A Lil' Legwork Never Killed Anyone
| A Lil' Legwork Never Killed Anyone | |||||||||
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| Part of A Taint On Us All | |||||||||
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| Factions Involved | |||||||||
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ShadowHaven M0rd3K41 Zion | Knight Errant | ||||||||
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Cold Hands Delphi Ibis (Retired) Oathbane |
Chad Brent Chet Brent KE Officers | ||||||||
Summary
The gang tries to find and recover LB to help Zion and almost bankrupt her store in the process. They discover that something big is at play, and don't know what to do next.
Background
See Never Skip Leg Day.
The Meet
Delphi, Oathbane, Ibis, and Cold Hands meet with M0rd3K41 at his shop Trix & Treats. While most are contacted through fixers, Delphi is contacted directly because of her legitimate business dealings and prior relationship with the owners. The ask is simple: locate and return LB if possible. In exchange, M0rd3K41 offers 32k to be split across the team. Delphi, forgetting what morals are, takes M0rd3K41 on a wild ride of negotiating, and manages to coax him into agreeing to double the price in cash or triple the price in electronics.
The Trix Part
Between the team's matrix-capable members, the team searches for the information currently available on the web. They discover that:
- LB is a repo man for the Tamanous organization. He repossesses ware purchased on credit when payments are missed. He is known for summoning fire spirits and his grenade launcher.
- LB has a criminal SIN and tends to fly it unless working.
- LB's SIN was scanned mostly in his normal haunts except for a short period near E-Vue before disappearing. There was also a disturbance at E-Vue in that window.
The Club
The team heads down to E-Vue, where the team does some recon. Oathbane meets with their contact Brodie J who is inexplicably awake and sober. He informs the team that he did--in fact--see LB the night before, confirmed that he was meeting with Shadow Runners. Brodie J MAY have name-dropped Babylon in the process. Cecelia Cross makes an appearance barefoot and in a good mood until Oathbane avoids physical contact; Cecelia now believes there's something fishy going on. The team, aware that LB met with runners but without knowing where he went next, decide to go investigate his apartment.
The Apartment
When they arrive at LB's apartment, gleaned from the matrix search, they find the doorframe splintered and the door swinging open; police caution tape crosses the door. Delphi ducks under the tape and enters. Inside, she finds a detective taking notes, and she sends the rest of the team outside to not get caught as well.
A creepy exchange follows, and Delphi manages to bribe Chad Brent to not report her presence and "accidentally" let her see his notes. There, they discover that LB has been arrested and booked at a precinct just across the border into Fort Lewis.
The team waffles on whether or not their job is done, but decide to check in and see if they can nab LB from the precinct. With some good luck and creativity, their SINs are cleared as they cross the local borders and head into the precinct.
The Precinct
When the team arrives, the precinct looks as if a small fiery explosion has been detonated in the facility. The carpet, furniture, walls, and ceilings are all scorched. Pieces of paper and trash in bins is burnt. Potted plants are withered.
Ibis and Cold Hands enter, pretending to be a woman and her elderly family member. Inside, the two ask to report a crime, noting a low-stakes robbery. They're initially going to be dismissed from the scene, but--with a little nagging--get interviewed. Chet Brent, owner of a glorious if slightly singed mustache, takes their statement. The two runners weave in questions about what happened, but are lied to by Chet during the exchange. Cold Hands manages to pick-pocket a pen, and Delphi psychometrizes it in the parking lot. She is met with a vision of LB's arrest, seeing the gnome in mage cuffs and a mage hood, then an astral rift opening in a blast wave. A massive entity unlike any spirit Delphi has encountered exited the portal, picks up LB by the head, and tosses him in the portal. The KE agents fire upon the entity, but to no effect. It roars, ducking into the rift. A second blast wave erupts as the portal closes, burning Chet Brent's beard from his face.
Aftermath
- Zion and M0rd3K41 take out a private loan to pay the runners. I’m sure that there’s nothing bad that’ll happen there.
- Zion trusts that Delphi will bring LB back from--whatever shadow realm he’s in. Will stop trying to contact him or get more support as that might bring heat to him as he’s laying low from the cops.
Rewards
Gear Option
- Up to 48k in electronics because Delphi's mean.
- 2 CDP
- Limit of 16 (except agents up to 18)
Traditional Payment
- 16k cash.
- 4 karma.
- 2 CDP
Optional Contacts
- M0rd3K41 @ loyalty 2.
- Zion @ loyalty 3.
- Chad Brent (Delphi only) @ loyalty 2/2
- Chet Brent (Cold Hands only) @ loyalty 2/3.
Game Quotes
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Cold Hands
"Independent contract work outside of a fixer is always a bit of a risk, and there were a few places where this run could have gone south. As it turned out, though, the team found what they needed to without me having to draw my sword - always a win in my book. The many applications of magic to investigation was eye-opening. In many ways, this run was a reminder of how much I needed to polish my skills outside of combat."
"As underwhelming a man as Chet Brent is, at the least he seems to be the more honest and well-meaning of the brothers. He also had a very strong mustache."
Ibis
"The haven is a strange place. Former Tamanous Repo-men gnomes with 'anime eyes' used to be among its number. I don't appreciate being looked at like a freak but I don't suppose I can't fault one for doing such a thing. We will see what the future holds."
Delphi
Well. That was something. I never knew how to feel about LB - certainly don't appreciate his line of work - but Zion seems to think he's a good guy and I've seen him in action enough to see that he wasn't all bad. Certainly didn't deserve this drek happening to him. Frag, I'd try to go after him to whatever metaplane he got sent to, but I don't even know where I'd start. Suppose we'll just have to wait and see what develops from this.
Oathbane
I always wanted to wield magic but it's always a terrifying thing to go on. and now I got the deal with some pesky rich brat thinking I'm doing something with her boyfriend when I'm really not into him he's just a friend to me nothing more. well good luck to LB