New chat room entered at 6/16/2005 8:32:24 PM.
You are now in chat room “sotsw06162005.”
MilesMk1 has entered the chat room.

Vernjonal has entered the chat room.

Thematrian1 has entered the chat room.

Umbrafer (8:35:26 PM): \/\/007
Thematrian1 (8:35:32 PM): so: Gem lying in the back, team looking for sewer access
Umbrafer (8:35:39 PM): So when we last left, IIRC, you had just determined that the… yes.
MilesMk1 (8:35:52 PM): Gem was somewhat tired out by casting, IIRC.
Thematrian1 (8:35:53 PM): heh, sorry
MilesMk1 (8:36:20 PM): And we were trying to find sewer access - or access to the tunnel connecting the monitoring station and a power plant, yes?
Umbrafer (8:36:48 PM): Yes.
Umbrafer (8:38:36 PM): Perfect, found my notes.
Umbrafer (8:39:08 PM): (When you get that many results for searching for "tunnel", "Shadowrun", "power station", and "MMG", you know there's something wrong.)
Thematrian1 (8:39:45 PM): (or something very, very right)
Umbrafer (8:39:46 PM): You are currently in the van with a general map of the tunnels. It was Glitch doing the searching, right?
Thematrian1 (8:39:50 PM): (wait, MMG?)
Umbrafer (8:39:59 PM): (No comment.)
MilesMk1 (8:40:29 PM): Incidentally... Has what we found included information on what kind of power station, or perhaps any clues as to whether this is a monitoring station for the power plant?
MilesMk1 (8:40:39 PM): I think it was Glitch, yes.
Umbrafer (8:41:06 PM): *Nods* Roll Intelligence right quick.
Umbrafer (8:43:44 PM): (That'd be for Glitch)
MilesMk1 (8:45:11 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 5 4 2 6 6 1 4 3
MilesMk1 (8:45:15 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 3 4
Umbrafer (8:45:44 PM): The power plant is a Shiawase deal, a recently-opened fusion plant working to alleviate the strain on the Seattle power grids.
Umbrafer (8:46:17 PM): Word is that most of the stations connected by tunnels are involved in monitoring of some variety, but exactly what each is doing is vague.
MilesMk1 (8:47:33 PM): So there are more monitoring stations? Ah.
Thematrian1 (8:48:17 PM): So we're, what, teaching this station to tell lies, probably. I wonder what happens at nightfall?
MilesMk1 (8:49:02 PM): Any indication of where we might be able to get into said tunnels? Access shafts, etc.? I guess we sent MacLeod to look for those...
MilesMk1 (8:49:19 PM): Hopefully nothing resulting in an exploding fusion power plant.
MilesMk1 (8:49:37 PM): How far is it from our station to the plant, anyway?
Umbrafer (8:50:10 PM): It's a fair hike, about three kilometers. This station is one of the furthest along the main trunk.
Umbrafer (8:50:24 PM): There are no listed access points other than at the plant and the stations.
Umbrafer (8:51:50 PM): Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be near the Ork Underground, but someone might know.
Thematrian1 (8:52:16 PM): ::mrphl::
Umbrafer (8:52:47 PM): Mrphl?
MilesMk1 (8:52:57 PM): Well, breaking into a fusion power plant to get into the monitoring station is probably out.
MilesMk1 (8:53:23 PM): We either need to find access to the tunnels, or think about plan B... That was, what, getting airlifted to the roof?
Umbrafer (8:53:27 PM): It seems rather like breaking into the Zurich-Orbital Geimenschaft to forge an identity.
Thematrian1 (8:54:34 PM): Yeah, those are our options
Thematrian1 (8:54:57 PM): Let's try tunnels, at least for as long as it takes Gem to recover a bit
Umbrafer (8:56:06 PM): What manner of tunnel-trying are you using?
MilesMk1 (8:57:03 PM): OK... Here's the plan, then. 1. Using the power plant and the monitoring station as landmarks, and the map as reference, figure out where the tunnel runs in the real world. 2. Check out the area physically for means of entry.
Thematrian1 (8:57:33 PM): Gem approves
MilesMk1 (8:57:59 PM): 3. Avoid getting close to the security at either the plant or the station
Umbrafer (8:58:35 PM): You can get a pretty good general idea, but the map appears to be schematic rather than precise.
MilesMk1 (8:59:03 PM): Well, I'll do my best to try to figure it out, and start looking.
MilesMk1 (8:59:36 PM): What time is it, BTW?
Umbrafer (9:00:06 PM): Driving off the road and over to the area above the tunnel? IIRC it's about 2:30 AM-ish, does that jibe with your memory?
MilesMk1 (9:00:59 PM): Sounds about right.
MilesMk1 (9:01:12 PM): Maybe a little later than I thought, but...
Umbrafer (9:01:39 PM): Figure 2:00ish, then.
MilesMk1 (9:01:42 PM): I'm only driving over there if I think it's not likely to attract attention... If it might, I'll drive as close as I can, then walk.
Umbrafer (9:02:56 PM): You're not certain how far the effective visible range of the guards is, and there isn't any cover to speak of other than the ridge you were under for quite some distance—after about a kilometer and a half, there are some woods that
Umbrafer (9:03:00 PM): eventually give way to more structures.
Umbrafer (9:03:18 PM): You are, as far as Seattle goes, in the hinterlands.
MilesMk1 (9:04:18 PM): Would a part of the tunnel run through the woods?
Umbrafer (9:05:03 PM): Unless there's a massive loop not shown in the schematic, it definitely does.
MilesMk1 (9:06:21 PM): Ok, I'll park on the edge of the woods, and try to look for the tunnel. Hope there are no drop bears...
Umbrafer (9:06:59 PM): Since drop bears are, IIRC, Awakened Koala, you're probably safe.
MilesMk1 (9:07:21 PM): Yes, well... I won't worry unless I smell eucalyptus, I guess.
