I had not seen your post about what was going on and the surprise, etc, before I posted. So lets just pretend I didn't make that post: so scratch everything I did before and I'll do this in order:


so first: Surprise Test (this will be bad)

Reaction(3)+Intuition(3) - 2 maintaining spell 4d6: 6 6 2 1 (2) hits
Initiative: 4d6: 6 5 4 3 (2) hits 8 Initiative


Dodge 1: Reaction(3)+Edge(notdoing it)+Combat Sense(5)+ Athletics (1) -2: 7d6: 1 3 2 6 4 1 4(1) hits
Dodge 2: 7d6: 3 6 4 3 1 5 4(2) hits

I figured while I wasn't surprised, they probably go faster than me so I'll need to dodge boost.
I react, I move to go through the ward, and since dropping concentration spells is a free action I'll do it as I dive through the door to get out of the way.

I used Athletics, to do a full dodge, so that eats up my 1 IP.

@pbangarth
As far as the good Captain not thinking you were warder (just so that you know I wasn't been a meanie) You were a spirit. Warder is a mystic adept, and cannot astral project. Your aura's were the same, so thats just wierd...so the good sweet captain decided to turn you into chop suey.

Your assensing tells you that Captain Zeia is a mystical adept too, and three spells maintained, one by concentration, and two by foci.She seems to have a guardian spirit that is bound to a necklace around her neck. That spirit is providing countermagic for her and her troops, and is powering the movement ability on her. It is a rank 7 spirit you think.

As far as the interception vs a spirit goes: the good captain is a were tiger. That has plus's and minus's (actually mostly plus's) but one of the features of a were tiger is that she is dual natured. However since you used your edge and surprised her, she doesn't get to intercept you

Your threat assessment tells you that Captain Zeia is the annoying type of mystical adept that is very fast, leaps and bounds and cuts things into dog meat. Very dodgy but probably a glass cannon. You can have a go mana bolting if you want, but if you are in line of sight of her, you are within her movement range, and she will probably get to leap at you.

Can you clarify for me where you are (referencing the map). Are you anywhere in line of sight of Captain Zeia?

Round 12 initiative for Captain Zeia is 17. The good Captain has 4IPs. The Captain now has a difficult choice...free spirit...dwarven mage...free spirit...dwarven mage...thats probably why she is going after you...Let me know what you are doing in round 12 and I'll post what she's doing.

In any event the guards will be following Marduk into Warder's area.The guards have 2 IP (from their aura's you think they are dosing up on drugs) and go on 12.

@Marduk
I'm fully happy with you doing that...its much harder in a pbp to maintain Situational Awareness. Thats why I keep posting maps and summaries, and even with those it's still hard. Alyena was beating me around the head about this problem, this morning. You gained information about Warder's countermagic, but actually he is also countermagicing Alyena's bolts, so you still gain that.

Thank you. I will have him do that during round 9 then, and have him cast the rest of his spells during his 4 IP of round 10. First though, he will take a dose of the Psyche that he smuggled into the prison. The Increased Reflexes is F6.

F6 Increase Body: 15d6 = YES 7 hits, capped at 6.
Drain: 22d6 = 3 hits. Luckily the drain on Increase [Attribute] is pretty low, so the 1 point of drain from the F6 spell is resisted. This one will go into one of his sustaining foci.

F6 Increase Reaction: 15d6 = 4 hits
Drain: 22d6 = 8 hits

Finally, a F5 Physical Camouflage: 7 hits
Drain: 5 hits, no drain taken.
Now, for round 12, Fearghas shall fly up the stairs near the ceiling, going at (F9 reduced to F5, times net hits reduced to 4 = ) 36 m/turn. Not as fast as he usually is, which is faster than Arren, but still faster than his running speed . He shall then attempt to surprise attack Zeia's guards from the air.

Surprise: Reaction 2 [4, from reduced Increased Reaction] + Intuition 5 [6 from reduced Increased Intuition] = 10d6 = 4 hits
Initiative: 10d6 = 4 hits = Initiative 14

Attack rolls:

Guard 1: Agility 5 [7] + Blades (Spears) 6 + Weapon Focus 4 + Charging 2 + Superior Position 2= 21d6 = 7 hits + the reach bonus that I forgot = 8 total hits
Guard 2: Agility 5 [7] + Blades (Spears) 6 + Weapon Focus 4 + Superior Position 2 + Reach Bonus 2 = 21d6 = 4 hits

Damage is 3P + net hits, so I think it's 11P and 7P. I'd do more, but the background count has crippled every last one of Fearghas's spells, including Increased Reflexes. :/

And speaking of the BGC...

