Sneaking/Assensing: 2#16d6t5 5 5

Happy Holidays everyone 😊

What is a treeman with a cyberdeck?
A German explorer.

I... what?

A treeman with a cyberdeck is an entdecker.

I just wanted to stir people up with this real bad joke ^^

Ouch, that one hurt

Made it up myself

Guys, are you all right?

Yep, sure. Just the usual christmas/new year slowdown.

Bye
Thanee

Ah okay, that's good. Hope, gilga is fine, too

Yep, Holidays and I just started a new job.

I just saw this could be read wrongly.
I didn't just write "gilga" and not Crossbow as well because I don't care how Crossbow is, but bc I texted gilga privately a couple of days ago and didn't get a response, while I didn't have any reason yet to thing Crossbow might be unwell. Please don't get that wrong!
Still, I'm happy everything's fine with you, too, Crossbow!

I am fine really. They close the schools again so I am back to home-schooling mode. I've been anticipating that and was trying to crumb every bit of work since the second lockdown ended. Had some weeks to advance in research, and made good progress. 2021 would probably be okay for me, progress wise. Covid in Israel is a bit difficult on me where schools only go for a while between lockdowns.


... and now I am back into survival mode with full-time taking care of two wonderful kids. I love taking care of them, and I can afford to drop to like 20% for a month or two after all these preparations. So all in all I really am okay despite some extreme circumstances. However, imagine that all these things are energy drainers, and I feel really tired. However, I admit that it is hard for me to follow this deep plot or remember all the NPCs and their backgrounds and so forth. I hope that I'll manage to be of use.

Well, welcome back.
And no worries: There's still some way to go until the vaccines do their job, so keep strong and take your time.
The game will still be here

This whole Corona situation is taking a toll on everyone.

Bye
Thanee

"Anna, can you trace whoever controls these spells?"


-- can she?

Yes, she can actually - it's an active spell, likely leading to an initiated mage and/or vampire.
Astral Perception roll please - extended.

Not sure what spell she has but in case I want the intuition spell for that.
Improve intuition F6: 23d6t5 7

drain: 16d6t5 6
i should have used 15 dice but it does not matter.

Then I need to summon a spirit to warn the team if Anna is in trouble and if it would work to conceal Anna's astral signature with the concealment spell. In any case the spirit would use Manascape to disguise Anna's aura as a bird and sustain the spell until Anna returns to her body, and (service 2) to act as a communication channel between Anna and the team, until she returns to her body.

manascape (F5): 2#12d6t5 7 3




Improve willpower F5: 23d6t5 9
Drain: 19d6t5 4
so her stats are maxed, and she can summon.
summoning F6 (man): 21d6t5 5
Forgot about 2 dice penalty but no change to result.

drain vs 2: 19d6t5 7
resist F6: 6d6t5 1
four services gained, no drain:


If you allow concealment to work on astral then the spirit will use it, otherwise, I'll give it manna barrier, and manascape as optional powers.

The spirit will be tasked with 1: use manascape to disguise Anna as a bird and sustain it until she is back, and 2: act as a mediator to the team until Anna is back.

Extended Assensing test:
Assensing: 16d6t5 7
Assensing -1: 15d6t5 5
Assensing -1: 14d6t5 4
Assensing -1: 13d6t5 3
Assensing -1: 12d6t5 2
Not sure when to stop.

I hope, I'm not horribly mistaken. I believe, say, a shared middle class lifestyle would be 80 to 100 m², I guess. The whole lifestyle is € 5,500 nuyen, UCAS standards. Rent would be maybe half of the amount, so from my calculation, 100 m² in the UCAS or Western Europe should be less than 3k. But maybe I am missing something important.

A business lifestyle is 9000 € and this is rent in the country's capital, very close to the city center. Also you are looking at a rent situation without questions or a deposit.

Hmm... so, what are we gonna do?

It seems a bit expensive just for what it offers us, right?

Bye
Thanee

Gilga: I'd negotiate payment terms e.g. when is the payment made or try to rent it for a week or to try it out for a few days. Not sure if bnc is skilled enough for that though, but perhaps she can call her boss.

Great idea. That is a lot more reasonable for us.

