Fortunate inded that Marseilles was picked ostensibly im there for the mentioned reasons (as much as the jesuits know) in my bio, spoiler below for you Aria as to why the others sent me. Hope this makes it easy for you to link us up

As a non Practicing Huguenot.. I approve of that Oath
It was spot on awesome.

ty lol its actually a real catechism i found but for a much darker cult thing so i adapted it

@Aria, E:PL:
I will be putting up a few posts over the next couple of days detailing Copper's recovery and actions after the ambsuh. If I understood correctly, E:PL will kick off in July (game time), so I can take a couple weeks for Copper to recover and set some business straight?

@Aria, The Citadel:

Ælias is setting his character's stats as:
Attack 4
Strength 3
Defense 4
Toughness 3
Skill 6

Also, separate question: What is the premise of the FreΣdom game? I might be interested in a different PC for that.

Aria. i've got no problem gming you playing multi-chars, though the people who own those chars might. Here's what I'll propose: from this point forward, you can play them, but none of the consequences apply to them outsid eof the scenario. I.e no cash, no karma, they don't add to your cash/karma, and if they end up violently dead they aren't actually dead 2072 wise.

Now naturally, this leads to a possible "preserve silk" mindset, so we'll say who ever is most banged up by the end of it is the damage etc silk assumes.

@OGDWD: Great first post for Mr Hill! We're cooking on gas here ...just clarify something for me...is the BL a Catholic organisation or an anti-Catholic one? It's probably clear but I wasn't sure when I read it the first time?!? If you can copy/paraphrase the section from the Aztlan sourcebook on the New Jesuits + anything you have on the Templars it will save me digging the old SR books out of the loft Will have to read up on the dragon too! Good stuff

@Notsoevildm: E:PL is set in July so while I work things out please do post as much as you want! Feel free to encounter the Stillwater lot / Dr Finney and you and Dealer may want to talk to Argent (she is a reasonably well connected fixer and you have an in!) How do you and Dealer fancy going to Chicago on your leg of the journey? Either there or Boston are cities I'd like to 'explore'...if you have another preference then please do say, it just has to be outside Seattle...

@Trigger: Can you add the game stats to your main character sheet (spoiler tag will do...) so I don't loose them? Thanks. Freedom is one of the earlier threads in the game...in essence it began with some runners in the wrong place at the wrong time, they snatched a fleeing kid and got shot at for their trouble...then some shooters shot the shooters (confused yet?) and they had an escape across Seattle pursued by mysterious black ops guys. Then a hacker contacted them to help them out and get them to investigate why the kid was running in the first place (The Freedom hacker gang was attacked by corp types and dogs and then someone else tried to make it look like gang violence). The original team seem to have all left but Sabs is coming in from a different angle to investigate the attack...you'd be very welcome to join in as another character if you liked!

@Applied Cheese: The multi characters I had in mind are all my twisted creations but I agree about the damage thing, I'll treat it like playing a 4 headed Silk in a single post (That way karma will effectively be awarded as if I was playing one character...oh and as they are all mine, if they end up dead then they'll stay that way...subject to the vagueries of SR anyway, I've had PCs/NPCs come back from the dead before ) It wouldn't start up until we resolve IOAB anyway so hopefully you have another mini scene in mind?!? I will probably work Balefire into E:PL as NPCs but I would like to establish their characters as PCs too...(and I want to write up convincing backgrounds for Sirene and Bale...stats are all in my PC threads under my sig if you want to track them down...will link them here once we're nearer playing them...)

Any thoughts about how we resolve IOAB without the others (hopefully only temporarily)? I'm reluctant to take over another person's character but I guess the GM could notionally plot their actions?!?

Quick last note, I've heard from Friendbot and he's swamped at the moment, hopefully he will be back with us before the end of the year! Get ready to dust those bounty hunters off!

Yay!

@ aria

The New Society of Jesus, or New Jesuits (introduced in the Aztlan sourcebook) protects the catholics in countries like Aztlan or Tir na nOg, where they are persecuted. That is, establishing safe houses to celebrate mass, escorting local bishops when they move around, and spying on the local security services to prevent roundups.

