You wanted to play with me. MJ of course should say whether or not it's alright for me to start a game for you instead of waiting for you to verse and passing off the game.
In the meantime, though, you can go ahead and tell me your full name, the name a God would know, as well as any attributes that you feel you would be on the top 2% of out of persuasion, charisma, animal magnetism, strength, stamina, resistance, density, flexibility, hand/eye, intellect, education level, intuition, will power.
Drat, I missed one, didn't I.
Agility. *smacks himself*
Obviously, I'd like as much information on every one of them you can give, other than density, but particularly I need to know about the top 2% to get started.
Awesome. I think the one Mark is running me in can go on for quite a while (and I'm not adverse to that).
My full name is (hold on): Nikolaj Ernst Germaine Frederica Bourguignon. Quite a mouth full, but Frieda instead of Frederica is also possible.
There have been some variations on my first name a nick names. The obvious Nik and Niko, but also Den Olaj or Olaj and even Nolaj. Kids at work can make all kinds of fun variations on it, mainly being Likolaj, Likilaj and Chocolaj. At school some called my Bourgi (not sure how to write it phonetically), but in our class we were with two who had that nickname so they Called me Bourgy (or Buddy) Christook, as opposed to the other Buddy (or Bourgi) Shintook (who was an Asian by origin.)
persuasion: Not the top 2% but not bad either. I'd say slightly higher than average due to enthusiasm.
charisma: Might be high but not the top 2%. I generally make a good impression on people, or at least that's what I tell myself. Haven't been proven the contrary, but it's hard in a country where politeness is more valued than truth.
Animal Magnetism: See Charisma. In Eric's game we treat it at 2%, but I'm not sure if that's right. I just am nearly always in a good mood, and it rubs off on people. Maybe this is more like Charisma. On being in a good mood I'd count myself in the top 2% immediately.
Strength: Slightly above average (I hope). When tables need to be moved, I usually carry them by myself. Kids swing on my arms as I lift them etc.
Stamina: I can keep going for quite a while, but that's more stubbornness than stamina. When jogging I can go on for about 2 kilometers without needing to halt, sometimes less, sometimes more. I know this is pathetic.
Resistance: What kind of resistance?
Density: Like any other human I suppose.
Flexibility: Slightly above average
Hand-eye: I won't be in the top 2% I think, but I'll be halfway there. Drawing and basketball and arts and crafts need this. Hmm, maybe I am in the 2%, but barely.
Intellect: I finished technical school in Belgian education, which I've hear is the top 2 of the world. But Technical school is considered a lower study since it is more geared to practice than theory. It was below my ability, but I couldn't be motivated to study in the higher studies. Again, slightly above average (or so I tell myself). I tend to know a bit more than average Joe.
ed level: see above
intuition: I've been called naive more than once, but I think it's more that I see the situation and still try to treat things as positive. I'm not in the two percent here, but I don't think I'm below average. I'm pretty good at empathy, so my intuition can't be bad. As an aside, as a spiritual gift I've received discernment of spirits, which lets me, um, experience wrong or goodness in people. Sometimes I feel it, sometimes I see it. Maybe this could be treated as a separate intuition score concerning spiritual matters?
will power: Besides being stubborn at times I tend to be weak willed. I tend to procrastinate and give in to different temptations quite easily. On the other hand I can set my mind to something, and as long as there is someone to which I am held accountable, I can do it.
Agility: I'd say average.
Just so you know ahead of time, my ability to manage paperwork is very not high, so I'll need you to manage your character sheet and provide for me certain scores when I ask for them. If this isn't problem, we can move right along.
Persuasion: Mark it at 1@7.
Charisma: 1@7; first impressions are the realm of amg.
Animal Magnetism: 2@1
Strength: 1@8
Stamina: 1@6. I would attribute your ability to "keep on going" to wlp.
Agility: 1@6.
Resistance: How often do you get sick as compared with other people? Are you the guy who when something is going around, you pretty much know you're going to get it, or the guy who doesn't even feel a little under the weather when everyone else is sick, or the guy who gets sick like once every five years? Or are you somewhere in the middle? Do you have a lot of allergies? This can be a sign of a high resistance which is simply out of control with nothing to battle.
Density: 1@1. Human normal.
Flexibility: Can you put your foot in your mouth (literally)? What about behind your head? Both feet at once?
Hand/Eye: 1@10.
Intellect: 1@9. Everyone tends to think of themself as an average joe.
Education Level: 2@1. You get 1@10 for graduating high school, 2@1 for a bachelor's degree, so I'm naming you an eligible bachelor =p
Intuition: we'll give you the 2@1.
