The Travellers Tales of Otto Von Weirdigan

[Otto]

An uncomfortable silence falls and then squabbling with all four of the men, refusing to return.
Before you interject, it is Zorranson who cuts everybody off.

"This is the final word he says" his eyes seem to glow, holding everybody’s attention

"Tiley and Tailor will return"

He glares at each of them, daring them to object.

"Mr Tailor you have been my most faithful employee, and despite your claims to the contrary, you are here out of loyalty to me, I release you from that."

"You are already wounded and deserve at least a chance of a happy life, once you make it back to Centrum go to the Staff and Conservative Reserve Bank where a million Sovereigns has been deposited for you and you family"
"Tiley you came here as an old friend of Otto to help him, that means out of all of us Otto should trust you the most, so you will take Warden back with you, as no other can do so"

"Freyan originally came with Otto, I trust you wish to remain" Freyan nods
"Finally I feel responsible for what happened to Ottos wife and I must finally face my very real inner demons"

[Otto]

Thats settled.

For a big half-ork Tailor is teary eyed when he hugs Zorranson and with a look on his face that he may never see his boss again, turns.
"Good luck Otto, if your in truly dire need break this" says Tiley, as he hands you a coin, on one side it has the motif of the Celestial Guard, on the other the Knights helm of the Warrior.
Again sadly Tiley shakes your hand and then turns.

"One of the scouts, Baro refuses to go" says Freyan

'That's fine Freyan, then Baro will be the one to come with us' Otto says, as he turns to Tilley.

'Tilley, make your way cautiously back to the village. Don't take any risks or chances ok? There are still the fell and the spider like creatures out there, I trust you and know that you'll lead them all safely back' He pats him on the back, 'Good Luck'.
Otto winks at Tailor, 'Zorranson will be coming back with us I assure you of that'

I go to see the scout who is going back, 'I am very honoured that you, against your better judgments came with us and helped us get this far unnoticed. Now take these people back to your home if you will, thank you for your help.'
I wait and help them get ready to go


"You too Otto" smiles Tiley, the weasel like scout grunts something unintelligible, which you take as thanks and then turns bounding off ahead.
Tiley consoles Warden, as they head off into the wasteland to hopeful safety.

[Otto]

"Right" says Z, lets get this done.

"So your plan within a plan" enquires Freyan

'My plan within plan is this, its risky but possible. If I can get a lock of some sort on this shaman, I could essentially be able to maybe transfuse some blood out of his body without having to get near to him at all!' Otto gives a wide smile, which is quite unusual!
'If it works we'll be straight behind Tilley et al!'

Max, I plan to conduct a ritual sorcery attack (ala Shadow run) and transfuse its blood without any more bloodshed!
How's that?!

You could certainly try, your knowledge of the Arcane is somewhat greater a year ahead as you are in this PBEM.

You will need to write the ritual, materials, how it will link and how it will draw the blood.

[Otto]

Freyan looks worried at your suggestion "This is a dark land Otto, filled with Dark Magic, are you really master enough to do this?"

'Its either that or potentially a very bloody encounter! Now what would you prefer?' Otto asks.

I'm treating future Otto as being level 10, so consider what the additional 2 levels would be for the purpose of this encounter.
Little more meat on the bone: You will need to think about the ritual in terms of its get up, how you will establish the link, how it draws the blood and where does it go?

It's quite confusing trying to work with Otto present and future, we're going to have to sit down sometime and draw the character up properly as I'm sure I'm not adding a lot of things he's achieved! Ha ha ha!

I'm thinking on the ritual now…………….

'Has anyone got any suggestions?' Otto asks as he ponders the ritual.

"During my studies into my families nature, I was inevitably drawn into an understanding of the ancient arcane arts,” says Zorranson
"Not that is to say, that I am a magician and nor do I pretend to be, however the basis of this working, would rely on their being something symbolic upon the target to link with, other than that your knowledge would be far greater than mine"

"Otto, if you are unsure of how to do this, then we will find another way,” says Freyan
"The problem is Freyan, other than being lambs to the slaughter, there may be no other way,” says Zorranson

Is it a poison in the blood of Arriana's? Or is it the Orks blood?

