conversations.from: system
conversations.value: **The Background**
  
  In the 25th century, scientists and technicians on the distant colony world of Zharus make a startling breakthrough in energy storage and artificial intelligence, with the aid of "qubitium," a naturally-occurring metamaterial with remarkable quantum properties. The creation of true AI springs from quantum simulations of neural networks based on animals' genetic material that expand to take on true sapience.
  
  Matching these "Reticulated Intelligence" (RI) neural networks with nanotech-composite "Drive Extender" (DE) transforming robotic bodies produces the RIDE: a metallic animal that can transform itself into a vehicle such as a hover-motorcycle (or hover-car or even plane for larger animals) or into an environmentally sealed suit of anthropomorphic-animal body armor to survive the extreme environments of Zharus's deserts, undersea, or even outer space. (Because combining with such a suit goes beyond merely putting it on and involves elements of physical and neural linkage, the act of merging with a RIDE in armor mode is called "Fusing.") Thanks to "hardlight" technology, RIDEs can even be covered with solid holographic fur that feels real to the touch, and even to the RIDE itself.
  
  However, due to their animal basis, Fusing with a RIDE can have consequences for the pilot. In order for them to be neurologically compatible, the pilot has to have similar physical features to the RIDE itself—and the RIDE's nanotech innards are designed to grant those changes. This means that Fusing with RIDEs based on ordinary land mammals will grant the rider their ears and tail (and sometimes more extreme additions such as nose, eyes, or fur).
  
  RIDEs based on further different animals, such as reptiles, birds, or undersea mammals, can produce much extreme changes in their riders that restrict their ability to change back or combine with a different RIDE. And likewise, if the pilot is the wrong gender, the RIDE's nanites will adjust that, too. In most cases of gender or other extreme change, the changed human is unable to change back for at least three years.
  
  These RIDEs are used in taming the huge continent of Gondwana, a harsh and often lawless frontier that, unlike the more sedate and longer-settled continent of Laurasia, has many rich resources there for the taking, and a number of city-states occupying the ring of fertile land around the great central desert. In the desert, RIDEs are necessary to live. In the cities, they are urban transportation and playthings of the wealthy and middle-class alike. But even as they are considered mere "equipment" by many, those who know and love them know they are more than that—they are _people_ too. Will the world come to realize and acknowledge this?
  
  In recent years, rumors of a new form of change have been circulating—a combining of rider and RIDE that goes far beyond Fusing. Called "Integration," this combines man and machine into a single gestalt being who can no longer separate—and who are rumored to possess powers far beyond those of mere mortals or RIDEs. It is as yet unclear whether these "Integrates" are to be welcomed or feared—and, indeed, many would place them in the same category as Bigfoot, the Yeti, or the Loch Ness Monster. But these Integrates may be growing tired of keeping to themselves.
  
  And the latest potential threat may very well be the old home world of Earth itself. For fifty years, it has scoffed at the idea that a distant, backward world like Zharus could be the home of so many major technological breakthroughs. But Earth's mind may be changing on that score—and it has long been known for its willingness to reach out and take what it wants.
  
  Welcome to the world of Zharus—and to its denizens. Colonists. Bandits. Miners. Mechanics. _FreeRIDErs_.
  
  For more information, see the stories written in the shared-universe setting at
  
  http://shifti.org/index.php?title=FreeRIDErs_(setting)
  
  **Game Notes**
  
  For purposes of this game, if two players don't partner up as each other's human and RIDE, then I'm generally okay with you writing your character's partner as an NPC, and choosing character traits that combine the more important-to-the-story aspects of both of them. 
  
  Remember that the way the system works, just because you didn't buy a trait doesn't mean you don't have it. It just means it's not important enough to how your character acts to have a major influence on the story. (And if that should change, you can use a Wild to kick it in.)
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A veteran of interstellar travel from the first generation of FTL-capable starships.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Experienced
  
  Suggested Weakness: Stubborn
conversations.prefix: Veteran Astronaut:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A green newbie embarking on an interstellar mission for the first time.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Intrepid
  
  Suggested Weakness: Inexperienced
conversations.prefix: Rookie Astronaut:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Curious and cautious, eager to explore the cosmos and live to tell the tales.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Highly Perceptive
  
  Suggested Weakness: Hesitant
conversations.prefix: Science Officer:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A capable officer used to all-night shifts overseeing ship functions and information systems.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Great Endurance
  
  Suggested Weakness: Brutish
conversations.prefix: Operations Chief:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Brilliant and inventive but still not used to the stresses of actual interstellar travel.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Brilliant Mind
  
