Sebecloki's page

And yet you keep interacting with me and anyone else who trips your hair trigger. You're so desperate for interaction and so high strung you can't stop yourself. You're that kind of warped masochist bred online in forums like 4chan who get all bent out of shape when you get called an incel. 30 years running rpgs? How can a person as old as you are have no clue at all how to function in society?

More red hot projection -- why do you keep replying if you claim not to care about my opinion or comments? I've clearly tripped a reflexive nerve in your hyperreactive mind. You even haven't attempted to justify your disgusting behavior and vulgarity, you just keep throwing out meaningless quasi sexual insults. You claim to hate Trump but act just like him -- sexism, vulgarity, sexual insults. Projection. Projection. Projection.

I'm done -- you can have the last meaningless expression of vulgarity towards me.

But you do care. You care a lot about what people think about you. You're a classically insecure person who lashes out at the mildest criticism. I can say confidently I've never encountered a person with thinner skin. You make Donald Trump seem self-actualized.

Pure projection. Interacting with you is like talking to a sexist toddler.

You can't seem to understand that the more you write, the less people think of you. You should have gone away a long time ago.

Btw, when I wrote that your world is amazing, I was just handling your fragile psyche. Your world is pure bloat just like you.

You are a vile person, just like your disgusting character, and I could care less what you think. No one with a measure of consideration would rate anything, good or bad, on the basis of your puerile outbursts and expletive filled rants.

More cursing -- because of course that seems to be your verbal modus operandi -- just further proving my point. Constitutionally incapable of expressing any sentiment without vulgarity.

You are an unbelievably disgusting personality. Constant references to male genitals like a five year old chauvinist. Good riddance to you as well and your ill mannered compatriots and vulgarians. You are the textbook exemplar of toxic masculinity vileness. I'm shocked that a website for a company with such strong progressive and inclusive credentials allows this sort of unfettered regressive behavior.

Well that escalated quickly!

Tumbler is one of the nicest guys on these boards. For anyone to lose their poop at a polite reply like that is just inconceivable.

FWIW, as much as I feel bad that this opportunity blew up, it looks like we dodged a bullet in not sinking any more time and resources into what was always a losing proposition.

As always the question is "now what?"

At the very least I'll try and find a way to mark this as inactive. I owe you guys at least that much.

Mind you, my Muse won't be quite about a quick little adventure to at least do a think in this world. IF I have time, I'll write it out. That's not the most likely thing, tho, so in the near future either this game'll disappear or there'll be a gameplay post.

That's an extremely odd definition of polite and very self serving. It's inconceivable to me how thoroughly partisan every response is -- no nuance or appreciation at all for why I'm dissatisfied with anything. It's unfortunate you all need to resort to scatalogical language in simple communication -- it's deeply reflective of your lack of maturity. I've shut everything down. It's clear you have a noxious little clique that is intent on ganging up on me and doubling down without any restraint or attempt at being polite.

Don't ever contact me again in any forum or format -- I don't appreciate having my time wasted and being harassed. You are all amazingly rude, argumentative, and entitled, both in your disgusting prurient and sexist posts in character, and in out of game communication, and this was a complete waste of my time. I've never had a worse group for any activity, gaming or otherwise. No exaggeration, this is the worst group of players, by far, I've ever encountered in 30 years of rpg experience.

I'm personally offended in a way I've never been by an unsuccessful game. I've never had a group that upset me this much and was so deeply uninvolved, unappreciative, and unpleasant. I regret that I responded to this obnoxious derailment of my original plans that recruited a group of rude and uninvolved partisans who had no interest in Rifts at all. The setting deserves better players.

Honestly, I'm taking 48 hrs to decide if I'm even continuing this. I'm tired of being antagonized and criticized running a free game I'm putting a lot of time into producing material for. I was actually about to buy the SWADE corebook and a few supplements on the GM day sale on rpgdrivethru, and read them over my upcoming break, but I'm not sure I wouldn't rather have a more appreciate audience for that effort.

EDIT: actually, I'm already clear -- I'm done with this -- GM tumbler hassling me is the last straw. I quit and am taking an extended break from this website. Chow.

Jacques "Indio Black" Jhaltero wrote:

"Well, business before pleasure. I'll have a look at the merchandise and join you after.

Meet you at "The Buff 'Ro" in a bit?"

Then he turns back to Dewi and smiles his half smile again.
"No time like the present, shall we go and have a look?"

As you wish, friend. See you when I see you." Perry heads to the favored backwater still.

There are several local watering holes -- the Ghostly Wombat is a cantina built on the inside of a ruined railway gun. It's exists part way in the spirit world. There's also a more conventional dive bar called the Double Dingo that's only a few paces away from the market.

Don't criticize me if you want me to do something for you. You can just say you have a different style or whatever without being rude (and you did go over that line in what you wrote, you didn't just keep it to an issue of style). Arguing with and antagonizing me isn't going to force me to do stuff for you. If you'd like to make a sincere and clear apology I'll reconsider, but otherwise our interaction is over, and I don't want to discuss it any further.

You can also just ignore notices, it's not like they emit a siren or something. This really isn't my problem, and I resent you hassling me about it.

Perry returns the merchant's frown. "I just explained to you that my parents are dead, so no. On second thought, you're on your own."

He turns to see Noah heading off, leaving him standing between the tribes with Indio and the cyberknight. "You know Indio, I've had enough excitement for one day. I'm going to go get a beer. You're welcome to join me, but since you're my agent now I'll insist you buy the first round."

The cloth merchant issues an audible huff under her breath as Perry commences a search for liquid libations of strong spirit.

Where are you going to look for your beverage?

Sebecloki wrote:

I think a lot of pbp activity has moved to Discord servers.

Would that be expecting real-time play of a few hours at a time?

It can end up being like that, depending on the time zone of the participants. Some don't like it because there are more intermittent notifications and some realtime talk like a messenger, and that's more interaction than a forum play by post game.

So now we're down to 3 PCs. Sebecloki, would you consider re-opening Recruitment? Atlas, do you think you could separate a PC you were running in the game from being the rules-master for the game?

I'd be happy to have more players if the current players want more.

Perry is being pulled between at least three different people talking to him. Something the merchant woman says catches his ear. "Excuse me, you want me to work my magic on your behind? That can't be what you said. But if it is, or if that's on the table, then I'd be happy to. I think we're done here anyway."

Perry points at Noah and Zithara. "Hey you and you - wanna come along. You look like you can hold your own if things go bad in a hurry. Me and Indio could probably use the muscle. I'm sure there'll be something in it for you. There always is. My name's Perry, as it happens."

The cloth merchant frowns at Perry, "Well, you've got quite a mouth you, haven't you, lad? You kiss your blessed mother goodnight with those lips?"

Sorry folks, this is a little too much confusion and conflict for me. I'm sorry that Cedrica was so hostile in her posts, and sorry that Sebeclocki felt the need to respond in kind.

I was here for fun pew pews and Road Warrior silliness, and some learning of the Savage World system, but that fun isn't materializing for me.

I wish everyone the best in their gaming.

Please remove me from the campaign when you get a chance.

You're not contributing at all so that's fine with me -- not "materializing fun" in your words for me either. I'm not spending my time changing any notification settings. That's your issue, not mine, to deal with. I won't comply with a request appended to a rude post like this.

Perry considers this reply. "Servant of the Devil! Well, I can assure you there's a bit of the devil in me, yes." He winks at the beautiful merchant woman.

"But I serve no such fiend, nor any woman or man, for that matter, and no abomination which steps through the rifts. My faith comes from my dear departed parents, and I believe we are only stardust, assembled by the Creator to carry out our business as we see fit in this incredibly brief time that is ours. Stay in school or die in prison, either way it's my decision!

"Now I understand you have chosen not to cooperate with each other, though you live out in the wastes where resources are scarce. Fight for them, as you will, nobody cares. Kill each other with gusto! But don't do it here. These people are scraping by as it is and don't have patience for your feud. I recommend you do what you have always done in Bastion - trade fairly and be welcomed!

"Oh, and you may want to fix that chain before your beast returns to form."

Dewi catches Perry's eye -- "Are you going to come along and look at my find too?" She chuckles, "Maybe you can work some of your magic on it too?"

Sebecloki :

Regarding Cedrica's leaving, it seems to me that the main point of contention was the weekend posting, everything else seemed to be venting.

This is a world in which you have obviously invested a LOT of time, and know VERY well.

The rest of us (I'm assuming) know nothing about it at all.

I'm very impressed with your storytelling, but perhaps you could condense the high points of this world that everyone would know into relatively *short* documents with links to them in the Campaign Info tab? Like "Here's the nations", "Here's the tribes", "Here's the religions", etc. If we're to interact with this world, we need to know the basic background of it.

But, like I've said before, I have a *very* bad memory, so as long as you can be patient with reminding me of things I get wrong because I forgot something, I'm willing to hang in there.

Regarding armor, take a look at the SW RIFTS book, pages 89-90 (in the Player's Guide). Good armor starts at $30,000, and goes up to $100,000+. How does that compare the the "actual" RIFTS prices, and any suggestions they make about how much to reward players? Unless you're willing to give us maybe $5000 *each* per mission/adventure, we're never going to be able to afford better armor. Yes, there's only 16 types of non-specialized armor as opposed to your hundreds of pages, but that's the Savage World philosophy - strip it down to its bare minimum, but no further.

Now that there's a hook in the story, I'm wondering about how to get all the PC's together, since we decided that most of us have never met before. Can you provide a way, or is it up to us to work our way into the job?

Related to that, I've never experienced a game where the GM merely made descriptive posts, without explicitly inviting (or forcing) the PC's to get involved. Once I figured that out, I started working my way into the game, like Perry and Indio. It's not wrong, just different, but my nature is to be taciturn, so the more "hooks" you can provide us to interact with...

The basic books to look up are Rifts: Australia and Target: Awakened Lands (Shadowrun). They should be available on rpgdrivethru or Amazon.

As I said, I'm happy to remind of details as long as someone actually asks me a question -- I of course can't read people's minds over the interwebs. You will have to put the effort into contacting me saying "I can't remember X". So I can know what to clarify. And it needs to be more specific than "I can't remember anything."

I agree with the observation about sandbox vs. guardrails -- I always do sandbox instead of guardrails. I'd just play a videogame if I was going to do a predetermined plot like that. I was initially imagining there would be a combat here, but Perry's action hypnotizing the beast changed what I expected, and I altered the story around that event. If I'd been railroading, I would have had that make no impact on my preconceived concept. To me, that's the whole point of the RPG medium. I don't care for the PFS format where it's mostly go to A, go to B, go to point C, without a lot of opportunity for unusual or unexpected things to occur.

