The Doctor? Doctor Who?

[Glawackus]

Sam takes the card and frowns. "Thanks...Age-a-who? Oh. I see. The establishment has a love for things like that." He looks around and grins stupidly for a moment, as if he's just had a really good idea. "Advanced R&D would be really good right about now. I've got a D that's about to move out of R, if you know what I mean."

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Yeah, I was thinking something like Barnabas from The Sandman if you have any experience with that...the smart-"animal"-companion who still has some animalish qualities.

[alchemyprime]

Jon smiles. "I have some of my favorite applications of my own inventions and my salvages in R&D, such as the... we're calling it the Meiji. We all saw how Revolution went about, so I'm naming my Revolution after a real revolution.
"But I love AR&D. And I'd love to see this development of yours, Sam. Let us walk."

In the AR&D labs...
This place... looks like a very hygenic version of the Hub. With no ptreodactyl.
Brenton is working with a middle-eastern woman with some odd cannon-like device.
"How's the Pharonic Project going?"
The man sighs. "No luck, Jon. We can't turn it on. We can't even start it up."
Jon thinks for a second. "Pop a Possible Coin in it's fuel tank. Let's see how well technology from Anubian Earth works with Ghosty-head tech."
Brenton nods and runs off. Jon leads Sam to a large worktable, covered in small bits of tech.
"If you need any help or any other tech to work with, this is my personal work table. My inventions-in-progress, or IIPs, are here. I spend my time trying to find the practical apps for tech that falls through. When I'm not finding it, of course."
Jon pats Sam on the back. "And if Jack ever gives you a hard time, I'll set you up with a tech job. Us techies need to stay together."

[alchemyprime]

Jonathan pulls out a cell phone and answers it. "Oh, geez. Look, Sam, I gotta run. YOu and Wendy want anything, call me. I have to go on business. I'll be back in time for our mission."
Jonathan runs off and makes a sharp left out into his office.
***A Few Days Later***
Jonathan returned yesterday. He's seemed exhausted since.
"Okay, time to go to the Ghosty Car."
He takes you both down into a dark corridor, and then into a frieght elevator. As you go down, you can see glimpses of off vehicles through the grates.
"I find a lot of things that fall through. A lot falls into my labs. Some I have to go hunt down."
Eventually you hit a floor and the doors slide open. On the other end of the room you've ended up in is what looks like a robot egg that exploded. Except more Steampunk.
Jon walks into it through a door on the side.
"If you want to buy anything before we go, go and do it now. We leave in five hours, and I don't want to be late. You know how to get here now. This is floor B52, by the way. The number was coincidential, before you say anything."

(This is the time to use purchasing power.)

[DeathQuaker]

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Updated character sheet:

http://www.angelfire.com/id/deathqua...endyKing7.html

I went ahead and got her a new sturdy carrying case for a new deluxe evidence kit.... and then realized with all the stuff in the case she's about 6 pounds into medium weight, which is why she has negative modifiers on her dex-based skills. She probably would not actually be carrying the case into battle (and the thing probably has wheels).

I would like to purchase more stuff but I'd like to know what's reasonably accessible. A boost on the credit card is cool, but she can't go out and buy body armor and ammo on the street. So what can she get from Torchwood or Jon, if anything? Body armor? (Wendy's not proficient so she'd only want something basic and concealable) Software upgrades? Night vision goggles? Weaponry that would be presented to Wendy as easy to use and recommended? Disguise kits (including the high tech morphic kinds)? Purple pills? Playstation 3s for under $300 and other impossibilities?

[alchemyprime]

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No on the PS3 bit. Even Jon can't do somethings.

You could buy a McCallister Cricket though (think GameBoy with N64 graphics)

As for the other stuff, Jon sells anything tech. McCallister Enterprises is the toy and fun company, and McCallister Firearms is his father's company he has since bought out.

Oh, Jon's high profile enough you can use Know(local) or Research to find out stuff about him.

