OOC discussion thread

[Detritus]

I'll follow carm's lead and post an OOC discussion thread for the players and any others who are observing the game.

[Kalzazz]

WHats a Chantry?

[Detritus]

WHats a Chantry?
It's where most/all of the Tremere in a city live, and where they hold many of their rituals.

[Detritus]

OK, I'm still working out timing issues in turns of when the GM speaks and when the PCs do. Going forward, I may lock the active scene from time to time if I want to say something before any of the PCs respond. I think the opening scene is turning out pretty well, though. The next scene will be more free-form and less dominated by GM exposition...

[Kalzazz]

Ah, as you have now closed the Intro thread

[Detritus]

Ah, as you have now closed the Intro thread
Yes, and as I have now re-opened it. :)

[Kalzazz]

Btw, how do Princes and Justicars rank comparatively?

Also, is there a special form of address for Justicars?

[Detritus]

Btw, how do Princes and Justicars rank comparatively?

Also, is there a special form of address for Justicars?
Justicar > Prince. You can address a Justicar with that title, or Elder.

Each clan has one Justicar, and they are basically responsible for worldwide enforcement of the Traditions. They also have virtual immunity to punishment for fallout of their actions over the globe. Princes have this responsibility and immunity only in their own domain, which is usually a single medium- to large-sized city, with the possibility of a few satellite cities.

Praxis Dallas encompasses Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, and Waco. Houston starts out with San Antonio in its fold, and used to have Austin. It's possible there could be some friction because of that on the visit to Houston which is coming up...

[Kalzazz]

Sigh. The prince is supplying us with a vehicle. Jocelin doesnt get to use her cool car

On a positive note she probably have to buy gas for it

[Detritus]

Sigh. The prince is supplying us with a vehicle. Jocelin doesnt get to use her cool car

On a positive note she probably have to buy gas for it
Stand by.

[Detritus]

It's not clear to me whose household "Mr. Peepers" belongs to. Help?

[Detritus]

A note on timing -- I'll do my best to introduce new scenes at sunset or shortly thereafter. Feel free to post whenever you get the chance, but I'll try to at least start scenes while the sun is down.

Also, you should think of the name of your Sire, if you haven't already done so. Just a friendly heads up. ;)

[SD Anderson]

So, we're left with Menachem as the driver of the van? Still time to go with one vehicle...

If we still have time, I'd prefer a ghoul or two to drive us during the day. We'll get to Nawlins faster that way.

[Detritus]

If we still have time, I'd prefer a ghoul or two to drive us during the day. We'll get to Nawlins faster that way.
I realize now that I neglected to give the info on ghouls in my scans. There might still be time for a re-write of characters, but I need to figure out how much they cost as allies. Keep an eye peeled on the templates thread.

One question is whether this'll work with two vehicles, if you're still taking two, that is.

Another thing, try not to circumvent too many plot points, please. ;)

[Detritus]

Another possibility is to press a couple of members of Menachem's herd into service, although I don't know if that would be keeping in character with Menachem's protectiveness towards them.

[SD Anderson]

A one shot use of the ghouls as drivers wouldn't really make them allies. We technically are getting some sort of reward/compensation for our services, though nothing is explicitly stated, we could count the use of two vampire friendl chauffers as a job related emplyer paid expense.

[Detritus]

A one shot use of the ghouls as drivers wouldn't really make them allies. We technically are getting some sort of reward/compensation for our services, though nothing is explicitly stated, we could count the use of two vampire friendl chauffers as a job related emplyer paid expense.
Having run the module yourself, SD, you can appreciate why I am extremely reluctant to grant this request, no? Did you give your PCs Ghoul drivers when you ran the adventure?

=================

EDIT -- Upon further reflection, I can juggle some things around.

In character, the only possible snag is whether Jocelin would allow a tame yet strange Ghoul drive her car. If not, everyone should go together in the van, which will be chauffeured by one of Arcadian's Ghouls. If so, Ghoul chauffeurs during the day for both the van and the Caddy.

[Kalzazz]

Jocelin would prefer not to let some unknown ghoul drive her pretty car. Actually, she'd only let Leo drive it unless there was some very compelling reason to let someone else

[Detritus]

Jocelin would prefer not to let some unknown ghoul drive her pretty car. Actually, she'd only let Leo drive it unless there was some very compelling reason to let someone else
OK, at this point, I would recommend hashing it out in-character in the Houston thread. ;)

[Detritus]

BTW, if at any point it looks like the GM is egging on the crazy Brujah chick during the discussion about the rides, that would be entirely coincidental. ;)

[Kalzazz]

Clever people, taking blood with them. I didnt know VtM Vampires could drink non fresh blood

Oops

[Detritus]

Clever people, taking blood with them. I didnt know VtM Vampires could drink non fresh blood

Oops
They can indeed. The experience leaves something to be desired to the discerning Cainite palate, however.

[SD Anderson]

Having run the module yourself, SD, you can appreciate why I am extremely reluctant to grant this request, no? Did you give your PCs Ghoul drivers when you ran the adventure?

=================

EDIT -- Upon further reflection, I can juggle some things around.

In character, the only possible snag is whether Jocelin would allow a tame yet strange Ghoul drive her car. If not, everyone should go together in the van, which will be chauffeured by one of Arcadian's Ghouls. If so, Ghoul chauffeurs during the day for both the van and the Caddy.


My players didn't ask for them. The Brujah with the mototcycle wouldn't have taken a car in any case. And the Brujah with the Motorcycle is the main reason I am making sure we have sun block on the road. :D

However, if all they were getting was chauffer service and the ghouls drove on for some other job the Prince or Justicar had for them, I'd give it to them.

[SD Anderson]

Clever people, taking blood with them. I didnt know VtM Vampires could drink non fresh blood

Oops

It helped that in the first V:tM game I ever played in bottled blood was priovided to the PCs to let us max out our Blood Pt pools.

However, think of what Jack brought along as a two dose healing potion if you prefer...

[Detritus]

My players didn't ask for them. The Brujah with the mototcycle wouldn't have taken a car in any case. And the Brujah with the Motorcycle is the main reason I am making sure we have sun block on the road. :D

However, if all they were getting was chauffer service and the ghouls drove on for some other job the Prince or Justicar had for them, I'd give it to them.
Well, I'm calling an audible for how the adventure will unfold. I thought of another plot element that ultimately stems from Jack's requests to travel to France/interview Delbert's acquaintances. You'll be getting some ghouls at some point tonight, just not from Arcadian. ;)

[Kalzazz]

Ah! All is revealed

[Detritus]

Ah! All is revealed
Or is it?? :satanlook:

[Kalzazz]

Well, about the blood issue yes

Though curses upon the houses of both you and SD for discussing this game. Im having to make Will saves to avoid looking at my GURPS VtM book

Particularly when ill fates befalling Brujah's with motorcycles are mentioned and Jocelin is a Brujah with a convertible

[SD Anderson]

Well, about the blood issue yes

Though curses upon the houses of both you and SD for discussing this game. Im having to make Will saves to avoid looking at my GURPS VtM book

Particularly when ill fates befalling Brujah's with motorcycles are mentioned and Jocelin is a Brujah with a convertible

Motorcycles do not come with trunks that are sunproof and big enough to hold vampires. The player had no idea of how long a trip was involved and didn't exactly leave at sunset. Lot of big open country out that way...

[Parzival]

Where is everybody sitting in the van?

Merril is driving.
Menachem is all the way in the back corner.

Jocelin and Jack are in the other car.

(Yeah, I did a little OOC about the van. I figured it was better than letting my character be suprised by the convertable and freaking. A convertable that's older than my character across large expanses of open country? It wouldn't have sit well. It's a bit too early in the game for impassioned "you'll kill us all!" rants.)

[Detritus]

Where is everybody sitting in the van?

Merril is driving.
Menachem is all the way in the back corner.
Leo is in the back back seat with you. Thomas moved up to the shotgun position after his little verbal riposte. There is an empty row of seats between the PCs in the van, and the Tremere.

[Kalzazz]

Note, if for some reason I dont post when it seems pretty sure I should be posting, anyone can PM me. If I still dont for a couple hours or so then people can autopilot Jocelin as long as they at least try to make her act in character

[Kalzazz]

What is the range to these shotgun wielding goofballs?

[Detritus]

What is the range to these shotgun wielding goofballs?
Most of them are probably 10-15 yards away, as are the submachine gunners. The speaker is a couple of steps closer to everyone on the road.