It does seem to be a big issue that most of the players here know not a thing about the setting, which is a complicated one that occupies 20,000 pages of published material. It's also not a setting with one or two major 'hooks' that can be easily summarized. Every region is like a separate campaign setting, and that's before we're getting into the alternative dimensions and other such material. Australia is relatively isolated from the rest of the world -- but even just North America has like a dozen major factions with different abilities and goals. Another element of the Rifts concept which I'm honestly rather dubious this rules system can capture is the 'gear porn' element. Rifts has entire books dedicated to the armors and armor of the Coalition Navy, for example. There are hundreds of pages of pictures and stats on different guns, rockets, transport types, and power armors. This is a big part of the setting flavor -- the glitterboy 'boomgun' is an iconic element of the Coalition forces, for example. It's an enormous railgun that fires with such force that it forces its wielder back several feet.

After re-reading Cedrica's goodbye post, I think the bit about the thesaurus was unnecessary but otherwise he was trying in a ham-fisted way to be helpful.

Anyway, let's give Zithara and Noah.James a chance to get into the flow here.

They don't understand basic language terminology -- the use of a thesaurus is syntax (word choice), not grammar (which concerns elements like conjugation of verb endings and pluralization, and is a distinct area of intellectual inquiry). Comma placement in the sense it's being discussed here is more fully the realm of style as opposed to grammar proper, which would deal with concerns like the use of commas to divide elements of a list.

Someone who can't even capitalize 'I' correctly on a regular basis or spell a contraction properly with an apostrophe more than 75% of the time, which is like 1st grade level grammar ability, has no business opining on any such matters, even if they understood the distinction between grammar, typography, and syntax, which they don't seem to based on this post. Putting aside the completely unimpressive characterization and descriptive ability in their posts, this isn't (notice, again, the apostrophe there, which is used in contractions in English typography because it signifies the conjunction of two separate words) a serious source of information about writing or language. I'd be more willing to take input seriously from someone who had at least a middle school level of spelling ability. The other option is I guess they're slamming it into a phone without an auto correct, but I'm still really shocked even that format can't produce a sentence more than half the time that is capitalized correctly.

I am deliberately repeating some material for the sake of clarity -- this is the same format used in popular fantasy writing like the Sword of Truth series to remind readers of specific in-world vocabulary terms and what's going on when there are a lot of actors on the board. I'm not trying to produce highly stylized academic writing or evocative literary description. If I was writing more tersely and figuratively, it'd be harder to follow like the style of the Malazan books. I'm perfectly well aware of different styles and am making conscious choices for specific reasons -- I'm multi-lingual, have two masters degrees, and have taught foreign languages at the graduate level. I can also write a basic sentence in standard American English that has all words capitalized correctly and all contractions spelled with an apostrophe, a stunning ability I've possessed since I was six years old.

"Weeeell, the manuals were a bit vague, deliberatly so I suspect.

I think, or at least suspect that the manuals were released into the world as bait. It's likely they use them to incite people into finding them, as a trial possibly.
But they speak about teaching people the mystic arts, with the ultimate goal to enact some sort of transformation.
Possibly literally transforming them into people of bronze.
Sort of like...internal alchemy? But instead of lead to gold, flesh into bronze."

Indio shrugs, he knew he could get a little into talking about things, it sure beats being shot at though, which is what he had half expected would be happening around now.

"So, uh...did you need something repaired by any chance?"

"Alchemy you say? Well, that makes a certain amount of sense. I've heard the Benegeserit passed on mysterious knowledge of the transformation of water into deadly poison, and vice versa. Maybe the traditions have a common source? Who can say?"

"Repaired -- well, now that you mention it," the woman's voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper, "I wouldn't exactly say repair... more like inspect? I'm a weaver by trade, but I also deal in salvage as a diverting, and sometimes profitable, side venture. And I recently received a rather mysterious find from some of my reliable sources -- outrunners for the Sain uu Tobok Clan who found a strange wreck in the Outback."

Perry considers this reply. "Servant of the Devil! Well, I can assure you there's a bit of the devil in me, yes." He winks at the beautiful merchant woman.

"But I serve no such fiend, nor any woman or man, for that matter, and no abomination which steps through the rifts. My faith comes from my dear departed parents, and I believe we are only stardust, assembled by the Creator to carry out our business as we see fit in this incredibly brief time that is ours. Stay in school or die in prison, either way it's my decision!

"Now I understand you have chosen not to cooperate with each other, though you live out in the wastes where resources are scarce. Fight for them, as you will, nobody cares. Kill each other with gusto! But don't do it here. These people are scraping by as it is and don't have patience for your feud. I recommend you do what you have always done in Bastion - trade fairly and be welcomed!

"Oh, and you may want to fix that chain before your beast returns to form."

The lan Sain uu Tobok grexxaitten trainer -- what he'd just called an akmetzhanovakmetzhan -- grimaces at the broken chain, and walks over to procure new bonds for the immense mutant beast. This time, he attaches three of the massive chains, each made of seven links. He wraps the three bonds in another black cord of some kind of synth.

I (beginning of sentence, always capitalized) don't (apostrophe, notice the use of apostrophe there, please) understand why it's (again apostrophe, because it is a contraction) not possible to put material in a word document and run a grammar check to catch this kind of stuff before posting. It's (again, notice the apostrophe) like basic level composition errors. And (capitalization, beginning of sentence) it's (apostrophe) every other sentence, like the writer doesn't understand these super basic rules of typography and spelling (which would be rather shocking), or just doesn't care enough to use them correctly.

Noah.James wrote:

... way too much information.

im feeling the same way.

one: im rather disappointed that it was stated that posting on the weekends wasnt mandatory, yet it would appear that the plot still progresses on the weekends. I can understand a few posts happening over the weekend, due to an ongoing conversation between a couple people concerning an ongoing subject that was last discussed on the friday. but to say "im going to keep the thread going" and present a new encounter (and not even resolve the first one with the originating player who started the encounter), does not indicate a m-f posting rate, but rather a 7 day a week posting rate. If this had been communicated to me from the get go, idve said "hey thanks, i cannot do that. Im out!".

two: the overwhelming amount of information. I get it, @seb, your world building, youve got all these books and youre attempting to build this huge thing and you gotta convey all this info. As a DM, i can appreciate that. The detail that you do have, is awesome! i love it! But i think youre providing way way too much info. Some the stuff, like the clans, could have been put into a long form post in the disscussion page. "hey guys, heres info about these Roamer clans", "here's the info about cuts of clothing found in the city, the waste lands, etc", "here's the list of religions" and so on.

two a: also, a lot of the information, reading the rules, should have been "discovered" with skill checks, either common knowledge or notice. I think that should have been picked up by @atlas. I recognize though that this is a new system for all here, so this can be chalked up to new system learning. not the end of the world.

two B: dont be afraid to use commas, their whole point is to combine two or more sentences together into one, and greatly diminish the need to repeat words. also, use a thesaurus! there's one online, found at https://www.thesaurus.com/. It makes reading those long paragraphs of info...

You don't capitalize words or use contractions correctly consistently. Some important things to work on. It is difficult, actually often painful, to read your posts.

Perry hadn't meant to get so close to the beast. He'd performed the trick before, of course, countless times, although not on anything even remotely this size and he was pleasantly surprised it worked, although his intention was to stay out of the fray.

He gives the big badger a pat on the nose. "Good beastie."

And then he takes a fresh look around. The two clans of Roamers stood at the precipice of conflict, and they stand there still. Still. As in, not doing anything. He wonders what they could possibly be thinking. On one side, the beast tamers have just been deprived of their greatest asset. If the two clans were evenly matched before, surely this will be a slaughter now. And on the other side, the Roamers have not yet taken to their greater asset, the truck and its four heavy machine guns. What in the hells are they waiting for?

And then a merchant approaches with fine clothes and philosophy.

Perry suddenly laughs! "What did I say? This is certainly an interesting day!"

He does not interrupt the conversation between the woman and Indigo, but he makes a mental note to chat her up later - she's a damned fine lookin' female.

Instead he addresses the Roamers. "So what now? This doesn't seem like much of a fight anymore. Maybe you beast tamers should just apologize for whatever it is this other clan says you've done, and shake hands and we'll all go get beers. Then nobody has to die today, the town won't get wrecked, and we can all get back to focusing our energy on enjoying what little life has to offer. What do you say?"

The grexxaitten trainer frowns, casting his gaze across to his awestricken opponents from an enemy clan.

"Friend, I don't know you from Adam the Father before the Flood, or any of his children. Those over there are ghillmaan -- I guess the translation for that into your language is something like 'slave warriors' -- from the Erturgalba'athan Clan of the Roamers. You can tell they're a different tribe from us by how they're outfitted."

The man gestures at the colorful thylacine hide with which he is garbed.

"You see here -- this is the hide of a Tasmanian tiger, and it's the common dress of the traders and grexxaitten tamers, our Clan's word for this the handlers of the grexxaitten is akmetzhanovakmetzhan. The Sain uu Tobok, my clan, have long been at war with the Erturgalba'athan Clan." He points at the five warriors who stepped out of truck.

"You see the two of them that have armor made out of komodo dragon skins? That's the clan armor of the Erturgalba'athan Clan."

"We've been enemies a long time -- there are a bunch of stories about it. Currently, there's a dust up about control of the Well of Hoshur, an oasis that lies on the border of our two territories. You see, the leader of their clan -- they call him the Quturkhagan -- has decided that the Well belongs to his clan, even though we've used it for generations, and it lies near the grexxaitten spawning grounds which are our hereditary birthright from Tohti Ashkaya -- the pratyeka angel and heavenly patron of our clan who takes the form of a Tasmanian tiger with angelic wings. She endowed the Well and its spawning grounds upon us at the beginning of the Second Dreaming after the Coming of the Rifts."

"The Erturgalba'athan Clan abhors magic and relies only on the powers given to them by their divine patron -- an angel that appears in the form of mutated megafauna lizard that they believe to be the chief angelic minister of the True God Buddhallah, as well as the keeper of wisdom. They doubtless now believe that you are a servant of the Devil, and are reconsidering their intention to attack us, at least for the moment. Their clan leader, because of the aforementioned dispute, had forbid my clan from visiting the market -- not that he has any right to do so, but there you have it. I can assure you that, even if they've currently backed down a little, we haven't seen the last of them -- not by a thin or thick measure."

I expect we'll need to meet in the middle somewhere to make this work. I don't have any feel at all for Rifts setting beyond what is coming through your posts, GM. If my PC is acting in a way that is inconsistent with the setting then that's just my ignorance. For example, if a person who has mystic abilities (but is not a Mystic by class) should adhere to one cult or religious sect or another, then I'm going to whiff at that.

