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[OOC] New Beginnings-Horizon

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Mercy Merchant

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« Reply #540 on: <12-29-14/0154:45> »
Mid 72 through mid 75 I was an enlisted infantryman in the 75th Infantry (Rangers).  Went on to the Military Academy for four years and them served my commissioned time in Fort Lewis and Fort Richardson, with some mini tours scattered about in between, plus mandatory schooling.  I got out as a Major in 92 during the drawdown after Desert Storm.  Never served in a war zone, although my name was on the lists several times.  It seemed that I was always being reassigned and then two or three months later the old unit went to a combat zone.  Happened for Granada and Panama and Desert Storm.  I saw lots of time with foreign spec ops units from England, Germany, Canada, and Belgium.  I did some cross training with the 10th Special Forces and the 82nd Airborne, but always preferred to be a Ranger.

So if you have any combat tours under your belt, you have done more than I.  I was ready to go, but you went.  I still salute you.
"Speech"  *Thought*  <Matrix>

Crossbow

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« Reply #541 on: <12-29-14/1045:45> »
Combat Zone is a relative term, I was what they called a FOBbit.  Never left the base, worse yet I was an Aviation Tech, they kept us real safe, back with the Air Force guys :).   Closest I came to danger was indirect fire launched over the fence of the airfield.  I tell folks that I was more worried walking to school on the south side of Milwaukee than I ever was in uniform.

I remember Fort Lewis, my son was born there.  I also remember running Ranger Hill and that airfield more than a few times, though not fondly.  Had a friend stationed there you might heard about from your time there, he wasn't a Ranger though so I doubt you crossed paths.  He was involved in a big drug thing on the base that got him put out.

Crossbow

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« Reply #542 on: <12-29-14/2154:29> »
Snow

Name: Yelena Petrovna Talinovsky
Alias: Ophelia or Snow
Race: Elf
Sex: Female
Nationality: Russian
Lifestyle: High (3 Months prepaid)
Karma Spent: 0/0

Physical Description: 1.7m, 56kg, silver hair below waist, violet eyes, killer figure, great complexion, nice teeth, various Russian mob tattooes on her back and chest that are cleverly disguised with decorations so that non-Vory would have to look hard to notice the mob markings.

Personality/background Yelena Marinova Talinovsky was born in Vladivostok, Russia in 2023 to Elven parents.  She slid from the womb a bare ten minutes before her sister, Olena.  Her mother, Marina, has told her many times that she is marked for something special, as Elves do not normally have twins.  From birth, she was part of three families.  Her immediate family consisted of her parents, Marina and Petr, and her sister, Olena; her parents were part of the EVO corporate culture; and her father was a mid-level soldier for the Vladivostok bratva, an arm of the Vory, or Russian mob.

She grew up with a large extended family of "uncles" and "cousins" that she had no blood ties to but were always dropping by.  As a result she grew up steeped in the traditions of Mother Russia and the Vory.  Her life was nearly idyllic.  In a time when many of her kind were seen as freaks, her family was insulated from that by both the Vory and EVO Corporation.  She received a good education and proved to be a bright, if energetic child.  She and her sister were blessed with uncommon good looks and her father was frequently ribbed that he would need to keep the shotgun close to the door.

The reality was that no one would dare harm either girl as they were part of the bratva family, and no one crossed the bratva.  Both girls were enlisted into work at an early age, starting out as runners then gradually moving on to greater responsibilities.  At 12 both girls were formally inducted into the Vory and were given small medalions to commemorate the event.  Yelena still wears hers, always.  It is the only thing she will never take off, not for exercise, not for sex, not for anything.

She got her first Vory Tattoo at 15 and has added several more since.  She fully embraced the Vory and the local bratva and was provided training and opportunities for advancement.  And the Vory came to be far more than just an organization; it was family.  Her loyalty to the Vory has never waivered.  She demonstrated a high aptitude for computers and coding and the bratva found her employment with EVO, where she received additional training.

