So, if my calculations are correct, we are at the beginning of 2005, january 2nd to be exact.

Post vignettes for anything you want to have happened over the course of the year; I'll be posting more over the course of the evening myself and trying to get things moving again.  Any suggestions as I get this started are very welcome.

So, what's the best thing for me to do with Gravitas? Wheelchair about all Prof. X style? Some sort of cybernetic replacement limbs? Just float around all the time?

first, get a large collection of cats from the local animal shelter.  Then create a complex saddle/harness/pavilion that allows them to carry you.  Feline cybernetic augments and neural uplinks optional. Problem solved.

Out of curiosity, who's running T2M at the moment if Pax is a Terat now?

Well ... technically dual membership isn't out.  But now the Teragen are something of a religious/political cult that's insinuated itself into the heart of Utopia and T2M.

Which means there's no doubt a few higher ups shitting themselves right now because Pax is still in charge but his sudden conversion last year leaves him suspect.

And they can't pull him out or replace him because he's tempermental and prone to take such things personally.

I really wouldn't want to be Director Larangione in 2005.

Welcome Kraken, looks like you'll fit right in with out merry band of misfits.

Oh dear.  I was expecting a merry band of misanthropes.  Kind of like The Proposition, but with super powers.  Awkward.

Nick Cave is welcome here.  But the Outback is not.

I've been returning to my duty as Chronicler, Census taker and historian.  And this means reconciling the original game canon with our own.  Which means it's time to bring up what has and hasn't happened.

Earlier than Expected:
-- Space programs and research (thanks primarily to Gravitas)
-- OpNet and N! (thanks primarily to Dr. Zero)
-- The Creation of Regional T2M Teams (2001, this is how our game started)
-- The Null Manifesto and Teragen publicity (2003 instead of 2005, thanks primarily to half the team)
-- Investigations into nova reproduction (Impetus)


Hasn't Happened as Previously Intended:
- Kashmir Conflict (2002) -- In original canon, Pax and the singular T2M of the era had to step in to keep the conflict between China, India and Pakistan from spiraling out of control.  It was the first "total warfare" expression of nova power.  The reignition of the conflict in 2006 was brutal and left a blasted wasteland of eco-damage and regrets.  Instead, the Equatorial Wars of our canon stretched out longer, and the Middle East and North Africa became more heavily embroiled, ending with the occupation and overthrow of Saddam in Iraq and the catastrophe of the Iraqi Chemical / Nova Weapons projects.
- Utopia's Tech Monopoly (2004)  -- In original canon, Sao Paolo wasn't until 2004, and the aftermath of that resulted in Utopia getting oversight on new technologies.  Sao Paolo was bombed in 2003 for us, and the conflict got out of hand, giving us the Colombian Conflict.  I still say the UN will give Utopia's Science and Technology Department regulatory power over new technologies from the Nova Boom.  There just may have been more back room deals to get to that outcome and there may be more suspicion from Nation States since they went on the line at Utopia's say-so and got a messy, brief war for their troubles.
- Puerto Rico Becomes a State (2005) -- I don't suppose we can just skip this one?  Thanks.
- Radocani Deposed (2005) -- Yaroslav Radocani came to power with the aid of military loyalists and illegal weapons.  UN and Utopia step in, investigates, and finds he is violating the Utopia regulatory authority over new technologies.  The world cheers, and the Balkans keep balking.

What is Happening:
- Aktau, 1998 -- I am gathering from Hell Kraken's colorful introduction that during the Moscow Crash something about his eruption or the period immediately thereafter destroyed Aktau, Kazakhstan?  Or otherwise damaged the place in a way worthy of note?  I can't help but notice there was a Nuclear Power Station there.
- Nova Olympic Events (2004) -- I'm writing the intro post into the team vignettes thread.  Feel free to show up and give yourself a medal.
- Ad Dei Lucem (2005) -- June 15, the Pope declares that novas, like humans, have immortal souls and original sin.
- US Presidential Election 2004 -- President Schroer, a moderate Republican representative from Colorado, was elected in 2000 over Al Gore, with Reform and Libertarian parties making relatively large turnouts.  Unfortunately, on March 30th, 2002, CNN breaks a story about a six-year homosexual affair that the president has been having without his wife's knowledge.  President Schroer admits it on television and apologizes, but his approval ratings tank.

NOTE: I don't remember if we were sticking with Schroer or just biting the bullet and going with George Bush as president through 9/11.  I'll look into it.

Anyhow, this means that 2004 was an election year, and I want to know how everyone votes.  The Libertarian candidate, Lauren Pendleton, is elected in original canon.  "The press credits her victory to voters disgruntled with two sex scandals by two consecutive presidents from both major political parties.  The Libertarian Party and various independent candidates claim a sizable portion of legislative seats in the election." (Ab, p. 12)  I don't feel nearly so married to this.  So here's three candidates:

1. Utopia Friendly, Reform Minded Democrat with interest in strengthening the US's ties with East Asia and rebuilding education.  He seems ready to make concessions to Utopia in exchange for the US receiving primacy in future deals and more access to Utopia technology.  He's old money, white, and part of a system that keeps power to its own.  Apparently a real jerk in person, though he's the nicest soul you've ever met on the TV and in public.  Used to be a lawyer.

2. Lauren Pendleton, a shut the borders, anti-immigration, budget slashing and integrity driven libertarian.  She wants flat tax, and since she won't have many allies in congress the naysayers argue that she'll be a lame duck president.

