[Kouryuu]

SPOILER WARNING:

this game is played using the Horizon Adventure A Fist of Creditsticks scenario. If you ever intend to play it we recommend NOT to read this game any further.

Remember, kids: sometimes history doesn’t repeat herself. Sometimes she just screams “Do you listen to nothing that I say?” and lets fly with a club. Kind of like me in that way, actually.
> FastJack

[Kouryuu]

Lights! Camera! Action!

The morning brings heavy fog, casting everything in ghostly greys, pinpointed by LED lights along the street. News has been depressing with the war in the Amazon. Last year the media was flashing the war on tempo; now it’s all Aztlan vs. Amazonia. Interrupting the news, your commlink pages you. It appears to be a contact of yours and as it looks he’s got work lined up, so you answer.
>Hey buddy, I may have some work for you. Do you know Slade? He’s that delivery man I use when I need stuff dropped off overseas. Well, he’s looking for some muscle. Meet him down at the Gray Line at 5 p.m.<

[AalithHUN]

"...down at the Gray Line at 5.p.m." Jiiro was expecting this call for a while now - after that party, he was prepared and ready to step into the shadows, even expecting to be afar for a while. He sighed: he'll miss the place, but he has met some interesting people, got to know some old acquaintances a little more...maybe the upcoming events will hold some positive (or at least new) experiences for him!

One week ago...

As always the alarm sounded at exactly 4:30 am. Jiiro got up, brushed his teeth while doing some stretching, then dressed and went down to the gym in the hotel's ground level. He hooked himself up to the ESW (Electronic Stimulation Workout) machine and let it do it's task while he read the latest news and magazines the hotel sent to his commlink when he woke up. After half an hour muscle stimulation, he went swimming, 50 laps in the pool, then the jacuzzi and sauna came, as always, followed by a freshly squeezed fruit cocktail brought him by the usual waitress, before he was off to his room again. At exactly 6 am he came out from the shower, wrapped in a soft robe that read "Hotel Monaco, Seattle" on it's back, only to find the breakfast on a cart and his suit steamed and laid on his bed by housekeeping. Before he could dig in, one more piece of the morning ritual had to be done - he went to the "office room" which was the private working place with wireless inhibitors and wards placed around it and spoke: "Professor, it's time."
[spoiler]
Summoning Professor, Spirit of Man, F5 (13d6.hits(5)=3)
Innate spell: Increase Reflexes
Summoning Professor, Spirit of Man, F5 resist (5d6.hits(5)=2)
Summoning Professor, Spirit of Man, drain 4 resist (10d6.hits(5)=6)
]
[/spoiler]

Lights flicker a little, the spirit comes and materializes as a young nobleman from 19th century Austria, with a sword on his side, but it only looks like an accessory for him - his hands look sensitive and agile, his face is intelligent, more so made by the clean round monocle he's wearing.
"And I'm here, as always, although you're getting lazy with your incantations..."
"I just needed you to show up, my friend, and I didn't want to pull as hard today. Soon comes the time when I'm going to need your full power, bounded to mine, but until then, you can enjoy your freedom. Just don't forget to do what I ask you to do."
"A true gentleman never goes back on his word, I thought you've already learned that." - the spirit smiled.
"Come, friend, let's discuss some things of importance while I'm breaking my fast!"
Jiiro lifted the silver top from the plate, and the smell of freshly baked bread, fried bacon and eggs filled the room.

[AalithHUN]

During breakfast, they talked about the nature of magic. Jiiro had great magical potential, but he was instructed in the hermetic ways in an arcane university, so he had to find a teacher, and he discovered that spirits, who are born and made from mana are a great source - and so is the matrix, where he found a generation of magically gifted like him, searching for answers without rigorously sticking to only one point of view.

After he washed down the eggs with some fresh orange juice, he has sent Professor back to the metaplanes until he's needed again, and then he surfed on the matrix a little, searching for news, events, and looking for business. He had some good cash from the last job, so he was on his way to spend it.

But first things first:
@Message to: Georgy

Hey Georgy! Here's the money I owe you. I know you were in the night shift, so call me after you have got some shuteye! It's nothing important, I just want to brag a little

Initiating transfer.....done!

