Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
- Eanwulf
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
4. The Red Ninja
Posted by: Ma'fan
There is no shortage of pajama-clad assassins whirling through Japan, but the vast majority of them are just posers in costume. There is a lot of evidence, however, pointing to Renraku operating a ninja force of their own (though the term “ninja†is used here in a very loose sense). Their training bears the hallmarks of Ryoichi Musashi's Koga school of ninjitsu, but the Koga school isn't on the payroll.
> Not officially, but Renraku has been paying a handful of Koga chunin a retainer over the past fifteen years. The three men are listed as cultural advisors, but it's clear they are responsible for putting together the Renraku program. Renraku's Red Ninja are social chameleons composed of ex-soldiers, spies, and even several kunoichi, or female ninja, trained in infiltration. The group works undercover infiltrating rival corporations and other organizations. They are called in when work requires a gentle touch, as opposed to the heavy hand of the Red Samurai.
> Mihoshi Oni
> One of my crew insists the Red Ninja have penetrated the Shotozumi-gumi and some of the smaller groups it controls. I don't know if it's true, but he's connected enough to know.
> Riser
> There are elements within the Kenran-kai who have ninja training. I don't think they are Red Ninja, but one might have trained them.
> Jimmy No
> I've tangled with these guys, and they are definitely classically trained. Their style is indicative of the Koga school, but that group denies any relationship with Shotozumi-gumi or Renraku. Somebody is lying, but why?
> Mika
Posted by: Ma'fan
There is no shortage of pajama-clad assassins whirling through Japan, but the vast majority of them are just posers in costume. There is a lot of evidence, however, pointing to Renraku operating a ninja force of their own (though the term “ninja†is used here in a very loose sense). Their training bears the hallmarks of Ryoichi Musashi's Koga school of ninjitsu, but the Koga school isn't on the payroll.
> Not officially, but Renraku has been paying a handful of Koga chunin a retainer over the past fifteen years. The three men are listed as cultural advisors, but it's clear they are responsible for putting together the Renraku program. Renraku's Red Ninja are social chameleons composed of ex-soldiers, spies, and even several kunoichi, or female ninja, trained in infiltration. The group works undercover infiltrating rival corporations and other organizations. They are called in when work requires a gentle touch, as opposed to the heavy hand of the Red Samurai.
> Mihoshi Oni
> One of my crew insists the Red Ninja have penetrated the Shotozumi-gumi and some of the smaller groups it controls. I don't know if it's true, but he's connected enough to know.
> Riser
> There are elements within the Kenran-kai who have ninja training. I don't think they are Red Ninja, but one might have trained them.
> Jimmy No
> I've tangled with these guys, and they are definitely classically trained. Their style is indicative of the Koga school, but that group denies any relationship with Shotozumi-gumi or Renraku. Somebody is lying, but why?
> Mika
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- Eanwulf
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
3. Intra-corporate Politics
Posted by: Kia
As runners, the closest you'll get to corporate leadership is the middle manager fighting his way up the corporate ladder. He's also the person most likely to get you killed. In the Renraku culture, you are judged by your achievements and your public image. The ideal faceless sarariman is someone who doesn't cause trouble yet does all the right things to get ahead. That can only happen with a great deal of image reconstruction, or sometimes image deconstruction. Shadowrunners working for Renraku are likely to find themselves in the middle of corporate infighting as sararimen try to show their superiors that they are the most worthy for promotion.
> If there's one rule in Renraku, it's that production prevails. The company will overlook your transgressions, so long as they're nothing that could cause the company to lose face.
> Sunshine
> Renraku is full of hotshot middle managers looking to make a name. I've worked for a handful and they do not share well. Masaki Masuda, who once hired me to deliver a crate of weapons to a black-market dealer, is a prime example of this attitude in Germany. Only after the job was done did I realize the real job was to deliver weapons that could be traced back to one of his co-workers.
> Red Anya
> I can give you a litany of Renraku Johnsons looking for runners to scrub their image or scuff up someone else's. The difference with Seattle-area Johnsons is that so many of them look like shit from the Arcology affair that the only way they can get clean is to reinvent themselves as owners/directors of one of Renraku's many shell companies in the area. The real scrub work is erasing the connection between Renraku and the shell company.
> Cosmo
Posted by: Kia
As runners, the closest you'll get to corporate leadership is the middle manager fighting his way up the corporate ladder. He's also the person most likely to get you killed. In the Renraku culture, you are judged by your achievements and your public image. The ideal faceless sarariman is someone who doesn't cause trouble yet does all the right things to get ahead. That can only happen with a great deal of image reconstruction, or sometimes image deconstruction. Shadowrunners working for Renraku are likely to find themselves in the middle of corporate infighting as sararimen try to show their superiors that they are the most worthy for promotion.
