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Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT

PoultryGeist posted:


Finwalkers

Some are more fish-y, some are more human-y, but Shoal-folk view them as dangerous freaks of some sort. I mean, living in the Salt? The possibly-mythological sea witch known only as Her may be their leader. The NPC called Fisher of Men may be Fin-blooded.

Ok so Fisher of Men looks mostly human and Finblooded is a thing?

It's ON!

ASHERAH ENKIDU - AQUATIC HUNTRESS (battlebabe)

Music to hunt sea monsters to

Far into the deeps, the apocalypse saw fit to grant life to things which can only be described as Monsters, giants, and hybrids, and even weirder stuff. Mean enough to eat entire spires of villages, and large enough to feed that many if only you could find someone crazy enough to hunt them. That's where I come in. Some people call me a legend among finwalkers and one hell of a story among surface dwellers.

I'm no monster, but I am one of the Fin-blooded, I can breathe down there, so I can stay under as long as it takes to hunt, but I still look human enough that so long as my catch is good, surfacers don't ask too many questions. It's not so hard living between two worlds that hate each other when you can be useful to both.

quote:

Playbook: Huntress (Battlebabe)
XP: 0
Harm: 0:00
Armor: 1
Look: Woman, Scroungewear, Girlish face, Merciless eyes, Gorgeous body

Cool +3
Hard -1
Hot +1
Sharp +1
Weird +0

GEAR
  • Greathook (4*-harm hand area)
    chain, blades
  • Tubthumper - Revolver (4*-harm ap, close reload loud)
    big, ap ammo
  • Fashion: Bikini, with pants and boots for out of water, along with gauntlets providing arm protection while wielding her hook.
BARTER: 4

Hx
  • Sinclair +1
  • Deep -1
  • Pearl +1
  • Marlin -1
[/list]

quote:

BATTLEBABE MOVES:
  • MERCILESS
    When you inflict harm, inflict +1harm.
  • ICE COLD
    When you go aggro on an NPC, roll +Cool instead of roll +hard.
    When you go aggro on another player’s character, roll +Hx instead of roll +hard.
  • WORLD FLAVOR: FIN-BLOODED
    You can breathe and move effortlessly underwater.
  • SPECIAL
    If you and another character have sex, nullify the other character’s sex move. Whatever it is, it just doesn’t happen.

quote:

BASIC MOVES
DO SOMETHING UNDER FIRE
When you do something under fire, or dig in to endure fire, roll+cool.
On a 10+, you do it.
On a 7–9, you flinch, hesitate, or stall: the MC can offer you a worse
outcome, a hard bargain, or an ugly choice.
On a miss, be prepared for the worst.

GO AGGRO ON SOMEONE
When you go aggro on someone, make it clear what you want them to do and what you’ll do to them. Roll+hard.
On a 10+, they have to choose:
  • Force your hand and suck it up.
  • Cave and do what you want.
On a 7–9, they can choose 1 of the above, or 1 of the following:
  • Get the hell out of your way.
  • Barricade themselves securely in.
  • Give you something they think you want, or tell you what you want to hear.
  • Back off calmly, hands where you can see.
On a miss, be prepared for the worst.

SUCKER SOMEONE
When you attack someone unsuspecting or helpless, ask the MC if you could miss. If you could, treat it as going aggro, but your victim has no choice to cave and do what you want. If you couldn’t, you simply inflict harm as established.

DO BATTLE
When you’re in battle, you can bring the battle moves into play.

SEDUCE OR MANIPULATE SOMEONE
When you try to seduce, manipulate, bluff, fast-talk, or lie to someone, tell them what you want them to do, give them a reason, and roll+hot.
For NPCs:
On a 10+, they’ll go along with you, unless or until some fact or action betrays the reason you gave them.
On a 7–9, they’ll go along with you, but they need some concrete
assurance, corroboration, or evidence first.
For PCs:
On a 10+, both.
On a 7–9, choose 1:
  • If they go along with you, they mark experience.
  • If they refuse, erase one of their stat highlights for the remainder of the session.
What they do then is up to them.
On a miss, for either NPCs or PCs, be prepared for the worst.

HELP OR INTERFERE WITH SOMEONE
When you help or interfere with someone who’s making a roll, roll+Hx.
On a 10+, they take +2 (help) or -2 (interfere) to their roll.
On a 7–9, they take +1 (help) or -1 (interfere) to their roll.
On a miss, be prepared for the worst.

READ A SITCH
When you read a charged situation, roll+sharp.
On a hit, you can ask the MC questions. Whenever you act on one of the MC’s answers, take +1.
On a 10+, ask 3.
On a 7–9, ask 1:
  • Where’s my best escape route / way in / way past?
  • Which enemy is most vulnerable to me?
  • Which enemy is the biggest threat?
  • What should I be on the lookout for?
  • What’s my enemy’s true position?
  • Who’s in control here?
On a miss, ask 1 anyway, but be prepared for the worst.

READ A PERSON
When you read a person in a charged interaction, roll+sharp.
On a 10+, hold 3.
On a 7–9, hold 1. While you’re interacting with them, spend your hold to ask their player questions, 1 for 1:
  • Is your character telling the truth?
  • What’s your character really feeling?
  • What does your character intend to do?
  • What does your character wish I’d do?
  • How could I get your character to —?
On a miss, ask 1 anyway, but be prepared for the worst.

