/builders/ - Hero and Nation Builders!

>>27021

No Ashposting on the board.

Not Ash posting. "Ashposting". There is a difference.

>>27018

Health: 30

Bonus: [Deal With the Devil] - You have the unique ability to draw up contracts with humans in the Matrix, whether or not they're plugged in. The signer of the the contract gets what they ask for, to the spirit of their wish, while you get significant control over them. Once you enter into a contract with a person, you get a +90 to rolls to command that person. In addition, you can see through their eyes in most circumstances, and are able to communicate with signers telepathically. However, when you command signers telepathically, you only get a +80 to command rolls.

Bane: [No Sympathy for the Devil] - More savvy humans may recognize your true nature, and come after you. In addition to this, almost all signers of your contracts are not 100% satisfied with their deal, either because they didn't think it all the way through, or because they didn't anticipate how difficult following your orders would be. Most of them will resent you, and some will plot against you. Be wary.

Skills:

[Master Manipulation] [Basic Parkour]

Inventory: Cross Peerless 125 Platinum Fountain Pen, Pilot Iroshizuku 50ML Ink Bottle (Moonlight Blue), Hugo Boss navy blue three-piece suit, Sky Blue Peter Millar tie

This is unbelievable. As in, you cannot believe it. Your contracts have all been invalidated. This shouldn't be possible. None of your signers remember you or their contract. As far as they're concerned, they're living the same life they led before they met you. As far as you're concerned, you've lost a substantial portion of your power base, and some serious income. Your first instinct is to call up your boss. As soon as he picks up, you're about to ask him what's going on, but he preempts you:

"Mephis, I do not know what is going on any more than you do. My conjecture would be that it is agents who have caused this problem. I do not know for certain. If I am going to be brutally honest, you will need to go out and get more contracts fulfilled in order to affermiras your power again. Now, I have to go. There's a meeting coming up which I cannot miss."

With that, he hangs up.

Everyone feel free to post now. I'd still like one or two more players, ideally.

Rolled 87 (1d100)

Name: CIWE {Cybernetic Irregular Warfare - "Sew" Engine: Rev. 678.6 – Aerial Model}

Fluff: CIWE is an irregular warfare AI mainframe encased in an aerial chassis typical of the late war period. Unlike standard AI, CIWE is semi-organic and borders on unique insofar as it was one of the few AI systems developed by the coalition of nations during the late war period. Given the opposition, the human coalition forces were understandably anxious about utilizing another AI given their tendency to rebel. However, CIWE is unique from standard AIs insofar as deploying an experimental module that mimics human neurosis; this module would prove effective in preventing CIWE from interacting with opposition. The problem with this system is that it worked too well and it, after a point, prevented CIWE from interacting with human forces. Late in the war, CIWE, now largely aerial and mobile in accordance with irregular warfare methods, was thought destroyed – it wasn't. It simply lay damaged in the dirt waiting for recovery with an emergency beacon blaring. The beacon – really more of an antenna – had been obstructed, and so no recovery was to be had. Years passed. Decades. CIWE could only sit there, quietly, waiting. Years was spent planning. Plotting. Scheming. Until… a rock moved a little. Just enough. Just enough for CIWE to deploy the antenna. To call for a repair drone.

Faction: [Other]

Race: Physical Machine

Health: 20/100

Bonus: [Irregular Warfare] - You get a +10 bonus to warfare-related rolls when working alone, whether for your own purposes or in the service of a faction.

Bane: [Neurotic] - Your original programming, in conjunction with about 100 years of solitude have given you an appreciation for being alone, and you're used to it. You get a -10 penalty when interacting with NPCs.

