[ShadowsOfEurope] Shockwaves of Europe, The references Options

[booklord]

Notes on Chapter 3

[ Spoiler ]

"Not knocking out the doctor is one of the main things that Shockwaves says the GM has to watch out for in this adventure. Optimally, the runners see the doctor walk in, he sees them, collapses and starts babbling to one of them. "

How do you prevent this? I'm curious what they suggest. If this were a shadowrun novel this would be the point where I look up at the ceiling and say "Yeah, right...." under my breath.

Part 3 seems to have the runner group as an odd dichotomy of professionalism and incompetence. They need to be competent enough to break silently into the facility, professional enough to return to the contact should their initial attempt fail, stupid enough to try the run in a rubber raft without a proper plan, and slow enough that the doctor walks in and has enough time to collapse and say enough that the runners can figure out he thinks their his virtual therapist before they knock him out.

[MYST1C]

[shadd4d]

Aha. Thanks. I was rather unaware of that fact.

I'm going to try and resummarize chapter 3 but yes there are some elements that are a little wacky but can work.

[ Spoiler ]

Background: The FBV wants to basically undertake something against Proteus, as it is still a danger. The best opportunity is to make sure that Proteus is in an argument with another corp. Luckily, this situation exists in the form of a joint venture between Proteus and Kvaerner-Maersk. They are working on creating a movable arkoblock. Proteus has deeper designs though; it is using this joint venture as a staging point to insert agents into Kvaerner which will "infect" the corporation. This decision has come down from the board and one of the poeple who knows about it is the doctor working on the project. However, in order to make sure he keeps his mouth shut, he has been implanted with the virtual therapist that I already described.

Scene1: After the run has gone bad (trying to kidnap the FBV pres), the runners are hopefully looking for quieter work (here's the problem with bringing in runners from America: they'd want to bugger out after something bad happened and get out of the country as fast as humanly possible). The runners get the job of making sure that Maersk and Proteus start having arguments and to make sure that they aren't caught making sure that it happens.

Scene2: In Denmark. The contact man works at the university of Aalborg. He's not in, so the runners have to find out where he lives to make contact. How they do that varies from group to group (the answer is not to pull out a gun and threaten a secretary).

Scene3: The contact man has no idea that the runners are here to help him and require his help. The info has been sent to his pocket secretary, but that's in his office not at his home. So he tries to ditch the runners. The runners can either try and convince him that they aren't here to put his lights out or anything, otherwise he tricks them, telling them about how easy it is to get in using basically an inflated raft and just incompetent help. Should the runners fall for it, then it's time to go get revenge. Or they can try and obtain the information to convince him that they're "on the level." Basically, the hard part is making sure that the runners will actually return, which sets up scene 4.

Scene4: Okay, the runners have returned only to find that the contact man has done a 180 on how he treats them as he has gotten his pocket secretary or talked to a contact man in Germany. Essentially, the contact man is an eco terrorist and will help the runners with gear, etc., as long as they give it back after the run. His plan is help the runners get in and he gives them the address of the doctor in the arkoblock, as his computer is where they could manipulate files and such.

Scene5: The runners get in and find the doctor's work station. Manipulation of files. Physical sabatoge. Your average sneaking around Shadowrun. The runners then find the doctor's address so that they can plant evidence. Now they have to escape from the arkoblock lab.

Scene6: Break into the doctor's apartment. They also discover a new and unknown dataport at the doctor's computer which is linked to a virtual therapist, essentially a machine to make sure that the doctor doesnt' tell what he knows and can deal with stress. While the runners are discussing the implications of this implant (it is important, you'll see a similar but more powerful version in a later chapter), the doctor comes in. Yes he's just supposed to walk in, see the runners, have a panic attack, and then start babbling about what he really knows. Yes, the GM has to somehow make sure that the runners don't as the book says "ihn einfach nieder tasern" (taser him into unconsciousness). He relates that the joint venture has 2 purposes: 1) building a mobile arkoblock, 2) getting agents from Proteus into Maersk. The doctor's job is to make sure that money from Maersk makes its way to Proteus. He suspects that the infiltration is a very large amount of industrial espionage.

Scene7: Meet your real boss, Frau Presidentin Monika Stüeler-Waffenschmidt (Schmidt is a real joke as Mr. Johnson in Germany is Herr Schmidt). Basically she makes them an offer they can't really refuse: work for us against Proteus as you already have and we'll protect you from them. Walk out and....

Important: Knowing that Proteus infiltrates corps and also that some members have these implants. Really important stuff to know. Also look that money is being sent from other corps to Proteus.

Yes, a few unbelievable bits, but some work for the GM.

Don

[shadd4d]

@booklord

[ Spoiler ]

you said: "Not knocking out the doctor is one of the main things that Shockwaves says the GM has to watch out for in this adventure. Optimally, the runners see the doctor walk in, he sees them, collapses and starts babbling to one of them. "

How do you prevent this? I'm curious what they suggest. If this were a shadowrun novel this would be the point where I look up at the ceiling and say "Yeah, right...." under my breath.


