DOWNTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT

A Scenario for CYBERPUNK 2020

This is the first CyberPunk scenario I ever wrote, almost five years ago now. It's also the
first one I ever ran. It has been play tested by two different groups with radically different
playing styles. In both cases the teams were using characters that had never met before.
The object of the scenario was to bring the characters together in such a way that they
became a team during the course of play. As for motivation, the characters need no
motivation beyond wanting to be in a nightclub on a Saturday night. Both teams enjoyed
the experience!

Downtown Saturday Night has three main plot lines running through it. They are
designed to be of interest to a broad range of characters, not just gun-toting Solos. There's
thinking to be done here, too, business opportunities to scout out, trouble to be spotted
and avoided or tackled. Weaving these together can be a headache.

I derived a lot of my game's style from William Gibson's Neuromancer, where the
violence tends to be occur "off camera" and there are few of the raging gun battles like
those seen in the Terminator movies. Maybe your players are ready for different
challenges, in which case, get a couple of street-gangs boozed up and off their faces, and
let them start a brawl in the club!

Introduction

It is Saturday night in the heart of the City, the end of a long, hot day.

Earlier today two street-gangs came to blows over a truck full of mineral water that had
broken down in the buffer zone between their respective turfs. It took a Police chopper
and riot-squads to break up the fighting. A cyber-psycho went berserk at a monorail
station, murdering 12 people and injuring 20 others before being mown down by the
cops. The crime rate has soared along with the temperatures and the City Government is
already preparing contingency plans should the heatwave continue.

Unfun.

Now the good citizens of Downtown are out to party. The heat is no longer so oppressive
and thrill-seekers, party goers, corporates and street-gangs are heading for some well-
earned relaxation in the City's nightspots. Along with the crowd are those who make their
living from the general populace: muggers, pick-pockets, car thieves, drug dealers,
hookers and hustlers. All drawn into the melting pot that is Downtown ... How many will
see dawn?

The Delta

Charles "Chaz" Baxter is a recent arrival in this City. Using significant sums of hard
Swiss currency and one or two contacts in the City from way back, Chaz has chosen
tonight to open his new club, The Delta.
The club's facilities are excellent: great acoustics, fantastic lighting rigs, professional
staff, top rank guest DJs and a truly class line up of opening night bands. Perhaps best of
all, given the recent heatwave, the club boasts a state of the art air conditioning system
(developed in London to counteract that city's growing smog problem). Chaz can scarcely
believe his luck!

Baxter has spent the last few weeks busily publicising The Delta. Radio, TV, flyers,
posters and even graffiti have been employed as advertising media. It's still early but
Chaz is looking forward to a record breaking opening night.

Opening Night

Gimmicks

Here are a few ideas for The Delta's opening night gimmicks and promotions:

Free drinks with advertising flyers

Competitions and raffles (prizes include back-stage passes to meet the bands)
Free Gifts for the first dozen couples
"Beautiful People" get in free

Musical Line Up

Between 10pm and 2am, three bands will be on stage

SuperHoney: An new all-girl rock band who are gaining quite a reputation for gutsy
performances, great music and a winning way with the audience.
Mack the Knife: A celebrated Blues artist, popular, probably with older clientele, Mack
is appearing as a favour to one of Chaz's contacts. Mack is a solo artist with a number
of albums behind him. He plays guitar, harmonica and sings with feeling.
Shock: A techno-rock act known for putting a new spin on many "classics", from the
Heavy Metal bands of the late 20th Century, to Wagner, Beethoven and Bach.

Staff

The Delta's staff are both male and female and all wear an easily recognisable uniform of
black trousers (or skirts for the girls should they prefer), white shirt, and burgundy
waistcoat. There are four tuxedo-wearing bouncers acting as security on the doors.

All the staff are courteous, professional and well trained in each others' jobs. This means
they can swap roles to cover rest breaks and busy periods. The girls will take no nonsense
from drunken male customers and have the boys' backing if things cut up rough. This is
Chaz's policy as it fosters a team spirit among his employees.
As befits The Delta's "beautiful people" style, all the staff are above average in the looks
department.

Clientele

It is to Chaz's credit that he has managed to attract a broad cross section of customers.
Decked out in their finest gear for Opening Night the crowd includes the following
distinct groups:

Party-goers: Regular clubbers wanting to check out the newest nightspot in town. This
is probably the largest group, kitted out in everything from smart casuals to designer
party-wear.
Corporates: Chaz has managed to get his club onto the "approved lists" of several local
corps. Thus, we have wageslaves, and thirty-something middle managers here too.
Styles vary from party-chic to business suits.
Gangers: There are a number of representatives from local gangs here tonight. Most are
the trusted lieutenants of gang bosses, i.e, those who can be trusted to behave
themselves in public. Their job is to scope out the action and give The Delta the
thumbs up ... or not. Most gangers are easily recognisable, being in smartened up
versions of their gang colours. Gang bosses may also be here: it has a certain prestige
value to bring one's current input (or output) to the first night of a new club.
Hustlers: Largely indistinguishable from members of the above three groups, the
hustlers are here to exploit the crowd. Drug and chip pushers are rare but have a
presence. Nervous pick-pockets drift through the crowd on the lookout for
opportunities. A number of common street hookers have been brought in by their
pimps and one or two higher class "independent working girls" are checking out the
club's opportunities. Not to be sexist, of course, for those whose tastes are non-female,
there are also rent-boys and gigolos working the crowd.

Prices

This being Opening Night, there are cut price admission, membership and drinks. This
makes prices "average", rather than the sky-high charges at most Downtown night clubs.

20eb gets you into the club. With three bands on tonight's play list, that represents
excellent value. Figure that the average character can get pleasantly blitzed for about
30eb. Extras (drugs, chips, sex) will obviously cost more.

Plot Lines (1) : A Job

This is a device for getting the players involved in the club as employees, rather than just
as punters. It is not necessary for all the PCs to be employed at The Delta but would work
for one or two characters who are out of work at the start of the campaign. Some
suggestions are given below.
Solos and Nomads would be useful as the club's security, doormen and bouncers, kitted
out in tuxedos, armour vests and pistols (no SMGs or assault rifles). This will give them a
chance to be armed but not necessarily walking tanks. Encounters for these characters
would be

Breaking up fights/defusing arguments

Dealing with drug pushers and petty thieves
Getting chatted up by pretty girls waiting to get into the club

PCs with good Streetwise could similarly be employed as "undercover" security. Their
job would be to blend with the crowd and keep their eyes open for trouble.

