Constellations of Attelan

Game Master Me'mori

I'm probably not going to be posting today as I have to teach two remote classes and I'll need a lot of rest in between. 'Bot me as needed.

Apologies. System died and I was getting a replacement. Posts resume tomorrow.

That is the WORST.
Good luck!

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo not sure if we want to retcon or what.
We all saw the message to Sparks; they showed it to us. Out by the pool. Before someone conjured a divan I think ..




Subject: Meeting Request for Tomorrow
Dear Sparks Goforth,

Best regards,
Chiskisk
Resource Division Director
Starfinder Society

Just because the spoiler was offered ooc doesn't mean we looked at it in character. Also that communication is signed, but doesn't say specifically who the meeting is with. But you can feel free to name drop if you want. ^_~

Just because the spoiler was offered ooc doesn't mean we looked at it in character. Also that communication is signed, but doesn't say specifically who the meeting is with. But you can feel free to name drop if you want. ^_~

LOL, um, yeah, we did all look at it in character though

So we receive a message like that, and we believe that we don't know who we're meeting with!? Really!? WOW. Spark's solution is fine but WOW ... guess there will be some surprised faces when they say, "you have a meeting with Resource Division Director Chiskis, right this way"

This feels like it's escalating into something else. I was just saying that if you didn't like how we asked for the meeting, Zephyr could easily make the corrections he desired. That's all...

This feels like it's escalating into something else. I was just saying that if you didn't like how we asked for the meeting, Zephyr could easily make the corrections he desired. That's all...

Nah, not at all, all good ... there is however a message missing where I acknowledged Sparks having found a great middle ground, so that sucks. Sorry about that.

Because in principle, it is actually true that the Director could have invited everyone to meet with almost anyone on his team. Way to go Sparks!

This week I will not likely be posting on Tuesday or Thursday, as I have a long work day and when I'm not working I'll be resting.

Apologies but I will be off line due to family emergency for unknown duration.

Thank you.

I am posting this in all my Games.

My situation

We had an family emergency that caused us to need to travel down to Florida to visit my mom. She has been since diagnosed with Major Congestive heart failure. She can't breathe on her own.

We are back in Michigan. My Mom is currently resting at ease at a Hospice, comfortable but still expectant to pass. Our hope is she will become able to have Home hospice so she can do it at home.

I appreciate you. I Thank you.

I feel that I really need to lessen my commitment to these games. I will be stepping away from many but I would like to see this one continue if everyone is on board.

Dorian

So sorry to hear that, it's a difficult situation. Will be happy to support you to continue here or withdraw as you need.

Sorry to learn of your mother's health decline. Focus on that. Our game is still in its infancy, so Dirk could be written out of the current action until you are ready to return or the GM could 'bot the character if you prefer and can give some advice on how to do that. As always, real life comes first.

I appreciate everyone's support and Dirk Gently is ready to investigate this tragic mystery, take the case, delve deeper, disgust the facts, mole it over, step to it, ready his Mean Face, bare arms (but not his skinny legs. He draws the line there) and provide inspirational.... introspection....

I am sorry to hear the news as well, that is rough. There is space for you here, and I am happy to have you.

I am posting this in all my Games.

My situation

We had an family emergency that caused us to need to travel down to Florida to visit my mom. She has been since diagnosed with Major Congestive heart failure. She can't breathe on her own.

We are back in Michigan. My Mom is currently resting at ease at a Hospice, comfortable but still expectant to pass. Our hope is she will become able to have Home hospice so she can do it at home.

I appreciate you. I Thank you.

I feel that I really need to lessen my commitment to these games. I will be stepping away from many but I would like to see this one continue if everyone is on board.

Dorian

Do whatever you need to do, and I'm all for making any accommodation we need to. I lost my mom years ago. It's rough, and you've got my sympathy.

soooooooooooooooooooooo does Zeph need to wait to leave the building so that he can squeel like a school girl and tell everyone about his job offer!?!?!?

Are we still able to stay at the same place as we did the night before?

You have two more nights at the hotel before your stay is up.

Sparks Goforth wrote:

Are we still able to stay at the same place as we did the night before?

You have two more nights at the hotel before your stay is up.

How much does it cost, I forgot to ask.

The hotel normally runs around 250c a night before added-on amenities. Considering all the amenities you have access to, this is part of some package or fall within a range, depending on what you access.

A bit of detail to shed on the Sponsorships that have been offered to you, since the first round have gone out. The others will come eventually, with occurrences in the AP giving an incentive to those companies that have interviewed to be represented.

In exchange for representation– The Academy is prestigious— there are some benefits that will be available to those contracted. First off, they will be issued an armor and weapon of their choice within current equipment limitations, that will be very much for display and use. Additionally, much like the interview in the HAC, a "social session" will be needed, taking half a day or so as they set you up as Models/Personalities.

If you'd like to know the Behind the Screen reasoning, message me. I don't want to reveal more than necessary.

You mention 'the AP'. Is this a published adventure path or home brew? Just curious.

This is an AP.

