I've wanted to run a game out of somewhere other than Seattle or NYC for a while, and decided Europort was a good a place as any. There's only a small blurb on it in Runner's Havens, but I've been in the Hauge/Rotterdam area, so its not that hard to extrapolate.

I'm trying for a steel black kinda game, heavy on the black. More covert-ops than anything, but there will be chrome elements. (Believe you me, those pink mohawked trolls can be damned sneaky at times.) There's gonna lots of backstabbing, both NPC and PC-wise, so be prepared.

Speaking of PCs, I'm looking for five players. I want at least one or two to be company men of some sort, or owe huge debts to some criminal organization. For example, Joe Runner might actually be Juan Gomez, super secret company agent for Aztech, while Bill Runner might owe his life or limbs to the Vory. I want a conflicted game, where PCs will eventually come to cross-purposes. However, the ability to fit in well with a team is expected. I don't want antisocial adepts and emo almost cyberzombies. The characters can have flaws, sure, but not to the point where a character can't function within a team.

Rules-wise, I'm going RAW, plus blakkies contact rule (Free Contact points for Cha*2). All books except Arsenal (which I unfortunately don't have yet.) No ridiculous builds, but kinda twinky characters might be allowed, if you have a well-thought out background. I might add different rules if I really see a need to, but those are pretty common and work decently.

I'm not expecting the PCs to be total professionals just yet, and the same goes for the company man/men. They might screw up or piss the wrong person off and have to call in a 'favor' they'd rather not have their teammates know. Or not. I'm looking forward to playing with the DS community.

Oh, you can PM or post questions/suggestions here. This'll be my first SR4 game, but I've GMed for SR3 TT for two years, and I play a couple of SR4 games right now, so I have a bit of experience with the system.

As I'm sure you can tell by by post count, I'm fairly new to Dumpshock but I'd love to have a shot at participating in one of these awesome forum games! If you'll be kind enough to consider me, I'd be interested in playing some kind of shaman or a gunslinger adept. I'm flexible but I've been tossing around some ideas for those character concepts.

I would be interested in this. I've always had a warm spot in my heart for inter-pc conflict and backstabbing from the good old Amber (does that game even exist anymore?) days.

I haven't played much 4th edition either but I've got all the books for it. I would be most interested in playing a hitman of some sort. Perhaps he could be your company man. Not sure if I wanted to make him awakened or not, probably would depend on the rest of the cast, but I could see him being an awakened assassin or a cybered up one.

I like my games low on the chrome and closer to gunmetal black so I'd feel at home in a game like you described. Let me know if you are interested and I'll work out some details and PM you.

I'd be interested in joining your game. I'd like to play some kind of Face. I don't have any experience with forum games, but I'd be glad to join in if you'd agree.

I'm interested in playing. I'll play whatever.

I'd be interested, I'd like to 9with your permission) recycle the concept for a 400 BP starting mage from the 'Sink Holywood Sink game on here.' His background implies he got from Russia to America, so via europe makes sense, and I can dial up the Vory connections.

I can tailor the sheet to the game and deploy it very quickly The value for me in re-using the character is I can take personality development clues from both games and recycle them into the other.

http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?show...st&p=637207 <-- The other game sheet.

If you'd prefer something completely new, I can do that too!

I'd definately be interested as well. Possibly a very cybered out company man (something like brick the troll, but not so extreme) or, some sort of mage. Something like a rat/cat shaman. Lots of illusion spells and the like.

Do you need a B@E expert? Based on the Covert Ops specialist.

I've ran a 10 year SR campaign (got the original SR when it came out).

Started up a new SR4 campaign, but I would love to actually play.

So uh... did you have a specific number of players you were hoping for?

I'd be interested as well. I have an idea for an egyptian sorceress who has some bad blood with Islam. They stoned her and her mother for practicing magic- she was "spared" by Osiris and became his disciple.

Otherwise I've been thinking about a re-design of a third edition character- New Jesuit priest who had a fall from grace type of experience (a cardinal he was tasked with protecting was blown up by a Aztlan terrorist along with the congregation of a large church). I could throw in some ties the the Order of St. Sylvester, Order of the Temple or Vigilia Evangelica if you want more intrigue...

