Shadowrun: High Life (Closed)

[HopeFox]

The year is 2075. Magic returned to the world over sixty years ago, and society is still reeling from the impact. The world is ruled by massive corporations answerable to nobody but themselves. Populations have been devastated by plague, famine and war. Governments have fallen and risen again, many shaped by the customs and faiths of old.

Corporate executives live lives of unparalleled luxury, ruling from their palaces of glass and steel. Kings and presidents govern their nations as best they can, afraid of both the wrath of the corporations and the unrest of their subjects. Some fortunate workers - doctors, magicians, managers - enjoy the fruits of the modern era's technology, living comfortable if sterile lives. Beneath them, wage slaves work ninety hours a week for their masters, with no hope of freedom nor thoughts of a better life. And beneath them, the SINless eke out a living in the shadows of the towers, ignored and forgotten by the system that holds the world in thrall.

And then there is you.

Perhaps you were born into wealth. Perhaps you were born with nothing, and earned your way to the top through hard work and ruthlessness. Perhaps you had wealth and fame thrust upon you through a strange series of events. However you got here, you are at the top of your game. You live a life few dare dream of - comfortable quarters, regular rations, 24-hour five star room service. But this doesn't mean that you have forgotten your roots, or your ideals. There is work to be done, and injustice can be found in these hallowed halls as easily as on the streets. The skills that brought you here will serve you in good stead as you set out to live your life the way you decide, not the way the world demands.

Welcome to the High Life.

Shadowrun: High Life is an ongoing Shadowrun, Fifth Edition game. Currently, we are looking for two new players to replace players who have dropped out, to round out a team of five players. IC, the team is currently lacking a decker and a rigger, so those concepts would be very welcome. If this post gets a lot of responses, I'll choose new players based on the appeal of their character concepts and IC and OOC compatability with the current team, rather than any kind of first-come, first-served basis. Character creation is using a modified version of the High Life rules from page 350 of the Shadowrun Fifth Edition core book, although I'm not interested in seeing sheets just yet.

Feel free to ask questions and post potential concepts here if you're interested!

UPDATE: New concept submissions are now closed! The current players and I will look over the potential new players and make a decision in the next few days.

[Sain]

More specifically we are leaning a bit heavily towards magic/melee side right now :P With one mage one mystic adept melee and one mostly melee monowhipper. We have only female characters, but (I think) everyone is playing theirs bi so that is no problem for those who want to make more girl runners.

These are the active characters

Links

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234740.msg11571012#msg11571012

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234740.msg11549256#msg11549256

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234740.msg11555079#msg11555079

[MissFire]

This is a shame. I love Shadowrun, played all the PC games, but don't know anything about the pen and paper rules. Best of luck to you all!

[TheVillain]

Had an idea!


NAME: Heian Nailo AKA "The Augur"
RACE: Elf (UCAS)
HAIR: Blond
EYES: Milky
HEIGHT: 5'4"
WEIGHT: 140lbs

ARCHETYPE: Decker

DESCRIPTION: Either a living proof of elven grace or a living disproof depending on how you consider the fact that he's blind. He can still move pretty well, though with the inbuilt sonar that's not to hard. Milky eyed he does joke about this as an excuse to dress with a slacker vibe, hawaiian shirts and sandals when he can get away with it. A bit brash and showy, like the decker stereotypes play anyway.

BACKGROUND: I sometimes wish everyone could see as I see. The surface of things is something you are all stuck in, the Awake can add new surfaces which is keen but I see below surfaces. I see in the cracks created by the system they made and the smaller systems we all made. I have too, or I'm in the dark completely. My real name doesn't matter, I am the Augur.

Elves like to sell themselves as graceful and charismatic, but then I came along. Neurologists will tell you that your eyes and your brain, especially the occipital lobe are so deeply interconnected that some of them just flat out consider your eyes to be a part of your brain. I rolled snake eyes on my DNA in that regard, I have a genetic disorder that killed most of the nerve tissue in my optic nerves and chunks of my occipital lobe. Maybe I could of ended up normal if my parents could of afforded the gene therapy when I was still in the womb but by the time they could afford the procedure I was almost a teenager and it was just damage control. As a result I've not only been blind my whole life but my brain developed without learning how to process visual data. Even if I do get the hardware fixed, I don't have the software to run it.

That's alright though. The brain can rework itself if it tries early enough. Mine did, in ways that nobody expected until much later. There isn't anything really left for the genuinely blind, since 99 out of a 100 times you can fix the problem with some quick cybernetics. When even the most expensive market bioware would only half fix things at best there's really not a whole lot they can do and I certainly can't afford the good bioware. I grew up in the dark, relying on whatever my parents could clip together to find out my world - until they found the braille adapter for a basic 'trix link. It was the first time I ever came across somethixng that I could control, but only if I did everything right. When I did something wrong, which happened a lot, I had nobody to blame for myself.