OPEN YOUR BRAIN TO THE WORLD’S PSYCHIC MAELSTROM
When you open your brain to the world’s psychic maelstrom, roll+weird.
On a hit, the MC tells you something new and interesting about the current situation, and might ask you a question or two; answer them.
On a 10+, the MC gives you good detail.
On a 7–9, the MC gives you an impression. If you already know all there is to know, the MC will tell you that.
On a miss, be prepared for the worst.

LIFESTYLE AND GIGS
At the beginning of the session, spend 1- or 2-barter for your lifestyle. If you can’t or won’t, tell the MC and answer her questions. If you need jingle during a session, tell the MC you’d like to work a gig.

SESSION END
At the end of every session, choose a character who knows you better than they used to. If there’s more than one, choose one at your whim. Tell that player to add +1 to their Hx with you on their sheet. If this brings them to Hx+4, they reset to Hx+1 (and therefore mark experience).
If no one knows you better, choose a character who doesn’t know you as well as they thought, or choose any character at your whim. Tell that player to take -1 to their Hx with you on their sheet. If this
brings them to Hx -3, they reset to Hx=0 (and therefore mark experience).

HARM AND HEALING MOVES
When you suffer harm, roll+harm suffered (after armor, if you’re wearing any).
On a 10+, the MC can choose 1:
  • You’re out of action: unconscious, trapped, incoherent or panicked.
  • It’s worse than it seemed. Take an additional 1-harm.
  • Choose 2 from the 7–9 list below.
On a 7–9, the MC can choose 1:
  • You lose your footing.
  • You lose your grip on whatever you’re holding.
  • You lose track of someone or something you’re attending to.
  • You miss noticing something important.
On a miss, the MC can nevertheless choose something from the 7–9 list above.
If she does, though, it’s instead of some of the harm you’re suffering, so you take -1harm.

When you inflict harm on another player’s character, the other character gets +1Hx with you (on their sheet) for every segment of harm you inflict. If this brings them to Hx+4, they reset to Hx+1 as usual, and therefore mark experience.

When you heal another player’s character’s harm, you get +1Hx with them (on your sheet) for every segment of harm you heal. If this brings you to Hx+4, you reset to Hx+1 as usual, and therefore mark experience.

BARTER MOVES
When you give 1-barter to someone, but with strings attached, it counts as manipulating them and hitting the roll with a 10+, no leverage or roll required.

When you go into a holding’s bustling market, looking for some particular thing to buy, and it’s not obvious whether you should be able to just go buy one like that, roll+sharp.
On a 10+, yes, you can just go buy it like that.
On a 7–9, the MC chooses 1:
  • It costs 1-barter more than you’d expect
  • It’s not openly for sale, but you find someone who can lead you to someone selling it.
  • It’s not openly for sale, but you find someone who sold it recently, who may be willing to
    introduce you to their previous buyer.
  • It’s not available for sale, but you 􀃫nd something similar. Will it do?
On a miss, the MC chooses 1, plus it costs 1-barter more.

When you make known that you want a thing and drop jingle to speed it on its way, roll+barter spent (max roll+3). It has to be a thing you could legitimately get this way.
On a 10+ it comes to you, no strings attached.
On a 7–9 it comes to you, or something pretty close.
On a miss, it comes to you, but with strings very much
attached.

INSIGHT
When you are able to go to someone for insight, ask them what they think your best course is, and the MC will tell you. If you pursue that course, take +1 to any rolls you make in the pursuit. If you pursue that course but don’t accomplish your ends, you mark experience.

quote:

BATTLE MOVES

EXCHANGING HARM
When you exchange harm, both sides simultaneously inflict and suffer harm as established:
  • You inflict harm equal to the harm rating of your weapon, minus the armor rating of your enemy’s armor.
  • You suffer harm equal to the harm rating of your enemy’s weapon, minus the armor rating of your own armor.

SEIZE BY FORCE
To seize something by force, exchange harm, but first roll+hard.
On a 10+, choose 3.
On a 7–9, choose 2.
On a miss, choose 1:
  • You inflict terrible harm (+1harm).
  • You suffer little harm (-1harm).
  • You take definite and undeniable control of it.
  • You impress, dismay, or frighten your enemy.
Variations
  • To assault a secure position, roll to seize by force, but instead of choosing to take definite control of it, you can choose to force your way into your enemy’s position.
  • To keep hold of something you have, roll to seize by force, but instead of choosing to take definite control, you can choose to keep definite control of it.
  • To fight your way free, roll to seize by force, but instead of choosing to take definite control, you can choose to win free and get away.
  • To defend someone else from attack, roll to seize by force, but instead of choosing to take definite control, you can choose to protect them from harm.

SINGLE COMBAT
When you do single combat with someone, no quarters, exchange harm, but first roll+hard.
On a 10+, both.
On a 7–9, choose 1.
On a miss, your opponent chooses 1 against you:
  • You inflict terrible harm (+1harm).
  • You suffer little harm (-1harm).
After you exchange harm, do you prefer to end the fight now, or fight on? If both of you prefer to end the 􀃫ght now, it ends. If both of you prefer to fight on, it continues, and you must make the move again. If one of you prefers to end the fight, though, and the other prefers to fight on, then the former must choose: flee, submit to the latter‘s mercy, or fight on after all.

TACTICAL AND SUPPORT MOVES
When you lay down fire, roll+hard.
On a 10+, choose 3.
On a 7–9, choose 2.
On a miss, choose 1:
  • You provide covering fire, allowing another character to move or act freely.
  • You provide supporting fire, giving another PC +1choice to their own battle move.
  • You provide suppressing fire, denying another character to move or act freely. (If a PC, they may still act under fire.)
  • You take an opportune shot, inflicting harm (but -1harm) on an enemy within your reach.

