Das Flugboot: A Flying Circus adventure.

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Character Sheet: Ilse Schmidt
  • Informational

    • Hard +1 Keen +1 Calm +3 Daring +1 Stress 0/10 Þ 9

    Breadwinner: Instead of personal upkeep, you have two Dependents. Write their names, and mark 1 on one and 2 on the other. Each Routine, during Expenses, choose to pay 0, 1, or 2 Thaler for each Dependent. If you pay 0, erase one mark. If you pay 2, mark their track and describe what special thing you do for them to make their lives easier. A Dependent at 2 Marks removes 1 Stress per routine. A Dependent losing a Mark gives 1 Stress, and at 0 Marks they cause 1 Stress per routine ongoing.
    Spouse: 2/3
    Children: 2/3

    Share the Burden: When you are intimate with comrades, the Stress of all the characters participating can be freely redistributed between them. If there are any NPC participants, 1 Stress is also removed from each PC. If you use this move in the air, 1 additional Stress is removed from each character.

    Worker
    Get it Done: Each Routine, hold 3. Spend that hold to score a partial hit on any roll, without rolling first.
    Hard Drinking: Negate 1 Failure from the End of Night move.
    Domestic Bliss: While you have 0 Stress, take +1 ongoing to all rolls outside of air combat.

    Farmer
    One in a Million: Hold 1 each routine. When you Open Fire or drop a bomb, spend the hold to get a perfect hit on the individual, component, or exact location you desire.
    Trust Your Instincts: You get a new Mastery move every 3 marks.

    Mastery: STRATEGIC DESTRUCTION
    Victories: Buildings destroyed on the ground during combat missions. If you drop all your bombs and land safely back home, you count that as a Victory as well.
    Good Eye: You ignore 5 levels of Altitude Penalty when bombing level.
    Flying Fortress: Your gunners get to add your calm (+3) to their attacks

    This Mastery is under development, so it's probably going to see some changes. Combined with your bombsight it means you can target 'accurately' from 1500m up! Probably don't hope for target deviation measured in single figure meters, though.
    Ilse Schmidt
    • Born in Wingendorf, lately of Bergfluss
    • Himmilvolk: Bronzed skin, Blonde Hair, Blue Eyes.
    Age: An adult (22-30)
    Worker Expectations
    • Feminine
    • Responsible, Organized, Hardworking. Complains, High Energy.
    • Built AF. Grip strength off the charts.
    • Pretty much all her non-flying clothes are dirndls she stole from work.
    Character History
    • Taught to fly by: nobody, I'm just winging it.
    • I left my home because: the jobs dried up and I want something better.
    • I fly so I can make some money and: make sure my kids have it better and finally get on that adventure.
    Questions

    What were you, before you were another anonymous worker?
    A farmer, naive but full of potential.
    Take two Farmer Moves.

    What was your dream job as a child?
    Doesn't every child dream of being a pilot?

    What job did you actually end up working?
    Barmaid in a bar attached to a brewery

    Where are your family staying, if not with you?
    We have a house, somewhere safe-ish

    Assets
    A membership in a large union: the Brewers and Allied Trades Union
    Two coworkers with special skills: Jana and Marie.
    A house somewhere relatively safe: Bergfluss

    Dependents
    A spouse without meaningful income:
    • Beatrice (Bea)
    • They're lovely, great with kids, and a pretty good teacher! Just...uselessly impractical.
    • "A cute, bespectacled soft butch useless lesbian".
    A number of small children:
    • Petra, Kristin, Wolfgang, Niklas, Sabine.
    • We kind of ended up with a bunch of orphans after the Brewery War.

    Plane
    Markgraf Volksfestung A (Used: Mint)

    Familiar Vices
    • Drinking
    • Tobacco
    • Sleeping
    Other Vices

    Dancing 2/3

    Stats (Jobber)
    • Hard +1
    • Keen +1
    • Calm +3
    • Daring +1

    Aircraft:



    The Volksfestung (People's Fortress) is a beast in some ways, but very vulnerable in others. It has good speed and acceleration for a bomber, great carrying capacity, plenty of toughness, a top notch bombsight, and is loaded with guns. However! See that 'Strain' stat? That means we can take approximately 1G before the plane starts to creak at the seams. We're unlikely to be dogfighting, but if we do it's going to be just as much of a battle keeping our bus from destroying itself as it will keeping the enemy from filling it with holes. Dive-bombing is probably only going to work once.

