Gaming Outpost Discussions

1. 

   WilliamTWodium
   Member

   Lelach is bewildered that you would need to know where she keeps her knitting needles, but she says that they're probably still in the tree; she only knits in winter. She also asks you to please wake up, because you're not making any sense and she's frightened for you.

   Nothing yet from Morani.

   You take up position above the portal (how high?) and begin concentrating on producing a spherical shield around it. After a little while - more than a minute, but well before you're ready - a sprite-sized blur zooms out of the back of the rift and past your home tree. It is closely followed by a small primate, crossing through the portal mid-leap in apparent pursuit of the flying blur. The blur narrowly evades its snatching hand, and for an instant it looks as though the monkey-thing will fall to the forest floor, empty-handed; but, a few beats of its bat-like wings keep it aloft long enough for it to catch itself on the trunk of your home tree.

   The blur whizzes off into the forest and out of sight. The monkey-thing scampers up the tree, gazing after it, but after it's climbed a few meters it stops abruptly and whips its head around to look in the direction your family fled.

   Now that it's closer and still, you can see it more closely resembles a lemur than a monkey. Its fur is dark grey, blacker on the wings and the long, fluffy tail. The long, claw-like nails which tip each finger dig into the treebark as it stares past you with abnormally large, golden-irised eyes; its muzzle reminds you of a fox's.

   It licks its lips, once.

   Your shutter-vision finally clears the image of the blur as it emerged from the portal: a russet-brown hummingbird, beating three pairs of delicate wings.

   _____

   Heightened Awareness roll is 46, a strong success, so Maxx has a moment's warning of the creature's emergence from the portal - probably he hears the "hummingbird's" wings. Of course, he could 'interrupt' the above post at any point if he thinks he would take action then; the H.A. roll just means he won't have to roll initiative if he chooses to do so. However, if he chooses to continue concentrating (or takes any action which will not influence the events described), everything will play out as above.

   I think the above stands for what is on the other side of the rift. It could also stand for what comes out and when. Is it 25?
   The earlier 21 is for the reaction to telepathic connection.

   Oops. I forgot that I hadn't revealed that yet. The roll for what was on the other side was also a 21, rolled as a 2d10+10 botch-GE. The rolls for your parents and what-comes-out-when were both 3d10 GE rolls (the standard), and came up 21 and 25 respectively.

   Sun Apr 18 2010 6:12 am #
2. 

   Max
   Member

   she only knits in winter

   Interesting, I guess Lelach knows how to knit too. Have I seen any of Lelach's knitted product?

   She also asks you to please wake up, because you're not making any sense and she's frightened for you.

   I tell my parents to run as far away as they can or hide somewhere safe because I do not know what will come out the opening they saw. I will ask them to wait for me to wake up because I was about to take a quick nap (a reason I give to avoid more questions so that I can concentrate on the force field).

   You take up position above the portal (how high?)

   About the same level as the needle position or just a bit higher (distance of at least 3 adult sprites height) if the rift is near that position.

   closely resembles a lemur than a monkey. Its fur is dark grey, blacker on the wings and the long, fluffy tail.

   Flying lemur variant it is.

   begin concentrating on producing a spherical shield around it. After a little while - more than a minute, but well before you're ready

   Continue on the force field because I have told myself not to react to anything until I finish concentrating for 4 minutes. I just hope that my family have gone far enough from the rift or hide somewhere safe. If I do not finish on sealing the rift then there would probably be more things coming out from it.

   Whether I fail or succeed the force field attempt, track down the flying lemur thing. If it is gone from vision then I will warn my parents about it and then probably try a new skill. If it is still in vision even after the force field attempt, I will try to communicate with it via telepathy.

   *****

   So (dewey tailor wind) means a 21, rolled as a 2d10+10 botch-GE. That was an interesting code. I wonder how the code works. Are you still curious how I got 15?
   I also wonder if "wind" have anything to do with how you got 21 or just to show it is a 2d10+10 botch-GE. The best GE roll would be 12 which would mean good enough so I guess any answer for the best destination would not be fulfilled. Getting 21 for the roll was probably why you ask the "consolation prize" question.

   Sun Apr 18 2010 3:16 pm #
3. 

   WilliamTWodium
   Member

   The rift is about three meters off the ground and is two meters tall in the middle; we'll put the hollow maybe six meters up the tree (unless its height was previously established, or you have reason to think otherwise?), so you're floating perhaps a meter above the rift, which is, coincidentally, about the height of three adult sprites.

   Several flying insects also escape the rift in both directions. Most have already scattered by the time you raise the shield. A translucent pink sphere now encloses the eye-shaped tear in space, looking like a bubble of bubblegum stretched very large and thin. It will hold for a while, but of course you have no idea how long the rift will stay open.

   The lemur-thing is indeed still in view; it hasn't left your home tree. While you were concentrating, it would scurry upward, freeze, look past you, scurry back downward, freeze, look past you again; it seems captivated by something in your direction. It notices when the shield goes up, cooing to itself for a moment before turning its attention back to the empty air over the rift.

   I will try to communicate with it via telepathy.

   Human or animal telepathy? (Silly question, perhaps, but you do know both.)

   ___
   So (dewey tailor wind) means a 21, rolled as a 2d10+10 botch-GE. That was an interesting code. I wonder how the code works. Are you still curious how I got 15?
   I am still curious. I don't exactly remember how my code works, but I have a good guess. I'm also not sure anymore that it was a 2d10+10 and not a 3d10, although I think it's likely. Also, I would have asked all those questions regardless of what roll came up; I need an idea of the entire spectrum to be able to adjudicate any given roll.

   Speaking of rolls, the force shield attempt comes up 37, which I'm confident will work even with a -16 for the shape; I'll add that to the sheet later. Telepathy will be rolled once I know what skill it is (sorry), and everything else is still running off of previous GEs.

   Oh, and you knew she knitted because you saw her doing it when you scried for the needle.

   Sun Apr 18 2010 8:03 pm #
4. 

   Max
   Member

   coincidentally, about the height of three adult sprites.

   What a coincidence.

   Several flying insects also escape the rift in both directions.

   I guess there will be an additional quests to find all of them.

   A translucent pink sphere now encloses the eye-shaped tear in space, looking like a bubble of bubblegum stretched very large and thin.

   I guess thinking about bubblegum does effect the color somewhat.

   Human or animal telepathy?

   It is not a sprite so probably not human telepathy (I think "Same race telepathy" would fit better than calling it human telepathy). It is shape like a lemur so I guess animal telepathy would fit but it could also be alien telepathy if the mind of the lemur are different from normal lemur and closer to an alien mind.
   I will try animal telepathy first and if that fails then I will try alien life form telepathy.

   *****

   I don't exactly remember how my code works, but I have a good guess. I'm also not sure anymore that it was a 2d10+10 and not a 3d10, although I think it's likely.

   Well, considering you forgot how you get 21 from that then it could not be helped. Does the code you make somehow related to language or similar sound?
   Are you trying to make a word jumble that spells twenty one or something?

   I am still curious.

   As I said before, I will tell you how I got 15 if you are still curious about it if you tell me the GE roll which is 21. When I see (dewey tailor wind), I thought it is a 3d10 GE roll which means (5+6+4) which equates to 15. If "wind" somehow means 2d10+10 then I guess it would be (5+6+10) which equates to 21.

   you knew she knitted because you saw her doing it

   What is her finished product? A baby glove or something?

   Sun Apr 18 2010 8:54 pm #
5. 

   M. J. Young
   Moderator

   (I think "Same race telepathy" would fit better than calling it human telepathy)

   Well, yes and no--because it is not really limited to "same race". There are four categories of "mind type": human, humanoid, animal, and alien. (There is also "self", which is closer than "human", but covers certain other versions of yourself, such as temporal duplicates, possibly divergents, possibly clones, but it rarely arises.) The referee gets to decide whether, for example, Vulcans are to humans human, humanoid, or alien, and the same with any other races; he also gets to make that decision on a universe-by-universe basis, so it might be that humans and sprites in this world are human to each other but in another world would be alien to each other.

   You do not yet know whether the humans of this world are "human" or something else in terms of your own telepathic skills.

   --M. J. Young

   Sun Apr 18 2010 9:40 pm #
6. 

   WilliamTWodium
   Member

   Quick question for MJ:

   If he's trying to use a particular mode of telepathy on a target that turns out to be invalid, is there a skill roll involved or is failure automatic (no chance to botch)?

   The mind is humanoid, and I'll treat the attempt at "alien telepathy" as a skill learning roll for Humanoid Telepathy if we get that far, but I'm wondering if a skill roll needs to be made for Animal Telepathy first - if maybe, at the table, he'd only discover it wasn't an animal mind if an obviously successful roll failed anyway.

   Edit: Bah, cross-posted. Oh, well.

   Sun Apr 18 2010 9:43 pm #
7. 

   M. J. Young
   Moderator

   Scott--so as not to hold you up, let me see what I can answer.

   I would say that if he does not have either humanoid or alien telepathy but he's trying to contact "that mind" by developing a new skill, I would roll for whether he learns whichever is the appropriate one, and then tell him whether the mind is "similar but different" or "very alien".

   But that's not the important question.

   I would say that if he attempts to use animal telepathy, I would roll for it and allow the possibility of a botch--the obvious botch here being that he contacts the tree or some other creature in that direction, and so loses time he could be using to contact the target. If the roll should be successful I might (particularly on a strong roll) tell him that the mind he is trying to contact is not animal; if it would have failed I would tell him only that it failed.

   But I don't know that I would do that in every case. I tend to do that when animal telepathy is at issue, but for example if a character has human, humanoid, and alien telepathy and is trying to contact a subject in sight of unknown mind type, I often assume that he "defaults" to the right type--sort of as if the contact is made by touching the mind with a sort of mind-read variant and then completing the connection. That, though, might be my own generosity--there's no reason you couldn't require a character to develop a mind reading variant which identified mind type for him before using telepathy of the appropriate type.

   --M. J. Young

   Sun Apr 18 2010 10:55 pm #
8. 