When you stand overwatch for an ally, roll+cool.
On a hit, if anyone attacks or interferes with your ally, you attack them and inflict harm as established, as well as warning your ally.
On a 10+, choose 1:
  • …And you inflict your harm before they can carry out their attack or interference.
  • …And you inflict terrible harm (+1harm).
On a miss, you are able to warn your ally but not attack your enemy.

When you keep an eye out for what’s coming, roll+sharp.
On a 10+, hold 3.
On a 7–9, hold 2.
On a miss, hold 1.
During the battle, spend your hold, 1 for 1, to ask the MC what’s coming and choose 1:
  • Direct a PC ally’s attention to an enemy. If they make a battle move against that enemy, they get +1choice to their move.
  • Give a PC ally an order, instruction, or suggestion. If they do it, they get +1 to any rolls they make in the effort.
  • Direct any ally’s attention to an enemy. If they attack that enemy, they inflict +1harm.
  • Direct any ally’s attention to a danger. they take -1harm from that danger.

SUBTERFUGE MOVES
When you’re the bait, roll+cool.
On a 10+, choose 2.
On a 7–9, choose 1:
  • You draw your prey all the way into the trap. Otherwise, they only approach.
  • Your prey doesn’t suspect you. Otherwise, they’re wary and alert.
  • You don’t expose yourself to extra risk. Otherwise, any harm your prey inflicts is +1.
On a miss, the MC chooses 1 for you.

When you’re the cat, roll+cool.
On a hit, you catch your prey out.
On a 10+, you’ve driven them first to a place of your choosing; say where.
On a 7–9, you’ve had to follow them where they wanted to go; they say where.
On a miss, your prey escapes you.

When you’re the mouse, roll+cool.
On a 10+, you escape clean and leave your hunter hunting.
On a 7–9, your hunter catches you out, but only after you’ve led
them to a place of your choosing; say where.
On a miss, your hunter catches you out and the MC says where.

When it’s not certain whether you’re the cat or the mouse, roll+sharp.
On a hit, you decide which you are.
On a 10+, you take +1forward as well.
On a miss, you’re the mouse.

Error 404 fucked around with this message at 07:04 on Mar 20, 2017

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Alaois
Feb 7, 2012

Print, the Angel




you ever see what a shark can do to a guy's leg

s'hosed up

The Angel posted:

XP: 0
Harm: 0:00
Armor: 1
Look: Woman, utility wear, kind face, laughing eyes, spare body

Cool +1
Hard =0
Hot +1
Sharp +2
Weird -1

GEAR
9mm Pistol (2-harm close loud)
angel kit, no supplier
Fashion: Blue coveralls, white graphic t-shirt, white coat (armored)
BARTER: 2

Hx
TBD

Angel Moves posted:

Professional compassion: you can choose to roll+sharp instead of roll+Hx when you
help someone who’s rolling.

Battlefield grace: while you are caring for people, not fighting, you get +1armor.

Alaois fucked around with this message at 22:57 on Mar 2, 2017

thatbastardken
Apr 23, 2010

A contract signed by a minor is not binding!
Re-app with Marlin



"You wanna go where? Oh, that's going to cost extra."

Drifting from settlement to settlement in search of ways to pay for fuel, ammo, and spare parts is a way of life for plenty of folks these days. Plenty die young, but Marlin is pretty sure she's different. Smarter, faster, and luckier than the average mariner. Better adapted to the new world than the old-timer she inherited her boat from, but not as lost to the Maelstrom as the Painted Men or the Kelp Witch. The Crate is going to help her stay alive - maybe it was just a fishing boat once, but a 2600 horsepower diesel engine and a tough hull go a long way in the new world.

The Driver posted:


Name: Marlin

Stats: Cool+2 Hard= 0 Hot+1 Sharp+1 Weird-1

Look: Woman, Showy Scrounge Wear, Gorgeous Face, Cool Eyes, Slim Body

Moves:
  • My other boat is a battleship: you get a specialized battle vehicle
  • Weather eye: when you open your brain to the world ’s psychic maelstrom, roll+cool instead of roll+weird.

Gear: In addition to your car, you get:
  • 1 handy weapon (Big Knife 2-harm hand)
  • oddments worth 4-barter
  • fashion suitable to your look (you detail)

HX
  • Which one of you once got me out of some serious poo poo? For that character, write Hx+1.
  • Which one of you has been with me for days on the road?For that character, write Hx+2.
  • Which one of you have I caught sometimes staring out at the horizon? For that character, write Hx+3.
  • For everyone else, write Hx-1. You aren’t naturally inclined to get too close to too many people.

"Crate" - Specialized Battle Vehicle. Speed 1 Handling 1 Armour 1 Massive 3
  • Frame: Utility (Fishing Boat) Massive 3, 2 Battle options.
  • Strengths: Rugged, Workhorse.
  • Looks: Garish, Quirky
  • Weakness: Loud, Guzzler
  • Battles Options: Speed +1, Handling +1, Armour +1, Mounted .50 cal.

PoultryGeist posted:

Marlin, the Driver
Where’s the closest you’ve come to actually settling down, and why didn’t you? What's the weirdest thing you’ve out there in your travels?

Ever heard of Cloudland? It's where the Painted Men live. I got stuck there one after a storm blew me in to their harbour and they got on board before I realized where I was. They have actual solid land there, coming up out of the sea - it's called Cloudland because half the time the land is on fire, and melts, and makes steam from the waves. The black rock and ash-soil don't grow anything much but it's pretty inspiring to walk on real earth without a dive suit.



