In Neptune's Realm - Chargen and Recruitment, Cyberpirates: create characters here! Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Switch to: Outline Switch to: Standard Linear+

[Penta]

Okay, some chargen guidelines for this campaign.

Generally

You'll note I've brought up a few of these issues before. Some are new-ish, basically they came to me in the shower.

For ease of use, I greatly prefer the default BP system. 400-420 BP. (Essentially, you have 400 BP - below that, I'll stare at you for not spending the full allotment. After 400 BP, you get 20 BP of slack - where, if you need the BP for your character concept, you can have it. In short, I won't squawk about the amount of BP spent so long as it falls within that window.)

I would be willing to allow the karmagen system, as amended by SR4A's changes to karma, but have no idea how to figure out a similar value.

Anyhow, I look much more at what comes out than how it is arrived at, so far as sheets go.

Whichever method you use, please use DamienKnight's XLS chargen or some other automatic chargen system. You *can* do it by hand, but it makes life tons easier on all of us if I can just glance at the sheet and know the math's been done automatically.

So far as Metatypes go: I'm going to look very carefully at trolls and dwarves. Humans, Orks, and Elves are much better sized for this campaign.

Technomancers: I waffled over this one. I want to allow them, but don't see how I can mesh it with my view of what a satlink is. To be clearer: The way I view a Satlink, it's a hard-line option. It connects the central node of a ship's computer systems to a satellite uplink - said systems are generally not wireless. Meaning there's no wifi mesh for the TM, and they'd (depdning on who you talk to) be constantly edgy or possibly even curled up in a ball. Not really a good situation.

Additionally:

The group is getting a 500k nuyen no-interest loan from your employer. This will pay for the ship, any modifications to it, and any other gear you may desire to have owned in common. You don't have to spend it all, but you'll be paying back 500k in any case. Anything over 500k to the common account? Gets tacked on to your loan.

Lifestyles will play a funky role here. While you're on the ship, you'll live at basically a middle lifestyle - however, you don't need to put that down on the sheet. Lifetsyle here would describe your lifestyle "back home". You can choose to not buy one and just live on the ship, in which case you use 2d6 x 100 to determine starting nuyen.

I strongly recommend determining roles - we used a system in Blood in the Water that worked admirably, but could use some simplification. I'll work on it, and post what I come up with as suggestions in another post.

I'm almost certain I've left stuff out - bring it up if there is.

Oh, there is:

Master

Every ship must have a master. Someone legally responsible for the ship to the world's coast guards, navies, port authorities, etc. This is not necessarily the commander, though it can be and often is.

The Master's License has specific requirements:

SIN (Real, or a fake of at least rating 4)

Skills:

Maritime Law 2
Pilot Water Craft 2
English at least 4
Swimming 2
Navigation 3

Required skills for all characters

Swimming should be at least 1 - if you want to use a Skill Group to get swimming, that's fine. But not being able to swim is a no-go. This is a nautical campaign, not knowing how to swim is...stupid.

Nautical Mechanic at least 1 - When the ship gets broken, everybody's gotta pitch in to fix it.

Everybody gets a free common contact of Kevin Roberts, a fixer. Loyalty 2, Connections 4.

Thoughts on Runners Companion Stuff:

1. You all get the Common Sense quality for free, no need to even mention it on your sheet. I would be doing that anyway, I'm a sucker for such things.

2. The Erased quality is incompatible with being the Master of the ship - almost by definition, since you need a SIN.

3. Nobody may take the Born Rich, Made Man, Print Removal, or Day Job qualities...Illiterate or Mental Handicap is also a poor idea to say the least.

Essentially, try to think ahead when picking qualities - you've already been cleared by your employer for sea duty - this tends to preclude various qualities.

4. As stated above, no Drakes, Infected, or Shapeshifters. SURGE will require really good writing to get over the cheese factor of many of the effects. Metavariants I will look at more closely than their "base", given their rarity.

5. I'll allow advanced contacts - advanced lifestyles, though, are not applicable to this campaign.

About the Records on File flaw:

Records on File, to me, does not necessarily mean you have derogatory records against you on file. It means that at some point, your real identity went through a security clearance investigation (including the required investigation to enter virtually any first-world military), some kind of reasonably-thorough background check, etc. It also includes, say, service jackets.

I really see this applying if you're formerly attached to a military, particularly if you're formerly-attached to any variety of special operations force (or have been an officer or officer-candidate); They keep tabs on you in a general sense, so they know where to send notices in case of recall (which usually means wartime, to be honest).

