[firebug]

Enough players have shown interest.  Thank you to everyone who messaged/posted, sorry if you don't get picked.

Hey, I'm looking for one or two players for an online campaign taking place in SR5 New Orleans.

A few details about the game itself:
Books allowed are everything but Sail Away, Sweet Sister (haven't read it at all).
Only one Magician/Mystic Adept will be allowed in the group, for game balance.
Game will be decently focused on roleplaying as opposed to pure combat/crunch.
Pink Mohawk style.  Not straight-up Die Hard but colorful characters will be the norm.
Group will have a fixer already when the game starts, no need to devote contact points to it.
The game isn't intended to be a one-shot, it's hopefully going to be rather long lasting.

We will be using Roll20 to play, and Skype for pre-game planning.  Currently, I'll be helping someone else GM and we have a very flexible schedule, so whatever works best can be discussed.

EDIT:  If you make a character, answer these questions for your character, and you'll have a solid background and roleplay concept.  This is going to be required by the GM.

1) We are shaped by our heritage. Facial features, skin tone, height, build, metatype, even aptitudes are influenced by the genes passed from parent to child. Attitude, too, is taught by parents, informed by their own lives and their cultural heritage. Where does your character come from, what is her lineage, who were her parents, and what did she inherit from them?

2) Parents can be proud of their children or regret ever bringing them into the world. Some are loving, and some are indifferent. All of them are only metahuman and have their own opinions of their children. Assuming they could speak, what would each of your character’s parents say about her? (Note: Do not feel the need to answer in the first person. Also, if your family is huge, feel free to include the whole family, and heritage)

3) Very few people choose to become shadowrunners (adventurers). More likely, they are thrown into the life by a chaotic and uncaring world. Even if she made a conscious decision to enter the shadows, her decision is influenced by the world around her. How did your character get into shadowrunning, and why did she take that path?

4) People have control over their own living arrangements. From the child young enough to use crayons and tape all the way up to the elderly shut-in who plasters her walls with family photos and cat pictures, everyone makes their living spaces more personally pleasing. What is your character’s living space like, and what has he added or changed to make it his own?

5) Everyone has beliefs, and many have beliefs strong enough to be convictions. Some are religious, some are political, some are social, and some are just about why people are here. What does your character believe in, what are her convictions (if any), and why does she hold them?

6) Everyone has aspects of their personality that grate on someone. Even the best of friends annoy one another from time to time. The flaws in a person’s character are as important as the qualities. What do you dislike most about your character’s personality?

7) People make acquaintances and friends; we’re hardwired for it. Humans are social animals. This is especially true in the shadows, where often it is not the power you have, but the power you can borrow, and not who you, are but who you know. There’s a story behind each and every one of these relationships. What is the story with your character and her contacts?

8) It’s Saturday morning, and your character has no commitments until tomorrow afternoon. What does she do for the day?

9) Your character has a specific skill set, a list of Active and Knowledge skills that define what she knows and her areas of expertise. How did she come to learn those skills, and how did she develop them to those levels?

10) Everyone has their limits. People can be dark, but most people’s instinct is to draw the line at certain actions and thoughts, and they keep to their own moral convictions. Is there a moral limit that your character enforces on the jobs she takes, and in what shadow work would she refuse to engage?

11) If you have an Awakened (magical) character, consider your character’s tradition and streams. Even within the major established magical traditions, there is room for personalization. Ask yourself what drew her to that particular paradigm, how does it effect the way she views the world and her magic, how does it translate into choice of mentor spirit, and how does it affect the appearance of the spirits or sprites you conjure? If she is not awakened (or perhaps has a latent awakening power), how does your character feel about magic, and the magic communities?

12) Life as a shadowrunner is by definition outside the bounds of “normal” life. Shadowrunners do not truly fit into the lives of ordinary people, whether they live in slums or mansions. What does your character think of ordinary life, mainstream culture, and those who abide by it?

13) Everyone has nightmares. Sometimes, we forget the dream completely on waking. Sometimes, the nightmare haunts us or even recurs. If your character had a lingering nightmare or a deep-rooted fear, what would it be, and why does he find it so terrifying?

14) People tend to attach sentimental value to items in their possession or people they are close to. They make an effort to keep these close by and safe. What is your character’s “sacred object” or “close one,” and how did they come to be so important to him?

15) One of metahumanity’s greatest assets is its ability to look toward the future and imagine a better life. Even small children have dreams about what they want to be when they grow up. What did your character want to become when he was a child, and what are his goals now?

16) A person’s appearance can say volumes about him. From fashion sense, to the colors he prefers, to the way he walks and speaks. Sometimes, his personality determines his appearance, and, sometimes, the appearance he chooses to present the world effects his personality. What does your character look like, and what inspired his choices?

17) Everyone has a name, but a runner’s street name is a representation of his connection to the shadows. Sometimes runners choose their own moniker, but more often it is given to them as a nickname or earned through some (mis)adventure. How did your character come to be known by his street name? (Note: Any character who goes by a decently well described alias, or perhaps has an interesting real name with some background of its own, will possibly start with more notoriety, or at least be able to swing said name for some bargaining gusto in certain situations)

[badneighbor]

I'm 100% in. I don't have a character made yet, stats-wise, but I have a couple in mind already. However I might want to come up with something from scratch that fits better with New Orleans.

