Your name is Sean Clayton, aka Gunsmoke. Last time, you reached the summit of Mount Olympus, survived an excruciatingly awful blind date, went on the warpath, and crippled a hostile combat bot.Now, you find yourself as an unseen participant in a tense standoff in the bridge of the naval vessel you smuggled yourself onto.> Hello everyone, and welcome back to another issue of DC: Henchman Quest! As always, I’m AxisQM. Rules are simple but flexible: 20-30 minutes to vote / roll what I say, rolls count even if you (or I) mess up the modifier, crit successes override, write-ins encouraged. If rolls / votes are slow to come in, I’ll do my best to adjust for it. Our cover art is courtesy of an eternally blessed anon, and I still get a kick out of it.Pastebin (Still updating per player request): https://pastebin.com/RwY7nc3SLink to Previous Thread: http://thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5518581/Link to Archive: http://thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Henchman
>>5569223https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2HH7J-Sx80Christ, how do you keep finding yourself in these situations? You’re supposed to be on vacation, but you just keep stumbling into trouble no matter where you go.The events of last night are a shining example of how badly things can quickly go spiraling out of control.A botched date turns into a firefight.Since you’re chronically incapable of letting things go, a firefight turns into a search-and-destroy op.Thus, the search-and-destroy op turns into an attempted hijacking.And now, the hijacking has involved into a full-fledged warzone on the waves.All because Set thought it’d be a fucking fantastic idea to set you up on a blind date. You’re genuinely never going to let him live that one down, even once you exact your pound of flesh.Luckily, it seems that all parties occupying the bridge are hyperfocused on staring each other down to the point where they fail to acknowledge your intrusion.Considering the fact that they’re an errant twitch away from going full-blast, that’s both a blessing and a curse.A blessing, because it makes it easier for you to maneuver into the appropriate position.A curse, because this wouldn’t be the first time that a showdown ended with all participants facedown in the dirt; the outcome that would be a worst case scenario for you.Put bluntly, you normally wouldn’t mind letting the chips fall as they may and letting them hash their issues out amongst themselves. As cold as it sounds, none of the folks in this room mean much of anything to you.Definitely not to the point where you’re willing to throw yourself in the line of fire to play equalizer.But where morality fails, pragmatism serves to pick up the slack.There’s a stack of unanswered questions that need answers, and the folks in this room are your best chance of acquiring said intel.Trouble is, supporting any one of them is guaranteed to alienate the other two, potentially to the point of dedicated violence.Part of you is locked in an internal debate as to which horse to back; Marina, Claire, or the bearded stranger.Instead, an audacious alternative begins to take shape in the depths of your mind. If you can covertly form an Abyssal Shield large enough to encompass all three targets, you might just be able to gently sandwich them to the floor without giving them the Giles Corey special.With a bit of luck, magic, and creativity, you might just be able to resolve this without firing a shot.Granted, they’ll probably be a bit sore in both the literal and figurative manners. But this is the only way you can ensure that everyone is willing to hash this out like mature adults.And if not, it’ll be easy enough to finish off anyone that gets a bit too belligerent or uncooperative for your liking.> Roll me some 1d100+10, DC to be determined. First two rolls are Marina’s, second pair are Claire’s (+20), third pair is for the bearded stranger (+10).
Rolled 74, 22, 7, 34, 26, 62 = 225 (6d100)>>5569224Messed up my rolls, a promising start to be sure.
Rolled 21 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5569224
Rolled 68 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5569224K
Rolled 15 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5569224
>>5569225Blessed rolls
>>5569227>>5569232>>5569233Alright, looks you successfully execute your plan and trap all three targets.So, which one would you like to question first? (Feel free to include any specific questions you’d like to have asked)> Marina. It’s about time that you get something actionable on the bastards that sicced her and those mercenaries on you. > Claire. What in the hell is she doing out here? You clocked her as some kind of agent, but you still don’t know who gives the orders.> The Bearded Stranger. He’s the relative unknown in this equation, and you need to figure out why he has skin in the game.> Other?
>>5569242> The Bearded Stranger. He’s the relative unknown in this equation, and you need to figure out why he has skin in the game.You.
>>5569242> The Bearded Stranger. He’s the relative unknown in this equation, and you need to figure out why he has skin in the game.
>>5569242> The Bearded Stranger. He’s the relative unknown in this equation, and you need to figure out why he has skin in the game.Seems like the most foddery, expendable merc typeMaybe recruitable?
>>5569242> The Bearded Stranger. He’s the relative unknown in this equation, and you need to figure out why he has skin in the game.This is the guy cosplaying as a Duty soldier from STALKER, right?
>>5569242>The Bearded Stranger. He’s the relative unknown in this equation, and you need to figure out why he has skin in the game.It might be just a Horus cultist, but I still wanna see if my assumption is right.
>>5569242>> The Bearded Stranger. He’s the relative unknown in this equation, and you need to figure out why he has skin in the game.
>"Thing are weird for you right now, I know. I dont know you, I dont have anything aganst you, so what if we can talk and know each other?"
>>5569246>>5569247>>5569250>>5569256>>5569266Calling it, give me a moment to get a brief write-up done.
>>5569276Alright, looks like you’ll be speaking with the bearded soldier first.Before you settle in for your impromptu interrogation, what kind of tone would you like to set?> Friendly. You tend to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; after all, your easygoing nature tends to disarm people.> Calculating. Take a good long look at his body language, equipment, and possible motives so you can feed him what he’d like to hear.> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if he cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.> Cocky. Make it plain that if he doesn’t play ball, he and his compatriots are going overboard as fish food.> Hostile. Perhaps a visceral display of magical force will make it crystal clear that you are not someone to be yanked around.> Other?
>>5569286Pic related.
>>5569286>> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if he cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.Something tell me this guy dont like jokes. Try to not be a dick
>>5569286> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if he cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved
>>5569286>> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if he cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.
>>5569286>Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if he cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.
Rolled 58, 25 + 40 = 123 (2d100 + 40)>>5569292>>5569296>>5569298>>5569303Alright, give me some 1d100+25> DC to be determined.(As a reminder, your Luck drain bonus / his malus is 16.)
Rolled 9 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5569306
Rolled 8 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5569306
Rolled 4 (1d100)>>5569306
>>5569308>>5569309>>5569310Set luck
>>5569308>>5569309>>5569310Well, those are some improbably low rolls. Writing.
You sling your Apokoliptian Carbine over your shoulder to free up your hands for what’s about to come.It takes a great deal of focus and concentration to merge your Fire and Chaos magics into a cohesive form strong enough to prevent movement, but not so strong that you pancake them by accident.In the space above their heads, a long, flat disc of obsidian material is slowly willed into existence.As soon as you’ve generated a large enough slab, you will it to descend at a safe velocity capable of pinning the trio down.There’s a terrible crashing and some yelling, but it’s more from surprise than from pain. Aside from a few nasty bruises, everyone is safe and sound.All targets successfully immobilized and ready for questioning.Now, you just need to figure out who gets the honor of going first.Decisions, decisions.Eventually, you single out the bearded stranger as your first person-of-interest to “interview.” You can’t help but be curious. The others, you have at least a bit of perfunctory knowledge on; not this guy.Could be a hitter hired by anyone you’ve ever crossed, or just some patsy that took the wrong job.To better facilitate communication, you crouch down and address him politely, yet with iron firmness.> “I’m going to be blunt. You’re not getting out of here until I get what I want. If you want to make this harder than it needs to be, I’m happy to oblige. But if you answer truthfully, we can both save each other a lot of trouble. Agreed?”There’s a beat of silence as he mulls over your cooly delivered olive branch.You must cut quite the figure, the heavily armed paramilitary operative bristling with weaponry and an identity shrouded behind a balaclava.His response consists of a thick glob of spit that plants itself solidly on the top of your combat boots.Well, that answers that.The bearded soldier grins crookedly and laughs, before fixing eyes with you. Once he’s sure he has your attention, he carefully enunciates a clipped phrase in some vaguely Eastern European language that you still can’t put a name to.Judging by the scorn in his gaze, it wasn’t a friendly comment.Guess it’s time for you to try a different tack.In response, you…> Shrug your shoulders and engage in some “enhanced interrogation techniques.” You tried this the easy way, now things get a bit dirty.> Rifle through his belongings for something that’ll shed light on his motivations. There’s always a paper trail somewhere.> Just put a bullet in his head and move on to your next captive. Let it serve as an example to the others.> Other?
>>5569355>> Just put a bullet in his head and move on to your next captive. Let it serve as an example to the others.there was an attempt
>>5569355> Rifle through his belongings for something that’ll shed light on his motivations. There’s always a paper trail somewhere.
>>5569355>"The money you will never get is worth of your life, soldier?"
>>5569366>>5569358>>5569355This too
>>5569355> Just put a bullet in his head and move on to your next captive. Let it serve as an example to the others.
>>5569355> Just put a bullet in his head and move on to your next captive. Let it serve as an example to the others.Sometimes it's about the message
>>5569355>> Just put a bullet in his head and move on to your next captive. Let it serve as an example to the others.> Rifle through his belongings for something that’ll shed light on his motivations. There’s always a paper trail somewhere.>"The money you will never get is worth of your life, soldier?"
>>5569366+1
It would seem that the chosen option is shoot this guy, then go through his gear.As these aren't mutually exclusive, I'm happy to merge them together.Go ahead and give me some 1d100+25DC: 95
Rolled 71 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5569396
Rolled 56 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5569396
Rolled 17 (1d100)>>5569396
>>5569400>>5569401>>5569403That's a success, writing.
>>5569404You sigh in exasperation, and pose a rhetorical question while drawing your 1911.> “Is the prospect of money you’ll never see really worth losing your life?”It’s a fair question, one that’s plagued your own thoughts more than once.To his credit, he doesn’t even flinch as you methodically line up the shot and pull the trigger.The suppressor muffles the crack, but it’s still loud enough to startle your other captives.Let that be a message.Now that he’s dead, you have free reign to rifle through his knapsack for anything of value. Most of it is standard enough kit; extra ammo, knife, detonators, spare cigarettes (which you pocket), some light body armor, and an old PDA.You shrug on the body armor and discover that it’s a near-fit. Seeing as your primo body armor bought it in the line of duty, this’ll have to do.As for the PDA, it has some heavy encryption on it for an antiquated model, but you’re able to isolate a few critical weak points and quickly compromise its security.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUvFBvS2B98A quick look at the message history is quite illuminating.Looks like Marina kept this guy and his men on speed-dial for especially dangerous missions. Judging from their orders, it looks like they specialize in terror tactics, sabotage, and explosives.That’s not the kind of training you can just pick up from a few weeks bumming around at a training camp. To make it this long, you’ve gotta have some serious experience.Sure enough, it looks like your newly deceased pal had quite the rap sheet. Stored in one of the files is a copy of his Interpol wanted poster, a bit vain, but you can understand the temptation.Your stiff is one Dzhalal Basayev, Chechen guerrilla fighter extraordinaire who went freelance with the rest of his unit after the Russians kicked them out of Grozny. A quick skim of his job record reveals that he and his boys pulled some real nasty shit; bombed hospitals, schools, theaters, anything packed full of Russian civvies.Dollars to donuts, these guys planted the IEDs back at the restaurant.Luckily, there are also a few entries about the op where you were targeted.
>>5569440Interestingly, the written orders suggest that Marina was actively encouraged by her employer to avoid direct conflict with you.If anything, it reads more like a fact-finding mission. More espionage and subversion than a hunting party.And yet, she insisted on picking a fight with you in a public space.A poor decision, for self-evident reasons.Her employer definitely seemed to hold the same opinion, as Basayev was covertly offered a princely sum to “clean-up her mess, permanently.” Reading between the lines, that’s probably what instigated part of the conflict currently tearing the ship apart.Well, that didn’t go quite as planned, but it wasn’t a complete loss.Now, who’s up next for a round of 20 Questions?> Marina. Now that you have a few pieces of the puzzle, you have better leverage to press her with. > Claire. Hopefully your execution of the Chechen guerrilla spurs her to realize that you mean business.> Other?
>>5569444> Marina. Now that you have a few pieces of the puzzle, you have better leverage to press her with. I want info but i don't want to leave her alive
>>5569444> Marina. Now that you have a few pieces of the puzzle, you have better leverage to press her with.
>>5569444>> Marina. Now that you have a few pieces of the puzzle, you have better leverage to press her with.
>>5569444>> Claire. Hopefully your execution of the Chechen guerrilla spurs her to realize that you mean business.Lets keep the best at last>Friendly
So Marina knows us as Jonah and Claire knows us as Defcon, right? Or am I misremembering?
>>5569462Yes, that is correct.Speaking of which, it looks like you'll be consulting with Marina next.What kind of tone would you like your interrogation to take?> Friendly. You tend to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; after all, your easygoing nature tends to disarm people.> Calculating. Take a good long look at her body language, equipment, and possible motives so you can feed her what she’d like to hear.> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.> Cocky. Make it plain that if she doesn’t play ball, she and her mercs are going to wish that they went out as clearly as the Chechen did.> Hostile. Perhaps a visceral display of magical force will make it crystal clear that you are not someone to be yanked around.> Other?
>>5569462Claire know us as a guy named Defcon
>>5569472> Cocky. Make it plain that if she doesn’t play ball, she and her mercs are going to wish that they went out as clearly as the Chechen did.
>>5569472>> Calculating. Take a good long look at her body language, equipment, and possible motives so you can feed her what she’d like to hear.
>>5569472> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.
>>5569472>> Friendly. You tend to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; after all, your easygoing nature tends to disarm people.Just to fuck with her.
>>5569472> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.Should have stayed for desert
>>5569472>> Rageful. Holding our rage back by the barest amount. Straight up tell her that we just snuffed her man and that we want to snuff her and we have more than enough reason.
>>5569472>>5569477>> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.Change my vote
>>5569472> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.Though I wouldn’t mind a friendly opener like>We seem to meet in unexpected places.
Rolled 41, 36 + 15 = 92 (2d100 + 15)>>5569476>>5569481>>5569484>>5569486>>5569487>>5569492Alright, professional it is.Roll me some 1d100+25> DC to be determined.
Rolled 95 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5569494
Rolled 19 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5569494damn, she really can't keep her cool
Rolled 99 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5569494
>>5569495>>5569499>>5569501That's a success. This feels like a reasonable stopping point for tonight, need to grab some dinner anyhow. We'll pick it up from here on Friday at 5:00 PM EST.As always, thanks for playing! Hope to see you all then.>>5569499To be fair, she's had a bad go of things over the last day or so. Imagine bungling a job so badly that you've got a magic psycho trailing you, your boss wants you dead, and your rep is about to take a huge hit. I'd be panicking too.As an aside, feel free to post conspiracy theories / shadowrun about what's happening behind the scenes. The paranoia sustains me.
>>55695011 more and we make her go Stockholm
>>5569509Hey, we aren't happy about this either! It's fucking amazing how out meltdown just made her go Defcon 1 on the spot, Sean has a strange effect on people.
>>5569509Bitch see Sean going in a mental breakdown of a lot of shit that might not be true, and the first thing she does is bombard the wall and try to put us a bag. And she's also a professional mercenary, one would expect that Sean's breakdown wouldn't bring such tension and heat on herThat's why no men should open up about feelings with women, only the homies and strangers on the bus, baka
>>5569524>bakaHow tf does the autocorrect on my phone went from "baka" to that? I even write it wrong and the autocorrect didn't give an option even close to that, tf?
>>5569525 ok, now i'm retardI wanted to write "baka" instead of baka
>>5569525its the filter, I'm guessing you are trying to say f4m? It's an improvement imho
>>5569529>he doesn't get it
>>5569530>>5569533I was, in fact, bamboozled Tried to write s/m/h
>>5569524She's probably wondering if the whole thing was a set upWhat kind of merc spills their guts on the first date?
>>5569542Happens to everyone. >>5569552The barely mentally stable ones, it seems. It would probably work with any of the heroine babes. Not really.
>>5569552>She's probably wondering if the whole thing was a set up>the whole thing was a set up>set up>set>SetMotherfucker
>>5569509I'm fairly sure she's sent by Task Force X, at least indirectly. On the bright side, us bungling any nonviolent interaction with a woman means that we're one step closer to naked grippy oil wrestling and kissing with Pandion
>>5569509Live Marina reaction
>>5569592He's a married man anon. I'm holding out for Constantine
>>5569592Wouldn't it be hilarious if both of these ladies were sent by CADMUS? Both with wildly different methodology to ensure at least one person has an in with the guy who made Lok piss his pants in anger.My money is on Mammon or some other fancy demon sending Marina after Jonah. That being said we should totally pick up a copy of the Lesser Key of Solomon. Some of those demons in there are alright. If you don't slip up at least. But seeing as we're definitely gonna get into a showdown with the hellish hordes that is probably a dead end to begin with.
>>5569592>I'm fairly sure she's sent by Task Force X, at least indirectlyI don't think soIt's either Lok or Cadmus, they're the two main players that could have soldiers under their paycheck and have some contacts to a group of chechen terrorists.But Task Force X it's not possible because Claire is right here, and from the things our team are talking about when we check on them it looks like they Claire came with other weirdos for Marina, surely on a attack or extract mission because somehow they got a lead on us and on Marina, surely to capture her and learn what she knows.OR, maybe our the Chechens might be from Waller herself. We know Lok it's the boss right know, but maybe Waller knows how much a fuck up Lok it's, so she might swoop in and it's trying to take control of Task Force X with some contacts
>>5569572Already made that joke the last thread m8
>>5569619>we should totally pick up a copy of the Lesser KeyWe already have a demonology book, other wont hurt.>My money is on MammonMammon is canon? I thoght that he was make up for the movie.Nice movie, if only they have named it diferent and say that was just inspired in the comics
>>5570054Mammon is ye olde hebrew shit. Literally means money. I didn't know he was in any movies. But that's pretty rad. I just figured the demon of greed would most likely have his fingers in mercenary pie.
>>5570063>I didn't know he was in any movies.Constantine, the one where Keanu Reeves make a holy flamethrower/shotgun/cross to kill demons and give the middle finger to Satan while God carry him to heaven.
>>5570109I'm gonna be real with you, I only remember Satan having a cool design with the tar feet and white suit vest from that movie. Everything else is just right over my head.
>>5570145>I'm gonna be real with you, I only remember Satan having a cool design with the tar feet and white suit vest from that movie.The best movie satan ever. That he was the one that save the world in the end is just awesome
>>5569572Set is getting a boot up his ass and latrine duty.