But training was not all she received.  The corporation coughed up a large amount of nuyen for a high-end commlink implant and good software, and taught her how to use them.  Her features caught the eye of the corporate VP of Client Services and she was taught how to take advantage of her looks and personality with the intent to seduce, have sex with, and gain information from various clients.  Her Vory bosses emphasized that this would fit into their plans and she accepted the new lifestyle, becoming a Corporate Hostess.  The perks that came with her new job included a high-end apartment, a car with driver, first-class flights to various locations, and access to specialized software she could use to mine information from the clients.  She was on the payroll, but allowed to keep any "gifts" the clients gave her.  She relished the feelings that came with the power she had over the men and women she was told to seduce.  A number of her clients were foreigners and she learned a smattering of Cantonese, Japanese, and English so as to be able to carry on a conversation, although that was not the asset that most of her clients were interested in.

One of her long-term assignments was the head of a hospital.  She was visiting the woman at work one night and observed  instances of emergency care and something resonated within her.  She went to her Vory and EVO superiors and they agreed that this new aspect could be useful and had her begin the training necessary.  As in other things, she learned quickly, gaining knowledge in emergency first aid as well as some surgical techniques. 

In everything she did, her loyalty to the Vory has remained absolute and she was rewarded with the position of a ranking member.  This rare recognition comes with perks of its own, which include access to Vory contacts worldwide and the acknowledgment that she is a valued member of the family.  She bears tattooes that would identify this status to the international Vory family.

Her sister Olena had gone a different route.  She, too, had been trained to use her physical attributes for the Vory, but her loyalty strayed.  She began taking the odd client or two, then more.  Repeated warnings did little to bring her back into the fold and she was in danger of being punished severely.  Her father managed to pull some strings and hed her sent in exile to Seattle, UCAS, where she could start over.  After that, her father publicly had no dealings with his wayward daughter.  But Olena and Yelena kept in touch.  When Yelena shared Olena's letters, her fatehr always seemed angry and told her not to continue the correspondence, but that was always after the letter was finished and he seemed to forget the instructions by the time of the next letter.

Then Olena went silent.  She failed to keep the informal schedule she had with Yelena.  Casual questions to the Seattle bratva yielded no information other than that Olena had been working as an escort and prostitute and had been moving into a rougher crowd lately and then simply disappeared.  For those involved in any sort of organized crime, this usually meant that the girl was dead.  Still, she had been Vory and justice was demanded.  Normally, a male direct relative would be sent to seek justice, but Petr's health was not good at the time and the bratva bosses decided to send Yelena.

Yelena's status within the Vory has allowed her to make good contacts within the Seattle bratva and she has picked up leads that might indicate a wider conspiracy involving vanishing Elven girls.  Also, she has maintained a solid relationship with EVO and they put her in touch with their corporate "problem solver" in the Seattle branch.  She has settled into a high-end apartment with one of Olena's casual friends and has embraced the escort life in an attempt to trace her sister's journey.

As for personality, while normally outgoing and friendly, she can be whatever is required.

Attributes

Body  Agility  Reaction  Strength 
2  5  3(5)  1 
Charisma  Intuition  Logic  Willpower 
6  4  4  3 
Edge  Magic/Resonance  Essence  Initiative 
3  NA  4.55  7(9) 

Positive Qualities
Made Man

Negative Qualities
Lost Loved One
Mysterious Implant, Unknown
Mysterious Implant, Unknown
Poor Self Control - Impulsive (Gambling)
Records on File (EVO)
SINer

Active Skills
Electronics Skill Group3
Influence Skill Group2
Hacking4
Medicine4
First Aid5
Perception2
Dodge3
Pistols4
Pilot Ground Craft1

Knowledge Skills ( [Logic + Intuition] x 3 free points)
Criminal (Vory)5
Gambling2
Fashion2
Nightlife2
High Society2
Sex Techniques4

Language Skills
RussianN
English4
Sperethiel1
Japanese1
Cantonese1

Cyber/Bioware
CyberwareEssenceCostNotes
Implanted Commlink.22000¥Transys Avalon
Sim Module.22000¥
Hot Sim Module.25000¥
Datajack.1500¥
Smartlink.11000¥
Synaptic Booster (level 1).5 (BIO)80000¥+1 to Reaction and IP
Image Link.1500¥
Reaction Enhancer (level 1).310000¥+1 Reaction

Commlinks
Model/Operating SystemsCostAccessories
Transys Avalon/Novatech Navi 6600¥Skinlink Subdermal Mic
Renraku Sensi/Renraku Ichi 1600¥ none
Renraku Sensi/Renraku  Ichi 1600¥ none

