[Gurps IOU The greatest days of your lives] Rules,Character profiles,Preludes
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Jefepato on 13-08-2006, 05:05:38</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>[Gurps IOU The greatest days of your lives] Rules,Character profiles,Preludes</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>13-08-2006, 05:05:38</strong>
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				The game is GURPS, Third Edition.&nbsp; The setting is Illuminati University (IOU).&nbsp; If you lack the IOU book, or are confused about anything else, I will be happy to answer questions.<br><br>Characters will be second-semester freshthings, built on 105 points.&nbsp; You may have up to 40 points in disadvantages, which does <em>not</em> include your possible 5 points in quirks, nor does it include the Academic Status -2 (-10 points) that freshthings have by default.&nbsp; If you want to be more popular than that, Social Status is additive with Academic Status.&nbsp; It is a good idea (but not necessary, if you have a reason why not) to have some level of the skills Area Knowledge (IOU) and Survival (IOU), which are M/E and M/A respectively.<br><br>You can take one larger disadvantage instead of the 40 points, but most of them are pretty bad.<br><br>The 3e books I have are:<br>Basic Set<br>Compendium 1<br>Discworld<br>Discworld Also<br>Fantasy Folk<br>IOU<br>Grimoire<br>Magic<br>Psionics<br><br>If you want something not from those books, you can ask, but it should be something that can be explained succintly (if it would require seriously referencing the book in play, I can't really deal with it).<br><br>Disadvantages not allowed under any circumstances: Jinxed, No Insurance, Mundanity, and Murder Addiction.&nbsp; (Mundane Background <em>is</em> allowed, though.)&nbsp; Some disadvantages are probably inappropriate (like Sadism), but sheets will be judged on a case-by-case basis.<br><br>Another rule that those without the IOU book should keep in mind: An IOU student's starting wealth is treated as two levels below his actual Wealth level, unless it's Very Wealthy or higher.&nbsp; This is because IOU's tuition costs are heinous.&nbsp; However, all the student's starting wealth may be in "adventuring equipment" (car, bicycle, stereo, weapons, whatever).&nbsp; (NOTE: I will not accept characters whose starting wealth ends up in, for example, military-grade combat armor.&nbsp; I say this only because I had a player try this in an IOU game before.)
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>PC Descriptions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>18-08-2006, 22:38:48</strong>
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				A basic description of your character, including physical appearance and any other details that would be obvious to a casual observer, goes here once approved.&nbsp; You are <em>not</em> required to post your character sheet.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: PC Descriptions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>19-08-2006, 00:51:50</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Lori Cagwin</strong></span><br><br>She stands 5'7" and weighs 115 pounds.&nbsp; Her modest charms (she's a B-cup) match the rest of her light frame.&nbsp; She has thick, curly, dark auburn hair that spills past her shoulders almost to the middle of her back, which usually manages to hide her pointed ears.&nbsp; She has incredibly intense emerald green eyes.&nbsp; <br><br>She often wears light, brightly colored sun dresses, bobby socks, and running shoes. She also has a denim jacket, adorned with many interesting, entertaining buttons.&nbsp; When necessary or appropriate she'll wear sweats or jeans.&nbsp; She prefers a satchel-style briefcase to backpacks.&nbsp; She also carries a stuffed animal with her wherever she goes...not always the same one.&nbsp; Usually it's a fox (she has at least three), but occasionally it's something else.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: PC Descriptions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>20-08-2006, 06:40:59</strong>
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				<strong>Amina Raurkela</strong><br><br>Amina tops out at five foot six (and a half!), weighs in at about 120 lbs and has a delicately light brown skin, almost the color of espresso.&nbsp; Her soft brown eyes are nearly always partially hidden behind the thin rimmed oval glasses she tends to wear.She is perfectly proportioned for her height and weight with wavy black hair that falls just past her shoulders and that she spends much time caring for her hair is obvious. She tends to wear a pair of largish gold hoop earrings that were a gift from her family.<br><br>As far as dress, she usually either favors jeans and a blouse or business pants and the same. Her backpack always carries at least one notebook (though usually several), an assortment of pens, pencils, and markers, and some kind of audio or audio/visual recoding device, you never know when news will pop up. <br><br>She often appears to be talking to animals and intently taking notes during the conversations, and she proudly carries a membership card in the society of professional journalists - student member.<br><br>A view of Amina sans glasses:<br>(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/renthas/AminaChar.jpg)
