[X] My Assistant

[Aria]

I didn't realize they were so limited, or I would have done it myself.

Galen

I asked the question in the forum and Neraph posted a link to his thoughts on the subject <<here>>

I suggest that you edit your post a tad - you can either do it yourself or you can retroactively buy a drone with EW autosoft (and possibly adaptability too!) - you should have enough cash for that with your current earnings which I make 12x 2500 nuyen!

Not sure I'll get any IC done today - will try to get some up before the weekend though...then again I think we are waiting for Seth and Alyena to make their presence known, and Alyena has your escape route sorted (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Notsoevildm]

Summon F3 Beast spirit: 6d6.hits(5)=1
Spirit resists = 3d6.hits(5)=1 - no services, Snake is not cooperating.
Resist 2S drain = Willpower 5 + Charisma 3 = 8d6.hits(5)=1 - minor headache. Snake is definitely not cooperating!

[galenbd]

I edited my post so Jamie is doing the Electronic Warfare roll. My roll was much better than Yokinko's

5 successes

[Alyena]

Doza will switch targets, from the unarmed drone taking pictures, to the new and heavily armed one that's turning the scenery into scrap metal.
Will start with a short narrow burst, partly to test its dodge.

2 successes invisible castle is not my friend atm.

So shoot it again!

3 successes I am not a happy gun bunny (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[Seth]

@Xarin
Your case was strong, but I am a mini-maxer extraordinaire (or so my friends tell me) and pixies are a mini-maxers wet dream. They are better at nearly ever character concept I can think of (face, martial artist, melee weapon specialist, gun bunny, spell slinger, spirit wrangler, rigger...) other than "tank" than any other race, and actually they are not bad at "dodge tank". Concealment, uber mental stats, uber physical stats, flight and stealth to die for. Body is unimportant for many character concepts (including rigger).

You are however correct that you have picked a character concept that minimises the benefits of the pixie. I'll reduce the amount of cash you are worth by 10 fold, so you still have to worry about gangers and poor people, but not corporates / most runners / wage slaves. As most of your interactions are via the matrix this shouldn't be too much of an issue. This disadvantage by the way removes any issues I have over Pixies being overpowered, and I will do my best to provide Pixie suitable content in the stories.

@Aria
I feel for your work load!

@Aria/Jotamon
OK I will fall to the floor to hide from the drone. Then I'm moving to Scanning for the drone, followed by some Hacking.

Oh yes read them and weep:
IP 1:
First EW + scan 6 successes, Second is 7 successes. I think the first is good enough to detect the node. Alyena is grumbling over my shoulder as she has just rolled Doza's to hits and Alyena's counterspells. Around 60 die and less than 11 successes....she is accusing me of stealing her luck.

I want to spoof it that the black van is the target, and not us! That sounds like a nice single action.
IP 2 and 3. So I'm again not quite sure how to do this: page 236 of SR4a looks relevant. I think its opposed between my roll and twice the device rating. Glad you are GMing it Aria and not me. Spoof rolls: 5 and 4 successes

[Seth]

@Copperhead/Ember/Demon
Nice posts.
I'll post an IC arriving at the Drunken Drone tomorrow, unless you want to describe going in first. Think Transport Cafe meets Radio Shack/Maplins meets giant junk yard.

[JxJxA]

Thanks, Seth! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm really enjoying this game and all of the writing from you, Aria and Notsoevildm. This particular group of runners has a lot of personality in it, which makes the writing a ton of fun. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[Xarin]

You are however correct that you have picked a character concept that minimises the benefits of the pixie. I'll reduce the amount of cash you are worth by 10 fold, so you still have to worry about gangers and poor people, but not corporates / most runners / wage slaves. As most of your interactions are via the matrix this shouldn't be too much of an issue. This disadvantage by the way removes any issues I have over Pixies being overpowered, and I will do my best to provide Pixie suitable content in the stories.

Yeah, that sounds fun at that range. Heck even if the price tag isn't true, the rumor of it could get some desperate street thugs flashing nuyen-signs in thier eyes if they saw a real pixie. Likewise if they see a drone they think they can nab. And low enough to not tempt the otherwise (relatively) upstanding neighbors in Tarislar to mess with thier local mechanic.

I'm putting in some last stat tweaks and working on the background questions at the moment. I kinda got distracted a bit when amazon got the entire Empowered series on my doorstep yesterday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[Aria]

Seth & Galen: Spoof requires a valid access ID which I don't think you have?!?

[galenbd]

Seth & Galen: Spoof requires a valid access ID which I don't think you have?!?

I agree. I need to detect the node, then track it back to source to get access ID. Then I can spoof. I can turn the trace over to Yokinko while I figure out where to run.

