Another Results post, another Scrutinizing Round by me...
--[x] [Martial] Loan deniable assets (Genghis Khan)
---[x] Loan questionable assets
DC 60 (Reduced by XP)
62+5+55+11=133
Critical Success!
The contract was snapped up by none other than Flintheart Glomgold, richest duck in the world, who for some reason known only to himself felt the need to hire outside of his usual contact pool. Information security stipulates that we do not know, officially, what was done, but given Genghis Khan's newfound interest in biplanes it was likely related to air pirates in some way. Temujin confirms he obtained an unidentified object and 'taught a lesson' to what he described as 'foul actors'. He then chuckled to himself, making a noise like a truck engine stalling, and said something about how he 'had to tell Ludivine that one'. Given he seems in very good spirits, we can assume he did what he does best. For his part, Glomgold left a favorable review and a 'donation' to the Dino Institute that he could write off on his tax forms.
+4 Income.
...While I would have preferred less ornery than Glomgold grabbing the Khan of Khans as a deniable asset, him doing so does present a good First Contact to Calisota without having to potentially waste a Contact option on him to get his entry in the Opinion-Track-Inator updated, so I am not too hung up on Temujin working for that duck once - to say nothign of the *four* Income (which would get us into Gobble-Up-Hopper range, I think) and the favorable review on Not-Yelp that´s sure to generate some more presence for us.
As for Khan apparently having taken a liking to biplane dog-fights: It does make sense, since such engagements are pretty hit-n-run in nature, meaning that they should be right up the alley of a horseback warlord once one gets past the modernity issue (which we already cleared)
So yeah, am very happy that our loaning out of assets and am hoping that we can somehow transplant options like that over to when Doof is back from his cryo-nap.
--[x] [Diplomacy] Recruit the cream of the crop (Goofy)
DC 105
77+26+28+5+10 (XP)=146
Great Success
Our resident everyman aided in the construction of several dossiers prepared for our prospective new hires. You are confident in their credentials and believe they could bring serious value to the company. You will finalize the dossier presently.
Vote on initial hire to follow.
And Goofy continues being a valuable Operative long past the point where I expected his stats to run against too-high DCs...nice.
As for potential hires, right now I am favoring Dr. Fossil from the pool we´ve already been privy to, since I expect him to synergize nicely with our Dino research even without any possible *Dinosaurs*-shenanigans later on.
--[x] [Diplomacy] Establish ties with Magical New York (Kitsune)
DC 85 (Reduced by XP)
88+26+29+2=145
Great Success
To be continued in Interlude: The Balance of Things
While I am a bit annoyed that we only got to tackling that option *a full year after the Magical Auction*, Kitsune once more crushing a vital Occult(-flavored) is very good for us. I am really eager to see how much the balance of power has shifted over the last year in general and in particular in response to David having to keep the peace after Demonas little temper tantrum (for one, the last time we heard from Bill Sykes in the wake of Twelfth Night was when he was planning to absorb that late Tony Dracon´s gang outfit and install a "protection fee" for struggling Magical people), because I expect assholes like the Huntsclan to pressure MaNYC directly (which would indirectly give Xanatos problems as well)
--[x] [Stewardship] Corporate restructuring (Wasabi)
DC 78 (Reduced by XP)
62+23+28+2-20+3=98
Success
Wasabi was horrified when he saw the state of affairs that DEI's subsidiaries were in and busied himself with establishing a more formal corporate structure. It was somewhat divorced from his usual work but he took to it well, appreciating the chance to get things in order.
You gain +1 income per fiscal year! Slight reduction in the DC for future internal surveillance actions.
What can I say? Thanks a bunch for freeing up some more yearly cash for us to use and make further Internal Surveillance a bit easier, you neurotic dweeb.
--[x] [Stewardship] Collaborate with Smarty Mart (Roddy Blair)
DC 60 (Reduced by XP)
47+23+29+2-20=81
Success
Roddy's take on the megamart redesigns was focused a bit more on the architectural than Mr. Smarty was expecting, but once he steered the conversation towards endcap design and supply infrastructure the man was on firmer ground. The two managed to form a fruitful, if somewhat dull, partnership.
+2 Income.
Martin Smarty has been unlocked as a 'collaboration' unit! Collaboration units can be used to add their stats to an action of your choice on top of a normal hero unit. Collaboration units do not count towards your hero cap, in much the same way that Olivia does not, and will only agree to perform certain actions, in much the same way that full collaborations do.
Martin Smarty has 41 Stewardship! You have one use of Martin Smarty available.
