Brotherhood of the Machine (OOC) [PG/14] - Open - New players welcome!

[Prof B Hunnydew]

ok this is too picky.... we are in  a clearing  inside woodsy area,  okay I'll state that Jexx goes down the road.

PBH

[techmaster-glitch]

*starts strangling self*
Must....stop....being...detail...nazi....

[Kryptic]

*helps*

I always wanted to be an accomplice.

As a note: I'm going to have limited internet access for the next week. Family Reunion. *points at Avy*. I'll get on when I can, but when 31 people want to check their e-mail (we're all in cabins in West Yellowstone), the line's a little long.

Don't get me started on showers.

[techmaster-glitch]

"If I may be of any assistance, madam? I'll admit that I have no formal training in the culinary arts, but I have picked up a few things here and there."

Sounds to me like Mister's just being modest. To any all-purpose servant, and several other types besides, being able to cook at least somewhat well is like an unwritten requirement. Even in the book series, Artemis Fowl, where the main character (Artemis), has a 7-foot mountain of a bodyguard, Butler (yes, that's his real last name) who's primary function is defensive combat, can also do just about anything, including cook gourmet meals. I have to imagine that a top-of-the-line wealthy-person personal servant like Mister would be able to cook one hell of a rich-man's dish.

[Boog]

He can, but didn't usually. There were other servants, both living and golem, about the place for such things.

[techmaster-glitch]

Ahh, so he wasn't the only servant for this 'Master' that like to refer to. Got it. That makes sense.

[Catffeinated]

Yo again, I was thinking of coming in during Morgan's mission. Gerald's a cybernetic police officer that was using his position to gain intel on the Brotherhood, would this be ok? If so, here's the rest of his status (Note: he is also an inventor on his free time).

Name: Gerald
Age: 27
Sex: Male
Magic User? No
Psychic? Can use telepathy and minor telekinesis
Tech usage: Multiple cybernetic replacements, nano-repair array (heal rate is doubled), Cybernetic eye (%100 sentient, controlled via AI, multiple view modes, possible 500x zoom), Psychic Amplifier (allows him to be Psychic), 2 Implanted AIs (Mars and Omega).
Faction: Ind.
Physical Description: Gerald appears to be just a small, beige feline, however, instead of a normal left eye, it's replaced by an obviously cybernetic eye, roaming around every which way. There is a scar above and below his cybernetic eye, as if it were to go straight through his eye socket.

He loves technology and hates anything he cannot comprehend (and trust me, that's very little) and, although utilized in many of his creations, he despises magic, do to the sheer fact that it is impossible to understand just how it works. He is fascinated by AIs, the impossible and Phyonics. Unfortunately, he hardly trusts anyone, making him hard to ally.

Omega, his fifth ever created AI, and his first ever sentient AI, constantly assists him, be it translation, eyes in the back of his head, or assisting him when he's absentminded (which is often). Mars, his thirteenth AI, is what Gerald calls an "Alter Ego" AI, Mars is capable of taking full control of Gerald's body in case of an emergency. Mars was designed to assist Gerald in fights, so Mars is can use any weapon if needed, even if it wasn't a weapon (ie. throwing a bench on the opponent) and if there is a weapon he does not know, he learns by trial and error.

He is as vulnerable as a normal person, if caught with his guard down, he can be killed, however, once Mars is activated, he can dodge *some* bullets. Also, Gerald's repair array is capable of an "overdrive", draining Gerald of all energy to repair his body 4x as fast. It takes two hours to recuperate from overdrive.

So, how's that? Too powerful? or more info?

*EDIT* July 9th   Removed Mystic Complex, Renamed Phycic Complex, Modified Mars, Removed Shield Generator, Added Overdrive

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Sorry Dear players

but I will be doing the family thing in the woods.  My family is going camping with no internet and I think cellphone will be limited.  I will be back Sunday night. 


PBH

[techmaster-glitch]

Morgan's walking right into a trap!!

[Azlan]

Morgan's walking right into a trap!! D:

As long as it is less then a company of conventional troops and doesn't include any heavy powersuits, I can take care of them. 

[Catffeinated]

I doubt it, but it might be Gerald... probaly not though... of course I always assume the worse so... Meh, I'll shut up now.