>>5569509You’ll focus on Marina next, she was your original target after all.And while a quiet veneer of professionalism didn’t work well on the Chechen, hopefully it’ll shake Marina up a bit.Another round of icy politeness mixed with the threat of imminent force, coming right up. Good thing she doesn't seem to recognize your voice, that would've potentially complicated matters.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNb2cV8TSdkThe first of your mindgames is to consciously maneuver into her line-of-sight as you finish poking through the PDA.Without any fanfare, you look up and give her a slight nod.> “Not to worry, I’ll be with you in but a moment, I’m nearly finished with this little journal. Quite the page-turner.”You flick your eyes over and watch her reactions, while outwardly maintaining your focus on the contents of the device.Her eyes widen when she notices the PDA you’re pretending to peruse.Good, the more you can rattle her, the better your odds of keeping her honest.Now that you’ve set the stage, it’s time for the main performance.You abruptly perform an about-face, close the gap, and crouch to reach eye-level.If Marina possessed the opportunity to recoil, she would’ve.It is also likely not lost on her that you’ve adopted the same detached posture as when speaking with your recently executed hostage.> “Apologies for that unpleasantness, but there’s just no helping some people. What a waste.”There’s a hint of genuine sincerity in your tone that helps to sell it. The man may’ve been a killer, but he was a skilled killer. Had things gone differently, he might’ve made a valuable ally. Oh well, spilled milk and all that.> “Now, I assume you heard the offer I extended to our recently deceased acquaintance. Your thoughts?”Claire makes a noise like she wants to interject, but a pointed look stops her in her tracks.> “While I greatly appreciate the enthusiasm, I would highly recommend that you wait your turn.” Your voice, while still calm and collected, carries an unmistakable word of warning that undercuts each syllable. She doesn’t like it, but complies nonetheless.> “Much obliged. Now, where were we?”You drag out each word in your final sentence to further Marina’s discomfort.She begins to open her mouth, but you cut her off before she can get going.> ”Apologies, just one last thing; as you may have guessed, if you lie to me, I will know. Any attempt at deception or subterfuge will be treated….harshly. And well, I would assume that you’ve guessed what that means.” You take a moment to rise and gently nudge the still-warm body of the Chechen.
>>5571774Marina blanches a little at your implicit threat, causing you to grin internally.Ah, that there’s the good stuff. Nothing spooks people more than an ice-cold demeanor, unfaltering politeness, and the certainty that you are capable of myriad acts of violence.> “But, should you cooperate and answer my questions in good faith, I promise that this will be quick and painless. You may even be able to profit from this unfortunate situation.”A white lie, you’re still on the fence about whether or not you’ll just circle back and punch her ticket once you’re done with Claire.In all honesty, now that you’ve had some time to cool down, the betrayal stings a whole lot less. Ironically, the fact that she was intended to be some kind of honeypot actually makes you less angry. Considering your own mercenary experience, you can intimately understand the concept of doing whatever it takes while on the job, no matter how underhanded it may be. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you’ll hesitate for a second if she gives you a valid reason to take her out.She did try to kidnap / kill you after all. Can’t let that go unanswered.> “So, what’s your decision?” Your voice adopts a harsher edge as you deliver the ultimatum.As anticipated, she folds like a house of cards.Now that you’ve secured a relative degree of cooperation, you just need to start pumping her for intel.In that vein, what questions do you have for Marina? (If nobody has any ideas, I’ll just go with a list of my own.)> ???
>>5571775I've got nothing boss
>>5571775>> ???>What you know about your boss?>What are your orders>Have you see or feel something strange these days? Maybe about someone? Like they are too evil or your body tell you to stay away from them?>Have you feel that something follow you?
>>5571775Yeah not much I can think of that isn't the usual fanfare. "What are you doing here" "Who's paying you" "What is the speed of an african swallow".
>>5571775>who are you?>who do you worked for?>do you know why she is here? *while pointing at Marina*
>>5571779>>5571782>>5571775>>do you know why she is here? Or who she is? *while pointing at Claire*This too
>>5571775>Your contractor, do you have a name for the individual or Organization that brought your team and the Chechens here?>Are you and the other armed guys you came here aside of the Chechen your group? Or are you just a freelancer that was given the team and weapons by your contractor?>From where is your contractor? Americans, Europeans, Asians, Middle Easters? >Do they have ties or direct envolvement with some Goverment?I guess that's enough. With Claire we can ask the same questions, and also ask why they attacked Marina and her team?
>>5571775>Seems the Chechen was sent to clean you up. What’s your take on why that is?I back all the other questions as well.
>>5571787+1 This one too
I'll give another 10 minutes for any stragglers, then get a-writing.
>>5571775>The Chechen's PDA says your job was to gather information on your target, why'd you try to grab him?>Was that cyborg I broke on the way here one of yours or one of hers?
>>5571775>I won't sugarcoat that I came off pretty strong but don't you think you might have... overreacted a little?
>>5571775>What are the numbers, Marina?>What do they mean?>What is your ring sizeAsk about information but also questions to rattle herIf she can't answer move on quickly yo the next question
>>5571789Not a question but we can be sorry about our vietnam moment in the date Axie?
>>5571790+1 except the Cyborg part. If they know or hear about Jonah, and Claire hear that name or know that we somehow manage to take it down, it might conect the dots
>>5571793>>5571791I have no issues with it myself, but I would assume that the general consensus is to avoid implicating yourself if at all possible.Those questions would kinda tip your hand as to your identity.Keep in mind, you're dressed like just another average thug in a balaclava.
Alright, time for a little Q&A.Go ahead and give me some 1d100+40DC: 75 / 95 / 115
Rolled 4 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5571797
Rolled 14 (1d100)>>5571797
Rolled 45 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5571797
>>5571799>>5571800>>5571801That's a regular success, writing.
Damn, we rolled poorly. All we needed was a 59 to meet the excellent success.
>>5571805You feel bad abou that you would cry the next time we fuck up in the worst moment
>>5571806See, those are entertaining in their own right. Having Sean blow up at his blind date? Pretty funny. Anons falling apart afterward not so much, but that comes with the territory.This was just sad.
So, I'm having a devil of a time getting all of the dialogue written up.I'm probably not even halfway through the list at the moment, probably another hour or so before I'm close. Just wanted to give a heads-up that I'm liable to be as slow as molasses for this one.
>>5571817fair enough
>>5571817take your time brother
>>5571804> “We’ll start with the basics. Your name, if you please. Military rank as well, should you possess one.”“Marina Meru, former JSDF Colonel.”Guessing that acronym is in reference to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Not exactly a common breeding ground for mercenaries.Part of you is tempted to quiz her on the reason for her separation, but you quash it quickly.It has little to do with your investigation, and runs a high chance of causing her to clam up.> “I’ve noticed that you and several others share similar uniforms. Are you part of a larger organization, or are you a smattering of freelancers provided with gear and a temporarily shared goal?”“We all belong to the same mercenary company, under my command.”> “Interesting. And the name of this organization?”“Poison.” You can tell that she takes great pride at its provenance from the way she says the name.You’ve never heard of it. Don’t know if that’s a good sign or a bad one.> “Given your methods, it’s an apt name, if nothing else.”Before she can decide if you’re making a veiled insult, you move on.> “Are there any metahumans or individuals with notable abilities among the ranks of Poison?”“No, I strictly aim to recruit ex-soldiers and former terrorists with specific skillsets. Anything else isn’t worth the ego or the complications.”Interesting. She seems to be telling the truth, which means that the cyborg and others must’ve accompanied Claire’s frogmen.> “Now for something a little more contemporary; tell me about your client in as much detail as you can.”As soon as the words pass through your lips, she tenses and looks away.“I don’t know anything about that side of things. I handle the field operations, not mission control.”She’s lying, so you press her further.> “Come, come. You must know something. Every little detail helps.”After a tense moment of silence, she relents and spill the beans.“We never spoke with or met our client directly. All contact was handled through the middleman that initially approached us with the job notice. He made it clear from the start that he just the go-between for a larger entity.”> “Did he ever make reference to this ‘larger entity?’ A government, crime syndicate, or society of some kind, perhaps?”“No, not even once. We tried to do some digging, but the guy was a damned ghost. Couldn’t find a scrap of information on him.”> “Yet you took the job anyway?”“It seemed like easy money at the time. Guess that should’ve been my first clue that it was a shitty idea.”> “What was the objective of the job he gave you?”
>>5571886“He gave us a few headshots of some random guy in his early twenties. Apparently he was some mental case with the misfortune to piss off the wrong people. We were assured that he was a pushover. It was made clear that the job was getting shopped around to other groups, and that there was a big payday for anyone that could gather useful info on him; stuff like his fears, desires, goals, weaknesses, that kind of stuff. Like a psych profile but a bit more in-depth.”> “Was there anything distinguishing about this man?”“Not really. He struck me as ex-military from the pictures, but that was about it. Wouldn’t have blinked if I passed him on the street.”> “And how did you first encounter this man?”“It ended up falling into my lap. I was in town for a bit of R&R, looking to blow off some steam when a local contact of mine offered to hook me up with a blind date. The description of said date was eerily close to those headshots. So, I had a few men waiting in the wings in case it turned out to be a trap.”> “And how did things go?”“Terribly would be too weak of a word. I wasn’t even halfway through the main course, before the guy had some kind of breakdown.”> “What sorts of breakdown?”“The pathetic kind, mostly. He just started ranting about how he fought overseas and got a bunch of his buddies killed. If I’m being honest, I ended up tuning most of it out. I hear enough sob stories as it is.”You resist the urge to let your anger show on your face.See, that’s what you get for daring to open up about things. At least you’ve learned your lesson.> “What happened next?”“Since he was obviously mentally unstable, I assumed that it wouldn’t take much for him to have another episode, one that could escalate into a fight. So, I slipped out and ordered my men to capture him. Figured it might be worth a bonus or something. But I guess you already know how that went.”> “I have my ways. Circling back to the middleman, how frequently were you in contact with him?”“We only met in-person a couple times, always at night. He wanted to avoid leaving an electronic trail whenever possible, though he did request call for updates from time to time.”> “If that’s the case, how were you paid?”“We have a standing agreement with Calculator. The money gets routed to him, he takes a neat chunk, launders the rest, and wires it to various untraceable bank accounts.”
>>5571890There’s something she’s not telling you, but you’re inclined to let it go. There are other topics that take priority. You’ve never dealt with Calculator, but you’ve been around the block long enough to know him by reputation.> “So, what did this middleman look like?”“Male, maybe late-20s, brown hair, messy beard. Never got a good look at his face, but he seemed kind of sickly. Like the wind would blow him over if he wasn’t careful. That’s about it.”> “Anything more distinctive that you can recall?”“He had a voice like he was a chainsmoker, raspy and guttural. Overall, he gave me the creeps.”> “What language did you converse in?”“English only.”> “Is there a major government in particular that you do a great deal of work for? One that would potentially approach you for a job like this? Russia, China, Germany, Iran, England, America; something along those lines?”Your innocent question elicits a spark of anger.“I will never work for the Americans. As for the others, I suppose it may be possible. Although, ‘legitimate’ governments tend to give Poison a wide berth for fear of scandal. Having us on the payroll would look bad in the newspaper.”That doesn’t rule out the nations willing to play hardball on the international stage.> “Prior to today, have you ever encountered this woman before?” You ask, gesturing towards Claire.“No, I’ve never seen her before in my life.” Marina mutters, returning Claire’s bored glances with a deathstare. Both her hostility and statement seem honest enough. Guess she must’ve lost a lot of men in the last day.> “Let’s move on. That PDA I was fiddling with has some interesting tidbits. For instance, did you know that the Chechens were being bribed to ‘clean up your mess, permanently?’”A tremor of anger appears on Marina’s face, before she chokes it back down.“That explains why they turned on us, at least. I run a tight operation, and I can usually see these things coming. But in this case, they blindsided me.”> “Have you had any strange feelings or experiences lately? Maybe encountered something that defied explanation?”“Besides this, not really.”> “Has anyone been following you or shadowing your movements?”“I get the occasional government agent trying to chase me, but nothing as of late.”
>>5571892Well, that was quite the lengthy interrogation.One major question remains though.Based on what you’ve gleaned; who hired Marina in the first place?You’ve got quite the enemy list after all, many of whom have the resources necessary to authorize such a strike.In the end, your conclusion pins the blame on… > The Penguin. Could be that he put two-and-two together and decided to get some revenge for trashing the Iceberg Lounge.> Task Force X. This seems like the kind of shit that Lok would give his seal of approval to.> Cadmus. You gave them a hell of a black eye in Qurac, maybe they’re hunting for you as well.> Intergang. You’ve been a thorn in their side for months, there was bound to be some retaliation.> The Court of Owls. If Agnor was right, their reach extends farther than you can imagine.> The Russians. Maybe Lok leaked that you were involved in that attack that blew up their embassy.> The Executive. You’ve never been on good terms with that asshole, and he has the connections necessary to line this up.> Horus. Maybe this was all some kind of divine test, or punishment for aiding Set.> Demons. According to Delrio, they were quite interested in acquiring your immortal soul.> Other?
>>5571893> Task Force X. This seems like the kind of shit that Lok would give his seal of approval to.> Cadmus. You gave them a hell of a black eye in Qurac, maybe they’re hunting for you as well.> Demons. According to Delrio, they were quite interested in acquiring your immortal soul.in this order of probability, with the top being the most likely and the bottom being the least likely
>>5571893>> The Court of Owls. If Agnor was right, their reach extends farther than you can imagine.>> Demons. According to Delrio, they were quite interested in acquiring your immortal soul.Cadmus and X are there, but the weird man make me think of something off here
>>5571893>>5571901Support. The raggedy man and the desire for a psyche profile don't strike me as Cadmus or Task Force X
>>5571893> The Court of Owls. If Agnor was right, their reach extends farther than you can imagine.> The Executive. You’ve never been on good terms with that asshole, and he has the connections necessary to line this up.> Demons. According to Delrio, they were quite interested in acquiring your immortal soul.Or of course it was one of the batfamily and before we cap anymore people we get beat up by batmanIt was all a SET up
>>5571892Also...>“I will never work for the Americans.">"Hai, Marina-san. I have a offer to you, desu."
>>5571908Samurai tom cruise would be an alias i am willing to vote for
>>5571893>> The Court of Owls. If Agnor was right, their reach extends farther than you can imagine.
>>5571901>>5571906>>5571907>>5571918Alright, it would appear that The Court of Owls has garnered the most suspicion, along with a slight smattering of others.Now, it's time to speak with Claire.You know the drill by now, how do you plan on structuring your interrogation?> Friendly. You tend to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; after all, your easygoing nature tends to disarm people.> Calculating. Take a good long look at her body language, equipment, and possible motives so you can feed her what she’d like to hear.> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.> Cocky. Make it plain that if she doesn’t play ball, she'll discover that the beating you delivered in France was basically a love tap.> Hostile. Perhaps a visceral display of magical force will make it crystal clear that you mean serious business.> Other?
>>5571920> Calculating. Take a good long look at her body language, equipment, and possible motives so you can feed her what she’d like to hear.
>>5571920> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.
>>5571920> Friendly. You tend to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; after all, your easygoing nature tends to disarm people.She's probably not going to expect this, I'm willing to bet she's trained to withstand super frog tortureBut nobody trains to deal with friendliness
>>5571920> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.After we finish interrogating her we kill Marina and leave Claire tied up in an emergency raft if she behaves, if not we'll kill her too.
>>5571920> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.She's been watching us do this the whole time, breaking the facade is just going to make her stay tightlipped.
>>5571920>> Professional. Break down the facts of the situation in a polite, transactional matter; if she cooperates, things will go a whole lot smoother for all parties involved.
>>5571920> Friendly. You tend to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; after all, your easygoing nature tends to disarm people.We got info and a better mood, why not let it show
>>5571910>Go to hollywood>Become actor>Become famed actor after your first film>Normal people think that you are in movie when they see you doing weird shitOur movie will be Lightbringer: City of Shadows. Is about a low level criminal that discover a secret society that control Gotham. It play as Bloodborne, all "normal", crime, blood and mistery, then come down magic, demons and a eternal battle the light is losing.It end in a cliffhanger where we gain powers from a gray place and discover a purpose in life fighting the dark
>>5571920>> Friendly. You tend to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; after all, your easygoing nature tends to disarm people.Not chippi, but relaxed
>>5571920> Friendly. You tend to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; after all, your easygoing nature tends to disarm people.Switch it up for the last one to throw her off.
>>5571945What about a grey fireplace he relights at home? Or maybe his new home base after his previous hideout gets destroyed? We could make a fucking mint with the idea.
>>5571945I thought it would be more nioh where a white guy comes to japan and does ronin samurai stuff
Rolled 100, 14 + 50 = 164 (2d100 + 50)>>5571923>>5571926>>5571937>>5571938>>5571943Alright, looks like you'll be maintaining the professional approach.Roll me some 1d100+25> DC to be determined.
Rolled 87 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5571962
Rolled 46 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5571962no surprises here
Rolled 96 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5571962I’m tempted to force a reroll since she’s probably figured out who we are and is about to escape.
>>5571954>What about a grey fireplace he relights at home? Or maybe his new home base after his previous hideout gets destroyed?Love it. He grow up on a gang and that fireplace is where he learn about brotherhood and honor. He always carry a lighter becasue the flame make him remember that family.
>>5571920>Friendly. You tend to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; after all, your easygoing nature tends to disarm people.If Claire comes and ask "hey, why tf are you acting like this", the perfect excuse is "I expected Marina here and the Chechens. Not you, you and what looks like your people are a new factor that I didn't expect, and i'm honestly curious"I come with the same train of thought of >>5571928, we might throw her off and end up like a weird individual.
>>5571970Fuck
>>5571961>I thought it would be more nioh where a white guy comes to japan and does ronin samurai stuffThat is part of the plan, we can do whatever in japon and say is for the movie. That sell of adventures and get money
>>5571966>I’m tempted to force a reroll since she’s probably figured out who we are and is about to escape.Yeah, I would vote for that
Rolled 62, 4 + 65 = 131 (2d100 + 65)>>5571964>>5571965>>5571966That's a critical success for Claire.As your re-roll was spent back on Mount Olympus, it's kinda open and shut.Go ahead and gimme some 1d100+50.> DC to be determined.inb4 double crit
Rolled 62 + 50 (1d100 + 50)>>5571979
Rolled 63 + 50 (1d100 + 50)>>5571979
Rolled 64 (1d100)>>5571979
>>5571980>>5571981>>5571982SET!
Rolled 24 + 50 (1d100 + 50)>>5571979fugg, not another lady we have to kill.
>luck drain saves the day again
>>5571980>>5571981>>5571982Okay, that's some spooky coincidence.Three posts in direct order, get a set of sequential rolls.And the sequence starts with the same as the highest one I rolled.I feel like this may be a sign.Speaking of which, Luck Drain puts you over the edge, success.We'll pick up from here on Wednesday at 5:00 PM EST. I plan on using Monday to work on interlude stuff.As always, thanks for playing and I hope to see you all here next time!Boy, I feel like the over/under for crits in this quest is kinda stacked. I may have to do that math when we eventually reach a conclusion.
>>5571980>>5571981>>5571982>One up from the next
>>5571979What are the rules for rerolls? I thought it was 1 use per thread.
>>5571991>Okay, that's some spooky coincidence.Is not all:>Rolled 62, 4 + 65There where 4 rolls, and the 65 conect the last roll to the first again.>DMWWKJ
>>5571967How do you grow up on a gang? You mean in? >He always carry a lighter because the flame make him remember that family.Its needs to be an old fashion flick lighter. With a fancy Set Icon in it, just to fuck with the magic community. The new fireplace has a Hestia symbol in it. Maybe he makes a eye of horus symbol for his signature weapon.
