Evening Council (Jack, Tues. 4/3/07) [Archive]

Detritus

07-29-2009, 10:48 PM

Your evening begins in earnest as those attending Crusher's audience with Rebekka convene in the same bedroom where you recovered from the wounds the Assamite gave you in your first confrontation with her. Sarah and Muaziz are there with you before anyone else arrives. Rebekka tells you all that Jocelin's misfortune and the recovery mission are not yet common knowledge, and that it would be best to keep things that way until after Crusher has left the room.

A few minutes later Dee Dee walks into the room, holding a goblet which she gives to Rebekka. The Sheriff leans over, her countenance grim, to whisper some words in the Prince's ear, prompting a flicker of an eyebrow before Rebekka can smooth her face again. Then the members of Mr. Johnson's brood precede Crusher's entry into the room. Thomas and Merill are with them, and enter after Crusher and the Toreador, as do Camille and Sabine.

"This must be brief. We will do this tonight, and then once more tomorrow night," says Rebekka, handing the goblet to Crusher. He looks at it for a moment, then resigns himself to swallow its contents.

"Tonight you may hunt with other members of your clan," says the Prince. Uma, Yuri, and Antoinette enter the room, followed by Anneke, who smiles too sweetly at Crusher. She has replaced the sunglasses her sire borrowed from her last night.

"Chaperones," Crusher says dully. "How long will they be coming along?"

"Only long enough to ensure that you won't choke while you feed," Anneke says, a feral grin appearing on her lips. Rebekka makes a suppressive motion in Anneke's direction, but her voice is even harder when she speaks, and mirthless.

"We assure you, if you find this halter unsatisfactory, you will find the next one we fashion even less accommodating." The Prince holds out her hand without taking her eyes from Crusher, and suddenly a stake nearly the length of her forearm appears in her hand. She shifts it until she holds it near the point, and hands the other end to Anneke, who pockets it inside her jacket with an insolent grin.

"You may leave us."

After the Prince speaks, Anneke moves to the door, and opens it, waving her arm to signal for the Brujah to exit. Crusher purses his lips for a moment, then shrugs his shoulders and turns to leave. The other Brujah follow, and Anneke puckers her lips at Uma when she exits, prompting the Brujah to mutter "Goddammit" as she leaves the room.

Rebekka's lips compress briefly after Anneke shuts the door behind her, and then she says, "I need to update the Justicar on what Dee Dee has found. I shall return shortly." The Prince signals for Sarah to follow her and Dee Dee. Muaziz shakes her head once they've left.

"You disagree with the Prince's judgment in this matter?" asks Camille.

"He has to be a plant," replies Muaziz. "I don't know what Rebekka is playing at."

"He claims to be an agent of Don Cruez. Gwynnis seemed to take him at his word for that," says Ramiel.

"Yes, and I suspect that Rebekka follows a course set by the Justicar in this matter," Camille adds.

"Justicars are not infallible," replies Muaziz, with a somewhat queer look for Jack. Camille squints fractionally at the Tremere archon for an instant, then shifts her gaze to you as well.

"You've spent as much time in the field with Crusher as anyone here, Jack," says Camille, "perhaps more than anyone present. What do you think of the man, and our Dear Leader's judgment?"

SD Anderson

07-30-2009, 01:23 AM

I think he's a very dangerous man. I don't think he's a plant. Terrible waste of his usefulness to play him that way. Like using a Clydesdale to haul trash."

"But, what makes you question Grammama's decision?"

Detritus

07-30-2009, 06:17 AM

"Whoever gave the order, Prince or Justicar," Muaziz says, emphasizing Gwynnis's title, "they're committing an awful lot of resources for what? A crash rehabilitation? Forcible transfer of an archon's Regnant? Even casting the motive in the best possible light, it's a great deal of effort for a chancy payoff. Two Justicars and agents of at least two more, and maybe three, have come to the city in the past week. New Orleans is a powder keg, yet one of those Archons and three of the city's Brujah are acting as glorified babysitters."

"This would be the last night of direct supervision, based on the Prince's words," says Merill. "His entourage has already diminished significantly between last night and tonight. No doubt Jack's assessment of Crusher's capabilities is reasonable. The potential payoff balances the risk, I would say."