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: PC Descriptions</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Vandren</strong> on <strong>20-08-2006, 17:25:56</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Sextus Publius Gracchus</strong><br>Race: Human<br>Gender: Male<br>Age: 19<br>Status: Freshthing (2nd Semester)<br>Major: Thaumaturgy (CoM)<br>Minors: Alchemy (CoM), Medieval Studies (C.T.H.U.L.H.U.)<br>Student Orgs: Student Confederacy<br><br>Appearance: He is a fairly normal looking IOU freshthing.&nbsp; Sextus has a fair build, about 5’9” or 5’10”, maybe 130-150 lbs.&nbsp; He has a moderately tanned complexion, a holdover from his youth and his vacation at home.&nbsp; While his straight black hair was recently trimmed, it still falls just below his ears all the way around.&nbsp; Usually he leaves it loose and brushed back.&nbsp; Those who know him will known that he’s been growing it out since he started at IOU.&nbsp; When his hair falls forward, it provides a veil over his jade green eyes and slightly Caesarean nose.&nbsp; The latter provides support for his gold round rimmed (Lennon-style) glasses, without which he is somewhat nearsighted (15/20 vision).&nbsp; Surprisingly, to those who know his homeland, Sextus typically dresses in cargo pants (khaki or black), hiking boots (black), and t-shirts of various sorts.&nbsp; He sports a medium brown leather bomber jacket in colder weather.<br><br>Background: Sextus was born in the year 2012 in the city of Alexandria in India, a province of the Roman Emperor.&nbsp; That was the year in which Emperor Julius Decius Caesar ascended to the throne, where he still sits today.&nbsp; Since his father was the local magistrate, Sextus underwent a classical education at home.&nbsp; This included instruction in literature (which he promptly forgot), public oration, boxing, and philosophy.&nbsp; As a typical 21st century kid, Sextus grew up around computers and learned to use them almost before he could really talk.&nbsp; He spent much of his youth learning from his tutors and crawling around the mountains and forests near his family’s villa just outside the metropolis founded by Alexander in the western part of the province.&nbsp; While he has been to other provinces, even as far west as Greece, Sextus has never been to Rome herself.&nbsp; Throughout his early life, he found that strange things happened from time to time - objects would glow faintly without a power source, things would move on their own, small lights would appear when he was reading in the dark, etc.&nbsp; After his letter of acceptance to IOU arrived, Sextus discovered that these occurrences were unconscious manifestations of his magical talent.&nbsp; He arrived at the school last semester with a studio apartment already paid for by his parents and a healthy savings/checking account in his name.&nbsp; So far, Sextus has pulled good, if not spectacular, grades, ending last semester with a 3.456 cumulative GPA.<br><br>Familiar: Argus, timber wolf.&nbsp; Best defined by his inflated ego and canine loyalty to Sextus.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Basic Information and Class Schedules</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>01-09-2006, 17:17:40</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Illuminati University is located at the Five Corners of the USA.&nbsp; No one seems to know what the fifth is.<br>(More general information to be added later, if necessary.)<br><br><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Schedules</strong></span><br><strong>Lori Cagwin</strong><br>CAE 102 - Making "Real" Social Skills Obsolete<br>FOR 124 - Seeing the Forest for the Trees<br>FOR 207 - Hikers: Our Natural Foe<br>IDIS 120 - Seminars in Success: Important Skills for Every Career<br>MB 139 - Forest-Dwellers Gone Wrong<br><br><strong>Amina Raurkela</strong><br>DDT 181 - Lying With Statistics<br>DDT 211 - Candid Photography<br>IDIS 120 - Seminars in Success: Important Skills for Every Career<br>JOUR 163 - Getting the Quotes You Need<br>JOUR 251 - Intermediate Sensationalism<br><br><strong>Sextus Publius Gracchus</strong><br>ALCH 171 - Creative Admixture<br>IDIS 120 - Seminars in Success: Important Skills for Every Career<br>MS 126 - Introduction to Feudal Exploitation<br>THAU 152 - Low-Energy Magical Efficiency<br>THAU 237 - 12 Steps to Safer Demonology
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Gurps IOU The greatest days of your lives: Preludes</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>05-09-2006, 23:27:51</strong>
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				The gentle sound of Lori's alarm clock rings out, breaking the silence and waking up the young not-an-elf.&nbsp; One of the vast number of advantages to living off-campus is the relative peace, but that's all about to change.<br><br>It's Monday morning, the first day of class, and Lori has the dubious fortune of having CAE 102 early on her schedule.&nbsp; More importantly, though, it's the first day of the new semester...meaning she's no longer off limits.
