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[Shadowrun 5E] Unprofessional Criminals [OOC/Banter]
Leper
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hoi, chummer. Got the usual melange of good news and bad, drek and gold, fresh-brewed soykaf and toxic smog:
There's work, but it'll kill you (or bore you.) There's lucre, but it's going to make you even filthier than it is. You'll have backup, but they're at least as unreliable as you are. There's the satisfaction of a job well done, if you can live with the guilt.
But things will get better, neh?
Or you'll die, and that'll at least eliminate the 'what revolting flavor of pseudo-soy-food-product shall I have for breakfast' question.
If you don't love it already, then I'm reasonably certain we can at least get you to grudgingly tolerate it.
I can at least grudgingly tolerate that, you prat. What do we need to get running?
What a very good-looking question you've asked there.
1. You're going to need a Runner, a character, a persona. The usual RPG representation of who you wish to portray or the story you want to tell in this psychadelic dystopian technomagical future. Something divided up into three easy-to-remember parts:
A. A Concept. An overall description of who your little imaginary dolly is. Something brief, yet with a certain evocative je nes sais merde.
B. Numbers. All the little gears and widgets that make your character run in the system. As the core book is all that I have access to, let's stick with that for now, but feel free to redescribe the mechanics as you see fit. If you're tied to some specialty system (one of the multitude flavors of Magic/rigging/Matrix/whatevs) recognize that you are probably going to know that system better than I do. I'm cool with that if you are.
C. A Story. A jumping-off point. Something to tie in your character to the world and perhaps even other player characters.
D. A Soul. I don't know how you're going to fit that in there, but give it a shot. The worst that can happen is we wind up with some sort of horrific textual abomination, and I'm still pretty down with that.
1+1+1+1=3 for sufficiently large values of three or sufficiently small values of one.
Post interest. Post your characters. Post your questions.
Post your revilement at my base and pedestrian handling of your beloved intellectual property (that's not yours anyways).
Just post.
There's work, but it'll kill you (or bore you.) There's lucre, but it's going to make you even filthier than it is. You'll have backup, but they're at least as unreliable as you are. There's the satisfaction of a job well done, if you can live with the guilt.
But things will get better, neh?
Or you'll die, and that'll at least eliminate the 'what revolting flavor of pseudo-soy-food-product shall I have for breakfast' question.
If you don't love it already, then I'm reasonably certain we can at least get you to grudgingly tolerate it.
I can at least grudgingly tolerate that, you prat. What do we need to get running?
What a very good-looking question you've asked there.
1. You're going to need a Runner, a character, a persona. The usual RPG representation of who you wish to portray or the story you want to tell in this psychadelic dystopian technomagical future. Something divided up into three easy-to-remember parts:
A. A Concept. An overall description of who your little imaginary dolly is. Something brief, yet with a certain evocative je nes sais merde.
B. Numbers. All the little gears and widgets that make your character run in the system. As the core book is all that I have access to, let's stick with that for now, but feel free to redescribe the mechanics as you see fit. If you're tied to some specialty system (one of the multitude flavors of Magic/rigging/Matrix/whatevs) recognize that you are probably going to know that system better than I do. I'm cool with that if you are.
C. A Story. A jumping-off point. Something to tie in your character to the world and perhaps even other player characters.
D. A Soul. I don't know how you're going to fit that in there, but give it a shot. The worst that can happen is we wind up with some sort of horrific textual abomination, and I'm still pretty down with that.
1+1+1+1=3 for sufficiently large values of three or sufficiently small values of one.
Post interest. Post your characters. Post your questions.
Post your revilement at my base and pedestrian handling of your beloved intellectual property (that's not yours anyways).
Just post.
If my role play is hindered by rolling to play, then I'd prefer the rolls play right, instead of steam-rolling play-night.
Leper on
0
Posts
So how many of my potential rivals will I need to sabotage to ensure my spot in this game?
I'm currently assuming a team of four. I'm assuming this because I am a weak willed pansy and will feel better about caving and accepting 5 or 6 applications than assuming 5 or 6 and caving to 7 or 8. You may submit up to 2 characters of your choosing. "Build the character that ye wish to build" shall be the whole of the law.
How much time to I have to attempt to meld the otherworldly components of a forsaken orphan into my submission?
Submissions close on Monday, October 21st, at whatever time I drag my sorry ass out of bed and log in to announce they're closed.
This time is approximate and should not be considered to be an actual deadline. Deadline is subject to change without notification. Do not taunt the deadline.
I'm not going to have to actually participate in this farce after I sign up and experience the exultation of beating out other applicants am I?
Of course not. Your character will likely suffer some form of horrific happenstance as an object lesson and we'll send in a replacement. I will request the players post at least once a day Monday through Friday. Even corporate drones get a free weekend now and then. Requests for personal leave will absolutely be made available. (Your weekly stipend may be adjusted, including an administrative fee for having made the adjustment.) Currently scheduled corporate holidays include: October 24th-27th.
I've been crunching some numbers, sir, and I had a few questions...
Let's start with the "Experienced Runner" (default) chargen rules. IF we get an outcry or requests for "Street Level" or "Prime Runner" play instead, I am absolutely down for either. If you have any other specific rules/mechanical questions, ask them in the thread and I'll be happy to address them here, so that someone else may benefit from our collective folly.
I keep six honest serving men. (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When, And How And Where and Who.