  Suggested Weakness: Queasy
conversations.prefix: Engineering Officer:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The responsibility for the safety of the ship rests here, in good hands.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Athletic Physique
  
  Suggested Weakness: Untrusting
conversations.prefix: Weapons Officer:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Trained in xenolinguistics and alien cultures to make allies and history throughout the galaxy.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Charismatic
  
  Suggested Weakness: Stubborn
conversations.prefix: Communications Officer:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your mission is to help humanity explore the stars so your people don’t have to take the risk.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Intrepid
  
  Suggested Weakness: Secretive
conversations.prefix: Alien Diplomat:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Humanity’s not ready for what’s out here. You are.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Military Training
  
  Suggested Weakness: Brutish
conversations.prefix: Alien Commando:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: State-of-the-art in earthly robotics and artificial intelligence, programmed for calm precision.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Sturdy Robot Body
  
  Suggested Weakness: Limited Emotional Capability
conversations.prefix: Support Robot:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Fit, strong, and agile.
conversations.prefix: Athletic Physique:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You’re inventive and insightful, nimble and powerful of mind.
conversations.prefix: Brilliant Mind:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You’re quick to detect social cues and physical clues.
conversations.prefix: Highly Perceptive:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Adventurous and bold.
conversations.prefix: Intrepid:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A rigid training regimen has prepared you for a dangerous life.
conversations.prefix: Military Training:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Long nights, bad food, and rough rides are no problem for you.
conversations.prefix: Great Endurance:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Friendly and approachable or intimidating and stern, whatever the situation calls for.
conversations.prefix: Charismatic:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Education is your great advantage.
conversations.prefix: Well Educated:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You’ve seen things the others wouldn’t believe.
conversations.prefix: Experienced:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Exceptional artificial design and construction make you strong and sturdy.
conversations.prefix: Sturdy Robot Body:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rough rides and variable gravity don’t agree with you.
conversations.prefix: Queasy:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Difficult to divert and slow to change.
conversations.prefix: Stubborn:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Sometimes it’s fear, sometimes doubt.
conversations.prefix: Hesitant:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sharing things has gotten you hurt before.
conversations.prefix: Secretive:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Pain and stress cut you especially deep.
conversations.prefix: Sensitive:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Blunt and direct.
conversations.prefix: Brutish:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Not so much for you with the talking.
conversations.prefix: Socially Awkward:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Others have let you down. It’ll happen again.
conversations.prefix: Untrusting:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your experience is limited... for now.
conversations.prefix: Inexperienced:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your software brain is designed to limit and regulate emotional responses.
conversations.prefix: Limited Emotional Capability:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You want to be remembered. You want to make a dent in history.
conversations.prefix: Secure Your Future:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Reclaim a site or planet from the likes of gluttonous alien prospectors for the glory of Earth.
conversations.prefix: Steal A Claim Back From Alien Rivals:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Earn a promotion and further your career.
conversations.prefix: Get Promoted:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Colleagues in the fleet have been slain by “Riser.” Maybe the *Dauntless* can end that pirate.
conversations.prefix: Get Revenge Against The Pirate Called Riser:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your faith encompasses all that outside of your knowledge. As your knowledge goes, must your faith shrink?
conversations.prefix: Faith Versus Knowledge:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Peace comes through superior power. Make humanity safer by making humanity stronger.
conversations.prefix: Safety From Danger:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You lost your confidence—in yourself, in humanity, in something—and you’re out here to get it back.
conversations.prefix: Recover What’s Lost:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Humanity’s destiny is near. Answers are out there. Will you know them when you see them?
conversations.prefix: Human Destiny:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: No species is alone. The future of sentience is in the mingling and cooperation of species. Make peace where you can.
conversations.prefix: Not Alone:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You want the respect of the commodore of the fleet. You need it. But why?
conversations.prefix: Earn Star Commander Fitzcurtis’s Respect:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Be the first to discover a new species of fauna heretofore unseen by humankind.
conversations.prefix: Encounter A New Life-Form:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You can make this ship operate faster, more efficiently, for the betterment of all. Make it happen.
conversations.prefix: Improve Ship-wide Performance:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Get over your fear of deep space by making it through a spacewalk in the field.
conversations.prefix: Spacewalk:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Achieve popularity among the crew. Respect can come later.
conversations.prefix: Be A Star:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What is the Harbinger trying to say and where does that message originate? Find out.
conversations.prefix: Discover the Source of the Harbinger Message:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Space is big but most planets are claimed by aliens or difficult to mine. Stake a valuable claim.
conversations.prefix: Stake A Claim on a Precious New World:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your old lover is on the colony on Clotho. This may be your last chance patch things up.
conversations.prefix: Reunite With Your Lover on Clotho:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Human relations with alien cultures are vital to our survival. Build a meaningful bridge.