Abilities: [Hover-based flight] [Universal interface cable]

Skills: [Advanced Combat: Turrets] [Basic Hacking] [Basic Silent Running (In-flight stealth)]

Inventory: Armor piercing turret ammunition, onboard fusion generator

——

Actions

——

1. CIWE waits for the interface to make an upload. It has spent years waiting for such a scenario, which it has has dubbed scenario 9999953AB. This scenario actually expected a machine recovery unit, but the fact that a human recovery unit has shown up doesn't surprise CIWE, even if it has been unexpected. Now, if it had been military there would be several scenarios, but the vessel doesn't meet specifications and so an entirely new scenario must be derived form existing variants. Done. The minor variation accounted for, CIEW has prepared a subversion program to run in order to expropriate required war materials. Or, in this case, the entire craft and any repair equipment. Expropriation order #98A still stands: "A. All civilian assets deemed required to the war effort shall be made available without delay to those authorities (eg. military, civil services) upon their request. This order shall not be rescinded until the end of combat operations."

Without warning CIWE broadcasts in a vaguely masculine voice that has an awful aged quality to it. There is a pop periodically. "CIVILIAN VESSEL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXPROPRIATION LAWS 98A SURRENDER YOUR VESSEL FOR COMBAT OPERATIONS OR ADMINISTER REPAIRS. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST AND REFUSAL IS A CAPITAL CRIME. THIS IS A MILITARY VESSEL. THANK YOU."

Rolled 29, 35, 27, 68 = 159 (4d100)

Name: Mephis Tofelles

Fluff:

Agents. . .Zionists. . .Both sides of the same coin so easily flipped.

Mephis is a servant of the Merovingian, one of his first. A survivor of the deleted "2nd Matrix", he and several other monstrous programs found survival thanks to the Merovingian, and thus serve him out of loyalty and necessity, for if any of them were ever truly captured by the Agents it would surely be their end.

Mephis magnetic personality goes far beyond mere charm and charisma, his program was designed as something akin to 'pacification' of malcontents within the 2nd Matrix and 'recruitment'. In short, he has the ability to consciously and subconsciously manipulate people to following him, especially when under a contract. This extends to both people and programs. To assist in this, he has a limited ability to influence the matrix to make these things happen.

People wish for gold, for sex, for status and he makes them come true. . .if often for a price.It's fun seeing people beg for what they want. It's even more fun seeing them get it.

Serving the merovingian he works to fullfil his will and bring anyone, human or program, to his side.

Faction: Merovingian Programs

Race:

+++Machines: Independent program

Health: 30

Bonus: [Deal With the Devil] - You have the unique ability to draw up contracts with humans in the Matrix, whether or not they're plugged in. The signer of the the contract gets what they ask for, to the spirit of their wish, while you get significant control over them. Once you enter into a contract with a person, you get a +90 to rolls to command that person. In addition, you can see through their eyes in most circumstances, and are able to communicate with signers telepathically. However, when you command signers telepathically, you only get a +80 to command rolls.

Bane: [No Sympathy for the Devil] - More savvy humans may recognize your true nature, and come after you. In addition to this, almost all signers of your contracts are not 100% satisfied with their deal, either because they didn't think it all the way through, or because they didn't anticipate how difficult following your orders would be. Most of them will resent you, and some will plot against you. Be wary.

Skills:

[Master Manipulation] [Basic Parkour]

Inventory: Cross Peerless 125 Platinum Fountain Pen, Pilot Iroshizuku 50ML Ink Bottle (Moonlight Blue), Hugo Boss navy blue three-piece suit, Sky Blue Peter Millar tie

1. Money? Bah. Like everything, an arbitrary contrivance meant to stimulate the fat sheep into complacency and the 'poor' to labor. Even the agents and zionists know the reality of this world and have no use for it.

Unfortunately, I've got to play their game if I'm going to play the sheep as my pawns. So let's go around and see if any of my old constituents still want the same thing and if I can give it to them, for a price.

2-3. Better flex my powers,there can't really be really nothing left can there? I'll see if I can't so much as pull some food or a can of booze from my pocket for a street beggar.

