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Panopticon: A Game of Posthumans, Perniciousness, Paranoia, Politics, and Plasmaguns

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I think that this is partially a test on their part. Information on Threat Null is classified Need-To-Know/VE, which means that they do have the authority to decide who gets to know it, but I would very much like to ask "On whose authority are you clearing me to disclose highly sensitive information?" Because that both gives Jamelia a check on his authenticity, and shows him that yes, she can deal with classification issues properly.

Assuming that what they give checks out, well, they asked about the MUSCOVITEs, right? I like ES's proposal for the "The Computer went rogue" theory being trotted out... which is technically what they asked for, so we're technically telling the truth. Which is the best sort of truth. Of course, this is Jamelia, so it will not be all at once, but rather follow the timeline/line of reasoning, so that they feel it's genuine.

As for the the VE's worry about Jamelia's Conditioning, pointing out that they used her killswitch in Moscow may help with that, since she could reasonably be expected to have had Serafina take care of any further boobytraps afterwards.

So I suppose that's this (although it's more than just a little more info):
[x] Feed them just a little more information.
-[x] The rogue AI story.
[X] No Fucking Way!

Cassiemouse said:
Wasn't the Warspite a ship that assisted in the defense of Moscow?
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MJ12 Commando said:
"...this is Captain Harald Wells of the TUV Warspite..."
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Looks like it's a popular name...
 
[x] Feed them just a little more information. (What kind?)
-[x] The rogue AI story. (Get them somewhere private (corr wards) before doing so)
[X] No Fucking Way!
 
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Mundane Benefits from Spy's Demise Training From Hell
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    • Cassiemouse said:
    Wasn't the Warspite a ship that assisted in the defense of Moscow?
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    The Technocracy's. The Etherites have their own ship with the same name because they are exceedingly British.

    Anyways I put up the final results of the Donald and Rose XP vote, which means Donald now has 4 spheres at 3 and Rose has gained another adept sphere.

    Meanwhile, Donald has gained +1 WP (to 9) and Lore: Traditions at 4, from having very little to do but to listen in on how the Traditions are handling things and work on planning meetings with them. Possible specialties include (Cat Herding, Bullshitting, The Biblical Sense). Okay, seriously, no specialty yet. He has also gained Iron Will, making him particularly resistant to mind control effects, adding +3 to his effective Willpower against those.

    Rose? Rose has been using-some might say abusing-her vampire genetics way too much, and has been rewarded for that. Well, 'rewarded.' Some might say. Rose has increased her Blatancy (Vampire) to 4, which means that she basically doesn't take paradox from successful use of 4 dot spheres when you're using them with vampire explanations. Furthermore, some level of the vampire's undead vitality and surprising durability has marked her, boosting her soak. She has also permanently activated her hemophage muscle grafts.

    As a side effect of these modifications, she has also been marked by her vampire nature, and now suffers a few vampire side effects. Namely, any damage she suffers from fire (regular, natural fire) is upgraded 1 level (bashing->lethal->aggravated) and her blood is more than a little addictive. She can't make proper ghouls without throwing magic into the problem, but it beats the hell out of cocaine. Originally it was going to be something else but @NonSequtur gave me the best idea from his write-in. Thorn approves of her rejecting her Technocratic origins and tapping into the primordial well of power they built into her. Janice is horrified. Donald would probably be mortified as well if there wasn't a rebellious part of his brain which found this immensely sexy.

    Oh, and she's also gained a fairly significant amount of leadership talent and has gotten much better at pretending she's something she's not. But that's less important.
     
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    • MJ12 Commando said:
    Anyways I put up the final results of the Donald and Rose XP vote, which means Donald now has 4 spheres at 3 and Rose has gained another adept sphere.
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    MJ12 Commando said:
    Enlightened Science:
    Willpower 8
    Genius 4
    Enlightenment 4
    Correspondence 4 (Multitasking)
    Entropy 4 (Narrative Inevitability)
    Life 2
    Mind 1
    Primal Utility 4 (Budgeting)
    Time 4 (Efficiency)
    Spirit 4 (Contracts)
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    @MJ12 Commando You mean 5 spheres at 4? Also shouldn't Donald's Enlightenment be 5 not 4?
     
