Hey guys, thanks for checking in here. This is the Discussion thread, for out-of-character conversation, planning, questions, etc.
We'll be ready to start pretty soon, and I have a good idea for the first opening scenes, but I'd like you to answer a few questions so I can maybe flesh out the opening setting a bit more.
1. Where does your character live? Not in a geographic sense, but I'd just like a short description of your character's home.
2. Does your character have a job? If so, what do they do, and what kinds of people do they work with? Obviously the psychics don't have to answer this one.
3. Which of the others that were selected does your character know? How close are you with them? Each of your characters must connect to the others such that when the action starts, the whole group is drawn in. Of course, not every character needs to have some ideological reason to join, but... It's gotta be somewhat plausible that you join.
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We will begin, after a bit of narration, one day after the events of the raid.
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Also, I'd like each of you to add something like this in your class page as a header:
hp x/x, sp x/x | KAC xx, EAC xx, Fort +, Ref +, Will + | Perception + (senses), Sense Motive +, Init +, (resolve x/x)
Please keep this updated if you can, but I also plan to track PC health in the campaign info tab.
In addition, if you have daily use resources, please keep track of them in your profile. For example, for spellcasters, put something like (3/3) next to your spell selection to indicate how many spells remain to you during the day.
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Also, I'd like to announce a couple of houserules regarding survivability:
1. When you level up, you only gain half the listed number of hit points, rounded up. You still gain the normal amount of stamina points.
2. When you rest, you regain a number of hit points equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier. When you are subjected to magical healing or medical attention, you heal 1 hit point per dice of healing that you would otherwise have attained, plus half the normal bonuses. The mystic's cure ability heals 1 hit point per level of the mystic. "Treat deadly wounds" heals 1 hit point per two levels of the character performing the treatment. Healing stamina points works normally.
3. If you die, you can choose to be affected by a trauma. If you gain a trauma, you gain a crippling injury determined by the GM. You survive and remain stable at 0 hit points, although you appear dead unless carefully examined. If you have not been otherwise healed after 1 hour, you regain 1 hit point and become conscious. If you have a number of traumas equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier, you cannot gain another and you die.
I'll have to get all that done tomorrow because my internet is gonna be dying in a few moments, sorry
No apology necessary. In your own time.
I'm so pleased to be selected from the great list of applicants. This is a least the second, maybe the third, time I've tried to get into one of leinathan's games. So I am realy looking forward to this game with all of you.
It'll probably be later tonight before I get the writing and profile update done.
Checking in.
First of all, thanks for the selection!
It will likely be tonight or tomorrow before I get around to answering the additional questions/profile update.
Thanks again!
Checking in, and tickled pink to be here! And I apologize in advance if I'm a little aloof the next couple of days...we're having some plumbing issues at home. :(
His workshop in the garage below has a programmable maintenance cradle for his body, a range of tools in well-used but good repair, and a series of jacks and straps for lifting heavier projects off the ground for work.
The area is definitely in what amounts to working slums. Most of his neighbors have some manner of steady income, whether legally or illegally and you can walk down a street with reasonable confidence that carrying a piece will be enough to dissuade most of the opportunists that trawl the area. There is a pretty strong sense of community on his street, the increasing alienation of urban decay, predatory corporations, and gangs cultivating a strong 'us against the world' mentality.
Before he hocked his bike, he was a known figure in most of the street racing groups around the city. Strictly illegal, it is the only place where a heavily auged human like him is not barred from racing. He was not the best but his star was on the rise and he was getting some attention from some of the movers and shakers in the scene.
Amaryst I know was planning to know Cross from a distance, having been familiar with the underground racing scene. I doubt she would be as unknown to him as she thinks though, being one of the rare aliens to wander into the human dominated racing scene. She probably sticks out almost as much as he does, although for very different reasons.
Smyrna might actually be something close to a friend. Being the sort to keep his ear to the ground, Cross would be a valuable resource for Smyrna to tap when her hacking skills failed her. Also, someone with real expertise in medicine and tech is a rare resource for a guy like Cross who is fully aware of the limits of his skills. Having someone who knows what they're doing on hand to treat some of the more core specific ailments would be invaluable to him.