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				Title: <strong>Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>05-09-2006, 23:28:10</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				It's Monday morning, the first day of class; more importantly for Amina, it's the first day of the new semester...meaning she's no longer off limits.<br><br>Amina is blessed with the sort of Monday that every student dreams of, namely, one without classes before noon.&nbsp; Unfortunately, whoever's knocking (loudly) on her door doesn't seem to realize it.&nbsp; Amina's roommate, a so-far-inoffensive girl named Ashley, groans and tries to cover her ears with a pillow, even as someone's alarm clock two rooms over (damn those thin Monty Hall walls) starts blaring 90s' pop music.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Gurps IOU The greatest days of your lives: Preludes</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>05-09-2006, 23:28:28</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Sextus Publius Gracchus</strong><br>The alarm rings, bringing Sextus and Argus simultaneously awake.&nbsp; In several hours, the young mage recalls, his class in Creative Admixture begins -- plenty of time to prepare, for someone who lives only a few blocks from campus.&nbsp; Fortunately, things have been quiet so far.<br><br>It's Monday morning, the first day of class.&nbsp; More importantly, it's the first day of the new semester...meaning he's no longer off limits.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>05-09-2006, 23:48:10</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Amina's eyes blink open at the knocking. <em>What the heck was Ashley doing?</em> Amina thought, rolling over to look at her roomie. No, it wasn't Ashley, she was sleeping with a pillow on her head. Amina's sleep-addled brain thought that quite strange until she managed to connect the pillow covered dorm-mate to the knocking. Seeing that she wasn't going to take care of this, Amina, barefoot and dressed in her pajamas sat up in bed. There was that knocking again, "Hold on..." Amina muttered, not caring for being woken up when she could sleep ALL morning. She climbed out of bed, the cold floor waking her further as she stepped off the fuzzy green rug she had laid out next to her bed for just such a morning. She reached for the doorknob and yanked it partly open, sticking her head around just enough to look out. "What?" she demanded before she even saw who it was.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>05-09-2006, 23:54:52</strong>
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				One slender arm emerges from the nest of blankets to smack the alarm back into quiet, followed shortly by the rest of Lori.&nbsp; Giving her clock a baleful stare, she stumbles into the shower...emerging several minutes later, towel-clad, to stare into her closet in a desperate attempt to hold off on thinking about the words 'no', 'longer', and 'off-limits'.&nbsp; They have significance, of course, but for now there are more important things to consider.<br><br>Like the merits of a sun dress over a tee shirt and sweats.&nbsp; And whether to take Walter, Humphrey, or Sylvia with her today.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>07-09-2006, 17:43:22</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Amina!"&nbsp; The door swings open (unfortunately, making the music even louder) to reveal the smiling face of Sarah Holden, junior and Amina's fellow reporter for the <em>Daily Illuminator</em>.&nbsp; The fact that Sarah does not live in Monty Hall and shouldn't have a key to get past the lobby has apparently done no good whatsoever.&nbsp; "There's some kind of accident in the Borgia Center and I've got ten interviews this morning already so we need you to cover it!"&nbsp; Sarah pauses for breath, for a fraction of a second, before Amina finds a microphone thrust an inch from her face.&nbsp; "How does that make you feel?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>07-09-2006, 18:27:13</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Like I should have gone to bed earlier," Amina deadpans, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with one hand, and moving the microphone away with the other. She had spent several hours hiding in a tree last night following up a lead she got from a squirrel she thought might have proven to be a reliable source, unfortunately that had proven to be a bust. She did need some kind of story for the paper and maybe she could dig down to the bottom of the accident. Maybe it was pre-meditated, an attempt to eliminate rivals? Hrm... "The Borgia Center you said? Okay, I'll get on it as soon as I get dressed and fix my hair, I am not going out with it looking like this." <br><br>Her mind already whirling with the possibilities, the thouht that she was no longer "off-limits" didn't enter into her mind. Instead, if Sarah left her to it, she'd dress and take care of her hair before grabbing her backpack and camera and heading off to the Center.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>07-09-2006, 22:16:18</strong>