Will Power: It doesn't really matter about the things you choose not to set your mind to; just the things you choose to set your mind to. I'll give you a 1@9.
Okay, so answer the asked questions, and if you have any argument on any of the scores I gave, now is the time to say so.
To clarify, my ability to manage paperwork is low because I'm using a cell phone, not a computer to post. Can't copy and paste or have stuff in a notepad or any of those nifty shortcuts.
I will be able to do it. That way I will learn to do it, which will increase my ability to run your game.
Resistance: I have hay fever (several different kinds of pollen) and am allergic to animal hair. I was sick today, but that's mainly because I really give my body a hard time actually. Not enough sleep and an unhealthy diet don't do me much good. Usually I am safe for several years, just this year has been two times sick already, but this year is the first year that I have so little time for sleeping and making healthy food. So I have a diet of fast food and about 5 hours of sleep at night, while I crash on Saturday and recover on Sunday.
Flexibility: I can put my foot in my mouth, but not behind my head. I can join my hands behind my back if I go over my head with one and from below with the other.
Resistance: 1@8
Flexibility: 1@9
More to come in the morning, we'll start skills.
I guess that'd be later today for you =p
Yeah, with being sick today I slept during the day. It's almost morning over here now.
Good evening! =P
For skills, I want to know anything you would be considered professional or expert at; professional meaning you could be paid to do it, expert meaning other professionals would frequently come to you for advice.
I also need to know whether you have any technological skills more advanced than using a computer.
Graphic design: close to expert with Photoshop as really expert (up until a few years ago, CS2)
Pro at child-care (ages 0-12), pro at teaching religion (protestant). My English is also pretty decent, at least spoken. I'd count it as low pro.
No tech skills higher than using a computer, really. Unless html-code counts as higher, but that is low amateur.
Any abilities you consider psionic or magical please.
God often shows me things in visions, sometimes in dreams, but that's more rare. I can speak in tongues and sing in tongues, I can discern spirits and I have the gift of prophecy. I've prayed for protection from evil more than once, and to resist temptation.
Would you say the visions are caused by something you do? Can you force them or make them happen?
Speaking in tongues we'll give you as a 1@8 mag language 0@ language skill.
Discerning spirits and prophecizing are interesting. Is there a specific thing you need to do, or say, or use?
The last two are easy enough. Do you pray aloud, or in thought? Do you do anything specific or use anything while you do it?
Visions: When I pray. I can 'force' them at times but mostly I'm just open for God to show me things which I tell him, but not out loud, sometimes whispered. Eyes closed.
Discerning Spirits is like 'always on', but is usually more active as I am more actively seeking after God. I can focus on it to try and 'feel' if there is anything wrong (or right) about something/someone. Most of the time it comes quite out of the blue, a bit like a reflex, as if when you put your hand on the burning stove you feel pain and pull your hand away, in the same way I get warned of evil, or become sweetly aware of something good or holy. Usually it's a feeling, but it has been visual at times as well, with eyes open, seeing, as it were, another layer. I saw darkness moving behind my boss' eyes and I saw someone in church radiating with love.
With prophecy I usually lay my hand on the person's shoulder, close my eyes and pray, making myself open to God to receive, be it in vision or in 'knowing'.
For the protections I usually either pray in thought or whisper. Resist temptation is something along the lines of: "I do not have to sin!", told to myself and whatever is tempting me. It has biblical/theological backing. When I'm alone I can say it forcefully if needed.
Visions: when you pray, do you assume a specific position, ie kneeling, or clasping your hands, or do you just close your eyes?
Discerning Spirits: Seems to me to be less a thing you do, more a thing that happens to you. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Prophecy: Pray aloud?
Protections: See Visions.
Visions: eyes closed, sometimes kneeling.
Discerning Spirits: You are correct, but I can 'force' it most of the times.
Prophecy: not necessarily aloud, but usually I do pray aloud for it, yes.
Protections: pray in thought
Resist Temptation: thought, whispered or spoken forcefully, depending on how hard it is to resist. Usually accompanied by an exhale in which I sometimes feel that which was tempting me leave me.
A brief explanation about how magic works: if the words must be spoken forcefully, you still can attempt to use the spell without speaking the words; you will be penalized, or rather not be bonused, simply because speaking the words aloud forcibly helps you to invoke what you believe will happen.
For the resistances, I was asking about the somatic components; what you DO, not what you say. Kneeling, hands clasped, etc.
The wordless exhale is the only thing really there for the resist temptation. Oh, and turn my view away from the temptation, or close my eyes, to make sure I don't see it.
