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Cast-Offs of Divinity - A Merchants of Divinity Quest
- Thread starter JayTar
- Start date
- Sci-Fi Fantasy
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
I feel an Adrenaline booster isn't really how you get + running. Adrenaline does lots of things basically everything that you might want in a stressful situation hence why your body does it, but if you want to run far and fast maybe we should make ourselves some leg massager to get rid of lactic acid buildups. Or maybe we could do some relatively minor surgery on ourselves to give ourselves a lactic acid vent in our legs?
Of course realistically I have a hard time thinking of any tech solutions that would make us better at running then just spending that same time running a lot. Is it possible the Leviathan can science herself a really efficient way to train her leg muscles? Maybe by applying controlled electric shocks?
Does making super comfortable and ergonomic shoes fall under bio?
Edit: Maybe we can inject ourselves with something that temporary super oxygenates our blood?
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- Location
- Gainful Employment
- Pronouns
- He/They
...its a pre-existing effect, one of the ones we were automatically given.
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
Oh ok.
Chapter 1: Turn 1.1 Preparations and Beginnings (Week 14)
JayTar
Idea briefcase
Chapter 1: Turn 1.1 Preparations and Beginnings (Week 14)
[X] Plan: View the Expedition
-[X] Skill training (Course of study) (Science (Biology)) (4 TAP)
-[X] Work: You have a clinic to run now. Pay based on Medicine + Surgery + Pharmacology roll (2 AP)
-[X] Draft a schematic (Tactical Retreat Injector (TRI)) (1 SAP)
--[X] Adrenaline booster: T2 Biology. Cost: 6, Benefit: +6 to Athletics (Running)
-[X] You are far too dignified to show off your new contract to your brother. That doesn't mean you can't hang out and act smug. (3 AP)
-[X] The expeditions will be starting soon. Get involved in the preparations. Figure out what will be needed and how to prepare. (4 turns remain) (3 AP)
-[X] Come up with a name for your new avian friend (Kutkh) (0 AP)
-[X] Skill training (Course of study) (Science (Biology)) (4 TAP)
-[X] Work: You have a clinic to run now. Pay based on Medicine + Surgery + Pharmacology roll (2 AP)
-[X] Draft a schematic (Tactical Retreat Injector (TRI)) (1 SAP)
--[X] Adrenaline booster: T2 Biology. Cost: 6, Benefit: +6 to Athletics (Running)
-[X] You are far too dignified to show off your new contract to your brother. That doesn't mean you can't hang out and act smug. (3 AP)
-[X] The expeditions will be starting soon. Get involved in the preparations. Figure out what will be needed and how to prepare. (4 turns remain) (3 AP)
-[X] Come up with a name for your new avian friend (Kutkh) (0 AP)
Right. Last night you stayed late to finish your device. Last night you signed Doctor Infinium's first contract!
You straighten your spine and cast your gaze about for the noisemaker. A dozen frantic seconds pass before you realize you were in fact sleeping on it. You tenderly inspect the impression it left on your face.
A flip of a switch makes it emit a gentle clicking. The crow you trained yesterday lands in front of you and caws. Hopping back to avoid your finger. "I will be calling you Kutkh. It's that or Crow #1" you chuckle. You doubt he understands but you don't particularly care.
You then notice a new set of notes and struggle to place them.
Science 3 + Biology 4 = 7 dice
6d7 = 4, 1, 5, 1, 3, 4, 1 = 19
AP cost = (((6*2)^(1.5))/(19*1)+0.5)^2 = 7.22 = 8 AP
6d7 = 4, 1, 5, 1, 3, 4, 1 = 19
AP cost = (((6*2)^(1.5))/(19*1)+0.5)^2 = 7.22 = 8 AP
Right you had been feeling too wired to sleep after signing the contract so you went back to work, drafting a stimulant cocktail ironically. It's not your most coherent work.
You shake your head to clear the cobwebs. You have things to do! Classes. Work. You check the time.
- Damnable Desiccated Dust. You're late.
