New chat room entered at 5/24/2005 8:41:41 PM.
You are now in chat room “currentrun052505.”
EverGuard4 has left the chat room.

Thematrian1 (8:42:07 PM): someone else try inviting him
Umbrafer (8:42:30 PM): I tried, but it isn't working
EverGuard4 has entered the chat room.

EverGuard4 (8:43:29 PM): finally...
Thematrian1 (8:43:31 PM): good times
EverGuard4 (8:43:40 PM): (out of interest, what did you all see?_
Umbrafer (8:43:42 PM): \/\/007
Umbrafer (8:43:47 PM): ?
MilesMk1 (8:43:52 PM): Well... I did just switch windows and see "So, when are we going to..." and think about it, but...
Thematrian1 (8:44:10 PM): it's uncanny
Thematrian1 (8:44:16 PM): that's all that was ever required in my case
Thematrian1 (8:44:16 PM): but
Thematrian1 (8:44:36 PM): when last we met, the team was busily following some guy who came out of the UB building
MilesMk1 (8:44:37 PM): Well... Actually, at one point, it failed during the last few weeks.
Thematrian1 (8:44:46 PM): aww
Thematrian1 (8:44:54 PM): nothing hurts like giving up a superstition
MilesMk1 (8:44:56 PM): Although at that point, you had no intention of even trying to get on line.
MilesMk1 (8:45:06 PM): Because of all the projects and so on.
Thematrian1 (8:45:12 PM): oh yes, that
MilesMk1 (8:45:25 PM): So I think we can let it live a little longer on account of that. :)
Thematrian1 (8:45:51 PM): last word was that the time was 8:00, and the guy was mysteriously not on the bus anymore
Thematrian1 (8:45:55 PM): as far as Alex could tell
Umbrafer (8:46:35 PM): Indeed
Thematrian1 (8:48:18 PM): Alex, roll Stealth again
Umbrafer (8:48:45 PM): Umbrafer rolled 4 6-sided dice: 2 2 3 6
Umbrafer (8:48:48 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 3
Thematrian1 (8:49:41 PM): thank you. Continuing to follow the bus? It has almost completed its loop.
Umbrafer (8:50:07 PM): Indeed I am, until someone gives me a better idea or something changes.
MilesMk1 (8:50:23 PM): "You guys just let me know when I need to hurt someone..." *goes back to looking out the windows and munching on pretzels*
Umbrafer (8:50:50 PM): *News is still on in background*
Thematrian1 (8:51:16 PM): There's been no mention of the bug-things.
Thematrian1 (8:54:21 PM): 8:05
Umbrafer (8:54:47 PM): *Drive drive drive*
Thematrian1 (8:56:32 PM): 8:10. In a few minutes, you'll be in front of the UB building.
Umbrafer (8:57:04 PM): "We've almost come full circle. What do we do?"
EverGuard4 (8:59:47 PM): *silence*
MilesMk1 (9:00:02 PM): "Not sure. Trickster doesn't seem to want to go inside, and this is after all mainly his deal."
Umbrafer (9:00:02 PM): "Right, then. Hand me a pretzel, will you?"
Umbrafer (9:00:09 PM): (Scrtatch that)
Umbrafer (9:00:15 PM): "I guess."
MilesMk1 (9:01:10 PM): "We could go back and have Rock take a look at that other house, the one we tracked the second spirit to."
MilesMk1 (9:01:40 PM): "Or just go somewhere public, like an all-night diner, and wait a while to see what'll happen, and if anyone shows any interest in us..."
MilesMk1 (9:01:57 PM): "Although I have to admit, that last one might be just because I'm getting hungry."
Umbrafer (9:03:29 PM): "Trickster?"
Umbrafer (9:03:42 PM): (Damn it, Dragcrell, where have the goats taken you…)
Thematrian1 (9:03:57 PM): Trickster is not responsive.
MilesMk1 (9:04:03 PM): "Of course, Rock and I could take a look inside the UB building, but what's our reason for busting in? I'm as curious as anyone why someone is looking at us, but is this the way to deal with it?"
Umbrafer (9:04:43 PM): "I wish I knew."
Umbrafer (9:05:03 PM): #There's a reason I don't usually get involved in other people's business… guess that's the hazard of working with someone much."
Umbrafer (9:05:05 PM): #
MilesMk1 (9:05:29 PM): #Heh... Yeah, well, thank god for unprofessional moments, I guess...#
EverGuard4 (9:05:40 PM): "Could we fetch some food?"
MilesMk1 (9:06:13 PM): "I guess the only upside to this is that if they're really making people disappear, maybe they won't call the cops if we do something."
MilesMk1 (9:06:16 PM): Dragcrell!
Dragcrell has entered the chat room.

Umbrafer (9:06:45 PM): Victory!
Dragcrell (9:07:20 PM): (ya better late the crashed)
MilesMk1 (9:08:19 PM): (Ok, so we're going in circles trying to figure out what to do about the UB building, and the mess Trickster got us into. :p Care to comment?)
Thematrian1 (9:08:27 PM): The bus rolls up to the UB building.
Umbrafer (9:09:25 PM): Does it stop there? How far did Mr. Suspicious walk to pick up the bus?
MilesMk1 (9:09:31 PM): (Oh, and some magician-type with a spirit got out of the UB building, got on a bus, and we followed him. For hours.)
EverGuard4 (9:09:58 PM): brb
Thematrian1 (9:10:00 PM): It stops a little past. He didn't have to walk far, but he did; he turned a corner and got on the next stop.
Thematrian1 (9:10:10 PM): The bus stops there, but no one gets off.
Umbrafer (9:12:26 PM): "So Trickster, it's your call. What do we do here?"
Dragcrell (9:14:02 PM): *thinks* well other then the spiret in the bus I gues we coudl try inside the building tho getting out might be a problme."
Dragcrell (9:14:22 PM): (lol eating and typeing >_<)
Thematrian1 (9:15:56 PM): The bus rolls on to the next stop
Umbrafer (9:16:20 PM): "But how would we enter the building? Why?"
Umbrafer (9:16:26 PM): "On what pretext?"
Dragcrell (9:17:01 PM): *shruges* "I just walked in as it I was curois about what they did there"
MilesMk1 (9:17:27 PM): "Do they do homeless-related stuff in there, or is just offices?"
MilesMk1 (9:17:50 PM): "And what are their hours, could you do an online check, Alex?"
Umbrafer (9:17:58 PM): *Check check check*
Thematrian1 (9:18:05 PM): Comptuers
Thematrian1 (9:18:11 PM): or some approximation therefor
Thematrian1 (9:18:12 PM): of
Dragcrell (9:19:00 PM): "I didnt get much chance to realy look around they had 3-4 ppl around me at most times untill they had me enter there "metation class room" thats where I see the wasp/guy thaing" *shuters*
MilesMk1 (9:19:43 PM): "What was the lobby like? Guards. receptionist?"
Dragcrell (9:20:17 PM): *thinks* "It was just a lobby"
MilesMk1 (9:20:49 PM): "I suppose we could come in an say we got one that got away *grins, points at Trickster*, but I don't think I'm up to pulling off that sort of a lie... Or anyone else, outside of a spy thriller, either..."
MilesMk1 (9:21:00 PM): "No people?"
Dragcrell (9:21:57 PM): *nods* "3 meet me at the door but they was also there greating the others that got off the bus as well"
MilesMk1 (9:24:00 PM): "So people were just coming in off the street..."
Dragcrell (9:24:21 PM): "yes"
MilesMk1 (9:24:42 PM): What do I know about the UB message, BTW? I think my character actually might know more than I do.
