Conaldar

I see players writing "make something happen". I've been doing that and it just seems going to solitary is your team plan for the most part. There's only so much that can be done in jail that doesn't have bad results. Gathering info from NPCs is the key.   Rather than being active it feels like some players are waiting for me to break the PCs out. Which is why I offered an alternative start since I had no intention of running "Prison: the RPG."   What event are you waiting for?

Alright folks 😐 I thought Banaphone wanted a "prison break" kind of open for this but after about a week in I noticed most players just weren't feeling it. I like the characters you all have made and IMO it'd be a huge waste to see this team of supervillains fizzle into nothing - which is what this thing is doing. So I have a proposal:   I can restart the adventure beginning just after the Insurgency is sentenced on a new IC thread. Instead of the "prison break" scenario this would turn into "a funny thing happened on the way to jail" story which provides an opportunity for the villains to escape in-transit to the prison. I already have a few scenes worked out for this and it definitely would be more interesting than the Gaddis breakfast menu.  Thoughts? @cbenny @DecoyGirl @wtaylorjr2001 @SageBahamut @Bananaphone @Rudolf

I was waiting on checks then my week went crazy. Did everyone give me rolls?

    Noted for all. Perfect observation!

Everyone still here? I got a notification the thread was archived. Not sure what that does with BALDR.

So a week will pass. My next post reflects that but I need checks to inform the post: Players need to make a social interaction check using their PC's highest social skill Players need to make an Insight check to notice the 'atmosphere' around Gaddis Players need to make a check using the higher of Investigation or Perception to gain info about the greater facility Again, PCs can go to the Exercise yard for physical activity or to wander, the Infirmary for physical concerns (illness, injury, haircut or shave), the Conference room to make contact with allies outside Gaddis, or the main cellblock to play digital games, read books or relax. Interaction with teammates or inmates can occur anywhere. 

LOL @cbenny nice vid 🤣 and I'll be posting for the group probably late tonight or tomorrow morning-ish.

While we have differing opinions on how long players might take to escape Gaddis, escaping Gaddis is a thing. This phase of the story is not the key focus, it's a puzzle to solve. Once solved we can get to the real meat of this story: World Domination. Apologies if you're bored to tears here and I could suggest getting as much info about Gaddis from NPC inmates as possible and/or actually performing escape-related actions.

Guardbots responses seem to be dictated by a computer logic that Herbert is unfamiliar with: based on his limited exposure to them the droids interact with inmates only if their programming identifies a reaction is "important." Herbert's seen many inmates hurl various off-color remarks at the droids that are ignored. But if certain questions get asked they get immediate answers. Social interaction obviously isn't a high-priority Guardbot protocol from what Herbert has seen and heard thus far. Great to see! I'd like to fast-forward a week so Scylla returns to the cellblock and I have a question for players: What aspect of this situation is your Insurgent most focused on (building team relationships, getting info from Gaddis inmates about the facility, personally investigating the facility, establishing contact with allies outside the prison, staying quiet and out of trouble, forming relationships with inmates, or a combination of these)?

Day one is a wrap. Comments or questions? 

THE INSURGENTS: Day one inside Gaddis SuperMax falls into a routine of meals (lunch and dinner) followed by leisure time as the revolutionary crew learns their way around the multiplex. Eventually the time comes for Lockdown and all inmates wander back to their cells another day closer to their release. As the cell doors are secured the cell lighting goes out leaving each inmate in muted darkness.

THE ACCOUNTANT: MacAllister still as stone stares at Herbert for a few long seconds then smile, "That's our Granny. The consummate conversationalist. Well, Mr. Anderson I hope you have an uneventful time here at Gaddis and a large part of accomplishing that would be to heed my earlier advice. She's a troubled woman and a gentleman such as yourself does seem the type to enjoy trouble. Thank you for your time and good luck."    The screen goes blank and the Guardbots enter to escort Herbert back to the main cellblock facility.    

Apologies there. Short answer: something she said about 'her power and sleeping and reality and how people were connected while dreaming' seemed oddly significant but Herbert isn't sure why.

