Abraham, Where Art Thou
| Abraham, Where Art Thou | ||||||||||
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| Part of Semantic Drift | ||||||||||
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| Factions Involved | ||||||||||
| ShadowHaven | Corrupted/Toxic Spirits | Unknown Decker | ||||||||
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Alkali Dango Lanky Wayfarer |
Guardian Spirits Nuclear Spirits | Unknown Decker | ||||||||
Summary
Renton breaks out into large-scale riots after the disappearance of a beloved and famed priest, and four runners are sent to figure out where he is and what happened.
Background
Rainmaker, a popular priest and savior of the downtrodden of Seattle, has gone missing. Rumors among the common people of the district of Renton seem to suggest corporate involvement. Riots have begun to break out within Renton, with law enforcement doing what they can to keep the rioters contained to varying degrees of successes and failures. While likely to not last for more than a few days, an unknown group wishes to stop the riots for continuing for its full duration, and have hired shadowrunners to find Rainmaker in hopes that it would settle the people.
The Meet
Dango, Alkali, Wayfarer, and Lanky all arrive near the border of Renton and Redmond, at Pine Lake, to discuss with their anonymous Johnson. The group approach, introduce themselves, and are given the details of the mission. Rainmaker has disappeared. He believes the man to have gone into hiding, though for what reason he doesn't know. The runners are tasked with finding Rainmaker and, if he is not of sound mind, subdue or eliminate him. The time limit is 24 hours. Somehow, this unknown Johnson and the group he is involved with has managed to get the local police to look aside from the group's activities if they state their runner names. Alkali begins to negotiate, and after some back-and-forth, is able to raise the payment they would receive from 20k nuyen to 25k.
The Plan
Stepping away, the group decides to investigate the areas where the priest is known to visit as well as the riots. For the sake of time, they split, with Alkali heading to the church Rainmaker created and was known to frequent while the others head to the riot near the southwestern border of Renton. After finding out where the priest is, they'll then make their way and ascertain the situation and adapt accordingly.
The Run
Astrally projecting, Alkali heads to the church, sleazing through its ward as he looked inside. Noticing two spirits, and being noticed in turn, Alkali asks as to the state of Rainmaker. Unfortunately the spirits seem to not know where, or at least unable to speak on the matter. They believe Alkali is a bound spirit, and ask for him to find his mage and return. Nodding, he stops astrally projecting and begins making way to his runner allies.
Meanwhile, the other three arrive at the riot and are let inside by police. Lanky climbs on of the nearby buildings and begins to get a view over the crowd. With Dango looking through their camera, the two are able to pick out odd activity. Specters, a wizgang, appear to be roiling up the riot while handing out molotovs. Being informed of this, Wayfarer lets the police know this. To which one of them pulls out a gun and shoots one of the gangers dead. As the riot begins to panic, some beginning to flee, others yelling louder, a few of the Specters head into an alleyway. Dango sends a drone out there to follow after them, and sees the gangers passing out preps. One in particular is given a prep and runs toward the police. As the rest of the specters are splitting up and running separate ways, Dango sends her drone to follow one of them and knock them out using an injector loaded with narcojet. Shifting back to the one running at the police, they begin pushing through a large crowd of rioters with what Alkali is able to recognize as some sort of area-based preparation. Luckily, Lanky is able to make him out and incapacitate him with a bola, though the prep is triggered and the spell Mob Mind is cast, causing a large portion of the rioting crowd to turn to the police and charge. At this, they retaliate with tear gas grenades.
With Alkali showing up near the later half of this, around the time of the gunshot, he brings up that he's found a lead at the church, and would like one of them as backup. Lanky is volunteered, but not before he and Wayfarer sneak their way around and pick up the unconscious specter member. Unfortunately, the two are recorded live by a nearby civilian, but with Wayfarer in FBA and Lanky stopping the feed, the two are spared publicity or notoriety. With the ganger in the back of a vehicle, tied up and blindfolded, Lanky and Alkali make their way to the church while Dango and Wayfarer stand by.
