Charm City [OOC] Options

[Koekepan]

So the link to the character sheet as a pdf worked well. The html was all messed up, I could see character bits in there, but one couldn't really use that.

Sorry. I used TreeSheets (free download, highly recommended software) to organise it. It does have build points and nuyen costs in there.

That is....limiting.

Though maybe you'd enjoy a different sort of role. Less in the middle of a run, more knowing the lay of the land, and spots one can vanish into the Baltimore sewers like a bunch of ninja turtle (you already have related knowledge skills, but maybe one specifically to the Baltimore utility layout.

OK, and I can slap in a set of 'trodes.

Your soft drones are obviously useful for getting coms working in places that would otherwise be challenging.

Oh yeah, he should be a hacker's best friend.

If you were willing to loans drones, other folks might be able to physically carry them in or drive them themselves, utilising higher infiltration skills and the like.

Of course. Sometimes the highest use of infiltration is to bring something in that otherwise couldn't be there.

You also might be able to credibly make arrangements for "workers" in a building. Though be careful with your SIN. You might have to make the runners actually fix a few toilets and spoof a system to believe they left before the can get up to other things.

The way I see it, it's tough for him to hide, but easy for him to have a very plausible excuse. Especially with buildings constructed on top of each other.

"Yeah, tell your boss I can fix the drekkers, or I can sit outside while sewage cascades down these marble steps, and then fix the drekkers. Either way's good with me, I get paid just the same."

I was also going to say you might want to drop the skill group giving you cybertechnology if you don't use cyber, and instead just take first aid. But maybe you could be something of an on team street doc?

I very much wanted that group so that I could fix broken cybertech, do reasonable street doc work (although no replacement for a hospital, of course), and generally keep runners alive until someone with more specialised skills can get around to it. Nothing wrong with hanging around the back of the group with a shotgun in one hand and a medkit in the other.

[pbangarth]

I'm working on the contacts sunnyside is giving us for free. At first I was giving both Bongo and Willie Brewster as their local fixer contact. Trouble is, Bongo and Willie have vastly different CHA values, and 6 points for Bongo can't be made to fit 2 points for Willie. So, I am assuming our fixer Brewster is outside of this schema.

[pbangarth]

Contacts done.

[Crossbow]

Character Stuff

Flatline's Bio and 20Q

[ Spoiler ]

There is a neighborhood in the Western “Angel Wing” of Baltimore that nobody talks about.  Actually there are a lot of places in Baltimore that no one talks about, but this part of the Western Wing doesn't get talked about because the people that live there want to keep it secret.  The reason they keep it a secret is because the people that live there don't want the world to know that life in this little part of one of the worst hellholes on earth is not really all that bad, it is kind of an oasis in the brutality around it.  In fact the folks that live there call it the Oasis.  It is near enough to the L that you can still hear sirens most nights, but a little too deep into the district for the slummers and thrill seekers to risk making the attempt.  The Oasis is not really any better off than the area around it, there is crime and desperation, and rundown buildings, but the folks here care a little more and actually look out for each other when they can.  It is the kind of place that a married Mafia leiutenant can stow the dime piece he keeps on the side with his illegitimate kid if he likes her.  Where a Shadowrunner can have his brother's family move to after the brother takes a bullet for him.

One of the reasons that the Oasis exists is the Harris Clinic, a place where locals can go for real medical care.  One of the reasons that the thin, awkward looking young man walking out of the Clinic knows he can safely walk these streets without fear is that his name is Devon Harris, he is the son of Dr Maxwell Harris, the founder of the clinic.

Devon knows that after the 12 hour shift he just finished that he really should just go home and sleep, but he also knows that he is going to the 'other' clinic a few blocks away to check on the razorgirl's new mod and spend a few more hours going over rituals in his Lab.  He pops his last Caff-Tab and cracks a new pack, walking a little faster so that he might sleep in his real bed tonight.

Name: Devon Harris
Alias: Flatline
Race: Human (mixed Black/White/Amerind)
Sex: Male
Nationality: UCAS
Physical Description: Mulatto skinned, slim, bookish, with a serious face, a little skittish

• 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?

Devon Harris’ heritage is marked by every major counterculture movement of the last century. His ancestors were Freedom Riders, Civil Rights Activists, Hippies, Bohemians, Feminists, and Peaceniks. They were part of Anonymous, Greenpeace, and Occupy. With the beginning of the Sixth World they just continued the struggle, putting in time for every cause and anyone downtrodden. Charity, community, and equality are as natural as breathing for him.

