This thread can be used to flesh out connections for Descriptor, Type, Focus, and interesting bits of backstory, as needed.

I'm not going to require that each of the suggested connections be identified and filled.  Just use them as appropriate for the character, when possible.

Also, this would be a good place to discuss what organization or powerful individual/family your group will be working for.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:11, Wed 04 Sept 2019.

Looks like I'm starting here. So the suggested things for Rides the Lightning connections are:
   1 - We've been friends a long time, and Kase can take them along when using Bolt Rider of Electrical Flight
   2 - Kade knows an important connection between two other PCs that they don't know yet.
   3 - Another member of the group has interesting ideas about electricity, and we can work together to do things that don't actually matter because Kase doesn't know how to work on machines lol.
   4 - Another PC has terrible luck with electrical devices. Kase would like to help somehow, but doesn't know where to start or if it would be welcomed.

Obviously, 3 doesn't really work, and 4 is dicey, because Kase doesn't really know much about machines and devices, she believes she has magical powers granted by the spirit of the sea. In her mind, she's an avatar of the storm, not an electric cyborg. 1 could be fun. If someone else is from the Sea Kingdom and they served together in the fleet, that would be easiest, but that's hardly carved in stone. 2 is also fun, but probably harder to coordinate, even if it would make for potentially awesome story down the road.

The Passionate Descriptor has some fun in it, too, for how she might have wound up in the group (aside from just being part of the same organization). Suggested ones are:
   1 - Kase is madly in love with one of the other PCs and will do basically anything for them, including joining up with this lot and wandering way out here on this gig.
   2 - Kase heard about the job, decided to get involved, and basically forced herself into it.
   3 - Brought in by a respected superior (probably the default answer, honestly).
   4 - Kase is looking for a worthy cause and decided this would do.

4 is basically 2, but the rest of the group is more ok with it. 1 is all kinds of drama waiting to happen, but has a lot of potential for going badly.

Obviously, nothing says we have to use the book ones, but it seems a decent place to start, throwing things out and seeing if anyone is interested.

I’m going to put mine out there.  I have some thoughts about Kase!s, but for now just the information dump.

Connections
1. Pick one other PC. They have an ability you'd like as a graft, and you want to find a creature or cypher that duplicates that ability.
2. Pick one other PC. They once saved your life when one of your surgeries had a complication.
3. Pick one other PC. You think they're offended or disgusted by your grafts, and you want to demonstrate the value of your abilities.
4. Pick one other PC. They're interested in grafts, but you've rebuffed their requests because you think they'd have a fatal reaction

Honestly I’m fine with all of these.  Doesn’t sound like 4 would work with Kase but beyond that all seem good.

For my character connections:

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. One of the other PCs approached you while you were in disguise, recruiting you
while believing you were someone else.
2. While skulking about, you overheard the other PCs’ plans and realized you wanted in.
3. One of the other PCs invited you, but you wonder if it was out of pity.
4. You bullied your way in with intimidation and bluster.

Probably not #4, as Zalbane doesn't intimidate friendly people.  She does occasionally go about in disguise if she feels that her appearance will distress others or cause more harm than good.  I'm feeling more like 2 or 3 would be a good connection for the adventure.

Connection to PCs : Choose one of the following.

1. Pick one other PC. You have a strong emotional connection to this character, and
when in their presence, you can change the color of the light you create.
2. Pick one other PC. They are especially perceptive to your light and occasionally your flashes leave them dazzled, hindering their defense tasks for a round.
3. Pick one other PC. Something about their nature dampens the light. Your light-based powers cost 1 additional Intellect point if they stand immediately next to you.
4. Pick one other PC. This character appears to have an oddity that was once yours, but that you lost in a game of chance years ago.

Anyone particularly dark for 2 or 3?  Or would anyone like to be friends/rivals/something for #1?  Or who's got my oddity?  :D

Perhaps Kase, if you and I were friends, we could take each other's #1 character connection?  You let me change the color of my light, and you could take me with you on Ride the Lightning?  And for Listran, maybe you like my Dazzling Sunburst ability, so you want to try to find a way to get a graft of that someday?

I'd be down for saying Kase and Zalbane are old friends, if you want. Could be cool.

I'd also be down for one of Listran's links that isn't 4, because yeah, she's not going to be interested in grafts.

I think Listran would most likely be interested in kase for  my connection 1 (the ability to translocate is quite fascinating and useful). Could be fun too since it sounds me Kase believes it is magic and Listran believes that magic is a crutch for children and the foolish to avoid true understanding...

For Zalbane I would probably be most interested in their number 4 because if anyone has your old oddity it’s probably Listran since he collects anything that might ever possibly be useful.i would also be fine with 2 or 3...  2 because his optics are just more sensitive than the average human. 3 because stuff is weird.

For Kase their 1st connection could work.  Listran has tried to duplicate the effect enough that they have some level of connection allowing Kase to bring Listran along.  Perhaps it is a failed device that Listran intended to create the effect but rather than creating the effect it simply amplifies it.  Of course, with so many things Listran  creates it only seems to work when he is using it.