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				The green-glowing numbers on the clock return Lori's stare, failing to be in the least bit intimidated by her ire.<br><br>A crashing sound comes from somewhere outside -- possibly another apartment in the building -- followed a few seconds later by the <em>bzzt</em> of an electrical discharge.&nbsp; Then nothing.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>07-09-2006, 22:49:56</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Sarah almost looks downcast as Amina pushes the microphone away, but brushes it aside, instead producing a thermos from her backpack.&nbsp; "Right -- just hurry!"&nbsp; She pushes the thermos into Amina's hands, before bolting off down the hall, microphone gripped tightly.<br><br>The contents of the thermos have the appearance, aroma, and texture of journalism-grade coffee.&nbsp; Black, of course.<br><br>Amina manages to neatly sidestep a careening golf cart full of furry white meeps, arriving at the Borgia Center dining hall.&nbsp; Students of all shapes and sizes run (or jump, or fly) screaming from the various exits, while a small squad of Campus Security officers (clad in their standard red tunic decorated with concentric white circles) are setting up heavy artillery as best they can.&nbsp; Quite a few of the fleeing students have bits of bacon or scrambled eggs stuck to their clothing.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>IOU Terms</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>07-09-2006, 22:56:08</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				For those who don't have or don't care to check in the book, here's some of the common acronyms and terms used around IOU.<br><br>CoC: The College of Communications.<br>CoM: The College of Metaphysics (magic, alchemy, and explosions).<br>COUP: The College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions.<br>C.T.H.U.L.H.U.: The College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies and Historical Undertakings.&nbsp; (<em>Don't</em> forget the periods in the acronym.)<br>Fnord: You're not cleared for this.<br>Illumni: A contraction of "Illuminati University alumni."&nbsp; Not to be confused with Illuminati.<br>IOU: Illuminati University.&nbsp; (You're not cleared for what the O stands for.)<br>SASS: The School of Anti-Social Sciences (alternate term for WUSE).<br>SCA: The School of Conservative Arts (business).<br>SPCA: The School for Performing and Creative Arts.<br>SSAS: The School of Social Anti-Sciences (liberal arts).<br>WUSE: The College of Weird and Unnatural Sciences and Engineering.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>08-09-2006, 00:13:39</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Noticing the breakfast food covered students, Amina's first reaction was that this accident was simply another foodfight, all too common for her tastes; though using the food as a weapon was better than actually eating it.Still, campus security didn't normally break out artillery for a food fight, at least not heavy artillery. She pulled out her digital camera and snapped a few photographs, taking care to have at least one close up of a student's face as he ran in terror, covered with bits of the morning meal. Knowing she needed more information to have an informed story and because well, she wanted to know what was going on and when she could get breakfast now that she was up, Amina looked about for any students less hysterical than the others, planning on intercepting (or if need be, trying to subdue them) so she could find out what was going on.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>08-09-2006, 17:11:06</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Eventually the young woman settles on a nice yellow sundress with blue polka-dots.&nbsp; Pulling her hair back into her customary pony-tail, she grabs a quick breakfast and Walter (the gray fox with the green bandanna) and zips out the door on her way to...err...what was it again?&nbsp; Oh, yes.&nbsp; CAE 102.&nbsp; Something about social skills...whatever <em>those</em> are.<br><br>The words 'off-limits' continue to drift through her mind, not connecting with anything in particular...yet.&nbsp; Give her ten minutes and a double-shot mocha.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>10-09-2006, 07:39:20</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				After a few seconds spent looking, Amina's gaze falls on a young man who, although he keeps up a decent pace away from the cafeteria, is failing to scream in terror.&nbsp; A crashing sound is heard from somewhere inside the building, as Campus Security struggles to load a shell into their weapon.<br><br>"Watch it -- um, hey."&nbsp; The boy's attitude shifts rapidly from annoyance when Amina steps into his path, to pleasant surprise when he stops long enough to get a better look at her.&nbsp; He's about average in size and decent-looking enough, clad in a white polo shirt and jeans.&nbsp; Half-consciously, he smooths his hair slightly, flicking a bit of bacon off and onto the grass.&nbsp; "Can I help you?"&nbsp; Cautiously, he glances back at the cafeteria.