Programs (35200¥)
Common (All Rating 4)
Analyze
Browse
Command
Edit
Encrypt
Purge
Reality Filter
Scan
Hacking (All Rating 4)
Armor
Attack
Decrypt
Exploit
Medic
Spoof
Stealth
Track

Gear
Medkit 6600¥
Medkit Supplies x 550¥
Armor Clothing  4/0500¥
Executive Suite Blouse/Skirt/Jacket 5/21700¥
Moonsilver Cocktail Dress 3/15000¥
Moonsilver Evening Gown 4/17500¥
Moonsilver Shawl +1/0500¥
Ares Predator IV w/ Internal Smartgun System350¥
Defiance Protector300¥
Custom Ceramic Light Pistol1500¥
Taser Darts x25125¥
Regular Ammunition x80150¥
Concealable Holster (Taser)75¥
Concealable Holster (Heavy Pistol)75¥
IDs and Licenses (All Rating 4) 8800¥
Fake SIN - Ophelia Martin w/ Fake License for Ares Predator IV
Fake SIN – Jane Smith w/ Fake License for Ares Predator IV

Contacts
Contact   Description   C/L
LuAnn (Pixie) Geller   Escort   3/3
Morris Baker   Gambler   3/1
Nickel   Hacker   1/2
Phil   Cab Driver   2/2
Robert Parsons   EVO Corporate Fixer    2/2
Sasha (Vlady) Kosigin   Pimp   3/2
Vory Group   Organized Crime Syndicate   8/4
« Last Edit: <01-09-15/0742:36> by Crossbow »

Crossbow

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« Reply #543 on: <12-29-14/2158:20> »
Snow's 20 Questions

• We are shaped by our heritage. Facial features, skin tone, height,
build, metatype, even aptitudes are influenced by the genes
passed from parent to child. Attitude, too, is taught by parents,
informed by their own lives and their cultural heritage. Where
does your character come from, what is her lineage, who were
her parents, and what did she inherit from them?

 
Ophelia was born Yelena  Marinova Takinovsky.  She is/was the older of twin daughters of Marina and Yuri (Vashka) Takinovsky.  Her birth city is Vladivostok, Russia.  Even though Elven, her family was afforded an almost equal status in that city and she grew up steeped in the traditions of the Motherland.  She inherited her mother’s eyes and striking looks, and her father’s stubbornness.  She also inherited the desire for justice and vengeance.  Both parents are still living in Vladivostok but the fate of her sister, Olena, is in doubt and is why she is in Seattle.


• Parents can be proud of their children or regret ever bringing
them into the world. Some are loving, and some are indifferent.
All of them are only metahuman and have their own opinions
of their children. Assuming they could speak, what would each
of your character’s parents say about her?

 
Yelena grew up in a loving household, or as loving as a family deeply entrenched in the Vory, the Russian Mob, can be.  The Vladivostok  bratva was like an extended family to her and she grew up respecting the codes and being groomed for big things.  Her parents loved both daughters, but Olena broke the code and started seeing someone from outside of the bratva.  Olena was forced to watch her young man die and she was not the same afterwards, even though she toed the line.  She began arguing with the family and acting out.  Yuri finally had enough and had her sent to Seattle to get her out of Russia and give her a chance to have a life.  Her parents never talked about her after she left, but Yelena always knew they still loved her wayward sister.  Yelena was the darling daughter and her parents were never prouder when she was selected to attend medical school.


• Many people remember certain historical events for the rest of
their lives. For those alive in the first decade of the 21st century,
it could be the assassination of John F. Kennedy, or the
Tiananmen Square protests, or the fall of the Berlin Wall, or
the attacks of 11 September 2001. People remember where they
were, and what they were doing when they first heard of these
events. Shadowrun history has significant events as well, such as
the assassination of President Dunkelzahn, the Crash 2.0, and
the emergence of technomancers and artificial intelligences.
Pick a few events from recent Shadowrun history and ask where
the character was at the time, what does he remember about the
event, and what was he doing at the time?

 
I am a foreigner to these shores, but the so-called Seattle Mob Wars of 2058 resonated even to Russia.  When the mafia succession crisis erupted and drug the yakuza into it, the Vory was happy to see it.  The Seattle bratva was ordered to stay on the sidelines and try to pick up some of the pieces.  Sadly, the boss at that time was not smart enough or quick enough to do more than sit on his drekking butt.  The result was that the Vory did not get stronger and the boss of the bratva in Seattle was “replaced”.
Who was not affected by Crash 2.0?  The effect was felt everywhere, even by the megacorps.  EVO, already a patron of metahumanity, was far more able to react to the emergence, but still, the event shook the world.
 