3. Pro-American, Conservative Republican trying to demonize his predecessor.  He's more interested in supporting the Directorate than Utopia, more interested in America's future than the world's, regards the defense of the constitution as his sacred duty.  Was in the US Navy.

So how would each of our PCs, being US citizens by technicality, vote?





Any if anyone can think of NPCs they want added to the Census (or anyone who's died and I haven't marked it) let me know.


EDIT: Andy Vance makes the Queer Nova Alliance in 2004.  Rydi said so.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:06, Sun 06 Feb 2011.

Yeah, probably best just to keep Aktau a Noodle Incident.

Also, while Hell Kraken isn't a US Citizen, my Pseudo-2004 Election Map does show the following results (of course feel free to disregard as necessary):

D:  224
R:  155
L:  159

https://picasaweb.google.com/l...ktFQ?feat=directlink

So the House of Representatives would select the president since no candidate got 270 electors.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:11, Sun 06 Feb 2011.

Did you just put that together?  Damn.  Used the vague descriptions I gave and just approximated?

Regardless of methodology, it looks like it comes down to the nova vote.

Though Quentin no longer feels that he's entirely qualified to be voting (he increasingly considers himself a citizen of Earth rather than any one nation, and with a chrysalis either complete or looming, is feeling decreasingly human), he can probably be nudged to do so by people. In the event that he does, he votes Democrat. He can tell the guy's a jerk, but if he can actually push through the education reform he promises, that'd be enough to make Quentin happy with the choice.

I'm still trying to figure out where exactly to fit in Grav's chrysalis, time-wise. After the Colombian stuff, he's certainly feeling the itch to hibernate for a while.

Solitaire could care less. Its no skin off her nose whatever happens. She is a citizen of herself.

Solitaire is also probably just coming out of chrysalis by November.  Or sleeps through the whole thing.  But her spirited indifference is noted.

Comstock probably votes Libertarian.  As much as he likes the democratic agenda, the sex scandals from both major parties and general untrustworthiness of established power structures turns him off.  And he likes the idea of flat tax.  And he wants to believe that the Libertarian candidate really has all the advertised integrity.

As far as Grav's involvement in Utopia, he's fine with doing contract work for them when he's not working on his own projects, but he's probably going to be formally resigning his position.

This goes double if he finds out, via Imp or anyone else, about the sterility cocktail he and hundreds of others have been slipped. Also still not sure where chrysalis fits in - we've got me awake at the current Teragen meeting, with Imp down and Sol probably down. I guess he'll be going in sometime after the meeting?

Wait.  Hold on.  Rydi?  Am I reading this right?  From Dawn of a New Era: Changes in the Nova Age: in our canon, Slider is suspected in the murder of Corbin?

Well, I always thought she was a better developed character.  And she has a much better escape plan.  So much for my vague notion that I'd make Comstock a suspect in the eventual investigation!  Imp, does this mean that she found out about your little DeVries investigation?

But man, Aberrant faction comes into being in 2005?  I suppose Corbin could have a similar chilling effect on the public and get mourners if this happened before he got wild and crazy and starred in pornos.

Slider is still around, and Slider is awesome. Thats the important thing.

Yeah, I always thought Slider was a better character (good luck catching her too), and would be more interesting than Corbin.  And I think Corbin was easily as popular internationally as Slider, due to his prior career as a sports star.  His participation at the end of Columbia also helped his popularity.  Oh, and Slider hasn't fully started the Aberrants yet, but will sometime soon; she's just feeling things out now.

Yeah, everything in this timeline is sped up a bit.  I apparently just don't have patience.  It also helps that you guys are probably more powerful than Pax at this point in the timeline, and have started exploring some of the big stuff (Space stuff with Grav, Imp's investigations, etc.) earlier.  I hope to keep the in-game timeline flowing pretty quickly for the next few years, and not get hung up on any one scene for too long, so that we can advance the story more.

Flare, all shiney and happy that she is now old enough to vote, would go with the pro-Utopian vote.  Also if she is capable of using her drivers licence from her pre-Nova days for one registration and her current identity for a card as well, she's going to cast her vote twice. Go voter power!

Democrat, though the Libertarian is tempting for various reasons.

Hey, I'm looking for T2M:A members to fill out the new team.  Any suggestions?  Existing NPC's (from the books or our game either one), new npc's, even new players (Hell Kraken is obviously not T2M material).  Post ideas here please.

I'm not sure of new characters, but wanted to keep Suzukaze on the team. Mostly to cover up he proteus work. Figured she becomes a trainer for new members in martial arts and weapons.

I would be open to new players, but only if they're as awesome as the rest of you.  I'm leery of letting new people in; it only takes one bad person to spoil a game.  Populating the team with npcs (new and old) might be better.

Also, as a note, even though Gale resigned the team, she's still part of Utopia,  and she could still possibly be called in as an auxiliary member, if necessary.

Gale: Agreed.  I'm open to new people, and with 3 GM's the game can certainly handle them (especially with things breaking into separate story paths currently) but I want only the BEST writers and those who are dedicated to a narrative style of play.  If you know such a person I'm open to trials, but I don't their lack of dedication or bad writing to drag down play.

'Kaze: She would probably be considered a full member of T2M, but Auxilary not Americas.  Used for training and various random stuff.  This also gives her less accountability and possibility of being tracked.

Liked your recent post 'Kaze, it blended in a lot of your background elements well.

Did you want to further develop our interactions in any particular direction?

That thread makes me think: I should update the character description visible from the cast listing. It's pretty out of date now. When was game-start? 2000 or so? 4 years is a long time.