>>5571997Unless I'm misremembering, it's typically been one per mission, which I've substituted for the purposes of the vacation to be one per country.
>>5572001>How do you grow up on a gang?Is for the movie.>Its needs to be an old fashion flick lighter. With a fancy Set Icon in it, just to fuck with the magic community.Perfect.>Maybe he makes a eye of horus symbol for his signature weapon.Unless we want to fuck with Horus I dont see it, maybe as a nice detail. I dont know if make him as a villian or something else.Set can not be or be like a shadow that follow us, someone that put you in unexpected situations. Maybe he want to fuck with the dark now that is winning?
>>5572001The lighter has a sign of a company that made them, with a egyptian word or place. One of the gang members has an oddly similar name to Hestia that was the mom of the group and respected, but the last thing the MC knew and the gang si that she left to continue her studies in some university and the Gang lost contact with her. And a rival gang that's looking for the MC in the present use some eagle head for their symbol. Or maybe they're a motor biker gang that use the eagle head.
>>5572018>The lighter has a sign of a company that made them, with a egyptian word or placeOh yeah, I forgot. The mascot or symbol is some kind of Jackal
>>5572003I mean... With how many mission they we're in each location I understand it. But I say that maybe the best option was to get a "timer", like each two missions we get the ability and reset.
Now that the idea for the movie is firm, who will be the director?>Michael Bay>Set>Spielberg>Sean>Other
>>5572051Peter Jackson. So we can ask him to get Viggo Mortensen in on the action.
>>5571893>gather useful info on him; stuff like his fears, desires, goals, weaknesses, that kind of stuff. Like a psych profile but a bit more in-depth.”It's fucking batman, isn't it? I can't think of anyone else who'd be so interested in personal matters like that, maybe The Court.
>>5572069does batman hire fucking terrorists
>>5572051It's going to be a A24 movie made by Ari Aster. It will be a more serious and grounded approach with some weird elements and symbolism that we're working, with dream sequences that actually reflect the mind of the protagonist that's also going to work to tell about the background and past of the mc
>>5572071>the terrorists are him>he buy a town>everyone in the town is him>make a legend of his fake name destroying ghost towns
>>5572051Sam RaimiMake a trilogy of movies about a hero that eventually ends up becoming memes
>>5572014>How do you grow up on a gang?>Is for the movie.English isn't your first language huh?
>>5572051Peter Jackson would be good, or whoever did the Godfather.
>>5572759>>How do you grow up on a gang?>>Is for the movie.>English isn't your first language huh?I understand English, the problem is that I'm retarded
>>5572821I see, stupidity is infectious after all.
>>5572055>>5572154Good options both. We get Ari Aster as the director, with the aid of Peter Jackson as a co-director/adviser so we can have Viggo Mortensen.>>5572495I think that would happen anyway as along we make a cultural impact, which now make me think of which way we can do it. We aim to do a Matrix or just a good trilogy?Also there is the love interest issue. We get one? If so, which girl? Or do we hint at some vague feelings between Hestia and us?
>>5572903Good trilogyFor love interest lets go the VN route and have different love interests in different iterations.
>>5574097I can see Batman having a stroke as he pours over the footage.
>>5574097WAIT, WE NEED A BUNCH OF KNEECAPPING SCENES!
>>5574097Haven't added credits yet, but here's my take.
>>5574097>>5574356Good shit
>>5574356Love how the dark tower thing aim to the sun. ExelentPicrel Court of Owls when the find out this
>>5574356Now that I think about it that would be great to the last movie.I have some names in mind.First part: City of ShadowsSecond part: Midnight MadnessFinal part: Minutes to Dawnbreak>>5574297>WAIT, WE NEED A BUNCH OF KNEECAPPING SCENES!Our infallible, invincible technique, passed down from generations of criminals and thugs from the dawn of time.
>>5574526Don't forget the inevitable cash-grab spinoff film featuring classic and now public domain movie monsters "Lightbringer: Broken Moon" which ends in a conflict against count Orlok. The name and posters reminded me that Dracula is actually canon to the DCU. Which means it's probably a good thing we aren't headed for the Balkans on our vacation.
>>5574575>Kill Dracula>Use his corpse as a propPeople in the magic underworld will develop a terminal, incurable case of "I laugh my side off" after seeing the film for years to come.
>>5574595double points if instead of that we somehow convince good old vlad to actually star in the movie, imagine the entire magic community going into conniptions that king vampire himself decided to act in a movie.
>>5574097>>5574356>>5574595You guys gotta stop giving me interlude ideas.I can only procrastinate so much.Anyhow, looks like Venture Bros is actually getting a finale at some point, blessed news.
>>5574920>tfw the credits roll and it says "Count Dracula as himself">>5575145>You guys gotta stop giving me interlude ideas.Okay, make it an actual plotpoint so it won't be an interlude then. Problem, meet solution.
Maybe we can use the Shut-Up-Or-You-Die card as a prop. And the Steel Wolfs can come as security, extras and secondary. We can train with them and said is for the movie.>Adjutant Tango show up to talk with them.>"Hello brothers. I have a offer to any of you that is willing to take it. I have a old friend that will give us money to make a documentary of what we all experience in our struggle. The thing is that he is doing a movie about american staff, and want people like you, reliable and competent. If you don't want to go, I won't force you.">Adjutant Tango go off stage, Jonah come up.>"Hi, I'm Jonah Thema. As Adjutant say I want to make a movie about corruption in america, a book is going to be published about it, but normal people don't read books unless it's important to them. Expect really weird shit if you come with me.">>5574920>>5575288>>"Count Dracula as himself"If we are lucky he could be like Thoth. He just need to take a days off.Even his diet is not that much of a problem, with all the guys coming out of the woodwork for our blood if we make a movie about the Owls, he will have food aplenty.
>We meet Dracula>roll 100>https://youtu.be/_kru56uPdzE
>>5575586Poor guy, holy shitHope he dont hang himself
>>5575373It's super easy to get blood in the modern day though. Especially in places like Gotham that are super corrupt. Fifty bucks to get let into the blood bank's back door or a quick pit stop at one of the more well supplied alleyway doctor's office for bags full of the stuff. It's a bit cold but very incognito.
>>5575754>It's a bit cold but very incognito.That is the thing my friend, this is an Royal European Vampire. Maybe he only drinks from glasses made exclusively for him for all we know.But you are right, in Gotham you can get amost everything. Maybe is there one of these weird cults/orgy/roleplay group that like suck blood while they fuck? We could pay some of them to pass the night with Mr. D?That if he like to discuss philosophy and pass time with his food though, if he just want food we just call some more-or-less healthy goon.
>>5575873Dracula joins your WOD game and ruins it by pointing out inaccuracies constantly.
>>5576054Dracula has a seething hatred of fishmalks.Also, I promise that I'm actually being productive today.
>>5576057But what is Dracula though? A ventrue? Or Bruja?
>>5576057>Dracula has a seething hatred of fishmalks.Based and sea-hatepilling
>>5576060I'm pretty sure he's canonically a Tzimisce.
>>5575873>Maybe he only drinks from glasses made exclusively for him for all we know.Counterpoint, blood slushies.
So, I'm plugging through the JLA report on Venezuela, and while I think it's neat; it's probably going to be kind of boring if you don't think reading over import/export stats is the coolest shit ever.Just wanted to give fair warning.
>>5576091Import/export stats are the coolest thing ever though?
>>5576091Man you just being a tease now. That ain't cool Axie.
>>5576091As long as I get to laugh at some of the entries, I’m game.Look at how much those nutters are paying to import corn when it’s also Venezuela’s main agricultural product and the true market rate is so much lower, hahaha capitalism and exploitation ho!
>>5576091>Axie just deleted everything by mistake while editing
>>5576137I'd say I'm like 80% of the way there. Finally managed to hit a good rhythm on a part that's been tripping me up.It's about 7000 characters at the moment, for what that's worth.
>>5576141>It's about 7000 characters at the moment, for what that's worth.>for what that's worth.>Can't write +50k per minute
OPERATIONAL REPORT ON THE STATUS OF VENEZUELAThis report is mandatory reading for all members of the JLA leadership council and all active-roster JLA members assigned to the South-American sector of operations.The information within has been divided into multiple sections in an attempt to better demonstrate the myriad changes in the nation of Venezuela since their internal crisis.After fierce fighting by internal rebel groups, the longstanding leader of Venezuela, Manuel Pedraza, has been taken into protective custody by a transitional military government known as the “Supreme Junta.”The founding members of the self-christened Supreme Junta are:- Major General Juan Rubio, chief representative of the Venezuelan Army- Admiral Miguel Suarez, chief representative of the Venezuelan Navy- Major General Nicolas Barrera, chief representative of the Venezuelan Air Force.It should be noted that while eventual elections have been promised, no concrete dates have been established as of the writing of this report.Economic SituationHistorically, foreign trade has accounted for roughly 70% of Venezuela’s GDP. However, under the tenure of the now-imprisoned President Pedraza, overall GDP and spending power per capita has plummeted despite the steady expansion of intetnational trade agreements and the loosening of tariffs.Under Pedraza’s watch, the national poverty rate has broken the 60% mark and shows no signs of improving. Compounding this economic misfortune, the inflation rate of the Venezuelan bolivar has remained within the range of 20% - 30% for the last decade; coupled with a climbing unemployment rate from 13% - 17%.Put bluntly, these are incredibly bleak numbers that provide a plausible explanation as to the lack of public backlash surrounding the toppling of the former President. If the Supreme Junta can provide viable and timely measures to address these issues, they will quickly establish a bedrock of national support.One of the first dictates of the Supreme Junta was a widespread anti-corruption campaign. Intensely high levels of corruption have been a serious issue plaguing all facets of society for decades.To that end, the Supreme Junta has instituted a comprehensive crackdown in all arenas in an attempt to weed out existing violators and dissuade future temptation.Minor infractions are typically punished with firings, seizure of requisite assets, and light prison sentences as applicable. Major infractions carry stiffer penalties of life imprisonment and total civil forfeiture. For particularly egregious cases, the death penalty has been authorized to draw a clear line in the sand. These measures have drawn international outcry, which has been stonily ignored.
>>5576188In terms of production, petroleum alone accounts for more than 85% of total Venezuelan exports. The remaining exports typically include acyclic alcohols, iron reductions, gold, crustaceans, and hard liquor. In regards to exports, their primary trading partners (by order of volume) are the United States, China, India, Mexico, Turkey, and Brazil.Venezuelan imports are largely centered around electronics, refined petroleum, rice, corn, wheat, livestock, and base metals. In regards to imports, their primary trading partners (by order of volume) are the United States, China, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico.Major occupations within Venezuela are focused on the oil, food processing, construction materials, textiles, mining, steel, and tourism industries. Despite the fact that agriculture employs about 10% of the labor force and over 25% of Venezuela’s land, it only accounts for about 3% of total GDP. The Supreme Junta have enacted a robust rural mechanization and land-grant program in an attempt to develop a self-sufficient food supply that reduces the need for foreign imports.Effective immediately after the Supreme Junta seized power, key sectors of industry deemed relevant to national defense were nationalized. This includes (but is certainly not limited to) oil fields, refinement facilities, shipyards, factories, mines, and other valuable pieces of previously private-owned infrastructure. Many of these interests were wholly-owned subsidiaries of overseas companies, who have since petitioned the Supreme Junta in the hopes of receiving compensation for their properties.Each and every one has been pointedly informed that “they have profited from Venezuela long enough” and that “decades of unchecked greed are payment enough.” Ever since, the Supreme Junta has made no effort to shed their command economy, and is instead shifting away from the free-market model entirely. Furthermore, global energy prices have skyrocketed after the Supreme Junta made the controversial decision to greatly lower their oil exports to both replenish the national stockpile and punish foreign interests. Predictions indicate that further protectionist measures are sure to come, with the overall goal being an entirely self-reliant, autarkic state.
>>5576190Security SituationThe Supreme Junta has made it clear through various legal and diplomatic channels that foreign interference of any stripe into Venezuelan affairs will be met with strict diplomatic, economic, and (if necessary) military retaliation.After purging disloyal officers from the previous regime, the Supreme Junta has reintegrated the bulk of the enlisted and non-commissioned forces after swearing them to new oaths. To bolster their nascent security forces, the Supreme Junta has also issued wide-reaching pardons to former communist guerrillas and ex-cartel hitmen, in exchange for a long period of military service.There are already concerns that Venezuela could evolve into a haven state for mercenaries, smugglers, and other threats to global peace and security; especially now that they have dissolved all previous extradition treaties.Considering the fact that the Supreme Junta is taking active measures to insulate themselves from political and economic repercussions via their autarkic economic plans, it’s reasonable to assume that short of internal rebellion or armed takeover, international pressure will have little impact.Political SituationAt the suggestion of the JLA, the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have held a vote to discuss a binding resolution compelling the Supreme Junta to accede to the following major points:- Turn Pedraza and other political prisoners over to the International Criminal Court for trial- Hold free and JLA-monitored democratic elections within nine months- Cease the nationalization programs and compensate the entities impacted- Pursue a program of military disarmament adherent to the strictures laid down by the United Nations Disarmament CommissionThis resolution received support from France, the United Kingdom, and the United States; yet was defeated after the Russian Federation and China vetoed the measure, jointly denouncing it as “wanton interference in the sovereign affairs of a capable nation.”Upon learning of the failed resolution, the Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a statement decrying “the heavy-handed and self-centered attempts to strip the Venezuelan people of dignity and autonomy.” The minister went on to bluntly question why the international community was so interested in the internal affairs of Venezuela at present, and not during the previous decades of repression.
>>5576192Reading between the lines, the leaders of the Supreme Junta believe that the United States and other Western powers provided covert military support to Manuel Pedraza in a ploy to prop up his government in exchange for favorable access to oil and other natural resources. Given these suspicions, they are heavily disinclined to build inroads with the West, and will likely extend overtures to pariah states and other natural allies.The Russian Federation and China likely view this regime change as an unprecedented opportunity to counter the influence of the United States and strengthen economic and military ties in the region.Given the controversy of the oil supply, they stand to greatly profit if they can establish cohesive agreements with the Supreme Junta.------------------Personal Notes (REDACTED FROM OFFICIAL REPORT)Another flashpoint, and another ceaseless argument.The interventionists point to the results and claim that it’s proof that we should’ve acted sooner. That if the League had taken a firmer stance and involved itself, we could’ve prevented any of the bloodshed from happening.Their detractors point at the results and claim that it’s proof that we did the right thing. That if we had driven blindly into a divided nation, we would’ve just encouraged further strife and instability.At its core, the League was not designed for this. We were established to counter threats that no one else was equipped to handle.“The Earth’s first line of defense against threats too large for humanity to face alone.”But insurgencies, nation-building, international politics? How can we be expected to tackle every issue, everywhere, all at once?The others share my worries, but not to the same extent. Things are changing faster than we can adapt, and I’m certain that we’re overlooking something important.The more things that fall through the cracks, the shakier the foundation becomes.
FINLet me know what ya think, took me ages to finally get this one in a workable state.Definitely not the most riveting material I've written, but I have a soft spot for these kind of reports.Hope you enjoyed!
>>5576198Really nice Axie.Did you post two times or you copy paste the same post?
>>5576210I flubbed the formatting on one of em, just refresh and the old one should be gone.
>>5576198Yeah, this shit's good Axis. I've imagined that if somehow Venezuela IRL could topple the regime this would likely to happen.But more in terms of a Interlude about the international politics inside a quest inspired in the DC Comics I really liked it. The pace is good and the way to run down the effects and responses of the public are interesting.And also: NO MENTION OF OUR BOY TANGO, LET'S FUCKING GOOOOThat means our message didn't make it out of Venezuela, and unless some Venezuelan recorded it and put it in the internet we're good for the moment. We can still make our stuff before the JL get the footage and try to seek for Tango.
>>5576197Its goodSounds like an official reportAlso sounds like if we balkanize mexico or another large country like brazil we could keep the JLA busy but unable to do anything
>>5576198I think it's pretty great, getting info on Venezuela's actions post-Tango is interesting. They're really living up to their ideals and promises. The UN is a shit, as always. Honestly at this point I wouldn't be surprised if the Venezuelan elections pull exclusively from the military. I mean, the West and 'western ideals' effectively fucked them over, so universal democracy might not be too popular. Maybe. And the Justicd League's cope and seethe over the issue is great. Keeping them stressed and a bit busy helps us out in the long run. Overall, amazing work as always Axis.
So what's the next south american nation we should assist? We could always hunt for mecha Hitler in Argentina.
>>5576222>And also: NO MENTION OF OUR BOY TANGO, LET'S FUCKING GOOOO>Batman distrust of the space station's venezuelan maid>>5576250>So what's the next south american nation we should assist? We could always hunt for mecha Hitler in Argentina.As a uruguayan I have to tell you that fixing argentina is like try to clean grease with your hands and cold water, everything turns out worse and you end up all sticky.Mecha Hitler is in Tierra de fuego though, all tech there.
>>5576250Brazil or (If we're counting states a bit north) Mexico could work. If we were to run down there in that way again, they'd be great targets due to their own problems and trade with the US. Less money for Uncle Sam = decreased funding for shadowrunning.
>>5576250>>5576268>>5576288There IS a nazi occult book in Brazil that we could nab for our next artifact hunt
>>5576288Dont know which country is worst with dark magic. In Mexico you have them on the street, but in Brazil they can get realy nasty about that.
>>5576306>There IS a nazi occult book in Brazil that we could nab for our next artifact huntYo... That sounds good. >>5576312>Dont know which country is worst with dark magic. In Mexico you have them on the street, but in Brazil they can get realy nasty about that.From some time already there has been cults and magic stuff like Yoruba witchcraft, I know this because i'm Venezuelan and from some years ago that religion had a big boom around the country, and maybe that's the same on other Latinamerican countries.Those that I do know is that there's a cult and worship of La Santa Muerte in Mexico, so if we run against the Cartel, surely we will see some necromantic bullshit or stronger Hexes than the ones we do or what we even know.
>>5576306to be fair theres an utter metric shitload of nazi's and former nazi's in brazil.
>>5576190>Hahahaha look at them importing the very agricultural foods they produce. Capitalism and exploitation ho!Something about presenting a dry academic/journalistic report and then adding personal notes at the end to highlight how the author “really” thinks always tickles me. I enjoyed it, Axie.Yeah, the League is basically a paramilitary in itself. I’m not surprised stuff like this isn’t something it has the procedures to effectively cope with.
Fun fact, by the way.I was looking for a good title as to the new Venezuelan government that sounded kinda comic-book like but still grounded in reality.As usual, history does the heavy lifting for me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Junta
>>5576343Apparently we're doomed to repeat history whether we know it or not. Dang ol history mang.
>>5576337>Those that I do know is that there's a cult and worship of La Santa Muerte in Mexico, so if we run against the Cartel, surely we will see some necromantic bullshit or stronger Hexes than the ones we do or what we even know.I still remember one documentary about the soldiers and thugs of Pablo Escobar and how they all were neck-deep in rituals, sacrifices and dark shit.One militar guy talked to the camara about how he shoot them and the bullets bounced of their skin or just pass through without harming them.