   WilliamTWodium
   Member

   Ah. That clarifies much; thank you. In that case, the 100 rolled is for animal telepathy, not skill learning.

   They're fair dice, honest.

   (more to come - I'm about to eat dinner)

   Sun Apr 18 2010 11:42 pm #
9. 

   WilliamTWodium
   Member

   
   

   Well, considering you forgot how you get 21 from that then it could not be helped. Does the code you make somehow related to language or similar sound?
   Are you trying to make a word jumble that spells twenty one or something?

   Nothing so easy to crack. Personal mental association of words with digits in context: dewey was 10 (a weak point in the code - who hasn't heard of the Dewey Decimal System?), tailor was 7 (this comes from one of my favorite children's stories; it would be a lengthy explanation), and wind was 4 (related to the reason tailor means 7, but also because of the Four Winds).

   I suppose now I'll have to use a different code next time, hmm?

   What is her finished product? A baby glove or something?

   A hat, for Morani. It might have started out being something else, but it was a hat when she got done.

   I guess there will be an additional quests to find all of them.

   You have amused me.

   Adding the following to Max's sheet:

   1@1 Prepared Force Wall P10@1 requires four minutes high concentration to initiate; creates visible force shield which does not obstruct vision, cover value when fully interposed = -(15 + SAL); up to a 10'x10' plane, penalties assessed for larger sizes, difficult shapes, and/or additional directions of protection, +30 SM

   With all that taken care of, I'll get to work on a botch list and we'll pick up the action in my next post (coming "soon").

   Mon Apr 19 2010 8:30 am #
10. 

    Max
    Member

    That clarifies much; thank you. In that case, the 100 rolled is for animal telepathy

    I wonder what that botch is. I just hope it is an interesting one. Let me see how much botches can Morach handle in a single day. Do you know the highest record of personal botches in which the verser still survives and which all the botches were done within 24 hours (because some verse have longer days) of game time?

    Personal mental association of words with digits in context

    A clever code. I have thought that "dewey" could be a possible 10 and "wind" is a possible 4 but I could not associate tailor to 7 until you mention about the children stories which reminds me about "Seven at one blow".

    I suppose now I'll have to use a different code next time, hmm?

    Well, playing code breaking (as a side game) could be fun.

    A hat, for Morani.

    Imagining a knitted hat on Morani. Somehow a vision of pixie hat appears.

    I seem to feel that answering in a certain way will induce probability of something happening which is related to what I envision. I wonder if that is also true for this telepathy botch.

    Mon Apr 19 2010 3:50 pm #
11. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    That's exactly the one! Seven at one blow - with "blow," of course, feeding the association with "wind" - it brings to mind the puffing faces at the corners of old maps.

    You reach out to touch the creature's mind, only to find yourself unexpectedly enveloped in it. Foreign images, thoughts, and experiences flood your consciousness, and you can feel your own psyche being intimately explored in return. The resulting cacophony of impressions and memory would be too demanding and chaotic to describe in full, and you will forget much of the detail soon; however, once you finally manage to separate your consciousness and identity from the creature's, you have learned several things:

    **

    [Note: I have used asterisks to enclose terms I am using to describe concepts which are somewhat foreign to you, like *this*; the words in asterisks are your best attempt at translation, and are not guaranteed to be accurate.]

    1) Life for him consists of hunting, evading predators, avoiding danger, and sleeping as little (and as lightly) as possible.

    2) He is strong and cunning. He knows this because he is still alive, unlike his brother and sister.

    3) He prefers to hunt *easy-prey*. In large part, this is because he has a sixth sense which tells him the location of any *easy-prey* nearby, making them very easy to find, but there are two other reasons. *Easy-prey* are often tricky, but he is too *fierce* for their tricks; this makes them easy to catch, because most *easy-prey* does not expect him to be so *fierce*. That is the first other reason. The second is that their brains are usually tastier (when they have brains; some *easy-prey* turn out to be plants, which he does not usually hunt).

    4) He does not fly like birds or insects fly, but his wings allow him to change direction mid-jump or leap farther than he could otherwise. He mostly sticks to the trees and canopy, because the largest creatures don't often climb, and the trees' defenses help keep him safe from ground-hunters.

    5) When cornered by something too large or too strong to kill, he will use his *kill-breath*, a red mist he sprays from the insides of his cheeks and the roof of his mouth. So far, it has always deterred (and sometimes killed) whatever was threatening him for at least long enough for him to escape. He doesn't like using it, because it is a long time before he can breathe it again, and anything he kills with it becomes gross - too nasty-smelling to eat.

    6) Through careful observation and study, he has determined the boundaries of several *bad places* bordering his territory. *Bad places* are especially dangerous because you can be in one without even knowing, at least not right away. Some things can live just fine in the *bad places*, but other things get very sick, or die. Anything that leaves a *bad place* is also *bad*, and should not be eaten. He is careful to avoid these places.

    7) His most secret desire is to become strong enough to go into a *bad place* for a long time (and come out again) without dying. His brother once fell asleep in a *bad place*, and the third eye his brother grew when he came out (before he died a few days later, screaming, skin sloughing off like an old snake's) could shoot *deathlight*. Nothing lived after the *deathlight* touched it. He hopes that if he could become strong enough, he could do as his brother did and grow the third eye, but without dying, and without losing his skin. He would be unstoppable, and the world would be his to do with as he pleased. Only his fear that he is not yet strong enough prevents him from trying this.

    **

    Reeling from the experience, you take a moment to recover. Clinging to the tree two meters away, Oo-hii (that's what his siblings called him, you remember) appears to be doing the same.

    If you have questions, if there is anything you're curious about, or if there's anything you think you would or might have learned from the mind-meld which I did not mention, ask now. I'm not saying I'll answer - you have no control over what you've learned, after all - but I'll consider it. However, I am much less likely to answer questions about the mind-meld later ("say, during that mind-meld last week, did I happen to notice any pink hippopotami?" "Well, gee, Maxx, you might have, but who's to say? The memories fade so fast . . ."). Of course, questions that don't have to do with the content of the mind-meld can be asked any time.
    _____
    Botch list, botch list . . . it's telepathy, so nothing too earth-shattering, but mind-muckery is a serious possibility. A few standbys to start us off:

    1. Wrong target (tree)
    2. Brain burn
    3. Psionic shockwave (minor)
    4. Reverse mind-reading
    5. Mind meld (Vulcan)
    6. Possess target
    7. Possess wrong target (tree)
    8. Mind meld (chimerical)
    9. Summon target's kind
    10. Spirit form made visible to target
    11. Emotional havok in target
    12. Telepathy apparently successful

    That'll do, pig. And the d12 comes up: 5, Vulcan mind meld. Well, it could have been worse.

    And hey, since I'm having trouble coming up with what, out of the Flying Monkey's entire psyche, to share, let's have a GE roll: 12, "good enough," so Maxx will learn useful things and maybe not spill every last one of his secrets to the creature.

    Fri Apr 23 2010 7:34 am #
12. 

    Max
    Member

    That's exactly the one!

    The excitement shows up in that sentence.
    Having exclamation mark does produce different effect!

    I wonder if I can copy Oo-hii memory from birth to now for future reference. I have this thought since I have forgotten a lot of detail of the mind meld after I separate my mind with Lelach.
    Does my mind still melded with Oo-hii mind after a while or does the link to Oo-hii mind seem to disappear?

    Does Oo-hii recognize the insects that have past through the rift and what they usually eat?

    What kind of predators and danger that exist in Oo-hii world excluding the things that come from *bad place* and ground-hunters?

    this is because he has a sixth sense which tells him the location of any *easy-prey* nearby

    Can he sense predators and danger with his sixth sense too?
    How far does this sixth sense work?

    their brains are usually tastier (when they have brains; some *easy-prey* turn out to be plants, which he does not usually hunt).

    I want to know the taste of the most delicious thing that Oo-hii have taste before.
    I also want to know if Oo-hii could survive by eating only plants.

    He does not fly like birds or insects fly, but his wings allow him to change direction mid-jump or leap farther than he could otherwise.

    Sounds like a flying lemur which ironically could not fly but only glide and not even a true lemur.

    because it is a long time before he can breathe it again

    An interesting *kill-breath*. I wonder if I can take a sample of it.
    How far is the range of this *kill-breath* and how long does it take to recharge it?

    he has determined the boundaries of several *bad places* bordering his territory.

    How far is the closest *bad place* to the rift?

    become strong enough to go into a *bad place* for a long time (and come out again) without dying.

    Seems like a world that have an environment that induces mutation which could lead to evolution. That would make the things that come from *bad place* be "different" from the original. I also wanted to know what else Oo-hii have seen seen coming out from the *bad place*.

    I wonder if there is microorganism in Oo-hii world. I have to remember to check it with Microscopic Vision later but before that I need to learn how to create or manipulate a light source first. I will keep this in mind or let it flow to Oo-hii mind for him to contemplate.

    Speaking of light, I wonder if Oo-hii would want to cooperate with me to find the insects that come from his world so I will ask him this through the mind meld. In return, I will find a way for him to produce light although I am not sure if it will be a *deathlight* but with some tweaking a light could be focused enough to create a *deathlight*. I have to warn him though that even if he succeeded in doing this, there are others who are stronger and the *deathlight* should be used in emergency cases only and should not be misused.

    *****

    The second mind meld in this verse. What is the difference between Vulcan or chimerical mind meld?
    Does the mind meld with Lelach considered to be chimerical considering it can control each other actions but with Vulcan mind meld only thoughts and the like can be exchanged?

    That'll do, pig.

    A famous quote from "Babe" which make me remember "Baa Ram Ewe". That in turn reminds me about a sheep in Warcraft 2.

    maybe not spill every last one of his secrets to the creature.

    If I mind melded with a another being, I rather the other being know all about me completely rather than just a little bit of info that might make that being misunderstands me. If that other being know all about me then probably that being personality will be affected by me.

    Fri Apr 23 2010 3:54 pm #
13. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    I seem to have created confusion by using the term "mind-meld," which was also used to refer to your mishap with Lelach (which I had forgotten about but now remember). This effect was loosely modeled after the Vulcan mind meld of Star Trek fame. It was a temporary event and is now over. The information I listed is the result of your character drawing conclusions based on the thoughts, emotions, and memories he was exposed to during the meld. There is no longer any connection between the two of you - you involuntarily severed it out of obedience to your instinct for self-preservation.

