Results from Previous round votes:

Three Votes

Plan TalonofAnathrax, on SV forum

One Vote

Plan CCC on my blog

*************************************************************************************

Winning Plan:

[X] Investigate Acquaintance:

-[X] Builder, (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success, 2 if we become allies)

[X] Investigate Acquaintance:

-[X] Grower, (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success, 2 if we become allies)

 

************************************************************************************

Day 9  Log:

10 AP at start of day

+0 for 6 hour sleep, due to already full AP (10 AP)

-2 for [Morning] Investigate Acquaintance, Builder (8 AP)

Investigate roll 8, Success

+1 for Success, +1 for accumulate Ally (10 AP)

-2 for [Afternoon] Investigate Acquaintance, Grower (8 AP)

Investigate roll 5, Success

+1 for Success, +1 for accumulate Ally (10 AP)

End of day, (10 AP).

*************************************************************************************

Investigate Acquaintance, Builder

“So,” I said, as I tossed her a bag of chips.  “You make the arenas, eh?”

She gave an enthusiastic nod, already tearing them open.

“Yep!  Suzy tells me what they are gonna do, and I make sure they have a place to do it in.  The Deeps is mostly my work.”

“That’s very impressive,” I told her.  “Your gift allows you to create these arenas?  Like Adders, but permanent?”

It obviously wasn’t that.  She’d be much more involved with Her people if she was that powerful, but the easiest way to draw someone into describing something, I’ve found, is not to ask them about it, but to confidently state something wrong.  People correct with a lot more enthusiasm than they explain.

“Nuff, no way!” she said, stuffing the salty snacks in her face, “My gift changes things into other things.  That old tall building was already there, but I was the one who bent it into a cool battle arena.”

“I’m still not sure I see,” I said.  “You ‘bent’ it?”

“Omfhgu,” she said, continuing to chow down on my gift.

She held up a finger, as though to ask me to wait a sec, as she hastily scarfed down the rest of the bag.

I couldn’t exactly blame her.  Builder was basically anorexic, in terms of how she was built.  She looked like she’d need to lean back and use both hands when pulling a door open, like you’d lose track of her if she turned sideways.

“With my gift,” she said, when she’d finished licking the salty taste off the inside of the bag, “I can make forms bend and twist into other forms.  Not alive stuff, but anything else.”

“So,” I guessed, “You could make, for example, a car into a different kind of car?”

“Well, like, I could make spikes and stuff come out of it,” she allowed, “But the inside of a car is probably really complicated and fiddly, so it wouldn’t work if I changed it up at all.  If I wanted it to work I’d be making like a car jacket that the thing that was already there would wear.”

“Wouldn’t that kind of ruin it anyway,” I asked, “Since you’d need to take material from the existing form in order to make the jacket?”

She looked confused for a second, brow furrowing.

“Oh, no, not at all, I can just stretch the material out, see?”

She put her hands on two corners of the empty bag, and carelessly pulled it wider… and wider.

She stopped when it covered the table.

“How close do you have to be to do this?”

She shrugged.

“I’ve never had my gift not work before,” she said.  “I don’t think I have to be close or far away.  I just have to know where the thing is.”

“Ah,” I said.  “So if something wasn’t where you thought it was, your gift wouldn’t work?”

She gave an enthusiastic nod.

“Yep.  Once I see something I can change it around, make it bigger or smaller or in different shapes, but if there isn’t anything there for my gift to work on it won’t go off, you know?”

“Fantastic!” I gushed.  “What a gift!”

I meant it, honestly.  My mind was swimming, almost against my will, with all of the ways that her gift could have been used to help the world.

“Thanks,” she said.  “It isn’t anything really cool like Ultra toughness, but it is what I got, so I try to make the best of it.”

I nodded at that.

“But,” she said, giving me the puppy dog eyes, “I really think that if I stayed way back there are some things I could do to help you in your warlord job!  Like I could scout ahead and make the other team’s buildings fall on them or stuff!”

I couldn’t help noticing that she was apparently staying way back while scouting ahead, but it didn’t seem useful to mention.

“I’ll give it some thought,” I said.  “I may be in touch.”

She nodded.

“Before you leave…”

I sighed and fished out another bag of chips.

*************************************************************************************

Investigate Acquaintance, Grower

Visibly shaking but with head held high, Grower strode into the Lair.

She stopped after the first step.

Clap… clap… clap.

She turned around and looked over to the side, where I was leaning up against the wall.

“Warlord,” she said.  “I guess you were waiting for me.”

I was a bit miffed that I hadn’t gotten a bigger reaction.  The ‘already leaning against the wall of the door you walked through’ move was, in my opinion, about as cool a move as one could do, but I guess the younger generation probably had their own power poses.