Then he searched the chat- and meeting rooms, including some gray ones, until he found an acquaintance of his, going by the name "Black Panther". She was a renowned matrix guru and a bit of a news junkie like Jiiro and they had some mutually good business together in the past, so he figured he could ask for some advice regarding online shopping sites and matrix programs.
After he was a little wiser, he set to find what he was looking for.

[spoiler]Buying Agent R3 with Analyze 3, Av 9 (7d6.hits(5)=0)
Yep, no sux but no glitch either. Have to appreciate the little joys. -3 150 Nuyen
Buying Micro-Transceiver, R6 Av 12 (7d6.hits(5)=3)
-1 140 Nuyen Delivery to the hotel.
Buying Handheld sensor with UWBR R4 and directional mic Av 8R (7d6.hits(5)=0) -2050 Nuyen, same place[/spoiler]

[Sentinemodo]

Caretaker was walking the sprawl. He felt lonely. There is no voodoo if there is no family. His own was left on Haiti and he desperately needed to find some.
Pirates taken him as far as they could, some local smuggler, took him rest of the way. He took his name and commcode, just for future.

With the rest of the money he paid for a month of roofed place and spent his time walking, watching people.

There were many black man here, not many black dwarves though, and his ritual tattoos scaried most of the people he met anyway.
But he kept looking for a hounfour to hang out around familiar environment. He searched the streets and a matrix but found none - if anythign they only were some hoaxes, real ones probably in hide.

Sprawl is different than the villages on his home island, lots and lots of people just passing by caring little or none for their spiritual life. Accepting the magic return, like an FX in a movie but hardly wondering about its source.

People here were miserable, they needed to be helped to their salvation so he started to build his new family the only way  he knew. Went over to some homeless or poors, taught them about Bondye, taught them about Luas, taught them about Baron Samedi and the Ghede family. They were sad people so he cheered them (with a little magic), taught them to dance to enjoy lust and passion. It wasn't yet a hounfour, but a good begining.

The plex isn't the safest place for someone who can't really use a gun so he decided to ask Lua to send a bronze Ogoun for protection. Luckily there was no need to call for his help, but when several days later he queried the smuggler for some kind of work and got the info about some muscles being looked out for. He decided to wear the suit instead of the jumpsuit and went to the spot to offer his services.

[AalithHUN]

Unfortunately after only one short lesson, he thought himself to be an expert on online shopping and got "sucked in". He found new and newer offers, shiny hi-tech gear and cutting-edge programs and it was sooo easy to just mentally click "add to cart". And then the bill came...

After the first hit by that low, low number, he calmed himself. The bill to the hotel was paid for the month and his food and transportation expenses are managed by his bank - he had until the beginning of the next month to worry about that. What he had on this account was purely spending money, although he liked to have a little cash reserved in case of emergencies.

Well, he planed to take a little break between two jobs, but now it looked like he needs to acquire another one - though it doesn't necessarily mean he cannot have fun while doing that.
A few minutes later he took the elevator to the garage, dumped his sport bag into the trunk of the rental car and hit the road.
He looked like some middle management guy from an average corp. who wanted people to believe he had more money then in reality. His suit was nice, but looked off the shelf, not custom made (although it was, made from a special highly elastic material) , contrary to his expensive watch, shoes and the latest neo-japanese styled trodes on his head. It was made from some advanced polymer, began from his right temple, ran on the side on his head, above his ear, and ended in a round spot where the spine met the skull. It had a sharp S form, partially translucent with silver-blue lines running in it like a tattoo - the newest trend among young corps, who want that little something to "stand out".

That day and the following few ones he drove to specific "hot spots" in the city and kept his eyes and ears open. He smiled politely, gave good tips in cafes, clubs and restaurants, making small talk with all kinds of people. He was courteous almost to the point of ridiculousness - most of the people never noticed, but by being the embodiment of the perfect corporate gentleman, he mocked all of them. He simultaneously despised and pitied "day people" who went on their lives day after day, never even trying to achieve something that would raise them, make an exception out of them -either good or bad, it wouldn't matter.

At night, he wore a different outfit - dark, baggy, loose clothes only tight at the neck, wrists and ankles, a black longcoat with fluorescent geometric symbols on it, which can be altered or turned off - and went to different hot spots in areas where discreet armor and weapons were not just tolerated, but recommended. He summoned a few watchers around him, binded his spirits and walked from bar to tavern to booze hole.

