Is this how you want our dice expression to be show?
For formatting, I usually use something like this:
Neko attempts to play on his fame in the UCB leagues to convince the bouncer that his name was supposed to be on the VIP list.
Posting with my alias. Also, I've tweaked my build a bit, and the revised stats are in my profile.
Cool. I was hoping we'd get the chance to have more than one cat shaman in the party. You seem to have more of a mystic focus, while Neko is much more "hands on". His MO is to shapechange into a panther and eat people he doesn't like, vigilante style. It looks like he could learn a lot about illusions from Gh0st.
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ok, this is all from the runner's companion (pgs. 18-19)
• We are shaped by our heritage. Facial features, skin tone, height,
build, metatype, even aptitudes are influenced by the genes
passed from parent to child. Attitude, too, is taught by parents,
informed by their own lives and their cultural heritage. Where
does your character come from, what is her lineage, who were
her parents, and what did she inherit from them?
• Parents can be proud of their children or regret ever bringing
them into the world. Some are loving, and some are indifferent.
All of them are only metahuman and have their own opinions
of their children. Assuming they could speak, what would each
of your character’s parents say about her?
• Many people remember certain historical events for the rest of
their lives. For those alive in the first decade of the 21st century,
it could be the assassination of John F. Kennedy, or the
Tiananmen Square protests, or the fall of the Berlin Wall, or
the attacks of 11 September 2001. People remember where they
were, and what they were doing when they first heard of these
events. Shadowrun history has significant events as well, such as
the assassination of President Dunkelzahn, the Crash 2.0, and
the emergence of technomancers and artificial intelligences.
Pick a few events from recent Shadowrun history and ask where
the character was at the time, what does he remember about the
event, and what was he doing at the time?
• Very few people choose to become shadowrunners. More
likely, they are thrown into the life by a chaotic and uncaring
world. Even if she made a conscious decision to enter the
shadows, her decision is influenced by the world around her.
How did your character get into shadowrunning, and why did
she take that path?
• People have control over their own living arrangements. From
the child young enough to use crayons and tape all the way up
to the elderly shut-in who plasters her walls with family photos
and cat pictures, everyone makes their living spaces more personally
pleasing. What is your character’s living space like, and
what has he added or changed to make it his own?
• Everyone has beliefs, and many have beliefs strong enough to
be convictions. Some are religious, some are political, some are
social, and some are just about why people are here. What does
your character believe in, what are her convictions (if any), and
why does she hold them?
• Everyone has aspects of their personality that grate on someone.
Even the best of friends annoy one another from time to time.
The flaws in a person’s character are as important as the qualities.
What do you dislike most about your character’s personality?
• The Sixth World is considered by many to be spinning out of
control. If anyone could exert control over it, it would be the
“Big Ten” triple-A megacorps. These transnationals exert a lot of
influence on everyday life in the 2070s. Which of the Big Ten
does your character hold in the highest (or least low) regard,
which does he like the least, and why?
• People make acquaintances and friends; we’re hardwired for it.
Humans are social animals. This is especially true in the shadows,
where often it is not the power you have, but the power you
can borrow, and not who you, are but who you know. There’s a
story behind each and every one of these relationships. What is
the story with your character and her contacts?
• It’s Sunday morning, and your character has no commitments
until tomorrow afternoon. What does she do for the day?
• Your character has a specific skill set, a list of Active and
Knowledge skills that define what she knows and her areas of
expertise. How did she come to learn those skills, and how did
she develop them to those levels?
• Everyone has their limits. People can be dark, but most people’s
instinct is to draw the line at certain actions and thoughts, and
they keep to their own moral convictions. Is there a moral limit
that your character enforces on the jobs she takes, and in what
shadow work would she refuse to engage?
• If you have an Awakened or technomancer character, consider
your character’s tradition and streams. Even within the major
established magical traditions and the recently emerged technomantic
streams, there is room for personalization. Ask yourself
what drew her to that particular paradigm, how does it effect
the way she views the world and her magic, how does it translate
into choice of mentor spirit or paragon, and how does it affect
the appearance of the spirits or sprites you conjure or compile?
• While acceptance and bias vary from place to place, augmentations—
be they bio-, cyber-, gene-, or nanoware—are increasingly
common and available in the Sixth World. However, personal
technological enhancement is rarely cheap, and many implants
that runners possess are restricted. How did your character
come to have the enhancements she has, how were they paid
for, and what motivated the choices she made (if she did make
the choices)?
• Life as a shadowrunner is by definition outside the bounds of
“normal” life. Shadowrunners do not truly fit into the lives of
ordinary people, whether they live in slums or mansions. What
does your character think of ordinary life, mainstream culture,
and those who abide by it?
• Everyone has nightmares. Sometimes, we forget the dream
completely on waking. Sometimes, the nightmare haunts us or
even recurs. If your character had a lingering nightmare or a
deep-rooted fear, what would it be, and why does he find it so
terrifying?
• People tend to attach sentimental value to items in their possession
or people they are close to. They make an effort to
keep these close by and safe. What is your character’s “sacred
object” or “close one,” and how did they come to be so important
to him?
• One of metahumanity’s greatest assets is its ability to look toward
the future and imagine a better life. Even small children
have dreams about what they want to be when they grow up.
What did your character want to become when he was a child,
and what are his goals now?
• A person’s appearance can say volumes about him. From fashion
sense, to the colors he prefers, to the way he walks and speaks.
Sometimes, his personality determines his appearance, and,
sometimes, the appearance he chooses to present the world effects
his personality. What does your character look like, and
what inspired his choices?
• Everyone has a name, but a runner’s street name is a representation
of his connection to the shadows. Sometimes runners
choose their own moniker, but more often it is given to them as
a nickname or earned through some (mis)adventure. How did
your character come to be known by his street name?
Oh, I didn't even notice you had that too. Maybe our cat spirits will get in a... wait for it... catfight.
-"Me, I never knew my parents, so I can't say that they gave me much. But if I turn out to be good-for-nothing, I guess you know where I got that, yeah? Maybe I got my magic from them, maybe not. Who knows about that stuff, anyway?"
-"What would they say about me? Eh, I don't know. They left me to rot in the system, so probably a big ol' 'Frag you.' Can't imagine they'd be proud of me, but I don't really care about that."
-"Yeah, I remember when Dunkelzahn was elected president. For a few months there I thought the world had something to be proud of. Then when he got killed, I could have sworn I felt the blast when it happened, but it was probably just because my house brother was giving me another beating. That reminded me that there's nothing you can get in this life that can't be taken away."
-"I guess I didn't really have a choice about becoming a 'runner. I tried the system until I was 18, and it screwed me over. I was living in the shadows already just to keep food on the table, so I figured I might has well go pro, yeah?"
-"I don't really hang up pictures around my place; there's nobody I care to remember that much. I do have a lot of candles though. You never know when a nice young lady might be dropping by, and you gotta keep the place smelling fresh. That, and they never let me play with fire in the orphanage."
-"Living in the system taught me that people who are out to get you can't screw you half as bad as the rest of them who just don't give a rat's behind. Everybody's out to get their own, and anyone who isn't cheating, isn't winning."
-"Usually other people annoy me before I ever get a chance to annoy them. But there were a couple of ladies that dumped me before I dumped them, and they both said I was 'fake' all the time, and didn't take anything seriously. And some test on the matrix told me I was a narcissist with abandonment issues. Take your pick, yeah?"
-"Ares is good people, and they've got good product too. I never leave home without one of their pieces in my belt. I like Damien Knight's style too; he's the kind of guy I'd like to hang around with. Least favorite? Aztechnology, chum. That stuff's just messed up."
-"Running's strictly business, and I try to keep it that way. This fixer I gave me my first real job back when I was living on the streets, but we still keep it on a no-name basis."
-"I spend most Sunday mornings walking back to my digs after a long Saturday night, if you know what I mean. After that, you can't go wrong with junk food and TV."
-"I picked up everything I learned on the street, trial-and-error style. There isn't much you can learn in a book that'll keep you out of the gutter, yeah?"