Thematrian1 (9:25:45 PM): hm. roll Intelligence
MilesMk1 (9:26:21 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 4 1 1 1 4
Umbrafer (9:26:58 PM): Umbrafer rolled 6 6-sided dice: 1 3 3 4 3 2
Thematrian1 (9:27:01 PM): They preach a message of love and peace, through attunement to the universe or something like that.
Thematrian1 (9:27:25 PM): They are widely regarded to be drekheads.
Thematrian1 (9:27:30 PM): well, widely in your circles
Umbrafer (9:27:46 PM): Define "drekheads"?
Thematrian1 (9:28:17 PM): They think peace, love, and cosmic attunement will solve everyone's problems.
Umbrafer (9:28:25 PM): Ah.
Umbrafer (9:28:31 PM): Damn hippies.
Dragcrell (9:29:15 PM): (ROFL)
MilesMk1 (9:29:27 PM): Any progress on that online search?
Thematrian1 (9:30:25 PM): This center has meditation groups from dawn to dusk. No, really, that's how they're listed in the Matrix.
Thematrian1 (9:30:42 PM): They claim to be open to "truly needy souls" 24/7
Umbrafer (9:30:43 PM): Is it dusk yet? Probably, by this point.
Thematrian1 (9:31:11 PM): 8:00? Not quite, but close.
Dragcrell (9:31:17 PM): (brb)
Umbrafer (9:31:57 PM): "Anyone up for meditation groups?"
Umbrafer (9:32:10 PM): "Or do we just go get some food and pick this up tomorrow?"
Umbrafer (9:32:22 PM): "Or even later tonight, when there are less people?"
Thematrian1 (9:33:05 PM): (to clarify, dusk is in 10-20 minutes)
Umbrafer (9:33:33 PM): (Dude, that's 10-20 minutes of potential spiritual enlightenment!)
Thematrian1 (9:33:53 PM): (ok, ok, sheesh ;-))
Umbrafer (9:35:37 PM): #So I guess the question is, do you want to be in harmony with the universe?#
MilesMk1 (9:36:02 PM): Need to go afk for a moment.
Umbrafer (9:38:01 PM): *Feels all alone in a crowded van*
Thematrian1 (9:39:43 PM): (I guess they don't)
Dragcrell (9:39:47 PM): (back >_> and about 1 pound lighter)
Thematrian1 (9:40:08 PM): (If I give you karma, will you never, ever elaborate on that?)
EverGuard4 (9:40:21 PM): (no transducer link)
EverGuard4 (9:40:25 PM): (at least, not on this network)
Dragcrell (9:40:29 PM): "we have any weapons that coudl be easly consealed?"
Umbrafer (9:40:38 PM): (I know, that was to Blake)
Umbrafer (9:41:26 PM): "We're not really set up for concealment at the moment. Our last job didn't lend itself to it."
Dragcrell (9:42:21 PM): *nods*
EverGuard4 (9:42:56 PM): "Have any spare firearms?"
Umbrafer (9:43:40 PM): "He's your man." *Gestures with head at Blake*
Dragcrell (9:43:56 PM): (how hard would it be to hid the snapblads?)
MilesMk1 (9:44:03 PM): Back. Let me read up...
Thematrian1 (9:44:10 PM): Alex: did you continue to follow the bus or not?
Umbrafer (9:44:44 PM): I did, but if I was starting to get beyond the point at which I wouldn't be able to get back to UB before closing I broke off.
Umbrafer (9:44:50 PM): Sensor lock on the bus, though.
Umbrafer (9:44:53 PM): Umbrafer rolled 5 6-sided dice: 6 1 6 5 5
Thematrian1 (9:44:54 PM): go for it
Umbrafer (9:44:56 PM): Umbrafer rolled 2 6-sided dice: 1 5
Thematrian1 (9:45:00 PM): yeah, you've got yourself a locked bus
Thematrian1 (9:45:05 PM): but it gets away
Umbrafer (9:45:07 PM): (Considering that its signature was probably 2, that was a waste)
Dragcrell (9:45:21 PM): Dragcrell rolled 7 6-sided dice: 6 4 5 2 1 2 5
Dragcrell (9:45:28 PM): Dragcrell rolled 1 6-sided die: 3
MilesMk1 (9:45:47 PM): "Since it seems like we can pretty much just walk in, and see which way they jump, I suppose we can risk being in harmony with the universe."
MilesMk1 (9:46:02 PM): "I didn't know you could use a gun, Rock..."
Dragcrell (9:46:32 PM): "you guys rember that sprit on the bus?"
EverGuard4 (9:47:10 PM): "..." "I suspect I can."
Umbrafer (9:47:11 PM): "You mean an hour ago? Our memories aren't that bad."
Dragcrell (9:47:39 PM): "well it was a wind spirit and a powerfull one at that."
Umbrafer (9:47:53 PM): "Oh. Great."
MilesMk1 (9:48:20 PM): "I have... Let's see, three heavy pistols - one's mine - a light pistol, and two assault rifles." (I believe I indicated I've been keeping a lot of the hardware in the van a couple of runs ago, BTW)
MilesMk1 (9:48:31 PM): "Also a couple of knives and a collapsible staff."
Umbrafer (9:48:48 PM): (Yep)
Thematrian1 (9:48:53 PM): (You did indeed)
Umbrafer (9:48:57 PM): (You've got your own little locker, IIRC)
MilesMk1 (9:49:15 PM): (Basically.)
Umbrafer (9:49:44 PM): (No unstable explosives, no nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons without prior confirmation with the operator, and otherwise it's your own little storage space away from home.)
Dragcrell (9:49:48 PM): ( ya I remberd to get my "back up" pack lol tho is just been tose in to the van)
EverGuard4 (9:49:55 PM): "May I take a pistol?"
Umbrafer (9:50:14 PM): (Correction: no nuclear, high-potency chemical, or biological. Chemweapons aren't that rare for us)
MilesMk1 (9:50:29 PM): (I need to go shopping, since this has left my house sort of bare... All it has at this point - unless I bring it back - is a lot of ammo, an ATGM, a chemical weapon, several explosive devices with radio detonators...
MilesMk1 (9:50:36 PM): ...and a holdout pistol.)
Dragcrell (9:50:52 PM): ((LOL))
Umbrafer (9:51:13 PM): (I think Alex would collapse laughing if she ever saw Blake with a holdout. I mean, there are valid reasons, but the very idea seems wrong.)
Thematrian1 (9:51:14 PM): This discussion reminds me: if you guys aren't counting ammunition, please start.
MilesMk1 (9:51:46 PM): *unloads a Predator III and hands it to Rock* "How does that feel?"
MilesMk1 (9:52:13 PM): (if it looks like Rock knows how to handle a gun, he also hands over the ammo. :))
MilesMk1 (9:52:43 PM): (Two clips of EX rounds.)
EverGuard4 (9:53:23 PM): (communing with gm)
Dragcrell (9:53:49 PM): *checks over his Manhunters and selects the closest and grabs 3 clips of regaler amo and the 2 clips of Ex rounds, pair of snap blades and puts on one of the lined coats*
EverGuard4 (9:54:16 PM): "I have used this in the past."
Umbrafer (9:54:24 PM): Trickster is armed for bear.
Umbrafer (9:54:37 PM): Blake is probably armed for Piasma as usual.
Dragcrell (9:55:28 PM): (got in the happit of buying 2 of shit that is easaly lost, shot, or blown up >_> cant imagen WHY that is tho)
MilesMk1 (9:56:49 PM): (I did the math when we entered the Bug City story arc, and I believe I currently have ~ 50 gel rounds, 100 EX rounds and 200 regular rounds (heavy pistol and AR each), around 70 grenades of various kinds...
