NEWS

Swing Vote, interesting conclusion ((SPOILERS))

  • 9 Replies
  • 6185 Views

Jayde Moon

  • *
  • Administrator
  • Ace Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 2464
  • Shadowrun Missions Developer
« on: <01-16-15/0342:44> »
So, my players closed out Swing Vote in a pretty interesting manner this evening.  After bumbling around to the realization that Helling was the swing vote and they'd have to go to his estate to convince him to vote 'Nay', they sat around for 45 minutes (of game time) trying to determine the best way to get into the estate.  They eventually decided to try spoofing the gate open and then when the guards checked on them, suggest they were summoned by Helling.  They were surprised and pleased to note that the guards paid them no mind (due to their orders to ignore vehicles that triggered the Gate's RFID based opener).

Once inside they eventually managed to trigger every hostile possible, including Black IC from the Host  The decker was forced to burn a point of edge to jack out with 4 net hits from a link-lock after being blasted down to 1 remaining stun (after using a point of edge to go first in the pass and then using a point of edge to try to succeed on the jack out roll without having to burn).  The rigger's drones had to hold off the outside guards, who got nosey once the bullets started flying.  The rest of the gun bunnies began the slog through the reeking undead.

In the end, the group's mage and one street sam managed to get themselves isolated in the room with Helling, along with Baxton and a small cadre of the more lucid ghouls.  The rest of the team was in various different points of the facility, fighting ghouls that were hungry for their flesh.  Good times, really.

In the drama room, however, once initiative was rolled, the Street Sam went first, opting to shoot at Baxton, who (barely) managed to shrug off the wound.  He then opted to manabolt the ork, successfully doing a moderate bit of damage.  The remaining ghouls piled onto the street sam.  Then the groups wizard made his move.

He pointed his hand at Helling and announced, "Ball lightning, no more voting."  A successful (edged) intimidate roll had Baxton stop and call off his cadre to consider the mage's threat.

Given a moment to elucidate, the mage said he would be happy to just leave Helling intact and allow Baxton to carry on, if only he would vote 'Nay' on 1449A.  Baxton wondered what guarantee he had that they wouldn't just then leave and roll over on the ghouls.  The mage just happened to have enough doses of laés to erase the entire teams last several hours of memory, which would include their knowledge that Helling and his household were ghouls, though with a 'dead man's switch' to let the world know, if Baxton then reneged on his end or turned on the runners once their memories were erased.

Baxton agreed and the team (after mopping up the less reasonable ghouls) agreed.

Team completed the mission and got paid, plus Lady Glendower's bonus... though they aren't quite sure how they managed it...

All's well that ends with 15K Nuyen, though.
That's just like... your opinion, man.

Namikaze

  • *
  • Freelancer Ltd
  • Prime Runner
  • **
  • Posts: 4068
  • I'm a Ma'fan of Shadowrun!
« Reply #1 on: <01-16-15/1038:58> »
Wow.  That sounds like it was a ton of fun!
Feel free to keep any karma you earned illicitly, it's on us.

Quote from: Stephen Covey
Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.

cyclopean

  • *
  • Chummer
  • **
  • Posts: 130
« Reply #2 on: <02-03-15/1712:53> »
I had a similar thing happen, just ran it sunday:

The team managed to spoof the gate, and get inside without alerting anyone, then the face blagged his way in after convincing the butcher that he was a "cleaner" of sorts who had been called to take of some stuff for the family. The butcher let them into the basement, where they got trapped and attacked by feral ghouls, but due to some quick thinking and astral negotiation, they convinced Baxton to have Helling vote their way (without ever finding out Helling's true condition, Baxton merely said he was "indisposed" at the moment). In trade, they gave Baxton a government contact in Asamando (from a previous run) so that he could arrange an escape plan for himself and the other sentient ghouls (once Helling is inevitably discovered). The team also nego'd an exclusive story/interview, to be given once Baxton has reached Asamando/other safe haven, as 1 of the runners is a stringer for a tabloid.

