Behind the Screens 2008 · Page 8

John--the bonuses are that you used appropriate language, +5.

I would love to be able to say that anyone who uses the Name of Jesus gets superior bonuses over anyone who uses the name of Odin or Zeus or Mohammed or Nyarlathothep. I believe that that is the Name Above Every Name. However, to do so would be unfair to players who do not agree with me on that. I can argue that this is the reality of the world, that Jesus actually is the unique Son of God, that He alone rose from death in a specific identifiable time and place under circumstances clearly affirming His identity as The God, Creator of All. However, Scott and Harry would both disagree, and probably take offense at such a rule. Then, given the clear mechanical advantage of being Christian the game would be creating, they would have to choose how to respond to that. They could pretend to become Christian, resenting me for forcing them to act in ways that are alien to their own personal beliefs; they could retain their non-Christian beliefs and resent me for unfairly penalizing them for those beliefs; or they could quit and play some other game.

You and I both know that the name of Jesus is soveriegn. I think, though, that we also both know that simply using it as if it were a magical talisman is not effective. It is in some ways because Christ is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent that He does not always do what we expect or ask. He knows better than we do what has to be done and how to achieve the best outcome in the world for His plan, us, and everyone else.

Thus the Name of Jesus in this context becomes appropriate words, and you get the +5 bonus for it just like everyone else gets for using the appropriate names of their deities.

If it still bothers you, then put down that God is just and equitable, and will not give Himself an unfair advantage over His adversaries or His allies. Thus He does not bonus Himself more than He allows anyone else to be bonused.

--M. J. Young

I have Dave, Harry, John II, and Graeme ready to roll today.

Dave is going to get a few increases in skills; this requires me to give thought to what he has been practicing, and how, and how long, but I'm going to average them out and have them all improve pretty much simultaneously. The new skill listings are:

• 1@6 Standard hand tools T 3@x
• 1@5 Knife Skill T 3@3
• 1@2 Repair Advanced Gear Systems T4@4
• 1@8 First Aid/CPR/Diagnose and Treat T 8@1
• 1@2 Electricity Package T9@X (This convenience listing incorporates all electricity skills through 9@8 Radio Frequency Generators & Receivers and 9@8Photoelectric Generators, and such tool use skills as are reasonably necessary.)
• 1@2 Electronics Package T10@X (This convenience listing incorporates all 10@ (electronics) skills through 10@6 Integrated Circuits.)
• 1@2 Sonic Forces T10@7
• 1@2 Computer Technology Package T11@X (This convenience listing incorporates 11@0 Computer Theory, 11@0 Computer Game Play, 11@1 Read & Write Program,11@2 Create Computer Security, 11@3 Bypass Computer Security, 11@4 Repair Computer, 11@5 BuildComputer, 11@7 Design Computer.)
• 1@6 Use Computer T11@0
• 1@2 Operate Communications Systems T11@1
• 1@1 Interplanetary Piloting T11@1
• 1@2 Repair Spaceship Control System T11@1
  1@2 Repair Chemical Propulsion System T11@1
• 1@2 Repair Life Support System T11@1
• 1@1 Fuel Ion & Atomic Drives T11@2
• 1@2 Kinetic Blaster T 11@3
• 1@2 Repair Atomic Drives T11@3
• 1@2 Repair Gravity System T11@5
  1@2 Repair Antimatter Drive T11@5
• 1@2 Repair Fission/Fusion System T12@1
• 1@2 Repair Antimatter System T12@6
• 1@1 Operate Ship's Energy Weapons T14@1
• 1@2 Repair Ship's Energy Weapons T14@1
• 1@1 Interstellar Piloting T14@1
• 1@2 Force Shield T14@1
• 1@2 NLS Drives T14@1
• 1@1 Operate Transportable Station Teleporter T14@1
• 1@2 Repair Transportable Station Teleporter T14@3
• 1@2 LS Drives T14@4
• 1@8 Fencing B 7@1
• 1@9 Sabre B 7@1
• 1@10 "Air Hook" B 7@1

That should impress the girls back home.

For Harry, I'm aware that different foods are available in different seasons, but that an agricultural port would undoubtedly be in a clime which allowed growing something all year around. Harry gets a 12 GE roll.

John II has a real good chance to botch on his create holy water skill, with a -82 sit-mod built into it. But he rolls 04, so if it's ever going to work, this will be the time. His positives include +9 for religion, +22 for bias, +10 for alliance magic, +10 for quest, +22 for BRA, and +11 for SAL. My addition tells me that this is 84, which gives him 2% chance of success on this. I'm double checking as to whether there is anything else I can give him to get this into the realm of possibility. Nope, can't think of anything--but I'll let him tell me if he thinks I missed something.

I will also turn my attention to the next, the walking on water. This should be fun, whether or not it works. This would be a 12@6 Lift Self with a +10 SM because it is closer to neutral bouancy than to levitation. It has a 0:96 baseline TF, and he is praying a short prayer--I time it at 0:14, but I'll round it to 0:18. Two halvings of 0:96 brings it to 24, and he's a quarter below that, so we're looking at -25 for time. It looks to me as if the potential velocity has been cut in half--I don't see him running across the water at twenty miles per hour, but I'd believe up to ten, so I'll give him +10 for that and stipulate normal walking or running speeds. He is using appropriate words for +5, kneeling with head bowed and hands folded for +15 total body involvement, and that gives me sit-mods totaling +15. He has an example from the Bible, and it is a particularly good one, so I'll give him the 3@10 SAL of a master of walking on water. BRA 2@2, Bias 11@7, World Bias 13@, quest for +10, Alliance +10, religion +9, example +40 brings the positives to 236 against negatives of 126, a 90% chance of success, and a roll of 90, John's day. 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.

The question then is whether Pedro can go with him. Pedro has the example of John, a 1@3 example, and an 11@3 bias for dispelling off-world sentients (the demons); He rolls 85, and cannot follow.

Graeme has made an excellent case against a stubborn but intelligent adversary. Let the debate progress.

--M. J. Young

No MJ, no problem about that. I just thought perhaps you overlooked something, that's all. Your explanation made perfect sense.

MJ Two posts (It's a habit)

I've noticed sometimes you say that the world bias is 13, other times, you say it's 15. Which is it? Also, that walking on water is a 12@6, so that raises my magic (cough cough) bias, right?

Sorry, John--the bias in your world is actually 13@, but I keep forgetting that and using 15@. It's only when I remember actually to check that I get it right, and every other time you get the advantage of my haste in your favor.

I have Harry, John II, and Graeme closing the week.

Harry resumes his travels.

