Forming a Shadowrun Team

[NotoriusBEN]

I get a cold sweat every time I goto china in shadowrun, and not because of the hairbrained schemes crpg.
For some reason we always ended up in Kowloon Walled City, and its just bad news bears all around in there.  Good luck, save the last bullet for yourself.

[Velatha]

So I am interested in shadowrun but am a noobie so I don't really know any lore or mechanics.  The setting sounds so neat and up my alley, but it is so dense it is a little intimidating looking in.

[Conundrum]

So it seems that prime runners is what is popular and there is a current lean towards China.

I get a cold sweat every time I goto china in shadowrun, and not because of the hairbrained schemes crpg.
For some reason we always ended up in Kowloon Walled City, and its just bad news bears all around in there.  Good luck, save the last bullet for yourself.

Should I take that as a preference for Europe?

So I am interested in shadowrun but am a noobie so I don't really know any lore or mechanics.  The setting sounds so neat and up my alley, but it is so dense it is a little intimidating looking in.

I intend to take each person through an individual or small group run first to make sure I and they can stick with it.  If you want I can help to acclimate you before and during that.

[Velatha]

I intend to take each person through an individual or small group run first to make sure I and they can stick with it.  If you want I can help to acclimate you before and during that.

I would really apprecuate that.  That would help a lot with getting an introduction to the game.

[Muse]

  I can help you build a character, Velatha.   :) 

[NotoriusBEN]

Should I take that as a preference for Europe?

oh sorry, Conundrum. I'm just talking about past games I've played over the years. It was just odd that every GM I've had managed some story beat that took us into Kowloon Walled City.
Its like going into the Renraku Arcology was always the thing back in 3rd edition. I am not going to make a character, I just hopped in to talk Shadowrun for a bit.

If its throwing off your recruitment, I'll stop.

[Conundrum]

Alright, so prime runners, sum to 10, China, 5e.  Is everyone fine with this?

oh sorry, Conundrum. I'm just talking about past games I've played over the years. It was just odd that every GM I've had managed some story beat that took us into Kowloon Walled City.
Its like going into the Renraku Arcology was always the thing back in 3rd edition. I am not going to make a character, I just hopped in to talk Shadowrun for a bit.

If its throwing off your recruitment, I'll stop.

Ah, it's no problem.  Thought you were interested so figured I would check.

[Drowdeviant]

Alright, so prime runners, sum to 10, China, 5e.  Is everyone fine with this?

What's the general situation in China? That part of Asia is just a blank spot to when it comes to lore (know more about the americas and some parts of Europe).

[Velatha]

It sounds good to me.  I'll work with Muse to get something going and figure out what is going on.

[Lockepick]

I'd also recommend 'Chummer' for any new people! It's a free program (https://github.com/chummer5a/chummer5a) that walks you through character creation and pulls in stuff from all the books. There's a version for 5e and I think one for 4e? I haven't used them in a while, but I remember it being a godsend last time I made a character.

[NotoriusBEN]

yo, that is pretty sweet @Lockepick
and its a newer version than the one I got (I think I still have a version from the original author of the program)
I'm gonna dive into it and see what's up.

From personal experience, I do recommend people use Chummer, it helps with keeping track of so much math, especially all that nuyen for your initial shopping lists.

[Velatha]

That sounds pretty good.  I'll give it a nice long look over.

[Callie Del Noire]

Wish I’d seen this thread earlier

[Conundrum]

Yeah, I highly reccomend people use Chummer, if you are unfamiliar with Chummer you will likely need to do some work in the settings unfortunately such as enabling some or all of the English language books.  If you guys have any questions with Chummer ask me and I will try to help

What's the general situation in China? That part of Asia is just a blank spot to when it comes to lore (know more about the americas and some parts of Europe).

It's pretty wild west out there.  Lots of petty kingdoms, warlords, and corporate colonialism.  Due to several natural disasters brought on by the awakening the Chinese government was severely weakened as internal strife rose.  Corporations used this opportunity to make the situation worse as to take what they could.  This lead to a civil war that effectively continues to this day.

Map

The player's will start out in the campaign proper in the Coastal Provinces.  This is where the corporations have their strongest hold.  The name is a catch'all for numerous small states throughout the region, any governments here are simple puppets for the corporations.  It is full of corporate enclaves, factories, and plants for producing, processing, and shipping goods around the world.  Where there are corps there is corp conflict, and with the rather weak governments this provides a lot of freedom in how that happens.  With all that shipping modern pirates are extremely common in the region.