Training at the University (Advanced): (3+3)d(3+1+1)=6d5 per TAP
4 TAP spent.
24d5 =[4, 2, 2, 4, 1, 5, 3, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 4, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 3, 5, 1, 3] = 74*2 = 148 exp
Science (Biology) now at 4 (328/810)
4 TAP spent.
24d5 =[4, 2, 2, 4, 1, 5, 3, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 4, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 3, 5, 1, 3] = 74*2 = 148 exp
Science (Biology) now at 4 (328/810)
A little missed sleep isn't enough to slow you down. No you confidently step off the conveyor belt and let the momentum carry you into a deceptively fast walk. Your white coat theatrically billows behind you. Is it just your imagination or are your steps a little surer then before?
You don't do anything so dramatic as slam open the doors, but your sudden entrance mid-lecture draws eyes. Perfect, the lab portion was about to start and you recognize the setup. You grab the nearest station and tear open an illusionary packet of seeds.
You only notice the difference between your station and the others at the end of the class. Everyone else having preformed a simpler variant from earlier in the textbook. Oh well, it's not like any grades before the test matter.
It is at the university where you track down your brother as well. Strolling unannounced into his office while he grades papers.
He takes one look at your grin and then makes a show of looking you over. "Wow something seems different about you today."
You cross your arms and smugly await your well deserved praise.
"Did you cut your hair?"
"Jörmungandr!"
"Haha just kidding. Which one did you sign? The scientist?" He sees your expression and nods "I figured. You'll do great." he then stands up and wraps you in a hug.
You, don't resist. You even let yourself relax a little. You deserve it, just this once for your achievements.
Later that day when you return to your Cube you stumble over a cardboard box with a note on it.
Hey I understand if you are still avoiding mom and pop, so I stopped by and grabbed the rest of your old stuff. Sorry if I missed anything haha.
- Jörmungandr
Pick a two Effects:- Jörmungandr
[] Colorful Kudzu: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
A modified strain of Kudzu which changes leaf colors in response to certain stressors like temperature or damage.
[] Grow Your Own Tree: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
Actually a type of wasteland bamboo. Placed in the correct environment it grows extremely quickly.
[] Cliff Tuber: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
Technically edible, not that you would want to eat it.
[] Glass Grass: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
Grows on sand and looks very pretty when it catches the light just right.
Location: Northern Border Spire, Level 426, Skydock:
Medicine 3 + Surgery 3 + Pharmacology 2= 8 dice
8d6 = [1, 3, 4, 2, 6, 1, 1, 1] =19
19-18= 1
Gain 3.1 decent dots
8d6 = [1, 3, 4, 2, 6, 1, 1, 1] =19
19-18= 1
Gain 3.1 decent dots
After dealing with a particular obstinate patient you close your clinic and look into the coming expeditions.
Organizational knowledge 2 + AI administrator protocols 3 = 5 dice
5d6 = [2, 1, 1, 5, 4] = 13
DC = 20
5d6 = [2, 1, 1, 5, 4] = 13
DC = 20
It proves frustratingly difficult. You get little hints and mentions, but any concrete information is horded like sky crystal. So you leave your cube and head up to the air docks. Time to take a more direct approach.
Silhouetted against the forcefield are hundreds of strange airships. From zeppelins to helicopters to stranger. The entire place is a hive of activity. Drones buzz too and fro carrying materials and tools.
You see one scientist with an odd hairdo hang upside down to adjust the frame of a powered glider while another tests a loudly sparking electrical system. An absurdly high voltage one based on the size of the sparks, though you have little idea of it's purpose.
Performance 3 + Acting 3 = 6 dice
6d6 = [1, 6, 2, 4, 6, 2] = 21
DC = 20
6d6 = [1, 6, 2, 4, 6, 2] = 21
DC = 20
All it takes is a little shift in your walk and nobody questions your presence. The stares you get are challenging, but the challenge of a peer, not suspicion.