[spoiler]Summoning Professor F4, Increased refl. (13d6.hits(5)=6)
Summoning F4, Increased refl. resist (4d6.hits(5)=1)
Buying 2 hits on drain resistance.
Binding Professor F4, Increased refl. (15d6.hits(5)=5)
Binding Professor F4, Increased refl. resist (8d6.hits(5)=1)
Buying 2 hits.
Sum: F4 spirit, Increase reflexes, 8 services

Summoning Trigram (fire) F4, Fear (9d6.hits(5)=0)
No spirit, buying 2 hits to resist drain.
Trying again:
Summoning Trigram (fire) F4, Fear (9d6.hits(5)=5)
Summoning Trigram (fire) F4, Fear resist (4d6.hits(5)=0)
Buying 2 hits.
Binding Trigram (fire) F4, Fear (11d6.hits(5)=3)
Binding Trigram (fire) F4, Fear resist (8d6.hits(5)=2)
Sum: F4 fire, Fear, 5 services

Summoning Quberon (earth) F4, Confusion (11d6.hits(5)=4)
Summoning Quberon (earth) F4, Confusion resist (4d6.hits(5)=2)
Damnit, summoning is 9d6, spirit released, Summoning Quberon (earth) F4, Confusion resist drain (10d6.hits(5)=2) 2S damage, Eddy's getting tired, makes mistakes...Rests a little, to recover.

Summoning again:
Summoning Quberon (earth) F4, Confusion (9d6.hits(5)=4)
Summoning Quberon (earth) F4, Confusion resist (4d6.hits(5)=0)
Buying 2 hits. No drain this time.
Binding Quberon (earth) F4, Confusion (11d6.hits(5)=5)
Binding Quberon (earth) F4, Confusion resists (8d6.hits(5)=6) 6 freaking hits out of 8 dice!!!!!!!!
Resisting 12S freaking Drain (10d6.hits(5)=1)
Edge to reroll failures (9d6.hits(5)=4)

Sum: ARGHHHHH. No spirit, 7S drain, -1 edge, no more binding materials. Freakin' awesome...[/spoiler]

Finally he found out that there was a party in an underground watering hole, where some important people may attend among a few prominent shadowrunners. It was the best opportunity to hunt down some fat job - only there was a problem, the party being invitation-only.
Normally this wasn't an issue for him, getting inside to a secure place, but brainwashing some guards (maybe runners themselves) or sneaking in concealed could end up with disastrous consequences if found out. He'd never get a job in this city again after a fiasco like this and he didn't know anybody connected enough (that he trusted) who could get an invitation.
Being a loner had it's drawbacks, long term - when he was constantly moving around the world, he didn't have to care about the future consequences - and not for the first time, he considered working with a group.
He did went into a downward spiral for a short time, even screwed up one of his rituals, roamed chatrooms endlessly...until he has met Black Panther again. In desperation, he asked her boldly if she could get an invitation to this party, and if he could be her +1. He had some fortune at last, and the party turned up to be a great opportunity jar, they just needed to get their hands in it...

[farothel]

A couple of days ago.

Panther was getting ready for the party.  It would be fun, at least she hoped.  It wasn't a first rate venue like the Needle, but it was decent enough and a bit outside of regular KE patrols.  Most of the invited people liked it that way.  As she put the final touches on her hair, she wondered how Eddy would be in the meat.  She had seen his picture, although he had never seen one of her, or at least that's what she thought and she was sure she was better at hiding her tracks on the matrix.  But seeing a picture and chatting online was not the same as being in the same room.  At least JJ would be there as well, so there would be at least one person she liked.  And maybe Freya would be there as well.  That was one strange elf, but no matter what she did you just couldn't stay mad at her.  She had agreed to meet Eddy, but at the location.  No sense in letting him know too much about her.  On those few occasions she went out to pick up a 'friend for the night' they had always ended up at the gentlemen's location.  A girl's gotta keep some secrets right.

She put her commlink in a cover that matched her clothes before hanging it on her belt.  It wasn't her 'working' commlink, as that was implanted, but her public link.  Only slightly modified and everything completely legal, She called a cab from one of three companies that came in this neighbourhood, which was not the best, and five minutes later it was there.  Showtime.

The following morning.

