Uja'rak: "Well..that's that." The Morat turned around and began walking the other way. It didn't take long though for the Morat to become curious over the Vorpal Blade's silence. He decided it was time to test out if the crazy process of the Knight was successful or not. Uja'rak: "Hello? Are you in there? Anyone in there?" After no answer for a few seconds a voice come out of the blade. ?: "State your name." Uja'rak: "I'm Uja." The Morat flatly stated. ?: "Uja.." At this moment the Geist appeared in Uja's vision for the first time. "You look distressed," a feminine voice stated. "Is something wrong?" Uja didn't answer. He was already running towards the direction of the Templar Knight. Somewhere Else: George: "I have ye trapped foul abomination!! You shall not escape!!" Chimera: "Fuck my life!" George: "Your life is forfeit!" Then in the distance the Knight heard a voice call out to him. Uja'rak: "George!!" Michael: "Oh dear. It sounds like Uja is none too pleased." Uja'rak: "Get over here right now!! We need to talk!!" The Templar looked at the Chimera in the corner. George: "Let this be a lesson to thee!" Chimera: "Ya, don't ever leave the Pitstop without a knife." George: "Blasted heathen babble!" And with that he walked off towards where Uja was standing. In a Private Place: Michael: "So Uja..you required our presence for what exactly." The Morat pulled out the Vorpal Blade holding it out in his hand. Uja'rak: "Can Geist personalities be influenced by thoughts or memories of your past?" George: "That is an interesting question.." It seemed that George's former self came out of his shell. Now Uja might be able to understand exactly what is going on. "You sound as though you've never had or fully interacted with one of your own." Uja'rak: "In the Combined Forces we didn't have Geists as you Humans do. So yes, this situation is very new to me." George looked thoughtfully at the Morat before speaking again. George: "Geists personalities are shaped by their owners. While a Geist's avatar can be modified, some believe that the owner's mind, not just the option to edit, can also effect the design or form that they take. The fact that you've had a Human Geist but never interacted with it until recently still means that you where influencing it in both mind and body." Uja'rak: "In other words, my actions have still effected this thing's growth regardless of me being unable to see it?" George: "What do you mean being unable to see it?" The Knight paused for a minute. "Then again, considering your inexperience, it does make sense that you don't know how to access a Geist's features. Including the simple option of viewing the avatar. Though..what is most surprising to me.." He turns back to the Geist's avatar. "Is that I don't remember hearing that Umbra's have mammary glands or a butt for that matter." Uja'rak: "I think I can explain.." George: "Go on.." Uja then expounds on the recent memory nightmare he had after the tarmac firefight. Uja'rak: "The more I look at this..thing, the form is very similar to my wife.." George: "You're married?!" The Knight exclaimed with surprise. Michael: "Yes George. I can confirm that he is indeed married to a Human woman." George: "Well, that is news to me." Uja took this lapse in conversation to continue on. Uja'rak: "This avatar seems to be a combination of her and an Umbra I encountered years ago. Because Bella and this Umbra have been on my mind recently, it does make sense that those thoughts affected my Geist to become a fusion of each other. The bust and rear size matches Bella's proportions perfectly." George: "Why have you been thinking about these two very different beings lately?" Uja sighs before he answers the question. Uja'rak: "Ever since I've been given the responsibility of looking after some boys, my life has been out of sync to say the least. I haven't been feeling myself. Like something is missing, wrong or contradicting my spiritual being. Perhaps this manifestation in my Geist reflects this? A union of someone who is pleasant and one that is unpleasant to my mind." George: "From your description, there is a struggle going on in your spiritual being that I'm most unsure of. I'm sorry that I can't help you figure out what is the cause of this but I'll keep you in my prayers wether I'm here or not. Well, I must be getting back to my duties. Whatever they may be." Michael: "Agreed. We should be off. I must sincerely state my own apologies for being unable to help you Uja. But this episode of your life is something you and God alone can only solve." As the Knight begins to walk away Uja suddenly asks him one last