Emerald City Chronicles

Game Master Arknight

A Mutants and Masterminds 3e Campaign in the Emerald City setting.


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possibly,but thanks for putting in so much hard work on him :)

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2
Zouron wrote:
possibly,but thanks for putting in so much hard work on him :)

You're very welcome. :)

Besides, I like mechanical tinkering in M&M. It's fun and entertaining for me.

...

So, after Ninjahime redistributes Quick Draw, we're mechanically completely good to go. Nice. :)


This is the latest rework of Ninjahime. Quick Draw points redistributed to buying a customized motorcycle we can't call the Ninjacycle without getting sued by Kawasaki. She also has a couple appropriate complications.

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2

Works perfectly mechanically, but there are a couple notation errors: Under 'Advanages' she should have Equipment listed at 5, not 4, and under 'Equipment' she shouldn't have any ep left, as she's spent it all on the motorcycle.

Complications look good, though adding another one or two couldn't hurt. Having a secret identity can count, just as an example.


Thanks again for the help, Deadman. I had a little trouble reverse engineering the Equipment Points/Character Points ratio (10/1 would be so much more convenient,) but it should be fixed now.

Also grabbed a couple more complications. That may be something the folks with the website would like to address.

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2
Ninjahime wrote:
Thanks again for the help, Deadman.

No problem, I'm always happy to help. :)

Ninjahime wrote:
I had a little trouble reverse engineering the Equipment Points/Character Points ratio (10/1 would be so much more convenient,) but it should be fixed now.

And so it is. Everything on all characters is now mechanically shipshape...I think. :)

And 5/1 is actually already a bargain, I mean, that's literally a third or a quarter the price of the same things as Devices, after all.

Ninjahime wrote:
Also grabbed a couple more complications. That may be something the folks with the website would like to address.

Look cool to me. I'm now curious to hear more about her family, actualy.

Hmmm, now that I think on significant NPCs I should probably write up some details on Joseph's closer friends, and their various quirks. I'l see if I can whip something up over the next day or so...


One thing that really could be a complication in time with this is that Esoteric isn't really trying to hide his real identity (not that anyone is going to take a picture of him though). So h be a rather obvious link to the others since it gives them a starting point.

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2
Zouron wrote:
One thing that really could be a complication in time with this is that Esoteric isn't really trying to hide his real identity (not that anyone is going to take a picture of him though). So h be a rather obvious link to the others since it gives them a starting point.

Possibly...but also quite possibly not. I mean, unless our team start hanging out out-of-costume, which doesn't seem likely in the immediate future, he'll just be the one targeted in his civilian ID...which has no real ties to anyone else's civilian ID.

So that's almost an advantage for the rest of us, as he'll take some fire that might otherwise be directed at us. :)


True true :) Just wanted to give a heads up ;)


Likewise, Hurt wears no mask and goes around using his real name. He's got about a century of century of merc'ing and banditry under his belt although he remembers next to none of it. People, especially bad people, will know who he is pretty quickly. You'd hang out with him in public out of costume at your own risk. To save money on ammo, he usually just orders delivery pizza, chinese, or tacos. Easier on everyone.


Well maybe you could write up a small bio for us? :)


Hurt wrote:
Likewise, Hurt wears no mask and goes around using his real name... To save money on ammo, he usually just orders delivery pizza, chinese, or tacos. Easier on everyone.

And saves money on tips when the would be assassins try using the old pizza delivery dude trick.


Zouron wrote:
Well maybe you could write up a small bio for us? :)

I wrote something up during recruitment but I guess it never made it on to my profile. It is there now if you didn't see it.


Hope everyone had a good weekend, because it was a bit rough for me :) on the plus side, it looks like everyone is ready to go so I'll try to get stuff up and started tomorrow or Wednesday.

One thing that might help me get things going too is what would an average day look like for your characters? What would they be doing say on a typical Wednesday? I have a couple of ideas, but wanted your inputs..


A little story intro to what he could be doing on a Wednesday :p

A cold wind blew in from the bay and across the glittering spires of concrete and glass of Emerald City, the sun just rising in the east coast its first few rays of light down on the Pickman mansion just outside the city in the Suburbs painting the dark green grass in almost grayish colors.