@sabs and Alyena: it looks like maybe you guys are forgetting the effect of the background count on both your spells, foci, and Magic. Not only does the BGC reduce your Magic by its rating, it also reduces foci by its rating (including your power focus, Alyena). Moreover, it raises the Force of your spells for the purposes of drain resistance, and I think it also greatly hinders Alyena's counterspelling.

Its possible, I rarely play spell casters. Luckily my spellcasting action never happened.
So 4 aztec, would negate my focus, make my magic rating a 2/5 and add 4 to all drain values" or add 4 to the force?

It adds 4 to the Force for the purposes of calculating how much drain you have to resist. For sustained spells, it will also reduce their Force by its rating as well. This is why background counts are so good at keeping mages from being as overpowered as they usually are.

ah that makes my combat sense at force 2, and with the sustain penalty, its like its not there.
Yeah, so I'm basically useless.

Dupe post

• Matrix Initiative: 18D = 5 hits Initiative 23 with 4IPs
• Matrix Perception (Computer + Analysis): 15D = 5 hits
• Stealth (Hacking + Stealth): 20D = 8 hits!!! I'm guessing he can't see me yet?

IC post to come...

No meanie, just want to work on Mandala's disguise ability. Possibly I could have figured the Captain and the problem with copying Warder in the astral out if I had re-read the NPC descriptions we were given. My bad.

Is this spirit present in the necklace?

Well, Zeia for all her speed and abilities still suffers from some of the drawbacks of being tied to the physical plane. Mandala, a being of pure spirit has had millennia to understand those limitations.

He streaked up through the stairs and into the hallway where Zeia's group is. His streak ended at the top (north?) of the circle you drew on the map indicating their position... between the group and Arren, but astral. Zeia is one of the major NPCs defending this pyramid, and expending some time and resources to neutralize her is worth it. (As long as I don't let Arren bleed out while I do it!) If Mandala doesn't do something about her, someone else will have to, and I think Mandala has a good shot given his high Initiative and appropriate magic. Zeia has magic protection from the counterspelling spirit, but she is likely still much weaker against magic spells than in melee combat, so that is how Mandala will engage her. I suspect if I get her quickly before she commands her pet spirit, it will not be a big problem.

He will use the terrain to his advantage. All he needs to astrally enspell her is to have line of sight. He will move a short distance to be mostly in the wall and only exposed to the degree he needs to still perceive her astrally. That should give him a major cover bonus, as her sword cannot penetrate the pyramid wall. Were she fully astral and bringing here astral sword with her, it would be a different matter.

So, in round 12, from the protected position of high up in a corner between wall and ceiling, only minutely exposed, Mandala will cast a manabolt in the first IP. Later IP actions depend on the results of IP #1.

Manabolt at Captain Zeia:

Force 11 Manabolt:Magic 6 (9 - 3 for background count) + Spellcasting 3 + Edge 8 (leaving Mandala with 4 more uses I believe) - 2 for sustaining Mindnet = 15 dice with exploding 6s ==> 6 HITS ... hmmpphh.

Base DV 11S plus up to 6S more.

Drain (11 + 3 {background count}/2) -1 = 6P
(Damn! If I had thought this out ahead of time, I would have gone for the full Force 12. Sucks to be me.)

Drain Resistance WIL 7 + CHA 8 + Centering 4 = 19 dice ==> 6 HITS

No Drain!

Sorry I was slow responding, its been a hectic few days at work. Today I was in a "hack the government day" (not crack the government) which was quite amusing. Very shadowrunny in some ways. We had one group of people make an app called iSteal, which plotted the best places in the UK to perform certain crimes based on capture rate, and police response times! I was more prosaic and just made a google maps based app that showed you recent crimes in your area. Very intense and draining!

@sephiroth

I don't think it impacts counterspelling: basically it reduces your magic attribute. You are right about Alyena's attacks on the wall, but we spotted that earlier and corrected for it. The results are the same, after an astral attack and two spells, there is a hole in the wall which you have to be careful if you want to attack through, or you will get damaged.

As far as you zapping the mooks guards though. They are in 4 points of impact armour, so have 8 soak die. They get 2 successes on getting out of the way (they are just not in your league) and soak 2 damage with their armour. 1 of them is knocked off his feet by the sheer strength of the blow, and is effectively a combat kill (hero's may keep on going on the point of death...but not this guy). The other guy you give a solid blow, he is knocked back a bit, smiles grimly and prepares to show you what happens to people that bring a spear to a gunfight. "those that live by the sword are killed by those who have a gun" he monologues.

