Skyscraper Graveyard II: Jealousy and Ambition

[Anarion]

As far as really bad abyssal manifestations go, contagious cancer is a pretty tough one.

Edit: thanks SiuiS, you just inspired me for exactly what would be important enough to attract a bunch of mages to a hostile city.

[the_druid_droid]

As I have a friend visiting, my posting may be scarce the next couple days. Sorry this comes right after the forum derp.

[Thanqol]

Originally Posted by SiuiS

Admin needs gnosis. Would drastically shorten those roll times.

Kaiuu is a hoot. I knew what I was in for when the first thing I read was that World of Darkness needs to be more punk, and for that there needs to be a man you stick it to. Kid probably doesn't know a god-damned thing about brutality. Punk isn't good guys win.

Ahahahahahahaha

EDIT: I am now ostensibly running a solo Mage game whose stated development goal is "see what comes together naturally, an use this to refine the rules and my knowledge of them". I want to chronicle this somehow, but I'm not sure if I should or where I would do it. Thoughts?

DA journals?

Originally Posted by Anarion

Okay then, I'll keep that in mind when I'm throwing around weird details.

I haven't actually decided if the WiFi cancer thing would be related to the mage game or not. Obviously "many mages converge on city" is pretty much guaranteed to mean that something big is going down or has been discovered there, but I actually haven't decided what it is yet, still in the planning stage. But it would be amusing if the thing attracting mages to Hong Kong was also the reason that WiFi in the entire world got messed up and started making people sick. I will think on this.

PIRACY: IT WILL GODDAMN KILL YOU

This sounds like the RIAA got together and did a massive Forces ritual to try to kill the internet once and for all.

After their Mind rituals aimed at Congress failed, of course.

Originally Posted by Anarion

Edit: thanks SiuiS, you just inspired me for exactly what would be important enough to attract a bunch of mages to a hostile city.

Aw man, why is it always bad things drawing Mages to the city?

In the Perfect Arrow, the Dark Secret of the city was that the Norse God Loki was chained up under the mountain. If he ever got out I intended to play him a lot like Discord. The upshot was that he'd broadcast a Paradox-free zone that'd cover the entire nation of Japan.

There was a lot of discussion at the table if that was a bad thing or not. On one hand, the God of Chaos walking free. On the other hand, it'd be the biggest ongoing magical event on the planet.

They eventually decided it was a bad thing, butchered the entire Consillium and signed up with the Seers of the Throne. One ended the game a Seer, one a hollowed-out Abyssal entity, and the third the head of the Silver Ladder. Welp.

[Thanqol]

Mastigos Shadow Name tips. How to keep your identity safe.

[SiuiS]

Originally Posted by Thanqol

Ahahahahahahaha

Why does that bring you sorrow, pray?

DA journals?

God, no! Then people would connect my different screen names. Can't have that.

Aw man, why is it always bad things drawing Mages to the city?

Hubris for $800, Alex.

In the Perfect Arrow, the Dark Secret of the city was that the Norse God Loki was chained up under the mountain. If he ever got out I intended to play him a lot like Discord. The upshot was that he'd broadcast a Paradox-free zone that'd cover the entire nation of Japan.

There was a lot of discussion at the table if that was a bad thing or not. On one hand, the God of Chaos walking free. On the other hand, it'd be the biggest ongoing magical event on the planet.

They eventually decided it was a bad thing, butchered the entire Consillium and signed up with the Seers of the Throne. One ended the game a Seer, one a hollowed-out Abyssal entity, and the third the head of the Silver Ladder. Welp.

I am really upset that game fell through. I mean, like, I'm willing to swear about it.

Originally Posted by Thanqol

Mastigos Shadow Name tips. How to keep your identity safe.

what did I just watch?

[Thanqol]

Originally Posted by SiuiS

Why does that bring you sorrow, prey?

If only that worked.

God, no! Then people would connect my different screen names. Can't have that.