The New Order of the Temple, or New Templars (introduced in Threats 2) runs black ops. While the New Jesuits try to protect the Church where it is needed, the New Templars action is more about extending the Vatican influence by overthrowing governments, blackmailing influent people, assassinating enemies of the Church... In 2062, there was about 600 "knights" (all magically active priests) and 6000 "sergeants" (priests and deacons, most of them mundane). The knights use the Sylvestrines as a cover, and it is assumed the heads of the Order of Saint Sylvester also are Templars.

The Vigilia Evangelica (introduced in Loose Alliances) is even more secretive and compartmented than these groups. The Vigilia Evangelica have been existing for centuries, to gather and hide knowledge about the previous age of magic and evil forces, storing artifacts and writings in several hidden "Aquinae vaults". Its members can belong to any order of the Catholic Church, hiding their affiliation even from their own hierarchy (so yes, you can have a New Templar posing as a Sylvestrine while actually working for the Vigilia Evangelica).

The Black Lodge (from Threats) has been created by renegade Vigilial Evangelica members who pillaged the original Aquinae vault in the thirteenth century.

in addition courtesy of synner with what he meant to publish about the black lodge:

The following section is a summary of what was dropped from the Game Info section of Loose Alliances on the Vigilia Evangelica. It remains unpublished and hence unofficial. I've been saving it in the hope of returning to the Vigilia and the Lodge some day but... I'm not sure I'll be able to revisit them anytime soon, so here's a peek at what I was thinking.

BLACK SECRET
One exception to the Vigilia Evangelica's rule of absolute secrecy is the Black Lodge, for the Lodge and the Vigilia share a secret history. Unbeknownst to anyone outside the order, the Lodge's founders were once the caretakers of one of the original Aquinae Vaults. Some time during the Middle Ages, a brief mana spike released something caged within one of the relics under the Vault's care. An ancient spirit was unleashed and insane from millennia of captivity went on a vengeful rampage, ravaging the abbey it was kept under, killing many of its Black Monks (Cistercians, yep that's where the "Black" in Black Lodge comes from) and Templar knight wardens. However, having depleted its energies, the entity was forced to take refuge in one of the survivors by possessing him and merging their minds as the spike began to ebb.

During convalescence the man became privy to flashes of insight, memories of a secret history of the world. Visions of an Age when the remnant spirit had been a rebel, a Prometheus who had challenged the immortal powers that had then ruled the world and had been brought low and chained for eternity. The monk dreamt that those powers had also survived into this world and were destined to one day return. The spirit weakened urged him to warn the others, to warn the world. Other survivors found enough confirmation of his visions in documents and pre-Classical relics at the Vault that they decided to take the revelations to Rome.

When the then-Pope granted audience and allowed the survivors to speak, the weakened spirit attempted to reveal itself to the Pontiff to warn him of the impending danger. The Pope hadn't realized this was a case of possession and ordered his guards to detain the possessed man and those brethren that had been exposed to him — so that the Inquisition and the Vigilia could perform an exorcism. The Papal Guard was unprepared for even the weakened spirit and his nigh-invulnerable host. Killing several guards, the man escaped using the spirit's power to influence his brethren to flee with him. The fugitives returned to the Melk vault* ahead of their pursuers and took everything they could, convinced that given time Rome would understand the true danger… meanwhile someone must prepare for the war that would follow the return of the Immortals. The escape cost the spirit much of its remaining energies and before falling semi-dormant it offered a Spirit Pact to its vessel, one that would ensure it would be survive to execute its revenge.

Meanwhile, the Vatican did not come round, and the Pope ordered the "traitors" hunted down and burned at the stake. The Vigilia, stung by the betrayal of its sacred duty, obliged bringing all its power to bear. The purges that spelled the end of the original Knights Templar are well known, the inquisition of many Cistercians less so. Despite their best efforts, the possessed and his brethren escaped with the help of friends in the regular clergy… escaped to plan the future, the spirit's pact keeping the man with the vision alive to become known as the Penultimate Master of the Black Lodge.

