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If GMs want to add more caches, the hunt can be extended past the four presented in Harlequins Gambit and extended to include a wide variety of other locations. In doing this, we recommend that the opening and closing chapters (XX and XX) remain as the start and finish. Caches can be added before, between, or after the journeys to Cape Town and London. Some suggested locations for caches are: Denverwithin Ghostwalkers possession or his lair Czech RepublicPrague at Charles University or beneath the Kutna Hora Ossuary Shaanxithe Tomb of Shih Huang Ti
As you drop out of the sky, the view from the windows is just open sea. Rigger X straightens out and you see a large aircraft carrier sitting high in the water. Ears pop as the plane drops rapidly, the carrier growing closer far too fast. You are thrown forward into your seat belt as the tailhook grabs purchase and your plane stops in half the normal distance. Your pilots voice crackles over the intercom, welcome to Cape Town, now get out. With the last words still echoing, Rigger X steps out of the cockpit and gestures for you to follow him. He walks across the deck and shakes hands firmly with an ork wearing oil stained coveralls. The ork introduces himself as Cass and asks if you will be staying long. When the runners head to shore The trip to shore takes almost an hour. In the beginning, the water is smooth and the boat cuts across is easily. As you approach Cape Town, the ride is rougher, bouncing across wakes of massive ships and trawlers. Cass takes a path that cuts wide around the port, giving you a view of the skyline and Table Mountain in the distance behind the city. The jungle covered mesa overshadows the city casting technology into a secondary role to the primal forces. Entering the bay, the closeness of skyscrapers slowly allows the city to retake the skyline and you enter a small marina. All of the ships in the area you pull into have corporate logos, and except for the temperature, you could almost believe that you are back in Seattle for a few momentsthe ubiquitous nature of technology blurring across all aspect of society. After Frosty was supposed to be back Looking at the time, you realize that Frosty said shed be back by now. Shes almost an hour overdue when a shiver runs up your spine and a ghostly image of her manifests near you. Ok folks, some Roman problems came up. Im going to do my best to deal with them, but get the cache. Take it back to the old man and make sure its safe before coming to rescue me. She grips her stomach and grimaces in pain. Looking up at your group with pain in her eyes, she mutters the cache first. Ill survive long enough.
successful Charisma + Negotiation (5) Test will get the priests to agree to a change of venue, but they refuse to make the trade in Cape Town.
DEBUGGING
Unless the runners attempt to fire-bomb the city or drop everything and rescue Jane, theres not too much that can go wrong in this scene. If the runners do not take the hints about dividing along ethnic and metatype lines, have it become obvious that people are staring, unhelpful, and rude. Mechanically this can translate to a -1 to -4 dice pool penalty on all Social tests made while consorting inappropriately. Tests made with Tina Vicencio will not suffer these penalties as her job is to be open-minded and connect newcomers with established people in their fields.
Jeepney
Northup Yellowjacket Handling Accel Speed Pilot Body Armor Sensor 0 15/30 90 1 10 4 1 Modifications: Amenities: Squatter, Multi-Fueled Engine, Pimped Ride 2 Cost: 12,000
LOCATIONS OF INTEREST
Dunusa Market
A large open air market, built along traditional Afrikaan traditions, but modernized with a full AR overlay. Nearly anything can be purchased here from clothing and food to NuYou clinic appointments and genetically engineered animals. Anything that is not immediately available can be delivered to a local residence or business. Payment is expected up front for any purchases which will be delivered. There are extensive social networks which flow through the Market, with merchants and vendors referring customers to one another. These networks also extend to individual groups, with tea houses and bars found commonly throughout the market. In keeping with the social stratification, the social establishments and networks all follow ethnic lines. While merchants will sell items to people outside their social strata, socialization is rarely done. The Dunusa Market is where the runners can find Tina Vicencio (referenced in the Cape Town handout and Cast of Shadows). She is willing to work with any ethnicity or metavariant and put them with the appropriate people. Tina can also get information and gear for the player characters (Swag, p. 287, SR4A). She is willing to trade favors, and will accept services in-kind instead of nuyen if the runners prefer. The exact details of these favors are left up to game master discretion, but can include corporate espionage, data theft, or wetwork.
Floating City
Based on an aircraft carrier, nearly 160 kilometers from the Cape Town harbor, the Floating City is the informal name for a local pirate base. A mobile rigger-stop, the crew is equal parts military, mechanic, and host. The Floating City is a common stopping point for international crews to refuel, get a few hours of sleep and a hot meal. They ferry people ashore and have a standing arrangement with the Azanians for a percentage fee of every person brought ashore. The pirates also recommend certain agents to pay bribes to in the case of expedited paperwork. Everyone on board the Floating City speaks English, though the fluency changes from person to person. They have linguasofts for sale with a ten percent discount on Rating 4 and higher to promote better communication. Cass (p. XX, Cast of Shadows) is the daytime officer of the watch. Unlike military posts, his job is to greet new crews as they offload. He makes sure that they know of all of the services available on the Floating City and sells them accordingly. A Caribbean ork by birth, he fled the area when his brother and father were killed in the fight to find a Voice of Ogoun. Cass wears several gris-gris and is a vaudun worshipper, though he has no magical ability himself.
