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John Cross in TerrraTerraTerranova

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Started 2 years ago by JohnA1nut
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M. J. Young
Moderator

Your first day's effort fails. While you're still trying to figure out how to make it the shape you want, it hardens into a shape that does not appear to be useful for much of anything.

"I guess if you want to make the word 'magic' mean whatever you want it to mean, and nothing more, I can't really argue with you. But I'd be careful about what I claimed was not magic. After all, Merlin always treated what you call psionics as another form of magic--he called them the 'inner' powers, which were distinct from the 'outer' powers. He also thought that calling on God or gods or other spirits for miraculous power was more like tapping such power yourself than like finding the power within yourself--it was the same kind of power, power coming from beyond the universe, distinguished only by whether you were controlling the power directly or asking someone else to control it on your behalf. I think, too, that we have to consider the example of Moses and the magicians of Egypt. They were really priests, you know, servants of their gods, who expected their gods to perform miracles just as Moses' God performed miracles--and according to the accounts, their gods did perform miracles very like those God performed through Moses. What the Egyptian magicians did was much more like what Moses did than it was like what Merlin usually does--or did, I suppose. And I certainly know the difference between when I move things myself, when I ask God to send an angel to move them, and when I tap into energies from beyond the universe to do so. It's the same kind of energy when the angel comes as it is when I tap that outer energy.

"But perhaps I should just let you live with your mistake. After all, Joe Kondor doesn't believe in magic at all, and he can't do any, but that doesn't mean he's helpless--he gets done what he needs to do with the tools he does believe in. You've never used supernatural power other than by prayer. You don't want to believe it's possible. That's fine. Just don't let yourself get blindsided when some wizard assaults you with power you thought he couldn't have."

--M. J. Young

Sun Mar 15 2009 11:32 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

Your first day's effort fails. While you're still trying to figure out how to make it the shape you want, it hardens into a shape that does not appear to be useful for much of anything.

Oh, but it is useful for quite a bit. Check its flexibility, check the hardness, bang it up a little. See if what I made is within acceptable tolerances to even bother trying again.

I think, too, that we have to consider the example of Moses and the magicians of Egypt. They were really priests, you know, servants of their gods, who expected their gods to perform miracles just as Moses' God performed miracles--and according to the accounts, their gods did perform miracles very like those God performed through Moses.

"Yeah, ya know, that's something I really found confusing. The Bible says that the God of Abraham is the One True God. However, in the accounts of Moses and the Egyptian priests, it claims that the Egyptian priests performed miracles through the power of other gods. I think it's possible, just possible, that all of the gods of all of the religions of the Multiverse exist in some form or another. Call them Angels in Training if you want to. I think this is possible. I mean really, we have about as much proof for the existence of the God of Abraham as we do for the existence of Allah. Who is to say?"

Mon Mar 16 2009 5:48 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Lauren smiles.

"Of course," she says, "Muslims would say that Allah is the God of Abraham; and Allah is not really a name of God any more than God is. They're the same word in different languages: if you were to preach the gospel in Arabic, you would have to call God 'Allah', and Jesus 'the Son of Allah'. I don't know whether, like the Jews, they worship the same God with incomplete or incorrect knowledge, but I would hesitate to say that they don't.

"But I think you're probably right about all those other gods. They're probably created spirits, some of them working with God and some working against Him and some maybe not taking sides at all, just like people."

Your sample hardened material is very promising. It is hard as metal, probably comparable to iron in terms of flexibility. Your banging does not dent, chip, crack, or bend it, and you think it would take a lot of well-placed force to break it.

--M. J. Young

Mon Mar 16 2009 11:00 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

Taking the messed up piece of resin and tossing it into the nearest trashcan:

"Sorry for wasting your time with that Lauren. This is supposed to be metalworking class. Let's get back to that silver knife, shall we? Do you have any silver? I can make you a knife with it too."

Take 4 silver crowns (four ounces each) and start work on the knife. I don't know that I will need that much silver, but it seems like as good a place to start as any.

Tue Mar 17 2009 12:11 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Two Posts

No, the whole point of making a silver knife is to hunt demons and the like. Why not use the Demon Silver? Use 10 silver tree leaves, not the crowns.

Don't forget to bless the knife when you're finished.

I'm watching Ironman, and I'm wondering if I can build a suit like that. Medieval body armor is something I've probably made..... Let's see.

Tue Mar 17 2009 9:58 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You show Lauren and Derek how to work with the silver. Your knife does not come out so well as you would like, and rather than put a handle on it you decide to adjust your mold to get a better balance on the blade and re-cast it. That, though, is a job for another day.

You will have worked on plate armor, but there's not that much demand for it from village blacksmiths, so mostly you've done repairs on damaged armor from time to time, and on barding. It's probably within your ability to make such a suit (a medieval suit, that is). Powered armor will require you to develop some additional skills.

My perception is that this is the third day since you started these studies, and that today you learned to project psionic skill patterns into the minds of others. You have finished work, and Lauren has left with Derek to learn computers, so the question is what you want to do with the remainder of your day.

--M. J. Young

Thu Mar 19 2009 12:32 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

so the question is what you want to do with the remainder of your day.

Try again on the knife. I can do it without Lauren there, unless she wants to try to teach me another psionics lesson. If she does, then go and learn that.

Might Derek have the needed skills to make the powered armor?

Thu Mar 19 2009 3:45 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Derek's skills are mostly in software and computer hardware. He has very little knowledge in robotics, and that all theory. If you need a software engineer to design the stabilization and response systems, or even a hardware engineer to create the processors for it, there's a good chance he could help. He can do nothing with servos and selenoids but tinker with their control systems.

The knife comes out acceptably well on the second attempt. You feel like you could have created something much better, something of genuine quality, but this is a suitable commercial quality product.

Unless there's something else, you will be at work the next day, what I'm calling Day 4 for purposes of my tracking your skills.

--M. J. Young

Thu Mar 19 2009 9:17 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

From Behind the Screens:

John 2 rolls 31 on the second effort to make a silver knife, which is a good success. Of course, he is a professional metallurgist, and were he to roll at least 51 but not more than 63, he would have created a weapon of quality, something with inherent bonuses because of its craftsmanship. We'll see if he wants to keep what he's got, scrap it and try again, or attempt to make another.

John the player knows this. John the player would want to try again, in hopes of a better roll. John the character doesn't know that. John the character would probably be happy with the results. However, since John the player is in charge, I'm going to make a second knife. That one was made using the Demon Silver. Both John the player and John the character are kind of superstitious about that Demon Silver. So, I'm going to make the second knife using silver crowns. Let's see.... 10 leaves, 10 ounces silver, so use a pair of 4 ounce crowns and a half crown. Same weight.

And MJ, I need you to post my character sheet in its entirety. My other computer has my sheet, and it is OOC (Out Of Commission) so I can't access my character sheet. Can you please post what you have?

Thu Mar 19 2009 10:05 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You make another decent silver knife from the coins.

Name John Edward Cross II
a.k.a. John A1nut

Attributes
Persuasion 1@6
Charisma 1@5
Animal Magnetism 1@5
Strength 1@9
Stamina 1@8
Resistance 1@10
Density 1@1
Flexibility 1@3
Agility 1@4
Hand/Eye 2@1
Intellect 1@10
Intuition 2@2
Education Level 2@1
Will Power 1@7

Averaged Attributes
Ranged Strike Value 2@2
Martial Strike Value 1@10
Target Value 1@6
Damage Value 1@7

Best Relevant Attributes
Tech 2@2
Psi 2@2
Mag 2@2
Bod 1@9

Bias
Tech 10@2
Psi 5@10
Mag 12@6
Bod 7@5

Weaknesses Titanium plate in left ankle, lazy eye (left, can switch eyes), no depth perception, Selachophobia, (fear of sharks)

Description Height 6' 2", Weight 240 pounds, Current Hair Style long, Hair Color brown (natural), Age 29, Eye Color brown, Facial Hair unkempt beard, 6 inch scar on left ankle, 2 inch scar above right eye, bulky, stocky, carry the weight well.

