As Rolling as I'll ever be.

Lets get this show on the road!

Rejoice!
(read: I am back.)


@Meriss
(sry for the slow posting again *sigh* - I'll get an IC post up in the next 24h, possibly a double one...)

Slight misunserstanding here: I was not asking about its in-game relevance but about your source/inspiration (as in: from some book/movie/urban myth/historical event/recent event/own idea etc.).

And that's exactly how it should be.


GM 'spoiler' (Though sleeping, the cute hellhound puppies still belch jets of searing flame out of their asbestos basket at random intervals. You wonder what they might be dreaming about...)

Ah, yes, Acronym Girl. A terrible villain indeed.
The effect of her 'SPs' on even moderately sophisticated HAFs is devastating: the sudden collapse of m&lr-TC, confusion both ITF and at C&C-HQ coupled with severe mistakes in L&T means a considerable drop in OC and DC and often stops any MA altogether.

Question (warned you that I'd come up with more specific questions on the places Lex scouted&scanned...):
What's in the closer vicinity of the Johannsen residence? Specifically I'm looking for a place where one could spend some time without raising suspicion: a café, restaurant or theatre for example, or maybe a public park with a bench to sit on. Actually potential hiding spots qualify as well and line of sight is not important. And please be specific on the distance to the mansion.

About starting money: 1.800 £ is okay. The roll was very average, so I'm not actually excited about it (but not disappointed either) and the other chars will most likely not let Lex keep the 300 £ all for himself.
The point is that I expect Lex to be a rather expensive char because he'll need to bind spirits a lot to be competetive and reliable and those binding materials don't come for cheap. Add to that the cost for lifestyle, new constructions and repairs and suddenly he got every reason to look for not-so-respectable high-income jobs where he can put his unusual skillset to use...(which of course has the positive side-effect of making him a viable char for this certain game called 'ShadowSteamrun' )



@fistan
True, that.
(Been spirited away myself a few times already, but somehow said spirits couldn't stand my company for too long and returned me eventually...should I be concerned?)
The whole mysterious disappearance issue makes you wonder if there's some sort of connection between RPGs in the interwebs and socks in the washing-machine. A conspiracy maybe?

My green-to-the-shadows engineer definitely is a planner type, but that usually involves strange machinery and not other peoples' houses...but he's trying to adapt quickly.
While Lex got several useful tricks, he's terrible at being sneaky (and low-profile as soon as he gets his inventions into play - which he really needs to achieve anything crime-related).

About finding the key: a spirits' Search power could help, but I realized that it's terribly slow (extended threshold 10/10 min test with spirit Fx2 pool, further reduced by ward F and distance if used from outside), otherwise your mind control magic could be useful, or simple guessing (a safe sounds quite likely to me - we just need to check behind all ugly pictures).

Regarding defending magicians: those could really be trouble for us when they call in reinforcements and/or shadow us astrally to foil our escape, so we need to find some way to prevent that.
We should have enough offensive capabilities to overwhelm any onsite security (including materializing spirits unless they come in swarms), but I'm afraid that reinforcements will be quick and massive if we raise any alerts, considering the area...
So yes, we definitely need a good plan for the Johannsens (or two, or three ...and a backup plan) otherwise it'll turn into a big police shootout that even 'marck will have a problem chugging away from.

Best would of course be getting invited in (especially problematic for those members of our group that have steam generators in their body and difficult for those with weak con) and then either steal behind their back (very difficult) or subdue them first (manageable) - big advantage: those spirits most likely patrol only on the outside and we can rather safely ignore any 'magical alerts'; disadvantage: we got to get that invitation (repair crew? reporters? salesmen? jehovas witnesses?).

Second best would be sneaking in (maybe sabotaging their telephone line in the process to negate mundane emergency calls), then subdue resistance inside - problem: our group doesn't really shine at infiltration and being spotted by one of those patrolling spirits means a high chance of fast reinforcements.