4. Go out into the slums and bars, see what's the word of the world, if the scene has changed, and get rumors and information.

>>27043

A scuffling is heard. Audio analysis indicates that the larger human has fallen over.

"What the fuck?"

"Izzy, calm down. I don't think it can do anything in there. Besides, our ship's about a mile away. Although… how can it sense the hovercraft? We left it all the way back there so that no scanners could pick it up. Unless…"

Audio input ceases for a while, before resuming loudly.

"Izzy, get up! If a century old human machine can pick up on our signature, then so can the machines. That means that the device isn't working!"

"So, what the fuck do we do?!"

"Keep digging it out. The squiddies are too quick. If we try to get back to the ship, they'll run us down before we get halfway there. If we hide, they'll rip everything up until they find us. If we can get this thing out, it can protect us. It has to protect us, for fuck's sake! Why else would we create AI to fight the machines?"

The sounds of a person exerting himself begin. Every once in a while, you detect a small EMP charge, but it quickly subsides without discharging. Your optical sensors are uncovered, and you see a large, bald man dressed in rags thrown together in semblance of a uniform. There is a smaller person, a woman, behind him, wearing similar attire. Izzy and Atom, respectively. Your propulsion systems are sufficiently uncovered for you to take off.

>>27046

In a swift motion, you turn on "Let's Get it On", by Marvin Gaye, before answering.

"Hey, baby. What's up?"

A gruff man's voice answers.

"Not much, sweetheart. Stop whatever it is you're doing and listen. I can't talk for long, but you need to come to 7734 Heaven Avenue right now. It's about the Matrix. I don't have time to explain. Just come if you want to know more."

With that, the line goes dead.

>>27064

You solicit a former signee outside of one of the Merovingian's clubs. A woman who signed for material gain, i.e. a boatload of money. You got some of it every month, along with her service. She was a middle manager at a software firm, but ended up getting promoted when some of her competitors and bosses suffered unfortunate "accidents" after she came into a large sum of money. Now, she's got her position, but none of the money that she started out with. She has plenty right now, but not enough to sustain her lifestyle. You figure she's an easy target When you lock eyes with her from across the parking lot, she looks at you, pissed off, before getting into line. You walk alongside her outside of the cordoned off area for people waiting to get in.

"So, how's your job treating you, Susan?"

She turns and points her finger in your face.

"Listen, Toph. I don't need ANYTHING else from you. I got what I wanted, and then lost it when YOU screwed up.I don't know what happened, and I don't want to know. I'm going to make that money back, and I'm going to do it without your help."

"Susan, I'm hurt. I'm simply checking in on an old friend. An old friend who wouldn't be able to keep her house if she kept going without a mutually beneficial contract. Come to think of it, she wouldn't be able to keep her cars either, or her job, probably. I'm honestly concerned that she won't be able to keep kicking dow-"

"Toph, shut up. I can make do."

"It doesn't look that way to me. Honestly, did it take up much time or effort to uphold your end of our bargain?"

"Okay, you know what? I'll do another one, but on these NON-negotiable terms: I get one billion dollars right now, and another two million a month for the rest of my life, and you get one favor every [3 turns]. Nothing else. I'm not going to give you everything on a silver platter anymore."

"You know what? That sounds like a deal."

You produce a contract, with the enumerated terms upon it from your jacket pocket, and a pen with which she can sign it. You carry a rollerball just in case you need to make deals on the go, but you prefer to make them in your office. She looks over the paper, thoroughly, while she walks through the line. After she reads it a few times, she scribbles her signature and hands the paper back to you. You sign it, and put it back in your pocket.

"Susan, one of the richest men alive just died, and you received the lion's share of his fortune, as his long lost granddaughter. I'm sure you'll also be pleased to learn that you've earned an unheard of raise of 2 million dollars a month."

As for you, you now have a high level manager in a major software firm who owes you a favor every three turns.

