Meanwhile, In The Planning Room...

From Onceinalifetime

> -->| YOU (Garda) have joined #everything
> =-= Greenling has changed the topic to ``(n); a Sidereal plot.
> <Greenling> Tell me when you're ready.
> <Garda> Ready.
> -->| Astra (~chatzilla@MagicStar-6652C73C.san.res.rr.com) has joined #everything
> <Astra> ( *lurks* )
> <Greenling> Okay.
> <Greenling> So Garda bars himself into the planning room...
> <Greenling> When you finish this, what then do you do?
> <Garda> You mean after planning or after barring?
> <Greenling> After barring.
> <Greenling> The room is messy. There are papers everywhere and the occasional cup of tea, mostly drained.
> <Garda> Well, planning!
> <Garda> He digs paper clips, clothespins, and strings out of his coat pocket and sets to work.
> <Greenling> There is a chalkboard and a star chart and several resplendent filing cabinets.
> <Greenling> Planning!
> <Garda> Any successful planning endeavor comes in several stages or 'Phases'
> <Greenling> First phase?
> <Garda> The first, and most important phase, is to establish your goals.
> <Garda> What ARE we trying to accomplish.
> <Greenling> Well. What are you trying to accomplish?
> <Garda> It will take some consideration to find a mutually tenable core goal for the entire circle.
> <Garda> Garda's personal goals include:
> <Garda> 1. Survival
> <Garda> 2. Profit.
> <Garda> 3. Prestige.
> <Garda> 4. Practical experience.
> <Garda> and 5. Survival
> <Garda> ...oh, and 6. The greater stability of this direction of Creation.
> <Garda> (Best to be thorough.)
> <Garda> Everything that was on the chalkboard gets copied onto a piece of parchment that gets hung next to said chalkboard, marked "Prework" and then these goals hit the board.
> <Greenling> Hahahaha.
> <Garda> In reverse order, lest they think him vain.
> <Greenling> You copy the various notes and doodles.
> <Greenling> (haaah.)
> <Garda> Then each of the other members are added in smaller sections
> <Garda> Under Sacre, subgoals include:
> <Greenling> ...Did you *collect* goals from everyone else?
> <Garda> No, they'd just lie.
> <Garda> 1. Happy feelings
> <Greenling> ...Wow. Okay. Continue.
> <Garda> 2. Opportunities to cook/sing/pun.
> <Garda> 3. Romance (gender negotiable)
> <Astra> ( fuck you. XD )
> <Garda> 4. Hugs (?)
> <Greenling> (jesus fuck, this is going to be another session that's going nearly-full on the funny quotes thread.)
> <Astra> (Just keep it in pieces. xD )
> <Garda> Next, for Adamant Silver
> <Garda> 1. Wyld surveillance.
> <Garda> 2. Lounging.
> <Garda> 3. Hedonistic delights.
> <Garda> 4. Travel (?)
> <Garda> On to Thousandfold Soldier
> <Greenling> ...'Kay.
> <Garda> 1. Developmental violence
> <Garda> 2. Lounging
> <Garda> 3. Hedonistic delights.
> <Garda> 4. Oral sex (Synergy?)
> <Garda> Yes, those are separate due to specificity.
> <Garda> And lastly, Epiphany
> <Garda> 1. Death
> <Garda> 2. Lounging
> <Garda> 3. Hedonistic delights
> <Garda> 4. Escape (disable if ronin attempt made?)
> <Garda> Points of synergy between all of these goals are established, and then the entire board is carefully copied and cleared again, and marked 'Prework 2'
> <Garda> Atop the board, the Mission Goal is established:
> <Garda> To secure the greater security and stability of the Western Direction from threats both military, cultural, and inauspicious, making effective use of our combined talents and interests.
> <Garda> This is marked DO NOT ERASE in Old Realm
> <Garda> Phase 1 Complete!
> <Greenling> Okay.
> <Greenling> Phase 2.
> <Garda> Establishing alternatives. For this, we're going to have to organize the information in the room! We'll need to set up planning stacks/dossiers for each 'hotspot', using two categories - geographic and special (the Convention sub-committee model!)
