Therefore, as an effort to give something back to the GMing community, I would like to present several of the run ideas I've come up with for my own games for your viewing pleasure and ask that others contribute the same.
[ Spoiler ]
There’s no business like show business…
Background: Pornography is a big business, and a cut throat one to boot. Naturally, this means that the corps are keeping their hands in… even if it’s one of those businesses they’d officially deny any knowledge of. And where there’s money, someone is inevitably going to try stealing it.
The client: ‘LadyKiller’ John Spartan, Porno trid/BTL director. Play as a sleazy fellow with the delusion that he’s irritable to the ladies.
Suitable contacts: Pimp, Fixer.
The job: Infiltrate a rival porn distributer’s operation and plant a bug that will transmit his latest works to Spartan, allowing him to distribute his rival’s product before his rival can. No-one can realize that the group infiltrated or, if that’s impossible, no one can realize WHY.
The catch: The obvious way to complete this mission involves some if not all of the group going undercover as porn actors/actresses. This may make some characters (or even their players) somewhat squeemish.
Complications: If the group does decide to infiltrate the organisation as employees, then it is likely that one or more of them will be deprived of their weapons/armour/non-implanted commlinks. This will put them at a big disadvantage if a fight breaks out.
The payoff: Nuyen. Spartan will start with a low quote on the mission, just in case the group bites. Most groups will hold out for a fair hunk of cash, though, from sheer squick if nothing else. Considering how much Spartan stands to make from this deal, he’s probably quite willing to put a lot of cash behind it. There’s also a free lifetime subscription to Spartan’s products if anyone’s interested.
Mission support (current and future): Spartan can provide any outfits the group needs for the infiltration, and is likely to be able to help out during future missions as well (He has everything from police uniforms to nurse outfits… anything that could plausibly be part of a kinky porno.)
Background: Pornography is a big business, and a cut throat one to boot. Naturally, this means that the corps are keeping their hands in… even if it’s one of those businesses they’d officially deny any knowledge of. And where there’s money, someone is inevitably going to try stealing it.
The client: ‘LadyKiller’ John Spartan, Porno trid/BTL director. Play as a sleazy fellow with the delusion that he’s irritable to the ladies.
Suitable contacts: Pimp, Fixer.
The job: Infiltrate a rival porn distributer’s operation and plant a bug that will transmit his latest works to Spartan, allowing him to distribute his rival’s product before his rival can. No-one can realize that the group infiltrated or, if that’s impossible, no one can realize WHY.
The catch: The obvious way to complete this mission involves some if not all of the group going undercover as porn actors/actresses. This may make some characters (or even their players) somewhat squeemish.
Complications: If the group does decide to infiltrate the organisation as employees, then it is likely that one or more of them will be deprived of their weapons/armour/non-implanted commlinks. This will put them at a big disadvantage if a fight breaks out.
The payoff: Nuyen. Spartan will start with a low quote on the mission, just in case the group bites. Most groups will hold out for a fair hunk of cash, though, from sheer squick if nothing else. Considering how much Spartan stands to make from this deal, he’s probably quite willing to put a lot of cash behind it. There’s also a free lifetime subscription to Spartan’s products if anyone’s interested.
Mission support (current and future): Spartan can provide any outfits the group needs for the infiltration, and is likely to be able to help out during future missions as well (He has everything from police uniforms to nurse outfits… anything that could plausibly be part of a kinky porno.)
[ Spoiler ]
Out of the fire… (shamelessly converted from a Burn Notice episode)
Background: Mike Westborn has a problem. He invested in a new business that went under, and now the loan shark he borrowed money off of wants his investments back. Mike doesn’t know what to do, and he’s turned to his mom for help.
The client: Sarah Westborn, A neighbor of one of the PCs.
The mission: find a way for Mike to pay back his loan shark before someone does something permanent.
Complications: Mike’s money didn’t just disappear. It was taken from him by a con artist with a shell company. This means that a viable way to get the money back is through the con artist… which is probably easier said than done.
Payoff: Mike is broke by definition, so he’ll try to pay the group back by any means possible in the form of favors and the like. Any money to be made from this mission will be overflow from taking down the con artist, provided the group doesn’t do the noble thing and return it to the other people he’s scammed.
Background: Mike Westborn has a problem. He invested in a new business that went under, and now the loan shark he borrowed money off of wants his investments back. Mike doesn’t know what to do, and he’s turned to his mom for help.
The client: Sarah Westborn, A neighbor of one of the PCs.
The mission: find a way for Mike to pay back his loan shark before someone does something permanent.
Complications: Mike’s money didn’t just disappear. It was taken from him by a con artist with a shell company. This means that a viable way to get the money back is through the con artist… which is probably easier said than done.
Payoff: Mike is broke by definition, so he’ll try to pay the group back by any means possible in the form of favors and the like. Any money to be made from this mission will be overflow from taking down the con artist, provided the group doesn’t do the noble thing and return it to the other people he’s scammed.
[ Spoiler ]
Broken wings.
Background: Angel is a hacker with a problem. Her persona was caught on a corporate server, which is bad. It was traced back to her SIN, which is worse. The corp in question is FactFiles, the Renraku Subsidiary charged with storing and maintaining the SIN archives for Seattle.
The client: Angel, a cute hacker who’s a friend of one of the group's hacker contacts. Due to her legal SIN being compromised and both of her fake SINs being under suspicion, she has to meet the group in person… and in person, she is awkward. Used to interacting on the matrix, she’s liable to treat the real people she’s interacting with as personas and may attempt to shift them to other windows or even minimize them.
The mission: Infiltrate FactFiles and insert a virus that will clean Angel’s SIN.
The catch: The site is physically shielded from wireless communications. The group is going to need to get Angel on site in person in order to upload the virus. The archives are on the 35th floor of a skyscraper.
The payoff: Angel’s accounts are currently frozen, which means that right now all she can pay the group with is thanks, promises of aid… and giving each member of the group on the run the Erased positive quality (Rating 1. The program is good, but it still takes time to operate) for a SIN of their choice. Angel’s not a top-flight hacker (connection rating 2) but if the group pulls this off for them, then she owes them good (Loyalty rating 4).
Background: Angel is a hacker with a problem. Her persona was caught on a corporate server, which is bad. It was traced back to her SIN, which is worse. The corp in question is FactFiles, the Renraku Subsidiary charged with storing and maintaining the SIN archives for Seattle.
The client: Angel, a cute hacker who’s a friend of one of the group's hacker contacts. Due to her legal SIN being compromised and both of her fake SINs being under suspicion, she has to meet the group in person… and in person, she is awkward. Used to interacting on the matrix, she’s liable to treat the real people she’s interacting with as personas and may attempt to shift them to other windows or even minimize them.
The mission: Infiltrate FactFiles and insert a virus that will clean Angel’s SIN.
The catch: The site is physically shielded from wireless communications. The group is going to need to get Angel on site in person in order to upload the virus. The archives are on the 35th floor of a skyscraper.
The payoff: Angel’s accounts are currently frozen, which means that right now all she can pay the group with is thanks, promises of aid… and giving each member of the group on the run the Erased positive quality (Rating 1. The program is good, but it still takes time to operate) for a SIN of their choice. Angel’s not a top-flight hacker (connection rating 2) but if the group pulls this off for them, then she owes them good (Loyalty rating 4).