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A Bit about Path Radios

Invented (or more properly bred) by the Engineers, the Path radio was designed to be a more secure form of communication for use by teams in the field. Seeing as how given time, US forces can descramble even the most complex radio signal, it was decided that the only way to avoid electronic detection was to avoid electronics altogether and focus on telepathic broadcasting.

Path radios are living creatures with near-human intelligence; they are bred for loyalty and high-telepathic potential, but they can only link with another of their species over long distances. Contact with human minds can only be achieved over very short distances, less than a two foot range.

A Path looks like a sort of giant hermit crab, about a foot and a half across, with a hard chromatophoric shell, two sturdy legs, no external sensory apparatus, and a mouth located roughly in the center of the softer underbelly. There is also a short vestigal tail about two inches long that peeks out from the bottom of the shell.

The Path is worn much like a backpack, with the two arms over the shoulders like straps. The operator is in surface mental contact with the unit at all times, but he must request that the unit broadcast when he so desires.

The operator is also obligated to feed the unit after every six hours of use, or once a day when not in use; Paths subsist on a diet of glucose syrup, typically stored in plastic packs, but individual units often develop a taste for other foods, and experienced operators swear that a happy unit has increased range and better interaction.

It is forbidden to allow a living Path radio to fall into enemy hands - to this end, all Path units have been bred to have two poison glands. Firmly grasping and yanking the vestigal tail pulls out the core of unit's central nervous system (the equivelent of its spinal cord), which also triggers the release of the poison, instantly killing the creature and causing its organs to rapidly disintergrate. All units are aware of this fail-safe, and accept it as part of their lot in life.

It's believed that a Path has a lifespan of twenty to thirty years, though since they've only been around for three years, this will only be discovered in time.

Paths are named after their 'mother' unit, larger creatures that are kept at each Battalion HQ - they are numbered after the order of their birth. They are gentle, loyal creatures, not unlike a strange species of dog, and over time they often develop complicated relationships with some operators. There are rumors of some Path's going 'rogue', becoming 'psychic vampires' due to injury or mistreatment, but these claims have never been proven. Nevertheless, many Greens are unnerved by the unusual creatures, which their operators say is pure hogwash.

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Um, in case it wasn't clear from my post, Bumping River Valley is the chosen battlefield between those two great titans of Greendom, Havoc and Rex. Have at it, lads ::biggrin

(The Storyteller nows runs and hides in his bomb shelter deep within the bowels of the Earth ::nervous ::unsure ::lookaround)

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I could be wrong, but I can't help but get the feeling that we're in one of those 'ST waiting on the player/players waiting on the ST' cycles. Here's what I'm waiting on:

1. Epstein's ready to go, and is ready for some orders.

2. Colby asked if any of her men were desired for the recon mission - it's unspoken, but she's abvailable, too. (Rex, keep your trousers on ::sly)

3. Kelso presented the datapad to O'Reilly (Malk, you can PM me with any specific questions about X4's inventory).

4. Daniels inquired if anyone wanted to use the Path radio.

5. Havoc's waiting for Rex to show up at Bumping River for the big grudge match of 2056.

Does anyone need anything more from me? PM me if you'd prefer.

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Mike himself has gone back to bed to nap and intends to put his primary self on the line only in an extreme situation.

Mike's clones shouldn't use the path radio, because if he runs out of juice he could stop existing and the radio would be captured.

Since Mike's plan (nuke them from orbit and see what happens) got shot down, he is kind of waiting for someone to accept the back up plan (warp to out of range to the detection van and walk there.)

Then he and any other stealth units can try to sneak in.

I guess the real question is, other than Mike, do we even have any stealth or sneaky PCs that are up to this, or are they off trying to kill each other?

Or is everyone ready? Should Mike just open up a gate and off we go?

Mike has his weapon (a q-bolt & a hand gun), his tranportation (warp), and one way or another it is unlikely he will live very long in any case. He's ready to go.

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I guess the real question is, other than Mike, do we even have any stealth or sneaky PCs that are up to this, or are they off trying to kill each other?

Or is everyone ready? Should Mike just open up a gate and off we go?

Mike has his weapon (a q-bolt & a hand gun), his tranportation (warp), and one way or another it is unlikely he will live very long in any case. He's ready to go.

I've just been waiting for the Scouts (Alex and P.O.B.) to take the lead, since the first part of this mission is, you know, recon. I've been waiting for them to attempt to do a plan. Maybe you don't want to roleplay all of that, in which case it might as well take place here, but at least post what your character is doing. Which admittedly I haven't either, I'll go do that now.

