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Cross Out a New World, John

(126 posts) (3 voices)

Started 3 years ago by M. J. Young
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M. J. Young
Moderator

This continues the game for John Cross, from John Crosses Down the Demon Rabbit Hole.

What did you not take with you when you pursued the demons, which is still yours?

The surface beneath you is flat, level, and smooth--unnaturally so, like a floor. Yet it is not so hard as a floor, more like a mat; but it does not give so much as a mat.

You are lying on your back in a space that is comfortably cool and dark, but not completely dark, with a bit of an echo. The echo has the sound of what might be people milling about, but not immediately at hand.

--M. J. Young

Tue Jul 1 2008 12:16 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ, is it possible for a person, in a high psionic world, to throw psionic shockwaves out of blind rage????? (of course, I don't really want to do that. I was just asking if it was possible.) I was THIS CLOSE to an awesome time. Oh well, here's a question of legality. If you save someone's life, and then kill them, is it still murder?

First things first, did I take any associate versers? How would I know? Well, if they're there, then I would know. EDIT: If it is even remotely possible that bringing Margaret as an associate verser would save her life, do it. If it is even remotely possible.

Sit up, look around. What is there?

I disowned the boomstick and the shotgun shells. Also one empty MAK 90 magazine. And of course the casings and bullets.

Also, check the backpack. How many gems are there? What kind, etc.

Note to self: Don't forget to start streamlining the equipment. Why do we need an entire wrench and socket set? We have 2 adjustable wrenches. If we are in a world where we need more than that, we can get them. Why do we need all of the screwdrivers? We have a multi tip screwdriver. Keep the two biggest, and the two medium though. It seems money is pretty easy to come by as a verser, so don't worry about needing to buy things. And yes, referring to myself as "We" is completely normal for me.

I left my Pearl Harbor tennis shoes with Mr. Smith. I told him that if they disappeared then the demons were coming. Oh man, what's that going to cause? Well, at least they will be prepared for the next attack.

Tue Jul 1 2008 12:59 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ, Two Posts

Just making notes

Upon finding, disown the following.

It's not on my sheet, but I also had an entire set of wrenches. They're not on my sheet though. I'm disowning them anyway. Ya know MJ, I know the wrenches are not on my sheet, but they were in the toolbox when I versed out. Your call on if I have them or not. If I do have them, keep the two largest wrenches. Disown the rest. I could see stainless steel being a precious metal in some worlds. I could see lead being a precious metal too, but there does come a point when we should stop. Gold has been valuable in three worlds. Don't "What If" yourself to death. Besides, in that event, you have a roll of solder.) Speaking of precious metals. I know I don't have much say in it, but I would like to keep my pence and shilling coins from the last world. Bronze and nickel I could certainly see as precious metals. They are semi-precious here. Pennies and Quarters are made out of bronze and nickel, respectively.

complete ratchet set (keep the 10 largest socket heads. I think there's 48 of them. Keep the 10 largest. I could see stainless steel being a precious metal. It's the "What If" factor. Better to be prepared. Keep the 10 largest socket heads, and the two largest wrenches, if MJ decides that we have them)
2 ratchets,
8 screwdrivers It's an assorted set. Keep the two biggest, and, two medium.
1 pair of regular pliers,
2 pairs needle-nose pliers, (We have the 2 Leatherman tools)
1 pairs wire cutters,
1 complete set Allen wrenches (standard and metric.)
1 can opener weight approximately 1/2 pound heavy duty crank type (can openers on the Leatherman tools)
tactical shoulder sling for Shotgun (Has loops to hold 15 shotgun shells)
25 rounds 20 gauge #6 bird shot 5 lbs
4 30-06 bullets.
19 boom stick spears

MJ, I just realized, the roll of solder in my toolbox is not a roll of solder at all. It is a melted blob that used to be several rolls of solder. In a pinch, I suppose I could blacksmith it back into wire. Also, the 100 foot nylon rope is actually in 2 pieces, probably 30 and 70 feet long. Just wanted to make that clear.

MJ, Again, I don't see it on my sheet, but there was also screwdriver with removable tips. Probably 24 different Phillips and flathead tips, and assorted other heads. The tools came mostly as a basic mechanic's set. This was in the toolbox when I versed out, but it is not on my sheet. Your call on if I have it or not.

The toolbox itself is either a wooden crate with a closeable lid, or a red metal standard toolbox, with 1 removable tray. I honestly don't remember which toolbox it is, as I got the red metal one about the same time I started playing. If I have any say in it, I'd like it to be the red metal toolbox.

Tue Jul 1 2008 2:32 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ, Multiple Posts

Do I smell anything in the air that might potentially be a combustible fume? If not, pull out one of the cigarette lighters and spark it up. You said the room was dark, so I need light to see what's around me. If I smell anything that could possibly be flammable and/or explosive, don't do it though.

Tue Jul 1 2008 3:57 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Four Posts

I just realized you were asking for what equipment I have. Here it is.

4 gold, 1 oz each
10 pound gold brick
1 three carat emerald
1 three carat ruby
20 pounds in 4 oz crowns
21 crown 4 oz each
2 half crowns 2 oz each
16 one ounce silver tree leaves
32 one ounce gold tree leaves
"two bunches gemstones, unexamined (Dancing Princess demon-world)"
64 shillings, 1/2 oz each nickle
116 pence 1/2 oz each bronze
10 silver 1 oz each
2 rings
3 sets clothes
Invisibility Cloak!!!
lever & latch crossbow T3@1 8 pounds
150 wooden arrows 15 pounds
20 metal arrows 10 pounds
Straight Razor
Arrow quiver 1/2 pound
19 boom stick spears
Equipment
1 school backpack weight 1 pound
1 school duffle bag weight 1 pound
1 luggage style duffle bag, weight 1 pound
1 14 inch hunting knife, black nylon sheath with 2 carrying pouches. Inside one pouch is a Leatherman multi-tool, (pliers, 3 flathead screwdrivers, 1 Phillips screwdriver, blade, can opener, two-sided file and awl punch) 12 sewing needles and 3 small spools of thread. The other pouch contains a magnesium fire starting tool, 1 BIC cigarette lighter, fishing line, fishing sinkers and several fishhooks. Wrapped around the knife sheath is 15 feet of high-tensile black nylon cord. total weight approximately 4 pounds
1 tool box, containing complete ratchet set, 2 ratchets, 12 screwdrivers, 2 pair of regular pliers, 2 pairs needle-nose pliers, 1 pair vice grips, 1 soldering iron, 1 solder removal tool, 1 roll of solder, 2 pairs wire cutters, 2 crescent wrenches, 1 hatchet, 1 claw hammer, 1 box of 3 inch nails, 2 rolls duct tape, 1 utility knife with 4 changeable razor blades, leather work gloves, a complete set of Allen wrenches, 2-AA battery flashlight, voltmeter, and wood saw. weight, approximately 25 pounds.
100 feet high tensile white nylon cord, weight 1 pound
1 21 speed all-terrain mountain bicycle, with security chain and combination lock, weight approximately 15 pounds
1 complete first-aid kit weight 1 pound has tweezers, over 100 band-aids, several gauze pads, an instant ice pack, surgical tape, rubber gloves, instruction book
1 dynamo flashlight (shake it to charge, no batteries needed) weigh 1/2 pound
1 dynamo radio (crank to charge, no batteries needed) and black nylon carrying case with strap. radio receives AM, FM, audio to TV frequencies 2-13, 7 weather bands. It is equipped with an LED flashlight, siren, and hazard signal flasher. It can also be used to charge a cell phone battery weight 1 pound
1 Marlin 22 caliber rifle, 18 round capacity, 2,000 rounds 22 ammunition. total weight, approximately 10 pounds
1 can opener weight approximately 1/2 pound heavy duty crank type
1 aluminum baseball bat, weight approximately 1 pound
Misc. clothing, jeans, tee shirts, 1 heavy winter coat, 2 camouflage army jackets, socks, etc. total weight approximately 30 pounds
black jeans and red tee shirt, black leather belt, socks, black military combat boots, carrying leather billfold and house keys
Ruger P-99 pistol 15 shot magazine 9mm 3 lbs
5 boxes 50@ 9mm pistol ammo 5 lbs
8 magazines 15 round each for 9mm Ruger 6 lbs
Military Surplus Sleeping Bag 1 lbs
Keyring: house key, mailbox key, toolbox key, AND a key that will open standard issue police handcuffs
MAK 90 Russian-made shoots 7.62x39 ammo, low quality detachable bayonet comes with a metal sheath that can be hooked to the bayonet to become a pair of wire cutters, back of bayonet has hacksaw blade as part of the blade, serves as bayonet, fighting knife, wirecutters, and hacksaw. 7 lbs
Utility belt
9x30 round MAK magazines 9 lbs
2 loose MAK90 bullets.
Leatherman multi-tool, (pliers, 3 flathead screwdrivers, 1 Phillips screwdriver, blade, can opener, two-sided file and scissors) (second of these, slightly different) in black nylon case on belt
radio flyer wagon 8 lbs
tactical shoulder sling for Shotgun (Has loops to hold 15 shotgun shells)
44 rounds 12 gauge 00 buckshot 5 lbs
25 rounds 20 gauge #6 bird shot 5 lbs
4 30-06 bullets.
universal gun cleaning kit
three throwing knives 3 lbs
holster for a Ruger P-89
two-quart aluminum canteen with canvas case and shoulder strap 3 lbs
New Combat Boots, original SWAT brand, size 13 1 lbs
Hobo Knife, splits with knife and spoon on one half, fork and can opener on the other, fanny pack
15 BiC lighters, five (one sealed pack) in fanny pack
KABAR, 12 inch Marine (military) fighting/survival knife, black leather sheath.
Diamond ring, gold setting, $225 original price (B Monster Movie World), fanny pack
Diamond ring, gold setting, $235 original price (B Monster Movie World), fanny pack
Fanny pack, black leatherette with cloth strap and plastic buckle, on waist; weight 5 lbs
Ronco Pocket Fisherman
Deck playing cards
White Jumpsuit x4 (Pearl Harbor)
White Tennis Shoes (Pearl Harbor)
Olive underpants x4 (Pearl Harbor)