[Xarin]

Character sheet for Pixel:

[ Spoiler ]

"Pixel"
Elyssia Forsythine
Female Pixie Tech Adept
400 BP
12 karma / 10 spent
Current Cash: 7,130

Current Subscriptions [max 12]: (2 free use for "this node here")
Demon, Ember, Copperhead, Dealer
Alpha, Eddie, Beanie, Marvin

Current Software Loadout: (6 ergo, 5 normal)
(Analyze, Scan, Command, Browse, ECCM, Encrypt)
Stealth, Exploit, Spoof, TacSoft, Sniffer

Metatype: Pixie [35 BP]
[20, remove Uneducated]

== Attributes [180 BP] ==
Body 2 [10]
Agility 4 [10]
Reaction 4(6) [10]
Strength 1 [0]
Charisma 4 [10]
Intuition 4 [20]
Logic 5 [30]
Willpower 7 [40]

Essence 6.0
Edge 2 [10 BP]
Magic 5 [40 BP]
Initiative 10 (3 IP)

Phys Track: 9 boxes
Stun Track: 12 boxes

== Special Qualities ==
Concealment (self only, -[Magic] dice pool to percieve Pixel)
Enhances Senses (Astral Perception)
Sapience
Vanishing

== Qualities [-5 BP] ==
5 Adept
10 Artisan's Way adept (-25% cost: Improve Tech / vehicle skills, Improved Initiative)
5 Restricted Gear (Response 6)
10 Code Slinger (Command Device, +2 to all)
0 Distinctive Style (Pixie)
-5 Media Junkie (Mild)
-15 Sensitive System
-5 Compulsion (Sweet Tooth, especially cupcakes)
-10 Day Job (20 hrs / week, running mechanic shop)

== Adept Powers (5 PP, Way discount included) ==
0.25 Sustenance (1/3rd eat / drink / sleep / relief requirement)
0.25 Analytics 1
0.75 Improved Ability (Hacking) 3
0.5 Improved Ability (Computer) 2
0.5 Improved Ability (Data Search) 2
0.5 Improved Ability (Hardware) 2
0.5 Improved Ability (Software) 2
0.25 Improved Ability (Electronic Warefare) 1
0.5 Improved Ability (Gunnery) 2
2.5 Improved Initiative 2

== Contacts [10 BP, 8 free] ==
Warezhouse 24, virtual group contact (Conn 3/9, Loy 3) [12]
Argent - female elf fixer (Conn 3, Loy 3) [6]

== Active Skills [110 BP] ==
4/6 Electronics Skill Group [40]
Computer, Data Search, Hardware, Software
1 Mechanic Skill Group [10]
Aeronautics, Automotive, Industrial, Nautical
6/9 Hacking [24]
2/3 Electronic Warfare [8]
1 Armorer [4]
1(+2) Infiltration (Urban) [4] (2 karma)
1 Perception [4]
4/6 Gunnery [16]
1 Pilot Aircraft (4 karma)
1 Pilot Anthroform (4 karma)

== Knowledge Skills [0 BP, 27 free] ==
1 Old Flat-vid movies [2]
1 Classic Manga [2]
2 Engineering [4]
1 Famous Hackers [2]
2 Sweets and Treats [4]
1 Pixie enclaves [2]
1 Sapient critters of the 6th world [2]
- Language -
N English
1(+2) French (Speaking) [3]
1(+2) Sperethiel (Speaking) [3]
1(+2) Or'Zet (Speaking) [3]

== Gear [50 BP, 250,000 spent] ==
- Commlink - [20,500]
Custom commlink (Res 6, Sig 5) --
Response Upgrade 6 8,000
Signal Upgrade 5 1,000
*Hardening mod, rat 6 300
*Optimization: Command (+1 all tests) 500
*Armor, rat 10 (10/10) 500
*Biometric Lock 150
Customized OS (Firewall 6, System 6) --
Firewall 6 3,000
System 6 3,000
AR Gloves 250
Nanopaste Trodes 100
Satellite Link 500
Sim Module (hot sim) 1,000
Holo Projector 200
Fake SIN, rating 2 2,000

- Software - [88,600]
% Common Use %
(6) Purge 600
*Ergonomic 300
*Optimization 3 300
*Viral Resistance 6 600
(6) Command 600
*Ergonomic 300
*Optimization 1 100
6 Edit 600
*Optimization 1 100
(6) Browse 600
*Ergonomic 300
*Optimization 1 100
(6) Scan 600
*Ergonomic 300
*Optimization 3 300
(6) Encrypt 600
*Ergonomic 300
*Optimization 3 300
(6) Analyze 600
*Ergonomic 300
*Optimization 3 300
*Viral Resistance 6 600
5 Programming Suit 5,000
2 Tacsoft 6,000

% Hacking %
3 Armor 1,500
3 Attack 1,500
6 Biofeedback Filter 6,000
6 Decrypt 6,000
6 Defuse 6,000
(5) ECCM 5,000
*Ergonomic 300
6 Exploit 6,000
3 Medic 1,500
6 Sniffer 6,000
6 Spoof 6,000
6 Stealth 6,000
3 Track 1,500

% Agents/Pilots and Autosofts %
3 Agent 3,000
4 Targetting (Automatics) 4,000
*Optimization 2 200
4 Clearsight 4,000
*Optimization 2 200
4 Covert Ops 4,000
*Optimization 2 200
4 Electronic Warfare (crack) 400
*Optimization 2 20

