[Beta]

The characters would not necessarily (all) have to know about the ultimate money behind the thing.  They know that the agency was set up by Joe.  Depending on how much they ever get to meet Joe, they may suspect/know that he is from the Sioux Nation, they may suspect that he has his own masters to answer to.  And they know he wants to know about the jobs they take, and might guide them away from some of them.

==============================================

When I first got the offer, I was offended.  Who was this ‘Joe’ guy to call me out of the blue, and to expect me to jump at the offer of being an employee?  If I’d wanted to work for someone I’d have joined the fragging corps.  Not that any of them had ever asked, but surely one of them would recognize my value, right?  And for all I knew, Joe could be fronting for a corp; he was sure fronting for someone.

I’d come to Seattle to be independent, to make my own way, to prove the doubters wrong, and all that other drek from the opening credits of “Runner by Night.”  I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I knew I was good.  I’d only been here for six months, but I had found work!  Just … not enough work.  The money I’d come here with was almost dried up, and I was at the point of dodging my landlord and surviving on unflavored soy.  Frag, I hadn’t had a beer or soycaff in over a week, that how’s tight things were.  I had some work lined up, or I thought I did, but they were having trouble coming up with the down-payment, and I didn’t have anything in the pipe after that.

So yah, I was insulted.  But then I listened a bit more, because I couldn’t afford to be insulted.  Joe needed people to investigate certain things in Seattle from time to time.  He wanted a team he trusted, instead of having to round of freelancers all of the time.  But he didn’t have enough business to hire a team full-time.  So he was setting up a legit Private Investigations agency.  This “Shepherd Investigations” would be open to cases from anyone, not just the business that Joe needed someone to deal with in Seattle.  We’d have a fee structure and would use it no matter who we were working for, Joe or walk in clients.  Joe guaranteed that, if our work was acceptable, there would be enough work to pay reasonable bills. 

I hesitated, I think Joe could tell that I was tempted, and he moved in for the kill  “Look, tell you what, I’ll pay you 250 just to go to the office for a few hours.  Choose a desk, fire up the soycaff machine to make sure that it works, go down to Stuffer Shack to pick up some snacks for the fridge and just sit there, have a caff, have some lunch, and see how it feels.  There isn’t anyone there yet, but I’ll get the landlord to meet you.  Give me a call at three o’clock and let me know your decision.” 

Two-hundred creds wasn’t going to pay my rent, but I didn’t have anything else to do, and it was a free lunch, right?  So I went.  And at 2:30 Dr. Hammish – ‘call me Annie’ -- knocked at the door and said how downstairs at Dr. Tusks Dental Services they were excited to have new neighbors, and they had were having trouble with contacting a patient that they had a custom implant ready for, and would we be willing to take on such a trivial job?  Sure it was almost certainly a set-up from Joe, and the job was dead simple, but it was more work.  Suddenly rent didn’t seem so far out of reach, for the first time in days I wasn’t hungry, and frag me if Annie didn’t seem to be enjoying our conversation.  So I took the work from Annie, and I called Joe and said I’d give the agency a shot.

===========================================

Would that seem reasonable?  (other than needing better names)

[Tecumseh]

I like it!

We just need an agency name:

The Insights Agency
Seattle Investigative Group
Machk & Friends

[Lorebane24]

I like it a lot too!  I'll work on some of the specifics today.  Also, even though the campaign will eventually move beyond Seattle, I've shelled out on a lot of sourcebooks and figure I may as well make use of them - so while the game is in Seattle, I'd like to get pretty detailed.  If you guys want, you could be a little more specific with where you want to be located.  You wouldn't be sponsered to be put up in Bellevue or anything, and you probably wouldn't be in the Barrens or out in Snohomish, but most of the other districts would be open season.

[Tecumseh]

I'm from Seattle IRL - I live just down the street from where the Aztechnology Pyramid would be - and know a stupid amount about the Shadowrun version of the city. I think the Seattle location was one of the biggest hooks for me when I started playing 25 years ago.

I can handle as much detail as the GM is willing to support (and that the other players are willing to tolerate).

[gilga]

Meet Amy Maka, a hybrid Anglo Sioux aspected mage. (and a bit of a decker).

