The Found Arcana - Eighth Interlude [OOC] Options

[Beta]

@Thanee My reading is that the Forbidden Arcana talents need to fit into the 25. Not sure how others have read it. I think I'd allow those 20 bonus karma to be used for additional qualities, but at 'in play' rates (i.e. double cost).

Master Alchemist is a nice one, as it increases preparation duration, and then as you accumulate initiations it adds dice when the preparation is used (but it does require having 6 skill in Alchemy, or 4 and being in the Islamic tradition). I think there were another one or two that were alchemy related, but that was the one that really jumped out at me when I made an alchemy using character.

[Tecumseh]

@Thanee
The official rule is to cap Positive Qualities at 25 karma, although I like qualities a lot so I often bend this to say that you can go above this threshold but only if the net gain/loss from qualities isn't higher than +/- 25 karma. So I usually allow for 40 points of Positive Qualities if they are offset by at least 15 points of Negative Qualities, or 30 points of Negative Qualities if there are at least 5 points of Positive Qualities, etc. (This a personal house rule and has not been approved by the wider GM council here.)

In this specific instance, the distinction might not matter much. The 20 bonus karma from a background is post-chargen karma, but the Mastery qualities in Forbidden Arcana have a special rule that their price does not double after chargen (Forbidden Arcana, p. 30). So in this case you could spend your basic 25 karma on whichever Positive Qualities you want and then spend your 20 background karma on Forbidden Arcana qualities and still not break any rules or require any house rules.

I played an alchemist once 7+ years ago and in my opinion it needed some house rules to make it viable. The primary sin was the nested rolls, namely one roll for creating a preparation and then another roll when it was triggered, meaning the end product had about 1/9th of the hits of your original dice pool. Plus there's a ton of bookkeeping required around when a preparation is created and when it expires, etc. But let's see what direction you go before trying to brainstorm something workable.

[Gilga]

I think that vault of the ages would help with the bookkeeping.

[Jack_Spade]

Yes, Forbidden Arcana stuff is great for post gen.
I've got no problem with the proposed house rule.

If you go alchemist, be sure to learn tattooing;)

[Thanee]

No need to bend the rules for me here. It will be fine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

@Tecumseh: I know that Alchemy is not the most powerful stuff, but I've had pretty good experiences with it. The biggest problem is the short duration, before they start to diminish, which make them very difficult to use (need some prep time at the right moment), but the Qualities up that quite a bit. I'm also not going to have Alchemy as my primary, it's just to add something fun. In the long run, I would probably look into getting a Power Focus, that would also help with the dice rolls for Alchemy. I don't think they are quite as bad as you put them, since only one half of the final dice pool is derived from the preparation roll.

@Gilga: Not sure what you are refering to.

@Jack: Is that some special quality or metamagic, I don't know about? Been a while that I created a mage here, I don't know all of it inside out. I've used Contact Preparations mostly in the past, which worked pretty well (kinda like potions, or I like to use magical bonbons, but it's the same thing, effectively).

Anyways... I am pretty far here, already. Gonna post what I have soon, so you will have a much better look of what I am thinking. Need to do the 20Q still, only put down some background notes, but those should give you a good idea, as well as Contacts.

I was debating getting Dedicated Spellslinger (which would be really nice with Sorcery and Alchemy with those lowered costs, making it only 6 Karma to get a spell for both types), but on a full magician, that is just too limiting, I believe. And as far as I have seen, there is noone that can do summoning, at the moment (though, there is that Ally Spirit from AM, of course, however she got ahold of that one, but that's probably some weird stuff that happened during your previous games (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ).