    I think that takes care of several of your questions up front. Let me know if I miss any.

    Can he sense predators and danger with his sixth sense too?

    The sense only informs him of the locations of *easy-prey*. Of course, some *easy-prey* are too large or too dangerous to hunt, but these are the minority (you think; not many of Oo-hii's thoughts dealt with this). Even so, predators who are *easy-prey* are sometimes easier to escape or avoid for the same reasons that huntable *easy-prey* are easier to catch: they often try to use tricks for which Oo-hii is too *fierce*.

    How far does this sixth sense work?

    "Nearby." Far enough to be relevant.

    I want to know the taste of the most delicious thing that Oo-hii have taste before.

    You don't know if it's the most delicious thing he's tasted, but the tastiest thing you experienced in his mind was the brain of one of the eight-toed lizards. It was difficult to catch, and the brain was very small, but it tasted of blood and salt and lightning, and Oo-hii savored it. You are not sure how it would taste to you.

    I also want to know if Oo-hii could survive by eating only plants.

    You don't know if he's ever tried, but you're almost certain he wouldn't like the idea.

    How far is the range of this *kill-breath*

    Very close. The one image you have of him using it, he was face-to-face with his bear-sized enemy.

    and how long does it take to recharge it?

    You don't know. Too long for comfort.

    How far is the closest *bad place* to the rift?

    You have scraps of knowledge about the layout of his territory, but since you don't know where the rift is, you have no way of knowing this.

    What kind of predators and danger that exist in Oo-hii world excluding the things that come from *bad place* and ground-hunters?

    Many. Varied. Anything one has not seen before might have the power to kill, disfigure, paralyze, poison, or induce insanity. Caution is a virtue but risk is unavoidable. (Or were you looking for specific examples?)

    Does Oo-hii recognize the insects that have past through the rift and what they usually eat?

    Of the specific insects you saw leave the rift, you can only remember seeing the dragonfly in Oo-hii's memory, and the context did not include the dragonfly's diet. (The dragonfly is *easy-prey*, and thus could not hide from Oo-hii.) Oo-hii may know, but you do not.

    I also wanted to know what else Oo-hii have seen seen coming out from the *bad place*.

    Your experience of this aspect of Oo-hii's life was vague. A three-headed viper emerged from a *bad place* once, and the things which ate it died (or most of them, anyway). Also, he associates metal things with the *bad places*; just to be safe, Oo-hii avoids touching metal when he has a choice.

    Regarding the *deathlight*, I should point out that it does not seem to be a laser, or at the very least, not only a laser. Its lethality went far beyond what could be accounted for by the minor visible burn wounds it left.

    **

    Given that you are not presently able to communicate with Oo-hii mind-to-mind (as you mention more than once that you would like to), what are attempting to do instead, if anything?

    ____

    No new mechanics to report. Everything is still riding on earlier rolls. Except -

    If I mind melded with a another being, I rather the other being know all about me completely rather than just a little bit of info that might make that being misunderstands me. If that other being know all about me then probably that being personality will be affected by me.

    Is this still your opinion, given the clarification I (hope I) have provided as to the nature of the "mind-meld"?

    Sat Apr 24 2010 7:05 am #
14. 

    Max
    Member

    So the difference between Vulcan and chimerical mind meld is the Vulcan mind meld works temporarily but the chimerical mind meld works semi-permanently. I wonder if this event somehow boost Morach familiarity with Oo-hii like when I mind melded with Lelach.

    what are attempting to do instead, if anything?

    Try telepathy to alien next. If I manage to contact him then I will introduce myself as the one who have melded with his mind before. I would also ask him if he wants to cooperate with me to restore things to what they were.

    tasted of blood and salt and lightning

    Bloody lightning. That reminds me of a cocktail.
    Oo-hii probably do not like the idea of only eating plants because it is not tasty.
    I wonder what would happen if the plant is as tasty and have the same nutrient as a eight-toed lizard's brain. I will ask him this if I manage to communicate with him.

    You have scraps of knowledge about the layout of his territory, but since you don't know where the rift is, you have no way of knowing this.

    Ask Oo-hii his last known position was according to his knowledge about the layout of his territory. I will also ask if Oo-hii wanted to return to his world or wanted to stay here.

    were you looking for specific examples?

    Dangerous creatures that could fly and could fit through the rift. The creature that can induce insanity also seems interesting. I want to know what these creatures look like. If I do not know then ask Oo-hii.

    Oo-hii avoids touching metal when he has a choice.

    There is a metal needle in the winter tree. I wonder if Oo-hii clings to that tree and if he is I will tell him that he might want to avoid that tree if he does not want to touch metal.

    or at the very least, not only a laser. Its lethality went far beyond what could be accounted for by the minor visible burn wounds it left.

    Electrolaser perhaps? I thought of that because in that world, metal or lightning seems abundant. Even Oo-hii *kill-breath* seems to hint something about metallic things. I will also discuss with Oo-hii about this if he wants to cooperate with me. If he wants to cooperate then I will probably try to manipulate/create light next.

    Speaking of metal needle, I just remembered the plan to use it to seal the rift but first I have to determine whether Oo-hii wanted to stay in this world or if he wanted to return back to his world.

    *****

    Is this still your opinion, given the clarification I (hope I) have provided as to the nature of the "mind-meld"?

    Given the nature of "mind-meld" that only a little bit of information can be exchanged, I rather have Oo-hii know more about my personality or nothing of importance. If all information can be exchanged then I will probably let Oo-hii know all about me completely but Oo-hii must be willing to do the same in return.

    Sat Apr 24 2010 12:15 pm #
15. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    If all information can be exchanged then I will probably let Oo-hii know all about me completely but Oo-hii must be willing to do the same in return.

    Just as you had no control over what you experienced while melding with Oo-hii, neither you nor he had any control over what he experienced. In fact, you don't even know what he experienced. I asked because it might influence how I interpret the GE roll.

    Oo-hii probably do not like the idea of only eating plants because it is not tasty.

    That too. More importantly, he is violent creature, and a proud one. Hunting is an exercise of his cunning and strength; a life spent subsisting on forage would be a half life.

    The creature that can induce insanity also seems interesting.

    I did not mean to imply that Kingdom Animalia had a monopoly on danger. Berries, sources of water, strange patches of ground, and odd smells should, if unidentified, also be classed as potentially lethal / disfiguring / paralytic / poisonous / maddening hazards.

    Also, some of your information with regard to this comes in the form of Oo-hii's fears rather than examples of hazard in action. You don't recall any specific instance of an entity being driven insane (other than Oo-hii's brother, near the end of his life - but he had more pressing concerns than his mental health at the time). You merely have knowledge that Oo-hii knew it was a possible concern.

    **

    Now knowing that Oo-hii is not quite an unintelligent animal, you quickly realize how you need to alter your technique in order to open a thought channel to his somewhat peculiar mind. When you reach out to him, you encounter resistance along the way - almost as if there were some sort of barrier between your mind and his - but with some effort, you are able to push through it.

    Oo-hii looks like he's fully recovered from your accidental mind meld. His limbs are tensed in readiness and he's looking directly at you. You have a two-way link to his mind; what do you say?

    (When conversing with a somewhat alien intelligence, your phrasing can sometimes be as or more important than your intent. It will be easier for me to run Oo-hii faithfully if we carry out your conversation in dialog form.)

    ______
    I'll allow that Maxx's attempt to learn "alien telepathy" is actually, in this case, an attempt to learn P1@5 Telepathy to Humanoids, not to learn P1@7 Telepathy to Aliens. I'll also give him +3 for familiarity, but it doesn't matter this time because the bias bonus is so huge success is assured.

    However, Oo-hii may have other ideas, so first, initiative: Maxx 87, Oo-hii 90. Since that's a failure for the skill Oo-hii intended to use, Maxx wins; his skill learning check is 57, successfully learning the skill at 1@2.

    Whether he's successfully contacted Oo-hii is another matter; the creature now knows he's there and is expected psychic contact. Read Minds can be resisted if the target is unwilling and knows it's coming, so even though Telepathy is harmless, I'll rule the same way. Oo-hii's skill check is 44 (never mind what skill), which is successful but below Maxx's check. Maxx wins. However, using a skill to resist does not waive Oo-hii's right to a Willpower check, which will be difficult (d30+10) because Maxx succeeded with more than 50: the roll is 24. After some thought, I've decided that fails, as well. (It would only succeed for a Willpower of at least 2@5.) Maxx has made contact. He'll have a chance to send his opening message before Oo-hii takes action for this round of "combat".

    Sat Apr 24 2010 7:13 pm #
16. 

    Max
    Member

    he is violent creature, and a proud one. Hunting is an exercise of his cunning and strength; a life spent subsisting on forage would be a half life.

    Interesting take on life.

    I also wonder if Oo-hii thinks he is insane when the mind meld occur. I also wonder what would Oo-hii reaction be when he heard someone communicate with him via telepathy.

    *****

    When you reach out to him, you encounter resistance along the way - almost as if there were some sort of barrier between your mind and his

    Mental barrier. That is interesting. I have to come up with something like this soon.
    I wonder where Oo-hii learn that from and why I do not feel any mental barrier during the mind meld.

    "Greetings, Oo-hii. Please cease your hostility. I am the creature that share your memories by accident just now. Do you know where you are right now?"
    I wonder how Oo-hii plans to attack me without knowing my current position. I also wonder if he could even hurt spirit like beings.

    If he does not know where he is right now I will ask, "Do you want to return to your territory?"

    Whatever the answer is, I will ask, "Do you want to cooperate with me? In return, I will help you to return or probably awaken your third eye."

    If Oo-hii still seems hostile and does not want to cooperate I will probably try to induce his thinking with suggestion next.

    *****

    Maxx's attempt to learn "alien telepathy" is actually, in this case, an attempt to learn P1@5 Telepathy to Humanoids, not to learn P1@7 Telepathy to Aliens.

