Shadowrun

Shadowrun Play => Play-by-Post => Topic started by: gilga on <11-20-18/1848:12>

Title: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-20-18/1848:12>
Agency, about a week after the first paying job.

Arthur's gig was a life-line the first paying job for the team, and the performance was flawless. Yet, Halloweens are very dangerous which meant laying low for a while to cool down. Luckily, they do not seem to be actively looking for the team.  Unluckily, it has been a week of laying low and no client has approached the agency. After being bolted in the agency for about a week, and especially not taking the car out fearing that some Halloweener would tie the knots, the team is now pretty sure that nobody is after them.  Yet, they wonder how far the next paying job is, and with so much debt - each idle day seems like a terrible waste. 

This morning you have a team meeting, AM seems to be getting restless with the lack of action. After spending a week with the little woman, the team already knows that she has it worse than the rest, the last job barely covers her interest on the debt and her share of the rent - nothing more. Luckily for her, she is not one of the tax-payers in the group.  Technically, you do not need a formal meet - being stuck together for a week. Yet, AM returns with fresh coffee and chocolate flavored cookies, which is a good reason to visit the dining hall.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <11-20-18/1920:19>
Mato keeps weird hours. His sleep regulator means that he can get by with only three hours of sleep a day. He seems like a night owl, but really he can knock off at 4am and still be awake for sunrise at 7am. Mato has a perch at a window that looks out over the street. He seems to just... watch. Maybe he's keeping an eye out for Halloweeners, or maybe he's just studying Touristville as it passes by.

The mid-late September weather is starting to turn toward autumn. Some rain makes it easier to stay indoors for long periods of time. Mato goes on a self-improvement kick, talking MadCat into giving him an introduction to armoring while watching back-to-back trid shows about the basics of wilderness survival and sleight-of-hand. The latter come easily, given his cybernetically augmented agility. The survival tips make sense to him, but remain theoretical at this point.

He also sneaks off to a gym in Bellevue to get some exercise. He practices running on a treadmill without his skimmers, and then takes some swimming lessons. His cyberlimbs make him float like a stone, but at least they're strong enough to keep his head above water. Watching him swim is a bit like watching a blender spin as Mato churns the water in a brute-force approach to buoyancy.

He gets back from the pool and showers thoroughly, as the lingering smell of chlorine bothers his olfactory boosters. Exiting the shower, he smells soykaf. He follows his nose to find AM with fresh soykaf and cookies. Mato is inwardly delighted, having worked up an appetite at the pool. "What's the occasion?" he asks, taking a seat at the table in his fluffy pink terrycloth bathrobe.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <11-20-18/2238:13>
'Laying low,' it had such a better sound to it than 'being a recluse.'  Jawsey was so happy that he'd gotten the rest of the team to agree to 'lay low with him for a while.  It kept his lack of desire for going out stand out less.

It wasn't that he didn't have plenty to do.  The first day had been occupied soothing his cranky back and resting up from the strain of more magic than he'd been able to safely handle.  This had looked an awful lot like spending most of the day loafing in bed, but was driven by reasons of medicine rather than pure sloth.

The recovery day had given him plenty of time to contemplate the struggles he'd had with magic on the recent run.  It had been, frankly, embarrassing.  He wasn't claiming to be powerful, but he'd struggled to be able to to do anything with his magic.  Once he was feeling more up for it, he took advantage of their superior grid access to find far more information on magic than he'd read up until now.  A couple of days of reading and practicing had cleared him of some misconceptions on how the whole thing worked, and he fancied that his skill truly had improved.

But rather than stay focused on practicing the skills, his attention shifted to information he'd found on how to strengthen one's basic magical gift.  And so he started a series of magical observations and practices.  Astral atunement, studying one's own aura and how it met the broader astral, meditation, holding of mana, and more.  This had looked an awful lot like sitting on a pillow on the floor of his room.

After several days of this, he'd been more than ready for a distraction, so was glad of the opportunity to head to the common room, help himself to caff and cookies, and chat with AM and the rest.

"Figuring that it is time lay more highly?  Or is there some other order of business?"
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-21-18/0111:44>
Bobby had not been as confined as his chummers, thanks to the fact that he could go out in nearly any shape - as long as it wasn't his human one. Something curious had happened when he turned the boy into a puck. He had strained the very limits of his abilities to change form - and somehow transcended them. Not only had he reduced the boy's mass over the limit he thought he was capable off, he had done so partially against the boys will. Now he had found, during his nights out, that he could take the smaller shape of a house cat just as well as that of a grizzly - and he could turn a rat into a turtle even against that critters desires.

Mato's interest for armoring came at the right moment, as he now had to rework his critter armor, so it would expand enough for his new black bear form. When AM called the meeting, he had just stashed the last of his supplies - while practicing his Orangutan form. He still wore a pair of stretch pants an so made his way in ape form to the dining room. With the long arms it was no problem to grift some of the cookies from half the room away.
With the trode band on his head he asked through the matrix:
<<What's up? Time to start the shit flinging again?>>
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-21-18/0838:14>
AM seemed annoyed by the *dress code* of the house. "Mato please be more dressed the next time you come here, I can't concentrate like this... I am a woman you know" she said with a wink. She frowns when Bobby arrived as a great ape and just shrugs annoyed.  The meeting was getting stranger, and then she felt like an idiot for commenting on Mato's appearance when Bobby does not even arrive in meta-human form.

She replies to Jawsi, and addresses the rest as well  "We are still broke - and we need multiple paying jobs a month to get ahead. One of these days things will not work out so well, so we must have some redundancy.
Nobody knows we exist, except a few people asking for directions, and a homeless guy trying to squat in our garage. Nobody even entered this place looking to employ us. It is not that we are expensive, we are completely anonymous. We need a reputation. We should not just sit on our asses waiting for things to just happen to us, we need to be more proactive in finding employment."

Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <11-21-18/0903:33>
Jawsey sighed. Here is was, the need to go grubbing for work.  He knew that people tended to like him and that he could generally play them well, but this sort of thing still filled him with dread.  Probably because people with money were often people with power, and his experiences with people with power had largely ranged between malicious indifference on the good end to outright homicidal on general principle on the bad end. 

On top of which, he would like to focus on those exercises that were supposed to strengthen his magic.  It seemed like he may have to deal with meat space much more than he'd really like, and that meant being good at more than the astral side of magic.