> <Greenling> Okay. Well, you can pretty easily group things by geography. There's some for every major known group and some that aren't. What sort of things would go in "special"?
> <Garda> This is one of the more work-intensive parts, as he gathers both his own knowledge and all available data from the planning room, and organizes it according to a more efficient system - the Lookshy Military Code.
> <Garda> Things relating to specialized dangers. There would be Sub-Committees on the Deathlords, the Wyld, International (Each of the five Aspects), Demons, etc.
> <Garda> Stuff that affects multiple geographical regions.
> <Garda> (i.e. This is one big massive Lore overhaul of the planning room.)
> <Greenling> Hmmm.
> <Greenling> Everything is scattered. Roll somethin' to see how well you can organize things the first try. :d
> <Garda> Int or Wits or something + Lore?
> <Garda> (And if you haven't noticed a problem...how likely are other PCs to be on the Dewey Decimal System of Lookshy?)
> <Astra> (... I'd totally have Sacre do a roll to see if he knew. He is a fucking /nerd/ with Lore favored. )
> <Greenling> Up to you.
> <Astra> (but yeah, make Sacre's roll to know a high difficulty, when it comes up)
> <Garda> (4 successes, to start)
> <Greenling> (which'd you roll?)
> <Garda> Int + Lore?
> <Garda> Wits would be same pool.
> <Greenling> (just asking. :3)
> <Garda> (Gotcha, gotcha.)
> <Greenling> Okay. Most things are by topic/incident, but you successfully get most things roughly into geography.
> <Garda> And out comes the thread! To create potential inter-relations between larger topics in some areas. The colored yarn basicaly gets looped from one report's top left corner, through the star chart, and back down again.
> <Greenling> (oh lord.)
> <Garda> Basically, re-establishing commonality.
> <Garda> (I warned you!)
> <Greenling> Garda brings out a hole punch and starts knitting.
> <Garda> Garda will TRY to make it possible to navigate this maze. If only to make sure no one breaks anything.
> <Garda> Yes, actually.
> <Greenling> You quickly realize that, in order to get as many holes as you need in most of these, you (a) need lots more yarn (b) need more paper space than you have, unless you want to hole-punch through actual data.
> <Greenling> Also... how... far back are you going, with reports?
> <Garda> The last month, with markers on the right corner to note 'additional data' with a location in the filing cabinets.
> <Garda> Hmm...
> <Greenling> ...Do you spend time *finding* information in the filing cabinets first?
> * Garda modifies this using the clothespins, to 'float' some reports on the web of strings.
> <Greenling> Or putting the older stuff in the filing cabinets? Or finding <1month stuff in them?
> <Garda> This should both save yarn and effective workspace.
> <Greenling> (>:3)
> <Greenling> Good idea.
> <Garda> Basically, working within the first month, and digging into cabinets wherever there's BLATANT gaps.
> <Greenling> Okay.
> <Garda> There's too much data for a lazy man to process immediately. If something becomes a crisis, a separate analysis will be needed.
> <Greenling> You have to for a couple of subjects. The "Demons" pile gets bigger.
> <Garda> ...mutterances. "Fucking demons..."
> <Garda> But, once everything is in a semblance of order and access, then Phase 2 will be marked on a section of the board, with headings for the major categories, with circles around the most pressing.
> <Garda> And that should cover phase 2
> <Greenling> You do this.
> <Greenling> Okay...
> <Greenling> Major Recent Happenings:
> <Greenling> House Oh God What's The Major Sea-Going One? Tepet? I Looked This Up Three Times is trying to re-establish negotiations with the West in order to possibly stabilize some holdings off the Isle, in case things go to shit *on* it.
> <Garda> Peleps
> <Greenling> And for whatever reason- there are hints this is the Bronze's idea- they're doing it starting with Coral.
> <Greenling> Peleps. Those. Thanks.
> <Garda> V'Neef also does a fair amount, mostly in the inner sea
> <Greenling> Offering to help ease their commerce problems, and issues with Wavecrest, particularly, in exchange for greater alliance-ness.
> <Greenling> They're actually going pretty well; most of the problems are in the cultural differences, actually...
