Yeah, but on the other hand, what motivation could she possibly have to mention that you attempted that spinning backhand punch? She's fought you a few times, but she certainly has not seen all your tricks, so she has no way of knowing that this was something new or different. She's never mentioned any trick you tried before, has she? And now given that you're going to attempt the kneeling and springing back thing, that's probably a more interesting trick and more likely to be mentioned--and if she happened to swing over your head (or even more, to hit your face when she was aiming for your stomach) it would be obvious what it was you did.
Now, getting back to the knees thing, presumably it is a tactical maneuver; the return to your feet is something of an acrobatic skill (I'll assess it next). Help me get a sense of this: what value would this have in a fight if both opponents could see? If none, then it is strictly a maneuver to use against a blinded opponent, but it would still be a tactical maneuver, just having very limited application.
Thoughts?
--M. J. Young
Thoughts?
Thoughts? Forget it was ever mentioned and just finish the fight standing. It was just something that sounded cool to try, but it's not worth the hassle. After thinking about it, it would put me in a pretty vulnerable position. It was just something that sounded cool when I posted it, but now it isn't worth trying.
Yeah, but on the other hand, what motivation could she possibly have to mention that you attempted that spinning backhand punch?
Congratulating me on a good fight? "Hey John, you really nailed me with that spinning backhand punch. Good Job!!!!"
Just an observation of a never before seen tactic? "That first time you tried the spinning backhand punch didn't work so well, but you got it down pat on the second try."
Complaining? "John, you damn near broke my nose with that spinning backhand punch."
Shall I go on, or have I justified it to you yet?
As far as my character knows, Lauren couldn't possibly know that he did that, and didn't just punch her harder than usual. (I mean, has she been hit by enough spinning backhand punches that she could tell the difference by the impact? Does she doubt that I am capable of punching her that hard?) Any mention of it would tip him off. My reply to any of those proposed statements would probably be "How did you know I threw a spinning backhand punch?" Then she either lies or tells me that she can see. And what reason would she have to lie? As you keep pointing out, it's just using a skill to overcome the darkness, right?
(Doing Therapy)
Two Posts
MJ, I'm still trying to get the Verser's Survival Pack ready. You said that the encumbrance was the weight I'm carrying. Would pulling the wagon behind me count as well? I've a Radio Flier wagon in which I have all of my other gear. Do the backpack and the wagon both count?
What am I talking about? If I was pulling the wagon, I'd probably have the backpack in it.....
(Doing Therapy)
The wagon does not count to your weight limit. That's part of why Lauren has the cart; the other part is that she has more stuff than she can carry but does not want to be encumbered in a fight.
Lauren hits you again, then misses; you take only air in a wild sweep in what is apparently entirely the wrong direction, because she lands two more blows.
Then she's across the room, and says, "You're lasting longer today. The exercise might be helping you. Was that enough for now?"
--M. J. Young
She's speaking out loud, that means I can home in on her. Charge her position.
"Where do you think you're going bitch? We're just getting started!!!!!!"
This ain't over. Not till I fail the stamina check. Since you asked, I'm assuming I'm still good for at least one more round.
Of course, if Lauren's had enough, all she would have to do is put me on the ground in the least painful fashion she knows. Right now, I'm pumped and full of adrenaline. Not exactly in the right frame of mind, and it's about to get me hurt, I think. If Lauren's had enough, knock me down. Should be simple enough for her to do.
I just really hope the spinning backhand punch gets mentioned by her... I think I've justified it by now.
You crash into some sort of solid wall, knocking yourself on the ground and knocking the wind out of yourself. You vaguely realize that Lauren is nowhere near where you were aiming as you hear a body tumble across the floor. Before you can get your bearings, she has hit you twice more.
--M. J. Young
She's hitting me while I'm laying on the ground? Does this woman have ABSOLUTELY NO CONCEPT of fair fighting??????
"Whoa, wipe out. LIGHTS ON!!! OK Lauren, you win, what in the hell was that?"
