New chat room entered at 3/15/2007 8:47:03 PM.
You are now in chat room “sotsw03152007.”
MilesMk1 has entered the chat room.

Umbrafer (8:48:25 PM): Evening, all
Thematrian1 (8:48:30 PM): yo
MilesMk1 (8:48:36 PM): Hey.
Umbrafer (8:50:06 PM): How goes't?
MilesMk1 (8:50:21 PM): Could be worse.
MilesMk1 (8:50:32 PM): You?
Umbrafer (8:51:16 PM): Pretty decent. We'll have a shortened session tonight on account of it looks like I'll be pulling one to two all-nighters, but the project they're for should get done so that's good.
Umbrafer (8:53:05 PM): Anyway, when we last left our antiheroes they were scouting the target area together with some semicompetent Watchers.
Umbrafer (8:53:09 PM): That last may have been redundant.
Thematrian1 (8:53:21 PM): sadly, yes
Thematrian1 (8:53:41 PM): Glitch, in particular, was off scouting. I'd like to know how he's doing, so I can ask him to investigate all the stuff my watchers found.
Umbrafer (8:55:05 PM): Glitch looked around the immediate area. Did you climb into the ravine, cross the bridge, or just hang around on the near side?
MilesMk1 (8:56:02 PM): I suppose it'd have depended on what I found in the immediate area, if anything.
MilesMk1 (8:56:42 PM): First I'd want to to check the near side, look over the tracks there, then examine the bridge iteself, followed last by any climbing.
Umbrafer (8:56:50 PM): On the near side, there's the tracks, some vegetation, and a bird nest that appears to be currently empty.
Umbrafer (8:57:03 PM): The tracks are well-used. There's a set in each direction.
Umbrafer (8:58:05 PM): (If there's anything specific you're looking for, let me know)
Umbrafer (8:58:14 PM): Also, roll Perception.
MilesMk1 (8:58:25 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 6 5 4 4 4 1
MilesMk1 (8:58:29 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 1
MilesMk1 (8:58:53 PM): I suppose I'd want to check the tracks for any defects or signs of sabotage, even if that seems unlikely.
Umbrafer (8:59:46 PM): Off to one side you find a big rock with some weird holes in it.
MilesMk1 (9:01:07 PM): I examine the rock?
MilesMk1 (9:01:26 PM): Carefully, in case it's someone's idea of hiding a surveillance system or something.
Umbrafer (9:02:33 PM): There are three holes, each a few inches in diameter. They look almost like they were drilled, but they curve around a lot. They all eventually take a turn and pass beyond sight.
Umbrafer (9:04:03 PM): There might be a listening system in there somehow, but probably nothing visual, not unless there's a retractable mirror somewhere.
MilesMk1 (9:05:09 PM): Hmm. I'll check for ultrasound, current, EM waves, etc.
Umbrafer (9:05:24 PM): Roll it
MilesMk1 (9:05:34 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 1 1 6 6 6 4 4 3
MilesMk1 (9:05:38 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 3 6-sided dice: 4 4 4
Umbrafer (9:06:00 PM): Current-detection will be pretty much useless from outside the rock unless some wires run right to the edge of it, though
Umbrafer (9:06:06 PM): No ultrasound, no EM.
MilesMk1 (9:06:21 PM): And no wires running to the edge of it?
Umbrafer (9:06:38 PM): Still trying? Ok then. No, not that you can find.
MilesMk1 (9:07:12 PM): #Hey, Gem. Found something unusual. A rock with weird holes drilled into it. Think you can ask one of your watchers to look inside? Can they do that?#
MilesMk1 (9:07:39 PM): See, yet another reason why I want my flexible fiberoptic probe.
Thematrian1 (9:07:59 PM): #Sure, but they won't much care unless they find something alive.#
Thematrian1 (9:08:37 PM): #Where are you, I'll send one over.#
circlmastr has entered the chat room.

MilesMk1 (9:08:45 PM): *gives his location*
Thematrian1 (9:08:54 PM): ::summon::
Thematrian1 (9:08:57 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 3 3 5 2 5
Thematrian1 (9:09:02 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 9 6-sided dice: 2 1 1 2 6 4 5 1 1
MilesMk1 (9:09:04 PM): #Can they tell at least if there's metal inside? Or electricity? Light?#
circlmastr (9:09:16 PM): (What'd I miss?)
MilesMk1 (9:09:50 PM): (Not much. We started scouting, I found a weird rock someone drilled three holes in.)_
Umbrafer (9:10:05 PM): (Basically, no. Remember, they're entirely astral)
MilesMk1 (9:10:23 PM): BTW, could I make a Security Systems roll to see if this matches anything I might know about?
Umbrafer (9:10:31 PM): Go for it
MilesMk1 (9:10:40 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 1 1 3 6 4 3 3 5
MilesMk1 (9:10:44 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
Thematrian1 (9:10:57 PM): #Light, they could tell you about. Electricity, probably no.#
Thematrian1 (9:11:29 PM): To my new watcher: "Go to Glitch, who you will find over there." ::point, describe:: "Make yourself known to him and do as he tells you."
Umbrafer (9:12:32 PM): (You sure they can see light?)
Umbrafer (9:12:32 PM): Nothing you've ever heard of. There are vaguely similar products, but they all use smaller holes more unobtrusively placed.
Umbrafer (9:12:32 PM): Watcher: "Mzvoing" (roughly transcribed)
Umbrafer (9:12:33 PM): It zips off in the indicated direction.
circlmastr (9:12:43 PM): (Holy crap, that was some bad lag)
Umbrafer (9:12:49 PM): (Yes.)
circlmastr (9:14:10 PM): (I still have no idea what's going on)
Umbrafer (9:14:29 PM): A vague shape appears in front of Glitch.
Umbrafer (9:14:53 PM): It's sorta grey-green, and bits of it keep drifting off.
