Sweet!
Of course, Al doesn't really do AR, but just to ask a couple of things OOC…

1. There was an earlier reference to when LeFey noticed Neurostun distribution systems in the schematics she had for the house areas - are those part of the automated defences? If not, what are they?

2. How are the five sec personnel armed? If the ARO doesn't say, how about the two guys sent to watch Al and Jan? There was talk of stun batons and tasers, but again, that was about the house areas….

3. Sixty inhabitants at ten muster stations - that's more than the total sec force - is there some sort of patient hierarchy, or non-security staff supervising these sixty, sort of like the doc Jan threatened?

4. Just one more time, is that Dollhouse photo you linked earlier really representative of the interior decor/design (pools, furnishings, etc.)?

Thanks!

@LG

Nikki wouldn't like this guy pulling Lany away from her - don't know his motives and despite Lany's clear efforts to de-escalate the tension, is this guy really going to listen to her?

If she receives no signal from Lany to disengage from the attempt of a private 1-1, Nikki will insert herself and force this guy to recognize her.

Should I assume though that I have heard everything he has said due to distance and sound, or through Lany's sharing of sound feed?

1. Just upstairs, nothing like that down here. There is a hidden induction rail mounted above head height that has a couple of armed/surveillance drones running around it. Passive defences are more along the lines of concealed doors

2. SMGs seemed to be the order of the day. The batons and tasers were upstairs

3. The sixty include the grey clad staff, one assigned to each muster station and a couple of extras. There is no mention of patients in the ARO or anything of similar terminology

4. For the sake of having everyone with more or less the same mental image of the place let's say it is!

@JustKelly, assume Fischer included you in the invitation to meet the director (with a nod if nothing else)...sorry, I didn't mean to imply otherwise, it's just that Lany seemed to be 'doing the talking'

@Aria/LG

All super useful, thank you!

Finally, didn't mean to get sidetracked or wrinkle things by chatting up my grunt minders - I probably should proceed to link up with Jan, if you wanted to just let me know if the guards are moderately cordial, or all stoney-faced, or what.

@Tribes -

Okay, Monday has come, and for those of you still fully or partially with us, have posted as promised.

Made what rolls and assumptions I had to in order to get the combat turn started, hopefully will have some more declarations from people now.
As for rolling dice, did what needed doing, and don't mind, but most will have more fun doing it themselves.

The trolls are both just going full-auto rock and roll on Darbis. What I wanted to do was have them both attack him, and then just assume all the rounds in that little corridor were effectively suppressive fire on everyone else. But that is not really how it works.
So fluffwise, they are just laying it on him, but in game terms one has attacked Darbis, but the other is laying down suppressive fire on your group.

Boone - this was a hit-the-dirt action to get through that door. Take five off any subsequent initiative roll.
Other players, don't take this as a precedent to assume other doors are unlocked!
Boone will hide in this room safely until I hear from Umi.

Frizzen - unconscious but pure fluff. Armor absorbed all damage, but knocked back, hit head on floor. Drace, you can wake up with a headache but no actual game damage at any point, with the same -5 to initiative as Umi for hit-the-dirt.

Maus - need to know if you want to take your chances with the suppressive fire, and if you survive your spell will be next, or if you want to take the hit-the-dirt interrupt…in which case still roll for your spell, just a bit later.

Monkey - you have already declared full-D, bringing your initiative from 20 to 10. But turns out that hit-the-dirt will be more applicable in this case, so if you want to drop prone, your initiative will be 15. Either way, you won't get shot quite yet. But I have no other actions declared from you...

Darbis - based on your IC speech, went with a long-burst on medium choke. That did a huge amount of damage to both trolls. Unfortunately, their soak vs. flechette was pretty cool too, and they are both still on their feet, if maybe a bit bloodied.
You have taken five boxes of stun damage - not quite enough to knock you down.
You have four left on your initiative. You should also be subject to the suppressive fire right now, as you do not have enough left to spend on hit-the-dirt.
But I forgot about that, and have already posted IC.
So you got lucky, and your second action needs declaring. Your shotgun is six rounds lighter.

Kettle drops to the floor screaming.

Tommy - you dodged the shot. Then you see her duck behind one of the stall-tents.