The party had been fun and she had found her 'friend for the night'.  Not Eddy though.  He had been a nice enough guy, but things hadn't clicked on that level.  She had just arrived home and was now checking her messages and some media sites as she liked to be informed of things.  She couldn't remember the number of times she had managed to avoid trouble when still with JJ and his crew when they arrived in a city.

She still had some money left from her last job, so she could afford a couple of days rest.  There were a couple of trid she still wanted to see and now was the chance.  She had just started to see the first one when she got a call.  Putting the thing on pause, she answered as she saw it was JJ.
"Hey girl, how are you doing," he asked, "you had suddenly gone on the party?"
"I just had this guy warmed up," she said with a grin, "and I didn't want him to cool off."
"That's understandable," he replied, "well, it was great to see you again and we'll talk when I'm back in town.  shouldn't be too long."
"OK, have fun.  And remember, Be nice and when your not nice, be careful."
"I'll keep it in mind.  See you around."

He logged of and she went back to her trid.  Sometimes, like now, she missed it.  Going through valleys at almost top speed, often chased by security forces.  Or flying at 50 feet above the water.  But she had made her choice and while she knew she could go back to JJ and become part of the crew again, she didn't miss it all that much.

Today.

When she got the message, Black Panther's first reaction was to look up the place.
'Seafood restaurant,' she thought as went on the public site.  And while it looked casual, she wasn't going to show up in t-shirt and jeans.  She also checked the tide to see if they were going to be under or above the water.  She hoped under as she had never done that before, eating under water.

Dressed in an actioneer business suit with as only weapon a taser (and of course her commlinks), she was there a bit before 17.00.  It was a suit, but it wasn't like that Zoé ensemble she had bought once to impress certain customers during her smuggling days.  With this she could play the part of a sarari woman coming right from work to the restaurant to have an early dinner before going back for some extra hours.  As she had already done the virtual tour on their node, she knew the layout of the place except for the kitchens.  Upon entering she looked around if any of the people there looked like the person she was supposed to meet.

[Caramelle]

Freya had got back from her small trip to the nature reserve and decided that small shopping would do her some good and cheer-up a bit. As a result now she' s got a new chromed Browning with personalized ebony handle with absolutely adorable ivory incrustations and some extras as well.

When she returned home, she found out that she's invited to a party in an unusual area for her, but that might be fun, at least something new. There should be Panther, it would be nice to talk to her, but probably she' ll be busy charming some strange guy and not chatty at all... Well, who knows... At least it's a fine possibility to dress-up and maybe meet somebody interesting enough to talk to. So Freya dressed-up, made her hair and called a cab to get to the venue. Party turned out to be fun enough to keep her interested for a couple of hours. Panther came with a guy who seemed to be lost or searching for something... He wasn' t Panther' s type at all, so why the hell she had brought him here... Well, who cares. There arestill some things to be taken care of, so Freya went home sooner than it probably was appropriate.

[Caramelle]

Freya woke up and slowly went to the window to look outside. The morning was foggy and her garden looked full of gray shadows creating strange figures... That was a bit eerie, she shivered... Of course there was some magic around the fog itself, but not this morning. Freya went to the kitchen and put on some water for tea. Her favourite porcelain tea cup surely made the grey morning look better, but news were not joyful... actually, when have they been... probably never ever at all! At least not in this world!

Then her commlink beeped - Gray Line at 5pm...

Well, that sounds promising, she thought, I still have some time to make myself ready and to transfer some money to cover my debt, at least a part of it. Ufff, all that money stuff!  I've never thought it will be so expensive and complicated to live on my own, but anyway it's much better than it was a couple of years ago. Well, what shall I wear? Probably the Mortimer suit will be suitable for this lovely seafood restaurant! I love that place - the evening with Phil there was such a success, probably because the restaurant was underwater that evening, and of course Phil... But this time it may bring me some work to do and money would be quite useful as always As the matter is work, I should take the taser with me, who knows what can happen...

At 5pm sharp Freya went in the Gray Line and looked around to find some familiar faces...

[Pyromaster13]

Mr. Anderson was just finishing his morning bowl of flavored krill paste when he noticed that he got a message on his business commlink.  After reading it he decided to suit up, literally.  Mr. Anderson didn't know the clothing standard of the Gray Line, but he would be wearing his classic black suit and tie.  He puts on a matching fedora with a trode sown in to work through DNI for his commlinks.  He puts his Ares in his arm slide, then puts his Elan in his suit jacket pocket.

