Maglar

A GM's job

@InkarnateThat's pretty solid input thank you :)

Star Trek: The New Order

Engineering

"Put this here," LCDR Horst Meyer told the junior officer in front of him, "and depolarize the tridium relay, once the capacitor is at 80% repolarize the relay. If you do it too soon it'll drain the reserve and if you wait too long it'll explode, begreifen?"

"Wh..what?" the junior officer stammered.

"Do you understand me?" Horst said, a little more impatiently than he intended. The ensign nodded enthusiastically and Horst nodded back and then turned to answer a call on the wall display. "Yes Commander warp systems are fully operational it's our impulse engines that are still malfunctioning, but we're on it and we'll be fully operational in 16 hours. In the meantime tell the helmsman to drop out of warp as close to where we need to be as..." The wall display blinked out mid-sentence, the new Commander was apparently high on expectations and short on patience.

The USS Vigilance was a beautiful ship, a classic old Ambassador class battle ship. This thing had seen dozens of battles and had the scars to show it. She had gone through a Starfleet overhaul but they had obviously been too rushed to give her a proper walk-through. Horst had found that nearly every back up system had been manually re-routed to supply power to different systems, and there were patchworks of jerry-rigged engineering everywhere. Oddly enough, Horst felt quite at home in all the chaos. There was something comforting in the simple complexity of Engineering, and even though this old girl had been broken and put back together in a million different ways the fact was that every fix had a reason, and every function had its power supply and desired effect. Getting to know this ship felt like getting to know a complex and interesting new friend, even though she could be a little frustrating at times.

"No! Jesus! Don't use that near the Warp Drive!" He yelled to a younger mechanic who was using a gravitron ray to move some equipment, "didn't they teach you about Warp fields?" The mechanic hurried away from the drive. It wasn't really his fault, the engineering room was set up in a classic style and the equipment Starfleet used had changed. It was hard to move some of the newer displays past the core without getting a little too close. The mechanic returned with a couple of other junior officers and moved the panel manually. Mein Got thought Horst, if we don't watch ourselves we'll end up like the Romulans.

He didn't mean to think such a macabre thought but there it was. Two planets, destroys, billions of life lost in a moment. Now an entire sector of space left in limbo. It's moment like these that make understanding the Prime Directive more difficult. It was easy to want to help the people, that seemed the most natural, but wouldn't it be better if the enslaved races of the quadrant were to mark their own space and create their own peace? It seemed to Horst like Starfleet should've stayed out of it, but he wasn't in charge, and now he was crewed up with this old clanker of a Ship and serving under the creepiest Vulcan he had ever met. The guy was somewhere between a machine and a phaser, he never threatened violence but there felt like violence was going to happen somewhere around him. That's not promising for a humanitarian mission, which is what they were supposed to be on.

Horst didn't want to spend too much time thinking about it, he had his job and that was all he really wanted. He grabbed an instrument and began to scan the dilithium crystal matrix through the warp core door. There was an unexplainable power drain somewhere and he was going to find it....

Tactics

*The Captain was in his ready room and Conaar Lox is familiarizing himself with his station and reflecting*

Everything was new, but old at the same time. It had been 6 weeks since his joining, he never realized he was so sad. His life had been one of work and necessity, he had always loved the study of Xenoarcheology but ended up leaving all that behind to follow the "safer path" by studying Combat Leadership at Starfleet. At the time is seemed like a capitol idea, but now, after some introspection, it appeared that he had done so because he wanted the stability. He had spent a lot of time thinking about his life over the last few weeks and discovered that he had frequently chosen the course of least resistance, even when it led him situations requiring heroics.

This was the gift of the symbiote, he thought, the gift of seeing your own life through the eyes of perspective. He loathed the idea that he had sacrificed the work of his passion for Starfleet, but look at the person he had become. He had saved lives, fought off pirates, and excelled in his craft to the tune of many recognitions for excellence. Before the joining he had felt trapped, a slave to the greedy, corrupt, and self-serving bureaucrats of Starfleet. Now, even though he still didn't trust them, he could be happy about who he was, and what he had accomplished, and he felt a sense of peace with that.