"I'm inclined to agree," says Camille. "He can be put down tomorrow, if it comes to that, but my guess is it won't. Careless and unlucky he might have been, but not duplicitous. I'm not entirely sure he has the wits for it, to be perfectly honest." A grimace of distaste crosses Camille's features.

"He seemed sly enough last night," Thomas says, eyes twinkling. Camille puckers her mouth like she has just bitten into a lemon, and Thomas bursts out laughing. His mirth is cut short when Dee Dee storms into the room. Her eyes narrow when she looks at Thomas, and then she makes a visible effort to rein in her temper.

"We're going to be hitting the ground running when the Prince returns. There's a lot to talk about." Dee Dee's statement brings a halt to the conversation until Rebekka returns around a minute later.

"Will you report what you have found, Sheriff?"

"There are Garou in the city. They're in league with Samantha in some way."

"How many?" asks Muaziz.

"Four that I saw, but I have to believe there are others."

"And they're only showing up now?" asks Radeyah. "Why now?"

"If we're lucky, it's because the partnership just formed," replies Dee Dee, "but it's pretty dicey to rely on luck."

"Their presence complicates matters regardless of the reason behind their appearance. But we can make some guesses. As soon as Sarah returns, take her, Merill, and Thomas with you, and raise a ward versus Garou in the prisoner's room," Rebekka tells Muaziz. Sarah appears as soon as Rebekka finishes speaking.

"And what about the parlor?" asks Muaziz.

"The Councilor will understand what needs to be done to protect those inside the dome there. You can check for yourself if it will set your mind at ease." Muaziz raises her hands as if to say "no offense" and leads the others assigned to warding the Assamite's room out of the meeting.

"Do either of you have any contacts amongst the Garou?" Rebekka asks you and Camille.

"I don't, but Roman might. I'll give him a call right now." Camille steps outside the room to make her call.

"And you, Jack?"

((Answer whatever seems appropriate for Jack's background, although Jack being BFFs with any werewolves probably ain't gonna fly...))

SD Anderson

07-30-2009, 06:28 AM

Jack shakes his head. "Kindred who can become wolves have been known to pass among the Garou. Not exactly a lot of were Gorillas out this way."

Detritus

07-30-2009, 09:36 PM

"We'll just have to see what Camille can turn up, then," says Rebekka.

"How long are we going to be keeping an eye on Crusher, Sire?" asks Muaziz.

"I will make that decision later tonight. It would be advantageous to have someone of his capability to help with the incursion of Garou that we face. But, if he seems unreliable, we will have to deal with him another way." Muaziz nods, apparently satisfied with Rebekka's answer.

"How are we dealing with the Garou?" asks Dee Dee.

"I don't think we have all the information yet," replies Rebekka. "Remote watching might be best for now, unless Camille turns up something useful amongst her clanmates that would facilitate some kind of personal reconnaissance."

"The prisoner might know something," says Dee Dee. "We should start the interrogations soon."

"We need to organize our manpower," says Rebekka. She turns to Jack. "You have some claim both on the prisoner and those who remain at large. Would you prefer to be part of the interrogation, or the surveillance?"

SD Anderson

07-31-2009, 02:14 AM

"Any idea on what sort of Garou we're dealing with here?"

Detritus

07-31-2009, 06:11 AM

"Any idea on what sort of Garou we're dealing with here?"
"Not much beyond that they are unusual, if they have seen fit to ally themselves with Kindred of any stripe," replies Rebekka. A little smile appears on her lips. "That was the reason we asked without offering any information of our own, because we have so little."

SD Anderson

07-31-2009, 09:25 PM

"No names, let alone police records etc. I suppose." Jack ask.

"The sort of garou who'd work with the Sabbat tend to be debt payers. They have some obligation to fulfill and have to work with those licks. Might be that the Sabbat did something nice for them though that runs contrary to the way the Sabbat operates. They get their kicks out of eschewing humanity."

"Might be extortion though what would get a pack of werewolves to come to a city under the orders of vampires is beyond me."

"Or it might just be they lost a bet. There are garou who are just as messed up as Malks and they may just be honoring the bet they made."

"That last one has some possibilities. Just have to come up with a bet they can't resist or win. They leave if they lose."

