How is your game?, Collecting info on DS playing styles Options

[stevebugge]

Number of players: 2-4
Setting (ie. Seattle): Seattle (mostly)
BP Level: SR2 & 3 Coverted or ~425 for new chars (we allow some discreationary extra points if the group thinks it adds something important)
Average current karma: Ranges from under 10 to over 200, many players have pools of characters so we can scale up or down.
Average karma/session: 3-5 (Sessions are only 4 hours typically, runs rarely finish in a single session but Karma is often awarded at every session anyway)
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): VAries drastically on the crew and employer, but typically not less than 5k per head and rearely more than 20K per head.

Campaign background: It's an amalgam of Brainscan and System Failure with some random stuff mixed in. Many dates are altered to meet our timeline.

- Main employer(if any):We have 3 major Fixers who broker most of the work to our group:
Jean Paul - A French Canadian former Cross Seraphim who has attached himself to the Seattle Thunderbirds Hockey Team. He cleans up after or provides for the indiscretions and vices of Pro Athletes and their entourages.

Sammy Chang - A Triad Fixer who runs an Import - Export Furniture and Antiquities Warehouse in South Seattle on Airport Way, actually a front for smuggling operations. Sammy isn't a major Triad officer, but he's a 'producer' so he get's a lot more clout than the average Triad soldier.

The D.K. Terror - A hot elven hacker & Society Chick who has a rep for being able to make things happen. Very few of her shady contacts ever meet in person most meets are virtual. The nickname is a holdover from her early days as an actual runner when she once showed up for a run massively overdressed in designer clothes, one of the street muscle types cracked "What the hell are you supposed to be, the D.K. Terror?"


- basic tone: magical/corporate/street crime/other: Street / Pink Mohawk


PCs: We've got a lot of them, most players have at least 3 to choose from and we rotate GM duties. Some of the more memorable ones are:

Skate, an extreme sports fanatic. Does things based on how cool they will look later on the trid his chaser drone records far more often than based on tactics or good sense.

Major Havoc, former Eastern European Infantry Officer, is convinced all problems can be solved through superior firepower.

Chu Lung, and ultra-superstitious Triad Enforcer

Edward, a dealer in furniture and antiquities from Hong Kong and an expert at procuring them via the 5 finger discount.

Blackfeather, a Shaman so paranoid that he rarely drops either his invisibility or masking spells, even around people he knows.

Mercury, an alcoholic, pyromaniac, sociopathic, mage.

[Kyoto Kid]

...that isn't the same Skate I'm thinking of is it?

[stevebugge]

He's run by Shrike30, not sure if it is or isn't

[Kyoto Kid]

...nope, the one I'm thinking of is run by ShadowDragon8685 and that Skate is a she.

[bjorn]

Number of players:3-6
Setting (ie. Seattle): Seattle
BP Level: Normal 400
Average current karma: ~20
Average karma/session: ~4
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): I give them about 20k-30k per group. They sell the basic gear like guns and stuff off enemies, if they have time to pick them up. The best thing they have received is a Delta-grade Cyberarm.

Campaign background:
- Main employer(if any): Variety of fixers
- basic tone: magical/corporate/street crime/other: Very random, from protection to information gathering to B&E. They have been mostly neutral tone so far, nothing dark and evil where they have to kill children or the like.

[ Spoiler ]

They are way to trusting of everyone however even after warnings, so I am going to have to teach them to do more background checks... the hard way.

PCs:
Zan - Elf Mage from the Tir. Was kicked out after a politician's kid was killed at a rally he was holding. Traveled Europe for a year with his brother before coming to Seattle. His brother owns a Talismonger shop and Zan lives above it. One of the two PCs in my game with a story...

Ex don't read

[ Spoiler ]

His brother borrowed money from the mob to start the store, and in the process of trying to pay them back has become addicted to the drug that allows you stay up longer (the name escapes me right now). Also, the politician that kid's died is found out he is in Seattle and is coming after him.

The Todd - Troll Gun Bunny. (If any of you have seen Scrubs the TV show, the character basically says all the inappropriate things the Todd says, that is all this character is)

Leon - Troll Hand-to-hand specialist that wields 2 combat axes.

Cyrus - Elf Hacker

TBA - We had one of my brother's friends play with us and after a couple sessions of him constantly coming, we decided he needed a real character not just a random one we give people who occasionally come over. More than likely another Troll Gun Bunny.

