I'm with Kliko on this. It's a great out of the box idea that should keep security busy if need be. Very "Home Alone" style

I was wondering, how good is Jamie at electronics and sneaking?

Bubba is willing to take that job... His "mad" sneaking and athletics skills have improved much.

Also, just wanted to say real quick that Ludi is done with her legwork (worked it out over PMs with Bastard; didn't want to clutter OOC with all the back and forth). I have a somewhat monster IC post to type ahead of me, which I'll start doing today for sure. So, at the latest, she'll be back on the same timeline as everyone else by friday.

She's flying into the UCAS sector though, so she'll need someone to pick her up

Does Bubba fit through the windows?

Heck, its going to be a challenge to get Kliko through. Bubba and Kliko could make for a nice diversion on the front though.

I think we should try and spring for the gamma-scopalamine and pay extra.

If we need to go in with a contact gas, we can always does up with binder to counter the effects.

I'd be worried about the slipspray. I thought we were trying not kill anyone. In the hallway would be fine. On the staircase, would be much more dangerous.

Stealth 5, Electronics 4. I'm not as good with build and repair. Athletics 3, so I can probably do the climbing. She was built as part covert operative.

Galen

Let me put it differently.

We could do another run in the 2 weeks that we're waiting for that Gamma-Scopolamine

Also its 3,960 extra (its 790 per dart more expensive). Its great for a truth-serum and willpower reducer (double effetcive for mindprobe I guess), but its not 3,960 great (unless Morningstar turns out to be a troll...)

It seems I misunderstood. I thought for sure you could pay more to get a rush job. But I couldn't find a way to do that. I did however find that you divide base time by successes. However the TN 8 would be high to expect more than one success. I guess we need to put that into the works for the next run so we don't get caught out later.

I wonder if we're over thinking this.

Galen

A few quick questions:
1. Does the packet indicate what type of security there is on the doors/windows, or the number and location of guards?

I'll make this into an IC, but I'm putting it here for clarity.

Planning priorities:
1. Acquire ID and Passes from Ms J if we are going to get them. If not, apply for visitor passes in person at the border?
2. Move to UCAS sector and get a hotel room big enough to plan in.

My thoughts on the entry:
1. Levitate one or two invisible people to the roof (Jamie and Ludmilla?) Or, invisible people climb up, allowing for more magical support if needed elsewhere.
2. Affix ropes to roof and lower down.
3. Disable alarm and enter through window to Morningstar's room. Tranq him and drag him to the window.
4. Lower unconscious (possibly invisible, not sure how I'll be doing on drain) Morningstar (and Ludmilla? to a vehicle that pulls over momentarily.
5. Invisible Jamie goes down another floor via window to Morningstar's Office if no computer in bedroom.
6. Invisible Jamie has a hacking job to do, or Felix drops other spells to attempt to Mindprobe access codes from Morningstar.
7. Jamie exits the building via window to second vehicle that drives past for the pick up.

Other thoughts:
Corsair - Getaway Driver, Drone overwatch for random police or other patrols.
Bubba and possibly Kliko - Stand ready to smash in the front door and create a distraction allowing Jamie and Ludmilla?) to escape out the window.
Felix - Lying down on the bench seat of the getaway car, sustaining spells and waiting to Mindprobe Morningstar. Astral overwatch if possible (# of spells sustained and drain)

Notes:
Felix will probably end up with a sizeable chunk of stun damage, and so will probably be unable to magic much of anything for a while afterwards. Probably could get a single Invis or Physical Mask spell but not the multiple spells needed to cross a border.

Good plan. Couple of questions.

Does the window actually open? Shouldn't we be able to get the security procedures from Ms J? We may be able to overwatch the camera feed to help us out.

Access codes may not be necessary. I should be able to hack in pretty easily. I will however need gel rounds for my predator. It would be helpful if the tranq pistol had a smartgun link.

Galen

That's good to know. I wanted to make sure Ludi wasn't the only one who could bypass maglocks and such.

On another note, I was wondering.... instead of hacking whatever computer the files are stored in... couldn't we just rip out the harddrive and pull the files off of it later? I mean, the less time we spent in there, the better, right?

If we can simply grab the computer, that would be the easy way. I don't think we know if the files are on a pocket secretary, desktop computer, or buried on the server somewhere though.

Suction cups and a glass cutter can take care of the window fairly quietly I would think. Start with a small circle to shoot through, then remove the rest one piece at a time.

It's an OMC chip. It may be hard to figure out which one is the storage memory chip. I'm not very good at hardware.