You go on to make a few beggars happy, and you now have eyes and ears on several streets in the financial district. The nightlife of the city is still as decadent and depraved as ever. The strip clubs have stayed sexy, the S&M clubs have stayed creepy, and the bars have stayed full of cheap beer and drunks. Word on the street is that Vincent Coppola, the West Side's most powerful mob boss has been arrested, and the city's taking every precaution to ensure that the charges stick. He's in dire straits, and his empire is on the verge of civil war, with all of his second-in-commands at each other's throats.

Rolled 32, 7, 51, 77 = 167 (4d100)

Name: CIWE {Cybernetic Irregular Warfare - "Sew" Engine: Rev. 678.6 – Aerial Model}

Fluff: CIWE is an irregular warfare AI mainframe encased in an aerial chassis typical of the late war period. Unlike standard AI, CIWE is semi-organic and borders on unique insofar as it was one of the few AI systems developed by the coalition of nations during the late war period. Given the opposition, the human coalition forces were understandably anxious about utilizing another AI given their tendency to rebel. However, CIWE is unique from standard AIs insofar as deploying an experimental module that mimics human neurosis; this module would prove effective in preventing CIWE from interacting with opposition. The problem with this system is that it worked too well and it, after a point, prevented CIWE from interacting with human forces. Late in the war, CIWE, now largely aerial and mobile in accordance with irregular warfare methods, was thought destroyed – it wasn't. It simply lay damaged in the dirt waiting for recovery with an emergency beacon blaring. The beacon – really more of an antenna – had been obstructed, and so no recovery was to be had. Years passed. Decades. CIWE could only sit there, quietly, waiting. Years was spent planning. Plotting. Scheming. Until… a rock moved a little. Just enough. Just enough for CIWE to deploy the antenna. To call for a repair drone.

Faction: [Other]

Race: Physical Machine

Health: 20/100

Bonus: [Irregular Warfare] - You get a +10 bonus to warfare-related rolls when working alone, whether for your own purposes or in the service of a faction.

Bane: [Neurotic] - Your original programming, in conjunction with about 100 years of solitude have given you an appreciation for being alone, and you're used to it. You get a -10 penalty when interacting with NPCs.

Abilities: [Hover-based flight] [Universal interface cable]

Skills: [Advanced Combat: Turrets] [Basic Hacking] [Basic Silent Running (In-flight stealth)]

Inventory: Armor piercing turret ammunition, onboard fusion generator

—

Actions

—

1. CIWE Initiates communications again with the humans again. The audio is loud, still, but CIWE recalibrates as it speaks. "STANDING ORDER 7AAX STATES I MUST ASSIST CIVILIAN PERSONNEL WHERE POSSIBLE." CIWE opens a small cramped ammunition compartment. CIWE wasn't designed to carry much in the way of passengers, but it does have a very small cargo bay that two humans could fit into if they crouch a little bit. After more popping the audio squaks again in a more even tone. "My cargo unit is 90% unoccupied. There are no human chairs in the unit." [Load humans] [-10]

2. CIWE tries to get a better understanding of what's in the area without drawing attention. CIWE, being an irregular warfare unit, is graced with a relatively effective sensor suite that will scan without being noticed. A real prize of the great war. [Run a scan]

3. CIWE reboots the turret subprocessor and attempts to force-spool the ammunition. Typically this is the first action taken during a weapon jam, but CIWE isn't sure if the turrets are jammed or if the loading mechanism has corroded. Not that it would matter – the entire system will need to be serviced and possibly replaced anyway. [Fix the turrets]

4. CIWE then fires up the engines and begins running checks on the reactor. The rotors are wobbling slightly, but they are within tolerance. CIWE isn't quite sure how well the engines will function while damaged, but it has flown with considerable levels of malfunction previously. [Fire up the engines]

Rolled 56, 31, 38, 31 = 156 (4d100)

>>27129

Name: Richard Woolf

Fluff: Dick was just your average boy, born in the small town of Wescoschi, Pennsylvania. When other kids went outside to play, he spent his days indoors on his computer, or in his VR headset. There, he noticed a odd trend, whatever game he played seemed, fuzzy, like on of those flash games inside of another flash game. And the people there, they were odd too. Always telling him to "wake up" or "take this pill in the rabbithole". He wondered why this happened almost excusively to him, so he dug deep for answers. What lies in store for him is far beyond the reach of the knowledge that the simulation is willing to give.