The apartment lights should now be on, and I'm laying on my back.
"What in the hell did I just run into? I know this room like the back of my hand. There was no wall there."
Two Posts
I haven't finished my shopping trip. I still want to get this stuff after I depart company from Lauren. (The other stuff was gotten before all of this) We're still on day 10. The 9mm carbine and shotgun come on day 22. I'll be disowning some gear soon, too. My guess would be after the psionics lesson, if Lauren still feels like teaching it.
8 bandannas
8 king size, cloth bedsheets
Plastic garbage bags
aluminum foil
rubber bands
unbreakable bottle of good liquor, 80 or more proof, whiskey, Jack Daniels or equivalent. (disinfectant, possible trade item)
better sewing kit, or at least a pair of good scissors.
sturdy insulated electrical wire (Electrical work and ties)
Lauren learned to fight when her enemies were vampires and ghouls, and in fact most of the fighting she has ever done has been life-and-death. When someone is down, of course you hit them--otherwise they might get up again.Does this woman have ABSOLUTELY NO CONCEPT of fair fighting??????
She laughs. "Sorry about that. You screamed obscenities and charged, and I just reacted--threw up a psionic force wall and rolled out of the way. If you stay with the psionic lessons, you'll learn it eventually." A loaf of bread, like a hoagie roll, sitting on the table suddenly slices in half cleanly down the middle. "But it's not a beginners skill, more something of an advanced intermediate sort, so you've got a way to go before you're ready for it."
--M. J. Young
"How did you know I was charging you? I couldn't see a thing."
I think that's a legit question, really. Is she going to tell me that she can see?
"So, how did I do that time? You kind of have to forgive the screaming. You know how it is when you get your adrenaline worked up. Whatever I ran into, that broke the adrenaline rush. How did I do that time?"
If she hasn't mentioned that she can see already, now would be a good time for her to mention the spinning backhand punch.
"Oh and that was hardly screaming obscenities. You wanna hear screaming obscenities? I recorded the last psychotic episode that I had. It's almost an hour and a half long. Maybe when we get back to earth, I'll let you listen to it. Anyway, you got any butter for that bread? Let's have lunch."
Since It's my place, I'm assuming I would have sufficient groceries to make a lunch here.
It would probably curb my rage a tad if she mentions the fact that she can see whilst we're eating. Kind of catch me in a good mood.
Two Posts
I still want to get this stuff.
8 bandannas
8 king size, cloth bedsheets
Plastic garbage bags
aluminum foil
rubber bands
unbreakable bottle of good liquor, 80 or more proof, whiskey, Jack Daniels or equivalent. (disinfectant, possible trade item)
better sewing kit, or at least a pair of good scissors.
sturdy insulated electrical wire (Electrical work and ties)
Three Posts
(Mostly Notes)
Get the padded gloves (4th new use!!!!)
Don't forget to train in the "hands up" fighting stance. (Can you imagine the look on the cop's face? He's about to put the cuffs on me, and gets popped in the nose for his trouble....)
"How did you know I was charging you? I couldn't see a thing."
I think that's a legit question, really. Is she going to tell me that she can see?
And I think that is a blatant attempt to get around a ruling I already made.
End of discussion.
"Oh, seriously, you screamed an obscenity and charged, and didn't think I'd notice? You really aren't very experienced at real combat, are you?"
Maybe when we get back to earth, I'll let you listen to it.
"Um--John? Didn't someone tell you? I mean, maybe they're wrong, but versers who have been through hundreds of worlds all say you never get home again. Sorry, but that's what they say. In any case, even if you did get home again, I don't expect that I'll be there with you. When we verse out, I'll be going to different universe from you. That's the way it's always been, anyway, and if it could be different, I'm sure that Derek would have come with me before now."
She stays for lunch.
Is this day 11, or did I lose count? The last note I have says that on Day 10 she taught you Clairolfaction and you picked up the holsters. Was that today, yesterday, or more than one day back?
