Did Junior have it coming? DREAMCHIPPER SPOILERS, Dreamchipper character Options

[tisoz]

I just got done putting a group through Dreamchipper and something happened that has never happened in several times playing this module.

One of the PCs, a conjuring fanatic, had a bound free spirit with the Astral Gateway and Possession powers. Said PC posted a few spirits, the said bound free spirit included, on astral patrol, ordering them to stop anyone from disturbing their meet and the usual alert. Well the bodyguards got confused and Junior got Possessed. (See other thread if Junior was hosed on the Possession.)

Now the spirit gets access to the host's knowledge and skills, so when one of the spirits alerts the shaman about the failed intrusion, he wants to know who and why because they are just now trying to get hired. So he quickly finds out Junior is trying to get his birthright back.

It seems Junior's dad disinherited him after he goblinized into an ork. He gave his half of Global Technologies to his partner, Urlan Manes, through a will executed right after his son changed. Urlan is producing illegal dreamchips (BTL). He wants to hire the runners for getting 3 prototype chips back. The people slotting these chips are poised to cause all kinds of mayhem.

Oh yeah, Junior worked his way up to president of Martelli Entertainment and all was fine. Until Global Technologies took over Martelli Entertainment. Urlan decided to use this new division to develop and produce the illegal chips, after all, a scapegoat was already in place. It turns out Junior has made a deal with the devil to get a share of Global Technologies back, the Martelli Entertainment part, and is behind the theft.

The module is set up for Thomas Martelli, Junior to be the bad guy and antagonist. It goes to great lengths about his ugliness, violence, and ruthlessness to portray him as evil. My players are the first ones to find out all about Junior and are on his side. They think Urlan is a bastard and negotiated for 50% of the company. (Legwork and great rolls to learn Urlan is in danger of bankrupting Global.) They said he could have 100% of nothing or they could get him all the research data - they know exactly where it is and have access to it. Urlan was hoping to retrive the chips and reverse engineer them in less than a week before a stockholder meeting. The team would try to recover the chips, which would be in the corps/their best interest anyway. Then they reminded Urlan he got half the company for nothing anyway, and this way he wouldn't have to pay all the nuyen to hire the team.

The rest of the module played out close to normal. Except where Junior or the team goes out in a hail of bullets and grenades when they attack each other. Now they have Junior as a front for their stock holdings.

I am trying to decide how Junior is going to react when the spirit quits possessing him. For now, at least the spirit is occupied and out of play. Could this be the first time someone has not taken a big dump on Junior since he goblinized? Will he resent the possession and be blinded to the outcome that he got control back? Will he stab the runners in the back the first chance he gets?

[Ancient History]

Hmm...nope, Junior's just one evil motherfragger.

[Siege]

It's been a while since I read Dreamchipper, but being possessed by anyone's spirit would piss me off.

Being made to work as their puppet would just make me angrier.

-Siege

[nezumi]

Hmm.. Dreamchipper is the one with the three personafix chips running about, right? Because I don't remember any orks in that one... Then again, I played when I was about sixteen, and we were more interested in killing everyone than doing the politics dance.

[hyzmarca]

If the PCs play it safe they can make sure that A: He never becomes unpossessed or B: When he doe he love them like life partners.

A: Is easy, just have him undergo some brain surgery while possessed. Spirits don't ned cerebral cortexes or frontal lobes.
B: Is more difficult but less messy. Use brainwash him using techniques in the Cannon Companion.

[ShadowDragon8685]

Money can erase a great deal of hatred. If the PCs make him a rich enough man when they cut him loose, he may well be inclined to forgive them their 'desperate measures' to keep him safe. :)

[MaxHunter]

This is shadowrun. Of course Junior will backstab them.

Perhaps it would be interesting that he does not backstabs them just now... he could act as a front for the players for some time. Later, while the characters are distracted investing their money and doing a couple of high-level runs, Junior will realize that he is just being a puppet, used, abused, etc. (again) and decide to sell his soul to the devil in order to get rid of the players and claim what is rightfully his.

By the devil, I mean a Megacorp interested in gobbling up Global and discarding Junior right after. I recommend Shiawase...

Cheers, and please keep us informed.

Max


Edit: typos

[tisoz]

[Velocity]

I ran this adventure for my PCs a couple of years ago and while they learned some of the "truth" behind Junior's motivations, they never got the whole story. Junior ended up going out in a hail of bullets. Rammed by a car too, if I recall...

Anyway, it sounds like you've got an interesting situation developing here. While it may be possible for the PCs to earn Junior's trust, the fact that they possessed him and made him dance to their little tune has probably put them on his shitlist. While they did screw Manes in the process--which would make Junior happy--they're not off to a great start.

[nezumi]

[Roadspike]

Now see, when we played Dreamchipper, we had a pair of magic users (Houngan and Chaos Sorcerer), and so we just waited until the New Mongol Horde (I can't remember the actual gang's name) started their attack, then used Influence, Control Actions, Levitate, and several other spells to turn the gangs against one another, completely stop their assault, render the Genghis wannabe unconcious, and snag him away unnoticed and unharmed (relatively). Somewhat more subtle than a pair of Ingram Valiants, but probably not nearly so viscerally satisfying.

As for Urlan and Junior, our GM played it out as written, so we eventually faced down the Ork, although he seemed more sullen than evil.

[Snow_Fox]