I'm filling the gaps with other pieces of things since this was released when it was just the Core Book. Scaling Equipment, Specialized Uses for Resolve Points, as well as the plethora of other weapons, armor, and class features were not around.

You mention 'the AP'. Is this a published adventure path or home brew? Just curious.

LOL but yes, it is an AP. It is Dead Suns.

One of the challenges of PBP is how hard it can be to remember details that are mentioned near the beginning and not stressed again. Thanks. Not that it matters, but I was curious.

This is Starfinder's initial full AP. My Friday home group played it prior to my joining them for our initial PF2e endeavor (Age of Ashes). I have wanted to play this since then! I am appreciative of this particular game, players and our GM.

I am having fun playing Dirk. I appreciate everyone's indulgence...lol.

This is Starfinder's initial full AP. My Friday home group played it prior to my joining them for our initial PF2e endeavor (Age of Ashes). I have wanted to play this since then! I am appreciative of this particular game, players and our GM.

I am having fun playing Dirk. I appreciate everyone's indulgence...lol.

Likewise - I have tried to dot this AP for what feel like the longest time, and it's really an excellent story.

I am having fun playing Dirk. I appreciate everyone's indulgence...lol.

I for one, enjoy Dirk's antics. Zem enjoys a good laugh, as do I. I had to show the "twister" post to my teenager when I burst out laughing and had to cover my mouth just like I described Zem doing. It was about 6am and most of the house was asleep. XD

I'm enjoying the story too, even if a lot of the campaign related techie jargon goes over my head. Wasn't expecting it to be so Mysterious Murder Plot to begin!

I now realize I played through the first book a while back in a PBP game. I don't remember much and if I do I won't take an active part in decision making about what to do next.

...even if a lot of the campaign related techie jargon goes over my head...

To be fair, I am making up a lot of the techie jargon as we go. I'm trying to stay true to the naming convention in the system, while being very clear about the function of the things that got names.

The internet(of stuff and things) became the "InfoSphere", so trying to consider the whole of the internet for Absalom Station in specific would be the "Absalom Station (Info)Sphere", with subdivisions occuring as needed, in much like a Venn diagram of relations, but on a 3D Plane. As such I would think that the local worlds in a system would have their own 'Sphere, with the linked Spheres becoming the "(system)Constellation" or somesuch.

Feel free to make stuff up as we go, background color and flavor is fine, as long as it is cohesive. There just is not that much officially fleshed out regarding technological advancements and proper names, which would compound with the number of species and their names for things... So have a ball with it.

Zemfira wrote:

...even if a lot of the campaign related techie jargon goes over my head...

To be fair, I am making up a lot of the techie jargon as we go. I'm trying to stay true to the naming convention in the system, while being very clear about the function of the things that got names.

The internet(of stuff and things) became the "InfoSphere", so trying to consider the whole of the internet for Absalom Station in specific would be the "Absalom Station (Info)Sphere", with subdivisions occuring as needed, in much like a Venn diagram of relations, but on a 3D Plane. As such I would think that the local worlds in a system would have their own 'Sphere, with the linked Spheres becoming the "(system)Constellation" or somesuch.

Feel free to make stuff up as we go, background color and flavor is fine, as long as it is cohesive. There just is not that much officially fleshed out regarding technological advancements and proper names, which would compound with the number of species and their names for things... So have a ball with it.

** spoiler omitted **...

This was where Rebu came from - I figured there had to be ubers in Absalom station and they had to be called something ;)

We all good?

All good. I'm holding for something actionable, other than another flavor post about the apartment, really. I thought someone was going to do something.

Well, I did ask if we can contact the HCBoss through the datapad and also if Kreel's death is public knowledge yet. I suppose it might seem like I was asking the others but it was more directed to the GM. Also Zem is not really the computer sort so she wouldn't know.

Apologies. Figured we were going on a field trip to Holdings.

I'll get a post in after work.

Well, I did ask if we can contact the HCBoss through the datapad and also if Kreel's death is public knowledge yet.

You can. It would be much like responding in a DM.

I'll go ahead and stop posting then.

Sorry, didn't mean to slow things down. I'll try and be more clear and ask my questions more directly using ooc or here on discussion.

I really like the ambiance of the descriptions we are given but sometimes it would be helpful to know what our options are for progressing the plot. Like when we wanted to go straight to the Starfinders and we found out we had to make an appointment instead and bide our time.

Does the Hardscrabble Collective have offices on Absalom station? Will we need to make an appointment? The same questions regarding the Lashunta, Hesara Bhas?

I am not against any of you posting things to either add color, or further the scene— not at all. However, until one of you takes an action that would require my input, the scene itself is contained. I may chime in to add color, but unless there is anything requiring outside adjudication, you've got free reign.

Regarding the decision to schedule, all of you could have gone directly to the Starfinder Campus and inquired, however the method used resulted in an appointment rather than an immediate visit.

Does the Hardscrabble Collective have offices on Absalom station? Will we need to make an appointment? The same questions regarding the Lashunta, Hesara Bhas?