Then there's the (more or less silent) assault - advantage: considering the skillset of our group, we should be good at that and everyone could properly participate; disadvantage: we need to be really fast and have a good escape plan or two, otherwise we're hosed.

[Edit: re-reading the IC part, I realize that I don't say much new here...]

Now I need to figure out how much Lex is aware of all that - he may be smart, but this is uncharted territory for him.



@All
I just (yes, obviously took me a while) realized that Bismarck's subtle approach to legwork not only increased the possibility of now alerted targets, but utterly crippled the option of upping our meager salary with Phat Loot™.*starts shaking fist in anger and frustration about the cruelty and unfairness of the world and other stuff worthy of shaking your fist at*
*suddenly struck with an idea* Hmmm.... we could just dismantle the freak and sell his parts to engineers and scrapyards to compensate for our financial losses. Reasonable enough, I'd say...



[Edit: Despite all the good things the forum upgrade brought, those 'highlight to read' spoilers suck! Now all my long-winded GM discussions make for lots of censor-black bars in everyones sight that they have to scroll over. And quoting spoilers now creates a black hole where you'll have to guess whether there's a quote behind the event horizon...]
[Edit2: Wee! Redjack seems to be working on the spoiler issue - let's hope he manages to 'fix' that soon.]

@Zen: Glad to see you back.

Issues of Zen: (what is the sound of a GM getting angry?) (I kid)

!. Hyde Park is a real place in London. During the relevent time period (1850some I forget exactly when) There was a large Cyrstal structure erected on the grounds called the Crystal Palace. Look it up, its pretty cool. The Ghostly Gardener™ might be real, he might not.

2. Spoilerific fun!
There is a medium sized alleyway directly across from the Johansenn residence. You can use it for cover. It not glamourous but it is available. Lest you object the neighbourhood is pretty much residential, so not alot of room for cafes etc. I suppose you could see if there are any rental properties nearby but they would prollly be highly expensive.

3. Check your date again. I'm pretty sure Bismarck bulldozed the warehouse on Wednesday. Which is two full days from payday. Hmmm wonder what their going to do with all that money and all their angry workers and customers?

Zen - Alex and I managed to talk our way into one house already. " I need to use your phone" might not be the way to go in this one, but a little smooth talking, until we're in the door where I can follow up with an Influence spell, and then invite in the rest of the crew, could go a long way.

Meriss, any chance at some karma? I could really use a Mind Wipe and/or Control Thoughts spell to help us get through this clean.

Zen (again)- as for the socks - I found mine once. About 6 socks, along with about 20 missing dice. They were in the exhaust vent tubing from the dryer. No missing players in there though. I'm convinced that the aphyziated on the socks and were then ground to dust by the dice bouncing around in the tubing.



Why does everyone shake me when they get upset!?

@Fist: An excellent point. Maybe some fresh Karma wll inject life in to the game.

Most people shake you cause yer convient.

@Gaslampers: Soooooooo Karma!

4 Karma to all for excellent roleplay and good footwork.

2 bonus Karma for putting up with your flaky GM

@Meriss
Issues of Zen: (the splitting of clouds.)
(I kid not)

!. *gives Meriss a slap on the head* No, Meriss! Bad Meriss! No more Superman movies for you!
Really, it was not the Fortress of Solitude that Lex visited when he went to see 'The Great Exhibition' in his childhood...

2. 'Tis spoiler time again, m'lord.
Hm. I'm worried that the pedestrians and patroling bobbies might find a guy that just stands around in an alleyway for extended periods of time staring at mysterious machinery a bit suspicious.
On the other hand, it's quite plausible that Lex would not take issues like that into consideration and just ignore common sense/behaviour. (Side-effect of living only in your lab for decades, I suppose...)
Hmm... sounds like appropriate fun, actually.
(still open for suggestions of hiding places in a 25m radius around the mansion, though)

3. Bismarck's urban restructuring measures came into effect on a thursday morning, actually.
So if payday is weekly on fridays (as you imply) we just missed it, as our Bull&Bear meet takes place on the friday night after.
We still got time to dismantle 'marck, though...