Thanks for the sheet.

[DeathQuaker]

Sure, Wendy would probably take a minute to Google McAllister while she's doing her other research over the week.

Other stuff she's looking up are on cybernetic theory and xenobiology (both separately as well as together).

When Jon returns and asks them if we need anything, Wendy asks, "Is there anything YOU recommend as equipment? Particularly if we get into a fight. I figure there are some things my gun and my taser are going to be useless against. And also--while on one hand it's nice to be able to be capable of killing something trying to kill you, but I'd rather subdue than kill when possible. Anything like... I don't know, tranq guns that can affect alien life?"

"Oh, and B52? I love their music." Wendy winks.

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I'll look over the gear list a last time and see what Wendy can afford and post anything else I want on my next post.

[Glawackus]

Sam passes the week with Jonathan gone down in the labs, helping some of the technicians with various projects and consulting some senior staff for advice on his own little project.

He spends some time scouring the labs for parts, and finally gets down to work.

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I assume that any parts I might need are at McCallister's, so I'll skip the purchase check...
Crafting the Frame
Craft (Mechanical): DC 21: [roll]1d20+12[/roll]
Constructing the Electronics
Craft (Electronic): DC 19: [roll]1d20+11[/roll]
Programming
Computer Use: DC 25: [roll]1d20+13[/roll] (The robot should have 5 ranks in Disable Device.)

===

In the egg room, Sam takes out his PDA and the charge card and starts clicking away frantically, muttering to himself. After a few minutes he smiles. "There. Done. Let me tell you, it's a great thing to be able to afford rush shipping for once in my life."

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I'm adding the following items...if they're below my Wealth, do I have to make a roll for them?
-Electro-optical binoculars
-Illuminator
-40 lb. case
-Duct tape (how did I not buy this? )
-Undercover vest

Also, dear Random Number Gods: please let all those checks for the robot work! D:

[Glawackus]

rassle frassle can't edit posts to add dice rolls rassum frassum

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I assume that any parts I might need are at McCallister's, so I'll skip the purchase check...
Crafting the Frame
Craft (Mechanical): DC 21: (1d20+12)[28]
Constructing the Electronics
Craft (Electronic): DC 19: (1d20+11)[17]
Programming
Computer Use: DC 25: (1d20+13)[29] (The robot should have 5 ranks in Disable Device.)

A post to follow if all of these are successful.

[alchemyprime]

(if an item is less than (wealth-10), you can just grab it. If it is between that number and your wealth, you can grab it and you lose 1 wealth. Anything above your wealth needs a roll.)

(Oh, and for the last time: McCallister! It has two C's!)

(Oh... and Jon sells weapons with up to a +2 bonus through his father's old company, McCallister Arms. He aquisitioned it. I'm going to write up a fake Wikipedia article on Jon for you guys.)

[Glawackus]

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First of all, I'm going to try and retry that Craft check...
Craft (electronics): (1d20+11)[28]

Wealth stuff:
Electro-optical binoculars:
Wealth check, DC 16: (1d20+21)[22]

No check required for illuminator

40-lb case:
Wealth check, DC 11: (1d20+21)[29]

No check required for duct tape

Undercover vest:
Wealth check, DC 15: (1d20+21)[36]

(If I wanted to get McCallister's +2 undercover vest, let's say, does that just add 2 to the DC as well as 2 to AC? If it would, here's a check)

Undercover vest +2:
Wealth check, DC 17 (1d20+21)[31]

[alchemyprime]

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Bad news. +1 is a +8 to Wealth DC and a +2 is a +13. Most other abilities added on add a +2 or +1. I'll say... McCallister's company will sell any armor with up to an additional +6 to Wealth DC.
http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/FX_Items_%28MSRD%29#Armor
Check it out there.

[DeathQuaker]

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Weren't you using a custom wealth system anyway? (See OOC thread re character creation.)I'm confused.