But he was an elf, he was supposed to live a long time if he didn't get himself killed young, and a good mattress and hot showers made his body vastly more tolerable.  So grub for money he would have to do.

"Any ideas on how?  I'm sorry to say that it isn't something I've done much of yet.  I'd had a few bits of work come my way from people I know, but nothing on the scale that we need, mostly just astral scouting or overwatch."

Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-21-18/1009:10>
AM replies "We all have contacts that we can use, a favor here and there? Even some drek job is better than nothing. Perhaps some can network to us more into the kind of people that hire the like of us. There is Arthur our former client, we know that he deals with expensive, dangerous and desirable magical tarot cards... but he does not know that we know, to him transaction is over.  We do have some magical talent - and can perhaps help him acquire more cards - or perhaps he can network us to his employer or something. We do have some potential with the occult, I mean three of us are awakened for crying out loud. Arthur risked his son for that card - he must require some help in that department, especially after the danger struck so close to home.

Perhaps we can pressure him a bit, about the subject. We did save his child, he'll listen to us. If he does this crazy arcane shit then he may need our help with other manners as well, or at least can recommend us to one of his clients, or something... I don't have all the answers, but after missing out on a payment once, I can't just relax and read a book an experiment with my mojo... It took me two weeks to recover from the beating I was given.  she says, a bit shaken by speaking of that experience.

Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-21-18/1625:57>
Bobby returned to his normal form, hiking up his pants in the process: "Yeah, I hear you. The family is far from forgiving where debt is concerned. I forked over my complete share of this run to keep them away for the month, but I'm far from comfortable with our current situation.
I can ask Lysander and Livewire about work, but I don't expect much from them.
Captain Razak hasn't answered my call even though he was the one who suggested I join this outfit. Maybe we just need to do a bit of vigilante work - beat up criminals and steal their stuff. Those guys aren't particularly likely to go to KE or Lonestar about that."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <11-21-18/1642:05>
"We need a marketing plan!" Mato says with surprise conviction. He stabs the table with his index finger so hard that it leaves a dent. "My parents were corpers; my dad did finance while my mother did marketing. She did lots of these. You all remember the NanTek suite that High Plains Coding rolled out, right? The one that became the de-facto standard for generating nanoforge templates. No? Well that was her marketing plan."

He gets down to work. "We'll need a Matrix site. Nothing too complex; just a storefront for our capabilities and contact information. AM, you can do that, right? Jawsey can help you with translations. Let's get Japanese at least, Russian and Spanish next. We can put a basic analytics suite on our host to perform some site tracking, maybe figure out what content is resonating most with our potential customers. We'll need an outreach plan, something to get our name out there. I'll work on the strategy and metrics for success for that, so we can hold ourselves accountable. Bobby can..."

Mato casts a stray glance at Bobby, uncertain of whether he was going to be human, bear, ape, fox, eagle, naked, clothed, etc. Living with Bobby was weird. "... maybe work up some content on magical threat resolution."

Mato types furiously on his commlink, his cybernetically agile thumbs flying over the miniature keyboard as he records his thoughts.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <11-21-18/1656:47>
Jawsey keeps a vaguely interested and encouraging look on his face, to keep from gaping open-mouthed.  It seemed that Mato had hidden depths that Jawsey hadn't even thought to look for.  Maybe it was the 'ware talking?  Certainly there was so little left of the orc's aura that it was a bit of a challenge to even tell that he was alive.

Eventually he responded "Translations, certainly I can do that.  I don't know much about business plans -- or business in general -- but I'm willing to read over it all to proof-read and all of that."  He definitely figures that it needs review by someone who is not Mato.

"In the meantime, I will reach out to my contacts too -- there may be things that they didn't look to me for as an individual, where they might be interested in us as a group.  Some of those contacts are on the more magical side of things, who are less likely to look for us on the matrix."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-21-18/1726:50>
"Hm, I'm not sure I have any other threat solution to offer than beating the shit out of whatever threatens you. But if you want, we can make an image video with me playing some kind of dangerous critter that you heroically beat away. Then we'll just need an annoying jingle and lots and lots of tags that we place around the city to advertise our services: anyone getting close gets hit with our ARO and our advertising spot. Just have to make the video cool enough for people to watch it before filtering it out." Bobby replied. "In any case, I'd like to keep my ability out of the official records - it works best as a surprise."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-21-18/1933:49>
AM blushes a bit when Bobby changes into his human form again. Now she has to men in partial clothing in the room, but at least Bobby wears pants. She makes herself some soycaff and curses herself for not being confident enough to establish some dress code for what essentially became her home.

She shrugs "Criminals are people too you know... we don't always have a choice in what we become."
She is more open tot he video suggestion.
 "Well... It can work... Gangers would love it."

and is taken by Mato's buissnes plan.
I can certainly make a website or a digital front for us - perhaps multiple fronts for different clients. Kind of like a business card, crystalize who we aspire to be.  I like the magical threats section, I think that having such a site would help us approach Arthur regarding the cards. SINNers don't like to work with shady criminals. So appearing more respected has its merits."

#I changed her to blue so it is different from Mato's red.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <11-22-18/0007:29>
"Yes!" Mato enthuses at Bobby's suggestion. He snaps to emphasize his assent, which comes across as a metallic plinking sound of titanium-on-titanium.

"That is so wiz; I love it! You'll be like 'RAAWR!' and I'll be like 'YEAH!' It'll be just like that Regional Geographic trid, Man vs. Nature: The Road to Victory."

This idea clearly captivates Mato, who busily starts writing it into the business plan, his fluffy pink bathrobe shaking in excitement.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-23-18/0018:57>
AM said "Great, let's do a trid, but for the spirit's sake, get dressed or people will think it is a porn movie. " She said clearly uncomfortable with the situation.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-23-18/0129:31>
"I'm wearing trousers, ain't I." Bobby got up and stretched. He had eaten well in the last weeks and a thin fat layer had begun to form again on his body - which was good when you wanted to spend your time as lightly dressed as he did.
"I'm going full throttle and appear as a grizzly. I already know where we can film that: There is a dump half a block out from here. Besides rats and bussards their shouldn't be anyone disturbing us."
He went and picked up an armor jacket as well as a pair of sandals, making him look like a particularly militant hippie.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-23-18/1524:30>
AM frowns and says "I'll be in VR in my room while you guys prepare." she leaves.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <11-23-18/1707:50>
Mato isn't sure what AM is worked up about. So what if it's a porn movie? Maybe AM is one of those, whaddyacallit, prudes. Or maybe she used to be in pornos herself. She seems to carry some sort of big regret around with her, although Mato doesn't know what it is. He does know that she's in debt, and that porno actresses often have to buy themselves out of their indentured servitude. Or was he thinking of bunraku puppets? Either way, he immediately constructs an elaborate history for AM that nobody would really care about unless it involved something really unseemly, like animal husbandry drones.

