Here’s what we currently know about our Touristville: https://stormy-waters-2075.obsidianportal.c...is/touristville

Here is Redmond lifestyle for SIS HQ, plus some of our shared assets: https://stormy-waters-2075.obsidianportal.c...ervices-redmond

This is the new lifestyle for Bellevue: https://stormy-waters-2075.obsidianportal.c...rvices-bellevue

Chapter 1: Sunday, September 18, 2078
Chapter 2: Monday, September 26, 2078
First Interlude: Saturday, October 1, 2078
Chapter 3: Monday, October 10, 2078
Second Interlude: Sunday, October 16, 2078
Chapter 4: Sunday, November 6, 2078
Third Interlude: Wednesday, November 23, 2078
Chapter 5: Thursday, November 24, 2078
Fourth Interlude: Sunday, November 27, 2078
Chapter 6: Thursday, December 22, 2078
Fifth Interlude: Sunday, January 1, 2079
Chapter 7: Friday, January 20, 2079
Sixth Interlude: Wednesday, February 1, 2079
Chapter 8: Sunday, February 5, 2079
Seventh Interlude: Wednesday, February 8, 2079
Eighth Interlude: Tuesday, February 14, 2079
Chapter 9: Thursday, March 2, 2079
Ninth Interlude: Saturday, March 11, 2079
Chapter 10: Monday, March 20, 2079
Tenth Interlude - San Angelo: Tuesday, March 21, 2079
Tenth Interlude - Seattle: Friday, March 31, 2079
Chapter 11: Saturday, April 8, 2079
Eleventh Interlude: Saturday, April 15, 2079

Isn't she running for Governor?

Bye
Thanee

Ah, you are correct. Fixed it.

I'm going to skip the interlude, but try and be back for the next full chapter. (I'll read the interlude though, to know what goes on).

Bobby isn't just in the neighborhood watch! Bobby was a boy scout, too. And he knows how to bake cookies.

Don't mess with the Bobby!

Bye
Thanee

and he is a werewolf

I don't know about cookies, but Bobby makes a mean fruit salad...

Anything else on the To Do list? Any RP requests?

Next, Bobby would sneak out to look in on the squatters.

I don't have other plans. PS: Did we agree that I can strengthen a SIN? I suspect that AM will be upgrading her identity papers after getting too close for comfort with the SIN scanner. How do you suggest to handle it?

Isn't that just normal, that you can upgrade stuff (unless it really makes no sense)?

Don't see this as a problem at all. Just pay the difference, assuming you can get it, would be my take here.

Speaking of SINs, Raven would also buy a Fake SIN for herself now (probably straight up R6), because that seems pretty useful at times (maybe even getting another one at a later time, when I can afford it). Are we rolling for Availability and such for items that are not that easy to acquire?

Bye
Thanee

Rachel will just hang out with Bao a bit, maybe do that shopping trip they are talking about.

Maybe she will figure out, why Bao is never seen with her husband (if there is one even).

She will probably also try and get some more experience on the golf course.

At some point, though, she will just be in solitude and do her magic stuff.

Bye
Thanee

The general approach to upgrading in Missions is "just pay the difference". I think that will work for us here.

(Tangent: I personally think that fake SINs are both too weak and too inexpensive. Right now they're designed around being disposable, which is not my favorite. I personally think they should be stronger and more expensive so that it's more meaningful when one is burned. End tangent.)

We haven't really been using the Availability rules, just like we haven't been doing extended tests for Initiations. I think it's reasonable to sidestep them in the name of maintaining some meaningful progress over play-by-post timelines. That said, I think having a relevant Contact can help gloss over any concerns, if you want a nod toward IC realism. Mato has a C3 identity broker/forger that could be used, or folks could spend their knowledge karma to pick up one of their own.

I guess, it depends a bit on what you are doing with it. A R6 SIN should be pretty good against anything but the most thorough checks. But I mostly remember the SR4A rules for that stuff, where R6 was really solid.

Bye
Thanee

P.S. On their first meeting Yao/Bao mentioned that she plays tennis, but not golf. She actually pointed out Danforth as a golf player.

She's picked it up since you first met her a month ago! Mostly because she likes the golf skirts.

In terms of fake SINs, in 4E it was a straight Opposed Test between the scanner and the fake SIN rating. That means an R1 scanner could bust an R6 fake.

In 5E, it's a simple test of Device Rating x 2 Test vs. a threshold equal to the rating of the fake SIN. So if you have an R6 scanner going up against an R6 fake, the scanner will win or tie about 18% of the time. You can argue about how common R6 scanners are, but I think an Availability 18F SIN should be more robust than that. I like that a weak scanner doesn't have a chance of picking up a sophisticated fake though.

If it is anything like in SR4A, R6 is only in high-security installations. Mobile scanners are R2 or maybe R3 at most.

Bye
Thanee

Getting to the end of the Interlude. I'm moving a bit slowly due to the Easter weekend.