conversations.prefix: Build A Friendship with an Alien Colleague:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You can’t prove it—not yet—but you’re sure the company has bought someone in the mission.
conversations.prefix: Reveal the OmniColony Mole on the Ship:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your brother didn’t make the cut. Get something to send him so he can touch the cosmos.
conversations.prefix: Send Home an Artifact:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Standard Earthling survival suit with state-of-the-art life-support tech embedded. Bulky.
conversations.prefix: Hostile-Environment Suit:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Hand-held but hefty scanning equipment. Sophisticated, expensive, delicate.
conversations.prefix: Portable Scanner Array:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Typical alert beacon for laying claim to an asteroid, planetoid, or other stellar body.
conversations.prefix: Planetary Stake Beacon:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This direct communicator is hardened against EM attacks and keyed specially for the *Dauntless*.
conversations.prefix: Long-Range Satellite-Free Communicator:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: An even bulkier, armored version of the standard hostile-environment suit. Meant for combat.
conversations.prefix: Armored Battle Suit:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Standard-issue sidearm good for damage to organisms and electronics. Poor against hardware.
conversations.prefix: Compressed Energy Pistol:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Standard-issue projectile rifle, generally forbidden to see use aboard starships.
conversations.prefix: MR-910 Combat Rifle:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Only two of these are typically issued to exploratory vessels on peaceful missions.
conversations.prefix: Keycard to the Weapons Locker:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: This code decrypts transmissions to and from the *Dauntless*, be they official or personal.
conversations.prefix: Encryption Code for the Dauntless:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A medical kit with various fast-acting and potentially dangerous drugs installed.
conversations.prefix: Medical Hyperkit:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The command center of the starship, cramped but highly functional.
conversations.prefix: Bridge of the Dauntless:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A shared dining space for crew and officers of the exploratory ship.
conversations.prefix: Dauntless: The Mess:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A private recording suite for text and AV logs to be securely encrypted and transmitted to HQ.
conversations.prefix: Dauntless: Comms Module:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Noisy and bright from the workings of the stardrive. Be sure to wear eye protection here.
conversations.prefix: Dauntless: Engine Room:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: One of the dirty, steamy, dark decks of the ship, full of industrial equipment and grime.
conversations.prefix: Dauntless Machine Deck:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A pre-fab village dropped into an icy river delta from space. Just starting to eke out a new life.
conversations.prefix: Washington Colony on Clotho:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rich in mineral deposits and liquid elements, this frigid planet appears unclaimed by anyone.
conversations.prefix: Planet EV-1996:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A human deep-space probe detected repeating radio signals from this dank planet over a year ago.
conversations.prefix: Planet DRX-31880:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: This rocky world’s claimed by alien prospectors despite the presence of a primitive civilization here.
conversations.prefix: Planet CGE-700:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Calcified, fleshy corridors and organ-like chambers open to vacuum. Something bad happened here.
conversations.prefix: Derelict Alien Starship:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You want to be liked. This ship is like your whole world now. Get them laughing.
conversations.prefix: Amuse the Crew:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Hundreds of individual objects drifting on different trajectories. Get the ship through it all, intact.
conversations.prefix: Navigate the Asteroid Field:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The sensors collect astonishing volumes of data and the computer lacks the curiosity to make the most of it.
conversations.prefix: Parse the Sensor Data:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Every signal sent to and from the ship gets logged. If there’s a coded signal in there, find it.
conversations.prefix: Analyze Communication Records:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The crew can do better. They don’t have to like it.
conversations.prefix: Improve Crew Efficiency:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Get primary systems back online.
conversations.prefix: Make Repairs:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Get your shuttle aboard the spinning alien derelict and make a safe landing.
conversations.prefix: Land on the Derelict Ship:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Traverse the microgravity environment and locate an operations center if you can.
conversations.prefix: Explore the Derelict Ship:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Can data be mined from this old ship? Can you make sense of it?
conversations.prefix: Puzzle out the Alien Computer:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: It’s not about reflexes. It’s about making sense of hostile vectors through limited telemetry. Get a firing solution.
conversations.prefix: Calculate the Angle of Attack:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Head of Earth’s deep-space division and experienced commodore of the exploratory fleet.
conversations.prefix: Star Commander Lauren Fitzcurtis:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Responsible for gathering diaries and video logs from active-service personnel through comms.
conversations.prefix: Commander Gyeon Jun-seo:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Liaison to exploratory ships from OmniColony Inc., manufacturer of deep-space colonial equipment.
conversations.prefix: Executive Director Bernard E. Wallace:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Rogue deep-space recon robot commanding a renegade ship as a pirate.
conversations.prefix: “Riser” Apex-20 Edition Model E2090:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Leader of the new deep-space colony on Clotho, at the verge of unexplored space.
conversations.prefix: Premier Nathan Hewitt:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Co-pilot of the DSS *Dauntless*. This is her first deep-space mission.
conversations.prefix: Flight Officer Ellen Vanderson:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Captain of a rival, alien exploratory ship laying claim to discoveries throughout the sector.
conversations.prefix: Kro Kanzanic:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Little more than a holographic ghost appearing in decayed transmissions coming from deep space.
conversations.prefix: The Harbinger:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A sleek, silvery liquid organism capable of physical mimicry and the secretion of caustic chemicals.