Detritus

08-01-2009, 05:34 AM

"Is this all speculation? Secondhand information, perhaps?" asks Rebekka.

"We've got to start the profile somehow," says Dee Dee. "The Sabbat are outcasts, though no doubt they don't see themselves in that light. Maybe their Garou partners are outcasts from werewolf society."

"Can you get close enough to find out more?" Rebekka asks, and though her gaze starts upon Dee Dee, it shifts around the room as she poses her question.

SD Anderson

08-01-2009, 11:23 PM

Detritus

08-02-2009, 06:25 AM

"Garou don't think like we do. i've got a touch of a beastial mind. As i understand it, they have five minds onlyone of which is truly human. Let's hope our prisoner knows the sort of offer Drake made to them."
"I don't understand," says Dee Dee. "Anneke's never mentioned anything about a loss of mental faculties while in wolf form, at least not to me."

"There is the Gangrel Atavism, the regression towards the bestial state," says Rebekka. "That occurs only after Frenzy. It is unclear whether the same happens to the Garou after they Frenzy, though it is for certain that they do have episodes similar to the Kindred in that regard. I suspect that they retain their current mental faculties regardless of their form when not in Frenzy, however."

The Prince pauses for a moment. "Then you have decided to be part of the interrogation, Jack?"

SD Anderson

08-02-2009, 12:09 PM

"There is a beast within all of us. Gangrel Beasts tend to be more animal. And the pull is a bit stronger when you actually are in animal form. But then we are trained to resist the Beast. Garou embrace theirs, but I don't think they can truly become one with it."

"Legend is that Gangrel lineage traces back to Lillith, who is mother to all Garou, and she infused the spirits of animals into our souls."

"In each of their forms, the call of that animal spirit differs as it gets closer to the body it is most comfortable with, so each body has a somewhat different mind."

Detritus

08-02-2009, 08:39 PM

"Maybe we'll learn more about these particular Garou by watching them," says Dee Dee, "although there is a limit to what we can learn remotely. We'll have to get closer to them at some point, I say. I should go back to the watch. I'll be in the hallway." The Sheriff moves to excuse herself and leave when Camille returns.

"Roman will be here shortly," she says.

"Will you conduct your watch from inside the room?" Rebekka asks of Dee Dee, who stops just short of the door and then turns around to face the room again. "While we are waiting for Roman, we can talk about Al." Dee Dee's eyes had shut for a few seconds, and then they pop open briefly after the Prince mentions Al's name before closing again.

"His condition is critical but stable as of about a half hour ago. The police have taken statements from certain hospital staff members present at the attack in the hospital. I'm sure they've got something on the events of the shooting, too, but Al hasn't been coherent enough to give his own statement."

"I am still unclear as to why he ever made it to the hospital in the first place," says the Prince. "Surely you must have realized that a grenade explosion would have initiated an investigation that can hit much too close to home." The Sheriff's face darkens as Rebekka speaks, but Dee Dee doesn't open her eyes until she replies.

"I would have given him the Embrace on the spot, Majesty, but Walsh's archon seemed to have a different view of the situation. He seemed to feel that you might have had an objection to my intended course of action."

"You must have known that I would not have had one."

"Yes, I did, but it was unclear how public opinion would fall on the matter at the time." The Sheriff's dark gaze falls on Jack after this statement.

"You are still an archon, and the others present were not."

"I wasn't going to throw down against half a dozen people on our side!" Rebekka arches an eyebrow at the vehemence of Dee Dee's last answer, but lets it pass without comment.

"And what do you think of the decision to allow Al to be admitted for hospital care, Jack?" the Prince asks you.

SD Anderson

08-03-2009, 03:38 AM

Detritus

08-03-2009, 11:28 PM

"Personally i'd have gotten him a private hotel room, private doctor and staff and whatever equipment necessary just because questions had to be asked in a hospital. Embracing him could probably be postponed to the point where Al could have at least been asked. Some people really resent being killed in order to save their lives."
"Right, what could have possibly gone wrong with that?" Dee Dee says, rolling her eyes. "He was bleeding out. Bringing the ER and the OR to him while he's in a hotel fast enough to make a difference would have been pretty risky, even if you bypass the check-in."