Dragcrell (9:56:59 PM): *trys to hid the snapblades and Manhunter with teh lined coat*
MilesMk1 (9:57:18 PM): a small amount of APDS and AV ammo, 2 ATGMS... and a knife.)
Dragcrell (9:57:35 PM): (lol
MilesMk1 (9:58:06 PM): *hands over a clip of EX, regular and gel to Rock*
Thematrian1 (9:58:23 PM): (Awesome)
Umbrafer (9:59:49 PM): (1,834 MMG rounds, 448 MMG tracer rounds, 99 sporting rifle rounds,10 white phosphorous minigrenades, two Great Dragon launchers, and 10 ATGMs. Alex must have accidentally joined the boy scouts as a young girl.)
EverGuard4 (10:00:03 PM): *examines EX for a moment, then loads regular rounds into Pred*
Dragcrell (10:00:26 PM): (lol)
Thematrian1 (10:00:55 PM): (The 2060 Boy Scouts are a paramilitary organization, IIRC)
Dragcrell (10:01:29 PM): (*snickers* figrues they would go that rout)
MilesMk1 (10:01:50 PM): "I also have this..." *holds out a FFBA half-suit* (basically, FFBA shirt) It's one of mine, but it ought to fit."
MilesMk1 (10:02:17 PM): "If you want more armor, that is."
EverGuard4 (10:02:25 PM): *examines suit*
MilesMk1 (10:03:12 PM): (I figure it stretches, and dwarves and humans have similarly-sized torsoes, it's the legs that are a problem. GM call...)
Thematrian1 (10:03:53 PM): (It's close enough. Arm length could be bothersome too, but it's not a major enough point to complain about)
Umbrafer (10:04:04 PM): (My personal view is that FFBA is probably custom-tailored rather than stretchy, but as mentioned it's GM call.)
Umbrafer (10:04:09 PM): (And there you have it)
Thematrian1 (10:04:21 PM): Nothing happens with the UB building.
EverGuard4 (10:05:05 PM): "No, thank you."
Thematrian1 (10:05:11 PM): (Custom tailoring can't get as close-fitted as FFBA is supposed to be, not that those prices anyway. Maybe if you had a computer program examine Naked!Blake and do some math, maybe, but there are security risks there)
MilesMk1 (10:05:29 PM): "Your call."
MilesMk1 (10:06:06 PM): *divests himself of some of his extra hardware, staying with one heavy pistol and a pocketed pair of stun gloves*
MilesMk1 (10:06:25 PM): "All right... So, do we go in and look into enlightenment?"
Dragcrell (10:07:43 PM): *shuters as if tring to fling off something* "eh still feels oily here"
Umbrafer (10:08:12 PM): "That's because you aren't one with the universe."
Umbrafer (10:08:17 PM): "Cast off the bonds of self."
Dragcrell (10:08:57 PM): *grunts* "as long as I get out alive and with nothing extra attaced I'll be happy"
Dragcrell (10:10:51 PM): "well we going? I would like to get done with this as soon as we can."
MilesMk1 (10:10:57 PM): (Of course, I doubt we'll be fooling anyone, but...)
MilesMk1 (10:11:06 PM): "Yeah, let's go."
MilesMk1 (10:11:14 PM): Is the spider functional again, BTW?
Dragcrell (10:11:16 PM): ((^_^ thats what the hardwares for I thout))
Umbrafer (10:11:56 PM): I don't believe I've had enough time to work on it
MilesMk1 (10:11:57 PM): (oh, and I do take my electronic tools, if they're not too bulky, as well as a folding knife)
Thematrian1 (10:12:08 PM): (They're not too bulking)
Thematrian1 (10:12:13 PM): (bulky)
MilesMk1 (10:12:15 PM): *sighs, gets out of the van*
Umbrafer (10:12:17 PM): IIRC it was something like 70-odd hours until repair
MilesMk1 (10:12:26 PM): Gah.
Umbrafer (10:12:40 PM): Of which I've done, at most, about ten
Dragcrell (10:12:57 PM): *follows Blake*
Thematrian1 (10:14:02 PM): Ok. So we have Trickster, Rock, and Blake entering the hippy building?
Umbrafer (10:15:07 PM): *Stays at odds with the universe*
MilesMk1 (10:15:43 PM): Yeah...
MilesMk1 (10:16:00 PM): Quick question first.
Thematrian1 (10:16:06 PM): ?
MilesMk1 (10:16:26 PM): How much do stun gloves look like weapons? Do they just look like leather gloves, or do they have shiny metal studs, or what?
MilesMk1 (10:16:49 PM): Conealability 9, the book says.
MilesMk1 (10:16:59 PM): Concealability, even.
EverGuard4 (10:17:06 PM): brb
Thematrian1 (10:17:17 PM): Well, they can be embedded in hands that still look like normal hands, so in the absence of official rules (Jon?) I rule that they look like thin leather gloves, with nigh-invisible contact strips.
Umbrafer (10:17:55 PM): I'll check the description, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't say much either way
MilesMk1 (10:18:18 PM): In that case, I have them on. Not going to make me look any less than what I am if I take them off.
MilesMk1 (10:18:40 PM): Ok, into UB...
Umbrafer (10:19:51 PM): "Insulated plas-fabric gloves with a wire-mesh covering".
Thematrian1 (10:20:17 PM): You pass through the big doors into the building proper. This is clearly a lobby, but every effort has been made to make it look like a natural setting: real plants to your left and right. The receptionist smiles at you as you
Thematrian1 (10:20:19 PM): approach.
Umbrafer (10:21:00 PM): If it's not too late to add in, I give Kimji to Blake to carry in one of his pockets with instructions to toss it into the air if things go wrong.
Umbrafer (10:21:21 PM): Kimji has orders to start hovering if it abruptly finds itself unsupported and without further orders.
Thematrian1 (10:21:30 PM): I'll allow that.
Dragcrell (10:22:28 PM): *looks about the room*
Thematrian1 (10:22:45 PM): Trickster: it's the same room as before, but not the same receptionist.
Thematrian1 (10:22:51 PM): The ceiling is high, easily 15 feet.
MilesMk1 (10:24:47 PM): *smiles back* "Hello. My friends and I are interested in finding out more about the spiritual support you folks provide."
MilesMk1 (10:25:08 PM): *looks around innocently*
Thematrian1 (10:26:11 PM): She nods, still smiling. "In these materialistic times, more than ever are coming to us."
EverGuard4 has left the chat room.

MilesMk1 (10:26:41 PM): Of course, you can't help everyone...
Dragcrell (10:26:54 PM): Dragcrell rolled 7 6-sided dice: 6 4 4 6 4 4 1
Umbrafer (10:27:00 PM): ("We kill people for money. Can you help us?")
Dragcrell (10:27:06 PM): Dragcrell rolled 2 6-sided dice: 2 1
Thematrian1 (10:27:12 PM): "I'm sorry to say that our last session for the night has already started."
Thematrian1 (10:27:27 PM): "Would you like me to try to get you a meeting with one of our spiritual leaders?"
MilesMk1 (10:28:25 PM): "Well... Perhaps we could just sit quietly in the back, get a look? If that'd be too disruptive, we'd be happy to meet with anyone who's still here this late."
MilesMk1 (10:28:38 PM): "Don't want to be a bother."
MilesMk1 (10:28:59 PM): (did someone else try inviting Adam back in?)