Devon’s father’s family has been in the medical field going back centuries. There has been a Doctor Harris in Baltimore as long as there has been a Baltimore, with varying degrees of fame, fortune, and success. The latest incarnation is the Harris Clinic, a neighborhood practice that includes a nearby shadow clinic for those requiring unique voluntary procedures and care without questions run by Dr. Maxwell Harris, Devon’s father.

Lydia Harris (Pinkskin Salish name - Walks With Deer) was a pretty little nymph that captured Maxwell’s heart in college, she has flitted in and out of his and Devon’s life, magic being both her nature and her calling. They have an interesting relationship.

Devon is their only child with a foot in both worlds.

• 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?

Max would like Devon to buckle down and get a medical degree so he can take over the practice and Max can retire, whatever that means to old doctors. Lydia wants him to live life on his own terms and find his own path, she thinks he is too studious and loves to bring him out to the Cascades with her. Both are very proud of him for following their lead. Devon is a weird kid.

• 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?

Most of those times have been marked by civil unrest in Baltimore, which for Devon means a busy life, days with Mom out trying to fix things, nights with Dad putting folks back together in the clinics.

• 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?

Devon had known of Shadowrunners his whole life, one of his earliest memories is from the night of the Big D’s assassination, one of those busy days mentioned earlier. He saw a team of runners bring a comrade into his dad’s clinic and then guard the place from the violence on the street. There was a REALLY big troll that carried an HMG like a shotgun.

He didn’t really consider getting into shadowrunning until he began to understand that Runners funded the shadowclinic, which brought in a LOT of money. He figured that he can run for a bit and build up a nice nest egg to get him though Medical School.

• 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?

He lives in the neighborhood he grew up in, near the clinic, his space is simple and functional as he can make it, probably needing a woman’s touch, but clean. His real home is the Magic Lab that is off a hidden passage of the shadow clinic. That is where he cuts loose, as much as a hermetic ever does anyway.

• 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?

He upholds the Hippocratic Oath even though he is under no obligation to do so, and believes in fighting for the little guy.

• 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?

Kinda bookish, and I don’t like drugs

• 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?

Doc Wagon and Crashcart are the best of the worst, because some of their guys actually care. The rest are just tools keeping people down.

• 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?

Decker- Jimmy Nelson (Jammer) is another kid from the hood who wasn’t on the streets enough to fall in with the gangs and too smart not to make something of himself. Jimmy and Devon are the same age so they got on well and built a solid friendship. Jimmy also does IT for the clinic.

Fixer- Three-Toes is that guy from the neighborhood who handles the ‘business’ and keeps things cool. They have a purely professional relationship, but the dwarf is the one who Devon went to to put the word out that he was looking for shadowwork. For the record, Devon knows for a fact his feet are pristine, and will NEVER ask about his name.

Talismonger- The Curio Corner is a little shop on the edge of the neighborhood, it is run by a couple of old folks who met a long time ago. The man is a Cat shaman (Tom) and his wife is a hermetic (Theresa) so they make it work. When he decided to get into the game he went to them for his foci and was allowed to help make them, so there is a bond there.

Ork Ganger- Danny Broxton is another kid Jimmy and Devon’s age from the hood. He was not nearly as lucky as the other two and went down a different path, but they have history, so he is one of those guys he knows.

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

Unless he has specific plans, he probably is either sleeping or putting in a shift at the clinic. Or helping someone organize a protest for something on Monday.

• 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?

From having a foot in two very different worlds and living in the same area his whole life.

• 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?

Wetwork, anything that harms large groups of innocents, he is a Robin Hood runner (probably more Friar Tuck)

• 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?

It chose him, The Protector made itself known to him as soon as his abilities emerged. He thinks that it had been a Patron of his father’s line all the way back and was waiting for someone with the Talent to emerge. The Protector tolerates his mother’s shamanistic ways because of a deep connection to her totem (Bear). His spirits are tools, but they deserve respect, kind of like capable underlings.

• 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)?

He doesn’t have any, but he has no problem with them, he just knows he doesn’t need them as long as he has magic.

• 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?

He loves and protects ordinary people, especially the ones in his neighborhood.

• 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?

He has a doctor’s deep fear of making a mistake that kills someone, without arrogance that it can’t happen.

• 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?

His foci are precious to him, they are thick bracers, one with a sword and one a shield, he helped create them.

• 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?

Same, make his parents happy, help people.

• 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?

Form follows function, he doesn’t do a lot of frivolous things, but he understands style.

• 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?

He was given the name because of his low key nature and skillset, and the fact that the hothead Samurai who gave it to him was convinced he would be dead in a year.