> <Garda> Hmm...diversifying the Houses to regional concerns with a central body after the war...it'd lead to a more stable foundation at least...
> <Greenling> Wavecrest is going pretty much as usual the past month. No major concerns.
> <Greenling> Some of the outer island groups are having big problems with giant jellyfish; a few of the really small ones have actually been depopulated.
> <Greenling> Since they don't show up, speculation is that it's a Wyld strain- though some of them are *starting* to. They're breeding pretty fast, and they're naturalizing...
> <Greenling> The Lute especially is worried about the loss of some unique cultures, and the Bier (and everyone) is worried about holes growing from so many deaths by unnatural creatures.
> <Greenling> Lots of lower-circle Fate errors have cropped up recently because of it.
> <Greenling> Next is Skullstone. Oh boy, Skullstone.
> <Garda> *groans*...water...and now zombies.
> <Greenling> They're doing something. Fuck knows.
> <Astra> (Send Epiphany)
> <Greenling> But they've been sending ships out to weird places. Hovering. With building supplies.
> <Garda> (My sentiments exactly.)
> <Greenling> And some over to Coral.
> <Greenling> (You can also make a roll...)
> <Greenling> (as you like, and add Savant to it. just tell me what.)
> <Garda> (What Savant?)
> <Greenling> (well, if you have any.)
> <Greenling> (Lore'd be best.)
> <Garda> (Int Lore it is! To be bat-roller!)
> <Garda> (4 successes again.)
> <Greenling> (no Savant?)
> <Garda> (No Savant.)
> <Greenling> Hmm. You think you recall one of those locations in the middle of the ocean having shown up in one of your classes, but it's probably nothing important.
> <Garda> (Garda has NO recollection of his past life, through repression or happenstance.)
> <Greenling> Ah well.
> <Greenling> Well, they're doing that...
> <Greenling> Re: Coral, they seem to be scouting.
> <Garda> He notates the location with the Big Green Tag - Bears Further Examination
> <Greenling> Another odd thing:
> <Greenling> One ship has stopped bringing building material, and is of late being met and, seemingly, parleying with at least one unknown Lunar.
> <Greenling> Some young one, and that's all they know.
> <Greenling> Probably a newbie.
> <Greenling> (*checks notes*)
> <Garda> One of the Skullstone ships?
> <Greenling> Yeah.
> <Greenling> In general, most of the Lunars in the area- at least those which are relatively known factors, which is a few more than you'd think in the West since they don't try to kill them all- seem to be slowing up whatever they usually do, and cooperating less.
> <Greenling> Now...
> <Garda> Lunars: Unsurprisingly useless...got it
> <Greenling> There *is* the group of Lunars, or as far as people can tell Lunars, who are also making a hell of a stir around Coral.
> <Greenling> Three of them, going around in what are described by witnesses as "sparkly skirt outfits", "hard to describe", "conflicting reports", and "generally running around attacking shit and glowing and acting about like you'd expect the other Exalts to act".
> <Garda> ...
> <Garda> Lunars: Unsurprisingly crazy useless. Got it.
> <Greenling> "Also, some of them seem to be giving their Charms even more pretentious names. I mean what the fuck, 'Glorious Moon Sparkle Transformation'?."
> <Garda> ...
> <Garda> ...
> <Garda> ...
> <Astra> (Can I call dibs on that one?  :D )
> <Greenling> (what?)
> <Garda> Recommending Adamant Silver and Epiphany for this mission. One to understand, another to viciously mock.
> <Garda> Doesn't care which.
> <Astra> (On managing Coral.)
> <Greenling> (you can ask.)
> <Astra> ( But then again, Sacre gets to mention he got orders from Venus on that one. )
> <Greenling> They seem to be focusing on pirates in that area, though there also seem to be efforts at helping various civilians and... one is attempting to break the fleet away from the Admiral through sheer force of charisma.
> <Garda> ...note to self: Would I get rewarded by Siakal if I fed these insane Lunars to the siaka...?
> <Greenling> She doesn't (they're all female) seem to be accomplishing much, but mostly because she hasn't really given them an alternative yet...
> <Greenling> And hell, a few ships have mutinied.