Umbrafer (10:29:22 PM): (I did, with no results)
Thematrian1 (10:32:45 PM): (didn't work for me either)
Dragcrell (10:32:54 PM): (same)
Thematrian1 (10:33:06 PM): "I'll see who's available..."
EverGuard4 is not online, and therefore cannot chat.

EverGuard4 has entered the chat room.

EverGuard4 (10:34:29 PM): sorry about that
Thematrian1 (10:34:40 PM): The door behind her opens, and a slender boy of about ten steps through. The space behind him is dark; you get an impression of padded floors before he closes the door behind him.
Umbrafer (10:34:54 PM): Null sheen.
MilesMk1 (10:35:16 PM): (It's never good when weird kids come into the picture...)
Thematrian1 (10:35:17 PM): (I forget what that one means)
Thematrian1 (10:35:38 PM): His head is shaved, his eyes and skin are both lightly brown.
Umbrafer (10:36:15 PM): (New-fangled way of saying "no sweat")
Dragcrell (10:36:30 PM): Dragcrell rolled 7 6-sided dice: 1 6 1 1 4 3 4
Dragcrell (10:36:38 PM): /roll-dice 1
Dragcrell (10:36:48 PM): Dragcrell rolled 1 6-sided die: 1
Dragcrell (10:36:56 PM): ((>_<))
EverGuard4 (10:37:34 PM): EverGuard4 rolled 9 6-sided dice: 3 4 6 5 1 2 2 6 6
EverGuard4 (10:37:38 PM): EverGuard4 rolled 9 6-sided dice: 2 6 6 4 6 2 6 6 6
EverGuard4 (10:37:52 PM): damn.... I should have saved that for sometime later...
Dragcrell (10:37:56 PM): ((dame))
Thematrian1 (10:38:49 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 1 5 3 6 4 4
Thematrian1 (10:38:52 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
Thematrian1 (10:41:24 PM): "I'll take them, Rebecca."
Thematrian1 (10:41:30 PM): He looks right at Blake. "If you want."
MilesMk1 (10:43:04 PM): *looks at Rock and Trickster to see their reaction*
Dragcrell (10:44:08 PM): *looks from boy to the respist then back to looking around the room*
MilesMk1 (10:44:09 PM): (feel free to let me know if this guy has an aura of pure black evil, guys. :p)
Dragcrell (10:44:49 PM): ((well with as shity as a roll I did even if he did I dout I woudl have seen it lol))
Umbrafer (10:44:58 PM): (Oh yes. As a matter of fact, it's already seeping over to you. In two rounds you'll be a bug.)
MilesMk1 (10:44:59 PM): "Of course."
MilesMk1 (10:45:46 PM): "I'm sure you get this a lot, but aren't you a little young for this sort of thing?"
Thematrian1 (10:46:56 PM): He smiles at you. The receptionist looks annoyed, and starts to speak, but he touches her shoulder.
Thematrian1 (10:47:21 PM): "My parents were some of the Universal Brotherhood's first members. I've been united since before I was born."
Umbrafer (10:47:36 PM): (He's an Immortal! Quick, cut his head off!)
Dragcrell (10:48:03 PM): ((ROFL))
MilesMk1 (10:48:04 PM): (What with, a shock glove? :))
MilesMk1 (10:48:21 PM): "I see. Well, thank you for seeing us."
EverGuard4 (10:48:24 PM): (No! With a herring!)
Umbrafer (10:48:52 PM): ( :) )
Thematrian1 (10:49:01 PM): "It's no trouble."
Thematrian1 (10:49:07 PM): "I'll show you to one of the meeting rooms."
Dragcrell (10:49:12 PM): ((well I coudl go all wild and try to naw it off)
EverGuard4 (10:49:30 PM): EverGuard4 rolled 9 6-sided dice: 2 3 2 5 5 4 1 5 6
MilesMk1 (10:49:42 PM): ((You're a fox... I don't think we have the kind of time...))
Thematrian1 (10:49:58 PM): (back in a sec, guys, they're throwing me out of the lab)
Thematrian1 has left the chat room.

Dragcrell (10:50:12 PM): ((well I did say naw not BITE))
MilesMk1 (10:50:33 PM): ((Heh...))
EverGuard4 (10:50:54 PM): (ooc: I need in on the transducer network) =(
MilesMk1 (10:51:08 PM): (Can that be done without a datajack?)
MilesMk1 (10:51:24 PM): (Or do you have one?)
Umbrafer (10:51:38 PM): (You could make a case for a 'trode rig, but that's not terribly convenient…)
Dragcrell (10:51:39 PM): ((tho I think next time I well go with the Tiger set. and I think so trancducer+head radio))
Umbrafer (10:51:58 PM): ((Thinking about Trickster and his no-cyberware requirements there))
Dragcrell (10:52:50 PM): ((ya >_> the joys of being one of the uncyber enhanced :3 tho I do have abette chance of seving shit they you guys))
Umbrafer (10:53:06 PM): (?)
MilesMk1 (10:53:26 PM): (Make that one ? from me, too. :))
EverGuard4 (10:53:41 PM): better chance of surviving shit than you guys?
Dragcrell (10:53:54 PM): ((bah abette=better seving=seviveing and they=then))
Umbrafer (10:54:19 PM): (Says you. You don't have five points of vehicle armor.)
EverGuard4 (10:54:47 PM): (materializing spirits don't care about vehicle armor, as previously demonstrated)
Dragcrell (10:54:58 PM): ((hehehehe unless a AV round hits ya ;3))
Umbrafer (10:55:08 PM): Brb, my monitor just turned off.
Vernjonal has left the chat room.

Chat room exited at 5/24/2005 10:55:14 PM.

New chat room entered at 5/24/2005 10:56:25 PM.
You are now in chat room “currentrun052505.”
Umbrafer (10:56:36 PM): There we go.
MilesMk1 (10:56:46 PM): Well, aside from one small detail...
Dragcrell (10:57:15 PM): no gm >_>
MilesMk1 (10:57:36 PM): Yea, that one.
Umbrafer (10:58:03 PM): He has more trouble keeping an internet connection than anyone I know, the poor guy.
Thematrian1 has entered the chat room.

Umbrafer (10:58:34 PM): To where have you relocated?
Dragcrell (10:58:36 PM): well sent a intite to var as well lol
Thematrian1 (10:58:51 PM): another lab, basically
Umbrafer (10:59:12 PM): Other one closed up shop
Umbrafer (10:59:13 PM): *?
Thematrian1 (10:59:26 PM): though with a CCon who has a looser idea of when it's time to throw people out
Umbrafer (10:59:33 PM): Hehehe
Dragcrell (11:00:24 PM): lol
Thematrian1 (11:01:20 PM): The kid steps around the receptionist's desk. You've seen no guards. "I'll show you the way, it's not far but this building can be a maze..."
Umbrafer (11:01:37 PM): (Greeeeeeeeat.)
MilesMk1 (11:01:54 PM): *follows*
Dragcrell (11:01:58 PM): ((no I'm not going ot mark shit))
EverGuard4 (11:02:08 PM): *follow*
Dragcrell (11:02:28 PM): *follows Blake glanceign around*
MilesMk1 (11:03:57 PM): *tries to memorize the way*
Thematrian1 (11:05:06 PM): He leads you through the left-hand doorway, and sure enough the hallways are a maze. Those who are memorizing the way, roll Intelligence.
Thematrian1 (11:05:26 PM): The walls are covered with bright, garish drawings of suns and happy people and various cute animals.
EverGuard4 (11:05:58 PM): EverGuard4 rolled 5 6-sided dice: 5 3 2 2 5
EverGuard4 (11:06:02 PM): yikes...