It would be easier to just carry away the cyberterminal. It's possible his personal data is not stored on the cyberterminal, but on the cult host. I'd hate to grab the system, then find out there's nothing relevent on it.


EDIT Ha ha ha. Looks like nwti and I had the same idea.

Open hole in the window might be noticed from the outset. I'd rather be able to open and close the windows so thing seem normal. Might we be able to get into the temple without going in through the window? Ms J should be able to get us passes onto the temple grounds. We have an inside connection. Why are we trying to crash the perimeter?

Galen

I must have missed that you did an astral recon of the temple. Can I get some rolls please and a description of where you are going astrally. Rolls for Perception, magic knowledge, etc.

Felix was going to make a quick astral flyby of the exterior, if he doesn't see any spirits or astral guards he'll then check the building for wards. If he does notice anyone or anything magical, Felix will assense them (Perception + Aura Reading as complementary).

If there are spirit guards, Felix will set his alarm and come back around dawn to see how long before the new spirit arrives. (spirits disappear at sunrise and sunset, and it will give me a feel for how sharp their security procedures are.)

It is something I had considered myself, but using an "insider" could pose a problem afterwards. We don't really know what our employer/insider intends to do with our target, and leaving too many clues that it was an inside job might prove problematic for our said employer. Personally, if he's ready to have us walking in through the front door, we should consider the option. That would entail using some sort of magkey or keycode, which could probably be traced back to him... and I don't think our employer would enjoy that BUT I speak only for myself! This is just my opinion and I might be totaly wrong

I think the main reason why Kliko suggested we use a window instead is that it would allow us to bypass a ton of security (cameras on the inside, guards, etc...) and get straight to the target. Sure, leaving a hole in the window isn't the most sublte of things, but they will eventually find out someone took Morningstar. How we broke in exactly will be of little consequences once they realize whats happened.

My main concern is to avoid as much travel in the corridors as possible. Unless I'm blantaly wrong, the plan showed a bunch of rooms listed as "quaters"... which would lead me to believe that people live there. The more time we'll spend there, either fixed or travelling room to room or in the hallways, the more chances we'll have of Murphy (or Bastard) rearing up it's ugly head (or
beautiful head for Bastard ) and fucking our shit up.

One thing we can already all agree on, I think, is that no matter what the plan is, Jamie is going in. Even though Ludi has 3 in computer, she's nowhere near qualified enough to grab the files, and so, our techhead will have to be part of group that goes inside.

I'll have to admit I am somewhat on the same page as ntwi for how we should plan the thing. It is pretty damn close to what I had discussed with Kliko off the boards this week. I'm with Kliko on the fact that Kliko and Bubba might actually not fit through a window (since they don't quite fit through most doors already...) and that trying to figure out how to bring them in might be a huge hassle.

On their last run, the team actually used a harness and a rope to get their extractee down to a boat. I don't see why we couldn't use something somewhat similar to this Hell, if Bubba is down there, we only have to lower Morningstar halfway down and he can probably just grab him

The only "problem" I can see with the plan ntwi put forth, is that it puts a ton of strain on Felix. Being are only magic user, I'd feel a lot safer to know he still has some juice left to deal with anything we might not see coming our way. I would say yes to the having the infiltration team being invisible, but I would hold off on the levitation. After all, Ludi and Jamie are pretty much the covert ops of the team; they should be able to climb the wall.

So yea, that's pretty much what I had to say concerning this

On another note, am I the only one who thinks we might need to buy some street clothes for Morningstar? I mean, if we grab him in his bed... we can't have him in his PJs the whole time... or naked I mean, we can... it would just be sort of assholish from our part

Yay, Jamie gets to do what she was built to do. I second the street clothes idea.

I'm not keen on being invisible while climbing. Might be hard to see where our feet are to insure safe climbing. I've done a little climbing and I never did it by touch only. I'd be perfectly happy to scale the wall, but, I'd rather have our main escape plan, after the package drop, be independent of our support group. I'd recommend zip line or rappelling off the top as our main exit and hold the levitation for when things go south.

We need to consider what the guards would do when they see people scaling the wall on their cameras. Perhaps spirit hazing could help us here. Or like a fog bank between the camera and the climbers. Once the insertion team is on the building, we could insert a dataline tap into one of the cameras. Then Jamie could own the security system. That would certainly help from a getting around the building perspective. Command sets are easy to make.

