Recruitment and OOC thread for Sapphire City

[Dr Yes]

Everyone - There are a few news articles on the Scene 2 post which may interest you.

Bubbalin - I really like the class combination, very nice - Have a bonus action die.  I still need to review it in more detail which will also be done later today.  I have started a scene for you which contains a variety of options for you to pursue, you might want to plan how to get to some while attending others.

SpinningDice - If most of your character is finialised you may want to meet up with Bubbalin and pursue a similar aim (unless another npc path interests you).  To keep it interesting I would suggest having each of you plan one place to visit together, and one place (each) to try visit individually.

Nezmaster - Your next game-progress post will be coming later on today.  You are not excluded from the social event activities, but given you already have something underway you should try avoid having too much going on at once.  Maybe plan to vist one event (if you want to) either by yourself or with someone else.
 

[Bubbalin]

Hehe, I like my skill monkeys... Part of the reason for the class choice was to achieve the right combination of skills.

Also, I've posted a VERY extensive background because I couldn't help myself... I'm one of those people who needs to know where my character came from, how they were brought up and the way it influences their life and motivations...

And I think Clarissa (who is known as and presents herself as "Reese" from the 'ris' part of her name) is probably going to check out the funeral. I'm also going to assume that the hotel she is currently temporarily staying in (until the accomodations she organised with her father in the background are ready) is the same one where the woman died.

Spinning Dice, what are you thinking of with regards to events to attend? Perhaps Reese and Synth can meet up?

And I see you alreayd had OOC in the thread title. I confess I was posting after 4am...

[spinningdice]

Since I'm somewhat short of time this week I'd be happy to join Reese - where do you want to meet up?

[spinningdice]

Okay, character is nearly done. Just some gear and minor background issues to work through in my head.
Since I'm low on time this week I'll stay in the background, see if I can trawl the 'net and find out anything that can help either of the agents in the field.
Looks like Swain is about to call on me but I'll wait and check Dr. Yes' reply to that post before I get involved with it.
Hopefully things at home/work will have calmed down a bit next week, and I'll pick this up a bit more.

[Dr Yes]

Yeah if you are short on time just wait until you have a bit more (you may want to work on some background tasks? Maybe try hack a specific lower security data store that has names and addresses, or vehicle license and owner names?)

My available time will also vary, as it will for other players.  I've tried to push ahead on a few fronts just to build up a little momentum.  As things get sorted I'll be aiming for one detailed post per day (plus an assortment of quick replies as appropriate).  Preference will be give to whoever has had to wait the longest for a detailed reply.

If a topic is waiting for you - don't rush your reply.  You have the time available to think of different options and decide on a course of action that suits your character.  A well thought out interesting reply is worth 5 one sentence replies of "I get to the chopper".    

I've also repeated a GC Cue from scene 1 below - just to remind you that despite how hard an npc may push, or how frequently a plot hook may appear, the game is ultimately quite open in terms of what you all choose to do.

GC Cue: It is up to players how they wish to respond to all offers made by npcs, there is no set path this game must take.  Npcs will try to be as convincing as they can for their own purposes.  Offers themselves are also a source of intelligence and information.

[Dr Yes]

Looks like Swain is about to call on me but I'll wait and check Dr. Yes' reply to that post before I get involved with it.

Swain's query relates to piece of new computer hardware that would be next to impossible for you or the agency to build without access to the research/production blueprints and a fabrication facility for leading edge computer processors.

But you do think you wouldn't mind having one - it is essentially a barely portable computer with an obscenely high power rating.

If you want one (or more) it would have to be stolen - from the demonstration shop, the (currently) unknown fabrication facility,  the (currently) unknown facility that has just got one, or in transit to somewhere that is due to get one soon.  Alternatively you could try set up a front company on good terms with the Emerging Technology Conglomerate - but this is a long term goal that would require several mission based objectives to set up (but could prove very useful to your agency).

[RabidGerbil]

I'm sorry I'm lagging behind, folks - very busy week at work (in fact, I'll be working part of this weekend too). I'm still interested, though - fingers crossed that I'll post my character today or tomorrow.

[Dr Yes]

Thats no problem.
Some people were ready early so we started some preliminary stuff to get things rolling.  Just join in when you are ready, there should be plenty of things left to do.

[Bubbalin]

Okay, gearing up question for the Doc... Are we faction or freelance? There's probably arguments for both, but I was wondering because this influences where I can use my vast number of gear picks from charisma!

I'm going to go with bonus picks can be used in any category (in line with your liberal attitude to gear) as I look thorugh now, but if you want to clarify go ahead.

[Dr Yes]

I would rule each character can be faction or freelance (hybrid campaign quality).  While you are working for the agency - your mission and circumstance offers a lot of latitude that sees you operating almost as independents.

Keep in mind though I will be opertaing the gear fast and loose. 
1) This does reduce the benefit of the charisma gear related bonuses.  However I think charisma is still exceptionally useful in this type of game (even more so then a standard spycraft game).
2) It does reduce the relative benefit of class based gear bonuses.  I'm going to rule that any gear taken with class based gear picks or abilities can be replaced or substituted in a 6 hour time period as long as the previous items were not sold or willingly traded away.

[RabidGerbil]

Okay, I think I'm ready to go. Sorry for the long writeup - are my MU* roots showing?

I left mission gear blank for now, but he'll likely be taking a small concealed pistol on most missions - to maintain appearances, if nothing else. The other weapon pick he'll either use on a weapon for one of his team members, or flashbangs in case things get hairy. Resource is in reserve for requests etc.

As far as where he steps in - being a new guy in the Agency, he'll defer to whoever seems like they're in charge. Barring any requests for assistance from the rest of the team (which might be just agent Christmas for now), he'll go ahead and help the folks digging around the extortion - he's been leaning on people since before Mike the Hammer was in knee-pants.

[Bubbalin]

...Sorry for the long writeup...

That was fantastic.

"Will I be travelling?" - Brilliant!

[Dr Yes]

Okay, I think I'm ready to go. Sorry for the long writeup - are my MU* roots showing?
...
As far as where he steps in - being a new guy in the Agency, he'll defer to whoever seems like they're in charge. Barring any requests for assistance from the rest of the team (which might be just agent Christmas for now), he'll go ahead and help the folks digging around the extortion - he's been leaning on people since before Mike the Hammer was in knee-pants.

Nice character background.  I like it, not because it is long but because it builds a framework that will help provide you with interesting character representation during the game.  So you land a bonus action die for that.

Yes you can hold contact slots in reserve to allocate to contacts you make in Sapphire City.  Spending a contact slot in this way strengthens the relationship between the character and the contact.  I will be introducing sub-plots/backgrounds later on as they game makes progress.


What you do next is up to you and others.  You could start trailling Mike from the moment he parts company with Swain if that interests you.  There are some social events listed in Scene 2 you could try attend, or you could visit one of the other npcs.

[Bubbalin]

Well Reese is going to try and make contact with both Synth and Nietzsche, and depending on whether or not you let my phone connect, I'll have an IC conversation with them both. Get them to run some stuff.

[Dr Yes]

Unless I later advise that your phone or the phone-network is unavailable, I am happy for you to have discussions between your characters using your phones.  All you are relying on is the other player communicating with you in the thread.  If this works out ok then all is good, if it gets a bit disjointed you might find it easier to do your posts as leaving phone voicemail messages for each other.

I will also stress again that you can use this thread for out of character planning/discussion between yourselves, even when your characters are not in contact.  The parts of this discussion that should technically be in game are assumed to occur during the large amounts of off-camera time.