NOTE: No, Ryudo Lee did not PM me or anything, so I honestly do not know...

[techmaster-glitch]

Heh, with everyone in the town being so programmed peppy, It reminds me of something from another universe. This is something that Jexx could've said, but can't, cuz, like said, it's from another universe. So I'll say it here, cuz it's mildy amusing and humerous (to me, at least)

   "Hey, do you see those small divots behind everyone's ears? That's the mark of neural resocialization, and the noninvasive kind. Oh yeah, these people have been brain-panned, and good. No one can be that perky without an electrochemical lobotomy!"

[Tapewolf]

Heh, with everyone in the town being so programmed peppy, It reminds me of something from another universe. This is something that Jexx could've said, but can't, cuz, like said, it's from another universe.

Dorcan did anyway, although he does have an excuse.  I just couldn't resist it because it reminded me of the short story "The Cosmic Charge Account" (vt "The Cosmic Expense Account") by C M Kornbluth.  It's mental powers in that case - a 'plague zone' where everyone is happy and nice, and everything is falling apart because farmers don't want to hurt the pests eating their crops etc. 

(There's a good summary here - http://www.mail-archive.com/mythfolk@yahoogroups.com/msg00531.html )

[techmaster-glitch]

It would be ironic if the Brotherhood is using psion to control the masses even as they claim that they are the enemy to all." says the Doctor

Um, Prof, are you saying that the Brotherhood proclaims themselves enemies psychics in addition to magic-users? Because that is incorrect.

--Being any form of psychic does not count as being a magic user, so that is allowed and most likely won't get you killed.  Psy power will also eventually even out with tech and magic levels.

[Ryudo Lee]

I doubt it, but it might be Gerald... probaly not though... of course I always assume the worse so... Meh, I'll shut up now.

NOTE: No, Ryudo Lee did not PM me or anything, so I honestly do not know...

I am wary of those "complexes" you have that give you magic and psychic abilities.  Magic is generated naturally, and has yet to be reproduced through technology.  The one that gives you psychic abilities should be more like a psychic amplifier, one that just directs your own latent abilities.  And if you're going to be a magic user then you're going to have to explain why the Brotherhood hasn't found you out and dragged you away already.

[techmaster-glitch]

   A few things on Gerald that my friend Rammy pointed out (but didn't "feel" like posting) are that he may be a tad on the over-powered side. First off, the shield generator. You should not be untouchable like that, even if it's only for five minutes. The second thing is Mars. From what you described, and Rammy interpreted, it that he is an uber-1337 fighter once activated. Again, far too powerful, even if only temporarily. And then there is the temporary part itself. It won't do the party any good if Gerald is doing all kinds of mad hax tearing through wave after wave of Brotherhood single handedly, then when the time is up, becoming an utterly worthless and useless burnt-out shell for the rest of the battle. Pointless. The other thing that might be open for exploitation is this; Scenario: we are assaulting a Brotherhood Tower. Gerald keeps Mars in check, holdig Mars off while at the same time performing minor assistance in battle. Then, when we finally get to the "boss battle" (the showdown with the priest of the Tower), Gerald could then just whip out Mars and the shield, and take down said priest alone in about 30-45 seconds, maybe even less than that.
Just a suggestion for tidying this up: Get rid of the shield completely. Downtone Mars' fighting prowess. And in compensation, Mars can be activated near-indefinately. That should be the perfect balance-out.

Of course, it's really all up to Ryudo. And you didn't even hear all this from me. This is more or less what Rammy said when he saw Gerald's bio.


And Azlan, I've got a suggestion for a convincing lie for Morgan. Have Morgan say that he has been chasing down a few smugglers, and they reached this town less than a week ago, maybe even a few days, maybe even yesterday. That way, you could have a reasonable excuse as to why the Brotherhood hasn't found them first.
Though, of course, these people might not be willing to listen to reason, in which case, you should prolly get your butt outta there quick...

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Alternatively "We're following up some leads that suggest some drug smugglers are hiding here in between 'runs', or may be looking to expand into this area. We're not expecting to find anything, but we've got to go through the motions to keep the DA back home happy. You know how these things go. Give us a couple of weeks of lurking around up here, and we'll be out of your hair. Most likely we'll spend the time in the nearest bar to the hotel, but we thought we'd be polite and let you know we were on your turf, just in case we need backup."