conversations.prefix: Xenobiological Entry Tango-321:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Teeth and claws on the ends of snaking, whipping tentacles tumbling through space.
conversations.prefix: Xenobiological Entry Sierra-909:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A sprawling garage with plenty of repair bays that can handle all sorts of RIDE repairs, or skimmers or other vehicles in a pinch.
conversations.prefix: Freeriders Garage:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This immense Frisbee, scaled for a mid-to-large-sized RIDE's use, is lying around for use by anyone who wants to. There are rules against throwing it toward unprotected humans, but the RIDE-only areas of the park are fair game.
conversations.prefix: RIDE Frisbee:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: That's odd. Your erstwhile companion seems to have gotten himself a partner. But is this a true partnership? And what kind of a person is this "Tiberius"? You need to figure that out.
conversations.prefix: The Womanizer or the Tiger?:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: It's pretty clear you don't know as much about Gondwanan RIDEs as you ought to. You need to learn a thing or three about them. Time to hit the books, ask some questions, and see what you can learn.
conversations.prefix: What Are These Things Called RIDEs?:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: An old RIDE-mounted nano-fab box that ought to be good for a few uses before it needs a refill.
conversations.prefix: Mini-Fabber:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: All the gear you need to treat injuries in the field.
conversations.prefix: Medpak:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: There's something odd here. Why would an Integrate be living alone in the middle of nowhere? For that matter, you're not entirely clear on what Integrates are to begin with. Maybe you should try to get some background.
conversations.prefix: Something About That Griffin Smells Funny :
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're not quite sure how it happened, but you're stuck with some n00bs to babysit. Better keep 'em safe, or Diane might get upset.
conversations.prefix: Babysitting Duty:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Whether you're active-duty or a retired vet, you've learned to live with serving your country, planet, or polity. You might not be easy with all the stuff you had to do, but at least it's given you skills you need to survive.
conversations.prefix: Soldier:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're not big on planets. You prefer life out in the vacuum, where you might mine for ore, run search-and-rescue ops, or otherwise help to support a thriving community of people who provide a lot of the raw material that the dirtsiders need.
conversations.prefix: Spacer:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You were trained to seek out new worlds, new life, and possibly new civilizations if such things exist. You might have seen some amazing things, and be ready to talk about them to anyone who will buy you a drink. Or you might not have shipped out yet. But either way, you've got the urge to explore.
conversations.prefix: Star Scout:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You've still got the mud of your native planet on your feet, and a lot of weird ideas about Zharus stuck in your head. You've got a lot to learn. Will you still be the same gender by the time you've learned it?
conversations.prefix: Tourist:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You've got the communication equipment necessary to punch through interference in the heart of the Zharusian desert.
conversations.prefix: Comm Tech:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're a big 'un. If you're still un-Integrated, this means you can Fuse with your pilot in all modes.
conversations.prefix: Giant Shell:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Long nights, bad food, and rough rides are no problem for you. (Or if a machine, you've got super AAA++ batteries built in.)
conversations.prefix: Great Endurance:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Not every DE is lucky enough to have a shell crafted by Donizetti or his handful of serious competitors, but you are.
conversations.prefix: High-Performance Sports Shell:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You’re quick to detect social cues and physical clues. (If a machine, you've got a great sensor package.)
conversations.prefix: Highly Perceptive:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You can rearrange your body to a greater or lesser extent.
conversations.prefix: Integrate Shapeshifter:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Whether you're a human or a machine, you pack enough guns to outfit a regiment.
conversations.prefix: Maximum Firepower:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A rigid training regimen has prepared you for a dangerous life.
conversations.prefix: Military Training or Programming:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your shell is custom-built for heavy duty. You may not be the prettiest 'mech on the lot, but you can really take a pounding.
conversations.prefix: Sturdy Shell Construction:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Zharus has no shortage of zillionaires. You're one of them.
conversations.prefix: Wealthy:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're so big you just don't fit into a lot of places. Get used to keeping up with your friends via telepresence whenever they go inside.
conversations.prefix: Awkward Size:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: There's something about your present body that you're finding hard to live with.
conversations.prefix: Dysphoric:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You have some funny ideas about your partner that your partner finds hard to live with.
conversations.prefix: Fixated on Partner:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You've got the world's worst Sarium batteries.
conversations.prefix: Gas Guzzler:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: When you set your mind to a problem, it's awfully hard to get you to think about or take notice of anyone or anything else.
conversations.prefix: Monofocus:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You have strict views on certain things (such as gender roles) inculcated by the society in which you grew up.
conversations.prefix: Parochial:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're not exactly made of premium parts. Something could go "fzzt" at any given time. (If an Integrate, you're the result of an Integration that didn't quite go according to plan.)
conversations.prefix: Shoddy Body:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're new to these parts—or to this era. Your inexperience could be your undoing.
conversations.prefix: Stranger in a Strange Land:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You never expected it to happen, but you went and got your bits flipped and now you have to figure out how to deal with it.
conversations.prefix: Accidental Crossrider:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You want your name on the byline of every media feed in town. That's not so much to ask, is it?
conversations.prefix: Break a Major Scoop:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You want to be the other sex. And once you _are_ the other sex, you want to be the _most_ that other sex you possibly can be.
  
