Never Deal with a Shoggoth: A CthulhuPunk Shadowrun Story

Game Master Loup Blanc

Conserve your sanity, run when you need to, and never, EVER pick up the strange book.


301 to 350 of 579 << first < prev | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | next > last >>
Sovereign Court

Anya continues looking at Phineas. "Alright. Well, then, how would we do that?

Them's the rules, chummer. You don't like someone else's plan, you gotta suggest a full plan of your own.

Alright, you got some good basics. Grabbing comms, misdirection.... Keep it going."


Phineas shrugs, You can keep asking, but you won't get much. This isn't my area of expertise.

Sovereign Court

Anya gives Phin a tight smile. "Fair nuff. Sorry chummer, you really had me for a sec there. But even a bad plan is better than no plan."

She turns back to the rest of the group. "Alright! We're gonna try this in two phases! I'll play either bunny, don't care which.

Step 1: My plan, the soft one. Lone bunny walks in and asks for Donny by name. Cover story is that you been out a town a while and used to shoot dice an' bang chicks with him but ain't seen him lately. Or used to business. Don't matter. If you get a hit you get a hit. You get bupkiss, then roll off, exit premises, null persp. Random shuck asking about a guy who until recently was a baller is NOT gonna raise any red flags. If they do, you get to spank me."

This last is said so deadpan none are sure if she means it literally. Maybe not even Anya herself.

"Step two: Sylvie's plan, the hard one. Another bunny walks in, sez they got hella chrome to unload. Sets up meeting. At meeting we ask 'em hard where Donny Buttafuoco is. Things get dirty. This IS gonna send up red flags, but we're counting on them not loving him so much that they care overly.

Now, we can wait for Nick's follow up, and/or wait for Paladin's follow up. Or go now.

I like going now.

But sometimes I like waiting.

What d'y'all think?"


Female Troll

"We just keep the guys disappeared into the job's done, then offer the gang compensation for lost time and injuries. We don't want to make enemies here. I would suggest, though, that we get more info before we act on any plans."


The elf blinks, You do know that's what people say when they don't know what they're talking about...right? That any plan is better than no plan? Look, the point here is that picking up the guy isn't the only goal. I get it, you're not the idea gal, you're the action gal. And talking about plans isn't your shtick. He frowns and runs a hand though his hair. We have two jobs. Get the guy and make it looks like he just disappeared. Again, I'm not sure how to make this clear, but I haven't ever done this before. He sighs as he continues, I'm also not some idiot. I'm guessing none of you want to get bagged for this, and so don't I. Let's get the info first, before we go rolling into some gangers and start a party. We might be able to find him without asking anyone anything. At worst, we can find out where these Chrome whatevahs hide out their friends. We could literally ask for anyone but this frickin' guy and we'd be better off.

He pushes away from the bar, Now that that's out of the way. Nick's got a stooge and Paladin...wait, Paladin? Really? Phineas shakes his head and smiles slightly, Sorry, that's really a pretty cool name. I just didn't think people actually used code names. That a thing? Nevermind...back to the point. Paladin's got a lead too. Why not let them get their info and in the meantime, maybe we can go and watch some of these boys? See where they go, what they do. Maybe even...stay with me, because I know it's a crazy idea...come up with anything that resembles an actual plan. He says this last with more humor than sarcasm, smiling good-naturedly in a little attempt at self-deprecation.


Male Elf Shadowrunner
Spoiler:
Physical Damage: 0/11 | Stun Damage: 0/10 | Melee Defense: 10 | Ranged Defense: 6 | Initiative: 9 (2), Matrix Initiative: 9/10 (2/3) | Perception: 9

"I get that you've never done this before, but you'll be fine. I think her idea on being an old partying buddy is fine--a guy like that has to have plenty of people who know him tangentially, and I'd be surprised if we'd be the first to come by--but I'm in favor of taking some more time so I can probe their databases and see what else I can find out, but I'll be surprised if that doesn't take a few hours at the very least." Nathaniel finishes his drink and cracks his neck, sitting up from his place at the booth, before adjusting his goggles. "We'll probably want to split up and regroup once we've got all the information we can find." Nathaniel stands up and nods to the others, before powering down the display on his goggles and dropping them around his neck again. "I'm going to head home, I'll be in contact when I find something useful." As he's walking out the door, he nods almost as an afterthought to Phineas. "Nicknames and handles are part of the business, chummer; mine's just a little more mandatory." Without another word, Nathaniel heads out the door.

True to his word, Nathaniel makes his way home and takes care of whatever needs doing around the apartment, then settles into the couch before pulling his goggles back up and getting to work on cracking into some databases.

Hacking: 8d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 1, 5, 2, 6, 3, 6) = 31
Hacking: 8d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, 4, 2) = 33
Hacking: 8d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 6, 1, 3, 6, 2, 6) = 29
Hacking: 8d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 4, 1, 1, 6, 1, 5) = 22

That gets me a total of 13 hits over 4 hours; the threshold is the Signal + Firewall rating of the system I'm breaking into, but I'm gunning for a security account which increases the threshold by another three. I figured 13 was probably enough for what's going on here, but if not I'll keep rolling.

