eris
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 161
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Post by eris on May 15, 2017 17:30:04 GMT -6
OOC: I'll made a few "caller" decisions here. If anyone disagrees yell at me, okay. I don't know how doubling up on a task works in this game, but it ought to make it a little easier to get some positive results. I hope. Mother and Zeb, with Streetwise and Bribery, nose around the underworld side of things and see if they can find out more about the Lombard Clinic. Victor and Sharron both use their JOT skill to try hacking into the data net to get more info about the clinic. Logan rents a van and then helps Henry get the ship ready for a quick get away if needed. Logan will see that the Life Support is loaded and ready to go, I assume Henry will see to the fuel and look into getting a flight plan set up in case we need it. We'll meet at the SHIP after finishing our tasks, share what we've learned and then see about raiding the clinic. How does that all sound? Life support will cost 20kcr (2 kcr per stateroom occupied or not, you have 10 staterooms) You will need a Jump Cassette since you don't have the Generate program (10 kcr) Streetwise to find info about clinic (with Bribery as backup if needed) (roll 10 + 1 vs 8+ succeeds): Mother and Zeb learn from Elmo that the clinic is not well liked, but for some, it is the only place they can get care. Every once in a while, someone disappears after a visit to the clinic. Elmo has heard they surreptitiously test people for psionics and if someone shows potential, they take them away to Bastinadi. The attempt to hack into the data net (roll 10 vs 8+ succeeds) shows information about licensing and such. There is also notes that apparently the authorities have been watching the clinic, looking for illegal activity. A professor at the University of Ludgates is listed as a contact due to what he and his students have uncovered in their survey of the indigent population. There is a note that psionics might be involved. We have about 175,000 Cr, if we pool all of our money. If we're continuing with this hunt, we can try to find Janet here before she is shipped off to Bastinadi, but failing that we'll have to go there. It's a J2 from Ludgates to Bastinadi with Cheapside the J1 link between the two. So, what now folks? Do the raid and see if Janet is still in the Clinic? Get a cargo, and jump tape, and jump to Cheapside then on to Bastinadi? We've got to earn some dough folks. Our funds won't last long if we're travelling.
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Post by foxroe on May 15, 2017 18:08:01 GMT -6
Sharron retires momentarily to her cabin, puts together a make-shift punching bag using her mattress, hangs it from the overhead, and proceeds to beat the shaving-cream out of it in frustration.
"The good news is, Bastinadi is non-industrial, so we should be able to pick up some cheap cargo and off-load there at a profit. There may be a shipment of mechanical parts or aluminum we can spec. And there's a Scout base. And a gas giant." Mother offers with a child-like smile.
((OOC: Frank - Is Jack gone as a "party member" or will you be using him as an NPC?))
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Post by ffilz on May 15, 2017 22:26:36 GMT -6
Life support will cost 20kcr (2 kcr per stateroom occupied or not, you have 10 staterooms) You will need a Jump Cassette since you don't have the Generate program (10 kcr) Streetwise to find info about clinic (with Bribery as backup if needed) (roll 10 + 1 vs 8+ succeeds): Mother and Zeb learn from Elmo that the clinic is not well liked, but for some, it is the only place they can get care. Every once in a while, someone disappears after a visit to the clinic. Elmo has heard they surreptitiously test people for psionics and if someone shows potential, they take them away to Bastinadi. The attempt to hack into the data net (roll 10 vs 8+ succeeds) shows information about licensing and such. There is also notes that apparently the authorities have been watching the clinic, looking for illegal activity. A professor at the University of Ludgates is listed as a contact due to what he and his students have uncovered in their survey of the indigent population. There is a note that psionics might be involved. We have about 175,000 Cr, if we pool all of our money. If we're continuing with this hunt, we can try to find Janet here before she is shipped off to Bastinadi, but failing that we'll have to go there. It's a J2 from Ludgates to Bastinadi with Cheapside the J1 link between the two. So, what now folks? Do the raid and see if Janet is still in the Clinic? Get a cargo, and jump tape, and jump to Cheapside then on to Bastinadi? We've got to earn some dough folks. Our funds won't last long if we're travelling. Just a note, since Bastinadi isn't accessible via a space lane, jump cassettes are not available for purchase (there may be ways to get one).
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Post by ffilz on May 15, 2017 22:27:22 GMT -6
Sharron retires momentarily to her cabin, puts together a make-shift punching bag using her mattress, hangs it from the overhead, and proceeds to beat the shaving-cream out of it in frustration. "The good news is, Bastinadi is non-industrial, so we should be able to pick up some cheap cargo and off-load there at a profit. There may be a shipment of mechanical parts or aluminum we can spec. And there's a Scout base. And a gas giant." Mother offers with a child-like smile. ((OOC: Frank - Is Jack gone as a "party member" or will you be using him as an NPC?)) Jack will not be continuing. You are free to seek out additional NPCs as crew however.