Thematrian1 (9:07:25 PM): (Heh, I always thought those were a joke equivalent to orbital cows)
Umbrafer (9:07:37 PM): (Nope, they're in the books)
Umbrafer (9:08:46 PM): Are you driving straight out, or taking a long circle in an attempt to avoid straying too close in LOS to the station?
MilesMk1 (9:09:20 PM): I'll circle.
Umbrafer (9:10:04 PM): You drive. It takes some extra time, but no one appears to be shooting at you by the time you pull up and park. It's been a few minutes. What's Gem's status again?
Thematrian1 (9:10:37 PM): 4 boxes, lying down in the back unless someone attracts her attention
Thematrian1 (9:11:56 PM): hey, I should probably roll for those:
Umbrafer (9:12:02 PM): I was going to suggest.
Thematrian1 (9:12:03 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 2 3 6 4 3 6
MilesMk1 (9:12:05 PM): *plugs in his Wilderness Survival chip with a chuckle and starts searhing the dangerous woods*
Thematrian1 (9:12:23 PM): that's 3 successes at TN 4
Umbrafer (9:12:41 PM): (Bet you didn't think you'd be using that one) so twenty minutes from about fifteen minutes ago you'll heal a box.
Thematrian1 (9:12:57 PM): woo
Umbrafer (9:14:21 PM): Glitch steps out of the van. MacLeod decides to refrain from joining him.
Umbrafer (9:14:29 PM): Van, car, whatever you're in now.
Umbrafer (9:14:44 PM): No one has observed it, so the state has not collapsed.
MilesMk1 (9:15:36 PM): Glitch is an excellent, excellent driver. We don't need Scavengers. ;)
Umbrafer (9:16:54 PM): Glitch takes in the warm summer air.
MilesMk1 (9:17:32 PM): *Starts looking for signs of the tunnel. And, if his chip suggests that is a posibility, piasma or any other furry critters.*
Umbrafer (9:18:17 PM): Roll that chip, actually.
MilesMk1 (9:18:29 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 6 3 4 3 2 2 3 6
MilesMk1 (9:18:33 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 4 5
Umbrafer (9:18:34 PM): For this roll, CED does not apply—just working off the information thereon, not putting it into practice.
MilesMk1 (9:18:40 PM): Oh.
MilesMk1 (9:18:46 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 5 6-sided dice: 3 3 2 5 3
Thematrian1 (9:19:01 PM): (We get to be the experimentation field for SR3R Skillwire fixing ;-))
Umbrafer (9:19:14 PM): (Hehehe)
MilesMk1 (9:19:19 PM): I should have insisted we take the first 5 dice from the other roll. :P
Umbrafer (9:19:22 PM): (Someday I'll figure out what I want to do with firearms)
Thematrian1 (9:19:23 PM): (My "Ban the CED" plan is impractical here, as the entire party as of right now has it)
Umbrafer (9:20:19 PM): Skimming through it you find that there aren't any big critters in these sorts of woods, though occasionally guard animals have gotten loose here. Occasionally a lesser Thunderbird will roost in the area, but it's usually too close
Umbrafer (9:20:22 PM): to civlization.
Umbrafer (9:21:34 PM): Do you have any spacial-related cyberware, GPS units and maps, or similar navigational aids?
MilesMk1 (9:21:53 PM): Let me check. I think I have a GPS unit...
Thematrian1 (9:22:09 PM): (I do. Int to figure out that it might be useful here?)
MilesMk1 (9:22:27 PM): Nav-Dat GPS, yep.
Umbrafer (9:22:41 PM): (Go for it. Base TN 1 before mods.)
Thematrian1 (9:23:11 PM): (Haha, ok)
Thematrian1 (9:23:14 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 6 2 6 1 4
MilesMk1 (9:23:31 PM): I also have one of those ultrasound-based cavity detection machines that works by firing a modified shotgun cartridge into the ground and recording the echoes. It's in the trunk.
MilesMk1 (9:23:54 PM): Same TN for me, on the GPS?
Umbrafer (9:24:06 PM): Go for it.
MilesMk1 (9:24:27 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 5 4 6 5 3 6 2 6
MilesMk1 (9:24:34 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 3 6-sided dice: 6 5 3
MilesMk1 (9:24:38 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
Umbrafer (9:24:49 PM): You people are all over this thing.
MilesMk1 (9:24:52 PM): (I'm assuming Electronics, since it has no rating itself.)
Umbrafer (9:25:29 PM): (Er? Double-checking: what was that roll for?)
MilesMk1 (9:26:26 PM): (The GPS, I thought?)
MilesMk1 (9:26:41 PM): (I don't *really* have the other machine...)
Umbrafer (9:26:59 PM): (That was for Gem to figure out that it might be useful)
Thematrian1 (9:27:06 PM): (Though it would be marvellous if you did)
MilesMk1 (9:27:07 PM): (Oh.)
Thematrian1 (9:27:14 PM): ok, so the TN was high instead of 1. Doh
MilesMk1 (9:27:34 PM): (I thought I was just rolling to use the GPS to help out.)
Umbrafer (9:27:49 PM): That works. The GPS is helping.
Umbrafer (9:28:13 PM): Now Int to follow the tunnel.
MilesMk1 (9:29:23 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 3 4 3 5 4 5 5 3
MilesMk1 (9:29:28 PM): Aw, damn.
Umbrafer (9:29:31 PM): The woods are extremely dark, but not very old
Umbrafer (9:29:44 PM): It looks like a lot of the trees were probably planted around the turn of the century
Umbrafer (9:30:31 PM): You get to the general area you think is over the tunnel.
Umbrafer (9:30:36 PM): Perception.
Thematrian1 (9:32:04 PM): me too?
MilesMk1 (9:32:28 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 3 6 2 2 2
MilesMk1 (9:32:31 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
Umbrafer (9:32:35 PM): Not unless you came along. Sorry for not specifying, I've grown too used to players being able to tell by who I'm looking at.