..."Collaboration Unit"? That´s something new at least - and a Stew score in the 40s is nothing to scoff at, considering just how high our DC have been getting lately. On top of that, the 2 Income will further move us into Hopper range (not really interested in WyndComm and there is no option to gobble up Minversial at all)
So definitely a big get for us.
--[x] [Intrigue] Track down Kat: ACME Unlimited (Wile E. Coyote)
DC ???
25+31+18+3+10 (XP)=87
Massive Failure!
To be continued in Interlude: Venus de Mime-o
That sucks, but considering that Kat is a master infiltrator who managed to evade *David fucking Xanatos* for a bit on top of having superpowers now, a pretty high DC and because of that us failing was to be expected.
So I am not too annoyed at it.
--[x] [Intrigue] Investigate the theft of the Declaration of Independence (Monogram)
Government Requisitions Monogram!
...
E-102 Drifter Activates Anyway!
US Government
---[x] [Intrigue] Investigate the theft of the Declaration of Independence (Monogram)
DC ???=120
52+35+21+3+10 (XP)=121
Bare Success!
Monogram was, perhaps unsurprisingly, requisitioned this month for governmental work. Very surprisingly, he was then tasked to do… exactly what he had been trying to do before! Perhaps even more surprisingly, the Major actually managed to use federal security files from the national mall to identify a potential subject. A man walked out of an alley near to the National Archives twenty-five minutes before the heist took place. This would not be particularly notable, were it not for the fact that that particular alley is a complete dead end. Further investigation has turned up video footage of the man in southern Connecticut. An OWCA sketch artist has attached a rather striking… not to mention useless since we have the camera footage... impression below.
While the government is continuing to build a case of their own, you could always attempt to recover the Declaration yourself if you can manage to get the details out of Monogram. With how persistent the Doctor can be when he gets an idea in his head, you think it likely he'll make the attempt. Who knows, it might even earn you some actual goodwill with the feds.
You have unlocked Quest: The Missile's Red Glare
This Quest is available until July/August 2018
...Ok, let me try to understand what just happened there, ok?
Thanks to Drifter, Monobrow had to re-do his Investigation of the DoI theft. SHUSH then decided to requisition NOWCA for some business of their own, which turned out to be...*Investigating the DoI theft*, which Francis managed to *just squeeze a success past the DC*? Damn, that´s big coincidence if nothing else.
Yeah, I agree that if we decide to go on that new Quest some time, Monogramm should be on it - both because he earned the right to it with that safe and to mollify any Feds getting grumpy about us snooping around some more. That is also the reason why we should stick to a team consisting of our more reputable/less shady Operative as another Olive Branch towards Uncle Sam.
So in the end, we might be able to use this Quest to *Endear* us to Washington if we do things right...Not against it at all.
Although it does suck that we only seem to learn whether SHUSH will be grabbing NOWCA "this turn" AFTER allotting them...Oh, well...
--[x] [Intrigue] Hunt for Moles (Tobe)
DC 115 (Reduced by XP)
17+31+25+2=75
Failure
The Vagabond Ninja have become a constant presence in the DEI lobby, for better or for worse, sleeping in tents and lighting campfires in the decorative vases. It was in the hope that this constant, accidental vigilance might prove of use to you that you felt it worth attempting to enlist the Vagabonds in flushing out who among your corporation was acting as a mole on the inside.
The carefully worded manual on corporate espionage and how to be subtle you had spent a week painstakingly putting together for them was, as it turns out, used only to prop up a coffee table. The leg had been taken for the fires.
To be fair, Tobe only had less than a coin flip in terms of chances to succeed here, so it was a bit of a long shot anyway.
*shrugs and waddles onwards*
--[x] [Intrigue] Hold a 'Security Seminar' (Dickens: Small)
DC 90 (Reduced by XP)
50+31+19=100
Bare Success
"Aren't you a little young to be holding a security seminar?"
"No. No, I'm not."
Ling-Ling Johnson, the 13 year old kid detective and inventor of more than one professional-grade spy gadget, was an… unconventional choice for the Commodore to send you. Nonetheless, despite some issues with public speaking, the girl managed to do an acceptable job of whipping your troops into a semblance of infosec and establishing a handful of security experts who will hopefully continue the job now that she has left.
You have established DI6! Future intrigue actions in your own territory will have a bonus!
Our very own "State Sec" - goody!
...Although I would have preferred another shorthand for it.
--[x] [Intrigue] Conduct a Security Sweep (Malifishmertz) (-10 from roll from Executive Priorities)
DC 50 (Reduced by XP)
60+31+18+1-10=100
Critical Success!