  (Or, if a machine, you're obsessed with making _your partner_ the most that other sex, whether he or she wants it or not.)
conversations.prefix: Crossride-Obsessed:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Whether it's the greater galaxy or the vast trackless reaches of the Dry Ocean, you're not happy unless you're casting your peepers on a spot you know nobody else has ever peepcast before.
conversations.prefix: Explore the Unknown:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're a human who wants a RIDE/L-RIDE/EIDE, or maybe the other way around. Either way, you're looking for not _love_ necessarily, but a partnership you can work with.
conversations.prefix: Find a Partner:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're looking for love. Possibly even another parent for your children.
conversations.prefix: Find Romance:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your kind has had a rocky road relating to human society over the last few years, but things are finally starting to settle down. You just want to find your way to, or back to, your own place in the world, and be around other people again.
  
  (Conversely, you could also be a human trying to fit in at Alpha Camp or an Integrate Enclave.)
conversations.prefix: Fit In With Society:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You've been stuck on this mudball too long. You long to be back out in space, where you're free to explore or mine or do whatever it is you do. You'll do whatever you can to work toward that goal.
conversations.prefix: Get Off This Rock:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You've always believed in helping people. Maybe that's why you went into tour guide work. You get a kick out of pointing confused tourists in the right direction, and keeping them from making really stupid mistakes.
conversations.prefix: Help the N00bs:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're _positive_ you're on the verge of a breakthrough. Something that will revolutionize society forever. Something you can _patent._
conversations.prefix: Invent the Next Big Thing:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Anywhere there are lots of people, there are going to be people who have problems getting along. Your job is to see to it that they do.
  
  It's a chancy job, and it makes a man watchful. And a little lonely.
conversations.prefix: Keep the Peace:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You know Earth has its eyes on the prize, and Zharus won't be safe much longer. But you'll do whatever you can to stretch that little bit of time out.
conversations.prefix: Keep Zharus Safe:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: As long as you can remember, you've wanted to be a star. Now's your chance!
conversations.prefix: Make a Name for Yourself:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Someone you know disappeared. You want to find out what happened to them.
conversations.prefix: Missing Persons:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're a strong partisan of your polity, and you know that The Way Things Are Done There is the only _sane_ way to do things. Everyone else is just _nuts,_ and you're out to prove it. Or at least shove it in everyone's face.
conversations.prefix: My Country Right or Wrong:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You've come a long, long way to Zharus because you heard it was a really fascinating place. Some of the things you heard you weren't sure whether you could even believe. Now you're going to find out.
conversations.prefix: See the Sights:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: There's Qubitite in them thar hills, and other precious metals in them thar asteroids, and you just _know_ untold riches are right around the corner. Hey, it worked for Clint Brubeck, right?
conversations.prefix: Strike it Rich:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Ever since Steader Media started coming out with all that twentieth-century pop culture, the world has been a crazy place. And you revel in that craziness, even if you don't necessarily entirely understand it.
conversations.prefix: Twencen Junkie:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You want to upgrade your body—be it by switching to a better DE shell, or cybering up, or _de-_cybering thanks to cheap Zharusian clone tech.
conversations.prefix: Upgrade Required:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Not what teacher said to do…
  