He calls a cab as he searches for the public node of the Gray Line, finding out it's a restaraunt. He makes a reservation on the drive there, and arrives around 5:05PM. Unreliable taxi drivers...

[Kouryuu]

At Pier 63 you can barely make out your hand in front of your face; the lamps along the pier cast a soupy yellow haze over everything. Just off the pier is what appears to be a building shaped like a harbor ferry. Disembodied voices echo out into the harbor. You cross a wide gangplank to the upper deck. Most of the tables are empty under the dim glow of heat lamps; a few patrons smoke out on the deck.
The maître d’ asks if you have a reservation.

"Slade you say?" he presses a key on his com and a boy, maybe 12 years old, but most likely even younger comes running dressed in a suit just like regular waiters. "Tommy here will show you the way, table 17"

The lower floor is fairly packed. The smell of seafood permeates the room. The thick glass wall opposite the stairs gives an unobstructed view of the harbor beneath the waves. The dining floor affords a wider view, down to the muddy bottom. Outside, an octopus slowly moves by, searching the mud for food.

You are led to a table where a lean elf in a bolo tie and cowboy boots sits with his back toward you watching the fish swim by.

He turns as you approach and smiles, “Howdy! Take a load off; I’ll have ’em bring out the chow.”

He waits for everyone to be seated before continuing, “So I don’t know if y’all heard of me, but I’m Slade. It’s been a few months since I’ve worked with your fixer. I’m a courier out of Seattle to wherever my client wants their package delivered to. Here’s the deal: I need some security for my stuff while I’m here. I don’t know for how long, probably two days. I know, you’ve heard it before, when I say ‘It’s an easy job,’ but it really is. You’re just going to baby-sit my stuff while it’s being put into a movie.”

Slade slaps his knee, ”Damn, cat’s out of the bag. That’s probably why I’m not a Mr. Johnson. Are you still interested? It will be five hundred per person per day.”

[AalithHUN]

Eddy arrives to the restaurant in time to look around a little. He sends his two watchers and puts his new UWBR toy into use. When the coast is clear, he enters. For the negotiation, he wears his suit again, with only the most discreet armor and weapon available to him - he doesn't want to offend the place nor the J.
When he sits down, he recognizes some familiar faces, but this is a place of business now, so he gives no more than a friendly nod to them. Seems like it was a good idea, going to that party...


[spoiler]He makes his watchers assense  the J and teammates (nothing special, just trying to be on the safe side) after they make sure there isn't ward placed or a sec. mage present in the restaurant. If there is, the watchers will not come inside - again, trying to respect the place. Also, he checks out them with the UWBR - there is no need of a full description here, just if something special is there (a cranial bomb in J or something)

Watchers assensing, two of them (2d6.hits(5)=1, 2d6.hits(5)=0)
UWBR (4d6.hits(5)=1)[/spoiler]

[Kouryuu]

you notice at least 2 watcher patrolling the restaurant

[spoiler]
Slade as a former runner has his cyber, most distinct are his cyber eyes, ears, but he has some work done on his bones too. you notice to 2 heavy pistols on him
You can roll Knowledge/active skill regarding Cyberware and firearms to see if you recognise them.  , just as a side notice, Radar does not show Bioware  , noticed myself just now. 
[/spoiler]

[AalithHUN]

[spoiler]Yes, it works like a cyberware scanner

Then the watchers stay outside and stand guard.

Rolling firearms k. skill (6d6.hits(5)=1)[/spoiler]

[Sentinemodo]

Caretaker entered the place, asked for a Slade as he was instructed. And was directed to the table.
Good evening.

I'll look closely at the people gathered.

[spoiler]
On assenssion I got 2 hits on buying hits, unless Slade or any of you is hiding his aura.
I should be able to see you emotional state or health. I should know your awaken status and find a cyberware presence.

I'll make a standard perception roll against Slade.
Intuition(4) + Perception(4) + Mentor Spirit(2) + Actively Looking(3) + Visual Enhancement(3) -> 16d6.hits(5)=6

Is there anything curious about his behaviour (psychology knowledge, boosted by the astral perception)

Since I don't know him, I'll be carrying an Analyze Truth spell @ Force 4
Magic(5) + Spellcasting(5) ->  10d6.hits(5)=4
I got 2 DV to soak which I get over with buying hits.
[/spoiler]