>>5576343>As usual, history does the heavy lifting for meHistory is really full of moments that if where writen as a book people will think its some fantasy
>>5576197I can't wait to break the whole charade once we give Jack his Final Sendoff.
>>5577214OrWe could be the next gentleman ghostHelping out other henchmen
>>5577216We are doing both.
>>5576192>There are already concerns that Venezuela could evolve into a haven state for mercenaries, smugglers, and other threatsBatman will be frothing at the mouth when he inevitably finds out that this already happened when he was writing the report, kekI only wish Sean get's to see it in person
>>5577265>Batman: You call this fixing a country?>Tango: I am pleased with the result of my crusade, can you say the same about gotham?
>>5577310>Batman: Crminals run amuck in the streets>Tango: And yet they behave and function among the people, the citizens are unafraid>Batman, there is death everywhere, your mad!>Tango, and yet its only the criminals that cross the line to die. Its a very pleasant place actually, and when someone innocent is hurt, people can get vengeance and just equally.
>>5577574Got some real Armstrong energy
>>5577680The only thing he did wrong was shake hands with a twink after all.
>>5577574>Batman: But, but... This is wrong!>Tango: Fucking grow up, Batman. The previous goverment got the whole country in ruins, only the military and people with conections with the goverment had good quality of life and the goverment used whole bands of criminals and prisoners to subdue the people that protested or tried to fight. This is a 100 times better now than before where last cop in a little town was corrupt. If anything, most countries in South America are country-sized Gotham.
>>5577680>>5577733We have suffer many hardships, pain and now dark forces from all around the world, and beyond want to break our body and spirit, but that will be always better that living without the freedom to chase our dreams.
>>5576198Great stuff Axis. Really nice to see the league interacting with the politics of the world
>Fix a corrupt country>Crime is likely going to be a small issueDid we (and the Supreme Junta) just mog the shit out of Batman?
>>5577834You know, it would be kinda funny if we killed all Batman's enemies for him. Leave him nothing to do. It'd just be a little bit of trolling.
>>5578046>Did we (and the Supreme Junta) just mog the shit out of Batman?
>>5578049Dude literally can't survive without work. Depending on canon he broke down at the prospect of being happy. Guy needs a war to function. If we got rid of his villains he would just focus solely on us until more crop up.
>>5578148This could be a good business opportunityBatmans carer project dealing with street crime and isolating him to one location focusing on fighting multiple villains while the real supervillains work in peaceIf we give him what he needs but not what he wants, fighting the justice league would be a lot easier
>>5578148>"It was ME Batman. I cleaned up your city so it would seem like you're a maniac with a bunch of psycho criminal colleagues!"Honestly he's lucky that there isn't a single judge in Gotham who understands that the mentally ill CAN be given the death penalty.
>>5578155>Call all villains that can are not too retard or crazy>Convince them of working "together", so they all organized to fight Batman one by one.>They can do whatever they want, but once every two months one of them have to stir shit up in Gotham for a week in the way they can or want.>Who get the Batweek turn will be random, maybe through a machine that gives a name. The unlucky dude get a week to plan how win the attention of Batman.
>>5578185I wonder if Axis would let us get away with killing Joker. Personally I don't see any world where Sean let's him live if they cross paths. Even if Batman shows up to stop us we could quite literally bug him and just put him down later after we ditch bats.
Rolled 67, 71, 2 + 300 = 440 (3d100 + 300)>>5578212>I wonder if Axis would let us get away with killing JokerIf you shoot him you will need roll three 100 just to hurt him. >just put him down later after we ditch bats.>we ditch bats.Batman rolls will be like this:+150 Martial arts+90 Super tech armor+60 Surprise attack
>>5578212No way in hell would Sean kill batman.He knows the justice league exists and that all the founding members would never let him restAlso multiple villains would be mad too like the joker
>>5578230Yet his rogues with no magic regularly elude him. >>5578232When did I imply we would kill batman? I don't see a reason in putting down any of the heroes I'm aware of (unless in self defense). Villains on the other hand...
>>5578246>Yet his rogues with no magic regularly elude him.Reread my post.>>5578230>>I wonder if Axis would let us get away with killing Joker>If you shoot him you will need roll three 100 just to hurt him.
>>5578246Sorry i misread itI think joker getting killed would be positive for everyone but batman would still be mad about it
>>5578280>"GRRRR TWO KILLER SAME NUMBER! KILLER TOO NOW! GROWL!"
>>5578354>"I was a Killer already, the number actually dropped, retard">Launches flash granade to the chest and takes the Claw out
>>5578363All we need to do is get at least two of his rogues in the same room and kill them both to show him how the math works. Remember, his parents never taught him how to count.
I am begging for a reality check at some point.
>>5578401>I am begging for a reality check at some point.They're just memes, Anon
>>5578401You miss the last twoish arcs where we've largely been getting our shit pushed in our what?
Now that you’ve finished grilling Marina, the last person of interest to speak with is Claire.She’ll definitely be a tough nut to crack, but you’re confident you can eventually wear her down. From your few interactions, you can tell that she values professionalism; keeping to your current methodology is easily the best option.It’ll throw up way too many red flags if you abruptly switch up your mannerisms at this point.She’d notice for sure that you’re on a fishing expedition.When you crouch down to make your practiced spiel, you notice a small object gripped tightly in her hand.In the split-second it takes for her thumb to depress the plunger, you recognize it as a remote detonator.Before you can react, an explosion tears through the hull, causing water to flood into the newly-exposed breach. You can’t be sure quite where the blast originated, but it’s most likely somewhere in the lower decks.The sudden loss of equilibrium causes you to stumble and lose your grip on your 1911, giving Claire the opening she needs to wriggle out from under your Abyssal Shield.As she rises to her feet, she tries to crack you upside the head with a rising kick. You manage to pivot in the nick of time, catching the brunt of the blow in the body armor stolen off the dead Chechen. It softens the impact, but you’ll definitely have some bruised ribs in the morning.A solid shot to the breadbasket is nothing to sneeze at.When you manage to regain your sea legs, you can already feel that the ship is beginning to list and potentially even capsize.Luckily, Marina is still pinned under the Abyssal Shield, still wedged in too tightly to escape, though not for lack of trying.In contrast, Claire managed to fully extricate herself. She has her SMG drawn and on standby, but is making a point of not having it aimed directly at you. It’s still in a position where she can quickly sight you in, but it’s still a sign that she may not escalate further.“We aren’t here for you, Defcon. I’m willing to let this misunderstanding go and chalk it up as some kind of bizarre coincidence. Just back off and stay out of the way.”> “I’m not sure what you’re talk-““Cut the shit. I know what your voice sounds like. Besides, it’s not like you’re fooling anyone with that ‘stern but fair’ routine.”Your voice hardens and traces of severe irritation color your inflection.> “Fine then, I’ll just go ahead and throw manners out the window. So, why should I trust a goddamned thing you have to say?”The muzzle of Claire’s SMG shifts upwards, a subtle warning that she’s ready and willing to put you down if necessary.“Besides the fact that if we were enemies, you’d be bleeding out on the floor?”> “That’s awful tough talk. A little humility would serve you wonders; would’ve figured your last asskicking would’ve taught you a few things.”“Oh, I know more than enough. Make this difficult, and you’ll get to see firsthand.”
>>5578443Well, looks like your interrogation was over before it started.Still, no point in crying over spilled milk.Now that the ship is living on borrowed time, you might be better served to let bygones be bygones. Marina was your primary target after all, and it doesn’t look like she’s going anywhere soon.Then again, if Claire is an agent for one of your myriad foes, it might be better to kill / capture her while you’ve got a chance.In the end, you…> Reluctantly allow her to withdraw. It’s time to gather your pals and abandon ship while you still have the chance.> Dive for your 1911 and throw some lead her way. You’ll need to make your shots count, otherwise she’s liable to rip you up with that SMG.> Keep her talking until there’s another bout of nautical turbulence. If you can take her by surprise, you should be able to close the gap and engage in some good ol’ CQC.> Bring out the Claw and blitz her. She may be quick on the trigger, but she won’t be fast enough.> Cast a spell. (Specify the desired spell.)> Other?
>>5578444>Reluctantly allow her to withdraw. It’s time to gather your pals and abandon ship while you still have the chance.This op has gone well enough for my tastes, no need to rock the boat any further. I want to extract that robot safely.
>>5578444>Summon Abyssal Shield that kept Claire on our arm, pop her with a Hex Bolt, then down and dive for 1911>If she runs, Fireball.
>>5578443>Just talk>Tell her we can fill the whole room with cristals if want
>>5578444> Reluctantly allow her to withdraw. It’s time to gather your pals and abandon ship while you still have the chance.
>>5578444> Keep her talking until there’s another bout of nautical turbulence. If you can take her by surprise, you should be able to close the gap and engage in some good ol’ CQC.I would prefer to capture marina and claire
We can't let the bitch leave, she's definitely with Suicide Squad.
>>5578444>> Reluctantly allow her to withdraw. It’s time to gather your pals and abandon ship while you still have the chance.yeah, we are not getting anything more from this
>>5578451>>5578444>>5578444>> Keep her talking until there’s another bout of nautical turbulence. If you can take her by surprise, you should be able to close the gap and engage in some good ol’ CQC.Change my vote
>>5578444Switch to this I guess> Keep her talking until there’s another bout of nautical turbulence. If you can take her by surprise, you should be able to close the gap and engage in some good ol’ CQC.I don't want her escaping.
How long would it take and how visible is it to cast a communication sigil on her to track her?
>>5578468the sigil is like a big tattoo in our chest, not possible
>>5578471>Nanomachines, girl.
>>5578468this>>5578471We also don't have the spell, Jack does.
>>5578468I think you mean a magic spider
It would appear that we're deadlocked between letting things go, and keeping her talking until an opportunity reveals itself.I'll give another ten minutes for votes / swaps, then roll a tiebreak if necessary.
>>5578444> Keep her talking until there’s another bout of nautical turbulence. If you can take her by surprise, you should be able to close the gap and engage in some good ol’ CQC.>”I would hope this is a coincidence, but I’m a little on edge recently. Can you offer anything to help convince me of that?”
>>5578453>>5578461>>5578465>>5578487Alright, give me some 1d100+25DC: 80
Rolled 1 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5578489
>>5578490Boy, the jokes really do write themselves.
Rolled 68 (1d100)>>5578489Fuck
Rolled 1 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5578489alright then let's push our luck>>5578490again, no surprises
>>5578490FUCK! SHIT!
>>5578493>>5578490Oh god
>>5578493oh man, this shit gets better by the second
>>5578491>>5578493they really do
>>5578490>>5578493>sean right now
>>5578490>>5578493both of you should kill yourselfs
I swear to god if we just run into aquamanIts so over
>>5578501>To prove that you dont want to kill me I would let you kill me
>>5578490>>5578492>>5578493So, this is a new one for me.Give me a few moments while I rack my brains for something appropriate for this momentous occasion. Gotta tell you, the fact that there have now been a combined total of 3 critfails within the last pair of threads whenever Sean talks to women is incredibly funny to me.
Axis please make what is about to happen legendary. This has never happened before in this quests entire history. None of you cowards ask for a reroll. This is about to be even worse than what happened on the date. We really can not talk to women.
>>5578490>>5578493Aight Ima head out. See you guys next thread
>>5578506at this point we are do this to ourselves>>5578507im pretty sure it has happened before. also why did you delete
>>5578507>Are you gay?>No, but I cant be hetero
>>5578490>>5578493We could have prevented this. Indeed, we would have avoided this entirely. Quit while you're ahead next time.
>>5578512I could see Sean having a waifu but not a wife
>>5578514Critfail is a critfailIf we leave and look for our companions we are going to find a drowned bobo and jack being pulled to hell
>>5578514fuck you I voted to let her go
>>5578518We are fine with Bab because she have the same problem with man
>>5578490>>5578493WHAT DID YOU TWO FUCKING DO?!
>>5578503>>5578528last thread i was critting all over and it was like "we are the bestest guy, us" but now that karma has caught up then it's all my and anon's fault huh >>5578514fucker you are telling me?
PLEASE ROLL THE DIE PLEEEAS ETEL ME WE HAVE IT PLEEEEASE
>>5578530>last thread i was critting all over and it was like "we are the bestest guy, us" but now that karma has caught up then it's all my and anon's fault huh?Yes.Learn to critting always anon
>>5578524>kindred spirits because romance always failsWhat a weird way to find your soulmate.>>5578533Don't worry, she's just going to knock us out, capture us and throw us in a cell. But don't worry it won't be for Lok this time.
Actually yeah, when did we last RTD? Wasn't that with Pandion? IIRC it resets every mission, does this count as a new mission?
>>5578506As God as my witness, this has the potential to be the most cursed thing I've ever written.Due to the fact that this was a double critfail, I've decided to make it a little more special.Please, select the method by which you'd like to jam the entirety of your foot into your mouth.> Helpfully point out flaws with her weaponry, armor, technique, pretty much everything you can see. Constructive criticism is always a good thing.> Monologue endlessly about an obscure topic tangentially related to the current situation, without giving her even a chance to speak. Bonus points if you manage to emulate Cullen’s deadpan tone. (Feel free to include a topic.> Make a comment that you’re surprised at how competent she is. Y’know, for a woman.> Wax poetic over your shared interests. She kills people, you kill people; there’s bound to be some fun stories to dig up.> Take a wild shot in the dark and start making idle banter about her love life. It might be a little mean, but you doubt she’ll take it too badly.> Other?------------->>5578537Another anon asked something similar; the most recent re-roll was on Mount Olympus. For purposes of the vacation stuff, I've kept to one re-roll per country. Otherwise, I figure it'd get refunded too often.
>>5578535not my fault Set is holding out on teaching me that Luck drain, the fucker>>5578537every place in the roadtrip counts as a mission and we are still in Athens apparently. Clearly we weren't expected to stay in one place for long. Really, it should have just been one reroll a day>>5578539> Make a comment that you’re surprised at how competent she is. Y’know, for a woman.This would be fucking hilarious
>>5578539> Monologue endlessly about an obscure topic tangentially related to the current situation, without giving her even a chance to speak. Bonus points if you manage to emulate Cullen’s deadpan tone. (Feel free to include a topic.Guns
>>5578539>> Take a wild shot in the dark and start making idle banter about her love life. It might be a little mean, but you doubt she’ll take it too badly.>Talk about ours
>>5578539> Monologue endlessly about an obscure topic tangentially related to the current situation, without giving her even a chance to speak. Bonus points if you manage to emulate Cullen’s deadpan tone. (Feel free to include a topic.The steps of how to clean and maintain every weapon in Sean’s arsenal.Maybe we put her to sleep?
>>5578539> Helpfully point out flaws with her weaponry, armor, technique, pretty much everything you can see. Constructive criticism is always a good thing.
>>5578539> Make a comment that you’re surprised at how competent she is. Y’know, for a woman.>"I mean I've fought a lot of women. N-not like abuse or anything, just uh... anyway yeah you're good for one."
>>5578542As a compromise, I'm willing to tweak things a bit so that you get a new re-roll at the next city (which would be Knossos) in this case.However, I'd argue that this is still related to your activities in Athens, much like the Mount Olympus stuff.Sound good?And true, I didn't anticipate it would take so long. In my defense, things have a tendency to go a bit off-the-rails. I blame the dice.
>>5578539> Monologue endlessly about an obscure topic tangentially related to the current situation, without giving her even a chance to speak. Bonus points if you manage to emulate Cullen’s deadpan tone. (Feel free to include a topic.Guns and killing demon possessed individuals.
>>5578544>>5578547+1
>>5578545>>5578539Change my vote>>5578547>>5578544
>>5578539Write in>Every woman I have met I have either killed, shot, stabbed, never called back, tricked into killing her team, threatened, choked out, or some combination of.>Every
>>5578539WAIT. LETS RANT TO HER ABOUT SET SETTING UP OUR BLIND DATE!>Rant about our shit love lives and how a literal God of Chaos makes a fucking awful wingman, and how this was supposed to be a vacation after looting the lockness monster
>>5578547>>5578548>>5578544The criticism could easily transition into this. He starts out pointing out flaws in her shit and then goes on on an endless tirade on how he maintains his shit. Like someone just spoke his sleeper agent code or some shit.
>>5578553yeah it's fine, i'm not gonna beg for fiat. I just think it'd be more consistent if there was an in-universe timer, what counts as a "mission" is kind of vague
>>5578561I forgot set on fire.Did I miss one?
>>5578567blew up? also who did we trick
>>5578571I think it was one of the chicks from task force X.
>>5578564I like this mixture a lot, and it looks like the overall mood is in favor of the long-winded monologue.As a heads-up, it's been a long time since I've channeled my inner /k/ommando.I'll give it my damnedest though, writing.This is probably gonna take a fair while.
>>5578576I don't think that happened, we stomped frost, knockout got suicide bombed by unknown soldier, plastique we blew up, scandal we shot
>meanwhile the ship is sinking and marina is trying to escapeTwenty bucks on getting gassed again. But this time it's nothing fancy, just mustard gas.
>>5578587>Sean shoots Marina with lightning in a tantrum, rage gas cannister explodes and we go on a rampagenow that'd be fun
Y'know what? I say this shit si happening because Hestia is too fucking jealous, there's no other explanation. The only girl we have talked to before was Babs, at least outside of some mission or battle, and now, NOW after picking that knife, the two woman we've talked to we just critfail. Us, the guy with a Bonus called Crazy Talk and we're known as being a talkative and persuasive guy.At this point, Sean it's my new Literally Me. Other people have Patrick Bateman on American Psycho and others have Ryan Gosling on Bladerunner, but having this atrocious luck on women just makes me relate on a big level with Sean.>>5578581Yo Axis, can you throw in there a quick chat with the team? Nothing fancy, just tell the guys to search for some emergency boats and start getting the fuck out. We'll have Nessie for our escape
>>5578593No problem, that should be a simple enough inclusion.
>>5578536>>kindred spirits because romance always fails>What a weird way to find your soulmate.We aren't soulmate because we don't want to be with anyone else, we are because we can't be with anyone else.The purest form of love
>>5578592>"Egyptian gods allowed me to live another day, and i'm about to make it every Atlanteans problem"
>>5578593does this mean Hestia is obsesed in Sean like a yandere?
>>5578595>You get ZERO bitches, Sean!>The closest thing you have to a man is listening to dating podcasts Babs, fuck you.>Fuck me, then!>What?>What?There can be no other relationship as built on spaghetti as theirs.
>>5578593>Y'know what? I say this shit si happening because Hestia is too fucking jealous>>5578601>does this mean Hestia is obsesed in Sean like a yandere?This wasn't in the pact, but don't Hestia's priestess have do be virgins?
>>5578593I'm so down for these critfails being Hestia secretly defending Sean's virgin purity from feminine wiles. It's exactly what a Greek Goddess would do for her champion.
>>5578609Man, when your goddess would rather you be shot than have more than a single productive conversation with women per day. What's next, a flame themed chastity belt appears under Sean's pillow?
>>5578613Don't forget that Aphrodite started the ancient equivalent of a world war because she wanted her champion to sleep with the prettiest woman in the world.