My on-person equipment is the MAK 90, 9 magazines, 8 fully loaded, the one in the gun has 12 bullets, the 9mm, 16 shots, all of the magazines, I've got the Kabar knife, the 14 inch hunting knife, the Leatherman in the black nylon case, the belt bag, which contains 1 pound (weight) nickel, bronze, silver, 2 9mm magazines, the rings, the emerald, the ruby, the 4 gold pieces, and 2 cigarette lighters. The backpack, which has all of the magazines, except the 2 in the belt bag. and 16 one ounce silver tree leaves 32 one ounce gold tree leaves, and "two bunches gemstones, unexamined (Dancing Princess demon-world)" One 9mm magazine has 5 bullets, another has 14, those are in the backpack the rest are fully loaded.

Tue Jul 1 2008 8:03 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Your character sheet is posted behind the screens. You realize that your hair has gotten long in the time you've been in a world without a lot of barbers.

Who, if anyone, would you have expected would have come as an associate?

What I needed was a list of things that did not come with you into the demon's dimension, and where they are. Where, for example, did you leave your bicycle?

It is not dark enough for you to need a lighter, nor indeed for a lighter to do you much good unless you're trying to read something. You are in an unlit side corridor of some sort of high-traffic building off a brightly-lit main thoroughfare. There are scores of people perhaps forty or fifty yards from you in the brightly lit area, but the light here is such that they probably would not notice you if you don't call attention to yourself--you are in the shadows, like being in your bedroom with the door open at night with the hall light on.

A lot of your stuff is not here; you have a sense pointing you in another direction for it, which is mostly up above your head. There is a ceiling above you; this is some kind of building.

--M. J. Young

Tue Jul 1 2008 10:23 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

As I stated behind the screens, you have an older sheet. My equipment is what I posted. I lost a great deal of things when I left Pearl Harbor. What I posted is my equipment. Also, you had the some of the skill levels wrong. I'll match your sheet against my sheet and figure it out.

Margaret and I both died at the same time, I would have thought she would come as an associate. If she's pregnant with a demon child, forget it.

All of my equipment which is not on-person would be at the last inn that Pedro and I stayed at before we went to the castle. Everything not on-person would be there. My white tennis shoes I left with Mr. Smith, but did not disown. They would have versed with me. I left them for Mr. Smith as a warning that I had failed in my mission. I wish I could see the look on his face when he realizes they are gone.

My hair is also back to brown. The dyed blonde would have grown out a long time ago.

Well, if I'm in a building, there's probably going to be people freaking out if I walk out of here with guns. Get in my backpack and get the invisibility cloak out. With a prayer of "Please God let this work" put it on. I have no way of knowing if I am visible or not, I'm going to assume that the bias is flatline until I know for sure. Therefore, assume that I am visible. I'm already wearing a priest robe, so the cloaking cloak won't look MORE out of place, but it will give me somewhere to hide the MAK 90 when I walk out of here. Have the MAK 90 slung over my shoulder underneath the cloaking cloak. Also, change the magazine. I now have 31 bullets in the gun, and a clip with 11 in the backpack. And MJ, you're wrong on the bullet count. I had 12 shots left. That's counting the one in the chamber. I guess we both miscounted. The clip has 11 bullets, and the round currently in the chamber stays in the gun until fired. I have 2 loose MAK 90 bullets. Put those into this magazine, making it 13. Put the 13 round clip in the backpack. Have the MAK 90 slung over my shoulder, under the cloak. Be ready to go for the MAK 90 at a moment's notice. If the cloak makes me invisible, all the better, but I'm going to assume it's a flatline magic bias for now.

Check the backpack. I got 2 bunches of gems. What kind and how many are there? You never told me.

After I check the backpack, get up and look out the door. Where am I?

Oh yeah, do I have the wrenches and screwdriver I mentioned? They really were in the toolbox, that's why it weighs 25 pounds. If I don't have them, I understand, but they really were in the toolbox when I versed out.

And what happened with those 3 pairs of manacles that I made? Did I bring those? Hey, I could see those coming in handy.

Note to self: John, start carrying a dark colored, plain patterned bed sheet as on-person equipment. Plain black or navy blue would be good. Makeshift toga, to hide things in. Situations like this, where you may need to sneak out and hide something demand it.

I've got the feeling this is either a public place like a mall, or a government installation. I hope to God it's the former.

MJ, I don't know if I ever told you this, but the MAK 90 is an AK-47, that is not fully automatic. Calling it an AK-47 would be technically correct. It looks like one, and takes all of the standard AK-47 parts and ammunition. The MAK 90 has a different receiver that does not allow it to go fully auto is the only difference.

Tue Jul 1 2008 10:48 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ Two Posts

Just a note to anyone who might be following my game. I know Scott follows it. I often edit and add posts up to several hours after the first one. I have ADHD and OCD, it's just the way I am. Just keep that in mind, so no one misses anything.

Tue Jul 1 2008 11:15 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

Three Posts

Just Making Notes

John, in fact, put together a "Verser's Survival Pack" Everything you could conceivably need upon arrival in the next world.

Including, but not limited to:

A weapon, small caliber handgun ideally. 38/357 Lady Smith revolver would be perfect.
extra ammo, 50 rounds loose plus two spare speed loaders/magazines
Knife
Basic live off the land tools, like what's in the 14 inch survival knife.
Leatherman multi-tool in the black nylon sheath
Three day supply non-perishable food, MREs and/or dehydrated ideal.
water bottle, at least 1 quart, full.
water purification tablets
Heavy dark colored bed sheet, treated with waterproofing agent.
1 pound (weight) of gold, silver, nickel, bronze and stainless steel, platinum if possible, possible currency Smallest pieces possible. No more than 1 oz, pence and shillings ideal.
1 of each kind of gem that you currently have. possible currency
15-20 feet high tensile cord. That plus the bed sheet could make a crude tent in a pinch.
basic first aid kit.
roll of duct tape (Hey, MacGyver carries it on him!!!)
waterproof the Pearl Harbor jumpsuits, carry 1 at all times.
knitting needles and yarn. I want to get good at that anyway. Might verse into an arctic wasteland and need to knit a sweater on the spot.
One of those packaged 1 use raincoats that come in the plastic pouches.