[Fortune]

@bjorn

Ex don't read

[ Spoiler ]

Long Haul ;)

[bjorn]

@ Fortune

Ex don't read

[ Spoiler ]

Thanks ;)

[The Red Menace]

Number of players:5-7
Setting: Seattle, but travel globally frequently. (Africa, Tir Na Nog', Iceland)
Average karma/session:5-7
Average payment (including "spoils of war"):Small: 10,000 or Big 6 week campaigns: 100,000

Campaign background: Soft background story of The Horrors trying to speed up the process of their next invasion onto earth. Meanwhile Runners have their sticky fingers in everything from taking sides with organized crime to helping The Draco Foundation manage the wicked corporations dark plans.
- Main employer(if any):The runners usually go through a free contact that was given to them in the beginning of the game. An elf fixer named Percy who works as hard as possible to find the runners work so he can take a cut and pay off his serious loans to the Vory.

- basic tone: A grim fairy tail style to Seattle. The depressing acid rains, humming neon signs and squatters with despair painted across their faces all add to the gritty stage.

Players: The big trump card on my game is that all players can have 2 characters to choose from. This helps when characters get 2 week long implants, skill training that takes days and leave town for sick family (Role Playing). The players get to choose only one character to use for the game session, but can clarify what the other character is doing during that down time.

PLAYERS:
Male, 26 years old: (elf) Union Jack-Former SAS member who was abandoned during the Euro-wars and considered dead. Freed by Jack the Ripper (player), the two migrated to Seattle in an attempt to lay low.
"I make the impossible, possible."

(human) DOC-Former Doc-wagon ambulance driver who was booted for stealing implants of dead patients and selling them. Now he is a hardcore head bangin' rocker with a name on the streets.
"Don't say another stupid thing elf or I'm in your ass!"

Female, 27 years old: (human) Tiara-A relic hunter with a hunger for ancient mythology. She purchased custom implants that resemble a princess tiara so she can gore opponents during combat and still look beautiful. A real hot temper on this one.
"What's a troll mean to me? Four to six more bullets."

Octavian-Former Atlantian Foundation Greek Assassin who faked his own death to escape his dark past.
"I'm not telling you to do it because I think its cute, I'm trying to keep you alive.

Male, 36 years old: (elf) Jack the Ripper-After working as computer intelligence for the British government, Jack went on a series of missions that lead him to be stranded in war ridden Russia. His only hope was to break out an operative (Union Jack) from a Russian prison and escape with him to Seattle.
"See now that wasn't nice. I was just going to kill you. Now I have to make your life a living hell first."

(dark elf) Gideon-Being one of the first dark elves born isn't easy. Its lead to a series of tragic events that made Gideon the sinister, spell casting hell raiser he is. From carrying around opponents heads on his belt to shooting other runners. Gideon's infamy rating just keeps going up and up.
"I don't think that's fair. What about you Grox? <holds up dead man's head and mouths> "No not at all Gideon."

Female, 30 years old: (human) Hera-Waking up in the morning is rough. Waking up in FUCHI's underground labs with no memory blows. Staying alive with spit in her eye and two pistols, she vows to find out what the corporation was doing to her and what her past exactly was. A love affair with a street samurai (Tanka; player) who shares the same passion in the medaling of FUCHI is what gets her by day by day.
"Damn it Tanka, we're on a mission...Fine! But it has to be a quickie."

(dwarf) Raven: Gaya suffers every day. She needs someone to organize and save her. Well, organizing takes money and that takes putting up with ignorant mercenaries. This Raven totem dwarven shaman pulls her hair out on a daily basis putting up with the chrome domes that pair up with her on runs so she can save mother earth.
[/I]"My argument still stands...You're an idiot."

Male, 36 years old: (human) Tanka-An all American who went to college got that degree, took the plunge and joined the CIA. Wait, CIA...don't they screw people over? After being assigned to an investigation against FUCHI Corp., Tanka's superiors and partner were payed off by the AAA corp. and left Tanka to dry. His family was imprisoned and Tanka forced to flee. What makes matters worse is that FUCHI has personally implemented his oldest of daughters into the new Bio-Troop program. Can he do what needs to be done and kill his own daughter?
"One of us isn't leaving this place and I've got plans I can't break at 7.

(human) RC-The rigger with an army to fight off a small rebellion. This tinkerer can turn the tide of any battle with his deadly drones for a price. Electronic intelligence, drone rigging and piloting are the name of the game with RC.
"We are in the forests of Tir Na Nog'. What makes you think I have extra drones in the forests of Tir Na Nog'?"