    MJ12 Commando said:
    Originally it was going to be something else but @NonSequtur gave me the best idea from his write-in. Thorn approves of her rejecting her Technocratic origins and tapping into the primordial well of power they built into her. Janice is horrified. Donald would probably be mortified as well if there wasn't a rebellious part of his brain which found this immensely sexy.
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    no regrets

    Edit: Also wow that Blatancy incentivises doing vampire stuff really hard, which I'm sure will have no nasty consequences or resonance attached.
     
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    Jesus bloody christ I hope that we can beat the vampire in Rose into remission, becaue this is all sorts of awful.
     
    [x] Feed them just a little more information. (What kind?)
    -[x] The rogue AI story.
    [X] No Fucking Way!

    Cornuthaum said:
    Jesus bloody christ I hope that we can beat the vampire in Rose into remission, becaue this is all sorts of awful.
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    Would Serafina's Life 5 be able to reverse some of these effects? If EXEMPLAR could engineer Vampiric traits into a lifeform I'd imagine that they have some way of getting them under control.
     
    Okay, the vampire side effects are going over my head. So what has MJ12 Commando has told us: Rose was majorly over using the vampire Vitae, and has badly mutated herself as a result. This means that her blood is more vampire like, she takes more damage from fire, is closer tied to vampire stories in what she can get away without taking Paradox, while having the vampire strength permanently with more ability to take damage. Did I miss anything, and besides that what is the not mentioned fallout of this?

    Cornuthaum said:
    Jesus bloody christ I hope that we can beat the vampire in Rose into remission, becaue this is all sorts of awful.
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    I can see us having more concern of Rose being taken out back and shot by the technocracy, (and werewolves, and most sensible factions that don't like vampires...) But that doesn't quite justify the above response. I know that I am not seeing all the repercussions, so would someone please shed some light on this?
     
    Storyteller said:
    I can see us having more concern of Rose being taken out back and shot by the technocracy, (and werewolves, and most sensible factions that don't like vampires...) But that doesn't quite justify the above response. I know that I am not seeing all the repercussions, so would someone please shed some light on this?
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    But if light is shed, then Rose might go into Frenzy. :V
     
    ChineseDrone said:
    Would Serafina's Life 5 be able to reverse some of these effects? If EXEMPLAR could engineer Vampiric traits into a lifeform I'd imagine that they have some way of getting them under control.
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    She only has Life 4, unless I missed something really, really important.
    NonSequtur said:
    Edit: Also wow that Blatancy incentivises doing vampire stuff really hard, which I'm sure will have no nasty consequences or resonance attached.
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    Resonance is Reality Deviance citizen. Please report to room 101 for processing, and Taco Tuesday.
     
    MJ12 Commando said:
    Possible specialties include (Cat Herding, Bullshitting, The Biblical Sense)
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    Cat Herding - Sounds like a productive endeavor when dealing with more Mages than one.

    Bullshitting - He doesn't already have this?


    MJ12 Commando said:
    Rose has increased her Blatancy (Vampire) to 4, which means that she basically doesn't take paradox from successful use of 4 dot spheres when you're using them with vampire explanations.
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    Holy shit, that's powerful.
    MJ12 Commando said:
    Namely, any damage she suffers from fire (regular, natural fire) is upgraded 1 level (bashing->lethal->aggravated) and her blood is more than a little addictive. She can't make proper ghouls without throwing magic into the problem, but it beats the hell out of cocaine.
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    I imagine Donald likes this. He does Rose and drugs at the same time!
    ChineseDrone said:
    Would Serafina's Life 5 be able to reverse some of these effects? If EXEMPLAR could engineer Vampiric traits into a lifeform I'd imagine that they have some way of getting them under control.
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    Not really, it's just part of the Blatancy, and really the only drawback mechanically is the fire thing. The rest are just things to make her more woobie.
     