[Kalzazz]

Curses. Sneaky people. Thats a very unhealthy range

[Detritus]

They're very sly. ;)

[Parzival]

And quick to react. :D Almost like it's essential to the adventure that we get caught and stay caught.

On a more serious note, do I have any idea who the hell Lucian is?

[Detritus]

And quick to react. :D
Oddly enough, no one has checked to see whether there are any vampires amongst the group, yet. Y'know, ones who might have Celerity. ;)

On a more serious note, do I have any idea who the hell Lucian is?
Not really, no.

[Kalzazz]

Im certain we could easily escape if we really wanted to

But that would muss the pretty finish of our cars, and require visiting AutoZone

So, might as well chat with the nice folks

And it is really an honor they thought us worthy of flamethrowers!

Oh, and are Tremere practicioners of the New Math? 6 of us, 20 of them, thats over 3 to 1, not nearly 2 to 1

[Detritus]

Oh, and are Tremere practicioners of the New Math? 6 of us, 20 of them, thats over 3 to 1, not nearly 2 to 1
Depends on what Merill meant by "they" in his assessment.

[Kalzazz]

Sigh. So I dont get to make fun of Tremere New Math

[Detritus]

Sigh. So I dont get to make fun of Tremere New Math
Well, you can, just don't be surprised if one of them supplies another snotty answer if you do. :D

[Kalzazz]

Is Jocelin close enough to talk to them and hear the Tremere New Math?

[Detritus]

Is Jocelin close enough to talk to them and hear the Tremere New Math?
I just rolled a 9 for your hearing check, so, yes, she is effectively within earshot.

[Parzival]

Dangit , Det!

One of the major rules of being a good player is:
"Thou shalt not suicide thy character for thine own entertainment."

I'm just imagining what would happen if those flamethrowers fired up within 15 yards of some 18 vampires. That's an awful lot of Will checks, and virtually every subsequent round would cause all those vampires not already freaking out to retest.

<grin> I'm not always a good player.
(But *this* time I made my personal Will check.)

[Detritus]

It would've been pretty tough to make eye contact in the dark, at distance, in order for you to use your Dominate.

[Parzival]

Like I said, suiciding the character. <grin> If I could do it without suiciding the character, I probably would have already done so.

Shoot at one of the guys with flamethrowers (or charge him) and the flame would come forth.
Causing everyone Vampiric to make will checks at nasty penalties.
Beautiful chaos would ensue.

[Kalzazz]

That would have been amusing in a very painful fashion

Im pretty sure we could take out this mob if we wanted to bother, but would be a mess

[Parzival]

<grin> I'm pretty confident we couldn't.

[Detritus]

FYI, the typical submachine gun has a rate of fire of 10. Per second. Warrants mentioning. ;)

[Kalzazz]

Most of them have lovely amounts of recoil to I recall

But yes, would be rather sporting to say the least

[Huxley]

Sorry to the players for hanging up the game. Work this week is a killer.

[Kalzazz]

Can you dodge autofire? How does that work?

Do you dodge per burst? Per bullet in burst?

[Parzival]

Does anybody else have anything to add or ask?

I think we've gotten about all the information we're going to get.

[Parzival]

<grin> First rule of being a player: If the GM mentions it more than once, it's probably important.

[Kalzazz]

So. We know Lucian doesnt like Merrill

Merrill doesnt like Lucian

And we want to wax Samantha? Or at least, Lucian wants us to

[Detritus]

So. We know Lucian doesnt like Merrill.
I would say it is more the case that Lucian is disdainful of the Tremere.

It'll probably be another hour or two before I can get to the in-character thread. Hang tight, and I'll get there eventually.

[SD Anderson]

Can you dodge autofire? How does that work?

Do you dodge per burst? Per bullet in burst?

Yes. You can get a dodge against a gun aimed at you, not against the bullet moving too fast to be seen.



Does a defender dodge the whole attack, or each burst?

Dodge is always rolled separately against each group (of 4 or fewer rounds). If I fire an RoF 12 weapon and hit with part or all of three groups, you have to make three Dodge rolls, one per group.

http://www.krommnotes.org/kromm2.html

Edit: Unofficial, but if you want to emulate bullet by bullet dodges, refer to Basic Set 120 and the hits in a burst table. After adjusting for range, aiming speed, target size etc note the number of points the roll made the hit by. Apply that number to the hits in the burst. The target must make dodges against each bullet that hit. So if I shoot a full turn at yoiur character, and the gun fireds three 4 bullet bursts, I'd make three shot rolls for the three bursts, hitting by 6 3 and 1 respectively. You'd have to dodge four bullets from burst #1, 3 from burst #2 and 2 from the last burst. 8 separate dodge rolls. Which is a lot of dice rolling dxpd izlly vof z ci dfolldf ghzg opdfzgdx iz dmzil.

I don't personally recomend going that route.

[Detritus]

I think Dodging by burst will be fine.

Also, I altered the Dice Roller thread to include house rules. One thing that's absolutely essential IMHO is that Celerity only adds 1 per level of Celerity activated to Dodge score, instead of 1 per point of move. This hurts Jocelin a little with her Celerity 4 (+6 to Move if it's fully activated), but if the PCs wind up sticking around in New Orleans (by no means the only option...), you'll be heading into Toreador-infested waters, and the house rule will work in your favor some, then.

Apologies for not announcing it earlier. You still get the +2 attacks with Celerity 4 active.

[Jocelin Danis]

Testing this, lets see if it works

[Parzival]

Whoa.
Are we *sure* we want to withold all information about Lucian and his army of goons?
They're certain to be following us.
Don't we have some obligation to warn the prince? (And an interest in weakening them as they cross the Houston domain?)

Being vague on details is fine, we weren't told much except misleading half-truths to begin with.

[Huxley]

Hindsight being 20/20, no, we probably should've just been up front about the whole affair. But we started down that path, so I thought it might be wise to not make one of our cotorie members out as an obscurer of truth.

[Jocelin Danis]

Ack. Making it seem like was just random wandering monsters with a tow truck seems cool. But if we portray it as being a wimpy evil group she'll likely want to dispatch adventurers, and not portraying accurately there strength and power as we know it means those adventurers will get slaughtered and will be our fault

[Kalzazz]

GURPS Martial Arts needs proper rules for grappling neck biting attacks

[Huxley]

Damnit! You must've taken Fastdraw, SD :D.

[SD Anderson]

Touch typing, anyway...

[Detritus]

I have to admit I'm intrigued as to how the discussion about the travel mode and departure time to New Orleans is going to work out. It's wide open as far as I'm concerned. Talk amongst yourselves, as the French say.

[Huxley]

I have to admit I'm intrigued as to how the discussion about the travel mode and departure time to New Orleans is going to work out. It's wide open as far as I'm concerned. Talk amongst yourselves, as the French say.

Players have an unmistakable talent to make the inane become complex :D. But I do wonder, any way of finding out about that plane?

[Detritus]

Players have an unmistakable talent to make the inane become complex :D. But I do wonder, any way of finding out about that plane?
Rebekka might have a couple of thoughts about that. Let me head over to the active scene...

[Kalzazz]

Players can also make the oddest things into TPKs, particularly when we get very confused and misread the clues

Even 300pt characters should not try to heroically charge into battle against a National Gaurd Mechanized Infantry Division

[Parzival]

OK, I'm a bit confused. Am I supposed to fly to France to contact this person?

[Detritus]

OK, I'm a bit confused. Am I supposed to fly to France to contact this person?
No! Review the Abandon Earthly Form power under Auspex. The plan would be basically to have a seance, for lack of a better word, just after arriving in New Orleans and presenting yourselves to the prince, in order to make contact with Marseilles. This will also require (possibly repeated) usage of Unveil the Shrouded Mind. Presumably at least some of the other PCs will want to be included in the mental link...

[SD Anderson]

well if 300 pts are used for the right invulnerability, taking on that National Guard unit is doable... ;)

[Parzival]

No! Review the Abandon Earthly Form power under Auspex. The plan would be basically to have a seance, for lack of a better word, just after arriving in New Orleans and presenting yourselves to the prince, in order to make contact with Marseilles. This will also require (possibly repeated) usage of Unveil the Shrouded Mind. Presumably at least some of the other PCs will want to be included in the mental link...
OK.
I thought the "astral projection" thingamabob wasn't terribly useful for communication. <shrug> Too many assumptions carrying over from D&D, I suppose.

