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wiegieman posted:You're gonna like this series. Oh hell yes.Cirion (the creator of this mod and its sequels) REALLY doesn't like racists, if the trilogy's anything to go by.  And ahahahaha, we finally meet Dorbi, the best character.
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Sep 8, 2019 02:32
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"loving hates racists and encourages you to set them on fire in their RPG" is a good trait to have.
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Sep 8, 2019 02:34
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Fun update, but I think that you have a misplaced photo. It's the line where Dorbi says "It's up to you"; I think that that line is supposed to be Kami.
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Sep 8, 2019 03:35
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we're basically playing an antifa catgirl and I'm down with that
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Sep 8, 2019 03:41
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Racists are basically the go-to in Shadowrun if you want your players to go up against an enemy they have no moral compunctions about killing, and I am OK with that.
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Sep 8, 2019 10:24
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Whybird posted:Racists are basically the go-to in Shadowrun if you want your players to go up against an enemy they have no moral compunctions about killing, and I am OK with that. I mean, you can throw azzies and tir in there too without much worry.
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Sep 8, 2019 11:46
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T-man posted:we're basically playing an antifa catgirl and I'm down with that  Hello everybody, welcome to Kami's Daily Kill! We have a great video of me breaking up a NC meeting by caving in a man's skull with my bat, and I'm pretty sure you can see the rest of them actually pissing themselves before they run away! And of course by popular demand, Emperor Norton's frugal living corner is back! Today's topic is 5 new uses for devil rat pelts. Don't forget to hit the Like button!
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Sep 8, 2019 11:51
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JustJeff88 posted:Fun update, but I think that you have a misplaced photo. It's the line where Dorbi says "It's up to you"; I think that that line is supposed to be Kami. It flows a bit weirdly, but that's how it is.  T-man posted:we're basically playing an antifa catgirl and I'm down with that The thread very quickly coalescing around Kaminari "Let's destroy some oppressive power structures with MATH!" Saito as our main character in the beginning was a very fitting choice.
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Sep 8, 2019 12:42
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TheMcD posted:The thread very quickly coalescing around Kaminari "Let's destroy some oppressive power structures with MATH!" Saito as our main character in the beginning was a very fitting choice. It was meant to be. 
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Sep 8, 2019 19:07
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Quackles posted:They had it coming To be fair, this is also fitting for shadowrun chicago.
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Sep 8, 2019 19:24
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TheMcD posted:It flows a bit weirdly, but that's how it is. I stand corrected.
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Sep 9, 2019 03:20
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This mod is amazing, but it's made 100x better by playing a mathemagician with a bat. Thank you thread for introducing me to Kaminari Saito.
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Sep 10, 2019 16:41
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So what's Norton's totem? (I mean, it's obviously Norton the 1st, but there's only so many to choose from in-game)
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Sep 10, 2019 22:22
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Fighting Trousers posted:So what's Norton's totem? (I mean, it's obviously Norton the 1st, but there's only so many to choose from in-game) The Great Mother. I know this because he gets the totem's specific spell later on.
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Sep 10, 2019 22:42
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The only thing I dislike about this mod is that Lofwyr is kind of out of place here. Yes, he sits on the council of princes of Tir around the time this happened, but "realistically speaking" working with policlubs is more alamais thing in the first place, and the whole thing in general is probably too small fry for him.
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Sep 11, 2019 21:58
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Update XI - drat This drat Dam Now, it's time to head to Shasta Dam and gently caress up some Native Californians.  Norton and Dorbi will be coming along for the ride.   And here we are. Looks like everything is just fine.  Bollocks. So, we've got some explosives. If we were intelligent, we could disarm it. If we were charismatic or had the Security Etiquette, we could just tell the security guy to try and disable it. Alas, we can't do any of that, and this guy can't disarm it either, so one of our group will have to bite the bullet.  We can pick from every party member, so let's formally introduce Dorbi to the crew and have her figure it out.  She eats 25 HP of damage for her troubles. Oh well, nothing a medkit can't patch up.  And we don't have to worry about explosions in the immediate future!  What we do have to worry about is these fuckers on the other side of the bridge.  Did you crawl over here after I kicked you out of your garbage home? Thanks for wiping out those waterjackers for me. Now my boys won't have any competition when we expand to control the 5.Yeah, yeah. We didn't totally beat your rear end at all back there. [Let Dorbi speak.] You fragging piece of slime! Those were good folks. Well, maybe not 'good', but next to you they were saints. I'll kill you for what you did! What are you doing here? I've noticed that you're letting filthy keebs roam around freely in Redding. That's a mistake, hoss. Do you think they'll just stand idly by when them pointy-ears come swarming down from Tir? They'll light the way for the invaders, and stab you in the back. Are you as stupid as you are cruel?