@fistan
A two-step invasion. Nice.
Now I'm eager to hear Spence's cover-story for his initial move.


Of Course! It all becomes clear now: the missing players, your clogged filters - it's so blatantly obvious once you figure it out!
Honestly, that's a flawless and compelling deduction if I've ever seen one.
This 'aphyziation' you mention sounds really vile though: it's like asphyxiation while the disease spreading from your socks wrecks their aphylactic bodies, isn't it?

It's convenient. And ...well, everyone does it.
...sorry?

(Besides, people tend to be really pissed when you shake certain parts of your own body in public...)


@Voorhees
I think I know why you picked this Avatar. It even has an exhaust vent in its neck and everything...


@Roleplayer's Heroin
Mmmmm....DoughnutsKarma...

I'll man up and admit it -- it's been so long since I was involved in a scene (thanks to my general distaste for footwork) that I've completely and totally lost all track of what the hell's going on.

Are we supposed to be meeting up somewhere, and crap like that?

@Critias: Yah that's my fault mostly. (wholly) The team agreed to do some legwork and find the locations of the keys. The "Hand" decided that his time was more wisely spent smoking heroin and sleeping. The team is now meeting back at the Bull and Bear pub to discuss the plan of action in retriving the other two keys and possibly the plans that their employer "Doubting" Thomas Brookes requested they procure.

@Critias
One summary of "what the hell's going on" coming right up, sir:

On our initial JohnsonBrookes meet it was decided that we all spend some time to gather information that can be obtained without alerting anyone and then meet at the Bull&Bear again "midnight, two nights hence" (it was your very own char who came up with the time, btw).
Many PCs did so (unlike certain others who were too busy smoking dope...) including everyone's favourite dwarf who just happened to take a while longer in RL-time, both because of detailed legwork (with long OOC spoiler ramblings in addition to the IC part) and his player and GM vanishing for weeks at a time.
In order to speed things up/get other players involved again (maybe even including certain unquestionably baseless rumours of me having vanished for good) Meriss forwarded IC time to the second meeting, while Lex was still stuck in the past, contemplating mushroom men.

So we had 4 of the 8 men discussing the situation already (starting here - reread for yourself, skip Bickle's Steamcab "Huff 'n Puff" parts if you like),
3 not appearing because of their players being ground to dust in fistan's place (namely Prae with 'Dr. John Sebastian', marghos with 'Christopher Martin "Marty" St.North' and DuckEggBlue Omega with 'Prof. Arthur Pendington') and
1 dwarf in RP limbo.
As I just got green lights from Meriss to "reinhabit Pub Lex", I decided against retconning him in the discussion or having him been a mute observer the whole time and had him arrive fashionably late instead, giving everyone the option of restating the current state of discussion and fire up the planning again.

Is there anything else you would like to order?


[Edit: Beat to it - I got more detail though...or I just ramble more... or both.]

@ Meriss - since I've only got the karma for one, I think I'll plan on learning Mind Wipe, as an effort to cover our tracks.

Unclear on how prevalent surveillance is going to be in Stea-SR Victorian England. Are we going to have to worry about things like security cameras? Zen's our man to deal with that, right?

I'd prefer to go in and Mindprobe away, but INfluence should do the trick.

Meriss, I've got a High society skill. Don't think I ever did a roll for what I know of the Johanssens. Might be helpful to add anything to the table that I can before we go knocking on their door. They really are n't the sort of people we should go around town asking questions about. "The walls have ears" and all that.

Karma is a good thing. I've been away for so long that I will have to think a bit on this.

@Fist: Sure If you want to put up your roll I'll spoiler the details from you results.

@Zen: Okay it was glass. But I thought they had some actual crystal peices in it. Like say a chandelier etc.? I dunno.

@All
To paraphrase a certain fellow:
"Friends, Dumpshockers, netizens. Lend me your ears. I come not to praise myself but to bury myself. In overdue discussion."

