[X] My Assistant

[Saint Sithney]

Protection money isn't like you see in bad television. Guys running protection are actually selling protection. From other people like themselves, sure, but it's basically a deal where, if someone pays, then they put the word out that that guy and his business are off limits. If someone refuses to pay, then they put the word out that that guy and his business is fair game.

Protection is how you organize your organized crime.

[Kruger]

They have to do bad things to keep even worse things from happening.

Shadowrunners do bad things to help worse people do worse things.

It's just that eveyr once in a while an adventure throws in some contrived morality tale to make it look like the Shadowrunners aren't just as inextricably part of the corporate money machine as the Johnsons and Crops they sometimes profess to hate.

[Wounded Ronin]

Yeah I guess I was on a little bit of a high horse. My thought process went like this. A runner group if it really tried could knock off an entire gang, especially if it was not a stand up fight. Alternately they could just back a small gang so that they become more powerful. Either way the runners could take over the protection rackets and other crime. But that is petty stuff. Protection rackets means shaking down shop keepers and little old ladies for chump change. I just would not find any fun in it as much as the idea of building a gang appeals to me.

But then again a gang does not need to be out to make money. They could just be a group of people that stick together and raise some merry hell just for kicks.

You could always make a campaign about managing a terrorist group like the Symbianese Liberation Army.

[kzt]

Protection money isn't like you see in bad television. Guys running protection are actually selling protection. From other people like themselves, sure, but it's basically a deal where, if someone pays, then they put the word out that that guy and his business are off limits. If someone refuses to pay, then they put the word out that that guy and his business is fair game.

Sometimes they can actually offer protection from the police too.

But yeah, you try to shake down a protected bar or brothel you'll have some irate people with guns wanting to meet you.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Shadowrunners do bad things to help worse people do worse things.

It's just that eveyr once in a while an adventure throws in some contrived morality tale to make it look like the Shadowrunners aren't just as inextricably part of the corporate money machine as the Johnsons and Crops they sometimes profess to hate.

It is far less contrived when the players create the moral gray areas... I have seen Players/Characters turn down a Run because it clashed with their personal ethics. You do not always have to play the total scum of the earth you know... I know that many of my characters have a line which they will not cross... and that line does vary depending upon the character...

[CanRay]

Yeah, some 'Runners do "Hooding" jobs. Not all of them, however.

My group did break up a domestic dispute once...

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Yeah, some 'Runners do "Hooding" jobs. Not all of them, however.

My group did break up a domestic dispute once...

Though I was not talking about "Hooding" specifically, it is always an option. I was more referring to the situation of a Johnson pitching a job, and a Character telling him to stuff it because it crossed the line of his personal morals. And yes, there are a lot of criminals that possess a moral line which they will not cross when it comes to being a criminal... it takes a truly hardened individual for things to not bother him at all; and those types of characters are usually beyond any moralistic point of view whatsoever...

[kzt]

Yup. Child rapists don't live long in most prisons in General Population.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Yup. Child rapists don't live long in most prisons in General Population.

Very True indeed...

[Yerameyahu]

Is that because they're a 'safe' target, though? I wouldn't assume benevolence from anyone. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Wounded Ronin]

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=IkjExJqf34o

There's Dolemite! That IS SR, with physads and pornomancers.

[Doc Chase]

Just to prove that I am not a powergaming munchkin, I have decided to start a non-munchkinky thread for once.

Now my gang of toxic/blood mages wanna start a prostitution syndicate.. one which specializes in changeling hookers, elven hookers and other freaks..

Any ideas on how to run a prostitution campaign?

I don't buy it. After the threads on rigger mages, inhabiting dragons and this toxic/blood group being the link throughout all of them? No, something's off.

Ultimately it's up to your GM as to how this campaign would go - You tell him what you and your mates want to do and let him figure it out. I can't shake the feeling that this is a springboard into more headaches.

[last_of_the_grea...]

I am officially ignoring the rules and toxic/blood mage backlash. Who cares?