Once I'm in, I need to log in and the security gets to make a test against my Hacking + Stealth, but the threshold is increased by 2 due to my Free Access lifestyle quality. Once I'm in, I can take a look around.

Dark Archive

Human

Nicky Nick listens intently. At first his face is as stern as always but as the discussion keeps going and no consensus is achieved, the ex-PI lights a cigarette and whistles to catch everyone's attention.

"Okay boyos, enough mumbling or you will make my head ache like all hell." he says with the authority that only long years as an officer can provide you with as he turns to Wraith "Wraith, darling, I can dig Professor Magick complaints. You seem too eager to pop a cap on any motherdrekker. A tad too eager to be honest, honey, but I won't complain to geeking those cats because, news flash!, they are mafia's henchmen and other kinds o'scum that I particularly enjoy sending to meet their creator." Sarge marks his last words as he turns to Phineas
"I get it, like the rest you got dragged into this because of your bad luck. But unlike us you used to be teacher of whatever in whatever school, while it seems we know how to handle ourselves under real stress far better."

Oi Nick, I'm but a figment of your inner shit and I'm already bored to death... get to the point already, Smithy Smith

After a long puff off his lho-stick and a dramatic pause -actually some mental blasphemies towards his sassy inner voice- Nick continues talking "But this ain't school no more, and I do believe that if you got the balls to conjure whatever eldritch sources you conjure to do whatever you mages do, you can grow another pair to swallow your doubts and carry on through this mission. If anything else because of the money, but if you prefer to look on the bright side of this task like I do, take into account that any cat we geek while looking for Basso will be a cat that isn't selling drugs, stealing wallets or shanking an innocent guy later this week. You dig?"

Sarge smiles, happy with himself and his speech. The man in the coat turns to the rest as he lets the ash fall in the ashtray "And yet I will stand up for Doc's ideals. There's a thin line that separates killing from murdering. I had killed, more times than I'd like, but I had never murdered in cold blood and I'd rather keep it that way. I know it's easier to break in, guns-a-blazing... but if we can we should try to plan things better and turn on the killswitch only if we really need it."

"How about I go meet my contacts and we plan everything out after? Trust you boyos will cool your heads and have some fresh air in the mean time, I wouldn't want to return full of hope to witness yet another fruitless drekkfest."

Sovereign Court

Anya smiles at Nick. "That sounds wiz, chummer. Mind if I tag along?"


Alright, so between here and Discussion, I think I have the setup mostly figured out: Nick, Sylvie, and Anya are going to meet Nick's contact, Nathaniel is digging on the Matrix. Victoria is presumably sticking with the group, since nobody's headed to the bar right away--whether that means tagging with Nathaniel or visiting Nick's contact is up to you. Nick, I'm not sure if you had plans for where to meet your Snitch or what he's like, but I hope you don't mind me providing some details.

After debate, the group eventually decides to split up and cover a couple of angles to prep for a more hands-on search for Donny. Nathaniel makes for his apartment, planning to do some Matrix cracking to see what he can find; meanwhile, Nick sets off to visit his snitch, with some of the ladies in tow for extra muscle. Phineas comments that this line of work may not really be for him, and he wishes the group well as he heads off home. Rory gives everyone a nod on the way out, and he gives Sylvie a wink. "Remember that table we talked about, lass." He tosses a small card to her, and when she looks at it, there's a commlink number. "Send me a picture of them bastards' faces if you get the chance. Oughta be good for a laugh."

- - - - -

The Golden Snitch (Anya, Nick, Sylvie):
The usual place for Nick's meetings with the CI turns out to be a streetside restaurant in South Boston. The sign on the door claims it as the 100% Real Meat Barbeque, a name that strongly suggests it serves anything but, and the interior is dingy and plain, a far cry from the Green Rhythm's classic feel and wooden structures. Everything here is plastic and dull metal, with lights that don't quite brighten up the place and windows too dusty for sun to make a difference.

Nick spots his snitch nearly immediately, and the others can pick him out without much trouble, either. Sitting at a table in the back corner of the place is an elf in a leather jacket, with an actual pink mohawk sprouting from his otherwise shaved head. In AR space, the mohawk is even brighter, and accompanied by a small tag from his neck--if your eyes linger on it, it expands to identify the elf as Ben Sanford, with a Criminal SIN for a handful of petty crimes. As you spot him, he's talking with a dwarf; he attempts to slide a small bag across the table surreptitiously, not doing a very good job at it, and then takes a long and conspicuous sip from his drink. The dwarf, for her part, slides from the booth and shoves her hands deep in her pockets, quickly making her way for the exit.

As soon as Nick approaches, the snitch coughs and sits up straighter, giving a broad and clearly fake smile. "Hey! If it isn't my favorite boy from the blues. Whatever it is, I didn't do it."

We Have to go Deeper (Nathaniel):
Nathaniel heads home without trouble. The doorman, Harry (the same troll Anya met), gives you a nod as you approach, one eye as always pointed off to the side at the building next door. The effect of the troll's wide-split eyes is disconcerting, but it makes him good at his job, and he's nothing but pleasant-mannered as always.