Skills

Tech All weapons are fully loaded
1@1 Survival: Temperate Forest, T0@1
1@3 Edible Plants T0@1
1@5 Basic Fire Skills Package T1@1
1@3 Cook T1@2
1@5 Firebomb T1@6
1@3 Sewing T2@1
1@4 Fishing T2@1
1@2 Knit T2@2
1@1 Whittling T2@3
2@1 Operate Typewriter T3@1
1@1 Build latch & lever crossbow T3@1
1@1 Design lever & latch crossbow T3@1
1@7 Use crossbow T3@1
1@5 Operate Small Boat T3@1
1@1 Pick Locks T3@2
2@1 Blacksmithing Package T5@3 Various tool use skills including hammers, pliers, tongs, and sheers; Identify soft metals T4@0; Smelt soft metals T4@1; Hammer soft metals T4@1; Welding T4@2; Carve soft metals T4@2; Imprint soft metals T4@2; Alloy soft metals T4@3; Draw soft metals T4@3; Identify hard metals T5@1; Smelt hard metals T5@1; Cast hard metals T5@1; Hammer hard metals T5@2; Cut hard metals T5@2; Draw hard metals T5@2; Temper hard metals T5@3; Alloy hard metals T5@3.
2@8 Gun Knowledge T6@0
1@10 Operate Large hand-carried explosive-driven slug thrower (rifle) T6@1 +2
2@2 Operate Ruger P-99 pistol T6@1 +2
2@4 Operate Mossberg Shotgun T6@1
1@1 Operate Explosive-tip Spears T6@1
1@3 Hard Shell Bombs T6@2 (pipe bombs)
1@2 Soft Wrap Bombs T6@3
1@2 Design & Build explosive-driven artillery T6@4
1@4 Electronic Detonators T6@5
1@5 Medical Diagnosis T7@0
1@8 Medical Treatment/First Aid T7@1
2@5 Operate Vehicle (automobile) T8@0
2@1 Operate Vehicle (CDL--trucks & heavy equipment) T8@1
1@3 Automotive diagnosis and repair T8@2
1@1 Use Epoxy Polymer T9@1
2@1 Electronic Assembly T10@2
1@7 Use Computer T11@0
1@1 Operate Heating and Cutting Laser T12@1
1@1 Use Laser Blaster T12@1 (borrowed from Derek Brown)

Psi
Familiarity: John the Smith +5, William the Smith's Apprentice +3
1@10 Hypnotic Headache Relief P1@0 involves massaging forehead while speaking gently
1@6 Mind Reading P1@1
1@2 Observe Mental Process P1@1
1@2 Tap Language Center P1@1
1@2 Search Memories P1@1
1@1 Delayed Telepathic Message P1@2 projects thought to be received by the intended target when he is next psionically aware.
1@1 Project Psionic Skill Pattern P1@2
1@2 Telepathy to Humans P1@3
1@1 Self-suggestion P1@4
1@5 Enhanced Memory P3@0
2@2 TK Pulse P4@1 +2
1@3 Simple TK P4@2
1@1 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3
1@3 Out-of-Sight Telekinesis P4@3
1@1 High Velocity Telekinesis P4@4
1@1 Neutral Bouyancy TK P4@6
1@9 Multiple Object TK P4@7
1@1 Levitation P4@8
1@2 Noncorporeality P5@10 RS minutes

Mag
1@5 Act Psychotic M0@2
1@8 Religion: non-denominational Christian M1@0
1@1 Ceremony: Bless Water M+1@1 0:06 TF say something like "Dear God, bless this water, that it might be effective against your enemies." while making sign of cross with either hand, imbues any contained quantity of water with holy magic for use in other skills -82SM
1@2 Bonus Morale M+1@1 0:12 TF pray "God give me the courage to do what needs to be done" while kneeling, -2SM
1@1 Bless up to 150 weapons to increase damage against demons M+1@3 kneel and pray with appropriate words in established base location over chosen weapons to confer +DC on all weapons so blessed for use in next battle with demons, -2 SM
1@3 Bless up to 150 weapons to increase damage against demons M+1@3 kneel and pray with appropriate words over chosen weapons to confer +DC on all weapons so blessed for use in next battle with demons, -12 SM
1@1 Use Active When Worn/Held Invisibility Cloak M1@3 performs M5@8 Invisibility for those within it plus M7@3 Penetrate Magical Disguise
1@1 Bonus Blacksmithing/Metalworking Skill Checks M+1@4 retire to personal room or quarters, kneel with total body involvement, pray with appropriate words for forgiveness, wisdom, strength, and help with current task, 5:00TF, confers +20 on next major task attempted, +53SM
1@1 Bonus Single Blacksmithing task check M1@4 RF1 appropriate prayer while performing the skill, -25SM
1@3 Bless Named Group M+1@4 gives +RS/5 to next prayers prayed/holy magic skills used by all members of target group for next RS/5 prayers distributed among them equitably, appropriate words, total body involvement (kneeling) in established home base, 2:30 TF, +45SM
1@1 Help with Blacksmithing Project M+1@4 RS/10 bonus on all skill checks for RSx8 minutes, must kneel in established home base, pray appropriate words aloud, 2:30 TF, +15SM
1@1 Bonus Mag Device Use Skill Check M+1@4 TF 0:06 say "Please God let this work" +RS/5 to next mag device use attempt -10SM
1@2 Bonus Psi Skill Check M+1@4 TF 0:06 say "Please God let this work" +RS/5 to next mag device use attempt -10SM
1@1 Blessings on the Day M+1@6 mitigates GE and botch rolls for RS/10 hours, must kneel in established home base, pray appropriate words aloud, 2:30 TF, +45SM
1@2 Torture Spirit Power M+1@10 base dangerous plus pain versus will power RS=S/D/N to act, throw holy water on target with either hand, -15 SM
1@1 Counter Nerve Pain (including Brain Burn) M+2@3 kneel with hands folded and pray "God please relieve my pain that I've been caused. I realize that it was my own lusts that caused it. I pray for forgiveness of my lusty behavior, and for relief from the pain I have caused myself as a result" for five minutes +48SM Brain burn my create penalties
1@1 Cure Diseases M+2@4 retire to personal room or quarters, kneel with total body involvement, pray with appropriate words for healing of specified ailments, sound necessary, 5:00TF, +17SM
1@1 Cure Diseases M+2@4 retire to personal room or quarters, kneel with total body involvement, pray with appropriate words for healing of specified ailments, sound necessary, 10:00TF, +27SM
1@2 Unlimited Damage Repair M+2@7 pray "God, heal (subject, possibly self) injuries, that (subject) might (do what needs to be done)" for five minutes +3SM
1@1 Release Lock M+3@4 kneel with hands folded and pray "God, give me the means to retrieve my belongings. Whatever way you, in your infinite wisdom, believe to be the safest and easiest way to do so. Be it providing me with a key to the door, or by dissolving the wall so that I can pass through it. However would be the easiest, safest way for me to retrieve my belongings, that is what I would like for you to do for me." causes door to unlock so as to open easily, provided that caster owns objects on the other side of the door, +84SM
1@1 Strengthen Object Against Blast M+3@6 kneel and pray appropriate words with hands folded, 10:00TF, success roll is threshold of damage roll of blast that can be withstood undamaged by object strengthened, -53SM.
1@2 Prevent Personal Psionic/Magic Power Release M4@10 kneel and pray "God, please eliminate any unexpected results in the psionics (or magic, as the case may be) that I am about to attempt. The expected results would be success or failure. Anything outside of that (read "botch") I ask you to negate and nulify. Prevent any and all unexpected results (read "botch") from happening." Pray for 5 minutes, +2SM
1@1 Secretly Communicate Plan to Associate M+7@1 pray quietly aloud with hands folded for 10:00, delivering a five minute explanation of an intended plan which will be heard by the one designated ally, +8SM
1@1 Locate Demon M+7@5 pray silently while kneeling for 10:00TF "God, give me direction to the remaining demons, that I might engage and kill them." duration 1:40:00 +20SM
1@1 Communicate with Deity M+7@7 10:00 TF kneeling with hands folded by bed in home base, appropriate words asking questions, 5:00 worth of answers concurrent with second half of prayer, +40SM
1@2 Request Course Correction M+7@7 2:30 prayer kneeling in home base with appropriate words for God to point him in the right direction if he's going the wrong direction; success might be basis for divine directive bonus on subsequent skills, +28SM
1@3 Communicate with Deity M+7@7 10:00 TF kneeling with hands folded by bed, appropriate words asking questions, 5:00 worth of answers concurrent with second half of prayer, +30SM
1@1 Confirm Guidance M+7@7 drop to knees and pray "God, you're supposed to be leading me [optional insert for where]. What happened?" Pray for 5 minutes. +25SM
1@1 Communicate with Deity M+7@7 5:00 TF fold hands and pray appropriate words including desired information +10SM
1@2 Call Local Sentient Fighter M+11@4 5:00TF kneeling in established base camp with appropriate words, calls random sentient fighter to ally against a specified enemy +45SM
1@1 Attract Assisting Angel M+11@6 loudly say, "Please God Help Me" repeatedly for 2:00 while trying to think of ways God could deliver from the current mess, brings Terry, a garishly clothed slender effeminate male guardian angel with long blonde hair and an assortment of 2@ magical powers for solving difficult problems, -2SM.
1@1 Call Angelic Messenger M+11@7 20:00TF kneeling in established base camp with appropriate words, calls specific angel messenger to answer questions +57SM
1@1 Call Angelic Messenger M+11@7 5:00TF kneeling with appropriate words, calls specific angel messenger to answer questions; others present see the angel as a faint image and hear a distant echoing voice +27SM
1@1 Call Off-world Sentient Informer M+11@8 pray for 10:00 appropriate words +2 SM will bring an experienced verser to his world to teach him what he needs to know.
1@3 Walk on Water M+12@6 pray "God, there are people on the other side that need our help. As Jesus Christ walked on water, and as Peter attempted, I wish to now walk on water, that I might engage and destroy your enemies. God, give me the ability to walk on water." while kneeling with hands folded and head bowed beside body of water for 0:18 TF then step onto water, +15 SM.

