[Malevolence]

Here's where we set the terms of the meet and ask for any non-monetary items we want. I've left the post on that note so that we can discuss these things here before Ohanzee proceeds, mostly since I've forgotten specifically what we had decided on and also because much of the tactics would have been discussed with Sam before the team left that day.


So far, I have this:
1. The meet is in the valley, at night. Exact time?
2. I won't be informing them of the explosive device until much closer to the meet so that they don't have too much time to anticipate it.
3. Do we want to ask for anything else - transportation? ID? Visas? Something else? I think we mostly settled on "no", but I don't recall.


Ohanzee is, for now, choosing to not take advantage of Cannon's wistful observation on dating. Things are so far proceeding well and it doesn't seem worth the risk. Likewise, Ohanzee is intentionally refraining from making positive or negative characterizations of Jäger, just fairly neutral observation about the previous negotiations. Even his mention that her counter offers were "insulting" isn't a negative characterization of her since it is likely that that was exactly her intent with the offers.


So, anyway, let me know what else Ohanzee should bring up.

[Zweiblumen]

SINs would be nice.  Doc would be interested in access to a lab, but I don't know of any real way to make that work.  So yeah, boat loads of money a new identity and a way out of dodge sounds good to him.  Help with their memories?

[Tecumseh]

I believe the previous conclusion to this conversation was, "Just get money; money will buy what we need. We don't want SINs provided by someone we don't trust."

But, don't let me influence you. You are more than welcome to lay out your Christmas lists. Personally I think it's a fascinating question because it suggests a lot about what the character wants to do next in their lives, which is very telling.

Ideas include: gear (armor, weapons, foci, formulae, magical compounds/supplies), vehicles, travel vouchers, visas, IDs, and so on. Doc could ask for access to a lab but that would require him to trust someone not to bag him. Doc remembers that DIMR and MIT&T did some research on otaku about 15 years ago (to see if their abilities were magical in nature), so presumably the DIMR has access to some sort of research facility that might be able to work on CFD and/or magically erased memories.

Katsina
Katsina already has a really good SIN that hasn't been used, so she feels okay about that. DIMR and ASPS seem like good sources of magical equipment but a lot of that is so personal (and tradition-specific) that she'd be inclined simply to enchant it for herself, given the time and resources. She hasn't seen the RV yet but when she does she will probably want one. She doesn't know where she wants to go yet but she does know that she wants to lay low until the heat from this blows over. Plus, maybe some additional downtime will allow her to recover more memories (or maybe not). She wants to run away with Ace but won't leave Sam behind until he's at least somewhat adapted to his new diet.

[Zweiblumen]

Yeah, Doc would definitely be interested in having access to the lab.  He'd want some kind of guarantee of safety, not that it would really mean much.  But at least a token of something.  But yeah, having access to a facility and a place to live safely (plus the cash) would be most of what he's looking for right now.  Mostly he wants his memories back and a way to test CFD.  See if he could access the various personalities that are there like BTLs or SimSense or some other way.

[Zweiblumen]

Okay, puzzles!  After doing the matrix search on the Ace reference I'm going to do another MP and my first question will be what was the last command from the device.

He's also specifically looking for unusual things that he'd think of as technomancy.  Doc is very very suspicious right now.

[Zweiblumen]

Okeedokee.  Still have a *really* funny feeling about this   I gotta be missing something.

[Tecumseh]

I'm still looking for Christmas lists.

Katsina: a Winnabego
Doc: access to a lab
Ace: @rednblack
Chino: @rednblack
Sam: @Poindexter
Ohanzee: @Malevolence, although you could just add it to your IC post when it comes time

Let's try to get these up today so the IC can proceed.

[Poindexter]

A few days ago, I coulda read you a laundry list of things Sam would like, but Sam today really feels like all he needs are balls, willpower, and a good teacher. He's already got all three of these things. Besides, he hasn't had his comm turned on in a while and would only know christmas was coming if Katsina told him. OOC, I image he'd go for a high level counterspelling/dispelling focus, but he's SO far from having the karma to even use such a thing, I can't really think of anything. Maybe some kind of super duper heavy armor with all the bells and whistles?

Again, I crowdsource this. Any ideas?

[Tecumseh]

Per Malevolence's earlier point, we can presume that the Christmas list conversation took place last night and/or this morning; it's not a team conference call in the middle of the meet with Cannon.