Down the rows you walk. Inspecting your fellows' preparations. Listening to the background chatter and piecing things together. You stop to eavesdrop on a pair of particularly vainglorious scientists, boasting about the rewards.
"And I of course will discover a entirely new ruin to delve! Look at these radar returns! Filled with exotic artifacts ripe for research no doubt! Nothing is more valuable."
"Bah! More like you will return with nothing but your participation stipend. Do you think that will still be there in a month? The barest scrap of academic credit. The last name on the paper!"
"Like you have anything better!"
"Ha even if the boundaries shift I keep my options open! The wasteland is ripe with rare phenomena to sample, and the infinite boundary only more so. Enough to cut months off of my research, or open entirely new prospects. No matter what happens my research will flourish, and I will be raking in accolades with how novel it all is."
"Please! You couldn't..."
You let the conversation fade into the background and slide up to a neurotic looking scientist swaddled in protective gear.
"You look quite well prepared, got any tips for dangers to watch out for..." you start leadingly. It only takes the lightest verbal prodding to get him start raving.
"The dust. The dust." he rasps through his mask. "Nasty nasty dust. Eats away at you. Eats away at everything. Need protection to leave our safe little bubbles."
"The monsters. They roam. They wait. Things that snap. Things that crunch. Little biters. Big titans. The dust makes them harsh. Leviathans and tyrants. If you see them run." You feel a shiver go down your spine and tell yourself it is excitement.
"The boundary. It's trying to kill me. It's trying to kill you. Don't go too deep. Don't go too fast. Infinite boundary, infinite dangers. The land boils."
"Watch, watch your back. Don't trust anyone. When the meal is over the knives come out. The bigger the find, the faster they stab. The city is blind out there. Blind."
You wander off leaving him to his paranoid mutterings. Still, you have some time. Perhaps you should try approaching one of the more reasonable looking expedition leaders? With your current resources preparing your own expedition in the time left would be all but impossible.
Who do you talk to?
[] An elderly scientist with frizzy hair working on a strangely out of place bus.
[] A literally steely eyed scientist overseeing the mounting of an oversized gun on a rocket.
[] A scientist with a massive mustache and sword working on a gigantic biplane.
[] A colorfully dressed scientist working on a VTOL aircraft with at least ten tiltrotors.
AN: You will need to figure out a use if you want to get a mechanical bonus from any of the offered effects. (At least on their own). But it shouldn't be too hard.
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[X] Colorful Kudzu: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] Glass Grass: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] A scientist with a massive mustache and sword working on a gigantic biplane.
[X] Glass Grass: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] A scientist with a massive mustache and sword working on a gigantic biplane.
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This is the beginning of our construction project for Steve.
- Location
- Italy
aaaand we're out of the prologue!
actually, with 26 the AP cost would be... 5 APs. 3 fewer.
I'm kinda curious at the history there, but let's focus on the picks for now.
...oh, it's only decorations.
well, we have a colorful climbing plant, a quickly growing bamboo, some weird tuber, and grass that reflects lights in nice ways.
...I'm kinda leaning towards kudzu and glass simply because they look nicer
Sometimes I wonder how easy it would be to just... enter a random office, act like you belong, and get away with doing nearly anything.
...great. well, he HAS been helpful.
I like the VTOL one the most, but honestly I have no strong preference here.
yeah, it's pretty bad. average roll should be 24...
actually, with 26 the AP cost would be... 5 APs. 3 fewer.
true enough. And it means they're recognizing Levi's genius!
I'm kinda curious at the history there, but let's focus on the picks for now.
...oh, it's only decorations.
well, we have a colorful climbing plant, a quickly growing bamboo, some weird tuber, and grass that reflects lights in nice ways.
...I'm kinda leaning towards kudzu and glass simply because they look nicer
it's the ultimate superpower, yeah.
Sometimes I wonder how easy it would be to just... enter a random office, act like you belong, and get away with doing nearly anything.
So, watch out for the dust, the monsters, random dangers, and our fellow scientists.
...great. well, he HAS been helpful.