Thematrian1 (11:07:20 PM): This place is bigger than it seemed at first.
MilesMk1 (11:07:28 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 5 2 2 1 5
MilesMk1 (11:07:34 PM): Uh.... Yeah.
Thematrian1 (11:08:02 PM): "We had to buy the building from Ares, and they have strange ideas about architecture. We fixed the lobby, and we did what we could with the walls, but..."
Umbrafer (11:08:19 PM): As far as I can tell, is this true?
Umbrafer (11:08:23 PM): I assume I can hear but not see.
Thematrian1 (11:08:52 PM): You can hear, yeah. That doesn't really help you confirm or deny his statements though.
Umbrafer (11:09:09 PM): I had previously looked up some info on the building history, hadn't I?
Thematrian1 (11:09:39 PM): ah. The Ares thing is true, but you don't know about the plans; a physical-memory failure had taken them offline, but they'll be up again soon.
Umbrafer (11:10:13 PM): I remember that part, it was the Ares part that I was looking for.
MilesMk1 (11:10:42 PM): (I bet to us the Ares ideas of architecture don't seem all that strange...)
Thematrian1 (11:11:08 PM): The whole building has a defensible feel to it; you can easily imagine yourself fighting door-to-door through these halls.
MilesMk1 (11:11:19 PM): "It looks nice enough."
MilesMk1 (11:11:26 PM): (Imagine... Har, har. :))
Thematrian1 (11:12:24 PM): After a few minutes, he opens one of the many doors. This one is painted with a smiling dolphin, and lacks a window.
Thematrian1 (11:12:40 PM): Inside are a half-dozen reed matts, arranged in a rough circle.
Umbrafer (11:13:58 PM): My signal is still strong?
Thematrian1 (11:14:09 PM): strong enough
Umbrafer (11:14:37 PM): No suspicious weakening or interference?
Thematrian1 (11:14:42 PM): nope
Thematrian1 (11:15:03 PM): He holds the door for the rest of you
Dragcrell (11:15:17 PM): *slowly walks in*
EverGuard4 (11:15:27 PM): (Spanish) "Thank you."
MilesMk1 (11:15:48 PM): *looks at the door to see if there's a doorknob on the inside, then goes in*
MilesMk1 (11:15:51 PM): "Thanks."
Thematrian1 (11:15:53 PM): He smiles at Rock. "I'm sorry sir, I don't speak that language."
EverGuard4 (11:16:44 PM): (so much for understanding each other...)
Dragcrell (11:16:57 PM): (lol)
Thematrian1 (11:17:58 PM): Once everyone is inside, he turns to Trickster. "If I can attune myself to your friend, I can make him comprehensible to me, and I to him. But I must touch him. Could you ask him if that's all right?"
Dragcrell (11:19:17 PM): "I haven't a clue as to what he said ether but he might *points at Blake*
Thematrian1 (11:19:38 PM): He looks into Blake's eyes.
Thematrian1 (11:20:25 PM): He looks questioning.
MilesMk1 (11:21:58 PM): *asks Rock to activate translation and relays the kid's request*
EverGuard4 (11:22:19 PM): *focuses for a moment*
EverGuard4 (11:22:30 PM): "No. I will simply listen."
Thematrian1 (11:24:13 PM): (assuming for the moment that that was English) "Everyone, please sit. Make yourselves as comfortable as possible."
Dragcrell (11:24:58 PM): *sits down*
MilesMk1 (11:25:41 PM): *sits down*
EverGuard4 (11:25:58 PM): *sits facing door*
EverGuard4 (11:26:14 PM): (retroactively)
EverGuard4 (11:26:19 PM): EverGuard4 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 2 1 1 2 2 6 6 1
Umbrafer (11:26:19 PM): (*Places a gun to the kid's head* there, I'm comfortable now.)
Thematrian1 (11:26:24 PM): Once everyone is seated he sits, with his back to the door, and arranges himself in a lotus.
Thematrian1 (11:28:07 PM): "I don't know how much you've heard about our group..."
Thematrian1 (11:28:14 PM): He leaves a few seconds silence for someone to speak up.
MilesMk1 (11:29:16 PM): "Well, just the things on your online site, and a few things here and there, in the media."
Thematrian1 (11:30:07 PM): He nods. "The news sites aren't too far off. All we want is total cosmic harmony. Pretty simple, right?"
MilesMk1 (11:31:07 PM): "Well... In concept, anyway."
Dragcrell (11:31:44 PM): ((we only need our soul as payment))
Thematrian1 (11:31:57 PM): "We want all living things to be perfectly aware of one another. When it comes, it will be paradise. That's one of our precepts: that in knowing each other, we achieve true freedom from suffering."
Thematrian1 (11:32:20 PM): "I don't know you all yet, but I want to."
Thematrian1 (11:32:34 PM): He sounds entirely sincere, without being unctous or sugery.
MilesMk1 (11:33:00 PM): *looks serious and nods*
Umbrafer (11:33:13 PM): ("You will birth a God who will create an eternal paradise, for the redemption of all mankind…")
Dragcrell (11:33:45 PM): *nods*
Thematrian1 (11:34:39 PM): He meets each of your eyes, settles on Blake. "Knowledge isn't always big or important. I don't need to know why you're here, unless you want to tell me. Why not say something little about yourself?"
Dragcrell (11:34:41 PM): ((*snickers* all halle the great chichue(sp) for h..............ARRrrrgggggg*sounds of bone and flesh being riped from each other*))
MilesMk1 (11:36:20 PM): ("I've recently burned off a man's face with thermite...")
MilesMk1 (11:37:10 PM): "Well, my name's James, I'm 34, and I work as an independent security consultant..."
Umbrafer (11:37:14 PM): (More than his face.)
Dragcrell (11:37:14 PM): ((I'm a shapeshifer and there for hunted down and killed just for the fact I draw air to breath))
Thematrian1 (11:37:46 PM): He looks attentive. "What do you like to eat, James?"
MilesMk1 (11:37:54 PM): (Well, yes, but that was the part that really mattered.)
Dragcrell (11:38:36 PM): Dragcrell rolled 7 6-sided dice: 4 3 2 3 5 4 4
MilesMk1 (11:40:01 PM): "Well, I tend to put away a lot of snacks. Junk food, I guess... Not much of a salad guy, but I tend to stay pretty active, so I get away with it, I gues..."
Umbrafer (11:40:16 PM): (Honey-roasted locust!)
Dragcrell (11:40:33 PM): (ROFL)
Thematrian1 (11:41:19 PM): He nods again. "I like apples. It's hard to find them, nowadays."
Thematrian1 (11:42:19 PM): "I mean fresh apples, not the kind you get in Stuffer pies..."
MilesMk1 (11:43:12 PM): "Yeah, nothing like the real thing."
Umbrafer (11:43:15 PM): Going to do a quick search to see if Stuffer pies contain anything that has genetic material from apples.
Thematrian1 (11:44:07 PM): "It's hard to know." He turns to Trickster. "What about you? Where do you go when you want to have fun?"
Dragcrell (11:44:33 PM): ((the woods to hunt down adn eat small rodients :3))
Dragcrell (11:45:53 PM): "home and watch the few good shows I can find I dont get out much."
Thematrian1 (11:47:14 PM): "It can be hard to find a place to go, to be free. I spend most of my time here; the rest of the world seems so artificial."
Thematrian1 (11:47:35 PM): "And you..." to Rock, "tell me something interesting."
EverGuard4 (11:48:10 PM): "I remember nothing."
Thematrian1 (11:48:37 PM): He looks sad. "We all have memories, even if we try to avoid them."
