Lost in Dreams II (OCC)

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

I suppose the thing I object to in your version is that it would apply almost all the time if shirtlessness is normal. So maybe it only applies in situations where people would normally object?

Just skip it... it was more of a color thing and I went for the full appearance level since there were relatively close precedents and I wanted to get good value out of the point.

You've got this huge skill backlog!

>I KNOW<

I once complained about how variable "Session" was, and Kromm said the expected number of hours in a "Session" is four. I'm not going to try to sell that to my 7:30 to 9:30 group, but I can use it elsewhere.

I'm right there with you, and have been part of similar discussions.

It feels especially appropriate for someone who is officially "In-Universe-Lucky"

I'm a fan, for sure. I'm inclined to just say it should just work that way by default to prevent too much wasted luck ;)

It doesn't really make sense that luck goes away whenever detailed narration does.

I understand Peter really wants this, and I suppose it makes sense for him to eventually get some sort of deep understanding of all this phenomenon. What do you want this Thaumatology to do?

I really don't have a clear answer to this... I just want Peter to be especially at home with magic and have an understanding of the things he encounters and is fitting them into some kind of a bigger picture.

So mostly color and future option when you feel like Peter being awesome with a magic trick...

I kind of toy with the notion of his someday bringing it all together to perhaps invent his own branch of magic ...someday (which kind of ties into the Destiny thing as well). I've considered the idea of a Dream Magic Talent for something like "Thaumatology, Dreaming, Meditation, Mental Strength, Ritual Magic and Symbol Drawing or something like that...

Maybe he can determine some required rote from ritual, or find ways to improve magic he learns over the original version from time to time, or figures out his own way to foul a spell... But that's all optional, whatever, bonus kind of stuff.

I'm not expecting Peter to get a lot of actual utility out of it.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It doesn't really make sense that luck goes away whenever detailed narration does.

eh, lucky events per sentence makes sense, I think. just from conservation of detail. but switchable/alternate build works really well.

I really don't have a clear answer to this... I just want Peter to be especially at home with magic and have an understanding of the things he encounters and is fitting them into some kind of a bigger picture.

So mostly color and future option when you feel like Peter being awesome with a magic trick...

I kind of toy with the notion of his someday bringing it all together to perhaps invent his own branch of magic ...someday (which kind of ties into the Destiny thing as well). I've considered the idea of a Dream Magic Talent for something like "Thaumatology, Dreaming, Meditation, Mental Strength, Ritual Magic and Symbol Drawing or something like that...

Maybe he can determine some required rote from ritual, or find ways to improve magic he learns over the original version from time to time, or figures out his own way to foul a spell... But that's all optional, whatever, bonus kind of stuff.

I'm not expecting Peter to get a lot of actual utility out of it.

Hmmm.... What would I expect it to do?


First off, it'd be a nice skill for "I can tell what the magic I sense is doing." He's seen a fairly wide swath at this point, enough to start guessing what the magic is actually doing.


Second, he could use it to figure out effects in a magic system he knows about but hasn't seen.


Third, it might let him discuss magical theory with practitioners and actually follow what they're saying and win arguments or make predictions


Fourth, it might let him predict what will happen if he tries to use a magic effect on another magic effect


As for combining magic systems... The closest I could see happening so far is the "bond substitution" you're looking into for Helmut. Its honestly nice to have that a quest item, but after you learn it once Thaumatology as the skill to apply the theory on the ground or in future cases makes some sense.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I didn't see this coming. I expected Julian to get captured, not to change sides. I originally wrote the 2-27 post ending with Julian concluding that Royal and Co. were all crooks, but that he'd stick with them all the same. It felt too confident for Julian, so Julian instead asked Tatim about the Starpus, hoping to prompt him to say anything to dissuade Julian from changing sides. When he didn't...

I don't think it's entirely out of character either. Julian felt strongarmed into things as being cloned seemed to be an inevitability (and so, don't want to be cloned -> get money -> maybe stop cloning?) Slam's bombing suggestion threw him a bit off balance; if it was going to happen and he knew about it, I was pretty sure he'd have given that up to Reena. Besides, if it wasn't abrupt, Julian would have either fled completely rendering it moot, or have been captured making a betrayal look either like a desperate lie to protect the other plotters, or himself.

I totally follow. And yeah, he could have gone either way. Its a good twist.

The moral implications and growth of the action are interesting as well. Julian is choosing to betray the people who have treated him best... but he's also choosing not to be a criminal. Which action would have really showed more courage or agency?

And is anyone going to point that out to Julian?