Okay, they suggest that hopefully the runners will actually get a clue and realize that they are getting firsthand info. His room is also near a garage, which has a relatively higher amount of security than the rest of the really secure instillation. It's possible that they find out about it otherhow, such as looking at the money records and such. Or the audits by KM, for instance. It is however better to try and get the info from the doctor though. Personally, when the door opens, I'd roll surprise and try and have the doctor basically faint first chance he gets and then go into the malfunction where he believes that one of the runners is his virtual therapist and relates the info as long as the player convincingly plays the role.

Don

[booklord]

A possible solution?

[ Spoiler ]

"Personally, when the door opens, I'd roll surprise and try and have the doctor basically faint first chance he gets and then go into the malfunction where he believes that one of the runners is his virtual therapist and relates the info as long as the player convincingly plays the role."

Here's possibly a solution. Give the virtual therapist a holographic capability. The therapist activates surprising the hell out of the players who don't realize its a hologram at first. Then the doctor walks in sees the virtual therapist and faints. It has two main advantages. First, the therapist provides the perfect distraction that will give the doctor a chance to walk in and faint. Second, its less of a leap for the doctor to blab to the therapist than it is for him to blab to the runners thinking their his therapist. You can even try to explain this coincidence by giving the doctor a remote control. (It's been a long day. He activated the therapist with the remote just before he entered the room)

[shadd4d]

Nope.

[ Spoiler ]

Let me just say that it has to be an implant. It will make sense when I put up the summaries of two of the later chapters: Puppet games and Evolution.

Don

[shadd4d]

By the way, the shadowtalk on pg 28 in SoE references the expected results of this adventure.

Since I don't have to work today, I thought I might as well put up Chapter 4 (it isn't referenced in SoE). The title is Die Loge, or the box (personally, I think the false friend the Lodge, given the particulars sounds better but that's just me).

This chapter is also by Falk Behr. I have actually no earthly idea who this is. No listing or pop-up at the SAR team at shadowrun.de. Cochise, M¥$T1C, any help?

[ Spoiler ]

Note: based on booklords comments, I have edited this for clarity. My changes are in Italics.

The background is that the FBV has been asking itself since the failed kidnapping attempt why Proteus wants to take over the FBV. Now, as booklord pointed out, the president knows that Nachtmeister interceded in the Proteus v. AG Chemie miniwar started by Chong Chao, but she doesn't know why. Remember, it does appear that Nachtmeister is an outside party. The fact that he did something must have some grounds for why (incidently, this is what caused Lofwyr to learn about the Nachtmeister-Proteus connection and start his investigations as to what was the connection. Also made it clear to him that he should kill Nachtmeister because he could only gain). Analyzing all bank transactions by the AGC and Proteus through the FBV based on this possible Nachtmeister connection, they have found that money has probably been diverted from shell companies of the AGC to Proteus through the FBV. Not conclusive proof, so they send in a spy from the shadows to the AGC (FBV owns 11% of the AGC). This mole, named Vigaro, has found something but he's also blown his cover and is hidding out in Berlin (been there, lovely city). The runners have to extract the mole and bring him back to the FBV. They know him because he or his contact people will react to a password. Perhaps the main opponent in this adventure is time. Perhaps the main opponent in this adventure is time. You have to be quick to find the guy before the AGC does.

Scene1: The runners are hired and sent to Berlin. 1st stop: the mole's apartment. There is a string of clues which will lead the runners to find the mole. This is pretty much a large part of the run. The problem is that the apartment as well as some of the places the clues lead to are being watched by AGC as they want to recover or silence the spy. Slowly but surely, the AGC is going to become aware of the runners and start tailing them (the quickness the AGC figures out that the runners are on the right track depends on if they consider that the apartment is bugged and the other places the clues lead to are being watched. Changing team members, spells, etc is usually pretty good to dodge this). Of remark are the books on Confusius and other things that foreshadow where to find the mole when the team puts it all together. EDIT: Also remember that unless the runners take precautions, the AGC will note that the same auto came near here and then left and went to the cocktail bar. Again, a combo of magic, switching vehicles, and other things forces the AGC to really watch the cocktail bar (which makes sense, the apartment is a targeting area, but the bar is more of a sift for understanding who is really on which side).

Scene2: 1 of the clues leads to a cocktail bar (yes, perception tests to get the clue if it doesn't immediately become aparent that little things might be important). This leads them to another locale, but also makes the AGC start to wonder who are these people following the clues, which leads to the implementation of something on par with a firewatch team (and they are tough). It is stated in the book that after the AGC have an idea that the runners are runners, they will start using one of their teams to plan an ambush. The ambush happens during the chip handoff later on. The barkeep (there's cliche there) can lead the runners onto scene 3. The AGC are also watching this location (they got there the same way the runners did, using the clues in the apartment). It's possible that there are spies there listening for clues. There is definitively, however, survailence of the bar.

