MK Ultra

You find Zephyr's commlink - it is broadcasting a basic PR pan with a friendly greeting to all and plugs for her latest masterpieces.

You don't have any trouble finding RFIDs placed helpfully around the service area that have a full menu of work-aids - Seating, Guest Roster w/ photos, emergency contacts, evacuation procedures, food menu stuff, delivery times.

They keep it on RFID AROs this way because they can copy-protect it (some is proprietary) and because it makes it a bit harder to hack from a remote location while still keeping it readily accessible to the staff.

Adamu

So, I guess her com dos not broadcast her (acurate within 5m) position.

I´ll have to exploit my way in, to access the service AROs or intercept someone doing so, to spoove his signal, right? Or was that included when you said I got the service channel and part-time of the sec-channel, so I just need to Spoove?
What is the approximate Signal Range of those AROs? Are there many short range ones at every corner (more secure, but less conveniant to use and more expensive if they have any firewall/security worth anything) or just a few to service the entire area?

I´d make a Matrix Perception roll, to analyse the System & Firewall ratings of the AROs, but I left my dice on the other computer. Still buying hits (3 hits) would be sufficient. I´d use the 3rd hit to see if access is mined with a databomb (though I guess that would be overkill and too much of a danger for catering-performance, John is paranoid enough to check for it ).

MK Ultra

The RFIDs are spaced closely enough that anywhere in the service area is within range of one.

They will answer to anyone with the access code - right, you don't have one. But you are accessing the airwaves, so you can probably get the code from someone accessing one of the RFIDs. That should be easy - you can do it any time, since no one is being very careful about who is nearby when they do it. The security of the set up was probably conceived by some pencil-pushing bureaucrat, and is more of a hassle than it is worth to the staff. So they are pretty careless about it.
(I explain all this because John would be familiar with such corporate inefficiencies, and also so no one thinks a more secure site using these methods would be nearly as easy to deal with!)

And sorry, yes, Zephyr's comm is in passive mode - happy to show the PR spiel, but protected from the zillion fans downstairs that are doubtless spamming the hell out of her. So no physical location without a scanner.

Adamu

Won't genuinely try to do anything to get Buckley to lose his job exactly...

Casting Physical Mask on the real Syren, Force 5
Magic (5) + Spellcasting (5) + Moon Maiden (2) + Sustaining Mods (-2) = 10 dice
[5] 4 4 2 2 [5] 1 [5] [5] [5] Hits:5
+1 to threshold from Bliss

Drain (5/2) + 1 = 3 (need 4 hits because of Bliss)
Charisma (5) + Willpower (4) = 9 dice
1 3 [6] [5] 3 [6] [6] 1 [6] Hits:5
No Drain

Intent is to make her look ANYTHING but like Syren. on the more homely side, long drab brown hair, brown eyes, slightly pudgy body type with hardly the "porn star rack" by any means.

I'll let you totally decide if she pulls it off or not and if so, how well

hehehe... "Oops."

Should make things easier for Krait and Carla now

*mutters to herself and tries to think of how to get OUT of this mess*

Vegas

Well, take your time - I know you are busy, and it gives the other team a chance to catch up.
But your scene will not proceed without some IC or OOC declaration from you.

MK & BR

You two are and have been obviously clear to proceed.

When you get to the point in time that Etain's little second-floor-fracas begins, you will sense that there is a major commotion from anywhere you are on the second floor or the first floor service areas.

Vegas

Wellllll - on I just promised Winter that other project on Monday....oops!

Hey guys,
I'll try to get something up for Conall as soon as I can. If not tonight, probably tomorrow.

DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT.

BAD GM. STUPID GM.

My abject apologies go out to MK and BR. Yes, yes - you are right - you are AHEAD of the twins in time.
I even double-checked that, but I guess I must be getting dyslexic.

Okay, everyone please listen up, because this is what we are going to do.

I don't know what Vegas is going to do - she has proven extremely clever in the past at extricating herself from these sorts of public bouhahas, and half the crowd is on her side anyway.
So whether she waltzes out of the convention center in shackles or a limo or somewhere in between is anyone's guess at this point.