Male, 18 years old: (human/changling) Big Bear-A Vory Changeling (bear, custom race) goon who crushes heads independently on the side. Big Bear is an extremest and holds the record for most times being knocked unconscious.
"Yeah I've fought in pit fighting arenas before. I was champ once. Where?....New Hampshire."

Male, 21 years old: (elf) Duke-This charming former Tir Tangire nobility lost everything during the over throw of government. Wanting his wealth and power back, Duke began to study electronic measures and became an able hacker. He will do what ever it takes to regain his power.What better way to regain power then to join the Lae'sa Syndicate. If you can't trust the elven mafia, who can you trust?
"Hey, this is the part where I get your phone number.

[Ghost in the Mac...]

[vladski]

Number of players: Including GM, 4-5
Setting (ie. Seattle): Primarily Seattle
BP Level: 400, with special allowances that make it probably in the 450 bp, realistically
Average current karma:80-90
Average karma/session: 4-5
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): Special. Due to the scenario the characters receive a monthly income that after living expenses is in the 2K-3K nuyen range. Equipment is provided by the government and special equipment may be provided by "the proper request forms"and as needed. A moderate lifestyle is provided as part of the employment package. Bribes and salvage vary too wildly to estimate.

Campaign background:

Let me state that this campaign has been quite possibly the most entertaining startup of any adventure in any RPG that I have run in years. I enjoy GMing it and my players really seem to get a kick out of playing in it. It has been "different." I assisted my players (all vets at 3rd Ed) in creating each character for the "new" 4th Ed SR, and we really fleshed each one out. I gave them a loose idea of what was needed and then they embellished on each one. Our collective work created more depth for each character and I was able to therefore write a bit more personally in my story backgrounds to involve them.

The players are former law enforcement types, all ex-Lonestar that have been drafted into working for a "special" multi-departmental government strike force team and are currently designated as Federal Marshals...basically a black ops dept that handles the situations outside of conventional laws answerable only to their handler, his director and the President of UCAS. Needless to say, if they are caught breaking major laws, they are deniable assets.

The basic lowdown is that these Lonestar detectives got embroiled in a massive case of law enforcement corruptness via a case where they were investigating "independently," a high profile murder of a local judge implicating a convenient ganger. It was a case they were "encouraged" to go through the motions on.

The corruption was layered through the homicide department and the district attorney's office and the Yakuza. When they got too close and refused to be bought or intimidated, they were set up to look guilty of several murders and were "wanted" very much in a "LA Confidential" meets "6 Blocks" style. Bad guys were trying to kill them, cops were trying to kill them, gangs wanted them dead and pretty much no one was on their side. A special investigation team sent by the Federal Government gave them an outlet for displaying their evidence of multiple wrong doings including many murders, drug dealing and fixing court cases, and after the case was over, they were offered new identities and jobs with the special multi-departmental federal task force.

Since joining, they have (among many things)stopped biological terrorists, "been" biological terrorists, protected a corporate exec from kidnapping, dealt with a mob take over scheme and uncovered a few smuggling operations. They are currently embroiled in a case that is way more than it seems and I won't say more than that since at least one player reads these forums. They pretty much have become Team Mission Impossible.

- Main employer(if any): The government/Marshal Nelson, their team leader
- basic tone: Solving crimes, apprehending criminals and stopping major threats to national security.


PCs:
TEAM PHOENIX

Frank (human male, age: late 40s):
A former Lonestar SWAT team sniper/leader, who lost his partner/friend due to minor negligence on his part and was transfered to a hell-hole Lonestar Vice department until he retired to keep his pension and assigned a new partner in the form of a slightly nutty forensics specialist. He was nearly ready to retire in 18 months when circumstances forced his hand to enter the Federal Marshals and extend his career for at least 5 more years before he gets retirement benefits. It is suspected that he probably has a picture of Dirty Harry on his wall. Underwent cosmetic surgery to change his appearance from that of an Eastwood type to a Selleck type. Sort of the team leader.

Excellent rifle skills and very good pistol skills with moderate skills in forensics, electronics, demolitions, piloting groundcraft and personal combat.

