@pbangarth: I lol'd IRL. I think that's the best nickname anyone's come up with for Jovan since Oswald called him Java when he first joined (although, seeing as how Oswald says something funny practically every 10 minutes, I might be forgetting some other good ones)

Ferret's commlink:
Response 4(2), Signal 3, Firewall 6, System 4
Programs running: Stealth, Analyze, Exploit, Armor, Biofeedback filter, Browse, Command

Computer 4 + Analyze 3 + Hotsim 2 = 9d6.hits(5)=2 - Active IC, anything funny

Does Ferret need to hack a security account for this one too, or can he simply log on?

Computer 4 + Exploit 3 = Hotsim 2 = 9d6.hits(5)=3, 9d6.hits(5)=1, 9d6.hits(5)=2, 9d6.hits(5)=3

That's 4 attempts to get a security account assuming a firewall of 4-6 if he does. Note that second one is a glitch. If the system goes on alert he backs off quickly, quashing the security alert with his system level security access before trying again. Any sign of IC, especially the Phoenix, he runs / logs off.

I'm going to hand wave a little, and say the dog heard the motorcycle tearing down abandoned streets, and was not suprised when you flipped it over and slid it to him. So ramming is treated as a melee attack using your vehicle skill (or the spirits , witch it doesn't look like you're using) and you can't buy successes in a stressfull situation. so I'll roll:

4 hits (haha),
dog defends: 0 hits! ruh-roh!
at least 50 mph =12P resisting: 2 hits
Bike resists: 4 hits, 2 damage

Edit: you have also been driving through a background count of 1, and are just outside of it now

@ Ferret: yes, this is the most secure node yet: Firewall 4 and on alert, IC running Analyze (at least!) You can't shut the alert on this node off from the main node. and you also triggered an alert trying to hack in.

@ seth: roll initiative

@ warlord: not ignoring your legwork, will get to it when I can

Goodbye Mr Doggie. Hello Mr Ghouls.

Initiative http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2990610/ I rolled one too many die, as I am at -1 because of damage, but its still 24

I will be moving into hand to hand combat with the ghouls. I round worth of hand to hand attacks: 3,3,6 and 4. Base damage a measily 4S http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2990633/. I'll attack one first until it falls.

If they attack me, here are some defence rolls (you'll need to knock a suitable number of die off for repeated attacks): 6, 4, 8 and 8 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2990637/

I think this is two services from the spirit "drive me after that guy", and "help me fight these things".

@Seth: Just curious: How does a sumerian tiger end up in the Canadian wilderness?? Escaped from the Zoo back in 2011ish?

Ferret's commlink:
Response 4(2), Signal 3, Firewall 6, System 4
Programs running: Stealth, Analyze, Exploit, Armor, Biofeedback filter, Browse, Command

Kill Command, Browse

Ferret2: Run Track (or whatever will allow me to follow/intercept alarm signal):
Computer 4 + Track 3 + Hotsim 2 = 9d6.hits(5)=3

Ferret1: Continue to try and hack a security account on Tower node:
Computer 4 + Exploit 3 = Hotsim 2 = 9d6.hits(5)=5 - that should do it (14 hits including previous rolls)!

The books "Striper assassin" and "Fade to black" are about my mother. I take your point, but I enjoyed the books and thought it would be fun to play a character a little like her. In the books its clear that the two were-tigers liked to travel a lot: especially on motor bikes!

Remember that possession makes you and the spirit one entity, and only the spirit's abilities are available for use. Unless you have Channeling, you can't use any of your adept powers while possessed. This is true of sustaining spells as well. Also don't forget your first aid service. That makes 3 so far.

IP1) Alright, take aim action to reduce distance penalties (I guess, what, a kilometer out?) and a sensor test to lock on. 11d6.hits(5) → [2,4,5,2,5,3,2,3,4,5,2] = (3) strike the last 3 dice for sensor targeting penalty (person) so 2 hits.

IP2) Firing 15d6.hits(5) → [4,6,2,6,6,1,6,3,4,4,6,4,3,5,6] = (7) Base damage including ammo is 9P -3ap. So..

IP3) Vehicle test to control the blimp. buy hits.

...Who are you aiming for?

Ghoul on the left.

