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222803 No. 222803 ID: 732129

Pick a character to start. They all have their merits and liabilities. Tommy is a dangerous melee combatant and gunfighter, and possesses enough influence to be important in the criminal underworld. The Professor is the go-to man for dealing with science and technology but is basically in disgrace academically and in debt heavily. Penny is a face type character and voice of reason, usually.

Whichever character you pick will still be his or her own person. You'll be a voice to them, anchored to them and communicating telepathically.

The game will use the GURPS system. You'll get to see the sheet of the character you pick here. You, the players, collectively have your own sheet as well. You get to see that now, in the discussion thread.

This is an experiment. I'm using a lot of pre-made art from sidtube.com, and using the story telling game Sleep is Death to build scenes. I'm not a good artist, but hopefully you'll get the idea of what's going on.
10 posts omitted. Last 50 shown. Expand all images
>>
No. 223012 ID: 732129
File 128302990569.png - (14.93KB , 640x416 , 00005.png )
223012

A split second after you've said it, the computer repeats it. Sherman ignores the anarchist's cookbook comment (though Penny nods, and Tom smirks). Sherman says aloud, his words echoed by the computer, "That's unfortunate that you don't remember anything, but honestly I was half expecting it when I summoned you. And to answer your question, I don't actually need the interface ring to speak with you. This is for their benefit," he waves at Penny and Tom lazily.

Tommy rocks back and forth a bit on the balls of his feet, his expensive shoe leather squeaking against the tile floor. He says, "Regular humans huh?

Penny stares at the computer and asks, "Was it a human, Professor?"

Sherman says, "Probably, but I can't say for sure." He taps at the computer, lines of raw data flowing past as the computer measures his mind. He points at the screen and says, "There we are. I've corrected for my pattern (quite different from our new friends', actually). And to answer your other question, friends, you're the result of years of hard effort. Your existence proves a hypothesis I held about the afterlife: that sapient minds remain as super-patterns of some sort even after they've died. Souls are real, and now we can measure them."

Tommy says, "Wait up, are you sure it was dead? You sure it's even a soul? Couldn't it be something else?"

Sherman says, "I haven't ruled that out, but everything's within expected parameters. I'm inclined to believe they (you are a plural, right? You referred to yourself as "we") were human at one point. I can tell you all for certain that they really are telepathically bonded to me."

Tommy says, "That's fascinating, but what can they do? I mean they're just a bunch of voices in your head."

Penny mutters, "Voices that think there's a plot." Neither man seemed to hear her. You probably wouldn't have either, if you had actual ears.
>>
No. 223049 ID: 7aff7e

We're definitely more than one person, regardless of the other stuff you mentioned.

As for what we can do, well... we can make suggestions. Given input on a situation, recommend approaches. If your guess is right, we're a group of people who have lived whole lives, and even without any real memories a person keeps their savvy, right? Their skills and intuition?

Should let Sherman talk though. Maybe he's got something else in mind.
>>
No. 223051 ID: 7aff7e

Oh, and Penny:

;)
>>
No. 223070 ID: 644ca1

Although we have no memories before waking up I do have a feeling that we wanted to meet you professor.

So you are trying to prove the existence of souls huh? Sounds interesting! Is there anything can we do to help you right now?
>>
No. 223129 ID: b10c0e

"Wait, we're people? I thought we were kind of the restrained consciousness of a collection of heroes from the multiverse that is dedicated to three directives:
1) Ruling,
2) Making Friends,
3) And Getting Laid, not nessarialy in that order.
Or maybe we were a Bunny's Eye...
And shh! Stop talking to Penny, if we tell them they're just a story online, they'll never believe us! Wait, can you hear all our thoughts?"

And try to effect the computer. Try 4chan.
>>
No. 223183 ID: 56dc25

وآمل بالتأكيد ان هناك أكثر من واحد منا ، أو تريد ان تكون محرجة لي هذه التعليقات أبله.
>>
No. 223201 ID: b10c0e

>>223183
حسنا ، يمكن أن يكون مجرد واحد منا. ربما كان من أكثر ونحن القوا Sevi أو شيء. مهم. يمكن أن نكون جزء من العمر ، أيضا.

Интересно, если это ужасно с ними или нет

Ehi! Goomba! Se si capisce questo, che sei un cane di fronte pizza twirling git che non hanno mai trovato un vero lavoro!
>>
No. 223229 ID: 732129
File 128305994721.png - (15.24KB , 640x416 , 00006.png )
223229

Penny ventures, "I'm almost afraid to ask, but how can they get laid?"

Sherman looks amused. He says, "Some of them must be a little confused."

Tommy snorts and says, "Confused. Right."

You start poking around with the computer, giving it direct commands through the interface tiara. Sherman notices what you're trying to do, and opens a network tunnel for you. He says, "This is a little cumbersome. I don't have any sort of interface you can directly access the computer with. Right now I'm acting as the relay for what you're thinking and trying to do with the computer."

Trying to visit the 4chan domain brings up an error page. It consists of a graphic of a large exclamation point with a couple of lines of text: "Blocked by order of the Secretary of ACTA Enforcement Agency, 2013."

Sherman says, "Oh, you wanted a free speech site? Give me a minute, I can open an SSH tunnel to an Icelandic proxy."

