I posted IC, but no one else did yet so I didn't assume anything from OOC. But if there effectively are earth elementals building the walls, Joe will steal some stone that they gather to turn his lookoot "shack" into a kind of bunker of sort, with bulletproof stone walls.

Ok, so the neighborhood watch idea is turning into a fortress idea and that's cool

But I would like to have some IC feedback on the construction of the much more modest lookout "shack" / bunker by Joe, Sphinx.

Oh yeah.... forgot I was going to ask something OOC about that before posting. The outer walls are 10 meters high, the building itself (being only 2 stories) is only about 7 meters high. Building a shack on top may get it up to 9 meters high (average human male being 1.8 meters). I didn't post about it because I was afraid you'd be annoyed that your efforts were wasted since you wouldn't get a view of the outside from what I understand. You still want the shack on top of the building?

Sphynx

Yup, I'd still want it. I understand that its use is different now, though. Now it's going to be useful for surveilling if people are coming inside, destroying or in anyways affecting the wall. If we accept people in eventually, it would be useful to watch these too. And from the roof, you can see in between the two sets of walls easily anyways, so it's still good for protecting our last security perimeter.

Editted

Before things pick up again, how are our wounded doing? Nick, Gnat and Able are effed up.

Still effed up unless they let me know they're interested in playing.

Umm... so what happens?

Precisely.... what's happening?

Not much, from what I can tell.

I believe this is where the players wait for the GM to prod the game back into movment.

And can someone please heal the guy who is bleeding all over the bar? Thank you.
This service announcment brough to you by the number 44, and the leters A and V.

Hey guys, I -just- found out I have to go out of town on call tomorrow, some 500+ kilometers away. I will try to post if possible, but last time I went to this place, they had too many restrictions on their internet access. It's possible I'll be stuck there next week, if so I will only get 1 access per day via my hotel room or an internet cafe. I will update then if you guys are back into the game by then.

Sphynx

Can we back track then - and let us 'set up' the base before we get attacked and do all our maudlin roleplay while you're gone.

If you want, but I've waited 2 weeks for that to happen and it never did... I don't object, but I'm no longer in high hopes that there remains an interest level in the setting up of the base anymore.

Well, at least lets deal with the new folks. How many folks do we have inside before admitting however many there are outside?

I'm finally back!

Sorry for my long and much-lamented absence.

Is there still interest in this game?

Well I'm still around but I get the feeling that this game might be dead... hopefully not but likely so.

I hope it's not dead. I'm still here.

I'm still interested, but will be going on vacation for 2 weeks in September.

I'm still here as well. My long trip is over and I am back home. Though I have been permanently reassigned to Georgia and will be moving there in about two weeks I will do my best to become an active member again.

I'm gonna bow out. I've got a lot going on IRL for the immediate and forseeable future and need to pare back my online commitments.

Thought I'd drop by to say that I'll be sure to stick my head in here at the OOC thread from time to time and laugh my ass off at you poor bastards, er... I mean, cheer you on.

Good luck folks.

Quick Questions for Fortune, Gobogen, Nick, and Frater.

You ok with it being the 4 of you? And do you want to pick up where we left off, or me fast-forward the story to a new scene since alot of the fire was lost in this story... (Ie: New thread entirely)

Sucks to see you go Sparky, don't be a stranger. Maybe Sphynx will let those who are leaving return for cameos?

Sphynx; I have no problem with only 4 players. Is this accompanied but a comparable reduction in enemy power? I don't have a preference either way, but it will affect choices later. I am good either way the story goes, though I am interested to see how this plays out...

Skipping to the next phase will only mean base is finished, begin the 'bug' part of the game. Continueing on this storyline means continueing with trying to build up the 'base', which seems to be the slowing factor.

I have no problem with playing with four players since most games are that way. As for fast-forwarding, it might help in setting the new group of four and the context for a new start. It's pretty much up to you anyway, Sphinx.

Ok, starting new thread called Bug City: Aftermath

Sphynx,

Is there the possibility of finding an initiatory group in the area? What with the lower number of PCs and being the only mage I believe I will have to initiate sooner than I had planned. That means initiating with a group and an ordeal as I don't have enough Karma to do so otherwise.

Do we have story lines for the loss of players/characters or will they simply continue as NPC?

Have there been attempts to exit the quarantine zones? If yes, what happened to them?

And what about all the civilians (families of disappearing PCs) ?

Frater: No groups (unless you wanna join the Bug Shaman group), but Ordeals are ok.

No players/characters/civilians/familes/etc are lost. They're in the 'compound' and are all NPC characters.

There have been no 'known' attempts to leave.

Eric and Mishka could start an initiatory group, couldn't they? It would just be that they would only have two dice to roll (use that Karma Pool).

Not a bad idea. Fortune?

I think the idea of a 'run' on an ex-corp for a soy machine sounds like a great start for the next game. If you guys want, I can start planning that sort of run (imagine the whole duex issue with a self-contained/secured facility, even when unmanned )

Sphynx

Hey Joe could join I guess... although Joe isn't all into the 'magical' side of his gift, he is still an adept and could start developping the idea that he is magically active, so just convince him and maybe he'll join too.

Any chance we could either a) assume the conversation took place (about Joe & Mishka's magical ability and the need to initiate.) between Bug City and Aftermath that way we can get the bonus from a month of preparation? or b) Do a 'flashback' post to explain it. Sphynx?

I am all for the soy machine run. It solves multiple problems with the least relative risk.