I was preparing to roll a GE roll for how many of the royals were already dead, but John II has pre-empted that with a prayer to counter it. The thanksgiving part impresses me, because I consider the giving of thanks for prayers answered to be part of the practice of the religion. I'm going to bonus John's religion SAL to 1@8; he's been using it quite a bit of late, and the inclusion of thanksgiving in his prayer suggests he may be coming to grips with what he believes a bit better.

The question is, how do I handle a prayer that in essence is asking that something which might have happened and probably will happen eventually has not happened yet? My best--in fact my only--guess is that it is an alter reality skill; and looking through these, I find only 15@10 Achieve Temporal Effects truly applicable. That, though, is above the curve of 22 established by the 13@9 bias, so I don't have to determine whether it will work. Instead, I'll turn my attention to the general effects roll, 19, Not Thwarting but Generally Unfavorable Result.

There is of course the question of what affect his singing has on them, but that is also rolled as 19. Let's see what he decides to do next.

We now pit Graeme's 1@7 persuasion against the emperor's probably 2@2 will power (he's a young emperor, so he undoubtedly is less stubborn than an older man would be; on the other hand, he has already demonstrated a stubbornness in staying on course, and he is the emperor of Rome). That will be a relative success difficult attribute check, d30+10 must be lower than the decimalized attribute, for each. Graeme rolls 5+10=15, so he has succeeded in making a solid case; the Emperor rolls 21+10=31, so he is not going to stand against it. I'm also going to boost Graeme's persuasion to 1@8--after all, he just won an argument with the ruler of one of the largest empires in the known world.

--M. J. Young

Ya know something MJ? Neutral Buoyancy is a 4@6 psionic skill. Walking on water, which is more or less neutral buoyancy is a 12@6 magic skill. So you're saying it's easier for you to lift yourself with the power of your own mind than it is for God to lift you with His infinite power? Forgive me for being blunt, but that don't make no sense.

So you're saying it's easier for you to lift yourself with the power of your own mind than it is for God to lift you with His infinite power?

Nope! It's a higher number, yes, but as you just dramatically demonstrated with you M1@1 Create Holy Water skill, higher bias does not mean "harder" any more than lower bais means "easier." Higher bias is harder to learn, and higher bias is more often impossible, but once you know the skill, it's just as easy or hard as any other skill.

What this means is that petitioning God for the ability to walk on water is a more advanced application of magical concepts and abilities than, say, petitioning God to change water into wine. Also, using the power of your mind to walk on water is actually a less advanced application of psionic concepts and abilities than, say, using that same power to see the future.

Besides, if walking on water with magic were easy, who would be impressed? (And I guarantee you that, in the world you're currently in, it is actually much easier to do it via God than with psionics. It's a bias/affiliation thing.)

Makes sense Scott.

Thanks, Scott. I'll just add one thing. Neutral Bouyancy as a psionic skill is a sort of telekinesis in the levitation/flight category. Psionic telekinetic skills divide those up into several subskills at different bias levels. Magic skills divide them into fewer subskills. You were using a skill which was categorized as "lift self" and involved magic levitation, but which did not involve levitation of a sort that raised you into the air. Because of this, you were awarded a +10 sit-mod on the base skill. That means that walking on water as a mag skill is at the baseline easier than neutral bouyancy as a psionic skill--assuming that both are possible in a given world, that the other baseline requirements are met, that there are no other sit-mods, and that you have the same bias and BRA, you are ten percentage points more likely to succeed at this as a magic skill than as a psionic one.

With that, let me turn my attention to Kurt, Dave, Scott, and John. I've had a rough day so far and have made promises which will probably interrupt me before I am finished, but let's do what we can.

Kurt is asking about edible plants, but I'm not sure just how much Michael can, or will, teach him given his approach. He'll probably ask a better question for his next question, but this will give him some idea of how things go.

Dave is asking about docking somewhere. That's not an easy question to answer.

Scott is still dealing with his headache.

John II has made his move. The skill he is attempting is the same skill he attempted from the other side of the lake, but that he is closer; I assessed numbers for that version of the skill based on two doublings of the distance for four hundred feet long range. I did not at that time also assess the -25 penalty on attempting to attack at long range. I'm going to keep the same numbers, 54% chance to perform the skill, and by doubling standard ranges twice I get 80':200':300':400':+1/4', and that puts his target in short range, the unmodified distance, a 54% chance of success.

He needs to get the initiative, though, to be able to strike first. That means he has to roll below 54 and above whatever the enemy has to roll; John rolls 78 and the demons roll 36, so they go first. Echevar moves first, rolling 61 on his 2@5 fly 15mph skill. Given 2x12@ bias and 2@9 Bod BRA that's a solid success, 6% faster than his normal speed so 16mph. He has to cross 150/5280 miles, =15/528=5/109, and he is moving at 16mph=84480 feet per hour=1408 feet per minute=23.47 feet per second. He's going to cross that distance in about seven seconds. John's going to take 12 seconds to do his magic, so that's not going to be finished fast enough. Since the demons have the initiative, John will see that Echevar launched before he starts his spell.

That's it for today, isn't it?

--M. J. Young

So...how did you calculate what needed to be rolled to even succeed in John's case?

The calculation is in this post, under the heading John II. It makes more sense, though, if you're aware first that this is a skill learning check, which uses a different calculus than an ordinary skill check, and second what the usual factors are in learning checks:

+ Character's BRA, decimalized (from 1 to 40)
+ Character's area bias, decimalized (from 0 to 160)
- the skill's bias, decimalized (from 0 to 160)
+ the world bias level (from -15 to +15)

if the character is learning from an example, + the decimalized SAL of the example
if the character has an instructor, + 1/2 of the instructor's decimalized BRA
if the instructor has the Teaching skill, + his decimalized Teaching SAL

The rest of the modifiers in that post are adjustments for the complexity of the ritual or the power of the spell, most of which are specific to the Magic bias area.

Does that help? Or am I making things more confusing?

You're simplifying things, definately, but with words that I don't completely understand.

Could you explain it as if I know absolutely NOTHING about the game (I know enough to deduce a lot of what you said, but I think it'd help if everything was spelled out in terms I'm sure I'll understand).

Don't feel bad Krillis, I had the same problem.

BRA, Best Relevant Attribute. For example, if you're trying to do a body skill, and your strength is 1@7, and all of your other body skills are 1@5, then the 1@7 is your best relevant attribute. That translates out to 17 percentage points.

Character's area bias is, I believe, the highest skill that you have in a given area. If your highest body skill is 7@5, you get that added to it, although I am not certain exactly how.

The world bias is how much the world helps you. Some worlds make things easier.

Then you have examples, teachers, etc, and that gets added into the mix as well. Again, not certain exactly how. Obviously, if you have seen something done, or have someone teaching you how to do it, it becomes easier.

Add all of that together, and then subtract the bias of the skill you are attempting. That gives you your chance of success. Something like that.