Thematrian1 (9:33:08 PM): heh. Ok, Gem stays where she is. All she has is a GPS and orientation system, as it turns out
Umbrafer (9:33:49 PM): Orientation system would have rocked for this, but she's got a nasty case of Drain.
Umbrafer (9:35:16 PM): Glitch walks around a bit, but he's got a feeling he's barking up the wrong tree.
Umbrafer (9:35:34 PM): He's not entirely sure why he has that impression, though.
Umbrafer (9:35:53 PM): Willpower for Glitch as well as actions.
MilesMk1 (9:36:25 PM): Umm...
MilesMk1 (9:36:31 PM): Head back to the van.
MilesMk1 (9:36:36 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 4 6-sided dice: 6 6 2 3
MilesMk1 (9:36:39 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 4 3
Umbrafer (9:37:02 PM): You return to the van. Perception along the way.
MilesMk1 (9:37:09 PM): I'm assuming it's because no one would go to the trouble of doing construction in the woods, but who knows...
MilesMk1 (9:37:12 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 6 6 4 1 2
MilesMk1 (9:37:16 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 2 6
MilesMk1 (9:37:19 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 3
Umbrafer (9:38:03 PM): You pass an area that feels different to you, about twenty-five meters away from where you had tried to find the tunnel.
Umbrafer (9:39:01 PM): You're unclear on why, though.
MilesMk1 (9:39:24 PM): Hmm.
MilesMk1 (9:39:31 PM): I'll try to figure it out.
MilesMk1 (9:40:00 PM): Do a complete scan of the area, including thermal vision, check for EM emissions, that sort of thing.
Umbrafer (9:40:22 PM): Roll it.
MilesMk1 (9:40:42 PM): Perception, or EM scan?
MilesMk1 (9:41:08 PM): Or both?
Umbrafer (9:41:33 PM): Perception first
Umbrafer (9:41:38 PM): What are you using for the EM scan?
MilesMk1 (9:42:55 PM): I have a scanner.
MilesMk1 (9:42:59 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 1 5 6 5 5 2
MilesMk1 (9:43:04 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 4
Umbrafer (9:43:16 PM): Now the scanner.
MilesMk1 (9:43:45 PM): /roll-dice 8
MilesMk1 (9:43:49 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 3 3 3 5 4 1 4 1
MilesMk1 (9:43:57 PM): Hmm.
Umbrafer (9:44:49 PM): No EMI that can be attributed to anything but background noise. You do notice that the trees in your immediate area don't seem to be doing quite as well as their nearby neighbors, though
Umbrafer (9:45:12 PM): Slightly smaller, slightly sparser, a few more deads
MilesMk1 (9:46:56 PM): Hmm... I'll try to locate the center of this sickly patch, and manually poke around in the underbrush.
Umbrafer (9:47:07 PM): There's an unpleasant noise, probably some small woodland animal being snatched and/or eaten.
MilesMk1 (9:47:25 PM): (If I find where they illegally burying waste from the plant, can we sue them before I died of cancer?)
Umbrafer (9:47:50 PM): You root about the edges of the sickly patch. Intelligence w/encephalon.
MilesMk1 (9:48:34 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 2 2 2 1 1 2 4 4
MilesMk1 (9:48:46 PM): Ok, this is just stupid.
Umbrafer (9:49:27 PM): You root about, but can't find a clear center. The area does, however, seem to be in a long oval-ish shape.
Thematrian1 (9:49:57 PM): #Finding anything?#
MilesMk1 (9:50:31 PM): #Just a weird patch of sickly trees.#
MilesMk1 (9:50:42 PM): *looks in the middle of the rough oval*
Umbrafer (9:50:58 PM): Perception.
Thematrian1 (9:51:08 PM): ::peer, with astral perception on::
Umbrafer (9:51:15 PM): For Gem as well.
MilesMk1 (9:51:49 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 1 5 5 5 5 3
MilesMk1 (9:52:13 PM): So, did you switch to that model of lowering TNs but requiring more successes? I ask for no particular reason. :D
Umbrafer (9:52:24 PM): You don't find anything terribly interesting in the center of the patch. (I did)
Umbrafer (9:53:47 PM): Perception for Gem?
MilesMk1 (9:53:57 PM): Ok... I slouch my way back to the van.
Umbrafer (9:54:28 PM): *Slouch slouch slouch*
Thematrian1 (9:54:38 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 1 5 3 5 2
Umbrafer (9:54:57 PM): You hear a soft thump on the roof.
Thematrian1 (9:55:10 PM): I look up and around
Thematrian1 (9:55:22 PM): #Glitch, we have a...#
Umbrafer (9:56:55 PM): There's nothing visible from inside.
MilesMk1 (9:57:35 PM): #What?# *draws his gun and moves towards the van*
Thematrian1 (9:58:05 PM): #Something on the roof#
Thematrian1 (9:58:08 PM): I get out and look
Thematrian1 (9:58:13 PM): astral perception on
MilesMk1 (9:58:28 PM): #Well, hold on, and let me check it out.#
Umbrafer (9:59:17 PM): You step out. Perception.
MilesMk1 (9:59:24 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 1 6 2 2 4
MilesMk1 (9:59:27 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 3
Thematrian1 (9:59:41 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 2 2 6 1 3 2
Thematrian1 (9:59:45 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
Umbrafer (10:00:08 PM): There's something small on the roof. There's a tiny bit of background count there, not enough for a full point and fading.
Thematrian1 (10:00:39 PM): #Wait#
Thematrian1 (10:00:44 PM): examine more closely, including an assensing if applicable
Thematrian1 (10:00:46 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 3 3 1 1 3
MilesMk1 (10:00:54 PM): #All right...#
Umbrafer (10:01:13 PM): You look closely. It appears to be a very freshly-dead squirrel.
