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Aria
Iwas kina hoping for September '72 to fit Silk's back story best... Can make some tweaks though if that's a problem?!?

As to the Redmond thing I was interested in exploring the limits of the wifi net... Going to the extreme edges of the coverage to see what's there (wilderness exploring kind of thing)... I certainly don't want to hack anything sensitive as it's likely to be mob or secure Corp system nyahnyah.gif
Mister Juan
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 8 2011, 03:04 AM) *
Mister Juan: I didn't know Pope had both TLE and cyberpsychosis. How do you see those affecting the character? I must say I love the classic cyberpunk over-augmented human, and the role play opportunities there.


From a purely logical standpoint, having TLE and cyberpsychosis struck me as something that would make perfect sense: Dexter not only has been cyberized (wow, is that a word) from a long time, his essence is pretty much as close as it gets to 0 without being a complete cyberzombie.

Cyberpsychosis also played into the fact that I wanted Dexter to feel alienated and out of touch with the world around him. I could have just roleplayed it, and said to hell with the negative quality, but it seemed very appropriate to me. I see cyberware, and bioware to a certain extent, as extremely unnatural. Sure, they augment and help Dexter a lot in his line of work, but one of the main themes I wanted to explore with the character was the price one has to pay to "stay on top".

Purely game mechanics wise, I know that by taking both TLE and cyberpsychosis, I am in a way heavily gimping my character; he'll be prone to snap at the wrong moment, will be slightly disconnected from the people he interact with and might even start having a seizure in the middle of combat. I am ready to deal with that, mainly because it makes for very good story! I know TLE is "treatable" with medication, and I also wanted to explore how someone like Dexter would deal with a degenerative disease like that. I was thinking Dexter could actually learn he has TLE during the game, which is why I didn't put any medication on his character sheet. I'm still not even sure myself how he'll react when he learns he has it. Denial? Anger? Maybe he'll see this as his punishment; a price to pay for all he's done. Or maybe it'll even push him in the other direction: away from self destruction and toward redemption. I can't say yet wink.gif

Also, I thought the disease was ridiculously appropriate for someone who's probably had wired reflexes for 35 years wink.gif

So, I'm glad we seem to be on the same page concerning rp opportunity and themes. Can't wait to start.
Sir_Psycho
QUOTE (Aria @ Jul 8 2011, 05:33 AM) *
Iwas kina hoping for September '72 to fit Silk's back story best... Can make some tweaks though if that's a problem?!?

As to the Redmond thing I was interested in exploring the limits of the wifi net... Going to the extreme edges of the coverage to see what's there (wilderness exploring kind of thing)... I certainly don't want to hack anything sensitive as it's likely to be mob or secure Corp system nyahnyah.gif

I think I get it. Redmond's municipal networks would be quite buggy and poorly protected, so you could hijack drones, peek through some security cameras, and explore what sort of ad-hoc mesh nets Redmond locals are using.
Aria
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 9 2011, 01:34 PM) *
I think I get it. Redmond's municipal networks would be quite buggy and poorly protected, so you could hijack drones, peek through some security cameras, and explore what sort of ad-hoc mesh nets Redmond locals are using.


It seems that it would be the only 'wilderness exploration' that is still available and it would appeal to Silk and Aria.

Feel free to GM Aria, hopefully I've given you enough to go on? Mischevious little girl with an element of naievete is her pose and underneath that there is something much more serious!
Sir_Psycho
I'm checking interest and readiness one more time before I take your OPs and start writing, Aria and MJ, could you maybe edit a little and get them moving, out into the matrix with some goal ahead and out the door, respectively? Tanegar, could I get a initiative roll from you and your ally spirit?

Also, should we just keep this as the OOC thread? We've got a casualty, a prodigy and a caged bird. I could call it that, unless anyone has a suggestion?