Korvan I am not sure about, I feel like two steady presences outside of the usual law-abiding world should know each other to some degree.
Thanks for the selection - looking forward to creating this universe with everyone!!
1. Where does your character live?
- In the depths of a military institution are the single occupant cells that Maldor and the other 'experiments' occupy. There are, of course, medical, dining, hygiene, and scientific sections of the facility, but the 6'x8' room is his home now...
2. Does your character have a job?
- Survive. Learn. Pray. Help the others when, and however, he can.
3. Which of the others that were selected does your character know?
- MLE, through shared training in the facility, and Korvan, although it's been years since Maldor has seen his childhood friend.
Prior to escaping, Emily lived in the compound. Her 'room' was a locked cell with limited accoutrements, 24-hour surveillance, and no real possessions; mostly a bed and small bathroom, with a desk and a terminal containing a few "approved" videos, games, e-books, and other media. The walls were drab-gray and lead lined to prevent her from sensing thoughts/emotions thru the walls.
As a test subject she had a near-daily regimen of tests and experiments. Usually with minimal contact between her and the researchers, but occasional contact with other test subjects, such as Maldor, in group experiments; or civilian “volunteers” (usually criminals) when testing her offensive powers was required.
Jin -- Jin was one of the researchers brought on to her project when she was young, and first developing her abilities. Emily wasn’t given much contact as part of the project’s protocol, but back then they weren’t too leary of her reading others thoughts or feelings, and actively encouraging her communicative powers. She sensed Jin’s sadness about her treatment, even if she didn’t quite understand it. This was really the first inkling she ever had that her life wasn’t normal. He did bring her candy or other treats on occasion, and she played chess with Jin’s AI, Cassius. The AI usually won -- she wasn’t that good at games, when she couldn’t ‘read’ her opponent. After the military took over the project, 8-9 years ago, Jin was removed from the project with all the old researches, and replaced with military scientists.
Maldor -- Maldor was another test subject added to the project, after the military takeover. While the new direction of the project had a much stricter isolation protocol, she did undergo group testing with others, and Maldor was her most common partner. Able to communicate somewhat with her telepathic message cantrip, he became her first real friend and told her what little she knows about the outside world.
1. Where does your character live?
Korvan's apartment is simple, small, and utilitarian. Nothing fancy, not too many possessions that he'd care too much about if he had to replace them. Never know when you're gonna have to bounce.
2. Does your character have a job? If so, what do they do, and what kinds of people do they work with?
Even now most legitimate jobs require a clean rap sheet, which is something Korvan doesn't normally have. He makes his living stealing credits from various businesses and financial institutions, usually in small, randomly infrequent transactions as to not draw any undo attention, that is unless he's been contracted to do something bigger.
3. Which of the others that were selected does your character know? How close are you with them? Each of your characters must connect to the others such that when the action starts, the whole group is drawn in. Of course, not every character needs to have some ideological reason to join, but... It's gotta be somewhat plausible that you join.
Maldor was Korvan's best friend at one time in their lives. Even after all the years, if Maldor needed Korvan's help, he wouldn't hesistate.
While not exactly close, Korvan and Amaryst have frequented many of the same locations throughout the years and are on at least friendly terms, be it working for the same employer on various jobs or just hanging out at the same dive bars sharing a drink or three. Given that fact, I suppose it's not impossible that Korvan and Smyrna may have met in passing as well.
Korvan's relationship with Jin is more of a transactional type relationship, with a few lengthy conversations that any business proprietor may get into with a repeat customer.
Finally, Korvan has heard of Cross and may have even met him once or twice, simply being on the same side of the law, but I doubt that there's much more than that.
I can not think of any reason why Korvan would have previously crossed paths with MLE-1138, though her connection to Maldor should remedy that in short order.
1. Where does your character live? Not in a geographic sense, but I'd just like a short description of your character's home.
2. Does your character have a job? If so, what do they do, and what kinds of people do they work with?
3. Which of the others that were selected does your character know? How close are you with them?
MLE - 1138, psychic empath engineered from birth
Maldor Brock, street rat stolen from his family and forced to undergo brutal training
Jin Larson, witchwyrd biomedical expert
[ooc]Jin is Amaryst's oldest friend on earth, their acquaintance and friendship reaching back to her days on Castrovel. Currently she's hoping that he'll be able to help her with some financial difficulties, but hasn't worked up the nerve to ask him.