Buttercup (human female, age: mid 30s):
A former Lonestar forensics labs specialist that managed to piss off her captain with her inconvenient questions and refusing to play ball and was re-assigned to get her away from the lab and partnered with the above mentioned former sniper. A bit of a schizo personality wise: at work she is all business and privately can be a bit of a hussy. Was assigned to be the partner to the above sniper at Lonestar in Vice, an area where her true skills really had little use. The same circumstances caused her to opt for employment by the Federal Marshal's as her partner. Looks a bit like a younger Kim Bassinger.

Excellent forensics skills, excellent electronics and computer skills, good charisma skills, moderate to low skills in weapons and combat and has the only skills in pilot: aircraft

"Pinky"(ork male, age: mid to late 20's):
A former Lonestar undercover agent that infiltrated an ork biker gang and busted them for their drug dealing. After his cover was blown, he was transferred to Vice. He's an intelligent bruiser with a bit of a cram addiction and a tendency to violent solutions. His nickname, Pinky, is due to the fact he is an albino ork (explaining his light sensitivity issues) but has, since his re-assignment to the Marshals, undergone cosmetic surgery to rid himself of the outward symptoms (and to now look a bit like Ving Rhames.) He is not a clean cop... more in the lines of a Vic Mackey of "The Shield" fame. He loves his shotgun.

Excellent combat and weapons skills, good pilot groundcraft and intimidation skills, moderate forensics skills and low electronics skills.

Bob (ork male, adept, age: early 30's):
Former Lonestar Internal Affairs agent that pursued the rest of the group through their first adventure when they were wanted falsely for multiple murders. Ended up assisting them in uncovering a a lot of corruption within Lonestar and the Seattle court system and accepting a position with the Marshals. Can be a bit of a stickler for the "law", much to the pain of his co-workers and even his Commander, Marshal Nelson. He still has a tendency to write everything down in his little black notepad and give unsolicited impromptu reports to his commander.

Adept skills focussed in detection mostly, good combat skills, good forensics skills, good electronics skills.


"Suerte" (troll male, adept, age: late 20s):
Hispanic troll Lonestar detective. Only recently passed the detective test after taking it 6 times in 10 years. Was partnered conveniently with Pinky and placed in the Hellhole Vice dept. Was only promoted due to affirmative action requirements and was neatly placed in a place where he would be ineffectual. Did not take the Federal Marshal deal as he was never implicated in any wrong doings by Lonestar, but does work with them "unofficially" seeing as how he flies a desk mostly at Lonestar. Has a moderate gambling addiction, hence the nickname "Suerte."

Adept skills focussed mostly in combat, very good combat skills, only moderate to low skills in most other areas.

[Prester John]

Number of players: 5
Setting (ie. Seattle): Hong Kong
BP Level: 400
Average current karma: 30
Average karma/session: 4
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): Varies widely. Sometimes they don't get paid anything, sometimes they get offered a million nuyen and a get-out-of-jail free card. Guanxi networks and gift-giving are important

Campaign background: PCs are all moderately famous people living in Hong Kong. They are all socialites to one degree or another and most of them have a private agenda as well.
- Main employer(if any): So far, PCs have been responding mostly to Triad politics. They tend to meet potential employers at charity events and high society parties.
- basic tone: magical/corporate/street crime/other: Magic-heavy, high society. Actual missions tend to be gritty and semi-street.

PCs:
Matthias Horrowitz: Born into a Jewish human family, goblinized into an Ork at adolescence. Parents wanted him to be a doctor, but he didn't have the mental wherewithal. Went into acting. Worked his way up through Orxploitation movies and then Hong Kong action theater. Most notable movie to date has been an Orxploitation adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Adept with mixed combat and social powers.

Charles Latterman: CAS Olympic gymnast. Won several gold medals during his youth. Eventually became too old to compete. No cyberware, bioware or magic (yet, though he has Latent Awakening). Picked up by Evo as a spokesman for exploring the heights of human potential. Notable traits: Edge 7 and Gymnastics 7.

Dexter Sung: Elven magical researcher. Became the spokesmen for the Ascendant Phoenix Society, a HK-based magical group that believes that as souls cycle through incarnations, their kharma works out such that they advance toward being reborn as Elves, and other higher creatures such as Dragons along a great chain of being. Specializes in Manipulation Magic.

Oriana Aku: Japanese socialite born into a high-level MCT family. Managed not to get sent into a research facility for being a Technomancer. Paris Hilton-esque. Father is currently hunting her down so he can force her into an arranged marriage. Specializes in Sprites.