So it came to pass that the Black Lodge was ready for the return of magic. It has built its own far-reaching shadowy network of influence, fear and power in preparation for a shadow war against the returning Powers. It has manipulated and maneuvered its pawns and agents into positions of power and influence in the highest circles of political, corporate, and of course thaumaturgic power—after all fire can be fought with fire. It has crushed opposition and innocents in its path to power, seeing them as lesser casualties and collateral damage in the great war to come.

Unfortunately for the Lodge, the true story of the schism with the Vigilia has become buried in centuries of bad blood and enemity. Long-forgotten the reason for the Lodge's "treason" all that remains is the memory of the betrayal, to the point that the Vigilia and the Church continue to hunt down the Lodge wherever they come upon its interests — and remain fearful that the Lodge may make a move for one of the remaining Aquinae Vaults and the secrets they harbor.


Schwartzkopf however, has not forgotten

@ Aria, The Citadel:

Threading Spoof: Software 3 + Resonance 5 + Hot Sim 2 = 10 dice
2, 5, 6, 5, 6, 2, 4, 1, 2, 3 = 4 hits, taking 3 to raise Spoof to 8

Fading to resist 3P: Willpower 5 + Resonance 5 = 10 Dice
1, 4, 6, 3, 5, 4, 3, 1, 6, 5 = 4 hits, take no damage

Spoof test to spoof bones into inventory; Hacking 4 + Spoof 8 + Paragon 2 + Hot Sim 2 = 16 Dice
3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 2, 1, 3, 3, 1, 3, 4, 1, 6, 2, 5 = 2 hits, spending Edge to reroll failures
3, 5, 6, 4, 2, 3, 1, 4, 2, 4, 5, 6, 2, 5 = 5 more hits, total 7 hits.

@ Aria, E:PL

Posting something to establish Ælias in Seattle and to do a little to flesh out his group contact.

Disguise 1 + Intuition 4 = 5 dice
2, 5, 5, 5, 2 = 3 hits

@Trigger: No problem on the Citadel spoof...your creative tinkering doesn't seem to have been detected so far...you can carry on with that and we'll see how they react to you/your bones.

Your disguise is holding too! I'll let you run on some more with that too unless you want some GM input sooner?

@E:PL: I should have a couple of scenarios for you before the week is out...feverishly sorting them now

@Notsoevildm: I've not set you on the E:PL path just yet because I want to timestamp it in July...but I'm quite happy to skip through a quick courier job if you like or you can extrapolate the details. The package is a focus that needs to be taken to Portland via smuggler routes. Argent will put you in touch with one if you don't know any and they'll take you from Fort Lewis and head south.

@OGDWD: Just bought Conspiracy Theories and I noted the Black Lodge was mentioned there so I've got some reading to do

@Sabs: Think I'm waiting for you to see how you want to react to the gangers pointing guns in your direction...Jazz has an AK! but if you are waiting for me then give me a nudge and I'll move it along!

As we don't track lifestyle costs month to month in 2072 I've got no problem with this! If you make a 'generic' safe house then it will be wherever you need it to be - the advantages of being part of something bigger than yourself!

Just need to dig out my copy of Dragons of the Sixth World now...damn thing doesn't seem to be on the pdf download sites so I'll have to hunt the loft

AWESOME!

Well, I made a perception test
and I activated some activsofts. I believe I was waiting on you to tell me how that worked out.. before I stepped out of my cab.

Oops, will sort that for you...

Cool, btw.. I shall be away from keyboard from today @3pm est.. till tuesday morning.
*dances* Going to Hotlanta for TurkeyDay.

Have fun

@E:PL / Copperhead & Dealer (& Ælias) – Argent / Stillwater want you to pick up a package in Chicago and bring it to Stillwater. Ælias, having read through your background in more detail I think you will be heading up this run if that’s ok with you? You’re not sure about the motivations of the Stillwater group but they have a sizable collection of TMs and they have provided the Refugees with help in the past. You have even been given access to their UV node from time to time which is a place of wonder!