[The elf has been bound tightly and made to kneel on the pavement. His clothing is torn and he's bleeding profusely, but he remains defiant.] We elves will be the first ones up against the wall when Tir breaks through! Nobody will fight them harder than us to resist them. See what I mean? [Without looking, Claude casually slams the elf's head into the pavement.] Treacherous, deceitful little vermin. If you had the guts, you'd take care of them yourself.We could tell him that those elves are no threat, since people with nothing need to stick together, but we don't have the Street Etiquette for that. We could also tell him that he has a point, or that we need to question the elf if he's a traitor. Or, we could just do this: Let him go immediately! You want a fight, eh? Lucky thing we came prepared! Since you're out here, this is a prime time to take over that fine base of yours. Men, keep these heroes busy! I'm going to stir up some mischief. And with that, Claude and some other guys run off and blow the bridge behind them, leaving us on the other side with some guys to fight.  Oh well. Kami does her thing...  ...while Norton frees the elf.  Our new friend, Elorn, is a shooty type. He's got a shotgun and a submachinegun.  We splat all of the nearby enemies, but new ones spawn in at the top.  While Kami carves those guys up, Dorbi heads down to check the exploded part. Looks like we can't move on here now.  And next turn, the game just drops five guys directly next to our squishy mage and blocks the way past. Uh, whoops?  So, yeah, Dorbi gets kinda hosed up something fierce.  Thankfully, Kami can run fast enough to get to her to patch her up before she dies. We then carve up the rest of the enemies with relative ease.  He's convinced that, if he can get on the air and spew his racist propaganda for long enough, he'll persuade local humans to rise up and slaughter the elves. He's probably wrong - the people in Redding are good folks - but why take the risk? We should hurry and stop him. Now that we're done with the battle, someone else showed up at the bridge.   I have seen much here, but I understand little. [She motions you to come closer.] Tell me. why were those men hurting that elf?Our response options here are that they were doing it either because they're cruel sadists, they're scared of elves, or they wanted to solve a problem. They're cruel sadists. I'm sorry, but that concept is so foreign to me. I've known many, many cruel men in my life, but I will never understand why they would choose to inflict pain on others. I've heard frightened whispers of an invasion by Tir Tairngire. What does this mean?It means either that elves may conquer humans, that many will die in a coming war, or widespread destruction. It means widespread destruction. I had thought that the elves of Tir Tairngire would care for nature. However, such an invasion would surely cause a great deal of harm. I am curious... how do the metahumans fare in these lands?Here, we can ask for some opinions from the party. Elorn, do you want to handle this? Redding isn't the worst, but it's pretty bad. Many parents ostracize their children when they manifest metahuman traits. Discrimination is widespread, too. It can be really hard to find a good job if you're not a human. What do you think, Dorbi? We dwarves and elves have the best of it. Humans are content to call us names, but think we're pretty good workers at what we do. Orcs and trolls have it really tough, though. It's no wonder that so many of them end up as shadowrunners or in gangs, since the human world has little use for them.As for our answer, we can say that metas face a lot of discrimination, that they need to learn to give as good as they get, or that they have it as bad as everybody else. Metahumans face a lot of discrimination. That's very unfortunate. How sad. I wish I could help them. Thank you for answering my questions. Can I do anything to help you? Did you see a group of men running past here? Yes, they passed this way. Their leader ordered the dam destroyed, and they detonated it behind them. Such devastation! While the dam is not natural, its razing would do nothing to restore harmony. What do you think about our chances here in CalFree? They certainly appear hopeless. However, the impossibility of the task should not deter you from your struggle. I believe that we all have an obligation to do what we can to change things for the better, even if it is impossible. No: especially if it is impossible. The day may come when darkness surrounds you, death presses in, and you can see no escape. Even then, do not give in to despair. Declare your intention to live. Tear down the very walls that surround you. Death may still find you, but you might persuade it to show mercy on that day. Can you help us return to Redding? Yes, this is within my power. Accept this as my thanks for the enlightenment you have provided. And she just magicks the fire away, then turns into birds. ...sure.  Uh... what are you talking about? Oh, you know! It's nice to be with a meta-majority group for once.This is not accurate mathematically! We're an even fifty-fifty split! Uh, guys, I'm right here. Oh, you don't count! I mean... yeah, you're human, but you're cool enough that I consider you one of us. And you're not so uptight that you constantly surround yourself with other humans. I have to admit, I don't really think about human versus meta all that often. In NorCalFree, I'm used to elf versus non-elf. People seem to be afraid that I'm part of a Tir Tairngire fifth column, whether they're human, dwarf, ork or troll. Is that all because of the 2036 invasion? Yeah. Most people were alive when that went down, and they're terrified at the thought of another invasion. Tir left long ago, but locals are convinced that the elves are plotting some long-running scheme to collapse CalFree. What's crazy is that, any time I meet an elf from Tir, they treat me even worse than humans here do. They think I'm a race-traitor, and genetically inferior to second-generation elves up north. Humans wish I would just 'go back to Tir', and Tir wants nothing to do with me. Yikes... I'm sorry, Elorn. That really sucks. Eh. Yeah, it does, but I'm used to it. Now that I think about it, maybe I should spend more time hanging out with metas like you. I don't think I have as much baggage with dwarves and orks as I do with elves. You should! Ring me if you ever want to check out Halferville together. It's almost all dwarves, but they're really friendly to anyone who isn't with Saito. They could always use a talented guard like you, and might be able to teach you some new tricks. Ugh... I don't think I could stand living underground for long. But, thanks for the offer. I really should try to get away from Redding more often.Cameraderie!  