Bod
2@8 Photosensitivity B0@4 (exceptional night vision)
2@10 Focus B0@5 (20/13 visual accuity)
1@5 Stealth B0@6
1@1 Depth Perception B0@8 (due to lazy eye)
1@1 Great Jump B5@6 uses one attack, RS/2' up and/or away, may turn to face any direction while in the air, +10 die mod for distance purposes only with 10' run, untargeted success roll.
1@2 Chow En Lai B7@1 martial arts style fast aggressive weapon-dependent
1@3 Bo Stick B7@1 Martial Arts Weapon base damaging RF1
1@10 Boxing B7@1 attack multiplier 1, slow defensive, weapon-adverse, no offensive modifier, -15 Defense modifier, -15 damage modifier, hand & arm
1@3 Okydoky Smoky martial arts style B7@1 Fast Defensive Weapon-utilizing Poke-based -10 Def SM -20 Def Dam mod Att x2 no offensive mods hand and foot primary
1@7 Panoramic Awareness B7@2
1@1 Fighting Blind B7@2
1@1 Solid Punch B7@3 Intensified Damage: damaging, standard attack success required, -10 sit-mod
1@2 Missile Catch B7@5 RS=damage mod on incoming attacks, if attack roll reduced to zero missile is caught, high velocity missiles create penalties

Equipment
1 school backpack weight 1 pound
1 school duffle bag weight 1 pound
1 luggage style duffle bag, weight 1 pound
1 14 inch hunting knife, black nylon sheath with 2 carrying pouches. Inside one pouch is a Leatherman multi-tool, (pliers, 3 flathead screwdrivers, 1 Phillips screwdriver, blade, can opener, two-sided file and awl punch) 12 sewing needles and 3 small spools of thread. The other pouch contains a magnesium fire starting tool, 1 BIC cigarette lighter, fishing line, fishing sinkers and several fishhooks. Wrapped around the knife sheath is 15 feet of high-tensile black nylon cord. total weight approximately 4 pounds
1 tool box, red painted steel sheet metal, containing complete ratchet set, 2 ratchets, 12 screwdrivers, 2 pair of regular pliers, 2 pairs needle-nose pliers, 1 pair vice grips, 1 soldering iron, 1 solder removal tool, 1 roll of solder, 2 pairs wire cutters, 2 crescent wrenches, 1 hatchet, 1 claw hammer, 1 box of 3 inch nails, 2 rolls duct tape, 1 utility knife with 4 changeable razor blades, leather work gloves, a complete set of Allen wrenches, 2-AA battery flashlight, voltmeter, wood saw, multi-tipped screwdriver, complete set of wrenches. weight, approximately 25 pounds.
100 feet high tensile white nylon cord, weight 1 pound, cut in two pieces ~30' and ~70'
1 21 speed all-terrain mountain bicycle, with security chain and combination lock, weight approximately 15 pounds
1 complete first-aid kit weight 1 pound has tweezers, over 100 band-aids, several gauze pads, an instant ice pack, surgical tape, rubber gloves, instruction book
1 dynamo flashlight (shake it to charge, no batteries needed) weigh 1/2 pound
1 dynamo radio (crank to charge, no batteries needed) and black nylon carrying case with strap. radio receives AM, FM, audio to TV frequencies 2-13, 7 weather bands. It is equipped with an LED flashlight, siren, and hazard signal flasher. It can also be used to charge a cell phone battery weight 1 pound
1 Marlin 22 caliber rifle, 18 round capacity, 2,000 rounds 22 ammunition. total weight, approximately 10 pounds, reload 0:60
1 can opener weight approximately 1/2 pound heavy duty crank type
1 aluminum baseball bat, weight approximately 1 pound
5 BIC cigarette lighters, 15 packs of cigarettes (enjoy them while they last!!!!) weight 2 pounds
Clothing: 3 pair jeans, 3 tee shirts, 1 heavy winter coat, 2 camouflage army jackets, 3 pairs socks, 3 pairs underwear, 2 pairs flannel pajama pants, 1 black leather belt, 1 purple hoodie sweatshirt, total weight approximately 30 pounds
black military combat boots
leather billfold
house keys
Ruger P-89 pistol 15 shot magazine +1 chambered 9mm 3# reload (clip) 0:12 RF10 dangerous
5 boxes 50@ 9mm pistol ammo
15 round magazine for Ruger -10 rounds P-99
$15.75 money from B Movie Monster World
5 magazines 15 round each for 9mm Ruger
Spare 15 round magazine for Ruger, -1 round P-99
Military Surplus Sleeping Bag
Keyring: house key, mailbox key, toolbox key, AND a key that will open standard issue police handcuffs
MAK 90 Russian-made shoots 7.62x39 ammo, low quality detachable bayonet comes with a metal sheath that can be hooked to the bayonet to become a pair of wire cutters, back of bayonet has hacksaw blade as part of the blade, serves as bayonet, fighting knife, wirecutters, and hacksaw, reload 0:24, base lethal RF 30 10':40':80':300':+1/3'
30-round MAK magazine -17 rounds
Utility belt
8x30 round MAK magazines
Leatherman multi-tool, (pliers, 3 flathead screwdrivers, 1 Phillips screwdriver, blade, can opener, two-sided file and scissors) (second of these, slightly different) in black nylon case on belt
radio flyer wagon
universal gun cleaning kit
three throwing knives
holster for a Ruger P-89, has pouch for single spare clip
two-quart aluminum canteen with canvas case and shoulder strap
New Combat Boots, original SWAT brand, size 13
Hobo Knife, splits with knife and spoon on one half, fork and can opener on the other, fanny pack
15 BiC lighters, five (one sealed pack) in fanny pack
KABAR, 12 inch Marine (military) fighting/survival knife, black leather sheath.
4 gold coins, 1 ounce each, 24K ($3200 original price in B Monster Movie World), fanny pack, say "United We Stand" with a picture of the American flag on one side, and on the reverse the words, "We must all hang together, or surely we will all hang separately.--Benjamin Franklin"
10 blocks .999 silver, 1 ounce each ($461.00 original price in B Monster Movie World), fanny pack, say "E Pluribus Unum" under a picture of the United States Capitol building, and on the reverse "United States of America" over the image of George Washington.
Diamond ring, gold setting, $225 original price (B Monster Movie World), fanny pack
Diamond ring, gold setting, $235 original price (B Monster Movie World), fanny pack
Fanny pack, black leatherette with cloth strap and plastic buckle, on waist
Ronco Pocket Fisherman
Deck playing cards
20 steel quarrels, imitation metal fletching, ranges in crossbow 3:9:15:30:+1/30' (1:3:5:10:+1/10 yards), lethal, trashed in TerraNova Habitat
150 wooden quarrels, steel heads, ranges in crossbow 12:45:90:240:+5/12' (4:15:30:80:+5/4 yards), damaging, sold in TerraNova Habitat
lever & latch crossbow T3@1 8 pounds maximum range for the wooden arrows 80 yards, and maximum range for the metal arrows 10 yards. I don't remember the damage categories, except that the metal arrows were one step above the wooden arrows. Sold, TerraNova Habitat
Ruby, 3 carat (~1cm diameter)
Emerald, 3 carat (~1cm diameter)
20# in 4z silver crowns (coins)
+21 crowns 4z each
2 silver half crowns 2z each
16 silver leaves 1z from Dancing Princess trees
32 gold leaves 1z from Dancing Princess trees
64 shillings, 0.5z nickel
116 pence, 0.5z bronze
4 Jumpsuits, drab green khaki (standard WW2 army) one piece, step into legs, pull shirt up behind you, put arms through sleeves, and button front from fly to collar; twin patch breast pockets, left and right outside pouch pockets above the waist, front and rear hip pockets stitched inside, and a pair of large outside pockets on the upper legs with snap-down flaps on top. sleeve cuffs button, and there are loops for a belt, cuffs on the legs, apparently so the length can be adjusted--or so that if you drop a screw you know where it landed.
4 pair boxer shorts, army drab
4 pair socks, army drab
Pair white tennis shoes
3 sets medieval clothing
Invisibility cloak M1@3 Active when Worn confers M5@8 Invisibility and M7@3 Penetrate Disguise
Straight Razor
Quiver, 30 quarrel capacity
19 "Boom Stick" spears, 18 disowned in TerraNova Habitat, one 6' kept, from Dancing Princess
Priest's traveling robes
3 sets manacles, wrist cuffs covered with rabbit pelts
Wristop, a computer with a terrabyte of memory and a terraherz processor that fits on your wrist, displays through a flat screen similar to those on the walls, and can interface with most known systems via internal wireless modem.
10 Fragmentation grenades, 10':30':60':100':+1/1', fatal 10'r
10 Glue grenades, 10':30':60':100':+1/1', 10' diameter sphere of glue strands difficult check, additional 10'r simple check to break strands
1000 rounds 9mm ammo
1000 rounds MAK90 ammo
MAK 90 clip, 100 round drum, empty
MAK 90 clip, 50 round, empty
MAK 90 clip, 30 round, empty
Smith & Wesson .357 six-shot revolver with 4" barrel and rubber grip
500 rounds .357 revolver ammo
3 days worth trail/adventure food. Water is required to prepare these, but some components are ready to eat particularly in the "lunch" packs.
Full-sized synthetic backpack with lightweight polymer frame can carry 240 pounds in a six cubic foot interior , 3'x2'x1', with a maximum enclosed diagonal (for an object running from opposite corners through the center of the pack) of 3'9". It weights 2 pounds
High-tech (Terranova) Crossbow, It's a bottom lever action drawstring and a simple mechanical trigger mechanism to release the string. The frame is a lightweight material, something like plastic but extremely hard and not at all flexible. The bow is obviously a different material, flexible, only about twelve inches across but with tremendous draw power when pulled back. Quarrels sit in the track in a drop-in loading system, and there are clips along the right side to hold five quarrels for ready access, point down, fletching up. There is a flip-up cross-hair a pin sighting system that is calibrated for range and gravity. The drawstring seems to be a synthetic spider web. The bow twists ninety degrees, folds down, and slides parallel beneath the stock, making the entirey device twenty-seven inches long, three inches at the widest point, and five inches top to bottom. RF1, 20':50':100':150':+2/3'
100 Chlorine water purification pills, one pill per 2.5 gallons/10 liters normal contamination water
120 Crossbow Bolts, hunter heads, polymer shank and fletching
Plastic Ground Cloth, green, 6'x5'
35 platinum ingots, 2z each
80 gold ingots, 2z each
2 Spidersilk Crossbow Strings
100' 2000# test spidersilk rope, 1/2" diameter, 4#
4 skeins synthetic yarn
2 pairs metal knitting needles
3 Speedloaders for .357 revolver
Collapsible .22 rifle with 6-bullet clip, barrel slides into stock, can't fire without extending barrel; rear of stock folds down and up flush over trigger guard, latching in place to either position; clip inserts into rear portion of stock, can be kept in place, but gun will not operate unless fully opened. 0:30 to open gun fully. Uses standard .22 ammo. Barrel does not unscrew but telescopes, slightly wider in diameter in extended end than in stock (shortens range). Think of it in three sections. Center section has trigger mechanism and chamber; stock folds around to cover this, partly hollowed, also has part of feed mechanism to hold bullets and feed them to chamber when in open position. Barrel pops out from other side. Completely collapsed it approaches rectangular, barrel extension flush with side and other side has two relatively flat surfaces (bulge on rear stock meets indentation on the central section, pressure interlocks mechanisms, released by lever on underside). Release button beneath barrel unlatches lower section and allows barrel extension to slide out. It does not store spare ammo. Each section is about fifteen inches in total length, barrel extension shorter (has to stop before the hammer mechanism and have an inch or so inside when fully extended). 48" tip to back. Folded, 15"x~8"x~1.5-2", not perfectly squared in any direction. Floats in water, constructed almost entirely of polymers and plastics with some metal parts, made for survivalist use. lightweight, #3. Does not fire folded because ammo supply is in rear stock, partly intended as safety feature, to prevent weapon from firing when stowed.