Dragcrell (11:48:39 PM): ((I like rock))
Thematrian1 (11:50:46 PM): "This all sounds trivial, but it's important. Especially in small things we must know each other."
Thematrian1 (11:51:09 PM): "Mostly we spend our time in meditation, knowing ourselves so that we can better know others."
Thematrian1 (11:53:19 PM): "I know it's not easy for people in your profession to trust, but you'll find a greater freedom there."
Thematrian1 (11:55:48 PM): (actions, or is it too late for that? So to speak?)
EverGuard4 (11:56:09 PM): (not funny)
Thematrian1 (11:56:19 PM): (I disagree)
MilesMk1 (11:56:36 PM): (I'm half passed-out.)
EverGuard4 (11:56:37 PM): (well... the last time I had a mage enter a building...)
MilesMk1 (11:56:45 PM): (But I did find that amusing. Sort of.)
Thematrian1 (11:57:07 PM): (In fairness, Sam was alone. Rock will, if nothing else, have company)
Umbrafer (11:57:17 PM): (The only canine around is with you)
EverGuard4 (11:57:32 PM): (I'm betting bugs are a bit stronger than anything Sam faced)
MilesMk1 (11:57:58 PM): (Oh, right... The dog incident. I still have no clue what the damn dog was, why it somehow mamaged to apparently kill Sam, but died after I shot it once, and what the hell was running around the cubicles.)
Dragcrell (11:58:00 PM): ((I woudl ask but I afread of the ancer I woudl get))
Thematrian1 (11:58:15 PM): (at this point, you will probably never know)
Thematrian1 (11:58:24 PM): But it sounds like this is our stopping place.
Thematrian1 (11:58:31 PM): You get a week to consider responses.
MilesMk1 (11:58:37 PM): (Yeah, that Johnson probably isn't going to want to talk to me.)
Thematrian1 (11:59:03 PM): (You did threaten to cut off his dick, stuff it in his mouth, and post pictures to Shadowlands)
MilesMk1 (11:59:15 PM): (Well... Someone did. Was it me?)
Thematrian1 (11:59:18 PM): (Yeah)
Thematrian1 (11:59:21 PM): (it's in my quote file)
Dragcrell (11:59:22 PM): ((O_o))
MilesMk1 (11:59:38 PM): (It made the quote file? Heh.)
Thematrian1 (11:59:42 PM): (It was a comment on his ability to look professional)
MilesMk1 (12:00:11 AM): (Do you have the actual quote? I barely remember that...)
Thematrian1 (12:00:16 AM): This group is half my quote file, I swear
Dragcrell (12:00:35 AM): heheheheh
MilesMk1 (12:00:40 AM): (How do we see this quote file, anyway?)
Umbrafer (12:02:56 AM): We're flattered, we think ;)
Thematrian1 (12:03:07 AM): "Think anyone is going to care about your reputation for professionalism after they see the pictures on Shadownet of you with your own dick in your mouth?"
Dragcrell (12:03:23 AM): lol
Thematrian1 (12:03:24 AM): "I bet 'well, at least he died like a professional' is going to be the first thing to come to their minds."
Thematrian1 (12:03:49 AM): There's screens of stuff from that one interrogation.
Dragcrell has left the chat room.

MilesMk1 (12:04:00 AM): Huh.
MilesMk1 (12:04:09 AM): Ah, good times.
MilesMk1 (12:04:28 AM): Do you have a link to it, or something?
Umbrafer (12:04:47 AM): It's probably a text file on his local machine.
Thematrian1 (12:04:48 AM): well, it's in the logs. But as to the file, it's just on my CMU space.
MilesMk1 (12:04:54 AM): Ah.
Umbrafer (12:04:56 AM): Ah
Thematrian1 (12:05:10 AM): I've been putting random quotes from it as my signature on Dumpshock, but since I post about twice a year that's not helpful
MilesMk1 (12:05:31 AM): What's your screenname on DS, by the way?
Thematrian1 (12:05:34 AM): Taran
Thematrian1 (12:06:21 AM): "Will you shut up about the waterlogged corpses already?" <---not a Shadowrun quote, but I bet Jon remembers it...
Umbrafer (12:06:22 AM): I was amused by the most recent :)
Thematrian1 (12:06:33 AM): which one was that?
Umbrafer (12:06:45 AM): I don't remember offhand
Thematrian1 (12:07:07 AM): it's from the Bunnies and Burrows/Illuminati University crossover
Umbrafer (12:07:10 AM): Yep
Umbrafer (12:07:17 AM): That one I rememberd
Umbrafer (12:07:19 AM): *e
Thematrian1 (12:07:20 AM): basically, the group was speculating about ways to get some bunnies out of a swimming pool
Umbrafer (12:07:40 AM): That was an awesome game.
Thematrian1 (12:07:43 AM): there was a prolonged exchange that ended with that quote
Thematrian1 (12:08:33 AM): the waterlogged corpses approach proved unnecessary
Umbrafer (12:08:33 AM): I just wish I'd picked my character a little less on the basis of what would be helpful for the party. Dedicated healers don't get that much in terms of natural roles.
Umbrafer (12:09:17 AM): Someday I'm going to steal the grad student, though.
Thematrian1 (12:09:18 AM): That's right, you had the empath. In my defense, I built those characters, all ten of them, in about an hour.
Thematrian1 (12:09:29 AM): so my quality control slipped a bit
Umbrafer (12:10:23 AM): Well, my train of thought for character choice should probably have been longer than "party have a healer? No? Ok, where's the healer."
Thematrian1 (12:10:36 AM): anyway, if one of you would start up another DS quote thread, I'll happy contribute some choice bits
MilesMk1 (12:11:04 AM): *pokes Jon*
Thematrian1 (12:11:31 AM): please insert either 'be' or 'il' in my last quote
Umbrafer (12:12:07 AM): Hehehe
MilesMk1 (12:12:13 AM): I guess we'll have to do that, then. (start a thread)
Thematrian1 (12:12:14 AM): and technically, you have an account too. I've seen you.
MilesMk1 (12:12:56 AM): Yeah, I know... I post a fair amount. In spurts. I just don't have any good quotes memorized to start the thread off with.
Thematrian1 (12:13:27 AM): no good ones from the prison sex GURPS game?
MilesMk1 (12:13:44 AM): Heh... Maybe... I'll have to think about it.
MilesMk1 (12:15:09 AM): Hmm... "Does temperature tolerance help any?" - The player of the inept ninja, after said character was hit by burning liquid in the groin.
Thematrian1 (12:15:15 AM): That is a huge advantage to logged gaming like this; if I want more quotes I can just trawl the logs
Thematrian1 (12:15:26 AM): haha, no
MilesMk1 (12:16:13 AM): The best quotes from the game would be the GMs and other player's reactions to things I did (knowing the rules and system better than any of them.)
Thematrian1 (12:16:25 AM): hey, that's good too
Thematrian1 (12:16:30 AM): reminds me, has your turn to GM come up yet?
MilesMk1 (12:17:17 AM): I mean, if you sent your players to fighta gang of Harrowed bikers, and you give them a free hand when it comes ot equipment selection, can you really complain when someone takes a couple of LAW rockets?
MilesMk1 (12:17:42 AM): It has not, yet. Although I've had to skip some sessions anyway, because of time constraints.
Thematrian1 (12:17:55 AM): I don't know what Harrowed are, but I imagine LAW rockets would mess up bikers of any variety
MilesMk1 (12:18:05 AM): Harrowed = Deadlands undead.
MilesMk1 (12:18:11 AM): Possessed by Wendigo.
Thematrian1 (12:18:35 AM): ah. As long as they're not the "slither back together after you blast them" kind of undead...
