The Found Arcana - Eighth Interlude [OOC] Options

[Beta]

@Tecumseh I really liked that last IC, especially the bit about accounting rules (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Peripherally touching on something brushed upon earlier, why Razak may have recruited Jawsey rather than Raven initially. In Jawsey's background I had it that he'd been trying to make a go of it as a private detective on his own before getting recruited for SIS, and he had a fair number of points in Profession: Private Investigator. He wasn't Sioux but spoke the language a bit and had been there for his surgeries, and could provide some experience in the profession. But his strengths were similar enough to Raven's that it might not have made sense to have both at the time.

[Tecumseh]

I think there's a lot to be said for "right person, wrong time". Razak might have sensed that Raven needed more time on her own, or needed the agency to establish itself first.

Or maybe there is a scent on the wind that he detects, and Razak is now more willing to gamble on someone who is less of a known quantity.

[Tecumseh]

As for the IC post, I'll be playing Mato a little smarter, more and more savvy going forward. He'll be Logic 4 after the next karma expenditure, which is a far cry from his dumpstat origins. It was never that he was dumb; he just lacked confidence and didn't apply himself. I'll invest some knowledge karma to help support this. I imagine his confidence growing as the business continues to expand. Also, I imagine a lot of convalescing (and reading) while he recovers from surgery.

[Tecumseh]

Jack, do you have the Schattenhandbuch books / PDFs?

Chummer is telling be about the HK MP75, which I believe is in Schattenhandbuch 2. It hits hard for an SMG (9P) and has AP (-1), which is rare for an SMG. But it's also 12F, and most SMGs are only Restricted, not Forbidden.

If you have it, is there any interesting fluff text around it?

[Jack_Spade]

I do - I'll sent you a translation as soon as I get home ( which might be a while today due to team event)

[Tecumseh]

Wiz, thanks. No rush. It wouldn't be needed until next chapter anyway.

[Thanee]

https://shadowhelix.de/HK_MP75

The MP75 served as an answer to the FN P93 Praetor developed by FN Herstal. Fearing that state and corporate security agencies would not purchase SMGs with assault rifle ammunition in sufficient quantities, the design ended up on HK's drawers for a while. After the nanoweapons attack in Berlin in 2072 and the bombing of the Ætherlink HQ in Hamburg in 2074, in which terrorists used heavy weapons, the demand for more firepower increased rapidly. H&K engineers recreated the design, modernized it, and finally brought the gun to market. In the course of this modernization, a safety system from Siemens was used, while the weapon itself in many cases replaced the HK 227K. The AG Chemie and the Frankfurter Bankenverein in particular seem particularly keen on this weapon.

Not sure, that is everything that is listed in SH2 fluffwise, my copy is still in shrink. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Bye
Thanee

[Tecumseh]

Okay, so it uses assault rifle ammo. That would maybe help explain the damage code and AP values vs. your average SMG. But any indication of why it's Forbidden, other than it just has to have something wrong with it?

[Thanee]

My best guess is, because they based it on the Praetor.

Does it have a sound suppressor (don't have the stats)? That could also be a reason. The Raiden is F, too (I think, because of the sound suppressor, though the HK-227 does have one and is R; it is not really that consistent).

Bye
Thanee

[Tecumseh]

It does not. Here's the Chummer readout:

HK MP75
+ Advanced Safety System, Basic
+ Gast-Vent 2 System
+ Smartgun System, Internal
DV: 9P
AP: -1

The rules are semi-consistent about what makes something Forbidden. Silencers and sound suppressors often do, but not always (e.g. Ingram Smartgun, HK 227). Ceramic or plasteel parts will too. But there are some that are F just for fluff reasons, like the Praetor and the HK 223C.

[Jack_Spade]

I think the main thing is: It's a weapon developed for state and corporate actors, not intended for the consumer market. Those like to have an edge over mere civilians.
It's probably the best SMG out there - just like the Ares Alpha is still the best assault rifle (and likewise forbidden)

[Thanee]

just like the Ares Alpha is still the best assault rifle (and likewise forbidden)

It does have a grenade launcher, though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bye
Thanee

[Beta]

And a reminder that the availability of the Ares alpha was raised in the house rules (because it was so obviously the best option). I don't that this SMG was though.

No need to recap the adventures in IC posts (unless you want to). But maybe say how much you share?

[Tecumseh]

Yeah, pretty sure the Ares Alpha is Forbidden due to the grenade launcher.

I like the house rule that basically outlaws the Alpha at chargen. It should be aspirational tech.