> <Greenling> Just from having "Admiral Tirak is a horrible vicious murderer and you need to stop that" yelled at them.
> <Greenling> Or the equivalent.
> <Garda> ...
> <Garda> Already hate them.
> <Greenling> Okay. Next subject.
> * Garda ponders plan to send them in suicidal mission to deflect Skullstone's construction projects, citing 'greater good'
> <Greenling> Most Solars in area staying relatively low or out killing Fae or something constructive. Subject #34 still building giant freaky-ass-looking Wood Manse.
> <Greenling> Picture attached. (Picture is missing.)
> * Garda hunts for picture. Fucking Solars.
> * Garda hates Solars more than any other force in all of Creation.
> <Greenling> Picture picture picture... picture picture...
> <Garda> For one simply reason: They do not follow protocol!
> <Greenling> Oh god, let that not be... yeah, they at least labeled the back to go with the report.
> <Greenling> Okay.
> <Garda> ?
> <Greenling> Well, he's building the Manse in the shape of a giant, badly-rendered erect phallus.
> <Greenling> It's got very good geomancy, though.
> <Garda> ....
> <Garda> ...who the hell is Subject 34?
> <Astra> ...
> <Greenling> Older Twilight, maybe ~80 years.
> <Greenling> Name unknown.
> <Greenling> If you like you can do a research roll to know more.
> <Greenling> Or we can go onto the next subject.
> <Garda> Sure...this is so not where Garda is going
> <Greenling> Okay, other problems.
> <Greenling> The Lintha: this is where Righteous Tsunami was dispatched.
> <Garda> ?
> <Greenling> They haven't been raiding people for a while. He's trying to figure out why. Signs are that their Admiral is plotting something fierce.
> <Greenling> This is also where a couple of the Solars have disappeared to, as far as anyone can tell...
> * Garda marks this topic with, "Potential rogue Sidereal? Bears further examination"
> <Greenling> But he and a couple others are investigating that.
> <Greenling> International:
> <Greenling> Isle relations mostly come down to what's happening with the Pelepses. Relations with the East: there's actually something there.
> <Greenling> It comes over from the Convention of Wood that there's a competition going on to see if anyone over there can create a ship fast and hardy enough to make it all the way to the Western Ocean and back without stopping.
> <Garda> Speaking of phallic enterprises...
> <Greenling> A lot of bribes and Barque business has gone to making the Inner Sea customs no obstacle; projections are that this could be *amazing* for trade.
> <Greenling> Stuff with the North: the usual. The Bull's armies are apparently considering eventually setting up a naval base, but he's still turning East first.
> <Greenling> Trade continues.
> <Greenling> Trade from An-Teng has stopped; a few Second-Circle errors are brewing. Others in the Convention were working on this when the Lintha thing came up.
> <Greenling> Southern folk seem to be going *around* there without realizing it...
> <Greenling> And trade *to* An-Teng is- well, according to all people and records, going forward.
> <Greenling> According to reality, it ain't.
> <Greenling> And those are the major international issues.
> <Greenling> Other special issues:
> <Greenling> Black Depths Foretold has disappeared.
> <Garda> ?
> <Greenling> Just... poof. It was hangin' around somewhere hidden beneath the bottom of the ocean...
> <Greenling> And now, well.
> <Garda> What's a Black Depths Foretold?
> <Greenling> The God of the Western Ocean is kinda freaking out, being that that's the dagger that's destined to kill him.
> <Garda> Ah
> <Greenling> He has requested that you Find That Shit Now, Oh Me.
> <Greenling> But hey.
> <Greenling> Up to you.
> <Garda> Is there any data on the potential replacements for said god?
> <Greenling> (the other gods are laughing at him)
> <Greenling> Other than "none slated currently", no.
> <Greenling> I mean they could have Siakal do it? But some people would probably not like that.
> <Garda> How's the God's relative competence/influence/likelihood of fallout if he were to have an unfortunate demise?
> <Greenling> Like the people who wanted to live, largely.
> <Garda> Basically...would it be better for the West if he fell on a magic knife?
> <Garda> ...erk. no more influence to Siakal...crazy bitch.
