Ok - I'll wait for Jack and Chrome to check in.

Sorry, I don't really have any additional input at the moment, IC or OOC. We seem to be in the GM's hands as far as when we get contacted by Valkyrie.

The only alternative I can think of would be to turn him over to a law-enforcement entity along with the evidence. If the evidence is at his place, we could try to get his address from Ramirez or another contact and toss it. We would naturally run the risk of Lynx and crew showing up, assuming they know where he lives.

No problem - an answer of "I'm good with waiting" is perfectly acceptable

If Chrome has the same answer, I'll update a transition piece.

This sounds good. When the sun goes up, Amy will have to summon a new spirit to conceal us and keep a watch on spirits that might be looking for us.

If possible, it'd be good for Overkill to do some matrix searches on Valkyrie while we wait. The Chavez connection concerns me somewhat, if they're the ones who are running the drugs into the Warrens as an example..

-DrZ

Ok - first transition post up - another one to follow soon.

I can have Overkill do some searches as well in the meantime.

Has anyone heard from the real Overkill? When we wrap up this adventure we should figure out a plan going forward.

-DrZ

Sadly, no. He was last on when he signed off with us mid-June. I think he may unfortunately be gone for good.

I haven't heard anything from him either. It is a shame, but I certainly understand why he is gone

Busy a little at work today, I'm going to put the next post up sometime in the next hour or two, this will transition you to one of the three events I spoke of previously (I'll leave you in suspense as to which one )

P.S. Just in case, I'll have reloaded my weapons and have the AR ready to go since I am the only one in the backseat.

I'd also have the rotodrone shadowing us like before.

-DrZ

Rules question.

A spirit can use the concealment power to protect against the search power, does the spirit need to be in physical space (and manifesting) for this to be done? Can the concealment power be applied... without affecting physical appearance? After all, it's a use of the concealment power specifically on the astral forms of the targets.

This is sort of the basis for Amy's complaint IC. But I'm not sure how it all works myself.

Basically the way the rules work is that if you are using a power on something in the physical plane, the spirit must be in the physical plane. If it is using a power on something in the Astral Plane, it must be on the Astral. So your Spirit must be in the physical plane to use the power on you.

In addition, and this is something that we sort of spoke about months ago - I think, or maybe I had the discussion on the main rules forum, does concealment work at all when you are not trying to hide?

So for instance, if I walk down the street, a guard will automatically be able to see me, no die roll necessary, because I am making no effort to hide myself.

If a Concealment power is used on me and I do the same thing, does it necessitate a die roll then? If so, then that means the power is active and making you pseudo invisible.

If that is the case (and I believe that is how the conversation ended up) - then it becomes a problem if you want to go talk to Valkyrie - in that she isn't going to be able to see you to speak to you number one, and number two, she isn't going to want to necessarily do business with a bunch of people who walk into her bar under a concealment power of a spirit - it doesn't bode well.

P.S. It also doesn't indicate in the rules that if a spirit uses a conceal power on the group that the group itself wouldn't suffer the same penalty to see each other - which makes it interesting, in that Stinger probably wouldn't even be able to see any of you as you were talking - something I hadn't considered. Not going to retcon that, but it is something to think about.

I thought we ultimately decided it wasn't invisibility and that there had to be some reason that the person attempting to spot the protected individual would have to make a check in the first place in order for it to work (i.e. distance, environmental conditions, light, protected subject actively attempting to sneak, etc). So someone in plain sight with no modifying factors wouldn't gain the benefit at all.

I could be totally wrong on that too. I do remember we had the discussion somewhere since I had another character at the time who was dealing with the Concealment conundrum at the same time.

ETA: I can't remember if I mentioned it earlier, but the newest errata fixes the whole "spirits can only perceive using astral perception on the physical plane" BS. They now apparently perceive with normal senses (or heightened normal senses if they have them) in the real world.

If that is how we came down on it that is fine, I have no problem with it at all - I just couldn't remember how we ruled it

Is that how we want to play it? I like that a little better, it certainly is easier to RP with. If so, I'll add a note to the "rules" section of my original post of the OOC thread in case it comes up again.

With regards to spirits - good, glad they ruled that way, makes much more sense now

Concealment is a physical power, right? I'm just wondering if it would work in the sense that they were aware the person existed, but they ignored them because the power created a mental block of some sort. There was some fantasy novel or somesuch I recall where it worked like that (I'm drawing a blank at the moment). That would be a very generous way of ruling the power, however.

I figured it out! It was the Grey Men from Wheel of Time.

Yeah I'm okay with (and mostly knew) all those interpretations. I'm glad they fixed the physical senses issue.

What I was wondering about is that Concealment has this special ability to protect against the Search power (which although physical, allows for performing it entirely in the astral). I should have realized that Concealment doesn't have any special ability to protect while the critter is in the astral.

Anyway, now that I've re-read the rules for Concealment, (apart from realizing that the number of targets is Magic*5!!), I'm wondering about the last sentence: "The effect lasts until the target is spotted or the critter stops sustaining the power."

Does this mean that the spirit doesn't need to see the targets to keep the power active once started?

@Grease - it doesn't work like the Grey Men in Wheel of Time, that would be too powerful.

So this brings up the next question. The power lasts until the target is "spotted". Does that mean it fails an opposed test, or if it is spotted due to being seen when not even bothering to conceal?

Here's what I mean.

If we play that if you are walking down the middle of the street making no effort to conceal yourself, or having a conversation with your Fixer, for example, then the Concealment power gives you no benefit, and the other people see you. Does that mean you are spotted and the power ends?

I'm thinking yes.

I think the best way to envision the power is enhancing your ability to remain unspotted, and you have to be actively doing something to have that power enhancing it (even if that just means keeping to the shadows or staying in a fog bank - I don't mean you have to be performing Sneak tests).

Once you call attention to yourself - either by failing an opposed test or starting a conversation with someone or something like that, the power is over, and the spirit would have to use it again at a later point when you are again attempting to conceal yourself.

In answer to Chrome's question, yes, once the spirit has activated the power, they no longer have to maintain LOS to you to keep the power active. They do, however, have to stay in the Physical Plane (since you are on the Physical Plane) and they must stay within 600 meters of the caster.

Thanks for the clarification, this all makes a lot of sense to me.

@Lobo: The Grey Man thing, I agree, would be too awesome to actually be used

I still am fuzzy on the concealment thing, but it's probably best to just move on. In my head it'd be like blending into the background when you're trying to stay hidden in a sniper's nest; once you start moving around the whole thing becomes complicated and somewhat arbitrary.

@Team: How would we feel about having Stinger conference-call in from the trunk of the car using a Fly-Spy drone? I'm mostly kidding, but it would A) get Valkyrie to make him pay through the nose, and B) Help conceal him longer. Food for thought!

-DrZ

Interesting idea! I'm in favor of not letting Stinger meet Valkyrie face to face, if we can help it. Makes it safer on us.

Yeah, I think the Fly-Spy is a pretty good idea, it just wasn't mentioned in the IC thread, so Jack wasn't able to respond to it. The only problem I can think of is whether the Fly-Spy would allow two-way communication. Valkyrie could definitely see and hear him, but he wouldn't be able to see and hear her. If we're just using it for proof of life, that could probably work too.

Just use the same old burner commlink we've been using all along for a video call, no?

Not sure about the logistics of all of that nor the capabilities of Valkyrie's crew with respect to intercepting/tracing commcalls. Lobo would probably have to opine there.

I kind of like the idea of just using the Fly-Spy to show proof of life. Don't we have his request to contact Valkyrie recorded on video? We can show her that, show the proof of life Fly-Spy video, then hopefully have her agree to heading to his house. Not sure if she would agree to any of it without nuyen up front from Stinger though...

We can always haul him out after we're confident it's less likely to be a trap. The whole ransom note thing will also show that we're serious..

-DrZ

With regard to the Fly Spy idea - Jack is correct - the Fly Spy can transmit the data to Valkyrie (although I suppose technically it would have to send the data to Grease's commlink which he then could put up into AR for Valkyrie to hear/see) but Valkyrie would not be able to communicate with Stinger.

You also have hit on the other snag - which is the money from Stinger, which I am sure he is going to want to give direct to Valkyrie.

How is he going to do that without accessing the matrix? It's not like he has a certified credstick on him right now.

I think we can act as intermediaries. We present the case to Valkyrie, negotiate for Stinger on his behalf, then go back to him to let him know the price. He can accept it or get shot.

-DrZ

Btw - just in case it doesn't come across this way (since the internet sucks at non-verbal cues and tone) when I present problems like that, it isn't me trying to shoot holes in your plan or cause problems, just more giving you a heads up of things you may have to deal with later on so you can plan.

ETA - I'm not posting as you guys are roleplaying very nicely. I'll stay out of the way until you need me

I don't really feel like we actually have the leverage here needed to pull this off (particularly with regard to Valkyrie), but I don't really see an alternative. We should probably move the plot forward.

- Stinger stays in the trunk with an active Fly-Spy and the spirit concealing him
- Overkill hangs outside at a distance, providing overwatch with his own Fly-Spy
- Grease, Amy, and Jack go in and try to negotiate with Valkyrie using the Fly-Spy's camera to prove that Stinger is alive

Maybe we try to cut a side deal with Valkyrie. The main problem being we really don't have much in the way of money.

A good face could talk his way out of that

Perhaps convincing her that we have a job that will land us more money and that we will share it. Tough pill to swallow though, I'll give you that. This is exactly where street cred would play a big role.