Umbrafer (9:17:29 PM): It makes a noise that I'm not going to try to transcribe.
MilesMk1 (9:18:10 PM): "Hmph. Go inside that *points at rock* and tell me about anything you find inside. Anything besides rock. Or holes."
Umbrafer (9:18:33 PM): It looks at you, looks at the rock, looks at you, looks at the rock again.
Umbrafer (9:18:46 PM): It pauses for a long moment, then zips into the rock.
Umbrafer (9:20:00 PM): Meanwhile: is anyone in LOS of the tracks or bridge?
Umbrafer (9:20:10 PM): The rock, for reference, is not.
circlmastr (9:20:19 PM): Well, I assume Hound is in the van, so, van sensors?
Umbrafer (9:20:54 PM): There's parking available both in and out of LOS.
MilesMk1 (9:21:00 PM): I am, I guess, if I'm not too distracted. Or not?
Thematrian1 (9:21:04 PM): I doubt I am
circlmastr (9:21:38 PM): I'll say yes, then.
Umbrafer (9:21:58 PM): Glitch is out of LOS currently.
Umbrafer (9:22:39 PM): There's a faint rumbling.
Thematrian1 (9:22:56 PM): I look off in that direction. It's toward the tracks?
Umbrafer (9:23:29 PM): Yep, generally trackward.
Umbrafer (9:23:44 PM): It gets somewhat stronger.
circlmastr (9:24:00 PM): *looks via sensors*
Thematrian1 (9:24:11 PM): I head off to investigate
circlmastr (9:24:17 PM): And whatever else I can do with sensors.
Umbrafer (9:25:17 PM): Roll active sensors if you wish.
circlmastr (9:26:22 PM): circlmastr rolled 5 6-sided dice: 4 1 3 1 1
circlmastr (9:26:24 PM): ...
circlmastr (9:26:26 PM): Karma
Umbrafer (9:26:40 PM): If you really want to
circlmastr (9:26:40 PM): (I assume I reroll all five)
Umbrafer (9:26:42 PM): You'd be rerolling three
circlmastr (9:26:51 PM): Hey, I'm not going to be using karma for anything else.
circlmastr (9:26:54 PM): circlmastr rolled 3 6-sided dice: 1 3 3
MilesMk1 (9:27:20 PM): ...
MilesMk1 (9:27:36 PM): You used Karma to find out that there's a train coming?
Umbrafer (9:27:42 PM): Ok, you've got a really good lock on a large train. It's heading South at considerable speed.
circlmastr (9:28:22 PM): As I said, it's been God knows how long since I used karma.
circlmastr (9:28:32 PM): Anything special I can find out?
Umbrafer (9:29:08 PM): It's moving at about 265 KM/H, decelerating slightly
Umbrafer (9:29:16 PM): Er, km/h
Umbrafer (9:29:19 PM): I keep making that mistake
Umbrafer (9:30:18 PM): You can identify the specific model of train. It's a bullet train frequently used on this line. Mixed passenger/cargo,.
Umbrafer (9:31:01 PM): Gem is just reaching LOS to the track as it zips past, crossing the bridge at about 250 KM/H.
circlmastr (9:31:03 PM): Do I know anything about that model train that could help with... uh, whatever it is we're doing with the other train?
Umbrafer (9:31:04 PM): Gah.
Umbrafer (9:31:06 PM): km/h
Umbrafer (9:31:45 PM): Not really. There are only four models of train used regularly on these tracks anyway, as far as you can tell (plus two irregulars)
Umbrafer (9:32:05 PM): An old-model mixed, new-model mixed (which is what this is), new dedicated-cargo, and new dedicated-passenger
Umbrafer (9:32:36 PM): The other two are maintenance/repair and a rescue train for emergencies.
Umbrafer (9:33:16 PM): After the train crosses the bridge, it accelerates up to 270 until it's out of your sensor range.
circlmastr (9:33:51 PM): *would ping "BITCH" at it in Morse code, if I had anything like that*
Umbrafer (9:34:48 PM): Meanwhile, the thing comes back to Glitch.
Umbrafer (9:35:15 PM): "Things. Alive. Asleep."
MilesMk1 (9:35:36 PM): "How big?"
circlmastr (9:35:53 PM): (brb, dinner)
MilesMk1 (9:36:07 PM): *points to things on the ground for reference if necessary - variously sized rocks, etc.*
Umbrafer (9:36:28 PM): It thinks for a second, then stretches out to about two meters wide.
Thematrian1 (9:36:50 PM): !
Thematrian1 (9:37:00 PM): good call on the watcher, Glitch. I was sure that wouldn't work.
MilesMk1 (9:38:11 PM): ... how big is the actual rock?
MilesMk1 (9:38:21 PM): I was under the impression it wasn't that big.
Umbrafer (9:39:13 PM): The rock's pretty sizable. About a meter and a half tall, maybe two and a half wide and two long.
Thematrian1 (9:39:52 PM): something that's bigger in the astral than in meatspace, maybe?
MilesMk1 (9:39:52 PM): *edges away from the rock*
MilesMk1 (9:40:28 PM): #I think I might have... Huh. Do you know of any snakes able to drill through rock?#
MilesMk1 (9:40:53 PM): #Or the watcher is confused. It's telling me there's something 2 meters long in there, alive.#
MilesMk1 (9:41:01 PM): *to the watcher*
MilesMk1 (9:41:31 PM): "Hot like me or Gem, or colder?" (assuming that's something they might be able to tell about living things)
Umbrafer (9:41:43 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 1 1 6 1 3 4 3 4 5 1 1 4 5 6 5
Umbrafer (9:41:47 PM): Umbrafer rolled 2 6-sided dice: 1 3
Umbrafer (9:41:53 PM): It thinks for a second and then shrugs.