I didn't know about 'not sustaining spells', and I am not certain you are correct about that. I have spent hours reading the few pages on possession spirits, and struggle to see how you come to that interpretation. As far as I can see if the magician summons a spirit and gets it to possess himself, he still maintains a separate presence: the exact words used are "still maintains some mental control" and "similar to a hacker/rigger and a subscribed drone". It is clear that without the channelling metamagic the magician cannot use his own skills. However to maintain a spell you don't need a skill: the skill is used to cast the spell. There are plenty of ways of maintaining spells that don't use skills (foci, adept powers, spirits...) This means that a magician possessed by a spirit that he summons could not cast spells (that would require a skill), but could easily maintain one. Given that almost every magician that can summon a spirit can cast spells, and there are special rules for such magicians having their spirits possess them, I feel that if being possessed stopped all your sustained spells then this would have been explicitly mentioned: its quite a big deal!

A separate discussion is whether or not adept powers are available, I am not so certain on this. It is clear that the rules could be better written as they do not cover this point at all. Without doubt knowledge, skills and experience are not available to the possessed creature. Adept powers are none of those. I am sure that there are huge arguments back and forth on the general rules thread about this topic. Given that the rules as written do not cover this topic, I'll just leave it to the GM

I'd suggest that if you want to engage in rules discussion we take it to the general forum: I'd rather not turn this thread into a discussion on the rules around possession traditions. If you are correct then this character cannot work the way I am playing her, and I will need to edit her slightly.

ok this is a pretty grey area, and I'm no expert, but here's what I'm reading;

- When a Spirit possesse a living creature, it uses it's own mental and special attributes. The example given is a technomancer with no access to resonance. Which means the spirit has no access to the caster's magic, including the ones that give him adept power points (when you lose magic, you lose adept powers.)

- now you have cast spells prior to possession, and still have the ability to think, concentrate and, I imagine, sustain existing spells. this question does not seem to be handled at all by RAW, so I'm winging it here

- Here's the question. Does the character have access to his own magic? you can't cast spells, can you use adept powers (mental ones) ? If yes, why can't a Technomancer use his resonance while possesed, or a mage cast spells? If no, can you really sustain a spell (does it require magic to sustain a spell)?

The point about services is still valid. 1) drive motorcycle 2) Ram 3) first aid

For the Technomancer example, it's possible the answer has more to do with the "NO MAGIC AND RESONANCE AT ONE TIME EVARRRRR" rule than the question of spirit magic overriding adept magic. But possession does leave the vessel's mind in the same state as prior to possession, so that could justify the sustaining of spells while possessed.

@ROM- Identifying the bizarre ganger-tiger as a were-creature: {Relevant Mental Attribute} 6 + Magic Knowledge 5 = 11d6 = 3 hits
Is that enough? I'm not sure whether shapeshifters would be an Intricate or Obscure topic area for Magic Knowledge; your call.

Also, regarding Zo's legwork, I was under the impression that we were in a wireless Matrix dead zone, though I think I got that idea more from Saint than you. Are we actually able to make outside calls here? If so, fantastic; Jovan would very much like to ask Zayne some things about this job, at least, and later talk to his ghoul acquaintances some more.

Yeah, it's open to discussion for sure. The part that does it for me is the fact that you no longer have a magic stat and are described as an "impotent witness" while possessed.

It's not like being possessed doesn't offer a large number of benefits, such as ItNW, a base of 2IPs and seriously boosted physical stats. That's "working" imo, but your char is already a monster without possession, and can still use possession to do things like possess enemies, like the barghest, up until Channeling becomes available. I mean, Regeneration is still massively powerful.

Anyway, it's Rom's show. He'll move it forward.



BDLL used to go down to Twister's just to use the trix.

Given the time frame the PCs are in, I'll only start complaining at 11:30 PM game time....by which time:
1. We'll see if the new guy survives Oz's paranoia.
2. Another Character dies.
3. Ferret will finish his matrix run (see 2 for possible outcome).
4. Zo will be called Oz and Oz will be called Zo.
5. Professor will have discover the answer to life, the universe and everything--upon realizing it is 42, he quickly realizes he go the question wrong.



On another note does the ghoul have a commlink on him, and looking at the Acmeberry jam is there anything salvagable.

well, the rules debate has thrown me off, but I'll try to pull it together. for now,

Jovan is done for the IP, his spirit is chatting with him, Jade has attacked, the blimp kills a ghoul. the final one attacks Jade without effect.

It's Jade's turn, and I think the task spirit has left after 3 services. driving and ramming are two seperate things since the intention wasn't throw bike at dog from the begining, and I believe you rolled a first aid test in there as well? If not, you can ask it to fight the ghouls.