Techies or Netrunners could be employed as roadies, concert riggers and kit-monkeys.

They would have to check out and set up lighting, sound system, FX rigs and so on. This
is one way to get PCs introduced to SuperHoney or the other performers.

MedTechs could be taken on as First Aiders for the club. This is useful if there are bar
brawls or bad drugs.

Media-types are unlikely to be employed directly at The Delta. But local networks could
assign reporters to cover any or all of the following aspects of Opening Night

The Bands, either individually or all of them

The Delta's facilities and atmosphere
An interview with Chaz Baxter
Interviews with the punters, particularly if anyone famous turns up.

PC Rockers should be given a chance of a slot on Opening Night. This is by no means

compulsory. Perhaps they just need to see Baxter and persuade him to give them a slot at
a future gig. If they go on stage, they will replace either Shock or Mack the Knife on the
bill. Their fee will be the Rocker's (Start Cash / 4) eb, not bad for one night's work. As a
role-playing exercise, the PC performer(s) should describe their set, music, style and
stage show.

Combat types could also be employed as bodyguards. This could be for an NPC (eg a
Braindance starlet) or a PC (a Corporate and his pet Solo thug). The latter option gets PCs
together quickly.

Plot Lines (2) : An Agent for SuperHoney

SuperHoney are an all-girl rock band hailing from this City. The band are currently
freelance but might be on the lookout for an agent to represent them. Ideal characters for
this would be Fixers, Medias or Corporates with media connections.

The band has been together nearly two years. The line up is -
Angela Chester: Lead singer, guitarist, songwriter. She is 20, tall, fairskinned and
heartbreakingly beautiful. Her hair is long and usually blonde but that is changeable as it
is a TechHair implant. Angie handles most of the band's contract negotiations but will
quickly get out of her depth if SuperHoney makes it big. Hence she will be interested in
serious offers of professional representation. The band nearly fragmented a year ago
when a certain George Henman offered to act as agent. His promises came to nothing and
it turned out that he was only interested in bedding Angela. This makes her wary of over-
friendly men who pretend professional interest. One of Angela's songs, "He Just Wants
Me", is a barely disguised, scathing attack on Henman and similar sleaze-ball agents
Angela has known.

Angela's current boyfriend, Luke Thomas, will be in the Opening Night audience.

Suzi Blake: Keyboards, backing vocals. At 22, Suzi is the oldest member of the band. A
brilliant musician with an excellent grasp of technology, Suzi is responsible for
synthesiser programming and sets the standards for the band's lighting and effects
requirements. Probably the most down-to-earth member of the group, Suzi is often seen
in overalls, crawling around on stage, checking and setting up equipment. With her
techical skills Suzi gets along well with concert riggers and other techie-types.

Maria Morales: bass guitar, backing vocals, composer. A stunning Hispanic girl the same
age as Angela, Maria is responsible for writing some of SuperHoney's heartrending
ballads. She writes with feeling and from considerable personal experience. In addition,
one of her "political" numbers, aimed at Government/Corporate corruption, caused a
storm a few months ago. It led to her being badly beaten up by a gang of street thugs, an
assault which only just stopped short of killing her. Maria wants to get to the bottom of
this and, since the attack, always carries a switchblade.

Teresa (Teri) Penn: Percussion, backing vocals. Stuck behind her drum-kit as she
normally is, the audience often fails to notice that Teri is a shade under 2 metres tall. A
lean Afro-American from one of the Southern states, Teri brings a multi-ethnic feel to
SuperHoney's music. Mixing influences from Africa, Asia and America, Teri is known for
her excellent rhythm and blistering drum solos. Age 21, Teri sees the band as a way of
escaping (and staying out of) the poverty trap she and her family were in back in
Louisiana.

Meeting SuperHoney

This is a role-playing exercise and can be set up in a number of ways. Some suggestions
are -

Luke Thomas, Angela's boyfriend, is in the audience. During the band's set (remember
they are headlining tonight), he is watching the band intently, enjoying the music. His
gaze rarely leaves Angela and this might prompt security-types to assume he's some sort
of obsessive stalker. Being a friendly sort of guy, Luke will proudly tell anyone who talks
with him that Angela is his girl. If he's treated fairly, by someone with credible
connections and the right attitude, Luke will talk to Angela on her next break. He will
arrange some meeting between the band and the potential agent.

If the agent is snotty or gives Luke bad vibes, he will tell Angela to have nothing to do
with the character. He saw the trouble Henman caused and will not tolerate a repeat.

Meeting individual band members is also possible. Depending on the set up, technically
orientated characters could meet Suzi Blake setting up the gig. Alternatively, Suzi might
be helping out during the set of one of the other performers and could be met at the
mixing desk or FX gear.
During rest breaks between sets all the band member congregate at the bar; Angela is, of
course, inseparable from Luke. Maria takes the lead here, being a very sociable young
woman.

Guts. It is possible that gutsier characters will simply try to invade SuperHoney's dressing
room. This is likely to meet with stiff opposition, not least from Luke and Maria as well
as The Delta's own security. One way around this would be to have the club's security on
your side. Another way is to wave a Press Pass around!

Making a Deal

A character wishing to become SuperHoney's agent will have to prove the following -

Demonstrable contacts in the recording industry, with club owners or concert venues
A knowledge of the industry
Techical knowledge, or at least the right contacts
The right "vision"

Natch, the prospective agent will be dealing mainly with Angela and being in tune with
her vision is what will lead to success.

Angela wants to hit the big-time. Having tasted some success and seen the slimy
underside of the music-biz, she is full of ideas but is careful. The band have enough
material to make a comprehensive demo and the tech to put it and a video together (Suzi,
of course). Angela will not compromise her message, however. That message is that there
are plenty of people who will take advantage of you (corporations, governments, agents,
friends, lovers) and maintaining your independence is a healthy thing. Angela and Maria
are the driving forces behind this message though Maria's tendencies are markedly more
political.

