They've been victimising everyone! Even bandit didn't get a chance to make that last post. (Hope the skiing trip went well -- somewhere that wasn't having a surprise thaw!)

WinterRat: we'll need from you a description of the area, astral and mundane (beyond what you mentioned in the first post of the 17th page, that is). Alleycat's specific focus is tactical: how to get in? alternative ways of getting in(rooftops?); where is Melissa likely to be kept? where are the traps likely to be? and from the watcher: where exactly did it spot that fire elemental? If you want a roll, it will probably have to be a straight IN roll, possibly with Security as a complementary skill.

Ok, after getting cut off from the internet at my house (again), I'm back at college and should be able to resume regular posting. Just give me a day or two to catch up and settle in and I'll be back in the thick of it.

edit: to answer a previous question, I was coding the programs at level 6)

From Alleycat's description of the programs, the knowbots she received are smart frames. Possibly agents, but smart frames are capable of the requisite autonomous actions. The program multiplier for smart frames is 6, and with a rating of 6 gives us a base size rating for the frame core of 216 Mp. The size is also the time required to program the frame in days. One success on the programming test means base time is expended. A programming 'day' is considered to be eight hours long.

perception: 11, 04, 03, 02, 02, 01

astral: 08, 04, 04, 03, 03, 01

looking for any sign of inhabitants or the elemental.

also have thermo Shades on, (nothing finds manifested Fire elementals better than thermo.)

Okay, this mix-up is at least partly my fault. Let's see if I can help sort it out.

Alleycat spent at least 8 hours the previous day (with task pool 1) coding something really basic that in our universe would be the equivalent of a heightened Google search. (That's why she didn't get a heck of a lot of sleep.) The original roll, at partial default, was 9, 8, 5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 1 ; without pool, because of the default. (Security procedures 5, 2, 1 : not to break into something, but just to guess how something might be designed, so as to find the "open but buried" information.) She wasn't looking to get into closed systems, only to pull readily available information: so I don't think that requires autonomous action ...? It wouldn't have been more than rating 2 in any case (time-dependent, obviously).

She was thinking she only needed to amend the search parameters from that original coding to look for Melissa, rather than completely re-code from scratch. Obviously, from the second roll, she either screwed up, or didn't define the new parameters properly, or else she needed to restructure it entirely for a different kind of search, or whatever: partial default 5, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1 ; security procedures 7, 4, 3 . (You'll find both sets of numbers in the Salvation OOC: the first ones were on October 14, the second November 29.)

That gives you the background. I don't know how you two want to take it from here. Your judgement call, grendel; and your choice, Shev. Maybe it might be easiest just to assume that Avalanche took one look at what Alleycat had slapped together the previous day (to look for different things), realised that she hadn't properly transferred the coding to this purpose at all, and completely overhauled her work, in effect starting from scratch.

For the here and now, for WinterRat:

Blaze's watcher is Force 3, with two successes. IIRC its IN matches its Force? in which case Perception: 8, 5, 1

Alleycat's intent is to be fully aware of potential threats in her environment, without preconception. She'll be somewhat more heightened toward persons or spirits, since she's been told of the local existence of both.
Perception: 7, 5, 4, 4, 4, 2, 1, 1 . (That could have went better.)

Oh, and obviously she switched the shades for the visor again, and ultra-quick revamped her hair. (The shades are back in one of her other coat pockets.)

The problem lies with the way that information searches are handled in the matrix. If a decker wants to run a search program while he's offline, he has to use a smart frame or an agent. Both of which are considerably more difficult to program than a Browse utility, which is what a decker would use if he were online running the search.

The Browse utility has a multiplier of 1. At a rating of 2 that gives an 4 Mp size, so a requirement of 4 programming days. Assuming a base target number of 2, with no modifiers other than the +2 for partial default, gives Alleycat six successes. The program requires a little over five hours to complete.

Upgrading a Browse 2 to a Browse 6 will require 32 days. With a base target number of 6 and one success, Avalanche has got a bit more work ahead of him.

Works -- and that also fits current equipment limitations. Thank you, grendel

Sedna and Blaze- I realize I fast-forwarded slightly through the scene, but I figured that rather than playing up the drama of what you'd quickly find to be an empty building, you'd rather move along with the story a bit. My apologies if this was not so, and by all means, please tell me so that I won't do it again. I decided to take the logical responses of your characters and go, so as not to slow things unnecessarily.

