h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When can I shape-shift again? It says "once every 24 hours" in the bio, but how does that work in our virtual game? Can I become a bear in spirit on the astral plane without breaking the rules?

I think the question is probably moot now, but here's what I think, in case it comes up again.

The whole Astral Plane is something that wasn't originally envisioned by Mac, so I have license here to improvise. I think that being the bear on that Plane doesn't give you any advantage, since the attacks you launch will be magical, rather than some semblance of physical. I'll handle any battle between you and Yclept on the Astral Plane just like I would handle a combat on the physical plane. I roll dice to see if your attack connects, then the damage done is dependant on your strength (physical strength on that plane, magical strength on the astral plane), modified by the weapon used (on the physical plane, extra damage is done if you attack with, say, a knife, instead of your hands) On the Astral plane, I will assign appropriate magical strengths to the both of you, and appropriate total endurance points from which damage points are subtracted (until you have none left and are dead). There isn't really any sort of weapon that can modify the "hit" points of a magical attack. At least I can't think of any just now, but I would be open to suggestions.

urgent - When can I be a polar bear again?

In a live version, I think you only get to be the bear once, but I think here it should be allowed more. Lets say you can do it 3 times in the game.

I think once more is all it will take > ( <-- evil smiley)

YOU can't be evil!!!!!!

The soulstone has changed hands from Sarah to Lorenzen. You don't know this yet, but when you next come close to either of them, you will sense that Sarah no longer has it (if you are close to her), or that Lorenzen does have it (if you are close to him). Close here means in the same room. At the moment, Sarah doesn't know she has lost it (but Gw7en will when she reads her private thread )

I'm rather bogged down by Jedi Jade's infrequent visits. I had hoped to work something up with Spiny, but he's disappeared.

The thing is, I've been thinking it over in terms of character, and while Uli is a strong hunter with lots of power, she's not a murderer and she's transparently honest, because back in the village survival is totally a matter of teamwork and sharing resources. Troublemakers are expelled, which is certain death.

I've been looking at Dove and Raven as elemental moral forces, and concluded that Raven can't be killed, he can only be tricked back into imprisonment, as we have temporarily done with him.

So I've been trying to make a coalition of some kind, but this is where we go sadly different from a real-time game -- the people I'm trying to play with are not here.

I will be wondering how Lorenzen got the soulstone as soon as I realise he has it!

The game has suffered a few times due to absences, but then a subplot elsewhere takes over. I've been looking forward to seeing how you would trick Yclept and wish JJ could get online more. The other day she was here quite a bit, but seems to be finding it difficult again. At least Lorenzen is back now - I emailed him a few times and seem to have finally succeeded. And it was good that Affy was able to manage to get online more regularly after being offline when school started - he is a very important character and it was too bad when he got so busy. As for SPINY, I wish he was around more, too.

I agree with you about needing to trap Yclept. I can't remember if Sarah has told you about his history, or whether you have heard him say what he wants to do - why he wants the soulstone so badly. There may be clues there to another way of dealing with him.

I've forgotten to read the cargo hold thread!

*runs off to hoe threads*

Well, I'm amazed at my intuition. First, I threw an imaginary spear without knowing that he had warded off real weapons.

And second, I was right in thinking I would need the mermen, Spiny's cohorts. Absent Spiny, I will have to try and speak to them directly, which means that I will need two exercises of bearness after all. :-|

I spoke to them when I sacrificed the heart, so I can claim that plot device for enlisting them without Spiny... can't I?

Would you like to know what I have in mind, (assuming I can set the sting up with JJ), or should I surprise you?

I'd love to be surprised, but on the other hand perhaps I should know so that you can be sure it would work (i.e. doesn't break any rules, etc.).

I think you are aware of the Cook's reason for wanting the soulstone, aren't you? Or, at least, his interest in Atlantis?

His people are besieged by the kraken or by krakens (always thought there was only one) and he wants them to have access to the safety of Atlantis. The stone gives them access. We discussed it in the forecastle.

The plan is in a sense sacrificial. I give Amelia the polar bear totem and a spell. It is dangerous because I've never done it before: I will go into trance, leaving my body especially vulnerable because the totem is now in other hands (I'll make sure that YClept sees this fact). Being evil and greedy, the mage will jump for my body if he can. The spell will, instead of defending my body, turn it into a bear, and I will remain -- permanently -- in the Spirit World.

After I've jumped overboard.

I need the mermen to capture the bear and take it to Atlantis. I can tell them that this prize should secure good treatment for their people!

It's far-fetched, but the only way I can see, within Uli's mindset and principle, to overcome the Raven is to absorb him. He can't be killed, but he can be overcome.

Evil is always waiting for its chance to break out again, that story is as old as the world.

With my magic, I should be a pretty strong force to reckon with, even in the Spirit World. That's how I see it. What do you think?

Sounds spectacular! A couple of points, though:

1) The possessing of a body by Yclept is a "Special ability", but he may think he needs to say some words or something to effect it. He knows that it takes a battle of wills, so he has to choose carefully, but your inert body may just be tempting enough. If he fails to take possession of a body, he won't have enough magical energy to try again for another day (i.e. he won't be able to try again in the game). I'll have to let him know somehow that his being gagged and bound doesn't affect his special ability.

2) Amelia has no magical experience or power. However, you could probably cast a spell that gives her the power to cast that one spell.

3) Calling the Mermen. They are hanging about just out of sight, and the Cook can call them if he wishes. Unfortunately he isn't around, so you will need a magic voice, or something, to call them. You can speak in tongues, so you should be able to call them the way Cook would.

4) The Mermen don't know where Atlantis is. That is one of Cook's prime objectives, along with destroying the soulstone, so that Atlantis can never rise again. I can't remember whether he learned Atlantis' location, but I don't think so.

5) It would be a shame to lose Uli

I've no intention of being lost. Uli is comfortable on both planes, and the loss would be palpable for those who can't see or hear ghosts. You would have to determine how much kinetic power I would have as a ghost, i'e', whether I could be a bitch of a poltergeist!

I'm working all day tomorrow so, like you, I won't be around for any action. I just hope I can get it all together with JJ before the Raven tries to fly again.


I need help working up the banquet menu for Thursday. Thinking up themed food. Do you have a chance to get on IM?

I said a spell on deck, way back, that was supposed to protect the reamining mortals on deck from Raven, but now Richardson has had something laid on him. Did my spell not work?

A variation on my plot now goes into effect...

No, your spell worked. See my reply in the on deck thread. Yclept was forgetting that spell, I think. You'll have to make it clear to him that you will be unprotected when you go into your trance, otherwise he might not attempt the possession spell. BTW, because you need him to be able to perform the possession spell, I told him that ALL of his spells that were under the category of "needing little or no ritual" would work when he is bound and gagged. That way I let him know he could use the posssession spell without arousing his suspicion.

I'm ready. I am about to email you the translation of a cypher, to save you the 2 hours it took me to generate. Amelia is now a decoy, that's the variation. My spell reiterates protection for the crew, then bids my words be heard as a totally unknown language, at which point the spell will be in cypher. I hope this doesn't rattle the moderators' cage.

Just caught up with things going on elsewhere in the game. Check my post to the announcements thread.

Fortunately, the medallion doesn't figure much to Uli, but it will be interesting to see whether Affi engages with me or tries to fooolow Lorenzen.