Welcome to Break Quest. Sorry to break the narrative for a moment, but I figure there’s a few important notices I need to get out the way.

Primarily, this is my first attempt at a Quest. On top of that, I’m using my first quest to try and experiment with a rather odd metasystem I’ve been working on for a while, which probably isn’t wise. As a result, this may all go horribly, horribly wrong. Hopefully if it does, it’ll at least be an entertaining trainwreck, and they say you often learn more from a failure than from a success. Still, we’ll see how it goes.

Secondly, but possibly more importantly, is explaining Break. What is it, how does it work, and how does it affect the quest? Let’s go over the basics.

In this quest, you have the ability to Break. Break what exactly? Anything.

Rules of the Quest. Rules of physics. Objects. People. Reality itself. Break, and it shatters.

Want to suggest use of a Break? Include [BREAK] in your post, along with what you’re Breaking and what you hope to achieve.

There is, of course, a downside to Breaks. Use them as much you like. But each time you do, I’ll roll 1d20, and subtract the number from a set value I’ll include in the subject line of my posts.

When it hits zero, we hit a Breaking Point.

A Breaking Point is the absolute consequences to balance out the absolute power that Breaks give you. During a Breaking Point, anything and everything can be broken. Using more Breaks doesn’t help. The only thing you can do, as players, is set an Absolute. One thing which remains unbroken, which holds true despite all the destruction wrought on the world. Choose wisely.

I’m going to run this Quest by consensus, unless that gets messy, and I’ll only pose dice rolls when there’s a dramatically interesting challenge. If I fuck something up, or you more experienced questers feel you've got a useful suggestion to make on the rules front, feel free. I’m relatively novice, even in terms of following and participating in quests, so it may help quite a bit.

These first few posts will be to establish the character and let me explain a bit of the setting, before we get around to finding a way out of the apparently impossible position we’ve started ourselves in. First up, of course, is a name. Fire away folks.

A name? I suggest Erin Dozle.

>>22139657
I suggest Dozle Schicklgruber.

We are Jebediah Thule, exiled English Nobleman. Clearly we are in the middle of an assassination attempt by the fools who ousted us from our ancestral estate!

>>22139683
>Dozle Schicklgruber
I see what you did there. I am not amused.

>>22139657
I'm going to back you because why not.

>>22139708
I like this.

>>22139657
+1 for Erin. Let's get this going

>>22139753
FOOL! Dare you go against 500 years of tradition?! The Thules have always been the center of the most fantastic tales, why when my great, great, great grandfather Geofrey Thule invented the tophat people called him mad, Mad!

He killed them all with his first prototype tophat and to this day that blood thirsty product of hatsmithing lies at the bottom of the english channel...waiting.

Who will protect us from the Prim Tophat if not Jebediah Thule?!

Erin S. Dozle. Not the best name in the world, but not the worst. At least, not the worst after our middle name was conveniently hidden behind its initial.

Images of the past condense around the name. Our childhood, growing up in the arcology as part of the so called ‘new society’. Being bounced on our grandfathers knee, seeing his medals. And our grandmothers medals too, come to that. It seems strange what comes to mind when death seems moments away.

Faint hints of the projected sky above, always blue and always clear, reflect in the broken window and the shards of glass. The arcology always seemed idyllic, but in this moment it seems false, like a gilded cage. Still, before now, we were happy with our life. Our studies and our activities, carefully chosen for our betterment... But some appealed to us more than others. Amidst the flow of memories, they become an island of focus.

[Choose one Academic focus and one Athletic focus. Any subject or sport you like]

>>22139827
>>22139760
>>22139708

Sorry, I had a vague idea of the setting for this quest, and as fun as a leap into the unknown sounds, I’ll stick on firmer ground for now. I may save this for a future endeavour, however. This Quest might not last long, depending on how it goes, so I may need a new premise sooner than later.

>>22139896
>Academic focus
Philology
>Athletic focus
Rugby

>>22139896
There's no magic is there?

Erin S. Dozle, Master of Transquantum Supa Physics, and black belt in the groin destroying martial art of Kunt-Fu.

Feel free to change the names, but you get the gist.

>>22139896
Academic focus is Chemistry.

Athletic focus is Rugby.

>>22139896
FOOL! HOW DARE YOU DENY JEBEDIAH THULE!? Nah its cool OP.

Academic: Xenoarcheology (ALIENS DID IT!)
Athletics: Pugilisim, as in boxing.

>>22139984
I like chemistry for academics, but
>>22139985
Pugilisim is obviously superior to rugby.

>>22140007
The Marquess of Queensbury never got in a brawl. Rugby is a brawl with rules (really more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules).

>>22139896
I'm liking Chemistry and Pugilism, myself.

