Y'all know this one and what to do

There was only three of you active out of the original four (besides me) so I'll keep Mirembe as a DMPC to keep the group as similar as possible. I know that it's been hard to recruit for Degenesis games before, so I'd rather not tangle myself into that when I know there's three players available.

So we lost the Scrapper and the Clanner...hmmm.  Gonna make going a little tough, but stripped down to two PCs and a GM means we'll be leaner and lighter and can have faster posting turnarounds.  Just means we have to be more careful with conflicts, but it also makes being sneaksy easier.

Should someone remake their character?  I fear a spitalian may not be much of an asset.

I think there may have been a misunderstanding, we only lost one person (who was already gone in the other game) so the Clanner remains, the Scrapper is gone. I think we'll manage anyway though.

There's something of a prequel thread up where we can establish characters and such a bit more than we got out of the original PM thread, and when we're feeling like we got what we need, we'll move into the actual adventure.

Ah good.  Yeah, when I posted earlier our Clanner wasn't up on the cast page so I thought we'd lost them... silly me forgetting this is the internet and sometimes you have to wait a day or two for everyone to get updated.

Haha yeah something like that.

But yea, I think we should be able to get going fairly soon, since we already had some startup in the other game. Or so I hope!

Milko, I am gonna ask you to re-roll that. The system is a dice pool game, so I need to know how many 4+ on those D6s you rolled.
I've configured the Dice Roller to have "Record Each Die" automatically now.

I asked Jase to add a DEGENESIS system option to the dice roller.  It should be a snap for him, so once he does, you can just set it to that and we'll be golden.

That'd be nice, but pessimist as I am, I don't expect it.

changed my voice color to blue when I saw somebody had taken green.

Avatar pic is a place holder until either a better one shows up, or they open submissions again and I can submit one that is less... casual.


Where still waiting on the October submissions to be uploaded apparently.

Just a note to clarify: as a character I've decided to play Ilaria (whose name means "cheerful") as a grumpy introvert.

However, as player I try to be friendly, open and collaborative. Please don't take my character's grouchiness as indicative of my own attitude to the game or other players. It's acting, in good faith. If any doubts in the course of the game: let me know here. Thanks!

As long as it is a thing that enrichens the character and the game, rather than detract from either of it, it's good from me. We're working for everyone to have fun, after all, in whatever form that may be.

I'll move us forward tomorrow to the actual start of the adventure.

Apologies if I've somehow missed this... but why are we traveling, and to where?  While I get it's not likely to be relevant to the adventure we're about to get swept up into, it may inform certain character decisions, and could definitely inform banter.

Frex:  Rdetra is traveling along with Milko as a bodyguard, so where Milko goes, Rdetra will insist on going... but to where is Milko going?  And why?  And if we get there, is Rdetra to return to Moreno or continue accompanying Milko on his errands/mission?

And that's just my own personal motivations... if Milko's quest is urgent, it could be a moment of high decision drama for him to decide to abandon or set aside the mission in the name of this new mission.  (Like if he's just travelling to join a Spitalian commission at Vivaco sickbay, a delay of days or weeks is of no real consequence, but he's traveling to gather rare ingredients for a cure for a dying elder Spitalian, he might have reservations putting it off for too long)

IIRC, Milko was travelling to go by boat to Africa to join the Spitalians there? I seem to recall that was why Mirembe was going with him this far. Ilaria was hired as a guide and Rdetra joins as a guard?

For the record, unless Milko says otherwise, I'm taking "Rdetra was assigned as Milko's bodyguard until he buys a boat and departs for Africa" as canon.

Yes, this was what was discussed and as far as GM handwavium goes it's plausible. Ilaria's role was to guide Milko to Roma and bid farewell there. Rdetra as guard works well for the same journey.

In my own mind I had imagined that Milko might be a young scholar off to study the healing techniques of the Anubians, but I'm not sure what Milko's player actually had in mind or what they had discussed with xenomorph?

The goal wasn't so clear, so I'm cool with that one.

