OOC: SRM04-00: Back in Business, OOC thread for Back in Business Options

[Slacker]

Jack is a rabid dog, so I'd sooner be rid of him first. Maybe we can sell his boat to some enterprising smuggler or something (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Either way works for me.


Mr. White will call up ADA Dana Oaks, and tell her that they've got a package that may be of interest to her and Athack. Now, I don't think we did any price haggling on the front end, and since Athack was such an enormous prick about the whole thing, the price has gone up. Way up. Negotiation test: 9D6E5 => 4 successes.

The contact number Dana Oaks gave you actually rings up Athack. Which is a good thing for your Negotiations considering she would have matched your hits. Athack at least is willing to hear you out a little and will give you each an extra 1000nuyen (total of 4000nuyen each) as he and his men meet you at the docks to take custody of Jack and his boat for evidence.

[Dak]

Uh, I never said anything about a boat. All they wanted was Jack. If they want the boat, its extra. 2,000 per runner extra.

[Kiirnodel]

Oh yeah, I was misremembering the FAQ example that says you can anchor a ward inside a van and the ward would move with the van. But that's only if everything is moving at a relative rate. A floor falling out would be different.
But really, if we want to be a stickler for the rules, the times you have cast Stunbolt like at the fire spirit right before you left the building the Drain has been much higher. On Direct Combat Spells, your successes on the spellcasting roll increase the Drain. So that last stunbolt actually gave you 3 stun damage (Base Drain 4 + 3 from your success - 4 successes on the drain test).

Can we just move forward with the story as is? I don't know that your spirit would be able to find the morel stone. It specifically doesn't have a magical aura and you've only ever seen a sketch of it in Fiona's notebook. I don't believe you'd be able to give the spirit a good enough visual image of it especially with all the other stone/rubble from the collapsing building.

The increased drain actually came up in my face to face game last night. We had heard talk from Catalyst Demo Team members about it being an optional rule (and therefore not used in Missions), we were a bit confused because we thought it was a straight rule. We looked it up, and it's apparently a rule that was errata'd to be an optional rule, or something like that... In any case, whether we are using it or not, the rule is net hits, not straight hits. And the spellcaster can choose not to use the net hits, thereby reducing both the damage to the target and the resulting drain.

But moving past all that, yes we can just move on, we might be able to go back and look for the stone, but I wouldn't keep my hopes up. My spirit probably couldn't help us, but I would be a poor player if I didn't at least make the attempt, ya?

The contact number Mac gave the team at the start of the mission is different from the number you have for him as a contact. Which will you be calling?

If he gave us a different contact number during the mission briefing I will go ahead and call that number. I think he did mention he was doing something else (probably dealing with Mercurial) while we were going out on this mission.

[Slacker]

Uh, I never said anything about a boat. All they wanted was Jack. If they want the boat, its extra. 2,000 per runner extra.

You aren't getting any more for the boat. You are greeted at the docks by a sizable KE force and they take control of the boat siting it as evidence in the prosecution of Jack. It is registered in his name and will surely contain evidence of his crimes.

[Kiirnodel]

Fiona's more simply exhausted than anything. She probably opens her eyes for a second at the healing being done on her, but she very quickly slips back into sleep, a much more restful sleep than the unconsciousness she'd been under before. After a couple hours of sleep she could be shaken awake if you want.

Sounds good, I'm letter her sleep. I'll try and clean her up a bit if we are sitting around waiting at any point also.

Uh, I never said anything about a boat. All they wanted was Jack. If they want the boat, its extra. 2,000 per runner extra.

Gardner will nudge Mr. White (either physically or over the matrix), "Don't push it, he already gave us some extra and we don't want him getting pissed and taking more equipment into 'evidence'"

(This is said after Mr. White pushes for the extra 2k, so if Athack gives it, then cool. Otherwise, particularly if Athack starts to get pissed, Gardner will try to step in and get Mr. White to back down. I know we had trouble, but really, we need to take what we can get before the cops decide to arrest us after all...)

[Dak]

You aren't getting any more for the boat. You are greeted at the docks by a sizable KE force and they take control of the boat siting it as evidence in the prosecution of Jack. It is registered in his name and will surely contain evidence of his crimes.

Dude slow down. I never said anything about going to the docks, or meeting KE. It's your game. If you want to handwave KE taking the boat, so be it, but you're assuming stuff that one one's posted.

[Dak]

The deal that we had was for Jack. KE were huge pricks about it. So, negotiation got us some more cash. Great. If KE doesn't want to pay for the boat, which is extra, then we'll fence it to some smugglers. And if KE wants to play the "Oh, you'll GIVE us the boat or else!" then we can talk to Jack about how much his freedom is worth.

