Salted Wounds [IC], a Deep Black Sea game Options

[Volker]

"No need to turn him into stone. He's physically incapacitated. What we need is a way to shield him from ritual spellcasting. Can you do that? Or anyone else?

Thanks, Eliza, for taking care of that worthless piece of shit. Let's go back to Linz, drink a soycaf, and regain some strength. Eliza, please let me know once you have organized a new vehicle for us."

[Gilga]

Anna said,
>> >> I can cast a mana barrier around him, it should make him more difficult to detect with mojo for the short term until he reaches the safehouse. I'll need to sleep eventually, so I can't sustain it long term, we'll need some other solution in the safehouse. Any standard ward would do.

PS: Eliza, I am glad you will not be in physical danger. It seems like a good plan.

[Volker]

"How long would it take to Ward the van itself? I guess, you cant move a mana barrier with him while you remain with us."

[Jack_Spade]

Eliza replied: <<Don't worry about warding: The safehouse does have magical counter measures in place - otherwise it wouldn't be much of a safehouse. While en route there is no great danger to being tracked. As far as I understand it, magic does not allow for a continuous tracking but only pinpoints positions at fixed moments. Staying on the move should be enough for now.
I took the liberty of hacking a customer account to order you a Der oTTo for you. It doesn't have manual controls, but a dedicated rigger interface and is large enough to even accomodate trolls.
It should arrive at the entrance to the federal road in about half an hour.>>

[Thanee]

<< Eliza, that sounds great. Thank you! Then we can stay together to pursue our goals here, which is probably better overall, >> Nova replied to Elizas offer.

<< That still leaves us with the question where we are headed... what do we know about the Abdecker? We only have that night club boat "Dandelion", where we could ask around, is that right? >>

[Jack_Spade]

[ Spoiler ]

It's been a while, so take a look on what you found out about Linz: http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?show...t&p=1342385

[Luckace]

Wraith's answer came a few seconds later than the rest's. He wasn't entirely comfortable with entrusting a person he had never even seen with such a valuable and dangerous prisoner.

"Thanks, Elizia."

"Well, we know of this ship. Dandelion, was it? The night club where he can apparently be found. As an infamous hacker, I'd guess he'll have some fancy toys with with him, perhaps bnc can identify them once we're there."

[Gilga]

Anna replies >> Spells are either placed on a geographical location or on an aura. I should be able to mana barrier the prisoner. Though, I never tried to place it on an unwilling person.

[ Spoiler ]

Jack would that work

[Jack_Spade]

[ Spoiler ]

You could do that... but either you'd have to go with an F2 spell which will have close to nil effect, or you go higher force and risk that there will be some nasty intersections along the drive to Insbruck
Spellshaping is one of the more tactical interesting metamagics for a reason.

[Gilga]

Anna casts the Mana barrier spell at a low force to avoid the sphere of influence intersecting with astral forms during their trip.
She texts >> Eliza, the prisoner has a spell on him, let me know when he reaches Linz so I drop the spell.

[ Spoiler ]

F2 is better than nothing.

[Jack_Spade]

<<Will do.>>Eliza said before driving away with her cargo.
True to her word, only a short while later the teams new, leased ride made an appearance. A sturdy, well armored limousine with a passenger compartment where the seats faced each other.

[Gilga]

"Not a moment too soon," thought Anna as the limo arrived. It was not long, but waiting outside in the winter every second sting. Worse yet, was the fact that they are now in the middle of a camping trip but with no tents or fire, and in the middle of winter with snow on the ground and everything.
Anna enters unceremoniously and enjoys the heat.

"Let's talk about ABdecker. It strikes me strange that he can be a decker and a ghoul, aren't ghouls blind and dual-natured?
I mean, technically how would he access the matrix? I doubt he can use augmented reality or even a simple touchscreen. Brail? Would blind people be able to 'see' in VR?"

[Volker]

bnc, too, is glad when they step into the van. She slots herself in and starts driving back to Linz.
"Neither is a problem for a decker. A direct neural interface doesn't actually need eyes to "see". Of course, AR can't work if you're blind, but a DNI would. And even if the visual sensoric motor is so degenerated that it can't be used properly anymore, theoretically with a well-designed interpiece, you could translate most pseudo-visual signals into other stimuli a ghoul brain could process.

The more important question is: What can we offer him?
And do we have a strategy how to approach him? Anna, this is your field of experience."

[Gilga]

"Alright, so we believe the ghoul or harvester rumors. Interesting that he can be in the Dandelion with this condition, I mean I would imagine most people not tolerable toward the infected. Anyhow, I think he trades information for living so either we pay him, or he'll ask us for a favor, or we'll trade with some information of our own if we have anything to sell. Also, it would help if we share a common connection that can drop in a good word, bnc said that the man was paranoid, it will be difficult to just approach him and ask him to trust us. Does any of you have a relevant connection?

She texts Eliza to see if perhaps she knows about ABdecker, she seems like a very experienced colleague and perhaps was well connected in this community. >> Eliza, do you or the boss know someone that can drop a good word for us with ABdecker.

[Jack_Spade]

Eliza's reply follows shortly: <<I am sorry, I do not have anyone in Linz that could work as a relevent connection. But since you are dealing with a decker, maybe you could try to meet him in cyberspace - much more secure for all concerned. The boss suggests asking the barkeeper at the Dandelion - that's how most deals are approached. You could offer the ABdecker some of that loot from the appartment complex for information.>>

[Volker]

"All right. I'll send James to the ship to arrange an online meeting. That good with everyone?"

[Luckace]

"Sounds good to me. We should also work on a strategy to show that we're on Bean Si's side and not trying to kill her. I guess Abdecker would be less famous if he sold out his clients to random strangers."

[Gilga]

Anna replies "This should be simple if bnc comes in the flesh, she wouldn't play against her sister and the two look similar. Of course, if he is blind then... I don't know how convincing it might be. Only thing is that the harvesters might crush our party. We may need the rest as bodyguards. "

[Volker]

"In flesh... to a ghoul? Not if I don't have to. As you say, he's blind, and I doubt that he can figure from our scent that we're relatives... Especially not in her ... state.
Maybe he can send a message from us to her. Something like that. Let's meet. Everyone cool with my sending James to talk to the barkeep?"

[SquirrelDude]

"What's the point of having a fully-armed and operational robot butler if he isn't able to talk to unsavory people for you."

[Thanee]

"I would totally expect him to be able to see, considering he is a decker. Via cameras, but he will know images for sure," Nova said.

"No problem with sending James."

[Volker]

"Entirely my point. Also, he might regard it as a sign of professionalism that we don't easily show off our identities."

bnc sends James to the docks.

[Gilga]

Anna asks "So no going to the Dandelion by the flesh? Where do we have dinner then?"

[Volker]

"Don't mention the words flesh and dinner ever again in the same sentence as the residence of a ghoul."

[Luckace]

Wraith grinned.
"Why don't we get dinner somewhere nearby, should we have to intervene? James works as a messenger and a scout in one, but I'd rather have us stay close by.

If we do have to board the ship, we should enter as pairs or in the cover of a bigger party, not as one group. With some time passing between each one."