Henry St. James, majordomo of the Pickman estate looks out over the domain of which he was in charge before turning away from the large iron framed windows and steps over next to the door into the basement. The door was always locked, except for 2 hours every morning where Master Edward would decent into the decent of the accursed second basement to the thing that lurked there. The door to the second basement opened and Edward Pickman Derby the Third stepped back into the hallways and took the glass of fine whiskey from the tray St. James held.

"Might one inquire if there has been... any change Ser?"

Edward looked at the unimposing man, with dark skin and stiff English manners for a brief moment then walked to the windows just moments before the other man had been looking out of and sipped the whiskey.

"No, St. James, there has been no change."

"If Ser would permit, I don't think..."

Edward raised his free hand in a silencing gesture,

"I do not permit. Now tell me what the schedule is for today."

Not a muscle moved on the man's face to disclose his displeasure with the young Master, had the old Master and Mistress still been here this farce would never have been allowed, even so he had a job to do.

"Yes Ser, Ser has an 8 o'clock appointment with the solicitors of Benson, Mark and Spencer about the Lidenbower case, then Ser at 10 Ser has a meeting with the geneticist from New Life, concerning the..."

St. James hesitated for a moment then continued

"... sample that Ser had them examine."

Edward sipped his whiskey slowly,

"I'll have lunch at the.. What’s it calling that place next to the Emerald City Library?"

St. James sighed inwardly

"Hassan's Grill and Pizza Ser, however I have ordered Ser lunch at Exporazzo."

Edward closed his eyes annoyed at the fuzzy sense of pride in his person St. James displayed, but let it stand, St. James had been with the family for nearly 50 years, man and boy.

"I will be spending time at the library after lunch until 3pm where I will head to the museum of natural history to look into the Achieves on the artifacts from the pre-Columbus era."

St. James had expected as much and made a mental note to rely to the Pickman Foundation that the young Master had delegated the task to them.

"Very well Ser, Ser will be required to attend the Maximilian Mars Fundraiser for the Society of Young Geniuses..."

"The man is an arrogant bastard with his head so far up his ass that he will need a professional team of spelunkers to get it back out."

Edward said turning to St. James who in turn didn't move a muscle to reveal his reaction to the crude statement.

"That might very well be Ser, however Ser have already accepted the invitation, if Ser recalls we discussed it last week and Ser said that he would rather be"

St. James coughs theatrically

"dragged through the excrements of the entire city and then be introduced to a gentleman of large proportions named Bubba in the shower if Ser had to attend the Emerald City High School Poetry Night again this year and the fundraiser was Ser's alternative."

Edward drew a deep breath and nodded.

"At the least tell me St. James that the police radio has been installed in the bike by now? I desire to test it out tonight."

St. James nodded ever so slightly, not letting a trace of the fact that he had actually suggested the poetry night first to ensure he had gotten the young Master's acceptance before suggesting the fundraiser.

"The item in question has been installed along with a suitable headset and a wireless connection to the headset in your helmet Ser. However do Ser not think that Ser is going too far with this... fancy of Ser's?"

Edward drained the rest of the whiskey then put the glass back on the tray the melting ice cubes tingling inside the glass from the movement, Edward headed towards his study.

"No St. James, I haven't gone nearly far enough, this time."

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2

Wow. Now that's a lot to live up to. I'll try and post an equally interesting summation of Joseph's standard day momentarily. :)

In other news, I've put a couple of Joseph's friends up in his profile, and more will follow.

In other, other news I should note something:

As soon as Seizure finds out about the thing in the Pickman basement, he's going to offer to help. And, at GM discretion, he might actually be able to do something. Not about any physical changes, of course, but he really might be able to put the poor guy's mind back together given time and effort, and will certainly give it his best shot.

Just thought people might want an OOC heads up, and give people the opportunity to think about how that should go.


LOL you hardly need to live up to it, I was just inspired tonight :)


Challenge accepted

Hurt sat on a beat up couch in a draft, disused warehouse. One good thing about a down economy, lot of places to crash off the grid. He watched TV and listened to a police scanner he had...um...appropriated for heroic use...from a pawn shop.

