Hello, I started playing at your table at Ubercon this past weekend. Here is my character information and my story so far. I've only listed the stats and attributes I was told during play, the rest are still blank.
CHARACTER SHEET
Attributes:
1@8 Strength
1@10 Stamina
1@10 Resistance
1@1 Density
1@5 Flexibility
1@8 Agility
1@10 Hand/Eye
2@1 Intellect
1@10 Intuition
2@2 Education Level
1@8 Will Power
Averaged Attributes:
1@10 Ranged Strike Value
1@9 Martial Strike Value
1@6 Target Value
1@7 Damage Value
Weaknesses:
Extremely Nearsighted, Overweight
Physical Description:
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 260
Hair Style: Short & Combed Back
Hair Color: Dark Brown/Black
Age: 26
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Facial Hair: Sideburns, Mustache, and Beard
Skills:
Tech:
2@5 Photographic Printing Chemistry 8@1
2@5 Repair Advanced Mechanics 4@4
2@5 Use Computer 11@0
1@5 Build Computers 11@5
1@1 Operate Kinetic Blaster
Bod:
1@2 Boxing 7@1
1@5 Fall Impact Absorption 4@6
Psi:
1@8 Empathetic Response 1@0
Equipment:
Blank Black T-Shirt, Short Sleeve Cotton
Blue Buttoned Shirt, Long Sleeve Cotton/Poly Blend
Red Boxer Shorts
White Athletic Socks
Grey Running Shoes w/ Blue Highlights
Nearsighted Eyeglasses w/ Light-Sensitive Black Tint
Stainless Steel Analog Watch
10" Matte Black Finish Boot Knife w/ Durable Hard Plastic Scabbard (RF 1 Damaging)
Black Jeans, Cotton
-Black Leather Belt
-House Keys x4
-Bottle Opener keychain
-Can Opener keychain
-iPod Touch
-Smartphone-type Cell Phone
-Pocket Jack Knife w/ Faux Pearl Handle
-Stainless Steel Money Clip
--Green Debit Card
--NJ Drivers License
--Microfiber Eyeglass Cleaning Cloth
Black Leather Laptop Bag, Heavy-Duty, Bulky
-PowerBook G4 Laptop
-Powerbook Power Adapter charge cord
-Cell Phone link cord w/ wall charger adapter
Durable Red Hiking Backpack
-Flint/Steel/Magnesium Fire Kit
-Stainless Steel Zippo Lighter, Mirrored Chrome Finish
-Ronsonol Lighter Fluid
-Roll of Clear Duct Tape
-Phillips/Flathead Dual-Bit Manual Screwdriver
Stage 2
World List:
Home
Snowy Mountain Peak
Starship Destiny
--------
I died while handling some Scriff-enhanced electronics on Earth, and woke up, lightly dusted with snow, on top of a snowy mountain. As I gathered my things, I saw a man watching me from a little way up the peak, so I approached him and we talked. The man, Shawn (Daniels?), gave me the "nickel tour" of the concept of the Multiverse and scriff. As he had arrived shortly before me, Shawn offered to join forces in an attempt to explore the bottom of the mountain. I agreed, and we started off on what seemed to be a grand journey. I soon discovered a buried patch of ice, and slipped, careening off the mountain. After an ominously long fall, I landed, died, and woke up on the bridge of a starship.
After a fruitless discussion with the captain about my entrance, I was taken to Sick Bay for examination. Marilyn, the woman running the scan, tells me that there's nothing physically wrong, and I convince her to implicitly believe my explanation of my arrival. She informs me that I was far from the 21st Century, but that Earth still existed. Not only that, but it's the core of the Federation, the oppressive governing body that the crew of the ship is rebelling against. Luckily for me, she doesn't appear to care that I'm from any version of Earth, even one in the past. I soon have a discussion with John Alexander, the captain, about my immediate future.
It is decided that I'm to assist Burt "Burly" Bentley and his wife Toni(?) in Engineering. I met Toni shortly afterward and she shows me around the Engineering Bay and what "Situation: Normal" looks like from there. I'm then given time to rest and told I'll start the main duties with Burly when I wake up.