Born to a Sioux father and an Anglo mother, Amy Maka did not find her place in either of the worlds.  She grew up on a reservation and felt discrimination by so-called native Sioux.  Her father kept in touch occasionally and would take Amy Maka with him to some father-daughter activity. Together, they enjoyed off-road driving and, target practice.  Daddy loved his firearms, and Amy Maka loved her father, so she rigorously practiced driving and shooting. It gave them something to do together.

Her mother did not like that kind of influence and encouraged Amy Maka to study hard and get a real job in the computing industry.  Amy did so and discovered a natural talent for hacking things and advanced computer usages. Her first job was performing extensive matrix research on various topics, for students that were too lazy or too incompetent to do it themselves. Opportunities for the SINless where quite limited, so this was as good as life could get. It was not bad, she had to parents that no longer loved each other, but the two of them liked her, and she made enough to sustain herself.

Her lucky break was in her late teens when she awakened. Such a gift offered a hope to break out of poverty, and such hoped justified going to great length. Namely, it justified sending Amy Maka away. Her mother sent her away to a nearby tribe to get some magical education.  She was under the guidance of Shaman Dancing Bear.  Traditional hard-core Sioux shamanism - from a tribe that refused to use modern technology.  She did not fit very well in that tradition as well. First, she showed no conjuring capabilities - which was a disappointment. Second, when she finally found a totem, it was not the mighty Bear, the noble Eagle or the restless Horse, not at all it was - the Spider. It did not quite fit, and Amy Maka did not speak much about her mentor.

Maka's first boyfriend was a traditionalist Sioux man, a hunter.  She loved him deeply, and the two planned to run off to Seattle and get married. Things did not end up very well for the two. Their connection was frowned upon by Crying Fox's parents. Maka being an unusual magic practitioner made it even worse, instead of a holy woman - she was foreign-alien.  The family did not have it - his terrible big brother caught the two lovers together and beat Crying Fox unconscious. Maka could do something to help him; she was a sorcerer, she had a gun nearby.

She froze in terror, too naked, too ashamed and too surprised. A lifetime of training with firearms, years of magic education, and she did nothing. Worse than nothing, she ran away and hid in nearby bushes.  She watched the entire drama without interfering.  If there was one thing worse than looking like an Anglo and having strange magic - it was to be a coward.  So she left, running away from her family from her boyfriend, and finding herself in Seattle. She suffered for being an 'Anglo' why not listen to them? Perhaps she'll find a home in Seattle...

It was difficult to stand up on her two feet; first, she needed to reach  Seattle illegally, which was expensive. Second, she needed a fake SIN for the first time in her life, which was more expensive.  Third, she needed work to pay off her debit, but legitimate work did not pay well enough,  and she did not have the connections to do anything else.  Amy Maka ended up being indebted to the people that brought her. Luckily for her, instead of killing her for being so hopeless to finish off her debit, they decided to use her and allowed her to pay the interest on the debt with shadow jobs. It was only in Seattle when Amy Maka became a real criminal.  (but being a criminal was better than being a prostitute, so she had that pride.)

She found the job at an agency funded by the Sioux nation to be a lifeline to some badly needed cash and connections that could help her pay her debts. They did not need to blackmail her. The hope of breaking free from the Mafia was enough to have her intrigued.  However, blackmail was on the table if she misbehaved, and Amy Maka was not sure how her father would react if he heard of her behavior. Would he disown her?  He must never find out.

Also, in a way despite anything, Amy Maka was a Sioux patriot. She got that from her father,  she did not plan to be such a coward.  Though, if he beat his brother so severely, what would he do to her? That Wildcat brother terrified Amy Maka still, after all these years.  Perhaps, working for the government, she'll prove to herself,  that she was no longer a cowered. Though, she could never imagine going back.

character sheet.
[spoiler]
== Personal Data ==
Name: Amy Maka Green            Alias:
Elf, Female                     
Movement: 10/20 (2m/hit)                 
Swim: 3 (1m/hit)                     
50, 170                         Composure: 10
Street Cred: 0                  Judge Intentions: 10
Notoriety: 0                    Lift/Carry: 2 (15 kg/10 kg)
Public Awareness: 0             Memory: 10
Karma: 5                        Nuyen: 213¥
Age: 30                         Skin: white
Eyes: Green                     Hair: Blonde
Primary Arm: Right             

== Priorities ==
Metatype: C,2
Attributes: B,3
Special: D,1
Skills: A,4
Resources: E,0