>>5578593It’s always been the fucking Greeks…THE ENTIRE TIME. THAT’S why we’re one step away from homosex, the FAGGOT ASS GREEKS. I should’ve fucking KNEW the MOMENT we got the Claw this would happen…you get involved in Greek shite and this is the result. We’re going to have to take radical action against this, Sean will get pussy, divine or otherwise. No matter what it takes.
>>5578613>What's next, a flame themed chastity belt appears under Sean's pillow?Shut the fuck up, the dice gods are watching
>>5578609>>5578613>>5578614We have one solution, take Hestia as a wife and make her take responsibility. Or quit.
>>5578618>Two crit fails>Same rollVery true.
>>5578563>>5578561Both of these need to be included in this epic rant. I mean we literally did THIS Op because our date ended up with this woman trying to kill us. And we wanted to know why.I mean this is VERY MUCH a revenge Op for faking a date and attempting to assassinate us.Though that means Marina now realizes even further how badly she fucked up considering the person she attacked also tracked her down, killed a bunch of people she had difficulty fighting off, and... well a whole bunch of shit really.Wonder if we reveal we also str8 disabled a killer robot just to be mad at woman for catfishing.
>>5578605Are we NOT a virgin?As far as I can tell, we haven't gotten laid. Nor has any kind of romance worked out...
>>5578619The final boss of the quest, second base.
>>5578632We did get fucked by the military top brass multiple timesMaybe?
Status update.I'm plugging away at it quite nicely, but I kinda doubt I'll be done tonight.I figure I'll put another half-hour or so into it, and check back in to see where we stand.My knowledge of these matters are almost entirely theoretical, so please don't eviscerate me too badly.
>>5578642If you wanna research it to make it a good post, I don't think anyone is gonna fault your for it. It's a double 1. And considering a bunch of people here are /k/ommandos and there are those who aren't noguns, you can simply ask questions. Or you could just rewatch the MGS 3 1911 autism scene. https://youtu.be/hS32Wx6qd_0?t=100
>>5578642>I'm plugging away at it quite nicely, but I kinda doubt I'll be done tonight.What ever that work is fine Axie.>>5578632>Are we NOT a virgin?Maybe we have some close contact in highscool, maybe a kiss even, but we were focus in getting in the army at that time.
Alright, I can feel myself starting to flag a bit, so I'm going to call it a little early while I keep working on the update.We'll pick it back up on Friday at 5:00 PM EST. As always, thanks for playing!Hope to see you all there.(Gotta tell ya, that double critfail took me entirely by surprise. Couldn't have chosen a more appropriate moment for it if I had tried.)
Rolled 86 (1d100)Rolling for meet, date and fuck a woman that is not Bab>>5578665See you Axie
>>5578665See ya Axis
>>5578665Sure you could have. It could have happened when we were about to stop Babs from figuring out Jonah was Gunsmoke.
>>5578708Dude can you imagine where we'd be if we hadn't pulled that off? We'd probably be in Arkham beating Zsasz to death with a gurney.
>>5578769Shit would be SO much chaotic I guess... Surely some running, interrogation from a butthurt Batman if Babs actually got us, being called crazy and maybe waiting for the weekly Prison break in Arkham with the help of Jack and Set
>Double 1Oh golly gee
I come to check on the quest and see double 1s. I'd be annoyed at our godawful luck if it wasn't so fucking funny.
So it goes.
>>5578632Depends on how many tours in sandland he's been on. Guys in uniform are VERY popular no matter where they go(unless in Japan and black).
>>5578561Pls this this fantastic.
>>5578563Supporting. It would be funny as fuck to bitch Set and have them be confused as hell.
Howdy, anons.I'm still chipping away the next update, but I need some more time to get it in a state that I'm pleased with.Therefore, I'm going to need to move our session today to Monday at 5:00 PM EST.As recompense, (and because I always enjoy the exercise) feel free to throw interlude ideas at me.Your patience is greatly appreciated.
>>5580351Does batman notice the multiple intergang bases we hit?Jla report?Barbara studying greeks in history class?
>>5580351Has the Young Justice crew been sneaking behind their bosses back to look at all the Gunsmoke and Tango events to see any patterns? Is Superboy itching to be humbled?
>>5580351Is this next update gonna be interlude sized?Because it has that feel.
>>5580351another sean backstory interlude or better yet, a Gentleman Ghost backstory interlude
>>5580384>another sean backstoryThis. Highschool or whatever time right before join the army.
>>5580367Supporting this for interlude
>>5580384A sean backstory of him being terrible with women
>>5580515>talking to his crush in middle school>ends up headbutting her and getting suspended>tries to flirt with a girl in high school>steps on her foot and knocks her over, breaking her ankle>tries to get a military wife>he doesn't do anything wrong she just nearly got taliban'd and gets discharged and marries an average suburbanite man for peace and quiet
>>5580563>The day we finally found the courage to confess to our crush>We found her in the bus stop>Call her out>A truck crash then>For looking behind she dont see a box full of axes before it fall on her
>>5580576>Hestia have her eyes on Sean since he was a child, when one time he asked for a better family close to a fire.>Everything that happen to us is a Aizen tier plan so we have no choise but be her husbando, no matter what.>She even is ploting aganst the other gods with the goal of with the objective that they accept the union between her and Sean>All because the stupid kid Sean have to tempt fate
>>5580636"Groomed by a goddess" sounds like a wild nipponese animoo.
>>5580687>"Groomed by a goddess" sounds like a wild nipponese animoo.Until you realize that this is not what you want from your life and you try to go against divine designs to be a free man.THEN it become nipponese animoo
>>5580708>Man that genre change from season 1 to season 2 is crazy
>>5580717>is Belldandy Lie level of freak out
>>5580708>Season 1 Sean: Wow I’ve been chosen by a hot goddess! She’ll be my girl since everyone else keeps leaving me!>General plot: Sean meets women each episode and Hestia schemes to push them away.>Season 2 Sean: She’s been bullied into standing against Outer Heaven. She and the rest of the gods will die.>General plot: God of War, but magical Big Boss.
>>5580757Maybe the other way around?>Sean slowly become Magic Big Boss>Magic and Set is there but not too much>We see how Sean have bad luck with womans and good luck with fire>In the finale of the first season Hestia appear out of nowhere>She want that Sean abandon everything he build to be a divine toy, of face divine punishment>The second season is revel that this was the final chess battle between Set and Hestia, chaos and orden, with Sean and his mens in the middle of all it
>>5580770Hmm. Still has the second season end with killing god(s) in the Japanese anime tradition so yeah, better structure your way.
K but, what about the spinoffs?>That Cultist Scholar we once saved, somehow he got into much more troubles>A mini series of 13 episodes>Half the first it's about his life, the rest is a setup on how he ended up in the cult>We follow him through the world being paranoid and losing his sanity, trying to stay alive while demons follow and torment him>We see his struggles and how he's utterly alone, grasping to the minimal hope of finding the protagonist and lead this War against demons. Not because of God's will, but because demons are fucking evil and someone needs to stop them>The history of a unknown hero that won't get any recognition and be lost in history forever.
>>5580351Oh, interlude ideas! I kinda forgot the whole point of today.>Dracula gets another agent coming by with a script. He takes more of an interest in this one because he’s legitimately bored and wants a change of pace.
>>5580824I can imagine Agnor being in a psychological horror drama series that slowly descends into actual body horror scarefest and then right at the end an unknown hero backlit by what must be the radiance of Heaven itself (it's just an incandescent lightbulb, Agnor is fighting a full schizoid meltdown at this point) saves the day.
>>5580824>Weak>Without way out this mess>Enemys can be everywhere>Alone>Scared to the bones>Still jump head first into the darkness, because he knows that if is not him, it will be someone else>He will do what he can for save a future that he will never see
>>5580873Oh God this, just some guy that is a fan of Sean comes by Dracula's place with random script ideas
>>5581018>Hey Mr. Vampire man check out this neat script?>Who the fuck are you and how did you get in my secret lair?
>>5580351The opinion of the Greek gods seeing Sean kick ass and be a virgin with rival gods of chaos and magic at his side. I wanted to see if Zeus took interest due to Sean's proficiency with lightning.
>>5581180Not enough bitchesCan't get pregnantSeans not into bestialityWill get jealous over not being the only lightning bolt throwerAt best zeus doesn't fuck with us because everyone likes hestia and hestia likes us
>>5581188Solid answer, wonder when the wedding will be.
>>5581192Marrying hestia might be the best routeThe gods like her because she is the only goddess with 0 dramaKnown for keeping the house, tending the fire, good homemakerIf we reject her, her brothers (pretty much every god on olympus) may come down and set up a shotgun wedding even if she doesn't want to force the issueBeing unlucky with women might be keeping us alive in greece
>>5581199>tfw you have to fight off the gods just to continue your bloodlineCan't we just promise to get hitched with her after our mortal shell perishes? If we die in a bathtub full of olive oil we get shipped to Elysium instead of Heaven, right? She can pick us up from there. Imagine waking up one morning with the sun shining through your blinds bright as hell. Except it's 2 A.M. and Apollo is standing at the foot of your bed telling you to get on his chariot for your big day.
>>5581188Zeus takes notice of Sean's virgin-ess and teams up with Set to get Sean laid
>>5581199>If we reject her, her brothers (pretty much every god on olympus) may come down and set up a shotgun wedding even if she doesn't want to force the issue>Being unlucky with women might be keeping us alive in greeceIt was Afrodite shipping us all along?>>5581220>Imagine waking up one morning with the sun shining through your blinds bright as hell. Except it's 2 A.M. and Apollo is standing at the foot of your bed telling you to get on his chariot for your big day.
>>5581325Aphrodite is a threatGoddess of love and fertility but also constantly cucks her husband/brother hephaestus (as chill as he is crippled) with her other brother ares (warrior chad) and many othersCupid also messes up a lotI don't want aphrodite's assistance with her very loose definition of love
>>5581356>I don't want aphrodite's assistance with her very loose definition of loveThat is the thing, Aphrodite see love in all it's bloody, scary and mindrotting glory. There is not mortal filter for her.
>>5581325kek nice
>>5580351Maybe a little Spectre POV too? Maybe he is one gamer moment away of killing us because he dont want us in Satan side
>>5582031+1I would like some POV from the big players, like the Greek gods like another anon said, maybe Horus or some egypt god, or even someone of the Magic community to see if Jonah got some reputation, or if even Thoth manifesting on Gotham actually make some kind of news.
>>5582114>ask for horus POV to see why his followers are so pissed off lately>get hestia POV of her pointing at some random guy on a mountain saying "this is mine now"I would love to see some of the divine or magical waves we've been making mostly completely by accident in the pool though. It would even be cool to see some of Thoth and Set's behind the scenes interactions. I'm sure Set and Thoth ask each other for advice and try to prop each other up.>"Hey, buddy! I was just think-">"You want to ask my thoughts on how to apologize to Sean?">"Damn you're good."
Howdy, anons.Between work kicking my head in, a bit of writer's block, and my notes inexplicably disappearing, I'm still not with the double critfail segment I've been working through.I apologize for another delay, but I can guarantee that I will be finished by Wednesday at the usual time. It's just been kinda hard to get in the usual groove lately.In terms of interludes, I'm cool with doing another segment from the perspective of younger Sean.As for Spectre, and other magical interludes; I'd prefer to shelve that idea for the time being. Mostly because I'd risk a few spoilers, the concept itself is interesting.
>>5583762That sucks, well see you later AxieCan you take time to work in the pastebin?
>>5583816Sorry for the lack of response, anon.I basically fell asleep moments after my post. Once I get done with the current update, I'll shift to working a bit harder on the pastebin.
>>5584079Take your time to sleep Axie, the last thing you need is getting tired and do something you regret later on.
You can’t just let Claire walk away while there are still questions to be answered. Just because she isn’t hostile at the moment doesn’t mean that she (and by proxy her employers) won’t turn on you in an instant. Before that can happen, you need information to better establish a profile for future dealings.And of course, that isn’t the kind of intel that she’ll just hand over without a fight. Your best option is to buy time and keep her distracted until the swaying of the sinking ship gives you an opening to close the gap and engage in hand-to-hand combat.The trouble is that you can’t think of a topic capable of keeping her occupied and unsuspecting for long enough. Suddenly, you notice that Claire’s SMG has a minuscule patch of corrosion marring the outer edge of its barrel.Old instincts kick in with a vengeance and you can feel yourself transitioning into the tone of voice that primarily made an appearance when you caught a private doing something monumentally idiotic. Like the time you caught Private Green trying to crack open a grenade so that he could ‘harvest the gunpowder’ for some asinine reason or another.You’d call it a reasonable way of explaining your displeasure and means of improvement to an otherwise obstinate adult. Outside observers were prone to classifying it as a tone of voice suitable when speaking to a particularly dimwitted toddler caught jamming crayons into their nose for the third time that hour.> “Holy shit. Is that rust on your goddamned weapon!? I’m embarrassed on your behalf! Whatever way that you’re cleaning that thing, you’re doing it wrong. Now, I’ve always been a big fan of Militec-1 lubricant for pistols and AR platforms, but it’s a stellar option for universal use. Trust me, I’ve put my gear through the ringer wherever fighting is to be had, and it hasn’t failed me yet. It can get a bit pricey, but let’s be real; if you can’t afford to fork over two bucks an ounce for a decent gun oil, fuck off back to the poorhouse before they notice that you’ve escaped. If you’re gonna be carrying something into combat, it needs to be 110% reliable, otherwise you’re begging for a jam or breakdown at the worst possible time. After all; take care of your firearm and your firearm will take care of you.”That last sentence is spoken practically like a religious mantra.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK_RkH7aHb8You take a moment to gauge how Claire is reacting to your sage advice. Despite the obvious value of your words, she seems entirely disinterested, and perhaps even a little irritated. Can’t possibly imagine why, this is valuable advice that could keep her from filling an early grave.Your lecture continues to meander over the fine nuances of firearms maintenance in excruciatingly precise detail, but Claire seems to be tuning the majority of it out. Eventually, your frustration starts to boil over, and the critique starts becoming a little more vitriolic in both tone and delivery.
>>5585164> “Christ, why am I even bothering with this? I might as well be lecturing to a brick wall; I’ll bet you’re satisfied to just slap some WD-40 on and call it a day. Actually, I bet you don’t even maintain your own weapons. Dollars to donuts, you’re one of those slackers who just dumps it on the armorer to clean and maintain for you.”Claire’s lip curls into a frown, a glowing neon sign that you’ve hit a soft spot. And now that you’ve sussed out a topic that lies closer to home, you can finally press your point with a bit more impact.It might sound a little harsh, but constructive criticism and mincing words don’t exactly go hand-in-hand.> “Why pick an SMG for a mission like this? Judging from all the gunfire outside, it’s not like this was planned as a stealth op. And if it was, you lot definitely fucked it up. Seriously, why not choose something heavier? Bet that thing sounds like a wet fart when you pull the trigger. You really want to get somebody quaking in their boots? Pack something with a little goddamn oomph to it next time, like a shotgun. Not some over-engineered hunk of Eurotrash that’ll jam the second you take it off-road and get it dirty.”Once you’re finished pointing out the specific errors in her loadout, you move to some more general criticisms.> ”I mean, what the hell is that thing even chambered in? Let me guess, some kind of byzantine specialist ammo that was developed and sponsored by the good-idea fairy? Go ahead, leave caliber interchangeability to the plebs; you’re special and need your own proprietary gear. The logistics guy much love dealing with you and your pals. And you know what? I’ll bet you still use the stock parts that you were issued with. No experimentation or creativity allowed, otherwise you might break your fancy toys.”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbdiZMCX8_kWhen you pause for some air, you take a moment to see if Claire is following your reasonable disdain for her tactical and strategic decision making. The look on her face makes it seem like she’s been sucking on a lemon for the last few minutes, which is a good sign. Means that she’s finally realizing the length and breadth of her mistakes. That’s no reason to stop though, you’ve got plenty of material to keep working with.The next item on your list of feedback is an important one; protective bodily measures.> “And really, a wetsuit? As neat as it may be to pretend that you’re some kind of commando, it genuinely makes you look like you’re part of a bargain brand Coast Guard detail. You do realize that this we’re in the Mediterranean, not the North Sea? The water isn’t that cold. Besides, why on earth would you wear that to a boarding action? Wear some actual goddamn armor before a stray round punches your ticket. Get a vest and some Level IV ceramic plates or something; ask your requisitions guy. Even that dead Chechen had more sense. Didn't really help him in the end, but you never know.
>>5585166When you make that crack about the Chechen, her eyes widen and her grip tightens a bit. Might be a bit of a low blow, but you’ve never been a fan of sugarcoating the truth.> “As for your stance, I’ve seen better. You’ve got the basics down, but ya need to bend your knees a bit more. Otherwise, your center of gravity is going to be an absolute shambles when it comes to handling recoil. Your grip isn’t perfect either, but we work with what we get. Now, if I remember correctly, you mix a bit of combat Sambo into your fighting style. Surely you can do better than a flavor of knockoff Judo? Do yourself a favor and learn an actual fighting style. For instance, literally any martial art whose foundational building blocks aren’t taught at the YMCA once the jazzercise class clears out. Honestly, the fact that it gets lumped in with Greco-Roman wrestling only proves that the Soviets ruined everything they get their greasy red mitts on.”While you finish eviscerating the supposed benefits of her glorified jiujitsu routine masquerading as an actual military style, you idly notice that Claire has a dive knife sheathed at her side; a measure presumably intended to cut lines or throats as necessary.But what really catches your interest is the way that the glistening of the evening sun dully reflects from the blade.The sight of its condition enough to make you audibly scoff.> “You’ve gotta be kidding me! I wouldn’t even trust a blade like that to dice a tomato!”You draw and brandish your dagger at her, a hasty move that causes the barrel of her SMG to incline towards you. This subtle byplay of tension is totally lost on you as you begin to extoll the virtues of a properly maintained knife.> “You see this beauty? You see how sharp it is, how it practically gleams in the light? Let me tell you, it doesn’t become that way by accident. Get a sharpening stone, and keep the damn thing in fighting trim! Now, if you can score an Arkansas sharpening stone, that’d be ideal. Always been fond of the harder variety, but that’s mostly just an aesthetic preference. And be sure it’s a pocket stones, bench stones are just a tad too unwieldy. Overall, bench stones are a waste of precious pack space and an unneeded weight. Plus, a smaller stone encourages you to treat the knife with the respect it deserves; if you start getting lax and dice yourself up, there’s only one party to blame. And never mind all that fancy designer shit, it’s all a load of overpriced, overhyped junk for rich assholes who style themselves as ‘outdoorsmen’ because they drive their camper into the Adirondacks for a week.”You pause for breath, astutely interpreting Claire’s facial twitching and closed-off body language as unmitigated enthusiasm for your continued soliloquy.