GONNA NEED A NEW BACKPACK!!!!

See if we can't make this our on-person equipment at all times.

EDIT:
Of course, I am now reminded that I put down 30 pound misc clothing. That is
2 pair jeans (total 3, with what I was wearing)
2 t shirts (total 3, with what I was wearing)
2 pair socks " "
2 pair underwear " "
1 long sleeved purple hoodie sweatshirt
2 pair flannel pajama pants

That's what the 30 pounds of misc clothing is. Unless you think I can get more for my 30 pounds........

Wed Jul 2 2008 12:13 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Four Posts

Making Notes:

Fast-defensive, weapon-utilizing martial arts, specializing in collapsible batons and other blunt instruments. Staff martial arts. I couldn't kill somebody with a sword even if I had to, I know it. Knocking them out with a blunt instrument would be more my style. I don't want to kill anyone if I don't have to. Especially not with a sword. We've probably got the money to pay for 10 years worth of lessons. (and yes, referring to myself as "we" is completely normal for me)

Ya know MJ, speaking of which, I actually do have some staff training in real life. The movements with a staff a very similar to boxing. What was a right hook in boxing is now a right handed staff whack on the melon for your opponent. I wonder if they could be combined somehow? Also, you're pretty much still aiming your fist at where you want to hit, you've just got 3 feet of staff on the end of it.

Oh and MJ, that was an awesome world, and it ended decently. And ya know what else? I learned the true value of $80,000 to a verser!!!!! (I still say it should have been split up though) Thanks, that was an awesome ride!!!!!!!!!!!

Wed Jul 2 2008 4:05 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Concerning equipment, the manacles will have come with you; the tools you mentioned were added to the tool chest. You do not have any of those things close at hand, and as yet do not know where they are, except that they are above you somewhere, but not directly above you. You actually have two vectors, one at a shallower angle than the other.

As I stated behind the screens, you have an older sheet. My equipment is what I posted. I lost a great deal of things when I left Pearl Harbor. What I posted is my equipment. Also, you had the some of the skill levels wrong. I'll match your sheet against my sheet and figure it out.
I think I addressed this adequately behind the screens; include the skill levels in your information.

Margaret and I both died at the same time, I would have thought she would come as an associate.
The concept of an associate is that of relationship, that this person would follow you if you went somewhere. Your relationship with Margaret amounts to that you killed her husband and claimed that he was a demon.

I don't recall you stowing the cloak in the backpack; it is thus next to you on the floor. You don it, hiding your gun beneath it.

No door--hallway, unlit. There are doors off the hallway, but they are locked and there is no light behind them.

Ah, yes, the gems--these will be detailed in a separate post a bit later. Wait for it.

--M. J. Young

Thu Jul 3 2008 1:06 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You count a total of eighty-four stones. They come in a wide variety of colors and kinds, some transparent like diamonds of many colors, some transluscent, as if you can see into them, and some opaque like pearls. As you sort through them, they fall easily off the woody branch that holds them together; you begin sorting them. You have no names for most of them, and even when you do have names you are not always certain whether you are correct.

You first divide them into those which are transparent (light shines through them), those which are translucent (light plays inside them), and those which are opaque (light reflects off them); you then divide them by color, and attempt to establish whether they are the same or different.

Beginning with the transparent gems, you have twenty-eight of these.

Only two are clear transparent stones with no color; they might be diamonds, but they don't look as sparkly as you would expect.

There is one transparent gray stone that doesn't look much different from something you might polish from the shore.

A fiery yellow stone is stunning, even in this light. Three other yellow stones are similar, more golden, one of them particularly beautiful, but not quite as brilliant as this one. There are two other yellow stones which are closer to gold, not the same color or clarity.

There is a single yellow-green stone.

Another shocker is a fiery red stone, not faceted but brilliant. You find an incredibly rich red stone that you think might be a ruby.

Looking at green stones, you find one pale green one, one very beautiful bright green one, three rich olive green stones, and one deep green. You have no idea which, if any, would be emeralds. There are two pale blue-green stones, but if they are emeralds they are not that impressive.

Three pale blue stones are pretty, but not nearly as lovely as two other blue stones and two very deep blue ones. The last of the transparent stones is a deep purple.

The transluscent stones are a bit harder to separate in one sense, because they often have multiple colors; on the other hand, this means there are fewer that seem similar.

A white stone with pale blue glow might be a moonstone. Another which is closer to pale blue with green and gold mottling might be an opal. You have three similar stones oflight and dark blue with yellow flecks, but they are very different in size and quality. Two brown stones with a golden center under-hue might be tiger eye, and there is a pink stone with greenish moss markings. A nice red stone and two very nice violet ones complete the stones that seem to be of one color. Three stones have bands of black and white through them, and four more are striped brown, blue, white, and red. Finally there are two with circles of gray, white, brown, blue, and green.

There are two similar stones which are hard to class as either transparent or transluscent, rosy with white star center, not dark but not entirely clear, but light does pass through them.

With the opaque stones, you are fairly certain that the four lustrous white ones are pearls, but there are three other white stones which don't look nearly as nice. There is a pale yellow brown stone, three light pink, and two crimson. One stone has striations of light and dark green, and two green stones are probably jade. Two pieces look like the light blue-green turquoise used in Indian jewelry

There is a shiny brown stone, two mottled deep blue, one blue-black, four shiny grey-black, and a dark gray with red flecks. You wonder whether to black lustrous stones might be black pearls, but there are two other deep black stones. Apart from these, there is one that has bands of red and white.

You undoubtedly are wondering what all these are and what they might be worth. You are free to make guesses, or to suggest that there are specific kinds of stones you know you would recognize and be able to distinguish fairly certainly from similar looking stones. However, without some demonstration that you have skill or knowledge in the field, I don't think I can tell you what kinds of stones they actually are. I trust you see that the sheer variety of them makes it unlikely that you would know them all.

--M. J. Young

Thu Jul 3 2008 2:27 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Put all of the gems back into the backpack and head out into the hallway. I'm kind of confused, first you said I heard people milling about, now you're saying the hallway is unlit. That would imply that there is no one out there. Either way, I'm either invisible or I'm not, but I can't stay in here forever. Just walk out into the hallway like I belong there. Act normally, just walking confidently like I'm supposed to be there. I'm wearing a bright red cape and a priest robe, so I'm already going to draw attention. Just act casual, like I am supposed to be there. Is there anyone in the hallway?

And I'm ready to go for the MAK 90 at a moment's notice.

Head in a direction that would seem to put me directly underneath my equipment. If I see anything that looks like stairs or an elevator going up, take it. The more shallow vector is the tennis shoes that I left with Mr. Smith, and is 3 days away. I'm not going that way.

What's in the hallway? Describe it in detail.

And no, about the only thing I know about stones is that they hurt when someone throws one at you.

I don't expect you to tell me specifically what all of the gems are, since I can't really know. However, do YOU know specifically what they are? One of us has to, for when I sell them. All I know is that they are all the size of grapes.

Thu Jul 3 2008 2:43 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ Two Posts

What exactly is Panoramic Awareness, and how does it work? I don't have a clue, but that sounds like something I could really use right about now, so I'd like to turn it on.

Note To Self: I don't care what you're thinking right now, John. That post you want to make about the MP? BAD IDEA!!!!!! I know you're going to change your mind later on. No, it's a bad idea!!!!!!!!

Note To Self: Oh yeah, and I don't care what random game related thought comes into your head. No more postings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's driving MJ crazy!!!!!!! Save it to a word file and post it tomorrow!!!!!!!!

Thu Jul 3 2008 4:10 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

O.K., we're having a bit of trouble communicating the picture clearly.

There is a well-lit main hall. As you examine it now, you see that it has open balconies and cut out floors--you are on maybe the third or fourth of ten or twelve stories of this building, with an open cutout down the center and bridges crossing it. However, when you awoke, you were in a smaller hallway off this main hall--not divided by doors, but at a right angle to the main hall.