The Republic of China is the remains of what used to be the central Chinese government.  It is now a capitalist haven and where many corporations have their Chinese operations headed.  It militarily opposes Henan and Beijing and is propped up by corporations to keep anti-corporate sentiment from taking over in the country like it has in several of it's neighbors.

Beijing is technically part of the Republic of China but this exists only on paper.  During the turmoil of the wars in China a mysterious magic user with a force of spirits took over Beijing and declared himself emperor and holder of the Mandate of Heaven.  The Republic of China has repeatedly tried to oust him but a treaty was eventually signed to return infrastructure to Beijing in return for the Emperor stating that officially Beijing is an autonomous state of the Republic of China.  Almost nothing is known about the Emperor, he claims he was struck by lightning one day and had his new Wujin powers while recalled nothing before then.  He has established multiple magically oriented ministries who regularly employ shadowrunners to perform odd and esoteric but always magically related tasks.

Henan is the last holdout of the communists.  A command economy and strongly anti-corporate it only allows extraterritoriality due to being held over a barrel during the breakup of China.  The war with the Republic of China is still fresh in the minds of many and the nation does not sit and simply stew over it's opposition to corporations.  It constantly attempts to get in their way, is known to be a home to many anti-corporation terrorist groups, and may even be aiding international anti-corporate terrorist groups.  The nation has a devastating effective secret police force that keeps constant pressure on organized crime and is in a constant struggle with the great dragon Lung who backs the triads.

Manchuria is an awakened state and has refused to sign the Business Recognition Accords.  Naturally this makes the corporations somewhat antagonistic towards them as they do not like having a modern industrialized nation able to spurn them and the Republic of China still has dreams of one nation again.  The Manchurian government appears to have various issues with the Yakut shapeshifters which has been spurned on by the large spirit population of the nation.

Shaanxi is a constitutional monarchy with no shortage of enemies despite it's relatively short existence so far.  The nation has undergone a large cultural revival with many high profile archaeological digs and many trappings and stylings of when Xi'an was the core of the Chinese Empire.  As is common with monarchies where the royals play an active roll the politics can be nearly impenetrable to the casual observer.  There are countless suspected friends and allies but few concrete and known when looking into the various factions of the government.  The most well known non-governmental enemy to Shaanxi are the Atlantean Foundation, an organization who was kicked out at gunpoint after some unknown dispute at a dig site.  Militarily Henan and Sichuan stand at the border of Shaanxi, while Shaanxi reciprocates in kind due to border disputes, particularly around magically active mountains.

Gansu is a land of warlords.  The government has little control outside Lanzhou and even that is propped up by corporations who want it for the New Silk Road rail line.  Most the land is controlled by bandits and petty warlords.  The land is valuable for magical assets and natural resources but is difficult to control.  Mercenary work is popular in the region to protect assets from various bandits and warlords.

Sichuan is the military powerhouse of the remaining Chinese states.  The province of Sichuan was initially weak and fractured following it's secession from centralized authority, this changed when a military junta took power.  The nation is now a military magical meritocracy.  Most important positions are held by former members of the military who are magically awakened.  Smaller leaders generally find themselves at most a secondary power to local garrison commanders rendering civilian government in many places a rubber stamp to military officers.  Sichuan does appear to sit content either and has maintained a strong military aimed most prominently at the Canton Confederation.

The Canton Confederation is the economic powerhouse of the Chinese successor states but is also politically divided.  Each member of the Confederation can negotiate their own agreements with outside entities making them very permeable and open to outside influence.  Key assets such as the military are under a central government but their remit is very limited.  Corporate presence is massive and widespread throughout the Confederation as well as well as the strongest presence of foreign governments and organizations in Macao.  The Canton Confederation effectively considers itself the successor to the Chinese claims in the South China Sea as well putting it in conflict with the varies entities who claim the region as well.

Yunnan has become a drug filled backwater.  The centralized government utterly weak and ineffectual the nation is plagued with racial issues while completely unable to counter the drug cartels in any effective manner.

Guangxi is another province which has suffered since the fall.  Overrun with bandits and petty warlords the neighboring nations are unable to clean it up due to the weakening it would cause to their military, or are unwilling due to it allowing them to strike their opponents through it with deniability.