Anyway, I got caught. Their chief, Oar-lord, wanted me dead straight away for trespassing, but they have a shaman/brainer dude called Tekkany who said that I needed to stay as a 'Bride of Pele' because I was a gift from the sea. Tekkany won the argument which meant I got to live in a gilded caged for a couple months. Didn't need to work apart from being a feature in creepy rituals, I've never eaten as well before or since. I was only sneaking out at night to make repairs to the Crate from force of habit, really. I had to leave when the island started suffering worse tremors, fishing started to go bad, and more than one raid failed. The Painted stopped seeing me as a good luck charm, and I overheard talk about feeding me to the Red Mouth if things didn't improve. Maybe things would have turned around, but I wasn't going to take that risk. I had enough fuel stashed to make a run for the Shoals, and so I made a break for it one moonless night when the cloud could cover my escape. I feel kind of bad about it, but I never asked them to put me on a pedestal.

The weirdest thing I've what? Seen? That would be the Mirage. It looks like a huge before-times city that appears a few miles away at dusk, glowing with light and movement, but when you sail towards it moves away, and keeps retreating until dark. Then it just vanishes, and usually you've sailed into a trap or onto a reef. Heard? The radio on the Crate isn't the strongest, but I've had signals come in in languages I don't understand, some times things that don't sound human. The worst was a screaming voice that went on for what seemed like days, blaming me personally for fire and famine. It was my own voice, though. The weirdest thing I ever met was a talking whale. Just pulled alongside me and chatted for an hour about krill and sharks, then dived away. Never saw it again.

The Ocean is loving strange, is my point.

thatbastardken fucked around with this message at 05:00 on Mar 3, 2017

Frgrbrgr
Jan 20, 2009
Grrrrum dem newcubbers be'n fishy 'n smellie. Jaym! Halpin' me's!

Sockerbagarn
Sep 8, 2007

All makt åt Tengil, vår befriare.
"Aye, what can I get ya?" The barkeep grabs a bottle from behind the counter and pours a glass. "Here you are." He slides it over to the new guy. "...The gently caress do you mean 'Watered down poo poo'? Get the gently caress out of here. You think people like Dominic there would come here and drop their hard earned jingle if I served weak grog?" He nods to the corner where a large man sits quietly and drinks alone. The large man raises his head and stares death at the new guy.

Dominic Vega, the Gunlugger



The barkeep snorts loudly. " 'His loving problem', new guy, is that he doesn't like to talk much, but we've gotten him drunk enough to tell us a few things on occasion. S'posedly he lived the pirate's life until recently, roamin' the endless sea, killin' and lootin' and all that poo poo. Seems like some sort of disagreement went down between him and his cap'n though, cuz she had her crew of salty assholes keelhaul the poor sod. As he was dragged under the ship barnacles ripped his back to shreds but at the same time severed the rope and set him free, but he wasn't the only bloodthirsty beast in the ocean. The blood in the water attracted a big loving shark that tore into his shoulder and dragged him down deep below. He fought the predator up to the surface and got some air but the savage beast was relentless and dragged him down yet again. Eventually the loss of blood and oxygen claimed his consciousness and he was out, good night, dead for sure, requiescat in pieces, and so on. But then by one last twist of fate his luck changed. A boat from the Fishing Fleet was trawling the waters and gently caress me if he didn't get caught up in their net before the sea monsters began fighting over his fresh meat."

"A skeptic eh? Well, we've got two compelling reasons we believe his tall tale. One, Hammer still walks with a limp after calling him full of poo poo and we've decided that it's best to just accept whatever he says ever since. Two, the shark was still hard at work tearing into his leg when they were both fished out of the water! Luckily for him — again — the boat was equipped with a crate of meds and someone with a steady hand. They fixed him up good, pumped the salt out of his lungs and the blood back into his veins and sewed him shut. I reckon that he must've worked up quite the debt bleeding out on the deck like that, but he's been keeping his mouth shut about that."

"Now, are you gonna insult this fine establishment again or are you going to sit there and enjoy your drink? I'm sure Dom would enjoy flooring your rear end if I clear his tab for tonight in return."

quote:

Playbook: Gunlugger

Look: Man, scrounged mismatched armor, stern face, mad eyes, overbuilt body.

Stats: Cool+1 Hard+3 Hot-2 Sharp+2 Weird-1

Moves
  • Battle-hardened: when you act under fire, or when you stand overwatch, roll+hard
    instead of roll+cool.
  • Salty Sea Dog: you get +1hard (hard+3).
  • NOT TO BE hosed WITH: in battle, you count as a small gang, with harm and
    armor according to your gear
Gear
  • The Bulletbeast (3-harm close/far area messy) (Machine gun)
  • Magnum (3-harm close reload loud)
  • AP ammo (add ap to all your guns)
  • Sharktooth knuckleduster (2-harm hand)
  • Scrounged plates of metal (2-armor)
Hx

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?
Siren and Marlin already had questions, so let's get some for the new folks.

Asherah Enkidu, Aquatic Huntress
Who’s shown you true kindness and what price did they pay for it?

Print, the Angel
You get down in the blood and bone on the reg girl. What’s the worst you’ve seen and did you get in there or just walk away?

Dominic Vega, the Gunlugger
You seem to have a rep. Why didn’t the Taking King impound you into his service?

