ShadowHaven Reloaded - User contributions [en]

File:Screechh.jpg

2021-10-15T02:00:14Z

Discogoblin:

2021-10-07T07:54:49Z

Discogoblin: /* Affiliations */

{{Infobox
|YourWikiUsername =Discogoblin
|title = {{PAGENAME}} 
|image= [[File:Cricket_Redesign.jpg]] 
|header1= Technomancer, Data Thief, and Wannabe Revolutionary
|header2= "Winning comes first. Keeping your brain in tact is just a bonus."
|header3=
|header4=
|label5 = Discord
|data5 = @disco goblin#9660
|label6 = Reddit
|data6 = https://www.reddit.com/user/Discowhor
|label7= Metatype
|data7 =
|label8 = Street Cred
|data8= 0
|label9 = Notoriety
|data9 = 0
|label10 = Public Awareness
|data10= 1
|label11 = Titles and Awards
|data11 =
|label12 = CDP
|data12 = {{CDP|
|Expenses=87
|Bonuses=28
|}} 
|label13 = D.O.B.
|data13 = October 12, 2062
|label14 = Age
|data14 = {{Age| 
|Month= 10
|Day= 12
|Year= 2062
|}} 
|label15 = Folder
|data15 =[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VfupV-yGd_zD3ZUEH52gHloyzaz8_GTh?usp=sharing]
|label16 = Priority
|data16 = Metatype - C (Oni) Attributes - D Magic/Resonance - A Skills - B Resources - E
}}

=Character Information=

===Summary===
Cricket is an out of shape, permanently-disheveled Oni with oversized glasses and roughly cut silver hair. An anarchist vandal and resident technomancer of the Hellraisers, she runs the shadows to build contacts and gather resources in order to free the Matrix from corporate control. Well known among her coworkers as "that idiot" and a "mouthy little leet-speak shit".

===Goals===

*Break the corporate stranglehold on the Matrix
**Liberate every bit of incriminating data she can find
**Build a tribe of likeminded technomancers
**Give GOD the bloodiest nose it's ever gotten
**Create a single, unified grid free of private property
*Set up a wired host in the Iceberg hotel, and stuff it with murderous IC
*Beat Vip3r in cybercombat
*Get platinum ranked in Ultimate Blood Brawl IV

==Background==

For as long as Cricket can remember, she's felt out of place in the world. Everything the meat has always been wrong; both mind-numbingly slow and painfully overwhelming. She spent her early life in a haze of depression and boredom, her body an oversized prison and her mind prone to severe mood swings. To others she came off as distant and uninterested, occasionally volatile. To herself, she came off as a piece of shit. Growing up in the misery of the Barrens didn't help, and the pent up frustrations of her parents only made it worse. They found their child's condition infuriating. It was incompatible with the person they were trying to raise, and they would break their child's habits by any means necessary. She was kept isolated and strictly controlled, belittled for any perceived failure to meet expectations. The threat of a beating was used to keep her in line, a threat that her father often followed through on. By the time she was fourteen, Cricket firmly believed that her life had no worth. Then, she emerged.

With no one to guide her through it, Cricket's emergence did not go smoothly. In fact, it ended up bricking half of the apartment's electronics. But none of that mattered when the girl who had never even had trodes took her first jump into the matrix. She was thrust into a world where things finally felt ''right'', and given a living persona that could be everything that her body wasn't. She delved into the net under the shadow of the corporate hosts, basking in its joys and searching for an explanation as to what she was. Unfortunately, as a newly emerged techno and a complete matrix novice, her romping was about as subtle as an airhorn. After a few weeks of searching and trespassing, the local demiGOD gave her the full technomancer treatment. They came down on her like a boot upon a bug, causing a first time dumpshock that nearly killed her.

Cricket had learned a lot in her weeks of searching, and even her bio-feedback ridden brain could recognize that she had just been caught doing something illegal. She was terrified, more so of her parents than the police, and decided that she had to leave. She staggered out of her room, delirious with pain. Blood welled in her eyes and gushed out of her nose, dripping down onto her shirt as she stumbled into the kitchen. The last conversation that she ever had with her parents was lost in a haze of brain damage; all she can remember is that she puked. Fifteen minutes later, collapsed in an alley with only the vomit-stained clothes on her back, she watched the three KE cruisers pull up to her building. Just like that, she was homeless.

It's honestly a miracle that Cricket lived more than a few days; she had no survival skills, and she could barley even stand on her own. She begged, stole, and scrounged from dumpsters to keep herself just short of starvation, jumping into the matrix at every opportunity. It was a coping mechanism, a way to escape from the gutters she had found herself in. Exploring it was the only thing that kept her going for the first few months. Hacking comes naturally to one whose very existence on the net is illegal, and after about four months Cricket was good enough to be recruited by a band of small-time gangers. She scrubbed the trackers on their stolen gear, and they gave her a place to sleep. It was slightly better than nothing.

The next four years of her life were spent hopping from crew to crew. None of her gigs ever lasted for more than a few months, and usually ended with the majority of her comrades getting killed. Luckily for Cricket, the skills of a technomancer are always in demand; when her crew got wiped out, she'd just go work for the ones who killed them. Shockingly, she was never particularly close with her gangmates. Cricket's time on the streets had given her the personality of a devil rat, and even the ones who weren't hostile viewed her as weird and abrasive. With the exception of Millipede, a dwarven decker she met as the pair faked a gunfight for their respective crews, the few friends that she made either died or fell out of touch.

It was during this period of her life that she developed her radical tendencies. The constant fear of life in the Barrens festered into anger as she aged, anger at the corporations who profited from the slum. Even the matrix, her paradise and the only place that she could feel good about herself, was being throttled under the heel of capital. She needed someone to blame, and more importantly, someone to get back at. Theft and vandalism became stress outlets, and as her skills grew she pursued them with an almost suicidal zeal.

Her exploits eventually drew the attention of [[Priest]], a Neo-Anarchist activist who ran a congregation in the Barrens. The two had known each other for some time already, with Cricket having been a regular at the church's homeless shelter. Once Cricket's skills had really started to develop, Priest extended her an offer to work as a shadowrunner. Cricket accepted halfway through Priest's speech about how dangerous it was. With nothing to her name but a mediocre brain deck, Cricket was determined to prove herself to the world. It's amazing that she survived her first run

==Narrative Significant Qualities==

===Positive===
'''''Matrix Scrapper''''' ''(Hair Trigger, Instinctive Hack, Better on the Net [Sleaze])'': What Cricket lacks in formal education, she makes up for in instincts. Her skills have saved her from death before, and she's confident that they can do it again.

'''''Fish in Water''''' ''(One With the Matrix II, Hi-Rez)'': Cricket isn't just acclimated to the Matrix, she's built for it. Her living persona feels like more of a home than her actual body.

'''''Budding Technoshaman''''' ''(Resonant Stream: Technoshaman)'': Cricket prefers to work alone, which makes her affinity for sprites both confusing and frustrating. She's made progress in harnessing her strengths, even if she still can't figure out what those damn things are thinking.

'''''Cybercrime Apprentice''''' ''(Sensei: Cybercombat [Sp4rks], Common Sense)'': Cricket has started learning from Sp4rks after getting destroyed by him in a matrix duel. The experience has given her a much clearer picture of her limits, and she'll occasionally think twice before doing something stupid. Occasionally.

===Negative===
'''''Rebel With a Cause''' (Data Liberator, Curiosity Killed the Cat)'': For better or worse (usually worse), Cricket is dedicated. She's willing to take any risks if it means furthering her cause. She's also just really, really curious.

'''''Not Built For Meatspace''' (Disheveled, Reduced Sense [Eyesight])'': Cricket doesn't care about her appearance, and it shows. Her clothes are shabby, her tusks are crooked, she has permanent bedhead, and her oversized glasses make her eyes look like a bug's.

'''''Striking Skin Pigmentation:''''' Cricket's appearance would be remarkably forgettable, if it weren't for the fact that her skin is bright red.

==Run History==

{{RunHistory}}


==Affiliations==

===Contacts===

'''Millipede''': A dwarven shadow decker, Millipede is one of Cricket's very few actual friends. The pair met in the Barrens, fighting on opposite sides of a turf war. They reached a cybercombat stalemate (neither of them were very good), and their battle soon devolved into wildly spraying at each other with machine pistols. They emptied their magazines without hitting a single shot, and decided to just start pretending to hack each other. They've been friends ever since.

Despite their similar upbringings, Millipede is significantly better adjusted than Cricket. He shares his friend's politics, but doesn't pursue them with the same suicidal zeal. Although he'd never admit it, he's worried about her. For Cricket's part, she shows Millipede about as much affection as she's capable of. He's a sort of anchor in her life, and the only person she's willing to fully trust.

'''Priest''': Cricket owes Priest a great debt; when she was first tossed out on the street, it was the charity from Priest's congregation that kept her alive. Over time their relationship deepened; She would provide info and communications for Priest's protests, and he would provide a place to go if all else failed. Once she came of age, Priest facilitated her entrance into the Haven.

That being said, the two get along like fire and high explosives. Priest thinks of Cricket as a wayward child, walking the right path for the wrong reasons. Cricket thinks of Priest as a raving, bullet-addled lunatic. The two bicker constantly over the minute differences in their politics, especially when it comes to the subject of drugs. Priest is a die-hard prohibitionist, whereas Cricket pops Psyche pills like they're candy. Despite the tensions, Cricket believes that she owes Priest her life. She'd never let him know, but she would go through hell if it meant helping him.


{{ContactTable|


{{HasContact|
|Name= Millipede
|Loyalty= 5
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name= Priest
|Loyalty= 4
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Saul Goodman
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=News Van Dan
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Gord "Twitch" Rodney
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Kenneth "Flamesaw" Murphy
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Teldragon
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Handraniel
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Repo Man
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Doctor O+
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Kyoko "Wholesale" Nakajima
|Loyalty=3
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Zenny
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=The Movers
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Jet Set
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Jesse Pop
|Loyalty=3
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Pump King Jack
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Treasa ke'Vedryn
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Amrei Veidt
|Loyalty=3
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Lylah Wilder
|Loyalty=3
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Wusan
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=F1ZZ
|Loyalty=3
|Chips=Even
|}}

{{HasContact|
|Name=Chitin
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}


}}


===Organizations===

===Allies===

{{GroupContactTable|

{{GroupContact|
|Group=Hellraisers
|Position=Matrix Specialist
|RepBonus=0
|RepExpense=0
|DateJoined=2082-05-18
|}}

{{GroupContact|
|Group=Rise Up
|Position=Member
|RepBonus=0
|RepExpense=0
|DateJoined=2082-08-14
|}}

{{GroupContact|
|Group=The Walking People
|Position=Initiate
|RepBonus=0
|RepExpense=0
|DateJoined=2082-07-16
|}}

}}
Blue Crab Gang: +2 Rep

The Ancients: +2 Rep

===Enemies===
GOD, the corps, GOD, the government, anyone who tries to talk to her in meatspace, GOD.