SD Anderson

08-04-2009, 12:24 AM

Detritus

08-05-2009, 06:28 AM

"Point." Jack says.

"There are industrial and/or sports medical clinics usually found in industrial parts of towns. This Principality should see about getting one or more of them on the payroll. A place with the proper facilities for emeergencies in the back room, a staff that doesn't ask questions and ah special treatment facilities for our particular needs."

"Added benefit: the place may well be made more defensible than your typical public hospital. As long as we take our wounded to places like a hospital, scumfucks like the Sabbat have a distinct advantage over us."
"We'll keep it mind," says Rebekka. Dee Dee's eyes snap shut.

"They're moving," she says. Everyone watches the Sheriff as she continues her closed-eyes concentration. "Looks like they're headed east, even further away from the city. I'm going into the hallway to watch. We need to decide soon if we're going to pursue, and if so, who goes."

"We need to learn more about the Garou, if possible," replies Rebekka. Dee Dee acknowledges the statement with a single nod and then leaves the room. The Toreador and Camille discuss likely venues for hosting the upcoming Conclave while you wait for Roman to arrive. He appears about 10 minutes after Dee Dee let herself out.

"You wished to see me," he says, adding a belated, "my Prince," after a flicker of an eyelid from Rebekka. Camille seems to be intently studying the carpet.

"We have reliable reports that there are Garou in the city, and that they are allied with the Sabbat. Anything you can tell us about the Garou and their society would be helpful, but anything in particular about what sort of Garou might place themselves in league with the Sabbat would be especially informative."

"I am unsure that a humble Gangrel that prefers the Barrens to the city can take up where Tremere lore fails." Camille's scandalized tutting turns into a gasp as Rebekka rushes by her in a blur. In one instant Roman is standing on the floor, and the next finds him pinned to the wall, feet a good 18 inches off the ground, held in place by the Prince's grasp around his throat.

"I have been told," the Prince says, her voice silk wrapped around steel, "that Gangrel are closer to their Beasts than other Kindred, but presently I have neither the time nor the inclination to engage in petty dominance games. You will tell me what I need to know because I am your Prince, and your information may prove vital to the defense of the city."

Roman struggles against Rebekka's grip, and she responds by tightening her grasp. Her hand glows a dull orange and Roman screams, a strangled cry that makes everyone in the room wince, but she continues speaking in the same level voice.

"I will have it from your lips, or the last thing you will remember is the sensation of my ripping what I need to know from your mind before I scatter the ashes of your shriveled corpse to the four winds. You may test my resolve on this matter at your leisure. I assure you, the vaunted Gangrel hardiness that they no doubt learn in the Barrens is no match for the arcane might that is the foundation of Tremere lore." A second orange glow punctuates the statement, and a second scream from Roman, before the Prince drops him to the floor.

Rebekka resumes her place in the room as Roman struggles to his feet. Livid burns on his neck are obvious to all who look at him.

"I begin to see why my predecessor limited his contact with those from outside his clan. I leave the manner of the telling to you," the Prince says to Roman, "but I will know."

((This post will be a two-parter, the conclusion to come some time later today, most likely.))

Detritus

08-05-2009, 07:54 PM

Camille's eyes are now closed, and Kallista reaches a hand up to her neck and begins rubbing. Ramiel and Radeyah both surreptitiously edge away from Rebekka, neither looking at Roman at all as they move. Dee Dee's head pops back into the room. She surveys the scene before her, and then speaks to Roman.

"You sassed the Prince, didn't you? Don't do that, not now, else she might really lose her temper. I don't think I can control her when she flies off the handle." She smirks after finishing this statement. Rebekka's lips compress but her look instructs the Sheriff to proceed.

"Maybe you should give your report to me," she says, and she reaches out to lay a steadying hand on one of Roman's shoulders.

"I don't think I know all that much more than anyone else here," Roman begins, still a trifle unsteady. "Garou society has a tribal structure, and the tribes are somewhat similar to our clans. There are two clans I can think of that might have some analog to our Caitiff and Sabbat. The Bone Gnawers spend time in cities, much more than most other tribes, and are a clan of misfits, but they are still accepted, although sometimes grudgingly, within Garou society."

He pauses and gives the Prince a quick look, but the expression on Rebekka's face doesn't alter in the slightest.