Ref Note

This is mainly a role-playing exercise. Within the confines of The Delta, reaching a solid
deal tonight will be difficult. One result would be for SuperHoney to become regular
contacts and NPCs. Another possibility would be to have the agent arrange one or two
gigs to which the media and recording execs would be invited. This could form the basis
of a free-wheeling rock'n'roll campaign, perhaps culminating with a World Tour!

SuperHoney

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Angela Chester, Rockergirl, Age 20

INT [8] REF [10/__] TECH [5] COOL [7] ATTR [8]
LUCK [5] MA [6] BODY [6] EMP [9/__]
Cybernetics
Tech-Hair
Special Ability Charismatic Leadership +6
Skills Awareness/Notice +4, Perform +5 , Wardrobe & Style +3, Composition +4,
Brawling +3, Play Instrument (guitar) +5, Streetwise +3, Persuasion/Fast Talk +4,
Seduction +4, Handgun +2, Drive +3, Motorcycle +4, Stealth +3, Basic Tech +3,
Social +2
Gear Medium Armour Jacket, Light Pistol, Helmet, Motorbike
Notes Angie has a boyfriend and will remain faithful.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Suzi Blake, Techie, Age 22

INT [10] REF [7/__] TECH [10] COOL [9] ATTR [5]
LUCK [10] MA [5] BODY [5] EMP [8/7]
Cybernetics
Neural Processor + Interface Plugs (2) and Tactile Boost
Special Ability Jury Rig +7
Skills Awareness/Notice +3, Basic Tech +5, Cyber Tech +2, Teaching +2,
Education/General Knowledge +5, Electronics +4, Electronic Security +2, Photography
& Film +5, Play Instrument (keyboards) +5, Drive +5, Wardrobe & Style +3, Streetwise
+3, Handgun +2, Brawling +1
Gear Light Armour Jacket, Light Pistol
Notes If Suzi is a Techie, what's she doing in a rock band? Well, according to p.44 of
CP2020 Techies get "Any three other Tech Skills" and Play Instrument is a Tech-based
skill.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Maria Morales, Rockergirl, Age 20

INT [5] REF [8/__] TECH [3] COOL [7] ATTR [9]
LUCK [4] MA [6] BODY [6] EMP [7/__]
Cybernetics
None
Special Ability Charismatic Leadership +5
Skills Awareness/Notice +3, Perform +4, Wardrobe & Style +6, Composition +7,
Brawling +2, Play Instrument (bass guitar) +5, Streetwise +2, Persuasion/Fast Talk +3,
Seduction +3, Motorcycle +2, Handgun +2, Melee +3, Dodge & Escape +2, Spanish +3,
Dance +2
Gear Switchblade, Light Pistol, Light Armour Jacket
Notes Full of Latin passion, strong willed and firy tempered. She dislikes wimpy men and
will not hesitate to give them a hard time. Should a man stand up to her, she will give
them a break.
CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Teri Penn, Rockergirl, Age 21
INT [8] REF [10/__] TECH [4] COOL [8] ATTR [7]
LUCK [4] MA [9] BODY [7] EMP [8/__]
Cybernetics None
Special Ability Charismatic Leadership +5
Skills Awareness/Notice +3, Perform +3, Wardrobe & Style +3, Composition +3,
Brawling +5, Play Instrument (drums) +5, Streetwise +3, Persuasion/Fast Talk +3,
Seduction +3, Education & General Knowledge +4, Handgun +4, Dance +6
Gear Light Armour Jacket, Medium Pistol
Notes

Plot Lines (3) : Kidnapped!

Making the rounds of the club is an attractive, well-dressed, red-haired woman. Catherine
McDonald is a Fixer from New York. She is a woman with a problem and is looking for
some help. Catherine is known on New York's meaner Streets as Gemini and any
characters from that city may know of her by that name, where she has many friends and
quite a few enemies. One of these enemies has discovered Gemini's one weak point: her
12 year old son, David.

Behind the scenes is a Yakuza gang in NYC. Gemini was just starting out when she put
together a team which assaulted a company's warehouse: a straight-out raid and sabotage
op. Gemini was funded by a rival firm. Unfortunately neither the funding company nor
Gemini knew that the target warehouse was a Yakuza front corporation. In addition to the
electronic components that were the intended target of the raid, a stock-pile of weapons
was also destroyed. These weapons were black market imports intended for the Yak
soldiers involved in a clandestine war against one of NYC's Mafia families. The loss of
the weapons was a set back to the Yakuza in New York, all the more so when the local
Oyabun's son was shot dead in a gunfight with the Mob's soldiers. Losing the weapons to
Gemini's raid meant the Yakuza's troops had been seriously (and fatally) outgunned.

That was ten years ago. The New York Yakuza eventually found out who was responsible
for setting up the raid on the warehouse. Ever patient, the Oyabun watched Gemini's
reputation wax and her wealth increase. The Yakuza watched David grow up and have
recently decided to punish Catherine through her son. After all, Gemini prospered on the
back of the raid which cost the Yakuza so much face in New York.

The Yakuza put together their own team in New York: a Netrunner, a couple of Solos and
a Nomad to drive the getaway car. Setting Gemini up with a wild goose chase meeting,
this team then kidnapped David. They marched past the extensive security installed in
Catherine's apartment, took the boy and escaped. They left a ransom demand and exited
for this City.

Using her own contacts, Gemini has traced the kidnappers to this City. Having met Chaz
Baxter in London five years ago, Gemini has asked him if she can use his club to scout
out local talent to help her. Neither Catherine nor Baxter know of the Yakuza's
manipulations. The Sons of the Neon Chrysanthemum have ways of screening
themselves from the Street-level grapevine.

Meeting Catherine

Catherine can introduce herself to potential recruits. She is confident and direct. Though
she has been in the City only a few days, her contact with Baxter has given her a shortlist
of potential "names and faces" who might be able to help. Natch, this is where the PCs
come in.