With one success, Avalanche spent 8 hours coding. So, I don't think he'll be much help in find Melissa. However, he might find out what her enemies know about her.

Can someone summarize what's happened in the search? From what I can tell, Blaze has narrowed his search down to one building, but it's hard to track among all the other stories.

It has been busy, hasn't it?

One building, about 3 in the morning -- but no sign of her there now. We haven't gotten to the room itself yet. Alleycat's about to go over the area thoroughly: is there any sign of recent occupancy (of the girl directly, if we can manage it)? emotional traces? active concealment? astral traces of other spirits recently in the area (ie. that elemental)?

But first, she'll ride this hunch (After all, she's been so good at hunches before )

Sedna - I rolled a Charisma test of 5, 6+1, 4, 6+3 for Andie's negotiation roll. Andie is using Aura Reading and Psychometry to read Durin's reactions.

That makes it a Negotiation opposed roll, and Durin actually has the skill.

Andie's base target number (before the full default modifier) is 3, giving him a net two successes.

Durin's target number is 4 (attribute), without modifier. Durin rolls: 10, 9, 4, for three successes. (Why can't I get these kinds of rolls for Alleycat? )

Technically that would modify the totals being talked about by a few percent in Durin's favour ... but the totals are "loose" anyway, seeing as the formula hasn't been created yet. Instead, given that Andie is astrally reading Durin's reactions and thus able to respond a bit better to the intent, I'll interpret it as three interconnected things that (given the roll) Andie might be willing to accept. Specifically, Durin IS willing to cede the paper contract, IF:

1. Andie lowers his standard fee. He's counteroffering 8% in-post (4% as half), split the difference to 9% despite the "take it or leave it" (with 4 1/2% as half) and you're there.
2. He's willing to pay half that 9% of 1.5 million here and now, but nothing more until he gets something more solid from you (ie. the completed formula). He's very firm on this.
3. There must be some kind of maker's mark on the axe. (Very strong emotions here: this won't be swayable.)

Sedna- Post is edited, it was ALLEYCAT who is the referred to 'she'. Melissa is NOT present in any way, shape, or form that you can discern. Nice try though.

Thanks [/wry smile]

Can I just take that Perception roll as a running total, or that you roll them for Alleycat regularly as you see fit? Obviously she's trying to glean as much information out of that room and environment as she can -- but I'm not sure if she's going to get far beyond the door again.

I don't know what kind of signature I got from the room when I assensed it, if you could post it OOCly I'll do an IC post.

Sentinel: just fyi, per your IC post, at the moment the "deal" is 8% for your standard fee, not 9%. You may wish to edit. (Of course, you could also interpret that Andie went for the 8%, with the 4% up front. Let me know.)

Sedna - Sounds good to me. Andie will accept the deal as you suggested.

Question: How long will it take to complete an initiation w/ familiar ordeal in game time?? I'm talking about the actual initiation process itself and not the familiar summoning.

With working on an enchanting formula, a familiar formula, and orichalcum circulation Andie is getting stretched pretty thin at the moment and could use an extra pair of hands.

For my own clarification: are you accepting the deal as Durin outlined it (8% for your standard fee, with 4% now and almost in Andie's hands), or are you trying to get it up to 9%? If you want the latter, you will have to edit that IC post.

I definitely agree with you on the "stretched thin" part! But the familiar formula is a lengthy process in and of itself -- and I think we already talked about your not having all that much "free" time currently? This is the quote from my e-mail of October 12:

Sedna- your perception rolls were running totals, but I also rolled them for Alleycat and Blaze secretly as well. And the watcher too, just fyi.

Paul- Violence, definitely violence. That much is flagrantly apparent. Beyond that, give me an assensing roll and I'll let you know what you see.

Sentinel, I'm holding my next post wrt your character until you give me a clear answer here:

Are you accepting the deal as Durin outlined it (8% for your standard fee, with 4% now and almost in Andie's hands)?

OR

Are you trying to get Andie's fee up to 9%? (If you choose this version, you will have to edit your last IC post to reflect the additional negotiation.)