Anyone can IC their responses, impressions, or the beginnings of actions.
People that do not declare will simply be unconscious or laying low.

I thought we were in the corridors that are "behind the scenes" of big malls/bldgs and vendors aren't visible?

@Tribes

To the floor as an interrupt, Maus and bullets don't play nicely together. At the first opportunity she will target the most threatening/aggressive Trolls with a F6 Manabolt.

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

Drain
7d6.hits(5) → [4,4,5,1,1,3,5] = (2)

Sorry, no problem with initiating conversation, I'll try and get some IC up again soon but yet again RL is interfering in my RP schedule

Check out IC post 166 again.

Yes, these are the serviceways built to be behind the shops.

But this is the Crime Mall now - pretty much anything goes - if people can carve out a space and make cred, they will.
And these less visible areas are where the real ugly stuff happens…and that stuff is where the real demand and margin differentiations are...

(the more I think about this place, the sillier it gets in my mind - I think you could work out a whole economics- and sociology-based exploration of how a place like this could function - done well, could be a whole campaign setting - but there are a lot of serious problems to be solved that make the old "dungeon ecology" issues seem like kids stuff)

Capital!

No worries, and no hurries.

Happy to wait.

Just didn't want to have been disruptive.

Great - again, itching to resolve this now, but will give people another couple of days to chime in IC or OOC.

@Tribes

Ahhh the dreaded waiting game Not that I can really say much as I make y'all wait on me on the weekends

Yeah, if Al catches up with Jan then we can push on into the facility. While you're crafting that IC, I don't really want to go further in until I know what I'm facing in case I describe it differently (as I don't really know where we're going or what to expect). But for your post assume that I'm weapons drawn, carefully but quickly heading in the direction of what I think will be the muster stations, using corners for cover at each turn until I can see it's clear.

@LG: As ever, would have liked to do that post more justice but pushed for time, I hope it gives you enough of a stepping stone for more action...

In determining the layout of the place I'm happy for you to use your imaginations a bit and describe it as you see fit (as long as it's consistent with all the other IC so far and the Dollshouse imagery...) that way you won't have to wait for me too much. I trust you not to try and describe it in a way that impossibly favours your characters

A trust woefully misplaced, I fear!

Actually, it almost feels like you read my mind. But I'll just LOOK for the things that favor us, and then ask for oonfirmation…

First, always scouting for good hides in case things go seriously south, are the four small pools actually one big pool, with the planking just stretching across? Underneath the planking small-human-navigable?

Second, to Al's eyes, this place is a big whirring swirl of electricity just waiting to be weaponized. He is looking for innocuous-seeming conductive surfaces + access to voltage that could = a suitable booby-trap. (Industrial Mechanic 6, Logic 5, Juryrigger quality…"improvise a one-shot weapon or device from disparate components"). Don't know how much time we have, and the rules are totally vague on how long it would take, but seems like something worth trying to throw together...

Jan proceeds along the corridor, moving from covered machine-gun nest to covered machine-gun nest, laughing as the automated mini-guns overhead spray bullets into the attackers...

No comment
Very little hiding space - the pools do offer some potential concealment, yes it's one pool and you can get under the walkways...

Well there's the induction rail above head height...that's got to be laden with current!

Great - thanks and thanks!

Well, not sure any trap I could cook up would be worth risking damage to some sweet rail-mounted sentry guns…

I'll keep looking, see what things are like when Jan and Al get to this breech point the Deltas are taking us to...

@Tribes - okay, no one else around, so will resolve Maus's spell.

Looks like one box of stun drain for you, Vegas. Your spell nails him hard enough that he is visibly shaken, though still on his feet.

I will probably wait until more is resolved before ICing, but feel free to IC your action yourself if so inclined.

Monkey and Darbis still have actions in this round, so I'll wait a few more days before moving on.

@LG
Hope I got the dice pool right.

Computer (5) + INT (5) +2 from Hot-sim -2 from sustaining Complex Form -2 from Running Silent = 8d6
8d6.hits(5) → [4,2,3,3,3,3,2,6] = (1)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4539108/

Just 1 hit, though I guess I could try again. Is that enough to reveal anything specific about the personae in this host? What type of device the user is running, maybe?