The protection is usually a very short prayer without any specific actions. A bit like Nehemiah before the king.
Bookwork time!!!
Visions: Shows you things... what sort of things? Things that are? Were? Will be?
1@1 Discern spirits M7@9 instant activation no ritual?? -50 sm.
1@1 Prophecize M7@10 Pray aloud for 4.5 minutes, -5SM, know future event on success.
The protections will be numerous different protection skills that we'll cover as they come up basedon what you do.
1@5 Resist Temptation M1@4 Pray aloud forcefully for one minute, then exhale, +5SM. One time bonus +RS/10 intensities to will power check involving temptation on success.
Yeah, that looks like all five. Answer the question regarding visions and start on your equipment by telling me everything on your person as well as anything which may be considered a weapon or used as one, anything large or bulky ie a bicycle, anything living from a plant to a pet, and anything you're using to carry things.
Visions: Usually things that either are or will be, but in a symbolic 'sauce' usually, sometimes straight, but that is rare. Sometimes things that were, but again, more in a symbolic spiritual way as to understand what was going on. It would be more accurate to say that they display the 'spiritual reality' of things. The things going on behind the screens, showing the 'invisible'.
Discern spirits: no ritual indeed, but I can pray for it if I want to know about a certain situation that I want to know the spiritual background to.
Prophecy is not limited to precognition. And if it's precognitive, it usually is pretty vague and symbolic. More often it shows me the spiritual side of things right now about a person or situation like with the visions. Sometimes it's about the future. Sometimes it alerts me to something wrong in something someone said and it prompts me to correct. Prophecy is not always fun. John the baptist was a prophet, but he didn't foretell the future, he told people they were wrong and showed/prepared the way to Christ.
Equipment:
on person: Blue jeans, gray socks, black boxers, black T-shirt with white print showing a guy doing a slam dunk and the word BASKET in 'brick letters' and below the text
"Panzeri
veste lo sport
where the action is in sport !"
Over that a long sleeved brown (chocolate milk color) T-shirt with double layers and a thorn-crown symbol on it in dark brown. Over that a large light-gray and black striped (vertical) sweater. On my feet brown shoes with white rim on the soles and white soles. On the side of the shoes are four colored stripes diagonally. Milk chocolate brown, chocolate milk brown, Prussian blue and neutral gray.
Brown thick double zipper jacket. Inside it's left pocket there are electronic bike lights and a pair of gloves. In it's left pocket are my train pass for a month from 8/11/10-7/12/10, old train tickets, two seed hulls (beech) and several kids drawings on green paper.
Wallet in my back pants pocket. (black, (fake?) leather)
Contents:
- 2 20 Euro bills
- various payed bill tickets
- Bank Account Status paper things
- the Foodmaker fidelity card (2 stamps of 10, full card is €4 discount)
- Church membership card
- Blood Card (O, Rhesus: Positive, Irreg. Antibodies: Negative, 24 AUG. 1989) with a very old address on it and my name spelled wrong (with a c): Bourguignon Nicolaj, Tervuursesteenweg 37, 2800 Mechelen and then some numbers of which I don't know the meaning.
- Vaccination card: Bourgugnon Nikolaj, 31-1-84 (birthdate)
Poliomelitis: Basic Vaccination 84/85
Measels, Rubella, Mumps: 24-10-95
Diftery - Tetanus - Pertussis: 11-9-07 (name vaccin: Tectawax P.A. (as far as I can read the handwriting))
Hepatitis A and B: Twinrix 7/12/07 - 18/1/08 - 20/6/08
- 5 pictures of me (beardless) with kids on Mardi Grass, from my internship, probably in 2008 or 2009.
- A green folded piece of paper with the e-mail address of a good friend whoem I lost contact with.
