(This contains spoilers for my game, so if you're in it, please don't read.)
One of my players is playing a character that's got a slight... inconvenience. His character background is that he was once a special ops operative of Evo Mars, who was subsequently wounded so deeply that his body could scarcely be recovered. It was, and it is kept alive artificially by gigantic amounts of cyberware and bioware, but it must forever remain in a special life-support machine that also functions as a control device of a human biodrone. In essence, the player's actual self is continually immersed in the Matrix and controlling a physical body from a distance through very complex Matrix signals. This brings about several difficulties, ofcourse, such as a weakness to jamming, hacking or spoofing - but he's invested relatively heavily in Firewalls and Black ICE.
Here comes the problem: said character didn't feel like spending his entire remaining life at the mercy of Evo and its orders, and he escaped, taking away not only the biodrone body, but also his own body, including the life support and the experimental tech required to rig human bodies. This is a significant problem for Evo, as it desperately wants to regain this very experimental and secret equipment (mostly to prevent industrial espionage, but it also has an interest in regaining the equipment for its own use, as it's quite expensive.)
Now, I've been developing a few ideas about what I can do to have this background play out ingame. The problem I've got is that, if Evo discovers his location in any way, there's really no reason why they wouldn't immediately send a few dozen special forces to detain him. Does anybody have any ideas?
Full Version: Hunted by a Megacorp
It would be interesting if he could plan an intricate, very lethal ambush for the Evo team. When finished, he sends a message. "We're done, and I'm out. Got it?"
Probably wouldn't solve anything, but twould be cool.
Probably wouldn't solve anything, but twould be cool.
Evo was too stupid to keep tissue samples that can be used for ritual samples? No Trackers in the human biodrone harnesses? Their loss.
Okay, so we've got a few things worth tracking...
1) The pilot - the actual character. The character has a set of skills but, due to his accident, is not worth especially much on his own. Presumably the fact that he knows about the project means it's worth something to keep him quiet, but killing off your operatives is bad for morale. He stole a good deal of medical equipment, so we have to compare the cost of the medical equipment + PR fallout if people found out employees can steal your medical equipment vs. cost of tracking down the PC + cost to morale of tracking down the employee, +/- a 'retirement' variable based on the service of the PC to the corporation before his separation and other contractual agreements.
How you figure this depends on a few factors - did the character buy the flaw 'enemies' or 'hunted', and at what level? Was this a recent development, or a chargen thing? Do you want the plot to revolve around helping one guy escape Evo, or do you have actual stuff planned? How enraged are you as a GM? Depending on this, your reaction can range from 'wish him well' to 'hire a runner team and make an example of him', but it also sets the stage for the next bit...
2) The actual equipment. How much does this gear cost the company if it is never recovered? How much does it cost the company if it is recovered by another corporation? If the first threshold is sufficiently low and the second high, and Evo has taken kindly to the PC, they may take well to the PC and decide a living testbed (and a shadowrunner at that) is better than a dead one, damaged equipment, and $500k in recovery fees. I don't think they'd just let him walk away - they stand to benefit. A pro-active approach gets them a friendly runner who feels indebted to them, and a fully cooperative test-bed subject, plus he may agree to reasonable destruction procedures to protect the biodrone from capture. If the value of the drone is high, well... then they're in a bit of a pickle. It's expensive to go after the guy, plus there's a high risk of causing damage to the same equipment they're trying to get. If they're going to go after him like that, their first likely option is negotiation. Using force is going to take some real thought, though. They'll need a way to neutralize the rest of the party, safely attack the pilot, and recover the drone.
(However, yes, both the pilot, the drone, and all the equipment should be so lousy with bugs and killswitches, and they should have so much data on them all that really, capture should be trivial. I'm assuming for whatever reason they don't.)
1) The pilot - the actual character. The character has a set of skills but, due to his accident, is not worth especially much on his own. Presumably the fact that he knows about the project means it's worth something to keep him quiet, but killing off your operatives is bad for morale. He stole a good deal of medical equipment, so we have to compare the cost of the medical equipment + PR fallout if people found out employees can steal your medical equipment vs. cost of tracking down the PC + cost to morale of tracking down the employee, +/- a 'retirement' variable based on the service of the PC to the corporation before his separation and other contractual agreements.
