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TomPliss
Hey guys

I'm a new Shadowrun GM (yeap, another one).
(and if you're my player, you must not read this thread...)

I've only played Shadowrun once, via Skype, and loved it. As I found some players who wanted to play, I'm going to GM some one-shots, with the first being next week.
I've 5 players, one being a SR3 veteran, two players who already made some games, and two SR newbies, who played other RPGs.

Here is the thing : I played in Seattle, and loved the city. I wandered in the SR4 books and clearly prefered the 2050 wired-deckers feeling. So i'm gonna play in a Seattle 2050 setting of some sort...
I read the 3rd ed Seattle book (even if it is 2060, it's closer than the 4th edition book ^^), and the first seasons of the missions.
As some of my players played some of the missions, and as I always prefered to run my own adventures, I'm getting ideas from the classics together, to build my first one-shot.
It's clearly inspired from Johnny Mnemonic, the Hospital Episode of Firefly (1x09 - Ariel), and missions from the firsts seasons.

Some low-level med corp (or branch of a corp) is using a mnemonic-type messenger to transit some data (let's say it's to avoid the high cost of anti-hacking tech). The data is encrypted using a hardware located in vaults in some of its research and production facility, one being in Seattle (I think in Auburn).
Another corp is hiring the PCs to catch the messenger (in a 2 random vehicle convoy), between an airport/docs and the facility. They must also get the decrypting hardware from the facility. They are implicitly authorized to steal meds from the facility.
The point of the convoy being stealth, they don't always stay in contact with the facility, even if the rendez-vous is in a fixed time range. The drivers aren't even from the corp, but are in fact a low-rep little 'runner team, so most of the company can't sell info about the messenger.
Obviously, if the messenger doesn't get to the facility in the time range, the security would be increased, and getting the hardware may be prevented.
The Johnson warning them that, if they can't get the messenger, they must kill him, but the reward will be really low, in this case. In the other hand, getting both the Messenger and the hardware rewards double. The Johnson also warn them about the drivers/bodyguards being runners, who may or may not try to warn before shooting... The rendez-vous is the next day.

Now, I'm trying to prepare how the players may try to get the most out of it... and how they could get some info out of their legwork...
If i was playing this "thing", I may try to find out who sold this type of job, and infos about that. Also, try to find what are the time-range of the previous rendez-vous, from camera shooting or contacts. Maybe even try to find the road they took previously, to get some cameras on it, and be sure about when the convoy comes.
Then, try to get an ambush set, not too close from the facility (not to warn them with the potential gunfire sounds), but not too far (if the convoy doesn't go in the exact same road, they may be near). Trying to ambush the "enemy" runners team before they get into the vehicle, to get the VIP directly from the airport, but it needs more infos from the legwork.
After the ambush, a more classic B&E operation in the Research facility is to be done. If nobody evaded the ambush and the vehicles are intact/replaceable, trying to enter through the front-door may be possible.

So, err ... That's it. I'm slowly getting some things together about how I could manage the different things from the one-shot, trying to make/get some plans for the Facility and its neighborhood, the security involved, this sort of things ...

And I'd like some help on this :
What would you prepare in this sort of mission ?

thanks for the (hopefully) incoming answers biggrin.gif


PS: Yeap, I know some of my sentences hardly make sense ... not a native English speaker ... :/
PPS: I made the same thread on the official shadowrun4 forum, and was told it was OK to post here too ... I guess the members aren't really the same ^^
Stahlseele
0.)
Welcome to dumpshock. Don't take it too serious.
1.)
Your english is fine. It's better than that of some alleged native speakers in my eyes.
2.)
Nnno, the official boards don't have anything to do with dumpshock. We were here first.

a.)
how much damage is permitted to the body of the courier? does it work if you only get the head?
that's the main point of stuff in this case, seeing how the vehicle rules work(badly to not at all), you need to apply excessive force to stop a vehicle.
which will usually kill anybody inside as well. .
TomPliss
QUOTE (Stahlseele @ May 19 2013, 09:41 PM) *
how much damage is permitted to the body of the courier? does it work if you only get the head?
For this part, I'm more or less prepared, and I think I'm gonna go "simple" :
- messenger damaged in the head : data may be corrupted, halved reward.
- messenger is dead : data will be corrupted within the hour, hurry, and deliver it to another part of Seattle (and transform the mission in a courrier mission ! biggrin.gif ).
- messenger is incouscious/missing an arm/anything else ? He is a major scientist more than just a messenger, less money for you.

QUOTE (Stahlseele @ May 19 2013, 09:41 PM) *
that's the main point of stuff in this case, seeing how the vehicle rules work(badly to not at all), you need to apply excessive force to stop a vehicle. Which will usually kill anybody inside as well.
That much ?
I may homebrew it a little, then... will take a deeper look at this ^^"
Iduno
Would it be possible for the runners to convince the messenger that they are the drivers? If the convoy vehicles are supposed to be secret, they might not be the same vehicles and drivers every time.

Do you have a map with the route the convoy will take? The characters may be able to narrow down the route based on the roads that are most likely to be used.

You might want to figure out how much the other team is getting paid, in case the players decide to try to bribe them.

If the company is trying to avoid the costs of the anti-hacker technology, is the hardware old and difficult to replace? Or is it something that could be purchased/built if the players knew what brand and model was being used? What would happen with destruction of the hardware?

How large is the hardware? Is it something that could be snuck out before the messenger arrives? Is the hardware used often enough that someone would notice if it was missing or replaced with a fake? If so, how long?

