Present. No brain for posting. Sorry.
I'll get a posty up tomorrow then, pushing us on a bit :D
Im around.
Physically,. Not mentally. ;P
Oh wait, business as usual then. Carry on! :)
Sorry. New government, been absolutely ridiculous amounts of work -- would have been relatively easy to have a quick reactive post, but instead, I have to deal with the whole sister and her boyfriend thing... Plus, you know, the fae. ;)
<snort> Could always be worse.
Could have been a FAEpocalypse!
Hm,... sorry, need my coffee. I swear it was funny in my head. :/
My alarm didn't go off this morning and I have to fly. Was planning a post, but now... not so much. Sorry, DSX.
My alarm didn't go off this morning and I have to fly. Was planning a post, but now... not so much. Sorry, DSX.
It's fine in fact I'm working on a bit of a spoiler post for pin & maybe one for Mahorfeus too :D.
But yeah, there's some drama with Molly to kinda start to be the epilogue to this section.
And I've an idea for the next Chapter.... Chapter 4: Crossing the Impossible (or Breaking the Barriers)
...
...
...
...
Alrighty, so [INSERT NAME HERE] has finished his active posting. Being in the special forces he's worked both in a task force, flying around the world for emergencies and routine postings. During this time he's seen some very strange stuff & heard about weirder things, most people shrug it off as local superstition or just mumbo-jumbo - sometimes though it needs to be 'investigated'. That was one of the things that your unit did, either prevent insurgents/protect convoys or refugees; or sometimes lead assaults on strongholds of 'creatures'. These were all black-bag operations, ultimate deniability, since the enemies aren't even human let along citizens of regimes covered by the UN.
Your commander Col. Colchester, well officially he's a Col. but where he gets his orders from is a bit unknown.... maybe the pentagon, maybe direct from the President, or possibly elsewhere???
Your new assignment, is to look into what's happening in the city of York. In the past year there's been a nuclear bomb scare, an immortal dragon attack & now it's leadership has vanished.
Despite the fact the UK is a 'friendly' country, you've done OP's over there before - some supernatural, some not....
The primary focus is to establish a contact with Adriana 'Sal' Salazar, she's a marine sniper that's gone AWOL, a good soldier - you have previously met her. She should be a good contact - try to gain her confidence & maybe we can work out what is happening with the city.
She's recently come back onto the radar after a visit to the ER with some burns & other injuries consistent with combat. In the dossier there's also a note of old track marks on her arms, however no mention of this elsewhere (so it's not common knowledge).
Officially you are 'retired', there's a medical discharge and an honourary pension (something slightly unusual for someone of your years of service). In actuality it's part of a discretionary fund to allow you to live in the UK. (Of course, your visa/passport are all upto snuff... but there could be slight problems if examined too closely - Col. Colchester, says this could be used to bring you a bit closer to Sal. Apparently she knows some dubious types.
Sorry. New government, been absolutely ridiculous amounts of work -- would have been relatively easy to have a quick reactive post, but instead, I have to deal with the whole sister and her boyfriend thing... Plus, you know, the fae. ;)
Ack, sorry to hear about the work sitch. Would you like us to wait for you or keep making mansion posts until you get a chance to catch up?
Sorry. New government, been absolutely ridiculous amounts of work -- would have been relatively easy to have a quick reactive post, but instead, I have to deal with the whole sister and her boyfriend thing... Plus, you know, the fae. ;)
I hope at least it's good work?!?
Or at least pays well? :)
Sorry. New government, been absolutely ridiculous amounts of work -- would have been relatively easy to have a quick reactive post, but instead, I have to deal with the whole sister and her boyfriend thing... Plus, you know, the fae. ;)
New government? Are you Canadian, by any chance?
I am, indeed.
It's.... work. Generally, I like what I do, but I like it less when it's all in the midst of a panic.
Heh, sounds a lot like me, :)
I like what I do, really,...
I'd just like it a lot MORE if other people (who have NO idea what I do) would stop trying to tell me how to do my job and keep adding things for me to do because they don't think I actually DO anything!
Oh, and, you know, if they actually paid me a decent wage. That too.
:P
If it wasn't for panic, I sometimes think nothing would get done around here. :/
"No minute like the LAST minute!" :)
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Nice 'Kenneth' post!
Can't wait to see part 2! :)
Just had my post (responding to Sal) eaten, so I'll try not to run and leap off a building in depression.
However, mechanically, Sal should basically be fine -- she just (more or less) needs to rest a bit.
First up, people lose all their stress at the end of each scene.