If any of the PCs are employed at The Delta, Baxter can call them aside from their jobs
for a meeting with Gemini. This can be handled in several ways, depending on
individual PCs -
Use a flunky to relay the message "You are wanted by the Boss", or similar, with no
hint as to why. The message can be as curt, chilling or friendly as necessary
depending on the PC in question.
Baxter can collar the PC after the End Of Night briefing and ask them to stay behind,
or single them out while they're on duty.
Streetwise PCs - those from New York only, perhaps - may recognise Gemini by sight.
This is a VDIFF (25) Streetwise check.
A direct approach. Gemini blends with the party crowd and so could end up being
chatted up by a PC. The woman very firmly has her own agenda and will not submit to
any Seduction roll, no matter how cool the chat-up line.
If met socially, Catherine says "Call me Gem." If met through Baxter or if she singles
out the PC herself, she will introduce herself as Gemini.

Gemini's Sales Pitch

A meeting will be arranged for all those potential recruits after the night club has shut,
probably something like 4am. Baxter will be present but, apart from ushering in the
characters and arranging food and drink, will keep quiet. This is Gemini's operation.
Gemini shows no signs of a few strenuous hours of meeting and greeting the City's party
crowd. Her hair is neat, make-up perfect, and her well-tailored, vastly expensive Italian
trouser-suit looks freshly pressed. She has two ways of playing this; that is, she can be
honest from the get-go or she can lie. However she plays it, the contents of her briefing
will be the same but for the minor detail of the victim being her son.

David was kidnapped from an apartment in Manhattan one week ago.

The team who did it were extremely professional. They strolled through her security
like it wasn't there, took the boy, left the ransom demand and disappeared like vapour.
The team's equipment and backup were first class. Only good fortune and some high-
tech hired from a contact allowed Gemini to identify one of the kidnap team, a Solo by
the name of Anvil.
The tech used to ID Anvil analysed the chemicals in his sweat left on the ransom note. A
 local ripperdoc in NYC matched the Solo's pheromone fingerprint.
The ransom note demands 2million eb to be dropped in a certain location in the City.
This is a terribly exposed place for a ransom drop and Gemini suspects a trap, which is
why she's not going through with the ransom.
Once she'd fingered Anvil, Gemini ran down the Solo's known associates and came up
with the fact that he was working with three more people. She has no intel on the other
three, however.
She worked through Chaz Baxter's contacts in the City, paying out a small fortune, until
she found out that the kidnappers were holed up in one of the slum districts (Combat
Zones) in the City.
The pitch is simple: using the address and other intelligence Gemini can supply, rescue
the boy. The fee is negotiable, but a maximum ceiling of 5000eb is suggested. Not bad
for a single night's work. Gemini and Baxter together can get their hands on weapons
and other toys to help the team.

If Gemini is being honest, add the following detail

David is her son

She will lie to the team under the following circumstances

They look unprofessional, ie the players are fooling around, their characters are at each
others' throats etc. However, Gemini needs pros so if the team are acting foolishly, it's
unlikely they will be at Gem's briefing
There is any question of Gemini herself looking unprofessional (ie of letting "personal
caca get in the way of business").

In such circumstances, David becomes the son of a corporate VP (InfoComp are probably
suitable candidates). Note that Gemini will not breach street etiquette and reveal that info,
even though it is false. She refers to her mythical backers as "my employers".

The Rescue

The kidnappers are holed up in a small apartment in one of the City's Combat Zone slum
districts. The apartment is in a semi-derelict five-storey block. Assume 20 apartments per
floor, therefore 100 apartments total. Of these, maybe 75 are occupied with the rest being
structurally unsound or otherwise abandoned. Inhabitants (assume 1 - 2 per apartment)
will keep themselves to themselves as much as possible. Ironically, the lawlessness of the
Combat Zone, which makes policing nearly impossible, also allows Gemini to put a
heavily armed rescue-team into play without having to worry about the cops showing up.

Gemini and Baxter have laid many of the preparations for a rescue. They know the
location of the kidnappers' hideout and have laid certain solid bribes with several of the
block's residents and with the block's caretaker. Maps of the area and a generic apartment
within the block (courtesy of the caretaker) can also be supplied.
It is up to the team to come up with a reasonable plan given the information they have.
Judge the plan on its merits but be aware:

Gemini will not hold with unnecessary shooting: David is in there somewhere. She will
come down particularly hard on plans involving explosives!
To encourage a stealthy approach, avoid revealing the info about bribed residents.
Gemini and Baxter can access reasonable equipment pretty quickly. Money is no object
to Gemini where her son is concerned.
Any plan which captures any of the kidnappers alive (particularly Anvil) will be
especially attractive to Gemini.

The Bad Guys

Gemini and Baxter's intelligence is good but they have missed the following points.

Weasel, the Netrunner, has planted motion sensors in the corridors and fire escapes.
These detectors are 70% effective and will blip targets of human size or greater. These
blips show up on a holo-display attached to Weasel's cyberdeck. Thus, the Bad Guys
are likely to be alerted to the rescuers. It takes a DIFF (20) Notice roll to spot the
sensors and a DIFF (20) Electronic Security check to disarm them.
Harrison, the getaway driver, has wired part of the bedroom wall with plastique in order
to blow a new escape route should the need arise.
The Bad Guys have a car hidden in a nearby alley (under a tarp and pile of garbage)
should a quick getaway be needed.
David is hidden, handcuffed and gagged, in a closet in the bedroom.

The Yakuza's Kidnap Team

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Anvil, Solo

INT [6] REF [10/13] TECH [5] COOL [6] ATTR [5]
LUCK [8] MA [7] BODY [9] EMP [8/__]
Cybernetics
Neural Processor + Smartgun Link, Speedware; Cyberoptic + IR, Targeter; Cyberaudio +
Sound Editing
Special Ability Combat Sense +7
Skills Awareness Notice +5, Handgun +4, Karate +3, Melee +4, Weaponsmith +3, Rifle
+3, SMG +5, Athletics +3, Stealth +3, Japanese +4, Resist Torture/Drugs +4, Leadership
+3, Drive +5
Gear Heavy Armour Jacket, Mac 14 SMG + 3 clips, knife
Notes Only Anvil knows that their employers are Yakuza backed. His contact is Mikuro
Yamazaki, who works for a New York company. Anvil will not rat out a Yak middle-man.
He could be drugged or tortured into revealing this information