Copperhead & Dealer, I will assume you are both already outside Seattle and will have a virtual meet in a node of your choosing. Ælias can probably travel more or less legally so there’s less issue with him hopping on a flight (you can pick up a gun or two in Chicago with no trouble!). I like the idea of the slightly nerdy TM being ‘in charge’

Can each of you provide me with a location stamp for July 7th 2072 and I will write you in?

@E:PL / Gemeaux, Mr Hill - You two are on your own on this one, it didn’t really make sense to bring a Seattle runner to you as you are both Europe based (for now…). I suspect Mr Hill will be the defacto leader on this one with his connections to people smugglers…I will provide an NPC runner if you feel your team lacks certain skills?!? You will be asked to pick up your package near the University in Marseille and take them to a target location in the UK. As you don’t know each other you will be introduced at the meet which will be in a small, chic bistro off the Old Port. Mr Hill, your masters want you to find out about the organisation that is squirrelling away TMs and what use those abominations are being put to. Gemeaux is clearly just hired muscle for the job…or is he?!? Don’t forget to play up that paranoia flaw (and you may wish to change the loyalty ratings of your contacts as you currently don’t trust any of them!!!)

Location stamps from you two please too…

ok though i trust my current contacts from 2 years of famliar dealings... if they hadnt betrayed me by now i have dirt on them. In that case ill get a post up here and try to capture the suave gemeaux in all his franchophone glory in my post. I edited my contacts to reflect proper things. After all cant always trust your fellow conspirators...

@JxJxa: I actually had an idea if you want to play along... Im planning on doing another post with my masters/ the church in marseilles. I was considering doing a retro active post where I had been given information on your sordid past (in the churches view) and was going to have it be a case of you seeing me outside that little cafe on some street corner selling indulgences (they actually work too!) . That way you have an inkling of meeting me before the meet. Maybe you get chased by some more thugs and I intervene and offer you a chance to work and most importantly, to disappear, for a while with the blessing of Holy Church... whether or not Gemeaux would go for that isnt really thequestion but i bet it would be fun rp hair raising for both sides to see each other at the meet.

@OGDWD: Sure, sounds good. Put up a post and I'll follow. I'm still writing a follow-up post to the cafe fiasco, but I'll bump the timeline up. He's going to be in La Ciotat on May 1st and should be back in town after that.

And some days the backhoe digs up 50 ethernet cables...

@Aria; E:PL:

I don't know much about the Stillwater Group, and I want to play with introducing him to them in May and then working with them more in July. Ælias is not one of the best TMs in the Refugees, and while I think that a few of the others have worked with Stillwater, not all of them have. I think the time frame though will give him time to get established with them before doing the run with the others.

I was trying to find a 'data search' that I'd written on the Stillwater community but I don't seem to have written up a concise one as yet (remiss of me as they've featured in all my Emerging games so far...), I'll do a list here and try and expand on it as required (I'm not saying that all this info is true, but this is what you've heard):

• They are a 'commune' of hippies, back to nature and transhumanist types on the edge of Redmond
• They are protected by the 'Wolf Pack' lead by a ganger/runner called Feral
• They are lead by a council of elders
• They must have corp backing as they've got too much cash for a grass roots organisation that they pretend to be
• They were attacked in 2070 and nearly wiped out but they've struggled on since. They hired Ares to deal with their attackers
• They have a UV node and a 'large' number of TMs working with them to maintain it. Nobody really knows what their agenda is but they run 'real life' simulations in the node, hiring in outside people with various less than legal skillsets...
• They have an impressive cyber clinic which churns out some strange clones and other transhuman stuff
• The Stillwater Circle is an initiatory group with a strange mix of traditions
• They have at least one AI working with them
• They eat babies!

If anyone from the Emerging games wants to add anything please feel free

@Copperhead: I probably should have explained my vision for the Cougar Mountain lodge a bit more but actually I like your version too so we'll run with that The focus is some sort of summoning focus and is a small 'marble' figure of a serene young girl sitting cross legged with her skirts spread around her...

