This is where we hang out and talk about whatever.

Howdy folks! I'm joining the game as Tessa Combs, the Oracle.

Hello from your local fae!

Call me Twiddle. Everybody does...

:)

Hey gang, I'm sure you've heard of ol' Wolf George prowling the ghettos.  Well, here I am in the flesh.  Don't mind the smell.

Alright, we've got our motely crew!

Welcome, welcome everyone to this thing, whatever it is and whatever it becomes. It's been a few years since I last ran an Urban Shadows game online, and I've learned a few things about how to do PtbA in the meantime (mostly by failing). So I'm excited to see how this turns out.

I'll have a few questions for everyone to define your individual themes and conflicts and stories to look for ways for you all to be interwoven with each other and to give me a couple of good solid starting points for the story.

Feel free to introduce yourselves here and your characters in the Chargen thread. Feel free to talk about Debts if you like, but be flexible with them in case the workshopping changes thing.

I have a busy day at work, and tonight is my dedicated hang-out time with my son, so I might be a little scarce until tomorrow.

I'm really looking forward to this!

Hello everyone! I'll be your vamp for this game. Can't wait to get started!

Hello all.  I'll be your Revenant for this outing.

I am, unfortunately, slammed at work right now and for the next couple of weeks and will be hard-pressed to find time to post much.  But I'll try not to slow things down too much!

At the moment, Vince's story is the most self-contained. So it shouldn't too hard to slide him to the background for a bit until things ease up for you.

Just a heads up, I do tend to go silent on the weekends.  I usually try to make a post on Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings, but I'm usually out backpacking.  Trying to see a glacier this weekend.

I'm usually quiet on weekends as well.

Good luck with your glacier!

(I don't think I've ever said those words in that order before)

EDIT: that being said, I didn't get a chance to get all up in the chargen business today, so I'll make a point to do so tomorrow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:43, Sat 22 May 2021.

Some workshop questions are up. I don't want to spend forever on pre-work, but I think a little bit of world-building goes a long way at the start.

The rest of my Saturday is pretty booked, but I'm going to try to sit down tomorrow and go over all the Debt stuff and pick at some strands there.

I made a sticky thread for Debts, with everyone having one post they can edit as Debts and whatnot are established.

Depending on a couple of variables, I think we'll be about ready to start by Tuesday.

I'm excited about how this is all shaping up.

I am slammed at work for the next week and a half (I think that's right...through June 5, however far off that is.  Yeah, it's been that kind of week...)

Just wanted to pipe up and say I'm not ignoring the game...just, no time to sit down and think about what I'm doing for the next little while.

Hey, no worries!  You let us know that you weren't going to be available for a while, which is a super awesome thing to do.  Expectations set.  Take care of work and mental health, we'll be here when you have time.

That said, we're totally going to give you all of the worst debts.  Just the worst of the worst.  Betrayal, murder, sordid love affairs.

I have a friend coming to town tomorrow morning, leaving Sunday evening, so I will be hard pressed to find time to post during that period.  However, I might be able to slip away for quick answers.

First two posts up, for Lilith and George.

I'm hoping to get Tessa and Twiddle up tonight.

Sorry about the pause everyone. The week was a little more chaotic than I'd anticipated. It's my son's bday tonight, so I'll be offline, but I'm putting some time aside tomorrow to get all caught up here.

Once again my apologies everyone. I hate stutter-stepping when a game is new. I hope I didn't lose anyone.

I should be okay to move forward more smoothly next week.

I'm just glad you communicated this with us!  That's key for any type of PbP.  No worries on my end.

To Tessa:

I have a message for you on Character Creation Thread.

Also, on my thread (1.1), Lilith is sending you a text message:
"I need to call/see you later!!! Can't talk right now. Do you have a cousin named Aaron?"
I think is fine to reply in there, if you don't read or you make abstraction of the rest of the text in there. Please take into consideration that the time on 1.1 is Just after Sunset. So basically you will receive the text later than on your personal thread.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:17, Mon 07 June 2021.

Well, I'd like to say that whether or not she responds would depend mostly on whether or not Padbit tells Tessa she can text everyone else or not--I'll sneak in a response ASAP if it's an affirmative on phone use generally. :)

Poor Tessa.