Really though, I'd be happy to play anything... I think my other PbP game is dying a slow death...

Let me express some tentative interest. Unfortunately I have finals in a month and so might have some time conflicts. That being said, what can you tell someone who has no location books about europort? I mean, I don't even know where it is exactly.

I've been thinking of working up some kind of stealthier build, and have a few ideas along those lines, if I do end up playing.

Interested.... what do you need us to post?

I'll throw my hat in the ring, just in case anyone else drops out.

Got a Technomancer I'm building while I'm waiting for other games to go anywhere....

...Wow. XD A lot of people interested, but...only five spots, unfortunately. Sorry y'all.

I wanna keep it fair, so I'll do it by a first come first serve basis, so that would mean the tentative list would be....

Tentative Players

kookyjeld
Tabula Rasa
Professeur
Aaron
Cthulhudreams

I'll throw PMs to everyone I chose, so you guys have a day or two to get back to me. Start posting chara concepts, all the usual drek.

As for Europort, there's a tiny blurb in in Corporate Enclaves, but that's all so far, so its an openended setting. I'm not sure if Shadows of Europe has anything on Europort or the Netherlands, but I got a copy ordered, so as soon as I get that, I'll check. Thanks for the interest everyone, and for those not accepted, people might drop out still, so keep an eye out.

Depending on how the first couple of runs turn out, and based on the good number of responses I got, I might run a dual campaign. Frankly, I wasn't sure a lot of people would be interested, heh. Anyway, looking forward to replies. Oh, Kookyjeld, Tabula Rasa, Professeur, welcome to Dumpshock

Is there anything we definitely need that hasn't been covered yet?

Not really. Feel free to develop your characters however you feel (within game limits of course.) Some familiarity with the culture (international, european) would be appreciated, however. Unless you're playing some Amazonia transplant or some arrogant UCASian. A good background, really, is the most important part of character creation, my feeling is. Also, you might wanna check some maps of the Rotterdam area. Unfortunately, there's only a tiny section in Corporate Enclaves on Europort, so a lot of this will be homebrewed on my feelings of what Europort should be.

From what I gathered we have some basic idea of what people want to play.

Kookyjeld said he'd be interested in a Shaman or Gun Adept
Prog mentioned playing a face.
Aaron would play anything
Cthulu was interseted in playing a mage.

Seems we'll have the caster covered by either Kooky or Cthulu. Face is covered by the Prof. If someone else cover the decker I'd love to make a cybered up hitman/sammy. If no one else is interested in playing a decker and if we are told we definitely need one, then I'll brush up on my hacking rules and make one of those.

Let me know what you all think.

You guys'll totally need a hacker. A main hacker and backup/support hacker would be optimal. Everyone should have at least a point in some kind of social skills. You'll have a face, but I plan on using as many tricks as players do. Who said pornomancers couldn't be NPCs? Heh, joking.

As for being awakened, I'm not putting a limit on them, so it wouldn't hurt to have more than one. A lot of the game's flavor will come from the characters, so I'm not gonna say anything definite until I have a good idea of what the characters strengths and weaknesses are.

This game won't be a hack and slash, but plenty of action. I'm also thinking of using the cinematic optional rule in the BBB. I haven't used the mechanic yet, but I'm interested in hearing if anyone has, or you guys think it would be cool to use it.

It has twwwooooooo h's! Two damnit! Metallica spelt it wrong

Less in jest, yeah I was doing a caster, and while I'd normally voluteer to step up for a missing role in the party the matrix rules are so bad they cause me physical pain, so I won't step up for this one. Sorry guys

I'll have an agent though!

I'd be into making a technomancer Matrix specialist with a secondary skillset in rigging.

I think I'm gonna opt for a raven or cat shaman, what do you guys think? I don't want to step on anyone's toes!

Damn, I wish Snake didn't have such awful advantages/disadvantages.

Well, the mage I was planning to run is an owl mentor custom traditioned thing, but he's clinical, ruthless, paranoid and hard drinking. Please oh please check the link I pasted, it has something that will be very similar to the character sheet I want to run for this. No major points of variance unless I have a huge change of heart.

Well, since we have magic and a hacker covered, guess I'll make my hitman.