File: 1356041858052.png-(49 KB, 393x498, 1350870878144.png)

Oh damn son, it's that guy who made Break.

Used a modified completed version of BREAK to run a short campaign with some friends a year or so ago. Was really fun once they realized what breaks could really do. Highlight was when they were in a spooky carnival tent and broke gravity. huge combat encounter floating around and using tons of tight-ropes to maneuver.

Thanks for the fun, bro

File: 1356041870752.jpg-(23 KB, 286x361, 1354102596092.jpg)

>>22140050
By Pugilism I mean "Drunken brawl in a dirty room with some ropes and a canvas mat" We have pretensions of granduer so we call things by fancy names.
>>22140007
No, no dude think about it! We break things, like probability!

We'll say "ALIENS DID IT!" and then aliens will be responsable for everything!

>>22140143
>ALIUMS MADE THIS REMOTE CONTROL!
>and the remote control can now control anything.
>ALIUMS MADE THIS LASER POINTER!
>and the laser point can now broadcast holograms.
>ALIUMS MADE THIS HAM SANDWHICH
>and the ham sammich is now sapient and has 3 phds

>>22140143
Well then "pugilism" it is.

>>22139896
Another vote for mixing shit and punching shit

(Chemistry and Pugilism)

It seems ironic, recalling that you actually know the composition of the material inside the flashbang which will blind you within the next few seconds. You could sketch its structure, write out the formula and give instructions on how to mix the metals for the best effect. You were the only student to get both a commendation and a detention when you proved your practical knowledge of this most effectively during the general madness around the end of the exams.

It’s lucky you’re still on your feet to see this all happening. Most of the other passengers were thrown to the floor when the train stopped abruptly, but you managed to keep your feet. You’ve been in enough situations where getting knocked on the floor would’ve been the end of a match, and that innate sense of stability made it easy to resist the sudden stop.

Of course, all the knowledge and all the strength in the world wouldn’t get you out of this situation. You can feel the end coming, the river of memory reaching the current moment, the second in which the flashbang explodes, and it all ends...

But it’s Broken. A crack runs through the river, with shattered lines running from it in both directions. Something deep within you, in your mind, in your heart and in your soul... Its been broken beyond repair. But within it, you can sense a way out. A way to change fate. To deny destiny. To get the hell out of this mess.

[First BREAK]

Choose how you sunder the world.

>>22140271
Train never stopped moving.

>>22140271
Break the flashbang's detonator

>>22140299
Think of it this way man, if we break the flashbang we still have to deal with the people who threw it. If the train keeps chugging on we'll get away from them, if only temporarily.

>>22140271
BREAK CAUSALITY
We never boarded the train.

PARADOX BE DAMNED!

>>22140271
All reactive chemicals not involved in keeping an organism alive are rendered inert. This effects everything within a mile or so of Erin in a sphere.

This means the flashbang for instance is a dud, So are the bullets any soldiers may be carrying. Any gasoline within the Breaks effect is turned into water.

But if the break would kill someone by stopping any chemical reactions that keep an organism alive it doesn't work.

>>22140271
Break the train in half just infront of the bashflang. Those who threw it remain on the other part of the train to you, no problemo.

>>22140290
This seems like the strongest competitor.

>>22140456
I prefer breaking things down to their constiuent elements or transmuting them into inert matter. For everything that isn't alive in a mile's radius around our character.

>>22140519
We're in an arcology. For all we know that could cause mass chaos and panic, killing hundreds.

Hmm... It looks like we have two major categories of Breaks. Chemical or Physical. Vote between the two, please, and I'll start writing up the response in the next five minutes or so.

As a note, I'll generally allow about fifteen minutes to take suggestions before I start writing the next post. Lack of a clear consensus makes it more difficult, so in such cases I'll try to make the choice simpler for a quick vote before writing up.

>>22140563
And for all we know keeping the train going could cause a wreck.

I vote chemical.

>>22140563
>>22140519
Rendering all chemicals inert except those directly related to sustaining life will still kill a lot of people. Car wrecks will be rampant, power will go out (Which if we're near a hospital that will kill anyone on life support)... list goes on.

I vote keep the train moving.

>>22140594

Yes, we should break chemical.

>>22140594
I vote physical

Break the train. On the grounds that (guessing) the least severe the break, the least severe the consequences

File: 1356044550286.jpg-(104 KB, 928x600, TrainWreck1904.jpg)

>>22140733

Are you real sure about it?

>>22140647
"Nothing is stopping or obstructing the movement of the train, for the next two and the past three miles." ?

It seems odd, that chemicals you’ve mastered should be your downfall. So you Break them.

As the long moment comes to an end, the flashbang fails to explode, simply careening across the carriage and clattering onto the floor. Those outside pause, apparently waiting for the flash, and then throw another grenade, to much the same effect. Following that is a cascade of clicking sounds, which seems to be the large group of armed men you can see outside the window pulling the triggers on their firearms to no useful effect.

