Name Vote
By far, when asked what they wanted to name their new organization, around two thirds of those mad scientists asked responded with either "Meh, don't care." or some variation on "What does it matter? There is SCIENCE! to be done!"
Of those who
did care, there was much bickering and disagreement over what the name should be. Still, the name with the most support behind it was the Metanatural Anomaly Department, which was easily shortened to M.A.D. Most of the others who cared about such things accepted it with only minor grumbling, and the ones who didn't care, well, didn't care.
Organization renamed: M.A.D.
Action 1: Advance understanding of Fusion
Roll 82 + 4(manpower) + 30 (skill) = 116
Success
Fusion power; clean, safe, efficient, and reliable. It's also pretty straightforward to improve on once you've got a working reactor. Admittedly, Siris has a...
unique taste in reactor design, but his design does work. By the end of the week, Siris and Doctor Watson have not only doubled the output they can get from a given reactor, but they're pretty sure they've improved their mastery over plasma dynamics to the point where a coherent plasma beam could be directed straight out of a specially-designed reactor core to flash-fry your enemies.
Needless to say, this is immensely interesting.
(Field Advanced: Nuclear Fusion)
XP
@Void Stalker: Research (1/11)
@Rotekian: Research (1/7)
Action 2: Advance Understanding of Robotics
Roll 27 + 6 (manpower) + 60 (skill) = 93
Success
Meanwhile, the quest for better robotic servitors continues. Though there's a lot more bickering in this particular project about the correct way to build a robot, the three mad scientists eventually come to see that each of them has come up with approaches that provide their robots with unique advantages. With a bit more painful deflation of egos, they all manage to combine their disjointed approaches to robot-making into a unified methodology that has most of the advantages of each.
(Field Advanced: Robotics)
XP
@DarkKing98: Research (1/15)
@Happerry: Research (1/11)
@Hazard: Research (1/7)
Action 3: Search for suspicious activity
Roll 80 + 8 (manpower) + 55 (skill) + 16 (equipment) = 156
EPIC SUCCESS!
Given how easily you found evidence of these other would-be world conquerors now that you have an inkling of what to look for, it honestly strains disbelief that they managed to evade detection for so long. With the combination of your own excellent legwork and the strangely cooperative stray cat population in the area, you've been finding other supernaturals left and right. To whit, this week alone, you have found
-A bunch of wizards from a branch of the 'Arcane Society of Merlin' in Buenos Aires near Chacaburo Park
-
Another bunch of wizards in Martina (a part of the greater Buenos Aires area) who are seemingly unaffiliated with anyone else.
-A cell of operatives working for the Illuminati based out of Morón
-A nest of Vampires in Buenos Aires' Mataderos neighborhood
-A solitary werewolf living in San Justo
-Some number of dream creatures living in and around just about anywhere you bring either the Dimensional Sensor or the Anomalous Energy Sensor. Apparently they're a sort of background phenomena?
You're
sure there's more such things out there somewhere, but you aren't sure where.
In addition, you were also contacted by a group of fellow mad scientists who set up shop a bit south of Buenos Aires. This'll probably lead to rivalry eventually, but for now you're both more interested in the other weirdness in the general area.
(basic intelligence gained)
XP
@theflyingbiscuit Espionage (1/9)
@Moronis Espionage (1/9)
@Shadowhope Espionage (1/11)
@Shadowhisker Espionage (1/5)
Action 4: Design Blueprint (Spiderbot Hub)
Roll 93 + 4 (manpower) + 30 (skill) = 127
Success
Originally intended for only the spiderbots, the automated robot maintenance system was quickly expanded in scope at Albert's suggestion. After much pestering of the other mad scientists for the specs of their robots, the first prototype was up and running, able to keep all of M.A.D.'s various robotic servitors in good working order, completely without human oversight. There is no possible way this could go horribly wrong.
(ROOM BLUEPRINT GAINED: Robot Maintenance Hub)
(Pilar Office Building gained room: Robot Maintenance Hub | 1 Storeroom converted)
(No further rooms can be added to the Pilar Office building without expanding or compromising functionality)
(get a new base, or expand your current one)
XP
@Phasehand Research (1/7)
@Happerry Research (1/11)
Action 5: Start A Front Business (Junkyard)
Roll 4 + 4 (Manpower) + 15 (skill) = 23
Failure
So, turns out opening a junkyard is expensive. As in, more expensive than you can afford right now. Sadly, by the time you'd figured this out, you'd already sunk a significant chunk of money into the project, resulting in M.A.D. having ownership of a chunk of land and all the rights to use it as a junkyard, but not having the money to properly staff or equip it in any way that would remotely preserve the secrecy of your operation. Because having the site crawling with robotic servitors, while doable, would be rather unsubtle.