While he's futzing around with that, one of you starts experimenting with other languages. Arabic and Russian raise nary an eyebrow, but both Sherman and Tommy understand the Italian. Tommy's voice turns taut, and he says measuredly, "Now, I know you weren't all addressing me. But one of you had better apologize."

Sherman mumbles, "Yes, definitely multiple speakers there."
>>
No. 223236 ID: 56dc25

>>223229
Penny je rozkošný.

ACTA Výkonu Agentury? Co je to? Potřebujeme vysvětlení...

Please do help. With the computer, will get history to now.
>>
No. 223245 ID: 644ca1

The internet isn't free!? I am pretty sure it should be, HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!
>>
No. 223285 ID: b10c0e

>>223229
"Wait, what? Oh fuck no. Seriously, what the hell happened! The internet should be free!

My god, what happened to Quest.lv!" Check. Hope the world doesn't explode. And flexing our hacking muscles.

"Ok, you've got a deal. We help you stop these ACTA Assholes."

>>223236
"Penny je žena. Zajímalo by mě, když na prsou den se stane znovu.

Mimochodem, je mi jedno, co jejich příběh háček je, budeme snížit ACTA a něco jiného to líbí. Kdo by zaútočit na internet! Bastardi!

Hah! Si desidera ottenere un certo rispetto, Guido? Bene! È possibile ottenere il rispetto quando si prova la tua pena, capito? mooks cazzo pensano di essere così importante dopo che baciare un anello di cazzo e avere un boss dire loro cosa fare.

Ah, mi spiace! Sorry! È un po '... vendicativo, sai? O che ha appena ... traina voi."

And then let us try to make -them- do something. Get Tommy to pick his nose.
>>
No. 223287 ID: c91944

so, what is the current date, how fast can you build a army of drones and how can we help free the interwebs from communists?

and we dont make the babies. we help babies get made =3
>>
No. 223290 ID: 644ca1

It seems we can all agree on one thing, the internet must be freed from this "ACTA Enforcement Agency". What is now wrong must be made right again!
>>
No. 223291 ID: c91944
File 128309446641.png - (240.62KB , 350x1010 , BOUNCY AND ROUND.png )
223291

so doc, i must ask.

how was black and white pokemon's remake?
>>
No. 223319 ID: 56dc25

>>223285
Hrudník den? Pohybující se příliš rychlý, nemyslíte si? Já stejně jako její roztomilý komentáře.

Pokud se nám podaří vidět celá místnost najednou, můžeme vidět uvnitř objektů? Stejně jako přepravky ... nebo oblečení? A pokud ne, jak se místnost-pohled funkce?

Válka o ACTA se zdá vyrážka. Získejte více informací první, pak jednat.
>>
No. 223341 ID: b10c0e

>>223319
"Yes we can, and I don't think we need to translate that."

Look inside any boxes we can. Under tables, look at book titles, the whole nine yards.

Vyrážka?! Můj bože, jsou zakázány 4chan! Budeme vyhladit, zcela. Pokud se poškozené, ERM, nás, pak je zabít mrtvé. Rodina, přátelé, každý poslední subjekt pod kontrolou této brigády debile ACTA.

"Oh yeah, what do you lads want?"

Oh, a pojď, nic se nejasně roztomilý vzhled dostane sexuální návrhy, jedenáctkrát ven deset. Nyní Neříkám, že bychom měli, je to jen standardní postup pro nás, víš? Čím dřív sní o Penny a nejbližší bytost s pulsu, tím dřív se umění, a to jde pryč.

Oh, yeah, and should we update our character sheet?
>>
No. 223414 ID: 732129
File 128312467212.png - (14.95KB , 640x416 , 00002.png )
223414

The computer's voice synthesizer manages Italian passably. It was obviously designed for English, but anyone with an ear for the language can understand what you are trying to say. "Ah, mi spiace! Sorry! È un po '... vendicativo, sai? O che ha appena ... traina voi."

Tommy moves near the computer and says, "You call that an apology?" He turns to you (and the Professor, to whom your point of view is solidly anchored) and complains, "Sherman, that is one mouthy little jerk you got in there."

The computer bleats, "And then let us try to make -them- do something. Get Tommy to pick his nose."

Tommy rounds back on the machine and says, "I'm not going to pick my nose for you. Or anyone. What's wrong with you?"

Sherman took on a cautionary tone and said, "Don't get too upset. They can't actually do much. They have no corporeal form. All they can do to you is talk through the computer."

Another personality speaks up. "So, what is the current date, how fast can you build a army of drones and how can we help free the interwebs from communists? And we don't make the babies. We help babies get made."

Penny seems a bit curious, and asks Sherman, "I guess you summoned a fertility spirit?"

The old man shakes his head. "No. Just a pervert."

Your view of the world is centered just above Sherman's head. You can shift it around a little, a couple of feet in any given direction, but you can't move any more than that. You experimentally move your view such that it is centered just inside Sherman's shirt. Barely enough light spills through his clothes for you to be able to see his liver spotted chest. Trying to look inside of him is futile. There's just not enough light.

From your point of view, you can see the world in a manner similar to a fish-eye lens, except nothing is distorted. You simply have the full field of view available.

Most of the books are reference textbooks, collections of scientific journals, and compilations of periodicals.

One of you asks, "How was black and white pokemon's remake?"

