The Log of the HMAS Marigold OOC Thread

[MWBailey]

Sorry that this is so long.

First off, I'm not perfect; I used to do many of the things that I'm referring to here, and I keep catching myself in the act of trying to do them. I used to have a pretty checquered rep for god-moding, so I at least understand teh temptation.

1.First off, this business of bringing the repair personnel aboard. Despite the fact that workmen are not usually as highly educated as Engineers, they are most definitely not unintelligent. They have to be able to find and solve problems, and in the case of military techs, usually in very little time with a huge backlog of jobs. It's expecting a bit too much for them to not notice anything. Waving all of that aside, We had already posted that we were trying to keep 'foreigners' off of the ship (not Talbot, that bit's OK), for obvious reasons. The problem here is not just the workmen themselves, but also the fact that the Marigold is not a run-of-the-mill ship that can be generically fixed by generic repairmen; she was specially designed for rough weather, rough handling, and superb 'airkeeping' (to coin a term from 'seakeeping') both in battle and in peace, as well as fighting potential and espionage/intelligence gathering. She's so full of secrets and classified-level engineering that she's liable to burst at the seams and cause an international incident just by existing. Um. Not to put too fine of a point on it, by the way, but rewriting them as being trained for special repair jobs won't cut it either.

2. Second, This bit about rescuing Joe. Yes, I realize that that is the whole point of the mission, but the plot does not necessarily include springing him from the camp. Perhaps my character's assembly of a half-arsed rifle squad from among the crew confused the issue somewhat. When you get right down to it, there is, yes, a certain amount of preparation that has to go on for the sake of the plot, But also the bit that has to be scrapped when the person running the game, or some one else with permission to do so inserts a new element (such as Joe escaping before he can be rescued).

3. Third, as this is an ongong issue, I'm not sure how to approach explaining it. basically, it's issues like the difference between a suddenly-appearing body of workmen and the rifle squad. We know where the crew/riflemen came from, because the crew have been referred to repeatedly throughout the series, and because there would have to be a crew to do the things that keep the ship running. They've been set up from times before. The workmen suddenly spring up apparently out of the ground and are ready to go and fix an airship they've likely never seen the like of before.
 
4. Finally, a word of explanation, and I suppose a sort of an apology and an admonition as well. Stella, Corsair, most likely the Dr., and several other regulars on this board have gamed together here for quite a while, some of us for literally years, which is why we are able each to anticipate the others' reactions and write without a great deal of pertinent OOCing. Perhaps that is what has caused some of the problem. We're not god-moding, but rather playing off of one another; we're able to do so because we all know each other, and have at least an inkling of what the others are likely to think and how they'll react. If you read back, you'll notice that when we come up with a larger idea or alteration, we post about it anyway, again because we know each other. You'll get there too, in time, if you'll stick with us, but til then, please let us know what you're planning to do before you do it; it makes things run more smoothly.

[The Corsair]

Thank you very much Bailey for that post, I wasn't sure how to word it myself as I had some similar qualms.

This is, of course, by absolutely no means an attack on you Wallace. I catch myself doing such things at times too and it's part of an ongoing process of improvement.

I guess the biggest thing to take from this is you're best off posting about such things in the OOC thread first and running it by us so we can make sure it all checks out. A good measure of whether something should go here is this: Try and think about how we would react, both as characters and players of characters, and if you find you can't judge it or think it may be a sub-optimal reaction, bring up the plan here or, if it's meant to be a bit more of a 'surprise' message the GM (presently me) about it.

[Stella Gaslight]

Do we want to move ahead with things or do we need to do some retconning of what we have?

[Cpt Wallace]

*Ok points taken on board

I think I need to clear things up a little this is possibly me not giving enough detail in posts or not posting enough OOC

1 the work team were never intended to board (not from Talbots POV) In fact I've had them stay back from the Marigold and even more so told them the airship is infected with the plague to keep them off the ship at all costs, they were sent to offer any assistance that maybe required after Talbot has carried out his "Inspection" they'll be dismissed because they are not required as the Marigold can carry out any repairs herself. As is the men will have more than likely had little experience fixing any airships what so ever and wouldn't know the marigold was special anyway.  

2. Ok I accept on the subject of the rescuing Joe, but in Game we do not know Joe is going to break out of prison and Talbot has been on the ground so to speak he's been to the camp and has spent time scouting around and at present he considers a jailbreak is the most viable option so it looking at opportunities of getting the team into the camp with as little trouble as possible (Hence the giving the team uniforms and the planting of uniforms for Rooney), I fully submit that any plans Talbot has will be thrown out the window because Corsair has his own ideas about breaking out,  

3. While I admit the workteam has not had the grounding that the rifle company has Talbot has been posing as a Major in the Engineering Corp since the end of the last RP it follows logic that as a major he'd have men under his command and would have a resource of men to graft into work, he has already used some of these men in this RP in the camp to repair some equipment. I wanted to get Talbot back with the team so had the higher command send a detail to offer any assistance needed to get the interloping German airship back into German airspace. I've never said that any of these workmen were able to fix the airship they have just been sent to render any help they can. Talbot has specially selected these men because of their lack of significant language skills an because they can cover his lack of engineering skills without making the connection that he in truth doesn't know the difference between a cog and a dial,

I hope thats cleared up some of the issues.