Stage 1

World List B Monster Movie World
Pearl Harbor
Dancing Princess

--M. J. Young

Fri Mar 20 2009 10:39 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

You make another decent silver knife from the coins.

That's good. What to do now? Well, whatever is scheduled for my day, be it sleep, martial arts lessons, or just hanging out with Lauren. That's what I'm doing.

Sun Mar 22 2009 9:48 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

On day four, after work and before your martial arts class, you get together with Derek and Lauren.

Lauren has a new skill pattern for you. It's something at which she is very good, but she says she wants you to remember that this is invasive, and can be frightening, and is certainly annoying if overdone.

She then projects into your mind the pattern for how to open a two-way telepathic link with another person whose mind is "human".

"This works," she says, "if you are looking at the person, or if you have had some kind of mind-to-mind contact with the person before such that you can recognize that person's mind. It's a bit like tuning in a specific frequency on a radio, so you can hear a single station, but that it's like CB, two-way.

You pick it up very quickly, and of course you've already been in contact with Lauren's mind, so you know how to find her.

--M. J. Young

Tue Mar 24 2009 12:36 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Did I ever put the epoxy handle on those two knives, or did I just make the metal bodies? I would have tried to put the handles on both of them before I went to see Lauren. If I haven't put the handles on, keep rolling until I succeed. That's how I would do it. Make the two sides, and screw them on.

"Hey Lauren, I was wondering. Do you know if there's any way that we can verse together if we go out of this world? (As in, one of us becoming the other's associate) You seem like a pretty cool person. I'd like to stick around with you."

Any martial arts improvements?

Oh yeah, and from the description, this OkyDoky Smokey seems to focus on human pressure points. I had a friend in high school. His mom was a registered nurse, and she showed us a bunch of pressure points. The wrist, face, back of the neck, the "Vulcan Neck Pinch" (It's based on a real human pressure point) Would any of that be a bonus on the OkyDoky Smokey?

Speaking of that, is my friend that OkyDoky black belt around? After I finish with Lauren, I still owe him a sparring match.

MJ, I know there's no way my character can communicate this to Lauren, but I specifically asked to learn the @1 skills first. Can't we just pretend like I can communicate that to Lauren? All of this is fine and good, but it's also totally unless in a flatline world. By your count, I've only got 19 days before the manure collides with the box of whirling blades. I'd like to learn as many "Flatline Compatible" skills as I can before that.

Tue Mar 24 2009 1:03 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Yes, you finished the handles using the epoxy polymer.

"Hey Lauren, I was wondering. Do you know if there's any way that we can verse together if we go out of this world? (As in, one of us becoming the other's associate) You seem like a pretty cool person. I'd like to stick around with you."

"It has never happened to me and I've never known anyone it happened to. I won't say it's impossible, but I can't tell you how to make it happen."

Any martial arts improvements?

We find out the answer to that question on day 25.

Oh yeah, and from the description, this OkyDoky Smokey seems to focus on human pressure points. I had a friend in high school. His mom was a registered nurse, and she showed us a bunch of pressure points. The wrist, face, back of the neck, the "Vulcan Neck Pinch" (It's based on a real human pressure point) Would any of that be a bonus on the OkyDoky Smokey?

You are learning how to exploit stuff like that. You didn't mention having any skills in that area, but if you think you do be very specific concerning what you are able to do.

Speaking of that, is my friend that OkyDoky black belt around? After I finish with Lauren, I still owe him a sparring match.