Molo Kunjani
Owned and operated by Evo, Molo Kunjani is a highly modernized residency hotel. Jane has arranged for a villa with multiple bedrooms and shared living space. The villa is laid out with a large open area and kitchen upon first entering and bedrooms on the right and left side. Floor to ceiling windows line the eastern wall of the villa looking across the cityscape and mountains. These windows can be polarized and tinted through voice activated commands or using the villas central node. If using the optional Lifestyle rules from Runners Companion, the Molo Kunjani is a luxury hotel, with high security and amenities. There are no active wards on the villa and hotel security forbids the formation of wards by guests. There is a Rating 4 astral patrol, and Device Rating 4 security systems throughout the hotel. All Trace attempts made to track a Matrix user through the hotels connection have a +2 threshold modifier due to the extensive data flow and traffic.
Taxi Wars
Cape Towns primary forms of public transportation are taxis and jeepneys which drive along set routes or can be commissioned for specific destinations. These vehicles are garishly painted and over-accessorized as a point of pride for the drivers. While the designs and decorations are never the same between vehicles, the color schemes chosen dictate which of the factions a jeepney belongs to. With the unregulated nature of taxis and jeepneys, groups of taxi drivers have banded together for security. These groups of taxi drivers wage a gang-style war against each other. Fights between groups are often perpetrated at night, but when rival taxis pull along side each other in traffic, its common for a driver to lean across a passenger and open fire. It is considered poor form to target passengers, unless they were regular patrons which have switched allegiances. Many of the cheaper taxis and jeepneys are open air on the sides and back to make it easier for passengers to jump on (often without the taxi stopping). They provide minimal protection for the passengers from the fighting, but provide better visibility to monitor the surrounding area and watch for incoming fire.
>>>>>Art Notes Image of busy street, runners stepping out of a building or market stall. Two kombivans/jeepneys driving recklessly down the street with drivers shooting at each other. One is leaning across a passenger while firing. >>>>> End Art Notes >>>>>Insert Text Box
the Iziko Museum or the Molo Kunjani hotel). If she does not detect all four of the artifacts, Knight 1 will instruct her team to continue planning how to recover the cache. She will take taxis through the city, focusing to identify the general location of the artifacts.
THE MUSEUM
SCAN THIS
Following the information in the map, the runners approach the Iziko Museum to steal the cache. This scene includes their reconnaissance and planning. Hints begin to unravel that there are other forces in the city who want the artifact for themselves.
Hardware: Two MCT Sentinel IIs (Persona Limit 10, Processor Limit 60) and two NeoNET Office Genies (Persona Limit 5, Processor Limit 20) Authentication: Passkey Privileges: Node 1-2: Standard Node 3-4: Admin Access Only Attributes: Node 1: Firewall 5, Response 4, Signal 4, System 5 Node 2: Firewall 5 Response 3, Signal --, System 5 Node 3-4: Firewall 5, Response 4, Signal --, System 5 Spiders: 1 Security Consultant on duty at all times, Risk Management Engineer on-call if a node is crashed. IC: Node 1: 1 MCT Bloodhound 5 (patrolling), Node 2-4: 1 MCT Bloodhound 5 (patrolling), 1 Three Musketeers Suite 5 (loaded) Resident Programs: Node 1-4: Analyze 5 Node 2-4: Encrypt 5 ARC: Launch IC (Three Musketeers Suite), Terminate Connections, Reboot Node 1 Topology: Node 1 is accessible from the Matrix via wireless, and acts as a gateway for Node 2. Node 1 is the primary node for cleaning and staff scheduling, Node 2 is a security node where the security guard schedules and records are kept, feeds from the security devices can be monitored from this node, but not edited. Node 2 acts as a gateway to Node 3. Node 3 is the inventory and transfer node, all artwork transfers must be logged into this node by the Head Curators account and approved by the Head of Securitys account. Node 3 acts as a gateway to Node 4, which is the security device control nodeall devices are slaved to it. The Telematics Infrastructure system is run from Node 4 Note: All of the Access Logs for Nodes 1-3 are maintained on Node 4. Node 1 has a honeypot in place of its Access Log which launches a Trace IC when opened. Node 2 and 3 both have honeypots as well, with Rating 5 data bombs triggered when the false log is accessed. Hackers who access Node 3 and review recent inventory transfers/sales will find that a piece from the Sumerian collection was sold to a private buyer three weeks ago. There are no details on the actual buyer, though the Apep Consortium worked as a proxy to facilitate the purchase. The item was picked up approximately seven hours before the runners arrived in Cape Town. There is an active Rating 5 Telematics Infrastructure (TI) system (p. 62 Unwired) running at all times on Node 4. This program is set to monitor all of the artwork in the museum and ensure that it does not move from place. During the day, it records the entry and exit of all devices in the building. Devices that enter during normal hours which do not exit before the museum closing are tagged for investigation. This is to ensure that no drones or RFID tags are left in the museum and that no patron attempts to hide within the museum. Devices which deactivate rather than exit the building are also tagged for investigation to verify that a patron did not turn off their commlink in order to hide.
>>>>>End Sidebar
Walking the Museum
All of the cameras and physical security systems are hidden to be unobtrusive to visitors. Spotting each one will require a Perception (Visual) + Intuition (2) Test with a -4 dice pool modifier. This can either be done as a single test, or as an Extended Test with every two hits identifying a new piece of equipment. If a group of runners is passing through the museum looking for cameras and security systems, have the character with the largest dice pool roll, adding +1 dice for each additional runner helping to a maximum of +5. Any runner walking the area who plans on stealing the cache must roll Willpower to resist the Detect Thieves spell. The security mage has 6 hits to be modified by each runner who comes into the museum. (Detection Spell Results, p. 206, SR4A)
Curator
The curator is familiar with all security patrol information, but does not deal with the security systems beyond their impact on him. He knows there is an inventory tracking system, the TI system, though doesnt understand all of the limitations and restrictions of the system. Additionally, he is the only person who can authorize item transfers and sales to other museums or collections. All of his transfers and sales must be approved by the security administrator as a redundancy to ensure against fraud and hacking. He is very paranoid as he was the victim of a hacking attempt to steal several pieces of art from the Museum two years ago. Since that point, he has become very secretive of his commlink and double checks every appointment with the institution that visitors say that they are calling from.