"This is crap. Total crap. How does anyone know where the heroic stuff is needed? All this stupid scanner has told me is where the dumbest prostitutes are. Which is not a bad thing. That's useful. But I need a bank robbery or Godzilla or a bunch of draculas eating ice skaters. Something to put me on the map.

"I should also stop talking to myself. I should also write down that draculas and ice skaters thing. If the hero thing doesn't work, I could be a Hollywood screenwriter!"

After pacing the length of the warehouse for a few minutes, Hurt walked over to a trapdoor set in the floor of one corner. After unlocking all six padlocks and removing the chains, he drop down into the lower level. This are is more pleasantly appointed with plush rugs and furniture that had also been "appropriated for heroic use." A desk cluttered with monitors and computer equipment sits unattended at one wall.

"Shaky... Oh, Shakyyyyyyy... Where are you?"

Huddled under the computer desk is a lanky young man with thick rimmed glasses, perhaps in his mid twenties. He shakes like a leaf at Hurt's approach.

"Wha- Wha- Wha- What do you want?"

"Get up here, Shaky. I'm not going to hurt you. We have an agreement. I'm trying really hard to keep those now. I need you to make the internet tell me where to fight a bunch of draculas eating ice skaters."

"A bunch of...what? Y-you mean vampires? They aren't all named Dracula. And in any case I don't think they're real."

"That's what the draculas want you to think, Van Helsing. And don't make any bets on the not real thing but whatever. Does this city have a Godzilla? I don't want to go to Japan to fight a Godzilla. Those people get way too handsy on the train."

"I- I don't think Godzilla is real either. You could go on patrol. I think that's something heroes do."

There is a long pause as Hurt just stares at Shaky. "You suck, Shaky. You are the worst." Hurt climbs up the ladder again. "Find me some draculas. You suck. Suckhead. Suckysuck-suckface." The trap door shuts with a resounding clang and Shaky slumps gratefully into his chair.


A Day in the Life of Leah Klein

6:00 am the alarm clock goes off. Leah gets out of bed, showers, and dresses. A quick glance at the calendar shows that Leah’s scheduled to do some network troubleshooting at the Mt. Stanley Conservancy. Non-profits don’t pay consultants as much as tech firms, but they won’t be too snarky when Leah shows up in jeans and a sweatshirt. And the Conservancy’s offices are near the ECU Law School; Leah shoots her brother Luke a quick e-mail inviting him to lunch.

Around seven o’clock Leah leaves her loft apartment on the edge of Jadetown and grabs a coffee and bagel from one of the shops at ground level. Then she catches a bus for the university district. Of course she’d get to work faster on her motorcycle, but after her recent additions, the bike’s probably not street legal. Besides, the commute lets Leah catch up with the local newspaper. The news has the normal stuff: a bank robbery, daring cat burglar stealing gems, the Harpooners trading a pitcher and an outfielder for a second baseman. Oh, the Society for Young Geniuses fundraiser--a total ego fest for the attendees. Leah had been invited to join the SYG once, but turned it down. No matter what anyone says Leah’s convinced that Luke’s really the brain in the family. Could be worse, it could be the High School poetry night. Lord, that was so embarrassing.

By nine Leah’s at work and by noon she’s finished the job they’d hired her for and done “a little extra.” Back in her Cyberninja days, she would have been able to crash the Conservancy’s website in five minutes, downloaded their donor database in ten, routed a sizeable chunk of their bank account to the Cayman Islands and back in half an hour, and left their server a smoldering ruin. There ought to be a law against lame ass systems admin wannabes leaving the root user name and password at the factory default. Before lunchtime, the Mt. Stanley Conservancy’s network has been upgraded to professional grade security.

It’s a rare sunny day in Emerald City, so at lunch Leah and Luke enjoy some Indian carry out in the University Quad. Looking at the passing students, Leah thinks that in her sweatshirt and jeans she looks more like a student than her brother in his suit and tie. “Hey, Leah,” Luke says. “I think you should come back here.”

Leah briefly wonders about how her brother can read her thoughts, but says, “What, the Physics Department needs to recalibrate the particle accelerator again?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Luke laughs. “But I was thinking you should come back as a post grad and get your doctorate.”

