As said elsewhere, I'm fine waiting to see if things clear up.
Search Posts
GM Wellness Check! How you doin', boss?
Redshift chuckles. "I'm not a Constructionalist, so I won't need to eat it. The detailed schematics and the vehicle itself should be enough." Redshift studies the schematics and the vehicle for a short while, and then transforms.
"Well, if I must." Redshift transforms and takes his spot in the... "airplane."
"A simple active camouflage subroutine on your exterior coloration would be a good start," Redshift replies. "Project the image of whatever is 'behind' you onto your various surfaces. Actual field refraction would be ideal. Invisibility has its purposes. It's murder on energy reserves, though, so I can't recommend it at this time." At the discussion of COBRA, Redshift is silent for a moment. "There will always be those who seek to put their own power and glory ahead of the good of their own people. Petty tyrants and power-mad dictators seem to follow civilization like a plague." Redshift looks at Jaye. "You say that COBRA got their hands on some of your laser technology? We... may be able to help you with refinement and efficiency issues. Give you an advantage over them, if possible. If nothing else, we can give you a different attenuation and focusing technology, so you can tell yours apart from theirs easily on the battlefield."
"I don't care what you smell," Redshift smirks. "Is that the right quote? I'm trying to learn about your popular culture, as it appears to be such an influence on your vernacular." He nods in response to Jaye's question. "The complete schematics would work, if an actual model isn't available. But yes, that's the preferred method. Be grateful I'm not a Constructionalist. I'd have to eat it, piece by piece. Gets expensive."
"For that matter, would such a thing as this... were-wolf?... also be obvious and incite unrest? I've noticed several of our Cybertronian animals have analogues here on Earth. A cat, perhaps? A large dog?" Redshift scans around on the internet until he can find a suitably stylish, yet... "street legal"... option. "This one looks suitable. It'll take a while. I'll need to prepare my transformation cog for the change."
I'm here. I was waiting for Skitter to reply to your OOC comment about his alt-modes.
"Our entire species has evolved around the concept of change," Redshift says, nodding in agreement. "Although strangely, many of us... resist it... often violently." "I'm not a Spectralist, so my color choices aren't rigid, but I do rather like these. They were my Titan's. They have sentiment."
I've been thinking since I asked for more time, and honestly it feels to me like we maybe should let this one go. With all the life-stuff that's been hitting MDT lately, and with only two players left, shifting gears and transforming (no pun intended) the entire direction of the game feels to me like it would be a bit too much to ask at this time. I say this as a fellow GM who has had to make the hard calls in the past because of life events and dramatic upheavals in a gaming group. That being said, I'm down for throwing my hat in to any other game you set up, boss. I do enjoy your stuff. AND! If you decide you want to keep this going, I'm in as long as you can make it go forward. If you think you can do it, I'm behind you.
Give me a bit to think about it. I have places I want to take Redshift, but I don't want to force you to run a game for just two people.
Hey, if folks are interested, by new cyberpunk techno-thriller is now available on Amazon (and will soon be available on Drive Thru RPG for the Non-Amazon types):
Redshift greets the strange new additions to the Human's menagerie. "Assuming the mission is a noble endeavor, I'm always willing to assist," he says.
I'm glad things are improving (even a little) for you. Good to see you back.
Delays are acceptable if they keep you sane. That's the important part.
Everyone back from Holidays yet? To quote Kosh Naranek: "I have always been here."
If anyone's interested, The Headmaster's Primer - the GM's Guide for I Want To Be A Wizard! is now up and available at Drive Thru RPG for the very reasonable price of $4.99. Full color map (including a separate download with full key), adventure generator, and more! :D
Redshift gingerly gets onto the table, more than a little remorseful that he hadn't studied Cybertronian Self-Neural-Hypnosis, so that he could simply safety-lock himself, rather than leaving it up to others.
"And that was how Skitter ended up creating Headmasters, Your Honor."
Wilkommin! Bien Venue! Welcome!
Do what you gotta, boss.
"Restraints shouldn't be necessary," Redshift comments. "Unless our new friends have forgotten how to turn off motor responses temporarily. It's an advantage our kind has over yours. Or, at least, we used to?"