Laoye Qing: Born to EVO cybernetics researchers. Nasty accident as during youth had her torso and arms completely rebuilt. Became a poster-child and spokesperson for EVO's cybernetics line. Plans to become a cybersurgeon. Due to unfortunate Triad entanglements, she's having to act as the party's nominal Street Samurai.

[OldBird]

Children of a Lesser God

Number of players: 4 - 6
Setting [/B: Seatle
[B]BP Level: 400
Average current karma: 12
Average karma/session: 6
Average payment (including "spoils of war"):

Campaign background:
- Main employer: Not one yet -- They're in the initial stages.
- basic tone: magical/corporate/street crime/other:
The basic tone/theme is What do essentially decent people do while involved in criminal enterprises? The big set up is that the PCs are pretty much the only 'decent' folks they know. For whatever reason, they're out of the corporate loop, and have found a group of folks that share their moral values.

Living PCs:

• Mr. X: Your Combat Mage from the Archetypes -- only he's human, from somewhere in the Middle East, and speaks fluent Farsi.
• White Witch Albino Elf Mage/Adept from the Tir. Party Medic and party girl. Very charismatic, very attractive. A functioning Face for the team.
• Snowflake: Japanese Female Troll Technomancer -- 8 feet of drunken, sullen, self-hating Matrix Wizardry. Not happy about the new look, let me tell you.
• Becky: Mundane Elf; Brazilian gun bunny with no cyber- or bioware. Huffs to get up to 'speed' and cooks REALLY well. Along with White Witch, hits the clubs pretty heavy looking for salsa music. A REALLY good shot if she has to be.
• Chains: The New Guy. Troll Physad Motorcycle Go-Ganger. Still in development, I don't know much about him yet.

Deceased PCs:

• Stone: Human-Passing Ork Physad; former Assassin with his own personal black aura (which is to say, the dispair and agony from all the killing made his aura look like Dorian Gray's portrait... ewww) At the time of his death, sleep-deprived junkie who sacrificed himself to keep the Yakuza from killing another of the party.

[Limited Infinity]

Number of players: 4-7
Setting (ie. Seattle): Chicago (a little fluff fudging, still in quarantine)
BP Level: 400
Average current karma: 4
Average karma/session: 3 (thinking of raising this)
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): 40,000¥

Campaign background:
- Main employer(if any): Haven
- basic tone: magical/corporate/street crime/other: Magical Vs. Hive, but flavor side missions to get an overall feel of Chicago. The over all goal should be to leave Chicago, but I as GM am not initiating that. They'll have to try that if they want to, when they decide they are ready.


PCs: (I'll edit this when I have my info with me)
Social Adept - Doesn't necessarily buy into the whole mystic quality of his abilities. A little underpowered in combat, but patient enough to take advantage of aiming. A lot of contacts including a few outside of quarantine that he hasn't had a chance to get a hold of yet.

Hermetic Mage - Spell slinger of the group. A big fan of stunball and quickly learning the glories of spirits. UIC ties and haven ties. The magical theory expert of the group.

Mystic Adept - Close combat powerhouse. Our group is still learning the possibilities of Mystic Adepts, but definitely is a character that could grow into a very powerful combat monster

Cyber Gun Slinger - Dual wielding John woo style muscle. Able to spread wounds out on multiple targets.

Covert Ops - Stealth and sniping. New to shadowrun, but has well made character that can do massive damage to mobs.

Cyber Sam (retired) - New player just played the example from the book. Now making her own character.

New Player - Just played last game on someone else's character. Should have his own character next time

[Kyoto Kid]

[DocTaotsu]

Number of players: 3 (Looking for a 4th)
Setting : Seattle/Must be willing to travel
BP Level: 400 with some wiggle. Avail as per book but subject to GM approval
Average current karma: 50
Average karma/session: 5-8
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): 15-20k

Campaign background:
- Main employer(if any):
Trader Joe:
Prof's ork fixer, voiced poorly by the GM.
Doctor Jubal Taotsu:
Old time shadow doc/runner who is financing a portion of the Yucatan Resistance.
The Faceless:
An organization devoted to extracting various corporate slaves. Specializes in unusual cases like cyborgs and genetically engineered riggers.

- basic tone: Mid level corporate. Runners are pretty big fish in a very big pond.

PCs:

-Prof, troll gun bunny with a taste for classic jazz and heavy weapons. Consumate professional and budding tactician. Looks vaguely like Hellboy when he draws his Super Warhawk.
-Cas, ork gun fu physad with a taste for sniping, hunting paracritters, and home made hooch. Originally an Alaskan park ranger, recently purchased an "awakened" turtle of indeterminate value.
-Pinky, human shaman, former Azzie wagemage. Cas' roommate, lives in fear within the Ork Underground. Most recent addition to the team and has the skills to be a good face.