You unlock the door to your apartment and head inside. As expected, Cuervo is out with Bucky, and the place is as tidy as usual--a little chaos here and there, but nothing requiring instant attention. The only thing that really needs doing is watering the plants, and once that's finished, you sit down on the couch and get to work, entering VR fully to make things go faster. Once you reach the node in VR space, though, you start probing more slowly, knowing that you have the time to help make sure you don't get detected.

The Steak Well's node looks fairly barebones in VR, mostly a big box with a few doors that represent the different account accesses. Its defenses aren't anything special, fairly typical for your average business, but working slow enough to avoid notice takes time regardless. After a couple of hours you think you could get in with a user account, but it takes you three to crack into security access. With that, you feel confident you could tap into everything you're looking for here.


Female Human

Victoria sticks with the larger group, leaving the elf to handle the Matrix cracking by himself while she follows Nick and the rest of the company to see Nick's contact. She keeps her case close at hand and her eyes open for any sign of trouble on the way. And somehow, the ordinary diner manages to look infinitely worse than the mob bar where they were hired to kidnap and possibly kill a man.


Female Troll

Sylvie gives a wicked smile at Rory's comment. "I'll do my best."

Snitch:

Sylvie looks the elf up and down. "This him? Really"

Dark Archive

Human

Nicholas smiled at the sight of old Ben.
Bastard should have chosen another job. Too good of a heart, too clumsy of a hand. That's how you met him, Nicky Nick.

The ex-PI walked closer to the table, sitting where the dwarf was before signaling to Anya and Sylvie to make themselves comfortable "Benny boy, busy as always. Whatever you did, I'm not here for it! Hahahaha!" exclaims the tough man as he offers his hand to the elf.
"Don't fret Ben, me and my friends Wraith and Gauntlet only want to chat. And you know I swapped colours, blue didn't quite fit me. Now I'm freelance, Benny."

"Anyway, you gotta earn your bread and I hate the food here, so let's get straight to the point: Donny Basso and the Morellis, what are they up to? And for old times sake let's skip the part where you tell me you know bulldrekk. It's been too long and you know a big deal, so spit it."


Male Elf Shadowrunner
Spoiler:
Physical Damage: 0/11 | Stun Damage: 0/10 | Melee Defense: 10 | Ranged Defense: 6 | Initiative: 9 (2), Matrix Initiative: 9/10 (2/3) | Perception: 9

I was originally intending to break into the Lone Star databases to see if he I can't find a safehouse or something Donny might be holed up in. I figure if anyone knows for certain where he might be, it'll be the people he's working as an informant for. Would I need more hits than that to break into their database?


The Snitch:
Ben laughs, only a tad uneasily, and shakes Nick's hand. "Hey, you know how it is. Once a blue, always a blue. Your clothes can change, but your rep doesn't, so ka?" He shrugs and takes a sip from his drink as Nick lays out his question. He shifts in his seat afterwards, looking nervous, and glances around before leaning forward and lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

"The Morellis? What kinda case you working here, Nick? Far as I know they're doing what they always have, running business and making money. I'm not exactly in with the Families, you know? Too highbrow, and too likely I'll end up getting fished out of the bay." He shakes his head. "Keep my head down and my ears and eyes open, right? Think it was one of you blues who first gave me that advice."

He glances around the restaurant again before continuing. "Donny Basso, though, that name rings a bell. He's like me, bottom-feeders, bosom buddies, you know? Except personally, he's straight scum. At least I got a touch of class, know when to keep my nose clear and let a lady walk past without giving a whistle. Like your friend here," he says, looking to Anya. "You'll notice I didn't give anyone reason to break my face when she comes in all pretty-like. Donny wouldn't be so charming.

"Anyway, last I heard, he was trying to move onto bigger things, drag himself out of the scum-sucking and make himself a made man. I think the Morellis were who he was talking to, now I think about it. But dregs like Donny, they don't move quick, and they leave a trail of pissed-off people whenever they try. If you wanna know more, you talk to him, and I'd say start where you can and follow the bread crumbs. He doesn't have the connections to disappear."

Ben takes one more sip of his drink and then leans back. "Hope that helps you, chummer." His tone makes it clear he doesn't really care. "And since we skipped the part where I say I don't know nothing, which I didn't, we'll skip the part where you talk about freedom of information and how justice is its own reward." He stands up and shrugs his jacket fully onto his shoulders. "Doreen, I'm done here. My friend'll pay the tab." He tips an invisible hat to Nick and strolls to the door.

EDIT because I just saw Nathaniel's post. Sorry, I was confused on what you were trying to crack. 13 hits does indeed get you into the local Lone Star database with a security account, although it takes the full four hours. You can now log in and let me know any specifics you're looking for beyond safe houses (if any), although I'll roll the node's chance to detect you as usual.


Male Elf Shadowrunner
Spoiler:
Physical Damage: 0/11 | Stun Damage: 0/10 | Melee Defense: 10 | Ranged Defense: 6 | Initiative: 9 (2), Matrix Initiative: 9/10 (2/3) | Perception: 9

Once Nathaniel cracks into the Lone Star database, and then looks for not only everything they have for the Donny Basso--his status as a criminal informant, possible hideouts or Lone Star safe houses he might be staying in--as well as any information they have on the Morellis in general, in addition to the Muldoons; he doesn't plan to use the information against them or anything of the sort, but he figures it's better to know what he can about them given that he's working for them. "Let's see what we can find... you know something about Donny Basso, we just need to find out what."