They’re a rather odd bunch. Their armour is dark and without insignia, their eyes and faces obscured by black masks. A couple of them in the heavier, power assisted suits seem to be having trouble, staggering and wobbling as if struggling to remain standing under the weight.

At least this has given you a short while to catch your breath. You’re still on the train, but it seems like the armed men are only on one side of it, leaving the other side open and clear. This is probably because of the sheer drop down the side of the raised railway platform, but you can see a canal below which might just break your fall. Of course, you could also run up or down the train, to find another way out, or even try to talk to the armed men. After all, they might be reasonable...

A second track of thoughts is beginning to register certain oddities. Despite being in a frightening, unprecedented situation, your thoughts are clear, analytical and precise. Your heartbeat is steady and you feel ready to run a marathon. In fact, you feel ready to run a marathon. They say adrenaline can do amazing things, but this must be more than that... Still, you’ll have more time to work out what’s going on when there aren't people trying to kill you.

>>22140733

Sorry, this and all after fell outside of the five minute cutoff. I'm just trying to keep things moving along.

>>22140872

Durr, double marathon. Spent two minutes correcting minor errors and somehow managed to miss that. Ignore the second sentence.

>>22140872
Run along the train to the first car, with that done try to ascertain whether or not the train runs on electricity or whatever.

>>22140927

>>22140829
>Destroy everything within a mile that isn't alive
>Destroy half a train

Seems like a no brainer to me

>>22140927

I agreed about it.

>>22140927
Would still require fuel of some source though.

I say hoof it. The guy's suits seem to be to heavy to punch through, and we don't know how long this break lasts

File: 1356045252005.jpg-(75 KB, 334x452, lgppr40105+great-power-gr(...).jpg)

>>22140939

>>22140872
I vote for jumping.

Hey if the train needs more juice we'll just break again and fix its power source.

>>22141089
Pre-defined limit. Don't wanna waste 'em now do we?

>>22140872
Hurry up OP, I'm too excited for this story to sit around waiting all night

>>22141226
Okay into the canal then.

While they’re distracted, you make haste towards the front of the train. Around you, people are getting to their feet, some looking frightened, others looking angry, and yet more seeming to simply withdraw from the whole affair, attempting to curl into their seats and hide. Many look at you as you rush past... As do the soldiers outside, shouting as they see you escaping. One of the heavy suits tries to follow, but topples over, and your speed- You never used to be able to run this fast- leaves them behind.

Out of the train windows, you see a raised road running parallel to the track. It looks like a lot of minor accidents happened in quick succession, with people arguing and shouting at one another. One poor man appears to be desperately sucking at an inhaler, but finding no respite... But he’s gone as the next train car comes and goes, and before you know it you’re in the driver’s cabin. Of course, it isn’t occupied. The trains are automated these days, with manual control only present as a safeguard in case the AI’s malfunction. Of course, this means that the manual controls have priority over the AI command structure, and they seem to be fully powered.

After sprinting almost the full length of the train, you’re still not out of breath. The strength in your body continues to surprise you... And begins to remind you of something. Old stories from before your time, of people who could do all sorts of wonderful things... But the past is the past. The shouts of the soldiers are getting closer, and there’s a good chance at least some of them have entered the train. You’re not out of this yet.

>>22141226

Sorry to be a bit slow. I'm still working out how to properly pace things and I had to pause for a bit there and work something out. I seem to be averaging a post every twenty five minutes, fifteen minutes for suggestions and debate and then ten minutes for writing it up. Perhaps I'll be able to speed that up as we go along, we shall have to see.

>>22141338
S'alright, but it's my bed time soon and I want to see some face-punching action.

>>22141330
I still vote get off the stupid train. They only go forward and backward. Too easy to intercept.

>>22141330
I'm thinking it's best to leap off the side into the canal. This is why I wanted to keep the train moving.

>>22141330
Let's get off.
Nearest window or exit.

With the soldiers already on the train, getting it moving won’t do any good. The door opens easily, the magnetic locks seeming to have failed, and you look down to the canal. It’s a long fall. Really, you should be feeling something like vertigo right now. The fact you aren’t is just another strange thing about today.

You read somewhere that if you fall the wrong way, water can be about as solid as concrete. Still, there’s always the chance of falling the right way. The soldiers might not have guns, but fists, knives and clubs can still kill you.

You jump. You don’t feel like you’re falling... You feel like you’re flying. Okay, you’re flying straight down, but you’re still flying. The impact hurts. It hurts like a punch to the face, but lacks the all important broken neck aspect that so often occurs when one jumps from high places. Your clothes are soaked and heavy, but it’s not that much effort to swim. You find yourself bordering a park. The canal is a narrow waterway for pleasure boats, going from one lake to the other, with grass and carefully constructed meadows in between. The overhead rails and roads are plated with the same material used in the arcologies outer shell, projecting the sky down so that, looking up, you might never realise they were there.