Alright, looks like we need to deal with that.  Before we get in, we have to carve up four thugs, but once they're dealt with, we can head back to Redding.   And we've arrived back in our base, with it looking somewhat worse for wear.  After carving through the welcoming committee, we find that the door to the control room is locked, so we need to check out the other area.  There's more enemies here, and we also get to steal something from the supplies of our vendors to later sell back to them. Hey, it's a cutthroat business.  In the back, we find a talisman we have to break.  While Kami deals with the endlessly respawning enemies in the other room, the rest of the gang heads to the control room, but find themselves stymied by a locked door.  But Kami finds the key for it pretty quickly just laying on the ground. I guess some guy dropped it? Thankfully, the key just magically unlocks the door instead of Kami having to hoof it all the way over to the door.  Of course Claude got out.  So while Kami continues to carve up respawning enemies and not caring, the others clear out the control room and interrupt the broadcast.  Hm, all of these sound good in a way, but let's go and build some class consciousness. We all need to stick together... and everyone needs to do their part. The Native Californians claimed to oppose Tir Tairngire, but their actions here today have helped Tir immeasurably. If you want to keep your homes safe, and see that your children grow up free, you'll need to help us repair the damage. We'll take your donations, your spare weapons, your labor and your valor. Help us save you. Oh hey, where'd you come from?  That should persuade a lot more metahumans to come out and join us. We'll need every body we can get on the front line. What a mess. It'll take days to clean this all up. [Selene shakes her head in amazement.] Well. I'll get to it now. See you later! But before we can head out to finish the run, we have some more dialogue. Um... yes? How fare your comrades in the Central Valley? We regret that we have not paid as much attention to this region as we ought. San Francisco has consumed far too much of our time of late. Well, that right there is the problem, Norton. Nobody gives any drek about little towns like ours, except as spots on a map that can be claimed for the glory of their empires. Sacramento holds the political power, San Francisco the economic power, and Tir Tairngire the military. Against them, places like Redding are nothing. So. how do we fare? Much better than we have any right to, I guess. Nobody gives us anything, and they'd love to take away the little we already have. We've learned to keep our heads down, and hope that people like you will forget that we exist. People like us? We assure you, Elorn, all cities in California are cherished subjects of our empire! Whatever you say. I must admit that I never lie awake at night worrying about what will happen when Emperor Norton invades our city. Nor should you! For you are already fortunate citizens under our rule. And rest assured, we shall do all in our power to keep you safe. That's a fine offer. But what exactly is in your power? I mean no disrespect, but where are your armies? Where are your drones? Will you bring infrastructure, logistics, training? What, exactly, do you DO? Do? [Norton laughs heartily.] Our dear Elorn, it is not what we do, it is who we ARE! We embody California, in all her strengths and contradictions. As long as we remain hale, so shall our beloved nation. And as long as our nation remains strong, so shall we. Do you understand? I wish I did, Norton. I really wish I did. [Elorn sighs glumly.] I would give anything to have the depths of your beliefs. And with that, we head out to get a hotel room because yeah, I'm not sleeping here.   Hey, we have, like, stuff here now! Let's chat with everybody to cap this update off.  How are the preparations going? I have to say, I'm pretty worried. We don't have nearly enough bodies to mount any effective field action against Tir forces. We might be able to harass them a bit with snipers and saboteurs, but they shouldn't have any trouble surrounding and wiping out our forces. I strongly urge you to do all that you can to encourage additional recruits to travel here.Dang. Do you need any support? The most important thing you can do is inform folks what you're doing. The more famous you become, and the more attractive you make our operation sound, the more people will show up in camp and the more potential soldiers we'll have. That said, I know a group of mercenaries who might be interested in joining us. They don't come cheap: it'll cost ¥4000 to hire them for this engagement It won't make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things, but sometimes every little bit can help.We'll be keeping this open until the end, since we'll have more money then.  I decide to grab an upgrade to Close Combat and Melee Weapons to unlock the next weapon.  What's your opinion of conditions in the camp? Supplies are critically low. You wouldn't believe the disgusting swill we're trying to feed your soldiers. And the body armor they're trying to patch together... it's pathetic, frankly. I strongly urge you to bring us more gear, and do it quickly.That still doesn't sound good. What do you think of our chances against Tir?[She hesitates. choosing her words carefully.] It'll be tough. Those of us who saw them cross the border in '36 remember them as this enormous green wave, inexorable, sweeping over everything in its path. The one advantage you have is that you're prepared. Back then, nobody suspected they would come. We were the first state to recognize their independence, after all. I think we all felt betrayed back then, and we don't want to make the mistake of underestimating them again. Then again, just knowing that you're going to get reamed doesn't exactly help against it happening, or make it feel any better when it does. I think this is beyond all of us. The best we can hope for is to delay their approach, make them bleed, and pray that some greater power will come to our aid before we're all washed away.So you're saying there's a chance?  Where do you get your supply from? It's not easy, I can tell you that. My San Francisco locations receive supplies from Seattle that are smuggled onto the coast. This far inland, we need to either hire runners to escort them over the Coast Range, or else cut deals with the local water gangs to bring in materiel from Pueblo. We also grab ourselves a shiny new weapon.  