Okay, I came up with this idea, but I haven't run a game of SR in about...3 years or so, and was wondering what major flaws people could see, and if I should scrap or flesh out.

Basically, the game starts out with a few smaller runs

Initially, an extraction of a Corp Family member for personal reasons.

This leads to information of an experimental soldier who is strangely familiar to at least on of the runners.

Then, after a few runs, the Runers come across an old ally, one who retired because his massive amounts of 'ware were obselete, and he'd lost so much of his humanity(essence) that he couldn't upgrade and keep up.

Except now, this runner is chromed out, and sporting all sorts of new ware. And he takes the runners for a bit of a roller coaster ride.

Then, they start discovering a few other "retired" runners who are coming back wth the newest and brightest.

This eventually culminates in a minor corp trying to rise to power with a magically active serum that restores a persons essence lost through cyberware by cleaning out the system perfectly. Of course, it is still fatal 8 out of 10 times.

Anyway, those are the ideas. What does anyone think?

Sounds interesting, a nice little running plot in the game. Though, from the way the rules go, you can substitute old cyberware with other stuff and there's not need for further essence loss.

Sounds like fun. If you wanted to remove the magical quality of the concept you could just say that this smaller corp has discovered a faster/cheaper/essence-friendly way to create beta- or deltaware and is using the streets to stress test their product. Up to you, really.

But if you go with the cheaper, higher grade ware that just happens to kill 8 out of 10 people who get it, then it still might be a viable solution for the retired runners who want to get back in the game -- for what ever reason. Never give up on a good campaign arc just because we poke a few holes in it. Fill in the holes and you'll have a stronger story to use on the players

Plot wise I think it has merit. My personal touch would be to have the serum have a modified version of HMHVV be the "active" ingredient and also the reason for the high rate of "failure". This also would help you give the runners a potential moral dilema when they discover the truth about the serum (are the power effects worth the potential risk of becoming a monster). Perhaps it opperates through some sort of essence drain, making it even more questionable a product. If the old friends end up being some form of Vampire Lite it could lead to some real tough decisions for the characters, especially if the old contact was a close friend, good ally, or mentor.

Or, you could replace the cybered dudes with burnt-out mages.

I was thinking possibly that the folks are taking not only a serum but also some supplements that seem to give them an edge, faster, stronger (heck for burned out mages, some temporary essence?). A side effect, people are getting more violence prone, etc...

The secret ingredient would be something sinister. Like soylent green. Additionally, it's part of a new funky ritual that a Shedim/Horror/Wendigo has concocted to increase more folks to turn to the dark side.

Not sure how this plot would work, but something for y'all to munch on.

edit: Uhm... very similar to stevebugge's plot.

Personally I would go with the Vampire/Essence Drain angle. That would explain why their Essence is higher (able to get more 'ware). Of course the moral dilemma being these "reborn" 'runners have to drain other people's Essence.

This is turning into quite a nice twisty plot.
But it will requies a lot of prep runs and meetings to make sure the PC's get hooked into it.

I could take a crack at it. You have details of what you need in a "detailed proposal" online anywhere? A cursory glance at the Missions section of www.srrpg.com didn't seem to have anything, but I only skimmed it.

Guidelines

http://www.shadowrunrpg.com/missions/gamemasters.shtml

Ah! The writer's guidelines are there, too. Missed that when I saw the GM guidelines at the top. Thanks stevebugge.

I'm with you, it's not the easiest place to find them.

Have fun with it Dash. I'd love to see it in print. lol

Sounds like a very cool idea, although personally I think I'd leave the actual Essence Draining being a process in creating the Serum itself, so the cybered Runners have to return for another hit or die as the Essense boost starts to fade. (It also seems that it would serve to cast the old Runner's in a better light, which should weigh more heavily on the PC's minds.)

I’m seeing a serum that gives +1 essence per dose but causes essence loss.


After the first dose essence loss one per month.

After the fifth dose essence loss one per week.

After the 20th dose essence loss one per day.

It can increase essence to a max of 12-esanse loss, allowing you to be a non cyber zombie with 10 esanse loss and 4 points of biowear. If you don’t get your dose for 24 hours you are in pain from biowear stress, if you don’t get it for another 24 hours you die.

And naturally its made from something morally unpalatable.

Edward

I was reading some of the old threads and was wondering if the OP ever ran this idea and if so how it turned out?

--See I added something instead of just bumping the thread! *Shows bruised knuckles from getting hands slapped.*

You may also put a twist on the angle so that its not only burned out runners its being offered to, but perhaps gangers who are looking for that little extra edge but can't actually afford to do it the right way, and some green runners that just can't hack it running in the 'plex. You could have it so one of the people effected is a close friend/former running mate/family member of a party member to encourage personal involvement and also give a hook. Maybe in a way one or more party members are sort of the Johnson's for this run, and a bit of info can be fed to the players via the effected person they know to make sure they keep on the trail you want them to be on.

All this approach would require is a runner or two with a longer background in the shadows or perhaps a ganger life prior to running, either of which is fairly common in a group.

Possibly have it be a form of non-magical cybermancy, with the runners now possessing more ware than their essence scores can support, but with different drawbacks than usual cybermancy (dependance on the "serum," which is made in part by draining blood and essence from metahumans is a nice idea).

Also, this might work better with people who wanted to be runners, but couldn't hack it. You know, the guy who started as a sammie but ended up as a fixer 'cause he just didn't have what it takes mentally, and now that he can load up with as much cyber as he wants, he can live the dream.

The best part would be if the returning runners were, at least to begin with, unaware of what they've been indirectly supporting. That'd be a real gut check: you get to rule the streets, but strangers have to die to support your supremacy.

I'm going to steal this idea.

Love the idea !!


Couple of alternates..
- Nick Fury-esque, needs to keep taking the formula even tho he doesn't want to
- Marshall Law-esque, the formula involves organs/fluids/essense from innocents
- Dr Who, the formula involves a secretion from something good/bad so it's inside them


Considering what people go through for Cybermancy, I think 8 out of 10 resulting in death is actually being generous !!

The recipients may not even know what's being used to restore them, which could add a very nice issue of conscience element [maybe as an end piece].


Just my thruppence..

This is an absolutely awesome idea!

If this doesn't make it into Missions I'm going to do something with it myself, for my campaign.


To explain why cybered individuals want it, maybe have the serum combined with Immortal Flower (from M&M) give a form of regeneration - long enough for all implants to be purged, and the Essence then restored - after the regenerative powers run out, new implants can be made with the fresh essence - which will start to drop if you don't stay on the serum.

Eventually, the body can't take more serum and Essence Loss happens so rapidly that the only way to avoid death is to opt for cybermancy, or status as a vampiric pawn or something equally undesirable.

You could always do the classic thing and make it a giant Insect Spirit plot. The "serum" is actually infecting the people with the insect spirits. Make it bio instead of cyber.