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Dutch, Solo

INT [5] REF [10/13] TECH [7] COOL [9] ATTR [5]
LUCK [8] MA [8] BODY [9] EMP [7/__]
Cybernetics
Neural Processor + Speedware, Smartgun Link; Big Knucks; Cyberaudio + Hearing
Amplification
Special Ability Combat Sense +5
Skills Awareness/Notice +4, Handgun +3, Brawling +4, Melee +4, Weaponsmith +4,
Rifle +6, Athletics +4, SMG +5, Stealth +2, Dodge & Escape +5, Hide/Evade +5,
Intimidate +2, Streetwise +3
Gear Heavy Armour Jacket, Militech Ronin Assault Rifle + 3 clips, knife
Notes Dutch suffers from mild paranoia and is most likely to be awake when the fun
starts. He follows orders and may be outside the apartment, perhaps on a fire escape,
depending on how things pan out.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Weasel, Netrunner

INT [10] REF [8/__] TECH [8] COOL [4] ATTR [6]
LUCK [3] MA [7] BODY [7] EMP [7/__]
Cybernetics
Rippers, Neural Processor + Cybermodem link
Special Ability Interface +6
Skills Awareness/Notice +3, Basic Tech +3, Education & General Knowledge +5, System
Knowledge +5, Cyber Tech +3, Cyberdeck Design +3, Composition +2, Electronics +5,
Programming +5, Handgun +3, Electronic Security +6, Brawl +2, Dodge & Escape +4,
Streetwise +3
Gear Light Pistol + 3 clips, Light Armour Jacket, Zetatech Parraline 5750 Cyberdeck
with Hologenerator.
Notes As stated above, motion sensors are sending digital radio signals back to Weasel's
deck.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Harrison, Nomad

INT [6] REF [10/__] TECH [5] COOL [8] ATTR [4]
LUCK [5] MA [5] BODY [9] EMP [6/__]
Cybernetics
Left Cyberarm + Very Heavy Pistol; Left Cyberoptic + Low Lite
Special Ability Family +3
Skills Awareness/Notice +5, Endurance +4, Melee +4, Rifle +4, Drive +6, Basic Tech +5,
Wilderness Survival +3, Brawling +3, Athletics +3, Demolitions +5, Handgun +4,
Weaponsmith +4, First Aid +3
Gear Heavy Armour Jacket , Medium Assault Rifle (AKR 20) + 3 clips, knife, remote
detonator
Notes Hidden in a nearby alley is the team's getaway car, a nondescript 10 year old Ford.
It is mechanically sound. Harrison will blow the apartment's wall and escape with David
if things go wrong.

Plot Lines (4) : Bad Acid

Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll are what the night club scene is all about. Despite the best
efforts of Chaz's security, The Delta is no exception. Low-level street drugs are available.
2020's equivalents of Ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana and speed are all there for the buying
on a DIFF (20) Streetwise roll. The high difficulty number reflects The Delta's security's
skill at spotting potential low-level pushers. Some of the smarter ones inevitably slip
through the net, however. Prices reflect availability and may therefore be higher than
normal.

Anyone taking untested street drugs must make an AVE (15) Body test. If this is failed,
they take an additional side effect (at Ref's discretion) from p. 124-5. If the roll is
fumbled, they take two side effects, one of which is always Hallucinations.

In addition to this, there is also something more sinister going on. What? Did you expect
this to be easy?

Somehow, the Yakuza have connected Baxter and Gemini. How is not important; the
Yakuza's sources are far-reaching. But because Chaz is piped in to the local Mafia, the
Yak have decided to stir things up a bit. To this end, the Sons of the Neon
Chrysanthemum have contrived to contaminate the Delta's drinks supplies. This is not a
simple case of one drug affecting a single drink. The Yakuza's black chemists have
concocted three additives which, in suitable combinations, produce a range of effects.

1. Dexedrine-gamma (Dg): A potent amphetamine-derivative developed in Colombian

labs about five years ago. In small quantities Dg increases alertness (+1 REF) and
increases sexual desire (-1 COOL when trying to resist seduction). In larger quantities the
subject becomes hyperactive but clumsy (-2 COOL as the "fidgets" set in and it becomes
impossible to sit still; -2 REF as your hand-eye coordination goes AWOL).

2. Zybenzaphrene: A depressant, variations of which are used to treat hyperactivity in

kids. This subtracts 2 from COOL, making you susceptible to suggestion (in kids this
means Mommy can tell her little darlings to behave and, miraculously, they do!) An OD
halves REF and COOL (again this means Mommy can not just tell her kids to calm down,
but also catch them if they run away) and triggers depression, lethargy and sleepiness.

3. Thymoglandin: A biological. A tailored synthetic hormone analogue which increases

aggression. In small doses it makes people act "macho", including women who become
more short-tempered and foul-mouthed. In XS Thymoglandin triggers psychotically
aggressive outbursts of senseless violence.

These drugs are all bad enough individually. The particular chemistries of the three
interract if they are combined, producing a mixture of effects. The more powerful does
not cancel the weaker chemical in any way. Sample combinations would be

1 & 2: Mood swings between hyperactivity to depression. Clumsiness and susceptibility

to suggestion all the time. In some individuals the mood swings between sexual
arousal and tearful outbursts
2 & 3: Mood swings from lethargy to aggression. All the subject wants is to sleep but
any disturbance wakes them and triggers a violent outburst
1 & 3: The subject is on a very short fuse. On a failed COOL test (at -2) the character
goes absolutely berserk. Anything can trigger this attack
1 2 & 3: A killer combination. The character flips (regardless of COOL stat or Resist
Torture/Drugs skill) running amok and attacking whatever is in the way. During the
frenzy maniacal laughter mingles with uncontrollable sobbing.

The Yakuza have spiked a number of different drinks supplies, from whisky and beer to
coke and orange juice. To determine if any given drink is contaminated, roll D10; on the
roll of 1, 2 or 3 it is spiked with the corresponding stuff.

NPCs may already be suffering from a mixture of these drugs and will react
appropriately. On the D10 roll of 1, 2 or 3 they are affected with the corresponding drug.
On the roll of a 10, roll 2D3 to determine what's in their bloodstream.

Of course, it's only a matter of time before someone goes completely over the edge ... and
we wouldn't want to disappoint the players, would we?