From what you were told one of the Black Orks blood was used to create a Cursed Infection, which was used to infect Arrianna.

So, essentially I have the black orks blood in this phial? An ideal ritual sorcery conduit?

No you have Arriannas infected blood

But it does have some of the Orks blood in it? Or no?

Bollocks. I'm at a loose end now then!

If you have no link, then perhaps being a technomancer/mechanist you could construct one!

I was considering the Dragon net as an alternative!

[Otto]

Now we're getting interesting.

Right make the following rolls:
Research
Spellcraft
Computer Sciences
Alchemy

Research of 25
Spellcraft of 19
Computer of 22
Alchemy/Chemistry of 14

How long is it since Tailor went? I'll need to get a blood sample off him! As I want to be able to assess the DNA make up of his Orc blood so I can establish some link from it to this shaman/mystic/magic user/bastard (delete where applicable!)

I do have a form of a ritual for what I want to do, but it will be in the form of a spirit quest or net quest if you will

Tailor has been gone some 15 minutes

Scratch that idea then, what I will do is enter the dragon net/astral plane and try and locate the shaman. I will take my time and be very wary of any prying eyes.

What did my rolls achieve, if anything?

Arcane Mechanics of 15
Biotech of 30 a crit!
Hide of 19

I would have attempted to connect my hand held computer to my vital signs. So the guys could have monitored me from the real world and maybe administer first aid if needed. Also I would have made sure that we would have moved to a place where we could go to ground and avoid detection. Preferably somewhere that would be surrounded by water. A pit would need to have been dug and a camouflaged bivouac made.

Also, the disc that Freyan gave me, I will have attempted to connect it to my neural net ala mechanist/neuromantic skills.
This may come in handy in the real world and the dragon net world.

You incorporate the coin into the geometric symbol, the med scanner provided by Tiley hooked up to you and linked to your mem-ware.
As you prepare the ritual Freyan begins the camouflage, while Zorranson keeps watch.

[Otto]

The year since the Live Ship caper had taught you a great deal, you had found yourself concentrating specifically on the Arcane Engineering side of things, whereabouts you had resisted the lure of so called cheating in the past, the idea of 8th dimensional arcane sciences now fascinated you.
Taking and processing file upon file of said data from your headware, you draw out a large geometric symbol, in which you sit, linking to the mana pathways opened by the symbol and thecommand invocations you feel the gritty, grubby essence of Skarathera close around you like some smothering blanket.
Your uplink fires up into the heavens, over a year ago you had circumvented Gothica's supposed impregnable Net Security to face Alabaster, this had allowed you to discover certain backdoors.

(Make a Will Save, Concentration test and Net Stealth)

Will Save of 15
Concentration of 16
Net Stealth of 21

Slipping through virtua cracks in the immeasurably high walls, you enter a citadel of immense proportions.
The walls a virtua orange, its angles impossibly smooth and rounded created by the AI.

Walkways extend from the walls, spanning an expanse under which you'd expect to find an ocean or body of water, however instead there is only a fall into a field of stars.
Hulking armoured forms some smooth and edging in silver, others black, trimmed with blood red, covered in curved blades and spikes.
The bridges periodically join into cylindrical islands, on top of which stand dragons.

"Here they be dragons" you think

[Otto]

'Now you're in the shit' Sting pipes up. 'And it always seems to involve me doesn't it you prick!'

'Shut your gabbing!' Otto hisses 'Unless you want to see the shit up close!'

'Looks like we are going to have to arsehole!' Sting whispers this time.

'Thanks for that' Otto mutters. 'Stating the fucking obvious!'

[Otto]

Spot of 17, are these Dragons real? Or are they just nodes of some sort?

"Wanker!" hisses Sting

'I'll give you wanker!' Otto hisses in fury!

Net lore of 17

I'm not backing out this time Otto thinks………

The dragons appear to be Guardians.

(You can make a Net Lore Roll)

'Imperial Guardians! You don't stand a snowballs you fag!' Sting whispers unpleasantly.

