Shadowrun
Shadowrun Play => Play-by-Post => Topic started by: Volker on <03-03-15/0732:35>
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Hoi, omae!
I hereby ceremoniously open the recruitement for a new Shadowrun theme adventure. Before I go into any details I will admit that I copied the idea from inca1980 (The Jungle). I was intrigued by the idea and say thanks that he lent it to me/us.
So, what's it about?
Theme
We are not playing shadowrunners, but street scum. We are a group of four to five youths with hardly any equipment and little skills. We are no professionals and don't claim to be. We will most likely never see a corp inside (more like the inside of a corpse, though) and we're not going to change the world.
Requirement for players
In terms of experience, none is required. If you don't know the universe, I will ask you to read the basic stuff. You should know your rules or somebody who can help you. Of course, I will always help you if need be. Although I haven't played a lot of e5 myself. Feel free to tell me off if I misbehave.
In terms of character, I want everybody to be friendly and respectful. You all know how RPG/pbp works and I ask you to play nice and fair. Ah, and I'm not a native speaker, so feel free to tell me when I make any mistake (I appreciate it, if it doesn't come as mocking).
What's more important: This focusses on the feeling of imminent danger, the survival on the streets in the year 2075 and the need of relying on each other in a hostil world, not on being a powerful character. We're not; don't try. Please don't min-max your characters or invent strange backstories so that you can collect whatever benefits you can think of. Take the change to create an amazing character, fill him/her with life and let us share this unique experience.
Special rules
We play SRe5. To symbolize we're nothing more than scum, these rules apply in addition to other rules:
You can only use the priorities B, C, D and E. The resources automatically are capped to 1.000 nuyen. In addition, we will have 2000 nuyen as a group pool from which we can take as a group. Everyone has a free squatter or street lifestyle (you choose as a group) for the first month. Don't buy additional months for the future.
All gear you could aready find in SR3 is half the price.
All gear that was available in SR4 is normal price.
All gear that is new in SR5 is 40 % more expensive.
Availability is capped to 8 instead of 12.
You can take no skill higher than 4. On the other hand, no matter which Priority you use for skills, you will get one additional skill point for every 5 full points, so the table will be:
B: 42/6
C: 33/2
D: 26/0
E: 21/0
Everyone gets 20 free Karma to spend on knowledge skills from the Interest section.
I would appreciate if no more than 1 player plays an Awakened character (including Technomancers). Choose wisely!
Note that this setting favors metatypes with physical bonuses since there's no way you have any augmentations save for spurs or so. This is totally okay since orks and trolls are the ones you would most likely find on the streets.
What I need from you
Please post:- A general description of your character.
- His/Her background story (the better the better ;-)
- Many Questions (a questionnaire I will provide you with)
- stats
How often we will post
I want to ask everybody to post at least 5 times a week. If for any reason you can't please say so in advance.
My own schedule will leave me little time to post from March 8th to March 16th. This will be the time where you can spend evenings to flesh out your characters.
I will be on a trek from April 2nd to April 12th. I will give you time to get to know you fellow comrades in this time before we start the actual game in the middle of April.
How you can join
First come first serve. Two rl friends are already in here, so I look for two to three more players. Those who solemly vow that they have read and understood the conditions, will be in. Except they have ever insulted me or my mommy.
What you can decide
There are still some things you can decide. You can here discuss and agree on - What kind of group are your characters (a gang, a family landed on the street, the left-overs of a burnt-down orphanage, a group of migrants in a strange country, ...).
- Where do we play (Seattle, Kathmandu, Linz, Athens, Scotland, ...)
- basically everything else that has not been set above.
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Hi, I want to play a face.
I have an awakened build but I can convert to non awakened it is not combat oriented in any way so do not expect any kong fu or fireballs or anything like that.
It is what I planed for jungle game - with a face.
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@Novocrane
They've not yet registered but they will soon post. I guess that they will suggest whatever they want to suggest here to discuss it with you. To be honest, I haven't talked about this with them because I want you to discuss with the same amount on info or proximity to the GM.
Street scum minotaur sounds interesting :)
I haven't considered Lagos yet because I've never heard about it. But if there is any way you provide me the infos I'm willing to give it a go if you players decide to play there.
@gilga
What exactly do you mean with a "face"? We're going to play street rats. If you mean a socially skilled street rat, hop on board! :)
@all
Maybe it makes sense to first decide on the setting, and then on the characters, not the other way round ^^
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Aloha omae,
I'm one of the two mentioned players. Since this is my first shadowrun I don't have any real suggestions concerning setting etc, I'd like to leave that mainly to the players with more experience. About my character: still working on it, maybe some sort of facial gunslinger. But I think Volker is right, it's probably for the best to agree on things like setting and the definition of "street rats" first, before we present our characters.
Hope I left nothing out, looking forward to the street struggle!
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Well, than time for payback: I'd love to be a part of this. (I even have a mundane human concept in mind)
So, which city are we from than?
Edit: For easier reference, here my character on the first page:
So far I have created a juvenile delinquent with a big mouth that worked as a courier until someone stole his bicycle and now is in serious danger to give up and loose his life to drugs and bad decisions:
Riker (or Rajkumar, but only his mother called him that) is a 16 year old street rat from the dumps of Kathmandu. Born as the bastard son to his native mother and a some westerner, he learned early two important lessons: Nothing in life is free and on the street your particular life is exactly as much worth as you can fight for tooth and nail. This philosophy was reinforced through his obsessive fascination for combat biking. For the past four years Riker kept a job as a bike courier to support his mother and little brother Priya as well as saving up to one day own his own motorcycle. In his circle of friends and acquaintances he is notorious for being reckless, relying on luck and chutzpah, even if a minute of thinking could have provided a better result. "Learning from mistakes is just another word for quitting."
That was the case until last week: Someone stole Riker's most precious possession: His 18 gear mountain bike. Now he is not just a bit desperate but positively homicidal. Worse, the local go-gang thugs are recruiting. Now he is seriously tempted to take part in their brutal initiation ceremony, just to have a shot at riding again...
== Info ==
Street Name:
Name: Riker
Movement: 10/20
Human male Age 16
Composure: 5
Judge Intentions: 8
Lift/Carry: 7 (60 kg/40 kg)
Memory: 5
== Priorities ==
Metatype: D extra - Human or Elf (1)
Attributes: B - 20 Attributes
Special: E extra - Mundane (0)
Skills: C extra - 33 Skills/2 Skill Groups (2)
Resources: E extra - 1,500¥ (0)
== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 5
REA: 5
STR: 4
CHA: 2
INT: 6
LOG: 2
WIL: 3
EDG: 5
== Derived Attributes ==
Essence: 6
Initiative: 11 + 1d6
Rigger Initiative: 11 + 1d6
Astral Initiative:
Matrix AR Initiative: 11 + 1d6
Matrix Cold Initiative: 6 + DP + 3d6
Matrix Hot Initiative: 6 + DP + 4d6
Physical Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 10
== Limits ==
Physical: 6
Mental: 5
Social: 5
Astral: 5
== Active Skills ==
Blades : 4 [Knives] Pool: 9 (11)
Con : 4 [Fast Talk] Pool: 6 (8 )
Etiquette : 1 Pool: 3
Gymnastics : 4 Pool: 9
Leadership : 1 Pool: 3
Locksmith : 1 Pool: 6
Navigation : 2 Pool: 8
Negotiation : 1 Pool: 3
Palming : 1 Pool: 6
Perception : 1 [Visual] Pool: 7 (9)
Pilot Ground Craft : 4 Pool: 9
Pistols : 4 [Semi-Automatics] Pool: 9 (11)
Running : 2 Pool: 6
Sneaking : 4 Pool: 9
Survival : 2 Pool: 5
Tracking : 2 Pool: 8
== Knowledge Skills ==
Area Knowledge: : 4 Pool: 10
Combat Biking : 4 Pool: 10
English : 3 Pool: 9
Firearms : 1 Pool: 3
Gangs : 4 Pool: 10
Hindi-Urdu : 1 Pool: 7
Magical Threats : 2 Pool: 4
Or'zet : 2 Pool: 8
Parazoology : 2 Pool: 4
Street Drugs : 2 Pool: 8
Syndicates : 2 Pool: 8
== Qualities ==
Agile Defender
Daredevil
Dependent (Nuisance)
Did You Just Call Me Dumb?
Ex-Con
Hawk Eye
Poor Self Control (Thrill Seeker)
Quick Healer
== Armor ==
Armored Clothing 6
Helmet 2
== Weapons ==
Combat Knife
Pool: 9 (11) Accuracy: 6 DV: 6P AP: -3 RC: 2
Unarmed Attack
Pool: 4 Accuracy: 6 DV: 4S AP: - RC: 2
== Commlink ==
Meta Link (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 1, FWL: 1)
== Gear ==
Respirator Rating 2
Survival Kit
reliable little o o o o o O o o o very much so
curious little o o o o o o o o O very much so
social little o o o o o O o o o very much so
loyal little o o o o o o o o O very much so
disciplined little o o O o o o o o o very much so
authoritarian little o O o o o o o o o very much so
violent little o o o o O o o o o very much so
proud little o o o o o O o o o very much so
easily hurt little o o O o o o o o o very much so
careless little o o o o o o o o O very much so
self-confident little o o o o o o O o o very much so
conceited little o o o o o o O o o very much so
honest little o o o o O o o o o very much so
self-disciplined little o O o o o o o o o very much so
playful little o o o o o o o O o very much so
determined little o o o o o o O o o very much so
calm little o o o O o o o o o very much so
exhibitionistic/open-minded little o o o o o o O o o very much so
diligent little o o o O o o o o o very much so
trusting/naive little o o o o O o o o o very much so
good-hearted little o o o o o O o o o very much so
helpful little o o o o o o O o o very much so
sensitive little o o o o O o o o o very much so
polite little o O o o o o o o o very much so
patient little o O o o o o o o o very much so
a morning grumpiness little o o o o o o o O o very much so
Questions
What’s his reason to be a shadowrunner? Poverty with no perspective of a better life otherwise
What would make him end his career as a runner? Having to loose his brother and mother
Would he ever kill? For what reasons? Yes, self defense and revenge
Would he rob an old lady or a beggar? In what situation? If it was the difference between starving and surviving or if someone forced him to do it
How does he appear to strangers? A gangly juvenile with a loud mouth
What kind of relationship does he have to:
… animals? Likes them, either as pets or as a meal
… orks/trolls? Has no problems with them, most of his friends are ones. He even speaks their language a bit
… dwarves? Hasn't met many, but doesn't mind them
… elves? Same deal
… women? Are you kidding? He is a straight, 16 year old hetero male. He would love to have a relationship with them... lots and lots of relationships...
… foreigners? Usually good for a job but not to be trusted
… men? Some are role models, most are concurrents or threats
… other people in general? He doesn't spend much time thinking about other people besides his friends and family
… his own religion? My what?
… other religions? Would take any religion as long as they give out free food.
… his family? Very, very important
… magic? Spooky shit, best avoided
… his friends? Almost equally important to family
Which kind of social ties are there? His friends, his acquaintances and his small family
When would he call someone a friend? If someone shares with him - no matter if it's pain, food or fun
Is he prejudiced? In what way? In one thousand small ways against almost everything (16 year old, remember?)