[Kalzazz]

Does this mean Rebekka is to blame for me not getting accepted to Rice?

[Detritus]

OK.
I thought the "astral projection" thingamabob wasn't terribly useful for communication. <shrug> Too many assumptions carrying over from D&D, I suppose.
Well, it is kind of a combo Auspex 4/Auspex 5 thing, not particularly standard, and I'm also going to rule that it'll take even more fatigue than just the base 18 fatigue to pull it off. How this will manifest itself in the game will be spelled out after everyone leaves the library.

[Detritus]

Does this mean Rebekka is to blame for me not getting accepted to Rice?
If it makes you feel better, then yes. Although, if Jocelin wants to be admitted into Rice, maybe Rebekka can pull some strings. :D

[Kalzazz]

Indeed, always best to blame vampires

Jocelin might consider that, who doesnt want to go to Rice, vampires included?

[SD Anderson]

Indeed, always best to blame vampires

Jocelin might consider that, who doesnt want to go to Rice, vampires included?

I don't know about that. There are REAL nice parts in New Jersey, and Princeton is rigth in the heart of them.

[Jocelin Danis]

Very true. So not everyone

[Parzival]

I'm going downstate to visit family for Easter. I might poke in a couple of times today, but I'll be off-line Sunday and Monday. I'll be back sometime on Tuesday.

Det has my permission to use Menachem as an NPC during the meantime.

I've updated Leo on the undercurrents and mindreading results Menachem has picked up. <shrug> So there shouldn't be much of a knowledge gap in the party.

[Detritus]

I'm going downstate to visit family for Easter. I might poke in a couple of times today, but I'll be off-line Sunday and Monday. I'll be back sometime on Tuesday.

Det has my permission to use Menachem as an NPC during the meantime.

I've updated Leo on the undercurrents and mindreading results Menachem has picked up. <shrug> So there shouldn't be much of a knowledge gap in the party.
OK, that's fine. We can either wait a few days, or move ahead with the other players. I'll have Rebekka give Leo an opening to claim the mantle of party spokesperson in the IC thread in a bit so that it's not just me writing a short story during the presentation to Mr. Johnson.

Even though Menachem will be doing the heavy lifting with Auspex, I'd already determined that he'll be passive during the actual questioning of Mme. Desmoulins. The order of operations will be that Menachem will first power up his Auspex 5 power and mentally travel to Marseilles. Rules as written, this takes about two hours. I'm going to have Menachem burn one blood point to raise his effective skill level by 2 and then rule that he can "Take 10" on his skill roll for dramatic purposes; this will give him up to 5 hours of Astral travel time, although he shouldn't need it.

Once Menachem gets there, he'll mentally link with the other PCs using the Auspex 4 power, and then they'll conduct the interview with the torporous Mme. Desmoulins. Each use of Auspex 4 will cost double the normal fatigue cost to represent the additional minds that will be in the link. Rebekka will Lend ST to Menachem, and the other Tremere will Lend ST to Rebekka for this part of the operation.

[Detritus]

We're coming to a fairly narration-heavy section of the scene. I'll try to break it up into moderate-sized chunks should the PCs want to ask questions or otherwise interact with NPCs during the ceremony. Huxley and Parz are also both gone tomorrow, and Huxley will be kind of busy in the coming week, so I'll use this opportunity to temporize. I still haven't decided exactly how much info you'll glean during the procedure; I don't want to short-circuit any need to go into the city on subsequent evenings, so I'll be mulling that as well.

[Detritus]

I'm going to rule that it really does take Menachem 2 hours to reach Marseilles. He'll basically be out of it the entire time. The other PCs are free to ask any questions/engage in idle chatter before the remote interview. Or not, as the case may be...

[Jocelin Danis]

You are evil Det, like Stephen King

[SD Anderson]

I'm going to rule that it really does take Menachem 2 hours to reach Marseilles. He'll basically be out of it the entire time. The other PCs are free to ask any questions/engage in idle chatter before the remote interview. Or not, as the case may be...

OOC: Any question eh??


"How about dem Rockets?" ;)

[Detritus]

You are evil Det, like Stephen King
Just wait until you see the one where the Warlock cuts his tongue out.

:sasmokin:

[Detritus]

OK, I think I've more or less figured out what'll happen with the interview. Just need to tidy up a bit in the live IC thread.

[Detritus]

I just got a PM from Huxley saying that he's back to being more regularly available. We'll say that the three non-Auspex PCs can ask whatever questions they want of the Tremere before Menachem contacts them mentally, and then proceed from there once all questions have been asked.

[Kalzazz]

Time for Jocelin asking questions has ended I think?

[Detritus]

Time for Jocelin asking questions has ended I think?
For the moment...

[Kalzazz]

What are the rules regarding trying to use a shotgun one handed? I cant seem to find them, but Im sure there somewhere

[Detritus]

What are the rules regarding trying to use a shotgun one handed? I cant seem to find them, but Im sure there somewhere
I won't be in a position to answer this for sure until tonight. If the answer isn't in the Basic Set or Compendium II, I'm not sure where it would be.

[SD Anderson]

You can email GURPS guru Sean (Dr. Kromm) Punch for an official answer at kromm@sjgames. I'd personally just rule a one handed shotgun use as a -1 to effective ST (I'm generous, you might be less generous and make it a -2 or worse). The MinST for a shotgun is 13. Anyone with a 14 or more would have an effective 13 or more ST and suffer no penalties at all.

Note: Basic Set p 208 says that these penalties are applied to readying (that would include fast draw) and/or recoil. If you're firing one shot per turn and have time to aim your shot, a ST score that's lower than minST won't really affect your shot.

[Kalzazz]

Experimentation with a rifle (carefully verified to be unloaded) reveals that trying to hold and point it in the right direction doesnt seem to work very well at all, but, Im also likely quite under min ST, so could be a flawed test

Movies frequently show shotguns having the next slug chambered one handed by a strong flipping or jerking motion to throw the slide forward. Is this a Manuever?

[SD Anderson]

Experimentation with a rifle (carefully verified to be unloaded) reveals that trying to hold and point it in the right direction doesnt seem to work very well at all, but, Im also likely quite under min ST, so could be a flawed test

Movies frequently show shotguns having the next slug chambered one handed by a strong flipping or jerking motion to throw the slide forward. Is this a Manuever?

I'm inclined to call that "Director's Licsence". Bu if a GM allows it, sure hard Maneuver defaults off of gun skill -4.

[Detritus]

I'm inclined to say that expenditure of blood points is the key to cinematic action for Kindred.

I'll rule that one-handed shooting and reloading of shotguns can only be done at (Min ST + 5), normally. But, spend a blood point, and the +5 goes away entirely. Then use Min ST to avoid recoil penalties for one-handed shotgunning, and use the one-handed reloading manuever as a Hard manuever that defaults to (Gun skill - 4). Also, if your manuever score equals the Min ST + 5 of the shotgun, you don't need to spend a blood point to do one-handed reloading.

[Kalzazz]

Very cool

Though realizing now noone has a shotgun and/or skills for said shotgun

[Detritus]

FYI, I am leaving for Japan for a month on Sunday, so it'll slow things down a bit. I should be able to check in from time to time, but we'll be shifting into highly asynchronous mode for a while.

[Detritus]

I just got online at the lab here in Japan, and will hopefully be online tonight where I am staying.

[Parzival]

Enjoy your trip!
<grin> And don't let the jet-lag kick your ass.

[Detritus]

I think I have "jet lead" right now. I woke up at 5 am yesterday and 4 am today (although I did get back to sleep until almost 6 am this morning). We'll see how long I last as a morning person while I'm here.

[Detritus]

OK, the ball is back in the PCs court for the interview with Demetrious. I probably should have posted something like Rebekka's response last night, but I just didn't think of it. I'm fine with either continuing the interview or not, however...

[Parzival]

Sorry for the delay. <shrug> Been away from computer access a bit unexpectedly.

[Detritus]

As far as I am concerned, the ball in is Menachem's court for the PM conversation, and Leo still needs to answer Rebekka's question about when he last partook of the Justicar's vitae. The PM conversation doesn't even need to be RP'ed out, really, I just need some specific things to answer.

[Huxley]

No problem -- busy week, just came back now.