Getting the Team Involved

We can hope that the players won't actually try to score drugs but we can't stop them if
they do. However, this doesn't stop them having a drink or two. Even soft drinks have
been spiked so this is no defense against the Yakuza's nefarious activities. PCs should be
given secret BODY tests to avoid the FX of the drugs. Apply a -1 for each drugged drink,
-2 for street drugs, and -5 if they have had a line of synth-coke.

Some ideas for getting PCs involved, other than in drug taking, include

Dealing with drugged customers. Bouncers and other staff may be called upon to break
up fights or defuse stand-offs. Another option would be to have a PC wake a sleeping
customer only to be attacked (see combination 2 & 3 above).
Medical Assistance. A useful PC here would be a MedTech, working as the club's First
Aider. A Diagnose Illness (AVE 15) roll is needed to work out what's wrong. Medical
Tech and/or Pharmaceuticals (both DIFF 15) can be used to administer a counter-agent
for the drug. If there are no PC MedTechs, the club can have an NPC filling this role.
On the Pull. PCs who try their luck chatting up members of the opposite sex may just
get lucky. Dg increases sexual desire so some characters may not believe their luck.
Psycho-with-a-gun. Eventually, someone will go berserk in The Delta (hopefully not a
PC!) Roll 1D10 on the following chart to determine what sort of person goes berserk
on a mixture of booze and drugs.

D10 Roll Person

1-4 "Normal". A generic party-going civilian who just got unlucky
5-7 Corporate. The Ref can determine corporate affiliation as
appropriate for the campaign
8-9 Nomad or Gang Boss. 50/50 chance, same stats different
background
 10 Solo. Already near psycho-hood, this just pushes him over the
edge

The idea is to get one or more PCs involved quickly so that they get the chance to sit on
the psycho quickly. This is easily accomplished by:

Having the PC the target of the psycho's assault

Having someone the PC is associated with (boyfriend, girlfriend, the "principal" of a
bodyguard) be the target
Just having the incident erupt at a nearby table
If the PCs are Delta security, they will be expected to help out

The ideal result will be for the psycho to be dealt with quickly. Shooting will cause panic,
so hand-to-hand, subdual and grappling are all attractive options. This is why normals
and corporates figure highly in the above chart, they are easier to subdue with little
violence. If the team are already pretty tough, the Ref should skew the odds to give them
a sterner challenge.

The consequences of this incident vary depending on the following factors

Who/what the psycho is

How the psycho is subdued and whether they are killed in the process
How many bystanders are hit, either by the psycho or PCs
Some points to note are:

Normals: If normals are subdued (even if they are injured) Baxter will use the club's First
Aid facilities to aid recovery. This will lead to a MedTech examining the patient and
indicating an OD.

If a normal is killed, Baxter will rush the body to First Aid and call Trauma Team and the
cops. These worthies will arrive at a back entrance to The Delta. There will be a lot of
official heat and Baxter's successful opening night will be marred.

Corporates: Follow the general ideas for normals but are much likelier to have a TT card
of their own. Baxter will use this. Also, there will be corporate heat on The Delta's staff
and premises, particularly if

The corporate is flatlined

The corporate is/was in a sensitive job

These points are guaranteed plot-hooks for the future.

Nomads/Gang Bosses: These people follow the "normals" ideas but with the added
complication of "Family" ties.

If the Nomad/Ganger survives they may bear a grudge against Baxter, The Delta and/or
 one or more PCs
If they die, the Gang or Pack might bear a grudge. Or not, if the Boss's successor is
grateful for removing the competition

Again, these are future plot lines.

Solo: No-one really gives a drek about one dead killer in the first stages of
cyberpsychosis. However, this character is armed and dangerous and could cause a lot of
trouble.

Customers: If customers are injured or killed this will cause the arrival of TT and the
cops and precipitate the early end of Opening Night. Miracles can and do occur, however,
and the Ref might want to cause a miracle in order to preserve continuity.

Baxter: Chaz will probably have a lot of explaining to do, particularly to City cops and
corporate investigators. But, oddly enough, most of the crowd seem don't have a problem
with these events. (See CP2020 p.231 "One Night with the TRAUMA TEAM"). With
Baxter's assurances that this was an isolated incident, the crowd will get back to partying
but with more to gossip about.

Media Coverage: This is one hell of a story for a Media team to scoop. Encourage Media
PCs to interview the crowd, other PCs involved in the shooting, and Baxter. Let them try
to get to the bottom of this, as the "contaminated drinks plot" is a conspiracy theorist's
dream. One possible investigatory track is as follows:

Contaminated drinks included: three brands of whisky; several brands of beer vodka,
two types of red wine; two types of white wine; Coke; orange juice; mineral water.
These drinks were purchased by Chaz Baxter through three different suppliers: Smith's
Vintners; Arlow and Van Mussen; and Petersen's World Beers.
Baxter can provide raw data like order numbers; dates; batch numbers of the produce
bought. An enterprising Media team with Net support should be able to pursue the
investigation. For example:
The batches were all packed by temporary staff. Temporary employment agencies
can be contacted
Three names turn up at the different suppliers on or around the dates in question
but the Face is the same in all three cases
The poisoner turns out to have connections with a Booster Gang which does
wetwork for the Yakuza

And so the whole chase starts again!

Result: If the team have been split up to this point, this incident brings them together.
Baxter will anyone involved to the meeting with Gemini, being "impressed with their
work."