[Glawackus]

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So, can I assume I've got a +1 vest instead, along with the robot and all the other new gizmos?

I'm trying to think of a good name for a robo-dog. Any suggestions?

[alchemyprime]

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+1 vest, and I'll be nice and let you add on any +2 DC ability you want.

Yeah, you got all of the other stuff.

Well, a bulk of my project has been done. And I have a break from school coming up. So I'll be able to update a bit more last week or march/first week of april.

But around may-ish we'll be back to once a week.

Would anyone be offended if I reopened the thread to bring our PC number back to 3?

[Glawackus]

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Fine by me, boss.

Do you want me to RP the robo-dog? Or are you going to NPC it? I need an idea for a name, too. Any suggestions, DQ?

[DeathQuaker]

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Yes, another player (or even 2, as originally we were supposed to be a group of 4) would be nice.

Wendy's getting a suppressor and a light undercover vest.

If she can get a better melee weapon than her baton, pref. something that does blunt damage (maybe a stun baton?) from Jon I'll trade that off too.

While we're discussing time off and such... it's a ways away, but I have (what will hopefully be relatively minor) surgery coming up on April 28. I'll probably be out of commission a couple days around then.... and if they have to make a more severe incision than they though, maybe longer. I will update as need be.

[alchemyprime]

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G- um... yeah, you run him too, but I may intervene if the story could use it.

DQ- Good luck with the surgery. I think a week off starting the 28th of April should be fine. That's right around where I get bogged down again anyway! Um... in the meantime, I'll make a new Recruitment thread, and try to figure out how to move a dice roller to my own message boards so I can start running games there.

[DeathQuaker]

[spoiler]
Thanks! Hope all will go well.

Glawackus--not sure what to call him. If he's on treads, I think we should call him Rover.

Alchemyprime--any interesting emergency melee weapons available to Wendy?
[spoiler]

Wendy comes down to R&D, peering with interest at Sam and his project. "How's it coming?"

[Glawackus]

"It's going good," Sam says, waving a hand at the chassis of the robot. "Treads didn't quite work out, but I managed to save the legs off this walking trash can project that someone else here had scrapped. It should be ready....now," he says, pushing a button. Arrays of LEDs that apparently serve as eyes light up, and then a shower of sparks bursts out of the thing. Sam leaps back with a curse and grabs at a fire extinguisher.

"Probably screwed up the tolerance levels," Sam says with a sigh. "Good thing there's plenty of spare parts around here."

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The BRRRZAP back there was me failing the first roll.

Rover wouldn't be bad, or Fido. Spot, too. One of those old-timey Fifties names.
"So, yeah, the robot can disable traps and things so I don't have to, it has a mind of its own, moves around on its own, specialized fuel cell, etc"
"It must have a cool name, then."
"Uh...Spot?"
"..."

[alchemyprime]

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What about a multiknife like Sydney's? +1 Masterowrk bonus? Also has a flashlight and a toothpick in it? Um... Let's say... add 4 to the knife DC (my book is far away right now.) How about that?

Oh, or for ranged, the McCallister Bean Cannon. It's essentially a Glock that deals nonlethal damage. It's Totally Untested and Highly Dangerous (TUHD). Same price as a Glock .19. Would that work for you? It also comes as a Derringer.

[DeathQuaker]

Wendy raises an amused eyebrow as Sam has to extinguish his robot. She replies, in perfect deadpan, "As for a name... how about 'Sparky'?"

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I was thinking something less pokey-death than a knife. Wendy considers it and thanks Jon, but ultimately decides she's probably fine with her plain old escrima baton and her modded taser. She just makes sure has more darts for her taser, and gets more .38 bullets for her handgun.

[Glawackus]

"That's not bad," Sam says, reaching out to touch the metal and pulling his hand back to suck on his newly-burned fingers. "I kind of like that, actually. A nice, sensible name." He takes out his multitool and gingerly turns a few screws to expose a circuit board, clearly not getting the joke.

