The problem is that the vampires are not as likely to be parading such things around. While they could simply spot something priceless on it's way down, there must be a reason for the runners to expect finding more loot. Not that I wouldn't think to find a horde of valuables in a vampire lair - but I'd also suspect curses on the goods...

Of course, that's a great way to limit what the runners get should they miss that only a magic barrier keeps the lair from being buried beneath the rocks...

I swing it around... is it magical? *grin*

The moment I read the subject on this, the exact same thing popped into my head

The most important thing to think about is WHY the vamps are squatting in the mines. What do they get out of it? After all, vamps are not, as a rule, sub-sentient; they'd want the comforts of home as much as anyone.

If it's for protection from the sun, then you have to assume they've kitted the place out, at some point, as a comfortable living space.

That in turn means they might have access to a large amount of cash and contacts with the services they want or need, if it's kitted out pretty well.

At the other end, it could be a "Lost Boys" deal, and they just hide there during the day - but that would make a pretty poor dungeon crawl, so let's assume their wealthy.

An important question is going to be - can vampires in your game have cyberware? If the answer is yes, then the mine will almost certainly be protected by security devices as cutting edge as the vamps can manage. If no, then the security won't be quite as good - if they're relying on a slave to run a rigged security setup, for example, they won't want him turning it on them. In the latter case, I'd look at the drones that run on rails... damn, corp security handbook not to hand... you know the ones. That would limit the potential devastation to them if their slaves broke free.

Of course, they might have people working for them willingly. I can think of any number of reasons, but here's one off the top of my head: Crazy Ivan the rigger has cancer. Inoperable cancer. Inoperable, "wrap up your affairs cos you're going to die in a couple of years" cancer. Ivan doesn't want to die - who does? He starts looking into all kinds of life-extending stuff. One of your vamps hears about this and comes to see him. "We'll make you a deal. You set up and run our security system for a few years, and in return we'll make you immortal."

Will they keep their promise? What if the DO intend to? Humanitarian actions, even partially motivated by self-interest, will three-dimensionalise the vamps to the characters and make them harder to just off. Well, they would for most roleplayer types, anyway.

(PS: I cannot believe that on a Shadowrun forum the spellchecker hasn't learned the word "roleplayer"... )

That was my first question as well.

And the hook to get the players to keep coming? The orks are all guarding pie.

Kill the pie, eat the ork.

~J

Good luck. Make sure this is something your characters want to do, and that they don't have other, self-planned goals in mind that might derail the hell outta your well-laid campaign.

If they're anything like my players, they have a nice list of things they want to accomplish and have plans on how they want to do it. This pretty much makes me have to make long campaigns custom-tailored to the PCs' goals.

I'm not complaining, it actually makes it really nice and easy for me. Just if you are making a huge over-arcing plot with this, there is always a good chance (at least in my group) that this could be a run that they do, and then never think about it again unless they leave nice big clues that you can use to justify the bloodsucking bastards dogging them for the rest of their natural lives.

edit: Chances are, if you think you'll have trouble getting them to go with the mage to clear this mine, you'll have trouble getting them to follow the whole campaign that the mine marks the beginning of.

That's pretty tough for a newbie. I would say his first quest should be the killing of one vampire, not a whole cabal. Otherwise the group would soon run out of candidates willing (and able) to join.

The group will not actually have anything to do with de Vries. In fact, it will be just coincidental that de Vries had sent in a runner in the past. And whether that runner's job was to exterminate or just to reconnoiter, is unknown. Also, because in this arc, de Vries is based out of Europe it is doubtful that the neophyte runners that are participating would hear or know anything about it. Hell, the dead runner might be from Europe, himself. The whole de Vries arc is completely unanticipated by all the parties previously involved in the affair. What the overall consequences will be are still to be determined.

The initiate's group is clashing with the vampires as they are in their general vicinity and have a mandate against vamps. I still have not decided what the motivations are yet behind the mandate. I'm taking a stance on leaving a lot of the plot details open until my players actually get involved in the whole affair, that way I can insert hooks and twists that I previously hadn't thought of. I think that it is best to leave some details open so I can play it by ear if need be, that way a runner, or a failed run won't necessarily frag the entire story arc.

I heartily endorse this. Kobolds automatically up the fun level to at least "Wacky."

Why am I laughing at this?