As a few days pass, I quickly learn the basic tools needed for the basic maintenance of the ship's mechanical systems. Then, a meeting is called for the crew to discuss giving a rebel VIP, Anne Hughes, a ride. This is brought up because there is always the chance that this is a Federation ambush. It's decided that we will go pick her up. The landing party is to consist of Ishara(?), one of the ship's Security, who has met and worked with Anne before, Tom, an "entry expert," and myself, as I would be less useful on-board should there be trouble. (I'm not sure if you added anyone else, I was concerned with jotting down names at the time.)
Ishara then takes me down to the cargo bay to give me the basics on using their ranged weapon-of-choice, a Mark IV(?) Kinetic Blaster. We stopped right when you gave me the 1@1 skill for using the Kinetic Blaster.
Welcome, Ric!
Indeed, welcome to Ric.
Good summary, Eric, and all the names you marked as questionable were correct. (It doesn't matter, but "Shawn" was actually "Sean", and "Anne Hughes" is "Ann Hughes".)
I notice, though, that you did not include your full name and a.k.a.'s. If there's a reason why you don't want your real name posted, that's fine, but we are generally all on a real-name basis here.
I thought that Marilyn Wells was also going to be part of the landing party that went to meet Ann Hughes. Am I remembering incorrectly?
In any case, you'll need to outfit yourself for the landing. It's normal Earth environment, a bit on the chilly side (daytime temps in the 50's where you're expecting to go).
--M. J. Young
Name: Eric Michael P@checo (I trust you know what letter an @ looks like. I'm a bit paranoid about the internet.)
AKA: Ric, to good friends. NeoZero(N30xZ3R0), on the internet.
Having Marilyn on the landing party sounds about right. I'll see if I can find some sort of a warmer jacket onboard, and I'll be bringing the following:
Boot Knife
Jack Knife
Zippo
Eyeglasses
Watch
Can Opener Keychain
Flint/Steel/Magnesium Fire Kit
Blank Black T-Shirt, Short Sleeve Cotton
Blue Buttoned Shirt, Long Sleeve Cotton/Poly Blend
Red Boxer Shorts
White Athletic Socks
Grey Running Shoes w/ Blue Highlights
Black Jeans, Cotton
Kinetic Blaster, given I'm provided with one.
Presumably you ask someone about a warmer jacket. Tom is given the job of showing you what's available.
What's available turns out to be a very large room of clothing of every description, something like the apparel warehouse of a department store but that it is not at all orderly. You are told to take whatever you need from it. It is simple enough to find warm jackets in your size in a variety of styles, depending on just how warm you hope it will be.
--M. J. Young
I'll look for a dark-ish colored autumn jacket and a skullcap, should there be enough hats in obvious places to justify a search. Once I get the gear, if there's still significant time before the rendezvous, I'll continue the usual routine of sleep, eat, work until it's time. If there's something like half a day, then I'll go somewhere where I can resume messing around with the Kinetic Blaster. If I'm going to carry this thing, then I'd better be able to act like I've shot a gun outside of Paintball before. You don't look threatening if it's quite obvious that the safety's still on...
Your jacket has a slick nylon-like outer layer and a thin cotton-like (but apparently synthetic) inner layer with some sort of fill, not more than half an inch thick but as warm as a parka when fully secured. The front opens and closes with something like Velcro but which does not appear to adhere to stray threads and such. It is waist-length with long sleeves, and does not impede movement when closed.
I'm assuming by "skullcap" you mean something like a watch cap--a dark knit hat that stretches enough to cling to the head and can be pulled over the ears or rolled above it. ("Skullcap" to me calls to mind an image more akin to a Yarmulke, which is not something you wear for warmth.) There are hats like that, some with the knit appearance and others that are more like rubber, smooth like a latex glove, but not very tight, just adequate to stretch around the head. The smooth ones strike one as being waterproof.
You get food and rest and a bit of practice with the weapon into your schedule before it's time; but it's less than twenty-four hours later when the captain alerts all hands that it's time for the operation to begin.
You're to meet the others at the transmat, which is not far from the bridge but you've never been there. Toni is sitting at a desk-like control panel with possibly hundreds of sliders and knobs and gauges on it. Across the small room from her is a perhaps eight foot tall six deep by twelve wide area lined with some sort of gray metal. There are several objects on the table next to the controls that look something like racing safety harnesses--several belts with buckles into a central circle. Marilyn is already donning one when you arrive.