Alaois
Feb 7, 2012

PoultryGeist posted:

Print, the Angel
You get down in the blood and bone on the reg girl. What’s the worst you’ve seen and did you get in there or just walk away?

One time an octopus ripped a dude in half. Like, at the waist.

Gave him a chillstab and peaced out. Dude was a goner.

TychoBrahesNose
May 24, 2011
I usually wait until I get an interesting idea for a character to app before jumping into a thread. On this occasion, inspiration has struck twice, and I'm having a hard time deciding which I like better:

1) A News who used to be the Taking King's propaganda man.
At the top of one of the tallest towers of Maze-Town (rivaling the Cistern in height) is a billboard that somehow still remains intact and capable of being powered. Through it the Taking King's propaganda would be broadcast to all and sundry by one of the prettiest faces within a week's sail. For the average inhabitant of Maze-Town, his face was even more recognizable than the Taking King's. This was tolerated as long as he remained loyal and kept the populace pacified with tales of the King's unquestioned authority and unparalleled prowess (on the battlefield and off). But things have gone pear-shaped for this particular pretty boy since the Taking King went and got himself killed...



2) A Tribal (if that playbook is available, otherwise a Chopper) who hails from a historically sea-faring culture (Polynesian? Viking?).
He was taught the "old ways" by his grandmother who had kept the remnant of her people alive and on the move through the Apocalypse and its aftermath with her wisdom and knowledge (and obstinate refusal to rely on technology that was no longer sustainable). That is, until her vessel, the "flagship" of their rag-tag fleet, went down in the most recent Maelstrom. The rest of their fleet managed to weather the 'Storm and limp their way into Maze-Town, but their new leader is going to have a hell of a time keeping his people together now that they've finally reached "civilization" (such as it is)...



Any feedback on either option would be welcome, especially if PoultryGeist has an opinion as to which character fits better into the world and any Plot that is in the works. I can throw up the stats in relatively short order, but on my own I'll probably agonize over the two options for far too long before ultimately just picking one randomly.

TychoBrahesNose fucked around with this message at 01:37 on Mar 6, 2017

Sockerbagarn
Sep 8, 2007

All makt åt Tengil, vår befriare.

PoultryGeist posted:

Dominic Vega, the Gunlugger
You seem to have a rep. Why didn’t the Taking King impound you into his service?

Impound me? Now where would our little budding dictator ever find the balls to press-gang someone of my caliber into his crew?

Heh, you're not buying it? Alright, I'll give it to you straight.

Politics.

See, you have to remember that it wasn't one of the Taking King's cutters that scooped me out of the sea, it was a Fisher Fleet trawler that was dragging the waters that day. Now I ain't fully up to speed with what kind of arrangement the the two had, but while the Taking King was definitely on top, it was the Fisher-King's people who stitched me back together. The powers that be clearly hadn't figured out what to do about me by the time the narcostabs wore off and I got back on my feet again, so I just walked. The storm rolled in none too much later, and the Taking King bit the salt.

With him dead I figure all bets are off. I wouldn't be surprised if the Fisher-King sends someone to give me a friendly reminder of what I owe, or maybe there'll be so much poo poo going down that no on will remember. You've got a power vacuum here, and they always get filled one way or the other. It's gonna get bloody, that's a guarantee.

Well, no matter how that goes I'm planning to stick around the Shoals for a while. It'll be nice to throw down anchor for once, and with the dark storm looming on the horizon there's one thing I know for sure. I'm not gonna get bored.

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT

PoultryGeist posted:

Asherah Enkidu
Who’s shown you true kindness and what price did they pay for it?

I never stay in one place for long, and I'm not from anywhere around here. I usually blow into a new port and do my thing until I get bored or the surfacers' disgust for what I am outweighs the catch I bring in.
My last hangout was this rickety squat called The Raft, about a hundred pre-fall boats and platforms lashed together, about three days' ride to the west of here. This is where Floater comes in. Y'see, a luxe squat like that, lots of people, is gonna attract those who wanna be in charge, I don't really like 'rules' that fall outside the 'what I was gonna do anyway' category. Anyways, the Raft was run by a guy who called himself Neptune his pet hocus told him my hook had mojo and he wanted it. Got all his BigBois and came to take it. So I gave it to him, emptied his stinking guts on the deck in front of half the hold.

Floater was one of the fishers working the raft edge who'd taken a liking to me, he was too old to bunk, but he had great booze and stories, he'd bring his trawler out and help tow back whatever monster I caught that day then we'd drink. He was a friend. And so before anyone got organized enough to come after me for killing their head-man, I took Neptune's hand-cannon off his steaming corpse, and Floater dragged me to his boat and we cast off.

Three-days later we pull in to maze-town, I get to diving, and he sees about finding work. Hears about a demon, plans to check it out to see if it's something I'd like a swing at, and then him and his boat get loving shredded by The Murka's guns for getting too close. Rest in Peace, Floater.

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?

TychoBrahesNose posted:


Any feedback on either option would be welcome, especially if PoultryGeist has an opinion as to which character fits better into the world and any Plot that is in the works. I can throw up the stats in relatively short order, but on my own I'll probably agonize over the two options for far too long before ultimately just picking one randomly.

There hasn't really been much capital-P Plot yet, but generally the game is picking up the theme of Changes. The Shoals were a decent place for a post-apocalyptic shithole, but now the Taking King is gone and a Demon has moved in. Both of your ideas could work in the whole power-jockeying side of things, so I'm not much help deciding :)

Although we're using the 2e playbooks so no Tribal.