• Very few people choose to become shadowrunners. More
likely, they are thrown into the life by a chaotic and uncaring
world. Even if she made a conscious decision to enter the
shadows, her decision is influenced by the world around her.
How did your character get into shadowrunning, and why did
she take that path?

Olena had always managed to keep in touch with Yelena.  Yuri was openly very angry about this, but only after Yelena shared the latest news.  Marina was the one who kept things together as a family and quietly encouraged Yelena to stay in touch with Olena.  Olena had taken to the Seattle life with a real intensity.  She was apparently living a classy life of men, fancy clubs, and money.  Every letter was full of the great things she was doing, and sometimes even named names of people she was hanging out with.  Then the letters stopped.  Just stopped.  No warnings, no indications of anything wrong, just nothing.  Yuri contacted some Vory people in Seattle and learned the truth.  His daughter had been lying all the time, well about most things.  She was indeed going to high-end clubs and spending lots of money, but that was because she was a hooker.  The local bratva said that there had been some troubles with one or more of her clients and she just disappeared.  That usually means that she was killed, but there was no body.  By tradition, it was up to the family to send someone to find out what happened and get justice and revenge.  Yelena was selected to go over.  She gave up her budding medical studies because this was about family and honor and Vory.  She travelled to Seattle and set herself up as Ophelia and began to live Olena’s life as a means to find out what happened to her.  She learned that she had to move in dark shadows and began to cultivate the contacts and experience that would help her.


• People have control over their own living arrangements. From
the child young enough to use crayons and tape all the way up
to the elderly shut-in who plasters her walls with family photos
and cat pictures, everyone makes their living spaces more personally
pleasing. What is your character’s living space like, and
what has he added or changed to make it his own?

I was fresh from Vladivostok and looking for a place to stay while I began my search for Olena.  I wandered through her life in Seattle and caught up with a pretty human by the name of LuAnn Gellar.  She used the name Pixie, and she knew Olena.  Olena had gone by the name of Valeen here.  Pixie had only known her briefly, as they were both in the same business of “escorting”.  She told me that Valeen had dropped out of touch a bit ago and that she was worried.  She turned me on to some contacts that she hoped were helpful.  She also mentioned that her roommate had just packed up and left and wanted to know if I needed a place.  She gave me directions to her apartment in Lower Queen Anne Hill and I went over to look at it.  It is a bit high-end, but the site is good.  I moved in and she made me feel right at home.  It is a large apartment with a great view.  It came furnished so I did not have to add any furniture, although I have added some personal knick knacks I have picked up.  One of the rules is that we do not bring our clients home, so this is our space.  It is strange having space that is not shared by family.


• Everyone has beliefs, and many have beliefs strong enough to
be convictions. Some are religious, some are political, some are
social, and some are just about why people are here. What does
your character believe in, what are her convictions (if any), and
why does she hold them?

Yelena believes in the brotherhood of the Vory and has made contact with the Seattle bratva.  The Vory is about family, but on a larger scale than just her parents and sister.  It is the entire extended family, to include many people not related to her by blood.  It is a different kind of blood and goes much deeper than what “normal” people call family.  She is apolitical and amoral.  Her life is the Vory and she will do what is necessary to bring justice for one of the family, because Olena is still family, even if she tried to deny that.  Yelena has beuty, brains, and talent and she will use all of it to bring justice to the Vory.


• Everyone has aspects of their personality that grate on someone.
Even the best of friends annoy one another from time to time.
The flaws in a person’s character are as important as the qualities.
What do you dislike most about your character’s personality?
 
Yelena hates that she is falling under the spell of the bright lights of Seattle.  She has taken up gambling as a means to pass her time as well as cultivate contacts.  When in a game, she thinks of little else and that disturbs her.  Although she can control the urges for now, it is becoming harder for her to resist the call of the game.  That can manifest itself in the way she talks to people when she is caught up in the moment.


• The Sixth World is considered by many to be spinning out of
control. If anyone could exert control over it, it would be the
“Big Ten” triple-A megacorps. These transnationals exert a lot of
influence on everyday life in the 2070s. Which of the Big Ten
does your character hold in the highest (or least low) regard,
which does he like the least, and why?