Average Player Age: 24
Average Number of Misshapen "X" Chromosomes: 4 (including GM)

[MaxHunter]

* Number of players: 3-4 (were 6 but team split for in and out of character reasons)
* Setting: Seattle with heavy travelling (Beirut, Aztlan, Athabascan council, Africa...) currently relocating to Hamburg
* BP Level: 400 with some minor allowances
* Average current karma: aprox. 160
* Average karma/session: 5
* Average payment (including "spoils of war"): started at 2.5k each, now more than 10k Notable spoils of war include an Ares Dragon, a Panther Assault Cannon and a couple of hellhound pups.
* Main employer: Newman (Ares Mr. Johnson), Morgan (Dwarf fixer, Ucas runs), The Fox (international fixer)

* Basic tone: Cinematic Shadowrun with mercenary tones. More chrome than black, but runs on both sides of the spectrum. No moral biases.

Everyone in the group is proficient in infiltration and can get by on social skills.

PCs

* Uknar: Ork sioux street samurai. Tank. Keeps his gun collection in the bathtub which he seldom uses.
* Darko: Serbian adept sniper and close combat specialist. Islamic. Can survive without anything, anywhere. Muslim, can't stand fundamentalists.
* Hunk: Dwarf former company man. Excellent perception skills. Has a mullet and a pet hellhound called Heckler.
* Kuduz: Siberian dwarf conjurer. This character retired to live with some indians in the cold north and was forced out of retirement when the team cover was blown.


Deceased and retired

Cross: Elf Former Tir Ghost, split from the team for personality clashes and professional differences. Currently living in Tenochtitlán with a woman the team extracted in a run.
Joseph Blackhand Native American Terrorist adept, actually born in Bolivia, MIA during Yucatán run. Believed to have survived.
Marimba Palestinean ork and failed suicide bomber, street samurai. Used to wear a vest with explosives in all ocassions. MIA in the Yucatan jungle. Surely dead.
Angel Santos Cuban houngan of Ghede. Participated in the birth of a free spirit. Got crazy after some most unfortunate circumstances. Retired and embarked on a war against shedim.

[nezumi]

Number of players:
9, 6 active (it's an online game)

Setting (ie. Seattle):
Seattle

BP Level:
Sum-to-ten

Average current karma:
~20 points

Average karma/session:
~8-10 per mission (less for inactive players, for obvious reasons) (a single mission takes about 6-10 months IRL)

Average payment (including "spoils of war"):
$20,000-$50,000 per person (once past the first one or two runs)

Campaign background:
- Main employer(if any): None

- basic tone: magical/corporate/street crime/other: Corporate B&E and espionage. I'm working on making it more fast paced, so less legwork and more action.


PCs:
Dominic, homicidal elven physical adept turning into a ghoul who sets all my stuff on fire or blows it up (way too active)
Dranz slightly less homicidal elven wind mage who is pretty quiet but probably will get blown up soon (semi-active)
Dread ork ex-Lone Star street sammie who seems to share Kage's idea of what Lone Star should act like (semi-active)
Firefox elven fire mage who is not at all homicidal, but doesn't seem to mind blowing everything up or setting it on fire (very active)
Ma Thump rigger/decker/physical adept/sam/weapons specialist/troll who actually has a conscience and at least tries to keep things from all getting blown up (very active, thankfully)
Ronin ork decker who is new to the game and seems content to learn the ropes (and learns them all too well) (active)
Sean human physical adept who spends all his time getting high (sleeping off a drug binge back at the apartment and therefore inactive)
Thaden dwarven ex-military street doc tank with a heart of gold who also generally opposes blowing stuff (and more specifically, people) up (active, again, thankfully)
Tiny human mage who.... Well, that's about all I know about him (inactive)
C12 - not actually a character, but since we see it often enough, I thought I'd mention it (active)

[raverbane]

Number of players: 6
Setting (ie. Seattle): Jacksonville, FL.
BP Level: 400
Average current karma: around 20
Average karma/session: 4-5
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): around 2k per person per 'run'

Campaign background:
Players are either part of, or associated with, a magic group known as the Downtown Action Committee.
For more info on the settings background
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?show...mp;#entry630807

- Main employer(if any): Several different ones and 'community service'
- basic tone: Magical street crime. Definite very dark tones and themes.