question. Uja'rak: "George!" The Templar turns around. "Where do you go when you're not here?" George: "Crusading. Venturing into the deepest recesses of my mind. The problem is that the deeper I go, the harder it is to find my way back." Then the Knight continued to walk off. Leaving Uja to wonder about his own journey into the deep recesses of his own mind & soul. Back at Home: Uja'rak: "Honey! I'm home." Arabelle: "I'm almost done. Just finishing up." Uja'rak: "Finishing what?" Arabelle: "You know how some people around here get to have access to a cube? Well.." Uja stepped into the large bedroom to see Bella fiddling with a holo-screen. Had he not figured how to activate his cube-tech through blind bungling, it would look to him that his wife was moving about thin air. "I decided to ditch our com-link and go for something more advanced. After all, you already got one. There!" The system installation was complete and her Geist was booting up. "Dad's notes were extremely helpful. I would have been lost without them. Now..I wonder what this..Geist thing is going to look like.." As if on que Bella's Geist manifested in the air. Bella's face showed a mixture of disgust and confusion at what appeared before her. "A Dogface?!" She spouted out. "Why the hell is this thing a Dogface?" Uja'rak: "I had a similar reaction to my own." Bella turned around for the first time since she started working on her installation to look at Uja. Arabelle: "What is that?" She stated while pointing at the Umbella floating next to Ugee. "What kind of..creature is it?" Uja'rak: "It's an Umbra." Bella was taken back upon hearing what it was. Arabelle: "Those terrible things on Paradiso? Why would you even think about that?" As Bella spoke the two Geists moved towards each other. Clearly interested in the other Geist in the room. As they began looking each other over Bella noticed something about her own newly formed Geist. "Wait a minute, those yellow eyes. They look like.." Uja'rak: "Now do you see it? The semblance in our Geists?" The comment made Bella slightly gawk in shock at Uja's perceptiveness. She turned back to her Geist and to her surprise the avatar had a good number of Uja'rak's features. In fact one could say that the Geist was what Uja would look like as a Dogface. A feeling of shame washed over the Garou. Realizing that the thing she initially despised was actually her husband in a miniature holo-furry form. Then another realization hit her. Arabelle: "Hold on. Why am I an Umbra?!" She turned to look on Uja. "Do you think I'm..do you fear me?" Uja'rak: "No. I don't fear you in the slightest. I've just been reminiscing about my past on Paradiso lately and it manifested in my Geist." Arabelle: "You've certainly been thinking about me lately." Uja'rak: "You are always on my mind, mother hen.." Arabelle: "Werewolf. It's in my job description. Loup Garou." Ayrrn: "What are you two talking about?" Once again, Ayrrn come upon the scene and decided to join in the conversation. Uja'rak: "We are comparing our Geists Ayrrn." The Morat stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Ayrrn: "You got cubes?! Can I have one?! That Father Knight took away mine and John's when we were rescued." Uja didn't know much on how Humans managed and operated their cubes but something about that comment felt weird. Why would Father Boone remove the boys' cubes? Was it a precaution or something else entirely? Ricardo: "I got mine. So count me out." Arabelle: "John! How about you?" Jo-Un: "I don't need one." Arabelle: "Think about it. If you change your mind in the future let us know alright?" Jo-Un: "Very well." Ayrrn: "So when can I get my new cube?!" The Indian boy barely containing himself like a small puppy. Uja'rak: "You can get one right now." Ayrnn: "Yes!! Come on dad!! Lets go!!" Uja'rak: "I just got home.." Ayrrn: "It's fine. I'll go by myself." Uja'rak: "Oh no. Not this late." He then turns to Bella. "We'll be back as soon as possible. Umbella lets go." Arabelle: "Umbella?!" Uja'rak: "I decided to name the Geist Umbella. It's the best I could come up with on short notice." The French woman faceplamed upon hearing this as the Morat left the bedroom. Arabelle: "Mon Deiu. That name sounds so cheesy.." Jo-Un: "And yet so perfect." Arabelle: "You can't see the Geist John! How do you know it's perfect?" Jo-Un: "If Uja gave it that name then it must be fitting." Bella sighed. Arabelle: "Yes, yes. It is fitting considering how it looks." She then turned to her Geist. "I on the other hand, am going to take my time in given you a name. I'm not going to name you Rockwolf just to be done with it."