Ferret is in the Tower node and beig analyzed by a Kitsune type IC at the door 4 hits

@ warlord: This is a dead zone, no Matrix activity. But I was under the impression that the Tower (blimp) had a sat link and such, so I'd check with Saint Sithney on that

On the spirit possesion. I'm going to say your special attributes are shut down while possesed, ie no adept powers, but I will allow the sustaining of spells (although no heightend concentration)

also, how do you handle shifting of shape? You have form fitting body armor and a jump suit. will there be some She-Hulk moments?

Not trying to keep up a rules discussion, just making sure there's clarity.

Does the spirit/body complex have to deal with the sustaining penalties, or do the penalties only matter to the character after the possession ends and the heightened concentration power is available again?
Does the spirit/body complex gain the benefit of the spells, or will they only effect the caster as the original subject of the spell?

That is what I thought as well, that the linkage goes from My pan to ferrets (it is slaved to his) to Oz's blimp then to the rest of the matrix. Of course Ferret and Oz can object, but I don't believe they would--and my impression is that ferret and Oz are alowing other runners in the group to bounce comms through theirs. Especially since Oz and Ferret have better hacker protection. If I have to ask in character then I would have done so a few posts back.

Thanks for the clarification, I'll change how I play. If its OK I won't change anything thats posted already, but I will the current rules here after.

I did enjoy the entrance though: very underworld

As far as shapeshifting and clothes goes, I'll leave that to Red ROM. I learned the fashion spell just to deal with the aftermath!

@Saint Sithney
I would have thought the sustaining penalties apply, but again its not clear so GM's ruling applies.
I believe that physical spells affect bodies: It's the same body.

Since this is "post or die", I thought I had better post!

That bullet that hit the ghoul looked nasty, so I am attempting to minimise my exposure to it.

I will spend a simple action to perform heightened concentration, another to observe in detail.

I suspect that I am out of actions for my first round now, so round 2:

Observe in detail: 7 successes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2996323/
Healing: 4 successes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2996328/ heals the damage caused by the bike
Initiative: 25 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2996326/
A couple of force 7 stun bolts: 6 and 7 successes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2996313/ If the first one knocks him out, I won't use the second. Given a chance I will grab the ghoul and use him as a human shield as I find some cover from the sniper.

Trying to avoid being analyzed by the IC:

Hacking 4 + Stealth 3 + Hotsim 2 + Edge 2 = 11d6.hitsopen(5,6)=3 - bollocks! Hoping that one net success does not give it enough information to make a decision and that I can get in or around it before it does.

Ferret's commlink:
Response 4(2), Signal 3, Firewall 6, System 4
Programs running: Stealth, Analyze, Exploit, Armor, Biofeedback filter, Track

Ferret2 trying to glean information from alarm data packet that he could use to spoof the IC (if this needs browse instead, he loads it back up):
Computer 4 + Analyze 3 + Hotsim 2 = 9d6.hits(5)=4 - could have used this roll vs the IC!

On the first part, the spirit isn't sustaining the spells, so I wouldn't think he/it would suffer penalties. Any penalties would rest on the mage, who is unable to act anyway.
On the second part, good point about physical spells. I mostly worry about the text talking about "the combined being that results" as if possession creates a new entity out of two elements. At the same time though, it also talks about existing wound penalties carrying over into the possession. I suppose if wounds carry over, why not spells?

As to the sniper, it's a drone, not a person. Assensing a drone in the sky is like looking for a shadow against an unlit wall. And, for reference, hearing which direction the shot came from is -6 from the silencer, -1 from electronic firing, -2 from not in the vicinity, -3 from far away, and -2 for distracted for a total of -14 dice. Regular visual perception might be easier.

Something else to consider when role-playing your character is that she has a logic of 1 and the Uneducated quality, so knowing which side of a gun the bullets come out of is possibly beyond her. Maybe she thinks ghouls just blow up sometimes. She would have no idea.

So Saint, does the Tower definitively have a satellite link? Are we able to make calls to the outside via the Tower, or no?

Nope!

It has a retrans unit, which isn't really anything more than a signal 6 antenna available at chargen. That does mean that it can bounce a signal 10km.

That also means that there needs to be something else in that 10km with a signal 6 antenna for back and forth communication.

Biggest antenna we have besides that is sig 5 on Oz's link, so the blimp needs to stay within 4km of him to communicate at all. Adding it all up, that means it needs a signal 6+ device in 14km or a signal 5 device in 8km of our location for us to have matrix access. After that, the drop off is pretty steep. Sig 4 in 5km. Sig 3 in 4.4km. Sig 2 in 4.1km. If we're close enough to the glow, we could send it that way to get the spotty access there.

Darn. That is unfortunate.

