First a recon flight in the form of a pidgeon with astral perception. Once I'm positive there aren't any astral protection hanging out around the Landern, I'll land and turn into something unobstrusive like a rat and infiltrate the ceiling of the Lantern - from there it's just listening and finding out what's going on.

Body Boost: 9d6t5 3
Shapechange F4: 15d6t5 5 Using Crow as a template
All successes into Body
Soak: 14d6t5 2
No Drain

Perception: 13d6t5 3
Astral Perception: 11d6t5 1

Jawsey does an astral flyby, hoping to determine:
1- force of the fire spirits
2- if he recognizes the summoners signature (and to be able to recognize it in the future)
3- if there looks like there is any cover within range of the clairaudience spell (given the background count, so likely something like 8 or 10 meters), and how far in the open would it be for Bobby to get to that cover (keeping in mind that 'cover' need only be for a cat or rat or something)
4- so for that matter, what the background count is

I'm guessing at background of 2, so knocked that off his astral perception roll:
Astral perception (-2): 9d6t5 5
(technically aura reading to recognize the summoner's signature would have +2 dice above that, but I think he should get what he needs with the base roll)

My thought is that maybe Jawsey can put Clairaudience on Bobby, then go distract the spirits for long enough for Bobby to dash into place (maybe Trouble could provide Movement, so that dash should be short). Else if Bobby can find a good hole he could try going right in, but exfil could be tough, especially in Nightmare is in there.

1 - The earlier IC post said F4.
2 - Jawsey does not recognize the astral signature.
3 - There's cover within 8 to 10 meters, like being under a Dumpster, but getting there is the hard part. There's no obvious way to hopscotch from cover-to-cover to get into range. But with a distraction - and Movement - it might be possible. The sewers are theoretically possible, but you'd have to scout out that approach.
4 - Background count is about a 2 in the immediate vicinity outside. Inside, it might be stronger, especially if Nightmare has been intentionally acclimating it.

Jawsey is generally on the right track. Exfil is a potential concern.

so much for my reading comprehension, sigh.

=============================

for a quick bit of table talk, Jawsey plus a spirit could likely provide a fair bit of distraction, but given four spirits with good instructions and some watchers I don't think we can guarantee that Bobby would not get noticed. Unfortunately Jawsey doesn't have any AOE spells that would help reduce 'visibility' for the spirits (I should have listened to my son and bought Barrier instead of holding the karma!)

Astral barrier is incredibly powerful in restricting movement and visibility. Manascape is likewise powerful.

If you are prepared to sent a spirit into danger, you could start a distraction by sending a wave of rats at the place with a bit of animal control - would make it easier to sneak in a roiling mass of rats.

In other news, I've decided that my next initiations will be for masking and extended masking

Trouble is the one with Animal Control, but yes, that would help. (Jawsey doesn't have beast spirits, just Man and Water, so no access to that power). Since the point is distraction more than quickly dropping the spirits, Jawsey could go in with a spirit of man, each sustaining Astral Armor, so they'd be at -2 on rolls but hopefully able to soak another point of damage on hits. But maybe better to just hope not to get hit at all? (either way, Spirit of Man rather than Water, because +1 intuition=+1 dodge dice)

So then the question is whether AM is willing to have Trouble help us create trouble?

Let's talk this one through a bit.

A rolling wave of rats is a good distraction on the surface.

I'm not entirely sure that, from the astral, a magician sustaining a spell would be able to effectively conceal himself among the rats. I'm inclined to think that he would stick out like a sore thumb. But I'd probably allow a roll to see if it worked.

Say it works and now you're inside: what's the plan? How do you think the locals - especially Halloweeners - are going to react to a wave of rats? Again, it could work - I'd allow a roll to see if Bobby could sneak away from the group - but it could also fail spectacularly. And it's entirely possible that they have astral security inside too and/or Nightmare, which could complicate Bobby's life, especially if they're already on alert because something is messing with their spirits outside.

Not saying it couldn't work: it could but it would be up to the dice. Just want to make sure you've thought everything through. And, like Beta said, you'll want an exfil plan too.

I kind of think messing up with the Haloweener HQ would bring troubles with the entire gang rather than with a single rouge lieutenant, are we sure we are going to do that? I mean AM is downtown and is not aware of all these things, so feel free to do whatever.


I am asking OOC, does it make in-game sense to you?


I don't think that magic is the answer to that problem. They have plenty of astral security but every comlink can be made into a spy device, and there are patrons with comlinks inside. Not all of them would be very secure, some of them would be drunk and not aware. It is also a public place and we can sneak links inside.


Our team also has access to ritual magic remote sensing, which allows us to be like 300 meters away and have our awareness inside the place and hear and see what is going on. (is it affected by wards?).