MilesMk1 (12:18:48 AM): Well, they regenerate, but not that much...
MilesMk1 (12:19:05 AM): And we WERE going to be in the middle of nowhere. Which is why I also had a SAW.
MilesMk1 (12:19:26 AM): Not my fault the rest of the group didn't think to bring anything bigger than a shotgun...
MilesMk1 (12:19:40 AM): Or that the guy playing a ninja had a bow...
Thematrian1 (12:20:07 AM): hey, there's precedent for that. Not in a crosstime setting, I admit...
MilesMk1 (12:21:13 AM): Nothing wrong with bows. As long as you're fighting people with swords, wearing metal armor... Against people with guns and flamethrowers...
Thematrian1 (12:21:48 AM): Hey, it works in SR. Granted that SR bows bare only a passing resemblence to even modern ones...
Thematrian1 (12:21:56 AM): I was thinking of the guy from Neuromancer
MilesMk1 (12:23:14 AM): I completely throw off the power level of that game. Everyone made pretty standard characters. (albeit 300 point ones) I made a character modeled on a Bladerunner replicant, with regeneration thrown in for good measure.
MilesMk1 (12:23:33 AM): Neuromancer had a guy with a bow? I clearly need to re-read that...
MilesMk1 (12:23:58 AM): I blame the SR influence.
Thematrian1 (12:24:03 AM): Wait. 300 points, no gear restrictions, few advantage restrictions...yeah, I'd say that whatever horrors you work upon that game, the GM brought them upon himself
Thematrian1 (12:25:10 AM): To write challenges for a group like that...I take it you guys don't have a "leave no traces of your presence" clause?
MilesMk1 (12:25:35 AM): Well, there are gear restrictions - he wouldn't have let me take a battlesuit (not that I actually asked, mind you), but yeah, the dimension-hopping anything-goes campaign creates some problems when it comes to advantages,.
MilesMk1 (12:25:40 AM): No, we don't.
MilesMk1 (12:25:52 AM): Good thing too, we're much too incompetent for that.
Thematrian1 (12:25:57 AM): ::snicker::
MilesMk1 (12:26:59 AM): God, speaking of leaving things behind... We were playing a session in which we ended up in WWII Casablanca. We were being followed by four French cops.
Thematrian1 (12:27:14 AM): Ok...
EverGuard4 has left the chat room.

MilesMk1 (12:27:42 AM): I offered to stay behind to slow them down, and the rest of them - who *knew* all about my character by that point - agreed, the fools.
Thematrian1 (12:28:10 AM): (heh. While it's true that there exist only the quick and the dead, that's not quite what the saying means...)
Thematrian1 (12:28:39 AM): So, what happened?
MilesMk1 (12:29:08 AM): I was unarmed, and I killed three people in about five combat rounds, then finished off the one that was still unconscious, because why, at that point, leave a living witness?
Umbrafer (12:29:26 AM): :)
MilesMk1 (12:29:34 AM): The crap we heard about that when we got back home...
Thematrian1 (12:29:59 AM): hehehe. Yeah, I guess that would annoy the home office.
MilesMk1 (12:30:34 AM): In my defense, I have - from the get go - played him as completely amoral (if he were human, he'd have been psychotic) and reliant on the other memebers of the group to make moral judgements.
MilesMk1 (12:30:46 AM): So they should have known better. ;)
Thematrian1 (12:30:50 AM): how's that working out for you?
MilesMk1 (12:31:42 AM): Meh. Okay, I guess. Everyone is laid back - one of the plusses in that game - so it doesn't cause waves. I wouldn't do it if it did, I don't like to screw the game up for others.
Thematrian1 (12:32:05 AM): Well, from what you've said about them I'
Thematrian1 (12:32:18 AM): m not sure I'd trust them to make the moral choices. But yeah, if it works.
Umbrafer (12:33:08 AM): I think I need to play more characters who actively defy their own moral codes.
Thematrian1 (12:33:43 AM): er, ok, but could you do it in someone else's campaign? ;-)
MilesMk1 (12:33:51 AM): Yeah... :)
MilesMk1 (12:34:18 AM): Although I don't think Alex really has a moral code, so I guess we're safe.
Thematrian1 (12:35:00 AM): Certainly it shows itself less since we stopped seeing Shojo
Umbrafer (12:35:24 AM): Alex has a moral code somewhere. A lot of it has to do with not leaving traitorous Johnsons alive, and I suppose she violated it pretty actively this campaign ;)
Umbrafer (12:36:05 AM): Nah, what I mean is, we all kill security guards and soforth
Thematrian1 (12:36:27 AM): I seem to recall an essay from you on that very subject
Thematrian1 (12:36:28 AM): although
Umbrafer (12:36:34 AM): Indeed
Thematrian1 (12:36:35 AM): I don't think you have killed any security guards
Thematrian1 (12:36:40 AM): I mean, you probably would
Thematrian1 (12:36:46 AM): but when have you had the opportunity?
Umbrafer (12:37:05 AM): Come to that, what is my current non-zombie body count? *Thinks*
Thematrian1 (12:37:20 AM): There were the dogs, but the UCAS run was bloodless, and so was MetaFusion
Thematrian1 (12:37:28 AM): you killed the guys who attacked Mr. Teeth, but that's it
Umbrafer (12:37:34 AM): That guy the Russian woman worked with
Thematrian1 (12:37:35 AM): you still have their deck, come to that
Thematrian1 (12:37:46 AM): oh, that's true
Umbrafer (12:37:59 AM): And the strike team that attacked us.
Umbrafer (12:38:07 AM): I ran over the mage and pasted a few with MMG fire.
MilesMk1 (12:38:09 AM): There were the mercs that came after Teeth, the guy with the Russian woman, the gangers in the same run, the strike team...
MilesMk1 (12:38:33 AM): I'm pretty sure I killed some people in the strike team incident.
MilesMk1 (12:38:55 AM): I've shot the Johnson with EX rounds, but didn't kill him...
Thematrian1 (12:39:09 AM): Yeah. I don't think you've killed any people who weren't trying to kill you.
Umbrafer (12:39:11 AM): IIRC you dropped him with a gel round to the groin.
Umbrafer (12:39:33 AM): So I'm the only person on the team to have killed in cold blood?
MilesMk1 (12:39:35 AM): Yeah, but I shot him with EX first when he was in the car, causing him to crash, IIRC.
MilesMk1 (12:39:58 AM): Shojo did, too.
Umbrafer (12:40:06 AM): Who did Shojo kill?
MilesMk1 (12:40:11 AM): Shot a woman in the head when we protected Mr.Teeth,
Umbrafer (12:40:22 AM): Ah yes. Though the woman was pulling a gun on her.
MilesMk1 (12:40:23 AM): The one with the nice vintage sports car.
MilesMk1 (12:40:33 AM): She was? I missed that part.
MilesMk1 (12:40:44 AM): I have a theory about that...
Thematrian1 (12:40:49 AM): haha
Umbrafer (12:41:08 AM): Fire away?
MilesMk1 (12:41:41 AM): Well, I've been wondering about this federal agent we did the last job for, and what made killing Teeth so personal for him...
Umbrafer (12:42:04 AM): Hah. That would be ironic.
MilesMk1 (12:42:41 AM): Wouldn't she work as a federal agent of some sort?
MilesMk1 (12:43:09 AM): She seemed the type.
MilesMk1 (12:43:36 AM): But enough paranoid musings... I need to get some sleep. (and I've been the one holding this up with my ranting.)
MilesMk1 (12:43:40 AM): Goodnight.