Your earlier "yes" wasn't exactly clear

Grendel and Shev- I will handle Avalanche's Matrix dealings (if any) with Paradigm Shift. Just letting you both know.

Well that was a bit of a long post, though it could have been a lot longer I suppose.

Just as a note, Grendel, I have Cos wearing her Actioneer coat and carrying the hardliner gloves, p-sec, and a common assortment of cosmetics in her clutch. The benchmade knife is concealed in the waistband of her pants.

All clear?

fyi WinterRat and bandit:

The last IC posts I have for you two for Virgil and Dragon is last post on p.16/first post on p.17 respectively, before the forum started going down. There, it sounded as though you two were working out a plan -- at least, after Virgil comes back from the astral. I know you've both been swamped and are just starting to attempt "routine" again, but I figured I better let you know that I'm watching and ready to step in as needed. Just don't jump the time intervals, okay?

Sedna - Andie will take the 8% fee (half now, half later). I was more conerned with having some nuyen on hand when Andie has to start buying materials and components later on since Andie does not have the money on hand to do this. Durin didn't seem to get this point for some reason.

So, Andie will probably bring this point up again with Durin after the enchantment formula is complete.

As for the initiation time requirement question take a look in MITS pg 57 last paragraph. Except for the time to complete an ordeal or learn a metamagic technique the initiation details are left up to the GM. This includes how long it would take to complete.

You are correct. The Familiar ordeal requirements are fairly short depending on how powerful a familiar is created during the process.

ok, I was kinda thinking you'd be using the one from earlier, but here's the new one anyway.

Assencing: 16, 05, 03, 02, 02, 02 and there we have it.

Good point, although I was viewing it as you were assensing separate rooms/places, hence different rolls. Either way would work I suppose. Anyway...

Fair enough, Sentinel -- and seems I didn't understand what you were asking. The learning of the metamagic technique is distinct from the initiation in any case -- basically the initiation allows the PC to potentially be able to learn a new metamagic, not to give that metamagic automatically -- so set that aside until after the initiation. (There's a few methods suggested for acquiring a new metamagic in MitS: let me know which one appeals to you.)

I'm going to rule that as an initiation and specifically for the familiar ordeal, the completion of conjuring the ally also completes the ordeal: that the initiation "takes" at the moment the ally accepts the magician as their master. Others we'll work through on a case-by-case basis to come up with something appropriate to the character's nature. (Okay with you, WinterRat et al?)

Oh, and the three wads of nuyen bills are just that: thick piles, folded once and rubber-banded ... and some of them are sticky.

paul -- that would have been enough time for the Avalanche phone call to be complete, which was all Alleycat wanted (hopefully by way of giving us two at least some information on what we can expect to find at the club, before we get ourselves killed going up against three magicians). It's just that I haven't seen Shev around in the last couple of days. (I did PM him.)

I don't want to stall you, waiting for Shev -- do you want to give it a day, and see if he's around by then? And if not, WinterRat: your call?

(Fyi -- yes, it's incredibly IC frustrating at times, but I'm enjoying playing with a person who has seized his totem personality and really taken it to heart )

Sedna- It's up to you two, whether you guys decide to wait for him or not is your call (you and paul). I'm ready either way.

Done. paul, that frees the two of us up to act, and can still bring in Shev at any moment if he turns up. The phone call -- at whatever time before arrival -- is for Alleycat to call ahead to Paradigm Shift as a slightly drunk "club hopper", see if the place is still open.

If either of you are taking action seriously time-forward, please let me step in briefly at 0316?

I'm leaving it up to you two. I presume your next action will be to call from the payphone, so whenever either of you places the call, I will respond accordingly. There's nothing more you two need to know about right now...

OK, time to catch up on karma. All players please note, this is karma for the weeks of: Dec. 19-26, and Dec. 26-Jan. 2. Karma for Jan. 2-Jan 9 will be handed out this sunday. Any player who was signed up and active as of Jan. 3 will also receive a bonus karma point from their GMs for a Happy New Year bonus. According to my records, that is the following players (if I left anyone off, please let me know):

New Year Bonus Karma pt (1pt):

• Sedna
• Paul
• Digital (still active, on excused absence; I'll still give him the NY bonus though)
• Banditf50
• Sentinel
• Me
• Shadowrunner13
• Morgannah
• Shev

Grendel, please note that I WILL be applying this bonus to SR13 as well, since he was around, but the forums were down for a stretch and he posted on Jan 3, as soon as they were back. However, aside from that bonus, his normal karma for the week of Jan 2.-Jan. 9 will be given out this Sunday, so you won't get your normal playing bonus until then, ok SR13?