Lox looked over at the big Saurian who ran security. He had never served with one of their species before and the Xenoarcheologist in him was immensely curious. They had evolved in a hostile world and developed four hearts and the ability to breath in harsh, gaseous environments. Fascinating. He wondered what their philosophy taught about sacrifice and compassion, were they like the Klingons who valued strength and viewed sympathy as weakness, or were they like the Vulcans who honored service to others at the sacrifice of their own, so-called "primitive" emotions.

Speaking of Vulcans, there was much to be said about the new Captain. He had stomped into his ready room from the lift and so Lox only got a moment to see him but a moment was enough. The Vulcan was queer, to say the least. It felt like if you tried to look at him too hard your eyes just slid off. There was something impossible about him, something unnatural. Lox had the thought that although the Captain seemed firmly in control of his command there was something that felt out of control that couldn't accurately be put into words.

Conaar Lox went back to his systems and began going over the analytics of their weapon complement and shield capacity. He was going to have to work with the Marines on this mission to handle the influx of Refugees and God knows what else, he didn't want any surprises.

Security

"Yes, sir," the Saurian nodded, "attention on the bridge! Captain Strenn has the bridge." Rok stood at attention and watched as the ship's officers took their position in deference to their Captain. This Captain, this Vulcan, was someone Rok liked. His record was impressive, that was an obvious truth, but he was also hard, and Rok appreciated hardness. It saves lives on the battlefield, it doesn't sparse decisions, hardness understands that sometimes the greater good demands a difficult sacrifice.

Commodore Doma's face presented on the screen, "All Starfleet and Federation vessels, we are about to undertake a mission unlike any other in the Alpha Quadrant's history. The eyes of thousands of species are upon you today, the hopes and dreams of billions of souls depending upon your adherence to duty. I expect every sailor in my task force to be model Starfleet servicemembers, and to act in accordance with the Starfleet Creed. We represent the Federation, and we cannot let these people down. Captains, you will receive a coded transmission detailing your specific operational goals." The Commodore paused, "I wish you all the best of luck. Godspeed!"

"...adherence to duty...", "...Starfleet Creed," meaningless platitudes. The reality was the higher ups demanded obedience and everyone on the ship was expected to obey, regardless of the mission. Starfleet's "Creed" was to be white knights in the galaxy, it's an idealist fantasy. The Saurian's understood that strength, fierceness, and reliability were the three great virtues of society. Everyone had to be reliable and the government had a job to teach reliability. To become reliable required strength, strength of character and strength of Fist; and to be strong required fierceness, a passion for the benefits of society. Romulans never exalted these virtues, the Romulans only served themselves and their quest for power. Good riddance, Rokuua thought, if any slave trading species deserved to be destroyed it was them.

The Captain stomped to his ready room and Rok went about his duties. As Security Chief he was responsible for maintaining the civility of those aboard. It was a long job, but Starfleet personnel were pretty easy people to monitor. They were generally always open and trusting, never ambitious if it causes them to hurt others, never prone to violence before diplomacy. The Federation were nothing like the Klingons, now that was fun bunch. If he was serving with the Klingons Rok would've already been involved in a half dozen brawls, from the mess hall to the bridge. They were rough around the edges, but they knew how to have a good time, and they gloried in that feeling of brotherhood that came after a fight.

No, the Federation was no where near as interesting. Rok stood at his panel on the bridge and inspected the various security monitors he had placed on the different levels.

Crystallis

The Cave of Kensu's Island

Urgrapth nimbly creeped about her lair. Millions of shining threads glittered in the soft light of the deep cave, as she moved across the steel like threads they tinkled, creating a musical ambiance of nightmares. Slowly, deliberately, she moved to inspect the tightly wrapped bundles she had collected from the sea village. Morsels of delicious food, enough to satiate her hunger upon waking in this cave, and enough to keep her and her babies alive for the next year. She was happy, but she didn't smile. Emotions existed in some absent part of her psyche, separate from her conscious self but present enough for her to know it was there. Methodically she moved from bundle to bundle, making sure her neuro-venom was keeping them alive so as not to spoil the meat but still enough to make sure they couldn't move. If they could move they could hurt her and her babies, and that simply would not do.