I make a note of who the records would be held by. Especially after the Crash of 2029, I don't see records being kept solely in digital form. Governments, militaries in particular, are too conservative for otherwise to be true (and for the CAS and UCAS (taking a leaf from their predecessor states), records storage is governed by extensive regulations basically mandating that the truly important digital files also get kept on paper where it is at all possible, or in copies in off-Matrix storage where it isn't. (This is based on RL government recordkeeping practices, which are scary in their detail and redundancy when applied properly.)).

Fret not: They are unlikely to share their records to any great degree. To pry a service record from the military for example, even a DD214, without the consent of the person being recorded is hard even when you're on the same team. Lord help you if you're another country (or a corp).
---

That said, before we begin chargen, I'm also looking to find an AGM, precisely to cover for any weaknesses I may display in my rules-handling. The AGM is totally allowed (and encouraged) to have a PC - I'll hash out the specifics with the specific person after I pick them, then let everybody else know where the dividing line is, but generally I see the AGM as helping me figure out the crunch, so I can focus on the story.

PM me to inquire.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
---

Also, some basic processes for how chargen will work.

When you're done with your background and sheet (or at least one of the two), PM me. If by chance you're new and can't PM, post. I'll then PM my email address (since there's really no other way to easily send a file that I know of), and you can email the sheet (or the background, or both). We'll then begin the process, really a negotiation, of the sheet and the background until we're both happy to it. (I admit it: I'm a perfectionist, and rare is the packet that goes without some comment from me on how it could be made better. It can happen, but rarely does. I promise, I try to make it a constructive experience - more suggestions on how to do what you want better, only occasionally do I look at a sheet or background and go "this can't work at all".) After we're both satisfied, I'll ask you to post the sheet and bio to the chargen thread, just to get commentary on everything from the other players. I've found it invaluable in catching flaws in the sheet or bio, and like to encourage open, constructive critiques.

I'd first like everybody to nail down their role in the crew and their basic concept, though, then start working on the sheet and bio.

---

For the record, I haven't settled on the exact starting date of the campaign. (I need to figure out when the heck the canon timeline is at, first) My instinct is to set it at the end of 2072 or the first months of 2073. For Chargen purposes, let's say the start date is 1 October, 2072.

[fazzamar]

My idea for a character is either an orc or human mage with a criminal background (more detail will be in the bio ofcourse) on the run and he figures working on a boat as a privateer/pirate is a good place to hide. His spell repertoire will probably include a mix of combat, stealth (not as useful in this campaign I know, but such is a background), utility spells.

[Penta]

Okay, shipboard roles that need filling, for reference.

Roles your employer approves:

CO: Commanding Officer. Responsible to the employer for everything that happens aboard ship. Master/Mistress-After-God of the vessel, known as "Captain" when aboard, regardless of their substantive rank (if any). Has power for discipline. Need not be the actual Master of the vessel, but that is common.

XO: The XO is typically responsible for the management of day-to-day activities, such as maintenance and logistics, freeing the unit commander to concentrate on tactical planning and execution. The XO also takes charge in the absence of the CO. OOCly will act as face and similar for the crew. You report to the employer with the CO as a team.

Purser: The accountant. In this campaign, I don't see this involving more than very basic double-entry bookkeeping ICly; making sure to record all money coming in from any source, and all money going out to anyone, for the various accounts you'll be dealing with. ICly, you don't need anything more than basic math skills and a head for details - any common accounting software (provided with the ship) will do the rest, essentially acting as an Accounting autosoft at level 3. Need not be the OOC Purser, the person who coordinates with me on the financials of the campaign (basically making sure the money math is right). (It would be nice if they were the same person! But I won't require it.) Also, ICly personally responsible for making sure the employer gets its share of the profits. Do not expect most of the IC responsibilities to come up everyday in the campaign - really, this position is so that ICly, *someone* is handling the money.

Those roles are approved by the employer, but can ICly be elected from amongst the crew. Indeed, your employer prefers that.

Otherwise:

The other positions mentioned. I'm ripping these descriptions, to an extent, off what I figure might work best in a mishmash of naval and merchant positions, plus adding positions to fit the sixth world. I may overspecify...Actually, I probably will. If you think I am, say so, and say how you'd reorganize it. One person can hold multiple posts, no more than 3. CO and XO count as a post - Purser does not, purser is just a duty on top of your other duties.

Engineering Officer: Responsible for the maintenance of the ship and all subcrafts, including drones. Mr. Fixit. Scotty.

Gunnery Officer: Operates shipboard armaments, assists in the planning and executiojn of boarding actions.

Marine CO: Leads boarding assaults, plans for defense against boarders. (I could easily see this being combined.)

Thaumaturgical Officer: Handles magical matters.