Malifishmirtz's security sweep resulted in exactly what you suspected- proof that DEI was infiltrated on almost every conceivable level, with plants from companies all across the continental US as well as agents from the Federal government and several independent local actors. Most of them were not privy to your internal councils or the sorts of things no one is allowed to write down- the Toffee situation, for instance- but it seems literally everyone wanted an eye or twenty on what DEI was researching, planning and organizing. A few of your information leaks were traceable back to individuals including Glomgold, Shego and the federal government, the latter oddly recent given how much focus you would expect them to have on you, but the majority are of an uncertain source. Entire networks have undoubtedly been burned to the ground at this point, but some of the most skilled infiltrators may still remain. Further, we have identified some… inconsistencies that may point towards higher-level issues.
The DC of Hunt for Moles (or its equivalent) has been reduced!
Low-level infiltration of DEI (which would allow for more rival knowledge of your private actions and plans) has been extremely curtailed!
...Let me get this straight:
While our *vaguely-competent* Ninja Squad and our persistent Toon predator somewhat predictably bricked their respective assignment and the professionally-trained Major only barely managed to suceed at his task, it was the *ghost of our centuries-dead warlock ancestor who is extremly similar in mien to Doof himself* that absolutely STEAMROLLED his Security Sweep, bulldozing over countless infiltration cells of varying size and origin in the process?
*blinks a few times, then decides to just shrug*
Fair enough - I´ll definitely take the DC reduction for another go at Mole Hunting as well as blinding most of the forces spying on us with no complaints and only some bewilderment at what I decided to call "just our weird luck"
--[x] [Learning] Research with the Imagination Institute
---[x] Study Doof's Mind (Technor)
DC 100 (Reduced by XP)
14+11+25+30+40+4=124
Success
To be continued in Interlude: Deep into Your Mind
So we are getting a possibly-Psychonauts-like Interlude showcasing the utter MESS that is Doofs mind?
Dunno, if that´s a good or a bad thing in the end, but at least it´s a Success, so I´ll take it.
--[x] [Occult] Form a Coven (Gomez)
DC 40 (Reduced by XP)
52+5+11+1+2 (XP)=71
Success
Having done most of the work last month, all Gomez had to do was make sure the luncheon was scheduled on time and order food from a non-Bueno Nacho source. By all accounts the meeting was a success. There are few enough mages at DEI (and all of them placatable by free food) that an informal system of collaboration was put together easily.
Second Occult Action Unlocked! Court Wizard Unlocked! All Council Positions Unlocked! Councilor Positions now available to be filled!
To be continued in Interlude: The Right Hands for the Job
YES!
Finally we got that second Occult slot and that mysterious Council where we still don´t actually know what it allows us to do other than somehow boosting our chances against the rising DCs.
Am very interested in that for sure.
-[x] Personal Actions:
--[x] Mirage:
---[x] Look Into Mr. Incredible's family
66
The little news you were able to find was disheartening. Mrs. Helen Parr, alias 'Elastigirl', was confirmed deceased after a direct missile strike on incoming flight IG-99. Her children were put into protective custody shortly after the Metroville incident and disappeared entirely several weeks later. It wasn't you. Their current whereabouts, or if they are even alive, is unknown.
...So Helen did die in that missile attack by Syndrome (which probably sent Bob into a downward spiral and to his death as well, which means that the PoD for Incredibles would be that missile killing Helen) and the kids got put into custody, only to later drop off the radar completely?
Dang, that sucks for both them and Mirage, who didn´t seem to be all that bad a person (shame that her VA dying prevented the character from appearing in Incredibles 2)
---[x] Reinforce Kronos Corp contacts
33
Kronos, now 'Olympia Corp', has undergone a massive restructuring since the change in management, making it difficult to find most of your old contacts. The few you were able to find had been shuffled around and weren't in much of a position to help you out, but they were nonetheless happy to see a familiar face. If you want to build further on Olympia's relations, it would be a place to start.
(Progress revealed: 33/200)
...Yeah, trying to reactivate Mirage´s old Kronos contacts *years* after the company went under and got retooled into Olympia was bound to be a longer endeavour - might still be a worthwhile way to infiltrate Olympia and understand, just how evil Evelyn is this time around.
--[x] Norm Prime (Follow Wendy to San Fransokyo)
27
Norm's trip to San Fransokyo wasn't all that interesting. It mostly involved a lot of waiting and talking, and while Wendy Wower was really nice, she sent him away before she went to talk to Trevor! Norm ended up chatting with his secretary, or maybe a bush, for the next three hours. Records are unclear due to sustained molasses damage, as Norm reported only being 'told to stay with his playmate'.
