For chatting

We've got the next two players coming in. I've heard of one on here already and another is going to check things out after work.

Aaah, sorry Snargle, I forgot your +1 when I rolled, I just edited the post.

Question, is Natasha the pseudonym Lady Blackbird is flying by or is that her real name? If so, what is the crew calling her? I thought her real name was Natasha since it was listed first and Lady Blackbird was a pseudonym but now I realize that wasn't right.

I'll let the Lady answer that. It seems to both be possible. I read it one way, Snargle read it another.

And Captain Vance has joined us!

Woohoo! Oh Captain, my Captain!

Just in time to watch your wench jump ship, almost literally! Fate is not kind to our noble captain.

He’s determined to get her where she’s going, and he’s going to have one hell of a time if she leaves him behind... oh boy has he got a challenge ahead.

Also, hello all! Sorry for the delay in getting my post up, had to get in gear this morning

So, my initial plan was to get out of jail, then deal with the guard with sorcery. I don't know if I can get him to open the door, but that would be my first idea. And/or Naomi can break his neck, idk.

Kale's player let me know they lose access to their laptop for an extended time and can no longer play as a result. Kale will be made an NPC for the time being and I'll send out my feelers for another Kale Arkham.

Lady Blackbird, I posted this before but you may have missed it. What are we, the crew, calling your character?

Oh, sorry I must have missed, Snargle. I'm going with the idea that the Lady hasn't left her cabin much, or talked to anybody except Naomi, except beyond the strictly necessary. Mostly because she has been in her own head a lot. Now she's suddenly putting on the "captain's wench" charade, but you might believe it or not.

So to you she's maybe 'the passenger', or 'the stuck-up snob who never leaves her cabin', or whatever the Captain has told you about her. If you ask her she'll make up some name on the spot. Natasha Syri is her actual name, which mostly nobody knows, I'd think, even the ones who know she's Lady Blackbird.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:27, Wed 21 July 2021.

Dear Questioneer,
Please, can you please reconfigure the dice roller for:
- d6s
- 'record each die'
      please?

In reply to Naomi Bishop (msg # 14):

I think I did it.

You did.
You are awesome.

So, does 'The cutscene happens after the guard is knocked out' mean we now wait for you to create the setting of the next scene?

Thanks for asking. My brain was still waking up. Fixed now.

Did the guard have something useful beyond his keys? Like weapons or uniforms or something of that sort?

He has his own uniform, the stun baton (with battery pack), keys, and an impressive collection of stamps and inkpads. In a pile on a table are all your confiscated gear.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:24, Thu 22 July 2021.

I just gave everyone their stuff back. Also, I updated my posts to refer to Blackbird and Naomi as Lady Mysterious and the Bodyguard respectively. The first because she has that higher born accent and won't give names and the second because I assume Naomi is obviously protective.

Maybe I'm being too persnickety here, but by "all your confiscated gear", do you mean absolutely all the stuff we owned, or whatever we had on ourselves when we were captured?

That might not make a huge difference for some characters, but for the Lady it's (I think) the difference between "basically nothing, as you were fresh out of bed when you got busted" and "trunks and trunks of clothes, accessories and assorted bric-à-brac".

I think they have whatever is on our Items and Appearance

In reply to Lady Blackbird (msg # 22):

Whatever you got on you when you were seized. The other stuff is still on the Owl. The Owl is also confiscated, but not resting on this table :)

Hey Snargs,  that was some cute banter
Take an exp!

Yes, approved!

In reply to Questioneer (msg # 26):

Excellent! My power grows!

We have a new Kale! I didn’t even need to ask for it anywhere!

Oh nice! Who is it?

In reply to Lady Blackbird (msg # 30):

Excuse you, I have the Key of Banter. Get your own key!

(Seriously though, I chuckled)

In reply to Snargle (msg # 31):

;P

In reply to Snargle (msg # 29):

Hi..me..im seagoat :)

In reply to Kale Arkham (msg # 33):

Not cabbage?

On a more serious note, Questioneer, I have a couple of doubts about the rules:

Buying off Keys: does a "buy off" mean that Key gets removed from the character? That's my reading of the rules, but I'd like to confirm it please. Also: when buying off a Key, you get 2 Advances. If, like I think, the buy off removes the Key, is it possible to re-buy it with one of those Advances? Like, say, if I reveal my identity to someone I have fooled (Key of the Imposter), can I use one of them Advances to re-buy the Key of the Imposter, and try to fool someone else later on? Or is it somehow forbidden?

Secrets: they are not really explained in the rules, are they. Does the fact that they are "Secrets" mean that they must be kept secret from eveyone? Does revealing them erase them? And the fact that doing a Refreshment scene lets you "regain the use of a Secret" makes me think that secrets are "one use only" until the next Refreshment scene, but this is not explained anywhere? Can you explain this?