An excellent question.
Also a question I raised during chargen when discussing his vision of steampunk technology with Meriss.
Unfortunately I never got a conclusive answer (or Meriss sent Spence around to Mindwipe me...or it's just the dementia...or...waitasecond, what did I want to say? And what did I just talk about? And who are you people, anyway?), so I'd be thrilled to get one now.

Short answer: no.
Long answer: That was Prof. Pendington's area of expertise, so we've basically lost all our hacking capabilities since DEBO -mayherestinpeace- crawled in fistan's dryer to die.

Depending (again) on Meriss' answer regarding the tech level, the repercussions will be anything from

1. minor: "There are no surveillance cameras."
   Usage of electricity is strongly focused on power transmission and generation of light & heat. Technology is purely electromechanic in nature.
   Consequently communication technology means electrical telegraphy (possibly including images), audio transmission (aka. telephone) and computer/electronics that use mechanical (analytical engine) and/or electromechanical (Zuse Z3, ASCC (with picture)) logic circuitry (resulting in rather heavy machines, most likely immobile as soon as decent computing power is required).
   Input options: keyboards are as good as it gets (maybe switchboards and punch cards as lower-tech alternatives); output options: the pinnacle of technical evolution here could be the flip-disk/dot display and the teleprinter (with split-flap displays, signalling lights and punch cards as less flexible, lower-tech alternatives).
   Note the absence of electro-optic transducers: in this scenario video would be a purely chemical based technology and as such not available for electrical transmission. You might be caught on a candid picture or even film, though, allowing for identification after development. (Better watch out for those paparazzi...)
   It is also unlikely that anything resembling a computer would be available/affordable (or in demand, for that matter) by the general public. Information networks ("the internet/matrix") are possible, but would be the playground of military/science/government/industry("megacorp") powers.
   
   This scenario needs only minor amounts of 'history adjustment', because in 1870 the main technologies were either there (electromechanic relay), theoretically available (analytical engine), currently being invented (telephone) or, at least in my not significantly humble opinion, plausible (the flip-dot display, for example, was inventented about 100 years later but works with a simple, low-tech mechanism that might have been invented much earlier, had any computers been around to produce output for such a device).
   (Interestingly, wireless communications technology, that I remember being one of the few things Meriss actually excluded from his setting back during recruitment, has been around for a while in 1870 and 28 years later we had the first radio-controlled drone...)
   For our game this translates into the near complete absence of hackers (they'd need a special background to be versed in the technology and could rarely employ their special abilities - yet for us that's not a significant problem anymore as we lost our only hacker PC), a massive decrease in relevance for electronics and computers (except for 'acquiring' one from a secret lab and similar work, of course), no fear of visual surveillance technology more advanced than binoculars, but also the non-existence of vision enhancers and related cyber (sorry, Bismarck, your cybereyes disappear in a puff of logic here).
   [Disclaimer: This was pretty much how I envisioned the setting during chargen and thus one of the reasons why I didn't build a hacker type PC and why I chose to group this (necessarily somewhat arbitrary) list of technology.]
   
   
   
2. variable: "Well, maybe..."
   Instilling increasing amounts of the fantastic essence called 'fiction' allows for more discoveries and inventions to travel back in time to exist in 1870 or advances existing technologies to the point of practicality:
   The combination of computer and wireless technology brings us wireless networks and remote-controls (making drone technology more viable).
   Shrinking technologies beyond victorian (or even today's) capabilities and/or making them unexplainably cheaper/stronger/faster makes steam-powered cyberlimbs, laptop-sized analytical engines, drones and other tech that is either related to existing or shadowrun-y devices reasonable.
   Invention/Implementation of the vacuum tube, for example, allows a multitude of new options:
   
   • -faster & lighter (though hotter & more volatile) purely electric logic circuits using diodes
   • -new video output options (Braun/Cathode Ray tube)
   • -video input options (video camera tube), which make the feared surveillance cameras possible (should be easy to spot due to size, though).
   
   
   Hard to comment on something this undefined, but applying certain parts of this category allows Bismarck to exist (cyberlimbs), yet cybereyes would still be a massive stretch of plausibility.
   