Are you worried about the imminent invasion? I guess? I mean, it sounds scary and everything. It's a bit hard for me to focus on something that's so far out in the future, though. There's plenty of stuff that can kill me RIGHT NOW. I don't have too many worries to spare for something that might kill me next month. That said, I don't like what I've heard about Tir. They're not quite as bad as the Native Californians, but it seems like the same sort of thing: They're building an elf-only nation, and kicking all of us non-elves out of it. So, yeah, I'll gladly toss a fireball or two in their direction. What's your story? Wow... are you recording this? Am I on Truly Trideo? Let's see... I grew up outside of Sacto. Mom worked for the agri-corps, never met my dad. I was a late bloomer, she near had a heart attack when I went trog. She was a good soul, though, didn't hold it against me. I started manifesting around that time, talking with invisible spirits and whatnot, and she figured I might have better things to do in life than jab at the ground with a pointed stick. So, she sent me off to Chico to study with a local shaman. That was generous of her. Yeah, she'd never caught a break in life, figured it was time for one of her progeny to make it. Anyways, I'm definitely the best shaman in my family, but that ain't saying much. No matter how hard I practiced, I just couldn't reliably cast the most important spells. I didn't even bother trying to get a job in corp security or as a shadowrunner. I wouldn't survive a single month of combat. But, I wasn't about to go back to farming. I know the theory behind magic, and I REALLY know the business, so I decided to open a shop. There are some good sites of power near Redding, so this was an ideal spot for me to set up a store. As soon as I saw your crew moving into town, I said to myself: "Self, these folks are going to need a lot of magic, and you are going to sell it to them." So I'm moving my operation over here for as long as you guys stick around. Don't make a liar out of me: Go ahead and buy something!Eh, I'll pass.  Where did you get your supply from? Well, Kali remembered me from our time together in Antumbra, and I guess she was impressed enough by my work to front me some startup capital. She has strong connections with Mitsuhama, and was able to send some surplus gear my way. I'm pretty self-sustaining now, and am cutting deals with local gangs to get more supplies. Still, Kali continues to offer good advice, and is earning her cut of my profits. How did you end up here? I grew up in Seattle, and decided that it was just getting too played out, you know? Like, nothing new seems to happen there, just the same drek repeated over and over again. I had to get out. California seems like it'll be the next big thing, so I sold all my gear and bought a one-way ticket down here. I didn't exactly expect to end up in a war zone, but now that I'm here, I actually kind of dig it. It makes me feel alive. I never really thought of myself as an aid worker or anything, but the medkits and stuff I'm selling might help save someone's life, and that's pretty rad. I'm glad to see you survived that hostage situation. I don't think I ever thanked you for that. So... thanks. [Elorn shuffles awkwardly for a moment before meeting your eyes.] Compared to the war you're facing, it would have been easy to ignore the fate of a couple of elves. It means a lot to us that you care for those living under your protection, and not just killing your enemies. What can you tell me about Redding? It's already started changing since you arrived here. It tends to be both sleepy and on edge at the same time, if that makes sense... we've been fought over and abandoned, and try not to worry about it too much. These days, there's more of a sense of purpose. Everyone knows that a war is coming, and we'll be the first casualties. So we don't have much choice: We have to train ourselves, arm ourselves, and prepare for what's coming. We would probably have just formed a militia, but now that you're setting up here with your out-of-town friends, it seems like our best chance for survival is to work together. After that, who knows what will happen? What kind of training do you have? My dad was a leader of the local insurgency after Tir Tairngire invaded back in '36. He helped make sure that me and my sisters would grow up in freedom, and he did it by shooting bullets into the back of elven heads. Ever since we were old enough to hold a pistol, he's trained us in marksmanship. We've always known that Tir was coming back one day, and all of us would need to be ready to fight them. I've drilled at the target range almost every day for most of my life. That said, I don't really have much experience shooting actual, living people. At most I'll occasionally need to take down a hellhound or cockatrice. That fight at the dam was the closest exposure to death I've experienced. I don't think I'm quite used to it yet... but I'll need to be if we're going to win against Tir. I've heard that you're Emperor of UCAS and Protector of Aztlan, but have you ever been to either of those places? We are far too busy to spend our time in idle transit! Thanks to today's communications advances, we are able to track events all throughout our far-flung empire, while remaining close to our beloved city of San Francisco. Never fear, though. While our feet have not trod the soil of those lands, our soul resides fully with her people. We take our duty seriously, and we shall not shirk from it. What do you think of our prospects? Frankly, they're not good. I have a few other operations in the region, and at the moment they're looking more resilient than you. Unfortunately, that probably means that Tir will target Redding as the initial weak point. As for what comes next... If you do survive, you'll be one of the most valued employees of the megacorps. Just how far you take that, though, will depend on the wealth and resources you can accumulate here. My superiors have tremendous respect for possessions, and the more supplies you can collect here in Redding, the more likely they will be to treat you as a peer, not just a lackey.Well, we'll have to see how we end up in that regard. Next time, we'll be heading to Colma to pick up Norton's Army. I'm sure nothing will go wrong there at all.
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Sep 11, 2019 22:51
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It's a little funny just how quickly Kali has been absorbed into the megacorp power structure. Mostly disappointing, but a little funny.