    If I encounter another humanoid or alien, how do you differentiate when I say I want to try to communicate with them with telepathy?
    Would you ask if I want to use humanoid or alien telepathy or do you decide automatically which kind of telepathy that is?

    So a telepathy could be resisted using Willpower. If the mind meld did not happen, would Oo-hii be given a skill check to resist the telepathy because he did not know it is coming?

    Sat Apr 24 2010 8:51 pm #
17. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    "Greetings, Oo-hii. Please cease your hostility. I am the creature that share your memories by accident just now. Do you know where you are right now?"

    He pulls his lips back, showing all his sharp teeth. Perhaps it is a grin. He thinks to you,

    ::Ask me if I know where you are.::

    And then he leaps.

    He jumps directly at you, beating his wings once to slow his approach just as he arrives at your location in mid-air. His hands claw through you, and his jaws close on your insubstantial torso. His nails and teeth are sharp, but you feel no pain or pressure. His body, which passes through you next, is hairy and warm.

    His wingbeat slowed his progress enough that he lands on top of the pink force sphere (which seems to have been his intention). He scrabbles for balance and, achieving it, glares up at you. You're almost close enough to feel his breath.

    ::Come out where I can grip you, little cub. Do that, and maybe I'll stop hunting you.::

    _____
    The attack roll is 17, which is "successful"; it incorporates his wing-assisted leap, so I'll let him land where he wants, too. Ball in Maxx's court; might be a new round of combat, might not be.

    Other questions answered later, if I missed any; dinner's on the table.

    Sat Apr 24 2010 10:43 pm #
18. 

    Max
    Member

    I sighed at the Oo-hii futile effort.
    "Oh well, cannot blame you for trying."
    I also sighed at my futile effort at negotiating.

    Do that, and maybe I'll stop hunting you

    "I guess a proud warrior does act like this more often than not."

    Looks like trying to reason with Oo-hii would not work if he does not calm down.
    I will try to make Oo-hii cooperate with me using hypnotic suggestion via telepathy using shock induction method.
    "CALM DOWN AND LISTEN TO MY THOUGHTS!!", I said to Oo-hii in a commanding manner via telepathy.

    If Oo-hii calmed down and listen to me then I will ask the previous unanswered questions (regarding if he wants to stay in this world and whether he wants to cooperate with me).

    Sat Apr 24 2010 11:26 pm #
19. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    [I made minor edits to the previous post, for clarity. I made them before you posted, but I don't know if you saw them.]

    Your telepathic connection has apparently worn a "weak spot" in the barrier, and your commanding suggestion gets through to his mind - but once you're there, he pushes you away; it does not take hold.

    ::Try that again, little caterpillar. It might work.::

    He does seem calmer, actually; he's pawing the air where you are, apparently exploring the fact that you don't physically exist there.

    ::What do you have to say, grubling? You will tire soon enough, and I will find you then; we may chat as well as not. Your memories of the Ancients - were they false lies? Or true facts?::

    ____
    I rolled initiative, but thinking back that might not have been necessary (Maxx won with a successful 59 against a failed 75). We can work out the details of the suggestion later, as whatever it is, it's likely no-fail the first time: yes, 11 succeeds easily and the skill is learned. The defensive skill fails (79), which we'll chalk up to the telepathic connection, but the willpower check, simple this time (Maxx's roll is below 50), succeeds with a 14 on the dice. Maxx lucks out, though, in that Oo-hii appears to have decided that a parley wouldn't be so bad after all.

    We'll abandon combat time for now. I'd have gone ahead to address Oo-hii's answers to Maxx's earlier questions, but since he's posed a question of his own, I'm not sure Maxx still wants to go that route. We'll continue with the dialog approach for now.

    I'm idly wondering if Maxx's "warrior" characterization was a subtle try at flattery.

    Sun Apr 25 2010 12:29 am #
20. 

    Max
    Member

    glares up at you

    Somehow Oo-hii can see or sense me. I will try to change my position (but not too far) to see if Oo-hii eyes still follow me or does he still glares at the same place.

    he's pawing the air where you are, apparently exploring the fact that you don't physically exist there.

    Does he still paw the same place after I move a little or does he know where I am?

    Try that again, little caterpillar.

    "Caterpillar, huh... I guess you could say that in a way."

    You will tire soon enough, and I will find you then

    "I thought that you could see me seeing as you know where to paw. If you could not then tell me so I can make my presence known."

    Your memories of the Ancients - were they false lies? Or true facts?

    "Could you tell me about the Ancients that you mention about?
    I am searching for the truth too. Would you like to cooperate with me to search for the truth?
    Do you want to stay here or do you want to go back to your territory?
    Why do you think you exist in this world and why do you think we meet?
    Would you like to change your life and view the world from different perspective?
    Do you have friends, families or anything that you wish to protect?"
    I will ask the above questions continuously without waiting for the answer unless I was interrupted in the process. After I finish with the last question, I will wait for Oo-hii to answer.

    *****

    I'm idly wondering if Maxx's "warrior" characterization was a subtle try at flattery.

    "Warrior" just pops out off my head. That is how I mentally associate the personality of Oo-hii.

    Sun Apr 25 2010 4:56 pm #
21. 

    M. J. Young
    Moderator

    Two quick asides.

    1. As much as I would love to know what "Chimerical Mind Meld" is, I must point out to you that neither you nor your character can draw any conclusions about it from the fact that it was on a telepathy botch list with "Vulcan Mind Meld" other than that it is in some way different but is connected to telepathy. I can think of several possible meanings that fit, but it may be that Scott would prefer no one know what he means by that until someone experiences it, so I wouldn't push the issue.
    2. If you encounter another humanoid mind, you have learned how to contact minds that are "humanoid", that is, more different from your own than those of "like" creatures, and you will use the techniques you learned in this attempt to connect with that mind. The referee might give you a new use credit for making contact with a different humanoid mind, but that's his call. If you encounter an alien mind, probably the referee will let you attempt to contact it as humanoid, and based on whether the roll would have been successful might tell you that this mind is more alien than that, providing the opportunity for you to try a different skill approach.

    Sorry for the interruption.

    --M. J. Young

    Sun Apr 25 2010 7:37 pm #
22. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    Edit: Thank you, MJ. A mechanical question I don't have to answer justifies any interjection - and you're welcome here in any case.

    Maxx - just to add to that, your character may not even be aware, at this point, that there exists a fourth category of mind, and he certainly doesn't know that there aren't five. I imagine I'll be using the procedure MJ loosely describes. /edit
    ____

    He does follow you as you move, but he quits pawing after a moment or two, apparently satisfied that you really can't be touched.

    "I thought that you could see me seeing as you know where to paw. If you could not then tell me so I can make my presence known."

    ::I meant your other part, the part with blood and flesh. If you would reveal that, you'd save me a little time.::

    After I finish with the last question, I will wait for Oo-hii to answer.

    ::Are you . . . bargaining with me? Trying to trade me something for your life?::

    His eyes narrow,

    ::Or was that a threat? Saying you'll trap me away from my territory, implying you'll attack what I might want to protect?

    ::If you've something to offer in trade - Ancient artifacts, perhaps? or, the hiding places of your sleeping brethren? - then state it plainly. Enough with confusing questions. And if you're making threats, state them plainly, too, so I'll know what to laugh about as I feast on your coward's flesh.::

    Mon Apr 26 2010 5:56 am #
23. 

    Max
    Member

    A mechanical question I don't have to answer justifies any interjection

    I have to thank you for satisfying my curiosity considering it have been answered already even if you do not have to answer it.

    your character may not even be aware, at this point, that there exists a fourth category of mind, and he certainly doesn't know that there aren't five.

    I think my character right now characterizes the mind as:
    1) Similar to own kind
    2) Animal and plants
    3) Alien
    That makes me wonder what will happen if I meet an alien and try alien telepathy.

    *****

    He does follow you as you move

    "Could you see all spirits or could you only see me?

    If you would reveal that, you'd save me a little time

    "Even I do not know where my body currently is. You seem really hungry, do you want to eat something then?"

    Are you . . . bargaining with me? Trying to trade me something for your life?

    "I am bargaining with you and my questions are not a threats at all. I would trade my life for my brethren but I think you would not be satisfied with just a little snack like that."

    Saying you'll trap me away from my territory, implying you'll attack what I might want to protect?

    "I want to return you to your territory if you wish for it. You do not have to tell me what you wanted to protect but I need to know if you have anything you want to protect so I could help you to protect them."

    Ancient artifacts, perhaps? or, the hiding places of your sleeping brethren?

    Metal needle is probably what I am looking for but saying it is an ancient artifact might be too much. The winter tree was where we sleep during the winter but currently my family is away. Could I be considered an artifact or something? I wonder if those counts as what Oo-hii meant.
    "Did you see any of my skills when we share our memories?
    If not, you can see that I can be in this form and have made a barrier that you step on.
    Don't you think having me as your artifact to help you do incredible things an advantage to you?
    If I am useless to you and cannot find you any food to eat then you are welcome to eat me. Do we have a deal then?"

    Mon Apr 26 2010 3:13 pm #
24. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    "Could you see all spirits or could you only see me?" . . . "Even I do not know where my body currently is. You seem really hungry, do you want to eat something then?"

    These questions are ignored.

    (Also, as I interpret the flow of the conversation, this portion of the exchange occurs before your attempt at hypnotic suggestion, and thus before your litany of questions which resulted in his asking if you were bargaining or threatening. Yes?)

    "I am bargaining with you (...) I want to return you to your territory if you wish for it (...) Did you see any of my skills when we share our memories? (...) Do we have a deal, then?"

    He mulls this over for a moment.

    ::You don't make much sense, morsel. You ask silly questions, and some things you say are backward . . . but are you offering to come back with me, and be mine? And you'll do everything I say? And if you don't, I eat you. Is that the deal?::

    Thu Apr 29 2010 5:27 am #
25. 

    Max
    Member

    thus before your litany of questions which resulted in his asking if you were bargaining or threatening. Yes?

    Probably. If that is the case I will probably ask it again after reaching the deal.

    are you offering to come back with me, and be mine?