Degenisis doesn't spend much time on rules for foreign languages. Will we be using language groups in the game? If so, being from near here, Ilaria will probably use the local dialect to help build rapport.

I feel Language is more to the narrative type, and considering how closely the cultures need to work to survive, I am sure a relativly homogenous language has evolved enough that one can be understood in each of them, with their own seperate dialects and slang of course. But I'll note it.

Everyone enjoying themselves so far? I'm enjoying writing at least.

So far.  I'm waiting for th emeat of the story to open, but that may take time.

As this is a bit of an intro into the town and to get you settled into it, I plan on moving things forward on Sunday to start the adventure proper. If you want any extra posts in before then, please go ahead and do so.

I'm cool with you fast-forwarding to the happenstance.

We've changed our entire computer system at work, and it's been exhausting. Will be updating tomorrow if all goes as planned, but at least I'm not gone.

Ok so, bit of a realtalk. As of now, you're doing your best to avoid the plot hook for the adventure, which revolves around Lucatore and the murder of Altair. If that's the thing you wanna do and go on your merry way, then sure, but that's not what I've planned for so far. So correct me if om wrong here, cause I can but don't *want* to strongarm you into the adventure if you don't want to.

I vote for strongarm away.  Easy enough for some gendarmes to arrive and ask that we remain pending some formal/informal inquest to determine our activities, destination, motives, etc (basically to rule us out as suspects).

I mean, in my opinion that sits better with me than my having to suddenly 180° Rdetra's notions about "leave asap".

[EDIT]
Granted, if Dr. Littaur decides to stay, that also settles it as far as Rdetra is concerned.
[/EDIT]
This message was last edited by the player at 17:58, Sun 21 Mar 2021.

A mild bit of strongarm may be more appropriate -- say a request for autopsy.

There's some built-in strongarming in the adventure itself so I'll go with that, but I just wanted to make things clear for everyone. I'd hate to run a game where no one wants to do what's going on.

No worries on my end.  There is a difference between what I want as a Player (to be involved in the game and follow it's course) and what my Character wants to do (complete her mission, that is to protect Dr Littaur until he boards the boat, avoid too many local entanglements that might be bad for the Hellvetics, and then RTB).

As such, my Character hasn't been given a whole lot of reasons to want to hang around in town and get involved. But if that is forced, I won't complain as a Player.

Friday through monday are passover prep/celebration that keep me away from computer if needed, post for me.

Chag Pesach sameach!

Probably can't post again till Monday.

Update incoming later today

Sorry, update incoming tomorrow. Been exhausted, will try to pick it back up to proper speed again soon.

feel better

No worries, get rested.

Thanks for the concern but don't worry yourself about it.

Sorry all, I'm confused. I thought the team was returning to the house before the Mayor's office?

Nah they went on their own way.

Ilaria is trying to use Conduct + Charisma to make this guy go away. Let me know if you want a roll...

I would argue that with the last part of her speech it turns into more of a threat which would be a INS+Domination check, so if you wanna edit that out you can do a CHA+Conduct roll instead?

This little girl can't Dominate anyone. So I'll tone it down and try to keep it Charismatic.

EDIT: appeal to procedure, your Honor. Should put it squarely in the realm of Conduct while still being a bit of a bluff.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:51, Sun 02 May 2021.

Sorry I'm particularly busy this week. Will try to post on the weekend.

Pip, pip GM?  Everything okay?

I exist without my consent.

No one is surprised by now I suppose but I'm gonna have to hiatus this further. Not sure until when. Anyone who wants to stay may do so and those who doesn't, no grudge if you leave. I'll ping the game when I can return.

I'm happy with the game and will stick around.

Good luck, GM, with managing issues IRL. Hope to see you back soon, healthy and well.

I'll be out of town this weekend which will also be my last days of vacation for the summer, after which I think I wanna get back into this.

Sound off, everyone who's still here and interested in continuing.

Still here.  The Doctor hasn't logged into the game since May and Ilaria for over a week.  You may want to shoot them an rmail if they don't respond in a few days.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:42, Fri 09 July 2021.

