OOC Discussion

[Supercape]

For all things OOC: Rolls, rules, and discussion on the story.

Please chip in if you have ideas for what might happen to, challenge, or spice up, your PC!

[Tabs]

Munshi Singh (perusing Burton's latest offering).

Punjabi 75%, English 40%, Ride 30%, Tulwar (curved sabre) 75%, Rifle 40%, Track 40%, Listen 40%, Animal Handling 40%

Munshi is a big, strong fellow: HP 16.


Captain Richard Burton

French 30%, Punjabi 30%, Arabic 30%, Ride 40%, Pistol 50%, Knife 50%, Spot Hidden 50%, Anthropology 50%, Library Use 35%

HP 12

"I can pick up languages quickly, very quickly," he drawls, confident without a trace of arrogance. "Give me a week with an intelligent native, and I'll have a smattering of the mumbo jumbo."

[Priest]

Baxter Thomas Alexander.
Fancies himself as a bit of an author, but if he had any talent it’s long been drowned in gin. Went to Africa many years ago as a clerk in a trading company. Soon found that he liked Africa, but wasn’t keen on working. However he quickly found that he had a way with the natives, they tended to trust him even as he was robbing them blind.
He tended to move around the various African countries, usually out of necessity. Eventually he had wound up in Belgian Congo, working for the Belgian authorities in the trade department. This suited him well as the Belgian officials tended to look the other way over his shady dealings. It was not until there was some dispute over the disappearance of an expensive diamond, which had been earmarked by one of the high up officials, that he felt it would be wise to leave. Now he is back in London, ostensibly working on a book, but better described as working his way through the city’s gin supplies.
During his African years he picked up a smattering of various local tribal dialects, which when added to his command of Swahili, Arabic, French and Dutch and his knowledge of the continents interior tends to make his over fondness of the bottle and somewhat rough social niceties a little more acceptable.
He has contacts in various places in Africa, most of them as disreputable as himself. He has heard of Burton of course considering him, as many do, as little more than a pornographer plundering the various cultures of the world for erotic tit-bits to shock and delight much of society. In this he has no problem of course being only too happy to help plunder cultures also.

(Will flesh out the characteristics soon)

[Supercape]

Cool.

Once you are ready, I guess post your characters in the PC thread. There seems to be a usual format here? What's the position of the board?

Crunch wise - Choose your own attributes (keep it sensible and interesting etc etc). Occupation and General Interest Skills as usual although I go by the principle of play what you want to play so feel free to make some custom occupations.

NPC wise we have Singh. I am going to suggest two other NPCs to flesh out the expedition to six:

Doctor Henry Wessex, a Welsh Doctor familiar with African Tropical Diseases and a side interest in botany. He is a heavy gambler with lots of debts who charges a lot of money, and (although kind hearted) is always desperate for more. Doctor Wessex is known to be very good at his job, despite his anxiety.

Kristina Von Kluge. A young German woman of adventurous spirit and devout religious belief. Ms Meadows has helped fund the expedition and is a personal friend of Sir Winston - Smythe. She is a "tom boy" in an age that does not tolerate such. She hopes to spread the word of the Lord, and that the poor Souls of Africa need saving. Whilst most consider her luggage and ill fortune on the expedition, she is known for her rugged endurance and rude health.

Comments welcome. As I have said, the NPCs are not there as main characters, but too fill out a few skill gaps and to help generate some conflict for the group.

If anybody has any ideas about the relationships between the six expedition members (to generate conflict and story) please sing out.

[Supercape]

ps: Baxter. I had a picture of him acting as the expeditions Photographer, and specialising in topless tribeswomen - for purely scientific purposes of course! (Would this work with the Captain and others and mean their is an issue around Victorian Morality?)

[Supercape]

I forgot to mention: Normal EDU x 20 Occupation skills and INT x 10 Skills.

Does that add up for Burton and Singh? (And with regards SIngh do you want to flesh out his attributes?)

[Priest]

ps: Baxter. I had a picture of him acting as the expeditions Photographer, and specialising in topless tribeswomen - for purely scientific purposes of course! (Would this work with the Captain and others and mean their is an issue around Victorian Morality?)

Oh I'm sure that Baxter has worked with a camera at some stage in his colourful past, and that taking risque photographs of native beauties would be most acceptable.

[Tabs]

I forgot to mention: Normal EDU x 20 Occupation skills and INT x 10 Skills.