Hacking: 12d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 4, 2, 4, 4, 4, 6, 3, 5, 2, 5) = 45
Total of 3 successes.

I get a +2 from Free Access since I'm at home, so it needs five successes to detect me.

Data Search: 13d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 6, 1, 6, 2, 5, 6, 3, 3, 4, 3, 5) = 49
5 successes.

Sovereign Court

Anya's eyes brighten at the sign of 100% Real Meat Barbeque. 'Hmmm, that might be nice, if it didn't taste exactly the same as RealEGG.'

As the dwarf passes by, Wraith gives her a little knowing wink, as if to say 'girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, amirite?' Then she leans close to Nix. "Be happy, girl! Whatevs the drek we're in, leastways it isn't the oldest profession ever, yeah?"

Still grinning from her little joke, Anya slides her shapely genetically-gifted and scientifically-modified backside into the foam-and-plastic booth, letting out a small sigh of relief. The other place had too much class. This is -definitely- more her stride.

Her buzz was already annoyingly wearing off, and she considered getting a round of something rough and cheap and rough, but the way Old Obi-wannabe Ben was talking, this would hardly last long enough.

She gives Ben a little wink. "Gratitude an' much appreciated. But that's the boring way, and what fun is that?" 'Man, my winks would mean a -lot- more of I had my eyes modified. I totes need to look in to that, yeah?'

She grins as Ben sticks them with a tab, respecting the classic dick move.

"So, well, that was boring. Can we go to the place an' try and get noticed now?"


Female Troll

"I did make a promise..." Gauntlet says, smirking. "I should probably go in there, cause a bit of a ruckus, but not enough to be suspicious. Give me enough time to ident the leaders and security, if they have any."

Sovereign Court

"Oh mah goodneth! A ruckus! However would a southern lady such as mahself react to so low a thing?" Anya fans herself with her hand and, placing the other hand upon her ample chest, feigns swooning.

Then she chuckles. "Bang an' Run. My favorite plan."


Female Troll

Sylvie nods. "We should probably confer with the others first, though. We need extraction if things go badly."


Female Human

"Am I the only one who thinks that was entirely too easy?" Victoria asks after a moment. "And that he didn't really say much other than telling us to poke around Donny's hangouts, which we already knew?"

Sovereign Court

"Which was my plan all along! That guys is brilliant!

Pah, 'extraction'. I usually just go in deep and let my rear take care of itself," she says, in all seriousness.


Female Troll

"That's fair, Nix. Sarge, how much can we trust this guy?"

Dark Archive

Human

"Well, Silvie, I trust him as much as any other snitch I've used in the past." says the ex-PI as he taps his holster from outside the coat "Which means I will make sure the iron's loaded the next couple hours... just in case, babe. That said, boyo is a dick but reli-fragging-able, so we can trust his information."

And sleep with Bertha under your pillow too, Nicky Nick. Just for gooooood measure

"We should check how well the rest of our amigos did, put a plan together and pray that nobody's double-crossing us. But f ya going to make a ruckus, you can count on me ladies... I'm an expert, want it r not."


Female Human

"About as trustworthy as you'd expect a snitch to be then. At least we know where his latest hangout is already. Otherwise that really would have been no help at all." She absently pats the front of her jacket, making sure her pistol is still safely tucked in its holster. "Fine, let's regroup and compare notes. Maybe Paladin found something that can fill in the details before we go kicking in doors and picking fights."

Sovereign Court

Anya is about to stand up and suggest that they all leave and get a move on--when a wave of nausea and vertigo hit her. Apparently her cutting-edge 'ware is NOT satisfied with the tiny amounts she's been eating. Low blood sugar makes her quickly sit back down again. "Or, y'know, we could stay. Maybe get a bite to eat? How's that sound? That sounds like a good plan, huh? Yeah, let's do that one."

Without waiting for a response from anyone, she starts loudly signally the staff. "Hey! Staff! We got hungry people over here! I'm told that 100% Real Meat Barbeque can be had, so let's have it! Let's start out with 4 platters and go from there, eh?"

Contented that foodstuffs of at least an edible variety will be coming, she leans back, sinking into the plastic furniture, trying to wait out the room until it stops spinning.

"Oh, unless you guys wanted anything?"


Female Troll

Sylvie raises an eyebrow. "I'll have what she's having... and another. Yeah, five platters should be good."


Female Human

"Does what they serve here actually qualify as food?" Victoria asks as she takes a seat at the table.

Sovereign Court

Anya cocks an eye. "There's at least at 58% chance that you'll eat it before it eats you. So I'd call that edible!"


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Female Human

Victoria raises one eyebrow. "That would worry me if I wasn't sure you made that number up off the top of your head."


Male Elf Shadowrunner
Spoiler:
Physical Damage: 0/11 | Stun Damage: 0/10 | Melee Defense: 10 | Ranged Defense: 6 | Initiative: 9 (2), Matrix Initiative: 9/10 (2/3) | Perception: 9

Not out with the others, Nathaniel instead sits at home and continues cracking into the Lone Star servers. A few hours in he distantly feels his stomach rumble, and switches off VR for a moment to get up and grab a snack. He pulls an apple from his refrigerator and bites into it, wondering what the others are up to. He tosses the apple core into a compost pile and settles back onto the couch, crossing his legs.

