Nothing's Free in the Free Zone Recruitment, Adventure 2: A Dish Best Served Cold Options

[Lobo0705]

Hello everyone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

We are looking for one more player for our group that just completed Nothing's Free in the Free Zone: Broken Star.

One of our players had to bow out due to family issues, and now that the adventure is completed, we are looking to replace him.

The OOC thread is here. - in it you can find house rules listed in the first post.

Prior to this I have found that the major killer of PbP games is amount of time between posts, which leads to disinterest in the players, and they drop out.

Of primary importance to us is the ability to post at least once if not more per day.

I completely understand if you can not post this often, no offense is intended, many of us have jobs or family or other commitments that make this impossible. However, if you cannot meet this criteria, please do not offer to join.

I personally have a job that allows me to post multiple times per day (an examination of the OOC thread or the IC thread here will show the frequency which I can post - as a GM I feel it is my responsibility to post more often than anyone in the group to keep things running.

If you can meet that criteria, and want to participate, the character we lost was a decker, so ideally we would have a decker to replace him. The one thing we are not looking for is an Awakened character of any type.

We are in the process of wrapping up the first adventure, we probably only have another week or two of Real Life time before it is over, so I am putting this up now in case it takes a little while to find someone willing to participate.

Normal Character Generation rules apply. We are playing in Denver, I would say the only thing that would be a mandatory purchase would be a Fake Sin of at least Rating 3 (if not 4).

The current group consists of:

Grease: Elven Face/Rigger
Jack VII: Ork Samurai
Amy: Elven Mystic Adept

You can go ahead and post character builds, along with a description and background of your character - ideally with a short fiction piece and if we get more than one submission we can choose which one to add to the group. Just as an FYI, we aren't really a min-max group, so I would prefer no min-max characters.

[Jack VII]

I think calling me a Samurai might be stretching it a bit (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Meat shield works pretty well though...

[ProfGast]

I would be interested in trying it out but I'm not 100% on how well I can keep up with posting schedule. I can post every day but they'll probably be fairly late at least by US standards. (Currently on HAST which is GMT-10 and posting at work is very hit or miss). If that's still okay then I can start working on something... Also though I may not be able to post prolifically during daytime I CAN at least keep up and read the threads

Have to say though I've been following along with the OOC and IC posts and am greatly impressed and amused so far.

[Lobo0705]

I would be interested in trying it out but I'm not 100% on how well I can keep up with posting schedule. I can post every day but they'll probably be fairly late at least by US standards. (Currently on HAST which is GMT-10 and posting at work is very hit or miss). If that's still okay then I can start working on something... Also though I may not be able to post prolifically during daytime I CAN at least keep up and read the threads

Have to say though I've been following along with the OOC and IC posts and am greatly impressed and amused so far.

Thank you very much for the compliments (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

For right now, if you don't mind, given the big difference in time zones we would like to keep our options open and see if we can get someone who is a little closer to our time zones.

No offense intended at all - I hope none is taken.

[ProfGast]

None taken at all, I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't think it might be some sort of sticking point.

[Lobo0705]

@All,

We have our fourth, he will be generating a character this week, he is in the Eastern Time Zone - Prof Gast, thank you for the interest, I hope you enjoy Adventure 2 as much as Adventure 1.

Thank you again for the compliments (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Jack VII]

Hooray! Are they playing a decker?

[Lobo0705]

Hooray! Are they playing a decker?

Yes, a female human decker - don't have much more detail than that, but no Edge 1 for this character (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Jack VII]

Yes, a female human decker - don't have much more detail than that, but no Edge 1 for this character (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Hooray! The dandelion-eater majority is no more, they are merely a plurality.

[Chrome Head]

Hooray! The dandelion-eater majority is no more, they are merely a plurality.

And no more Edge 1 characters (thank you sweet, sweet karma), this group is really shaping up! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[ProfGast]

Aye best of luck to you all. I have no doubt I'll still lurk around and keep track of your shenanigans for this adventure too. Also remember the inclusion of a second female into your group means that you're not saddled with a male-dominated team anymore. Two types of tyranny defeated!

[Lobo0705]

@ProfGast,

Thanks again!

Hopefully we shall keep you entertained again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Chrome Head]

Aye best of luck to you all. I have no doubt I'll still lurk around and keep track of your shenanigans for this adventure too. Also remember the inclusion of a second female into your group means that you're not saddled with a male-dominated team anymore. Two types of tyranny defeated!

So very true!

[Melpomene]

Hey guys! As requested, here is the character. Note that I have NOT spent the 12 Karma and 25k Nuyen...this is all starting Character Creation...just wanted to make sure I got everything right.