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>10-09-2006, 07:45:10</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes, you can," Amina replies casually, pulling out a notepad and pen, after adjusting her glasses slightly, and smiling sweetly at the boy. "Tell me, what exactly is going on here? Don't skimp on the details either, I don't want to have to make them up.. er, find them out later." She jotted down something about campus securities inefficency, always good to get a jab in at them when you could, "Oh, and what's your name?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>10-09-2006, 07:56:37</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Lori's first semester seems to have served her well; she finds no difficulty in navigating through the Pent to her class, and avoids tripping over the sudden migration of arctic furred turtles.<br><br>She arrives in room 158 of the Metaphysics building with a good five minutes to spare.&nbsp; Her entrance draws a fair share of glances; the students of CAE 102 seem to be male by a significant majority.&nbsp; Several are already intently reading the class's heavy and vastly-overpriced textbook (<span class="bbc_u">Introduction to Communication and Empathy Spells, Third Edition, Revised</span> by Martin Korinheimer), though only a couple are wearing the robes that a few Metaphysics majors seem to think are cool.&nbsp; The teacher is not yet in evidence.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>10-09-2006, 08:41:46</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"I'm Kevin -- Kevin Talwic.&nbsp; Sophomore, political science."&nbsp; To his credit, Kevin remains unflustered enough to answer questions, despite the twin pressures of Amina and whatever he keeps glancing back at in the cafeteria.&nbsp; "Everyone was just eating breakfast, and then this <em>thing</em> came stomping out of the kitchen and started trying to eat people."&nbsp; He uses his arms to try and indicate the monster's size, starting to speak a bit louder as the screams intensify.&nbsp; "I don't know if something magic got into the omelettes or if WUSE cooked up some kind of food monster or what, but..."<br><br>The heavy weapon is rotated to point at the nearest entrance to the cafeteria, as the crashing sound inside gets louder.&nbsp; Whatever it is, it's coming closer.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>10-09-2006, 09:03:52</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Amina jots down the notes, <em>Kevin Talwic... Poli Sci... breakfast... out of kitchen... eat people... Magic... WUSE...</em>. "Oh, looks like its getting ready to come out. Did you actually see it eat anybody? What kind of omelette is it made of? Has anyone seen the cooks?" Amina asked, looking up from her notepad and wishing she had more arms so she could write and snap pictures. "I need a photographer..." she muttered, then said with a loudness that suprised even herself, "HEY! Maybe it was the Culinary Science people in WUSE. Maybe they're trying to take over the kitchens? Hrm..." Amina began to write again, continually glanicin up to see what was happening, not wanting to miss anything.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>10-09-2006, 18:54:40</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Blinking in surprise at the gender ratio of her first class, Lori finds what she hopes is a good seat (ie one which does not make her the center of attention, nor likely to come to the professorial attention) and demurely tucks her dress under her knees.&nbsp; Giving dearest Walter a quick skritch behind his plushy ears, she tucks him into her bookbag so that his head is peeking out at the world and sets her notebook on the desk, ready to begin.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>13-09-2006, 03:34:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Um, cheese...and bacon, I think."&nbsp; Kevin glances from Amina to the cafeteria nervously.&nbsp; "Shouldn't we be running now?"<br><br>A trio of large warthogs -- numbered 1, 2, and 4 in bright blue paint -- crash out of the cafeteria, sending the already-disjointed door flying off its hinges, and begin to scatter.&nbsp; Close behind them is an eight-foot monstrosity of scrambled egg and cheese, with bacon strips for teeth.&nbsp; It seizes an unfortunate freshthing who wasn't running fast enough, beginning to stuff the poor student into its gaping maw.<br><br>A resounding <span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>BOOM</strong></span> sounds, as Campus Security's first shot collapses a doorway, 90 degrees around the cafeteria from the monster's actual location.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>13-09-2006, 03:46:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Lori gets a few more curious looks (thanks in part to Walter), but nobody troubles her directly.<br><br>A minute or three later, a tall, slender man enters the room, clad in an earth-toned suit.&nbsp; His hair is a glossy black, worn long-ish, and though he's fairly handsome in an odd sort of way, his age is hard to discern.&nbsp; He walks towards the head of the class, pausing for a fraction of an instant as his eyes fall on Lori (oddly, his pupils are slitted like a cat's), and sets his briefcase down on the desk.<br><br>"Good morning," he says after a moment.