As you begin to examine it, it is so like a shopping mall you cannot imagine that it might be anything else. There are stores, businesses, services of all sorts along the hallway. It happens that the stores in your particular hallway are all closed--whether permanently or simply because they are closed today you cannot tell with certainty, but the lights are off in this section. That does not make it dark, since the hallway off which it abuts is brightly lit.

It is also in that main hallway that there are people milling about--hundreds, possibly thousands of them, on the dozen floors which extend beyond sight in both directions. They haven't come down your section, because--well, everything down here is closed.

In the direction opposite the main hall there is a set of large glass doors which might be an exit; there is a dimly lit foyer of some sort beyond the glass, but the glass is tinted such that you cannot see what is actually there.

Your sense of your equipment suggests getting on the main corridor and turning right, although it might be a bit off the main line to your left.

There are escalators periodically connecting the levels of the mall.

There is no consistency in the clothing of the people here, and no one takes any note of yours. Although no one is dressed quite like you, very few are dressed quite like anyone else, either. Some of the fabrics glisten in strange ways, like holographic thread or metalized cloth or foil. Some looks very simple.

Panoramic Awareness is an ability to be aware of everything around you. Normally it is presumed that it is "on" when you are awake. The mechanical use of it in the game is in essence that if the dice say you are surprised, but within the setting it is because of something you might have known was there (because of this skill) you get to roll the skill to negate the surprise. Thus if you are talking to someone directly in front of you and someone behind you draws a weapon to shoot you, you get to roll your panoramic awareness skill and if it is successful you know that the weapon has been drawn and that the person is about to fire on you, and have the opportunity to attempt to take the initiative and act in response.

There are some tricky circumstances, such as the comparative success situation when someone is using stealth or ambush against you (are you better at being aware of them, or are they better at hiding from you?), but in essence they're on the same model.

It is good to mention that it is on, because it helps in long post situations (in that I know that you get the roll if something happens); however, it is always on, so if I miss it you're supposed to tell me that your Panoramic Awareness might negate surprise, and if so that you will do thus-and-such in response.

--M. J. Young

Fri Jul 4 2008 12:46 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

A shopping mall huh? Exactly what I was hoping for. Head to the right. I'm going to be looking for anything resembling a newsstand that sells newspapers. When I find one, ask the clerk if I can just take a look at the newspaper for a minute. Check the date, and find out where and when I am. Also, check the financial section for the prices of gold, silver, nickel, bronze, and whatever other precious metals there are. EDIT: Is stainless steel a precious metal here? If I could sell my wrenches and ratchet set for a few million, I'd be happy!!!!!! The precious metals prices will affect my next move significantly. It would be in prices per ounce, at least if this is anything like our earth.

Also, what else is there for sale at the newsstand?

Fri Jul 4 2008 2:37 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ Two Posts

What I am looking for at the newsstand would be newspaper, (obviously) then cigarettes, deodorant soap, the best kind of razors they have, shaving cream, candy, scissors, a toothbrush, toothpaste and whatever else. I guess I would be looking for a convenience store type of thing. Also, do they have a map of the mall that I can buy?

Also, observe, and look and make mental notes for the following:

A hotel, (don't laugh, we have malls here with hotels in them)
a bank,
a jewelery store,
a coin store (a lot of them buy gold and silver bullion. And that's not even counting if I can convince him that they are rare coins........)
a restaurant (I don't care if it's 5 star cuisine or fast food, but I think I'd prefer fast food. A place like Hooters, but with better food would be perfect.)
a clothing store (I want a nice suit and tie kind of thing)
a laundromat/dry cleaners.
a gun store
a military surplus store
a health food store
a martial arts school

My hope would be that silver was the dominant metal in this world, and was worth the average worker's yearly wage, per ounce.

Fri Jul 4 2008 10:26 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ Three Posts

I just realized. I haven't had a shower or shaved in almost 2 years. Yes, I bought a straight razor, but I think I would have been too scared to use it. I also haven't brushed my teeth in 2 years.

My point is, I've probably got fleas, lice, all manner of bugs, and I'm sure I don't smell too good either. My breath is undoubtedly foul smelling. I can use this to my advantage in a persuasion check. The guy will be so desperate to get rid of me, he will do anything I want him to.

Ya know, I just had a mental picture of this scene. Here is, what appears to be, a dirty, unkempt, homeless person. However, this dirty, unkempt homeless person is carrying a backpack full of diamonds, rubies and emeralds, over two pounds of gold, almost three pounds of silver, and two diamond rings. Can you imagine the look on the store owner's face when I pay him for the newspaper?

Sun Jul 6 2008 7:01 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator
You find what looks to be a newstand, but there are no paper products at all, nor anything resembling a newspaper. Rather, there are secured bins containing what must be data storage devices of some sort--none of them so large as a flash drive or SDRAM card--designed to plug into some sort of reader. They are marked with something like mastheads, some of them suggestive of a particular subject such as Popular Gravitronics, some of more general contents such as Galaxy Now, and some whose titles are not particularly informative, such as Stars and Interstellar. The masthead displays also have a small video giving overview of the contents of each.

It appears that he sells readers, along the back wall.

You do not see cigarettes; you don't see them in any of the stores.

The newstand does not carry the toiletries you mention (soap, razors, shaving cream, scissors, toothbrush, toothpaste) but there is a sort of CVS/Rite-Aid/Walgreens drug store which does carry that sort of thing.

There are several stores that sell confections, including candy, pastries, what appears to be liquid sugar treats (like soda syrup). The newstand has what looks to be a rack of single serve candies, like candy bars, but nothing that looks familiar, and the packaging does not look like paper. Probably there would also be candy like this at the checkout of the drug store.

Also, do they have a map of the mall that I can buy?

You don't see one, but you ask. Either the guy is very good at not offending customers or there is nothing particularly strange about your appearance.

"Just arrive? Couldn't sell a map--it's too easy to use the directory screens." He gestures toward a flat screen video display currently showing an ad for some store apparently here somewhere. "Anywhere in TerraNova you can access one of those and find out what you want to know."

As to the other shops you mention:
- A hotel
Not where you can see one, but it's a huge mall, apparently.
- a bank
Yes, quite a few banks, or something very like them.
- a jewelery store
Of course there are jewelry stores, ranging from cheap junk jewelry to rather elegant looking shops. There are also department-style stores that include jewelry sections near the entrances.
- a coin store (a lot of them buy gold and silver bullion. And that's not even counting if I can convince him that they are rare coins........)
Not coins specifically, but collectibles generally, which seems to include coins.
- a restaurant (I don't care if it's 5 star cuisine or fast food, but I think I'd prefer fast food. A place like Hooters, but with better food would be perfect.)
Restaurants of all descriptions (although the only thing I can think of, never having been to one, that would be "like Hooters, but with better food" would be something like an Applebee's or Red Lobster or Olive Garden with scantily clad waitresses?).
- a clothing store (I want a nice suit and tie kind of thing)
Yes, many clothing stores, and the larger department stores have substantial clothing sections. Whether you want swim suits or elegant dinner wear, there are stores for it.
- a laundromat/dry cleaners.
You don't see one of these right away, but eventually you will come upon one or two.
- a gun store
There are weapon dealers, but the equipment they have does not look like what you would have called a "gun".
- a military surplus store
If what you mean is a place where you can buy excess equipment manufactured for the army, there's nothing like that. If what you mean is a place where you can get camping and survival gear, camouflage, and similar equipment, yes, such places exist.
- a health food store
There are food stores of various types. I'm not certain how you would identify one as a "health food store" under these conditions. There is not much in the way of open fresh food, but there is some here and there.
- a martial arts school
Again there are a couple of these around, but it is a while before you spot one.

No living creatures hitched a ride with you. As far as vermin go, you are clean. You do not look it; you just came from a battle for your life in a primitive world.

On that count, it appears that there are also public showers (private but not free, like you might find at a truck stop). There are also beauty services such as hair stylists. Some of the hair styles--let's say that the goop hasn't been invented yet that would make hair do that. However, more traditional haircuts are also available.

