"Shredders: two days. That's a big order, but we'll trust you for it."
She projects the pattern for interrupt thought into your head, and you learn it fairly easily.
Anything else today, or is it now tomorrow?
--M. J. Young
"Shredders: two days. That's a big order, but we'll trust you for it."
"I do have enough to cover that, don't I?"
Perhaps I should check the balance. (OOC Don't care about the number, just do I have enough.)
Anything else today, or is it now tomorrow?
"Well Lauren, I still want one more match with you. Something tells me you're still peeved about that botch I had, and you might want to get out some aggression for it."
Come on MJ. I just want to get to 2@1 boxing.
(Doing Therapy)
Yes, you can cover the cost of the shredders.
"No, I have a lot to do and I can't really spar every day. Maybe later this week, but I'm preparing some new lectures, so there's not a lot of spare time."
I probably should have mentioned at some point one of my hesitations. You prayed for someone to teach you psionics, and Lauren is the answer to that prayer. You've pressed her into teaching things other than psionics, and to some degree she has gone with that. But your prayer only guarantees that she will teach you psionics, and you've upset her enough that she's not in a mood to do more for you than that.
As to why she still teaches you the psionics, there is an aspect of Lauren Hastings that has her do what she believes she is there to do. She is not certain what she is here to do, but something within her prompts her to continue the psionics lessons, so she suspects that may be part of it.
--M. J. Young
Buying 500 shredders.
OK, if Lauren doesn't want to play anymore, then I guess we're going to the next day. Day 20.
Two Posts
Also getting 500 rounds 00 buckshot.
I'm going to be disowning some equipment as well.
I could be wrong, but I don't think I've bought more than 76 pounds of gear since I've been here. If I do verse out whilst wearing the VSP, then that would cover all of my weight, as that doesn't count.
(Doing Therapy)
Lots-o-Posts
Would Derek maybe want to learn how to box? (Or have I already asked him that?)
Ya know what? Before day 19 is over, go to my room, dim the lights, and pray. Spend an hour on my knees in my room for a boxing instructor/sparring partner. Somebody that could get me to 2@1 (or higher) before Lauren's Disaster.
Full body involvement
Time, one hour.
It would go something like "God in Heaven, I think I'm starting to see why you sent me into The Multiverse. I think I need to get my skills higher so that I may serve you better. I pray for someone who can teach me to be the best I can be in the martial art Boxing."
Ya know what? I think I want to save that. That would be a good template prayer. Change it from "the martial art boxing" to "Insert Skill Here." Could I do something like that?
(Doing Therapy)
You already have this skill listed:
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.Other than the increased time factor, I think this is what you're trying to do now. Am I mistaken?
The buckshot's going to take about a week.
--M. J. Young
You already have this skill listed:
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.
Other than the increased time factor, I think this is what you're trying to do now. Am I mistaken?
Yeah, pretty much, except it doesn't necessarily have to be a verser.
And yeah, I want to keep the increased time factor, since that's only 1@1. Might as well, ya know?
(Doing Therapy)
You pray. Obviously you're not expecting the teacher to show up in your bedroom, so at present you don't know whether it worked or not.
It's the next day, Day 20. After your work and metallurgy lesson, Lauren mentions the next skill on her list.
"It's not quite like being invisible; it's more like being unmemorable. That is, I'll walk into a room and people will know I'm there, but they won't remember that I was there later, even if they walk out of the room intending to tell someone where I am. Does that make sense? It won't save you from a confrontation with someone so much as prevent him from remembering that he confronted you."
--M. J. Young
"Sure Lauren, I'll try that."
From Behind the Screens.
Now I have a problem, because I have to bring him a teacher for boxing, but we've established that boxing is illegal on TerraNova Habitat; but I don't have to make that decision tonight. Meanwhile, Lauren will introduce her next skill to him on the next day, Day 20
Since I know it worked, here's your opportunity, if you don't mind my making a suggestion.
Go down to the gym and try the snap to stance once more. Hands up in surrender position, snap to boxing stance.
Boxing is illegal on TerraNova Habitat. Not everywhere in the universe. The teacher sees me doing this and thinks, "Well, hey now, I've found a fellow boxer to play with...."