We can arrange for you to have some equipment in CHicago I'm sure, wouldn't want you to feel naked

@JxJxa: Right first post is up if you want to intro where we meet. Hope that didnt sound too heavy handed with Holy Church wanting to play you/ us as puppets but such is life eh? Anyways my general idea is that you meet me at Liane's doing what wenchers do best. Ill be one Mr. Hill, new to Liane's (but she can tell you all the dirt on how I'm an even match for you in inseminating the local populous, and known for selling fake indulgences as a fraudulent priest to boot, but very much in the know about smuggling (or so its rumored)) and you can either get jumped by more goons here to catch you (only if you wish of course, just throwing out possible plot hooks) and have me get involved with you escorting me to the UK. If thats not up your alley feel free to ad-lib.

@OGDWD: Lol, it wouldn't be a self-righteous religious organization without some heavy-handedness. I'm up for any of those plot hooks, and a second wave of bounty hunters might be the right way to shove the two characters together. I'll start writing a segue. It's probably going to be that glass of wine with Lianne after a successful wetwork excursion, but I'll toss up a short summary. I've been using my pbps as writing workshops, and the last few have gotten a little long.

@ Aria,

TO be clear, we're actually going into the nuclear-irradiated-bug romp of Chicago, or just hanging outside with an Ares fronted research lab package delivery in mind?

@Aria / EPL
I was thinking my next post would be in Chicago, possibly delivering the focus and getting hooked into EPL proper. Do I have a contact to deliver it to? A meet location? I have an idea that will ensure that Copper is properly equipped. She was just bitching about her contacts - they actually know their stuff.

Assensing on the focus - Snake would never forgive her if she did not check it out: Int 3 + Assensing 2 = 5d6.hits(5)=2

Can you think of a better place to hide a group of TMs?!? ...and besides, Ares cleared all the bugs out, didn't they?!?

Without spoiling my initial briefing (which should be up shortly), you will be going into the former containment zone, grabbing your package and legging it back to Seatle!

There's still a bit of a timestamp lag between you picking up the focus and the start of E:PL (a couple of months I believe) so as long as you add some 'lie low' kind of stuff into your post then that's fine. Applied Cheese seems to have got you doing another little courier job with some trid chips which can either combine with your focus mission - on the two birds with one stone principal - or be just after it. Either way, factoring in a week or so to travel via land and some waiting around probably covers the lag?!?

The focus seems to be a unique enchantment tied to summoning a specific spirit of man with predefined powers. Any tradition should be able to use it to summon the same spirit. You are taking it to a mage working outside the former containment zone in Chicago. The focus makes you feel calm when studying it and may be healing related in some way...more than that will take dedicated study.

Oh, and the Toymaker is a troll enchanter if it makes any difference to how you IC all this...he also dabbles in technology, drones etc...he probably doesn't work for Horizon but may have been using their labs for a crafting venue

Ok, E:PL for Ælias, Copperhead and Dealer is up and running...if you want more meet details I will probably fill them in when Trigger asks for them, rather than write it all out three times

E:PL for Mr Hill and Gemeaux will wait until you've played out your scene at the brothel...I want to see what you come up with

Any questions, just ask!

@Applied Cheese - can I IC Silk getting the Captain and Robert into the lifeboat and bugging out or are there more surprises up your sleeve?

@Jx: you going to put the post up or do you want me to do something?

Hey, sorry I haven't posted yet. I have been working all weekend (oh, being a movie theater employee), but I should get a chance to post some IC things tomorrow before my shift.

Also, one question while I am thinking about it. Is it a karma per every 2 IC posts for any IC post, even things like the between game downtime-y kind of posts? Is that the same with the 2500 per 2 posts as well? Thanks, just trying to make sure I am reading it correctly.

@Aria-Silk: I had a whole series of surprises up my sleeve, actually, in a classic tucker's kobolds sense (well, if tuckers kobolds wereon a ship speeding towards a KE Port-Authority free fire zone), but it would probably end lethally for some char's who aren't here, so why don't we fade to blackish...