--M. J. Young
Sun Jul 6 2008 8:43 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

First, ask the guy at the newsstand if he knows the value of gold, silver, nickel and bronze, and any other precious metals.

Once I know that, start heading in the direction of my equipment once again. I'm going to be trying to put myself directly underneath it. Once I feel that I am there, start heading up. Where is my equipment, and what am I seeing along the way?

EDIT: Is there anything, either a disk in the newsstand, or anywhere else, which would indicate to me that the indigs have psionic ability?

Sun Jul 6 2008 9:07 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ Two Posts

I really need to know the value of the precious metals. That is of A1 importance to me right now.

Why don't I have any vermin? I would have thought any creepy crawlers would come as associates. Or is it because I didn't want them to? If the creepy crawlers didn't verse with me, then I don't have body odor either. Body odor is caused by bacteria on your skin. If the creepy crawlers didn't come as associates, the bacteria shouldn't have either.

Mon Jul 7 2008 1:26 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

For something to become an associate, there has to be a mutual relationship--you have to want it to come, and you have to know that it is there. Fleas and such are not wanted.

As to bacteria on your skin, well, this is more difficult. On the one hand, they're not animal life, and they could be considered on the order of clothing. On the other hand, I have no problem with leaving them behind. However, you are mistaken: body odor is not the smell of the bacteria, but the smell of the waste products left on your skin by the bacteria after they digest the sweat and oils excreted through your pores. Thus it's not the bacteria but the chemicals on your skin that people smell. Those, non-living, are definitely on-person equipment, like it or not.

You see nothing that suggests the existence of psionic abilities.

In response to your question about precious metals: "There's a scrap dealer on deck forty-nine, around section twenty-seven, who pays top dollar for that kind of thing. Last I was in there, he was paying 500 per kilogram for gold, 300 for silver, you'd have to ask him about other metals."

--M. J. Young

Tue Jul 8 2008 3:47 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Before I leave, ask the newsstand guy "What is 300 worth? I'm not from around here. How much does a week's groceries cost? How much does a week's worth of eating in a cheap restaurant cost?"

Still talking to the clerk "How many hours would you have to work to earn 300, and if you don't mind me asking, how much do you earn an hour? I'm not from around here, and I'm trying to acclimate. This looks like a place where this happens a lot."

Still talking to the clerk. "How much does an average hotel room cost per night?"

The blockquoted text is mostly just notes.

All of this, to figure out the value of 300.........

The Big Mac scale, how many Big Macs could you buy for a certain amount of currency? (This was a serious, and widely used conversion method, BTW) If you could buy a lot of Big Macs for a small amount of currency, the currency was valuable. If it was a lot of currency for a small amount of Big Macs, the currency was worthless. If it was a 1 for 1 trade, then the currency was worth a Big Mac. It tells the value of the currency, or the value of a Big Mac, depending on how you look at it.

My priorities are, in order
1 food
2 shelter
3 "perks" (new skills, the opportunity to get equipment cheap, etc.)

This is my Big Mac. Things are expensive or cheap, depending on how much they interfere with my getting these. Things are valuable depending on how much they assist my getting these. My currency is time.

Gold and silver are scrap metals, what about platinum? The Architect said to get it where it's cheap and sell it where it's expensive.

Would the scrap dealer be interested in hiring a skilled blacksmith?

Would the martial arts school be interested in hiring a boxing instructor?

See? I told you the skills were worth more than the gold!!!!!

Tue Jul 8 2008 3:54 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ Two Posts

Note to whomever follows my game. This is going to be the last time I make more than one post. MJ has commented that my posts are often boggling, and rather than annoy him, I'm choosing to annoy you, the reader. I will just edit my single post as I see fit. This will happen up to and including the moment that MJ posts, so if you're following my game, you might not want to read my Yesterday's entry until MJ posts Today's entry. Nothing personal, it's just I would rather annoy the reader than annoy the referee. I'm sure you can understand.

Tue Jul 8 2008 6:10 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

"Well, you know how it is--some things cost more, some less. It's actually a bit on the expensive side to live in TerraNova. Most of the food is imported, and space can be at a premium despite the size of the place. On the other hand, cybertronics are cheap, and medicine is the best in the universe without costing more. Red Dog's sausage rolls are still point ninety-five, just like everywhere else, but by the time you've got chips and soda you're looking at three out of pocket, and if you don't trust their food you'll probably spend five to ten on fast food, ten to fifteen on decent fare, and--well, there are places I would never even enter, it costs too much to look at the menu. Cheap hotels are not so much more expensive here than elsewhere, although the pricey ones sure can be. I've known extravagant businessmen to spend a thousand a night on a full-service luxury hotel when it's on their company's pad. You can find a room for fifty a night, but it doesn't include many extras, and if you're just looking for a bed in a private space, there are places in shipping where you can crash for twenty a night, as long as you are in and out in under twelve hours, because they're going to rent that bed to someone else on the next shift.

"I own this place--well, I rent the space from the TerraNova company, of course, but the product is mine and the profit is mine and the expenses are all mine. On a great day I can pull down over a thousand. I've had days where I didn't clear fifty. Usually, though, it's two to three hundred. It helps that I'm on the main concourse, but I pay fifteen hundred for this spot. I know guys on some of the other levels who don't do near as well as me, but it doesn't cost them as much to be in business, either. I live in an apartment above, two bedrooms, big enough for me and my wife and our two sons, eight hundred a month. She works, that helps.

"So, what brings you to TerraNova?"

--M. J. Young

Tue Jul 8 2008 8:00 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

That means that 300 is worth about what I thought it was..... Damn I was hoping maybe that was 300 years' wages.

"Well thanks buddy, you've been most helpful. As far as what brings me here, you don't have the time for me to explain it to you."

Start heading in the direction of my equipment. When I feel that I am directly underneath it, start heading up.

As I am walking, is there any indication of gyms that do boxing specifically? If I can make my living by boxing, either by teaching or by fighting, that would help me a lot. Besides, they're likely to have shower facilities. That's my hope as I'm walking. If I see a boxing (specifically) gym or school, make mental notes and return after my equipment is retrieved.

Do I see any laundromats on my trek? If the washers are anything like ours, I figure I've got 2 loads of laundry, tops. I've gotta have something I can trade for the price of 2 loads of laundry.

Is there any indication of any kind of religion? I'm kind of becoming polytheistic, in that I believe it is possible that all the gods of all the religions of the world exist. Also, given that this is the Multiverse, how do I know that, on this world, Odin isn't the name the indigs gave the God of Abraham? It's possible. Therefore, I will probably switch my religious affiliation to the dominant religion of the world, or to whichever I happen to believe to be moral, given my circumstances.

Is there any indication that Archery is still a common sport? I've got a custom built, Oak and steel crossbow, perhaps someone would trade me for their lightweight polymer crossbow? A competition shooter/collector might.

Is there any indication of an old folks' home anywhere? I imagine a lonely grandmother might be interested in a guy that came by once a week to learn knitting. Or any other possible source of a knitting teacher.

Is there any indication of a Lion's Den (pornography) store? I've got three sets of medieval manacles, and hey, some things never go out of style. Possible source of income, providing medieval torture devices to pornography store. (Hey, I'm just being practical!!!!!!! If this is what my skill can bring me, so be it.) (And MJ, I know you don't like this idea, but you do have to admit, it is very possible. It would be completely out of practicality.)

Also, I didn't say it, because I knew the bias was flatlined, but I would have been trying to psionically lift ladies' skirts in both of my previous worlds. This is how I practiced in B Movie Monster world, I hope it still counts as practice here.

Any indication of bookstores? Specifically, chemistry found in nature. Identifying and utilizing commonly found, natural chemicals.

The blockquoted text is mostly just notes.

If gold and silver are not so valuable, gems probably aren't either, but check and make sure. Don't sell them unless you have no other choice. I worked too hard to get that silver to trade it for a pittance.

How much is platinum worth?