That's a lot of texts about creepy dudes looking for her.

I always forget about texting. I started playing Urban Fantasy games before cell phones were a thing. And my imagination still hasn't ever really caught up.

It was well into the 2010's before I stopped having plot hooks like 'there's a mystery surrounding this easily Googleable thing.'
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:01, Wed 09 June 2021.

In reply to System (msg # 21):

That's why I asked before just bringing said creeper to her house...

:P

hehehe.

Everyone, I've done a retcon. I've changed everyone's thread to 'Just Before Sundown.' I was going for a thing with the shifting time frames, but I think it's causing more problems than it's solving.

So we're all in the same time now.

Let me know if that messes anything up for anyone.

I actually love that change.  That will make it so much easier to overpower Twiddles and turn him into the other Wolves in order to save my own skin.  Kidding!

I have a question regarding faction moves and advancement.  The way I read it, the book requires you to mark all four factions to advance.  In the Debts and Advancement Tracker on here, it only asks for three.  I assume this is to help speed up advancement in a slow medium.  My question is if we have to mark the three other factions, or if it is any three factions?  For example, George succeeded at Putting a Face to a Name on his own faction.  Does he mark an advancement, or does it not count due to him being a Night and the NPC being a Night?  I'm happy either way, just looking for clarification.

Any three will do. I'd rather not skip the same Faction twice or more in a row, but we'll see how complex that makes things as we go.

So yes, George is 33% in his way to an Advance.

I rarely use the phone (if available in the setup). But when I'm apart from the group and I need to contact them, suddenly I remember I have a phone :))

Okay...work has settled down enough for me to start breathing again...

Give me a few days to get up to speed on everything (it's taken me until tonight to get caught up on a game I've been in for the better part of a decade, this one is next on the 'catch up' list), and I'll be ready to start getting involved in everything.

Bad George! Bad!

Dont make me get the rolled up newspaper!

:P

Oh goodness, I just updated my Debts tracker.  I went from somewhat balanced (early in our discussions) to owing everyone else so very much.  That might just become a part of who George is.

Planning a full update tonight.

Sorry, everyone, tonight do not happen. Tomorrow for sure.

I'm not sure if 'Hitting the Streets' was appropriate in that situation, but it seemed the closest to what I was trying to do.

Twiddle and Lilith, I've responded to your respective text messages in my own thread. You can see the text in Coral color. :)

Don't worry gang, I might be joining you all shortly.  In the meantime, I should point out that George doesn't have a cell phone.  Or maybe he does, but no plan.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:54, Wed 16 June 2021.

In reply to Tessa Combs (msg # 33):

Replied!

And George, Twiddle would certainly get you a cell phone. Most of his messages to said phone go something like this:

WLYD HUNT HERE! GET YOUR FURRY FORM MOVING ASAP!

With a handy link leading to 'how to find this phone in one easy click'.

I'll get a post up tomorrow--I've just had the finale of a Masks campaign, so I'm a bit tired out from that. :)

Lilith: office camera approved. That's completely in line with the 'permission rather than forgiveness' rule.

Thank you! I'll edit my last post

Do I know the guy in the picture?

Give me a Put a Face to the Name roll. I'll let you know about marking a Faction once I adjudicate the roll.

In reply to System (msg # 40):


21:38, Today: Twiddleskimershim rolled 12 using 2d6+1.  Put a name to a face-Mortals.

If its anything but night, its a 12. If its night, then its a 10.

@Twiddle

For me is not clear this part:



So, I owe you 3 debts, you owe me none. Do you want to erase one of them because I'm going to help you (and Tessa especially)?

In reply to Lilith Voss (msg # 42):

Well, the main reason I am doing this is because you are the night faction. I get a debt out of you, I get to highlight that for xp purposes. You get a debt out of me, you can highlight the wild faction.

Also, one of my powers allows me to use fae magic on someone without cost of corruption or wounds or owing the Fae Queen. One of my fae magic powers is to heal other people.

@Twiddle

Can we assume that Lilith replied just before the buzz? I was typing the reply and did not see that you have already replied.
You could edit your last text and add the one in between George's and mine, in there too. Pretty please!

In reply to Lilith Voss (msg # 44):

Got it. I will delete my post and repost.