I'm here. Quite busy through to September so likely to post only 1-2x per week.

That's ok, it's been a rather slow game anyway. I've sent an rMail to Milko, waiting for response now. If no, I'll try to find someone to take over that character or remake one that that fits into the established group with some retconning, but preferably someone willing to be a Spitalian. Should I recruit for a fourth one while I'm at it?

It's a logical moment in the game to introduce a new player. An old comrade who happens to be in town, or someone seconded to us by the Anabaptists... Really surprised there aren't more takers for a game of Degenesis TBH.

It's fairly niche in that it's Europe-centric which I've noticed chases away a lot of the American crowd, and it's a rather deep setting that needs some scrutiny before getting into it, so I understand why there's not that much popularity about it. Hoping their new line of PR and the free to play model will change it, I see it popping up in more places nowadays than a few years ago.

Yes, and a five or six if that many show up wanting to play.  Easy enough to slip Miko into NPC mode and retcon the group meeting up with more members here in Lucatore.

After all, if like 4 new people show up, that's probably the entire number of RPoLers who are interested in Degenesis at all.  I'd welcome tham with gladness.

No answer yet, will put up an ad on saturday.

It's a Jewish holiday this weekend, so Miko might be tied up with family stuff.

Should I give them the weekend to respond before posting a wanted ad?

They've been gone since May.  I don't think another day or two will make any difference in whether or not they return.  Personally, I'd post the advert but hold off on passing along their character for a week.  Give them a full two weeks from whence you returned to return as well, then move on with or without.

Gonna throw up an ad today, seeking someone to replace or take over Milko (with some easy retconning we can still have someone in that role, preferably a Spitalian, so it fits the current group) along with some reinforcements. Not hoping for much though, I've seen little to no interest in Degenesis here.

Already got two potentials; they're both entirely new to the setting and game, and one of them is an old RPOL friend I used to play with many, many years ago, and I can personally vouch for him. They're both reading up on things as we speak.

Cool.  I was totally new to the setting when I first signed on, still am having only read through it once.

Alright, we have a new player for Milko, and another player who is considering either a Spitalian or a Scrapper. We could have two Spitalians in the group without much trouble, but a Scrapper would round us off well.

Hello all,

New Milko here.  Looking forward to diving in, just wanted to change up the personality on Dr. Littaur a little bit.  While I think the actions that he has already taken might stand, I personally would have gone immediately to the body of the fallen leader and insisted on seeing it.  As a member of the Spital out in the field, I feel it would have been my duty to examine the body, especially in the absence of the village/town physician.  Helping out an old man on the stoop that he had only just met but then trying to duck out of town when a dead body should be examined for signs of spores/infection/etc seems contradictory to me.

Also I'm not so sure about the perpetual mask, seems a bit too distant.  If there was particular quirk about the good doctor that anyone found specifically charming or funny, let me know and I'll try to keep it, but no promises.

Nope, as far as I'm concerned, make it your own.

Welcome! Looking forward to playing.

Sepsis,

Looks like it is the Evening of Day 1, and Lucio and 6 guards came to the commission house, whereas Ilaria calmed them some and then they left.
Is it possible to catch Lucio before he gets too far from the Commission House?

Shouldn't be impossible and I'll keep that in mind for when we get back to posting. I'm adding the second new player now.

We're joined by Weiland, a Scrapper from the north.

It looks like everyone will be up to speed shortly, so a post will be up for you before long. It's late here now, so probably tomorrow if all goes as planned. Eager to get back into it.

Safe to assume y'all head inside?

heading inside. yes.

I'm moving house this week, so will be offline much of the time through to next week.

Please assume that Ilaria follows quietly with the group and don't wait for me.

Thought I answered previous to this but it looks like it never took.  But with a schedule chance from days to nights for the wife and COVID with a co-worker exiling me to ten days of homebound work it's been a mess.  Sorry for any delay.

Not sure how late into the evening it is in game.  If it is late and the place is on lock down then I would assume we'd bed down for the night.  If we aren't on lock down, is anyone proposing any activity after dark?  If we are thinking about sleeping, would we presumably keep watch even in the Commission House?  Outsiders are likely under suspicion and they've got us all in one place.