-"Hey, I don't hurt kids. I saw too much of that growing up. But I haven't met a grown-up yet that didn't deserve more than I could ever do to him."
-"I don't know what it is about cats, but they seem to get me. There's this one cat that kind of follows me around, only I'm not sure anybody else can see him. I think I figured out my best spells when he was looking at me funny, but who knows?"
-"Regular folks are OK, I guess. I've got no beef with them, as long as they stay out of my way. Don't think I'll ever end up on the other side of a picket-fence though, whatever that is."
-"Water. Ugh, just keep me away from it. If you want me to go on a boat or even the docks, you just find yourself a different 'runner."
-"I try not to get too attached to any of my stuff, because in the shadows you never know when you'll have to just never come back to your place. But I've got a couple of foci that haven't done me wrong. I guess I'd be sorry to see those go."
-"When I was a kid, all I wanted was to get adopted by some nice family. Obviously that didn't happen, and now I'm just trying to get by. The future changes too fast to make plans. But if I had to pick? Marry rich, I guess?"
-"I don't pay too much attention to how I look for real. It changes too often to be worth bothering. But when I don't feel like keeping up a spell, I just try to be as bland as I can, so nobody pays much attention to me."
-"'Gh0st?' Heh, I heard some guy I ripped off say it was like a ghost. I can be pretty hard to see when I don't want to, you know what I mean? The zero is just there for, you know, symbolism and stuff."
I remember Gh0st from the old neighborhood. Trouble on two legs, but secretly has a heart of gold when it comes to children. Had to pull him off of some abusive father that put his kid in stitches and a cast. The father wasn't as lucky. At first I was probably one of his contacts, but now we are actually running the shadows together.
... Always talking to some cat that is never there. Awakened types kind of give me the creeps.
This is Rocky. Rocky will work on the questions and get back to you shortly.
Edit:
• I inherited being big from my mum. I never knew my dad. I also got a sense of responsibility from her, too. She's dead now.
• I hope she'd say she's proud. But I don't know. We didn't see eye to eye before I went to jail. Then it was too late.
• Many people remember certain historical events for the rest of
their lives. For those alive in the first decade of the 21st century,
it could be the assassination of John F. Kennedy, or the
Tiananmen Square protests, or the fall of the Berlin Wall, or
the attacks of 11 September 2001. People remember where they
were, and what they were doing when they first heard of these
events. Shadowrun history has significant events as well, such as
the assassination of President Dunkelzahn, the Crash 2.0, and
the emergence of technomancers and artificial intelligences.
Pick a few events from recent Shadowrun history and ask where
the character was at the time, what does he remember about the
event, and what was he doing at the time?
• Bein poor sucks. I started out as muscle, cause I was big. Then Bear found me and I started running to get nuyen to start a clinic. Meds cost. A lot.
• My basement's a den. I got it nice and dark and cozy. I know where everything is and there's space for my drum and circle. I like it quiet and dark.
• I believe you shouldn't be punished cause you're poor. Nobody asked for this and you shouldn't get the universe's scorn because you can't pay.
• I don't get to bathe a lot. So I smell. Like stink smell. I wish I wasn't so... ugly.
• The Sixth World is considered by many to be spinning out of
control. If anyone could exert control over it, it would be the
“Big Ten” triple-A megacorps. These transnationals exert a lot of
influence on everyday life in the 2070s. Which of the Big Ten
does your character hold in the highest (or least low) regard,
which does he like the least, and why?
• I met Cal Cunningham when he helped a kid in the street who had gotten shot by some gun-runnin' orks. He's a good guy, a medic who ain't in it for the money. He and I don't see eye to eye, but he's got a good heart and that counts with me. Doc Wagon might be a bunch of money grubbing bastards, but he's a good one. I met Jimmy the Fish through a job. It's all about the job for Fish. He don't care about nothing or no one, but getting paid. Still, he's honest in his sleaze and he gets me jobs. So we get along. For now.
• I sleep. You know how hard it is to get a good snooze on the streets?
• Bear taught me. Well, except for the living on the street stuff. That you learn the hard way.
• I don't hurt people I don't have to. I don't go after the poor or kids or those who need protecting. I take care of my own and I stop those who prey on them.
• I wasn't drawn. I was called by Bear. He showed the world can be a better place when we make it happen.
• Ain't my thing. Too much metal and not enough soul.
• Might as well ask what I think of dreams. That life ain't real for me. Some people get into that like drugs, to cover the wounds, but I ain't them. It ain't for me.
• Open places freak me out. In the city, there's always a wall or a roof or something. Open places make me damn nervous.
• I got a staff I made from the tree outside the jail after Bear found me. It's a piece of wood and it's mine and I like it. Try taking it away. I dare you.
• That kid ain't me no more. That kid liked metal and money and cars. That kid died in a cell at Nevade Penn.
• I wear dark clothes, keep my hair shortish. My fashion is not standing out.
• Rochester, Rocky. I was big and strong and dumb. It don't take a genius, cutter.
I didn't answer a couple questions because I need to remind myself about the world before I do. Until then, here's the rest of the answers.
- My Parents were honest, hard-working people. My father server in the UCAS Military before it was the UCAS. I am not sure exactly what he did for them, but he would get up sometimes and be gone for days or weeks at a time. Mom held the family together. We were never rich, but we always had food on the table and a good home. Mom believed in giving back to the community. I remember when I was 6 years old, mom was volunteering at a Goblin Shelter… at the time I didn’t know any different, because Mom made me see through her eyes. They were all just people, and they all needed understanding. When my father was home, he made sure we were a family, and did things together. He would say “The world is hard son. You need to make the best of your life and the lives of those around you that you care about.” He said it was in an old song “that is was more important to want what you got, then to get what you want”.
- Mom’s proudest day of mine was first the day I graduated from School and then the Day Hannah was born. Dad’s was probably the day I graduated from the Academy. Both wanted me to make the world a better place, but each had ideas of how I was supposed to do that. Dad still doesn’t understand why I left Seattle to be an “independent contractor” in Vegas. After Bev’s death and Lone Star pulled out of Seattle, I needed to get out. I needed not to see memories of Bev everywhere I walked. Reminders of how life is not fair, nor compassionate.
- I was seven years old when The Dragon President was slain. My mother was devastated. She really believed a Dragon was the countries best hope of emerging from the darkness. I had just received my iComm Lite, the CommLink for today’s youth and tomorrow’s future. I watched the whole thing explode with media coverage. I was left stunned. I just wanted to make Mom’s pain go away, and I couldn’t get Dad on the phone. Why does he have to always be working so damn hard?
- In 2064, Dad came home from work, a changed man. Gone were the days of us going to see the Redwood’s or even just playing in the park. It was like a ghost of Dad came home to us. He was constantly checking the newsgrid, he even started stock piling food and survival gear. Mom would take him for his checkups all the time. I may have only been 14, but I was not blind… something had gone wrong, very wrong.
- I always told everyone I was going into consulting because of the handover of Seattle from Lone Star to Knight Errant, but really it had much more to do with the memories of Bev haunting me. I had to pay the bills and maybe have a little extra to put away for Hannah’s future. She is my world, but she doesn’t need to know what Daddy is doing on these new “consulting” jobs. Being a Detective paid ok, but we were played like pawns, just like the corp-drones. I can make a difference; I can strike back at the plague that infects our world. Sometimes you have to learn to think like the bad guys to beat them.
- My home is a nicely appointed, but modest home. It is really built around the needs of normality for my daughter. I really need to establish a safe house for continued operations here in Vegas. My identity and my shadow identity need to remain very separate. Hannah means everything to me.
I'm still around, just have had a combination of internet trouble, stackload of work, and 2 midterms for MBA courses in the last few days...
Will get the questions answered asap and the stats up...
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Okay I've heard from "Gh0st" and your character is good to go.
"Detective Evans" and "Rocky" please complete the remaining parts of the questionaire
"Neko" Please complete the questionaire
BoggBear and LittleHewy and "Steel Cowboy"I need your character sheets and the background stuff.