Nobody seems to have noticed your plunge. A few groups of people are looking up at the stopped train with some confusion, but nobody seems particularly bothered by it. Who had heard of something like that happening within the New Society?

You’re beginning to doubt a lot of what you know about the New Society. Why would you be targeted? You’re nothing special... Or, you were nothing special, before today. And just what the hell happened to you? It’s not like you’re a Eurid or something.

...Or perhaps you are. The stories flow back to your mind. You heard about them when you were a kid, but even in those days, people said they were dying out. Genetically superhuman, the Eurids were the superheroes of a generation. Faster and stronger than any man, supernaturally skilled in the arts of war or peace, the Eurids changed the world. Nobody knew why they stopped existing. Why no more were made of them or no more had been born. Then again, nobody knew how they’d come about in the first place. These days, surviving Eurids are the stuff of rumour, myth and legends.

And the memory of your grandparents medals rises again. So many damn medals... Son of a bitch.

But, despite this revelation, you’re still in a canal. You could try to make your way through the park, but there’s a lot of people who could see you. Swimming might get you somewhere else... But it’s not certain it would get you anywhere better. Where to go from here?

>>22141761

Sorry this took a little extra time, wrote up a double post. If you don't recognize the terminology, don't worry. If you do, you'll know I've posted the setting on /tg/ a few times. Still, don't worry. I'm not going to ask for any specialist knowledge and I'm essentially using the base concept as a springboard to see what happens.

>>22141761
Get underwater, swim away keeping our breath as long as we can. Head for vegetation on the border of the canal to hide us when we get out.

>>22141811
Follow the canal till you reach somewhere you can find out who the hel is after you

>earthflame
>doing quest instead of homebrew
This is a sad day

>>22141948

If it makes it any better, I'm doing this Quest as an experiment based on a homebrew. Break is something I'm still actively working on, and I was curious as to what /tg/ would do with Breaks given the ability.

Hey, I remember this thing.

http://www.mediafire.com/?1c8ajoxrcm1aj2c

You made it?

>>22142045

BREAK-R is actually the work of a friend of mine. I'm focusing on Break as a metasystem, but I gave him free reign to try and build a system around the basic ideas I'd laid down. I think he's doing a good job so far.

It never hurts to be cautious. Ducking under, you proceed to swim for longer underwater than you thought possible. You have to come up for air, but even after your previous exertion you only need to come up for a breath once per minute. Your swimming technique isn’t great, but the sheer power you’re exerting means you’re keeping up a decent pace.

Soon, you arrive at the lake, with a convenient border of scrub, brush and woodlands to conceal your exit. This area is actually more densely populated than the last, with pleasure boats on the lake and people relaxing on the shore, but thankfully nobody is hanging about near the canal.

For the moment, you seem to have evaded pursuit and any other unpleasantness. Still, your clothes are soaked, and your plans for the day are very much ruined. You can sense a certain dull shock from realising that armed men tried to stun you, and then shoot you, and then a greater twinge of strangeness at just how you managed to prevent it. But both sensations are vague and ephemeral, held at bay to let you keep functioning.

The bruises on your face and body are fading. You can feel the pain deadening and softening, your recovery so swift the fall now barely marks you. And- Then you hear a siren. A general alert to the whole arcology.

“Attention all citizens of the New Society. Please turn your attention to the nearest public address screen or your personal communicator and await an important announcement.”

This can’t be a coincidence. Listening in could let you figure out what’s going on... But running for it while everyone else is distracted doesn’t seem like a bad idea either.

>>22141811

I'd been forgetting to include the Breaking Point number in the topic, but its there now.

I may be collapsing soon. I'm on GMT, so its roughly 1AM. I was hoping to get to the end of the first section, but if I've lost people it can wait till tomorrow, probably. Sorry if the writing quality dipped or the options seemed too limited in the last few posts. Any feedback on the quest to help me improve it would be useful.

>>22142622
It actually is a decent enough question so far. If I'd caught you sooner, I would have participated.

>>22142622
Nah, the writing has been great it's just a bad time of year. I keep getting caught up in family christmas stuff.

>>22143099

Ah, that does make sense. I guess I'll just see if there are any posts overnight and if the thread survives till then.

>>22143021

We're still right at the beginning, more or less, so don't be shy about jumping in.

Bump in hope of survival till morning.

>>22144653
It will. God willing.

>>22142228
Listen to the announcement. If they are looking for us at least we will know how to disguise properly

Bump. Also, listen to the announcement.