== Attributes ==
BOD: 1                          CHA: 5
AGI: 5                          INT: 5
REA: 4                          LOG: 5
STR: 1                          WIL: 5
EDG: 2                          MAG: 5

== Derived Attributes
Essence: 6.00                   Initiative:          9 +1d6
Physical Damage Track: 9        Rigger Initiative:   9 +1d6
Stun Damage Track:              11Astral Initiative:   10 +3d6
Physical: 3                     Matrix AR:           9 +1d6
Mental: 7                       Matrix Cold:         6 +3d6
Social: 7                       Matrix Hot:          6 +4d6
   Vashon Island: Ace of Cups [+1] (Must be visible)
Astral: 7

 == Active Skills ==
Assensing (Aura Reading)        Base: 3  + Karma: 0  = 3   Pool: 8 (10)
Computer                        Base: 6  + Karma: 0  = 6   Pool: 11
Con                             Base: 6  + Karma: 0  = 6   Pool: 11
Counterspelling                 Base: 3  + Karma: 2  = 5   Pool: 10
Disguise                        Base: 3  + Karma: 0  = 3   Pool: 10
Etiquette                       Base: 4  + Karma: 0  = 4   Pool: 9
Hacking (Personas)              Base: 6  + Karma: 0  = 6   Pool: 11 (13)
Impersonation (Human)           Base: 1  + Karma: 0  = 1   Pool: 6 (
Leadership                      Base: 4  + Karma: 0  = 4   Pool: 9
Negotiation                     Base: 4  + Karma: 0  = 4   Pool: 9
Palming                         Base: 3  + Karma: 0  = 3   Pool: 10
Perception                      Base: 5  + Karma: 0  = 5   Pool: 10
Pilot Ground Craft (Wheeled)    Base: 6  + Karma: 0  = 6   Pool: 10 (12)
Pistols (Machine Pistols)       Base: 6  + Karma: 0  = 6   Pool: 11 (13)
Ritual Spellcasting             Base: 3  + Karma: 2  = 5   Pool: 10
Sneaking                        Base: 3  + Karma: 0  = 3   Pool: 10
Software (Data Bombs)           Base: 1  + Karma: 0  = 1   Pool: 6 (
Spellcasting                    Base: 3  + Karma: 2  = 5   Pool: 10

 == Knowledge Skills ==
English                         Native
Lakota                          Base: 2  + Karma: 0  = 2   Pool: 7
Sperethiel                      Base: 2  + Karma: 0  = 2   Pool: 7
Arcana                          Base: 6  + Karma: 0  = 6   Pool: 11
Area Knowledge: Seattle         Base: 4  + Karma: 0  = 4   Pool: 9
Art                             Base: 1  + Karma: 0  = 1   Pool: 6
Data Havens                     Base: 1  + Karma: 0  = 1   Pool: 6
Gaming                          Base: 1  + Karma: 0  = 1   Pool: 6
Music (Classical)               Base: 2  + Karma: 0  = 2   Pool: 7 (9)

 == Qualities ==
Aspected Magician
Big Regret (Not Saving Friend)
Code of Honor (Harmony With Nature)
Dedicated Spellslinger
Focused Concentration ( 5)
In Debt (
Low-Light Vision
Mentor Spirit (Spider (Alt))
Phobia (Common, Mild) (Rats)
Poor Self Control (Thrill Seeker)

 == Tradition ==
Shamanic, Resist Drain with  10

 == Spells ==
Fling (Limited)          DV: F-4
Growth (Limited)         DV: F+1
Heal                     DV: F-4
Increase [Attribute] (INT)DV: F-3
Increase [Attribute] (LOG)DV: F-3
Increase [Attribute] (CHA)DV: F-3
Influence (Limited)      DV: F-3
Levitate                 DV: F-2
Makeover                 DV: F-3
Watcher                  DV: Special

 == Lifestyle ==
Group Lifestyle (Medium) 1  Month
   + Grid Subscription (Local Grid)
   + Grid Subscription (Public Grid)

 == Armor ==
Armor Jacket                       12
Vashon Island: Ace of Cups         9

 == Weapons ==
Unarmed Attack
   Pool: 4      Accuracy: 3     DV: 1S       AP: -     RC: 2
Urban Tribe Tomahawk
   Pool: 4      Accuracy: 4     DV: 3P       AP: -1    RC: 2
Walther P118
   + Advanced Safety System, Basic
   + Electronic Firing
   + Extended Clip
   + Gas-Vent 2 System
   + Safe Target System, Base
   + Smartgun System, Internal
   + Trigger Removal
   + Weapon Commlink
   Pool: 4      Accuracy: 5 ( DV: 7P       AP: -     RC: 5

