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Post by Shadowrun on Oct 24, 2010 23:44:34 GMT -5
Los Angeles, California Free State. February 2097
The streets are a cold place... Now more than ever. Forced to endure increasingly violent earthquakes, the denizens of the once proud city are worse off now than anyone can remember. In the desperate ghettos of the city daily life could not be more grim. With the breakdown of emergency services in the aftermath of the earthquake, the combined abandoned ghettos known as El.Inferno, have become a lawless warzone - With no relief in sight. Faced with rival gangs and ruthless marauders, the weakest and most defenseless are left to fight for survival in an abandoned network of subway tunnels. Where there is shelter from the violence of the streets, but a vulnerability in the depths of the unknown. It is in such times that a leader comes forward and indeed was the case with The Duke of the Tunnels - a self made Mr. Johnson. The Mayor of the Underground has formed a militia and has declared open war with local gangs. Striking out at major supply lines and prime real estate - Fighting for influence on the streets and shelter for peaceful citizens. Of this rag-tag group of volunteers - common soldiers for hire, A handful might go on to become shadowrunners, fewer still will prove themselves worthy of the title "Street Samurai"
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Post by Slaymaker on Oct 25, 2010 1:19:47 GMT -5
The first step for any occupation is to clear a perimeter, and indeed the first operation was to storm adjacent tunnels and clear out any squatters. A small team of 4 was recruited and sent on the most basic of missions.
Eddy Valentine - AKA: Fast Eddy. - Human Mage A talented magic user and aspiring musician - Eddy has turned up here in search of inspiration for a breakthrough hit. Expert Pistols. Charisma based magic
Hermit The Mog - - Goblin Shaman A life long tunnel dweller, Hermit is led by a sense of curious adventure and his love of gleaming treasure. He is a hoarder of magical and non-magical items alike. A survivalist, specialized in totem magic.
Artie Fischer - Computer Tech A college dropout, the fresh faced decker moved to the streets searching for an undergound network gig. Well rounded skills. Artie owns an old gasoline powered cargo van.
Sypher - Ork Goon Short on opportunity, Sypher works as a hired goon. Known to be over his head in debts, wields a simple, rusted lawnmower blade to terrifying effect
Armed with only crude homemade tools and a few dime store firearms, the squad moved swiftly through the tunnel network rounding up stragglers and threatening to cut them down. The only resistance came in the form of a group of mutinous gang members, armed with scavenged police gear, a shotgun and a hand grenade.
With the largest subway station occupied, The Duke can start securing a stronghold in the tunnels and recruit more soldiers to fight what will prove to be an increasingly difficult struggle.
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Post by Slaymaker on Oct 25, 2010 2:10:50 GMT -5
In the wake of a successful sweep in the tunnels, the team was assembled the next day in the newly formed meeting room - an abandoned AmTrack employee lunch room. A rival gang has been dealing weapons and contraband through an offshore supplier. The snitch pinned down the time of the next transfer and the team is being sent out to intercept the goods, and take out the gangers. A good opportunity to kick-start a budding economy. The deal goes down on a crowded dock in a remote section of the harbour district - security is light.
Short of solid intel, Artie uses his contact with Onstar Satellite Services - selected from character creation - and pulls up real time photographs of the scene. An information contact "Eddy 8_Ball" is called up to ID rival gang info.
The team arrives at the dock in Artie's van - license plates removed - and lie in wait. A Japanese man with extensive body tatoos disembarks a cargo ship, a briefcase is handcuffed to his wrist. Across the dockyard, a lowrider sedan creeps out from behind a stack of sea containers. The trunk is opened and a forklift emerges with a stack of crates. The Deal is on.
Seeing the deal go down, Artie jammed the van into motion, spinning wildly accross the crowded boardwalk, machineguns spraying from every vantage. Streams of bullets cutting through bystanders - the dockyard becomes a scene of horror. The team fought their way to the trunk and recovered the cargo and package, but the Japanese runner "Crazy Fists" proved to be too much, and they were forced to retreat without the mysterious briefcase.