And even vanilla humans shrug off mild consequences -- they should go away at the end of the scene after recovery starts.
Being in "rough shape" would usually be a Severe (or worse).
Point of fact, Kenneth's more injured than Sal (with his moderate), but his Inhuman Recovery lets him treat consequences as if they were 1 phase less severe -- so he'll bounce back from the nastier injury as quickly as she does.
Ah yes the dreaded post-muncher-monster. I don't miss him at all. :P
Thanks for the tip on the Inhuman Recovery, I didn't know that little technical tidbit. :) (Or I knew but forgot a long time ago) ;P
True, 'Technically' Sal is better off than Kenneth until recovery time. But 'normal' people would still be going to the hospital, getting it splinted/cast and or pain pills. (OK, In Sal's case maybe not pain meds. Some NICE inner character work there!) :)
I do enjoy the fact that our 'recovery' from injuries is more or less instant, since they all happen at the end of a scene/chapter. WHich would take days/weeks/etc in 'real' time. ;P
('m a big fan of NOT-real time now. I have a hard time watching my TV shows that aren't pre-recorded. I HATE watching them as they are broadcast and not being able to speed through the commercials!) ;P
Sigh. Darn all these good TV shows, and Netflix. I'm turning into a friggin couch potato. I need to go back to Karate classes. :/
AND enough of MY soap opera! Now back to 'As the York Freezes Over',...
Right after this word from our sponsor. :)
Rules wise and game-wise I agree with you, Tilnar. I've had a few games where the GM has had to introduce artificial healing/recovery methods (Call of Cthulhu & Warhammer Fantasy RP most notably). However once this scene concludes, I'll start the next chapter which will advance a couple of months to just before the Summer Equinox & the York Viking Festival. And by that time Sal should be as right as rain (although she may need to start summer school).
Summer school? Aw, man.
I was also getting concerned that DSX wasn't making "wrapping up this chapter" noises, which means it might take some time to heal our moderates, so perhaps medical care would be appropriate to hasten that if we were continuing. Also, RP-wise, it makes sense. Not all of us are Inhumanly blessed. ;)
I also thought I had a moderate and a nearly full physical track, which was alarming if we were going to continue, but I do have a couple of open physical boxes and the minor/severe. As for Kenneth's injuries, it might be a good idea if he goes to the hospital, too. :P
Except that Sal doesn't have a moderate, as she was healed magically to a mild.
Assuming the NHS works at all like the Canadian system, Sal going to the hospital would be like a 13-hour ordeal of waiting, because after the first triage nurse confirmed the wrist wasn't broken, she'd be marked low-priority and given a wonderful seat in the waiting room (single-payer health system is excellent for critical care, but waiting times for non-critical things can be pretty high -- especially given some people use the ER in place of having their own GP...).
(Otherwise, Kenneth could have used the mental stress he took downgrading Sal's moderate to heal away Danny's mild... to make sure he didn't cry about potential scarring..)
Milds are just that: mild. Enough to slow a body down for the rest of that scene and the next... then you're better (think of all the times Harry just needed a hot shower and a moment's rest...)
In terms of Kenneth, if he weren't magically reinforced, he'd be looking at having someone splint his ribs and would be a while recovering. However, having been beaten by Trolls, he's got a pretty decent idea of how durable he is. Plus, his rapid healing is such that he'd probably get better before a doctor looked at his X-Rays... And then, too, there's the small matter of needing to keep his temper as to not accidentally fry many thousands of pounds of medical equipment.
Heheh, Yes, waiting in a waiting room for forever can be very frustrating! I have trouble not blowing stuff up and I don't have any magic. (Much to my dismay) ;P
KNowing DSXM, I'm guessing he's having fun watching us write our way through (Out) the end of the chapter. I'm betting that's where he gets half his ideas for the NEXT chapter! ;)
Will post soon, have to come up with something good to keep up with you guys!
:)
And here I thought we'd be discussing the huge pile of money instead of healthcare! :D
LOL!
I really didn't want to discuss the big pile of money. :/
It is depressing cuz it reminds me of my current money troubles! :P
If this was RL, No brainer. I'd keep at least a portion of it. Not trying to be evil or anything, just because I'm so broke that I'm willing to risk a little Mob-angry-reaction if it took care of all this nonsense! ;P
Hrm yeah, now re-considering my next post to deal with THAT elephant in the room. :/
I've never really decided if Danny was a classic Do-anything, ends-justify-the-means PC, or a 'real person'. o_o
Darn you for making me think! NOW my brain hurts even more! ;P
LOL!