The professor says, "I don't know, I'm not much for video games."

Tommy volunteers, "I gave a copy of it to my niece for her birthday. She liked it. Kids'll waste all kinds of time on dumb crap though."

Sherman says, "To answer your questions, friend, in order: The date is February 20th, 2016. I don't build robots, so quite awhile I suspect. And, the internet is currently controlled by fascists posing as capitalists who claim to be patriots. It's been like this for almost six years now."

The computer manages a couple of mangled Czech sentences. "Oh, a pojď, nic se nejasně roztomilý vzhled dostane sexuální návrhy, jedenáctkrát ven deset. Nyní Neříkám, že bychom měli, je to jen standardní postup pro nás, víš? Čím dřív sní o Penny a nejbližší bytost s pulsu, tím dřív se umění, a to jde pryč."

You can sense Sherman thinking back to you, Really now, please, get yourself under control. There's no reason to talk like that.

The proxy connection finally opens, and 4chan loads. /b/ is moving quite slowly, with most of the non-pornographic conversation being devoted to evading traffic shaping designed to stop Tor, how terrible Palin is in her first term as a puppet president (some of the images about that topic count as pornographic, too), and how to forge barcode coupons for prescription drugs. The longest thread is about the aftermath of a "/b/rotest" in Sacramento about water rationing. A number of anons were apparently arrested. A cross-reference with the major news agencies shows sanitized stories about the protest, painting anon as an anarchist anti-environmentalist that held the protest mainly to break things. /b/'s version was that the protest was mainly peaceful, with outside agitators causing most of the problems.

One of you exclaims indignantly, "It seems we can all agree on one thing, the internet must be freed from this "ACTA Enforcement Agency". What is now wrong must be made right again!"

Tommy says, "Yeah well, you have fun tilting at that windmill."
>>
No. 223421 ID: 40cb26

Perhaps what people alone can't accomplish, a "ghost in the machine" could do something about? Could you unleash us like a data-godzilla and burn the internet walls down? Sounds like it'd be fun to try.
>>
No. 223436 ID: 56dc25

>>223421
Unless the world has changed a lot more than I think it has, we are not in a William Gibson novel. We just have standard access to this computer, like anyone else using it... I think. We need more information on how exactly we're here at all before making a final call, but I think you're being overly optimistic.

So, Professor. Did you just whistle us up as a proof of concept, or did you want us to actually do something? Because as exciting as sitting around in a lab listening to the inane conversations of my fellow deceased day after day sounds, I'd rather have a task of some kind.

[Look up recent news, and then some world history. Hopefully Google will still have fairly unrestricted information, since they do have their "don't be evil" slogan. Since we're going through Iceland here, google.is might be a decent place to start. If Alexa is still ranking websites, check what's big these days in various nations.]
>>
No. 223443 ID: b10c0e

Palin.

Ok, sorry Tommy, we now have someone to piss off that's important.

FUCKING PALIN!

Oh, that is fucking it. People are dying right now.

Wait, one last question before I attempt to control you all in some kind of undead, multiple personality zombie army: what happened 2012, What's the newest James Bond Movie and who is his actor, is there a new Nintendo System, how are the Console Wars Doing?

>>223436
Hey, screw you, I'm not dead.

Anyway, Sancho Panza, fetch me my Golden Helmet of Mambrino! THOSE GIANTS ARE GONNA GET A FUCKING BEATING!
>>
No. 223455 ID: 732129

rolled 5, 5, 6 = 16

>>223436

[Skill roll against Research with no modifiers]
>>
No. 223460 ID: 6e5a24

>>223436

seconding checking if google is still running and seeing what the top sites in major nations are.

While your at it, check whatever the major news site is (Seeing as Palin is in charge, I'm assuming FOX. If so, see if there's a more trustworthy news site around.) and check recent events.

Oh, and ask about the Palin elections. Seriously, Palin?




...also, check to see if quest.lv is still okay.
>>
No. 223513 ID: 732129

>>223460

Quest.lv is still running. GolemQuest's latest entry has Mordre battling an entire planetoid that's become self aware and is a threat to everything in the solar system.

The other popular quest is "The March of the Northern Sergals" which interestingly is not told from the perspective of a Sergal, but instead from the perspective of a captured human who has been giving the Sergals help in preventing an invading force of goblins equipped with Defiler-like powers from leaving the world an apocalyptic wasteland.
>>
No. 223515 ID: 732129
File 128314723977.png - (14.91KB , 640x416 , 00003.png )
223515

>>223455

You don't learn much, really. Searches for basic history of the past few years beings up a bunch of advertisements for some stupid movie, "The History of the 21st Century." Attempts to change your wording keep bringing up the same links, as does using different search engines. Either the search results are being redirected on purpose for advertising money, or you're really out of the loop about how important movies are now.

Top Sites
The top sites on the web, ordered by Alexa Traffic Rank.

1. MovieFlix
2. Facebook
3. Twitter
4. Baidu
5. Live
6. MySpace
7. YouTube
8. Qq
9. MSN
10. Google
11. AOL


While you're doing your web search, you continue asking general questions. "What's the newest James Bond Movie and who is his actor, is there a new Nintendo System, how are the Console Wars Doing?"