After Skitter's mechanical talk: "Hm. Has it really been so long that Therapeutic Synaptic Isolation isn't a treatment any more? I know you're no Mnemosurgeon, but..." Redshift pauses, then continues over private channels to Skitter: ::I probably shouldn't say 'can't you remove their spark chambers, primary neural cords, and brain cases and isolate them in conductive fluids while interrogating them' out loud, should I? The Humans don't have the skill, but they certainly have the drive, to try such things...:: After the pause, in hopes of covering his behavior, he adds. "No, no, I see your point." To Sabre: "I once spoke for a Titan, friend. Her thoughts were my words. I was her caretaker, as she was the same for the populous of the entire city." "It was... a very long time ago," he adds, sadness in his voice. "Another reason I should speak to The Prime."
"They've been held captive and brutalized by the Decepticons for who knows how long before going in to stasis lock," Redshift says to his small compatriot. "I can't blame them for being angry and reactionary. But I also can't blame them for being circumspect, given the threats they've woken up to. Let's all have some quiet time, some adjustment time. Get our bearings and our feet under us. And... how do you Humans say? Sort this out over coffee?"
Redshift sighs. "Killing prisoners is not what The Prime would do, now is it?" he says. "We can just as easily remove their primary function systems, put them in suspension capsules. Isolate them. Probe their memories for information. Murdering them while they're helpless might be what they would do, but it's not the Autobot way." He turns to Skitter. "Is it, Skitter?"
Redshift nods. "Indeed, we have more pressing matters than pointless threat displays when surrounded by allies. Like finding The Prime." He taps his chest with a single finger. "I am Redshift. Cityspeaker of Helaxis, who was Hexalon, City Of Light. This is Skitter. That is Ulastron. I assume you know Sabre? Our small organic compatriots are known as 'Humans,' and behind you is our vessel, the Deltorus." He offers his hand, which is holding an Energon Chip. "Would you like to accept this? Should I intone the Universal Greeting? Do you need a hand up?"
Redshift's voice takes on a quiet, reverent tone. "The Prime is here? On this world?" He nods in agreement with Skitter, holding his hand to his chestplate. "We must find him. I... may have something of importance to discuss with him."
"We do things by consensus, friend," Redshift tells Sabre. "Each of us takes authority in the areas that we are most skilled. I for example have taken the role of liason with our Human friends. What is your strength?"
Redshift holds up both hands, showing them to be empty, and recites the Universal Greeting. "Bah Weep Grahna Weep Nini Bong," he slowly recites, then moves one hand forward toward Sabre, producing a small Energon chip. "I am Redshift, Cityspeaker of Helaxis, who was Hexalon, City of Light," he says. "These are my compatriots, Skitter and Ulastron. Behind you is our ship, Deltorus. These Humans are allies. You are Sabre?"
Redshift nods. "I'd suggest we start with Sabre, then," he says. "Odds are, he can tell us about the other prisoner. And then, if our unknown friend, here, is safe, we bring him online. Consensus?"
Redshift remains silent, for now, listening to the words of his comrades. He pays special attention to the words said about the Decepticons, noting the odds of a command-subjunctive unit such as Laserbeak is here without its parent unit are exceedingly small. Over private comms, he asks Skitter one question. ::What would this Soundwave do to get Laserbeak back? I would ask Ula, but she tends to embellish.::
Redshift looks the agreement over at computer speed, translating it for the rest of the group as necessary. "If we have consensus on this agreement," he says to the others. "Then we should all provide our imprints. But only if we have consensus."
"Your nations are fleeting, and your history shows that you should put them aside for the betterment of your planet," Redshift replies. "Against the greater galactic backdrop, they're meaningless, especially in the face of the Decepticons. You'd do well to put them behind you as a united Earth." "But your point isn't lost," He continues. "And it's a fair one, given the circumstances. I do still think a formal agreement would be of benefit. Otherwise, what's the point of one?"