'Remind me to change my own personality, I'm pretty unpleasant' Otto makes a mental note.

Am I actually on the wall Max?

You are indeed high on the outer wall.

I will camouflage myself into the new surroundings of the wall. I will remain in passive mode, checking for traps and security systems very, very thoroughly. I have all the time in the world and I would rather get my bearings of this world than lose it all when we are so close.

I will assess the personas of all of the programs, finding out how many there are and what they appear to be.
I will have created a virtual microphone, which when I speak into it the words I say will be relayed back onto my wrist computer and a Stephen Hawking like voice will come out of the speakers of it.
I will see which persona it would be easiest to imitate as well.

Computer use 18
Spot of 15
Web construction of 19

Anything else I need?

Your deep scan sweeps across the various walkways and programs patrolling them.
You settle upon one of the silver guardians, resembling smooth knights.
Immediately your form begins to liquefy and flow, become a biped and silvering.

"Goin for the big one" says a voice behind you, turning you see a figure barely visible against the orange walls, a figure seemingly made of swirling orange droplets.

Sting moves invisibly from within your new mantle, the figure seems to shift warily.

"Whoa, if I were a hunter then I'd have already dropped you"

'Erm, yes. You probably would at that' Otto replies awkwardly. 'But you haven't, so who are you?'
'Damn this place, I never feel safe at all here' Otto thinks.

"Names aren't important, numbers are!" replies the swirling figure "Its not safe to talk here, however there is a place of relative safety through here"

With that a doorway seems to open in the wall "Up to you" it says, "Who or what do you trust"
Then the figure steps through.

'Seeing you're the best conversation I've ever had in this place, I'll oblige.'
'Lead on Macduffigan' Otto gestures where the entity states there is a place of safety.
I attempt to scan him with an 18 for computers.

Your scan reveals nothing but pieces of code.
Stepping through the doorway, you enter what appears to be a virtual bar, quite gritty, filled with bizarre netshapes.

"A little more private" says the entity

[Otto]

'Quite' Otto comments. 'Can I offer you a drink?' Otto walks up to the bar.

Does this thing appear to be a program?

Do the net shapes appear to be other programs?

It’s hard to tell, whether they are crawlers shrouded in programs or actual programs.

Does he want a drink? Otto gestures at the bar and tips his hand simulating a drink!

I'll activate a form of reality filter to make it a little bit easier for me!
I'll make it appear like a twentieth century Xerthian pub, it’s not much different from earth except that the drinks are ordered and served by the telekinetic bar staff! So the drinks fly around on trays to the punters. Also the dance floor is anti grav for 360 dancing.
The place is a sawdust joint, where large half insect half humanoid creatures skitter across the floor and clean the floors of all scraps of food and drink on it.

The lighting is very dim and the seating is a mixture of comfy sofas and tables and chairs.
Holographic images project and float around the room, and the music is a form of mellow Xerthian acid jazz. The walls are plastered with all sorts of posters, from art, pornography to advertising.

The bar shifts, it takes a few moments to finalise all of the details as pesky processes attempt to cling to conformity.
Your mysterious companion changes to a fellow Xerthian, distinguished and distracted by the stylish pornography posters.
Two drinks drift across to your table.

"Interesting facade" says the companion, again distracted by a huge bug that hoovers up a number of unidentified scraps.

'I've always thought so!' Otto thinks with a smirk that turns into a wistful expression. 'I haven't been home for over 10 years now, even longer if you think about the accident' he says more to himself.
Otto reaches out the chilled glass of Harvey Smashyafuckinbrainsin and takes a sip.

'I'm Otto by the way' as he shifts into a humanoid form that doesn't look at all like him, and extends his hand to shake its hand.

"I'm Trance,” replies the figure taking his hand "So your making the big run then?"

Otto winces and gestures to a seat. 'Personally I was hoping that it wasn't going to be that hard!'

Otto dodges deftly a tray of drinks to sit down in a big armchair.

'But obviously now I'm thinking it isn't so easy?' He gives Trance a questioning look.