None of your business, best question ever (that I'm not answering), 2070something*, however you can get it, SeaTac, and I suppose we'll figure that out. Strong and frequent profanity may be present. Adult themes may be touched on. This may be a game 'for mature players only' and we may be absolutely immature about that. You aren't worried about how weird this can get, are ya?
*What is the proper form to fill out if I wish to be an asinine fluff nazi?
While we do respect the stories handed down to us by FASA, WizKids, Catalyst, et al, recognize that I (and some of your fellow players) may not have had time to obsess over every published work they've given, nor the extensive fan commentary. Your referee for this little game of quasi-legal shenanigans actually hasn't payed much attention to the details since Year of the Comet. If you are still dead set on this, then you may fill out form 0T4-KU1989, blank copies are conveniently available just inside the gates of hell. If you wish to issue the occasional 'loving correction' to my vast ignorance, then no forms are necessary. Just remember to use your silencers, you'll startle my cat.
Forgive me, Leper, for I have SINned. (How do we handle a Corporate Born SIN?)
I'll value it at the cost it says in the book... with the penalties associated with it from the book.(pp.84-85) In other words, if you want 25 karma for it, then you're getting what the designers consider to be 25 karma worth of problems. On the other hand, if you'd like to fudge with it a bit, change up the narrative on those rules a smidge, then we can do that too. Your "corporate born" SIN may be expertly hidden. It may be available only via specific inquiry. It could have been smudged and erased and had a very competent decker make it all-but-go away. And then you can get less severe drawbacks (like on of the lower available levels) but also receive less karma to build with. This answer may be assumed to apply to anything similar, but feel free to ask if you have any specific concerns!
More info to be provided as we dig it.
Rev 1.0.3b
As for questions - Setting? Year? Tone?
(Probably-not-that-)Frequently asked questions now included in post #2.
Still trying to figure out which background build I'll be going with.
Kaspar is the Scandinavian witch child. Born to a Saeder-Krupp executive father and a powerful Scandinavian witch (outside of the S-K breeding program, incidentially). Due to his magic manifesting, he was fast-tracked to a division of S-K that specializes in problem solving. Which of course meant that the executive board noticed him and he was quickly neutralized as a potential rising star and shuffled to SeaTac to work as a wagemage.
While ducking an extraction, he ended up hanging out in a popular Runner spot for almost three weeks. He started to perform -- a talented singer and musician thanks to his particular magical practice -- and quickly became a fixture in the place. A lounge singer of incredible skill, range, and political acumen. Runners noticed him frequenting their spots and he soon found himself hired on for runs. Confident, energetic, and polished as a fixer and singer, he has more or less walked away from Saeder-Krupp. It's unclear to everyone on the Saeder-Krupp side how this came to be, but they'd dearly love to ask him.
He is the target of extractions and internal hits on a timetable so frequent that he has seriously considered asking for help getting himself removed from S-K's SIN database. Since arriving in SeaTac, he has been approached by Evo and Tir representatives, had extractions attempted by Aztech, Knight Errant, and Wuxing. He has steadily acquired contacts capable of helping him evade megacorporations.
Mechanically, Kaspar is a high-Charisma, well-practiced face who can cast a small amount of non-combat spells. He is passably capable with his staff and his pistol(s), but he's no veteran Shadowrunner capable of dealing death at a whim. Kaspar's tradition is very disconnected from the spirits native to the Pacific Northwest, so he's still feeling his way through the relationships with the local minor spirits. As he gains in power he'll seek out the more powerful local spirits.
If I just had my choice, I think I'd prefer to play the decker/Logician. The new Matrix rules look like a barrel of fun and I love playing characters in Shadowrun with an entire section of their sheet devoted to "B/R Kits: ". But I'll wait until other potential players sound off before I get married to the idea.
I'll follow this post up in a bit with that character submission and then see who else is interested in what.
SUPER EXTREMELY INTERESTED
Jake "Block" Granger was born a dwarf to two loving, accepting human parents on December 19, 2049. His folks were, both of 'em, dutiful employees of Renraku Computer Systems, and life in the Seattle Renraku Arcology was fine and dandy. Young Jake was a bright lad who preferred the company of books and computers to other children, and he seemed destined to follow in his parents' footsteps in a technical career with Renraku.
On Jake's tenth birthday--December 19, 2059--he left the Arcology with his father to attend a Combat Biker match and cheer on his beloved Seattle Timber Wolves. Jake and his dad never made it back inside the Arcology, which was inexplicably sealed off by its automated security systems and declared off-limits by corporate and military authorities. Jake never saw his mom again.
Jake and his dad were shuttled off by Renraku to a temporary housing site in Tacoma, along with the rest of the small number of Arcology residents outside the Arcology when the shit hit the fan. These lucky few were kept incommunicado for days, hidden from authorities and the media, until Renraku made arrangements to ship them to Japan, sweeping their inconvenient existence under the rug (Renraku had a lot of problems to deal with at this point). A small group of Arcology exiles managed a highly improbable escape and faded into the metroplex.
Jake and his pops found themselves without SINs (of course, now they didn't exist, according to Renraku!), eking out a meager existence in the Touristtown neighborhood of Redmond. Jake grew to hate watching Dad perform odd jobs for the insulting pay offered to the SINless. He seethed as rumors seeped from the Arcology disaster about otaku and artificial intelligence. He sobbed himself to sleep for the loss of his mother. He grew apart from his father, who woke up screaming every night, sure that the Red Samurai were on their way to tie up one last loose end, years after the Arcology had been liberated.