I'm sorry I've been a bitty absent, my internet has been near unresponsive of late, perhaps I've been shaped. As a bit of an unnecessary introduction, I'm twenty one and I live in Sydney, I draw, play bass and guitar, and have casually studied a little, in sign language and a bit of graphic design. As of late, I'm unemployed which gives me a lot of time to Shadowrun, I suppose. Of course I enjoy sci-fi, cyberpunk and dystopian fiction, some gibson, a lot of Ghost in the Shell, and a stack of computer games, Deus Ex being a huge inspiration for Shadowrun. It probably won't affect us too much, but there might be a bit of a time difference on postings, depending on when you're free to play. Feel free to PM me for OOC things as well.
Tanegar
Arthur's initiative: 7 + 5 hits = 12, 1 IP
Corvina's initiative: 10 + 4 hits = 14, 2 IP

I think Invisible Castle might hate Corvina. 14 exploding dice make 4 hits? WTF?

[edit]Also, Arthur's character sheet now includes a mini-sheet for Corvina, listing her powers, attributes and skills for easy reference.

I'm 31, living in Knoxville, Tennessee, and working for an inventory service. It's both more and less interesting than you probably think.
Aria
Still here...will try and work on the IC stuff tomorrow (UK time smile.gif)

In the spirit of reciprocation I'm a 34 year old architect, married with a 10month old son to keep me up at night...apart from cyberpunk I dance and act occasionally and once in a while draw for fun nyahnyah.gif
Mister Juan
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 12 2011, 10:55 AM) *
I'm checking interest and readiness one more time before I take your OPs and start writing, Aria and MJ, could you maybe edit a little and get them moving, out into the matrix with some goal ahead and out the door, respectively?


Still interested and always somewhat ready wink.gif I'm rather busy concerning tonight, but I should have some free time tomorrow to write, when I actually finally get an internet connection up and running at home (don't tel on me, I'm currently highjacking some coffee shop's wireless from down the block!).

Well, since everyone has jumped on the bandwagon, I might as well follow! I'm a 25 years old Québécois (don't call me a French Canadian... that just pisses me off wink.gif) ex-microbiologist turned graphic designer now enrolled to become an EMT. No, I do not suffer from some sort of attention deficit. Not that I know of anyways... I'm right up Sir_Psycho's alley with lots of GitS and Gibson. If I may make a recommendation, I found a gem of an author; Peter Watts. He does dystopian hard sci-fi, and his Rifters trilogy is ripe with bioware, cyberware and a ton of really cool stuff. Very much worth checking, especially since he's published everything under Creative Commons.

So yea, I'll try to get a longer post up tomorrow.
Sir_Psycho
QUOTE (Tanegar @ Jul 12 2011, 11:38 AM) *
Arthur's initiative: 7 + 5 hits = 12, 1 IP
Corvina's initiative: 10 + 4 hits = 14, 2 IP

I think Invisible Castle might hate Corvina. 14 exploding dice make 4 hits? WTF?

[edit]Also, Arthur's character sheet now includes a mini-sheet for Corvina, listing her powers, attributes and skills for easy reference.

I'm 31, living in Knoxville, Tennessee, and working for an inventory service. It's both more and less interesting than you probably think.

See, to me that just says you manage the loot of questing adventurers.

Also, I'll allow a perception test and an assensing test if you want to try and anticipate their approach, weapons, possible augmentations and auras.

Aria: Just to clear up some preparatory Matrix things, what are your matrix attributes, affected by current program load. Are you using Stealth? Browse? Armour? And I assume you're in full VR, but are you using hot or cold sim?

Mister Juan: You've run out of Tequila/Drink of choice, time to get out to a bar or at least out to the liqour store across the street. I wouldn't mind getting your description of the Caracas setting before I jump in. I do have plans though. Also, does Dexter have Military Sign as a language skill, it would allow silent non-tech communication, like in combat. Seems appropriate, too. Just to get it in my head, what was Dexter's rank and unit/area of expertise?
Aria
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 13 2011, 11:57 AM) *
Aria: Just to clear up some preparatory Matrix things, what are your matrix attributes, affected by current program load. Are you using Stealth? Browse? Armour? And I assume you're in full VR, but are you using hot or cold sim?