"This is your first transmat," she says. "It feels a bit strange, but seems perfectly safe. You'll need to wear a harness so that the matter transmitter can target you."
--M. J. Young
No, you got it right. I'd have taken the coat and the knit-looking cap. I secure myself with the harness, take a deep breath, and let Toni know that I'm ready for the ride.
They show you how to call the ship by pressing the center button on the harness, and direct you into the metal walled space. Your companions also join you there. There don't seem to be specific places to stand. Ishara looks relaxed, Tom swallows nervously, and Marilyn gives you a comforting smile.
Then Toni flips a switch, and you feel as if your body is being ripped apart molecule by molecule at incredibly high speed. Before you can open your mouth, it's over, and you are fully together in a wheat field.
There was something familiar in that experience, like a memory out of a dream.
Ishara looks around; Marilyn hits the button on her harness and says, "We're alright."
"Are these the coordinates?" Ishara asks.
"Well, yes, they are. I wasn't expecting a field, but we were told that we would be met by an elderly woman who would take us to the destination."
"I guess there be no question who ye are," a woman's voice calls, and everyone looks that direction to see someone wrapped in peasant clothing including a blue shawl drawn over the head, sitting on the front of a horse-drawn hay wagon. "Call me Marta, and climb aboard, and I'll get ye where ye're going."
"I don't like it," Tom murmers loudly enough for your group to hear.
"You don't like anything," Ishara accuses.
"Yeah, but I really don't like this."
Ishara shrugs.
"Come on," Marilyn says. "This is our ride, it would seem."
--M. J. Young
I try to match how everyone is wearing their weapons, if any. Visible if so, hidden, if possible. Once adjusted, I get on the wagon with everyone else.
On the wagon, I'll take out my phone, open it's notepad program, and show the following message to Marilyn once we're rolling: "This is the best we have for a confirmation, and old woman picking us up? There's no password or matched response or anything? I kind of agree with Tom on this one, this don't seem right..."
"Oh, that's really cute," she says. "A pocketpad. I didn't know you had anything like this."
She reads the note and nods.
"We probably could have arranged something, but then, it's not so simple. There's no guarantee that ship to planet communications won't be intercepted, and so a code word is easier to copy than finding someone who fits a description, even as vague as 'elderly woman'. All the same, you're right, and should keep wary."
The wagon rolls past more fields into a village. The houses are fabricated of local materials, with grass roofs. She pulls up to one of the larger building, apparently something like a tavern.
"There's a man in the back room name of Gary. At least one of you needs to meet with him, and then he'll have questions for you and you can ask him questions, and when you're both satisfied that the other is genuine, he'll take you to the woman you're wantin' to meet. As to the others, well, the tavernkeeper knows you're comin' and so food and drink is on the house if you like, or you can wait out here, or you can all go see Gary together, it's all the same."
"I'll go see Gary," Marilyn says. "I'm sure that we can reach an understanding. Where will the rest of you be?"
"I will be in the main room of the tavern," Ishara says. "Somewhere where I can see where you've gone as well as watch the front door and the clientele. We don't know that there won't be trouble even if the contact is genuine, and we don't know from which direction it will come."
Tom says, "I'll be here in the wagon, if it's all the same."
"Can't stay here," the woman says. "I've deliveries to make, and I need the wagon."
"Oh. Well, I'll be behind Ishara, then."
--M. J. Young
I'll stay out in the bar as well, then. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for nervous tics, paranoid behavior, or any sort of unnatural foci of attention. Things like people checking the time very often, excessive glancing at the entrance or back room door, people reading something and never turning the page.
I'll also be spotting for hidden guns. A hidden weapon with any sort of weight will alter someone's stride by forcing them to favor the side with the hidden weapon. They'll also tend to support said weapon when moving fast or turning. Less experienced people will also feel for or adjust a hidden weapon they're not used to yet.
I'll be doing this from the opposite side of the room as Ishara. I'd bet that he'd see something legitimate miles before me, but I'm no dummy, I might just catch something. Stranger things have happened.