  Your scientific ambitions have always been a little more ambitious than the average researcher. You're not out to rule the world or anything…probably…but you're definitely pushing the bounds of propriety.
conversations.prefix: Weird Science!:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Just the thing if you want to light a fire.
conversations.prefix: Motel Matchbook:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: On the way from somewhere to somewhere else, in a Moller Skycar replica flier.
conversations.prefix: Aboard the Skycar:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A recreation in virtual reality of a twentieth-century newsroom, complete with ancient beige-box computers and CRT monitors. 
  
  This remarkable degree of skeuomorphism can occasionally make it hard to focus, but luckily nobody else in the newsroom can tell if you're bypassing the metaphor in privacy mode.
conversations.prefix: Daily Trumpet Virtual Newsroom:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A small retirement community on the outskirts of the Dry, in the foothills of the Western Wall.
conversations.prefix: Dogstown:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The irascible editor of the Daily Trumpet. Lives by the motto, "If it leaks hydraulic fluid, it leads!"
  
  Nobody's actually sure what his real name is or what he really looks like, given that he only ever meets with reporters virtually. (Which is probably a good thing, given that hurled virtual paperweights do a lot less damage than real ones.) 
  
  He filed the serial numbers off his purloined identity to stand out from all the copy-cats who didn't. Or to avoid a lawsuit from the Steaders. The answer varies depending on time of day.
conversations.prefix: J. Jared Jeremiah:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The receptionist seems pretty young to work in a dead-end retirement community. What can she tell you about the place? Does she know about Foxglove?
conversations.prefix: Check In:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Walk around town, see what you can find out.
conversations.prefix: Taking In the View:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're a native of Zharus, born and bred. You've got an ordinary job doing the things that ordinary people do, right up until you get swept up in adventure.
  
  Of course, depending on what _part_ of Zharus you call home, you might have some funny ideas about other people…
conversations.prefix: Citizen:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Computers are a huge part of the modern world, and there's not very much about them you don't know. You're happiest in VR, or with your I-specs on bashing away at code. Sometimes people have to remind you to bathe, sleep, and eat.
conversations.prefix: Computer Geek:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're a robotic armor suit after the classic Iron Man or Transformers mold. You're not so big on furry animals, but you've got a great vehicle and robot form in addition to room for a human inside.
conversations.prefix: EIDE:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're the result of an Integration event that combined a human and a RIDE into a powerful biomechanical entity with quantum powers that border on the magical.
conversations.prefix: Integrate:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: There's news out there to be reported, and by God you're going to report it. Even if it annoys people. Perhaps _especially_ if it annoys people.
conversations.prefix: Journalist:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: They make things smaller on Laurasia. You're the size of a normal animal. You might be a personal assistant, or you might have a larger vehicle you can plug into for long trips.
conversations.prefix: L-RIDE:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're one of the stalwart breed of peacekeepers who patrols the Dry Ocean and smacks down claim jumpers and pirates. With your trusty RIDE and the gun at your side, you're a force to be reckoned with!
conversations.prefix: Marshal:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're a grease monkey. All things considered, you've never been happier than when you're fiddling with a busted part or trying to figure out why that engine isn't starting up. 
  
  If your work involves things that end with "-IDE," you're halfway to being a doctor, too. Do no harm, grease monkey!
conversations.prefix: Mechanic:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Dammit, Jim, you're a doctor, not…something else. Your job is to make sure people stay in good health. First, do no harm, and all that.
conversations.prefix: Medic:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're a machine. A machine who can be a skimmer, an anthropomorphic animal, or a suit of power armor around your human partner.
conversations.prefix: RIDE:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You push the boundaries every day in the research you conduct. Your work is helping craft a better future for the galaxy and its people. But you have to get out in the field sometime, too…
conversations.prefix: Scientist:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: So here you all are, seated together in a crowded bar.
  