- Drones & Vehicles - [88,480]

"Jeeves"
Renraku Manservant-3 (medium walker) 2,500
Hand: 0, Acc: 5/15, SPD: 15, Plt: 3, Bod: 3, Arm: 0, Sens: 2
*Personality soft (High Society Butler) 100
*Add Analyze, ECCM, Encrypt from library --
*Add Clearsight from library --
(2,600)

"Plum"
Bust-A-Move (mini walker) 350
Hand: 0, Acc: 3/10, SPD: 10, Plt: 2, Bod: 1, Arm: 0, Sens: 1
*Personality soft (Plucky dance girl) 100
*Add Encrypt, ECCM from library --
*Add Clearsight from library --
(450)

"Peach"
Bust-A-Move (mini walker) 350
Hand: 0, Acc: 3/10, SPD: 10, Plt: 2, Bod: 1, Arm: 0, Sens: 1
*Personality soft (Chirpy Secretary) 100
*Add Encrypt, ECCM from library --
*Add Clearsight from library --
(450)

"Marvin"
MCT-Nissan Rotodrone (medium flier) 2,000
Hand: 0, Acc: 10/25, SPD: 100, Plt: 3, Bod: 3, Arm: 2, Sens: 3
VTOL --
*Personality soft (Depressed genius) 100
*Sensor suite upgrades
*Camera rating 6 w/ low-light + thermo 800
*Microphone rating 6 300
*Motion Sensor 50
*Radio Scanner rating 6 300
*Response Upgrade to 4 (self-built) 1,000
*[1] Satellite Comms 500
*[1] Retrans unit (Signal 6) 4,000
*[1] Additional fuel tank 1,000
*Cover Ops and Clearsight from library --
*Add Analyze, ECCM, Encrypt from library --
*Add E-War, Scan from library --
(7,600)

"Eddie"
Ford LEBD-1 (medium flier) 4,500
Hand: 0, Acc: 5/20, SPD: 75, Plt: 3, Bod: 3, Arm: 6, Sens: 3
Mechnical Arm, VTOL, 2 handcuffs --
Weapon Mount: external, fixed, remote --
*Personality Soft (Stoic robot enforcer v2.09) 100
*Add Clearisght + Targetting from library --
*Add Analyze, ECCM, Encrypt from library --
*Upgrade camera with Low Light + Thermo 200
*Ares Alpha 1,700
w/ Airburst link 500
*Fill with regular ammo (50) 100
*Smoke Grenade x 6 180
(7,280)

"Alpha"
GM-Nissan Doberman (medium walker) 3,000
Hand: 0, Acc: 10/25, SPD: 75, Plt: 3, Bod: 3, Arm: 6, Sens: 3
Walker, External Fixed remote weapon mount --
Clearsight 3, Targetting (automatics) 3 --
*Personality soft (loyal talking guard dog) 100
*Upgrade camera w/ Low Light + Thermo 200
*upgrade autosofts from library --
*Add Analyze, ECCM, Encrypt from library --
*Add Ingram White Knight LMG 2,000
*Fill ammo bin to 250 regular ammo 500
(5,700)

"Pepe"
MCT Fly-Spy (mini flyier) 2,000
Hand: +1, Acc: 3/15, SPD: 15, Plt: 3, Bod: 1, Arm: 0, Sens: 2
VTOL --
Maneuverability 2 --
*Personality soft (Amorous french fellow) 100
*replace Maneuver with Covert Ops from library --
*Add Clearsight 4 from library --
*Add Analyze, ECCM, Encrypt from library --
*Camera, rating 6 300
w/ low-light + thermo 200
*Microphone, rating 6 300
*Radar Signal Scanner, rating 6 300
(3,200)

"Beanie"
GMC Hermes Van (wheeled delivery truck) 45,000
Hand: -1, Acc: 5/10, SPD: 100, Plt: 2, Bod: 17, Arm: 6, Sens: 2
Customization slots used / total [7, 17]
Small Landing Drone Rack x 2 --
*Personality soft (swaggering getaway driver) 100
*Add Clearsight 4 from library --
*Add Encrypt, ECCM from library --
*[0]Ammenities: Squatter (6 passengers) 100
*[1] Gridlink 750
*[1] Gridlink Override 2,000
*[1] Interior Cameras 1,700
*[1] Mechanical Grapple Arm 1,000
*[1] Rigger Adaptation 2,500
*[1] Satellite Comms 500
*[1] Vehicle Tag Eraser 4,250
*Morphin License plate 1,000
*Spoof chip 500
(59,400)

- Electronics - [150]
Tag Eraser 150

- Armory - [15,470]
Full Body From Fitting (6/2) 1,600
*Ruthenium Polymer coating 7,500
Thermal Damping rat 4 2,000
Non-Conductive 4 800
PPP obvious armor
Forearm guards (0/+1) 200
Shin Guards (0/+1) 150
Goggles, Rat 4 200
Low Light 100
Image Link 25
Thermographic 100
Flare Comp 50
Contacts, rat 1 50
Vision Enhancement 3 300
Earbuds, Rat 2 20
Hearing Enhancement 3 300
Spatial Recognizer 100
Respirator, Rat 6 150
Biomonitor (belt) 300
Regular assault rifle ammo x 100 200
Stick-n-Shock Assault Rifle ammo x 50 400
Regular machine gun ammo x 180 360
Thermal Smoke grenades x 5 175
Flashbang grenade x 6 180
Frag Grenade x 6 210