THE ACCOUNTANT: MacAllister smiles, "'Dr.' is fine and I'm pleased you're finding your way at Gaddis. The reason I wanted to meet with you was to simply touch bases. Confinement can be difficult even traumatic for many people. What can make the experience even worse is let's say the company you keep. All the inmates here are convicted felons. But some here are more dangerous than others. Do as you will but I think it would be ideal if you kept your distance from inmate Isaacs also know as 'Granny'. We've gone out of our way to help her but nevertheless she intermittently has periods of anti-social behavior. It's been an ongoing issue for some time now. Granny can get inside your head if you let her and I assure you that is not where you want her. Many among the Gaddis community have experienced her 'problems' and it causes unrest across the entire facility. If I were you I'd just stay away."   Dr. MacAllister pauses and smiles again as if he was finished then asks, "What has Granny told you?"   MAMMOTH & SIREN: The woman puts her hands out as if exposing herself, "You know me better by my true name: Motherboard. Along with my family Cyber Tribe I've tried to stay busy burning away the deep webs of deception that confuse the masses. For my trouble, I was tossed in here. But ...." She looks around slowly then back at Mammoth, "Despite the circumstances it is good to see you again Mammoth. If you want 'information' let me know. Now I'll go chat with Mueller." Motherboard sighs and exits the area escorted by several Asians including another woman.  

Check result: MacAllister used to be head of Research and Development at Emerald City's AstroLab facility.  Make an Insight check to evaluate Guardbot behavior.

Welcome back everyone and I hope your weekend was enjoyable.  @cbenny The Accountant is meeting "the boss". You can make a DC10 "Expertise: Business/Tech" check to get info on MacAllister. @Bananaphone Siren's Persuasion payed off! Next? @Rudolf This Asian woman seems to know Mammoth: you can make a DC10 Memory check to get info on her. @SageBahamut and @wtaylorjr2001 both of your PCs have been openly-recruited by rivals. Now you're left to yourself again. @DecoyGirl Think happy thoughts 😁   Once we're through the current conversations unless Players want to explore things further I'm looking to bring Day One to a close. Any comments? Did I miss any PC checks? 

Siren and Mammoth: Most of the twenty or so inmates in the weights section look around - first at Siren then at the two goons brandishing plates. The ethnicity of the cons was mixed with Caucasian, Black, Hispanic and some Asian but the entire group was seemingly frozen by the heavy tension of the moment! Then an Asian woman walks into the area accompanied by a few Asian men.    She gazes at Siren and then tells the pair of aggressive goons, "Tell Mueller we need to talk." The two pause gripping the weights in their hands then throw them down in anger as they rush out of the area! Looking at Mammoth and then again at Siren she says, "Having a rough first day aren't we? Not even twenty-four hours in and you've managed to offend the biggest hothead in Gaddis. Pun intended." She nodded respectfully at Mammoth saying, "Still the intractable warlord eh Mammoth? It's been a long time since we last met - the Cheyenne Mountain Complex if I recall correctly. How have you been?" The other inmates all return to their previous activities but many still eye the Insurgents ...   The Accountant: The droid quartet marched Herbert across the wide cellblock and down another long hallway that seemed to go on for several minutes until they reached another open area: the Conference Facility was a well-lit circular space roughly 300-feet in diameter. A series of small offices ringed the room each with a wide glass window revealing a metal desk, desktop computer and chair within. Some of the offices were occupied by inmates who were apparently having conversations with whoever was on their individual CPU screens. All the digital meet-ups were not pleasant as a couple inmates raved at the screen. The computers faced away from the room so only the seated inmate could be seen as a Guardbot stood sentry just outside their offices.    Herbert was escorted to an office and a Guardbot closed the glass door behind him. Walking inside the small-ish office Herbert comes around to see an older man's face on the screen. He seemed to be looking down at something but as Herbert approached the chair he looked up and smiled softly,  "Mister Anderson. Please - have a seat. I'm told you and your accomplices have had an interesting morning. I am Dr. Wayne MacAllister, Warden of the Gaddis SuperMax Penitentiary. Based on your file you seem to be a somewhat reasonable man and I value reasonable people so I thought we should talk. How are you adjusting?"        