But whether she comes out on top or not, I think it is safe to say that a LOT of attention is going to remain on her for the duration. It seems clear that in the two-team plan, the Twins Team has just become the Diversion, leaving the Carla/Krait team in position to make the actual contact.

So forgive the orchestration people - but only one team was going to be IT anyway, and at this point this just seems like the way to go.

So Vegas and MJ, you guys continue to play freely, with the objective of getting out without getting arrested, and obviously with the knowledge that the silver lining on this commotion is that it will help Krait and Carla.

Krait and Carla, you guys are still on the first floor IC-wise, I think, and were about to go upstairs. So you just now, as of your next post, know that SOMETHING exciting has happened on the second floor.
Krait - you hear enough to know that it probably involves Paddy's sister, but with only 33% coverage, you can never be sure exactly what happened to her.
But you know this is a perfect time to move.
You and Carla have no trouble fitting in, between your uniforms, your cover story, and the distraction.
As I said earlier, you can easily get the AR menu when someone else accesses the RFID, so you can now know that Zephyr has already been seated. A stage has been set up at the north end of the Grand Ballroom, and the AR info says she is seated with her party near the stage in the NE corner.
Also, the service channel has a standing announcement from security that no staff are to enter the second floor prefunction area.

There - now you can operate freely without any chance of interfering with Etain, and I have made nice IC excuses for why you don't know what happened to her.

And no one goes off shift while you are here, MK.

Any questions let me know - otherwise - game on everyone.

Ok.. Time to keep Etain out of jail and the VIP from going nuclear.

Influence on Buckley, Force 5
Magic (5) + Spellcasting (5) + Spell Sustaining Mods (-4) + Melee Mod (-1) = 5 dice
[5] [5] [5] 1 3 Hits:3

Drain Resist 5/2 + 1
Charisma (5) + Willpower (4) = 9 dice
4 4 2 2 [5] [5] 4 [6] [6] Hits:4
No Drain

Influence on Syren (if necessary), Force 5
Magic (5) + Spellcasting (5) + Spell Sustaining Mods (-4) + Melee Mod (-1) = 5 dice
[6] [5] 3 [6] [6] Hits:4

Drain Resist 5/2 +1
Charisma (5) + Willpower (4) = 9 dice
2 [5] [6] 2 4 1 [6] [5] 1 Hits:4
No Drain

Sorry, just had no time/energy left since Saturday, but I was (still am) planning to post today!!

Ther we go.. I´ll just check if I know anyone at her table from my research, to spare me any surprises.
Also, since noone is going home, I´ll at least store away some signatures of caterers (and possibly security) still there for possible later spooving. No extra work, just the ones I´m listening in on anyway.

Also just for kicks two Perception rolls to get a good look at Zaphyr and her company/surrounding (including to pick up what they are talking about just before I get there). No Observe in detail, because I´m not going to stare at her or stop and listen for their conversation and don´t want to make a Shadowing roll either.
Without mods, that´s 7 and 4 hits respectively

MK Ultra

The troll at the table is Ephraim Hodge, the director of Zephyr's latest feature - "The Future is Wide Open." The young studly male was one of her many co-stars. You don't know the other male. The three other females are all actresses. You know the names of the four other actors thanks to your photographic memory - they were all also in "The Future is Wide Open."

As you approach the table they are speculating about what is happening in the prefunction area. Something about Syren and an imposter.

Naturally they ignore you as you approach.

Just in case it's necessary to "woo" Buckley again and make him interested in the idea:

Negotiations:
Charisma (5) + Negotiations (3) + Moon Maiden (2) + Sustained Spells (-4) = 6 dice
[5] [5] 4 [6] [6] 2 Hits:4
+1 TH for Bliss

Adamu

If it wasn't obvious, I'd like to use that Influence roll on Syren now

Attempting to get her to "go along" with the plan to handle this privately.

*crosses fingers*

Vegas

If you just want to go along with things, I can post again. But I stopped there in case you wanted to interject something.

I'm all for going along with the flow right now.

Vegas

Just so we are clear - you are in the hallway on the second floor that runs between the Grand Ballroom and the "Exhibition Below." As you can see, there are some sets of double doors on the right, and the left wall is blank.

Adamu

We're clear THanks for the clarification.