Actually, I got pretty good at it. A blind programmer can't really get a legit job because most HR departments just see a drain on the health plan but I could do a few favors for my parents, then some family members, then some friends - and soon some 'Runners started asking a question or two. Granted, very minor stuff even by runner standards but just the whole idea that there was an under layer to society was enough. The idea that if I got good enough I could be in that world was enough.

After my first official job I got my head chromed to work the data around me better and to function better. I still can't really see physically but I can make up for it in other ways. In a way, I can sort of see using data streams now. I picked up some drone knowledge and started seeing that way too - through my Drone-Doberman's Scanners. Handy for weapons too. And with the improved decking I picked up its really incredible the kind of things I've hacked open. Information's natural inclination is to spread, and I'm good at liberating it. Augur, as in like the seers of old. The Augur, who sees all - for a price of course.

[HopeFox]

This is a shame. I love Shadowrun, played all the PC games, but don't know anything about the pen and paper rules. Best of luck to you all!

If you're willing to give it a shot, we'd be happy to help you get the hang of the tabletop rules. I take care of most of the mechanical calculations anyway. If there's a particular type of character you'd like to play (street samurai, adept, face, rigger etc.), we could definitely help you get a character sheet sorted.

Had an idea!


NAME: Heian Nailo AKA "The Augur"
RACE: Elf (UCAS)
HAIR: Blond
EYES: Milky
HEIGHT: 5'4"
WEIGHT: 140lbs

ARCHETYPE: Decker

He sounds cool! He is definitely under consideration.

[Sain]

He looks pretty cool, but what makes him a high tier runner? Will Heian be able to put on an Armante suit to be allowed into the right circles :P

[TheVillain]

As I picture it, it's all in the interface customizations. Since very few people are genuinely blind anymore computers are programmed with sighted people in mind. If you go hot and hop into corporate servers you see virtual red filing cabinets and moats with dragons and all that jazz.

But Augur's brain doesn't work that way, he's had to customize his interface to create workarounds to his other senses just to function. As almost a side effect this means he perceives the 'trix and all that accompanies it differently. Sometimes this goes as far as to mean that weaknesses in other people's and Corp programs that are normally hidden are to him plain as day.

He doesn't see the meat world, but he can "see" AR and VR to a deeper level, right past the first few layers of code.

At least that's the story fluff for it. :P

[MissFire]

If you're willing to give it a shot, we'd be happy to help you get the hang of the tabletop rules. I take care of most of the mechanical calculations anyway. If there's a particular type of character you'd like to play (street samurai, adept, face, rigger etc.), we could definitely help you get a character sheet sorted.

I already have a face/rigger character ready, but nah, since you're already running I would just slow you down. I appreciate the offer though.

[TheRaven]

A concept! With the potential to also grab some Decking skills on the side. Maybe. At the moment I'm leaning more towards having some Adept infiltration abilities on the side.

Alfie Fairchild, a.k.a. Edmund Yates, Boniface Bellamy, "Janus"

Are you familiar with the concept of original sin? The idea that humans are eternally cursed as guilty the moment they've been born? Well, what about original SIN? It might as well be the same thing in the Shadows, especially with a corp SIN.

That's why I like to collect SINs: so no one finds my original one, especially the people I Run with. I'm partial to pride, lust, and greed myself, but when I'm playing nice with corporations, I'm Edmund; when I'm doing other things out and about, I'm Boniface.

Runners call me "Janus;" they're right about that one, more than they might care to know. Or that I like for that matter, but you don't pick your nicknames. Well, I was "Babyface Brit" when I was working in Berlin, but those aren't days I like remembering. I had to do a lot of things to survive outside of corporate reach in East Berlin. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Alfie. That boy worked for Transys. He was good; very good. He was climbing the corporate ladder. He had a shot at the big leagues. And then his competitor let slip to his boss that he was slipping it to a secretary from Renraku. Of course, the fact that he was using her for information wasn't something that the competitor was willing to share.

So, thrown out into the cold and unforgiving wasteland of the Edinburgh barrens, Alfie did what he did best: lie, swindle, self-promote, and negotiate. Why? Well, first it was for survival. Then it was for profit. Then it was to stay on the way up. He was climbing a ladder again, but this time it wasn't corporate: it was Shadowy.

Now he (which is me, yes) is living the high life: still being paid to do what he does best, but doing it both exorbitantly and in style. He's come a long way from his second origin, and he's more than willing to work to keep it that way.