(Doing Therapy)
Two Posts (Yeah, sucks when they wrap the pages....)
My character has developed another phobia. He is paranoid about having his hands tied, ever since being handcuffed at Pearl Harbor. He's developed an irrational, paranoid fear of having his hands tied. How do I know? Because I have developed the same phobia from that..... I thought that might be relevant.
This could be one for the medical journals. Someone developing a real-life phobia due to the experiences of his gaming character.
Edit, days later. We will just nip this right in the bud. The whole offending post is gone, removed by me.
Later that day Terry shows up in your apartment.
"Dude," he says, "you sure now how to pick 'em, don't you? You've asked for a boxing instructor. Well, there doesn't happen to be one here at the moment, and the Lord is reluctant to get anyone in trouble here--but we'll get you someone. Just be patient.
--M. J. Young
You do realize that you completely missed the whole thing where Lauren teaches me that skill, and also my snap to stance, right? I was doing the snap to stance to give you the opportunity to bring in some weary traveler who wanted to spar in boxing. Oh yeah, and Terry was a flaming homosexual.
"Hey Terry, I remember you. How about you and I go a round? Just take it easy on me."
Two Posts
Ya know MJ, I was thinking. I had arthritis on my right side from the jeep crash. I had that whilst I was doing most of the blacksmithing. That would have encouraged me to use my left hand more and more. I'm probably just as good blacksmithing left-handed as I am right handed. It was just a strange thought, that's all.
(Doing Therapy)
Mistake, lots of posts
(Doing Therapy)
Actually, Terry is not homosexual; he's very feminine in his affect is all. And he's also not a boxer.
I did not miss your suggestion; I ignored it. I thought it was not a good idea, and I had a better one.
I did fail to mention that Lauren taught you the skill--she did, as is noted behind the screens, but I was rather boggled at the time trying to think how to handle the prayer.
The next day, Lauren suggests that she has a somewhat more potent version of the same sort of skill as yesterday's. This one builds a memory wall around part of a person's memories, so that they can't remember something or, in the particular way she used it before, someone. It takes a bit of time to do, but is rather effective. She tells a bit about the particular situation. She had a student, Bethany, whose mother died when she was young, and whose father died when she was about sixteen but already studying with Lauren. This was the eleventh or twelfth century, and the local priest and the local sheriff both thought that the girl became their responsibility and that Lauren should have nothing more to do with her, so Lauren moved the girl out of town and walled off all memory of her in the minds of both men so they wouldn't remember the girl or their interest in her. Anyway, that's the next skill she would teach you, but she's not used it often, and if you'd rather you can skip that one and move to the considerably more difficult trick of creating a force field.
As you're leaving, Derek is starting on the next computer lesson, and he says something to Lauren about having met someone new this morning that she might like to meet.
--M. J. Young
MJ, did you see the third post? It now says "Mistake" Did you see it prior to posting, or did you see it at all? I posted it after you had posted to someone else's thread. I was just trying to determine what the latest safe posting time is.
I did not miss your suggestion; I ignored it. I thought it was not a good idea, and I had a better one.
Well, I just wish you had said something about that. (Paranoia, you know....) Are players permitted to make suggestions like that, BTW? Probably a referee's thing. I don't think I would mind personally...
I did fail to mention that Lauren taught you the skill--she did, as is noted behind the screens, but I was rather boggled at the time trying to think how to handle the prayer.
Yeah, I saw it.
"Lauren, I don't think I understand what that skill does, but I trust you. Give it to me baby."
Assuming we survive "Lauren, can you explain that a little better?" (Or can Scott? Or Anyone?)
As you're leaving, Derek is starting on the next computer lesson, and he says something to Lauren about having met someone new this morning that she might like to meet.
MJ, I have hit a moral conundrum here. Out of character, I realize this is probably an important plot point that I should try to pursue. In character, I probably would think nothing more of it and walk away. What should I do?
(Doing Therapy)
I believe I have somewhere made the point clear: whenever I arrive at the board, I open all of the threads I am planning to read, and no posts made after that point will be seen by me. That applies even if, as sometimes happens, I arrive and open the threads and then leave the building for several hours without having posted to any of them. The best clues you have, though, are 1) if I have posted a blog post, article, or comment, then I have probably already at least opened the board here, and possibly also the threads; 2) if I have posted to any thread, then I have opened all the threads I intend to read, even if I wind up not posting to them.I was just trying to determine what the latest safe posting time is.