By the way, how easily and quickly do you think we could obtain some explosive charges? Or at least make some charges capable of sending significant waves of water through the (likely abandoned) sewer tunnels? Jovan and Oswald both have the Physics skill at high levels, and I think Oswald has Chemistry too, so we might be able to figure out a way to make it work. I ask because I have an idea that would be useful either as an escape plan out of or as a distraction in an entrance plan into wherever the trucks are.

Which if memory serves correctly should be close enough to the glow, heck we may be able to get to Belvue at that distance (depending on where exactly we are). Touristville might also be in range. Really it would be Red-Rom's call if we have access.

Thanks for that. That sounds like a super stealthy drone. I think I can still see the drone:

I was using perception(visual), not assensing. I've just reread my post, and I realised that I had used the word "assessing" which is very close to "assensing".

I didn't roll to see if I heard where it came from but:
-6 for silencer, -1 for electronic. You only get one of "not in vicinity/from far away". So thats -12. My base die for hearing is 17 die. So thats 5 die. When I rolled I made a mistake and rolled 7, but ignoring the last two http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997921/ is 3 successes (I was very lucky). With the earlier visual perception roll I think that's probably good enough to hear and see the blimp.

I've corrected the earlier post when I stared into the eyes of the sniper

As Jade Tiger I cannot contribute at the moment to the discussion on aerials and stuff. But this is the OOC thread ... some thoughts for you techies

When you look at the signal from a device, it is using the inverse square law. That means power is dropping off as the square of the distance, which shadowrun approximates as a "range" for a particular signal strength

With logic + hardware, and a few bits of metal or tinfoil or wire, you could probably make a directional aerial that will fall off approximately linearly: i.e. the range will be much higher. Giving you an idea, a wifi in your laptop is good for a maybe 10 metres. If you get a parabolic dish with the same power it will reach over 50 kilometres.

A second option that is also fairly easy is to use a line of sight laser communicator. The tech for getting the laser to point towards a dedicated point is available today, so by 2070 its probably included in lego mindstorms.

A third option is to put a homemade phased array onto the blimp (again this is hardware + logic with a bit of hardware + software probably) This gives you most of the advantages of a directional aerial, but means the blimp can "point" it at one or more sources and increase the range a lot

A fourth option is just to get some devices (any device) and drop them off as you go into the dead area. In 2070 the devices are routers themselves. So as long as their is a path from your PAN to the nearest device, from that device to the next, and so on until you get to the main matrix, you have a connection.

Summarising that "hardware + logic" would allow you to make a techno-widget that would allow you to stay in touch even in the dead area, while dropping cheap gadgets in a trail would allow you to turn the dead zone into a live zone. I realise some of these suggestions aren't in the RAW, but its how physics works, so maybe the GM would allow it.

Hi RED-ROM - how do want to handle the second scan?

I was thinking along the lines of a Hacking + Exploit test for extra dice on the Stealth roll. Does that sound about right?

Hacking 4 + Exploit 3 + Hotsim 2 = 9d6.hits(5)=1 - bleh!

Hacking 4 + Stealth 3 + Hotsim 2 + Old protocols 1 = 10d6.hits(5)=2 - Ouch. Kicked in the nads by Invisible Castle! Just have to hope the IC rolls as bad as me.

Yeah the matrix is fun that way. We did not leave a trail of gadgets lying about, so really GM discretion as to how that would play out (Thanks Red-Rom). Really a couple of signal 3 commlinks would be ideal---all you'd need really is to get back to an area with significant matrix presence. Touristville would be a better choice than Glow city.

@Red ROM do you want me to roll perception to search the ghoul. I'd get three hits if I just bought them on the 4 to 1 exchange.

Side note:If you haven't guessed I like using the slang from previous editions-hope none of you mind. I know some people think it is silly, others (the camp I was in) felt it added flavor. I am a white-male in his mid 30's and product of suburbia, so my personal street slang is antiquated and suburbified anyway. I some times have to go back over my posts to remove the big words....

Red-ROM, did you get my PM I sent you about a week ago?

Thanks for that brief Sephiroth. That and the summary from Red-ROM are good helps to getting going, although I suspect your account is slightly in error...


Force 5 task spirit with first aid and infiltration: 3 successes

Probably time for Professor to renew the Attribute Boosts. Red-ROM, unless you say otherwise, I will use the 4:1 rule for Drain Resistance in situations like the current one that are not immediately stressful. Professor needs 1 hit and the 4:1 gives him 2 hits.

Magic 5 + Power Focus 4 + Attribute Boost 1 = 10 dice

Attribute Boost (REA) ==> 5 HITS
Reaction now 7 (He's a dwarf, dammit.) for 10 combat rounds

Attribute Boost (AGI) ==> 6 HITS
Agility now 9 for 12 combat rounds.