> If there's one rule in Renraku, it's that production prevails. The company will overlook your transgressions, so long as they're nothing that could cause the company to lose face.
> Sunshine
> Renraku is full of hotshot middle managers looking to make a name. I've worked for a handful and they do not share well. Masaki Masuda, who once hired me to deliver a crate of weapons to a black-market dealer, is a prime example of this attitude in Germany. Only after the job was done did I realize the real job was to deliver weapons that could be traced back to one of his co-workers.
> Red Anya
> I can give you a litany of Renraku Johnsons looking for runners to scrub their image or scuff up someone else's. The difference with Seattle-area Johnsons is that so many of them look like shit from the Arcology affair that the only way they can get clean is to reinvent themselves as owners/directors of one of Renraku's many shell companies in the area. The real scrub work is erasing the connection between Renraku and the shell company.
> Cosmo
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- Eanwulf
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
2. Red Samurai
Posted by: DangerSensei
Everyone knows about the Red Samurai. The armored warriors are the corporate equivalent of the British Royal Guard in stature. Unlike their counterparts, these ubiquitous elite military operatives are trained to deal with shadowrunners. The group is as much symbol as security measure, with each officer trained to look the part. They take extreme pride in their gosuku, or samurai armor. Putting on the uniform is seen as a lifetime commitment, identical to the vow that samurai of old pledged to their masters. They are required to take the keppan or blood seal upon entry to the order. Likewise, all members of the order carry the traditional katana and are trained in the classic sword arts of iado and kendo, as well as aikido to teach them how to fight if disarmed. Elite Red Samurai, the ones you hear about on the trid, take the vow one step further. They go through the complicated process of folding their own blade and having it blessed in a Shinto shrine.
> Yes, and they must draw blood if they draw their blade. This sounds like a bunch of anime crap to me. These guys are paid security. Mall cops with fancy armor.
> Baka Dabora
> Red Samurai guards take their vow very seriously. The position is seen as being prestigious in the company, above that of the average sarariman. Each member is viewed as samurai, and they are expected to uphold the tradition of the samurai to the letter, especially at the higher ranks. Red Samurai are the most highly visible symbol of Renraku, so if one of them screws up the whole company loses face. Members have been removed for excessive drinking or drug use, and yes, even for refusing to draw blood after their blade was drawn. The samurai of old believed in the mysticism of the blade. If a katana is returned to the sheath without drawing blood it is considered a dishonor to the blade and thus to the samurai who bears it.
> Snopes
While local directors and upper-level managers are allowed to request services from the Red Samurai, only the corporate CEO and board can give them orders. The Red Samurai function essentially as their own corporate sub-division, albeit one whose only product is service provided to other corporate subdivisions. They are supposed to cooperate with local management whenever possible, but in the end they are only truly accountable to those at the top of the Renraku pyramid, and they often act in full awareness of that fact.
The elite Red Samurai can be distinguished by the kozane or scales on the gusoku. Standard Renraku security officers have red kozane, but the top soldiers have black edges around the individual kozane. Of course, this ceremonial gear is dual purpose. Red Samurai armor is bullet resistant, HUD equipped, and flexible enough to allow them to chase you down.
Red Samurai operate in squads of five. The group members have overlapping skillsets, so if one goes down, another can take care of their part of any given mission. The exception to this is spellslingers—there's at least one in every squad, but usually that's all there is.
> Against these guys, geeking the mage first moves from good advice to being absolutely essential. You don't want to deal with their physical skills while also trying to defend against magic.
> Mihoshi Oni
Elite Red Samurai are rare, so you aren't likely to encounter them unless you're infiltrating a sensitive location. Standard Renraku security consists of a handful of well-dressed guards and a whole lot of automated features.
Posted by: DangerSensei
Everyone knows about the Red Samurai. The armored warriors are the corporate equivalent of the British Royal Guard in stature. Unlike their counterparts, these ubiquitous elite military operatives are trained to deal with shadowrunners. The group is as much symbol as security measure, with each officer trained to look the part. They take extreme pride in their gosuku, or samurai armor. Putting on the uniform is seen as a lifetime commitment, identical to the vow that samurai of old pledged to their masters. They are required to take the keppan or blood seal upon entry to the order. Likewise, all members of the order carry the traditional katana and are trained in the classic sword arts of iado and kendo, as well as aikido to teach them how to fight if disarmed. Elite Red Samurai, the ones you hear about on the trid, take the vow one step further. They go through the complicated process of folding their own blade and having it blessed in a Shinto shrine.
> Yes, and they must draw blood if they draw their blade. This sounds like a bunch of anime crap to me. These guys are paid security. Mall cops with fancy armor.