Interlude reward: one (1) active skill specialization OR one (1) martial art (or technique for an existing martial art)

Bobby and AM earn Dakota as a C3/L1 Contact. Dakota is a DocWagon MedTech/Pharmacist.

Bobby earns Agnes as a C1/L2 Contact. She is a Squatter.

AM earns Edie as a C2/L2 Contact. She is a Nosy Neighbor.

Raven earns Stan as a C1/L3 Contact. He is a University Student and may have a useful knowledge skill at some point.

Raven earns Bao (real name Yao, Bao is the nickname for friends) as a C2/L2 Contact. She is a Wage Slave.

Cutty could upgrade Loyalty in the near future, especially if any of these plans come to fruition.

Bobby earns Cyclone and Steel Rat as C3/L1 Enemies. I don't have the rules in front of me but my memory says that Enemies are like inverse Contacts. They have a Connection rating and their "Loyalty" rating represents the level of animosity. In this case, tensions are low and may be smoothed over in time. Or they could explode into a wider conflagration.

Let me know if I overlooked anything.

Raven should be able to create a pretty convincing Physical Mask and even has some ranks in Impersonation.

If you wait, until she is done with her intiation, she can also hide the active spell (going to learn Extended Masking).

Bye
Thanee

Excellent

Is this coming together as a call or as a recorded video?

I updated AM's sheet. The leading investment went to hacking/computers. Figuring she would train to feel comfortable in breaking into higher-end hosts. However, the limitation stays with the cyberdeck, I think. I also got a few extra spells and a point in spell casting.

I upgraded her SIN to R6, perhaps using Mato's contact, and got a flying eye and MCT fly spy. The next thing on my bucket list is a new cyberdeck, but it would take a long time RL.

Hashing out the plan is a group chat/conference call

The proof for Cyclone and Steel Rat is a direct call, initiated by Bobby.

Let's get a Charisma + Con roll for the line about the protective detail.

AM can boost Bobby (if she's willing and/or he accepts it). Edge can be used.

Raven will prepare herself with Increase Charisma (F6; the 4 successes for this can be bought; Focused Concentration) and Physical Mask (F8; 7 hits (1S Drain); Illusionist).

Bye
Thanee

I intended to send this as a text message, but if you want a roll, I'll accept the charisma boost first and edge the whole thing.

Con Edge + Charisma Spell: 13d6h5 4

@gilga: Why is AM only rolling 4 dice? You should have a few more with Spellcasting + Magic.

Also, this is so not gonna work...

Bye
Thanee

I just bought 4 hits for the spellcasting. These are the bonus dice for Bobby.

Ahh...

As for telling them the truth... well, Bobby kinda tried that already.

At this point, he telling them anything just won't work, I suppose.

Bye
Thanee

Okay, if AM is onboard with the plan then let's get a Charisma + Con roll for AM as well.

Is Trouble sustaining the Increase Charisma on Raven?

Thanee, let's get a Charisma + Impersonation (Human) roll too.

Edge recommended.

Edit: I've been playing 5E since the week it came out and I think this is the first time I've seen someone use the Impersonation skill. If you had given me a pop quiz, I would have said that it was a specialization of Con.

No need, Raven can sustain both her spells without penalty (Focused Concentration and Illusionist).



Ok.



Yeah, it is not one of those skills you see a lot.

It's kinda like Shadowing and Stealth.

I guess it was introduced mostly due to them breaking up the Influence group (from SR4), they needed some more skills to put the two new groups together (Influence and Acting).

Bye
Thanee

Charisma + Impersonation (Human) + First Impression + Edge 9 hits

Bye
Thanee

Raven's pulling her weight. Now to AM.

Con fast talk:
Fast talk: 13d6t5 4
Edge reroll: 9d6t5 2

Okay, Thanee, give your opening speech!

So, they did not know about that part.

Still, it will hopefully give them something to think about why Dennis might have chosen this path.

Bye
Thanee

Opened up some new threads, already. Hope you like the idea for passing some ingame time to get into the next month.

The actual chapter 12 IC will be up in a couple days. Not intending to rush you here.

Bye
Thanee

Ooo! An interlude and a prelude!

Mato is mostly done. I've spent my karma but still need to pick my Interlude reward, spend some knowledge karma, and decide which gene treatment he got while he was out. I've been waffling back and forth between Synch and Reaction Optimization but I can't seem to decide. I'll try to finish him up today/tomorrow.

I'm traveling Sunday through Wednesday and might be slow to respond for a few days.

If we're going to skip forward a month, we should handle our April income. I just have to remind myself how we do that.

Another thing we forgot is that at the end of March we would have collected a ¥10,000 installment from the Hacker's Club, then another such installment at the end of April. That means we won't have any lifestyle expenses (which Mato's Trust Fund already covers part of) and that there should be some left over to split among us.

Don't have time to roll this up now but I'll try to tonight or tomorrow.

Oh, right. Here, I hunted down that last post about that...

http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?s=&a...t&p=1364484

Looks like the Hacker's Club was taken care of, actually.