He goes to get dressed, swapping his fluffy robe for his armor jacket before deciding that it looks too bulky.

"Hey, Jawsey, can I borrow your armor vest? No use having cyberarms if you don't show them off, ne? Don't worry if it's too small; it'll just make my arms pop that much more."

He grabs his ballistic mask, thinking it would look pretty boss, but then has a better plan.

"Hey, AM!" he calls out, before remembering that she's in VR. <<Can you work up some of that personality mojo? Maybe some of that salon magic too. I'm thinking some stubble, a mohawk, maybe sharpen the eyebrows a bit. We want to put our best face forward, ne? You can do that, right?>>
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <11-23-18/1749:47>
Jawsey might wince just a bit, but agrees "Sure, I'll contribute my armor vest.  Just try to return it intact, please."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-24-18/0048:52>
AM texts >> come to my room. 

Her room is meticulously clean, almost to the point that nobody lives there. There are no pictures on the wall, and her cosmetics are packed in an easy to deploy kit. It feels as if she could pack it all into her duffel bag within perhaps 10 minutes. She seems a bit less worked out now, perhaps it is the matrix that calms her - and perhaps it is the fact that he is dressed.

Mowak you say? Which color? would purple do?

She touches Mato's cyberarm and utters a brief prayer to her trickster mentor, that just loves disguises and preparation. The prayer was unnecessary for the spell, but she was not in a hurry. Mato's hair twisted, cut itself and dyed itself to the occasion. His fingernails cleaned and cut themselves as well, and the Mowak colored itself to the color he chose.

Now let's build up your confidence and charm, don't expect much as this kind of mojo does not blend well with augmentations, which you have plenty.

She touches his shoulder on his natural skin, and initiates the spell.

Then she has him seated by her mirror and makes final improvements with the cosmetic kit, and Mato looks much better. 



Fashion spell:
Fashion spell (http://orokos.com/roll/679569): 13d6t5 5
Chrisma spell: (-6 dice pool due to essence loss).
Charisma spell (http://orokos.com/roll/679572): 4d6t5 1
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-24-18/0518:36>
Bobby waits impatiently for the team to leave but looks at Mato after the makeover magic and says: "Hm, I think I could use that as well in bear form. Could make me look like a demon bear or something - Jetblack hair with red streaks."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <11-24-18/1200:43>
"Purple's good," Mato agrees. The process is painless, although the manicure felt goofy due to his titanium nails. It's almost like they tried to cut themselves but failed, although they were undeniably cleaner.

He dons Jawsey's armored vest, which is much too snug which makes it perfect. A pair of mirrorshades completes the look, which either looks impossibly wiz or desperately 2050s retro depending on your perspective.

"Demon bear is good," Mato nods. "I'm glad AM can do this; I don't think the salon would want to work on a bear, no matter how domesticated."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-24-18/1240:37>
"Eh, most of those male hairstylists are into bears - though probably not exactly into my kind.
Just don't forget that we are doing an advertisement for our firm and not a 50ies action series."
Bobby replied.

Once they had reached the filming location and Bobby had taken on the form of a grizzly - now complete with red streaks and jet black fur - the main difficulty was not to actually hurt Mato with his 400kg body. A roar from him cleared out a bunch of rats and cats that had been chilling in the area. Since he couldn't wear the trodes, Bobby had to write in the gravel to ask simple questions.
"WHAT NOW?"
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-24-18/1324:52>
AM used the fashion spell on site - using it on critters was within the power of the spell but she never thought of it as an option.  She is a bit intimidated by the massive bear even though she knows it is Bobby - and can see his aura and the spell.  It is still a giant bear, which now seems very much like some exotic paracritter.

She asks Mato "Perhaps you want to say a few words? Or do we just record the fight and add interviews afterward? I am saying because unedited scenes tend to be more reliable."


#OOC: sorry about the cut - definitely won't work on titanium nails. ;)
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <11-26-18/0114:09>
Mato kneels in the dusty lot to draw up a plan in the dirt, like a schoolboy improvising a sporting play.

"This isn't that hard; I took a class on it once. Actually, it was more like a documentary that I watched one night. Well, I fast-forwarded through parts of it but I read a summary. Or I skimmed it, sort of."

He starts to draw some pictures in the dirt using the crudest stick forms imaginable.

"AM and Jawsey can film on their commlinks. We want this to look like authentic footage; we don't want it too slick. Low production values are our friends. Bobby can chase some squatters around. Then I'll appear through the dust - get me in a good silhouette - and save the day. We'll get some action shots of us going back and forth; maybe Bobby can rake my arms with his claws. Actually, get my legs. You can shred these pants to tatters - they don't have as much armor - then we can write them off as a business expense.

"Don't worry too much about choreography; we'll edit it all together post-production. We can do a couple versions and see what looks best. Maybe Bobby pinning me down, with me holding his jaws open as they go for my throat. Maybe another with Bobby and me arm-wrestling - not literally - implying that we're strong as bears. Well, I am, at least. Then maybe another one of me leading Bobby away on a leash, broken and tranquil. Sounds wiz, ne? Null persp. Try not to mess up my hair."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-26-18/0148:11>
Bobby roared assent, causing Mato's hair to flutter a bit.

Then began the film shoot. Bobby came running along the main road - three times before he managed to move at a realistic speed, i.e. one that didn't look ridiculous fast.
Also he had to stop himself from chomping down on Mato for real. To compensate for the half-assed swipes he roared a lot and made sure to also hit a few car's sides to leave broad gauges in the thin plastic and steel.