Good times! Much less combat than I expected, though 1 of the street sams got infected with HMHVV III, which he is going with as he thinks it may help fight off his recent CFD infection....

Jayde Moon

  • *
  • Administrator
  • Ace Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 2464
  • Shadowrun Missions Developer
« Reply #3 on: <02-05-15/1240:35> »
Neat.  One of my Runners also got infected... except, as of the Mission, Run Faster isn't Missions Legal, so ghouls can't actually infect players, even if just as a means to collect edge.

Ah well.  With the release of Run Faster Hardcover this month, I can look forward to enghouling someone in March, perhaps at our upcoming Con!
That's just like... your opinion, man.

cyclopean

  • *
  • Chummer
  • **
  • Posts: 130
« Reply #4 on: <02-06-15/1400:25> »
Happily I'm just running a house game, so no problems there ha. I'm going to let him burn edge to miraculously recover if he wants to, but I think he's excited about the roleplaying challenge of a devout catholic ghoul- all sorts of fun with transubstantiation.

Jayde Moon

  • *
  • Administrator
  • Ace Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 2464
  • Shadowrun Missions Developer
« Reply #5 on: <02-06-15/1631:03> »
Sick!  Devout Catholic Ghoul.  That's something you don't see every day.
That's just like... your opinion, man.

Wailer

  • *
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Newb
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
  • Live Fast. Die Young.
« Reply #6 on: <02-06-15/1928:43> »
Bwahahahah. Brings new meaning to the Body and Blood of Christ. Communion indeed  8)

cyclopean

  • *
  • Chummer
  • **
  • Posts: 130
« Reply #7 on: <02-06-15/2040:43> »
Yeah! I'm pumped.

Sterling

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 425
  • Dragged in by the credstick
« Reply #8 on: <02-08-15/0559:33> »
My (now-defunct) group had a real problem with this scenario.  Now, this is probably due to the fact that we were all British and are more familiar with the actual process of Parliament, but I had a real problem trying to steer the players because of the use of Nobility.

One of the potential Johnsons is Lady Glendower, who would have to be a member of the House of Nobles (Lords irl).  The target of the swing vote is Lord James Helling, who would also have to be a member of the House of Nobles.

All potential Acts of Parliament are first introduced by the House of Commons where they are initially debated and voted upon.  They are then sent to the House of Nobles for further debate and possible amendment before being returned to the House of Commons for a final vote.  It should be noted that the House of Commons can override the House of Nobles and pass a Bill without the other House's approval.

What this meant was that since a Lord's vote is not important in British Politics the players were desperately looking for a member of the House of Commons who would have the deciding vote.  To try and get round this I changed James Helling to a wealthy, but untitled, Member of Parliament.  All references to his nobility were removed.

However, the players also missed out on the potential payday from Lady Glendower's representative because (again) a Member of the House of Nobles would not be involved in a vote in the Lower House.

As a final note, the text makes reference to Baxton Gresh attempting to "put a long-term plan in place before Helling’s term is up".  Members of the House of Nobles do not have terms; they are either Hereditary Peers, or Lifetime Peers who receive their seat in the House as a reward for services rendered.  In either case a Lord retains their seat in the House until death.

All of the above factual information is available in the 1st Ed sourcebook "London", so is not limited to players in the UK.

The whole scenario seems to have been written with American political processes in mind and is a shame since the basic premise is a good and fun one.
"His name is Sterling. He’s an ex-pat Brit making a living as a fixer and a hacker in Metropole. He’s a rare blend of upstanding and fun...(so) listen to his experience."
>>Data Trails, p.82

cyclopean

  • *
  • Chummer
  • **
  • Posts: 130
« Reply #9 on: <02-10-15/0015:07> »
Sounds like you made it work! useful info, happily none of my players (or me....) knew enough about the parliamentary process for that to be a problem while running through it. Could have been an awkward moment though- "wait, so why are we doing this exactly?"