> <Garda> Notes to establish an effective replacement were the God to die, regardless of his efficacy.
> <Greenling> Hmm. He's a little better than the average God, really. He isn't particularly a dick, for one. His influence is not that great, but he does his job. (Partly *because* he does his job.)
> <Greenling> (He seems to *like* being a big fish among the Terrestrial Gods, if you'll pardon the pun.)
> <Garda> *nods*
> <Greenling> Likelihood of fallout: mostly, since it's unscheduled and who knows who would do what with, fallout is Unknown.
> <Garda> Maintaining relative priority of the life-save then
> <Greenling> And of course, it being gone may or may not mean anyone knows what it does or why or how.
> <Greenling> Other than being a shiny knife.
> <Greenling> You notice a red memo tacked to a file in Skullstone.
> * Garda nods, sets it up as a research pro-RED MEMO!
> <Greenling> Crimson.
> <Greenling> It's- ooh.
> <Greenling> This is from Her.
> <Garda> Her?
> <Greenling> Her. Yes.
> <Garda> Mars?
> <Greenling> Your patron.
> <Greenling> Yep.
> <Garda> ....FFFFFFFFFFFFFFf
> <Astra> ~<3
> * Garda reads the memo
> <Greenling> It lists a half-dozen mortals.
> <Garda> Kill or save/
> <Greenling> "Mine. Work in progress, but no touchy."
> <Greenling> They're all in Skullstone.
> <Garda> ...:3...
> <Greenling> :3?
> * Garda palms the note, making a personal note in memory to see what she might be up to...won't TOUCH...might just...y'know...LOOK
> <Greenling> (heee.)
> <Greenling> More issues...
> <Greenling> (are you dead yet?)
> <Greenling> (I really do have more, but man, it's 3 am. I'm not tired, but are you?)
> <Garda> (I should be in bed, and yet...I am not.)
> <Greenling> (ok.)
> <Astra> (I'm not tired, amazingly. O_o I'm just watching. )
> <Greenling> Mmmh... okay.
> <Greenling> I could've sworn I'm missing something but I'm not sure what.
> <Greenling> Garda: summary me, boy.
> <Greenling> In your own words.
> <Garda> That's...a lot of words.
> <Garda> The alternative areas have been established roughly as such:
> <Garda> Skullstone: Construction projects of unknown nature(ties with Coral), parley with unknown Lunar. Location of particular site elusive, may bear input from Sacre.
> <Garda> Wavecrest: Outer isles infested with jellyfish, initial Wyld threat beginning to breed true. Some sociocultural relevance to those being killed (minor).
> <Garda> Coral: Ties to Skullstone construction, insane flamboyant Lunars, trade/alliance/settlement? with House Peleps. Potential hub for synergistic approach?
> <Garda> The Neck: Who gives a fuck?
> <Greenling> Oh right, them.
> <Garda> Internationally: Peleps interferences determining trade dynamics. Big Boat Competition from East. Potential Chaos in South, tied to Lintha silence (potential rogue Sidereal involvement? Fate fluctuations intentional to cover problems or cover for bribery/betrayal?)
> <Garda> North is stable, unless the Bull of the North behaves like "a fucking Solar"
> <Garda> Sub-committee on Terrestrial Politics: Big god fears little dagger. Find, if only to avoid uncertainty in replacement.
> <Garda> Sub-Committee on Anathema: Solar building Cock-manse. Lunars less potent. Connection?
> <Garda> And that covers what goes on the chalkboard for Phase 2, unless something is actually happening in the Neck.
> <Garda> ...which would surprise Garda
> <Greenling> (*reads over*)
> <Astra> (The possibility is a neck to neck race in between there and rest of the Northwest... :p )
> =-= Greenling has changed the topic to ``Sub-Committee on Anathema: Solar building Cock-manse. Lunars less potent. Connection?
> <Greenling> Nothing interesting, really.
> <Greenling> Unless I've forgotten something, in which case I blame the Pattern Spiders, that's everything major.
> <Greenling> Phase 3?
> <Garda> That's more than enough alternatives to examine
> <Greenling> (hehe.)