>>5585167> And for the love of all that’s holy, use a decent honing oil on the damned sharpening stone! The number of glue-eating troglodytes I’ve had to argue with about this is infuriating. ’But it’s not like it’s hurting anything, the stone is supposed to be tough!’ Bullshit! Give the goddamned stone its due, or you’re gonna damage something! I tend to like mineral oils, but-““SHUT UP! Just shut up already! I don’t care what you think, and I don’t care what you have to say! If I hear one more word, I’m going to enfonce mon arme dans ton cul et fais exploser ta putain de tête stupide!” Claire practically screeches at you, her cool and collected front becoming a distant memory as her rage unconsciously causes her complaining to veer into heated French.Welp, looks like she’s the sort who can’t take advice offered in good faith. Here you are, trying to impart a few pearls of wisdom to a potential ally of convenience, and this is the thanks you get. The injustice of it all is enough to get your hackles up and provoke you into a more direct confrontation.> “I would suggest that you keep that attitude in check. It may interest you to know that every single woman who has made the mistake of crossing me has either been shot, stabbed, blown up, never called back, tricked into committing friendly fire, terrorized, or knocked unconscious. If I happen to be in a good mood, usually only one of those things happens.”Instead of being cowed into submission as you anticipated, Claire swears even louder in French and trains her SMG on you. It’s a little hard to make out the angle, but it looks to be aimed directly at your head.Smooth as always with the ladies, Clayton. This is the second time in twenty-four hours that you’ve incited a woman into an act of potential homicide with nothing but your charming personality. To be fair, some people might consider that a talent of sorts.Things may have gotten a little tense, but you can play this off with a bit of tact. Just need to defuse this without saying anything that'll set her off.> “Listen, I think we might be taking this a little too far. Why don’t you go ahead and put that thing down before you get do something to get yourself hurt?”
(Finally managed to get it all penned out, hope you enjoy. Seeya tomorrow, anons.)
>>5585172I know it's been a week but i'm not ready, i'm still not ready
>>5585181I'm really hoping we put an abyssal shield inside of our skull so the bullet doesn't scramble our thinking egg.Get your beers ready to drown out the pain of this horrible double critfail.
>>5585172I can't wait to get shot to pieces and get our ayy rifle stolen by the French bitch. It's joever bros
>>5585170>who has made the mistake of crossing meMore like "I've ever talked to" or I've even befriended
>>5585281>say hi to a lady>a month later she fucking explodes
At this point actually just kill them both, for real. Kill them, loot the place and GTFO be done with it.Sean you fucking tard.
>>5585172Outstanding work Axis!
>>5585435I agree, just kill them all and call it a day.
Rolled 8, 14 + 55 = 77 (2d100 + 55)Alright, go ahead and give me some 1d100+25 to dodge Claire's wrath.(I'm aware that it's nominally a +50, but that's the price of a double critfail, at least for this roll.)> DC to be determined.inb4 crit
Rolled 17 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5585863pls no nat 1 again
>>5585863fuck you capotcha
>>5585866So sleepy he forgot to roll
Rolled 79 (1d100)>>5585863Fuck France
Rolled 85 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5585863
>>5585865>>5585868>>5585871That's a success, writing.Man, she really went and bungled a golden opportunity to get some damage in.
>>5585875I guess we were right in our rant
>>5585876The truest irony would've been if she critfailed and her gun jammed.
>>5585876>her gat hangfires immediately after a rant about weapon reliability
>>5585875Too bad she didn't critfail so her shitty (surely manufactured in St. Etienne) SMG could misfire
>>5585875The second you finish speaking, you worry that you’ve gone and thrown fuel onto the inferno.Your suspicions are confirmed when Claire’s response consists of a flurry of frenzied French and a veritable cacophony of small-arms fire.Thankfully, her anger dulls her aim long enough for you to dive behind cover before she can line up a clean shot.Unfortunately, it would appear that you've really gotten under her skin somehow. She practically chases you around the bridge with bullets, absolutely shredding the main controls and other pieces of presumably important and expensive nautical guidance equipment.If there wasn’t already a huge hole in the hull, you’d feel slightly bad about inadvertently trashing the place.Eventually, your luck runs out at the worst of times.Another bout of rollicking momentum trips you up when crossing to a fresh patch of cover. Claire triumphantly draws a bead on you and pulls the trigger, intent on riddling your upper body with lead.Click.For such a small, unassuming noise, the silence it leaves in its wake is practically deafening.She immediately realizes her mistake and fumbles for a spare magazine, giving you the time you need to muster a response.While Claire reloads, how do you retaliate?> Toss a frag grenade at her feet. There’s a decent chance that Marina may be injured in the blast, but you can live with that.> Move in close and give her a few jabs to the ribs courtesy of your commando dagger. Hopefully you can nick something important and use the promise of medical care as leverage.> Rapidly draw your Carbine and go for a reaction shot. It’ll be tight; the Carbine is a bit too bulky for a proper hair-trigger response, but you’re a deft hand with it.> Launch yourself her way with a vicious football-style tackle. If you can separate her from her weapons, your odds of survival increase; simple as.> Cast a spell. (Reference the spell you’d like to use.)> Other?
>>5585899>> Launch yourself her way with a vicious football-style tackle. If you can separate her from her weapons, your odds of survival increase; simple as.
>>5585899> Toss a frag grenade at her feet. There’s a decent chance that Marina may be injured in the blast, but you can live with that.Two for one
>>5585899>> Rapidly draw your Carbine and go for a reaction shot. It’ll be tight; the Carbine is a bit too bulky for a proper hair-trigger response, but you’re a deft hand with it.
>>5585899> Toss a frag grenade at her feet. There’s a decent chance that Marina may be injured in the blast, but you can live with that.Well, golden opportunities like this don't show up often
>>5585902Honestly it's significantly funnier if we capture her. > Launch yourself her way with a vicious football-style tackle. If you can separate her from her weapons, your odds of survival increase; simple as.
>>5585899> Toss a frag grenade at her feet. There’s a decent chance that Marina may be injured in the blast, but you can live with that.Can we charge this with fire magic?HESTIA PLEASE PROTECT MY VIRGINITY AND OBLITERATE THESE WOMEM
>>5585899>> Toss a frag grenade at her feet. There’s a decent chance that Marina may be injured in the blast, but you can live with that.
>>5585903>>5585906>>5585909>>5585916Looks like the ol' pineapple surprise is victorious.I'll give ten minutes to decide if you'd like to experiment a little and attempt to augment your grenade with a bit of Fire magic.> Yes, might as well see if you can put a bit of extra kick to it.> No, just lob the thing and seek cover.
>>5585918>> No, just lob the thing and seek cover.nope, no, uh-uh, no thanks.
>>5585918>No, just lob the thing and seek cover.
>>5585918> Yes, might as well see if you can put a bit of extra kick to it.
>>5585918>> No, just lob the thing and seek cover.
>>5585918> No, just lob the thing and seek cover.Let ambassador pineapple do the talking.
Rolled 29, 6, 40, 2 = 77 (4d100)>>5585919>>5585921>>5585923>>5585926Alright, give me some straight 1d100.> DC to be determined.(First pair of rolls are for Claire, second pair are for Marina (-25))
Rolled 54 (1d100)>>5585928
Rolled 45 (1d100)>>5585928
Rolled 20 (1d100)>>5585928
Rolled 93 (1d100)>>5585928
Rolled 41, 24, 98, 63 + 16 = 242 (4d100 + 16)>>5585929>>5585930>>5585932Alright, that's an overall success; catching both Marina and Claire in the blast radius.Now, I'm going to do a bit of rolling to see how badly they fare.Similar to before, the first pair of rolls are for Claire, second pair is for Marina.DC: 65 / 80
>>5585936Should've worn armor Claire
>>5585936Looks like Marina made it out well
>>5585936We have blown up two women so far
>>5585936The shield saved Marina
>>5585936>>5585936Fumbled the roll a bit, that was meant to be a -16, not a +16.Looks like Claire takes some nasty shrapnel, while Marina manages to scrape by with superficial wounds.How would you like to handle Claire?> Finish her off quickly, as measure of respect. She was a professional for the most part, it’s a shame things had to end this way. (Feel free to include a specific method of execution)> Finish her off brutally, as a clear message to her employers. Either stay out of your way, or be ready to start digging graves. (Feel free to include a specific method of execution)> Cut a deal to stitch up her wounds in exchange for answering your questions. Might be a bit cold, but that’s nature of the work.> Rummage through her gear and leave her to bleed out. She’s wasted enough of your time as-is, you need to rendezvous with the others before the ship capsizes.> Other?———————How would you like to handle Marina?> Retrieve your 1911 and give her the same treatment as the Chechen. Two in the head, as quick and clean an exit as anyone could hope for.> Knock her out and haul her along with you. Might come in handy as a bargaining chip or something. > Leave her stuck under the Abyssal Shield. She’ll have plenty of time to contemplate her decisions as the ship slowly sinks beneath the waves.> Other?
>>5585943Actually I just realized the luck drain might have dropped her roll enough to put it below DC. I thought she had a -20 but she had a -25. With an additional 11 that puts her below 65. Unless she is no longer considered an enemy in this instance.
>>5585950> Rummage through her gear and leave her to bleed out. She’s wasted enough of your time as-is, you need to rendezvous with the others before the ship capsizes.loot and ditch> Knock her out and haul her along with you. Might come in handy as a bargaining chip or something.I see no reason to leave Marina to die
>>5585950> Finish her off brutally, as a clear message to her employers. Either stay out of your way, or be ready to start digging graves. (Feel free to include a specific method of execution)Boot to head = crunch> Retrieve your 1911 and give her the same treatment as the Chechen. Two in the head, as quick and clean an exit as anyone could hope for.
>>5585950>> Finish her off quickly, as measure of respect. She was a professional for the most part, it’s a shame things had to end this way. (headshot)> Retrieve your 1911 and give her the same treatment as the Chechen. Two in the head, as quick and clean an exit as anyone could hope for.
>>5585950> Finish her off quickly, as measure of respect. She was a professional for the most part, it’s a shame things had to end this way. (Feel free to include a specific method of execution)Bullet to the brain stem> Retrieve your 1911 and give her the same treatment as the Chechen. Two in the head, as quick and clean an exit as anyone could hope for.I want to use the chechens gun for this
>>5585950>> Finish her off quickly, as measure of respect. She was a professional for the most part, it’s a shame things had to end this way. (Feel free to include a specific method of execution)Just shoot her.>How would you like to handle Marina?>> Retrieve your 1911 and give her the same treatment as the Chechen. Two in the head, as quick and clean an exit as anyone could hope for.Let's not leave any loose ends to chance.
>>5585950> Finish her off quickly, as measure of respect. She was a professional for the most part, it’s a shame things had to end this way. > Retrieve your 1911 and give her the same treatment as the Chechen. Two in the head, as quick and clean an exit as anyone could hope for.>Take all gear, dump any trackersWe've already bungled it enough, just clean house and get it over with. Both ended up hearing things they probably shouldn't have and that makes them both liabilities; much as I would've preferred body snatching.
>>5585950> Finish her off quickly, as measure of respect. She was a professional for the most part, it’s a shame things had to end this way.Frenchwoman's brain, meet .45 ACP> Knock her out and haul her along with you. Might come in handy as a bargaining chip or somethingHmm.... on the one hand, she might know interesting things. On the other, loose ends need tying up and I fear anons getting cold feet when it's time to ice her later...Meh, you guys are pretty cold blooded. Just remember, pump her mind and dump the body in the sea.
The results are in, it would appear that both Claire and Marina are getting their tickets punched.Ruthlessly practical as always, eh anons?Writing.
>>5585977Kek, we really have the worst relations with women, don't we?
>>5585986i blame Sean's dad for it
>>5585977https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRWCK9zGynAWhen words fail, high explosive is generally enough to make up the slack.You rip your sole frag grenade from the bandolier and chuck it directly towards Claire (and by extension, Marina).As soon as it leaves you hand, you dive once more into cover and ready yourself for the fireworks.There’s a deafening bang as the pineapple express delivers its payload within close range of its intended target. The moment that the smoke clears, you cautiously poke your head out to assess the situation.Surprisingly, Marina managed to scrape by with only some light injuries despite being close to the epicenter of the blast.With a bit of basic first aid, she’s sure to make a full recovery.In contrast, Claire is in considerably worse shape. She’’s been blown off her feet, staring upwards at ceiling. The shrapnel absolutely shredded her weapon, which may’ve inadvertently saved her from getting chopped up like hamburger. Unfortunately for her, it wasn’t enough to guard her from the jagged chunk of metal lodged solidly in what appears to be a lung.That’s not the kind of wound that you can just casually walk off.Bet her respiratory system would be thanking her if she were packing some better armor like you suggested.Fixing that’d take some emergency triage, and there’s a solid chance that she would just die on the table.Part of you wants to try and patch things up in both a literal and metaphorical sense, but a razor-sharp instinct beheads the idea before it can take root.When you put aside matters of emotion and philosophy and break the situation down to its most primal level, it’s actually rather simple.She made a wholehearted attempt to kill you. You fought back.She lost.Is there really any other way for this to end?Alive, she’s a loose end with a grudge. Easy odds that she’d eventually be back with backup and a score to settle. Even as a source of information, you can’t trust a damned thing she has to say. If the positions were reversed, you’d give her dangerously false intel out of pure spite.Well, best make this quick then. Things to do, other fish to fry.
>>5586018You emerge from cover, dust yourself a bit, locate your discarded 1911, and approach Claire.When she notices you, she spits a glob of blood at you and murmurs something unintelligible in French. Seconds later, a trifecta of 45. ACP rounds become intimately acquainted with her grey matter. What a waste.Once you finish dispatching Claire, you turn your attention to the still immobilized Marina. By a sheer stroke of luck, your chunk of Abyssal Shield actually managed to protect her from the overwhelming majority of the shrapnel.It’s a bonafide miracle that will sadly be for naught. She has to go, virtually for the same reasons as Claire.To her credit, she is smart enough to put the clues together and correctly guess your intentions.As you approach and loom over her like the proverbial angel of death, Marina is almost pleading for you to reconsider, how she can be useful, that you’re making a big mistake, that you’ll need her help. A thousand and one promises fly through her lips, but you don’t hear a single one of them.As soon as the decision is made in your head, it’s like a switch is flipped and you tune it all out.You interrupt her frantic attempt to bargain for her survival with a ragged volley of gunshots to the head and neck. Might be a little excessive, but you’ve got a bit of ammo to spare. After all, if you’re going to clean house, you might as well be thorough about it.Part of you idly wonders when this kind of thing became so blasé. Eh, you’re on vacation; there’s no sense in crying over spilled milk.Speaking of which, you might as pick Claire over for anything that might come in handy.Not like she’s going to need it anymore.> Give me some 1d100+40, DC: 100
Rolled 41 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5586019Poor Marina, go easy with the terrorism next reincarnation
Rolled 3 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5586019lookie here
Rolled 70 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5586019rollin
Rolled 19 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5586019
>>5586023>>5586026>>5586027That's a success, writing. I need to take a break for dinner, and this feels like a natural stopping point; we'll pick up from here at 5:00 PM on Friday.As always, thanks for playing and I hope to see you all there!Some burning questions still need to be resolved.Who was responsible for that setting this whole clusterfuck in motion?Who was responsible for the creation and deployment of that humanoid combat robot?Will Sean ever have an interaction with a woman that doesn't end in gunfire or screaming?Only time will tell.
>>5586031Thanks for the session, Axis. It's good shit.>Who was responsible for that setting this whole clusterfuck in motion?We already know Set was technically responsible for this, even if he didn't know it.
So from an objective standpoint it looks like we are degrading pretty fast. In all ways other than martial and physical we look to have crossed the moral event horizon from anti-hero to psycho for hire and blood knight. All we need is to see a friend die and we might go off the deep end. Remember when were just depressed and aimless? That was so long ago.
>>5586034The ways of chaos are not for mortals to understand, or even to the gods to control.
>>5586036>So from an objective standpoint it looks like we are degrading pretty fast. In all ways other than martial and physical we look to have crossed the moral event horizon from anti-hero to psycho for hire and blood knight. All we need is to see a friend die and we might go off the deep end. Remember when were just depressed and aimless? That was so long ago.That can be a good thing, because it means that catharsis would be within our reach soon.
>>5586036>we look to have crossed the moral event horizon from anti-hero to psycho for hire and blood knightWhy do you think that?
>>5586036we've always been pretty ruthless, remember the Intergang?
>>5586036Meh, those who live by the sword die by it. An evil attitude, but hardly the worst ever.>>5586042Sean did just execute three people in cold blood, one of whom was pleading for her life at the time. That's the extreme end of antiheroism, if not outright bad.
>>5586036I don't know about that. We stopped a gas attack on civvies, we refused to use sarin in Venezuela, and we still only put people down for good if we feel it'll bite us in the ass later otherwise. Doesn't seem like much of a difference from the first thread, other than now Sean has people and entities he cares about and has a self-decided goal to chase after.
>>5586036All I can say is that I’m glad the double crit-fail didn’t come while checking on the rest of the team.It’s still not too late to get pulled back towards the other side though. The hook from Agnor suggests we’ll be facing some demons soon, and they’ll be Jonah’s problem to deal with. Calling in some help from (anti-)heroes is possible. If anons vote for it...
>>5586047We did try to capture them until the boat got some holes in it. And they did try to kill us multiple times
>>5586036Are we? I mean, this is still pretty much in-line with Sean as a person. We didn't go out here on revenge alone, Marina knew how to find us and tried to capture us, endangering civilians. It makes sense that we'd go to get her. And as for the chechen and Claire, tough shit for them. The Chechen deserved it for the school thing, and Claire fought fair and lost fair.
>>5586051I'm just saying, there is a difference between killing someone in the moment and calmly collecting your pistol before splattering their brains across a wall. A legal and moral one by most people's lights. I don't mind it, Sean is a killer and I like him that way. A revolutionary murdering two terrorists and a spook is a-ok to me.
>>5586047Sean probably did similar shit in Afghanistan, honestly. But also keep in mind the context of the situation. He didn't pin some helpless bystander to the ground and shoot her. She is also probably a mass murderer and was trying to kill or kidnap him earlier.The other was actively trying to kill him. She was also a trained killer and has probably killed plenty of people for some not so great reasons as well. As glowie types do.The chechen was a long time (war)criminal and murderer. It's actually entirely reasonable that Sean was morally vindicated in killing every single one of them. And he did so mercifully all things considered. Sure he -could- have maybe talked a couple of them down or taken them prisoner, perhaps even flipped them, you have to keep in mind that none of them were here under duress like most of Sean's other recruits prior. While I can concede that Sean's mental state might still be drifting towards ever darker places his conduct here isn't in any way indicative of that.
>>5586057>It's actually entirely reasonable that Sean was morally vindicated in killing every single one of them. Maybe if you're some consequentialist fag, but let's be serious here. Gangland executions are bad, we're bad, whatever. Sean has racks to stack and governments to topple, leave morality to men with the time and means to waste on it.
>>5585977woulda voted against if if I wasn't busy with work. fug. We came for info. Killing Marina removed said info collection. sucks everyone gotta die. Plus side is nobody knew we were gonna be there, and nobody ideally knows we were.
>>5586058>leave morality to men with the time and means to waste on it.My guy you are the one who brought it up.
>>5586062I was agreeing with the anon above that Sean is pretty far across the moral event horizon. Others have contended that not to be so, and I disagree. I don't care for people pretending that Sean isn't a cold-blooded killer with professional, not moral, standards.
