The 0th Law of Thermodynamics
| The 0th Law of Thermodynamics | |||||||||
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| Part of The Metroplex Governor Race of '84 | |||||||||
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| Factions Involved | |||||||||
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ShadowHaven Mel Jones the Queen of Bones Crazy Eight Hez-kukra Rich Powell (Sorta) | Ares | ||||||||
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Thunder Surtr Smiling Warrior Alkaios the Cretan Chófer |
Theresa Hickman Lia MacDonnel Rich Powell Alec Shu-lin Yvonne Smith Rian Campbell Clever Owls Whirling Waves | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 1 Clever Owl | |||||||||
| Surtr gained Criminal SIN. Alkaios the Cretan burned Edge. | |||||||||
Summary
A run in which the team is hired by a foolish racist to secure a green box in the heart of Tacoma's law enforcement division. Director Hickman's ship is run clean, and even a scared Sec-Rigger can't stop the air-tight security of Ares Storage Facility 4.
Background
Aaron Thomas Smith, a nephew to one of Falkner Graves' handlers is a corp kid five years past a meaningless college degree and coasting on nepotism. He despises everything different from himself, hard work, and holding genuine moral concviction. He is tasked by his uncle and party (The Archconservatives) to hire a team, the more expendable the better, to secure some old evidence which could be used against them. This evidence is a special artifact, preserved by Members of Graves' administration for the use of Brother Thomas Nesmith, the Pariah cult leader.
The Meet
The runners meet in the barrens, in a two story building missing it's roof. "Like a god came down to open a can of pringles."
The Johnson is improfessional, displayed on a trideo screen (though actually just in the basement of the same building), and inexperienced. The team easily strong-arms him from a lowball price to a more genuine offer, though they are dissappointed to hear his meager information at hand.
The Plan
Scouting involves Smiles as a bird, and Chófer squeezing a microdrone through the meshed vents. The location is secure, three floors above ground and one below. The team begins to become acquanted with the workers here, and their clashing attitudes and interpersonal drama. Director Hickman is chewing out her 'family', Rich Powell, the head Sec-Rigger of the location.
The team uses their security information and general knowledge to deduce the fullness of the site's security. It is unlikley to have genuine holes, and certainly has a strong magical component. A failed Search power confirms this, as Surtr's Ghost turns up nothing but a feeling concerning the green evidence box. The final piece of setup is tracking down Rick Powell, to forcibly turn him double agent! This goes suprisngly smoothly, compared to the rock solid main job, and Rick is easily made to do some of their bidding. The team learns key information from this, such as Lia MacDonnel being an ex-Lonestar spider who had been forcibly extracted, and that her family is being used as a tool to control her (they have been kink-bombed). Ultimately, the best Rich can do is not get in their way.
The Run
Thunder and Alkaios enter the facility in prepared Knight Errant garb, with KE fake SINs (burners). They come to check in on a package for urgent movement! The receptionist, secret Aspected Sorcerer Yvonne Smith, checks out their story, and is just barely convinced to bring them into the secure area in the basement. In the basement, she calls Alec, the head of Security, to bring out the item. He does so, though he is more directly suspicious, and orders Smith to do a SIN check, which seems to pass! He is sated for the moment. The standard guards down here are easily fooled, not being quite as intuitive.
On the outside, Chófer operates her drones, while Smiling Warrior and Surtr martial their magical might. They each summon a spirit to great effect. Unfortunately, the tight security of the area (A-zone) combined with the magic-finding FAB Sensors at play rat them out quickly as a consequence! The silent alarm triggers, and the entire complex is put on edge in an instant!
Combat Ensues.
Despite valiant efforts, Smiles is hit by a strong spirit Fear and Surtur is Engulfed while Alkaios and Thud keep their cover as long as possible. Chófer is far enough away physically to be relatively safe, and stays that way! With the con becoming more and more difficult, Alkaios pulls his cosmic weight to get him and his dear friend out to freedom.
