Eclipse Phase: Through the Looking Glass [System] [Interest Check]

[Angie]

Alright kids, sit right back and I'll tell you a tale. The tale of Lyscaris Hasi.

A long time ago-well, a RIGHT NOW time ago-there was a company known as Exotech. Known to be the leaders in AI research and brain uploading, they attracted many star students, including Lyscaris's father. Lyscaris herself followed her father's footsteps, diving into AIs and software at an early age, even developing a couple of videogames (by hacking and rewriting the base game she was working with, but still-level of devotion you don't see in most teenagers). She joined up with Exotech the moment she had the chance to do so, which came after quite a bit of education. She also had a bit of a thing for synthetic morphs, but this was chalked up to how Lyscaris always seemed more comfortable around machines then people.

Good fortune doesn't last long in this world, and tragedy always has a way of striking. In this case, however, the dice came down hard against young Ms. Hasi. A criminal group had infiltrated Exotech to destroy some precious data, and Lyscaris interrupted this by, well, walking in at the wrong time. One of the members of the group panicked-he was new. He opened fire and blew the woman's head off-which sadly damaged her cortical stack to the point that almost no useful data could be gleamed from the remains. Rather then continue with the fine tuned, 'only delete what we need to' approach, the criminal group proceeded to fry the entire server-which was where most of the backups of various egos were being stored. In other words, Lyscaris was dead, dead, dead, DEAD.

Her father refused to accept this. In the aftermath, he spent many late nights engaged in a process most would forbid-recreating his beloved daughter as an AGI. He poured his heart and soul into the work, but just before he pushed the button to turn her on, he stopped. Perhaps rebuilding her had made him realize that Lyscaris herself was never truly coming back. Maybe he found what he was doing to be creepy. Maybe a mix of many things, but for whatever reason, his hand stopped just short of the 'run executable' button.

Exotech didn't know about Lyscaris 2.0 until years later, when she was found on company servers and turned on. Amazed at the splendid work, her father was promoted. If there be a God of Irony, he was laughing his divine ass off. Lyscaris knew who her creator was, and those who knew Lyscaris from before marveled at how close the AGI was to her. She was very happy to work for Exotech, mirroring old Lyscaris's same enthusiasm for Software and electronics.

Her creator-her father-sank further into depression for every minute that she existed. Eventually, he decided to do something about it. He erased Lyscaris's memories of him, and disappeared, fading into the shadows so fully Exotech had nowhere to start looking for him. Lyscaris existed with no idea of her creator for years, until now.

Finding data on someone with her last name-Hasi-in Exotech's database, she dug deeper and found out about his disappearance. She searched as much as she could, and decided that she wouldn't get any farther in Exotech's servers-if they hadn't found him, she needed to go elsewhere. Pitching the idea of going off on her own to find her father sounded insane, but the people who mattered decided to allow it-she was good, but perhaps she could do better promoting Exotech's interests elsewhere. Her long record of working for the company as an AGI (and thus, requiring no more maintenance then the power already used to run the company) allowed her to get a Synth body for "free".

Her efforts have brought her to Obberon, and also to Firewall. Someone sees her potential and snagged her, offering assistance in finding her creator if she helped them. She agreed, and is now at least on their radar. Where will she go from here, especially if Looking Glass turns out to be no help in getting her closer to her creator?

(Yes I am deliberately leaving the "what is she up to now" part a little vague so it's easier to slot her into the current going ons)

[Blythe]

Listy thing

* Concept/Sheets Reviewed, Currently being tweaked/finalized:
- Angiejuusan
- Riveda

* Those who have sent in statistics/showed me statistics (will be reviewed and I'll get back to you within the next few days):
- wander

* Those who have pitched concepts:
- CarnivaloftheGoat (who also pitched a writing sample)
- ReijiTabibito
- Muse
- ChaoticSky

Angiejuusan deserves a trophy for putting up with me and my terrible bookkeeping. >_>

Update:
Riveda and Angiejuusan are both approved and will be part of the group! I will update the 1st post to reflect this.