[Kalzazz]

WoD Combat has seriously cool things in it. Need to be converted somehow to GURPS Martial Arts stuff, would be really neat for Jack in his Gangrel Coolness

[SD Anderson]

It's not a direct translation of WWGS martial arts into GURPS, but a distinct set of MA material that interacts with the Disciplines of Vampire.

You'll need either a subscription to Pyramid to access it OR a copy of the paper Pyramid (issue #6) it originally appeared in.

http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/login/article.html?id=639

[Detritus]

I don't think I'll have the chance to look at any new source material while I'm in Japan, which it now looks like I will be here until right up to the start of GC5. I'm landing in San Diego late on the 19th, and then flying to Seattle early evening on the 20th. So, probably not for another two weeks at the earliest, although given the pace at which the story is unfolding, that shouldn't be too much trouble.

[Detritus]

One effect of splitting up threads that I didn't think of is that phone calls might have to be made between two players in different threads. We can either handle phone calls by PM, or if we do it on the board, let's say the full conversation will be RP'ed out in the thread of the PC who initiates the phone call.

[Detritus]

I've hit "extended play" here in Japan. I won't be back stateside until June 19th, and then I fly up to Seattle on the evening of the 20th for GC5, there until the evening of the 24th. So if things get a little erratic here the next couple of weeks, that's why.

[Kalzazz]

Good luck in Japan

[Detritus]

Good luck in Japan
If we had had good luck to this point, I would have been back in the US by now.

[Parzival]

But the neon of Japan is much more comfortable than the blazing sun of California.
<grin> As long as you're delayed, enjoy it! You'll be back to the Gaslamp soon enough.

[SD Anderson]

About a decade ago, my brother got stuck in Cedar Rapids. 3 months in the dead of winter. Things could well be worse...

[Detritus]

My departure to Narita Airport is imminent, so I won't be back on the board until late Tuesday at the earliest, just so everyone knows.

[Parzival]

No problem.

Have fun at GuardianCon!

(BTW, what's up with the Deliverance pics?)

[Detritus]

Well, I'm back, for a day. Less, actually, then back more steadily on Sunday afternoon.

I was just goofing around with the Deliverance picks. I think they were inspired by the encounter I wrote up for The Texas Greataxe Massacre. I wanted to get a picture of Mr. Sparkle in there while I was in Japan, but I didn't install any photo-editing software on my laptop and the remote download choices weren't that great. Plus, I was kind of busy once I was in Japan.

[Huxley]

Well, I'm back, for a day. Less, actually, then back more steadily on Sunday afternoon.


I understand. I'm pretty busy too -- end of quarter came 'round again.

[Detritus]

OK, I should be able to get the ball rolling again tonight, now that I am back in San Diego and somewhat rested. Keep an eye out for then...

[Huxley]

OK, I should be able to get the ball rolling again tonight, now that I am back in San Diego and somewhat rested. Keep an eye out for then...

w00t. I've been enjoying the quick exchange tonight, but I'm going to bed now. BTW, I like the game a lot. Thanks, IOU rep, and all that jazz.

[Kalzazz]

This would seem a good time to ask how grappling and biting someone works

[Detritus]

Grappling is a Quick Contest of DX, with the initiator of the grapple earning a +3 bonus in the contest. If you do a two-handed grapple, I'll say you don't need to make any further attack rolls to bite. Once you do bite, your prey pretty much always stops struggling.

I'll have to think about what happens in the case of either a one-handed grapple, or if the prey is exceptionally strong-willed.

In Jocelin's particular case right now at the Hurricane Club, she has clear sailing. No attack rolls are necessary.

[Detritus]

Grappling is a Quick Contest of DX, with the initiator of the grapple earning a +3 bonus in the contest. If you do a two-handed grapple, I'll say you don't need to make any further attack rolls to bite. Once you do bite, your prey pretty much always stops struggling.
I'm just going to rule that if a Vampire wins the grapple contest, then feeding can commence immediately thereafter. You're eating. You don't need to make a DX check or roll for damage when you eat. You don't have to go for the neck -- anywhere where you can break the surface of the prey's skin is sufficient.

[Detritus]

19, 19 beautiful Yahoo! Slurp spiders in this forum right now. Ah, ah, ah, ah.

EDIT -- Make it 21 as of the time of this edit.

[SD Anderson]

So, now that WHICH phone had *69 dialled on it is settled, Is the ongoing cellphone link between Jack and Leo still ongoing? It occurs to me that the sound of gunfire should have made it through the phone each way...

Not to mention the dynamite.

[Kalzazz]

I have seen the first episode of Forever Knight, and my theory that ancient Cadillacs are properly vampiric seeming vehicles is correct!

[Detritus]

So, now that WHICH phone had *69 dialled on it is settled, Is the ongoing cellphone link between Jack and Leo still ongoing? It occurs to me that the sound of gunfire should have made it through the phone each way...

Not to mention the dynamite.
For the sake of minimizing retconning, I'm going to say no, the phones aren't dialed in to each other as of 0130 or thereabouts. You're both busy more or less at the same time, anyways, and explosions & sneaking don't really mix that well.

[Kalzazz]

Yay! I have now acquired the GURPS Vampire Companion!

[Detritus]

Yay! I have now acquired the GURPS Vampire Companion!
Nice. Now you can start worrying about all those high-level and non-Camarilla disciplines.

In general news, I should be getting back to posting to the game this weekend.

[Huxley]

Nice. Now you can start worrying about all those high-level and non-Camarilla disciplines.

In general news, I should be getting back to posting to the game this weekend.

No problem. I've been busy too.

[Detritus]

OK, there's going to be a brief narrative interlude in the Jocelin/Menachem thread that will take the form of a dialog between Rebekka and the NO Kindred, when I get a chance to write it out, probably this evening. Then we can move towards getting the PCs back together on the boat. Thread is temporarily locked, but J & M will be able to ask questions after the narration.

[Huxley]

Just to let everyone know, my posts will be less frequent. I'm going to NE tommoro, and when I get back, I'm going to college full time while (hopefully) working full time. . . so, life's gonna be busy. I'll try and get on here, and post in this forum, I'm just letting everyone know what's up.

[Detritus]

Well, let's see if we can get a new scene started tonight before you go. The Menachem/Jocelin thread has kind of dragged out here at the end, but I think all the important info has been given out at this point.

[Kalzazz]

So many details and NPCs so far, I am so glad I decided to make a bruiser sort, otherwise I would be totally lost

[Detritus]

Yeah, but it's kind of too bad that she went on the fact-finding mission. ;)

I'm going to catch the bus home, and then post a new scene in about an hour.

[Kalzazz]

Honestly, I predicted of the 3 missions this one would be the one most likely to turn into a bloodbath

My understanding was that we wanted to go somewhere near the Port Authority because that was where Samantha and Demetrious would hang out, and Port Authority sounds like a place positively crawling with wandering monsters

[Huxley]

Back from NE (I was in the middle of nowhere out there), so posts will become semi-more frequent for me. Moving tommoro and hitting the street for jobs the next day, but there's a library in town that I'll be able to occasionally visit.

[Parzival]

Have fun!

So you're a 'husker now?

[Huxley]

Naw, that was just for the weekend. I have some good friends up that way that I went and saw. I'm still in good ol' Kansas, just moving towns.

[Detritus]

FYI, I've been in Pasadena the past few days, and will be commuting back and forth a lot over the next two weeks, so I'll be fitting in more posts here in between that activity.

[Detritus]

I need to tote up how much blood Leo and Jack will have after the coming day's rest, and then we can do another cycle of sunrise, sunset.

[Kalzazz]

Ill admit, the new thread title I cannot figure out

[Detritus]

Ill admit, the new thread title I cannot figure out
The fake VBB code is supposed to represent strike-through. VBB doesn't render that, unfortunately. The rest I trust you can figure out from there.

[SD Anderson]

I may be unavailable or semi-available for the next week or so. Computer died and I'm having trouble getting the old Win 98 to work with DSL.

[Detritus]

I may be unavailable or semi-available for the next week or so. Computer died and I'm having trouble getting the old Win 98 to work with DSL.
OK, thanks for the heads-up. Leo and Jocelin will probably continue to have the spotlight for the next several posts, and since I'm splitting time between UCSD and CalTech during the week, I may become too busy to post for a while, as has happened on occasion the past few weeks already.

[Detritus]

Looks like Leo and Jocelin have the spotlight for a couple of days, if they want it...