---
Spending 2 Reagents to break the limit
Shapechange F6 Limit 8 (http://orokos.com/roll/679961): 15d6t5 8
B9 A8 R8 S9
Walking 16m/round, Running 64m/round
Claw/Bite DV 13P AP-1
Drain resist (http://orokos.com/roll/679962): 14d6t5 5
No Drain
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <11-26-18/1029:09>
Jawsey wasn't sure if he should be amused or horrified by Mato's enthusiasm for this project.  However since the ork at least had an idea of what to do, Jawsey affixed his vaguely encouraging face into place and did his best to help. 

"Cinema verite ... well my links do not have great cameras, so that will likely be the look that we get at least from my side.  Although the Blue Defender is what Knight Errant officially uses, so at least the recording from there may have that official - drekky look."  He set up both his Sony Angel and his "KE surplus" Blue Defender wrist-link to film the action, from slightly different perspectives.

Then he had a thought.  "AM, are there any security cameras with a view on this area, or even nearby?  Maybe you could harvest some authentic security cam footage of the demon-bear trashing a dumpster or wall or something?"

After that he mostly focused on keeping Mato calm and focused, when the inevitable difficulties occurred. "Don't worry, we'll do some more takes, this sort of stuff always uses a lot of takes."  "Don't worry, we don't have to use the footage where the bear drool fell in your eyes."  "Bobby, here's some water, drink and take a breather while we get Mato some new pants for another take."

He wasn't sure how much all of that helped, but at least it didn't seem to be hurting.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-27-18/0451:42>
AM said "well, there is always a drone or a camera within reach. I can work something out." She checks it closely with her deck and says "There is a pawn shop with a security camera not very far from here, or perhaps I can try to snatch a flying eye for a quick pro bono work"

The filming is undisturbed, though not unnoticed, about a half an hour in several street urchins carefully peek, too afraid to approach but clearly very interested in the violence.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <11-27-18/1205:30>
During a break in the recording, Jawsey asked the team "Do we want to advertise around here?  Not many people in this area can afford what we need to charge, but then again you never know?  For a small investment I could probably get our 'audience' spreading the word in the area."

Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-27-18/1507:10>
Bobby replied by crudely scratching into the ground "EVERYWHERE" while thankfully guzzling the water. It was getting hot - especially with black fur and having to concentrate constantly.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-27-18/1618:09>
AM says "It is a risk, but we do need people to know about us."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <11-27-18/1640:33>
Mato shakes his head. "We're thinking about it the wrong way. We have to be strategical about it."

He kneels in the dust and scratches what looks like a kitchen funnel in the dirt. "We got to move prospective customers through the purchase funnel. First you got Awareness, like they heard of you. That's the big, wide top of the funnel. Then you need Engagement, like they're willing to take action to learn more, like our Matrix site or calling us up. Then there's Consideration, where we've made our pitch and are in the mix with all the other PIs out there. Then there's Conversion, when we get the job." He taps the small bottom of the funnel.

"It ain't all the same approach all the way through; there are distinct strategeries for moving users through the funnel, ne? What you do to build Awareness is not the same thing you do to move someone from Consideration to Conversion."

He looks around the group to ascertain whether the team is following along. It would be fair to wonder what the hell the Mato family talked about at the dinner table while he was growing up. Evidently marketing plans.

"But first we got to identify our target market. Our demagographics. Ain't no one around here can afford us. Well, the syndicates, maybe. No, who we're after is the fatties across the border in Bellevue. We want their corporate accounts. They want us because we're hard men" - glancing to AM - "...and woman, living in Redmond. Redmond says we ain't cushy corpers. Redmond says we get our hands dirty. Redmond says we're a good value."

He stands and twists his finger in a circle to indicate the street urchins. "So we want the locals to know we're legit, so if anyone sounds them out they can say that we don't rattle, that we're watertight. That comes with time, but maybe we have to do some pro-boner work to keep busy until then." He looks to AM to confirm that he used the expression correctly. "But when it comes to paying customers we're looking southwest."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-28-18/0208:39>
She smirks as her inclusion, AM is anything but tough, fragile yes, delicate perhaps but she is perhaps the least physically imposing figure in any room that include people above twelve (and in some rooms that don't). She chips in"I'd expect Redmond to say that we are too poor, illegal and desperate to live anywhere else. Perhaps it is some of our charms as it is another way to say that we get our hands dirty, I get your point. So what would you do about the kids? Just ignore them?
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <11-28-18/1227:19>
"The kids are our street cred. They're the ones that will tell stories about us. I would say be distant and mysterious, like runners they see on the trids - presuming they have trids - but an argument could be made for social outreach. AM could cultivate a network of spies and informants. Watching out for us gets them a bowl of noodles. A useful tip scores them grub from the Shack. That kind of thing."

Mato stands and looks around, eyeballing the local Touristville businesses.

"The tourists are another opportunity. The rich folks coming up here to slum it, that's potential exposure. It's not your C-suite execs, sure, but never underestimate how much power even a middle manager has. They're climbing the ladder at work, they're stressed, they come here to blow off steam. Maybe then we hit them with some ideas for alternative solutions. Some of them will resent us as lawbreakers who don't fit their ideas for social norms, but those aren't the ones coming to Touristville. The ones coming up here are comfortable with the wild side, the ones who will think it's glamorous to hire PIs or runners.

"So, yeah, let's target the tourists. Maybe play guardian angel for one or two that find themselves in compromising situations. Sometimes a gang will get a rich-looking tourist liquored up, maybe paired with a couple escorts. Then they slap them with a gigantic bill for the evening because there ain't enough law up here to intervene on the tourist's behalf. The tourist will pay it, because they're so smashed they don't know better, or because there are a couple knuckle-breakers ready to perform small joint manipulation if they don't.

"That might be a good way to drum up some work, or at least get the word out that we're here to do business. And if we piss off some two-nuyen gangers in the process?" He shrugs, then juts his chin at the urchins. "Well that's just street cred in the making. Can't make an omelette without breaking some chorizo."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-28-18/1611:45>
Bobby managed to look skeptical in his bear form but nodded at Mato's last sentence. With clumsy paws, he scribbled in the sand: "Beat up Criminals, get paid twice."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <11-28-18/1652:37>
Jawsey used his link to order several cheap pizzas, a case of bottles of water, and a case of bottles of the enriched simulated orange juice that he'd grown up on.  He set the delivery to their house, since a back alley in Redmond was too sketchy even for a delivery drone. 