"O.K., what this skill does--
"I don't think you can really erase memories--
Derek speaks up. "That's like erasing a hard drive: there are always scraps of the original material, they're just not so easy to find."
"That's a good way of looking at it. In essence, what you're doing is finding the memories associated with a particular object, and then putting a sort of mental block into the brain that cuts off the connections that would get the person there. So for example if I wanted to erase your memory of Derek, I would track down Derek in your mind, and then build a wall around him. As it is, you probably think of Derek any time you see a computer, or a laser rifle perhaps. Those connections would be disrupted. You wouldn't recognize Derek if you saw him, because the mental block would prevent the image from matching his face--if it's done well. You don't want to push it, though, because it might not be permanent, or there might be gaps--perhaps you would be teaching someone else blacksmithing, and suddenly remember that you taught this other kid, and everything would come back through the breach. Anyway, that's what you're doing. It should be obvious that it's easier to do it with things that are less important--you can make someone forget someone they just met much easier than you can make them forget their parents. I could probably get you to forget a boxing match you had, but it would be a lot more difficult to get you to forget that you know how to box. Also, it doesn't mean that you would actually forget how to box--those kinds of skills aren't so much in your mind as in your body. So you might be quite able to box, and you might even fall into boxing stance and box very well, but not know what you are doing or why you know how to do it.
"Does that explain it?"
Your in-character response is the one I expect. Does that help?
--M. J. Young
To Lauren:
"Sure, give me the skill."
After that, my in-character thing would be to walk away. Just wander the mall for a bit and see if anything interesting happens.
What day are we on?
Two Posts
MJ, I have to ask. If you say no, it's totally cool, but I have to ask. I think it would be blatantly obvious that both my character and myself learned a great deal from the experience I had in a certain world which will remain unnamed. Do you think any intellect/intuition increases might have been made during that time? I think it would be reasonable, but that is, of course, your call. I just thought I would ask, ya know.
(Doing Therapy)
Intellect and intuition are not about learning.
Lauren already taught you the skill successfully.
The next day when Lauren and Derek show up for blacksmithing lessons, there's someone else with them--a forty-five year old appearing rather proper gentleman with an English accent who is introduced as "Claude Winston Bevridge the Third, C. W. to his friends." He just versed in yesterday, and Derek has been helping him get an identity and so on on the ship. He's been through maybe ten worlds so far, but for part of that he had no idea what was happening to him. He has a lot of skills with fixing things, but none with metallurgy, so your training is welcome. He's not skilled in psionics, and not yet comfortable with the idea, although he does use a bit of magic--a stewpot that produces food on command. He picks up what you're teaching pretty quickly, and sits out the psi lesson waiting for the computer lesson.
The psi lesson is a tough one even given your experience to date, the creation of a solid physical wall from pure mental force. It's a bit risky to try it, but if you're up for it she'll show you the pattern. You've bounced off one of these already, so you know she can do it.
--M. J. Young
"Yeah Lauren, I tried to do that in my first world, and almost versed all of us out. Why not go for broke?"
"So Claude, what did you do before you became a verser? And where did you get a stewpot like that? I'd love to have one of those."
She shows you the pattern, and you manage it reasonably well.
"You'll find," she says, "that at first you're best putting it between you and the target. Eventually you'll be able to cover more--I usually create a dome of sorts, but that's because vampires will attack from surprising directions."
"C. W., please. My grandfather was Claude, and my father Winston, so I got the initials.
"Before I was a verser? Oh, you know, this and that. Degree from Cambridge, English literature. Taught in a public school--sorry, that's British for what Americans call a private school, don't know why you've got it that way. Coached a bit of boxing there, but we were never champions. Since then I've filled in some of the mechanical skills--pneumatics, hydraulics, some electricity and electronics, and a few spaceship repair skills, but I've never really taken to computers. I'm looking forward to what Derek can teach me over the coming months."
--M. J. Young
C. W., please. My grandfather was Claude, and my father Winston, so I got the initials.
"Hey, no offense intended, I just really like the name 'Claude'. I like the way it rolls off your tongue. I mean Claaaauuuude, ya know? Take it as a compliment if I let one slip through now and then."
