We have to go through the alarm ward, but we've already tripped that so it won't make things worse and it won't block passage.

Correct.

I guess I should delay until the cars come...

Just for table talk, what's the plan with the incoming astral threats?

Initiative Order
Adeodatus 23/1 IP Delaying
Strangeglove 17/3 IP Delaying
Ninja Sex Kitten 17/2 IP
Shen 17/1 IP Delaying
Jon 16/3 IP Delaying
Fat Man 16/2 IP
Emilio 14/2 IP Delaying
Zero 14/2 IP Delaying
Fleet 12/2 IP <<<
Cypher 11/2 IP
Q 11/2 IP
Eklipse 10/1 IP

Fleet is up!

As a note, the team has already been cleared to give the cars directions or take over control if necessary (hopefully depending on your level of actual skill at driving), so do your thing.

Mechanical actions:
Simple - All aerial drones - Launch
Simple - All wheeled vehicles - Open all doors

Initiative Order
Adeodatus 23/1 IP Delaying
Strangeglove 17/3 IP Delaying
Ninja Sex Kitten 17/2 IP
Shen 17/1 IP Delaying
Jon 16/3 IP Delaying
Fat Man 16/2 IP
Emilio 14/2 IP Delaying
Zero 14/2 IP Delaying
Fleet 12/2 IP
Cypher 11/2 IP <<<
Q 11/2 IP
Eklipse 10/1 IP

Cypher is up!

Anyone have any recommendations on what I should do? I was thinking about casting Increase Willpower and Increase Charisma, getting in a car, and then shifting to the astral plane to fight the incoming astral threats with adeodatus. I'd leave my body behind in a car with the others while fighting/distracting the incoming astral threats. Is that a bad idea? x_x

Delaying with the cool kids.

JxJxA--if the cars take off, there's a test to find your body--not terribly difficult but it can take time and suck if you have wound modifiers. As long as you are good with Astral Combat and mana spells, I say go astral and cover the retreat. Don't just stand around like a punching bag though, take an active retreat or lead the spirits somewhere else.

Emilio is rolling Reaction(5) + Pilot(2) = 7d6 to drive. Any non-spirit-combat person better?

Car's got 13 dice, but isn't exactly fast on it's feet, thinking wise. They have grid link overrides, so you can send them at max possible speed to a destination, but again, that's the Pilot controlling it, not a person.

So Bishop, since there's been some indicating your character may be "mentally hindered" , this i the player checking in. Is there character being intentionally obtuse? It's fine if you are for roleplaying reasons, but I want to make sure you don't think you're being perfectly clear in character or anything. Unless I'm missing something, I don't draw a direct line between "cab at some random safe location being controlled by a Matrix presence that thinks we're it's enemy" to "getting paid by a Mega-Corp".

As far as I'm gathering, the car could go anywhere, and we can't stop it. Anything we do with the kids is going to include dealing with the thing in the Matrix. If she decides not to take the kids to NeoNet, we don't get paid. If she takes the kids to NeoNet, they have the kid, and no reason to pay us anything.

If you're actually thinking that we get paid from her running off with the kids, I need some actual detail on your thought process here. Otherwise I'm just going to continue assuming Cypher's been compromised and act accordingly.

Basically, Cypher's thought process is:

Put them in the cab, Contact the family and say the boy will be delivered to X, payment upon delivery. I can send the signal faster than the car can drive.
--If the Sprite drives them somewhere else, then we track the cab and tell them that the boy's digital intelligence has rerouted the delivery to Y. We secure the location, payment upon pickup.

Worst Case:
--Put them in Fleet's car, Sprite subverts the vehicle and we lose it--there's probably all sorts of systems installed to spoof gridlink, and make it hard to follow, which the cab doesn't have.
--Put them in Fleet's car, the Sprite rams it with the cab, wrecking it to save the kid. We are down a vehicle and fighting off a vindictive sprite.
--Sprite takes SG's arm over and starts peppering the team with grenades while driving away since we are kidnapping the kid. She tracks down the vehicle, subverts it, and the team is bleeding out while she takes Fleet's fancy car which is hard to follow...

Edit: Cypher is mentally compromised and as a player, I'm trying to limit the exposition to what could reasonably happen in the time frame. In less than 1.5 seconds how much cross chatter are people expecting? (6 seconds divided by 4 IPs...)

Complex Action -- Trace User (Access ID of the Cab)
Computer 5 + Track 6 + Encephalon II 2 (13d6.hits(5)=6)

Threshold 10 + hits from Redirect Trace. Interval 1 complex action.

Cypher wasn't running a Stealth program on the autocab, if it has begun running one, it will be a negative dice pool modifier.

Would I be able to get into one of Fleet's cars and cast a spell in one IP (free for movement, complex for casting)?

Fat Man, based on the exposition, would be moving to the cab rather than following Fleet.

I would also point out that, worst case, if the sprite tries to run off in the autocab, we can stop the autocab (via Powerbolt, if necessary) somewhere that doesn't have a spirit gank squad coming at us.