My SN approach is very Obrimosistic. ONE NAME, ALWAYS, WEAR THE PRIDE AND SHAME THAT COMES WITH IT AS IF IT WERE MY BIRTHRIGHT. I might eventually get to the point of changing my meat name to Thanqol.

Hubris for $800, Alex.

Och aye.

I am really upset that game fell through. I mean, like, I'm willing to swear about it.

I'm not gonna lie: it was the most kickass tabletop game I ever ran. From the escort mission to get the unstable Imperial Spell out of the city under the eyes of the Adamantine Arrow to the discussion on if a world war would be justified if it lead to a mass human Awakening. I tend to run the games I want to play, and I loved running that.

I got to see it through to the end. I stood in the room full of Praetorian Seers as they decided that it would be better to mire Japan in an economic crisis and civil war than risk America and China fighting over it. I saw a Havoc Paradox trigger while a PC was hacking the world's most powerful and important supercomputer. I found the line that those horrible people were unwilling to cross. That they were willing to burn and kill to not have to cross.

The Perfect Arrow was never fired. They cut the tendons, smashed the fingers, and put out the eyes to make sure it was never fired.

You guys missed out.

what did I just watch?

A very important lesson.

[Anarion]

Originally Posted by Thanqol

PIRACY: IT WILL GODDAMN KILL YOU

This sounds like the RIAA got together and did a massive Forces ritual to try to kill the internet once and for all.

After their Mind rituals aimed at Congress failed, of course.

What? No, no. This is China, you're in China. It's Chinese hackers. Always Chinese hackers. Just so many ideas.

Originally Posted by Thanqol

Mastigos Shadow Name tips. How to keep your identity safe.

Two things this video makes me think about.
1. She said she knows a guy in Detroit. I feel that our mages may also know this guy.
2. What would a ventriloquism cutie mark look like?

[SiuiS]

Originally Posted by Thanqol

If only that worked.

Hell of a slip there. That was supposed to be an A, honest.

My SN approach is very Obrimosistic. ONE NAME, ALWAYS, WEAR THE PRIDE AND SHAME THAT COMES WITH IT AS IF IT WERE MY BIRTHRIGHT. I might eventually get to the point of changing my meat name to Thanqol.

Neat. I like that, meself.

You guys missed out.

Yes. This is the part I feel sad about. But hey, life gave you lemons. Cut them in half and grid. Their juices into my gaping wounds why don't you.

Originally Posted by Anarion

Two things this video makes me think about.
1. She said she knows a guy in Detroit. I feel that our mages may also know this guy.

You probably know that guy. I bet he's Turing. Being able to arrange molecules and all.

2. What would a ventriloquism cutie mark look like?

Obviously like a dorsal personality. Duh.

New headcanon: the Great and Powerful Trixie is actually the cutie mark of Trixabelle Lulamoon, stage comedian and ventriloquist extraordinaire. Her but took over that night and got the best of her - probably snails roofying all those smoothies. She wakes up later to find her home smashed, her name sullied and her cutie mark covered with a fake mustache.

[Anarion]

Thanqol, I'm going to roll that int+occult roll tomorrow, after I finish acquiring the recipes that I wanted to get, notably for yams to go with the turkey.

[Deadly]

So Tessen is going to do the cooking on site?

I'd say at least some cleaning should be done, resonance-meddling or not, and we need to set up a table and what not. Also the tent, are we going to use that? All that practical stuff - cleaning and setting up - can probably be considered one task, right?

Amun could spend his time and focus on messing with the resonance and the more metaphysical feel of the place, including maybe things like decorations. Feng Shui style meddling? That'd be an extended Gnosis+Prime roll, then?

That'd leave Turing and Jack to do cleaning and setting up.

Does that cover all? Any objections or suggestions?

[Thanqol]

Originally Posted by Deadly

So Tessen is going to do the cooking on site?

I'd say at least some cleaning should be done, resonance-meddling or not, and we need to set up a table and what not. Also the tent, are we going to use that? All that practical stuff - cleaning and setting up - can probably be considered one task, right?