[Huxley]

Looks like Leo and Jocelin have the spotlight for a couple of days, if they want it...

Hey, I'm all for it, but if Kal would rather just brush along, I'll concede. Kal?

[Kalzazz]

Sorry, Im getting viciously attacked by work at the moment, but should be able to reply tonight

[Detritus]

Sorry, Im getting viciously attacked by work at the moment, but should be able to reply tonight
You've got a little time to play with, it sounds like real life will keep SD and Parz busy for the next couple/few days. The opportunity for inter-PC RP'ing is there, is all...

[Detritus]

I spent all last week in Pasadena, and will be doing so again this week (heading up right after this), possibly into the weekend, so this next reply might be it for a while. I'll see if I can work in some replies during nights from the hotel, but we are closing and cooling the experiment, and this is usually a time sink when it happens.

[Huxley]

. . . Ya'know, right after making the IQ roll, I realized why you were having me make the IQ roll. Obfuscate: Mask of 1000 faces "The power lies within you!". Another striking moment of dumb-assitude :).

[Detritus]

. . . Ya'know, right after making the IQ roll, I realized why you were having me make the IQ roll. Obfuscate: Mask of 1000 faces "The power lies within you!". Another striking moment of dumb-assitude :).
I just had Rebekka give Leo the elder vampire version of "n00b!" so it's all good. :D

[Detritus]

OK, I am back in San Diego for at least most of this week, if not all, so I'll get things moving again here soon. Be forewarned, however, that there is another cryostat run at CalTech scheduled to start later this month, and when that happens I will be spending the whole business week in Pasadena for as long as the experiment is cold.

[Detritus]

Sorry, had more administrative issues on the home front to deal with, I sort of let things hang here for a bit. I should be around today/tonight and on Sunday so we can get things moving forward a bit again.

[Detritus]

I haven't forgotten about things, but I've been in Pasadena all week, and haven't had much time for responding recently. Should be able to come the weekend, maybe a bit earlier depending on how testing goes the rest of the week.

[Huxley]

I haven't forgotten about things, but I've been in Pasadena all week, and haven't had much time for responding recently. Should be able to come the weekend, maybe a bit earlier depending on how testing goes the rest of the week.

No problemo. Life's a bitch, sometimes.

[Kalzazz]

Your in Pasadena all week, Im in Pasadena most of the week, to bad in completely different states

[Kalzazz]

This is the last week of the semester, so, I am currently in Glorious Celebration of Exams and whatnot

[Huxley]

This is the last week of the semester, so, I am currently in Glorious Celebration of Exams and whatnot

Word. I'm with you.

[Detritus]

I must say I'm curious to see how the double-Jocelin scene is going to play out. Jocelin would do well to roll a critical success on her second Self-Control check... :sasmokin:

[Huxley]

ffffffffffffffuck. I'm just hoping that first roll is a "To hear something" roll.

[Detritus]

I have found out that my first deployment to Virginia is going to run from 2/18-2/23, including travel. This particular field campaign looks like it is going to end around 3/13-ish, and I am also going out to Virginia for the last two weeks or so, but that's still a little bit up in the air. I do happen to have a meeting on the UCSD campus on 3/18 that I must attend, so that puts a hard limit on the end of my second stretch in VA.

Longer term, if we go for a June launch, my recollection is that it's the third week of June that is the ideal launch window, and I'll be in New Mexico for the preceding 3-4 weeks. Pending everyone's availability, the goal of wrapping up this story arc by the time I leave for White Sands in May would be ideal. I don't know how realistic that is, however.

[Detritus]

I'm about two hours from heading to the airport to catch the red-eye to Salisbury, MD on my way back to Virginia. I'll be returning on the 16th. Should be able to check in from time to time, however, except during the actual travel days.

[Detritus]

I'm finally permanently back from Virginia now. I should be able to resume the current game thread today or tomorrow, I'm guessing.

[SD Anderson]

Looks like you just dodged the heat wave Det.

[Huxley]

Holy shit, I just realized this game's been going on over a year now.

Happy belated birthday, game.

[Detritus]

Yeah, the time has just flown by. We'll have to have something special for the adventure finale...

[Detritus]

Well, fudge, the Irony Games dice server has been acting up for a few days now. Hopefully this will blow over soon. In the meantime, I'll handle the rolls until I can find a replacement. If you want to make a roll, you can either post it or PM me, depending on the sensitivity of the test in question.

[Kalzazz]

Sorry about the delay, work attacked me over the weekend

[Detritus]

Sorry about the delay, work attacked me over the weekend
No worries, I got to do some more setting pieces. It won't be much longer now... :satanlook:

[Kalzazz]

It wouldnt be VtM without devious plotting NPCs

[Huxley]

Yeah, it'd just be "Vampire:......uhhhhhh....." :D

[Detritus]

Yeah, it'd just be "Vampire:......uhhhhhh....." :D
Not quite the same ring to that one, is there? :whacky011:

[Huxley]

More as work permits, but I'm fairly crushed right now for time.

s'all good. Everything is due this or next week. Finals are soon.

My time predicament is similar.

[Detritus]

OK, that was a useful exercise to summarize the now-inactive threads. I had to redact a portion of one of the "Back on the boat..." posts, so if you read that thread between now and when the Anarch meet-and-greet thread started, it's a little different. Also, one of the surprises (if it really is going to be a surprise, I can't tell) will definitely be less of a surprise if you reviewed that thread before last night.

I still have to do the most recently inactive thread, but the highlights are Leo's ritual attunement to Sarah's blood-sniffing d12, Jocelin's blowup after being provoked by Heather, and the aftermath/report to the Prince.

I'm heading up to Pasadena right now and will be there until at least Tuesday night, but I have some idea as to the general directions of where the current conversations are headed, so we can carry on as time permits while I'm on the road.

[Kalzazz]

Well, youve successfully confused me. What I get for making such a complex character instead of my normal pure black and white harbinger of destruction method of VtM character design. Though I think the system is helping slightly with the confusion

[Detritus]

Well, youve successfully confused me. What I get for making such a complex character instead of my normal pure black and white harbinger of destruction method of VtM character design. Though I think the system is helping slightly with the confusion
Part of it is undoubtedly the fact that I made a conscious effort to add enough extra elements to the basic story to keep SD, who has run the adventure in the past, on his toes. And if I'm doing that, people unfamiliar with the adventure should be fairly well swamped by now. My photobucket account has 45 pictures uploaded to it, about 80% of which are NPCs for this game. :whacky043:

[Kalzazz]

After we finish the adventure Im going to have to go look at it in the book and see how much it does/doesnt resemble what you ran

Out of curiousity, did you make up everything on all these NPCs, or did the places all these pictures came from describe them also?

[Detritus]

After we finish the adventure Im going to have to go look at it in the book and see how much it does/doesnt resemble what you ran
The basic plot is fairly similar, but (EDIT -- Arcadian), Lucian, Mr. Johnson, Samantha, and Heather are the only statted-out & named Kindred NPCs in the book.

Out of curiousity, did you make up everything on all these NPCs, or did the places all these pictures came from describe them also?
The color pictures are scans of vampires from the old Jyhad CCG. There is virtually nothing on them in terms of stats, just generation and approximate disciplines, which I tend to alter somewhat anyways. Some of the "new" NPCs I statted up when I first ran the adventure back in 1997, but a lot of them have been made up over the course of the past year and a half or so.

[Detritus]

On the currently active threads, they are for the most part played out. Kal is free to have Jocelin react in whatever way to the arrival of the new(est) guys at HoB, but be sure to remember to answer Bianca's question about how in the heck Jocelin plans on getting her sword back. The NPCs in the other threads might know or offer a little bit more, if pressed/bantered with further.

It looks like we're going to be hitting the summer lull soon. Huxley is going to have much less frequent net access, it sounds like, and I'm going to be pretty busy starting now-ish and running through early August. We can probably start the trip to Drake Manor pretty soon but the initial portion of the visit could drag out a bit, we'll see. I'll be sure to post recaps of the meet-and-greet threads once they go un-sticky.