You are the only target that the guards can see, and its very hard for most of them to do anything. They are trained for a situation like this it seems, and the two closest to you blast you will bullets, while the others pull back and start aiming (hoping to get an opportunity for a good shot, and not shoot their own colleagues).
The guards blast you with 2 short narrow bursts. [s]for 4, 2 , 4 and 4 successes.. I forgot the modifier for being in melee. 1, 2, 3, 4 successes.The bullets are 6P AP-2 if it matters. Because they are in melee with you, you can use your melee skill to avoid the bullets (parrying the gun works really well), but you are at minuses for each success parry. I think you have the situation well under control.[/s] see my next post

Can I get you to write this up IC?


@Pbangarth
I hope the wedding and other family activities went well

Captain Zeia's spirit is possessing the necklace (i.e. it is possession tradition, and the necklace is a prepared vessel)

If you can see Captain Zeia, she can attack you. Your plan is a good one I think, so I'll give you 6 pts of cover advantage and 6 points of armour from hiding in the wall (I think that's me being very generous, but the plan is a good one), but basically if you can see her then she can hit the bit of you that seeing her (with her sharp swords).

On IP pass two you go first and blast her.
She decides to use one of those points of edge as well, and gets 6 hits also... Actually that spell nearly had her. As you rightly point out she is one of the key defenders, and there is a reason she is with the fast response group.

As the spell comes blasting in, she ducks and weaves then charges you. No messing with twin attacks or anything, just a swing of the sword. Remember with cover you get a 6 point bonus on your defence. She has +1 reach on you, which she is using to reduce your defence...giving you a nett +5.
Attack with Katana: thats a 10 success attack
If that lands she is using a follow up attack (which is her IP 3 go: 8 successes)
Base damage for the Katana is 7S (not P) you think she is trying to knock you out...not kill you.

On IP 4 if you are still in range to be hit, and not knocked out, she will try and hit you again. Her heart seems to be really not in this fight 7 successes

Can I get you to write this up IC?

@Aria
You are correct Jonathan has not seen you yet, but you suspect its ownly a matter of time. Just do me 10 stealth rolls (its as easy as doing 1) and that will let me work out what happens. Someone is now trying to reboot the node, but is having trouble doing so. You have a handful of actions if you want to do something, then the computer is going down. The initiative is unimportant now as he hasn't seen you.

Matrix Perception: the figure you are seeing is a decoy. The real Jonathan is stealthing around, and you cannot see him. That makes it at least three stealthy things in here: You, Jonathan and ZERO. You see a leaf fly to the corner of the node, and spin in the air.

JONATHAN, YOU KNOW YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR THE WRONG SIDE. YOUR DAUGHTER IS HERE<embeded 10Mps of file> AND THEY WILL NEVER LET YOU GO <embedded 1Mps of file>. HELP US AND THIS TEAM <embedded 1Mps of file> WILL START THE RUN TO FREE YOUR DAUGHTER

Can I get you to write this up IC?

I'll ask Alyena and Bjeorn to finish their round 11 & 12 posts tomorrow.

Weren't the guards surprised though? I got 4 hits on the surprise roll, and I thought I saw you say they only got 2. If they were surprised, shouldn't they not be able to dodge, and also not be able to shoot at me for the IP?

Also, for their narrow burst rolls, did you remember the -1 modifier from Physical CHameleon?

Pyramids are famous for focusing magical energy. The background count gets worse as you go up it. Don't forget that I gave everyone a free respec token to be spent by the end of this month, that was to deal with issues in which you realise that your character is not as cool as you wanted. Cleansing and Filtering are extremely powerful metamagics for situations like this (and extremely wizardly).

Alyena is currently trying to deal with Warder, but you could ask nicely for her to cleanse and you take over dealing with the wall (her current goal)

There are basically 4 groups of targets:

• The two guards between you lot and Warder... I suspect that Bjeorn will mince his way through those
• Warder: very hazardous target. His elemental wall is still a large threat. He has a lot of countermagic, but you only have to get lucky: your spells are very powerful
• The guards between Fearghas and Captain Zeia. These are a minor threat to Fearghas (guns are scary) and are giving Captain Zeia time to concentrate on Mandala who is not a very good melee combatent
• Captain Zeia: who is defended against magic by a spirit (that can be blasted), is herself probably the most dangerous thing here (and she can be blasted)

You are right on both counts: I have edited the last post to

Lets assume that in fact both troops drop as "combat kills" and the two that shot you were the next two. The troops only get one IP this round (they were surprised, and effectively loose the first). I have just reread the combat rules about ranged weapons in melee, and realised that some of my rolling was not RAW so lets try that again:

You are the only target that the guards can see, and its very hard for most of them to do anything. They are trained for a situation like this it seems. The , and the two closest to you blast you with bullets, while the others pull back and start aiming (hoping to get an opportunity for a good shot, and not shoot their own colleagues).
The guards blast you with 2 short narrow bursts. You are effectively in melee with them, so they loose 3 die. You have your chameleon so they loose 1 die.