=In Character Information=

==Symbols and Signatures==
When Cricket wants to leave a calling card after stealing data, she'll make an empty copy of the file filled with bugs, which will swarm the first persona that opens it. She often delivers data in the form of little crickets.

==Matrix Search Table==
{{SearchTable||LowResult=Scattered reports of a petty hacker going by the name. No concrete details. The Sixth World Encyclopedia defines crickets as Orthopean insects distantly related to grasshoppers.
|MidResult=The hacker is a frequent poster on Neo-Anarchist forums. They've bragged several times about committing data theft and corporate vandalism.
|HighResult=On one such forum, the hacker claimed that they're a technomancer during a debate over a fighting game's netcoding. This claim was immediately challenged as a lie, to which the hacker apparently responded by dataspiking their opponent.
}}
==Shadow Community Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowThreshold=1
|LowResult=Some sort of hacker that operates in Seattle. Doesn't seem like they have a particularly notable reputation.
|MidThreshold=3
|MidResult=They're new to the shadowrunning scene, but have been operating as a small-time ganger in Redmond for a while. Apparently they're also an Oni.
|HighThreshold=5
|HighResult=Known as "bug eyes" and "kind of an asshole" by many of her former gangmates. Left the gang scene to pursue more political interests.
}}

==SINs==
'''Jessie Elwood''' (UCAS) (R4 Fake)

An Oni of a similar build and skin tone, but with a noticeably neater appearance. Works low level IT for small businesses in Renton.

*Driver's License (R4 Fake)
*Firearms License (R4 Fake)

==Appearance==

===Physical===
Cricket is a tall, gangly Oni with cherry red skin and dull green eyes. Her grey hair hangs like kelp down to her permanently-slumped shoulders. Her horns are stubby, her ears are droopy, and her tusks are slightly crooked. When not in the Matrix, she's surrounded by an oppressively neurotic aura. She's constantly twitching and tapping her fingers, much to the annoyance of anyone sitting nearby.

===Clothing===
Cricket's typical outfit consists of bootleg track pants, ratty tank tops, VERY worn athletic shoes, and her big round glasses. She has not bought new clothes in about a year and a half. The nicest thing she owns is her armored jacket. It's black and has rainbow ants drawn across the back.

===Matrix Persona===
Cricket's Matrix Persona is a tiny humanoid cricket, at the bottom end of the persona size limits. It wears a black suit jacket over a pink tank top, with a small gold chain around it's neck.

==Media Mentions==

==ShadowGrid Profile Comments==

[[Category:Player Characters]]

Zombie Initiation: OSHA Violation

2021-10-05T17:45:45Z

Discogoblin: /* Player After Action Reports (AARs) */

Joule's No Good, Very Bad Day

2021-10-05T17:42:09Z

Discogoblin:

Gland Theft Alto

2021-10-05T17:36:48Z

Discogoblin: /* Player After Action Reports (AARs) */

Gnawer, I Hardly Knew Her

2021-10-05T17:33:29Z

Discogoblin: /* Player After Action Reports (AARs) */

The FBI Is Totally Fine

2021-10-05T17:29:33Z

Discogoblin: /* Player After Action Reports (AARs) */

{{AARInfobox|



|Date=2082-08-21


|GM=Aurora


|Location=Redmond


|Ally=
|Ally2=


|RunnerList={{AARCharacterList|Cricket|Ace|Delphi|Black Samurai|Koschei|Wychking}}
|RunnerCasualties=


|Threat=Semi-Prime


|Metaplot=
|Metaplot2=
|Metaplot3=


|OppositionFaction=Termite Hive
|OppositionUnits={{AARCharacterList|Magic 8 Insect Shaman|Numerous Termite Spirits}}
|OppositionCasualties=


|OppositionFaction2=Urubia
|OppositionUnits2=Orianna Cazador
|OppositionCasualties2=


|Image=
|ImageSize=
|ImageCaption=


|Notes=
|}}

==Summary==

==Background==
A Termite Hive is set up in a B Zone of Redmond, hidden by someone in power until the hive has grown to a massive size. [[Cassandra Withers]] and the FBI's pre-crime unit determine that hiring runners is the best solution to this problem.

==The Meet==
The FBI contacts the 6 runners and has them meet at a parking garage in Downtown at midnight. The runners become EXCEEDINGLY paranoid and prepare for an ambush (which doesn't happen). [[Cassandra Withers]] appears via a holo-projecter and lays out the job: destroy the bug hive, kill the shaman, don't make a scene. She offers them 80k UCAS dollars, but is talked up to 100k UCAS dollars by the team. [[Cassandra Withers]] promises that KE won't be an issue for them (assuming they succeed).

==The Plan==
The team separate and go to individual no-tell motels. [[Delphi]] does a divination and learns that Urubia would be interested in this situation. She goes to The Fun House and meets with Urubia and [[Orianna Cazador]], who wants the bug hive taken out in a way that cannot be ignored. [[Cricket]] does some Threshold 6 Matrix Searches and learns that the owner of the building in Redmond the hive is under has been missing for years, that the area is mostly heavy industry. She speaks to [[News Van Dan]] who suspects that someone (he thinks S-K) hid the hive, and he publicizes that there's a bug hive in Redmond in the B zone. For this, he gives [[Cricket]] a chip. [[Koschei]] speaks to [[Nameless]] and discovers that refined insect organs can be used to make Astral Bond, an alchemical compound that allows a mage who is astrally projecting and manifesting to trigger alchemical preparations.

Eventually they get a safe house from Rouge Roof Ring (a disconnected subsidiary of Urubia's) and talk about the plan. [[Cricket]] is absolutely sure that the FBI is the one who hid the bug hive while it grew, and the team agrees. The team debates many plans, and decides to go loud (despite the fact that only [[Delphi]] knows Urubia is involved and wants that). The team wants to use KE-7 (a weaponized insecticide) in the air vents for the termite hive. [[Delphi]] promises to tell [[Cricket]] [[Cassandra Withers]]'s secret after the run. The team decides to take Guts to prevent Fear.

==The Run==
[[Ace]], [[Delphi]], [[Koschei]], and [[Black Samurai]] sneakily place grenades around 4 entrances that [[Delphi]] found into the termite hive. However, [[Delphi]] and [[Ace]] are made by a worker spirit and [[Delphi]] destroys it quickly. This alerts the hive, so they meet back up in the warehouse and go down the staircase to the basement, into the Invae Domain.

They enter the termite hive through a break in the wall in the basement. [[Wychking]] summons a Force 8 Guardian Spirit inside the domain and hands it a flamethrower, and everyone can hear at least 4 termites up ahead in the passage. The shaman astrally projects and uses Astral Bond to use Clout preps while the termites attack. The team kills the 4 termites and beats up the shaman a ~~little~~ lot, who uses a Napalm Wall prep to stall the team. [[Black Samurai]] and [[Delphi]] and [[Wychking]]'s spirits give chase! The party is split!

[[Black Samurai]] runs on ahead and fights a giant termite, who he one-shots! [[Delphi]] encourages [[Black Samurai]] to charge on ahead after that! The two of them and [[Wychking]]'s spirit head down to the second lower level! Meanwhile, [[Ace]] sets up some explosives to try to blow a hole around the napalm wall, but it ends up opening a hole into the second lower level as well.

The hole Ace opened up is above three termite spirits, and the team makes short work of them. However, one of them manages a HUGE hit on [[Wychking]], who goes down. After the fight [[Ace]] patches up [[Wychking]], who uses Heal on herself. [[Black Samurai]] and [[Delphi]], when faced with a decision to head back to the team, continue chasing the shaman. They go down to the third lower level, where they fight three termites in FBA with Assault Rifles. The three of them also make short work of these, causing one to attempt to run away. The two intrepid heroes chase down the bug and kill it, however!

In the other group, [[Ace]] spots a thin wire which [[Cricket]] determines to be monowire. [[Koschei]] hears a grenade's pin being pulled. The frag grenade goes off, but doesn't manage to hurt anyone. Koschei runs through the monowire trap to open the way for the team, and her foot gets cut off! Koschei takes a hit to the head! [[Ace]] takes a big hit as well, but doesn't go down. [[Cricket]] Protects The Principle on [[Wychking]], who then MURDERS the bugs with an absolutely massive Insecticide. [[Koschei]]'s foot grows back as [[Cricket]] hacks the computer terminal nearby.

[[Black Samurai]] and [[Delphi]] are chasing down the shaman and catch up to her shortly after the shaman as [[Cricket]] hacks into the turret and causes it to shoot at the shaman! Her two termites nearby dive into the way and take some huge hits and are killed. [[Delphi]] kills the last termite, and [[Black Samurai]] destroys the shaman! Her head goes flying! The two of them save a victim inside of the shaman's lodge.

Shortly afterwards, the FBI shows up and attempts to secure the hive. [[Black Samurai]] and [[Delphi]] kill as many of the remaining bugs as possible.

==Aftermath==
[[Ace Powers]] is given footage by [[Wychking]] and [[Ace]], and he makes a trid film out of it, beginning a franchise with "The King of Witches & They Came... From Below" [[Cricket]] gives [[News Van Dan]] the uncut footage.

[[Cassandra Withers]] is unhappy that they released the footage to Horizon, but is a 'woman' of her word and pays the runners.

The property values in the area drop like a rock, and are picked up by various shell corporations that are definitely not owned by any dragons.