--------------------------

Name: Katherine Vaughn
Alias(es): Melpomene, Mel
Race: Human Height: 1.57m (5’2”) Age: 23
Sex: Female Weight: 48kg (106 lb)

General look: Brown eyes, blue Mohawk. Various tattoos on both sides of her head, mostly of musical notes and symbols, also some lyrics.

Physical Mental
Body 3 Willpower 4 Edge 5
Agility 4 Logic 6 Essence 5.2
Reaction 4 Intuition 5
Strength 2 Charisma 4
Initiative (P) 1d6 +9
Initiative (M)
CS: 5+DaPr+3d6
HS: 5+DaPr+4d6

Limit
Physical 4
Mental 7
Social 6

Qualities
Positive: Codeslinger (Matrix Perception) [+10]
Home Ground – You Know a Guy [+10]

Negative: Distinctive Style [-5]
Scorched (Black IC/Short-Term Memory Loss) [-10]
Addiction: BTLs (Mild) [-4]
National SIN [-5]

Skills
Active: Acting Group 2 Pistols 3
Close Combat Group 1 Automatics 2
Perception 3 Computer 4
First Aid 2 Hardware 3
Cybercombat 3 Software 2
Electronic Warfare 4 Hacking 6


Knowledge:
English N
Sperethiel 2
BTL Dealers (Street) 2
Deckers (Street) 2
Street Gang ID (Street) 2
Corporate Security (Street) 2
Street Gang Politics (Street) 2
EDM (Interest) 3
Audio Engineering (Academic) 3
Club Scene (Interest) 2

Contacts: Chapel (Con 4, Loy 2)
DJ Kinetic (Con 2, Loy 3)
“Hacksaw” Janie Serafinowicz (Con 1, Loy 2)
Artemio (Art) Hernandez (Con 2, Loy 2)

Gear
Renraku Tsurugi (214, 125)
Programs: Browse (80) Configure (80)
Edit (80) Encryption (80)
Toolbox (80) Signal Scrub (80)
Virtual Machine (80)
Armor (250) Baby Monitor (250)
Biofeedback Filter (250) Exploit (250)
Guard (250) Sneak (250)
Stealth (250) Shell (250)
Wrapper (250)

Urban Explorer Jumpsuit (650)

Stun Baton (750)

Ares Crusader II (830)
120 rnds regular ammo (240)
40 rnds Gel ammo (100)

Fichetti Security 600 (350)
120 rnds regular ammo (240)

Ares Viper Slivergun (380)
+ External Smartgun System (200)
120 rnds flechette ammo (780)

Flash-Bang Grenade x3 (300)
Flash-Pak x3 (375)

Electronics Kit (500)
Glasses w/Low-Light, Flare Comp, Smartlink (300)
Datajack (1,000)

Cyberears [Rating 2] (4,500)
Sound Link (0)
Select Sound Filter [Rating 2] (7,000)
Damper (2,250)
Audio Enhancement [Rating 2] (8,000)
Spatial Recognizer (4,000)

Medkit [Rating 4] (1,000)

Fake SIN (Level 4) (10,000)
Fake Gun License (Level 4) (800)

Lifestyle: Squatter (6 months) (3,000)

Basic Dockwagon Contract (5,000)

3x Tripsense BTLs (600)


Total spent: 271,880
Total remaining: 3,120 + (2d6x40=280) = 3,400 Nuyen

-------------------------------

[Jack VII]

Mel,

Can you lay out what you want the character to be able to do? That might help. I'm going to post up some mechanical suggestions. Feel free to disregard them if they don't jive with your character concept (or even if they do, I'm easy, LOL).

Attributes
- Attributes are fine. Well rounded. EDG (5) warms my heart.

Qualities
- I always thought Scorched looked really rough to deal with, but it also may just be a vagueness associated with the rules for the NQ. I'd make sure you and Lobo are on the same page with how it works.
- Another addict, yay! Mild Addiction isn't too bad, but note that Tripchips are SUPER-ADDICTIVE. Like, you test even if you only use it once.

Skills
- I would take either Pistols or Automatics, not both. I'd rather consolidate those skill points into one skill (maybe keep it at 4 and drop a point in Computer, you can never have enough Matrix Perception/Search dice). Automatics is more versatile, but the weapons in question are usually harder to hide/more illegal.
- I'm not sure if CC Skill Group is doing you much. Getting Clubs would be a lot cheaper if you're mainly using the Stun Baton.
- Specializations are fun, you might want to consider some, +2 dice pool is really helpful at the beginning.
- I think you can probably take Street Gangs with Politics as a specialization and have it still cover identification. That's up to Lobo though.