Perry is a bon vivant personality, and a believer in One God and one infinite universe. He believes there are multiple dimensions of time that weave through the same space but which allowed properly "tuned" lifeforms to interact with time differently. I would say this trends along the lines of Scientology present in the world that you mentioned, but Perry is not a follower and cannot abide getting mixed up in cults. Life is too short for b@*~$#!*.

SW doesn't exactly lend itself to spheres of magic, it's more of a jumble, but for the most part I picked powers that give Perry a toolbox to work from that is less combat intense. I intend to swap out Smite, per Z's comment above, but haven't decided on what yet.

Australia honestly isn't that well-sketched in the official material, which is why I'm supplementing the published stuff with material from Shadowrun, Gammaworld, Aftermath, and other postapocalyptic sources.

With magic -- I honestly have no idea what SWADE does with the magical traditions.

The Palladium rules have distinct schools of magic like Pathfinder that all work slightly differently mechanically and have different origins fluff wise as well -- there are warlocks devoted to an element, elemental fusionists that combine more than one element, summoners and diabolists that use power words and summoning circles, nethermancers that graft foreign body parts to their own, tattoo magic, rune magic, etc. etc. -- fluff wise, that all still exists, but I have no idea how SWADE does magic.

You don't even need to pick something from a published source, I'm just trying to understand the characters -- like does Perry have an innate power that he discovered at an early age, or was he apprenticed to a magic worker? Or did he teach himself by studying books the Federation of Magic or some other arcane source.

Is his mysticism more like psionics or elmentalism or something to do with the music of the spheres or something else?

Has Perry ever done this best taming trick before?

Does he make his living doing magic for others, or is this something he hides? What is his job (mercenary, bounty hunter, fixer?). All I really have to go on now is (1) he's a local, (2) he's a brusque red head, (3) he has some mystical abilities. I don't know enough to know if other people in town know him, or how, or what kinds of information he might or might know, if he has family, local or otherwise, or other associates, etc. -- that doesn't all need to be developed in the next post, but I'm just asking for everyone to try to start adding some of that kind of detail in so I have more to work with.

I'm just trying to understand the most basic elements of these characters and how they might fit into a story -- the character sheets and powers are extremely general, which fits for a generalized system like this, but I didn't really see any back stories and I'm just trying to get a handle really basic elements about what everyone is doing and who they are.

Clever Indio realises there is a potential for profit here.

HE didn't much like attention, but Perry didn't seem to mind it much.
The best way to hide is often in the shadow of someone great, or someone at least perceived to be greater than oneself.
And if people were focusing on Perry, Indio would be free to look for credits while they were distracted.

In addition, if he was a known associate of Perry, it could lead to a trickle down effect of profit to him as well.
And merchants were known gossips, it was know, wasn't it?
He'd have to help Perry sell himself, and that was just the ticket.
Since he had been keeping close to Perry anyway, to guard his back and all, he was in a perfect position.

"Oh, our Perry here is a man of many talents, and he keeps most of them close to his chest.
But you can take it from me, he is a man who can do great deeds, especially after he has had his breakfast, heh."

"Fear is the mind killer, and Perry, he has little fear, of anything.
And I know that, because I know things, that's what I do."

The Roamer warriors that had recently emerged from the armored truck regard Perry's miraculous ensorcelment of the immense mutant with awe. One of the two warriors outfitted with armor made out of the scaly hides of a komodo dragon mutters the following prayer, "O Mighty Buddhallah, sublime universal form of the entire universe, protect me from my front, behind me, from my right and my left, and from above me, and I seek refuge in Your Magnificence and at the Blessed Lotus Feet of Your Throne from being taken unaware from beneath me."

Indio raises an eyebrow, here was a chance to come of as even more knowledgeable than he really was.

However...
Telling a lie against someone who knows about what you lie about was a suckers game, better to be truthful here.

"Neither actually, "Fear is the mind killer, yet he who fears nothing is a fool.
The path is to confront your fear, to use it and never let it control you."
Those are the lines of the teachings of the Mystics of Bronze, and I once came across a few of their teaching manuals, I took them in trade for fixing a generator for a caravan that came through here a year or so ago."

And I ended up having to pulp them for raw material to patch up my walls at home. I wish people would pay me in credits more often.

"Mystics of Bronze?" the merchant woman repeats the phrase, seeming to ponder the meaning, "I haven't heard of them -- I wonder if the Litany has a common origin with this aphorism? There are certainly stories that some of the beliefs of the First Seal stem from the lands of the Inner Sea far to the west from some time like 10,000 years ago. Some call it the Hyperborian or Antedeluvian Age -- there are stories about giants and fallen angels and other visitors from the heavens. It's all rather hard to imagine, but then again it was so many millennia ago."

"Who are these Mystics of Bronze whose wisdom seems to echo the teachings of the Zennsunnis of the Outback?"

In one post, I said that Zithara spends a great deal of time in the Outback, helping defend the small villages from the beasts that come thru the rifts. So she cares about others and helps those in need. Altho I haven't had a chance to display this in in-game yet, she doesn't care about her appearance, isn't looking for any more-than-friends relationships, and is very methodical and thinks things thru.

My impression of Cedrica (so far) is that she cares a lot about her appearance, is flirty, and impulsive. (Cedrica, please forgive me if I'm incorrect.) So there are already differences between us.

I think our future actions will help differentiate between us more as time goes on.

I'm very impressed by the amount of description you're coming up with Sebecloki, but just so you're aware, I have a very bad memory, and will not be able to remember one particular detail you mentioned in one multi-screen post a month ago (or even a week ago). Just so you know...

If your descriptive posts contain any specific useful situational-relevant information, maybe you could italicize it so it stands out?

I can certainly provide reminders of stuff (provided you put the effort into actually asking me what you don't remember), but if you're really just focused on fighting and rules stuff and not in it for the world building, this honestly won't be a good fit -- this is going to be a detail heavy story telling style -- there are going to be mountains of people, places, things, events, monsters etc. There will be storylines -- like the present one that's developing, about clans with different customs, languages, religious beliefs, trading habits, etc. that are discussed and come up in their interactions with the characters.

There are 95 books published on Rifts for Palladium. I have about half of those and all but 1 or 2 of the fantasy books, and will be incorporating a lot of the insanely detailed world building like the other dimensions and the various gods and alien entities mentioned in this material. I'm also going to be adding a lot of setting detail to fill in gaps in the existing material -- the published material doesn't have much detail on religion, so you can seem I'm filling in a lot of details on that with the idea all of the human cultures post-Rifts have beliefs that are confusing jumbles of half remembered stuff from pre-Rifts Earth.

I'm tentatively interested in a experimenting with a simpler rules system than the Palladium megaversal system to focus more on those elements, but I'm honestly not super interested in this system specifically, or in its rules details. I would have been perfectly happy to do something like FATE or freeform too -- there's honestly nothing specific about Savage Worlds that jumps out at me at the present -- maybe my opinion will shift as I see more of how it works. I was going to run this with the original Palladium system, but Atlas convinced me to try SWADE -- an agreement which I made on the condition I wouldn't have to be responsible for any of the rules stuff since I don't have time to sit down and learn a new system in detail right now. The books for this system are also too expensive at full price, and I'd have to wait for a sale on humble bundle or bundle of holding to get enough at a decent price to run anything. I'm going to try to learn more about it as we move on, but it's honestly a secondary consideration to me to the storyline and worldbuilding stuff, and I'm not concerned at all about exploring corner case rules interactions or discussing them at any length. All of the rules questions you've asked me in PMs about combat are not stuff I know anything about -- I'm also not shaping a story line around players using some specific power attack combo they came up with. The story will emerge organically from player actions.

The one area the details may come up are that I'm going to have some incredibly detailed combat maps that are like fully painted Warhammer boards that cover thousands of feet of space in excessive detail. There will be very detailed terrain to strategize around -- and it will involve really looking at and measuring out combat spaces with some amount of concentration.

I realize we're still getting into the game -- but I'd like to make some suggestions that would help me narrate.

I'm looking at the character sheets, and I'm still very unclear about most of the characters -- what their background and social group is, or much else. I'm getting a bit of a sense of their personalities, but right now the two cyber knights might as well be the same character.

One reason I wanted to experiment with the simpler system for Rifts was to emphasize worldbuilding stuff -- I'm going to be inserting a mountain of local detail -- persons, places, things, events, beliefs, customs, etc. Comments on the unusual physiology of different monsters, prayers and aphorisms of local cultures, comments on unique dress styles, etc.

So for example, Perry is a mystic, and also a Bastion city local. Where did he learn his mystical skills, and what sort of arts are they? How long as he lived here. What kinds of experiences has he had with the locals -- does he clash with the authorities, or the nomads?

I'd like to try to involve the characters in that detail -- at this point I'm still struggling to get a sense of them as people. If you could try to include some more information about their experiences and background, as well as reactions based on that kind of information, in your posts, that would help me out trying to flesh out this fluff dimension of the game. The two cyber knights especially, as I've already mentioned, are basically indistinguishable to me as characters at this point, and I'd like to try to flesh out each as individuals.

Clever Indio realises there is a potential for profit here.

HE didn't much like attention, but Perry didn't seem to mind it much.
The best way to hide is often in the shadow of someone great, or someone at least perceived to be greater than oneself.
And if people were focusing on Perry, Indio would be free to look for credits while they were distracted.

In addition, if he was a known associate of Perry, it could lead to a trickle down effect of profit to him as well.
And merchants were known gossips, it was know, wasn't it?
He'd have to help Perry sell himself, and that was just the ticket.
Since he had been keeping close to Perry anyway, to guard his back and all, he was in a perfect position.

"Oh, our Perry here is a man of many talents, and he keeps most of them close to his chest.
But you can take it from me, he is a man who can do great deeds, especially after he has had his breakfast, heh."

"Fear is the mind killer, and Perry, he has little fear, of anything.
And I know that, because I know things, that's what I do."

"Fear is the mind killer?" Dewi repeats Indio's statement, the elegant arch of the raven-black eyebrow over her right eye peaking noticeably in concert with her query, "I've heard that before -- more than a few times. I've not heard it so often from the lips of one such as yourself -- I suppose you're aware those are the opening words of the Litany against Fear. It's a common form of prayer which the Roamer Clans that inhabit the wastes of the Outback refer to as a mahrīgar or a marġaven, among other titles. An old Roamer soothsayer -- what they call a mārkarēk -- once told me the story behind it. He was part of a Monsoon Season delegation to Bastion City from the Kamyar Bayat Clan of the Nekodapangaribuan Lightning Lands, which lie to the south of the EHRA territories in New South Wales, nearer the jungle coast that faces the Isle of Tasman. If you ask around here, you'll hear a fool's share of wild tales about the region."