Taiwan attempted to retake China during the chaos through political means and while it secured two provinces was quickly ousted and had to beat back two assaults from the Canton Confederation.  It is now greatly internationally recognized and recognized by most Chinese successor states but current political atmosphere has completely given up on reunification.

Hong Kong Free Enterprise Zone, a corporate haven.  Completely independent of any Chinese authority Hong Kong is a city ruled by and for corporations.

[Conundrum]

Wish I’d seen this thread earlier

It's still open.  I am just trying to talk to people now and once I start getting characters people will get individual runs and I will see how things progress.

[PixelatedPixie]

Do you want people to start creating characters?

[Lockepick]

Have we committed to a system? I was under the impression there would be some permutations to the system based on the timing of the game.

[Conundrum]

Do you want people to start creating characters?

Yes, if people feel ready to do so.

Have we committed to a system? I was under the impression there would be some permutations to the system based on the timing of the game.

We will be using 5e and it will start in 2072.

[Lockepick]

I think I might need some help on what "Starting in 2072" means -- It means nothing is wireless, right? My guess would be that you'll replace commlinks with 'decks' then? Does Firewall even matter as a stat anymore if there is no wireless? and so on.

Also, are we doing Prime Runner with a cap of 10 on Avail still?

[NotoriusBEN]

In 2072, everything is pretty much wireless. As far as story beats for the world are concerned, the major one is that technomancers are revealed to be a thing.
Before their emergence, there was a lot of just weird happenstance with not valid explanation for weird matrix glitches.

Then one of the big10 megas had a *LOT* of footage get leaked of technomancer biopsies and disections... while those people were still alive and conscious. (Think of the frog in high school... now think its alive while you are doing that)
Caused a real big uproar and immediate sympathy for the technomancers, because public sentiment at that time was to curb stomp them like mutants from xmen.

I also believe quite a few sentient AI came out around the same time and said, "Yea, Hi, we are here. We want citizenship."

Everything else I know is about the Americas with shakeups happening between Knight Errant and Lone Star and Governor Blackhaven of Seattle... humanis prick.

[TheGlyphstone]

Flagging this for interest as well. Maybe this time a Shadowrun game will actually make it to the first run. ;D

[Conundrum]

I think I might need some help on what "Starting in 2072" means -- It means nothing is wireless, right? My guess would be that you'll replace commlinks with 'decks' then? Does Firewall even matter as a stat anymore if there is no wireless? and so on.

Also, are we doing Prime Runner with a cap of 10 on Avail still?

Everything went wireless following 2064.

Characters are prime runners, built with Sum to 10, and the availability cap is 15.

[PixelatedPixie]

Ignore this one, a different character was submitted later.

I never feel like I make a 'good' character in Shadowrun, and this is my first time using Chummer so I have probably gone wrong somewhere or forgotten something important, but draft 1 of my character is below.  The background so fairly point form and short, mostly an attempt to put down my rough thoughts for her.   

EDIT: I may change to a non-mage if there is a lot of interest in mages.

WIP Sheet

Caitria ‘Belle’ Martiza was born and raised in Seattle by a pair of Horizon wage slaves.  A dwarf by birth, but a remarkably human looking one, it was expected by pretty much everyone that she would follow in her parent's footsteps. 

When her magical aptitude appeared she was transferred to special schools and special programs.  She was trained and indoctrinated for years before being transferred to Horizon Asia's intelligence gathering department.  Her specialty was interrogation and she quickly learned to use her magical talents to torture and manipulate those that she was assigned to break.  She didn't enjoy the job, especially as it seemed many of those she interrogated had little to hide.  She grew disillusioned but it wasn't until one of her targets spilled a secret he wasn't supposed to know that everything went sideways.

Caitria doesn't know what the secret was, it was spilled when she wasn't present.  But just the hint, the threat, that she might know was enough for Horizon to send a squad to arrest her in her own apartment.  She managed to evade capture in a rather large fiery explosion.  She managed to get away by calling in every favour she'd earned, and cashing in ever dark secret she knew.  She got out of the country but, not knowing where else to go or what to do, she went to ground in the Coastal Provinces.  She now operates under the pseudonym of 'Belle' fully aware that Horizon still has a rather large bounty on her head.