- Tools - [21,800]
Hardware Kit 500
Hardware Shop 5,000
Automotive Shop 5,000
Aeronautics Shop 5,000
Armorer Kit 500
Armorer Shop 5,000
Medkit, rat 6 600
Supplies x 4 200


-= Lifestyle, Advanced =- [15,000]
Point Total:20 (High, 10,000 per month, +50% for pixie = 15,000)

Description:
An older workshop / warehouse building in Tarislar. The neighborhood's been cleaned up by the tight-nit elven community. The building itself has been renovated and repaired, with a large work area on the ground floor for vehicles and drones, as well as a small lobby / front desk. The second floor features the electronics shop and a small studio-style apartment. Pixel's upgraded the security grid signifgantly since taking up residence and opened up shop as "Rally's Repairs". Most of her biz is just drone and vehicle repair for the local elves, including a few Ancients. Biz is conducted primarily through an anthromorph drone stationed at the front desk, though closer friends get to meet the pixie in person.

2 Comforts - Low
Some cheap, mostly-matching furniture, a comfy chair or two, some cheap AR wallspace programs, 1 cheap old household drone

3 Entertainment - Middle
Lots of MAtrix and trid channels, the odd night out or small vacation, a few pampering treatments

4 Necessities - High
Lots of space, sturdy building, 2-car garage, real food (drone-made), high-priced chocolates, good appliances, stylish clothing (mostly Evo-made)

3 Neighborhood - Middle
Quiet suburban neighborhood, small park area, safe, patrol drones & security contract, white-collar neighbors

4 Security - High (Device 4, Proffessional 4)
Excellent home security to deter all but most determined of thieves, superior locks and systems, solid firewall with patrolling IC, neighbors would call polices or help out

Qualities: (+4)
+5 Feng Shui (+3 to artisan & tech skills from home)
+1 Workspace
-2 Living by Committee (elven hood's community watch rules)

And SRC 20Qs:

[ Spoiler ]

1) What's your heritage?

Born into a smaller pixie village in northern England. She sports classic fairy flowing blonde hair and ice-blue eyes with what is, by now, just a light tan complexion (was a richer tan when she lived at home, but a few years in Seattle's low-sunlight have reduced her tan signifigantly).

She does have some extended family on her mother's side (2nd cousins, great aunt, etc) in France with the Korrigan alliance and spent several years there while growing up. Likewise a few in Scotland. As a result she has a broader world-view then many of her fellows, and an accent that's english with a french purr undertone and the odd quirk of scottish squeaking out (eh, boyos?). Which tends to mess with people's heads a bit, especially when spoken through the speakers of a toy drone in a cutesy voice.

Her stay in France in particular exposed her to metahuman society, catching her fancy with music players and other gizmos. She also developed quite a taste for the confections these big people made in such grand varieties.

2) What would your parents say about you?

Misguided. The old ways are the good ways that have preserved the clan since before the 4th world. Who is she to abandon them for the life of these oafish big people?

They don't understand her and look down on her for her choices, but they'd welcome her back with open arms if she ever decided to live by the clan's old ways. Until then, she's a bad influence on the rest of the younger pixies.

3) What historical events does your character remember?

The only recent event that was memorable for her is when France gave the Korrigan thier forrest, officially recognizing the fey as citizens. She thought about going back and applying for French citizenship, but just never really got around to it. And it's just sooo much boring red tape to wade through with obnoxious french beaurocrats...

4) How did you get into shadowrunning, and why?

Pixel's always had a little prankster streak (the trickster pixie stereotype isn't completely unfounded). When she first started exploring the Big People world, she found that many didn't accept her (not a surprise) but her talents did lend many to want her help (more of a surprise). Petty crimes felt much like pranks at the time, and it gave her the money to get by in this meta-human world.

Eventually it caught up to her and her home country of England wasn't so welcoming anymore. That's when she faced the choice of leaving or hiding back with her clan. She wasn't ready to give up yet, so she picked up roots and headed to Seattle.

Still SINless, the shadows are where the work is. And besides, the kind of jobs SINners get are the boring ones.

5) What is your living space like?

A converted small-ish warehouse in the elven 'slums' (it's really almost middle-class in parts these days) of Tarislar. Most of the space is a big open garage / workshop for all manner of ground and air craft, though a chunk at one end is setup as a two-story office.

The lower office has been renovated into a lobby for customers. the front desk is, oddly, 'manned' by a cutesy little doll called "Peach". Pixel jumps into it when it pages her that customers have arrived. Behind the lobby is a small kitchen and a backroom storage / meeting space.

The upper floor is split into a small apartment room filled with pint-sized "rooms" arranged on large shelving around a trid projector in the middle. The rest of the top floor is devoted to an electronics shop.