--M. J. Young
"How did you know I was charging you? I couldn't see a thing."
I think that's a legit question, really. Is she going to tell me that she can see?
And I think that is a blatant attempt to get around a ruling I already made.
End of discussion.
You keep saying it like it's no big deal and it doesn't really matter. Well, if it's no big deal and it doesn't really matter, why NOT tell him? Ever seen "The Never Ending Story"? The turtle is talking to Atreu and keeps saying "Not that it matters...." to which Ateru replies "If it didn't really matter to you, you could tell me." So, either it matters or it doesn't. If it doesn't matter, why NOT tell him? If it does matter, then quit acting like it doesn't.
"I hope I didn't hurt you too much with that spinning backhand punch. After that pasting you gave me the first time, I think I owed you a good one (hahaha) It's perfect for blind combat, since you're attacking in every direction."
Speaking of doing that blind, doing it when I can see should be a new use, wouldn't it?
"Um--John? Didn't someone tell you? I mean, maybe they're wrong, but versers who have been through hundreds of worlds all say you never get home again. Sorry, but that's what they say. In any case, even if you did get home again, I don't expect that I'll be there with you. When we verse out, I'll be going to different universe from you. That's the way it's always been, anyway, and if it could be different, I'm sure that Derek would have come with me before now."
(Sarcastic tone) "Oh great, just squash every shred of hope that I have of ever getting back. The Architect told me that "Anything is possible." Well, if ANYTHING is possible, then so is getting home. Don't kill my hope. Besides, how do you know this ISN'T just the future of home? Maybe we ARE in our home, just 500 years in the future? Prove we aren't."
Might as well get philosophical with her, why not?
"My first world was a cheap horror movie. Huge mutated insects. My next world landed me right smack in the middle of Pearl Harbor. I don't need to tell you what a pivotal role that had in WW2. How do I know that my first world wasn't the aftermath of my interference in Pearl Harbor? If I changed the course of the war so much that the US had to use nuclear and/or biological and/or chemical weapons, I could imagine mutated insects coming as the result of that. Prove the horror movie monster world WASN'T the future of the world where I messed up the attack on Pearl Harbor? Prove this ISN'T the future of that. How can you REALLY be certain?"
Clairolfaction is the last skill on my sheet, so I guess we're in day 11.
"What's the psionics lesson for today Lauren?"
Assuming we survive that, go to the store and get the following.
8 bandannas
8 king size, cloth bedsheets
Plastic garbage bags
aluminum foil
rubber bands
unbreakable bottle of good liquor, 80 or more proof, whiskey, Jack Daniels or equivalent. (disinfectant, possible trade item)
better sewing kit, or at least a pair of good scissors.
sturdy insulated electrical wire (Electrical work and ties)
Also, go down to the gym and teach myself the going into boxing stance from hands raised surrender position. Since I have all the time in the world, keep rolling until I learn it. (That's how I would do it) Once I get the hang of that, go into stance from hands on my head surrender position. That would be a new use on the skill. I would keep trying until I got the hang of it, so keep rolling until I do.
Whilst at the gym, get some padded martial arts gloves. (Perhaps at the OkyDoky Smokey school) As I explained Behind the Screens, I would think wearing gloves would be new uses.
All skills done with and without gloves. If I was blind when I learned it, try it when I can see. New use, right?
And try Solid Punch with gloves too. New Use?
I'm still getting the hang of what to ask where. I hope this isn't out of line asking here.
Just keep rolling until I make it. I would keep trying until I did.
All of this would be against a punching bag, but I'm hoping it still counts....
Two Posts
I'll post this later. It's s weapon I'm going to build. There's too much for you to process as is.
Well, I guess I can ask this much. Are brass knuckles a weapon I can use with my boxing, or is that a completely different skill? It's not brass knuckles, but close enough for government work.