    Astute readers will notice we are short 2 crew! We will have to recruit a co-pilot and a third observer in the future. The plane will also need a cool name, new paintjob, and custom nose art at some point.
     
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  • Informational
    • Chapter 1: Routine 3, Airfield Raid.
  • Threadmarks
    • Bergfluss 16:00 | Hard +1 Keen +1 Calm +3 Daring +1 | Stress 06/10 | XP 5 | Þ 13 | Vice 2/5 | Tab 4

    You nod in response to Marianne's question.

    "Anyone who could keep it together on a job like the one we just flew can fly with me anytime. We can work out the details tomorrow. I've been meaning to put the company on paper for...how long now, Jana?"

    The Fischer woman has picked herself up from the floor and torn off a chunk of the roll you threw at her. She chews thoughtfully and swallows before replying.

    "When did we first look at the plane? Four months ago? Maybe less."

    Anne looks dubious at her statement and interjects before you can continue.

    "Wait...you've been doing this for less than four months? You don't have a company charter or anything? You...how many combat missions have you flown?"

    You shrug helplessly in the face of her line of questioning.

    "Depends if you count being attacked while hauling cargo or passengers. If you don't...one. Including today."

    She opens her eyes wide and rubs her temples for a moment before looking sideways at Andreas, who startles and nearly drops his glass of water before replying defensively.

    "What? She had the only proper bomber in town, it's not like there was a queue of applicants forming. Anyway you were just as keen to hire her the second you saw her qualifications."

    He flexes at her, mimicing a bicep bursting out of one sleeve and then pretends to faint. Anne's mouth drops open as if to retort, but she can't seem to find the words so she just snorts derisively and draws her self up on her crutches to hobble to the bar. When you're able to make eye contact with Marianne again without laughing you go back to your earlier point of discussion.

    "So, we meet here at lunch tomorrow to hammer out contracts for you and Stephan, and to finalize a company charter. Deal?"

    You shake her hand and set a time to meet. You check your watch and realize that if your want to get home and be cleaned up for dinner you'd better get a move on.

    "Alright, I'm going home. I'd invite you all over but the table only just seats us all as it is. It's 10 Bergaufstraße if you need to reach me, though."

    You gather your scattered things and leave a handful of tokens to cover your share as you go. The second you're outside you get accosted by Laura Probst, the reporter. She's still got a look on her face like a dog after a bone, and her smile is about as warm as snow-melt.

    "Hello again, Pilottin Schmidt! Do you have some time to give me a comment now? My readers across the continent would love to hear from you."

    [ ] I have no intention of commenting. Please leave me and my co-workers alone.
    [ ] Ignore her and leave.
    [ ] Right Hook.
    [ ] Write in.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X ] Write in : Sure, 5 Thalers and you can talk to Ding. 5 more and you get to interview the N°2 Engine.
     
    We need to ask about someone about that DRAGON.


    [X] I have no intention of commenting. Please leave me and my co-workers alone.

    If she asks us again or follows us home right hook to the gut.
     
    [X] Write in. : The events of our recent combat engagement are highly sensitive. I'll talk to the commander of the militia tomorrow, so please refer to him.
    I assume the whole "dragon" thing means we should probably debrief with the militia at least so they're aware it's out there
     
    [X] Write in : Sure, 5 Thalers and you can talk to Ding. 5 more and you get to interview the N°2 Engine.





    :V
     
    currently we have a three way tie between the two write-ins and no comment. (sheep-dodger is getting a +1 because i missed his vote last time.)
     
    I'll break that tie then by switching to
    [X] I have no intention of commenting. Please leave me and my co-workers alone.
    maybe add in referring her to the militia commander as a sorta compromise with my write-in?
     
    OK, can someone please roll (3d10 keep lowest 2)+3 to Press The Issue with honest reasoning. We're at disadvantage because Ilse is still Burned Out. Alternatively spend 1 hold to use Get It Done and achieve a partial success without rolling.

    edit: strong showing even through the burnout.
    thatbastardken threw 3 10-faced dice. Reason: ok i will do it Total: 22
    7 7 7 7 8 8
     
    Last edited:
    Oof, the new edition hit the volksfestung hard. Almost 70 toughness gone, 3 less speed, 5 off stability, trading a sweet top turret for a meh belly turret. We are gonna have to fly muuuuuuch more carefully.
     
