Hey all, I thought this game was dead and since it was my only ongoing game I stopped checking back in. Apologies for killing it. I had a blast. How’s the new game going?
So, I've been learning Blades in the Dark for a live game, and I want to suggest that we adopt a Blades mechanic (not specific to blades), for the Executive's mandatory contracts. Progress clocks. So, I'm kind of thinking as follows: 1. The more complex the contract, the larger the clock, and the more cred.
I think this might be a good way to track the contracts. What do you think?
Ron briefly examines the spearhead, shrugs and tosses it in his pack. He then rubs his eyes in disbelief as the party enters the door they were just fighting to keep closed. Wait ... gods damned it ... He moves to defend the entrance, staying on the outside, and his ears perk up when he hears "eidonlon." Impossible ...
Apologies all, I haven't been in a good head space of late. This isn't dead, promise.
Three cheers for Bastian’s post describing the mission’s footage final cut. Serious effort there and it was a joy to read.
Hello ChLover. Welcome to IA. I see that you are attempting to hijack mainline flow to unit 3, unit 798, and unit 965. This is unlikely to succeed. Can I offer you some other assistance?
A whole week without an update. Apologies. I may have spent every waking hour recently watching Altered Carbon.
Lew and the bots roll their eyes in unison.
What is the point?
No Na-Zo. You don't see it! You've never seen it! You can dance among the levels, but have you ever been to the tens?! I'm not scared, my eyes are open! She is ranting and raving at this point. The scrape is misery, Na-Zo. All lives are misery. She continues to throw sticky packages on the cable. Her bag looks like it is almost empty.
What do you do?
Happy Holidays! Immediately gain enough XP to level. (So you should be level 2 with as many XP as you currently have).
The guard stands, smiles directly at the camera and responds. Of course, Ms. Kosto. I will escort Mr. Gimble directly to the Abattoir. She curtsies and exits through the rear of her security station.
What do you do?
Ron tries to give Roshan a reassuring smile, and then quietly removes Remorse from Belym's back, doing his best not to interrupt the reunion. Hello. We missed you. We? . . . I missed you. The other was wrong. Ron glows softly with green light, traces of red lightning coursing over his spear arm. He falls to the ground in pain as new knowledge overwhelms him. Where did you learn these? From the other. I always knew. These are dangerous. More dangerous then the others. Yes. He moves to guard the door, while the others sort out some family issues that he does not begin to understand. The cultist stands near him, staring at the red lightning with concern.
Ron immediately puts his hands up and drops his blade, and his face opens into a huge smile when he sees Belym. Easy! It's me. We first met outside a tower that had been infested by cultists. I touched me spear to the altar and got strange powers. Yer sword talks to ye and ye got a strange mechanical owl that ye never seem to use anymore. We are Godkillers and were there when the Emerald Lady died and rose. We have a bit of a friendly competition going on about killing demons. He looks around the area. I'm ahead. He keeps an eye on Catastrophe while addressing Belym. I found Bogdoruhl. Jera and Therain are just back through the portal. Gods it is good to see you! He gestures to monster-Shan. What is the plan here? And where is Tom?
I'll be slow this weekend. I have a work conference as well as Gauntlet Con.
Lew's feed shifts to his confession room. You know, I actually loved her. Silly right? Loved her right up until she dropped that passenger elevator on me. A single tear rolls down his cheek. Then he perks back up. You know what they say, the foolishness of youth. I do have to thank her for one thing. I learned a lot that day. His feed shifts to a scene of the aftermath of the passenger-elevator incident, with a grievously wounded Lew helping first responders pull bodies out of the elevator. As the feed plays, Lew says You broke my heart, LaChessa. After a few uninterrupted minutes (cleverly edited to emphasize Lew's heroism), the feed cuts to the familiar IA logo and then goes dark.
LaChessa, a video feed appears on your HUD unbidden, and you are not even given an opportunity to decline the call. Lew looks calm, but you can tell that he is furious. You can also tell that this call is being broadcast. Old Partner! It has been too long. So good to see you. Good to see you. I'm glad you are well. Listen, there is no need for these ... hostilities. Sure, you have always had the manners of a tramp from the hundreds, but people change. Maybe you can change. Oh, one other thing. I noticed that your feed is ... well ... hideous. Here is a peace offering. Your digital inventory notification pings and you see that you have received a gift credit for one free Mark 3 Datajack, plus installation. Upgrade your Feed darling, and Broadcast Yourself. The line briefly displays the IA logo and "Broadcast Yourself(TM)" before going dark.