    UnsneakyLurker said:
    Are you sure? I remember vampire resonance being cited as one of the reasons for why Henrietta decided turning into an omnicidal rage-goddess was a good idea.
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    This being Mage, you need to differentiate between the system actually running things(Jamelia using Mind to manipulate someone) and what it works like(Jamelia exploiting psychological weaknesses to manipulate someone).

    The vampiric resonance is how we justified the psychological attack that flipped Henrietta's shit.
     
    UnsneakyLurker said:
    Are you sure? I remember vampire resonance being cited as one of the reasons for why Henrietta decided turning into an omnicidal rage-goddess was a good idea.
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    Sat the following sentence out loud: "Rose has the possibility to gain the same resonances as the girl who devolved into an apocalyptic rage monster. Is this a good or a bad thing?"

    After saying it out loud the question answers itself.
     
    She's always had the vampiric traits. We already saw the effects of mainlining vitae back in Brighton, where she was basically quite pissed off and also terrified the shit out of Donald and everyone else present.

    On the other hand she didn't kill anybody and also ripped a Machine apart with her bare hands.

    ... I guess this is what you call "trading mental health for more power." [1]

    [1] Kessler, being zen as fuck, does not do this and instead trades "grevious physical harm" for his upgrades
     
    MJ12 Commando said:
    Meanwhile, Donald has gained +1 WP (to 9) and Lore: Traditions at 4, from having very little to do but to listen in on how the Traditions are handling things and work on planning meetings with them. Possible specialties include (Cat Herding, Bullshitting, The Biblical Sense).
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    Donald: "Lore: Traditions (While Naked)."

    Janice: *sprays him with a plant mister*

    Donald: *turns into a tree*

    Rose: "... I'm split between condemning you for Reality Deviance and condemning him for trying to get 'While Naked' as a speciality for all his specialities."

    Tree!Donald: "At least I have wood now!"

    Janice: "I need an axe."

    MJ12 Commando said:
    As a side effect of these modifications, she has also been marked by her vampire nature, and now suffers a few vampire side effects. Namely, any damage she suffers from fire (regular, natural fire) is upgraded 1 level (bashing->lethal->aggravated)
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    Rose: "I have Forces 2. I can protect myself against fire."

    Ordo Dracul: "... all hail transvampiricism! Your mastery of the Path of Banes is masterful!"

    Cornuthaum said:
    Jesus bloody christ I hope that we can beat the vampire in Rose into remission, becaue this is all sorts of awful.
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    Looks like this is a Paradox Flaw from the fact that, mechanically, she's upgraded her Enhancements so she has more soak and her not!Vigour is perma-on.

    Storyteller said:
    I can see us having more concern of Rose being taken out back and shot by the technocracy,
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    ... the Technocracy will have the very expensive combat homunculus shot for expressing the haemophage genetics engineered into it so that it's more stable in places unfriendly to Technocratic science?

    UnsneakyLurker said:
    Are you sure? I remember vampire resonance being cited as one of the reasons for why Henrietta decided turning into an omnicidal rage-goddess was a good idea.
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    veekie said:
    The vampiric resonance is how we justified the psychological attack that flipped Henrietta's shit.
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    Okay, you two are mixing up words here. One of the big contributing factors to Henriette-A's breakdown was the fact that she'd consumed vast amounts of vitae in Moscow. Vampire blood - real vampire blood, not the Paradox Flaw simulacra Rose has - is virulently addictive, does mystical things to the mind (Henriette-A probably developed multiple blood bonds to the vampires she ate, which really doesn't help her mental stability because she loved with all her heart multiple vampires she didn't even know the name of because she ate them), and is loaded down with nasty Resonance to the extent that it makes it harder to use sphere magic.

    And Henriette didn't use any such justification. That was just good old fashioned bullying, based on "I know how she thinks, I used to have her ego until I grew up SHUT UP HARLAN NOT A WORD FROM YOU, and I'm just trying to push her into a nervous breakdown".

    In fact, the lack of knowledge about the crippling vitae addiction may have been why Henriette Succeeded Too Well (tm).
     
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