Penny says, "The latest James Bond? That's "Quantum Uncertainty" with Daniel Craig as Bond. That was three years ago though, they must be working on another with him."

Tommy shakes his head, "Nah, they've done four with him and finished the Quantum arc. They'll pick a new actor for the next one I bet."

Penny shrugs. She then says, "They still make Wii games, but the most recent Nintendo system is the Par, or Power Star. It really takes advantage of 3D TVs. Sony's got the Playstation being released soon, and Microsoft's been dominating the market with their X-Sphere."

You then ask, "What happened 2012? I mean, seriously, Palin?"

Tommy says, "Like you even know why that's bad. You just said you don't remember anything."

Penny says, "Well she WAS Speaker of the House, but Snowe and Grassley..."

Tommy interrupts, "Lemme take care of this one. What happened in 2012 is the Democrats fucked it up and lost the House. A couple of moderate Republicans took the executive seats, President Grassley and V.P. Snowe. The Dems fought like hell to force the Republicans to pick an ineffective Speaker of the House, Palin. Turned out to be a big mistake if you ask me; Grassley died in the first year in office. Choked to death, of all things. Anyway, before Snowe could appoint a new V.P. she was assassinated by a Tea Party nut. Bam, Palin's in office, and was re-elected on a "we're still at war" platform."

While you mull this over, someone else asks, "So, Professor. Did you just whistle us up as a proof of concept, or did you want us to actually do something? Because as exciting as sitting around in a lab listening to the inane conversations of my fellow deceased day after day sounds, I'd rather have a task of some kind."

Sherman says, "I had hoped to be able to study you for awhile, and then figure out if I could move you into a cloned body. As for keeping you occupied, well, I imagine you'll want to spend some time getting acquainted with your condition. Can you describe what it's like?"

[Failed research roll, you don't learn anything useful.]
>>
No. 223586 ID: c91944

>>223455
well, darn. first, id like to know how is the state of the world. the water rationing leads me to belive some sort of ecological disaster is in effect.

you have mentioned a "we are still at war" stance from america. i, for once, cannot tell when america was not at that state. can you tell me what is this menance?

it does seem there is some sort of political movement acting. i have very little information on it, so we should leave it for after we hook penny with her lost first love. and maybe brush up a actual excuse to tom. that is, if her lost first love isnt the one behind this.

lastly, i feel like i am in a huge chat room belonging to a pink board that is used for porn, sci fi and short tales.

oh and, general consensus say you should disregard any robot body or we will attempt to make our own babies with dildoes. not necessarily on other people.
>>
No. 223587 ID: c91944

uh. i have a request for you to feel free to refuse.

id like to drawn pictures and maybe make movies.
>>
No. 223688 ID: 53fa41

So its apparent that the USA is facing some rather dire affairs and slowly devolving into to corporate dictatorship, where free access to information has limited and escapism is at an all time high. Should have saw it coming...

Either way, this doesn't answer much of anything about the world at large. You mentioned Iceland and some of you know Italian. According to your knowledge, does this mean the the European Union and the nations in her make up boarders are still functioning democracies? Give the totalitarian turn the US has taken and the power of the Euro even in my time, I can see that slowly severing ties with the US.. as well as maybe experiencing a mass influx of immigrants from the States. Anything you can tell me, really, would be greatly appreciated.. But if not, It's alright.
>>
No. 223947 ID: 732129
File 128323640965.png - (14.17KB , 640x416 , 00004.png )
223947

You say, "So it's apparent that the USA is facing some rather dire affairs and slowly devolving into to corporate dictatorship, where free access to information has been limited and escapism is at an all time high. Should have saw it coming. Is the European Union still functioning as proper democracies? Given the totalitarian turn the US has taken and the power of the Euro even in my time, I can see that slowly severing ties with the U.S., as well as maybe experiencing a mass influx of immigrants from the States."

Sherman says, "They're still functioning. They've become harder to immigrate to, all of them, and the independence of the smaller countries has been eroded by the larger members having to bail out their economies. The E.U. isn't broke, but most of the smaller states would have gone bust without the bigger ones helping. The larger ones gained a lot of control in the past five years. Dictating legislation, even, in most of the smaller states."

You then ask, "Oh, and you mentioned that Palin was re-elected on "we are still at war" platform. We have never known an America that was not in that state. Can you tell us what this menace is?"

Sherman says, "We all followed it, but Tommy was actually involved. He's got a unique perspective."

Tommy frowns. "You're talking like *I* started the war. I was just in El Paso when the shit hit the fan. That's all. I didn't have anything to do with anyone in that war, I was there on other business."

"Well, still, you have a unique perspective on it."

"Fine, I got a unique perspective on it."

Penny says gamely, "Come on Tom, there's obviously a few of them that can be thoughtful. That analysis they gave was spot on."

"Dire affairs. Right. Fine. Here's the story about El Paso."

Tom launches into the story like he's told it many times before. "Like I said, I was in El Paso on business. Nothing really important, just touching bases with people. I was in the downtown part of the city, not far from the DEA offices. Just far away enough that I wasn't hurt, close enough that I could see the fuckin' car bomb the Juárez Cartel had placed go off and vaporize that building. A thousand people dead or injured bad enough that they died not long after and the feds caught out with their pants down; hell of a way for the Cartel to send a message. The army base there, Fort Bliss, mobilized just about everything in the manhunt for the fucks that did it. I'd blown town by then, before things got really nuts.