How you figure this depends on a few factors - did the character buy the flaw 'enemies' or 'hunted', and at what level? Was this a recent development, or a chargen thing? Do you want the plot to revolve around helping one guy escape Evo, or do you have actual stuff planned? How enraged are you as a GM? Depending on this, your reaction can range from 'wish him well' to 'hire a runner team and make an example of him', but it also sets the stage for the next bit...
2) The actual equipment. How much does this gear cost the company if it is never recovered? How much does it cost the company if it is recovered by another corporation? If the first threshold is sufficiently low and the second high, and Evo has taken kindly to the PC, they may take well to the PC and decide a living testbed (and a shadowrunner at that) is better than a dead one, damaged equipment, and $500k in recovery fees. I don't think they'd just let him walk away - they stand to benefit. A pro-active approach gets them a friendly runner who feels indebted to them, and a fully cooperative test-bed subject, plus he may agree to reasonable destruction procedures to protect the biodrone from capture. If the value of the drone is high, well... then they're in a bit of a pickle. It's expensive to go after the guy, plus there's a high risk of causing damage to the same equipment they're trying to get. If they're going to go after him like that, their first likely option is negotiation. Using force is going to take some real thought, though. They'll need a way to neutralize the rest of the party, safely attack the pilot, and recover the drone.
(However, yes, both the pilot, the drone, and all the equipment should be so lousy with bugs and killswitches, and they should have so much data on them all that really, capture should be trivial. I'm assuming for whatever reason they don't.)
QUOTE (Witch @ Jul 11 2010, 06:10 PM) 
Does anybody have any ideas?
"That exquisite little thief! Oh, man, when Buttercup gets her hands on this guy she's going to have a field day. First she'll start with the guilt trip, make him feel bad. Then she'll pretend to be flighty to give him a sense of security. Then, she'll remind him that she's a Free Spirit, and she'll get scary. Really, really scary. Then, depending on her mood, she'll destroy his soul or go back to the light-hearted stuff and let him go under surveillance. Sucks to be him.
Wait.
Which program did you say he escaped from? The ADAM project? Green-light any and all funds needed to get him back, and get him back now. Shit, if my father hears about this, we are all well and deeply fracked."
//This would be the response, in my game world, of the character under this posting name, if that helps.
Megacorps are hardly unified. Perhaps the project director who lost the biodrone is rather eager to get him back, but perhaps another somewhat meddling VP thinks it's a better idea to... "field test" the biodrone. However, it can't be too obvious this is his plan. Certainly wouldn't want the mud to reach his feet if things went wrong. So, while he allows the Evo team resources to recapture the drone, he also actively sabotages their effort. They always seems to be one step behind that damn biodrone, shucks....
If runners succeed in gaining attention of anyone with a C in front of their title you are screwed. They have so many resources that it's only a matter of time before they get to have a nice one-on-one chat. In this case, I'd tend to suspect that EVO has more than one sample usable for ritual magic. For example, using a high-force spirit tracks him down, which pops physical to get a nearby street sign and heads back to the caster.
If it's some project manager that has a problem, the PM also has the problem that admitting there are issues makes him look bad, so solutions that finesse these two problems would be favored. But there are likely EVO only chemicals and and parts needed to keep the PC things going, so he should be willing to discuss matters too.
So what is the direction you want the game to go?
If it's some project manager that has a problem, the PM also has the problem that admitting there are issues makes him look bad, so solutions that finesse these two problems would be favored. But there are likely EVO only chemicals and and parts needed to keep the PC things going, so he should be willing to discuss matters too.
So what is the direction you want the game to go?
QUOTE (hermit @ Jul 12 2010, 01:22 AM)
Evo was too stupid to keep tissue samples that can be used for ritual samples? No Trackers in the human biodrone harnesses? Their loss.