"Then there are the Black Spiral Dancers. Where the other Garou revere nature, even the Bone Gnawers, in their own way, other Garou term the Black Spiral Dancers as agents of the Wyrm. We as Kindred fall into this category as well, in the eyes of the Garou. Their Wyrm is the agent of decay and destruction. I cannot see why they would think things so," and he eyes Rebekka darkly. The Prince makes no effort to hide the predatory smile that crosses her lips.

"So it is these Black Spiral Dancers that you suspect would ally themselves with the Sabbat?" Dee Dee asks. Roman nods in affirmation.

"Thank you, Roman," says Rebekka. "Questions? Impressions?"

SD Anderson

08-06-2009, 02:23 AM

"Assuming these guys are Spirals, it's about par for the course." Jack says "'Evil recognizes Evil'. of course the Sabbat would find and ally with werewolves who've fallen to the level of the Sabbat."

"Whatever Drake has offered to them is a price i doubt we could match. Buying them off doesn't seem an option."

"Roman. Do ou have any conacts at present among the Garou? I think they might have heard something about these guys, particularly if they are Spirals. See if you can find out anything from them about the new arrivals."

"Right now, I think we should assume the worst and they are Spiral Dancers. In which case we should do what we can to kill them before they can help Drake."

Detritus

08-07-2009, 08:29 AM

"Roman. Do ou have any conacts at present among the Garou? I think they might have heard something about these guys, particularly if they are Spirals. See if you can find out anything from them about the new arrivals."
"I know some people who know some people," Roman replies. "It might take more than one night before I can get in touch with someone who knows what's going on." Roman makes to draw breath to continue speaking when Dee Dee gasps.

"Two of them vanished," she says. "They just turned and then faded away." All eyes move to Roman.

"It is called stepping sideways," he says, a bit reluctantly. "It is how the Garou enter the Umbra, as they call it. What we would call the astral plane. Except, I think they enter physically."

"And they come out wherever they want?" asks Rebekka.

"Yes, I think so."

"The prisoner," says Rebekka, just as Dee Dee says, "The Justicar."

"Toreador with the Sheriff, everyone else with me," the Prince orders. The two groups head towards their respective charges.

When you reach the prisoner's room, the other Tremere are busy working on warding the room, but there is no sign of Garou. A minute or so later Dee Dee enters, and reports that all is quiet around the ward.

"The others are still around the ward downstairs," Dee Dee says. "I wonder what I just saw, if it wasn't a move on one of the targets here."

"It could be a recovery operation for the confederate of Miss Drake's that was lost in the astral plane," says Rebekka.

"Maybe," replies the Sheriff. "We're still left with what to do about them. We have to learn more."

"Agreed. But reconnaissance first, yes?," says the Prince. "We don't know the extent of the Garou forces arrayed against us yet."

"Reconnaissance first. Once Roman has made his inquiries, I'd like to bring him along." Rebekka looks to Camille, who looks to Roman, who shrugs his assent.

"And Muaziz, I think," Rebekka says. "What about you Jack, you have the same choice before you that was there earlier this evening. The field, or the interrogation room?"

SD Anderson

08-07-2009, 08:07 PM

Detritus

08-07-2009, 11:17 PM

"The field. The Garou can survive a lot of firepower and so can I. That might make a crucial difference in stopping them." Jack says.

"Just to be on the safe side, we should get some shotguns, shells and silverware to grind up into something close enough to shot to fit in the shells."
"Arm yourself as you see fit," says Rebekka, "but remember that this is a mission for gathering intelligence first. Extreme caution is indicated when it comes to the Garou. They are fearsome fighters, even by Gangrel standards."

Roman gives the Prince another wary look. "It is true. In their hybrid form, they stand half again as tall as a man of average height, and carry several times the mass. All of it muscle, so far as I know. And their speed is a match for any Brujah or Toreador. A match and more, in most cases."

When the other Tremere are finished with warding the room, Muaziz joins you, Roman, and Dee Dee to make preparations for an hot encounter with the Garou.

((If there are any particular skill checks you want to make here, e.g. Scrounging for silver, or NPC actions you want to initiate, go ahead and do them. Also, does Jack have any grenades left over from last night? They might come in handy in a pinch.))

