Syndicate Synergy
| Syndicate Synergy | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||
| Factions Involved | ||||||||
| ShadowHaven | Shotozomi-rengo | Eighty-Eight Triad | ||||||
| Strength | ||||||||
| 7 Yakuza, including two lieutenants | 7 Triad members, including a red pole and a straw sandal | |||||||
Summary
Worried about the influx of Tempo, two local crime syndicates hire a team of shadowrunners to help them conduct a peace talk.
Background
In the early 2070s, a bioengineered awakened drug known as Tempo flooded the streets. It was both extremely popular and extremely dangerous, and as international authorities cracked down on production, it only became more valuable. Crime syndicates and street gangs fought highly destructive wars over it. In Seattle, two notable participants were the Shotozomi and the Eighty-Eights. A decade later, these factions remember their losses and want to avoid similar bloodshed going forward, but there are agitators in their ranks who want to see blood shed.
The Meet
The syndicates' liaison requested a meeting at a neutral location in Bellevue at 10 AM. The shadowrunners found their way there independently, meeting no resistance. Gathered together, a yakuza lieutenant and a triad straw sandal explained the situation. Perceptive, the shadowrunners noticed there was more trouble than they were letting on; they got the sense these lieutenants did not have full control over their respective camps, and they decided to negotiate for more money. This strategy paid off, as without a united front, each faction was willing to pay a little more so as not to be outdone by the other. The team found this agreeable and set out to organize the conference.
Ellie had to request some time off for the job, and her manager allowed this only on the condition she make a music video involving cooking and singing. She agreed.
The Legwork
Moth called her syndicate contact - her papa, King Midas - to ask for any known dissent in the ranks of the Eighty-Eights and the Shotozomi. It turned out that Eighty-Eight red pole Wen Hong and Shotozomi lieutenant Igarashi Hiroshige were unhappy with the peace talks, with the former easily agitated due to pain over losing a brother in the Tempo wars and the latter likely to agitate because he wanted a war with the triad. Jenny called both clients to ask for what information about this dissent they would be willing to give and their preferred approaches. They each agreed it would be best to keep these two separate as long as possible, in order to prevent violence between or within each group.
Ellie and Hydro prepared to film the music video to satisfy Ellie's manager, as Moth called in favors for thaumaturgical and physical security, from The Steward and Heavy Metal. Captain Boomerang prepared to summon a spirit to assist thaumaturgical security and crafted several powerful alchemical preparations in case something went wrong. Jenny provided instructions for creating a Faraday cage from materials at a hardware store, which would be installed in the meeting room to prevent online interference during the talks. She also found Wen Hong's P2.1, where it turned out he fancied himself a model and had several professional-quality shots recently posted. Jenny did a little hacking and talking to stir up interest in his modeling career so that he would be distracted with social media popularity instead of any agitation that the yakuza lieutenant might be planning, which worked out well.
The location was set at a fairly nice abandoned restaurant in neutral territory - a safehouse arranged by Moth, and the necessary modifications were made. The music video turned out very well, though the team decided not to release it until after the talks, for opsec.
The Run
When the scheduled time arrived, both factions arrived in entourages of seven. The team had excellent cooking skills at its disposal, and it successfully prepared a good meal, with Captain Boomerang as the lead on the cooking, assisted by Moth and Ellie. The negotiators were covertly checked for weapons, offensive magic, and hack-capable hardware. They were cleared without incident. Moth moderated the negotiations while Captain Boomerang acted as security for the room. Hydro stayed hidden, keeping a covert eye from above and AR-tagging things of importance. Ellie entertained the yakuza guests who were not participating in the talks, using her supernatural peace to prevent any hostility from arising. Jenny Glitz kept an eye on the triad, capitalizing on her social media influencing to keep Wen Hong in a good mood.
The talks got off to a rocky start, but ultimately concluded peacefully. The team's social, technical, and professional skills had succeeded in engineering a productive exchange.
Aftermath
The clients were pleased with the job and paid the shadowrunners as promised. Time will tell if this peace lasts as Tempo returns, but these syndicates are off to a good start for less destruction down the line.
Ellie's music video went on to be popular on a national scale, and she became famous in the UCAS!
Rewards
Rewards:
(Not Ellie):
- 16,000¥
- 8 Karma
- 2 CDP
- +2 Triad Rep
- +2 Yakuza Rep
(Ellie):
- 16,000¥
- National Fame
- 2 CDP
- +2 Triad Rep
- +2 Yakuza Rep
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Hydro
I feel like the Haven's babying me a little, all I had to do was sit around, nod, and watch people from my catwalk net. I liked this job though, and I got to work with Ellie. I wouldn't mind more like it.
Captain Boomerang
I got paid 16 grand to sit there for a few hours. And I think I made my best ever prep. Shame it got wasted on increase reflexes when it could have been on like... a real spell. Great job planning on everyone's end. Wish I had been able to contribute more, but, I like to think my presence was a deterrent in some cases.
Jenny Glitz
I think I must've hit the big time, 'cause I've never seen this much jing in one paycheck. I'm gonna use it to get a better deck. This toaster's holding me back - I could've been fried if there'd been any cybercombat.
Moth
Moth here. This was my 20th run. This was a good team. Folks who are willing to take the time to plan and do good legwork, so we can pull off the job quietly and cleanly. I think I had the most experience of the group setting up a safehouse and arranging security for it. I've done that for other runs, and in my work for the Laesa Syndicate. Papa had valuable information about the political situation in the other syndicates. He also let me know that the best outcome for us, the Laesa, in the drug trade was to avoid a full alliance between the Yakuza and the Triad over Tempo. I was able to use my role in the negotiating room to subtly steer them towards neutrality - avoiding a gang war, but also avoiding a full alliance. I appreciated that Ellie listened to me about how to do her singing/cooking video so that it created the least risk for the security of the run, and for the other runners. I'm impressed by what a good cook Boomerang is - he, Ellie, and I could definitely work together to cater parties for the haven with full meal service. Jenny had some great ideas to increase security and to distract the Triad agitator, Wen Hong, from his anger by boosting his modeling career.