> <Greenling> What *is* Phase 3, anyway?
> <Garda> THAT...will be more interactive. That involves a SWOT analysis of each sub-committee, and of each member of the team.
> <Garda> This may necessarily need to be interactive.
> <Greenling> So basically with the party.
> <Greenling> And the one Journeys fella you've got.
> <Garda> The Strengths, Weaknessess, Opportunities, and Threats present in each area.
> <Garda> And in each member.
> <Greenling> Orrr... by himself *towards* these.
> <Greenling> Well I don't know; whatcha wanna do then?
> <Garda> It's really late. I think I'll just say that these aspects are going to take a while. And he has really incomplete info. So...for now, are there dossiers on every team member so far, or are those not available here?
> <Greenling> Only very minor ones.
> <Garda> Might as well memorize those.
> <Greenling> All righty then.
> <Greenling> It for tonight y/n?
> <Garda> Anything juicy?
> * Garda is also hiding his own file in the bowels of the Neck's reports.
> <Garda> Yes, I think that's it for tonight.
> <Garda> Phase 4, after all, will be Selecting An Alternative!
> <Garda> And that, of course, requires dup- er, gaining consensus.
> <Greenling> Nah, mostly just stuff you already know. Name Caste Origins (if known) Faction (if any) and a few basic personality traits, along with Ronin Warnings for Pips and Adamant.
> <Garda> *nods
> <Garda> The origin stories will be somewhat news to him. Anything interesting in his own file, before he buries it?
> <Greenling> Nope.
> <Greenling> Well...
> <Greenling> They're very direct, and seem to have been intended for the Convention Head's eyes personally.
> <Greenling> So...
> <Greenling> "Personality: Overweening dick who thinks he's special for having been in the Legions. Potentially competent, if he can get over himself."
> <Greenling> If that's "interesting".
> * Garda marks out Legions and puts in "7th Legion, 3rd Field Force"
> <Garda> Adds "Read more" to the bottom of the note.
> <Garda> Then allows the file to stay with the others, satisfied.
> <Garda> ...who IS the Convention head?
> <Greenling> Righteous Tsunami.
> <Garda> Ah.
> <Garda> ...who wrote the summaries?
> <Greenling> You're not sure. Probably whoever assigned you all here.
> * Garda shrugs
> <Garda> That should cover it. Garda will likely work with cold curry and cold coffee until all of the analysis for Phase 3 is ready for others' input
> <Garda> I...do not want to do all of that work.
> <Greenling> Fair enough.
> <Astra> Until he falls asleep and has his nightmare fuel.
> <Greenling> yes. >:3
> <Garda> That'll be fairly early on...and then MORE work afterwards. And more cold curry and cold coffee.
> <Garda> Because clearly that goddamn fish soup unsettled his belly.
> <Garda> Never trust a Bluesid not to drug a meal.
> <Greenling> http://www.thefreedomstone.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2220&p=121079#p121079 December 29th, 2008
> <Greenling> *snicker*
> <Garda> The hell peppers neutralize any other toxins, see?
> <Astra> (Hey, fuck you.  ;D  :P )
> <Garda> (No thanks, Blue boy!)
> <Astra> (THIS is why Sacre may not regret dumping vomit on him. )
> <Garda> (Good luck!)
> <Astra> (He'd surprise attack. We can try it during game session.  :P )
> <Astra> (He'll have to roll compassion to do it, though. )
> <Greenling> ...is Sacre actually carrying this bucket around?
> <Astra> Yes, he has it in the kitchen with him.
> <Astra> When he gets petty, he gets /petty./
> <Greenling> :B
> <Greenling> Sacre might have to start rolling Sta+Res again.
> <Astra> Heh.
> <Greenling> especially since he's *cooking*.
> <Astra> He'd just throw up in the bucket more and throw the whole thing.
> <Astra> I'm just going to get the compassion out of the way, once it begins making him sick again.
> <Astra> So...
> <Astra> ... He made the first stamina roll for now.
> <Greenling> goood.
> <Garda> Bedtime for me
> <Garda> Night, guys
> <Astra> Night.
> <--| Astra has left #everything
> <--| YOU (Garda) have left #everything