- My ID (electronic, with Chip)
- a drawing that says "Welcome to the Kingdom"
- A yellow card that has a drawing on it of a necklace with two rings on it, one with a stone and the other more broad. It has a date on it (21/05/2007) and its says "about 11:10h
- A custmer plastic card for a supermarket (with a bar-code to scan)
- Library card Vilvoorde
- Library card Edegem
- Bank pass/card (BNP Paribas, has Maestro)
- Used bus-tickets (19 empty and 1 with 20 cents remaining, one with €1.20 remaining and one with €1.10 remaining
- Buisnesscards: Quartz (pottery shop, cool shop but closed now), Music Corner (the place to be in Mechelen for guitar and Ukulele stuff), Haute Coiffure Haarmonie (my dad and sister's barbershop, well, hairdresser is more appropriate, but he's one of the best shavers. He has been Belgian champion all around in hairdressing the first time he took part in the competition, never took part after that. Now he's chairman of the Haute Coiffure Belgique, which is the top in Belgium, He would probably be a 3@8 hairdresser or something, he claims that my sister is better than him.), Puppet-teather Butterfies and Co., Johan Truyen, Graphic Designer and Illustrater, Zafar uddin ahmed KHAWAJA (khabrain.net), Bart Rylant, Graphic Designer, The Link at St. Dominic's (an invitation for an informative church service from I think an Anglican Church in Brussels), Kristina van Eck (my aunt)
- Video Square and Extrazone PREMIUM card (with bar-code)
- Movie-Max Member card (plastic card)
- Social Security card (electronic, chipped)
- Ragged piece of cardboard with my own phone-number and sim-card number.
- Two pink sticky notes with bank-account number on them. One on which 'rent' is also noted, and on the other stands the name of a corporation that takes care of children from troubled families and counsels them.
-Some stamps who decided to stick themselves at the inside of my wallet.
Keys:
- Big metal safety buckle (like for climbing) with a woven strap which sports a keyring. 3 Keys on that keyring for my sister's apartment (main building and her front door) and her garage.
- On the metal buckle I've slid two other keyrings. Keyring 1: a chain of where a keyhanger ball used to be (a little metal pin on the end) and a key for which I forgot the use, I think my previous home. there's a linked keyring with two other keys. One is my front door, the other is also lost on me, probably from the same previous home. Front door and apartement door). Keyring number two: A green nametag saying gate and a streetname (school-gate key for where I work in the morning) and two other keys which are keys to the closet in my little classroom. There's also a blue and pink Scoubidou on there that one of the kids made.
A used handkerchief
My smart-phone (Nokia XpressMusic)
Used-to-be-beige worn-out coinbag with broken zipper (always open)
content:
Two keys (1 with black handle) from bike-locks
2x 1 Euro coins with eagle back (Germany)
1x 50 Eurocents piece with King Albert the second back (Belgium)
1x 50 Eurocents piece with French back (Girl and RF)
1x 20 cents piece with King Albert the Second back (Belgium)
2x 10 cents with King Albert back
2x 10 cents with French back
1x 10 cents with Dutch Back (Beatrix, the Queen)
1x 10 cents with Luxembourg Back, that would be the Duke I think.
5x 5 cents piece with Belgian Back
1x 5 cents piece with Portuguese back
1x 5 cents piece with acorns leaves on back (I think Germany or Switzerland)
1x 2 cents piece with acorn leaves on back
1x 2 cents piece with edelweiss on back (Austria)
1x 2 cents piece with Queen Beatrix on the back (The Netherlands)
3x 1 cents piece with King Albert 2 on back
1x 1 cents piece with acorn leaves on back
2x 1 Grivnia (Ukraine)
3x 5 Kopekok (Ukraine)
1x 25 Kopekok (Ukraine)
3x 10 Kopekok (Ukraine)
1x 2 Kopekok (Ukraine)
2x 1 Dime (US)
1 white Folding Bike
2 Shoulder-bags:
-1 blue one, as large as to hold a regular DIN A4 paper size and maps to hold them. The side of it's flap has torn at the seem and foam an cardboard are visible. Inside it sits:
• A yellow ukulele in a yellow carrier bag The neck sticks out of the bag.
• A pink L-map (two adjoining open sides in which children's songs with chords are kept an a laminated sheet of paper with chords for the Uke.
• A tuning device (through vibration)
• A bible (modern translation (Dutch))
• A pencil
• A 3CD CD-box with contemporary versions of old children's songs
• Probably a stray pen (blue and felt-tipped or something).
A bag wit a floral design including electronic retro devices from eastpak. It can hold more than the blue one and is stronger. It's strap broke off on one end once and I MacGuyver-ed it back on with white iron wire I had laying around.
In it's flap pocket are green translucent pills which I think are painkillers but I never took them because I had just been given them without any info by a friend. There is also a pair of twisted sunglasses there.
Main part is empty.
There is an open compartment at the back of the bag. There there are papers detailing initiation games for kids (to get to know each other better) and how to make simple instruments with kids. This includes a string instrument, 3 versions of tambourines, a long drum, drumsticks, 2 versions of castanets, a rain-pipe, four versions of samba shakers.
This is everything that can be considered on person at times. There are other stuff I would want to take with me. Should I list them already?
Double the amount!
What would you say the difference between the visions and prophecies is?