Sure but more people helping means bigger success

Amun could spend his time and focus on messing with the resonance and the more metaphysical feel of the place, including maybe things like decorations. Feng Shui style meddling? That'd be an extended Gnosis+Prime roll, then?

That'd leave Turing and Jack to do cleaning and setting up.

Does that cover all? Any objections or suggestions?

Sounds fair from my end.

[Tiki Snakes]

Uh. All that nervous energy from no-forums dissipated the moment the forums came back online. I feel like I mentally ran an imaginary marathon.

Will post something soon.

So, recap; Amun is going to work on fixing the resonance with prime.
Tessen is rewiring the cooking bits and then working on cooking.

Stuff left that needs doing; Physical Cleaning(If any, something+craft most likely?)
Further Cooking(Probably. Likely Int/Occult?)

[Thanqol]

Originally Posted by Tiki Snakes

Stuff left that needs doing; Physical Cleaning(If any, something+craft most likely?)
Further Cooking(Probably. Likely Int/Occult?)

I'm prepared to accept Strength+Stamina for cleaning, on reflection.

Int+Occult applies to cooking here. It doesn't matter if it tastes good, you're doing it for the Symbolism.

[Thanqol]

Just a random quote from my Storyteller:

"As a Pentacle Mage and a member of one of the great global conspiracies, you have at some point been taken to some secret training camp somewhere in the world where you were instructed in the ways of magic. For some Adamantine Arrow Mages you were literally taken to a monastery in Tibet where you learned kung fu."

[SiuiS]

Originally Posted by Thanqol

Just a random quote from my Storyteller:

"As a Pentacle Mage and a member of one of the great global conspiracies, you have at some point been taken to some secret training camp somewhere in the world where you were instructed in the ways of magic. For some Adamantine Arrow Mages you were literally taken to a monastery in Tibet where you learned kung fu."

Despite my basically being full-up on game capacity you are really making it hard to see a downside to playing a Mage game...

[SiuiS]

Originally Posted by Anarion

*Charming puppy dog eyes*

This is the best line of the game. The rest of you can go home now. Chronicle's done.

[Deadly]

Since I didn't hear any objections, I decided to go along with the tent.

What did we decide on the matter of clothes?

[the_druid_droid]

First up, I should totally be returning to a more usual posting schedule starting this evening. Sorry my big disappearance happened during the No More Brainworms ramp-up.

Originally Posted by SiuiS

Neat. I like that, meself.

You know, thanks to bronycon (or more likely all the internet hanging out prior to) I find it more natural to refer to you as some variant of SiuiS/Starry even in person.

>.>

You probably know that guy. I bet he's Turing. Being able to arrange molecules and all.

Uh, no comment?

EDIT: Also, I remembered the thing I logged on to say. My friend and I went ice skating yesterday and I'm now convinced that human Rainbow Dash would be a speed skater. I'm really terrible on ice skates, but every so often I find a little bit of a rhythm and it legitimately feels like flying.

[SiuiS]

I shy away from casual blasphemy when I need an invective, but Jesus Christ Thanqol. This is a hell of a game. It's painful - I keep thinking about hinges that are obvious to me and not the other players, as well as the reverse and how the interactions would go - but that's a sign of integrity I think. Some questions if I may?

Brain parasites. What would stop a Mage with Life 4 or so from just crippling the thing? Is this one of those things that's more of a problem because the crew lacks a Thyrsus? Will they run into things that are relative cake that would be crippling if they lacked an Acanthus or Obrimos? How the hay did you even conceive of this particular plate; I erroneously thought the abyss only truly manifested due to Awakened activity?

Originally Posted by the_druid_droid

First up, I should totally be returning to a more usual posting schedule starting this evening. Sorry my big disappearance happened during the No More Brainworms ramp-up.

I'm seeing DD sitting at home while a brain slug sucks away, with a possible "pffft, who needs to cure brain parasites? Sorry guys, I'm busy" caption.

You know, thanks to bronycon (or more likely all the internet hanging out prior to) I find it more natural to refer to you as some variant of SiuiS/Starry even in person.