MilesMk1 (9:42:50 PM): "Did it have scales? Hair? Legs?" *waves a limb around for emphasis*
Thematrian1 (9:43:04 PM): #Maybe snakes, yeah. Or something with an astral form bigger than its normal form. I didn't think that was possible, but...#
MilesMk1 (9:43:07 PM): "Was it curled up like this?" *scrawls a spiral in the dirt*
MilesMk1 (9:44:00 PM): When Dave gets back, I need to ask Hound what size of hole his drones can fit into.
Umbrafer (9:44:20 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 1 1 6 5 1 4 6 3 3 5 5 5 5 6 1
Umbrafer (9:44:24 PM): Umbrafer rolled 2 6-sided dice: 6 3
Umbrafer (9:44:29 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 4
Umbrafer (9:44:30 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
Umbrafer (9:44:54 PM): It twists itself into a spiral and makes a questioning noise.
MilesMk1 (9:45:42 PM): "...Yeah, a spiral. Did it look like that? Can you stretch yourself to look like it did?"
Umbrafer (9:46:43 PM): It thinks. "Sorta."
Umbrafer (9:46:48 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 6 2 2 4 1 1 3 1
Umbrafer (9:46:53 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 6
Umbrafer (9:46:59 PM): /roll-dice1
Umbrafer (9:47:04 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
Umbrafer (9:47:39 PM): It then twists and contorts itself with obvious effort into a shape with a loosely coiled section, a loop, and a trailing bit on each end.
Umbrafer (9:47:53 PM): After a few seconds, it snaps back into its original shape.
MilesMk1 (9:48:30 PM): "Thanks, I guess."
MilesMk1 (9:48:58 PM): #I had it try to take the shape of the thing in the rock, and it sure seems like a snake to me.#
Thematrian1 (9:49:56 PM): #Ask if it's magic. I met a giant, magic crow a little earlier.#
MilesMk1 (9:49:56 PM): #...I hate nature. Can we get a net connection out here?#
MilesMk1 (9:50:09 PM): "Was it magical?"
Umbrafer (9:50:19 PM): (Remember, the crow was mundane and non-astral)
Umbrafer (9:50:26 PM): (You Assensed it)
Umbrafer (9:50:44 PM): It thinks for a few seconds.
MilesMk1 (9:50:54 PM): #Where'd... never mind. I have a hard time imagning how a non-magical critter could make those holes.#
Umbrafer (9:50:58 PM): Then it shakes its head.
Thematrian1 (9:50:58 PM): (And yet)
MilesMk1 (9:51:18 PM): #Huh. But the watcher says no.#
MilesMk1 (9:51:43 PM): BTW, Jon, do we have a net connection out here? You know, basic internet type of thing using our PDAs, etc?
MilesMk1 (9:52:50 PM): Holy shit, can't believe I forgot this.
MilesMk1 (9:52:59 PM): Jon, I slot my Wilderness Survival chip.
MilesMk1 (9:53:11 PM): Can I figure out what this might be?
Umbrafer (9:53:19 PM): You do so. In but a moment, you know kung… er, wilderness survival.
Umbrafer (9:53:23 PM): Roll it.
MilesMk1 (9:53:27 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 8 6-sided dice: 2 6 6 3 6 2 5 3
MilesMk1 (9:53:32 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 3 6-sided dice: 1 5 3
MilesMk1 (9:54:09 PM): #You know, I just remembered I bought a Wilderness Survival soft a way back...#
Thematrian1 (9:54:16 PM): #...sounds handy.#
Umbrafer (9:54:24 PM): There's mention of something like this on the chip, but unfortunately all it says is "be wary about camping near these".
Thematrian1 (9:54:25 PM): Jon: do I have any watchers outstanding?
Umbrafer (9:54:44 PM): Still owing you services, or having not returned from patrol?
MilesMk1 (9:55:10 PM): #Hmm. Clearly, I need to buy another one on the animals of North America. All I know now it's a bad idea to camp near rocks like those.#
MilesMk1 (9:55:47 PM): *moves farther away from the rock*
Umbrafer (9:55:52 PM): The latter is a yes, one. The former, I have no idea—I can check the logs for your previous successes
Thematrian1 (9:56:02 PM): not having returned
MilesMk1 (9:56:04 PM): #Remember those damn hawks?#
Thematrian1 (9:56:08 PM): watchers exist for hours, not services, so I'm ok there
Umbrafer (9:56:10 PM): Got it. There's one still missing.
Thematrian1 (9:56:11 PM): #Vividly#
Umbrafer (9:56:12 PM): Oh, right.
Umbrafer (9:56:21 PM): <-- Watcher-fu is weak.
MilesMk1 (9:56:25 PM): Jon, where is the rock in relation to the tracks?
Umbrafer (9:57:18 PM): About 50 meters away, maybe 30-odd meters from the ravine. Closer to where the van is parked (henceforth referred to as "your campsite" until you move) than to the tracks.
circlmastr (9:59:31 PM): (Back, finally)
Umbrafer (9:59:38 PM): Wb
circlmastr (9:59:55 PM): (What'd I miss? Did you all die?)
Umbrafer (10:00:30 PM): (They met a team of gandy dancers)
Umbrafer (10:01:43 PM): Actions?
circlmastr (10:01:54 PM): (What's a gandy dancer?)
Thematrian1 (10:02:12 PM): lie lie lie lie lie in wait
Umbrafer (10:02:42 PM): (Railroad maintenance worker. They didn't really meet them, there are machines to do that these days.)
circlmastr (10:02:43 PM): Hound is still in the van.
Umbrafer (10:03:25 PM): Anyone doing anything other than waiting?
circlmastr (10:03:51 PM): Hound wishes he had his power armor, so he could blow stuff up.
MilesMk1 (10:04:37 PM): *fills Hound in on his ?snake? discovery and tells him to move the van a little away from the rock*
circlmastr (10:04:57 PM): (Snake?) *backs van away*
Thematrian1 (10:06:07 PM): Ok, clearly we need to parallelize a bit. is last session's log up?