Given Pixel's magical energy take on technological interaction it should come as no surprise that the entire place is well-organized under Feng Shui principles to maintain a heavy flow of positive energy. It seems to work for her though.

She's very happy with her current home, which is good since it took her quite some time to find the place and then work out a deal for ownership with the local elven community.

6) What are your beliefs / convictions (if any) and why do you hold them?

Very liberal to the point of anarchist leanings politically. She hates red tape with a passion. It's the main reason she's never tried to get a SIN.

Religously, it's not really about conviction so much as curiousity.

Personal Freedom is king (or maybe Queen).

7) what do you think is your most annoying / worst trait?

She's a sweets junkie. If not for her almost hummingbird-like metabolism and magical sustenance powers she'd look like a flying beachball in no time.

She falls into "cutesy" mode by default, making it hard to tell when she's serious.

Machines are more relatable to her then people, which grates on some folks.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) What megacorp do you like the most? the Least? Why?

Horizon's got a little leg up as the only corp to treat pixies as "people", but it's still a corp which means it's worth the machines and goodies it makes and not much else besides the odd job offer.

Saeder-Krupp isn't her fave. It's run by a less-then-personable (in her opinion) Great. Runners have a saying about dragons, and pixies often feel much the same so for her, it goes double.

9) How did you come to know your contacts?

As much as Pixel likes hacking for fun and profit, finding a good cracker house was essential. She went through several so-so groups before finding Warezhouse 24. She's been happy as a clam ever since with the array of cracked trading going on there.

Argent is just a fixer she bumped into online on some shadow forums. She did a couple small jobs for her and eventually it grew into a solid working relationship.

10) What do you do on a day off?

Tinker! Pixel loves tech, so spending an afternoon crawling through the depths of a rotodrone is her idea of a good time. Cap it off with a cupcake while watching the latest episode of Karl Combatmage and she's a happy little camper.

11) How did you come to learn your skills at your present profeciency?

It all started in France when one of the Big People introduced her to the Matrix and online shopping. A world of neat fashions, cool gizmos, and sweet treats all at her fingertips. She was hooked. It took some time to get used to how it all worked, but she had quite the knack for it.

Browsing gave way to learning the back-end "how does it work" stuff. That gave way to learning to hack it. That gave way to learning more about tech in general. Then on into all the physical tech aspects (largely learned from info snagged online). Even bleeding over into the tech used for violence and personal defense once she started running into trouble back in England.

12) Are thier any moral limits on what jobs you take or things you'll do?

She's very pro-sapient and would never take on a job (knowingly) to hurt her fellow sapient magic critters. Well unless the sapient in question is a complete Jerk. Then maybe.

She's not viscious by nature, so doing jobs that would actually hurt a lot of people (as opposed to inconvenience / cost some money) takes some convincing that they're deserving of the punishment.

13) How do you view your magic?

Technology and the greater Data Sphere are to Pixel much like another side of the Mana coin. Both are expresions from living things. A ciruit is like a magic symbol. Nodes can be sites of power for thier owners. Advanced programs like summoned spirits and true AIs the analogue of Free Spirits. Full VR is the technological equivalent to Astral Projection. A PAN's profile is much like an Aura, reflecting it's owner.

The prime difference is that Mana flows more from the emotion, as evidenced by the emotive imprints of an astral signature, while tech and data flow more from the logical perception and establishment of 'facts'. Her magic helps her understand the ideas intuitively, perhaps plucking the intentions behind them from the manasphere. She traces a data stream like her mage-bound fellows trace a ley-line.

14) How do you view augmentation / implantation?

A little dubious. It might be neat to feel closer to her machine friends, but at the same time, carving a piece of your essential self out seems a high price to pay. Not that it matters over much to her personally since nobody makes anything in pixie size (let alone physiology).

15) What do you think of ordinary life and those who live it?

Ordinary life to Pixel is the clan back in the deep woods of England. Rustic, quaint, and frankly rather boring (although the people are nice). She doesn't begrudge anyone who enjoys the life. To each thier own.

16) What would be a bad nightmare for you? Any deep-rooted fears? Why is it so frightening to you?

Being locked in a sensory deprivation tank. No matrix, no astral, nothing. Madness soon to follow. Essentially the loss of her freedom, and seperation from all she holds dear.

17) What is your 'sacred object' or 'close one', and how did they become so important to you?

Tucked away next to her bed on the top shelf in her condo-room atop the small desk-organizer she uses as a chest-of-drawers and night stand is a collection of hand-drawn sketches. An array of elvish-looking faces fills them, with one sketch in particular at the center of the collection featuring a younger Pixel and her parents. The drawings are her only real link left to her home, and the reminder of family and old friends brings her great comfort.

18) What did you want to become as a child, and what are your goals now?

Pixel isn't overly focused on specific goals so much, and never has been. As a child it was all one day at a time, enjoying life, exploring, and getting into mischief. These days she's always looking to expand her magic / technical insight and capabilities. Make more friends, get better tools and more / bigger / better toys. But not much in particular.