HotSIM all the way smile.gif

Matrix attirbutes are all 5 apart from Firewall at 6 (-2 response for 2x proxy servers UW p100ish?)

I'll be running stealth, exploit, decrypt and probably sniffer + ergonomic reality filter, browse, analyze, command and edit as standard (unless I've missed something obvious...still working on my matrix rules...)

Here's a goal for you for now:
[ Spoiler ]

Tanegar
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 13 2011, 06:57 AM) *
See, to me that just says you manage the loot of questing adventurers.

Hah! I wish my job was that awesome. No, retail stores (and occasionally other places) hire us to come in and inventory their stores for them. Apparently it's cheaper than paying their own people overtime. Yesterday and the day before, we did two Sears stores (department stores, in case you don't have them Down Under); the day before that, a bookstore. The work itself is kind of tedious, but the job is interesting because I get to go places and see things I wouldn't otherwise get to.

Arthur's perception: Intuition 5 + Perception 4 (9d6.hits(5)=1)
Apparently, Arthur is still too stunned by what he saw in those recordings to notice much of anything. frown.gif

Corvina's assensing: Intuition 5 + Assensing 5 (10d6.hits(5)=4)
Corvina, fortunately, is more on the ball. She now knows the exact Essence scores and Magic of the attackers (if either are Awakened), and the presence and location of any augmentations up to and including bioware and beta-grade cyber. She has also read any astral signatures that may be lingering on them, and knows the general cause (type of spell, type of spirit, etc).
Mister Juan
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 13 2011, 06:57 AM) *
Mister Juan: You've run out of Tequila/Drink of choice, time to get out to a bar or at least out to the liqour store across the street. I wouldn't mind getting your description of the Caracas setting before I jump in. I do have plans though.


How far should I go into the post? All the way up to/inside the bar/shop, or stop on the way there? I just don't want to lock you into a scene.
Sir_Psycho
I replied to your PM (it may have been an old one, but it may help). I mainly want to get a feel for the streets, and not lock myself into detailing a bar and it's patrons. How about you leave your doss, cross the street, and head into the liquor store to grab your liquor/water/smokes/nerps. Then inside, some-one looks familiar, and I'll take over.

Where should we do this? I'm going to use jdsirpsycho@gmail.com again for files and documents, that works nicely for pbp, unless you want to do an IC thread, in which case I still don't know what to call it, and one of you might as well start it off, I think your intros are all good places to start. Although, Aria, before I describe the Deep Watch host, where can I find some info on them again? Particularly, do you know the name of their leader or can I make one up. I'm curious how much liberty I have with Aria, the memory of the mother and her life, Deep Watch, Stillwater, Monarch and his associated fixers. I'm happy to just jump in and make it all up, but I'll read into them if you like, as long as it's not a dozen or more pages of multiple IC threads.
Tanegar
Honestly, I'd prefer an IC forum thread. Makes for an easier read than sifting through dozens or hundreds of emails, and eliminates the risk of somebody falling behind the story due to missed messages. May I recommend the title, "Three to Tango?"
Sir_Psycho
Whether your characters know it or not, they have deep connections and ties to monolithic organisations, the dirty work of major powers and of course the shadows. I was thinking maybe "Deep Six" or "Going Under" to represent plunging into those themes.

If we're going for September 72 per Aria's recommendation, can anyone give me a refresher or a reference as to what's happening and/or recently happened?
Aria
Sixth World Almenac has the most recent timeline in it:
[ Spoiler ]

For the DW stuff...I'm about to write an epilogue for my Emerging Conflict game which will summarise events from 2070 to 2072 for that company...I'll post a link here once it's done. There's some more info (other than the PM I sent you) on Shrike's sheet on my website (sig link) and I'm trying to fill out the shared contacts (across many of my characters) section. In essence I've sown some seeds but I'm happy for someone else (you) to have a say in how this story goes - it's not set in stone in my mind and as I keep changing that anyway the more ideas the better smile.gif