[Kalzazz]

Unfortunately/fortunately, due to an exciting incident that has occured (look forward to seeing it on the news), I am actually being dispatched into the field where I may look forward to long travel time and 12 hour work shifts. Starting tomorrow. But tomorrow pays time and a half for being weekend and travel time, so that part is cool

Hopefully I will be be able to take a laptop, since everyone knows disasters and internet access go together harmoniously

[Kalzazz]

Sorry. It turns out I am still out here, I have no idea why I wanted to go into the field now, the field is not a fun place. Im now Site Safety Officer, which is cool though

I have no idea how long Ill be

[Detritus]

Sorry. It turns out I am still out here, I have no idea why I wanted to go into the field now, the field is not a fun place. Im now Site Safety Officer, which is cool though

I have no idea how long Ill be
Yeah, it happens. I've recently been spending far too large a fraction of my weekends in Pasadena as the launch date for my experiment approaches.

As a comment not aimed at anyone in particular, you can always copy the most recent post that might require some sort of response from your PC if your internet time is limited but not totally gone, so that you don't have to wait for inspiration to strike while you're online to reply.

EDIT -- In the immediate term, I'm going to shift the spotlight to Appendix A for a little while, although the other threads remain available for posting, of course.

[Detritus]

At this point, the major decisions lie with Leo -- whether to accept Anneke's offer for help, and where he wants the negotiations with the New Orleans Anarchs to go. Huxley needs to make those decisions. I can RP the results if you're too busy to post much, Hux, but you should make the decisions.

[Huxley]

Sorry for my delays, fellow players. These summer gigs don't allow much free time. We open our first couple of shows this weekend, and we've got three more to go. Once July hits, we'll start getting days off, and I'll probably be able to keep up a bit better.

[Detritus]

After thinking about it for a while, I posted the most recent entry in the setting pieces thread even though it reveals a fair amount about one of the NPCs. I'll be dealing with that in Anneke's upcoming response to Leo in the Appendix B thread. She's going to end up reciting her full lineage, but Leo won't be able to talk about it. :sawink2:

The info in that thread remains OOC until the PCs actually learn of it, of course...

[SD Anderson]

So, let's recap here. The main threads are waiting for Menachem to translate on the Jack/Menachem thread, Leo to respond to Anneke (sp?) on his thread and Jocelin to say something after Bianca's phone call on what's left of the primary thread for this story arc.

<polishes my halo> ;)

[Detritus]

So, let's recap here. The main threads are waiting for Menachem to translate on the Jack/Menachem thread, Leo to respond to Anneke (sp?) on his thread and Jocelin to say something after Bianca's phone call on what's left of the primary thread for this story arc.

<polishes my halo> ;)
Yeah, pretty much. I've relayed Leo's response to Menachem in non-dialog format, so that's free to move onward without the need for any input from Huxley. Jocelin probably doesn't need to do anything specific until either Bianca et al. return to House of Blues or she heads to the meeting point with the rest of the party, which I am assuming to be her car (i.e. everyone will meet up with Leo on the roof of the parking garage).

I'm going to be writing up the next cycle of dialog between Leo and Anneke pretty soon...

[Detritus]

BTW, this (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080624.wbanana24/BNStory/National/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080624.wbanana24) totally exists in my WoD world.

[Kalzazz]

And how is that Gothic Punk?

Hmmm . . . so, is the guy Toreador or Malkavian?

[Detritus]

And how is that Gothic Punk?
It's smartass punk, after a fashion. That's all it needs to be.

Hmmm . . . so, is the guy Toreador or Malkavian?
That's the mystery!

*looks mysterious*

[Detritus]

I'm going to have the opportunity to run this scenario in a face-to-face setting again. Your PCs in this game may or may not show up as NPCs at some point in the F2F chronicle...

[Kalzazz]

Try not to get Jocelin killed to badly as an NPC

[Detritus]

I should be able to get the ball rolling again with the game tonight. It's been a busy holiday weekend, and I haven't felt up to getting the interview started in earnest in recent days.

[Detritus]

I'm working up synopses of the Anarch meet-and-greet threads, hopefully to be finished tonight. In the meantime, feel free to have the PCs avail themselves of Samantha's pause for breath...

[Detritus]

Try not to get Jocelin killed to badly as an NPC
Jocelin ended up not making an appearance in the first adventure, but the NPC Justicar in my F2F game died seriously hard tonight. I'm gonna be gunning for the hat trick (the first time I ran the scenario in 1997 he also died) some time this year (I think).

[Kalzazz]

Awww

Poor Jocelin and Justicar

[Parzival]

Remember the reason my character was sent along? Neither Samantha nor Heather are diabolists.

It does not follow that they're uninvolved. But they're not the source of the threat.

[SD Anderson]

My recollection is that you tested Sammy under lighting conditions where you could not tell if her aura was black or not. Admittedly this was OOC from Det to you. I can see why Menachem would overconfidently state she was in the clear. I'm not sure why're you are stating this OOC however.

[Parzival]

Your recollection of past events is astounding. But you're overlooking one little thing.

The NPCs in question are currently standing right in front of me.

[SD Anderson]

Your recollection of past events is astounding. But you're overlooking one little thing.

The NPCs in question are currently standing right in front of me.

Haven't seen a make a roll request from Det while she is in front of you...

[Detritus]

As players, we all know that there isn't anything specific in terms of a larger threat or plot, although neither Samantha nor Heather would necessarily know this, and would be curious about threats to their well-being. I don't think we've talked ourselves into a corner yet, but FYI it will become an increasingly sticky point if all the PCs have to offer are vague warnings and commands to confess. :)

[Detritus]

I have to go to Pasadena pretty soon, tonight or tomorrow night, and as of right now my GURPS stuff is on loan in order to get my F2F/PBEM campaign going. I should be able to get that stuff back pretty soon, but maybe not before I head up to CalTech, so if some fighting/shooting starts, I may either wing it a bit or wait until I get my rules back before adjudicating.

[SD Anderson]

I have to go to Pasadena pretty soon, tonight or tomorrow night, and as of right now my GURPS stuff is on loan in order to get my F2F/PBEM campaign going. I should be able to get that stuff back pretty soon, but maybe not before I head up to CalTech, so if some fighting/shooting starts, I may either wing it a bit or wait until I get my rules back before adjudicating.

Try and enjoy the smoke drifting down the hillside.

[Kalzazz]

Somehow our information did suggest she could hide an army in her basement which was converted into a secret base or something right?

I thought I remembered that

[Detritus]

Somehow our information did suggest she could hide an army in her basement which was converted into a secret base or something right?

I thought I remembered that
You remember correctly. The saliency of this recollection remains to be seen...

[Detritus]

In terms of timing, the commotion in the manor house between Anneke and Heather happens basically at the same time as Bianca's assent from the ground. Leo would be able to see what's happening outside, and hear what's happening inside.

[Detritus]

I've been at CalTech the past several weekdays, but just as a heads up, I think the physical resistance portion of the scene at Drake Manor is essentially over. There was a second spit attack on Jack, this time from behind, that was brutally, devastatingly effective. It won't quite be lethal, but Jack will be hurting for the next few weeks in-game.

I'm thinking about how abruptly I want to end the scenario, and it also sounds like Parz will be dropping out of the game due to IRL busy-ness. I'm also rapidly approaching full split-time mode between San Diego and Pasadena again, so the game could be in a bit of flux for a while.

[Detritus]

OK, I've decided on a variation of "rocks fall, everyone (temporarily) dies," for the moment, given that Leo and Menachem have been on the quiet side recently. I need word on whether Jocelin is going to heed the note that is plastered to her face, and we'll go from there.

[Huxley]

Jesus Christ: I disappear for a weekend and a few days preceding an Organic Chemistry test, and everything goes to hell. :D

[Detritus]

Jesus Christ: I disappear for a weekend and a few days preceding an Organic Chemistry test, and everything goes to hell. :D
If it makes you feel any better, Leo's shadows were there the whole time, they just didn't have to do anything the way things played out. :grin:

[Detritus]

OK, I've temporarily taken the ball out of everyone's hands, although you will wake up soon. I'm lifting the embargo on the adventure module at the end of the GURPS V:tM source book now, since we've pretty much gotten through it all. I replaced Samantha's stumblefuck brood from the module with her (very) powerful Sabbat allies in this game. The Tremere don't show up at all in the published module, and neither do the Brujah.

The next story arc will begin with a Conclave convened by the Toreador Justicar, and then a fair amount of fighting in what will turn out to be The Battle for New Orleans. The three remaining original PCs haven't really gotten to stretch their fighting chops all that much, and I want to change that. The Drake Manor scenario wasn't really the place for it, though.

