't know anything else, he might be able/willing to run a little errand.

I will run this by the group quickly before I ask him, so if they think there is no way they want to do it I won't bother... Particularly since I would like Mr. White to help me out with talking to them.

Based on people's reactions (particularly since even Pip mentioned it when we first met him) it seems like my actions were misconstrued by the gang. Gardner is particularly concerned with having one of the major gangs down in Ork Underground annoyed at him (it's not like he can really lay low). I want to make sure they realize that while I may have targetted them to keep them from further injuring the civilians, I didn't cause any lasting damage (a couple hours of bed-rest and the guy that was stunbolted is good as new).

So my thought is that since Pip isn't likely to want to hang around here and potentially find himself in a fight that can obviously break out any minute among the smugglers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) that he might deliver a message and come back to potentially guide us back once we're done...

So, thoughts from the team on all this?

I'm sure you could convince Pip to deliver a message if that's what you want....for the right price.

Do consider though that it could take him hours to get a message back to Skraacha leadership, and more hours to get back. If a fight does happen hear in the Cove, do you want to be sitting around waiting for him to get back to be able to guide you out?

[taeksosin]

Mmmk then. Think I'll attempt an admin account (+6 to TN)

Exploit (5) + Hacking (6) + Encephalon (1) + PuSHeD (1) + Codeslinger (2) + Optimization (1) - Wounds (1) (15d6.hits(5)=6)
Exploit (5) + Hacking (6) + Encephalon (1) + PuSHeD (1) + Codeslinger (2) + Optimization (1) - Wounds (1) (15d6.hits(5)=11)

So, couple of secs and I have a nice, shiny admin account.

Inside the node, a matrix perception check for any nodes that lead off it or hardware connected to hit (such as cameras and the like) assuming I haven't tripped an alert.
Analyze (6) + Computer (4) + PuSHeD (1) + Encephalon (1) - Wounds Modifier (1) (11d6.hits(5)=1)
Possibly make a second check if that's allowed, can never remember with perception.
Analyze (6) + Computer (4) + PuSHeD (1) + Encephalon (1) - Wounds Modifier (1) (11d6.hits(5)=3)

Assuming nothing bad, gonna search for a current manifest of his cargo, any files with references to Fiona or a morel stone, and see if he has any sort of a schedule/calendar that lists his destinations for a period of time into the future.

Browse (6) + Data Search (4) + Encephalon (1) + PuSHeD (1) - Wounds (1) (11d6.hits(5)=3, 10d6.hits(5)=4, 9d6.hits(5)=3, 8d6.hits(5)=1)

If more rolls are needed, lemme know or just do them if you wanna. If I manage to pull any good information, I'll comm it out to the group.

[Slacker]

Mmmk then. Think I'll attempt an admin account (+6 to TN)

Exploit (5) + Hacking (6) + Encephalon (1) + PuSHeD (1) + Codeslinger (2) + Optimization (1) - Wounds (1) (15d6.hits(5)=6)
Exploit (5) + Hacking (6) + Encephalon (1) + PuSHeD (1) + Codeslinger (2) + Optimization (1) - Wounds (1) (15d6.hits(5)=11)

So, couple of secs and I have a nice, shiny admin account.

Inside the node, a matrix perception check for any nodes that lead off it or hardware connected to hit (such as cameras and the like) assuming I haven't tripped an alert.
Analyze (6) + Computer (4) + PuSHeD (1) + Encephalon (1) - Wounds Modifier (1) (11d6.hits(5)=1)
Possibly make a second check if that's allowed, can never remember with perception.
Analyze (6) + Computer (4) + PuSHeD (1) + Encephalon (1) - Wounds Modifier (1) (11d6.hits(5)=3)

Assuming nothing bad, gonna search for a current manifest of his cargo, any files with references to Fiona or a morel stone, and see if he has any sort of a schedule/calendar that lists his destinations for a period of time into the future.

Browse (6) + Data Search (4) + Encephalon (1) + PuSHeD (1) - Wounds (1) (11d6.hits(5)=3, 10d6.hits(5)=4, 9d6.hits(5)=3, 8d6.hits(5)=1)

If more rolls are needed, lemme know or just do them if you wanna. If I manage to pull any good information, I'll comm it out to the group.

