preparation post

[zuhrovet]

This post is for out-of-character notes on things you want your character to accomplish before the next move. For continuing players: is your character making something, building something, studying something, or trying to foster a personal connection? For new players: does your character have prior experience with the rebellion, backstory with another character, or a particular skill they like to practice?

We also have a silly character quiz post and a music post, if you'd like to share some things about your character!

Comments

free foxes

[zuhrovet]

Sasha will coordinate with Reshad to allow Jedao greater access to information and other areas of the ship. In particular, he should acquire access to the gym fairly rapidly, and once he has been informed about the moths, he will be admitted to the common area. (I'm assuming that Remi will coincidentally avoid him until the next move! But we don't want to leave Jedao locked up for weeks, either.)

Re: free foxes

[yhlee]

Yep, Remi will coincidentally avoid Jedao throughout this time. Jedao is going to have Questions about moths but also recognizes that he isn't a scientist, linguist, musician, or otherwise useful in this arena.

I know exactly zero about gyms (and nothing about staying fit unless you count bicycling and fencing warm-ups), even though Jedao would know, so anyone who wants to weigh in on that stuff please feel free. XD

Re: free foxes

[bariolage]

Ione will ask him to fence with her! Ione is a sabreur, which neither of us are, so we should probably handwave how that went, and of course he won, but she's ... not terrible (she is no Olympic fencer but she comes from somewhere where sword duels are an actual way of life and swords are commonly used weapons) and will say she wants to learn from his skills.

... which is true, but she's also trying to keep feeling him out empathically.

Re: free foxes

[kese_seyli]

Seyli won't protest Jeado's increased access but they are visibly upset/distressed by the fact. They don't interact with him beyond what's needful but they also keep an eye on him as well.

Re: free foxes

[hoardingpearls]

Reshad thinks that with his reputed hacking skills, Jedao is entirely likely to find out about his interrupted career anyway. She's of the opinion that honesty is the best way to handle this - with a big dose of /you did this in one future/ and /that doesn't mean all of them./

She is going to be paying attention to his responses - this is distressing stuff, and she doesn't want to push him into doing himself harm. She's also happy to provide distraction via games or exercise.

She wants to continue to build connection with the existing crew: repair of the difficulty with Sasha, which is likely to be ongoing, and spending time with Ione and the mothlings are also of interest to her.

In case she isn't busy enough, she'll also be working on her hand to hand skills.

Ione Stuff

[bariolage]

Ione would also like to be involved more in mothling studying; specifically she would ask if she could find out if she and the babies can communicate with her on her violin, despite the fact she can't manage multiple scales at the same time, and if Remi can teach her to play moth language.

She also has plans to connect an EEG net (which is probably just a few contact points with no actual net) to Sasha's head and throw things at her. Literally in some cases, though they'd be harmless things, and the expectation is they won't hit her. It's up to Ursula if we do this on-camera or off. :)

... honestly, she wants to connect the EEG to a mothling, too, but isn't sure they wouldn't just eat the contact points.

Re: Ione Stuff

[yhlee]

Remi is happy for the violin to be incorporated into mothling experiments. The mothlings really really love playing with the violin, and Cantata is usually pretty good about telling them to be gentle with the instrument when they get rowdy.

Remi suggests that a chordal instrumental might be better suited for moth language but they can certainly try to approximate it with double-stops and so on.

[stormglass]

Due to her origin, I doubt Xiulan has any backstory with other characters as yet. As far as prior experience with the rebellion, I figure her involvement is probably fairly recent. If she’d gotten hints of such a thing going on, she’d have tried to look into it, which could be how contact initially occurred.

Speaking of which though, would Sasha (or any other PCs) be expecting certain info to be provided for those who will be joining the crew? Such as data Ashari or someone else might be passing along. I can work something up for that if so.

Particular skills she likes to practice: right now, a lot of her attention would be going to a couple of things primarily:
- Keeping in peak physical condition, combat practice, etc.
- Research! She has been devouring everything she can about the he*rchate and neighbors, the better to blend in, to understand, to anticipate, and so forth. Also working on adapting skills she has ‘from home’ to function in this new context - computers/grid, improvised weapons, etc. She’s also been digging in on some rebellion-specific notions and I’ll need to write that up; I’m assembling some ideas she’s come up with and/or will come up with.

I’ll take a look at the music and quiz posts, thanks!

A question: is the situation with moth sentience only known by those on the Cantata or is that known more broadly in the rebellion? I’d gotten the impression it was the former, but wasn’t positive.

[hoardingpearls]

Reshad is tremendously nosy, so she would of course be looking for files indicating source culture, etc. As Xiulan isn't from around here, the blank will be as interesting as an actual file... Unless she's provided false information?

[yhlee]

Ashari would provide a basic briefing of the mission and what the incoming team was attempting to do. It may, however, be somewhat garbled by the fact that Ashari is distracted with social/organizational matters. If you want me to provide more information on this front, I can do so, or you can come up with your own, possibly hilariously inaccurate, briefing.