Eventually she may survive her adventure-laden phase and settle back down again. Or she may become embroiled in meta-sapient rights. Who knows. She's a bit fickle in that regard. Not overly surprising from a fey creature, mind you.

19) What does your character look like, and what inspired her choices?

A lot of her outfits are actually modified doll clothing. Not a lot of pixie tailors in Seattle. She mostly dresses for comfort, though she does have a cute dress or two she's proud of. Pajamas are common (handy working from home a lot), as are work overalls (complete with grease stains and grime from rutting about in an engine compartment).

Her long hair is often tied back in a pony-tail, and also covered in a cloth while working in the shops.

Out on a run it's a close-fitting suit of ruthenium-enhanced body armor, padded limb guards, and a big commlink strapped to her back with sprigs of control arms jutting out near her hips and a tell-tale antennae poking up behind her head. It almost looks like a jetpack on her.

20) How did you get your street name?

Digging through old tech files back when she was first learning all about this tech stuff, she learned of the old pixel based monitors used on computers back in the day. When she started hanging out with more of metahumanity, she liked the cutesy sound of it and decided to use it as her handle. Been using it ever since.

Public info on Pixel:
unknown age /race /etc. Presumed female based on voice which sports an english-sounding accent with a sort of soft purr under-tone and the odd scottish saying.

Rep as a capable hacker with a knack for controling gizmos

Some rumors may even suggest she's on par with legends like Fastjack, though that's often dismissed as absolute rubbish.

Other rumors place her as 'female' AI.

Not-as-public, but known to Argent:

[ Spoiler ]

She's actually a pixie, and a solid mechanic and rigger on top of her hacking skills.

She really likes cupcakes. If you want her to show in person, be sure to bring some good ones (not lame soy junk from the stuffer shack) and meet in a place with a bit of privacy.

Be nice to her drones, she treats them like her friends / kids / pets / whatever. She's attached to them.

She speaks French fairly well, and that whispy purr in her voice is the last impressions of an aquired french accent.

[Seth]

@Aria/Jotamon
I've never used spoof before: normally I hack on the fly, so I have to admit that I don't know what I am doing. Sorry to mess up like that.

I thought it was meant to be quick (the description says that this is what you do when you are in hurry), but actually it seems to take forever:

• Scan for the hidden node
• Complex action: Capture Wireless Traffic
• Trace: Computer + Track (10, 1 complex action)
• Spoof: Complex action

In any normal combat, the fight is over by the time you have done this.

OK so actually I meant I was hacking on the fly!
The die rolls work out the same: 5 and 4 successes. I am going for a user account. This should give me a valid user ID.

My guess is that the time line goes like this
IP1: Scan
IP2: Hacking on the fly. Unless it has a rating 6 firewall thats me in, if not then add 1 IP to the rest. Free action to
IP3: Command to designate a target

I suspect that you need a stealth roll as well. Invisible castle is down, so feel free to roll for me. Pretty much all matrix actions are the same: skill 4/program 6/PuShEd 1/Hot Sim 2 = 13.

[Seth]

@Xarin
Nice background and details. Good thing Form fitting armor fits you!

Now I need to get you in the story.
I'm giving you are free Contact:

Name: Hansai Jones.

[ Spoiler ]

Loyalty 3
Capability 4
Profession: Knight Errant Detective
Occasionally you moonlight for Knight Errant. Hansai Wallace and his partner Edgar Smith are investigating cartels in the entertainment industry. Sounds dull, but there are 100s of millions of nuyen at stake, and people are getting killed. Their rep is that they are sound, solid investigators that take on complex fraud cases involving lots of money, and close them.

They first employed you four years ago, and average an engagement every 3 months. They have always dealt with you professionally, paid on time, and not messed you around. As drek hot investigators, they know who and what you are, and are Pixie friendly. You occasionally go for drinks and cupcakes with them. Edgar has a wife (Holly) and 2 children (Dotty and Robert) and you play with them occasionally. Hansai is engaged to Julie Sherman, a society belle.

Hansai is a financially independent physical adept who magically enhances his bureaucratic and sword fighting skills. He works because he wants to make a difference. He is always impeccably dressed, well mannered and smooths his way through the red tape as easily as taking down a BTL factory with a SWAT team.

You have just started a job for Hansai and Edgar: "Hack Jonathon Teague". If you can get some of this information into the IC post that would be good

[ Spoiler ]

Born to a rich influential Seattle family, Jonathon Teague got an early start up the ladder to a high level corporate career. He received the best education available, and rose to prominence in the sprawl's business community soon after graduation. Coupling a keen business sense with a Machiavellian instinct for whose back to stab at any time he made vice president before he turned 30. Five years later, Bluestar Incorporated made him Executive Vice President.

Teague immediately began to look for ways to ease his superior Takahashi Yanaga out of the president's suite. He needs a major coup to oust the well-entrenched Yanaga. Currently he is investigating ways to bring the skyrocketing Concrete Spectres into the Bluestar stable. Mr Allanby the current manager of the Spectres is a match for him bureaucratically, so you suspect Teague is moving into more illicit approaches.