Emilio takes his delayed action now. He heads to the autocab and gets in.

Movement: he walks to the cab then slides across the back seat once he's in.
Simple Action: open the back door.
Simple Action: get in

Checking in - it seems like everyone is rolling with the role playing punches as it were but it is hard to judge absent tone and body language? Everyone still having fun and enjoying the game? I don't mind inter-party conflict if it makes sense and moves the story along but I know other people can have different feelings on the subject.

Initiative Order
Adeodatus 23/1 IP Delaying
Strangeglove 17/3 IP Delaying
Ninja Sex Kitten 17/2 IP
Shen 17/1 IP Delaying
Jon 16/3 IP Delaying
Fat Man 16/2 IP
Emilio 14/2 IP
Zero 14/2 IP Delaying
Fleet 12/2 IP
Cypher 11/2 IP
Q 11/2 IP <<<
Eklipse 10/1 IP

Q is up!

I am fine.

I'm all right, just confused at what to do. I guess I could have Adeodatus carry me while I throw spells at the incoming astral armada, but I think people are going to notice the flying elf with the big, fiery spirit blazing across the sky...

JxJxA missed your question - you can move and cast with no problem.

Cool.

Zero
Free Action-Move to the car
Complex Action-Cast Increase Willpower at Force 4
Magic(7) + Spellcast(4) + Power Focus(3) = 14d6 for 6 hits. Only 4 count. Popping it into my Force 4 sustaining focus.
Drain: (4/2)-2= 1S min
Will( + Cha(5) = 13d6 for 6 hits. No drain.

Adeodatus
Complex Action-Dematerialize
Free Action-Move by the car

I'm all good here One expects groups of unmoraled misanthropes to be a bit disharmonious. Otherwise we'd have joined mercenary groups or the police or something, right?

Cha+Influence to avoid insulting anyone: 3d6.hits(5)=3

Simple to deposit kids in the car.
Simple to turn his devices to wired-only. (This allows you to use smartlink via PAN, but you're not hackable without some physical intervention, yes?)
Edit: Free action to turn main commlink to wired-only.
Simple action to power on backup commlink.

Eklipse is still enjoying ordering everyone around, even if they pay him no attention. Need to invest some more karma in Leadership though!

Budda: As long as Q is still Astrally Perceiving, he's going to delay. I don't know if I have to refresh being on alert or anything with actions. He's also going to stop being distracted and watch the Astral only since Fleet can take care of his fleet now.

Nice roll. SG's inner monologue is one of my favorites.

@All: I don't know how many cars there are but Q needs a buddy. Fenris, would you mind numbering the cars or something while people file in? I know that the kids, Fat Man and Emilio are in the auto-cab, Q is in one of your cars and SG in another. I think you had 5, but I don't remember, one of them troll sized which is probably the one SG is in.

Are there rules for seatbelts? SG has learned car crashes rank on the threat meter someplace between mages and anti-tank rockets.

Eklipse: You successfully led. If you hadn't made a call, SG was going to insult Cypher and toss the kids in one of Fleet's vehicles.

Copperhead: Thank you, I was hoping someone appreciated my labors; I spend a lot of time on SG's internal monologue.

Happy Monday all!

I updated the first post as usual with the new karma total. Can everyone please update their character sheets and send me new copies by Monday of next week? Thanks!

Strangeglove I would need to check with Fenris to see what mods the car has that you are in. You can add mods that make it more likely that passengers survive a crash unharmed or at least less harmed. I would only apply negative modifiers to a Crash Test for a passenger if they were doing something like hanging half out a window or standing up put a sunroof - that sort of thing.

Initiative Order
Adeodatus 23/1 IP
Strangeglove 17/3 IP
Ninja Sex Kitten 17/2 IP
Shen 17/1 IP Delaying
Jon 16/3 IP
Fat Man 16/2 IP
Emilio 14/2 IP
Zero 14/2 IP
Fleet 12/2 IP
Cypher 11/2 IP
Q 11/2 IP Delaying
Eklipse 10/1 IP <<<

Eklipse is up!

No need to ask Fleet, whatever the car has, it has; It's too late for SG to ask him to install a troll-side airbag.
I was just wondering if there was a "half damage if you're using a seatbelt like a normal person" type rule.

Also SG just acted so he's not delaying any more.

(Fleet, please install a troll-side airbag.)

SG to check, Cypher never said pull out, cancel the job, etc. That was the rest of the team when they started popping wards. He kept yelling at the team to keep moving. (And would have put the kids in the taxi while the rest of the team advanced on clearing security and getting the loot.)

Fenris ok I need a list of vehicles and people being popped into what please.

Bishop: Thanks for the clarification. I'll take it as both the player and character being confused, and leave it as-is because mistakenly fermenting rebellion is fun. (Unless you'd prefer I don't.)

Strangeglove--I don't mind at all, was just checking if it was intentionally fomenting rebellion, or just fog of war. Personally, I'm putting even odds on Cypher surviving or being shot by the team.