Jedao is available for combat practice, probably under Seyli's supervision.

The mothling situation is not known more broadly in the rebellion. Ashari is unlikely to have bruited that about.

Alaric...

[slybrarian]

... would like continued opportunities to show off, and possible build a death liberation robot. Also some chances to interact with new people!

Re: Alaric...

[zuhrovet]

I definitely hope that this interlude involves a lot of the Cantata zooming a robot around and occasionally knocking it into things!

Re: Alaric...

[yhlee]

The Cantata is eager to participate in gravitational/robot-zooming experiments, and is especially interested in how robots are built and programmed, surely something that Alaric has Opinions about!

Dar Prep

[chomiji]

EDIT: OK, in the holiday chaos, I see I missed a bit of info. I'm editing this post some more now.

I don't think she has history with the other characters. In my own character canon, after falling through the time rift, she eventually got herself settled in a job as a cook/buyer for a restaurant in a port. The place reminded her a bit of the restaurant she ran with her family back on Hartsh, which she learned is now supporting a border listening post called the Tower of Sintered Lenses.

Now aboard, during the hours before the party, Dar has been acquainting herself with the parts of the ship that will be her responsibility and taking a look at the supply inventory. She is pleased and surprised that she has her own room, even though it is a tiny slip of a space.

Note that she doesn't own much in the way of clothing etc. and what she does own is very practical.

She hesitantly asks about weapons. It seems that it might be useful to have such, but her recent existence has not allowed it. And she is out of practice.

[GMs, would Dar even have an augment? I was thinking that she would jump at the chance to look at media and see whether any music from her homeworld was available , and then wondering whether she'd be able to use the grid. I guess she would need to, for her duties, what with supply inventories etc.]

Re: Dar Prep

[zuhrovet]

According to the timeline, augments became common around 1000, and Dar is from later than that, right? So having an augment would make sense, if you want her to have one.

Sulen returns

[venndaai]

Hey *waves embarrassedly* Apologies for vanishing; December was the last month of my degree and I didn't realize how much that was going to consume my life. I'm back and catching up, and I'm happy to have Sulen continue as second in command, but also happy to hand that off if someone more reliable is required.

Sulen probably disappeared into their cabin and had one of their little panic attacks. During this quiet period, they'll be trying to foster group cohesion (probably not to too much success), scrying the newcomers a lot, obsessing over their pseudo-dragon hatchling, and reading whatever Liozh philosophy is in the library. They'll also at some point gather the courage to go talk to the Cantata, recruiting Alaric as translator, and try to reassure themself that freeing moths won't bring about the demise of humanity.

They're probably more than a little uncomfortable with the large amount of Shuos now on board, which could be fun. Also they and Hana might share orphanage/Vidona angst, which could be fun to explore. And Eddox is, well, kinda their type, so there might be a bit more staring and scrying and awkward conversations there.

Re: Sulen returns

[zuhrovet]

Congratulations on finishing your degree!!

Re: Sulen returns

[yhlee]

Congratulations on completing your degree! That's huge--I hope you did something to celebrate. :)

Re: Sulen returns

[delight]

More congrats from me!

Ione is going to try to help with the group cohesion concept, as much as she can, because she's the local chatty nice person.

Re: Sulen returns

[chomiji]

Congratulations! My daughter is on the pre-final phases of her PhD program, so I've been hearing about it ... .

Shess prep

[rugessnome]

I'm pretty sure Shess has little to no background with anyone aboard (possibly, if someone would like to volunteer as having recruited them or at least having substantiated rumors that yes, this is where the rebellion is, they might have had up to few hours of conversation? Otherwise it would be limited to possibly "hey, I think I may have seen you once...")

Nor do they have much background with the rebellion. (Depending on the recruitment thing, maybe a token "give us/do something helpful" task to demonstrate loyalties before someone explained where to go, or a brief meeting. If that.)

(Also, some of Shess's background (farm birds, mathematical interests, curiosity about "enemies") would probably make for interesting conversation with Jedao, but about all they know about him presently is that he took part in some traitorous atrocity, with minimal details confirmed/remembered. Considering the time travel thing, they may presume fairly quickly that he hasn't done that yet.)

At present they're probably focusing on three activities:

-getting to know people, probably as much by observation as by conversations, and the mission. Shess probably won't actively research their friends' backgrounds unless there's specific reason, but might well research their interests!

-browsing in the library, because listings/collections (physical library? I'm guessing digital might be more likely?) can be more inspirational/interesting than trying to search for a specific topic. And for Shess, diving into an interest can be more soothing than conversations with people they don't know well, when they're a little nervous about joining a rebellion.

-spending some time [probably about 30-45 min/day] exercising, having intuited based on dramas* that it might help when on adventures if they were faster/better at running and also stronger, which is something they are newer to actively training in and still learning just what to do. (It's possible they will bump into Jedao in the gym...)