“I happened to be in the area,” I said, with transparent falseness.  “I’m glad you made it.”

That was the simple truth of the matter.  It would have been a bit of a let down if the woman I’d spent a whole day scouting and given my blend to had failed to pass the Yard.

I’d been blissed out during her pivotal fights, but from what I’d heard the bullet blend had worked just as well with her item growing gift as I’d expected it to.  She’d attacked at range by throwing things and expanding them while they were in motion, then bulleted away anytime anyone managed to get close enough to counter.

“Me too,” she said.

“I expect you are going to be looking for a place to stay?” I asked.  “I remember that was a bit of a hassle on my first day.”

It hadn’t been, actually.  KEM had briefed me ahead of time, and it had simply been a matter of making the arrangements.

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” she said, which I wasn’t sure I believed, “With the way things work around here, I expect I have to fight someone for their room?”

I chuckled.

“Not a bad guess,” I said, “But things aren’t quite that bad yet.  You can probably just room with someone.”

“You offering?” she said.

I chuckled, although honestly I’d given the matter some thought.  Another roommate would let me get some actual sleep for once.

“Not just yet,” I demurred.  “But I do have a few recommendations.”

She listened avidly as I gave her the basic lay of the land in the Lair, mostly focusing on which Ultras had dominion over which areas.

“And Her?” she asked.  “Will I get to see Her, now that I’ve come this far?”

I was taken aback a bit.

“I guess you could,” I said.

She smiled, seemingly genuinely pleased.

“I’ve worked so long,” she said.  “But it’ll all be worth it.”

I was, to put it politely, perplexed.  Most everyone with a lick of sense avoided Her at all costs.  I guess that didn’t say much for my own judgment, but presumably Grower wasn’t about to try for Warlord.

“Oh?” I said, making a gesture, as though to encourage her to elaborate.

She looked like she was about to speak up, then seemed to think better of it.

“Thanks for all you’ve done,” she said.  “I won’t forget it.”

I grinned gamely back at her.

“See that you don’t,” I said.  “I might look you up soon.”

She raised a fist for a bump.

“You call, I’ll come,” she said.

*************************************************************************************

Day 10:

Days remaining: 21

AP available: (10 end of last day + 0 for half night’s sleep (already at max) = 10/10

Prestige: 3 (word of attack may reduce this if I don’t take public vengeance soon, 3 days left)

Timeslots available: 2 (morning, afternoon)

Posse: 0 out of 3 slots filled

Force size: 0

Condition: Healthy

 

(Ultra format: Role, Ultra Strength/Speed/Toughness, other gift description)

Ultra Allies:

Maker- Friend, and protégé of Snitcher, 0/0/1, can summon the spirit of things

Clawer – Ultra fighter 2/0/1, melee combatant, deadly hooks for hands

Stopper – partner of Clawer, 0/0/0, steals form’s velocity by looking at them

Sticker – Did dentistry for her brother, 0/0/2, Creates slime, can choose its stickiness

Builder —  0/0/0, a woman who can alter objects for miles around into other things

Grower –  0/*0/1, an outside Ultra I sponsored into the Lair, has a bullet blend from me, can rapidly increase the size and mass of objects

 

Ultra Enemies:

Masher- Enemy, and fellow protégé of Subtracter, 3*/0/3*, trades off strength and durability as she moves or stays still

Ultra Acquaintances:

Owner – housemate, 0/0/1 operates an imaginary firm, with real effects on the world,

Picker – First Fist protégé, 0/1/0, ‘selects the outcome of things’

Tracker – Running buddy, 1/0/1, Creates tracks, and can move things on them

Shower – Adder’s protégé, 1*/0/1*, gains strength and durability from witnesses

Echoer – Singer I am a fan of, 1/1/1, can duplicate any action that she sees

Bubbler – Operates Ultra clinic 0/0/?, traps things in bubbles that heal and move them

Sucker — Ultra entertainer, ?/?/?, pulls objects/people towards her at incredible rate

Gunner — 0/0/1, she shoots tracking Ultra Blasts at roughly Ultra Strength One

Chiller —  1/0/1, can freeze any object she touches, leaving them brittle and easily broken

Cutter —  1/1/1, she is a brutal front line combatant

Joker —  0/2/0, a woman who can change what other people/herself look like

Smasher —  3/0/1, a woman who is billed as the strongest Ultra fighter of all time

Swimmer —  1/0/1, she can ‘swim’ through solid surfaces

Burner —  0/0/1, she can summon Ultra fire from anywhere that she can see

Maxxer —  0/0/0, she can augment the gifts of other Ultras, pushing their gifts

Puncher —  1/0/1, her strength and speed both go up when she repeats her movements