A life of crime? Money for food on the table, to pay rent and protection money--and frequently taken from the bottom line of corporations like Renraku, to boot? You betcha. A lot more enticing than cleaning grease traps for an illegally low wage. A slippery slope, to be sure. One day you're the lookout while a gutterpunk holds up a quick mart, a few months later you're in a Redmond basement reeking of lye while a U-of-W med school dropout drills a hole in your skull. A couple years fly by and you're paying that gutterpunk to be your goddamned lookout. What's fifty nuyen for that chump matter now, when you and some other professionals are snagging paydata worth a hundred times that?
If there's work out there for a console cowboy who doesn't mind getting his meat-fingers dirty too, then say hello to "Block", who will never turn down a run against Renraku or its subsidiaries, who needs a damn good reason not to shoot a technomancer on sight, who still holds out hope that his mother was one of the 1% who made it out of the Arcology after 16 months with her mind and/or body intact. (...and keeps his feelers out on the Shadow Matrix sites for the slightest scrap of info he doesn't already know about the Arcology incident.)
(Leper, you want we should post character sheets? Or PM them to you?)
And feel free to post your character sheets in the thread, whether summed up in text or a link if you use something handy like a partially calculating form-fillable PDF sheet stolen from the blog of someone who was awesome enough to make such things. Actually, it'd be nice if you did both, but I'm not going to require it.
Before I finalize my sheet, Leper, here's a question that always needs an answer at the beginning of a Shadowrun campaign--do we all know the same fixer? If so, what's his/her Connection rating?
EDIT: Also, if you've played previous editions of Shadowrun, note that there's no longer a "just one of" limit to Skills at Rating 6. That's just for Attributes now ("just one of" at your natural Attributes racial unaugmented maximum)
Oh, hey, that's a great question. Does it necessarily need to be one fixer all the time? Maybe the group got pulled together for one run and has stuck together with a "as team" discount that Kaspar usually manages to charm out of existence before they actually do the work.
We should probably discuss whether the characters are OK with certain types of jobs, too, before we get really rolling.
Fixer connection would be easy to do, though I'd prefer to know one of the runners. Preferably a local, with a run previously done, so I can include as part of backstory. Volunteers? Your part would be mostly passive and my side would not intrude on a typical runner's history.
As an aside, these are the contacts I'm planning on:
Signe Sigurdsson - blonde, tall and ethereal as typifies the elven ideal, Signe is called Veela behind her back, something she doesn’t mind nearly as much as the actual Veelas probably do. Signe is Kaspar’s sister, raised as her mother’s son in the Scandinavian shield maiden tradition. An accomplished fighter, Signe did not Awaken like her brother did and so between that and using a different name has evaded the attention of their father’s enemies on the S-K board.
Doctor Wendell White - jet black hair and creamy mocha skin insure Wendell gets noticed when he treads the streets. Wendell is an incredibly gifted surgeon who just happens to have no SIN. So Wendell works in the shadows, demonstrating a considerable comfort and familiarity with metahumans and magic. He has an unusual fondness for classical music that tends to drive his patients a bit frayed. His assistant, a young ork named Naomi likes to trick him by replacing his classical music tracks with Orxploitation. Doc White and Kaspar met when Kaspar dragged the bleeding husk of Naomi into Doc White’s office. She had been “collateral damage” in one of the failed extractions he enjoys with some frequency.
Benton Lovelace - the definition of bland-looking, Benton moves through the shadows with the same ease veteran Runners do. He knows just about everyone worth knowing in SeaTac’s shadows and how to track them down quickly. If he doesn’t know them, chances are high he can still track them down quickly. Kaspar has been Benton’s wingman on many occasions in many bars. Kaspar is a very, very good wingman.
Cheri Deogracias - a short brunette of French and Native American heritage, Cheri is attractive enough to turn heads without being so attractive as to draw unwanted stalkers. She tends bar at the [place] that Kaspar initially stumbled into and fell head over heels in lust with him immediately. She’s nursed the lust for a long while now, as she prefers to keep Kaspar coming back. Cheri is an accomplished singer and songwriter herself, collaborating with Kaspar whenever he performs at the [place]. She’s tending bar to pay her way through university, having been blessed with a NAN SIN thanks to her drunk of a father.
I host a podcast about movies.