   
   
3. major: "True Fiction."
   An overdose(*) of aforementioned essence reduces technology to a visual/sensory gimmick:
   Everything is possible as long as its description includes "steam-powered", "valves", "visible gears", "whirring/clicking noises" or similar and it is made of bolted steel & brass.
   Limitations of physics and other pesky details are ignored across the board, the complete 2070 Shadowrun tech (and more) can be converted by giving it a victorian face-lift.
   
   (*):Not necessarily a bad thing, especially considering the existence of magic in this setting, though group consensus is even more important here.
   
   Advantage: No need for lengthy discussions with the likes of me. And Bismarck gets his eyes back.
   Disadvantage: Reduces consistency and predictability of the game world, making planning both difficult and unreliable (yes, even more unreliable than plans in a setting with clearly defined restrictions), prone to "Aw man, that's not fair, we didn't even know this was possible/impossible!" moments.

Please discuss/comment/flame/vote (until Meriss brings down the GM Hammer Of Divine Ruling™ at least)!


@fistan
Is Mindwipe a limited Alter Memory (or something else entirely) or did you just forget the correct name?

@Offtopic
Praise the Redjack! We got our [ spoiler ] tag back - the censorship bars are now [ hide ].

@Myself
Damn, that post took me ages to construct.
Guess the IC post will have to wait a day or two...

@Gaslampers: Addressing the Issue of Security cameras.

The answer in its truest sense, is, yes.



In many ways I really don't have the world you inhabit fully desinged. which leaves me room for and you room for . In this case the answer to your question is, in fact, Zen's option A.

However this does not preclude any possible future technological developments or some crazy paranoid person. Photography exsisted in the 1870's and in fact was well on its way to discovering a faster and more reliable dagurreotype/camera. And attached to a simple motion detector of some sort the resulting device would be bad for our Steamrunners™ in many ways.

Do... I get to keep my eyes?

Hm.

Well...

It was a rather ...um... "brief" discussion I sparked there, it seems.

*sigh*
[Note to self: another case of minimal answer to long posts - a trend? a principle law? investigate!]

I was starting to wonder if there was some holiday going on that I wasn't aware of, but maybe there was just not enough interest in our small circle to discuss the setting we're playing in.

That, or I simply overwhelmed you with my impeccable manifesto, intimidating you to the point where you didn't dare to raise your insignificant little voices, afraid to reveal the full extent of your ignorance in the face of an unquestionably superior mind, cowering instead, awaiting the orders of your newfound true Master to follow and worship!
Yeah, that must be it...

On to business, then:

@Meriss
Duly noted.
(And it forces the other players to at least skim over my text, making my little black heart twitch with a jolt of satisfaction, imagining the headache they'll suffer from trying to follow my arbitrary concept of 'technological consistency' and convoluted sentences. )

Hence my candid picture/paparazzi comment.
Might I suggest pressure plate in the floor, triggering the (more or less) hidden camera (maybe including one of those fancy magnesium flashes when shooting inside buildings, although that would make the event quite obvious) in a simple, purely mechanical way, like with (bowden) cable hidden in the walls (although an arrangement of levers should do the trick as well as long as the sensor-camera distance is short enough).


@Voorhees
Hm...still considering alternative means of punishment.
Oh? You meant Bismarcks eyes? Let's see...No.
What about a set of glass eyes and a guide dog, instead?
If you're nice you might even get a german shepherd instead of an Ewok.


@All
Guess what's the latest fashion trend in the sixth world?
Courtesy of Shiawase Fashion subsidiary Vashon Island.

Makes you wonder if the developers got inspired by our little DS game?

@Voorhees: Apologies, yes you indeed do get to keep Bismarck's Cybereyes. They function via a propreity technology developed by your infamous German designer. They are handwavium technology (They just work) Try not to break em. If you are wondering if you can upgrade them, yes indeed you can. Lex might be able to wring their secrets out.