I'll work up a post.

Adamu

*bows down to you*

Hahahahahah nice link back into TOGTWBM (The other game that won't be mentioned)

I'm tickled pink you're using that location, it's my baby. I love that place, not nearly as "intense" as in that game or SR setting, but it's a fun bar indeed to work at.

What? It's a real place?

In some incarnation yes, it's a bar here in Minneapolis. I used to work there when I was "young"

Hmm - this may be the sort of conversation PMs are meant for...

Adamu

So Carla tries to get out of the VIP area with her uniform on. Unless she runs into any interruptions, she'll be waiting for Krait by the mud-wrestling pit.

Couple of rolls... (all sustained spell mods are gone)

Con to give off a "believable" bullshit story
Charisma (5) + Con (3) = 8 dice
1 3 [6] [5] 3 [6] [6] 1 Hits:4
+1 TH for Bliss

and

Negotiations in case it is necessary to have them let her leave without any further trouble.
Charisma (5) + Negotiations (3) + Moon Maiden (2) = 10 dice
[5] 4 4 2 2 [5] 1 [5] [5] [5] Hits:5
+1 TH for Bliss

BlueRondo

You have no problem going out. You arrive at the mud-wrestling pit within five minutes.

MK Ultra

You also have no problem moving to meet Carla if that is what you want to do.

Vegas & MJ

Vegas your con goes off smoothly. The guards apparently believe you, Syren is confused. They don't bother to cuff you, just guide you out to the same entrance you used to go in.

I do need an IC post, though, that briefly includes or even just passingly mentions two points.
Buckley politely tries to get sales follow-up info on you/your company/event.
Exec dude, obviously not believing you, but thinking this was a ploy to break into the porn business that got out of your control, will let you know that Serenity is holding impromptu screen tests in one of the private conference room, and invite you to participate. Whether you do or do not, he will offer you his virtual card, his pan to yours - "Frederick Ralston, Creative Director, Serenity Studios" with all the appropriate contact info.

Mister Juan, you have no problem leaving if you wish to do so.

Post is up, there's more I wanted to write, I'm just dead on my feet. Adamu or MJ feel free to pick it up from there if you want.. if not I will.

Planning on responding to Carla's message when she gets it and reconnecting with Conall once she's out of the building.

Okay, everyone - Etain was the only one of you for whom there was any question of being able to leave freely. That means you are all free now to IC post your ways out of the party
- unless there was something else you wanted to do, in which case please proceed -
once out of the party, there's no need for regrouping to be a huge, game-slowing chore. Just quickly decide IC or OOC where to meet and let's move on to whatever's next.
Just try to be careful with timestamps so that all comms take place in synchronous time steams!

Great job everyone - that's five karma each.

Sorry to be so silent all week. Been a bit bussy and have to arrange a party tonight. I´ll try to catch up on the IC tomorrow, but EVERYONE, feel free to drag John along.

Adamu, First Wave Team

Once everyone gets out safely, my plans were for the twins to go directly home while Krait and Carla take a cab back to Meg's Place. From there, Krait would go on home to wherever he lives, while Carla would walk back to her neighborhood and meet the twins at their apartment. Carla would give them the newfound information then.

Hey guys,
I'm so sorry from dropping off the face of the earth like that. I want you to know I'm still reading all the posts and following the story along. I'll be back to posting as usual in about two weeks or so.
It isn't just that my internet connection is flaky... it's also that I'm currently in the process of starting my own photography studio (getting the grants, setting up the shop, getting the website up), so I'm crumbling under work. But soon, things should slow down (around the 1st of next month).

Adamu

Unless Carla has any objections, John will stay at the convention for some more time, to..

A) Get some kind of nude-chicks-callender (~50 ) for the guys at the Electronics-Shop and have it signed by as many stars and starlets as he can find. Preferablewould be a callender of e-paper, that I could attech a vid of the starletts signing and a personal greeting -if I can get them to do that, but that shouldn´t be hard- to and any other hot recordings I happen to get at the convention. Since I don´t have much else of an agenda but standing in line to get the callender signed, I hope I can get some autographs, making the gift much more then just a 50 bucks trinket.