>>22148370
>>22148728
Voting this.

I'm pleasantly to find the thread is still here. Thanks for the continued participation, folks. I'll get to typing up after I've managed to grab some breakfast and caffiene.

Every public address screen is beginning to gather a crowd, but thankfully you can still see from your hiding place amidst the trees and bushes. ‘Screen’ is an obsolete term, but it’s still used out of simple familiarity. Rather than a large and bulky sheet of glass, a holographic projector flickers for a moment before casting the image into the air. A smiling young woman, an official New Society representative, greets the arcology.

“Good morning, citizens of the New Society. It is my unpleasant duty to report that, despite the best efforts of our security forces, a terrorist agent has been confirmed to have infiltrated our arcology. Please do not be alarmed. Cooperate with special agents, and report any sightings of this individual.”

And there it is. Your picture. Not your file picture, but security camera footage as you got onto the train this morning. They’ve got your current outfit, a good shot of your face... but strangely, no name. Why would they post your picture, but not broadcast your name?

“Remain calm but observant, and trust in the New Society to survive this incident. We will continue to give regular reports and updates. That is all.”

The screen fades, and people begin to talk, although it’s too far away to hear clearly. Still, the general tone is obvious. There’s a mix of fear, speculation and excitement, this kind of thing being rare in such a carefully controlled environment.

Now you know the score... But what are you going to do about it?

>>22142228

In addition to actions, it might be time to define things like our characters general appearance, the outfit we were wearing this morning... And probably gender, too. I’ve been sticking with neutral since Erin can be either, but a little character definition probably wouldn’t hurt.

>>22150599
[BREAK}

I want a new face, body and outfit. Let's turn into someone completely different so we can hide better.

Is that allowed?

>>22150816
A better question would be: does the rate at which we approach Breaking Point vary with the scale of the object broken, or is it solely dependent on the die roll?

Because I would sorely like to Break our own human limitations. When we can shatter our own non-omnipotence with a single Break, one-time shapeshifting becomes... small time.

>>22150816

Heck yeah that's allowed, and its a very cool idea to boot.

>>22150843

This is a good argument for having Breaks scale depending on how significant they are. Shapeshifting would just be a normal roll. Trying to become God... Heck of a lot bigger.

>>22150843
I'm curious as to whether "break" means break though. Your break seems to fit in with the definition, but my one is just changing the situation. I dunno if that's in the rules.

Though your question is a good one.

>>22150868
Consider this:
[Break]
Target: Our personal non-omnipotence
Absolute: Our personal omnipotence

As we are omnipotent, we are also omniscient. After the Breaking Point, remake the universe as we remember it using our Break-unrelated power.
Except for the parts we don't like, of course.

I'm not enough of a munchkin to actually give that as a serious suggestion, of course.

>>22150868
Question answered. I vote for me then.>>22150816

How about a d10 for simple things and a d10+10 for the biggies? Or something like that.

>>22150920
Seems too much of a cop-out to me. I like a challenge, and I like limitations.

>>22150963
Yeah. Even just writing that, I felt kind of bad. Honestly, I only ever pull out those kind of stops when I'm up against something of similar magnitude. But I thought that OP should at least recognize the possibility.

>>22150931
I'll second your idea. If Breaks are indeed going to scale by magnitude, this is the solution that should drive us least to Breaking Point.

Rolled 6

We need to change. We can’t be ourselves any more. This face, this body... It’s a target.

Reaching into ourselves, we can find that broken river once again. If we’re already broken in spirit... What’s the harm in Breaking our body?

Flesh twists and bones shift. Blood flows through changing muscles as our organs ripple with a wave of alteration and reformation. Old scars vanish as we remember how they were inflicted. We’re probably going to miss our old life... But clinging to it will only mean the end of our new one.

The change takes a matter of seconds, and there’s nothing so crass as pain in the experience, just a strange sense of difference. Our clothes seem to have changed, too, and fit our new form as well, or even better than our old set.

Moving to the lakeside, you see yourself reflected in the water for the first time.

What do you see?

>>22151165
a 12 year old girl

Or we could totally impersonate someone. Like a commander in the New Society Guards or whatever they're called.

>>22151315
Impersonating someone is a bad idea. We ought to make a mishmash of people we've seen before.

>>22151382
Yeah, a good mix of people seems like a good idea

>>22151382
Good point, we should destroy someone before impersonating them.

We should look 20, brown hair, brown eyes, average height, average weight, White. Wearing whatever clothes are the norm in this place.
We must look forgettable.

>>22151382
>>22151433

Details? Gender, skin, hair and eye colour, general build, any distinguishing features or peculiarities?

>>22151464
Of course assuming the majority of people here are white and have brown hair and eyes.

But pretty much the idea is "look forgettable", good.