@Zen: Give not the GM ideas, lest he use them on you. As to the Arsnenal reference, Boy I hope so!

Steampunk's been around a lot longer than this game.

Sorry guys, I've been sick the last few days. I'll get cuahgt up on here shortly.

@Critias: True, but it's nice to dream.

On: The Eyes Of Power
*nods approvingly* Handwavium technology, hm?
Powerful artifacts indeed - many a renowned scientist spent his career trying to unveil their mysterious workings, yet to no avail so far! Disassembled to the smallest screw it still wouldn't share its secrets, alas, each even refused resuming its work despite greatest precision and care with the reassembly.
*sighs longingly* To be able get a hold of but one of these pieces of black technology myself... I'm sure I could make it happen, I'm not like one of these simple blockheads, no, I would be the one to...yess...
No! We cannot have others put their grubby hands into his eyesockets first to steal what should belong to us! The knowledge, the glory ...the Power! It will be mine ...it will be ours...

@Meriss
*shrugs* A bit of trouble for our chars is always fun, IMO. So feel free to ask for strange ideas/evil plans on specific situations.
Besides, I'm not going to tell you the tricks that would only/especially trouble my Lex, you got to figure those out for yourself...


@Critias

*cheers* Yay! We finally got our own docile killer pet.
But, does he have any other tricks? Is he house-trained? What about neutering?

Of course it has.
But I've never seen anything (even remotely) steampunk(ish) in Shadowrun before.


@Voorhees
I guess that's the point where I find out how well everyones' favourite cyborg-monster takes to constructive criticism (or if he considers ripping Lex's head off a sensible answer instead... ).
Really couldn't resist raising some diplomatic tension there, as being blatantly ignorant of certain elements of common sense (like: yes, some people will react with physical violence when angered, yes, mere words are enough for that to actually happen, and yes, this even applies when you consider those words to be completely justified) is totally in character for Lex. So far, he's actually been pretty good at not displaying his arrogance too much, but I don't expect that to last long.
He might learn/change, given time and sufficient interaction with 'normal' people (and other such circumstances, like surviving long enough...).

@Zen: Oh I will Give me time and I will

I finally have some time!! I am caught up and will actually post.

@Gaslampers: Just wanted to poke my head in and tell you all you are doing some excellent RP. Anyone need any GM attention? We all still here?

I'm still about, just cuaght up in the RW at the moment. I'm making sure to poke my head in when I can though.

For those of you who wondered why I didn't post for two weeks, I got a solid excuse for the latter half: my ISP worked on their infrastructure and in the process somehow managed to mess with the attenuation settings in 'my' DSLAM, meaning I was off the net this week.
Of course both the knowledge of 'why the frag stuff stopped to work all of a sudden' and the subsequent 'repair' (which lost me about 500 kbit/s, despite contrary statements of the technician ) didn't come until the time when I started mentally composing variations to the "please be patient"-jingle (must've been my fifth hotline round in two days or something)...
Ah, the joys of call centers (under)staffed with half-competents...

Anyway, my home computer is finally open to virii, worms, spam mail, pointless flame wars and all the other great innovations of the internet again. Rejoice.
[/alibi]


Back on topic (if you consider me ranting&nitpicking about IC stuff as "on topic", as I do):

Regarding Bismarck:
Looks like our tin giant finally reacted - and being defiant, no less.
So much for good old military ingrained mindless obedience to authority...
Having another robot for Lex to command about would've been cool... *sigh* ...alas, t'was a nice dream...

Still leaves the Humanoid Robot Deathmatch™ option, though. Could be quite profitable with the correct marketing...


@fistan
As a small reminder, Spence refers to "Mr Jaboc" and twice to "Mr Dorn" while both never revealed their real names. You might want to edit that.
If Spence, on the other hand, learned about them somehow (legwork, 'crazy people' background knowledge, Mind Probe, becoming one with the universe) and really disclosed this, then say so and I'll write an appropriate IC reaction from Lex.