Bye
Thanee

So, my part for the teamwork check: Etiquette: 6d6t5 2

Ahh that's helpful, Thanee. Thank you for digging that up.

And looking over my records, I see that I haven't updated them in almost exactly a year (April 8, 2023) so I was obviously lax in recording the March installment from the Hacker's Club

Okay, here's where that leaves us for April:

- ¥2,000 Touristville office
- ¥9,800 Bellevue lifestyle
+ ¥5,000 Mato's trust fund
+ ¥10,000 Bellevue Hackers' Club
+ ¥???? Etiquette test
=
+ ¥???? profit

As for the Etiquette roll, I think AM can only accept 5 Teamwork dice. Bobby provided 2, Mato can provide 2 by buying hits, and I'm confident that Raven can generate a success. So we can have Gilga roll Charisma 6 + Etiquette 5 + Teamwork 5 = 16 dice to see how we do.

We're already at ¥3,200 in profit so whatever AM rolls will just add to that. And I'll update the Hacker Club ledger for real this time.

As before, Mato also receives an extra ¥500 from his Trust Fund (¥425 after taxes). He will pay Tom & Rat's combined retainers of ¥1,000. He'll also pay ¥1,350 for the various subscriptions he has which I often forget about:
- AR Fashion Subscription, Business
- CarnivoreGold: linguistic database and code-breaking software
- MonaLisa: facial recognition software
- Pheromone Detection
- Thermal Mood Reading: assists Judge Intentions
- Vocal Tension Lie Detection: also assists Judge Intentions

For AM rolls:
Ettiquete work: 11d6t5 3
Ettiquete work: 5d6t5 2

5 hits total.

Alright so that's ¥5,000 for the business income plus ¥3,200 = ¥8,200.

Divided five ways that's an extra ¥1,640 each.

Updated AM's sheet, she took a specialty of boxing/punching for her unarmed (close combat with the house rules) skill.

I'm traveling Sunday through Wednesday and will be slow to post in the meantime. Trying to catch the eclipse, although I'm not sure if the weather will cooperate.

Wow, I just read about this eclipse to know what you are talking about. From the piece I read, it appears that you have to move quite far to see the eclipse. Impressive project - and good luck!

Indeed, my son and I flew halfway across the country. But my brother lives here so we're about to make it a family visit too.

Best of luck with the weather then - my only full eclipse experience wasn't more than 20 ago - and it was spectacular, despite light cloud cover.

I just caught up on the IC thread of the Interlude -- you all killed it! It was a great read.

Extra props to Jack for this post:
Bobby nodded as in agreement. Potter was well trained - or should he say, social adept...
.....

Since he was on the spot and appeared to have been promoted to ask softball questions, he added one final one to the Pott.
"Is there any news about who targeted you in your home? It seems like someone is targeting your whole party. Are your other party members safe?"

The mix of word play and provocation was just perfect.

================================
And let's say that during this time Tamarind was having a bit of a crisis, both about uncertainty of whether she wanted to stay on as a detective and also realizing how much she'd lost her edge while rusting in the rural parts of the FRFZ for the past several years.

She's been regularly going to Cutey's gym, realizing that she can still be running her drones while hitting a punching bag or lifting weights (her noise reduction let's her cover very long ranges without difficulty now). He's also been refreshing her on the basic hand-to-hand combat training she'd let lapse since leaving the Sioux military, most of 20 years ago. Between the two she's visibly looking fitter, and more confident too.

She's also been spending time with an old contact from her previous time in Seattle, Saumya. The relationship had become strained after Tamarind had abruptly left the city some years ago, with no explanation and almost no contact. Saumya is now running "Dumplings? Dumplings!" out of Touristville, selling more or her spicy soy-based dumplings through deliveries than face to face customers, and scrambling to work out the economics of the deliveries, protection money, and everything else involved. Tamarind has spent evenings helping in the kitchen and providing some deliveries and generally helping Saumya out while she catches up to how her business is evolving. (it may yet all fall apart, but for now it is treading water). The socialization also seems to have been helping Tamarind be more comfortable with people.

And finally she's been putting in time at the shop of "Hi-Fi Phil, your electronics upgrader!" His shop is even closer to the Bellevue/Redmond border than SIS's house is, definite bars over the windows territory. She knows that he's skilled with hardware, has the facilities to do drone modifications, and has connections of dubious legality, but before she can lean on him to do anything really exciting she figures she needs to make friends with him. Fortunately he seems lonely and is happy to have someone listen to his boasts and his stories, and to compare opinions with on vintage electronics. Tamarind can understand why he is divorced, but doesn't mind him much. She's a little worried that he might think she has a romantic interest in him, but she figures that complication is at least another month or two away. (not until she buys Loyalty up to 3 I figure, lol)

When Potter came to visit, Tamarind had conveniently scheduled a training session with Cutey, so she was getting a refresher on the use of a combat knife instead of going through the political cut and thrust.