And finally, what constitutes a "refreshment scene"? What does it need to be such a scene?

Thanks!
This message was last edited by the player at 17:11, Sat 24 July 2021.

In reply to Lady Blackbird (msg # 34):

at best brussel sprout

Excellent questions! The buying off means that yes, you will no longer have access to it. Regaining it is possible, I’ll rule, but on the same condition as the others, it needs to make sense in the story. You got to work to regain it. So if you use the key of the imposter and want to learn it again, you will probably need to find a teacher or learn from someone else in some way.

The secrets don’t necessarily need to be a secret from the others I think, but it would be something that only you (or only a rare few people) can do. Most secrets are one use a scene, yes. This usually is explained in the secret itself. Like, Vance’s secret of the warpblood is once a session even!

Thanks for the answers, Questioneer! :)

@Naomi: does the Lady know about your Key of Vengeance? Have you ever told her about your terrible past, or not? I'd like to know, to see how she understands your reluctance to dress up in imperial uniform.

My thoughts are:   The Lady purchased Naomi out of the Pit Fighting circuit.
The Lady knows that Naomi was an enslaved gladiator, and knows all too well her hatred for the Empire and everything that serves it.
This is why Naomi also has 'Key of the Guardian' ... in her brutal mind, the Lady brought/bought her out of squalor, pain and certain death.  That is why she is loyal to the Lady:  and why she will even dress as an Emperial Slaver/Prison Guard, if that is what the Lady wishes.

So, yes.   In every way.   if that suits you, and your image of this pair

That's great stuff, thanks! :D

these are good questions, bit they don’t need to be answered yet. These are the kinds of things that can be told/made up in the refresh scenes. The rules say these can be flashbacks as well :)

Sorry for the tardiness in posting. Naomi has an XP for going against her principles for the Lady.

I will try and post a story update in the morning.

Okay. I'm reading up and halfway through my second cup of coffee. I should be able to post something today before the day starts in earnest.

So, I think we covered some of this as well, but I'll cover/summarize it here.



Lady Blackbird: This hits your Key of the Paragon. If you haven't yet, take an XP for that.



Cyrus Vance, this hits your Key of the Commander. If you haven't yet, take an XP for it.



Naomi Bishop, as you've shown, you are brutally hitting your Key of the Guardian. Well done. XP earned!



Snargle, this made me chuckle. Since we're not at a table, I will have to judge it myself rather than as a group. (but anyone can pipe in, like Naomi did before). You've hit your Key of Banter as far as I'm concerned. Take an XP!



Kale Arkham, your willingness to get into danger like this for the mission hits your Key of the Mission. Take an XP!

Sweet!!

Oh, nice, I was watching the Key of the Imposter but the Key of the Paragon was out of my radar. Thanks for the heads up, Questioneer!

I will be getting my second vaccine shot today so I might be out for a few days.

Congrats! Hope you don't get any nasty side effects.

In reply to Questioneer (msg # 46):

That's awesome! Good luck!

I'm doing well, but real life is acting up a bit at the moment. I will update this as soon as I can. Sorry for all the waiting.

I'm as good as completely back I think. I'll be waiting for another day to see if Naomi or Vance have something to add, but after I will advance the story.

Snargle and Kale: Both your pools have been restored!

......
..
I couldn't help myself....to much set up....

It must be an engineer thing...

tools just be sexy...its engineer club...

...umm ..i didnt look at her tools goddammit

That image is not gender-roles-sexist *at all*.

(eyeroll)

Its terrible, and im terribly embarrassed for not looking at her at all.my bad..

Distracted by sexy tools, lose 2 turns.

Captain Vance, is there anything you want to add, or do I move things forward?

Are we waiting for characters? As for the Lady, she's waiting to see if she manages to find uniforms lying around (something tells me she won't).

I was waiting to see if Noami or Captain Vance had anything to add.

I am busy today but will push the plot forwards in the morning.

In reply to Questioneer (msg # 63):

life important...games not.


relatively..
this next bit is a ramble because i just woke up,..and missed a med...Im aware its random, so separated it XD

so...relatively...
 as a society we need games and social story telling, as it keeps us together as a society.
did you know brains go into a sort of synced state..kind of, when listening to a story?

"as one person told a story and the other listened, they found that the greater the listener's comprehension, the more closely the brain wave patterns mirrored those of the storyteller."
https://www.npr.org/sections/h...n-power-of-narrative

I don't have time for advancing the story today but will do so soon.

Captain Vance, if you're still active, feel free to post.

Ak, looks like Kale still needs to post as well. I don't really have any actions from the Kale and Snargle team. If you don't want to, that's good, but I will advance the story shortly.

Vance has not logged on in ten days. I'm gonna give it a bit more before I start looking for a new one, meanwhile keeping him on the background as an NPC I think. This "session" or "episode" is running to a close anyway.

Just have that bitch do what he's told.