...I thought that we were slotting Norm in for getting Wendy to help him get rid of his platypus-hunting subroutines? Then again, I didn´t really read the planned Personals before voting, so that one is on me.
O h well, wouldn´t have scored anything big with that roll anyyway, so it´s a moot point in the end.
--[x] Max (Help Roddy Blair upgrade Doofenshmirtz Evil Megamarts)
96
Max expected Roddy's work to be incredibly boring, but he ended up really enjoying himself! After all that boring paperwork was out of the way, Roddy proved unexpectedly interesting to talk to about construction, building design, and all sorts of incredibly practical stuff that seemed to ignore or even counteract the chaos of the supervillains he worked for. All in all, Max had a great time.
Max's Tooned Out has unexpectedly progressed to: 124/150
...Coupled with his earlier success at scoring the possibility of Powerline (who seems to be an Anthro/Toon roughly on par in musical pedigree with Micheal Jackson) having a concert in Doofania, Max seems to be developing a certain knack for PR-related admin/organisation work. Maybe a path the QMs could use for Character Development for one of our least developed and glamorous Operatives?
Him advancing his *Tooned Out* progression that much is pretty neat as well, especially considering the fact that his main source of advancement in that regards (Agent Russ) is currently unaviable to us.
--[x] Janna Ordonia (Work for Brocamas)
56
Janna took advantage of the 'restructuring' to disappear for several weeks. It eventually arose that she had been doing 'consulting work' for an establishment in the Magus Bazaar. She'd initially been hoping to peruse the various shelves to find a spell focus that would fit her mood, but she came home with a curiosity instead. 'Brockium' as the dusty label on the bright blue liquid reads, is apparently a chemical compound capable of forcing a magical creature of some kind to return to its true, supernatural form. It doesn't work on illusions, or to force a creature into a human or diminished state, but there may be some use to be found for a substance which can, say, induce a werewolf's transformation or force a Dragon to return to its true form. It is considered magical contraband, hence why Brockamas (no relation) was quick to shift it.
Vial of Brockium added to your Items!
Having a way to depower *Most* Magical beings for a bit could come in handy in case we have to meet that clientel on more hostile terms in the future.
Thanks a bunch, Janna.
--[x] Jumba (Work with Janus on ???)
99
To be continued in Interlude: Seeds
--[x] Janus Lee (Work on ??? with Jumba)
83
To be continued in Interlude: Seeds
---[x] Go undercover (Mirage PA)
94
To be continued in Interlude: Seeds
...So our resident Mad-and-Actually-Competent Scientists Jumba and Janus worked on *something* together, *Mirage* somehow got caught up in it, all three rolled really well (with Janus´ friggin 83 being the LOWEST ROLL and Jumba being one off from a Nat 100) and the resulting Interlude is titled "Seeds"?
Color me impressed, intrigued and a bit worried all together...
--[x] Ludivine (Tutor your Coworkers: Gomez)
67
Ludivine managed to squeeze in a few weekends of tutoring with Gomez in between all the other meetings he had to take care of, and while she can't say he improved dramatically, his test scores did jump between the first pop quiz and the last. If nothing else, he was a very eager learner.
Gomez's Learning has increased by 2! Repeating this action may have diminishing returns!
The stats of our Operatives increasing is always a good thing, despite the possibly diminishing returns in continuing that Tutoring.
I take it
--[x] Wendy Wower (Talk to Trevor)
1
To be continued in Interlude: I'm Sorry; Please Help.
...Of course things were going too smoothly across the board for us, but did she have to roll a NAT 1 while talking to the man who nicked her designs?
That and the number being RED (something that only happens if things go really bad or would be a really bad idea to pursue) does not bode well at all for her/us.
SHIT
--[x] Juniper (Meet your Coworkers: Wasabi)
28
Wasabi and Juniper attempted to make plans to attend a Cheetah Girls reunion tour, but unfortunately Wasabi's work organizing literally an entire megacorp got in the way. Instead, the two had an impromptu karaoke night that was accidentally broadcast over DEI's building-wide PA system. Despite some embarrassment, the two seem to have become good friends.
Action Complete! Juniper gains Working Relationship: Wasabi
Things might not have gone that well in detail for the both of them, but Juniper extending her "Wirking Relationship" trait is still good.
—[x] Alan Bradley (Wander Around In A Daze)
9
Alan did not walk into a dinosaur pen. But only just.
...How was he even *Able* to almost walk into a dinosaur pen? Security measures should have prevented that.
But yeah, our dice seem to utterly *Despise* Alan Bradley for some reason...poor guy.
So all in all a very good turn...not bad at all despite some hiccups.