Cross, human core in a cybernetic body, illegal street racer
Korvan, professional (and largely illegal) hacker
Smyrna, science fiction receptionist punk
leinathan, my big question for you, aside from, "when do we start?" , is what's the status of Amaryst's ship? It's OK if she's lost it. It will just rachet up the seperation a tad.
Amaryst's ship is currently in an orbital dock. While Amaryst legally owns the ship, it is being guarded by members of the Roth family security detail, who are on the lookout for Amaryst and have orders to rough her up if she shows up (which is something she discovered last time she tried to go to it).
The Roth family is currently going through the court system to try and invalidate Eastern's last will in order to divide up his possessions between them, but it is a slow process that is likely to take many weeks.
Amaryst, I'd really like it if you described the ship to me. What kind of ship is it? How big is it? What's the crew complement like?
When you described what it's for, I imagine an extremely small luxury skimmer, designed to be piloted by a single person, without significant weapons, armor, or shielding systems. It's got nice living accommodations of course, and a Drift engine, but not too much else.
First intro post up. Feel free to get started, if you want. It may take some posts to get everyone even in contact with one another, so take your time.
Oh, I wanted to explain something: Getting on a shuttle to a space station is of a similar ease to getting on a long-range bus to another state. It is not a long ride (maybe 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on whether the station is in geosynchronous orbit or not) and it isn't expensive either.
Amaryst's ship is currently in an orbital dock. While Amaryst legally owns the ship, it is being guarded by members of the Roth family security detail, who are on the lookout for Amaryst and have orders to rough her up if she shows up (which is something she discovered last time she tried to go to it).
The Roth family is currently going through the court system to try and invalidate Eastern's last will in order to divide up his possessions between them, but it is a slow process that is likely to take many weeks.
Amaryst, I'd really like it if you described the ship to me. What kind of ship is it? How big is it? What's the crew complement like?
When you described what it's for, I imagine an extremely small luxury skimmer, designed to be piloted by a single person, without significant weapons, armor, or shielding systems. It's got nice living accommodations of course, and a Drift engine, but not too much else.
That's perfect. You describe the ship almost exactly as I envisioned it. Thanks!
Smyrna is also methodically careful in the way she holds her personal information. Working as someone who snoops on others since high school has made her paranoid in the way she travels. Since all of Smyrna's gear is modified from centuries outdated technology, most systems are unable to register it as tech at all. This gives Smyrna the advantage of both security and stealth. She also instawipes all data from whatever point she's using and transfers it into an encrypted flashdrive she keeps with her at all times.
Cross I think Smyrna and Cross would be something like friends, at least, I feel that they'd come in contact professionally a decent amount and their working relationship from Smyrna's point of view would be positive. I was planning for Smyrna to have a primer black, ancient Harley, and Cross with his specific expertise would've been her main person for parts and access. She'd also have Cross as a source for any local tips for cases around the area. She is specifically equipped with her short university knowledge of Biomedicine and her experience in engineering, so they could have a backstory through that. Being a teen who grew up in the area, Smyrna would probably be pretty excited if she knew/found out about his former identity as a street racer, but whether she knows anything is up to Cross.
Amaryst I think that Smyrna would consider Amaryst a close friend. They're at a similar age and place in life right now. Smyrna's not new to gunfights, but working with Amaryst, she'd deeply respect her skillset. Smyrna doesn't get a lot of opportunities to be young and have fun, and I think Smyrna would form a connection pretty quickly to Amaryst as an outlet to that. Since Amaryst's roommates are junkies, Smyrna could've been involved in a pulp fiction moment at Amaryst's house.
Korvan I feel that Smyrna and Korvan would know each other through Amaryst and also by working in the same business. I think Smyrna would have a neutral stance on Korvan. She'd respect what she knows of his skillset, but personally, Smyrna's a lot more hands on with her information gathering. Since Smyrna grew up in a traditional household, and since she works at a PI firm, Smyrna might judge Korvan unconsciously for having a rap sheet. This would be because of Smyrna's own privilege growing up, as well as having the idea that he got caught.
