Expendable

The Island of Ascension

Mags

The helicopter dipped, and Mag's stomach dipped with it, but minutes later the helicopter landed near two small buildings. The engines ramped down, but the rotor was still spinning. She wondered where the hanger was for it, surely they didn't leave it out in the weather?

The strange man's spoke and pointed to the door, his meaning was obvious. The door slid open and people began pouring out. Mags gathered her bags from under the seat and waited for a moment for the jam of people trying to leave all at once to clear, then she slipped out, keeping bent over with one hand holding down her fur hat while the duffle and the canvas bread bag were slung over her shoulder.

Once out from under the rotors, Mags straightened herself, then pulls out her phone and took pictures of the... students? The buildings beyond them, then turned around to take a picture of the helicopter and that tall glass tower on the hill. Mags slipped her phone back into her pocket, then pulled out her ear plugs, rubbing her ears as everything around her stopped being muffled and back into clear, sharp noise.

One eyebrow rose sharply in a well-practiced arch as she surveyed the other people who'd come out to meet them, but then she was there in her uniform duds - and not even American duds - no doubt, she looked strange to them, as well. How many would come over and speak loud at her, she wondered, thinking she didn't understand English? Four years among the Romanian Army had sharpened her pronunciation and even taught her a few words undoubtedly kept out of Romanian-English tourist dictionaries.

At least her bangs covered the right side of her face, hiding her burn scars. Her command at first wanted her to maintain their grooming standards, but even they were repulsed by the burns and relented.

Since they had promised to pay her, there had to be someplace to go to spend their money - possibly that town they flew over on their way here? Maybe there was a payphone there, possibly inside a bar? A tiny library and maybe a computer she could use?

"So, uh, where do we go?" Mags asked, in clear English. She wanted a hot cup of coffee, a restroom, and to be shown to her room - but looking around, she didn't think any of that was going to happen soon.

[Roll: 1d20+4 Jiu Jitsu, 6]

The Island of Ascension

Mags

Mags smiles, feeling lost. All she could hear from the people around her was muffled, even the big guy in the nice suit.

Was this a briefing? Who holds a briefing in flight? This wasn't a rescue mission, it was a transport flight, only without those little packets of honey roasted peanuts.

He was waving his hands towards the window where she could see land, finally. Hopefully this meant they'd be landing soon, but when she glances back, he was holding up a tablet with "Noetic Energy" and a constantly changing percentage sign of just over 50%.

Clearly this was somehow important, but why try to tell them now? And why were people checking their phones?

Reaching inside her field jacket, Mags pulls out her phone - there was no signal. She slips it back and glances around her curiously. What did they expect? They were flying out over Pacific waters, they'd been out of range of cell towers for a long while now. Hopefully they had one on the island, or at least payphones. Otherwise there were going to be a lot of upset people on and off the island.

Her brother and his friends would definitely come looking for her if she stayed quiet too long.

Uncovered: Secrets of a Lost Age

working on their history. Is that going to conflict with the other character?

Uncovered: Secrets of a Lost Age

yes, just been busy.

Uncovered: Secrets of a Lost Age

In Terry Pratchett's notes for Strata, he mentions various artifacts that have been found and locked away in museums, like a British coin found embedded inside a coal seam. In the start of the story, the main character makes planets, and to create the illusion that this is a natural planet, they will bury dinosaur skeletons to create a fossil record. Only she catches two of her workers trying to bury one holding a sign saying "Stop nuclear testing!" which would spoil the illusion and could cause a culture shock.

The Island of Ascension

Yeah, I might go ahead and code something together to make it easier to find character sheets.

@Birdboy

I use this bit at the top of my posts - [right][b][url=character sheet url]Name[/url][/b][/right] so I can just click on that to bring up my sheet.

I think the gm can still create a zero post with an index.

The Island of Ascension

Mags

When they boarded the helicopter, Mags just grabbed a couple of disposable ear plugs to roll and cram in her ears before climbing in the back, waving away the headset. While she'd just been a soldier for just a few years in the Romanian army, she'd quickly learned the importance of sleeping when you can. And with all these bodies crammed in together, the cabin was certainly warm enough.

Sadly, Mags had to turn in her cold weather parka when she left the army. She'd outgrown her clothes at home, and all she had really was her uniforms, with all the patches removed. At least they let her keep the fur hat. She was somewhat acclimated, but she hadn't time to get a decent coat before she had to report, but her father, uncles and aunt said they'd be sending her one. Not that she expected they be outside much.

But she was still a light sleeper, so when people began moving in their seats, her right eye shot open, followed by her left as they swept the cabin. Even with the headsets, were they actually trying to have a conversation over the roar of the engine and the beating of the rotors?

"I needed a job and this sounded interesting," she said loudly, hoping the person next to her could hear what she said.

Her new employers were probably some kind of cult.

The Island of Ascension

writing a post now.

The Island of Ascension

Okay, updated sheet. HP:32, Jiu Jitsu: 4, Knife Fighting: 2. And yes, pocket knife is a tool. Should have brought a sharpening stone and a deck of cards.

okay to post?

The Island of Ascension

@Expendable I separated boxing and grappling as separate unarmed skills and bladed, blunt, and stabbing as separate melee weapon skills.

@MikkPikkel93

Jiu Jitsu is already a grappling unarmed skill. Knife fighting would be part of training.

She carries a Swiss army knife, the basic camping style with a 2.5 inch blade, is that going to be taken away as a weapon?