As soon as I get this I can start. Hopefully MisterLurch will make some muscle as we have lots of Faces and Awakened characters.
• So. Who are my parents, is that it? My father is a very experienced negotiator for a Russian subsidiary of Mitsuhama. That’s how he met my mother since she was originally assigned as his bodyguard during a trip to Japan. One thing led to another and they married and I came along shortly thereafter. I think I’ve got a look that’s a mix of my father’sruggedness and my mothers softness. That ‘soft’ look does get me into trouble at times, but overall it’s a good thing. I also got a sense of honor from my mother, along with my fighting skills and well, my father passed along his sense of confidence in everything I do. He’s never really said what he feels, because of how he has to perform some of his negotiations, but my mother made up for it. She never failed to let me know how proud she was, probably because her parents never let her know.
• Many people remember certain historical events for the rest of
their lives. For those alive in the first decade of the 21st century,
it could be the assassination of John F. Kennedy, or the
Tiananmen Square protests, or the fall of the Berlin Wall, or
the attacks of 11 September 2001. People remember where they
were, and what they were doing when they first heard of these
events. Shadowrun history has significant events as well, such as
the assassination of President Dunkelzahn, the Crash 2.0, and
the emergence of technomancers and artificial intelligences.
Pick a few events from recent Shadowrun history and ask where
the character was at the time, what does he remember about the
event, and what was he doing at the time?
• I was away at school, close to finishing my engineering degree when my mother contacted me saying my sister had run off with some ganger. She thought it was a bad situation, and so did I so I headed home and started searching. Everything I ran into, forced me deeper into the shadows, but that’s also where her trail went. I finally followed her trail to a club over in the borders of Vegas. She was surprised, but after we talked, she convinced me she was safe and doing her own thing, which I could respect. So, we still get together from time to time, and she’s able to feed me some info here and there if I need a hand. Anyone hurt her though, they would not know what hit them when I caught them.
• People have control over their own living arrangements. From
the child young enough to use crayons and tape all the way up
to the elderly shut-in who plasters her walls with family photos
and cat pictures, everyone makes their living spaces more personally
pleasing. What is your character’s living space like, and
what has he added or changed to make it his own?
• Everyone has beliefs, and many have beliefs strong enough to
be convictions. Some are religious, some are political, some are
social, and some are just about why people are here. What does
your character believe in, what are her convictions (if any), and
why does she hold them?
• Everyone has aspects of their personality that grate on someone.
Even the best of friends annoy one another from time to time.
The flaws in a person’s character are as important as the qualities.
What do you dislike most about your character’s personality?
• The Sixth World is considered by many to be spinning out of
control. If anyone could exert control over it, it would be the
“Big Ten” triple-A megacorps. These transnationals exert a lot of
influence on everyday life in the 2070s. Which of the Big Ten
does your character hold in the highest (or least low) regard,
which does he like the least, and why?
• People make acquaintances and friends; we’re hardwired for it.
Humans are social animals. This is especially true in the shadows,
where often it is not the power you have, but the power you
can borrow, and not who you, are but who you know. There’s a
story behind each and every one of these relationships. What is
the story with your character and her contacts?
• It’s Sunday morning, and your character has no commitments
until tomorrow afternoon. What does she do for the day?
• I’ve always been good with my hands and putting stuff together and taking it apart just seemed to come natural. I even got a degree in electronics and mechanics. Give me that extra edge.
• Everyone has their limits. People can be dark, but most people’s
instinct is to draw the line at certain actions and thoughts, and
they keep to their own moral convictions. Is there a moral limit
that your character enforces on the jobs she takes, and in what
shadow work would she refuse to engage?
• It was a run in Chicago that put me in a position to go from all meat to cybered. Not that it really was much of a choice, it meant living or dying. It’s kept me alive so far and made it easier to make a cred or two while at it.
• The average person has no idea what’s going on around them. What happens to keep them safe or to give them their next hit song or trid. Iused to be like that, focused on getting a career and a family. Not so much any more. I don’t hold it against anyone for that though if they choose it.
• I still have nightmares of that Chicago run. Let’s just say it ended being chased off the roof of a tall building with some funky venom pumping through my body. I barely made it. Heights and Insects… not real big fan of either.
• I’ve got a locket with the entire family picture in it. Not a holo or a trid, but an old-fashioned paper photo. Reminds me of some better family times and where I came from.
• I wanted to be a cowboy when I grew up. Now I get to be one.
• I’ve always had a fascination with the American old west. Maybe it comes from growing up in the middle of the country with not much to do except study and let your mind wander, but maybe not. Anyway, that’s why I love dressing like one of those cowboys you see in the old 2d movies. Hat, coat, shirt with vest, jeans, and boots are pretty much my everyday wear. Sure when I need to dress up I’ve got some more modern, stylish versions of the clothes, but for comfort and style both, it’s western all the way. Maybe that’s why my icon is a chromed cowboy in the net.
I'm working my way through the questionnaire. Until I learn more about the setting, would you mind if I just blocked off the 28 points for contacts instead of picking particulars? Most of the contacts I had written for Neko were specific to Tokyo, I imagine his relationships in Vegas will be very different.
- Personal beliefs? Well, I guess I believe in Karma. She is a B!@$^ so do good onto others. What goes around, comes around… sometimes, I get to make sure it comes around. I have seen what magic can do, but it still freaks me out a bit. Something I will never completely understand.
- I have this do-gooder, almost avenging angel flaw in me that gets under the skin of some of my Runner companions. I would rather do a job that makes an impact, than just one that pays out. And I NEVER, EVER hurt the defenseless.
- I have been manipulated by the big corps before, and I know that they are capable of damn near anything to get what they want. Corporate politics is more dangerous than nuclear war at this point. I got my first Mr. Johnson contact through Ares Macrotechnology, so I guess they would be the group I relate with best. Renraku and Aztechnology are probably my least favorite.
- I have a lot of contacts. In the shadows, you live and die by who you know, and how much you can trust them. (Connection/Loyalty)
o Phil M. – Phil is the head bartender for the night shift at the world famous Mirage Hotel and Casino. I got Phil out of some trouble with one of the local Mafia rings last year. He is good for a free drink and some interesting conversation. (Bartender 3/2)
o Betty Ting – Betty has been a good little wage slave for Wuxing’s Las Vegas operations for more than 15 years. She has decent access within the company, but won’t stick her neck out too far. (Corporate Wage Slave 2/1)
o Big Joe – Big Joe is one of the most well-connected brutes of a Troll you could ever meet, but he comes in handy (Fixer 3/2)
o Chief William Wiggins – Chief Wiggins was one of reasons I relocated to Las Vegas. He was an old friend in Seattle working with Lone Star, and when he took a new role at LVPD, we kept in touch. If I had come to work for him, we might have been closer. I meet him at the café for the “heart attack scramble” at least once a month. (Police Chief 3/2)
o Cyber Steve – When you are planning to get shot at, you better know where to get fixed up at. Cyber Steve may act like a cross between a pimp and a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, but he is damn good at what he does. The fact that he specializes in Black Market cosmetic implants shouldn’t scare you. (Street Doc 2/1)
o Officer Dave Underman - Dave is a solid beat cop with a small stims addiction. You would never notice it to see him work, but everyone has their demons. (Beat Cop 2/2)
o Dr. Phillis Wu, PhD – Dr. Wu one of the top Forensic Specialists working for the LVPD. She may well be the undoing of many a Runner’s group, but she is on my side. (Forensics Expert 2/2)
o Mr. Johnson – What can I say? He says he represents Mitsuhama (he might) and he hasn’t screwed me yet. He is a Mr. Johnson… you can’t trust him till the creds clear. (Mr. Johnson 2/1)
o Sally Go-Go – No, that is not her real name, but then again she doesn’t know mine either. I got hooked up with her through Phil, and she has come through a few times. Not a bad looking girl… but I hope this is not how my daughter turns out. (Club Hopper 2/1)
o Vincent Gambini – Vincent represents a local Mafia family here in Las Vegas. Vincent sometimes needs favors for the family done outside the family’s direct control. Mostly it has meant using my connections or police knowledge to help them out. One day he will have to return the favor. (Mafia Consiglieri 3/1)
- Sunday mornings are spent with Hannah in the back yard. We play ball with Mr. Scruffy (her dog) and I will spend the day cooking for tonight’s dinner. Hannah has to spend a lot of time either in school or with her Nanny, so these days are nearly sacred to me.