Are there some important events in his past? The day he acquired his bike and got his first paying job
Is he in love? Constantly, but usually with some unattainable face from the latest holovid
Is he in a partnership or even married? no
What frightens him? Loneliness
What’s his greatest ambition? To become a professional combat biker
What drives him on? Caring for his brother and mother
What his greatest advantage? His fearlessness
What his greatest disadvantage? His rashness
What’s his Achilles heel? Being an adrenaline junky
What makes him furious? Injustice
What does he love? Speed
Which kind of persons does he fancy? Good looking women
Name 5 (±2) persons who matter in his life + a short description! His mother (Once beautiful, now a very depressed single mother with no perspective in life beyond menial labor and an early grave), his brother (Smart 10 year old who regards his brother as an lovable idiot. He is the one who has the best chances to escape poverty, since he is a real prodigy in temple school), and also his friends Lucky, Scipio, Hari etc.
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Volker : Yes I want to play a socially skilled Drag queen, dreaming of going bigger. With two personalities also, a restraint male personality and an out of control female personality. when the mask goes up the limitations goes down. I was thinking an awakened so he can change personalities quickly either with physical mask or with critter form [human] - but it can also be an hour in the custom room. Not everyone get to access their inner lady - so quickly.
Should be very charismatic, and skilled in performance arts, singing, dancing and so on. If he ever survive long enough to be an established runner he'll be a face.
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Welcome on board, Jack! That's a nice surprise!!
@gilga
The idea behind this thread is to represent the everyday struggle for life in the sprawl or so. So, while I don't have any problems with amazing characters, I want them to stay everyday characters in principal. So please don't roleplay multiple personae, schizos, or stuff of that kind.
We are cool, but we are a normal kind of cool. At least, that's the idea of the plot.
@everybody
I'm absolutely fine with Lagos if you agree on that. Just choose. I think good possibilities are: Seattle, Lagos, Linz, Kathmandu, Athens. Open for new stuff as well.
Second, agree on a setting: orphans, gangers, families, migrants, etc.
:)
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I'd be for families and gangs: Underprivileged kids whose only perspective is to join a gang.
Personally, I'm more for a less exotic setting, since I have absolutely no clue about Laos and what's special about it (But of course, if someone could post a summary with the most important infos, I'd be more than happy to try it)
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I like jack's idea of streetkids and gangs as a (more or less) future.
I would find it interesting to play in a region with social problems, either a poor country (Lagos sounds fun) or maybe some sort of sprawl (I heard Saeder-Krupp polluted large parts of germany and central-Europe, how about that?).
Open for any idea!
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Personally I think you guys should do Hong Kong.... I haven't seen a game set there yet.
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I meant for a very polite person that is only able to speak his true mind behind a mask. But never mind that ;)
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I meant for a very polite person that is only able to speak his true mind behind a mask. But never mind that ;)
XD Okay, I got this terribly wrong. Still, I think a transvestite wouldn't survive ten minutes in the setting we're going to play. Also, there'd be no mirror (let alone backroom) where you could do your make-up ;)
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So far I have created a juvenile delinquent with a big mouth that worked as a courier until someone stole his bicycle and now is in serious danger to give up and loose his life to drugs and bad decisions:
Riker (or Rajkumar, but only his mother called him that) is a 16 year old street rat from the dumps of Kathmandu. Born as the bastard son to his native mother and a some westerner, he learned early two important lessons: Nothing in life is free and on the street your particular life is exactly as much worth as you can fight for tooth and nail. This philosophy was reinforced through his obsessive fascination for combat biking. For the past four years Riker kept a job as a bike courier to support his mother and little brother Priya as well as saving up to one day own his own motorcycle. In his circle of friends and acquaintances he is notorious for being reckless, relying on luck and chutzpah, even if a minute of thinking could have provided a better result. "Learning from mistakes is just another word for quitting."
That was the case until last week: Someone stole Riker's most precious possession: His 18 gear mountain bike. Now he is not just a bit desperate but positively homicidal. Worse, the local go-gang thugs are recruiting. Now he is seriously tempted to take part in their brutal initiation ceremony, just to have a shot at riding again...
== Info ==
Street Name:
Name: Riker
Movement: 10/20
Human male Age 16
Composure: 5
Judge Intentions: 8
Lift/Carry: 7 (60 kg/40 kg)
Memory: 5
== Priorities ==
Metatype: D extra - Human or Elf (1)
Attributes: B - 20 Attributes
Special: E extra - Mundane (0)
Skills: C extra - 33 Skills/2 Skill Groups (2)
Resources: E extra - 1,500¥ (0)
== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 5
REA: 5
STR: 4
CHA: 2
INT: 6
LOG: 2
WIL: 3
EDG: 5
== Derived Attributes ==
Essence: 6
Initiative: 11 + 1d6
Rigger Initiative: 11 + 1d6
Astral Initiative:
Matrix AR Initiative: 11 + 1d6
Matrix Cold Initiative: 6 + DP + 3d6
Matrix Hot Initiative: 6 + DP + 4d6
Physical Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 10
== Limits ==
Physical: 6
Mental: 5
Social: 5
Astral: 5
== Active Skills ==
Blades : 4 [Knives] Pool: 9 (11)
Con : 4 [Fast Talk] Pool: 6 (8 )
Etiquette : 1 Pool: 3
Gymnastics : 4 Pool: 9
Leadership : 1 Pool: 3
Locksmith : 1 Pool: 6
Navigation : 2 Pool: 8
Negotiation : 1 Pool: 3
Palming : 1 Pool: 6
Perception : 1 [Visual] Pool: 7 (9)
Pilot Ground Craft : 4 Pool: 9
Pistols : 4 [Semi-Automatics] Pool: 9 (11)
Running : 2 Pool: 6
Sneaking : 4 Pool: 9
Survival : 2 Pool: 5
Tracking : 2 Pool: 8
== Knowledge Skills ==
Area Knowledge: : 4 Pool: 10
Combat Biking : 4 Pool: 10
English : 3 Pool: 9
Firearms : 1 Pool: 3
Gangs : 4 Pool: 10
Hindi-Urdu : 1 Pool: 7
Magical Threats : 2 Pool: 4
Or'zet : 2 Pool: 8
Parazoology : 2 Pool: 4
Street Drugs : 2 Pool: 8
Syndicates : 2 Pool: 8
== Qualities ==
Agile Defender
Daredevil
Dependent (Nuisance)
Did You Just Call Me Dumb?
Ex-Con
Hawk Eye
Poor Self Control (Thrill Seeker)
Quick Healer
== Armor ==
Armored Clothing 6
Helmet 2
== Weapons ==
Combat Knife
Pool: 9 (11) Accuracy: 6 DV: 6P AP: -3 RC: 2
Unarmed Attack
Pool: 4 Accuracy: 6 DV: 4S AP: - RC: 2
== Commlink ==
Meta Link (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 1, FWL: 1)
== Gear ==
Respirator Rating 2
Survival Kit
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Hi, took a while but I finally did it. Here is the story:
Lucky, yes this is my name. You got that right, just Lucky no family name because have no family no point in faking it. I live in the streets where I play my guitar all day and make enough money to find something to eat.
I want to become a great performer but honestly I’ll settle on making it to my next birthday. I am 17, I still carry a necklace that was abandoned with me. I want to know what happened to my parents and why they left me to die on the street. I survived because an old Samurai took me under his care and brought me to an orphanage and kept visiting me.
I call him ‘pops’ because one of his cyber eyes is so old it keep ‘poping’ out. pops was once a shadowrunner, a great warrior but he put so much metal in his body it is impossible to hug him, hold his hand or look into his eyes. There is a real person in there, I am sure. ‘pop’s never talk to me more than one word. ‘eat’... ‘take’ but he is involved in my life ever since I can remember myself. He is very sick, and his augmentation barely function anymore, he barely makes it on his own yet he never forgets my birth day.
I hate myself for thinking it, but sometimes I wish ‘pops’ would find my parents and use his implemented shotgun to blow their heads out... This is not like me, I have a teaser - I am not stupid but I could never bring myself to kill anyone - this is how you become messed up like ‘pops’.
physical description
Lucky is a young male human of average height he has long dark hair and dark eyes. He is skinny but relatively healthy. he wears a worn down leather jacket and a matching hat. If you see’s lucky without his guitar - you know something terrible must have happened he protects his guitar with his life. He has a star shaped necklace that he never takes off - and he usually also has a teaser on his right hip - trying to deter gangers from messing with him.
Contacts:
‘pops’ - his guardian angel in the shadows, pop is a shadow of his former glory but he is still more dangerous than the average ganger. People should know not to mess with Lucky.
Jake - Jake runs a local gang that control this neighborhood. He always asks for little services and Lucky cannot refuse otherwise he cannot play there. Jake pays nuyen that is usually enough for a few weeks of a warm meals and cold showers - Lucky loves being clean.
Tammie is the local copper, she likes Lucky and tries to get him to stay out of trouble. Tammie obviously treats Lucky differently. Lucky is among the few in the streets that agrees to talk to her. She also always brings something hot to eat. One of the times, she even gave lucky two front row tickets to a rock concert. It was the best day of his life.
Here is the crunch:
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Whoa! You go to bed, you get up, and there are two full-blown characters.
Still, I think it's a bit to soon to build a character before we have decided on the continent, don't ya think?
So far we agreed, if I got that correctly, on a group of juveniles on the street.
I'm note sure whether we agreed on the matters, if we are - part of a gang
- part of the same family
Have we?
Okay, although I think it's a bit to soon, some remarks to your characters:
@Jack_Spade:
Fluffwise, I'm going to ask for a lot more info but I guess it makes sense to wait until the setting is defined.
Rulewise, your character seems to be absolutely okay.
Have you already included the free 20 Karma for Interest skills?
From which sourcebook(s) did you take your Qualities?
@gila:
Fluffwise, I love your story and this character definitely is going to last longer in the street ;-) As soon as we have devided on a setting, I assume you should adjust the background to our setting, but elsewise I like Lucky.
Rulewise, I'm not as happy. Maybe I am used to very unusual groups, but this build reminds me of what you'd probably call min-maxing in Anglo-America.
Here are some of the points which lead me to this belief:
- All skills are either 1 (min) or 4 (max).
- You have AGI 5 und STR 1. I think that's very unrealistic. If you're well-trained and fast you cannot be weak at the level of a broken old granny. If you have hardly any muscles at all, you cannot be quick, dextere and accurate.
- You are a 16 yo old male street kid with STR 1.
- You chose Exceptional Attribute in a low-power-nothing-extraordinary-group.
- You chose Weak Immune System in a group that is restricted to take no (hardly) any augmentation anyway. That's a bit like forbidding whale fishing in the Czech Republic if you catch my meaning.
Thus, rulewise I'd ask you to rework your character before we get started. This really should be about fun, a realistic character and plausible interactions, not about power.