>>22151315
And /tg/ spoke:
All was lolis, and all will be lolis

>>22151491
Yeah, in my country being blond could be just as forgettable as having brown hair.

>>22151476
>Gender
Our current - swapping would be too much of a culture shock right now.
>skin, hair and eye colour, general build
Whatever is most common in this world.
>any distinguishing features or peculiarities
No.

>>22151491
[BREAK?]

>>22151535

We've not yet established a gender, which is why I ask. Erin is a gender neutral game, and we've yet to actually fall on one side or the other.

>>22151553
Probabiliy we are a nu-trans fourth trimester transsensual Angst Profile ZETA-8 genderqueer pseudo-dyke reformed lesbiophilic heteromollusc

Nah, just kidding.

Also>>22151535
Why the normal attitude of /tg/ would cause a break? Is pretty much a Absolute

>>22151504

OP said he was on GMT, so I assumed Western european features.

>>22151553
Let's be a dude then. I feel we have been fairly male so far.

>>22151553
I didn't know Erin was gender-neutral, I thought we were specifically playing a chick.
Oh well, male it is, I guess.

Is OP still here?

A man looks up at you, a very ordinary, nondescript man. Skin the pale brown that is increasingly becoming the norm across the world. Here in the arcology its exceptionally common, given the strong links to Northern Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Hair of a soft, slightly sandy brown, darker brown eyes, jeans, shirt and jacket. Ordinary, average, and virtually unnoticeable. The perfect disguise.

The question is, what to do with it?

The park is beginning to empty, people wanting the comfort of their own homes... Its likely that going to your home would just mean walking into another trap. Your workplace, your usual haunts, all of them are almost certainly being watched. You need somewhere new.

>>22151767

Sorry, I am here, little distracted by family and Christmas ephemera. I'll keep going as much as I can.

>>22151814
Public library (if the exist)
Read more on people of our nature.

Maybe our grandparents talked about some place in particular? If we got our powers from them, it might be good to retrace their footsteps, especially if it takes us out of the arcology.

A library. It’s as good a place to start as any. You set off, joining the crowd leaving the park, your destination in mind. It’s not hard to find the nearest one; you’re familiar with this section of the arcology. You even spent some time studying there once upon a time, more for the quiet than anything else, but the memory is a pleasant one.

The eyes of more masked police and soldiers pass over you, watching the crowd as they exit the park and yet more dark figures watching every street. Still, they obviously don’t see anything suspicious about you, letting you pass without comment or notice.

The library itself is a large, quiet room, the shelves of books that serve to define such places still present and impressive as ever. They aren’t used much anymore, but people seem to feel they need books around for a library to be ‘real’.

The real focus of the modern library is the information terminals. While a home terminal or a mobile device could access all the information with ease, the library makes it more convenient, with high quality displays, better indexing tools, and even direct access to the AI’s which control the city if you are in need of help.

>>22152137

Or at leas, a fraction of a fragment of the AI. The Librarian subprocess is part of a larger information management routine, which in turn is part of the systems administration for the whole arcology, which comes from the hub AI itself, the omnipresent aide and guiding hand for all human activity within these walls.

Taking a seat in a comfortable chair feels wonderful, and you are greeted by the holographic representation of the librarian. Glasses, hair tied back in a bun, prim and respectable in her dress and blouse. The image programs the AI’s used always preferred to stick to archetypes rather than specific appearances. This time, the image is somewhat Asiatic, with dark hair curled around a pair of chopsticks, pinning the bun in place. It’s possible to request a different appearance, of course, the AI’s image conforming to the user’s needs, but few feel it worth the bother.

With a smile, and a very slight hint of accent she says. “Welcome to the Great Library. How may I assist you today?”

>>22151836
I doubt the library would be good, given the pains the government(?) seems to be taking to come after us. Heck, some kind of online conspiracy theorist website might be better.

>>22152128
For our grandparents, we'd have to Break again later, because they won't recognize us. But it might be a better lead than the library.

Perhaps we should check our phone and email for people we know trying to contact us, given what has just happened?

>>22152151
I am a slowpoke. Well, while we're here, we could try browsing the web for info.

>>22152151
>>22152128

Bleh, sorry. I'd already typed it up by the time these were posted.

>>22152128
Or this.

Basically, I want to find out who I am, who's after me, and why.

>>22152142
Ask about some books on the history of the Arcology/city/province/nation/whatever

"Casually" find some mentioning of Eurids and then act interested about them.

>>22152177
I suspect that anyone in contact with us with knowledge of our abilities would quickly be trying to pass any information they have on to us.

>>22152177
Of course, you know that there's a [BREAK] for that too...?


Wait a moment, was the train the first ever Break we performed? If not, could we get a flashback to the time and circumstances under which it occurred? And if it was... then this is very worrying indeed.