Tissue samples mysteriously disappeared some time before his escape. The trackers were mysteriously deactivated. (The inside help was actually the project director with a conscience - he wasn't too pleased about the plans his superiors had in mind for the project.)
QUOTE (nezumi @ Jul 12 2010, 03:45 AM)
Okay, so we've got a few things worth tracking...
1) The pilot - the actual character. The character has a set of skills but, due to his accident, is not worth especially much on his own. Presumably the fact that he knows about the project means it's worth something to keep him quiet, but killing off your operatives is bad for morale. He stole a good deal of medical equipment, so we have to compare the cost of the medical equipment + PR fallout if people found out employees can steal your medical equipment vs. cost of tracking down the PC + cost to morale of tracking down the employee, +/- a 'retirement' variable based on the service of the PC to the corporation before his separation and other contractual agreements.
How you figure this depends on a few factors - did the character buy the flaw 'enemies' or 'hunted', and at what level? Was this a recent development, or a chargen thing? Do you want the plot to revolve around helping one guy escape Evo, or do you have actual stuff planned? How enraged are you as a GM? Depending on this, your reaction can range from 'wish him well' to 'hire a runner team and make an example of him', but it also sets the stage for the next bit...
1) The pilot - the actual character. The character has a set of skills but, due to his accident, is not worth especially much on his own. Presumably the fact that he knows about the project means it's worth something to keep him quiet, but killing off your operatives is bad for morale. He stole a good deal of medical equipment, so we have to compare the cost of the medical equipment + PR fallout if people found out employees can steal your medical equipment vs. cost of tracking down the PC + cost to morale of tracking down the employee, +/- a 'retirement' variable based on the service of the PC to the corporation before his separation and other contractual agreements.
How you figure this depends on a few factors - did the character buy the flaw 'enemies' or 'hunted', and at what level? Was this a recent development, or a chargen thing? Do you want the plot to revolve around helping one guy escape Evo, or do you have actual stuff planned? How enraged are you as a GM? Depending on this, your reaction can range from 'wish him well' to 'hire a runner team and make an example of him', but it also sets the stage for the next bit...
I'm not enraged at all; it was a character generation thing, and he took the flaw 'Wanted'. I wouldn't mind it if a small story-arc revolved around this issue, as I'm thinking of running Emergence but I want to diversify runs in between a bit.
QUOTE (hermit @ Jul 11 2010, 04:22 PM)
Evo was too stupid to keep tissue samples that can be used for ritual samples? No Trackers in the human biodrone harnesses? Their loss.
If there is a mage in the party, and the body was kept in a lodge or warded area, I'm not sure it would mater if they had ritual samples or not.
QUOTE
If there is a mage in the party, and the body was kept in a lodge or warded area, I'm not sure it would mater if they had ritual samples or not.
Solong as the body is mobile, it is vulnerable, since wards disappear if their relative position in the gaiasphere changes. You cannot ward a moving vehicle. And even if the host body is somehow protected, the mobile drone body isn't. Snatching the human biodrone would be, I think, the higher priority anyway.
QUOTE
Tissue samples mysteriously disappeared some time before his escape. The trackers were mysteriously deactivated. (The inside help was actually the project director with a conscience - he wasn't too pleased about the plans his superiors had in mind for the project.)
Well, if it floats your boat ... what's his lifestyle look like?
QUOTE (hermit @ Jul 12 2010, 02:09 AM)
Solong as the body is mobile, it is vulnerable, since wards disappear if their relative position in the gaiasphere changes. You cannot ward a moving vehicle. And even if the host body is somehow protected, the mobile drone body isn't. Snatching the human biodrone would be, I think, the higher priority anyway.
uh.. you can ward moving things. The confines of the ward can not change position relative to itself, but it is perfectly possible to ward the back of a moving van.
QUOTE (hermit @ Jul 12 2010, 11:09 AM)
Well, if it floats your boat ... what's his lifestyle look like?
Low. He's invested in a Loyalty 6 Contact who serves as a caretaker for his body as well.
...
Why not intensive care? I'm not sure using a level 6 connection to pay your enormous lifestyle bills is even legal by the rules.
While this was debated a lot, it was eventually errata'd that it actually does not work.