> Baka Dabora
> Red Samurai guards take their vow very seriously. The position is seen as being prestigious in the company, above that of the average sarariman. Each member is viewed as samurai, and they are expected to uphold the tradition of the samurai to the letter, especially at the higher ranks. Red Samurai are the most highly visible symbol of Renraku, so if one of them screws up the whole company loses face. Members have been removed for excessive drinking or drug use, and yes, even for refusing to draw blood after their blade was drawn. The samurai of old believed in the mysticism of the blade. If a katana is returned to the sheath without drawing blood it is considered a dishonor to the blade and thus to the samurai who bears it.
> Snopes
While local directors and upper-level managers are allowed to request services from the Red Samurai, only the corporate CEO and board can give them orders. The Red Samurai function essentially as their own corporate sub-division, albeit one whose only product is service provided to other corporate subdivisions. They are supposed to cooperate with local management whenever possible, but in the end they are only truly accountable to those at the top of the Renraku pyramid, and they often act in full awareness of that fact.
The elite Red Samurai can be distinguished by the kozane or scales on the gusoku. Standard Renraku security officers have red kozane, but the top soldiers have black edges around the individual kozane. Of course, this ceremonial gear is dual purpose. Red Samurai armor is bullet resistant, HUD equipped, and flexible enough to allow them to chase you down.
Red Samurai operate in squads of five. The group members have overlapping skillsets, so if one goes down, another can take care of their part of any given mission. The exception to this is spellslingers—there's at least one in every squad, but usually that's all there is.
> Against these guys, geeking the mage first moves from good advice to being absolutely essential. You don't want to deal with their physical skills while also trying to defend against magic.
> Mihoshi Oni
Elite Red Samurai are rare, so you aren't likely to encounter them unless you're infiltrating a sensitive location. Standard Renraku security consists of a handful of well-dressed guards and a whole lot of automated features.
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
- Eanwulf
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
1. The Seattle Agenda
Posted by: Mika
When Renraku shut down their Seattle Arcology, the company was forced to relocate a lot of personnel. The leadership was transferred to their new divisional headquarters on Manhattan Island, but that skyraker didn't have the capacity to hold all of the operations that went on in the Arcology. So anyone whose job description didn't fit with that New York state of mind was shipped out to satellite facilities across the UCAS and NAN territories. At first we all thought that meant Seattle was past tense for Renraku, but it turns out the corporate presence didn't vanish entirely. Renraku has been quietly backing Kenneth Brackhaven for years, hoping those yen would yield a windfall of Seattle-based contracts. But with Renraku's name meaning mud in Seattle, the corporation has found another way to win its way back into Seattle. Buy the ground under everyone's feet. Following the Brackhaven model, the company has been using a series of shell companies to purchase real estate throughout Bellevue, Tacoma, and parts of the Outremer. Some of the dozens of sales were made between Brackhaven Investments and Renraku for far less than what the land is worth. No word yet on what Director Sasaki plans to do with all that real estate.
> Renraku's real estate effort cuts across national boundaries, giving them significant land interests in NAN territories. That puts them up against the Horizon-backed Pueblo Corporate Council. I get the feeling that whatever is going on is larger than just repairing their public image in Seattle.
> Mr. Bonds
> This has the feel of a high-stakes game of chess. Want to guess who the pawns are?
> Turbo Bunny
> Renraku is also making inroads with organized crime elements in the Seattle area. The Yaks have been getting a little extra financial help to deal with the war they are facing, which was expected. All of the corps have an interest in making sure their favored Gumi survives. What caught me off guard is the Koshari. That group is all over the place calashing with street gangs. Every bullet they fire comes from a gun built by Renraku.
> Riser
Posted by: Mika
When Renraku shut down their Seattle Arcology, the company was forced to relocate a lot of personnel. The leadership was transferred to their new divisional headquarters on Manhattan Island, but that skyraker didn't have the capacity to hold all of the operations that went on in the Arcology. So anyone whose job description didn't fit with that New York state of mind was shipped out to satellite facilities across the UCAS and NAN territories. At first we all thought that meant Seattle was past tense for Renraku, but it turns out the corporate presence didn't vanish entirely. Renraku has been quietly backing Kenneth Brackhaven for years, hoping those yen would yield a windfall of Seattle-based contracts. But with Renraku's name meaning mud in Seattle, the corporation has found another way to win its way back into Seattle. Buy the ground under everyone's feet. Following the Brackhaven model, the company has been using a series of shell companies to purchase real estate throughout Bellevue, Tacoma, and parts of the Outremer. Some of the dozens of sales were made between Brackhaven Investments and Renraku for far less than what the land is worth. No word yet on what Director Sasaki plans to do with all that real estate.