Security Guard
Intimately familiar with all of the foot patrols, because he has walked them countless times, the security guard knows about the security systems in place and is aware of the presence of astral security. He also knows where blackout spots are within the camera system. While these spots are not especially large, they can provide points for a quick nap, application of a stim patch, or mid-shift snack.
Maintenance Worker
As the janitor, he has passkey access to all interior doors for cleaning purposes, callcodes for unlocking doors that he cannot have standard access to, and the security shift schedule. He and the security guards are creatures of habit and he knows the usual habits of the security guards such as, when they take smoke breaks, who is in a relationship, et cetera.
>>>>>End Sidebar
Approaching from the Underside
Using the sewers to infiltrate the museum, either through the plans given to them by John Dee or by collecting them on their own, is possible and bypasses most of the security systems. Runners who take this route, will need to secure means to detonate through two meters of concrete and one meter of reinforced concrete without damaging any of the items in the room above. This can be done either detonating a series of cutting charges (p. 93, Arsenal) or by simply breaching the area. If a breaching charge is used, there will be substantial rubble in the sewer, blocking up to fifty percent of the hole, and items in the area above the charge will take damage from the explosive impact as debris is thrown in all directions. Treat object as being damaged from half the DV of the explosive charge used. It will be necessary to have a firm understanding of the layout of the building and compare GPS data to ensure that the team breaches the appropriate area. If the team has not previously been in the museum and identified the location of the pyramidion, they stand a chance of detonating the device near the pyramidion and damaging it. The runners can also choose to breach in a different area, such as a hallway or staff room and then penetrate the facility from there.
The Crusaders will enter through the sewers and use spirits to watch for others approaching or to detect astral signatures. When it becomes clear that they will need to cut through several meters of plascrete, they will booby trap the area as a form of interdiction. The booby traps will vary based on whether or not the runners accepted the non-lethal agreement. If deadly force is authorized, the Crusaders will place high explosive charges along the edge of the sewer tunnels, beneath the water line, and use a monofilament tripline to detonate the charges. The tripwire will also be beneath the waterline. Noticing the tripwire is a Perception + Intuition (3) test with a -2 dice pool modifier for being hidden under the water. Additional dice pool modifiers such as lighting or if the character is distracted, will apply. The lead individual will soak the damage of the trip wire and is three meters from the initial blast point. Because there is no electrical signal, the boobytrap cannot be detected with eSensing, and a non-linear junction detector will need a Rating + Rating (3) test to identify it. If no deadly force can be used, the Crusaders will use a proximity wire and release an airborne version of Slab (p. 76, Arsenal). When a character approaches within two meters, the system will release Slab down a ten meter length of the sewer line. Characters exposed to the chemical are placed into suspended animation and appear dead. The system will alert the Crusaders when it is triggered and they will respond within fifteen minutes to recover the runners and hopefully collect the artifacts and the runners commlinks. Per their agreement to take no lethal action, the Crusaders will drop the runners at a state-run hospital. The hospital will alert the authorities if they have any illegal weapons, armor, or augmentations. Beyond the booby traps in the sewer, the Crusaders will lay in wait, monitoring the museum. Without the additional artifacts, the Crusaders will need to rely on the runners to recover the pyramidion and activate the gateway. If the Mystic Crusaders recover the artifacts, they will move to infiltrate the museum themselves and recover the pyramidion.
DEBUGGING
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>>>>> Art Notes Need map of the Iziko Museum, ideally supporting the layers that Adam implemented with Dusk. Base Layersimple layout like you would find on a museum brochure, layer 2 full blueprintsincludes staff areas and security rooms, layer 3 full securitycamera positions, maglocks, etc., layer 4 intersection points with sewer map >>>>> End Art Notes
CONSORTIUM COMPLICATONS
SCAN THIS
The runners discover that Georgiy Abelev has purchased the capstone to the pyramidion. They must get it back to activate the astral gateway and get to the cache. Abelev plays hardball with them, negotiating hard and holds the upper handat least in his mind. It is up to the runners to negotiate or take matters into their own hands.
unlocking doors, and sending messages to the commlinks of registered guests on specific areas to stay out of the area for security precautions. The overall plan for the hotel security relies on containment and avoidance rather than direct confrontation. All public areas have Rating 5 cameras hidden throughout to monitor the area. Each camera is equipped with low light for usage in case of emergencies when light may be diminished. A Rating 4 agent is loaded with Facial Recognition 4, Empathy 4, and Analyze 4 on each camera to monitor the feed for tampering and watch guests. Any individual that is not a registered guest of the hotel is targeted by the Empathy software to determine their mood and is uploaded to the security office for further monitoring. Ground Floor Rating 5 MAD sensors are linked to Rating 6 cyberware scanners built into columns in the lobby. As guests and visitors pass through the columns, if the MAD sensors are triggered, the cyberware scanners will check all individuals in the area and report to the security detail. Elevators and Stairs The elevators are accessed wirelessly by registered guestsall guests are given an icon which can be used to call the elevator and determine which floor they want to access. This icon can be given to visitors, the same way that a file can be copied. Through this, the hotel can ensure that people walking in off the street without any business in the hotel have a more complicated time accessing the hotel. The stairwells are all locked with a Rating 4 maglock, requiring either a passkey or the Matrix icon for elevator access. In case of power failure, all stairwell locks are set to immediately disengage and allow for uncontrolled access. If attacked in the hotel, Georgiy will activate the Panic Button system to alert security and attempt to flee. He does not want to engage directly, but will fight a retreating battle with his people doing a running retreat. Abelev has an anchored Levitate spell and will not hesitate to shoot through a window and go down that way. His team will rappel down the building if they become trapped in an area. From the ground floor, they will get into their vehicle and head directly for the closest law enforcement station.