"Anyway, the old soothsayer related the following to me with a gap-toothed grin -- in the ancient days before the Coming of the Rifts, there lived the great Imam Paul Atreides in the lands far to the west, where the True God Buddhallah called forth the Latter Prophet, the Second Muhammad, Aḥmadmaḥmūd-Waḥīdmāḥīyāsīn. Imam Paul was among the chosen and immaculate decedents of the Prophet Aḥmadmaḥmūd, the Holy Family of the ahulul bayt who carried his revelatory nūr or light to the peoples of the desert whose faith in the True God had waned since the distant days of the First Seal."

"The sayings or ahadith of these immaculate descandents relate that Imam Paul learned the Litany from the wise women of the Benegeserit, an ancient order of Soothsayers who had long served as advisors to the Vicarius of the city of Rum, first voice of the God in Heaven. This is the same city where the Zensunnis of the Roamers say the Prophet Isa the Crucified was bound upon two spikes and tortured with hot irons and a raging fire until the Creator God Budhalla sent down a shinning phalanax of halo-shrowded arhants from the Lotus Heavens to sever his bonds. Then the Crucified Prophet stepped forth from his bonds and ascended in a pillar of fire to the Lotus Throne of the Maitreya Buddha at the footstool of the True God. Prophet Isa whispered the Litany to his sister Mariyam in words without sounds as he stepped forth into the pillar of fire, and it was handed down by the sisterhood founded by the prophet's sister from one to the other until it as given to the young woman that would become the first wife of the Imam."

"The faithful Zennsunnis of the Roamers recite the Litany methodically on prayer beads 108 times a day -- and even the less pious also invoke it frequently in moments of doubt or pain."

"So I suppose my question is -- are you among the believers -- the community the Roamers refer to as the al-muʼminūn -- in the Buddhislamic Faith, or have you come to knowledge of the Litany in some other fashion?"

A woman weaves her way through the throngs of people in the bustling market, her moderate tan glowing in the sun. The tanned woman stands proud, draped in a breathtaking ensemble that demands attention. She's dressed impeccably, her clothing conveys both professionalism and a sense of confidence that's hard to miss.

The woman stands tall, wearing a stunning kebaya that flows gracefully around her form. The kebaya is tailored to perfection, with a classic cut that hugs her upper body, accentuating her slender waist and feminine figure with a fitted bodice and flowing skirt that flares out elegantly as she moves. The sleeves of the kebaya are three-quarter length, with delicate lace trim that adds a touch of feminine charm to the design. The fabric of the kebaya is a batik, a traditional Indonesian textile that is famous for its intricate designs and vibrant colors. The batik fabric is made from high-quality cotton that is woven into a fine, lightweight material. The batik is dyed using a unique process that involves applying wax to certain areas of the fabric before dyeing it. The wax prevents the dye from penetrating those areas, resulting in intricate patterns that are unique to batik.

The kebaya drapes elegantly over her frame, its intricate patterns and vibrant colors drawing the eye of all those who pass by. The fabric is made of high-quality cotton, and its texture is soft and smooth to the touch. As one examines the kebaya closely, the intricate designs come into focus. Each line is carefully drawn, creating a symphony of shapes and forms that dance across the fabric. The wax resist process used to create the kebaya is evident in the texture of the fabric, which has a slight crinkle to it that adds depth and dimension to the design. The colors of the kebaya are a sight to behold. Rich blues, greens, and purples blend seamlessly with bright oranges, yellows, and pinks. The combination of colors is carefully chosen to create a harmonious balance, and each hue stands out against the others, creating a stunning visual effect. The kebaya is a testament to the artistry and skill of its creator, and it is clear that it has been made with great care and attention to detail.

The kebaya is more than just a piece of fabric; it is a work of art that tells a story through its intricate designs and vibrant colors. It is a symbol of the rich cultural heritage and artistic traditions that have been passed down through generations, and it is a testament to the enduring beauty of handmade craftsmanship. The woman's kebaya is intricately adorned with gold filigree. The gold filigree on the kebaya depicts a famous scene from the Hindu epic poem known as the Ramayana. The scene shows the deity Hanuman destroying Lanka, the capital city of the demon king Ravana. The filigree is delicate and intricate, weaving in and out of the fabric to create a stunning visual effect. Hanuman, the monkey god, stands tall and powerful, his muscular arms raised above his head as he prepares to strike a fatal blow to the city. The city of Lanka is depicted in intricate detail, with its towering walls and sprawling buildings rendered in fine gold thread. The filigree on the kebaya is so finely crafted that every detail can be seen, from the individual strands of Hanuman's fur to the tiny jewels adorning Ravana's crown. The gold thread shimmers and glows, adding a touch of opulence to the already striking design. The filigree is so fine that it seems to float above the surface of the kebaya, creating a stunning three-dimensional effect. The kebaya itself is a work of art, but the addition of the gold filigree takes it to another level. The gold thread catches the light, shimmering like a thousand stars as the woman moves. The combination of intricate designs and opulent materials creates a truly breathtaking piece that is sure to be treasured for generations to come. The intricate patterns create a stunning contrast against her tanned skin, emphasizing her natural beauty.

The woman wears a matching sarong that is draped around her waist and falls to the ground in graceful folds. The sarong is also made of high-quality cotton, and its texture is soft and smooth to the touch. The sarong is a beautiful mix of cyan and magenta, with delicate gold accents that catch the light as the wearer moves. The fabric is soft and smooth to the touch, made of a high-quality cotton that feels cool against the skin. The cyan and magenta colors blend together seamlessly, creating a stunning visual effect that is both vibrant and soothing to the eye. The design is made up of intricate floral patterns that are rendered in exquisite detail, with each petal and leaf carefully crafted to create a stunning visual effect. As the wearer moves, the sarong flows gracefully around her legs, its lightweight fabric moving with the gentle breeze. The gold accents catch the light, shimmering in the sun and adding a touch of glamour to the design.

The woman's hair is pulled back into an elegant bun, with small tendrils framing her face. Her hair is smooth and sleek, with not a single strand out of place. The bun is carefully arranged, with each strand of hair woven into a perfect coil, creating a sophisticated look that is both timeless and chic. The bun is adorned with delicate hair accessories, adding a touch of glamour to the woman's overall appearance. A few small flowers are nestled into the bun, their petals a vibrant pink that complements the woman's natural beauty. A few strands of hair are left loose to frame her face, giving her an ethereal quality that is both delicate and alluring. As the woman moves, the bun remains in place, a testament to the skill of the hair stylist who created it. It is a hairstyle that exudes confidence and poise, and the woman wears it with grace and elegance.

Her makeup is understated, with a soft pink lip and a hint of blush on her cheeks.

The woman's eyes are a captivating shade of grey, with a depth that draws in those who gaze into them. They are undeniably are striking, with a hint of gold in their depths that echoes the filigree on her kebaya. They are framed by long, dark lashes that curl delicately at the ends, enhancing the allure of her already stunning features. Her eyes are expressive, shifting subtly with each passing emotion, conveying her thoughts and feelings without a single word spoken. There is a sense of passion and vitality that emanates from her eyes, reflecting the energy and excitement of the crowded market, and they seem to hold within them the power to inspire and motivate those around her. They are both warm and inviting, and at the same time, enigmatic and mysterious, leaving those who gaze upon them with a sense of wonder and awe.

As she scans the crowd, she spots the warrior named Perry, standing tall and imposing in the center of the square.

The woman approaches Perry with a confident gait, her eyes locked on his. There's a sense of determination in her stride, and her passion and liveliness seem to intensify as she gets closer.

"Selamat pagi" she says, then seems to catch her self "I mean, good morning, stranger." Her voice carries just the faintest trace of an Indonesian accent, adding an exotic charm to her already alluring presence.

"My name is Dewi, and I'm a local cloth merchant. I often set up my stall in this market to trade with the townsfolk and the Roamer merchants that travel from the wastes of the Outback to hawk their wares. One sees a great many things in this bazaar, but I confess I've never seen anything quite like this -- what exactly did you just do to tame this great beast? I've heard stories that they sometimes even eat their handlers if the trainers are careless, or simply unlucky."

Seeing Cedrica approach the tribesman, Perry focuses on the giant mutant badger and waves his arms as if a conductor. On the down beat he channels his mystical energies toward the beast. What is the Size of the grezzetian? By the description I figure a 4 or 5.

[dice=Cast Beast Friend]1d8;1d6 + [dice=Wild Ace]1d6 + [dice=Wild Ace]1d6 = 16! Adding Master of Magic Modifiers: BESTIARIUM

He feels a connection to the creature and knows they can understand one another. Using this mental link, he commands it to become docile and roll over onto its back to allow Cedrica to rub its soft belly.

"Well look at that, the beastie likes this little red!"

The grexxaiiten snarls and growls, pulling against the heavy chain that binds it. Its body is massive and muscular, with thick, matted fur that seems to bristle with anger. Its eyes blaze with a fiery intensity, reflecting a fierce determination that seems almost otherworldly. As it continues to pull, the chain creaks and groans under the strain, its links straining to contain the mutant's raw strength. The badger's teeth snap in the air, like the jaws of a steel trap, threatening to tear through flesh and bone. With a sudden burst of energy, the mutant lunges forward, snapping the chain in two with a single, powerful tug. Its eyes glow with a fierce satisfaction as it shakes its head triumphantly, snarling and growling in defiance. Its eyes scan the surroundings, searching for prey or danger.

They are large and round, almost as big as a human head. They seem to glow with a bright intensity, giving the creature an otherworldly aura. At first, the eyes are a deep shade of red, piercing and intense, like flames dancing in the darkness. Something strange happens. The red of its eyes begins to twist and turn, as if it's alive. Slowly, the red fades, replaced by a pinwheel of colors. The stripes begin with a deep crimson, then shift to a vibrant orange, followed by a brilliant yellow. As the colors continue to spin, they become more vivid and diverse. Shades of green, azure, indigo, and violet all join the mix, creating a kaleidoscope of colors that hypnotizes and mesmerizes anyone who gazes upon them. The pinwheel spins faster and faster, a blur of colors that seem to blend together into a single, brilliant hue. The creature's eyes seem to be alive, pulsing with energy as the colors swirl and dance. It's as if the creature's emotions are being projected through its eyes, a vivid display of its power and strength. The pinwheel of colors continues to spin, creating a mesmerizing spectacle that's impossible to look away from.