Teague has two henchmen that are particularly interesting. Emm386 is a drek hot Assassin Hacker. He can kill you through the matrix with well illegal black IC, psychotropic trojans and other unpleasant things. Meta is the name of his bodyguard: ex shadowrunner, seriously chromed: she looks more like exquisitely dressed eye candy than a killer.

Teague lives in a fortress on Vashon Heights overlooking Puget Sound. His security system is drek hot, and Emm386 is a regular spider. It was on your "too dangerous to mess with for a little money" list, and were planning on reporting that you weren't going to do it. Although now that your friend is dead...

While investigating Allanby (2 hours ago) you found Emm386 also messing around in there. Both of you spotted each other. He unleashed a horrific Black IC killer combo, and you jacked out. It took 10 minutes of sipping rose petal flavored sugared water and 2 cupcakes to calm your nerves. You found that Allanby's personal machine is not connected to the Matrix: Allanby uses an antique datajack to access it. Allanby records everything that happens in the office.

While you were checking some old records for the building, you found (very faint) evidence of a hard line using old fashioned quantum cryptography (rubbish cryptography by 2072 standards, very expensive, but you can tell if someone is listening...) that leads to a warehouse in the Tacoma Heights.

Can you do a first IC post in which you hear about Edgar's death on the news, linked with the military action at the Jucy Lucy Hotel?

As you are checking you have the details correct, and are wondering what is happening, Hansai will send you a message

[ Spoiler ]

<<Hansai here. Its bad. I need your help. Edgar... (pause) Edgar is dead, and I need your help bringing in those responsible. The department is on the wrong track, and have taken me off the case, so I'm taking some leave. I need your virtual presence at the Drunken Drone. I'll bring a toy for you to control. Can you manage some security in case the people I am meeting are not on the level?

Oh and don't believe what you read in the press about who did it: I'm laying money it's Teague>>

[Aria]

@Aria/Jotamon
I've never used spoof before: normally I hack on the fly, so I have to admit that I don't know what I am doing. Sorry to mess up
In any normal combat, the fight is over by the time you have done this.

OK so actually I meant I was hacking on the fly!
The die rolls work out the same: 5 and 4 successes. I am going for a user account. This should give me a valid user ID.

Except spoof is the only possible action for a slaved drone(and what drones that interest you won't be slaved?).

You don't always need to run a trace, although in this case Galen has that right, because matrix perception on the rigger will give you their ID!

Sorry to be a pain (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[galenbd]

@Aria/Jotamon
I've never used spoof before: normally I hack on the fly, so I have to admit that I don't know what I am doing. Sorry to mess up like that.

I thought it was meant to be quick (the description says that this is what you do when you are in hurry), but actually it seems to take forever:

In any normal combat, the fight is over by the time you have done this.

That's why I wanted Yokinko to handle this so I could keep involved with the combat. I'll have to upgrade the agent once I get a few spare actions.

[Xarin]

@Seth
Handily, she makes her own armor. so I certainly hope it fits (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Love the contact! I'm heading in to work and will get an IC post together this evening.

[Seth]

Except spoof is the only possible action for a slaved drone(and what drones that interest you won't be slaved?).

Color me confused. You what? Other confused words as I babble...

I'm not doing a rules lawyer thing I am just confused. Can you give me a page reference: I have just reread the SR4a rules and cannot find any reference to this. As far as I know I can always hack a computer. Slaved or not. If I have an account I can do stuff to it. I found a section about "jumped in riggers", but that stops spoofing and hacking (although I suspect an admin account rebooting the drone would work fine).

In all of those cases the time and the die rolls are the same for me as far as I can see, so this is just an education thing

[galenbd]

As far as I know I can always hack a computer. Slaved or not.

I was under the same impression. When Aria told me I couldn't get in, I went, ok, she's the GM, stop arguing. If there's really a way to totally block a hack, I'd like to know about it.

[Aria]

I was under the same impression. When Aria told me I couldn't get in, I went, ok, she's the GM, stop arguing. If there's really a way to totally block a hack, I'd like to know about it.

Slaving, Unwired p55...but please let me know if I've misinterpreted

[Seth]

It's only an education thing for me, fully happy with however you want to run it. I REALLY don't want to go rule lawyer (A constant failing of mine that I want to avoid in this thread).

As I understand all slaving does it move the system that has to be hacked to a tougher system. So for example the node of the main hacker in the party. But then when you have the main node you have everyone's: so its an "all the eggs in one harder basket plan".

I haven't read, or thought through how the baddies use slaving. So interesting question: do Knight Errant move all their officers commlinks to one corporate super network. I suspect not (in practice I suspect it would be a crazy plan to have all your eggs in one basket).

So in this example I could have hacked the drone (at +2 threshold.) or the the riggers commlink, or if he has a hacker friend, the hackers commlink. (I'd go for the drone out of preference...)

[galenbd]

I guess my understanding of this is that you can't hack the slaved node. You can find the transmission back to the master node. Trace it to it's source. Then try to hack that node.