A blue light began to blink over her head. She looked up and opened her fanged mouth in a hiss, an intruder had entered her caves. She moved quickly to the button and slammed it down, releasing the blue smoke that caused hallucinations. She went to another button and upon pressing it the outer doors slammed shut, this did two things: it closed the entrance so her latest victim could not escape, and it closed the hole at the top of the mountain so the blue smoke wouldn't release into the village but would fill the caves and take down this mysterious visitor. Once the visitor collapsed she'd send her babies, just like she did to the town, and her babies would bring the visitor back and she would wrap it and save it, or maybe, her babies could use the snack...

SYNOPSIS

Spider monster has the town wrapped up and plans to eat them. She is releasing a blue smoke that causes hallucinations and is supposed to incapacitate a normal person. She has closed off the entrance to the cave so Kensu cannot come and help, and she has sent her babies to you, they are about the size of a small dog and look approximately like this:

Good Luck :)

Gods Among Us

Bob / Aha

God Name: Bes, Bisu, Aha

Mortal Name: Robert "Bob" Malek

Origin/God of: Egyptian Dwarf God of War, yet he was also a patron of childbirth and the home, and was associated with sexuality, humour, music and dancing.

Apperance: He's not tall at only 5'6 (167 cm) and he weighs a solid 212 lbs, but don't be fooled, it's thick muscle. He keeps his dark hair long and wears a thick beard which he sometime braids. His eyes are dark, almost black, and his skin is a dark olive color. He likes to wear work pants and flannel shirts with the sleeves rolled up on his forearms.

God history: Aha was an ancient Egyption fighter of demons who protected children, women, and families, he was frequently depicted protecting young Horus as a baby. It was said he was a strong fighter, and could strangle a lion with his bare hands. He was also a protector against mischief demons, so his image was placed in door frames. His likeness was frequently found with laboring women and looking over children, but his image was also put on knives to bless the blade with strength in a fight.

Personality: Bob is a joyful man who likes to laugh and loves to dance. He is always quick with a joke and is seen as a silly person, but he gets very serious very quickly when it comes to the innocent and the weak. He has no room for nonsense concerning protecting the things he feels are most precious, and he makes no times for fools; otherwise he treats living like its an excuse to have fun. He loves to feel happiness, and to him that means working with his hands and playing with little ones. He is the iconic grandfather.

Weapon(s): He makes weapons and likes to fight with his hands, so he's got a set of melee cat claws he can wear like a gauntlet and he's fashioned a Blacksmithing hammer into something like a hatchet by narrowing the back and sharpening it.

Relationships/friendships: N/A at this time

Other: His hobby's include music, blacksmithing, and dancing.

Crystallis

Tinkertown

The Jub Jub Bird

"Yesss... yesss! Die! Die you weak, pathetic Fools!!" The harpy screamed, hovering over the village. Tinkertown was built into the ruins of one of the structures of the ancients. It seemed unreachable from the ground, a protected spire on a mountain's peak calling the clouds it's friends. Unreachable from the ground, sure, but not so unreachable if you could pick up your force and drop them on balconies, on roof tops, and on ledges. Late the day before she had drugged a herd of twelve lizard-bears and had gently placed them into their positions. It was a perfect set up for the meager and unprepared peasants of this disgusting place, they didn't have a watch or guard posted at all so they had no idea. When the lizard-bears awoke, they began to wreak havoc, and havoc was what Jub Jub loved the most.

As an added bonus, there was an Oracle here... somewhere. If she could murder the strange creature and bring it's wrecked body, or maybe just its head, Draygon would be well pleased.