SD Anderson

08-09-2009, 09:45 AM

"Arm yourself as you see fit," says Rebekka, "but remember that this is a mission for gathering intelligence first. Extreme caution is indicated when it comes to the Garou. They are fearsome fighters, even by Gangrel standards."

Roman gives the Prince another wary look. "It is true. In their hybrid form, they stand half again as tall as a man of average height, and carry several times the mass. All of it muscle, so far as I know. And their speed is a match for any Brujah or Toreador. A match and more, in most cases."

When the other Tremere are finished with warding the room, Muaziz joins you, Roman, and Dee Dee to make preparations for an hot encounter with the Garou.

((If there are any particular skill checks you want to make here, e.g. Scrounging for silver, or NPC actions you want to initiate, go ahead and do them. Also, does Jack have any grenades left over from last night? They might come in handy in a pinch.))

(ooc: I don't recall Jack actually using that many grenades, so yeah he should have some.)

What time is it now? Would it be practical to hit a few pawnshops to see if anyone hocked some silverware?

Detritus

08-09-2009, 04:05 PM

(ooc: I don't recall Jack actually using that many grenades, so yeah he should have some.)

What time is it now? Would it be practical to hit a few pawnshops to see if anyone hocked some silverware?
It's still early from the Kindred POV, around 930 pm, so pawn shops are definitely in play.

One of us needs to reconstruct how many grenades Jack has. Uma gave out two to everyone at Al's, as I recall, but I can't remember if Jack bought any more of his own. I want to say he did not, though.

SD Anderson

08-09-2009, 08:18 PM

It's still early from the Kindred POV, around 930 pm, so pawn shops are definitely in play.

One of us needs to reconstruct how many grenades Jack has. Uma gave out two to everyone at Al's, as I recall, but I can't remember if Jack bought any more of his own. I want to say he did not, though.

Then Jack has two. I think the only thing Jack spent money on was a replacement pistol.

We did establish that there is a 24 hour Walmart around...

SD Anderson

08-09-2009, 08:24 PM

Jack will hit a pawnshop or three and see about getting silverware and the Walmart for a metal cutting hack saw, a backpack, LOTS of (ideally STRONG) magnets and a couple of cases of insect fogger. The plan is to be able to fill the main two pouches of the pack with fogger, have room for the grenade minus pin/handle and be able to anchor it to something metallic, a makeshift incindiary demo pack.

And a replacement Go phone for the one that was mangled.

Detritus

08-10-2009, 06:22 AM

You can get one shotgun shell's worth of silver per $15. I'll say you can find enough silver for up to 50 shells if you wanted to buy up everything you find for $750. We'll call everything else you want from Wal-Mart another $250 so that it comes to an even grand if you opt to buy all the silver you find.

Muaziz will be able to render the silver you find into shot without need of any tools if she has shells filled with their normal shot to use as a model. It'll take you until midnight to buy everything, have the silver turned into shot, and have it loaded into its casings. You can save a little time if you have fewer shells to refill, but most of the time will be spent in the transformation ritual, so you'd probably only pick up something like 10-15 minutes.

SD Anderson

08-10-2009, 08:49 PM

SD Anderson

08-10-2009, 08:51 PM

Some shot gun shell data:

http://www.duckhuntingchat.com/shotgun-shell-sizing-chart.php

Detritus

08-10-2009, 09:04 PM

What happens to the shot pellets originally in the shells? If they aren't transformed I think they might go into the backpack for extra oomph. A few of the shotgun silver shells go in there as well. if jack has to use that pack on the werewoles he wants them taking agg damage ontop of the burning and norma frag stuff.
The regular shot remains. You can pack some shot of both types in there if you want.

How big is the backpack? Is it bookbag sized, something larger sized for hiking, or what?

SD Anderson

08-11-2009, 12:14 AM

The regular shot remains. You can pack some shot of both types in there if you want.

How big is the backpack? Is it bookbag sized, something larger sized for hiking, or what?

I'd say the size of the one I bring my game stuff in. Maybe 8 rpg books capacity plus pouches.

Just kind of curious though. From the site i cited, a shotgun holds about 1 and a fraction ounces (16 per pound variety) of shot, so every 12 shells or so takes a pound of silver. A basic silverware set comes in at arond five pounds or so, thus Jack should be getting sixty shots per set. He needs how many sets of silverware again?