Oh and MJ, my Magic (cough cough) bias is raised, so don't forget to add that into the mix on future (cough cough) spells that I do.

Sure thing, Krillis.

John's mostly already covered BRA. For each bias area - there are four, Tech, Psi, Mag, and Bod - there are three attributes that are considered "relevant" for performing skills in that area. They are as follows:

Tech: Intellect, Intuition, Ed Level
Psi: Persuasion, Intuition, Willpower
Mag: Animal Magnetism, Intellect, Intuition
Bod: Strength, Agility, Willpower

Rather than try match up each and every skill with exactly one attribute (e.g., "climbing uses strength but jumping uses agility"), we simply say that of the three relevant attributes, you use your best one every time. Some people climb the cliff face with brute strength, some people do it with dexterity and nimbleness, and others get to the top because they'll never forgive themselves if they don't.

That's the first factor. Attributes, by the way, are measured according to a Level at Intensity system, where level 1 is normal folks, level 2 is exceptional folks, and level 3 is superhumans, and the intensity from one to ten rates you relative to other people at your level, giving you a rating from 1@1 to 3@10. For purposes of skill success, we "decimalize" that - that is, multiply the level by ten and add the intensity, giving you a number from 11 to 40.

Next is character area bias. John's covered this, too. Every skill has a bias rating. This is also done with levels and intensities, but the levels mean different things from the attribute levels. Each bias area has fifteen levels of skills - in Tech, for example, these range from fire and the wheel a levels 1 and 2 all the way to time travel at level 15. Intensities again measure within the level - extinguishing a fire, T1@1, is a simpler concept than igniting a fire from your body heat, T1@10. Your character bias, then, is equal to the bias rating of the highest biased skill you have. For purposes of skill learning success, this is decimalized. If your highest Bod skill is a B7@5 Advanced Parry, you get +75 on your Bod learning checks.

Opposing this, for purposes of skill learning, is the bias rating of the skill you're trying to learn. It's decimalized and subtracted. If, continuing the previous example, you've grown wings and are trying to learn how to fly with them, you're trying to learn B8@4 Winged Flight, so you get -84 to your learning check. (The other way to think of it is that you're learning a skill that's nine points higher than the highest one you know, so you get -9 on your learning roll. Since +75 - 84 = -9, it works out the same.)

Each world also has a world area bias for each bias area. Similar to character bias, this is the highest biased skill that the indigenous inhabitants of the world are allowed to perform - any skill with a bias rating higher than the world area bias is impossible for the natives. This ranges from 0@0 to 15@10, just like the skill bias rating. (There are also worlds with negative bias ratings, but that's more difficult to explain. Suffice for now that some worlds oppose some bias areas, and the negative level reduces your chance of learning/performing skills.) For skill learning, the level of this bias rating is added once to your chance of skill success. In John's world, the magic bias is M13@9, so he gets +13 to learning rolls for magic. For skill performance, the bias level is used differently. (Ask if you're curious.)

Those are all of the factors that always apply to skill learning. The rest might or might not. And, um, I'll write about them - examples, instructors, teachers - later, in another post, because I need to be doing other things. I'll try to get back here before MJ posts again.

('Sure thing, Krillis' continued)

The first optional factor is the Example. If you've seen someone else do it, or you're reverse engineering the device instead of designing it from scratch, or the mentalist psionically inserted a "skill pattern" in your brain - any circumstance of that kind means you're somehow benefiting from an observation of someone else's skill. This is often the case when you're being taught, but you don't need any supervision to benefit form an example; the character who tries to parrot back the spell the enemy wizard just cast might get an Example bonus, if he was paying close enough attention.

..If you have an Example, you get the example's decimalized SAL added as a bonus to your skill learning roll. (The better he is at it, the more you get out of watching him.)

The second optional factor is the Instructor. This is anyone who 1) has the skill you're trying to learn, and 2) is trying to help you learn it. And I do mean anyone. No skill at teaching or training is required; the bonus from having an instructor is strictly the benefit that comes from having someone helping you instead of having to make up everything on your own.

..If you have an Instructor, you get 1/2 of the instructor's decimalized BRA, rounded up, as a bonus to your skill learning roll. (This part of the bonus doesn't rely on the instructor's skill at teaching/training, if any, merely on his talent; so, it comes from his BRA. The more talented he is in this bias area, the better a guide he'll be.)

The third optional bonus is a Teacher. If you are fortunate enough to have an instructor who also has specific skill at helping people to learn things, this obviously boosts your chances. You can have an instructor who is not a teacher, but you can't have a teacher who is not an instructor.

..If your instructor has Teaching skill or Training (This Skill), you receive his decimalized teaching/training SAL as a bonus to your skill learning roll.

If you're curious about the difference between teaching and training, I can answer that separately if you like, along with the negative world area bias thing from before. Oh, and there's a fourth option factor: most sit-mods that affect skill performance also affect skill learning, on a one-for-one basis. Most of the adjustments for John's spell were of that sort. If I were to start listing everything that can affect skill performance, though, I'd be here all day, so I'll leave it at that.

Better? Anything still unclear?

As usual, I must thank particularly Scott but also John for providing detailed answers to questions. I suppose I could say that Scott owes me, since I just provided a rather detailed answer to his questions in another thread, but since I'm here to answer questions and he's here to play, he doesn't owe me, and I humbly thank him for his excellent explanations.

I think he let "SAL" slip by without explanation. That stands for Skill Ability Level, and is how good you are at a particular skill. It also uses the level-at-intensity system, and three levels and ten intensities, so it ranges from 1@1 to 3@10. Level one skills are called "Amateur", and indicate someone who can do something as well as the next guy as long as the next guy isn't someone special. Level two is "Professional"; professionals don't need to roll for a lot of ordinary tasks because they're that good. Level three is "Expert". Experts can do things others don't know are possible. I'm reminded of Gus in Superman III, who got the computer to do something at the very moment the instructor was saying you couldn't do that on those computers, although he is more of a savant (someone who doesn't understand what he's doing but is extremely good at it). We don't really cover savants in the rules.

And of course, feel free to ask questions. I'm here so you can learn to run this game.

Which means now I'm running it for Kurt, Harry, Scott, John II, and Graeme, although I'm going to have to run to take my mother-in-law shopping before I'm done, and will be scarfing down supper while I do this.

Kurt is coming to the end of the day.

We've got to take a step back with Harry because we slid by something he mentioned without addressing it.

Scott has created a skill to combat pain, but I've got a significant question to ask before I roll for it.

I'm going to post this and come back in a few hours to finish.

--M. J. Young

I'm continuing my interrupted work with John II and Graeme.

My plans have been derailed; I'm going to do more of this while waiting for someone to contact me about sorting out the problem.