EVO Corporation is by far and away her favourite.  The corporation is Basically Russian, is metahuman friendly and actively supports its Elven community.  It is also linked to the Vory and that is a big plus.  EVO paid for a good bit of her training, shelling out nuyen like water to support her early training as a hacker and then continuing with her medical education.  She has respect for EVO.  And respect is hard to come by.


• People make acquaintances and friends; we’re hardwired for it.
Humans are social animals. This is especially true in the shadows,
where often it is not the power you have, but the power you
can borrow, and not who you, are but who you know. There’s a
story behind each and every one of these relationships. What is
the story with your character and her contacts?

Contacts?  Hmmm.  Yes I have made a few.  Most are just nobodies or johns.  I need the johns to make money and I find the sex to be both relaxing and stimulating, depending on the john.  This was Olena’s world and someone here knows about her.  I will sleep with everyone in the sprawl to find out the truth if I have to.

LuAnn Geller, known as Pixie, is a professional high-end escort.  She knows Olena slightly, having met her a couple of times at parties. She has little information about Olena's disappearance, but has been able to give leads on various pimps and arrangers.  Her former roommate had just moved out and she was looking for a replacement.

Morris Baker is a leech on what remains of society.  He is a professional gambler, but has a steady position as a shill for various casinos and betting parlors.  He will lure people in with rigged wins then watch as they get sucked into a continuing downward spiral of debt to hard men.  Snow is one of those who is now addicted to gambling.  She realizes that she has a problem,, but gambling is compulsive.

Nickel is a small time hacker that is Snow's contact to the greater hacking underground.  His contact is suspicious of him because his motives are suspect, but he is, in turn, able to reach out to a greater number of hackers and suppliers.

Phil was driving the cab that Snow took when she landed in Seattle.  He recognized a mark when he saw her and offered to give her guided tours of the city.  Since Snow does not own a car or cycle, she frequently uses Phil and his cab to get around.  Over time, they have reached a common appreciation of each other.

EVO provided Snow with Robert Parson's name when she left Vladivostok for Seattle.  He is the corporate "problem Solver" in the Seattle sorporate office.  He is a former UCAS Special Forces officer who went freelance after leaving that force.  He has a good skill set for dark operations and has proven to be a relaible contact for those special and hard to get items such as Snow's disguised gun.

Sasha was once an EVO Corporate Hostess, but has left the trade for the private sector.  Snow has worked for the corporation long enough to suspect that Vlady is still on the corporate payroll.  Vlady helps line up high-end clients for Snow.  She also had minimal information about Olena, but has feelers out into the shadier side of the business in the hope of uncovering more for Snow.

An entirely new world opened up for Snow when she was promoted to her present status in the Vory.  Suddenly, she had access to material and contacts worldwide.  These include, but are certainly not limited to, the boss of the Seattle bratva and all of his advisors, soldiers, cops and politicians on the take, and other paid links to the Seattle sprawl.


• It’s Sunday morning, and your character has no commitments
until tomorrow afternoon. What does she do for the day?

Ophelia would roll out of the fancy hotel bed and look at the clock.  She will look over at the handsome human on the other side of the bed while she runs a hand through her hair and stretches.  The money had been good and the tip even better.  The man had actually been a pleasure to be with.  He had taken her to dinner and a play before returning to his hotel room for the obligatory sex.  Ophelia would tell herself that even that had been better than average.  As she swung out of bed and made her way to the toilet and shower, she switched on her comm link to see what was on her schedule for the day.  So far absolutely nothing.  She could relax and maybe enjoy the man in the bed a bit more.  He seemed nice enough and certainly was a good tipper.  It was too bad that he had to return to his strung out wife and antsy kids, but that was life in the sprawl.  Another day and another john.  She sent a quick message out to Vlad, <<Hey, good looking.  Nice contact yesterday.  I owe you one.  Feel free to send more like him my way.  Your cut is already deposited.  Ta.>>
 
Without much of a plan, she would go work out at the gym for a bit before going on a run.  She mentally grimaced at the thought of how much it would take to exercise off the food she ate last night.  She was thinking of going to the club in the evening to meet Stokesr.  He had messaged her last night that he had a game on that she just could not miss.  She angrily shrugged, this absorption with gambling was a weakness.  It had started as a way to get in tight with people who had known Olena.  No she had to remember that the name here had been Valeen.  It had worked, only it had also got into her blood and she was having a hard time shaking it.  So, yes, she would try to make it to the club for the sure thing game.
 