Actually, I intended to give a list of "unwanted" Qualities before we build but you two surprised me with these quick builds. In order to prevent any other disappointments, I'll do it now:
So, these Qualities are either changed or banned:
Aptitude: Allows to take a skill to the level of 5. Costs: 12 (instead of 14)
Bilingual: If we play in a typical bilingual setting (e.g. South America) it's only 3 Karma.
Catlike: costs 5 instead of 7
Exceptional Attribute: banned
Gearhead: costs 14 instead of 11
High Pain Tolerance: costs 6 instead of 7
Home Ground: free for everyone
Juryrigger: 12 instead of 10
Resistence to Pathogens/Toxins: 3/6 instead of 4/8
Addiction: +1 additional karma per level of addiction
Incompetent: banned
Prejudiced: +1 additional karma per level of addiction
Scorched: banned, unless you have a really awesome backstory
Sensitive System: banned
Simsense Vertigo: 2 instead of 5 Karma
Sinner: banned
Uncouth: 16 instead of 14
Uneducated: 12 instead of 10
Weak Immune System: 8 instead of 10
These changed rules are designed to favour Qualities that are most likely found in the streets, and disencourage others. I hope you find it to your liking.
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About the story thanks. He is definitely be part of a gang, his fixer is the gang leader already. (or a local ganger that is responsible of the local hood)
About the crunch you got it wrong he was super un-optimized with pacificst 2 do not use violence ever. But he cannot realistically be a ganger with that quality so I reduced it to 1 - only for self defense.
I removed the sensitive system sorry sort of missed the meaning of the quality. This is my first mundane char ever. The negatives qualities are just for a body of 3 anyhow - if they do not fit I'll just play him with body 2 no fuss ...
The 1 skills are just the stealth group that I imagine he could not live on the street without being somewhat skilled in. He is not passionate about sneaking, lifting wallets and stuff like that but he definitely will do so if desperate enough.
He do not have that many skill points to go around - skills D - but I could drop from his teaser dice pools if it is needed. It is not like he is any good at combatant anyhow - being pacifist and only use violence for self defense. That teaser may rest on his hip for a long while. I couldn't picture him completely unarmed in a world with trolls and orcs that are so much stronger and share the street with him.
If we kill someone not for self defense - he'll have nightmares for weeks with dicepool penalty. I think it makes him more of a person - I mean a lot of the people I know fit the description of the pacifist trait. It is normative quality - just not fit with professional shadowrunners that are somewhat sociopaths - that can kill someone at night go to sleep and continue as if nothing happened.
new crunch ;)
== Info ==
Street Name:
Name: Lucky
Movement: 10/20
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Human
Composure: 9
Judge Intentions: 11
Lift/Carry: 5 (30 kg/20 kg)
Memory: 4
Nuyen: 0
== Priorities ==
Metatype: C - Human, Dwarf, Elf, or Ork
Attributes: B - 20 Attributes
Special: E extra - Mundane (0)
Skills: D - 22 Skills/0 Skill Groups
Resources: E extra - 6,000¥ (0)
== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 5
REA: 5
STR: 2
CHA: 6
INT: 5
LOG: 2
WIL: 3
EDG: 7
== Derived Attributes ==
Essence: 6
Initiative: 10 + 1d6
Rigger Initiative: 10 + 1d6
Astral Initiative:
Matrix AR Initiative: 10 + 1d6
Matrix Cold Initiative: 5 + DP + 3d6
Matrix Hot Initiative: 5 + DP + 4d6
Physical Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 10
== Limits ==
Physical: 4
Mental: 4
Social: 7
Astral: 7
== Active Skills ==
Animal Handling : 0 Pool: 5
Archery : 0 Pool: 4
Automatics : 0 Pool: 4
Blades : 0 Pool: 4
Clubs : 0 Pool: 4
Con : 4 [Seduction] Pool: 10 (12)
Disguise : 1 Pool: 6
Diving : 0 Pool: 2
Escape Artist : 0 Pool: 4
Etiquette : 0 Pool: 5
Free-Fall : 0 Pool: 2
Gunnery : 0 Pool: 4
Gymnastics : 0 Pool: 4
Heavy Weapons : 0 Pool: 4
Impersonation : 3 [Human] Pool: 9 (11)
Instruction : 0 Pool: 5
Intimidation : 0 Pool: 5
Leadership : 0 Pool: 5
Longarms : 0 Pool: 4
Navigation : 0 Pool: 4
Negotiation : 0 Pool: 5
Palming : 1 Pool: 6
Perception : 3 [Visual] Pool: 8 (10)
Performance : 4 [Guitar] Pool: 10 (12)
Pilot Ground Craft : 0 Pool: 4
Pilot Watercraft : 0 Pool: 4
Pistols : 4 [Tasers] Pool: 9 (11)
Running : 0 Pool: 1
Sneaking : 1 Pool: 6
Survival : 0 Pool: 2
Swimming : 0 Pool: 1
Throwing Weapons : 0 Pool: 4
Tracking : 0 Pool: 4
Unarmed Combat : 0 Pool: 4
== Knowledge Skills ==
Bars and Clubs : 1 Pool: 6
English : N Pool: 0
Music : 6 Pool: 7
Or'zet : 4 Pool: 9
Sprawl Life : 1 Pool: 6
== Contacts ==
Jake-Fixer (2, 5)
pops (1, 6)
Tammie (3, 4)
== Qualities ==
Emotional Attachment
First Impression
Home Ground ((TBD))
Low Pain Tolerance
Pacifist I
== Armor ==
Armor Jacket 12
Helmet 2
== Weapons ==
Tiffani-Defiance Protector
+Gecko Grip
+Laser Sight
Pool: 9 (11) Accuracy: 6 DV: 7S(e) AP: -5 RC: 1
Unarmed Attack
Pool: 4 Accuracy: 4 DV: 2S AP: - RC: 1
== Gear ==
Ammo: Taser Dart (Tasers) x10
Guitar
Speciel Rules Adjuster
== Karma Expenses ==
== Nuyen Expenses ==
Settings -
m... I do not know much about shadow world and as I imagine my char never left his hood anyhow I think it is over rated.
I also like the group of street rats, but can totally do a gang. But gangs are just a bit darker and I do not sure I want Lucky to be extorting businesses, pimping or selling drugs. I mean this is what you do in gangs and the limitations on character build seems to be more 'street rat' gang. I mean - we cannot have an assault rifle and armor with this kind of resources, no medkit and weapon. We are obviously not build for destruction - if your character has a descent medkit - this is his special thing. This sound like a street rat to me.
In a gang we would have been slightly richer - not shadow runner rich but we would definitely have med-kits, assault rifles and god forbids a bike. So I am up for growing up together we know each other better than anything are sort of a 'family'. We either live together or hang around all the time.
Building lucky - I tried to make him proud to have a teaser for self defense. It is a big deal for him, I couldn't start with an assault rifle and leather jacket for example.
Maybe having a gang in the sense of us living togheter having fun, looking out for each other stuff like that.
-
@Volker
The qualities are from Core and Run Faster.
Ex-Con includes a criminal sin. If that's a problem, I'll just add an allergy and a few other things to the mix instead.
The Knowledege Skills include 20 bonus karma (using after generation improvement costs)
And yes: I plan to include a longer backstory, once I know where we play.
As mentioned, I'm ok with Lagos since Novocrane kindly provided some background info.
-
Okay, if everyone's fine with that, a gang of street rats it is.
Now as to the location: Let's do a vote: Everyone can give 3, 2, 1 and 0 points each to the following settings: - Seattle
- Essen (or similar)
- Lagos
- New Delhi (or similar)
@Novocrane: The build seems to be fine, save for the same problem with the skills. I'm aware than 1 and 4s (or usually 6s) are most effective, but that's not what it's about here. No one is either totally blue or totally experienced in everything. I'd like to ask you to spread the skills a little more realistic.
Otherwise the build seems to be fine.
Could you please provide me the rules for SURGE III (Bovine, 18/18)
+Ogre Stomach (8)
+Satyr Legs (10)
-Berserker (6)
-Impaired Attribute: Body (8)
-Striking Skin Pigmentation (4)
Thanks!
Don't forget you get 20 free Karma for Interests!
@gilga
super! I like it
Did you spend your Interest skills?
@Jack_Spade
Ex-Con is fine.
-
Nope, not yet I am not sure yet what he'll be interested in besides music. Perhaps once we're more settled.
I'll be more comfortable in Essen or Seattle because I can understand the culture. Lagos seems also cool I hope I can connect. I do not know if there is fluff about Jerusalem (and if there is if it is any good) but it is an amazing city in 2015 and I personally met some 'street rats' living there.
All in all I think it boils down to the question of who the GM is and what place he can make come to live. I think that Tokyo it s a great city Lagos is great - but for example if I tell about these places they'll degrade to generic places.
If I was a GM I would have suggested Jerusalem because it is a place I can tell stories about, having lived nearby as a teenager and met people that live there both established and from the fringe of society.
I can totally picture a group of street rats messing around in the streets of Jerusalem there are many like that. Most come from super religious homes that could not accept them.
It is a diverse city with its own unique psychological syndrom - some visit as tourists and become crazy thinking that they are prophets or the sort. There was a famous homeless person that was sure he is king David. People called him David and even bowed to him because he was a talented musician, probably learned for many years before he went crazy. he was a celebrity - you couldn't live on the streets without knowing him. He also dressed up the part with long white robe and yes a crown.
Now take all this tension in that city and put it in a world where there are spirits and magic are real. megacorps that try to tap into the special magical qualities of the place - spirits that claim they are gods. Religious/magical cults, street gangs selling drugs. white collar coming for a spiritual experience and discover a very modest reality a very poor city with its own problems - drugs, prostitution crime - you name it Jerusalem got it today.
Every stone you pick in Jerusalem has history - everyplace you try to build you will have resistance. 2075 I imagine it as a city where magic, money, mysticism, religion and politics collide together. Something have to happen - so many conflicting interests in such a small ground.
So I'd say we shouldn't vote on a location it should be a location where Volker feels comfortable telling believable stories about. Every place is interesting if you know it closely enough - and the most interesting place will become 'generic' settings if you do not know it well enough.
-
That's actually a very good thought. Okay, let's think about it shortly (I don't have much time, so I'm also going to answer PMs tomorrow).
Seattle: I guess I know it as well as anybody: from books, but there's a lot of material and novels and stuff. Nothing special, but I think I can do a fair enough Seattle.
Linz: This I could make very plastic. It's the place I live in and since we have another group in Linz, we already fleshed out the 2075 Linz. It's nothing like Jerusalem or Stonehenge, but it's a nice place.
Essen: Never been there, but Germany has some good back stories from official side and as a native Austrian I guess I could picture Germans quite nicely. Maybe some prejudices will lead to a slightly klischee-like Germany which should be fun :)
Lagos: Never been there, no idea 'bout it. Sounds interesting and maybe I can do it, but no better than anyone else.
Kathmandu: I live there right now and I've been here for half a year already. I guess I could make a cool 2075 Kathmandu :)
Delhi: No idea but I think of it as an extreme Kathmandu.
Athens: Also no real idea, but I could read something and have a basic idea about Greek mythology. Combined, it should make a fun environment to play in.
Your choice, lads. Elsewise, we vote gilga for GM and play in Jerusalem :D
-
In that case I'm for Linz or Seattle.