The situation for John is going to be a bit more complicated than he anticipates.

Graeme asks questions. I think I need to roll for the last one only--are there prisoners? It seems a bit unlikely to me that there would be, but his 9 GE roll says As Good As Expected, which is better than Good Enough by quite a bit, so there are a few.

--M. J. Young

We have game with Kurt, Harry, Scott, and John II.

I think it's time to determine how much time Kurt has in this world, and a roll of 8 suggests that things are going to be quiet for quite a while (unless, of course, he doesn't want that; but at present that seems to be his thoughts).

I'm not quite certain whether Harry is looking for a wife, a mistress, or a fling, but a GE roll of 17 says that you would find those you would find ordinarily at a farm market, and a simple intuition check of 8 will help him significantly in narrowing down the possibilities. Let's give him a few candidates and see who he finds attractive enough to pursue--the strong competent older girl, the shy demure innocent child, the weary but sweet young lady, or the bubbly cutie.

Obviously if I'm going to roll for Scott's new 13@1 skill, I'm going to need his bias and BRA. Mag BRA is 2@6, and I show an 11@1 bias, which I confirm is from his Repel Insects skill. He has built a +41 sit-mod into this, and the world area bias is 0@ for magic, so I'm looking at 11@1+2@6+41=178, -13@1=47% chance of success here. He rolls 51, which is a shame but that's the way of the dice.

John II has a 1@5 SAL in Stealth, with a 2x7@ bias level and 1@7 Bod BRA for a base 46%. He gets +20 for being invisible, and I'll also give him an extra +5 for using the sound of the gunshot as cover for his movement. That gives him a 71% chance of making this movement undetected. Failure does not necessarily mean that they know where he is, but success means that they clearly do not. 12 is a relatively weak success, but it is a success. I am going to roll for the firing of the gun, 49 successful, because this is a low tech world.

He wants to fire three shots at Echevar and then move again. He is outside point blank but inside short range, so his numbers are 2@2 RSV+2@2 BRA+1@10 SAL+2x6@ bias=76, minus 1@10 TV=56% chance to hit; Echevar has a 2@4 Resist Damage from Cutting/Piercing which covers bullets, a mag skill; his BRA is 2@8 and bias is 2x13@, so his chance of reducing damage is 78%. John rolls 55, Echevar 50; that gives Echevar -DC on John's attack. John is using a MAK 90 with base Lethal damage, +DC for his RSV and +DC for the blessing against demons, but Echevar cancels one of those making the attack fatal. On a Fatal roll of 55 that's 28 intensities, but Echevar has a 2@9 damage value which cuts that in half to 14. Echevar's resistance remains in place for the round, but John gets to roll two more shots against him, 38 fatal is 19 divided by two is 10 which makes 24; 40 is 20 divided by 2 is 10 makes 34, and that's enough for Echevar.

John needs another stealth roll, 84 not working for him so Dicalus gets an intuition check on his movement, 5 being successful. Dicalus also is using a skill that takes him a minute to use; he has now used it, rolling 67. His numbers for this are 2@8 BRA+2x13@ bias+1@8 SAL=72%, so he succeeds quite solidly. That's going to surprise John, I would bet. There will be an initiative roll, as soon as John tells me that he's going to shoot the thing--unless, of course, he decides he's not going to shoot at such close quarters to avoid giving away his position.

--M. J. Young

You have my apologies for missing yesterday; I'm not going to waste time offering worthless explanations and excuses but simply will plough forward into games with Harry, Scott, and John II.

Fascinating. Someone has said that Jones created this game in part so he could "psych" players--figure out what makes them tick. It intrigues me at the moment because I created four "attractive" girls, each of them with very different qualities, and Harry zeroed in on the shy one. It tells me that were he in The Dancing Princess, it would be the Princess Nerene who would catch his eye--Margaret, like the fruit shop girl, is assertive and capable, and Olivia, like the berry basket girl, fun-loving, but Nerene, like the egg seller, is the quiet shy one. I've found the girl he would rescue. Now let's see what we do with it. I'm thinking An mag check--but I don't have an An-mag or a Charisma for him, only a persuasion. I'll have to ask about them.

Hmmm...it must be the pain. Scott rolls 95 on his second attempt to magically dispel his pain, which is one pip shy of a botch. I'd say he can't perform the ritual as described.

John II needs to make a successful stealth check to move away from the demon undetected; he has his +20 for the invisibility. A roll of 30 is successful, so he moves to 10 feet, which for the MAK 90 will be point blank, +20 to hit. He rolls 21, and Dicalus rolls 17 for -DC on the attacks, so that's 11/2=5 intensities on the first shot. He fires thrice and moves, the second shot rolls 22, the third 85, and that third shot is going to be significant. It's 5 intensities for the second against a 2@9 damage value, but the third does 43/2=21, and with the two initial hits that's going to be sufficient.

We're good to go.

--M. J. Young

MJ, an 85 is a successful hit? That seems kind of high. I thought I only had a 54% chance to hit. Or is it just so heavily bonused from point blank range, and being a blessed weapon? Hey, at least I'm honest.

Fifty-four was the command, fifty-six is your attack. Point-blank is worth +20, and I'm not sure what bonus the blessing gives to hit, if any. As little as plus nine would be enough. I'm also not sure if you get any bonuses for being invisible, but I think not.

Well, that happens sometimes when I thumbnail too quickly; I thought you had a chance to hit in the mid sixties before the point blank bonus, so the additional +20 would put you in the mid eighties. Should have missed--but I'm not going to change it, because I don't think the outcome will be much different anyway and I like the way it came out.

Let's see what we do with Harry, Scott, and John II.

I'm going to give Harry a 1@6 animal magnetism and a 1@10 charisma--because even though he makes a good argument that it might be higher for his verser self, the initial scores are based on his non-verser self, and he'll have to actually practice improving his scores to make them higher. He'll have to make a comparative relative success check against the girls less-than stellar will power, but I'll bonus him +3 on his animal magnetism based on his current view of himself as successful. He rolls 36, so this relationship is not going anywhere today.

I have not yet rolled the GE roll to determine how long Scott's brain burn is going to last; it is on its third day, I believe, which is remarkably short time for brain burn. The roll is 14, which is what he wants but somewhat favorable. He is going to take the medicine and go for the magic again in the morning, and rolls 30 this time, which I am certain is successful. He already wrote up the skill as 1@1 Block Pain in Self M13@1 caster arranges five wingnuts [must be wingnuts; contrast with material requirement for Create Darkness] in a pentagon on the ground and, sitting crosslegged within it, makes begging gestures with both hands while singing the following in a slow minor: "Todo gente lo buscan; por favor, lo me das. Ésos que lo tienen ganan nada; ¿preguntas que quiero? 'No dolor'." (Spanish for "All men seek it, but those who have it gain nothing. Please, give it to me. "You ask what I want? Please: 'no pain.") Arcane magic, 0:18, lasts RS/5 hours, sound vital, self only, +42 SM.