Multiple Posts
Just an aside to anyone who is following my game. I edit my posts quite a bit if I'm certain MJ won't be coming for a while. If you're following my game, it probably would be a good idea NOT to read mine until AFTER MJ posts. Otherwise, you might miss some important detail I edited. I've been known to change entire posts at the drop of a hat.
I have not said it does not matter. I have said that the reason you are trying to get her to tell you is because based on out-of-character knowledge you the player are upset about it, and you want your character to be able to express that upset which he cannot have because he cannot know it. Thus you are attempting to manipulate the situation into having her tell you that she could see in the dark, so that you can complain about it. Since I have already ruled that this is an effort to transfer out-of-character knowledge to your character, I'm disallowing anything of the sort.
Now, I could simply ignore those lines, but I'm giving you some leeway here by having her respond to them. But if you keep up your very obvious efforts to get that mentioned in play, I will start ignoring those comments or questions.
"Well, if this is our world in the future, it must be much more than five hundred years in the future, because Derek tells me no one here has ever heard of Earth, and it would take more than several thousand years for all knowledge of a planet of origin to vanish from all records--but this world is not several thousand years advanced over ours, so it can't really be this universe. Satisfied? And in any case, if it were, would it be any value to you to have returned to your own universe a galaxy away from home ten thousand years in the future?
"But as for whether you've been in the same world more than once, I certainly have been. I fought vampires in Philadelphia around 2005, and met a sorceress named Bethany who said that I was her teacher, that I had been Laurelyn of Wandborough and I started her on her magical studies teaching her what I learned from Merlin; and then I studied with Merlin in Camelot, and he called me Laurelyn, and I faced some of those same vampires I'd fought in the future, and after he was taken by Nimue I chased a few vampires to a place called Wandborough, where I stayed in the woods talking with the werewolves until the vampires showed themselves and I could fight against them. Then I was back in Wandborough hundreds of years later, where I met a precocious girl named Bethany, and taught her how to use magic and fight vamipres. So you might very well go to the same world more than once. What is different, though, is that you were never in your home world, and neither was I, nor was any verser I've ever met nor any verser whose stories are still told at Umak Tek. Now, maybe you'll go home again--but how long would you be able to stay there, if you can't age, you can't have children, and you don't die? You'll be like HIghlander, pretending to live a normal life in seclusion so no one will know who you are, and then trying to leave your assets to yourself and faking your own death so you can continue as a younger man under another name. It's not going home even if you get there, is it?"
"Oh, before we eat, let's run out--I know where there's a pastry shop where you can learn this skill." She then projects into your mind an image of how to do remote tasting, what she calls clairgustation, and drags you to the shop.
"I'm sure there are a lot of other uses for this skill, but this one is the most fun. Ever wonder what a dessert tastes like, so you'll get something you like? I remember being in Romania decades ago, and trying to find a pastry I would like, but nearly everything had rum in it. I hate rum. I wound up throwing away what I bought, because I couldn't ask and I couldn't taste before buying. But now I can. Reach out with your mind, and taste the pastries, and choose one you know you like because you've already tasted it. Or just savor the flavors without ever buying one--after all, the best part about dessert is the taste, and most of us can do without all that sugar and fat."
You use the skill as directed.
Fortunately for me, that's not how it works. If you fail to learn it on the first roll, it means that you have failed to learn it until there is a change of circumstances. That could be that you came back from dinner, or you learned something else, or you got someone to show you how to do it, or it's the next day--but I don't have to roll more than once for one time trying to teach yourself how to do it, no matter how long you spend trying to learn it. A failed roll means you didn't learn it this time, better luck next time, and next time has to be a distinct time in some way.Since I have all the time in the world, keep rolling until I learn it.
The technique of snapping directly into stance quickly is requiring a lot of focus and practice, and you're not getting it this time. Try again later.
The school can order a pair of such gloves for you; they're not standard, because Okydoky Smoky is not about punching hard but about striking the right spot, and gloves make this more difficult. A a pair of fingers or a big toe are the usual implements with which you strike, although weapons are used that way as well.