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

eh, lucky events per sentence makes sense, I think. just from conservation of detail. but switchable/alternate build works really well.

Hmmm.... What would I expect it to do?


First off, it'd be a nice skill for "I can tell what the magic I sense is doing." He's seen a fairly wide swath at this point, enough to start guessing what the magic is actually doing.

Note that the Detect Power already does this as part of it's basic analysis on an IQ roll, so as a VH skill he would have to have 12+ points in it before it was an improvement...

Edit: I'm wrong there now that I give it some thought... it's a different perspective giving different kinds of details to the information.

Its honestly nice to have that a quest item, but after you learn it once Thaumatology as the skill to apply the theory on the ground or in future cases makes some sense.

I'm having trouble parsing this sentence... could you rephrase?


.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

He might also qualify for Delusion (A higher power guides me to help people).

The more I think about it, the more this has echoed, as Peter absolutely thinks this and is making all his life-choices based on it.

But although Delusion says it's based on how it affects your behavior, the point value seems to be tied to the reaction modifier when the character makes their delusion obvious with outlandish situational behavior and that doesn't really make sense for this. Peter does not advertise this belief, and anyone who he knows him well enough for him to tell it to probably won't think it's a delusion. So if it is a delusion, it's no more than a quirk.

But the point does remain that he takes radical and dangerous actions on an ongoing basis, is giving up high school, etc, I think the proper disadvantage for the behavior we are talking about may be Obsession or Compulsive Behavior (more in line with the code of honor/sense of duty framework than the reaction modifier based disad dynamic with delusions and the like) as his belief instructs his choices and motivations and rather than impact the way others see him.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Peter does not advertise this belief, and anyone who he knows him well enough for him to tell it to probably won't think it's a delusion. So if it is a delusion, it's no more than a quirk.

I dunno about that... He comes off a little forward to me.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"I'm really an inter-dimensional man of mystery, on a secret mission to save the multiverse!"

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"That's me, inter-dimensional man of mystery..."

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"I'm an Eagle Scout and interdimensional man of mystery my friend!

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I dunno about that... He comes off a little forward to me.

I stand corrected!

It's no surprise a lot of nuance is lost between imagination and character sheet.

[the_matrix_walker]

Is it possible to use some form of extra effort stunt to repurpose the Detect Supernatural Phenomena to detect the psychic ripples that draw Peter's visions or perhaps otherworldly things?

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Is it possible to use some form of extra effort stunt to repurpose the Detect Supernatural Phenomena to detect the psychic ripples that draw Peter's visions or perhaps otherworldly things?

That's a good question


Are you hoping to trigger the visions, or are you hoping for some sort of analysis that will let you sense the "triggering cause" directly?


Triggering the visions should be doable. I'm more skeptical about getting an answer like "you were brought here because Mr. Pundell is a scumbag who is going to try rob Anil of his rightful inheritence" If for the very least "rightful inheritence" is something I intentionally leave vague.

[the_matrix_walker]

Are you hoping to trigger the visions, or are you hoping for some sort of analysis that will let you sense the "triggering cause" directly?

I was looking for more on the triggering cause.

The template has Clairvoyance, but it is certainly not random... it appears to be guided by an unspoken enhancement, (Guided, "Detect: Tipping Point Events", +xx%), or some intelligence...

Accessing the basic Analysis of that unspoken Detect is the real goal.

Triggering the visions should be doable. I'm more skeptical about getting an answer like "you were brought here because Mr. Pundell is a scumbag who is going to try rob Anil of his rightful inheritence" If for the very least "rightful inheritence" is something I intentionally leave vague.

I was trying to improvise with Detect, as you can't really improvise away your limitations, and the Clairvoyance requires an hour of sleep, so I think by GURPS RAW, trying to manipulate the visions ability would require the standard preparation for its "use". Fancy tricks with Jumper and Clairvoyance are possible, but only when those abilities would otherwise be available.

He might be able to push his meta sense to look for magical creatures rather than phenomena or perhaps detect items from other worlds by adapting the sense that let's dreamers sense panachronic conveyors as stunts. As Peter is a Weirdness Magnet, so perhaps we're tapping into that wavelength and using the meta sense as Detect "Weirdness," which, Provided something weird was going on, might reveal that these guys are extra-dimensional, or there is a artifact or some other focal point or object, that might provide clues without short circuiting your plot.

I totally get that we're wandering toward the place where dangerous ground meets the thin ice, and I don't want to go that way any further than hint territory. During a vision, Peter has occasionally gotten result asking the ether "why are you showing me this?", He's pretty much trying to do that after the fact here.