[DeathQuaker]

Wendy smiles, suppressing a giggle. "Well, thank you, then."

She seeks out a first aid kit (burn cream) or a sink to get a wet cloth. "Wrap your fingers in that for a moment, dear. We'll want your fingertips in tip top condition if we are to rely on your technical expertise."

[Glawackus]

"Thanks," Sam says. "You seem to do a lot of this first aid stuff."

[alchemyprime]

Brenton walks up and whistles. "Wow. Jon was right. You're a techie alright. He can tell his fellow techheads from a mile away." He turns to Wendy.
"We do have this. Creates a cone of sleep gas. Maximum range has been fifteen feet across, fifteen feet out. Any human in it... unless they're made of tougher stuff *cough*Elan*cough*TimeLord*cough* they are out like a light. He hopes this will be satisfactory. One cartridge has five uses. He's providing five cartridges."
Brenton holds out the small pepper-spray like device.

[DeathQuaker]

Wendy shrugs. "Can't do more than put a plaster on something, really. But I'm acutely familiar with pain."

Wendy nods to Brenton, and eyes the instrument with curiosity. "Interesting. Sure, I'll try it out. I think I'll see about getting a gas mask too, though. Just in case I make an error in deployment." She smiles. "Oh, and thank you. Pass on my thanks to Jonathan."

[alchemyprime]

Brenton nods and walks off. Jonathan looks over at you both and Sparky.

"I like it. Reminds me of the first Arcanobot. Glitch I called him. Still... I think we should be heading out. Wendy, I always have a gas mask or two in the Ghosty Car. You're more than welcome to one."

[DeathQuaker]

"Of course you do," Wendy replied. "Thank you, I'll take you up on that offer."

"Well, I'm well-read and well rested, and I've got my new investigation kit packed up. I'm going to put the thing on a dolley for easy transport, I think. Later perhaps I"ll commission Sam to build me a small porter." She grins.

"Anyway, ready when you are."

[Glawackus]

"Just one more adjustment," Sam says, touching two wires together and delicately sliding them into a little channel in the robot's side. There. Ahem. Activate."

There's a low humming sound followed by some whirring. The dog's eyes light up bright blue. "System now coming online...core components up and running...specialized subsystems active...obedience core running at sixty percent efficiency."

"Wait, what?!" Sam cries. "Um...stop! Abort! Hold! Exit! Cease!"

The dog's eyes flicker into an old-style computer terminal's green. "Unit designated as Master," it says in a tinny approximation of a deep tenor, swivelling its head towards Sam and jumping down off the table. "I require a designatory nominative."

"Sparky," Sam says.

"Delightful," it replies, in a tone suggesting that the name is anything but. "Sparky." it says, replaying Sam's voice on some kind of recording. "Perhaps I am some kind of nineteen fifties mechanic."

It turns to Wendy. "Unit designation--temporary: 2. Good morning."

"Would you please run a diagnostic?" Sam asks, unrolling the blueprints and holding them up to a lamp.

"I am talking to Miss Two," Sparky replies. "Perhaps at some later point, we can discuss the possibility of diagnostics and the running thereof."

"Sure," Sam snaps, rolling the blueprints--and his eyes.

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I was trying to think of what a good voice model for Sparky would be, and then I realized that the (now, unfortunately, late) Paul Scofield wasn't a bad choice at all.

I'm ready to move on as well.

[DeathQuaker]

Wendy smiles politely and greets him as she would anyone else. "Good morning, Sparky. So nice to meet you. Most folks call me Wendy." She smiles at him. "I'd love to exchange further pleasantries, but we are about to go on a mission in which we are undoubtedly going to need to rely on your expertise. So perhaps you could kindly allow Sam to run the diagnostics?"

She raises an eyebrow at Sam. "Sparky seems to have quite an advanced AI. Impressive."