Why not intensive care? I'm not sure using a level 6 connection to pay your enormous lifestyle bills is even legal by the rules.
QUOTE
uh.. you can ward moving things. The confines of the ward can not change position relative to itself, but it is perfectly possible to ward the back of a moving van.
While this was debated a lot, it was eventually errata'd that it actually does not work.
QUOTE (hermit @ Jul 12 2010, 02:41 AM)
While this was debated a lot, it was eventually errata'd that it actually does not work.
SR4A pg 194
QUOTE
A basic ward must be placed on a non-living thing (walls, rocks,
and so on), and it must possess a physical anchor (an object or symbol
of mystical significance that provides a “focal point” for the ward). The
anchor cannot be moved in relation to the ward.
and so on), and it must possess a physical anchor (an object or symbol
of mystical significance that provides a “focal point” for the ward). The
anchor cannot be moved in relation to the ward.
SR4A errata v1.5
QUOTE
p. 191 Spellcasting Foci [4]
e second line should read:
“ ese dice may be used to cast a spell more e ectively as
long as it of the category appropriate to the focus.”
p. 195 Range
Replace the last line of the second paragraph with: “A tie
on the Opposed Melee Test is su cient for the caster to touch
the target (see p. 139).”
In the third paragraph, it says that the radius of area spells
is equal to the Caster’s Magic rating, but it should be Force
e second line should read:
“ ese dice may be used to cast a spell more e ectively as
long as it of the category appropriate to the focus.”
p. 195 Range
Replace the last line of the second paragraph with: “A tie
on the Opposed Melee Test is su cient for the caster to touch
the target (see p. 139).”
In the third paragraph, it says that the radius of area spells
is equal to the Caster’s Magic rating, but it should be Force
I'm sorry, but I see nothing about needing to remain stationary in relation to the gaisphere. Only that the anchor must remain stationary relative to the ward. This mean the back of a moving van, or hell, even the inside of a large enough beach ball is just fine.
edit: additional information from FAQ
QUOTE
WARDS
Can a ward be placed inside a moving van?
Yes. "A physical anchor cannot move more than a few centimeters relative to the ward enclosure when the ward was created" (p.123, Street Magic). The physical anchors for the ward (in this case, the walls, ceiling, and floor of the van) can all be moved at the same time and in the same position relative to when the ward was originally created, so the ward remains. If any of the physical anchors move more than a few centimeters out of configuration (i.e., one of the walls is severely dented, or the roof is blown off), then the ward collapses.
Can a ward be placed inside a moving van?
Yes. "A physical anchor cannot move more than a few centimeters relative to the ward enclosure when the ward was created" (p.123, Street Magic). The physical anchors for the ward (in this case, the walls, ceiling, and floor of the van) can all be moved at the same time and in the same position relative to when the ward was originally created, so the ward remains. If any of the physical anchors move more than a few centimeters out of configuration (i.e., one of the walls is severely dented, or the roof is blown off), then the ward collapses.
Oh great, you're going to put the biodrone inside of a giant, plastic ward-bubble? Magical bubble boy? Or are you just going to cover it with warded saran wrap?
Really though, what you want to do is up to what YOU want to do. They have reasons to pursue, and reasons not to. I like Backgammon's suggestion, but it's completely flexible.
Really though, what you want to do is up to what YOU want to do. They have reasons to pursue, and reasons not to. I like Backgammon's suggestion, but it's completely flexible.
QUOTE (nezumi @ Jul 12 2010, 06:12 AM)
Oh great, you're going to put the biodrone inside of a giant, plastic ward-bubble? Magical bubble boy? Or are you just going to cover it with warded saran wrap?
Really though, what you want to do is up to what YOU want to do. They have reasons to pursue, and reasons not to. I like Backgammon's suggestion, but it's completely flexible.
Really though, what you want to do is up to what YOU want to do. They have reasons to pursue, and reasons not to. I like Backgammon's suggestion, but it's completely flexible.
I think its the lifesupport and body of the driver which is going in the ward. The actual bio drone itself will be out and about.
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