What I am saying, I don't think we should go inside past all that security, it feels like your characters are looking for troubles rather than for intel. Now I don't have problems (OOC) with playing like that, we all play misfits on the edge of society so I guess we sometimes go look for problems. It makes for an interesting story never-the-less.

I just wanted to reflect on how these IC posts read to me, in case it is not intentional. I think that given our day job we hack comlinks and spy on people on a day to day, and we even get pictures so it is strange that none of these methods for peeking inside is suggested.

That's why I addressed both AM and Jawsey with my com message - Bobby is open for better options. He just doesn't think about ritual magic or hacking as options. If you tell him, he'll be all for you giving it a shot.
What he won't do, is just letting the Halloweeners walk all over him and his friends
But better options are better options.

Bobby's plan inside would be moving through walls/ceiling and listening in. The physical obstacles should provide good protection from being astrally spotted - and I can't imagine that the Halloweeners are very fastidious with their pest control.

At the beginning of Chapter 7, Gilga reminded/corrected me that SIS has a Dodge Xenon (from Chapter 1), not a Hyundai Shin-Hyung. I've updated our SIS wiki page accordingly.

So there is a second car available, which we might have never driven ICly.

Is that car satisfactory for Bobby's purposes or does he specifically want to rent a car?

Lots of good thinking here. AM is correct: it is wise to be thinking like Nightmare, not like a Halloweener.

The downside of ritual magic is that it takes forever. (Force) hours to set up the temporary magical lodge (if you need a temporary one due to proximity/range) plus (Force) hours to actually cast the spell. So even a modest F3 spell can require 6 hours of prep. Which, in this case, might not get you the information you want in a timely manner.

So we do have a second car? Neat. I'll edit my post accordingly.

I missed the IC posting window to send Jawsey along on this ride physically, so I'll have him stand astral watch on them.

It would have been fine to join physically.

I wrote it without Jawsey because I was trying not to assume. For example, I thought he would go to visit Lysander (since Lysander is a contact of his too) but Jawsey stayed back at SIS. Totally fine, but since my assumption was wrong I decided not to assume this time. But that wasn't to say he couldn't join, just that I didn't include him by default in case his reasons for skipping the Lysander meet were still true.

Does anyone know how to add an image? The "Insert Image" link and associated bbcode don't seem to be working. I have an image from the inside of the bar that would be nice to post:

https://shadowhelix.de/images/b/bd/The_Jack...nansicht%29.jpg

It's from Into the Shadows, a trade paperback short story anthology set in 2050. It came out in 1990 and I read it several times. It was a big influence on me when I started playing.

I wasn't really worried about it, just explaining why he was futzing around in the astral

Hmm, getting a bad error on rpgplayroom.net, a white page with a text box that says:

"There has been a critical error on this website."

And that's about it. Not a good sign. We did, what, three (3) Chapters and four (4) Interludes there? I'd really hate to think we lost all that writing.

In this case, I'm trying to remember what I told you in Chapter 5. I'm reasonably confident that this IC post aligns with what you learned then but it's been a while. Let me know if you have refresher questions.

Is there any way AM could try and deduce by the location of matrix device icons if there is anything to hack inside the private room?

Bobby will try to help AM narrow it down, by looking at all the higher level commlinks in there, filter them a bit and try to identify Carn-evils icon through what he knows about the guy.

Jawsey isn't in his body to be receiving messages right now, so he doesn't hear AM suggest that he followed Cam-Evil to the place, but actually Jawsey only saw them setting off in that direction (he didn't follow them the whole way).

Oh, Perhaps she got that wrong - since Bobby was so keen in getting in there.

Spatial Sense is a very powerful spell. It's one of my favorites.

Beta is also correct that Jawsey did not follow Carn-evil back to The Jackal's Lantern, but only saw that the vehicle was headed in that direction.

Trace Icon is going to be the only way to definitively figure out which icons are in the back room for certain. That requires getting 2 MARKs on an icon, and so could be a tedious process.

Two marks just to blindly check, It would take a while, perhaps I'll need to give her a few extra points in hacking/computers

Let's first go with Jack's idea though.

Gilga, before we get too far why don't you give me the current configuration of AM's deck (Attack, Firewall, Data Processing, Sleaze) plus any programs that she's running.

I'll be rolling in the background for Overwatch Score purposes.

I'll let you know when you're getting close to the 15-minute mark. You've already been working a few minutes to hitch a ride on the smartglasses to work on a layout of the interior, with Bobby providing the high-level blueprints and AM adding the details and color.

Alright, AM's deck: S4, A1, F2, D3. She has the over-clocker -- raising to S5, A1, F2, D3 when she does a stealth hack and S3, A1, F2, D5 when she goes for DP limited action. swapping S and DP as needed.