    Last edited:
    ArchXL said:
    Oof, the new edition hit the volksfestung hard. Almost 80 toughness gone, 3 less speed, 5 off stability, trading a sweet top turret for a meh belly turret. We are gonna have to fly muuuuuuch more carefully.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Yeah the changes in toughness calculation hit everyone pretty hard but disproportionately hit large bombers. On the plus side, its much easier to do modifications, so its something you can mitigate. And with new science friend... well, the best way to get Toughness now is cantilever spars, which'll also let us get rid of draggy interplanar wires and struts...
     
    I'm so here for souping our plane up to the nines. I will have to spend some time fiddling with the plane builder calculator.

    Edit: oh and we also got an intercom!
     
    Last edited:
    Chapter 1: Routine 3, Airfield Raid.
  • Threadmarks
    • Bergfluss 17:00 | Hard +1 Keen +1 Calm +3 Daring +1 | Stress 06/10 | XP 5 | Þ 13 | Vice 2/5 | Tab 4

    You remember you're still wearing your revolver. You could just...nah. That's too far. This is just a curious muckraker, not a threat. You take a nice long breath and smile politely at...what did she say her name was? Oh, she has a little card in her hand.

    "Fraulein Probst, I'm very sorry but I can't give you any kind of comment and neither can any of my crew. There are...security matters at stake, I'm afraid. I have to speak to the militia and the council before I give you a story. I'm sure you're aware how fast rumors can spread? No-one wants to start an unwarranted panic based on an incomplete understanding of the facts."

    The facts are maybe worth a little panic in your private estimation, but you keep that to yourself and maintain a pleasant outward disposition. She nods a little too eagerly, still holding her notepad and pencil out like a weapon.

    "Perhaps we could meet later for a quick interview? Maybe lunchtime tomorrow, if you've had time to deal with the formalities by then? The Weltweit is published weekly, so we have two days at most for me to make the next edition. It would really be a great favor to me if you could."

    You can feel your smile getting slightly strained, but putting her off until tomorrow will at least give you time to get your story straight. And you really should talk to Neumann and Loewe about what you saw this morning.

    "Yeah sure, that sounds fine. Keep away from my crew, though. Deal's off if I find you so much as looked at them."

    She laughs, you laugh, you stop laughing, she goes on laughing for a couple of beats too long and has to cover it by pretending to cough suddenly.

    "Ahem. Right, understood. I'll see you tomorrow at the coffee place on Flughafenstrasse, 1 pm, then?"

    You nod agreement and she leaves. When she's out of sight you turn for home with a groan. Reporters, ugh. She'd better be buying lunch. Or at least coffee. You slowly and slightly unsteadily make your way home. The sun is still well above the horizon so you've got time before Bea and the kids get home to:

    [ ] Take a bath?
    [ ] Have a nap?
    [ ] Try some kind of advanced bath/nap technique? (risky)
     
  • Threadmarks
    • yeah I'll bring Ilse and crew into 1.1 compliance at the end of this routine, that toughness is going to be missed. I might handwave in the top turret having already been modified, because why the hell wouldn't you trick out your display bomber if you were an evil beer baron? and the intercom got fixed by...Ding, probably.
     
    [X] Take a bath?
    Bath before nap on grounds of if we're getting the sheets all gross it had better be Bea's fault.

    [ ] Have a nap?
    Although the kids' reaction to stinky-hugs would be funny.
     
    Chapter 1: Routine 3, Airfield Raid.
  • Threadmarks
    • Bergfluss 20:00 | Hard +1 Keen +1 Calm +3 Daring +1 | Stress 06/10 | XP 5 | Þ 13 | Vice 2/5 | Tab 4

    You surreptitiously sniff your clothes and grimace at the stink of oil and cordite and blood and sweat that cuts right through the mundane funk of nicotine and booze. Definitely bath. The boiler takes a while to heat up enough water to fill the tub so you take that time to briefly scrub your leathers and unload your revolver. You make a mental note to hide it somewhere the kids won't think to look until you can put it back with the plane. No point in taking chances with firearms.