~~Also [[Cassandra Withers]] eats a couple of remaining termite spirits and grows in strength!~~

==Rewards==
*100k UCAS dollars (50k nuyen) or double that in 'ware - 25 RVP (no maximum availability, approved by Thematics head)
*25 karma - 25 RVP
*2 CDP

Optionals:
*Awakened/Emerged Deltaware clinic access for -15 RVP
*[[Cassandra Withers]] at Loyalty 2 for -9 RVP
*[[Orianna Cazador]] at Loyalty for -7 RVP
*[[Wychking]]: Force 5 Power Focus and 1000 nuyen for -23 RVP (in the form of a termite queen encased in amber)
*[[Cricket]]: Go Big Or Go Home for - 6 KARMA
*[[Delphi]]: Lightning Reflexes for -20 KARMA
*[[Ace]]: Catlike for -7 KARMA
*[[Koschei]]: Tough As Nails (Physical) for -5 KARMA
*[[Black Samurai]]: Daredevil for -6 KARMA

[[Wychking]] +3 Public Awareness
[[Delphi]] +1 Notoriety for dealing with Urubia (again)

==Game Quotes==

{{Gamequote|Amusing quote from game.}}

==Player After Action Reports (AARs)==

[[Koschei]]: What a mess of a job. Like, when you can't even feel happy after stomping an invae hive you know drek's fragged up

===[[Black Samurai]]===
So, I had kicked the betakami nonsense a long time ago. I've been meditating and painting and trying to center myself. I've been reading on mortality and the human condition. Aside from a drink with meals, this is the first hit of -- well -- anything I've had in quite a long time. Guts makes you feel invincible; it made me feel like the old me, you know? Kick down the door, stab, repeat.

It was wonderful...while you're still on guts. I don't want to be that person anymore. I want to be putting myself between the dangers and my comrades, not running off and leaving them. I mean, most of them. Lord--there are some sketchy as hell people working on the Haven now. We've really let ourselves go.

===[[Cricket]]===
"You know when a situation's so bad that you just kinda shut down and stop thinking about it? Yeah that didn't happen to me. I haven't been sleeping ever since this fraggin' job. Not only do the feds know where I ''live'', but they might know that I know their big secret. I'm gonna go into hiding for a while, keep my head down until things start cooling off. Fuck."

[[Category:Runs]]

Things Man Was Not Meant to Know (In the Biblical Sense)

2021-10-05T17:26:15Z

Discogoblin: /* Player After Action Reports (AARs) */

Arms to the People

2021-10-05T17:22:39Z

Discogoblin: /* Player After Action Reports (AARs) */

{{CategoryTemplate}} 
{{AARInfobox|



|Date=2082-08-14


|GM= Archtmag


|Location= Auburn


|Ally= Rise Up
|Ally2=


|RunnerList={{AARCharacterList|Cricket|Spring|Prince|The Incredible Behemoth|Scarecrow}}
|RunnerCasualties=


|Threat= High


|Metaplot=
|Metaplot2=
|Metaplot3=


|OppositionFaction=Ares Macrotechnology
|OppositionUnits={{AARCharacterList|Security Forces|Automated Defenses|HTR Team}}
|OppositionCasualties=


|OppositionFaction2= Knight Errant
|OppositionUnits2=
|OppositionCasualties2=


|Image=
|ImageSize=
|ImageCaption=


|Notes=
|}}

==Summary==

Runners steal weapons, armor, and explosives from an Ares arms depot. They give these to Rise Up, so they can can redistribute them to the people. Also, they probably get a lot of KE pressure.

==Background==

Since her actions in [[Feeding the Revolutionary Spirit]], Behemoth has been building a communist organization with John Cooper, her nerdy ally. While not yet a large force, the group, called [[Rise Up]], has begun to build a network of volunteers and workers in local communities. Helping people and building support networks, the group has started to make a real positive change in the poorer communities of Seattle. As people's lives improve though, there are always others who will try to tear it down, particularly the state. Behemoth, while a fearsome fighter, can't protect everyone. The people need to be able to watch out for themselves, and for that to happen, they need weaponry.

Hatching a plan, Behemoth finds a arms depot on the outskirts of town and begins to call in a team of like-minded runners to help the cause.

==The Meet==

The runners are called to an unassuming basement in the middle of a residential area. Cricket scanned the matrix for potential traps, before realizing things seemed pretty non-threatening. Heading down after a bit, the team entered John's basement, slightly furnished and with some posters and propaganda scattered around. Standing near a table, Behemoth and John greeted the team and began to tell them about the job.

In the outskirts of Auburn, located on the edge of town, an arms depot is operated by Ares. Used to store goods meant for sale to outside buyers, it also functions as a key part of the Knight Errant logistics network. Convoys head in and out with regularity, transferring material all around the area. From what had been already scouted out, the base seemed to have a significant automated security system, with visible turrets and drones.

The goal, if the runners were to accept, would be to rob this warehouse, stealing as much as possible. They would be given a share of the returns as a reward, and would help arm the people of Seattle.

The runners were all fairly amenable to the cause, aside from Prince, and the soon decided to take the job.

==The Plan==

In planning, the team had several considerations to keep track of. They needed to know how they'd get the gear out of the depot, how they planned on getting inside to begin with, and how fast and lethal would the response be. Knowing that the gear would likely be chipped and tracked to a large degree, the first consideration was to get an exit strategy with a faraday cage. Without time to carefully remove electronic tracking, there'd be no way to get a clean getaway.

Thinking about various escape vehicles and strategies, the team went through numerous ideas. Scarecrow eventually remembered a contact that they had, [[SignificantNPC::Jet Set]] who was known to do aerial pickups and landings for heavy weight cargo. While a seemingly stupid idea, scouting showed that it might work. The depot, in order to minimize explosion risks, was located far away from other buildings so the roadways were isolated enough to actually have the clearance to allow a plane landing. It would be very risky, but assuming the pilot was good enough to dodge anti-air defenses, it might work.

To load the gear out of the warehouse and onto the plane, the team rented a semi with a trailer. By adding electromagnetic shielding to the interior, they could fill up the trailer with stolen goods, and drive it right up inside the plane, where it would be secured by the crew within.

In terms of physical security that they could see, the entire complex was surrounded by a large wall topped with mono-filament wire. The only entrance was a guard gate, manned and with bollards to stop a forceful entry. A swarm of rotodrones patrolled the skies, aided by watcher spirits. Unbeknownst to the team, there were also multiple turrets armed with assault cannons, with riggers standing by to jump in.

After learning all of this and planning some, the final plan came together. The team would load into the Semi and approach the gate. Behemoth would hop out and use her communism strength to destroy the bollards. Meanwhile, the team would disable the guards at the checkpoints and fend off the drones from the air. Cricket meanwhile would hop into the host and engage with the matrix security and potential riggers.

By promising a share of the loot to Jet Set, their way out was set, and the team was ready to proceed.

==The Run==

The run started well. The truck approached the gate, the security initially not suspecting foul play. This changed rather quickly as Scarecrow disabled the gate guard. As Behemoth hopped out, rushing forward to open the way in, the team realized they had missed a rather important part of the security. From a few hundred meters away, very large turrets began to open fire with assault cannons, shooting Behemoth with very large bullets.

Cricket meanwhile hopped into the host and engaged the spider within with her sprites. It turns out though there were three riggers inside as well. While one was simply operating industrial equipment, the other two were in the process of jacking into turrets to murder the intruders.

As Behemoth started breaking the bollards, the rest of the team shot at the swarm of rotodrones harassing them, while also taking shots at the increasingly deadly assault cannons. After a few tense moments, Behemoth managed to destroy the bollards, allowing Ace to drive the truck forward, giving the rest of the team an easier attack distance on the turrets. Cricket did her part by disabling the spiders, and stealing a copy of the manifest, letting the team know where the best gear was located.

As the team slowly whittled down the automated defenses, securing the facility, Jet Set managed to arrive, coming in low to the ground to avoid radar.

As the team burst into the warehouse, they faced a variety of confused and terrified workers, as well as many shipping drones. Behemoth, intimidating them, put them to work, having them load as much as they could into the semi. As the trailer filled up, and they started to head towards the waiting plane, things seemed good. Until they didn't.

In the distance, the sound of helicopter emerged. The first response had finally arrived. An HTR team by helicopter, ready to kill all of them and recover the goods. By this point, the team had managed to get the semi driven into the waiting plane, but it wasn't yet secured. As the helicopter rapidly approached, Cricket acted decisively to buy them a few moments. Using matrix magic, she caused the engines to go out, making the helicopter undergo an emergency landing.

Dinged up, but still very ready to fight, the HTR emerged from the damaged helicopter about 150 meters from the team, opening fire as they frantically made an escape. A quick and brutal fight started, with the team narrowly pulling ahead, Scarecrows powerful magic being particularly effective. As the team was fended off, and the semi secured, they all ran into the plane, fleeing the scene, before more HTR teams arrived.

==Aftermath==

All in all, the team stole a very valuable cache of supplies for Rise Up. While by no means the majority of the warehouse's stock, for a small group, they now found themselves ridiculously well supplied. Perhaps too much so. Given the large amount of heat following this, it's doubtful that they will be even able to use it for some time to come. Currently, it rests, quietly out of sight in a safehouse, the tracking tags disabled.

The team of course got their cut, taking a choice selection of the stolen goods, with an offer to work more with the group in the future.

==Rewards==

Choose one package:

56K Nuyen worth of Guns, Ammo, Mods, Armor, Explosives/Grenades (14 RVP)

6 CDP (2 RVP)

32k Nuyen worth Guns, Ammo, Mods, Armor, Explosives/Grenades (8 RVP)

6 Karma (6 RVP)

6 CDP (2 RVP)

12 Karma (12 RVP)

10 CDP (4 RVP)

For all, optional Contacts, subtracted from other RVP:

Membership in [[Rise Up]] - 6 RVP

[[Jet Set]] as a 6/2 - 7 RVP

KE has the astral signature of Scarecrow

Behemoth gets a discount on IG5

==Game Quotes==

{{Gamequote|Amusing quote from game.}}

==Player After Action Reports (AARs)==
===[[Prince]]===
I'm not communist, my parents were affluent and kept me in a forest to keep my symbiosis in check so I didn't scream all night in Atlanta when I was growing up. But helping them arm themselves to the teeth, is giving the enemy of my enemy more guns. We drove by in the day Ms. Behemoth and I checked the outside of the wall with my scope and we got an old timer to land a plane once the assault was ready. There were riggers in turrets and drones galore trying to get to us, but they did not survive the initial assault. Once we got inside and the workers loading up weapons I spied an AM-47 and was sure to tuck that one up my metaphorical skirt. The plane landed shortly after an HTR chopper pulled up and we'd filled the truck to bursting with gear. And I fought HTR for the first time, put a lot of bullets in one, he didn't pop back up after that, and one got lucky. It was a run.

