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> 6th World National Geographic, It's an awakened world, chummer.
Paul
post Mar 19 2006, 04:41 AM
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So my current game is based around the National Geographic magazine. Some background:

Foundering in a world where hitech was edging out lowtech the NG was one of the few print publications left that didn't just serve a niche market, although that situation was rapidly detoriating. When a mysterious backer began dumping money into the magazine they began modernizing, building up an amazingly supportive online fan base, and working out deals with various entities-like the Atlantean's, and eventually DIMR-to get the scoop.

After Dunkelzahn died the mysterious backer was revealed to be the Great Dragon, who obviously had his fingers in all sorts of pies. A new Managing Editor and Corporate President was brought in to run the magazine. Thomas Holden was a very successful investment banker, and broker. Independently wealthy, business savy and owing no one his loyalty he was perfect for the NG. An altruist by nature he also fit with the plan Dunkelzahn had for the magazine.

The player characters are as follows: a photographer who isn't any kind of a shadowrunner, a smuggler who borders on being a shadowrunner, but isn't, a physad who works as a bodyguard, and a cameraman for the photgrapher.

I have the my next run planned out: A photgraphy assignment that takes them to Norway to photgraph a rare awakened form of crab that is a deadly predator, and unloved by the locals for the fish it kills, and the trouble it makes. But it may be endangered so the NG wants to document it. The Norwegian government wants them to be careful, since local politics rely heavily on the fishing industry, and protecting these thinsg would be a rough political move. (A lot like putting devil rats in a petting zoo.)

While on assignment they stumble across a plot by a Winternight cell to use a chemical agent on a Maersk arcology. Will they stop it? Just report it to the authorities? Will they even realize what they saw? Or will the bad guys off them for it?

So what I am looking for is adventures ideas like this, or not like this I guess that involve National Geographic "type stuff". (Loose definition right?)

For a hint of what we're running look here.

Input, comments, whatever is welcomed.
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FlakJacket
post Mar 19 2006, 05:19 AM
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Well I suppose if you wanted to be a complete bastard, well more than normal, you can always drop them into somewhere like Amazonia or the Balkans. Africa with it's crazed dictators and awakened ebola is always another favourite. One idea that's a bit different is if they got sent to some big sprawl to cover urban wildlife, or if there have been possible sightings of something rare around the city. Set it somewhere nicely foreign so that the smuggler and adept don't really have many if any contacts to call on, and the photographer and cameraman are probably more used to humping their gear through the tropical rather than urban jungle. Play up the fish out of water aspect.

Also allows you to have fun with some of the similarities/differences from normal jobs. Instead of having to dodge hostile head hunting natives now they have to worry about the local gangers who merely cut of peoples heads and leave them on a pike at the edge of their territory. Just like the third world the local food and water is probably less than healthy. If they see a moneymaking opportunity, might some of the organised crime groups try to muscle in for some kickbacks and such.

And where the hell did this thing come from? Maybe it escaped from a private collection and the owner wants it back. Either a corporation that doesn't want to suffer the bad press of letting Animal X get out into the city or a private collector that wants their endangered and higly rare yet highly illegal to own status symbol back before they get busted. So now they've also got to contend with hired shadowrunners or imported big game hunters trying to get this thing back under wraps before their Johnson gets screwed. If local government gets wind of hideously lethal Animal X is on the loose they're certainly going to investigate and get in the way as well. And for that ticking clock bit if needed maybe Animal X is female and very pregnant when she escaped.
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hyzmarca
post Mar 19 2006, 06:20 AM
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It has been a long time since I've picked up an issue of NG but I was once a casual reader. I don't remember any of the articles but there is one thing that I remember quite vividly. That one this is boobies. Big African boobies to be exact.

You see, one of the great things about NG was that it could show big African boobies because it was educational and not pornographic. The magazine wa simply documumenting the natural state of these indiginous African cultures and their gigantic breasts.

Now, I have no doubt that these pictures are acedemicly relevent but they were presented in such a way as to capture the attention of readers with big naked boobies.Not only that, there were no images of ugly topless African women. Some of them were rather hefty but they fit the definition of BBW. It makes sense. Boobies sell. In fact, this concept has spawned an entire genre of sexedutainment some of which is coldly clinical and some of which is simply softcore porn.

So, my brilliant idea is to give them anthropology assignments investigating cultures where casual nudity can be expected.

--

Start with a commune of ascetic temperature control Adepts who wear nothing but simple belts with loops to carry their handmade tools located above the arctic circle and in danger from potential oil drilling by some Mega.
The primary mission would be to interview and study these ascetics and gain some insight into their motivations and their way of life. The secondary mission would be to get some pictures of good looking naked women with nice sized boobies. This won't be difficult in a commune of ascetic nudists.

Of course, this could easily turn into a remake of On Deadly Ground due to the potentialy violent actions of the greedy oil company. You can even have Naked Steven Seagal make an appearance. Your players may kill you for forcing them to imagine Steven Seagal naked but it is well worth the cost.

---

Second, try an expose on the Ghoul Nation and its culture. The characters fly to Africa and tour Asamando. They get to interview government officials and happy citizens alike. They get to document the daily lives as some of the many unfortunate ghould how have been mentally handicaped by their disease. They get to draw parallels between HVHVV and the previously erradicated HIV such as how many HIV positive individuals were exiled or killed by their own governments just as ghouls are. They also get to draw parallels between ghouls and Jews which should be played up by ceratain officials. Most importantly, they get to photograph hot ghoul chicks topless.

Feral ghouls won't pose much of a danger here, the Asamando goverment won't want that bad PR on their heads. The most dangerous enemy here will be alcohol. Make sure that the PCs have the opportunity to go to a wild party with a lot of drinking, an a lot of drugs. Also make sure that they have the opportunity to wake up in bed with between one a a dozen ghouls and a really bad hangover. "I did what with who last night!?"
And make sure that they know that Kreiger Strain can be successfully treated and cured if diagnosed in the frst month of infection.

---

Then let their boss give them something with more edge, an anthropological survey of Seattle street gangs and street culture. Have the characters interview and observe members of various gangs throughout the Seattle barrens. Have them get pictures of heavily tatooed amd pireced ganger girls flashing their boobies. Have them get caught in the middle of the biggest gang war Seatle has ever seen with intelligence that would insure victory for whichver gang tortures it out of them first.

---

It might be helpful to include an NPC anthropoligist just to make sure that the team is actually qualified for these missions. .
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toturi
post Mar 19 2006, 03:15 PM
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Remember that it might not just be the locals or the flora and fauna that are going to give them trouble. The environment might do give them a hard time too.
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Paul
post Mar 19 2006, 09:56 PM
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Oh yeah, believe me this assignment in Norway isn't going to be a pleasure cruise. Frigid cold weather, a lot of underwater photgraphy required. Nasty little sea creatures, pollution, you name it. Normal life can be hard.

I have to cook some dinner, so I'll check in later with more in depth remarks, and thanks.
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Paul
post Mar 20 2006, 12:14 AM
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QUOTE (FlakJacket)
Well I suppose if you wanted to be a complete bastard, well more than normal, you can always drop them into somewhere like Amazonia or the Balkans.

Yeah our first run found them in what is, now a days, Costa Rica. Their plane was shot down, and their equipment, weapons-what little they actually have, and ect..were destroyed.

Basicly this was sort of a combination of Survivor and Lost. Most of the places I've picked out as idea hooks are real out of the way places, or have something interesting to them. (Southeast Asia, Asamando, the Phillipines, Comros-an island chain north of Madagascar, and some others.)

The rest of your ideas are seriously being considered my friend.
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