They get a very consistant 2, 2, 2 and 2 When defending remember that you are in melee so you are at -3 vs ranged. I thought that you got your melee defence vs ranged weapons when you are in melee, but I cannot find it, so I suspect its a house rule. That means that you are -3 to defend against the first, -4 the second and so on. If you think I'm wrong, just post the roll with what ever you think is correct. If they hit, its a narrow short burst with base damage 6P AP -2

I'm confused. (Nothing new, huh?) I thought that the precursor movement/surprise thing happened on round 11 and that Mandala's spell came on IP #1 of round 12, right after the Initiative roll for that round. If it didn't, what happened on IP #1?

Could you check this, Seth, because I want to be sure I don't nuke Arren through inattention.

Yes, I'll be happy to write up the exchange once it comes to a conclusion.

@Pbangarth


I thought you were spending IP 1 moving, happy if the nuking takes place on 1.

The attack from Zeia will be attacking you on IP 2, initiative 22. You go first by the narrowest of possible margins (you have higher edge). This means that you have shots at her with your spells, before she attacks you. Go do!

@everyone
As you now, I am new to the pbp GMing. I am struggling a bit with how to coordinate the combat rounds (which IP occurs when etc). Normally in table top I call "IP1" who does what...but I suspect in table top that will takes weeks per combat round. I'll carry on, but can I ask you all to include which IP you think things are happening in, in your OOC posts, so that we can be sure we are still in sync. Thanks!

Well... it would be nice to be able to parry their guns. I didn't find anywhere in the BBB that disallows it. Also, there is a point to be made for being alive since guns were created, and thus having quite a lot of time to learn how to counter guns in melee where normal characters wouldn't have the time to develop the techniques (because they'd die in the first try or two). Furthermore, with the -3 on top of the -1 wound modifier on top of the BGC severely affecting Fearghas's combat abilities, something tells me this is not going to be pretty.

2 [4] Reaction + 2 Running (levitating toward the stairs) - 3 Ranged attack in melee - 1 wound modifier = 2d6 = 1 hit
1d6 = critical glitch
no more defense possible for the other two



EDIT: Also, I noticed the guards' burst rolls are all the same number of dice. Do they have enough recoil compensation to counter the additional -1 from the second burst on top of the -2 burst recoil? I'm just checking.

EDITEDIT: I seem to have forgotten about his Combat Sense. I also think it might be better to take an interrupt action and go on Full Defense, using Dodge + Reaction + Blades. So I will try doing that.
2 [4] Reaction + 3 Combat Sense + 1 Dodge + 6 Blades (Spears) + Running 2 - Wound modifier 1 - Defending against ranged attacks in melee 3 = 12d6 = 4 hits then a critical success, then 5 hits, then finally 3 hits.

We're good now.

Yeah they have enough recoil compensation for 2 short bursts. I few thousand gets you a very nice gun. No long bursts for them though

I was worried when I read the first half of your first post: I thought you were better than that, and would have these turkeys under control! Pleased its sorted.

Good idea, Seth, to have us include round and IP in our OOC action posts. That should help. I think I'll institute that in my own games.

So I still need to do Mandala's defense against Zeia's attack in IP #1 before I go on to IP #2. From post #252 I see Zeia has Initiative 17. In post #266 she has Initiative 22. Does she have some cool power to increase that during the round!?

Mandala round 12, IP #1 defense vs. the 10 hit attack: (it actually doesn't matter whether Zeia tries stun or physical damage, if either track is filled in Mandala is disrupted... this is a problem for Free Spirits):

Astral Reaction 8 + cover 5 + Edge (gonna need it here!) 8 -2 maintaining Mindnet = 19 dice, exploding 6s ==>
8 HITS ... damn!

OK, resist damage of DV 7+2 S=9S

Astral BOD 7 + armor from wall 6 + Edge 8 (damn, gotta keep alive here) = 21 dice, exploding 6s ==>
4 HITS ... shit. It had to happen now, huh?

Mandala takes 5S damage.

round 12, IP #1 resist followup attack:

Astral Reaction 8 + cover 5 + Edge (it's gonna run out!) 8 -2 for Mindnet -2 for damage = 17 dice exploding 6s
==> 5 HITS... well, he's a lover, not a fighter, I guess.

