I. Concept - Long-term SR4 campaign with kick-off twist

I am looking to start a long-term SR4 campaign. Set in Seattle, series of adventures. Themes to be decided as the campaign progresses. Basic stuff.
Except for the beginning.
It seems to me that few people willingly CHOOSE a life in the shadows, and even fewer groom themselves specifically for such a life from birth. In both strong and weak character backgrounds, there is almost always some sort of major, often traumatic event that pulled/propelled/forced the character into the shadows. And usually, that event happened right before the commencement of play with the newly generated character.

What I want to do is start this campaign BEFORE that 'big event.' Characters will start as 'citizens' (although there will be a lot of leeway there - see IV. Submissions and Chargen), and we will play out those events that lead them into life as a shadowrunner. Eventually, they will coalesce as a team and more conventional play will commence, but hopefully by then this experiment will have produced a somewhat deeper level of attachment and texture to the characters.

II. How it will work - "High stakes railroading"

I am not a railroader. I encourage players to devise cool ways to circumvent my plots (though I will try to make it extremely tough). But for this experiment, there will be a certain amount of railroading. I tell you now that I will be using my GM omnipotence to force your character into the shadows, and it won't be pretty. Note: This is not a G-rated campaign. The shadows are an ugly place and there will be blood, pain, death, and if the story calls for it sex.

But railroading or not, the idea is to PLAY the 'big event,' not have it NARRATED. Overwhelming, unbeatable forces will be arrayed against your character, and it will be up to you first and foremost not to get killed. I have no compunctions about player death if that's how it goes down. Beyond that, strong players may be able to salvage something from the ashes. Maybe your WHOLE family won't be killed, maybe you won't lose your ENTIRE fortune, maybe not ALL of your contacts will be convinced you're a child-killer. There will be plenty to do, and there will be high, winnable stakes - though ultimately you will lose to the point where your life as a 'citizen' is over.

Also, if you want, you can have some say in how this goes down. If you have some idea what sort of calamity or idealistic motivation you want driving your character, let me know - it's YOUR story, and while the experiment calls for railroading, everyone is supposed to have fun. You can make this largely on your terms, if you like.
Or, you can just set up your life and let me ruin it. Choice is yours.

At first, every story will be separate. All will take place on the same usual OOC and IC threads, but they will be just you and me, probably for some time. Then I will maneuver you into small groups and eventually the team as you have your initial forays into the shadows.

III. Warnings - Demanding and anal GM

Besides the R-rating and the prospect of character death, I want everyone to know that I require a LOT of homework. I won't hit you with it all at once, but probably every month there will be an assignment such as 'provide details of your domicile' or 'provide full details of your fake ID.' There will be lengthy deadlines, but once the deadline is past, players will be cut off from GM responses until they get the work in. Am I a butt? Sometimes. But it is the stuff I need to make a meaningful campaign.

Also, in addition to personal karma awards (which may vary significantly) and karma for completing adventures, there will be karma based on posting activity. On that point, I am especially looking for people that are consistent, reliable posters.

IV. Submissions and chargen - Background and sheet

To apply, I need a background and character sheet PMed to me here on Dumpshock.

The background should be detailed enough that we can work up some basis for our little experiment. And the richer on detail of your current 'citizen' life, the better. Family, friends, home, work, and hobbies, at least. If you wish, include your ideas for the 'big event.'
Of course you can be school teachers, dock workers, corporate middle-managers, etc. Your character might have no combat skills at all, but I think almost everyone has some sort of skills that would be useful to them if they had to make a move into the shadows, skills that will form an excellent back-up after they start practicing the more obvious 'shadowrunner' arts.
But in addition to more 'workaday' backgrounds, soldiers, cops, corporate mages, and even organized crime figures (not to mention homeless people or hippies, whatever) are all viable (though perhaps not as interesting for this experiment). If you choose one of these typical-former-profession-of-the-shadowruner types, remember that you are cozily living in that establishment. If, say, you are a mafia guy, you might be a made-man or at least well-connected enough that dodging bullets is just not part of your day-to-day life, and if it is, you can always count on back-up from the full resources of the Family. The 'big event' would strip you of that cocoon.

Chargen is standard 400 BP. Seem like a lot for a postman? Get into it. Pour additional points into neighborhood street knowledge skills - that guy could know everything. Have his hobby be NASCAR driving. And how did he get that cushy postal job - veteran bonus points, of course.

Also, free contacts at 10 x Charisma. This is because you have to include family (I will want very high loyalty rating there), friends and coworkers. You can count on losing most if not all of these in the 'big event.'