Bye
Thanee

[Thanee]

Raven

Metatype Human
Gender female
Age 26
Height 1.60m
Weight 50kg
Hair dark brown
Eyes green
Skin fair

https://i.ibb.co/HCVCGxc/Raven.png

[ Spoiler ]

Priorities

A - Magic (Magician)
B - Attributes (20)
B - Skills (36/5)
E - Metatype (Human (1))
E - Resources (6,000¥)

Qualities

Magician (Urban Witch; * this is from the german Street Grimoire, similar to Shamanism or Wicca)
Mentor Spirit (Seductress)
Spirit Affinity (Spirits of Air)
Illusionist 1 (Physical)
Durable Preparations
Practiced Alchemist
First Impression
Solid Rep (Redmond Barrens Residents)

SINner (Rachel Moore, Sioux Nation)
Pacifist (Self-Defense only)
Creature of Comfort (Middle)

Attributes

Body 2
Agility 3
Reaction 3
Strength 1
Willpower 5
Logic 3
Intuition 5
Charisma 6

Edge 3
Essence 6

Initiate Grade --
Magic 6

Initiative 1d6+8
Astral Initiative 2d6+10

Physical Damage Track 9
Stun Damage Track 11

Limits

Physical 3
Mental 6
Social 8

Active Skills

Spellcasting (Illusion) 6
Summoning (Spirits of Air) 6
Binding (Spirits of Air) 6
Alchemy (Contact Trigger) 6
Assensing (Aura Reading) 6
Perception (Visual) 3
Stealth 5
- Sneaking 5
- Disguise 5
- Palming 5
Etiquette 1
Negotiation 1
Con (Seduction) 6
Impersonation 1

Knowledge Skills

Arcana 6
Fashion 6
Night Clubs 3
Cocktail Mixing 1
Street Drugs 1

Languages

English N
Sperethiel 3
Lakota 3
Japanese 3
Mandarin 3
Spanish 3

Spells

Detect Life, Extended (F-1, fetish)
Heal (F-4)
Improved Invisibility (F-1, fetish)
Physical Mask (F-1)
Trid Phantasm (F, fetish)
Control Thoughts (F-1, fetish)
Fashion (F-1, fetish)
Glue (F-3, fetish)
Magic Fingers (F-2, fetish)
Makeover (F-3)

Alchemical Spells

Increase Agility (F-3)
Increase Charisma (F-3)
Improved Invisibility (F-1)
Gecko Crawl (F-3)

Spirits

Spirits of Air

Contacts

Captain Razak, Sioux Defense Force (Connection 4, Loyalty 3)
Jake ‘JJ’ Johnson, Bartender at The Roadhouse (Connection 3, Loyalty 3)
Adrian, Bouncer at The Alabaster Maiden (Connection 2, Loyalty 2)
Jackson Cooper, Beat Cop (Connection 2, Loyalty 2)
Cassandra, Ork Talismonger (Connection 2, Loyalty 2)

Gear

Zoé Executive Suite
Trés Chic Coat
Trés Chic Dress
- Electrochromic Modification
Meta Link
Sim Module
AR Gloves
Trodes
Micro-Transceiver
Electronic Paper
Mapsoft (Seattle)
Mapsoft (Sioux Nation)
Glasses 4
- Flare Compensation
- Vision Enhancement 3
Contacts 3
- Image Link
- Low-Light Vision
- Vision Magnification
Ear Buds 1
Optical Binoculars
Flashlight
Survival Kit
Jazz (4)
Psyche (2)
Atomizer (2)
- Cartridge (20)
Standard Credstick
Silver Credstick
Gold Credstick
Magical Lodge 6
Fetish (Silver Bracelet)

Karma & Resources

Good Karma (Knowledge) 0 (0)
Total Karma (Knowledge) 0 (0)