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Sep 11, 2019 23:13
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Where's our film crew? Where's my trailer?  I'm hitting up a hotel until you guys clean up this mess!
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Sep 11, 2019 23:21
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wiegieman posted:It's a little funny just how quickly Kali has been absorbed into the megacorp power structure. Mostly disappointing, but a little funny. When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss stares also into you.
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Sep 11, 2019 23:31
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Without knowing anything about the characters or story other then from this LP, and while I do think it makes sense and is funny for Kami to play along with Norton's delusional sounding "I'm the Emperor because I said so" shtick, I enjoyed Elorn calling Norton out on it. Also if the next step is to go recruit "Norton's Army", it makes me feel like Kami will have to fight through a bunch of stuff to get to the troops, just for Norton to say something along the lines of "Ah here is my army, greetings my loyal subjects!" then he hands Kami a backpack full of plastic green army men. "Oh Kami, it truly is an army if you believe hard enough. After all there is no greater power then the power of the mind!" I may be way off base and overexaggerating for comedic effect, but I'm still really enjoying the LP!
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Sep 12, 2019 01:18
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wiegieman posted:It's a little funny just how quickly Kali has been absorbed into the megacorp power structure. Mostly disappointing, but a little funny. Kali has proven herself to be nothing if not an incredibly talented corporate player.
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Sep 12, 2019 02:12
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Dual Power means you claw your way up the current hierarchy while at the same time you funnel it's resources and labor to a horizontal community group e: Also everyone is so mean it's still our first day 
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Sep 12, 2019 18:08
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Twenty Four posted:
I hope this happens and the army men animate for the final battle.
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Sep 12, 2019 19:55
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Where is Tir Tairngire supposed to be? Portland?
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Sep 13, 2019 04:14
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Nissin Cup Nudist posted:Where is Tir Tairngire supposed to be? Portland? Oregon plus some extra.
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Sep 13, 2019 05:20
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Nissin Cup Nudist posted:Where is Tir Tairngire supposed to be? Portland? The Elves renamed Portland Cara’sir, you ignorant human. And yeah, they’re Oregon and have invaded CalFree down to like Yreka? Mt. Shasta where the Great Dragon Hestaby has her lair and she stopped them? Something like that. It’s why Redding is now the front line here. GhostStalker fucked around with this message at 18:01 on Sep 13, 2019 |
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Sep 13, 2019 17:59
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Update XII - Rise From Your Grave Alright, next on our list is heading to Colma and picking up Norton's Army.  Norton and Dorbi will be coming along for the ride.   So, back in Colma, and I think I spot somebody familiar.  What kind of evil? The air here is... thin. It's very easy for creatures to cross over from the other side. The dead have lain at rest for many years, but some being has arrived to whip them into a frenzy. You must tread carefully. How did you get from Redding to here? Oh, it is a short distance as the crow flies. It takes you much longer since you need to travel on the roads and cross so many checkpoints. Thanks for the warning. Some of the poor creatures who lived here before survive still. I hope that you can rescue them before it is too late. And she opens the door for us. How nice of her, because I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have gotten in otherwise.  Now, welcome to the next ten minutes of gameplay: We wander around the graveyard, stumbling across groups of ghouls and hostages. Kami blitzes in and rescues the hostage (they just run off after being freed, we don't have to worry about them surviving after that), and then Norton and Dorbi stand back casting spells while Kami tanks and slashes. Oh, also, I forgot to mention this last update, but we have 3 AP now, and our allies have gotten some upgrades, which is appreciated.  This happens a second time over here, only that we now also have a fire elemental to deal with.  Also, we find a contact list laying on the ground, which I assume is some sort of paydata we can turn to cash later.  A little bit further north we run into another hostage, and more importantly, Tir soldiers. The plot thickens. Still, they don't last long.  After taking that group out, the game tells us we're done now. Works for me.  There are some more hostages around we can rescue, though the sidequest was already officially finished.  Also, Dorbi has something to say. That big fire elemental thing that seems to be following you... what do you know about it? Not as much as I should, and that worries me. Blast... I was hoping you could give me some insight. I understand that freed spirits are very dangerous, but I kind of feel like people are getting too hung up on the whole 'fire elemental' aspect. I mean, it isn't like fire is inherently any more or less evil than any other element, right? I shouldn't take it personally, but so much of my identity is tied up in my skill with fire. And I'm really good at it, and I really enjoy it! So it bothers me when people assume that since I'm good at making fire I must somehow be evil or something. Power is power. You could summon abomination spirits, and as long as you got results, I wouldn't care. Uh... thanks? I'm not sure if I appreciate being lumped in with those creeps. but I'll take it as a compliment. People think that fire is just something that destroys. It isn't! Fire provides light when you're trapped deep underground. Fire provides warmth when you’re freezing in the snow. Fire clears away the underbrush and allows trees to grow tall and strong. And, yeah, sometimes fire incinerates a group of howling mercenaries who were trying to kill you. But even when it's taking a life, fire can be saving your own. Anyways, I figure you'll probably need to destroy that fire spirit sooner or later, and please don't let any of this dissuade you. Just remember that ALL freed spirits are dangerous. Don't develop an irrational fear of flame based on one bad experience.Alright, cool. We also find some basic supplies strewn around the map that are probably just going to get sold. Now, let's move on.  