And that is completely true. I really do like that name.
Coached a bit of boxing there, but we were never champions.
To which, of course, my eyes light up.
"You must be the guy. I prayed for someone who would teach me boxing. It's illegal here, so teachers are kind of hard to come by. I think Lauren has taken about as many beatings from me that she is willing to take. I think I might be why you're here. This versing stuff is really cool. I never had prayers answered this quickly when I was a mere mortal."
See what he says.
"Well, I don't know what to say," Bevridge replies. "I would have hoped that had I ever turned out to be the answer to someone's prayers, she would be a svelt twenty-something blonde, but I hope that would be a different prayer. But certainly, if we can find a place where we won't raise trouble, I'd like to see what you can do. Do you have gloves?"
--M. J. Young
"A svelte 20-something blond would be nice too. I can get you a set of gloves if you need them. Let's train in my apartment. I've always been of the mind that what a man does in the comforts of his own home is kind of his own concern, as long as it ain't hurting anyone else."
Get him some gloves (I've already got some) and head to my apartment. The gloves will be my fourth new use if I fight him.
Two Posts
Before I leave with CW, ask Derek to check and see if they have any vehicles which fold up. On our world, I've seen a suitcase that unfolded into a go-kart and I've also seen a bicycle which folded up and could be packed into a suitcase. Both of these were amazingly light for what they were. Maybe they have an ultralight airplane which folds into a Rubik's Cube, who knows? Can Derek check on that?
Solar or muscle powered would be preferred.
(Doing Therapy)
Derek says to remind him tomorrow, as he's supposed to meet his boss in a few minutes to fix something in central control, and he doesn't want to be late.
You get gloves and return to your apartment. CW admires the view.
"So," he says, "I gather you've trained a bit. What do you already know?"
--M. J. Young
"So," he says, "I gather you've trained a bit. What do you already know?"
"Well, I got decently good in my second world. (1@6) Then in my third world, I spent about a year and a half training a 12 year old kid. He was strong as a bull and really fast, but still not much of an opponent. (OOC I mean I would have had an 18 inch reach on him, ya know?) (Exasperated) Lauren!!! now THAT CHICK can fight!!!! I'm glad I'm technically on her side, although I think I pissed her off a little."
Wait for response.
"So, when did you get here? Did you know Lauren prior to getting here? Did you know Derek?"
(OOC, I'm trying to make sure he's cool and known to them.)
"Do you want to get started?"
(Doing Therapy)
"Can she? I suppose I should have guessed, given that she has that suit of plastic armor hanging in her closet next to the robes."
"I got here yesterday, and met Derek, whom I found by following that scriff sense. He introduced me to Lauren, whom he makes a point of seeing often. Apparently she taught him quite a bit over the course of maybe a decade they spent together in some other world, and he thinks of her as family. I've only just met them, though."
On your suggestion, he dons the gloves, and then falls easily into a stance not much different from your own.
--M. J. Young
I should probably state that I'm taking off the VSP for this. If I die, I'm in my apartment, everything will be around me if I don't make it.
"OK, let's dance."
Fall into stance, and get going.
(Doing Therapy)
Two Posts
Can we rewind time a little here, there was something I forgot to ask Lauren.
"Lauren, on that force field that you showed me the other day. I can shoot through that, right? It only stops bullets from coming at me, but doesn't stop them from going out right? Might seem like a really stupid question, but if I can't shoot out, then that force field is kind of useless."
Lauren: "That is a good question. No--you would have to shoot around it, or use a non-kinetic attack form. For example, tomorrow I'll be showing you my slicer--a mentally-created and controlled blade for cutting and chopping. Get some fresh vegetables; they're great for practicing it. You can form the blade on the other side of the shield and so attack things that can't get to you."
*****
You say go before you are ready, and Bevridge comes in quickly. You manage to swing wildly, but fail to fall into stance and lose your balance and go down.
Bevridge stops.
"Are you all right, old chap?"
--M. J. Young
Lauren:
"So that bell shield you were talking about, which goes around your body, you can't shoot through that? That does put a damper on things, doesn't it? Can you reach through it? Like project the shield a foot off of your body and stick the gun barrel through it?"