A few minutes after that he wandered towards where the street kids were lurking and called out “Hey, I need some help carrying food back here.  I need a couple of you who are strong, and a couple who are fast – the fast ones just follow behind and make sure I’m not doing anything to the others.”  He chuckled to show that he didn’t think he was much danger, leaning on his sword cane to make the point.  “Payment for this is just pizza and something to drink, but maybe there will be more in the future.”

After a couple of minutes he’d arranged who was coming with him, and he headed back towards the house, trailed at a distance by a number of the kids.  He got there just before the drone, and used that time to summon up a small spirit of man, appearing somewhat like a pre-contact native woman, but with a raven’s head.  Jawsey had her stay in the astral for the moment, and shortly the drone showed up.  He quickly confirmed his ID and his account, and extracted the food and drink. 

He gestured to the flats of drink bottles and called to his two helpers, both young orcs, “One box each.  You actually get them where we are going without running off with them, then you get food, and maybe more jobs later.”  Once they’d grabbed the drinks and edged away from him a bit, he had his spirit materialize, pick up the pizzas, and then float a meter in the air.  Jawsey grinned widely and observed “Of course, I wouldn’t suggest running off with the drinks.”  With that he headed back to the filming area, followed by the spirit.  Quick glances suggested that the orcs with the drinks were following, albeit at a fair distance, while some of the other street kids had disappeared. 

Back at the filming area he extracted one pizza for Bobby, one for the rest of them, and half the water and a few orange drinks.  Then he told the remaining kids “We are a group of private detectives.  People pay us to find things, people, information.  We’re tough, but we also notice things.  The rest of the food and drink is for you all to split up, but be sure we’ll notice who brawls, who hogs an unfair share.  Basically we’ll notice who we can trust when we need to hire someone for something in the future.  Feel free to tell people about us – the more business that comes our way, the more work we may have for you.”
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <11-28-18/1726:26>
Bobby scarfed down the offered pizza and guzzled one of the water bottles within a few seconds, then took a break by curling up in the sun. Of course he couldn't go to sleep without losing control of the spell, so he instead rested, trying to cool down a bit.
So he listened intently how Jawsey tried to convert the kids into his personal Bakerstreet Irregulars. He didn't expect this to work out too well. But it sure would be funny to watch...
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-29-18/0227:18>
Normally, street waifs would know better than to intervene with adults, but perhaps it is the Pizza or Jawsi's natural charm two are brave enough to approach for the drinks. One of them, a young or perhaps no more than twelve stands up straight and salutes. Despite his young age, he is a head taller from his human partner.

"The Pistons are at your service sir, happy to eat your Pizza. You are technically on our turf so..."

the other kid, shorter and less bulky - a human with dirty clothes and a pistol - an old one but an actual firearm. shush him whispering in Orz'et "Don't piss them off", he tries to correct it "What my second meant to say is thank you for the food and drinks.  My name is Boom, and my partner is named Trash. Thank you for the food, we will work for you if you bring more" The orc picks up what was left of the Pizza, and his friend picks up some drinks and the two carefully return within the safety of their little crowd.

Quickly but very quietly they retreat between the garbage heaps and ally's before someone takes their prized meal from them. 

The rest of the filming is unmolested, and AM even hacks a security camera to film the giant bear scares off a bunch of bums that sat by the pawn shop. All in all, you can summarize it as a good experience. Whether it brings work or not, remains to be seen.





Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-29-18/0711:31>
@Ginsburg You have been laying low for over a week, with no particular interest from anyone really. Gradually you become more comfortable in your place until one day you receive a message.  It is Mr. Gau the talismonger you frequent from time to time for reagents and foci. His text is a bit strange:

>> Ginsburg Hi, I am in a bind, I was tracking an artifact for a customer. Located the artifact and secured a transaction. Money for the artifact. Then some undesirables came by my shop and politely hinted that this deal is too hot for me and I should drop it.

I consulted with a friend of a friend, I definitely cannot afford to go ahead, but I cannot honorably back down and disappoint this particular customer. My point is, you were recommended by a friend that is experienced with this particular kind of problems.  I am willing to transfer some of my commission to you if you replace me in this transaction. If you are interested swing by my shop at your earliest convenience.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Lorebane24 on <11-29-18/1605:48>
It's shortly past noon when Ginsburg rolls out of his bed and folds it back into the wall.  His commlink is blinking, and for a moment he reaches to check it before remembering that everything works through AR now.  He slips on the pair of horribly, wonderfully retro aviators he picked up the other day, pops in his earbuds, and slips on the gloves he needs to operate this tech.  He reviews the message from Gao and a smile cracks on his face.  A gig at last.  It's been too long by a decade.

He steps into the bathroom and regards himself in the mirror.  You look tired, he thinks to himself as he looks over his slightly sunken eye sockets and cheeks that are beginning to sag.  He rubs the salt-and-pepper stubble covering his jaw, wishing he could grow it further, and runs a brush through his hair, wincing as he tugs out the tangles.  Satisfied that he looks sufficiently scruffy, but not too scruffy, he slips into a worn lined duster, the weight of the armored plates in the lining embracing him like a long-lost lover, and slides his roomsweeper into its holster.  He puts on an old Cubs hat, two crow feather sticking out from one side, and pulls it down tight over his forhead before heading to the metro to catch a train to Auburn.  He brings up a window and shoots a message back at Gao.  "On my way now."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <11-30-18/0935:23>
@Ginsburg Mr. Gau acknowledges texting >> Great will see you there.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-02-18/1521:00>
The video comes out quite good, as well as the website and the business card that Mato has paid for them to have. Jawsi has been spreading these with his contacts. Still nothing happens for about a week, but then unexpectedly one of Jawsi's contacts, Five Fingers Gao - calls with a job offer.

>>Jawsi Hi, I've seen that racist trog versus bears video, quite impressive - but honestly, I was rooting for the bear. What I am trying to say is that I have a job for both the troll and the bear.  I need muscles, Are you free tomorrow?
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Lorebane24 on <12-03-18/0119:09>
The following day (presuming Jawsy and team follows up)

Ginsburg stands on the corner across from the Double Lucky Curio Shop as he takes a long drag on his cigarette, savoring the flavor and grimacing as he notes he only has two left in the pack.  Real tobacco ain't cheap these days, and he's got expenses over his head.  He flicks the but before him and on his first step forward grinds it into the pavement and makes his way through the gaudy red doors of the establishment.  Jasmine incense hangs thick in the air and shrouds the entire shop in a curtain of thin smoke that crawls over the odds and ends displayed on rows of bamboo shelves.