@Tribes - well, I am going to declare this combat turn over.

Need initiative and actions for next combat turn.

(For people that could have acted in last turn but didn't, if you get something to me before I start resolving actions on this new turn, we might be able to squeeze your last-turn actions in - but if not, pretty easy to justify just hugging the floor for a few seconds, given the wall of the lead the trolls are laying down in your direction!)

Yikes!

So… first we are supposed to extract three (?) people if we find them…then we are supposed to make killing the incoming bad guys our primary objective (well, defend against them, but potayto potahto)…and now…I guess there is at least one of them we are supposed both kill AND extract!

All in a day's work, I guess.

@Tribes: Been sick, sorry for lack of replies. Hopefully my latest IC post will keep Monkey out of trouble for a while.

Great - normally slipping away at this point would be problematic due to the suppressive fire, but if you need to take a break, this will work just fine.

Let us know if and when you want to resume, and we will see if we can work you back in depending on where the action is.

Fortunately Monkey was hiding around the corner & not in the thick of things

If/when this happens in the future, feel free to take control of Monkey until I show up - I have a medical condition which can cause pain equivalent to a car accident WITH painkillers in my system with little warning, similar to fibromyalgia pain flares.

Well the clues were in the game title! Yes, I'm going out of my way to make the original brief as far from the final events as I can...what else could I possibly have up my sleeve?

@all - Just getting my bearings back at home. Will have updates in all games soon.

@LG/CoP: Apologies for the lack of action from me - the beautiful weather is hard to resist at the moment! Given how rare it is here in the sunny UK...

Hope to get some IC going soon!

@Tribes - okay, Vegas sent me her actions so I bumped.

Rythymhack, welcome, you are up - give me initiative and actions.

(And anyone else out there, please do the same.)

Will continue with the scene around the corner once Justkelly posts (welcome back).

Similar note to earlier - for those that have not posted for a while, all the damage is fluff. We'll work things out at any time you are able to return.

@ Aria/CoP: Just posting to let you guys know I'm still here. Just swamped with work/RL. x_x

I am activating Adrenaline rush (free action) Making my initiative 11+1d6. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4549233/ Initiative is 12. How far away are the trolls from me?

Ten meters.

It's your go - let me know what you do and provide any applicable rolls.


And VEGAS - your initiative will give you a second action in this turn...

Well, okay, I felt hesitant, but now I've run with it.
Happy to edit anything that doesn't jive.

And it could always just not work, anyway.

In case you want a roll (adjust as appropriate - lot of potential penalties, but then I think working on the fly is precisely what Juryrigging is.…):

Logic + Industrial Mechanic + Juryrigger bonus
13d6.hits(5) → [1,3,2,4,2,6,3,4,3,5,6,4,3] = (3)

@Adamu Ok. I am assuming I do not walk around with my knucks on. So I will Come up behind the troll on my left (my walk rate is 10). Assuming no modifiers +/- My roll is 14d6. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4551006/ 5 hits.

@Tribes - with the machine guns roaring, he never sees you coming (made your surprise roll for you), and you hit him hard, staggering him forward.

Color that up and IC if you want.

Then I'll IC the trolls' actions…Vegas, looking ahead, you're going to need ranged combat defense and likely damage soak rolls (lucky you've got those two spells going!).

@LG: Ok, quick roll call as I’m preparing an IC! Can you let me know if you are still around? Also a vague indication of upcoming absences for holidays etc would be useful so that I can try to keep on top of the game! I’ll be off at the beginning of August when it’s unlikely I’ll post for a bit and I expect things to slow up over the summer so please don’t think I’m hounding anyone!

Once again, apologies for any delays on my part, I hope you’re all still enjoying the game!

I am around, and here to go the distance.

Will be mostly offline around end-Aug to begin-Sep.

@Tribes

@Vegas - need a ranged combat defense roll - that'll be minus five for his autofire, but plus two for being behind Frizzen. Then add your Combat Sense, of course.
Then best give me a soak, adding in your Armor spell.
And once you've made those rolls you can give me actions/rolls for your second action of this turn.

@Justkelly - ready to move forward with your scene any time - just to recap, the pregnant lady you all were chasing took a shot at you and ran behind the vendor stall….