I really didn't want to discuss the big pile of money. :/
It is depressing cuz it reminds me of my current money troubles! :P
If this was RL, No brainer. I'd keep at least a portion of it. Not trying to be evil or anything, just because I'm so broke that I'm willing to risk a little Mob-angry-reaction if it took care of all this nonsense! ;P
Hrm yeah, now re-considering my next post to deal with THAT elephant in the room. :/
I've never really decided if Danny was a classic Do-anything, ends-justify-the-means PC, or a 'real person'. o_o
Darn you for making me think! NOW my brain hurts even more! ;P
I'm not sure that keeping a bit of the money to live on is actually "evil". I think we're all pretty broke, in game (at least).
Heheh,...
Art imitates life?
:D
heehee,...
Sorry, but I love the reaction Treppa.
Laughed out loud, seriously.
Sometimes a single sentence really does say more than a whole page!
;)
Yeah, it's weird how when things get really big and bad, the mind can't handle them and tunes down to the trivial things it can.
Heh, interesting observation. And probably true.
I've noticed that as I've gotten older, I tend to 'blow up' (IE=yell and shout), at whatever goes wrong, little things. But when something BIG actually happens, (Say, flat tire in a thunderstorm) I'm calm, cool and just deal with it. I'm the one calming everyone else down. (I know, crazy right?) :)
I tell my wife it's because I don't bottle up the little stuff. So when the big stuff happens I don't have full tank of stress and I can deal with it. :)
I think in reality it's much simpler. I have very little self-control. (Or I'm just lazy) So I don't waste it on the little stuff. ;P
SO DSXM,...
:)
Do you want to narrate the: 'Danny (tries) to teach the Fae a Lesson in Living' night out? Or did you want me to write some of it and you fill in Laverna's reactions? Or some other combo?
As I mentioned, My/Danny's plan was pretty simple. The Fae are always looking for the lie, (In his opinion) So he plans to show Laverna how people really live in the moment, relieve stress and basically make the best of living for a few hours. In situations where people are at their most open and honest (Intentionally or otherwise)
So, a rave/dance party (NOT one of those head-banging things, an actual Dance-rave-TGIF-party, something Danny could find blindfolded but I would never know how to get to.) Then the rest of the night at a 'real' blues club, drinking and listening to people bare their souls through music.
It might not be Laverna's style of fun, but if she doesn't confess that she's learned SOMEthing about humanity/living then Danny will eat his freakin' leather jacket! :P
MAinly I'm asking because I'm going out of town for the week, (Taking the family on a vacate, got a weeks stay at a Condo and enough $ scraped up to go to Universal for a few days) And probably won't be posting til after thanksgiving.
:)
So yeah, Happy Thanksgiving to all in advance!
I think I'll probably narrate it since it should prove a bit quicker that way & Laverna is sliding slightly towards probably not being a huge feature in the next chapter.
Sounds cool,
Thanks! :)
I'm off to pack then! :D
BTW, I did survive the vacate. :)
First 'real' family vacation in at least 8 years. (Not counting the yearly trip to visit grandmas and cousins and such. Or Extended family going to beach, or,... You get the idea.) :)
Just have to say, Universal studios/Islands of Adventure was fun. Whole family had fun. Harry Potter World was the place to be this year, according to the majority of the crowds there.
But,... it is WAY too easy to spend too much there, and not realize it.
I emptied the friggin piggy bank. Seriously.
Driving there, eating, groceries, souvenirs, driving back, etc,... planned to spend maybe 400-500 $$$, (After park tickets of course.)
Yeaaaaaaah,.... try double that. At least. :(
Oh well, at least I didn't add anything to my currently existing debt/credit card balance. :/
On the 'plus' side? 12 yr old son decides he is a thrill ride junkie.
On the 'bad' side? 12 year old son drug ME on every roller coaster with him. Multiple times. :/
So sad, the HULK coaster was not functional. it wasn't even THERE. They have completely disassembled it. Signs say it will be back next year. Looks like they are re-building it from scratch. The ONLY part still standing was the 'Gamma Blaster'. (The start of the ride, where you go UP to get to your first drop)
Heh, forgot why I started to post. :)
Love the interactions guys and gals. Keep it up!