DEBUGGING
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UNCERTAIN ALLIES
SCAN THIS
Teams which possess any of the artifacts will be monitored by Usmondo and the Heaven Herders. When monitoring becomes full blown interference, Usmondo will present the runners with a challenge. If they succeed, he will render aid to them and stand against the Crusaders until they pass the same challenge. Failure or refusal to take the trial, has consequences.
While Usmondo is talking, the room warms slightly and his shadow shifts as if he was standing under the noon-day sun rather than in the room. A warm savannah breeze moves gently through the room.
DEBUGGING
Killing Usmondo (for the moment at least) will be an answer for the Heaven Herd and they will escalate their response. As soon as violence begins, he will begin to leave stating that it is obvious that the runners do not want to face the Trial. Usmondo will utilize all of his abilities to keep himself from harm, but not take any offensive actions unless the runners attack with lethal force. If the runners fail the challenge or choose not to face it, Usmondo will leave them. He and the Heaven Herd will maintain a low profile, but monitor the runners. If the runners begin to align the pyramidion, the Heaven Herd will begin a ritual casting of Powerbolt, targeting the anchor. This will destroy the anchor stone and eject the runners from the metaplane without the cache. As the runners are not the target of the ritual, they will not be given the Perception test to notice the spellcasting.
>>>>>Insert Sidebar
>>>>>End Sidebar
THE ARK
SCAN THIS
The runners must complete an astral quest into the Reliquary, an archive designed to store all knowledge and creation that has been lost from the world. They reassemble the cache and overcome a series of small obstacles before returning to their own world.
bearer must make a Navigation + Intuition (6, 1 hour) Test to find each piece of the cache. If they take the skein and image, they will find that the loom is only a few steps behind them despite walking for an hour or more away from it. After retrieving the three pieces, the cache must be woven together upon the loom. If the runners use the Compass in search of another loom, they will find one. Weaving the cache themselves takes a successful Artisan (Weaving) + Intuition (16, 1 day) Test. If they do not have Artisan (Weaving), they will find the loom exceptionally complicated. Any spirits who are summoned will pass through the loom as if it did not exist. The loom can only be operated by a Nortovah or one of the runners who passed into the Reliquary. Nortovah is willing to weave for them when this tapestry is done. He tells them that he should be finished in three days. If they want him to weave an item without first completing his current project, they must offer him something. The weaver has no need for physical possessions or wealth and is instead a broker of life, memory and knowledge. He will require a payment from each of them and can be negotiated with. If any of the runners give life freely to him, Nortovah will drain one point of Essence, knowledge is five points of Karma, and memory is actual memories from the runners past, such as a ten year block of their life. Negotiatons can reduce these costs to a fraction of a point of Essence, reduced Karma, or perhaps a key moment (first kiss) or a constant theme (experiences tied to a single person). GMs are encouraged to barter and play out this scenario to find what is important to each runner and what they are willing to sacrifice. Runners who give a part of themselves to Nortovah may notice that images of themselves are now drawn upon nearby easels.
DEBUGGING
If any of the runners attack Nortovah, or begin to destroy other easels, he will sever the connection to the pyramidion, forcing the runners out of the Reliquary. The capstone will need to be realigned and the quest begun again. On a second expulsion, Nortovah will permanently sever the tie and the cache will be lost.
DEBUGGING
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Award
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Chapter 2
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Award
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Award
Successfully steal the Pyramidion Recover the Capstone Rebuild the cache in the Reliquary Destroy the cache Recover the cache and deliver it safely Bonus Karma1 per each contact gained Cass Tina Vicencio John Dee
1 1 1 3 6 1 1 1
Chapter 4
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Award
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>>>>> End Sidebar >>>>> Begin Sidebar INDIVIDUAL KARMA PER CHAPTER
Situation
Surviving Good roleplaying Guts/Bravery Humor Pushing the storyline along
Award
3 1-3 1 1 1
LEGWORK
As the runners go through Harlequins Gambit, theyll have numerous opportunities for research. This section gives some results for legwork the runners may attempt. Research can involve the Matrix or checking with contacts, or any other method the player characters devise. Note that some information is best presented to the players as handouts. These are also found at the end of the book. You can provide them as handouts prior to starting the game, or alternatively, give the player characters the information only after they research the topic. Some may be best presented during specific scenes.
CONTACTS
If they are checking with a contact, and the contact has the relevant Knowledge skill, roll for the contact; the number of hits determines the amount of information the contact knows. Of course, a contact may not choose to share everything they know with the player charactersand in Lagos, especially, a bribe is considered standard, no matter how little (or much) the contact actually knows. Alternatively, a contact may ask around on the player characters behalf. To do this, roll the contacts Charisma + Connection Rating. Treat this as an extended test, with one hour intervals. Add up the cumulative hits to determine how much knowledge the contact is able to glean from his or her contacts. And, of course, if you believe a certain piece of information would be useful in moving the story along, you can decide to have any contact drop a hint or information at the appropriate time. Along the same lines, you can determine that a contact doesnt know the information (if it isnt time for the player characters to know it yet), or is unwilling to share it. Once youve determined the net hits a contact has made, look up the results on the Contacts table presented below.
the matrix for his skills. Alternatively, you could make the test even more difficult by limiting the number of total rolls to the characters Data Search skill rating alone.
