Introductory Game - The Artifact

[Rotku]

Couple of questions. Hitpoints - are they based on the initial attribute rolls or the modified ones after limitations and careers are applied?

Untrained skills? Usable?

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

I did not roll on the bonus tables yet, and somehow missed the list of automatic skills. However, I did account for the 10 entries at +10 (Though two I chose - 1st aid and radio are apparently supposed to be present anyway. I presume the +10 can't be stacked to raise starting skills.) An amended version will be worked out in the morning.

As to the commentaries, I'll put them in the 1km1kt general forum since I think everyone could learn from the discussion about skill lists.

[Onix]

Couple of questions. Hitpoints - are they based on the initial attribute rolls or the modified ones after limitations and careers are applied?

Untrained skills? Usable?

Hitpoints are always based on your current Str and Con. If those attributes go up, then HP goes up. If they go down (very rare) then hit points can go down.

As for untrained skills I think you mean can you perform an action that is governed by a skill if you do not possess that skill? The answer is, usually. I've usually just left that up to the GM but I think a good indicator of if you can use an untrained skill is if it has a higher skill cost (like General Medicine or a Speak skill). If you want a crib sheet for which skills have higher XP costs, the skill list on the character sheet is a good reference. I'm making a note to myself to clarify that, it's come up before.

I presume the +10 can't be stacked to raise starting skills.

That would be up to the GM, I used to allow it and it does have some benefits but we've been playing that you can't stack more recently so I'll say no, to stacking.

[misterecho]

Name: Edward Bouchet
CO: Field Scientist
Rank: Warrant Officer
Attitude: Heroic, will disregard personal safety in order to help others.

Attributes
CON 50
STR 40
AGI 30
REF 35
DEX 40
BTY 20
CHA 50
INT 15
IQ 90
PSY 10
HP 15

Equipment
Standard Issue: 9mm Pistol, 9mm Ammunition (5 clips of 10), Knife, Five (5) ASO
Uniforms, ASO P.R.T.R.S.D. (Personal Radio Transmitter/Receiver Scrambler/Descrambler),
ASO Light Armor, Binoculars, Night vision goggles, Vac-suit, Bio-Sample Containment Unit, Haz-mat Containment Unit, Portable Smart-Microscope and protective case, Diagnostic Computer, surgical tools, MiniDVD Player/Recorder, Digital camera w/low light, Disposable Surgical gloves (300), Geiger Counter, Flashlight, Portable Electrospectigraph

Clearance Upon Assignment: P.E.T., Access to appropriate ASO files and labs.

Skills: Archeology +25, Biology +25, Botany +25, Chemistry +25, Mathematics +20, Physics +40, Psychology +20, Sociology +20, Anthropology +30, Theology +10, Architectural +10, Electronics Engineering +20, Mechanical Engineering +20, WS Pistol +5, HTH Combat +5, Speak Chezbah +10, Read/Write Chezbah +10, Chezbah Culture +10, Military Intelligence +10, Dodge +10

Errata
Gender: Male
Nationality: South African
Height: Short
Build: Average
Age: 18
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Ambidextrous Either, no penalty for using items wrong handed.
Gifted +20 to one attribute.

Edward has recently graduated, he has joined the Armed Forces in a scholarship program to pay for his upcoming Ph.D. in physics.

[Onix]

Okay lets get the ball rolling. Rotku if you want to join in, there'll be time for that so don't worry.

Zvika you grew up hearing that this planet "The Artifact" could be the answer to the poverty that gripped the town you grew up in. Your question was always "When?" It didn't seem real. You saw the International Teleportation Center (ITC) under construction on TV but couldn't imagine how it had anything to do with you. Finally you heard that the military was starting a pilot program for sending people through space. You knew a little about teleportation, usually it was used by rich people that didn't have time for airplanes and some people talked about getting packages from FedEx's teleportation stations (usually small items and letters only). It sounded crazy, but you were already up for compulsory military duty at 18 so you figured you'd put your name in the drawing. Your exceptional piloting skills got you in to the program. So saying goodbye to your family you headed off to America where, in the Nevada Dessert you first saw the ITC. Still, it didn't seem real. When they loaded you into a small waiting room for transport, it still didn't feel unusual to you. Then when it was your turn, they brought you into the teleportation room. Dozens of technicians sat at computers calling out to each other. A simple looking platform stood a meter or so off the floor of the room. You were instructed to step on along with ten other men and then it all went fuzzy. You felt a little jolt and suddenly you couldn't see straight and the floor came at you fast. It took a few moments to recover, your head throbbed. When your vision cleared you were on the ground in a different place.

I'll do Edward in a little while. Gotta go to work.