[Kiirnodel]

Dude slow down. I never said anything about going to the docks, or meeting KE. It's your game. If you want to handwave KE taking the boat, so be it, but you're assuming stuff that one one's posted.

Honestly, it's kind of the easiest way to go. I don't know anybody to fence a boat to, and it probably played a bit into getting us that extra 1k each for handing him over.

And who knows, maybe they picked up the signal of the boat once we got into open water. Once they have that they can meet us at whatever port we end up at. Our job was to bring Jack out into Athack's jurisdiction (is he KE or LS? I forget...), which we did as soon as we got him into open water...

[Slacker]

The increased drain actually came up in my face to face game last night. We had heard talk from Catalyst Demo Team members about it being an optional rule (and therefore not used in Missions), we were a bit confused because we thought it was a straight rule. We looked it up, and it's apparently a rule that was errata'd to be an optional rule, or something like that... In any case, whether we are using it or not, the rule is net hits, not straight hits. And the spellcaster can choose not to use the net hits, thereby reducing both the damage to the target and the resulting drain.

Hmm...wonder where they document that errata. It's not listed at all in the FAQ or latest version of the pdf. Oh well, I'll keep that in mind in the future. Like you said we can move on.

If he gave us a different contact number during the mission briefing I will go ahead and call that number. I think he did mention he was doing something else (probably dealing with Mercurial) while we were going out on this mission.

The call is answered before it even finishes the first ring. An older human with age and worry lines creasing his brow appears in your AR vision. He has a hard edge to him like maybe he used to be a runner himself. Before you even say hello he demands to know if you have found his daughter.

When you tell him that you have her safe and she's sleeping off a rough couple of days, he is absolutely ecstatic. He quickly arranges for a meet with all of you and Mac at a local McDougal's restaurant.

[Dak]

*shrug* whatever we have to do here. I'm roleplaying a character who is getting jerked around by his business partner (KE). I can meta it and just shrug it off, sure. The character that I'm playing is pissed about this though, because it's a shitty deal. "Great, after we were huge jerks to you, you brought us Jack. Here's your cash, thanks for doing our jobs for - hey wait a minute. Is that Jack's boat? Awesome! We'll just take that as well, and everything on it. See you later. Hey, are those weapons you have legal?"

Also, I've got a contact that may be able to help us turn over something like a boat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Slacker]

The deal that we had was for Jack. KE were huge pricks about it. So, negotiation got us some more cash. Great. If KE doesn't want to pay for the boat, which is extra, then we'll fence it to some smugglers. And if KE wants to play the "Oh, you'll GIVE us the boat or else!" then we can talk to Jack about how much his freedom is worth.

Athack didn't warn you Knight Errant was going to seize the boat. You just arrived at the docks for the meet and his men take it. Are you going to argue with them at that point and try to run away with Jack?

[Slacker]

Honestly, it's kind of the easiest way to go. I don't know anybody to fence a boat to, and it probably played a bit into getting us that extra 1k each for handing him over.

And who knows, maybe they picked up the signal of the boat once we got into open water. Once they have that they can meet us at whatever port we end up at. Our job was to bring Jack out into Athack's jurisdiction (is he KE or LS? I forget...), which we did as soon as we got him into open water...

Athack is Knight Errant.

[Dak]

You just arrived at the docks for the meet and his men take it. Are you going to argue with them at that point and try to run away with Jack?

No one has said anything about going to the docks. If anything, we'd bring Jack to them. Not at the docks, and not with the boat.

Like I said. Whatever. If that's what happens so be it. But I think its crappy from a character perspective, and I don't much like our actions being dictated to us from a player perspective either.

[Kiirnodel]

*shrug* whatever we have to do here. I'm roleplaying a character who is getting jerked around by his business partner (KE). I can meta it and just shrug it off, sure. The character that I'm playing is pissed about this though, because it's a shitty deal. "Great, after we were huge jerks to you, you brought us Jack. Here's your cash, thanks for doing our jobs for - hey wait a minute. Is that Jack's boat? Awesome! We'll just take that as well, and everything on it. See you later. Hey, are those weapons you have legal?"

Also, I've got a contact that may be able to help us turn over something like a boat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Oh, I get where you're coming from. It's the same as when you were unwilling to pay Pip up front. I like the role-playing, and it can definitely make sense. But in this case it's kind of the nature of the business of shadowrunning. We run under the law, and our lives aren't even legal. I don't remember them being immense jerks to us before, but it's been a while and I don't particularly feel like going back and finding it. Yes, they probably wouldn't treat us with a whole lot of respect, but see previous statement about the nature of the business...