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?
Gonna have this wrapped up by Friday FYI

TychoBrahesNose
May 24, 2011
"Pearl", The News



Look: Ambiguous, transgressing; Display wear; Pretty, boyish face; Mischievous eyes; Slim body; Passionate, lilting voice.

Cool: -1
Hard: 0
Hot: +2
Sharp: +1
Weird: +1

Moves
Breaking Now: At the beginning of the session, roll +sharp and ask the MC questions. On a 10+, ask 3 times. On a 7-9, ask twice. On a miss, ask once:
* Where is ___ and what are they up to?
Whatever the answer, that’s what you put out over the air. Now everybody knows.

Rally to the Cause: When you speak out in favor of a cause or person, roll +hot. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. Spend your hold 1-for-1 to have your audience:
* Send in supplies worth 1- or 2-barter
* Attack somebody you name
* Defend someone or something you name
* Go together to a place you name
On a miss, hold 1 anyway, but to spend it you have to personally lead them into action.

Consummate performer: when you’re in front of an audience, you get +1 to any rolls you make
Unflappable persona: when you act under fire, roll +hot instead of +cool

Studio

At the top of one of the tallest towers of Maze-Town (rivaling the Cistern in height) is a billboard that miraculously still remains (mostly) intact and capable of being powered. Through it the Taking King's propaganda was regularly broadcast to all and sundry by one of the prettiest faces within a week's sail.
By default, your radio television studio is a makeshift building which can comfortably house 2-4 people, with broadcast equipment and a single NPC guard (2-harm 1-armor, you detail...)

Fishmouth, the "Station Manager"

Choose 2 amenities:
* Hidden weapons (electrical & sound equipment rigged as booby-traps, along with a few conventional weapons tucked away here and there)
* Savvyhead’s workshop with 1 option: transmitters & receivers

Attractions:
* Music (& vids) from the golden age
* Guests
* Expert advice (particularly, how to get on in the Taking King’s domain — i.e., propaganda)

Choose 1 complication:
It’s in a well-known location — at least the big-rear end video display is, and somebody could probably follow the power and signal cables back to the studio, if they tried hard enough.

3 Informants:
Greenleaf, one of the Taking King’s "Amazons" -- like Fisher-of-Men, she's one of his big guns. She gets me the inside dirt on the people closest to the King. Since she’s shared a bed with lots of them, her info is *always* worth its weight in water. What she hopes to get out of dishing to me, I’m not sure — she hasn’t even propositioned me (yet). Maybe she had just been using me to advance herself in the Big Man's eyes, but that doesn’t really matter any more, what with the brand new power vacuum at the top.


Gaff, a shady character who loiters around the fishmarkets, when he’s not picking his way around the Jumble. Nobody knows what he does or where he gets his water, but he seems to have his finger on the pulse of the people.


Ahab, from beyond the Dawn Islands. I’ve never met anyone from further away than him. He has killer stories from far-flung corners of the sea that are the envy of all the poor saps who’ve never been more than a kilometer from the squalid container ship where they were born. My interviews with him were always good for getting people to forget some questionable call the Taking King made.


Biggest fan:
Well, the Taking King *was* a big fan, because of our quid pro quo — I always made him look good, and he always made sure my insides stayed on my inside. But that ship has sunk. Now, hopefully, my biggest fan will be whichever vicious, canny bastard rises to the top of this shitpile. Maybe it’ll be Rev, or hell, even Fisher-of-Men. If they liked what I did for the Taking King’s rep, just wait till they see what I can do for them!

2 people you’ve pissed the gently caress off:
The Collectors from the Cistern -- As an apologist for the Taking King’s way of keeping things running, I was somehow unfairly blamed for all of the his crew's violations of the Code or whatever BS the Cistern was shoveling. That had not been a problem, as the Taking King kept me in water from his own share. (He even showed me his *shower* one time!) But when the poo poo hits the propeller, there is no way I can hightail it to the Cistern for refuge. Which is just as well, I suppose; I trust myself a lot more than I trust those whackjobs.

Guido resented that I got so much face time with “the masses” when *he* was supposed to be the King’s right-hand man. I hate to say it, but Guido's got the charisma of a week-old tuna fish, so the King was wise to keep him off the air so a professional could keep the people properly informed and entertained. But if Guido winds up in charge of things, I could be in for a bad time.

Gear:
1 weapon of last resort: silenced 9mm (2 harm close hi-tech)
oddments worth 1-barter
fashion suitable to your look:


*************

"Oh my god! Oh my god, ladies and gentlemen, something's happening! I think we're being attacked! I don't know who they are, but they're everywhere! One minute I'm invited by the Big Man himself, Mr. T, the Taking King, onto his flagship, the Gently Caress You, for an intimate, one-on-one live interview, and the next I'm up to my nipples in hideous fish-monsters! Oh poo poo, three more coming! Oh my god, Mr. T, my man, the Taking King, is in trouble! I'm going to go and try to see if I can see something...

"Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, this is amazing! Our badasss Taking King is issuing commands to his men to defend you, his people, with their lives! This may be my last transmission, but you all deserve to witness the bravery of your King! And there he is: standing tall, corpses all around him, dishing out round after round from Vera, his Callahan full-bore Auto-Lock! From my vantage point just adjacent to the front lines, I can see TK and his crew holding them off...