I'm with Tanegar on an IC thread here in the forum...keeps things nicely together and is easy to search etc...Deep Six works for me...it's suitably vague and threatening sounding ork.gif If you could start it off perhaps we can then copy paste our intro bits into it to give it some weight!
Aria
The DW summary is in my Conflict IC thread
<<here>>

Because they've been taken over by Ares by summer '72 then the node architecture can be anything you want, anybody can be in charge...I've only really documented them up to '70 apart from this last post.
Sir_Psycho
Great, I've been going over your character sheets and backgrounds and brainstorming and finally the IC thread is up, under Deep Six: Burn it down. There's no real OP, just a character list, I'll leave the first posts for you guys to copy and edit as you see fit, and then I'll jump in tomorrow. I hope everyone is still around and still excited, thanks for putting the effort in, now it's my turn to reciprocate.

By the way Aria, I like your drawings, maybe if I ever get around to using the scanner I have in another room around here I can show you some of my sketches, too.
Aria
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 15 2011, 03:19 PM) *
By the way Aria, I like your drawings, maybe if I ever get around to using the scanner I have in another room around here I can show you some of my sketches, too.

Thanks! That'd be great...I've got a large seclection of other people's artwork clogging up my hard drive smile.gif Deviant Art and Elfwood are great sources of inspiration.
Sir_Psycho
My internet was ridiculous this afternoon. Couldn't even get to the end of the OOC thread. Seems to be alright though, but I'll save my posts just in case. So far I'm using 2nd person, directed at you, mainly to get into the the experience. A tense scene in an elevator, and penetrating a secure node.

Alright Tanegar, I'm partially through your post. Then I'll get to Aria's. I've rolled initiative for the two suits, I won't post their dice pools, but they each got one hit. Their reaction score is below yours, you have the first move. The one in the elevator doorway, to your left, is reaching for something, a weapon. What he says when you look at him counts as an Intimidation roll. The other is stepping towards you and will make contact on his first combat turn.

Intimidation modifiers:
+2 They outnumber you.
+1 He will soon be armed, judging by him reaching into his jacket.
10d6.hits(5)=1
Also, what he's saying counts as an offense, and due to your thunderbird mentor spirt, you have to roll dice or respond in kind, which would be an insult.

So Aria has given you a backdoor? That's fine with me you have security access, you haven't done a matrix perception test yet so I can't tell you anything about what icons are or the node, so for now I'm just describing. Post your results via invisible castle if you want to do the perception test. You are logged in on a registered account, there's another icon, but you don't know what it is, roll stealth if you don't want whatever is behind it to notice you.

After you read the IC post:
[ Spoiler ]
Tanegar
What's the initiative order? Corvina, Arthur, Goon 1, Goon 2, Corvina?
Sir_Psycho
Corvina 14
Arthur 12
Goon 1
Goon 2
Corvina
Goon 1
Goon 2
Barring injuries.

In case it wasn't clear, the intimidation is to force you to look away, and not target him for a spell. You don't know what the other is armed with, due to the low perception hits.

Are the posts enough to get you guys started? I haven't written in quite a while, so I may be a little off.
Tanegar
Gotcha. Although they don't outnumber us; there's two goons against Arthur and Corvina.
Sir_Psycho
Sorry, I didn't count her. If you insist I can re-roll, but they do have the upper hand, they believe it's an old man in an elevator, a magician, but alone, with a cane. I could justify on and on, but if you feel the roll is unfair, we can go again, or you can add a +1 for having your ally spirit there to compensate, but that shouldn't become a precedent. Remember, you have Corvina, who may choose her own course of action based on what happens, but is also an instrument of your will, and you don't need LoS for that. It's a little strange, but I really like the use of intimidation in combat - like in the case of a hold up, or commandeering a car with a gun in the face, or in this case, as soon as his roll comes up, he'll be covering you with his pistol.
Tanegar
No big. I posted Corvina's first action and Arthur's response to the "worm" comment. I don't think the goon will like it much. wink.gif
Sir_Psycho
Could you post a page reference for Influence as a spirit power, I can't seem to find it or modifiers for the resistance test. I remember something about the "wrongness of a situation". If it works like the Influence power on page 210 of SR4A, then you can roll his 4 dice against Corvina. If succesful, I'll make him shoot his buddy on his turn.

