Sea of Stars - OOC II

[rax]

Spoiler: Destro_Yersul

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While we can only record the choice and move on, if Hannabel's after... company... for the night, either Elena or Hector would stay.

Why not both? Nah, I actually hadn't considered a "sleepover" as a possible ending to the party, but as long as she doesn't end up with a stalker, why not? Let's go with Elena, since they've gotten on well before. But Hector can have a blown kiss or something to let him know his storytelling was appreciated.

[Destro_Yersul]

I wasn't sure. This IS Hannabel we're talking about here.

[PotatoGolem]

Had to look up all of Macharius' titles. He's given himself more since he last introduced himself formally.

[rax]

I wasn't sure. This IS Hannabel we're talking about here.

Then my work here is done!

She is getting a bit flaky, isn't she? Let me know if you want me to dial the unpredictability back.

[PotatoGolem]

Also, we need to set up a shrine world so Macharius can add "Cardinal" to his list of titles. He'd love that one

[Leon]

what is it we are actually here for?

[Haval]

what is it we are actually here for?

I think it's picking up equipment and useful people for Port Davies. Side quests are maybe archaeotech and investigating the possibility of taking over Viatrames at some point.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/shows...postcount=1460

[Blarghy]

Am I right to assume that Vulkan's Tome of Fire is uncommon knowledge that we probably don't know without rolling for it (and I doubt that any of Echo's lore skills apply here)?

OOC, I wonder if the Mechanicus has found something very special buried in these sands, and subsequently declined to report it.

[Haval]

Am I right to assume that Vulkan's Tome of Fire is uncommon knowledge that we probably don't know without rolling for it (and I doubt that any of Echo's lore skills apply here)?

OOC, I wonder if the Mechanicus has found something very special buried in these sands, and subsequently declined to report it.

I skipped most of the Salamander books but Anika does have relevant skills.

Aside from the obvious, what does she know about Vulkan.
Scholastic Lore (Archaic or Legend)
vs. Int 53
(1d100)[82]

I will probably just ask then.

[Leon]

Mecharius

It'll take some time but i can make that happen.

[Haval]

Heh, I'll leave that in.

[Destro_Yersul]

Then my work here is done!

She is getting a bit flaky, isn't she? Let me know if you want me to dial the unpredictability back.

Missed this somehow.

Don't worry too much about it. It's fine if she's unpredicteable, and I can just apply contingencies or ask for clarifications if needed.

I skipped most of the Salamander books but Anika does have relevant skills.

Aside from the obvious, what does she know about Vulkan.
Scholastic Lore (Archaic or Legend)
vs. Int 53
[roll0]

I will probably just ask then.

Mostly just the obvious.

[rax]

FYI, if my posting is a bit spotty at the moment it's because I'm in an intense period at work, and will continue to be so for at least two more weeks. The good news is, that means Hannabel won't suddenly be coming up with disruptive ideas to mess with the Macharius machine!

[Blarghy]

I skipped most of the Salamander books but Anika does have relevant skills.

I actually haven't read any of the novels. ^_^" I need to. Most of what I know of the setting just comes from various Rogue Trader books, and the rest is cobbled together from a few YouTube videos and the wikis. I try to research the big names and events as I hear about them, but the lore is so unbelievably vast that I'm mostly picking this stuff up as we go along.

Also, it's hilarious how Macharius was unwilling to commit to this planet before, but now that there's a death race involved, everyone is scrambling to participate. But if we did win (assuming we're even allowed), wouldn't we have to leave Felidae behind? Might be hard enough for the clans to accept an outsider who showed up at the last minute, let alone if she immediately left again. As the Tech-Priest said, it's not just a ceremonial position.

[Haval]

I actually haven't read any of the novels. ^_^" I need to. Most of what I know of the setting just comes from various Rogue Trader books, and the rest is cobbled together from a few YouTube videos and the wikis. I try to research the big names and events as I hear about them, but the lore is so unbelievably vast that I'm mostly picking this stuff up as we go along.

Ah, google implied that the Tome of Fire was a Nick Kyme thing. The books vary depending on the writer. I have read a load although I suppose they've been around a long time at this point.

[Leon]

I actually haven't read any of the novels. ^_^" I need to.

Start with anything that Dan Abnett has written

[Destro_Yersul]

I think there are omnibuses available for a lot of things. If you want a pretty good broad picture of things as they stand before all the recent heresy...