For my players (note that this does NOT include your New Year bonus, which was awarded above; essentially, add 1pt each to this total below):
Sedna- 2pts for 2 weeks = 4 +1 GM Karma bonus = 5
Paul- 2 pts for 2 weeks = 4

GMs: Note the 1pt bonus has kicked in for your fellow GMs who are your players, please award accordingly

All right, the idea here is to *gasp* actually enjoy the remainder of her time with Tino, concluding with the inevitable "we really should do this again sometime" (but maybe not stated exactly like that.

She's not naieve enough to trust the guy with any information about her situation, but she IS looking to make a good acquaintance.

<OH!! And thanks for the Holiday Karma! >

Fyi bandit and WinterRat: I'll have to get to your posts tomorrow

paul -- is Blaze still wearing more or less the same outfit as at that first meet? There's a couple of quick things that can be done (eg turning the coat inside out, a quick dye-brush through the hair) to de-"you" the image. Once I know what you're wearing, I'll suggest details in-post -- or write in directly how Alleycat is taking Blaze through them, if you're okay with that. The idea is to get us in backstage -- and at least one of us and preferably both clear of whatever security there might be at the back door.

WinterRat -- has Alleycat run across any mention of the current band, possibly even when she looked up the generalities of Paradigm Shift last time? I'm looking specifically to what kind of social group the band would appeal (ie. punk, goth, teenie boy band, screeching metal ...), and whether there's anything by which their fans identify themselves (along the lines of the throwing of toast during parts of the Rocky Horror Picture Show). Just in case:

IN: 7, 5, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1
Desired image: 6+6+6+6+6+6+2 = 38!, 6+6+6+4 = 22, 4, 3

[jaw drops -- hope I can pick up something like that when I'll need it later!]

Bluffing non-existent knowledge: 15, 5, 5, 5

Sedna- It's odd. Paradigm Shift does not seem to have any particular clientele they appeal to. They do tend to play what's popular among the corporate yuppie rich kid types who like to go 'slumming' in the Barrens, but theyre just as likely to play something that is total in amongst the Barrens.

In general, they tend to play music that caters to street types and rich kids slumming, but they do not seem to have a particular clientele. Nonetheless, with those rolls, you shouldn't have a problem blending in. Anything else?

I was just looking for tonight's gig in specific -- can we consider that Alleycat's found out the band's name and "type"? -- and part of that "blend in" roll is going to have to help Blaze looks like he belongs, at least in "Please help me" [/rolls eyes] hapless boyfriend capacity ...

It's January -- is it cold enough for mittens and hats to be reasonable? (If yes, betting there's a couple of lost sets anywhere there's a sit-down place around here.)

In GM capacity: that's all you can get from me, for now ... consider I'm watching and ready to step in as needed. The information Dragon requested won't be ready instantly and you both stranded at a possible spirit summoning by Virgil?

I apologize for the hold-up. I've had a bit of trouble focusing on this stuff for the past few days but I think I've got my head screwed on straight now.

First off:
-Virgil left the scene at Tommy Wong's with two boxes of stun damage. This is the damage recovery roll.

willpower 6: 08 05 04 03 02 02
That would make it take 20 minutes of game time for those two boxes should be recovered. Depending on when you believe that recovery of stun damage starts, that roll should take care of Virgil's stun wound.

Second:
-both watchers are at force three and Virgil spent one point of good karma apiece to extend their lifespans to one week. I will PM winterrat with the standard karma tracking message.

conjuring test #1: TN 3: 05 05 04 02 02 01
conjuring test #2: TN 3: 07 05 05 04 01 01

drain test #1: TN 3: 14 03 03 01 01 01
drain test #2: TN 3: 09 05 05 05 02 02
-The drain from both summonings is staged down completely.

Unless Dragon raises any objections Virgil is going to wait for the report from the watchers before moving everyone into the alley.

Blaze isn't wearing the exact same thing, the first time it was a bright red Tres chic suit, this time It's the bright red coat, with some sort of black undershirt and pants.