*(the "trock" i.e. fan Doctor Who music "A Whole Lot of Running to Do"'s refrain is running through my head XD. Despite not having listened to it in years.)

Re: Shess prep

[yhlee]

As a recent recruit, Shess will have access to the grid, which serves as Space Internet/library, although Ashari will also have obtained a matter printer or two (for party decorations and weapons, as one does) so if Shess wants physical versions of documents, they can have them.

Addtional Seyli info

[kese_seyli]

Seyli's also going to be making a significant effort in increasing their practices on the gun range, if possible with moving targets and more complicated situations (like the test in the Men in Black movie if the moth can handle something like that, lol). In addition to this, they'll also be heavily in the gym, pushing themselves with each workout.

They will also attempt to socialize more, although they avoid games and often drinking. They seem content to play the Hexarachate equivalent of homescapes and sit around while people are playing card games or other complex games.

When they find out there is going to be a party, they also spend a lot of time designing an outfit and accessories that a matter printer can make. (if it's not to weird this is 100% what Seyli's going to show up to, figuring if an Andan is hosting, it's okay https://www.net-a-porter.com/us/en/product/1213226/alex_perry/jackson-one-sleeve-sequined-satin-mini-dress )

[sageling]

So Hana was literally awaiting sentencing for sabotaging the Vidona when deus ex machina saved her life and delivered her to the rebellion. (In the application I'd indicated a random rift had opened in her jail cell, but I'd also be open to changing this to direct intervention by a rebellion agent -- up to the DM if that agent is someone important or just Background Rebel #37.) Hana had no idea the rebellion was a thing and came into the organization cold, as well as traumatized, malnourished, and a little worse for wear thanks to Vidona hospitality. Her first week or so with the rebellion would be spent healing, trying (and mostly failing) to catch up on sleep, and reading as much about the rebellion as possible.

My questions are: where would new recruits be taken, and would this be the same place other characters would be during down time? Would she be running into other rebellion folks in the mess hall/library/etc, or is she being watched and evaluated before being trusted around anything sensitive? She was an active Vidona agent, after all, and I can see there being suspect about whether she had a real change of heart or if she joined the rebellion because it was her only option for staying alive.

If Hana is around others, she'd try to make friends because she's a naturally social creature and hasn't been around friendly adult faces for a long time. If she's got full access to the grid/space library, she spends most of her free time reading. The first thing she'd do is try to find out if her dangerous gamble to save the Mwennin children under her care actually paid off. OOC, I'd love for her not to have an answer to that right now, because delicious guilt is delicious. So she dives into reading as much about the rebellion as she can.

She also starts training some in the gym. She's got experience with one-on-one torture, both with implements and with her bare hands, and she's big and solid enough that any punch from her is going to hurt, but she needs work on defensive/evasive fighting. I think she'd pick a basic free weights program to start, because weight lifting is hard for her and makes her brain shut up, and also some sort of martial art. I don't know martial arts from a hole in the wall, so we can leave the details up in the air. She could definitely run into someone at the gym, especially someone who wants to correct her form or being a sparring partner for someone clearly out of their depth.

Hana is not sleeping well, and when she does sleep it's fitful and full of bad dreams. She has night terrors a few times a week and has been looking for sedatives to put her under and keep her there for the entire night.

Hana's place in the timeline was a few months after the Mwennin genocide and the establishment of the new Mwennin homeworld (1252-ish?).

Meet Dar

[chomiji]

This is something I should have done earlier. Sorry for the n00b-itude.

Dar arrives on the base about a week before the party. After one day of disorientation, she makes herself a list:

1. Check out kitchen - get up to speed on appliances
2. Learn grid basics -- it's been a while since you used your implant
3. If you can't get on the ship, at least find a diagram
4. Take a look at the supplies here on base and get some idea what you'll be carrying on the ship
5. Find out specifically how to query grid about market prices for supplies when you get to another base or planet
6. Plan party menu - ask about special supply orders ASAP
    

Let's say someone greets her while she's carrying out this ambitious agenda. It could play out like this:

"Me? I'm your cook! Yeah, like that makes sense, right? All revolution soldiers need a good meal, is what I say. Plus I'll be buying supplies when we're in port, all the general stuff people use, not just food. I'm a pretty sharp dealer in the markets, let me tell you. And I can fix all sorts of little stuff around the ship, servitors too ... yeah, I used to run a couple of restaurants, one a long time ago, one just recently. Worked on every little thing on my way up."

Of course, if someone scryes her, there's that Kel signifier ... Ashhawk Feeding Young.

Her High Language is not great, she has an accent, and you might decide that she probably just doesn't have a very sophisticated vocabulary in this language ... except for food items and cooking techniques, and kitchen equipment. She doesn't sound stupid, but her word choices seem limited.