== Personal Data ==
Street Name: Belle
Name: Caitria Martiza
Movement:14/28 (1m/hit)
Swim:5 (1m/hit)
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Dwarf(None)Female Age 27
Height 4'10"
Composure: 13
Judge Intentions: 12
Lift/Carry: 6 (45 kg/30 kg)
Memory: 8
Nuyen:1,110¥

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

== Attributes ==
Current Form:
BOD: 3
AGI: 5(7)
REA: 2(3)
STR: 3
CHA: 7
INT: 5
LOG: 2
WIL: 6
EDG: 2
MAG: 6

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                                6.00
Initiative:                             8 +2d6
Rigger Initiative:                      8 +2d6
Astral Initiative:                      10 +3d6
Matrix AR:                              8 +2d6
Matrix Cold:                            9 +3d6
Matrix Hot:                             9 +4d6
Physical Damage Track:                  10
Stun Damage Track:                      11

== Limits ==
Physical:                               4
Mental:                                 5
   Audio Enhancement [+2] (Only for Perception (Hearing))
Social:                                 9
Astral:                                 9

== Active Skills ==
Arcana                                  Base:4          Pool:6
Clubs                                   Base:1          Pool:8
Con                                     Base:5          Pool:12
Counterspelling                         Base:5          Pool:11
Impersonation                           Base:5          Pool:12
Negotiation                             Base:2          Pool:9
Perception                              Base:1          Pool:6
Performance                             Base:5          Pool:12
Pilot Ground Craft                      Base:3          Pool:6
Pistols (Semi-Automatics)               Base:5          Pool:12(14)
Running                                 Base:1          Pool:4
Sneaking                                Base:3          Pool:10
Spellcasting (Manipulation)             Base:5          Pool:11(13)
Swimming                                Base:1          Pool:4
Unarmed Combat                          Base:1          Pool:8

== Knowledge Skills ==
English                                 Native
Japanese                                Base:6          Pool:12
Mandarin                                Base:6          Pool:12
Spanish                                 Base:6          Pool:12
Fashion                                 Base:2          Pool:7
History                                 Base:2          Pool:4
News                                    Base:1          Pool:6

== Contacts ==
;Armorer(3, 2)
;Bartender(2, 3)
;Corporate Manager(6, 1)
;Fence(2, 2)
;Mr. Johnson(2, 1)
;Fixer(4, 5)
;Street Doc(1, 3)
;Smuggler(3, 2)

== Qualities ==
Exceptional Attribute (CHA (1))
Human-Looking
Linguist
Mystic Adept
Resistance to Pathogens/Toxins
SINner (Corporate) (Horizon)
Steely Eyed Wheelman
Thermographic Vision
Wanted (50000)

== Spells ==
Agony                         DV: F-4
Analyze Truth                 DV: F-2
Control Thoughts              DV: F-1
Fireball                      DV: F-1
Heal                          DV: F-4
Influence                     DV: F-1
Mana Barrier                  DV: F-2
Physical Barrier              DV: F-1
Stunbolt                      DV: F-3
Swarm                         DV: F-1

== Powers ==
Enhanced Accuracy (skill) (Pistols)
Improved Physical Attribute (AGI)Rating: 2
Improved ReflexesRating: 1
KinesicsRating: 3
Mystic ArmorRating: 3

== Lifestyle ==
Apartment(Medium)1 Month
   + Cramped [-10%]

== Armor ==
Form-Fitting Body Armor                  8
   + Concealability
   + Custom Fit

== Weapons ==
Colt America L36
   + Concealable Holster
   + Silencer/Suppressor
   + Smartgun System, External
   + Spare Clip
   + Spare Clip
   + Spare Clip
   Pool: 12 (14)   Accuracy: 7 (10)   DV: 7P   AP: -   RC: 2
Extendable Baton
   + Concealable Holster
   Pool: 8   Accuracy: 5   DV: 5P   AP: -   RC: 2
Unarmed Attack
   Pool: 8   Accuracy: 4   DV: 3S   AP: -   RC: 2

== Commlink ==
Erika Elite(ATT: 0,SLZ: 0,DP: 4,FWL: 4)
   + Commlink Functionality[Camera, Micro, Chip Player, Credstick Reader, Earbuds 1, GPS Guidance System, Micro Trid-Projector, Music Player, RFID Tag Scanner, Shock- and Water-Resistant Case, Touchscreen Display]