"Gao."  He nods towards an old man with an impossibly wrinkled face, who is presently crumbling a dried scorpion into a small jar of liquid.  He looks up and furrows his brow.

"You know better than to interrupt me at work," he snaps with a voice like a bucket of rusty nails.  He gestures to the jar on the counter.  "This is delicate shit - this is science!  Not some trinket you'd slap together with buckskin and eagle feathers."  He snatches a T-250 shotgun from behind the counter and limps towards Ginsburg, using it as a crutch.  "Do you know what could happen if my measurements were off?"  He leans in, his face inches away from Ginsburg, and his arm jerks down.  The distinctive sound of a shotgun cocking practically echos through the shop.

The old man throws his head back and cackles, and Ginsburg looks away as the unmistakable stink of a century egg wafts from Gao's throat.  "Welcome, welcome!  Have a seat, you crazy ol' dandelion eater."  Ginsburg glances about, but no chairs are apparent.  Gao continues.  "I heard you were out.  Sloppy, getting yourself caught, but I guess you did well enough for me back when.  Hope you haven't missed a step, because I got a feeling about this job."

"Oh yeah?"  Ginsburg leans against the wall next to the door and tucks a thumb into his waistband.  "Guess that means it'll be interesting.  What are the details."

"Well, uh, I've purchased a little arcane curiosity.  Think it might have some serious qi packed in it.  Supposed to pick it up at an old Taco Temple, but there's been some chatter on the Matrix, and I'd rather send some muscle in my place."  He hobbles back to the counter and pops a lid on the jar, then starts browsing some old books.  "But the details can wait - I hit up another contact, one who hasn't spent the last decade behind bars, and they should be here soon."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <12-03-18/1722:45>
Jawsey had replied
>> Tomorrow is very short notice.  For most people I would say 'no.'  But for you, I'll get the team there. 

After a moment of consideration, he followed up with:
>> As you always tell me 'quick costs.  You probably don't want an angry bear and angry orc in your shop, so don't insult us by expecting a rush job from an exceptional team for a bag of soy chips.

While that risked being seen as insulting, experience suggested that it might in fact be necessary.

Then he started letting the team know, hoping that he could find everyone and get them there the next day.  They all needed the money, but one thing he knew was that you couldn't always trust people to behave in their own best interests.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <12-06-18/1751:24>
Bobby had assumed his human form again and was currently trying to get the weird magical makeover effects washed from his face. For now he looked like a stereotypical native on the war path.

Seeing the ARO notice for the new job, he stops his efforts and instead finishes dressing.
"Hey Jawsey, what's this new job about? Do you know the guy and does he have the cash?"
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <12-06-18/2125:46>
"Gao is nobody's idea of generous.  Or pleasant, for that matter.  But he's a good talismonger, and hopefully all that penny pinching means he has the money to pay us.  Him and his wife, actually.  I don't know much about the job, but he wanted 'the bear and the orc.'. Ah, i should mention to Mato that Gao is stupid-racist.  He's may need to have a good jold on his temper.[/color"
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <12-06-18/2135:14>
"What's a penny and why would you pinch it?" Mato asks. Beta explains. Mato nods, seeming to understand.

"So why would we want to work for a racist tacańo?" Mato asks. "If he specifically wants the ork then he's probably trying to frame us for something. And if he's cheap then he'll probably try to cheat us out of payment, or set it up so that he has grounds not to pay us."

Mato puts on his best snooty Johnson voice. "'I didn't want you to bomb the homeless shelter! I refuse to pay!' Boy, if I had a penny for every time I've heard that one!"  He looks to Beta for confirmation that he used 'penny' in a sentence correctly.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-06-18/2358:36>
AM apologizes "I am sorry, but I have some work I need to do for my creditors." She does not seem happy about it, as working for a criminal organization without the protection of the team is a bit troublesome for the fragile elf. "Call me up if you need some matrix support."

...

The next day at Gau's shop
The talismonger shop is 'closed' a sign welcomes the team, along with some freshly painted nasty graffiti of a hanged man drawing, and a gang mark as well as a "Death to anyone that enters graffiti".

Gau welcomes the Mato by "The trog! he says with excitement, "I watched your trid, big fan!" 
He looks at the other two "Do you really need the pixies? It is a trog job if you know what I mean
He is holding a shotgun, Jawsi can tell that Gau did not bother shaving for a few days, he is rather disheveled, perhaps a bit depressed.  He is carrying his shotgun and signals the team to follow him saying to himself "Come come, to the warehouse in the back. Your friend is already there! come come!"
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <12-07-18/0352:53>
Bobby nudged Mato: "Eh, don't worry, he has a home address. If he tries to screw us we are totally within our rights to take collateral."

At the meet, Bobby kept to the back of the small group and tried not to cringe seeing how the man used a shotgun as a crutch.
Curious he followed to see just who their new "friend" was supposed to be.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <12-07-18/0908:20>
To Mato's question, Jawsey sighed, and said "We work for him because we all need the money, and because he sells to lots of people in the magical community.  We make sure we are careful about what we agree to, and he probably doesn't want the bad rep of going back on an agreement.  After all, he has a business where people are sometimes dropping thousands of nuyen -- who is going to do that with someone who doesn't honor deals?"

What Jawsey doesn't add is that he is hoping to drop thousands of nuyen sometime soon to upgrade his weapons focus to a level that withstand the background count of the barrens, and he hoped that the Talismonger couple would be more willing to be reasonable about the whole thing if he got the team to do this job for them.

Later, at the shop, Jawsey forced himself to laugh at Gao's comment then pointed at Bobby and explained "He's the bear."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <12-07-18/0913:50>
"Strictly in the shapeshifting sense", added Bobby, who had already had an - in retrospect quite funny - missunderstanding during an outing at a popular bar.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-07-18/1031:58>
Mr. Gau nods, and says "Great performance... I am impressed that you can change into something so big. Impressive... Great performance!

 his wheels seem to turn. Inside, Mr. Ginsburg is already waiting. "Meet your friend, a talent released to the streets recently Mr. Ginsburg".