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eris
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 161
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Post by eris on May 16, 2017 11:57:14 GMT -6
We have about 175,000 Cr, if we pool all of our money. If we're continuing with this hunt, we can try to find Janet here before she is shipped off to Bastinadi, but failing that we'll have to go there. It's a J2 from Ludgates to Bastinadi with Cheapside the J1 link between the two. So, what now folks? Do the raid and see if Janet is still in the Clinic? Get a cargo, and jump tape, and jump to Cheapside then on to Bastinadi? We've got to earn some dough folks. Our funds won't last long if we're travelling. Just a note, since Bastinadi isn't accessible via a space lane, jump cassettes are not available for purchase (there may be ways to get one). Oh, I noticed. I'm fully aware that we're either going to have to give up on getting to Janet for now, or find some backend way to get to Bastinadi. I note there is a Scout base on Bastinadi, so it's possible the Scouts have jump tapes to that system. We have some retired Scouts and a Scout ship on loan, and there is a Scout base *here* as well. If we're heading for Bastinadi, we probably should be checking out the Scout base *here* to see if we can be some help. If nothing else, free fuel. Eventually, we're going to need the Generate program. It is 800,000 Cr, so it is probably going to be a while before we earn enough money to buy that program. Okay, based on what we're learned, do we want to continue with the Clinic Raid? Or do we want to do other things, for example: 1. see if we can interview the Professor at the University. He might want to charter our ship to get to Bastinadi as part of his Psionics studies or have more information we can use, like the name of the ship the Clinic people use. 2. make contact with the Scout base and see if we can get a mission from them to visit Bastinadi or if they can make a jump tape to there available? 3. or just give up on the Janet rescue for now and try to make some money so we can eventually earn enough to buy Generate? We won't forget abut Janet, but she'll be on the back burner for now. My vote is to hold off on raiding the Clinic for now, and do 1 and 2. If we get nowhere with that, just move on to 3...sorry Sharron.
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Post by foxroe on May 16, 2017 17:20:48 GMT -6
My vote is to hold off on raiding the Clinic for now, and do 1 and 2. If we get nowhere with that, just move on to 3...sorry Sharron. ((OOC: I agree)) Sharron is a bit peeved (punching her mattress a little harder... might need a new one...), but she knows that without a ship and some extra guns, she'll have a hard time finding Janet. She agrees to the plan (#1 and #2) as it's unlikely that Janet would have been kept at the clinic after her abduction. Mother, ever the capitalist, will "call around" (maybe through some Merchant service contacts) and see if there are any prospective (lucrative) cargoes destined for Bastinadi. Also, she'd like to "hit the docks", so to speak, and use her Streetwise skill to dig up any dirt about any ships that regularly fly to Bastinadi.
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Post by ffilz on May 16, 2017 17:27:26 GMT -6
I'll wait to hear more thoughts before making any rolls or responses, but I did want to make one point about the implied setting of the rules:
The space lane rules imply that there are NOT ships that regularly fly to Bastinadi...
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Post by tkdco2 on May 17, 2017 1:38:00 GMT -6
IIRC, Janet has been missing for a week. If ships don't regularly fly to Bastinadi, is there a good chance she's still being held at the clinic?
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eris
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 161
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Post by eris on May 17, 2017 11:20:14 GMT -6
I'll wait to hear more thoughts before making any rolls or responses, but I did want to make one point about the implied setting of the rules: The space lane rules imply that there are NOT ships that regularly fly to Bastinadi... Two points about that. 1. There is a Scout base on Bastinadi, so Scout ships do occasionally fly there and our two former Scouts might be able to get a jump to there. 2. Because ships don't regularly fly to Bastinadi then one that does fly there will stick out like a sore thumb when we look at the records. It's a J2 from Ludgates, so we can look for any records of J2 ships flying to, or returning from Bastinadi. If the psi-leggers are using a J1 ship, they'll have to pass through Cheapside. Once we get to Cheapside, getting info on any ships that do fly to Bastinadi should be pretty easy. OOC1: Oh, I need a clarification, Frank. IMTU, ships can't jump to empty hexes, they have to go system to system. How does it work in YTU, system to system or are empty hexes in play?
OOC2: Logan's skills are spectacularly unhelpful in this sort of investigation. With the workout he's getting, though, maybe I should look into the "learning new skills rules" for things like Admin, Bribery, Streetwise, and especially Computer. Maybe if he had Computer he could work with Navigation to create the 800,000 Generate program we can't afford to buy and we could save our money for the ship's weapons we also don't have.