“Only reason for me to get a PhD,” Leah replies. “Would be to land a corporate job. Dad won’t be happy until we’re both vested in the MarsTech pension plan like him, but I’m just not cut out to be a corporate suit.”

“You could always teach,” Luke says. “That would make Mom happy.”

“You and Mom have the people skills for teaching, not me. Besides,” Leah adds. “If you want to see Mom happy, just tell her about you and Marshall.”

“But I haven’t even told her…”

“You won’t be coming out to her, Luke,” Leah puts her arm around her brother’s shoulders. “Mom’s known you’re gay at least since we were in tenth grade. That’s when she had to explain why all the boys I was interested in wound up spending ‘alone time’ with you. And before you panic, Dad’s figured it out, too. You and Marshall have been seeing each other for months, the parental units will be glad to know you’re in a stable relationship for once.”

Luke returns his sister’s embrace and says, “Thanks, Leah. I’ll tell them at Sunday dinner, so you better show up this week. Oh! Speaking of Marshall, he scored some invites to the Young Genius thing tonight. You want to come?”

“Sorry, I’ve got kendo class tonight.”

“Kendo?” Luke asks. “That’s the one with the bamboo swords? Since when are you branching out to armed combat styles? Never mind. Your class will be over before the SYG party has even started. Here’s an invite. Show up if you want. It will be a shame if that cute little black dress you bought last month stays in the closet.”

Leah takes the invitation and goes back to the Conservancy for the rest of the work day. Not that she has any intention of going to the Young Geniuses gathering. It would be nice to tell Luke about what she’s been doing with her nights lately. Maybe one day she’ll be able to tell him. One day after Ninjahime had been retired for several years. But Ninjahime hasn’t even seen action yet, it’s way too early to consider retirement.


Joseph's alarm clock rang a 6:00 am, just like it did every day. He put away the file he'd been reading, shrugged on a new set of clothing, cooked himself a healthy breakfast in the little kitchen of his one-bedroom apartment, and headed off to work.

He always liked getting in to work early, since he didn't need to sleep any more and preferred not to stay late, since he had both a social life and various extra-curricular activites.

Once he got to work, he waded through a sea of poverty, abuse, and general unpleasantness as usual. Some other social workers had less problematic case loads, but over a year into this job and he was still the new guy. On the other hand, it did give him the oportunity to help people, and with his newfound capabilities he could aid some people others couldn't.

At lunch, he heads off to a little Chinese resteraunt in Jadetown who's owner he'd helped out a few weeks back (he had a way with hired thugs these days, and so this gentleman didn't need to pay protection money any more), and got his usual free meal there, while looking over a particularly nasty file and deciding what to do about someone who wouldn't stop bothering (ie: stalking and threatening) his ex-wife.

Decision made, he headed off to make his rounds physically checking on his clients' situations, heading for the ex-husband he'd just been reading about first, and leaving him with the brand new iron-clad belief that anything illegal or inappropriate he did remotely involving his ex-wife would be 100% sure to get him caught and sent to jail for a long time. It might've been satisfying to do more or worse to him, but his crimes thus far didn't merit anything else, so it wouldn't have been just. The rest of his rounds were relatively uneventful, and he went back to the ofice, checked in, and then left.

Joseph didn't go straight home. Instead, he went out to a club where his friend Charlie's band was performing a somewhat later tonight. He did a quick scan right off the bat, as he often did, for other psychics, and finding none, then did a slightly more in-depth one looking for any predators, sexual or otherwise, there might be in the crowd. Finding one man who was looking for a drink to slip something into, he slid effortlessly into that man's mind and implanted a compulsion to do so in full view of the bartender and the security camera. He nudged the bartender's eyes over to the attempt, and implanted an urge to call a bouncer, then the police. A slight altercation followed, and the man was taken away.

Joseph smiled to himself, and then relaxed, had a drink, and read paperback urban fantasy book while he sat in the corner. A bit later, several of his friends arrived, and they hung out while enjoying Charlie's current band, as well as the general atmosphere of the place. Joseph considered walking up to the bar and asking to buy a particularly attractive woman a drink, but couldn't quite bring himself to approach someone he didn't already know and like in such a manner.