> Renraku's real estate effort cuts across national boundaries, giving them significant land interests in NAN territories. That puts them up against the Horizon-backed Pueblo Corporate Council. I get the feeling that whatever is going on is larger than just repairing their public image in Seattle.
> Mr. Bonds
> This has the feel of a high-stakes game of chess. Want to guess who the pawns are?
> Turbo Bunny
> Renraku is also making inroads with organized crime elements in the Seattle area. The Yaks have been getting a little extra financial help to deal with the war they are facing, which was expected. All of the corps have an interest in making sure their favored Gumi survives. What caught me off guard is the Koshari. That group is all over the place calashing with street gangs. Every bullet they fire comes from a gun built by Renraku.
> Riser
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- Eanwulf
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
Alright then, time to move on to game discussion.
Since there are no true "good guys" or "bad guys" in the cyberpunk setting. I open the floor to you all and ask.
Which side do you wish to play for?
The honor bound samurai of Renraku Corporation as they try to "rise from the ashes" of economical/financial setback(s) - partaking in whatever missions they deem necessary to do so.
Or...
The other guys. Most likely a newly formed secret cabal known as the Order of the Open Palm. Set with their own agendas to both "hinder and redirect" the corporate conglomerate of Renraku to their own designs the Order of the Open Palm tries its best to inflict its values upon the single-minded MegaCorp.
Consider this the first ball we get rolling as our campaign unfolds. And know that yes, it is possible to play a former Renraku turned Cabal as well. Our starting adventure can easily handle this.
I open the floor to you now...
Since there are no true "good guys" or "bad guys" in the cyberpunk setting. I open the floor to you all and ask.
Which side do you wish to play for?
The honor bound samurai of Renraku Corporation as they try to "rise from the ashes" of economical/financial setback(s) - partaking in whatever missions they deem necessary to do so.
Or...
The other guys. Most likely a newly formed secret cabal known as the Order of the Open Palm. Set with their own agendas to both "hinder and redirect" the corporate conglomerate of Renraku to their own designs the Order of the Open Palm tries its best to inflict its values upon the single-minded MegaCorp.
Consider this the first ball we get rolling as our campaign unfolds. And know that yes, it is possible to play a former Renraku turned Cabal as well. Our starting adventure can easily handle this.
I open the floor to you now...
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
This thread is more appropriate to the Game Interest, or Workshop Area. I'm moving it to Workshop for now.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
My character concept works better with the first option--someone trying to be a good guy in a world he knows isn't good and which he doesn't believe ever will be. He sees megacorp domination as a necessary evil, since he believes the alternative is the world sliding into total chaos. (He has more or less the opposite of my own beliefs, which is why I think it would be interesting to play him.)
- Eanwulf
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
About to go to the Dr.'s to have him whittle my leg some more. No real reason to move this thread TBH as Random Chatter says:
This forum is for general, random chatter. Feel free to discuss pretty much anything here. Any game being run is also on topic.
It is equally as disposable/overwrite-able as the next thread given time, etc.
Anyways. I was working on some ideas from work to throw out there and would love some input. Conceptual images as you would, for what I saw the game revolving around. I'll post those as time permits.
This forum is for general, random chatter. Feel free to discuss pretty much anything here. Any game being run is also on topic.
It is equally as disposable/overwrite-able as the next thread given time, etc.
Anyways. I was working on some ideas from work to throw out there and would love some input. Conceptual images as you would, for what I saw the game revolving around. I'll post those as time permits.
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
- Eanwulf
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
- Eanwulf
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: House of the Rising Son
My initial thoughts were a secret cabal known as the Order of the Open Palm. The Open Palm being a more laid back and accepting way of lifestyle. Funding themselves through whatever means are necessary and available, Botan Nokada and his small band of supporters would try to utilize meta and pro-meta runners to further his goal.
Enter party members.
Make any sense? Thoughts? Input?
Overall, I see this as a conflict similar to when the Emperor of Japan decided to Modernize his country and in turn fire all of the Shoguns. End result was a bloody feud of gunpowder-wielding soldiers vs. devout samurai. This time, it would be high-tech purists vs. meta-human/magic opposition.
Gaining fame and furthering the Renraku name by meta-human employees would serve as one means of achieving said goal. Utilizing the knowledge they have acquired to help ferret out corrupt opposition and assist pro-active sympathizers also said means.
Once more, thoughts? Input? I'm just generalizing here...
Oh yeah, the bold faced parts about Director of Research Tadahiro Mori sprung from an idea for one of our initial adventures. Securing the sympathies of the head of the Renraku Asia department to go ahead and start cycling funds into Operation Open Palm. Payback for the murder of his loved ones, etc.
Last edited by Eanwulf on Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!