As for programs, AM has a program carrier with a virtual machine, so she has 3 program slots, and she also has a vectored signal processor for -2 noise.

That leaves two programs to play with, the DP configuration includes the Toolbox program, raising her DP limit to 6. For boosting stealth she has two options running stealth would raise her limit to 6, and exploit raises it to 8. So the in the simplest form she'll alternate between 6 sleaze (+2 limit to hack on the fly) to 6 DP. for limits of 8 and 6.

She also has the signal scrub program that allows for -2 additional noise compensation, for a total of 4. That can be factored in at the expense of a bit more awkward loading/reloading of programs when moving for a DP action/Sleaze action. If noise is a problem.

There is also the smoke&mirror program which can be of use when there is no noise for better results (it adds noise and sleaze up to 4).

I never played with an overwatch score - so how bad am I? Should AM reboot before trying something new? What happens if she overdo it? (I'll assume she'll know better than me).

Overwatch is detailed on p. 231-2 of the core rulebook. You don't want it to happen.

The short version is that once you perform an illegal action (Attack or Sleaze), the GM keeps a running tally of the hits on the resistance tests. (The defender's tests, the ones you won't see.) If you reach a score of 40 then bad things happen, which is called Convergence.

I've been playing and GMing since the day SR5 came out (about 8.5 years ago) and in all that time I've only had one player reach Convergence.

Back to the hack. There is some Noise. -2 for the smartglasses (1 distance, 1 neighborhood) which the vectored signal processor takes care of. -4 to get one of the Halloweener's commlinks because they're on the public grid.

Step 1: Hack smartglasses
Step 2: Control Device (smartglasses)
Step 3+4: Some Matrix Perception tests + Hop grid (from local to public), no dice rolling needed
Step 4: Hack commlink
Step 5: Edit File

AM is rolling really well so she doesn't need the second Hack on the Fly roll. We can keep those 9 hits (limited to 8 either by either the Sleaze attribute or losing a couple dice to Noise) for something else. No need to waste a fine roll.

Noise is -4 for the Halloweener link, so for programs AM will have to decide whether to use Signal Scrubber or Stealth. I presume Signal Scrubber.

She'll use the signal scrub for a total of -4, and the stealth+ exploit for hacking, and she'll swap the exploit down for toolbox when performing edit file.

So the limit is 8 for hacking, and 6 for editing the file.


Not sure which of these rolls I need to roll: Here is another edit file to copy the contacts file. If it gives just Carn-evil or the entire list is up to your interpretation.


Edit: 15d6t5 5

It gives the whole contact list.

I took the prior Edit roll (the one from the IC thread) as sufficient to copy the contact list. The second one from the IC thread and this one (from the OOC thread) aren't necessary unless you want to do something additional with them.

Alright, thanks for clearifying it - I wasn't sure which of the process you detailed I already rolled.
So, contact list done.

second matrix minigame, AM would first try to trace icon to verify that Carn-evil is really is where we think he is and we are not poking on an ultra secure facility for nothing. Then she'll do as bobby suggests and try to use the link as a listening device (edit file/control device?)

For the second go she want to trace an icon, so she'll augment her intuition and ask trouble to sustain it for a short while.
improve int+ help: 16d6t5 6
drain: 10d6t5 5

For getting the trace action:
She'll make a first try, but then go silent.
Hacking(persona): 19d6t5 7
going silent.
Hacking(persona): 17d6t5 9
let's hope we get it.
trace icon: 15d6t5 5

As for Bobby's request of listening in perhaps edit file?
Edit file?: 15d6t5 7

I got to say I am impressed with her decking rolls.

Yes, those rolls are hot hot hot. No question about that.

We're getting a bit ahead of ourselves. Namely, the first step is to find Carn-evil's commlink to put a MARK on it. Given AM's hot rolling hand, I don't mind assuming this happens, or repurposing one of her prior unused rolls for this.

I was originally intending for the commlink to be off, but it would be a shame for all these rolls to go to waste.

First things first, Carn-evil's commlink isn't in the immediate vicinity. It's also running silent. When AM finds it, the commlink in question is on the public grid and there's way more Noise than before (7). This gives AM some clues that the commlink isn't nearby.

AM will lose some dice due to Noise, and some ASDF Limits due to program configuration, but with such hot rolling it barely slows her down. The initial MARK is a little close, but the second MARK and everything after is a blowout victory for the hacker in question.

Listening in would be Snoop, not Edit. While AM's Electronic Warfare skill is a bit lower than her skill in Computer (5 vs. 6), it's a net-gain because Snoop uses Intuition, which is the attribute that Trouble is boosting.

If @gilga wants to IC some of the broad strokes above, I'll fill in the results of the Trace and the Snoop. If it matters for fluff, AM is hacking into an Erika Elite.

