Pavement of Good Intentions

Pavement of Good Intentions
Date 2086-03-07 GM Villiers Location Toronto, Ontario, UCAS Status Threat Level: Medium
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven Violi Mafia Family	Commisso Mafia Family, Golden Pagoda Triad
Anansi Backseat Samael Short Circuit	{{}}
Casualties and losses
0

Summary

The runners travel to Toronto to investigate the brutal assault of Alain "Al" Levant, an activist digging into bid-rigging at the Bureau of Procurement. Their search pulls them deep into the city's tangled underworld of competing Mafia, Triad, corporate and government interests to uncover who was behind the attack.

Background

Maria Violi, an insider in the Violi Mafia family, hires a team of runners to uncover the truth behind the assault of her fiancé, Alain "Al" Levant. Al had been giving lectures on corporate social responsibility in Toronto while publicly raising concerns about bid rigging within the Bureau of Procurement. The list of suspects is as dangerous as it is broad—rival factions like the Commisso Mafia Family and the Golden Pagoda Triad, along with powerful figures at Langton Enterprises and within the Bureau itself.

The Meet

Anansi, Backseat, Samael, and Short Circuit arrive at the Bellevue Hilton for a meeting with Maria Violi. She offers the team 20,000 nuyen each to investigate the brutal beating of her fiancé, Alain Levant. According to Maria, Alain was attacked two days earlier on the University of Toronto campus by two musclebound assailants. She believes the assault was a direct result of his investigation into corruption within the Bureau of Procurement.

Maria names four high-profile individuals she suspects could be behind the attack: Antonio Commisso of the rival Commisso Mafia family, Li Chuan Fa of the Golden Pagoda Triad, Walter Langton, CEO of Langton Enterprises, and Nancy Kowalski, Director of the Ontario Bureau of Procurement.

Anansi negotiates for better terms, and after some back-and-forth, the team secures 21,000 nuyen each, along with a promise of goodwill from the Violi family—and from Maria herself.

The Plan

Armed with a list of suspects, the runners dive into their legwork—digging into the backgrounds of the named individuals, the power structures of their organizations, and the broader political landscape in Toronto. As they fly into the city, Maria arranges for a local contact to assist: Slick Willy, a Violi Family associate with eyes on the street and access to information about recent underworld payouts.

Upon arrival, the team plan to split up to cover ground quickly. Anansi and Short Circuit decide to head to the University of Toronto to investigate the scene of Alain's assault, looking for witnesses, security footage, or any overlooked evidence. Meanwhile, Backseat and Samael meet with Slick Willy to trace any unusual payments or hired muscle that might tie back to the attack.

The plan is to regroup and begin probing the various strongholds, fronts, and meeting places tied to their suspects—working their way through the city’s criminal and corporate circles to uncover who ordered the hit on Alain Levant.

The Run

Day 1

Upon landing in Toronto, Anansi receives Alain’s bloodied shirt—worn during the assault—and uses assensing to uncover a psychic imprint of a witness present during the attack. With help from a summoned spirit, she tracks the witness to a nearby apartment complex. Short Circuit scouts the building with a drone, pinpointing the exact unit. Anansi performs a Mind Probe, learning that one of the attackers wielded an extendable baton.

Meanwhile, Backseat and Samael arrive at the No Tell Motel, a sleazy front for drug and sex work run by Violi associate Slick Willy. After handing over a credstick provided by Maria, they ask Willy to dig into which local hitters recently got paid. The pair then regroup with Anansi and Short Circuit at the University of Toronto.

At the scene of the assault, Anansi’s assensing reveals a vision of Alain being evacuated by DocWagon aerial medivac. With little left to gather there, the team moves on to their first target: the Eclipse Lounge & Grill, a Triad-controlled hotspot. Backseat enters alone, posing as a fresh immigrant looking for work. He manages to get a seat at a table with Triad boss Li Chuan Fa and his crew. Through careful conversation, he confirms the Triads likely weren’t involved in Alain’s beating. The team wraps up for the night—Anansi, Backseat, and Samael check into a hotel, while Short Circuit opts to sleep in the car.

Day 2

The runners begin their morning at a popular breakfast spot frequented by employees from the Ontario Bureau of Procurement. They spread out and eavesdrop on conversations. Backseat overhears a group of accountants discussing an ongoing audit. He discreetly plants a bug on one of them. Later, the team picks up chatter revealing that procurement bids are being tampered with—some disqualified, others priced out—by an external hacker.

With the Bureau now on their radar but not a priority, the team heads to Soranno’s, a Commisso Mafia-affiliated restaurant. Anansi strikes up a casual conversation with a group of Commisso soldato, asking outright about Alain. Surprisingly, they speak well of him and deny any involvement in the attack.

That evening, Slick Willy sends a message: he’s found some likely suspects and asks the team to meet him at the motel the next day.

Day 3

The runners stake out an eatery popular among Langton Enterprises employees. Sitting near a group of managers, they overhear grumbling about Edmund, the CEO’s nephew—an unqualified newcomer who keeps winning bids despite clear incompetence. The team connects this to Alain’s investigation into rigged contracts and decide to dig deeper.

They locate Edmund’s residence, break in, and find a commlink with a message from someone named “Bobby Ray.” With no proof Edmund personally ordered the hit, they leave to meet Slick Willy.

At the motel, Willy introduces them to three freelance goons he’s lured in under the guise of a drug deal. One of them, Bobby Ray, matches the profile—and carries an extendable baton, just like the one used in the assault. Under pressure, Bobby Ray confesses: Edmund Langton hired him for the job and even joined in on the attack himself.

Backseat calls Maria and delivers the full report. Satisfied, Maria thanks the team for a job well done.

Aftermath

Maria is satisfied with the runner's work, arranging a separate team to carry out reprisal against Edmund. As for Bobby Ray, she instructs Slick Willy to send a clear message—arranging for the thug to receive a brutal beating as payback for his role in the assault.

Rewards

Rewards for "Pavement of Good Intentions" Medium TL 13 RVP

20,000 Nuyen (10 RVP)

1,000 Nuyen Negotiation bonus

3 Karma (3 RVP)

2 CDP (Base)

+5 Faction Violi Family

Optional: Maria Violi C4L1 (4 RVP)

Optional Backseat: Innocuous (5 RVP)

Optional Anansi: First Impression (11 RVP) or Social Chameleon (7 RVP)

Game Quotes

Amusing quote from game.

Player After Action Reports (AARs)

Anansi - "Well that shit stain got off easier than I would have let him. I guess the she really just wanted to send a message?"

Samael - "Toronto is a bloody mess of influence, violence, reprisal, gang violence, and drug trade. So, a northern Seattle and ripe for more work. Brilliant."

Backseat - "No shots fired and managed to not piss off any of the crime families. Mission success in my book. Nice city as well so I'm sure I'll be back."

Short Circuit - "Yeah, was a job alright—but the team was full of long sleepers and ‘uh, not on my coat’ types."