Katsina's theory about Sam being an adept was IC posted on "Tuesday" (the current day, ICly) but the two of them were together "Monday" as well. There's no reason they couldn't have come to this conclusion the day before, which would help inform Sam's choices for today ("Tuesday"). Or, this input could have happened during Doc's call back to base saying they wouldn't be home until late.

It's debatable whether a (non-spellcasting) fomóraig could use a Counterspelling Focus with their Magical Guard power. Since I'm the GM and I get to decide, I say that Sam can use a counterspelling focus.

Sam could also use Qi Foci and Weapon Focus. He has the Close Combat skill group so he can use weapons effectively, although he already does Str+3 due to his bone lacing. (Tangent: He also has claws as a natural weapon. Traditionally these do Str+2 (AP -1) but I would probably upgrade them to Str+3 (maintaining their AP) so that they're not mechanically worse that his bone lacing. End tangent.) Sam could get a weapon focus so that he'd have better reach or AP than he already has. Or, if he wants to stay Unarmed but still get the dice bonus then knucks are viable for a weapon focus.

While thinking about foci, Katsina wonders if she knows how to create foci. It turns out she does. Katsina has Arcana (Foci) 3 (5). Katsina's character sheet is now complete. The rules are a bit unclear on whether an enchanter can create a focus formula for another tradition, although based on the wording I'm guessing the answer is no. The next question is whether adepts even have a "tradition" in the sense that spellcasters and summoners do. I don't know the answer to that one off the top of my head but my suspicion is the answer is "if so, it's only for flavor (not crunch)". For now let's assume that Katsina can craft foci for Sam.

Remaining undiscovered skills
Ace: 1
Chino: 3
Doc: 1 (skill group)
Ohanzee: 1
Sam: 1

Upon further reflection, Katsina probably would really like is a Magical Lodge @ F6. It would need to be for the Wiccan tradition. @Malevolence, it's possible Ohanzee would want something similar (for a shaman) and/or reagents.

[Poindexter]

on the topic of traditions, I'm pretty sure adepts DO have one. That being said, Sam would be leaning toward wicca, cause that's what Katsina follows.

[rednblack]

Ace won't want any SINs from Cannon or his organization.  Not being magically active, I'm unsure what he would want and also trust them to deliver.

Chino could have a use for Foci, though.  What adept wouldn't want a Level One Improved Reflexes Foci, even if you'd be risking Focus Addiction?

[Zweiblumen]

Again, I crowdsource this. Any ideas?

Help getting his memories back?  A place to live?  Transportation to some place?

[Tecumseh]

If adepts have a tradition, it's probably similar to mentor spirits in the sense that the tradition chooses you instead of vice versa. For the sake of the present discussion, I'm going to say that adepts don't have traditions for mechanical purposes. (RP purposes are valid.) Thus, qi foci and weapon foci do not have to be aspected for a specific tradition. As for Sam wanting a counterspelling focus - which usually would need to be aspected, but is a special case due to the nature of Sam's counterspelling ability - let's just sweep that under the rug for now.

Let's move forward. Here's what I'm hearing so far:

Katsina: F6 Magical Lodge (Wicca)
Doc: access to a lab
Ace: nada
Chino: F4 Qi Focus (Improved Reflexes, to move from rating I to II)
Sam: F4 Counterspelling Focus
Ohanzee: whatever Mal puts in his IC post

@Malevolence, go ahead and post ICly when you are able.

[Malevolence]

I'm heading out of the office now after all day meetings, so it'll probably be a couple hours (traffic, dinner, etc).


For Doc, we need to come up with a secure fashion of obtaining access to this facility on the assumption that we don't trust them not to simply ambush us once we are there. Largely, we want to disappear after this and certainly don't want them to know where we are after the deal goes down. Maybe we can ask that the Winnabego have a mobile lab.


Ohanzee will likely ask for information. Jäger apparently had some good intel on the artifact and those that might be interested in it. Dossiers on the various cults surrounding the artifact could be useful.


We also need to (before the physical meet) figure out who will be our escrow for the 1M¥ bond on retrieving the artifact should we be double-crossed. They've already "seen" Doc and I and I doubt anyone feels Chino is "present" enough to work, but any of the other three that we feel we can do without at the exchange are a valid option.

[Zweiblumen]

Doc isn't expecting anyone else to join him in the lab.  I don't think he 'bago is anywhere near large enough for the lab.

But if folks want to be experimented on, doc would love some test subjects 😝