Included in the crates were x4 Jabberwocky missiles - Advanced multitarget missiles, and a shipment of imported black market BTL chips.
Following the debriefing, Eddy Valentine is set up through a series of contact encounters to meet "Hollywood Johnson" - An adult film director from East L.A. with some potential job opportunities.
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Post by Gilvan Blight on Oct 25, 2010 5:06:20 GMT -5
Sounds like a pretty Kick Ass campaign you've just kickstarted. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by Slaymaker on Oct 26, 2010 0:22:55 GMT -5
A meeting was arranged. An East L.A. Bungalow being used as a film studio and Hollywood Johnson, and a degenerate film producer. To meet outside of El.Inferno, legit transportation was arranged with Mack Rogers - Goblin Taxi. Reliable taxi service and 100% anonymous ride. Eddie Valentine and Artie were nominated to go in and negotiate a contract and were greeted by the goblin doorman, ushered past live film sets and into a small back office.
The job was calling for an assassination. A hack film star "John Woods" had made some bad investments and sold out the studio - an offense that could not be forgotten
Scheduled to appear at an Adult Film Convention to receive an award - The convention center is on the edge of East L.A. and can be easily hit from the station - The team is hired to infiltrate the convention and retire John Woods permenantly.
The theatre is crowded with guests when the team arrives and is prevented access by a team of security guards performing weapon screenings. After thorough search of side entrances, a back door security guard is approached by Eddy Valentine and confronted with a Mind Trick. The guard however was not weak of will and the spell failed to have any effect. Perhaps in a panic at the failure, the confrontational guard was quickly and clearly shot down and a wave of terror spread through the building.
Each room and hallway leading to the target became a vicious firefight eventually leading to the main screening room. John Woods and his 2 dwarven bodyguards who were quickly moving to the exit, instead open fire with a custom heavy pistols. After a decisive firefight, the team escapes virtually unscathed into the alleys back again to the streets of El Inferno.
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Post by Slaymaker on Oct 26, 2010 15:54:24 GMT -5
Things had been going well for the tunnel dwellers. People migrated from across the city and began do develop a local economy - shacks were built and formed a sort of shanty- town. The team had prospered as well with 3 successful paying jobs behind them, each began to invest in lifestyle and expand their inventory.
Along with prosperity came the attention - such a bold move could not go unnoticed and the inevitable counter-attack came from a gang of ex- carnival folk and circus freaks. Originating from the coast-town fairgrounds, The Coast-Town Clowners control the tunnels on maintenance cars - modified for extra performance. A senior clown, expert in gadgets and remote demolitions was assigned the task of clearing out the upstart militia and keeping the rail lines under control.
A vicious assault was launched in the unlikely form of mysterious cartoon shape helium balloons and a brightly coloured parade float - each drifting gently from the darkness of the subway tunnels. Unsuspecting victims crowded the display, mostly children -- and without warning each item bursts into their eyes and faces, the oversized parade float exploding in a storm of toxic vapour and brightly coloured party favours. Not soon after, an electric rail-car filled with machine gun toting clowners appear to finish the job, some with their makeup tattooed to their face and necks. The attackers were intercepted and proved no match for the runners, leaving behind their rail-car and the horrible aftermath of the gas attack.
Immediatly Artie, the team computer technician who was there to defend against the balloon attack, went to investigate the rail-car and find its origin. while other team members tended to the wounded and disfigured. The rail car itself computer controlled and Artie impulsively jacked into the system before checking it closely. The clowners sent the rail-car as a trap and rigged the control panel to explode. The screen browned, blackened and burst in a cloud of green and purple ink. Artie failed to react and was left to take the full effect of the blast - searing acidic inks and colourful metal flakes tattoo a smiley faced blast mark across his unsuspecting face - as a final insult pre-recorded laughter comes from the computer terminal.
The Duke rallies a group and arranges a new team to take the rail-car back down the lines and take the battle to the enemy. New characters are introduced to the ranks.
Bulletproof Monk - Human - Unarmed Combat Specialist and Master of Stealth. Fingers McMurphy - Halfling - Expert in Daggers - Irish Sneak Attack.