"We offered to provide technology and training on its use, Agent Jones," Redshift says flatly. "We are not weapons to be targeted at a convenient pressure point and told to kill. If the terms of our asylum are presented to us formally for review and discussion, I'm sure myself and the rest of the crew would be happy to oblige in appropriate situations, but... How can I put this...?" Redshift ponders for a moment. [b]"How would you feel if we told you that in order to use our ship's lavatory, you must first bring us one metric ton of gold? Yes, I think that's an appropriately disproportionate response to that request." "It's not that we are unwilling, don't misunderstand me," Redshift continues. "But a 'deal' in which we had no say is no 'deal' at all. Can you do something about that, Agent Jones?"
cool! Thanks! I hope you like it! (If you do, please tell your friends! If you don't, please tell me!) It's specifically built with no death mechanics - you can get knocked out, and your Familiar can get severely hurt, but that's about it. Also, as a playtester noted, the Experience mechanics are set up in such a way that you only actually learn things when you're not in school, which seems to be the way of things for the Magical Child genre. ;)
Harry Potter-ish? Or more homebrew? One could, if one wanted, create an Academy that was very similar to a particularly well-known fictional school of witchcraft and wizardry, yes.
You could also, say, create a French school named for beautiful wands, or an all-boys school from Russia... The rules are very light and highly open ended for just this purpose. :)
Off-topic, but if folks are interested in playing students at an academy for Wizards and Witches, in a rules-light, open-ended setting with lots of room for fun (and specifically targeted at new players, younger players, or experienced players who want a break from the grimdark), feel free to check out I Want To Be A Wizard!, a game by yours truly. I assure you that all the serial numbers have been filed off the brooms. ;)
"Scrapes and dents," Redshift replies to Skitter. "Minor damage. Nothing that requires immediate attention. See to the rest of the group first. I'll be fine."
Redshift sighs. ”The ship IS one of our wounded. It is very much alive and intelligent. Not in the same way as you or I, but aware and alive and in need of medical care, just the same.” He looks at the Human with the scanner. ”May we at least make sure that it isn’t going to die from catastrophic trauma?”
Redshift nods. "Indeed. When the view of one side is 'we want to destroy anyone who isn't like us,' and the view of the other side is 'we would like to live and not be destroyed,' the choice is clear. But we can engage in rousing philosophical discussions at another time." To General Hawk, he gestures at both the ship and the remaining crew. "We have wounded, General. May we be allowed to see to them?"
Do they know what causes your migraines? It took about ten years, but they finally tracked mine down to associated symptoms from my TMD (which many people often misname TMJ). Turns out that the nerve that runs right through the jaw (the mandibular nerve) impacts two other important nerves. Too much stress was causing the TMD to flare, which put pressure on the mandibular, which impacted the others, and BOOM, migraine. But, again, it took about ten years to nail that down. If you have anything related to TMD, it might be worth looking at. Stress is a hell of a drug. :( I hope you feel better soon, boss!
I... may have blocked those films out of my mind entirely. For values of "may" equaling "long ago took the time to do so." For what it's worth, Redshift is definitely choosing his words so as to make it clear he's done his reading and knows that these "Joes" are ultimately answerable to a civilian authority. But Hawk is almost certainly smart enough to figure that out and counter maneuver.
"I haven't contradicted myself at all," Redshift remarks. "Your United States Of America regularly prioritizes refugees from foreign nations who have useful scientific skills and knowledge. Our desire to help is mutually beneficial; we help you defeat the Decepticons in return for safety, sanctuary, and refuge. I've absorbed much of your world's literature, this is a common theme... I believe you call it 'coming in from the cold'?" At the mention of the Decepticons being here on Earth for so long, Redshift furrows his mechanical brows. [b]"I honestly don't know why they'd be here for such a long time. Perhaps if I had access to your records of their activities here, I could formulate a hypothesis, but I'm more of an Urban and Civil Engineer, than I am a tactician. If you want me to tell you exactly why your current metropolitan methods are unsustainable and doomed to failure, I can certainly do that. But the ultimate goal of this group of Decepticons? That is... was... Warhawk's area of expertise." Redshift turns to Skitter and the rest of his motley group. "They've been here much longer than we have. Was there a Decepticon ship anywhere near us when we came through the wormhole? Do any of you recall? Perhaps they crashed and reactivated before we did?"
MDT, I'm asking this in good fun, but I do ask it because it seems to come up a lot --- but are all your military NPC's swaggering cocky John Wayne types? They're all supremely self-assured and really seem to think they know all even when they don't...
They remind me of my old senior command staff back in my ROTC days... Whatever the answer, here's hoping the general actually listens rather than just shooting us in the face.
|