Basically looking at the group for suggestions of next steps.

It was dinner timish just before Lucio the Bastard showed up to make his informal inquiry into our "reasons for being here".  So, it's sometime just after dinnerish now.  Not much more to be done tonight (unless people want to slip off and skulk about after dark).

Exactly, it's evening time. If you wanna go skulking, there will be some challenges to avoid guards but I'm not saying no, but know that there may be dire consequences should you fail.

Lemme know what you wanna do, if you wanna bunk down or similar I'll go ahead and skip forward.

Not going to push my luck…tonight ;-D

I’m good with the crashing till next day.

Ditto.

It should go without saying (but in case it doesn't) Rdetra has been trying to keep people inside and out of trouble... so let's crash.

Finally finished moving, will throw a post up tomorrow.

Forgot to post, my attention and free time got caught up in playing Mechwarrior, sorry. Updating now.

Good game.

Have way too many hours in on that game and the Battletech game.  Far easier to run the newer Mecharrior game up in the years though than the slightly older Battletech game.

Hah, my IRL group is talking about doing Battletech... to which I responded, "Well why not cut right to the terrible 'choice paralysis' and play Star Fleet Battles?" (my group always grumbles about how many ship choices there are in SFB)

The problem I have with Battletech (tabletop miniatures) is I'm more interested in building mechs than fighting with them...

It’s a bit easier if you confine yourself to 3025 and ‘official’ variants from the tech readout.  Though even if you allow design work as long as you stick to 3025 choice paralysis is mitigated.

I understand the building them.  Lots of the characters I’ve made for the RPG in the various editions had some level of modding skill and a handful right out design capabilities even if they didn’t have manufacturing facilities…except for one, technically two as the second was a legacy game picking up one to two generations later depending on how old or young the initial PC’s were.  Course that one could have led to paralysis but it worked out okay.

I've been trying to get into the tabletop part of it, got the Beginner Box from Catalyst, but when I went to buy the larger A Game of Armoured Combat, it was sold out and has been since. I like the simple gameplay of the beginner box but it seems like a whole lot paperwork both in listbuilding and keeping track of things ingame (heat, damage, ammo, all that). This is mostly because I've kept to FFG's games with cards and tokens, which makes things a lot easier to keep track of.

Real big on the setting of BT though, trying to engross myself further. Biggest issue is, as mention, recognizing each god damn Mech haha

You can use tokens and such to keep track, you don't have to write it down on paper just because the rules presume such.  Like, red tokens would work well for tracking heat, or actually (I'm not sure of the tabletop rules) using blue tokens might be better.  Each mech would have a pile of blue tokens and every time they take Heat they discard one, cooling replenishes their pile, and when they run out, do whatever is necessary for the Heat rules.  You can even use different colours to mean different "stages", for example in GURPS I use light green and dark green tokens for Fatigue, they get 1/3rd dark and 2/3rds light and deplete light green first.  When they start spending dark green, they have very visible reminder that they are at half Move, Dodge, and Strength.

Also when I'm running a post-apoc "resources are important" game, I give people tokens for certain resources, ammo, ammo reloads, Fatigue, day's rations, etc, so they can visibly see their resources dwindling... it makes it more visceral than just tracking it on paper.

Sometimes it's actually more work than just tracking it on paper (which I also do as GM), but it also has more of an impact.  The players are far more cautious when their individual grey ammo and black reload piles are running low than they were when tracking it on paper.  They don't waste as many shots and are less ready to just roll in guns blazing and run out of ammo, which they would do frequently, or more accurately, they didn't keep track well, so when I told them they were out of ammo and they thought they had more, it was a shock to certain Players.  Now the only difficulty is obscuring how much the Absent-Minded doctor type has, since by the rules he sometimes just forgets to reload or even bring his spare ammo along - I kinda solved it by keeping track for him on paper, he has a random pile of ammo (as long as no one else checks his loadout) and I just adjust it occasionally when dramatic to keep the Player guessing.  If the character double checks in a downtime moment, I adjust it to be accurate... for awhile.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:46, Fri 10 Sept 2021.

