Cortex Steampunk Game 1 OOC Discussion

[MagnificentBastard]

Update my resources and extras.

[DreamsnThings]

8 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

Your Honeypot was already d8, so you have now increased it to d10. At d10 you don't get a new SFX. Currently your Honeypot Distinction looks like this:

 

ah thought it was at D8 so thats where i got mixed up, i knew it was every multiple of 4

8 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

Stepping up Mr. Kay puts him at d6. You haven't spent any dice to increase him prior to this point.

i thought i had allready put him at a d6 at an earlier step? i might be getting wires crossed

8 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

The atomizer bit is what I have listed on your sheet as the Ability: Pherotech, which is the catch-all Ability surrounding your pheromone abilities. This puts you up to d8 Pherotech which does indeed give you the new SFX. Your Pherotech Ability currently looks like this:

i was specifying it as the atomizer since im ending up with a lot of similar sounding keywords (pherotech, pherosal, pheromones, etc) as they are really blurring together

 

8 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

From there, all you have to do is draw an arrow from any circle or diamond back to a Lead square and you're done with Step 4!

ill take a look in just a moment

[DreamsnThings]

On 12/10/2025 at 15:36, DreamsnThings said:

I choose apprentice

not sure if the pherosol is the new distinction or not
i ^pherotech since i believe we are turning that into a resource (?)
i boosted my relationship with mr kay with the last slot

for reference here is where i previously boosted mr kay

[IsabellaRose]

23 hours ago, MagnificentBastard said:

Update my resources and extras.

Got it! Thank you!

Out of curiosity, how do your Loyal Servants help with charm?

I imagined them to be something like a household staff with specialties more along the lines of discretion, maintenance, rumors, organization, hospitality or the like. I must be picturing something different lol

[IsabellaRose]

17 hours ago, DreamsnThings said:

for reference here is where i previously boosted mr kay

I must have seen something else. I have you down as:

Step 2 Youth: Apprentice

• Draw an arrow from your square to a new diamond (NEW Location). Label the connection (line) to define it.  Added Kyles Cure All's Pharmacy at d4
• Draw an arrow from a circle or diamond that you added to any another circle or diamond. Label the connection to define it. Mr. Kay > why is my sister in this town? > Red Jenny
• Add or Step Up a Distinction. Honeypot to d6
• Step Up a Resource. Kyles Cure All's Pharmacy to 2d6
• Step up a Relationship, Distinction, Ability, or Resource. Honeypot to d8

 

If you want to see what I have written down for each of your steps, check the thread MY Copies of Steampunk Characters. Your character sheet is here, and if you expand the spoiler under Pathways, you'll see what I have marked down for each step of the process.

There are a lot of steps and a lot of variables, so I find it easier to track everything this way. Then we can go back at the end and make sure nobody missed anything and everything was stepped up appropriately.

 

We can put Mr. Kay up another notch, but we'll have to bump Honeypot down to d8 from where it is now at d10. Totally up to you.

[StarlitSiren]

@IsabellaRose I appreciate being able to cross reference with yours

[MagnificentBastard]

2 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

Got it! Thank you!

Out of curiosity, how do your Loyal Servants help with charm?

I imagined them to be something like a household staff with specialties more along the lines of discretion, maintenance, rumors, organization, hospitality or the like. I must be picturing something different lol

My idea is that the servants in casino/brothel would be mostly women amd charming, people want to come to spend time with the beautiful women.

Edited November 2, 2025 by MagnificentBastard

[DreamsnThings]

52 minutes ago, IsabellaRose said:

I must have seen something else. I have you down as:

Step 2 Youth: Apprentice

• Draw an arrow from your square to a new diamond (NEW Location). Label the connection (line) to define it.  Added Kyles Cure All's Pharmacy at d4
• Draw an arrow from a circle or diamond that you added to any another circle or diamond. Label the connection to define it. Mr. Kay > why is my sister in this town? > Red Jenny
• Add or Step Up a Distinction. Honeypot to d6
• Step Up a Resource. Kyles Cure All's Pharmacy to 2d6
• Step up a Relationship, Distinction, Ability, or Resource. Honeypot to d8

 

If you want to see what I have written down for each of your steps, check the thread MY Copies of Steampunk Characters. Your character sheet is here, and if you expand the spoiler under Pathways, you'll see what I have marked down for each step of the process.

There are a lot of steps and a lot of variables, so I find it easier to track everything this way. Then we can go back at the end and make sure nobody missed anything and everything was stepped up appropriately.

