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General => Play-By-Forum => Topic started by: AJBuwalda on October 01, 2012, 02:10

Title: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 01, 2012, 02:10
I want to start a game of my most favored PnP RPG; Shadowrun 4th Edition. So, here it is!

Character Creation

- You can use 400 points to build your character
- Availability limit is 12F; anything above requires the "Restricted Gear" quality (Runner's Companion)
- I will allow aanything from Core, Runner's Companion, Arsenal and Street Magic

Any questions? Don't hesitate to ask!

Background

You are part of a semi-cohecive team of runners in the Seattle area. The team is low on the Lone Star's shit-list, but still has a halfway decent reputation. The team has a knack for extraction- and retrieval-runs and the word is getting around. So much so that the teams fixer, a Jamaican Troll named Sanka, contacts you to inform the team that he potentially has a retrieval-run for decent cred if the team can make a arrangement with the Johnson. "Jah man, the man probably be corporate, man. All thinking he be sly and shit, but he don't fool the Sanka-man." the troll says with a smirk "But the pay ain't bad, so it be up to you. Do I need to make arrangements?"

Will you join me in Seattle?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on October 01, 2012, 02:16
I know nothing about this system or setting, but I'm willing to learn. And since Lesser of the Heresies is going slow lately (and I'm having a blast playing it), I'd be glad to join this as well, if you can point me to where I can learn the system and stuff. I'm a quick study in these kinds of things.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 01, 2012, 03:27
That would be no problem Klaer. To give you an idea of the system I'll try and discribe thing best I can without a Core Rulebook.

Background:

It is the year 2077... Cybernetics is a thing, all-encompassing internet with VR is a thing, magic is a thing.
Yes, magic is a thing and so are elves, dwarfs, trolls and orks!

- The Timeline of Shadowrun (http://shadowrun.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline)
- Some fiction to give you a taste (http://www.shadowrun4.com/fiction/)
- Quick Start Rules (slightly simplified) (http://www.shadowrun4.com/wp-content/uploads/Downloads/Shadowrun%20Quick-Start%20Rules.pdf)

The Core Rules are available at DriveThruRPG (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=60553&affiliate_id=77000)

Best spend $15 in my opinion. I went the extra mile and got the hardcover.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 01, 2012, 05:47
I will see. I'm PROBABLY going to join this. I'll give a straight answer after building enough time and willpower to read the rules, text, fiction, etc.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on October 01, 2012, 06:41
OK, I haven't checked it out in detail yet, but is at least part of the Shadowrun world similar to this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID2BEXJ4IKc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID2BEXJ4IKc)

If possible, I want to be that guy =)
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 01, 2012, 07:22
I will see. I'm PROBABLY going to join this. I'll give a straight answer after building enough time and willpower to read the rules, text, fiction, etc.
The Core Rules are enough to start with, if you think you are gonna enjoy a Cyberpunk/High Fantasy hybrid.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 01, 2012, 07:44
OK, I haven't checked it out in detail yet, but is at least part of the Shadowrun world similar to this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID2BEXJ4IKc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID2BEXJ4IKc)

If possible, I want to be that guy =)
Actually, it is quite similar to System Shock. Only with magic!
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 03, 2012, 00:59
So who can I count in for this little adventure?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 03, 2012, 06:32
/me shrugs
Count me in. Are there any character restrictions or anything specific to this campaign?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 03, 2012, 06:38
Aside from those in the OP; no. All may apply. Mages, Street Samurai's or Technomancers. You are all welcome!
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 03, 2012, 06:50
I read the quickstart rules over and over and over again and fail to notice any guidelines on generating a character. What gives?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 03, 2012, 06:53
I read the quickstart rules over and over and over again and fail to notice any guidelines on generating a character. What gives?
Its not in the quick start rules; its in the Core Book.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 03, 2012, 06:56
A link for the core rules, then? Preferably one that doesn't want 15 bucks from me.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 03, 2012, 06:59
A link for the core rules, then? Preferably one that doesn't want 15 bucks from me.
Economic crisis, ey? :-P I'll see what I can do. But really, you should support Catalyst Games Lab if you enjoy it ;-)
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 03, 2012, 07:05
More like absence of a suitable payment method. I have 15$ to spare, but, believe it or not, no way to actually get it there. Plus the shipping will most probably cost me another 10$.

And even if those problems didn't exist, I honestly think it's pointless to buy a physical rulebook unless you are going to hold some real-life sessions of that RPG. Considering that the amount of people around me who are into RPG is next to zero, that probably won't happen.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 03, 2012, 07:13
More like absence of a suitable payment method. I have 15$ to spare, but, believe it or not, no way to actually get it there. Plus the shipping will most probably cost me another 10$.