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Post by ffilz on May 17, 2017 11:33:20 GMT -6
I'll wait to hear more thoughts before making any rolls or responses, but I did want to make one point about the implied setting of the rules: The space lane rules imply that there are NOT ships that regularly fly to Bastinadi... Two points about that. 1. There is a Scout base on Bastinadi, so Scout ships do occasionally fly there and our two former Scouts might be able to get a jump to there. Yep, that is probably true. Note that not all bases outside the Imperium borders are necessarily Imperial. The Scout base at Bastinadi is Imperial. Bastinadi, Boekoeia, and Taphos used to be Imperial, with the decline of the Imperium, they are no longer under sufficient Imperial control to still be considered part of the Imperium. Yea, so looking for records of flight plans could turn up something. Of course not everyone files truthful flight plans... That is true for my campaign also. Empty hex jumps negate most of the "terrain". I do allow for the possibility of jump tugs though.
Learning a new skill requires a sabbatical. There may be ways to learn a skill-0 and then use the experience rules to boost those up. Computer probably requires a sabbatical to learn though...
Unfortunately even that doesn't get you far... Generate requires Computer-3 and Navigate-4 to write... Using the experience rules (and petitioning to be allowed to take two sabbaticals would require Logan 16 years to get those skills (2 sabbaticals gets Computer-2, Navigate-2, then an 8 year skill program to acquire Computer-3 and Navigate-3, then start a new experience program and gain provisional Navigate-4...
Victor could do it in 4 years, sabbatical to learn Computer-2 followed by starting an experience program for provisional Computer-3, Navigate-4.
Optionally, you hire a character with Computer-3 and Victor uses the experience rules to get provisional Navigate-4...
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Post by tkdco2 on May 17, 2017 12:17:10 GMT -6
Maybe we should try to find out if the clinic has any contacts in the Scout service. It's possible that a few scouts may be taking secret detours to Bastinadi. Is Streetwise useful in finding out that sort of info?
If the cops have been watching the clinic, raiding it may foil their plans.
Talking to the university professor sounds like a good idea. The more information we get, the better we can plan our next move.
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eris
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 161
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Post by eris on May 18, 2017 14:25:15 GMT -6
My suggestions...
Henry and Victor are our Scouts they should get in touch with the Scout Base and get our ship refueled (for free), and ask about Bastinadi and if there's anyway to get a jump tape to there from them.
Zeb and Sharron should try to get an interview with the Professor. Sharron can explain about Janet and see if the Professor can give us any leads. If he's interested enough, he might even turn into a patron.
Mother is already looking for some cargo and Logan will look, too. We can take the best of whatever the two of us find.
Now, if Victor does the Nav-4 thing, how about us trying to hire an NPC with Computer-3 so we can write our own copy of Generate?
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Post by foxroe on May 18, 2017 18:16:53 GMT -6
Sounds good to me.
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Post by coffee on May 19, 2017 7:28:09 GMT -6
Henry will be more than happy to talk to the local Scout base. I'd be grateful for a list of specific questions people want answered.
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eris
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 161
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Post by eris on May 19, 2017 13:12:07 GMT -6
Henry will be more than happy to talk to the local Scout base. I'd be grateful for a list of specific questions people want answered. Well, first get refueled, of course. Then sound them out about Bastinadi and the Scout base there. Ask if they have a Jump Tape to get there from Cheapside they could give you, or if they could generate a jump tape to get us from Cheapside to Bastinadi. See if they've heard any rumors about underground psionic activities in the area. Anybody else with questions for the Scouts?
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eris
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 161
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Post by eris on May 19, 2017 13:14:24 GMT -6
If everyone agrees to trying to hire an NPC with Computer-3, then Logan will put an ad on the local data net and go over to the Merchant's Guild Hall and put up a notice there as well. Hiring on an NPC, though, needs to be a group decision, so how about it? Logan votes yes.
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Post by foxroe on May 19, 2017 17:52:35 GMT -6
"As long as we get to eye-ball the programming after. I've heard stories of pirates using code-junkies to program in mis-jumps and back-doors to make hijacking easier." Sharron says matter-of-factually.
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Post by coffee on May 21, 2017 20:53:21 GMT -6
Also, how much will such a programmer cost? I assume he'll work by the job, and not by the week or month.
There's a reason such software costs a lot.
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Post by ffilz on May 21, 2017 23:06:08 GMT -6
Also, how much will such a programmer cost? I assume he'll work by the job, and not by the week or month. There's a reason such software costs a lot. My suggestion is you try and hire a computer person as a member of the crew... Either a straight hire, or a share (speaking of which, you folks might want to decide how you are handling that for the non-"owner" PCs...)