- My skills have been picked up from my under graduate studies and my time on the police force. I always wanted to go back and get an advanced degree and make my daughter proud, but I am not getting any younger, and the shadows don’t exactly offer vacations – or retirement packages.
- My limits – I don’t hurt children, few women, and I don’t hurt the innocent. I have my morals… sometimes they get in the way of what I do, but I have to look my daughter in the eyes in the morning.
- All of my cyber gear was part of my promotion bonus to Detective grade when I worked for Lone Star. I could have selected more, but at the time, it was all I was comfortable with.
- I live two lives. I have my little piece of suburbia and provide as normal of a life for my little girl as I can possible do. In the shadows – that all changes. I am looking for a new bolt hole somewhere in Las Vegas – centrally located. Trying to manage a lock room in the middle of suburbia is just not working out.
- I still wake up in the middle of the night screaming out for Bev. Finding her in her office, murdered in cold blood, remains my biggest heart break. Having been told I could not participate in the investigation was more than I could bear. Investigating Bev’s murder turned into my first Shadowrun experience, and helped to show me the suffering and helplessness that the majority of the population experiences.
- I still keep my wife’s ring and mine on a chain around my neck. I only take it off on runs, because I wouldn’t want to disappoint Bev.
- When I was 6 years old, I wanted to be a Dragon and rule the world. When I was 13, I wanted to be a Master Decker and expose the secrets of the world. Now, I just want to be a good father and provide for my daughter. I am also feeling the need to help the little guy out and bring the big guys down a notch.
- I try to dress conservatively, but professionally. I have to interact with a diverse array of people, and it does not pay for me to stick out in the crowd sometimes.
- I have spent the past couple of years with the pseudonym of The Gray Man.
Updating with stats. Still have a bit more gear to get, but I think skill and attribute-wise Steel/KC is ready.
Almost done with the crunch, thinking about the questions too. Apologises for being slow, I'm a bit sick at the moment, but should be done soon.
Ok, Cowboy now has Unarmed Combat (Ninjitsu) to go along with his Ninjitsu (2) Quality.
I forgot that the MA stuff from Arsenal doesn't print out for the statblock for HL. I'll update the sheet with the chosen Maneuvers and Advantages.
My other answers:
Many people remember certain historical events for the rest of their lives. For those alive in the first decade of the 21st century, it could be the assassination of John F. Kennedy, or the Tiananmen Square protests, or the fall of the Berlin Wall, or the attacks of 11 September 2001. People remember where they were, and what they were doing when they first heard of these events. Shadowrun history has significant events as well, such as the assassination of President Dunkelzahn, the Crash 2.0, and the emergence of technomancers and artificial intelligences.
Pick a few events from recent Shadowrun history and ask where the character was at the time, what does he remember about the event, and what was he doing at the time? I remember Dunkelzahn getting blowed up. I was in the Penn, doing my nickel. News came through the guards. Seems like it's way things is: if you're different, you get whacked. Same world, different day. As for the Crash and technomancers? Their spirits ain't my spirits. I got no opinion there.
• The Sixth World is considered by many to be spinning out of control. If anyone could exert control over it, it would be the “Big Ten” triple-A megacorps. These transnationals exert a lot of influence on everyday life in the 2070s. Which of the Big Ten does your character hold in the highest (or least low) regard, which does he like the least, and why? Corps are corps. They don't care about me, and I don't care about them. Why should I? What did they ever do for me?
Some minor modifications: I bought a shotgun. I like shotguns. You don't need to aim, just point in the right direction...
Hey Evans, mind if I use Big Joe as one of my contacts as well? He might have been how you and I met too...
Thoughts?
Sounds good to me. I envision him as a well connected motivator for me.
I wouldn't think that having a couple of different fixers would be a bad thing... Bi joe as well as the Dwarf? Maybe one put us in contact wih the other?
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Okay FYI, these are some of the NPC contacts I have developed if any of you would like to use them
Myrmidon A H\human cyberneticless street runner with the mindset of a samurai. Highly skilled in hand to hand combat. He frequents a MMA circuit.
Gunner A beardless dwarf fixer. Fancies himself a street biographer. A ladies man with many, many influencial connections.
Widow A person who remain anonymous and only communicates via the Matrix. Their online persona is that similar to a female drider.
Mak An ork rigger and low level ganger. Deep down he has a heart of gold. He is a bruiser and is a high ranking officer of the gang he runs with. His gang is more of a street police that protect then extort.
Mari Mak's human creole girlfriend. An accomplished voudoun and magician in her own right.
Church A middle aged human magician and private investigator. Often contacts runners when he needs help with cases.
Nightmare A troll street samurai. Not much is known except he is a very expensive and highly dangerous body guard. He has removed his horns and tusks and bears the scars that appears that it was self removal.
Doc Holladay A human street samurai and street doctor. He has protection by Mari and Mak's gang. Former plastic surgeon for a major corporation. He has not divulged any more information than that.
That's it for now. Hope this inspires something for you guys.
• I never knew my mother, she died giving birth to me, and lucky me, my father put the blame for that square on my shoulders. I inherited my father’s features, fair skin, red hair and blue eyes, despite that, my father claims to see my mother in my face.
I wouldn’t know, I’ve never seen her picture, and he never talks to them.
• My father claims I was scum, responsible for robbing him of the woman he loved, and having the gall to remind him of her by the way I look and behave. After I “awoke” it got worse. He would scream at me that I was a devil spawn, beat me mercilessly when he was drunk, and eventually kicking me out of the house.
And he calls ME a bastard!
• The assassination of President Dunkelzahn, I remember that well. I was pretty young, nursing a drink at a local bar, trying to escape the pounding in my head and the bruise on my ribs after my father’s latest attempt at “parenting”. They had the TV on, showing a speech by the wiz-worm. I wasn’t paying attention, not until after when I heard the big boom on the screen.
Even I understood that this…was the beginning of something big-
• I didn’t really have a choice, kicked out of the house with few skills besides a raw magical talent and little knowledge of the world…
I decided to go to Tir Tanglier, thinking it was like the myths, but they wouldn’t have me on account of me being human. I lived on the streets of Seattle for a while, learned the basics, got screwed over plenty of times and managed to wise up a little. Eventually I headed out of town…
• I have this little apartment, nothing much you know, but it is MINE, and that matters much to me. The most personal thing about it is a hardwood drinks cabinet and a small bookshelf with actual honest-to-goodness books in them.
There is something satisfying with just turning the pages in a book compared to reading electronicly.
• I believe in god, as strongly as my dad does, I just think he is a right bastard, or moves in ways so mysterious that I don’t WANT to understand them.
• I know I grew up hard, but sometimes I think I am way too surly and negative. It wouldn’t take much to at least try to smile once in awhile, or relax and enjoy life. But as it is, scowls are my choice and sneers my response to what most people ask me.
• I’ve read a little about what Villiers and Laniers have been up to, they are right bastards for sure, but you have to admire their cunning, ruthlessness and ability. I think a world ruled by men like that would be tough but fair. Rewarding ability and loyalty, and punishing the shirkers.
I can work hard and be loyal, I’d like a shot at something like that.
• You know, a good bartender is a part time psychologist, listening to what people complain about and offering some sage advice after you are done.
They call him “smelly” joe because he is impeccably clean even in a dive such as the one he runs. He is one of the few friends I have, and I trust him almost as far as he can throw me. And that is pretty far, being a Troll and all.