Intelligence Officer: Responsible for the collection, analysis, and presentation of intelligence. In this campaign, Intel is Everybody's Job, but this officer actually sets out what to look for every so often, passes intel on to higher headquarters, and does analysis for the Captain. (Easily combinable. I don't see an Intel Analysis skill, but that's fine - this should be mostly RP anyway.)

Quartermaster: Responsible for fuel, provision, ammo supply, etc. The Supplies guy. Responsible OOCly for keeping track of usage consistent with formulas for water and fuel that I'll post, because if I have to you're going to experience random supply losses when I forget to decrement for a while.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Medical Officer: Ship's surgeon. This position is responsible for the health, well-being, sanitation, and hygiene of the crew.

Navigation Officer: Responsible for charts (mostly electronic these days, though the ship is equipped with a full set of paper and electronic charts), finding the position of the vessel (including through methods other than GPS, if the GPS breaks or is degraded), and setting up the "float plan" (like a flight plan, but floating!:)) for the day's movements.

Communications Officer: Responsible for encryption, decryption, hacking, and generally handling the comms of the ship, along with electronic warfare.

[fazzamar]

With my current character concept I'll definately cover the Thaumaturgical Officer... and if I need to cover another role that requires specific skills (i.e. Medical Officer:Biotech/Surgery/etc | Gunnery Officer: shoot lots of guns skills | Navigation: Electronics/Computer/etc) I can adjust my character to do so...

[toturi]

I would like to know how is Distinctive Style going work in the game. If someone was to try to disguise himself, is he going to still suck that penalty? For example, variant metatypes have Distinctive Style, would a Fomori disguising himself as a vanilla Troll still stand out? I am just looking for a ruling here, I don't really care why as long as it is consistent.

I got 2 ideas -

1) Fillipino human sailor, he is shorter than average, thin and skinny, but given that he was raised in the wilds/Manila's slums (haven't decided) and still alive, he is also tough. Hopping onto a ship working as a deckhand was his ticket out of poverty. Probably some kind of adept.

2) A Nepalese Haruman. Like many of his countrymen, he was recruited as a mercenary to serve in one of many Gurkha forces around the globe. Also adept.

I am going to need more information to work with before I can write the rest of their stories, but key among these is where is the campaign going to start?

[Digital Heroin]

Given there is already other interest in the mojo side of things, and an adept concept floated out there, I'll forgo my nightmarish possession tradition Mystical Adept with Zobop ties.

My other concept, the ex-Navy type, would work in the few roles. He could be Engineering or Marine, given he's a Marine Systems Engineer (Stoker) with Boarding Party time in. A very Canadian type, notably, as that's how our boys operate... they've got a trade to do, but when boardings go down, they kit up. Also, the military life would lend legitimacy... so he could fit the Master's bill.

As an alternate to the very navy structured crew, we could go without a formal CO/XO, et al structure, and simply have a master for the ship who would fit the bill on paper, and have it democratic otherwise... or as democratic as a disparate band of pirate scum can manage, eh.

Sadly, there isn't much in the way of craft available in the books, and the really juicy stuff (the miltech patroller, say) is just too expensive. We might want to consider going Somalian pirate style, pick up a small craft or two to increase our profile, have them fish until a good target comes along, and then close in and harass until a boarding team can get onto the ship...

...mind you that's the stuff we were seeing out on the waters now, in 2072, with extraterritoriality and all, it makes sense the targets would be better equipped to fight, and more willing.

Also: props for defining the requirements for a Master's License in terms of actual skill.

[Xahn Borealis]

I like the sound of some of the submarine vehicles from Arsenal, like the Lamprey and the Drone Sub, would any underwater operations be useful/needed/have any point in existing? Also, just to make sure, AIs or free spirits? Unlikely but you never know. I'd like to submit a mundane dwarf rigger, if that would be acceptable. Sheet later in the day, bio sometime in the work, I believe.

Also, I think the point of the satlink, Penta, was that it would be a hardline which was then set up for wireless within the ship mesh. So Technomancers would have a bit less of the buzz that they love, but it would still be there.

[remmus]

I was planing on a typical shoot first, asks few questions cybered Orc and so he be right up the alley of Marine CO.

[Grinder]

Is there still a spot left?

[Penta]

Grinder: Yes. I can handle up to 10 people, 12 if I have an AGM.

Toturi: My gut says either the UCAS or Miami for the "where". Distinctive Style still applies as RAW.

[Penta]

Also: props for defining the requirements for a Master's License in terms of actual skill.

I accept your props - and thank you for forgoing possession trad characters. I have never, ever figured out how to balance those.