Note: Changed references to Baltimore. The Oasis is in the Western Wing.

Going to need to do a complete rewrite of Flatline, the only version I have created is for 5th

Since I have Smiley ready for a starter character, I will post his stuff, but he will also need a relocation of some things to be effective.

[ Spoiler ]

Daniel Smiling Wolf is a full blooded Lakota Sioux.  He grew up living a charmed life of a small town sports hero in the area formerly known as Montana.

Everything came pretty easy for him, his natural charisma and athletic ability combined with the magic that enhanced both, he was a happy and popular young man.

This came to a screeching halt for him when his parents were killed shortly after he came of age.  He was automatically granted a delayed waiver of his country’s military service obligation, but he turned it down and showed up for training as scheduled.  He seemed okay, but it was clear early on he was changed.

‘Smiley’s’ abilities caused him to gravitate towards the Wildcats, and he would have made it had it not been for an ill-advised and poorly executed dalliance with an older woman who happened to be married to his training company’s XO.  While this didn’t kill his military career, it was the first sign of what became a pattern in his life.  For the next several years, Daniel would prove himself capable and even heroic in all manner of high profile and dangerous assignments, then he would have some ill-advised situation, usually involving some combination of women, alcohol or fighting, that would derail him and then his charisma or friendships would pull him back from the brink.

His luck ran out when, while working security at STC HQ in Billings, he killed a man in self-defense, a man who happened to be married to a woman Daniel was seeing and who happened to an aide to the Salish Council representative.

He came to Baltimore to hide and make a life for himself, but has not bothered to try and break his pattern of subtle self-destruction, if he is even aware of it.  He has found a niche as a face and hand to hand fighter, but has also become known on the party scene and usually blows through any money he makes as a runner.
 
Daniel is a friendly and happy person, and a capable member of a team.  He is also an alcoholic and living on the edge is the only way he has of dealing with his demons.

• 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?

Daniel’s heritage is pure blood native Sioux. His physical form is an idealized Native Warrior: Tall for a human, well-built and lean, long straight black hair and even skin tone. He also inherited the stereotypical weakness of Natives for the ‘firewater’, but he is a VERY happy drunk.

• 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?

Daniel’s parents shaped the man he is, and their death put a stamp on the rest of his life. They were a quiet couple, very proud of their son and his accomplishments as a young man. They would be extremely disappointed in the life he has lived since their passing, which in so no small part causes him to sink deeper into his vices when considered. That said, the moral character to do the ‘Robin Hood’ style running that he favors also comes from them.

• 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?
Living in the backwoods of the Sioux Nation, Daniel was insulated from a lot of the drama of the fifth world beyond noting it on the newsnet screamsheets. He grew into young adulthood in the wireless world, and as such he is competent at functioning in it. The closest the outside world came to reaching in to affect him was Ghostwalker’s takeover of Denver, which brought all of the countries involved to the brink of war before calming down. The reason he remembers it was that it caused a cancellation of a team trip he was involved with that was a big deal for him at the time, and he was quite selfishly pissed off about it at the time and got a sitdown with Dad for his trouble where he first learned that the world really didn’t revolve around him.
• 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?

He wasn’t opposed to the idea of shadowrunning, and with his military background he was a good fit for the work. For Daniel it is a means to an end, he started working the shadows so he could pay the bills, what few bills he has. Jodie put him in touch with the right people and things just happed for him, as they tend to do.

• 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?

His personal living space is a long term coffin, he goes there when he doesn’t have another choice and he needs to crash. His home is Jenny’s place, second stool from the end of the bar, his sleeping arrangements usually involve a bootie call on good days, a cot in the backroom of Jenny’s on the normal days and whereever it was that he passed out and got left at any other time.

• 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?

Daniel is looking for something to believe in, or something to care about. Right now he is living on inertia and habit. The closest he has to a system of beliefs is martial arts, but even that is tenuous at best.

• 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?

That he is wasting the gifts he has been given, with his charisma and attributes he could be so much more and he just doesn’t care.

• 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?

If there was a corp he didn’t like it would be Ares, because his past with them, they were involved with some kind of scam with the Sioux military forces that ended with them having a detailed file on him and several other members of the military. He likes Horizon because they seem to enjoy a good party.

• 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?


Amerind Tribesman

4/4

David Blackeagle is a retired Wildcat commander who does security consultation for NAN interests in the DC area. As a baby, he was carried out of the Abilene Reeducation Camp, as an adult he was one of the developers and first teachers of the Wildcat MA style.