-40 Funds
250 more Funds required to open Junkyard.
Base Acquired: Junkyard To Be
XP
@Phasehand Operations (1/7)
@Ylamona Operations (1/5)
Action 6: Design Blueprint (Recycler)
Roll 68 + 4 (manpower) + 20 (skills) = 92
Success
Well, at least one part of the disastrous junkyard project went somewhat well. Namely, building a device that can easily break down inserted items into their constituent chemical elements. It's been installed at the would-be junkyard in a hastily-erected shed. Hopefully, it doesn't get discovered.
Room Blueprint Gained: Recycler
Base Expanded: Junkyard To Be (Size 1)(Recycler)
XP
@theflyingbiscuit Research (1/7)
@Ylamona Research (1/7)
Action 7: Advance Understanding Of Biology
Roll 91 + 10 (manpower) + 95 (skill) + 39 (equipment) = 235
EPIC SUCCESS
In all honesty, it should have been expected that a bunch of mad scientists would be some of the least likely people to treat the creation, alteration, and reanimation of life as some sort of taboo that should not be broken. Especially not this bunch.
After kidnapping a few homeless people to use as test subjects, the first order of business is seeing what happens when Herbert's reanimation serum is injected into someone who didn't survive exposure to the Felinationizer (they reanimate, duh), along with what happens when the two chemicals are injected simultaneously (eliminates mortality rate at the cost of slightly increased mental degeneration). Professor Dunwich's Anatomical Structure Analyzer and Krista's gene-splicer in 'read' mode helped map the physiological and genetic changes induced by each chemical, and by the end of the week everyone is satisfied with the data they've got.
In fact, with the data on why exactly the reanimation serum causes mental degeneration, Herbert thinks he might have a lead on how to reduce the deleterious side-effects a bit.
(Field Advanced: Biology {level 2})
XP
@rolling-the-dice Research (1/11)
@Moronis Research (1/7)
@Entropy Engineer Research (1/17)
@Umi-san Research (1/11)
@Shadowhope Research (1/7)
Action 8: Combat Training
Roll 20 + 2 (manpower) + 5 (skill) = 27
Minor Failure
So, turns out that trying to train combat skills all by yourself really doesn't achieve much of use. By the end of the week you've learned next to nothing about how to fight properly, and you're certain you looked like an idiot to anyone who might have been watching.
XP
@Shadowhope Combat (1/5)
Action 9: Advance understanding of Shadow Technology
Roll 74 + 2 (manpower) + 15 (skills) = 91
Success (?)
Sooo... turns out that your two devices actually have little in common? Your Shadow Manipulator conceals you via distorting the light around you, that much you knew. However, your Shadow Gate (the thingy that lets you phase through walls) is a whole different beast, being based on a partial dimensional shift.
From what you can tell, the thing actually shunts most of your mass over to a weird sub-verse that you've taken to calling the Shadow Plane, before re-settling you in this spacetime.
Still, at least now you know how your kit really works?
XP
@Keeper Of Storms Research (1/9)
Action 10: Manufacture Equipment (Orthanc)
Roll 64 + 2 (manpower) + 5 (skill) + 71 (workroom bonus) = 142
Success (3)
While you already had an Orthanc unit that you'd brought with you to Argentina, redundancy of critical systems is seldom a bad thing. Thus, you get to work assembling another Orthanc server, then another, then before you know it you've made three of them in just a few days. Well, that's certainly something.
-3 Funds for materials
+3 Orthanc servers
XP
@Hazard Operations (1/5)
Action 11: Advance Understanding of Exotic Particles
Roll 27 + 2 (manpower) + 25 (skill) = 54
Minor Failure
It may surprise you to learn that there are a
lot of things that could count as 'exotic particles'. Even among mere mortals, there's conclusive knowledge of neutrinos, the Higgs Boson, the various exotic quarks, all the different sorts of Lepton, gluons, Z bosons, W bosons, antimatter, Dark Matter and Dark Energy. On top of that, they've theorized the existence of such out there possibilities as magnetic monopoles, Tachyons, and Negative Mass.
Meanwhile Mad Science has knowledge of at least twenty
more types of exotic particle, which only adds more oddities to the whole mess. All in all, you get basically nowhere due to your area of research being too wide and not focused enough.