Within moments of the feed going live, thousands of viewers are tuned in, and the chat window is aglow with ignorant comments. A tall thin man stands in a darkened chamber, with his head bowed. The IA logo rotates slowly in the lower right corner. As the live viewer count hits 100,000, he lifts his head with a broad smile. Greetings Scrapers! Lew Nosrettap here at IA HQ with your daily update! But first, I hope you are all having a wonderful time! The camera pans back and a digital image of a small gadget appears. We are incredibly proud of the obsessively engineered Mark III Datajack released a fortnight ago! Redesigned from the ground up to give you unprecedented control and comfort in the Mesh. Upgrade your Feed! Available now. Lew pulls out two pistols that look like old time six-shooters. Scrapers, do I have a treat for you! You voted and we listened! Last night yours truly infiltrated a Holden Tech lab on 1223, and I have some great video with your weapons of choice: Alice and Chains! He holds up the pistols to make sure the audience gets a good view. As we all know, Holden Tech is garbage so this was just a simple smash op, nothing worth grabbing. Still, I think you will be impressed! A video begins playing showing (presumably) Lew's view of a brightly lit but otherwise nondescript building. Lew is clearly a skilled marksman, and Holden Tech's security is simply no match. He toys with them, and an audio feed appears to be playing his internal monologue (which you have never seen done before). He is thoroughly enjoying himself and internally mocking his victims, who lie unconscious from Lew's energy blasts. After about 10 minutes the entire building is ablaze and Lew casually withdraws, laughing on the inside. Don't worry folks, we made sure all of them got out just fine before the fire started. What did you all think of that audio feed? Pretty cool right? Direct Thought Transmission. Exclusive to the Mark III, now you can truly Broadcast Yourself! The feed ends with the IA logo spinning slowly with the words "Broadcast Yourself (TM)" displayed beneath.
Rache, your view screen pops to life and a young woman's face begins slowly rotating. After the audience has had an opportunity to get a good view of her face, the view zooms out to a full body display that continues rotating. Some vital information begins scrolling: Name: Umidiz Nareef Probable Location: 1176 Famous Associates: Na-Zo, Location Unknown, Suspected Occupation "Ninja" Giri: Franz Hiit gifted Nareef a Mark 3 IA Datajack as part of an apprentice program with an understanding she would assist in the development of an interactive high fantasy Mesh program. Nareef immediately went off the grid and has not been sighted for 2 weeks. Task: Retrieve the Datajack
LaChessa A green skinned elven looking figure on the left side of your screen responds on behalf of the Board. LaChessa, it is a pleasure. Thus far your performance has been ... adequate, but it is time to live up to your potential. The corp would like you to continue to improve the brand in the lead up to our initial launch. After that unfortunate business with Information Automata last quarter, we feel that the market needs further reassurances that our drone units do not share similar ... design flaws. The board members take turns droning on for some time, until finally releasing you.
How's that sound?
Also, I was thinking of making some aliases for other big time players in the reality TV wars, and using those aliases for "on camera" check-ins on what they are doing. Does that sound reasonable? The idea of "confession booths" reality TV scenes within the context of cut throat corporate warfare is hilarious to me.
I just settled a particularly stressful case. I'm here. I think we know the world, and I have an idea of some of the other players in it, but I'd like to start out by following some wise Apocalypse World advice I've heard: In the first session, just follow the characters and see what happens. If you have any session/game starting moves, please make them over in the gameplay thread. I'll probably use the Executive's results for a very basic framework of an initial scene that all three characters are in, and then we'll play to see what happens from there. It is nice to be playing with three players that I know are incredibly creative. This is going to be fun.
What do you all think of this? I imagine the structure as one tall wedge that can spin freely. Perhaps three miles long, but only two miles wide as the back of the wedge. As a result, it will spin to face into the wind, reducing instability for the higher regions. Each "story" is 300 feet tall and has its own micro economy of buildings,schools, businesses, homes, and open areas. Travel between stories is strictly regulated by an ancient computer system. Some of the lower classes will live out their entire lives within a single story. Even elites are limited, with the most powerful corps (that you know of) limited to about 100 stories. But you calculate that there must be thousands of stories. Cut off by the ancient computer system for centuries, you can only imagine what life is like far below and far above you.
Looks we are almost good to go with Rache, Na-so, and the triumvirate. Tonight I'm going to dig through your playbooks, the discussions so far, and then posit some final char creation and establishing questions. One thing that is fascinating about this Reality TV life is that your main antagonists are as much on display as you are. I've been thinking about that a lot because it drops the fog of war in interesting ways. I think I will often be describing off screen hard and soft moves through clips you are watching.
This reality TV idea is brilliant. I wish the Telepresence playbook from the Cascade Supplement was available. It is basically: Vblogger the playbook.
This entire table has priority. I just want to game with you all more. So if you want in then you are in. The Veil deals with Cyberpunk, tranhumanist characters that don't have stats they have emotional states ... some players act better while happy, some while sad. So your success or failure is determined by how you decide your character feels at the moment. I'm interested to see how that pans out, because it kind of necessitates role play explaining the emotional choice. It isn't mission based like the Sprawl. In fact, I think it isn't really a ... here is a party traveling together game so much as a ... here are a group of people living separate lives that interact in interesting and tragic ways. I'll ask the creator if that is correct, and prob watch a few APs before we get started.