Does the team have to hand the messenger over to the Johnson? Would it help if they got the information, changed the information in the mnemonic device, and dropped him off where he was supposed to go? Something like the short story New Rose Hotel, except for the company they're stealing the information from.

How many days does the team have to prepare?

What is the normal plan the players use? Talking, sneaking, violence?
TomPliss
wow, plenty of things to think about ! biggrin.gif

QUOTE (Iduno @ May 20 2013, 12:05 AM) *
Would it be possible for the runners to convince the messenger that they are the drivers?
The messenger is going to be the scientist leading the research program he has in his head. He agreed with the Johnson's corp to get "kidnapped" and is supposed to fake the fact that he is surprised if the convoy is stopped. So the runners would have to convince him. Now that you make me think of it, Mr Johnson and him may have agreed about a distinctive sign that would allow him to see these runners are the one he expect (telling a particular pass-phrase, or showing him a particular symbol).

QUOTE (Iduno @ May 20 2013, 12:05 AM) *
If the convoy vehicles are supposed to be secret, they might not be the same vehicles and drivers every time.
I think I'm going with a team of runners (with a distinctive sign ... maybe they would all come from Europe, or something like this) who is the usual one for this job (that happens once a month). the rigger (or simple driver) of this team changed his car 2 months ago, so the messengers and the facility are warned that the convoy is not always the same vehicles. But they will have a particular badge to show at the facility, during the time-range, and to the messenger, so they can know whether they are the expected one.

QUOTE (Iduno @ May 20 2013, 12:05 AM) *
Do you have a map with the route the convoy will take? The characters may be able to narrow down the route based on the roads that are most likely to be used.
I think I'll make one, but the route will be a bit long. I am going for a normally one- or two-hour long route, between the docks or an airport of seattle, and a facility in an half-industrial part of Auburn. To narrow the route, the characters would have to know the plane/ship the messenger is using, as they may be 2 or 3 of them available during the time-range. Legwork may help them on this, maybe to exclude some potential flights, maybe with areas being blocked currently by te lone-star, things like this.

QUOTE (Iduno @ May 20 2013, 12:05 AM) *
You might want to figure out how much the other team is getting paid, in case the players decide to try to bribe them.
Didn't really think about this yet ^^"
In fact, as the other runners' team is a regular one, they may not accept the bride (or try to get the bribe and keep the messenger)...
Anyway, the reward for the other team may not be that much (it's a simple courrier mission with not expected threat...).

QUOTE (Iduno @ May 20 2013, 12:05 AM) *
If the company is trying to avoid the costs of the anti-hacker technology, is the hardware old and difficult to replace? Or is it something that could be purchased/built if the players knew what brand and model was being used? What would happen with destruction of the hardware?
How large is the hardware? Is it something that could be snuck out before the messenger arrives? Is the hardware used often enough that someone would notice if it was missing or replaced with a fake? If so, how long?
Err ... Good questions ?
The Hardware is quite old (15 years) and uses a nearly forgotten technology, so it's a little hard to replace. Moreover, you need a special "seed" number to be entered at the creation of the hardware, and this one is not decryptable (within a year). The destruction of the HardWare would prevent the stolen corp from extracting the data (but they would like the messenger even in this case, as he is the scientist who could find once again those data, with another year of research). The Johnson's corp would try to decrypt the Messenger's work, with his help, and would spend "only" a few months.
The Hardware is a helmet, the size of a classic motorbike helmet. It writes on a memory chip the data from the chip in the brain of the messenger, after decrypting it.
It will be located in a safe in one of the heads-office of the facility, and could be snuck out before the messenger arrives. The safe will be checked every day, and used sometimes, with the executive officer of the stolen corp working working half his time in this office.
It could be replaced, but as nobody has any picture of it, it was not considered before. It would obviously be noticed if the Hardware would not be working during the month's messenger, even if the corp's officer would think it may not work ("stupid dinosaur old technology !"), but getting a tech from the headquarters would make it clear.

QUOTE (Iduno @ May 20 2013, 12:05 AM) *
Does the team have to hand the messenger over to the Johnson? Would it help if they got the information, changed the information in the mnemonic device, and dropped him off where he was supposed to go?
The team have to deliver both the Hardware and the Messenger to Mr Johnson, in a warehouse located in Tacoma. They are forbidden to try and get the information, the messenger knows it, and will try to prevent them from doing it. There would be nearly no way for Mr Johnson to know wether they got the information (if the messenger was uncouscious), but the Messenger would know (after studying it for a week) whether the info was changed.
Changing the informations and delivering the messenger is not considered by the Johnson, as he wants the messenger/scientist to work for him, as much as the information.

QUOTE (Iduno @ May 20 2013, 12:05 AM) *
Something like the short story New Rose Hotel, except for the company they're stealing the information from.
Another Gibson novel made into a movie ? Haven't seen it (yet).

QUOTE (Iduno @ May 20 2013, 12:05 AM) *
How many days does the team have to prepare?
I don't know for sure. I would say the Johnson is meeting the 'runners during the afternoon, and the messenger the next afternoon. Exact time-range would be 3-6PM, I think. I may need help on this : how long (in game) usually is the legwork part ?
Considering the runners should be getting infos both on the other runners' team and the facility/where the Hardware is.

QUOTE (Iduno @ May 20 2013, 12:05 AM) *
What is the normal plan the players use? Talking, sneaking, violence?
What do you mean ?
I haven't played Shadowrun with these players yet. I know 2 of them are usually more RPers than Roll-players. There is one who knows shadowrun but I haven't played with him at all. And two others who were a little more shy, in the only other game I played with them.

Thanks for all those questions, it makes me think about lots of things I didn't consider ^^
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