[[Category:Runs]]

Spring

"This was a good run. Felt good helping out a small group, I will have to check this Rise Up group when they get off the ground and see how they treat their people."

===[[Cricket]]===
"You know most jobs here are a pretty mixed bag but this one was ''nova''. Practical action! Not only did we get to rob cops for people in need, but we got to land a fraggin' plane in the middle of the road to do it. The team were all really solid; feels nice to be working with people that won't ditch me at the first opportunity. I'm pretty excited about this whole Rise Up thing too. Lots of potential to do some real good."

Trust the Process

2021-10-05T17:18:34Z

Discogoblin:

Snitches Get... Well, You Know the Rest

2021-10-05T17:14:40Z

Discogoblin: /* Cricket */

{{AARInfobox|



|Date=2082-08-12


|GM=Sarcarian


|Location=Redmond, Seattle Metroplex


|Ally=
|Ally2=


|RunnerList={{AARCharacterList|Ace|Barracuda|Black Samurai|Cricket|Rewired}}
|RunnerCasualties=


|Threat=High


|Metaplot=ShadowHaven Shutdown
|Metaplot2=
|Metaplot3=


|OppositionFaction=Firewatch
|OppositionUnits={{AARCharacterList|Firewatch Mooks|Firewatch Decker|Firewatch Mage}}
|OppositionCasualties=Firewatch Decker’s deck


|OppositionFaction2=Shadowriders
|OppositionUnits2={{AARCharacterList|Shadowrider Mooks|Shadowrider Decker|Shadowrider Mage}}
|OppositionCasualties2=Spirits of Air x2


|Image=
|ImageSize=
|ImageCaption=


|Notes=3 points of edge were burnt.
|}}

==Summary==
In which a team of runners are lured into a trap by a joint strike force of KE and Lone Star, and manage to barely escape by the skin of their teeth.

==Background==
After [[Shadowrunner Network Exposed|a recent announcement from the District Attorney’s Office]], the Light the Shadows campaign has stepped up its attacks on ShadowHaven and its affiliates. As part of this effort, they have managed to present the image of a leak in the Haven, and turned this anonymous runner into a target; one Mr. Johnson has realized the opportunity this presents, and has collaborated with the DA’s office to present an opportunity to a group of runners to kill this person so that they can be lured into an ambush by law enforcement.

==The Meet==
The runners are contacted directly by Mr. Johnson, who sends them a message to meet at a warehouse in Puyallup; everyone is suspicious of the breach of protocol, however all show up after taking appropriate precautions. Inside, Mr. J and his pair of goons (clad in synthskin masks and generic outfits to disguise their identities) explain to the team that they have information on the source of the leak - a runner called Spartan, who has a safehouse in the Bellevue-Redmond area. The team naturally have questions (such as “how do you know all this?” and “why didn’t you go through our fixers?”), and Mr. J has vague answers for them (“I did my research.” and “how much do you really trust your fixers?”), telling them that time is short and offering them 10 grand apeace to go geek the slitch who sold them out to the DA. The runners accept the job.

==The Plan==
Paranoid and on edge, the runners hop in Black Samurai’s Shin-Hyung and drive over to the address they were given to scope the place out; en-route, Cricket does a search on their target and finds that they seem to be a mostly-unremarkable runner who went dark a few weeks ago after a job went bad. Lacking time to perform a more thorough search (as they were told that Spartan will almost certainly slip through their fingers if they drag their feet), they start to put together a plan of action.

Scoping out the building, they find an apartment block with an automated convenience store on the ground level next to the lobby; Cricket checks the cameras and finds that things look mostly normal, though there’s a gap in the footage from a few hours ago. briefly considering tossing neurostun into the HVAC system, they veto that option and instead have Barracuda and Black Samurai sneak around back through the ally and infiltrate while Cricket and Rewired (out in the car with Ace, who’s ready to provide backup as needed) and deals with the cameras.

==The Run==
Infiltrating the building is trivial for the two runners - however they find a nasty surprise when they get to Spartan’s apartment. Black Samurai knocks, hearing a trideo set playing inside, however after getting no response he resorts to using his sword as a lockpick. This sets off the 5 flashbang grenades on the other side, setting off both adept’s combat sense and triggering their “get the frag out of here” reflex as the Firewatch and Shadowrider teams spring their respective traps. Barracuda’s adrenaline surge kicks into gear, and he grabs Black Samurai to drag him out of the building as Shadowrider goons emerge from the surrounding apartments. As they get outside and make a break for the car, one of the walls of the building turns transparent and a pair of Firewatch goons fire their lasers at their thighs - a pair of timely lucky ducks from Ace and Rewired save them from being unable to continue fleeing.

On the Matrix, Cricket has a pair of deckers to deal with - thankfully she has her pet sprite Tresspasser on her side. Managing to mark the Firewatch decker, she eats a massive data spike right to her frontal lobe (the guy really doesn’t like her bug persona, for some reason) and barely survives before having Tresspasser delete the decker from the Matrix in turn and quickly forcing the Shadowrider decker to jack himself out. Counting herself lucky to be alive, she compiles up a machine sprite to pop into the car and focuses on killing cameras and protecting the team from further Matrix shenanigans.

In meatspace, Rewired just barely manages to drive the car well enough to avoid a called shot from a sniper to the engine block, and Black Samurai blocks a shotgun’s worth of stick-and-shock flechette rounds from hitting both Barracuda and the car before attaching them both to the vehicle with his new magnetic system. Peeling out, they head north to make their way into Snohomish - only to find that a pair of air spirits are in hot pursuit. One appears in the vehicle, where Ace bullseye-bursts it into oblivion, while the other appears outside and gets into a fight with Black Samurai, using its fear power to force him to flee; this results in him leaping from the car - still clutching Barracuda - and onto the bottom of a passing garbage truck

With the runners now split up, the Firewatch and Shadowriders teams split their focus - still not communicating with one-another. The spirit fades into the astral to follow the adepts, however it glitches its test and loses sight of the truck. Meanwhile the decker comes back online and guides a dragonfly drone to follow after the car - Ace manages to spot it out, and Cricket is (eventually) able to take it offline. Making their way to a mafia-controlled smuggling route to bypass checkpoints, they quickly locate a no-tell motel to hide out in, while Black Samurai and Barracuda get very close on their ride on the bottom of a truck, eventually rolling out from underneath it once they’re half a district away and finding a brothel to lay low in for a while.

==Aftermath==
After several days of laying low and moving between motels/brothels, the team are confident that they’ve manage to shake their respective trails (thanks to the infighting between the OPFOR forces more than anything). They count themselves lucky to be alive, though the notion of plants and sellouts within the Haven remains a nagging thought in the back of their minds; there is no sign of "Spartan", and the identity of the DA's informant, if they do indeed exist, remains a mystery.

Firewatch and the Shadowriders have some footage of the fighting, but none of it is very useful as the runners managed to restrain themselves and not commit undue violence in close proximity to civilians; as the footage makes law enforcement look heavy-handed, it will be kept private and is of little use to the Light the Shadows campaign. Mr. J and his goons skip the sprawl and move to Denver to start over, and the initiative to entrap more high-value targets continues with other collaborators.

==Rewards==
15 karma
2 CDP
Optional Quality: Cynic @ chargen price

For Cricket:
Optional Quality: Brilliant Heuristics @ chargen price
-5 Firewatch rep (for looking like a bug on the Matrix)

For Rewired:
Optional Quality: Stunt Driver, Speed Demon or Subtle Vehicle Pilot @ chargen price

For Ace:
Optional Quality: Perceptive @ chargen price

==Game Quotes==

{{Gamequote|Cricket: "I know rent is coming up, but have we considered not walking into the trap?"}}

==Player After Action Reports (AARs)==
===Ace===
So the next step is not in fact spring the trap. They were ready for war, and I was barely ready for them. The best smuggler in Seattle strikes again, as we did manage to get away from the spec ops fools. I had to delete an air spirit, and they probably hate me now. Saving 'Cuda's life will likely get his ass to shut up going forward because that laser probably would have gone through his heart. The Mafia at least laughed us off after when I said I was not going to be their slave. All's well that ends well though so, and everyone's still alive.

===[[Black Samurai]]===
This is some Mickey Mouse bullshit.

I've gone loud before, but the heat that has been brought down onto our heads is intense. Too intense. Runners need to get their shit together; not everything needs to be a fireworks show about how fraggin' great you are. Plus, some mediocre spirit managed to blast me with fear, and I split the team because of it. As much as I loathe drugs, it might be time to keep guts on hand.

Get the shovel; it's time to behead a snake.

There was a nice moment with [[Barracuda]], though. Good guy. Soft hands.

===[[Cricket]]===
"How the hell are we still alive? I knew that job was fucking sketchy but WOW. Firewatch ''and'' Shadowriders both putting aside their differences to try and turn us into laser riddled goop. I thought for sure that we were dead, or at least getting smacked with life sentences in some supermax hellhole. The fact that we escaped is a straight up miracle. What was with that Ace guy though? He wanted to ''gas'' an apartment building to get a single guy. Not even a spec of hesitation. I know that shadowrunners aren't good people but... fuck."

[[Category:Runs]]

Snitches Get... Well, You Know the Rest

2021-10-05T17:14:02Z

Discogoblin: /* Player After Action Reports (AARs) */

{{AARInfobox|



|Date=2082-08-12


|GM=Sarcarian


|Location=Redmond, Seattle Metroplex


|Ally=
|Ally2=


|RunnerList={{AARCharacterList|Ace|Barracuda|Black Samurai|Cricket|Rewired}}
|RunnerCasualties=


|Threat=High


|Metaplot=ShadowHaven Shutdown
|Metaplot2=
|Metaplot3=


|OppositionFaction=Firewatch
|OppositionUnits={{AARCharacterList|Firewatch Mooks|Firewatch Decker|Firewatch Mage}}
|OppositionCasualties=Firewatch Decker’s deck


|OppositionFaction2=Shadowriders
|OppositionUnits2={{AARCharacterList|Shadowrider Mooks|Shadowrider Decker|Shadowrider Mage}}
|OppositionCasualties2=Spirits of Air x2


|Image=
|ImageSize=
|ImageCaption=


|Notes=3 points of edge were burnt.
|}}

==Summary==
In which a team of runners are lured into a trap by a joint strike force of KE and Lone Star, and manage to barely escape by the skin of their teeth.