I think Kale opened the door for snargle this time.


 that was what he was attempting the first time, as to many alarms everywhere to turn off i figured. The alarm comments were in character 'stress talk' because they were giving his little drugged up brain a headache..XD

Ah. Okay, my bad I guess. Alright.

Sorry folks, I’ve been busy with work, family, life.
I’ll post soon.

Same here. I'm going to aim for at least one big post a week, and try to drop in on the other days to answer questions and the like.

Life be crazy busy. Food, bills, study etc and dependents are priorities....and running a game can take spoons and thinking time.
aim for what you can...and know that I am grateful for what you can do, when you can.

"Lady and the Tramp Captain"  <----a genuine snort of drink laugh

          :-p


Glad I could sticky the keyboard for you

Good stuff. I'll post an update the coming weekend. Posting rate will be only weekly for now, with the start of school taking up much time. I'll try to check in in between for messages like this, but move things ahead only on the weekends. If I miss a weekend I'll probably try to advance stuff on a Wednesday, since I don't have to teach on Wednesdays (but have to do all other needed real life stuff).

Quick reactions: Naomi, yes for key of vengeance. And yes for putting yourself in danger, as you will be wanted criminals if any on this ship (or the ship itself) survive. It will up the chance of there being bounty hunters on your tail. Good role-play everyone. This episode is almost done and then I will try to find a new Vance (or if real life gets too hectic, end it in style or put in on hiatus for a bit.)

So, do Naomi and Vance and the Lady make it to the hangar bay?

Yeah, I am confused also.
I thought we were making our way to said hanger.

But the Questioneer's comment:seems to indicated that we are not only at the Hanger, but now aboard the Owl.

Some clarification please?

Sorry, it's been hectic.

Naomi, Vance and Natasha are about to enter the hangar proper. Snargle and Kale are on the Owl itself.

Good writing all. I have a busy day today, but will try to get to this tomorrow.

As asked in private message. For advances, the rules in general should be suitable, but should you want to have more options (and more indecision paralysis), or if you find that you cannot find what you want for your character to advance, there is a (manmade I think) companion to Lady Blackbird. You can find it here: https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1378920201714.pdf

If I had remembered I would probably have used the imperial destroyer floorpan for this game, but such is life :)

' snarling bodyguard '   ...  ???

flavour? she seemed angry, warriorlike,  and aggressive all over the place in m head cannon...def not Smiling .. :D

but..if you dont like..can edit of course

Hmmm no.  I’m good with that.   :-)

You're only breathing because she'd gain no XP from your dead body, mister Kale.

any landing you walk away from alive, is a good landing...as Momma used to say...

Well run, friend Q.

I love the way this scenario can play out in so many ways: and I enjoyed the tale of this awesome escapade.
Thank you all, for the fun.

+1 to Naomi.

It was a lot of fun, and of we eventually continue the adventures of this magnificent team of oddballs, count me in :)

count me in for any further shenanigans pls.


"This is the end of Episode 1. Feel free to role-play the end, using the possibilities for refresh scenes, healing of wounds, etc. This concluded, and my real life situation becoming increasingly busy and stressful, I'm going to take a break here. I might start this back up for episode two at some time, like around easter or during the summer, but for now I cannot give you any good type of GM-ing. <--
Thank you for seeing the episode to an end, rather than leaving high and dry. Truly appreciated.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:41, Fri 24 Sept 2021.

The Questioneer is willing to allow me to co-GM, and run episode two.
How do my fellow players feel about this?

That's great! Thanks for stepping up, Naomi.

That sounds great. Will you still be playing Naomi at well? Or would we need a new Naomi?

Also thank you to the original Questioneer for all your hard work!

great plan.

*happy dance*

Ok then,  I have the some power!
GMing status has been facilitated.

I am going to take a quick look at all your private areas, then get something new started.

We have private areas?

Yeah.  Your private parts; your personal bits.
Your Private threads.

I will, indeed, continue playing Naomi:  I really enjoy this character.

I have also added, as you can see, an Exp Tracker thread.
This will help keep things open and transparent;  as well as avoiding confusion.
If everyone could, please, humour me it’s use, I’d be very grateful.

I will, as long as you promise not to look at my private areas

If you insist

I am actually on vacation right now:   Working off my phone, in spotty reception, without my PDFs.

I’ll be home tomorrow;  and will kick off  ‘Episode 2: Hijinx in Haven’  in a few days.

Yay! Thanks a bunch, Naomi!

ohhhh...stuff to read and digest. shall post laters though

..and then some shit happened that involved the court and lawyers..so, kinda  distracted by Unshinythngs..all to be sorted tomorrow, then back to normal viewing

Be well, friend Kale.   And may goodness and fun and fairness be upon thy side.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:36, Thu 14 Oct 2021.

Sorry, been absorbed with IRL shit, now I'm back. Shall we go tear up that town? :D