Thank you! I'll wait for your update. :D

Done!

Posted. You reminded me that I owe you 3. So let's bargain :)))

It's going to take some time for George to arrive.  Ain't like he's grabbing a cab, but he's still faster than your average bear.

In reply to George Wolfe (msg # 49):

I figure Twiddle is worried about you enough where Lilith and him can intercept you. He can track your phone the same way you can track his.

@Twiddle

Technically speaking, i think we need to discuss this. What would you prefer?
Option 1) I owe you only one debt now.
Option 2) I owe you two debts, buy you also owe me one.

In reply to Lilith Voss (msg # 51):

Number 2 is fine. That way we both get xp.

I'll wait for George to reply, before accusing him of what I've discovered by scanning the area with my nose :))

Lilith, I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. The smell of vampire is coming from George. He has recently been close enough (socially or physically or emotionally) to a young vampire to retain the scent.

Oooh - Fixed. Still works with Twiddle's reply
This message was last edited by the player at 20:51, Mon 05 July 2021.

Lilith, there's a classic trope about the enmity between Vampires and Werewolves (to the point that they made a series of movies dedicated to the theme).  Is that the case in this world?  Is there some blood feud?  Perhaps a mutual disdain due to the difference in lifestyles?  Or is there more of an apathetic attitude, with any grudges being personal (such as the one between George and Lilith)?

In reply to George Wolfe (msg # 56):

I was initially thinking about the second one, but you're right with the first. I was not planning on making Lilith hold a grudge forever, just until George proves right for her. I'm ok with both options. Do you have any preference?

I think I got 3 Advances. Can I take a new move now?

Lilith, you should have rolled 2d6.  Instead, you only rolled 1d6.

Edit: Also, it looks like you can't Lend a Hand with faction moves such as Investigate a Place of Power.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:15, Wed 07 July 2021.

In reply to George Wolfe (msg # 59):

Lilith, you should have rolled 2d6.  Instead, you only rolled 1d6.
Oh, I did not notice I have not changed the one to two.

Edit: Also, it looks like you can't Lend a Hand with faction moves such as Investigate a Place of Power.
Aww... That's a pity :(
This message was last edited by the player at 17:16, Wed 07 July 2021.

I believe I have also advanced, along with Twiddle.

Anyone with three Marks can take an Advance. As a rule, if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you let me know in an OOC line when you Mark a Faction or Corruption. Just helps me keep track of where everyone is.

I'm sorry about being a little absent this week. It's been a complicated and involved week in RL. I'll get right back it as soon as I can.

Noted!  I'll start including that in my posts.  I ended up upgrading my Wolf form, as it seems an appropriate time to do so.

And no worries, life happens!  I'd say let us know next time, but it's often hard to tell how tricky life is until it's already too late.  Hope things clean themselves up for you!

In reply to System (msg # 62):

Yah!

I'm taking words are wind, the 2nd ed version.


This message was last edited by the player at 13:25, Sun 11 July 2021.

Hey every one. Haven't forgotten about you all. I'm experiencing an unusually complicated couple of weeks. A couple more days and I'll be back at it.

I'm going to be backpacking from Friday morning until sometime Sunday.  I'd like to think I'll be back early on Sunday, but half of my trip home is driving back towards a major city before I turn off towards mine.  To stay sane on that drive, is it Roll+Blood or Roll+Mind?

Hey everyone. It looks like things are going going to remain complicated for me for the next little while. I'm not closing this game down, and I want to continue it. But I'll be out of commission, creatively, for while.

So I'm declaring a hiatus.

When I've got a bit of bandwidth, I'll check back in and we'll pick it back up with anyone who's still around.

My apologies. I hate doing this. But it's better than stuttering along a post or two   a month until we're all too frustrated to continue.

Take your time, and just communicate with us!  I definitely appreciate that you aren't just shutting this down.  Hope things start to go smoothly with you.

Take care! We'll be here!

Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate the support. Right now it looks like things will start to even out the second/third week of August.

I'll try to keep everyone informed as best I can.

I will be here when you get back! Just feel free to let us know how you are doing from time to time!

:)

Nothing's bad or miserable or on fire, I just have a perfect storm of three bandwidth-stealing things happening all at once.