If gold is worthless, then gold jewelery must be cheap. What would a Mr. T necklace with an emerald the size of a grape be worth in B Movie Monster World? Get it while it's cheap!!!!

I was really hoping for an old-west frontier town. Somewhere that gold is valuable and weapons are cheap. A large caliber, 6 shot, single action revolver would be an acceptable replacement for the 9 mm.

Scrap dealer or martial arts? Metal working vs fighting? Learn advanced metal working skills, duplicate as closely as possible with blacksmithing, or combine when necessary/possible. Well, check out the boxing school first, at any rate.

Do metalworking if it can pay for food and shelter. See if boxing can pay for itself.

Tue Jul 8 2008 8:43 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You walk for about an hour. During the last fifteen minutes or so you notice the vector is more and more off to your left until finally it is directly to your left. At that particular spot there is a shoe store; it is still above you at an angle that suggests it is directly above the shoe store some distance, and there are no signs of stairways or elevators for a couple hundred feet in either direction.

You do see a few gyms and martial arts training centers, as well as some weapon training centers, but nothing appears to have any connection with boxing, or with any other style with which you are familiar.

You do not see laundromats on this level. There are no religious centers, either.

You pass a sporting goods store that has what appears to be archery targets along the back wall, but if they have crossbows they're not in the window. It is possible that they just use the target symbol as a store design or logo.

There are no old folks homes in the mall.

You see ads for the sort of place that might deal in manacles and such, but they're not on the main concourse, and you don't yet have sufficient understanding of the layout here to be able to understand where they are.

There are bookstores, of a sort, but they sell the same electronic devices as the news stand.

In connection with your psionic practice, are you just going through the motions (practice) or are you looking to see whether it worked (roll required)?

--M. J. Young

Thu Jul 10 2008 12:38 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Find the nearest elevator, and go up. When I feel that I am on level with my equipment, make note of the floor and get to it, then backtrack to get my equipment.

As far as the psionic lifting skirts, it was practice in my first world, but if you need to roll to see if it works here, then I guess that's what you have to do. I was kind of hoping there wouldn't be a roll since it was practice.

Is there any indication that people are smoking cigarettes on this other level? You said I didn't see cigarettes downstairs, that doesn't mean that there isn't a smoking area on every other floor, though. Or maybe some floors you can smoke, and some floors you can't. My character wants a cigarette, I know that.

I've been meaning to ask, is there any remaining trace of my injuries in Pearl Harbor? I prayed for the arthritis to go away in my last world. I've also versed twice, which you said heals all damage. I spent 3 months recovering in a 20th century hospital, which is probably reasonably good medical care in the Multiverse. I was just wondering, if I'm going to try to introduce boxing as a martial arts style, I need to know that my arms are OK. (Pearl Harbor was a great world, BTW. I got a sobering, and much needed wake up call) Besides, my character got to experience the joy which is pharmaceutical morphine, so that's an even trade for the broken bones.

Speaking of which, describe my Pearl Harbor jumpsuits. I would assume they would be fairly heavy duty, since they were military issue. What about pockets? Again, I would imagine a lot of pockets, for the above military issue reason.

Notes

Can the archery store show you how to fix the fletching on those metal arrows? That could make all the difference in the world.

I wish I would have gotten better at knitting. I need to knit a cold weather liner for at least one of those jumpsuits.

Thu Jul 10 2008 12:56 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You go up about fifteen floors, and make your way to the place where your equipment is. This is another vacant section of the mall; there is a storefront there, but the glass is dark and there are no indications that there is any store in this location. There are doors, locked, apparently of glass.

On the skirt-lifting trick, you can do it as "practice" as long as you don't ask whether it works. If you're looking to see if any of the skirts are lifted, I have to roll. As I recall, though it's a TK pulse trick, 4@1, and therefore it should work in a flatlined world, as long as TK isn't powerblocked and you don't have a negative psi bias (which would have weird effects you probably would have recognized by now).

There are no signs of cigarettes or people smoking anywhere within the mall that you have been.

You are fully recovered from your Pearl Harbor problems. The only residual problem of which I was aware was the arthritis, and you were magically healed of that in Dancing Princess.

Ah, the jumpsuits. I would assume that they were drab green khaki, which was standard for WW2 army stuff, that they are one piece--you step into the legs, pull the shirt up behind you, put your arms through the sleeves, and button the front from fly to collar. They have twin patch breast pockets, left and right outside pouch pockets above the waist, front and rear hip pockets stitched inside, and a pair of large outside pockets on the upper legs with snap-down flaps on top. The sleeve cuffs button also, and there are loops for a belt, but you don't have one. There are cuffs on the legs, apparently so the length can be adjusted--either that, or so that if you drop a screw you know where it landed.

I don't see jumpsuits listed on my sheet. I thought we had this fixed.

--M. J. Young

Fri Jul 11 2008 3:11 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

I have 4 Pearl Harbor jumpsuits, 4 pairs of boxer shorts, 4 sets of socks, and a pair of white tennis shoes. The tennis shoes I left with Mr. Smith.

Skirt lifting was simple TK, not TK pulse, as TK pulse wouldn't last long enough. I'd like to know if it worked or not. Roll for it. If I can lift a skirt with simple TK, then that would impact how I retrieve my equipment as well.

As far as my equipment, you said "another vacant section" of the mall. Does that mean that there is anyone around? If there is no one around for quite a way, that would impact what I do greatly. If there are people around (witnesses) I would think of something else.

Before I do anything else, I don't know that my equipment is in this store. I've only got 2 of the 3 vectors. I know the height and the width, but not the depth. It could be on the other side of the frigging building!!!! I walked for over an hour, that would mean that this mall is AT LEAST 3-4 miles long!!!!!!!! How deep is it? Can I get to the side of my equipment, either by a hallway, or by walking into another store parallel to this? I need to make sure it's actually in this store.

In fact, I've got reason to believe that it is not in this store. You said "For the last 15 minutes, the vector feels more to your left." If my equipment was close, the vector would feel like it was right in front of me, and then suddenly it would be to my left. Far away would mean that the vector was coming at an angle, hence why it slowly got closer. Or not, since I was 15 floors lower, that could be the angle I was feeling..... Well, still, try to get parallel to it, sideways.

If I can't do that, walk up and down the hallway a few times, maybe 500 feet (1/10th of a mile) See if I can tell, from the assumed angle of the vector whether it is actually in this store. If it is in a locked store, it's not going anywhere, but if it isn't, I might end up breaking a window for nothing.

I always liked geometry. That, and the teacher was a not so bad looking redhead named Mrs. Chapman.

MJ, I'd like to ad to my sheet 1@10 single-stage ammunition reloading. A friend of mine reloaded his own ammo, and I helped him quite a lot. That, plus the blacksmithing, maybe I can make my own bullets.

NOTES:

Can we go Non corporeal? Walking through the glass would be better than breaking it.

Any further collected gold and silver must have a practical use. Made into knives, jewelery, can we make bullets?

If you ever have to do this again, try to get the height as the first vector.

Fri Jul 11 2008 3:31 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Actually, the vector from below and on the approach both suggest that the equipment is not more than fifteen or twenty feet behind the door--clearly in this room. Also, yes, this hall is unlit, light coming from a few hundred feet away, where there are people.

But before you get here, there's a problem. The very first time you attempt to lift the skirt of one of the passing women, the power feeds back into your brain and you get a tremendous headache--brain burn, you believe it's called. The headache is worsened by every contact with your skin--the chafing of your clothes, the pounding of your footsteps, the duffel in your hand. It is challenging to continue--you are forced to stop, to try to find a way to stop the pain. You stumble painfully into a less-traveled side corridor and drop everything you are carrying, then remove anything that is "touching" you that isn't absolutely necessary for public decency.

I will note that the light and the sound do not bother you much; the pounding in your head is crippling, and it is intensified by every tactile sensation, every time your legs rub each other, the pressure of the ground on your feet.

You are miles from your equipment at this point; keep the information I gave in mind for whenever you resolve this current problem.

--M. J. Young

Sat Jul 12 2008 4:19 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

"Now doesn't that just frost it? I do believe we've thrown a track."