CAPE TOWN
Hits 0 1 2 3 4 Information What are you some kind of super-hero? No one wears a cape anymore. The administrative capital, you get dignitaries and crooks rubbing elbows all the time. Mujaji watches the city constantly. When the rain blows from the North, find cover and fast. Around here, friends help friends, but the tribe you were born to matters a lot more than the size of your tusks. The waterfront is where you will want to go to buy anything without filling out all the necessary forms. Step lightly though, the crews will shoot first, and read your entrails to answer their questions.
IZIKO MUSEUM
Hits 0 1 2 3 4 Information How should I know if its cold at the museum? A cultural cornucopia, the museum is an example of Modern Africa and its ancestral roots. Its downtown, near the Zulu embassy, walk lightly, security in the neighborhood is tight. Security is multi-layered, theyve been targeted for theft in the past and learned from their mistakes. Im told that the mages on staff run detection spells constantly. It may not hold up in court, but will get you bruised and battered if you ping.
APEP CONSORTIUM
Hits 0 1 2 3 4 Information Didnt they find Atlantis? They fund digs around the world, for archaeology. New on the scene, these are the high school bullies of the academic world. Rumors abound about who actually funds the digs, but they are very result driven. At times when a museum or collector wont sell, the Apep sends in thieves to steal what they want.
HEAVEN HERD
Hits 0 1 2 3 4 Information Cows from India, right? A bunch of elves in Azania who sing and dance in circles. They are a magic group from the Zulu tribe, with a troll-sized dose of hate for any non-keeb. Its rumored that they are actually a hereditary group, with all the members related to one another. Theyve gone out of their way to hit the Xhosa and Mujajis Pride a couple times, and lived to tell about it.
TINA VICENCIO
Hits 0 1 2 3 4 Information Isnt she one of those young trid stars, bearing all? Yeah, ork Filipina. That cat works out of the marketplace. She puts new faces with established ones, shes a rabbi who finds rabbis for the youngsters. Vicencios dancing to her own beat, but plays by the local rules. She can get anything from anyone for a price. She ran afoul of some Yamatetsu toughs a week ago, they heard that she put some freelancers on an intercept for a new prototype.
B 5
A 3
R 4
S 4
C 4
I 4
L 2
W 3
Ess 6
Init 8
IP 1
Arm 12/6
CM 10
Skills: Automatics 3, Black Markets 4, Duty Stations 3, Etiquette 3, Infiltration 4, Military History 2, Military Procedure 4, Negotiation 5, Supply Chain 3 Unarmed Combat 2, Vaudun Practices 3 Qualities: Black Market Pipeline, Perceptive 2, Water Sprite Gear: Armored Vest, Commlink (DR 4), Contacts (Imagelink, Smartlink) Form Fit Body Armor (Full), Weapons: Ares Crusader [Machine Pistol, DV 4P, AP +2, RC 2, SA/BF, Frangible Rounds, Smartlink]
TINA VICENCIO
A Filipino native, Tina moved to Cape Town to escape the Imperial occupation. She set up shop as an intermediary, an outsider to bring other outsiders up to speed on the social climate. Tina Vicencio is an attractive ork female who is rather tall, just shy of two meters in her bare feet. She has a bubbly voice and public demeanor, but it is an act that she can shed and become serious as easily as others shed their jackets. B 4 A 3 R 3 S 4 C 5 I 4 L 5 W 5 Ess 0 Init 7 IP 1 Arm 8/3 CM 10/11
Skills: Athletics 2, Computer 4, Data Search 5, Influence 5, Pistols 2, Local Area Knowledge (Cape Town) 5, Cape Town Shadowscene 5, Cape Town Organizations 4, Corp Rumors 4 (Cape Town +2), Local Criminal Organizations 3, Mujaji 4, Psychology 5 Qualities: First Impression, Trustworthy 2 Augmentations: Sleep Regulator, Tailored Pheromones 3, Clean Metabolism Gear: Actioneer Business Clothes, Form Fitting Body Armor (Shirt), Customized Transys Avalon (Response 6, Signal 6) with customized Novatech Navi OS (Firewall 5, System 6) running Analyse 6, Browse 6, Edit 6, and Empathy 6, Glasses with Image Link, Ear Buds, AR Gloves, Sim Module
JOHN DEE