Pre/Post-'big event' adjustments. Pre-big event - choose any appropriate lifestyle for free. No need to pre-buy post-'big event' lifestyle.
Post-'big-event' It is acceptable to hold back BP for use at the transition. For example, say your normal life is as a martial arts instructor adept. Once you enter the shadows, an old mentor may give you a cool weapon focus - and you can have saved BP to 'buy' the focus and bond it. Or you empty your Swiss bank account and get cybered up. Whatever, but ALL SUCH EXPENDITURES MUST BE CLEARED WITH ME.

I am not sure how many players I will accept, but probably more than the average number - the few months I have been active in this medium, I have witnessed incredible attrition in games, so I may over-recruit in hopes of coming out with a good core group. (Not to say I will throw out good players if there are too many - that happy event will be my problem, and I would probably deal with it running two small teams that know each other but mostly work different runs.)

I am asking a lot in terms of submissions (background plus sheet), so I will stop accepting submissions around the weekend of 14-16 July. The next week I will try to coordinate some things OOC and by PM. Hopefully start IC thread by 25 July.

This sounds interesting. Do the characters have to start out living in seattle, or can they be force to move there due to "circumstances beyond their control"?

I have a character who went through a very similar transition on one of Ophis's games, so I have a lot of background already known for them, it would be cool to be able to play an SR4 version of them...

That is a very good question. I was just rereading my post thinking of editing that point in!

NO, you do NOT need to start your 'citizen' life in Seattle. In fact, if the 'big event' puts you on the run from some heinous organized crime syndicate, you will want to relocate. But once players get into the actual role of Shadowrunners, they will be in Seattle.

I am not clear from your post whether you are talking about submitting a pre-existing character. For this campaign, I am interested in NEW characters that have yet to experience the transition to the shadows.

This sounds like a really cool idea. If I get a chance to get at my books this weekend I will try to make something/someone.

Do you want the usuall 25 questions on the char too?

Yes and no. If your background covers that stuff, no need to write it out question by question. Or if it is easier to organize it in a numbered format that way, cool too. Bottom line - as long as the total info you send me contains the bulk of that sort of information, that is cool.

Funny thing, I've been kicking around an idea of a character that was once in the shadows but retired, then is back again. (I know its anti* what you are looking for) I thought it would be interesting to hear among other things..." Chum, I heard of you...you used to be somebody right?", "I thought you'd be taller", or "Yeah, sure you're him"

Do you want TMs played by the book?

Black Hat - 25 questions refers to a useful and thought-provoking list of questions to ask yourself to get help flesh out your character. Can be found in the SR3 Shadowrun Companion, among other places.

Jack - that sounds like a fine idea, provided
A) It is a first-time-played character
and
B) It has been at least, like, ten years or so ago since he last ran the shadows, and he has since settled into a comfortable non-shadow life, complete with emotional and/or financial attachments.

Konsaki - I don't know exactly what you mean. If you are asking about house rules, I have none for TMs. Hell, I will admit that that aspect of the new rules is my weak point. So as per RAW unless we get together and decide something otherwise.

Understood. I'm creating a TM using the book rules then.

Damn, yet another tempting prospective game.... *contemplates*

Adam, I may be interested, I like the concept of role-playing the EVENT that pushes people into the shadows.

Ankle Biter -

Everyone - already getting some good ideas. Less than 12 hours from initial posting and MIGHT already have two 'big events' planned.
In subsequent correspondence over the next week, I will probably speak to people as though entry into the game is a done deal. That is just so I can type faster.
As I said, I plan to take a larger-than-normal number of players, but if I get stampeded like some of the other recruitment posts I've seen, well - I hate to have to spell this out, but just in the interest of fairness, decorum, and courtesy, NO ENTRIES FINAL UNTIL OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT, which will probably be Monday after next (17th).

i am definitely interested in this... frustratingly, i have not been able to think up a half decent character concept for the past little while (just won't come to me).

but definitely, if i come up with something, i will be applying...

If there is room I would love to throw my hat in.

I've read the basics and think I can handle it.

Need to read more of the thread at lunch (2 hours from this post) where I'll answer any opening questions you asked.

Thanks

JDragon

I think I have retooled my first attempt at a troll samurai enough to fit into this very well. Im a newbie and not very creative so my backstory isnt no killer novel or anything hehe. I have to nail down some BP's and some knowledge skills and then i will be ready to submit.

I have submitted my basic idea via PM, please let me know if you did not get it.

I'm just waiting for some feedback on it before I move on, to make sure I've done what you are looking for.

Thanks

JDragon

Background PM'd. I tried to keep it short until I had the ok for a few bits of it...

Working on a character sheet and background this weekend. Hope to have it to you by this monday. One-liner is a a relativly normal college student who had lived a charmed life, but whose luck is about to go south real fast (big event). I've had the idea for a while, of such a character who struggles to maintain a normal life in college dispite late nights of shadowrunning. Not sure if this campaign's "big event" has a chance of us salvaging our old lives, or not, but either way, I think it might be a good fit.

