In Service: A Science Fantasy Quest

The handgun in your hands barks and the target downrange from you gains a new hole, centermass.

Of course, in the time it takes for you to put one downrange, the woman next stall puts three down. And with better accuracy and precision, to boot.

After unloading your pistol, you pop your head around the stall, to see just who it is that's kicking your ass so thoroughly.

The first thing you see is the large and unwieldy, double-no-triple strength earmuffs resting on her ears. The second thing you see is the growing pile of magazines to her right and the dwindling pile to her left. You can't see the handgun she's using, but it's certainly not service standard.

You wait for her to finish, which doesn't take her long at all, before saying 'hi'.

(Perception (Visual) roll DC 35,75: 36+10=46, one success)

Her blank, light eyes drift to yours as she turns, removing the earmuffs and giving you a visual on her and the gun.

The gun is a 9mm and looks to be modeled after the Browning Hi-Power. It has a silver slide with engravings that glow with a soft halo, though it could just be a trick of the light. It's covered in christian iconography and, if you were a betting woman, you'd guess that the gun is blessed.

She herself has straight black hair that falls just above her shoulders, ending in a flat, even cut. Sticking out of her hair are a set of pointed ears, marking her as elven in some way, though you'd hazard a guess at half-elf, her features simply lack the distant beauty that elves have.

You can see a silver crucifix resting on her white blouse, a black suit jacket over that, buttoned at the bottom. It looks well cared for, the silver polished and gleaming. A bulge in her pocket draws your gaze, a brown bead peeking out, it looks well-used and old. You'd reckon that it's a rosary, an odd thing for a prospective trainee to have. If they were religious enough to carry a rosary around, they'd have probably joined the Church's Exorcists.

(Intuition roll DC 40,80: 43+10=53, one success)

Unless, of course, they were in disagreement with the Church's policies. Perhaps because they thought they went too far with their treatment of the supernatural, but then why would they turn to the Service? S3 isn't exactly known for using kiddie gloves, much the opposite.

"Can I help you?" Her voice cuts through your musings, flat and emotionless.

You blink, suddenly feeling rather awkward. "Oh, uh, sorry. I was just wondering who was in the other stall." You rub at an elbow.

"I forgive you." The half-elf girl intones, lending a layer of gravitas to her statement, leaving you slightly off kilter. She extends her hand robotically, the other hand sliding the pistol into a shoulder holster. "Amelia."

You take it, her palm feels cold to the touch. Her grip, well, it's a handshake, nothing really spectacular or out of the norm there. "Itzabella, though you can call me Itza."

"Itza, like the city." Amelia doesn't seem to do questions, or expressions in general.

"Yeah, like the city." You're a bit surprised that she knows it, it's not exactly a piece of common knowledge. "My 'parents' were weird." You finish with a hollow chuckle. You're not sure why you felt the need to explain yourself, but here you are.

She just sort of stares at you as you internally blank. You're not prepared for this! Quick, think of something! Your eye drifts to the crucifix around her neck. There! That's something you can ask her about!

(Resolve roll DC 60: 35+30=65, success)

Steeling yourself, why oh why did you think to poke your head in, you decide to just go for it. What's the worst that could happen?

Ignoring the voice in the back of your head, the one listing all the things that could go wrong, you start speaking. "So, I, uh, noticed the crucifix on your neck a-and the rosary."

(Perception roll DC 65: 30+10=40, failure)

She blinks at you, she seems to do that a lot.

"A-and I was wondering about the story behind that. Like, like the reasons why you didn't join the Exorcists?" You freeze, internally screeching as you realize you might have touched upon a sensitive subject.

(Persuasion roll DC 90: 91, bare success)

Amelia stares, her pale eyes emotionless, betraying nothing of her internal thoughts. You feel a drop of sweat drip down along the back of your neck as you brush a lock of black hair from your eyes.

"They didn't do enough." Her voice, flat as ever, stops your nascent apology dead in its tracks. The half-elf's mouth closes, teeth clicking shut, seemingly done speaking.