&nbsp; "You're all here for CAE 102, correct?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>13-09-2006, 04:59:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"What? Run? And miss this? This is going to be a great story!" Amina says excitedly, trying to scribble notes with one hand and at the same time hold out her digital camera and failing at both. "Here! Take some pictures for me! Make sure you get a good one of the security people, they definately need to work on their aim. Did you see how badly they missed? And stop worrying, you're with me, you should be just fine." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>13-09-2006, 05:34:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Lori contributes to the chorus of 'y-y-yes' very softly, stuttering a little.&nbsp; She shifts uncomfortably when his gaze falls on her, blushing furiously.&nbsp; One delicate hand comes up to toy with her ponytail, even after the professor is looking elsewhere.&nbsp; She isn't quite to the point of grabbing Walter out of her book-bag and holding him in her lap, shield-like...but almost.&nbsp; And it's only her first class!
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>20-09-2006, 17:57:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Kevin manages to take the camera without fumbling or otherwise breaking it, looking stunned as he's caught between the twin instincts of 'listen to the pretty girl' and 'run from the huge monster.'&nbsp; "It'll <em>eat</em> us," he protests as he raises the camera, managing to snap a shot just as a pair of security guards stumble under the weight of the projectile they're trying to reload.<br><br>The omelette monster lets out an earth-shaking belch after the freshthing disappears from sight, before turning in the direction of Campus Security with what looks like a large grin.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>20-09-2006, 20:06:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				One robed student does flee the room, looking abashed.&nbsp; The professor glares daggers at him until he's out of sight.<br><br>"Now that that's out of the way," he continues coolly, "I am Professor Willard."&nbsp; He glances casually around the room, before making a sharp gesture with one six-fingered hand; his eyes narrow the tiniest bit.&nbsp; Opening his briefcase, he begins to pass out copies of the class's syllabus, which explains his office hours and grading scheme in a level of detail that is both boring and unclear.<br><br>"You are here," he continues as he does so, "because you understand that magic is the most effective way to deal with your problems.&nbsp; Because dealing with mundanes on their own level is, simply put, beneath you."&nbsp; The corners of Prof Willard's lips turn up just slightly.&nbsp; "Who here has already studied some of the applicable spells?"&nbsp; A few students begin to raise their hands.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>20-09-2006, 20:14:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The mousy little not-an-elf blinks in surprise. What did Professor Willard mean by mundanes? And what was this problem of which he spoke?&nbsp; She starts to raise her hand to ask a question, but realizes that this will make her the center of attention and settles for re-reading the syllabus intently, waiting for him to continue with the lecture.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>21-09-2006, 04:43:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Will you <em>stop</em> worrying!" Amina says, "It'll probably be full by the time it gets to us, there are a lot of security around. Keep taking pictures though, I want to get front page if I can."<br><br>Amina wronte down another note, then paused, looking back at Kevin, "Hey wait! I have an even <em>better</em> idea. We can get around behind that thing since security is keepingit busy and figure out where it came from. Come on! This'll be great!" she finished sounding rather excited and with an almost crazed gleam in her eye.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>23-09-2006, 23:41:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				After nothing horrible happens to the first few, about half the class (including all the robed students) ends up with their hands in the air.<br><br>"Very good."&nbsp; Prof. Willard reaches into his briefcase.&nbsp; "The rest of you needn't worry.&nbsp; You certainly wouldn't have been admitted to this class if you didn't have the talent to succeed."&nbsp; Several students begin to look uncomfortable, as the professor removes a yellowed scroll and begins to unroll it underneath a projector.<br><br>A couple of students are muttering spells and gesturing almost before the teacher's back is turned, but Lori can't place the incantations.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>23-09-2006, 23:57:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The look on Kevin's face makes it clear that he has failed to stop worrying, but insanely, he continues to follow Amina, snapping off pictures as he goes.&nbsp; The monster does not seem to notice the two circling behind it.