Awesome that they have so many avatars that work for Mouseguard. Now I'm pondering GMing a game of the Veil (pbta Cyberpunk) here on the forums.
I just wanted to share that my game Firelight has been named as a Game Chef 2017 English Finalist. I'm pretty pumped!
Ron cautiously reaches out and touches the person on the back.
He releases the torch as he reappears in view behind the newcomer. He whispers. Shh, friend. They might hear us. He closes the door. You've done well, and thank you for recovering my dagger. Tell me, what did you learn of our captors? He reaches out gingerly and removes the Kriss from the person's hand.
Ron is now level 7. +1 to Charisma to bring it to 9 (changing that -1 to a +0)
But more importantly: I could theoretically cast one of my level 7 spells if I had time and an opportunity to prepare it.
The spearman whispers, Fraudulent…, and he begins coughing. He stumbles towards Roshan as if in a state of distress, and flecks of blood and spittle moisten Roshan’s chest piece. A long-fingered claw darts out and grabs the templar by the throat as a flash of red lightning pushes its way into Roshan’s mind. Conwall and Belym see the flesh of the man’s face begin to slough off in large patches, revealing pale white skin beneath. But to Roshan’s eyes, the face morphs into an all too familiar visage. Danyal. His voice fills your mind. I’ve returned child. These two have blasphemed against our cause. Fight with me once more. The creature’s off hand tightens on the shaft of the spear and its red eyes narrow, as it focuses on probing weaknesses in Roshan’s mental fortress. What do you do?
I think that will be my new go to move on a 6- in my games. "You hit the goblin, but it seems to have no effect as it has been raised to godhood, like just right now. What a coincidence, right? What do you do?"
The spearman drops to a knee next to Tom's body and places a hand over his face. Safe travels, friend. After a minute, he stands and turns to the channeler. We cannot bury him in this solid rock. He sighs deeply. Why are we even here? We have learned what we needed and suffered a bitter loss. It is time to leave this place.
We may want to consider migrating to a different platform.
Ron turns to Belym. I'm lost down here in the damn dark. What should we do Belym? He then prods the dead body with his foot. These things appear to be resistant to magic. I wish Conwall were with us.
While Volsung frantically studies, I wanted to briefly share the story of how one of my sons murdered my beloved character in our multi-year campaign.
I'm suddenly plunged with doubt. Am I doing the right thing? Are these people evil or did I smash in and start murdering? Oh well, better stay the course. Not waiting for an answer, the pitcher's drip cloth, damp with condensation, is draped over the woman's face, and Roshan pours water from the pitcher over the cloth.
After about a day on the road, Belym hears a curious munching sound coming from behind her. She turns around to find Ron gorging himself on some of the fancier rations they brought from the guard house. He stops for a moment, crumbs tumbling down the front of his armor. What?
Thank you for letting Burke join this league of extraordinary people. A waterperson, an icy suicide squad member, a vampire, and a shapeshifter ... I think all of my bonds will be: "__________ knows that I'm getting too old for this s#@#!"
Ron puts a calming hand on Roshan's shoulder. Lady Glynpeiros ... nobles. If ye want us to leave, ye need only ask. I have no great desire to risk death to handle a situation that is clearly out of yer control. He makes eye contact with Glynpeiros. But duty compels all of us. What will yer people say when they learn ye turned away aid? Will they curse ye from their deathbeds? Let us do our work.
This is Burke. Righteous defender of the old ways. Or, at least what those in power claim are the old ways. Still, the High Constabulary has found use for a man blessed with fanatical loyalty, a misplaced sense of self-worth, a dash of superiority complex, and a generous helping of confirmation bias.
Ron smiles down at the conscript. I am Ron Bucanero, former Lord Commander of the Norwhich militia and Archbishop of Larune, the Emerald Lady. These are my traveling companions and we have free reign to travel through this land without interference. He tosses 150 gold to the conscripts. However, I find myself in need of information as we have been off killing a goddess. What can ye tell me of the the war effort?
Not to be too sappy here, but I wanted to say that you are all so good! You all bring amazing creativity, solid writing, and a keen grasp of the system. The interplay between characters is great. This campaign just works, and it works so well.
He asks you to retrieve a relic for him. What does he ask for, and what does it do? Smoke of the Emerald Mountain Blossom:
He also commands you to take a servant with you, back to your realm. name and describe the abomination you are unleashing upon the world? The shapechanger who was formally in Einora's service. Took a nice trip to the underworld after our last meeting, and will be returning with me to the mortal realm. I forget his name though ... Sephiroth? Finally, he has some way of insuring your service is rendered, do tell me what your leash is? The demon reveals that he can control Kenan against Kenan's will, and makes it known that Natria and/or Kenan will die if Ron doesn't comply.
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