The lizard-bears had ripped into a few of the villagers, Jub saw their blood stain the steps and it made her mouth water. The villagers had been herded into one of the central buildings by four of the more furious bears. The other eight had shrunk away into corners and were trying to find a way down. Fools, this is a one way trip for them, there is no way down but the fall, no way down but death. Jub smiled and licked her fangs.

"You.. Will... NOT!.. take them!!!" Came a scream from the building being molested by one of the bears, suddenly a spike of mountain sprung from the door and pierced the animal through it's torso. It whimpered lightly and died quickly. The cry of their dying fellow lizard-bear worked the other three increased their ferocity, and three more from the group trying to get down responded as well and began scratching at the doors and walls which were protecting the villagers inside.

Jub took to the skies and with a few strong flaps of her wings she flew around the mountain village, looking for some sign of where the Oracle shrine might be. That rock spire was obviously the work of the fool wizard who guarded these parts, so somewhere in this disgustingly clean spire of houses there had to be one of those pods, but where? Well, it didn't matter, once the lizard-bears murdered their way through the townsfolk they would find the pod and if they didn't eat the inhabitant then Jub Jub would surely have her blood. She continued to circle the village.

@Ponn

A GM's job

Follow up question, what do you think makes for a most successful GM?

Gods Among Us

Bob / Aha

God Name: Bes, Bisu, Aha

Mortal Name: Robert "Bob" Malek

Origin/God of: Egyptian Dwarf God of War, yet he was also a patron of childbirth and the home, and was associated with sexuality, humour, music and dancing.

Apperance: He's not tall at only 5'6 (167 cm) and he weighs a solid 212 lbs, but don't be fooled, it's thick muscle. He keeps his dark hair long and wears a thick beard which he sometime braids. His eyes are dark, almost black, and his skin is a dark olive color. He likes to wear work pants and flannel shirts with the sleeves rolled up on his forearms.

God history: Aha was an ancient Egyption fighter of demons who protected children, women, and families, he was frequently depicted protecting young Horus as a baby. It was said he was a strong fighter, and could strangle a lion with his bare hands. He was also a protector against mischief demons, so his image was placed in door frames. His likeness was frequently found with laboring women and looking over children, but his image was also put on knives to bless the blade with strength in a fight.

Personality: Bob is a joyful man who likes to laugh and loves to dance. He is always quick with a joke and is seen as a silly person, but he gets very serious very quickly when it comes to the innocent and the weak. He has no room for nonsense concerning protecting the things he feels are most precious, and he makes no times for fools; otherwise he treats living like its an excuse to have fun. He loves to feel happiness, and to him that means working with his hands and playing with little ones. He is the iconic grandfather.

Weapon(s): He makes weapons and likes to fight with his hands, so he's got a set of melee cat claws he can wear like a gauntlet and he's fashioned a Blacksmithing hammer into something like a hatchet by narrowing the back and sharpening it.

Relationships/friendships: N/A at this time

Other: His hobby's include music, blacksmithing, and dancing.

A GM's job

@The Ghost NoteBut you gotta admit, this is work. It's fun work, and it's rewarding, but it is work none the less.

Crystallis

Sarah's Courage

NOTE

There will be points in this post where we have a discussion, but being that there is only one of us I will fill in your side of the conversation with *******. When you post your reply you have the choice to either write your responses or simply move along, as you feel would be most fun.

Kensu Thunderfist	Pip

Kensu stood in front of the cave mouth absently stroking his beard and imagining what to do next. The cave was long, and winded its way into the bowels of an old, extinct volcano. He had spent the better part of the last twenty years mapping out the ways but he still hadn't found the sword. It was down there, somewhere, and there wasn't any time left to find it. The Guild had heard from Zebu that the Oracle at Leaf Village had awoken, and that could only mean the beginning of something terrible. The others all believed the Oracles were somehow super beings, blessed with infinite knowledge and power, and that they would awaken to save us from the ethereal threat of the "Harbinger," whatever that may be. The fearful truth was that Zebu shoved the Sword of Wind into a naïve boy's eager hands and sent him into a sewer to save one of the village children. The boy never returned.