What kinda knowledge skill would you give to a cop who knows where all the gangs are and where battles happen commonly and stuff like that ? Not just gangs but conflicts.

Given the nature of this campaign, does the SINner (standard) Negative Quality still grant 5 BP?

Are we allowed to split skill groups?

Couple Quick ?s on builds...

I know you mentioned we don't need to work on lifestyle.

I'm assuming though that we will need to "save" build points toward nuyen that we will have availble after the "big Event"?

Also should we purchase equip during creation or after the event happens?


For everyone, what kinda single person fighting events are stil going on in the future?

I'm doing a boxer/pro-fighter type, but being new to the SR world I'm not sure what would be going on.

Thanks

JDragon

Everyone -
Thanks for all the posts expressing interest. Applications definitely still open - as I said, through next weekend - and all the ideas I have heard are good so far.

BlackHat -
Yes, it would be possible to salvage your old life - that may even be one of your character's long-term goals.
But the premise is -
Shadowrunning, like RL crime, is simply more dangerous and ultimately less well rewarded, not to mention generally less moral, than legitimate life. What we are looking for is the event that either forces or strongly motivates an otherwise lovable and capable person to commit to that lifestyle.

Also, for purposes of having something to actually PLAY, we are hoping to catalyze that motivation into one major event or quick succession of events. As I explained, depending on how well you play, that event will be more or less disastrous for your character and his life. So as long as I, or we working together, can come up with A) a big motivator in the form of B) a tangible, playable event, the rest is limited only by our creativity and the parameters of SR4/my-vision universe.

Abbandon -
The beauty of knowledge skills is that you get to name them yourself so that they say exactly what you want them to be. Street knowledge skills do need to be localized.
So for example, just to address your specific question, why not simply "Seattle Gang Conflicts." It can be that easy. Or the more common "Seattle Street Gangs" with a specialization in "Conflicts." Best of both worlds that way. Read in the BBB about knowledge skills - especially the second paragraph under Using Knowledge Skills in the second column on page 128. I have always been a big believer in that interpretation.

Blue Rondo -
Excellent question. It would NOT apply initially, but remember my comments on BPs saved for post-'big event' use. We don't know exactly whether your disaster will strip you of your SIN, slap you with a criminal SIN, or what. But if, after the 'big event' is over and we have moved on to the 'regular' campaign, if at that time you still have a SIN, then I would let you take the appropriate BP at that time.
See comments in initial post.

September -
No, sorry, too much of a gimme. The skill group rules are to give you a fat discount while encourage more well-rounded characters. Letting you work all the skills in the group up to four and then spend 8 points raising one to six is too cheap. (Although when Mr Juan allowed it in his Genesis recruitment, I jumped on it for my submission. It's like taxes - I don't like paying them, and I vote against them. But as long as they exist, I will make the most of the services they provide!)

JDragon -

I hope you are not misinterpreting me on lifestyle. By all means you need to 'work' on it. The more fleshed out it is, the better I can plausibly destroy it! But you do not need to PAY for it. Just give yourself whatever lifestyle you like to start with, whatever fits your concept.
But you will almost certainly lose it (which is why I am not making you pay for it).

And yes, as noted in initial post, you can save BP for resources post-'big event'. If you don't, that's okay. I expect most will not. The idea is to find yourself pretty much naked and unprepared in the shadows, relying on your 'citizen' skills to make your way until you can get enough money, skills and rep to become a 'real' shadowrunner.

But saved resource BP are certainly your right. You will need some in-character explanation. Off-shore account no one knew about, favor from street doc owed to you, stash of jewels. Then I will find an in-character way for you to spend that money on anything up to Availability 12, just as would be allowed at chargen.

As for sports, according to my view and a variety of old sourcebooks, all the same combat sports we have today will still exist, although there may be racial, awakened and cybered league distinctions. Also any funky pit-fighting sort of thing you can think up. Field's wide open, but whatever you decide, the more you specify for me the better.

You suck Jdragon lol. My dude i have been working on is also a professional fighter. I was thinking along the lines of UFC/Pride style. Mixed martial arts. But my dude also has a side job. And if you pick the same side job i will kill you.

Maybe our guys have faught each other in the ring hehe.

I've been toying with an idea for an ex KE/Lone Star cop turned runner, recently...if I alter the background to start before he left for the shadows, it'd fit pretty well I imagine..

I'll have the stats up in a day or two.

Edit:

Just out of curiosity, if my character was ex Lone Star...would info he'd have be of any value in the shadows? (Either files he pulls before leaving, or just the standard stuff he knew anyway like patrol routes, logins, etc.)

Edit #2:

Actually, upon re-reading your initial post...I'm going to go for something a little more pedestrian...a taxi driver appeals, somehow...