And even if those problems didn't exist, I honestly think it's pointless to buy a physical rulebook unless you are going to hold some real-life sessions of that RPG. Considering that the amount of people around me who are into RPG is next to zero, that probably won't happen.
That sucks, bro. I have a entire group of friends who are into that kind of thing. You could probably find a group through Meet Up or some similar service. BTW, check your inbox ;-)
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 03, 2012, 07:20
thx

Now I shall probably wait for other possible players(*looks at Klear*) to come up with their characters. Don't wanna accidently steal someone's character, right?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 03, 2012, 07:30
First come, first serve... ;-)
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on October 03, 2012, 09:25
I've got an image of some unscrupulous hacker/techno junkie... and maybe even regular junkie. His defining character trait should be a high-tech visor or something like that. You say a visor isn't a character trait? Well, it is for this guy... (I'm not sure how that works myself, but it feels right) And he'll definitely shun magic, if it is at all possible to survive in this world like that.

But anyway, I've still been too busy to read up on shadowrun, so I might change my mind, and I'm definitely going to flesh the character out much better than this, once I see what's possible and get a feel for the background.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 03, 2012, 10:15
I've got an image of some unscrupulous hacker/techno junkie... and maybe even regular junkie. His defining character trait should be a high-tech visor or something like that. You say a visor isn't a character trait? Well, it is for this guy... (I'm not sure how that works myself, but it feels right) And he'll definitely shun magic, if it is at all possible to survive in this world like that.

But anyway, I've still been too busy to read up on shadowrun, so I might change my mind, and I'm definitely going to flesh the character out much better than this, once I see what's possible and get a feel for the background.
Excellent... Hatered for magic is quite common in the world of Shadowrun. Here is the beauty: you can't function without it entirely. You will once in a while need a mage to strip a facility of its magic defenses which are as formidable as technological ones. You will have much inner-conflict which is awesome. You could also go for cybereyes and make them all glowey and stuff!
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on October 03, 2012, 13:42
OK, I've read the quickstart guide and most of the history for reality-impaired in the corebook, but I think I need to take a break and play Deus Ex: Invisible War for a couple of hours...

Edit: OK, a couple of questions. I can probably find the answers in the rulebooks in time, but anyway:

1) When you fully enter the virtual world, does your body remain at the entry point (or wherever you were before) or does it get virtualized somehow as well?

2) Is there a way for people to get transferred to the virtual realm permanently, or is the living body a limitation you have to live with? If possible, is this technology available to public, or largely unaobtainable, but possible?

3) What kinds of drugs could I be hooked on? How about virtual world addiction?

I'll ask more what I think of more.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 04, 2012, 04:49
And he'll definitely shun magic, if it is at all possible to survive in this world like that.
. . . . .
My character is SOO going to be a majycks user. Although that would kinda bring up a question how the hell would yours agree to work in one team with me, but okay, whatever.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on October 04, 2012, 09:08
I will shun magic, not kill mages on sight. We don't have to be good friends to be working together.

That shouldn't be a problem though - I'm planning on making my character quite insufferable, so the real question may eventually be "why would anybody want to work with him". I guess if I was the only hacker in the group, that would explain it nicely.

BTW, main reason why I want the char to dislike magic is so I don't have to read the rules for magic. Whatever I'll need to know, I can learn IC.

Like I said though, it's not set in stone, nor on a character sheet.

Edit:

IC is in character, but it also means Intrusion Countermeasures in shadowrun... hope that won't pose any problems. Maybe it would be best to refer to the countermaesures as ICE. It's read like that anyway.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 05, 2012, 02:59
Will answer tonight, after work!
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 05, 2012, 09:13
1.) The meatsack stays in physical world. It can get damaged by feedback from the matrix, though.
2.) Yes, they are basically matrix ghost. The only way to achieve this is by dying while on-line, the next closest thing are Technomancers.
3.) Psyche is you drug of choice probably... Increases Logic and intuition, yet has little side-effect!

And I would like to add that ignorance is bliss until you're facing an force 5 Fire Elemental :-P
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on October 05, 2012, 13:20
2.) Yes, they are basically matrix ghost. The only way to achieve this is by dying while on-line, the next closest thing are Technomancers.

Hmm.. that sounds like too much of a bad thing. I was hoping to make striving for this would make a nice motivation for my char, but if it is this "easy", I'm sure it's not something I should really want. Thoughts?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 06, 2012, 00:08
A character which is merely a ghost in the matrix is not very fun to roleplay with!

As far as I know, Technomancers are quite rare and quite mysterious guys with quite nifty and quite unobtainable powers(in particular, being able to interact with the Matrix with nothing but thought). You could try reaching theese heights - it sounds impossible enough for normal man to achieve, and powerful enough to struggle for.

But of course, that's just me.

