Initiation !?!

I hadn't even noticed this thread and have just now finished reading it (the parts that I understand at least ). Since there was a bit of an origin story for our irl characters, I was born in Nevada, have lived in Nevada and am currently in Nevada. Funny how some people get things done and go places and others stay put...

I built Chougou as an intentionally weak physical character that has to use his mental skills to rise above. Eventually I'd like for him to have an exoskeleton, but that is going to be quite a bit of time, nuyen and Karma in the making I believe.

If possible I'd like to move near any facility that we are preparing for the group to be nearby so that Chougou can go down and work there, with the possibility of having a workshop inside eventually, depending on how much that would cost. Chougou possibly still has an electronics store that he "owns" from the backstory that I wrote for him, and I don't know if that could be incorporated into the building, because I guess he might still do work there for small amounts of cash? I just wrote it in there because it fit his story, but I'm just as happy to say that he sold it to get on with his life.

Also the asian theme is very appealing to me because I have always been interested in the culture. I especially like the languages and have been trying (unsuccessfully) to learn Mandarin for a while. Chou Gou (丑狗) actually means Ugly Dog in Mandarin. I also do martial arts Raf, mainly from Shaolin style and Taiji teachers. It seems like we found a neat little subgroup of the Shadowrun world.

chougou wrote:Also the asian theme is very appealing to me because I have always been interested in the culture. I especially like the languages and have been trying (unsuccessfully) to learn Mandarin for a while. Chou Gou (丑狗) actually means Ugly Dog in Mandarin. I also do martial arts Raf, mainly from Shaolin style and Taiji teachers. It seems like we found a neat little subgroup of the Shadowrun world.

I have done a lot of martial arts myself (kenpo, kyokushin, tai kwon do, jiu jitzu, and a tiny bit of krav maga), though not so much these days. While I was in Japan I even competed in a tournament in Tokyo. I got 3rd place in the heavy weight division. Probably would have gotten first if I understood the rules better, but my teacher never actually bothered to explain them to me.

Old school teachers can be like that.

chougou wrote:Old school teachers can be like that.

Yeah. I asked him what the rules were and he was like, "Just hit him and do damage." Didn't mention that certain techniques were banned so I lost points for that.

So what's the conclusion on this? Are we all initiated now? What do we fill in on our character sheets? What amount of nuyen / karma do we substract?

oh no. no one is initiated yet. You don't have enough karma for it. You need 5 to start the group and 11 for the actual initiation. By the time you finish the next adventure, you should probably be getting to it. In the mean time feel free to further discuss the details of the initiation group here.

So shall we save up our karma, or can we spend like 5 and still have enough for initiation by next adventure (assuming we don't royally screw up)?

Well, you can initiate whenever you have the karma for it (albeit the process takes like a month). So if it's a priority, save up. If not, then you can do it later. The 5 karma for the group should probably be done at the same time to save you having to do multiple rituals to form it.

Are we doing this?
If I understand the costs correctly, it will cost us 5K each to initiate as well as our share of the ritual cost (5k = 10,000Y / 4 = 2,500Y each) plus 0.8 * 13K = 10K.

(I'm assuming we have 4 - WuJen, Topor, Sato and Sun).

Within reason.

Bear in mind that rent is apparently due, and I only have the cash from this mission's payout--- 5k.  I certainly don't mind doing the ritual and what not, but cash and karma are extremely limited for me.

From this mission we got 9 Karma, 5 of which I'm spending on being a part of the group, if I recall.  I can maybe toss another Karma toward learning the ritual itself, which is a total of 5 karma if I recall.  I'm not concerned about the cash part of it, beyond actually having it.

Still, 6 of my precious 9 Karma is a pretty solid hit to me, as I'm trying to save it up in 16 point chuncks for Little Dragon.  We are soon going to need to either pull down some serious cash or Karma.  I need crap tons for even minor improvements.

Yes for each of us to pay in to start the group

Wujen, Sato, Sun, Torpor
Each cost is
5 karma
5k Y

When upkeep time comes it can be devided then

Once you have formed the group, you don't have to all initiate at the same time. However, given that:
a) initiation takes a REALLY long time to complete and
b) you don't have to pay the karma cost for it until the END of your initiation,
it is probably best that anyone who plans on initiating get started on that now.