However, the evil has chased their children into this mausoleum. Will you save them?There's a few options here, however I immediately gravitated to the Etiquette one, not knowing it would end the dialogue and move us on. Oh well. (Etiquette: Academic) That looks like a Byzantine seal. Can you help me depress the opening?[Tabitha nods silently, then leans toward the door. Working in unison, you both press hidden latches beneath the stone, and it smoothly slides aside.] Our paths must separate for now. I believe we will meet again in the future. My best wishes go with you.And with that, we head into the crypt.   Well, this doesn't look ominous at all. Crypts always just have relatively fresh looking corpses strewn about, right?  Spooky gargoyle statues.  Spooky gargoyle statues that come alive.  Spooky gargoyle statues that come alive and burst into poison gas when killed.  In the next room, we get both gargoyles and ghouls. Things get a bit claustrophobic for a while, but that just sets Dorbi up to nuke everybody. It's not a big problem, though Kami does take some good damage - that'll happen when like ten enemies gang up on you.  Now, the glowing statue is the only thing we can check out. We check it out, and it turns blue. When we do it again, it turns off. I assume puzzlery will be involved with this soon.  We find two more statues. One glows yellow...  ...and one glows red.  And then we get ambushed on the way back. This time around, the situation leads to the ghouls all filing into the room and beelining for Dorbi, who is not exactly made for getting hosed up by several ghouls. Oh well, we've been saving medkits, so no harm in burning some.  Before we move on, Norton decides to pipe up. What is it, Norton? As an experienced elder statesman, we feel we have much valuable advice to offer you as you transition into a position of greater responsibility. Men and women look to you for guidance, and the success or failure of your venture will depend greatly on your leadership ability. Never forget the most important aspect: complete and utter confidence in yourself and your own abilities. If you do not believe your word to be law, why should anyone else? In all that you say and do, let your conviction shine through. You definitely have that covered. Secondly, surround yourself with persons of significant skills and unquestioned character. Even as we have benefited from our association, so you may draw great utility from the men and women you attract to your side. But do not forget that such association is a two-way street! The precepts of feudalism demand that you grant your followers protection, even as they grant you their service. Remember, we all have our role to play in the Great Chain of Being. And, last but not least, do not forget to enjoy the fruits of leadership! What aspects of rule do you most look forward to?Well, we have some options here, and we might as well pick them all. I'm looking forward to minting my own currency. Ah, that is truly a pleasure close to our own heart! Emperor Norton banknotes have circulated for nearly two centuries now, and our spirits are cheered whenever we have cause to look upon our visage. You will know your reign is secure when your scrip is accepted by all you patronize. In the near future, you will be able to end the tiresome practice of paying nuyen for equipment that you so badly need yourself! I can't wait to name buildings after myself. Indeed, that will be a glorious day! We imagine that, before the year is out, Old City Hall will be known at The Kami Palace. And once your public works department has developed, countless roads and canals will be named in your honor as well! What a bounteous world your children will grow up in, filled with joyful reminders of their beloved parent. I'll need to design a flag and uniforms sooner or later... Oh, such colors you shall have! It is always a difficult decision to make. Will you display skulls and crossbones, to strike fear into the hearts of your enemies? Or a palette of pleasing hues, welcoming immigrants into your realm? Or attractive colors that will lure your foes into a false sense of security? The possibilities are endless! I want to decide who lives and who dies. Such responsibilities can weigh heavily upon us, but as the ultimate arbiter of fates within our land, this task will be of crucial importance. Will you be a beacon of justice and fairness? Or capriciously follow your whims? We will watch your career with great curiosity. I can't think of anything else I'd want to do. Never fear! We have no doubt that you will enjoy a long and prosperous reign, secured in our constant tutelage. Excelsior!Excelsior! Anyway, where were we? Oh, right, trying to not get gnawed on by zombies.  Next, we find a locked door and a puzzle. It's relatively simple - we need to snuff out those candles, but they're being blocked by colored force fields. How do we get past them? We just turn the statues we found earlier on and off until the combination of the lit statues' colors makes the color of the force field. So, for instance, we have all three on now, and turn off the yellow one, leaving blue and red, which makes purple...  ...and we can then turn off that candle. We repeat the process two more times with different colors...  ...and there we go! A powerful force lies ahead? Bah, what could it possibly be? It's not like we're just going to stumble right into that fire elemental that's out for our blood, right?  ...ah. Why are you doing this? YOU DO NOT DESERVE ANSWERS. ONLY DEATH.Welp.  So, we're in for a gimmick boss battle. We have a fire elemental attacking the door that we cannot touch. So basically, it's just a time limit. And in that time limit, we need to beat the poo poo out of Tophet, lest he turn Norton's Army into Flambé.  Now, he's pretty tough to hit - Kami's only got a 60% chance with Norton's Aim. He's got 170 HP, which is a loving shitton. He's also immune to some of Dorbi's spells, but thankfully not all of them. Finally, he hits like a truck - his first attack on Kami does a sweet 28 damage.  