[Kalzazz]

Huh, well, it went marginally better than I expected

Next time remind me to read rules first, create character second

[Kalzazz]

Whoa

We would have annihilated her worthless lackeys from the book

[Detritus]

Whoa

We would have annihilated her worthless lackeys from the book
Yeah, hence the upgrade in opponents, in quality and/or numbers.

[Kalzazz]

Im baffled by the flimsiness of her lackeys characters in the book. Surely they realized a standard GURPS 4 person party would go through them like a hot knife through butter (given the typical GURPS ratio of half combat oriented and half combat indifference characters)

Sure, the crossbow trick is a good one, but it involves 1 shot, and where did they get the '+5 from 10ft range' thing from?

Very weird

[Detritus]

I've exchanged a couple of rounds of PMs with Brother Brian, and he'll be joining the game at some point in the near future. Parz/Menachem will be dropping out because of IRL commitments.

In the meantime, I have some ideas for short (but hopefully interactive) dream sequences for the continuing PCs. Stay tuned...

[Detritus]

Jack and Jocelin's dream threads were pretty easy to start. I have some specific story elements in mind for Leo's dream, but no obvious insertion points for Leo to make some sort of choice or roll right now. I'll have to think about it for a bit, but he'll be getting his own dream thread at some point, hopefully later tonight.

[Detritus]

Jack and Jocelin's dream threads were pretty easy to start. I have some specific story elements in mind for Leo's dream, but no obvious insertion points for Leo to make some sort of choice or roll right now. I'll have to think about it for a bit, but he'll be getting his own dream thread at some point, hopefully later tonight.
For the moment, I've decided to go with pure exposition for Leo's dream. Now that the background info is out of the way the "choose your own adventure part" should start next post.

[Huxley]

Woot, BB! What've you got in mind to play?

[Detritus]

Just to be clear, none of the outcomes in the dreamtime interlude will be binding, although they may represent possible futures for the PCs. Feel free to have fun with it; I never planned for this to be anything more than an (intentionally) disjointed series of events that are only loosely tied together. I think I've covered most of the story elements that I thought up going into the dreams, but I'm willing to keep on with the free association for a while, if you're game as well.

In parallel, I'm going to be posting some things I've been working on that cover the time after Anneke's flight from Drake Manor, culminating in her revival at Camille's haven. When Leo and Jocelin wake up, it'll be similar to what happens to Anneke. The PCs won't know that much of what's happened to Anneke, of course, but in an effort to keep you, the players, from total bewilderment, these vignettes will be going up in the Setting Pieces thread, or at least that's part of the reason for posting them.

[Detritus]

I made a new thread for Jocelin, the first two posts of which I moved from the wakey-wake thread. I'm still working on the next post for Leo, and the conversation between Jack and Gwynnis is about to become serious as a heart attack, in a totally droll way, of course. :sawink2:

[Detritus]

OK, BB's PC is just about ready. I finally got around to typing up the next post for Jocelin's thread. As it turns out, the exposition fairy vomited tiny little narrative rainbows all over the place. I also want to start a short thread for François that covers when he actually leaves Paris for New Orleans. And I have the next round or two for Jack's thread, too, I just need to get around to doing it all. I'm in Pasadena, in a very nice hotel room, but it doesn't really pick up the wi-fi that well, so I'll have to fit it in at work.

[Kalzazz]

Btw in my earlier response I first wrote vaulderie, then thought, hmm, that would be to jargon knowing for Jocelin and removed it, then it turns out vaulderie wasnt even the term I was thinking of, so it would have been in character appropriate to use it

[Detritus]

We've pretty much reached the end of the interlude/intro threads; we've certainly covered everything I wanted to cover. I explicitly set up that the continuing PCs would be having Auspex taught to them at some point in the near future, and that is going to affect the size of their character point award.

Speaking of which, Jack/Jocelin/Leo all get 15 CP. 10 of it is spoken for as the minimum amount needed to learn Aura Reading (8 for Auspex 2 as an out-of-clan discipline, and 1 point each for Enhanced Senses and Aura Reading). Your Enhanced Senses skill level will be at IQ-3, and your Aura Reading will be at IQ-4, so you may want to put at least one more point in Aura Reading. You're effectively doing the same as if you put in 1/2 point in an in-clan discipline power because of the double-cost thing if you leave it at 1 point per Auspex power.

The other 5 CP are discretionary, although as outlined above you may want to put some of that into Auspex to help boost the skill rolls for the powers you'll have.

[Kalzazz]

Given an IQ of 11, pretty much leaves Jocelin at 'if the dice gods really like her that day' chance of using these things

Ill have to find my book again to see how these tricks work before thinking if I want to burn extra CP to advance from 'really like' to 'like' levels of incompetence

[Detritus]

Given an IQ of 11, pretty much leaves Jocelin at 'if the dice gods really like her that day' chance of using these things

Ill have to find my book again to see how these tricks work before thinking if I want to burn extra CP to advance from 'really like' to 'like' levels of incompetence
The powers are bought as M/VH skills. Jocelin could put up to 4 points in Aura Reading, and have a skill level of 9. There is also the option of spending blood to improve skill rolls at a rate of +2 to effective skill level per blood point spent. So Jocelin could, for example, spend 4 Fatigue and 2 Blood Points to have an effective skill level of 13 for one Aura Reading roll (if she started at 9, of course).

[Huxley]

So if I were to raise the Aura Reading power to IQ-1, since it is an out of clan discipline, it would cost me 8 points?.

[Detritus]

So if I were to raise the Aura Reading power to IQ-1, since it is an out of clan discipline, it would cost me 8 points?.
That's correct.

[Kalzazz]

I dont think Im that motivated about Aura Reading

[Kalzazz]

Hmmm, based on the 'what did I do poorly at that consequently I would think advisable to improve on' metric, Jocelin both was successfully grappled by Jack (though granted, no manner of improvements are going help her win grapple checks vs an 800lb gorilla), and she failed to even hit the window when she shot at the house stand out as the two key failures in this adventure if using that metric, so Judo and Pistol would be the skills needing raising

Based on the 'interesting things that occured which might prove translateable into wanting to buy skills on them' metric, Jocelin did hear lots of stuff about supernatural lores and whatnot, so possibly would consider trying to buy a dot of occult or something (though admittedly, buying more knowledge skills for a character with 11 IQ strikes me as ludicrous)

Based on 'what is the character supposed to do' metric, shes supposed to chop things into pieces and be fairly tough to drop, so, things that apply to that (but raising Katana to 19 costs 4, and is a relatively meaningless boost, even if a prereq for the (even more expensive) meaningful levels of 20 and 21), so dubious that is the way to go)

[Huxley]

Alright, I'll spend the 10 designated, and then 4 to raise Aura Reading to IQ-2 to reflect being Dominated to learn.

I'm not sure about the last point.

[Detritus]

Alright, I'll spend the 10 designated, and then 4 to raise Aura Reading to IQ-2 to reflect being Dominated to learn.

I'm not sure about the last point.
You don't necessarily need to spend every single point.

If you wanted to, you could probably spend it in Occultism or Sabbat Lore, or even put half a point in each, given what you've learned and who you've spent time with in recent days.

=============

In more general news, I'll probably get back to the game tonight or over the weekend. I haven't been in a very StoryTeller sort of place in recent days, I have to admit.

[Kalzazz]

Hope your feeling better

[Detritus]

I dont think Im that motivated about Aura Reading

Based on the 'interesting things that occured which might prove translateable into wanting to buy skills on them' metric, Jocelin did hear lots of stuff about supernatural lores and whatnot, so possibly would consider trying to buy a dot of occult or something (though admittedly, buying more knowledge skills for a character with 11 IQ strikes me as ludicrous)

Based on 'what is the character supposed to do' metric, shes supposed to chop things into pieces and be fairly tough to drop, so, things that apply to that (but raising Katana to 19 costs 4, and is a relatively meaningless boost, even if a prereq for the (even more expensive) meaningful levels of 20 and 21), so dubious that is the way to go)
I've given this some thought (and Kal and I have also just exchanged a round of PMs on the specific matter of Jocelin's development) and I agree that Auspex isn't that great of a choice for Jocelin. It's not a super choice for any of the PCs, but it is a really bad fit for Jocelin, both in terms of her specific build and the type of character she is. I feel the PCs would benefit from having at least one member of the group have some Auspex, given that you're hunting Malkavians and Assamites (among others), but I don't want to ram the discipline down everyone's throats.