Try to force myself into a kneeling position.

1@2 Unlimited Damage Repair M+2@7 pray "God, heal (subject, possibly self) injuries, that (subject) might (do what needs to be done)" for five minutes +3SM

Pray.

Also, pray this. Take it however you feel it should be taken.

"God, I need a psionics teacher! I only want the @1 and @0 psionic skills. For practicality. However, learn to pray, and to use God's power. Would I rather botch and kill someone because I made a mistake, or because God wanted it that way? I tried it my way, and I saw a lot of panties, then broke both of my arms. I tried it God's way, learned a skill with limitless applications, and didn't botch until I completed Your mission. @1 psionics only! Just for practicality."

Ya know what though? If I am understanding a 0@ bias correctly, only another verser could do that.......

Have I seen any semblance of a Native American, or similar culture? If there's anyone that knows holy magic anywhere, it's Native Americans.

NOTES:

Ya know, the Land of the Benevolent Purple Dinosaur sounds kind of nice, right about now. A place where I can't get angry, and can practice my blacksmithing skills. I would tell Barney that if he lets me blacksmith, I'll build him an entire amusement park. And I would. I'd also build, and teach myself to use, a telescopic baton. For the purpose of knocking apples out of trees and such. A machete, for the purpose of harvesting crops. I would be teaching myself "Use weapon on stationary target" and it would be a legitimate, Barney friendly application.

If you do have to sell any precious metals, sell the gold. We traded that for a $200 ring. Five hundred a kilogram would still be a hefty profit. (Compared to what?) Cut it into 1 kilogram blocks, 10 pounds, equals 4.5 kilograms.

Sat Jul 12 2008 4:33 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You pray, but even as you do so you realize that you have not suffered anything that is really an injury--you are in pain, but you are not damaged. You have pinched every nerve in your brain, but injured none of them. They are all screaming for relief from the pain, but your prayer for healing is not effective.

You need to find a prayer that addresses the pain in your brain.

As far as Native American culture, you do see a jewelry store that has a lot of turquoise jewelry, and there's a leather shop with some western-like goods. That's about as close as you get.

As to praying for a teacher, I'm going to have to get you to go through the worksheet on this one:

Multiverser® Magic Skills Worksheet Key

Is this arcane or holy magic, alliance, neutral, or anarch? Alliance holy magic

What exactly will the magic do? Summon someone with the ability and willingness to teach psionic skills to a verser.

How long does it take to perform the ritual necessary for the spell?

Exactly what will the character say? "God, I need a psionics teacher! I only want the @1 and @0 psionic skills. For practicality. However, learn to pray, and to use God's power. Would I rather botch and kill someone because I made a mistake, or because God wanted it that way? I tried it my way, and I saw a lot of panties, then broke both of my arms. I tried it God's way, learned a skill with limitless applications, and didn't botch until I completed Your mission. @1 psionics only! Just for practicality.

Must the words be spoken loudly or forcefully?

Are the words in a language other than the character’s native tongue? No

Is the sound of the words vital to the magic, or will it work if the words are properly articulated within a place where there is no sound?

What does the character do?

Which body parts must be committed to this action?

Which body parts can be substituted if necessary for the ones normally used (e.g., left hand instead of right)?

Is the ritual physically exhausting?

What materials are required?

Which if any of these are destroyed or damaged beyond use during the ritual?

Are there any other limitations on the use of this skill?

I'm very interested in seeing how this one goes, so think it through. We'll deal with it after you've managed to deal with your current problem, though.

--M. J. Young

Mon Jul 14 2008 4:03 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

MJ, I hate it when you hit me with this technical BS. I am in pain. Whether I've sustained actual injury is irrelevant. I don't know that I've not sustained actual injury, so why does that matter?

OK, whatever. "God please relieve my pain that I've been caused. I realize that it was my own lusts that caused it. I pray for forgiveness of my lusty behavior, and for relief from the pain I have caused myself as a result."

Pray for 5 minutes.

Multiverser® Magic Skills Worksheet Key

Is this arcane or holy magic, alliance, neutral, or anarch? Alliance holy magic

What exactly will the magic do? Summon someone with the ability and willingness to teach psionic skills to a verser. PREFERABLY THE ARCHITECT!! I'd want to talk to him about everything that's happened to me lately anyway.

How long does it take to perform the ritual necessary for the spell? Five minutes

Exactly what will the character say? "God, I need a psionics teacher! I only want the @1 and @0 psionic skills. For practicality. However, learn to pray, and to use God's power. Would I rather botch and kill someone because I made a mistake, or because God wanted it that way? I tried it my way, and I saw a lot of panties, then broke both of my arms. I tried it God's way, learned a skill with limitless applications, and didn't botch until I completed Your mission. @1 psionics only! Just for practicality.

Must the words be spoken loudly or forcefully? No

Are the words in a language other than the character’s native tongue? No

Is the sound of the words vital to the magic, or will it work if the words are properly articulated within a place where there is no sound? Not as long as God can hear it

What does the character do? kneel with hands folded and pray.

Which body parts must be committed to this action? whole body

Which body parts can be substituted if necessary for the ones normally used (e.g., left hand instead of right)? N/A

Is the ritual physically exhausting? Probably not

What materials are required? nothing

Which if any of these are destroyed or damaged beyond use during the ritual? N/A

Are there any other limitations on the use of this skill? I don't know, how is The Architect limited?

Don't forget your contingency plan

Mon Jul 14 2008 2:22 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Whether I've sustained actual injury is irrelevant. I don't know that I've not sustained actual injury, so why does that matter?
Pennicillin will not treat a headache, and asprin will not do much against a strep throat. You need the correct medicine for the job. In the same way, you need to ask for what you need to get it. If you're asking for the wrong thing, you have a much lower chance of getting the right thing.

Besides, the dice said the prayer failed, and there was good reason for it to fail if you were asking for the wrong thing.

As you finish praying, the pain begins to subside.

As the pain subsides, you pray the other prayer.

Then you proceed on your course to your equipment. By the time you reach it, you are feeling much better, with only the slightest twinge of pain from the brain burn, and we are now back to the matter of your equipment being inside a vacant store in the mall.

--M. J. Young

Tue Jul 15 2008 7:28 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Back to that notion that the dice never lie eh? Don't forget to read that thread. You were wrong in some things that you said. Good thing it worked. My contingency plan was to suicide out of that world. (If brain burn is even remotely similar to a psychotic episode, it would be enough pain for me to consider that a viable option)

So I'm in an abandoned hallway. My equipment is, as far as I can tell, just on the other side of that door. I don't want to break a window, so let's see if God can help me out.

Dropping to my knees:

"God, give me the means to retrieve my belongings. Whatever way you, in your infinite wisdom, believe to be the safest and easiest way to do so. Be it providing me with a key to the door, or by dissolving the wall so that I can pass through it. However would be the easiest, safest way for me to retrieve my belongings, that is what I would like for you to do for me."

Pray for 5 minutes.

Tue Jul 15 2008 11:41 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You pray. There is a click, and the door swings open. In the semi-darkness beyond you see your things, as they were in the room at the inn you left behind.

Your sneakers are not included.

There are a few chairs and such; it appears this was a shoe store at one time.

--M. J. Young

Tue Jul 15 2008 8:26 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

Go inside. If there's any kind of alarm system, I've probably already set it off.

If there is no evidence of an alarm system, quickly check the place out. Is there any potential source of this world's currency? A cash register perhaps? Or anything else of potential sale value? (My logic would be God opened the door, so God must be condoning what I do inside.)

If there is any evidence of an alarm system, quickly gather my equipment and put it in the Radio Flier wagon. I am disowning 18 of the 19 boom stick spears. Keep the longest one. You said they were between 5 and 6 feet long. Keep one for a walking stick and staff weapon.

After that, grab the handle of the wagon, and walk out like I belong there. Nobody better challenge me, for their own good.

Tue Jul 15 2008 9:03 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

When you say "no evidence of an alarm system", given the high-tech nature of this world, what do you expect to see?

There is a screen at a counter near the door. It looks like the advertising screens you've seen outside, but at the moment it just says, "Ready". It is dimly lit.