He has six hours.

John II rolls for healing the king and then Margaret. He rolls 36 on the King, which will succeed and give him his new use to raise his SAL to 1@2; he rolls 86 on Margaret, which fails.

--M. J. Young

I have a small contingent featuring Harry, Scott, and John II.

Since both of Harry's spells are no-failure ones provided the circle works, everything really depends on his 1@8 SAL +28 SM activate holy ground spell. He gets the +10 alliance bonus and half his 2@5 witchcraft religion score for +13, and a 2@3 Mag BRA in a world with a 0@ bias, if memory serves. This is also a no-miss skill in this world, so there's no need to roll anything at present--he keeps his food fresh and his body running.

I missed mentioning that there was a customs check problem in New Haven, but a GE of 15 is good enough that it's not going to impact Harry at all.

I have already rolled circumstances here; the scenario provides a special general effects table for the reactions of the natives--which are always bad. In this case, the roll is 26, which means that while the crew is making cargo transfers there will be five separate attacks on the dock by natives, each in a group of d12, which will be repelled on one dead or twenty-five percent injured. For the first attack the roll is 1, so this will be a quick one.

There's a lot of interesting stuff in Scott's post. One of the most interesting is this:

(Mental note: songs and circles seem to go together.)

Scott, as a player and referee, knows that there is no such connection really; but as a character he has observed the connection, and thus has reinforced in his own mind the idea that this is how to design magic rituals for working spells. He is, in a sense, on his way to developing his own personal school of magic.

Which brings up the second interesting point: he is attempting to teach an indig a spell, in a world with a 0@2 mag bias. On the one hand, people in this world cannot learn magic; on the other hand, there is provision for versers to teach skills to close associates that are above the bias. What makes it especially interesting to me is, no one has ever attempted to do this before in any game I ran or played. I am actually going to have to review the notes on bias in the rules.

Review completed. Scott cannot actually teach Alice any magic skills, but he can teach her the fundamental principles of magic that she needs to create her own skills as a magic researcher. I think it is fair to allow him a teaching skill check to determine whether he realizes that this is what needs to happen--at least, that she needs to understand these fundamental concepts if she is to learn magic. I roll 77 on the first teaching attempt, so everything fails. He is going to try to teach her a second skill, though, so I'll roll again, and 15 on his teaching skill is going to work.

I don't know that she can teach herself any magic skills even if he overcomes this barrier, but it will be interesting to see what happens next.

It seems that my three players are all keeping me extra busy. That's fine; there's time. John II has a few questions I can answer and a few that require me to ask questions in response.

--M. J. Young

It's funny, because I was just thinking yesterday that this might work better if I had her cook up her own magic. If I'm looking for commonalities in how I've done magic so I can teach her to do it the same way, one thing I've always done is invent the spell myself and then tweak it a little if it didn't work at first. Then, too, I understand these incantations, but she doesn't, even if I've explained what they "mean". That seems like it would be important. Also, who's to say that the time I spend with my dictionary isn't an important part of making a spell "work" later? After all, I had no trouble with the spells I cooked up during my hours-long bus ride; maybe spell success is a direct function of how long I spent researching it, and that's why all my spells work eventually.

Any way I look at it, her doing it for herself seems like the best and most natural way to go. Perhaps I can still be of help with magical theory, though - "oh, no, balls of fire are 3rd level, way too advanced for you ... "

I am launching Court, who will be joining Kurt in the thread <i>New Players Coasting In</i>. That means I have to write something for Kurt, too, who hopefully is only missing briefly. Then I have Harry, Scott, and John II.

We introduce Court to the world, and move on.

Harry gets some comments from the first officer and rolls 7 on the next d12 attack.

Scott is doing a good job of teaching the basic concepts of magic to Alice; let's see how well she learns, but first let's continue the conversation a bit.

We'll add a 1@5 Operate Small Boat T3@1 skill to John II's paper.

He has put forward a magic skill that involves combining several person together in the performance of a single prayer. The magic which allows multiple persons to pray or cast as one is a 15@4 skill, but not entirely beyond John's ability. It takes one minute for one person, and since this is a 13@ world he is the only person who can cast it. It seems best to incorporate the curative within it, which means -10 for an incorporated damage repair skill, -10 for the second person, -5 for the third. We have joined hands and kneeling, full body involvement +15, appropriate words +5. He is praying for five minutes; both skills have a baseline of 1:00, which he is doubling two and a quarter times for +23. That makes the inherent sit-mod +18. He gets the +10 alliance bonus, +10 quest bonus, +9 for his religion. His bias is 11@7 and his BRA 2@2, and there's +13 for the world area bias. That's 199-154 (the bias of the target skill)=45% chance that this will work. It's more complicated than that--if it works, he gets the benefit of the best bias, best SAL, and best BRA, but his is the best Bias, no one has an SAL, and Nerene's 2@9 BRA is only 7 intensities more for a total of 52%--and if it fails, he doesn't get that, so it's not a particularly effective way to approach the skill. Anyway, either way he rolls 99; that's going to be a botch. Here's a botch list:

1. Gate
2. Explosion
3. Fuse persons in separate bodies
4. Shift injury to caster
5. Fuse persons in one body
6. Swap bodies
7. Turn all to stone (unexpected result)
8. Create garden

Rolling an 8-sided die, I get two. Boring, but it calls for a couple of GE rolls against the explosions table to see what happens next. The first roll is 14, lethal with a damaging rider; second roll is 15, entire floor (interior size of building). I think probably Pedro is beyond that range, but I'll give him a GE roll for that: 17 is within my expectations, he will feel the force knock him over but will not be harmed. Now we need to roll a lethal roll plus a damaging roll, anything from two to twenty-five intensities, and the first is 59 for 12 intensities and the second 91 for 5 more, 17 intensities of damage. Margaret, already seriously injured, is dead; the others, starting in full health, can all withstand more than 17 intensities of damage (royals tend to be like that). Surprisingly I never calculated a damage value for John, because I am missing his resistance score. I'll give him a 1@10 resistance (I'm also lacking a flexibility score, which is surprising since this is not his first world, but I suppose he must have been getting either very high or very low rolls). Stamina 1@6+Resistance 1@10+Density 1@1+Will Power 1@7, I'm going to inch up his stamina +2 for his blacksmithing to 1@8, and while I'm at it his strength +2 to 1@9. That's 66/4=33/2=16.5, 1@7, the exact amount of damage he took, he is incapacitated and dying. No one here has any first aid or healing skills, and he is unable to help himself in this condition, so he will die in minutes. He rolls 22 on the flexibility check, so he is still at stage 1.