Could you also post final drain after spells in the OOC thread? The spoiler OOC in the other thread is fine, but you can do it in here too. Easier to keep track of drain. And one more thing, could you post a final link of your character sheet, I can't seem to find it, and the slow connection speed makes searches laborious.

His roll against the Clout spell. Plus 1 Edge. So no affect. He saw you taking LoS and moved.
5d6.hits(5).extra(6)=4
Tanegar
Reference IC post
Final Drain: 0 (Clout 2DV, Arthur's drain resistance: Logic 5 + Willpower 5 (10d6.hits(5)=5))

Character sheet for Arthur "Merlin" Garrett

QUOTE ("SR4A @ p. 296")
INFLUENCE
Type: M - Action: Complex - Range LOS - Duration: Instant
The Influence power allows a being to insinuate suggestions into a target's mind, predisposing that person to some form of action, reaction or emotion. Make an Opposed Test between the being's Magic + Charisma and the target's Willpower. If successful, the target will carry out the suggestion. If confronted with the wrongness of the suggestion, the subject can make a Willpower test to overcome it as described under Mental Manipulations, p. 210.


I take that to mean that if Goon 1 notices Goon 2 pointing his gun at him, Goon 1 can say something like "What are you doing?!" and Goon 2 will get a(nother) Willpower roll to resist Corvina's Influence. If Goon 1 is focused on Arthur and Corvina, then Goon 2 just shoots him.

Side note: Do these guys really have both Body 4 and Willpower 4?
Mister Juan
Don't worry. Not dead. Just very busy. On a good note, I finally have the internet at home!
Sir_Psycho
Good to hear. I can only access the internet on a laptop that doesn't have permanent residence in my room, with my desktop and it's archives of accumulated shadowrun and general GM stuff. Once you get your post up we'll have the game up and running. Excellent.

QUOTE (tanegar)
I take that to mean that if Goon 1 notices Goon 2 pointing his gun at him, Goon 1 can say something like "What are you doing?!" and Goon 2 will get a(nother) Willpower roll to resist Corvina's Influence. If Goon 1 is focused on Arthur and Corvina, then Goon 2 just shoots him.

That is a good way to look at it. I read it as a circumstantial ruling. Something like "You will let me into this club", the bouncer assumes the idea, and as he carries it out he see's the magician is well dressed and has a girl on his arm, so the thought has an immediate veracity. Shooting some-one's friend and colleague in the back when fighting a magician is... well, I imagine it's just rather unsavory.

As for Body and Willpower It seems so, in fact those are their best un-augmented attributes. Ares doesn't just hire toughs off the street, and if it does, it gives them a nice suit and an Ares Arms weapon in their holster.

Speaking of holsters, Goon 2 quickdraw test and more:
[ Spoiler ]


edit: Goon 1/2 situation resolved under the cut.
Aria
Matrix Perception = Computer+Logic+Adept+PuSHed = 11D = 3 hits (capped at 5 by analyse program)

Stealth = Hacking+Logic+Adept+PuSHed = 12D = 5 Hits smile.gif (capped at 6)

In essence I'll try and stay hidden while assessing this strange icon

I don't usually post at the weekend so I'll try and get some IC going today / tomorrow once I know what I'm looking at smile.gif
Sir_Psycho
A shadowrun game is a gentleman's agreement, I believe, but it would probably be more uniform if we all linked the roll lookups. p. 228 in sr4a says you can ask for three bits of information about, well, anything I suppose. I guess what's going on with the water and the fish would be one thing, what the icon in the gasmask is would be another, and you'd have one more. But to be expedient, I'll answer three hits worth of node info. If you want more then you can have your three specific questions.
[ Spoiler ]