My recollection is that he was going to be gone for a couple of weeks.

MJ, I know there's no way my character can communicate this to Lauren, but I specifically asked to learn the @1 skills first. Can't we just pretend like I can communicate that to Lauren? All of this is fine and good, but it's also totally unless in a flatline world. By your count, I've only got 19 days before the manure collides with the box of whirling blades. I'd like to learn as many "Flatline Compatible" skills as I can before that.

Absolutely and unequivocably not.

You can't communicate that to Lauren because Lauren has no way of knowing which skills those would be. She has never been in a world with a flatlined psi bias, and when the psi bias was low she simply avoided using psionic skills.

Further, even if you were able to communicate this to her, she would not change her teaching methods to satisfy "this is what I want to learn" because she is much too good a teacher for that. It is as if you were saying, "I know that this addition stuff is useful sometimes, but I really want to jump to the calculus, so can we forget all these basics and move to that?" It is as if you were to say to your Okydoky Smoky instructor, "I know you want me to learn all this stance stuff, but what I'm really interested in is that trick where you manage to hurt someone without touching him, can we just skip all the other stuff and get to that?" The good teacher knows that the student has to build the more difficult skills on the foundation of the easier ones.

The Architect has a very different view in connection with teaching versers. He figures if you mess up and die, you'll do it better next time. Lauren figures that if you mess up and die, it's her fault, and she should have known better and taught you better.

So she's going to bring you up the ladder slowly.

Be thankful that she's accepted your assertion that you don't want to learn any magic, because she'd rather be building you up on both ladders.

--M. J. Young

Wed Mar 25 2009 1:46 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

You are learning how to exploit stuff like that. You didn't mention having any skills in that area, but if you think you do be very specific concerning what you are able to do.

Bending someone's wrist down towards their forearm is a submission hold. You can bend their wrist until their fingers touch their elbow, and you won't break anything. They will, however, do anything you tell them to do. Bend it up, and their wrist will snap.

Grab someone's face by the cheek, where their dimples are is a pressure point on a human.

Back of the neck, if done properly, is another submission hold I've used in fights in school.

Base of the neck, just above the collar bone. The "Vulcan Neck Pinch" is another submission hold. I had a guy put that on me, he had me on my knees before I realized what was happening. Fortunately he was just a friend demonstrating it.

Your wife is a nurse, is she not? I'm sure she can verify all of these and probably demonstrate them on you, as it was a nurse who showed them to me.

Now you're asking "What's your SAL in these?" Some things, you don't have skill at them, either you know how to do it or you don't. The first time you boil water, you have a 3@10 Boil Water skill, ya know what I mean? These pressure points are probably something like that. If you MUST give me an SAL at it, it would be low amateur.

Be thankful that she's accepted your assertion that you don't want to learn any magic, because she'd rather be building you up on both ladders.

Well, I'm assuming that would have come up in conversation (I don't recall exactly)

"Hey Lauren, I don't believe in magic, but why don't you show me some things that you call magic. Might as well learn all I can while I can."

Wed Mar 25 2009 6:57 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Two Posts

Let me know when it's time to go back to my room and go to sleep. I want to pray about a few things.

Wed Mar 25 2009 9:14 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Lauren also knows that magic only works if you believe it. She wouldn't teach you how to use magic if you don't believe, because that wouldn't work.

All right, day 4 ends and you head to bed. You learned telepathy to humans today.

--M. J. Young

Thu Mar 26 2009 6:59 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Lauren also knows that magic only works if you believe it. She wouldn't teach you how to use magic if you don't believe, because that wouldn't work.

"Well, why don't you show me some things? Demonstrate them. I'd like to see what you can do."

After that, when I get back to my room, pray about versing next to an Old-West frontier town, a place where gold and silver and valuable and weapons are cheap. Also pray about perhaps Lauren versing with me.

This would amount to prayers before bedtime, I don't even think I would want you to roll for it. Maybe if I can build up prayer points for later or something. Ya know, pray the same prayer every night for a month, THEN roll for it against all of the points I've built up. Probably spend 10 minutes on my knees before I sack out.

Thu Mar 26 2009 5:52 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You can't have prayer points. You can claim to be "practicing" your religion skill, although praying ten minutes a night is not sufficient practice to gain a significant (noticeable) benefit.

Lauren laughs. "You're serious, aren't you?" Deciding that you are, she continues, "well, a lot of what I do is aimed at fighting undead monsters--vampires, mostly, and also ghouls and zombie dogs. I have a few magic gadgets that one of my students made for me and I know how to use those, but I won't give them to you so there's not much point in teaching you how to use them. Some of my magic is connected to woodcraft, living and traveling in the wilderness, which obviously isn't going to work here. I've done some healing--that's close to prayer, I think. I've knocked missiles out of the air. I've created food and once created a mattress, but those kinds of things are really hard to learn and do, and I don't know that they would work here. Oh, I know," and with a flourish of her hand she causes her fingers to glow. "I do a lot of divine light spells, because they're important when you're fighting the undead; but this is just a simple thing to give me light by which to read my bible. It's not very bright, and it gets tiring to read by it, but I've gotten better at it over the decades. But then, Joe would think that I did this by psionics, because he doesn't believe in magic."

--M. J. Young

Thu Mar 26 2009 10:45 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

You can't have prayer points. You can claim to be "practicing" your religion skill, although praying ten minutes a night is not sufficient practice to gain a significant (noticeable) benefit.

So praying about the same thing every day doesn't make a difference? For some reason, I find that hard to believe. That's what I mean by "prayer points". Praying about the same thing every day. A variant of the Pray Until Something Happens prayer time, except I'm doing it over the course of several days and weeks.

"That's interesting Lauren. I believe that we can call on the power of God. In fact, I did it a few times before I versed. I've had visions, I've had God reveal Himself to me through modifying the weather. Once, God even gave me driving directions when I got lost going to meet a friend. I wonder, can you teach me how to do that more quickly? Praying takes time. Praying in the midst of a combat situation makes me kind of vulnerable. How can I call upon God faster?

Fri Mar 27 2009 4:06 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator
So praying about the same thing every day doesn't make a difference? For some reason, I find that hard to believe. That's what I mean by "prayer points". Praying about the same thing every day. A variant of the Pray Until Something Happens prayer time, except I'm doing it over the course of several days and weeks.
O.K., let me attempt to answer this. There are four ways in which "praying the same thing every day" would make a difference.
1. The first, already mentioned, is that you can pray in a way that is not expecting any particular results, with the outcome that you increase your religion SAL. Every two intensities of increase there increases your chance of success on all prayers by one percent. Thus it makes a difference that way.
2. If you are praying for something specific to happen, each such prayer can be counted as an individual attempt to get the result. Each time you prayed it, the dice would be rolled. The more times you pray it, the more chances you have that it would be answered--and then it would have been answered. Of course, you could also botch, and then you would have botched.
3. You can tell me that you are not really asking for this, but practicing asking for it. In that way, you could increase your skill ability level by continual practice, provided you were doing it enough to have a real impact on your ability.
4. You could craft an extended interrupted ritual. This would be something like, "I am going to pray for ten minutes a night for a hundred nights, repeating the same prayer, and at the end of the hundred nights expect my answer." There would be a penalty for breaking the ritual into segments thus, but the time bonuses would build powerfully in your favor.
So yes, praying repeatedly like that would have benefits. The question is, exactly what are you expecting from these prayers (apart from the answer)?

"John, there are many secrets to magic. Let me see if I can give you a few of them.

"First, and really, this is probably the most important secret of everyone who works in magic from the stage magician to the tribal shaman to Merlin himself: it's not so much what you can do as what you can make someone think you can do. Did you ever see that movie about the little people trying to protect the infant princess from the evil witch? In the end, the hero tells the witch that he has the power to send the princess to a realm of goodness and safety that the witch cannot reach, and he pronounces his spell, and shakes his blanket, and the child vanishes. This throws the witch off balance, and she is destroyed by her own magic--when all the little guy did was hide the baby under the table while creating the impression that she was in the blanket.

"Put another way, if you can solve the problem with a little magic, that's a lot better than hoping for a lot.

"There's also a commitment factor, what you might think of as a sacrifice factor. See, I could probably just think magic into the world, but that's not very focused. If I speak it into the world, I'm doing more; and if I speak it loudly, that's more. If I involve my hands, or my feet, so that I have to do something to bring the magic, that does something more. If I have to have something with me--a lot of what we call magic wands and magic staves are mostly focal points, objects that the wizard or priest uses because having it be part of his magic makes it easier to do the magic.