The difference between asking here or in the gameplay thread is whether or not You(OOCly) would like to know or whether or not you would want Your Character to find out in the play of the game. Depending on the style of play, the scale could swing between exchanges and checks OOC, and then diving into Gameplay when conflict occurs.

I say all that to realize that I mean to say, "You are not limited to what I provide for you. If you want to look into something, you do have the InfoSphere or in-person inquiry, or anything in-between. None of that is specifically blocked or impeded, but flavor may be sparse as that is something that I would have to come up with."

I suppose I'm used to a more concrete structure to a gaming universe. Your answer seems to imply we could not only perform an action to gain information, but also decide what that information we glean from the action is?

So are we meant to just narrate ourselves looking up the location and traveling to the offices of the Hardscrabble Collective, and procuring a meeting with who we wish, etc?

Shouldn't it be the GM who communicates if the location is accessible and by what means, if we will be able to meet with someone and when, etc?

I just need to know what format to use to make an inquiry about our game world and how I can receive an answer. So far things seem to be very subjective and vague and leaving me confused about how to proceed. I'm not trying to be critical, just trying to understand.

No worries, your points are accurate, and I do appreciate the feedback (srsly). :)

I think of it like this: If the action is not harmful, likely to cause a response that would require mediation, or not seeking information that you do not already have, then the GM would not need to necessarily step in, and you can describe the setting as how you see it, whether it is just an overfull trash can to a couple paragraphs of Zemfira's perception of the apartment. "Continue to play in the sandbox of the apartment", as it were.

To contrast, if Zemfira tries to hack something in or from the apartment, or take actions that may need to be contested, or something involving information that you do not have, then I'd chime in with posts or info relevant to either your closest skill or attribute, (default take 10). While a roll is not always necessary, for things that your character is directing effort towards that might be beyond the scope of their skillset or means, a roll is always helpful to determine the degree of success at the attempt*

So in this case, at present, all of you are occupying Kreel's apartment, having just finished (or finishing) dinner, and are looking into your next steps. You are correct in that I would need to communicate if the location is accessible, and depending on how you want to go about it, the "who"/"where"/"when" of things.

This is still relatively early for the group, so between the group dynamics, interplay, and posts I do want to let some sort of rhythm establish itself, or see how everyone interacts, so I'm not herding everyone ahead before they would like.

Regarding the game's progress, the group has several points of interest that they can investigate.
• The Collective
• The Level 21 Crew
• The Downside Kings
• Hesara Bhas(?)

the two gangs that were there are the most notable, though other inquiries are possible, despite not being anticipated.
*Reflexive actions I do roll, simply to expedite progress, instead of waiting for a post of a single roll

Actually Sparks ... I thought we were justing doing a favor for Hassincheck, Keever's boss. I thought we were becoming Starfinders when we completed the assignemnt, that was NOT actually an 'official' investigation

I could be wrong though

My understanding was that Zephyr's take is what we were proposed initially:

They pause here, considering each of you and straightening. "Given your direct involvement as witnesses to this incident along with what the reports say, I would ask that you investigate it further on behalf of the Society.

Then Zemfira asked for Society authority and support and got this:

There is a moment of consideration as Chiskisk receives the delivery that Zemfira put forth, and there is a bobble of his antenna that precedes his response that denotes chagrin. "Apologies Zemfira. Durevor was inclined to try to recruit you into the Society. Given your reception, it was my fault to presume that not all of you would have been inclined to assist. Should all of you wish membership in the Society, I am prepared to grant that including a signing bonus plus expenses. Would two hundred credits to each of you for necessities, and my comm code so that you can contact me directly if needed suffice?

Finally, Chiskisk clarified that we are not acting as Starfinder agents for this investigation:

"Let me clarify, please: Your looking into this is a request of a friend, not as agents of the Starfinder Society. While investigations are often handled by agents, this instance would see station security taking action too long after the fact to yield negligible results. As I stated previously, all of you are not incapable, and demonstrated that you can handle yourselves. Looking into his death may result in nothing, but it is at least something that I can do for a close friend."

Thanks for doing all that, I appreciate it. That's exactly it, although I guess we're technically Starfinders already. I do not recall that Chisick told us to be quiet about his request, so I guess saying that he asked us sort of is what it is although I'm not sure why we would tell someone.

Whether we are bona fide agents or just probationary prospects, Sparks wanted to drop the Starfinder name to bolster the confidence that we can be trusted.

Sounds like we might do best to investigate one of the gangs.

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone had/is having a good time!

Thus far in the posting, I see Zem plotting a route, Dirk scouring the 'Sphere, and an agreement on which gang to investigate(?).

Not sure agreement had happened yet, but let's go check out level 21

That's fine.

This next post can encompass a fair amount of time, so I can convey that Dirk has found all that could be found digitally. The rest will be up to footwork. So with that said, let me know if you would prefer Diplomacy or Intimidation as you all try to gather information on the Level 21 Crew.

You can also give me your rolls in this thread, and I can incorporate it into the conveying of information. Considering that everyone could check, it would take a number of hours equal to the number of checks for best results as you fish around Level 21 for info. You'll be making a night of it, but as far as Dirk can tell, no one is hunting for you.