Hopefully you can turn that into an IC.

edit: Tanegar: In case you missed it, I edited the post above and Goon 1 is no longer a problem.
Aria
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 18 2011, 11:22 AM) *
A shadowrun game is a gentleman's agreement, I believe, but it would probably be more uniform if we all linked the roll lookups.


smile.gif All my Invisible Castle rolls can be found under the link in my Sig. I'm a lazy git when it comes to linking everything so I make sure that it's easy to find the roll once you follow that link (and linking when I'm at work never seems to work properly anyway frown.gif)

If you want me to link them individually I will though...

Will try and get that IC up this afternoon...looks like this place is being taken apart at the seems so something interesting might float to the surface!
Aria
Doh, forgot my +2 HotSIM bonus nyahnyah.gif Ah well, will have to remember next time!
Tanegar
Would you allow a custom metamagic technique? This isn't something I see coming into play anytime soon, but it is something I think fits Merlin's character.
Sir_Psycho
Mister Juan grabs the first Karma point award. My jaw dropped a little.

Tanegar: I like the idea of free spirits inhabiting different locations on the astral, but I think it could be represented without a metamagical technique. I read the post, too, and it terms of themes and roleplay, I'll use the idea.

One of my problems with it, particularly the high force, is that suddenly buildings would have their own say in their affairs. In the airport example, imagine they want to knock down a terminal to extend the facilities, F12 Airport spirit is pissed off, does everything it can to obstruct the work. This would happen nearly everywhere, when the human interest in the building conflicts with the spiritual interest, conflict ensues.

Other than that, we can functionally include the idea in the game under rules as written. You astrally perceive a local spirit, get it's attention, have a conversation, do some social rolls, maybe some magical tests like binding if you want to force co-operation. If it's high force and/or you glitch, the spirit is pissed off and will probably attack you and besmirch your good name amongst it's fellow spirits.
Aria
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 19 2011, 09:18 AM) *
Mister Juan grabs the first Karma point award. My jaw dropped a little.

Second that! Bleak, bloody bleak smile.gif
Mister Juan
In the strangest of ways, you both just put the biggest smile on my face smile.gif Whatever happens today, I'm going to be in a great mood for the rest of the day!
Thank you so much!

You can't imagine how much I appreciate it when people like what I write, or are at least somehow touched by it.
Thanks a lot!
Aria
Finally got round to rolling for the data search (need to up that skill!)

Extended Test Browse for files (using data search skill?) + logic + PuSHed + hotSIM = 9D = 5, 5, 3, 0, 1, 3 hits (capped at 5) - not sure if we are using diminishing dice pools?!? I can just take die off the end and let you know the hits...

Analyze for any data bombs/viruses = Computer+Logic+Adept+PuSHed + hotSIM = 13D = 5, 4, 3 hits (capped at 5 by analyse program) Rolled 3 for now but can do more

Do you need any more rolls?
Sir_Psycho
My internet is rubbish. I can't even load to the end of Deep Six without the download stopping. I'm not sure what's going on. I'll try again tomorrow and see if I can get through reliably enough.

I was thinking that a part of the elevator ride would be a good opportunity for some roleplay. Has Merlin ever seen a man die? Does he approve of Corvina's actions and attitude?

Once you've shown Arthur's impression of the situation, the elevator stops at the 20th floor and the lights go out, leaving you in darkness punctuated by flashes of the storm, overlooking seattle. The elevators have glass walls, and are on rails mounted on the side of the building. You see at least two rotor-drones circling the building shining spotlights and two black helicopters reach the building and make a beeline for the roof. Once you've done that, I'll do up a post.
Tanegar
Done. Corvina is definitely the more streetwise of the duo. wink.gif
Sir_Psycho
And violent! If you want to keep spoiler free Tanegar, don't open the last spoiler tag on my Deep Six post for Aria.