"How hard it is depends on how good you are!" Trance sweeps its arm, "this lot couldn't do it, but then most of them are just datapushers from the tower looking for a thrill"

"Thing that’s puzzling me, is that your reg is all distorted, so you’re not from the tower?"

'The Tower? What is that?'
'Lets call it net running 1.01, indulge me!' Otto smiles.

What is the time difference in the net again mate?

[Otto]

You've probably been in for 30 seconds now.
A simulated frown seems to cross Trances face "The High Tower of course, the platform that monitors Gothica"
"Your trace doesn’t originate from the Tower or its satellites, so where in the 9 hells are you from?"

'I'm from out of town as you might put it' Otto takes another sip of his drinks and orders some 'Bodees Hypernuts' from the psychic waiter at the bar with a sort of grimace of extreme concentration.

'I'm needing to get somewhere, its important and I could use some help. I could pay you in the knowledge of how I managed to get here if that would be of use to you?'

(Do I have the knowledge to impart to him how I managed to get in here Max?)

A huge bag of nuts shoot (the size of a sack of spuds) across the bar at high speed, colliding with a floating tray of drinks and subsequently bursting the bag. The nuts cascade everywhere in the bar and a large quantity are dragged up into the anti grav dance floor and float around, irritating the floating dancing folks. The small insect/humanoid creatures squeak in excitement of a free meal and start bolting around the floor at high speed to catch the nuts spilling everywhere and in the process a punter trips over one of them and falls head first into a table with a sickening thud and crunch.
Pandemonium ensues.

'You clumsy Bastard!' Otto bawls at the psiwaiter. 'I'm not paying for them!'

'Xerthians! They have no sense of scale! Where else can you buy a bag of nuts the size of a small planet I tell ya!' Otto mutters to himself.
'Now where was I?' Otto ponders somehow oblivious to the riot that ensues around him.

"So your either a deep beamer, that would mean your pretty hardcore" (You are aware that you have come from Gothica, which security wise is believed to be impossible)

A fight has now ensued with various Arcturian dancers now brawling with each other and the humanoid/bugs
"Okay I know a few backdoors, where are you from?" says Trance

I haven't really been in any situations where I can elaborate my surroundings. What better place than the net to craft a reality?
Incidentally the Arcturian ambience is exactly like Otto is picturing.

Otto is a Xert if you remember from Xertherus 3 (or was it 7?) that is the third (seventh?) moon of the Arcturus System.

(I don't really want to say Gothika to him as I feel I could cause some severe breaches that might put a lot of people in jeopardy. I will say another planet in the region, which would prove more believable)

'Relix Arcantus' Otto says. Bluff Roll of 17 'The small trading post on Imperial Planet 17982. There's not much there really, I was just passing through'
Trance seems to become distant "Thats 300 lightyears away, you are a deep linker, so why are you running on the inner tower?"

Does he believe me? Psychology of 24

Otto is pretty oblivious to the chaos that is around him and in fact seems to be enjoying it all immensely!

'Alright, here the deal' says Otto as he leans forward and opens his hands as if laying his cards on the table.

'I need to get somewhere to drag out some vital information that will save the life of my fiancée, the bastards have poisoned her and I need to do a high risk run to get the serum to save her life' Otto becomes animated with fear, anger and upset and utter rage which is not put on.

'I don't know you, you could be in fact the devil-digan himself but I could do with your help'
'It's not your run of the mill dragon-net deal (if ever there was one), we'll be crossing the boundaries of what you know or can dream of. Name your price and I'll see what I can do!'

'Excuse me please a moment' Otto drains his drink, stands up and puts his glass on the table. Brushes the nuts off his clothes and floors a bloke who was attempting to throttle an insect/humanoid.

'Pick on someone your own size you prick!' Otto bellows in the Arcturans ear.

'Here, have a nut little fella' Otto produces some nuts from his pocket for the insect/human.
'I love these guys!' Otto ruffles the hairy monstrosity and gets a swift kick in the rocks from the man he floored.
'Ooof!!!!!!!'
He collapses to his knees in digital pain!