Replayer —  1/2/0, she can ‘step back in time’ to undo damage that she takes

 

Faction Rankings:

Regime 7

KEM 8

Pantheon 2

Union 4

Resistance 9

Prevailer 3

Knights 3

 

Actions:

[ ] Confront Picker (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, returns variable on result)

-[ ] Write in (Should I ambush her, accuse her publicly, reach out privately? This is a complicated situation, so if you have any questions about what is appropriate, what Mia would expect to follow from a given course of action feel free to ask)

 

[ ] Investigate attack on me (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success)

-[ ] By asking bystanders

Motives: The fake Knights came from somewhere, perhaps I can find someone who saw them don their disguises

Concerns: None

 

[ ] Contact Knights (Timeslot cost: 1, AP cost 2, returns 1 on success)

Motive: My recent actions have opened up the possibility of collaboration with the Knights of Purity.  Their assistance could be valuable, insofar as they don’t count towards the Regime’s ridiculous rule against outnumbering our enemies, and I might be able to acquire some of their blessed equipment if I play my cards right.

Concerns: I don’t know if I really want to be associating with such a group.  KEM wouldn’t mind, but the Resistance would pull away from me, and I might end up coming into contact with Second Fist or their sponsored Ultras.  It is likely that anything they might want from me would be rather evil.

 

[ ] Seek Transportation

-[ ] Scavenge (Timeslot cost: 2; AP cost 4, refunds 3 on success)

Motive: My current transportation sufficed for me in my troubleshooter role, but I will likely require a larger vehicle, or several vehicles, in order to bring everyone to Ar Harbor. I can seek to find something in the suburbs and surrounding towns.

Concerns: Leaving Shington could be dangerous, and I am far from guaranteed to find a bus or truck suitable to my needs, as the area has already been heavily scavenged.

-[ ] Trade with existing owners (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: As above, but instead of fixing up ruined vehicles I’ll negotiate to get them from their current owners.

Concerns: Snitcher may disapprove of a warlord being civil

-[ ] Seize by force (Timeslot cost: 2; AP cost 4, refunds 3 on success)

Motive: As above, but instead of asking my contacts for vehicles I’ll just take what I want. My role as warlord and my Tally should minimize resistance

Concerns: People like their vehicles, and won’t like the one who takes them. I will make enemies.

-[ ] Seek Transportation [Adder + Company] (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: As above, but Adder can use his gift to make something for my purposes, and the Company can duplicate it and make it permanent.

Concerns: Adder and I are not close, he may decline to aid me, owing to his rivalry with my sponsor, Subtracter.

 

[ ] Seek Target Information

-[ ] Company (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: The Company logs every Ultra they create. Their Ar Harbor records would be useful information

Concerns: Ultras migrate and conceal their gifts, this information would be incomplete

-[ ] Subtracter (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 3, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: Subtracter is the military leader of the Regime, she will have information on this target

Concerns: Subtracter is stupid and violent, I don’t like to be around her

-[ ] Survivors (Timeslot cost:1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: There have been 2 other attempts at Ar Harbor. I can seek out and question survivors in the outer city.

Concerns: I may be unable to find any survivors, and I may be misled by liars.

 

[ ] Seek Posse Members

-[ ] wander & gossip, (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 1, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: There are dozens of powerful Ultras in the Lair. I know only the barest fraction of them. I can learn the basics on 1-6 of them in a few hours of socializing and gossiping, opening up in depth investigation options on them and adding them to my list of acquaintances.

Concerns: None

-[ ] At Ultra Fights, (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 1, refunds 1 on success)

Constraint: Only available in the afternoon or night on days divisible by 4 (day 4, 8, etc)

Motive: There are dozens of powerful Ultras in the Lair. I know only the barest fraction of them. I can learn the basics on 3-12 of them in a few hours of socializing and gossiping at this kind of event.

Concerns: Ultras associated with the Fights are more likely than most to be melee combatants.

 

[ ] Seek Warband Members

-[ ] At the Yard, (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: The Lair is surrounded by hundreds of Regime Ultras.  The strongest come to the Yard to show their power and appeal to those like me, who would give them purpose.  I should be able to gather between 5 and 20 Ultras of such caliber.

Concerns: I will need to provide housing and direction to these Ultras, or risk them wandering off.  I can expect to spend at least an action a day on them, and training them might well eat up more.  Ideally a Posse member will be tasked with this.

-[ ] [Gang name] From a Gang, (Timeslot cost: 2; AP cost 5, refunds 3 on success)

Motive: The Ultras that surround Shington are organized into Gangs dozens strong.  If I can recruit such a force I might have my whole Warband right there.