(Intuition roll DC 35: 15+10=25, failure)

Didn't do enough, what the heck does that mean? You think about quizzing her over it, but figure that you've already pushed your luck enough for one conversation.

"So, uh, you come here often?" She blinks and you hasten to clarify. "B-by which I mean if you spend a lot of time at the range." You gesture at the stack of empty magazines behind her.

"Yes." She turns, pivoting on the spot, and begins gathering the empty magazines. "I am going now." That's a dismissal, right? Regardless, you nod, returning to your own lane.

What a strange woman.

(Amelia Raegin's Character Sheet Added)

~~~~~~~

You had an idea last month, while you were on the range, and it's time to see if you can't progress it further. Stepping into the communal workshop, which you have to share with the other trainees, you breathe in deep, taking in the smell of people hard at work. It's not a particularly pleasant smell, but at least it isn't as sterile as the rest of the training facility.

The clamor of machines and tools fills your ears, a familiar and comforting sound, like a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer to your mind. Outside of these walls, they're your fellow trainees, but right now, in this place? They're fellow craftsmen, or craftswomen as the situation would have it, and deserve your utmost respect.

And the best way to respect them is to get going on your own projects. You pick up a pen and a ream of paper and set to work, a grin on your face.

(Craft (Super Science) roll DC 50,80: 58+15=73, success)

You step back from your work, away from the empty pens and stacks of garbage designs. You breathe a sigh of relief as you stretch your back, tense from bending over the table for the last couple hours. Your fingers ache, your hands too, but you did it.

While you weren't successful in your initial goal, that of making a bullet accelerate on its own, what you did do might even be better. And, heck, if you used it right, it would even help bullets fly faster!

What you designed was a sort of fluid, a sprayable solution, should all things work out. By your calculations, it should have the ability to reduce the effects of friction by a significant degree. Until the liquid dries, of course.

It's currently called the "Anti-Friction Spray", but you're thinking of calling it the…
-[ ] "Almost-Frictionless Spray"
-[ ] "Inertia's Best Friend"
-[ ] "Slow-Down-B-Gone"
-[ ] "Acceleration Decimation", a suggestion from STEVE
-[ ] Write in

(Design Gained: Anti-Friction Spray)
(While you might not always get exactly what you wanted when doing super science, you will probably come up with something)

~~~~~~~

The library is filled with all sorts of things, but what has your attention at the moment is the section dedicated to case files.

The librarian, a mutant man with octopus-like arms, helped you find the section, which is the biggest in the library.

Rows upon rows of documents, all for the perusal of trainees and agents. They're not the originals, of course, and there's nothing actually classified. In fact, these are all things that you, as a civilian, could look up yourself. But that's beside the point, as you've got work to do.

(Learning roll DC 40: 55, success)

Looking up from the sheaf of case files, your eyes bug out as you catch the time.

Aw heck, it's almost lights out and you've only just gotten started! You sigh, oh well, but at least you learned the protocol for what to do when one of your hands starts moving of its own accord!

It's to break your fingers, by the way. Hardcore.

A few other case files caught your eye, but you weren't able to read them in time. You'll have to return some other time and take a look. Another thing you noted was that cases tend to be named something somewhat dramatic, which you thought was fun.

(Gain Trait: Familiar with Procedure: You are at least somewhat familiar with the procedure and protocol of the Service, meaning you won't get blind-sided by paperwork, probably. +10 to Knowledge (S3) rolls.)

~~~~~~~

(Resolve roll DC 65: 97+30=123, one success
80+23=103, double success
64+3=67, triple success)

You leap out of the way of the laser, mud splashing against your shins as you hip throw the ninja, their back slamming against the robo-gator with a mechanical crunch.

You turn your gaze to the sorcerer standing atop the pyramid, lightning crackling around his hands as her stares back.

It's gonna take more than a little bit of dream magic to break you.

(3/5 Resolve checks passed)

~~~~~~~

You're starting to see some hurdles in training your Resistances, perhaps you should swap focus to something else and return later?
-[ ] No, keep working on Resistance
-[ ] Yes
--[ ] Refocus on Combat
--[ ] Refocus on Knowledge
--[ ] Refocus on Investigating