<br><br>One of the guards slips then, falling and landing facedown on the shell he's trying to lift; the resulting explosion scatters half a dozen charred security guards, screaming at the top of their lungs.&nbsp; The several who remain draw sidearms, opening fire at the approaching monster, but to little avail.<br><br>A few students are beginning to gather, no longer running so quickly, but although several are obviously armed (and, IOU being IOU, undoubtedly others are just as dangerous), they seem more inclined to watch the free show than actually lend Campus Security any aid.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>24-09-2006, 23:04:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As quietly and carefully as she can, Lori reaches down to retrieve her stuffed animal and hugs him to her chest, almost whimpering with nervousness.&nbsp; More puzzlement...and for once she isn't at all afraid to look a bit childish.&nbsp; This class was <em>scary</em>!&nbsp; Strange incantations were usually bad news.<br><br>There was that one time in high school, after all...her notes had ended up written all over her body and it took a week before they faded.&nbsp; All because she had mispronounced one word in an incantation for sharpening her recall of texts!&nbsp; A prettier girl could have made it a new make-up fad or something, but poor little Lori just looked weird.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>26-09-2006, 20:14:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Amina grabs the boy's arm and hauls him after her, "Exciting isn't it?" she remarks. "You make a pretty good cameraman."<br><br>She continues to give the thing a wide berth as they circle around, Amina glances at the other students that are no longer actively runing, and also at the security people who were firing wildly at the walking omelette. "Come on, lets go find out who cooked this thing up."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>29-09-2006, 04:50:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A few seconds later, the chanting comes to fruition.&nbsp; A watermelon-sized fireball arcs from one robed student's hand towards the professor's back, and a vague shimmer washes over the room -- not unlike a heat distortion, but it looks to Lori like a Communication/Empathy spell of some sort.&nbsp; A poorly-controlled mana outflow, she knows well, can often result in a visual effect.<br><br>"<em>Zilgrak!</em>"&nbsp; Professor Willard whirls, gesturing with one hand and neatly catching the fireball out of the air with the other.&nbsp; "Thank you for proving my point," he says sharply, turning the projector on.&nbsp; The screen reveals instructions Lori recognizes, for a Sense Foes spell.&nbsp; "A mundane," he continues, still holding the fireball, "would have had to rely on old-fashioned, unreliable measures like reading your body language to know whether he was likely to be attacked.&nbsp; I, on the other hand, was able to determine whether someone was hostile toward me with the simplest of spells."&nbsp; He smiles, and it isn't a very nice smile at all.&nbsp; "See?&nbsp; It's better this way, and that's why you're here."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>29-09-2006, 04:55:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Whimpering softly into her plushy guardian's fur, Lori reaches around Walter's fuzzy body with one hand and starts copying the spell into her notebook...which may or may not be what the scary professor wants, but it probably won't hurt much.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>29-09-2006, 06:36:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Thanks, I think..."&nbsp; Kevin tries to take pictures with his free arm, and at least he manages not to drop the camera.&nbsp; With the monster distracted by delicious security guards, the duo has little difficulty making it to the door.<br><br>The oddest thing about seeing the Borgia Center now isn't the carnage (it's not usually all <em>that</em> much better than this, anyway), but rather the absence of a 20-minute line between Amina and the dining area.&nbsp; The hallway, which looks much shorter than it ever did before, is splattered with breakfast food of a variety of descriptions.&nbsp; A warthog, numbered 3, lies dead against the wall, in a pool of cheese and solidified cooking grease.&nbsp; The dining area is equally catastrophic, and several personnel from Student Health Services are present, carefully stacking dead students into a wheelbarrow.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>05-10-2006, 04:35:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Professor Willard waits a few moments (occasionally shooting a pointed glare at the student who threw the fireball at him), providing ample time for those students actually writing to finish what they're doing.&nbsp; After an uncomfortable silence while the last pencil finishes moving, he picks up the scroll again -- curiously, the runes of the 'Sense Foes' spell seem to shimmer as he touches it -- and rolls it up, returning it to his briefcase.<br><br>"Very good."&nbsp; He glances around the class once.&nbsp; "I can see you're all itching to be elsewhere, so class is dismissed for now.