Detritus

08-11-2009, 04:05 AM

Just kind of curious though. From the site i cited, a shotgun holds about 1 and a fraction ounces (16 per pound variety) of shot, so every 12 shells or so takes a pound of silver. A basic silverware set comes in at arond five pounds or so, thus Jack should be getting sixty shots per set. He needs how many sets of silverware again?
You can't just walk into Wal-Mart and buy silverware made out of sterling silver. Silverware for everyday use is made out of stainless steel, and that doesn't do anything special against werewolves. Sterling silver utensils come in 5-piece settings for somewhere around $100 a pop. They only weigh around half a pound (and more massive pieces are correspondingly more expensive), if that much, *and* sterling silver isn't pure silver, it's like 2 parts copper to 25 parts silver. Silver as a commodity is selling for something like $160 per pound in 2007, and you have to go to someone who trades in precious metals to get the pure stuff (fine silver), and that's what you need for silver ammo to work.

The pricing in Compendium 2 (pg. 21 sidebar) for silver ammo is 50x the regular cost. I'm taking a shotgun as a "non-military rifle," and that sets its ammo at $30/100 rounds. That's mid-1990's pricing. I think you'll find that shotgun ammo was closer to $40/100 rounds in 2007; that's what it is now, at least. 50 silver rounds comes out to $750 this way, and I think the effects of inflation and impurities that I'm sweeping under the rug here balance the slightly above-market cost for fine silver, not to mention that I'm having the Tremere purify and cast it into pure silver rounds essentially instantaneously.

However, I'll make you this offer. I'll roll against a Merchant skill of 15 (pawn shop owners are pretty good at this) and you can roll against any social skill you'd like to try to talk down the price. Every point you win by will knock 10% off the price, BUT, if you lose, the price goes up by 10% per point you lose by. A 50% change either way will be the max. effect. We can even RP it if you like, I think we'll have the time to indulge ourselves while Hux and Kal are busy this week.

Another alternative -- Take the offered price and file an expense report with Rebekka. As you may recall, she rented a stretch limo to go from Houston to New Orleans on the spur of the moment without batting so much as an eyelash. If your efforts significantly reduce the Garou threat to New Orleans, I have no doubt that she'll cheerfully reimburse you for your expenses.

Or come up with something else, and I'll consider that, too, but the silverware from Wal-Mart gambit won't fly.

SD Anderson

08-11-2009, 04:21 AM

You can't just walk into Wal-Mart and buy silverware made out of sterling silver. Silverware for everyday use is made out of stainless steel, and that doesn't do anything special against werewolves. Sterling silver utensils come in 5-piece settings for somewhere around $100 a pop. They only weigh around half a pound (and more massive pieces are correspondingly more expensive), if that much, *and* sterling silver isn't pure silver, it's like 2 parts copper to 25 parts silver. Silver as a commodity is selling for something like $160 per pound in 2007, and you have to go to someone who trades in precious metals to get the pure stuff (fine silver), and that's what you need for silver ammo to work.

The pricing in Compendium 2 (pg. 21 sidebar) for silver ammo is 50x the regular cost. I'm taking a shotgun as a "non-military rifle," and that sets its ammo at $30/100 rounds. That's mid-1990's pricing. I think you'll find that shotgun ammo was closer to $40/100 rounds in 2007; that's what it is now, at least. 50 silver rounds comes out to $750 this way, and I think the effects of inflation and impurities that I'm sweeping under the rug here balance the slightly above-market cost for fine silver, not to mention that I'm having the Tremere purify and cast it into pure silver rounds essentially instantaneously.

However, I'll make you this offer. I'll roll against a Merchant skill of 15 (pawn shop owners are pretty good at this) and you can roll against any social skill you'd like to try to talk down the price. Every point you win by will knock 10% off the price, BUT, if you lose, the price goes up by 10% per point you lose by. A 50% change either way will be the max. effect. We can even RP it if you like, I think we'll have the time to indulge ourselves while Hux and Kal are busy this week.