Low Lifestyle up to February 2079

Credstick Balance 540¥

Background

Raven's grandfather was a Sioux shaman that was part of the Great Ghost Dance in 2017.
His son, her father, was of mixed blood, due to his american mother.
Her mother was an elf, but herself of mixed blood with a human father and an elven mother, who was, or still is, a powerful witch.
This makes her something like ¾ human and ¼ elf, as well as ¾ american and ¼ cherokee.
None of this mattered much, anymore, when her parents died in 2064 after the Matrix Crash 2.0.
After that, she has been living on the streets. She always wanted to reconnect with her father's homeland, that she heard so many stories about, when she was younger.
Raven has inherited the magical talents from her grandfather and also from her mother's elven line.
With these talents, it wasn't difficult to stay safe out there, where others struggled.
Raven is always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need, and has gained a few contacts over time that way.
Nowadays, she often spends her nights at the various clubs in town, looking for hookups to spend the night in nicer places than in her own shabby apartment.
Through her contacts, Raven got in touch with Captain Razak of the Sioux Defence Force, which might become a turning point in her young life.

2053 Rachel is born in the Sioux Nation
2063 Rachel's family leaves for a work-related assignment to live in Seattle for a year
2064 The Matrix Crash 2.0 happens, Rachel's parents die in the aftermath, Rachel (11) gets lost in the shuffle; Captain Razak, a friend of her father, learns about the tragedy and sends someone to find her, but they fail to track her down in the chaos
2064 - 2072 Rachel lives on the streets of Seattle, she doesn't use her real name, but instead invents the moniker Raven, and her SIN isn't used either, it is lying dormant in the system
2072 Raven (19) finally has the means to get an apartment, which is when her SIN is reconnected to her and updated, and she also gets marked down as awakened
2073 Razak finds out that she has resurfaced and tracks her down in Seattle, which is a lot easier now, she learns about his connection to her father, he helps her to get on her feet
2073 - 2079 Raven continues her life in Seattle; occasionally, Razak makes use of her abilities for some odd jobs and realizes her potential
2079 Now, looking for a mage, Razak makes Raven an offer

20 Questions

1. HERITAGE

We are shaped by our heritage. Facial features, skin tone, height, build, metatype, even aptitudes are influenced by the genes passed from parent to child. Attitude, too, is taught by parents, informed by their own lives and their cultural heritage. Where does your character come from, what is her lineage, who were her parents, and what did she inherit from them?

Raven comes from a family with a mixed background. Her father was of mixed blood, amerindian and american, while her mother was an elf with a human and an elven parent. They were typical middle class workers in the Sioux Nation, her father was an engineer, and her mother a teacher. Both mundane. Raven's magical talents come from two of her grandparents, who both wielded powerful magic. Her grandfather on her father's side was a Sioux shaman, who took part in the Great Ghost Dance back then and died during the ritual, while her grandmother on her mother's side was a powerful witch. Still is, actually, but Raven never met her. While Raven is human, she certainly got her good looks and grace from her mother. Both parents died in the aftermath of the second Matrix Crash.

2. PARENTS

Parents can be proud of their children or regret ever bringing them into the world. Some are loving, and some are indifferent. All of them are only metahuman and have their own opinions of their children. Assuming they could speak, what would each of your character’s parents say about her?

Stay true to yourself and don't forget where you come from. Her father, especially, was very proud of his amerindian roots and made sure that she knows some of the languages of the native american tribes.

3. 6TH WORLD HISTORY

Many people remember certain historical events for the rest of their lives. For those alive in the first decade of the 21st century, it could be the assassination of John F. Kennedy, or the Tiananmen Square protests, or the fall of the Berlin Wall, or the attacks of 11 September 2001. People remember where they were, and what they were doing when they first heard of these events. Shadowrun history has significant events as well, such as the assassination of President Dunkelzahn, the Crash 2.0, and the emergence of technomancers and artificial intelligences. Pick a few events from recent Shadowrun history and ask where the character was at the time, what does he remember about the event, and what was he doing at the time?

During the Crash 2.0, Raven was about 11, a young girl. She was staying in Seattle with her parents for about a year. Her stable world was suddenly turned upside down with the death of her parents and the resulting trauma. Since then, she was left to fend for herself.