Holy shit! Red-ROM... quick... throw something at Professor now!

Oh, it is. That was intentional on my part. I would be doin' it wrong if I RP'd a nosferatu as completely mentally stable.

Assensing of Jade Tiger

INT 4 + Assensing 5 + active looking 3 = 12 dice ==> 5 HITS

Seth, help me out if I miss something, this was a good roll.

Umm...well...I think you know everything anyway, but the following is probably apparent:


So reflecting the assensing: 5 success http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002597/

Your reciprocal assensing finds the following:

• Dwarf
• adept
• no implants; untouched Essence
• healthy
• bearing a sense of loss; worried about current situation; controlling these with willpower
• (not sure whether this shows, but have it anyway) maintaining augmented physical attributes through adept power

OK moving into a guarding position.

I will have one spell active: 6 successes on chamouflage. So that is -6 on perception attempts to see me, and -6 on ranged attacks to hit me: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3003444/

I will then have my task spirit use the first of three services to be "We are on guard duty". I think this means: "keep out of sight, keep an eye out for bad guys. Attack them if they come close"

I have included the -2 for concentration in the following
I will use infiltration to hide: thats a miserable 2 successes. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3003445/
I will use assensing to see people: 6 successes...I should see them coming http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3003446/
I will also use perception to see people: 6 successes ... and I have low light and thermal at the moment http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3003447/

@Red Rom:
Just wanted to check on a few things:

1. What does the dead ghhoul have on him.
2. What does Acme have on him that would be salvaggeble.
3. Is ferret done with the Trix yet?

Well that guarding plan lasted a long time!

Ok yet more spirit wrangling. Force 4 spirit of air with 4 services. I will use two of them for the powers of movement and concealment. If we walk at say 4 miles per hour, normally that would kick us up to about 16 miles per hour.



Time for more spell casting as well. Summary: Increase reflexes Force 5/4 successes, Increase Reactions Force 7/5 successes, Combat sense Force 7/7 successes


While we are travelling along I will make a few assensing and perceptions rolls. Just included in case(?) you are planning on ambushing us. Visual 4, Audio 6, Assensing 6


@Pbangarth,
Here is a shopping list. If you want I will cast them for you. Combat senses (you already have). Increase reactions, physical camouflage, increase intuition/willpower or charisma. Maybe camouflage would be useful

Edited: corrected spell list

@ all: sorry for my absence, My step mom was nearly killed on friday in a car accident, and I had to go to Richmond and do family stuff. trying to catch up on a bunch of stuff now. I'll post soon.

@ Warlord:

1) a collar and tattered clothes

2) shoes

3) nope, I'll try to get through that soon, I know it's hard to post when babysitting the hacker

@Red-ROM

I hope everything is OK for her.

@Pbangarth
I'm sorry to say that I have the "self only" version of increased reflexes...it keeps the drain code down to where I can often cast it. Looking at my character sheet, I can see that combat sense and camouflage are the same. I can offer Increased reactions / intuition / willpower / charisma. I've edited the earlier post with strikethroughs.

I'm sorry I am not more useful in this regard: when I designed the character I was looking for a character that would be constantly changing which spells were active, rather than my usual magician who has a load of level 3 sustaining foci, and casts them once and forgets about them, so I had to be very careful with the drain codes.

No worries, Seth. I've had this problem with Professor all along. There have been several magicians pass through this team and there have been precious few spells that have been worth the 1 PP I spent on Living Focus. I wanted Professor to be flexible and adaptable to whatever team makeup there was. I still think it was a good idea, but I guess I just have to be more creative.

In that regard, an increase in Intuition would still help his Initiative, and his perceptions, the latter being among his strengths. Professor can boost his own Reaction, so in combination with the spell he could actually go relatively early in any encounter, and be hard to surprise. So if you could do an Increase Intuition, I would be grateful. You can do it at Force 5 (if the Drain isn't scary) to have a chance to bump his Intuition all the way up to 9.

His Heightened Concentration can overcome the -2 for sustaining.

I was originally walking Oz out in anticipation of potentially killing him and taking over GM duties for Red-ROM.

Looks like the lucky old man gets to keep on grouching.

...or does it?

Hey, we get enough of that 'Player-kills-PC' thing. No more, OK?

Red-ROM, we're pulling for your step mom, and we're glad you're back.

OK prof here is your Force 7 / 7 successes increase intuition http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006011/. Given that we are heading through ghoul infested territory, an increase in perception and initiative is not a bad option!