I Swear They are Normal Salamanders pt2
| I Swear They are Normal Salamanders pt2 | |||||||||
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| Factions Involved | |||||||||
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ShadowHaven Inari Ōkami Sypech Dr. Greenwill | Unitarian Recquizators | ||||||||
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Ty Vallynn Prince Pell Cold Hands |
Ex-Military Sniper Front-Line Rigger Toxic Mage Shadow Spirits Decker Grunts | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| OpFor Completely Eliminated | |||||||||
Summary
Seeking to finish off a loathsome Humanis group, Inari Ōkami and two allies contract a team of runners to capture or eliminate the head of the Unitarian Recquizators.
Background
After multiple encounters with runners, the Unitarian Recquizators - a violent Humanis group that targets anyone and anything that doesn't match their ideal image of human - has taken heavy casualties and is now fighting like a cornered animal. The runners are contracted for a high-risk, high-reward run in order to finish them off.
The Meet
The runners are called to a downtown arcology, a massive self-contained structure with over two hundred levels of residences and services for the ultra rich. On the way in, they note its top-of-the-line defenses, including unnumbered snipers and high force spirits. The prospective team is ushered into a room, where they converse with the Johnsons: a trio including Inari Ōkami, Sypech, and Dr. Greenwill.
The runners are told of the general location of the final remnants of the Unitarian Recquizators, who are now holed in a backwoods area of Snohomish. They are offered tiers of rewards based on the elimination of the leader: 10k for death without physical proof, 20k for a returned head, and 26k if the leader was captured alive.
After some discussion, the runners accept these terms.
The Plan
The runners learn that their target is a former military sniper augmented to the point that he was barely human. Their first step has Pell sending a search spirit into the region. The spirit soon runs into a foul background count before being attacked and defeated by two force ten shadow spirits. Before its elimination, the spirit identifies the opposing spirits as a Nightmare and a Wraith.
The upside is that the spirit narrowed down where the remnant Humanis faction was holed up. Research revealed it to be a mine dating back to the 5th World.
Through their knowledge and contacts with the criminal underground, the team learns that a wide range of parties have grudges against the Unitarian Recquizators. They tip off the Ancients as to the group's location, which results in a failed attack that results in many dead gangers but also the destruction of the shadow spirits and a weakening of Humanis' defenses.
The team then plans a follow-up strike with the Ancients, having a second wave of gangers serving as an Anvil to the runner team's Hammer. Before the team launches their attack, Prince makes contact with the Triads, taking advantage of Pell's positive reputation with them. The runners also rope in their assistance for the final battle.
The Run
The runners pile into a Triad Ares Roadmaster and ride into battle, summoning spirits. They spot the glint of a distant sniper on a far ridge and forewarn the driver, who manages to veer away from the incoming fire. However, the manuever brings the Roadmaster to a halt some fifteen meters away from the cave entrance.
Pell gets into cover and immediately launches her summoned spirit at the sniper, while preparing to trade long distance shots with the team's target.
Cold Hands also leaves the vehicle, throwing a thermal smoke grenade in order to cover the team from sniper fire. Both runners immediately come under fire from Steel Lynxes, who are guarding the entrance to the mines. Meanwhile, conjured shadow spirits rush out to attack both Cold Hands and Pell's spirit.
Prince emerges to gun down one of the spirits, then takes cover against return fire from the Lynx's. Ty sends his air spirit to also harry the sniper, while returning fire against the Lynx's with a machine pistol from one of the Roadmaster's gun ports. The sniper continues to take shots, doing heavy damage to the vehicle and one of the spirits assailing him.
In the midst of the chaos, a toxic mage emerges and recklessly launches a radiation ball, firing blindly into the thermal smoke. It melts an entire squad of triad goons, but the drain causes the toxic mage to keel over.
Seeing an opportunity, Cold Hand charges into the cave in order to engage the Rigger behind the Lynxes. She encounters a front-line rigger, one wielding an impressively massive hammer. They engage in a fierce duel, with Cold Hands parrying powerful blows and countering with nerve strikes.
Outside, the number of combatants dwindles as spirits de-materialize between fighting each other and defensive fire from the sniper. Both Pell and Prince line up impressive shots against the sniper, while Ty's air spirit electrifies the target.
Inside, Cold Hands' duel with the rigger comes to a conclusion. After avoiding a hammer blow, she launches a nerve strike that fully paralyzes the rigger. As the man topples, he offers an honorable acknowledgement of her victory and deactivates his Lynxes.
One final shot from Pell downs the target, and the runners have a spirit rush a trauma patch to the target in order to catch him alive.
Aftermath
The Unitarian Recquizators were eliminated in detail, their leader delivered to a vengeful Inari Ōkami alive. The Triad and the Ancients were left to vie over the remaining loot and control of the 5th world mining complex.
The runners are well-rewarded for their efforts.
Rewards
Nuyen 26k (RVP 13) Or 52k in gear rewards. Japanese imports. Guns, Cars, Foci 18 avail and below. 3 Karma (3 RVP) 2 CDP
Ty get +1 loyalty with Inari Okami
Optional Contacts:
Dr.Greenwill at 3/3 Sypech 2/2 Inari Ōkami 5/2
Game Quotes
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Cold Hands
"This was likely the most dangerous run I've been involved in thus far. At times, it felt like I was participating in a military skirmish. The sniper posed an ever-present danger even before we got into range, and I was lucky that our team had members who could both use spirits and fight effectively at range."
"The Humanis forces were diminished well before we got there, but their strength was still impressive. This was my first encounter with a front-line rigger, whose skill with a great hammer would sorely test many a street sam. Ultimately, he revealed himself to be an honorable opponent. A pity about his choice of employer."
"After freeing the prisoners at the complex and eliminating a dangerous splinter group of Humanis, I feel much better about the run than I normally do with wetwork missions. Context matters quite a bit, as it turns out."