4. WHY THE SHADOWS

Very few people choose to become shadowrunners. More likely, they are thrown into the life by a chaotic and uncaring world. Even if she made a conscious decision to enter the shadows, her decision is influenced by the world around her. How did your character get into shadowrunning, and why did she take that path?

Raven is no shadowrunner.

But why has she not been looking for a normal job? As a mage, there should be plenty of opportunities. One thing that kept her from being flooded with offers is the fact, that her magic wasn't actually detected until after the Crash happened. She felt something, or maybe had some strange dreams before, but the actual realization came later, when the necessity arose and her mentor stepped out from behind the veil.

5. LIVING CONDITIONS

People have control over their own living arrangements. From the child young enough to use crayons and tape all the way up to the elderly shut-in who plasters her walls with family photos and cat pictures, everyone makes their living spaces more personally pleasing. What is your character’s living space like, and what has he added or changed to make it his own?

After losing her parents and therefore all access to money, Raven was forced to live on the streets. Not exactly a place she enjoyed to be, so she always looked for opportunities to get better sleeping commodities. As a child, there was little she could do, but at least her magic kept her safe. When she was old enough, she took some jobs, like serving as a waitress at a cocktail bar, to earn a bit of money, so she could afford to rent a small apartment, at least. Far from perfect, but a step up. Occasionally, she treated herself to a stay in a nice hotel, but that got expensive real quick. Her good looks also attracted offers of a certain kind, but that isn't something she wants to do, even though she has no real problem with anybody doing that line of work. Once, she couldn't resist the temptation, the guy was handsome and she had a bad day, so she gave in and took the offer to be his escort for the evening (and night). She let him pay for everything, but she did refuse any additional money. Win, win for him, but she got plenty out of it as well. These days, she often visits local clubs, being able to clean up nicely thanks to her spells, where she has no trouble finding someone interested in taking her home for a night or two. Obviously, her interest here is not just the nicer environment. She certainly enjoys the company just as much. But it's a bit of a dangerous game, as you never know who you end up with. On the other hand, she's a witch and has the means to escape from situations that others might not be able to.

6. BELIEF

Everyone has beliefs, and many have beliefs strong enough to be convictions. Some are religious, some are political, some are social, and some are just about why people are here. What does your character believe in, what are her convictions (if any), and why does she hold them?

Raven believes in freedom and peace. The young witch gains guidance from her mentor spirit. She is convinced, that the strong should protect the weak, and despite her own tragedies she considers herself one of the strong, so she helps those in need, when she can do so. When she was younger, she has received some help herself, and this is her way of giving back to the world as a whole.

7. PET PEEVE

Everyone has aspects of their personality that grate on someone. Even the best of friends annoy one another from time to time. The flaws in a person’s character are as important as the qualities. What do you dislike most about your character’s personality?

As much as Raven is a child of the streets, she really does not like being in a dirt-stained corner of the city. She prefers a cozy bed, and certainly does not mind company, if it gets her there. And she can come across as fickle and flighty at times, living from one moment to the next without any kind of solid plan for her future.

8. CORPS

The Sixth World is considered by many to be spinning out of control. If anyone could exert control over it, it would be the “Big Ten” triple-A megacorps. These transnationals exert a lot of influence on everyday life in the 2070s. Which of the Big Ten does your character hold in the highest (or least low) regard, which does he like the least, and why?

Raven has little connection to the megacorps. In her sheltered life before the Crash 2.0, she was too young to care, and afterwards, she had other problems than to focus on that.

9. CONTACTS

People make acquaintances and friends; we’re hardwired for it. Humans are social animals. This is especially true in the shadows, where often it is not the power you have, but the power you can borrow, and not who you, are but who you know. There’s a story behind each and every one of these relationships. What is the story with your character and her contacts?

Captain Razak is with the Sioux Defense Force and was a friend of Raven's father. He has been looking out for her, but also using her for her talents in the past.