Surtr is processed and branded a criminal, and sent off to a facility. The route, however, is not only partially guarded by our pair of Troll (Minotaur) "Officers", but it is ambushed! Alkaios' cosmic fortune allows Hez-Kukra to track his location after he hears of a job gone wrong! The Sons of Sauron ram their box truck into the transport, and make quick work of the remaining real guards. Alkaios is relieved! But first, they save their friend. No man left behind.
Aftermath
Surtr is marked as a Criminal. (Gain Criminal SIN)
Hez does not know the job was originally ill-intended, and sees this as a valiant attempt to spit in the face of Knight Errant! His respect grows for the three runners he helped secure. (+1 Sons of Sauron Rep, team may take Hez as a contact or increase loyalty if they have him already)
Alkaios loses some of that purity, and some of his drive (Edge Burned).
Rich Powell is in trouble with his Wife.
Theresa Hickman proves herself a more than capable Director of the Tacoma Storage Trio.
Rewards
Choose one of: Hez-Kukra OR +10 CDP (5 RVP)
Choose one of: Personalized rewards OR +7 Karma (7 RVP)
> Thunder & Alkaios: Alibi & 3 Karma
> Chofer: Steely Eyed Wheelman & 5 Karma
> Surtr: Tough as Nails (Stun) & 2 Karma
> Smiles: Natural Athlete
Alkaios may purchase Hez's loyalty to 2 (optionally, for normal price)
Mel Jones the Queen of Bones exists (Surtr may purchase her for -2 CDP)
2 Karma (2 RVP)
4 CDP (1 RVP + base 2)
Total Positive RVP: 15
Consequences
Alkaios burns 1 Edge.
Alkaios and Thunder pay 2,500 nuyen for R5 burner SINs (-1 RVP)
Surtr pays 800 nuyen (Crazy Eights easy service)
Surtr gains Criminal SIN negative quality (-20 RVP)
Total Negative RVP: 0 to -20
Archconservative party loses 1 point in The Metroplex Governor Race of '84
Game Quotes
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Thunder: Short version: A job gone bad!
We met up with Johnson who wanted us to retrieve a green box from a storage facility. Slice by slice, the job turned out to be a heist on the Knight Errant on their home-turf in their facilities. I don't know why I didn't decline the job. The feeling was bad from the beginning. And it got worse. Virtually no background information. High security. A crew that lacked critical skills and network to help out. In retrospect, it feels like racist Mr. Johnson planned to set us up to watch some Meta Humans get killed. Surtr certainly got his share of violence from some guarding spirits of water which drowned him unconscious while he got shackled in the ordeal. We were so close. We almost had that green box in our hands, but yet so far away. We were out numbered and our wits outsmarted.
That Johnson better stay clear from us in the future. He's got an angry lot of Chummers who survived the Knight Errants wanting to eat him alive (literally, some of us probably would if presented a chance).
After the dust has settled, I have to admit it was quite a learning experience.
Surtr
Hey guys, currently in jail after being swallowed by water spirit. It would be super cool if you could come break me out. I got slapped with my first ever REAL SIN, too bad its a criminal sin. Uh, yeah, it would be super awesome if you could break me out. They said they're gonna transport me in a truck so maybe if you could free me so I don't die in prison that would be super cool. Sucks about the mission and that we failed, but uh... yeah, please don't leave me here.
Alkaios the Cretan
I don't know what to say. I'm not used to failure. But, beyond that...I have the boy now. There's a kid who relies on me, sitting at home. A home I had to rent for the kid's sake. Now I'm sitting here, in the dark, while the boy is laughing in the next room watching his cartoons. What the fuck am I doing, running? I almost didn't make it back home. No. It isn't right. I gotta find some other way to make nuyen to support my kiddo, some way where people aren't shooting at me or spirits trying to swallow me whole.
Chófer
"well this could have gone better honestly but good thing i didn't get behind bars again.. i prefer not being in those if possible, also i need to prove my equipment"