And I guess I should apologize a little bit for being so min/max-ey with my Skills? Shadowrun is a crunchy game and it always pays to A) be really good at what you want your character to do a lot of, and
Anyway, sans Contacts (waiting to hear from Leper), here's my sheet (edited because I initially gave myself too many Attribute points, whooooooops):
Priorities:
Resources A
Skills B
Metatype C (Dwarf)
Attributes D
Magic/Res E
B 3
A 3 (4)
R 4 (6)
S 3
W 3
L 6 (8)
I 5
C 2
Edge 2
Essence 4.28
Physical Initiative 11+1d6
Matrix AR Initiative 11+1d6
Physical Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 10
Overflow Boxes: 3
Natural Recoil Compensation: 1
Limits:
Mental 9
Physical 5
Social 5
Qualities:
Quick Healer
Moderate Allergy (Gold)
Codeblock (Jack Out)
Prejudiced (Technomancers/AIs - Outspoken)
Active Skills:
Cybercombat 6
Hacking 6
Electronic Warfare 6
Pistols 6
Electronics Group 5
-Computer
-Hardware
-Software
Engineering Group 1
-Aeronatics Mechanic
-Automotive Mechanic
-Industrial Mechanic
-Nautical Mechanic
Armorer 1
Chemistry 1
Demolitions 1
Etiquette 1
First Aid 1
Forgery 1
Gymnastics 1
Medicine 1
Perception 1
Pilot Ground Craft 1
Sneaking 1
Swimming 1
Unarmed Combat 1
Languages/Knowledge Skills:
English (N)
Japanese (3)
Cityspeak (3)
Corporate Security Procedures (3)
Law Enforcement Tactics (3)
Street Gang Identification (2)
Combat Biker (3)
Runner Hangouts (2)
Renraku Arcology Disaster (3)
Augmentations:
Cerebral Booster (2)
Muscle Toner (1)
Reaction Enhancers (2) (Alpha)
Datajack (Alpha)
Symbiotes (2) (Alpha)
Cybereyes (2) (Alpha)
-Smartlink
-Low-light Vision
-Vision Enhancement (3)
Credentials:
Fake SIN (4) "Fred Samuelson -- Physical/Matrix Security Specialist"
-Licenses (4) Firearms, Concealed Carry, Augmentations, Cyberdeck, Driver's
Fake SIN (2) "Arnold Johnson -- Renton Resident"
Gear:
Renraku Tsurugi Cyberdeck
-Programs: all of them!
Transys Avalon
-subvocal mic
Ear Buds (3)
-Audio Enhancement (3)
Armor Jacket
Ares Predator V
-10 spare clips
-100 rds. APDS ammunition
-100 rds. gel ammunition
-Suppressor
10 kg. Commercial Explosives
-4 detonators
Medkit (6)
-4 supply refills
Gas Mask
-2 tank refills
Flashlight (Low-light)
Tag Eraser
Area Jammer (4)
Autopicker (6)
Certified Credstick (Gold)
Tools (Kits):
-Armorer
-Chemistry
-Forgery
-Hardware
-Automotive Mechanic
-Aeronautics Mechanic
-Industrial Mechanic
Vehicles/Drones:
-Ford Americar
-Shiawase Kanmushi
-MCT Fly-Spy
Low Lifestyle
-3 months prepaid (at 1,600 per month including 20% dwarf increased Lifestyle and rating 2 Symbiotes)
money spent: 450,000 exactly!
starting nuyen: 3d6 x 60
Karma adjustments:
+5 (Prejudiced)
+10 (Allergy)
+10 (Codeblock)
-10 (Charisma 1 -> 2)
-10 (Agility 1 -> 2)
-15 (Agility 2 -> 3)
-3 (Quick Healer)
-5 (Engineering Skill Group 0 -> 1)
-2 (Unarmed Combat 0 -> 1)
-5 (additional Contacts)
No mercy!
I have min-maxed...poorly.
BACKGROUND
While ducking an extraction, he ended up hanging out in a popular Runner spot for almost three weeks. He started to perform -- a talented singer and musician thanks to his particular magical practice -- and quickly became a fixture in the place. A lounge singer of incredible skill, range, and political acumen. Runners noticed him frequenting their spots and he soon found himself hired on for runs. Confident, energetic, and polished as a fixer and singer, he has more or less walked away from Saeder-Krupp. It's unclear to everyone on the Saeder-Krupp side how this came to be, but they'd dearly love to ask him.
He is the target of extractions and internal hits on a timetable so frequent that he has seriously considered asking for help getting himself removed from S-K's SIN database. Since arriving in SeaTac, he has been approached by Evo and Tir representatives, had extractions attempted by Aztech, Knight Errant, and Wuxing. He has steadily acquired contacts capable of helping him evade megacorporations.
Kaspar's real name is Tyr Klaus Winther.
STATS
ATTRIBUTES
Bod 3 Agi 7 Rea 2 Str 3
Wil 3 Log 5 Int 4 Cha 8
Edg 3 Ess 6 Mag 3
QUALITIES
Bilingual - German
Photographic Memory
Corporate Born (Saeder-Krupp) SIN
ACTIVE
INFLUENCE 5, CONJURING 2, Assensing 4, Perception 4, Performance 4, Con (Fast Talking) 2 (+2), Astral Combat 4, Pistols 2, Clubs 1, Arcana 1, Spellcasting 2, Ritual Spellcasting 1, Counterspelling 1, Unarmed Combat (Carromeleg) 1 (+2)
KNOWLEDGE
Magical Theory 4 (Professional), Asatru 1 (Academic), Safe Houses 2 (Street), Sprawl Life 1 (Street), Street Gangs 1 (Street), Seattle Music 1 (Interests), Corporate Politics 3 (Interests)
LANGUAGES
English N, German N, Norse 2, Sperethiel 2, Lakota 1, Swedish 1
GEAR