Yeah clear plastic paper protectors and dry erase markers got a whole lot of use for us.

Rdetra is right though you could use tokens easily for your ammo bearing weapons outside machineguns which would need a different sort of token because of the factor of ten difference unless the GM was also doing custom builds and allows half or even quarter ton loads.  Even then a quarter ton is 50 shots or 25 out of the usual 2MG loaded mechs.  Most actual mech combat lasts 10 rounds, maybe 15 before one side or the other disengages since the goal is almost never fight till your mech is a smoldering wreck.  Back to tokens...a pile you take away from would kinda work.  Start with blue tokens representing heat sinks and when you run out you start gaining red ones showing your overheat level.

Recognizing mechs is all just a matter of playing enough.  The later in time you go the harder it is to recognize a mech by silhouette/image alone as they put out more and more mechs.

Keeping track of all of it online like a BT game played here is easier cause each post you make is a reference point.  The problem with PbP BT games is how slow they play.  When everyone are fast posters and the stars align I've seen two rounds in a week.  Average is one a week so your average game of 10 rounds will last you two and a half months of real time.  For lots of people that is way too long as you often have a full spread of how much the players like the combat on one end to the RP on the other.

Battletech tabletop games though PBP huh... That's something. Hadn't even thought of that.

Like I said though, from what little I've played, it's fun. Saw a local FLGS stock up one Heavy Gear Blitz which also looked fun but I have a limited space to play atm. Very much smaller apartment than I am used to. Hopefully the next one will be bigger.

Don't worry about waiting on me, I'll leave the talking to people with social skills and just make with the suspicious glances.

I have a hectic week coming up. I'm going to have to be offline through to next weekend, but things should normalize after that. Ilaria will let Milko do all the talking on this one :)

OMG!  We're all going to die!  Err...

I mean yes, that is an eminently wise suggestion.  Maybe Rdetra will surreptitiously ease those bolts back into the Trailblazer... just, you know, I mean, in case a bunch of mutants spontaneously show up out of the blue for no reason...

In reply to Ilaria Dellemontagne (msg # 93):

See you when you get back, good luck with your week.

I'm back. Thanks for understanding. I'm likely to have another few such weeks in the coming months but I'll try to give plenty of warning.

Terribly sorry. Post will come tomorrow.

I'm working on updating with a post but at the moment, there's gonna be some time before the adventure as it is continues on properly. Do y'all want to play out the day and then timeskip a few days in-game? As far as story goes, there will not be a lot going on in Lucatore besides whatever projects you might be up to.

Lemme know your thoughts.

Weiland is going to mostly stay out of sight.  Not in a hide from everyone I'm guilty way but a not rock the boat sort of out of sight except at where we are all staying.  He'll make one quiet visit to the grave two or three days later but again otherwise just be quiet helpful to Dana if she needs it.

I'm all for skipping days until the next important point.

Does this mean I have a montage video of me and my new companions from the bar, cruising the strip, spraying our names on the side of a Mammoth, and pranking a Pregnostic with a whoopie cushion.  Which of course Weiland will come and claim so he can sell it only to be chased by the ticked off Pregnostic.  What can the theme song be...? A pop cover redo of Eagles "One of These Nights".

Skipping is fine.  I know the previous Dr Littuar was all about pushing his luck and opening a temporary practice out of the common house we were (bad idea), but people other than Rdetra might try to get out and info gather.

Also fine with skipping days. Ilaria will spend the time trying to build her contact network.

Just a bit of clarification needed for my braincase before a post from me: At the Bleeding Ram would be everyone => Mirembe, Ilaria, Rdetra, and Milko?

And Weiland, I hope.

Indeed so :D

I'm the worst and you're all very patient. Post incoming today.

I've got seven games and the busy season for my work just hit... so if a game falls by the wayside on me for a few days, or even a week, I'm not even gonna notice.  At least you pop in here as soon as whatever's sidetracking you is done and give us the headsup and don't just slink off and ghost the game.