[Beta]

To the best of my knowledge Tamarind doesn't have anyone looking for her from her burning the Sioux smuggler group, but she doesn't know that for sure. So she's been living under her fake ID for official purposes as much as possible for years now, just to minimize how findable her real name is. She did use her real ID to re-enter Sioux from the FRFZ, used the fake while travelling (part of why it was as expensive as it was, people shake down foreigners more)

Mechanically I don't think there is anything to stop her from using her Sioux ID, just an RP thing (and some solidarity with AM on ID concerns)

[Jack_Spade]

Yeah, pretty sure the Ares Alpha is Forbidden due to the grenade launcher.

I like the house rule that basically outlaws the Alpha at chargen. It should be aspirational tech.

Not necessarily - even without the grenade launcher it is slightly superior to the Yamaha Raiden (the other F-tier weapon) due to the recoil compensation that's compatible with every other kind of RC)

But yes, those are dream weapons for runners. Thank gods, that we are respectable business people without the need for heavy artillery (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Gilga]

OOC consideration - but do you really want to double our rent and buy another lifestyle? Not that I as a character mind but it would put SIS under a lot of expenses so that part should appear in the IC.

[Tecumseh]

About to go into a meeting (as the presenter) in about 3 minutes so this will be short.

I spent some time penciling out Lifestyle stuff last night. I have a fast and furious day of work but I'll type out my thoughts later this afternoon.

[Tecumseh]

Meeting ended early so I have a few minutes.

Point #1, we were talking about moving to Bellevue instead of Downtown. There are some Middle lifestyle neighborhoods in Bellevue just across the border with Redmond. That would give us a safer place to live but still remain close to Touristville. Downtown would be much farther. Not impossible, but not what we have discussed so far.

Point #2, unless someone strongly objects I'm going to recommend that we pivot to 4E's rules for Advanced Lifestyles, which - in my opinion - are superior to 5E's. 4E's rules are more granular and more flexible and will be easier to use for what we're trying to accomplish. The advanced lifestyle section in Runner's Companion is a breath of fresh air and clarity compared to what's in Run Faster.

Point #3, the idea was that Mato's new Trust Fund quality could help defray some of the costs so that we're not doubling our lifestyle costs. (It wouldn't be double anyway, since 4E does a better job of separating out food and entertainment, i.e. things that you don't need to pay for twice with two different lifestyles.) I grant that the Trust Fund text says, "None of these lifestyles can be shared on a long-term basis..." but I'll point out that A) this restriction did not exist in 4E, and B) it's meant to prevent abuse that I'm not terribly concerned about for our current group, given that we've been playing for four years and generally aren't abusing things. If someone wants to stick to the letter of the law on Trust Fund then we can edge around it by having the quality cover the Redmond expenses instead of the Bellevue expenses, or something similar.

All of this is open for discussion and input. I drafted out some sample lifestyles last night but it will take me a bit to assemble them into something for the group to consider. I'm also wondering if it would be fun to do any of the "shopping" ICly (like in an Interlude) or if we just want to make our decision in the OOC thread. Either way would be fine with me.

[Jack_Spade]

No objection to any of those points. Although it's pretty easy to house rule the living expenses, since we know that they make 10% of the total (which is a bit low all things considered.

But yeah, let's just use the 4e rules instead of clutching something together ourselves

[Gilga]

I have no idea what the 4e rules are but if you feel they are better by all means (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Thanee]

Yeah, the 4E Lifestyle rules were better for sure (except for the many ways to reduce the cost, which made it too easy to afford super high lifestyles). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bye
Thanee

[Beta]

I also have no idea about the 4e lifestyle rules (or 4e anything -- I came back to the game during 5e)

I'm ok with doing shopping IC'ly if people want, but I'd also like to get on to the next chapter -- Gilga has been sitting on the concept for 2 chapters and 3 interludes and I've seen just enough hints to be extra eager! So if we are doing IC'ly could it be after the next chapter?

[Tecumseh]

The 4E rules could be abused, especially if the GM wasn't paying much attention to lifestyles and they were just something that happened off-screen in the background, but in this game our lifestyle is very much woven into the game.

I'm not proposing that we wait to get on to the next chapter. I'm just asking how much people want to handle ICly vs. OOCly.

I'm busy typing up some details now but there's a lot to share and I don't know what sort of patience people have for it.

[Gilga]

I am fine with handling the new place OOC or at least the task of finding the place and looking at properties and so forth.