"Oh! Oh! And now it looks like those disgusting creatures have had enough, and they're retreating in mewling disarray! He's done it! The Taking King has once again triumphed over his enemies in ferocious combat! And now our righteously pissed-off King is tear-assing after those fish-fuckers to make sure none of them escape alive! But wait, what's that crawling out of the porthole just behind him? Oh my god, ladies and gentlemen, I think...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

<Transmission Ends>

"poo poo, Pearl," Fishmouth spits out as he lunges toward his charge. "poo poo poo poo poo poo. Pearl, we gotta get the gently caress outta dodge!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

A slap to the face shuts Pearl up momentarily. "Calm your poo poo down a second and listen! The rest of those sorry sons of bitches are still fighting, for the moment. As long as they're slinging lead around like they'll be able to motor out of here at the end of it, the attention's not on us. We keep out of sight and get to those lifeboats over there, we just might be able to find ourselves lost in the confusion. If there's any fuel in the engine -- or hell, even if there's a loving oar -- we can get far enough away that these...whatever the gently caress they are...won't bother following us. I kept you safe from the pissed-off mob after you announced the King's restrictions on water rations, remember? I can get you out of this too. You just have to follow my lead."

"What are you doing?"

"Count to...ten."

"Was that a bomb?"

"Just shut up and count!"

TychoBrahesNose fucked around with this message at 06:40 on Mar 14, 2017

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT

TychoBrahesNose posted:

"Pearl”, The News
Work in Progress

I just want to say, I love you for this.

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?
"Pearl", the News

In these times of change and troubles, why are you so sure Fishmouth isn't just gonna dump you overboard and get a new Face for the Screen?

TychoBrahesNose
May 24, 2011

PoultryGeist posted:

”Pearl", the News
In these times of change and troubles, why are you so sure Fishmouth isn't just gonna dump you overboard and get a new Face for the Screen?

"Well...poo poo. Like I ain't got enough to worry about with the Taking King gone and Guido looking to fill the vacancy; you want me to start worrying about Fishmouth too?

"I dunno, maybe everybody's got a price, even him. But I know he's a good dude. He's saved my rear end more than once -- he did it again the other day, in fact! -- when he could have just walked. So what is it? Loyalty? A sense of purpose? A lack of imagination? All of the above?

"The only thing he’s ever said about it was the morning after the Taking King found himself on the pointy end of that monster's harpoon. We made it back to the studio through the shrieking wind and driving rain and both got started on what we could do to shore up our precarious position. We didn’t need to say a thing to each other; we both just knew: with the vidscreen being one of the most prominent symbols of the Taking King’s authority, we would be a juicy target for anyone with a message to send or a point to prove. So Fishmouth rigged the amps to blow if they’re turned up to 11, wired the power supplies to arc if they’re messed with, stashed a few of the Taking King’s surplus munitions around the joint, that sort of thing. Meanwhile I got on the air and, through my tears, told the world about the Taking King’s final moments.

“I once watched some old footage from back in the day where these little golden statues were given to people whose vids brought in lots of jingle. I think there’s even a crate of them belonging to some dude named ‘Oscar’ in the back of the storage closet over there. So, yeah...my vid from that night, it was one of those kinds of vids. So good, I might just go borrow one of Oscar’s statues to display in the studio.

“What? Oscar’s got to be dead by now; why would he need them?

“Anyway, after the broadcast was done and the vidscreen was powered off, we hunkered down to wait for the Storm — the literal one and the metaphorical one — to either drown us, or blow over. In the morning, once we could tell that nobody was gunning for us, Fishmouth ventured out to check on the condition of the vidscreen. Not only had the storm, or vandals, or whoever, decided not to vent their fury on it, I’ll be damned if he didn’t stumble upon a whole stack of tributes laid out at its base! From fresh-caught fish, to makeshift crosses, to honest-to-god flowers (who the hell has the dirt to grow those, anyway?), to all sorts of unidentifiable crap that people seemed to think was valuable, all commemorating the fallen King and his cronies. Best of all, there were even a few bottles of high-quality spirits, presumably left by some of those who had done pretty well for themselves under the Taking King.

“An hour later, when most of the bottles were empty and Fishmouth was three sheets to the wind, he just looked around the studio with bloodshot eyes, raised his bottle toward me, and offered his own tribute to our fallen King. I might not remember all of it — I was a little shitfaced myself — but it went something like this:

Fishmouth posted:

Nobody loved him. Nobody. But he gave them something, if only for one brief moment. He lifted them out of their putrid piles of rotting fish guts; he let them imagine something beyond the rusting steel hulls. But it wasn’t just the Taking King. It was us, Pearl, you and me, who gave that to them. You and me.’

“And then he ripped a massive fart, before passing out cold.”

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?
Yeah, Saturday's totally just Friday++ right? Anywho: Marlin, Asherah Enkidu, and Pearl its time to get your feet wet! Sort out the new Hx, and I'll have a post up Mondayish.

Oh, and a link to the Discord since I can't remember if the first one expired

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Hx Post:
All of You

Can I trust you?

TychoBrahesNose
May 24, 2011
Pearl has only one question for everyone:
Can I count on you to tell me the truth?

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage


Error 404 posted:

Hx Post:
All of You

Can I trust you?

Sure. No use making enemies when I don't know the lay of the land.

TychoBrahesNose posted:

Pearl has only one question for everyone:
Can I count on you to tell me the truth?

I really don't remember much from before, but I remember this line about truth, justice, and the American way. So, yeah, I'll tell you the truth.