I like the VTOL one the most, but honestly I have no strong preference here.
yeah, I thought as much.
The plants made me realize there's entire KINGDOMS of biological life we've been ignoring! We've been fools. My initial thought was some sort of bark armour but it was dismissed as impractical and not terribly useful. No, I quickly moved my thoughts to fungi. And like a lightbulb I remembered lichen: a symbioses between plantae and fungi. If those fungi were able to borrow the abilities of plantae for energy, why couldn't we? The ability of photosynthesis could be applied to ourselves, or we could use it to generate power for other uses. Perhaps we could make a sort of cream containing chloroplasts to help absorb them into skin.
[X] An elderly scientist with frizzy hair working on a strangely out of place bus.
Please let this be a normal field trip.
[X] A colorfully dressed scientist working on a VTOL aircraft with at least ten tiltrotors
I like their style, don't know if they're an expy or not though.
[] A literally steely eyed scientist overseeing the mounting of an oversized gun on a rocket.
Not voting for them, but unsure if cyborg or Corferros. Corferros probably doesn't exist in this specific setting though.
I would personally like to meet our fellow Leviathans. As a biologist we have a duty to study them. We do need to find a way to do the not dying thing though, and we have to be clever about it because direct combat is a no go. Well we probably could compensate for our lack of skill via armour and flesh eating microbes.
[X] An elderly scientist with frizzy hair working on a strangely out of place bus.
Please let this be a normal field trip.
[X] A colorfully dressed scientist working on a VTOL aircraft with at least ten tiltrotors
I like their style, don't know if they're an expy or not though.
[] A literally steely eyed scientist overseeing the mounting of an oversized gun on a rocket.
Not voting for them, but unsure if cyborg or Corferros. Corferros probably doesn't exist in this specific setting though.
I would personally like to meet our fellow Leviathans. As a biologist we have a duty to study them. We do need to find a way to do the not dying thing though, and we have to be clever about it because direct combat is a no go. Well we probably could compensate for our lack of skill via armour and flesh eating microbes.
MordredRaal
Agitating
- Pronouns
- She/They
[X] Colorful Kudzu: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] Glass Grass: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] A scientist with a massive mustache and sword working on a gigantic biplane.
[X] Glass Grass: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] A scientist with a massive mustache and sword working on a gigantic biplane.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Colorful Kudzu: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] Grow Your Own Tree: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] Grow Your Own Tree: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] Colorful Kudzu: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] Grow Your Own Tree: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
I want that Kudzu. I don't know what we'll use it for, but having a fast propagator should be handy.
[X] A scientist with a massive mustache and sword working on a gigantic biplane.
[X] Grow Your Own Tree: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
I want that Kudzu. I don't know what we'll use it for, but having a fast propagator should be handy.
[X] A scientist with a massive mustache and sword working on a gigantic biplane.
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
[X] An elderly scientist with frizzy hair working on a strangely out of place bus.
JayTar
Idea briefcase
Technically several of them could be used as such.
I realize I have been a little unclear on exactly how the build-a-thing for Steve works, so if people vote to get a large enough location to build in, I will introduce mega-project rules to make it more well defined.
Haha any expy I use is going to be very soft. Vague inspiration at best.
Not Corferros. I'm avoiding any resemblance the gods from the original quest except for [REDACTED], which is a common enough archetype anyway.
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
Is it worth rerolling? Does spending a AP to reroll have an expected return of 2 or more, because it sounds like no.
If we can get a 22, when our average is 24, it will go from 8 to 6. Which should be a return of two, if I'm understanding that term correctly. Don't know the statistics, but since that triggers at slightly below average more than half the results should give us that, and the way it gets better results from rolling above average does boost it somewhat, where if that was the best result I'd probably say not to both trying even though we only have around a 45% of not getting it.
I mean, there was that mad science god in Merchants of Divinity.
In particular maybe the Kudzu, since it also grows fast?
Understandable. I'll eat my hat if Mrs. Frizzle over there doesn't have at least one contract with Tweed though.