As for setting up a prostitution campaign, well...

First there needs to be a power vaccuum in an area. The best way to make this happen is to create one. Have the PC's try and take out one of the local gangs that runs hooking. They should do recruiting first, both muscle and sex wrkers so they can fill in the hole seamlessly when they make it. This will get them noticed. Everything grows from that. Competition, extorters and blackmailers, influence peddlars and others will move in and try and carve out their share. The cops, private security, local fixers, other gangs, neighborhood businesses both legal and not, church groups and activists...everything ties together. The thing to keep in mind is that no matter how outrageously disgusting a group may be, if they set up in an area they are a part of that community and will interact with it.

[Wounded Ronin]

"We want prostitution done right!"

Okay, I thought of a cool idea. There is some established mafia doing prostitution in the city. However they are so well established that they begin to decline. A bunch of nutcases who are all veterans of the Desert Wars decides to take them on using extreme sociopathic brutality and terrorism so they can take over prostitution in the city. There's a campaign!

[Saint Sithney]

I don't buy it. After the threads on rigger mages, inhabiting dragons and this toxic/blood group being the link throughout all of them? No, something's off.

Ultimately it's up to your GM as to how this campaign would go - You tell him what you and your mates want to do and let him figure it out. I can't shake the feeling that this is a springboard into more headaches.

You are forgetting the "Can I use deformity to get a giant dick instead of suffering from negative modifiers?" thread. That was the first.

[Draco18s]

You are forgetting the "Can I use deformity to get a giant dick instead of suffering from negative modifiers?" thread. That was the first.

Oh so that's why the campaign is headed towards a prostitution ring:

The hugely endowed toxic blood mage is going to use the "services" his harem provides to drain out karma for his ally spirit so he can get himself a dragon to inhabit.

Wow, there really was some logic connecting all of this.

[Mooncrow]

I'm just waiting for the part when he asks how many karma he can drain per john...

I thought it was pretty obvious where it was heading from the start...

[Neraph]

I thought it was two penises, not one large one.

And I'd rather not dwell on that idea too much.

And I've already thought of the idea of using prostitutes to drain Essence from. Not Karma though, as the only possible way to get that Power is by GM-fiat.

[Critias]

Not Karma though, as the only possible way to get that Power is by GM-fiat.

And that would break character in their game...how, exactly?

[Neraph]

It wouldn't. I'm just pointing out how their game can't exist in the "real world."

Using the methodology for my campaign grande finale for a season opener already shows the scope of their... something.

[Doc Chase]

You are forgetting the "Can I use deformity to get a giant dick instead of suffering from negative modifiers?" thread. That was the first.

No, no. I'm repressing that thread, even though it created the greatest bar story never told.

[CanRay]

No, no. I'm repressing that thread, even though it created the greatest bar story never told.

"Help, help! I'm being repressed!" "You and every other slot in the sprawl, fragger."

[Doc Chase]

"Help, help! I'm being repressed!" "You and every other slot in the sprawl, fragger."

"Must be some kinda Johnson."
"How can you tell?"
"He ain't got shit all over him."

[jaellot]

Yup. Child rapists don't live long in most prisons in General Population.

You say that like it's a bad thing...

And not to be anymore off topic, but am I the only one who thinks this thread, as well as the dragon inhabiting one, are jokes? I mean I personally remember one time in 7th grade, me and a buddy told this dude we drew the Little Mermaid movie. Everything. Every pencil line, pen stroke, and coloring. He didn't buy it, but we didn't drop it. We thought it was funny. I sort of see a similar absurdity in the claims of a group of toxic blood shamages doing , well, anything. Not trying to be insulting if this is some one's cup o' tea when it comes to Shadowrun, but it sounds like the sort of thing I would think of if I wanted to get a rise out of some people.

Admin/Mods if any of this is out of line, please let me know and do whatever needs to be done with this reply, thanks.

[CanRay]

"How do you get a Prostitution Campaign going?" "Well, it IS an election year. You can just run for office."