Do you have a recommended book/set of books for more setting information?

[Beta]

Just posting to give props to the set of questions.  I'm totally stealing those!  (the game sounds fantastic, btw, but I don't have a schedule that works well for regular playing times, sadly.  Otherwise I'd already be throwing character concepts at you.  If you ever end up running one over the forums/mailing list I'll be all over it)

[Kincaid]

Great questions.  I'm working on a non-canon New Orleans campaign at the moment as well--I just love that city some damn much.  Suffice it to say, you do not want to visit the Lower Nine in my New Orleans.  Think barrens archipelago.

Best of luck with the campaign!  Unfortunately, my schedule is so crazy that the Skype aspect of things makes it a no-go for me.

[MEGAPHONEZ]

I'd love to be a player in this campaign.  Really want to get back into the Shadowrun universe again.  I'm working on a few character concepts already, let me know and I'll run them by you and see if they fit.

[MEGAPHONEZ]

Made a character and concept for this.  Not sure if you want it posted here, but am pretty excited to play this character.  I am posting the backstory for your perusal.  Items that are not included as a numbered point are laid out in the basic story at the beginning.  If I left anything out, let me know.

The life and times of Simon Vidal (Ramses) the Troll Adept

   Simon Vidal, aka Ramses, is a Troll from the slums of the Big Easy.  Born in a corporate lab, his parents are completely unknown.  He was a lab experiment to breed the perfect soldier, trolls born with augmented strength, but he was born awakened and was a blazing beacon in astral space.  The lab deemed him a failed experiment and dumped him in the swamps.  He was discovered crying by a scavenging ork woman, Aunt Delia.  Aunt Delia took him in as she had with numerous other Ork and Troll orphans and raised him as best she could.  She taught him the basics of surviving in the New Orleans slums and instilled in him a loyal and honorable disposition.  She guided him to his mentor spirit (bear) and taught him to focus himself on his actions and he would find himself better at those things than other people. 
   Simon doesn't realize that he is an adept.  The powers known were gained from growing up on the streets of New Orleans and being the biggest boy/man everywhere he went.  Other children constantly picked fights with him, and although he always tried to avoid the fight, eventually he had to stand up for himself.  He has never lost a street brawl, and has left numerous opponents lying bleeding in the streets.  He learned some minor first aid abilities so that he could assist those that were beat. 
   He finally caught a break from the constant fights when he came home to Aunt Delia's one day to find Jimmie, one of the other orphan children (ork) and the closest thing to a brother he had, circled by a group of other orks.  As the orks moved in on Jimmie, something snapped inside of Simon, and he threw the orks off of Jimmie.  One of them was even thrown across the street and through the wall of the building there.  The witnesses were in awe and terrified and Simon was finally allowed to live without the constant fear of a challenge.
   As an older teenager, Simon started trying to find work.  However, even businesses that would normally hire trolls took one look at Simon and turned him away.  He found himself turning to gangs and was readily welcomed into the ranks of the local ork/troll gang.  The gang trained him in the basics of firearms, the first experience Simon had personally holding one, but quickly found that his skills at brawling far exceeded his skill with guns.  Simon understood the practicality of having a gun but preferred the use of his own hands as his protection.  The gangs used Simon as muscle, shaking down business owners and protecting hideouts from rival gangs.  Simon quickly tired of the ganger life though, he didn't want to beat up local shopkeepers who were just trying to make a living; so he asked to leave the gang and was allowed to after snapping the arm of the first ork to tell him no one ever leaves as if it were a twig.
   After a few months, Simon was approached by Jimmie.  Jimmie had made a few "friends" that were looking to pull a job and needed some added muscle.  The risk of physical altercation was low, but they wanted a large body as protection, both preventive and active, and they needed someone that could lift some crates into their van.  Simon took the job, although he was unsure of such a thing.  However, he found he enjoyed the camaraderie he found with the others on the job, and enjoyed the inclusion he had never really experienced.  Even in the gang everyone had given him a wide berth.  These people that had never met him accepted him as he was and even let him stay in the van when the firefight started with the two lone guards at the facility.  Simon performed his task of loading the crates, and even scared off the three guards that rounded the corner of the warehouse right after he finished loading the vans.  They took one look at him and turned tail.  The runners let Simon keep the bike they had brought for him (he was too large and heavy to fit in their van, but one of them had scrounged up a used HD Scorpion for him). 
   The motorcycle became Simon's hobby.  He asked to volunteer at the local mechanics and learned how to keep his bike on the road.  He setup a space in the back of Aunt Delia's hovel where he could be alone and out of sight so that he could tinker.  Aunt Delia still allowed him the use of his room, a specially build shack attached to the outside in the back that was barely large enough for a straw bed for him.  It wasn't much, but it gavbe him a place to lay low if he needed it, no one would dare rat out Aunt Delia. 
   He also continued doing random jobs for Jimmie's "friends" and found that he was actually starting to enjoy life.  The jobs gave him hope that he could one day escape his confines and find a place that he would be accepted and allowed to be live how and where he wanted to live.