I've got a world I have to debug; John is about to debug it for me.

--M. J. Young

I've got a world I have to debug; John is about to debug it for me.

Yeah, I was just thinking about that. Who better to debug the world than the person that won't play it the way you expect him to? I've never done what you expected. Who better to find the flaws?

MJ, I just reread that botch list. My strength and stamina scores were already raised from the blacksmithing, during the time when I skipped ahead a year. Are you raising it further, or did you make a mistake? Either way, I'm dead, but I just wanted to make that clear.

John, I was not certain whether I had recently increased your attributes or not; but they seemed a bit low for someone who had spent that much time blacksmithing.

Let's deal with Court, Harry, and John II.

Court is getting oriented to the new world.

Harry is going to be interrupted; I do not see him having two hours to complete a ritual before the captain needs him for his part in the negotiations.

I neglected to post John II's current character sheet when he versed. Here it is, with adjustments according to what we agree he gained and lost in the previous world:

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
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@7

Bias
Tech 10@2
Psi 4@8
Mag 11@7
Bod 7@5

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

Description Height 6' 2", Weight 250 pounds, Current Hair Style long, dyed blonde, Hair Color brown, (natural) dyed blonde, Age 29, Eye Color brown, Facial Hair goatee, 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@5 Basic Fire Skills Package T1@1
1@3 Cook T1@2
1@5 Firebomb T1@6
1@3 Sewing 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@6 Use crossbow T3@1
1@5 Operate Small Boat T3@1
1@1 Pick Locks T3@2
1@10 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. +3
2@8 Gun Knowledge T6@0
1@10 Operate Large hand-carried explosive-driven slug thrower (rifle) T6@1
2@2 Operate Ruger P-99 pistol T6@1 +1
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@1 Operate Vehicle (CDL--trucks & heavy equipment) T8@1
1@3 Automotive diagnosis and repair T8@2
2@1 Electronic Assembly T10@2

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@1 Delayed Telepathic Message P1@2 projects thought to be received by the intended target when he is next psionically aware.
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 +1
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@1 Noncorporeality P5@10 RS minutes

Mag
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@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@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 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@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@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@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 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

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@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@1 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 case bottled water, 24 500 ml bottles weight, approximately 28 pounds.
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
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
Misc. clothing, jeans, tee shirts, 1 heavy winter coat, 2 camouflage army jackets, socks, etc. total weight approximately 30 pounds
Misc canned food. Soup, canned hams, tuna, spaghetti, etc. weight 50 pounds
black jeans and red tee shirt, black leather belt, socks, black military combat boots, carrying leather billfold and house keys
Ruger P-89 pistol 15 shot magazine 9mm reload (clip) 0:12 RF10 dangerous
5 boxes 50@ 9mm pistol ammo
Spare 15 round magazine for Ruger P-99
$15.75 money from B Movie Monster World
6 magazines 15 round each for 9mm Ruger
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', 13 shots in magazine.
Two-man nylon tent, short, aluminum poles and stakes, red, full floor and zippered mosquito netting
Utility belt
9x30 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
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, metal imitation fletching, ranges in crossbow 3:9:15:30:+1/30' (1:3:5:10:+1/10 yards), lethal
150 wooden quarrels, steel heads, ranges in crossbow 12:45:90:240:+5/12' (4:15:30:80:+5/4 yards), damaging
lever & latch crossbow T3@1 8 pounds, ranges according to missiles fired.
Ruby, 3 carat (~1cm diameter)
Emerald, 3 carat (~1cm diameter)
10# block gold
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
10 silver (rings?) 1z each from Dancing Princess
2 rings, unspecified
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 with shotgun shells
Priest's traveling robes

Stage 1

World List B Monster Movie World
Pearl Harbor
Dancing Princess

I believe that is correct and up-to-date; correct anything that seems wrong to you, and then we'll work on what you are intending to do with the stuff you brought to this world that you are disowning, and the stuff that you did not bring down the rabbit hole with you so is not next to you now.

--M. J. Young

MJ, you have an older sheet. I lost a lot of that stuff when I left Pearl Harbor. What I posted is my equipment, and it is up to date.

MJ Two Posts (it's a habit)

I just had a thought. New rule on the posting order. If someone verses out, they get answered first in line. I mean obviously, they are eager to see the new world, right? That would keep it rotating. Just a suggestion.

(Oh yeah, and anybody petty enough to get killed on purpose just so their thread gets answered first doesn't deserve to be playing)

While there might be some merit in a rotating order, it could get difficult to remember. He'd have to keep notes on who's versed out and how recently, whereas now all he needs to do is remember who joined in what order.

I thought of that too, Scott. Like I said, it was just a suggestion. I thought MJ might want to mix things up a little, that's all.

MJ, I took the sheet you posted and compared it to my sheet, and made this. I had some things wrong, you had some things wrong, so I fixed it. If you see anything that you notice to be wrong, alert me. There's a few posts preceding this one. Also, feel free to answer my thread just as disjointedly and haphazardly as I posted it. You'll see.

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.
10 pound gold brick
1 three carat emerald
1 three carat ruby
20 pounds in 4 oz crowns
21 crown 4 oz each
2 half crowns 2 oz each
16 one ounce silver tree leaves
32 one ounce gold tree leaves
"two bunches gemstones, unexamined (Dancing Princess demon-world)"
64 shillings, 1/2 oz each nickle
116 pence 1/2 oz each bronze