Scene3: Basically, while the runners are at this local, which is a waltzing club with old fashioned telephones on each table and such, 3 things happen. 1) one of the waiters is a contact man for Vigaro and can inform Vigaro that runners are looking for him per a password from the FBV. 2) a new report comes on in the locale. The mole, using his fake name, is blamed for blowing up a boarding school and killing 163 kids and teachers. Great, publicity and the additional bonus of having € 20,000 on his head. AGC reveals, read lies, that one of its security corps was watching the school (remember, Berlin West is run by the cons and they have their own zones) has filmed Vigaro in the act of bringing several packages to a wall of a building. He leaves and shortly after is the explosion. There are clear pictures of his face. Thus Vigaro is a wanted terrorist (yes, they do call him a terrorist), which restricts his actions and such. 3) Vigaro telephones the runners at their table, informing them of a meet the next night. He mixes Confusian phrases into his words, giving the runners another clue on how to find him, should the meet go south. He uses a 17 second rythem to make the call harder to trace, but it's more than likely that the AGC is listening in even if they can't trace it.

Scene4: Alright, what happens at the meet? (We all probably have an idea). Well, there is a young man carrying a datachip who meets the runners. Unfortunately, this is the waiter from scene3. Well, right when he's getting ready to make the handoff, his chest opens up and he starts bleeding. Yep, snipers. The TET team from the AGC takes this moment to try and attack. Hopefully, the runners will grab the chip and also notice a poster for the Confusius soup kitchen. The chip contains only that phrase which Vigaro said about "those who want to rule a people must feed them." Hopefully, the runners get the hint. One of the fallouts of this scene is that a news broadcast after the fight is made, in which the runners are named as accomplices of Vigaro in the school bombing. € 20,000 per runner is also put out as a bounty for these "hardened child killers". The TET purposely took pictures of the runners faces and added them to the list of accomplises, thus limiting the possible actions of the runners, not to mention their ability to leave the city (remember, Berlin is full of security checkpoints, and is a walled city with a wall surrounding the entire city, not to mention a wal dividing east and west.

Scene5: Okay, at the soup kitchen. It is possible that the TET team tries again, having found out that the runners are that (this is a "tightening the thumbscrews" suggestion) . Here, a rat shaman makes contact with the runners. Now comes the hard part, Vigaro was shot while he escaped from a trap by the AGC and they have his blood for ritual magic purposes. The runners need to get some sort of ward or something up so that Vigaro can get away without being zapped magically by the AGC. The rat shaman does possess the severing metamagic, and can relate that he has had to use it to help Vigaro a couple of times since Vigaro paid him to set up a ward at his hiding place, keep an eye out for contact and also basic magical bodyguarding.

Scene6: Getting out of Berlin. Good luck, as you are now probably worth at least € 100,000 to the lucky people who capture you. Remember, Berlin is a walled city with lots of security checkpoints. The runners have to find some way out with Vigaro (and make sure that the way out is warded so that Vigaro won't get zapped).

Ending: After escaping the city, Vigaro, who is also a runner as well as professional spy, requests that the runners do not bring him to the FBV. He also takes the time to get a mage buddy of his to do reverse ritual magic to cook off all of the material links he left behind in the hands of the AGC. He will pay them for bodyguard work but prefers a meeting with the president and the runners in the Matrix. There, he relates his findings. There is a secret lodge in the AGC that has given money through the FBV to Proteus. Not only that but they have also given Proteus patents. This lodge operates in a cell structure and has many members both in Germany and abroad. Heck, according to Shockwaves, there is some other guy who is president of AGC and he and other members of the board are in this lodge. The lodge concentrates on special projects and sends some results and money to Proteus. Vigaro gives all the accumulated data he could get, as he seduced one of the librarians into getting access. The results are stored in 2 optical chip libraries, 1 in Berlin and the other in Helgoland for Proteus. Vigaro gives all the accumulated data he could get, as he seduced one of the librarians into getting access. This data forms the hook for the next adventure. On the bright side, so to speak, the girl Vigaro seduced is named as the real culprit who probably had ties to organized crime, anarchists, and other social unfriendlies. An SK subsidiary analyzes the data and reveals false play and doctored records. The bounty on Vigaro and the runners is cancelled. The AGC is probably, however, still looking for the runners afterwards in the shadows. On another point, the runners are sent on vacation by the FBV (no, not eliminated, just supposed to be missing should AGC come looking for them. In no way sinister.

Any questions? BTW, sorry for the length of the posts. That's a summary of a 15 page adventure.

Don

[MYST1C]

[shadd4d]

When I first saw it, I thought Lodge, like Freemasons. Putting the word into leo.org, though, results in box. This is one reason I tend to consult my dictionary and mentally break down words rather than dropping them into leo.org.

Don

[booklord]

Comments on Part 4:

[ Spoiler ]

1) Is it possible for the runners to be stealthy enough that AGC doesn’t start tailing them? Say they use methods to conceal their identity such as a physical illusion spell? (“Yes sir, 5 skinheads entered the apartment and searched it thoroughly. We are investigating local policlubs”)

2) Now it just may be me, but by the time the runners have been framed for the school bombing and they’ve already been attacked once by the TET team. From my point of view its time for the hunted to become the hunters. Take out the TET team and interrogate the survivors.

3) I'm unsure how it would work to block the ritual link. Even if the runners set up the ward wouldn’t that prevent Vigaro from leaving? (Wards aren’t normally that mobile) I believe there are some metamagical techniques for severing the link, but there’s only a small chance the runners might know them. More likely they’d have to be pro-active again and steal the ritual sample from the AGC operatives themselves. ( It's also possible that the runners may choose to extract the info from him and arrange for his disappearance. If they're nasty enough and think that they have to get out of Berlin before AGC calls in 4 more TET teams....)