Very cool character, Cthulhu. I hope we get to see him in our game.

Since it looks like I'm the only other person going for a mage and quentra is cool with there being two of us, I'm gonna start planning out my character. I can always change things around later if we have any issues or overlapping.

Sounds like Qventra, my ex-FSB techno. Must be a Russian thing. Ti ruski v'nastayashamu tojze?

For the Skriatok metavarient can you give me the mechanical details? I like the character, but without BP costs, I can't really say anything. And the background will be important. How did he end up in an urban sprawl like Europort? What're his goals? Does he even has goals? Most importantly, can he function in a team? While there will be plenty of backstabbing, the characters should develop a sense of trust for each other. After all, backstabbing hurts more when you twist the knife.

That goes for the other characters. I'm not gonna do a twenty question thing (Cause I'm too lazy to read through it all:P) but cover the basic points in your backgrounds.

Oh, I forgot to mention. I suggest everyone has Dutch and maybe another European language. It is Europe, after all.

As there seem to be no objections, I'll make that technomancer.

Go ahead. I love technos, think they're an awesome addition to SR and fit in with the postcyberpunk theme. The rules might not allow technos to be superpwn awesome, but if you're really bp screwed, I might houserule something.

Alright, I'll spend a few points in hacking skills.

I should be okay.

I think I changed my mind... I'd be more at ease if somebody else handled the backup-hacker part. I'm not comfortable enough with hackers to play one in my first Pbp game. Of course if nobody wants to do it I'll keep my word and do it, but I'd rather not, for the sake of the game and GM.

Heh. I actually like the matrix rules (please don't stone me.) But then, I have to handle SR3 decking which gives me nightmares (its true!) The abstract nature of SR4 rules let me interpret a lot of the matrix rules in ways I think they should operate, so it mostly works out.

Here's a quick first draft of what it's gonna look like. I'm still thinking about the PC and the contacts' backgrounds (and names), but I'm working on it. Basically I'm aiming for a expert Con artist, with some offensive ability. Personnality-wise, I think I'll go for the arrogant french

Metatype 30 BP
Elf

Attributes 200BP


Special Attributes 60 BP


Qualities -25 BP


Skills 116 BP


Gear 13 BP


Adept powers (5)


Contacts 7x2 Free + 6BP


As I said it's a first draft, it's bound to change. Any comments ?

Can you add prices to your gear? It really helps me count everything out. Also, I forgot to mention that for my awakened characters, expect a background count of one (at least) in many places.



Oh, and Professeur, I'd suggest soft-maxing Cha and getting tailored pheremones, since tailored will bump you up to a cha 8, and save you 16 points if you get tailored 3. (45k or 9 BP compared to 25 to hard-max.) But its up to you, since you'd be losing a point of magic and a power. Put that together with background counts being the norm, you might not want to cyber at all.

Alright, so I dropped 1 point in charisma, 6 being my new unaugmented max. I bought tailored pheromones 3, which frees up 1bp to pour into contacts. To compensate for the magic point loss, I dropped improved ability : pistols.

As for the gear prices, I'll add them later. I used Daegann's character generator, so there shouldn't be any mistake there.

You have a background for the chara? I'm looking for something a bit more specific than 'arrogant french guy...'

Also, is breaking skill groups at chargen in Core anywhere? I'll allow it, but I'm just interested if there's an actual rule for it.

EDIT: 20 die to pretend you're someone else? 7 (skill+spec) + 9 (cha) + 4 (kinesics) if I'm reading it right. I might just have to use those NPC pornomancers. Now I don't feel bad about the prevalent background count.

Yes of course I'll write a background . I just have a couple university-related things I have to handle right now before I dive into it. Don't worry, I won't play a cardboard-cutout.

As for breaking skill groups, I haven't read anything about it being allowed or forbidden. I just assumed it was reasonable ; in the present case my character is an all-around good Influence guy, but is a better con-man than negociator. Otherwise, you'd have to leave your skill group at 4 or purchase your skills individually (eeek!).

Yeah, which is why I allow breaking skill groups. Otherwise it makes little sense, since you can break them with karma.