  Who knows, you might actually have to talk to each other. At least until your drinks arrive.
conversations.prefix: Getting to Know You:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A cozy little bar in Uplift, run by a pair of outed Integrates, Diane the deer and Serena the clouded leopard. Very popular among the Integrate and emancipated RIDE sets.
conversations.prefix: Cheers:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The often-sarcastic deer Integrate who runs the Cheers bar.
conversations.prefix: Diane:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Just making conversation. Why are you here?
conversations.prefix: What brings you to these parts, stranger?:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Situated just a few klicks away from the Uplift Aerodrome, the Marshals' Office has a facade that looks like the Marshal's Office you might find in any Old West ghost town—except that behind the facade is a modern multi-level office building, containing all the bureaucracy and facilities needed to direct Marshal operations in a large chunk of the continent of Gondwana.
conversations.prefix: Uplift Marshals' Office:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You go to the Marshals net site and search for a missing person. What do you find?
conversations.prefix: Missing Persons Search:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You do some further research on the 'net to find out if the Marshals looks like a good fit for someone like you.
conversations.prefix: Be All That You Can Be?:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: There's a person missing, and you'd like to open an investigation please. Will the Marshals be able to help?
conversations.prefix: Open an Investigation:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The modern-day version of a miner '49er, your stock in trade is prospecting for rare and valuable minerals. That might be qubitite in the Dry Ocean, or possibly other metals in the asteroid belt. Either way, you know a lot about where those pesky minerals like to hide.
conversations.prefix: Prospector:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A lioness the size of a deuce-and-a-half skimmer  truck, Tamarind is also a Gold Star Marshal. That's just two of a multitude of reasons why you don't want to get on her bad side.
conversations.prefix: Marshal Tamarind:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A huge, sprawling garage with multiple repair bays of various sizes, capable of handling RIDEs or skimmers from the smallest to the largest.
conversations.prefix: Freeriders Garage:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: This busty Tigress RIDE is the garage's receptionist, as well as a bang-up mechanic in their own right.
conversations.prefix: The Lindae:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're curious enough about this place to check the local yelps for reviews. Wonder what you'll find?
conversations.prefix: Yelp It!:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You take time to glance through the classified ads on the local comm net to see if there's anything of interest to you.
conversations.prefix: Browsing the Classifieds:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A reasonably reputable-looking used RIDE dealership, run by a man in a bear suit.
conversations.prefix: Dickerson's Used RIDE Dealership:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: An older, balding man with grizzly bear ears, backed up by a grizzly bear RIDE. He doesn't give off the usual sleazy used car dealer vibe, but his expression is rather shrewd.
conversations.prefix: Dickerson:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A gorgeous park in the heart of Uplift. It has grass, and trees, and forests, and ponds, and fountains...and there's also the big fountain of light of the "Fountain of Light," Uplift's original hardlight dome generator situated at the center of the park.
  
  And last but not least, this is also where the Milk Bottle is located.
conversations.prefix: Bifrost Park:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: An immense tiger, muscles rippling under his colorful pelt as he moves. You don't want to get on this big cat's bad side!
conversations.prefix: Tiberius:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: It's time for you and your RIDE (or you and your human) to get to know each other. Hopefully you'll work well together, but don't worry if not—it's not unusual to fall off a bicycle the first few times you try to ride it.
conversations.prefix: First Fuse:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The trackless Dry Ocean, some distance inland from Uplift. Hope you brought water with you!
conversations.prefix: The Hardpan:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Oh where oh where has my little gryphon gone? Oh where, oh where can she be?
conversations.prefix: Have You Seen This Gryphon?:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: It's time for you and the Marshals to figure out how well you can work together. Hopefully you can start things off on the right foot.
conversations.prefix: Ready Up!:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: This mysterious puma Integrate might just be a *real* "cougar." She could be "nothing but bad luck." But she could also know something important about one vanished gryphon...
conversations.prefix: Starstruck:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The foreman of the Integrate camp. This is a fox who has a lot on his mind. But he also knows all that's going within his camp. In theory, anyway.
conversations.prefix: Max Fox:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: In the shadow of an impressive formation of rocks, this camp resembles an ancient desert wadi of old Earth. A closer look reveals that the tents are made with a special fabric of Integrate design that keeps the air cool without requiring the energy expenditure of a hardlight field. There are other modern amenities as well.
conversations.prefix: The Integrate Camp:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: There must be some clues in here somewhere. Find them.
conversations.prefix: Looking for clues:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The interior of a tent in the desert encampment of Integrates. The furnishings are sparse, and at the moment they're rather disordered.
conversations.prefix: Inside the Tent:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your stock in trade is taking things that are in one place and making them be in another place, very very fast.
conversations.prefix: Courier:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Gondwana has been split into two separate societies for too long. Now that they're coming back together again, there's too much potential for discord. You want to pour oil on those troubled waters and keep the peace between Integrate and human societies.
conversations.prefix: Strike a Balance:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A new member has just joined the party. You meet and talk, and discuss the problem of the missing griffin. Where should you start looking?
conversations.prefix: Getting to Know Blaze:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Blaze is the man on the inside, for some value of man and some value of inside. He needs to investigate the Appalite compound and see if he can find any clues about Gale, with help and input from the rest of the party over comms. Good luck!
conversations.prefix: Investigate the Appalites:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: While Blaze is on the spot, conducting the investigation, the rest of you (and possibly him, too, over comms) have to decide what the next step is otherwise. Do you look for a better vantage point outside of the camp? Call in the Marshals for backup? Both? Neither? Something else? Decide.
conversations.prefix: Where Do We Go From Here?:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Can you take out the guards without anyone noticing?
conversations.prefix: Paging Solid Snake…:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Keep your sensors and eyes peeled for anyone slipping away or anyone coming in. They must be planning to move the prisoner somehow, and they could always call for help.
conversations.prefix: Rear Guard:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: When you see someone in distress, it is simply your nature to help. Although this means some may see you as a sucker, you really can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.  
conversations.prefix: Compassionate:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You saw something that was hidden and probably very illegal. Now, someone would probably like to shut you up.
conversations.prefix: Walked In On Something Bad:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: For one reason or another, speaking with strange women puts you off your guard. What you intend to be simple conversation often ends in a clumsy, stammering mess.
conversations.prefix: Not Quite A Ladies' Man:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sometimes, a certain woman just strikes August a certain way; and he absolutely loses it.
  