She turns on the shower and turns off the link.  She just wants to soak away her anger at herself and enjoy the nearly unlimited hot water that came with the expensive hotel room.  She smiles as she considers that the man still in the bed might be worth another tumble this morning and she would certainly get his contact links.


Crossbow

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« Reply #544 on: <12-29-14/2200:16> »
20 Questions Continued

• Your character has a specific skill set, a list of Active and
Knowledge skills that define what she knows and her areas of
expertise. How did she come to learn those skills, and how did
she develop them to those levels?

Yelena had always been a bright girl and the bratva had caught on quickly that a smart and beautiful girl was an asset worth investing in.  She had an aptitude for computers and quickly grew to be able to work on them as well as use them.  She was encouraged to learn skills that would allow her to hack into parts of the matrix that others thought to be secure.  Vory contacts inside EVO Corporation took her in and trained her to be even better. 
 
She was always very personable and quickly learned that many men will do a lot for a pretty face and a willing body.  The leap to women took a bit longer, but when she finally took the step she realized that women could be easier to manipulate in some areas.  She is completely bi-sexual but treats sex more as a tool than anything else.  It was nothing for the bratva or EVO suits to assign her to seduce someone for the secrets they might have.
 
She was even trained in some medical skills, compliments of EVO and the Vory, but that study was cut short when she was sent to Seattle.
 
She is steeped in the customs of Russia and the Vory.  She quickly learned the ropes with the Seattle bratva and how the whole “escort” business operates.  Olena (Valeen), had made poor choices in that area and had fallen into the clutches of a nasty pimp.  This was an error that Ophelia would not make.  As a side note, the pimp had been the best lead, but had proven to know nothing of what had happened to Valeen.  He seemed to be have questions about that as well, although his were oriented on how much she had cost him in revenue.


• Everyone has their limits. People can be dark, but most people’s
instinct is to draw the line at certain actions and thoughts, and
they keep to their own moral convictions. Is there a moral limit
that your character enforces on the jobs she takes, and in what
shadow work would she refuse to engage?

The Vory does not take lives without reason.  That is for the tongs and the yakuza and the mafia.  Any life is a possible source of information and/or income and is not to be wasted “just because”.  She would probably participate in almost anything that got her closer to her goal, but would draw the line at killing just because, especially children. 


• If you have an Awakened or technomancer character, consider
your character’s tradition and streams. Even within the major
established magical traditions and the recently emerged technomantic
streams, there is room for personalization. Ask yourself
what drew her to that particular paradigm, how does it effect
the way she views the world and her magic, how does it translate
into choice of mentor spirit or paragon, and how does it affect
the appearance of the spirits or sprites you conjure or compile?

Not Applicable


• While acceptance and bias vary from place to place, augmentations—
be they bio-, cyber-, gene-, or nanoware—are increasingly
common and available in the Sixth World. However, personal
technological enhancement is rarely cheap, and many implants
that runners possess are restricted. How did your character
come to have the enhancements she has, how were they paid for,
and what motivated the choices she made (if she did make
the choices)?

Sure I have an augment, who doesn’t?  Mine is a sweet comm link and was paid for by the Vory and EVO.  I was a rising star in their hacker training program, still could be, I suppose.  Those skills and my looks provided EVO and the bratva with lots of information.  Lots of top of the line software and a high end system and it is all buried in my skull.  I suspect that there is some secret mod that is designed to keep me in line or punish me, but I have never given either EVO or the Vory reason to do so and do not plan on it.  I volunteered for the implant rather than just the pocket one because it made me feel more versatile.  And there is no chance to lose it.

The combat mods came later, when I decided that I might need an edge in the big city. 


• Life as a shadowrunner is by definition outside the bounds of
“normal” life. Shadowrunners do not truly fit into the lives of
ordinary people, whether they live in slums or mansions. What
does your character think of ordinary life, mainstream culture,
and those who abide by it?