Does that add up for Burton and Singh? (And with regards SIngh do you want to flesh out his attributes?)

No idea for Burton! I'll do some maths. Singh--not really. But I can do, show me what you've got for Kristina and the Doctor.

[Supercape]

Cool. Doctor wessex up. Kind if need a doctor. Kristina still debatable.

I'll flesh out Singh based on your notes.

One point is that the expedition will need at least one chap with a spiffy navigation skill!

[Tabs]

The Doctor "sweats when anxious"--oh dear, his laundry will suffer in Africa!

I've changed Burton's Swim skill to Navigation.

[Supercape]

Well I hope the nature of turning from spiffy keen Englishmen into bedraggled, dirty, insane explorers can be part of the narrative!

I have decided to keep it to Singh, Wessex and the PCs. The focus should be on PCs after all. If anyone wants an NPC added, we can go with one more.

I have fleshed out Singh, I hope this is ok for you.

Im good with Burton as your PC, although I would suggest that the Disgiuse skill might be largely irrelevant here - not completely so, but the practicalities of disguise in a jungle with few tools of the trade might come up. You may wish to look at getting Swimming back (or whatever takes your fancy for a heroic explorer such as Jump, Animal Handling, Track, or Natural History).

Only other suggestion is I would give him a "nice" Fighting Knife like the classic Bowie Knife? (as he has skills in Knives and it is cool...)

Just waiting for Carstairs and Burton in PC thread and then we can kick off!

[Tabs]

Kristina may have been fun to have along . . . but it's your shout of course.

Singh is just right; I like the poetry--nice touch.

I'll go with your suggestions re. Burton. With Disguise I thought he could pass as a native; but he's a white man, doh!

I'm sure Mr. Handy and Priest will post their characters soon.

[Supercape]

Cool. Look forward to it!

Re: Burton. Technically I make it (give or take the 1% skills) you have another 35% to spend (if you are feeling really technical 39%). No need to spend it of course. If you are inclined to do so, please feel free (I would guess, if not boosting the current skills like Navigate, perhaps: Jump, Animal Handling, Track, or maybe even a little bit of Art [Painting] Skills?)

[Mr. Handy]

I'm sorry, I haven't had much time or much sleep lately. I won't be able to create my character tonight or tomorrow night, but I'll get it done as soon as I can.

[Tabs]

Painting skill would be appropriate for Burton, but Jump skill could be cool in conjunction with Climb--swinging on vines à la Tarzan! no? I know, I'll scrap Library Use, and have 35% in both Painting and Jump.

[Supercape]

MrHandy> No worries, best contemplated with a rested head, I think!

Tabs>Burton looking cool. I make him still having another 5% skills to spend but no need to!

Priest>Hope you are still in on this!

[Priest]

Baxter is posted. I hope he's right?

[Supercape]

He is cool! Love him.

A few thoughts / observations:

1. His attributes are a little low, which is no problem at all. I would wonder whether he deserves slightly higher CON (as a drifter), INT (As an cunning survivor), or APP (as a talker), but its your call of course. I kind of like him being a bit down trodden!

2. Skills wise I come up as 30% overspent, easily remedied by a point or two extra EDU or INT. In terms of skills I would have wondered if he has a few points in Fast talk or Bargain seeing he is a bit of a con-artist, but again, your shout.

3. Occupation seems to best fit something like "Photographer" or "Drifter" but this is purely descriptive.

4. In Background you have him able to speak Arabic and Dutch. I guess add those skills in or amend?

5. Personal Effects, I would guess "Camera" and "Collection of grainy photographs depicting tribeswomen in traditional undress for purposes purely of scientific and historical nature" or something like that might fit?

Love the headbut skill - perfect!

PS: I should add I am not totally concerned about EDU and INT and skill levels; first principle is play what you want for me!

[Tabs]

I'll add 5% to Jump.

Priest, I like the description of Baxter "You might like him, but . . ."

[Priest]

I'll add 5% to Jump.

Priest, I like the description of Baxter "You might like him, but . . ."

Why thank you my good sir

Supercape:
Whoops my bad math I guess. I forgot to add 2 points to INT for my age, that will give me an extra 40 skill point. 30 I will put to make the overspend right and the other 10% I will add to Fast Talk. I will also add the camera, a tripod, and a small collection of artistic photographs to my personal effects. Hopefully film will be supplied by our employer