Gear
- I would suggest buying all of the cyberprograms. It isn't terribly expensive (under 6K total, I think) and, even if you don't intend to do much cybercombat, you do have 3 ranks in the skill and those programs can help (Decryption for sure, since it raises your Attack limit and there are Attack actions that even a stealth decker is going to want to have available).
- Ditch the Crusader if you're going to drop Automatics.
- Take the dive and buy all of your weapons with internal smartgun systems if they don't otherwise already come with it.
- Get some spare clips (magazines) for your weapons.
- Get some add-on protection for your Jumpsuit like Chemical Protection or Non-Conductivity.
- Getting an alphaware datajack only costs 200 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) more. It's worth it.
- If you can find the cash, I'd consider taking AE or SSF to 3. Your cyberears have (1) more point of capacity available...
- Buy a burner commlink for 100 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) You're probably going to need it.
- You might want to upgrade to Low Lifestyle (really, Medium if you can afford it). You've got expensive gear and, unless you plan on bringing everything with you, Squatter is a good way for it to get stolen. If you stick with Squatter or Low, I'd pay for monthly Grid Access (it's in the house rules). Yes, you can hack a grid if you need to, but your OS starts at that point.

Cool character, looking forward to playing!

[DrZaius]

I agree with all Jack has put out there; it looks like a solid, well rounded character.

If you can find the (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) , I highly recommend the cerebral booster cyberware. Deckers have it tough; I felt like when I was playing mine a few games ago I always wanted more dice.

Talk with Lobo (when he gets back) about what your home ground is; mostly we've been running in the UCAS sector and the Warrens, but that could easily change going forward. My character also "knows a guy" from the UCAS zone; if that's the one you pick our characters are liable to know (or at least know of) each other (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

[Jack VII]

I wonder if a Matrix version would be allowed for that? I know there's Digital Turf (which sucks as written... if it applied to a Grid, it would be great), but "You Know A Guy" for, say, the Public Grid could be pretty cool.

ETA: Who are these two?
“Hacksaw” Janie Serafinowicz (Con 1, Loy 2)
Artemio (Art) Hernandez (Con 2, Loy 2)

[Melpomene]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to go through and take a look at some of them. I will say that:

- Mel is a decker (clearly) with some combat skills. She's also really good with sound (more below).
- Lobo and I have talked about Scorched a little...if he's good with it, I am too.
- Not interested in any more cyberware. The cyberware Mel has is story-based.
- I've already created a home turf (in The Warrens)...as soon as the character sheet is up and running, I'll forward on the information. Short answer: she's a top DJ at a club in The Warrens. That's where she stays most of the time...that's also where "She Knows a Guy".
- Her contacts are not anyone you all know (at least at this point).

[Jack VII]

Cool, let us know if you have any questions about our suggestions or anything else.

[Chrome Head]

Nice character sheet, should be fun. She will look tiny next to Amy who's a 6 foot tall elf (and I don't think the boys are that short either), but it'll be nice to have a balanced team gender-wise (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I also agree with what Jack said about programs, combat skills and lifestyle. Somehow a squatter with a one-year DocWagon contract feels weird. I'd consider upgrading to low lifestyle.

Can't wait for the new game to begin, it'll be interesting to meet Mel IC.

[Melpomene]

There are more than a couple of aspects to Mel that are going to be strange without knowing her backstory, and I'll let that come out through RP. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Melpomene]

Question about Alphaware...what is it good for? If I get an Alphaware Datajack for an additional 200, is its only benefit 80% of the Essence? And if that's the case, the datajack is only .1 Essence...does it become .08? Clearly I'm missing something here...

[DrZaius]

Question about Alphaware...what is it good for? If I get an Alphaware Datajack for an additional 200, is its only benefit 80% of the Essence? And if that's the case, the datajack is only .1 Essence...does it become .08? Clearly I'm missing something here...

Yep. 0.8x essence, 1.2x the cost. Essence contributes to your social limit, so when you can it makes sense to limit the amount you spend. Plus, you only ever have 6, so if at any point you may get more cyberware, being frugal with your limited essence is advantageous.

DrZ

[Jack VII]

Alphaware is Device Rating 3 per the table on p. 421. This means that it doesn't normally lose its wireless bonus until the Noise Level is 4. The wireless bonus for a datajack is that it provides NR 1. If you're in a situation where Noise may be a problem, your datajack will continue to provide its wireless bonus (NR 1 to all devices) until the noise level is 5 (since it also benefits from its own wireless bonus... presumably, there might be some quibbling about the order of operations there).

[Melpomene]

Okay, then my last question regarding this is the Essence adjustment. If the DJ is normally 0.1, and the Alphaware gives it a 0.8 multiplier, does that make the final cost 0.08? Does Essence go down to the hundredths digit? Instead of 5.2, would my Essence be 5.18?