For ease of reference, here's the IC introduction of all chars left:
Charles Montomery Spencer: "You may call me 'Spence'."
Bismarck: "I'm called Bismarck." Duh.
Jacob Smith: "My name is not important; however, feel free to call me Edward, or if you prefer, Ned."
Han Lo Yang: "I am known in this city as The Hand."
Alexander N. Dorn: "For conveniences' sake you may call me Lex."


@Critias

Nice.


@Meriss
So, I see you finally got around to picking an avatar as well, hm?
And your choice is... the adept with the funny pants.
*chuckle*
Ah well, at least they were mercifully cut from this picture.


@All
Anyone else noticed that PbP-RP discussions can become quite troublesome, chronology-wise?
It seems to me that either a lot (especially with several infrequent posters like me onboard) of token-ring-style waiting and strict 'only discussing one topic with one person/group at a time' is involved or we get situations like now, where speeches are held in the timeframe of one person having a 'spontaneous' outburst of anger and other events straining our suspension of disbelief.
Regarding this particular case: should we consider 'marcks minor rampage and the following appeasement to have happened before the detailed planning begins? Just ignore it? Something else?
Comments/ideas/advice/elder wisdom, anyone?


Anyway, I expect to have an IC post for Lex constructed in the next 24 hours. Stay tuned.

Ah thanks, hadn't noticed that. Will do.

You'd be amazed at what being in an explosion, and waking up to find your limbs and most of your organs replaced with pistons and valves and whatnot will do to military indoctrination...

@Gaslampers: Shall we declare this thing dead?

That's up to you Mer. Are you having time issues or something? There's no probem with an IC arguement, we just have to kep the thing moving. Games tend to get stuck in IC discssions like this, and need kicking sometimes.

Oh I'm willing to go on if you guys are. I was just concerned that we hadn't had any IC/OOC movement in the last week or two.

I have lost direction on my character since I haven't played IC for a while. If we can kick-start things, I'm still in. Otherwise, doctor, call it.

[crickets].....?[/crickets]

Weellll. It's been a fun guys. It really has. But it looks like I've lost all my players. So I'm going to call this game. Final scores stand and Good luck in your future endevours. Peace!

Oh well.

Spence turns on the hand, determined to destroy the disturbingly silent chinaman before they fade into non-existance. He lashes out with a spell, sure that his silence can only be indicative of his deceitful nature. Here must be the spy that's somehow managed to turn all their efforts aside, turn them agianst each other, and finally suffocate them all in silence with his mysterious eastern mysticism. Before the latin words finish clearing his lips however, the small asian man is already across the room. Once, twice, three times, the easterner slaps Spence across the face, humbling and shaming him, while demonstrating his own superior ability. Spence stands stock still, shocked and awed as the slim man again slides his hands into his sleeves, giving the english man a pointed look. Spence hangs his head in shame, quietly stepping out from the smokey room, headed home to his books. His face still stings, but the slap to his pride will last far longer.

Sorry this game didn't work out all the way Meriss. A lot of games get bogged down at the PC discussion phase as folks wait for someone to say something else. For what it's worth, I enjoyed it, a lot more than I initially thought I would as well.And it lasted longer than most. Good job.

Aw.

*the doctor pokes his head up from the massive complex of tubes and wires that is the patient*

If you guys wanna keep on I suppose I can revive this.

I'm still good to go. Crit's main problem I think is that he's playing his character. I guess all we really need is the ok to run with the plan we've got, and for me to take some time to work on learning a spell (as long as we don't start in on a PC battle here, which could be cool.... as long as I don't go up against The Hand That Bitch Slaps).

I mean, really we know what it is we're planning on doing, even if it isn't a very throoughly thought out plan by nature and necessity. After all, none of us really know or trust each other, so I don't see us in a close, happy little huddle. But I think we can wing it on the plan we've got, since no one seems to be disagreeing. Better to try it , blow it, and die horribly, than have the game fade away.

Crit - The Hand is always so quiet, it makes me wonder; If the Hand is clapping alone in a forest, does it make a noise? If it does .... what would it be?