[HOE] Well, I'm a failure (long, Unity spoilers) [questions for Shane]

["Nick Zachariasen" <zacharin@pluto.dsu.edu>]

Well, my posse has gotten through the Unity entirely intact. Yes, NOBODY
died (well, sort of). Following the spoiler tags, I shall explain how.



SPOILER



SPACE


IS



THE



PLACE



O.K., thanks to the Junker's familiar having a shield built into it- which
the Familiar powers (I'm just trusting him on this as I'm beyond horrible
with numbers)- absolutely nobody was killed by the Syker 'Glom. They
accomplished the killing by learning its weakness with high Academia: Occult
rolls by the former Agency sniper Templar and proceeding to call head shots
with their various specialties, including two full house-powered soul
blasts. Yes, they were using enough to shoot through the forcefield, though
like a dumbass I forgot about the Forcefield (Light Armor -10 thanks to a
raise) around the 'Glom until about an hour after we'd finished up. The
reason the ENTIRE posse survived was because the Templar, blessed by Clara
Clark, had two Legend Chips. Yeah. Anyway, now for some questions, including
a few for Shane.

<questions for Shane>
1) The 'Glom's coup ended up going to everyone except the Syker and the
former Agent Templar, the latter because he decided after creation that he
wanted to be a Greenie with Telekinesis, claiming I hadn't told him about
that possibility (which is entirely probable). By his decription nobody knew
he had the power because he used it so rarely, so I said that it had
atrophied during his time as a Templar to the point where he was unable to
buy his Blastin' up due to his meridians locking into Templar mode. I also
said that he'd have to pay double for any new powers, though I didn't bring
specialties into it.

This brings me to the first question (or at least a group of them). Should
the recipients of the 'Glom's coup- which, ironically enough, gave Brain
Bomb to the former and now de-chipped Black Hat- be able to raise their
Blastin' skills and/or buy new powers? Should they essentially be treated as
Greenies, particularly being able to pump extra Strain into powers? If they
are now essentially Sykers, should their specialty discipline be considered
the one that contains the power they gained? Also, and this isn't just for
Shane, do you think I should lift the restrictions on the Templar? I gave
him the Strain increase from the Wind loss, as did I the Martial Artist, but
I'm not sure if I should let if have revitalized his semi-latent skills.

2) Do Anouks have the capacity for Syking? How about being a Templar (I'd
say "yes")? I'll explain this in question 5.

3) What should it take for a character to be able to buy Fortitude?

4) Do Greenies have a specialty? I'm leaning toward "yes", explaining it as
more of an inborn proclivity for a particular type of power as Brainburners
explains it.

5) What should it take for a Templar to develop a heretofore unknown Reward?
There are only a few left that the veteran Templar doesn't have any levels
in and he wants to know about researching new ones. How about new Syker
powers?
</questions for Shane>

6) The two Templars (the ex-soldier was the Agent's Squire) want to, along
with the Syker and Junker, form what they're tentatively calling "The
Academy"- essentially a sort of New Jedi Order. One of the plans is to
identify those with Syker potential and train them in that along with the
Templar ideals.  If they can't manage to make the Templar training "take"
and get Rewards they'd still be companions, but the hope is that with the
hybridized training by the Greenie Grand Master and the Syker teacher they'd
essentially become a Syklar. Now, I do have something up at
http://www.students.dsu.edu/zacharin/swordtech.html that could sort of make
this work in a separate set of learned powers. It would need its own skill,
but it would supplement the Templar's existing sword training. This was
originally supposed to be an Arcane Background for the Weird West but I
think it would be perfect for Syklars. However, I'm not sure how to make it
work as far as melding the Syker and Templar. This ties into question 2
because they want to eventually admit Anouks to promote peace and
understanding between the two races.

7) The Junker wants to rip parts from the now-crashed Unity and use them to
build a vehicle of some sort to travel to civilization or something
resembling it. Now, there was some argument as to whether or not the parts
of Dempsey Wilton's octopus from Killer Klowns should be Relics, but if
anything should make for Relic parts, it's the Unity. Any advice on powers
and taint?

8) If the posse discovers the Hellhole, how should they handle getting back
to Earth as far as determining success? I'd imagine the Junker's browser
spirits may be able to help them, but perhaps only the Computer spirit once
he's sent a few emails and, after extended absences, the spirit has returned
a few times and knows its way. Othwerwise, what should their AK: Hunting
Grounds TN be to find their way back? Should they even be able to default at
all?

Nick Zachariasen
Editor Emeritus
Trojan Times