Gloves will not be a new use for most of the skills, as explained behind the screens. For Solid Punch in particular, the only thing I can say is if you happen to be fighting for your life and you happen to have gloves on at the time, and you decide to try a solid punch, the gloves will create a sit-mod against success (since part of the power of the punch comes from using the surface of your bare hand correctly), but a successful roll might be a new use at that time.)
Eventually you are exhausted from trying and have to give up and come back another time.
Brass knuckles would be a weapon, and so could not be used in a weapon-averse style like boxing.
--M. J. Young
"Oh, before we eat, let's run out--I know where there's a pastry shop where you can learn this skill." She then projects into your mind an image of how to do remote tasting, what she calls clairgustation, and drags you to the shop.
"Lauren, I can tell already I'm going to be using this skill quite a bit."
And I am. Every time I walk past something in the mall that looks like it might be tasty, I'm going to sample it. Practice, practice, practice.
I think today is done. Let's go to day 12. My 9mm carbine comes in on day 22. A 9mm carbine, ten 30 round magazines, and the folding, single shot 12 gauge. Then the VSP will be the right weight, and have everything I need.
You keep disregarding the things I wanted to get. It's listed a couple of posts up. Bedsheets and whatnot. Am I going to get/have I gotten that?
The school can order a pair of such gloves for you; they're not standard, because Okydoky Smoky is not about punching hard but about striking the right spot, and gloves make this more difficult. A a pair of fingers or a big toe are the usual implements with which you strike, although weapons are used that way as well.
If the gloves would be a new use, I'm going to get them. Since I know that the OkyDoky Smokey school isn't the only martial arts school around here, and that a lot of martial arts use gloves like that, I'm going to check around. Ask Derek if he can see what all martial arts schools and/or sporting goods stores sell gloves like that. I bet you just about anything they would be available SOMEWHERE in the complex, even if the OkyDoky Smokey school doesn't have them right now. On our world, gloves like that are required for training in some martial arts, for safety reasons. Can Derek please check on that for me?
Oh yeah, and don't forget to try the snap to stance skill again.
Concerning the equipment you're posting, if it's all pretty standard (which it seems to be) I'm assuming you go shopping and get it. If you've got something for which you have some doubt, you'll let me know. I figure that when you leave the station, I'll get you to give me a list of everything you are taking/claiming as your own, and we'll sort it out from there.
Derek gives you the names of three shops that look like they carry such gloves. The first one says they are out of stock; the second that they do sell them but always as special order items since they are a very small school and don't have much demand for them. You find them at the third, and think them overpriced, but since it isn't even like real money you go ahead and buy them.
You attempt to teach yourself that quick snap to stance again, and hit yourself in the head so solidly you black out. There is a medic leaning over you when you come to, but you are still at the gym.
"We should get you to a clinic and check you for concussion," he says. "I'm not sure what happened; do you remember what you were doing before you blacked out?"
--M. J. Young
You attempt to teach yourself that quick snap to stance again, and hit yourself in the head so solidly you black out.
That's impossible. As part of my psychotic rages, I often hit myself in the head. I haven't knocked myself out yet, and I've been doing it for 25 years. However, since it isn't me we're talking about, I'll let it slide.
"We should get you to a clinic and check you for concussion," he says. "I'm not sure what happened; do you remember what you were doing before you blacked out?"
"I'm not going anywhere. I was trying to teach myself some martial arts skills and I must have messed something up. I'll be fine."
He's got three guns on him. He ain't going to no doctor.
And I will be fine. As soon as they leave, get on my knees and pray.
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
That should take care of it.
Then, put on the boxing gloves, and go to town on the punching bag. If that's not a new use, call Lauren.
Come on!! One more new use and I'm at 2@1. Give a fella a break, will ya Mr. Referee type person??????