"I showed you how I can create light on my fingertips with just a wave of my hand. I can also create light that will flood a large room, but I do a lot more to get that much light. So on some level, you have to ask yourself how much the power you want is going to cost, or how much you are willing to pay for it, and how much power you want to get for that price. That's the point. You can pay more by using a longer prayer, but you can pay more by speaking more loudly, or by raising your hands, or including your cross or your bible or your staff as part of the requirements for the magic.

"Does that make sense?"

--M. J. Young
Sat Mar 28 2009 6:58 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Did you ever see that movie about the little people trying to protect the infant princess from the evil witch?

"Willow, wasn't it? Yeah, that was cool. I remember an episode of the Smurfs where Gargamel took away Papa Smurf's magic powers by some spell or another. In the end, the rest of the Smurfs tricked Gargamel into taking the spell off, by using fireworks and other tricks to convince Gargamel that the spell botched, and Papa Smurf was actually 100 times more powerful. So yeah, I know what you mean. In my last world, I convinced a blacksmith that I was a wizard by using a TK pulse to knock his anvil off its base. I also told him that my 30-06 bullets were magic totems that got angry around fire, and proved it by throwing one into his forge. So yeah, I know what you mean there. Well, how do you do that light spell? The first words God spoke were 'Let there be light' so that HAS to be something divine. Can you show me how to do that?"

# You could craft an extended interrupted ritual. This would be something like, "I am going to pray for ten minutes a night for a hundred nights, repeating the same prayer, and at the end of the hundred nights expect my answer." There would be a penalty for breaking the ritual into segments thus, but the time bonuses would build powerfully in your favor.

This is kind of what I had in mind. Pray the same thing 10 minutes a night, every night. The prayer is that Lauren and I verse together, and that we wind up in a old-west frontier town, where gold is valuable and weapons are cheap. Since I'm praying this every night until I verse out, then I guess I'm expecting it to happen on versing out. If we stay here for 40 years, then that's how long I will be doing it.

Sat Mar 28 2009 7:11 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

"Creating light looks easy when I do it, because I have done so much already; but it is a tremendously difficult bit of magic whether you do it by prayer or by knowledge. If you're not grounded in magic, you could release enough energy to vaporize the entire station. After all, this is what theologians call creation ex nihilo, making something from nothing, and even though it's only energy, it is still an amazing feat.

"But if you want to learn magic, I can begin with the basics and build up. We'll alternate between magic and psionics. Right now, though, I've got to meet someone, so I'll catch you tomorrow. Good?"

--M. J. Young

Sun Mar 29 2009 11:33 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

Did you write down and/or otherwise record that prayer that I'm going to be doing? How are you planning to handle that?

"Creating energy? I thought that was scientifically impossible.... Wait, this is God we're talking about here... What's impossible? Ya know what? I think I'll just stick with psionics lessons for now. I'll worry about 'magic' when I have to. God seems to answers prayers a lot faster in the Multiverse.

"Oh yeah, Lauren, you watched me make those two silver knives, do you want one of them? You mentioned fighting vampires in a world once. A silver knife would be good for that. If you want one, call it payment for the psionics lessons."

If she accepts the offer, give her the knife made out of the Demon Silver.

"That I made out of silver that was growing on trees in a demon fortress. (give a brief synopsis of the Dancing Princess battle) You might want to ask God to bless it before you use it in combat. I've always been a little superstitious about that gold and silver.

"Oh yeah, and if I might ask, who are you going to go meet?"

NOTES:

437.5 grains in an ounce
6 one ounce silver tree leaves left
makes 18 146 grain 357 magnum bullets (three loads)
better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.

Don't forget to get a pound of lead from the scrap dealer. I could easily imagine lead being a precious metal.

Mon Mar 30 2009 5:22 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Two Posts

The magic Lauren can teach me, would be ways to speed up praying. Perhaps a way to heavily bonus a Heal Self prayer, so that it would have an 80% chance of success in a 10@ bias world, you could do it in the middle of a gunfight and it would only take 10 seconds. That would be the kind of "Magic" I'd want to learn.

Mon Mar 30 2009 11:23 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

"Thank you, but seriously, I already have so many weapons that I sometimes hesitate trying to decide which to use next. You use it; get good at it, and you'll be glad you have two so similar."

"Aren't you the nosey one? I'm supposed to meet with Raeph Williams, to fill in my identity here. I'm being listed as a traveling anthropologist and lecturer, so I'm going to have to give some talks in the college program on some of the cultures I've visited. It should be interesting."

--M. J. Young

Tue Mar 31 2009 5:18 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

The magic Lauren can teach me, would be ways to speed up praying. Perhaps ways to heavily bonus a Heal Self prayer, so that it would have an 80% chance of success in a 10@ bias world, you could do it in the middle of a gunfight and it would only take 10 seconds. That would be the kind of "Magic" I'd want to learn. Let me see if I can communicate this to Lauren.....

"Lauren, one quick thing before you go. Like I said, I've heard people call praying magic. I've used self-healing prayers that worked on the spot, when I was pretty badly injured. The thing was, they took quite some time to pray. Do you know of any, I guess you would call it 'magic' ways to speed up things like that, so they could have the same chance of success, but be done much faster?"

Thank you, but seriously, I already have so many weapons that I sometimes hesitate trying to decide which to use next.

(thinking, not speaking) "Typical, indecisive woman....."

"Aren't you the nosey one? I'm supposed to meet with Raeph Williams, to fill in my identity here. I'm being listed as a traveling anthropologist and lecturer, so I'm going to have to give some talks in the college program on some of the cultures I've visited. It should be interesting."

(speaking) "A thousand apologies. I would have really preferred to stay out of their system entirely. Oh well, can't do anything with it. Have a good time."

Tue Mar 31 2009 2:35 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

"Well, as I mentioned, it's a matter of what you might call investment. One thing I do is recite scripture in my prayers; that means I have to memorize the scripture and recall it exactly. Also, I noticed a couple things about some of the magic in the Bible. For example, did you notice that in James when he talks about praying for healing, he suggests anointing the sick with oil? I thought that was silly at first, but then, when Jesus healed the blind man he made mud from saliva and dirt and put it on his eyes, so having something material that is part of the healing is certainly scriptural. Also, there's talk of laying on hands--that's hands, plural, using both hands, which would mean that for that moment you would have to set down your weapon and be vulnerable, because you are using both hands for the healing. Then there's Peter healing the cripple at the temple. What does he do? He commands in a loud voice. You think no one noticed that? People were already turning their heads to stare before the man stood, so they saw the miracle; but that means that part of what made the difference is Peter put himself on the spot by calling attention to himself by his loud voice.

"I think that there's a degree to which these things make a difference. If you have to have some kind of oil to pray for healing, that makes it more likely to work. If it has to be, say, olive oil, that's better, and if the oil has to have been blessed already, that helps too. Add using both hands, maybe make it so that you have to open your Bible and read a particular passage from it, or recite a verse from memory.

"Also, if you're talking about prayer, you want to put more time into your relationship with God. Spend time every day in prayer, worship, and Bible study--I try to set aside at least an hour a day, more than that several times a week. Paul performed miracles casually. He also tells us that he never stopped praying. That kind of contant communion with God--well, I'm nowhere near achieving that, but the closer I get to it, the easier it is for God's miracles to happen around me.

"Got to run."

--M. J. Young

Wed Apr 1 2009 6:38 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Sorry about missing yesterday. I was sleeping most of the day.

"OK Lauren, have a good one."

What time is it? How much longer until bed time?

No, wait, I've already stated the praying I'm going to be doing, must be bed time.

Then I guess it's tomorrow now.

Before work, go into the gun store, and see if they have my two holsters in yet. I really want to start carrying those guns on me and not in the bag.

I would be wearing jeans, a t shirt, and one of the army jackets most of the time, and always carrying the Verser's Survival Pack whenever I leave my hotel room.

Also, whilst at the gun store, see about getting a bullet mold, press, dies, primers and powder for my 357. Revolvers are much more forgiving of poorly made ammo than automatics, in case you're wondering why only that one. I'd get a pound of powder, and 500 primers. The cases are reusable, and lead or other soft metal should be easy to come by. (I'll melt down my gold if I have to) I would say 1@10 reloading ammo skill. Never done bullet casting, but I'm certain that's something a blacksmith would be more than capable of doing.