Wait! It's only -1 for 5 boxes of damage! Here's a roll of 1 die: 1 HIT

resist damage 9S:
This is the turning point, people. That terrible roll above with only 4 hits has set Mandala up for a tough decision here. He's gotta stay present and alive for Arren and the mission. I spent Edge like a drunken sailor to no avail. Should I burn a point of Edge to guarantee survival?

No, dammit! Mandala is a hero! He spends one of his last two points of Edge to get another 21 dice of exploding 6s:

==> 12 HITS ... YE.... oops. He only gets 18 dice for this roll. That takes off the last 3 dice of this roll, which had 2 hits, so Mandala still dodges it all!

Round 12, IP #2:

Big decision number 2: save the last point of Edge; run away to Arren, blast the damn Captain and neutralize her?

Aw hell, what's life without risk? Free action, drop the Mindnet

~~ML~~
have to drop communications, in trouble here with a shapechanger
~~~~~

Force 12 Manabolt at Captain Zeia: Magic 6 + Spellcasting 3 + Edge (the last one of 8!) 8 - 1 damage = 16 dice, exploding 6s
==> 14 HITS Dodge this, bitch!!!!!

Base DV 12S, plus up to 14S more.

Resist Drain of (12+3/2) -1 = 6S
drain resistance: WIL 7 + CHA 8 + Centering 4 = 19 dice ==> 5 HITS ... leaves 1S drain

Mandala is now at 6S damage.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand you killed her. Not knocked unconscious, but full out killed her.

Not necessarily. She's tough and has magical help.

I'll see if I can find sometime to relook at the charcter, but I like most of what he does. He's just not really able to counter a 4 background count. Which, is an incredibly huge level of background count. I'm not sure I would change much aof anything, but i'll play with the numbers, see if I can make something slightly better.

Background count of this level may not be typical of the runs this team gets. We are after all penetrating a structure designed to focus magical energy. That having been said, I sure am glad of that cookie Seth tossed me, the Resist Background (1) power.

@Pbangarth
She resists that hideous mana bolt for 9 successes.

So you got 14, she got 9. Nett 5 (critical success in a very stressful situation, so you can have an edge back). Total damage is 17. She goes down big time, knocked across the room and collapses onto the floor.

Well done...I though she had your number.

By the way, while you are correct that normally you would be disrupted if your mental tract was filled, your link to your home plane is currently not available to you, so if you are disrupted you fall unconscious.

@sabs
I agree that 4 is a very high background count (you want to see what it's like in the temple itself though ). The problem with background count is that it hits your twice: once for your foci and maintained spells/spirits, and once for yourself. I suspect that through this run the background count may even get worse (it depends on choices you make).

As pbangarth said though, background levels of this magnitude are unusual, and not representative of the normal "runs" you would do. Actually I don't see you as doing many runs: an academic like yourself has much more satisfying ways of passing the time.

@everyone
I hope I am up to date with answering questions and stuff. I will try and post a summary of these two rounds tonight. They have certainly been hectic, and demonstrated where I need to improve my record keeping!

I will confess to having lost track of which round and which IP we are in so I'll go with the flow...doesn't bother me too much at the moment

I'm going to spend some of my puny edge now to try a matrix perception test to see where Jonathan and ZERO are:
18D Argh 4 mighty hits Would have been better off rerolling failures, ah well...

My matrix stealth: 10,7,6,10,6,6,6,8,5,6

Just in case I can decrypt the leaf to get the data here's a check: 10D = 5 hits, better than my bloomin perception!!!

I thought Mandala was a goner too. Sometimes the universe rewards bold action, though. Other times it just crushes you.

I will post IC later today, though it may be late evening my time when I can do it justice. Thank you for the Edge point!!

The wedding was a smash hit. Great food, good people, unending booze, fantastic band (Soul Stew, from Toronto). I danced the whole evening. Well, except for the eating and drinking. Oh... and the ceremony.

The young couple are madly in love and hugely suited to each other.

@sabs@Aria <---------edited
You get the data...there is a lot of it. Quick glimpse: His daughter is being held in a school for the gifted. The shadowrun team data is details on a a group of experienced shadowrunners arranged through a fixer.

removed to protect the guilty

Oops sorry sabs. I meant @aria. My bad. I'm editing the original

@Pbangarth

Glad you had a good weekend!

In line with the GM's suggestion will roll initiative for Alyena in round 12

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955672/

This gives 2 successes, so go on 10.

Alyena sees the mind control attempts on Bjeorn and Marduk. Will try to counter the control on Bjeorn on IP#1 before he does something Marduk might regret!