I have had more games end because the GM missed more than a few weeks and just ghosted (but then started up new games shortly thereafter), so, as long as you keep showing back up to move this along, I'm not going anywhere.

If ever I make a promise it's that I won't ghost you.

Okay team, the way I see this we have 3 options:  Intervene to aid one side over the other; Try to deescalate both sides; or Stay out of it.


As a Player, I'm for Staying Out Of It.  The drawbacks for failing deescalation (being perceived as being for one side or the other, even if we do deescalate the situation; or actually making it kick off) are worse than watching a pair of guards beat up some angry drunks.

AS the PC, Rdetra is for staying out of it, but positioning to intervene if someone decides to deal in bloody murder, or the beating starts to go too far...  or positioning to pull Dr Littaur out of the building before he gets any violence on him, both options are good and probably viable.

The developers announced the end of Degenesis today in their discord. There will not be any more content coming.

I am sad now.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:46, Fri 22 Oct 2021.

That is really too bad. Did they give a reason why?

My guess would be it's not making them any money.

That's the case sadly. Out of the many thousands of downloads of their stuff, only around 40 regulars carried the costs for the productions. Their numbers dwindled a lot. They'll keep Degenesis.com up, but they'll only sell their current stock until it's done, no reprints, and no new content. Real shame, since they never got around to making their final book for the metaplot, so I'll stay in the dark about it forever, and I was eager to see where it went and what it all meant.

C'est la vie, I suppose.

Just to say, I'm still here but going through a busy time. Ilaria will take a back seat in the conversation and is happy to let the others take the lead with Fernex.

I'm also going through an increasing state of busy time here; working retail with upcoming Black Week and everything is really pushing at me. I'm still around, but not able to check in and update RPOL as often as I want to. I will try to update either later tonight or coming evenings.

Thanks for sticking with me.

No worries.  Same for me, but that's because Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) began last month (the 15th) and it'll stay pretty busy(ish) through March 31st (AEP is 10/-12/15, then the holiday slump for RPoL will hit, then Open Enrollment Period begines 01/01-03/31).  Then... eh.  I'll either go back to working in the credit department (I've been laterally transferring back and forth waiting for a 'full time' insurance slot to open) or I'll finally be 'senior' enough to get a full time slot from April-September.

They keep telling me to just become a Team Lead, and I'd be 'full time' year round, but, eh.  No.  I prefer working from home.

Update incoming soon, will try to fix it tonight even.

Cool.

Like Rdetra said, no worries for slow.  I've had to deal with the flu and the mother-in-law breaking an arm and leg.  Helping the wife and father-in-law be care-givers to her on this long recovery has both eaten up far more time and mental strength that I could have even begun to consider before this.  Combine with work switching things up on me and changing half of the work I do for something new it's been...busy. :D

You know what this means right?  The moment we get into a situation the soldier is built to handle I'm gonna roll all ones.

Oh yeah, totally know it. :D

Milko's player has come to the decision to leave the game. I'm glad they did it in the way they did, but as we stand, now we're three players left, and with two characters in-game working off each other, one who has, group-makingwise, been a central part. I'd like to hear y'alls thoughts about the situation. Do you wanna keep on going as is? I highly doubt we'll find a replacement character, Degenesis games don't exactly attract a multitude of players.

Yeah I was going to say in an IC post that Milko should take the signet...

So we've got a Scrapper, a Hellvetic and a Clanner.  I think its plenty possible just all depends on how you want Milko to go in game now that he's effectively a NPC.

Not a lot of people know about Degenesis despite how cool it is, you are right, but that doesn't mean you won't find some takers for new step ins to the game if you post it up from time to time or have one of us bump the thing every so often.

I'd be fine with you rolling Milko as an NPC who continues to have "associating with people" issues and thus needs his handlers to Keep Him Safe (Rdetra), Talk To People (Ilaria/Weiland), and Use Brains To Solve Stuff (Ilaria/Weiland), until such a time as we either get a new player to take the role, or we reach a point where the character can be phased out.  You could even swap out Mirembe and Milko as Guidepost NPC as needed...