Sorry folks, suffering a temporary loss of brain function. While I get my thoughts in line, try to reach a consensus of what to ask the Librarian, if you're going to risk an info gathering Break, and what you'd seek to know. I'll get my head back on straight as quick as I can.

>>22152327
I think the general history, seguing into Eurids wouldn't be a bad move.

>>22152213
I concur, though I think our best bet would be actual books though. Anyone lingering on that kind of info on a terminal will get spotted, I reckon. Paper is harder to watch.

>>22152221
I'm of the opinion breaks are for emergencies, until we know the kind of shit a limit break will drop us in, at least

Right. Brain reassembled, caffeine to blood balanced restored. (Strongly in favour of caffeine).

Writing up now. Sorry for the wait.

The librarian image actually seems overjoyed at the request of some actual books. She eagerly lights up several locations on the shelves, a selection of books covering the general history of the arcology. To serve your secondary request, your attention is also directed to a smaller, rather fanciful volume apparently focused upon the Eurids.

Most of the information about the arcology is stuff you’ve heard before here and there, but it’s never all been in one place since school and even then you didn’t go into much depth.

The beginning, of course, is the alternate energy experiments of the 2020’s which showed so much promise, but ended up irradiating, infecting and nigh on destroying most of the countries around the eastern half of the Mediterranean sea.

From the time of the accidents until the foundation of the arcology, some five years later, there are very little records in any depth or detail. Those within the despoiled zones desperately tried to stay alive, and everyone else tried to stop it spreading. Thus, the arcology was conceived.

An enormous city within a building, built as strong and as safe as could be, to act as a home for those who had lost theirs, and a centre for the efforts to reclaim the land from the doom and desolation that had fallen on it, and to prevent any risk of the creeping miasma spreading further.

Early accounts refer to the city as ‘New Alexandria’, but that name fell out of use quite quickly. Remnants still remain of it, such as the grid of navigation beacons being referred to as the Great Lighthouse, and the library itself being the Great Library.

>>22152985

One of the books takes time to focus on the seemingly paradoxical nature of the arcology. Despite being a construction of necessity, built for those who had no other place to turn to, it was used as an experiment by world powers to see what shape the new world might take. The integrated transport systems and the almost omnipresent AI control systems, as well as various other social and technological innovations, all found their start in the arcology.

These days, the arcology is run by an elected council, advised and assisted by the various levels of AI which still do most of the practical governance of the arcology. To mobilize troops and take control of the train, it must be someone on the council who was out to get you.

The book on Eurids is half fawning and half paranoia, but it makes an interesting read. From the first rumoured incidents of superhuman ability to the confirmed reports of soldiers, spies and other individuals doing impossible things. The public announcement came in the early 2020’s, debuting the Eurids to the world, and giving examples of what they could do. Eurids lifted cars, outran motorcycles and leapt over busses, but most commentators were sure that the stuff they were showing off was the least of their abilities.

The Eurids rise in popular culture of the time was sensational. They went on talk shows, made endorsements, and became icons of the public imagination and the media. Of course, some Eurids may have avoided the whole affair, preferring to work in secret. Other rather high profile Eurids disappeared suddenly, presumed to have died on mission, or to have fallen prey to the dangers of politics and knives in the dark.

>>22152994

The fall of the Eurids came almost as fast as their rise. One day, new Eurids simply stopped cropping up, and no new ones came about. The old ones slowly fell out of the public eye, dead or vanished or simply retired, and the world began to forget them. By the current age, its assumed there are none in current service, and the still living retired are relatively few.

There is, however, a final note in the book. Something you hadn’t heard before, a new set of rumours, of humans with abilities beyond normal limits. Cybernetics had been known and considered for many years, but experiments in human augmentation had always resulted in failure before now, or the gains had been minimal compared to the strength of the Eurids. Now, with then gone, apparently someone has mastered it. The Synthetics, as they are called, are only a rumour... But the stories about them say they are just as strong, or even stronger, than the old Eurids.

...And there’s one last thing. It’s not in either book, but it’s on the terminal. The one you haven’t touched, that you haven’t put any information into... Just a few short words signed with a name which may as well mean nothing.

‘We are not all your enemies’ -Athena

>>22153005
Not that I don't trust messages given by people who I don't know displayed on an AI controlled, government monitered computer, but I don't trust this person.

Obviously we meet her and then have sex with her.

>>22153005
Athena, hmm? The Goddess of Knowledge and War? An actual name, or a pseudonym, I wonder?

I assume the terminals do not log their users, since we're using one and I assume we're not an utter idiot.

Best thing to do now would be to get in touch with our grandparents, I think.

>>22153218
I dunno, this Athena may be a good bet. Besides, even if she is an enemy, we can just break her. I'm guessing Synths can't break.