First, it's audit season at work with two full-scale, multi-day regulatory audits happening in the next two months (with all the associated pre and post mini-audits and debriefs). Which is fine, it's my job and I'm good at my job and my co-regulatory wrangler is both my wife and an epic-level super-genius, so we got this. But there's a lot to do, most of it composed of brain-draining reading of very fiddly clauses and sub-clauses of complex regulatory documents and documenting, documenting, documenting.

Second, about a week ago I was formally diagnosed with Adult ADHD (after a lot of effort put into securing and taking the testing). Which is good, it's a long time coming and I'm excited about the possibilities it represents. But it means that I'm now in the process of experimenting with nervous system stimulants and dismantling all my decades' old coping mechanisms in order to replace them with better ones. Next year I'll be a super-powered version of who I am now, but today, right now, it's taking a lot of brain to navigate.

Third, for unrelated reasons, I've made the decision to leave what has been my primary hobby for the past number of years: the keeping and raising of tarantula spiders. I have an extensive collection, so I have over 100 spiders of various size and species and complexity of husbandry and housing to find new owners for in a way that serves the animals' best interests and mine.

So, none of it bad. Some of it quite good. But all in all, lately each day just vanishes in a puff of smoke in a way I haven't experienced since my children were small.

And I found I was stressing every day about my posting rate. Which made me feel bad. And that made me avoid checking in to avoid saying 'sorry guys' one more time. And being avoidant isn't good for anyone.

So. tl;dr I need to take a full mental break for a bit. Just put down the responsibility completely. Sell some spiders, get my medication and my therapy/coaching and my regulatory affairs all in order.

Come back stronger on the far end.

Thanks for listening.

Hey, works well for me.  Our summer shows will be wrapping up after the third week of August, and things will be a little crazy for me for another week or two, getting ready for Halloween...but by mid-September, I will no longer be in a working-every-day situation and will have more time to focus on fun stuff and not just work.

Hey, I'll be here when you're ready to jump back in. I'm invested I'm my own character and in the other characters as well, so I'll be glad to go when it's time. Until then... :)

Is everyone in this game doing quite well? :)

Still here!

How are you?

We're all fine here, now...

How are you?

(I couldn't resist...)

In reply to Vincent Nero (msg # 77):

Who is this? What's your operating number?

In reply to Twiddleskimershim (msg # 78):

I'm doing pretty well on my end, personally. :)

Hey everyone. I regret to inform that I'm having a hard time at the moment. Things were looking up toward the end of August but now are less so. I'm still hoping that the clouds might part a little before too much longer.

But I don't have a re-start date in mind at the moment.

Please, take your time getting ready, I'm just checking in.

I hope things turn up for you soon.

In reply to System (msg # 80):

Dont sweat it. Real life comes 1st.

What they said...*grin*

Hello, everyone.

My unfortunate update is that my mental health situation continues to be both tenuous and energy-consuming. I cannot foresee a situation where I will be able to resume this activity on a regular basis.

Thank you for your hard work and effort. I was really enjoying this game and had high hopes for the group and the story. I am sad to have to let it go, even now, months into an extended pause.

I will be deleting this game at some point in the next week or two. If you wish to harvest anything from it, please feel free to do so.

Than you again.

Best of luck in your future endeavours.

Sorry to hear things are going rough.  I understand...a little sad to have never moved the character beyond the conceptual phase, but I play for fun and your current situation doesn't allow much for that, so I can't fault you at all.

I hope things improve!  If/when they do, if you want to start another game, hit me up.

In reply to Vincent Nero (msg # 85):

Same here. Let me know if you do another game.

:)

Thanks for running the game, GM. Like Twiddleskimershim, do let us know if you make another game in the future.

I wish you peace and good health! Things will improve... at some point. I like to go by this: "Things will be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end."

Take care of you everyone! I really enjoyed the time we spent on this >:D<

Mental health comes before most anything else.  Do what you have to to get better!  Thanks for running this as long as you did, and especially for trying to get to a situation where you could run it again.  I'll be around if you find your way back here.

Seconding all this--even if I'm sad to know the game won't continue, I'm glad you're choosing to prioritize yourself.

Thank you for the kind words, everyone. They are appreciated.