To slightly misquote you:
"As a native German I guess I could picture Austrians quite nicely. Maybe some prejudices will lead to a slightly klischee-like Austria which should be fun"
;)
-
I'm guesing space is taken up on here?
-
I'm guesing space is taken up on here?
Not entirely. Actually, one of my friends quit, so there's a slot free.
@all:
It seems the basic question is: developed world (e.g. Linz) or undeveloped world (e.g. Kathmandu).
The questions about real-life experience or no is basically: How authentic does it have to be. Is it enough it is an interesting, amazing experience? Or do you want it to be an authentic, interesting, amazing experience?
I can flesh out a cool background story for, say, Athens or Lagos, but I don't know the culture. I would use what little info there is available and make up the rest. I've been working on a pnp role play game for more then ten years now, so I have some experience in making up interesting worlds. If that's fine by you, we can play pretty much anywhere.
If you want an authentic touch, I would suggest Linz (developed world) or Kathmandu (developing world) since I've lived in both places and know and understand the mentality pretty well.
In my opinion the advantages of a developed world setting would be that we can focus on a sort of quest because we're not SO busy in surviving. The advantage of the developing world would be the same: We could even closer experience the life of gutter rats in their struggle for survival. The images Novocrane posted are inspiring (in a very, very macabre way).
-
About Kathmandu I am not sure how 'undeveloped' it is in 2075. A lot can happen in 50 years, just imagine where China is today and where they were 60 years ago. The largest economy in our world was nothing 60 years ago. 60 years from now they may well be very different - possibly even the most technologically advanced country in the world. Just saying tough stuff constantly changes. So as a fictional story it does not have to be authentic.
Wired to say that but i know more about Kathmandu than about Linz being Israeli a lot of my friends traveled to Nepal after the army. I'll live in Europe soon so I'll probably visit Austria and I've been to Germany as a tourist a couple of times.
Just because we need to decide I vote Kathmandu but I do not feel strongly about it at all.
-
Might be that I met some of your chummers. I met a hell o' a lot of Israelis on Annapurna Circuit (couple o' days before hell was unleashed at the pass...).
China was already a Maoist people's republic that held the United States in check 60 years ago.
About Kathmandu: All the information I can find online (http://shadowrun.wikia.com/wiki/Kathmandu) is: Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal. About Nepal, all I can find is: During Halley's Comet visit, naturally occurring orichalcum discovered (yotc.85).
In other words: There is nothing official. We/I can build our version of Kathmandu 2075, the way we want it to be. Since I've been living here for quite a time I think I'd be able to create one possible version of 2075 that's fun to play in. And there sure as hell will be slums so nasty it will cost you some effort to throw even a fictive character in there!
Ah, and by the way: When you're in Europa go to Austria first ;-) People are nicer there than in Germany (note: Bavarians are not Germans) (note 2: It's a joke. But a joke an Austrian has to make.)
I'd be happy if we could decide on the setting soon so that I can stay working on our environment and gang and stuff.
-
My prefered setting would probably be Kathmandu, should be fun to create our own backstory about this place. But Lagos sounds really cool too!
My points are as follows:
Kathmandu: 3
Lagos: 2
Linz, Essen etc.: 1
I'll upload my character as soon as possible, I'm sorry it takes so long...
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Katmandu it is then!
Ah, and by the way: When you're in Europa go to Austria first ;-) People are nicer there than in Germany (note: Bavarians are not Germans) (note 2: It's a joke. But a joke an Austrian has to make.)
I've been to Germany twice already I sort of like Germans, the one thing that I cannot get used to is how polite all the people I've met were... then again I only met a very specific kind of people, grad students and professors describe most of them. I'll definitely visit Austria tough.
-
I'd like to wait for Jack_Spade's vote first.
Novocrane voted against Kathmandu (or New Delhi, as Kathmandu's representative). If you, Novocrane, absolutely don't want to live in ktm, please say so. Then we'll play somewhere else. It sounded as if you wouldn't mind it, though.
-
Fine! If Jack_Spade is also okay with the setting I'm going to start fleshing out ktm75 today.
That's kewl.
-
Throwing weapons fits best I think as you could practice throwing stones.
-
I agree but for another reason. An axe - throwing minotaur appears to be a cool sight
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Hello, boys!
I think we can soon launch that thing. Since I have some time today in the evening I thought of fleshing out our hood. Jack didn't post today, but if I know you right I don't think you would mind playing in Kathmandu, so I'm going to write its history today.
Kathmandu's going to be flooded by cheap old shit from everywhere else. To represent this, I'll adjust the setting rules for equipment:
Instead of 1500 we have only 1000 each. As a group we'll have additional 1500.
All gear you could aready find in SR3 is half the price.
All gear that was available in SR4 is normal price.
All gear that is new in SR5 is 40 % more expensive.
Availability is capped to 8 instead of 12.
If you need me to check on your stuff I can do that for you. I have CR e3 (but not e4).
I also looked over your characters.
@Jack_Spade
I count 22 Attributes. Did you spend Karma to increase some stats?
Did you buy 2 of the 3 Specializations with Karma?
I didn't check the qualities, I just trust you on that.
@Novocrane
I count 17 Attributes. Did you buy one with Karma?
I count only 22 Skill points. Did you forget that you get 4 skill points free because of the setting special rules?
Did you use up your 20 free Karma for Interest Skills?
I didn't check the qualities, I just trust you on that.
@gilga
I count 23 Attributes. Did you spend Karma to increase some stats?
Did you forget your free 20 Karma for Interest Skills?
I didn't check the qualities, I just trust you on that.
Now, I'm gonna eat Dal Bhat and then I'll throw myself into the history of Nepal's capital!
-
I don't know where my today's morning's post went, so I'll have to set the deadline anew:
SgtBoomCloud and saithor, please make yourself perceiveable within 18 hours. Someone else is also interested and we're just about to start.
-
Updated char sheet - to include everything. including 20 free knowledge karma.
== Info ==
Street Name:
Name: Lucky
Movement: 10/20
Karma: 28
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Human Male Age 17
Height 170 Weight 70
Composure: 10
Judge Intentions: 11
Lift/Carry: 5 (30 kg/20 kg)
Memory: 5
Nuyen: 60
== Priorities ==
Metatype: C - Human, Dwarf, Elf, or Ork
Attributes: B - 20 Attributes
Special: E extra - Mundane (0)
Skills: D - 26 Skills/0 Skill Groups
Resources: E extra - 1,500¥ (0)
== Attributes ==
BOD: 3 (from karma)
AGI: 5
REA: 5
STR: 2
CHA: 6
INT: 5
LOG: 2 (from karma)
WIL: 3
EDG: 7
== Derived Attributes ==
Essence: 6
Initiative: 10 + 1d6
Rigger Initiative: 10 + 1d6
Astral Initiative:
Matrix AR Initiative: 10 + 1d6
Matrix Cold Initiative: 5 + DP + 3d6
Matrix Hot Initiative: 5 + DP + 4d6
Physical Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 10
== Limits ==
Physical: 4
Mental: 4
Social: 8
Astral: 8
== Active Skills ==
Con : 4 [Seduction] Pool: 10 (12)
Disguise : 2 Pool: 7
Gymnastics : 1 Pool: 6
Impersonation : 3 [Human] Pool: 9(11)
Palming : 1 Pool: 6
Perception : 1 [Visual] Pool: 6 (8)
Performance : 4 [Guitar] Pool: 10 (12)
Pistols : 4 [Tasers] Pool: 9 (11)
Sneaking : 1 Pool: 6
== Knowledge Skills ==
Alcohol : 1 Pool: 6
Arabic : 1 Pool: 6
Architecture : 1 Pool: 6
Art : 3 Pool: 4
Bars and Clubs : 1 Pool: 6
English : N Pool: 0
Gangs : 1 Pool: 6
History : 1 Pool: 6
Music : 6 Pool: 11
Or'zet : 4 Pool: 9
Politics : 1 Pool: 6
Religion : 1 Pool: 6
Shadow Community : 1 Pool: 6
Spirits : 1 Pool: 6
Sports : 1 Pool: 6
Sprawl Life : 1 Pool: 6
Street Charity and Shelters : 2 Pool: 7
Street Drugs : 1 Pool: 6
== Contacts ==
Jake-Fixer (2, 5)
Jake runs a local gang that control this neighborhood. He always asks for little services and Lucky cannot refuse otherwise he cannot play there. Jake pays nuyen that is usually enough for a few weeks of a warm meals and cold showers - Lucky loves being clean.
pops (1, 6)
‘pops’ - his guardian angel in the shadows, pop is a shadow of his former glory but he is still more dangerous than the average ganger. People should know not to mess with Lucky.
Tammie (3, 4)
Tammie is the local copper, she likes Lucky and tries to get him to stay out of trouble. Tammie obviously treats Lucky differently. Lucky is among the few in the streets that agrees to talk to her. She also always brings something hot to eat. One of the times, she even gave lucky two front row tickets to a rock concert. It was the best day of his life.
== Qualities ==
Emotional Attachment
First Impression
Low Pain Tolerance
Home Ground (Karthmandu) - free
Pacifist I
== Lifestyles ==
Street 1 months
== Armor ==
Armor Jacket 12
Helmet 2
== Weapons ==
Tiffani-Defiance Protector
+Gecko Grip
+Laser Sight
Pool: 9 (11) Accuracy: 6 DV: 7S(e) AP: -5 RC: 1
Unarmed Attack
Pool: 4 Accuracy: 4 DV: 2S AP: - RC: 1
== Gear ==
Ammo: Taser Dart (Tasers) x10
Guitar
== Nuyen Expenses ==
3/7/2015 4:28:19 PM 120 Starting Nuyen
== Description ==
Lucky is a young male human of average height he has long dark hair and dark eyes. He is skinny but relatively healthy. he wears a worn down leather jacket and a matching hat. If you see’s lucky without his guitar - you know something terrible must have happened he protects his guitar with his life. He has a star shaped necklace that he never takes off - and he usually also has a teaser on his right hip - trying to deter gangers from messing with him.
== Background ==
Lucky, yes this is my name. You got that right, just Lucky no family name because have no family no point in faking it. I live in the streets where I play my guitar all day and make enough money to find something to eat.
I want to become a great performer but honestly I’ll settle on making it to my next birthday. I am 17, I still carry a necklace that was abandoned with me. I want to know what happened to my parents and why they left me to die on the street. I survived because an old Samurai took me under his care and brought me to an orphanage and kept visiting me.
I call him ‘pops’ because one of his cyber eyes is so old it keep ‘poping’ out. pops was once a shadowrunner, a great warrior but he put so much metal in his body it is impossible to hug him, hold his hand or look into his eyes. There is a real person in there, I am sure. ‘pop’s never talk to me more than one word. ‘eat’... ‘take’ but he is involved in my life ever since I can remember myself. He is very sick, and his augmentation barely function anymore, he barely makes it on his own yet he never forgets my birth day.