I'm just gonna be lazy, I mean save my creativity,... and let DSXM provide the synopsis for Danny's and Laverna's (and Morien of course. She ain't gonna let DANNY drive the ice-mobile!) ;) Night on the town. :D
Just gotta finish up natural IC exploration of Sal's new "powers" for her transition to the different class. It feels kinda weird given that I know exactly what is going on, but she doesn't. She'd ask somebody she trusts first. She'll probably talk to others outside the group between chapters, but DSX can simply tell me what she finds out. This gives DSX a little time to come up with the next chapter, too. We're vamping.
Glad you're back safe and sound and (relatively) solvent, Rags, with no Gamma Blasting in sight. :P
Ah,... I wanted to say "RAGS SMASH! as we launched! ;P
Thanks Treppa. Good to be back. I LOVED my vacate. But now I need a vacation from my vacation. :P
Lets just say that NOW I understand why some people I know have been halfway through a week long trip to Disneyworld, then just stayed in the hotel one day in the middle of the trip to rest.
I would never do that. Not after spending ALL that money for park tickets. But I understand why they would/do. ;)
FYI, Luv the dialogue. Keep it up!
:)
Shame you had to go show the fae lady a night on the town. :P
Honestly, The way I'm feeling in RL lately, the Summary the DSXM will provide will probably be much more entertaining than any I'm coming up with at the moment. ;P
And in game, This conversation is WAY too serious for Danny. :)
It's hard to have an in-depth realization/revelation/exposition that you've been touched by something special when the other person in the room is making funny/snide/sarcastic remarks because he has an inferiority complex, the attention span of a fruit fly, always has to be the center of attention, AND has a quip for every occasion. (Except when his player doesn't) ;P
Yeah no. THIS scene is perfect. Don't wish Danny in the middle of it. :D
Sorry about the posting rate, but my schedule is going to get crazy in T-3, 2, 1. Trying to get posts in before the explosion. Things will probably slack off a bit over the holidays (only 40 hours of coursework each week without the 50 hours of work to accompany it), but everyone else is usually busy then.
Til, thanks so much for this RP. Sal and sex was somthing I'd shoved out of mind entirely. I mean, women in captivity and addicted poverty rarely have great experiences with sex. As a woman, I don't even like to think about that. I tried to hand-wave a fable that, for some strange reason, nothing happened. But it's time to put on big girl pants and face it, and also wrap that into part of her rebirth/class change - her ability to get close to people again. This lets me do that without getting too much into the squickiness of the past.
Besides, flirtation/tension is always fun!
No problem -- when I designed Kenneth, including his flaws, the drawback I gave him "Romantic Poet's Soul" was largely meant to be based on some of the older version of the romantic tradition (as opposed to the commercial version people think of today) -- effectively, for older gamers, I rather had in mind something like the 2e "Gallant" Bard Kit's concept of the romantic code and essence of purity.
So, basically, Kenneth is very moved by beauty and innocence (and not only of the physical kind) and will die to protect it, but those very things do also resonate deeply within him, emotionally, as well...
Which means, really, Kenneth would want to help heal Sal, as it's part of his nature to do so... especially now that he's seen her vulnerability... (which is why it's a Trouble, of course.)
Basically, in all his inner dialogue -- it's not that Kenneth is worried about breaking Laura's heart because he's holding back in the relationship [well, he is, but he's doing that because he's worried about breaking her heart because he knows himself -- and not because he's been damaged because of Caitlin's death, or because there's a deep part of himself that belongs to Brigid, such that he can't share it with others -- though that's also a possible complication, given how Celtic gods can be -- though usually less jealous than the Olympians].
Rather, it's that Kenneth's reverence for beauty, innocence, grace, all of that, means that it's not just that he's attracted to women, so much as the fact that he's very much likely to actually develop love for them (...and, given his natural charm -- and the boost to that from becoming a Bard and Herald -- is often reciprocated...) Which is why our lovely Warden has already become a bit of an issue.
And while some aspect of that was likely always in his personality, accepting Brigid and the Flame of Kildare -- well, it's burned away many of the parts of him that weren't bardic and romantic -- basically heightening those parts of him such that he's not really able to stop himself from loving more than one woman at once.
... So, all that to say, it's a wonderful chance for character development and growth for Sal, while further complicating Kenneth's life... but, hey, that's what a Trouble's for.
Heck, if there's a chance of my helping another player's Trouble along, count me in! :)
I've been having a bit of trouble with Sal. I was ignorant of the DF books and mythos when I built her, so I had no idea what being the unaffected captive of a herd of red vamps would be like. After the book where Harry and Susan tangled with Bianca, I realized that Sal's experience had been much more horrible than I ever intended, and her time in London was likely more Trainspotting/Sid & Nancy than a jolly party. That made her recovery in Yorkshire suspiciously fast.