There is someone who catches your attention, and Ishara's as well. He is sitting very much in the middle of the room, eating and drinking and making a nuisance of himself with the waitress, but wearing some sort of uniform and carrying a sidearm. You haven't seen Federation before and don't know whether this is it, but even if it's local it might be hostile to the resistance (or just eager to get the reward for capturing known resistance members), whether or not he's actually looking for anyone.
--M. J. Young
I'll base my next action off Ishara's. If he moves behind this fellow, I'll move somewhere in front. In that case, I'd get a pair of drinks from the bar, bring them over, and make some small talk. From what I know of uniformed employees, they've always got something to gripe about, and it shouldn't take much to get him to rant a bit about it.
If Ishara moves to his front, I'll fall back and try my best to cover him.
Either way, I'd want to also take a quick glance around and see what Tom is up to. I get the feeling that he's got good survival instincts, and if something's got his attention as well, it might be worth noting.
Ishara does not move, but watches the man casually while nursing his own drink.
Tom seems to have vanished when you took your eyes off him.
The uniformed man suddenly becomes quiet; he is looking directly at Ishara, from what you can tell. Rather quickly, he stands, pulls out a wallet and leaves what must be money on the table, and then heads for the main entrance in the sort of hurry people have when they realize they were supposed to be somewhere else.
--M. J. Young
Well, in that case, I've played all the cards I've been dealt. I'll keep my eyes peeled and wait until Marilyn returns with news.
As soon as the man is out the door, Ishara plops money on the table, and heads for the door, signaling you to come.
--M. J. Young
I will follow, making sure to draw my gun by the time I get outside.
Fun time...
When you reach the door, Ishara says, "I think he recognized me. One of us should alert Marilyn and the other should keep an eye on him. If he is going to report our presence he will have to be prevented. Your choice."
--M. J. Young
I reply, "You go after that guy, you might actually catch him. I'll warn Marilyn." I won't run, but I'm certainly walking with a purpose. Last thing I need is everyone else here intuiting what might have happened here.
Ishara is out the door, and you cross the room to the rear. You find Tom hiding in the hallway, and as you pass him headed for the room in which you know Marilyn is meeting Gary he grabs your arm and asks in his frightened way what's happening.
--M. J. Young
"Someone in some sort of uniform might have recognized Ishara, and he left right quick and in a hurry. Ishara went after him, because he might try to tell someone we're here. Whatever cover we had is getting slowly blown away. I'm gonna tell Marilyn and hopefully, by the time we've got that sorted, Ishara will be back and we'll decide how to go from here."
"But I'm gonna need you to calm down, Tom. If you keep freaking out, then you're going to stand out, and standing out is how you get pinched. No one down here is new at this but me, so that means I'm the only one that gets to worry about screwing up." I grin at this last line to play it off as a joke. Once he's settled, I'll continue to the back room.
Tom is not settling; he's panicking.
"What do you mean, recognized him? We've got to get out of here. Where are you going?"
--M. J. Young
"I'm working on that, Tom, but you need to mellow out. Take deep breaths, breathe in all the way, that's one. Breathe out all the way, that's two. Count to ten like that. Then come with me. I'm going to tell Marilyn that we need to finish up here right now."
I'm going to wait for him to level off a bit, or at least try the breathing exercise. If he still tweaks after that, I'm going to take him with me to the back room. I'm hoping he's having more of a dependency freak out than a paranoia freak out.
Tom does not seem to be calming, although he is not getting worse. He seems to think that his fear is completely rational, and that it's time to abort the mission and return to the ship. You take him with you, and when you enter the back room he bursts out, "Ishara thinks he was recognized. We have to get out of here."
Marilyn treats this as if it is Tom's normal state.
"Tom, I'm sure that Ishara has matters well in hand, and if we need to return to the ship he will let us know. Meanwhile, Gary is going to take us to Ann, so we've almost accomplished the mission."
"She's not far from here, but I won't say more, lest someone is listening," Gary adds.
"Right," Marilyn says. "Gary, this is Tom, part of ship's security, and Ric, who is our recently added assistant engineer."
"Tom Titus?" Gary says. "I've heard stories about you."
"I'm sure they're all lies," Tom replies. "I've never done the things of which I've been accused."
Gary laughs. "Of course not. Nor should anyone believe you have. But I'm impressed by your alleged work. Did I hear that Ishara Takamura is also with you? Should we wait for him?"