Alfie's SINS are these:

Alfie Fairchild: His original SIN, first for Transys and now for NeoNET since their merger following the Matrix's second crash. Between paying for his return to the high life and paying for gear for more runs, he hasn't pulled together enough nuyen to pay someone with enough connections to delete this one. It's a Corporate SIN with a license as a magical adept. Alfie hasn't used his own name in connection to Shadowrunning, and he's hoping it stays that way. Alfie's native accent shines here, and it's pretty clear he's from Edinburgh.

Edmund Yates: The SIN he's broadcasting more often than not. Edmund's SIN is issued by the United Kingdom, and he has a flat in London in his name. Edmund's job history is that of a security consultant, someone hired by a corporation to test the security of one of their sites. However, he hasn't really worked that job in years; family inheritance set him up for life. A National SIN with licenses for a lot of Alfie's Shadowrunning gear that isn't outright illegal. Edmund speaks with with a Reserved Pronunciation accent.

Boniface Bellamy: A SIN for palling around with the rich and famous. Boniface's SIN was originally issued by the UK, but he moved to the UCAS in his mid-twenties. Boniface is an investor, primarily in trideo content, and he merits some invitations to fancy events this way. If there's legitimate business being done, it's often through this SIN. Another National SIN with the same licenses as Edmund. Speaks with a diluted Estuary English accent.

[Sain]

He looks very teasable for Funf ;D

[TheRaven]

I just realized I goofed my timeline somewhat. By my reckoning, Alfie would've been around 10 when the Flux State fell. Thought that was 2065 for some reason. Time for some fixing.

He looks very teasable for Funf ;D

Alfie's prone to teasing himself. He knows he's pretty.

[Phaia]

I was wondering if there is room yet for a concept/idea?

Phaia

[HopeFox]

I was wondering if there is room yet for a concept/idea?

Phaia

I'd certainly be interested to see what you have in mind! It's not first-come first-served. I'd be especially interested if you have a rigger concept to hand, although we'll consider anything.

[Re Z L]

I was kind of rattling around ideas in my head to piece together a Rigger, though I'm not super familiar with Shadowrun (the setting or the system).  I played once long long ago.

[Videospirit]

If it was 4e I could have made a Technomancer Drone specialist easily enough. I have never looked at fifth edition's rules though, and I'm not sure I want to do that for a slot that's not guaranteed. Shadowrun character generation is a very long and detailed process.

[Phaia]

I'd certainly be interested to see what you have in mind! It's not first-come first-served. I'd be especially interested if you have a rigger concept to hand, although we'll consider anything.

hmm, not really ... I had a concept for an elf technomancer/concert violinist new to the Aztlan orchestra. I had considered a submerance to get mind over machine [equal to a RCC1] but honestly 30 karma didnt work with the concept I was trying to build [espeacilly not being able to take neg qaulities to make up some of that big expense]...I could, I guess change her up some to work in a technorigger. but with 5e technos work much better as a weird out there class.



Phaia

[HopeFox]

hmm, not really ... I had a concept for an elf technomancer/concert violinist new to the Aztlan orchestra. I had considered a submerance to get mind over machine [equal to a RCC1] but honestly 30 karma didnt work with the concept I was trying to build [espeacilly not being able to take neg qaulities to make up some of that big expense]...I could, I guess change her up some to work in a technorigger. but with 5e technos work much better as a weird out there class.



Phaia

You'd probably be able to get a technorigger to work pretty well. Submersion is only 13 Karma for the first grade, and if someone else is making a decker, you wouldn't need to worry about hacking skills so much, and could concentrate on vehicle stuff. High Life character creation is pretty generous with stats and stuff. I'm sure we could make it work. The concert violinist angle sounds interesting.

[HopeFox]

I was kind of rattling around ideas in my head to piece together a Rigger, though I'm not super familiar with Shadowrun (the setting or the system).  I played once long long ago.

If it was 4e I could have made a Technomancer Drone specialist easily enough. I have never looked at fifth edition's rules though, and I'm not sure I want to do that for a slot that's not guaranteed. Shadowrun character generation is a very long and detailed process.

You're both welcome to submit a concept! You wouldn't need to worry about getting the numbers right until the decision was made.

[Phaia]

You'd probably be able to get a technorigger to work pretty well. Submersion is only 13 Karma for the first grade, and if someone else is making a decker, you wouldn't need to worry about hacking skills so much, and could concentrate on vehicle stuff. High Life character creation is pretty generous with stats and stuff. I'm sure we could make it work. The concert violinist angle sounds interesting.

13 karma? where does that come from? On page 257 of 5e it says 'Each Grade has a karma cost eqaul to 10 X [Gradex3] Karma.' By my figureing that is 30 karma?