Staff (Acc 6, Reach 2, 7P), Colt Government 2066 (Acc 5, 7P, -1 AP, SA, 14c) and quick-draw shoulder harness, Streetline Special (Acc 4, 5P, SA, 6c) with hidden arm slide, armored jacket (12 armor), Renraku Sensei commlink, Kasper Jaeger Identity [Fake SIN (4), fake magic license (4), fake weapon license (4)], Alain McKindrick Identity [Fake SIN (1), fake magic license (1), fake weapon license (1)], 50 drams reagents, 30 rounds heavy pistol stick n' shock ammo (-2S(e)), 1 month Squatter lifestyle, 3 sets of clothes, 1 set of electrochromatic clothes, Arcana kit, Glasses (Flare compensation, Image link, Thermographic vision, 1 free slot), standard credstick with 955 + (2D6 * 40) nuyen
CONTACTS
Signe Sigurdsson, sister and S-K Johnson (6/1)
Doc White, street doc (1/2)
Iris "Freyja" Bjornsdottir, Asatru shaman and free spirit (3/4)
Benton Lovelace, fixer (3/2)
MISC INFO
Initiative 6+1D6
Astral In. 8+2D6
Movement 2/4/+2
Composure 11
Judge Intent 12
Memory 8 (+2)
Lift/Carry 7
REPUTATION
Street Cred 0
Notoriety 0
Pub. Aware 0
LIMIT
Physical 5
Mental 6
Social 9
SPELLS KNOWN
Analyze Truth, Combat Sense, Influence, Increase Reaction, Heal, Mana Barrier
MATH
Priority: A Att (24), B Skills (36/5), C Magic (Shaman), D Race (Elf), E Nuyen (6k) + 25 Karma
ATTRIBUTES
Bod 3 (22)
Agi 7 (17)
Rea 2 (16)
Str 3 (14)
Wil 3 (12)
Log 5 (8)
Int 4 (5)
Cha 8 (0)
Edg 3 (0 K)
Ess 6
Mag 3
QUALITIES
Bilingual - German (-5 K)
Photographic Memory (-11 K)
Corp Born SIN - S-K (14 K)
SKILLS
ACTIVE 36/5
INFLUENCE 5 - 5 group
CONJURING 2 - 30 skill points
Assensing 4 - 26 skill points
Perception 4 - 22 skill points
Performance 4 - 18 skill points
Con 2 - 16 skill points
Astral Combat 4 - 12 skill points
Pistols 2 - 10 skill points
Clubs 1 - 9 skill points
Spellcasting 2 - 7 skill points
Ritual Spellcasting 1 - 6 skill points
Arcana 2 - 4 skill points
Counterspelling 1 - 3 skill points
Unarmed Combat 1 - 2 skill points
Specialization Carromeleg - 1 skill point
Specialization Fast Talking - 0 skill points
KNOWLEDGE 18
Magical Theory 4, Safe Houses 2, Street Gangs 1, Sprawl Life 1, Seattle Music 1, Asatru 1, Corporate Politics 2 (12)
LANGUAGES 6
English N, German N, Norse 2, Sperethiel 2, Swedish 1, Lakota 1
GEAR (6000 nuyen)
+ 18,000 nuyen (5 K)
Staff (Acc 6, Reach 2, 7P) - 23900
Colt Government 2066 (Acc 5, 7P, -1 AP, SA, 14c) and quick-draw shoulder harness - 23300
Streetline Special (Acc 4, 5P, SA, 6c) with hidden arm slide - 22830
Armor jacket (12 armor) - 22840
Renraku Sensei commlink - 21840
Fake SIN (4) - 11840
fake magic license (4) - 11040
50 drams reagents - 10040
30 rounds heavy pistol stick 'n shock ammo (-2S(e)) - 8900
Squatter Lifestyle x1 month - 8400
Clothing, 3 sets of nice clothing, 1 electrochromatic - 7400
Jammer (4) - 6600
Tag Eraser - 6150
Fake Weapons License (4) - 5350
Fake SIN (1) - 2850
Fake Weapons License (1) - 2650
Fake Magic License (1) - 2450
Arcana kit - 1950
Glasses w/ Flare compensation, Image Link, Thermographic vision, 1 free slot - 775
standard credstick with 775 + (2D6 * 40) nuyen
Additional spell (0 K)
DESCRIPTION
CONTACT INFORMATION
Doctor Wendell White - jet black hair and creamy mocha skin insure Wendell gets noticed when he treads the streets. Wendell is an incredibly gifted surgeon who just happens to have no SIN. So Wendell works in the shadows, demonstrating a considerable comfort and familiarity with metahumans and magic. He has an unusual fondness for classical music that tends to drive his patients a bit frayed. His assistant, a young ork named Naomi likes to trick him by replacing his classical music tracks with Orxploitation. Doc White and Kaspar met when Kaspar dragged the bleeding husk of Naomi into Doc White’s office. She had been “collateral damage” in one of the failed extractions he enjoys with some frequency.
Benton Lovelace - the definition of bland-looking, Benton moves through the shadows with the same ease veteran Runners do. He knows just about everyone worth knowing in SeaTac’s shadows and how to track them down quickly. If he doesn’t know them, chances are high he can still track them down quickly. Kaspar has been Benton’s wingman on many occasions in many bars. Kaspar is a very, very good wingman.
Iris "Freyja" Bjornsdottir - the only other practicing Asatru magician in Seattle, Freyja is the leader and gydje (priestess) of the local Asatru worship group, a IBS union representative, and the patron of an up-and-coming go-gang operating out of Renton called the Einherjar.
"Iris Bjornsdottir" was the gydje the local Asatru practitioners, none of whom were Awakened themselves. This wasn't unusual in any way, of course, and the Children of Valhalla, as they almost laughably referred to themselves, considered themselves extremely lucky to actually have an Awakened leader. She was a tall human woman with broad shoulders and a robust figure that spoke of significant physical exertion. She was a union representative for the International Brotherhood of Stevedores and still occasionally worked on the Maersk docks herself.
They aren't even aware of how lucky they really are, "Kaspar" mused. He stood and offered a friendly greeting to the gydje.