Ordinary life and mainstream culture are for chumps.  The Vory is what matters.  The Seattle bratva is a link back to home and is part of the Vory, but it is not her family.  She respects them and uses them, just as she is sometimes used by them.  After all, she needs things and they need things and sometimes one has to do favors to get favors.  But the entire Seattle sprawl life is not home.  It is not Russia, and it is not Vory.  Ophelia will use the culture here and find its weaknesses and use them to get her justice.


• Everyone has nightmares. Sometimes, we forget the dream
completely on waking. Sometimes, the nightmare haunts us or
even recurs. If your character had a lingering nightmare or a
deep-rooted fear, what would it be, and why does he find it so
terrifying?

Dreams?  Dreams are for chumps, too.  If she has a fear it is that she will eventually lose her way and fall victim to the gambling monster that is consuming part of her life and distracting her from completing her mission.   Also, while she enjoys sex with the men and women who pay her for it, she can see that this sort of lifestyle can be addicting as well.  Either of these could make her fail the Vory and that is the nightmare that cannot be driven away by the daylight.


• People tend to attach sentimental value to items in their possession
or people they are close to. They make an effort to
keep these close by and safe. What is your character’s “sacred
object” or “close one,” and how did they come to be so important
to him?

Yelena was given an amulet on a chain when she was twelve.  The bratva boss himself had given it to her and told her that she would have a future with the family.  Her parents had been so proud of her and she had been proud of herself.  She has kept that medallion and it is the only thing that she never takes off; not for sex, not for swimming, not for showers, not for anything.  A close second in the photo Yelena brought with her from Vladivostok.  It shows her and Olena in happier times.  She does not need it as a reminder of her mission, but it helps her to talk to her sister.


• One of metahumanity’s greatest assets is its ability to look toward
the future and imagine a better life. Even small children
have dreams about what they want to be when they grow up.
What did your character want to become when he was a child,
and what are his goals now?

Goals?  You ask about goals?  Living as the Vory commands is the goal.  But alright, if there is anything beyond getting justice it is this.  The Seattle bratva is not as well developed as the one in Vladivostok.  They seem to be mostly information brokers. While that is important, it leaves so much more for the yakuza, tongs, and mafia to control.  If she was given the chance, she would take over the local bratva and turn it into a true organization to be respected among its kind.  She might have to arrange for some muscle to be shipped to her, but first she has to prove herself to her own boss.


• A person’s appearance can say volumes about him. From fashion
sense, to the colors he prefers, to the way he walks and speaks.
Sometimes, his personality determines his appearance, and,
sometimes, the appearance he chooses to present the world effects
his personality. What does your character look like, and
what inspired his choices?

Ooooh.  You would need to know that, wouldn’t you.  She stands only about 5’6” tall and could weigh maybe 115# if she were soaking wet.  Her hair is a silver the hue of a shiny coin, or what used to pass for coins.  It hangs is a long braid down below her very attractive butt.  She has violet eyes and the natural figure that many simsense starlets would kill for.  She prefers to wear fashionable, high end clothing when working the clubs and escorting men and women about the nicer parts of the city, but she also has her less-than-chic clothes for clients that want to visit places where the cocktail dress is completely inappropriate.  She also has drekk clothes for the times she has to scrabble in the shadows.  Her preference is greens if possible, as that color seems to enhance her hair and eyes the best.


• Everyone has a name, but a runner’s street name is a representation
of his connection to the shadows. Sometimes runners
choose their own moniker, but more often it is given to them as
a nickname or earned through some (mis)adventure. How did
your character come to be known by his street name?

Ophelia was a moniker applied to her by her first john in Seattle.  He was absolutely entranced by her and wanted to leave his wife and live with her.  THAT would have been a disaster, but she talked him out of it.  She liked the name and kept it and fondly remembers him, even if the sex was only barely memorable.


Crossbow

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« Reply #545 on: <12-29-14/2231:05> »
Okay, that's done.  Moving you guys to the studio with the next post, stay tuned and if I don't post before then, Happy New Year!