I'm pretty sure if you get a skill group you aren't allowed to improve individual skills in that group at character gen or get a specialization in any of them. I'd love it if you allowed us to break from that, or if someone pointed out that I was horribly and embarrasingly wrong.

No, you're right. Heck, I wish. That method is saving the sample build 24BP! That's enough for a skill at 6....

Here's my draft. It's still a work in progress. The background is that he was a young admin for a section of the docks when the Emergence scare happened. He was fingered as a technomancer, chased, and subsequently faked his own death, dropping into the shadows. I'm basing his personality loosely on that of the character, Vila Restal, from "Blake's 7."

Crunch bits below.

I don't think he'll allow all this Arsenal stuff, Aaron... Maybe if you give him the stats he will allow them ?

You mean I missed out by 41 minutes.

Well keep me in mind.

It's an ork. No other details or changes. While if I was writing some proccess for them to 'evolve' i'd look at something different, i'm not going to and he is going to be stuck at his current size, which is best matched with an Ork. So ork with no modifications it is. I also don't speak russian



Haha, yeah, I've got a spreadsheet I'll give you with all details etc, after I've slightly tweak that sheet. Got to change the languages, knowledge skills and spell line up slightly, and fix a few other bits and bobs. i'll cough up goals and a revised background at that junction.

Europort is an obvious half way house if you are a poor peasant leaving russia and moving on to bigger things. As a centre of commerce, well, his theory is the closer you get to the money, the more you get paid.

that said the background count issue is a bit of a problem. Background count double teams mages because you loose magic upfront and your spell is worse later, in a double count. In a background count of 4 a starting character mage cannot cast spells, ever.

Having a BCG of 1 all the time is a heavy hitter! I'll have to think about it.

Last question: Arsenal - is Form Fitting Body Armour allowed? I'd honestly prefer it if the answer to that was 'no' but I'm flexible.

Fair point. Stats added.

Hey, just wanted to let you guys know that I'm working on my character. I'm waiting for some feedback from quentra regarding a mentor spirit, but it should all be good after that.

I just edited my character description a bit.

Yeah, there will be a count of 1 in most non corp areas (which I'm gonna assume have been cleansed.) I'm not gonna hit you guys with higher counts just yet, due to the three awakened players we have, but it's gonna hit you guys pretty hard. About FFBA...I'm pretty flipfloppy on the issue. On one hand, I see it as an SR staple (like Dikote) which makes me loath to remove it (like Dikote.) On the other....6/3 but counts only as 3/1 for encumbrance? Its a damn good deal, and you're pretty damn stupid if you don't pick it up.

I think I'll allow it. Emotitoys are still a no. Just don't expect only the PCs to have it. After all, it is a must have item.

Also, can you guys pricetag your gear? That really speeds up the review process.

Also, @Aaron: The only Arsenal thing I'm gonna allow is FFBA and the drone mods. No guns or ammo. Also, you don't have a commlink? So you're gonna broadcast to the world that you're a techno? Also, the Fake SIN isn't a physical document, its a string of numbers stored on some kind of wifi medium, usually on a commlink, so unless you want your gun or clothes to broadcast your SIN, I recommend getting a commlink. And BP total your atts, skills, etc.

I'm going to mostly finish my character tonight and post something for you to review. Just out of curiousity, anyone got a good character generator spreadsheet or program?

I have found okay ones, but my best spreadsheet has like no room for cyber beyond a few pieces, the other one doesn't calculed equipment costs for you and the program one I have doesn't print character sheets with BP costs and nuyen costs... gah.

I just use the excel spreadsheet one...Yeah, it doesn't have autogear tables, but I just put them in myself.

Okay, I'll fix that.


That's all going to depend on when we're playing. Is it past the time when technomancers have gained grudging if wary acceptance, or are we still in full lynching furor?

Its after Emergence, so techno's are accepted...kinda. I still see lots of technomancers 'disappearing', but not exactly lynching time. If you wanna be a techno full out, that's fine, but it might cause problems down the road once your cred goes up. Also, I hear techno's still fetch a good price on the black market...

I'm gonna be posting an IC news article or two soon, just so you guys can grasp the current corpopolitical situation in the Port, and hopefully understand more about what's going on. I don't wanna throw you guys to the wolves, after all.