In terms of De-"you"ing him, that's going to be hard, (distinctive style flaw). You might be able to change him some, perhaps a lot with those kinds of rolls but he's still going to be recognizable, if only as, "he looks oddly familiar, kinda like that guy from a while ago."

Well, that explains why RED came through so clearly On to Plan C.

yeah, sorry, Red's kinda his color, although It's not blood red, it's more of a bright stoplight red, you know the kind you can see from a long way away.

Sedna- Hats and mittens are reasonable, and you did find the band currently playing today.

The spirit Virgil just summoned is a force 6 hearth spirit.

conjuring roll: TN 6 - 11 07 05 04 02 01 (2 successes)
2 services. First service is used to issue the comand to protect the team.

drain resistance: TN 6 - 09 07 03 02 01 01 (2 successes)

Virgil takes a light stun.

Once outside Virgil is looking for and assensing the form that the watcher detected. He'd also like to notice if the city spirt has been banished, and where the other watcher is.

Rolls for when they are needed.
Aura reading: 15 07 07 01
Astral perception: 09 05 05 04 04 02

Sorry -- I missed your earlier post, bandit.

I'm just back-checking to figure out how much time Virgil spent non-astral, because he can't recover stun during astral time and besides all the astral time around the flat I seem to remember something about him astrally reconning the area while Dragon was driving the car between the two points. Quick and dirty, I don't think he had time to regain all the stun, so he'd still have one box when conjuring. (Help -- what's the drain code for conjuring watchers again?)

Drain for summoning a watcher is (force)L stun Sedna.

Danke ... so it might be relevant. Did we rule yet as to whether wound modifiers applied to Drain?

Winterrat and I had a discussion about it a few weeks ago with another SR colleague of ours (bamboosword). We ruled that it makes sense to apply wound modifiers to drain, but would unbalance combat against spell casters unless the same common sense was applied to normal damage resistance.

For example . . .
In normal ranged combat you roll body to soak damage. No wound modifiers would apply because your body is simply taking the hit.
This situation should change when you've decided to use combat pool to either dodge or help soak that particular attack. Use of combat pool implies you are drawing upon your awareness of the situation. Logically this takes some amount of concentration and would thus subject the affected damage resistance tests to the same wound modifiers as drain.

We decided not to apply the wound modifiers to drain because the rules changes for the sake of fairness might seem cruel to runners and make an already lethal game even more dangerous. I am willing to open up the discussion again, although we should handle it by GM email obviously.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Attention to all current players in LITS. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will be conducting a 'character audit'. What this means is that I will be organizing all files and paperwork, online and off, for better record keeping.

As LITS has grown and expanded, we're being loaded up on players, characters, and NPCs. To keep track of all this, we're working on an NPC database, as you all know, but the numerous small details that abound in LITS, such as karma spending for each player, how the NPCs are connected to each other, and more make keeping track of all relevant data a potential nightmare.

To head this off before it starts, I will be organizing the most thorough files I can in regards to each player. The first step, and the one that concerns all players, is simple. Over the next few weeks, I will email each of you the following:

1. A copy of your character that I have ON FILE as your OFFICIAL character. Any discrepancies between my version and yours should be discussed with me at that time.

2. A total of your current good karma to that date.

3. A request for you to detail the date, amount, and effect(s) of any karma spending you have undergone to date. Obviously for some of you longer running players, the date may be a bit of an estimate, but the point is to ensure that no one ends up unfairly on the wrong end of a 'how much karma do I have' discussion.

In order to achieve this, I would like each of you to PERSONAL MESSAGE me an email address at which I can reach you. I know some of you have sent me emails before, but for my ease and convenience (i.e. not have to dig through mountains of email in my previous correspondences) please PM them to me again, all I need is your email address I can reach you at, no need to write a message.

Thank you again for your cooperation everyone, and it's been great having you all on board. There's a lot of great stories out there, and I am looking forward to watching them all play out!

Oh, and just in case it wasn't clear, there has been no impropriety or inappropriate actions on the part of either a player or GM that prompted this. It was more the realization that if I don't get a jump on this now, and if we as a GM staff do not develop a well organized, smooth system now, we are going to be buried when we really need one. So no one worry about that. Have a great day everyone!

WinterRat1