Thematrian1 (10:01:54 PM): #Dead squirrel. Specifically, dead squirrel that messed up the astral a bit#
Thematrian1 (10:01:57 PM): I look up
MilesMk1 (10:02:16 PM): #Something sending us a message?#
Umbrafer (10:02:28 PM): Perception.
MilesMk1 (10:02:30 PM): *looks around and up at the trees*
Thematrian1 (10:02:43 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 6 5 2 4 2 5
MilesMk1 (10:02:47 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 6 1 3 2 6
Thematrian1 (10:02:48 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 4
MilesMk1 (10:02:52 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 5 5
MilesMk1 (10:02:58 PM): (just in case, for me)
Umbrafer (10:04:10 PM): It looks like there's some sort of bird in one of the trees.
Thematrian1 (10:04:29 PM): Uh huh. Anything like the bird that followed us?
Umbrafer (10:05:42 PM): No. That thing was massive, this is maybe the size of a small hawk.
Thematrian1 (10:06:00 PM): ah, ok
Thematrian1 (10:06:13 PM): What does it look like astrally?
Umbrafer (10:06:49 PM): Assensing?
Thematrian1 (10:06:53 PM): sure
Thematrian1 (10:06:55 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 1 1 5 1 1 2
Thematrian1 (10:07:00 PM): or, you know, not
Umbrafer (10:07:46 PM): It's not astrally active, but that's most of what you find out. Healthy and mildly annoyed.
Thematrian1 (10:08:39 PM): #Nothing definite in its aura. Did you find anything exciting?#
MilesMk1 (10:09:45 PM): #Not really. There's a patch of sickly growth with nothing special in it that I could find.#
Thematrian1 (10:10:44 PM): #Show me, I'll give it a once-over#
Thematrian1 (10:10:53 PM): (MacLeod can guard the van)
Umbrafer (10:11:15 PM): He puts on his best guarding face.
MilesMk1 (10:11:24 PM): #All right.# *shows her*
MilesMk1 (10:11:36 PM): *keeps an eye on the bird*
Umbrafer (10:12:05 PM): The most direct path will take you more or less right under the bird. Go there?
Thematrian1 (10:12:39 PM): hm. Yes
Umbrafer (10:13:23 PM): You approach, and the bird gives out a nasty-sounding caw. It ruffles its feathers up some.
MilesMk1 (10:13:45 PM): #I'm beginning to dislike all things avian.#
Thematrian1 (10:14:37 PM): #Agreed.#
Thematrian1 (10:14:59 PM): #Only birds you get in the Pacific are seagulls, and no one cares if you shoot them#
MilesMk1 (10:15:56 PM): #No albatross?#
Thematrian1 (10:17:02 PM): #Less than you'd think#
Umbrafer (10:17:06 PM): (There's probably some Awakened variant on a seagull that gets nasty. The "no one cares if you shoot them" part holds.)
MilesMk1 (10:17:27 PM): #Ah. No one cares if you shoot the, either?#
Thematrian1 (10:17:35 PM): #Nope#
Thematrian1 (10:18:12 PM): Does the bird just caw and act annoyed, or does it do something mean when we pass beneath it?
MilesMk1 (10:18:28 PM): Or, as it were, try to do something mean and get shot?
Umbrafer (10:19:16 PM): It just caws and acts annoyed when you're approaching. As you pass under it it takes wing and flies off into the trees.
Thematrian1 (10:20:13 PM): #Probably nothing to do with us personally#
Thematrian1 (10:20:23 PM): Anyway, once we get there I give it the hairy astral eyeball:
Thematrian1 (10:20:27 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 2 6 2 3 1 1
Thematrian1 (10:20:33 PM): incompetently
Umbrafer (10:21:00 PM): Astrally the place seems to be pretty much as clean as any other. You can't identify any astral-space-affecting reason for the stunted growth. Roll Intelligence.
Thematrian1 (10:21:13 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 1 4 1 1 6 1
Thematrian1 (10:21:16 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 4
Umbrafer (10:22:29 PM): Lemme see, you've got that orientation system, right?
Thematrian1 (10:22:51 PM): sure do
Thematrian1 (10:22:59 PM): let me know if it lowers the TN to 1 ::grumble::
Umbrafer (10:23:34 PM): Something's nagging you about the direction of the long axis, but with your headache it's hard to say quite what.
Thematrian1 (10:23:50 PM): #The long axis#
MilesMk1 (10:24:55 PM): #What about it? Aligns with Stonehenge, or something?#
MilesMk1 (10:25:05 PM): *examines the long axis for clues*
MilesMk1 (10:25:22 PM): (Seriously, though, I do try to figure out if there's anything to it)
Thematrian1 (10:25:26 PM): #I don't know, I'm having trouble thinking.#
Umbrafer (10:25:42 PM): (Roll it, both of you)
MilesMk1 (10:26:00 PM): Int?
MilesMk1 (10:26:05 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 5 3 4 5 1 5 6 2
MilesMk1 (10:26:10 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
Umbrafer (10:26:44 PM): Int, yes.
Thematrian1 (10:26:51 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 4 3 5 5 6
Thematrian1 (10:26:55 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
Thematrian1 (10:27:02 PM): (frigging finally)
Umbrafer (10:27:23 PM): Glitch is pretty sure that the long axis is pointed in pretty much the same direction as the tunnel would run.