Riveda with a character of possessing the Scumborn background in a Crasher morph, affiliated with the Scum faction, and Angiejuusan with a character with an Infolife background, affiliated with the Hypercorps, in a Synth morph. There are a few things to finalize, but these are small things. Welcome aboard!

This means 2/6 player slots are filled. I will resume reviewing submitted concepts/statistics tomorrow. Right now, mah brain is still kinda sore from all that math. ^^;

[Angie]

Bookkeeping is what I do, a lot of. I didn't have to get the Clue Bat, so you're fine.

Anyway, yay! My (absolutely SHIT!) backstory was accepted! Now to go find sexy robot girls to represent my character!

EDIT: Blythe, I'm amazed that in the entire time you were reviewing this sheet, you never once popped up and said "Wait, why the FUCK do you have demolitions?"

[Blythe]

EDIT: Blythe, I'm amazed that in the entire time you were reviewing this sheet, you never once popped up and said "Wait, why the FUCK do you have demolitions?"

I'm a "yes" sort of GM. So long as the points add up and something looks super fun to me (and...um...I really really like explosions. I blame this on too much exposure to Michael Bay movies), I tend to say "yes" and allow it. :)

Besides, Demolitions might come in handy!

[Angie]

In all truth, she's probably going to be using that skill to DISARM bombs more then actually use them (though she might take them with her...). That being said, considering I also have Blades, Beam Weapons, Flight, and Fray all at solid levels despite starting 'life' as an AGI, this can be chalked up to "learned it after leaving Exotech because it might be useful".

[Rook Seidhr]

That is a very teal color scheme you've picked out for your new avi and sig, Blythe. It really pops against my generally orange theme.

Angie, I forgot Lyscaris was Hypercorp-affiliated. We are going to get on so well… (We are not going to get on well.)

[Angie]

Well, 1, it's not like she had much of a choice in the matter, and 2, she'll probably be really confused as to why you hate her. She doesn't really get faction stuff, you could try explaining it to her but you'd have to use some game that has it where when you gain rep from one faction you lose points with another.

Also, I really should just put that 30 A rep into C rep because it makes NO fucking sense for her to have rep with anarchists.

[Blythe]

That is a very teal color scheme you've picked out for your new avi and sig, Blythe. It really pops against my generally orange theme.

Angie, I forgot Lyscaris was Hypercorp-affiliated. We are going to get on so well… (We are not going to get on well.)

I tend to like matching teal avis/sigs when I'm in a teal tag. :)

Well, 1, it's not like she had much of a choice in the matter, and 2, she'll probably be really confused as to why you hate her. She doesn't really get faction stuff, you could try explaining it to her but you'd have to use some game that has it where when you gain rep from one faction you lose points with another.

Also, I really should just put that 30 A rep into C rep because it makes NO fucking sense for her to have rep with anarchists.

Feel free to bump those points over to C-rep. Also, let me know when you've finalized your specialties and Muse stuff!

[Angie]

Oh that stuff is done, the specialties are marked under Backup Details (cause I can't find anywhere else to put the smeggin' things!) and she just has the Standard Muse as detailed under Gear, though that does mean I have to pick three knowledge skills for it, sigh...

Rep is modified-30 C Rep, 10 I rep, and 10 R rep. It reflects that she's been in the Hypercorp for most of her existence (life is a word that just doesn't seen to frelling fit), but she's skilled enough to impress scientists and Firewall even if both groups aren't willing to invest heavily into her.

[Rook Seidhr]

Well, 1, it's not like she had much of a choice in the matter, and 2, she'll probably be really confused as to why you hate her.

Oh, Doric won't hate her. It's the hypercorps that hate Doric. You can lose c-rep just from hanging out with him.