The warehouse contains shelves on shelves of strange stuff, some of it is likely reagents for various traditions, from feathers and stones to crystals and even bags of sand. Organs from paracritters, and on the table there is a large crate filled with hundreds of daemon rat tails, apparently, that is of use to a talismonger, and one of his contacts have just shipped them in.

Gau places the half-open crate aside carefully and seats. His wife brings a porcelain jar of tea and glasses. Gau pours them some tea and then continues "Look, I brought you here because I am in a bind. I manage to coordinate a deal to purchase an artifact, a tarot card, but the problem is there is somebody else wants that card. He sent some thugs to harass my clients, closed down my shop effectively and warned me that I am a dead man if I step out of the shop. He intends to meet with the seller in my place and acquire the card. Normally I would just back down, but that particular client is quite influential and I am afraid to let her down. She can have the authorities here at my shop, looking for licences for everything and scaring off all the good customers.  Gangers I can handle, but the government guys... these are bad news"
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <12-07-18/1309:09>
"Risk your life, or risk your livelihood.  You are certainly between a rock and a hard place."

Jawsey stopped there, waiting for Gau to make the proposal.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <12-07-18/1328:11>
Mato likes what he hears. "Now you're talking my language!" he growls.

"So what's the play?" he asks. "Are we thugging the thugs? Are we accompanying you to the meet? Who is this that's giving you static?"

Speaking of static, Mato picks up a demon rat tail out of curiosity and gets a small shock from it. He drops it and shakes his hand out until the sensation passes. "Nasty little buggers," he mutters under his breath. "Burn em all."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-07-18/1500:34>
The rat tail is a bit scorched. Mr. Gau says "Easy there, expensive product good for all sort of things..." When Mato suggests all the options Mr. Gau replies "Look you may need to do all these things, but I really should not know about it. I have enough on my plate."

He says "I have 15k, to pay for the card, this is the agreed upon price. You acquire the card, and then once you have it, deliver it to the client, and I am not leaving my shop. To be fair, I told you that the card is hot."

Can you do this kind of job for me?
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Lorebane24 on <12-07-18/1515:04>
Ginsburg languidly stretches his arms as he stands and casually waves to the team.  "Hoi chummers," he mutters before turning to Gao.

"Alright, so it's hot, and we should be ready for the drek to fly.  Good times, and I'm sure down, but it seems to me that before we negotiate price, we need to know more about what we're dealing with.  Who's the client, and who are we picking it up from?  Any protocols already in place - we aren't exactly putting our best foot forward if we wander into Taco Temple and start asking people if they've got a tarot card to sell."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <12-07-18/1524:43>
Jawsey smiled, and let Ginsburg speak for now.  He had a lot of questions, and the money seemed grossly inadequate for the likely danger in actually carrying a tarot card -- but if Gao were willing to answer such questions before they'd agreed to take the job, who was he to object?
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-07-18/1533:41>
Gau sighs "It is not a tarot card, well it is... but it is not the kind of tarot card you can just buy. It is an Artifact, it is not known how to make them. They might be powerful, they might be a hoax, nobody knows for sure. They are magical, they have auras and they are not foci. This is what people established, the rest is rumors some claim that you can do all sort of crazy shit with them. Anyhow, real or not - the buzz around them is real which is why I agreed to locate one."

Client's name is Amanda Green. She is with the department of arcane regulation and legislation at city hall. Basically, if she is angry with me, she can make sure that I close down the shop. She is also a known collector of arcane artifacts and a philanthropist.  She made her fortune trading arcane artifacts, so she does not want to miss out on these cards in case they become very valuable.

She... does not know how you acquire the card... Don't spook her, send the pretty one to deliver it.

He frowns, now you know all that I know. Time to commit and discuss payment. Are you in or out?
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <12-07-18/1648:41>
Jawsey had brought his sword cane, to remind Gao that he was a customer as well as potentially a hireling.  But since it felt like this might take a while, he pulled out a chair to sit in.  "Let me make sure that I understand." 

Taking his time, Jawsey leans his cane against the table, stretches out his arms, then holds up his index finger and starting ticking off his points, finger by finger, as he goes. "First, you were planning to buy this card, from some source who you are not revealing yet but who you have an agreement of some sort with.  Second, you were expecting to pay them fifteen large for the card, and were not too worried about the price going up.  Third, you were planning to turn around and sell the card to one Amanda Green, collector and philanthropist.  Four,th seeing as you are not a philanthropist but a businessman, you were planning to sell her the card for more than 15 large."

Having reached his little finger but still having points he moved to his thumb and includes everything left in one jumbled sentence "Five, due to these threats you propose that we replace your role in this, that you front us the 15 large, we go to the seller and buy the card, we take it to Amanda Green, we get payment, we re-pay you the 15 large, and we make our profit out of the mark up on the card.  Do I have that right?"

Jawsey suspects that Gao was actually suggesting that they steal the card and deliver it to Amanda, and Gao pays them the 15k that he was going to pay the seller.  But at the least he wants to see the other man's reaction to this suggestion.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-07-18/1701:10>
Gau responds You got that right, Ms. Green pays 25k for the card.  You can keep that 10k as your retainer.  I doubt the seller would jack the price even higher after agreeing to sell.  This is part of the reason why you bring the trog... If he can wrestle bears, he can keep most people honest.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <12-07-18/1722:41>
"And you are proposing that we add this gentleman," a nod toward Ginsburg, "to our team for this activity?  I'm sure he is a man of many useful talents, but obviously he can't trust us and we can't trust him, at least not yet.  So while adding him has advantages, it also creates certain challenges.  And of course, ten-kay divided four ways doesn't go very far ..."