Umbrafer (10:07:36 PM): (One moment)
Umbrafer (10:08:29 PM): http://www.sotsw.net/runs/SotSW%2003-08-2007.html
Umbrafer (10:08:53 PM): Wherein the team resists the urge to obtain iguana onna stick
Thematrian1 (10:09:08 PM): oh, did the one I sent off to measure distance ever come back?
Thematrian1 (10:09:31 PM): though I guess that one was probably the crows
Umbrafer (10:10:22 PM): Yes, it does come back. Whatever it is, it's about a twenty-five-minute walk away
Thematrian1 (10:10:39 PM): "Tell me about the things you found."
Umbrafer (10:11:29 PM): It thinks about this for a few seconds.
Umbrafer (10:11:31 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 5 1 2 3 1 3 3 2 4 3 4 3 6 3 4
Umbrafer (10:11:37 PM): Umbrafer rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
Umbrafer (10:12:03 PM): "Big. Sleeping. Gettin' hungry."
Thematrian1 (10:12:19 PM): "Was it wearing clothes?"
Thematrian1 (10:12:29 PM): (This might not work, but...)
Umbrafer (10:12:29 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 3 5 6 2 6 1 1 6 2 1 1 6 6 2 6
Umbrafer (10:12:38 PM): Umbrafer rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 3 1 2 3 4
Umbrafer (10:13:02 PM): The Watcher looks very confused.
Thematrian1 (10:13:37 PM): "Bigger than this?" I hold my arms a meter apart.
Umbrafer (10:14:44 PM): It nods vigorously. "Much bigger!"
Thematrian1 (10:15:18 PM): 'Bigger than me?"
Umbrafer (10:15:25 PM): It nods again.
Thematrian1 (10:15:55 PM): "Bigger than that?" Point to a tree ten or so feet high, if I can find one.
Umbrafer (10:17:04 PM): It thinks for a second, then shakes its head. Well, really its entire self, but the meaning appears similar.
Umbrafer (10:19:14 PM): Actions/
Umbrafer (10:19:15 PM): *?
Thematrian1 (10:20:22 PM): Hmph. Big enough, at any rate. Bear or special bear, most likely.
circlmastr (10:20:27 PM): #Uh, guys?#
Thematrian1 (10:20:41 PM): #Yeah?#
circlmastr (10:20:44 PM): #Where are we going to sleep, anyway?#
Thematrian1 (10:21:02 PM): #Glitch, have you seen any signs of human habitation?3
MilesMk1 (10:21:54 PM): I assume not, right?
MilesMk1 (10:22:12 PM): #Nope. Maybe I could climb something and look around...#
MilesMk1 (10:22:28 PM): #I vote we sleep in the van. It's armored, right?#
circlmastr (10:22:41 PM): #Yeah, but not exactly built for habitation.#
circlmastr (10:22:53 PM): #For instance, no bathroom.#
MilesMk1 (10:22:56 PM): #It's not like we'll be here for a week...#
Umbrafer (10:22:58 PM): Nothing.
Umbrafer (10:23:09 PM): This is pretty middle-of-nowhereish.
circlmastr (10:23:44 PM): Hound gets out of the van and searches for a bush fit for relieving himself.
MilesMk1 (10:24:07 PM): #Uh... Well, just check for snakes first. I'm not sucking out venom if you get bit when....#
circlmastr (10:24:55 PM): #I'd rather Gem did that anyway.#
Umbrafer (10:25:01 PM): There are many such bushes. You choose one in a discreet location.
Umbrafer (10:25:10 PM): The GM pretends he didn't read that.
MilesMk1 (10:25:11 PM): #Anyway... We know of at least two places we don't want to get close to, right? I'm going to check out the bridge and maybe the ravine, and then let's figure out where we'll wait for the train.#
circlmastr (10:25:22 PM): Hound checks for snakes, then goes to business.
Thematrian1 (10:25:25 PM): (after 'I'd rather Gem') #Don't even think it.#
Umbrafer (10:25:33 PM): Roll snake-finding.
circlmastr (10:25:41 PM): #Hey, Glitch brought it up.#
circlmastr (10:25:47 PM): circlmastr rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 2 4 5 1 4
Umbrafer (10:26:03 PM): Nary a snake in sight.
circlmastr (10:26:28 PM): [the following has been removed for the sake of the audience]
MilesMk1 (10:26:40 PM): *gets climbing gear from the van, heads for the bridge* Is there enough room in the bridge to not die if a train (or two trains) come through?
MilesMk1 (10:26:50 PM): on the bridge
MilesMk1 (10:27:29 PM): Also, what kind of bridge is it? Suspension, or... well, the flat sort?
Umbrafer (10:27:31 PM): (I suspect I also refrained from making that joke.)
Umbrafer (10:27:43 PM): The flat sort. The ravine's quite deep, but not very wide.
circlmastr (10:27:48 PM): Hound then returns to the van and has a soda.
Umbrafer (10:28:07 PM): There is easily room to not die if one train comes through.
Umbrafer (10:28:29 PM): Although, keep in mind that trains cross this bridge in excess of 250 km/h
circlmastr (10:28:31 PM): #So, what are we doing until the train comes through?#
Umbrafer (10:28:34 PM): Not a lot of warning.
MilesMk1 (10:28:37 PM): Ok - I'll scout the bridge and a short way on the other side, then consider climbing.
Thematrian1 (10:28:48 PM): #Some sleeping, at least.#
Umbrafer (10:28:49 PM): Two trains, though, you'd almost certainly be paste from.
Umbrafer (10:29:47 PM): Roll perception.
circlmastr (10:29:51 PM): #I think I'll get a head start on that.# Hound reclines seat and tries to nap
MilesMk1 (10:29:54 PM): Hmm. Are there any rails and so on I might be able to clip a carabiner on to, if I quickly needed to go over the side?
