[Serenity] Freedom's Flight

[grenadierman]

One more eh?

[grenadierman]

Applications Name: Arlette "Marilou" Victorina Ethnicity: Caucasian & Chinese Role: Ex-Corporate spook, specializing in infiltration and B&E. Background: Greed is good, but so is investment. Arlette Victorina is the victim of both those age-old mottos. Before she was picked up by one of the Blue Sun's corporate talent acquisition agents for their new private espionage training program, Arlette spent her days rummaging through trash in the alleys of one of the Core World planets. Arlette managed to spend three of the five years required to graduate in the program and become a fully independent agent for the Blue Sun before going AWOL in the middle of a warm up mission as part of the program. Losing herself in the crowded streets of the red light and gambling district, she's managed to rack up not only a gambling debt to a major crime mob but also piss off the people who invested so much in her. It was a rude awakening for Arlette one evening in her motel room when she noticed the mob enforcers standing outside her motel door ready to storm in and probably ask questions after scratching their itchy trigger fingers. Without the credits to pay back, she resorted to the two things she knew best after three years of training: Infiltration and escape, in no particular order. She slipped past the mob and now she's found her way at the Ace in the Hole for the time being, wearing a large assortment of masks and scarves and planning her next move. After she's done with a bit of poker, of course. Description: Arlette is a lithe, short woman. Part of her experience as a spook has ingrained in her the need to always wear skin tight and unrestrictive clothing. She keeps her hair at least shoulder-length or shorter at all times, and ties her hair up when she's in a mission. Because of her encounters with the mob and Blue Sun agents, she's developed a streak of mild paranoia and distrust when it comes to meeting people in-person. To that end, she'll often use cyberspace to communicate or pay an unsuspecting person to speak for her or pass along written messages. Never go without a proxy is her motto. Though she may have been a spook, part of the doctrine in her specialty was to blink in and out of the target area without leaving so much as a scratch anywhere. She carries a lethal sidearm as a backup, but she rarely resorts to outright neutralizing a guard or anyone in her path. Her preferred method is to incapacitate them using either her hand to hand skills or more effectively with a stun device of some sort. Misc: She has cybernetic enhancements applied throughout her body. Oh, and she has a gambling problem and a problem with sharing with others. Contacts: Sigmund Von Grimmelshausen was a fellow rookie in the espionage program who entered at the same time as her. Since they first met, they've more or less helped each other when they needed it. Sigmund would help her when it came to technical skills while Arlette would teach him how to keep his foot falls nice and quiet. A bright, talkative young man, he's supposedly still in the espionage program and is probably still having trouble with keeping his mouth shut during a mission. They still keep in touch, but knowing the Blue Sun only seldom and through the most secure channels possible. Alene Wheelock is the captain of the Blue Falcon, a small five man ship notable for its expansive cargo space. Smuggler and fixer through and through, she will do anything for the right price or a good kiss. She's also just as likely to bite your lip off and sting you with her wit though. Arlette maintains a working relationship with Alene but for both their safety contacts her only in times of absolute need. Possible Assets/Complications: Cortex Specter Greedy Twitchy Deadly Enemy

[Drachenspirit]

Game thread is up. Here it is!

All those listed in previous post # 29 are tentatively accepted. Grenadierman makes 7. "We got a full house Cap'n." First come, first served.

I will still accept a few applications but if everyone who has expressed interest so far stays on board it's a go.

Accepted players: I need to create a template since the site doesn't have a cortex system sheet. Until then just put stats and such in character creation thread.
I have to say this greenhorn group looks pretty good, fairly we'll balanced. I'll comment more in the game OOC chat thread.

[Drachenspirit]

Originally Posted by grenadierman

Nice, real nice. I'm intrigued. I am fine with her knowing the "Doc" as long as his player is fine with it.
-D

[Drachenspirit]

In case the previous post got overlooked...

Game thread is up. Here it is!

[Anarchy]

I'm sure I'm simply missing these answers in the book...

Question 1: The "(SKILLED ONLY)" skills can be taken by anyone, but they cannot be done without ranks in them, right?

Question 2: Where does it list which skills pair with what abilities?

Question 3: Are there skills for playing cards? Cheating at cards? Thinking of being a cardsharp.

[Drachenspirit]

Yeah, the answers are in there, just categorized or explained different, or in a different order than most other systems I've RP'd.

To answer your questions...

1: I think you mean General Skills??? These can be taken by anyone and "Cap out" at d6. So you can have just a d2, d4, or d6. You don't "have to" specialize, but you can. For example, you can have a d6 in guns, but to get really good, you'd have to start specializing in pistols, or rifles, or what have you. Same for athletics. D6 in Athletics, then specialize in running, or jumping, ec.

2. It doesn't actually. Here's a good explanation of why from the book. Pg. 35 Core Rules.

Skills don’t stand on their own. They mix with Attributes to create a combined die roll. However, no single Attribute is married to a Skill, so you might be using different combinations depending on whatever mess you’ve currently stepped in. For example, suppose you’re a ship’s mechanic, trying to start up the gorram engine before the Alliance patrol boat arrives. The GM might tell you to roll Alertness + Mechanical Engineering to find the source of the problem, then roll Intelligence + Mechanical Engineering to try to fix it.
So depending on the situation, might depend on the skill match to attribute, though some are fairly easy to see like running across a buckled deck plate would obviously be athletics + Agility + any specialize skill that might go with it.

3. Yes, gambling is a specialty skill under perception, slight of hand is a specialty skill under Cover - these just off the top of my head. Plus a few assets would lend to this kind of charcter...

I'll post a complete skills list over in the game thread.