Eisenhorn (Trilogy; Dan Abnett)
Ravenor (Trilogy; Dan Abnett)
Ciaphas Cain (Series, pick any/all; Sandy Mitchell)
Uriel Ventris (Volume 1, Omnibus; Graham McNeill)
Iron Warriors (Omnibus; Graham McNeill)
Forges of Mars (Trilogy; Graham McNeill)
Night Lords (Trilogy; Aaron Dembski-Bowden)
Ahriman (Trilogy; John French)

I have read all of these, and they are all good. You don't have to read them in any particular order, except that Eisenhorn is before Ravenor, and Uriel Ventris has some overlap with Iron Warriors. At the end of reading all of those, you will have a decent to excellent working knowledge of the Inquisition, the general Imperium, the Imperial Guard, Tau, Tyranids, Orks, Necrons, Ultramarines, general Space Marines, Chaos Space Marines (and more specifically Iron Warriors, Night Lords, and Thousand Sons), general Chaos, the Adeptus Mechanicus, both kinds of Eldar, and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting.

[Kaptin Keen]

.. but are they actually good?

As a younger man, I read quite a few of the TSR novels, and they were fairly universally crap. The RA Salvatore books were very slightly better, but still pretty crap. And TSR novels have the general advantage of being set in a universe I have little quarrel with. By and large, I feel 40k in general the Imperium in particular is so flawed by contradiction and outright stupidity as to be barely coherent.

That doesn't stop me from loving the parts of it that do work, obviously, or I wouldn't be playing their games.

But would the books work as books, outside of their niche?

[Leon]

.. but are they actually good?

Destro's list includes some of the best that Black Library has on its writing roster. Aaron Dembski-Bowden and Dan Abnett are my two Favorites. Abnett's Gaunt's Ghost's series suffers a bit by going to long but that is the worst i can say for his works at BL. I still need to read Ravenor, have read Eisenhorn several times.

[Destro_Yersul]

Gaunt's Ghosts is pretty good, but does suffer a little in terms of consistency with some of the other stuff, and also from the Tanith 1st being a highly unusual regiment. The reason I recommend Cain over Gaunt is twofold. First, the protagonist is more fun as a character. Second, it gives a better general picture of the Imperial Guard. Also all the good characters don't die

[Haval]

.. but are they actually good?

I think the better writers don't expect you to care about it just because it's 40k, so they focus on the things that matter to their plot and ignore everything else. The bad books can feel like you're reading the novelisation of someone's campaign.

If you don't care about the subject matter I don't know how much the writing would help, but I'd rate Abnett over someone like Salvatore. For Horus alone probably.

[rax]

Immortans? Smokers? Not holding back on the homages, are we?

But if we did win (assuming we're even allowed), wouldn't we have to leave Felidae behind?

And why is this a problem?

[Kaptin Keen]

Immortans? Smokers? Not holding back on the homages, are we?

And why is this a problem?

Felidae would literally be less at risk - and less of a liability - if she was in some death race, rather than at a high society function.

[PotatoGolem]

Presumably, we'll make someone from whichever clan is most compliant regent for the time being. They can rule this place for Absalom's benefit for now. And if they try to welch on our deal, there's always orbital bombardment.

[Haval]

Anika, Ravia, what is the state of our motor pool? Do we have anything that could compete in this little excursion, or are we going to be stuck to the sidelines?

I feel like this isn't the sort of thing Anika would know without checking. If necessary she'll step away to call the Sting.

[Destro_Yersul]

You've never bought any vehicles that I know of, and it's likely not the sort of thing you'd keep lying around on a starship. You would have to trade for one locally, or find one nobody is using and take it.

Immortans? Smokers? Not holding back on the homages, are we?

It is my sincere desire that, at some point, Lukas Moore will have occasion to call something mediocre.

[Kaptin Keen]

YYou would have to trade for one locally, or find one nobody is using and take it.

I feel I must necessarily add that we could also find one someone is using, and take it.

[Blarghy]

I've ordered Eisenhorn and Ravenor, so that should keep me busy for a while.

As for our ride, I'm tempted to suggest that we help ourselves and hurt a rival by stealing the vehicle of another big clan. But, that seems risky too. It's sure to be recognized, and aside from making an enemy, the other clans might trust us less. Or respect us more, depending on the exact culture here. It's hard to say.

Maybe Anika and Ravia should take a stroll through the local markets and see what's available before we nail down any other plans.

[PotatoGolem]

Does the leader of the Interceptors have a canid that follows him around, or was it killed several races ago? And how tragically did his family die?

[rax]

The leader also needs to wear the traditional leg brace of authority!