"Hello again, Freyja. I take it things are well?" the tall Elf asked of the gydje as soon as she entered the sound-and-astrally neutralized booth. Purgatory was an excellent place for magicians to meet, since the booths were all proofed against mundane and astral prying.
"Of course, Tyr, of course. The IBS won several concessions in the last round of negotiations, and we have several new Einherjar joining us at the next blot."
The Elf nodded, offering a smile of his own at the news of new Einherjar. The Children of Valhalla sponsored the go-gang out of Renton, which provided a hard counter to the Humanis-backed gangs in their area. They had done severe damage to the Night Hunters, scattering what passed for their "membership" and actually taking out a handful of the senior Night Hunters -- mostly professionals who managed the youth activities as part of their Humanis policlub commitment.
"Two orks, a dwarf, and a troll," Freyja added, drawing a genuine smile from the elf across from her.
"Good news indeed. The more metahumans the Einherjar boast, the greater their acceptance will be when they begin to push out of Renton and into Redmond and Puyallup." The Elf allowed himself to strategize briefly before returning to the conversation. "But I have a favor to ask. There's a newly Awakened girl in Snohomish. She's having a rough go of it, and I've heard Humanis creeps are already knocking on her parents' door to recruit. I think she could use some real guidance."
Freyja frowned at him for a moment, her eyebrow twitching skyward.
"I'm serious. Appearing as mythological Freyja would be easy for you. Much easier than me trying to do this on my own. Elves may not be persona non grata in Snohomish, but your eyebrows would be one small wave in a sea if I tried to step in and teach her myself," the elf said, answering an unspoken question.
Freyja sighed. "Fine, Tyr. What's her name?"
"You're going to laugh. It's Sif Grim."
She did laugh. A heavy, hearty laugh full of genuine mirth. The elf joined her.
"Oh wow. That's grand. Okay, I'll go see her tonight. We'll start with a dream, eh?"
"You're the free spirit, Freyja. I'm just an alfar," the elf replied with a smirk.
They exchanged more pleasantries and then departed the club separately.
WRITING SAMPLE
She was the sixth this evening and the first human. Kaspar was used to this sort of female attention, though, deflecting it with a practiced ease that did not demolish self-esteem. Nor did it curtail the lust that prompted the attempts. He had finished his set an hour and a half earlier, lingering only on the off chance someone would have work for him. If I stay much longer someone may try to steal my squat, he muses. He stands up, pulling down his sleeves and buttoning the cuffs before swinging his armored jacket on.
He slunk out of the bar with a nod to the bouncer, an ork that went by Daniel -- probably not his real name -- and into the rain. Only constant in Seattle, he thought with an audible snort. It's worse than Bergen. At least in Bergen it snows. A Doc Wagon rolled past, an ominous sign of 'Runner or Gang activity. Kaspar took a look around, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. He probably should have looked up.
The wreckage of T-Bird smashed into the pavement not six meters from where Kaspar was standing, scattering debris about the area almost instantly.
"Frag!" Kaspar exclaimed, skittering back toward the safety of the bar's entrance. As he did, the T-Bird disgorged several near-dead bodies. Kaspar changed course, heading for the nearest one, the lyrics to the healing spell his mother taught him coming automatically. The Norse he spoke the spell in was harsh and guttural, Kaspar's grasp of the language inexpert. With the spell in place and the victim returning to consciousness, Kaspar began asking the victim questions, cycling through the half dozen languages he was familiar with.
"Hoi, chummer. You're talking to a dead man."
Kaspar glanced over his shoulder to see the speaker. A heavyset Ork carrying some serious hardware was scowling at him. If Kaspar were forced to guess, he'd put the T-Bird's condition at the Ork's feet.
"You know who this is?" Kaspar asks, trying and failing to find something nearby to use as a weapon.
"Yeah. A dead man. You'll be too if you don't get away from him, pixie," the Ork responds, shouldering a AK-97 and aiming at Kaspar.
Kaspar ruffles a bit at the slur, but rocks back off his knees to his feet, putting his hands up to show he's unarmed.
"No trouble, chummer." Kaspar says, backing away. He almost trips over a gun. His attention is going to waver any second now. He thinks I'm giving him what he wants. Sure enough, the Ork's aim switches to the recently healed victim. Kaspar drops to the ground, retrieves the pistol, and fires a shot at the surprised Ork, taking him cleanly just above the heart.
"No trouble at all," Kaspar says, firing another shot at the staggered Ork, relieving him of his gray matter.
Kaspar pulled the harness for the pistol free of a nearby corpse and grabbed the barely-conscious victim of the crash, threw him over his shoulder, and faded into the shadows.
I host a podcast about movies.
will read through to make sure my character is up to par, then i shall post, and all shall tremble at the glory of my character
edit: my character being a combat/support mage
As for tying the characters together, do as ye will. Feel free to include other potential players in your background (with their permission) groupthink up a fixer or any other kind of contact for everyone to use (I do kinda like that option), leave a spot on your contacts open, or just don't worry about it right this second. Once we've got our team lined up (and I am already dreading making that decision, damn you all) I'll allow folks a day or two to tweak their narratives and numbers to make a more cohesive team if they'd like. If this were more traditional table top we'd probably all sit down over some beer & BBQ and maybe do a bit of FATE-style collaborative chargen. Folks I can't fit on the team immediately will of course wind up first in line for substitutions, if we need them, so having a way to bring those players in seamlessly is also not a bad idea.
overview
background
Her parents, unable to keep up protection money, were visited by a group of orc thugs demanding their fee, and going a bit too far. Seeing her father's lifeless body slump to the ground pushed her over the edge. Blasting the orcs, her mother, and her father's corpse, the fireball set fire to the family's small apartment. Taisia grabbed her 7 year old sister Veronika and ran. And has been running ever since.