[Drachenspirit]

Complete skills list posted in Games Thread! You'll find it HERE!

[Anarchy]

Originally Posted by Drachenspirit

1: I think you mean General Skills??? These can be taken by anyone and "Cap out" at d6. So you can have just a d2, d4, or d6. You don't "have to" specialize, but you can. For example, you can have a d6 in guns, but to get really good, you'd have to start specializing in pistols, or rifles, or what have you. Same for athletics. D6 in Athletics, then specialize in running, or jumping, ec.

So, as a mechanically-oriented character I grab 6 skill points to be maxed for the general skills. After that I decide that repair is my path to glory, and I want to be amazing at that so I spend another 6 skill points. Now I've spent 12 skill points, of my 62 I get as a Greenhorn, and can make basic rolls of D6 + the related attribute in terms of mechanical engineering, or very specific repair rolls of D12 + the related attribute. Am I close?

Originally Posted by Drachenspirit

1: I think you mean General Skills???

Sorry, let me be clearer. You had mentioned, in the OOC Thread (LINK) that there would be benefit in the group having at least one other person with mechanical skills. Looking at the Mechanical Engineering skill (Core Rules, bottom of page 60) it says under the skill that it's "(SKILLED ONLY)". I was trying to work out if that just meant that you had to have purchased some ranks to be able to even attempt a roll, or if it meant something else.

Originally Posted by Drachenspirit

2. It doesn't actually. Here's a good explanation of why from the book. Pg. 35 Core Rules.

Skills don’t stand on their own. They mix with Attributes to create a combined die roll. However, no single Attribute is married to a Skill, so you might be using different combinations depending on whatever mess you’ve currently stepped in. For example, suppose you’re a ship’s mechanic, trying to start up the gorram engine before the Alliance patrol boat arrives. The GM might tell you to roll Alertness + Mechanical Engineering to find the source of the problem, then roll Intelligence + Mechanical Engineering to try to fix it.
So depending on the situation, might depend on the skill match to attribute, though some are fairly easy to see like running across a buckled deck plate would obviously be athletics + Agility + any specialize skill that might go with it.

Oh, that makes sense. Gotcha.

Originally Posted by Drachenspirit

3. Yes, gambling is a specialty skill under perception, slight of hand is a specialty skill under Cover - these just off the top of my head. Plus a few assets would lend to this kind of charcter...

I'll post a complete skills list over in the game thread.

Danke.

[Drachenspirit]

Originally Posted by Anarchy

So, as a mechanically-oriented character I grab 6 skill points to be maxed for the general skills. After that I decide that repair is my path to glory, and I want to be amazing at that so I spend another 6 skill points. Now I've spent 12 skill points, of my 62 I get as a Greenhorn, and can make basic rolls of D6 + the related attribute in terms of mechanical engineering, or very specific repair rolls of D12 + the related attribute. Am I close?


Sorry, let me be clearer. You had mentioned, in the OOC Thread (LINK) that there would be benefit in the group having at least one other person with mechanical skills. Looking at the Mechanical Engineering skill (Core Rules, bottom of page 60) it says under the skill that it's "(SKILLED ONLY)". I was trying to work out if that just meant that you had to have purchased some ranks to be able to even attempt a roll, or if it meant something else.

On the first one you've pretty much grasped the concept. However... Let's say something was acting up and needed repairs and in order for the ship to "talk to you" as Kaylee puts it, It would be your d6 in mechanical engineering + perception + Any asset that might help +(now this would depend on issue really) Maintenance, or Tech expertise.
If something IS broken, it would be d6 + d6 for repair and could add attribute in depending on issue and could add perception in.

On the 2nd one, the (SKILLED ONLY) refers to training of some sort to have this skill. To offset this.... Now Kaylee could pick up a gun and attempt to hit something even if she hadn't this skill listed and have a slight chance with agility if the gun is just a pistol or simple rifle say. But... Jayne couldn't pick up a wrench or spanner and expect to get some repairs going.

On the rolls, I am using an official Adventure/Campaign module, so it will be clear on what I'll need to tell you to roll. Plus, it will not seem so strange once things get going and rolls and such come into play.

[Anarchy]

Originally Posted by Drachenspirit

On the rolls, I am using an official Adventure/Campaign module, so it will be clear on what I'll need to tell you to roll. Plus, it will not seem so strange once things get going and rolls and such come into play.

Perfect, seems like a good system, and I'm slowly adapting to its nuances.

[Drachenspirit]

I find it easier than most once a character is established and the game gets going. But... eye of the beholder and all that...

[MundayKnight]

Could I get a PM if someone drops so I can make an app up for this, have a fun idea but didn't see this till it was too late.

[Drachenspirit]

Originally Posted by MundayKnight

Could I get a PM if someone drops so I can make an app up for this, have a fun idea but didn't see this till it was too late.

I'll mark your interest as "next in line" should someone drop out. If this was tabletop I'd readily go with 8-9 characters, but in PbP, it's been my experience that 7 players is even pushing it - but found that with this Serenity RPG it flows well enough.
So, after making you read all that, yes... I will PM you if someone drops out.
- D

[Drachenspirit]

Had a player drop just now. Sent you a PM 'MundayKnight.' With you in that makes 7. Haven't heard from one player in a few days, so if anyone else wants to be on standby, by all means throw your "Mighty Fine Hat" in the ring.

Current Crew -

Character - - - Player
Dr. Waltz - Spizzow
Companion type character - Double L1987
Pilot type/Brawler - roninkelt
Mechanic type - Anarchy
Contact/job liasion, "Face" - GrimDarkOtter
Pilot type/Gunhand - LuckyLukin