    "If that is what it takes to make you not kill my brethren. If you want to stay here because I will seal the rift then you could live here and if you want to go back then I will probably follow you unless you do not want to be followed. I could make a specific tunnel through the rift though if you want to go both worlds but I probably need more time for that."

    And you'll do everything I say?

    "I will do my best to protect you and find you food. I will also try my best to do what you say unless it contradicts my value or the deal."

    And if you don't, I eat you.

    "If I cannot find you any food then as an alternative you can eat me. If I can find you food to eat, eating me would be like throwing away potential food."

    Is that the deal?

    "What I have stated before is pretty much it. Do you agree to it then?"

    After he answers or ignores that, I will ask, "Could you see all spirits such as your sibling spirit or could you only see me?"

    After he answers or ignores that, I will tell him, "I will take something in that tree and I will come back. Please guard this area and do not let any creature from your territory pass. Before I came back, please decide if you want to stay, go back or be able to travel to both worlds."
    Then I will go to search for the metal needle in the winter tree. If I still cannot find the metal needle even with Lelach's guidance then I try to find it with my detect materials skill. If that does not work then I will try my perceive density skill.

    Thu Apr 29 2010 10:59 am #
26. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    ::Yes, good deal.::

    "Could you see all spirits such as your sibling spirit or could you only see me?"

    ::No. And I don't need to see you, pet-creature. I can find you anyway. Don't think you can hide or get away.::

    "I will take something in that tree and I will come back. Please guard this area and do not let any creature from your territory pass. Before I came back, please decide if you want to stay, go back or be able to travel to both worlds."

    ::Getting something? I'll come with you.

    ::And I want both places. We'll go back to my nest first, but I'll want to come back here later, maybe.::

    Then I will go to search for the metal needle in the winter tree. If I still cannot find the metal needle even with Lelach's guidance then I try to find it with my detect materials skill. If that does not work then I will try my perceive density skill.

    I'm not sure what you intend to do with the needle while in spirit form. It sounds like you want to bring the needle back to the portal, but if so, I'm unclear on what strategy you'll be using to accomplish that. Are you returning to your body first? And, does it matter that Oo-hii wants to come with you?

    Sat May 1 2010 9:46 pm #
27. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    Second post

    Also, this is the description I have for your Detect Materials skill:

    1@4 Detect Materials P3@4 (known patterns: seed mush, fabric, air, water, food in various condition, hair, saliva)

    It doesn't spell out how the skill works, but it implies that you can only search for "known" materials - that is, materials you have successfully examined using one of your four psionic Analyze Chemistry skills. How do you recall this skill working, and does any of this change your plans?

    Sat May 1 2010 9:52 pm #
28. 

    Max
    Member

    Yes, good deal.

    "I glad you liked it."

    I can find you anyway. Don't think you can hide or get away.

    "You must have very good intuition I guess. Glad to be of service."

    Getting something? I'll come with you.

    "You are welcome to but please alert me if something comes out from your territory using your intuition or something."

    And I want both places. We'll go back to my nest first, but I'll want to come back here later, maybe.

    "I also think that way is better. It looks like I have to build a tunnel or some kind of door between both world so it probably will take some time."

    It sounds like you want to bring the needle back to the portal, but if so, I'm unclear on what strategy you'll be using to accomplish that.

    There are a lot of ways to bring the metal needle in spirit form such as telekinesis or turning it in spirit form or something but first Morach have to locate the needle first. What I will do will depend on the condition of the metal needle.

    it implies that you can only search for "known" materials - that is, materials you have successfully examined

    That is true but not necessarily using Analyze Chemistry skills because I have this skill before I have Analyze Chemistry skill. I just have to be able to examine the material after I learned the Detect Materials skill to do it. Retrocognitive Scrying skill lets me examine the needle in the past so I think I could detect it again with the Detect Materials skill. If you think that would not work then I will use my Perceive Density skill to look for the metal needle. Oops, getting too in character during out of character section but I hope you understand what I meant.

    Sat May 1 2010 11:00 pm #
29. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    "You must have very good intuition I guess."

    ::Maybe. But for you, I don't need that, either. You're *easy-prey*; I don't even have to try.::

    "You are welcome to but please alert me if something comes out from your territory using your intuition or something."

    Actually, Oo-hii will be able to keep watch on the portal with his ordinary senses if he likes; the hollow is just on the other side of the tree at your present altitude, and the tree is less than a meter from the edge of the force sphere. (You'll have more difficulty from inside the hollow, of course.) He does not respond to your request, but he does follow to the tree and cling to the side while you enter.

    Once inside the hollow, you have difficulty finding the needle. You can't detect any metal here, and you fail to perceive density. Perhaps you're tired from all the psionics you have been doing (and are still maintaining).

    ::Well? What's taking so long?::

    _____
    It seems to me that examining a material is something you would have to do on purpose - that is, you tell me you're doing it and I make a note, and from then on it's a known pattern. I'll allow it this one time, though, because you didn't know that was the rule and you probably had time to examine the needle while you were scrying.

    90 fails to detect material and 93 fails to perceive density. At least they weren't botches.

    It's probably about time for me to go back and figure out how much time has passed . . .

    Sun May 2 2010 12:17 am #
30. 

    Max
    Member

    1@1 Perceive Density P9@1 analyze chemistry variant 4:00 preparatory concentration determines density within line of vision based on density (maximum depth in inches=RS divided by one tenth density) +40SM

    BRA+SAL+2xBias Level+SM = 20+11+(2x12)+40 = 95. I think 93 would be good to go unless maintaining psionic skills have adverse effects even though all the psionic skills are considered as low concentration skill if I am not mistaken.

    But for you, I don't need that, either. You're *easy-prey*; I don't even have to try.

    "I wonder what you meant by *easy-prey* considering in this form hardly anything could notice me. I also did not know you can use your intuition freely that you can choose to try it manually or leave it on auto-mode. I wonder how far you can detect if you really try."

    Well? What's taking so long?

    "I am still searching for the thing to seal the rift."

    If I manage to activate my perceive density skill then locate the needle. If I cannot locate the needle then I will concentrate for a minute and try a magnetism skill which can affect the area inside the tree and pull any metal towards me.

    *****

    examining a material is something you would have to do on purpose - that is, you tell me you're doing it and I make a note, and from then on it's a known pattern. I'll allow it this one time, though, because you didn't know that was the rule and you probably had time to examine the needle while you were scrying.

    Did you add "metal needle" on the list of known materials?
    This list will probably be long if I get to know more materials so that is why I will leave it to the referee discretion.

    Can I say that I will examine anything that interests me in that event so I do not have to mention it later such as if the thing that interests me in that event is metal needle and I have the chance to examine it then it will be automatically noted as known material? This is because I might forget to mention it if I think it is obvious that I am examining that material.

    how much time has passed

    How much time have passed since spirit ejection?

    Sun May 2 2010 11:38 am #
31. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    Actually, it would also be a failure if the world bias level were not at least 11@, which is entirely possible given everything that's happened up to this point. (A bias of P10@10, for example, would allow all the skills you've performed, and none of your skill checks since achieving a personal bias of higher than 10@ have been within four points of failure.) It's good that you mentioned it, though, because I didn't even notice the sit-mod and so I didn't bother doing the math (as I'm sure you saw). I checked the Detect for time factor and sit-mod, and then I guess I just assumed the other skill was the same way.

    However, the reason that sit-mod is there is because the time factor is four minutes (a fact I also overlooked), so everything happens as I've said except that Oo-hii's question comes a minute into the prep period instead of just after your failure.

    "I wonder what you meant by *easy-prey* considering in this form hardly anything could notice me. I also did not know you can use your intuition freely that you can choose to try it manually or leave it on auto-mode. I wonder how far you can detect if you really try."

    ::But I can notice you. And I don't have to try. That tells me you're *easy-prey*. Your tricks are no good against me.::

    "I am still searching for the thing to seal the rift."

    ::Then tell me what it is, and I'll find it!::

    The telepathy is mildly distracting.

    Once you know the needle's location, what do you do? (And what do you do differently if that location ends up being "in Oo-hii's hand"?)

    ____
    Detect Materials now reads:

    1@4 Detect Materials P3@4 (known patterns: seed mush, fabric, air, water, food in various condition, hair, saliva, steel)

    We'll do it this way: any material you are obviously familiar with but which is not on this list is detectable at a penalty. Materials on the list are detected without penalty. Materials are only added to list if they are examined with the possibility of future detection in mind. The way I know whether you character had the skill in mind or not is whether or not you say so: if you didn't mention it, your character wasn't thinking about it.

    The reason it matters is because I'm assuming the kind of examination required differs in some way from the ordinary - otherwise, it wouldn't matter whether you examined the material before or after you learned the skill. Since it does, that means you have to examine the material with this purpose in mind. I've giving you the needle as a freebie, but from now on no material goes on the list without being examined expressly for that purpose. On the plus side, anything you forget to actually examine is still detectable, just with more difficulty.

    Can I say that I will examine anything that interests me in that event so I do not have to mention it later such as if the thing that interests me in that event is metal needle and I have the chance to examine it then it will be automatically noted as known material?

    Maybe if I were a computer. I am not. I will forget. You will need to remind me in each case - and if you forget to remind me, you must have forgotten to do it. See above.

    (If this were something like, "I load my pistol every morning and empty it every night," then sure, we could do that, and if I forgot, that wouldn't mean it didn't happen. This case is not like that, though.)

    How much time have passed since spirit ejection?

    I've done an accounting of time and made a note. Your character knows it's been more than five minutes by the time he starts concentrating on the Perceive Density, but it's unlikely to have been more than twenty. If he needs a more precise number, I've heard that guessing is fun.

    Sun May 2 2010 8:47 pm #
32. 

    Max
    Member

    But I can notice you. And I don't have to try. That tells me you're *easy-prey*. Your tricks are no good against me.

    "That just shows how good your intuition are."

    Then tell me what it is, and I'll find it!

    "A metal needle to seal the rift. I hope you do not have an allergy to metal or something. You probably could detect it considering how intuitive you are."

    And what do you do differently if that location ends up being "in Oo-hii's hand"?