I hate myself for thinking it, but sometimes I wish ‘pops’ would find my parents and use his implemented shotgun to blow their heads out... This is not like me, I have a teaser - I am not stupid but I could never bring myself to kill anyone - this is how you become messed up like ‘pops’.
reliable little o o o o o o O o o very much so
curious little o o o o o o o O o very much so
social little o o o o o o o o O very much so
loyal little o o o o o o O o o very much so
disciplined little o O o o o o o o very much so
authoritarian little o o o o O o o o o very much so
violent little O o o o o o o o o very much so
proud little o o o o o o o O o very much so
easily hurt little o O o o o o o o o very much so
careless little o o o o o O o o o very much so
self-confident little o o o o o o o o O very much so
conceited little o o o o O o o o o very much so
honest little o o o o o o O o o very much so
self-disciplined little o o o o o O o o o very much so
playful little o o o o o o o O o very much so
determined little o o O o o o o o o very much so
calm little o o o o o o o O o very much so
exhibitionistic/open-minded little o o o o o o o o O very much so
diligent little o o O o o o o o o very much so
trusting/naive little o o o o o o O o o very much so
good-hearted little o o o o o o o O o very much so
helpful little o o o o o o O o o very much so
sensitive little o o o o o o o O o very much so
polite little o o o o o O o o o very much so
patient little o O o o o o o o o very much so
a morning grumpiness little o o o o O o o o o very much so
Questions
What’s his reason to be a shadowrunner?
He is not seeing himself as a shadowrunner - he does whats needed to survive.
What would make him end his career as a runner?
A record contract - he wants to be famous.
Would he ever kill? For what reasons?
He will never use lethal force - and only use non lethal force for self defense.
Would he rob an old lady or a beggar? In what situation?
Not unless he is very hungry and the need is great.
How does he appear to strangers?
He blends in, super friendly and confident.
What kind of relationship does he have to:
… animals? - loves dogs wish he had one.
… orks/trolls? - fear them unless he knows them. It is difficult to trust them.
… dwarves? - indifferent
… elves? - envy them.
… women? - women are evil - they are attractive tough.
… foreigners? they tip well - he trust them.
… men? - friendships mostly.
… other people in general? he seeks social connections this is the essence of life for him.
… his own religion? - what is this religion thing? does it comes with free food ? I am in.
… other religions? - what is this religion thing? does it comes with free food ? I am in.
… his family? No family he loves his contacts - really love them and would go out of his way to protect them.
… magic? - Magic is evil - combat magic is demonic.
… his friends? - all he got.
Which kind of social ties are there?
Friendships mostly -
When would he call someone a friend?
After they got drunk together.
Is he prejudiced? In what way?
He somewhat fears women, orcs/trolls and magic in that order.
Are there some important events in his past?
He can't get over not knowing his parents, he want to know why they left an helpless baby on the street to die.
Is he in love?
nope... but I want him to fell in love ;)
Is he in a partnership or even married?
nope
What frightens him?
Women, trolls/orcs and magic. But his deepest fear is losing his guitar.
What’s his greatest ambition?
To be a famous performer - pop star.
What drives him on?
The desire to meet new people and to fulfill his needs, comforts, sleep in a real bad, shower, drink somthing good - have sex he is totally after the comforts and pleasures of life.
What his greatest advantage?
He is always happy - even under pressure even hungry in the morrning in the evening when afraid... even when sad he can done his happy careless face and play like nothing happened.
What his greatest disadvantage?
He cannot use violence any sort of it.
What’s his Achilles heel?
Steal his guitar and he loses his mind.
What makes him furious?
Touch his guitar !
What does he love?
Anything fancy he'll risk his life for a good night sleep or an access to an exclusive night club.
Which kind of persons does he fancy?
Dangerous and charismatic.
Name 5 (±2) persons who matter in his life + a short descirption!
Loves his contacts - pops and Tammie - loves his gang and completely loyal to them.
They fill the role of a family to him.
-
@Jack_Spade
I count 22 Attributes. Did you spend Karma to increase some stats?
Did you buy 2 of the 3 Specializations with Karma?
I didn't check the qualities, I just trust you on that.
Hi,
yes, I bought Logic and Charisma for 10 Karma each, I also bought for 5 Karma the Leadership, Negotiation and Etiquette skill group.
Here the costs for the qualities:
Agile Defender (-3)
Daredevil (-6)
Dependent (Nuisance) (3)
Did You Just Call Me Dumb? (3)
Ex-Con (15)
Hawk Eye (-3)
Poor Self Control (Thrill Seeker) (4)
Quick Healer (-3)
Also I did already vote here (http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/index.php?topic=19978.msg358495#msg358495),
but as you correctly guessed, I am totally ok with Kathmandu ;)
I'm a bit under time pressure today (only 5.5h sleep, followed by 8h forest work and now I'm supposed to GM for my RL group :o), but I'll post a revised gear list and a back story on Sunday.
-
Don't hurry! I just wanted to determine the setting so that you can write your backstories and I can flesh out the background. I'll check everything tomorrow. I guess we'll be able to start in a couple of days.
-
Hey Volker.
I'll say again how much I appreciate being invited to be a part of this Pbp. Unfortunately, with my situation as it currently is, I do not think I will have a character up by the stated deadline, and I do not wish to keep an already sizable group waiting.
Perhaps consider m as an alternate for the time being? either way, again, thank you
-
I think this plot will be more open than typical shadowruns so I assume that there will be possibilities to join at a later point.
Can you estimate how many weeks your situation is going to stay the way it is?
@all
I'm finished with Kathmando 2075 but it's only a German excel sheet right now. Since it's midnight I'm going to take a nap now, and bring it in a nice legible (English) format tomorrow. I hope you like my Kathmandu 2075!
-
Okay, thanks!
Kathmandu's backstory will be online in a minute. In the meanwhile, here are the stats for Khukuri knives:
Khukuri:
Accuracy: 5
Reach: -
Damage: (Str+2)P
Avail: -
Cost: 40
-
Hello, folks!
The history of Kathmandu is finished. What else do you need: A description of the different districts, a short description of life in general. Something else?
Here you go:
A Really Concise History of Kathmandu
by Bipana Kharki, College of Sociology; Kathmandu University
translated into English by Prakash Shrestha
Paragraph 0: What’s this all about
Namaste! My name is Bipana Kharki and I study the sociology for 4 years. People outside of the Nepal too often do not know about Nepal’s past. This is to give information about our country, and how it came to be so.
To understand the Nepal’s history it is easier if you know the people’s mentality. In short words, most Nepali people leave very much in the present: they do not think much of the past, but also not of the future. If something works today, it is fine. If not, you can do something about it.
Nepali people are very hard-working. They do what has to be done. But most of them don’t use their intelligence to improve their lot. When they copy something from another culture, they don’t try to understand how it works. They just do.
Western people often find this very disturbing. But this is because the Nepali are a very happy people. Problems do not bother them. They just live with them. We can still be happy if something is wrong. We just live on. We love to celebrate a lot. We don’t put stress on ourselves. We take as given what the Gods gave us, and do not always try to change the world. We also are a very peaceful people. This is our biggest strength.
Paragraph 1: The end of the Fifth World
Nepal only opened its borders to the rest of the world in the 20th century. Before, its borders were closed. When in the middle of the 20th century cars and western economy goods came into the Nepal, our culture adapted, but maybe too slowly: modern technology like TV, the Grid, motorcycles, plastic and so on, came to a country that used to do agriculture and traditional handicraft. The effect was the pollution of the water and the soil, but also an opening to the West. Western and Nepali culture melted easily together, and the holy and the profane were much closer than in the West.
Then, in 2008, the monarchy was overthrown. Our beloved king Birendra (holy is his name) was killed, as was the whole Royal Family. This coup d’etat was led and inspiried by the Maoists. After that, there was the instable type of democracy. Although there were elections, the caste system still was very strong. No one who was not either Brahmani or Chetry would not be allowed a mighty position, as before. The first democratic president Ram Baran Yadav opened the Nepal to the West to profit from the Western wealth. And for a while it worked: Many NGOs came to the Nepal to help the people. Nepali young men went to the Arabian countries, to the Israel, to the India and to other rich countries to labour for much money and bring it back to their family, and their great family Nepal. These contracts often were very close to acutal slavery but it helped to sustain the labourers’ families.
Then, in 2010, VITAS erupted in the India, and spread over the world. The Nepali country was hit as one of the first. While in the mountains, the scourge was not terrible, in the Terai region and in the Kathmandu city, it was terrible. Almost every second peoples died before 2011. Despite of the help of the Western countries, Nepali economy went into a great depression. The fault for the desaster was blamed on the new-born democracy. It was followed by protest marches, strikes, and unrest. Only very few more people were killed, but economy and health care were blocked, and the bad hygiene claimed more lives than the violence.
When the Western countries provided little help, there was big disappointment. Slowly people began to turn their backs on the West.
The big temple of Pashupatinath’s crematories didn’t manage to burn severall million people at once. Instead, the people began to carry the corpse of their dead to the district of Battisputali in the West of the Pashupatinath for later burning. But when Kali’s Harvest was over, many people did not remove their dead, and left them there. After that, very poor people used to bring their dead relatives to Battisputali instead of the Pashupatinath to save the funeral costs. To control the income, the priests of Pashupatinath raised the funeral fees, and even less people came here. It became a status symbol to get burned in Pashupatinath. Poor people left their dead to rot in the District of the Dead.
Paragraph 2: Vishnu Awakens (2011-2020)
Vishnu, our highest God, ended his sleep, and his dreams became true. Two kinds of spirits manifested in the peoples (or so they believed: Western doctors explained the phenomenon as UGE and called the babies elfs and dwarves). At first, people are scared of these demon people (rakshasa maanche) but the government defend the UGE babies. They quickly rework the hospitals to “special ashram”, to shelters for the new kind. The new people are the target of hatred and fear, and many mothers bring their children into these special ashram where they are isolated from the world.
The hatred and fear moves from the actual dwarf and elf babies to the democratic rule who defended them. By use of military demonstrations, president Ram Baran Yadav can maintain his rule a little longer, but there is little love for the not-king.
The Awakening was also terrible for the other countries. NGOs cleared their tents, foreign help ceased within the half year. In the same time, mighty mountain and celestial spirits are seen in the Himalaya mountains, and Yetis are said to kill tourist. As a result (and because of bad economy and VITAS everywhere), tourism almost stops at the same time. Without foreign investment and tourism, and after the loss of millions of people, the economy crashes. Individuals go abroad to bring home a little money, and help to build up other countries, while the Kathmandu goes down. Ghettos and Slums dominated Kathmandu, and they still do.
India suffocates what is left from Nepali economy by cheap industry garbage to exploit what little market there is left. People return back to agriculture and traditional handicraft, and finally turn their back on the so-called Western world.
In the meanwhile, magic becomes a part of the world. Unlike in other countries, the Nepali accept magic as natural part of their world willingly. Vishnu is Awake, and his dreams come true. Nepali people are not afraid of change. They just do not pursue it. Especially spiritual people, like the Saddhu and the Yogi, use magic. But also businessmen and bus drivers do magic (and few use it to change their lives). There is a little unrest in the beginning, but soon magic is a normal part of the life.