Opps I realised I' brought two armed men forward with me I never intended that must have forgotten to change it after I'd typed it, edited to so Talbot's had them hang back with the work crew.

Actually using the illness works very well because Talbot after his inspection can isolate to ensure he hasn't been infected and thus leave the base without anyone knowing where he's gone too met up with the crew later.

So as I see it there is a group of workmen standing on the landing deck keeping well away from the airship because of the worry of "plague" and Talbot waiting to be taken on board for a fake inspection of the ship.

I hope that makes sense now.

[MWBailey]

3. While I admit the workteam has not had the grounding that the rifle company has Talbot has been posing as a Major in the Engineering Corp since the end of the last RP it follows logic that as a major he'd have men under his command and would have a resource of men to graft into work, he has already used some of these men in this RP in the camp to repair some equipment. I wanted to get Talbot back with the team so had the higher command send a detail to offer any assistance needed to get the interloping German airship back into German airspace. I've never said that any of these workmen were able to fix the airship they have just been sent to render any help they can. Talbot has specially selected these men because of their lack of significant language skills an because they can cover his lack of engineering skills without making the connection that he in truth doesn't know the difference between a cog and a dial,

It may be merely a niggling detail, but the problem that I have with that goes a bit deeper.

Basically, its

!.this tendency of Talbot's to simply have difficult languages (Russian is notoriously thus), recondine skills, etc. under his belt (so to speak),
2. coming up with them on the fly, as it were, and

3.the idea that he could simply insinuate himself into the camp's hierarchy without anyone noticing that he really doesn't look or act like the real Major, whom Talbot killed and took the uniform from in the previous episode. For a day or a week, maybe; but its been at least two months according to Joe's account of the time elapsed. If it's a magical thing, then that should have been mentioned, for clarity's sake if no other reason.

But, like I said, it might be a niggling detail. Just try to keep an eye out for unrealism, assuming realism is possible in a 'verse where magick's a possibility (yes, its my fault, I know ).

None of this or the preceding post is to say that your workmen or my vamps or others' discrepancies have to just fall off of the page, as it were; they just have to have their parts altered, and maybe only on the fly. If the workmen were kept off the ship in your post (I can't remember, now, honestly), then by all means just go with the flow and alter on the fly.


That's about it.

[Stella Gaslight]

OK from what I see to work with what we have now all wallace has to so is write a convincing backstory when we are all talking on the ship.

[MWBailey]

A short interlude back in London, where Marmont and company are dealing with an ongoing leaper infestation, and where things are not as merry as they perhaps could be.

[Dr. Madd]

someone should mention these Leapers to Madd. He'd probably want to catch one.

[Stella Gaslight]

Starling's leg will be fine with some rest but much like me she doesn't want to rest she wants to get stuff done.

[MWBailey]

Byehliy is a friend. But perhaps Thomas should be allowed to chew on him just a little... . He really should have known better...

[Stella Gaslight]

I think it would be funny as heck if he changed back as Thomas was noming him.  His poor little kitty mind would be mighty confused.

[MWBailey]

ROFL *POP!*

"Whaaa...!?"

[MWBailey]

I'm thinking that "the lounge" is the Salon aboard the Marigold. Thus, Rourke had to have a reason to leave the  ship so that he could get brushed up against by Madd. I had been wondering about the Customs angle in any case. Hopefully the resultant scene works out OK.

[Cpt Wallace]

Hopefully I've got a bit of back story for Talbot sorted, I can expand on it more in future posts if you want.

[MWBailey]

That would probably be a good idea.

[Stella Gaslight]

So the plan so far is we make talbot look ill so he can get away and so no one else bugs us.  When the clouds roll in we get ready for take off then start the snow.  Do I have it right?

[Cpt Wallace]

seems to be

[Stella Gaslight]

Exelent.  Now how are we going to comunicate when it comes time to call on the storm?

[MWBailey]

sorcerous/vampiric magical means would seem to be the least likely to be intercepted, but the use of a coded wireless/aether telegraph would be more "steampunk,"  in my view. Which would you all prefer?

[Stella Gaslight]

I think that depends on what talbot can get a hold of.  What are the other two vampires doing and do we need to meet up with them?

[MWBailey]

basically just watching the camp; I was planning to do a post about them "haunting" the shack I mentioned that was out on the plain, halfway between the woods and the river, maybe have them snack on an unwary vagabond or two who happened to walk in on them. If necessary, they could sneak into the camp or the base vampire-style and contact Talbot, I suppose..

[Stella Gaslight]

Ok so when we land we are probibly going to run in to them.  I think Starling is going to try and fly in to battle because she dosn't have to use her leg much and I doubt she would stay behind.

[MWBailey]

OK, the two Vecheniks are established at the shack.

[Stella Gaslight]

now all we need are clouds,

[MWBailey]

Ready to skedaddle...