Oooofffff. . .!! After a forcer "Job Contacts Dinner" that was anticipated Yesterday Evening rather than in the weekend, and the USUAL various Family-Work-Fiancèè related Shehanigans, I could concentrate on finishing Post-Battle Debriefing and Game-Related Art. . . . . . . . Will also try to nail down some further material for any Player Wargear, to give wider, and cheaper, possibilities. . . After checking, and cross-indexing OLD Cyberpunk 2020 "Gun-Nuts" Material with the newer Infinity R.P.G. Stuff have concluded that Jacketed Ammunition with Brass Casings, for "Rifled Barrells" (Normal Pistols, Rifles, Combirifles, Sniper Guns, Anti Tank Cannons, Machineguns. . .) cost far more than "Plastic Casing Slug-Shells" employed in "Unrifled Barrell" Guns shooting Warheads ranging from 20mm. (roughly the Cal.10 / .0 "Big Game" Hunting Shells, as Ariadnan Shotguns employ far heavier ordnance than the Cal.12 / .00 comparatives of the rest of the Human Sphere), 40mm. (the basic "Ordnance" of N.A.T.O. / U.S. Army Underbarrell Grenade Launchers, "Police Riot Squad" Revolver Grenadiers and Tripod Mounted Auto-Shooters) and the rarer 30mm. (Russian Made Warheads, employed mainly in the GP35 Underbarrell Launcher that fits a Kalashnikov and the "Flamya" Drum-Clip Fed Light Tripod Launcher). . . That Last Caliber (Russian 30mm.) is the things that is more akin to the very WEIRD "Infinity Heavy Shotgun" a Weapon that, according to Art, Fluff and Rules seems to be EITHER a SMALL Grenade Launcher shooting Canister / Flechette Scatter Slugs or a BIG Shotgun shooting custom-made ordnance. . . 50mm. in a "Unrifled Barrell Tube" SHOULD be the caliber of the typical Man-Portable "Light Antitank Weapon" (L.A.W. / R.P.G. / D.E.P.) and so more or less ANY kind of Infinity "Bazooka" fits that category. . . Please note that the Feuerbachs (essentially Infinity version of Warhammer 40.000 Bolters, with a longer barrell and better Ratio-Of-Fire) shoot "Gyrojet Rocket Propelled Ammo" that fits a 20mm. Warhead / Shotgun Chamber (so "Feuerbachs" are essentially larger, heavier Boarding Shotguns employing "Tiny Panzerfausts" as Ammunition). . . Armor Piercing, Chemical Payload (from Viral Gas to Anti-Hull Acids to Akrylat "Glue Gun" Ammo), Fire-Damage Ammo and ESPECIALLY the Money-Burning T2 Ammo are far CHEAPER coming in 20mm. Slugs, 30mm. Shells or 40mm. Warheads; they would lack, anyway, the precision and better Range Increments of let's say a 5,56mm. Combirifle Ammo or the 12,7mm. of "Barrett Mk12" and of Heavy Machineguns / Light Autocannons. . .
So using up-to-date (PanO, Yu Jing, Nomad) ammo is cheaper than metal casing ammo? If that is the case where do I find some of this high-tech ammunition on Knossos? Will I have to scavenge the battlefield for them?
Absolutely not! I did not express myself clearly evidently, as weird hi-tech hyperpower stuff is EXTRA expensive on Planet Dawn! Ariadnan and Haqqislamites employ as main weapons the "Rifles" (sort of Old Tech "Kalashnikovs / Galil / Fal Rifles") with cased ammo, rather than fancy "Liquid Metal Railguns" for Combirifles ! Even the Nomads between the Minotaurs switched to "Vintage Cased Ammo Guns"! What I said is that "Special Ammo" is cheaper ON ALL OF PLANET DAWN if done in Shotgun Slugs / Grenade Shells rather than Rifled Barrells Ammunition. . .!!
I remembered that bit. However, if there was an advantage that could be taken, I was asking if it was possible. Ok got it. My bad. I'll need Uja to investigate some NPCs to acquire some neat gear with the loopholes & backdoors they provide. Looks like a visit to the Sheik & his Harem of brides is in order. Which HI suit would be easier or better to obtain? Az'rails or Al-Fisads? Perhaps one of each that have enough parts to create a hybrid frankenstein suit?
Ahl-Fassed SHOULD be more easy to acquire, as in the stuff is defined to be "Vintage Gear" used by former sultanate guards. . . Like the Panoceanian Suits, old and clumsy, revamped by Nomads Tech-Savvy also Azrails and Ahl-Fassed suits are descrive to be further customized and personalized to better conform the Pilot that wears them. . . They should be modular as Geckos and Blackjacks / Ratniks. . .
That is actually the Azra'il suits. Their older models are used as a way to keep an eye on the former Sultan guards. Sounds good. Though Uja will need some extra armor plates and expanded fibers due to his size difference with average Humans.