"You see, when they realized the men who'd done it had fled back to Juárez, and that the Mexican army in Chihuahua was basically just another arm of the Cartel, President Palin authorized a police action. That turned into an all-out ground war in Chihuahua. Congress didn't have much choice but to approve a real war, and now we've got the Second Mexican-American war. That's still dragging on."

One of you starts babbling. "It does seem there is some sort of political movement acting. I have very little information on it, so we should leave it for after we hook Penny with her lost first love. And maybe brush up a actual excuse to Tom. That is, if her lost first love isn't the one behind this."

Penny manages to say, "What?"

You keep going on, oblivious to the confusion on every face in the room, "Oh and, general consensus says you should disregard any robot body or we will attempt to make our own babies with dildoes. Not necessarily on other people."

"What?"

"What the fuck? Professor, they can't be that confused."

"Yes, quite. I really must ask that you keep your more outrageous statements to yourselves, friends."
>>
No. 224027 ID: c91944

i get it, we are also speaking on a time delay

its like columbia all over again, except the drug lords actualy made a army now.
>>
No. 224228 ID: 4c568c

>>223947
I must apologize for my compatriots and their... rudeness. Suffice to say, the lot of us is perverts with an infatuation for absurdist humor--myself include--but such is nature, I suppose.

Either way, while I am curious about other political affairs, this line of conversation could easily become rather tedious and drawn out. I assume there's much more science to be done at this point. What you've discovered, regardless of factors and variables, could be the biggest discovery this side of penicillin.

Might I inquire though... science has two stages. One is, of course, discovery than the following is application. How is this major discovery going to be applied to new technology? Would it be civilian (ie; "New from Mattel, It's Ouija 2.0!") or military (ie; spying on Mexicans to see their their next move)?
>>
No. 224914 ID: 732129
File 128342078878.png - (41.21KB , 800x600 , 00006a.png )
224914

Sherman seems surprised by the question. "Practical applications? Well, I was hoping to be able to learn how to capture specific souls next. You see-"

The sound of a phone rattling against a set of keys interrupts Sherman. He looks over at the source, Tommy. Tommy quickly pulls the phone out, checks the caller ID, and says, "I have to take this. Excuse me."

While Tommy's out, Sherman continues, "As I was saying, I was hoping to be able to identify and capture specific souls, and then imprint them on a cloned body. You see where I am going with this, don't you? Even if the memory loss issue is a recurring problem, the essential part of the person will survive. And the memory loss problem may not be an insurmountable one. If we know which soul we want, we can prime the clone's brain with structure similar to their mind. If they're still alive when we build the clone, we may be able to make a detailed copy. In that case someone who passed away would likely lose very little."

Penny says, "The only real problem is that there's no getting around experimenting on people. We tried a monkey soul first and it didn't work out too well."

Sherman says, "Yes, I rather do think that it was a definite dead end." He chuckles.

Just then Tommy comes back in the room and says, "Hey, Professor, I know you're not an M.D., but I was hoping you could help an associate of mine."

Tommy quickly lays out the situation. "See, our regular doctor and surgeon got himself arrested earlier today, and we've got an emergency."

Penny asks, "Can't you use a hospital?"

Sherman says, "I rather doubt they want to answer the questions a hospital would ask, Penny."

Tommy says, "Right. Anyway we'd pay you, of course. Reimbursement for your supplies, time, and expertise. And the imposition this is."

Sherman asks, "What sort of problem does your friend have?"

Tommy says, "The 9mm kind. One in his gut somewhere. They got compresses on it, but he can't keep forever."

Sherman says, "Give me a moment Tommy. I'm not sure if I'm set up to handle that."

He thinks, more to himself than you, I've got enough medical supplies, whole blood units, plasma, drugs. I could stabilize him, at least. And I might be able to do the surgery. I've cut enough stuff up in the past. Lots of dissections and vivisections...And if Tommy says they'll pay I'm sure it will be quite generous. Maybe not enough to cover all my interest payments this month, but it would help.

[So far Sherman and Tommy's friendship has been just a friendship between two men who have similar tastes in wine and culture. Sherman has been aware that Tommy's not an above-board citizen, but hasn't become involved.

There are certain risks to getting involved, and certain rewards too.

Sherman may or may not be able to handle the actual surgery. He is pretty certain that he could keep the wounded man alive long enough for the regular doctor to post bail and take the maglev back to L.A.

You guys should decide Sherman's course of action, one way or the other.

Finally, you guys get a 6 character point reward for this scene. We'll talk about what those are good for in the discussion thread.]
>>
No. 224929 ID: 30f9cf

>>224914
doc, taking a bullet out isnt a major problem, its sewing what the bullet went trhu.

maybe you should pick up some books on it. im sure if it pierced something valuable he would need extensive surgery.

comin to think of it, take us with you, im sure we have someone here that is more inclined to answer medical questions.
>>
No. 224957 ID: 644ca1

Do it doctor! You know you want to get involved!
>>
No. 225097 ID: 3a7766

While I'm curious as to what transpired to fill this man's belly full of lead, it's probably a good idea to just go ahead and do it. His life hangs in the balance, after all.
>>
No. 225107 ID: db60d0

Stabilize him. Make sure Tommy and his associates understand that's the deal - your surgery skill is iffy enough that there's too much risk in performing the procedure yourself, but you can certainly stabilize his condition until Lorenzo is back.
>>
No. 225443 ID: 732129
File 12835553899.png - (14.48KB , 640x416 , 00008.png )
225443

Sherman switches the vocalizer on the computer off when you start giving him advice. He hears you, though the others cannot.
He thinks about your advice for a few moments, and performs a mental inventory of his supplies.