JayTar
Idea briefcase
Technically they could be just different faces of the same god. But only because we saw so little of them in Merchants of Divinity.
*Waves hand at the Doctor Infinium scene* needless to say, there is more going on.
Infinitum definitely seems more interested in presentation, though I suppose that could be chalked up to the difference between interacting with just another merchant versus a genuine follower of their ideal.
- Location
- Gainful Employment
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] Colorful Kudzu: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
[X] Grow Your Own Tree: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
Not sure what to pick on the second vote, I like all of them.
So there's a few thoughts I haven't put into a post yet:
First, is replacing/upgrading an integrated creation easier, harder, or the same difficulty as putting the improved version in someone without an existing implant of that type? My instinct is harder, but I figured I should ask, since Levi should have high enough medical skills to know this, and it massively changes the decision making regarding upgrading ourself.
Second, does the action for reading papers to unlock effects require us to have the specialty it's from? Either way seems like it makes equal sense to me, so this is basically just a game balance thing, I guess.
Finally, the only one that's not a question. I realized a while back that there's probably a specialty called Science (Contracts) or Science (Powers) or Science (Gods) or Science (Weight) or Science (Divinity) or something like that, for studying the powers granted by contracts to make effects based on them. I didn't share this idea back when I originally had it because even if Levi could somehow learn it, it would be near useless for her since she neither has tons of contract powers herself nor has access to a friend with tons of powers to study. I'm finally sharing this idea because I realized that such a specialty would probably, at a high enough level, let someone invest a portion of their Weight into a living creation like gods invest their Weight in people they make contracts with. I dunno, I just thought the idea was cool and wanted to share it, if Levi ever does something like this it would be waaaaayyyyyyy in the future.
[X] Grow Your Own Tree: T1 Biology. Cost: 3, Benefit: Decoration?
Not sure what to pick on the second vote, I like all of them.
So there's a few thoughts I haven't put into a post yet:
First, is replacing/upgrading an integrated creation easier, harder, or the same difficulty as putting the improved version in someone without an existing implant of that type? My instinct is harder, but I figured I should ask, since Levi should have high enough medical skills to know this, and it massively changes the decision making regarding upgrading ourself.
Second, does the action for reading papers to unlock effects require us to have the specialty it's from? Either way seems like it makes equal sense to me, so this is basically just a game balance thing, I guess.
Finally, the only one that's not a question. I realized a while back that there's probably a specialty called Science (Contracts) or Science (Powers) or Science (Gods) or Science (Weight) or Science (Divinity) or something like that, for studying the powers granted by contracts to make effects based on them. I didn't share this idea back when I originally had it because even if Levi could somehow learn it, it would be near useless for her since she neither has tons of contract powers herself nor has access to a friend with tons of powers to study. I'm finally sharing this idea because I realized that such a specialty would probably, at a high enough level, let someone invest a portion of their Weight into a living creation like gods invest their Weight in people they make contracts with. I dunno, I just thought the idea was cool and wanted to share it, if Levi ever does something like this it would be waaaaayyyyyyy in the future.
- Location
- Gainful Employment
- Pronouns
- He/They
Hey, could the Kudzu be used for checking the health of an environment? Like tracking microbe populations in a lake in real life, but with the colors of Levi-tan's childhood genesplicing creation.
Edit: I guess that would be a boost to Naturalism (Conservation)?
Edit: I guess that would be a boost to Naturalism (Conservation)?
JayTar
Idea briefcase
About the same I would say, as long as it's something simple like a new organ.
Something more comprehensive/integrated like a full muscle replacement might introduce complications, but not necessarily.
Overall it should be safe to assume the difficulty is the same either way, except for special circumstances.
Sounds like a transcendent skill. Not one to even think about for a longgg time though yeah.
Yeah, ever tried reading a scientific paper in a different field? You need the background knowledge to understand it.
Certainly. Not a use I expected, but valid. You would just need to have what conditions you want to track in mind when you make it.
OH I had an idea. Making ourselves fly is hard, but what if we had a large mount?