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Drug-Crazed Psycho, Type 1: "Normal"

INT [6] REF [6/__] TECH [5] COOL [6] ATTR [7]
LUCK [5] MA [4] BODY [6] EMP [7/__]
Cybernetics
None, unless Fashionware like TechHair, Light Tattoos, etc.
Special Ability "Professional" Skill +5
Skills Awareness/Notice +3, Melee +3, Handgun +3, Brawling +3, Drive +3
Gear 20% chance of having a Light Pistol, otherwise Improvised Weapon (eg broken
bottle). Up to 100eb in cash.
Notes

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Drug-Crazed Psycho, Type 2: Corporate

INT [8] REF [8/__] TECH [6] COOL [7] ATTR [7]
LUCK [6] MA [6] BODY [7] EMP [6/__]
Cybernetics
Cyberaudio + Sound Editing; Biomonitor; Neural Processor + Interface Plugs (2)
Special Ability Resources (Level is set at Ref's discretion)
Skills Awareness/Notice +4, Human Perception +4, Education +5, Library Search +4,
Social +4, Persuasion & Fast Talk +4, Stock Market +4, Wardrobe & Style +3, Personal
Grooming +4, Handgun +3, Brawling or Martial Art (Ref's choice) +3, Drive +4,
Seduction +3
Gear Expensive suit or designer casuals, 30% chance Light or Medium pistol, Corporate
permit for firearm, up to 1000eb in cash
Notes Remember to consider corporate affiliation.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Drug-Crazed Psycho, Type 3: Nomad or Gang Boss
INT [7] REF [9/__] TECH [4] COOL [7] ATTR [6]
LUCK [7] MA [9] BODY [10] EMP [7/__]
Cybernetics
Big Knucks; Cyberoptic + Targeter and Anti-dazzle
Special Ability Family (Level set at Ref's discretion)
Skills Awareness/Notice +3, Endurance +3, Melee +4, Rifle or Handgun +5, Drive +5,
Basic Tech +4, Wilderness Survival or Streetwise +4, Brawling +5, Athletics +5
Gear Medium Armour Jacket, Heavy Pistol, 3 clips, 100-200eb in cash
Notes Gang Bosses get Handgun and Streetwise; Nomads get Rifle and Wilderness
Survival. Refs should work out which Gang or Pack the Boss runs. Add 16 points worth
of Pick-Up Skills.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Drug-Crazed Psycho, Type 4: Solo

INT [7] REF [9/11] TECH [7] COOL [8] ATTR [5]
LUCK [7] MA [7] BODY [9] EMP [5/2]
Cybernetics
Cyberoptic + IR and Low-Lite; Slice'n'Dice; Cyberaudio + Radio Splice, Sound Edit;
Kerenzikov Boosterware (+2); Wolvers.
Special Ability Combat Sense (roll D6 + 4)
Skills Awareness/Notice +3, Handgun +5, Karate +5, Melee +5, Weaponsmith +2,
Rifle +3, SMG +5, Athletics +5, Stealth +5
Gear Heavy Armour Jacket, Medium SMG, 3 clips.
Notes Borderline cyberpsychotic.

NPC Section

This section details two major NPCs, Baxter and Gemini, who are ideal long-term
contacts for the team if things pan out correctly. This is why they have extensive
character bios and some frighteningly high skills. Other NPCs include normal customers,
Delta staff and security and some typical examples of "local colour": hookers, con-artists,
drug pushers and pick pockets.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Charles "Chaz" Baxter, Fixer, Age 38

INT [9] REF [6/__] TECH [6] COOL [10] ATTR [5]
LUCK [9] MA [4] BODY [7] EMP [6/__]
Cybernetics
None
Special Ability Streetdeal +10 (London), +8 elsewhere
Skills Awareness/Notice +7, Forgery +5, Handgun +7, Brawling +5, Melee +5,
Pick Lock +5, Pick Pocket +5, Intimidation +8, Persuasion & Fast Talk +6, Drive +6,
Library Search +6, Accounting +8, Stock Market +8
Gear Tuxedo, gold Rolex, gold signet ring.
Notes Slightly portly with grey eyes and slightly thinning dark hair. English accent
variable between Public School Toff and East End bully-boy.

The English Fixer has been resident in this City for less than six months but has already
established a new nightclub and forged links with the local Mafia.

Like many Fixers, Chaz has a shady and violent past. Born in London's East End, Baxter
was running with a gang by the age of 12 and leading it at 15. He progressed from there
to being an enforcer for "Diamond" Jack Dobbs, and East End crime boss. Dobbs'
influence extended to Europe and Baxter travelled regularly to France, Germany, Italy
and Switzerland on his boss' behalf. By the age of 28, Baxter had all-but replaced Dobbs;
at 30, he did.

Chaz could have stayed in London but always had a hankering for "across the Pond".
Pulling a few strings with Immigration and a Swiss Bank, Baxter handed over the reins in
London and came Stateside. He is intent on setting up a legitimate business empire in the
US. What's more, he has the financial clout, business accumen and contacts necessary to
do it. He aims at nightclubs, bowling alleys, hotels, leisure complexes and casinos.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Catherine McDonald "Gemini", Fixer, Age 32

INT [9] REF [5/__] TECH [5] COOL [10] ATTR [9]
LUCK [7] MA [5] BODY [5] EMP [7/__]
Cybernetics
None
Special Ability Streetdeal +10 (New York City), +8 elsewhere
Skills Awareness/Notice +7, Forgery +4, Handgun +5, Brawling +5, Melee +3, Pick Lock
+3, Pick Pocket +3, Intimidation +7, Persuasion & Fast Talk +8,
Human Perception +5, Stock Market +5, Accounting +4, Leadership +3, Social +5,
Wardrobe & Style +5, Personal Grooming +5
Gear Dresses for the occasion, whether in a business suit, evening dress or combat jacket
Notes Slimly built with shoulder-length auburn hair and blue-grey eyes.

Catherine should have had a glittering career with Merrill, Asukaga and Finch, the
financial megacorp. She excelled at school and was working for a Harvard MBA. At age
20, however, she made the mistake of falling for her corporate sponsor, Simon Morrell.
They began a passionate affair which Morrell terminated on finding out Catherine was
pregnant. The scandal cost Morrell a big promotion but almost cost Catherine her life as
her former lover tried to kill her in a hit-and-run driving attack. Morrell died in the
resulting crash. Catherine, alone, afraid and pregnant, fled Harvard and turned her back
on her career. Her son, David, was born a few months later in a backstreet ripperdoc
clinic in New York.

For years, Catherine hustled to feed and clothe her son. She found herself organising a
corporate sabotage raid on a warehouse which turned out to be a Yakuza front
corporation. The consequences of this raid catapulted Catherine up the Fixer's heirarchy
in New York.