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Cracking the knuckles on his two-fingered, clawed, hands, he walks staright up to Havoc. Then he grows to around fifty feet tall, & steps on the gimp, grinding his heel slightly - just to make sure. 

LOL!! ::biggrin ::laugh ::blink ::biggrin ::biggrin

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Actually Markus, AKA Lobe, isn't a Scout. He's a combat medic that was assigned to provide those skills to the group. He just offered to join in 'cause he's a bit of an adrenaline junky.

My bad Prince. I thought you were playing Jamie for a minute. Alex and Levinwurth, then.

Jamie isn't much of a tactician - I suppose he can offer his input, but he's not really suited to the role of mastermind.

Then post a feeble attempt to come up with a plan, and if the Mikes are similarly leadership-challenged, post that they wait until Rex and/or Havoc comes back.

As far as plans go, I personally see nothing wrong with sending the Scouts in to sneak around, double-check the map of the place, gather information on any new capabilities the place might have, and come back.

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Since everyone is spilling a little bit of the beans.. Walter can put you on the right or wrong side of the barrier known as "Red Tape". He also has the ability to get you just about anything you might possibly think you need, possibly even before you might need them.

But Combat wise.. We'll leave that to the big dino and his friend..

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Sorry to be away for so long, lads - dodgy internet connections and being out of town for the week-end have that effect.

(They also make you post in the King's English, apparently ::sly)

Now I just have to resolve The Greatest One-on-One Battle this Forum has Ever Known!TM

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As far as plans go, I personally see nothing wrong with sending the Scouts in to sneak around, double-check the map of the place, gather information on any new capabilities the place might have, and come back.

Especially if the base is put on alert because of the massive fight off in the distance.

OK, then Mike is going to post that he will open a gate in a moment and get the show on the road.

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I just wanted to point out a few last things about the radios:

1. The US Army has technology that allows them to detect and decode encrypted radio signals, given enough time. Also, the standard Infantry helmet and Scout radios have pretty short range (about 5 km) to reduce chances of detection by enemy forces.

2. Anyone with Hyperenhanced Hearing needn't carry a radio at all, obviously - such broadcasts can be detected like normal radio transmissions, though the transhuman mind can rapidly switch frequencies in an attempt to confuse such detection (this is a contested Intrusion roll).

3. Path radios have nearly unlimited range and cannot be detected electronically, though they do have a weak quantum signiture than can be detected at close range (within 50 yards) by sensitive ADE equipment. Also, they're a little creepy. ::laugh

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Unless he has clone (which is possible I suppose) he was just KO'd with lethal damage...thats going to take a few seconds to heal (by that time rex will have smooshed him like a bug)

I ain't tellin' ::tongue

On a more serious note, who exactly is going through the portal, and what gear are they bringing? Which NPCs, if any, are you taking along? Epstein's obviously ready to go.

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On a more serious note, who exactly is going through the portal, and what gear are they bringing? Which NPCs, if any, are you taking along? Epstein's obviously ready to go.

Epstein is welcome.

Mike(Clone) will go, he has a pistol and some basic navigation stuff.

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Okay, seeing as I've apparently killed the whole Havoc vs Rex storyline, or at least put it in the ICU (guys, PM me so we can figure a way out of this mess I created through lame combat posts!), I'm going to focus for now on the recon mission.

As I understand it, Master Scout Jamie Jennings, Scout First Grade Lynn Epstein, and a clone of Master Scout Mike Roe are the ones doing the recon - everyone else, speak now or forever hold your peace. I'm going to put a description up today/tonight to get the ball rolling on the Rimrock op.

For those not going on the recon or participating in an awkward, controversial grudge match ::blush, fear not, other plot gears are in motion...

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Oh, ok. Does it involve spilling Frenchie's coffee? I hope not...because that would anger the frenchman.

Um, no! What are you, crazy? 'Spilled coffee'! (snort!)

Sounds of frantically re-writing notes....

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And what if that substance is moxoquantamine?

Oh, you wacky prankster, you! ::wink ::laugh

BTW, is anyone going to GenCon Indy this year? I'm running a War Journal game there called 'Listen to the Flower People', and so far no one's preregistered for it ::smiley4

At least my Adventure! game filled up fast like it usually does - I'm gonna run two slots of it next year ::thumbsup, as well as my Ars Magica 17th century pirate story ::pirate

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BTW, is anyone going to GenCon Indy this year? I'm running a War Journal game there called 'Listen to the Flower People', and so far no one's preregistered for it ::smiley4

,,

Maybe somethign to do with the title?

::confused

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