Jake ‘JJ’ Johnson is a Bartender at The Roadhouse, a small bar/nightclub in Redmond with a western theme. Raven has been working as a waitress there for a while (dressing up as a "sexy cowgirl" like all the mostly female waitstaff). He's a charmer and a bit of a player. They had a short relationship, but realized that they both didn't want anything serious, so they stayed friends (with the occasional benefits).

Adrian works as a Bouncer at The Alabaster Maiden. Raven only knows his first name. He is a pretty lecherous guy who is known for "checking" the female guests "for weapons" a bit too thoroughly. But the club is amazing and he lets her cut the line occasionally, so she has to endure that little ordeal.

Jackson Cooper is a Beat Cop, who has been on patrol in the Redmond area for a while now. He knows Raven from an incident when she was a bit younger still (17) and living on the streets. She was protecting a couple squatters from gang violence. He was a rookie back then and quite impressed about how the girl could handle herself in the situation.

Cassandra is an Ork Talismonger with a little shop in Redmond. Nothing fancy, but there is an air of mystery in there, and she is respected by the residents. Raven is a regular customer there.

10. LAZY DAY

It’s Sunday morning, and your character has no commitments until tomorrow afternoon. What does she do for the day?

Get some sleep, she tends to stay up during the weekend nights. And if she happens to be in a cozy place, getting up can wait.

11. SKILLS

Your character has a specific skill set, a list of Active and Knowledge skills that define what she knows and her areas of expertise. How did she come to learn those skills, and how did she develop them to those levels?

When her parents were still around, Raven learned some of the languages from them. Most of her magical skills are gained from practice with a lot of guidance from her mentor spirit, who was a constant companion in the past decade. Raven loves magic, and with plenty time on her hands, there was little else to focus on. Some things she learned from nice people she met on the streets, most of them sharing similar fates, and some are just born out of necessity, being vigilant and keeping your head down, or even picking the occasional pocket. She has a great interest in fashion and watches the people come and go in the city, in the clubs, and elsewhere, to gain inspiration in designing her own outfits, which range from novahot club chick to gothic witch or fancy business woman.

12. MORAL LINE

Everyone has their limits. People can be dark, but most people’s instinct is to draw the line at certain actions and thoughts, and they keep to their own moral convictions. Is there a moral limit that your character enforces on the jobs she takes, and in what shadow work would she refuse to engage?

Raven is very bright and cheerful. She is full of life. One would never suspect what kind of hardships she has been through. She just has a very positive attitude. Always had. And she values life too much to be able to kill someone. It's just not her. Maybe, if there was no other way, she could bring herself to do it, but she would rather look for any alternatives first.

13. AWAKENED

If you have an Awakened or technomancer character, consider your character’s tradition and streams. Even within the major established magical traditions and the recently emerged technomantic streams, there is room for personalization. Ask yourself what drew her to that particular paradigm, how does it effect the way she views the world and her magic, how does it translate into choice of mentor spirit or paragon, and how does it affect the appearance of the spirits or sprites you conjure or compile?

Raven is a free spirit (not literally), and the tradition she follows reflects that. As an urban witch, she does not follow many rules, but does what feels right in the moment.

14. AUGMENTATION

While acceptance and bias vary from place to place, augmentations—be they bio-, cyber-, gene-, or nanoware—are increasingly common and available in the Sixth World. However, personal technological enhancement is rarely cheap, and many implants that runners possess are restricted. How did your character come to have the enhancements she has, how were they paid for, and what motivated the choices she made (if she did make the choices)?

Raven has no implants.

15. MUNDANES

Life as a shadowrunner is by definition outside the bounds of “normal” life. Shadowrunners do not truly fit into the lives of ordinary people, whether they live in slums or mansions. What does your character think of ordinary life, mainstream culture, and those who abide by it?

Raven is gifted. She knows it and she certainly sees herself like it. But that does not put her above others. She values life and considers other people her equal, whatever they are.