    Presently the boiler whistles to signify that it has reached the desired temperature and you fill the huge cast iron tub with water just the safe side of scalding. You remember the day you bought this claw-footed, brass tapped and white enameled monster home from looting salvaging an abandoned estate with grand romantic dreams of you and Bea scrubbing each other's backs or relaxing in it by a fire in winter. It took an hour to get from the gate around the back of the house and into the laundry, and you don't think it ever got used for your intended purpose. There's been lots of scrubbing squirming children and water fights, though.

    Putting memories aside you strip off your filthy, blood stained stained and torn clothes. You look at your blouse against the light and grimace. It's seen better days. Better years, probably. You ball it up and toss it in the copper to be washed once more. If it doesn't hold together it can be rags.

    After giving the water a touch test (hot! so hot! perfect!) you lower yourself into the tub with an ecstatic groan. You can feel your muscles unclenching almost as fast as your skin reddens. You lie back in the water and just for a blissful second you float, like a kite catching the wind, before sinking down under the surface. Muffled noises carry through the iron and water to your ears, strangely musical once removed from their mundane context.

    You stay under for nearly a minute. Years ago when you were extremely drunk and swimming with Jana you challenged her to a diving contest. She won easily because she can actually breathe underwater and basically had to drag you back to shore, but you never quite lost the desire to try and go deeper, even when your lungs felt like they were bursting.

    When you surface this time there's no gasping for air or struggling, just a sense of well-being. You reach for the soap and watch the steam rise from your skin as your arm leaves the water. There's no rush, you think. Plenty of time to soak and enjoy it. But...the sun's going down. Bea will be home soon with the kids. You might have time to get dinner started if you get a move on, but if you linger and shut your eyes you'll wake up in cold water and you know it.

    A frenzy of scrubbing and toweling later and you emerge from the laundry with renewed purpose and skin as pink and clean as a prize piglet. Your hair is kind of a tangled mess, but it's going to have to wait until bedtime. You dress in one of your rapidly diminishing stock of clean outfits and head to the kitchen to prepare...something.

    Creative cooking was never your strong point, but fortunately your children all have easily satisfied appetites. You've got sausages, eggs and bread frying on the stove when you hear a chorus of voices announcing they're home, and then a small stampede arrives at your feet. Sabine clings to your knees and tries to tell you a story about how she saw a big frog, Kristin and Wolfgang are wearing each other's clothes again, Petra is hardly in the kitchen a second before she's trying to take over cooking, and Niklas is hanging back and hiding behind Beatrice, which isn't super unusual. The little guy gets overwhelmed by too much noise and activity, which can be a lot of the time in a house with four other children, and he'll come and say hello in his own time.

    Bea smiles wearily at you and gently holds Niklas's hand as you try and juggle the simultaneous demands of the other four kids and their dinner without burning anything. It's not unlike driving the bomber, but the bandits are much cuter and the mission isn't going to explode beyond a gentle 'pop' if the sausages get too hot.

    Eventually chaos gets organized long enough to feed everyone, hear about everyone's day, and carefully not answer any questions about how your day has been other than to say "Busy". Bea notices and doesn't say anything. You'll talk later. As the evening winds on and the younger children fall asleep you're left in the kitchen putting dishes away after Petra and Bea wash them. There's a knock on the front door.

    Beatrice opens it, and wordlessly closes it again.

    She turns and smiles sweetly at Petra.

    "Petra, could you just go check on Sabine? I thought I heard her say something."

    Petra looks between you. She's old enough to recognize the lie, but not argue about it. She leaves the kitchen, throwing the dishcloth at you with a disgruntled look on her face. You catch it and walk over to the door as the knocking starts up again. This time you open it, half prepared to have to fight someone, and are slightly confused to see Hauptmann Neumann and Bürgermeisterin Loewe standing on your front step. Phillip looks apologetic, Katja less so. She speaks curtly:

    "Guten Abend, Frau Schmidt, Frau Meister. I apologize for the late interruption but this is somewhat urgent. May we speak?"

    [ ] 'Of course, come in. Would you like coffee?'
    [ ] 'If we must. What do you want?'
    [ ] 'Now is a bad time, actually.'
     
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