At the church, Alkali and Lanky are seen by what appears to be an angel, who asks what they are here for. Alkali explains they need to find Rainmaker. The angel asks one of the workers to call Rainmaker, and as he heads to the back to do so Alkali and the angel hold a conversation as to why they must find him. This discussion reveals that Rainmaker has been receiving a grim vision, though of what the angel was unable to expand upon. The worker returns, saying that the Rainmaker wasn't willing to meet with anyone at the moment. The angel begins to feel irritated, a strain in the bond between her and Rainmaker. Alkali is able to recognize this as an effect of great stress by their binder, and that this can happen as a mage descends into a toxic spiral.
With urgency, he holds her hand and pleads. He says that him and his group can help the Rainmaker, but it must be quick. The angel says she can't tell Alkali where, for Rainmaker has forbid it, but she can show it. Probing the angel's mind, she receives a location via astral topography. Southwestern Renton, near the border, in a theater. Alkali thanks the angel and DNIs the group, asking for Dango to pinpoint the location. Swiftly Dango is able to do so and the entire group makes their way.
At the theater, the ganger finally wakes up, and is interrogated on why they were doing this. While unwilling to reveal at first, they are soon persuaded to inform the group that they were told to by their boss, and that it was unrelated to the Rainmaker case. With questions answered, they convince the ganger to drink Laes as opposed to being shot, and dump them on the side of the street with a small note and enough credits for a bus ride home.
Sending a drone inside, Dango is able to notice two personas on the Matrix, as well as a number of spirits (2 guardian spirits, 2 nuclear spirits, and 1 unknown), 2 anthrodrones, and Rainmaker. He's speaking to himself about a vision of impending doom; something wicked approaches Seattle, and he is distraught as he knows not what to do. A lost angel, his voice booms across the stage. Alkali notices through the sensor that he appears to be praying, and that he appears to be teetering on the edge between traditions. At this, Alkali buffs the party up with his preparations and the group walks in through the front. Utilizing the priest's and spirits' focus on the main group, Lanky manages to duck down and sneak into the middle between the group, utilizing the seats of the theater to hide behind.
Alkali tries to get the Rainmaker to see reason, though is largely unsuccessful. As combat is all but guaranteed, Alkali DNIs the group to not kill Rainmaker as Lanky takes a preliminary shot into one of the nuclear spirits. During the chaos, Dango is able to notice that the drones' master was a third party. Unfortunately, they were unable to track this unknown individual down as the anthrodrones were swiftly destroyed in the midst of combat.
As the fight began to turn in the runner's favor, Rainmaker cast invisibility on himself and attempted to flee, dismissing his as-of-yet not fully corrupted. Wayfarer, however, was able to quickly grab and drag Rainmaker back to the group, and Alkali set to soothing his mind. While this happened, Dango looked through Rainmakers commlink. Browsing the history, they found that Yonder, the group they met in the CAS in Semantic Drift Ep 2 were in contact with Rainmaker. Additionally, Jackson had sent a message saying he was sending support his way - likely this was the decker with the drones.
Alkali proved to be successful with calming down and bringing Rainmaker back from the edge, and with that Wayfarer sent a message to the Johnson telling them the job was complete.
Aftermath
As the group began to make their way out, Alkali casts psychometry on the area. The theater stripped from what it used to be. A rancid stench, a rancid feeling. A creature made of hands, its form aberrant. The 'thing' whispers, though its voice is indiscernible. The vision fades... the theater is empty once more.
Rewards
Total Time: 6 hours
25k (Gear Rates on augmentations, weapons, and armor up to R18)
5 Karma
2 CDP
Game Quotes
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Decent night. After the last few gigs, a chance to work on the side of law and order was a treat. Good client. Could have maybe defused the riot better, but all ends well I guess. Jesus. Lanky
Wayfarer - "I am glad we were able to find this Rainmaker fellow. I hope he is able to return to a sense of normalcy and regain himself in full. Don't think this run could have operated well as it did without the others."
Dango - "The...easiest money I've made? I guess? Didn't really do anything. Still that's two weird Catholic runs in short succession. Can't be good for our resident Catholic-Guilt Maid."