He looks at Mato and Bobby, and asks "Any concerns before we proceed further?"  Turning back to Gao he adds "I do have one specific concern: in rough terms, where is the meet where you were to buy the card? That could add a lot to the risk of this mission."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-07-18/1726:38>
Gau says Taco Temple He shruggs "You need a professional mage to know that you are not getting ripped of by the seller, you need Ginsburg. No offense Jawsi, but you are too green for that task
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <12-07-18/1727:58>
<<Let's find out who's muscling in on this deal. We might be able to relieve them of their 15K. And negotiate some extras, like product. I doubt we're going to get a car out of him but maybe score us some rat tails or some magic flutes or whatever it is you finger-wigglers use to bake people's brains from a distance. Get him to upgrade your gear.>>

Mato looks over Ginsburg. Human, male, pretty old, he had a weathered look to him. Old could mean slow, or it could mean "good enough to survive a long time at a young man's game." Or it could mean that he had been prison a long time. After all, if Ginsburg was really good enough to survive in the shadows into his 50s then he should be scoring bigger paydays than this.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Lorebane24 on <12-07-18/1736:30>
Ginsburg meets Mato's gaze "Sorry, have I got something in my teeth?"  He flashes a beige grin.  "Call me Ginsburg.  No need for the Mr.  I suppose the long and short of it is I lie at people, I sling my mojo around, and I'm a fair hand at assenssing.  Just don't ask me to throw down with a spirit - never really got the hang of astral combat.  But if you need something checked out in the Astral, especially an object, I'm your guy.  Ever hear of psychometry?"
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Tecumseh on <12-07-18/1742:31>
Mato nods, "Yeah, yeah, that was the scale that Horizon developed to measure the psychopathic tendencies of their P2.0 members, right? I guess it's P2.1 now.

"So, what, did you score really well? Does that mean you're a complete psycho or not-at-all psycho?"

If Ginsburg has a P2.1 account then maybe he's better off that Mato suspects. Maybe he's old because he was one of those shadowrunners who scored el gordo - the Big One - and then sat on their couch ensconced in pornographic BTLs until the money ran out.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Lorebane24 on <12-07-18/2053:34>
"In fact, psychopathy is not a recognized disorder by any psychiatric body - it's more of an umbrella term for a variety of personality disorders, and any with at least one foot in the Shadows probably has a few of those.  I'm a at least a couple notches shy of clinical narcissism if that makes you feel any better."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <12-08-18/0856:49>
Bobby had paid only minor interest to the other runner - mage, nothing he could do about him that would further their agenda, so he nodded politely.
Instead he turned to the racist old fuck who was interested to give them money:
"So, say, this card is valuable. Your seller wouldn't happen to be Mr. Liu?"
Bobby watches closely Gao's face as he drops the name. For Bobby it's too much of a coincident that two of those artifacts should be in the neighborhood.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-08-18/0928:00>
Gao responds You know your way around the neighborhood, I am impressed. He replies "I believe that the seller is a shadowrunner, probably stole it from somewhere. I also think that it is a different card. You know how it is, one collector acquires a strange card, and the next day all the other collectors want one as well.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Jack_Spade on <12-08-18/1139:58>
"Can't say I'm happy with a commission of just 2000. Especially considering, that there is a lot of risk around for us: The last time we encountered some pretty violent people who were after this card. Can't imagine that they have given up. Not to mention that we are holding the bag when this all goes down while you sit safe in your shop. Maybe you could sweeten the pot a bit with some of your product. I could use some reagents and two of my colleagues are certainly also in the market for talismonger goods."
Bobby grinned predatory, showing a disconcerting amount of teeth.
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-08-18/1226:55>
Gao grins back at Bobby Do I need to spell it out for you?  Think about it for a moment, you get 15k in advance, and 10k more for finishing the job. I believe that this is sufficient pay for the requested service. What more do you want from me?

I agreed to give up all my profit from this deal, worse than that I am lending you 15k that you may lose.
Instead of simply backing off from the deal, I am giving you an opening to make some good money in a very short time. Yes, this is dangerous but what other job gives you an opportunity to make over 6k in two hours?
Do you really ask to rob my shop in addition to getting all the revenue from a deal that took me a month to orchestrate when you only do the last few hours?!


Gao is a good actor, he is not angry - but shows just the right amount of aggression to not blow things up, and make it more difficult to change the terms of the contract. Jawsi and Ginsburg can know that this is simply the way the man bargains.

Negotiation (http://orokos.com/roll/683466): 12d6t5 3
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: Beta on <12-10-18/1611:38>
"Now, now, Gao, you are getting a bit excited by all of these big numbers, I think.  That 15k is for buying the card, and for your sake, that is what we'll do."

"Sure, the 'orc and the bear' could maybe steal the card, but think how that plays out.  If we show up at the meet as your representatives and then steal the card, the blame lands on you.  If we go the meet and just rob him without mentioning you, you will be blamed for not having a team there that might have bought it from him first or protected him.  If we rob him before the meet, he'll wonder how anyone knew that he had the card AND that he was about to sell it, and his suspicion will land on you.  No, the only way that we get the card AND your name stays intact, is to pay your seller."

"Besides which," he adds piously, "we are are private investigators and protection specialists, not a bunch of criminal shadowrunners who commit crimes for hire.  And THAT is why you trust us to sell the card to your customer, rather than keeping the card for ourselves or selling it to the highest bidder.  If you hire pure criminals, you could have both seller and buyer angry at you."

"Now, if you are saying that after we sell to your customer, that we don't need to worry ourselves about paying you back the original 15k, then that is a different matter."
Title: Re: The Found Arcana Chapter 2 - IC
Post by: gilga on <12-10-18/1638:00>
Gao answered "Don't rob the buyer... dammit!  Rob the asshole that is strongarming me and is going to show up to the meeting pretending to be my representative. If he plays dirty to me, why should I play nice in return?
You really have little choice there. Imagine what happens if both of you show at the same time at Taco temple,
do you trust a ganger to be civilized about it? Do you imagine an auction? The man might open fire at you in a middle of a public place killing all sort of innocent people. Criminals...


He curses and continues Lay low, watch the meeting, trail the buyer into some place where you can rob him without killing innocents. You have many options, not all of them are violent, you have a mage, a trog, the shapechanging bear and a face. A good team, anyhow you acquire that card from the buyer. Leave me with some deniability, I don't mind him suspecting it was me, but don't advertise. You sell it you get 25k this is your wage.

Now, I am loaning you the 15k because what would you do if the fragger does not show up, or show up late? In that case, you may need to buy the card for yourself. So here is the 15k to do so, but if you just bought the card and took it to the other part of town to sell it - nobody molested you you did not have to do detective work... In that case, you made 2.5k each for a simple delivery job. Hardly worth complaining.

 It is a reasonable job, the only reason I can afford you is because the stupid fuck cannot reschedule the meeting, he'll show up to the meeting I intended to show. He does not know who the seller is. Before we continue, is everything clear?