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Post by Slaymaker on Oct 28, 2010 17:22:20 GMT -5
A state of martial law was declared over the young outpost. A council was arranged to make emergency decisions while The Duke was left to devise a counter attack. The team was mostly unwounded from fighting, except Artie who was rather shaken up from the explosion - and was left with an indelible stain scarring his face. The civilian population was also shaken, innocent victims wounded from the firefight - even more scarred and disfigured from the vicious gas attack. A new 6 character team was assembled.
The first step was to map the subway tunnels leading to the Coast Town Fairgrounds. The old rail car was rebuilt and fortified for a long trip, but did not get far before reaching their first road block. The neighbouring station was home to the Southside Street Urchins, a gang of rifle toting adolescents, many from South America. Known to chew an amphetamine cocktail known as Nitro and have a reputation for being impulsive and remorseless.
The street urchins have set up a road-block and have established a toll of $1000 for each person, one way. Safety and anonymity guaranteed. Cash or Trade. To deter non-payers an LM-107 Machine Gun is mounted behind a nest of sandbags with a crystal clear vantage.
Perhaps not wanting to be bested by arrogant children or suspicious of their operations, a unanimous decision was made - there would be no toll. Clownfaced Artie Fischer put an end to negotiations. A disposable jabberwocky missile launcher hidden in his coat, Artie launches a precise rocket attack into the crowded gun nest. The station erupted into a storm of violence, team members emerging from the shadows, others laying suppressing fire and casting spells - eventually clearing the subway station.
An inventory of the place was compiled. Much of the loot was indeed valuable (and not quite so valuable) bartering goods stored in a giant pile. Included expensive cell phones, leather jackets, sunglasses, gift certificates, and a stockpile of the performance enhancing chemical "Nitro" Also included - Tools and small engine parts, x4 nitro powered pocketbike racers, and sophisticated electronic toys custom made by the Clowners for extra safe passage.
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Post by Gilvan Blight on Oct 29, 2010 8:17:16 GMT -5
Still enjoying this. Have to note my jealousy though: you get to play far too often. I get to update my Session report at about once a month now. Wish I got to RP often enough for updates this frequent.
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Post by Slaymaker on Oct 29, 2010 10:12:04 GMT -5
The game is on break until November 6th, but i thought i would get caught up on some session reports and maybe drum up some support for Shadowrun. We played 13 sittings but stopped because there were not enough regular players! When we start up again we're going to play 1 weekly session on Sunday starting at 7PM - Midnight or so. Each post is basically an entire sitting - give you an idea of how we play.
We've got space for up 3 more adult players -- If anyone out there has go the time free and wants to join an ongoing campaign drop me a line. Meantime i will be posting the remaining sessions. Thanks for reading.
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Post by Slaymaker on Oct 30, 2010 12:31:44 GMT -5
The railway was cleared and the neighbouring station was fortified. Plans were made to expand turf lines to their limit. The following day the team removed boards and debris, re-opening the access from the street. The team emerged from the barricade and were greeted with the familiar scene of El.Inferno - The street and sidewalk was cracked and uneven from the aftershock, storefronts were smashed and abandoned, some buildings burned or lying in ruins. Not far, a fortified elementary school can be seen to be in surprisingly good condition - complete with basketball hoops and play park.
The site was in fact the stronghold for the Southside Street Urchins. A 24 hour guard perched on the roof armed with binoculars and a fire alarm. Cautiously emerging from the tunnels, the team arranges to negotiate. The gang lieutenant (a machete wielding 13 year old) and a squad of AK97 wielding gangmates appear in the street with a compromise. The attack could be forgiven - and the tunnel station abandoned if the runners agreed to pay $20,000 in damages.
Unimpressed, the runners open fire - spraying ammo across the yard as a counter offer. The Urchins though, had prepared for the worst and returned with deadly volleys of rifle shots. The sheer volume of fire was too much to compete with and the team was sent scrambling back to the underground. As they ran, Bulletproof Monk was racked with AK97 fire and collapsed dead in the street. His body left behind in the street as the team fled for their own lives.