I just rolled them to allow things to go more smoothly, thanks for organizing it.
By the way, Trouble is boosting intuition, and AM logic (focused concentration) so she has 9 for each.

ops.

Got a post up. December will be a busy month because I basically have to do the same amount of work in less time due to the holidays.

Appreciate the fluff about music I'll borrow it for my other games as well.

Most of it is straight out of 4E's Attitude, which had way more than I remembered. I only scratched the surface of what's available.

No Future does too but I couldn't think of its name at the time so I opened Attitude instead.

In the thick of it at work.

Can someone do the math to figure out how fast Bobby is, pre- and post-Trouble?

Jack, can you give any guidance about your approach (other than fast)? What's the plan, just figure out what the vehicle is?

Sure, no problem

Movement mod for the swallow is 7x6= 42 m/round = 21m/s = 75 km/h
If Trouble adds Movement it's x5 that.

Plan would be to follow the car from above. If at all possible Bobby will follow them until they reach their destination. Ideally, he'll try to overhear what they are talking about when they get out of the car. Entering the Funhouse is likely out, since it's warded pretty heavily.

By the way:

I've taken the liberty of saving our previous chapters to textfiles
Here's the download:
https://we.tl/t-xDkSaeWjml

Oh that's great!

Thanks Jack!

@Tecumseh what time of day is it now? (just for spirit departure timing)

As the crow/swallow flies, you're about 15km from the Funhouse. (The Jackal's Lantern is on the very southern edge of Redmond, practically Bellevue, while the Funhouse is in the middle of Redmond.)

Jack's math is a bit off because a round is 3 seconds, not 2, so standard flying speeds would actually be 50kph.

But if Trouble is boosting that to 250kph then that means Bobby would need ~4 minutes (allowing a few seconds to get undressed and out of the car), which would get him to there just before the vehicle.

But what are the consequences of hitting raindrops at 250kph?? My high school physics suggests it should be fine (rain drops are anywhere from 0.005 to 0.3 grams so the force is minimal), although my intuition tells me that it would sting, especially if/when you catch one in the eye.

@Beta
Short version is that it's after sunset, which was at 17:15, around the time you were done at Cutty's.

Bobby met with Lysander at 18:00, and AM met with Black maybe a bit after, allowing her time to go home, change, and get downtown. AM has drinks and seafood, Bobby drives downtown to pick her up then drives back. It's 30 minutes each direction, probably slower due the rain. So you're probably at The Jackal's Lantern in the neighborhood of 20:00 at the earliest, maybe flying to The Funhouse around 20:15. It would be pitch black outside since sunset was three hours before.

Oh ok, everything started later than I thought. So Jawsey's spirit was summoned after sundown (once he was home after being at Cutty's). So he can potentially use its one service to watch duty, if it plays out that way.

I usually try to be fairly explicit about environmental conditions and time of day, not just for narrative purposes but also because they have mechanical impacts in Shadowrun.

In this case I put them in IC #6 instead of #1, so perhaps they were lost in the rest of the details.

---

It dawns on me that we're just a few days away (ICly) from the 50th anniversary of the Crash of 2029, which was on February 8th. I should work that into the next Chapter or Interlude somehow.

Sorry I'd missed on picking that up, I should have gone back and looked.

======================

Jawsey still has his spirit with one service, that he hasn't commanded yet. He'll eventually use it to pass along a message to the others.

I did not see any reference if Trouble's act as a bound spirit worked or not.
But if it did then Jawsey has direct communication link to us.

Trouble can go through, as long as Trouble stays with Jawsey (and Jawsey's spirit) and doesn't go wandering off.

To be more explicit, AM's astral signature will be all over Trouble. There's no real hope of convincing anyone that Trouble belongs to Jawsey. Anyone who knows or has assensed AM will know of the connection.

What's less clear to me is if Trouble can pass for a free spirit if someone hasn't met/assensed AM. Trouble would still have the conjurer's astral signature but it might not mean anything absent of any context.

For example, I imagine that Nightmare still bears the astral signature of its summoner, even though that summoner is long gone. As such, the summoner's astral fingerprints don't really mean anything.

If anyone knows of any fluff to contradict this, let me know.

I'd say it takes 4 assensing successes to recognize the astral trail leading back to AM

4
The presence and location of bioware implants and betaware cyber implants.
The exact Essence, Magic, and Force of the subject.
The general cause of any astral signature (combat spell, alchemical combat spell, air spirit, and so on).

I wasn't thinking about it from the sense of tracing it back to AM but rather the presence or absence of AM's astral signature (which, per the table, would require 3 hits to see/read).

Per p. 315, Astral tracking is an Assensing + Intuition (5,1 hour) [Astral] Extended Test, so not a particularly fast process.

I am feeling comfortable with any interpretation. What reads like a better story in your eyes?