The fact that we both benefit from the arrangement of me drinking almost exclusively at his bar is not hurting our relationship either. Nor the fact that I dated his daughter for awhile. Thank god it was an amicable breakup between us; I would hate to have lost the friend I have in her dad.
In the shadows, it can be hard to find the right tool for the job, so you need contacts that can help you find what you need. Dances with Seashells is a Sioux talismonger I know. Right funny creature she is, playing up to every stereotypes she can find about natives. If I didn’t know all those scalps in her shop were fake, I’d be a bit scared of going there I can tell you.
I dated her as well you know, it was not at all bad, but it got too complicated, business is business as they say, and we decided to keep it professional (with some heavy flirting for fun).
• Easy, I know this good bar when I can have a dink for a fair price, and then I can go home and thumb through my books for fun.
• You know I speak that silly Elven language? Yeah, see, I tried to learn as much about elfs as I could, hoping it could help me get entrance to Tir Tanglier. Boy was I naïve thinking that would be enough. Did get me a chance to learn about a few elven bands that play in the big leagues. Elfs might be arrogant bastards, but they sure do know music. Heck, even death metal sounds ok when played by a skilled elf, must be them long fingers they have.
So, after failing that, I turned to the orks, I was angry and bitter, and lots of orks don’t like elfs, so I started learning their language too, but it’s hard you know? I just can’t speak that deeply or roughly for any length of time, hurts my throat.
I like a good barfight, so I decided to start betting on street brawls too, my winnings usually outweighs my losses.
You can’t be a good wizard without knowing a few things about theory you know? It helps to know more than just how to sling a spell at some chump.
• I don’t like wetworks, if I have a choice I’d never touch it. Sometimes you don’t get that choice I guess, but there is still a limit to what I’m willing to do.
I don’t hurt animals unless there is no choice, animals don’t know any better, they get told to zic you, they don’t ask if it is morally justified. Same goes for kids, you don’t hurt kids you know?
Women? That depends, in the shadows, you don’t underestimate someone just because they are female, that will get you killed.
• Would you believe it? It was those damn movies. I really bought into the whole cape and funny hat at first. I guess if I had watched a different kind I might have been wearing a feather hairdress and chanting at the moon instead.
I did kind of like the robes tho, guess that is why I switched to dusters instead, it is pretty close, and it helps keep that “mysterious” look about me that I came to like.
I still don’t know how to make my eyes glow like in the movies, I am beginning to suspect it was all a sham as well.
• Don’t touch em, don’t need ‘em, magic does me fine.
• “Norms” you mean? Joe average on the street? I can’t really lump them together you know? Some are decent people, the kind you might wish you could have been if things were different, but a lot of them are cowards, doing nothing to change their lives for the better, complaining about it but not so loud they get heard by the wrong crowd, you know what I’m saying?
• Easy, finding my father standing at the foot of my bed with a shotgun…and that this time, he won’t have forgotten the shells in his own bloody room.
• Don’t touch my books, in fact, don’t even touch the bloody shelf alright? Those are mine, and you don’t need to look at them!
• Would you believe I wanted to be a good son? Maybe I just didn’t want to be beaten, maybe I wanted my father to love me, who knows?
These days I’m hoping to keep myself afloat long enough to find that one job, that one run that will cement my reputation to the point I get regular biz, I can do wage mage status, I would probably enjoy the stability. Mind you, nobody says I would get the position I really want, that of teacher of magics. There is status in that, that is why *I* need status to earn it.
• Nobody would take you serious if you ran around in robes and stuff, but a wide brimmed black hat, and matching longcoat, now that says “man of mystery”. You want to announce that you are special, but not exactly HOW special, you follow? People see this look and think “he is more than he seems”, but they don’t know exactly how. Does he have a load of guns hidden in there? A Sword? Spells? Nobody can be sure.
• I haven’t earned a street name yet, I’ve been moving around too much, so generally I just go by Liam for the people who know me well enough, and whatever alias I’m using otherwise.
I could certainly use Big Joe instead of Jimmy the Fish. Shouldn't be a problem.
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The following Character's are done.
Gh0st
Detective Evans
Rocky
Steel Cowboy
Farkis
Liam
"Neko" Please complete the questionaire. If you are having trouble fleshing out your contacts please take the Hung Out to Dry Negative Quality. Then take the time later to flesh out your contacts.
Littlehewy I need your character sheets and the background stuff.
As soon as I get this I can start. Are there any other connections you guys have to one another?
- Heh. Mom would say whatever she was supposed to. She really is no better than a robot with a pretty face. My dad would wax poetic about disappointment and the family shame. We don’t really have much to say to each other that is worth saying.
- The crash hurt. I was one of so many who were jacked in when everything went to shit. Apparently I have a delicate brain. I spent weeks in the hospital. I have never had a taste for full immersion in the matrix since. I remember playing a game, killing floor, then everything flashed bright white and went dark. I knew nothing else until I woke up in the hospital.
- How did I “enter the shadows”? You really are a drama queen, neh? Simple, there are not many legitimate jobs that I am willing to do for an ex-con, ex-sniper.
- I don’t really make a space I live in very different from how it is given to me. Except for the booby traps. Those are me. Rented space is too temporary, and in this life it can be taken away too fast if you care about it. I am ready to drop nearly everything I have with a moment’s warning.
- What drives me? Not dying. And not hating people simply because of the body they wear. And punishing idiots who do hate people because of the body they wear. Humans, orks, elves, etc., we are all people.
- I don’t think there is anything wrong with me. If everyone was as real as I am, and had as thick of skin as I do, we would all be a lot better off. I tell it like I see it. I would like nothing more than for others to be as honest. Of course, most people get pretty mad when I tell them how fake they are. Weird, huh?
- I do not hold any of the corps in high regard. They are all despicable. I have seen firsthand what they are willing to do, the lengths to which they are willing to go. They are all despicable, and more or less necessary. Take what you can from them without getting crushed.
- Well, I am pretty new to Lost Wages, but I would be dead many times over if not for Tarrin and Seph. Persephone keeps me in work and guns, and Tarrin keeps me from bleeding to death when I run into high velocity lead. I saved Seph from some Humanis scum, and she gave me my first couch to sleep on in Vegas. We have been tight ever since. Perhaps not as tight as I would like, perhaps, but tight nonetheless. Despite my “abrasive personality,” she likes me. Says I make her laugh. Me and Tarrin have an even simpler story. He is a Good Samaritan; with capital letters. Found me unconscious and bleeding out in an alley behind his shop. A couple Humanis had gotten the drop on me. Dunno how I had the good luck to crawl in to die behind such a skilled doc, but it was almost enough to make me believe in God. When I woke up, not dead, and found my ‘ware in fine working order, I admit I may have muttered a prayer of thanks just in case. May have. When this hideous ork told me ‘the first one is free’ and introduced himself as Tarrin Feather, I just about lost my mind. I laughed so hard I pulled more than a few of his stitches free. I mean really, Tar an’ Feather. Heh. It still makes me chuckle. Well, true to his word, he charged me to restitch me shut. True to his word is one of the best ways to describe Tarrin. It took me a lot less time than it should have for me to get back on his feet. Seems like Tarrin and Bear are good friends. He is not a shaman by any means, I am pretty sure of that, but he is a believer so who knows. Anyway, like a preferred customer going back to his favorite clothes vending machine, I go to Tarrin anytime I need some new cyber or I have a powerful need to stop bleeding. I have done a few things for him, kinda in trade ya know? We have a strong friendship based on brutal honesty.
- What do I do in my free time? Um. Whatever I get an urge to do, I guess. After I clean all my guns of course. I keep them real clean. Maybe catch a trid. Maybe have a drink. Maybe hunt some Humanis. Who knows?
- My dad put the first rifle in my hand. You could say that me and rifles are more related than me and my folks. Then the Army refined my knack into an artform. If I hadn’t gotten messed up over chips, I would still be an Army Sniper. The Army made sense to me. I miss it.
- No women, no kids. That is my rule. Unless they are trying to kill me. If you try to kill me I will cut you down with no remorse.