Counter spell Warder's mind control:

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955681/

10 successes! I now have 1 grumpy GM as it negates Warder's spell!
Marduk does not need to dodge Bjeorn's claws.

Will hold IP#2 in case another counter is needed for Marduk. If that goes ok, will hold IP#3.

OK Bjeorn, Alyena and I are all physically in the same room, so here is the combined summary. Rounds 11 and 12 are quite exciting/hectic, so we all cooperated on this post.

@sabs,
Could you just summarise what you did in rounds 11 and 12 with links to your posts. I think you bolted Warder at the beginning, but I am not sure where you are now.
Can you make the saves vs mob mind. As well as willpower + counterspell (manip), also add your highest mental attribute (this is a house rule...you add your highest mental attribute to resist mob mind/possession etc).

Round 11:
Alyena attacks Warder's wall and blasts a hole in it, dealt with above

IP 1 through 4, Bjeorn attacks the guards and smashs one of them into little pieces. He dodges their attacks


Warder did "something" in IP 1 and 2, and casts mob mind in IP 3. This failed (first roll on http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955667/ for casting, first roll on http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955668/ for defence)

Round 12
Alyena's initiative: 10
Warder's initiative: 15 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955674/
Bjeorn's initiative: 11 (we lost the link to invisible castle)

IP 1:
Bjeorn finishes off the second guard 4 successes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955663/, Defence 1 successes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955664/
Warder casts mob mind 10 successes (2nd roll on http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955667/ ) which gets Bjeorn. Mu ha ha!
Alyena dispells the mob mind (booooo)

IP 2:
Bjeorn morphs into human form
Warder casts mob mind 5 successes (3rd roll). Bjeorn sneers at this attempt

IP 3:
Bjeorn picks up a grenade
Warder casts physical barrier across the hole 7 successes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955692/ ... not nearly as good as he wanted

IP 4:
Bjeorn casually smashs through the physical barrier with his off hand, and has a grenade in his main.

I believe that:
Round 11: I dodged into the room, dropping my Combat Sense spell, and not bothering to fix it.
Round 12: I haven't gone yet.. but I will probably cast levitate at one of the guards in the hallway and fling him into the others.

so I'm adding Willpower+Logic+Counterspell? for a total of 19d6: 6 2 6 2 2 5 1 1 6 3 5 6 5 3 2 2 1 4 2 (7) hits I think this resists?

Am i right in thinking that I can't cast out of this room without having issues with the ward?

@sabs
Thanks. Thats roughly what I thought.

In total Warder casts mob mind 3 times. You have survived the first. Two more to go! Fortunately Alyena has already dispelled the second one. The third spell has 5 successes.

You are correct: the ward will interfere with spell casting though it. You can just walk through it, or you could carry on attacking Warder.

Rolled badly: 19d6: 3 5 3 1 3 4 5 3 4 3 5 4 6 6 1 3 4 1 2 (5) hits. So I still resisted.

Stupid Warder, we hates him. What seems to be the force of the Elemental Wall protecting him?

Force 11. Hes the man when it comes to doing big wards elemental walls. Its hard to dispel it (10 pts of drain) but it's possible to blast a hole in it.

It's true, that's a ton to dispell,
I get 6 dice to cast a spell on the barrier, which I think means I can't hurt it?

@ Sabs

lol

Can you levitate one of the guard's grenades through the hole in the ward?
Bjeorn is throwing one in but more can't hurt.

Just imagine Alyena's spirit form is yelling "Blast him, blast him now!"

I can totally levitate the grenade, that's not a bad idea.
Force 9 Spell reduced to Force 5 for effect (5 max hits)
Magic(6)+SpellCasting(4)-Backgroundcount(4)=6d6 2 1 6 5 5 6
Threshhold is 1(I think) 3 net hits
Drain: f/2+1=5 15d6: 5 5 1 6 1 2 5 3 6 4 3 5 3 2 2 (6) hits. No damage.

Grenade will go flying through that hole at 15m/turn. I'm pretty sure that means the grenade will make it inside the barrier. Can I use levitate to draw the pin?

I need to get a copy of Street Magic at work, so I can figure out what Analyze Magic does

@ Sabs

Don't think you can use levitate to pull the pin.

Suggest you pull it, dare I say, like an ordinary mortal then send it on its way with levitate.

That way you can have the pin as a keep sake

@sabs,

I've been looking at your character sheet thinking about what to do. The big problem with Warder is that he is behind a defence wall (both guards and magic), and is casting actually quite unpleasant magics back at you. The background count is causing you a lot of pain, and restricting options. Here are a few ideas

• Could you stop the casting back? Monologuing is something that you can do quite well (entralling performance), you would be at a few minus's but you are quite likely to cause him to loose a few seconds worth of actions, which could make quite a difference.