"Damn, this is taking forever," he says before he heads back in.


Alright everybody, sorry about the long wait.

PENTAGON--HACKED (Nathaniel):
Okay, by my reading of things the node you're hacking just makes a roll against a threshold equal to your base Stealth program, in this case 3. The strict wording of Free Access sounds like it wouldn't apply here, but that doesn't make sense, so I'll rule it does, so it's rolling against Threshold 5.

Node Security: 8d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 5, 3, 3, 5, 2, 2) = 24 2 hits

With some work, Nathaniel, you're able to crack through the defenses of the local Lone Star data node, which has a relatively plain appearance on the outside, with a pair of barred doors for access. You whip up a security account that gets you in, and the Icons inside that you'd guess represent IC and alerts--a faceless security guard in a Lone Star uniform and a ceiling-mounted camera--don't move to bother you. Moving further in, you find a room filled with old-fashioned filing cabinets, and you begin your search for info.

Fortunately, in the Matrix you can use tools to make the search go faster, and rather than sifting through tons of paperwork, you quickly narrow things down to what you want to find. (You'd need to roll a few more tests, but it's a Complex Action each time, and you'll get it sooner or later.) The file on Donny Basso isn't very big, but it has some key points of use.

Firstly, you confirm that Donny has worked as a CI with Lone Star, and not as a very good one. Since the deal was made, Donny's been picked up for petty crimes and complaints nearly a half-dozen times, and he's only helped on one case--and minimally at that, since it was essentially just confirming what the blues already knew. In fact, there's currently a pending request on file that Donny be removed as a CI so a few of the officers can "give that little drekhead what's coming to him."

Secondly, the record does list his "current" address, or at least his last known address... or at least whatever Donny told them his address was. Knowing Lone Star, there probably wasn't too much fact-checking to see if that panned out. It does match the address listed in the report you found earlier, though, so it may well be a permanent residence in some sense.

Thirdly, you don't find any safe houses listed for Lone Star's CIs, at least not for someone like Donny. Apparently even the rent-a-cops have standards these days, and you need to be a little more helpful to get them to offer you a place to stay.

Finally, you find a couple of notes on Donny's continued weaseling with the Chrome Boys. He's met with an officer a couple of times to talk about the gang, but as usual, he didn't provide a lot of useful information beyond what Lone Star already knew. In the latest report, though--one from just three weeks back--Donny mentioned that the gang was having some leadership squabbles, with a couple of the core leaders butting heads. "Blowtorch and Crusher have really been going at it," to use the specific words the officer wrote down. "On Thursday Crusher broke a stool against the wall, he got so mad. Personally I hope Blowtorch takes him out. He'd be better for the gang, you know? And for keeping the streets safe, he's less crazy."

Otherwise you find mundane bits and pieces--nothing else that's relevant to the job.

As a side note for everyone, related to my final sentence in that spoiler: when I say you don't find anything else relevant, I mean it. I'm not the type of GM who'll pull a fast one on you and say "Oh, back when I said you just found meaningless data that didn't matter, that's where the Macguffin.exe file was! You fools!" If I say there's nothing of importance to be found, there isn't. That said, I won't always point fingers at the important information... but I'll mention it's there in some capacity, so long as you would reasonably be able to come across it.

The group at the 100% Real Meat Barbecue order some food and have themselves a pleasant... well, the company is good, at least. The meat certainly isn't 100% real, and "barbecue" would be a stretch for the sauce if you've had the real thing, but it isn't horrible, and it passes the time. Late in the evening, by 8 PM, everyone's wrapped up their work and rest, and the team can reconvene and share what they've learned.

(We can handwave the particulars of the meeting if you want, since you can all see what we've all posted and it's safe to assume you're going to share that info with one another. Mainly it's the question of where you're meeting, and where you're going from there--and how.)


Male Elf Shadowrunner
Spoiler:
Physical Damage: 0/11 | Stun Damage: 0/10 | Melee Defense: 10 | Ranged Defense: 6 | Initiative: 9 (2), Matrix Initiative: 9/10 (2/3) | Perception: 9

In this case, the Stealth it's referring to is the Matrix roll for Stealth, which at base it Stealth + Hacking. Either way, I also rolled three successes which meant the Threshold was the same anyway.

Nathaniel pokes around for a bit, finally finding some relevant information for the group to pour over before they make their next move. He sifts through Donny's status as a terrible informant and turns his virtual nose up at how skimpy Lone Star is with the details. When he finds the address he shrugs, but files it away for later. When he finds the information on the gang leaders of the Chrome Boys, though, he grins and copies the files over to his own commlink. He copies the rest of the information as well, grabbing whatever he can on Donny Basso before erasing the traces of his intrusion and removing his security account. The group, sitting around the table eating... something masquerading as food, all get a simultaneous message on their commlink.