@Golem2God . . . The "Source" of the Faction Armour is not so important, as the Minotaurs are trying to belnd the BEST of many worlds for that (Ariadnan U.S.A.A.R.F. Blackjacks and Kazak Ratniks; Mobile Brigadas and Riot Grrls Suits from Nomads, Haqqislamite Stuff and even BASIC PROTOTYPE ATTEMPTS at blending Tohaa Biotech with Teseum Armourplates). . . Essentially what will be important WHAT kind of Armour do You want to create and wear in battle. . . A Superheavy Infantry Suit like the Sogarats (a souped-up "Inner Frame" of Myomar Cybermuscles from Mobile Brigadas covered in Teseum 100% Pure Platings ALMOST like the Veteran Kazaks or Caledonian Mormaers !!). . .? A Jump-Capable "Less Heavy Infantry" Suit like the Rasyats (Your friend St. George YET employ and Advanced Protytipe that blends Crusader Brethrens A.D. Jetpacks with Orc-Sized "Magister Knight" Armourplates and REINFORCED Hydraulic Actuators in the Legs Servoframes!!). . .?? You are yet amongst what could be the PERFECT Physical Specimens of the Male Morat Specie (resembling Kornak Gazarot, a Giant amongst "Giant Apes") as it SEEMS that like Warhammer 40.000 "Space Orkz" the better a Morat Male fight and the bigger, brawnier He becomes (and the Zerats like a Veteran Oznat Packmistress ? Becomes more "Stealthy Killers" like Humanoid Black Panthers ???). . . Maybe You can convince Haqqislamite Biotechs and Tohaa Genengineers to try some "Interesting Experimental Procedure" ("Runihura" Super Soldiers like the Hyper-Athletic Khawarjis are not SO COSTLY) and so will be able to wear the External Platings of a Blackjack WITHOUT further Servomuscles / Myomar Fibers / Hydraulic Actuators. . .!! With a nice Trench Hammer and some "Super-Heavy Boarding Shotgun" then You could wade in charge ALONGSIDE the Geckos of @inane.imp and @Danger Rose . . . . .!!! Now just to convince @Beodren to try some "Morphable Variable Dimension" Symbiotic Armour of Experimental Tohaa Design (able to transform from Dogface Human-Size to Dogwarrior Battleform) and "Zero Alpha Team" could become the "Assault Spearhead Squad" of the Minotaurs Mercenaries. . . . . . . !!!!!!!
The aforementioned "Mad Gamemaster Ideas" are good ONLY if ALL the Players somehow decide to become an "Heavy Breacher Team" for Paramilitary S.W.A.T. engagements against particularly HAZARDOUS targets ("Nests" of Svengali activities; Pan-O mercs with Drones and Orcs Suits; Yujingese "scientific exploratory survey teams" with "Vs. Antipodes" bodyguard of Zanshi Soldiers and Guijia support; Antipode Chieftain Warhosts and so on). . . If instead a "subtler investigative approach" is chosen by the P.C.s (say, like neutering the Smuggling Contacts of Svengali amongst Irmandhinos Crews and Cateran Bandit Gangs. . .) not so much "Heavy Gear" Will be needed. . . Dreanna's Exoframe could be optimized for Steath Thermoptical-Camo; Tony's one with Extra Sensors and Anti-Hack Infowar Suites stay in the backyard to "play Ranged Overwatch Sentinel" roles and Uja and Alistair invest much in silently approach the foe before wasting them in Close Combat. . . It all depend on the gaming Group preferences. . . . .
Tony's built as the point-man on a Corregidor boarding party. So I can do Heavy Breacher Team without any changes. He's primarily a combat character with a secondary role as a technician. Even if we go this route my preference would be to stay in the Gecko. More than happy with a stock Gecko with just the changes to the Combis. But honestly there's not all that much difference between a suit of Powered Combat Armour and a Gecko in terms of raw-combat potential (or cost really).
Never said to leave / abandon the Geckos of Dreanna and Tony. . . Just that the option, should ALL Players convene, was to Armor-Up the two OTHERS P.C. !!!