• Alyena's idea of the grenades is a good one
• Another option for you is to use your knowledge skills, or psychometry.
• Warder was "doing something" for the first couple of rounds, you could work out what that is (spell theory/arcana/magic theory)
• In the room there is a codex (think ancient ring binder with copper wire through holes in the parchment, wooden covers) open in a reading stand. The codex is huge: its 6 foot by 3 foot pages, and has hundreds of pages. On the current page is a very detailed schematic of a pyramid with complex blood wards. The blood is glistening and is obviously fresh.
• On a little table next to the codex is a black obsidian dagger, and a skull with intricate amber runes carved into it...lots and lots of runes.
• In a box next to the codex is a cooler box, with biohazard symbols on it

IMO Analyse magic is a tool mainly used by people without good assensing skills, as it lets you use spell casting instead of assensing for specific things. It also means that you can "try again" without the -1 penalty, hoping to get lucky.

I was actually thinking of trying to monologue him. Distract him from what ever he's doing. I missed the description of the room with all that stuff in it. I think instead of casting, which isn't doing anyone any good. I'd rather try to use assensing and arcana to try and figuoure out what he's doing in the room. I think that's all I could reasonably do during Round 12.

Round 12: IP 1 Assenssing: Intuition(3)+Assenssing(6) 9d6: 3 3 3 5 6 2 5 1 1 (3) hits
Round 13 Initiative: 6d6 6 5 3 6 4 2: 9
Round 13: IP 1 Arcana: Logic(8)+Arcana (4)+Encephalon(1)+PuSHeD(1)=14d6 1 1 5 3 4 6 6 2 6 2 3 1 6 2 (5) hits

General "what the hell is going on" Going to focus on the various items, and use psychometry as I can.

Before Round 13 starts, Mandala has one more IP in Round 12.

Round 12, IP #3:

Having knocked Zeia out well and truly, Mandala will rush to Aren's side and materialize, in preparation to heal him. I'll write this into the IC post.
#####

Initiative for Round 13, for whenever it matters:

12 dice (materialized, so slower) ==> 5 HITS
==> 17-2 for damage = Initiative Score 15.

I'm sure folks all have their own things to add, but here are some brainstorming ideas for Mandala in the WWII scene:

OK. The thing is, our magical nature really puts a skew on the historical scene. I have to figure out how Mandala is to act in this situation without just out and out stunbolting Hitler into oblivion(or his simulacrum... which I guess Mandala should be able to Assense anyway, given that he doesn't trust Queen Alachia in the least), and dematerializing before he can be captured/slaughtered. This assumes that the detection of magic rule would apply and someone would notice Mandala 'doing something funny'. This applies to all the other magically active people in our group.

The Pacifist(1) Quality may be reason enough, but for crying out loud, by now Mandala knows about the genocide going on. That in and of itself should be enough to override the Quality. There could also be a stricture from Alachia. Certainly that would give cause for Mandala's low Relationship with her.

Mandala is dual-natured, so if there is anything with an aura around, he should be able to detect it. Protections on Hitler or the room, powerful spirits (reduced, obviously), whatever.

I miscalculated earlier. The background count is -4 for Mandala, so his Force goes to 5. With Force 5 he only has to lose Aura Masking, and can keep the Movement power. Might be handy here. Speaking of the background count, Mandala can share his Resist Background with others (balanced with the number of powers he can maintain at once) so if there is a particular adept power or something the team needs here in the WWII scenario, let's talk.

Mandala can Psychokinese too, so we don't need a spirit to do it. Of course, there is the magic detection thing again. Wait. This is a Spirit Power, not a spell!

Any use for the Chaotic World spell as a distraction? Or is that too obvious?

How about filming the event? Surely Norbert Schantz would be involved in that aspect of things. Even if he wasn't doing the filming (as he is part of the group being awarded), he would move around, check camera angles, move things in and out of the scene, give his opinion and such and be an artistic pain in the ass people will be eager to ignore.

Hmmm.. could Mandala got to the bathroom, come back astrally and materialize inside Hitler's briefcase, and with Mindnet on give a detailed tactile analysis of the key, which someone like Marduk, Ambrose, or Ryl with Eidetic Sense Memory could recall exactly and just copy? Or do this just before we all go in?

WWII scene

In response to Marduk's question, Mandala will cast Mindnet on the whole crew present. Too bad Cleansing only works on aspected domains.

Force 4 Mindnet(extended): Magic 5 + Spellcasting(detection) 3(5) + Edge 5 = 15 dice, exploding 6s, threshold 4 (there are 4 others besides Mandala)
==> 3 HITS.... *sigh*, it fails

Drain (4/2) + 5 = 7S
Resist Drain WIL 7 + CHA 8 + Centering 4 = 19 dice ==> 5 HITS.... *sigghhhhh...* 2 Stun damage to Mandala