    I do not mind if Oo-hii grabs the needle if he does not mind touching metal. If I am not mistaken Oo-hii avoids touching metal if he has a choice but if he insists then I do not mind.

    Once you know the needle's location, what do you do?

    I will let Oo-hii grab it if he does not mind about touching metal. If he does mind I will probably move it telepathically if there is no obstruction. If there is an obstruction I will probably try to turn the needle in spirit form then bring it with me.

    *****

    Your character knows it's been more than five minutes by the time he starts concentrating on the Perceive Density, but it's unlikely to have been more than twenty.

    That is good enough. Just for fun, let me guess 12 minutes?

    Sun May 2 2010 11:13 pm #
33. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    "That just shows how good your intuition are."

    There is no further argument on this point.

    "A metal needle to seal the rift. I hope you do not have an allergy to metal or something. You probably could detect it considering how intuitive you are."

    A pause.

    ::Never mind. Just hurry up.::

    You finally finish activating your density perception, getting a very clear impression. It is not difficult to locate the needle (one of the densest things in the hollow, and with a distinctive shape). It is under a few things, but nothing that couldn't be shifted aside with telekinesis. You've never done it before, but the principle is not complex; before long, you have a mental grip on the needle and you've extracted it from its hiding place.

    Now what?

    _____
    I'm assuming that moving an object "telepathically" amounts to telekinesis. Skill learning for simple object TK: 71, that's a lock with his bias:

    1@2 Simple Object TK P4@2

    No description necessary; variants of this skill are uncommon in my experience, and since Maxx didn't give specifics, I'm going with baselines for everything.

    Just for fun, let me guess 12 minutes?

    Twelve is indeed a number between five and twenty. Good job!

    Tue May 4 2010 11:14 am #
34. 

    Max
    Member

    Never mind. Just hurry up.

    I knew Oo-hii would be reluctant to touch the metal needle. Oh well, it is up to me then.

    Now what?

    I will go back out through the opening of the tree and bring the metal needle with me to the rift.

    When I got back to the rift, I will start the ritual:
    1) Try thought projection to surrounding objects (to the area that contained the force field) as universal language and/or ask anyone that have telepathy connection with me to chant with me in their own language if they wanted to.
    2) Knock (or connect softly) the top of the force field using the back of the needle and project the thought of "Become the string to curve the material plane".
    3) Fly around the rift repeatedly from the upper end to the lower end (forming a spiral downwards) and project the thought of "Unison surreality, Unison sew reality, Let us be in unison to fix the reality" repeatedly until I reach the lower end.
    4) I will then point the sharp part of the needle to the lower end of the force field and say "Close the wound of reality, leave the traces spiritually" repeatedly until there is a reaction to the force field which would make it contract and curve the material plane to close the rift. This would theoretically leave a spiritual rift open but close the material plane rift.

    *****

    moving an object "telepathically" amounts to telekinesis

    An interesting typo which reminds me of an idea I have of using telepathy to talk to surrounding to initiate magic. I probably should use the term "remotely" instead.

    Tue May 4 2010 3:47 pm #
35. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    Okay, let's take this apart and figure out how it works. (The following numbered list makes no reference to the numbers used in your own numbered list.)

    1) Am I correct in thinking that this ritual could be performed regardless of whether or not you were physically present?

    2) Am I correct in thinking that the ritual will function regardless of whether or not entities in the area respond to your invitation to join the chant (or, indeed, whether or not any such entities are even present in the area), and thus that this is merely part of the verbal component of the ritual rather than any attempt to gain bonuses by involving multiple necessary participants?

    3) Is it the case that your thought projection must successfully function in order for the ritual to succeed, or is the attempt at thought projection itself sufficient to allow the ritual a non-zero chance of success?

    4) Would it be accurate to characterize your intended effect as an attempt to, without closing the gate between worlds, <me>manipulate space such that the two worlds connected by said gate have no physical contact with each other? Or, is that inaccurate, and in what way would the results of your successful ritual differ from that such that the inaccuracy matters in some hypothetical circumstance?

    5) Keeping in mind that your motion and the needle's motion are, at this point, completely independent, does the needle also need to travel in a spiral around the force field / rift, or does it only need to tap the top and tap the bottom (with its position and/or activity in the meantime being unimportant to the ritual)?

    6) How long do you expect this ritual to take? ("Until it works" is not an acceptable answer; how long do you expect it to take?) I would estimate this myself, but I don't know how tight a spiral you're traveling nor how long you spend chanting at the end.

    7) Is it your intention that the effects will be permanent or temporary, and if temporary is there some factor you expect to define the duration other than "for a while" (as in, "until sunset," "until I stop concentrating on it," etc.)?

    That's all the questions I have about the ritual for now.

    Perhaps more importantly, it seems as though the force field is a crucial component of your spell, but Oo-hii has expressed an intent to be on the other side of the rift. Is it really your plan to close off physical access to the rift before he is able to cross over?

    _____

    Holding off on sharing my mechanical thoughts until my questions are answered. If they aren't the answers I expect, I'd have wasted my time posting irrelevant rulings.

    Oh, but one thing: I might end up changing your telekinesis skill to a P4@3 Telekinesis of Obscured Objects, depending on how I end up treating your Perceive Density. Would you have any objection to that?

    Wed May 5 2010 5:04 am #
36. 

    Max
    Member

    1) Am I correct in thinking that this ritual could be performed regardless of whether or not you were physically present?

    Actually it could only be performed when I am spiritually present because only the spiritual me can confirm that a spiritual rift is still present after the ritual is finished. The material plane rift seal could be confirmed when the needle from lower end of the rift could go to the upper end of the rift without changing world.

    Am I correct in thinking that the ritual will function regardless of whether or not entities in the area respond to your invitation to join the chant

    Yes, but I believe that the Creator will hear me nonetheless.

    merely part of the verbal component of the ritual rather than any attempt to gain bonuses by involving multiple necessary participants?

    Participants are not necessary but will make the ritual more effective if there are more participants because of the ritual resonance (or unison) effect.

    3) Is it the case that your thought projection must successfully function in order for the ritual to succeed

    Yes, because I need to project my thoughts to the force field in step 2 of the ritual.

    manipulate space such that the two worlds connected by said gate have no physical contact with each other?

    That could be said as one of its effect. A material thing without spirit passing through the rift would not be affected. Living beings with spirit would probably notice something if their are intuitive enough but will not pass through the rift because their spirit is attached to the material plane. A spirit could pass through that rift. Any material thing that is turned into spirit form (pseudo-spirit form) could pass the rift. This pseudo-spirit form however will experience world duality when entering the rift. If this pseudo-spirit form changes back to material form before entering the rift completely, they will go back to the world that they came from.

    your motion and the needle's motion are, at this point, completely independent, does the needle also need to travel in a spiral around the force field / rift

    Yes, the needle will also need to travel with me in unison.

    How long do you expect this ritual to take?

    Duration estimation of the ritual:
    Start of ritual including thought projection and asking for participation: 2 minutes
    Spiral the force field and rift: 8 minutes
    Chant at the end: 2 minutes
    Contraction of force field to seal material plane rift: 2 minutes
    Total time: 14 minutes

    Is it your intention that the effects will be permanent or temporary

    It will be permanent in a way someone sew a cloth together. So, unless the reality or cloth is rip apart again, it will stay that way.

    Oo-hii has expressed an intent to be on the other side of the rift. Is it really your plan to close off physical access to the rift before he is able to cross over?

    I did say that I will make a tunnel (which is a spiritual one) and said it will take some time to return if he chooses the tunnel option (which is until the end of the ritual plus some time to develop a new skill). Oo-hii knows that I could turn into spiritual form so it is reasonable to think I could bring him home (or back to this world) by turning him into pseudo-spirit form. If he asks about it then I will explain my plan to him.

    *****

    depending on how I end up treating your Perceive Density

    If Morach's Perceive Density is active, he could tag mind via Read Minds normally instead of using "Tag mind of located hidden subject P3@9 enables the telepathic tagging of the mind of an unfamiliar creature whose position is known but who cannot be viewed because of intervening obstacles".

    Would you have any objection to that?

    Please tell me the reason why you choose to rule either way so I could help you to decide. If it is because Out-of-Sight, then Perceive Density makes it in plain sight.

    Wed May 5 2010 2:53 pm #
37. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    New, big questions:

    I) The spell closes the rift to material things. Does it do this by targeting the rift directly (that is, targeting the effect of the psionic accident), altering its properties? Or does it seal off material access to the rift by manipulating space/reality around it, leaving the rift itself essentially unchanged? I'm assuming it's the latter, based on your statement that the spell will "curve the material plane to close the rift," but if the spell is actually manipulating the rift itself, that's a fundamentally different matter.

    II) You say you want to "leave a spiritual rift open but close the material plane rift." You go on to say that "any material thing that is turned into spirit form (pseudo-spirit form) could pass the rift." This leads me to believe that we may have different ideas about what spirit form actually is.

    My impression was that your Spirit Form skill works by separating your spirit from your body without killing you. Thus, when you are "in spirit form," what this really means is that that aspect of your existence which distinguishes you from unthinking, unfeeling, non-free-willed objects is operating independently of your physical aspect.

    You want the spell's end result to be a portal which allows that "spirit" aspect to pass into another world while leaving the physical aspect behind. I understand that part. What I do not understand is how you intend to pass a needle though such a portal without first creating a spirit for that needle. You mention psuedo-spirit form. I do not know what this is, but I can't think of anything it could be that would allow the needle to pass through the portal without being a "living" entity. (I'm not saying you couldn't create a spirit for the needle, mind. I'm just fairly certain that's not what you had in mind.)

    Smaller, follow-up questions:

    Actually it could only be performed when I am spiritually present because only the spiritual me can confirm that a spiritual rift is still present after the ritual is finished.

    I don't particularly care if you can confirm whether or not it worked. I'm interested in whether or not it would be possible for it to work if your spirit were not separate from you body when you performed the spell. That is, does the magic require that you be in spirit form, such that if (in an emergency, for example) you had to attempt the spell while not in spirit form the attempt would be doomed to fail?