==Background==
After [[Shadowrunner Network Exposed|a recent announcement from the District Attorney’s Office]], the Light the Shadows campaign has stepped up its attacks on ShadowHaven and its affiliates. As part of this effort, they have managed to present the image of a leak in the Haven, and turned this anonymous runner into a target; one Mr. Johnson has realized the opportunity this presents, and has collaborated with the DA’s office to present an opportunity to a group of runners to kill this person so that they can be lured into an ambush by law enforcement.

==The Meet==
The runners are contacted directly by Mr. Johnson, who sends them a message to meet at a warehouse in Puyallup; everyone is suspicious of the breach of protocol, however all show up after taking appropriate precautions. Inside, Mr. J and his pair of goons (clad in synthskin masks and generic outfits to disguise their identities) explain to the team that they have information on the source of the leak - a runner called Spartan, who has a safehouse in the Bellevue-Redmond area. The team naturally have questions (such as “how do you know all this?” and “why didn’t you go through our fixers?”), and Mr. J has vague answers for them (“I did my research.” and “how much do you really trust your fixers?”), telling them that time is short and offering them 10 grand apeace to go geek the slitch who sold them out to the DA. The runners accept the job.

==The Plan==
Paranoid and on edge, the runners hop in Black Samurai’s Shin-Hyung and drive over to the address they were given to scope the place out; en-route, Cricket does a search on their target and finds that they seem to be a mostly-unremarkable runner who went dark a few weeks ago after a job went bad. Lacking time to perform a more thorough search (as they were told that Spartan will almost certainly slip through their fingers if they drag their feet), they start to put together a plan of action.

Scoping out the building, they find an apartment block with an automated convenience store on the ground level next to the lobby; Cricket checks the cameras and finds that things look mostly normal, though there’s a gap in the footage from a few hours ago. briefly considering tossing neurostun into the HVAC system, they veto that option and instead have Barracuda and Black Samurai sneak around back through the ally and infiltrate while Cricket and Rewired (out in the car with Ace, who’s ready to provide backup as needed) and deals with the cameras.

==The Run==
Infiltrating the building is trivial for the two runners - however they find a nasty surprise when they get to Spartan’s apartment. Black Samurai knocks, hearing a trideo set playing inside, however after getting no response he resorts to using his sword as a lockpick. This sets off the 5 flashbang grenades on the other side, setting off both adept’s combat sense and triggering their “get the frag out of here” reflex as the Firewatch and Shadowrider teams spring their respective traps. Barracuda’s adrenaline surge kicks into gear, and he grabs Black Samurai to drag him out of the building as Shadowrider goons emerge from the surrounding apartments. As they get outside and make a break for the car, one of the walls of the building turns transparent and a pair of Firewatch goons fire their lasers at their thighs - a pair of timely lucky ducks from Ace and Rewired save them from being unable to continue fleeing.

On the Matrix, Cricket has a pair of deckers to deal with - thankfully she has her pet sprite Tresspasser on her side. Managing to mark the Firewatch decker, she eats a massive data spike right to her frontal lobe (the guy really doesn’t like her bug persona, for some reason) and barely survives before having Tresspasser delete the decker from the Matrix in turn and quickly forcing the Shadowrider decker to jack himself out. Counting herself lucky to be alive, she compiles up a machine sprite to pop into the car and focuses on killing cameras and protecting the team from further Matrix shenanigans.

In meatspace, Rewired just barely manages to drive the car well enough to avoid a called shot from a sniper to the engine block, and Black Samurai blocks a shotgun’s worth of stick-and-shock flechette rounds from hitting both Barracuda and the car before attaching them both to the vehicle with his new magnetic system. Peeling out, they head north to make their way into Snohomish - only to find that a pair of air spirits are in hot pursuit. One appears in the vehicle, where Ace bullseye-bursts it into oblivion, while the other appears outside and gets into a fight with Black Samurai, using its fear power to force him to flee; this results in him leaping from the car - still clutching Barracuda - and onto the bottom of a passing garbage truck

With the runners now split up, the Firewatch and Shadowriders teams split their focus - still not communicating with one-another. The spirit fades into the astral to follow the adepts, however it glitches its test and loses sight of the truck. Meanwhile the decker comes back online and guides a dragonfly drone to follow after the car - Ace manages to spot it out, and Cricket is (eventually) able to take it offline. Making their way to a mafia-controlled smuggling route to bypass checkpoints, they quickly locate a no-tell motel to hide out in, while Black Samurai and Barracuda get very close on their ride on the bottom of a truck, eventually rolling out from underneath it once they’re half a district away and finding a brothel to lay low in for a while.

==Aftermath==
After several days of laying low and moving between motels/brothels, the team are confident that they’ve manage to shake their respective trails (thanks to the infighting between the OPFOR forces more than anything). They count themselves lucky to be alive, though the notion of plants and sellouts within the Haven remains a nagging thought in the back of their minds; there is no sign of "Spartan", and the identity of the DA's informant, if they do indeed exist, remains a mystery.

Firewatch and the Shadowriders have some footage of the fighting, but none of it is very useful as the runners managed to restrain themselves and not commit undue violence in close proximity to civilians; as the footage makes law enforcement look heavy-handed, it will be kept private and is of little use to the Light the Shadows campaign. Mr. J and his goons skip the sprawl and move to Denver to start over, and the initiative to entrap more high-value targets continues with other collaborators.

==Rewards==
15 karma
2 CDP
Optional Quality: Cynic @ chargen price

For Cricket:
Optional Quality: Brilliant Heuristics @ chargen price
-5 Firewatch rep (for looking like a bug on the Matrix)

For Rewired:
Optional Quality: Stunt Driver, Speed Demon or Subtle Vehicle Pilot @ chargen price

For Ace:
Optional Quality: Perceptive @ chargen price

==Game Quotes==

{{Gamequote|Cricket: "I know rent is coming up, but have we considered not walking into the trap?"}}

==Player After Action Reports (AARs)==
===Ace===
So the next step is not in fact spring the trap. They were ready for war, and I was barely ready for them. The best smuggler in Seattle strikes again, as we did manage to get away from the spec ops fools. I had to delete an air spirit, and they probably hate me now. Saving 'Cuda's life will likely get his ass to shut up going forward because that laser probably would have gone through his heart. The Mafia at least laughed us off after when I said I was not going to be their slave. All's well that ends well though so, and everyone's still alive.

===[[Black Samurai]]===
This is some Mickey Mouse bullshit.

I've gone loud before, but the heat that has been brought down onto our heads is intense. Too intense. Runners need to get their shit together; not everything needs to be a fireworks show about how fraggin' great you are. Plus, some mediocre spirit managed to blast me with fear, and I split the team because of it. As much as I loathe drugs, it might be time to keep guts on hand.

Get the shovel; it's time to behead a snake.

There was a nice moment with [[Barracuda]], though. Good guy. Soft hands.

===[[Cricket]]===
"How the hell are we still alive? I knew that job was fucking sketchy but WOW. Firewatch ''and'' Shadowriders both putting aside their differences to try and turn us into laser riddled goop. I thought for sure that we were dead, or at least getting smacked with life sentences in some supermax hellhole. The fact that we escaped is a straight up fraggin' miracle. What was with that Ace guy though? He wanted to ''gas'' an apartment building to get a single guy, not even a spec of hesitation. I know that shadowrunners aren't good people but... fuck."

[[Category:Runs]]

Seeds of Resistance

2021-10-05T17:09:10Z

Discogoblin:

{{AARInfobox|



|Date=2082-07-31


|GM=Asmodeus


|Location=The Matrix


|Ally=
|Ally2=


|RunnerList={{AARCharacterList|Ca1yps0|Cricket}}
|RunnerCasualties=


|Threat=Medium


|Metaplot=
|Metaplot2=
|Metaplot3=


|OppositionFaction=Matrix Baddies
|OppositionUnits={{AARCharacterList|Dissonant Sprites|Xenosapient AI}}
|OppositionCasualties=


|OppositionFaction2=
|OppositionUnits2=
|OppositionCasualties2=


|Image=
|ImageSize=
|ImageCaption=


|Notes=
|}}

==Summary==
In which the runners gather intelligence on the activities of a rogue xenosapient.

==Background==
In [[The Red Star]], an e-ghost named Rachael was liberated from a Horizon host in which it had been kept prisoner by a xenosapient AI, which escaped from the Foundation onto the grids in the process. Now it has resurfaced and is plotting its next move, and Rachael wants to know what it has planned so that she can keep herself and those close to her safe.

==The Meet==
The runners are contacted by their fixers and provided with a mark on a rogue host; they all rez in without issue, and find M_07 and Rachael’s persona’s waiting for them. Ca1yps0 fills Cricket in on the situation, and asks what they need from them. Rachael says that the xenosapient AI which she helped to save her from has vanished from the Horizon Global Grid, and that traces of its presence have been found in the physical world in the form of devices it has inhabited. She is concerned for the safety of M_07 and the others who helped her, and wants assistance to figure out what it’s up to - pointing them towards some data trails that were traced to the border of the Puyallup barrens, she offers them nuyen and paydata proportionate with the qualities of their findings. The runners accept the job, and are given the coordinates for a commlink which can be used to contact them.

==The Plan==
The two technos meet up in meatspace at [[Trix & Treats]] in Puyallup to plan. Ca1yps0 proposes releasing some drones to look for suspicious activity, and Cricket says that she has a contact that can help. Calling [[News Van Dan]], she asks for his aid looking for weird goings on near the Tacoma/Puyallup border, and he tells her about a mechanized attack on the Lone Star precinct near there - he says that he attempted to look into the matter himself, but the party responsible covered their tracks well.