Try it again:

Force 4 Mindnet(extended) 15 dice, exploding 6s, Threshold 4 ==> 6 HITS... success! We are linked.

Drain 7S
Resist Drain 19 dice ==> 8 HITS no further Drain.

@WWII
I am quite happy if you attack Hitler. Have you ever heard the word "whitewash". i.e. "it was a briefcase bomb, honest". You haven't seen Hitler in the flesh, but you know that many of the other immortals support him, so he must have something going for him: maybe its his charisma. You also suspect that many of the immortals that support him don't know about Auschwitz...

@Sabs
Warder doesn't look like a people person to you. Intimidate yes, leadership no. Charisma is good though! One success on his resistance. Given that he is in combat, I think that will distract him for 2 IPs. Bad time for him: I suspect Bjeorn will be introducing him to Mr Grenade real soon, I will have to read up on the chunky salsa rules.

Nice psychometry roll I think its a critical.

• The codex is showing a map of the pyramid. Its a bit like a magical tacnet. The blood lines show the wards, underneath it are marks that show where magically important things are happening. Right now magically important things are happening in the temple area and here (mostly you lot and warder). Warder has raised a red alert and that is showing on the tacnet, as is a reply "on my way: Xipee Topec". Warder is linked to a number of wards, but is not linked (as far as you can tell) to the main blood magic ward surrounding the temple. That is linked to someone in the temple area.
• The dagger is very interesting, it is destroying the aztech aura around it (range about 2 feet). You suspect it is a dagger designed to cut through aztech magics.
• The skull is wierd. It is tightly linked to the magics or one of the people on the temple level. It is effectively a sympathetic link to someone or something (think voodoo doll)

@Mandala
Thanks for kicking off the WWII stuff.

@Everyone
I thought I had posted a summary of the end of rounds 11 & 12, but I cannot find it! I'll post it again later this evening

It's in the recruitment thread Here!

I am so picking up that god damn dagger
I think that will be my action on Round 14.. pick up dagger.

OK copied from the recruitment (how?) thread

Current situation:

• It is the start of rounds 13&14
• The time is 00:00:50
• The background count is zero in the reactor corridor, up the stairs and on the ground floor it is aztech 4
• Aren is being NPCed, and has zipped ahead, and is currently lying in a bleeding crumpled pile at the bottom of the stairs to the level above the ground floor. He still has a few rounds before he will bleed out.
• Bjeorn, Alyena and Marduk are inside room 5 / Warder's room. Room 5 has another hideous ward on the door. Warder is inside yet another magical barrier, and is being monologued by Marduk
• Ol'Scratch is being NPCed, and is performing the ritual to open door 27a. The ritual will be concluded when the flashback discovers the secret.
• Mandala has just "dealt" with Captain Zeia, and is with Arren
• Fearghas is dealing with the guards in the corridor
• Ryl is still in the basement corridor

Matrix

• Ryl has revoked all the accounts in the internal matrix
• The mean IC has attacked and defeated the two guards. One of them is having a very bad day with some psychotropic nastiness
• Jonathan has arrived and is searching for Ryl. He is also trying to reboot the system
• For some reason the reboot is not working
• Zero is trying to recruit Jonathan
• The Aztech tacnet is down

External

• The General Quarters alarm has just stopped, although red flashing lights are still flashing
• Ryl's assessment is that the guards that were off duty will still be getting their armour on / equipped for another few seconds.
• Plan 'Blood Alpha One' has been activated and the hideous blood ward is now fully in place.

WWII

• You have a timeline
• You need to decide how to swap the briefcase.
• You need to IC move on to the meeting time

Alyena still has 2 IP left in round 12.

IP #2 she was holding in case the Mob Mind got Marduk as he has resisted she will now assense Warder's spells.

Using 4:1 rule she can see the spell giving him multiple actions per round.

IP #3 she attempts to dispell that: I get only 3 successes

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2957295/

Ah well there's always next time.



I'm definitely not a happy bunny:

1) Magic in the temple
2) Xipee Topec on his way
3) Warder not maintaining the big blood ward

Somebody (that's you Mr GM) is off my Christmas list!

Just make a willpower + countermagic (manip) save (I'd suggest a point of edge if you get <3 successes). And a psychometry roll
It reduces the background count by 1 pt of aztech when you hold it. Given that Warder is boosted by Aztech magics, it must do something else...


hey I gave you a book, a dagger and a skull, what more could you ask for.

@alyena
Good idea with the dispel. Unfortunately it rolled really well: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2957297/ 7 successes. So he's still moving going fast