16. FEAR

Everyone has nightmares. Sometimes, we forget the dream completely on waking. Sometimes, the nightmare haunts us or even recurs. If your character had a lingering nightmare or a deep-rooted fear, what would it be, and why does he find it so terrifying?

The death of her parents was the most traumatic experience in her life, so naturally, reliving that moment pains her deeply.

17. THAT ONE THING

People tend to attach sentimental value to items in their possession or people they are close to. They make an effort to keep these close by and safe. What is your character’s “sacred object” or “close one,” and how did they come to be so important to him?

That changes a lot. She does not really have anything but her memories to remember her parents. And her possessions have changed quite a bit over the years. Right now, it's probably the set of designer clothes, that she has managed to acquire.

18. HOPE

One of metahumanity’s greatest assets is its ability to look toward the future and imagine a better life. Even small children have dreams about what they want to be when they grow up. What did your character want to become when he was a child, and what are his goals now?

As a child, Raven wanted to visit the site of the Great Ghost Dance, that her father told her about, maybe become a shaman herself. Her own magic was just awakening back then, but not quite realized, yet. These days, she mostly wants to make enough money to be able to afford a nicer place to live. Unfortunately, she is not exactly great at saving her Nuyen, living from one day to the next, without a bigger plan. A nice Downtown condo is the biggest thing she is dreaming of currently.

19. FLAIR

A person’s appearance can say volumes about him. From fashion sense, to the colors he prefers, to the way he walks and speaks. Sometimes, his personality determines his appearance, and, sometimes, the appearance he chooses to present the world effects his personality. What does your character look like, and what inspired his choices?

If there is one thing, that Raven tries with her appearance and mannerism, it's to appear higher class than her resources allow her to be. She uses her magic to clean up and look her best. More often than not, and the whispers of her mentor spirit have no small part in this, she wears quite revealing or provocative outfits. When heads turn as she walks by, it always puts a smile on her face. She certainly enjoys the attention and is actively looking for it often enough.

20. MONIKER

Everyone has a name, but a runner’s street name is a representation of his connection to the shadows. Sometimes runners choose their own moniker, but more often it is given to them as a nickname or earned through some (mis)adventure. How did your character come to be known by his street name?

Raven chose her own street name. The name on her SIN is Rachel Moore, but on the streets everyone knows her as Raven. From her father's stories, she remembered that her grandfather was a raven shaman, which inspired her choice. Also, ravens can fly and be free, and their black feathers are great for hiding.

[Gilga]

@Thannee

It is basically a box where you can put alchemical preparations without them going bad over time. I think it would make for a lot less book-keeping with preparations.

From Forbidden Arcana:

A vault of ages may store a number of
alchemical compounds or preparations equal to
twice the Magic rating of its creator. The Rating of
these items cannot be more than twice the rating
of the vault. While within the confines of the vault,
these items do not degrade. The degradation
clock starts ticking as soon as they are removed.

[Thanee]

Oh, okay. That is neat. Didn't know about that one, yet. Thank you! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bye
Thanee

[Jack_Spade]

Tattooing is just part of the artisan skill - but with it you can create tattoo foci, which have a few benefits that my character would really appreciate.

I can also share with you some tricks how to get really good at artificing with comparatively little effort

[Thanee]

I see. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Havn't gone into Artificing, and that would not really fit at the moment, since it is fairly expensive.

Also, Artificing seems rather terrible. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Having to roll tons of net hits on a non-trivial test, with no Edge allowed, and even a chance to lose 1 point of Essence on a very unlucky roll? Geez. And you also need to spend Karma to even create a focus. Buying one, even though they are fairly expensive, seems so much less of a hassle.

I can also share with you some tricks how to get really good at artificing with comparatively little effort

Sure. It might still be something to pursuit at some point, but for now, there is too much more useful stuff to go after. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


Should be able to fill in the rest tonight.

Bye
Thanee

[Beta]

The math on preparation dice pool works out to average hits = 1/9 alchemy dice pool + 2/9 preparation force. Which means that to some degree it is your drain soak that really gates the successes. Of course some spells care more about the force than the successes.