After the gig, the group and Charlie hung out for a bit, before Charlie managed to successfully pick up a girl and take off. Joseph wished him luck, and the rest of the group rapidly dissolved. He then headed off for his nightly walk through the bad parts of town, puling out his book again and enjoying the read while waiting for anyone to try anything within his new senses' range. Tonight he ran into only a single mugging (which he stopped with a quick, non-damaging, seizure on the mugger's part, plus a slight suggestion to the victim to call the cops so they could pick the guy up).

After a couple of hours of that, Joseph wandered back to his car, got in, and drove home and cooked himself a nice steak dinner, which he ate while watching a movie on late-night TV. He then lay down and watched his usual collection of TV shows online, while going back to the file he'd put down this morning. Once that file was read, he pulled out another, and kept reading them long after his shows were over. And then, of course his alarm clock went off at precisely 6:00 am just like it did every day.

Charlie's gig is a randomly chosen possible social event. Many days it would be some other social activity with friends, on Friday it'd be their D&D game, for example.


umm not to rush things but.... are you still with us arky?


Quick bump to keep this from falling too far down the chain.


it's a thread that goes bump in the night? hehe

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2

So...anyone wanna try PMing Arknight?

I'd really like to actually do this. :)


Sorry guys, I'm still here. I've been tied up for a few days with some frustrating stuff at work and home. (Part of it is trying to buy a house and keep getting the run around trying to get the pre-approval. So much so that the first choice (out of 3 possible in our area) for our home got under contract this weekend and we're still waiting on a credit company for info so can get the preapproval). :(

I'm going to make sure this game doesn't vanish, because I'm anxious myself for some hero action. :)


I remember buying our house very well and it's hell with smelly balls. For my part, I've no problem with you taking your time with this. I'm not going anywhere.

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2
Hurt wrote:
For my part, I've no problem with you taking your time with this. I'm not going anywhere.

Ditto. As long as it's still happening at some point, I'm happy. :)


No rush, Arknight. We'll just keep popping in here from time-to-time to keep the thread from vanishing. Best of luck with the house hunt.


made a minor adjustment to my character.

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2
Zouron wrote:
made a minor adjustment to my character.

Looks good to me at least. :)


it was really really really minor actually so I didn't doubt it, just wanted to give a heads up so no one would get the thought I was changing my char without telling people and other vile and evil things ;)


What other vile and evil things did you have in mind, exactly?


I will let you speculate on that ;O)


Yep, still around. Home and work kicking my tail. Should have some downtime this weekend to advance a couple of topics :)


sounds good :)

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2

Indeed!

I am most pleased. :)


Still waiting semi-patiently. ;P

Seriously, I worked for a mortgage bank long enough to know real estate transactions never go smoothly.


Sorry for keeping you all Ina holding pattern, but I promise this is the final stretch. Work has slowed down quite a bit, our offer on a home was accepted, and we're just waiting for appraisal and possibilities of getting some small things fixed before closing.

In the spirit of the game too: Assume it's been a couple of days since your postings of 'day in the life' above. :) It's Friday morning, and you are supposed to meet with a friend/family member/associate downtown for lunch near the beginning of the 'Yellow Brick Road' pedestrian mall.

What do you do until then? :)

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2
DM Arknight wrote:
Sorry for keeping you all Ina holding pattern, but I promise this is the final stretch. Work has slowed down quite a bit, our offer on a home was accepted, and we're just waiting for appraisal and possibilities of getting some small things fixed before closing.

It's cool. I think we're mostly still here. :)

DM Arknight wrote:

In the spirit of the game too: Assume it's been a couple of days since your postings of 'day in the life' above. :) It's Friday morning, and you are supposed to meet with a friend/family member/associate downtown for lunch near the beginning of the 'Yellow Brick Road' pedestrian mall.

What do you do until then? :)

Go to work, probably. Joseph's schedule is pretty consistent, though he tries to be paranoid and vary precise times and routes. So he'd be at work doing his job until it was time for lunch.


Leah wakes up to the sound of her phone ringing. She picks up the handset and mutters a vague greeting.