Likewise, happy to continue. 3 players can make a good game.

So as not to pile everything on the GM, one option is for the remaining players to take over Milko. Possibly in rotation, or as a group. There are some game mechanics out there for player co-control of an NPC. "Kids on Bikes" comes to mind... which has each player control a specific aspect of the NPC, like Rdetra outlines--combat, social, problem/puzzle solving.

Alright, a resounding answer to continue, I'm glad.

I could also simply keep him as a DMPC to guide the group in your direction. I've noticed some indecision at some points, and this way, I may be able to influence decisions in a decision that continues the story (within limit, of course, you as players will still be the main driving force on what to do)

Or a shared responsibility. I'm up for either. I'll get a post up later today.

As I mentioned "Guidepost NPC" I'm more for that.  Use those two NPCs to subtly (or crudely as needed) point in the direction of Plot if it looks like we're getting too far off course, or even "ask the right questions" if it looks like we're completely overlooking something crucial.  And then fade back into being cardboard cutouts we drag around the scenery.

While it might be best for the party composition for this time, I really am not a fan of doing this, taking agency out of the player's hands, but if you are all okay with that approach, I can do it. I'll keep it to as much a minimum as I can though.

I have no doubt as they work together the three of them will find their rhythm eventually and Milko/Mirembe can become truly background characters to the desires and direction of the active three.  Short term it firms up the group, gets us to work together cause let’s face it Weiland is the new guy, and gives us potential reasons to continue to work together post this set of troubles.  Even if it ostensibly follows the travels of Milko to where he was going after this and then the three of them sticking together after that and choosing their own path.

And right now, unless I shift Rdetra's motivations, she's only there to protect Milko until he gets on the boat in whatever port city (I keep forgetting) that we were originally heading to, so for the sake of Rdetra's motivations*, he kinda needs to at least shamble through scenes and lean up against the corner, even if (right now) it's mostly Weiland and Ilaria (and occasionally Rdetra) interacting with the NPCs making the decisions.

But eventually we'll get in a groove† and we can shed those NPCs if you prefer.


* Like that can be changed, but for the sake of what's been writ and how I've laid her out in my head, I'd rather make it a slower transition.  And we can't just go shove him and Mirembe on a boat and then come back to this.  Maybe in a bit we'll hit a good spot to take that time away from the adventure, but I feel like the plot is a bit time sensitive right now.

† Also presumably we'll get some advancements in and Rdetra can take a moment, go back to the tunnels, and return with more time on her "can be away from the tunnels" card (Grenadiers lose the "every 6 months" report necessity).  Right now she's got "6 months" she can be away before things get "sketchy".

I'm good for a scene shift if Ilaria and Weiland are.

Just wanted to pass along a heads up that covid finally invaded my home.  So it's draining things around here.  If I'm too quiet it's just cause I'm either taking care of the wife, myself or my work since they dropped off my computer and said, 'Keep working!'  :)

Gotta love your job's work 'ethic'....  ;)


(I went WFH March of 2020 so I get it, I prefer it, some people don't.  Stay sane, try to stay healthy.)

Happy to change scenes if everyone else is.

Sorry I didn’t get here sooner to give an update.  The Covid gave me blood clots that precipitated a heart attack that netted me some time in the hospital and I’m recovering now.  It could have been much much worse but it wasn’t and I happily accepted their information that my diet up till now didn’t contribute to making it happen and when they were poking around with tools in my arteries around the heart they saw a good one. Still have some cognitive slow moments in tracking things that is supposedly normal for the shock of the event and the stress it puts on the overall body.

As I can focus long enough and get better I will be prolific :)

I feel like my "I don't feel super good, I'm gonna stay at home today" after getting my third shot isn't as bad anymore. Glad you're still with us.

!!!!

Glad you made it through as well as you did!


/thumbsup.jpg

And I thought I was being the "not checking in due to having a sinus infection" guy....

This is a prompt to take better care of my own health. Have a quick recovery!