Slowly, the attitude towards elves and dwarves change. Some are considered to be gods and demons of Vishnu’s dreams and are treated with much respect, or fear respectively. Others are isolited and treated like they were sick people or disabled. Only a few manage to blend in the society. In terms of technology, Nepal remains as it was in the 1980s or 1990s, while on other places ASIST and cybertechnology is invented.
In 2016 a spiritual Chetri Saddhu named Tenzin Chetri uses magic to drive off the Maoists, force the president to step back and proclaims himself king. When only two years later China’s Maoist era goes down and China explodes into the puzzle it is today, king Tenzin (holy is his name) uses his propaganda to make it his victory (while in reality he had no influence at all in China).
Paragraph 3: The Sixth World (2021-2046)
Then the goblinization comes. The first sightings of orks and trolls were called “Asura” – ungodly demon. But fortunately, although there was little contact with the West, it was their names that were used for these new rakshasa maanche. The canyon between richs and poors gets even bigger. The Pashupathi maanche removed their goblinized “asura bachha” (ungodly children) into quarantene, into the very same hospitals which hosted dwarves and elves. The Battiputali maanche, however, had nowhere to give their children. By a mix of Nepali indifference, our big sense for family and peace and the lack of will to make your own situation better that has become so typical for the Battiputali people, they instead just raise their ork and troll children. Some treated them as their own children, some more like dogs. There were racist riots in Nepal, also, but less bad than in other countries. Metahumans quickly becomes a part of society. In Nepal, there are prejudices and misunderstanding as everywhere else, but there is little violence.
Exile Maoists try again to take over Kathmandu, but they fail due to the resistance of Nepali soldiers, spell-slinging Saddhus and the stubborn passive resistance of the Nepali people. The king, the monarchy and the old world order are celebrated.
Economy slowly recovers but there is no progression. The poverty is overwhelming. Misery, slums and drug abuse grow. Buddhistic and hinuistic cults grow stronger and the people grow more and more sceptical with outside influence. They think that the goblinization comes from the West, as does the poverty. When Nepal was an indipendent kingdom, everything was better, and it was the US who made the Nepali suffer. So people thought. Still, the technology of the last century comes slowly to Nepal and the Grid becomes accessible to more people. In the beginning, people die because of unclean surgery but Nepali doctors soon learn to handle the surgery.
In Battisputali, the District of the Dead, new residents come: ghouls (or vetala). They feast on the flesh of the dead and organize themselves. They present themselves as servants of Kali. The ghouls make the Battisputali maanche – those who cannot afford incremenation in the Pashupatinath – a deal: They would not only dispose their dead, they also take them from their homes – no need to carry them through the city. The vetala would bring biers and wrap the dead in clothes and cover them in marigold and perform all the important ceremonies for free (except, of course, the actual incremenation). It is interesting that not the Hindus are the first to accept this kind of treatment, but descendants of the Tibetan refugees, in memorial of their ancestors’ sky burials (ghouls instead of vultures).
The Himalayan Mountains become nigh impassable for foreigners. The local people worship the gods with sacrifice and rituals but the foreigners do not. The mightiest mountain and celestial spirits of the Awakened world crush the few trekkers that are left and give the mountains back to the gods and their flock. In Kathmandu there is a new religious cult: The cult of Shitala, the goddess of pocks and pistule and disease. Although it is also the goddess of ghouls, it is mostly human (and metahuman) who worship Shitala. These poison shamans (as they call it in English) try to get influence and to make the pollution even worse.
The dwarves (usually identified as the benign magic people of the Yakshas) and the sturdy ork become a part of society, and discrimination is less. Elves try to hide their difference, or try also to melt in society. Even the sub-type of elves which has blue skin is called the Gandharvas (male) and Apsarases (female) and is worshipped as demi-gods. But life is difficult for trolls (the microbusses are to small!). In Narayanthan a huge troll ghetto is now made: The rich people (the Pashupatinath people) more and more move to the borders of Kathmandu, into the hills. While the smog and the pollution is in the valley, the Pashupatinath maanche live in the hills. Troll workers live near the construction sites, and so they make a slum in Narayanthan. Not all trolls accept this fate. A troll leader named Tsunil Prasad Magar takes many of his kind (and also orks and yaksha) to the Langtang area north of Kathmandu, remove their people and make their own living space.
Although the caste system is forbidden since the 1970s (and still is!), King Ramendra (holy is his name) creates a law so that every grown up Nepali citizen has to wear a visible symbol of his caste: a nyagrodha tattoo for the Chetri, the typical hairstyle of the Brahman or the scarf of the Tharu. For special ceremonies this still is necessary but the typical Nepali indifference leads to that the law has little meaning in the real life of our people.
After two years of independence, the India again finds the market of Nepal very attractive. They send massive amounts of cheap industry goods to the Kingdom of Nepal. Also, they make use of cheap labourors: they buy Orichalcum, hand-woven carpets and cheap factory goods and keep it or sell it to the west. Worse, not only the human labour is cheap, but also human itself. Drug cartels, shamanic circles and even universities find cheap test objects in Nepali people. By development aid from the India, the Kathmandu manages to create a network of matrix workstations (although they are not repaired always when needed). Surgery becomes the booming branch of economy: For foreigners who do not care too much for quality, they can get very cheap implants and very cheap price for surgery. In Kathmandu, there are factories for cheap cyberware, too. Also, the black market for organs and slaves is booming.
Paragraph 4: From then to now (2046-2075)
King Kulratar (holy is his name) grants the vetala and all rakshasa citizen rights. This is one of Kathmandu’s most progressive moments. God spirits like Anna purna, Sagarmatha and other mighty mountain spirits are officially granted a counceller’s position at king’s court (although Mt. Everest’s spirit never visited Kathmandu, of course). Many regions of Nepal call for independence. While Kathmandu officially remains the capital of Nepal, factually, Nepal splinters into hundreds of very small states, bringing Nepal on the edge of civil war.
The economy of Kathmandu has a good wind, in the meanwhile: Cheap cyberware products, copied SimSense chips and a booming services market (from barbers to surgeons to prostituation, alas) revive economy. In the meanwhile, the outskirts of Kathmandu wander more and more uphill and become paramilitary sealed-off enclaves for the Pashipathi people. Pokhara University and Kathmandu University are internationally recommended. Still, the ordinary people notices not much of this: the ghettos grow and grow, and only hardly survive with cheap money that comes from Western shadowrunners, sex tourists and drug dealers.
Among the poor people, the Sai Baba cult grows. It is a well-planned sect around the self-announced Yogi Sri Yela Sai Baba. It focusses on children and youths in the slums and brainwashes them to obedient followers. Until now, nobody knows what is this cult’s targets, but they are up to no good for sure.
Representatives of the Gandharva (the blue elves, remember) negotiated with King Kulratar (holy is his name) to allow the Gandharva their own caste. As a result, people treat them with respect, which eventually leads to the downfall of many: Nobody is willing to marry Apsarases (the female elves), take any services from Gandharva or share their table. Thus, many fall into poverty and seek asylum in the slums.
Khukuri weapon foci boom on the world’s markets. Cyberlimps – especially if they are obvious, colorful and prominent – become trendy in Kathmandu.
When SURGE hits Nepal in 2061, the government is forthcoming and progressive and immediately grants the SURGE babies full civil rights. The most typical mutations are additional pairs of arms, but also animal heads are not uncommon. The 16th Dalai Lama officially accepts Nepal as an ally. Slowly, economy recovers. Kathmandu recognizes the value of know how and invests billions of rupees in universities. The cults of Shitala are officially banned, but they survive nonetheless in illegality. Sri Yela Sai Baba continues to move from slum to slum and “heal” people. The canyon between the Pashupati and the Battiputali grows even more: attitudes, finances, education, chances, habits, habitation – everything is different. The corp Nepalimbs sells cheap cyberlimbs to other countries, with not little success. Among volunteer test persons cyberware upgrades are raffled. Many SURGE kids sell themselves to universities and researchers for money.
In 2073, a special commission to investigate missing tax incomes gets murdered in the village of Sauraha. Immediately, Kathmandu sends an armed division to appeace the village, but other villages of the Terai region, then villages and towns all over Nepal, also join in the war for independence. A bloody civil wars begins, and consumes money and people like a wild fire.
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Thank you so much Volker ;) it was super interesting, I liked how you made ghouls part of sociaity rather than zombie apocalypse.
I'll try to find a time to make a short dictionary - because each time I see the translated names it just looks like a blob of letters.
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Nice work Volker. :D
Let's see what I can come up with for my character:
Riker (or Rajkumar, but only his mother called him that) is a 16 year old street rat from the dumps of Kathmandu. Born as the bastard son to his native mother and a some westerner, he learned early two important lessons: Nothing in life is free and on the street your particular life is exactly as much worth as you can fight for tooth and nail. This philosophy was reinforced through his obsessive fascination for combat biking. For the past four years Riker kept a job as a bike courier to support his mother and little brother Priya as well as saving up to one day own his own motorcycle. In his circle of friends and acquaintances he is notorious for being reckless, relying on luck and chutzpah, even if a minute of thinking could have provided a better result. "Learning from mistakes is just another word for quitting."
That was the case until last week: Someone stole Riker's most precious possession: His 18 gear mountain bike. Now he is not just a bit desperate but positively homicidal. Worse, the local go-gang thugs are recruiting. Now he is seriously tempted to take part in their brutal initiation ceremony, just to have a shot at riding again...
Regarding gear:
Since I'm now 500 NY short, I'll ditch the urban explorer suit, reduce the respirator to rating 2 and take armored clothing+helmet instead.
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Finally! Took me some time, here is the character, hope I did eversthing right. Backstory etc. follows soon!
Name: Scipio
Gender: m
Age: 18
Metatype: Elf
B Attributes & C Metatype:
Bod3
Agi7
Rea5
Str3
Int4
Log2
Wil2
Cha5
Edge: 4
D Skills
Pistols4
Blades3
Unarmed2
Escape-artist1
Free fall1
Gymnaytics3
Running1
Perception2
Lockpicking2
Disguise4
Sneaking4
Palming 1
Qualities
Ambidextrous (4)
Catlike (5)
Homeground (0)
Resistance to toxics/pathogens (6)
Natural Athlete (7)
Blandness (8)
Hobo with a Shotgun (+10)
Gear
Streetlight Special (90)
Khukuri (40)
Hidd. armslide(350)
Leather (200)
Meta Link (100)
3 Smoke-grenades (60)
3 Magnesium torches (15)
60 Ammo (120)
10 gel-ammo (25)
And thanks for theamazing timeline, Volker, I really like it. And thanks for including Khukuris, gives everything a more-Nepali-like feeling :)
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Thanks guys! It was great fun to work on ktm2075! Maybe I'll find some time tomorrow to give you an overview over the districts. Is there anything else you need? Maybe some words on things like culture, currency and stuff?
@Jack_Spade: You could also ask your teammates whether you can have 500 from the team pool.
@luckace: As I already told you in RL, Scipio is approved of. I hope you enjoy your first character!
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Just take from the team pool we're family.