Great points @DecoyGirl "He that can have patience can have what he will." - B. Franklin By then the Insurgency might have built an army of inmates and Guardbots to serve their purposes 😏 Glad your enjoying it! My hope is that we don't need any replacements.  Thanks for returning! @SageBahamut

Well it's Thursday. I need a few days just to get right after losing two players in a week. Enjoy your weekend and I'll respond to IC posts Monday. @Bananaphone Thanks 😊

@Bananaphone if you read the description of how Persuasion works I'm in line: "You’re skilled in dealing with people, from etiquette and social graces to a way with words and public speaking, all of which helps to get your point across, make a good impression, negotiate, and generally win people over to your way of seeing things."   Player agency does not vanish when a PC has been Persuaded to act differently. Within the greater context of M&M rules and how Persuasion works player agency IS roleplaying a character who's mind has been changed to one degree or another. It doesn't mean the PC has changed sides. It means that in the back of the PC's mind there's DOUBT. And that doubt can be eliminated by dedicated teammates that overcome the NPC's attempt at control.  I appreciate you seeing what I'm doing here though. But my first thought is "if I need to ask permission for certain checks then will I need to ask permission for ANY check?" I'm not a fan of entitled players who think they can dictate how the rules affect their PC. SageBahamut was barely interacting with the setting as is. Last night I considered just finding another game group but I'll stay with these five PCs if we're all in agreement that NPCs can utilize interaction skills just as the PCs can. 

And I felt again that players would feel this way. Many players can't engage with a setting in an impactful way. It comes down to play-style.  When I read how wtaylor2001 was dealing with it I thought that PLAYER just wanted out of the prison. So I provided outs. I mean you knew what was coming. If I was a player knowing I would start incarcerated I would definitely be looking for an out. But the prison start wasn't a surprise. You knew. If you want to drop like Oceane then so be it. Leaves us with five. But I won't apologize for doing what I said I would do. GMs abandon games usually because players make running it difficult. My response is: if you can't handle a story I clearly defined up front leaving is the best option for the group.    I won't abandon my story. I know where I'm going and I'm eager to see where the PCs go once they escape. If you want to leave then you want to leave but I won't be intimidated by players who want their way.

I'm not saying an NPC completely changes your character's mind. What the check does is change HOW your character makes their decision. Players tell me constantly how they want story to matter. Well character transformation is a huge part of that. It's Han Solo deciding to return and help Luke defeat the empire. It's any character CHANGING THEIR MIND about something and either changing or shifting their motivation in order to perhaps not change who they are but definitely changing their DIRECTION in terms of what they want to accomplish.    This prison has the purpose of engaging HOW the Insurgents do what they do as they pursue escape. That was my greater purpose of the whole act. If I didn't try to change your characters in prison why even bother? Gaddis HAS to have real story meaning. If I can't make you question what the Insurgency is doing and why then the whole episode is nonsense. Getting out is easy but what did your characters LEARN while they were there? What did they gain that when they get out impacts them?    I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong for it but when I selected your characters I thought "how can this PC grow and become something stronger?" Was I wrong?

Well. This could be an issue.  Your character exists in a world dominated by dice rolls. An NPC can hit you with a dice roll. An NPC can resist your attack with a dice roll. Why can't an NPC affect your PC with a social check as YOUR PC can affect the NPC with a similar check? Your character's behavior is affected by an NPC's combat actions - why would an NPCs' social actions be any different?    If your PC is immune to NPC social checks how are they immune to an NPC's combat checks? How are the dice rolls different?

Not sure what you mean: you're playing a game with dice. Your character lives in that world where dice dictate actions. Do you mean the social checks of NPCs can't affect your character? 

The Accountant: The Guardbots arrive at Herbert's side, "Inmate Anderson you have a priority conference call. Come with us." Granny looked down at her cards refusing to gaze at Herbert ...