There don't appear to be any other nodes connected to the computer and it doesn't seem like he has much of anything on it. You find some obviously faked cargo manifests referencing hauls of fish (the boat itself is an old fishing boat that has been converted), but you don't see anything related to real cargo. The only calendar on the node appears connected to those false cargo manifests.
You don't see any reference to Fiona at all, though you do come across some some search terms relating to the morel stone in his browser history from a few days ago.

Anything else you are looking for?

[taeksosin]

Anything the rest of you can think of that I missed? Will pass this information along, obviously, but my best guess is that anything of value/importance is going to be on a commlink if he has one.

[ChromeZephyr]

My "trap" sense is tingling. Got nothing concrete to base it on, but a smuggler not on his boat and no traps or alarms active in a place called "Pirate's Cove". Feels like a bad trid thriller, like we're gonna step on board, find the body, and a suddenly there's gonna be someone yelling "Those assholes killed Jack!", y'know?

[Slacker]

My "trap" sense is tingling. Got nothing concrete to base it on, but a smuggler not on his boat and no traps or alarms active in a place called "Pirate's Cove". Feels like a bad trid thriller, like we're gonna step on board, find the body, and a suddenly there's gonna be someone yelling "Those assholes killed Jack!", y'know?

I'll go ahead and say that when Gardner did his astral projection thing he didn't see anything that would lead him to believe there was a corpse onboard.

[Slacker]

So, what are we doing? Currently Gardner has scouted out the boat in Astral space, finding the boat empty. The boat's computer has also been hacked and the only thing found was the search history showing that Jack had been looking for info on the morel stone a few days ago.

Was there anything else anybody could think of for the hacker to look for on the computer?

Also, Gardner was considering sending the guide away on take a message to the Skraacha gang for him. Did any of you speak out against that or was that fine by the rest of the group?

If you'd like some suggestions:

[ Spoiler ]

1) Have Gardner's spirit do his search thing. Pirate's Cove is within a reasonable size for the spirit to be able to do a search.
2) Board the boat and search it physically for clues where Jack and Fiona could be
3) Ask the locals. Jack is a big enough name among smugglers groups that you can probably find somebody willing to give you some info for the right price. There are a few bars scattered about the area you could try inquiring at or there are some workers down by the docks near Jack's boat.
4) You could start going door to door until you piss somebody off or run into Jack
5) You could start World War III by just killing anybody and everybody you see. Surely you'd eventually come across Jack in the ensuing chaos.
6) You could have the hacker meticulously hack each and every node in the area until he finds Jack's commlink and then track him down through that.

hmmm..... i believe that's all i can come up with. Though I wouldn't be surprised if you guys came up with something else.

[taeksosin]

Is it bad that I considered just randomly hacking devices to try and find Jack's commlink before you posted? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

In all seriousness, I'd say have the spirit try his search thing, and in the mean time we could look at snooping on the boat.

[Kiirnodel]

Good point on the message taking a while... Instead, Gardner will tell Pip roughly the same thing, but instead asking him to stay here (in a secure location that we know where he'll be). Then, after we are done, I would like him to help me smooth things over with the Skraacha. I will of course tell Pip that I will pay for his help, I don't expect him to guide us again for free.
If it helps convince the group, I will mention that it might be a good thing to get on the good side of the local gang. I particularly don't want to be on their bad side...

I will go ahead and ask the spirit to go search for Fiona one last time. I actually went to a con this last weekend, so I have a bit more experience using the Search. Should I subtract any dice for possible barrier/concealment on our target? Also, can I ask the spirit to use it's Edge to help us find her? If I can bargain with the Spirit, I get 2 hits on an Influence test.

While the spirit is searching (it's going to take at least 10 minutes), maybe we can try searching the boat a bit, or some such.
And if it is alright with the group, Gardner wouldn't mind sitting and resting while all that searching is being done (both Astrally and Physically). He's still suffering from a couple serious bruises and an hour of rest might be enough to help. If I can buy hits, an hour is all I need to dip back into having no wound penalties. Sadly the rest of the group all need at least a day to recover from their wounds...

Edit: clarified a bit of what I said.
Edit 2: Added a request for Gardner to rest and try to recover Stun damage.

[Slacker]

Good point on the message taking a while... Instead, Gardner will tell Pip roughly the same thing, but instead asking him to stay here (in a secure location that we know where he'll be). Then, after we are done, I would like him to help me smooth things over with the Skraacha. I will of course tell Pip that I will pay for his help, I don't expect him to guide us again for free.
If it helps convince the group, I will mention that it might be a good thing to get on the good side of the local gang. I particularly don't want to be on their bad side...