"No, we should complete our mission. He can meet us back aboard the ship if necessary, or find us if necessary. Ric is armed, and we're not expecting trouble where we're going, and we'll only have it here if Ishara fails. He has never yet failed."
"Then," Gary says, "I suggest we slip out the back and I'll show you the way."
--M. J. Young
"Sounds good. After you." I'm relieved to know that Tom is known for these episodes, it's better to not burn out swimming against the current. I'll follow Gary and Marilyn's lead.
In the next phase of the journey, you follow Gary out of town and into the surrounding mountainous wilderness area. He periodically uses a pair of binoculars to check behind for anyone following, but sees no one.
You reach the entrance to a cave, and he grabs some sort of electric lamp just inside the entrance. "We don't usually keep these here, but we hoped you were coming so we prepared. Please, help yourself to them. It is dark inside."
Marilyn takes a lamp, and with a bit of fumbling ignites it. Tom suggests that he could wait outside here and keep watch. Marilyn ignores his suggestion.
--M. J. Young
I throw my arm around Tom and say, "Well Tom, that is a suggestion. You could stay out here. Alone. In the open. Where it's quiet. By yourself. With no place to hide. Or, OR... You can come with us, stay relatively out of sight, and not have to worry about being taken down quietly like a dumb guard in a spy movie. The smart money is put on sticking together, Tom..."
I'll give him a few seconds to think it over, then follow Marilyn. If more light is needed, and there are more provided, I'll take one of the lamps and turn it on, too.
Tom glances nervously around while you are explaining this.
"Right," he says. "Inside, then. What's a movie?"
You grab a lamp and easily determine how it lights.
There are a few places where the cave path divides, and you work your way deeper into the dark mountainside, perhaps a couple hundred yards of distance. Within there is a base of operations, something reminiscent of the inside of the Colorado mountain in WarGames. A girl near thirty with long blond hair seems to be the center of attention of a small knot of people in conversation, but within a minute of your arrival she withdraws from the group.
"You must be Marilyn Wells," she says.
"You must be Ann Hughs," Marilyn responds.
"And is this Ishara?" she says, turning to you.
"No, Ishara was separated from us at the tavern. I expect he'll rendezvous with us back at the ship."
--M. J. Young
She almost had us. Ann knows Ishara, no way in h3ll the two of us could be confused. I point the gun at this 'Ann Hughs.'
"Get face down on the ground, hands behind your head. You just blew your cover, impostor. Marilyn, remember, she was supposed to know Ishara on sight. Back away. Tom, find some way to bind her. And you can 'I told you so' me when we're safe, OK?"
I'll shoot her if she does anything but comply.
Gary is stunned.
"This isn't Ann?"
"Apparently not," Marilyn says. "Marilyn and Ishara have met, and although it was some time ago, Ishara does not look much like Ric at all. She was expecting Ishara and guessed that Ric, not Tom, looked the part. But we lost Ishara at the tavern."
"But, she helped us so much with the resistance."
"If I were you, I would reorganize everything, and quickly. The Federation probably knows everything this woman does about people, places, and plans. They'll be planning a massive attack as soon as she's out of the way."
Tom has found a wire and used it to bind her hands behind her, then pulled her to a sitting position and tied her legs.
"Do we take her with us?" Tom asks.
"I'm inclined to leave her here," Marilyn says. "The local resistance can treat her as they wish. Meanwhile, we'd better get out of here before the trap is sprung. Destiny," she says, hitting the button on her harness. There is a moment of silence.
"The cave must be blocking signal. We've got to get out of here."
--M. J. Young
While still keeping the others covered, I'll shift over to Marilyn. "Is this guy Gary legit? Do you trust him?"
If she says yes, then we'll take him with us.
If not, then I'll tell Tom, "Take the knife I have strapped to my ankle and use it to 'convince' Gary to lead us out."
"I'm not at all certain," Marilyn says. "I don't know whether he was duped by the impostor or part of the plot. He was very credible; but if our 'Ann' is a pretender, she's very good, and she would probably have very good support."
As to your directions to Tom, "Me? A knife?"