&nbsp; On Wednesday, we'll be having a quiz over this spell, in case any of you were thinking of not studying."&nbsp; Cheerfully, he heads towards the door, amid cheers from a few students and groans from others who hadn't written the spell down.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>05-10-2006, 05:08:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Waiting nervously until she's quite sure the Scary Man has left, Lori collects her things (still hugging Walter to her chest) and departs this most confusing class for her next one...doing her best to avoid eye contact or any other sort of interaction from her fellow students.<br><br>Fireballs in the classroom?&nbsp; <em>Scary</em>...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>05-10-2006, 06:12:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Wow! Get a few shots of this would you?" Amina says. "This is going to make an interesting article. At least if you're hungry you don't have to wait in line for now. Of course, now it looks like the food will kill you in more ways than one."<br><br>Amina looked around the room, walking over to the slain warthog for a closer look. "What are these numbers for?" she asked nobody in particular.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>12-10-2006, 23:12:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				One or two other students seem about to strike up a conversation on their way out, but flee at the sight of the expression on Lori's face.&nbsp; When she finally leaves, her path to the doorway is clear enough.<br><br>It's easy enough for Lori to remember the path to the Agriculture building where her MB 139 class is housed.&nbsp; Unfortunately, she isn't watching where she's going quite closely enough, and suddenly finds her path blocked by a pair of young men, clad in polo shirts and khakis.&nbsp; They aren't bad-looking, but their smiles are perhaps a bit too friendly.<br><br>"Excuse us," interjects the guy on the left, holding out a sheaf of papers and a pen.&nbsp; "Would you mind signing a petition to end the plight of disenfranchised psionics?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>12-10-2006, 23:19:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I was hungry before, but I'm not <em>now</em>."&nbsp; Kevin continues snapping off pictures, occasionally glancing behind him as though he expects the monster to come back any minute.<br><br>One of the medics looks up at Amina's question, brow furrowing.&nbsp; "Um...I'm not sure.&nbsp; It might've gotten loose from Madame Curry, unless it's just someone's idea of a prank."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>13-10-2006, 00:07:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Blushing and keeping her eyes downcast, Lori attempts evasive manuvers, ducking around the two young men while muttering faint excuses about being in a hurry, terribly sorry, excuse me please...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>13-10-2006, 07:34:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Relax Kevin," Amina says reassuringly, "and thanks, you're doing a great job."<br><br>"So did you get a body count in here yet? The public want to know and all." Amina answers the medic. "Is Madame Curry around by the way? She'd make a great interview for the paper."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>19-10-2006, 17:35:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Lori has no trouble getting past the duo, but the next time she looks up, one of the last pages of the petition (along with the pen) is floating through the air alongside her, easily keeping pace.&nbsp; IOU student groups have little to lose by marketing their views aggressively.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Jefepato</strong> on <strong>19-10-2006, 17:39:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Both the medic and Kevin stiffen slightly at the idea.&nbsp; "You actually want to -" the medic begins, before shrugging.&nbsp; "Didn't see her leave the kitchen.&nbsp; She's probably still in there."&nbsp; He nods his head in the direction of the kitchen, while beginning to sidle away in the opposite direction.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Lori Cagwin</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadPanda</strong> on <strong>19-10-2006, 17:41:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				With a quiet squeak of alarm, she speeds up...seeking a nice, quiet place to read over the syllabus again and think for a few minutes before her next class.<br><br><em>What part of 'no thank you' do they not understand?</em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Prelude: Amina Raurkela</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Apple of Eris</strong> on <strong>21-10-2006, 05:28:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Really? You think so?" Amina asks hopefully, oblivious to the sudden worried expressions given by both the medic and Kevin. "This could make a name for me at the paper!"<br><br>Amina hurried over to the kitchen door and rapped loudly upon it, pushing the door open without actually entering. "Excuse me? Madame Curry? Are you in here?"
			</dd>
		</dl>
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