>>5586067There's a difference between degrading mental state, degrading morals, and degrading professionalism. I don't think anyone here was arguing that Sean is moral, more that his mental state isn't really deteriorating and he is remaining fairly professional.
>>5586067>Others have contended that not to be soNo one said he wasn't a bad dude though?
Moralfag begone! This is /qst/, one day Sean's saving puppies and giving to children, the next he's executing prisoners in cold blood. I wouldn't take too much issue with it.
>>5586072>more that his mental state isn't really deteriorating and he is remaining fairly professional.What do you mean? He went on two loony rants and killed people he didn't really have to kill. He's clearly losing it.
>>5586075consider the fact that the ones that Sean killed were:a warcriminala terroristand a spy of unknown origin that tried to kill himthat is why Sean is way better than the majority of heroes that would just beat this bastards then throw them to jail just to for them get out in the same day
>>5586117I can see your point in the rants part, but he had to kill these people because they tried to kill him first and they knew too much about him.
>>5586117Yeah, the rants are a pretty big point. Sean has killed before, but raving in front of strangers is new.
>>5586117The rants are explainable though. The rant with Marina was because we were talking about a very sore subject, and the ranting at Claire was to distract her until the boat rocked again. It didn't and she chased after us, but still, there's no proof of mental deterioration beyond what Sean got in that desert.
>>5586134>It didn't and she chased after us, but still, there's no proof of mental deterioration beyond what Sean got in that desert.But the moralfag think that Sean have mental deterioration. That is all the proof he need.
>>5586036we've become the DC version of the punisher, it feels like.
Is it just me or is it that whenever we crit fail we get narrative failures while crit successes tend to get mechanical boons?We should get something different for one like a boon/detrimental new ability like say:>Lady Killer (Literally)Whenever talking to the opposite sex, Sean receives a -5 to any dice roll that relies on his charisma.When in combat with female opponents Sean gets a +15 to any dice roll when attempting to kill or lethally harm the opposite sex.I'm not happy at once again killing two named characters who coincidentally are women *flashback to Venezuela*, I'm somewhat glad we firmly kept our secrets to their graves.
>>5587491Our killing of women is very exaggerated, we kill way more men. These critfails and having zero female friends, well, that's bad luck. We did part ways somewhat amicably with Double Dare but no one remembers the tournament.
>>5586031Your search of Claire’s equipment quickly reveals itself to be a disappointment. Most of her gear was heavily damaged in the blast, and none of it was anything too special to begin with.Part of you wants to cut your losses and call it a wash, but you continue snooping.Eventually, some gut instinct compels you check her personal effects once more, just to be extra-thorough.You feel around carefully, hunting for anything you may have missed on your initial once-over.Sure enough, the probing of your fingers reveal a hidden seam stitched into its side. Some speedy slashes from your dagger reveal the contents; a plain business card of some kind. Doesn’t have a logo, a company name, or even any kind of personal information.Just a phone number stenciled in a harsh black font on a pure white background. You slip it into your pack for later analysis.Don’t have time to get distracted while still on-duty.Especially since the few remaining instruments that haven’t been riddled with gunfire or shrapnel give the impression that more water is flooding into the hull by the minute.Your next move is to…> Link up with Set and Thoth to mop up the majority of the hostiles on the main deck. You’ve severed the heads of the serpent, now to ensure that the body follows suit.> Use your comms sigil to get the others on the horn and signal a general retreat. Your objective was to neutralize Marina, time to leave before anything else can spiral out of control.> Make a detour to the lifeboat stations. If you can sabotage them all, the merciless sea should do all the heavy lifting once you make your escape.> Beeline for the engine rooms to rendezvous with Jack and Bobo. Maybe you’ll be able to buy the ship some extra time before it sinks to a watery grave.> Other?
>>5587491My general rationale is that I try to match the critfail to the situation it occurs in. A persuasion critfail means that you totally botch the conversation and likely alienate a character.A combat critfail means that you make a terrific blunder that may end up getting you killed or captured.I consider that punishment enough. I'm happy to throw in physical debuffs if necessary, but I'd rather avoid having critfails diminish stats over the long term.To make my rambling thoughts short, I just go with whatever I figure makes things flow the best given the situation. It's open to interpretation, and I cheerfully encourage you to let me know if you feel differently.
>>5587870> Beeline for the engine rooms to rendezvous with Jack and Bobo. Maybe you’ll be able to buy the ship some extra time before it sinks to a watery grave.
>>5587870>> Use your comms sigil to get the others on the horn and signal a general retreat. Your objective was to neutralize Marina, time to leave before anything else can spiral out of control.Hello Axis
>>5587870>> Beeline for the engine rooms to rendezvous with Jack and Bobo. Maybe you’ll be able to buy the ship some extra time before it sinks to a watery grave.
>>5587875I think the current system is fine so farI like having better stats over time
>>5587870> Use your comms sigil to get the others on the horn and signal a general retreat. Your objective was to neutralize Marina, time to leave before anything else can spiral out of control.> Fireball the bodies to make them harder to identify. What’s a little more ship damage at this point?
Looks like there is a tie, I'll allot another ten minutes to vote, and roll a tiebreak as needed.
>>5587870> Beeline for the engine rooms to rendezvous with Jack and Bobo. Maybe you’ll be able to buy the ship some extra time before it sinks to a watery grave.Aren't there civilians on this ship?
>>5587899>Aren't there civilians on this ship?non-combatants maybe, but no, this is the mercs ship
>>5587876>>5587878>>5587899Looks like you'll be heading for the maintenance section, give me some 1d100+40DC: 75>>5587899If there are, you haven't seen one yet.
Rolled 65 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5587911
Rolled 41 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5587911
Rolled 61 (1d100)>>5587911>1
>>5587913>>5587914>>5587917Alright, you make it there without any hostile encounters. This roll is going to be a little different; give me some 3d100 each to brainstorm and implement a fix for the imminent sinking of the boat.First roll of each anon's trio is for Sean, second roll is for Jack (+25), third roll is for Bobo (+20).> DC: 80 / 95
Rolled 5 (1d100)>>5587919
>>5587920well, sorry Sean, it was a long shot anyways
Rolled 86, 99, 45 = 230 (3d100)>>5587919
Rolled 53 (1d100)>>5587919Yay for smart
>>5587920>>5587924Feel free to throw me some 2d100 for Jack and Bobo's rolls.
Rolled 8, 55 = 63 (2d100)>>5587926oh yeah, sorry
Rolled 8, 29, 3 = 40 (3d100)>>5587919
Rolled 43 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5587911
Rolled 58, 89 = 147 (2d100)>>5587926
Rolled 63, 37, 70 = 170 (3d100)>>5587919Rolls are a mess. I’ll do another 3d100 anyway.Based on >>5587923, I’m guessing Bobo isn’t much of a mechanical engineer while Jack has picked up a few things over his life.
Alright, looks like you and Jack pull off an excellent success, while Bobo doesn't do so hot.Assuming that the damage to the ship has been stabilized if not completely mitigated, what do you plan on doing next?You…> Along with Jack and Bobo, storm the main deck to back Thoth and Set against he Chechen insurgents, Marina’s mercenaries, and Claire’s wannabe commandos. No quarter will be asked, and no quarter will be given.> Cut the engines off, leave the ship dead in the water, and activate the distress signal. Hopefully the myriad of hostiles duking it out will be too busy to realize that they’re stranded and easy pickings for the coast guard.> Tamper with the engines and drive the ship into the coast. It’ll make one hell of a ruckus, but at least it ought to distract the authorities with something to investigate.> Tap into the ship-wide intercom and demand that the various parties on board stand down or face annihilation. Make it clear that this is a one-time offer, and it’s come with a rapid expiration date.> Other?
>>5587943>> Cut the engines off, leave the ship dead in the water, and activate the distress signal. Hopefully the myriad of hostiles duking it out will be too busy to realize that they’re stranded and easy pickings for the coast guard.
>>5587943> Along with Jack and Bobo, storm the main deck to back Thoth and Set against he Chechen insurgents, Marina’s mercenaries, and Claire’s wannabe commandos. No quarter will be asked, and no quarter will be given.
>>5587943>> Cut the engines off, leave the ship dead in the water, and activate the distress signal. Hopefully the myriad of hostiles duking it out will be too busy to realize that they’re stranded and easy pickings for the coast guard.Let the cops fix the rest.
>>5587943> Cut the engines off, leave the ship dead in the water, and activate the distress signal. Hopefully the myriad of hostiles duking it out will be too busy to realize that they’re stranded and easy pickings for the coast guard.
>>5587945>>5587949>>5587953Alright, since you and Jack both got an excellent success with stabilizing the vessel, I'll go ahead and mark this one as an auto-success given its relative simplicity in comparison.I'm also going to make the assumption that the natural progression from here is teleporting back to the van and getting the hell out of Athens.Are there any opposed to this course of action?> No, you've accomplished all of your major objectives, time to head home.> Other?
>>5587956>> No, you've accomplished all of your major objectives, time to head home.
>>5587956> No, you've accomplished all of your major objectives, time to head home.
>>5587956> Other?>Did we bleed anywhere? May want to give it a scrub with fire.
>>5587956Give the ship a good once over to clear any evidence tracable to us or our crewCameras? Blood?
>>5587958>>5587960>>5587963>>5587968I'll rule that the camera system was borked beyond repair during your dust-up at the bridge.As for blood, I'll lump that in with the whole 'burn the bodies' thing.Writing.
>>5587971Just checking in, anons. Still alive, merely taking my time a bit.
>>5588015I'm here qm, people will filter in as you post
>>5588015good
>>5588015nice
>>5588015As long as you don’t start singing about cake, we’ll assume you haven’t been replaced by a machine.
>>5587502The issue for me is NAMED characters, not faceless nameless mooks.>>5587875A temporary debuff would be interesting or entertaining if perhaps implemented in a comedic way.
>>5587919Use the abyssal shield power to plug the hole temporarily? Or just close the relevant sections of the ship doors and bulkheads.>>5587956> Other?Wait why do we want the ship to stay afloat with all the evidence of our crimes/battle?I suppose loot the cargo if there is anything good in the hold and strip the bodies? Specially that cyborg. Or just grab it wholesale. In fact, just grab the entire cyborg and forget about anything else besides phones and data devices.>>5587968>>5587971Why not sink the ship? Kind of hard to do forensics at the bottom of the ocean.
>>5588062In my mind, the logic for letting the authorities have a peek is so that it draws all of the immediate heat from the Athens That, and it may serve to sic them on the responsible parties.
>>5588067Better to deny them any information at all, but hey if we scrub things clean enough I suppose it could work.We are grab the Cyborg tho right?Turn him into Cybro!
>>5588077Oh, for sure.
>>5587971Before you depart the bridge, you take a quick moment to immolate the trio of bodies with a flurry of Fire Bolts.Don’t want to leave any obvious forensic evidence of your presence here, it’d be a major pain if anybody sporting a badge caught wind of your involvement in this snafu.As for CCTV footage, the bridge controls have been absolutely trashed during the brawl. There isn’t a chance in hell that anyone will be able to pull a single frame out of this wreck.Now, you just need to decide on your next course of action.Given that you’re practically making this up as you go along, the safest option by far is the one that puts more sand in your hourglass. Having the ship continue to sink or maybe even capsize while you’re on board would be nothing short of a disaster. Sure, you might be able to call for help via sigil ping, but that won’t work in a pinch.After all, what if the ship abruptly lurches and you crack your skull on the wall or an errant bit of railing? Can’t really do much if you’re busy sucking down a brain bleed.Or, what if the violent ministrations of Poseidon fling you bodily overboard into the briny deep? With your gear and all the chop, you’d sink like a rock, no matter how quick the response may be.What if your section of the hull snaps under all of the stress and you get trapped in some godawful cubbyhole to asphyxiate? No, that’s enough doomsaying. Just put one foot in front of the other and be on your merry way.The faster you move, the better your odds of salvaging this in time. Even if you can only come up with a temporary solution, it’ll be well worth your effort.There are a few close calls, but you manage to avoid being spotted or drawn into the conflict that has spread like wildfire throughout.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r87aXrXqg7AWhen you arrive, the maintenance deck is in a state of absolute chaos. Alarm klaxons are blaring and screaming in your ears, a cacophonous orchestra signaling the imminent demise of a once seaworthy vessel.The flashing alarm lights paint the area in a hellish red glow that flickers over the dead bodies of several commandos.Jack is at some kind of master control station, pulling and prodding a series of complicated levers and buttons with a surprising degree of familiarity. Meanwhile, Bobo is frantically attempting to stem a massive electrical fire before it can spread to the fuel tanks and blow the whole ship to kingdom come.The diesel engines are running at full blast, adding even more screeching noise to the mix.Despite all those distraction, Jack spots you and immediately starts bellowing commands that manages to cut through the fog of war.“HEAD DOWN THE HALL AND SEAL THE MAIN BULKHEAD, NOW! LOOK FOR A SET OF SWITCHES, YOU’LL KNOW IT WHEN YOU SEE IT! IF YOU CAN’T LOCK IT DOWN INSIDE OF FIVE MINUTES, WE’LL NEED TO ABANDON SHIP!”
>>5588082The gist of his orders are simple and curt, bereft of their usual pleasantries for self-evident reasons.Jack immediately dismisses you and returns to the complicated dance of balancing pressure, power, fuel, speed, and a dozen other variables that all need to be kept in check or risk a cascading series of mechanical failures.You tear down the hallway like a madman, narrowly managing to keep your balance in lieu of the constantly fluctuating balance under your feet. After a few panicked minutes, you reach the emergency bulkhead that Jack referenced.Instead of lowering as it should in an emergency situation, the compartment door is suspended several feet above the ground due to some kind of jamming. And due to the electrical issues, the entire switchboard is dead.Look like you’ll have to do this with some good old-fashioned elbow grease. You roll up your sleeves, summon the Claw, and start hauling down the door down.Even with the power of Claw coursing through you, it takes every ounce of your considerable strength to force the compartment door to comply, inch by agonizing inch.Yet despite your herculean efforts to the contrary, you can feel your grip begin to slacken as you finally reach your physical limits and start to lose ground. With a frenzied roar of exertion and some truly imaginative swearing, you slam the compartment shut with such force that you warp the metal of the deck. To ensure that it’s doubly protected from leaks, you slap a makeshift Abyssal Shield over a few potential weak spots in the frame.Once you confirm that the bulkhead has been well and truly sealed, you stagger away and hit the button labeled as EMERGENCY PUMP CONTROL. Judging from the heavy whirring and clanging, it sounds like the overall water level is finally starting to recede.As soon as you’re certain that your job is done, you immediately rest yourself against the nearest wall and slide to the ground in a sweaty, exhausted heap.Using the final vestiges of your strength and willpower, you fumble around in your jacket pocket and produce a soggy but still serviceable pack of cigarettes.This small victory is immediately soured when you realize that the goddamn thing is as empty as a politician’s promises. You just fling the pack away in disgust, nearly beaning an approaching Jack with it by mistake.When Jack notices how you’re slumped over, he immediately assumes the worst and rushes to your side.You chuckle weakly as he helps you to your feet and escorts you back to the main maintenance bay. It’s just as well that he showed up when he did; your arms and legs feel like jelly, and you could really use a long nap. Or twelve.> “I’m fine, just dead tired. Listen, I need you to turn off the engines, and set off the distress signal. It’s about time we got off this damned ship. Let those idiots up-top keep killing each other until the coast guard arrives to pick up the pieces. If we’re lucky, it’ll keep the law busy for a while.”
>>5588083In a flash, you’re away from the Iron Dragon and back at the hiding spot for the Set-Mobile. Soon, the rest of your crew appears; haggard, but lit with the fire that comes from a truly wild caper.Both Pandion and his robotic cargo are safe and sound, albeit a little damp. You’ll need to figure out what to do with that thing soon. Eh, that'll be a problem for future-you to handle.Thoth looks the same as usual, albeit a bit disheveled and with an interesting sharpness in his eyes. Something tells you that he noticed something interesting out there that he’s planning on keeping to himself.Bobo looks tired and more than a little singed, something you can’t fault him for. You’re internally berating yourself for not helping him put out the fires, but you had your marching orders and cut it close as it was.Jack takes a moment to smooth out the imperfections in his suit and rub futilely at a massive grease stain he picked up along the way. He did a damned good job keeping the ship afloat, you’ll need to ask him about where he learned that particular skillset.And of course, Set is sporting an absolutely feral grin on his face, is completely soaked from head to toe, and has Nessie tucked in the crook of his arm like an oversized football. Asshole doesn't even have the good grace to pretend he didn't have a spectacular time.As you all pile into the Set-Mobile, your hand unconsciously clenches around the business card you found on Claire.What would you like to do with it? > Call the number from a burner phone, and pretend to be a member of Claire’s commandos. Can’t be too hard for an accomplished liar like you.> Call the number from a burner phone, and play it straight with whoever answers. You’re not looking for another enemy, and they sure as shit better not be.> Throw the number over to Gremlin for expert investigation. He’s the best cracker you know, but this may potentially paint a target on his back.> Leave it be for now. It’s not the card is going anywhere.> Other
>>5588086That's all for tonight, anons! Vote closes Sunday night, we'll pick up from here on Wednesday at 5:00 PM EST. I plan on using Monday to rest a little / work on interlude stuff.As always, thanks for playing and I hope to see you all next time!Your homework for this weekend is to watch Das Boot. There will be a quiz.
>>5588086>> Call the number from a burner phone, and pretend to be a member of Claire’s commandos. Can’t be too hard for an accomplished liar like you.surely now we could get something out of that shitshow
>>5588086Do we have any more favors from Index? Even if not, we surely have money to pay him for information on the number.>Call Index, ask about the number
>>5588094I believe that you still have a freebie, yes.
>>5588086> Call the number from a burner phone, and pretend to be a member of Claire’s commandos. Can’t be too hard for an accomplished liar like you.
>>5588086> Call the number from a burner phone, and play it straight with whoever answers. You’re not looking for another enemy, and they sure as shit better not be.>”Look, I got dragged into this stuff, cleaned things up from my end, and I’m outta here. Nothing personal against your crew, let’s just go our separate ways and if we ever meet up again then maybe we work together instead. Or you kill me then, but let’s avoid the hassle for now.”Something along these lines?
>>5588094the problem with index is that he is just as likely to sell that information about us looking for it> Call the number from a burner phone, and pretend to be a member of Claire’s commandos. Can’t be too hard for an accomplished liar like you
>>5588086> Call the number from a burner phone, and play it straight with whoever answers. You’re not looking for another enemy, and they sure as shit better not beI killed your agent and I'll kill you too if you keep on fucking with me. Or, we can be friends. Their choice.
> Call the number from a burner phone, and play it straight with whoever answers. You’re not looking for another enemy, and they sure as shit better not be.Let's continue to be professional about this. >Next time don't send women to do a man's job.
>>5588086Set fucking planned this didn't he....
>>5588086> Call the number from a burner phone, and pretend to be a member of Claire’s commandos. Can’t be too hard for an accomplished liar like youTHEY DONT KNOW WE WERE THERELet's keep it that way
>>5588086> Throw the number over to Gremlin for expert investigation. He’s the best cracker you know, but this may potentially paint a target on his back.Safer bet.AlsoWHY CALL FROM LAND WHEN IT WOULD BE SUSPECIOUS SINCE THEY ARE ALL OUT AT SEA?!!Phones can be triangulated even with GPS turned off.