I haven’t shared my initial links because none of them really involve other people (the one that does just is very not Listran).  Some of them are also super cool, but mostly work if he is some sort of mysterious stranger who shows up at the right time and I don’t think this game is going to start that way...  someone let me know if that would work cause I might change.  As such, I think his link will be:
3. In order to gain the resources you need for some longer-term projects, you need to accomplish shorter-term goals.

Well, the initial adventure links are just that, for initial adventures, and we're supposed to have been working together for a while at this point, so the initial links could be how we first met.  :)

Listran, I like the oddity one for us.  Perhaps we met (mysteriously in your case) the first time, and the oddity ended up in your possession.  Maybe I dropped it, or loaned it to you and forgot to take it back, or maybe it was just weirdly attractive to one of your grafts and kept ending up wrapped around your wrist/ankle/neck so much that eventually I just sighed and let it go?

If you guys go with that, Zalbane would choose the oddity, then.  Which could be fun!

Sounds good to me.  Could be fun too, if we each have multiple oddities, for me to not know... Just sayin.

So, you kind of both volunteered for the ability to have Kase bring you along on the teleporting fun, which is hardly unexpected, because it's cool. I'm fine either way, really, but realize that if trouble starts, Kase is going to be right in the front, so it might work for exploring and shenanigans, but in a fight, it's more likely to teleport you into danger than away from it. :P

Pardon the late arrival but I am looking for someone to fill the following conditions.

Pick one other PC. For reasons unknown to you, this character is completely immune to the energy you release, whether you use it for help or harm.

And if possible a preference between either of these.

You could tell from a distance that the other PCs needed your skills.

The other PCs came to you looking for help with a plan of action.

If any of you still have connections left you think might fit let me know.

Listran, is the carry-along for the ability voluntary?  If you zap, MUST you take them with you (if they're in immediate distance)?

That could provide lots of ... interesting opportunities ... especially if they don't know it at first.

The carry along connection is Kases...  if it effected me I wouldn’t mind it being involuntary.  Perhaps whatever research Listran is doing is in progress and untested at the start.

Nalla, I think that any of us could legitimately be immune to your energy.  Me because I’m a lot of mechanical parts that are well shielded, Kase because they are literally made of energy and Zalbane because the sun...  I don’t think anyone has settled on taking anything at the moment so feel free to look at our options and make suggestions.

Kase's thing is specified as optional in the description. Well... Kase would have the option. It's less clear whether the other person has the option to not go:

I think Zalbane could find her light absorbed, not quite a 'dark' power more of an anti light, in immediate proximity to Nalla.  The extra cost is easy enough to avoid and it could make stealth a bit easier.

Energy immunity would probably make the most sense on Kase, I don't have any big explosive powers yet but there may be some later that would be good to be immune to.

Nalla, I like that idea and it makes total sense with your powers.  :)

Kase - even if we end up in the front of stuff, Zalbane is one tough jack.

Listran - the oddity that ended up yours is an 18-inch long length of tough violet silk string that wraps itself around whatever it's touching.  Zalbane used it to hold things to her arm or leg when being stealthy, but at some point the string wrapped around your wrist and wouldn't come back.

Well, that's cool, then. I'm happy to use the energy resist thing, and anyone who wants the ride along deal works for me. But it's only the one, so whatever you guys want.

Can I do a quick summary...  cause I just want to make sure I have it right...

Listran wants to graft Kase a power (Listran 1)
Listran has an oddity of Zalbane (zalbane 4)
Kase can transport zalbane as they have been friends for a long time(kase 1)
Kase is immune to Nallas powers cause electricity (nalla ?)

Sound good to folks? Nalla is only connected singly but with a group of 4 it’s pretty impossible to do better.  Maybe she could be made more connected via links to the adventure if that sounds good, but it’s not a major worry I would say.

Zalbane, sounds good for the oddity..  questions.  Do you and I know for sure it was yours?  Can I take it off?  Have I noticed it was yours?

Zalbane knew it was hers, but perhaps it was during a rather chaotic time that she "lost" it.  Maybe we were exploring some area together and had to run/fight/deal with an explosion/collapsing ceiling and she thought she lost it.  Then later it was found wrapped around Listran, who likely tried to give it back, but every time they're anywhere near each other, the string keeps going back to Listran.  Zalbane at this point has decided the oddity likes Listran more.  ;)

Listran - connections sound good!

Given the dissapperance and or inactivity of the character that was going to be immune to my energy absorption features does someone else want that connection?

@Nalla: Sounds good to me.

Which reminds me, I also have an connection to make. The two I am most interested in are:
 1. Pick one other PC. This character is never fooled by your illusions and is never affected by the trickery of your special abilities. You can choose whether or not you know this fact.
2. Pick one other PC. They have a special angle on your illusions and can sometimes point out potential places of weakness.

Anyone interested?

For the first one, Zalbane could take that.  Her affinity with light could allow her to see the manifestation differently than others.

In reply to Zalbane (msg # 22):

Sounds like a match to me :).

If Nalla agrees, Tacita has the following connections:
 - Tacita is completely immune to the energy Nalla releases, whether she uses it to help or harm Tacita.
 - Zalbane is never fooled by Tacita's illusions and is never affected by the trickery of her special abilities. Tacita is not aware of this fact.

