Recruitment: The Alicia Marks Affair, Looking for a team Options

[TinkerGnome]

"Oi, chummers. There's a fixer out there right now lookin' for a team to do a job for a Mr. J. Word is, it's all quiet like and not much danger so long as you keep yer heads down. What do you say? I'll make sure you get a call if you pass a few nuyen my way."
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Hey guys, it's me again. Virus is running along fine, but it's not really Shadowrun (It's more of an experiment). I've got an adventure which I've run before which I think will prove entertaining. It's low on combat and a lot more investigation oriented (it's also fairly short, as such things go).

Yeah, yeah, TKG, quit talking. What's the low-down on characters? Well, here's the big list. It's a little harsh in some places, but I want to be very up-front about what I want:

• Characters should be created using BeCKS (450 karma) or Priority. I'm not allowing point based generation since I'm curious to see what kinds of characters the other two systems produce (I've seen enough point built characters to last a lifetime).
• Characters built with BeCKS should have a summary of the way points were spent included (exception: NSRCG submissions do not require this).
• Characters built with priority get a bonus five skill points if they assign Magic to priority D. This is pretty much the only true imbalance between the point system and the priority system, anyway. It should only affect mundane humans. To do this in NSRCG, finish generation and turn the rules off and add five points of skills.
• Edges and flaws are not being used.
• The game is capped at 6 players. If I get more submissions than six, I will pick from among them in some fashion (probably random, but maybe oriented around a complex system of threats and bribes). It is not first-come or dibs oriented. If some characters aren't suitable to the type of game I have in mind, they're likely to shake out first.
• Character backgrounds are required. Some characters might not need much background, some might need a lot. It is possible that characters will recieve bonus karma for their background if it's good. Definition: A good background is one that I read and then look at the character sheet and say "Yeah, this character's stats are exactly what they should be based on that background.". If your bookworm character who just crawled out of a cave last week has Pistols 6 and he's never seen a gun before, it's obviously not a good background.
• Complete characters which are in my email inbox by this Friday (April 16th) at noon (EST which is GMT -5) only are eligible to play (tinkergnome@comcast.net). If you've given me 90% of a character and we're discussing something actively, then I'll make an exception. If you've given me two paragraphs of text and no stats, then I probably won't.
• You can customize your gear if you have the skills or the contacts. You cannot design your own (vehicles and guns, etc).
• SSG lifestyles are allowed and encouraged. Flesh out your residence beyond a generic descriptor like "low". Something like "A basement apartment in Touristville under a Chinese takeout" is fine.
• Accetable formats: .doc .rtf .txt .xls .sr3 .html .xml
• If there are more than six acceptable characters submitted, there will be a limitation on magical types. No more than 1 magic priority A equivalent character and 1 magic priority B equivalent character will be allowed if there are other mundane characters suitable for the campaign.

Okay, that's a lot of demands, but I don't want to have anyone find out info later that they should have known now. What can you expect from the game and myself?

• Major game posts: Approximately every 16-48 hours during the week. If posts are made on a weekend day, responses will not be required until Monday afternoon or evening.
• Minor/response game posts: Generally daily.
• Game pauses: Fairly common (1-2 a month, generally very short). Except in cases of extreem emergency, notice will be made on the OOC thread.
• If you don't post, the game still moves. As long as I have one PC posting, I will keep the game moving. Idle PCs will be kept around until a convenient point and then ditched (I'd expect this not to happen during this scenario because of its short length).
• PCs will have more than one path to accomplish any goal, and will be rewarded for thinking "outside the box". However, when the PCs are flat-out wrong about something, the game will not change to suit their plans or theories.
• The tone is moderately gritty. Bad things happen to good people.

We're following standard rules all around for character gen. No cultured bioware, no cyber better than [edit]alphaware[/edit]. Initiation and ally spirits are also not on the table. Availability restriction is the standard 8, ratings restriction is at 6 (except in the case of decks, which can be up to avail 8, reguardless of MPCP rating, or anything if you buy custom). Allowed books:

• SR3 main book (Big Black Book, or BBB)
• SR3 Companion
• Man and Machine
• Cannon Companion
• Magic in the Shadows
• Matrix
• Rigger 3
• SOTA: 2063
• Sprawl Survival Guide

This post has been edited by TinkerGnome: Apr 12 2004, 02:00 PM

[Grey]

I'm in.

[Panzergeist]

I'm in. I'll play an Inspector Gadget type of character. Basicly the detective sample character, with cyber.

[Beast of Revolut...]

Hell yeah, I'll play your otaku niece Panzer. And don't forget the awakened dog contact. We'll have to choose a name and species for him.

[Beast of Revolut...]