I've only played one character with alchemy, but had a lot of fun with it. Practiced Alchemist really helped make the duration long enough to have a few things prepped. And with that particular character I had a lot of RP fun with Boost Logic -- character had a logic stat of 1 and happily existed most of the time with their head full of nothing but spite and anger, but would pop a small Logic prep any time they needed to think things through.

Something that I didn't make use of from Forbidden Arcana is the "Atomizer" (page 193, same section as the Vault of Ages). It basically let's you create health preparations with a contact trigger instead of a command trigger (the contact is spraying the preparation on the target/recipient). Which let's one pass around health preparations, as well as lowering the drain by 1. 500nY +5ny/cartridge, availability 4, so easy enough to pick up in play in the future.

===========================

Quick question: Would drone repair use the same kit/shop as vehicles of the same category (automotive for ground, aircraft for flying, etc), or would "drone repair kit" be a thing? Or would it be "ground drone repair kit?" Just trying to make sure that Tamarind has the right kits.

[Gilga]

Just for the record (about making foci) the essence lost can be avoided using the spirt guard power. Not to say that you should do it, but to say that it is not that dangerous.

[Thanee]

Good point! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bye
Thanee

[Jack_Spade]

I see. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Havn't gone into Artificing, and that would not really fit at the moment, since it is fairly expensive.

Also, Artificing seems rather terrible. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Having to roll tons of net hits on a non-trivial test, with no Edge allowed, and even a chance to lose 1 point of Essence on a very unlucky roll? Geez. And you also need to spend Karma to even create a focus. Buying one, even though they are fairly expensive, seems so much less of a hassle.

Well, I wrote up a little text some years ago over at the official forums:

Let's assume you came late to the enchanting game and/or are a newbie in general.

Magic 6, Arcana 1, Artificing 1 (With Jack of all Trades this takes 2 Karma)
Creating a Focus Formula for a F1 Focus takes only 1 success on your Arcana+Magic test and one day of work.

For the Telesma you want something as basic as a stone you drilled a hole into, or some crude brass knuckles - just make sure it's as natural as possible and only has an object resistance of 3 dice (this is usually no problem except for weapon foci, but such is life. Time to learn the club skill and use a home made staff)

Now, paying Force in Drams is pretty trivial at these low values. A power focus would cost 120 Nuyen in reagents.

Staying one day in your lodge isn't to bad, but now you have to try to beat the Object resistance + Force with your 7 dice. And a Limit of 1. Which is a problem.

And here comes the cheese.
Very wisely, the rules prevent you from spending edge to raise the limit - but there is nothing preventing you from first renting a place with an artificer workshop (special work area +2 to relevant limit +1000 Nuyen to rent), calling a spirit for that one day, so he can make an untrained teamwork check (+1 dice +1 to limit) and/or have your friendly team lead around for some motivation (Leadership test +1 dice +1 to limit) - actually if you can get enough teamwork friends together you can raise the limit arbitrarily high (although it might get a bit too cozy in your lodge - three other magic types is usually enough).
To prevent glitches from eating your essence, you should definitely employ a spirit with the guard ability

That done, you are looking at a mighty dice pool of 8 vs. 4, Limit 6.
Feel free to spend some edge to get more hits - even if the limit doesn't increase.
Why all this?

Because of this little sentence in the rules: Core p. 307
"At the end of the crafting time, it is time for the dangerous part of the process: invoking the power of the focus. Make an Artificing + Magic [formula Force] v. formula Force + telesma’s Object Resistance. This counts as the culmination of all your work over the days, so you can’t use Edge for this test. Your net hits from this test, if you succeed, become the focus’s actual Force."

With a bit of luck you now have an R6 Power Focus for a total Karma investment of 8, 2 days worth of time, 1120 Nuyen, and a few favors from your friends (maybe they want to hang around a bit more to get their own foci?)