Ca1yps0 sends a mini-zep drone to get eyes on the situation, and after a short time she notices a dissonance signature on its icon - using her knowledge of the Dissonance, she determines that it is most likely from a Causal Nexus complex form threaded by an Apophenian. Calling Cricket over for assistance on the ‘trix, the two of them work together to spot out the source, and they notice an icon nearby which they manage to trace, right before Ca1yps0 dodges a trio of burst fire shots on her drone and is forced to flee the scene.

==The Run==
Telling her blimp drone to turn offline and return to home base, the mermaid sends her flying eye to check out the traced location, with Cricket keeping an eye on the icon for Dissonance trickery; she’s able to spot it out, and after a quick reboot they manage to get the drone into position and spot out the source of the issue - the Depth 9 xenosapient which Ca1yps0 recognizes from her previous encounter, which seems to have a swarm of Dissonant sprites hanging around near it.

Ca1yps0 and Cricket both compile up some big boy fault sprites for protection and, realizing that Ca1 can’t stay silent near them due to her data anomaly, lends her sprite’s services to Cricket while she goes offline to inspect the area in meatspace; Cricket meanwhile uses stays running silent and uses the sprites Borrowed IP power to seem innocuous while she keeps an eye on the AI’s activities. The sprites inform Cricket that it seems to be operating many icons at once, but what it’s ultimately trying to accomplish remains unclear.

While observing the goings on, Cricket notices a response from Lone Star which is quickly squashed, followed shortly thereafter by intervention from the demiGODs who are joined shortly thereafter by the Lone Star forces. During the cybercombat, Cricket is nearly spotted and traced, forcing her to dumpshock herself. While she goes offline and hides out in the Barrens, Ca1yps0 hops on with her deck to snoop on Lone Star communications and inspect the aftermath of the cybercombat scene for evidence of what happened. She notices that the Dissonance signature of the sprites looks familiar, and recognizes it as belonging to Chitin, the insectile SURGE from [[Time to Attack]], but that she seems to be currently offline.

Calling up [[Lord Logie]] for more information, she asks about gossip from the local hacker community on what happened on the Tacoma grid; he puts his ears to the ground and tells her that there was a massive attack on devices all at once, and that there were several Reality Hackers on the scene. Cricket contacts [[Handraniel]] and asks if they know anything, but they admit they do not but will keep an eye on the situation. Contacting [[Bootstrap]], Ca1yps0 asks her what happened - learning that a bunch of their decks were bricked and formatted - and pays her for any info she has on the incident, which includes a photo of the custom drones which attacked the precinct.

==Aftermath==
Figuring that the AI must have survived and gone to ground, and with no sign of its apparent Dissonant ally on the ‘trix, the two technos do some Matrix searching on the aftermath of the incident, learning that Lone Star has taken the drones into their custody and are out of reach for the moment. They also learn that several hardware stores in the area were apparently broken into and looted of all useful merchandise, as well as that GOD is recruiting for a new agent. Ca1yps0 leaves a message for Chitin directing her to a dead drop containing some information on the matter and a number to contact her at, and notes later that it has been retrieved.

Concerned that the AI may be making more drones and e-ghosts, they contemplate what to do but realize they don’t have many options available at the moment. Compiling all their intel and asking their contacts to keep their ears to the ground on the matter, they head to find the burner link to contact Rachael and pass along the info in exchange for their payment.

==Rewards==
* 20,000 Nuyen (40,000 for upgrading cyberdecks, commlinks or buying donglewongles)
* 3 Karma
* 2 CDP
* Optional: May become a member of the Walking People; Group Contact with a Connection of 1 (6 RVP)

==Game Quotes==

{{Gamequote|Amusing quote from game.}}

==Player After Action Reports (AARs)==
===[[Ca1yps0]]===
It was good to hear from Rachael again, I just wish it had been under better circumstances, and on today of all days too - usually I don’t work today, but I told her I’d help out anytime, and this is important. Turns out that xenosapient is back and causing trouble, so she wanted us to find out everything we could about what it’s been up to. Seems that it hooked up with Chitin, that insect SURGE that I ran into a while back, which is… well, a problem, to say the least. We still don’t really have any idea of what it’s planning, other than making an army of drones and attacking folks, so like, yeah, that’s a problem… frag, I really don’t like leaving drek like this hanging, but this seems like it’s one of those “wait and see” situations. Guess we’ll have to hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.

===[[Cricket]]===
"Frag, this is gonna be a problem ain't it? Xenosapients, drone armies, GOD... it's making all my past runs look like script kiddie drek. What am I even supposed to do here? Those demiGODs that showed up to fight that thing, I was *nothing* to them. I had two of the most powerful sprites I've ever seen at my side and they didn't even glance at me. Then I stuck around too long and they tried to squash me. Just like the last time. I've gotta get stronger."

[[Category:Runs]]

Recruiting For The Skeleton War

2021-10-04T16:16:08Z

Discogoblin: /* Zombie */

[[Category:Runs]]
{{CategoryTemplate}} 
{{AARInfobox|



|Date=2082-10-03


|GM=Asmodeus


|Location=Sophocles, Redmond Barrens


|Ally=
|Ally2=


|RunnerList={{AARCharacterList|Sweetie Sinful|Dr.Trauma|Zombie|Tahki}}
|RunnerCasualties= None


|Threat=Low


|Metaplot=Hail To The Pumpking
|Metaplot2=
|Metaplot3=


|OppositionFaction=Demoncallers, Starscreamers
|OppositionUnits={{AARCharacterList|Pump King Jack|Mack and Hack|Zombie Process|Camilla|Irene|Kenneth "Flamesaw" Murphy|Mindy Dahnerhardt|Katherine Curran|Dante Palmer|Carolina Petrovski|The Weekender|Rev. Toby Newton}}
|OppositionCasualties=None


|OppositionFaction2=Merlins, Nuclear Warlocks of Salvation
|OppositionUnits2=
|OppositionCasualties2=


|Image=
|ImageSize=
|ImageCaption=


|Notes=
|}}

==Summary==
The King is back! Halloween is just around the corner, and [[Pump King Jack]] has big plans to spread the joy of terror (with candy!) to all the denizens of the Sophocles area. He needs help getting it all set up however, so he has called on this band of runners to lay the groundwork for his brilliant plan...

==Background==
[[Pump King Jack]] was a force of terror and fear in the community of Sophocles, until he was banished by a powerful concerned citizen by the name of [[Babylon]]. He has since had a change of heart, and now wants to bring the thrill of Halloween back to Sophocles, and all those looking for a little chill up the spine. He says he's a new spirit; even hints that he is the true spirit of Halloween. Only time will tell as Jack puts his plans into action, with a timetable expiring on All Hallow's Eve...

==The Meet==
The meet takes place in the sewers below Sophocles, at an old scream park that Jack used to haunt in his day. Jack is excited to see the crew, and quickly goes into his plans to make Halloween a memorable event. His needs are very specific: bring me candy, bring me bodies, and bring me awakened who are not squeamish working with the dead. He has no idea where these things might be found, but trusts in the runners abilities and contacts to find what he wants. Not really seeing any reason to deny Jack his desires, the team quickly agrees. They then head out to acquire the necessary ingredients to Jacks big plan.

==The Run==
Suspecting that the candy will be the easiest thing to acquire, [[Dr.Trauma]] calls [[Rev. Toby Newton]], asking for a potential sweet supplier who is willing to swing a deal. The Reverend is happy to help, identifying a potential contact at a local Stuffer Shack, who is happy to unload several cases of lime candy that is close to it's expiration date. [[Dr.Trauma]] quickly agrees, as the quality of the candy seems to be the least of their concerns.

[[Zombie]] has a lead on a potential source of bodies, paying a visit to the somewhat unstable [[Mindy Dahnerhardt]]. After some sensual innuendo, and even more sensual negotiation they manage to convince Mindy to hand over several intact corpses. Promising to visit again, [[Zombie]] returns to the group, with a sly smugness to their expression.

Sweetie Sinful just happens to know a guy, by the name of [[Zombie Process]], that could prove a valuable lead for awakened individuals. Calling him up, she explains the situation. [[Zombie Process]] agrees, but only if Sweetie can provide someone capable of punching his teeth in, in an underground fight club scene. [[Zombie]] immediately offers the opportunity to fight [[Mack and Hack]], as a potential twofer. [[Zombie Process]] agrees, and sets up a location for the fight to take place. At the fight club, the ring contains three opponents; Mack, Zombie Process, and a newcomer introduced by [[Kenneth "Flamesaw" Murphy]] by the name of Irene. Irene, dressed in her standard panda shirt powers up, as the Adept that she is and quickly takes the lead against her two opponents. Mack is definitely not looking so hot, and after two rounds, is almost done for. [[Tahki]] takes the opportunity to cast a force 12 Trid Phantasm, inspiring the crowd and confusing Mack's opponents. Declared the winner, Mack steps out of the ring, with a nod to the runners, while [[Zombie Process]] grudgingly give up the number to a potential necromage. Sweetie makes the call, and convicens the former member of the Nuclear Warlocks of Salvation to at least consider the job.

Deciding that now would be a great time to talk to [[The Weekender]], the team heads out to a remote bar where they are said to hangout on the weekend. Entering the bar after using Incubus Shroud to sway the bouncers, [{Zombie]] and crew enter to discover one bartender and two patrons. One of the patrons is obviously [[The Weekender]], The other patron, unrecognized by the runners is one Carolina Petrovski, political debutante and Humanis club leader, calmly sipping her whiskey and obviously annoyed by the intrusion. [[Zombie]] gets it into their head that their thirsty, and tries swiping the bottle from Carolina. She immediately responds by shooting [[Zombie]] in the genitals, dropping them to the ground, writhing in agony. [[The Weekender]] is amused by this, and offers to accept Jack's proposal is she can continue to abuse [[Zombie]]. The team agrees, and [[Dr.Trauma]] makes it even easier, by slapping a prepped Dehydration spell onto the downed runner. The screen fades to black, as the abuse continues, fading back in with the successful team riding away, with individual bottles of whiskey from Carolina to show her amusement.

[[Tahki]] calls her talismonger, [[Katherine Curran] and requests for a potential contact for more mages. Katherine is happy to help, offering up a number to the Merlins, a hermetic group that has strong ties to [[Finnigan Family]]. Sweetie makes the call, and after some social fumbling, manages to convince them to send a contingent to speak with Jack, and decide whether they can work with him and the other mages. Having completed the necessary steps, the contact Jack, who tells them to check back in with him the next day.