Also as I said elsewhere, the difficulty and rewards of the runs will be going up a bit, so you guys will have a bit more wiggle room with cash and karma from here on in.

So we need all 4 of us to agree we are spending 5 karma and 5k Y to start the group so we can get this part done.

Are we in agreeance? 

Wujen, Sato, Sun

I agree

Agreed.  However, I don't want to force WuJen into something, so I'm fine delaying if he has other priorities.  

Just to put a fine point on the bill, I think the cost each is 5K plus share of the ritual cost (2,000Y/4 = 500Y) plus a donation to WuJen who has to put in 5K to form the bond (5K = 10,000Y /4 = 2,500Y)
So total of 5K plus 3,000Y.

Sato is also interested in performing an ordeal to reduce the cost of the initiation, but since it's only 1K extra, I'm fine if there isn't time to perform that (13x0.7 = 9.1 instead of 13x0.8 = 10.4).  
If it matters, Sato is very interested in the Masking Metamagic as his initiation benefit.

winkingchef wrote:Sato is also interested in performing an ordeal to reduce the cost of the initiation, but since it's only 1K extra, I'm fine if there isn't time to perform that (13x0.7 = 9.1 instead of 13x0.8 = 10.4).  
If it matters, Sato is very interested in the Masking Metamagic as his initiation benefit.

Ordeals happen as part of initiation and (usually) don't increase the time any (though if you roll really well for initiation and reduce your time below 1 month they might). Anyone who is doing an ordeal needs to declare what their ordeal is.

Ok for me too. Is there time for learning a skill or looking uo who the ork in the van was when going ahead with this?

@sato my costs listed is for the group to form. Nothing to do with initiation.

5 karma
2.5k share of 10k to convert to 5 karma for wujen to learn the ritual
1.25k for share of the 5k cost of the ritual
1.25k for share of the lodge regents

This forms the 5ECC group

------------------------------------

If you decide to the initiate it's generally 11 Karma for first level

Which you can do an ordeal and drop it to 10

Once the group is formed we then can all or one or none can then initiate at any point afterwards, but we need the group formed if we want the discount. 

Or skip the group entirely and just initiate

Let's see what WuJen says as obviously he's the key.

My only concern is the cost.  For me this is empty calories as I won't be looking to initiate until I've brought my Ally Spirit up to more useful levels.  There's little other than raising magic that I find useful about it anyway.

Right now I have available 9 Karma, and 5000 nuyen.  If we can get it done with that and pay upkeep on our lifestyle, groovy.

@wujen even your cost is 

5 karma
5k Y

And that includes getting you the ritual (aside from getting it IG)

((will be driving the rest of the day, so I'll kick this off))

If the Magic Group gets kicked off, Sato will begin the process of initiation.  
I'm interested in conducting an ordeal to save the additional 10%, but don't want to disturb the flow of our game.  ((not sure how rounding works, but 13 * 0.7 = 9.1...I'm up for tracking fractional karma if you are)).  

Ordeal-wise, I was thinking either or Nine Paths to Enlightenment (Spirit or Harmony) or another Deed appropriate to him and his Mentor Spirit.  Any ideas?

winkingchef wrote:((will be driving the rest of the day, so I'll kick this off))

If the Magic Group gets kicked off, Sato will begin the process of initiation.  
I'm interested in conducting an ordeal to save the additional 10%, but don't want to disturb the flow of our game.  ((not sure how rounding works, but 13 * 0.7 = 9.1...I'm up for tracking fractional karma if you are)).  

Ordeal-wise, I was thinking either or Nine Paths to Enlightenment (Spirit or Harmony) or another Deed appropriate to him and his Mentor Spirit.  Any ideas?

As far as rounding is concerned, it's rounded as per the mathematical definition. so 9.1 = 9. 9.5 = 10.


As for initiation, either is fine. If you want a deed, that would go under personal runs which I mentioned in the other post. Your particular mentor spirit is more like a chained demon yearning to free itself and wreck havoc than a typical guide. A deed that would fit for him would be something violent and personal. Assassinating a powerful rival or a close loved one (or someone who is both as far as Inugami is concerned) is the type of thing it would demand.

If 5k and 5 Karma is the total cost for starting the group, plus a little time casting magic, Sure.  let's do it.  Upkeep on lifestyle is my hangup, I don't have that and the funds to start the group, but I can crash, so long as we don't also lose the community center.