MilesMk1 (10:28:11 PM): #Yeah, I guess it runs in the same direction as the alleged tunnel.#
Thematrian1 (10:28:21 PM): #Ah. Good.#
Thematrian1 (10:28:27 PM): #Now what?#
MilesMk1 (10:30:02 PM): #We dig?#
MilesMk1 (10:30:48 PM): #Let me make another search, along the axis... Should have bought a metal detector...#
Umbrafer (10:31:17 PM): (Go for it)
Thematrian1 (10:31:23 PM): #Good thought. We'd have to bust open the tunnel though. There's got to be a maintainence access...#
MilesMk1 (10:31:25 PM): *tries to figure out if there's any way to make his electronics gear act like a metal detector as he searches along the axis, poking into the ground with his knife*
MilesMk1 (10:31:34 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 6 4 6 2 5
MilesMk1 (10:31:39 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 6 3
MilesMk1 (10:31:43 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
MilesMk1 (10:31:52 PM): That's a bit better.
Umbrafer (10:32:53 PM): You don't find anything interesting in the ground. You do, however note that the sickly area corresponds with a gradual but significant hollow in the ground
Umbrafer (10:33:19 PM): The sickly area is about two to three feet lower than much of the surrounding healthy area bordering the ends of the long axis
Umbrafer (10:33:35 PM): The hollow continues on either side of the short axis, but the vegitation there is healthy.
MilesMk1 (10:34:24 PM): So the hollow sort of cuts through it along the short axis, then?
Umbrafer (10:35:11 PM): Yep
Thematrian1 (10:35:27 PM): leakage
Thematrian1 (10:35:29 PM): gotta be
Thematrian1 (10:35:31 PM): wait
Thematrian1 (10:35:34 PM): leakage of what?
Thematrian1 (10:35:43 PM): (Imagine I transduced all that, please)
Umbrafer (10:35:51 PM): *Imagines*
MilesMk1 (10:36:20 PM): *checks to see how far the hollow extends in either direction*
MilesMk1 (10:36:50 PM): #And from where? Is this the tunnel? It should be 25 meters away, but what else could it be?#
Thematrian1 (10:36:58 PM): (Remind me: what sorts of tunnels are they?)
Umbrafer (10:37:03 PM): In one direction, about twelve meters. In the other direction you get about eighteen meters before you get squawked at again.
Thematrian1 (10:37:08 PM): #I think this has to be it#
Umbrafer (10:37:29 PM): (It wasn't specified, but one assumes that they're human-traversable from the conversation Glitch overheard)
MilesMk1 (10:38:39 PM): #Damn bird squawking at me again#
MilesMk1 (10:39:00 PM): #Do they have guard-birds?# (and can I roll security to figure that out?)
MilesMk1 (10:39:11 PM): *looks for the bird*
Umbrafer (10:39:39 PM): (You can roll, sure)
Umbrafer (10:40:11 PM): The bird is making no attempt to hide itself. It's perched on a branch slightly ahead, feathers fanned, clearly prepared to defend its territory or some reasonable facsimile.
Thematrian1 has left the chat room.

Thematrian1 has entered the chat room.

Thematrian1 (10:41:06 PM): (Have I got my box of stun back yet?)
MilesMk1 (10:41:16 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 3 5 6 3 1
MilesMk1 (10:41:20 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 3
MilesMk1 (10:41:27 PM): That was for the guard-birds...
Umbrafer (10:41:59 PM): (Yeah, you dropped that fourth box before Glitch came back)
MilesMk1 (10:42:11 PM): "The hell do you want?"
Thematrian1 (10:42:38 PM): (Uh oh. Who's Glitch talking to?)
Umbrafer (10:42:44 PM): You aren't aware of any significant deployment of guard-birds, and those that there are tend to be either wild birds distributed as a general obstacle or pure warning-birds.
Umbrafer (10:42:50 PM): "Squawk!"
MilesMk1 (10:44:33 PM): "Yeah, well, this is a silenced gun, Mr. Raptor, ok? So be a smart bird and..." *resumes walking along the hollow, ready to defend himself from aerial attack*
Umbrafer (10:46:13 PM): You keep walking. The bird hops from branch to branch, continuing to squawk at you. It grows more strident the further you go.
MilesMk1 (10:46:15 PM): #If this was a shapeshifter or something, you'd have been able to tell, right?#
Thematrian1 (10:46:56 PM): #Probably. There are many factors...#
MilesMk1 (10:46:59 PM): 1. How loud is this squawking. 2. How close are we to either plant or monitoring station?
Umbrafer (10:48:14 PM): The squawking is getting quite loud, and probably carries quite well. You're a good distance away from both plant and monitoring station, though what surveillance measures (if any) there may be in these woods is unknown.
MilesMk1 (10:49:15 PM): #Should I shoot the damn thing? Do you think we're on to something here?#
MilesMk1 (10:49:24 PM): *slaps in a clip of gel rounds*
Thematrian1 (10:49:39 PM): #Yes, shoot it. But be ready to flee#
MilesMk1 (10:49:48 PM): *takes aim for one second, then fires*
MilesMk1 (10:50:01 PM): (silenced gun, BTW)
Thematrian1 (10:50:11 PM): ::chips Athletics::
MilesMk1 (10:50:22 PM): Should I roll?
Umbrafer (10:50:28 PM): First, roll Initiative. Then roll Reaction. What's the mod for prepared ambush?
MilesMk1 (10:50:48 PM): Umm... Not sure, but I don't like where this is going.
MilesMk1 (10:50:53 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 2 5
MilesMk1 (10:50:56 PM): 13 init
MilesMk1 (10:51:00 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 1 2 4 1 6
MilesMk1 (10:51:05 PM): 3 successes...
MilesMk1 (10:51:11 PM): Or not.
MilesMk1 (10:51:48 PM): It's -2 for prepared ambush
Umbrafer (10:51:59 PM): Yep, just found it.
Umbrafer (10:52:03 PM): Umbrafer rolled 5 6-sided dice: 2 1 5 6 3
MilesMk1 (10:52:08 PM): Great, we're getting taken out by the wilddlife...
Thematrian1 (10:52:16 PM): Not necessarily, not yet
Thematrian1 (10:52:23 PM): My initiative is 7, by the way
Thematrian1 (10:52:32 PM): (I don't roll, I have Combat Paralysis)
MilesMk1 (10:52:34 PM): True, that was a crappy roll on their part...