XP
@Shadowhisker Research (1/13)
Action 12: Design Blueprint (Lightning Pistol)
Roll 58 + 2 (manpower) + 10 (skill) = 70
Success
An interesting fact about Mad Scientists is that every one of them, without exception, eventually builds a death ray. Reasons vary, from simply wanting a self-defense weapon, to wanting highly energetic revenge, to simply viewing their production as an interesting hobby. Of the vast number of possible 'Death Rays', lightning guns and electrolasers are one of the more common options, largely because of how easy they are for a Mad Scientist to make, and of how versatile they are. After all, a Lightning Gun is one of the few types of death ray that can reliably be set to stun.
This especially applies to the Lightning Pistol that Will E. Coyote has just put the finishing touches on, as it was designed explicitly with capture in mind, though it's still capable of frying someone if absolutely necessary.
XP
@Megaolix Research (1/7)
Action 13: Design Blueprint (Holding Cell)
Roll 16 + 2 (manpower) + 10 (skill) = 28
Failure
You consider the problem of how to contain the various supernatural gribblies that your group is likely to wind up capturing, only to realize that you don't know enough about them to design countermeasures for any abilities they might have. Ultimately, you table the project for when you have more information.
(holding cell design requires further information on potential captives)
XP
@Megaolix Research (2/7)
Action 14: Infiltrate the Argentine Federal Intelligence Agency
Roll 31 + 2 (manpower) + 15 (skill) + 6 (equipment) = 54
Failure
So, turns out that trained intelligence operatives are more observant than you gave them credit for. You were almost immediately detected upon entering their local HQ, and a pursuit ensued which you only managed to escape courtesy of phasing through several walls with your Shadow Gate. You also happened to take a bullet through your right arm on the way out, which presents its own problems. Fortunately, you managed to escape in Will's rocket car (which you borrowed without his knowledge), but still, this was a disaster. Not only were you wounded, but now the Argentine authorities know there's someone who can phase through walls and has access to a rocket car.
XP & Statuses
@Keeper Of Storms Espionage (1/9),
Injured (3 weeks)
Action 15: Advance Understanding of Computer Science
Roll 99 + 4 (manpower) + 45 (skill) = 148
EPIC SUCCESS
Computers are one of those critical technologies without which little can be done, at least when it comes to making robots. Better computers thus directly translate into smarter and/or smaller robots, along with a bunch of other things. Thus, improving M.A.D.'s computer technology falls to Doctor Nuclear and "Not Ted" Mathers. They succeed beyond their wildest dreams, producing a jump in the group's computer technology that equals about a decade of progress for mere mortals.
(Field Advanced: Computing, Lv. 2)
XP
@Bass11 Research (1/11)
@jaiveer00 Research (1/13)
Action 16: Start a Front Business (software company)
Roll 22 + 2 (manpower) + 15 (skill) = 39
Minor Failure
So, turns out that starting a software company is
also really expensive just due to the office space requirements required to hire enough people to keep it from being obvious that there's a Mad Scientist involved. This isn't even accounting for payroll.
Still, at least you did your research on startup costs ahead of time, and a software company is less expensive than a junkyard by a longshot.
(cost to open a Software Company: 80)
XP
@Bass11 Operations (1/9)
Action 17: Start a Front Business (Agricultural GMOs)
Roll
100 + 2 (manpower) + 15 (skill) + 14 (equipment) = 131
EPIC SUCCESS
Finally, a business where Mad Science is directly applicable, and is a massive advantage! Your techniques for making plants grow faster and with better produce than normal quickly earn you the attention of several dozen farmers, who are practically jumping at the opportunity to increase their output tenfold with minimal effort on your part. Very quickly you find yourself involved in an extremely lucrative business, more than recouping your minimal startup costs in the first week. After hiring several non-mad genetecists and others to handle the company while you focus on your research, you've still provided M.A.D. with a huge income stream that's likely to grow massively if properly managed.
Front Business Started: Fairweather Agricultural Supplies (Income: 350)
XP
@Umi-san Operations (1/9)
Action 18: Researching the future
Roll 54 + 2 (manpower) + 15 (skill) = 71
Success (?)
Well, researching the future seems to have gotten you little except disoriented. And has attracted a lot of worried glances from your colleagues. Apparently whatever you were working on Monday caused you to disappear out of existence in a loud 'foomph' before returning on Friday. Meanwhile, no time whatsoever passed from your perspective So, apparently you've discovered a way to teleport things forwards in time, which is certainly one way to see the future.