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Thanks gilga, but let's wait until we are all ready and see if there is any other essential stuff we need (Sweet, sweet drugs for example ;) )
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Generally, I'd say yes (the Ares Predator that was sold in 2065 should be pretty much the same as the one sold in 2075), but I'd ask you to use a healthy measure of brain (A sap, for example, will not really be cheaper, while a gun will be).
But, of course, there will be no WIFI functionalities unless you pay the full price.
I wrote you an update on Kathmandu 2075. Enjoy!
Kathmandu / Nepal 2075
Mentality
It is difficult to explain Nepalese mentality without having experienced it. Nepali people don’t tend to think a lot. Difficult to believe as it is for Westerners, Nepali are in 90 % of cases not able to answer the question: “Why are you doing this?” (and you wonder many, many times!) They just do, many times without thinking of consequences, reasons or the future. Most Nepali don’t waste their time on finding better solutions: If something works, it works. They don’t care whether it could be quicker, cheaper, more efficient or anything. They just do. This can be very frustrating at times, because many things don’t work, work too late, or malfunction.
I assume it has to do with the climate. There is no real winter in this subtropical country. The weather is nice and very, very predictable: It usually stays the same for weeks to months. Thus, the Nepali live in the present, and absolutely so. And they are happy with it: Hardships or poverty are born with Stoic attitude, and no matter how poor their lives are, they love to celebrate. These are very good qualities in a never-changing world. In the ever-changing world of the 21st century, however, it is one of the main reasons for poverty and lack of development in Kathmandu.
Their qualities lie within their social life. Nepali don’t tend to have a big ego. This, on the one hand, leads to little ambitions and a general indifference, but also to a population with very, very few egoists. There is, of course, violence, theft and rape, but less in comparison. People in Kathmandu tend to be trustworthy, generous (in their way) and honest. There is nothing beyond your family (or gang). Unlike in Western countries, they stick to each other and help each other without getting carried away by their own ambitions and motives.
Geography
Kathmandu lies in the Kathmandu-Valley, surrounded by pahaD, often translated as hills (and meaning everything that is not high enough to support a glacier in sub-tropical climate). It’s part of the “hilly zone”, as opposed to the Himalayas in the north and the Terai (a flat, hot jungle zone) in the south. Generally spoken, the hills surrounding the valley are inhabitated by the Pashupati people, while the valley itself suffocates in pollution and smog.
Population
Nepal: 22,000,000 (Chetri 16 %, Brahman 13 %, Magar 7 %, Tharu 7 %, Newar 5%, Other 46 %)
Kathmandu: 2,000,000 (Newar: 22 %, Chetri 19 %, Brahman 15 %, Magar 7 %, Other 37 %)
Metatypes in ktm: Human (48 %), Dwarves (11 %, called Yaksha), Elves (12, thereof 7 % Gandharvas (male) and Apsarases (female)), Trolls (6 %), Orks (12 %), Ghouls (5 %, called Vetala), 6 % SURGE metataypes
Religion: Hindu (81 %), Buddhist (10 %), Christian (4 %), Others (5 %)
Foreign politics
The most important country for Nepal is India. While there is an official treaty with Tibet, there is little communication (although the Dalai Lama has not forgotten how Nepal openly accepted thousands of refugees). In many aspects, Nepal is sort of India light: There is a lot of pollution, but still less. The people are talkative, but less. It’s loud, but less. The stuff is cheap, but … okay, well, it’s cheaper than in India. But you caught my meaning, didn’t you? Same goes for religion: While they basically share the same main religion (Hinduism), for Nepalis it is usually more an aspect than an important part of life.
India is the major trading partner, but also Westerners come here to sell movies and goods, to use cheap services (especially surgery) or to run less honorable business.
The currency is the Nepali rupee. 100 NRs make 1 Nuyen.
Some important places
Tangal
(this is the place where we are going to play)
Separated by the stream Dhobi Khola from Battisputali, Tangal is the living nightmare of … basically everyone whose heart is note made from stone or chrome. These slums are dirty, full of smog and shantytowns. The center of Tangal is an old, scorched Bhat Bhateni super market mall: Built in better times, it’s 7 stories high: a massive reminder of from which height Kathmandu fell. You cannot see much of the semi ruin, however: In the 2020s, India launched a mass production of what soon was called “Lego barracks”. Big factories produces thousands of tons of giant puzzle pieces which were supposed to be the new generation of prefabricated houses.
In the beginning, they boomed. All over the world, Lego barracks became popular. What the corp Mayadevi didn’t realize: It’s was just a short-term fashion. Only after a few weeks, the boom receded and Mayadevi wasn’t able to sell away their huge loads of pre-processed puzzle pieces. A generous NGO bought them for no money and brought it to Kathmandu to ease the situation for the people there. It worked out, in a way. In order to save puzzle pieces, the people reused walls wherever they could. The old Bath Batheni (now called the termite mound) was buried by thousands of little Lego barrack rooms wherever there was some space to be found. This termite mound is the center of Tangal, and offers a place to stay for a couple of thousand inhabitants where they now live in dozens of meters of height, supported only by cheap plastic puzzle pieces, connected by ladders and ropes.
Narayanthan
Formerly a place for the wealthy it is now a troll ghetto. Due to the efforts of Big Baba Bishnu, green spaces are used for growing rice and dal (lentils) and potatoes. Non-trolls are only allowed if they pay a “con troll fee”. These fees are used to improve streets and buy building materials. The temple of Budhanilkanta with the biggest Sleeping Vishnu statue of Nepal was shattered when Vishnu was not Sleeping anymore. Now all you’ll find there are sleeping trolls.
Ratna Park
The big park is surrounded by slums and ghettos. Although gangs and the shadowier kind of people claimed the park, it is still common good. It’s an open place for festivals, concerts, games (it's also called the Arena because of the recent fashion of gladiator fights in Ratna Park) and to meet and greet people. Also, surrounding the streets of the park you’ll find the biggest (black) market of all the kingdom.
Bouddha
Lying on a ley line, the former Buddhist stupa became the center of magic research and mystical practitioning for both Hindus and Buddhists.
Swayambunath
The temple in the West of Kathmandu lies in the hills and became the spiritual center of the Pashupati people.
Thamel
Formerly, the tourist center, Thamel fell into decay and ruin when Nepal turned its back on the West (and the West on Nepal). After it tried to remain some of its splendor, Thamel became the center for cheap surgery, cheap hookers, cheap drug dealers, weapon smugglers, soldiers and mercenaries. Thamel is probably the most dangerous, but maybe also the most interest part of Kathmandu (if you have a squad of mean big trolls to save your ass, that is).
Ring Road
The big ring road is the main street in Kathmandu. While everything inside this circle is subject to decay and poverty, the ring road itself is well-guarded by police and military to allow the Pashupati people to travel (relatively) fast and (almost) safe.
Most important persons
King Kulratar: While he is an absolutistic king who is not shy to use military countermeasures to sustain his position as such, he’s not the worst politician there is. He enjoyed a very good education both in Kathmandu and abroad (India and Canada) and is a great worshipper of the Dalai Lama. He tries to be a just and good ruler and his more far-sighted than most of his people understand. King Kulratar is a bizarre mixture of traditional conservativeness and modern far-sightedness.
Sri Yela Sai Baba: This charismatic sect leader is beloved by the slum people and watched with suspicion by the Pashupati. He is a powerful magician who uses his magic to heal and feed those who have little or nothing but he demands devotion and obedience from his followers.
Big Baba Bishnu: The king of the ghetto. Big Baba Bishnu is the leader of Narayanthan and finds love and worship also in the southern parts of Kathmandu, where he is little more than a myth. The charismatic troll manages to control the troll ghettos and organize (yeah, organize, and we’re still talking of Nepal!) controlled agriculture WITHIN the borders of Narayanthan.
Sano Souraj: The Yaksha gang boss (“Sano” means “Little”) tries to do in Tangal what Big Baba Bishnu did in Narayanthan. With little success. Less charismatic and powerful than his idol, he never managed to gather more (or less) than a big gang (the Spirits of Tomorrow) around him.
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Hoi, mates!
I opened a side-thread (http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/index.php?topic=20087.0#new) where we can already get to know each others' characters IC while you're waiting for me to think of a cool plot. It's going to take place roughly 5 months before the main plot. I don't think we're going to nead a separat OOC thread. If you have to write any OOC comments, just use these brackets: [This is an OOC remark.]
An explanation:
Nepali call each other the way they would call family members of the fitting age. Important words:
bua = father
aamaa = mother
uncle = uncle
auntie = auntie
dai = elder brother
bhai = younger brother
didi = elder sister
bahini = younger sister
chhora = son
chhori = daughter
Everyone's talking in Nepali, of course. I'll just type it in English, because my Nepali is still not so advanced ;-)
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Ok finally done with Scipio. Here's a little backstory, who he is, where he comes from, how he thinks:
My parents named me Ajesh. But don't call me Ajesh, I hate this name. I decided to take on the name of my savior: Scipio.
Scipio was there for me when no one else was.
It was on a rainy summerday, I just turned twelve, when I ran away from my parents.
Well, I didn't technically run away, I just slammed the door and told them to go to hell. Wasn't like they left me much of a choice. My parents had never given me anything, besides - obviously - birth. Sadly, not only to me, but also to my about 30 minutes older twin-brother. Well, as anyone can tell: two is one more than one. And since my brother, with his arrogant, careless and reckless behavior was an exact copy of my father, and since I was definitely not, it was all too clear WHO was the one to much. At first, as long as my mother was strong enough to protect me, it wasn't too bad. But to be honest, she never did a very good job, mostly just made the situation even worse.
Then, on our twelfth birthday, I had enough. It wasn't the beating, that made me go, it wasn't the insults, it was the injustice: My brother got a party. Like, a real birthday party, with a cake and presents and everything. All I got was the order to do the dishes. For real, the two of us were born on the same f*cking day! They didn't even pretend that they forgot that it was also my birthday. They just ignored it. So I left andtold them to go to hell. End of the story. Most kids return home after they ran away, but I didn't. Saw no reason to do so.
And that was the very day I found Scipio. I was actually looking for food in the garbage, but then I stumbled across this dirty old book, which nourished me better than all the food in the world could ever have. It was called The Thief Lord, and it contained my new friend, father and mentor: Scipio.
Scipio taught me more about life than my parents ever did, and I learned the rest I needed in the streets. I soon found out that a twelve-years-old-elven-boy has to fear pretty much anyone in the sprawl. And I learned that if you intend to survive, you sometimes have to do things you don't want to do. But I owe everything beyond that to Scipio. He taught me it aint the most important thing to know how to win a fight, but how to avoid one. He taught me that you have to know when to strike and when to hide. And that you must never make an enemy, when you can make a friend instead.
But he gave me more than knowledge and nourishment: he gave me a purpose. I knew that I hated my past, but he gave me a reason to do so: Because of the bloody injustice! My parents throw a birthday party for one of their sons, while the other one has to du inhuman things to keep him alive. They live in an air-conditioned flat while people suffocate in smog not one mile away. Gluttony lies so close to extreme poverty, it just makes me want to vomit right in the next fancypantsy-silken-suited-sir's face. I despise them, the rich Pashupati-people, I despise everyone who lives not in the sprawl, but lives OFF the sprawl. And I despise those, that use the misery as a ladder, hurting my bhai and bahini to gain power or wealth. And I'm sure that the real Scipio would've felt the same.