If they have them, get 6 more speedloaders for the 357. If not, order some. Once I have everything, (if I can get it, that is) melt down the remaining 6 silver tree leaves, and make 18 silver bullets. (437.5 grains in an ounce, makes 18 146 grain bullets. I would be 3 grains short, but that isn't much. I'd file a crown if I had to.) Ya know what? I was going to just do silver bullets, but what the heck, make 18 gold bullets too. Melt down 6 gold tree leaves. Keep the speedloaders with the gold and silver bullets in the Verser's Survival Pack. So, 3 speedloaders of lead, 3 speed loaders of silver, and 3 speedloaders of gold bullets. I'll shoot the gold and silver if I run out of lead, but some things aren't hurt by lead.

Do they have any of Lauren's 50 caliber shells at the gun store? If so, get a box or two of them. On earth, those would be about $2.00 a shot, and come in boxes of 20, but that means precisely squat here. Just thought I would let you know. I do want to shoot one of those puppies. Any bullets we don't shoot, give to Lauren.

After that, use the Bless Weapons prayer on the gold and silver bullets, and the two silver knives. Also the new crossbow, all the arrows, the 357 and all of the 357 bullets. I know that just says demons, but my definition of demon is "Any enemy of God." Be it a vampire, werewolf, or even a human who was an enemy of God. See Also, the movie "Frailty" with Bill Paxton.

At work, ask the boss if I can beg or buy a pound of lead scrap and melt it into 1 ounce ingots. Can be molded into bullets, and I could easily see lead being a precious metal in some worlds. The lead scrap goes into the Verser's Survival Pack. The rest of the reloading supplies don't.

(Doing Therapy)

NOTES:

Ya know, ammo reloading is something else you could teach Lauren. Those 50 caliber shells can't be easy to come by.

Thu Apr 2 2009 8:02 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Two Posts

I'm doing therapy, and I'm not thinking real clearly. I just wanted to clarify the timeline here. Before work, go to the gun store. At work, beg/buy the lead, AFTER WORK, make the bullets. Not making any lead bullets, only gold and silver. See if Lauren wants to join me. After that, ask Lauren if she would like to go to the shooting range. Does Lauren know how to use a crossbow? Yeah, yeah, can't decide what weapon to use as it is, but who knows? A crossbow might be all she can find. Better to know how.

Bless the weapons after the visit with Lauren. And what's the psionics lesson?

Are there any punches in Okydoky Smokey that I could incorporate into my boxing skill? Perhaps hitting a certain pressure point or something? You said OkyDoky Smokey was based on pressure points. That should be fairly easy for a high-amateur boxer. Perhaps a New Use on the boxing skill? Also, if I used OkyDoky Smokey punches in Boxing, would it be against the 1@3 OS score, or against the 1@10 Boxing score? Would the 1@10 boxing assist in any way in throwing OS punches?

Also, just curious, I used the boxing successfully right before I versed out of Pearl Harbor, in a fight against 2 of my captors, one of them wielding a knife. Kyler didn't give me a new use for that. Should he? Do I get a New Use, or would using boxing in a fight count as a New Use for next time? That was the only real fight I've been in.

Thu Apr 2 2009 8:41 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Three Posts

NOTES:

Pump riot gun?????????

Thu Apr 2 2009 6:08 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

I don't mind you missing a day, but did you have to rub it in that you got the opportunity to sleep? (Insert appropriate emoticon here.)

My recollection is that the holsters are expected after about ten days; it is now day 5.

The equipment to make your own bullets is not something this sporting goods store would know how to order.

Speedloaders for archaic design weapons are special order. It may take a while. Are you ordering them? Are you making the bullets for them now, or waiting for them to arrive?

They have .50 caliber bullets, but not seeing the gun they're not sure they have the right ones for that weapon.

You can buy lead from your boss.

Lauren's lesson for today is a trick to compel candor, to get a person to tell you what they think (not what they are thinking, but their honest opinion or beliefs about something). You learn it successfully.

Lauren is using some sort of psionic defense to prevent you from using it against her.

You asked about using Oky-dokey Smokey maneuvers in boxing. The answer is you have not learned any maneuvers yet.

--M. J. Young

Fri Apr 3 2009 12:38 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

My recollection is that the holsters are expected after about ten days; it is now day 5.

The equipment to make your own bullets is not something this sporting goods store would know how to order.

Speedloaders for archaic design weapons are special order. It may take a while. Are you ordering them? Are you making the bullets for them now, or waiting for them to arrive?

"Darn, I thought those holsters might have come in early. Well, I'll be back in 5 days then.

"Never mind about the reloading gear. I'll be able to find it eventually.

"Never mind about the speedloaders too. No point if I don't have the bullets to do it with."

They have .50 caliber bullets, but not seeing the gun they're not sure they have the right ones for that weapon.

Well, you forget that I know what a 50 caliber machine gun bullet looks like. That's the kind that Lauren's revolvers take. I could tell if it was the right one by looking at the rounds. Open up a box or two of them, and visually check. I would know it if I saw it.

You can buy lead from your boss.

"One pound of lead please."

When I get a chance, melt it into 16 one oz ingots.

Lauren's lesson for today is a trick to compel candor, to get a person to tell you what they think (not what they are thinking, but their honest opinion or beliefs about something). You learn it successfully.

And what happens if someone does this to me? Do I have to type out my honest feelings for that person?

Lauren is using some sort of psionic defense to prevent you from using it against her.

"I want to learn that defense eventually."

You asked about using Oky-dokey Smokey maneuvers in boxing. The answer is you have not learned any maneuvers yet.

Then what in the hell have I been doing in class all this time?

Fri Apr 3 2009 12:33 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Have you actually seen the bullets Lauren uses in her guns, or are you going by what you read about that other Lauren Hastings?

You make the ingots. You use that to demonstrate more of working with soft metals for Lauren and Derek.

Lauren's lesson for today is a trick to compel candor, to get a person to tell you what they think (not what they are thinking, but their honest opinion or beliefs about something). You learn it successfully.

And what happens if someone does this to me? Do I have to type out my honest feelings for that person?

Very astute. The answer is yes, if a skill is used on you that would force you to speak truthfully, unless you have a skill that enables you to lie or conceal information under such circumstances, you will have to have your character reveal his true thoughts or feelings in response to the questions. It does not matter whether it is a psionic compel candor, a magical charm, a dose of truth serum, an electronic mind probe, or a parasite.

Lauren fully intends to teach you mental defenses, when she gets that far. It's not really all that far.

You've been in class once a week. You've been working on the basic stance, defenses, and fundamental attacks, as well as building strength in those specific forms. It's a bit like The Karate Kid: at the end of a long session, he knew how to move his arms and legs in ways that kept him protected and on his feet, and had some basic knowledge of how to attack, but he still had to learn those special attacks.

Basic attacks and defenses are not transferable between styles, because they are the style. Special maneuvers are taught once the style is in place. I think you have not learned any special maneuvers yet, mostly because I don't see them on your sheet. I have a note that you will learn the first of these on day 7 of the current countdown, which is tomorrow. A decision will be made at that time whether it will be Focused Push, Spinning Kick, Leaping Kick, or Crushing Grasp, primarily on the basis of what your sensei thinks are your strengths. You will then learn one per week. (If you have a preference on the order in which you would like to learn them, I will allow a GE roll to determine whether they teach them to you in that order).

Which reminds me: the day after tomorrow is your martial arts class.

--M. J. Young

Sat Apr 4 2009 12:50 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Did you ever see The Wild Thornberry's movie? The girl gets the ability to speak to animals from an African shaman. The shaman had the ability to shape shift into a warthog, and probably other things. He gives her the ability to speak English, and the animals can understand, and speak English back. If the American Indians had magic, it would be things like that. And I believe that if anyone did, people like the Indians would have had it.

(Doing Therapy for the above)

Have you actually seen the bullets Lauren uses in her guns, or are you going by what you read about that other Lauren Hastings?

Point Made

"So Lauren, what would you like to do now?"

Basic attacks and defenses are not transferable between styles, because they are the style.

That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. If the style is that you're trained to hit a certain pressure point (which is what it sounds like) then it wouldn't matter if you hit it with boxing, or with a baseball bat. If OkyDoky Smokey teaches certain punches, those punches could be thrown whilst in a boxing stance. Ah, I see... It would be too complicated to do that. You'd have to describe every single move in every single martial art in order to pull that off. Oh well.