Catherine would sacrifice her life for her son. When the rescue mission goes down in this
scenario, Catherine will go in with her team if necessary.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record David McDonald, Gemini's Son, Age 12

INT [7] REF [6/__] TECH [4] COOL [4] ATTR [6]
LUCK [6] MA [5] BODY [5] EMP [8/__]
Cybernetics
None
Special Ability Not applicable
Skills Streetwise +3, System Knowledge +2, Programming +2, Persuasion & Fast Talk
+4, Dodge & Escape +3, Brawling +2, Education & General Knowledge +2
Gear None
Notes David has the makings of a promising Netrunner.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Delta Security Guard, Solo

INT [7] REF [9/__] TECH [6] COOL [8] ATTR [7]
LUCK [6] MA [7] BODY [8] EMP [6/5]
Cybernetics
Neural Processor + Interface Plugs (2), Smartgun Link
Special Ability Combat Sense +5
Skills Awareness/Notice +5, Handgun +5, Martial Arts Style (Ref's Choice) +5,
Melee +3, Weaponsmith +2, Rifle +2, SMG +3, Athletics +5, Stealth +5, Streetwise +4,
Drive +4
Gear Sternmeyer Type 35, Smart + 3 Clips, Armour Vest, Tuxedo, Mastoid Commo
Notes

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Delta Employee, Male or Female, Age early 20s
INT [6] REF [6/__] TECH [6] COOL [7] ATTR [8]
LUCK [7] MA [5] BODY [6] EMP [7/__]
Cybernetics
None or Fashionware (Ref's Choice)
Special Ability Not Applicable
Skills Streetwise +3, Personal Grooming +3, Wardrobe & Style +3,
Human Perception +3, Social +3, Brawling +3, Dodge & Escape +3
Gear Delta Uniform, Cleaning cloth
Notes Male and female employees, waiters, waitresses, barstaff, cloakroom attendants.
They encompass many ethnic backgrounds.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Hooker, male or female, late teens, early twenties.
INT [6] REF [6/__] TECH [4] COOL [7] ATTR [9]
LUCK [6] MA [6] BODY [6] EMP [7/__]
Cybernetics
None or Fashionware.
Special Ability None, or use the Vamp skill from WildSide
Skills Seduction +6, Dance +6, Wardrobe & Style +5, Personal Grooming +6,
Athletics +3, Streetwise +5, Perform (Act) +5
Gear Chic but revealing clothing, mobile phone, attack alarm, switchblade
Notes Largely indistinguishable from the party crowd, hookers are mostly female (70%
chance). Female prostitutes are either "independent working girls" (40% chance) or have
a pimp (60% chance). For the pimp, use the stats for the Nomad/Gang Boss in the Bad
Acid section; he will be very protective.

If male, they are rent-boys servicing gay men (60% chance) or "gigolos" servicing ladies
(40% chance).

Charges vary. Use your imagination!

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Eddie, Techno-hustler, Age 24-ish

INT [7] REF [6/__] TECH [6] COOL [6] ATTR [4]
LUCK [8] MA [6] BODY [4] EMP [5/__]
Cybernetics
None
Special Ability Not Applicable
Skills Persuasion & Fast Talk +5, Streetwise +5, Electronics +3, Awareness/Notice +4,
Brawling +4, Melee +3
Gear "Black Box", switchblade
Notes Denims, sneakers, tee-shirt. Tad smelly.

Eddie's scam is to "tumble" cellular phones. He persuades people that he can adjust the
phone so that the user can make free calls. In fact, he does no such thing. His little black
box has an interface cable to connect to the phone, a couple of LEDs and some broken
circuitry scavenged from an old TV. He charges 30eb ("but 20 to you, pretty lady") for his
non-service. Make a Persuasion roll for Eddie vs 2.5 x the victim's COOL (the Stability
score described in WildSide).

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Robber Bob, Pick-Pocket, Age 21

INT [7] REF [7/__] TECH [8] COOL [4] ATTR [5]
LUCK [8] MA [5] BODY [4] EMP [5/__]
Cybernetics
None
Special Ability Not Applicable
Skills Pick Pockets +8, Seduction +3, Wardrobe & Style +4, Dodge & Escape +5,
Athletics +4, Brawling +5, Persuasion & Fast Talk +5
Gear 100 - 500eb worth of stolen gear
Notes Bob's technique is to "get in with the crowd", using whatever line of BS can get
him close to potential victims. He then attempts to steal something (wallet, cash, keys,
cell phone, pocket computer, music chips etc) before moving on to the next victim. If he
gets caught, Bob will grovel for mercy.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Steve X, Drug Dealer, Age 23

INT [6] REF [6/__] TECH [3] COOL [9] ATTR [5]
LUCK [7] MA [7] BODY [6] EMP [4/__]
Cybernetics
None
Special Ability None or Streetdeal +2
Skills Pharmaceuticals +3, Brawling +5, Melee +4, Handgun +4, Seduction +3, Drive +4,
Persuasion & Fast Talk +3, Awareness/Notice +4
Gear Several shots of different drugs (Ref's decision), Light Pistol, switchblade.
Notes Steve is a thoroughly unpleasant character. He doesn't mind who he sells to and
carries out no purity tests on his merchandise. He is street-trash of the worst kind.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Generic party-goer, male or female, Age 18+
INT [6] REF [8/__] TECH [4] COOL [5] ATTR [8]
LUCK [7] MA [5] BODY [4] EMP [7/__]
Cybernetics
None or Fashionware
Special Ability Professional Skill D6+3
Skills Dance +4, Personal Grooming +4, Wardrobe & Style +5, Social +3, Streetwise +2
Gear Party clothes, cellular phone
Notes These people form the vast bulk of the Delta's clientele.

CYBERPUNK 2020 NPC Record Generic Street-gang, Age late teens to early 20s
INT [6] REF [6/__] TECH [5] COOL [7] ATTR [7]
LUCK [8] MA [7] BODY [7] EMP [6/__]
Cybernetics
None or generally low-level stuff like Fashionware, Scratchers, Mr Studds etc.
Special Ability Family or Gang Rank (from WildSide) +1 to +4
Skills Awareness/Notice +5, Streetwise +4, Handgun +3, Brawling +4, Motorcyle +4,
Stealth +3, Seduction +4, Melee +3
Gear Gang colours, switchblade, light or medium pistol
Notes There could be several gangs in The Delta on Opening Night. Some names include:
The Solar Angels, The Silver Lions, Death's Jesters and The Wasted Youth.