 

We can put Mr. Kay up another notch, but we'll have to bump Honeypot down to d8 from where it is now at d10. Totally up to you.

entirely possible that i have gotten wires crossed as i have gotten lost.... so many times, ill keep mr kay at 6 and keep honeypot at 10 since thats probably better frankly

[DreamsnThings]

ok i have added my miro stuff and updated my sheet for that last step keeping kay low and honeypot high, notably i added a connection between mr kay and alicia von vulf @Chiyako, im assuming with her being a mad scientist she has published her research to an extent, leading to mr kay having an interest to a degree, currently im not sure if he is a fan or if he hard disagrees with her research, but i thought it would be fun to have my academic npc know about the academic PC

let me know if this wont work for some reason

[IsabellaRose]

Everyone is all caught up, so we're ready to proceed with Step 5 as soon as I get it posted!

[Chiyako]

2 hours ago, DreamsnThings said:

ok i have added my miro stuff and updated my sheet for that last step keeping kay low and honeypot high, notably i added a connection between mr kay and alicia von vulf @Chiyako, im assuming with her being a mad scientist she has published her research to an extent, leading to mr kay having an interest to a degree, currently im not sure if he is a fan or if he hard disagrees with her research, but i thought it would be fun to have my academic npc know about the academic PC

let me know if this wont work for some reason

That sounds good to me! Alicia probably would publish works she was confident enough in, or at least things which wouldn't catch her too much heat. Possibly under different aliases.

[DreamsnThings]

2 hours ago, Chiyako said:

That sounds good to me! Alicia probably would publish works she was confident enough in, or at least things which wouldn't catch her too much heat. Possibly under different aliases.

Ya know thats probably the funny thing, with a secret organization mr kay may have realized your the author leading to the nonsense there

[IsabellaRose]

STEP 5 is posted! 

...and it's a BIG one. Lots going on here.

The Pathways map gets changed as follows:

• Draw an arrow from your square to a new or existing circle (NEW Extra) or diamond (NEW Location).
• Draw an arrow back to a Lead square.

Additionally, if you feel like maybe you have a Relationship, Extra, or Location that just doesn't seem to fit anymore after others have linked or changed, you can remove up to 2 of them with these optional map options!

• Optional: Switch out any Relationship or Resource currently on your sheet for a new Relationship or Resource at the same die rating and draw an arrow to a new or existing circle or diamond as appropriate.
• Optional: Remove any d4 Relationship or 2d4 Resource and step up another Relationship or Resource.

 

Just do me a favor and don't delete the line from the map - click each end of it and just drag the ends off the square or circle, then drag the whole line to the side. That way if we decide to undo/redo it later, we'll remember what it was.

[StarlitSiren]

I GOT SO EXCITED TO SEE THIS MESSAGE APPEAR I'LL BE BACK IN A BIT AND TRY TO DO IT BEFORE I SLEEP!

To clarify the first point: we create a new npc or location linked to us- and THEN we also connect that to someone else?

[IsabellaRose]

10 minutes ago, StarlitSiren said:

To clarify the first point: we create a new npc or location linked to us- and THEN we also connect that to someone else?

You create a new NPC or Location linked to you... THEN connect ANY NPC or Location to any OTHER player character. It can be the one you just created, or any one already on the map.

[MagnificentBastard]

@StarlitSiren

I am thinking given how important Tial-V is very important to Edmund and how rich he is as well as his business dealings with Willis Sloan, that Edmund would own the land to Gearshop Repairs, but I didn't want to do that without your consent given how core to your character the location is.

Let me know if that is okay,

@Chiyako

For RP reasons Edmund would like some involvement on the Laboratory, he could own the land similar to what I suggested above. What do you think?

[StarlitSiren]

21 minutes ago, MagnificentBastard said:

@StarlitSiren

I am thinking given how important Tial-V is very important to Edmund and how rich he is as well as his business dealings with Willis Sloan, that Edmund would own the land to Gearshop Repairs, but I didn't want to do that without your consent given how core to your character the location is.

Let me know if that is okay,

@Chiyako

For RP reasons Edmund would like some involvement on the Laboratory, he could own the land similar to what I suggested above. What do you think?

I appreciate you checking in, but I 100% am fine with that. I had Gearheart repairs as an offshoot to the train station (since her other role is to actually service trains that come in or leave) so maybe t's the station itself he has the ownership/stake in, with her little shop off the side of it caught up in his land?