You see nothing else that looks like a cash drawer or register, no keyboard or number pad, and the screen seems hard wired to the counter.

--M. J. Young

Thu Jul 17 2008 3:26 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

When you say "no evidence of an alarm system", given the high-tech nature of this world, what do you expect to see?

Good point.

Take off the cloaking cloak, put anything not in the wagon in the wagon, put the MAK 90 in the wagon, and put the cloaking cloak over top of it, to conceal everything. Not make it invisible, just cover it. Take the 9mm and put it in the waistband of my jeans, with the priest robe over it, to conceal it.

Most of my gear should be in the wagon. Disown 18 of the 19 boom stick spears. Keep the longest.

Have that spear in my hand, grab the wagon handle with my other hand, and walk out the door.

Once outside, head back to the mall proper, and try to find a jewelery store on this level. Something that deals in the kinds of gems that I have.

NOTES

Has a verse in/verse out ever been captured on film? I'm forced to wonder now. Any security cameras in there would have caught my equipment versing in. Were there any in the room I started in? Make a note of that. It might be useful.

Thu Jul 17 2008 3:33 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You pack up and move back into the hall. There is no sign of anyone interfering with your passage.

Moving back to the active part of the mall ahead, you notice that there is less traffic here; it might be near the outer edge of the mall, which would explain why a main corridor even on an upper level would be dark.

You stop in a couple of jewelry stores as you go, but they both sell jewelry made somewhere else. The second recommends a place two levels down and a quarter mile toward the center that does its own work, and would be very interested in seeing some of what you have.

--M. J. Young

Fri Jul 18 2008 12:11 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Go to the jewelery store. I would want to sell the 5 most expensive and the 5 cheapest stones that I have.

Fri Jul 18 2008 3:38 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

"May I help you?"

You explain that you were hoping to sell a few gems that you've collected, and he agrees to look at them. As you produce eighty-four gems, he suggests that it might be better to take this in a back room for review.

"The five most precious and the five least precious, you say? That's interesting. Of course, I will have to look at all of them, but will be able to eliminate most of them as somewhere in the middle fairly quickly. The pearls, for example, are wonderful specimens, particularly the black ones, but not worth more than a thousand each."

He settles in the back with some equipment that is apparently intended to examine gems microscopically, possibly atomically.

"I gather that these have come from many different sources, and probably that you cannot identify their origins. That's too bad, as some of these are of a quality I have not seen before."

He sorts through them fairly quickly, pausing on a few, dividing them into three piles, the largest apparently the stones of middle value as the pearls wind up there.

In the section ahead, the italicized parentheticals are descriptions of the gems indicated, not part of the dialogue.

"The cheap ones are simple," he says, turning his attention to a small group of less impressive stones and quickly culling it to five. "This piece of blue quartz (transparent pale blue) is the least of your quartz (and I must say that Star Rose Quartz is a very nice piece for what it is), worth about 18 credits. The malachite (opaque striated light and dark green) 14, this banded agate (translucent striped brown, blue, white, red) 12, and the Lapis Lazuli (translucent light and dark blue with yellow flecks) and Tiger Eye (translucent brown with golden center under-hue 10 apiece. That would be sixty four credits for those. I pay 80% of value on precut gems; I do have to make a profit when I sell them.

"Now the precious ones. This ruby (transparent red) is far and away the best stone you have, and I am surprised you are willing to part with it. I must guess that you have just arrived and in sore need of a substantial amount of money, but this is a ten thousand credit stone, and one you are not likely to see again in your life. The
sapphire (transparent blue) is also an excellent stone, four thousand credits, and this oriental emerald (transparent bright green) is good for twenty-four hundred. After that, this oriental topaz (transparent fiery yellow), topaz (transparent golden yellow), fire opal (transparent fiery red), the second sapphire (transparent blue), this spinel (transparent very deep blue), and the best of the garnets (translucent violet) here are all worth about the same, two thousand each. It is quite a collection. Normally I would be surprised to see a stone as nice as that beautiful peridot (transparent rich olive green), but it is worth only about fifteen hundred, dwarfed by these others, and the ruby in particular.

"So, which will you be selling--assuming that 80% is acceptable to you? Or would you like to talk to another lapidary first? I can recommend three here in TerraNova."

--M. J. Young

Fri Jul 18 2008 11:15 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

"I'm not quite certain I understand you. Are you saying that you will give me 10,000 credits for the ruby, or are you saying you will give me 8,000 for it? You didn't say that very well. Can you tell me what all 84 stones are?"

Pulling out the block of gold and the silver.

"I've been told that gold and silver isn't worth very much here. Where I came from, it was very valuable. How much would it cost me to have this block of gold and some of this silver made into some necklaces with these stones? If I can pay you in gems, it would be much easier on both of us. As far as where I got the gems, I literally went to Hell and back for them. But, that was another lifetime ago."

Also, ask him if he knows the price of a night's stay at a cheap hotel room here. (my definition of a cheap hotel room is a shower, a bed, and a television, or whatever passes for TV in this world.) Also, ask him if he could tell me the average worker's monthly wage. If he questions "I'm not from around here." That will influence what I do next significantly.

MJ, I just remembered something. My father had a congenital heart defect. It's something that runs in our family. My father died of a heart attack at the ripe old age of 32. I do not know, nor do I want to know if I have the heart defect. (The only cure is a heart transplant, and I figure if it's my time, it's my time.) What I do know is that there is a 50/50 chance that it was passed onto his children, and neither of my two sisters have the heart defect. (My brother has a different father than us, so he can't have it) I'm not sure how, or even if this impacts my character at all, but I felt it should be mentioned. What do you think?

NOTES

Maybe just sell the ruby.

Fri Jul 18 2008 11:35 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

The ruby is worth 10,000; he is offering you 8,000 for it.

He can certainly give you valuations of all eighty-four stones, but 1) it will take longer than a few minutes and 2) assuming you are not seriously considering selling them to him he would have to be compensated for his time.

Gold and silver are not worth appreciably more or less here than anywhere else in the galaxy, as far as he knows. Of course, food is more expensive here than on agricultural planets, so if you are valuing your gold in terms of purchasing power for food that would skew the results. TerraNova Habitat is a hub of commerce, though, so relative to the cost of electronics, manufactured goods, and many other commonly traded commodities, as well as financial services, labor, and other service industry goods, your gold and silver will be more valuable. Property is a bit on the pricey side here, given the space constraints, but the management is pretty good at setting the rents appropriately.

He would rather deal in credits directly. First, it is much simpler for everything to be valued in credits and everyone to pay each other in credits. Second, although on other worlds bartering might be acceptable, most of the merchants here must file tax reports, and non-credit transactions raise red flags with the tax assessors. If he were found to be making such under-the-table deals he could lose his bonding and be ousted from TerraNova, and it would leave a mark on his reputation that might prevent him from finding work on hundreds of other worlds. It's a simple matter for him to transfer credits to your account, and for you to transfer credits to his account.

As far as buying gold or silver, he might be interested in having your metal assessed, but he usually buys from (and he means no offense by this) bonded suppliers to assure quality. Also, at present he has a sufficient supply. If you would like to commission him to set some of your gems, he would be pleased to help, and to discuss costs for each item individually. What are you considering?

He doesn't know what a television is. When he has visiting clients, they tend to stay in upscale housing, so you'll have to talk with the TerraNova management about the price of a room that suits your needs. He has no idea what the "average" person earns; those who work for him earn between three hundred and twelve thousand a month, depending on their job descriptions, skill levels, and hours worked. The only one who makes twelve thousand is an expert gemcutter and jeweler who puts in fifty or sixty hours a week designing, creating, and repairing jewelry.

He does not question why you're asking about prices of these things, only why you would expect him to have the answers.

I don't think I'll add the congenital heart defect. Although it might be fun to be able to verse you out on heart attack in stressful situations, it's not happened to you to date, and I think you've gotten plenty of exercise over the past couple of verser years, so you're in better shape than you are.

--M. J. Young

Sun Jul 20 2008 10:13 pm #

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