The team was left licking their wounds - Bulletproof Monk was dead and his inventory left to be scavenged by street urchins. Rattled by their first loss, the runners return to the home station to recover.
New Characters are introduced:
Charlie Cooper : Troll Drifter - Fire axe wielding bruiser. Doctor Ed : Blackballed surgeon, Pharmacologist
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Post by Slaymaker on Nov 1, 2010 10:31:26 GMT -5
The runner's detour had been costly, and the team decided to leave the urchins at street level - focus on securing the tunnel network. A team of 6 was assembled and continued down the rails until finally approaching the end of the line.
The subway station was built to accommodate tourists heading for the Fairgounds - Now used by carnival gangmembers as a security checkpoint and to stage attacks against rival gangs. The station is guarded by Shonie The Clown - a gang lieutenant and a squad of gangmates. Also here is an old subway transit train, sealed up and darkened.
Beyond formalities, a firefight breaks between the rival factions. Shonie the Clown with some magical flourishes and words of incantation, summons a magical whistle and blows sharply into it -- Suddenly a massive Clown Ogre smashes the door of the transit train. 3 times larger than even the troll, this giant ogre emerges from the train and wades thoughtlessly into the fray.
The panicked team focused fire and spilled dozens of rounds into the ogre - many of them convincingly striking the creature, slowing it down. Another volley of focused attacks caused the creature to break down - streams of light could be seen streaming from the bullet wounds and finally the entire ogre blinked and flickered out of existence. An advanced illusion spell.
Meanwhile the other clowners had entrenched themselves in cover, the lieutenant cast a mirror image spell "Illusionary clowns" causing him to split into 6. All 6 clown images begin casting and before they could be stopped, a spell of Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter was cast on Charlie Cooper - the teams largest, strongest member.
The battle was grim. The entire team left caught out in the open trying to defend against a harmless illusion and then stuck there to defend Charlie Cooper - who laughs so hysterically he is left doubled over.
The runners were now fully engaged, taking up partial cover and switching to the most advanced weaponry and rarest magic. The team focuses on the lieutenant, first tearing through his illusionary shields and finally killing him - remaining gangmembers left to scramble back to the park grounds.
An inventory was taken in the station - Valuable machine parts and electronic components were shipped back to the base and a specialist was brought in to evaluate the transit train. Teammates checked their weapons and attended to their wounds, a final push to the Fairgrounds was planned for the next morning.
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Post by Slaymaker on Nov 6, 2010 10:48:12 GMT -5
The following day the team re-assembled and began to check their weapons and pack up camp. In the distance, some could detect a high pitched buzzing sound echoing down the hallways of the station. The sound grew closer - A high pitched whine and now the sound of chattering teeth building to crescendo. The runners were prepared for anything, taking up cover around corners and behind concrete debris. Soon the station was flooded with sound - a group of remote controlled airplanes dropping into view, novelty machine guns ablaze, packed with explosives. Behind, a swarm of plastic novelty chattering teeth came charging down from street level. The squadron of brightly coloured WW2 era propeller planes broke formation and performed a series of tricks and barrel rolls, evading volleys of gunfire and zeroing in on individual targets. The razor sharp chatterswarm slowly flooding in to clean up any wounded. Stray bullets grazed few of the airplanes causing them to explode mid flight, but others found targets - blasting the runners and leaving them somewhat shaken even before they had left their campsite.