[StarlitSiren]

New NPC

d4 Otis 'Sparks' Tully           (Honest as he is old)

- Otis 'Sparks' Tully lives on the other side of the railway in a small shack, where he manages the telegrams in and out of town. He's got to be in his 70s, loves telling old stories, and has a soft spot for Millie as 'You remind me of my Granddaughter,' He's sharp, kindly, and keeps an eye on the telegrams to lawmen in town just in case any mention of Millie comes in from the city. Not that he knows why she's asked him to keep that eye out.

 

Connection established:

The Exchange aren't above trying to buy their way into land and business, leveraging favours like coin. Right now, they've got their eye on Edmund Blackwood's investments...

@MagnificentBastard

@IsabellaRose

 

(and to clarify, no further changes from me)

Edited November 2, 2025 by StarlitSiren
clarfication on changes

[StarlitSiren]

I'll also add I'm only slightly sorry that every time I add a thing to the board or make a connection it's going to make YCs lives harder :p

[IsabellaRose]

8 minutes ago, StarlitSiren said:

I'll also add I'm only slightly sorry that every time I add a thing to the board or make a connection it's going to make YCs lives harder :p

Don't be sorry. That's why you have the ability to mess up other player's connections, and it's one of the things that makes this game so amazingly fun!

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Alright! 

Added: 

Clayton Cash ("I'm happy to do business with.")
- Family Man. Righteous Man. Pervert. A....bit of an oaf but with a generally good heart. Clayton is a buoyant man who used to own a mining company but after the mine collapsed bounced around from idea to idea accruing a string of businesses that have been...obviously destined to fail in the long run. Moved into town with his family in order to bring a little Cash Flow to the place starting up various branches of his business and going into a new venture with The Thane Family and a third party whose name he isn't allowed to speak. No skin off his back though, he's always in business and looking for more ways to grow his wealth and diversify his businesses. 

I also drew an arrow from Clayton to Millicent Gearhart as "He's been having Sinful thoughts about her" 
A married man he might be, but that eye wanders. Might as well keep this train going. 

For Life-Changing Event: I chose....The Prophecy! 
Duty doesn't exist as a value so I stepped up Honor in its place. 
I then maxed out Glory at D12 and stepped up Justice to d6 

Stepped up The Other Theory to d8 
Unlocked the lynchpin of this concept in Resonant Performance. Whoo!

Maxed out the Thane-Cash Rebirth Hall at D12 

Stepped up Kirsa to D6 and on a whim stepped up Alicia to D6 and then Kirsa to D8 as well for the last step. 

Think I did all that right. 



 

Edited November 3, 2025 by AsBloodTurnsEverCold

[Chiyako]

1 hour ago, MagnificentBastard said:

@StarlitSiren

I am thinking given how important Tial-V is very important to Edmund and how rich he is as well as his business dealings with Willis Sloan, that Edmund would own the land to Gearshop Repairs, but I didn't want to do that without your consent given how core to your character the location is.

Let me know if that is okay,

@Chiyako

For RP reasons Edmund would like some involvement on the Laboratory, he could own the land similar to what I suggested above. What do you think?

Originally it wasn't Alicia's so perhaps she is still in the process of trying to fully acquire it, and Edmund for some reason holds some stakes within the land that she hasn't yet managed to wrestle away from him. I think that could work!

[MagnificentBastard]

7 minutes ago, Chiyako said:

Originally it wasn't Alicia's so perhaps she is still in the process of trying to fully acquire it, and Edmund for some reason holds some stakes within the land that she hasn't yet managed to wrestle away from him. I think that could work!

I'll do that.

[MagnificentBastard]

@IsabellaRose

Do Heritages have a Die?

Here is what I did, for step 5:

- Arrow from my character to The Laboratory

- Stepped up Power once.

- Stepped up Passion twice. (Finally)

- Added Magical Heritage: Magical Legacy

- Stepped up Shameless Flirt 

- Stepped up Disciple of the Scarlet Path

- Stepped up The Golden Stag Casino & Saloon

- Stepped up the Silver Mines

Edited November 3, 2025 by MagnificentBastard

[IsabellaRose]

2 hours ago, MagnificentBastard said:

@IsabellaRose

Do Heritages have a Die?

Yes, a Heritage is a special kind of Distinction, and begins rated at d4 just like all other Distinctions. Your Magical Heritage is listed under the spoiler for Distinctions, then under the spoiler for Heritage Distinctions, then under the spoiler for Sample Steampunk / Weird West Heritage Distinctions along with its details and relevant SFX.