I will go ahead and ask the spirit to go search for Fiona one last time. I actually went to a con this last weekend, so I have a bit more experience using the Search. Should I subtract any dice for possible barrier/concealment on our target? Also, can I ask the spirit to use it's Edge to help us find her? If I can bargain with the Spirit, I get 2 hits on an Influence test.

While the spirit is searching (it's going to take at least 10 minutes), maybe we can try searching the boat a bit, or some such.
And if it is alright with the group, Gardner wouldn't mind sitting and resting while all that searching is being done (both Astrally and Physically). He's still suffering from a couple serious bruises and an hour of rest might be enough to help. If I can buy hits, an hour is all I need to dip back into having no wound penalties. Sadly the rest of the group all need at least a day to recover from their wounds...

Edit: clarified a bit of what I said.
Edit 2: Added a request for Gardner to rest and try to recover Stun damage.

You'll suffer a -6 dice pool modifier on the search test for your spirit. Also, you cannot compel a spirit to use it's Edge on a task. If the task is important to them, they may do it or if they are being attacked they may use it for defense. But the summoner does not have control over Edge because the spirit has a will of its own.

I see no problem with waiting around for an hours rest, other than word of a group of well armed strangers might spread through such a small town like Pirates Cove. So feel free make the Body + Willpower test is that is what you are planning to do.

[ChromeZephyr]

Well, since we're gonna be here for an hour anyways, TW will go check out Jack's boat. Lots of caution, though. A tripwire rigged to a speargun or grenade doesn't need a computer to run it.

[Kiirnodel]

You'll suffer a -6 dice pool modifier on the search test for your spirit. Also, you cannot compel a spirit to use it's Edge on a task. If the task is important to them, they may do it or if they are being attacked they may use it for defense. But the summoner does not have control over Edge because the spirit has a will of its own.

I see no problem with waiting around for an hours rest, other than word of a group of well armed strangers might spread through such a small town like Pirates Cove. So feel free make the Body + Willpower test is that is what you are planning to do.

We're going to be waiting around for the spirit to search as it is. If I can, I would suggest that we go somewhere less conspicuous. Perhaps one of our sneaky specialists can suggest a place to lay low while things get done...

I know I can't force it to spend Edge, I was just hoping that I might be able to convince it that this is important enough to really push itself to help (i.e. make the task important to them). It was a long shot though, I understand it not being willing to spend edge on this.

with a -6 to it's dice pool, it will start the extended test with only 6 dice. After nearly an hour, the Spirit has 8 hits on the Search test. If that isn't enough, after the full hour the spirit finishes off it's last possible test with a crit glitch (with only 1 die left, that isn't very hard). So hopefully, it comes back early, before running off it's dice fully.

I have 12 dice on Body + Willpower, so I'll go ahead and buy 3 hits rather than take a risk for more or less. Healing 3 more Stun brings me down to 2 Stun damage.

[Slacker]

Well, since we're gonna be here for an hour anyways, TW will go check out Jack's boat. Lots of caution, though. A tripwire rigged to a speargun or grenade doesn't need a computer to run it.

Well, I'm not sure that you're all definitely waiting around for the hour for Gardner to rest. But assuming you do, how are you approaching the boat? There are a few works on the docks at boats birth next to Jack Turner's. Are you planning to just walk by them? Trying to move from cover to cover to stealth your way past them? Diving into the water and swimming up on the opposite side of the boat to climb up the shear surface where they can't see?

[Slacker]

We're going to be waiting around for the spirit to search as it is. If I can, I would suggest that we go somewhere less conspicuous. Perhaps one of our sneaky specialists can suggest a place to lay low while things get done...

I know I can't force it to spend Edge, I was just hoping that I might be able to convince it that this is important enough to really push itself to help (i.e. make the task important to them). It was a long shot though, I understand it not being willing to spend edge on this.

with a -6 to it's dice pool, it will start the extended test with only 6 dice. After nearly an hour, the Spirit has 8 hits on the Search test. If that isn't enough, after the full hour the spirit finishes off it's last possible test with a crit glitch (with only 1 die left, that isn't very hard). So hopefully, it comes back early, before running off it's dice fully.

I have 12 dice on Body + Willpower, so I'll go ahead and buy 3 hits rather than take a risk for more or less. Healing 3 more Stun brings me down to 2 Stun damage.