>.>

Perfectly fine! SiuiS has been with me for over twenty years. The ideal behind it may still be something worth striving for. While I cycle in and out of the role, and the role has changed through contamination, it's still a vital part of who I am. Areta was Siuis without the whimsy and narcissism.

Starry is a name I've come to feel more personal about. It's not one I spread around, which gives it more weight when someone knows it, y'know? It is a semiconflicting ideal. I think the tension between the two is granitic force which forms my psyche.

Names are creations as much as discoveries. Michael, SiuiS, Starry notions, are all just surface details to express an innefable truth. Like any creature of story, they are also defining limiters. I am as much a different person by different names as you and Anarion are different people.

Which is a long way of saying I don't see a meaningful difference between my cleaving to one name an having many, and the seemin contradiction is a good thing.

Uh, no comment?

C'moooooon~! It's only 3 XP for a point in Crafts, or a specialty in Oficial Document Composition.

EDIT: Also, I remembered the thing I logged on to say. My friend and I went ice skating yesterday and I'm now convinced that human Rainbow Dash would be a speed skater. I'm really terrible on ice skates, but every so often I find a little bit of a rhythm and it legitimately feels like flying.

Ice skating is the terrifying scenario of falling down at high speeds for hours, ducking and diving do as not to hurt passers by, an all the while everyone marvels at your form and skill >.<

[the_druid_droid]

Originally Posted by SiuiS

Ice skating is the terrifying scenario of falling down at high speeds for hours, ducking and diving do as not to hurt passers by, an all the while everyone marvels at your form and skill >.<

What part of that doesn't sound like Rainbow Dash?

Ok, potentially the dodging, but still...

[Anarion]

Originally Posted by the_druid_droid

Ok, potentially the dodging, but still...

Beat me to it.


Now, let's hope that everyone else's rolls are much better on average than Tessen's were.

[Tiki Snakes]

Originally Posted by Anarion

Beat me to it.


Now, let's hope that everyone else's rolls are much better on average than Tessen's were.

Ha ha, ha. Uh, yeah that's not going to happen. Not by me, anyway. My luck is such that I prefer to have a situation mostly resolved long before anyone thinks to call for a dice roll.

[SiuiS]

Okay, so reading farther, I know the answer is "we don't really know much about spirits in general", but why wasn't the answer to the exorcism

Originally Posted by Turing

puffing on a fat cigar, pulling his flask and loosening his belt, Turing takes both a puff and a swig, sighing contentedly. "Dayum!" he cried, a little over-exuberantly. "Now this is a party, yeah? Hey, why don't you leave this man here, all bony and weak, an come party with the big boys? Eh? Eh?"

Followed immediately by not allowin yourself to be possessed and using Mind to super fortify the inchoate hobo against further possession? An exorcism is restrain host, coax spirit out of host, prevent reintegration with host. Heck, the demon could probably have grappled it.

You guys really need a shaman.

EDIT: oh man, and cheap heroine as chiminage, you guys had this exorcism in the bag dude.

[Anarion]

Originally Posted by SiuiS

Okay, so reading farther, I know the answer is "we don't really know much about spirits in general", but why wasn't the answer to the exorcism



Followed immediately by not allowin yourself to be possessed and using Mind to super fortify the inchoate hobo against further possession? An exorcism is restrain host, coax spirit out of host, prevent reintegration with host. Heck, the demon could probably have grappled it.

You guys really need a shaman.

EDIT: oh man, and cheap heroine as chiminage, you guys had this exorcism in the bag dude.

SiuiS, we don't have a mind mage, we're super specialized in time magic, which was a quirk of staggered character creation. Had I been paying more attention, I would have switched Tessen to mind when I realized we had two acanthus, as mind was my second choice for her third arcana. As it stands, we lack mind, spirit, and Turing has only a single point of life. Weirdly, since our acanthus disfavor their own arcana, we're most competent in forces, prime, space, and matter.