The second one is worse.  And because he gets two attacks at once, he blasts Norton in the face with 50 HP damage before the game over screen has time to appear. So, uh, let's try that again.  This time around, I don't forget that Norton still has a fetish in his inventory that we can use for a spirit, which helps in a situation where we just need to focus fire the hell out of one enemy. We also put Dorbi on the center of the ley line right next to Tophet - might as well. Norton's spirit isn't the most accurate, but 4 AP every turn helps with that, and it's also mainly there to provide another target for Tophet to attack - which it immediately does.  And the spirit's attacks are just enough damage to come in under the time limit. Why did you try to kill me? I COULD HAVE ACQUIRED BOUNDLESS STRENGTH. I LOCATED A SITE OF POWER. THE ONLY ONE NOT YET CLAIMED BY OTHERS. AND THEN YOUR ALLIES STOLE IT FROM ME! FROM DEEP BELOW ANTUMBRA, YOU DEFEATED MY GUARDIAN AND GAVE IT TO PETTY MEN IN SUITS, DEVOURING MAGIC POWER THAT THEY DO NOT DESERVE. I COULD NOT RETURN TO THE ASTRAL PLANE. I THOUGHT I WAS LOST. AND THEN MY ALLY RESCUED ME. Who is your patron? THE GOLDEN ONE. THE PRINCE OF PRINCES. THE GREATEST. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? DO YOU KNOW FEAR?Ah, crap. Not again. Why does Lofwyr keep showing up now? It's finished. NO. THE FLAME IS NOT YET EXTINGUISHED. WE SHALL MEET AGAIN. TWICE YOU HAVE BESTED ME. OUR THIRD MEETING SHALL BE YOUR DOOM.And it just disappears. Well, time to check up on the Army, I suppose.   I am very glad to see you here. I had begun to think that hope had been lost for the remnants of Norton's Army. Are the children safe? I am not a praying ork, but I could almost be one now. I thought for certain that they were doomed, as were we all. And then, you arrived just in time to save them. You are directly responsible for the continued lives of two dozen young metahumans, who will surely hold you in esteem for the remainder of their days. What were you doing before Tophet appeared? We lost several of our recruits to Shavarus after his plot failed. Lately, though, he has grown even more extreme, and has begun purging non-Trolls from his ranks. We gladly accept his castoffs, and work hard to bring them back into the fold. I've helped lead Norton's Army during the Emperor's absence, instructing them to hone their minds as well as their aim. Look, I brought your superior to see you! Orion, we are very pleased to see you once again! You have our gratitude for watching over our flock during our sojourn in Redding. Of course, Norton. This has proven a wonderful opportunity for me to put my theories about metahuman cooperatives into practice. I believe Norton's Army has become even more formidable than before, but it would not have been possible without the groundwork you have provided.OK, now we have a choice. We can either use Norton's Army to secure the supply routes, or have them directly help at the base in Redding. I decide for the latter, though honestly, both would be a good use. I need the remnants of Norton's Army to join me for the battle in Redding. Friend, after your actions today, I would support you in nearly any endeavor. The invasion of Tir could be a moment of great potential. The forces of humanity are already weakened in this state. Once the elves of Tir cross the border, they will sweep away all within their path, driving Saito back into the sea and pounding the weaklings of Sacramento into the ground. And yet, their short-term triumph would damage our long-term prospects. Without the potent threat of Saito to unite us, we would quickly begin to fight amongst ourselves. Orc against elf, troll against dwarf. So, while it offends me to think that I will be fighting alongside the megacorps, I will gladly do so for the sake of history. The great revolution is coming, but it will come from within CalFree, not from the north. Farewell, Kami. Our forces will join you in Redding shortly. You must play the part that you are destined to play.Alright, and that's it for this run. Time to head back.   So, once we get back, the contact list is just removed and we get money. Works for me - I guess we could've had some dialogue if Hailey were here (spoilers I guess - I mean, the game already very heavily signposted that the run in San Francisco will lead to us getting back together with her, so it shouldn't be a surprise). Now, time to chat.  How are the preparations going? I'm feeling pretty good about our chances. You've done a great job at attracting a broad range of folks to come out here. We've got some good soldiers in our group, and lots of other people eager to help out however they can. We should be able to make Tir think twice about even attacking Redding, and if they do, we'll make sure they pay for it in blood.Hey, that sounds actually decent!  In between, I decide to spend some Karma on Melee Weapons. Attacking multiple targets seems good for somebody like Kami, who dives right into the middle of battle.  Selene still thinks our camp sucks. This would've improved if we had sent Norton's Army to the supply routes, but then our soldier situation wouldn't have improved.  Amelia and Hrafna don't have anything new to say or sell, so let's chat with Dorbi. Got any plans for the future?[She shrugs.] Your organization is paying, so I'll be sticking around here for the time being. After that, who knows? I might track down some of my old buddies who went east. Or maybe I'll put down some roots here. I've started building a reputation in these parts, so that might be worth fostering. Horatio has nothing to say, so on to Elorn. Do you know anything about the Tir invasion? What? Just because I'm an elf, you assume that I'm intimately familiar with enemy troop movements? You're more local than me, maybe you've seen something. Well, I don't make a habit of crossing the DMZ into enemy territory, so... no, I haven't seen anything that might help you.D'oh well.  Forget the army for a moment... Norton, who is that? You better not be taking imperial concubines or something. Will Norton's Army be joining us soon? We had hoped that they would be here already, but sadly it appears that they have been detained. Moving a substantial force from the Peninsula would be difficult enough, but Saito won't permit them passage through San Francisco, so they have been forced to take a roundabout approach. Our field commander recently petitioned us to ask if they would be permitted to aid the valiant dwarves of Halferville. Apparently Tir has established a covert base in that region and begun sabotaging the settlements. We gave their mission our blessing, but we fear it means we won't have their assistance at the front lines for quite some time.Oh well, nothing you can do.  