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
3 sets medieval clothing
Invisibility cloak M1@3 Active when Worn confers M5@8 Invisibility and M7@3 Penetrate Disguise
20 steel quarrels, metal imitation fletching, ranges in crossbow 3:9:15:30:+1/30' (1:3:5:10:+1/10 yards), lethal
150 wooden quarrels, steel heads, ranges in crossbow 12:45:90:240:+5/12' (4:15:30:80:+5/4 yards), damaging
lever & latch crossbow T3@1 8 pounds, ranges according to missiles fired.
Straight Razor
Quiver, 30 quarrel capacity
19 "Boom Stick" spears
Priest's traveling robes
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, in 2 pieces, 30 and 70 feet long weight 1 pound
1 21 speed all-terrain mountain bicycle, with security chain and combination lock, weight approximately 15 pounds
1 complete first-aid kit weight 1 pound has tweezers, over 100 band-aids, several gauze pads, an instant ice pack, surgical tape, rubber gloves, instruction book
1 dynamo flashlight (shake it to charge, no batteries needed) weigh 1/2 pound
1 dynamo radio (crank to charge, no batteries needed) and black nylon carrying case with strap. radio receives AM, FM, audio to TV frequencies 2-13, 7 weather bands. It is equipped with an LED flashlight, siren, and hazard signal flasher. It can also be used to charge a cell phone battery weight 1 pound
1 Marlin 22 caliber rifle, 18 round capacity, 2,000 rounds 22 ammunition. total weight, approximately 10 pounds reload 60 seconds
1 can opener weight approximately 1/2 pound heavy duty crank type
1 aluminum baseball bat, weight approximately 1 pound
Misc. clothing, jeans, tee shirts, 1 heavy winter coat, 2 camouflage army jackets, socks, etc. total weight approximately 30 pounds
black jeans and red tee shirt, black leather belt, socks, black military combat boots, carrying leather billfold and house keys
Ruger P-89 pistol, magazine currently contains 15+1 shots 9mm 3 lbs
5 boxes 50@ 9mm pistol ammo 5 lbs
5 magazines 15 round each for 9mm Ruger 6 lbs
1 magazine 5 rounds 9mm
1 magazine 14 rounds 9mm
Military Surplus Sleeping Bag 1 lbs
Keyring: house key, mailbox key, toolbox key, AND a key that will open standard issue police handcuffs
MAK 90 Russian-made shoots 7.62x39 ammo, low quality detachable bayonet comes with a metal sheath that can be hooked to the bayonet to become a pair of wire cutters, back of bayonet has hacksaw blade as part of the blade, serves as bayonet, fighting knife, wirecutters, and hacksaw. 7 lbs
Utility belt
8x30 round MAK magazines 9 lbs
1 30 rd MAK 90 magazine with 13 bullets
Leatherman multi-tool, (pliers, 3 flathead screwdrivers, 1 Phillips screwdriver, blade, can opener, two-sided file and scissors) (second of these, slightly different) in black nylon case on belt
radio flyer wagon 8 lbs
tactical shoulder sling for Shotgun (Has loops to hold 15 shotgun shells)

25 rounds 20 gauge #6 bird shot 5 lbs
4 30-06 bullets.
universal gun cleaning kit
three throwing knives 3 lbs
holster for a Ruger P-89
two-quart aluminum canteen with canvas case and shoulder strap 3 lbs
New Combat Boots, original SWAT brand, size 13 1 lbs
Hobo Knife, splits with knife and spoon on one half, fork and can opener on the other, fanny pack
15 BiC lighters, five (one sealed pack) in fanny pack
KABAR, 12 inch Marine (military) fighting/survival knife, black leather sheath.
Fanny pack, black leatherette with cloth strap and plastic buckle, on waist; weight 5 lbs
Ronco Pocket Fisherman
Deck playing cards
White Jumpsuit x4 (Pearl Harbor)
White Tennis Shoes (Pearl Harbor)
Olive underpants x4 (Pearl Harbor)

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 P5@10
Mag 12@6
Bod 7@5

Weaknesses Attention Deficit Disorder, 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 full, 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@5 Basic Fire Skills Package T1@1
1@3 Cook T1@2
1@5 Firebomb T1@6
1@3 Sewing 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@6 Use crossbow T3@1
1@5 Operate Small Boat T3@1
1@1 Pick Locks T3@2
1@10+3 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. +3
2@8 Gun Knowledge T6@0
1@10+1 Operate Large hand-carried explosive-driven slug thrower (rifle) T6@1
2@2+1 Operate Ruger P-99 pistol T6@1 +1
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@1 Operate Vehicle (CDL--trucks & heavy equipment) T8@1
1@3 Automotive diagnosis and repair T8@2
2@1 Electronic Assembly T10@2

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@1 Delayed Telepathic Message P1@2 projects thought to be received by the intended target when he is next psionically aware.
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 +1
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@1 Noncorporeality P5@10 RS minutes

Mag
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@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@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 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@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@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@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 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
Bod
2@8 Photosensitivity B0@4 (exceptional night vision)
2@10 Focus B0@5 (20/13 visual accuity)
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 attack multiplier 2, fast aggressive, weapon-dependent, +20 offensive modifier, no defensive modifier, hand & arm
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 Bo Stick B7@1 Martial Arts Weapon base damaging RF1
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
1@4 fishing
1@3 identify edible plants
1@5 Stealth B0@6

Stage 1

World List
B Monster Movie World
Pearl Harbor
Dancing Princess

John, that's why we have this thread--to straighten out what ought to be on paper. I suspected that there were changes I missed.

As to the posting order, Scott is correct--it's tough enough for me to remember the order in which everyone joined (although my spreadsheet is arranged that way). Keeping notes on a different order is out of the question. I know that you're eager to see the new world, but a few hours one way or another isn't going to make that much of a difference, particularly since I'm only posting once per day six days per week.

I really hate it when someone gives me "This is what you should have." I don't want that; I want "This is what you have to change." That's because if you give me what I should have, I have to check everything to see whether it matches, but if you give me what I have to change I can focus on finding those items. Also, it is particularly irksome to me that your list of what you have is not in the same order as mine; mine is in the order in which the items were added to your sheet, which helps me determine where you got them. Because yours is in a different order, it makes it doubly difficult for me to check.

What I recommend is that you copy my list to some document somewhere, then go through it. If what I have matches what you have, delete it--I don't need to be told, for example, that you still have the 1 school backpack weight 1 pound that we both have on the list. If it is no longer there, then note it by quoting exactly what I wrote and then writing "deleted". If it is still there but the description has changed, then note this by quoting exactly what I wrote and then writing "s/b" (for "should be") and whatever it should say instead, exactly as it should say it, so I can simply copy/paste it to the spreadsheet in place of what was already there.

That will catch your paper up to date. I do not have time to wade through and compare what you've got with what I've got, particularly since I thought I just did that and obviously because of the significant differences between the order of items on our sheets I missed some things.

That said, let me address Dave, then Harry, and then John II. Incidently, I received word through an interested third party that Kurt expects to return by the end of the weekend.

I'm thinking that Dave would prefer to have a longer time of practicing, but a GE roll of 20 says not only does he not get much more time, he also does not get either a visit to a planet or a nice safe event. It's time for the famous listening post raid. We'll introduce the mission, and there will be a moment of silence as everyone--including Dave--thinks. If Dave says nothing, someone else will.

Harry hasn't really prepared to sell his fruit; he's been busy with other interests. But he'll catch up.

John II puts on the cloak. The bias is not flatlined, but it is 0@, which means that he gets no bonus for world bias and a high chance to botch. I'm not announcing the curve yet, because he doesn't know it. His SAL on the cloak is 1@1, and his BRA is 2@2, so he has a 33% chance of making it work--and rolls 80, so nothing happens.