Research done by the team's decker concluded that the threat was coming from the Fairgrounds Robotic Bay - located in the haunted mansion attraction. A souvenier map was acquired and a direct route was laid out. The park itself seemed abandoned many of the rides were condemned, buildings crumbling and rotting away. Considered to be an ecological wasteland, even visiting the site is considered dangerous without a bio-hazard suit - making basic deconstruction and salvage impossible. The Haunted Mansion itself could not be accessed without first navigating a 'ghost themed' garden maze. Suspicious of the maze which was no doubt laced with booby traps, the team begins cutting and burning holes in the wall of the maze eventually leading to the front door of the building, a single floor manor house with intricately carved wooden doors. An iron chain securely hangs threaded through the door handles. A yellow plastic sign is pasted to the door - "Condemned" The foyer - the abandoned remains of an old carnival attraction. A sign introduces the Manor, a hokey ghost story invites visitors in if they dare. An old animatronic butler, which once served as a tour guide, lies under an inch of dust. The butler has actually been refitted as a machine gun turret and placed, dust and all, in the foyer to 'welcome' any guests. The butlers eyes glow red when sensing movement and opens fire. Beyond the foyer, the team moves to a round library. Once inside, the door disappears behind them and the room is illuminated - A prerecorded narration begins. The walls begin to stretch and the ceiling becomes 3 times higher. A cleverly disguised elevator brings the team into the basement. A fissure erupts on the floor, opening a door complete with handrail and handicapped access. directing the runners to a waiting ambush. The workshop is full of the park's various machines waiting for repair work. Robotics lab is guarded by The Toymaker himself - before combat he activates a remote activating a room full of robotic defenders. An red dragon supsended from the rafters spits gouts of flame, stationary gangster machine gun turrets, cupid statues each armed with arrow, airplanes and another swarm of chattering teeth. Found in the workshop a computer terminal containing blue prints and layouts for park machines, and the subroutines of the robotic guards. While the battle broke out, Artie the teams technician crept up to the terminal and hacked in. Bypassing security, Artie had access in seconds - cutting power to all machine run by the terminal. Most of the machines power down and go dark, leaving only the clown leader and a few simple guards. An inventory was taken of the shop, detonators and explosives were found, as well as hidden cameras and surveillance equipment. Recordings were recovered of the runners in their home station - taken by hidden surveillance tape. All of the attacks were controlled from this terminal and viewed through remote cameras to know exactly when to strike. Chemistry equipment was taken, as well as machine parts and spare electronics..
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Post by Slaymaker on Nov 14, 2010 12:16:45 GMT -5
Tuesday, February 10th. 2097
Returning victoriously to the train tunnels, the players decided it would be best to move some of the tunnel dwellers someplace safer - somewhere on the surface. Scouts were sent out and found an apartment complex complete with water, electricity and surrounding roads. It was fortified. The street was a bottleneck of strategically placed debris and old car wrecks. A machinegun nest could be clearly seen on the roof, pointing at street level. Giant industrial spot lights spread light in wide circles on the ground. The place looked like it was already taken. The team loaded up the van, now painted as an extermination service van, complete with a giant roach statue mounted to the roof - They drove down there to check it out, a group of gang members could be seen on the street, guarding the barricade, above a group of 5 supervised a single heavy machine gun. Artie took his van inside the perimeter, slowly creeping to the barricade -- rolling down his window to negotiate. The building had been taken over by The Dregs - A gang of biological outcasts. Many of the members are disfigured or show symptoms of living among biological toxic waste. Not known for their negotiation tactics, the team presented what seemed to be a fair offer - "Get out of our place and we'll let you live." Facing some resistance, Artie reaches under the console of the van and flips a switch. A jabberwocky missile, hidden in the roof mount, explodes forward launching into the group of dregs. In response, large piles of debris, actually cleverly disguised landmines explode - rocking the heavily armed van. The spotlights swung around and met the scene - heavy machine gun fire raining onto the street. The doors of the apartment swung open and wave after wave of gangers rushed into the fray. The first were armed with hammers, knives and other crude weapons. A second group took cover behind rubble, armed with homemade firearms and cheap pistols. A third group armed with wrenches, pry bars and other tools focused on the van removing its wheels, climbing on it to remove armour plates and steal its fuel.
A brutal firefight broke out, eventually pushing into the building and into the basement where an underground tunnel had been worked into the adjacent sewer network - leaving a perfect escape route for fleeing gangmembers. Satisfied with their work the group begins renovating the place. The former tenants had stripped nearly everything from the place, leaving only the bare electrical and plumbing services intact. Steel plates were brought in and welded over the sewer tunnel and the streets were cleared of debris bombs. A floor plan was drawn out, allotting space for medbay, garage and common area. The best rooms were saved for the runners themselves - a middle floor was dedicated to tunnel folks.
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