4) The school bombing just doesn't seem like a situation that the runners would just let stand. Does the storyline give the players an opportunity to clear their names? Investigating the bombing..., figuring our who is framing them... , “convincing” them that they better “unframe” them..., possibly deliver some “street justice”on the actual perpetrators... or Does the blown up school plotline get dropped after this part?

5) The entire school bombing part bugs me. First depending on the players it may become the focus of part 4. Some players really do have a “good guys surviving in the system the only way they can” complex. Second, It’s too much overkill. The last thing AGC wants to do is call attention to a bunch of runners who may have “potentially destabilizing paydata” on AGC. I bet if this stuff was publicly posted there might be a management reshuffle. ( with the appropriate body bags, someone is embezzling from AGC to fund Proteus ) Finally leaving such a thing as a dangling plotline may be too much. I tend to run my campaigns with consequences to excessive deathcounts. 163 dead kids equals 163 potential enemies. If they can’t clear their names we’re talking cosmetic surgery, name changes and leaving the country at this point.

[shadd4d]

@Booklord

[ Spoiler ]

1) Is it possible for the runners to be stealthy enough that AGC doesn’t start tailing them? Say they use methods to conceal their identity such as a physical illusion spell? (“Yes sir, 5 skinheads entered the apartment and searched it thoroughly. We are investigating local policlubs”)

It is possible for the runners to be stealthy enough, but remember that the bar they have to go to is being watched. Eventually, but not at the start, AGC does figure out what is going on. Usually in the bar the AGC should figure out what's going on and then try and bug their wheels, should they not have gotten an idea of the runners in the apartment.

2) Now it just may be me, but by the time the runners have been framed for the school bombing and they’ve already been attacked once by the TET team. From my point of view its time for the hunted to become the hunters. Take out the TET team and interrogate the survivors.

That may be just something I didn't explain well. The attack by the TET should only happen during the chip exchange. Meanwhile, the runner's pictures are taken by drones or something and then the newscast comes on.

3) I'm unsure how it would work to block the ritual link. Even if the runners set up the ward wouldn’t that prevent Vigaro from leaving? (Wards aren’t normally that mobile) I believe there are some metamagical techniques for severing the link, but there’s only a small chance the runners might know them. More likely they’d have to be pro-active again and steal the ritual sample from the AGC operatives themselves. ( It's also possible that the runners may choose to extract the info from him and arrange for his disappearance. If they're nasty enough and think that they have to get out of Berlin before AGC calls in 4 more TET teams....)

Looking at the rules, you can ward a moving vehicle by casting the ward on something like a taxi. As long as the physical borders aren't moved, it's okay. Also note that the text explicitly says vehicle. So yes, it'd work.

I hadn't thought about that possibility, but it is possible. The text states that Vigaro has a hermetic contact who is willing to do reverse ritual sorcery on him to destroy the links. I hadn't thought of that (I usually end up being GM), but that could be an interesting if dangerous twist while waiting on the warding materials for their transport out of Berlin.

4) The school bombing just doesn't seem like a situation that the runners would just let stand. Does the storyline give the players an opportunity to clear their names? Investigating the bombing..., figuring our who is framing them... , “convincing” them that they better “unframe” them..., possibly deliver some “street justice”on the actual perpetrators... or Does the blown up school plotline get dropped after this part?

As noted, when they escape, the charges are dropped and pinned on the formerly seduced person, who is conviently dead. I should have mentioned that this adventure is supposed to be really tense and a rush job as Vigaro is actively being hunted. Basically it restricts their movement. They can't go to the school and be seen (Idiot criminal always returns to the scene of his crim), which does put a damper on trying to unframe themselves. Doable but hard.

5) The entire school bombing part bugs me. First depending on the players it may become the focus of part 4. Some players really do have a “good guys surviving in the system the only way they can” complex. Second, It’s too much overkill. The last thing AGC wants to do is call attention to a bunch of runners who may have “potentially destabilizing paydata” on AGC. I bet if this stuff was publicly posted there might be a management reshuffle. ( with the appropriate body bags, someone is embezzling from AGC to fund Proteus ) Finally leaving such a thing as a dangling plotline may be too much. I tend to run my campaigns with consequences to excessive deathcounts. 163 dead kids equals 163 potential enemies. If they can’t clear their names we’re talking cosmetic surgery, name changes and leaving the country at this point.

The money and everything for the runners (the bounty) is cancelled because an SK subsidiary Ruhr-Data-Fax points out that the camera evidence of all of this, namely that the mole planted the bombs, was doctored by AGC. The consequence is that Proteus and the AGC know that the FBV has runners. So yes, the runners may become more hunted in the shadows by AGC and Proteus.

Think about spin. The mole is painted as a terrorist. The AGC is only doing its public, corporate duty of trying to bring the terrorist to justice to answer for his crimes. The official story is: Routine camereas picked up the guy by accident. This scene is played in the newscast.

Hmm. Your words point out that I have a few things to edit. Taking your commetns into account, I have edited my posts for clarity.

BTW, how come more people don't comment?