@Rythymhack - one troll shooting in the direction away from you, one troll about to knife you, your action to declare, with appropriate rolls

@Tribes Well... given the absolute *bleep*show of rolls I just made, can we resolve that before I declare second action. Maus might not have enough dice left to throw after that

@LG Sorry I've gone radio silent there, I'm still here (save for most weekends because of work)... just need to dedicate some time to really read IC + OOC instead of skimming to toss up another post. No major plans to be away from DSF for any extended time (as of this moment at least) for the foreseeable future.

I'm still here. Sorry I haven't posted in a week or so. I was mulling over what to do, then sort of forgot that I hadn't already posted.

Like Adamu, I'll be away end of August. Actually I'm unlikely to be very active for 3 weeks from 11th to the start of September.

@Adamu & Aria: So with Al's barricade are the muster stations behind or in front of us? I'm wondering if they can get to them without having to cross the barricade at all? I know they'll need to eventually, but my understanding is that there may be people in the stations we need. I've got an idea what I'd like to do for either eventuality

The barricade is between the muster rooms and the entrance ante chamber - there is another way in technically 'behind' you on the fire escape stairs but Overdrive is coming down those...

IC up, I've kept it brief so that you have a chance to react to the entry before I push on, and we give anyone else a chance to chime in too...!

Thanks for PMing the rolls.
You worry too much - Mr. Spray & Pray misses.

Need next actions from you (and everyone else).

If you want to IC a zillion bulets not quite hitting you (and best not to kill Frizzen!), go for it. Or I will cover it when I next post - whatever suits you.

Great, that's what I intended, to place it at a must-pass point if they want to get into whatever or whoever their target is.

Couple of points just to clarify on the current layout…

1) Seems there is a pond around the corner from us at their breach point. To my mind, that must be another pond from the one we saw when we first came in…? Or have I got turned around in my head…?

2) Assuming we want firing positions to shoot at anyone trying to get through or over the barricade, what have we got to work with?
In my perfect world, there are more of those interior balconies like in the picture - love to get prone on one of those and shoot down at them - good cover, stable firing position, and any grenade scatter to our front just drops to the floor below.

But if that's not available…doorwells, furniture, another pond to get into? Somewhere with cover that has a clear view of the barricade…

As for actions, Al will be delayed to shoot that frisbee the moment it clears the corner, after which he will move to an alternate but similarly configured firing position, in case it saw him and relayed his position before he kills it. Using shotgun now, APDS slugs…

Have already taken off the two dice for small target, leaving nine dice:
9d6.hits(5) → [2,5,3,6,3,4,1,5,4] = (3)

@Tribes:

Silkie's initiative: 2d6+7 → [5,4,7] = (16)

Street Grimoire has thrown a spanner in Silkie's path...Commanding Voice (her main power) now has two different rules and two different costs ...until I hear otherwise I guess I'll go with the SG one over Stolen Souls, take it at lvl 2 and have 0.5 power points to spend on something else! Makes more sense that First Impression would also add to the roll and that's no bad thing from my pov with a social limit of 7!


Yes, another pond...they must like the sound of water!

World's not perfect ...the entrance way is off the main space sure, but you are in a corridor with admin offices on either side. There are doorways to hide in but the rooms don't have other exits...of course you could retreat back to the main 'caverns' (there are two or three like the Dollhouse photo...)

Yeah, I am buying that as soon as I catch up on my posting here this evening.

All looks good, though.

Have posted what Silkie sees as she comes onto the scene, and let's count that as her first pass. Everyone else has had their first pass as well, and all the players are up for their second pass. Don't really care what order you all go in, so will resolve as I see declarations/rolls.

@Adamu expect an update from me after work (I need the rulebook in front of me).

@Looking Glass -

I am little behind on our comm situation…

1) Are we all assumed to be communicating?

2) Do our microtransceivers even work down here?

Increasingly important as we are all split up.

And key point - who besides LeFey knows that one of the people coming in here to kill us is someone we're supposed to extract?

Adamu beat me to the questions that were forefront in my head...

1: I'm assuming so
2: Yes
3: For the sake of expediency let's assume she's passed the information along!