I'm gonna be working on something too. I'll admit right up front that I'm not the most regular poster, but I really like the premise, so I'm gonna throw my hat in the ring.

Edit 2, got a complete character background done, will build character sheet around it pending GM approval. As my mail box is full, I'm posting it here on the honor system,

PLEASE DO NOT READ SPOILER IF YOU INTEND TO PLAY THIS GAME, unless you are the GM.

That being said, feel free to read / comment if you do not intend to play...

Sent my char Background through PM, will work on the stats and send them in later.

I'm interested. Having just watched a slow paced political thriller I'm very interested in making a spook of some variety (probably CAS or UCAS) and having just built a cyber character I am very interested in making an adept or a mage to avoid the two-step. Still working out details.

Quick update, just to let you know I'm still here.

I'm about 75% done with my build and about 60% through the background.

Hope to finish up over the next few days.

Do you have a specific format you want the characters in when we submit them?

Thanks

JDragon

I'm thinking of getting in on this. I just have to rework a char that I've already created; I may send it over to you in a couple of days. Hope you like sociologists!

To everyone that has tossed out initial ideas since my last posting - all sound great. I very much look forward to your submissions.

Logged on today to find a very busy inbox. I will be addressing all specific queries as the day wears on.

Important recruitment info -

At this time, I am tentatively considering accepting nine players (big number - see initial post). Unfortunately, based on the response so far, it looks like I will still end up turning people away. Since quite a few of you have already been working closely with me on character development, and because I am asking for so much (background and sheet) prior to final approval, I feel bad about having to say no to people.
Thus, in order to thin the pack slightly in a completely objective way, let me announce that
Absolutely NO players that do not have a finalized background and character sheet in my INBOX by late Saturday night LONDON TIME will be considered.

That might cut some good submissions, but so far ALL the submissions are good, so that's the way it goes.

To preempt questions about what I mean by the word 'finalized,' it does not mean it has to have already been approved by me. However, those players that have their submissions in early, so that I have had a chance to go over things with them, will obviously have a better chance.
What 'finalized' does not include is "Well, I didn't do that yet 'cuz I haven't decided how I feel about that," and so forth. They should be your final submissions for GM approval.

Sorry to sound like a big hard ass - I guess I am trying to scare away the faint of heart because I hate the idea of excluding people from the final entry list a week from today.

Ankle Biter

Since your inbox is full -

Rules question, can a person play a Hacker Adept?

If you mean an adept who is a hacker, sure, why not. Hacker is essentially a group of skills plus gear - whether you want some cyber is up to you, but again that won't stop you from being an adept.
Unless you are referring to some unique game concept I have not heard about, yes, go ahead.

Well, technical skills are clearly listed under the adept improved ability power, so I see no problem at all.

MWUHAHAHAHAHA!!

Okay, I'll finish my background up and have it to you buy Wednesday.

In order to not clog your inbox, adamu, which option - 1 or 3 - is more unique amongst the entries you've seen so far. I'd guess 3, just based on ooc chatter here.

I'm going to expand on all of the options (including the seemingly dull option 2) and see what sticks with you. Is there an email address we can reach you at? (apologies if it's been posted already).

PMed you a character sheet. Let me know if there are any problems or if there is anything you would like me to clarify.

Character sheet and background PMed. Let me know if there were any technical difficulties.

Okay, first off, as usual, thanks for all the cool posts I have gotten over the past 24 hours.

Although I will remain in communication with them for fine-tuning, etc, the people that have now made full submissions, that means background+sheet, are
Abbandon
BlackHat
Vegas
Mister Juan
Blue Rondo
pragma

I don't mind saying that among the many others that have sent initial concepts or just backgrounds, there are a few I am really hoping I get submissions for....

A few people have kindly expressed concern about clogging my inbox, and asked for my personal e-mail. I will be happy to post it here. That said, my inbox is in good shape as I print what I need and delete everything. Also, I very rarely check my personal e-mail, so if you send me something there, you might wait a week for a reply.
But if you want to send something that doesn't work well over the Dumpshock board, or you just really want to e-mail me, try
adamur2003@yahoo.com

Finally, as we all get accustomed to SR4, a lot of people are asking me about DNI connections and computer security and so on. Right now I just want to say this is something to keep in mind when you make your characters.
I won't burden you all with it at this stage, but sooner than later I will be asking all accepted players to send me detailed explanations of their commlinks, expecially regarding WiFi and DNI connectivity. Just to keep in mind for later.

Sent in revised BG and Char sheet to your E-mail. Tell me what your throught are.

I'm not sure why I've seen it... but when folks post their addresses here (and elsewhere) they tend to post it as

alias (at) domain (dot) com

I'm sure it has to do with spam. Just not sure what. Just an FYI adamu, in case you want to edit your addy. AND, noted about your inbox.