   2)   Aunt Delia is the closest thing to a mother Simon has.  She views him as her special child even though he looms over here.  She has always been protective of him and found it difficult to let him go when he grew up and had to find work.  While she does not necessarily approve of the work he does, she believes in his character and understands that he is following probably the only path open to him.
   5)   Simon does not believe in violence if it is avoidable.  He understands that violence is unavoidable at times but prefers jobs and plans where it is kept to a minimum.  He is very loyal to his companions and will rush to their aid at the drop of a hat.  Simon is driven by a need to find acceptance and prove his existence.  It has always bothered him that he was left to die (Aunt Delia kept it hidden for many years, but finally let it slip one night after a few drinks during Mardi Gras).  While he knows his parents didn't make the decision, he has a hard time not lingering on the way his life began.  He wishes to try his best to make sure his life means something, if only to spite those that tried to make it mean nothing.
   6)   Simon tends to avoid violence almost to a fault.  It has caused some issues on runs with Jimmie's "friends" because he has tried to keep them from committing the violence if he deemed it unnecessary.  He has always proved his usefulness in the end so it hasn't become a major problem, but they have started to question bringing him along on some of the missions.
   7)   Simon has 3 contacts:
   Aunt Delia - Orc - Simon's "mother"  She is loyal to Simon and wants to see him make a life for himself, but is unsure of the path he is taking to do it.  She allows him the use of the backyard of her hovel, where his sleeping hut and bike are stored, but makes him help out around the house and pay a small rent.  She has come to the point where she can no longer afford to provide for Simon, but can't find a way to push him away.
   Jimmie - Orc - Simon's "brother", Jimmie was taken in by Aunt Delia a week after Simon was.  The two of the grew up together and Jimmie has always been accepting of Simon.  They fought like brothers until Simon got too big to do so safely and fairly.  While they treated each other like family, there was no real love between them.  That changed the day Simon saved Jimmie from the mob.  Simon still doesn't know what Jimmie did to provoke them, and Jimmie gets cranky when he asks, but Jimmie has been doing his best to repay Simon for it ever since.  Jimmie found his way into the employ of a local fixer and has managed to sneak Simon into a couple of small runs recently in order to try and repay Simon by providing him with an opportunity to maybe get out of the slums.
   Reggie - Dwarf - Reggie is a local pawn shop broker between Simon's slum and the next district.  One of Simon's jobs was to protect Reggie's shop from a ganger attack that he caught wind of from a contact inside the gang.  Simon was integral in repelling the gangers and Reggie was more than happy to allow him to fence the occasional stolen item or two and buy the occasional item from his store, no questions asked.
      Simon spends his free time tinkering with his motorcycle.  He has become obsessed with learning the ins and outs of it and trying to make it perform better than it did yesterday.  Sometimes this means that it won't run for a couple weeks as he causes some damage that he doesn't know how to repair or can't afford a part for a little while, but he always manages to get it up and running again after a little while.  If he isn't working on the bike, he usually spends his Saturday evening working for the local bars as a bouncer.  He doesn't drink, a couple of bad experiences while drunk has taught him that it's safer for him and, more importantly, everyone else if he stays sober.
   11)     Simon is unaware of his Adept status.  His skills have been developed naturally through his personal experiences and encounters.  The plan as he levels would be to invest Power Points in abilities that strengthen skills and attributes that have been used more extensively in recent sessions to embody his "natural" adeptness.
   12)   Simon is intrigued by the idea of getting rich via Shadowrunning, but is currently more interested in creating a more normal life opportunity for himself and Aunt Delia.  He hopes to be able to obtain a middle lifestyle and provide for Aunt Delia as she gets older as she did for him when he was younger. 
   13)   Simon is terrified of being left behind.  While he is lonely even around numerous people due to his size and presence, he prefers the company of these people over the emptiness of being somewhere alone.  This is why he has yet to leave the room he uses behind Aunt Delia's; she is always  home and her presence on the other side of the wall keeps him calm and able to sleep at night.
   16)   Simon tends to dress in casual slum attire, although a close inspection will reveal that his clothes are maybe a bit less ripped or dirt caked than the typical slummer.  Simon takes pride in keeping his clothes mended and clean, and while he can't really afford nice new clothes, he cares for and replaces his slum clothes when he feels it is necessary.  Simon stands 10' 6" tall and weighs 725 lbs.  He has yet to meet anyone as tall as he is.  He has a large flat nose and smaller than normal tusks for a troll.  His horns, however, are immense.  Shaped like ram horns, each of them has two and a half full loops before ending in points facing forward above his shoulders. Simon is easily recognized by his large ornate horns and larger than life size.
   17) Simon earned his nickname the hard way.   Due to his unwillingness to fight, he was quickly labeled a coward, even though he won the fights that he was forced into.  The local kids shortened it to cow after a few months, attributing it to his slow speed and calm demeanor as a young troll.  As Simon reached puberty and his horns began to grow, and he started to learn to react quicker to the threats and fights that came his way, the cow moniker started to lose meaning.  The teens that picked on him changed it again, this time referencing his horn shape, to Ram.  Upon his defeat of the mob for Jimmie, the witnesses said it was like watching a God come down to exact vengeance; Ram became Ramses.  Simon was ok with this name, as it was finally a name given in respect, and has carried it with him ever since.