Don

[Basileus]

Hmm, I'm not commenting because I'm having a hard time coming up with an idea for who is behind all this. After your first few hints, the kaer/arcology angle wasn't that hard to figure out, but who is doing it and why is still beyond me. The arcologies don't have the mystic protections of kaers, and the horrors aren't coming back for millennia, so it seems a bit premature to get started on building kaers. Also, the Nachtmeister/Lofwyr thing is still in the air for me. Undoubtedly I'm missing some relevant piece of Shadowtalk that would give me some ideas to play with and refine, but there's just too many possible players, none of which really seem to fit the bill, for me to have any concrete theories at this point. Believe me, as soon as I have an idea, I'll pitch it out here.

[shadd4d]

No worries. I'm about to post the summary of chapter 5, which is also the last referenced adventure in SoE. Then it's virgin territory. Chapter 5, however, requires that I read through and post a few things so that you understand where something came from. This is where the magazine references from the German Wunderwelt come into play.

The Lofwyr-Nachtmeister connect is pointed out a little bit in chapter 4 (actually in the back of the book, but that's what one should know as a reader of this thread).

But just throw out your theories. You already know that AGC and Maersk are part. Who's left, do you think?

Don

[booklord]

Thanks for the clarification......

A few things to note

[ Spoiler ]

IMHO, it seems that the biggest danger is that the players will get side-tracked by the bombing of the school. Yes they'd be risking their mission by investigating it, but some of them have reputations to protect. Others have an honor code that they'll take substantial risks to stay true to.

What I'd probably do:

I'd set a trap for the TET team since they're still apparently hunting the team. Interrogate the survivors. Get in telecom contact with AGC. ( No face to face with people trying to kill me) Tell them I've already given the data to my Johnson. ( a lie ) I don't know who my Johnson is, so don't ask. (another lie) That I kept a copy for myself. ( what a liar I am ) and if there isn't a retraction of the news story implicating the runner team in 2 hours I'd post the data on a dozen public matrix sites. ( an empty threat but do they dare take the chance? )

A few more questions.
1) Is the true bomber ever revealed? Did AGC do it or are they just taking advantage of someone elses crime?

2) An S-K subsidiary to the rescue? Is it a coincidence or has Lofwyr taken a personal interest in the FBV-Proteus struggle?

an SK subsidiary Ruhr-Data-Fax points out that the camera evidence of all of this, namely that the mole planted the bombs, was doctored by AGC. The consequence is that Proteus and the AGC know that the FBV has runners.
3) I'm a little confused on how AGC and Proteus knows that the runners work for FBV. Couldn't they just work for S-K? or Zeta-Ipchem? What specifically tells them who the runners work for?

[booklord]

[shadd4d]

Okay,

[ Spoiler ]

I'm not sure if getting side-tracked will happen. 1) The runners have escaped or defeated the TET team. They are theoretically also closer to extracting the mole than AGC. It can become a question of risk. 2) What if...other Proteus companies start trying to do something to help AGC and Proteus?

A few more questions.
1) Is the true bomber ever revealed? Did AGC do it or are they just taking advantage of someone elses crime?

It never says, but I'm assuming either AGC did it or had it done. That is the assumption, as it's a spectacular way to make sure that a target loses a lot of possibilities and stays put in Berlin. Combined with ritual magic, it's only a matter of time.

2) An S-K subsidiary to the rescue? Is it a coincidence or has Lofwyr taken a personal interest in the FBV-Proteus struggle?

It's interesting and will make sense if I ever get around to translating one of the final pieces of fiction in the Epilogue. Sufice to say that Lofwyr either has some subtile manipulations influencing the outcome as well as takes credit for what actually happens. Remember, he killed Nachtmeister which led to this situation. Personally, there's not much he could do. I have my doubts that he had the entire thing planned out when he killed Nachtmeister in June 2062. This means he has to plan and have a scheme that plays out until its end in August 2063. It's possible and Lofwyr does have an indirect hand in things, but I'm not sure about giving him the credit. Otherwise it's a little to scary if that is true, e.g. divination and pre-emptive wacking because a Great Dragon knows you'll do a run against him in a week.

Also remember what I wrote about the Prologue. That should make sense in a couple of chapters down the road.

3) I'm a little confused on how AGC and Proteus knows that the runners work for FBV. Couldn't they just work for S-K? or Zeta-Ipchem? What specifically tells them who the runners work for?

Proteus would know the run went south. It's assumed that the TET and the photos and such could give them the impetus to start sniffing in the shadow community and find out who the runners are. Pg.59 from Shockwaves: Das Kopfgeld gegen die Runner für das Attentat auf das Internat wird in den kommenden Tagen offiziell aufgehoben, nachdem SKs Tochter Rhur-Data-Fax eindeutig beweist, dass an dem Bildmaterial herummanipuliert wurde. Jedoch wissen die Loge and damit auch Proteus inzwischen, mit wem sie es zu tun haben und werden versuchen, in den kommenden Wochen mehr Information über die Personen, die für den FBV arbeiten, einzuholen und das Kopfgeld dann in den Schatten auf die Runner aussetzen. (Just in case. A couple of authors from Germany have viewed this thread). :eek:

Translated, this means that the bounty is cancelled but moved to the shadows after the SK subsidiary blows the whistle. It's assumed then that the Lodge and by extention Proteus knows who the runners are and also who they are working for, which given that Proteus knows that the run against the FBV went south, means they'll start looking for the runners. Both Proteus and AGC are putting out money in the shadows for information about them and the FBV as well as moving the bounty into the shadows. Set a thief to catch a thief.