PCs:

Fish: Elven changeling mage. Think Abe from Hellboy.

Big John: Orc changeling mystic adept melee specialist that looks like a TNG klingon.

Dr. Evil: Human mage doc / P-fix pimp.

Trog: Troll cybermonster, bodyguard-assistant to Dr. Evil.

Trigger: Elf adept gunslinger / gambler

Enoch: Gothic Elf mage, very stereotypical high ethereal tragic goth type.

Random: Human-looking elf conjurer with implant comlink and Agent Smiths doing the 'hacker in a box' routine

[Kagetenshi]

I'm in two games, both SR3, so I'll split out the answers:

Tuesday (now Monday) game
Number of players: 4+GM
Setting (ie. Seattle): Chicago, probably moving to Denver (we just escaped the Bug City quarantine in-game)
BP Level: 128
Average current karma: Buggered if I know. My character has 158, but it's been most of a year since our last karma award so that may jump sharply soon.
Average karma/session: Again, buggered if I know. We tend to award karma during downtime, but since Bug City hit downtime has come roughly once per real-life year.
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): How long has it been since we got paid? I had about ¥50k in disposable cash when the barrier went up, if that helps any.

Campaign background:
- Main employer(if any): Well, Mr. Bad Teeth gave us the most jobs of any single known entity, but we did kinda burn his face off with thermite…
- basic tone: magical/corporate/street crime/other:Hm. Shadowrunny? Magic-heavy post-apocalyptic for a while now, but since we're out of Chicago that's probably changing.

PCs:

Blake, physical combat (ranged and melee) with a fair number of technical skills and a pet helicopter (for now)
Alex Knight, Rigger whose driving TNs still tend to be sub-2 despite having had 8 boxes of Physical damage for the past two years real-time
Shadowcat ("Essie"), shapeshifter whose dietary habits and tendency to grow back after being shot the team tries to take in stride. Melee combatant, probably adept.
Shojo, radical feminist decker. Been on mostly-hiatus due to having been caught outside the barrier when Chicago went pear-shaped (player couldn't make it to sessions at the time, and there was no logical way to reintroduce her when he started being able to again)
Todd, physadept demon barber. Temporary character played by above player inside the city.

Thursday game
Number of players: 3+GM
Setting (ie. Seattle): Seattle
BP Level: 128
Average current karma: Somewhere in the 60-70 range, but it's been about a year since karma was awarded here as well. Probably figure around a hundred when that happens.
Average karma/session: No idea.
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): Around 25k per Runner-job, maybe? Not exactly sure.

Campaign background:
- Main employer(if any): No single known entity.
- basic tone: magical/corporate/street crime/other: Right now, pretty magic-heavy.

PCs:

Gem: Riggerdeckerfacemage. Well, sorta. No VCR, but solid drone surveillance capacity, decent decking ability, amazing face abilities, and aspected conjurer.
Glitch: technical/stealth specialist, the main combat force of the team.
Hound: giant mech-obsessed Rigger whose goal is to steal a nuclear reactor appropriate to power a battlemech on a rampage. Target for rampage still undetermined. Best known for ordering armor by the kiloton.

~J

[Dayhawk]

Number of players: 8
Setting (ie. Seattle): Seattle (I loosely use the source books so my players can't just assume they know stuff just because it's in the source books)
BP Level:400
Average current karma: ~120
Average karma/session: 17-25 (We play once a month)
Average payment (including "spoils of war"):1000-3000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) per runner

Campaign background:
- Main employer(if any): Deth Knight - Technomancer who they have never met.
- basic tone: Very dark and deadly. Survival is 1 part skill, 1 part luck and 2 parts who you know.

[b1ffov3rfl0w]

Average Number of Misshapen "X" Chromosomes: 4 (including GM)

Yikes, you're all octoploid?