Paladin_Ares: I've got something you all might want to take a look at. Meet me at my apartment when you're done with your snitch; Wraith knows the way, she picked up something for me last night. Just let the watchman know you're there for apartment 712, just knock and I'll let you in. Oh, and watch out for the Humanis goons in the building next door.

-----

Assuming the others show up to go over information, Nathaniel lets them into the apartment. The place is furnished nicely--it even has things like real wood and comfortable furniture, not to mention what looks to be actual art hanging on one wall--although the way there showcases the absolutely terrible neighborhood he lives in. He invites you all to sit down and make yourselves comfortable, himself heading into the kitchen to grab a drink before sitting down. Notably, despite not seeming to be particularly wealthy he comes back with what is unmistakably a cup of real coffee, along with what appears to be real cream and sugar in the other hand. The bitter aroma wafts through the apartment before he fixes up the drink, and takes a sip. He sighs contentedly, then sets the drink on a saucer. "I don't know what you all found, but I've got some information on those chromed-up gangers that Donny was rolling with. It seems like there's been some arguments about leadership, between two guys who call themselves Blowtorch and Crusher. I also confirmed he's been working as an informant for Lone Star--although not a good one--and the beat cops who work with him have been trying to get him thrown out so they can teach him a lesson. Also, I confirmed his last-known address." He takes another sip of the coffee, then looks to the others.

"Did you find anything useful?"


Female Human

"Very little," Nyx replies, dropping down on Nathaniel's couch without bothering to ask. "Contact was cagey, mainly told us to poke around Donny's hangouts and see what we dig up. Since we already knew that, I'd say he didn't know anything, or was being deliberately unhelpful."

Sovereign Court

Anya follows Nix in and full-on flomps down in the Comfy Chair. As Nix speaks up she giggles nervously. "Hehe. Hehe. He. Yeaaaaaaaahhh. Sorry Nick-nick, but I hope you don't pay that guy ph4t staX. It was nice to get what we think we know into what we know we know, but it's not like he said to specifically ask for Sammy the Seamonster to lead us to DonDon. Imma hafta make some stuff up all the same.

...

Still, the 100% pure beef was good.

Ya wanna slam a hot cuppa and then head out?"


Male Elf Shadowrunner
Spoiler:
Physical Damage: 0/11 | Stun Damage: 0/10 | Melee Defense: 10 | Ranged Defense: 6 | Initiative: 9 (2), Matrix Initiative: 9/10 (2/3) | Perception: 9

"Where are we heading, to look into the Chrome Boys? What angle do we want to take here, exactly? We've got a lead on some issues with their command structure, we could exploit that and see if we can get one of them to spill on the other in a power-grab. Alternately, get them to find the information for us if one of them doesn't know, and we could weaken the gang while we find Donny all in one fluid motion. We should probably scope out his apartment first though, see if there's anything worth finding." Nathaniel gives off a slight feeling of having done this before; his posture is relaxed as he rattles off his ideas on how to deal with the gang and get information, and it almost seems like he's thinking about moving pieces on a chessboard more than it seems like he's talking about people. He takes a long sip of the coffee and sets the now empty cup down on the table, one eyebrow raised.

"Does that sound like a plan to you all? We check out the apartment, then hit the Chrome Boys and see what we can find out?"


Female Troll

Gauntlet nods. Like Paladin, she also gives off the air of calm callousness of an experienced runner. "We should check out his apartment, yeah, but we should be ready to find either nothing or trouble. Sounds like a fake address for me, maybe even a place to mislead angry customers into a trap. We should be ready for shenanigans, in either case. This information about the power struggle could be useful. Maybe we talk to Blowtorch and Crusher separately, try to cut a deal with each of them: chrome for info about Donny. Try to extract a little info from them to make sure they actually have it. We should play on their paranoia: judging from your intel, Paladin, they both know that their little power struggle is going to get big soon, so it should be easy to sell them on the idea to get a little extra firepower before then. When the meet comes, we go back to plan A, grab and bag each of them when the show up. Before that, I can get into their turf, shake things up a little bit, try to provoke some kind of reaction to see what kind of warez and heat that they're packing, so when things get ugly we'll be prepared for whatever they can throw at us. That sound good?"


Male Elf Shadowrunner
Spoiler:
Physical Damage: 0/11 | Stun Damage: 0/10 | Melee Defense: 10 | Ranged Defense: 6 | Initiative: 9 (2), Matrix Initiative: 9/10 (2/3) | Perception: 9

"That sounds like a plan to me," Nathaniel says, shrugging. "I feel like we could easily play them off of each other and see what happens there, too; if we split into two teams and we each meet with one of the leaders, we can each pick up the other team's target when we bag them. They'll suspect we're working for their rival instead of realizing we're all working as a group, and it might get us even more out of them. Then when we let them loose, they'll be too busy attacking each other and dealing with in-fighting to be concerned with who we were."

Sovereign Court

Anya was thinking about food.

"Huh? Wha'zat? Sry, was thinking about food. Yeah, yeah, sounds wizard.

Where we wanna go first?"