I think I was considering the hole in the window to be noticable before we grabbed Morningstar. That assumed we intended to be in Morningstar's room before he actually arrived. He walks in and we grab him. If he opens the door and notices the hole before we grab him, the ambush will be less effective. It's also cold here, so the room would have a noticable temperature drop if the hole is left open. If temp controls are wired into security, they might notice the temp drop before Morningstar even arrives. Perhaps we should cut into one of the windows in his bathroom or bedroom. That would be out of sight of the entrance. We would need to find a way to close the hole while we lurk.

I also noticed a Magic practice room on site. That suggests mages live there. Ludi and I probably cannot handle dedicated magical support. I suspect we will need Felix on site as well.

Have we considered the ventilation system as a insertion vector or for dosing Morningstar? His room is 3rd floor. It might be easy to get there from the roof through the vents.

Galen

Felix - Sorry. I forgot about that and when I was scanning back through I completely grossed over it. Minus another gm point from me.

Upon your astral adventure you find that Denver seems to be an odd plane, yet you cannot describe its differences or quite put your finger on it, as it is more of a feeling than anything else. Maybe it is just the high altitude. There seem to be a few more free spirits wandering about than you would expect to find as you make your journey. At the temple it seems the first floor is open to the public, but there is no traffic this late at night. There are some watcher spirits around the building, at least two to three. Keeping your distance they seem to ignore you. From afar you are able to accence an above average ward that covers the second and third floors. There seems to be no security to the first floor, other than the watchers.

I will put this into the same IC post as Jamie and Corsair's first night of recon when I get home from work, early tomorrow morning.

Good planning guys. Take all the time you need OoC and IC. I will not metagame against your plans if you are able to come up with something that completely bypasses my evil plot. There is no real time limit from Mr Johnson, so do all the recon you need.

The only thing I ask is that you put some of this planning in the IC at some point, even if one person just summarizes it. That way there is some flow to the story and all team members (plus me) are on the same page. Also some good IC back and forth would be cool.

Here's my list of questions and needed equipment.

Questions
How much inside help are they willing to provide? Can they plant a tracker on Morningstar? Dataline tap in security system?
Can we get inside info on security guard's capabilities, installed HW and protocols?
Who gets into this temple other than cult members? Technical repair, Physical trainers, Meditation gurus, Kitchen staff, Maintenance staff?
Is Morningstar magically active? Kliko asked Ms J, but never got an answer.
We have passkeys. What areas do they access?
Where do we deliver the package?
What are traffic patterns inside the building relative to time of day?
Can we get layout for the HVAC and computer transmission lines?
Who handles Matrix Security? Do they contract out to PCC? Mitsuhama?

Needed equipment
Gel rounds all around
Passes around Denver.
Neurostun or Tranq patch
Mage mask
Binder vs Neurostun
Slipspray
Redundant climbing gear

Galen

Couldn't we just wait for him to be sound asleep? Cut the hole, shoot him, open the window. Tada.

To most of your questions, you will have to send them to Mrs Johnson IC or continue recon.

Here is what I will answer now:
Yes. Morningstar is magically active. My mistake if I didn't answer that.
Passkeys access all except the highest security areas.
Call Mrs Johnson when you have the package to set up a meet.

Please set your thread DISPLAY MODE option (scroll to first post on any page, and select the Option drop box) to LINEAR.

This will leave the very first post of the thread at the top of every page.

In both the first post of the IC and OoC I have links to important posts, generally regarding to the job details (ie mission objectives, contact info for employer, and pay). This will be a very handy tool, and I will keep it updated.

A couple of revisions to my previous thoughts after reading Mr Juan/Ludimilla and Galen/Jamie's comments.

A few general notes first. I was thinking to hit the place at night, after our target is asleep. Trying to ambush him while he's awake introduces too many additional variables in my opinion. The other option would be to have Jamie hack into his schedule and hit him while he's visiting somewhere else.

Hitting the Temple at Night: revision 1.1.a

Prep: Vehicles warded <- I need to do this anyway for good SOP, and it will help prevent/delay magical tracking

Nightfall: Summon Large (Force5- 6) Air Spirit and order it to Conceal itself, us and our actions from others. (This will add a +5/6 TN for people to see us and may hide us completely from the watchers - I'll need to talk to Bastard regarding them more)
Summon Large (Force 5-6) City Spirit and place it on standby

Invisibility on one person, levitate them to the roof to anchor rope. Dismiss levitate.
Invis second person, they simply ascend the rope while the first rappells. (This eliminates the serious stacking of sustaining spells, and with the Focused Concentration edge it should be very workable)

All Sorcery and Spell pool dice moved to Spell Defense (Thats 12 dice for spell defense, should stop anything someone sends your way)

Quietly cut small hole with suction cup and glass cutter. Shoot Morningstar with tranq dart. Carefully remove remainder of glass. (If you can simply open the window, that would be easier, if not, then cut)

Jamie decks into the computer if it's in his bedroom. Lower Morningstar down the rope (if all is still quiet, I will momentarily drop the spell defense to cast invisibility on him). Corsair pulls up and Bubba loads Morningstar into the warded SUV.