 == Commlink ==
Erika MCD-1 (ATT: 2, SLZ: 3, DP: 1, FWL: 4)
   + Sim Module, Hot
   + Universal Connector Cord (Meter)
   + Commlink Functionality [Camera, Micro, Chip Player, Credstick Reader, Earbuds, GPS Guidance System, Micro Trid-Projector, Music Player, RFID Tag Scanner, Shock- and Water-Resistant Case, Touchscreen Display]
   + Vectored Signal Filter
   + Program Carrier (Virtual Machine)
   + Browse
   + Edit
   + Encryption
   + Search
   + Signal Scrub
   + Toolbox
   + Exploit
   + Decryption
   + Wrapper
   + Smoke and Mirrors
 == Contacts ==
Janet (Infobroker), Dime (Connection: 3, Loyalty: 1)

Kira Black (Decker), (Connection: 3, Loyalty: 2)

Tom Jones (Go-Ganger), (Connection: 3, Loyalty: 3)

== GM contacts ==
- Johnny Morad – Arms Dealer (Connection 3, Loyalty 3)
- Five-Fingers Gao & Fenghuang – Talismongers (Connection 3, Loyalty 1)
- Fagin – Grey Market Item Delivery - (Connection 3, Loyalty 1)


Kira 'OOO' Benson
Known in the matrix as triple O, or Black (due to the RGB value ofBlack).  Kira is a phenomenal decker and does some teaching on the side.  Kira is nowadays laying low as an electronic shop owner in Redmond's barrens. Amy Maka (AM), knows her due to a previous shadow work. She made Kira her hero, and mentor and the two often meet during the matrix so she can study. Like any relationship, Black's way of teaching is an apprenticeship which means that Kira does some decking, computer research or even provides overwatch for free. In return,  she gets instruction, repairs to her deck and the ability to network with Black's contacts.  She does get paid when the job is illegal or extra tedious though.  Except for job, once in a while, usually after a generous payday, the two go out drinking and dancing.  The two are not friends yet, but few people know Black as a decker, and out of these she finds AM as pleasant to be around. 

Janet 'Dime' Butler
It is Janet's job to know things, anything - information is her preferred currency, and the most valued service she performs.  AM met her in her years at the Sioux and used her services from time to time when she could not find enough information herself - or when she sold stolen data.  Janet likes artwork, especially AR/VR modern art. AM met her once at such virtual art gallery.

Tom Jones
Tom Jones (TJ) is a collector, leg-breaker, and ganger. While not strictly a Mafiosi he is in bed with them, and usually does some of their dirty work.  AM met him when he beat the crap out of her for missing out on a payment. 
This was one of the most traumatic experiences for AM, and she vowed that it would never happen again.

How the two grew closer? Well, being so desperate and about to be hit again AM convinced TJ to take some barter from him. She'll help him impress some girl he was after, and he'll give her some more time. AM pimped him up and added a dash of magic - and TJ kept coming and even paying for AM's services. He still required collecting the debt, but would usually give her some leeway.  You could say that AM is one of TJ's contacts, tough AM sees herself capable of asking for favors - and expecting cooperation due to their now regularized relationship.

Non-contact people.

Crying Fox -
Her (almost) husband, ex-boyfriend. AM had left things unresolved between the two when she fleed Sioux and has never looked back, contacted or called. She left him, without a word, physically and digitally disappearing as if she never existed.  Why? AM asked herself many times why. In part because she was ashamed, unworthy of his love. In part, because she did not want him to sacrifice his family, his tribe for her.  In part because she was afraid that she would be next.

Crying Wolf
Crying Fox's brother, a Wildcat. AM knows very little of him, but he is the stuff of horror for her. His narrow-mindedness and stigma have ripped her away from the last (and only) time AM was happy.

Dancing Bear (Beer)
Dancing Bear (also known as 'Beer') is a Sioux (full mage) shaman, and a spiritual leader of a small traditionalist Sioux community; he trained  AM and taught her the ropes into developing her talent. Sadly, she was aspected to sorcery that while useful, does not carry the culturally valued. To AM he is almost a father figure a person that introduced her into a world of wonder, and awe. 