Bye
Thanee

Bye
Thanee

Does Anna herself ask any questions? Can she find anything with her 45+ dice in perception and assensing?

Thanee, gilga, do you want us to wait for your response?

Sorry, got quite a lot going on at the moment.

Bye
Thanee

[Edit]
No need to apologize. I was just asking to know what you'd prefer.

As soon as you are ready, give me the word and I'll advance the story - you currently hold all the cards.
But since it's been a while, here are your options:

- Rent the office, wait for an opportune moment and start with the breaking and entering - either through one of the doors, or by using a monofilament saw to go through the floor into the basement
- Coordinate with your contact with the hunters
- Start off with a spirit attack to break the ward
- Try to get some more infusions from the Rabbi

I think it is a good idea to rent the office.

We should also check back with the hunters, that won't hurt.

As for breaking wards and more stuff, what we need most, I believe, is a way to prevent them from just fleeing. That "new ventilation" that was installed by them certainly screams "escape tunnel" to me.

Bye
Thanee

Do the thing.

jupp, totally so.

I haven't used magic rules in ages. Is Anna capable of creating a powerful ward when we rent the office? One that prevents them from fleeing?

In principle yes, in practice not this adventure.

Rolling security procedures

Security Procedures: 5d6t5 2

What does that get me? I am thinking that the idea of coming in through the ceiling is a good one. Not that it would help against magical defenses, but any physical ones would be bypassed

You have a good idea where to cut through the ceiling for optimal surprise.

How long would it take and how loud would it be to cut through with a monofilament saw?

Also, what exactly would we have to roll to remove the mantle that prevents bnc from hacking the door?

A mono saw does 16P AP-6 damage to structures. You are dealing with heavy structural material (Structure 12 Armor 20) Buying hits means it resists with 6 hits vs. 16 damage
So two complex actions to cut a 1m² hole.

Likewise if you want to remove the cover - cut it off with a micro welder at 25P within one complex action.

No rolls necessary.

That is certainly quick enough.

Bye
Thanee

Can bnc easily get a hand on a monofilament chainsaw?

Would it be difficult to bring her rotodrone here in time? It's still in Upper Austria, close to the border. It shouldn't be a problem distance-wise, but I don't know whether the Bohemian forests are being patrolled a lot.

Monosaw is no problem - it's legal to buy at Availability 8 500¥

The drone might have some trouble if there is a high wind, so it would come down to pilot test.

Somebody with CHA beyond 2 able to crack the AVA for me, please?

Pilot test I can do. Any modifiers?
If not, with a control rig and a DP of 13, can I buy hits?

If you pilot yourself instead of letting the drone fly by itself, yes, no problem.

little else I've got to do, and we can use the additional firepower

I assume that the drone would have sensors. So, as long as the air is steady and calm, I'd have it autopilot it's way through the Bohemian sky, and in case of turbulences, I'd take over.

Looks like Anna does not have Negotiation, so Nova can give it a shot.

Negotiation 4 + Charisma 5 + First Impression 2 (4 hits) vs Availability 8 (4 hits)

It's a tie.

So, it takes a little longer to get it, I think, but should be fine.

Bye
Thanee

You can just pay double for 4 dice more. That will ensure you get the saw within 12 hours.

Well, it isn't that expensive, so why not.

So, it would be 1,000¥ (or 250¥ each).

Bye
Thanee

Anna can help with improved charisma: she has 6+7+2 specialty +2 mentor +6 power focus =25 dice and can likely buy 4 hits even on Nova's low essence.

Improve charisma dice: 4d6t5 1

drain: 11d6t5 2

She can also help with the process. defaulting
negotiation(default): 5d6t5 2
negotiation(default): 2d6t5 2 2 hits out of 2 dice so a total of 7 successes.

Sweet! In that case, we are probably fine without the extra cash (i.e. 125¥ each).

Bye
Thanee

Thanks, girls

I'll pay the 500 and then keep the saw. No need to split up every bullet we shoot and then fight over who gets to keep the stuff. The chainsaw is mine, my own, my precious!

@gilga
the preparation is a mana static spell to create an artificial background count. Dual Natured critters receive a debuff on practically everything they do - but Anna will obviously suffer with her spells as well.