>>5588127Wait does giving the card to gremlin mean he's gonna call them?Checking out the number shouldn't arouse any suspicion unless they are the NSA.
>>5588095Can we look over the stuff we captured for any details on Claire's commando team?I don't think this is a good idea, why would a commando use the card number instead of a separate number likely dedicated to taking calls from the team or any emergencies?Using a "public" number on a card she would be expected to give out would be immediately suspect.>>5588094This is actually a better idea, changing to support.>>5588127>>5588086>Call Index, ask about the number
>>5588086I'll back this>Call Index, ask about the number
>>5588086>call Index about the number
>>5588094I'd call Index via Gremlin or an intermediary They're very likely to have passphrases we have no hope in hell of guessing.
>>5588086> Throw the number over to Gremlin for expert investigation. He’s the best cracker you know, but this may potentially paint a target on his back.
Howdy, anons.It looks like we have something of a deadlock between giving Index a try and masquerading as one of the commandos.Call the number and impersonate one of the commandos:>>5588093>>5588096>>5588099>>5588122>>5588133Leave it to Index:>>5588094>>5588146>>5588149>>5588156>>5588491I'll give it until Tuesday night for any swaps / super slowpokes to get their votes in. Otherwise, I'll just roll a tiebreak.I will also rule that you may route your request to Index through Gremlin if you're looking for another degree of separation.In the meantime, I'll just be chilling and plugging away at interlude stuff. Have a good one.
>>5591434>>5588097I’ll swap from “talk to them straight” to>Call Index through Gremlin
>>5591438>Gremlin Index calling time.Man shit really blew up. All we were missing was the JLA breaking through the roof.
>>5576192Also shit man damned if you don't, damned if you do. No one cared about Venezuela until their lights started to go out and their gas prices risen to 5$. Hopefully China and Russia continue to cover for us until the Steel Wolves are ready to fight the JLA and defend the glorius Supreme Junta.
>>5591887There is no damnation in our crusade, just the blood of the evil.
>>5591437A lead like this would best be thrown to Index for further investigation. As a black market broker, he’s the go-to guy with the connections necessary to get the job done in a timely manner.The biggest problem though is that by his very nature, Index is as slippery as a used car salesman doused in motor oil. There’s a non-zero chance that he won’t use this request to build up his own dossier on you, that could eventually find its way into the hands of your enemies.Worse, it wouldn’t be entirely out of the realm of possibility for him to contact the party that you’re asking him to investigate, and engage in some double-dealing.It’d be an incredibly unwise maneuver, but greed makes fools and felons out of the greatest of men (a grouping that Index is certainly not a member of).He’s still the readiest source of intel in your arsenal though, so you can’t just dismiss his services outright.After weighing the pros and cons, the only palatable option is to work through a trusted intermediary; buy yourself a bit of plausible deniability wiggle room in case anyone gets a funny idea and starts digging deeper.Gremlin ought to do the trick. You won’t ask him to be the direct link, but he’s gotta know a few ways to camouflage yourself and reduce any potential attack surface for Index to latch onto.As a bonus, the info itself won’t cost you a penny, seeing as you still have a marker to call in. You’ll probably throw Gremlin some dosh for his troubles though, as both a personal and professional courtesy.You’ll save that for later though; it’s an ungodly hour on the East Coast right now and he might be on-the-job himself. Wouldn’t want to accidentally break his concentration if he’s doing something important.That, and you kind of want to put this whole debacle behind you and just forget about it for a while. Part of you wonders if you ought to ease off the escapades a bit before you go and bite off more than you chew. It’s food for thought, if nothing else.Before the Set-Mobile hits the road, there’s one last minute issue to deal with; the deactivated robot that Pandion hauled home.The party universally agrees that its soulless eyes are giving everyone the creeps.Set neatly solves the problem by gently placing a lampshade on its head, wrapping the whole thing in a rug, and dumping it the back of the van.Between that, the Nazi gold, the crate of alien munitions, and the remnants of Marina’s chemical weapon stockpile; you’re in for one hell of a traffic stop if you get caught speeding.
>>5593951Luckily, the drive out of Athens goes smoothly and the Set-Mobile proceeds uninterrupted to the car ferry that’ll take you to Crete, and by extension, Heraklion.Less fortunately, the ferry ride is slated to take about nine or ten hours with good weather.Normally, you’d use the time to try and train or something, but between the skirmish at the restaurant and the full-fledged conflict on the cargo ship has left you with a bone-deep weariness, Instead, you opt to laze around a bit by spending the bulk of the journey speaking with…> Jack. He showed some real skill in the engine room; that’s not the kind of thing you develop overnight. Maybe he’s got some stories he’d be willing share that’d bolster your own expertise?> Bobo. This trip was meant to be some fun in the sun, but things have gotten a lot dicier than you would’ve liked. Maybe you ought to make sure that he’s doing alright.> Set. It’s about time that the both of you cleared the air in regards to the Athens situation. You’ve let Set off the hook for a lot of things, but this one could’ve ended much worse.> Pandion. He’s got to have some mixed feelings about seeing his hometown in the rearview mirror. Even if he doesn’t feel like saying much, he’d probably appreciate having you as a sounding board.> Thoth. You get the feeling that he noticed something that gave him pause during the battle on the Iron Dragon. Thoth’s been around the block plenty of times, something that grabs his attention could be worth looking into.> Other?
>>5593952> Thoth. You get the feeling that he noticed something that gave him pause during the battle on the Iron Dragon. Thoth’s been around the block plenty of times, something that grabs his attention could be worth looking into.
>>5593952>Set. It’s about time that the both of you cleared the air in regards to the Athens situation. You’ve let Set off the hook for a lot of things, but this one could’ve ended much worse.
>>5593952> Set. It’s about time that the both of you cleared the air in regards to the Athens situation. You’ve let Set off the hook for a lot of things, but this one could’ve ended much worse.> Thoth. You get the feeling that he noticed something that gave him pause during the battle on the Iron Dragon. Thoth’s been around the block plenty of times, something that grabs his attention could be worth looking into.
>>5593952>> Set. It’s about time that the both of you cleared the air in regards to the Athens situation. You’ve let Set off the hook for a lot of things, but this one could’ve ended much worse.
We seem split down the middle in terms of Set vs. Thoth, I'll give 5 more minutes to vote and roll a tiebreak as needed.
>>5593952> Thoth. You get the feeling that he noticed something that gave him pause during the battle on the Iron Dragon. Thoth’s been around the block plenty of times, something that grabs his attention could be worth looking into.i want Set to sit and think about what he did.
>>5593958>>5593974>>5593980>>5593985Alright, give me some 1d100+40 to see if you can understand what Thoth is going on about.No Luck Drain bonus for this one.DC: 75 / 100
Rolled 81 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5593991
Rolled 52 (1d100)>>5593991
Rolled 23 + 40 (1d100 + 40)>>5593991
>>5593994>>5593996>>5593999That's an excellent success.Go ahead and give me some 1d100+35 to see if you pick up something special for your trouble.DC: 100
Rolled 80 + 35 (1d100 + 35)>>5594000
Rolled 84 (1d100)>>5594000
Rolled 79 (1d100)>>5594000
Rolled 45 + 35 (1d100 + 35)>>5594000
>>5594001>>5594002>>5594003Alright, I've got a weird request, but just humor me.Go ahead and roll me some 2d5 each.We'll keep it up until we get three of any number (three 1s, three 2s, three 3s, etc.)
Rolled 4, 1 = 5 (2d5)>>5594006Weird
Rolled 1, 2 = 3 (2d5)>>5594006Hmmm...
Rolled 1, 2 = 3 (2d5)>>5594006
>>5594008>>5594009>>5594010Well, that went quicker than I had expected. Writing.
>>5594008>>5594009>>5594010/one/ bros, we won
>>5594012Shame we didn’t a third 1, 2.Spell upgrade?
I'm still plugging along, anons. Another long one is steadily on its way. Think I'm at like 4500-ish characters.
>>5594067We did vote to talk with Thoth, and we succeeded at the roll to understand him. That does imply sitting through a lot of words and not zoning out.Everything checks out here boss.
>>5594012Thoth is off on his lonesome, muttering to himself and scribbling away at a well-worn notebook. You can’t help but be interested as to what has him in such a tizzy, so you sidle on over and attempt to strike a conversation.After a bit of gentle prodding, Thoth finally spills the beans as to what’s garnered his attention.Back on the cargo ship, one of the hostiles that gave him and Set the most trouble was some guy with iron skin, who was apparently a skilled practitioner in some kind of traditional Chinese magic; something that Thoth hasn’t seen for genuine centuries.From the way Thoth tells it, there was actually a fair amount of ancient Egyptian-Chinese exchange. Mostly due to trade of course, but there is always a bit of cross-cultural contamination whenever and wherever money changes hands. As such, Thoth managed to score a few treatises and scholarly texts on Chinese mysticism and their perspective on the nature of magic.Turns out, he’s a little sore that he doesn’t know as much about it as the yet-to-named hostile who lit this competitive spark to begin with. Since you’re a sucker for learning about what makes the universe tick, you politely request that he give you a bit of a deeper dive on the topic.In response, Thoth gives you a multi-hour crash course in Wuxing, otherwise known as the Five Elements.A lot of it is just philosophical Wushu mumbo-jumbo that threatens to put you to sleep from abject boredom, but there are some genuine nuggets of wisdom sprinkled into the mix.Specifically, Thoth goes into agonizingly laborious detail about each of the elements, driving you to mentally construct your own summary of each or risk total information overload.The first element you learn of is Wood. The most human and of the elements. Characterized by flexibility, strength, and idealism, but undermined by intense bursts of anger that surface at the worst of times.The second element you learn of is Fire. The most dynamic and unpredictable of the elements. Characterized by restlessness, creativity, innovation, yet stifled by a predilection for dangerously impulsive acts.The third element you learn of is Earth. The most stable and static of the elements. Characterized by patience, stubbornness, and practicality, yet marred by constant doubts and worries that the labor will never be enough.The fourth element you learn of is Metal. The most rigid and forceful of the elements. Characterized by firmness, determination, self-reliance, and ambition, yet plagued by the loneliness which troubles all who discard relationships in the name of progress.The fifth and final element you learn of is Water. The most yielding and thoughtful of the elements. Characterized by intelligence, wisdom, and gentleness, yet subject to paralyzing fear that could lead to inaction when decisiveness matters most.
>>5594099Thoth goes on to explain how each of these elements cooperates or are weakened by each other, forming a kind of harmonious cycle centered around the transfer of energy known as Qi.It’s a lot to take in, but the strangest thing about the entire experience is that you can genuinely understand it. Not just follow along with what Thoth is saying, but extrapolate from his arguments and points to draw your own, sometimes even in a reasonably divergent direction from Thoth’s beliefs.In your mind at least, the Qi that Thoth speaks of sounds a hell of a lot like what you channel for your own spells. Perhaps, you hypothesize, it’d be possible to leverage it to supplement your existing arsenal?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXgloPSu9f8Rather than correct you, Thoth encourages you to pursue your idea to its natural conclusion. And in this line of study, the only way to know for sure is to take a bit of a risk.Instruction may be able to smooth out the path, but it is up to the beholder to walk the journey themselves.You focus deeply and carefully, drawing upon your core of magical strength and every patchwork scrap of arcane knowledge that you’ve managed to cobble together into a loose approximation of understanding.With cautious trepidation, you reach out into the featureless void, and attempt to draw upon one of the Five Elements. For the longest time, you’re stumbling blindly through the dark and rapidly losing hope that you’re doing anything more than embarrassing yourself.There are no feelings that can describe the sensation that occurs when something reaches back and greets you. A strange, yet pleasant energy begins to grow deep inside, a power that grows to encompass the whole of your body, from head to toe. The effects are invisible at first, but they quickly make themselves known.In an attempt to further your concentration, you’ve kept your eyes closed and senses blank. Despite that, you can both hear and vaguely sense how skin and bone is being molded into an unfamiliar shape.You’re afraid to open your eyes and see what damage has been wrought, but your damned curiosity demands it of you nonetheless.When you finally open your eyes, you’re treated to a singularly unsettling sight. Instead of flesh and blood, your entire body is comprised entirely of what appears to be hickory wood. And yet, your body feels the exact same as it would normally; your fine motor control and strength are unaffected, albeit your balance is a little lacking.Despite the invasive nature of your wooden metamorphosis, there is no pain or overt sensation of discomfort. At worst, you feel a bit stiff for a moment or two. Just as you begin to worry that you’ll be eternally doomed to star as a Pinocchio knockoff for the rest of your days, your body shifts back into its natural form. A smidge of tinkering reveals that it takes a few moments for the change to initially take hold, but it can revert back almost instantly.
>>5594102It seems like your body has to adapt to it at first, but shedding it is much quicker. The transfer itself burns a moderate amount of your magical energy, but it’s definitely not as draining as some of the spells in your arsenal. Maintaining it doesn’t seem particularly energy-intensive, which is a plus.Thoth is beaming like a proud professor who just watched a bright graduate student complete a critical part of their thesis. Which, you surmise ruefully, isn’t that far from the truth.Despite the trials and tribulations of the last few days, there are fewer moments in your life when you have been more proud. It may be a humble discovery at first glance, but the long-term implications are great.This isn’t a carbon copy of someone else’s work that you successfully recreated. You didn’t copy this from a musty book or some ancient tome written by a long-dead mage of repute.Beyond a few initial pointers from Thoth, this discovery is entirely on your shoulders. An idle thought almost causes you to bust out laughing. Perhaps one day you’ll put together a compendium of your own magical research; pay the goodwill forward for another punk with a chip on their shoulder and more guts than sense.And with further refinement, you may perhaps discover some more martially inclined uses for your new spell. One of which comes to mind immediately, albeit for an extreme situation. One of your myriad talents involves the usage of Fire magic; specifically in regards to absorbing flame for the purposes of limited self-healing.In that equation, maintaining a sufficient supply of fuel for the fire has always been the primary obstacle to its utility. But if your body itself could provide a potentially limitless kindling…Well, that could change everything. Assuming of course, that you can force the magics to cooperate and not burn yourself at the metaphorical stake in the process. A problem and an experiment for another day.Now, you just need to think of a good name for your first original creation.In the end, you settle on… > Clearcut> Evergreen> Deadwood > Barkskin> Windbreak> Other?
>>5594103>EvergreenGives you a hint, but it isn't too on the nose. 'I am Sean Clayton, and I speak for the trees. For some fucking reason, they speak Chinese.'
>>5594103> Deadwoodsounds cool and will probably confuse people
>>5594103>Evergreenmaybe we'll honor the name by clogging an important canal for trade
>>5594103>DeadwoodI love the idea of Sean gaining the ambition of teaching magic regardless of its type and viewing all magic as part of understanding the fabric of the universe. Now with him gaining the ambition to create his own spell book and invent his own spells, I would say we are now firmly established ourselves as a Journeyman level practitioner of the magical arts. Unlike that fraud Constantine we did not need a magical bloodline or dark deal to get this far.
>>5594103>> Deadwood
>>5594103>DeadwoodFuck, I regret rolling that 1 earlier. Twochads were right all along.>Made of living wood>Called DeadwoodToo kekworthy not to choose.
>>5594103> DeadwoodHeh
>>5594114Deadwood is Sean's dick
>>5594107>>5594112>>5594113>>5594114>>5594120Alright, looks like Deadwood is victorious as your new spell name.We shall pick up from here on Friday at 5:00 PM EST with your time on Heraklion.As always, thanks for playing! I hope to see you all there.Apologies if I've been a bit slow getting updates out, but I hope the amount makes up for it.
>>5594132This was worth the wait.If we had done three sets of 1 and 2 would we have immediately verified Sean’s theory as Deadwood burst into flames?
>>5594141Honestly, I probably would've just rolled a tiebreaker to settle it at that point.
>>5594132Considering your recent troubles, everyone concurs that it’d be best if we all stuck together for the time being.The Athens stuff seems comprehensively settled, but that’s no reason to let your guard down.Plus, this offers an excellent opportunity for a group activity!If you’re being honest, you’re kinda excited for the prospect; most times everyone just kinda peels off to do their own thing.There's nothing wrong with playing the cards you’ve been dealt to ensure everyone has a good time.So, what do your plans consist of?> Exploring the Palace of Knossos, a huge archaeological site right outside of town. According to mythology, it’s the location where King Minos built his Labyrinth. Could be fun to walk around and point out all the little discrepancies they slap on to wow the average tourist.> Finding a private spot at the beach, and engaging in a little surfside recreation. The weather is certainly perfect for it.> Renting a boat, cruising just off the shore, and casting out a few lines. Nothing else passes the time quite like a spot of fishing. > Wandering the Old Town for a while and looking for some neat souvenirs. Might be an excellent opportunity to grab a few gifts for your friends. > Heading out into the countryside for a picnic of sorts. It might be neat if everyone fixes something they like, that way you can have a small potluck of sorts.> Other?
>>5596153> Renting a boat, cruising just off the shore, and casting out a few lines. Nothing else passes the time quite like a spot of fishing. Can’t forget this is Nessie’s vacation too.
>>5596153>Renting a boat, cruising just off the shore, and casting out a few lines. Nothing else passes the time quite like a spot of fishing.Put a sign on the van 'gone fishing'
>>5596153> Renting a boat, cruising just off the shore, and casting out a few lines. Nothing else passes the time quite like a spot of fishing.
>>5596157>>5596162>>5596164>>5596178>>5596182A comprehensive victory for the fishermen.Now, what is obviously the most important decision of the quest thus far.Do you plan on using magic to get a little bit of an advantage?> No, the old-fashioned ways are the most sporting.> Yes, absolutely. (Describe how you'll use magic to gain an edge over the dastardly fish)
>>5596187> No, the old-fashioned ways are the most sporting.No magic Just fishing
>>5596187>Both, of course.Old-fashioned way first, the. switching to magic when Set gets bored.Try making an Abyssal Shield dragnet with tiny holes for water to go through. See if hex bolt will work against the fish and lead them to your crew’s hooks. Kinetic Frenzy to littlerwlly snatch the fish out of the water.Some magic training doing something silly and fun, basically.
>>5596187>Yes absolutely (See if hex bolt will work against the fish and lead them to your crew’s hooks)This seems both hilarious and possible
>>5596187>>5596187>> No, the old-fashioned ways are the most sporting.If we really want fish we could ask to nessie to bring some. We are here to rest under the sun and talk with our bros.We need to talk with Set to put this behind and look out the future.
Rolled 9, 24, 6, 10, 76, 33, 36, 68, 54, 69 = 385 (10d100)>>5596189>>5596195>>5596199>>5596200Go ahead and give me some straight d100 to see how well you do at the regular fishing.No DC, this is just to roughly measure how you do.I'll be rolling some pairs of d100 for Jack, Set, Thoth, Bobo, and Pandion in that order.
Rolled 90 (1d100)>>5596205
Rolled 45 (1d100)>>5596205How could they all be so bad at fishing? SHAMEFUL
Rolled 37 (1d100)>>5596205