@OGDWD: Ugh, sorry. With Thanksgiving and the Star Wars The Old Republic Beta, the weekend just got away from me. I'll have something up tonight. x_x

Ok, I know it's a pain when something gets abandoned mid way through but it would be a bit difficult to rationalise a new PC joining us in the Sound! As with SK I'll be vague about the way the run ended but that it was enough to convince Silk to help restart Balefire. I'll write an intro section shortly and post the character links:

Balefire

• Bale - Human M Combat Mage (the original Bale's brother)
• Silk - Changeling F Infiltrator
• Requiem - Elven M Samurai
• Sirene - Free Spirit (F) Face

I'm hoping to persuade Sabs/Fractal to join us as a PC decker rather than drag him into E:PL too...can you come up with something suitably nasty challenging for us to do?

right just posting my rolls so you know its legit


Summoning Angel of Vengeance (Spirit of Man who looks like Gabriel)
f5
summoning
14d6.hits(5) → [4,6,3,2,6,4,1,3,6,6,43,2,1] = (4)

spirit tries to resist
5d6.hits(5) → [2,5,1,2,1] = (1)

3 services owed

autobuying drain (as i didnt even use my focus for this)

casting Improved reflexes

12d6.hits(5) → [5,5,4,5,2,5,1,1,6,3,2,6] = (6)

using 3 and putting it on my sustaining focus. Now at 8 Ini and 3 IP

resisting drain of 3 (3/2 rounded down + 2)

autobuying drain using rule of 4

casting and sustaining f5 combat sense

10d6.hits(5) → [5,5,6,1,3,2,6,4,3,5] = (5)

+5 reaction for all surprise tests and for defending against ranged/melee attacks (gg to the upcoming surprise test thats going to happen when i come at them from behind )

resisting 4 drain (5/2 round down +2)

13d6.hits(5) → [5,1,6,2,3,1,6,1,6,3,3,1,4] = (4) no drain

@ JX: I figure its time to go to combat, that last bit is my first set of actions whenever i get to my initiative. This way Aria can begin the gming .


Initiative for Surprise (since ill probably surprise both Gemeaux and his admirers )

8 + 5 (combat sense) + 6 (ambush) = 19d6.hits(5) → [2,5,4,6,4,1,6,6,4,2,2,5,5,1,3,3,2,3,2] = (6)

figure since Gemeaux is facing my direction you at least get the perception check to notice me rounding the corner but the goons dont.

Initiative for the actual combat turn: 8d6.hits(5) → [6,2,5,6,5,4,4,4] = (4)

Going on 12 base with 3 IP and none of the goons can act against me or my spirit until IP 2

I'll make the assumption that these aren't a group of 8x 400BP shadowrunners who have accosted Gemeaux...that would be nasty () but they will be a bit better than street punks so expect somewhere in between. But there's no way they are beating 6 successes from the old priest selling nicknacs! Even the one at the back who is watching you will be surprised out of his wits I suspect...but I need to clarify, do you have those spells precast because casting a force 5 spell is likely to use up your surprise action...!?!

EDIT: Never mind, should have read the IC post first Ok, roll away at your stunbolt and the spirit's actions (I'm assuming you command him the turn before unless it's a free action? Can't remember at the moment...)

Yeah the spirit was commanded prior to initiating the ra... err ambush. its a simple for future reference, pg 168 sr4. The stunbolt is going to be going for the goon giving me the wtf look (who i assumed to be the Troll leading from the back of the pack).