Will Colonel Saito help the resistance?[She pauses for a moment. choosing her words carefully.] Saito remains an enigma in many ways. He was first invited into CalFree to defend against Tir's last invasion in the 30s, and he probably fears Tir more than any other organization. That said, he's also a very practical man, and unlikely to spend his resources unless he sees a clear benefit to himself. Most of our allies will grow more confident and generous as we convince them of our abilities. Saito may be the opposite. If all else fails, he will commit every last man at his disposal to stop Tir. As long as he thinks we may succeed, though, he will likely lurk on the sidelines, waiting for his enemies to exhaust their power so he can increase his own. What do you think of our prospects? I think it's coming together pretty well. You have enough troops and supplies at your location to at least put up a bit of a fight after Tir crosses over. Honestly, though, you might not be able to last until reinforcements arrive. I'd recommend continuing to search for additional recruits and materiel to increase your odds. And with that, we're down to two options. We can either fast forward to the attack, or take one more run to San Francisco to meet with the megacorps. We'll be doing the latter next time - we still need to get our decker back!
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Sep 17, 2019 23:08
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The "what will you do with your power" dialogue with Norton cracks me up. "Uhm, I'd like to put my face on some money, have some places named after me, and make a flag. That pretty much covers it all, I can't think of anything else, call it a wrap!" lol
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Sep 18, 2019 01:10
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TheMcD posted:
Not for long, he won't  EDIT: Not a spoiler for this game, by the way- Saito going full 1941 Imperial Japan on California is regular Shadowrun fluff.
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Sep 18, 2019 19:57
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CommissarMega posted:Not for long, he won't Yeah, he's the leader of a military force from the most racist country on the planet (in Shadowrun, FYI,) so a mystery is the last thing I'd call him, unless that mystery is how many Metahumans he can kill without pissing off a suicidal number of Megacorps, Dragons, and Elves.
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Sep 19, 2019 18:04
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thetruegentleman posted:Yeah, he's the leader of a military force from the most racist country on the planet (in Shadowrun, FYI,) so a mystery is the last thing I'd call him, unless that mystery is how many Metahumans he can kill without pissing off a suicidal number of Megacorps, Dragons, and Elves. Well. Most overtly racist.
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Sep 19, 2019 18:25
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The Tirs are extremely racist, especially Tir na Nog.
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Sep 19, 2019 18:33
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Tag-along from the baseball thread who only has a passing understanding of Shadow Run from a few quickly aborted campaigns of it in HS: this game is $20 on Steam and the mod is obviously free: good as a jumping in point? Game looks fun but I'm worried about being hopelessly lost.
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Sep 19, 2019 18:59
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Yep! Dragonfall is a great place to start Shadowrunning, if you ask me. Each Shadowrun game is standalone, and the first game, Dead Man's Switch, is kind of rough around the edges, and lacks many of the QoL improvements Dragonfall and Hong King introduced.
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Sep 19, 2019 19:07
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DMS is also fairly short and somewhat tutorial-esque so if you give it a shot and think "this could be cool if it were, y'know, better" you'll almost certainly like Dragonfall and HK. I guess what I'd say is either play DMS first or skip it?
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Sep 19, 2019 19:33
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It's one of those situations where they were obviously refining the gameplay and writing as the trilogy went on. So start from the begining or just accept that you probably wouldn't enjoy the earlier ones. Personally I'd skip Dead Man Switch and start with Dragonfall, but you do you. edit: Also they're very common sale filler on GoG and HB, so maybe shop around a little Stroth fucked around with this message at 20:02 on Sep 19, 2019 |
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Sep 19, 2019 20:00
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Dragonfall is probably the best starting point, but if you're willing to stomach some jank, like Psion said, DMS is definitely more tutorial-like and makes for a smoother entry, even if the story is a bit more blah. So yeah, either DMS or DF depending on your jank-affinity. In other, more baseball related news, the Super-League is taking new signups! Go ahead and check it out if you're into baseball.
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Sep 19, 2019 20:21
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Thanks all. Looks like its $15 on GOG so I'll pick it up when I get home tonight
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Sep 19, 2019 20:47
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Sydin posted:Thanks all. Looks like its $15 on GOG so I'll pick it up when I get home tonight Isn't it the case that these mods featured here are incompatible with the GOG versions? (genuine question)
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Sep 19, 2019 21:59
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JustJeff88 posted:Isn't it the case that these mods featured here are incompatible with the GOG versions? I think the Antumbra mod and its sequels are downloadable from the Nexus.
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Sep 20, 2019 05:03
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