Thanks all.  It took almost two weeks for my eyes and brain to be able to connect quickly what previously took zero active mental thought.  It was boggling for me considering that shock could have such a massive effect for so long.  certainly gives me a different perspective for what any of my future characters take a beating and using this experience to add in that otherwise unlooked upon result in my writing.  Thankfully the rest of my body is recovering well outside some odd sore bits and me getting used to the new blood pressure medications and blood thinners that are making me light headed, dizzy at times and nauseous at other times.  Now it's just upping my exercise to help build back heart function and eating healthy to ensure a more traditional attack doesn't happen in my future since multiple ones tend to have more mortality issues and I'm not interested in dying anytime soon, lol.

I hope everyone else is well and considering what is going on in the world, staying safe.

Glad you're on the mend and prepared to take better care of yourself... I need to do that as well.  There's just never enough "time", as the excuse goes.


I'm in the US and well past the expiration date for the draft (almost twice the "regular" maximum age), so unless the madboi in Russia decides to lob nukes for funsies, I'm "completely" safe from the Ukraine Invasion.

I had COVID back in early 2020, so I'm pretty safe from that too, still recovering a bit from it; frex, unbrewed coffee grounds still smell weird to me, like delicious coffee grounds and diesel fuel - luckily brewed coffee smells good.

I don't know what I'd have done if coffee and tea had stayed terrible to me.  Tap water still tastes a bit like lemon as well, which is kinda okay?  Weird though.

So that about covers the horrors from end of the globe.

Weiland, go ahead and make a roll as well; if it's good enough it can save the situation perhaps.

*chuckles*

Weiland didn't want to try and sneak because he only has 2 dice to roll.  He knows he's not stealthy at all.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:13, Tue 15 Mar 2022.

Ha ha!  And here I was holding back Rdetra with her, checks sheet, only 4 dice*...  Okay, Weiland can hang back if he wants (same with Ilaria) we'll figure ourselves eventually.


My brain was saying "Okay, heavy armored clanky paladins and squeaky leather armored clerics should hang back... let's send forward the ... ah, scout and thief? Oops, and now Weiland is apparently signalling he's a fighter, not a rogue, so it's up to Ilaria... let's hope she isn't a 'scream and leap' barbarian and not a scout..."



* Oh right, I made Rdetra to be an armored scout, I forgot. *sigh*

Rdetra's skills:
INSTINCT 3, Orienteering 1, Perception 1, Primal 2, Survival 1

INTELLECT 1, Engineering 1

BODY 4, Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Force 2, Melee 2, Stamina 1, Toughness 1

AGILITY 3, Mobility 1, Projectiles 3, Stealth 1

CHARISMA 1, Leadership 1

PSYCHE 4, Reaction 4, Willpower 3

POTENTIALS:  Danger Sense 1


I figure Rdetra and Ilaria have been traveling together long enough Ilaria should have figured out where Rdetra has weaknesses and strengths (Intellect and Charisma mostly, but also in anything that isn't "soldiering" related), and Weiland should be able to pick up these clues over the next day or two...

I don't mind sharing myself...

Body 2 Toughness 2

Agility 2 Crafting 3 Projectiles 1

Charisma 2 Negotiation 3

Intellect 2 Artifact Lore 3  Engineering 3 Focus 2 Legends 1 Medicine 1 Science 1

Psyche 4 Cunning 2

Instinct 4 Orienteering 2 Perception 2 Survival 2

Potentials adaptability 1

Ilaria is definitely the classic wilderness scout type, but I forgot to warn you about my terrible luck with the dice. There's a reason I don't go to the casino.

Happy Easter y'all, sorry for the inactivity again. Will squeeze in a post today.

Hey GM, you doin okay?

I am not.
But I am still here.
Sorry about the wait.

You never have to apologize for a wait when you're not doing well.

Hopefully you are doing better or on the path to better, no matter how slow it may be.

I will be finalising my moving within the next few days, and things should hopefully return to normal after that. Thank you all for being patient.

No worries, I'm not going anywhere.