Spirit's initiative for surprise:

12 +6 (surprise bitches!) = 18d6.hits(5) → [6,5,6,1,6,1,3,6,4,2,4,6,3,1,2,2,4,4] = (6)

lol woo! just had to check to make sure they couldnt act against him either.

he has the innate spell stunbolt ofc.

rolling my stunbolt, overcasting cause of the ouches incoming:

f10 (rape train for one of us lol) stunbolt: (10/2 -1) = 4 s drain to resist

5 magic + 5 spellcasting (using my focus for soaking drain) = 10d6.hits(5) → [3,5,2,1,6,2,4,4,6,5] = (4)

so 4 successes on spellcasting test

and then if he doesnt resist thats 10 + net success S

autobuying hits (8 cha + 5 wi + 3 combat focus = 16 d6) no drain


the spirit will nuke either the troll if he isnt down (unlikely unless he has super willpower i dont think) or will be aiming his stunbolt at the next most threatening of the goons.

casting an f5 stunbolt

magic 5 + spellcasting 5 = 10d6.hits(5) → [1,3,5,5,2,4,4,1,5,6] = (4)

drain resist vs 1 drain

5 cha + 5 will = 10d6.hits(5) → [2,5,2,6,5,1,6,4,2,5] = (5)

no drain

I figure goons with guns are comfortably between the Beagle Boys and capable shadowrunners. Unfortunately for me, I'm running under-armed (chameleon suits and sniper rifles aren't proper dinner attire in classy joints), but I'm hoping I'll survive...

Initiative: React(8 ) + Int(3) = 11d6 for 2 hits. Init is 13/3 IP.

Iaijutsu for my pistol (La Réponse): React(8 ) + Firearms(4) = 12d6 for 6 hits. Channeling my inner Han Solo, I guess.

La Réponse:
Ammo: EX Explosive
Damage: 6DV, -2AP
Range: Short: 0-5m, Medium: 5-20m, Long: 20-40m, Extreme: 40-60m
RC: -1
Improved Range Finder
Internal Silencer

Targeting the goon closest to me for two shots and then using my free action to move to cover:
Shot #1 (Iaijutsu-draw+ shot = simple action): React(8 ) + Firearms(4) = 12d6 for 3 hits.
Shot #2: React(8 ) + Firearms(4) - Recoil(1-1RC=0)= 12d6 for 6 hits.

Let me know if I need to abort to full dodges or whatnot.

Since this guy is playing a little more "plain-clothes" than I originally anticipated, I'm picking up a few other gadgets for him. I completely forgot about contact lenses with smartlink in them, so I'm going to pop those on to get the extra +2d6 on my firearm rolls. Other than that, it looks like it's time for me to peruse the fancy wear armor...

@OGDWD: Sorry to be a pain, not sure whether you are using SR4 or SR4A but in the A version you can only add spellcasting foci D to the casting not to drain resistance (makes fc 10 stunbolts a little more risky!) - At least I'm pretty sure that's right and the forum seemed to agree - Don't worry about changing anything now but from now onwards we'll use this rule. If you want to tweak Mr Hill as a consequence I'm happy for you to do so!

I know it's a pain but I'd also prefer to roll drain for spells / abilities that are used "in combat" as there's always the chance that the D will screw with you

IP1:

• Troll goes down like a poleaxed sapling, your spirit of vengeance has knocked another one effectively out of the game. All 8 6 are surprised by you (no surprise there!).
• Gemeaux fires two shots - ganger 3 is out of it with 2 bloody holes in him
• The first three persuers are dimly trying to line up shots on Gemeaux while also seeing what the hell is going on behind them, the others are pretty much standing around with open mouths

Ok, on to IP2 and it's Gemeaux and then Mr Hill and finally whoever of the sorry gangers is left standing...

Something that has worked well in the past is to roughly decide your actions for every IP in the turn and roll those - you can always retroactively abort if you decide to dodge something or react differently to what the enemy do - that way we can sometimes speed through turns faster...

fair enough, i will see about changing up the foci then. I was going via sr4 which said it could be used to soak drain. ditto on rolling .

Kk so im working on the numbers and switching foci around. Just want to make sure you are ok with this first:

Im taking out the summoning and combat foci (total of 32bp refunded from both their money and binding costs) *but not losing the restricted gear quality.


