The drone in question was acquired during your stint at Pike Manor, where you helped out the newly wed Lord and Duchess

It's stats:
Lockheed Optic-X2
H 5
SP 5
Acc 2
Body 2
Arm 0
Pilot 6
Sen 4

Mods:
Small Weapon Mount (Heavy Pistol) -2 MP
Pilot Upgrade 6 -2 MP
Body 2 (2 MP)
Armor -3 (1 MP)
Acceleration -1 (1 MP)

Mounted Weapon is a Savalette Guardian

Savalette Guardian ACC 6(cool.gif DV 8P AP–1 SA/BF RC 2 Ammo 12 ©
Mods:
Additional clip (side)
Electronic firing (barrel)
Trigger removal (-)
Extended clip 2 (only 18 shots due to additional clip)

The drone has further been modded with an added Stealth attribute, increased to 2 for 2 permanent Matrix Damage
There is also a valuable Attack Dongle R5 added, for a total of A5 S2 D6 F6
On the drone itself a virtual machine runs for a total of 4 program slots.
Programms included are:
Agent R6
Smoke & Mirrors
Electronic Warfare 6 (doubles for Clearsight and Hacking Duty)
Smartsoft
Piloting 6
Wrapper
Stealth
Sneak
Browse
Edit
Encryption
Signal Scrub
Toolbox
Decryption
Defuse
Exploit.

I don't think you have used it since then.

And yes, the billboard where the data is dumped is about 25 minutes drive away.

Of course, you could be creative and try to add a software tracker to the data - though that would be a somewhat involved software check.

Thanks Jack -- I do have the drone mentioned in Tamarind's character sheet so that I don't forget that SIS has it, but I didn't have all of that detail. I'll make sure that goes into the team Obsidian Portal sheet.

Thanks, Jack, for the details. Thanks, Beta, for keeping track of it.

Wow, yeah, fun toy that we've never played with.

So if it has an attack dongle, is the idea that it can can fly itself to a target and direct connect? That sounds slick. Can we then piggyback on that direct connection or does only the drone benefit from that?

Anyone want to make an executive decision? Mato isn't going to fly the drone nor do the hacking, so the rest of you are in the driver's seat.

Only the drone will benefit from the direct connection (it also has a data tap included)
The drone can be there in about 15 minutes.

There are no bugs found inside the locked room, I assume?

Bye
Thanee

No, that room seems to have stayed undisturbed.

Makes sense. That is likely why they are watching the appartment.

Bye
Thanee

Jack, were the "solid state repositories" that we found in the basement also half-molten, or were they still viable? I wasn't sure if the 'molten' description applied to them or just to the data chips.

I think we still need to pop the safe found in the bedroom. Mato should be able to do that, unless it would be good fun for Tamarind or AM to hack it.

@Tecumseh
The Solid State Repository should be still somewhat readable - from what Tamarind found in the room, that's what Dave has been doing.

Tamarind had suggested that AM try and crack it (the solid state repository), being more skilled and better able to deal with any old school encryption or traps.

Gilga has been quiet for a few days now, hope nothing has happened

I am good, you just move a bit faster than my internal rythm. Which rolls do I owe you?

She'll take time for perception before she moves so if it is not the standard hacking/edit file do tell me. Eg., I don't want her to trigger a databomb because of PbP fog.

Hacking: 22d6t5 12
Edit file: 22d6t5 6

So, it is Renraku Arcology Shutdown 2.0. Oh dear!

I have a feeling that my preparations might come in handy this time...

Bye
Thanee

This is amusing me, because if I'd run this segment it was also going into the Arcology (for totally different story I'm sure). Apparently it was just time that the team wen there!

I'll work on other ideas now

Eh, I thought a 20 year anniversary would make this whole thing a bit more relevant - though don't discount your idea just yet

I didn't realize the anniversary!

Yes, I'll see how this plays out before making final decisions, but at worst I can re-use a good part of it while shifting scenes (and I have another section of the sprawl that I also thought would be interesting to visit). I'm in no way complaining, just amused at somewhat parallel thoughts.

I'm moving slowly through the U.S. holiday weekend. I'll try to post tomorrow but don't wait up on me.

Are the horrors of the Shutdown publicly known, or do only the shadows and the conspiracy theorists know the truth? If it's not publicly known, are there knowledge skills we could try? Mato has the Sprawl Life (Street Rumors) knowledge skill and specialization. I'll roll it just in case.