He is known as Beer, due to a pact he has with a powerful spirit. That requires him (so he says) to consume a lot of beer - both in his rituals and in his offerings.  He could also be an alcoholic - and the objective truth may be somewhere in the middle.

Rina Gold
AM's mother, an unregistered citizen of the Sioux nation, earning her living from teaching computers at an elementary school. She grew AM up and kept her out of troubles. In a few occasions, she even bribed a lawman to look the other way when AM was caught 'existing' without certificates.  Her love and dedication have made AM what she is today.

Yahto Gem
AM's father, married to another woman whom AM has never met, and has a family of his own. Unexpectedly, Yahto made an effort to have a connection to AM. He paid for much of her upbringing arriving at night to visit her mother, and on occasion when he had business trips, he took AM with him on long drives. He taught her to drive, and to shoot with small arms. Skills which he considered a must-have but Rina would never want AM to have.

AM keeps in touch with her parents, but they think that she is a secretary.

[Beta]

I'm liking Amy Maka -- eager to see how much decking she has.  (I was looking at trying to do something that at least had high computer skill, because matrix search, but if you have that covered then I'll not worry about it as much).

Tecumseh -- Machk -- cyberlimbed sneaky-stabby
Jack Spade -- Bobby -- (Sioux black-ops?)
Gilga -- Amy Maka -- aspected sorceror / decker(lite?)
Beta -- ? -- still playing around with concepts (traveler-face-lite / full face / 'Medium' (lite mage) / ?)

I'd better make a decision soon!

[Lorebane24]

Loving what I'm seeing, great writeup!  Also, if there are a few holes in the decking department we can always have an NPC secretary or something that can cover those areas.

[Beta]

Loving what I'm seeing, great writeup!  Also, if there are a few holes in the decking department we can always have an NPC secretary or something that can cover those areas.

I'm suddenly having visions of Garcia from Criminal Minds as a Dwarf ....

[Beta]

@Lorebane24 Something in another thread popped a question into my head:  are we using standard progression (karma/nuyen rewards), or do you have any house rules around that?  (I'm asking in part because a number of PBP games seem to, as each run tends to take a while so progression can be slow.  And in part because some character concepts need more filling in of nuyen or karma before before being solid -- so assuming standard progression I'll avoid anyone who needs buckets of karma to be competent to walk down the street)

[Lorebane24]

My pool of players has always been pretty small for Shadowrun games, so I don't have a lot to go on for what is standard karma.  I usually give out about 10-15 karma per run, and then periodically have a big run that's sort of an arc finisher that yields 2-3 times that as a sort of a step up into the next league.

[gilga]

@About matrix gaps, the thing that is missing is the capability to perform attack actions (e.g., Crack files), that is we miss a deck. So if we want these capabilities we either need to loan a deck or hire a dedicated decker. We can, however, hack stuff we steal -find - or directly connect to a device, and indirectly sleaze a mark on a host. (to be used as snoop command).

@Which brings me to the second point raised by Beta about progression, I think that everybody grows for somewhere, and think about teamwork.  E.g., I think that 10 dice in social is not a face, but two characters with this ability working a social challenge together can achieve the performance of a face. (and it is more interesting, roleplaying wise). This is how the dedicated face acquired proficiency to the point of going solo.  Perhaps the same reasoning works for other skill sets as well.

[Jack_Spade]

As promised, here's the introduction for Bobby "MadCat" Walker

Background:

Recruiting Interview with Specialist Robert Walker:
Son of War Shaman Yanni "Dark Crow" Walker and Environmental Engineer Elisabeth Miller (official resident).
Born August 12th 2051 in Cheyenne.
Developed strong physical magical talent during highschool, was recruited into Sioux Defense Forces at age 17, recommended for special training at 18. Completed tour of duty at [Classified] and [Classified], talent for infiltration and scout duties. Recommended for special operations, recommendation rescinded due to disciplinary problems.
Barred from further promotions, honorable discharge in 2073. Assessment by Shaman Bill Whitewater indicates severe totemic influence over personality and/or corrupted totem (Hunger/Wendigo classification).
Self employed tourist guide, private detective and suspected mercenary work.
Currently in debted to the Tiošpaye.