I didn't want a broken character, nor one who is always dominating the play with her troubles and is a complete drag to be around, so I'm grateful that DSX quickly resolved one of her hanging angsts to let me move her along. The talk with Kenneth seemed natural, and I originally built her with a crush on him, simply because he seems to be rather supernaturally crush-worthy. I've really been waffling a lot about this scene getting intense because of her past trauma, which is why her internal monologue has been missing from time to time and why her attitude sometimes changes. I didn't know where to go with her.
Then I remembered a fascinating article from many years ago, about a small percentage of people who remain optimistic through horrible conditions and trauma that would break others and achieve great success despite incredible odds. It's not that they are completely unaffected, but they're much more resilient than others. Scientists were studying them to see if there's a biological basis to optimism. Though optimism isn't part of the FATE system, I saw this as a combination of Endurance and Conviction in Sal's case. She has decent Endurance and I'm upping her Conviction, so having her recover fairly quickly despite years of suffering is something I can justify to myself. Hence her willingness to be open to kind of considering a relationship (of whatever sort this may or may not turn out to be, if it even does. Or not.). The dice can always decide things, but that's pretty much chickening out of role playing.
Why yes, I do have a lot of drive time to think about character development. Why do you ask?
I missed 2E and the Gallant Bard (my playing days lapsed between AD&D and late 3.0), but the archetype seems interesting, kind of a combination of chivalrous Knight and Bard. It's also quite natural that he'd worship the Goddess embodied in every woman. :P
I have been enjoying Danny's solo expositions showing his relationship with the Tong Twins is not what we thought. Poor Danny! I'm not laughing with him, I'm laughing at him.
LOL!
No worries, I'm laughing AT him (Danny) too! :)
And Wow. Just,... WOW guys. :)
I mean, aside from the fact that you've obviously put MUCH more thought into your character and development than I have, your both also very very good at expressing it.
Seriously, why is it that everyone else but me seems to be able to say in a sentence or two what it takes me a page to explain? :P
Love the fact (in spite of and/or because of all the background info notwithstanding) that both of these two are basically dancing around the exact same issue, (attraction to each other and should they do something about it?) and neither realizes it. :) Beautiful example of art imitates life! :)
Great job guys and gals, keep it up!
Thanks, Rags! I'm having fun and learning a lot about the character, but feel pretty guilty for hogging the stage. I hope DSX is coming up with something spectacular so we can get the new guys into the game, too.
It's also fun writing for a character who is busy getting drunk. That's why she's speaking deliberately, using Kenneth's name a lot, and not making a lot of sense with the last question. I mean, she is, but she isn't. "Mortal choice" answers a lot of her spoken question, but that's not really what she's asking.
Love the fact (in spite of and/or because of all the background info notwithstanding) that both of these two are basically dancing around the exact same issue, (attraction to each other and should they do something about it?) and neither realizes it. :) Beautiful example of art imitates life! :)
Heck, I've done that for 30 years. Now THAT would be a long, boring scene. ;)
Hope you're high and dry, DSX; Desmond looks a mess.
Don't feel guilty Treppa!
Certainly not for quality writing and interesting Character Development!
:)
'Hogging the stage'? Thhpppppt!
Have you SEEN my (I mean DANNY's) self-absorbed, long-winded novella-length posts? :)
Haven't been watching the local weather, much less anywhere else's weather. (Like I can remember where you all live!) ;P
BUT, now that I know,... Stay high and Dry DSXM! (And anyone else nearby to wherever he's currently trying to avoid treading water at) :D
Well Done everyone, amazing character development. Don't worry about 'hogging the limelight', it's what the FATE system is for - especially when I'm not posting super frequently ¬_¬
Fortunately I'm on high ground, so it's just the rest of the country that's under water. :D
Glad to hear that DSXM.
:)
Sorry, about the abrupt end to the post, I'll do some more tomorrow (hopefully) or you can Rags. :D
(It's getting late here)
Yeah I started, but it's midnight here too. This old wizard is about to turn into a pumpkin. ;P
Will things be easier to follow if we take the action in the basement to spoilers and keep the rave in the main thread?
Argh! Really Old wizard?!?
What was I thinking?
Seriously, that last post sounded MUCH better when I wrote it last night. At Midnight. :/
Yeah, I should NEVER post when its way past my bedtime. ;P
It's ok, DSXM will save me! :)
Treppa, I think we're ok either way. I need to wake up before I post again though.
That's later though. Right now, I have to get back to pretending to work!
Peace,... :)