Kensu was one of the few in the guild who realized that these Oracles, these supposed saviors, were not the mythologized individuals people thought they were. They were kids, just like the ones in any village, and they don't know anything about the dangers which present an immediate threat; namely Draygon, his terrible minions, and the monsters. And from what Zebu says, they know nothing about using the power of the elements through the swords.

He dropped his hand and sighed, feeling the heavy burden of responsibility settle on his shoulders. There was only one thing to be done. He, and those who were brave enough to stand with him, would take the swords and face whatever the Harbinger might be. There was no other option. If the Oracles are waking up, then the time to fight was coming, and if Draygon and his swine were there too..... He gathered his things and prepared to enter the cave. "Come Pip, let us go." A small creature chirped from behind a rock and skipped over to Kensu's side, then it started barking and insistently tugging at Kensu's pant leg. "What! What is it creature?!"

Pip chirped up at him and turned towards the village. There, coming up the trail, was a bobbing bundle of pink hair climbing over the rock. For a moment Kensu's heart thudded in his chest. It was her, his Oracle, the one he had tended to for most of his life. When he heard that Zebu's Oracle had awakened he anxiously wondered when his might, that is why he has been in the caves for so long these last few weeks. Now that he saw the girl, his girl, he felt worried. He had spent a long time watching her and wondering what mind hid behind that calm, porcelain face. For a long time he thought that he was taking care of a hero, a savior, but now.... "Brrup!" Pip chirruped.

"Yes I agree," he said, "A most auspicious happenstance, given the state of things." He sat down and lit his pipe, not feeling the need to hurry, Pip sat down next to him. After a few, long moments the girl finally arrived, huffing a little from the effort. "Well now, hello.... Oracle." The girl looked a little fazed but was polite. Pip made a few sounds and stood up, "Be calm Pip, be calm" the small animal sat back down.

Kensu took another long draw from his pipe, "I am Kensu Thunderfist, Wizard of the Island and Keeper of the.... well, of you I guess." A smile touched his lips. "You've been asleep for a long time girl, I cannot say if you've ever been awake. Welcome, to our world."

*******

"Hello Sarah, I'm glad you ate. That was to be my dinner, but you are welcome to it."

*******

"The village was attacked. It happened last night. I was in this cave, just there, mapping and searching. When I returned to the village all my people were gone," his voice choked just a little, but he worked hard to control his emotions. "That is why I am here, and that is what puts us in the precarious position we find ourselves in right now."

*******

"Thank you, that's very kind. I'll tell you, inside of the caves is a weapon, a sword, said to harness the very thunder from the sky. I myself have worked hard to understand this force of our world, but I have only been so successful. With the sword hidden in this caves depths, well, truth be told I don't know what it will do, but our legends tell us that it is part of mecha left over from the old ones, and that it has incredible power."

*******

"HAHAHAA!! That map has been my burden to make over the last 20 years! Memorized it you say? Well, that's quite a fete, maybe your kind will live up to the myths after all." Kensu smiled and toked on his pipe.

*******

"You speak wisdom. I have been in the depths of these caves as far as I can imagine to go, but I've never found the sword. I... I don't even know where there is left to look." He dropped his hands to his lap, he let his countenance fall, "I will stay and guard the cave. I do not know where the mist came from, but I have my suspicions. Maybe, if you find the sword, you can save us all."

"Brup.. rup! Brrup!" chimed Pip. Kensu smiled.

"Pip will join you, he has been with me through these caves and he will light your way. I wish you a safe journey, and when you get back, I'll have you more fish." Kensu couldn't help it, he felt something of a grandfatherly affection for the girl. He hoped this would be different from the boy from the Leaf shrine, hopefully this Oracle will find the sword, hopefully this young one will stay safe.

Play Notes

Pip's ears light up, and you are welcome to play him. I used the color code "orangered" but you don't have to, he's yours now. In the cave are a variety of monsters, work your way in as far as you think reasonable and I will pick up where you leave off. Happy hunting friend.

A GM's job

What would you say is the most important function of a GM?