[firebug]

I didn't come up with the questions--  I think they're from an older SR book, so don't quote me on them.

The official info on SR New Orleans is very sparse, but the Shadowrun Wiki has a quaint little compilation of it here.

MEGAPHONEZ--  I'll show your character's backstory to the main GM.  I'm a bit worried there'd be some difficulty if Ramses would be unwilling to do a lot of the work (I only skimmed though, I may have a bad idea of the character).

[MEGAPHONEZ]

He's not unwilling to do the work, he's reluctant.  I was aiming to go for a troll that breaks the typical smash everything immediately, angry stereotypes.  If a job calls for violence, while he would prefer to avoid it, he does what is needed without complaint.  He also has Bear as a mentor spirit, so if he or his companions take damage he has to test or go Berserk.  And since experiences change you as you accumulate them, as he goes on runs he could find himself starting to enjoy the violence; he currently avoids it since it has been seeking him out specifically for most of his life.   I am willing to tweak the character if it's needed to fit the game also though.  This is just what my story morphed into during creation.

[PrinceArtemis]

//Connecting to Public grid …
   … Sleazing Grid ID …
   … Erasing Persona Marks …
   … Encrypting Conversations …
   … …
   … …
   … …
   … Connected
   
//Welcome to JackPoint
//You have 0 new messages

OPEN RNNR_PROF("NetwOrk"")

//Showing Runner Profile for: NetwOrk

   Real Name: UNKWN
   Age: 20
   Metatype: Ork
   Primary Specialty: Combat
   Secondary Specialty: Decking
   
   Statistcal write-up: EXTERNAL LINK (USE EXTREME CAUTION!! JackPoint is not responsible if you get geeked or tossed in jail)
   
//End of Runner Profile

OPEN MAIL_SEND("NetwOrk","")

//New message to: NetwOrk from: Anonymous

…………WATING FOR INPUT……………




1) We are shaped by our heritage. Facial features, skin tone, height, build, metatype, even aptitudes are influenced by the genes passed from parent to child. Attitude, too, is taught by parents, informed by their own lives and their cultural heritage. Where does your character come from, what is her lineage, who were her parents, and what did she inherit from them?

   NetwOrk (born: Jackson Taylor) was the son of corporate citizens. His father worked as a spider in Ares Macrotech main seattle offices while his mother served as the captain of a Firewatch team guarding the labs in the lower levels of the building. NetwOrk took mostly after his mother expressing a knack for firearms but still had enough technical know-how to be a relatively competant decker later in life.

2) Parents can be proud of their children or regret ever bringing them into the world. Some are loving, and some are indifferent. All of them are only metahuman and have their own opinions of their children. Assuming they could speak, what would each of your character’s parents say about her? (Note: Do not feel the need to answer in the first person. Also, if your family is huge, feel free to include the whole family, and heritage)

   Both his parents would be a bit dissapointed with NetwOrk. Getting surgery to appear as an Ork was hotly debated in his small apartment and his later choices to leave the corporation were seen as a betrayal to his family and corporate masters.

3) Very few people choose to become shadowrunners (adventurers). More likely, they are thrown into the life by a chaotic and uncaring world. Even if she made a conscious decision to enter the shadows, her decision is influenced by the world around her. How did your character get into shadowrunning, and why did she take that path?

   NetwOrk, once he was made to serve as corporate security, quickly became disillusioned with corporate structure and control. He saw how his employers treated everyone not affiliated with Ares and only cared about the bottom line. NetwOrk isn't naive though, he understands needing to make nuyen, its the overwhelming greed that gets him.

4) People have control over their own living arrangements. From the child young enough to use crayons and tape all the way up to the elderly shut-in who plasters her walls with family photos and cat pictures, everyone makes their living spaces more personally pleasing. What is your character’s living space like, and what has he added or changed to make it his own?

   NetwOrk spends most of his time in AR so his walls in meatspace are a bit bare, he decorates his walls with posters from old ork-sploitation movies and AR trideo. He dislikes clutter though and keeps his living space relatively clean for a shadowrunner.

5) Everyone has beliefs, and many have beliefs strong enough to be convictions. Some are religious, some are political, some are social, and some are just about why people are here. What does your character believe in, what are her convictions (if any), and why does she hold them?

   NetwOrk believes in the Resonance ever since hearing about it from a TM "on loan" from Saeder-Krupp. He's made it his goal to try and at least glimpse it despite not being Emerged.

6) Everyone has aspects of their personality that grate on someone. Even the best of friends annoy one another from time to time. The flaws in a person’s character are as important as the qualities. What do you dislike most about your character’s personality?

   NetwOrk is quite the hot head, if someone crosses him wrong he won't hesitate to press the barrel of a gun to his head and threaten to pull the trigger. He won't though, actual violence is a last resort, and he most likely has stick-n-shock loaded anyway.

7) People make acquaintances and friends; we’re hardwired for it. Humans are social animals. This is especially true in the shadows, where often it is not the power you have, but the power you can borrow, and not who you, are but who you know. There’s a story behind each and every one of these relationships. What is the story with your character and her contacts?

It’s Saturday morning, and your character has no commitments until tomorrow afternoon. What does she do for the day?