  One of these days, it's going to get him killed. 
conversations.prefix: Head Over Heels:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're experienced at treating injuries in the field, both biological and (to a lesser extent) mechanical.
conversations.prefix: Field Medic:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Well, on Foursquare that is, if it hadn't been changed to Swarm, or supported interplanetary check-ins. Tiberius was made in Gondwana and has been there long enough to know some things always go the same way....
conversations.prefix: Mayor of Gondwanda:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Someone you know disappeared. You want to find out what happened to them.
conversations.prefix: Missing Persons:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: When you spend your life buried in computing equipment you tend to pick up more than your fair share of technical minutiae. Occasionally, it even comes in handy!   
conversations.prefix: Walking Talking Technical Journal:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Tiberius can get what he wants when he wants to; sometimes. Perhaps it's his make or model, or perhaps it's a charisma implant; those are still legal, right?
conversations.prefix: Smooth Tongue:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're a little too inquisitive for your own good when it comes to investigating Gondwanan technology.
conversations.prefix: Inquiring Minds Want To Know!:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You may wear your emotions a bit too far out on on your sleeve, or you may be the type who suppresses them a bit moreso than is healthy. However, sometimes, your emotions control you rather than the opposite.
conversations.prefix: Temper, Temper...:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You travels in the wild have helped you piece clues together in ways that might be helpful in other kinds of investigation.
conversations.prefix: Elementary Deduction:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're outclassed, surrounded by Integrates who're already transforming Zharus society. Should you be trying to join them, or is that a terrible idea? What does Max think? You barely know him. Time to start correcting that, to see where that leads.
conversations.prefix: Power of the Integrates:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You have a powerful defense system: being able to give a harmless, not-up-to-anything look. The digital side of it doesn't take up too much bandwidth, so you can still try to swipe their virtual wallet or whatever. Not that you would.
conversations.prefix: Loveable Fuzzball:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You may not know quite what's going on, but you can't let that stop you from expressing strong opinions on it. Sometimes some ignorant honesty can help.
conversations.prefix: Improv Negotiator:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You know a bit about comms interference and how to deal with it -- natural or other kinds.
conversations.prefix: Recon Havoc:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Integrates have a natural leg up when it comes to the hacking.  An unsecured system is putty in their paws (or claws, or talons, or...well, whatever) and even hardened firewalls don't stand up to their full effort.
conversations.prefix: Master Hacker:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Sometimes, you become a little disconnected from reality. You create your own universe and do your own thing and pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist. It happens.
conversations.prefix: In His Own Little World:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: VR may not build actual muscle memory, but it does work your mental muscles. Mental skills, tactics, those all benefit you as much in the real world as in VR. 
conversations.prefix: Game Theory:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You've been separated from someone important to you, physically, socially, or emotionally. However it is, you're willing to do just about anything to reconnect.
conversations.prefix: Want You Back:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Some people just can't see past the big picture. You're not one of them. The fine details of a situation stand out to you as much as anything else.
conversations.prefix: Detail-Oriented:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Say what you will about their politics, but one thing that can't be denied is that the Inties have some serious firepower on their side.  Time to cut loose.
conversations.prefix: Power of the Integrates:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Every job you do bears your signature.  Sign your work with excellence and panache.
conversations.prefix: Flair for the dramatic: