I'm just leaving time for PG or Mel to respond to Jack's last post before continuing.

Don't wait for Mel...no need for her to respond here.

@PG,

I think you are a little confused - you can't see the multi-purpose room from the lobby. Jack can see into it as he passes by the door on his way down the hallway - so you can't take a picture of the two guys there (unless you and Huiquing also were walking down the hallway.)

My assumption was we were going to wait at the door at the bottom of the stairwell Jack went up... so yeah, I thought we were still with him...

Jack- if you wanted me to stay in the lobby, tell me so I can change the post.

I figured y'all were hanging in the lobby for ready access to the van. But given we're all new to working with each other, confusion can certainly be the name of the game.

@PG,

It is your call - whether or not you walk by the multi-purpose room, it does affect events going forward. I'm fine either way, just let me know what you decide.

I feel more comfortable securing Jack's access back down so I'll leave it as is.

Ok you will still have to edit your IC post a little

1) You don't see anyone in the multi-purpose room who matches Jack's description. You see several people in school uniforms, but all are in their teens.

2) You do, however, see two of the teens stiffen slightly as they see Huiquing walk by the door.

Hello all,

I just noticed that PG updated his post - I didn't see it before because I was waiting for it to pop to the top of the forum, but I forgot when you just edit a post it doesn't do that.

Any IC responses to his post, or should I continue?

None from Mel.

It kind of confirmed what Jack was assuming. Jack has already made his suggestions. He's focused on getting Bai and getting out of here.

Ok - so Jack will continue to climb the stairs all the way to the 8th floor, while Sisco and Huiquing stand in the hallway near the stairwell?

Any precautions being taken should the two people that were spotted do anything? If not, then I'll put up an IC post shortly.

We'll wait at the bottom of the stairwell, Huiquing against the wall in the corner on the same side as the door (not the one the door opens towards, the other one. I'll stay pressed against the wall right next to the door.

Mel will attempt to isolate the lighting control in the first floor stairwell, and if she can, she'll try to kill the lights.

Ok - a quick Matrix Search:

Comp+Int
11d6: 41 [11d6=2, 5, 4, 6, 5, 1, 2, 3, 5, 3, 5

So in a matter of seconds you find the icon controlling the lights

Next up, putting a mark on it
Hacking+Logic
12d6: 52 [12d6=3, 6, 4, 6, 3, 1, 4, 5, 5, 3, 6, 6] = 6 hits - reduced to 5 by limit

The Host Resists
6d6: 28 [6d6=6, 5, 3, 3, 6, 5] = 4 hits

So you put your Mark on it, and your OS is now 17

Next up, Control Device
EW + Int
9d6: 43 [9d6=4, 3, 6, 5, 6, 2, 6, 6, 5]= 6 hits - reduced to 5 by limit

Host Resists
6d6: 20 [6d6=3, 6, 1, 3, 1, 6] = 2 hits

You shut the lights off, and your OS is now 19

Ok - some OOC stuff.

Forgot to do this before, but every time Mel does a Sleaze action, there is a chance that the Patrol IC spots her.

Host makes a Matrix Perception test
10d6: 33 [10d6=6, 1, 6, 1, 5, 2, 3, 3, 2, 4] = 3 hits

Mel resists
Logic + Sleaze (This is the value of running Silent - it does negate the +2 you would get from being in Hot Sim VR, but without it, the Patrol IC would have automatically seen you.
13d6: 53 [13d6=3, 5, 5, 4, 1, 5, 4, 4, 2, 5, 6, 6, 3] = 6 hits

So the Patrol IC that is coming into the car will see you as any other ordinary visitor to the Host.

Back over to Sisco - and surprise tests:

Sisco gets Reaction + Intuition +6 dice because he is ambushing
17d6: 60 [17d6=4, 5, 5, 4, 2, 4, 5, 1, 1, 1, 5, 2, 6, 3, 6, 3, 3] - so he is not surprised.

The person walking through the door gets Reaction + Intuition + 3 dice (his is not ambushing, but is aware of the potential danger)
11d6: 31 [11d6=4, 3, 2, 6, 2, 1, 2, 2, 3, 2, 4] = 1 hit, so he is surprised.

Initiative

Unidentified Male Teenager
2d6+9: 13 [2d6=1, 3] - 10 for being surprised = 3

Sisco
2d6+11: 20 [2d6=4, 5]

So Sisco goes first - anything special, or just a right cross to the mouth?

Update - should have included this:


Mel
4d6+11: 25 [4d6=1, 5, 4, 4]
Jack
2d6+7: 15 [2d6=4, 4]
Huiquing
1d6+8: 10 [1d6=2]

So Initiative is:

Mel 25
Sisco 20
Jack 15
Huiquing 10
Unidentified Male 3

Nothing special, just an unarmed attack.

Ok

Mel 25
Sisco 20 - Throw Punch
Jack 15
Huiquing 10
Unidentified Male 3

Actions from anyone else?

Until I get an idea that something is going on, I'm still heading up the stairs.

Ok - Sisco strikes the guy
Unarmed + Agility
13d6: 49 [13d6=1, 6, 5, 3, 3, 4, 5, 4, 5, 2, 3, 6, 2] = 5 hits

Actually - going to give you Superior Position
2d6: 6 [2d6=1, 5]

So 6 hits, he is surprised so no resistance test, so you are dealing 7P base + 6 = 13P

He rolls Body + Armor of 11
11d6: 41 [11d6=5, 4, 6, 1, 2, 4, 6, 4, 1, 3, 5 = 4 hits, so he takes 9 boxes of Physical damage, well above his Physical Limit, knocking him to the ground.

Assuming that neither Jack nor Mel does anything, it is Sisco's turn again. (the 9 boxes of damage reduced his initiative score to 0, not allowing him to act).

Mel 15
Sisco 10
Jack 5

I'm not sure how far up Jack is or if he would have heard the punch. I do have my ear buds in though, which gives me a decent bonus to my dice pool to hear stuff.

Depends if you are walking or running up the stairs. I figure you would have had 15 seconds before the punch was thrown. A normal walking rate would probably put you at about 5 floors up.

Here is your Perception test to hear:

11d6: 42 [11d6=2, 5, 5, 3, 4, 4, 2, 2, 4, 5, 6]

That is Int + Perception + Ear buds + 3 for being alert, -2 for not being in the vicinity = 4 hits

So while you might not have heard the punch land, I would say you heard the body hit the ground.

The only thing I would do would be to send a text message across the comms asking for an update.

As a complex action I give the 'teenager' a resounding stomp to the head... and then as a free action action send a text message: <<@Team[Sisco] Just took out one of the 'teenagers'. Followed us into the stairwell.>>

Yes, I'm making the assumption I knock him out, but barring extremely weird dice, the additional +1 on the attack for him being prone plus the minus to his defense test due to being prone/wounded should do the trick. But hey, if I have to modify the text message due to that karmic die roll because I was a Mongol in a previous life burning down nunneries in Poland, so be it.

Ok then - so, that is:

Ag + Unarmed=13 dice, +2 for Superior Position, +1 for Opponent Prone is 16 dice
16d6: 55 [16d6=1, 2, 4, 5, 1, 3, 4, 4, 1, 6, 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2] = 4 hits

He attempts to Dodge
Int + Reaction, -3 for wounds, -1 for defending against a 2nd attack, -2 for being prone=5 dice
5d6: 16 [5d6=3, 6, 4, 2, 1] = 1 hit,

So you have a modified attack of 10P, which is higher than his armor, he resists:
11d6: 38 [11d6=3, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 5, 1, 2, 5, 5] = 5 hits

so he takes another 5 boxes of physical damage, bringing him to 14 total. While he isn't instantly killed, you've still broken his skull, and he is quite near death.

My character isn't doing much right now (which I don't mind, btw, since we're making progress) but I'll take the opportunity to say that I like that Uncle Morty a lot, and that "being pragmatic like the Clintons" was hilarious.

In real life there used to be this comedian Morty (I can't remember his last name). Anyway, while doing his skits he'd say, "Listen to your Uncle Morty when I tell you..." For some strange reason he popped into my head on one of my earlier posts and so I decide him thinking about his Uncle Morty's bits of wisdom would be a good character quirk.

Ok so:

PG is waiting in the same ambush spot in case anyone else comes along.

Mel is keeping in touch with Bai

Jack - are you just continuing to head up the stairs? Any other actions? Increasing to a run?

Let me know, and then I will put up the next IC post.

@Chrome,

Thank you very much for your patience, I'm sorry you got stranded for a while now on the side of the road. I appreciate you hanging in there with us.

With Sisco saying he's good, Jack will run up the stairs.

Mel is going to continue to monitor Bai's commlink, especially the audio, listening for anything untoward. If she picks up anything, she'll let Jack know.

She'll also stay in the Host as long as she can in case she's needed for more Matrix actions.

@PG,

When 10 seconds pass and no one else enters the hallway, are you doing anything else? Or just waiting for Jack to come downstairs?

Let me know, and then I can throw up another IC post.

Ok - PG said he is going to wait where he is until Jack gets there:

I'll have an IC post up in a few minutes, think about what your next move is (not just Jack, but everyone).

@Lobo: Can you remind us where we stand WRT Condition Monitors? Thanks

Good question.

Looking back, everyone is perfectly healthy except for Sisco, who has 5 boxes of Stun (which I forgot about)

However, looking back, he got more than enough hits to not be surprised, and losing 1 die on both of his attacks had no affect which would not have affected either of his attacks, and he would have gone at 19 and 9 instead of 20 and 10, but again, that doesn't change anything.

Does anything happen in the next 5 seconds or am I free to post that I'm following?

I just put up an IC post

What do you guys do now?

Just hurry up and continue to follow Jack

I'm assuming Mel follows Jack's direction:

Comp+Int
11d6: 43 [11d6=1, 6, 4, 5, 6, 1, 6, 3, 2, 3, 6] = 5 hits so you easily find the icon that controls the lock.


Next up, putting a mark on it
Hacking+Logic
12d6: 42 [12d6=4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 2, 6, 6, 1, 3, 4, 1] = 2 hits

The Host Resists
6d6: 17 [6d6=3, 2, 1, 3, 4, 4] = 0 hits (that was lucky that the host rolled as poorly as you did )

So you put your Mark on it, and your OS is still 19

You performed a Sleaze Action, so the Patrol IC has a chance to spot you:

Host makes a Matrix Perception test
10d6: 27 [10d6=3, 5, 1, 3, 1, 2, 3, 2, 4, 3] = 1 hit

Mel resists
Logic + Sleaze
13d6: 53 [13d6=6, 1, 4, 5, 3, 6, 6, 5, 4, 4, 2, 2, 5] = 6 hits

So the Host still doesn't know you are there.

Next up, Control Device
EW + Int
9d6: 37 [9d6=2, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5, 1, 1] = 6 hits, reduced to 5 by limit

Host Resists
6d6: 20 [6d6=5, 6, 2, 2, 2, 3] = 2 hits

You lock the door, and your OS is now 21

Fifteen minutes has passed since you have first used a Sleaze action, so your OS score increases:
2d6: 6 [2d6=5, 1]

So your OS is now 27

Just a heads up: I'll be out on vacation between May 22 and June 1, and I will have very limited access to the internet. I fear Snap might be in the action again by then, but we'll see.

Thanks for the head up - hope you are going somewhere really fun

I really, really hope Snap is back in action before another week goes by! And even if she is, you have been more than patient with us, we will be happy to accommodate you for your trip

I really don't mind it, it fits with the story and this kind of thing happens in most RPGs sooner or later. And we're over the internet.. it's not hard to be patient

Perception test to see if any vehicles pull out to follow us.

As far as you can tell, no other vehicle is following you as you pull out of the parking lot.

Before I put up my next IC Post, are we detained at the guard house?

You are not detained at the guard post.

I have not put up an IC post yet because I'm waiting to see what actions (if any) you guys take.

If there are none (or no IC posts that you want to put up) let me know, and I'm happy to continue

Just to understand, we've gotten to the point where everyone is back in the van, correct?

PG posted an IC post about already being off campus and at the point where you guys are now next to Mel and Snap.

You certainly can post something happening before then if you wish, but right now you are currently on the side of the road waiting for them to get inside.