So far as military characters:

I see the UCAS military as mostly being American in how it does things - any Canadian influence is muted.

[Ol' Scratch]

I'm a bit confused about the premise. It seems to suggest that it's a Cyberpirates! type of game (which is kind of over-the-top in characters and description, complete with cyber peglegs and robot parrots), but the requirements and whatnot sound more like a dry Navy sailors-turned-privateers battling Somali pirates kind of deal.

Hmm, that sounds more acerbic in tone than I intended (ooh, shocking). I'm just trying to understand what you're after is all. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Penta]

I like the sound of some of the submarine vehicles from Arsenal, like the Lamprey and the Drone Sub, would any underwater operations be useful/needed/have any point in existing? Also, just to make sure, AIs or free spirits? Unlikely but you never know. I'd like to submit a mundane dwarf rigger, if that would be acceptable. Sheet later in the day, bio sometime in the work, I believe.

Also, I think the point of the satlink, Penta, was that it would be a hardline which was then set up for wireless within the ship mesh. So Technomancers would have a bit less of the buzz that they love, but it would still be there.

I'll consider your point re the satlink. It certainly sounds plausible.

I'm going to point to my chargen guidelines re the character - I remain skeptical that a dwarf or troll would really fit aboard most ships.

[Penta]

I'm a bit confused about the premise. It seems to suggest that it's a Cyberpirates! type of game (which is kind of over-the-top in characters and description, complete with cyber peglegs and robot parrots), but the requirements and whatnot sound more like a dry Navy sailors-turned-privateers battling Somali pirates kind of deal.

Hmm, that sounds more acerbic in tone than I intended (ooh, shocking). I'm just trying to understand what you're after is all. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

It's a mix. I will admit that I'm heavily mixing the stock cyberpirates campaign with technothrillers and the like.

Okay, background info as you make your characters. I will admit that the spotting of that clause in the Constitution produced a tiny bit of nerdjoy as I saw the possibilities for Shadowrun.

Unknown to the characters

The Congress shall have power: ... To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations; To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water; ... - Article I, Section 8, US Constitution

As stated in numerous parts of the SR canon, the UCAS Constitution is basically a copy and paste of the US Constitution, with deadwood such as the 18th and 21st amendments removed, and the electoral college replaced by direct popular voting.

However, Article I contains an interesting thing. One nobody noticed when they were doing that cut-and-paste job, which really was rushed.

Letters of Marque and Reprisal. The commission of privateers, private ships armed and outfitted by private parties, and given a commission by a government to make war upon specified targets.

Nominally, they need to be issued by Congress. In 1856, most countries then existing ratified the Declaration of Paris abolishing the things...But the US, because its Navy was tiny at the time, never did. (Though it did say, during the American Civil War and Spanish-American War, that it would abide by it, the US never became a party.) As the UCAS formally succeeds from the USA, not Canada, this still holds true.

Well, by 2072, the UCAS Navy, while powerful, can't do some things without either engaging in an act of war, precipitating an international incident, or causing severe political heartburn.

So it, like everybody else, outsources. Unlike previous efforts in history, this one actually has Congressional approval, through the intelligence subcommittees. (The line item for it in the budget is in a classified annex, obviously - tucked away in the oddest places, too.)

Known to the characters

The starting city: TBD The starting date: 1 October 2072

The parameters:

You'll have been brought together as runners only days before, on the 27th September. Your fixer (you've worked with him for about a year now) offers you some...interesting terms. Apparently, you were cleared by the Johnson previously, so he lays it out:

You'll essentially be acting as modern day privateers. From time to time, through secure channels, they will designate missions for you to perform. A pay rate will be noted. Your accepting now will be deemed your acceptance for later. Also, if you come across things - maybe you see or hear things, or acquire things, or so forth - that may be of intelligence value to them, you are to report them through channels which will be provided. Based upon the value and coroborration behind the intelligence you submit, you will be paid a minimum of two thousand nuyen per report. That number can, by the way, go up, the fixer notes.

Otherwise, you're privateers. Whatever captures you make that they didn't tell you to make are yours to do with as you wish. No slave raids, however, will be permitted, even if you aren't working on things for them at the time.

In exchange for all of this, you'll get an initial budget from which to acquire and outfit a ship and to otherwise equip yourself. This will be a loan, but no interest will be imposed and no set term for payoff - just realize that you won't actually see money from this employer until you -do- pay it off, either in money or in information (or services) of value.
---

[Penta]

I just posted something up to the "Johnson Memorial Career Center". Maybe it'll draw people here.