Another alternative -- Take the offered price and file an expense report with Rebekka. As you may recall, she rented a stretch limo to go from Houston to New Orleans on the spur of the moment without batting so much as an eyelash. If your efforts significantly reduce the Garou threat to New Orleans, I have no doubt that she'll cheerfully reimburse you for your expenses.

Or come up with something else, and I'll consider that, too, but the silverware from Wal-Mart gambit won't fly.

True but then Jack didn't go to Walmart to get the silverware. Pawnshops, where older and possibly real siver might be found. You'd get necklaces and stuff from Walmart's jewelry department and that is a purity hit or miss.

Detritus

08-11-2009, 04:26 AM

True but then Jack didn't go to Walmart to get the silverware. Pawnshops, where older and possibly real siver might be found. You'd get necklaces and stuff from Walmart's jewelry department and that is a purity hit or miss.
Yes, and what I ruled is that it took $750 worth of pawned silver items to get the metal needed to make 50 silver shotgun rounds.

SD Anderson

08-12-2009, 10:17 AM

My subconscious kicked me out of a nice cozy bed at too early an hour.

up till now I personally was reacting to the sticker shock of that price tag. Maybe, like Jack, I'm miserly. So let's go from speaking ooc to IC: Jack is afflicted with the miserly disadvantage. Unless you're still using that list of rolled numbers, I'm waiting to be told to make a roll.

But that's reason #2 to say that cannot have occured.

1) Jack's stated action was to buy one silverware set. This is based on his belief that the silver in the silverware was adequate for his needs. Given that (mis)understanding of his the number of silverware sets purchased is one.

It's entirely possible that the offer to ritually turn the silverware into shotgun pellets included information that silverware had inadequate amounts of silver.

In which case he's aware that silverware isn't as rich in silver as he thought.

Given that the number of silverware sets to be bought is... ZERO. Other sources have to be looked at.

But okay, for whatever reason, he has to buy sivlerware sets and doesn't have miserliness kick in to stop it. Now we go to reason #3:

jack has Struggling wealth.

Does he actually have the money to make that purchase?

Detritus

08-12-2009, 05:36 PM

You can get one shotgun shell's worth of silver per $15. I'll say you can find enough silver for up to 50 shells if you wanted to buy up everything you find for $750. We'll call everything else you want from Wal-Mart another $250 so that it comes to an even grand if you opt to buy all the silver you find.
Jack is certainly not required to buy up everything he finds.

If he buys one 5-piece setting of sterling silver silverware, it'll cost $75, no bargaining required, and be enough for 5 shotgun shells. If you want to try to knock down the price, I'll offer the same roll as I proposed before (Jack's social skill vs. Merchant 15), except it'll be $5 off for every point of success, and the price won't go up unless you critically fail your roll, in which case you'll have talked up the price to $100. You can decide which option.

To keep things at round numbers, the other stuff from Wal-Mart will be $225, for a total bill of $300.

SD Anderson

08-12-2009, 07:18 PM

Detritus

08-12-2009, 07:54 PM

$300 is low enough IMHO to not require a miserliness roll. Which probably will save a good deal of grief. :)

of course five shells have to go into the shotgun though any residual stainless steel can go to the backpack for extra shrapnel.
There will be some extra copper left over after the silverware is broken down that can go into the backpack.

Since the volume of silver to be packed back into shells is significantly decreased, you can shave off half an hour for completing preparations, although the purification ritual itself does not go any faster. You'd be ready to go at 1130 PM. Roman leaves while you and Muaziz work, and Dee Dee continues to watch Samantha et al until you're ready to go.

Is there anything else you want to do before playing dog catcher?

SD Anderson

08-15-2009, 02:30 AM

There will be some extra copper left over after the silverware is broken down that can go into the backpack.

Since the volume of silver to be packed back into shells is significantly decreased, you can shave off half an hour for completing preparations, although the purification ritual itself does not go any faster. You'd be ready to go at 1130 PM. Roman leaves while you and Muaziz work, and Dee Dee continues to watch Samantha et al until you're ready to go.

Is there anything else you want to do before playing dog catcher?

Yeah. Mess with the doggy sense of smell. Go back to Walmart and it's automotive section and get an aerosol can of carbuerator cleaner. Carbon Tet does some serious wonders when inhaled. ;) And beats bleach by a country mile should anti-forensic measures be required. ;)