That actually suggests a worthwhile tactic of daisy-chaining nodes. That would force the hacker to trace each connection before being able to start the hack.

[Seth]

According to the page number that aria quoted you can hack the slaved drone. It's just +2 threshold. Also you can directly hack the master without bothering to track it (you got diverted there directly...the drone routed you straight to the master).

I think I am going to take the rule books to the bath and read them again. I suspect the system is quite simple, I just don't have it yet.

Edit: OK I read it and it is simple. I was wrong about being able to hack the drone directly (need physical access, and it's shooting me!)

Kosher stuff 1: Hack the master. Pretty fast

• Scan to find the slave node
• Hack the master straight away (you get routed there)
• From the master you can spoof the slaves (any of them. Mu ha ha)

Kosher stuff 2: Track / Spoof the master. Takes absolutely ages

• Scan to find the slave node
• Track the master
• Matrix perception the master
• Spoof

Guessed stuff:

• Scan to find slave node
• Since any communication requests are diverted to the master, send any old packet to the slave and follow it to the master (i.e. Matrix Perception? Track but only needing 1 success?)
• Analyse the master
• Spoof

I think I am really interested in the RAW answer so I will raise a question in the main forum. For the purposes of the game: Aria tell us what to roll, if we can do it, and how long it takes. I think Galen and I have both indicated happiness with handwavium.

[Aria]

According to the page number that aria quoted you can hack the slaved drone. It's just +2 threshold. Also you can directly hack the master without bothering to track it (you got diverted there directly...the drone routed you straight to the master).

I think I am going to take the rule books to the bath and read them again. I suspect the system is quite simple, I just don't have it yet.

Away from my books but I'm sure the +2 applies to physically hacking the slave...given you can't fly I think you'll find that a bit hard in this instance! It's for things like plugging a cable into a slaved camera for example...

At least that's how I remember it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Xarin]

A Slave cannot be hacked wirelessly, you have to physically attach to the device and it's still a +2 threshold.

To hack it normally, you need to Scan for the node of the slave and pin that down first.

Attempt to hack the slave node normally and you are automatically re-routed to the master. Incidentally, since the slave node is re-routing the access attempt, it might also be set to notify the master of the attempt if it's smart enough (Pilot / Agent programs with prior instructions to do so). You can, at this time, attempt a Matrix Perception to gain the master's Access Id to start Spoofing. However, if they're running a Stealth program, you'll be opposed by thier Hacking + Stealth (or firewall + stealth for nodes).

In the case of a rigger / hacker, you'll need to get thier persona's Access ID as that's what thier drones are likely slaved to. Meaning Hacking + Stealth opposition on the roll. But you only need 1 net hit.

If you want to go after the master node without letting them know you're coming, you need to intercept the wireless traffic, decrpyt it, and pull the Access ID from the wireless data stream. Not a quick or easy thing, but it's much less likely to be detected (they do still have a chance on a matrix perception check to notice the snooping)

If you can manage to hack directly into the master node, then you can gain access to all the others, yes. It's just usually a much more well-protected node to hack into, complete with likely active enemy spider and probably IC.

Also note that slaved nodes are limited because they use up a Subscription on the Master. Short of a Nexus, most devices can't handle many of those with even top-notch custom jobs still capping around a dozen. Subscriptions also handle remote agents, every node you've got an icon in, and any gear you want to tie into your commlink (like contact lenses for image links, etc).

Track is more for using to track down a non-slaved node.

A Jumped-in rigger supercedes all other command input. So not even Admin accounts can do anything while someone is jumped into the device.

Devices can also be set to only respond to admin-level accounts. Typically only done when just 1 person will be using the device. But it does make hacking it decidedly more difficult.

[Seth]

@Xarin
That was a very helpful summary, thanks. I need to turn that into a flow chartL I think you captured many points there, but there were a lot of "ifs" in it and I am not sure I understand enough to use it. I've kicked off a thread in the main discussion area so we don't pollute this thread with Rules Lawyering (which I also enjoy, but not in game)

There were some interesting observations though:

• One limit on slaving is the number of active subscriptions you are allowed. So you cannot rule your entire corporations drones into one killer access area. I like that (Game Design hat on). That means of course that while it can be secure it cannot be that secure (you have a lot of drones, and your spiders/IC have to be spread across all of the drones).
• "Incidentally, since the slave node is re-routing the access attempt, it might also be set to notify the master of the attempt if it's smart enough". I don't think hacking is about trying to log on and spamming passwords, so I don't think this is viable. Hacking is about "aha you are running version X of program Y, if I send a carefully crafted packet it will cause a buffer overflow and I can execute my payload". Password guessing is normally only done after you have downloaded the hashed and salted password file, or when you are worming and going for soft targets. From a Game Design point of view, this what the Hacking On The Fly rules already cover.
• "Devices can also be set to only respond to admin-level accounts" Only do this if you want gaping holes in your security. Admin accounts are only secure because you don't use them. (Windows has admin accounts and they are not secure largely because everyone uses them). Start using them they become less secure. From a Game Design point of view, you want the different account difficulties. It's nice when real world and game design principles align so well.