Aria: Swordfish buzzed you with Analyze 5. 10d6.hits(5)=3 Not enough to beat your five hits. If you want to describe it IC, the swordfish program is a mechanical swordfish with swivelling headlamps for eyes and a vibro blade for a nose, it's a good resolution icon of menacing design, with a jetstrem of blood in it's wake.

edit: I'm noticing Corvina exhibits a lot of strange knowledge for a spirit, the comment about the machine pistol, and particularly the comment about spyware. It makes sense she may not trust Schrader, but the matrix knowledge seems out of character.
Tanegar
Well, I put it down to the fact that she's been around for ten years, with a more intimate connection to the mortal world than an ordinary spirit. She's been immersed in a mortal culture to a far greater degree than your average elemental. She can't use a commlink herself, but she's heard people talking about things like spyware. And then, of course, there are those trashy adventure novels, whoever the Sixth World equivalent of Mack Bolan is. cyber.gif
Mister Juan
@Sir_Psycho
Damn! Somehow, I missed the post that was for me! It's really damn awesome by the way wink.gif I love how you've pretty much kept the tone and mood I had started with. Just awesome wink.gif I'll have a post up as soon as I can. Do you still want me to get Dexter all the way to the liquor store?
Sir_Psycho
QUOTE (Tanegar @ Jul 21 2011, 03:35 PM) *
Well, I put it down to the fact that she's been around for ten years, with a more intimate connection to the mortal world than an ordinary spirit. She's been immersed in a mortal culture to a far greater degree than your average elemental. She can't use a commlink herself, but she's heard people talking about things like spyware. And then, of course, there are those trashy adventure novels, whoever the Sixth World equivalent of Mack Bolan is. cyber.gif

I don't know a Mack Bolan, is he like Mathew Riley who writes like those action B movies where there's a fast pace and some satisfying explosions but at the end you don't really remember what the point was or who anyone was? I never read any Shadowrun novels, compared to Neuromancer and Count Zero, which were written in a strange, cryptic show-don't-tell style, that my posts will never capture enough to set that cyberpunk feeling. A sprawling confusing mess of plastic and metal, sent down the tubes by some corporate mil-spec ice, chem use, your bank account, making a deal with the devil to keep it together.

Anyway, Aria's post is up, and slightly edited since I wrote it very late last night until a head-ache put me away. Another paragraph that was supposed to be in the Mother fragments under a file edit tag, and changed the name of the agent from Valkyrie to mermaid to fit the Deep Watch node's aesthetic, and just tried to make it less of a mess. Sorry, bad brained.
QUOTE
Damn! Somehow, I missed the post that was for me! It's really damn awesome by the way [img]http://forums.dumpshock.com/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif[/img] I love how you've pretty much kept the tone and mood I had started with. Just awesome [img]http://forums.dumpshock.com/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif[/img] I'll have a post up as soon as I can. Do you still want me to get Dexter all the way to the liquor store?

Just for reference and a visual map of the immediate area. The Nuevo Dorado is on the south side of the street, which runs east to west. It's a two lane road in bad repair, with potholes, effectively reduced to a one lane by the occasional burnt out car the vans and lowriders mounted on the curb that the vatos use for business in pleasure, in their brothels and dens eastways, from where you are facing, to the immediate left and beyond of the liquor store. West slowly degenerates into tempo affected favelas i mentioned in my post, full of diseases, fire-arms, and a brutal sex industry, run by cut-throat gangs.
Mister Juan, before we see how this shakes out, roll perception. Because of cyberware, you get +3 to sight and hearing tests, and I assume there's some other modifiers, like select sound filter, although reading the description in sr4a it only allows you to block out and select sound groups. If you choose that Dexter is actively observing the street and not distracted, then you can also wave the -2 interfering noise modifier. Whatever you think fits the character's mood and standard procedure.
Perception modifiers: Partial light reduced to zero, street light glare reduced to zero. object/sound not in immediate vicinity -2. You can choose if Dexter is distracted or not for -2. Interfering sight/sound (late night trade is in full swing, for a seedy dive, that is.) is -2 as well. I'll rule your spatial recognizer applies a +2 in this instance.
The threshold is 3. If you fail, you just hear the gangs and the sounds of their music, vehicles, and girls. go into the bottle shop and conduct your business and make a move to leave the bottle store. If you succeed,
[ Spoiler ]
Tanegar
QUOTE (Sir_Psycho @ Jul 21 2011, 11:36 PM) *
I don't know a Mack Bolan, is he like Mathew Riley who writes like those action B movies where there's a fast pace and some satisfying explosions but at the end you don't really remember what the point was or who anyone was? I never read any Shadowrun novels, compared to Neuromancer and Count Zero, which were written in a strange, cryptic show-don't-tell style, that my posts will never capture enough to set that cyberpunk feeling. A sprawling confusing mess of plastic and metal, sent down the tubes by some corporate mil-spec ice, chem use, your bank account, making a deal with the devil to keep it together.