The mysterious John Dee is a high-ranking member of the Black Lodge, a quasi-masonic secret magical society whose topmost levels of leadership assume the names and sometimes guises of famous pre-Awakening magicians and occultistsin his case John Dee, court astrologer to Elizabeth I. In an effort to avoid the attention of Frosty, Harlequin, Ehran the Scribe, and Sheila Blatavasky, the human mage will only interact with the player characters, and only in astral form. On the astral, the Black Lodge magician bears a distinct resemblance to portraitures of the historical Dee (if they care to do a Data Search for an image of the old wizard), but he also carries with him the impression of a slight miasma, like a hardcopy book whose presence is impregnated with the smell of ancient cigarettes. B A R S C I L W EDG Ess M Init IP CM 3 3 4 3 6 5 6 6 1 5 13 8 1 12S/9P Active Skills: Arcana 6 (Unique Enchantments +2), Artisan (Ritual) 6, Assensing 6 (Penetrating Masking +2), Astral Combat 6, Blades 4, Conjuring Group 6, Enchanting 6, Etiquette 5 (Magicians +2), Influence Group 5, Medicine 2 (Magical Healing +2), Sorcery Group 6 Knowledge Skills: Astrology 5, British Daytime Soap Operas 2, Dragon Conspiracies 2, Elf Conspiracies 4, English N, Enochian 3, Goetia 4, Hermetic Lore 6, John Dee 6, Law 5, Magic Background 6, Magical Threats 5, Mathematics 4 Qualities: Astral Chameleon, Geas (See Natural Spellcasting sidebar), Magician (Hermetic Tradition), Murky Link Initiate Grade: 13 Metamagics: Absorption, Cenering, Cleansing, Extended Masking, Filtering, Flexible Signature, Flux, Great Ritual, Invoking, Masking, Natural Spellcasting (See Natural Spellcasting sidebar), Shielding Spells: See Natural Spellcasting sidebar Gear: The Key of Enoch (grimoire, talisman)
magician may choose to cast it at a lower Force. The magician may add their initiate grade as a dice pool bonus to this test. Generating a temporary spell formula causes Drain equal to the number of hits scored on the Test. Temporary spell formulas generated must be sustained (2 dice pool modifier to all actions while sustained) or the magician forgets them; the modifier for sustaining a temporary spell formula does not apply when casting said spell. A temporary spell formula is not forgotten if the spell is cast. Temporary spell formulae cannot be recorded, as they are highly dependent on the local magical conditions. Natural Spellcasting is a unique metamagic to the Black Lodge, couched in their obscure traditions, and may not be learned by other means. Members of the Black Lodge who are taught this metamagic are commonly forced to assume two geasa when taught this magic: that they shall not use their own memorized spells, and they must cast spells only from certain consecrated books of magic (effectively, the grimoires are talismans, see p.28, Street Magic). John Dee will not break either of these geasa except in the most dire emergency.
MUSEUM GUARD
Down to earth and professional, the Museum Guards work at the museum equally for the job and for love of their culture. Slightly biased against those who serve as corporate slaves and drones, the guards come to work each day believing that they are protecting their cultural background. They are all family men though, and living to go home is more important than dying to protect a piece of art on the museum floor. B 4 A 4 R 3(4) S 3 C 3 I 3 L 3 W 2 ESS 4 Init 7 IP 2 Arm 8/6 CM 10
Skills: Athletics 4, Clubs 4, Dodge 3, Pistols 4, Perception 3, Unarmed Combat 2 Qualities: Common Sense, Perceptive 2 Augmentations: Wired Reflexes (Rating 1) Gear: Armor Jacket, Commlink (Hermes Ikon with Iris Orb), Contacts (w/smartlink and image link), Subvocal mic Weapons: Stun Baton [Club, 6S(e), AP -1/2, Reach 1] Ares Predator IV [Heavy pistol, DV 5S, AP +1, SA, 15(c), Gel Rounds, Smartlink] Ares Predator IV [Pistol, DV 5P, AP 1, SA, 15(c) Smartlink]
SECURITY MAGE
A dedicated security mage for the Iziko Museum, he works a steady shift with a partner, overlapping to cover every hour that the museum is open. While generally complacent, he will be moved to action by any thief or individual who plans to assault a museum patron. B A R S C I L W ESS M Init IP CM Arm 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 5 6 8 7 1 10 8/6 Skills: Assensing 3, Astral Combat 4, Athletics 1, Conjuring 4, Dodge 3, Etiquette 2, Infiltration 2, Pistols 3, Perception 4, Outdoors 1, Sorcery 5 Initiate Grade: 2 Metamagics: Masking, Shielding Gear: Armor Jacket, Sustaining Focus (Rating 7, Detection), Sustaining Focus (Rating 3, Illusion) Weapons: Vibro knife [Blade, DV 4P, AP 2] Ares Predator IV [Heavy pistol, DV 5S, AP +1, SA, 15(c), Gel Rounds, w/ smartgun] Ares Predator IV [Heavy pistol, DV 5P, AP 1, SA, 15(c), w/ smartgun] Bound Spirits: Guidance Spirit (Force 5, 3 Services), Spirit of Earth (Force 3, 4 Services) Spells: Confusion, Detect (Thief, Extended), Heal, Increase Reflexes, Invisibility, Petrify, Phantasm, Physical Barrier, Powerbolt, Silence, Stabilize, Sterilize, Stunball
HEAVENHERD
Members of an all-elven initiatory group in Azania, the Heavenherders are all highly trained and loyal to Usmondo and the group. While the majority of the Heavenherders are prejudiced against non-elves, there are a small number who do not allow
those prejudices to flavor their outlook. All of the Heavenherders share a common ancestry and though it is far enough back that they do not share a familial bond.