As an aside, I think it's possible I may have NEGATIVE street cred. Certain qualities add or subtract to your street cred, so if you're dealing with someone who has heard of you they may know that Grease is a bit of a tweaker. Part of the issue with this system in general is that there are too many modifiers like this to keep track of easily (at least in my opinion).

-DrZ

ETA: If this is our plan, I'm ok moving forward, unless Jack or Chrome want to respond IC.
ETA2: I would have Grease stop and change at some point into his nicer clothes, since he is currently dressed like a tweaking hobo at the moment. First impressions are important!

I think it is called Notoriety and I am pretty sure you have it due to your addictions, but not positive. Then again, I don't know if the rules ever address what Notoriety actually does.

I'm good with the plan as such. If Valkyrie doesn't like it, we can always pull Stinger out of the car. Not ideal, but we weren't able to prep the battlefield for this deal.

Ok - as long as Chrome agrees with it, we can move the plot forward one hour (or until Lynx catches you, whichever comes first )

Sunrise will be in around 10 minutes -what force and type of spirit does Amy want to summon?

Also, am I correct in that Grease wants to bring you all to his house to shower and change?

Reluctantly, I think so. He'd prefer not to have anyone know where he lives, but also is afraid the other locations are compromised.

-DrZ

ETA: he would definitely refer to it as "a friend's place.".

Yes I'm okay to move ahead.

Amy will try to summon a Man Spirit F4, with Spell:Invisibility when the other spirit leaves at sunrise.

Amy summons
12d6.hits(5)=6 Reduced to 4 by limit

Spirit Resists
4d6.hits(5)=0

Amy resists drain (minimum of 2DV)
13d6.hits(5)=5

No Drain - 4 services.

Grease,

I realized as I started to write this post that I was going to have to make up what Grease's house looked like, and I think it adds more flavor to the game for players to imagine their own dwellings - do you mind putting up that post?

Basically it should start with you heading to your home (don't know if you are inviting anyone inside either) and end with you getting back on the road.

Chrome, you can put up a post about you summoning the spirit and using up one of its 3 services to Conceal Stinger or whomever you want it to.

Once those are done, I can post the next installment

Nice post both of you

IC is up

Since we're in the non-Warrens part of the UCAS, Jack is going to leave his heavier armaments in the car. He's got his Streeltine Special and I guess he'll go ahead and bring along Stinger's Colt Agent Special with the wireless still turned off. I assume I could use that with no problems. I guess his helmet will be in the car and he is wearing his glasses for the time being. No reason to stand out too much.

No problem on all counts.

There does not appear to be any biometric safety on the Colt Agent, so you can use it like any other pistol.

Grease will also deposit his weapons (I imagine he brought the throwaway, the L36). Feel free to post to move stuff along.

Thanks
-DrZ

Amy just waits for them, not carrying any weapons on her at the moment. In a situation like this, I imagine she leaves her bag (with survival gear (and knife), reagents, etc.) in the car.

I am very curious (from a "judge intentions" standpoint ) How Valykrie reacts to me naming Lynx, and her answer (obviously).

-DrZ

So I get no read on her recognizing the name?

(As an aside, and I don't mean to tell you your business, but you don't have to show me these rolls like you did with Stinger; I'd prefer to remain ignorant )

Ok - excellent - I was just putting the dice rolls out there since we've been doing that previously - I have no problem keeping them secret.

She betrayed no emotion over the name Lynx apart from irritation at your breach of etiquette (in her opinion).

How do you deal with the etiquette skill? In my group, it's happened that we allow an etiquette roll to reflect the character's mastery of etiquette rather than the player's. Not hurting someone's feeling in a difficult high-stress situation could really call for an etiquette roll imo (with negative modifier).

I will leave it up to Dr. Zaius on this if he wants to retroactively modify his post.

Given the way he has Grease act, he does not balk at ruffling feathers and acting inappropriately when interacting with others.

If this is a case where Dr. Zaius (as opposed to Grease) did not know that asking about a Fixer's clients is a problem, I'll allow an etiquette roll if he wants to modify his comments and then I can change my post accordingly.

I suspect, however, given the air of nonchalance and ease that Grease put on when he arrived, it seemed deliberate.

Of course I do not know Dr. Zaius's intention when he posted, so I'll wait for his answer.

It was intentional. I was hoping for some nonverbal cue (a twitch of an eye in recognition, her frown increasing slightly) to betray if she already had an arrangement with Lynx and we were walking into a trap. As it stands, I'm forced to assume she doesn't have an agreement (or at least, she's good enough to hide it from Grease, who is good at reading people), and we can proceed.

Make sense?

-DrZ

Absolutely - I had thought it was intentional, but didn't want to speak for you - glad you clarified

I believe that the ball is in Grease's court now