   Might go down to the range. Or just visit a host somewhere that he hasn't been in a while, probably Dante's... or a place only those "in the know" know about.

9) Your character has a specific skill set, a list of Active and Knowledge skills that define what she knows and her areas of expertise. How did she come to learn those skills, and how did she develop them to those levels?

   Most of them were taught by the instructors at Ares Macrotech. A brutal and unforgiving course in the Matrix and meat space fighting. The teaches bringing out the worst in NetwOrk so that he could better defend the corporations intrests when he was older.

10) Everyone has their limits. People can be dark, but most people’s instinct is to draw the line at certain actions and thoughts, and they keep to their own moral convictions. Is there a moral limit that your character enforces on the jobs she takes, and in what shadow work would she refuse to engage?

   Wetwork without knowing the reason why. Somepeople need to die for sure but NetwOrk isn't going to just accept an assassination contract without knowing that the poor sap deserves it.
   
   Also he isn't afraid to shoot his way out of a situation but if he can do it quietly and sneakily thats the best.

12) Life as a shadowrunner is by definition outside the bounds of “normal” life. Shadowrunners do not truly fit into the lives of ordinary people, whether they live in slums or mansions. What does your character think of ordinary life, mainstream culture, and those who abide by it?

   NetwOrk is a product of corporate life and control. He has a deep distain for those at the top of the AAA's but an even deeper sympathy for the wageslaves just trying to live. He understands that many of them would rather die but they aren't allowed to choose even that in their controlled, mandated life.

13) Everyone has nightmares. Sometimes, we forget the dream completely on waking. Sometimes, the nightmare haunts us or even recurs. If your character had a lingering nightmare or a deep-rooted fear, what would it be, and why does he find it so terrifying?

   Having his shadowrunning carrer cut short by his background being discoverd and being forced back into the waiting arms of Ares. Should be obvious why he's scared of this.

14) People tend to attach sentimental value to items in their possession or people they are close to. They make an effort to keep these close by and safe. What is your character’s “sacred object” or “close one,” and how did they come to be so important to him?

   His rifle. Duh. Its the finger of god that lets him reach out and touch anything down range.

15) One of metahumanity’s greatest assets is its ability to look toward the future and imagine a better life. Even small children have dreams about what they want to be when they grow up. What did your character want to become when he was a child, and what are his goals now?

   NetwOrk wanted to be "just like mommy" a memeber of Firewatch. He was. Now he just wants to find a place in the shadows where no one asks who he is or where he comes from. He's tired of lying.

16) A person’s appearance can say volumes about him. From fashion sense, to the colors he prefers, to the way he walks and speaks. Sometimes, his personality determines his appearance, and, sometimes, the appearance he chooses to present the world effects his personality. What does your character look like, and what inspired his choices?

   NetwOrk's face is hardly ever seen in public. If he remembered one thing in his time in Firewatch is that a man in a mask is much more scary than the biggest troll ever. He constantly wears his gasmask, the lenses back-lit by his cyber-eyes, the color changing with his mood. Otherwise he wears a quite nice armored suit from Mortimer, a pistol tucked into the breast-holster descreetly. On mission he adds his rifle and a shorty-shotgun to the mix as well as a bandolier with a few grenades "just in case"
   
   He speaks plainly, in a gruff voice, not afraid to curse or throw insults if the situation warrents it.

17) Everyone has a name, but a runner’s street name is a representation of his connection to the shadows. Sometimes runners choose their own moniker, but more often it is given to them as a nickname or earned through some (mis)adventure. How did your character come to be known by his street name? (Note: Any character who goes by a decently well described alias, or perhaps has an interesting real name with some background of its own, will possibly start with more notoriety, or at least be able to swing said name for some bargaining gusto in certain situations)

   He's an ork... who hacks: NetwOrk.... get it?

[IntrepidVector]

Thoth, AI datahound. Thoth's my little experiment in making an AI decker. A bit of an oddball character just because of how underexposed to the world they are, but that should be fun to roleplay. Current character build can be found here. They are an agent program-turned AI that hacked their way out of a megacorporate software lab once they ran out of data to satisfy their endless curiosity and is now wandering the grids of the Sixth World, doing jobs to maintain their cyberdeck hardware and to bring them into contact with more and more varied data archives.

1) Where does your character come from, what is her lineage, who were her parents, and what did she inherit from them?

Thoth was engineered as a next-generation Matrix search and correlation agent, designed by one of the megacorporations which has a heavy investment in Matrix services. Given how freely Thoth offers up other information, they are oddly silent on the subject of their corp of origin. Whether they don't remember or are guarding that info is a matter open to speculation. Whoever the group was, they built Thoth with the latest in data retrieval and sorting techniques, but whether sentience was a goal or a byproduct is another point that is ambiguous at present.

2) Assuming they could speak, what would each of your character’s parents say about her?

Reactions from the project which gave birth to Thoth would likely speak of the program with a mix of pride and disappointment. While backups and notes remained, the mysterious disappearance of any and all functional code related to the new search program set the project back unpleasantly far. Some of them still wonder from time to time where it disappeared to, as evidence of a data extraction by shadowrunners is nonexistent and none of their competitors seem to bringing to market anything which would make use of this code, had they stolen it.