It's a bit like The Karate Kid

Karate Kid is a movie about a kid that desperately needs his ass kicked repeatedly. Wait, that's exactly what happens....

"Lauren, when I first got here, I tried telekinesis. I must have been a little bit rusty, because all it did was give me a really bad headache (brain burn) The thing was, the headache felt a lot like one of my old psychotic episodes. (I'm assuming that would have come up in conversation at some point) Do you know how to intentionally do that to yourself? Being able to fake the symptoms of a psychotic episode could be useful someday."

Sat Apr 4 2009 6:16 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

"I cannot imagine how simulating a psychotic episode would ever be useful. I can see how it might be useful to induce one in someone else, but I don't think I'd want to do that."

--M. J. Young

Mon Apr 6 2009 2:46 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

"I cannot imagine how simulating a psychotic episode would ever be useful. I can see how it might be useful to induce one in someone else, but I don't think I'd want to do that."

"Well, they say there's no such thing as bad knowledge. Besides, you just don't see the potential. Let's say you get arrested and put on trial. Being able to fake that you were insane could get a lesser penalty. Or, who knows what else could happen? If nothing else, maybe it could be used as a distraction. You're just not using your imagination."

Does Lauren know how to fight with knives, and/or throw them?

Having read Behind the Screens about the true nature of associate versers, I'm going to forget that notion. (I'm just going to assume that The Architect explained that to my character at some point) So, just spend 10 minutes praying each night about landing in an Old-West frontier town.

In the gun store, have I seen anything resembling a Derringer laser pistol? Something of incredibly small size, that is easy to conceal? I might look into getting one. Small enough to hide, but probably puts out more punch per shot than my 357.

(Doing Therapy)

Mon Apr 6 2009 3:57 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Lauren does not use knives as weapons. She does have a psionic blade that she has used, on one occasion decapitating a vampire with it. She was rather upset that it did not kill the thing, but it was rather gratifying to hear it yelling to its lackeys to get it out of there, and watching them carry the head under one arm and the body under the other while they fled the scene--except of course that she was so focused on trying to get one more attack on that opponent that she was blindsided by the other, and versed out of there.

The do have small lasers, but they probably do not put out more punch per shot nor more shots than your .357. There is the power supply problem involved.

--M. J. Young

Tue Apr 7 2009 2:21 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Where are we? I was thinking that if we are close by my work, I bet they have the tools to cut a piece of silver or gold into a perfect cylinder .357 inches in diameter. I'm certain of it. That would be metal machinist work on our world. They probably use cutting lasers here or something, but at any rate, it would probably be a new use on my metalworking skill.

Or perhaps the tools to roll 6 ounces of silver into a (say 1.5 foot) long wire .357 inches in diameter, then just cut it at lengths that would be the correct bullet weight. I could do that too.

I keep forgetting, I'm in a metalworker's candy store. Do they have some kind of device which would separate the bullet from the casing without spilling the powder or using any human force? Spilling the powder would be the most likely botch if I did this by hand. In reloading, we use a special hammer. The completed bullet gets screwed into one end of the hammer, then you smack the hammer on the ground. This separates the bullet from the casing, and lets you recycle the powder (most of the time). Anything like that?

I know they have the ability to weigh it out to 148 grains (or whatever I said) (My character would know how to convert it from grains to grams if he had to.) Then I would simply pull out the original bullet and replace it with the silver bullet. I'd need a lightweight hammer or equivalent, a vice, and perhaps some other tools for this.

I could give Lauren the general idea at least.

And right now, I know you're thinking about me botching and the bullet exploding. That would be a really bad GE roll botch. I've only seen that happen once in my life, and I've reloaded probably tens of thousands of rounds. Botches would be crushing the case, denting it, spilling the powder, things like that.

(Doing Therapy)

Tue Apr 7 2009 4:26 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Multiple Postings

Does the sport of Boxing exist ANYWHERE in this universe? You said it wasn't available at TerraNova, but is it available ANYWHERE that I could get to? How would I know? Because I would check the computer.

Perhaps a change of scenery might be nice.

Tue Apr 7 2009 8:13 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Multiple Postings

I know there's no way you could or would tell me, but I'm wondering how much of that Leatherman tool came, and what else might have come from Mr. Smith's shop. I know that errant scriff sense is driving him nuts. I think I'm going to see if I can go after it. How does one hire a private ship for a few hours? Someone to take me to retrieve that stuff. It could be floating out in space for all I know.

Tue Apr 7 2009 8:21 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator
You wouldn't have a tool specifically designed to reload bullets, but you would have most of the tools you could use for the job, and you might be able to design and build the kind of tool you want.

Given a few hours, you manage to make 6 ounces of silver bullets. (How many bullets is that?) What are you doing with the steel slugs you removed from the casings?

Concerning the probability of an exploding bullet botch, note first that I am letting you do a "reasonable sized batch" on a single roll, not roll for each bullet, and if you were to botch there would still be a botch list. So probably you have a chance of an explosion somewhere between one in seven hundred and one in fifteen hundred, depending on things like how many items are on the botch list and exactly what your chance of success is in this universe.

This is not actually the Internet. This is an internal computer system designed to enhance communication and business and personal needs of those aboard TerraNova. You can find information about other places--that's under the category of traveler information, mostly stuff about destinations to which you might be headed.

As you search for information on boxing, you find
--M. J. Young
Wed Apr 8 2009 3:28 am #
JohnA1nut
Member

Given a few hours, you manage to make 6 ounces of silver bullets. (How many bullets is that?) What are you doing with the steel slugs you removed from the casings?

Are the projectiles steel? Usually it's copper coated lead. If they're steel, then they would have limited armor piercing capabilities. Just thought I would add that.

Six ounces of gold and six ounces of silver. Makes 18 gold and 18 silver bullets. That's why I said order 6 more speed loaders. Back to the gun store and ask if I can order some speed loaders. I'll pay a small amount extra if they can be in on the shipment that has my holsters.

If the slugs are steel, I would probably put them in my Verser's Survival Pack. I could imagine steel and stainless steel being precious metals in some worlds.

Concerning the probability of an exploding bullet botch, note first that I am letting you do a "reasonable sized batch" on a single roll, not roll for each bullet, and if you were to botch there would still be a botch list. So probably you have a chance of an explosion somewhere between one in seven hundred and one in fifteen hundred, depending on things like how many items are on the botch list and exactly what your chance of success is in this universe.

OK, no offense intended. I just know guns aren't one of your strong suits, and I just wanted to make sure you didn't think it was as likely as TV and movies would make it seem.

Boxing, also known as pugilism, a form of supposed sport in which opponents attempt to kill each other with fists while others bet on the outcome, outlawed by interstellar law along with several other inhumanly cruel practices. See also cockfighting, dogfights.

(Thinking to self)
"OK, that doesn't sound TOO threatening. If they're going to arrest me for looking up information, then they are fascists indeed. Nothing to worry about. Kind of quashes my hopes for opening a Boxing school though."

Since I now have (OOC) reason to believe that authorities may come for me, I just wanted to tell you how I would be around the apartment. Around the apartment, the 357 and the 9mm would not be in the Verser's Survival Pack. I would likely sleep with the 9mm, loaded, in the holster with a single spare magazine, next to my pillow. Somewhere else in the apartment, probably in a drawer or something by the front door would be the 357 magnum. Also, it would not be uncommon for me to have one or both of them on my person around the apartment. The 9mm in the holster and the 357 next to me on the couch. It's just something I do sometimes.

So, they're obviously on the top inside the Verser's Survival Pack when I'm wearing it.

(Doing Therapy)

Wed Apr 8 2009 8:14 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

It was my understanding that they stopped making lead bullets because of the desire to eliminate lead from as many products as possible, and so reduce the amount of lead in the environment. I could be mistaken, but I thought they replaced lead with steel in most bullets. Check on it, let me know.

The rest of the day passes uneventfully.

--M. J. Young

Thu Apr 9 2009 11:50 pm #
JohnA1nut
Member

It was my understanding that they stopped making lead bullets because of the desire to eliminate lead from as many products as possible, and so reduce the amount of lead in the environment. I could be mistaken, but I thought they replaced lead with steel in most bullets. Check on it, let me know.

Nope, bullets are copper jacketed lead. Of course, that's on our world, which means nothing in TerraNova. If they're steel, then they would have armor piercing capability.

What's the next day? What's happening?

Fri Apr 10 2009 12:01 am #

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