*shrug* just a thought. Perhaps I've been watching too much Beverley Hills Cop, and have the waffling thing down... ;-]

[techmaster-glitch]

Hmm. That actually sounds even more convincing than my idea, llearch. Nice work.

[Catffeinated]

Just a suggestion for tidying this up: Get rid of the shield completely. Downtone Mars' fighting prowess. And in compensation, Mars can be activated near-indefinately. That should be the perfect balance-out.

Hmm... Ok, that's a good idea, as for the mystic complex, I'll just remove that. There! Everyone should win!  

[Arcalane]

Alternately, you could use Mars as a tactical AI, rather than a combat AI. You do the fighting, Mars crunches the data and comes up with optimal solutions as fast as possible. Like Omega but more tactically oriented than just a voice in the back of his head that says "You left the bloody oven on again you moron".

[techmaster-glitch]

Or, even better, Omega is the tactical analyzer, while Mars is still the fighter. Gerald by himself has no fighting ability. Gerald is the character who does all the stuff, except when he gets into a fight. At that point, both Omega and Mars take over and use his body for him. Omega takes over Gerald's mind, while Mars takes over Gerald's body. That would be perfect.

[Azlan]

Alternatively "We're following up some leads that suggest some drug smugglers are hiding here in between 'runs', or may be looking to expand into this area. We're not expecting to find anything, but we've got to go through the motions to keep the DA back home happy. You know how these things go. Give us a couple of weeks of lurking around up here, and we'll be out of your hair. Most likely we'll spend the time in the nearest bar to the hotel, but we thought we'd be polite and let you know we were on your turf, just in case we need backup."

*shrug* just a thought. Perhaps I've been watching too much Beverley Hills Cop, and have the waffling thing down... ;-]

Same wave I was thinking, 'cept you beat me to it.  Thanks for the text, a good portion of it helped format what I was going to say.

[Catffeinated]

Or, even better, Omega is the tactical analyzer, while Mars is still the fighter. Gerald by himself has no fighting ability. Gerald is the character who does all the stuff, except when he gets into a fight. At that point, both Omega and Mars take over and use his body for him. Omega takes over Gerald's mind, while Mars takes over Gerald's body. That would be perfect.

That was basicly my original plan, however I thought that might cause problems with equality.

[techmaster-glitch]

What do you mean by 'equality'?

[Catffeinated]

Well, I thought that he might be a bit overpowered like that, like he was with the sheild generator...

[techmaster-glitch]

No, only the shield was overpowered. Having Mars be the combat AI able to pick up any weapon and use it above-average well (but not perfect veteran well), as well as being fairly skilled at hand-to-hand, and have Omega as tactical backup, is perfectly fine. If anything, that makes you just powerful enough to be a support fighter in the party. Add in the minor psychic abilities and the one cyber eye (though if Rammy's characer is approved, his eyes will be waaaaaay better) and you have yoursefl a nice, solid character.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Just make sure that the choices made by Mars and Omega aren't necessarily motivated by personal survival.

Just to keep Gerald on his toes.

Also, you can play up Gerald going out of his way to avoid invoking Omega/Mars, because they put him personally in much risk, whereas he himself would much rather go on living, thanks very much...

All sorts of ideas.

Same wave I was thinking, 'cept you beat me to it.  Thanks for the text, a good portion of it helped format what I was going to say.

NP. I waffle with the best of them. :-]

... Now don't crit fail your bluff roll. :-]

[Catffeinated]

Just make sure that the choices made by Mars and Omega aren't necessarily motivated by personal survival.

Just to keep Gerald on his toes.

Well, they would always make sure they had a way out (ie. downloading themselfs into a nearby computer), Gerald likes having his AIs like people.  That and they also have a personality, Omega is caring and curious, while Mars is sadistic and quick to react.

[Azlan]

NP. I waffle with the best of them. :-]

... Now don't crit fail your bluff roll. :-]

hahaa... don't jinx it!

[Ryudo Lee]

Well, I thought that he might be a bit overpowered like that, like he was with the sheild generator...

Keep the psychic abilities minor for now, they will increase in power over time and I'll let you know when that happens.  If you're going to come in now, you'll want to come in as an outsider, not a resident of the town.