Mack Bolan is the protagonist of an extraordinarily large number (over six hundred, according to Wikipedia) of what I take to be extraordinarily trashy adventure novels. I've never actually read any of them, but the local used-books store has shelf after shelf of the damned things.
Aria
Wow...what the frag?!?...that post is going to take some digesting before I post IC smile.gif

Love it!
Sir_Psycho
Silk: Anything you want to clarify about the data OoC before you post. It might clash a little with your story, but there's a lot of lies, false fronts and cover-ups, ideally, in my Shadowrun. Deeper layers could totally change the opposition and the stakes.

Off topic mostly under the cut, mainly about good SR books for inspiration. Spoiler tags to save space for clarity in the thread.
[ Spoiler ]

Tanegar: A question, given project Bloodstar, there's a chance some form of HMHVV infected are going to take an interest. I have at least one objection to vampire rules as written, particularly the severe allergy to wood which... well, go on. Just picture it in your mind.
[ Spoiler ]
Tanegar
Cybertechnology is the book you're thinking of. Hatchetman's story is my favorite piece of fluff for any RPG ever. Bear in mind, though, that Hatchetman got turned into an actual cyberzombie, which Pope isn't (not yet, anyway).

I'm not following you on the vampire wood-allergy issue. It's meant to simulate their traditional vulnerability to being staked; what's the problem?
Sir_Psycho
Tanegar, IC is up. Read that, then this before replying.
[ Spoiler ]
Sir_Psycho
QUOTE (Tanegar @ Jul 22 2011, 08:56 AM) *
Cybertechnology is the book you're thinking of. Hatchetman's story is my favorite piece of fluff for any RPG ever. Bear in mind, though, that Hatchetman got turned into an actual cyberzombie, which Pope isn't (not yet, anyway).

I'm not following you on the vampire wood-allergy issue. It's meant to simulate their traditional vulnerability to being staked; what's the problem?

I think by rules they have negative modifiers by just touching that allergen. I like the idea of the stake or other melee weapon stopping the regeneration and/or powers of a vampire, but wood allergy seems a little strange, furniture particularly. What do you think about that, at least as a distinction. I also assume they don't regen from magical damage or maybe fire damage. It's not RAW but I would be comfortable with replacing it with a silver allergy, but that's up to you. I'll have a read of the HMHVV virus stuff.

edit: Ah, I now see your avatar is from Cybertechnology. I agree about the full on cyber-zombie comment, but it's a great example of cyberpsychosis, there's a lot of other cool side-affects and fluff for ware in there. Do you have the book Mister Juan?

edit: Ah, there's some much more interesting stuff on TLE-X in Cybertech, and a related disorder Catastrophic Clonic Seizure Syndrome. TLE-X lists "feelings of alieanation, depersonalization, and perceptual distortions" and the rules are penalties to charisma, reaction, perception and the effects "make his social responses subtly innapropriate" Sounds a bit like Dexter's hallucinations and his depression. Can't wait to move forward and see how it all affects him.
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