Between honing her magic skills and running shadows to pay the bills, Taisia has been looking after Veronika these past 8 years as best as she can. She carries a deep hatred for orcs, but learned Or'zet in order to better understand (and insult) them.
Being an unlicensed mage (or a mage with a fake ID and fake license, depending on which fake SIN she's broadcasting), she learned quickly how to hide in the shadows - literally, and figuratively. Keeping her little sister safe is her first priority.
Now 22 and living with her 15 year old sister, (who has started becoming a decent amateur hacker in her own right) Taisia takes any jobs she can get - whether Shadowruns when they're available or waiting tables at the sleazy diner down the road.
In her down time, seeking the peace and tranquility that her life cannot provide, she frequents the Astral plane when she can, and the drug of her namesake otherwise.
writing sample
The cat rubbed against the door frame, meowed, and crawled into the hallway. Taisia glanced at Veronika, quietly playing with her third-hand toys and cursed. Drek. She quietly crept towards the door frame. Pappi had told them to stay in their room when the large orks kicked down their front door. Twenty minutes later, they were still arguing in the kitchen.
The cat leaped up onto the counter as Taisia slowly came to the threshold of the hallway. She could clearly hear the raised voices from the kitchen.
"..sick of hearing your shit, old man. You either pay up, or me and my friends here will have a little fun with your wife."
Taisia leaned around the corner to see one ork holding ma, one holding pappi, and another with a large machete at pappi's throat.
"Pappi.." she whispered as the ork leaned forward menacingly.
"What'll it be?"
"Go fuck yourself."
"Wrong answer." The machete sliced along pappi's neck, drawing a flood of crimson. Ma screamed and buckled against the ork holding her. The cat sat on the counter next to pappi's slumping body as the two orks turned their attention to ma.
Taisia suppressed a scream in favor of staying hidden, but felt the rage burning. The cat stared, taunting her. What do you want from me? Why didn't you help him? She accused the cat as it stared, seemingly indifferent. The orks were speaking, and ma was screaming, but she heard nothing but her own anger. It screamed inside her. She felt the heat of it burning her heart. And her hands. My hands?
She looked down and saw for the first time that her hands were burning. She screamed in terror and the orks finally took notice of her.
"What the fuck?"
"A fuckin mage? Geek 'er!"
Ma's face distorted in fear; fear of the orks, and a new fear of her daughter. Two of the three stepped towards Taisia and she instinctively raised her hands and screamed. "NO!"
The cat purred, satisfied as the fire erupted from Taisia's hands. Before she could react, the fireball burst forward, burning the two orks before her and landing between her mother and the last ork. She screamed again, now in realization.
The cheap apartment quickly lit up in a blazing inferno. Taisia stood, dumbstruck. I killed ma. She thought, staring at her own hands. The cat meowed, and jumped through the fire, calmly walking back towards the hallway. I killed those orks. The cat passed Taisia and meowed again, prompting her to move.
Finally she moved. Following the cat, she was led back to her room where Veronika sat staring up at her, questioningly. The cat ignored Veronika and jumped up onto the window, passing harmlessly through the glass.
Taisia grabbed her sister, who grabbed the small ragged doll she had been playing with, and held tightly. The cat turned back on the fire escape as Taisia propped the window open. Follow me, the cat spoke, for the first time, you are ready to begin.
character sheet
Priority A: Magic: Shamanic Magician (Magic 6, 2xR5 Magic Skills, 10 Spells)
Priority B: Attributes: 20
Priority C: Skills: 28/2
Priority
Priority E: Metatype: Human (1)
Attributes: 20
Physical/Mental:
Body 3
Agility 3
Reaction 3
Strength 2
Willpower 6
Logic 3
Intuition 4
Charisma 4
Special:
Edge 3
Essence 6
Magic 6
Qualities:
Positive
Mentor Spirit: Cat (-5 karma)
Focused Concentration 5 (-20 karma (4per))
Negative
Moderate Addiction: Zen (+9 karma)
Prejudiced: Biased vs Orcs (+5 karma)
Distinctive Style: Pure white eyes (no pupils) (+5 karma)
Dependent: Younger Sister (+6 karma) +20% living expenses
Mentor Spirit: Cat
+2 dice to infiltration tests (Cat Spirit)
+2 dice for illusion spells/preperations/rituals (Cat spirit) (Improved Invisibilty, Stealth, Chaos, Chaotic World)
-Unless you succeed in a CHA+WILL(3) Test, you cannot make an attack that incapacitates your target. This is canceled if you take Physical damage.