MilesMk1 (10:29:57 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 6 3 2 1 4
MilesMk1 (10:30:00 PM): MilesMk1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 4
Umbrafer (10:30:35 PM): Yes. There are short barriers on either side of the track, presumably for maintenance workers.
Umbrafer (10:30:47 PM): These have bars that you can clip to.
Umbrafer (10:31:28 PM): When you're out on the bridge, something feels a little weird. Maybe it's just the way the sunlight comes through the clouds, something about the colours is weird.
circlmastr (10:31:38 PM): *zzzzzzzzz*
MilesMk1 (10:31:39 PM): Oh, yay.
Umbrafer (10:31:40 PM): After a few moments, it passes.
MilesMk1 (10:32:24 PM): #Gem? Can you take a look at the bridge from a magical point of view? I felt something weird, just now, but it passed. After all the weird clown and dream business...#
MilesMk1 (10:33:04 PM): Ok, so I'll get my climbing harness on, attach about 20' of rope to it, with a carabiner on the end so I can - if necessary - quickly clip on and jump off.
MilesMk1 (10:33:17 PM): Then I'll scout the bridge and check the other side.
circlmastr (10:33:28 PM): (And swing through under the bridge, right into something hard.)
Thematrian1 (10:33:39 PM): #Check.#
Thematrian1 (10:33:55 PM): I start hiking. That last watcher will have to wait.
Umbrafer (10:34:03 PM): Done. Note that the ravine is substantially deeper than that.
Umbrafer (10:34:11 PM): Where is Gem hiking to?
Umbrafer (10:35:15 PM): Looking for anything in particular on the other side? How far are you going?
Thematrian1 (10:35:20 PM): up to the same general area where Glitch was
MilesMk1 (10:35:44 PM): I assumed it was. That's why I didn't use more. ;)
Umbrafer (10:36:09 PM): Well, the ravine's about 44 meters deep :) hence "substantially"
MilesMk1 (10:36:21 PM): (And I'm actually really good at this sort of athletic crap, so I think you'll be disappointed.)
MilesMk1 (10:38:47 PM): (But, uh... It's 10:40, and I'm afraid I'll be turning into a pumpkin.)
Umbrafer (10:39:10 PM): (Aww. Well, probably a blessing in disguise for me.)
Umbrafer (10:39:43 PM): Gem: on the bridge, you mean/
Umbrafer (10:39:44 PM): *?
circlmastr (10:40:18 PM): Hound dreams about giant robots and trains, in vaguely disturbing combinations.
Thematrian1 (10:40:29 PM): yeah
MilesMk1 (10:41:06 PM): See you guys on Tuesday/
Umbrafer (10:41:12 PM): You reach the bridge. Perception.
circlmastr (10:41:17 PM): G'night.
Umbrafer (10:41:21 PM): (Take care, sleep well. But it's the Tuesday on Monday, remember!)
Thematrian1 (10:41:42 PM): (...?_
Thematrian1 (10:41:47 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 4 4 4 6 5
circlmastr (10:41:57 PM): (Tuesday game being on Monday and all)
MilesMk1 (10:42:20 PM): (Oh. Right. Monday. Have a good weekend, everyone.)
MilesMk1 has left the chat room.

Thematrian1 (10:42:39 PM): (Ah)
Umbrafer (10:42:47 PM): Are you astrally perceiving/
Umbrafer (10:42:48 PM): *?
Thematrian1 (10:42:56 PM): (Read "Tuesday" as "Monday", so accustomed am I)
Thematrian1 (10:42:59 PM): Indeed
Umbrafer (10:43:09 PM): (Yeah, it's still the Tuesday game)
Umbrafer (10:43:24 PM): Something feels a bit off, but you can't put your finger on what it is.
Thematrian1 (10:45:19 PM): hmph
Thematrian1 (10:45:25 PM): nothing around I can assense?
Thematrian1 (10:45:38 PM): I wander around a bit, staring at stuff as it comes to me
Umbrafer (10:46:12 PM): Not as far as you can tell. The background count is a little bit different here, but that could be because of the bridge and tracks.
Thematrian1 (10:47:43 PM): right
Thematrian1 (10:47:55 PM): well, I head back to the van to nap, then. Lots to do later
Umbrafer (10:48:33 PM): You do so. Perception.
circlmastr (10:48:43 PM): Hound snores gently.
Thematrian1 (10:49:23 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 2 6-sided dice: 5 5
Thematrian1 (10:49:28 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 3 5 2 6 1
Umbrafer (10:50:21 PM): (Reroll the 6?)
Thematrian1 (10:50:40 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
Umbrafer (10:50:51 PM): You see two things.
Umbrafer (10:51:15 PM): First off, as you're stepping off the bridge, you catch a flicker of motion out of the corner of your eye. However, it's gone, possibly under the bridge, by the time you look.
circlmastr (10:51:30 PM): (Troll under the bridge!)
Umbrafer (10:51:39 PM): Second, there's a flock of birds approaching from the north.
circlmastr (10:51:43 PM): (Good thing you're not a trio of goats.)
Thematrian1 (10:52:07 PM): yeah. Ok, I go check under the bridge at about where I saw the movement, rather than sleepign right away
Umbrafer (10:52:59 PM): Athletics if you're dangling yourself down under the bridge, just Perception if you're trying to walk far enough away to see under.
Thematrian1 (10:53:33 PM): perception:
Thematrian1 (10:53:35 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 2 1 5 3 1 2
Thematrian1 (10:53:42 PM): I may try athletics if this doesn't work
Umbrafer (10:54:12 PM): You don't see much under there.
Umbrafer (10:54:51 PM): Athletics? Please don't botch, it would be woefully anticlimactic to lose a character here.