Phenomena discovered: Prograde Chronoportation
XP
@dunk1010 Research (1/9)
Action 19: Advance Understanding of Chemistry
Roll 14 + 2 (manpower) + 35 (skill) = 51
Minor Failure
Writing down the chemical formula for the reanimation serum only succeeded in telling you why the mere-mortals you showed the formula to thought it was nonsense. Just looking at the formula, every theoretical model you can think of tells you that molecular abomination of over 100 nitrogen atoms and only trace amounts of other elements should explode basically the instant it comes into being. And yet, it does not. Why this is the case is not clear to you.
XP
@Entropy Engineer Research (2/17)
Action 20: Design Blueprint (Hyper-Rotating Plasma Engine)
Roll 79 + 2 (manpower) + 10 (skill) = 91
Success
Well, the result isn't exactly spherical, but it's at least circular when viewed from the rear. Using your new advances in fusion technology, you've cobbled together a basic fusion torch rocket engine, which would not only greatly increase the fuel efficiency of Will's rocket car, but would also be easily scaled up to propel entire space battleships.
Component Blueprint Completed: Hyper-Rotating Plasma Engine
XP
@Rotekian Research (2/7)
Action 21: Advance Understanding of Slacking
Roll 56 + 2 (manpower) + 10 (skill) = 68
Success (?)
You cannot further improve your understanding of slacking, for you have mastered it.
XP
@them8... No, you don't get XP for this, you spent the whole time slacking off!
Action 22: Build Minions (Fetchbots)
Roll 57 + 2 (manpower) + 25 (skill) = 84
Success
You have built a six-pack of Fetchbots, the robotic servitors perfectly designed for getting you things without you having to move for your desk. Which is to say, they are functional.
-3 Funds for raw materials
+6 Fetchbots
XP
@them8 Operations (1/13)
Action 23: Research Local Geology
Roll 55 + 2 (manpower) + 20 (skill) = 77
Success
Taking a closer look at the local geology has highlighted something rather interesting. Namely, that the best nearby site for a sprawling underground base worthy of a bond villain would be in the Luján Partido, a bit to the southwest of Pilar. Admittedly the digging will be a bit labor-intensive, especially if you want to keep it secret, but for concealment and defensibility there's little better than an elaborate underground base... with proper defenses against bunker-busters, of course.
Potential Base Site Revealed: Luján Partido Bunker
XP
@rolling-the-dice Research (2/11)
Action 24: Manufacture Equipment (Dimensional Sensor)
Roll 86 + 2 (manpower) + 10 (skill) + 98 (workroom bonus) = 196
EPIC SUCCESS
Given the bizarre phenomena you're likely to be dealing with (especially dream creatures, which seem to be partially transdimensional), it makes a lot of sense to have the means to see what's going on in other dimensions. Fortunately, you have a device that easily enables such. You quickly set about churning them out, only to find at the end of the week that you've made two dozen of them.
-6 Funds for raw materials
+24 Dimensional Sensors
XP
@Void Stalker Operations (1/7)
Action 25: Hire 5 Interns
Roll Not Relevant
Success
You hire a set of five lanky teenagers looking for a bit of extra spending money, and according to their resumes, "adventure". Well, you can certainly provide both of those, though you can't guarantee their odds of survival. Or their odds of not getting experimented on.
XP
@jaiveer00
NOTES
-Payroll starts next turn
-Pay for Interns increased to 0.35
-Only those who actually do something get their characters and blueprints posted to the OP.
-Please, I'm begging you! Coordinate your actions!
-@ConfusedPotato HALP! Telling me which blueprints need integrating, character handling, and finance calculation would be much appreciated.
Actions
Each Character receives
-1 General action (can be any type)
-1 Research action (must be research)
-any number of free actions
FREE ACTIONS
[] Boss Minions Around
RESEARCH ACTIONS
[] Design a blueprint
-[] Details?
[] Advance Understanding of a Field
-[] Details?
[] Study a Supernatural Phenomena
OPERATIONS ACTIONS
[] Hire Minions
-[] Details
[] BUILD Minions
-[] Select Blueprint
[] Acquire a new base
-[] Details?
[] Expand/Modify an existing base
-[] Details?
[] Manufacture Equipment
-[] Select Blueprint
[] Start a Front Business
-[] Details?
[] Acquire Other Funding
-[] Details?
ESPIONAGE ACTIONS
[] Search for suspicious activity
[] Write-In
COMBAT ACTIONS
[] Suppress an ill-advised action
[] Write-In
TRAINING ACTIONS
[] Research Training
[] Operations Training
[] Espionage Training
[] Combat Training