== Gear: Equipped ==
Ammo: APDS (Light Pistols) ×50
Ammo: Flechette Rounds (Light Pistols) ×50
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Light Pistols) ×200
AR Gloves
Certified Credstick, Platinum
Certified Credstick, Silver
Certified Credstick, Standard ×2
Contacts Rating 3
   + Smartlink
   + Image Link
   + Flare Compensation
Earbuds Rating 3
   + Sound Link
   + Audio Enhancement Rating 2
Fake SIN Rating 5
Fake SIN Rating 2
Micro-Transceiver
Power Focus Rating 2
Spellcasting Focus, Combat Rating 5

== Vehicles ==
Suzuki Mirage (Racing Bike)       
   + Sensor Array Rating 2

[/s]

[Muse]

Coral: Shadowruning Mage, Fencer, and Biker

   Takahashi Tanahome is an awakened Shinto practitioner working as a marine biologist for Mitsuhama.  His wife--Kieko--was a proper human Japanese woman and his mistress Aliya--was a blonde elf beauty.  Tanahome loved them both very much, and the two girls usually got along with each toher, too. 

   As such, when Aliya had a daughter--Yuki--Tanahome raised her as his own.  It would not have been appropriate to give his family name to the daughter of his mistress, but he wanted the girl to have a name, so he gave her his personal name, Tanahome. 

   Tanahome gave Yuki more than just his name.  She inherited his awakened nature.  He gave her an expensive education including initiation into the Shinto magical tradition. 

   Tanahome's legitimate daughters were somewhat spoiled by their father's indulgence but Yuki was a doer.  It started with innate desire to do, see, experience, and be, but over time Yuki came to realize that not everyone in Mituhama would give her so many opportunities.  She both worked hard to prove herself and pursued several avenues of rebellion.  She never picked up firearms--that would have raised some eyebrows--but she learned a few combat spells.  She enjoyed bike racing and traded out traditional kendo training for western rapier play. 

   Tanahome's family traveled a lot.  Yuki was especially in love with this fact.  Where her half sisters and half brother groaned about leaving friends behind, Yuki savored the chance discover a new culture, learn a new language, see new sights, sunbathe on a new stretch of beach! 

   When Yuki was 18, her family moved to a remote island where Mitsuhama was exploring one of the last truly unspoiled coral reefs in the Sixt World.  The locals--including an indigenous Polynisian people--had preserved the reef for tourism and traditional fishing practices for centuries.  The reef  was a wonderland of rainbow colors and pearlelescent structures, darting fish and alien seeming creatures.  Mitsuhama was developing traditional remedies off of the reefs into modern medicine--and poisons--and also exploring new ones.  There were a variety of awakened life forms here, too. 

   Yuki loved that reef like she loved her family.  She spent hours on end in scuba gear swimming around in it.  It terrified her family on account of the fact that the wealth of the reef was attracting a lot of corporate espionage--including shadowruners.  Yuki even got into a fight with a shadowrunner once.  She was diving through phosphorescent parts of the reef that night when a runner team tried to steal research from the reef.  Yuki subdued a runner girl with her stun bolts and pulled her up onto a sand bar . They spoke for a time, and then Yuki released her in return for the runner team agreeing to disarm the explosives they'd planted on the sea lab they raided. 

   Yuki was twenty when Evo managed to force a hostile takeover of the island.  People began to pack up and pull out in preperation fort he transfer of the property in three months.   Tanahome was very unhappy about something but the girls couldn't get him to open up. 

   The night before leaving, Yuki unpacked her scuba gear and went swimming on the reef one last time.  She lost track of time.  Her father came with a security team to pull her out.  Yuki was in a panic, demanding that the security people call a bomb squad. 

   "There's a huge explosive charge on the reef!" she insisted. 

   Tanahome took her in his arms and lead her to their plane.  "They know, my love," he said, deep sadness in his voice, "They know." 

   The reef was destroyed as they were flying away on the last civilian plane.  Mitsuhama had declared a scorched earth policy on the lost property.  By the time Evo moved in, the eastern and northerner half of the island were nothing but steam and ash. 

    Yuki left home not long after.  She took the open roads of the world on her bike, traveling from county to country. 

   A new runner appeared in the shadows that year too.  A formidable young woman.  She was surprisingly merciful to corporate employees, using stun spells to leave unconscious guards alive, but she has already been linked to the death of two low level executives.  She's been identified by her calling card. 

   A piece of coral. 

[TheGlyphstone]

Can someone please explain to me how to make a Metavariant character in 5e? I've got the core book and Run Faster, but I can't find the cost of 'upgrading' from a base metahuman to a regional variant species.