If you would like to list all your 200 lbs of equipment now, that's certainly fine. I usually take care of it in play, as it helps us get started faster. The 200 lbs of equipment is actually one of the more time consuming parts of character creation; the most time consuming is actually skills, when done properly.
Generally, we assume you have 200 lbs of your stuff with you, and you determine what it is as we go along.
The prophecies don't need to happen through vision. Sometimes they do, other times I suddenly 'know' something. (Hard to explain)
Well I'd like to be sure to take 3 different colored pairs of pants. (One red, one orange, one yellow) They are from Corduroy (I found that out using Wikipedia. Other English terms for it are: corded velveteen, elephant cord, pin cord, Manchester cloth and cords.)
A thick yellow shirt, A normal green and purple shirt (tartan style).
A blue T-shirt with a black and white print of an audio cassette with a sticker on it saying "The Good Old Days".
All my bibles (different translations) and my concordance. Some various crafting books and other books regarding kids. Two books regarding typography as well.
Some choice cutlery and a wooden bread plank made by Ukrainian kids.
That's it for now. The rest might follow.
5 pairs of underpants (boxers with Lichtenstein-like print), 5 sportsocks, white and black.
Cutlery! Knives! Weapons! =P
Kindly describe the knives for me.
Butter knife with a plastic bright red handle. Hadn't occurred to me as a weapon yet. More of a thing I might use as an improvised weapon would be the sauce pan. It's a nice little pan for one-person meals. Potato peeling knife (small blade that ends in a point (one side curving down), wooden handle), a metal teaspoon with a rose engraving on the top of the handle. A set of fork, bread/butter knife, spoon and tea-spoon with bright blue plastic handles. Wooden scooping spoon with a witty Dutch text (made by Ukranian kids).
The heavy wooden bread plank is a thick plank with a handle that might be weaponlike as well. It's about the size of an A5 sheet of paper (210mmx158mm) without the handle, and looks like at least an inch thick. It says "give us today our daily bread" in Ukranian and in Dutch.
Oh, my paper tube (A plastic big tube that can contained rolled up giant sheets of paper (and it does), black with a bright green lid and a strap to carry it on your back.
Yay. Math. I love math.
AAs
MSV: 1@10
RSV: 2@1
TV: 1@6
DV: 1@6
Well, that wasn't as bad as it could have been.
BRAs
T 2@1 Intuition
P 2@1 Intuition
M 2@1 Intuition
B 1@9 Will Power
ABLs
T11@1
P 0@2
M 7@10
B ?
What does AA stand for?
For Body skills, I filled racks as a student and played basketball as a kid. I lift kids and carry them in my neck every day.
AAs are Averaged Attributes.
Do you know any martial arts?
Can you do any tricks on your bicycle? Wheelies? Bunny hops?
No martial arts except for about knowing where the plexus solarus is situated. Never done anything with it though. No tricks on the bike except unfolding it and falling down (3@10 for the falling down probably, lol).
Oh, I had a fencing initiation once, which I liked. And I can juggle three balls and throw and catch the diabolo as well as doing a trick with it. (if you are familiar with that circus attribute)
Some other skills: Kid's Make-up: 1@7, Origami: 1@6, cooking: 1@7, cutting linoleum for print: 1@3 probably, Calligraphy: 1@6
languages: Dutch (mother language), German (very similar to Dutch but I'm bad at it), French (comme si, comme ça), English (good, for a Belgian), Japanese (a few words picked up from anime and trying a home-course once.), Russian/Ukrainian (reading and writing, only a very little bit)
We can get started, but before we do, it will be helpful if you post a character paper here following the format I'm about to provide (copying and pasting * scroll speed on a computer should make it a cinch) and save a copy to your computer for faster referencing and ease of alteration.
Full Name
AKA
Attributes
Persuasion:
Charisma:
Animal Magnetism:
Strength:
Stamina:
Agility:
Density:
Resistance:
Flexibility:
Hand/Eye:
Intellect:
Education Level:
Intuition:
Will Power:
AAs
BRAs
ABLs
Physical description:
Weaknesses:
Skills
Tech
Psi
Mag
Bod
Equipment
Stage 1
Worlds:
Home
probably somewhere near the weekend. I'm slightly allergic to paperwork and I'm tired. Tomorrow is a busy day for me.
Sure, sounds good. It's pretty much just a matter of gathering together the information in this thread and sorting it into a single document.
Nikolaj ran away and is never coming back =(
Nikolaj vanishes for stretches at a time. I wouldn't count him out.
--M. J. Young
No, I know. Just miss the Nikolaj. He often has interesting insight.