Also, if you have to just die while on-line to become a matrix ghost, isn't the matrix damn full of them?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 06, 2012, 02:48
A character which is merely a ghost in the matrix is not very fun to roleplay with!

As far as I know, Technomancers are quite rare and quite mysterious guys with quite nifty and quite unobtainable powers(in particular, being able to interact with the Matrix with nothing but thought). You could try reaching theese heights - it sounds impossible enough for normal man to achieve, and powerful enough to struggle for.

But of course, that's just me.

Also, if you have to just die while on-line to become a matrix ghost, isn't the matrix damn full of them?
It also takes a certain power of will to keep yourself together in the Matrix as a ghost, so the tend to be even rarer than Technomanchers. Klear could start as a Technomancer though. King of the web :-P
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on October 06, 2012, 04:15
Technomancers are magic though, right?

I'll just write down my half-baked character idea:

He considers intelligence the only important trait, holding it (and especially his own) in an unreasonably high regard. Physicality is a limiting factor, meat is an unfortunate and outdated thing which should be phased out in the evolutionary leaps mankind is making. He has some anarchic tendencies in theory and loves to gives speeches about equality - something that can be in his opinion reached only through abandoning the arbitrary differences of flesh. Of course, what he really wants is a world where intelligence and ability to hack your way through life are most important, which would in theory put him among the most powerful. In shot - he doesn't really believe in equality for everyone, more like equality for himself.

As such, he doesn't have a problem with other metahuman races, though he tends to look down upon them (and, in fact, everybody). His dislike of magic comes from the notion that magic is an innate ability some people are born with, which he views as an unfair advantage, which shouldn't be. Moreover, magic is linked to physical bodies. His utopian ideals would have to do without it, and good riddance.

Other than that, he likes to boast his abilities, which he sees as the most important in the group. Hates being exposed to physical danger - something that is in direct opposition to his goal of living forever. He is cowardly, hates working outdoors and needs psyche to get through the working day.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 08, 2012, 01:11
Technomancers are in no way, shape or form magic. Atleast no more so than being a Elf is an effect of magic. They are more like a symbiote of the Matrix.

I like your character idea! Since you are going for an Equalist of some sorts, indeed Technomancer is not the best idea since that is inherent. A hacker is a good possibility, though!
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 08, 2012, 05:26
It could be fun to have an equalist character who is also a Technomancer... a guy who is basically a living disgrace to his own ideals.

In either way, a couple of questions from my side.

1) Body augmentations or whatever(implants and such). How common are they? How costful are they? How much of that stuff I can stick inside myself without getting "Terminator" nickname or something and/or without going above my slightly-higher-than-average budget?

2) Ways to read books without help of Matrix the Almighty. Should I pull out a E-book all of a sudden and start reading it, will everyone around laugh at me saying "look at that old man" or something? I'm not even talking about paper vatiants...
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on October 08, 2012, 05:45
I'll do my best to make my char a disgrace to anything I can, though not in this way =P

From what I read so far, I would guess implants are pretty ubiquitous. I'm definitely getting as much technological crap as possible, especially if it makes me look freaky. And AFAIK anything can be displayed over your normal sight, without any need for display or something. Visual data pumped directly into your visual nerve or something.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 08, 2012, 06:10
It can be displayed this way, but what I'm actually asking if it NEEDS to be displayed this way, or other possibilities exist.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 08, 2012, 06:35
@HexaDoken:

1.) It is dependent on your Essence (which is essentially you humanity). You begin with 6 and can't go below 0.1 because than you would not be human anymore. "Cybered" or "chipped" characters are considered excentric, but not especially weird. Personally I am a fan of "Muscle Replacements" and "Wired Reflexes". As a Magician or a Technomancer you want to avoid Cyberware and Bioware as the plague. Magic/Technomancy is linked to your Essence and they have other ways to gain bonusses.
2.) People tend to learn things by SIMs which are chips with the information and they hardwire it into their brain. That being said it is not really weird to have a E-reader function in your Comlink.
3.) Cyberware can be very obvious but does not need to be. Do keep in mind that higher security building will have scanners who can pick up on those things. It is not illegal to be cybered, but corporations keep more of an eye on you if you come into their building cybered to the gills :-P

@Klear:

Disgrace is good! :-D
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 09, 2012, 08:37
Oh dang it. Can't be a proper majyck man with lots of cyberware in my body. That ruins a character idea I had... well whatever. We will see.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 09, 2012, 10:59
Oh dang it. Can't be a proper majyck man with lots of cyberware in my body. That ruins a character idea I had... well whatever. We will see.
No, basically the Holy Trinity is: Man, Magic, Machine.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 11, 2012, 00:43
You can be an excentric War Mage none the less ;-)