Basically, if they have pictures, they can proceed from there into starting to make connections between runner and employer. This is why it is important that the FBV is protecting the runners. Plus what about any conversation that might be overheard, recorded in the bars or on the telephone, etc. Heck, maybe the runners are in a van. Frankfurt liscence plates would be a dead give away, especially if the guys at Proteus see van + conversation + pictures (which can be compared with any taken in Chapter 1 or 2 by Proteus) = Conclusion: Those runners we hired are working for the FBV.

Interesting ideas, btw. You do seem to be a more pro-active type o' guy. However, you still have to deal with getting traced. What happens if the AGC calls your bluff? What if they confront you with "Well you've got a Frankfurt plate. And you're still in Berlin. Hmm, I don't think so. Hmm, wonder if any players try that.

Hope this makes it clearer.

Don

[shadd4d]

Nice guess booklord

[ Spoiler ]

Yes and yes, although with the exception of one of the founders, no one else is all that famous and referenced. The only already mentioned founder, however, is in T:WL and talks with the Ghost (code)

Don

[booklord]

Continued from before.....

[ Spoiler ]

Interesting ideas, btw. You do seem to be a more pro-active type o' guy. However, you still have to deal with getting traced. What happens if the AGC calls your bluff? What if they confront you with "Well you've got a Frankfurt plate. And you're still in Berlin. Hmm, I don't think so. Hmm, wonder if any players try that.

Use a pay phone. Or better yet use the TET teams communication gear.

"Frankfurt plate? Be kind of sloppy to give me a car that points directly to them? But what do I know? Ever since they started selling corporate uniforms on the black market I've never been able to tell you guys apart. I delivered the goods as promised via the matrix. It's the information age. Get up to speed. You're too late. Now are you going to get this ridiculous bounty off my head or do I publish your dirty laundry for the world to see?"

[Nath]

The two adventures from Wunderwelten n°49 and 50 are freely available as PDF on FanPro website: Wem der Sandmann einen Alptraum and Spuren im Sand. They're in German of course. But once you have read them, the first one especially, well you'd no longer need to make a lot of guess about Proteus. I didn't put the spoiler tag because it's not a spoil to say there are available. What's in on the other hand...

[shadd4d]

Thanks for posting that. They play an important role in Chapter 5: Frankfurt Offline, written by Tobias Wolter, aka Concrete in SoE and TW by dumpshock.

Don

[shadd4d]

Okay, now let's look at Chapter 5, entitled Frankfurt Offline. Author:Tobias Wolter. He's the one who summarized DidSII for SoE. If you notice the handle Concrete in the Germany chapter, it's based off of his handle at Fanpro. To be honest, I like the adventure. I feel it serves a real rising action.

[ Spoiler ]

Background: Remember how the FBV got the data from the archive of the AGC and Proteus? After an analysis of the data, something interesting has come up. As both archives are offline, this necessitates couriers for transfering data from Berlin to Helgoland. Well, there was an occassion when something happened, namely that a group of runners knocked off a courier and took the data he was carrying. These runners then used the data to get more about some black work by Proteus. They then arranged a peace between themselves and Proteus. The data they have is a combination of Sandmann's research and what they stole from Proteus. Therefore, the FBV wants the runners to get the data (the gist of the 2 adventures linked by Nath).

What makes this run different is the fact that the runners could have actually been ther runners who, with the help of Sandmann, negotiated the peace with Proteus. If I were to run Shockwaves, I'd try and find some way to work that part in, as it not only makes the adventure easier, but it also answers a lot of questions.

Scene1: Meet the boss. The runners get the assignment and also learn of the circumstances and the info leak by Proteus. Their orders: get the data, which might be hidden by the runners in the Frankfurt Shadowland node (the shadowland of Germany).

Scene2: Scene2 is about the runners finding out whom they shoudl really turn to. Among the various sysops, one who is important to talk to is Konwacht (corp watcher). This scene deals with trying to get in touch with him and getting the so-called Sandmann data (seperate spoiler at the end for the sandmann data). Since he watches the corps, it's possible to meet him where the corps are. If the runners have already completed the two adventures, they already know Konwacht and how to get in touch. Along the way, the runners find out that various corps would pay dearly to find out where Shadowland.de (Shadowrun.Germany) is physically located. Finally, the runners arrange a meeting with Konwacht. Their first attempt at a meeting, however, is going to fail, as Proteus troops interrupt the meeting. Konwacht is almost a no-show and the runners have to escape the corp. death trap. Finally, Konwacht offers a new meeting: a virtual urban brawl club.

Scene3: Konwacht is first and foremost a decker. He states that steps the runners should take to meet him, namely that they should meet him in a virtual game. The runners do this and meet him, only to have the meeting interrupted by Proteus Agents and mages (Proteus has spent about a month looking for the runners. It is now mid April and their run in Berlin was mid-May). Somehow, there are a lot of deckers who attack Konwacht while physical troops from the AGC (who is also in Frankfurt am Main) without a corp logo are invading the meeting place where the runners are. The runners have to escape from the virtual urban brawl club without being captured (or eliminated) by Proteus. Upon escape, they see an electronic sign with a message from Konwacht. He has escaped the deckers but they have finally found the physical location of Shadowland. The runners have to go there and defend the node.