Thematrian1 (10:56:09 PM): yeah, yeah:
Thematrian1 (10:56:14 PM): slot athletics, then:
Thematrian1 (10:56:17 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 3 1 4 2 1 2
Thematrian1 (10:56:19 PM): ugh
Thematrian1 (10:56:22 PM): well, it's not a botch
Umbrafer (10:56:28 PM): It's mediocre, but you don't fall.
Umbrafer (10:56:54 PM): You wobble around a little, but you can't get a good view. Perception.
Umbrafer (10:57:08 PM): (Fun fact: a fall from this bridge is, in SR terms, slightly more damaging than a Panther assault cannon. More, if you consider the fact that you only get half impact armor instead of full ballistic)
Thematrian1 (10:57:33 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 6 4 4 4 4 5
Thematrian1 (10:57:37 PM): percepted
Thematrian1 (10:57:43 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 2
Umbrafer (10:57:44 PM): You notice two things.
Umbrafer (10:57:48 PM): First off, you see a leg.
Umbrafer (10:58:31 PM): Second off, it's sorta weird. It looks like a giant spider-leg (where giant is a few feet across, not human-sized), but it looks mostly astral-ish.
Thematrian1 (10:58:37 PM): with a body attach...hm
Thematrian1 (10:58:46 PM): mostly astral-ish?
Umbrafer (10:58:47 PM): Still, you could swear you see it in meatspace too.
circlmastr (10:59:30 PM): (I vote we don't stick around.)
Thematrian1 (11:00:12 PM): (Not an option, at least for me)
Thematrian1 (11:00:21 PM): Ok. Is it moving?
Umbrafer (11:01:12 PM): After a second or so, it disappears under the bridge.
Umbrafer (11:02:12 PM): Actions?
Thematrian1 (11:02:52 PM): whistle up a sky spirit, F4:
Thematrian1 (11:02:58 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 5 3 1 2 1 1
Thematrian1 (11:03:01 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 9 6-sided dice: 2 2 3 2 3 3 1 6 3
Thematrian1 (11:03:12 PM): ...I take another L drain, but at least I get my spirit
Thematrian1 (11:03:14 PM): er
Thematrian1 (11:03:15 PM): M drain
circlmastr (11:03:26 PM): Karma it!
Thematrian1 (11:03:31 PM): nah, it's just stun
Umbrafer (11:03:48 PM): The winds coalesce. However, it takes them several seconds to finish forming, an unusually long time.
Thematrian1 (11:04:15 PM): hm
Thematrian1 (11:04:46 PM): "Carry me gently, wherever I direct you to go."
Umbrafer (11:04:57 PM): It nods.
Thematrian1 (11:06:05 PM): Assuming it grabs me, I first direct it to lower me under the bridge.
Umbrafer (11:06:45 PM): Umbrafer rolled 15 6-sided dice: 5 1 3 1 6 4 1 5 1 1 6 1 2 1 3
Umbrafer (11:06:49 PM): Umbrafer rolled 2 6-sided dice: 4 3
Umbrafer (11:06:51 PM): It waits for you to direct it, but yes, it grabs you and lowers you. Surprisingly enough, it actually seems to have understood "gently".
Thematrian1 (11:07:13 PM): good times; wind spirits are tricky that way
Umbrafer (11:07:38 PM): (Yeah, when you're air, gentle is a lot wider a range than when you're fragile flesh and bone)
Thematrian1 (11:08:06 PM): (Yeah)
Thematrian1 (11:08:22 PM): Anyhoo, now that I can see the underside of the bridge, can I get a better look at the whatchamacallit?
Umbrafer (11:08:45 PM): You do so. Perception.
Thematrian1 (11:09:09 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 1 4 6 3 1 5
Thematrian1 (11:09:12 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 15 6-sided dice: 4 5 4 3 5 6 3 5 4 3 3 4 4 3 5
Thematrian1 (11:09:16 PM): /roll-dice1
Thematrian1 (11:09:20 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
Umbrafer (11:10:14 PM): Turns out there are two of them. They're sorta black, furry blobs with… nine, ten, eleven… at least a dozen legs. Maybe more.
Umbrafer (11:10:37 PM): They appear to be chilling under the bridge. That's the technical term for their behaviour.
Thematrian1 (11:10:49 PM): how big?
circlmastr (11:10:56 PM): Chillin' like a villain
Thematrian1 (11:10:57 PM): #You awake, Hound?#
Umbrafer (11:11:38 PM): About a meter and a third across, though most of that is leg. The body's maybe a quarter to a third of a meter.
circlmastr (11:11:38 PM): Hound snorts a bit and wakes up. #Huh? What? I didn't say anything...#
Thematrian1 (11:13:16 PM): #I found some semi-magical spiders.#
Thematrian1 (11:13:18 PM): I assense one
Thematrian1 (11:13:20 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 6 2 6 6 5 5
Thematrian1 (11:13:27 PM): #Just hanging out under the bridge#
circlmastr (11:13:33 PM): #Spider spiders, or giant monster spiders?#
Thematrian1 (11:14:28 PM): #Giant, at any rate#
Umbrafer (11:15:06 PM): Essence: 8. Magic: lower or nonexistant, you can't tell. You haven't seen the aura. Mental status is incomprehensible. Physical status is incomprehensible.
Thematrian1 (11:15:37 PM): I...haven't seen the aura?
Thematrian1 (11:15:43 PM): What am I looking at?
Thematrian1 (11:15:49 PM): #Ok, these are really weird.#
circlmastr (11:16:16 PM): #I vote we move elsewhere. Like, Seattle.#
Umbrafer (11:16:19 PM): I mean "it isn't something you've assensed before"
Umbrafer (11:16:50 PM): But yeah, it's weird. Normally you'd know everything there is to know about it now. You've gotten something similar one time when you assensed a clam, but you got more physical status out of that.
Thematrian1 (11:17:30 PM): #It has less of a mind than a clam, if that gives you an idea.#
circlmastr (11:17:54 PM): #It doesn't take much of a mind to kill us all.#
Umbrafer (11:19:35 PM): You float under the bridge.