MilesMk1 (10:52:48 PM): (... You do?)
Thematrian1 (10:53:03 PM): (Yeah)
Umbrafer (10:53:05 PM): Though the -2 TN means that they did manage to surprise you.
Thematrian1 (10:53:12 PM): (With one initiative die, it's not...what?)
MilesMk1 (10:53:20 PM): (Aren't we tied?)
Umbrafer (10:53:22 PM): Well, one of them did.
Thematrian1 (10:53:24 PM): (They managed...we...they...?)
Umbrafer (10:53:31 PM): The only one you weren't expecting.
MilesMk1 (10:53:34 PM): (Ah.)
Thematrian1 (10:53:37 PM): (Oh.)
MilesMk1 (10:53:49 PM): (Bah.)
Umbrafer (10:53:52 PM): Umbrafer rolled 2 6-sided dice: 6 5
Thematrian1 (10:53:59 PM): (Dammit, at the beginning of this session I said to myself "We can't get into combat, we don't have the blademan")
Umbrafer (10:54:26 PM): Is Gem with Glitch?
Thematrian1 (10:54:38 PM): Yes
Umbrafer (10:55:02 PM): (Regarding "aren't we tied", you had three successes. With their adjusted TN of 2, they had four)
MilesMk1 (10:55:19 PM): (Oh, right.)
Umbrafer (10:55:44 PM): Umbrafer rolled 7 6-sided dice: 5 1 5 6 3 4 5
Umbrafer (10:56:20 PM): 2S Physical coming in, no combat pool available.
MilesMk1 (10:56:36 PM): ...
MilesMk1 (10:56:46 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 5 4 4 6 2
MilesMk1 (10:56:54 PM): Whew.
MilesMk1 (10:56:58 PM): What happened?
Umbrafer (10:58:12 PM): You just barely manage to avoid serious damage, though it scratches your face up a bit. It seems to be going quite single-mindedly for your eyes. It and the other one start flying into the trees. What did Gem get on her surprise tes
Umbrafer (10:58:15 PM): test?
Thematrian1 (10:58:25 PM): er
Thematrian1 (10:58:29 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 5 6-sided dice: 3 3 6 4 6
Thematrian1 (10:58:34 PM): that
Thematrian1 (10:58:35 PM): 3 successes
Umbrafer (10:58:47 PM): Yeah, by the time you've rightly figured out what's going on they're gone.
Umbrafer (10:59:02 PM): They move very fast when they want to, apparently.
MilesMk1 (10:59:07 PM): #What the hell was that about?#
Thematrian1 (10:59:39 PM): (Blake's attempt to shoot them never happened, I take it?)
Umbrafer (11:00:06 PM): (Correct. Bird had a held action for hostile actions, and is smart enough to have figured that one out without the gunshot)
Thematrian1 (11:00:24 PM): (Oh boy)
MilesMk1 (11:00:32 PM): (Damn awakened birds.)
MilesMk1 (11:00:57 PM): (Can I roll Wilderness Survival again now that I know what beastly thing I'm looking for?)
Umbrafer (11:01:16 PM): (Sure)
Umbrafer (11:02:09 PM): (As this is pure data, CED again does not apply)
MilesMk1 (11:03:03 PM): Right
MilesMk1 (11:03:06 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 5 6-sided dice: 4 3 6 2 3
MilesMk1 (11:03:10 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 3
Umbrafer (11:04:14 PM): It's not really a wildlife reference, but there is mention of a similar-looking beastie named the Blood Kite. There are a few paragraphs on how to avoid blood kite territory, immediately followed by how to treat severe eye injury.
MilesMk1 (11:04:42 PM): Ah. And how do you avoid Blood Kite territory?
MilesMk1 (11:05:06 PM): #Congratulations, you can now tell people you've seen something called the Blood Kite.#
MilesMk1 (11:05:19 PM): #And didn't even lose an eye.#
Umbrafer (11:06:10 PM): It describes the sort of behavior you've seen by them thus far, and recommends taking routes that don't end up with you getting squawked at. It also gives means to identify blood hawk nests, eggs, and/or hatchlings and recommends
Umbrafer (11:06:21 PM): leaving quickly upon discovery of any of the above.
Thematrian1 (11:06:47 PM): #And didn't even get attacked. But I take it these aren't guard birds?#
Umbrafer (11:08:05 PM): In your professional opinion, the birds described do not sound like they'd train well at all.
MilesMk1 (11:08:54 PM): #They sound likely to de-eye anyone trying to train them, so probably not.#
Umbrafer (11:09:02 PM): You could see encouraging some to nest near a site as a natural barrier, but the most you'd do to actively use them would be possibly station microphones to listen for noises of them berating intruders.
Umbrafer (11:09:06 PM): Yeah, pretty much.
Thematrian1 (11:09:44 PM): ::telepathic chuckle:: #All right.#
MilesMk1 (11:09:48 PM): #Well, I got my face torn up over this, might as well see it through. I'm gonna go see where this depression leads.# *does so*
Thematrian1 (11:09:56 PM): ::follow::
Thematrian1 (11:10:02 PM): Oh, and I slot Unarmed to go with Athletics
Umbrafer (11:10:36 PM): Perception.
Thematrian1 (11:10:57 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 6 2 4 1 1 2
Thematrian1 (11:11:01 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
Umbrafer (11:11:28 PM): TN is 5, in this case, more success == better.
MilesMk1 (11:12:23 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 1 3 3 4 4
MilesMk1 (11:12:30 PM): Yay.
Umbrafer (11:12:41 PM): You hear wingbeats off to one side.
Umbrafer (11:13:02 PM): Sounds like it's behind some trees still, though.