Using 6 of that bp to take the 2 spells mind probe and mob mind with bp rather than karma as they were atm. (which refunds 10 karma)

If its ok, since i was in the group Benandanti as an initiate ill pay the karma cost with my oath ordeal, since i had to take one. which means i pay (13-40% = 7.8 rounded up) = 8 karma for initiating to grade 1 (so im net 2 karma unspent compared to current).

using that initiation to grab the centering metamagic (free action to increase drain resistance, has to be noticeable (praying in my case).

Using 12bp to get an f3 centering focus (3 to bind, 9bpx5k nuyen/bp to buy)

bumping father randal to loyalty 6 2bp

bumping Rex taylor to 5 loyalty 4bp

bumping rex taylor to 6 connection 1bp

bumping father matos to 1 connection 1bp

taking Con 1 4bp

specializing con (fast talk) 2bp

net changes, 0 bp, +2karma unspent.

If thats ok Ill just assume the foci i currently have used in game except the black cross (which will be my centering focus) and the sustaining focus (which is unchanged) were borrowed artifacts temporarily blessed by the priory, that or they harangue me for using them in public and confiscate them.

Additional note on playstyle: yes that change is just as powerful as my old setup but the drain thing is what got schwartzie to notice him in my back story. Also, just rp wise i dont intend to have Anselm throwing that nasty of a force spell as a common occurence, just when he needs his Lord to pull his hoop or a needed resource out of the refiner's fire.

This i figure, gets Anselm an extra push to leave France, as i plan to have the abbot furious at such an open use of high magic (hence the confiscation of the summoning and combat foci) even if the sylvestrines (who are infiltrated in the local security) managed to cleanse the signatures and ritual evidence (you sweat alot when throwing that kind of magic around) before others got to it. He now has to leave to guard the package but also to reduce heat on him in France.

If you approve everything in the changes, then next actions for the next 2 IP are as follows:


Anselm:

Generally will continue tossing bolts of wrath at the heathens unless i come under severe fire etc etc and my normal ability to dodge just isnt able to keep up with the damage. If they try closing on me I will instead cast levitate and get away from them by going up (so as to keep los and rain justice on them).

IP2 walking to cover/peaking around the corner where i am, 20 meters away from the party.
Free: Center himself with prayers for mental discipline and fortitude (latin)
Complex: f10 stunbolt at the next target

5 magic + 5 spellcasting -2 sustaining (combat sense) = 8d6.hits(5) → [6,5,6,4,2,4,2,6] = (4)

so 10s + net successes coming at goon 3

resisting drain: (SR4A, pg. 184 ---Note that wound modifiers or sustained spells have no effect on the character's dice pool for Drain Resistance Tests.)

Cha 8 + Will 5 + centering focus 3 + 1 initiate grade = 17d6.hits(5) → [2,1,1,6,1,2,1,1,2,5,3,5,5,3,2,6,4] = (5)


no drain

IP3: movement: same as IP2 unless the goons close on me.
Free: Center via prayer continuously (Oh Fortuna Lyrics as that actually is fairly ominous sounding )
Complex: Next f10 stunbolt (after this in the next turn if there is one will limit to f5 bolts) he just feels the divine wrath at first

5 magic + 5 spellcasting - 2 sustaining (combat sense) = 8d6.hits(5) → [2,5,5,3,1,2,3,5] = (3)

ditto 10s + net successes at goon 4

resisting drain:

Cha 8 + Will 5 + centering focus 3 + 1 initiate = 17d6.hits(5) → [5,1,3,2,1,5,6,4,5,4,1,5,6,3,3,6,5] = (

no drain (but will IC it as intense effort and praying so hard that sweat is drenching me/ my nose is bleeding and my hands are red and raw.



The Angel will move to engage and nuke anyone in the goon group that hasnt been dealt with, particularly those threatening Gemeaux most.

IP2: move to engage in close quarters
free: "Vengeance is Mine!"
Complex: cast f5 stunbolt at chosen offender

Magic 5 + spellcasting 5 = 10d6.hits(5) → [1,2,3,2,5,3,5,1,4,1] = (2)

5s + net successes coming at goon of choice.

All of my dice rolls below the spoiler.