We have to look at the gems, finally. The page says that they are two grape-like bunches of forty to fifty gems each. I am sorely upset that my gem creator won't run because the Windows XP does not recognize the QBasic program that was installed on the imported hard drive. Since I don't have the facility to create a different randomizing program, I'm going to have to randomize these by hand. However, I do have an old Dungeons & Dragons DMG with the gem randomization system in it, so I'll use that. Also, I'm not an idiot--other people do randomization using Excel spreadsheets, I should be able to do that also. Sure enough, I've got 44 in the first batch and 40 in the second. Now for what they are.

I'm going to take some time at this, so I'll close this post and post to his thread again when I've got them finished and know what I can tell him.

--M. J. Young

This is what was incorrect on your sheet. You had some skills wrong, and had some equipment that I had lost.

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

Attributes
Flexibility 1@3

Best Relevant Attributes

Bod 1@9

Bias
Psi 5@10
Mag 12@6

Weaknesses Attention Deficit Disorder, 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 full, unkempt beard, 6 inch scar on left ankle, 2 inch scar above right eye, bulky, stocky, carry the weight well.

Skills

1@10+1 Operate Large hand-carried explosive-driven slug thrower (rifle) T6@1 (New use for killing the demons)

Psi

Mag

Bod

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 (lots of practice at Pearl Harbor)
1@4 fishing
1@3 identify edible plants
1@5 Stealth B0@6

Equipment

1 case bottled water, 24 500 ml bottles weight, approximately 28 pounds.I drank this in Dancing Princess to save weight. It's no longer there.

100 feet high tensile white nylon cord, weight 1 pound The cord is actually in 2 pieces, probably 30 and 70 feet long (Don't know why I didn't mention this before)

Misc. clothing, jeans, tee shirts, 1 heavy winter coat, 2 camouflage army jackets, socks, etc. total weight approximately 30 pounds

The misc clothing is
3 pair jeans
3 tee shirts
3 pairs socks
3 pairs underwear
2 pairs flannel pajama pants
1 black leather belt
1 purple hoodie sweatshirt

Misc canned food. Soup, canned hams, tuna, spaghetti, etc. weight 50 pounds
I lost this when I versed out of Pearl Harbor.

black jeans and red tee shirt, black leather belt, socks, black military
This was what I was wearing when I versed. I'm including it in the above misc clothing, therefore, you don't really need it

Ruger P-89 pistol, magazine currently contains 15+1 shots 9mm 3 lbs
5 magazines 15 round each for 9mm Ruger 6 lbs
1 magazine 5 rounds 9mm
1 magazine 14 rounds 9mm
This is a more accurate description of what I currently have here.

.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, wire cutters, and hacksaw. 7 lbs
8x30 round MAK magazines 9 lbs
1 30 rd MAK 90 magazine with 13 bullets
Again, a more accurate description

Two-man nylon tent, short, aluminum poles and stakes, red, full floor and zippered mosquito netting
Lost when I left Pearl Harbor

9x30 round MAK magazines
These are listed under the above MAK 90 description.

10 silver (rings?) 1z each from Dancing Princess
2 rings, unspecified
The 10 silver is probably referring to my above silver coins. The 2 rings, unspecified are the diamond rings on my sheet.

19 "Boom Stick" spears with shotgun shells
The "Boom Stick" spears are actually unloaded. I had one spear that was unbreakable, so I took all of the ammo with me. I have since disowned it, and no longer have any 12 gauge rounds. I would still have the 19 spears, but they are not loaded.

3 sets manacles, the wrist cuffs are covered with rabbit pelts.

John, I'm assuming that when you successfully prayed for healing of your mental disorders that included the ADD, so I deleted it. I will, however, add the Selachophobia, although I find myself wondering how you can know that....

Other updates have been noted, so as soon as we have addressed Dave and Harry, we'll get to John II.

Since Dave hasn't proposed a plan, I'll propose the one I always use, and let him figure out how to fit himself into it.

Harry rolls 14 on a simple persuasion check, and he has a strong 1@9 persuasion, so this goes well. Let's see if his eyes pop out of his sockets on this.

I'll have to clarify the scene for John II, and then from there help him move forward.

--M. J. Young

John, I'm assuming that when you successfully prayed for healing of your mental disorders that included the ADD, so I deleted it. I will, however, add the Selachophobia, although I find myself wondering how you can know that....

How can I know that I am afraid of sharks? The same way you know that you're afraid of that guy standing out in your yard wearing the hockey mask and carrying the chainsaw.

MJ Two Posts (It's a habit)

I noticed on my sheet that you have me down for 2@1 drive semis, and 1@10 normal driving. I haven't been behind the wheel of a semi truck in about 6 years, and I was a rookie then. I'd feel more comfortable with 1@2 drive semis, and 2@1 or 2@2 normal driving. To justify this, I spent 3 years working as a pizza delivery driver. Driving a car, against a clock, 6-10 hours a day, 3-6 days a week, depending on the schedule. And you have personally witnessed (and commented on) my driving skill once in Columbus. I'd feel a lot more comfortable with those stats.

In fact, my last boss even complimented me on my driving skill, right before she fired me. (The pizza was 2 hours late, it could have happened to anyone) In fact MJ, I'd really feel more comfortable with 2@5 or 2@6 driving a normal car. I think that pizza job justifies it.

EDIT: If you want to make that 2@5-2@6 driving front wheel drive automatic transmission cars, that would be OK with me. That's what I drove, after all. I have trouble with a stick shift, and rear wheel drive cars just feel different to me.

EDIT AGAIN: That should probably have a positive sit-mod if the car is, specifically, a Kia Sephia. That's what I did the majority of my driving in. ($13,000 worth of free advice, DO NOT buy a Kia Sephia!!!!)

EDIT YET AGAIN: And don't forget, my character spent 3 or 4 months driving a taxicab.

Three Posts (It's the last, I promise)

To anyone looking for a job: Consider delivering pizzas. Six bucks an hour, plus tips, plus all the pizza you can eat, to sit in your car and listen to the radio for 8 hours. Does it get any better than that?

John, I put you down as a bottom end professional at driving semis because anyone who has a CDL for such vehicles is a professional. Even most truck drivers are amateurs at cars--part of the system, that professional level in a narrower scope means amateur level in the broader scope, and I did not need to list your automotive driving at all--which in fact is not on my sheet or the version I posted, because I know that a 2@1 at any kind of motor vehicle driving means a 1@10 at all other kinds of driving.

However, I did miss your taxi driving. I'm assuming that the cab had an automatic transmission, so that's 2@5 Operate Vehicle (automobile) T8@0.

Court, Harry, and John II are in play.

Court will get to play vector games for a few minutes, if he likes.

Harry is in the middle of a combat zone doing business, and the die roll said it would be a bad situation, so let's have some more of that bad situation.

John II is getting an overview of his world which should update his impressions significantly.

--M. J. Young