Some further chargen stuff that just came to mind:

Availability: Capped per SR4A for characters only. Stuff gotten with the loan (which we'll deal with after the initial characters are created) will work off different rules.

Initiation: Whether Karmagen or BP, no initiations in chargen. Rationale: Initiation is, or at least should be if we do it right, ripe territory for RP, especially the first initiation. I am someone far more focused on roleplay than stats and crunch, and so avoiding the rich possibilities initiation offers to explore the character is, to me, kind of insane.

Some non-chargen broader thoughts:

I'll outline my play style here and now. I can sense a bit that I should have done this already, and I apologize for not doing so.

I don't mind shootfests and stuff, but my emphasis for this campaign will genereally be subtlety and stealth on the part of the players. The way I see it, your employers have a Navy. When they need to just blow shit up on the water, they can have their Navy do that, generally speaking.

Any "cyberprivateers", regardless of employer, are almost certainly going to be intended for intelligence gathering, commerce raiding, and the like. Not nose to nose combat. Sure, you can potentially be a warfighting asset, but I doubt that'd be why you get recruited. There are, quite simply, better ways to do that.
---

I seem to recall that one of the books (I forget which one) states that by the 2070s, there are freighters which are in fact unmanned.

The way I see it: That's not completely insane - SR tech can do that, certainly - but I would question it's commonality outside of: A. Very low value cargoes; B. Very short-haul movements. The "rules of the road" for the sea, which would really frown on that, are one thing to consider. The second is the fact that while the ocean is very big, there are certain sealanes all traffic sails, even out in the middle of the Atlantic or Pacific. Only the most modern ships are going to have the possibility of going totally unmanned. I would wager that that's only really been a possibility since about 2069. Simply put, most ships are too old to do that - 99% of ships, I'd figure. Hence, even in the ships which can do it, you can't...Because there's too much risk of insanity if you put manned and unmanned ships on the same 2D patch of water. Maritime insurers (like Lloyd's, for example) would never allow it.

What this means? Most ships need crew. Those ships that don't? Are not likely to carry high-value cargoes anyway, or sail anything but the shortest routes. You would be unlikely to get insurance coverage for anything more.

Which, to this GM's mind, is a good thing - uncrewed ships would be boring.

[Dumori]

I'm wanting to play a gunnery officer seeing as full rigger is taken. Think sam/rigger I'll need a word on how you'd let wildcard-Nantes work(can I have more than one coloenie at a time even if to do so mean programming my first group to make another and 3 weeks of game time b4 I can use it.). I'll take this to PM or another form of electronic communication if you want. As for karma gen 750 karma as per RAW again using the full RAW rules all races free ect again will take this to PM and such?

[Penta]

I can't rule re wildcard nanites before I find the rules for em, and they're not where I'd think to look, in the nano section of Augmentation. Book and page please?

[Dumori]

Qualities section of Aug. 30BP quality let you have rating 3 Nantes you can reprogram to anything.

[Penta]

Thanks. I'm disinclined to allow the quality - it seems unlikely you'd be able to just run off with an experimental system in your body.

That said, were I to allow it, I'd rule you could only have *one* colony of said nanites.

[Dumori]

Thats bummer it makes them rediculally over priced. As universal Universal Nantidotes at 9 can do almost every thing better. Seeing as the min rating reprogramming would give them is 5 and they cost 9 BP

[Penta]

Not every quality is going to fit in every campaign. I don't know what else to say. So far as my ruling of "You get one colony", that's based off of a very quick read-through of the nanotech section.

To be quite honest, nanotech seems new enough that I'm not sure how common it should be in the shadows. It would take time for genetech, nanotech, etc. to become even a "not-rare" sight in the shadows, much like how bioware didn't really become regularly seen until 2060 or so, from it's intro about 2055.

[GrimWulf]

Well, seems the character I have in mind seems to fit the Master's role, but I don't see him as much of a commander. (No movie for me) Mostly a skills character, (ran out of BP after skills and attributes) just needs some tweaking. Speaks I think, 8 languages, not all fluently though.

[Xahn Borealis]

Quick question, as well as Free Spirits and AIs, what about Sapient Critters? Also, I can see how Trolls would have difficulty on ships but why dwarfs? Just checking, any submersible vehicles allowed?

[Penta]

Free spirits, AIs - No and no. They're a little too epic for my tastes. Sapient critters - I'm going to say no, but reserve the right to change my mind after re-reading Running Wild.

Submersible vehicles - Not a no, but a "Not at start". I'd like to keep things (relatively) simple at start - submersibles force me to work in 3D, something that would be hard for me to do at start.

[GrimWulf]

Sapient dolphin with bio/cyberware? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)