"Shazzbot!"
Nanoo nanoo!
Oh, I wanted to explain something: Getting on a shuttle to a space station is of a similar ease to getting on a long-range bus to another state. It is not a long ride (maybe 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on whether the station is in geosynchronous orbit or not) and it isn't expensive either.
What would the respoused be to getting on a shuttle in golem plate? Or even just walking around town so attired?
"Shazzbot!"Nanoo nanoo!
I see y'all are acquainted with Castrovelli slang.
I see y'all are acquainted with Castrovelli slang.
I just need some rainbow suspenders and I'll fit right in! :P
Oh, I wanted to explain something: Getting on a shuttle to a space station is of a similar ease to getting on a long-range bus to another state. It is not a long ride (maybe 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on whether the station is in geosynchronous orbit or not) and it isn't expensive either.What would the respoused be to getting on a shuttle in golem plate? Or even just walking around town so attired?
I think that walking around town armed and armored is probably considered fine. However, there's likely to be some places that you can't go while carrying - government buildings, hospitals, etc. You can wear light armor no problem anywhere you go without anyone throwing a fuss, but heavy armor may have to be "checked" and put in cargo or something.
Obviously this might change on other planets. I'll let you know of local laws where you get to and if you're aware :)
Cross I think Smyrna and Cross would be something like friends, at least, I feel that they'd come in contact professionally a decent amount and their working relationship from Smyrna's point of view would be positive. I was planning for Smyrna to have a primer black, ancient Harley, and Cross with his specific expertise would've been her main person for parts and access. She'd also have Cross as a source for any local tips for cases around the area. She is specifically equipped with her short university knowledge of Biomedicine and her experience in engineering, so they could have a backstory through that. Being a teen who grew up in the area, Smyrna would probably be pretty excited if she knew/found out about his former identity as a street racer, but whether she knows anything is up to Cross.
Considering he was a racer up until about a month ago, she would probably know. His current hiatus is a sore point though. He definitely had the 'scrappy underdog' vibe going for him big time when he was racing. Though since she is strictly better with computers and machines than he is, he might try to lure her into serving as his pit crew if he ever gets his bike back.
Okay wait, is Smyrna literally identical to Jin except for Race and AI? >_>
They do fulfill a lot of the same roles now, at level 1.
Sidenote: with how many hackers this team has I can't wait to see what happens when we get faced by a locked door or something lol.
The real thing is that I can face you with simultaneous hacking challenges :)
You can also afford to both specialize and generalize individually on this team :)
Those doors won't know what hit them.
I replaced some of my medical stuff with stealth stuff, and also added a drone to diversify myself from both you and Jin, but there's only so much you can do at lv 1. I usually level almost entirely based on what's occurred to that character recently, so hopefully that will help us all fill in some gaps organically.
1. Where does your character live? Not in a geographic sense, but I'd just like a short description of your character's home.
2. Does your character have a job? If so, what do they do, and what kinds of people do they work with? Obviously the psychics don't have to answer this one.
3. Which of the others that were selected does your character know? How close are you with them? Each of your characters must connect to the others such that when the action starts, the whole group is drawn in. Of course, not every character needs to have some ideological reason to join, but... It's gotta be somewhat plausible that you join.
MLE, having semi-raised her among other children during his time with The Project
Korvan, doing cybernetic and medical work from time to time for him
Amaryst, as longtime friends who recently got back together
and Smyrna, though admittedly he has only run across her once or twice and the two have briefly chatted about their overlapping specialties.
Totally digging the group so far. Fabulous posts.
leinathan, a couple quick questions because my initial reading on "magic" was wrong. I just want to make sure I've the right impressions. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
1. There are no known mystics or technomancers among non-human species.
2. Shirrens and lashunta retain telepathy. In fact they were the inspiration for the experiments which gave us MLE and Brock.
3. Do lashunta retain the racial daze, and telekinetic capabilities? It's not an issue for me either way, I picked lashunta more for the telepathy than anything else.