Suddenly, it stops in its tracks, its body frozen in place. It cocks its head to one side, as if hypnotized by some unseen force. The grexxaiiten's eyes begin to glow with a strange intensity. The mutant steps forward, its head still cocked to one side, its eyes reflecting a deep curiosity. Perry stands before the grexxaitten, his piercing gaze fixed upon the animal, and his eyes seem to glow with an otherworldly light. The mutant stares at him, mesmerized by the warrior's hypnotic presence. As Perry approaches, the grexxaitten takes a step forward. It seems to be drawn towards the warrior, as if by an invisible force. The grexxaitten continues to approach. Finally, the great mutant reaches Perry, coming to a stop just inches from his feet. The warrior places a hand on the animal's head, and the badger nuzzles against his palm, as if in a trance.

The onlookers in the market gasp in amazement, unable to believe what they are witnessing. The warrior seems to have tamed the wild mutant badger with nothing but his hypnotic gaze.

Cedrica puts a hand on Zithara's arm. im going to do something reckless... she mutters to the woman beside her.

[bigger]Hold on a sec fellas! cedrica shouts loud enough to be heard by the roamer clan-boys, (and the crowd).

Swallowing her fear, the short red head strides forward, headed to the Roamer holding the Grexx. Hey now. Easy. Ladies first, please. she scolds the men. she gets close enough to the animal trainer, and asks How much for the Grexx? As you can see, im just a sweet little lady who is looking for something better than a mere dog. Perhaps an arrangement could be made for the Grexx? Cedrica quirks an eyebrow, flashes a smile, batting her eyelashes, and slightly thrusts her chest out.

is there like a persuasion roll i could roll?

I'm private messaging with Atlas about the rules. We've agreed you can make a persuasion role.

Cedrica puts a hand on Zithara's arm. im going to do something reckless... she mutters to the woman beside her.

[bigger]Hold on a sec fellas! cedrica shouts loud enough to be heard by the roamer clan-boys, (and the crowd).

Swallowing her fear, the short red head strides forward, headed to the Roamer holding the Grexx. Hey now. Easy. Ladies first, please. she scolds the men. she gets close enough to the animal trainer, and asks How much for the Grexx? As you can see, im just a sweet little lady who is looking for something better than a mere dog. Perhaps an arrangement could be made for the Grexx? Cedrica quirks an eyebrow, flashes a smile, batting her eyelashes, and slightly thrusts her chest out.

is there like a persuasion roll i could roll?

waiting for Atlas to respond to a question about rules, just describing the creature more to keep the thread going.

The mutant badger, known as a grexxaitten, is a fearsome creature to behold. It is larger than a regular badger, with muscular limbs and a powerful frame that speaks to its ferocity.

The enormous mutant grexxaiten’s hide is a marvel, with a rich blend of variegated shades of ebony, charcoal, onyx, and licorice black that gives it a mysterious allure. The fur is thick and plush, with a softness that belies the creature's fierce demeanor. The black hues shift and change in the light, creating an ever-shifting tapestry of darkness that is impossible to look away from. But it's not just the darkness that captures the attention. Running down the grexxaiten’s back is a large stripe of white fur that stands out in stark contrast to the black. This stripe is a delicate blend of cream, eggshell, ivory, and vanilla white that forms a ghostly mask on the grexxaiten’s face. The white fur is pure and pristine, creating a striking contrast against the darkness of the rest of the coat. The grexxaiten’s hide is a testament to the creature's strength and ferocity. The muscles ripple beneath the fur, powerful and well-defined, a testament to the creature's raw power. Its eyes, peering out from the white mask, are piercing and intense, a clear sign of the grexxaiten’s sharp intelligence and cunning.

The twelve large paws of the grexxaitten are a formidable sight to behold. Each paw is as thick as a tree trunk and covered in a thick layer of jet black fur. The claws are long and curved, as sharp as knives and capable of rending flesh with ease. As the grexxaitten moves, its massive paws hit the ground with a deafening thud, sending shockwaves through the earth. Its movements are slow and deliberate, each step measured and calculated. Despite its size and weight, the creature moves with a fluid grace, its paws lifting and falling with the precision of a well-oiled machine. The claws on each paw are a work of art. They are long, razor-sharp, and curve inward like scimitars. When the grexxaitten digs them into the earth, they leave deep furrows in the ground, evidence of the creature's incredible strength. The claws are made for tearing and shredding, a testament to the grexxaitten's ferocity and power. The paws themselves are massive, easily as large as a human torso. The thick, powerful muscles that power them ripple with every movement, each one working in perfect harmony to propel the creature forward. When the grexxaitten rears up on its hind legs, its paws stretch out like massive branches, reaching for the sky.

The twelve yellow eyes of the enormous creature are set deep within the beast's skull, each one glinting with a fierce, predatory gaze. The eyes are a piercing shade of yellow, like molten gold, and seem to glow in the dim light. The eyes are arranged in a circular pattern around the grexxaiten’s head, giving it a 360-degree view of its surroundings. They are large and round, with pupils that can dilate and contract at will, allowing the creature to see in both bright daylight and the darkness of night. The eyes seem to glow with an inner light, as if the badger is a creature of pure energy and power. They are mesmerizing to look at, drawing the viewer in with their intensity and beauty. Despite their otherworldly appearance, the grexxaiten’s eyes are also filled with a deep intelligence and cunning. They assess the world around them, scanning for potential prey or threats. They are the windows to the grexxaiten’s soul, revealing the ferocity and power of this mutant creature.

The jaws of the immense mutant badger are big enough to swallow a full-grown man whole, with razor-sharp teeth that gleam in the light. The teeth are arranged in twelve rows, like that of a shark, with serrated edges that can tear through flesh and bone with ease. The grexxaitten's jaws are powerful, capable of crushing even the strongest of prey with ease. The muscles in the creature's jaw ripple beneath the fur, ready to snap shut with deadly force at a moment's notice. Its tongue, forked like that of a serpent, coils like that of an anteater, flicking out occasionally to taste the air and assess its surroundings. The teeth themselves are a work of art, each one perfectly formed and honed to a deadly edge. They are curved like daggers, ready to slice through flesh and rend apart prey. The serrated edges only add to the ferocity of the creature's bite, tearing through flesh with ease. Despite their intimidating size and sharpness, the grexxaitten's jaws are also a thing of beauty. The teeth gleam in the light, almost seeming to pulse with a life of their own. The tongue, though forked and serpentine, is coated with a glistening saliva that adds a sickly beauty to the jaws.

The enormous mutant badger snarls and snaps at the air savagely with its immense jaws. The teeth are long, curved, and sharp as razors, with serrated edges that glint in the sunlight. The creature's massive head snaps back and forth, its jaws opening and closing with a deafening snap as it seeks its prey. Its eyes, a fierce yellow that seem to glow with a menacing light, scan the area for any potential targets. The grexxaiten’s nostrils flare as it scents the air, its tongue flicking out to taste the wind and assess its prey. It is a creature of pure instinct, driven by a hunger that cannot be sated. The grexxaiten’s powerful jaws are capable of tearing through flesh and bone with ease. Its muscles ripple with power as it snaps at the air, its teeth mere inches from the skin of its prey. The sound of its snapping jaws is terrifying, like the crack of a whip or the clap of thunder. Despite its ferocity, there is a beauty to the creature's movements. The way its muscles move beneath its fur, the way its eyes scan the area with a fierce intensity, the way its jaws snap shut with a deafening force – all of these elements combine to create a primal, almost hypnotic dance of death.

So, I'm going to try to start picking up this system -- from what I understand, SWADE is an attribute + skill roll like Storyteller/WOD. Does the dice explode of 5 or 6? Is the difficulty always 4.

The grexxaitten vary in size between 30 ft. long/15 ft. high/15 ft. wide down to about half that length, but the same height and width. They weigh between 2-8 tons.

Sebecloki wrote:

Perenian "Perry" Ethgarnon wrote:

GM, thanks for all you do! Question - do the PCs have a dog in this fight? Or are we simple observers to the fight that's about to take place? Perry is about to do something regardless.

You have to decide!

Generally, I just have stuff happen and I don't have an assumption what you're going to do. You can run away. You can get involved on one or the other side. You can ask for more clarification about what's going on from the merchant who was just telling you about the Roamer clans.

This introduction has a set piece feel, like the outcome is predetermined and will lead us to adventure. Are the PCs able to affect the outcome of this first encounter (should we try if we choose?), or should we let it play out? And more importantly, given that You (GM Sebecloki) created this for Rifts and not SW, is everything in the SW RAW fair game? I can already forsee Perry messing with these Roamers and I don't want you to feel blindsighted by whatever abilities we may wield.

Whatever your perception, I'm telling you there's not a present outcome, and you should believe me. I don't know what else to say -- I already told you this above and you're asking me the same question again as if you just refuse to believe that.

I don't know anything about this rules system -- Atlas is handling the mechanics, so I can't answer the second question.

The crowd of onlookers who had been milling about the market stalls suddenly draw back in fear, sensing the danger that emanates from the group of warriors. The air is thick with tension as the warriors fan out, their eyes scanning the surrounding area for any potential threats. The Roamer warriors move with an almost robotic precision, their movements synchronized and disciplined. The crowd of onlookers can feel the intensity of their gaze as they sweep their weapons back and forth, scanning the area for any sign of danger. The onlookers step back further, trying to create as much distance between themselves and the warriors as possible. The tension in the air is palpable, and the onlookers can feel their hearts pounding in their chests as they watch the warriors move with deadly intent. For a few moments, there is silence, broken only by the sound of the warriors' heavy breathing and the distant hum of the market.

As the doors of the truck slowly swing open, the other Roamer warriors leap out, their boots thudding against the hard-packed earth. The sound of the Roamer warriors' boots hitting the ground is a sharp, percussive thud that reverberates through the air. It is a heavy, weighty sound, as if each footstep is hammering the earth with force. As the Roamers stride forward, their boots slam against the hard-packed earth, sending small clouds of dust and debris scattering in all directions. The sound echoes off the surrounding buildings, creating a sense of power and authority.

The warriors move quickly and efficiently, scanning their surroundings with trained eyes. They are on high alert, ready for any danger that might come their way. The four Roamer warriors stand alert in the bustling market, their eyes scanning their surroundings with trained vigilance. They are an intimidating presence amidst the throngs of merchants and shoppers, their armor and weapons marking them as dangerous and experienced fighters, a formidable group, each with their own unique look and style.