He also considers the risks. Practicing without a license, if someone catches me. Extra attention drawn to all the semi-legal and illegal stuff I've been doing (for one thing, I don't have a primate facility license for the experimental animals here). Becoming a known contact for this sort of thing by the rest of the mob. And I'm not a surgeon.

On the other hand, it is a man's life. And there is the money.


Finally Sherman says, "I think I can keep him alive anyway, until his regular doctor is available. I trust he's experienced with gunshot wounds? I've never had to do any real surgery."

Tommy says, "Great, yeah, he's a primo surgeon. If you can just keep Vince from bleeding out that'd be a big help. Lemme give the boys directions to here."


* * * * *

Minutes later Sherman and Penny have changed into scrubs and set the basement up as a surgical theater. Normally it serves as a dissection lab, storage room, and facility for an experimental (read: non-functional) cryostasis machine.

Tommy and his associates bring Vince in, and then beat a retreat upstairs. Dr. Lorenzo had gotten them used to the idea of staying well out of the attending surgeon's way, apparently.

Finally, Sherman starts to assess the damage. "Looks like it nicked the liver, and tore the gut up. I think we can clamp the stomach injuries without too much trouble, but the liver is going to be a bother.

Penny says, "We need to put pressure on it to slow the bleeding."

Sherman responds, "A Foley catheter could do it. Let's get it in place, and then inflate it to press against the wound channel, and the injured part of the liver."

[Sherman rolled 4, a critical success for diagnosis, granting a bonus to his physician roll for Vince's trauma maintenance. This is checked once every day. He rolled a 10 on the first check, and Vince lives another day.

GURPS uses a system where some skills are related to other skills. Surgery is a Very Hard skill, and defaults to Physician-7. In Sherman's case, that means his Surgery skill is presently 5. Success would be unlikely, but not impossible. Measures could be taken to improve the likelyhood of success. A successful research roll would give a flat +1 to his skill for this, for instance. Taking extra time might be a practical measure, if someone can perform anesthesia duty (Penny is not qualified for that). You may think of other things that could grant a bonus.]

* * * * *

A half-hour later Sherman wipes the gore off his hands and thinks to you, Well, I saved him. I really don't think I could repair the damage to his liver though. I'm surprised he didn't bleed out on the way here.
>>
No. 225774 ID: 6db541

>>225443
im assuming there are supplies or the likes until the real doctor arrives.

now, we need bleach. copious amounts of it. as a former janitor for the italian mafia, i know what im talking about.
>>
No. 226367 ID: 732129
File 128369122766.png - (18.23KB , 640x416 , 00001.png )
226367

>>225774

Sherman thinks back to you, You know, besides being good for actual cleaning, bleach is useful for defeating luminol tests. The only way for some detective to end up legally performing a luminol test here though is if police have gotten a search warrant. I'd like for that to not happen at all.

The living room is spacious, though sparsely decorated. A few drops of blood, here and there, mark Vince's passage through here.

Tommy's associate is fidgeting, standing just inside the doorway when you enter the living room. His suit jacket is covered Vince's blood. It appears he did not move much from there. He asks, "Vince patched up already doc?"

Tommy has the tv on and was watching a soccer match until you entered. He mutes it and looks over at Sherman expectantly.

Sherman says, "Regretfully no, though he is stable. The wound is bad enough that I would be remiss in attempting surgery right now. However, if your normal doctor can't get here in a day, I may need to try anyway. He can't stay like this forever."

Tommy says, "I talked to Lorenzo's wife. Cops were going to be bastards and hold him for the full 24 without charges, but a couple of calls from our lawyer cleared that up. He'll be back from Sac in a few hours."

Sherman says, "Then there shouldn't be any problem. Does he plan on making a house call?"

Tommy says, "Yeah, that's the idea. His wife wants to know what to tell him about Vince."

Sherman repeats his diagnosis, and Tommy dutifully emails it to Lorezeno's wife. At the very least the surgeon should come with all the right tools for the job.

Tommy then says, "Alright Rickie, go home and get cleaned up. You know the drill."

Rickie nods, and says, "Thanks again doc for savin' Vince."

After he's left, Tommy says, "You got any preference about what shell company we push the money through? There's this winery that we got control of that'll probably work. We'd have hired you as a consultant or something. Sound good?"

Sherman says, "Sounds fine, Tommy."

Penny asks, "Should I really be hearing all this?"

Sherman responds, "You've seen and heard a lot that's just as bad. You know half the research equipment here isn't licensed. I trust you."

Tommy says, "Well that's good enough for me. Either of you feel hungry? I'm thinking of ordering take-out."