OTOH don't start on Doric and EcoWave (the e-rep network). He's blacklisted there from shooting his mouth off once too often on a prominent blog about what he thinks of reclaimers…

[Angie]

I'm sure Lyscaris can bullshit her way out of taking a rep hit. "Oh him? I'm only associating with him on missions and I'm only using him as a skill monkey and a bullet sponge." Then send a PM to Doric: "That's not the truth but go with it, please?"

[Rook Seidhr]

I'm only associating with him on missions

Secret missions for Firewall. You can't talk about Firewall on CivicNet.

[Angie]

Well then in that case I may just have to take the Rep hit. Or just never associate with him in any way that could get back to C net.

[Rook Seidhr]

Or just never associate with him in any way that could get back to C net.

That will be fun trying to maintain :D

[ChaoticSky]

Its a saucy affair!  ;D

[Angie]

Lyscaris: "Affair? Whaaaat?" *If you didn't know robots couldn't blush, you'd swear she was doing that right now* "I-i-i-i-i-i-i-i've never even had sex..."

[Angie]

DOUBLE POST ZOMG anyway, anyone want help with all this? I'd consider myself a fairly solid bookkeeper so if you want some help with 'le Crunch, call me.

[Blythe]

Just letting folks know that while I'm being a bit quiet today, I do promise I'm reviewing sheets that have been submitted. :)

[Blythe]

<snip> <lots of good stuff here>

I realized I never replied to this specifically or gave you feedback on your concept! My apologies, CarnivalOfTheGoat!

Real quick--Great concept, excellent writing sample...plus, I have a soft spot for Uplifts! I'd be willing to review a sheet for this concept.  8-)



I must say, getting quite a diverse lineup of character concepts and sheets so far! Mostly done with reviewing the sheets submitted by wander adn ChaoticSky, just getting some last details checked.  :-)

[Blythe]

ChaoticSky's character has been approved--her Ultimate Drifter will be joining G-OP. :)

3/6 slots now filled, OP updated.

[CarnivalOfTheGoat]

I realized I never replied to this specifically or gave you feedback on your concept! My apologies, CarnivalOfTheGoat!

Real quick--Great concept, excellent writing sample...plus, I have a soft spot for Uplifts! I'd be willing to review a sheet for this concept.  8-)

Thanks. I didn't want to joggle your elbow, but I was leery of finalizing a sheet on a character idea that I'd hung out there for GM review and gotten nothing but cricket-noises on. XD

I'll get cracking on finishing up Světlana's sheet.

[ReijiTabibito]

Question to the GM.  There are optional rules for handling being a Titanian character  - you'll find them at the end of the Rimward book.  Are we going to use those rules?  (The major thing I worry about is the loss of @-rep for not voting on Plurality business.)  And if we are going to use them, then is there some way I could have a communications link set up on Chat Noir to handle it?

[Angie]

So, I'm thinking of using the image below as my character



Thoughts?

[Blythe]

Question to the GM.  There are optional rules for handling being a Titanian character  - you'll find them at the end of the Rimward book.  Are we going to use those rules?  (The major thing I worry about is the loss of @-rep for not voting on Plurality business.)  And if we are going to use them, then is there some way I could have a communications link set up on Chat Noir to handle it?

Hmmm. Not sure. Do you want those rules to be used? I have no strong feelings about using them or not using them.

If I use them, the NPC Arvnid will provide a suitable cover for Titianian characters (which I'll work out with players of Titianian characters), so they can be perceived as 'abroad' and given an exemption from voting.

During Chat Noir downtime, at minimum, I'd probably provide some manner of communication to allow participation/voting in Plurality business, if I were using the Rimward rules. I'm not really stoked about the idea of a character often risking tanking their @-rep over an area that isn't the campaign focus.

[Rook Seidhr]

The other possibility wrt Titanian politics would be to leave a beta fork behind to manage things, and check in periodically by farcaster.

Having an acknowledged beta normally costs 5 CP but maybe Blythe could waive that in this particular case.