[Thanee]

"a bit of luck" - getting 6 net successes with 8 dice vs 4 (w/o Edge) is a bit more than a bit of luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bye
Thanee

[Jack_Spade]

The dice gods are a capricious lot...

It helps if you get analyse device for your tools and increase your dicepool a bit further. Technically, you can also improve a low level power focus with with analyse device.

There is also the Practice, Practice positive Quality that improves your limit by one for one skill.

[Thanee]

The dice gods are a capricious lot...

They sure are. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bye
Thanee

[Gilga]

Regardless of Artificing... I think we have enough to start the interlude?

[Thanee]

Assuming you guys are okay with the character I posted so far. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Will look into Contacts and fleshing out the Background with the 20Q later.

Bye
Thanee

[Thanee]

Mostly the Contacts are missing now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Does everything look alright so far?

Bye
Thanee

[Tecumseh]

@Beta
Ah, Fagin! The guy who we buy our sloth medications from.

I generally rule that there's a shop/kit for each Engineering skill (Automotive Mechanic, Aeronautics Mechanic, etc.) although I grant that a similarly-sized ground drone and air drone probably have more in common than an air drone does with a plane. I wouldn't be opposed to a "drone repair" kit that covers things smaller than an automobile. I suppose it works out the same either way: either you need two kits for different skills (Automotive vs. Aeronautics) or two kits based on size (drone vs. vehicle).

On THAT note:

@All
I haven't spent much time thinking about the new Lifestyle and things we might want to include, like a garage. It might be best to brainstorm that together. I believe the plan is to maintain SIS HQ in Redmond, but simply as an office rather than a residence (that might be blown up if we anger the wrong people).

Separately, in the name of NOT powergaming let's not aim for F6 power foci. Not yet, anyway. Let's start small and work our way up from there. If we want to artifice some F1 and F2 foci - or some qi tattoos - then that's cool but let's introduce them slowly.

@Thanee
I'm reviewing Raven and should have some thoughts later this afternoon/evening. We should be able to start the Interlude before long, like tonight or tomorrow.

What time zone are you? We're stretched all across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

[Beta]

@Thanee just a couple of thoughts after having looking over Raven.

- We already have one shapechange caster in the group (Bobby is an adept but has that spell through the Adept Spell power). On the one hand it can become a lot of shape changing if two are doing it, and on aonther it is a pretty central part of Bobby's character, so maybe crowding his 'thing'. I don't know how central to your concept of Raven that is, but would a specific Critter Form work instead? (such as raven?) It would create some space between the characters while still giving Raven an alternate form.

- Control thoughts is definitely one of those 'use with care' spells. Not saying don't take it, just remember that SIS is a somewhat legitimate business with an address and even a small matrix presence. Getting a reputation as mind rapists would be bad for business (except for the kind that is its own sort of trouble). It is a bit different from ShadowRunners who are doing their best to be anonymous.

[Jack_Spade]

I have no problem with someone else also having shapechange - I invested pretty heavily into various qualities to turn the spell into what it can do now. I suspect Raven will have many other things to spend Karma on (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

As for powergaming: Yeah, that wasn't a recommendation to blow everything up with foci (just the original text I wrote back then), but just a tipp how you can dabble in artificing and still get some good results.

Oh and yes: If control thoughts goes sideways, Bobby will have to flush another witness down the toilet.

[Gilga]

@Thanee when you say Raven is "Living on the streets?" Do you mean literally living in the streets?
How does that combine with doing alchemy (and perhaps having a lab) and with being a mage in general, magical lodge and so forth?

[Beta]

And to add that Tamarind is locked down now. I decided to keep the skills and ware as they were, and spent a bit on better mechanic autosofts and added a respirator and ammo(!)

To-do early in the game will be to get her RCC modified to have a stealth rating of 1, to go with the R1 attack dongle, allowing her to throw edge at using certain Electronic Warfare actions.