[Downtime, and a decision. Do you want to timeskip ahead (name a period of time or event), or hang out and talk more with three? Do you want to do anything in particular right now? Sherman won't leave until Dr. Lorezeno is here, but Tommy and Penny can.]
>>
No. 226428 ID: 18c4d9

>>226367
we should bond with everyone.

and my paranoia is telling me that you should delete the emails related to this matter, after warning the good doc's wife to do the same as well. we can problaby get a good software to do that in the interbutt.

also, bleach those drops of blood!
>>
No. 226460 ID: db60d0

Clean up the blood. Hang around and talk. Hey Tommy, who's playing and what's the score?
>>
No. 230169 ID: 732129
File 128434580632.png - (12.87KB , 640x416 , 00001.png )
230169

>>226428

[You've got enough character points to bond with one person right now.]

Sherman thinks to you, It takes a little tact to demand that a friend do something. I'll ask about the phone though, it could be that they have already thought of the same issue.

"Hey Tom, that's a secured phone right?"

Tom holds up the phone, a somewhat bulky touchscreen device, sand says, "Yeah, I don't know all the details but it's a two grand phone, supposed to be military grade encryption on the voice and data. Our tech guy told me it's totally secured. Doc Lorenzo's wife has his, but it's the same model."

Sheman says, "Can I have a look?"

Tommy taps a couple of commands it in, and then hands it over. Sherman looks at it, playing with the menus, and then says, "You locked it down into a stealth mode. It looks just like a normal phone with an extended duration battery."

"Yeah, our tech guy came up with that. They'd have to open the phone up to figure out it's not normal. Primo stuff."

Penny has popped off into the kitchen, and has already returned with cleaning supplies. Including bleach. She and Sherman start cleaning up the mess Vince left. As they clean, Sherman parrots your question. "Who's playing, Tom?"

"Chivas against the Galaxy. Home game for both of them, funny enough. It's just an exhibition game, but they both got good teams this year. There's another exhibition game in a couple of days; I've got a set of tickets to it, part of the perks of being a season ticket holder, if you want to go see it."
>>
No. 230194 ID: 139b1a

>>230169
chivas and galaxy...?

am i missing some sort of interplanetary travel?
>>
No. 230200 ID: 732129

>>230194

Sheman thinks back to you, No, those are just the names of the teams.
>>
No. 230213 ID: 83b4f1

Ask Tommy how about Vince and his well dressed compatriot. How do you know him, why would Vince get shot... things like that.
>>
No. 230865 ID: 732129
File 12845171959.png - (17.74KB , 640x416 , 00002.png )
230865

Sherman thinks to you, Those men were Tommy's underlings. They deal with the day to day tasks in Tommy's organization. They report to Tommy, and Tommy reports to his boss, a crime lord of some sort. Beyond that I don't know anything about how they are organized.

Sherman clears his throat and says, "The souls would like to know what your men were doing."

Tommy's face falls a bit. He had forgotten about you in his worry over Vince. He says, "They're pretty nosy. Do they hear everything you do? I thought they were hooked up to that machine."

Sherman says, "Oh, no, they're in communication with me and constantly with me."

Tommy half-turns in his chair and says, "Right, well, they don't have anyone else they can talk to right? I don't have to worry about them saying stuff they shouldn't be talking about?"

Sherman shakes his head and says, "I doubt anyone would believe them even if they did. Their testimony certainly wouldn't be admissible in court."

Tommy nods, and says, "Well, that doesn't mean they need to know. Probably better if they don't."

"They would like to know. Keep in mind that they don't have their memories. They probably aren't aware of how your business works, really. And I'm a little curious, myself."

Tommy finally gives, and says, "Look, my guys were doing some pretty routine scab picking, and ran up against some not so routine resistance. They did good anyway, Vince was the only man of ours to go down. The rest are all busy cleaning up. I don't think you need to know any more than that. They sure don't need to know any of it, if you ask me."

Sherman silently explains, Scab picking is the street term for roughing up scab workers and scaring them away from union job sites when there's a strike on. The only major strike I know about is the passenger rail line. Right now it's being run by temporary workers, since the state was unwilling to give the union workers a wage much above minimum.

Penny calls out from by the stairs, "All done! Up here, at least. I'll clean the stairs and basement after Vince is gone. Hey Tommy, weren't you talking about take-out earlier?"

"That's right. I was thinking fried chicken."

"Sounds fine to me."

"Me too. Are you going to get it, Tom?"

Tommy says, "Well yeah. I'd just end up in the way if Vince down there has trouble anyway."
>>
No. 230868 ID: 56dc25

>>230865
Fried chicken isn't terribly good for you. How's your health?

Eh, not that I should be badgering you. Not like my health is exactly stellar, these days... I wonder how I died, anyway... how does this work? Why do we know generalities, but not specifics? Suppose it's convenient, avoids the old "ghost trying to get the living to solve his unfinished business" bit rather neatly... but why does it happen? What are the- well, I hesitate to say metaphysics, but principles behind how this works? What are we drawing on for energy to keep existing? You? If you died, would we vanish, or persist?
>>
No. 230886 ID: 139b1a

back in my days, fried chicken camed in buckets.

and if you were from the internet, i just told you two jokes.

now if i got it right, we have some time for smalltalk? what does tony feels if we bond with the unconsious dude?
>>
No. 231293 ID: 732129
File 12846403408.png - (8.82KB , 640x416 , 00003.png )
231293

rolled 2, 4, 2 = 8

[First, a roll against your IQ]

>>230868

My health, Sherman muses. You catch the briefest sense of nostalgia before he thinks to you, Well, for a 70 year old man I'm in excellent shape. There are many 40 year olds who would have trouble keeping up with me. I don't mean to imply that age has left me untouched. Far from it. Still, I'm healthy enough to indulge in greasy food now and then.