Your voting choices for next month have been spoiler'd for space

~~~~~~~

GM's Note: I'm testing out spoiling the training rolls and similar things, lemme know if you want me to go back to the way it was before. Voting will be called tomorrow at 6 PM CST, thank you for voting.

Happy New Year's!

You find Sean McCullen in the gym, specifically in the martial arts area. He's, perhaps obviously, practicing some form of martial arts, a type of boxing, to be specific.

He's off to the side, by a wall of mirrors, focused intently on his 'opposition'. His opposition, of course, not existing as he's shadow boxing. Sweat runs down his wallowy skin, giving it a slimy, wax-like look.

Sean doesn't seem to notice you approaching, throwing an odd looking punch, one utilizing the heel of his hand. You reckon that that's a good way to avoid breaking one of the twenty-seven rather fragile bones in your hand.

You wait for the Dullahan to finish, after all, you wouldn't want to get punched by the muscley man in front of you.

He looks, almost, younger than you are, if you were to guess solely off of his appearance. After all, he is a Fey, it's perfectly possible that he's actually a great deal older than you are. Though, with your knowledge of Dullahan, you can guess that he's at least younger than a hundred, as that's when they start doing their 'death calling' job.

"So…" he begins, catching you half-off guard as a smirk peels its way up his face, "you gonna say something or are you just here to admire the bod?"

You roll your eyes, feeling your face heat up in annoyance. "No," you say with a huff, "I came here to get to know you better, but if you're gonna be like that I might as well just leave." You begin turning, making towards the exit to the gym proper.

"No, wait!" He calls after you, a slight edge of worry lacing in his words, "I was just messing with yah, come on, lets talk."

Well, you might as well, it's why you came here in the first place. "Fine," you relent, pivoting on the heel of your shoe, "what do you want to talk about?"

"You wanted to get to know me right?" His eyes dart to the ring in the middle of this section of the gym. It's raised about two feet off the ground, with four sides of three ropes each. You nod, hesitantly, your eyes narrowed as you guess his next words. "Well, Ma always said that the best way to get to know somebody is to go a round with 'em."

Do you want to spar with Sean? (Begins the Combat Tutorial now, instead of later)
[ ] Yes
[ ] No

~~~~~~~

The repurposed spray paint can rattles in your hand as you shake it vigorously. Here, in the Chemical Testing Center, is the best place to test your chemical creations, such as MSB 10.

Taking a step back, your yellow HAZMAT suit squeaking as you move, you aim the nozzle at the plywood board lying on the ground. Your finger pushes down and…

(MSB 10 Testing Roll DC 50,90: 73+15=88, success)

A silvery liquid sprays out, coating the plywood board in a liberal amount, about half the can in total. You frown to yourself, it took a lot of spray to get it all, and the cans will be smaller in the field. Oh well, at least it sprayed as it should. Now, to test the anti-friction element!

Placing a small toy car on one end of the board, you lean down and flick it. A half-second later, it collides with the pillow you'd set up on the other end.

It looks like it worked, but you'll have to compare it to the control and perform the experiment a couple more times to be certain.

Regardless, you can't help but feel a bit giddy. Before, back with your 'parents', you'd never had such easy success with experimenting. A part of you that had been doubting your choices slides into place, you definitely made the right choice in leaving.

(MSB 10 now available for use in the field)

~~~~~~~

(Knowledge Amassing Roll: 81, not bad at all)

As you're going to grab that case file, the one called "Fallen Feathers and Spent Shells", you noticed, out of the corner of your eye, a pamphlet titled "Your Body and You, Ways to Improve Your Performance".

Initially dismissing it as some form of 'life help magazine', much in the same vein as certain women's magazines out there, you still picked it up anyways. Perhaps it would give you a good laugh or two.

Oh how wrong you were, it wasn't what you were expecting at all! Instead of being some 'get thin in 5 days' scam, it's actually an article on boosting your physical performance, allowing you to push your body to greater heights. And in turn, as your body improves, so to will your mind.

You lean back, a finger tapping your chin, perhaps there's something to this after all…

(+3 to Physical Health)
(+1 to Mental Health)
(Facility Option (Gym) will give you more Physical Health and, to a lesser extent, Mental Health)

But, regardless of any health pamphlets, you came here to read a case file, and read you shall.

(Passing Idea Roll DC 50,70,100: 76, double success)

You look up from your reading, head swimming with new ideas and knowledge, all centered around Fallen Angels.

If only you could get your hands on one of their feathers… They've got a lot of interesting properties, one of which is being able to brush off point-blank shotgun slugs. Oh, the things you'd do with something of that caliber!

(Idea Gained: Fallen Angel Armor: Fallen Angel feathers have a lot of properties, but their toughness is what interests you the most. But first, you'll have to get your hands on some of them to study.)