Umbrafer (12:43:43 AM): Hehehe
Thematrian1 (12:43:46 AM): ok, sleep well
Umbrafer (12:43:47 AM): Sleep well.
MilesMk1 has left the chat room.

Umbrafer (12:44:03 AM): Tell me something:
Thematrian1 (12:44:06 AM): ok
Umbrafer (12:44:52 AM): How would you go about giving a melee adept enough of a role to stay interested, assuming the player isn't necessarily that interested in hashing out every detail of the backstory that the rest of the team may be trying to piece
Umbrafer (12:44:58 AM): together the rest of the session?
Umbrafer (12:45:28 AM): (The Saturday group that I ranted about a few months back. All in all I'd say things have been far more successful, but this is still a sticking point for me)
Thematrian1 (12:45:37 AM): ah. I was totally sure it was about MacLeod
Umbrafer (12:45:46 AM): Him too.
Thematrian1 (12:47:07 AM): ultimately it depends on what you mean by being not interested in hashing out every detail
Thematrian1 (12:47:33 AM): If the adept and the rest of the party have fun doing two different things, then face to face I'm not sure what you can do
Thematrian1 (12:47:43 AM): it's easier on-line, because it's easier to, essentially, run two games side-by-side
Umbrafer (12:47:55 AM): Indeed.
Umbrafer (12:48:06 AM): It's not that they have fun doing two different things.
Umbrafer (12:48:14 AM): They all have fun with a good fight.
Thematrian1 (12:48:37 AM): right, but the rest of the time
Umbrafer (12:48:42 AM): Indeed.
Thematrian1 (12:48:49 AM): I guess the first question is, what does the player enjoy doing that isn't fighting?
Thematrian1 (12:48:57 AM): If the answer is nothing, then there's nothing you can do.
Umbrafer (12:49:49 AM): I'm trying to figure that out properly. She's expressed interest in some parts of her character that aren't combat-related, especially her Divination skill and to some degree her Awakened Creatures knowledge skill
Umbrafer (12:50:05 AM): But it doesn't seem like there's a lot I can do there that's sustained rather than just popping up in specific points
Thematrian1 (12:52:06 AM): well, Divination skill isn't an interest per se, any more than stealth is.
Umbrafer (12:52:50 AM): More accurately, interest in the way it ends up being expressed (in her case, the i ching)
Thematrian1 (12:53:37 AM): hm. Having her tell you things about the way it's expressed as divination, and how it could play out in game, could be interesting, but that's a between-sessions thing
Umbrafer (12:54:48 AM): I may just end up having to study the i ching to give the results verisimilitude.
Thematrian1 (12:55:16 AM): maybe. But that only works until you screw it up. If she's more interested than you are...
Thematrian1 (12:57:23 AM): Try it this way: what does she want her character to accomplish?
Umbrafer (12:58:23 AM): You know, it might be time for the (less than) twenty questions for them.
Umbrafer (12:58:31 AM): Not necessarily in-game
Umbrafer (12:58:34 AM): Though it could be
Umbrafer (12:58:36 AM): Actually
Thematrian1 (12:59:12 AM): two groups through HB at once? The doubled vision will be dizzying?
Umbrafer (12:59:47 AM): Hah. Actually, I'm very specifically not running them through Harlequin's Back, but I know at least one of the players has played it before
Umbrafer (1:00:03 AM): So I can get more hooks for the characters and drive him up the wall all at the same time
Thematrian1 (1:00:56 AM): hahaha
Thematrian1 (1:00:59 AM): awesome
Umbrafer (1:01:09 AM): Thanks :)
Umbrafer (1:02:04 AM): The rest of the party is already somewhat reeling from the abrupt shift.
Thematrian1 (1:02:15 AM): ?
Umbrafer (1:02:51 AM): (We finally got a mage after nearly a year of gameplay, and I immediately let loose with the entire magical backplot I'd been keeping hidden on account of them having nothing to properly investigate or combat it with.)
Thematrian1 (1:03:23 AM): aha
Umbrafer (1:04:12 AM): (They went from one case of a contact with a Delayed Damage Killing Hands affliction into factories possessed by Bob-knows-what with Awakened creatures they've never seen before, underground cults with high-force wards surrounding
Umbrafer (1:05:00 AM): chambers that eat light, sacrificial altars that, as far as anyone can tell, do their work unassisted, and things that cause severe headaches and moderate Stun when assensed too well all in the space of about four sessions)
Thematrian1 (1:06:40 AM): impressive
Umbrafer (1:08:23 AM): Much as I do love keeping everything low-profile and plausible in a modern-ish world, it can be freeing to take the characters out to the hinterlands (like an abandoned factory on the edge of the Saar-SOX, or an abandoned air force
Umbrafer (1:08:28 AM): base ;) and let loose )
Umbrafer (1:09:01 AM): Not that that makes it implausible, what with it being the hinterlands after all, but you know what I mean.
Thematrian1 (1:11:17 AM): I do know :-D
Thematrian1 (1:11:28 AM): And sometimes you can even let loose in the city
Umbrafer (1:11:36 AM): It's true
Umbrafer (1:11:44 AM): Hell, the entire Renraku Arcology
Umbrafer (1:11:55 AM): But even in smaller examples, like with the dogs
Thematrian1 (1:12:03 AM): yeah. One of the most badass dungeons ever
Thematrian1 (1:12:15 AM): The Arc, that is
Thematrian1 (1:12:20 AM): not the dog thing
Umbrafer (1:12:33 AM): The dogs were pretty neat, but I'd hardly call it extensive enough for a dungeon.
Umbrafer (1:12:37 AM): The arc, on the other hand…
Umbrafer (1:12:43 AM): A vertical city.
Umbrafer (1:12:57 AM): It's a dungeon in much the same way that the Underdark in D&D is a dungeon.
Thematrian1 (1:13:04 AM): hah, ok
Umbrafer (1:13:06 AM): Well
Umbrafer (1:13:12 AM): Minus the pockets of civilization.
Thematrian1 (1:13:19 AM): There's the resistance
Thematrian1 (1:13:24 AM): which is kinda implausible, but it does exist
Umbrafer (1:13:37 AM): There are people, but I'm not sure I'd call it civilization
Umbrafer (1:13:57 AM): And it's implied in canon that the resistance exists to further Deus' ends, by providing plausible routes by which to smuggle plants out
Thematrian1 (1:13:58 AM): fair point. They haven't really existed for long enough
Umbrafer (1:14:25 AM): Well, not only have they not existed for long enough, but they're also too much in flux
Thematrian1 (1:14:27 AM): ah, I hadn't known that
Thematrian1 (1:14:31 AM): that too, that too.
Umbrafer (1:15:32 AM): Though I'm still pleased with my idea of sticking at least one Resistance cell in one of the bathrooms to be out of security camera coverage. I had way too much fun with that story.
Thematrian1 (1:16:03 AM): heh
Umbrafer (1:18:35 AM): The whole Arcology was an inspired idea, though I do feel that later publications (Brainscan, for instance) made Deus much more narrow a character than he should have been.
Umbrafer (1:19:06 AM): Actually, I'm still of the opinion that the cause of the shutdown shouldn't have been spelled out in canon, though strongly implied would have been fine.
Umbrafer (1:19:14 AM): Likewise with Dunkie's assassination.
Thematrian1 (1:20:22 AM): I've not read Brainscan, I just know you tried to run us through it
Umbrafer (1:20:53 AM): Yep
Umbrafer (1:21:08 AM): Are you familiar with the Network plot?
Thematrian1 (1:22:14 AM): not
Chat room exited at 5/25/2005 1:23:27 AM.