The first warrior, wearing armor made from the hides of three komodo dragons, is an imposing figure. He stands over six feet tall and is built like a fortress, with rippling muscles and a fierce expression. His armor is dark and menacing, with scales that shimmer in the light. The thick, scaly skin of the lizards has been expertly crafted into a suit of armor that covers the entire body of its wearer. The scales themselves are a dark, mottled green, and they are hard and resilient to the touch. The most striking part of the armor is the helmet, which is fashioned from the head of one of the komodo dragons. The fierce, toothy mouth of the lizard is left open, forming a visor through which the wearer can see. The eyes of the dragon have been preserved and fitted with small gems that glitter in the light. When worn, the helmet gives the impression that the wearer's head is nestled within the jaws of a ferocious beast. The gauntlets are another feature of the armor that are both functional and intimidating. They are made from the bones of the komodo dragons, giving them a hard, brittle quality. The gauntlets fit snugly over the wearer's hands, and the bone plates are arranged in such a way as to provide maximum protection while still allowing for flexibility. The rest of the armor is similarly well-crafted. The plates of the armor are carefully fitted together, forming a seamless suit of armor that moves with the wearer's body. The armor is heavy, but not overly so, and it provides excellent protection against both physical and magical attacks. The eclipse anti-matter phaser-cannon is a fearsome weapon, mounted on the back of the Roamer warrior in a large holster. The cannon is an imposing sight, with a sleek black and silver design that gleams in the light. The barrel of the cannon is nearly three feet long and lined with intricate circuitry that hums with energy. The holster that holds the cannon is made from thick, durable leather and reinforced with metal plates. It is strapped securely to the back of the Roamer warrior, with the cannon nestled snugly within. The warrior himself stands tall and proud, his powerful muscles rippling beneath his armor. As the warrior moves, the cannon sways slightly in its holster, giving off a low humming sound that reverberates through the air. The cannon is clearly a powerful weapon, capable of unleashing devastating blasts of energy that can destroy entire buildings or armies.

The other three warriors wear power armor scavenged from salvage in the Outback. They are equally intimidating, but their armor is more high-tech, with glowing circuits and power sources that hum with energy. The first of the four has armor that is sleek and streamlined, with sharp angles and a black, matte finish. He carries a plasma rifle in one hand, its barrel glowing with heat.

The second warrior's armor is bulkier, with reinforced plates that cover his entire body. The armor is comprised of hundreds of individual plates, each one expertly crafted to fit snugly against the wearer's body. The plates are made from a variety of different metals, ranging from rusted steel to gleaming titanium, and each one is reinforced with a layer of woven Kevlar that adds an extra level of protection. The armor is heavy and cumbersome, but the wearer seems to move with an ease and grace that belies its weight. The joints of the armor are articulated, allowing for a full range of movement, and each plate is connected by a complex system of hydraulics and servos that enhance the wearer's strength and speed. The helmet of the armor is particularly impressive, with a sleek, angular design that gives the wearer a fearsome appearance. The visor is made from reinforced glass, tinted to protect the wearer's eyes from the harsh glare of the sun. Inside the helmet, a suite of advanced sensors and targeting systems allow the wearer to track targets with pinpoint accuracy, even in the most challenging of environments. As the wearer moves, the armor emits a low hum, the sound of its systems powering up and adjusting to the wearer's movements. The plates shift and flex, moving almost like a second skin as the wearer twists and turns. His gauntlets are massive, made of thick metal and bristling with spikes. The gauntlets are made from tough, durable leather, reinforced with metal plates and studded with sharp spikes. As the warrior flexes his fingers, the spikes glint menacingly in the light, ready to tear through flesh and bone. The warrior seems to take great pleasure in the spikes, his eyes gleaming with a fierce intensity as he raises his hands to examine them. The spikes themselves are long and pointed, each one honed to a razor's edge. They protrude from the gauntlets at strategic angles, allowing the warrior to strike with deadly precision. As the warrior moves, the spikes emit a low hissing sound, the leather of the gauntlets creaking and groaning under the weight of the metal. The warrior seems completely at ease wearing the gauntlets, moving with a fluid grace that belies their weight. He tests the spikes by flexing his fingers, the metal plates clanking against each other in a steady rhythm. He carries a large, plasma-fueled chain sword that hums with power. The chain sword hums with power as it glows a fierce, electric blue. Its plasma-fueled blades spin at a dizzying speed, ready to slice through any material with ease. The weapon is massive, measuring over six feet in length and weighing a solid twenty pounds. The hilt is made of a sturdy, matte-black alloy, designed to withstand the force of the spinning blades. The grip is wrapped in a soft, yet durable material that provided an excellent grip, even in the most intense combat situations. As the wielder of the chain sword activates the weapon, the plasma-fueled blades ignited in a brilliant burst of energy. The hum of the blades intensifies, the sound waves rippling through the air and causing nearby objects to shake. The blades spin faster and faster, creating a dazzling display of light and motion. The plasma generated by the sword glows a bright blue, illuminating the surrounding area with an otherworldly radiance.

The third Roamer warrior is a muscular woman with flame-red hair that flows down her broad shoulders and back. Her hair is a vibrant shade of crimson, the color of a blazing fire, and it is pulled back in a tight braid that runs down her spine. The warrior woman's long hair is a brilliant shade of flame red, cascading down her back in a fiery waterfall of curls. Each strand is thick and lustrous, shimmering in the sunlight as she moves, a fierce and beautiful sight to behold. As she strides forward, her hair moves with her, flowing like molten lava in the wind. The waves of her hair seem to have a life of their own, rippling and dancing with every step she takes, an extension of her own fierce spirit. The vibrant hue of her hair is matched only by the intensity of her gaze, a piercing blue that seems to see through to the very soul of those who dare to cross her path. As she strides forward, her powerful muscles ripple under her skin, her every movement exuding strength and confidence. She wears a suit of armor that hugs her body like a second skin, the metal plates polished to a mirror shine, reflecting the fiery red of her hair. Her hair frames her face like a fiery halo, adding to the wild and untamed nature of her presence. The woman’s armor is more understated, with a muted green color and few embellishments. The armor is a study in understated simplicity, with a muted green color that blended seamlessly into its surroundings. The armor is crafted from a lightweight, high-grade metal alloy that provided excellent protection against both physical and energy-based attacks, and its minimalist design allowed for maximum mobility and flexibility. The armor lacked any ostentatious embellishments or flashy ornamentation, instead opting for a clean, utilitarian design that is all about function over form. The armor is designed to be practical and efficient, with every element carefully considered to optimize its performance in the field. The armor consisted of a chest plate, shoulder guards, gauntlets, and leg guards, all connected by a series of straps and buckles. The plates are curved and molded to fit the contours of the wearer's body, providing a snug and secure fit. The armor is designed to be modular, allowing the wearer to swap out different pieces depending on their needs. For example, the shoulder guards can be removed to provide greater range of motion, or additional plates can be added to provide extra protection. Despite its simple design, the armor is undeniably effective. The muted green color blended into the natural environment, making the wearer difficult to spot, and the lightweight design allowed for quick and agile movements in the field. She carries a pair of plasma pistols, which she wields with deadly accuracy. The pair of C-18 laser pistols are the pinnacle of weapon technology, sleek and deadly, with a precision and accuracy unmatched by any other firearm in existence. The pistols are each about the size of a human hand, crafted from a dark, matte black metal alloy that gave them a menacing appearance. The grips are coated in a soft, yet durable material that provided a comfortable and secure hold. Each pistol is powered by a compact, high-capacity energy cell that stored enough energy to fire hundreds of rounds. The energy is converted into a focused laser beam that can slice through steel like butter, and the pistols are capable of rapid-fire, allowing the user to unleash a barrage of deadly beams in mere seconds. As the wielder of the pistols prepared to engage, she draws the weapons from their holsters, feeling the weight and balance of the firearms in her hands. The sleek design and compact size of the pistols made them ideal for quick-draw situations, and the wielder is confident in her ability to use them to devastating effect. Her movements are quick and agile, and she seems to glide across the ground with ease.

The fourth and final warrior is the smallest of the group, but no less deadly. His armor is a patchwork of salvaged metal and circuitry, with wires and tubes jutting out at odd angles. The armor is designed to provide protection and enhance the physical abilities of its wearer, but it is clear that this particular suit had seen better days. The armor is cobbled together from a variety of sources, with scraps of metal welded together to create a hodgepodge of plating that covered the wearer's body. The plates are unevenly sized and often misshapen, with jagged edges that looked as though they can cut through flesh like a knife. Wires and tubes ran haphazardly across the armor, connecting various pieces of circuitry that had been scavenged from other sources. Some of the wires are exposed, sparking with electricity as they jostled against the metal plating. The tubes are filled with a variety of fluids, their purpose unknown to anyone but the person who had constructed the suit. Despite its crude appearance, the power armor is undeniably effective. The plating provided excellent protection against both physical and energy-based attacks, and the suit's strength-enhancing capabilities allowed its wearer to lift and carry incredible amounts of weight. The power armor may look like a mess of scraps and wires, but in the hands of a skilled operator, it is a formidable weapon, capable of turning the tide of any battle. He carries a pair of singing thermal equalizer laser pistols, which he wields with a practiced ease. Despite his small size, he seems to be the most agile of the group, darting in and out of cover with incredible speed. The pair of singing thermal equalizer laser pistols are a marvel of weapon engineering, with a sleek and futuristic design that is both stylish and deadly. The pistols are crafted from a high-grade, lightweight alloy that made them easy to wield and maneuver, and their smooth curves and elegant lines gave them a streamlined and aerodynamic appearance. The pistols are equipped a cutting-edge system that allowed them to regulate the temperature of their surroundings, ensuring that the laser beams fired from the barrels are always at optimal intensity. This technology gave the pistols an unprecedented level of accuracy, allowing them to hit their targets with pinpoint precision. As the warrior takes aim, the pistols emit a high-pitched whine, the sound waves harmonizing and reverberating through the air.

Together, these Roamer warriors make for a formidable force, each with their own unique set of skills and equipment. They are clearly experienced fighters, and the sight of them standing together is enough to make even the bravest of enemies hesitate.

Having followed the group of outsides as they made their way into the marketplace, Perry hears them clearly when they begin to threaten each other.

"Why don't you two take your hurt feelings and pissin' match outside of town. What you're about to start here is gonna destroy a lot of people's livelihoods, and then the whole f%!$in' town is gonna hate you. So move on out or settle the f#~$ down."

Roamer warrior's lips curl into a fierce snarl as he realizes he has been interrupted.

"G'day, mate. Listen up and listen good. This 'ere is Roamer clan business, and we don't need no outsiders stickin' their noses in. So I suggest you bugger off before things get ugly. We're a proud and fierce bunch, and we don't take kindly to interference. So, do yourself a favour and stay out of it. Trust me, you don't want to mess with us Roamers."

