How a Basic Shadowrun goes down, Reposted from two years ago... Options

[CanRay]

OK, a Manager of some sort needs something done, and finds out he can't do it "In House" for whatever reason. Doesn't even need to be illegal. Let's say... A Middle Manager of Marketing needs to know what the opposing Corporation is going to promote next. He sends a request, with budget (Usually stolen from something not watched carefully, like a Coffee Fund), to the "Deniable Assets Department" (Or whatever name the Corporation gives itself.).

The Manager there looks at it, guages it's importance to the Corporation, sees that this could be useful, and sends it to one of his agents. Let's call the agent "Bob Johnson".

Bob Johnson gets this job, sees that it's fairly low key, sees the budget, and knows this his promotion and bonus is based on getting the job done successfullly, but as cheaply as possible. Bob Johnson goes through his Rolodex, sees what Hackers or Intrusion Teams are around, and their usual price, tries to find a team that can do the job, but within budget.

Let's say he doesn't find 'em. The team he'd use is out of town, or on the lam. Stupid Shadowrunners, always breaking the law.

It's now time for Bob's lunch, which he drinks at the local bar.

Now, at this point, Bob Johnson could either out-source to a Street Johnson, or contact a Fixer who might know of other talent.

Both have advantages and disadvantages.

If he contacts a Street Johnson, it's now out of his hands. He doesn't see the talent, doesn't give their marching orders, and so on. But has that extra level of security if things go wrong.

Now, this is low key job, and Bob wants to know who he is dealing with, so he contacts Felix the Fixer.

Felix the Fixer charges Bob a flat fee, and pulls out his Rolodex, and gives him the name of a Hacker named "Pseudo-Psami" who can do the job, but doesn't have that big a Rep in Seattle, so will work cheaper to start building it.

Bob thanks Felix, says he'll see him at Poker Night at the end of the Month, and has a Coffee Break. This being Seattle, it's easy to find a Coffee Shop. Bob Johnson then phones into the Office, says he's going to have to work a "Swing Shift" (Meaning a night contact, because Shadowrunners don't get up until the crack of Dusk), and takes a power nap.

Bob then wakes up, contacts Pseudo-Psami the Hacker through a disposable cell phone, who demands a Matrix Meet at ShadowSea, an Illegal BBS.

They meet at a Virtual Bar, discuss business, and Bob Johnson hires Pseudo-Psami to hack the place and grab the Paydata, getting him even cheaper than expected.

Bob Johnson then goes out, and finds a JoyBoi or JoyGirl (or both), and has a nice night.

In the morning, he calls up P-P who got the Paydata with no problem, transfers the data to Bob's CommLink, and demands payment up front to a Caymen Island account. Bob Johnson tells him to "Go Slot Yourself", and hangs up. Then finds out the data is Encrypted, and has a nasty virus.

Getting to a Payphone, he apologises to Pseudo-Psami, transfers double the price (But is still within budget), and gets the Anti-Virus and Decryption Code, getting the data, but not getting as big props for getting it cheap.

And that's a basic Shadowrun.

Five days later, Bob finds out he should have worn a condom, and has to go to the Clinic.

Moral of the story, don't screw people in any way without protection.

[CanRay]

NOW! That's a big corporation. Let's say it's a smaller one. A Mom & Pop & Brats deal. They need dirty deeds done as well. And that, too, is where Street Johnson's come into play.

Phil's Automotives is losing business because Arny's Carshop has better advertising on the Matrix.

Phil, lacking the contacts for Shadowrunners, and certainly lacking skills to talk to them, talks to the local Fixer that he gets his stolen car parts from. Let's say it's Felix the Fixer again.

Felix gives Phil a name. "Money" Johnson, just because we know and love him. Phil approaches Money, and goes, "Money... Help me, you're my only hope!".

Money thinks it over, looks at the money offered, laughs inside because he's making more in interest alone, and accepts the job in exchange for tune-ups on his Jackrabbit for life, and some automotive favours later on down the line. Phil doesn't see an issue with this, and agrees.

Money heads out, looks through his rolodex, and picks out a team of Ninja Mechanics. They sneak into the houses of the cars that Arny's just fixed, and "Fix" them again in a manner consistant with a garage that's trying to drum up business.

Word of mouth gets out about Arny's, with a little help from Money's own little programs that make sure it hits the Blogs. Phil gets his customers back, because he's honest (Outside of buying used parts from Chop Shops), Money gets his Jackrabbit tuned to perfection, and has some favours to trade in the future, and the Ninja Mechanics get to pay their rent.

Only Arny loses.

[Ryu]

Proper legwork can find some intel... On CanRays NPCs.

Good stuff.

[CanRay]

Thanks for finding that, I was wondering where that went off to.