Resume spell defense after casting the invisibility.

Exit via window and enter Morningstar's office via window if needed. Deck the computer in his office if needed, otherwise descend to ground, retrieve rope and enter second vehicle (Kliko driving)

Thats the everything goes smoothly plan, the contingencies are below.

Kliko and Bubba are fully suited up and prepared to make a loud noisy entrance in the front to pull guards and people that direction in order to allow Ludmilla and Jamie to make a fast exit out the back with Morningstar

A Large City Spirit is on call, with a simple action I can have it do anything from Confusion or Accident to simply attacking anything physically or astrally. It can also double up on the concealment on the way out.

I will have a TN +2 modifier for sustaining the spells, but certainly can still send a few large stun balls their way as needed. Worst case scenario, I might have to drop the invisibilities to smack a few astral heads but with the on call city spirit to back me up I shouldn't need to.)

Can we get any information on how to become a member of the Cult? Also what is the atire of the cultists? Are there flyers out for upcoming events and when does Morning Star give his sermons if he does so? Is there a time schedule at the temple? Is membership open enrollment?Bubba isnt the best researcher but that's the information he wants.



Why cant we just walk inside the temple and see if we can join-up?

I don't know. Why can't you?

Your rolls are noted, but you will have to get Bubba there before they take effect. BTW, who are you etiquette'sizing?

CORSAIR - Are you blimps just hanging out on auto pilot, or do you bring them back?

Rolls for the wards:


More astral recon

irl is cathcing up with me. I'll try and get a post up somewhere today CET.

-EDIT-
I believe Corsair also had a Nissan Rotodrone with Remote Control arms. We could use it for:

a) cut through the windows themselves
b) lift someone (<130 kgs) on the roof and cut down on the climbing tn's and Felix drain?

Klinktastic, can you pls confirm?

Kliko asked for his schedule at the meet with Ms J. I should not have to hack to get it.

Where will you be when providing Spell Defense? The vehicles will be on the move. Will you be exposed?

Will the watchers respond to a person in their space with an active spell upon them even though the spell doesn't target the watcher? Have we considered using a binding spell to trap the watcher?

Galen

I was always under the impression that a person under the effect of an invisibility spell could still see themselves.

Dunno, is there a schedule for Morningstar in the Johnsons file?

I'll leave all the magic judgement calls to Felix. Its his department after all. If he says its magically warded and best circumvented by using as much as mundane means as possible, we'll roll with that. Personally I'm confident we can clear the back of the building long enough for our infil to get in by means of distractions from either Bubba or Kliko.

- Have the infil hide in Morningstars bedroom, pop him after he closes down his door (Kliko brought a "Snake" type endoscope to look under doors etc with him)
- Grab Morningstar
- Rapel down t his office
- Get in
- Get his telecom and or pocsec
- Get out

Have Corsair on overwatch and
Hold Kliko and Bubba as contigency-planning (we need to get us some flashbangs in case of a loud/noisy contigency)

First contigency try distract
Second contingency try simulate a temple attack with flash bangs, fake bomb etc., claiming revenge for the main CotD faction.

Ok the Intelligence rolls are for any computer research on the cult. Bubba wants to find out what it takes to become a member if he can find anything online such as a website. The etiquette tests would be for when they get near the temple, Bubba would like to ask around local businesses people on the street etc. -anyone or business nearby the temple.

And what does the temple look like, a three story office building or a fancy building with stunning architecture?

Morningstar generally stays in the temple tending to the needs of the frock. Rarely he will step outside on the steps or in the neighborhood giving street sermons or handing out leaflets. Anytime he travels outside the temple grounds he is escorted by armed guards.

He usually retires to the upper floors around 2200-2300.




I am still waiting to hear from Klink about his blimps. Do they stay or does he bring them back? I have been asking for over a week.


ALL - Remember to IC your recon/legwork. If it something you will have to look into, then you will have to spend the time. You have time. There is no rush on the mission at this point. As of right now, Mr. Johnson wants the job done correctly more than quickly. If this changes, Mr. and Mrs. J will contact you.