In the middle of your trying to rest, you suddenly feel the link to your Spirit disappear (specifically the moment the spirit hit 6 successes on its Search test). It is no longer on this plane of existence.

Not sure how its supposed to work when your spirit gets disrupted, but I'll say you know a general area where your spirit was before it vanished.

Are you planning to continue resting, alert the others that something or some one just destroyed your spirit, go running to where you last felt its presence?

[Dak]

Refresh me - we're at Pirates Cove, and we know which boat is Jack's, right? Someone said that a scan indicated that there was no one aboard? Then we had a spirit search around and someone popped it?

Any thoughts, either Meta or IC about our plan of approach here? I still say we check out the boat, if it is indeed tied to Jack. Failing that we can certainly start asking around about him.

As to our approach - straight up, or more deceptive? Any thoughts?

[Slacker]

Refresh me - we're at Pirates Cove, and we know which boat is Jack's, right? Someone said that a scan indicated that there was no one aboard? Then we had a spirit search around and someone popped it?

Any thoughts, either Meta or IC about our plan of approach here? I still say we check out the boat, if it is indeed tied to Jack. Failing that we can certainly start asking around about him.

As to our approach - straight up, or more deceptive? Any thoughts?

Current situation: You arrived at Pirate's Cove and as soon as you stepped in, you could see Jack Turner's boat (converted fishing boat) at the docks in the middle of the cove.
Quixote was able to locate and subsequently hack the onboard computer of the boat. Finding no information on Fiona at all, though he did find Matrix search history from a few days ago regarding the Morel stone. So you definitely seem to be on the right track.
Simultaneously, Gardner did a quick astral perception followed by full astral projection to the boat. He found no life signs on board, nor any evidence of a dead body or any other violence.

Following that, Tundra Wolf has suggested boarding the boat to search for physical clues and I was waiting for details on how he wants to approach that.
Meanwhile, Gardner took the initiative to try having his Spirit search for Fiona while he tried to rest in order to recover some Stun damage. Half an hour into that rest (before any benefits of it have taken effect), he suddenly became aware that his spirit is no longer on this plane, likely has been forced back to his home plane due to disruption. He has a rough idea of where the disruption occurred, but no clue what caused it.
Could be a random paracritter, could be some spirit handling security for Jack or one of the other smugglers in the cove, could be unbeknownst to you Jack is a powerful mage and spotted the spirit (though i'll go ahead and say that none of the legwork you've done on him or the info from Knight Errant suggested that he is magically active), or it could be a charged ward that disrupted the Spirit when it tried going through to Search for Fiona.

If it was Jack's Spirit, Jack himself, or a charged ward, he is likely alerted to possible intruders.

[Dak]

Thanks for the catchup.

[ChromeZephyr]

And I just realized that last page I had TW say that he'd just stay outside the boat, and now I'm saying he'll go searching it. I've gotta remember to look at my past posts before I start typing. There's nothing to be gained here standing here looking like a group sizing up the joint, though. Hmph. Maybe Mr. White goes to talk to the folks on the docks with TW as bodyguard? If they've got nothing to say, then we can look at the boat itself. I dunno. We're 30 minutes from knowing Gardener's spirit's gonna go 'pop', so that'd be metagaming to say anything about it from my perspective.

[Dak]

Maybe Mr. White goes to talk to the folks on the docks with TW as bodyguard? If they've got nothing to say, then we can look at the boat itself.

Let's do this.

Unless someone speaks up to the contrary, Mr. White and TW are headed over to the docks to ask a couple of questions.

[taeksosin]

While the two of you are...conversating with dock types, I'll take the opportunity to sneak aboard the boat and do some poking around. Gonna find a discrete, out of the way place to flip my chameleon suit on and then attempt to board the boat. Assuming there's space and such on the dock, I'll take that route. If not, just lemme know and I'll swim instead.

Infiltration (3) + Agility (7) + Enhanced Articulation (1) - Wounds Modifier (1) (10d6.hits(5)=1)

Yeesh, dice just aren't with me today. However, here's hoping that the chameleon suit's negative pool modifier and Mr. White's talkiness serve me well, eh?

Perception check to look for any traps or the like while boarding/once onboard.

Perception (1) + Intuition (3) + Vision Enhancement (3) - Wounds Modifier (1) (6d6.hits(5)=1)

Wow...just not my day today. This oughta be fun (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)