==The Run, Continued==
The next day, the runners get a panicked call from [[Pump King Jack]], stating that they are needed immediately at his base of operations to help defuse the situation. The runners head out immediately, arriving to a desolate wasteland of destruction above Jack's sewers, suggesting a fierce battle has taken place. Calling ahead to see if things are alright to continue, they receive the go ahead and head down. Jack explains that things were fine for about three hours, but the mages came to "creative differences" and started fighting. He hopes that the runners will be able to talk them down, and get them back on track. [[Zombie]] and [[Dr.Trauma]] head of to speak with Camilla, while Sweetie and Tahki, head of to speak with the Merlins.

Sweetie manages to approach Camilla without incident, who is seated on a grandiose bone throne, surrounded by several downed Merlins. Explaining that she has no time for idiots, Camilla flatly refuses to work with them. [[Zombie]] uses their considerable social talents to talk Camilla into at least meeting with the Merlins to discuss terms, while [[Dr.Trauma]] tends the wounded. Meanwhile Sweetie encounters the prideful Merlins, who also refuse to continue working with their hated opponent. Sweetie is quite verbose, offering an alternative to violence, to which the Merlins grudgingly agree. Finally able to meet without killing each other, the mages finally relent, agreeing to work together for the advancement of necrotic knowledge. Relieved that the potential nightmare has been at the very least pushed back a while, the team heads back to Jack to claim their just rewards.

==Aftermath==
Jack is overjoyed at the results, and happily hands over credsticks to the runners. [[Zombie]] and [[Tahki]] offer to help him further as he needs, and Jack quickly takes them up on the offer, suggesting that the "cause' needs roughly 20,000 reagents to be successful. The team then departs, unaware of what the have actually done...

==Rewards==
2,000 Nuyen

1 Karma

2 CDP

1 Starscreamers Reputation

For Zombie: High Pain Tolerance 1 @ Chargen Price

For Everyone Else: 7 more Karma

Tahki's Initiation Ordeal

==Game Quotes==

{{Gamequote|Asmodeus: Zombie, roll Negotiation for CBT. You get a +2 because it's beneficial for the Weekender.}}

==Player After Action Reports (AARs)==
===[[Tahki]]===
"Jack's back! I couldn't be happier. I was afraid that him being banished was going to end the fun, but apparently he managed to reform his nature and become the Spirit of Halloween. Now he's looking to spread the joy of terror, and he's asked me and a few others to help him do it. What's the big deal? An army of zombies marching through the streets of Sophocles, that's what. It's gonna be a blast!"

===[[Zombie]]===
"Fuck. Jack's changed, man. Like it's definitely ''him'' and that's real wiz but the guy... he's missing that spark. He's too restrained. Seriously, he wants to do ''one'' night and dip out for the rest of the year? What happened to the eternal terror? And all this drek about non-violence, I mean come on. We're gonna avoid killing cops? On HALLOWEEN? I don't know what the hell happened to Jack but this ain't the spirit I signed on with. If he can't get it together... let's just say someone else is gonna have to take the initiative."

Recruiting For The Skeleton War

2021-10-04T16:15:46Z

Discogoblin: /* Player After Action Reports (AARs) */

[[Category:Runs]]
{{CategoryTemplate}} 
{{AARInfobox|



|Date=2082-10-03


|GM=Asmodeus


|Location=Sophocles, Redmond Barrens


|Ally=
|Ally2=


|RunnerList={{AARCharacterList|Sweetie Sinful|Dr.Trauma|Zombie|Tahki}}
|RunnerCasualties= None


|Threat=Low


|Metaplot=Hail To The Pumpking
|Metaplot2=
|Metaplot3=


|OppositionFaction=Demoncallers, Starscreamers
|OppositionUnits={{AARCharacterList|Pump King Jack|Mack and Hack|Zombie Process|Camilla|Irene|Kenneth "Flamesaw" Murphy|Mindy Dahnerhardt|Katherine Curran|Dante Palmer|Carolina Petrovski|The Weekender|Rev. Toby Newton}}
|OppositionCasualties=None


|OppositionFaction2=Merlins, Nuclear Warlocks of Salvation
|OppositionUnits2=
|OppositionCasualties2=


|Image=
|ImageSize=
|ImageCaption=


|Notes=
|}}

==Summary==
The King is back! Halloween is just around the corner, and [[Pump King Jack]] has big plans to spread the joy of terror (with candy!) to all the denizens of the Sophocles area. He needs help getting it all set up however, so he has called on this band of runners to lay the groundwork for his brilliant plan...

==Background==
[[Pump King Jack]] was a force of terror and fear in the community of Sophocles, until he was banished by a powerful concerned citizen by the name of [[Babylon]]. He has since had a change of heart, and now wants to bring the thrill of Halloween back to Sophocles, and all those looking for a little chill up the spine. He says he's a new spirit; even hints that he is the true spirit of Halloween. Only time will tell as Jack puts his plans into action, with a timetable expiring on All Hallow's Eve...

==The Meet==
The meet takes place in the sewers below Sophocles, at an old scream park that Jack used to haunt in his day. Jack is excited to see the crew, and quickly goes into his plans to make Halloween a memorable event. His needs are very specific: bring me candy, bring me bodies, and bring me awakened who are not squeamish working with the dead. He has no idea where these things might be found, but trusts in the runners abilities and contacts to find what he wants. Not really seeing any reason to deny Jack his desires, the team quickly agrees. They then head out to acquire the necessary ingredients to Jacks big plan.

==The Run==
Suspecting that the candy will be the easiest thing to acquire, [[Dr.Trauma]] calls [[Rev. Toby Newton]], asking for a potential sweet supplier who is willing to swing a deal. The Reverend is happy to help, identifying a potential contact at a local Stuffer Shack, who is happy to unload several cases of lime candy that is close to it's expiration date. [[Dr.Trauma]] quickly agrees, as the quality of the candy seems to be the least of their concerns.

[[Zombie]] has a lead on a potential source of bodies, paying a visit to the somewhat unstable [[Mindy Dahnerhardt]]. After some sensual innuendo, and even more sensual negotiation they manage to convince Mindy to hand over several intact corpses. Promising to visit again, [[Zombie]] returns to the group, with a sly smugness to their expression.

Sweetie Sinful just happens to know a guy, by the name of [[Zombie Process]], that could prove a valuable lead for awakened individuals. Calling him up, she explains the situation. [[Zombie Process]] agrees, but only if Sweetie can provide someone capable of punching his teeth in, in an underground fight club scene. [[Zombie]] immediately offers the opportunity to fight [[Mack and Hack]], as a potential twofer. [[Zombie Process]] agrees, and sets up a location for the fight to take place. At the fight club, the ring contains three opponents; Mack, Zombie Process, and a newcomer introduced by [[Kenneth "Flamesaw" Murphy]] by the name of Irene. Irene, dressed in her standard panda shirt powers up, as the Adept that she is and quickly takes the lead against her two opponents. Mack is definitely not looking so hot, and after two rounds, is almost done for. [[Tahki]] takes the opportunity to cast a force 12 Trid Phantasm, inspiring the crowd and confusing Mack's opponents. Declared the winner, Mack steps out of the ring, with a nod to the runners, while [[Zombie Process]] grudgingly give up the number to a potential necromage. Sweetie makes the call, and convicens the former member of the Nuclear Warlocks of Salvation to at least consider the job.

Deciding that now would be a great time to talk to [[The Weekender]], the team heads out to a remote bar where they are said to hangout on the weekend. Entering the bar after using Incubus Shroud to sway the bouncers, [{Zombie]] and crew enter to discover one bartender and two patrons. One of the patrons is obviously [[The Weekender]], The other patron, unrecognized by the runners is one Carolina Petrovski, political debutante and Humanis club leader, calmly sipping her whiskey and obviously annoyed by the intrusion. [[Zombie]] gets it into their head that their thirsty, and tries swiping the bottle from Carolina. She immediately responds by shooting [[Zombie]] in the genitals, dropping them to the ground, writhing in agony. [[The Weekender]] is amused by this, and offers to accept Jack's proposal is she can continue to abuse [[Zombie]]. The team agrees, and [[Dr.Trauma]] makes it even easier, by slapping a prepped Dehydration spell onto the downed runner. The screen fades to black, as the abuse continues, fading back in with the successful team riding away, with individual bottles of whiskey from Carolina to show her amusement.

[[Tahki]] calls her talismonger, [[Katherine Curran] and requests for a potential contact for more mages. Katherine is happy to help, offering up a number to the Merlins, a hermetic group that has strong ties to [[Finnigan Family]]. Sweetie makes the call, and after some social fumbling, manages to convince them to send a contingent to speak with Jack, and decide whether they can work with him and the other mages. Having completed the necessary steps, the contact Jack, who tells them to check back in with him the next day.

==The Run, Continued==
The next day, the runners get a panicked call from [[Pump King Jack]], stating that they are needed immediately at his base of operations to help defuse the situation. The runners head out immediately, arriving to a desolate wasteland of destruction above Jack's sewers, suggesting a fierce battle has taken place. Calling ahead to see if things are alright to continue, they receive the go ahead and head down. Jack explains that things were fine for about three hours, but the mages came to "creative differences" and started fighting. He hopes that the runners will be able to talk them down, and get them back on track. [[Zombie]] and [[Dr.Trauma]] head of to speak with Camilla, while Sweetie and Tahki, head of to speak with the Merlins.

Sweetie manages to approach Camilla without incident, who is seated on a grandiose bone throne, surrounded by several downed Merlins. Explaining that she has no time for idiots, Camilla flatly refuses to work with them. [[Zombie]] uses their considerable social talents to talk Camilla into at least meeting with the Merlins to discuss terms, while [[Dr.Trauma]] tends the wounded. Meanwhile Sweetie encounters the prideful Merlins, who also refuse to continue working with their hated opponent. Sweetie is quite verbose, offering an alternative to violence, to which the Merlins grudgingly agree. Finally able to meet without killing each other, the mages finally relent, agreeing to work together for the advancement of necrotic knowledge. Relieved that the potential nightmare has been at the very least pushed back a while, the team heads back to Jack to claim their just rewards.