- I left service with a few basic upgrades. Eyes and ears. They don’t let ex-cons leave service with the shiny stuff. The rest I paid for with blood sweat and tears in Seattle and here in Vegas. I look for things that make me faster, better with guns.
- People do the best with what life deals them. I may not think too highly of some people’s choices, but I was not in their shoes when the choices were made. What I cannot stand is people who speak with two tongues. Hypocrites. Live your life, to be sure, but be honest with yourself and others.
- Nightmares? Watching my brothers, my friends, my unit die and knowing that all my skill with a rifle will not save them and will only get me killed as well; and leaving them behind to their fate. That’s all I have to say about that.
- No one has ever called me sentimental. I may love my guns, but one XM30 is much like another. Sure they have their quirks, and if you mistreat them they will betray you, but they are, in the end, just tools. Things will slow you down when the time comes to run.
- I never wanted to be anything more than a soldier. Now I want nothing more than to live a comfortable life, maybe earn a few friends, and perhaps bash in a few bigoted heads from time to time.
- I choose my clothes and such to blend in. I would rather no one remember me thirty seconds after I walk past them. Unfortunately, if I have to open my mouth, something honest invariably comes out and then people remember the rude guy.
- Seph nicknamed me Feliks. Says that I remind her of a cat. Whatever that means. Apparently there was a cartoon cat named Felix once. It sticks, and I am not sure if I approve yet.
Just waiting on approval/review.
DaWay, can you give me an idea of the matrix presence and magical resources of the Las Vegas Humanis?
Neko, any objection to our characters having a connection? Mebbe I helped you out at the behest of Tarrin Feather, my ork street doc contact.
@Feliks: No objection. My original set of contacts doesn't work well outside of the Tokyo sprawl, so I'll come up with a whole new set for Vegas. I'm thinking of well-connected awakened types for the most part, with a street level group contact. I'm running into a bit of writer's block on some parts of the questionnaire but I should have it up in the next few hours.
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Also I am going to get this thing running on monday. If littlehewy hasnt made his rigger by then we are just going to start without him. He can catch up later.
I will be posting in the evenings mostly EST, my work hours are M-F 6-4 or 5. And I can do some fluff here and there but will leave the meat for later in the conversation.
I picked up a shotgun, and updated my contacts. I now have a level one connection to church. And I am ready to go.
Sounds like a winner
Wow, that took forever. There are still a few details to polish but here's the bulk of it. Spoiler tag for convenience:
• My parents are good folks, but they had a rough life. They learned early to keep their heads down and do what needs to be done to keep safe. I was always 'the baby' of the family and they didn't like it too much when I got into Urban Combat Biking... I guess that wasn't where it started though. Really, they didn't “get” most of the things I did after I met Cat. I tried to explain it a couple of times but mundies just don't understand
• Who could forget the first time they saw a changeling? UGE and goblinization was stuff for the history books (except for the elves, cocky bastards) when SURGE hit there were about a dozen people in my neighborhood who grew new arms or horns or other crazy stuff. Nobody was sure what the hell was happening or what it meant, and all the trid news would tell it was that it was something to do with the comet... not exactly what a fellow needs to hear when he's freaking out about the glowing fur all over his body. The crash a few years later... I guess I got lucky. I wasn't doing much of note, just watching trid when the stream died. One of my buds was an Otaku, he felt like he'd got a new lease on life. He was growing up and could feel his connection to the matrix growing fainter until the crash came and suddenly he was there completely and all the time. Really makes me wonder what the past few years would have been like if the crash hadn't happened... was it destiny- something that would have happened sooner or later no matter what? Or did the past decade worth of advancements in matrix technology depend on dumb luck?
• Shadowrunning? That drek's for the movies. Look, the way it works is that someone with some money to throw around mentions to one of their employees that it'd be nice if “something” happened and someone three levels down and a couple of branches over on the corporate ladder puts together a team to make it happen. It was racing that did it for me. I won a race that the Yakuza were sponsoring and that brought me and my team to the attention of some people who needed a bunch of freelancers who knew their way around the streets. You could call it shadowrunning if that's your thing, but it's just breaking laws for profit, same as people have been doing for centuries.
• Heh, I guess I've got three places where I spend most of my time. There's my apartment in the North West, the abandoned office building North of the strip, and Jess's place- since it seems I'm shacking up with her more often than not lately. The apartment's got my home office that I use for scanning in the illusions and the little shrine, other than that it's kind of bland. There's the little domestic robot that rolls around and keeps things clean, but really the only part of the apartment that has any personality is the trid tank, where I spend most of my time. The office building? I don't talk about that much. It's where I go when I do my hunting... it's plenty “personalized” with blood and bones and other bits, but there aren't many amenities to speak of. Jess's place is what you'd expect from one of the 'new hippie' types. You know that big geodome on the abandoned lot in the barrens? Yeah, that's the one. Two stories tall and surrounded with all that weird container garden and the greenhouses. The guys she bribed for the permit laughed at her but damned if she didn't make it work. As far as making it my own well, uh, when I first moved in we “blessed the house” in just about every room and every position... there's a lot of memories there. Other than that I chip in for her bandwidth 'cause I couldn't stand how slow her stream was before.
• Some people don't deserve another chance. They've preyed on the weak, burned their bridges and done things that there's no making up for. Cat showed me the best way of taking care of them and I don't regret what I do in the least.
•
• Mitsuhama. Maybe it's a cultural thing, but they just get me. Almost all of the trids I like turn out to be produced by them or one of their subsidiaries, hell I'd serialize my simsense series with them in a heartbeat if they made an offer to produce it. Saeder-Krupp on the other hand... I just don't trust them. Lofwyr shows up and tosses around more money than I can imagine, then the dragon has a few million people to do whatever he wants and puts them to work for decades; I don't know how much of the way things are right now are his fault but he's sure as hell not doing anything to make things better. The worst part is that he's so damn good at running the company, so many other people with more money than sense just keep throwing cash at him because the returns are so good and don't worry about what he might be doing with it.
• (connection/loyalty)
((Technomancer)) (2/4) – One of Neko's buddy's from Tokyo. They've known each other since they were kids but it's never been a particularly close friendship. Neko got him a job in the technical side of the entertainment industry, and from time to time they work together on a project. He's not adverse to doing Neko the occasional less-than-legal 'favor' to keep his skills sharp but it's generally simple stuff that doesn't carry any real risk.
White Buffalo Woman (5/3) – A NAN operative who packs some serious mojo. She's some sort of bigwig in the Lakota nation who's liaising with the local cops as some sort of specialist in magical crimes. One of her investigations spilled into one of my stalks and we came to a tacit understanding. She doesn't like me, but I think she understands; sometimes she gives me names and dossiers of some rather unpleasant people and I take the problem off her hands and sometimes she'll do a favor for me in return.
Jessica 'soybean' Lewis (3/5) – My mom definitely wouldn't approve, and who could blame her? I mean an Insect shaman- that's some bad juju. I don't have the whole story, but Jess was a stripper and was going through some real bad times when the Butterfly found her. She got herself out of there and has done well enough for herself since then. I mean, she's a little off but I can take some weird. She's a Good person, I mean really good and she makes me want to be a better person when I'm around her. She makes friends easily and everyone seems to like her... I didn't learn what she was until I'd been living with her for a while, and by then I just didn't care. Hell, she could have told me she was a dragon! She's always going on about teaching people to take care of themselves without the corps and showing them how to make rooftop gardens and stuff like that.
Coyote (5/2) – He calls himself Coyote and he's kind of implied that he's the Coyote, but I'm pretty sure that he's a shaman. At least ninety-percent sure... I mean sure he's tricky, and he's coordinated some pretty whiz stuff but a spirit like that- nah. He's got to be human. I guess you'd call him a 'Mr. Johnson', although he's about as far as you could get from the typical corporate image. He's put together some rather intricate jobs that take advantage of my skills and he's been able to tell me things and give me the kind of support that makes a job go off like they show in the trids but- naah, he's got to be human.