Some inspiration: Drone Riggers are awesome!
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc297/AJBuwalda/DroneRigger_zpsc0a769e7.png)
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 11, 2012, 05:10
I am probably going to be a pure battle mage, since I do not picture hackers as direct fighters much, I would be the main muscle - the guy who's job is to break in, torch everything with a fireball or whatever, and quietly whistle away. That might change though as I still do not completely understand the magic yet. Still reading the core book. God that thing is hefty.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 11, 2012, 06:10
I am probably going to be a pure battle mage, since I do not picture hackers as direct fighters much, I would be the main muscle - the guy who's job is to break in, torch everything with a fireball or whatever, and quietly whistle away. That might change though as I still do not completely understand the magic yet. Still reading the core book. God that thing is hefty.
I know, right. Its a burden now, but it give you a load of flexibility and atmosphere which makes up for that ;-)
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on October 18, 2012, 09:25
So ummm.. I've been putting this off for some time. I'm lazy like that. I think it's partially because I'm assuming we will need more than two players, though that assumption may not be true. If you were to tell me, that we can start as soon as me and HexaDoken make our chars, I'd definitely sit down, read through the rulebooks and have a char ready and fleshed out in a couple of hours.

On the other hand, if we are still waiting for other people to show interest (hello? Anybody?), it will lead to me putting it off a bit more, and this time without bad conscience =) I know myself.

In any case, I'd hate you to think that I've given up on this.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 19, 2012, 03:31
I will reply tonight!
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 19, 2012, 23:30
I'm still here, somewhere, in the shadows...

I think we can be fine with just two players, but if we can't, it's not like I can't wait some more time. Heck I'm still not even halfway through the book! I'm sure a true Lazyness Incarnate, huh. I can try to accelerate if needed, though.

Either way, I just wanna know that I'm still around too.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 23, 2012, 00:29
Sorry for the delay. Busy as all hell.

We can play this with two players if needed. Its up to you guys.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 24, 2012, 06:20
Do headphones exist in the world of Shadowrun?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 25, 2012, 07:53
Do headphones exist in the world of Shadowrun?
Yes, its old-tech, though
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on October 25, 2012, 07:59
Works for me then.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: S.K. Ren on October 27, 2012, 11:12
You still have room? I'd be willing to join, only question is what character to use. I've got a couple really screwy characters I rolled up on Chummer and a few less screwy ones too.

Edit: Hrm, no access to Running Wild huh. Damn, there goes my perfect infiltrator. Maybe I'll finish my Pacifist Troll Adept concept.

Edit 2: Ok, time to go gold. I've decided on a concept, let me know what you think. Now if only I could remember which supplement had the Master of Disguise adept power.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Or in short its an Adept Metagenetic Girl with Glamour, Natural Venom and Neoteny that knocks you out by kissing you and can change her appearance from anything between 9-16yo with Adept powers
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Xander Morhaime on November 03, 2012, 12:04
Hey, been kind of away from the forums, missed this thread popping up... got any room left?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: S.K. Ren on November 03, 2012, 12:53
It seems kinda dead which makes me sad. I was actually looking forward to this.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Xander Morhaime on November 03, 2012, 13:05
Such is the fate of most PBFs here, I guess. It's a success if they take off at all.

Shame too, was looking to try Shadowrun out.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: S.K. Ren on November 03, 2012, 14:01
Yeah, I've got about 5-6 characters I've rolled up for would be games that have gone nowhere now :(
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on November 03, 2012, 23:28
I'm still here!
Just to clarify.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: Klear on November 04, 2012, 05:49
Me too, just extremely lazy when not busy.
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: S.K. Ren on November 05, 2012, 00:10
I'm not 100% done yet. I still need to either buy a car or find a better use for all that nuyen/BP.

Edit: Ah oops. Forgot we had book limits. Ah well I'll replace this later with a build that is eligible... and possibly broken as all hell.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: HexaDoken on November 05, 2012, 23:41
My, my, someone posted a character sheet earlier than me. Time to accelerate.

What I'm kind of interested in is if GM himself is still around. It's quite obvious that there is interest in this PBF but without a GM it's kind of useless... unless somebody of you want to suddenly take his role.

Also, can a character have two native languages? One that is rarely used in the world, and the other is the prime language of Seattle(or wherever will we be)? I kind of want my character to be born in some Far Lands or something, yet rolling dice every day just to speak seems ridiculous. Plus, by all logic, living in the english-speaking country for god knows how many years should have brought his language skills up to near-native levels, right?
Title: Re: Shadowrun Recruitment: Highway to Hell
Post by: S.K. Ren on November 08, 2012, 21:43
Well for native languages, you can take the Bilingual quality. Otherwise you can invest BP into other languages under skills till they're at an acceptable proficiency.