I'm also going to get a metal cookie sheet type thing. You said standard things like that don't need rolls, so I'll just get it.
Two Posts
I should probably amend that prayer. I would do that only if I really feel it is necessary for my own health. (Why risk a botch if it's just a headache that will go away?) If I really am injured to the point where I need to do that, I would. If not, just walk it off.
You always make these things difficult. All right, how about when you try to snap to stance you lose your footing and crack your head on one of the rails along the wall?You attempt to teach yourself that quick snap to stance again, and hit yourself in the head so solidly you black out.That's impossible. As part of my psychotic rages, I often hit myself in the head. I haven't knocked myself out yet, and I've been doing it for 25 years. However, since it isn't me we're talking about, I'll let it slide.
Actually, you weren't injured, just knocked unconscious. You'll be fine without the prayer.
The gloves are unfamiliar and disrupt your form. You're going to have to work on them later to make them work right for you.
--M. J. Young
I'm sorry MJ. I know I make that difficult. It's not so much arguing as it is just stating a fact. At least in this particular case. Didn't you see the part where I said "I'll let it slide"? It's too bad you couldn't hear the tone of voice it was said in. You probably would have been laughing heartily at it. Anyway, sorry. I'll try to keep that in mind.
Call Lauren.
"Hey Lauren, I want one more match with you. I'm wearing gloves, and I am going to be throwing more of those spinning backhand punches. I don't want to hurt you, so I think I'd like to go one more round. Meet me in the gym."
MJ, I know you don't normally give the new use in the middle of the fight, but if going into stance is all that is required, Lauren won't move until I give the go. Change in circumstance, and a reasonable amount of dice rolls given. (Maybe he's just intimidated by the gloves or something) I'd really like it if I could get the new use at the start. Two attacks per round, throwing spinning backhand punches and great leaping? Tell me that wouldn't be an exciting fight. You don't like these, so you do this for me, and I won't do it again for the remainder of the world. Or at least for the next 3 weeks worth of game time, whichever comes first. I would like the new use on boxing please. 2@1 boxing is better than 1@2 spinning backhand, ya know?
Oh yeah, and all spinning backhand punches are pulled to do annoying damage. Could that be a new use? I asked Behind the Screens.
(Doing Therapy)
Two Posts
Mistake.
(Doing Therapy)
Lauren says she's already boxed you today, and she can't squeeze it into her schedule for tomorrow, but if you want to fight on the day after tomorrow she'll try to work it in.
--M. J. Young
No, this is actually the next day. Day after my last fight with Lauren. Day 13 I think. It's cool though. I learned sensory taste, fought Lauren, bought some gear, and went ahead a day. You must have missed it. Oh well, I think it's day 13. Probably check and edit the post, actually.
Guns come in day 22. Nine days.... I keep thinking we're going to botch out before that happens..... I really want that 9mm carbine. A lot of firepower in a small package. Check at the gun store. Can it be sped up? Perhaps it came in early? Would they notify me if it did?
Whilst at the gun store, have I seen/do they have/can I order anything resembling a bulletproof vest? I've seen them that had a pouch in the front which held another small gun. Perhaps an entire trench coat made out of Kevlar, or the like? These often have pouches on the inside, to hold a shotgun. At least in movies I've seen.....
Modify the anti-botch prayer. Pray for botches which are not hazardous, on all magic and psionic skills. Brain Burn and the like. Incapacitating, God's way of letting you know you goofed, but nothing which would harm anyone in a hazardous or life-threatening way. Ask Lauren if she wants to join in on it. I think having the couple of angels I've had appear to me might be kind of bending my non-involvement philosophy. (OOC, since I already know Lauren will be involved, you're damn right I will be too.) I don't want to die before God's work is accomplished. Pray about botches, magic and psionic, which are not harmful, and preferably, as painless as possible. Embarrassments perhaps? (OOC hey, I'm sure you could work that into Lauren's Disaster....) Just enough to let us know we goofed.