Assessment: Ready for recruitment

Cpt. Razak: Mr. Walker, how are you? It's been a while since we met.
Robert Walker: Yeah, long time no see... Could be better, could be worse. Anyone still alive from the 16th?
CR: The 16th never dies - though no, no-one you'd know is still around. I heard you had some trouble recently? Something about a lost consignment for the extended Family?
RW: You looking for trouble? Cause asking stuff like that is a quick way to getting digested by coyotes. I've got nothing to do with those assholes since Charlie took over.
CR: Fair enough. But you are still looking for gainful employment, aren't you? See kid, I always had a week spot for you and your abilities. A real shame that those pencil pushers couldn't overlook that little scuffle you had with Seargent What's-his-name.
RW: Ha. Asshole deserved it.
CR: Well, maybe you didn't have to turn into a Chimpanzee, knock him out and throw your own feces at him.
RW: Didn't have to - wanted.
CR: *Sigh* - Just for your information, it took me considerable effort to prevent them from just throwing you into prison and losing the key. The honorable discharge was the best I could do for you.
RW: And my eternal gratitude it has ensured. What do you want? I've got a child's birthday party to entertain and need to get into character soon.
CR: How would you like to work for a real PI agency? In Seattle. A regular income, no troubles with the NAN authorities, interesting jobs and a new start?
RW: Yeah - what's the catch?
CR: From time to time you'd be approached by someone who gives you a job you can't refuse - still payed of course.
RW: So black ops on forreign soil? Eh, what the hell, I'm in. At least it can't be as boring as the shit I do right here...


@Lorebane24
JFYI: Beta is talking about Aria's progression system: Every two posts earns you 1 Karma and 2000 Nuyen. The system encourages regular postings and allows characters to grow despite the comparably long time pbp games take.
I've taken part in several games that use this rule (and also GMed a few myself) and can attest to it's functionality - especially since it allows you to replace lost gear and shore up character deficits with relative ease. Not to mention, it prevents the descend into murder-hoboism, because players don't need to flog every last tea cozy to refinance their expended ammunition.

[Beta]

Madcat .... nickname, or standard combat form? :p

============================

re: progression -- I wasn't just thinking about Aria's system.  JaydeMoon gave fairly standard karma and nuyen for missions, but gave bonus karma or nuyen for character backgrounds and contact write-ups, and for penning a 'milk run' mission description between main runs, and also supported 'working for the man/working for the people' to move some karma/nuyen around to where it was needed most.

But the amount that Lorebane is talking about per mission should accomplish much the same effect -- completing a mission will give enough karma to provide a solid jump to a character (an initiation, most of bringing a stat from two to three, take a 1 point skill and take it to three and have some change, etc).

Aria's system I found, if anything, too generous at times?  With chatty players I found that I couldn't find justifications for the amount of nuyen or time to make use of the karma.  It also made it too easy to take resources E, so long as you had some solid contacts for gear, because by the time we'd accepted a mission you could afford to gear up notably.  Not that I ever mind having lots of nuyen and karma, and it actually lets nuyen dependendent characters realistically get upgrades (my mis-built decker was in a game Mercy was running under Aria's umbrella, and was actually able to save up enough to buy a deck).

[Lorebane24]

I'm always wary of uneven PC advancement becayse of its impact on encounters - I prefer using edge refreshment as a reward for roleplaying/cleverness/activity.

In any case, I'm getting pretty stoked for this game.  If we can finalize the basics in the next few days I'd like to try to get the IC topic up sometime this weekend

Couple final things before we set the stage for everything...

I think having an agency to work out of could be a fun chance to have a customizeable home base.  Would you be interested in treating it like a group lifelstyle and assigning it qualitied fron Run Faster?

Also, one thing I usually like to do is shared contacts.  People everyone knows and who I usually use to launch story plots.  I typically draft a list of 4-5 contacts with a brief writeup and the list always includes some shadowrunning basics, like a talismonger, an arms dealer, a street doc etc...  they all have the same connectio  and theneveryone gets points equal to 2 + (cha/2) to spend on loyalty for them (no pointz spent means you dont know them).  This is in addition to the usual contact points, so PCs still get to flesh out personal contacts.  If you hiys are into it, I have a list of contacts I was goimg to use for a similar campaign that I can revise and place herr after work

[Beta]

A group lifestyle could be handy in keeping costs down (or in also supporting bolt holes).  I've never looked at it very carefully before, I guess we'd need to agree on the level and stuff, then divide up costs?

More contacts are always good -- I'll take 'em anyway you got 'em!