****
CW
"OK, let's try that again." Get back on my feet. (Does he offer to help me up?) "This time, no one moves until we're both ready. Lauren beat the snot out of me the first time cuz she attacked me before I was in my groove."
This time, no one moves until I'm really ready. (I can't believe I fell (literally) for that one again.)
Lauren: "No, the shield is solid--material objects can't get through it in either direction. It's as if I hardened the air or something, but I don't think I'm hardening the air. Anyway, sometimes things get through, and sometimes things get around it, and it's not impossible that something could hit it hard enough to collapse it, but usually it keeps everything on the other side, including bullets."
*****
CW: "Sorry, old chap, but you did say we should start. And you do realize that in the ring your opponent is not going to wait for you."
You drop into stance and say, "O.K., let's go." He moves in and hits you twice, and you call for him to stop--you apparently took the fall too hard or something, because you were not ready when you thought you were. But you've taken two hits, and even with gloves on Bevridge hits pretty hard.
--M. J. Young
MJ, I know you said you wouldn't, but I need you to read something for me tomorrow. You'll see what I mean. I assure you, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the insect documentary. However, it is most important to me that you check it. Thanks.
Pretty pissed off:
"Dude!!! Do you not understand the concept of 'sparring'????? You're not supposed to be trying to kill me!!!"
I'm just gonna sock him one. Full force. This dude doesn't understand the concept of pulling punches, so I'm gonna teach it to him. I'm going for a really painful, knockdown blow. Just to show him the difference between sparring and trying to kill someone.
(Doing Therapy)
Please note that your style includes a defensive sit-mod and a defensive damage mod, and that had you been properly defending yourself you would not have been hurt nearly as bad, possibly not at all.
He easily knocks your punch off course.
"I say, old chap, that's not at all sporting. You said you were ready; you apparently were not. It happens. A great deal of boxing is up here," he taps his glove to his head, "and if you are not ready in your mind your body is not going to respond properly. You looked ready, and you said you were ready, and I moved in with the old one-two and landed both blows before I realized you were unprepared. I apologize.
"Perhaps we should take this up another day."
--M. J. Young
Kind of sheepish:
"Yeah, you know how it is, you're angry in the moment. (OOC I just know that would have been my reaction though) Sorry 'bout that. Why don't you have a seat, I'll get something for us to drink, and you can tell me about some of the worlds you've been to."
Since you were there for all of it, I'm assuming he's not going to ask the same in return.
(Doing Therapy)
Since you're going to make me do the work of filling in the details of his life in the verse, I should give you the same opportunity in response.
"I guess I've been to about twenty-five worlds. The most memorable was a place which for quite a while I thought was hell--literally. The ground was a fire, but it was not hot enough to burn you immediately, but if you slept on it it would consume your clothes and the hair on your arms. There were larger spurts of flame here and there. There were man-like creatures with tails and red and black skin walking the ground, and always near them were giant worm-like creatures with fur. We also saw creatures like them--the ones walking that is--only winged, flying through the dark skies. There were no stars, no lights in the sky at all, except for a few that burned in the tops of huge pillars of black stone. I chiseled out a space in one of the pillars to get off the flames, and ate food from my magic soup pot. None of our tools or weapons worked well, and most of them did not work at all.
"Eventually we--for I was joined by several other versers there--eventually we learned that the residents were quite nice, decent folk, who were as afraid of us as we were of them. It was a real lesson, that. Of course, they had their bad eggs as well, and one of that sort eventually sent me on my way, but it was fascinating how wrong you can be about a place.
"Your turn."
--M. J. Young
"In my last world, I worked with a blacksmith. His name was John. I hate my name, always have, always will, but I'm stuck with it. I called him Mr. Smith. He taught me a lot. He was kind of a proud man though, and sometimes he had trouble accepting my help. I don't think he realized that it was solely done in the spirit of "Here I am to help shoulder my brother's burden." I think he took it the wrong way sometimes. I really liked him.
"Something though, after what happened in the last world, I don't think I'm bouncing around the verse aimlessly. DC Talk said "God has a plan for your life. He's just waiting for you to ask him for the map." I think maybe I might start getting more involved in worlds."
(Doing Therapy)