Karma Balance: 25
Skills: 28/2
Active:
(R5 Skill) Counterspelling 6
(R5 Skill) Spellcasting 6
Assensing 4
Astral Combat 3
Sneaking 3
Perception 3
Con 3
Palming 3
Unarmed Combat 2
Pistols 2
Pilot Groundcraft 1
Survival 1 (Urban +2)
Conjuring Skill Group 2
--Banishing
--Binding
--Summoning
Knowledge/Language:
2x(Intuition+Logic) = 14 free skill points
English N
Russian 4
Or'zet 2
Latin 1
Holotrids 2 (Rom-Coms +2) (interests)
Fashion 2
Drug Dealers (street) 1
Street Gang Identification (street) 1
Karma Balance: 25
Resources: $50,000
-Force 5 Magical Lodge (2500)
-Streetline Special Hold-Out Pistol (120) with concealable holster (-1 conceal) (150) 1 extra clip (5), 60 rounds (120) = 395
-Ares Predator V (725) with concealable holster (-1 conceal) (150), silencer (500), 2 extra clips (10) 180 rounds (360) = 1745
-Lined Coat (900) Armor 9 (-2 conceal), R6 fire resistance (1500) = 2400
-Renraku Sensei (1000) - DR3 Comlink
-R3 Fake SIN (7500)
-R3 Fake License: Ares Predator, Concealed Carry (600)= 1200
-R1 Fake SIN (2500)
-R2 Fake SIN (5000)
-R2 Fake License: Ares Predator, Concealed Carry, Streetline, Concealed Carry, Spellcasting, Combat Spell: Knockout, Combat Spell: Fireball (400) = 2800
-Sunglasses Capacity 4 (400)
--Image Link (25)
--Smartlink (2000)
--Thermographic vision (500)
--Low light vision (500)
-Basic DocWagon Contract: 1 year (5000)
-25 drams of Reagents (500)
-Lifestyle: 3 months low (2000+20%) = 7200
-Yamaha Growler (5000)
-20 doses of Zen (100)
Starting Nuyen: 1735 remaining + (3d6*60)
R3 Fake SIN/License Identity: Chelsea Grahm
The 'primary' fake ID, Zen uses this for all her legitimate needs: rent, groceries, etc. No mention of magic, and whenever possible she hides her magical nature from anyone associated with this ID. Occasionally works as a waitress when she needs to cover rent (or score a fix).
R2 Fake SIN/License Identity: Brooke Thompson
Zen's Shadowrunning ID. Identifies her as a combat mage.
R1 Fake SIN: Henry Shaw
One time use burner, only good for ultra-illegal activities or to blend into a crowd.
Spells: (10 free) + 2 (-10 karma)
Chaos, Chaotic World, Improved Invisibility, Armor, Stealth, Levitate, Mana Barrier, Physical Barrier, Knockout, Fireball, Powerbolt, Manabolt
Karma Balance: 15
Contacts:
3(Charisma) = 12 free points of contact (Conn/Loyal)
Reggie "Grey Bear" Rivers (Talismonger) 1/1 (-2 karma)
Solomon Reynolds (Fixer) 3/2 (-5 karma)
Veronika "Bepo" Volynski (Amateur Hacker, Younger sister) 1/4 (-5 karma)
"Jace" (Drug Dealer) 1/1 (-2 karma)
"One Eye'd Walter" Street Doc 1/1 (-2 karma)
Karma Balance: 11
Other
Bound Spirits:
R6 Spirit Water Spirit- 3 Services (2 Optional Powers: Weather Control, Binding) (-3 karma)
R6 Spirit Air Spirit- 2 Services (2 Optional Powers: Fear, Psychokinesis) (-2 karma)
Karma Balance: 6
Foci
R1 Power Focus (-6 karma)
Karma Balance: 0
Final Calculations:
Initiative: 7+1D6
Astral Initiative: 8+2d6
Inherent Limits:
Mental: 6
Physical: 4
Social: 7
Condition Monitor Boxes:
Physical: 10
Stun: 11
Overflow: 3
edit: changed spells. you may now commence trembling. will update with a cool writing sample soon
edit 2: added a sweet story sample.
Here's a thought from an admitted number-cruncher for anyone designing a magician: check out the Combat Sense spell and compare it to the Armor spell. They're both sustained and they're both used to mitigate incoming damage, but Combat Sense gives you dice to roll on the combat defense step (the step where you have a chance to avoid an attack entirely) while Armor adds dice for damage resistance (after you've already been hit!). Combat Sense is hiding out in the Detection spells section and it's easy to miss how useful it is.
I only ask because Kaspar practices a really foreign shamanic tradition, which means he still hasn't really been formally introduced to any of the local spirits. Nor does he have a lodge established yet, being completely broke.
p98.
Anyone who wants to use Zen as a connection is welcome to. I plan on coming up with some connections within the group once it gets chosen, so dont set things in stone yet, but willing to work it out.
Human: 1 Body, 6 Agi, 5 Rea, 2 Str, 3 Wil, 2 Log, 5 Int, 4 Cha, 5 Edg: 20 points
2 Body, 3 Logic: 25 Karma
Aptitude 14 (7 max for one skill)
Natural Athlete 10 (+2 Run/Gym)
Corporate SIN (25)
Pistols (Semiautomatics) 7(+2)
Sneaking (Urban) 4
Palming 3
Gymnastics 4
Running 3
Swimming 2
Computer 2
First Aid 4
Medicine 4
Tracking 4
Disguise 4
Perception 5
Influence 3
Acting 4
Mechanics 3
English N
Mandarin 2
Knowledge: Corporate Politics 4
Knowledge: Corporate Security 4
Knowledge: Organized Crime 2
Knowledge: fantasy sims 1
Knowledge: reality TV 1
Ares Predator 725
Laser sight 125
Armor jacket 12 1000
Sony Emperor 200
Glasses 400
Smartlink 2000
Gold Docwagon 25000
Middle Lifestyle (6 mos) 30000
Smartgun system 200
SIN Jenna McNamara
hmm.. that is a cool spell, but I think I'm happy with Armor