[Onix]

Edward's story is a little different. Since you were tiny, you were amazed that there was this other planet that people had traveled to. You read as much as you could about all the new advances that would get humanity there. One thing always made you wonder though, why didn't anyone in the media talk about who built it? Sure there was the Kelrath that was brought back as a prisoner but from anything he said it seemed like nobody knew except for one group, the Chezbah. Sure there were theories, most of them drivel in your opinion, some of them quite good but if there was any way of knowing, you'd have to find out from the Chezbah. When you signed up for military duty it was under South Africa's military science department. You had heard of a few tenured scientist getting to go to The Artifact without joining the military but that would take too long! You were a shoe in for a scholarship even though your family was poor and couldn't send you to the best schools. Besides you figured that most of the ground breaking research of the next few decades would come from on the other side of the teleporter. You really didn't have a choice. Just seeing the ITC was almost too much to handle but to actually see the inside of the teleport chamber and all the hardware that was there was amazing and almost worth the trip by itself. The Teleporter engaged and you could feel a twinge and the room spun for a moment. You knew this was a common side effect of the teleport process, you expected it, feeling it was a different matter though. Then you realized, you weren't on Earth anymore!

[Onix]

This one is for both of you. You are now in the ASO's teleport receiver room on The Artifact. The platform is made of plywood and what looks like PVC pipe (it's a relative of PVC that is static resistant). The building uses more of the PVC like material for it's frame and Stainless steel sheet metal for it's skin. There are techs, working everywhere, the building is about fifty meters by fifty meters square and there are no interior walls. You can see what seems to be daylight through seams and pinholes in the stainless steel sheets.

You're ordered off the platform and to get checked out by the medical staff. Both of you get a green light from the medics even though you tell them you feel like you've got the flu. They shrug it off and tell you it's normal, it'll pass.

Let me know if you have any medical questions for them or any other comments or questions.

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

(OOC) I redid the character to add the provided skills and roll on the tables. The good news is Zvika's AGI and REF are up to 30 and 35 respectively from 10 apiece. As to limitations the dice chose myopia, and "English isn't first language" so the two free skills I got back (first aid/radio were optional picks) went into read/write and speak English. As the potential bonus - he apparently looks a bit like a kelrath - not that he knows enough about them to do much with that. No adjustment to age/rank - he's an 18 year old private - a bit on the tall side, but average build. With a low PSY, INT, and IQ and a minimal English education he's rather nervous and inarticulate, though a nice person when he can string together words properly.

(In character) [wringing hands nervous tic] Can you please tell me if um, do you know if any tzahal persons have been through here lately? I have some... questions about shabbos and other things. Oh, and uh do you have any salor soltun er, no - eye drops! For my contacts? I kinda forgot - exciting traveling to new country then new world - yes?

[misterecho]

I feel ill, will we be allotted some rest time before we are assigned duties?

[Onix]

[wringing hands nervous tic] Can you please tell me if um, do you know if any tzahal persons have been through here lately? I have some... questions about shabbos and other things. Oh, and uh do you have any salor soltun er, no - eye drops! For my contacts? I kinda forgot - exciting traveling to new country then new world - yes?

The female medic that is checking on you, if given any time to answer in between questions replies.
Any tall persons? We have all kinds of people come through here.
Um I don't know what you mean by "shabbo" honey but I can get you some eye drops. (runs off and returns with eye drops)

I feel ill, will we be allotted some rest time before we are assigned duties?

Yes, the standard recovery time is three days and they don't usually ship out before that unless there's an emergency.

After a few minutes of very rudimentary medical checks (heartbeat, blood pressure, pulse) they tell you to line up outside for transport to base. You see a few people walking out already.

You step outside the building and your eyes take a moment to adjust, it's a bit cold and bright. Your sense of place is a little lost for a moment. The sky is yellowish white and you'd feel like you were outside if there wasn't a enormous outward curving, brightly glowing wall behind you. In the distance (about 8 Km) there is a military base. Your perception, being used to the curve of the Earth, gives you the feeling that the ground is very slightly bowl shaped. Subconscious parts of your brain start to argue about if you are outside or inside. It was explained to you that this is a Hex, or as the Scimrahn call it "Grier". Only one of trillions of giant structures that are stacked one on top of each other. (For a visual reference, the top of page 90 and page 91.)

You line up by a truck that starts up and rumbles a greeting to you. A Second Lieutenant walks by with a clipboard. He calls out a few names and tells them to stand off to the side. Then he calls out "Greengold! Over here.". Then "Bouchet! (He badly mangles it saying it like Buket, you've gotten used to it) Over here."

He pulls five men out of the group. The rest of the men are loaded into the tuck and begin to drive away. A smaller vehicle inelegantly called a transport is sitting nearby.

The Lieutenant addresses the five "Congratulations boys, you've been selected for lockdown. No "cultural contamination" for you. Climb in the transport."

You get in and the Lieutenant starts driving. He seems like a decent guy, you can talk to him or each other if you like at this point.