GM, thanks for all you do! Question - do the PCs have a dog in this fight? Or are we simple observers to the fight that's about to take place? Perry is about to do something regardless.

You have to decide!

Generally, I just have stuff happen and I don't have an assumption what you're going to do. You can run away. You can get involved on one or the other side. You can ask for more clarification about what's going on from the merchant who was just telling you about the Roaner clans.

The grexxaiten handler from the Sain uu Tobok Clan stands tall and proud, his broad shoulders filling out his leather vest. His rugged features are etched with determination as he faces his opponent, a Roamer warrior from a rival clan. The armor worn by the grexxaiten handler of the Sain uu Tobok Roamer Clan is a sight to behold. Made from a dozen thylacine hides sewn together with bone staples and string made out of sinew, it is both durable and flexible. The hides are a deep shade of brown, with thick fur that provides warmth in the harsh desert climate. The bones used to fasten the hides together are bleached white, adding a stark contrast to the dark leather. The sinew used to bind the armor together is braided tightly, ensuring that it will not unravel or come apart in battle. The armor is designed to fit snugly against the handler's body, providing protection from the sharp claws and teeth of the grexxaiten. It covers his chest, back, and arms, with additional layers of hide protecting his thighs and shins. The thylacine hides are reinforced with strips of leather, which have been stitched into place to create a ribbed effect. The leather has been treated with oils and waxes, making it resistant to moisture and increasing its lifespan.

"Ya think ya can take me on, mate?" he drawls in a thick Australian accent, his eyes flashing with challenge. "Well, I reckon ya got another thing comin'."

He adjusts his grip on the reins of his grexxaiten, a massive creature that towers over him. The beast snorts and paws at the ground, sensing the tension in the air. As the mutant badger strains against its restraints, the enormous chain with holds it in place with an iron grip. Each of the seven thick chains is forged from sturdy metal, designed to withstand the brute strength of even the most powerful creatures. The links of the chains are massive, each one nearly the size of a human hand, and as the grexxaitten struggles, the chains emit a low, metallic groan.

The handler locks eyes with the Roamer warrior, his gaze steady and unyielding. "I ain't afraid of ya, mate," he says, his voice low and gravelly. "I been trainin' for this my whole life. Ain't nothin' gonna stop me from defendin' my clan's honor."

The armored truck rumbles to a stop on the dusty dirt road, its engine growling with power. Inside, the muscular Roamer warrior sits with his eyes fixed on the road ahead, his knuckles white as he grips the steering wheel. As he parks the truck, he takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, steeling himself for what's to come. With a sudden motion, the warrior slams his hand against the door, causing it to shudder and shake with a loud crash that reverberates through the vehicle.

The door flies open, revealing the hulking form of the Roamer as he steps out onto the dusty ground. His thick boots land with a heavy thud, sending clouds of dirt flying into the air. The warrior's muscles bulge beneath his tattered clothing, and his eyes scan the area for any sign of danger. His hand rests on the hilt of a large sword, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

The large three-bladed sword gleams in the light, its edges honed to a razor sharpness. The blade is thick and heavy, designed to cleave through armor and flesh with ease. Each of the three blades is evenly spaced and tapered towards the tip, giving it a distinctive and fearsome appearance. The hilt of the sword is wrapped in well-worn leather, with intricate patterns that have been etched into its surface. The handle is wide and sturdy, allowing the warrior to wield the blade with both hands if needed. The pommel of the sword is large and rounded, providing a secure grip for the warrior's hand. The blade gleams again in the sunlight, reflecting the dusty golden hues of the desert. As the warrior moves, the scabbard rattles gently, the sound of the blade within echoing through the empty expanse.

But it is the pommel of the sword that catches the eye. It is large, with a gemstone set in the center that glows with a kaleidoscope of neon, olive, jade, mint, and viridian shades of green. The gemstone is multi-faceted, capturing the light in a thousand different angles, making it almost seem as if the colors are dancing. The Roamer warrior's hand falls to the...

The Roamer warrior stands tall and proud, adorned in a suit of armor made entirely out of the scaly hides of Komodo dragons. The armor is a striking sight, with its deep green scales glinting in the sunlight. The chest plate is made up of several large, overlapping scales that are held in place by thick leather straps. The scales are not only sturdy, but also flexible, allowing the warrior to move with ease in battle. The edges of each scale are razor sharp, giving the armor an added layer of defense against enemy blades. The shoulder guards are also fashioned from the same Komodo dragon hides, each one consisting of dozens of small scales intricately arranged to create a protective layer around the warrior's shoulders. The armor's maker has taken great care to ensure that the scales are arranged in such a way as to provide maximum coverage while also allowing for a full range of movement. The warrior's gauntlets are crafted from the same scaly material, with each finger covered in thick, overlapping scales that provide ample protection for the hands. The scales are not only sturdy, but also sharp, giving the warrior a powerful tool in close combat. The warrior's greaves are made up of long, overlapping scales that protect the legs from harm. The scales extend all the way down to the tops of the boots, creating a seamless barrier between the warrior's skin and the outside world. As the warrior moves, the armor makes a soft rustling sound, almost like the whisper of leaves in the wind. The Komodo dragon scales gleam in the light, reflecting the sun's rays in a mesmerizing dance. It is a fearsome sight to behold, and one that strikes fear into the hearts of the warrior's enemies.

The Roamer warrior stands tall and proud. His eyes are fierce and unyielding as he surveys the bustling marketplace, taking note of the rival clan's grexxaitten handler. In a voice that carries over the noise of the crowd, the Roamer warrior calls out to the handler, his words laced with a warning. "G'day, mate. I reckon we've got a bit of a matter of honor to settle, don't we? See, you and your lot have gone and crossed a line. You've disrespected our clan, and that's not something we take lightly 'round here. Now, I ain't lookin' for a fight. But I am lookin' for a bit of justice. And that's where you come in. I'm giving you a fair go, mate. You've got two choices. You can apologize and make it right, or you can face me in a one-on-one battle to the death. I know which one I'd choose if I were in your shoes. But I reckon you're too proud for that, aren't ya? So, what's it gonna be, mate? You gonna step up and do the right thing, or are we gonna have to settle this the old-fashioned way?"

A low growling sound echoes through the market square, and people begin to clear a path. At the center of the commotion is a grexxaiten, an immense badger-like mutant with a dozen legs, its massive body the size of a small tank.

The creature is tethered by a thick chain. Made out of seven individual strands of super-hard chromium alloy, it gleams in the light, each link perfectly crafted and polished to a mirror-like finish. The chain is heavy, each link weighing several pounds, yet it is surprisingly pliable, able to bend and twist without breaking. The chromium alloy, known for its incredible strength and durability, makes the chain virtually indestructible, able to withstand immense pressure and resist even the toughest of elements. The chain seems almost alive, its sleek surface shimmering in the light. The individual strands interweave and intertwine, creating a lattice-like structure that enhances its strength and flexibility. Each link is perfectly formed, the edges smooth and free of imperfections. The chain's surface is unmarred by scratches or dents, a testament to the skill of its craftsmen and the quality of its materials. As the light plays across its surface, the chain seems to come alive, each strand reflecting a rainbow of colors. It is a thing of beauty, an object that inspires awe and admiration.

Its fur bristles with anticipation, and its jaws snap open and shut as it pulls on its restraints. The matted fur of the badger-like mutant is thick and unkempt, a tangle of coarse strands that seem to defy order. It stands out against the creature's skin, a motley mix of black, brown, and white that blends together in a chaotic jumble. The fur is long and shaggy, hanging in ragged clumps that frame the creature's face and trail down its back. It seems to have a life of its own, moving with the creature's every motion, swaying and rustling as the grexxaiten scurries about. Despite its rough appearance, the fur is surprisingly soft to the touch, each strand fine and pliable. It is a testament to the creature's natural resilience, able to withstand the harsh realities of its environment and protect it from the elements. As the creature moves, its fur seems to take on a life of its own, shifting and moving with a fluid grace that belies its tangled appearance.

Its beady eyes lock onto the figure of the warrior who has just appeared in the square, and its lips curl back to reveal razor-sharp teeth. The creature snarls, a low rumbling sound that echoes through the air. The creature's eyes shine like tiny beacons. The eyes are a bright, almost otherworldly green, standing out against the muted tones of the market's stalls and awnings. They seem to pulsate with an inner energy, as if the creature's very life force were reflected in them. They flicker and dance, drawing the attention of onlookers and passersby.

The mutant's snarls grow louder, and it takes a step forward, its thick paws leaving deep imprints in the ground. Its claws scrape against the cobblestones, sending sparks flying as it moves closer to the warrior. The creature's dozen legs scrape against the cobblestones, leaving deep gouges in the ground. The chain creaks and strains under the immense weight of the grexxaiten as it pulls with all its might. Its powerful muscles ripple beneath its fur, and its claws dig into the ground as it strains against the chain. Despite the efforts of its handler, the grexxaiten seems determined to break free.

Its eyes dart around the market square, seeking out its target. The crowds watch in awe and fear as the creature's power is on full display, its massive form dwarfing everything around it. The handler, a burly man with sweat pouring down his face, tugs at the chain with all his might, trying to keep the creature under control. But the grexxaiten is too strong, and it continues to pull with increasing force, the chain groaning under the strain.

As the commotion continues, the crowds in the market square begin to back away, giving the grexxaiten a wide berth. People mutter nervously amongst themselves, their eyes fixed on the creature's immense form. A group of individuals gathers, huddling together in small clusters as they observe the badger-like mutant. The group watches with a mixture of fear and fascination, their eyes fixed on the mutant as it growls and snarls, its eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. Some of them are armed, clutching makeshift weapons in their hands, while others stand back, wary of getting too close to the creature. As the grexxaiten pulls harder on the chain, the group edges back, sensing that something is about to happen. They know that if the creature breaks free, it could cause untold damage, leaving destruction in its wake. The tension in the air is palpable as the creature strains against the chain, its muscles bulging and rippling beneath its thick fur. The group holds its collective breath, waiting to see what will happen next.

I've been at an ICU clinical the last 48 hrs, I'll update tomorrow, I can barely think I'm so tired.

I'm still trying to read about Savage Worlds -- I haven't had a lot of time to try to grok a new system. I have the impression it's a pretty differently balanced system than Palladium Rifts.

I'm interested to see how well this system captures the feel of Rifts. I've also read about conversions of the setting to GURPS and d20/Pathfinder. There's a 3pp. supplement that does 'military scale' damage for Pathfinder you could use for MDC, and I think if you just did a gestalt game with lots of 3pp. options, you can cover most stuff. The dragon hatchlings can be the Tanninim racial class from rite publishing, for example. I'm just so sick of how those recruitments work where everyone wants to have a long discussion of their theory crafting concept for stacking feat bonuses. I'm very much of the school of "here are some build rules, tell me when you're done with your sheet". I'm not going to spend hours researching obscure corner case rules interactions for weeks on end to run a recruitment.