Intuition 6 + Sprawl Life 2 + Street Rumors (specialization) 2 + Mnemonic Enhancers 3: 13d6t5 5 hits, respectable

Do the contents of the data storage device tell us how to get into the ACHE (or could we piece together Diego's likely route) or do they only help us once we're inside the ACHE?

You can piece together the most likely route - especially since Felicitas mentioned that she established a contact with the Ork underground.
There destination must be somewhere in the top 20 floors or in the 2 subterranean ones, as those are the ones not open to the public.
Talking with Charlie, looking at the last recording or visiting the Ache and talking to security there are all valid approaches to learn details.

As for what you know - with 5 successes Mato definitely knows that the official version of events was bulldreck. Rumors about a hostile AI emerging and gruesome experiments on the trapped people have been floating around for years. But details are hard to come by.

Tamarind has the AVRSE negative quality -- doesn't like going into VR (and takes a -4 while in it) unless her body is in a very safe place.

Rachel's Shopping List:

From SIS Home:
- Alchemical Preparations
- Gym Outfit (Leggings, Top, Sneakers)

From the Mall:
- Armor Jacket (AV 2; 1,000¥)
- Securetech PPP (AV 6; 900¥)
- Microwire (100m) (50¥)
- Rappeling Gloves (50¥)
- Respirator 6 (300¥)
- Light Stick (4) (25¥)
- Magnesium Torch (4) (5¥)
- Vitamin Shots (12) (to make Preparations on the fly)

Bye
Thanee

That should be no problem - the malls there are really well stocked

Yeah, nothing outrageous in that list.

I would probably let Mato buy the Armor Jacket (in his size), though, and then Fashion it into a bodysuit (that way, there should be enough material to do that).

Question is: Would the PPP Vitals Protector work with an altered Armor Jacket (via Fashion), or would it not, since the foundation was an Armor Jacket.

Bye
Thanee

RAW seems to imply that it would not work, although the logic is tortured. An armor jacket would prevent you from wearing an arms kit, sure, but also a leg kit? And how would an arm kit conflict with an armor vest?

Separately, I've had these guns from Chapter 1 and I think I used one of them once. Actually, I'm not sure if I actually fired it or just carried it around. We were going after some ghouls during one of the very early chapters but I think Jawsey shish-kabobed them on the astral before the rest of us needed to do anything.

It's only the Vitals Kit, though. Arms and Legs are fine with Armor Jacket.

Bye
Thanee

Yeah, Common Sense should be used with that rule.

Though it's strength dependent anyway how much additional armor you can wear.

Helmet+mask is usually enough for Str 3 characters
+Leg and vitals protection for Str 5

Hey, we're back.

Yeah, these downtime periods are not scary at all...

Bye
Thanee

Yeah, I've been checking in obsessively the last few days

Before I move this along to the dead drop - anything else you want to do before you head towards the Arcology?

Hmm, anyone have any good Contacts?

Mato has a lawyer and a personal banker downtown, but they're not really in the shadows so I'm guessing they wouldn't know anything relevant.

I think Xavier Tien III might be the best bet. He was our Johnson in Chapter 10. He's an artifact collector and well-connected and might be familiar with this world.

@gilga What about Adeline Peters?

Yay we are back!

I'd had a post worked out in my head about Tamarind's preparations, but of course I've forgotten now that we can post again (and I hadn't thought to write it up elsewhere). I'll figure something out again later today. (Need to figure out what drones are where, what armour/weapons/etc. to haul along, and what her shopping list for the mall is.

Tamarind is taking her four flying eyes and four kanmushi with her, and will hopefully recover the team drone downtown, and bring it too. She'll bring her Proletariat (mechanics's helper, aka Stitch) and Medikart (paramedic drone aka Toothless) in the van, and if it seems workable she can bring them. The larger flying drones she is all leaving at the house.

She'll start off wearing her lined coat but at the mall she'll see if she can pick up an armoured vest, which might be less awful in a possibly very hot arcology (or for going through ventilation shafts)

Bringing taser, light pistol, and SMG (we'll see if brinigng that latter in is feasible), along with gel round ammo and her Looper and Fuzzy rounds. If she can buy stick-and-shock ammo at the mall she will (100 rounds)

Running ID Antonio Babtista, R4, with licenses for driving, weapon carry, security consultant, and press


Bringing along respirator, goggles, earbuds, and wearing contacts. And of course her RCC (with dongles), and her chrome pigeon drone Beauty perched on her shoulder.

At the mall, if Rachel manages to find the grapple gun with wire and the gloves for dealing with the wire, Tamarind will also buy a pair of the gloves

Regarding contacts, depends on what we want them for? Tamarind does have one for a mafia member who taxes food delivery businesses downtown (pay a cut or your deliveries start never making it to destination). Would presumably at least know something about options for getting into the arcology? But also I don't think we are sneaking in, so do we need to know?