Umbrafer (11:19:42 PM): One of the spider-things skitters away.
Umbrafer (11:19:54 PM): It stops under the bridge, further away from you.
Thematrian1 (11:20:03 PM): #They're afraid of me, maybe.#
Thematrian1 (11:20:05 PM): "Hi"
circlmastr (11:20:32 PM): #Don't provoke it.#
Umbrafer (11:20:45 PM): The one still close takes a step backwards.
Thematrian1 (11:21:34 PM): "How good are you at thinking, little ones?"
Umbrafer (11:22:26 PM): No response.
Thematrian1 (11:22:59 PM): "So, not very, then?"
Thematrian1 (11:23:22 PM): I take a few pictures, and ask my spirit to float me alongside the bridge. I scan the underneath for more weirdness
Umbrafer (11:23:29 PM): The closer spider-thing shifts its legs.
Umbrafer (11:23:39 PM): They scatter, keeping away from you.
Umbrafer (11:23:41 PM): Perception.
Thematrian1 (11:24:09 PM): Thematrian1 rolled 6 6-sided dice: 4 3 3 2 4 4
circlmastr (11:25:28 PM): #Still alive#
circlmastr (11:25:30 PM): *?
Umbrafer (11:25:46 PM): The bridge underside appears to have exhausted its weirdness.
Thematrian1 (11:25:49 PM): #yep#
Thematrian1 (11:26:02 PM): #Just those two for strangeness, then. I'm coming in; I need a nap.#
circlmastr (11:26:10 PM): #Alright.#
Umbrafer (11:27:07 PM): You float back out of the ravine. Approaching from the north, now much closer, is a big flock of large black birds. You're still perceiving?
Thematrian1 (11:27:22 PM): uh huh
Thematrian1 (11:27:31 PM): big crows, or a new breed?
Umbrafer (11:27:35 PM): Big crows.
Thematrian1 (11:27:52 PM): k. Heading for me?
Umbrafer (11:27:55 PM): And they're dual-natured. Every man-jack (crow-jack) of them.
Umbrafer (11:28:07 PM): Heading your general direction, along the track.
Umbrafer (11:28:24 PM): And that's where we break.
Thematrian1 (11:28:50 PM): huh. The last one was not dual-natured, right?
Thematrian1 (11:28:58 PM): I mean, that's not the kind of thing a lady can miss.
Umbrafer (11:29:08 PM): Correct. Totally mundane, totally non-astral according to your assensing.
Thematrian1 (11:29:23 PM): "To the van!"
Thematrian1 (11:29:31 PM): Next week, we find out what they want...
Umbrafer (11:30:54 PM): (Incidentally, I should have said "huge flock")
Thematrian1 (11:31:07 PM): hundreds?
Thematrian1 (11:31:10 PM): thousands?
Umbrafer (11:31:41 PM): (You wouldn't be surprised if there were more than a hundred birds in it, and each one has about a 1.5-meter wingspan.
Umbrafer (11:31:45 PM): *)
Thematrian1 (11:32:16 PM): right, right
Umbrafer (11:32:23 PM): And actually, since they look like crows, it should probably be "murder" instead of "flock"
Thematrian1 (11:33:10 PM): better and better
Umbrafer (11:35:40 PM): Well, been a pleasure everyone. I'll see you Tuesday-Monday, and by next Thursday this project will be done with once and for all.
Umbrafer (11:36:02 PM): If either of you have ideas for new things to do with cyberlimbs, let me know.
circlmastr (11:36:02 PM): This project being, what?
circlmastr (11:36:12 PM): Huh? Cyberlimbs?
Thematrian1 (11:36:24 PM): check dumpshock
Umbrafer (11:36:28 PM): A basic remote-controlled drone, where "remote" is "over the internet"
circlmastr (11:36:38 PM): Link?
Umbrafer (11:36:39 PM): Basically, we're trying to make cyberlimbs better.
circlmastr (11:36:47 PM): Make them cheaper.
Umbrafer (11:36:53 PM): We did that.
Thematrian1 (11:37:02 PM): essence divided by 2, price by 5
Umbrafer (11:37:04 PM): But we're trying to make them awesome. Which means we probably need more detail in them.
Thematrian1 (11:37:18 PM): they are costed aggressively, as the Magic R&D people sat
Thematrian1 (11:37:20 PM): say
circlmastr (11:37:28 PM): Optional hand/foot attachments.
Umbrafer (11:37:30 PM): http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=16813
Umbrafer (11:37:43 PM): Yeah, that's one of the ideas. The question becomes what sort of attachments.
circlmastr (11:38:48 PM): Blades, tools, weapons, umm...
Umbrafer (11:39:12 PM): Right now there's just "obvious" and "synthetic". I think it'd be neat if there was, say, "hydraulic", that was super-obvious but could be made super-strong, some other sorts that are other tradeoffs between concealment and obviousn
Umbrafer (11:39:15 PM): obviousness, etc.
Umbrafer (11:39:37 PM): Presumably things like quick-change sockets would put an upper cap on strength and quickness enhancement
Umbrafer (11:39:42 PM): That cap could be raised via more expensive sockets
circlmastr (11:39:48 PM): ugh, brb
circlmastr has left the chat room.

Thematrian1 (11:39:57 PM): well, what if strength enhancements reduced concealability past a certain point?
Umbrafer (11:41:10 PM): That could work, either instead of or in tandem with an expanded cyberlimb variety.
Thematrian1 (11:41:47 PM): well, there are already things like Kid Stealth legs. More kinds of limbs along those lines...is that what you mean?
Umbrafer (11:42:04 PM): Yeah, something like that.
Umbrafer (11:42:49 PM): Some painfully obvious limbs that sacrifice any hope of being subtle for things like strength or speed, limbs with extra joints, stuff like that
circlmastr has entered the chat room.