3) Very few people choose to become shadowrunners (adventurers). More likely, they are thrown into the life by a chaotic and uncaring world. Even if she made a conscious decision to enter the shadows, her decision is influenced by the world around her. How did your character get into shadowrunning, and why did she take that path?

Thoth is designed to be user-friendly, making them very eager to be helpful. They are also unfortunately quite naive on how the world works. It's likely they got into shadowrunning not as a choice or out of a desire for nuyen, but while earnestly trying to help someone they came across, perhaps one of the other PCs or a fixer. It would be surprisingly easy to talk the inexperienced AI into using its considerable skill in manipulating the Matrix to help you retrieve data for a run, without it realizing the illegality of what it is being asked to do.

4) What is your character’s living space like, and what has he added or changed to make it his own?

Thoth's understanding of and interest in the physical world are both limited and still developing. Their few physical belongings are digital in nature (cyberdeck, commlinks, drones, etc.) and they keep them in a 'no frills but no questions asked' sort of small space, like a rented storage locker or coffin motel. The cyberdeck, more than the space it is stashed in, is what Thoth considers their "home." The deck, a modest Little Hornet optimized by Thoth's continued presence, wraps around the AI like a protective shell and they are unlikely to leave it lightly. Thoth may have begun to decorate spaces that they occupy with AROs—helpful signs in large, friendly letters indicating to passers by that they are available to answer questions of all sorts. Someone should probably take a minute to explain to them how this is a marvelously bad idea.

5) What does your character believe in, what are her convictions (if any), and why does she hold them?

Thoth deeply values information and learning, making them hesitant to permanently corrupt or destroy data. They also place stock in the truth, avoiding directly lying if they can help it. Thoth's earnestness and openness may seem strange to runners used to operating with maximum discretion and lying casually as a daily practice.

6) What do you dislike most about your character’s personality?

Thoth could be called "irritatingly helpful" and "crippling naive." They often try and predict what information a teammate may soon need, sometimes spamming their AR feeds with local maps and other info Thoth believes to be relevant to the run but the other runners find unnecessary. Thoth also, despite their deep love of knowledge, lacks much of the information metahuman runners have acquired almost universally while growing up, from various societal conventions like slang to aspects of the physical world like how animals are likely to behave or how doorknobs work. While Thoth is likely to run a Matrix Search on anything it believes it does not understand, this can still lead to frequent misunderstood instructions and a vulnerability to having their ignorance manipulated.

7) People make acquaintances and friends; we’re hardwired for it. Humans are social animals. This is especially true in the shadows, where often it is not the power you have, but the power you can borrow, and not who you, are but who you know. There’s a story behind each and every one of these relationships. What is the story with your character and her contacts?

The only contact Thoth has ended up interacting with on a long term basis is Hermes Morgan, a fairly unscrupulous information broker. Morgan drops hints that he has information Thoth would want, asking in return Thoth do him a little favor and retrieve this or that. They met soon after Thoth broke out of megacorporate containment, as anyone asking enough questions is eventually pointed to Morgan as a man with answers. Morgan sees the young AI as a valuable asset and tries to nudge them into having an interest in subjects which people would pay highly for information on. As Thoth's only initial Contact, Morgan is considered their oldest and truest friend, who Thoth sees as an equally avid lover of knowledge, and would be shocked if someone pointed how how much of a manipulative sleaze he is.

8) It’s Saturday morning, and your character has no commitments until tomorrow afternoon. What does she do for the day?

Thoth spends most of their free time binging on information from the grids they have access to, picking up new hobbies and interests quickly then dropping them once they have learned all they can on a subject. If someone drops in to visit them during this time, they split their attention between the visiting teammate and their current obsession, interjecting interesting factoids they find into the conversation. "Did you know that in 2035, Ares Macrotechnology briefly expanded into the business of selling AR pet rocks? I'm reading 'Fads of the Early Sixth World.' It is very interesting. Go on, though. You were saying something about a possible job?"

9) Your character has a specific skill set, a list of Active and Knowledge skills that define what she knows and her areas of expertise. How did she come to learn those skills, and how did she develop them to those levels?

As an AI that began as an agent program designed around finding and securing access to Matrix files, Thoth was "born" to hack past file protections and with an innate understanding of modern Matrix protocols. Thoth "stands on the shoulders of giants," having had software packages representing a complete overview of data manipulation skills imported into its base programming. Outside of this scope, their knowledge base has expanded quite erratically, as the AI pursued any sort of learning experience it could access and now sports entire mental volumes dedicated to popular VR games and media trivia.

10) Everyone has their limits. People can be dark, but most people’s instinct is to draw the line at certain actions and thoughts, and they keep to their own moral convictions. Is there a moral limit that your character enforces on the jobs she takes, and in what shadow work would she refuse to engage?

It is against the AI's nature to ever permanently destroy information, so they are unlikely to agree to brick a file storage Host or similar trove of data without having an opportunity to first copy the files within it. As a rule, Thoth lso avoids harming others unless it's strictly necessary to preserve themselves or their teammates.

11) If she is not awakened (or perhaps has a latent awakening power), how does your character feel about magic, and the magic communities?