B) Get some present for Belinda - some accessoir or article of clothing that matches what I know about her taste and style, and isn´t too intimate (no underware or something like that) for 50 maybe 100 . Preferably something that can be signed to make it more personal, as well. I.e. a t-shirt or top featured in a Sim by some less hard-core starlet, that I could get signed by her.

C) After some time, get to talk to the guard that let us into the staff-area. Saying that I am off-shift now and inviting him on a pancake or beer down the street, once his shift ends. 6 hits on social skill roll without mods.



I´ll also do some datasearch while I´m standing in line. Starting with 'Ground Zero' and it´s surrounding Area.

Everyone but MK

Okay, with Krait off on his own, it is safe to assume the three of you make it out and even back to the apartment (twins on bike, Carla in cab), if that's what you want.

So you all three are free to IC whatever you like up to meeting at the apartment, or stop earlier if there is some interaction you need before then.

Since MJ is busy, do all feel free to drag him along in your plans - nothing important is happening right now anyway.

Conall already knows from the mindlink that Etain is high again, and that will be readily apparent to Carla once she meets the twins at the apartment.

And I hope someone is paying for all these hefty cab fares down and back from Fort Lewis...

MK Ultra

You can get the calendar you want, with video of the signings and all that, for Y50.

You can find a cool soft-core porn shirt for Belinda, Y25.

The guy will meet you at IHOP, but he will bring two other friends. They are all Wolverine grunts - highly trained rent-a-cops. Basically blue-collar guys. You can RP or just summarize IC. Asking directly for numbers would be sort of weird, but you get their names.

As for Ground Zero, doing a simple matrix search will get you the following:
First - all the info on the Down in the Gutter wiki. There are links to it all through the Down in the Gutter threads (easiest to find in the signatures of Meriss - Ink and Abbandon - Fool). On the wiki - look for Ground Zero under Locales. The place is also shown on section B6 of the Turf map (although the placement doesn't seem to match the listed street address - Vegas might know more about that). And there is a map of the place itself under Images, I think.

The place is in Heartbreakers turf - there is a big write up on the Heartbreakers on the wiki as well, under Rivals.

That is what you get from a basic Matrix search without narrowing your parameters or doing any cracking.

Vegas - thanks for the clarification. Absolutely didn't mean to cast aspersions, by the way - heck, I thought it was Winter that placed those locations on the map, anyway.

BlueRondo

Could you do me a tiny favor and push your time-stamp forward another 30 minutes? Fort Lewis is a good long drive from the Seatac area, even in relatively light late night traffic.
Thanks.

Alrighty. By the way, how much damage do I take for the cab fare?

I very much appreciate your asking about that, as I trust players to keep track of their own money.

Anyway, the book says Y1 per km. I am lazy and in a hurry right now, so we will say Y40 OR the actual number of Kilometers (if you feel like figuring it out), whichever is cheaper.

Uh, I assumed cab-fares would be lifestyle for John, since the description says I could afford a chaufeur (if I had a car). Let me know if that´s not the case and I´ll start killing my credstick for cabbies - you know I don´t mind the numbers-crunching.

Regarding the Wolverine cops comcodes - I didn´t intend to ask for them, but get some less direct means of communication at least, by (over the corse of the whole conversation, I.e. asking for their avatar´s name when talking about AR-Shooters) getting some matrix-alias from them, so I can contact them via some chat, board or instant massenger. Of course I´ll try to get some line of communication the do check regularly, not the account-name of game they didn´t play since Crash 2.0.
I´ll try to wrap up everything in an IC tomorrow, but it depends on how long I go drinking with my collegues, if I have time to do so before later this week.

BlueRondo

Way to have Carla lay down the law. Loved it!

MK Ultra

Always looking for the clever workaround. Excellent excellent excellent.

No problem, you get enough info on their gaming IDs that you can probably track any of the three down again with a modicum of effort.

BlueRondo

Our timestamps are totally out of whack. You managed to have Carla go back in time a few minutes

I bumped up into early Wed morning based off it taking more than 15 minutes to get from Ft. Lewis back to the apartment.

Just don't want to break the space-time continuum.

I guess I can just make up names and unimportant stuff for those three guys, right? Let me know if I should put someting special about them into the IC.