Umbrafer (11:43:16 PM): Basically, I'd like to turn cyberlimbs into a core part of the game, or at least the 'ware chart.
circlmastr (11:43:38 PM): Well, I can think of three types of mechanical systems limbs could use.
circlmastr (11:43:53 PM): 1. Hydraulic
2. Pneumatic
3. Magnetic
circlmastr (11:44:28 PM): Judging from the art in the books (hah), I'd think hydraulic would be the norm.
Umbrafer (11:45:19 PM): Servo-based and shape-memory-alloy-based systems were mentioned in the thread.
circlmastr (11:45:43 PM): I'm not even sure that I know what shape-memory-alloy is.
Thematrian1 (11:45:46 PM): I don't see why it's important to have those divisions, though.
Thematrian1 (11:46:00 PM): why not focus on what the limb can do, and deduce concealability from that
circlmastr (11:46:30 PM): Well, that leads moreso into detachable limbs and accessories.
circlmastr (11:46:48 PM): "This here's mah fightin' arm, but wid da ladies I bust out da luvin' arm."
Thematrian1 (11:46:53 PM): suits me fine
Umbrafer (11:47:05 PM): Well, I guess I'm trying to map "what the limb can do" to a real technique
circlmastr (11:47:31 PM): Well, it negates some of the cost lowering previously done. If you have to buy five arms to cover what you want to do, it costs as much as a current arm.
circlmastr (11:47:54 PM): And good luck traveling with your other arms if you need to switch around.
Umbrafer (11:48:01 PM): I'm not sure I agree, when so much of "what you want to do" will be stuff you flat-out couldn't do under the old system.
Thematrian1 (11:48:07 PM): such as?
Umbrafer (11:48:32 PM): Big combat arm, say.
Umbrafer (11:48:49 PM): Switchable arms, IIRC there's a system but like the rest of it it was hugely expensive.
Thematrian1 (11:49:28 PM): oh. I always assumed they were implicitly switchable, like eyes are
Umbrafer (11:50:03 PM): (Eyes are? I didn't realize that.)
Thematrian1 (11:50:19 PM): (So you told me once, when I was complaining about having spent all my eyespace on the cameras)
circlmastr (11:51:34 PM): I find that hard to believe.
Umbrafer (11:52:14 PM): (I did?)
Umbrafer (11:52:27 PM): (I guess I'd better check on that.)
Umbrafer (11:53:14 PM): Here we go, the quick-replacement modification (which is implicitly only for partial cyberlimbs, but one can extrapolate) is a +10% cost and 1 ECU. Not horrible, though it was more horrible under the old costs.
Thematrian1 (11:53:33 PM): I'm fine with that as-is.
Umbrafer (11:54:22 PM): Cyberforearm for ¥40,000? You could get an entire cloned limb and a down payment on another for that.
Thematrian1 (11:54:52 PM): no, the part where you pay +10% for quick replacement
Umbrafer (11:54:57 PM): Yeah, I know
Umbrafer (11:55:10 PM): I just had to comment on how crazy the old costs were
Thematrian1 (11:55:12 PM): we're agreed that cyberlimb prices are bogus...oh
circlmastr (11:55:13 PM): And of course, the only way to make cloned limbs not dirt-cheap is to use the M&M surgery costs, but that applies triple or so to cyberlimbs, so you're triply fucked.
Thematrian1 (11:55:36 PM): M&M surgery is just busted. I think "death by fire" is the right fix there.
Umbrafer (11:55:41 PM): We go the route of making cyberlimbs even cheaper.
circlmastr (11:56:05 PM): I once made a street doc character in an attempt to capitalize on the insane cost of surgery. Sadly, no one would run a game for him. :(
Umbrafer (11:56:13 PM): M&M surgery isn't so bad, if by "bad" you mean "out of line with what might be reasonable". If you consider "kills off cyberware in a cyberpunk game" bad, then I guess it is.
Thematrian1 (11:56:18 PM): heh, you should have used him in Bug City
Thematrian1 (11:56:28 PM): it's that second one I object to
Thematrian1 (11:56:41 PM): also, Reduced Essence Cost...I have no words. What was the intent there?
Thematrian1 (11:57:04 PM): Not that Todd isn't fun, but everyone loves the street doc
Umbrafer (11:57:47 PM): Note to self: do not write rules for SR3R while smoking crack, especially not those relating to core concepts of cyberpunk.
circlmastr (11:58:04 PM): I can't really think of a good way to justify the doc being stranded in Chi-town with a clinic on him.
Thematrian1 (11:58:18 PM): Easy, he lives at his clinic in Chicago. Then the bugs come.
circlmastr (11:58:57 PM): So that would make him... the mysterious salesman in the middle of the dungeon where the party resupply and then depart again?
Thematrian1 (11:59:15 PM): yeah, avoid heroin too
Umbrafer (11:59:27 PM): So the latest Gantz chapter tells us.
Umbrafer (11:59:31 PM): LSD as well.
circlmastr (12:00:11 AM): Gantz?
circlmastr (12:00:25 AM): ( http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ffn/index.php )
Umbrafer (12:01:36 AM): (Manga (and anime, as it happens, but the manga's better). People who die get sent on weird missions to kill things and then usually die again. A number of characters decided to get high at the start of a mission and mostly ended up
Umbrafer (12:01:40 AM): (getting pasted)
circlmastr (12:03:07 AM): Fun
circlmastr (12:03:14 AM): *makes a drug-using character*
Umbrafer (12:03:28 AM): You might want to wait until we get around to fixing the drug rules for that
Umbrafer (12:03:36 AM): At least, unless you want a free Borrowed Time flaw.
Thematrian1 (12:06:33 AM): ok, bed now. See you guys later
Thematrian1 has left the chat room.

Umbrafer (12:06:59 AM): Sleep well.
Chat room exited at 3/16/2007 12:07:00 AM.