HydroRaven

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« Reply #546 on: <01-06-15/0250:31> »
Sorry guys, I'm KO in bed with the flu. I will post later when I get better.
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Necrogigas

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« Reply #547 on: <01-06-15/0306:54> »
Get well soon, Hydro.
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farothel

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« Reply #548 on: <01-07-15/0657:50> »
Hey guys, I'm back.  Normally I should have been back on the 4th, but my flight from Male to Abu Dhabi got cancelled and I was stuck there for two days, followed by 36 hours of madness to get back home, all the time without internet to tell you I would be gone a bit longer.  But now I'm back and I'll be catching up in the coming day(s).
"Magic can turn a frog into a prince. Science can turn a frog into a Ph.D. and you still have the frog you started with." Terry Pratchett
"I will not yield to evil, unless she's cute"

HydroRaven

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« Reply #549 on: <01-07-15/0723:43> »
Thanks, feeling much better now, I'll be reading everything once again with a clear mind and posting something soon.

Edit: Clem will have Stick-n-Shock ammo in her handgun and normal ammo in her submachine gun.
« Last Edit: <01-07-15/0751:10> by HydroRaven »
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Crossbow

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« Reply #550 on: <01-08-15/0722:28> »
Okay, so basically the security situation inside of a studio building proper is a nightmare.  You have this huge open building with a few smaller structures inside (like your storage area)  which are usually away from walls, but not very far (10 to 20 feet).  The lighting is intentionally poor so that you don't have an ambient light creeping into the sound stage area.  Because the building is so big there are a dozen points of entry on the ground floor, almost none of which are monitored by personnel, though most are kept locked.

Perimeter security is where most of the emphasis is made.  That guard that checked your ID at the gate?  He is an important piece of the puzzle.  The fence around the area is well monitored.

This is not to say that security is lax, far from it.  The procedure seems to be one where penetration is no problem, but once inside, response to unauthorized activity falls like a hammer.  IDs are constantly being monitored and interrogated.  If you don't look like you know what you are doing or where you are going, someone will talk to you and you better have an good answer or you will be escorted out.  All of the important people have personal security, and they are the obvious and scary kind, not the subtle ones.

Basically this means you have to be ready to bunker up and defend this room if you are called on to do your jobs, but otherwise you are probably just here for show, so looking scary is not a bad thing.


Mercy, these are the stats on the rooms node.  The signal damping is on the walls of the room, NOT the outer building, so stepping outside the physical room is all that is required to restore normal comms.

Storage Room 8A Node
Sculpting: One blank white room with controls to
a heater/AC/humidifier system
Authentication: Web of Trust
Privileges: Standard
Attributes: Firewall 3, Response 2, Signal 1, System 3
Spiders: None
IC: None
Resident Programs: Analyze 2
ARC : None
Topology: Stand-alone node
« Last Edit: <01-08-15/0737:21> by Crossbow »

farothel

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« Reply #551 on: <01-08-15/0822:55> »
I just made something up on astral security, based on what I though was logical.  If it isn't, let me know as Sammy will know what astral stuff there is in a studio having worked there for a couple of years.
"Magic can turn a frog into a prince. Science can turn a frog into a Ph.D. and you still have the frog you started with." Terry Pratchett
"I will not yield to evil, unless she's cute"

Crossbow

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« Reply #552 on: <01-08-15/0830:38> »
The only thing I would say that would be different is that it is mostly 1 or 2 mages working overall security for a whole company.  The day to day stuff is done by watcher or ward, you probably were body protection for some higher up based on your skillset.

Crossbow

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« Reply #553 on: <01-09-15/0847:50> »
Okay, so as I have made painfully aware, at least for her, the group, OOC, should know by now that Snow is less a full blown Hacker and more of a Power User + with some really nice tech and GREAT line of bull.  ;)

Scanning for hidden nodes, like encrypting data (or conversations), is just not something she has had to do a lot of yet.  In game terms, she hasn't learned enough about Electronic Warfare to qualify for a skill point yet.  That said, she is not useless in this regard, like I said, her tech is REALLY good.

Putting the deck on autopilot for detecting the spydrones is a sure bet for her inside the environment of the storage room and she is smart enough to know that, it is just incredibly slow for matrix activity,

Depending on how you, the other players, want to allow your characters to respond to that, if you want them to notice, is up to you.  Though I will say that none of you have done much to show your characters to be matrix savvy.  Just the opposite IMHO :)

Thvor

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« Reply #554 on: <01-09-15/1015:59> »
Well, Sam doesn't do tech (due to his qualities), so he probably doesn't have a great sense for how long it takes to do these kinds of things. And, of course, the five-minute scan is going on while he's walking around the room counting drones, so he isn't in a good position to notice anyhow.
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