    Participants are not necessary but will make the ritual more effective if there are more participants because of the ritual resonance (or unison) effect.

    If this bonus is built in to your spell (and not, for instance, the result of the "participants" using special skills of their own to bonus your effort), then that will mean your spell is penalized if there are no participants. Are you okay with that?

    _____
    Apologies for the delay.

    Regarding the Out-of-Sight TK, it seems like you do have an objection. So, you would prefer that you learned the simpler TK skill which requires a targeting sense, and that your Perceive Density is treated as a vision-equivalent sense, and that you were penalized -10 on the TK for using a clairsentience-equivalent to circumvent the line-of-sight requirement?

    The alternative is that Perceive Density allowed you to gain the rough idea of position necessary for Out-of-Sight TK, which you may use without penalty to move objects whose position is known to you but of which you receive no direct sensory input.

    Sun May 9 2010 1:13 am #
38. 

    Max
    Member

    Does it do this by targeting the rift directly (that is, targeting the effect of the psionic accident), altering its properties? Or does it seal off material access to the rift by manipulating space/reality around it, leaving the rift itself essentially unchanged?

    Probably a little bit of both considering the space/reality of the rift are extended like a bubble to go around the other side so that the space will look seamless. That is one of the coded meaning of "unison surreality". The force field will act as a temporary guide for the rift which could be analogize to a spirit possession of material plane then manipulating the material plane of rift (which is why a spirit rift is left behind afterwards). Space/reality around it would probably look the same because the extension is portal-like which can only be perceived if you have a higher dimensional perception.

    What I do not understand is how you intend to pass a needle though such a portal without first creating a spirit for that needle.

    The needle should not pass the portal if the skill works because the needle is in material form. If I wanted to pass it through the portal I will have to change it into non-corporeal form (or pseudo-spirit form) first.
    That is why I use the term pseudo-spirit because a material thing that is turned into non-corporeal form is only mimicking a spirit but not actually a spirit.

    That is, does the magic require that you be in spirit form, such that if (in an emergency, for example) you had to attempt the spell while not in spirit form the attempt would be doomed to fail?

    Yes, considering the skill would need the unison of material and spiritual which is the needle and me.

    If this bonus is built in to your spell (and not, for instance, the result of the "participants" using special skills of their own to bonus your effort), then that will mean your spell is penalized if there are no participants. Are you okay with that?

    Yes, the skill would be bonus (more) if the participants are from both sides of the portal (such as Oo-hii that came from the other world) because it would meant the participants understand about the condition of the other world which would make the resonance of the skill much better.

    *****

    it seems like you do have an objection

    I do not mind either way as long as I know the reason why you choose what you choose.

    Perceive Density is treated as a vision-equivalent sense

    If it is treated as vision-equivalent sense then why does the skill treated as clairsentience-equivalent skill too?
    That part confuses me because Perceive Density does not have the ability to see remote object like clairvoyant unless a new skill is created to include it.
    The above discussion reminds me of the status of Pluto as a planet when people found Eris.

    Sun May 9 2010 12:14 pm #
39. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    Probably a little bit of both considering the space/reality of the rift are extended like a bubble to go around the other side so that the space will look seamless. That is one of the coded meaning of "unison surreality". The force field will act as a temporary guide for the rift which could be analogize to a spirit possession of material plane then manipulating the material plane of rift (which is why a spirit rift is left behind afterwards). Space/reality around it would probably look the same because the extension is portal-like which can only be perceived if you have a higher dimensional perception.

    I do not understand this. Each time I think I have it, I realize I'm just guessing.

    That is why I use the term pseudo-spirit because a material thing that is turned into non-corporeal form is only mimicking a spirit but not actually a spirit.

    I'm not certain that a non-corporeal object would have all of the relevant properties of a spirit in this case. Wouldn't a non-corporeal object be a material thing with no physical presence, rather than a spiritual thing? I'm not sure why a non-corporeal needle would have the ability to pass through a spiritual portal. Perhaps I misunderstand your intentions regarding the portal; perhaps it has something to do with my utter lack of comprehension of the paragraph I quoted first.

    Yes, considering the skill would need the unison of material and spiritual which is the needle and me.

    Noted.

    I think I know everything I need to know about this ritual except for what it actually does (see above).

    _____
    

    If it is treated as vision-equivalent sense then why does the skill treated as clairsentience-equivalent skill too?

    The requirement is actual eyesight, so any skill which is used in place of sight to target the object incurs the penalty. Not every skill which detects an object is capable of being used in place of sight to target the object, however. Thus, the skill is vision-equivalent in that it is a targeting sense (a label I'm borrowing from the Champions role-playing game, meaning a sense which provides accurate and precise information regarding location sufficient for targeting in combat), but clairvoyant-equivalent in that it is being used to circumvent the "line of sight" requirement for telekinesis.

    The question is whether or not we're treating Perceive Density as a targeting sense. If is not a targeting sense, then you must have learned Out-of-Sight TK. If it is a targeting sense, then you might have learned either Simple or Out-of-Sight (but most probably Simple), and I'd consider letting you pick which one you learned.

    Sun May 9 2010 6:15 pm #
40. 

    Max
    Member

    I do not understand this. Each time I think I have it, I realize I'm just guessing.

    Then just guess about how it works (because that could be fun). You could simplify it to a ritual that you can understand. If it have different effects than I intended, we will discuss about it then as long you understand the intended effects of the ritual as sealing the rift materially but leaving a spiritual tunnel open.

    Wouldn't a non-corporeal object be a material thing with no physical presence, rather than a spiritual thing?

    Yes, that is right which is why "pseudo-spirit form" actually is the better term for it. Pseudo-spirit form mimics spirit form enough to let you pass through the spiritual rift.

    I think I know everything I need to know about this ritual except for what it actually does (see above).

    As long it have the intended effects I do not mind which method you choose. I would leave that to your judgment.

    *****

    clairvoyant-equivalent in that it is being used to circumvent the "line of sight" requirement for telekinesis.

    Can you tell me more about the definition of "line of sight"?
    Does it include an object that is seen through a glass or reflected by a mirror?
    How about an object seen through a scope?

    If it is a targeting sense, then you might have learned either Simple or Out-of-Sight (but most probably Simple), and I'd consider letting you pick which one you learned.

    I think my character targets the needle because he can see it. It would be weird to move the needle without targeting it if my character could see it.

    Sun May 9 2010 7:27 pm #
41. 

    M. J. Young
    Moderator

    While Scott is regrouping, I'm going to attempt to address some of these points.

    • Maxx quoting Scott:
      

      Wouldn't a non-corporeal object be a material thing with no physical presence, rather than a spiritual thing?

      Yes, that is right which is why "pseudo-spirit form" actually is the better term for it. Pseudo-spirit form mimics spirit form enough to let you pass through the spiritual rift.

      There are several forms of non-corporeality/non-physicality of which "spirit form" is only one. An "ethereal form" could exist which is something like a "gaseous form" but that it is not made of matter and not subject to matter or energy in the physical realm, for example. The particular form of non-physicality that you've described for yourself involves separating the spirit from the body (as opposed to converting the body into a spiritual, ethereal, or non-physical form).

      Spirits are fundamentally supernatural, essentially so.

      I don't know more about the rift this botch created than you do, but I do know that a gate that allows spiritual but not physical objects to pass through it almost certainly does so by traveling through the border supernatural, and its rules would define "spirit" rather strictly. An ethereal object might have to count as a material object in that definition, and thus would not be able to pass through.

      But I take it that you are attempting to remove from the needle the property of "material substance", making it an immaterial object. That's certainly possible. It would, however, probably then require that you develop a form of telekinesis that is effective against non-material objects so you can manipulate it. It also remains possible that an "immaterial object" is different enough from a "spirit" that it could not pass through the same restrictive portal--remember, your spirit might be an immaterial object, but it is a specific type, a supernatural object existing in a material world.

    • Maxx:
      

      Can you tell me more about the definition of "line of sight"?
      Does it include an object that is seen through a glass or reflected by a mirror?
      How about an object seen through a scope?

      The point of "line of sight" is that you are using your normal vision to fix the position of the target object. I would say a simple test would be whether the "obstacle" involved alters your perception in a way that would impact hand/eye. For example, If you are holding a pen and can see your hand, you can trace the lines on a paper. If you are viewing your hand through a sheet of glass that does not distort the view, that will not alter your ability to trace the image. If, however, the glass warps the scene, or mirrors it, you take a penalty.

      A good example would be a rifle (slug thrower) with a laser sight. Your vision is like the laser, which touches the targeted object giving you vector and distance, and then when you pull the trigger the slug hits the target. Anything that removes your natural sense of distance and direction from the equation is like shutting off the laser.

    I hope this helps.

    --M. J. Young

    Tue May 11 2010 1:56 am #
42. 

    Max
    Member

    I do know that a gate that allows spiritual but not physical objects to pass through it almost certainly does so by traveling through the border supernatural, and its rules would define "spirit" rather strictly.

    Considering that the ritual is cast by Morach, the definition of "spirit" would be according to him right?
    His definition of "spirit" would allow things with certain properties to past through which would mean that the gate would be a bit different from the gate that travels through the border supernatural. It would be closer to making a bypass tunnel of the material world that exists in hyperspace and leaving a spiritual tunnel behind which could be accessed by spirit or other immaterial things (that are guided by spirit).

    But I take it that you are attempting to remove from the needle the property of "material substance", making it an immaterial object.
    It would, however, probably then require that you develop a form of telekinesis that is effective against non-material objects so you can manipulate it. It also remains possible that an "immaterial object" is different enough from a "spirit" that it could not pass through the same restrictive portal

    All of the above problems could be solved if I extend my spirit to include the immaterial objects as part of my spirit just like an additional limb. I also said "leave the traces spiritually" and said that I was going to manipulate material properties of the rift so immaterial object could pass it if the immaterial object have traces of spiritual form.

    If you are viewing your hand through a sheet of glass that does not distort the view, that will not alter your ability to trace the image. If, however, the glass warps the scene, or mirrors it, you take a penalty.