~~~~~~~

(Resolve Roll DC 70: 79+30=109, success
91+9=100, double success
62+0=62, triple success)

Trainer-Agent Sarge must be running out of ideas because he obviously didn't think this one through.

Trying to embarrass you with a karaoke contest? Come on, give you an actual challenge!

(Gain Trait: Singer: You're pretty good at singing, perhaps not enough to do it professionally, as you learned, but certainly better than most people. +10 to Performance rolls and a chance for people familiar with really niche musicians to recognize you)
(5/5 Resolve Checks Passed, Threshold Reached, Reward Issued)

~~~~~~~

POV: The Feather

The tall man watches as Itzabella Power Williams absolutely demolishes the karaoke contest, the latest of Sarge's attempts to break her down.

He shakes his head, how did Sarge miss the part in Miss Williams' file that mentioned her short-lived career in the music industry?

A presence, familiar from decades of work, settles around his shoulders. A voice, just as sickly sweet as the first time he met her, filters into his very soul.

Are you certain that this is the one?

"Yes." He mutters, his gruff, husky voice barely louder than a whisper, more for his benefit than for hers.

A spiritual giggle answers him, traveling along the chains linking their souls together.

Maybe she'll even last longer than the last!

~~~~~~~


~~~~~~~

GM's Note: Well, shit. Looks like you've got yourself a mentor. Voting will be called tomorrow at 6 PM CST.

Learning is added to ALL training rolls, it is not easy to get more of.
You are able to overcome Weaknesses with work and effort and good rolls.

You climb up on one side of the ring as Sean takes the other. You settle into a basic CQC stance, arms at the ready and legs planted. Sean takes an interesting stance, his elbows held at roughly ninety-degree angles with his knuckles pointed at you.

There's a bit of a distance between you and him, easily enough to traverse in a few long strides.
He grins at you, bouncing on his feet. "What're we going to? First blood? Yield? Knock-out?"

[ ] First blood (Fight ends when 1/3rd of your Physical Health is gone)
[ ] Yield (Fight ends when 3/4ths of your Physical Health is gone)
[ ] Knock-out (Fight ends when you run out of Physical Health)

"Alright, alright." He nods in agreement, obviously eager to get to the fighting. "So lets get this party rockin'!"

He advances towards you, arms at the ready and an anticipatory feel to him. His morale's high and he's ready to fight.

(Intuition DC 55: 71+10=81, success)

It's obvious that he favors his arms in combat, making little use of his legs. Perhaps you could do something with this?

What's your plan?
[ ] Plan name
-[ ] Plan

Itzabella: 18/18 PH
Sean: ???/??? PH

(Gain Combat Technique: UpLINE: A martial art based around fighting physically superior opponents. 2 Damage, +2 Damage if Opponent is Superior, Unarmed.)

~~~~~~~

QM's Note: Alrighty, I'll call voting for this in, we'll say, 2 hours. So at 8:00 PM CST. Vote Closing has been extended to 6 PM CST, tomorrow

Itza was taught a variation on LINE that the Service developed called "UpLINE", based around fighting opponents that are superior to you physically.

Physical Health is how much your body can take before giving out on you, what happens after is up to the opponent. You regain Physical Health at the start of every proper update.

edit: this is also an experiment for me, if it doesn't work out then I'll swap to some other method, like extending the time limit or doing it live somehow