HEAVENHERD ADEPT
A standard adept within the Heavenherd. B 5 A 7 R 5 S 4 C 5 I 4 L 3 W 5 Ess 6 M 8 Init 9(11) IP 1(3) Arm 10/9 CM 10
Skills: Arcana 4, Athletics 3, Clubs 4, Perception 5, Unarmed Combat 5 (Blocking +2) Qualities: Adept Initiate Grade: 3 Metamagics: Adept Centering, Masking, Psychometry Adept Powers: Blind Fighting, Critical Strike 4, Elemental Strike (Acid), Improved Reflexes 2, Inertia Strike, Killing Hands, Missile Parry 2, Pain Resistance 4 Gear: Armored Jumpsuit (as Bike Racing Armor), Form Fit Body Armor (Full), Microtransceiver (Rating 4) Maneuvers: Sweep (Able to deal damage with Knockdown attack) Weapons: Extendable Baton [Club, DV 3P, Reach 1] Unarmed [Unarmed, DV 6P, Acid]
HEAVENHERD MAGE
Initiates of the highest order within the Heavenherd, these mages are trained to serve Usmondo. B 4 A 6 R 4 S 3 C 7 I 5 L 6 W 6 Ess 6 M 9 Init 9 IP 1(4) Arm 0/0 CM 0
Skills: Arcana 5, Astral Combat 4, Athletics 2, Blades (Spears) 4 (+2), Computer 2, Conjuring 6, Data Search 3, Etiquette 4, Infiltration 3, Sorcery 6, Survival 3 Qualities: Magician, Spirit Affinity (Guidance) Initiate Grade: 5 Metamagics: Centering, Geomancy, Masking, Reflecting, Shielding Gear: Weapon Focus (Rating 5) Spells: Alter Memory, Area Thought Recognition, Compel Truth, Heal, Influence, Mindnet, Offensive Mana Barrier, Powerbolt, Slay (Dwarf, Human, Ork, Troll), Stunbolt, Bound Spirits: Weapons: Spear [Blade, DV 4P, Reach 2, Weapon Focus]
APEP CONSORTIUM
The Apep Consortium is a collection of interests that finances large-scale dig sites. Most of the investors are not interested in history and little is known about the actual agenda of this group. It is clear that they pilfer more than preserve history. This team is in Cape Town to acquire the capstone but travels together regularly for various assignments from tomb raiding to active theft.
GEORGIY ABELEV
An older Russian archaeologist, Abelev has represented the Apep Consortium numerous times. Bald, thickset and boasting a thick handlebar moustache, he looks more like a mobster than an archaeologist. Abelev is rumored to be ruthless and unscrupulous in acquiring items for the Apep Consortium.
Skills: Arcanoarchaeology 5, Archaeology 6, Corporate Politics 4, Dig Sites 4, Electronics 3, Infiltration 3, Influence 6, International Law 5, Perception 4, Pilot: Ground Craft 2, Pistols 4, Running 4, Security Procedures 4, Unarmed Combat 2 Qualities: First Impression Augmentations: Skillwires (Rating 5), Synaptic booster (Rating 2), Synthacardium (Rating 2) Gear: Aces High Jacket, Berwick Line Full Suit, Glasses (Vision Enhancement 2, Smartlink) Hermes Ikon, Iris Orb, FTL Matrixware Power Suite, Weapons: Colt America L36 [Light Pistol, DV 4P, AP -4 SA 11(c), APDS, Smartlink]
Skills: Arcana 4, Assensing 4, Athletics 3, Dodge 5, Exotic Melee Weapon (Monofilament Whip) 5, Influence 4, Pistols 3, Spellcasting 4, Stealth 4, Summoning 3, Survival (Desert) 5 (+2) Ancient Civilizations 5, Magical Background 4, Talislegging 3, Mythology 3 Qualities: Magician, Perfect Time Initiate Grade: 2 Metamagics: Divining, Psychometry Augmentations: Reflex Recorder (Monofilament Whip), Synthacardium 3, Trauma Damper Gear: Aces High Jacket, Berwick Line Full Suit, Contact Lenses (Smartlink), Hermes Ikon, Iris Orb, FTL Matrixware Power Suite, Form-Fitting Body Armor Half Suit, Monofilament Whip, Professional Camera, Macro Lens, Telephoto Lens, Sleeping Bag, Spellcasting Focus (Detection Force 5), Sustaining Focus (Health Force 4) Spells: Analyze Device, Catalog, Detect Magic, Improved Invisibility, Increase Reflexes, Levitate, Light, Oxygenate, Spatial Sense (Extended), Translate Bound Spirits: Spirit of Man (Force 5, 3 services) Weapons: Monofilament Whip [Whip, 8P, AP -4, Reach 2] Colt America L36 [Light Pistol, DV 4P, AP SA 11(c), Smartlink]
Skills: Athletics 5, Con 4, Electronics 5, Etiquette 3, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Garotte) 4, Locksmith 5, Perception 5, Pistol 4, Stealth 6, Survival (Urban) 3 (+2) Qualities: Catlike, Perceptive 2, School of Hard Knocks Augmentations: Datajack, Enhanced Articulation, Genewipe, Muscle Toner (Rating 3), Reflex Recorder (Stealth Group), Sim Module, Synaptic Boosters (Rating 3), Synthacardium (Rating 3) Gear: Chameleon Suit, Climbing Gear, Earbuds (Audio Enhancement 3, Spatial Recognizer), Electronics Toolkit, Form-Fitting Body Armor (Full Suit), Goggles (Low-Light, Thermographic, Flare Compensation, Smartlink, Vision Enhancement 3), Grapple Gun, Maglock Passkey (Rating 5), Sequencer (Rating 5), Stealth Rope with Catalyst Stick, Stim Patch (Rating 6) Weapons: Monofilament Garotte [Garrote, DV 8P, AP -4] Ares Light-Fire [Light Pistol, DV 4P, AP SA 16(c), Silencer, Smartlink]
PRIDE BODYGUARD
A Lion shapeshifter, this bodyguard is a member of Mujajis Pride. He is highly trained and aware of modern threats, though maintains a somewhat feral outlook. The shapeshifter wears armor, but will quickly discard it to shift back to his animal form when instincts take over. When fighting with blades, the bodyguard is trained to attack with one blade and use the other to constantly defend his body against blows.