Scipio opened my childish eyes, and I'm very thankful for it. Might be a little naïve, to bestow so much worth on some man from a book, but he was the only that was there for me.
Well, apart from the gang…
I guess the rest should be decided together.
Looking forward to my first shadowrun!
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Shower is very important for lucky he'll roll his guitar performance;
Chairsma 6 + 4 skill + 2 speciality = 12 dice
Performance Guitar (http://orokos.com/roll/262444): 12d6t5 2
Bah... lets use edge just for gigs ;)
Performance Guitar re roll failures (http://orokos.com/roll/262445): 12d6t5 6
Ops he got 7 edge... (not 2) (so 5 more dice but we hit his social limit anyhow... need to learn lucky)
now that's more like a rock concert - they'll be half naked girls lucky want to be clean.
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Cool story - a SINNer then ?
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@gilga
Got it, but it's a bit too soon, still. We're only talking about going somewhere. We haven't set off, nor have we gotten inside (let alone allowed to play music). We can count that roll, though, if you want, but usually you don't roll before you act.
Ah, by the way: I'd be very much obliged if you could use quotation marks (" ") for direct speech. Makes it a lot easier to read.
@Novocrane
Just as an idea: Have you thought about playing a Nepali SURGE-"minotaur" (with a Nepali name) instead of a real Greek metatype minotaur (with a Greek name)? Or do you want to play a Nepali SURGE-"minotaur" with a Greek nick?
@luckace
Very fine story, indeed! Just join the side thread anytime you feel like it.
@Jack_Spade
Got nothing to say to you but it felt unfair to talk to anybody else except you. So ... happy Holi!
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oh no problem, nevermind the roll then. and I'll use red for talking, blue for thinking green for matrix if I get a comlink.
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Sounds gut! :)
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Sorry I couldn't post earlier. This can happen from time to time, since also in RL I really am in Kathmandu, which is still the capital of a developing country. During the last 48 hours or so, I had 5 min of internet access...
Yeah, that's absolutely fine. I know a Hari personally, so Hari is definitely okay. I don't know any Keshs, but it sounds really like a very Nepalese name. Whatever sounds more suiting to you, I'd say.
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Hoi, decided to abandon my smoke-grenades, they really don't seem to fit into the scenario.
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Cool story - a SINNer then ?
Ah, yeah: There is no SIN in Kathmandu. The System Identification Number is an American concept. He might have had a pass or something like that, but it won't be worth the paper it's printed on.
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so cool. No SIN makes stuff a lot easier.
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Sounds a lot more interesting indeed.
By the way, I'm unsure about a certain rule: in my case, my character has Hobo with a Shotgun. Does this mean, he doesn't linke to take a shower, Organisation simply not in the hotel we're talking about, Organisation is it fine as long as we don't pay money?
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oh wow this is so going to blow up in our faces lol;)
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Hey, folks!
You might've noticed that I posted little the last few days (same goes for luckace who shares a flat with me). It's not because I don't like you (which I do) or am not motivated to play (which I am) but because internet in our flat broke down a couple of days ago. Thus, I only have internet access when I'm in school and internet works there (which rarely happens) or I'm in a hotel (which hardly happens) or in an internet café (which is happening now). I'll do what I can to keep up posting anyway. My posts are a little shorter than usualy, though. Sorry about that.
In the meanwhile I prepared you offline a list of NPCs you know. I hope you like it!
Before that: Novocrane, may I ask you for your char's backstory, please?
Also, please copy these questions and answer it for your char:
Is your char…
reliable little o o o o O o o o o very much so
curious little o o o o O o o o o very much so
social little o o o o O o o o o very much so
loyal little o o o o O o o o o very much so
disciplined little o o o o O o o o o very much so
authoritarian little o o o o O o o o o very much so
violent little o o o o O o o o o very much so
proud little o o o o O o o o o very much so
easily hurt little o o o o O o o o o very much so
careless little o o o o O o o o o very much so
self-confident little o o o o O o o o o very much so
conceited little o o o o O o o o o very much so
honest little o o o o O o o o o very much so
self-disciplined little o o o o O o o o o very much so
playful little o o o o O o o o o very much so
determined little o o o o O o o o o very much so
calm little o o o o O o o o o very much so
exhibitionistic/open-minded little o o o o O o o o o very much so
diligent little o o o o O o o o o very much so
trusting/naive little o o o o O o o o o very much so
good-hearted little o o o o O o o o o very much so
helpful little o o o o O o o o o very much so
sensitive little o o o o O o o o o very much so
polite little o o o o O o o o o very much so
patient little o o o o O o o o o very much so
a morning grumpiness little o o o o O o o o o very much so
Questions
What’s his reason to be a shadowrunner?
What would make him end his career as a runner?
Would he ever kill? For what reasons?
Would he rob an old lady or a beggar? In what situation?
How does he appear to strangers?
What kind of relationship does he have to:
… animals?
… orks/trolls?
… dwarves?
… elves?
… women?
… foreigners?
… men?
… other people in general?
… his own religion?
… other religions?
… his family?
… magic?
… his friends?
Which kind of social ties are there?
When would he call someone a friend?
Is he prejudiced? In what way?
Are there some important events in his past?
Is he in love?
Is he in a partnership or even married?
What frightens him?
What’s his greatest ambition?
What drives him on?
What his greatest advantage?
What his greatest disadvantage?
What’s his Achilles heel?
What makes him furious?
What does he love?
Which kind of persons does he fancy?
Name 5 (±2) persons who matter in his life + a short descirption!
NPCs
Some gangers
- Man Bahadur: The oldest of our kids (20), and a big brother for everyone.
- Anita: A young girl (11) who is slick as a shadow and an amazing thief.
- Simmy: A boy of about 12 who is always getting into trouble. One of his reasons is that he loves to play with knives. And people. And both simultaneously.
- HarleQueen: The 17 years old ork girls is the ugliest person that was ever born to a homo sapiens. At least so she thinks. True, she's not a pretty although there acutally might be uglier persons (if you search long enough). In her teens she tried to camouflage it with make-up. It didn't work out so well, so she put on more make-up. When this didn't work, she still used more. People started calling her names like "clown" or "harlequin". By this time, she Awakened. Being able to hurt people just by thinking hard of it (and knowing many people you'd love to hurt) is a big boost in regard of your self-estimation. Thus, the little girl stopped avoiding her names, and instead embraced them. She started coloring her face (and other body parts) in artistic colors: sometimes clown-like, sometimes skeleton-like, sometimes just colorful. She now calls herself HarleQueen and kicks ass just as everybody else does.
- Cissy: The 16 yo old boy hates violence and would rather be an elf than a troll. Still, a troll he is and he isn't ashamed of it. He has got a lot of piercing, tattoes and artistic scars to make himself look like the meanest bad-ass there is, just to disencourage people who are looking for a fight. Ah, and there's this huge spike club of his.
- Kiran the cripple: He's not a cripple, he's just not particularly strong. But he's bright and very fond of reading. Kiran is not the archetype of the weak genius who knows everything and keeps saying stuff like "I once read in a book than chewing gum reacts with this kind of chemicals you find in the new pencils of Mitsuhama which will explode if a male barghest comes close." He just loves books and really is a cutie. He's usually hangs out with
- Pita. An ork girl of 14 who loves talking to Kiran and has in muscles what she lacks in brains. They make a good team, though.
Some former gangers
- Musaa (mouse): The boy is 9 years old and his true name is Bikki. But everyone started to call him mouse, not only because he was very small, but also because the little thief was always walking alone, on his own. Yeah, if you think about it, mice are not really solitary animals, but you never actually did think about it. Musaa left on one of his strolls through the city roughly four and a half months ago and never came back.
- Som: The 16 year old boy is strong and calm, yet somewhat strange. When he went to nick some rupees three months ago, he never came back (nor did the money).
- Durga: She's 14 and a nice (though very naive) young girl. She even had sort of a job (she helped in a kitchen). One day two months ago, she left without explaining a single word.
- Binita: The 15 year old girl was best friends with Durga. After Durga's disappearance she left to search for her, never to return.
- Prakash: The 17 year old do-no-good allegedly was killed in a fight with gangers from another group, though his death was never confirmed.
Envorinment
- Keshav: He is one of Sano Souraj's men, but never truly understood Souraj's mission. He controls our block and comes every now and then to "politely ask for a contribution to this just cause". He's a drunkard, loves to hit children and is not a nice fellow in general. That doesn't mean he's evil, just a little mean. In case we really need something, we still might consider consulting him.
- Crack: The ork is a former shadowrunner. He's not the youngest anymore and doesn't look for thrill. He works for Keshav to make sure the donations come right where they belong.
- Sabina: Keshav's child. She's suffering from an uncurable and very unpleasant disease.
- Ama Pema: An elderly woman who runs a little grocery in the neighbourhood. She is a kind madam and sometimes gives us fruit or vegetables which are only a little rotten.
- Suman: Ama Pema's husband. He's a grumpy old alcoholic and doesn't really share his wife's beneficial inclinations.
- Father Rajesh: The old ascet and sadhu is the only really Awakened person we know. Father Rajesh prefers his version of loneliness in the slums of Kathmandu, but he's a kind and good-natured person. And a beggar which is a nuisance as people prefer giving money to him than to us.
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Added the questionaire to my character sheet (http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/play-by-post/street-scum-(recruitment)/msg357786/#msg357786)
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updated char sheet at:
http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/play-by-post/street-scum-(recruitment)/msg359088/#msg359088 (http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/play-by-post/street-scum-(recruitment)/msg359088/#msg359088)
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Good, thanks! I'll take a look at it asap.
@Jack_Spade: Maybe I was unclear in yesterday's hurry: There was no party yet, and no dancing.
Holi is a festival in which traditionally kids and youths attack each other with bags and buckets of water (and any other way to make each other wet) and "bless" each other with colors. Or they do both simultaneously, throwing bags with colored water at each other. It's a fun festival and would slowly cease after noon, because it's getting to cold.
In the evening, at least 2075 Nepalese do parties so sinful they make up for the lack of a proper SIN for all the people. This is, where the grown-up youths really have fun, where you drink alcohol, smoke weed, take drugs, dance, scream, f*** and do everything else your moms and dads would not want you to do. This is what's before us on Big Baba Bishnu's turf.
Cissy (who's only a NPC anywhere) is somewhere else, so it's only you four guys "trying to get lucky" at the moment.
@all
I updated my previous post and added some more NPCs. You can, of course, interact in any way with these NPCs. This group is very poor in fighting and magical abilities, so in case you'd like to ask somebody for help, feel free to do so.
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Ah, I see. I was wondering about that time jump ;D
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Sorry about that. I just had like 15-20 minutes to resolve all my internet affairs. Our house owner is a bitch and after a disagreement with our project leader she just changed the password. As if incidentally, at the same time our internet system in the office broke down. It seems to sort of work again, though.
The main thread is going to be on really soon.
[EDIT: Main thread is online. Regarding Musaa, please check the (updated) list of NSCs in the OOC thread. The game is now officially started!]
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please