Female Troll

"Good idea, Paladin. Now, we want to get this done as fast as possible, to make sure that Donny doesn't have even more time to go to ground. Nyx, take Paladin as scope out the apartment. Be on the lookout for any sort of fishy business. More than usual, at any rate. If things get hot, pull out. While that's going down, I'll head into the bar, stir things up, get a measure of what kind of heat they're packing, and see if I can heighten the tensions a little bit while I'm there. Wraith, Sarge, see if you can't get your hands on some shiny new warez to show off to our 'buyers' to get them to more easily accept our 'help.' We won't need it for very long, so see if you can call in a favor rather than just burn nuyen. That sound good?"

Sovereign Court

"Hold up their, Big-G. I wanna help Nix an' Pally doin' a little snoop-snoop. It's kinda my shtick. An things get heavy, well I like a little toss-down.

An' the other thing? Null persp. I gotta guy. Gotta guy knows a guy. He did me a favor, so now we're crowded, y'scan?"

"Street Doc. Propoket. Might a have a shiny we can flash. Won't take two shakes."

Anya makes a call

Connection dice, if needed: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Propoket is 3/5, so this equals connection rating.


Female Troll

Gauntlet nods. "Sure. Especially if you can take care of the warez we need now. In that case, you mind backing me up, Sarge?"


Female Human

"False flag operation... effective, if a little risky. Very well. Reconnaissance shouldn't be much of a problem for me."


Male Elf Shadowrunner
Spoiler:
Physical Damage: 0/11 | Stun Damage: 0/10 | Melee Defense: 10 | Ranged Defense: 6 | Initiative: 9 (2), Matrix Initiative: 9/10 (2/3) | Perception: 9

"That plan works for me," Nathaniel says, standing up. He takes his cup into the kitchen and returns, the Ares Predator once again holstered on his hip and his shotgun slung across his back. "If you can't get access to the ware, let me know; I've got an old associate who could hook us up if need be." He pauses for a beat, then moves to the door. "You two ready to go?"


So Nathaniel, Victoria, and Anya are headed to scope out Donny's apartment, and Sylvie and Nick are going to check out the Steak Well? If I have that incorrect, just respond in your actual location. To avoid an extra and unnecessary side stop, Anya's call goes through successfully, and the group swings by a meeting place with the street doc, who hands them duffel holding a secondhand cyber-arm, all shiny and chrome. It's more flash than function, but that isn't obvious without knowledgeable and time-consuming inspection.

The Steak Well:
The team headed for the Steak Well finds themselves down on Warren Street in Roxbury, and they find the place easily enough--a short stairway leads down from street level to a basement entrance, with a rough-looking door leading inside. The place is surprisingly well-lit, although the lighting is harsh and incredibly artificial-feeling, even for the modern day. Otherwise it's about what you'd expect: cheap furniture and decorations, with a bar serving all sorts of neon-colored toxins in ARO-marked glasses, advertising the order in case anybody else wants one. The only surprising thing is that the Steak Well looks to be almost as much restaurant as bar, with tables and booths and what looks to be something passing for a full meal in front of a number of people inside.

Of those customers, not all are the Chrome Boys, but it's pretty easy to pick them out. You can count seven of them here at the moment, sporting obvious cyberware and equally obvious bad attitudes. What's more, it seems that even with the time they've had them, the gangers are still having fun with their toys. At one table, a pair of meatheads are locked in an arm-wrestling match, their metallic arms giving an electric whine that suggests they've been there for a while. At the bar, a pretty-boy type flicks his hair back, his cybereyes gleaming bright violet, as he extends and retracts an unnecessary number of spurs for a pair of giggling young women. At a small arcade in the back, a man in a leather jacket swears loudly--apparently having lost--and then bodily lifts the whole machine and slams it on the ground in anger.

You certainly seem to be in the right place... but what's the play?

Donny's Apartment:
Donny's address lists him on the other side of Roxbury, although not too far out near the edge, and his building is nondescript, similar to those around it and others around the country. There's no doorman, and while the front door does sport a maglock, the device is busted, and the door opens without any trouble. Donny lives up on the fourth floor, and the elevator is similarly out of order, so you take the stairs up, moving single file due to space constraints. Donny's apartment is around a corner down the hall from the stairs, so you make for it, but pause where the hall turns due to the sight: you aren't the first ones looking for him, apparently.

Standing outside Donny's room are three men, two humans and an ork--all three look augmented, whether it's the kid in the tank top with the oversized cyberarm, the ork whose dermal plating seems to have gotten away from him, or the third human, who's snapping arm blades in and out the way some people snap their gum. "He don't get back to us in five more minutes, you break his f*ckin' door down, Buster," Arm-Blades says. "F*ck what Blowtorch says, am I right? Donny thinks he's some kinda big shot cause he talks with the f*ckin Guidos, he's got another thing comin'." As he finishes talking, Arm-Blades glances down the hall, apparently on the lookout.

This does call for a test of some kind to "avoid notice," although what you use and how it works is up to you. Infiltration is the obvious choice for just not being seen, but I could see other potential tests working as well.

Sovereign Court

"Hey! Thanks Propoket! U R teh l33t, you know that right?"

"My pleasure is mine, young one," the street doc rumbles out in his deep bass, his piercing gaze carrying a hidden smile, as if he has seen all this before. "Just make sure I get this back, and that your own fine, fine work is not included in the package."