>>22153086
>>22153218
>>22153344

Sorry again folks, I'm having a busy day and it looks like it might last a while. Discuss as you like, and I'll do a writeup with whatever I find when I have the time, which shouldn't be more than a few hours down the line.

>>22153344
Perhaps the Synthetics are themselves the result of someone executing a Break. We can clearly use this power to change things non-destructively, and we might be able to use it to create things as well. However, if the thing we created could not normally exist, there would be consequences.

Creative use of Breaks could change things on a much larger scale than we have been operating.

Unfortunately, though we can break the rules of the quest, I doubt we can increase the Breaking Point number.

>>22153842
Oh, possible indeed. I bet our Big Bad is a Breaker.
I don't like the idea of breaking big until the Breaking Point shows us what's up. And changing the limit would just suck.

Bump, hoping more people join in.

Alright, no longer caught up in stuff and my brain is in gear. Lets see how long I can keep going before I collapse into bed. Writeup incoming.

>>22153842
Page says you can't break Breaks into existence directly.

>>22154984
Can one Break the nonexistence of knowledge?

As in, could I Break me not knowing what BBEG is planning to do?

Asking because I'm wondering just how badly a Paranormal Investigation themed campaign would go if at least one person in the party can Break.

It has been a very strange day. But right now, there are only two people you know for sure who won’t turn you away and might know something about just what the hell is going on- Your grandparents.

Of course, that leaves us the question of which one we go to visit.

The two sets of medals you remember belong to different sides of the family, to your maternal grandfather and your paternal grandmother.

Granny S. (She hates the name as much as you do) always seemed a bit... Cold. Not unkind, but as if she could never quite connect with you, or other people. Her hair had been grey every since you’d known her, but she never seemed to lose her edge. Her eyes never gained the dullness that settles over so many as age takes their wits. You were never particularly close to her, but if you needed help or advice, she’d get the job done. You certainly wouldn’t have passed your exams if you hadn’t had her as a tutor once a week, at your parent’s insistence.

Grandpa Dozle was almost the opposite. You remember thinking sometimes he looked younger than your father, retaining an athletic build and a robust physique despite his long years. He even managed to keep a fine head of hair, silver though it was, and wore it longer than your grandmother did. You remember you asked him to help you train when you first started sparring as a young man. The first round, he knocked you down with one punch. He claimed to have ‘gotten lucky’... But now, it seems more likely that he had been holding back the whole time. Still, you learnt a lot from the mad old bugger.

>>22155245

Two very different people, and as you might expect, they didn’t get along particularly well. They were amiable enough at parties, but you always thought there was something off between them. Given that they were both, presumably, superhuman special agents... And not necessarily on the same side... No wonder things were a little tense.

It’s a matter of choosing where to go. Gran lives in (More like ‘runs’, but she’d never have it put that way) a retirement home near the waterfront, where a small area of natural sea was allowed inside the dome, while Gramps refused to leave the city centre, sticking around in a block of flats designed to allow elderly individuals to live mostly independently. You doubt he’s needed any of the provided insistence, but your parents insisted and he didn’t seem to mind.

...Of course, this is all disregarding the strangeness of getting messages from goddesses and the worrying chance of being hunted by cybernetic assassins. But we’ll burn those bridges when we come to them.

Archived: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/22139600/

>>22155256
>burn those bridges
More like Break them! Ha!

I vote the evil Grandma. Avoids the city centre and I doubt we'd have to push for information in the same way. She seems like she'd be more willing for some reason.

Second for grandma, she sounds when the chips are down she knows what's what. And advice sure as hell is what we need right now.

You have a destination. It’ll be a long walk, unless you want to risk public transport, but it’s doable in less than a day. Of course, when you get there, there’ll be the problem of your appearance. Is it worth risking switching back and being recognized, or could we convince Granny S. that we are who we say we are without that?

Of course, we’ve got the troubles of the journey first. We don’t have any ID, we can’t use our credit card, our phone has probably been tapped, and the security forces are on high alert. Suspicious individuals likely won’t have a pleasant time, and if we get caught we could be in serious trouble.

Still, it’s not like anybody could recognize us, right?

>>22155256

I think we’ll pause here for tonight, /tg/. I’ll get some sleep, and see where we are in the morning. If the threads still alive, I’ll see about keeping going. If not, it’s been archived, so I’ll catch any posts that were left overnight and start up a new thread some time, probably after the whole Christmas buzz has died down.

Thanks for being fun, folks. I was really nervous about running my first quest, but I think its gone okay. A few more spelling mistakes than I’d have liked, and I really need to nail down a regular pacing, but I’m looking forward to seeing more of what you guys do with Breaks.

I’m especially looking forward to see how you deal with the eventual and inevitable breaking point.

Until then.