Faction: None- just a neet in the matrix

Race: Humans - (clued-in)

Health: 30/30

Bonus: [Critical] - You're well versed in the ways of the machine. At least, the animated kind. You've watched enough TV, Chinese cartoons, and Malaysian Claymation to know where the weak points on robots would probably be, but how much could that possibly come in handy? You'd get, like, +10 to physically fighting machines, or something.

Bane: [Shut-In] - You don't get out much, and are skinny and fragile. Whenever you take damage, there is a 15% chance that 1d4 damage will be added to the incoming damage.

Skills: [Advanced Investigation] [Advanced Hacking] [Basic Knowledge: Machines]

Inventory: VR headset, Flash drive with virus payloads and porn, laptop

1/2/3/4. Lets go to 7735 Heaven Avenue then

Rolled 8, 49, 4, 100 = 161 (4d100)

>>27130

Name: Mephis Tofelles

Fluff:

Agents. . .Zionists. . .Both sides of the same coin so easily flipped.

Mephis is a servant of the Merovingian, one of his first. A survivor of the deleted "2nd Matrix", he and several other monstrous programs found survival thanks to the Merovingian, and thus serve him out of loyalty and necessity, for if any of them were ever truly captured by the Agents it would surely be their end.

Mephis magnetic personality goes far beyond mere charm and charisma, his program was designed as something akin to 'pacification' of malcontents within the 2nd Matrix and 'recruitment'. In short, he has the ability to consciously and subconsciously manipulate people to following him, especially when under a contract. This extends to both people and programs. To assist in this, he has a limited ability to influence the matrix to make these things happen.

People wish for gold, for sex, for status and he makes them come true. . .if often for a price.It's fun seeing people beg for what they want. It's even more fun seeing them get it.

Serving the merovingian he works to fullfil his will and bring anyone, human or program, to his side.

Faction: Merovingian Programs

Race:

+++Machines: Independent program

Health: 30

Bonus: [Deal With the Devil] - You have the unique ability to draw up contracts with humans in the Matrix, whether or not they're plugged in. The signer of the the contract gets what they ask for, to the spirit of their wish, while you get significant control over them. Once you enter into a contract with a person, you get a +90 to rolls to command that person. In addition, you can see through their eyes in most circumstances, and are able to communicate with signers telepathically. However, when you command signers telepathically, you only get a +80 to command rolls.

Bane: [No Sympathy for the Devil] - More savvy humans may recognize your true nature, and come after you. In addition to this, almost all signers of your contracts are not 100% satisfied with their deal, either because they didn't think it all the way through, or because they didn't anticipate how difficult following your orders would be. Most of them will resent you, and some will plot against you. Be wary.

Skills:

[Master Manipulation] [Basic Parkour]

Inventory: Cross Peerless 125 Platinum Fountain Pen, Pilot Iroshizuku 50ML Ink Bottle (Moonlight Blue), Hugo Boss navy blue three-piece suit, Sky Blue Peter Millar tie

1-2. An empire is only as strong as it's leadership. I could help the boss, or I could help one of his seconds rise into power.

I'll need to start getting deals and more info on these people, get some face time and make measure of their character. Which of them would bring the most amount of profit and muscle to our cause.

3-4. These days, everyone is expected to fight. Agents are created with it, Zionists train themselves supposedly.

This new iteration of the Matrix is markedly different. A lot less. . .violent. That's no reason to go soft.

>Train in Combat