    I think Perceive Density can view the needle through obstacles like viewing things through a sheet of glass that does not distort the view. If that is the case, should the user of Perceive Density take a penalty for it?

    I hope this helps.

    Yes, thank you very much.

    Tue May 11 2010 1:02 pm #
43. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    Thank you, MJ.

    If he asks about it then I will explain my plan to him.

    Oo-hii does not ask questions, but watches you and the needle warily from his position on the home tree. When you figure out the trick of projecting your thoughts without contacting a specific mind, you begin your ritual; Oo-hii does not join in, but neither does he interrupt.

    Your movement of the neelde is somewhat clumsy, but you manage the required motions. At the end, you feel that you are tapping in to supernatural forces - becoming a conduit for energies from outside of normal reality. On cue, the force sphere surrounding the rift begins to twist and contract.

    ::You're getting rid of the shield now, yes? We can go through soon?::

    The rift is not responding how it should. It is bending and warping, as you wanted, but it seems to be working against the force field, not with it, almost like it's fighting back -

    - and all at once there is a flash of pinkish light and a wave of force and heat passes painlessly through you. Space seems to ripple around you with the force of the explosion, and you hear Oo-hii cry out in surprise and pain.

    The rift still stands. The force shield is gone.

    The forest still stands, but the explosion has ripped through underbrush and knocked down small trees for as far as your incorporeal eye can see. Everything is at least scorched or singed, and anything particularly dry and flammable - for example, the leaf litter on the forest floor, in many places - has caught fire.

    Your mother's thoughts intrude, frantic:

    ::Morach!! Baby, can you hear me? Are you alright?::

    Oo-hii is battered, smoking, and furious.

    _____
    Subjectively, does your character experience the density perception as something more akin to eyesight or more akin to a priori knowledge?

    On to the ritual:

    My guess is that this is not strictly operating on the rift itself, but rather it seeks to manipulate reality around the rift such that it interacts differently with its surroundings. As such, the spell is a M15@8 Alter Space, and Maxx starts off with a -81 penalty for his mere M7@7 character bias. Assume maximum world bias (I'll consider the issue if the roll is within fifteen percent of a break point) for +15, and unless his An-Mag is level 2 (is it?), his BRA is his 1@10 Intuition for +20; no teacher, no instructor, no example. That leaves -46 before ritual sit-mods.

    Oddly, he has all three categories of component (verbal, somatic, material), despite his unusual circumstances. I'm allowing thought projection to substitute for spoken words at no penalty (though a skill roll will be required at amateur Thought Projection SALs; this time it's free because skill learning success is guaranteed, congratulations on your 1@1 SAL for the 33 rolled, remind me to add that to your sheet, Maxx); I'm ignoring the adjustments for "sound necessary" and "forceful/sung", but granting +5 for appropriate words.

    Somatically, he really on has one body part: his position. It is involved, and no other part may be substituted, which is baseline. I will not be convinced to award the bonus for "fully body involvement" in this case. However, I'm willing to grant +10 for the requirement that the caster's spirit must be separated from his body for the casting.

    Materially, he needs a force field and a metal needle. The metal needle is a common manufactured object of a specified but general material, for +3. The force field is somewhat harder to come by, so I'll give a value of six, doubled because the shield is consumed, for a total of +12 for the shield.

    Baseline time factor is nine minutes. The ritual is twelve (the last two minutes are just the magic taking effect, requiring no involvement from the caster), which is 33% of a doubling for +3. Baseline duration is RS minutes, but permanent Alter Space effects are allowed at only -25.

    Ritual factors thus total -2 (+5 verbal, +10 miscellaneous, +15 material, +3 TF, -25 duration), for a total modified skill learning success chance of -48 if the ritual is arcane. I'm assuming it is, so that's an 84% chance to fail and a 14% chance to botch. Let's see the roll:

    89.

    Just not your day, is it?

    Well, it's an alter reality spell that directly manipulates space, so
    most bets are off. As a bonus, the intended effect was meant to take couple of minutes to manifest, so might I have an excuse to draw out whatever catastrophe is lucky enough to be picked from the following table:

    1) Tear rift wider (way wider)
    2) Open new gate
    3) Shift universe into the border supernatural
    4) Magical anomaly
    5) Implosion
    6) Explosion
    7) Summon malignant entity
    8) All living entities in locality swap universes
    9) Locality swap (closes rift)
    10) Trans-universe spirit exchange program (does not)
    11) Extract dual locality into pocket dimension
    12) Closure apparently unsuccessful (force shield consumed)

    And the roll is: 6, Explosion. Ah, well. I was hoping for something more closely related to the nature of the mishap, but explosions are nice too, I guess.

    The dual GE roll for damage/area is fun though: 13 for damage (Lethal + Annoying, which is "barely good enough") and 19 for area of effect (primary blast radius of 1 Mile, "not thwarting, but generally unfavorable"). Also, it occurs to me that we don't know for certain how close Maxx's parents (and body) are, so we'll need a GE for that, too: 18, "not favorable". It's been nearly half an hour, so they'll have gone some distance away, but not, I think, so far as a mile; I'd want at least Barely Good Enough for that. After all, there is no clear and present threat from their perspective, only an unusual paranormal occurance and odd behavior from their child. They will be out of sight of rift, probably near water, but within the primary blast radius.

    Damage: 45 lethal, 76 annoying rider, that's 9 intensities of kinetic damage + 1 intensity heat and flame, total ten intensities. Maxx's damage value is currently 1@5, so he'll survive, and his parents will also. They get simple TV checks to reduce the damage, and I'll let Lelach's cover Maxx as well: Morani 14, Lelach 22. That'll succeed for Morani due to a high Agility, but even if I granted Lelach a 1@10 Intuition, she'd need a 2@7 Agility to achieve a TV of 2@3, so that's failure for her and the child she carries. Morani takes Dangerous + (Annoying -10), for (5+1=) six intensities, but Lelach and Morach each take the full ten. All the principal players live, but the flora and fauna are in a bad way. (Six intensities out to two miles, four out to three, none after that. Six miles diamater meaningfully impacted.)

    Oh, forgot Oo-hii: 31 is certainly above his target value, so he takes full damage, which he certainly survives.

    Tue May 11 2010 2:02 pm #
44. 

    WilliamTWodium
    Member

    Second post (crossed with Maxx):

    Considering that the ritual is cast by Morach, the definition of "spirit" would be according to him right?

    No. Spirit is already defined. All you can decide is whether or not you're doing magic that treats spirits differently, and/or whether the magic makes reference to some other distinction.

    It would be closer to making a bypass tunnel of the material world that exists in hyperspace and leaving a spiritual tunnel behind which could be accessed by spirit or other immaterial things (that are guided by spirit)

    Well, why didn't you say so? That sounds like you're opening a new portal to replace the one you're closing, which gives you a little more control over how that portal works (as opposed to part-way closing an existing portal, as I interpreted the spell). Of course, it also means you're incorporating a second skill listing into the ritual, which would involve negative sit-mods. Everything in the above post stands.

    I think Perceive Density can view the needle through obstacles like viewing things through a sheet of glass that does not distort the view. If that is the case, should the user of Perceive Density take a penalty for it?

    Yes, of course. You're not looking at the object, you're noticing an object-shaped volume of density suggestive of an object. My only question was whether this was more like a sixth sense (thus treated like clairvoyance, -10 to simple TK) or more like a detection (thus requiring P4@3 Out of Sight to target the object). You seem to think of it like vision, so we'll go with the former.

    Tue May 11 2010 2:13 pm #
45. 

    Max
    Member

    Does my parents or anyone else participate in the ritual?

    I wonder if the other side of the portal exploded too so I will take a peek to the other side of the portal.
    The needle would probably be stuck to the ground because it is situated below the force field when the explosion happened.

    Morach!! Baby, can you hear me? Are you alright?

    "Yes, I am alright."

    You're getting rid of the shield now, yes? We can go through soon?
    Oo-hii is battered, smoking, and furious.

    "Sorry, that does not exactly behave like I intended. You should check your nest on the other side to see if everything is intact."

    This sounds like a good opportunity to learn how to control space/time.
    First, I will have to stay in my spiritual form longer.
    I will concentrate for a minute then try to make the spirit form travel independently as long as the body life function is preserved.

    I will then concentrate for 8 minutes then try to stop material space/time.

    *****

    Subjectively, does your character experience the density perception as something more akin to eyesight or more akin to a priori knowledge?

    I think it is more akin to eyesight as I specified it as so.

    for a total modified skill learning success chance of -48 if the ritual is arcane. I'm assuming it is, so that's an 84% chance to fail and a 14% chance to botch.

    Do you mean 86% chance to fail and a 14% chance to botch?
    I just wanted to tell you that the ritual is actually a unison prayer which could be considered alliance magic considering the act of healing wound and I have "1@5 Religion, undisclosed alliance faith M1@0".

    Ritual factors thus total -2 (+5 verbal, +10 miscellaneous, +15 material, +3 TF, -25 duration),

    Ritual factor = 5+10+15+3-25 = 8
    Modified skill learning success before religion bonus = -46+8 = -38
    If holy alliance = -38+10+8(half religion score)= -20
    That would make the skill have 12% chance of botch and 88% chance of failure which is still a botch. I am still happy though because I can see how it is calculated. I know that permanency would make it more likely to botch but I did not know by how much. Did you see the effect of how 1 participant could change the flow of events?

    That sounds like you're opening a new portal to replace the one you're closing, which gives you a little more control over how that portal works (as opposed to part-way closing an existing portal, as I interpreted the spell). Of course, it also means you're incorporating a second skill listing into the ritual, which would involve negative sit-mods.

    What second skill?
    That only means that I connect things materially together but leaving the spiritual/immaterial part intact which resembles locality swap which only effects material things. I also said that any other methods that would achieve the same intended effects would qualify as the result. If that counts as opening a new portal then what are the negative sit-mods?

    They will be out of sight of rift, probably near water, but within the primary blast radius.

    Thanks to the botch I know their location now although Morach does not.

    Six miles diamater meaningfully impacted.

    Wow! A destructive force indeed.

    Tue May 11 2010 4:22 pm #

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