I hope there is errata to change that?

Phaia

[HopeFox]

13 karma? where does that come from? On page 257 of 5e it says 'Each Grade has a karma cost eqaul to 10 X [Gradex3] Karma.' By my figureing that is 30 karma?

I hope there is errata to change that?

Phaia

Huh, I never noticed that! There's no errata about it, but it's clearly a typo: it should be "10 + (Grade x 3) Karma", the same as Initiation for magicians. That's certainly how I'm running it.

[Phaia]

Huh, I never noticed that! There's no errata about it, but it's clearly a typo: it should be "10 + (Grade x 3) Karma", the same as Initiation for magicians. That's certainly how I'm running it.

;D ;D ;D ;D

I checked the errata about it and no where has it been changed. 10+ was 4e and being 30karma for a submernace was the killer for my concpet of a technorigger! Now I have to decide if a 'RCC 1 or 2 is better [16 karma for 2nd submerance which does give her an 8 resonance ...hmmmm....hmmmmm??]

Thanks for the update I will work up a better concept for Phryne...

As for concert voilinist its her cover and she will probally have perfromance of an 8 with a special in violin [which would make her per the rules one of the best in the world and why Aztlan might want her]. Of course being a techno in the heart of an area that would love to crack open her head to see how she works adds some spice.

Is there any such things  as a fine crafted musical intrustment and if so do they add anything?

Also could she have registered a higher level sprite then allowed. limited to resonacne level yet she could compile one at 2x level. Also to be clear transhuman quality is 10 karma and gives a 'free' essense that can be used to cyberware?

Phaia

[HopeFox]

;D ;D ;D ;D

I checked the errata about it and no where has it been changed. 10+ was 4e and being 30karma for a submernace was the killer for my concpet of a technorigger! Now I have to decide if a 'RCC 1 or 2 is better [16 karma for 2nd submerance which does give her an 8 resonance ...hmmmm....hmmmmm??]

Well, the higher the control rig rating, the more ridiculous stunts you can do in your vehicles. :) (You don't actually get more Resonance for submerging, though - it raises your maximum Resonance, but you would still need to raise it with Karma.)

Thanks for the update I will work up a better concept for Phryne...

As for concert voilinist its her cover and she will probally have perfromance of an 8 with a special in violin [which would make her per the rules one of the best in the world and why Aztlan might want her]. Of course being a techno in the heart of an area that would love to crack open her head to see how she works adds some spice.

Interesting! Concert violinist by day, techno-rigger by night? I like it!

Is there any such things  as a fine crafted musical intrustment and if so do they add anything?

Well, 500 nuyen gets you a "nice" musical instrument, according to Run Faster. Paying more than that might get you +1 Social Limit for your performances. There are also "smart instruments" which provide bonuses almost identically to a smartgun.

Also could she have registered a higher level sprite then allowed. limited to resonacne level yet she could compile one at 2x level. Also to be clear transhuman quality is 10 karma and gives a 'free' essense that can be used to cyberware?

Phaia

Well, you can compile and register a sprite at up to double your Resonance, but you take Physical Fading by doing so. Registering a Level 7 sprite means taking 2P Fading for each hit it rolls on 14 dice, so it's very risky. You can also buy sprite services for 1 Karma each at character creation, from sprites of Level equal to your Resonance.

Prototype Transhuman costs 10 Karma and allows you to purchase up to 1 Essence worth of bioware or genetech (not cyberware) without losing any Essence.

[Videospirit]

If i'm just throwing out a character concept here's one:

The child of a rich man who got radicalized by the injustice in the world and built up strong connections with neo-communist organizations while getting high and partying with their college buddies.

Could be either a decker or Face, and could also be an adept.

[Re Z L]

Here's a vague outline for a character:

Family History unknown currently (Org Crime?)
Go-Ganger during early youth (begins Rigging experience)
Go-Gang assault accidentally targets small group of Runners (Oops)
Gang gets mostly scattered, due to skill doesn't get immediately killed
Runners point character in direction of Shadowrunning
Falls in with a team of Runners
Goes on for a few years, gets pretty good
One new job goes south in a bad way
Team gets wiped, unintended target gets killed in the fight (Corp Engineer/Scientist?  Maybe "freelance" engineer)
Character takes the place of the unintended target (gaining access to their resources, and taking over their SIN)
Takes a few years off running to settle into new persona, eventually "gets the itch" and gets back into the game

Metatype...I'm thinking either Human or Elf.

Character

Icon

[TheRaven]

Set up Alfie's SINs more in-depth just for fun because I have to be up to catch a train.