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Shadowrun Storylines Adjusted for Other Systems

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MijRai

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« on: <04-10-16/2340:57> »
I don't know about y'all, but I don't have any friends in my area who play Shadowrun.  All of mine play homebrew, Dark Heresy (I GM), Pathfinder or D&D, with a couple short jumps into other systems in one-shots.  Few of them are particularly interested in Shadowrun. 

A thought popped into my head the other day when I was perusing my old Shadowrun books (and saw the best Shadowrun campaigns thread).  The Universal Brotherhood storyline, the Arcology Shutdown, the Year of the Comet/Winternight...  All of these are phenomenal campaigns with depth and...  That special something you get when a story just jives.  That said, I can't get my friends to try them, because they aren't interested in Shadowrun.

So, if I can't bring the players to Shadowrun, maybe I can bring Shadowrun to the players?  I'm working on a translation of the Universal Brotherhood plot-line to D&D right now, since that section of friends/gamers is the most open to new storylines right now. 

My current plan involves building the framework for a dystopic fantasy city, a rather large metropolis with some massive problems with slums.  All (or almost all) of the characters will be living in this area, whether they were born there, immigrated, etc. 
The first few levels (1-3) will be used to draw out how much of a shitburg this city is, at least for anyone of their social strata.  There will be a couple of failing charities and other forms of aid to the impoverished, and a quiet mention of 'The Society of Unity.'  In the end, loan-sharks, angered crime-bosses or the local watch will want the player's heads.  This will encourage them to get out of town for a while, perhaps as caravan guards, 'adventurers,' or something along those lines.  They'll get to see some of the world, level up some more, give some time to earn money for back home or let the heat die down...  Maybe see another branch or two of the Society of Unity. 
At some point (around 7th level), I'd give them some encouragement to go home.  Family is ill, a wedding, they have enough to pay their debts, an inheritance (that'll get the greedy ones).  When they do, the first thing they'll notice is the slums are much nicer than they were before.  Not because of care from the gentry; the Society of Unity has brought people together, mended cracks between the various groups, etc.  To drive the point home, maybe some of their family members have joined the Society; there will definitely be a repentant loan-shark/crime-boss/watch-captain who apologizes for their previous behavior and lets bygones be bygones.  Nobody will notice the transient population is dwindling, as many new members of the Society turn to an agrarian lifestyle, or so they say.  One of these might be a family member or close friend of a PC. 
I'd give the PCs a few more levels of more local adventuring (8th or 9th level) before throwing in a real hint/some evidence showing the Society of Unity is not all that it seems.  It'll hopefully be enough of a hook to draw them in.  With that, it's only a matter of time before they discover the horrifying truth of the matter and we see how they develop.

What do y'all think? 
Would you want to go into a place where the resident had a drum-fed shotgun and can see in the dark?

Dinendae

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« Reply #1 on: <04-10-16/2358:12> »
Sounds good to me. Another option would be to use the D20 Modern rules; it might make your job easier in translating the campaign, and it should be similar enough to what they've been playing to be acceptable. If I remember correctly, Paizo put out their own, updated version of the D20 Modern rules (although I can't remember the name of the system), and there was at least one supplement out there that added futuristic/cyberpunk technology (again I can't remember the name, sorry!). If you presented them with that option, do you think they would be willing to meet you in the middle? Also, do you plan on having the Queen Euphoria adventure somewhere in there?
« Last Edit: <04-12-16/0452:01> by Dinendae »

MijRai

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« Reply #2 on: <04-11-16/0020:01> »
To be specific, most of the people I game with currently only do D&D 5th Edition, and/or have no interest at all in any 'modern' settings.  I also don't like d20 'moderns' myself (my buddy has art in said Paizo cyberpunk supplement).  There's plenty of stuff to overcome to introduce them to the setting; I'd be happy with them just reading the novels. 