Philosophical question for our GM team and Indio. Is there any mechanical point to having an animal companion? I don't need for it to be a mechanical benefit or anything, but I have a dog and Indio has a horse. It seems to me like a non-MDC animal is of little use in a RIFTS game other than just being a cool friend. I mean, my vehicle can take missile hits, while Indio's horse would become a fine mist.

Again, I'm fine if the answer if pretty much no. The situation would be the same in RIFTS or Savage Worlds. I mean, I guess you could have a dire bear companion in some sort of MDC armor?

I have no idea -- in the Palladium system anything that's not MDC is basically vaporized. They also can't do anything. I recently had a newbie player with a summoner character sorcel up some dingos that tried to attack thugs in MDC armor. I had to explain that was a waste of time -- there was no way they could possible damage the thugs, who could just ignore them and keep firing the boom gun on their ATV at the rest of the party.

The armored truck rumbles to a stop on the dusty dirt road, its engine growling with power. Inside, the muscular Roamer warrior sits with his eyes fixed on the road ahead, his knuckles white as he grips the steering wheel. As he parks the truck, he takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, steeling himself for what's to come. With a sudden motion, the warrior slams his hand against the door, causing it to shudder and shake with a loud crash that reverberates through the vehicle.

The door flies open, revealing the hulking form of the Roamer as he steps out onto the dusty ground. His thick boots land with a heavy thud, sending clouds of dirt flying into the air. The warrior's muscles bulge beneath his tattered clothing, and his eyes scan the area for any sign of danger. His hand rests on the hilt of a large sword, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

The large three-bladed sword gleams in the light, its edges honed to a razor sharpness. The blade is thick and heavy, designed to cleave through armor and flesh with ease. Each of the three blades is evenly spaced and tapered towards the tip, giving it a distinctive and fearsome appearance. The hilt of the sword is wrapped in well-worn leather, with intricate patterns that have been etched into its surface. The handle is wide and sturdy, allowing the warrior to wield the blade with both hands if needed. The pommel of the sword is large and rounded, providing a secure grip for the warrior's hand. The blade gleams again in the sunlight, reflecting the dusty golden hues of the desert. As the warrior moves, the scabbard rattles gently, the sound of the blade within echoing through the empty expanse.

But it is the pommel of the sword that catches the eye. It is large, with a gemstone set in the center that glows with a kaleidoscope of neon, olive, jade, mint, and viridian shades of green. The gemstone is multi-faceted, capturing the light in a thousand different angles, making it almost seem as if the colors are dancing. The Roamer warrior's hand falls to the pommel, running his fingers over the smooth surface of the gemstone. His eyes are drawn to the shifting colors within, a small smile of satisfaction spreading across his face. The gemstone is more than just a decoration; it is a symbol of the warrior's power, a reminder of the strength he draws from the land and the elements.

As he pulls the sword free from its scabbard, the gemstone glows brighter, casting a verdant light across the warrior's face. He stands there for a moment, the sword held aloft, the gemstone pulsing with the beating of his heart.

@Sebecloki: friendly bit of advice, DM to DM. your long novel posts, you spend a lot of time in the past tense, speaking as things have already happened. and there's a rather extra bits of redundancy of what your explaining. I think i read the agility and mobility and protection of bushmen trooper armor explained five different ways.

let's take an example below.

Its thick armor plating had been carefully designed to provide the ultimate protection for its occupants, making it nearly impervious to any assault. The exterior was armored with plates of Inconel Strength alloy, a material that could withstand even the heaviest of blows. The armor was painted in a matte black finish, designed to blend into the shadows and strike fear into the hearts of its enemies. The body armor of the truck was an impressive sight, made out of Inconel strength alloy, a material known for its incredible strength and durability

youre talking about a truck thats been up-armored from it's standard. you talk about the paint. and the strength of the armor.

Below, i made some slight modifications to what you wrote above:

Its thick Inconel alloy armor plating, carefully designed to provide the ultimate protection for its occupants, makes it nearly impervious to any assault. The exterior was armored with plates of Inconel Strength alloy, a material that could withstand even the heaviest of blows(redundant). The armor, painted in a matte black finish, is designed to blend into the shadows and strike fear into the hearts of its enemies. The body armor of the truck was an impressive sight, made out of Inconel strength alloy, a material known for its incredible strength and durability(redundant line)

Instead, it could read:
It's thick Inconel alloy armor plating, carefully designed to provice the ultimate protection for it's occumpants, makes the truck nearly impervious to assaults. Painted in a matte black finish, the truck is desinged to blend into the shadows of...

I honestly just overlooked some of the similar phraseology and you can't edit after a small window. I can do present tense, but long form is my standard approach, so if the length is an issue, then this probably just won't be a good fit, because I don't really do 3 sentence posts most of the time.

what is everyone's timezone?

from my POV, im seeing some crazy posting times, like Sebecloki posting at 12am my time.

Im Central standard time.

Est I stay up late

ok. im confused. is there two trucks? or is the truck that just rolled into the marketplace the same canyon?

Cedrica stares at the hawker as he proceeds to give a long dissertation of local history to a visitor. However, Cedrica, listening politely for a moment, shakes her head and looks about, her attention focusing elsewhere.
Hands in her pockets, she shrugs to no one in particular, not really listening to much, yet still picking up whenever the two men, and the woman say something.
Finally, something does catch her eye, a small hat shop not to far away.
I'll be right back she says to Perenian, her hand pressing slightly upon his upper arm to draw his attention away from the trader. Im headed over there. The woman points at the small shop. Not bothering to receive an acknowledgement from the man whom she just met ran into? chatted with? I havent really "met" him. Dont know his name., Cedrica flits through the crowd and into the store.
She looks through the wares of the hat shop, not wanting to dally with benign conversation or "shopping". She looks around, really just intent to purchase something to cover her head to keep the sun out of her eyes, she grasps a faded green hat. Tossing it onto her head, Oh! it's just a hair big! but that can be fixed, she pays the shop keep and strides back out into the open market, her eyes shaded.
Raising on tip toes, she spots those that she met and wanders back to them, just in time to watch the odd truck drive helter skelter into the marketplace.
Good thing this place wasnt really crowded, or they wouldve killed a lot of people driving down this road like that. she says to no one in particular, her left hand lifting up the remnant of 'roo jerky to gnaw on.

One truck.

GM's - I just went to buy some more E-clips for my laser pistols from my starting money to keep handy as backups, and by RAW, they cost 5000 credits to buy and 1500 to recharge! I'm assuming that the number of shots listed for each weapon completely depletes an E-clip, so most of us have only 20 or 40 shots until we must buy or recharge.

These prices are INSANE! I'd suggest dividing them by 10, or just not keep track of shots altogether. Otherwise, you're going to have to be giving us BIG rewards of credits for adventures just to be able to continue using our weapons.

For comparison, the "standard" laser pistol costs $11000, so the E-clip costs 45% of that. A modern common pistol costs $200, and a refill of bullets costs $8, or 4% of the weapon. So dividing the E-clip costs by 10 makes them roughly equivalent.

Thoughts (anyone)?

I'm not doing the mechanics for this game, ask Atlas.

As the bustling market square was filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, the screeching sound of metal against concrete suddenly pierced through the air. People turned their heads to see a heavily armored pickup truck barreling towards them at breakneck speed. The truck was painted a deep black, and its menacing exterior was covered in various bulletproof plating and reinforced grills, a testament to its durability.

As it careened towards the center of the square, the driver suddenly slammed on the brakes, bringing the truck to a sudden, screeching halt. The armored pickup truck skidded to a sudden stop in the middle of the dusty road, its massive wheels kicking up a billowing cloud of caustic dust that obscured the vehicle from view. The tires ground against the pavement, sending up a thick cloud of dust that obscured the vehicle from view. The sound of the screeching tires echoed throughout the square, causing people to cover their ears. The dust was thick and acrid, stinging the eyes and throat of anyone nearby who dared to breathe it in. As the truck screeched to a halt, the driver and passengers inside the vehicle remained motionless, their bodies protected by the reinforced steel plating and bulletproof glass that made up the truck's exterior. Their breathing was regulated by the advanced air filtration system that was designed to keep out the toxic fumes of the caustic dust that surrounded them. Outside, the cloud of dust continued to billow and swirl, illuminated by the bright beams of the truck's headlights. The air was thick with the acrid stench of chemicals and burning rubber, and people nearby began to cough and sputter as they struggled to breathe in the toxic air.

Despite the danger of the noxious cloud, curious onlookers crept closer to the vehicle, their faces covered by masks or scarves in an attempt to filter out the harmful dust. Some tried to peer through the thick haze, hoping to catch a glimpse of the occupants of the truck, while others took cover behind nearby buildings, wary of the corrosive effects of the caustic dust.

As the dust began to settle, the armored pickup truck loomed large in the center of the road, a foreboding presence amidst the chaos of the swirling cloud. The driver of the truck sat motionless behind the wheel, his gloved hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. The driver and passengers remained inside the vehicle, waiting patiently for the dust to clear and for whatever mission they were on to continue. The truck's massive frame slowly emerged from the haze. It was a sight to behold, with its massive wheels and imposing front grill. The front of the truck was adorned with an enormous bumper, which looked like it could crush anything that dared to stand in its way.

The large armored pickup truck screeched to a sudden halt in the middle of the busy market square, leaving deep tire tracks in its wake. The tracks were gouged into the pavement, marking the path the truck had taken as it barreled towards the center of the square at high speed. The tire tracks were thick and jagged, the result of the truck's heavy weight and powerful engine. The pavement around the tracks was cracked and pitted, evidence of the force with which the truck had come to a stop. As the dust from the truck's sudden stop began to settle, people nearby could see the tire tracks clearly, their depth and breadth a testament to the truck's size and power. The tracks were almost a foot deep in places, and they stretched for several yards before coming to a stop. Some people in the crowd murmured in disbelief, while others exchanged knowing nods, recognizing the tracks as a sign of the truck's impressive capabilities. A few brave souls even ventured closer to inspect the tracks, running their hands over the rough, tire-marked surface of the pavement. For several minutes, the deep tire tracks in the pavement remained a stark reminder of the truck's sudden stop. But eventually, as the market square returned to its usual bustle, vendors setting up stalls and hawking their wares, the tracks began to fade, gradually disappearing under the feet of passersby as they went about their business.