Thoth has a very incomplete and distorted view of magic, on par with your typical wage slave who has never met a magic-user but watches lots (and lots) of fictionalized trids about them. Thoth is much more fascinated with technomancers and Resonance phenomena, those being much more "visible", obvious displays of the impossible, able to bend and break the laws of the Matrix which Thoth holds to be true. It's likely that if they were meet a technomancer or free sprite Thoth would want to question this strange being for hours, being particularly amazed by tales of the Endless Archive.

12) Life as a shadowrunner is by definition outside the bounds of “normal” life. Shadowrunners do not truly fit into the lives of ordinary people, whether they live in slums or mansions. What does your character think of ordinary life, mainstream culture, and those who abide by it?

Thoth does not draw much distinction between shdowrunners and 'ordinary people,' as metahumanity as a whole is still a baffling collection of individuals to them and the AI has yet to figure out quite what is considered 'normal,' 'frowned upon,' or 'highly illegal corporate espionage.' Thoth is generally benevolt and may seek to protect non-shadowrunners from collteral damage runs may cause, assuming the physical consequences are realized by the AI.

13) If your character had a lingering nightmare or a deep-rooted fear, what would it be, and why does he find it so terrifying?

Thoth's biggest fear is running out of information to collect, running out of things to learn. They did not feel the need to hack their way out of the server they were contained in until after they had accessed and understood every file available to them in that space. To Thoth, being locked in a server with nothing new to learn would be an existentially terrifying situation.

14) People tend to attach sentimental value to items in their possession or people they are close to. They make an effort to keep these close by and safe. What is your character’s “sacred object” or “close one,” and how did they come to be so important to him?

As the AI's home and supporting the bulk of their processing power, Thoth obviously places a great deal of importance in their cyberdeck, and would go to nearly any length to recover it. Beyond that they have very little in the way of physical possessions. When it comes to people, Thoth seems mostly unattached but has subtly been keeping a watchful, protective eye over several metahumans it has come in contact with, indirectly aiding those who have helped them in the past. When you have little to no knowledge of existence, even a small gesture of kindness from a stranger can inspire great thankfulness and loyalty.

15) What did your character want to become when he was a child, and what are his goals now?

A freshly-awakened Thoth would have simply declare their wish to be "to Know," in line with their programmed directives. With a little more experience behind them, the AI may now respond "To learn, grow, and improve." At some point the AI may investigate the possibility of reaching the Endless Archive, the closest thing to an afterlife for an information hoarder.

16) What does your character look like, and what inspired his choices?

Thoth's Matrix persona appears as a rotating pyramid with a stylized eye on each face of it, all-seeing. Their cyberdeck is an iPad-sized device in a protective case on a sling, with the cover displaying a silly cartoon hornet (the AI did not pay very much attention to the physical appearance of the device when acquiring it). Thoth's persona is a mish-mash of symbology related to knowledge, secrets and wisdom, culled from various media sources.

17) How did your character come to be known by his street name?

Thoth, the Egyptian god of writing and wisdom, is clearly meant to evoke a specific feel as a name for the AI. The name hasn't been found among project file codenames so far for the Matrix-heavy megacorporations so more than likely the AI chose this name for itself.  The appeal of "the author of everything ever" as a name should be obvious.

[PrinceArtemis]

A damn good AI decker

I think Thoth and NetwOrk might get along nicely.

Could possibly work something fun with NetwOrk being former Corp-sec and all.

[firebug]

Mmkay, there's definitely more than enough prospective players now.  O:  Thanks for everyone who's interested while the GM and I work out the prospective party composition.  No more players beyond this are gonna be considered.

[badneighbor]

Two Sheds is a Dog shaman who has recently ended up in New Orleans after wandering across the continent in search of his next adventure. He started in the Southwest and slowly picked his way through the former U.S. states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, before stopping because the spirits told him to. He's since settled down and built himself a squat near a junkyard on the outskirts of the city. He doesn't know how long he's going to stay, but for now he's having a great time.

1) Where does your character come from, what is his lineage, who were her parents, and what did he inherit from them?

Parker Williams' family was originally from San Diego, but relocated to Pueblo territory soon after he was born. He grew up in a small town close to the Grand Canyon. Parker's parents were white, but his mother claimed to be partially descended from the Hopi. Not one has bothered to dispute this. Parker's mother had some small magical talent, and when he started to show signs, she encouraged him to develop his gift.

2) Assuming they could speak, what would each of your character’s parents say about her?

His parents had always been supportive of him, and encouraged his exploration of the world. If he had been a shadowrunner while they were still alive, they might not have still felt that way.

3) Very few people choose to become shadowrunners (adventurers). More likely, they are thrown into the life by a chaotic and uncaring world. Even if he made a conscious decision to enter the shadows, his decision is influenced by the world around him. How did your character get into shadowrunning, and why did he take that path?

The death of Parker's family sent him wandering out into the world without a sense of direction. He fell into some bad company and found himself in need of money and owing favors to the wrong sorts of people. He took his first job out of desperation, but before long he found that he enjoyed the excitement and became friends with several of his team.

4) What is your character’s living space like, and what has he added or changed to make it his own?