Is there a side pouch in the backpack which would be large enough to hold the 9mm carbine? I'm sure you've seen them that had pouches like that, separated from the main pack. Probably for exactly this purpose. I want to be able to get to the 9mm carbine without taking off the backpack. If it's in the bag with a bunch of other stuff, it might be hard to pull out. (I'll explain more on this later. The shotgun was more or less smooth. It would come out of a cluttered backpack. The 9mm carbine has a lot of points where it could snag pulling it out.)
(Doing Therapy)
Two Posts
MJ, just out of player honesty, I have to say that my available fundage is probably dwindling. If you or the dice feel that I should sell another gem before I purchase anything else, I would not argue. However, if you don't feel like worrying about it, that's certainly OK too. Just trying to be honest.
(Doing Therapy)
I apologize; I missed that you had moved to the next day. That's probably because you usually start your day at work then get together with Lauren immediately after work and then do the other stuff.
We can play out the part where you get together with Lauren immediately after work, but you won't have found the gloves yet. She'd rather not spar every day anyway, so she'll do the psionics lesson and take the metallurgy lesson and Derek's computer lesson, and then she's off to other things.
Lauren fails to imprint the skill pattern for clairtacticity, and honestly it may be the first time she's tried to explain to you how to do something that didn't really make sense. On the other hand, you've done several clairsentient skills, and if you want to try this one cold you can do so--or you can wait for tomorrow.
--M. J. Young
"Lauren, what in the hell is clairtacticity? I don't want to learn skills if I don't even know what they do. (OOC or is that the part that doesn't make sense?) What is this skill?
"Lauren, you must forgive me. I totally forgot that I was teaching your metalworking. Got kind of caught up in the moment, I guess. I really like that sparring." (OOC I do, it's the coolest part of the world, so far.)
(Doing Therapy)
"I'm sorry, John. The tactile sense are all those related to touch--pressure, sharp versus blunt, smooth versus rough, number of points of contact, vibration, force, heat and cold, shape, hardness, that sort of thing. It's the ability to feel a target without touching it, in the same way that you can taste an object without placing it on your tongue, or smell it behind a glass partition. If you get good at it, you can estimate the weight of an object by feeling how much force it exerts against the ground. Does that make sense?"
--M. J. Young
"Hey Lauren, I'm sure you've botched on some of your magic and psionic skills. (OOC I recall she froze her kitchen in the book) I tried a prayer to eliminate all botches, but then my skill doesn't work after wards. Not exactly sure why." (OOC is it Afterwards or after wards?)
"I was thinking about maybe a prayer to soften the botches instead. Brain burn, things that are harmless. Just enough to let us know we goofed up. Would you like to help?" (OOC watch, we will botch doing it....)
As explained, the desired effect is that all psionic and magic botches be made non-harmful. Embarrassing is acceptable. (Botch, all your clothes disappear...) I just thought it might be interesting, and I'm certain the Great Referee in the Sky can work it into the story, how I become involved.
(OOC I think by now, my character has enough respect for Lauren to follow and protect her in a combat situation. He won't get arrested, so he isn't concerned about that anymore. In other words, I'm almost certainly getting involved.)
(Doing Therapy)
"John, the best way to reduce botches is to get good at what you do, and do what you're good at. A prayer for help against your enemies is certainly a significant help in that, provided you can honestly believe that God is against the same enemies as you."
Were you going to attempt the clairtactile skill now, or wait until game-tomorrow?
--M. J. Young
"I don't want to get into a philosophical debate with you Lauren, I just want softer botches. Let me think on it for a bit."
Yeah, learn the remote touch.
(OOC)Let's see, I have remote touching and remote tasting... To the strip club!!!!!
(Morning After Therapy)
Oh, jeese, I've created a monster--or unleashed a pervert or something....
Congratulations on learning that skill. You find you are quite good at it, compared to most new skills you've learned.
You have to teach your metallurgy lesson, and Lauren will also train on computers with Derek, and I believe you have work today. It is "Day 12"; what else is on the agenda?