So, here are some other options for you to consider:

1. Raising an attribute for normal cost
Normally the cost for raising attributes is doubled after character creation, but I'm willing to ignore that restriction for now. I think the most plausible attributes that could be raised are Jocelin's IQ and either of Jack's IQ or HT, but others are negotiable.

2. Deal with the Devil
If you want, you can end up being Blood Bonded by your instructor after the teaching's done. That would get you 40 points in goodies to buy, but your volition is seriously compromised whenever your Regnant is in the room or makes a direct request/order from afar.

3. Post-hypnotic Suggestion
Basically a weaker version of #2; your teacher does not establish ties of blood, but does do some significant monkeying with your marbles. Could get you another 10 or 15 points, maybe.

4. Other
It doesn't hurt to ask about anything else that I haven't thought of. The worst I could do is say no, but if it's interesting, I'd be willing to work with you to come up with something to our mutual satisfaction.

For any of these final three options, I would strongly encourage you to buy the Auspex up to Aura Reading. It would also help if I understood your vision of where you want your PC to go as the story moves forward to reach some sort of accommodation regardless of whether you buy Auspex or not.

[Huxley]

For any of these final three options, I would strongly encourage you to buy the Auspex up to Aura Reading. It would also help if I understood your vision of where you want your PC to go as the story moves forward to reach some sort of accommodation regardless of whether you buy Auspex or not.

I like the idea of putting my last point 1/2 into Occultism, and 1/2 into Sabbat Lore. I'll go ahead and buy the Auspex power up to where I said before.

General vision for PC: I usually level up my PC based upon what he's done in the previous adventure. *Shrug* It just makes sense to me.

btw: I don't have the Archon template anymore, do I?

[Detritus]

btw: I don't have the Archon template anymore, do I?
Nope, that's gone. For now...

[Detritus]

OK, I've unstuck the current in-character threads. Before starting with the next thread(s), I'd like to have some idea with what everyone is doing in terms of advancing their PC. We're at about 50/50 here:

Leo
Base character value: 300 CP

Instructor = Anneke

+8 for Auspex 2
+2 for Enhanced Senses @ 13
+4 for Aura Reading @ 13
+1/2 for Sabbat Lore @ 11
+1/2 for Occultism @ 13

Final character value: 315 CP

François
Base character value: 303 CP

Instructor = Charles (would have happened prior to François's involvement in this campaign)

+8 for Auspex 2
+2 for Enhanced Senses @ 13
+2 for Aura Reading @ 12

Final character value: 315 CP

Jocelin
Base character value: 300 CP

Instructor = Rebekka

Buy up IQ? Buy some Presence? Take some form of Deal with the Devil with Rebekka? Other?

Kal and I have exchanged a round of PMs, at present Kal is still mulling his options.

Final character value: 315 CP (?)

Jack
Base character value: 300 CP

Instructor = Jürgen, if another option besides "raise HT" is chosen.

Raise IQ or HT? Buy Auspex? Other?

I haven't really heard anything re: Jack's advancement.

If you decide on an "Other" option, please run it by me first. Thanks.

[SD Anderson]

HT 15 costs 15 pts. I have 10 for that and 5 for anthing else. Kind of messes up the 'anything else' part of that.

What I'd really like to do is buy up oodles of courage to let Jack light fires.

Mr. Foating Above Invisibly was noted by Jack before he got that crit hit. *I* was cursing because of the damn Rotschreck disad. *I* knew Jack could spray above with one of his cans of fogger light it and likely set him ablaze, but I also knew Jack did NOT buy a damn lighter. His plan was to lob them shoot them and have them boom at a safe(r) distance.

Unfortunately taking big burns tends to discourage that sort of reckless disregard for fire.

Potence, combining Ape Strength with Vampiric superhuman ST has some serious advantages. Ripping out a spine and beating them to death with it should not be restricted to metaphorical usage. ;)

Upping Fortitude might help here as well. 20 DR vs 12.

Extra Fatigue? could be useful.

Lots of options here to consider.

[Detritus]

HT 15 costs 15 pts. I have 10 for that and 5 for anthing else. Kind of messes up the 'anything else' part of that.

What I'd really like to do is buy up oodles of courage to let Jack light fires.

Mr. Foating Above Invisibly was noted by Jack before he got that crit hit. *I* was cursing because of the damn Rotschreck disad. *I* knew Jack could spray above with one of his cans of fogger light it and likely set him ablaze, but I also knew Jack did NOT buy a damn lighter. His plan was to lob them shoot them and have them boom at a safe(r) distance.

Unfortunately taking big burns tends to discourage that sort of reckless disregard for fire.

Potence, combining Ape Strength with Vampiric superhuman ST has some serious advantages. Ripping out a spine and beating them to death with it should not be restricted to metaphorical usage. ;)

Upping Fortitude might help here as well. 20 DR vs 12.

Extra Fatigue? could be useful.

Lots of options here to consider.
OK, I agree you have a lot to chew on here. I'll even throw one more thing into the mix. Since Jack used Protean a fair amount, Protean 5/Form of Mist would also be appropriate for him to learn. I'll also note that Jack can get DR 20 with his present level of Fortitude (for 11 Blood Points), but that the duration would only be for 10 minutes. Going from Fort 3 to Fort 4 kicks you up to rungs on the duration ladder to 1 hour.

What you end up buying will have an effect on Jack's eventual tutor(s). Auspex means Prince Strauss for Jack, Fortitude or Protean would probably mean Camille (who doesn't have Dominate, as it turns out), and Potence would mean yet another teacher, maybe one of the non-turncoat Brujah, or even the G-woman herself. ;)

If you want more points, you can always opt for the Dominate/Blood Bound route, although I have to admit that it doesn't really fit Jack's style to submit to something like that. Another option would be for Jack to end up with the Unattractive or even Ugly disadvantage as a result of his burns. I'd be willing to give you those points to spend in addition to the 15 CP in hand right now.

So, all in all, even more for you to think about, I guess...

[Detritus]

I moved SD's post about his "brother" to the Jack character thread. I enjoyed reading it and I certainly will accept all player-provided plot hooks, but whatever else it may be, it's not an OOC posting.

[Detritus]

I would encourage all the players with PCs presently being interviewed to review the plot synopsis thread (http://forum.criticalfumble.net/showthread.php?t=11789). I haven't synopsized the visit to Drake Manor, but everything else leading up to that has been summarized in the synopsis thread. If you have more specific questions, possibly ones that might crop up during the interview, you can also read through the threads in their entirety, although I'll try to avoid having that be a necessity very often.

The particular thing prompting this is Jack's statement that Leo's attunement ritual with Sarah's die occurred in Houston. It didn't actually happen until New Orleans, and in fact didn't happen until after the trans-Atlantic seance. It's WAY out of order, and there are NPCs in the room with you who will remember the correct ordering of events.

Fair warning -- If they have to contradict you too many times, you WILL learn what summary Camarilla justice is like. Once is OK, particularly for Jack, who still isn't in that great of shape, but it will start to look strange if it happens often.

[Detritus]

Now that the mystery woman from the Mme.'s memory is known to the room, it's going to prompt some inter-NPC chatter/bickering. I haven't yet decided who is going to say what, exactly, and I'm going to be on travel to Pasadena from tomorrow through Tuesday, so if my thoughts don't organize themselves on the road there may be a hiatus of a few days.

[Detritus]

Now that you've had some time to think about it, do those of you who had not yet decided how your characters will advance know what you'll be doing now?

[Kalzazz]

Ehh, have some ideas but not sure

[Detritus]

Ehh, have some ideas but not sure
It would be nice to know kind of soonish what you have in mind. It has been nearly three weeks since the CP award first got posted.

[Kalzazz]

Well, you hadnt yet replied to my last PM where I told you my basic plan

[Detritus]

Well, you hadnt yet replied to my last PM where I told you my basic plan
I hadn't realized you were waiting for a reply, especially because the plan contained nothing about mechanics, it was all conceptual. At some point, I am going to need some specific proposal from you about where you'd like to put your points. I've thrown out several suggestions (e.g. buying some Presence, raising IQ, etc.) both here and by PM, but I don't want to assign the points myself. That has already not worked out that well for Jocelin with the Auspex assignment.

[Kalzazz]

Ah okay, Ill try and get some numbers produced then. I thought you were asking for a concept