B 9
A 7
R 7 (10)
S 6
C 4
I 4
L 4
W 5
Ess 6
M 8
Arm 18/16
CM 13/11
Skills: Armorer (Blades) 4 (+2), Athletics 5, Ambush Tactics 4, Blades (Swords) 6 (+2), Etiquette 2, Firearm Identification 3, Intimidate (Physical) 4 (+2), Perception 5, Security Procedures 5, Unarmed Combat 5 Qualities: Adept, Allergy (Silver, Severe), Ambidextrous, Shift (Human), Vulnerability (Silver) Initiate Grade: 3 Metamagics: Adept Centering, Attunement (Blades), Attunement (Lions) Adept Powers: Improved Ability (Blades) 2, Improved Reflexes 3, Killing Hands, Missile Parry, Mystic Armor 4 Gear: Light Military Armor (Insulation 5, Non-Conductivity 6, Quick Release, Ruthenium Polymer Coating, Strength Upgrade 3), Helmet Maneuvers: Two-Weapon Style Weapons: Sword (x2) [Blade, DV 6P (8P in armor), Reach 1, Attuned]
EOCHAIR KAILIU
Each of the artifacts from the Dawn of the Artifacts adventures is used as a key to unlock the caches of knowledge. Once they have been empowered, each artifact has a unique power that it grants to its possessor. Unlike most foci, the artifacts do not need to be bonded and anyone holding the artifact can trigger its power. Due to the nature of the artifacts, characters can only use the power of a single artifact at a time, even if they are holding several. Activating any of the artifacts requires physical contact and any skills or abilities granted by the artifact are lost immediately upon severing contact. Any of the artifacts if activated, can be carried with the astral form of a mage, similar to weapon foci.
Each of these artifacts is individually quite powerful and extremely valuable. Being seen with the artifacts can compromise the runners ability to blend in. Whenever the runners are actively using an item, such as the Piri Reis Map, the need for physical contact will facilitate their need to be held in hand and visible. This will draw attention to the runners, varying from spirits drawn to the power of the artifacts to antique collectors who want to procure the artifacts. (The methods used in procuring the artifacts may vary by collector.) Reports of the artifacts will make it harder for the runner team to keep a low profile and function as a Distinctive Style applying a +4 Dice Pool modifier to all attempts to identify, trace, or physically locate the character. (p. 103, Runners Companion) This modify will stack with any other Distinctive Styles that a character may have, to the normal maximum of +6 dice. Gamemasters are free to add optional encounters as different groups come calling for the artifacts. Options for these groups include arcanoarchaeologits, treasure hunters, and other shadowrunner teams. In addition to the academic and criminal entanglements, law enforcement may get involved and attempts made to confiscate the artifacts. The runners will likely not have permits for these items and the nature of the artifacts means they may be desired by the FBI, Interpol or local forces such as the ZDF in Denver.
PHAISTOS DISC
The Phaistos Disc is a forty-five-centimeter flat stone disc that serves as a Rosetta Stone for the Piri Reis Map and translates the encoded writing of a forgotten language into one that bearer understands. There are 241 markings that were stamped into the disc using forty-five unique characters. The iconography of the disc does not match any known script. After one hour of contact to any new language in use, the bearer of the disc makes an Intuition + Logic Test using a threshold as noted on the Linguistics Table (p.177, Street Magic). If successful, the bearer develops the Language skill at Rating 1. Any languages learned this way are immediately lost if the Phaistos Disc is given to someone else, or the bearer ceases physical contact. If the bearer spends Karma to purchase the language at Rating 1, the knowledge is retained after relinquishing the disc. No tests are needed when purchasing a language granted by the disc at Rating 1. Raising the language skill beyond that may require Instruction Tests as normal.
SEXTANT OF WORLDS
The Sextant is a cross between an armillary sphere and a navigational sextant, although what it might navigate is a mystery known to only a few. In the center is a sphere of polished orichalcum, which anchors a small, unremarkable stone. The sphere is mounted on a staff, which is intricately carved with spiraling designs and undeciphered glyphssymbols which are also found on the Piri Reis map. The bearer of the Sextant can use it to find any item, place, or person that she has seen before. To find the target, roll an Intuition + 10 (5, 10 minutes) Extended Test. Apply appropriate modifiers from the Search Modifiers Table (p. 297, SR4A) The bearer must have physically seen the object, images from the Matrix will not suffice.
SHANTAYAS COMPASS
Shantaya's Compass is a two-part artifact. The first part is a disc made of bronze with gold and silver inlays. It is about 15 cm in diameter with a thickness of about one centimeter. The front of the disc appears to be the mater and plate of an astrolable, lacking any rete or rule. There are sixty points around the edge of the disc, each with a different marking that appears to be in the Indus script. The back features a recessed circle with a short, flat alidade that rotates within the indentation; the alidade appears to be gold, but close examination reveals it to be made of orichalcum. Near the edge on the back is a pair of bronze spiral hooks, about a quarter-circle apart, that were added in the sixth-century BCE to allow the chain to hook to the Compass and form a medallion. The chain is about 70 cm long and wrought with alternating bronze and silver links. Every other silver link is decorated with a smooth, polished gemstone, no two alike, along the chain's entire length. The bearer can sense magical activity on the same plane within 100 meters of his person. This power will detect active foci, spells, mana barriers, dual-natured beings, and mana anomalies; if the bearer is present on the astral plane it will also detect astral forms.
chapter (18,500) + 1 Location (750) + 1 Legwork (500) + 1 Fiction (1,500) + Final Material (3,500) + Extra Handouts (1,000) = 25,750
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