[Slacker]

No one has said anything about going to the docks. If anything, we'd bring Jack to them. Not at the docks, and not with the boat.

Like I said. Whatever. If that's what happens so be it. But I think its crappy from a character perspective, and I don't much like our actions being dictated to us from a player perspective either.

Ok, let's roleplay out you calling Athack from the boat. You say "we have Jack."

He asks "where are you?"

[Kiirnodel]

No one has said anything about going to the docks. If anything, we'd bring Jack to them. Not at the docks, and not with the boat.

Like I said. Whatever. If that's what happens so be it. But I think its crappy from a character perspective, and I don't much like our actions being dictated to us from a player perspective either.

I don't want to step on Slacker's toes, but from a purely logistical standpoint, it wouldn't take much for a KE spider to cover the call and track it back to the middle of the sound (or wherever the open water we're in is)

[Dak]

"We'll bring him to you. How about the KE station on 119th Street and Beaumont Avenue?"

[Slacker]

And just for the record. I love the roleplaying too. I was only moving forward with how KE wants to meet with you ASAP especially with the additional cost your talked out of them. The quickest way to do that would be to have them meet you at the docks.

[Slacker]

"We'll bring him to you. How about the KE station on 119th Street and Beaumont Avenue?"

"That's not what I asked. Where are you now? Dana wants this guy now and I think we are paying you enough to get that."

[Slacker]

Remember, Athack doesn't like shadowrunners and you in particular after the previous meeting; and you have made a point of making him know that you don't like him.

[Dak]

Athack rolled for crap, so you don't even need the extra dice from name dropping. He snears disgustedly at you and yells at you to get the hell out of his sight and take your crap with you. He does warn you that next time he sees you, he will be arresting anybody with illegal gear.

The ADA and a Detective want some Shadowrunners to go into the Ork Underground to retrieve a dangerous felon, doing a favor for KE by potentially bringing this guy to them, and they want to make a stink about the Shadowrunners carrying weapons into the Ork Underground, after there was a mini-gang war at its entrance.

So basically, "Hey, can you help us out under the table? That'd be great. Hey - are those weapons legal...?"

Athack, very audibly grinds his teeth (it sounds like a damn mountain moving with the size of his mouth). "Leave now little man," he says as he pokes you in the shoulder right where the fresh blood is oozing out.

Based purely on this, the last thing Mr. White would do is pilot a smugglers boat, possibly full of stolen goods, along with his wounded shadowrunners and their illegal gear, and an unconscious just-rescued hostage over to KE.

[Dak]

"That's not what I asked. Where are you now? Dana wants this guy now and I think we are paying you enough to get that."

"Where would you like to meet, Detective?"

[Slacker]

Athack grinds his teeth and mutes his mic for a second as he orders one of his people to start a trace on this call. "You seem to be trying to hide something from me, Runner. " He spits out the last word in a way that lets you know he sees no difference between you and Criminals like Jack. "I'll ask you again....where are you?"

[Dak]

Athack grinds his teeth and mutes his mic for a second as he orders one of his people to start a trace on this call. "You seem to be trying to hide something from me, Runner. " He spits out the last word in a way that lets you know he sees no difference between you and Criminals like Jack. "I'll ask you again....where are you?"

This. This is exactly why Mr. White is cautious about dealing with them while they're dictating terms.

"You seem distracted, Detective, I'll give you a call when we're ready to meet." click.

Next call is to my fixer buddy (regional fixer, connection 5, loyalty 4), Charisma + Loyalty = 9. I need to see if I can stow a boat, and if he/she thinks we can part with it for some nuyen.
9D6E5 => [ 5; 4; 4; 5; 6; 1; 1; 5; 4; => 4 success(es) against 5 ] = 4 | ones: 2

[Slacker]

This. This is exactly why Mr. White is cautious about dealing with them while they're dictating terms.

"You seem distracted, Detective, I'll give you a call when we're ready to meet." click.

Next call is to my fixer buddy (regional fixer, connection 5, loyalty 4), Charisma + Loyalty = 9. I need to see if I can stow a boat, and if he/she thinks we can part with it for some nuyen.
9D6E5 => [ 5; 4; 4; 5; 6; 1; 1; 5; 4; => 4 success(es) against 5 ] = 4 | ones: 2

Remember the roll for a contacts Connection rating. He rolled a 2 instead of the 5 or 6 you'd want with that connection rating. He's unavailable currently.