BTW; Sphynx, can we get a time/date update for Aftermath. We kind of dropped off using it and I got lost.

If you guys do start an initiatory group, I woud reccommend that you take as many strictures as possible to increase your chances for success.

I would reccommend the Attendance, Belief (working for the good of the community is good), Deed, Exclusive Membership, Fraternity, Geasa, Secrecy, Limited Membership (members of our community), Material Link, and Oath. The Exclusive Ritual stricture isn't good because it prevents Eric from performing ritual magic with anybody else, given that everyone else in the group is an adept. I didn't mention the Obedience stricture because I didn't think it would fit, though you guys might disagree (and it might work if you guys get some townsfolk in the group).

Also, I would reccommend poking around the community to see if there are any other mages or adepts amongst the townsfolk. Even an unskilled wizkid would increase your chance of success, assuming he is a mage or an adept. If he isn't, the +2 TN will probably hurt you more than the extra die would help you.

That's 10 strictures I mentioned. Because there are two traditions forming the group, the end TN will be 4 (12 base + 2 extra tradition -10 strictures), and you would roll 3 dice (assuming no townsfolk).

And then all you guys need to do is come up with a name, and let the DM design the avatar.

I can see belief; "The situation is untenable and the PTBs are doing nothing to solve or help so we must help ourselves.

Exclusive membership; Kind of a freebie as the alternative is... distasteful.

Fraternity; helping out a 'brother' can't be a bad thing.

Limited Membership; limiting membership to citizens of our fair city.

Material Link; I'm iffy on this one but violently opposed.

Oath; something saying 'I'll do what's best for the community yadda yadda...

Any other thoughts?

As for the Material Link, it would likely prove to be somewhat helpful, because that way if one of the members gets kidnapped (or something) you can track him down astrally. It could take the form of a blood contract, or something.

Does geasa imply that we have to take a permanent geasa on our magic to be part of the group? If so, it seems too much of a bother. (Edit) Good idea about the material link, nick. (/Edit)

And as for finding awakened in the community, I feel pretty good about that. Our full mage can easily assense to find out who is magically active and then we can work on getting them in. I bet we can find at least 2 or 3 and maybe more. Some of those might be convinced to join us.

Names:
The Bug Killer Brotherhod (cliche, sorrY)
Chicago Defense Group (or Force, no originality)
The Magical Neighbourhood Watch (this one is just really bad)

... ok so I'm actually quite bad with names but I gave it a shot. Someone please find something better.

No, the geas stricture requires you to take a geas should you lose a point of magic from a deadly would or being disrupted. I wasn't keen on this one as Mishka/Fortune doesn't care for them. I don't blame him though, I don't generally take them myself and would feel comfortable forcing it on someone else.

I take your point about the link, nick. Especially gien our present circumstances.

I am all for finding additional members within the community. Sphynx, are there any available?

As to a name...

Pathfinders?
The Light Brigade?
The Chicago Four, Seven, Twelve?
The Centurions?

Brainstorm away guys...

I think Mishka would have problems with Belief and Oath, as they can't be faked, and in reality he really doesn't give a crap about 'the community'.

Geas isn't really to my liking either (as Frater said), and would really suck if it were retroactive.

You guys might very well be better off without Mishka as a member.

Give me some input so I can get the game going today like I promised. What's the goal? Soy Factory? Raid the Raiders?

As for the Initiation, as I said in the first IC post, 3 weeks have passed. You can 'flash back' if you want, but it might be simpler to just spend the Karma and say it's so. There are no other magically actives in the community (Magic is suppose to be rare, it's one of those things that turns NPCs into PCs )

I'm all for the 'soy' mission. It 'kills' two birds with one stone. The bloodthirsty characters can get their fix and we get food.

As fo initiation; I say spend the karma , I'll even throw in an additional karma for an extra die. That should give us 4 dice vs what? 5 I think we should definitely include Mishka. It adds grit to the relationships and Eric would definitely feel like it would help 'mature' the young man.

Personally, I agree about getting Mishka in somehow. I want the 'team' to be more 'team'ie. You guys should be the most bonded of anyone else in the compound. However, that's totally up to Fortune if he wants to find a way to 'merge'. I don't object to resistive roleplaying.

Sphynx

Please realise that I was (and am) not trying to be difficult. I'm merely thinking about how Mishka would react. Keep in mind his relatively low intelligence and limited experience with social interacion.

That being said, if you want to form a group, I'm cool with that (but don't really feel like doing the flashback thing in explicit detail).

As for the next goal, Mishka will go along with whatever is decided. Of course, he doesn't necessarily have to like it.

Let's go for the soy machine thing. It's the best idea we've got so far.

Joe is cold towards Mishka but I personally think it would be better and more interesting to make him fit in the group. I don't really have an opinion as to how to do that, I wouldn't get rid of geas and I think most characters can be convinced to have it. Other considerations might be necessary, like can we convince Mishka that he has to care about the community, or that he is going to be part of a fraternity...

No objection to the soy machine mission.

I didn't think the geas stricture was retroactive... In that case get rid of it I guess..

Belief is quite easy. Oath might be tougher but what you suggest is fine, depends what the GM wants to say about it. I don't really oppose to other strictures except that material link feels very awkward for Joe.

Mishka could probably be talked into anything, both mission and magic group wise (except Geas ).

Personally, I have always thought that the less Strictures the better, but then again that is thinking from a Campaign point of view, as opposed to a short-term solution.

All right, let's go for it then. How many awakened have we been able to convinced within the many people we help out, Sphinx?