"Hey, Leah!" The voice of her college friend Raelene is just too chipper for this time in the morning. Then Leah notices the bedside clock, 10:30, maybe it's not too early to be chipper.

"Good morning, Rae," Leah says. "Sorry if I'm not with it this morning. I was up late writing your code. If we're still on for lunch, I'll bring a jump drive with your new inventory management system."

"You're done already?" Raelene asks. "The big time software company the venture capital guys wanted to hire said it would take them two weeks. You know I can't pay you more because you finished quickly. Anyways, yeah, we're still on for lunch. Only we're not going to the pizza joint, I've got reservations at the new bistro on Yellow Brick Road. Bring your drive thingee and dress professionally--one of the venture capital guys is coming with. He wants to meet you. See ya!"

"Yeah, see you at lunch," Leah hangs up the phone and starts thinking. Super, I was going to ride my bike today, but business skirts, panty hose, and motorcycles don't mix. I could just show up in jeans, but Raelene's put a lot of sweat into this start up of hers. Don't want to blow things for her by dressing down for the meeting with the money guy. I'm taking the bus, again. I just have time to get there if I hurry.


The sun bathed the city in gentle heat, somewhat counting the chill zephyr from the bay that should have been far too gentle to chill people to the bone. But in the streets people pulled their clothes tightly around them to ward off the chill as Edward observed somewhat absently while listening with half his attention to the corpulent business executive from Benson, Mark and Spencer droning about the amazing rewards and barely conceivable risk with investing in the Lidenbower venture. Edward leaned back in the chair and looked to the bloated oaf and narrowed his eyes.

"Thank you, I have heard enough now if you could be so kind as to leave I have other matters I need attending to."

Edward rudely put the meeting to a halt and after a few endless minutes the meeting room had been cleared except for Edward and the Lawyer representing the Derby Foundation, a scrawny man in his mid 40ties, with a balding spot showing through his starting to go grey hair. The lawyer was fully aware of Edward's eccentricities and kept his expression bland, though his eyes glares with disgust at the irresponsible and undeserving fool. After a few moments Edward pulled out his iPhone 4 and waved the lawyer, the man left quietly, while Edward went over his calender for the day, two more meetings, but neither truly important. Edward smiled to himself and speed dialed Miss Napolitano.

"This is Edward, could you..."

"No this is Edward Pickman Derby the Third, and I am not your son's coach I assure you."

"That's OK Miss Napolitano, now would you please be so kind as to deliver a message to Jackson?"

"Excellent, Now tell Jackson that she will be taking over the meeting at 10:30 with the Nesby Consortium Management and the meeting at 11:20 with the board."

"Hmm... tell Jackson it is because I am a lazy bastard, whom pays her handsomely to do the real work, while I take a midday nap."

"Is that so? Well then I will leave it to you to find a suitable excuse."

Edward hung up and pocket the phone and got up, if he left now he could go to Jadetown to find that Chinese manuscript he wanted, well with a bit of luck. Then head to lunch afterwards at some bistro or other St. James had arranged, to meet with Jackson and Mr. Warren.

Just wanted to apologize if I will be slow to respond in the near future, recently got myself a nice little shoulder injury that somewhat distracts me from putting my all into this.


Hurt eats tacos.

Lots of tacos.


Cool :)

I've just added a pic for Hurt on the Obsidian Portal site. Let me know if that works or if might want another image :)

Countdown clock is rolling to the premiere........ :)


Totally works. Thanks.

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2

So...how much time left on that countdown clock?


I think that countdown clock only has one number on it and that is 2012 so telling how much time is left is rather difficult *jokes*


LOL :)

I can guarantee the clock has less than 7 days on it. I've got my last final of the term on Thursday evening, and a couple of papers/presentations this week as well so may be a bit tight during the week. As I haven't been able to get into any other games on here, I'll have a bit more time to focus on making this an exciting game :)

However, I may be posting entries to a gameplay thread through the week, but please don't reply until I post a notice here? I'd like to get all the openings personalized and up ahead of actual start.


kk


Sure thing. Good luck with your exams.

Liberty's Edge

Male Human Cleric 2

All sounds good to me. And I'll echo the good luck wishes on your finals.

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