[SiuiS]

Originally Posted by Anarion

SiuiS, we don't have a mind mage, we're super specialized in time magic, which was a quirk of staggered character creation. Had I been paying more attention, I would have switched Tessen to mind when I realized we had two acanthus, as mind was my second choice for her third arcana. As it stands, we lack mind, spirit, and Turing has only a single point of life. Weirdly, since our acanthus disfavor their own arcana, we're most competent in forces, prime, space, and matter.

Aye, you guys are super efficient at a lot of things. It's impressive! Although, seriously, no mind Mage at all? I must have mixed something up while reading (although I don't recall any use of mind sight so that my bad).

I am just confused at the spirit world being the mechanism of the world's circumstance and tenor, and most mages disregard it as beneath them. And it is it really is because the spirit is part of the lie, but it's still so strange that you are now aware of a full 100% more existence that affects you all the time, and... No one really cares. I honestly don't get it, but spirit and prime are my first and second most intuitive arcana, so I feels bout Spirit like Jayden does about Forces. There is also an anxiousness I can only attribute to envy, and it probably colors my actions.

There is a lot of stuff you could do with conjunctive casting steepen cabal members too, but I have a pathological phobia of discussing possible strategy about things that are yet to be resolved. Honestly, it's nice to be swept up in the drama of a PbP, most times they are written so poorly that it's a struggle. Consider it a complement that I'm yellin at the screen, carried away on the tides of the tale

[Tiki Snakes]

To be fair, at the time I was pretty strongly in "I don't have the faintest idea what I'm doing, so screw optimisation I'll build for concept" mode, really, and had to be talked into optimising at all by the Storyteller to avoid sucking completely.

If I had been worrying about building a powerful character and enforcing my will upon the world, taking on everything that crossed my path, I'd have built a significantly different character. (Or none at all, depending on if I could even figure out how to do such a thing).

On a completely unrelated topic; Martial Arts. I understand the merits have been disallowed on account of being unbalancing, with the main problem being mix and match martial-art stacking.
It occurred to me earlier today, but I'm not sure I was aware you even could stack them, use more than one at once. Is that actually how they are supposed to work?

[Anarion]

See, I'm just Obrimos to the core. I actually wish I'd put more in prime as forces and prime make by far the most sense to me, although I didn't really "get" prime until I saw it in action by Cyprus, then I realized that it's terrifying and amazing.

As it stands now though, once Tessen increases her gnosis and gets just a few merit dots, she's going to start pushing several arcana, including mind and maybe even spirit as well. I've started thinking that adding prime to her now wouldn't be useful since Amun already has prime 3.

[the_druid_droid]

Yeah, the exorcism is a product of several things, one being that Turing was already kind of feeling bad about the whole Abyss plate thing, and that potentially getting possessed by a joy spirit in front of the goetic demon of his superiors probably wouldn't be that great. Also I don't really get Spirit as an arcanum... all my innate Thyrsus is bent into the shape of Life instead.

[Deadly]

"I don't have a clue what I'm doing" pretty well describes my approach to Amun as well. I still feel like I don't have much of a clue.

In hindsight I could probably have made Amun a very different character, mechanically as well as thematically. I didn't really have the riddle/sphinx angle in mind at all when I created him, for example.

Perhaps he should have been Obrimos instead, focused on Prime and Forces and his background in science and engineering. I think the whole Fate/Time thing is the hardest aspect of him for me, because Prime really is his bread and butter and yet, thematically, he's not Obrimos. He could have been with a change of theme, but he's not. It's not that Acanthus doesn't make sense for him, it's just ... the whole system of Ruling/Inferior Arcana doesn't seem to sit well with Amun.

Or I could have made him totally different and made him a Thyrsus with a Spirit focus, possibly.

[the_druid_droid]

Oh, I spent part of this weekend watching Soul Eater with my friend and thinking "Man, that would be cool to do in a game. I bet you could do that in Mage. Yeah, just use Astral/Spirit realms. Boy, if only I had Mind or Spirit magic..."

I also keep coming up with character concepts... I feel like confessing this means Thanqol is going to tell me to run something.

>.>