Concerns: These Ultras likely already have patrons in the Lair, who I would need to negotiate with.  Their leader would also likely want a place in my Posse, and she would be the primary locus of their loyalty until I’d had time to win them over.

 

[ ] Investigate Acquaintance:

-[ ] [Name], (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success, 2 if we become allies)

Motive: I can spend some serious one on one time with an Ultra I’ve chosen, evaluating the capability of their gift, the alignment of their values with mine, and their basic ccompetence. If all checks out, I might move them into my Ultra Allies column.

Concerns: None

 

[ ] Invite Ally into Posse:

-[ ] [Name], (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 3, refunds 3 on success)

Motive: If I want to bring an ally into my posse, get them to take actions on my behalf and rise or fall with me, this is the way to do it. I will only take this action on those I’ve already made allies, and once this has been taken it is difficult to undo.

Concerns: Posse members are most of the way into my circle of trust, and will operate on my behalf, representing me to stranger. A mistake here would be dangerous and damaging. I should be careful before taking this step, potentially investigating a prospect several times.

 

[ ] Seek Information on Snitcher’s patterns

-[ ] Passive listening (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 1, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: Snitcher can ride my senses at any moment, and bring Her along. If I am ever to contact my KEM allies, my resistance allies, or show any kindness or weakness whatsoever, I need to understand when this is likely to take place. Gossip can hint at this, particularly if I carefully steer conversations. This action would be mostly undetectable, even if he was riding me when I took it.

Concerns: None

-[ ] Active interrogation of Snitches (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 3, refunds 2 on success)

Motive: As above, but rather than listen for random gossip I will seek out other linked individuals and directly ask them how often he rides their senses, and what actions he has reacted to in the past.

Concerns: More likely Snitcher notices this, unknown consequences of that.

-[ ] Confront Snitcher Directly (Timeslot cost:1; AP cost 4, refunds 3 on success)

Motive: As above, but take the simplest possible route. Go to Snitcher and ask him for the deal.

Concerns: I am sponsored by Subtracter, not Snitcher, he may not wish to aid me. He may demand favors or other services in exchange for the information.

 

[ ] Seek Information on Regime military operations

-[ ] Ask Subtracter (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 3, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: My life depends on doing this right. I need to get a basic understanding of what She is expecting from my attack on Ar Harbor. Do I need to seize the Company Facility? Kill all the enemies? Are there any constraints on how I go about it? Subtracter is the leader of the Regime’s military, and my sponsor, she will know these answers.

Concerns: Subtracter is stupid and brutal, and she killed my neighbors, I hate spending time with her.

-[ ] Ask Around (Timeslot cost: 1; AP cost 2, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: As above, but ask survivors of previous missions instead of my evil boss.

Concerns: My predecessors may not have told them everything, their views of their missions may omit certain command level details that I need to worry about.

 

[ ] Relax and Recuperate

-[ ] By visiting Blisser (Timeslot cost: X (slots spent until AP reaches max), AP cost 0, returns 3 per time period.  DANGER, this action may cause addiction)

-[ ]By lounging around, (Timeslot cost: 1, AP cost 0, refunds 1 on success)

Motive: I could do with some rest.

Concerns: None

-[ ]By patronizing entertainment ares (Timeslot cost: 1, AP cost 1, refunds 3 on success)

Motive: I could do with some rest, and I might learn some things by socializing

Concerns: None

-[ ]By using my gift to repair the city (Timeslot cost: 1, AP cost 2, refunds 5 on success)

Motive: It needs to be done.

Concerns: This is not becoming behavior of a warlord, Snitcher may take notice, and people may talk

-[ ]By using my gift to heal people (Timeslot cost: 1, AP cost 1, refunds 5 on success)

Motive: This is why I have my gift.

Concerns: This is not becoming behavior of a warlord, Snitcher may take notice, and people may talk

 

[ ] Organize Armory [Timeslot cost: 1, AP cost 2, returns 2 on success)

Motive: I carry, in my backpack and on my person, various items to blend with if the need arises. I am overdue to look through my setup and take an inventory, once that is done I could seek out new objects if I am missing anything useful.

Concerns: None

 

[ ] Seek new residence [ Timeslot cost: 3, returns 1 if successful ]

Motive: I could get a lot more done if I got a full night’s sleep

Concerns: Owner and I have guarded one another’s rest for a long time. I wouldn’t necessarily be able to trust a new person to the same extent.

 

KEM Actions: (Sealed until I figure out how to deal with Snitcher’s surveillance, or resolve to defy him)

Resistance Actions: (Sealed until I figure out how to deal with Snitcher’s surveillance, or resolve to defy him)

 

[ ] Action: Other (Timeslot cost: x, returns x if successful)

Motive [Write in]

Concerns: [Write in]