Wraith gives him a quick hug as she leaves with the others for the apartment.

Infiltrate!: 9d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 2, 1, 3, 3, 5, 1, 6) = 29 = 3 hits

Wraith's eyes go wide as she sees that they've a got a popular idea tonight and holds an arm out, keeping the others back in the shadows.

"Dudes, we ain't the only ones lookin' for Don-Don, looks like. Alright, uh, I got an idea. Care to play along?" she whispers. One corner of her mouth cocks up in a mischievous grin.


Female Human

"Is that English?" Victoria absently wonders as she follows Anya and Nathaniel to the apartment complex. They certainly seem to know what they're doing and despite the large woman's... oddities, she's been rather competent so far.

Infiltration: 10d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 4, 5, 5, 5, 3, 2, 2, 3) = 32 Also three hits

"If you have a plan, I'm listening."


Male Elf Shadowrunner
Spoiler:
Physical Damage: 0/11 | Stun Damage: 0/10 | Melee Defense: 10 | Ranged Defense: 6 | Initiative: 9 (2), Matrix Initiative: 9/10 (2/3) | Perception: 9

Nathaniel, not so much trained for stealthy investigations, decides to stick behind the others in hopes he won't cause them problems. "... That depends on the idea," Nathaniel says, slowly sliding his shotgun on its bandolier until he's holding it in his hands. "What are you thinking?"

Infiltration: 7d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 4, 4, 1, 5, 1) = 23
Total of 1 hit.


Donny's Building:
Perception: 5d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 2, 2, 5) = 15 2 hits

Anya pauses at the edge of the hall and stops Victoria and Nathaniel before they step into view of the gangers. As she glances around the corner, Arm-Blades pauses, his head cocked as he looks down the hall. He takes a couple steps toward the team, but then stops, apparently unsure if he's heard something--and perhaps wary of leaving his comrades behind to investigate.


Female Troll

Sylvie rolls her neck as she peers inside of the Well. "Pull me out if things get ugly," she says simply to Nick, before pulling on some trodes, affecting a drunken slump and staggering in.

The troll giggles as she drags her feet and almost trips over herself several times, before letting out a flat-out cacophonous cackle. "Itsh... itsh jush toooo funny," she slurs as she stumbles near an unoccupied table. "Too f~#$ing funny!" Gauntlet slaps her thigh and corpses for a moment. "Thish... all of thish? Ya think itsh yoursh? Well, it isn't! Itsh all his! Itsh all the boss mansh! The turf, thish bar, even this shitty, shitty f%!~ing table, itsh all his!" She hiccups, and lets out a giggle. "The, the other guy? Oh, man, oh oh man. Youse think the other guy has any kinda power? That he actually leadsh any of you? That hish f*&&ing shtupid, half-rate chrome can shtand a chance againsht the real bosh around here? He, he could just smash this table..." she raises both arms above her head and smashes them down on the wooden table with all of her might, bellowing laughter. "like that! But, but even easier! Itsh going to happen shoon, fellash. Now, you, you go tell you're idiot boss hish, hish days are NUMBERED!" she yells the last part with sudden force, then doubles over in laughter, while discreetly taking a shot of her the smashed table with her trodes.

While monologuing, Gauntlet keeps a vigilant eye out on any weapons the gangers go for, what kind of armor they're wearing, anybody who's in disguise.


The Steak Well:
Sylvie Disguises: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6 Nada
Gang Perceives: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 6, 5) = 18 2 hits

When Sylvie staggers in, she gets a few looks, but nobody pays her any real mind... until she starts making a scene. At that point, a few of the obvious gangers start turning her way, and when she yells about how another boss is the real owner of this turf, a couple stand up. One of them steps forward and starts to ask, "Hey lady, what the hell are--" but then she smashes the table. At that point there are shouts and people standing all over the place, and she hears the distinct sound of a gun's hammer being cocked.

Sylvie Perceives: 5d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 5, 2, 1) = 15 2 hits

During her monologue, the troll noticed a few signs of trouble. Spurs is the most obvious armed fellow, but a couple of the other gangers also have obvious weapons: basic pistols and knives, for the most part. Almost all of them look to be wearing some sort of armored clothing, mostly vests and jackets--nobody appears to be wearing anything heavier than that.

When the gun-cocking sound comes, she turns to see the man in the leather jacket, a huge revolver in his grip. "You got three seconds to start tellin' me what the f*ck you're on about and then walk out of here, lady." His voice is surprisingly high-pitched and has the cold, mechanical touch to it that often comes with excessive augmentation. "And cut the act."

To put things a little more barebones and clear: you currently count six obvious gang members present: the two guys with cyberarms (wearing armored vests--one has a pistol on his hip, the other a big knife), Spurs (wearing an armored vest, no weapons other than the spurs), and the guy in the jacket (with a big ol' revolver), who I've already pointed out. There are also two more folks, each of whom has drawn their pistol at this point--one's in an armored vest, one in a jacket, both apparently human. The one in the jacket has glowing eyes that look cyber.

301 to 350 of 579 << first < prev | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | next > last >>
Community / Forums / Online Campaigns / Play-by-Post / It All Starts in a Stuffer Shack--CthulhuPunk Shadowrun Gameplay All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.