Bartender

4/2

Jodie Mason is the owner/operator of "Jodie's Place" in on the edge of the L, it’s also Daniel's second home. She is also the only woman to ever turn him down, preferring him as a friend. (Yes, she is straight) He is her protector and avenger, having dealt with a few 'issues' in the 'hood for her, she is his enabler and his entry into the Shadows, having introduced him to Max, an ex-boyfriend.

Beat Cop

2/2

Bobby O'Shea is a shining example of a young man from a good family doing the right thing. He is a rookie working the streets of Baltimore. Daniel saved his ass one of his first days on the street. He is now a drinking buddy and the reason Daniel hasn't ended up in jail at least once.

Club Owner 2/2

Ito Ruma, elven, of the “Camelot” in Shibuya. She is a girl he knows.

Corporate Secretary 2/3

Yasuda Cho, Executive Assistant to a junior VP at Evo. She is a girl he knows from the Clubs.

Fixer 3/3

David Maxwell, “Max”, an ork ex-runner working the other side.

Forensics Expert 2/2

Dr Kate Krenshaw, Forensic Thaumaturgist. She is a girl he knows from the Clubs.

Political Intern 2/2

Tawny Collins, future career politico, working in city government. (think Janel Maloney from The West Wing) She is a girl he knows from the Clubs.

Simsense Star 3/3

Jett Blackheart Half-Sioux retro-rocker that is a star on the rise. She is a girl he usta know from the Clubs back in the Nation, they were as close to serious as Daniel gets, a long time ago.


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

If Saturday night went well, which it usually does, he spends Sunday morning in someone’s bed, enjoying their company. This usually leads to a late breakfast and whatever, the girl usually leads him around. By evening he is back at Jodie’s to do laundry.

• 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?

His athletics and social skills developed naturally and are practically instinctual, combat skills were learned in the military, His knowledge skills are based on his lifestyle.

• 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?

He might do wetwork if the price is right and there is risk involved, but he is not a casual killer. He hasn’t run into it yet, but he won’t hurt kids or anyone who he knows is a parent.

• 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?

His magic feeds what came naturally, or perhaps grew out of it, he is not sure. He is aware of his talents and does what he can to develop them, if there is anything he does care about.

• 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)?

N/A

• 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?

He doesn’t. He accepts it and goes with the flow. He is happy that normal people exist, but he knows he is not a part of that world.

• 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?

He relives his parents dying practically every night that he is not drunk enough to not dream, it pushes him under every time he close up close to straightening out.

• 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?

He has a flask, a beat-up silver flask with an embossed wolf that he keeps filled with good scotch whiskey. It is important because it was given to him by his grandfather.

• 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?

He used to want a normal life, to grow old and become a respectable member of the tribe, now he want to live fast, die young and he really doesn’t care about the rest.

• 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?

He looks good, he dresses plainly and simply and makes it work. He is one of those guys that walks into anywhere in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and keeps that stylistically relevant because it looks that good on him. He doesn’t really own anything else, but will buy and dress up in clothes if he needs to.

• 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?
Smiley comes from his birth name, and the fact that outwardly he is always grinning and happy. He got it as a child when he actually was still a happy person.

Character Sheet

[ Spoiler ]

[quote author=Crossbow link=topic=3087.msg30618#msg30618 date=1299196869]
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ;D (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) :(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Name: Daniel Smiling Wolf
Alias: Smiley
Race: Human
Sex: Male
Nationality: Sioux
Lifestyle: Low (1 Month paid)
Physical Description: Think Daniel Day Lewis meets Taylor Lautner

Attributes

[table]
[tr][td]Body[/td]
[td]Agility[/td]
[td]Reaction[/td]
[td]Strength[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]4[/td]
[td]4[/td]
[td]4[/td]
[td]4[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Charisma[/td]
[td]Intuition[/td]
[td]Logic[/td]
[td]Willpower[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]5[/td]
[td]3[/td]
[td]2[/td]
[td]3[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Edge[/td]
[td]Magic[/td]
[td]Essence[/td]
[td]Initiative[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]5[/td]
[td]5[/td]
[td]6[/td]
[td]7[/td][/tr]
[/table]

Positive Qualities
Adept
Martial Arts (1)
Negative Qualities
Addiction - Mild [Alcohol]
Compulsive - Mild [Flirting]
Thrill Seeker