Hmm, all I have is paranormal animals of north america for second edition. None of the awakened dogs are very friendly or intelligent. Maybe we should make it a blackberry cat instead? They have an intelligence of 3, are fairly common, and are kept as pets.

[BGMFH]

Haha...

How about I submit a Wolf-Shifter Shaman?

[parterofmists]

i'd like to give it a go i'm a newb at the game but if you dont mind i wouldnt mind having a go

[Eyeless Blond]

Heh, I'm a newb too, as in zero game experience. I'd like to join but I'm already submitting characters for two other games. If I get into those then I won't be able to do a third. Still I'd like to submit something to this one too; I love making characters. BeCKS v.2 seems particularly suited for well-rounded mundanes with lots-o-cash, so I'll go the opposite route and build myself a relatively poor hermatic mage. Shame we can't get Edges and Flaws.

Questions: can you use chargen Karma to initiate? Cultured bioware? Beta/delta cyberware?

[TinkerGnome]

I'm going to keep all rules and real answers in the first post in the thread if I can. This will help prevent confusion on many fronts. Experience in SR is not a requirement, though you may want to be pretty cautious for the start of the game if you're not familiar with the background.

[Panzergeist]

Can Beast and I have a pet NPC blackberry cat? Those are in paranormal animals of europe, and possibly critters.

[TinkerGnome]

Sure. Of course, you'll need to roll up new characters after about five minutes since you have to go hunting for catnip in order to please your feline master instead of going on the run. Are you sure you want a mind controlling cat? I live with two of the mundane variety and they do a pretty good job of making sure I meet their needs above all others without the benefit of compulsion ;)

[Beast of Revolut...]

Okay, that makes a blackberry cat seems like a dicey proposition. How about this: Can we play as a blackberry cat? The cat PC wouldn't be able to speak, of course, but with an intelligence of 3 he should be able to understand basic English.

[Panzergeist]

Holy crap, that's an awesome idea! I could be your otaku character's pet cat!

[TinkerGnome]

Sure. Of course, you'll need to roll up new characters after a twitching piece of string makes you miss the meet. ;)

[edit] You could always try a heavily SURGEd gnome. That'd look a lot like a cat. [/edit]

[Panzergeist]

Oh, sweet. What kind of rules would you use for a blackberry cat? Just straight up rulebook, no skills or anything? Or would I still have to buy knowledge skills?

[Panzergeist]

Oh, sweet. What kind of rules would you use for a blackberry cat? Just straight up rulebook, no skills or anything? Or would I still have to buy knowledge skills?

[CardboardArmor]

The whole sheet by Friday? I'll get it to you before sundown tommorow. I got dishes to wash, it is Easter after all. Hehehehe.

I'm going Sammie on this lovely little outing. I need a little break from characters who know the meaning of subtle (j/k).

[TinkerGnome]

You'd start with:

• Knowledge: catnip varieties 6
• Knowledge: grooming techniques 4
• Knowledge: mice 3
• Knowledge: small confined spaces 2

If your character wants a Blackberry cat... I'll give you a normal cat and you can be convinced that it's a Blackberry cat that's just hiding its powers. That'd be an insanely cool character quirk. No, really.

Oh, and the one week limitation is for people like me who take several days to spend 1,000,000 :nuyen: :cyber:

[Panzergeist]

Nah, no need for an npc cat, I'll play Beast's pet kitty. This will be fun. Of course, I won't get payed as a seperate runner, but it's not like a cat costs a lot of money to take care of. Besides, stroking my lustrous fur for an hour a day will decrease Beast's blood pressure and stress hormone levels.

But how are active skill tests handled with paranimals? Stuff like melee combat, athletics, and other stuff that a cat could plausibly do. Do they use essence or the linked attribute as the skill?

[A Clockwork Lime]

You do realize he was saying "no" right?

[Panzergeist]

I had that suspicion, yes, but if he wants to be sarcastic, I can play along. Besides, a blackberry cat is as smart as the average human, and not overpowered, so why not?

[Digital Heroin]

I continue to be amazed by people's lack of ability to detect sarcasm...

I'll work up something, as a Priority character might be fun. Maybe I'll go nuts and limit myself to the Core book.

[Panzergeist]

If a blackberry cat is out, I can always try out my racoon shaman with all the manipulation and illusion spells. That could be fun. Can I initiate with character creation karma if I use Becks?

[TinkerGnome]

Nope, no initiation (or critters, for that matter, I was obviously joking, which was fun). Also, if you don't think the Blackberry cat's overpowering, you haven't read desire reflection, compulsion, movement, and a few of its other powers ;)

On another note, I'm allowing SURGE as a Special Thing ™. If you want it, let me know the general nature of mutation you want and I'll give you your positive and negative traits. AKA, it's a huge gamble ;)

[BishopMcQ]

TKG--I'm in. I'll send you a character Monday PM.