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Post by ffilz on May 23, 2017 13:03:30 GMT -6
Also, how much will such a programmer cost? I assume he'll work by the job, and not by the week or month. There's a reason such software costs a lot. My suggestion is you try and hire a computer person as a member of the crew... Either a straight hire, or a share (speaking of which, you folks might want to decide how you are handling that for the non-"owner" PCs...) Oh, and sure, you can bypass the cost of the software. Of course your program might have a bug in it... And it may be hard to get an NPC with Computer-3 (must be Educ 8+ unless Doctor, Scientist, or Hunter... yes, less educated Hunters seem to know more about computer than anyone other than Scientists and Doctors...). AND Victor has to make his dedication roll to gain provisional Nagigate-4 ( Ronin84 - are you on board with this?)... Frank
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Post by ffilz on Jun 5, 2017 11:45:26 GMT -6
Hmm, does anyone think they are waiting on me?
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Post by tkdco2 on Jun 5, 2017 15:09:17 GMT -6
I think everyone has an idea of what his character is going to do.
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Post by ffilz on Jun 6, 2017 11:48:15 GMT -6
Henry and Victor visit the scout base. Having just mustered out with the ship, it is fully refueled and has recently had it's annual maintenance, however the administrator at the base is happy to chat with them. When the subject of Bastinadi comes up, he asks what their interest is.
Zeb and Sharron visit the professor. He seems willing to chat, how do you want to bring the conversation around to psionics, the clinic, and/or Bastinadi?
Oh, and is someone actively attempting to recruit someone with computer skill, and what are you offering?
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Post by foxroe on Jun 9, 2017 4:13:44 GMT -6
Sharron will keep her revolver concealed under her jacket, and she'll leave her sword back at the ship... don't want to be too intimidating.
She briefly scans the professor's office (I'm assuming we're meeting him at his office at the UoL... correct me if I'm wrong), making note of any unusual decor or media - visual clues may help us guide the conversation.
In the mean time, with her best "official" voice:
"Thank you for meeting with us, Dr. <insert-name-here>. We are sure that your academic schedule is very busy, so we appreciate you seeing us on such short notice."
"We are... private investigators that have been hired to locate a missing individual. Our client believes that the disappearance may be related to ...unsanctioned psionic research. It is our understanding that you conducted a survey recently and may have uncovered something with respect to the psionic capabilities of the indigent population. My partner and I would greatly appreciate it if you could help shed some light on our situation given your expertise."
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Post by ffilz on Jun 12, 2017 13:26:09 GMT -6
Professor Albert Duhr responds that he has also noted individuals going missing with some ties to psionic research. As your conversations becomes more comfortable he will share what he knows about the Lombard Clinic. Janet Smyth is not familiar to him.
Do you want to bring up Bastinadi directly or guide the conversation in a way you hope he mentions it?
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Post by tkdco2 on Jun 13, 2017 0:21:23 GMT -6
Maybe we should segue into Bastinadi subtly. The good professor is willing to talk, but mentioning that place directly may change his mind.
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Post by foxroe on Jun 13, 2017 19:06:58 GMT -6
Agreed. We'll steer the conversation towards Bastinadi.
However, if Dr. Duhr does not bring it up, then we'll bluntly ask, "What do you know about Bastinadi?"
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Post by coffee on Jun 14, 2017 7:21:15 GMT -6
Henry and Victor visit the scout base. Having just mustered out with the ship, it is fully refueled and has recently had it's annual maintenance, however the administrator at the base is happy to chat with them. When the subject of Bastinadi comes up, he asks what their interest is. "Some friends of ours would like to go there," Henry says. "Can't say I've ever been, myself, so I thought I should ask someone more familiar with the area." (We'll start off generically but truthfully, and see where that gets us...)
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Post by ffilz on Jun 14, 2017 11:53:58 GMT -6
Agreed. We'll steer the conversation towards Bastinadi. However, if Dr. Duhr does not bring it up, then we'll bluntly ask, "What do you know about Bastinadi?" It seems that Bastinadi has come up in his research. He doesn't know much personally about Bastinadi, but he is definitely intrigued by the connection between the Lombard Clinic, Psionics, and Bastinadi.
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Post by ffilz on Jun 14, 2017 11:56:49 GMT -6
Henry and Victor visit the scout base. Having just mustered out with the ship, it is fully refueled and has recently had it's annual maintenance, however the administrator at the base is happy to chat with them. When the subject of Bastinadi comes up, he asks what their interest is. "Some friends of ours would like to go there," Henry says. "Can't say I've ever been, myself, so I thought I should ask someone more familiar with the area." (We'll start off generically but truthfully, and see where that gets us...) We do have a small base there to observe the system and watch the border. It was significantly down staffed ten years ago as resources have become tighter. It at best gets one or two ships a year visiting.
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