Active Skills
[table]
[tr][td]Influence Skill Group[/td][td]4[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Athletics Skill Group[/td][td]1[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Unarmed Combat[/td][td]6[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dodge[/td][td]3[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Pilot Groundcraft (Bike)[/td][td]1(3)[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Knowledge Skills ( [Logic + Intuition] x 3 free points)
[table]
[tr][td]Current Trends[/td][td]4[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Seattle (Clubs)[/td][td]3(5)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Mixology[/td][td]4[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Language Skills
[table]
[tr][td]Sioux[/td][td]N[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]English (Clubspeak)[/td][td]3(5)[/td][/tr]
[/table]

[size=12pt][b]Adept Powers
[table]
[tr][td]Attribute Boost [Agility][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Attribute Boost [Reaction][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Attribute Boost [Strength][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Critical Strike[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Counterstrike[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Improved Reflexes I[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Killing Hands[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Kinesics (3)[/td][/tr]
[/table]

Martial Arts [Wildcat]
[table]
[tr] [td]Advantages[/td] [/tr]
[tr][td]+1 Subduing[/td][/tr]
[tr] [td]Manuevers[/td] [/tr]
[tr][td]Disarm[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Full Offense[/td][/tr]
[/table]

Gear
[table]
[tr][td]Armor Jacket[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Fake ID (4)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Glasses (Flare Comp, Low-Light)[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Harley Scorpion[/td][/tr]
[/table]

Contacts
[table]
[tr] [td]Contact[/td] [td][/td] [td]C/L[/td][/tr]
[tr] [td]Amerind Tribesman[/td] [td]2/4[/td][/tr][/table]
Jayson Blackeagle is a retired Wildcat commander who does security consultation for Council Island and NAN interests in the Metroplex. As a baby, he was carried out of the Abilene Reeducation Camp, as an adult he was one of the developers and first teachers of the Wildcat MA style.

[table][tr] [td]Bartender[/td] [td]3/2[/td][/tr] [/table]
Jodie Mason is the owner/operator of the small corner bar "Jodie's Place", Daniel's second home. She is also the only woman to ever turn him down, preferring him as a friend. (Yes, she is straight) He is her protector and avenger, having dealt with a few 'issues' in the 'hood for her, she is his enabler and his entry into the Shadows, having introduced him to Max, an ex-boyfriend.

[table][tr] [td]Beat Cop[/td] [td]3/2[/td][/tr] [/table]
Sgt Micheal O'Rielly is living example of the cop who got busted back to walking a beat after pissing off the wrong Knight Errant pencil pusher when he came over from the 'Star. Daniel saved his ass one of his first days back on the street. He is a drinking buddy and the reason Daniel hasn't ended up in jail more than once.

[table][tr] [td]Club Owner[/td] [td]2/2[/td][/tr] [/table]
Cheri Ostler, the Alabaster Maiden. She is a girl he knows. (see Seattle 2072)

[table][tr] [td]Corporate Secretary[/td] [td]2/3[/td][/tr][/table]
Marianne Roxton, Executive Assistant to a junior VP at Seattle's Evo offices. She is a girl he knows from the Clubs.

[table][tr] [td]Fixer[/td] [td]3/3[/td][/tr] [/table]
Max 'Rhino' Reinhold, Troll ex-runner working the other side.

[table][tr] [td]Forensics Expert[/td] [td]2/2[/td][/tr] [/table]
Dr Jennifer Lynn Hamilton. She is a girl he knows from the Clubs.

[table][tr] [td]Political Intern[/td] [td]2/2[/td][/tr][/table]
Amanda Johansen, future career politico. (think Janel Maloney from The West Wing) She is a girl he knows from the Clubs.

[table][tr] [td]Simsense Star[/td] [td]3/3[/td][/tr][/table]
Jett Blackheart Half-Sioux retro-rocker that is a star on the rise. She is a girl he usta know from the Clubs back in the Nation, they were as close to serious as Daniel gets, a long time ago.

[Koekepan]

OK, I added trodes and moved a couple of knowledge skills for a couple of points in utilities layout.

I think we're probably close to settled, unless there was something else.

https://files.catbox.moe/rrfa94.png

[sunnyside]

I'm working on the contacts sunnyside is giving us for free. At first I was giving both Bongo and Willie Brewster as their local fixer contact. Trouble is, Bongo and Willie have vastly different CHA values, and 6 points for Bongo can't be made to fit 2 points for Willie. So, I am assuming our fixer Brewster is outside of this schema.

Looks like you might have left out the "out of towner" disadvantage, so those are a few more points. Also Orksploitation videos seems like a fun skill you could get a contact with unless it's more useful than I"m thinking.

For the out of town folks you don't have to flesh out freebie contacts right away, but it's fine.