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Hx
Sinclair +1
Deep -1
Pearl +1
Marlin -1


Answers for y'all:

Marlin - If you want, I can be the one you've caught staring at the horizon.
Pearl - "Everything I tell you is a lie." *She shrugs non-chalantly, but stares you in the eye as she finishes her drink*
Deep - I am definitely a Wolf of the Maelstrom. But maybe I don't know it?
Sinclair - ?

Error 404 fucked around with this message at 00:06 on Mar 16, 2017

TychoBrahesNose
May 24, 2011

Error 404 posted:

Can I trust you?

Asherah can trust Pearl to do what is right...for Pearl. Since it would obviously not be in Pearl's best interest to piss off someone who carries around such a big-rear end hook, that almost certainly means Pearl will treat the Huntress right.

Frgrbrgr posted:

'Ey, is yoo'n growler?

Ah-woooo!
Nah, I'm just playin'! But sometimes you gotta play the wolf to run with the pack, amirite?

Marlin posted:

Which one of you once got me out of some serious poo poo? For that character, write Hx+1.

Remember that one time when Greenleaf got the notion in her head that being one of the Taking King's Amazons should come with more privileges? And that she should be able to take whatever she wanted -- like, say, the Crate -- without an argument from anybody? Well, I had to work pretty hard to convince her that it wouldn't be right for her to lower herself to motoring around like a common fisherman, and why would she want a leaky wreck like that, anyway? But I think what really got her to back off was the subtle reminder that the Taking King was the one who did the taking, and he wasn't too appreciative of freelancers operating without his permission.

Pearl's Hx:
Asherah: +2
Deep: +1
Marlin: +1
Sinclair: +1

TychoBrahesNose fucked around with this message at 05:46 on Mar 15, 2017

Frgrbrgr
Jan 20, 2009


Quizzin fo' yooums

quote:

'Ey, is yoo'n growler?

Error 404 posted:

Can I trust you?

Iz trustin sumfen yoo canna yumsnacks? Don' yumsnacks me, yoo!

TychoBrahesNose posted:

Can I count on you to tell me the truth?

'Nuver trustinz! O, iz sumfin like liezes? Nah, me no snickerbitch. Yoo'uns can trustie mee cuz I fen no scurred o' nufinks.

Deep Hx
Jaym: 1
Ashra: -2
Marln: ?
Perl: -1

Error 404 posted:

Deep - I am definitely a Wolf of the Maelstrom. But maybe I don't know it?

Yoo get un ratface on 'n' smellins like shitpiss allatime. Don' yoo cum 'nee closah t'me! Jaym! Helpins!

TychoBrahesNose posted:

Ah-woooo!
Nah, I'm just playin'! But sometimes you gotta play the wolf to run with the pack, amirite?

Sumbitch dis no gaim.

Frgrbrgr fucked around with this message at 00:48 on Mar 14, 2017

thatbastardken
Apr 23, 2010

A contract signed by a minor is not binding!

quote:

Which one of you once got me out of some serious poo poo? For that character, write Hx+1.

TychoBrahesNose. Yeah, I remember that. Could have been a real nasty scene.

quote:

Which one of you has been with me for days on the road?For that character, write Hx+2.


quote:

Which one of you have I caught sometimes staring out at the horizon? For that character, write Hx+3.
Error 404

quote:

For everyone else, write Hx-1. You aren’t naturally inclined to get too close to too many people.

Error 404 posted:

Hx Post:
All of You

Can I trust you?

Nah. Too likely to cut and run, or be off somewhere else when you need me.

TychoBrahesNose posted:

Pearl has only one question for everyone:
Can I count on you to tell me the truth?

Yes. Reliable info is the only thing that keeps a mariner alive, and what goes around comes around.

quote:

'Ey, is yoo'n growler?

Nope. I'm a salty sea dog, not a loup de la mer.

thatbastardken fucked around with this message at 04:23 on Mar 15, 2017

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?
Ok, so if my Hx table is correct:

Asherah Highlights Marlin and Pearl

Sinclair or Pearl Highlight Asherah

Sinclair and Deep Highlight each other

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Highlights:
Marlin is Cool, but not as Cool as me.

Stay Sharp,Pearl, it's a harsh world.

TychoBrahesNose
May 24, 2011
With her killer bod and her killer, well, everything, it is clear that Asherah is Hot Hot Hot!

Frgrbrgr
Jan 20, 2009
Oi man Jaym haddum bucklies onnis shirt 'n I ated 'em. Dey tastied Weird.

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage


Man, I still don't know what Weird poo poo Deep did to the reactor. And what the heck are kattins, anyways?

Frgrbrgr
Jan 20, 2009

Tricky posted:

Man, I still don't know what Weird poo poo Deep did to the reactor. And what the heck are kattins, anyways?

Dey scare n' fukkill allayall if'n ya don' fukkin' gib me summadat yumsnacks.

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?
Deep: Cool
Sinclair: Sharp
Asherah: Sharp
Marlin: Hard
Pearl: Weird

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?
thatbastardken, are you still with us?

Frgrbrgr
Jan 20, 2009
I think I'm tapping out - thanks for the run PG!

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?

Frgrbrgr posted:

I think I'm tapping out - thanks for the run PG!

Thanks for the amusements Deep caused!



So Tricky, Error404, and TychoBrahesNose are you still up for this?

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Of course

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage


Yep, still in.

Banana Man
Oct 2, 2015

mm time 2 gargle piss and shit
Need a spot filled?

PoultryGeist
Feb 27, 2013

Crystals?
As much as I've enjoyed what happened in game, I think its time to send it to a farm upstate. Sorry guys

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage


Thanks for the game!

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Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
It was fun! Thanks!

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