"I'll do it," Marilyn says, and skillfully draws the knife from your ankle, handling it like a pro. "Tom actually isn't very good with weapons. Gary, I hope you understand that this isn't personal. We can't really know whether you're a rube or a conman, and we can't take the chance of trusting you if we're wrong. So, it's time to show us the way out. For what it's worth, your life really does depend on it, since if you do show us the way out we won't be certain you're part of the trap and will leave you alive, but if you don't lead us out we'll be pretty certain."
--M. J. Young
I'll file those little tidbits away for future reference, 'Marilyn, good with knives... Tom, not so much...'
I'll let Marilyn lead with Tom following. I'll go once they're out. I'm keeping the people in the room covered for as long as required for our getaway. Should we get close enough to the entrance that I know where we're going, I'll signal for a stop. I'll tell Tom to try raising the Destiny again. I'll shift to the front and lead out to the entrance, just in case someone needs to be shot.
You hear the tree frogs; the cave entrance is not really visible when you're traveling by electric light and it's night outside. But communications still don't work.
"Probably a combination of the thickness of the cave walls and minerals in the rocks," Marilyn says, although it's obviously a guess.
You lead the rest of the way, and Marilyn raises Destiny. "Three to return," she says. "Sorry, Gary--it would be a clever ploy if you were her backup plan."
You feel the matter transmitter start taking you apart.
A moment later you are on the platform. Captain John is there.
"What happened? Where's Ishara?"
"I think Ric should tell you what he knows. His is the first-hand report."
--M. J. Young
"Captain, when we arrived, an old woman took us to a tavern in the village. She told us to speak with Gary, who would take us to 'The Woman We Wanted to Meet.' In retrospect, I think it was kind of odd that she would know about our task and not who we were picking up.
Anyways, Ishara, Tom, and I stay in the tavern proper while Marilyn spoke with Gary. There was only one definitive entrance to the building, so I figured that would be best. Ishara and I spotted a man in uniform with a sidearm walk in. A few moments later, he sees Ishara, and then leaves in a rush. Ishara goes after him, believing this guy might compromise us.
I went to collect Tom to tell Marilyn and Gary that we need to hustle because we might have been recognized, and that Ishara went to deal with it. Gary leads us to this cave that has some sort of base of operations inside. We meet this woman claiming to be Ann. She confused me for Ishara, who the real Ann had worked with in the past. Given that I don't look anything like the man, I concluded she had to be an impostor, and our entire mission was compromised.
I drew down on the others to give Marilyn and Tom an opportunity to get back, then we took Gary hostage to get us out of the cave. Once we got out of the cave, we radioed for transport.
Logically, Ishara must still be on the planet, trying to deal with the runner from the pub. Personally, I don't know what kind of communication equipment he has with him, so I'm not sure how we should go about collecting him."
"Thank you, Ric. Toni, get Ishara back as quickly as possible. Gary," (which you recall is also your pilot's name), "lay in a course to get us out of here as soon as Ishara is aboard. Stations, everyone. Have Ishara report to the bridge as soon as he's aboard."
The captain heads toward the bridge, and Toni gets on a communications network that communicates with the harnesses. It takes a moment to explain to him that it was not Ann you met, and then he's aboard, removing his harness and heading for the bridge as well.
Marilyn is also headed for the bridge. Tom is standing around doing nothing, and once Ishara is aboard Toni stows the harnesses and leaves, headed toward engineering.
--M. J. Young
If everyone keeps a weapon on them onboard, then I'll go straight to Engineering. If they don't, then I'll go wherever they kept the Blaster and put it back, then go to Engineering. I figure if they wanted me on the bridge, they would have told me. If they do want me there, then at least they'll know where to find me.
It is normal to stow weapons in the armory on the bridge. That's probably because they charge there.
You reach engineering, and Burly and Toni appear to have been expecting you.
"Hopefully this is just routine," Burly says. "There are two possibilities. The first is that someone hoped we would pick up the fake Hughes and she was prepared to sabotage us from within. The second is that they were using the fake Hughes to lure us into this sector and get our guard down. It's pretty obvious that the first was in mind, but it's not clear that the second was not also in mind. They could have kept their pursuit ships out of the area so as not to spook us, or had them waiting just out of sight to catch us after she was aboard.
"We should know soon. Meanwhile, if we're attacked, we might need to hold things together down here. Otherwise, we're just waiting until the captain is pretty sure that we're clear."
--M. J. Young