Brewster is outside the "schema" as you say. The difference in contacts you pay for or develop as freebies is that you know their ratings and I treat their descriptions as accurate and them generally as beneficial. In contrast I don't generally share the ratings of npcs/contacts you meet during play and maybe they're secretly an organlegger or something.

[pbangarth]

Looks like you might have left out the "out of towner" disadvantage, so those are a few more points. Also Orksploitation videos seems like a fun skill you could get a contact with unless it's more useful than I"m thinking.

For the out of town folks you don't have to flesh out freebie contacts right away, but it's fine.

Brewster is outside the "schema" as you say. The difference in contacts you pay for or develop as freebies is that you know their ratings and I treat their descriptions as accurate and them generally as beneficial. In contrast I don't generally share the ratings of npcs/contacts you meet during play and maybe they're secretly an organlegger or something.

Oh yeah! I missed the out-of-towner disadvantage. Gee, sunnyside, you sure are a kind GM! I bet you're gonna be really nice to us, huh? Huh?

Also missed the Orksploitation trideo connection. I'm getting old. I'll fix these shortly.

EDIT: Fixed. Man, it took me an hour to figure out an arithmetic error.

[sunnyside]

Note: Will need to change all of the Seatlle and Pacific Northwest references to Baltimore local.

You don't have to. There's some extra points for being an out of towner. You'd jist need to work up some reason to relocate, for example if he felt he needed to leave Seattle for a while until some heat died off or he'd be putting the clinic at too much risk.

That also works with keeping your general backstory/history

Although if the clinic experience is integral to the reason you want to play the character than you would need to redo for for Baltimore. And I should probably write up some details of the area out of my notes.

But I am intrigued by the character.

[pbangarth]

Yeah, having a healer in the group is a major bonus. Bongo loves the idea. Willie, of course, is too tough and not too concerned about taking damage.

[Crossbow]

But I am intrigued by the character.

The Oasis is integral to the character, I will need to move it all to Baltimore. It makes sense from the activist sense to be east coast anyway.

I will get hot on the write up.

[sunnyside]

OK, I added trodes and moved a couple of knowledge skills for a couple of points in utilities layout.

I think we're probably close to settled, unless there was something else.

https://files.catbox.moe/rrfa94.png

Ok, so now that you have the sizes listed I see what's going on with basing the soft drones off of existing drones.

Just to make sure, your idea is that the drones are have high handling but atrocious speed, but the key factor is they are essentially compact. Taking up the space a size catagory smaller than their body would indicate (did you mean to make the flatworm a brisket with body 4? That would be pushing it). Potentially broken with a technomancer, but I think we're fine for now.

[Koekepan]

Yup, that's what I had in mind; that the soft drones can contort and deform massively, so much that they can turn around in pipes that are barely large enough for them to pass through.

The flatworm logic is that they have enough toughness to handle tools such as an impact driver, a circular saw, a hammer drill, a rotary hammer or a blowtorch, and still survive a piece of masonry falling on them. They're intensely tough, and would be great for things like search and rescue after a hurrican blew down a building. That's why I pushed it on body for them. By "brisket" I mean the whole brisket. Think three feet long, two feet wide and a foot high in their relaxed state, with a sort of flatworm, leech-like, streamlined shape. This is why they can wrap one end around a chunk of rebar, and apply a torque wrench with the other.

[pbangarth]

Heh! I built that model of Rat Fink when I was a kid.

[pbangarth]

Hey, what is the date? I want to keep track, and know what season it is. You know, appropriate clothing and all.

[sunnyside]

Yup, that's what I had in mind; that the soft drones can contort and deform massively, so much that they can turn around in pipes that are barely large enough for them to pass through.

The flatworm logic is that they have enough toughness to handle tools such as an impact driver, a circular saw, a hammer drill, a rotary hammer or a blowtorch, and still survive a piece of masonry falling on them. They're intensely tough, and would be great for things like search and rescue after a hurrican blew down a building. That's why I pushed it on body for them. By "brisket" I mean the whole brisket. Think three feet long, two feet wide and a foot high in their relaxed state, with a sort of flatworm, leech-like, streamlined shape. This is why they can wrap one end around a chunk of rebar, and apply a torque wrench with the other.

Let's say the flatworm is then medium sized and it works out. Let's just appreciate that I'm aware there could be shenanigans with weapons on a such a platform, and that would be a separate negotiation. Though I am letting the stick bug go for now.

I did say I was interested in some world building. You have your drones. Flatlines has a clinic. And pb has two characters. So hopefully in a way that works out as something for everybody in a way I'll find interesting and hopefully the three of you find reasonably balanced and fair.