MilesMk1 (11:13:07 PM): #Wingbeats# *turns to look for the birds*
Thematrian1 (11:13:10 PM): #More birds?#
Thematrian1 (11:13:55 PM): ::stays alert::
Umbrafer (11:14:01 PM): You look around, but there are no immediately-visible birds.
MilesMk1 (11:14:48 PM): *stays alert, and continues to examine/follow the depression*
Umbrafer (11:15:08 PM): You take a few more steps, and come into view of the end of the depression a few meters past.
MilesMk1 (11:15:31 PM): Anything of interest there?
Umbrafer (11:16:00 PM): Roll Perception. Then roll Reaction, both of you.
Thematrian1 (11:16:08 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 3 3 4 6 3
Thematrian1 (11:16:11 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 5 6-sided dice: 5 2 4 5 2
Umbrafer (11:16:21 PM): Umbrafer rolled 10 6-sided dice: 1 5 4 3 2 2 2 3 2 2
Thematrian1 (11:16:25 PM): 3 on the surprise test, 2@5 on the perception test
MilesMk1 (11:17:15 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 3 1 6 6 4
MilesMk1 (11:17:27 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 2 3
MilesMk1 (11:17:31 PM): That was Perception
Umbrafer (11:17:34 PM): Gem is unsurprised and notes nothing unusual about the end of the depression.
MilesMk1 (11:17:38 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 1 6 2 3 6 6
MilesMk1 (11:17:43 PM): Reaction.
Umbrafer (11:17:54 PM): It's a decent distance away from where the tunnel ought to be, and the vegetation is healthy.
Umbrafer (11:18:23 PM): Neither of you are surprised. The two birds come at Glitch from opposite directions. Initiative for all.
Umbrafer (11:18:26 PM): Umbrafer rolled 2 6-sided dice: 2 1
MilesMk1 (11:18:34 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 4 3
MilesMk1 (11:18:40 PM): 13
Umbrafer (11:18:44 PM): (And Gem has her usual)
Thematrian1 (11:18:48 PM): yeah
Umbrafer (11:18:51 PM): Glitch moves first.
Thematrian1 (11:18:53 PM): good old 7
Thematrian1 (11:19:03 PM): er?
MilesMk1 (11:19:07 PM): I shoot the birds.
Thematrian1 (11:19:10 PM): (nm)
MilesMk1 (11:19:13 PM): One round each.
MilesMk1 (11:19:24 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 7 6-sided dice: 4 2 2 3 5 4 1
MilesMk1 (11:19:29 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 7 6-sided dice: 2 5 1 1 3 6 3
MilesMk1 (11:19:51 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 1
Umbrafer (11:19:58 PM): What're your vision mods again?
MilesMk1 (11:21:23 PM): Everything besides ultrasound that affects visibility.
Umbrafer (11:21:52 PM): But all artificial, right?
MilesMk1 (11:21:54 PM): Only a penalty in complete darkness.
MilesMk1 (11:21:57 PM): Yeah.
Umbrafer (11:22:20 PM): Wait, eyelights, damn. *Digs for that table*
Umbrafer (11:22:55 PM): (I am so making a reference table that actually includes stuff like that.
MilesMk1 (11:23:24 PM): (I only have negative mods in complete darkness and various kinds of glare and smoke)
Umbrafer (11:23:48 PM): (Ah, hm. Thought that was only for natural. Fair enough)
Umbrafer (11:23:54 PM): Umbrafer rolled 5 6-sided dice: 2 3 6 6 6
Umbrafer (11:24:05 PM): Umbrafer rolled 3 6-sided dice: 6 2 4
Umbrafer (11:24:12 PM): Umbrafer rolled 4 6-sided dice: 1 3 6 6
Umbrafer (11:24:19 PM): Umbrafer rolled 2 6-sided dice: 5 5
Umbrafer (11:24:57 PM): It's hard to tell if there's any effect. The birds are pretty small, though, and neither goes down.
Umbrafer (11:25:15 PM): The first comes in across your face with a few slashes.
Umbrafer (11:25:22 PM): Umbrafer rolled 7 6-sided dice: 5 4 3 4 6 6 4
Thematrian1 (11:25:31 PM): (oh hell)
MilesMk1 (11:26:15 PM): Roll Unarmed?
Umbrafer (11:26:32 PM): Yep, with +1 for friend in melee.
MilesMk1 (11:26:40 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 5 6-sided dice: 5 6 6 6 3
MilesMk1 (11:26:51 PM): Still, I think the damn bird won.
Thematrian1 (11:26:54 PM): yeah
Thematrian1 (11:27:01 PM): you're probably not going to die, though
Umbrafer (11:27:08 PM): 2M
MilesMk1 (11:27:21 PM): True, but any injury above light means this job is through
MilesMk1 (11:27:26 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 2 6 2 5 6 2 4 4
Umbrafer (11:27:46 PM): You're clear. Second bird takes her shot.
Thematrian1 (11:27:52 PM): (their crappy strength is our salvation)
Umbrafer (11:27:58 PM): Umbrafer rolled 5 6-sided dice: 2 4 3 5 1
MilesMk1 (11:28:07 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 5 6-sided dice: 5 6 5 3 1
Thematrian1 (11:28:11 PM): (Combat Pool, it's time)
Umbrafer (11:28:22 PM): 2L
MilesMk1 (11:28:30 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 1 5 2 3 5 3
Umbrafer (11:28:43 PM): And it's Gem's turn to shine.
Thematrian1 (11:29:17 PM): Hm. Can I melee a bird? If so, do I get friends in melee from Glitch?
Umbrafer (11:29:42 PM): You can and you do. That leaves you at net +0/-0.
Thematrian1 (11:30:34 PM): Yeah, ok, I'll try and grab a bird with my shock hand
Thematrian1 (11:30:45 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 2 4 1 6 3 3
Thematrian1 (11:30:50 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 3
Thematrian1 (11:30:56 PM): argh. Oh well
Umbrafer (11:31:01 PM): Umbrafer rolled 5 6-sided dice: 1 5 1 3 4
Umbrafer (11:31:13 PM): Umbrafer rolled 3 6-sided dice: 1 4 2
Umbrafer (11:31:31 PM): You get a peck in the face for your troubles. 2L.