@Golem2God , @Beodren . . . Good Idea about the risk of Speculo Killers Infiltrators replacing even Antipodes deputed to be "Security Sniffers" but it will NOT be easy for them to replace a WHOLE Trinary Pack (and the Human Controller would NOT be able to replicated before being torn to shreds from the enraged Packmembers). . . But Antipodes, noted to be able to use ONE handed Melee Weapons that Humans NEED two to wield, have a Structural Size and Muscle Mass far superior than mere Humans; only ELITE Infiltrators (so more Naishes and Coraxes with HIGH Leveles of the "Morpho Scan Skill" would be able, rather than "Run-Of-The-Mill Vanilla" Speculos). . . Also as Elite Shas are able to Morpho-Scan even Titan-Class Combat-Frame L.H.O.S.T.S. (such as when Naish Sheeskin somehow Scanned Achilles. . .) some of the Elites COULD be able to Simulate a Dogwarrior in Full-Battleform. . . But the "Imprinting Process" is relatively lenghty and complicated (far less the "Liquid-Metal T1000 Terminator" or the Terminatrix from the third Movie of the serie; far more the sinister, disgusting "Sil" of Species, inspired by the disturbing Art of H.R.Giger) and must be done in relative tranquillity (typically a Basement Room where the STILL LIVING victim is dragged unconscious to copy Esterior Aspect, D.N.A., Comlog Datas and the very Cube). . . So, regarding the risks of "Impersonating" Alistair or other V.I.P. "Lycanthropes" of the Minotaurs (such as Katya Volkova, wife of Sir Greywulf, or Wayah "White-Ghost") a sufficiently skilled Shaasvastii could replicate EITHER Dogface Form or even Dogwarrior Battleform, but NOT both and at the same time. . . When needed to do a similar thing (such as replicating a Human Exoframe Pilot AND its Customized T.A.G.) the Shas Elites need to use Holo-Camo Technology, similar to the one employed by the Hashashin Fidays, and this, even if quite powerful if compared to human standards, have a serious serie of limits against sufficiently Advanced Sensors (or skilled "Sniffers" between Specialized Antipode "Scout" Packs and well-trained Snakewolves Alphas). . . So if there is a risk issue Alistair morphing out-&-in of the twin Forms, realtively quickly, could NOT be replicated well by Speculos if not employing an Unreliable Holographic Masking. . . . . . . . In fact, Alistair Grandfather, the actual High Lord McElliott, is PUSHING for this issue to have His nephew considered to become Archon of the Caledonian Justicar, as the Caledonian Clan Lords are a little worried by ALL the talk about a Elite Speculo said to try to replace Key Caledonian V.I.P.s to provoke an Ariadnan Civil War (but thanks to the mishap in A.L.E.P.H. attempts to do so with the Recreation of William Wallace they are now justifiably paranoids). . . In Old Lord McElliott power-play speech a Dogwarrior Archon (and in His MOST wild dreams) a Dogwarrior Justicar, will be IMPOSSIBLE to effectively replicate flawlessly. . . . .!!!
@Golem2God , @inane.imp , @Danger Rose , @Beodren . . . Today I have a big event about Conceptual Art, Computergraphics and 3D Priniting in Genoa that will absorb 100% of My Time; but in the Weekend I will have the time (hopefully WITHOUT "My Dear Family" intruding. . . . .!!) to wrap up the Battle Debriefing with H.I.V.E.M.I.N.D. arriving and discussing Pay, Rewards, Tactical Parameters of the newly formed squad, Allowance of Extra Gear and so on (and, Off-Screen, the G.M. discussing of "Credit", X.P., Skillsets / Talents available and so on). . . Will bring the Concept Art Roughs of all Your Characters today to the event, so that they will be discussed by potentially many artists. . .
@inane.imp Right now I would just treat the roll as successful. We are going to get into doing rolls but last I heard from Steve was to run story (non-mission) scenarios without dice rolling.
I'm happy either way, but Tony kinda needs answers that aren't just weird implications in coded metaphor. Even if the answers are incomplete. So either way I need @stevenart74 to respond in that line. Shouldn't take much though. Then to bed and into the next days activities.
@Beodren , @Danger Rose . . . Your characters need some further infos like the Morat and the Gecko Mechanic or we could proceed with the Debriefing . . .?? While "phisically absent" Tony is still link by Comlog Encrypted Comm and is "technically" reporting to the most useful Higher Ranking Corregidoran between the Minotaurs . . . Well, effectively LaTigre Balam is of higher rank, but not so efficient at debriefing. . . . .unless You happen to be able to be concise and on-point when doing a rather intense BDSM Session !!!
@stevenart74 Alistair should be very much good to go, to face either general or duke. He also prepared traditional elegant version of his uniform. I wonder if militaristic looking clothes, would be mainstay of Ariadna fashion due to first colonists being mostly soldiers and scientists.