Alrighty, so I have to work out the party connections I think, so, here are the options:

1. Pick another PC. While in Short range you are always in Telepathic contact, and they are never harmed by your Psychic Bursts. I have not taken Psychic Burst yet, so the last part is moot unless I take it later.

2. Pick a PC. For some reason you can't telepathically interact with them.

3. Pick a PC. That person and you always enjoy the effect of your Telepathic ability even when you have not triggered it.

4. Pick one PC. When they are next to you and use their action to concentrate, your Telepathic ability extends to a Very Large Range.

As for link to the starting adventure (Which I am late on), the best options seem to be either because I need money (Being a Poet Philosopher doesn't pay as good as you'd think) or to get more experience for my inspired musings (I have grand aspirations afterall).

What does everyone think?

Possibly discover the connection organically in character?  Maybe one of the other PCs volunteers for one of the connections.  I approve this, but you have to interact with them to figure out which PC and what connection?

Just a variant path to consider...

Naturally. Unless there is any reason I should know one of the characters, the connection would be something unknown to the both of them. But we can determine at least which character wants to opt for the connection...perhaps if we want to do it organically, whomever decides to opt for the connection can let you, the GM, know which of the connections they want to have, that way while I (the player) might know which character could have the effect, I will not know what it is so I can't metagame plan for it?

Hello, and Welcome!

Alberic is part machine, and does automatic damage to anyone who attempts to communicate with him telepathically (regardless of benign or malign intent). Selecting Option 2 would therefore be logical, but a bit trivial. Selecting Options 1 or 3 are likely to cause damage to you - unless the GM is willing to forego that in this case!

Personally, I think the best option would be 4: that Alberic contains circuits that can act as a sort of antenna or amplifier for your telepathy? Perhaps that's why he causes damage on telepathic communication (it creates a feedback loop)?

How does that sound? We might have to think about how that shows up in game!

Edit:

Actually, it strikes me that I haven't used any of my Character Connections yet. One of mine is:

"Pick one other PC. Being close to this person sometimes makes your mechanical
parts vibrate slightly."

That might be a good fit - perhaps the vibration is a sign of the resonance associated with amplification?

Just a thought.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:53, Tue 25 Feb 2020.

That... fits surprisingly well, and would likely be a shock to both of them. Since Nanos aren't mystical magic users per se and even natural psionics is just being attuned to the Datasphere or some nanite cloud that functions like magic or psionics would, that your integrated machinery having those effects in resonance with psionics is a really good compatability.

Honestly it isn't the choice I would have gone with because it seems to obviously beneficial and seemed like it would be contrived to use, but your suggestion Alberic is very good!

Both connections work for me.  Just try to figure it out IC, please.

Carry on!

Well, the vibrating thing will show itself, though the cause of it may take a while to pin down.

Not quite sure how we'll work out the long range thing... Though maybe having identified the source of the vibrations, we might reason that there's some link...

I assume your mechanical parts count as Numenera to some degree?

we can certainly resolve it IC once we get into contact and it becomes relevant to do so. Cart before the horse at this point, but it will not be difficult to resolve I think once it comes into play. But for now we will go forward assuming the connection exists undiscovered, but present.

Hey; I'm going with the 'my beast alter ego doesn't want to eat a fellow PC' connection.  Anyone want to be beast-proof?

As a caveat, I do plan on playing it such that the beast side has decided that that PC is a viable mate.

Hmm... being Beast Proof is tempting. Alberic is a large part machine now though - I'm not sure anything would recognise him as being a viable mate?

His engine lubricant contains a chemical analog for Jume's pheromones?

That could certainly lead to some interesting situations! Let's go with that, unless any of the others wish to claim the link? I don't want to gazump people! xoD

Just working on my focus connection now. I rolled for it since I couldn't decide. I got this:

Pick one other PC whose focus intertwines with yours. This odd connection affects them in some way. For example, if the character uses a bow, your ability to manipulate gravity sometimes extends the range of their arrows. If they are good at jumping, they seem less bound by the laws of  ravity, and jump farther.

Buojrez is an obvious candidate with her bow. Is there anyone else interested in a connection with Nizq?

Currently, Mhari is walking the path to become a Aeon Priest and join the Order of Truth as a journeyman of the order. Not sure gravity would affect his electrical power... but less weight might allow him to carry more with him when he uses 'Bolt Rider'. He'd already found out he can carry passenger when he does that instant transmission with Bolt Rider.  'Shrug'
This message was last edited by the player at 21:57, Sun 15 Nov 2020.

I would be totally in for that!

So if you are within short distance of each other, Buojrez's arrows can fire to long range, then?  Or is it very long (not sure the base range on your bow off the top of my head).

Yeah, the details of the mechanic arent there, so I guess its up to how you want to rule, but what you said is how I interpret it. It does say "sometimes" though.

We'll see if any situation requires some other ruling/mechanic.  This should work for now, unless someone has a better idea (which is fine).

I can see this Nizk/Buojrez connection being *very* useful! :)

I think I'll make that connection with Buojrez then. Seems the best fit given the feedback.