I must admit that I don't know what we are doing, we went back to home to grab some equipment and go to that "mall" what is the game now? (e.g., why are we calling contacts?)

Essentially, the mall is in the same structure where the old Renraku Arcology was.

So, we go there, to then find our way into the "forbidden parts", where we suspect that Diego and his crew have ventured.

Quick stop home prior to the mall to grab some equipment. Then off the the mall to get some more equipment.

Oh, yeah, and between home and the mall, we stop by that matrix spot where the data is sent to.

Bye
Thanee

Do we know anything about the ACHE / mall security, especially astral security?

I also just realized that "ACHE" is in the middle of "Rachel".

Bye
Thanee

Only the usual: The mall is a public space, so it's heavily monitored and mall cops are around, but not like high security. It's more deterrent for gangers and the like. You can expect a few watchers to float around and somewhere an overworked wage mage to control them.
But there are too many people coming and going to investigate anyone with magic potential.

Mostly wondering, whether Rachel should dismiss her spirit or hide the presence with Manascape.

Still have two services, which could come in handy. And good Intuition is nice for spotting things.

Bye
Thanee

Knowing Jack, that spirit might just keep us alive. Rachel is the powerhouse in this crowed.

Manascaping it would probably be the safest bet. But you have enough time to summon a new spirit

Charming!

Bye
Thanee

Alright, setting Manascape up (will be sustained via Illusionist (Mana)).

Spellcasting 7 hits (No Drain) + 1 more hit (her Magic is 2 higher at the moment)

Raven will hide the presence of the spirit (and any preparations she carries with her), her own aura just remains the same (masked as Magic Rating 6; spells and foci are masked).

Bye
Thanee

Aha, another hint about which car Rachel should go for!

Bye
Thanee

P.S. If anyone needs help climbing, Raven has two Gecko Crawl preparations.

Of course, AM could also just use Levitate.

Trivia: the Renraku Arcology has 320 floors, although that number isn't readily available online. I had to go back to my Seattle Sourcebook from 1990 to double-check. That's one of my very favorite sourcebooks, and a significant reason why I got so hooked on the setting back in the early 90s.

Not that anyone asked, but as long as I'm wandering down memory lane here are my top 5 sourcebooks in chronological order:

- Seattle Sourcebook (1990)
- Sprawl Sites (1990)
- Native American Nations, Volume I (1991)
- Native American Nations, Volume II (1991)
- Vice (2009)

Vice is an update of 3E's Underworld Sourcebook, but I thought Vice did it better.

Honorable mention to the Sioux Nation series of PDFs for 5E. I've barely scratched anything from 6E. I have Free Seattle and should probably read it at some point.

But what about Shadowbeat?

Bye
Thanee

Good catch - that's what I get from going by memory - it's 320 levels above and 20 below ground - no idea how I landed at 400 levels total.

Corrected the entry accordingly.

I'm basing my information directly on the adventure book Renraku Arcology Shutdown

Jack can we use magic fingers to simply plug a cable to the billboard?

Certainly - magic is just as viable a solution here

Or... you could hop on your BMX, pop a wheelie, and then drive up the post vertically until physics no longer apply to you!

Well, or you fall down, whichever comes first.

Bye
Thanee

The obvious technology based thing to do is use the drone we already have on station, which was previously able to plug itself in (back at the Ranch), and attach a fibre-optic cable with plug and have it plug that into the board.

BUT I think the Magic Fingers solution is better, provided that the general feeling is that the hands can 'fly' up while carrying the cable*. After all, people are more apt to notice drone+fiber than just fiber

* One of those things in 5e that is open to interpretation is whether, when you move a sustained spell, it 'hops'** or slides*** . I think that in a previous discussion we agreed that spells slide. (In my home game I ruled that spells 'hop' not 'slide', to avoid, among other things, using a horizontal barrier as a flying carpet, or sliding mana barriers across the battlefiend to cause astral intersections -- things that are still a concern of mine, but if we'd agreed on sliding then let's not change it now)
** Hops: at the same time the spell effect stops being in place A and appears in place B, without the spell effect crossing the intervening distance
*** Slides: the spell effect moves from place A to place B, in (I forget if it is a simple or complex action), traversing all of the area in-between them in the process

The drone could do it, but the agent on it doesn't have the ability to create a data tracer.

You still haven't committed what you want to do:

- Wait until the data is collected or
- Create a tracer program that alerts you