He wanders off near the door to the stairs, and looks down them at Vince. As to the why of it, the where of you, that what your new form is- well, I used an ancient spell I spent many long, hard, years learning the basic techniques for, and almost as long inscribing.

He leans against the door frame. The ancient Assyrians had a theory about where people went when they died, and an epic about Ishtar descending into hell to save her lover. She negotiated with the gatekeeper to hell, who in turn reported to Ishtar's sister, Ereshkigal, the queen of hell. Ereshkigal had always been jealous of Ishtar, and took the opportunity to humiliate her. She ordered her servants to demand an item of clothing from Ishtar at each of the seven gates to hell. When Ishtar finally reached her sister's court she was naked, humiliated, and angry. In her foolishness she threatened or attacked Ereshkigal, depending on which version of the legend it is, and Ereshkigal responded by cursing Ishtar to 60 diseases and eternal imprisonment in hell.

Ishtar, being the goddess of love, was missed in the land of the living. A plan was contrived to bring her back, involving the waters of life. However, the majority of the verses in the legend related to bringing her back had nothing to do with the water of life, but instead with the way she was re-clothed.


He recites to you, “He sprinkled Ishtar with the water of life and
brought her forth.
Out of the first gate he let her go;
He returned her the girdle about her loins.
Out of the second gate he let her go;
He returned her the jewels for her hands and
feet.
Out of the third gate he let her go;
He returned her the cincture of precious stones
about her waist.
Out of the fourth gate he let her go;
He returned her the mantle for her back.
Out of the fifth gate he let her go;
He returned her the necklace of precious
stones.
Out of the sixth gate he let her go;
He returned her the rings for her ears.
Out of the seventh gate he let her go;
He returned her the great crown for her head.”


Sherman smugly thinks, There is an earlier corresponding verse about how she was disrobed, laden with symbolism: in death people are stripped of everything that represents their station and place. But I realized that this last verse, where she is dressed as she leaves, corresponded to an old occult spell I had read for making golems, translated from Yiddish to Latin some time in the 2nd century B.C. I had a flash of intuition that the spell was based on Ishtar's story, and thought nothing of it until much later when I found an almost complete manual in broken clay tablets which described the very same spell, but with different glyphs. The Yiddish spell had never worked, but I'd had experiences with examples of working Assyrian magic. All very minor, usually. Fertility charms, charms for improving grain yield, that kind of thing. I had even made a couple of "stop motion" charms, emergency things for making a pursuer stop in his tracks for a few moments (long gone, by the way, used for their intended purpose ages ago).

Tom quietly says to Penny, "Hey, what's up with him? He looks tired."

The golem spell was so complex and interesting that I decided to try it myself. I figured I could manage the first part of it, the "binding of the girdle." It's a communication-consciousness spell, very complex, but apparently successful. The second through fifth part of the spell were for creating, preserving, and animating a golem made of clay and dust. The sixth part of the spell was the binding part of the communication-consciousness portion, which I used when I summoned you. The last part, the crowning spell, marries the soul to the golem. That's the part I intend to use on a cloned body for you, some day.

Penny says, "Stabilizing Vince wasn't easy, but I don't think that exhausted him, I think he's talking to them."

Sherman ignores them, and continues thinking to you, So, in summary, you were snatched from hell, and are currently bound to me. Should I die you would likely remain bound to my corpse until it turned to dust. At that point you'd probably return to hell. If there were a body ready for you, and a crowning spell prepared, you could be moved from the temporary bind to your intended body.

Tom says, "Huh. Well, I'm going to get dinner."

>>230886

I don't see how you'll bond with him. He's not even conscious at the moment, much less up for casual conversation. Even if he were, I would be cautious about trying to have him talk to you; from his perspective it would be like talking to a very strange computer program. You've already alienated Tommy somewhat.

Still, I'll ask.


Sherman calls out, "Tom, before you go?"

Tommy, who literally had one foot out the door, stops mid-stride and asks, "Yeah?"

"They would like to talk to your associate and spend some time bonding with him."

Tommy frowns, his swarthy features turning concerned. He says, "Bonding with him? What are they, a buncha kids? This isn't an after-school mentor program, they aren't Vince's kids, and he's sick anyways. And they'd probably just insult him. Professor, promise me you won't set up that computer near Vince."

"That's an easy promise to make. Vince isn't even awake, there'd be no point."
>>
No. 231295 ID: 732129

>>231293
>rolled 2, 4, 2 = 8
[Success]

You realize that Sherman misunderstood you. He thinks you mean to emotionally bond with people, as in get to know them and become friends with them, instead of bind so that you can communicate directly with someone (like what his spell did for you and him). He probably doesn't even realize you can do something like that. You know you can, though, intuitively.
>>
No. 231341 ID: 139b1a

>>231295
i wonder if the gates are somwhat linked to chakras?

also doc, im pretty sure we can haunt the patient's dreams. but since tony is annoyed at us, let it be.
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