Nah, everyone is really twitchy, but Strangeglove is the only one likely to demand payment for mistakes in flesh, and he's learned the value of having a good reputation. Killing his running partners is bad for his reputation. Unless he's being stolen from, in which it's good for his reputation. Or if no one sees it, in which has it wouldn't affect his reputation. Or if he was on psychotic murder-drugs, in which glarragrlaglgh.

So maybe you're right.

I would get permission before trying to kill your character. And now that I know how stun overflow works, the odds of involuntary manslaughter are pretty low too.

Well, I've already had one death threat IC, so you may get permission from Fearless Leader.

SG - I'll see about some sort of after-market mod for air bags

And no, no passenger protection system. Sack up!

Buddha - Sure, no prob.

Autocab

• Kids
• Emilio
• Fat Man

Shin-Hyung #1 (troll-modded)

• Q
• Cypher
• Zero

Shin-Hyung #2 (troll-modded, warded)

• SG

Shin-Hyung #3

Jackrabbit

Are the cars still inbound? is that the cars people are going into when they arrive (as I thought people were delaying until they arrive)

Cars have arrived on scene and are close enough to get to in a single pass, if our fairly non-athletic Zero is any indication.

Eklipse moves to car #3 and ideally holds there until the rest of the team are in cars, then jumps in at the end of the third pass (assuming nothing manifests before then).

That wasn't a death threat, that was simply some friendly encouragement to get the job done.

Of course, Eklipse didn't actually get enough hits on his leadership roll for an ingame morale effect, so I guess it could be taken IC as a death threat.

Ok so delaying folks end of the pass - what are you doing? Vehicles are there and waiting. Those in cars let me know if you are letting it drive itself or are you driving it. Thanks!

In my post, Cypher was moving to the warded van. If it's close enough, he'll climb in.

Autocab
*Kids
*Emilio
*Fat Man

SH #1 (Troll Modded)
*Q
*Zero

SH #2 (Troll Modded/Warded)
*SG
*Cypher

SH #3
*Eklipse

Jack Rabbit

Strangeglove I am going to assume you left your commlink up and running since you have been sending messages to the team and everything else is wired only as you stated. Sorry I am playing catch up with my thread this morning and rereading things.

fwiw when my action comes up I'll ID the car im getting into (basically whatever car is closest without a drug addled troll in it)

The main commlink is going to wired only, I've got a backup commlink that isn't attached to anything dangerous that I'll turn on next time I've got a standard action.
Probably easiest to say I turned off the commlink after sending my last set of messages.

Turns out turning commlinks off is free, so the backup is on the same turn and there's no need to be offline.

I'll try to remember I'm radio-silent until I get a standard action.

Okay, then shen is going to:

Non-action: deactivate Guard.
Movement: move over to the cab.
Complex: put Guard on the following targets: Autocab, SH #1-3, Jackrabbit, the injured kid.

(to explain: many spirit types have Accident, which is very bad if you are fleeing at high speed in a vehicle with middling pilot checks; Guard blocks Accident).

But Crash tests are fun...

...for the DM.

Crash tests are the bomb! I don't want to hold things up too much longer so I am going to bump forward. I have Eklipse delaying until everyone is in cars and I have Q delaying as well - keep in mind you lose the action from the last pass delaying into this one. I still need to know if anyone is driving their vehicles or letting the Pilot do it. Thanks!

Autocab (Guard)
*Kids
*Emilio
*Fat Man

SH #1 (Troll Modded/Guard)
*Q
*Zero

SH #2 (Troll Modded/Warded/Guard)
*SG
*Cypher

SH #3 (Guard)
*Eklipse

Jack Rabbit (Guard)

Initiative Order
Strangeglove 17/2 IP <<<
Ninja Sex Kitten 17/1 IP
Gothic Mage 16/1 IP
Jon 16/2 IP
Fat Man 16/1 IP
Emilio 14/1 IP
Zero 14/1 IP
Fleet 12/1 IP
Cypher 11/1 IP
Q 11/2 IP Delaying
Eklipse 10/1 IP Delaying

Strangeglove is up!

Turns out changing a commlink from wireless to wired is a free action, so the simple action of turning on the backup commlink is actually part of Strangeglove's last turn, if you don't mind. I'll update my various posts.

This round SG is delaying.

Not sure if I can look at things out of turn. If so visual perception looking for threats (free action) 12d6.hits(5)=6

Strangeglove OK noted. Perceiving in Detail is a Simple so you could do that but you would no longer be delaying - your call.

Initiative Order
Strangeglove 17/2 IP Delaying
Ninja Sex Kitten 17/1 IP Delaying
Gothic Mage 16/1 IP Delaying
Jon 16/2 IP <<<
Fat Man 16/1 IP
Emilio 14/1 IP
Zero 14/1 IP
Fleet 12/1 IP
Cypher 11/1 IP
Q 11/2 IP Delaying
Eklipse 10/1 IP Delaying

Jon is up!

Then why don't you personally demonstrate