==Aftermath==
Jack is overjoyed at the results, and happily hands over credsticks to the runners. [[Zombie]] and [[Tahki]] offer to help him further as he needs, and Jack quickly takes them up on the offer, suggesting that the "cause' needs roughly 20,000 reagents to be successful. The team then departs, unaware of what the have actually done...

==Rewards==
2,000 Nuyen

1 Karma

2 CDP

1 Starscreamers Reputation

For Zombie: High Pain Tolerance 1 @ Chargen Price

For Everyone Else: 7 more Karma

Tahki's Initiation Ordeal

==Game Quotes==

{{Gamequote|Asmodeus: Zombie, roll Negotiation for CBT. You get a +2 because it's beneficial for the Weekender.}}

==Player After Action Reports (AARs)==
===[[Tahki]]===
"Jack's back! I couldn't be happier. I was afraid that him being banished was going to end the fun, but apparently he managed to reform his nature and become the Spirit of Halloween. Now he's looking to spread the joy of terror, and he's asked me and a few others to help him do it. What's the big deal? An army of zombies marching through the streets of Sophocles, that's what. It's gonna be a blast!"

===[[Zombie]]===
"Fuck. Jack's changed, man. Like it's definitely ''him'' and that's real wiz but the guy... he's missing that spark. He's too restrained. Seriously, he wants to do ''one'' night and dip out for the rest of the year? What happened to Halloween every day? And all this drek about non-violence, I mean come on. We're gonna avoid killing cops? On HALLOWEEN? I don't know what the hell happened to Jack but this ain't the spirit I signed on with. If he can't get it together... let's just say someone else is gonna have to take the initiative."

Recruiting For The Skeleton War

2021-10-04T16:15:23Z

Discogoblin: /* Player After Action Reports (AARs) */

[[Category:Runs]]
{{CategoryTemplate}} 
{{AARInfobox|



|Date=2082-10-03


|GM=Asmodeus


|Location=Sophocles, Redmond Barrens


|Ally=
|Ally2=


|RunnerList={{AARCharacterList|Sweetie Sinful|Dr.Trauma|Zombie|Tahki}}
|RunnerCasualties= None


|Threat=Low


|Metaplot=Hail To The Pumpking
|Metaplot2=
|Metaplot3=


|OppositionFaction=Demoncallers, Starscreamers
|OppositionUnits={{AARCharacterList|Pump King Jack|Mack and Hack|Zombie Process|Camilla|Irene|Kenneth "Flamesaw" Murphy|Mindy Dahnerhardt|Katherine Curran|Dante Palmer|Carolina Petrovski|The Weekender|Rev. Toby Newton}}
|OppositionCasualties=None


|OppositionFaction2=Merlins, Nuclear Warlocks of Salvation
|OppositionUnits2=
|OppositionCasualties2=


|Image=
|ImageSize=
|ImageCaption=


|Notes=
|}}

==Summary==
The King is back! Halloween is just around the corner, and [[Pump King Jack]] has big plans to spread the joy of terror (with candy!) to all the denizens of the Sophocles area. He needs help getting it all set up however, so he has called on this band of runners to lay the groundwork for his brilliant plan...

==Background==
[[Pump King Jack]] was a force of terror and fear in the community of Sophocles, until he was banished by a powerful concerned citizen by the name of [[Babylon]]. He has since had a change of heart, and now wants to bring the thrill of Halloween back to Sophocles, and all those looking for a little chill up the spine. He says he's a new spirit; even hints that he is the true spirit of Halloween. Only time will tell as Jack puts his plans into action, with a timetable expiring on All Hallow's Eve...

==The Meet==
The meet takes place in the sewers below Sophocles, at an old scream park that Jack used to haunt in his day. Jack is excited to see the crew, and quickly goes into his plans to make Halloween a memorable event. His needs are very specific: bring me candy, bring me bodies, and bring me awakened who are not squeamish working with the dead. He has no idea where these things might be found, but trusts in the runners abilities and contacts to find what he wants. Not really seeing any reason to deny Jack his desires, the team quickly agrees. They then head out to acquire the necessary ingredients to Jacks big plan.

==The Run==
Suspecting that the candy will be the easiest thing to acquire, [[Dr.Trauma]] calls [[Rev. Toby Newton]], asking for a potential sweet supplier who is willing to swing a deal. The Reverend is happy to help, identifying a potential contact at a local Stuffer Shack, who is happy to unload several cases of lime candy that is close to it's expiration date. [[Dr.Trauma]] quickly agrees, as the quality of the candy seems to be the least of their concerns.

[[Zombie]] has a lead on a potential source of bodies, paying a visit to the somewhat unstable [[Mindy Dahnerhardt]]. After some sensual innuendo, and even more sensual negotiation they manage to convince Mindy to hand over several intact corpses. Promising to visit again, [[Zombie]] returns to the group, with a sly smugness to their expression.

Sweetie Sinful just happens to know a guy, by the name of [[Zombie Process]], that could prove a valuable lead for awakened individuals. Calling him up, she explains the situation. [[Zombie Process]] agrees, but only if Sweetie can provide someone capable of punching his teeth in, in an underground fight club scene. [[Zombie]] immediately offers the opportunity to fight [[Mack and Hack]], as a potential twofer. [[Zombie Process]] agrees, and sets up a location for the fight to take place. At the fight club, the ring contains three opponents; Mack, Zombie Process, and a newcomer introduced by [[Kenneth "Flamesaw" Murphy]] by the name of Irene. Irene, dressed in her standard panda shirt powers up, as the Adept that she is and quickly takes the lead against her two opponents. Mack is definitely not looking so hot, and after two rounds, is almost done for. [[Tahki]] takes the opportunity to cast a force 12 Trid Phantasm, inspiring the crowd and confusing Mack's opponents. Declared the winner, Mack steps out of the ring, with a nod to the runners, while [[Zombie Process]] grudgingly give up the number to a potential necromage. Sweetie makes the call, and convicens the former member of the Nuclear Warlocks of Salvation to at least consider the job.

Deciding that now would be a great time to talk to [[The Weekender]], the team heads out to a remote bar where they are said to hangout on the weekend. Entering the bar after using Incubus Shroud to sway the bouncers, [{Zombie]] and crew enter to discover one bartender and two patrons. One of the patrons is obviously [[The Weekender]], The other patron, unrecognized by the runners is one Carolina Petrovski, political debutante and Humanis club leader, calmly sipping her whiskey and obviously annoyed by the intrusion. [[Zombie]] gets it into their head that their thirsty, and tries swiping the bottle from Carolina. She immediately responds by shooting [[Zombie]] in the genitals, dropping them to the ground, writhing in agony. [[The Weekender]] is amused by this, and offers to accept Jack's proposal is she can continue to abuse [[Zombie]]. The team agrees, and [[Dr.Trauma]] makes it even easier, by slapping a prepped Dehydration spell onto the downed runner. The screen fades to black, as the abuse continues, fading back in with the successful team riding away, with individual bottles of whiskey from Carolina to show her amusement.

[[Tahki]] calls her talismonger, [[Katherine Curran] and requests for a potential contact for more mages. Katherine is happy to help, offering up a number to the Merlins, a hermetic group that has strong ties to [[Finnigan Family]]. Sweetie makes the call, and after some social fumbling, manages to convince them to send a contingent to speak with Jack, and decide whether they can work with him and the other mages. Having completed the necessary steps, the contact Jack, who tells them to check back in with him the next day.

==The Run, Continued==
The next day, the runners get a panicked call from [[Pump King Jack]], stating that they are needed immediately at his base of operations to help defuse the situation. The runners head out immediately, arriving to a desolate wasteland of destruction above Jack's sewers, suggesting a fierce battle has taken place. Calling ahead to see if things are alright to continue, they receive the go ahead and head down. Jack explains that things were fine for about three hours, but the mages came to "creative differences" and started fighting. He hopes that the runners will be able to talk them down, and get them back on track. [[Zombie]] and [[Dr.Trauma]] head of to speak with Camilla, while Sweetie and Tahki, head of to speak with the Merlins.

Sweetie manages to approach Camilla without incident, who is seated on a grandiose bone throne, surrounded by several downed Merlins. Explaining that she has no time for idiots, Camilla flatly refuses to work with them. [[Zombie]] uses their considerable social talents to talk Camilla into at least meeting with the Merlins to discuss terms, while [[Dr.Trauma]] tends the wounded. Meanwhile Sweetie encounters the prideful Merlins, who also refuse to continue working with their hated opponent. Sweetie is quite verbose, offering an alternative to violence, to which the Merlins grudgingly agree. Finally able to meet without killing each other, the mages finally relent, agreeing to work together for the advancement of necrotic knowledge. Relieved that the potential nightmare has been at the very least pushed back a while, the team heads back to Jack to claim their just rewards.

==Aftermath==
Jack is overjoyed at the results, and happily hands over credsticks to the runners. [[Zombie]] and [[Tahki]] offer to help him further as he needs, and Jack quickly takes them up on the offer, suggesting that the "cause' needs roughly 20,000 reagents to be successful. The team then departs, unaware of what the have actually done...

==Rewards==
2,000 Nuyen

1 Karma

2 CDP

1 Starscreamers Reputation

For Zombie: High Pain Tolerance 1 @ Chargen Price

For Everyone Else: 7 more Karma

Tahki's Initiation Ordeal

==Game Quotes==

{{Gamequote|Asmodeus: Zombie, roll Negotiation for CBT. You get a +2 because it's beneficial for the Weekender.}}

==Player After Action Reports (AARs)==
===[[Tahki]]===
"Jack's back! I couldn't be happier. I was afraid that him being banished was going to end the fun, but apparently he managed to reform his nature and become the Spirit of Halloween. Now he's looking to spread the joy of terror, and he's asked me and a few others to help him do it. What's the big deal? An army of zombies marching through the streets of Sophocles, that's what. It's gonna be a blast!"

===[[Zombie]]===
"Fuck. Jack's changed, man. Like it's definitely ''him'' and that's real wiz but the guy... he's missing that spark. He's too restrained. Seriously, he wants to do ''one'' Halloween and dip out for the rest of the year? What happened to Halloween every day? And all this drek about non-violence, I mean come on. We're gonna avoid killing cops? On HALLOWEEN? I don't know what the hell happened to Jack but this ain't the spirit I signed on with. If he can't get it together... let's just say someone else is gonna have to take the initiative."