And throwing in something like Queen Euphoria is a possibility.  Depends on how the PCs react to the setting more than anything else.
Would you want to go into a place where the resident had a drum-fed shotgun and can see in the dark?

farothel

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« Reply #3 on: <04-11-16/0333:09> »
It sounds like a lot of work, but with a great potential.  And in D&D you can easily create monsters that can take the place of the insect spirits.  One thing you will have to take into account (which will be the most work) is that the magic system is very different and that D&D is a lot less lethal than shadowrun.  But it might be great fun if you can pull it off.
"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"

MijRai

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« Reply #4 on: <04-11-16/1048:16> »
Basically, I'm just going to give the Insect Shamans whatever spells I feel like, not base it off of a class.  It'll make them much nastier, people who studied the Arcane arts for power and have received 'divine' powers from their insect patrons.  And I don't know about you, but I've run some very lethal campaigns so far with D&D. 

Also, there will be some interaction concerns/domains to worry about around Insect Spirits.  You can't raise dead on the hosts those spirits inhabit; the process devours the soul, making them gone forever.  Being in their places of power will cut your spell attack and save DCs a bit as well. 
« Last Edit: <04-11-16/1052:02> by MijRai »
Would you want to go into a place where the resident had a drum-fed shotgun and can see in the dark?

Beta

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« Reply #5 on: <04-11-16/1253:27> »
Sounds like a good plan.  And since they aren't familiar with ShadowRun they are far less likely to see it coming :D

I would think you could also have fun inserting (disguised) Shadowrun tropes.  Let there be fixers, come up with your own version of "Mr. Johnson", could use ronin/samurai, permit the primitive firearms that are optional in D&D (IIRC), maybe even replace some of the traditional magic items with magical body enhancements?  (if you can get your hands on Harlequin's Back, look at how they handle cyberware in the "Fistful of Karma" meta-plane, could give you some ideas).  Of course that depends on how open they are to non-traditional D&D settings, versus by-the-book.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a blast with it :)

MijRai

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« Reply #6 on: <04-11-16/1837:39> »
I've been drawing up the city with the dystopic themes in mind, and I'm liking what is coming out of it so far.  River docks and sea docks have a mutual loathing going on, walls separate each district...  And the curtain walls outside are a piece of work.  In the long-ago past, one of the rulers (when the city was a magocracy) swore to give the local water elementals their own domain in his city in return for help in defending the city.  When they agreed he magically bound the oath to them.  He then made a moat between the two walls of the city (much smaller walls, and only two curtain ones back in the day) their 'domain' and trapped them in there.  As it was inside the outer walls, it was technically 'inside' the city.  Needless to say, these water elementals weren't so happy with their lot, but they stuck to it.  Fast forward a few centuries and the magearch having fallen, an enterprising noble-come-king is installing sewers in the city.  He knows of the elementals, but also knows they can't leave and doesn't really care what they think; they didn't put him on the throne.  So he has his engineers reroute all sewage overflow into the moat.  This infuriates the water elementals, but they can't leave.  With no other release, they just maim or destroy anything that ends up in their 'domain.'  Nowadays, they're extremely violent and insular, acting as an extremely effective method of keeping enemies from crossing the moat (not to mention the hoard they've accrued over the centuries).  Said noble obviously "intended" to do so, claimed as much publically and now has a statue somewhere in the city commemorating his many-times-proven means of defending the city.  He might even get a parade. 
« Last Edit: <04-11-16/1858:34> by MijRai »
Would you want to go into a place where the resident had a drum-fed shotgun and can see in the dark?

Raiderjoseph

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« Reply #7 on: <04-16-16/1627:41> »
Im sorry did you say 5th edition? Please tell me you are considering doing a play by post of this.
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MijRai

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« Reply #8 on: <04-16-16/1919:30> »
I am not, sorry.  I haven't attempted a play-by-post game in over five years, because a grand total of 2 (out of 50+ attempts) made it past 500 posts.  And that was just the games I tried to join up with, I saw dozens of others flop as well. 
Would you want to go into a place where the resident had a drum-fed shotgun and can see in the dark?

Raiderjoseph

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« Reply #9 on: <04-17-16/0024:27> »
Crap. Id play the mess out of it. I love 5e. Plus it would be sorta fun(if not game legal) to see my optimistic Half Drow Elf Fey Pact Warlock in Shadowrun.
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"As a Mage I have no issue with 'shoot the face first'. He deserves it and it's about time they stopped targeting me right from the go." -The Tekwych