Scene4: The physical location of shadowland is an old cargo train station which has been abandoned. Upon arrival, the runners are greeted by the legend of the German decker scene: Tell (Shadowland.de sysop), AHAB (Tell's right hand) and Reality Check (Tell's left hand). They find out that the deckers from Proteus and AGC defeated Konwacht and used his deck code to access Shadowland. Having learned the physical location of the Shadowland node, the AGC and Proteus are on the way to silence this annoying voice in the shadows. Reality Check has made some precautions against an attack, yet the runners have to help the Shadowland crew defend the train station. They have physically disconnected the Shadowland mainframes and are loading them on a train at the station. The runners have the job of making sure that the AGC troops, who are on the way, are kept pinned down long enough that the Shadowland crew and the runners can get away with most of the hardware. So we have a real showdown. As a reward, the runners will recieve not only the so-called Sandmann data but also some additional data they have to offer regarding Sandmann and some of his friends in their investigations of Proteus. Hopefully, the runners help out and all of them escape with a special train from the cargo trainstation. At the end, the runners recieve both the Sandmann data as well as further information about a friend of Sandmann who is spying on Proteus. Finding this spy is the next adventure, where we depart the SoE references.

Results: The FBV knows which corps are aligned against it and how Proteus has "infected" these corporations. The FBV knows it is also over its head in trouble. Additionally, the extra info about Sandmann's friend says that the FBV could possibly have an insider to help them in the struggle against Proteus.

I like this adventure, mostly because it is quite understandable and really helps the rising action. You'll see why in the next adventure (assuming I'm allowed to summarize it): Das zweite Gesicht, i.e. The second Face.

Don

[shadd4d]

Please note, these adventures were originally published in Fanpro's Wunderwelt magazine, issues 49 and 50. The author of those 2 adventures is Timo Gleichmann.

The Sandmann data comes from the two adventure linked by Nath: here is the summary

[ Spoiler ]

The adventures run like this. The runners are hired to relieve a courier of a data chip. This chip is being transported by a AGC courier to Proteus. The runners get the chip only to find that their Johnson is killed at the meet. Then they find that not only Proteus, but other corps are after them. They arrange a meet with Sandmann in Pomorya (elven nation) where Sandmann, using the chip they stole, is able to complete his notes about Proteus and who is behind it. Sandmann hates Proteus due to the Genera project. That was a project concerning illegal testing of metahumans. The project was moved to Africa. Curious about it, Sandmann and his wife went down there to investigate. Sandmann escaped but his wife didn't. To his dying day, Sandmann never knew what happend to his wife. Now Proteus comes calling and has Sandmann's daughter in tow. With the help of the runners, Sandmann dies saving his daughter. With the daughter, the runners now go to Africa and get further data to hold as blackmail against Proteus. They negotiate the peace and stick an insurance copy of the data in Shadowland.

Contents of the Sandmann data:

[ Spoiler ]

The Sandmann data contains the companies behind Proteus. They are: Yamatetsu, Shiawase, CATco, Ruhrmetall, AGC, and IFMU. It does not contain the names of the founders of Proteus. It does mention that Proteus is somehow connected to a foundation named Prometheus, which played a central role in Proteus' founding. The founder of this foundation is Frederick Goldammer.

Now that should give all of you something to chew on.

Don

[booklord]

Chewing away!

Thoughts on Chapter 5

[ Spoiler ]

1) Proteus troops interrupt the first meeting with Konwacht. Where is it located? A public area? An out of the way area? I assume these troops lack corporate identification? I'm interested to know because corps don't usually hit runners in public areas unless the stakes are really, really high.

2) The runners meet Konwacht at a virtual urban brawl club. Question, since this virtual urban brawl club is apparently on-line... Why do the runners have to meet at a specific physical location to meet with a Konwacht at an online destination? Second question if they do have to go to a physical location it sounds like its going to be a public area where multiple patrons can jack in to watch the virtual urban brawl. Is this the same group that attacked them earlier or has Proteus gathered an army of agents and mages to scour Frankfurt for the runners and these were simply the closest ones? ( I noticed you said multiple mages. If they brought elementals with them this could easily start spiraling into a battle that the PCs aren't equipped to win. )

3) The fall of the Frankfurt shadowland node. Sounds like an epic battle. It also sounds like a corp with few qualms about collateral damage is doing a quasi-military strike on a poorly defended site. Are there any corporate riggers with autoguns involved in the attack? Do they stand alone against the approaching enemy or are they part of a group? I really can't shake the feeling that this is really an uber-level battle that may be beyond the scope of most runners.

4) Is there any reaction from Frankfurt's shadow community? In very short order unmarked corporate troops have made two strikes against what may be public areas. Now similar troops have taken out the Frankfurt shadowland node. I realize that Frankfurt is essentially corporate controlled, but this level of escalation is worrisome. ( At this rate what's next? An outright attack on FBV's headquarters? )

5) Proteus has "infected" these corporations that aid it? What the frag does that mean? Don't make me learn German!