For date lets say April 25th 2070. I do not feel obliged to necessarily follow the established timeline going into the future.

[Koekepan]

No sweat; I explicitly made clear that the connection on the front is for tooling, and I meant it. Medium size it is, then.

[sunnyside]

Some extra detail that I meant to write up, and might be useful for crossbow

The area keeps the Charm city moniker for a reason, and any given block can have their own thing going on. However there are some trends.

The West "wing" of the butterfly has the Towers. They were an attempt to create affordable and safe housing twenty years ago when money first started flowing in. The idea was to create large block sized ferrocrete structures full of small apartments, coffin motel sleeping areas, and a few common areas around periodic open areas to provide ventilation and stave off claustrophobia. Built with cameras everywhere, it was felt that these panopticons would make it easy to keep tabs on everyone and thereby keep gangs out and quickly address troublemakers.

They underestimated how determined gangs, and people in general, would be at destroying cameras. Also the hallways full of people sitting around and the large number of doors, inevitably with peepholes, made the structures a deathtrap even for a well equipped swat team.

So the buildings were quietly ceded to gangs. However they kept up financial support for the buildings and those inside, so, in a dysfunctional way, they did succeed in providing affordable housing, and at least getting folks off the streets. However despite their often motivational or flower names, such as Hope Tower or Cherry Blossom Tower, they are the area around them are Z zones.

Outside of the towers there are some uptown structures or regular high rise buildings, especially closer to the "L" but further out you can still find communities still in three story homes, and vacants.

While members of any race might find themselves here, most of the population and the gangs are Ork.

The East "wing" of the butterfly has the hives. Squatters would sometimes build improvised homes in alleys between buildings or add extensions up or outward themselves. A little like Kowloon Walled City in miniature. None of this was legal, but newspapers were sympathetic to the plight of the squatters at the time, and tearing them down wasn't politically tenable. These areas were incredibly difficult to police, and so most of the east side is a Z zone. The hives can be quite different, but some have essentially become singular Ork families, with most of the population related in some manner.

In both wings, traditional organized crime groups have had a very hard time even gaining a toehold against local Ork gangs.

The "boot" of the L at the bottom became Little Tokyo as the rising Japanese corporations snapped up territory near each other. They gentrified the area, which was relatively hard to access from the butterfly. Between the rivers and the railroad if you wanted to rob a place in Locust Point
https://goo.gl/maps/QyL1P6TnXsHwPrVj9 you had a high chance of being spotted out in the open unless you went through Otterbein, which became the entrance to Little Tokyo https://goo.gl/maps/BKWMSybujJFP4DBS6 and it wasn't too long before any Ork or anyone looking a little to scruffy stepping foot in Otterbein would get the stink eye from security officers, and might well "match the description" if they didn't look enough like they had business there.


The Inner Harbor area https://goo.gl/maps/gkRi53YrUEhNXUKj6 was and is the nicest part of Baltimore. The ports to the east fuel the city. Ares holds a number of them, with Saeder Krupp largely controlling Dundalk. Protectionary measures left a number of smaller corporations in control of many docks, and Unions are still surprisingly strong along with the Mafia.

Southern Baltimore was another rough spot, competing with the butterfly for bad neighborhoods. It's still rough, but has seen growth from heavy Aztechnology investment, including Aztechnology One, the tallest structure in Baltimore. In more recent times Wuxing and Evo have been shifting resources there, and their respective ethnic groups have been moving in along with some manufacturing, along with something of a boat people culture building up

The upper part of the L has a lot of the "AA/A" neighborhoods, where both the uptown and downtown areas might be reasonably nice. With actual money to spend, these areas are getting a reputation for vanity and eccentricity, and cyberclinics certainly move a lot of product.

[sunnyside]

Info on security in Baltimore:

Baltimore Police Union (BPU).
As the rest of the country was corporatizing their police forces, the powerful Baltimore Police union essentially corporatized itself. This has allowed it to be a publically funded power unto itself.

Should violence erupt they attempt to do their jobs, but they are out to protect and serve themselves first and the Union will back them up on that. A few shots in the air may be enough to get them to fall back. However you'll want to get to ground fast. Their radio is their preferred weapon, arranging for long ranged firepower or ambushes set up where the target is heading. Many crimes go unsolved, both because resources are first allocated to following up on any killed or seriously injured officers and because folks are often reluctant to snitch.

The officers are expected to walk or drive their beats, and get to know people. However they have relatiely little sympathy or accountability to any corporation. Therefore you get situations where you could rob a corp facility in front of them and they won't stop drinking their coffee, but kicking a friendly dog or being known for insulting the wrong politician may lead to real trouble. As a result corporations or anyone with nuyen and something to lose rely on other security foces.