Denmother Maheegan (3/3) – A free spirit beast elemental who has taken it on herself to look after the city's children. The sight of a little boy shrieking in joy as he sits astride a wolf running down the sidewalk... only in Las Vegas. She respects Neko as a hunter and they sometimes help each other with their problems. She's not very good with money but wants to save up enough to set up a proper orphanage; Neko thinks it unlikely, but stranger things have happened and he wishes her the best...
Tsushima Mino (3/3) – Neko's agent. He's a human in his early 40s who's solidly 'plugged in', having almost completely removed the need for sleep with various cyberware and bioware modifications. He lined up sponsors and some top-notch gear for Neko's combat biking debut, but since Neko left Japan he's had a less active role in promoting Neko's career. He has solid connections amongst various media concerns throughout the Tokyo prefecture, and a few friends in the national media. He much prefers handling Neko's contract trid work over his races and knows that he can count on the ork to deliver top-notch special effects.
• Catch up on my soaps! I mean... trids in general, the soaps aren't all I watch. It's for my day job, you know? I've got to keep up on the latest trends so I know the best way to market my work. I really couldn't care less if Sonji's sister wakes up from the coma in time to break the spell on her fiance who's about to marry the spy from EVO. Nope, couldn't care less.
• Cat taught me most of it and experience taught me the rest.
• A moral limit? I don't know about that... maybe I'd call it more of an aesthetic limit. Some jobs are just ugly. They'll involve a lot of collateral damage and generally mean that someone's desperate. I dislike that sort of job and will rarely accept it no matter what the payoff. It usually means that the real plan has fallen through and someone's resorting to using the wrong tool for the job- a bunch of armed freelancers- when a properly placed bribe would do the job much better. The highly compartmentalized nature of 'shadowruns' (if you insist on calling it that) means that you usually won't know why you're doing what you're doing, so it's usually impossible to object on moral grounds unless the means to your unknown end are particularly unsavory. I suppose my 'moral' objections are just the usual sort, the things that make us human... genocide, kids, friends, that sort of thing.
• Hmmph. You don't get it. Cat chose me, I didn't choose her.
• Ordinary culture? There's no such thing for most people. I mean, it's nice if you can get it- corporate media paints this picture of hitching your wagon to one of the big 10 and being set for life, but that's only for the best of the best or the well-connected... maybe 300 million people out of the teeming billions? The rest of us get by with whatever trickles down.
• Crashing, especially during a race. I mean, it's never happened but sometimes I have these dreams where me and Sarge will be cruising along, feeling like we're on the top of the world, when something just goes wrong. We crash and burn and I always wake up in a cold sweat... it probably doesn't mean anything, but just the idea that something could go wrong when everything's going perfect and I'm at the top of my game, I don't know how to explain it but it's a damn scary dream.
• Sarge, obviously. We've been through a lot together, and I don't know where I'd be without my bike. I've shed my blood, sweat, and tears and he's spilled his oil and hydraulic fluid and electrolyte, and in the end we've always come out of it together and survived to ride again.
• Huh. I haven't thought about that in a while. I guess when I was a kid, the first thing I ever wanted to be was a florist. I don't know if you've ever seen the Tokyosprawl, but down in the lower levels there's no real sunlight. They pipe in fake stuff for the landscaping, and in a few of the better neighborhoods people would set up gardens. The first time I saw a flower in person I thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world and started reading up on greenhouses and hydroponics and all that stuff- maybe that's why I hit it off so well with Jess? Huh. Now days I mostly do the things Cat taught me. I take care of the people who have no place in decent society, and race for fun. It'd be nice if I could top-out the leagues and become a household name- but right now I really couldn't say what I'd do with a million nuyen purse.
• Neko's on the scrawny side, for an ork. He's pretty sure this is because of all the childhood illnesses, but his (relatively) small stature hasn't really bothered him... he thinks other shape as at least as much his 'real' body as the ork. While he is experienced at taking several forms, Neko most frequently changes into a very large panther for his hunts.
• Well, “Kenta” would hardly do for a street name, and while “Mr. Takahashi” has a certain ring to it there are very few people who know me by that name any more. Ever since Neko-sama taught me her ways I've taken up the name as her Shaman... nowadays I could hardly imagine being called anything else.
I had a bit of time so I wrote up my lifestyle expenses using the runner's companion rules. The apartment is a bit of a change from what I posted in the questionnaire above, but it seemed to fit better:
Neko's Apartment
Low (10) (2000/month)
Comforts - middle (3)
Entertainment - low (2+1)
Necessities - low (2+1) (high food)
Neighborhood - low (2)
Security - middle (3)
Rad Pad (+1), Homegrown Farming (+1), quiet neighborhood (+1), friendly neighbors (+1), nosy neighbors (-2), trigger-happy landlord (-1), Ambusher's Delight (-3)
A large loft apartment split roughly into a small home-office where he records his trid work and a perfect bachelor's pad, this is definitely a step up from his crowed slum apartment back in Tokyo. It's in a quiet, economically depressed neighborhood a fair way off the beaten path and while his neighbors are a little starstruck to have a genuine celebrity living near them. The landlord converted an old industrial space about ten years back and for the most part minds his own business... he doesn't care who his tenants are or what they do as long as they pay their bills on time. The room is built to fit his media persona but has few truly personal touches... the AR overlay is all about Japan and combat biking courses while the meatspace features little bike drones that zip around performing stunts and shooting things with AR weapons. They're prototypes for a toy line that Neko's trying to market that a friend of his back in Tokyo cobbled together for him, and they make for a good conversation starter. His girlfriend set up a small hydroponics garden and a bunch of container farms on the balcony and near the windows and a modest community garden on the roof. After a lifetime on synthfood the real stuff was quite a revelation... they're what he considers the most luxurious part of his current lifestyle, he knew he had it good when he could eat rich-people food every day.
Abandoned office building North of the strip
Street (1) - (100/month)
Comforts - squatter (1)
Entertainment - street (0)
Necessities - squatter (1)
Neighborhood - street (0)
Security - street (0)
No Neighbors(+1), Green plan(-1), Poor security(-1)
A former high-volume datacenter back before the crash of '29, the neighborhood spiraled from a hotbed of investment to low-lease office space with cavernous basements full of junk that would cost too much to dispose of properly. As the city's center continued its slow march to the south, eventually the neighborhood was swallowed by the surrounding areas of economic blight. By the 50s it was dirt-cheap commercial property then Crash 2.0 put the final nail in its coffin. The area was officially written off as condemned and abandoned to gangs and squatters. Neko has found it an opportune spot to stage his stalks from or just to lay low for a while. Amenities are practically nonexistent; there are a few yards of solar cloth mounted up on the roof to charge the minimal lighting and low-res matrix connection, and a bicycle generator connected to a battery for low power personal electronics. An pile of blankets, an old mattress, furniture improvised from racks of ridiculously obsolete computer equipment, a handful of flashlights, and a few boxes of nonperishable "food" complete the setup.
I just noticed that Feliks has 118 points in drawbacks ::boggle::
Between Humanis, the Mafia, and the angry spirit of Lake Mead... I don't think the 'main' badguy will be able to get a piece of you :P
Here's a quick rundown of all the contacts we have so far... quite a crowd!
Saki Jotaro (technomancer, Connection 2) – One of Neko's buddies from Tokyo. They've known each other since they were kids but it's never been a particularly close friendship. Neko got him a job in the technical side of the entertainment industry, and from time to time they work together on a project. He's not adverse to doing Neko the occasional less-than-legal 'favor' to keep his skills sharp but it's generally simple stuff that doesn't carry any real risk.
White Buffalo Woman (Police liaison, Connection 5) – A NAN operative who packs some serious mojo. She's some sort of bigwig in the Lakota nation who's liaising with the local cops as some sort of specialist in magical crimes. One of her investigations spilled into one of my stalks and we came to a tacit understanding. She doesn't like me, but I think she understands; sometimes she gives me names and dossiers of some rather unpleasant people and I take the problem off her hands and sometimes she'll do a favor for me in return.