--M. J. Young
Oh, jeese, I've created a monster--or unleashed a pervert or something....
OOC Well, the first thing I did with the TK was look up ladies' skirts. Did you expect any less now????
Actually, I think it's day 13. I went ahead a day, remember?
I reset my schedule some months ago so I was working at the same time as Lauren. So, if Lauren and I are together, it's after work.
I don't do the computers. I'll just teach them metalworking.
Derek has had the body of a 12 year old for 50 years. Does he still have the raging puberty hormones of a 12 year old? That would almost be cool.....
Well, what's next on the agenda?
(Morning After Therapy)
Two Posts
I've got one 9mm and 2 spare magazines in the shoulder holster under my jacket, the 357 is in the holster behind my back. On my belt, I have 2 speed loaders. Those probably wouldn't be recognized for what they were. I've also got the Leatherman multitool on my belt as well. The other 9mm is in the VSP, because I probably couldn't wear that openly.
Lauren was teaching you clairtacticity on day 12; the question was raised whether you were going to attempt to learn it without the mental image she failed to project.
We can wrap Day 12 and move to Day 13.
Lauren's next psionic skill is used to detect magical energy. She developed it by examining some objects given to her by a young sorceress; she believed they might be magical, but was not certain what that meant. She in essence searched them for some energy within them that was not found in other objects in her home, and so learned to identify psionically objects that were magical.
She fails to transmit the pattern to you; you can attempt to learn the skill without the pattern, or wait for tomorrow.
--M. J. Young
She fails to transmit the pattern to you; you can attempt to learn the skill without the pattern, or wait for tomorrow.
OOC I didn't see no rolls for it....
"Now why would I want a skill like that? Let's get to something a little more useful."
Next skill, I don't even want that one.
Day 13 it is.
Sorry--there was a roll, 84 I think, but I forgot to note it. Happens sometimes.
"Why would you want to learn a skill like that? Well, I suppose my question is, why wouldn't you?
"Suppose you came into Londinium sometime before Rome attempted to conquer England, and you saw this large stone standing there with a sword protruding from it, and carved into the stone it said something like, "He who draws this sword form this stone is rightwise born King of all England." Might you want to know if the sword is being held there by magic, or simply well-stuck, or maybe even not a sword at all but some idea of a joke? Being able to tell whether there is magic present in an object can be very useful. What if you have to enter the castle of a wizard, and you come to the door. Do you want to check whether the door is enspelled?
"Apart from that, wouldn't knowing a skill like this mean that if you needed to do something similar you would be better able to figure out how to do it? You might want to know if that werewolf was a native creature in this universe or someone under a magical curse; a skill like this might be the sort of thing you could use to determine that. The more skills you know--the more kinds of skills you know--the better you understand the techniques involved in the field.
"Let me put it to you this way: what if I were to say I saw no reason why I would need to be able to assay the quality of lead, because I'm only interested in metals like gold. Wouldn't you tell me that understanding and identifying lead would be a significant part of understanding and identifying gold? Gaps in your knowledge mean your knowledge is incomplete.
"But that's fine. Tomorrow we'll start on telekinetic skills. Review for me briefly what you can already do in that field."
--M. J. Young
"OK Lauren, you made your point. Let's try that one again."
It seems my chances of learning it on my own are higher than her projecting it to me, so let me try that first.
2@2 TK Pulse P4@1 +2
1@3 Simple TK P4@2
1@1 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3
1@3 Out-of-Sight Telekinesis P4@3
1@1 High Velocity Telekinesis P4@4
1@1 Neutral Bouyancy TK P4@6
1@9 Multiple Object TK P4@7
1@1 Levitation P4@8
These are my 4@ skills. I want to get to the point where I learn the 5@1 psionic healing. I want to get there soon. I'm not going through that shit again that I did at Pearl Harbor where I'm crippled and surrounded by enemies.