Thematrian1 (11:31:41 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 2 6 1 2 4
Umbrafer (11:32:07 PM): And Glitch has an action.
MilesMk1 (11:33:07 PM): I smack one of the birds with *my* shock glove.
MilesMk1 (11:33:18 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 9 6-sided dice: 5 2 3 3 1 4 6 2 4
MilesMk1 (11:33:24 PM): Or try to.
Umbrafer (11:33:47 PM): Umbrafer rolled 5 6-sided dice: 1 3 3 1 6
Umbrafer (11:33:58 PM): Umbrafer rolled 4 6-sided dice: 4 2 3 5
Umbrafer (11:34:11 PM): You smack. What's the damage there?
Umbrafer (11:35:21 PM): "Smack" is a bit of a misnomer, it's more of a tap. With shock gloves that's sometimes enough, though.
MilesMk1 (11:37:00 PM): 7S stun
Umbrafer (11:37:16 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 6 3 2 4 6 6 6 2 3 1 6 3 3 3 5
Umbrafer (11:37:35 PM): The bird wobbles quite a bit, but both birds are quick enough to make it into the trees speedily.
MilesMk1 (11:37:58 PM): And some negligible amount of stun damage from the punch itself... 3M
Thematrian1 (11:38:04 PM): "Can we keep this up?"
MilesMk1 (11:39:07 PM): "Well, now that they're not waiting in ambush... Probably, question is, what's the point? If we don't quickly find something here, let's get the hell out."
Thematrian1 (11:39:54 PM): "Fair enough. My other plan was to get a spirit to uncover the tunnel itself. Not subtle, but our changes don't need to hold for long..."
MilesMk1 (11:41:33 PM): "We can always try that later, once you've had some time to rest. We still have more than 24 hours."
Umbrafer (11:41:58 PM): (Needs to be in place by sundown)
Thematrian1 (11:42:03 PM): (If it's 2am, and we have until dusk...)
MilesMk1 (11:42:24 PM): (Edit that to the right number of hours, then.)
MilesMk1 (11:42:30 PM): (16? 14?)
Umbrafer (11:43:05 PM): (I haven't checked the local sundown for our ingame time/date, but something like 16)
MilesMk1 (11:43:19 PM): *keeps an eye out for the birds, and searches the depression*
MilesMk1 (11:43:34 PM): Or tries to do both of those at once.
Thematrian1 (11:43:53 PM): ::the same, with astral perception on::
Umbrafer (11:44:51 PM): Nothing special about the depression. It runs slightly irregularly, and at about a right angle to where the tunnel probably would be.
Thematrian1 (11:45:50 PM): #Can you check the area for hidden surveillance devices, things like that? If there aren't any, I vote we pull back for a bit, roust MacLeod, then come back and let the spirits of the forest do some digging for us.#
MilesMk1 (11:47:03 PM): #So what would make a depression like this? Underground leakage? A collapse? Why the sickly patch, only in that one place, if something leaked this far?#
MilesMk1 (11:47:09 PM): #Sure.#
MilesMk1 (11:47:23 PM): *conducts a bug and EM scan*
MilesMk1 (11:47:27 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 4 1 4 6 3 4 5 5
Umbrafer (11:47:32 PM): Roll it.
MilesMk1 (11:47:35 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 1
Umbrafer (11:47:39 PM): TRoo late.
Umbrafer (11:47:43 PM): *-R
MilesMk1 (11:47:51 PM): Huh? Too late?
Thematrian1 (11:47:59 PM): he was
Thematrian1 (11:48:03 PM): too late to ask you to roll it
Umbrafer (11:48:06 PM): (I was telling you to roll it after you already had)
Thematrian1 (11:48:11 PM): I jumped to the paranoid conclusion too
MilesMk1 (11:48:14 PM): (Oh.)
Umbrafer (11:48:18 PM): (I'm just on a late roll here)
Thematrian1 (11:48:35 PM): ( ::feels his heart rate slow:: )
Thematrian1 (11:48:54 PM): #There are lots of possibilities. Makes me wish I was a real mage#
Umbrafer (11:49:06 PM): You're detecting even less EM radiation than back at the sickly patch.
MilesMk1 (11:50:22 PM): #I'm getting nothing. Ok, let's take a break, then try it your way.#
Thematrian1 (11:50:33 PM): #Sounds like a plan.#
MilesMk1 (11:50:38 PM): (Good time to stop? I should be turning in...)
Thematrian1 (11:50:42 PM): ::stroll out, away from the blood kites::
Thematrian1 (11:50:48 PM): (I agree)
MilesMk1 (11:50:59 PM): (After wasting most of the night finding nothing using my methods...)
Umbrafer (11:51:02 PM): (Sure)
Thematrian1 (11:51:54 PM): ok, good night the pair of you
Thematrian1 has left the chat room.

Umbrafer (11:52:04 PM): You return along the depressing, and a pair of blood kites probably heave a sigh of relief.
Umbrafer (11:52:08 PM): Tuesday?
MilesMk1 (11:52:16 PM): Sure.
Umbrafer (11:52:29 PM): *Waves* Sleep well.
MilesMk1 (11:52:33 PM): Oh, they're relived? ;) They could have just left us alone.
MilesMk1 (11:52:45 PM): Goodnight.
Umbrafer (11:52:59 PM): (Not if they've got a nest around, they couldn't)
MilesMk1 (11:53:14 PM): (Bah. Sure they could. We're trustworthy.)
MilesMk1 (11:53:20 PM): Tuesday.
MilesMk1 has left the chat room.

Chat room exited at 6/16/2005 11:53:29 PM.