1. As long as I am within Magic x 100m or 700m of the building, I can provide spell defense to the infil team. If there is no all night coffee shop or stuffer shack within that distance to park at, I can simply be walking down the street a few blocks away, smoking a cigarette.

2. Seeing how the watchers react to different situations and trying to reverse engineer their orders is what Felix will be spending a fair amount of time on the astral over the next few days.

3. What binding spell are you referring to? I am not aware of anything that will immobilize or trap them, if you know of some let me know. I can destroy them very easily, but the summoner will know that they have been destroyed.


From what he's seen thus far, Felix would call the magical security "Good for an amateur but not professional" and doesn't think it will hinder us too much.

@Bastard Is the only bathroom on the third floor? So if a new devotee was attending service and needed to use the bathroom is that the only one available?

Post 818 has been updated to include Felix's out of body experience.


Correct way of thinking!



Incorrect way of asking. Do the legwork like you are for the watchers and I may be able to answer more clearly.

From the looks of the map, it looks like that. However, one could assume that since Morningstar and some of the other clergy live at the temple, that this may be a full bath/shower on the third floor, and regular bathrooms are on every floor. Though that could be untrue, so you may have to scope the place out to find out.



EDIT:

ALL - These questions you guys are coming up with, instead of asking me in OoC only, you can also write them down for Mrs. Johnson. Or you can go about the area and bother locals, try to go in and look around, ask your other contacts, etc, etc, etc. This is called legwork and it is not limited to OoC.

Remember to specify which etiquette skill you are using, and which ever is better is not acceptable. You could at least make an intel check first if you wanted to go that route.

The spell is called Bind. It's on page 145 of Magic in the Shadows. It prevents the target from moving. If a Manabolt will kill a watcher in astral space, a Bind spell should affect it too.

Are the windows tinted so you can't see in from the outside?

Galen

@Bastard: Can you provide a summary of what's in the Johnson's original manilla file? Would be stupid to ask questions she already prepped in advance. What else is in there apart from the floor plan?

Klink was last online 1st of February. Best presume he monitors the drones while making their way to the temple and then puts them on some erratic flight/patrol pattern say 500 meters out.

The contents include:
Floor plan
Address
Photo of Morningstar
And a few notes on his daily routines as stated previously


I will assume the blimps are left in flight. Thank you, as now I know how much recon they are doing.

@Bastard
I was actually going to write Ludi doing her legwork... but somehow, the scene went a whole other direction You're still getting the legwork post tho, just after this one

Unacceptable.

Looking forward to it. If Kink still isn't back around Monday-Tuesday, I will NPC his recon IC.

@Bastard: I missed his daily routine. Where can I find it?

-EDIT-
@Jamie: Can she check the security code for the temples area and who's the contracted security company? Just checking response times etc.

-MORE EDIT-
Awesome post Juan

To make sure I'm on the same page as the rest of the team, I think this is what everyone is doing, let me know if I'm wrong.

Felix - Warding vehicles and Astral observation
Jamie - Continued decking/information gathering in the Matrix
Corsair - Continued drone surveillance
Kliko - Acquisition of safe house/planning office/better hotel? Possibly attempting to get travel passes to the sectors in person?
Bubba - Looking up public information about joining the cult?
Ludmilla - Legwork/Contacts and Travel

If I'm mistaken about the plan, let me know.

Thanks ntwi. That post was very helpful, as I too was looking track.

Once Juan gets his legwork post up, I will gather you all to the same point.

I'm at least continuing my search test for the next 11 hours. Lot of good it will do me.

Galen

Five more posts to go... Gah!

Edit: Four!

Edit: And three left. Actually... I think that might be all the creative juice I got in me today... Depending on how the night goes, I might have one more up before I cal it a day.

More Edit!: That leaves just two more contacts to meet and Ludi will be in Denver!

Can someone either make a post in the IC about the team meeting at this office rental (or conference room at a restaraunt or hotel) or I can post it later. I have your list of what everyone is planning, so if there is anything else, please post OoC so I, or whoever, can make a good IC post - and make any rolls that could possibly be associated to activities.

@Bastard
Considering my posts, what I still have to write is:
-Getting the visas from Ira
-Seeing Mikahail
-Getting home, packing, maybe one short scene with Lana
-Getting to Denver

Also, I was wondering, how do you want to handle getting in touch with Daze? Do you want me to simply give you a list of what Ludi plans on asking and then we write up the entire IC, or did you want to do some back and forth, still IC? Either way is fine by me.

You can give me a list, or we can do some back and forth. Which ever is easiest for you. If you give me a list and when you contact him, I can write that IC up for you, seeing you are already overloaded.