(They are generally equipped as the police example in 4a.)

Local "protection" - The line between extortion and actual security can be a blurry, but this and a gun under the counter are what many downtown businesses have to rely on. (Often professional rating 1, but all over the place.)


Corporate security for many uptown areas is often as it is in any major UCAS city.

Knight Errant -
With such a strong Ares presence and central offices, Baltimore KE services are above average and work at a discounted rate, making them the default for anyone that actually cares about security. The BPU has to acknowledge their status as officers, but does not cede jurisdiction easily. This makes for more than occasional conflicts.

Baltimore KE tend to favor heavy armor and aggressive tactics. However they have difficulty following up both due to being slowed down by their armor, and the BPU not necessarily responding to a KE all points bulletin.

(police in 4a book, but heavier armor and better gear. Firearms 3 versus pistols 3. Athletics 1 )

Lone Star -
Not everyone is comfortable having Ares personnel around, and that gives others a market. In Baltimore Lone Star is trying to edge in by presenting a more elite impression, and have developed a certain Texas swagger among their Baltimore officers. Often they have their Ruger Thunderbolts in speed draw holsters.
(Professional rating 4)

Pinkertons - The Pinkertons started out in Baltimore and still have a presence. They specialize in more....proactive policing, if one can afford them.
(Can get professional rating 2 mobs or small paramilitary groups at higher ratings).

[Thanee]

Ok, so Selina will definitely be from out of town and fairly new to the city.

I think, that her main contacts (the fixer and the bartender) can both still work. Those would be the two free contacts we get and with 6 points, I can up Cole's connection rating to 5, making him a fixer with national ties, and Jake could have lost his job and just looking for a new one, and a change of scenery, moved to Baltimore as well.

I will drop the Pacifism, since that is too much overlap with your "Heroism" one. Might change it into Dependent(s), thinking about the last run we had (partially, as that game never finished) and the girl we rescued there. Selina could have taken her in, as she had no place to go, really. If that works, I would just add it to her background.

If we keep the backstory from there, Selina would also know Willie and Smiley, already, I believe (in case those are going to be present here).

Apart from that stuff, I don't think I need to change overly much. Mostly add the extra qualities and use the additional points to qualify for the sneaky stuff (8 dice on infiltration and shadowing), which should be doable. And the rest could go into some more knowledge skills.

Not entirely sure, which knowledge skills would qualify as "RP only". So far, Selina got knowledge about Night Clubs, Shamanism, and Fashion & Style.

I will see how much will be left over, once the sneaky skills are there, but there should be some more to add some more knowledge skills in.

With her pretty good lifestyle and day job, it totally makes sense to get a place in the uptown part of the city.

Shadowrunning is still her main way of generating income, of course, and she does need the money to keep her lifestyle going.

Bye
Thanee

[sunnyside]

The dependant bit sounds interesting.

Night clubs seems like an RP skill.

Fashion usually would, but I believe you're looking to still use that professionally.

[sunnyside]

You might want to consider and uptown/fashion contact to facilitate that part of things. That would afford you a lot more control and timeliness in terms of busting into the Baltimore fashion scene.

[pbangarth]

I got my directions mixed up for unlicensed bar vs. flophouse. I'll fix my post for Bongo's comment.

[Thanee]

Alright. Character Sheet is updated and posted (used one of my posts on the first page for that; link to Selina is in my signature).

I havn't made any really drastic changes, just swapped a few things around here and there.

Let me know what you think, and if there is something you want me to change. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


EDIT: Also, I just realized, that I didn't pick up that Out of Town disadvantage, so that's still unaccounted for.

What Rating is that Fake SIN we are getting from Brewster? Havn't added that one, yet.

Bye
Thanee

[pbangarth]

Actually, Selina's stats are in post #28 on the second page. The link at the bottom of your posts takes one to the first post of the thread.

++++++++++++++++++

Alright! Willie knows both Selina and Dawn. Old Home Week!

And Selina is a Linguist, as is Bongo. That should be fun.

With Selina and Fiona, you too have two!

[Thanee]

Actually, Selina's stats are in post #28 on the second page. The link at the bottom of your posts takes one to the first post of the thread.

Oh, I guess, I have the forum set to show more posts per page then.

Also, that link does work for me. Weird. Does it work now (might need to reload the page)? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Alright! Willie knows both Selina and Dawn. Old Home Week!

Yep!

With Selina and Fiona, you too have two!

Well, kinda...

Bye
Thanee