Jessica 'soybean' Lewis (Butterfly shaman, Connection 3) – My mom definitely wouldn't approve, and who could blame her? I mean an Insect shaman- that's some bad juju. I don't have the whole story, but Jess was a stripper and was going through some real bad times when the Butterfly found her. She got herself out of there and has done well enough for herself since then. I mean, she's a little off but I can take some weird. She's a Good person, really good and she makes me want to be a better person when I'm around her. She makes friends easily and everyone seems to like her... I didn't learn what she was until I'd been living with her for a while, and by then I just didn't care. Hell, she could have told me she was a dragon! She's always going on about teaching people to take care of themselves without the corps and showing them how to make rooftop gardens and stuff like that.
Coyote (Mr. Johnoson, Connection 6) – He calls himself Coyote and he's kind of implied that he's the Coyote, but I'm pretty sure that he's a shaman. At least ninety-percent sure... I mean sure he's tricky, and he's coordinated some pretty whiz stuff but a spirit like that- nah. He's got to be human. I guess you'd call him a 'Mr. Johnson', although he's about as far as you could get from the typical corporate image. He's put together some rather intricate jobs that take advantage of my skills and he's been able to tell me things and give me the kind of support that makes a job go off like they show in the trids but- naah, he's got to be human.
Denmother Maheegan (free spirit, Connection 3) – A beast elemental who has taken it on herself to look after the city's children. The sight of a little boy shrieking in joy as he sits astride a wolf running down the sidewalk... only in Las Vegas. She respects Neko as a hunter and they sometimes help each other with their problems. She's not very good with money but wants to save up enough to set up a proper orphanage; Neko thinks it unlikely, but stranger things have happened and he wishes her the best...
Tsushima Mino (fixer, Connection 3) – Neko's agent. He's a human in his early 40s who's solidly 'plugged in', having almost completely removed the need for sleep with various cyberware and bioware modifications. He lined up sponsors and some top-notch gear for Neko's combat biking debut, but since Neko left Japan he's had a less active role in promoting Neko's career. He has solid connections amongst various media concerns throughout the Tokyo prefecture, and a few friends in the national media. He much prefers handling Neko's contract trid work over his races and knows that he can count on the ork to deliver top-notch special effects.
Phil M. – Phil is the head bartender for the night shift at the world famous Mirage Hotel and Casino. I got Phil out of some trouble with one of the local Mafia rings last year. He is good for a free drink and some interesting conversation. (Bartender - Connection 3)
Betty Ting – Betty has been a good little wage slave for Wuxing’s Las Vegas operations for more than 15 years. She has decent access within the company, but won’t stick her neck out too far. (Corporate Wage Slave - Connection 2)
Big Joe – Big Joe is one of the most well-connected brutes of a Troll you could ever meet, but he comes in handy (Fixer - Connection 3)
Chief William Wiggins – Chief Wiggins was one of reasons I relocated to Las Vegas. He was an old friend in Seattle working with Lone Star, and when he took a new role at LVPD, we kept in touch. If I had come to work for him, we might have been closer. I meet him at the café for the “heart attack scramble” at least once a month. (Police Chief - Connection 3)
Cyber Steve – When you are planning to get shot at, you better know where to get fixed up at. Cyber Steve may act like a cross between a pimp and a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, but he is damn good at what he does. The fact that he specializes in Black Market cosmetic implants shouldn’t scare you. (Street Doc - Connection 2)
Officer Dave Underman - Dave is a solid beat cop with a small stims addiction. You would never notice it to see him work, but everyone has their demons. (Beat Cop - Connection 2)
Dr. Phillis Wu, PhD – Dr. Wu one of the top Forensic Specialists working for the LVPD. She may well be the undoing of many a Runner’s group, but she is on my side. (Forensics Expert - Connection 2)
Mr. Johnson – What can I say? He says he represents Mitsuhama (he might) and he hasn’t screwed me yet. He is a Mr. Johnson… you can’t trust him till the creds clear. (Mr. Johnson - Connection 2)
Sally Go-Go – No, that is not her real name, but then again she doesn’t know mine either. I got hooked up with her through Phil, and she has come through a few times. Not a bad looking girl… but I hope this is not how my daughter turns out. (Club Hopper - Connection 2)
Vincent Gambini – Vincent represents a local Mafia family here in Las Vegas. Vincent sometimes needs favors for the family done outside the family’s direct control. Mostly it has meant using my connections or police knowledge to help them out. One day he will have to return the favor. (Mafia Consiglieri - Connection 3)
Tarrin Feather is a very ugly Ork with as great a talent for medicine and cybersurgery as Feliks has for shooting people. Once his word is given he will not break it, so he is careful to whom he gives it and for what reason. For this reason he runs a small shop on his own rather than working for anyone else. He found Feliks bleeding to death behind his shop, and being an unrepentant Good Samaritan, he saved Feliks' life. For some reason they get along quite well, and have been mutually supportive ever since.
Persephone Williams is Feliks' fixer and his first friend in LAs Vegas. A beautiful elven woman with great skill in dealing with people. She is cheerful nearly always, and has a singular ability to let Feliks' brutal honesty, borderline rudeness, wash right off her while remaining cheerful. Since saving her from Humanis bigotry, they have been fast friends and routinely do favors for each other.
Church is a middle aged human magician and private investigator. Often contacts runners when he needs help with cases. Which describes how he met Feliks. Connected to Church through Persephone, Feliks has provided long distance backup (read: sniper cover) during a touchy investigation, and close range support (read: walked softly and carried a big gun) during an information buy. Neither situation resulted in violence, and Church and Feliks enjoy a healthy professional relationship thus far; though Church is not sure how to take Feliks' caustic personality.
“Smelly” Joe: Bartender, Connection: 1
Dances with seashells: Talismonger, Connection: 3
Cal Cunningham - Street Doc (connection 3): I met Cal Cunningham when he helped a kid in the street who had gotten shot by some gun-runnin' orks. He's a good guy, a medic who ain't in it for the money. He and I don't see eye to eye, but he's got a good heart and that counts with me. Doc Wagon might be a bunch of money grubbing bastards, but he's a good one.
Jimmy 'the fish' - Fixer (connection 4/loyalty 2): I met Jimmy the Fish through a job. It's all about the job for Fish. He don't care about nothing or no one, but getting paid. Still, he's honest in his sleaze and he gets me jobs. So we get along. For now.
Gh0st's Fixer: Connection 2
Well, water spirits generally don't hunt me down, they just hate me when I run across them, and the Mafia won't be a problem unless I cannot make payments, and the Humanis need killin' anyway.
I actually chose very few of those qualities based on positive or negative build points; they are all based in my background.
;)
Sounds good to me...so long as he/she/it stays out of my PAN. Which is almost always in hidden mode.
@DaWay: There were a few things I wanted to run past you before the game starts. I'd gotten the OK from my previous GM to have the Ares Fogger Glop Cannon (Armory/pg123) mounted on my bike with the understanding that my agent had helped me procure it and get the paperwork to make it legal for his combat biking races. The availability is 15R... are you OK with it or should I pick a different weapon?
One of my contacts is an insect shaman. Butterfly is one of the relatively harmless insect spirits, but I can see how it could be an unwelcome element in your game so I wanted to run it past you first. I'm kind of leaving it ambiguous as to whether she's an insect shaman or if the merge was complete and she's an actual fleshform insect spirit...
I went out on a limb and bought a connection level 6 contact, Coyote. If a Mr. Johnson like that wouldn't be a good fit for your game or would end up being a waste of points just let me know and I'll replace him with two street-level contacts.
Also, I wanted to double-check that you're fine with the element of Neko's backstory where he's a vigilante serial killer who shapeshifts into a panther and eats criminals. Shadowrun is dark, but I didn't want to spring that on you if it didn't fit the story you were planning on telling.
That's an easy one, a Gentlemans club might have REAL drinks, not just soybeer and soywhiskey.
That would be worth a higher fee to be there to sample something real for a change.