[Muspellsheimr]

Number of players: 3 (2 PC + NPC)
Setting (ie. Seattle): Seattle
BP Level: 500
Average current karma: 18
Average karma/session: 4-6
Average payment (including "spoils of war"): ~20,000

Campaign background: Not specified
- Main employer(if any): Mercenary organization currently contracted to UCAS military.
- basic tone: magical/corporate/street crime/other: Covert Ops


PCs:
Seraph: Stealth/Combat Mystic Adept. Beautiful, Sadistic, Rapist, Bitch. Assassin. Biotech & Genetech augmentations (Type-O System). SINner

Subtle (NPC): Elf Shaman/Face (despite no social skills) - Backup ranged weapon: SA Rocket Launcher. Backup melee weapon: Melee Hardened Rocket Launcher. SINner

[Forgot Name]: Cyber/Bio Augmentation Sniper. SINner

[ToreadorVampire]

<edit, filled in missing info>

Players: 4 moving to 5 tomorrow (have had some player shuffling)
Setting: Seattle is "home base" but next session sees them jetting off to Yakut, former Siberia
Starting BP: 400
Current Karma: Between 13 and 4 depending how long the character has been in the game
Average Karma per Session: 2 at the moment, but that's based on only having completed one run in 6 sessions
Average pay per run (inc 'spoils of war'): 10k to 25k

Campaign Style
Team is an independent runner group, they have done a little work through a somewhat mysterious Johnson who they have not yet met, and I will use that contact as a recurring one for future work. Last mission was to steal a prototype motorcycle as it was being delivered, next one is a jailbreak - the team have gone into a specialist prison for the awakened and must extract a VIP.
I tend to be a bit light on magic, and I very rarely use critters as enemies, preferring metahumans. I usually set runs in an urban environment. Except, I just broke a few of those rules in this current run.

Characters
Dreamer - (played by DreadPirateKitten) the team's face, specialises in technical wizardry and engineering (not hacking though, only hardware), also a demolitions expert.
* Dreamer looks at Obeah. "I told you we needed to kill them. This be nice to everyone stuff is going to get me killed."

Sonya Asics - (played by Chrysalis) cybered weapons specialist and psycopathic killing machine, can pick up just about any weapon ever made and hurt someone with it. Very tough, even when unarmed, also (along with Dreamer) the only other original member of the team.
<Sonya> "Hard to plan revenge when you're wearing cement shoes."

Apex - Hacker, with a lot of cyberware to boot. Likes to remain stealthy most of the time, but when he sees an opportunity to 'be cool', he jumps out and gets his hands dirty. Don't underestimate him in combat either, he's a crack shot with that light pistol you didn't notice.
* Apex nods, "Sounds good, though the Yakuza thing could make the entire job go real messy, real fast."

Jesse V - New to the game last session, a bounty hunter/investigator cross, but in reality, a ranged combat phys adept.
<Jesse_V> "Right, right...sure...no problem...I didn't think it was *that* great of a neighborhood anyway..."

Ere_Teuta - another new character, a mage (to replace Obeah). General magical troubleshooter really, specialises in calling spirits of man.
<Ere_Teuta> This operation sounds like alot of fun.
<Ere_Teuta> I wish I wasn't in it.

Characters no longer with us:
Obeah - Shaman, somewhat of a pacifist, whose player was an experienced SR veteran, knew exactly what he was doing, and saved the team's skins on many occasions.
(you know, I can't find a good Obeah quote, because he was the strong silent type, but this sums it up):
* Dreamer turns around, and gives Obeah a huge smile. "I think I love you. You did great back there."

GreenGrue - Technomancer, plain and simple. Also thought herself a bit of a tough customer with a submachinegun.
<greengrue> Okay I'm going to rush the bouncers and then make a sudden left turn to dive behind a table

The full game session logs can be found at http://toreadorvampire.co.uk/rpg/shadowrun#GameSessionLogs.

[DreadPirateKitte...]

As if I'd read the forum to glean info on whats coming up next.

Also, Dreamer is an Elf. =P

Jetting off to PRISON.

Dreamer. In a prison! Oh the inhumanity of it.

[imperialus]

Right now there isn't much to it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) We'd always been a small group, at our largest I think there were 6 of us, we've also been together in one form or another for almost 10 years now. About a year and a half ago one of our core members left to take a job in Scotland for two years. We tried to integrate a new player (someone I knew from work) but it just didn't seem to work out. Then one of the other players ended up taking a extended break from the game to deal with some medical issues his daughter was having (she's fine now) and then last but not least, just as the one players daughter got better, I left on vacation for a week and another player left to go to Vietnam for 3 weeks.

In other words, we've gotten together to game probably about 3 or 4 times since November (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) . Right now I'm gaming vicariously, reading over Fist's shoulder in his PBP Ancients game.

Sorry, I know this wasn't the point of this thread, I'll stop the pity party now.

On a bright note though we should be getting together tommorrow though, that'll make two weeks in a row. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rotate.gif)