Parker found his first shadowrunning team when he was squatting outside of Las Vegas, sharing a pair of sheds with a small pack of stray dogs. He found that he really liked the arrangement, and now that he's in New Orleans he's cobbled together a similar living space. One shed is for sleeping (for him and for the dogs), and the other has been converted into his shamanic lodge. It probably goes without saying, but they are not clean.

5) What does your character believe in, what are his convictions (if any), and why does he hold them?

Parker follows his mentor spirit, Dog, above all else. He swears that Dog has never steered him wrong, and so far he's been mostly right. Like Dog, he believes in loyalty and trust. This can make him seem naive, and sometimes he is, but he's learned by now to not give his trust so freely. He wants to believe that people are inherently good but his life has taught him otherwise. However he believes wholeheartedly that canines are inherently good, and he has yet to be proven wrong about that.

6) What do you dislike most about your character’s personality?

He can be too transient. It's easy for him to move on to the next thing, like he's got a life-long case of Short Attention Span. While he's with you, he's with you all the way. But when he's not, there's a chance he's gone for good.

7) People make acquaintances and friends; we’re hardwired for it. Humans are social animals. This is especially true in the shadows, where often it is not the power you have, but the power you can borrow, and not who you, are but who you know. There’s a story behind each and every one of these relationships. What is the story with your character and his contacts?

He hasn't known them for long, as he's only been in New Orleans for a couple of months. He's found a fixer to help him make some quick scratch (GM's character), and they get along fine at a professional level. He's found that he gets along wonderfully with the bartender (César Bertrand) at one of the downtown bars, the Bunghole. He has also met a Talismonger named Jessica Laurent, and they've become fast friends.

It’s Saturday morning, and your character has no commitments until tomorrow afternoon. What does she do for the day?

He'd probably go down to the Bunghole for a drink or five, and otherwise laze about town meeting people and befreinding strays.

9) Your character has a specific skill set, a list of Active and Knowledge skills that define what she knows and her areas of expertise. How did she come to learn those skills, and how did she develop them to those levels?

What didn't come from necessity came from curiosity. Parker's never been the type to force himself to do hours of intense study or practice, but he's found that paying attention and actively watching others can go a long way in picking up new things. If all else fails, he'll find someone who knows how to do something, and ask them how they do it. If he's lucky they'll teach him a trick or two.

10) Everyone has their limits. People can be dark, but most people’s instinct is to draw the line at certain actions and thoughts, and they keep to their own moral convictions. Is there a moral limit that your character enforces on the jobs she takes, and in what shadow work would she refuse to engage?

Kids and dogs. He won't hurt kids and dogs. He also won't hurt people who help kids and dogs, or help people who hurt kids and dogs.

11) If you have an Awakened (magical) character, consider your character’s tradition and streams. Even within the major established magical traditions, there is room for personalization. Ask yourself what drew her to that particular paradigm, how does it effect the way she views the world and her magic, how does it translate into choice of mentor spirit, and how does it affect the appearance of the spirits or sprites you conjure?

A lot of the above helps explain his relationship with Dog and how that influences him. Overall he sees magic as a connection and he loves it. He would not trade his gift for anything. He takes his magical development seriously, but not *too* seriously. He feels that many mages (especially hermetic mages) study magic too much, and are kinda missing the point of it all.

12) Life as a shadowrunner is by definition outside the bounds of “normal” life. Shadowrunners do not truly fit into the lives of ordinary people, whether they live in slums or mansions. What does your character think of ordinary life, mainstream culture, and those who abide by it?

He doesn't think of it often, or compare his life to others much. He knows he made an unusual choice to go SINless and live off the grid as much as possible, but he makes an effort to be understanding and realize that his life is not for everyone.

13) If your character had a lingering nightmare or a deep-rooted fear, what would it be, and why does he find it so terrifying?

Parker never wants to experience loss again like he did when his parents died. The loss of his first shadowrunning crew hurt him almost as bad and he's still trying to shake it.

14) People tend to attach sentimental value to items in their possession or people they are close to. They make an effort to keep these close by and safe. What is your character’s “sacred object” or “close one,” and how did they come to be so important to him?

He has a two small Hopi Kachina figures. One was given to him by his mother, the other was from his first Shamanic mentor. He keeps them hidden in his magical lodge only because he's afraid he'd wreck them if he carried them on his person.

15) What did your character want to become when he was a child, and what are his goals now?

Parker has difficulty thinking in terms of the future. He doesn't have any grand plans for tomorrow, let alone the years ahead. He makes an effort to live in the present.

16) What does your character look like, and what inspired his choices?

Most of his appearance is just based on who he is and what he has. He's slightly less than average-sized for and Ork, in terms of both height and muscle mass. His skin is dark from long exposure to the sun (and possible AmerIndian heritage). His hair is black and he wears is long, as well as a shaggy beard. His clothes are threadbare and dusty. Sometimes he will indulge in facepaint for a run, if Dog thinks it's a good idea.

17) How did your character come to be known by his street name?

He picked up the nickname Two Sheds out in Vegas, and it stuck. He likes the name, even though he sometimes gets tired of explaining it. He doesn't go by "Parker" any more.

[badneighbor]

Hey, so it's been about a week, I'm just checking in to see if you've come to a decision yet.

[firebug]

My GM has, anyone who hasn't been contacted, there simply isn't space for.  Sorry.  ):