As far as I read it? Humans lack a racial psionic sensitivity that would allow for more than a few very gifted individuals from developing psionic abilities without genetic manipulation so the government looked for ways to induce that psionic sensitivity from other races so that they could have psionic soldiers to rival the natural abilities of races like Shirren, Lashunta, and to a lesser extent Witchwyrds
@therealthom - Your impressions are correct, and yes, lashunta retain their natural psychic SLAs. Humans, being enterprising little bastards, have created the first mystics and technomancers.
Those doors won't know what hit them.
I replaced some of my medical stuff with stealth stuff, and also added a drone to diversify myself from both you and Jin, but there's only so much you can do at lv 1. I usually level almost entirely based on what's occurred to that character recently, so hopefully that will help us all fill in some gaps organically.
My impression, based on a read through of the rules and not actual play experience, is that Starfinder is considerably less dependent on PC's filling roles by class selection than Pathfinder. There seems to be considerable adaptability within each class to fill a multitude of roles. It will be interesting to see how things play out.
@therealthom - Your impressions are correct, and yes, lashunta retain their natural psychic SLAs. Humans, being enterprising little bastards, have created the first mystics and technomancers.
So this is going to be BIG news. Cool!
btw, sorry if i seem like im not talking much. Jin doesn't have much to do at home that's relevant to the plot at hand so im sorta waiting for the Psychics to show up on the doorstep.
I wasn't sure how much later "later in the morning" was.
Amaryst can take your call, and we can at least chat.
Plus, I'm gonna be encouraging some party splits due to the large party. I'm just waiting with bated breath for the inevitable scene where some of you have to get to the control room to open the door in time for the other ones to get to the actual objective, or whatever.
Don't worry about it, Hazrond :) We just started the other day, and we're just in the intro-RP-chill-nothing's happening yet first-day part of the game. I'm just waitin' for Maldor to roll a Bluff check, and then in all likelihood we can move straight to the meeting scene.
Sorry - I can only post once a day due to work! Heading over to the Gameplay page right now!!
I am LOVING this game so far, and everyone's creativity! This is how role playing should be =)
No apology necessary, Maldor :) I am having a great time writing posts for this game as well, and I'm quite satisfied with my party selection. I look forward to the next few in-game days!
I'm having a fun time too and am interested to see how this goes. I'm also glad that we finally got things rolling with Jin (also, lol he's being threatened with the equivalent of a broomstick)
Is there some way to make the game notify me about new posts when I'm on the site? I mean sure the unread thing is nice but that's only when I'm in this forum. Something like the notification you get for PMs would be nice.
One of the three wifi looking icons in the upper righthand corner of the page is what you you seek.
Hazrond, you've got about 45 minutes if you want to change the alias on your last post.
Not that it's super important. I'm sure I'll post as me in the game thread someday soon. Trying to postpone that eventuality is a game I play with myself.
Nice catch, I'm still getting used to swapping Aliases
Let's see if I can't put that rich parents backstory to work a little :P
Okay, can understand that for a phone call but, for an email? I mean, it's not like we have roaming fees for trying to send an email IRL
I would agree with you, if you were trying to send a message to another planet in the solar system. The reason that we don't have roaming fees for sending an e-mail is because your computer is able to communicate with any networked device in the whole world.
Even in Starfinder, computers have a range of what they're allowed to communicate with, and it's measured in feet, miles, planets, or systems. Most public networked computers (including commlinks) have a range of planetwide. Since your computer can't reach your parents, it means you have to rely on the services of a communications company. Think about the effort and time it would require to send a message to the witchwyrd homeworld.
It has to be sent to a communications satellite, and then to a relay, and then to a Drift beacon, through the drift to the next beacon, and then to another relay, and then to the next Drift beacon, and so on and so forth until it reaches your parents. There is limited hardware that allows that kind of communication, and a lot of demand from high-volume customers (militaries, interspecies trade companies, governments, etc.) that takes up that bandwidth.
In the real world, it takes like eight minutes to send a message to Mars, which is the closest planet to ours. Not only that, but the communication relies on line of sight. Imagine what kind of hardware and time it would take to send a message to a distant solar system.
Plus this way, it can be a plot hook! If you want some free money, you have to take on some jobs in order to get it, maybe get the more... mercenary of the party involved.
:) Don't worry, it'll be possible to pull in some good cash.
I irl know nothing about motorcycles. If there's anything erroneous, that's because it's the future. Oooo Fancy!