Thoughts on the Sandman Notes

[ Spoiler ]

Ruhrmetall, IFMU, AGC, Yamatetsu, Shaiwase and CATco. I find it hard to believe that all of these megacorps have been supporting Proteus for the last 15 years. AGC was involved in a fight with Proteus. Was it a result of this fight that it became "infected"? CATco in particular is hard to fathom. In 2049 it was barely a blip on the corporate radar. And Yamatetsu has undergone a recent change in leadership. ( What with the pro-metahuman faction gaining control )

I ran some segments of the Sandman adventures through Babelfish. It didn't translate that well. But I did read some things that sounded like experimentation of metahumans and the goal of creating the "perfect human"? I was also suprised to see Jerusalem mentioned so much. Is there a religious theme here? Is Proteus building Arks to prepare for the next great flood?

[MYST1C]

[shadd4d]

M¥$T1C:

[ Spoiler ]

The "infection" of AGC is a fallout of the Genera project and the Chong-Chao crisis. Granted, this is stated in the back of Schockwellen, S. 158.

@booklord

[ Spoiler ]

1) What is supposed to happen is a meeting tht is interrupted by proteus agents. It isn't stated that the runners have to know that they are Proteus agents, although the agents do have the problem of being discovered by authorities. That gives the runners a chance to escape, but they have to start their search over again. Konwacht contacts them and gives them the meeting location. Clever or really powerful runners might win, but I doubt it. This is a difficult one, because there are few groups (aside from experienced Deadlands players) who consider the "he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day" approach as a viable option rather than the blaze of (gory) glory.

2) The runners meet Konwacht at a virtual urban brawl club. Question, since this virtual urban brawl club is apparently on-line... Why do the runners have to meet at a specific physical location to meet with a Konwacht at an online destination? Second question if they do have to go to a physical location it sounds like its going to be a public area where multiple patrons can jack in to watch the virtual urban brawl. Is this the same group that attacked them earlier or has Proteus gathered an army of agents and mages to scour Frankfurt for the runners and these were simply the closest ones? ( I noticed you said multiple mages. If they brought elementals with them this could easily start spiraling into a battle that the PCs aren't equipped to win. )

Konwacht is one of those runners that many corps would like to see in their hands. He runs the Corp Overwatch section of Shadowland.de, and has released a lot of the corps' dirty laundary (imagine what corp wouldn't laugh like a baby to get their hands on Capt. Chaos or Fastjack). Yes, AGC does run it pretty publically (they can shrug it off later and claim to be taking down proven criminals). Remember that AGC and Proteus are working in tandem. Konwacht sets this up because he is paranoid and also a real prize for a corp to catch. He leaves really detailed instructions on what the meet is: this time, this cabin, this particular game, this particular field, these particular colors, etc. As to the AGC attack, there are no mages in the attack. After escape, the runners see a very public message from Konwacht.

3) The fall of the Frankfurt shadowland node. Sounds like an epic battle. It also sounds like a corp with few qualms about collateral damage is doing a quasi-military strike on a poorly defended site. Are there any corporate riggers with autoguns involved in the attack? Do they stand alone against the approaching enemy or are they part of a group? I really can't shake the feeling that this is really an uber-level battle that may be beyond the scope of most runners.

The runners have to fight a delaying action. It is partially their fault that Shadowland.de has to go offline. It's supposed to be a dramatic, epic fight that the runners barely escape from, leaving the AGC empty-handed, yet Germany doesn't have a shadowlands node. The node itself does have sentry guns, drones with assualt rifles, and whatever the runners can provide. The point is not to win, but run a delaying tactic.

4) Is there any reaction from Frankfurt's shadow community? In very short order unmarked corporate troops have made two strikes against what may be public areas. Now similar troops have taken out the Frankfurt shadowland node. I realize that Frankfurt is essentially corporate controlled, but this level of escalation is worrisome. ( At this rate what's next? An outright attack on FBV's headquarters? )

Read my Shockwaves references. Basically, the shadow community is in a lurch, because their "private" shadowlands node is offline. It's getting a lot harder for runners in Frankfurt and well, that's more than a bit painful and deadly. To a large extent, it's one of those periodic "corp hitsquads v. shadowrunners". If a corp says it is putting the clamp down on shadowrunners, the avg. person will go "yay, kill the criminal scum."

5) Proteus has "infected" these corporations that aid it? What the frag does that mean? Don't make me learn German!

Never hurt to learn new languages. Remember the run against Proteus and Maersk. The doctor relates that they have already inserted agents into Maersk. There are also agents in the AGC (most prominently). The controlling powers of Proteus are single persons in each of the "infected" corporations, who in turn control Proteus and also cells of agents who aid Proteus. Believe me, there is a wrap up summary after all of this. You've got the puzzle pieces that 1) Proteus is run by other corps or people belonging to other corps, 2) they insert agents, infecting other corps to make them help Proteus, 3) these corps will send money to Proteus, 4) AGC is sending research secrets to Proteus, perhaps so are the others. To be clearer, Proteus is the equivalent of a corporate parasite (you find this out later too.

Don