It's been twelve long years since "The Year of the Comet" and Japan was forced to issue orders that would withdraw their troops from the surrounding regions of their Empire in order to help rebuild their devastated Homeland. Now, over a decade after the "Ring of Fire" incident later, the Land of the Rising Sun seeks to regain its former foothold in these lands long since abandoned by any serious forms of a military presence. Among the Corporations seeking to gain favor in their Emperor's eyes, Mitsuhama, Renraku, & Shiawase stand out as the three most prominent ones to do so. Having already slipped in favor in the past, Renraku Corporation has vowed to do so with fervency and once more reclaim their Number One position amongst the others. Enter our Players and Game.
House of the Rising Sun is a Shadowrun campaign set in the year 2073. Players assume the roles of a band of runners that is hired on under Renraku Retainer. Their goal, that of reestablishing and maintaining a proper foothold in their Employer''s formerly dominated territories outside Japan. Missions will include: Lots of Wetwork, Political Espionage, an occasional Milk Run or two, as well as Lots and Lots of Para-military Activity. After all, in an Imperial Empire filled with nothing but Blood-thirsty Corporate Cutthroats and Sneaky Underhanded Backstabbers, there can really only be one House that truly rises to the occasion and outshines the rest. Can you help Renraku become the House? Join the ranks of the House of the Rising Sun today!
Game run by Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto himself, Eanwulf.
OK, let's finally get this puppy moving. Sorry, but between work and real life, I've also been entertaining an unexpected but most welcome guest and reading as many rulebooks as I can. Throw in some background stuff for my new Aliens game as well as normal everyday housework and you have one stressed out, tired GM. Regardless, beat me if you must and let's continue shall we?
The following is for everyone but Trogdor...
Thursday March 2nd, 2073
Melbourne, Australia
Roughly 1:45 pm
Prepping for Departure
The day following Marika's meeting is a busy one. Runners gather up their gear and try to form a basic plan of attack. Amidst their preparations the runners receive an encrypted text message from Slim on their commlinks. Decrypted, the message reads:
>Takeshi is a shrewd businesswoman! Something tells me that she is scouting us for something more than a mere run. So mind your P's & Q's and do a good job! Waiting nervously...
>Slim
Twenty minutes later, another text is received; also from Slim. Attached is a photograph and the following comments:
>I knew it! Takeshi just informed me that you are to meet up with another runner. Some low-level mage or shaman from Renraku. The name's Crow. Something about his skills set being a valuable asset. Treat him well. Looks to be a competent runner. More to come as I dig deeper. Oh yeah BTW. I smell more nuyen coming once things are done there!!!
>Slim
Last edited by Eanwulf on Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
While preparing for the trip and reading Slim's messages she does not reply to Slim. At least not much but mere confirmations of his news. The Japanese does not like the late addition, especially not meeting an unknown factor so late with no time to figure out who it is. However, it is not like there's any point to argue about it either as Slim's reactions so far looked pretty clear that he wants everything to go to Takeshi Marika's satisfaction and it's not like Point doesn't want the same as it's pretty clear that the woman has a good connection back into the Japanese Imperial State, a place Point intends to return to.
"Do you have everything you need, Leviathan?" She asks her half brother, looking over a pair or mirrored sun glasses against the late summer sun. "Kara now's still time to get anything we might need."
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
Gun is ready early. Whatever his vices might be, the man is deadly serious when it comes to the jobs he performs and today is no different.
The man looks at the costume they are going to be forced to wear and frowns. Subtly isn't exactly his strong suit, but it looks like, at least for now, he'll have to try. Gun knows jobs never go exactly to plan, and so assumes he will still get to shoot someone or something.
"Kings have no friends, only subjects and enemies."
Not to worry, none of us are freaks like you and that twisted fat brother of yours
Lyssa knew better than to text that back though. Getting into eastern tiger's systems had taken her less time than she had believed it would, she even managed to sneak in eight hours of pill-assisted sleep. So rested and armed with some knowledge, she arrived in good time.
Thursday March 2nd, 2073
Perth, Australia
Roughly 11:00 pm
Jandakot Airport in Perth, Australia
The group is booked on a cargo flight out of Essendon Airport the following day at 4:00 pm, bound for Perth International Airport; roughly a four-hour trip. The flight in is busy and hectic. The runners are booked upon a cargo plane for a reason. The container chamber reserved for their flight has been fashioned into a makeshift mobile lab. Those runners in need of being tidied up and made more presentable are done so there, as well as fitted with whatever chipsofts that they might need. In addition to this, the runners are further debriefed on their assignment and introduced to the new teammate Crow via securely transmitted audio and image.
Crow's image and audio involvement gives us all time together to mission prep.
Nano-paste cosmetics and timed (self-dissolving) collagen injections can help the Japanese runners look a lil more Korean. Other races are merely made to look as professional as one can be.
In addition to fashion makeovers, players can also change into their South Korea Electric uniforms, and be issued their equipment and identification. Crow already has his.
Feel free to continue mission prep in the OOC thread and I'll endeavor to keep you posted on any pertinent information.
Landing at PIA is rough due to high winds off the coast of the Indian Ocean. Apparently the weather forecasts were wrong, though no evidence of rainfall still remains quite consistent. As the group approaches PIA it is nightfall and they see the frequent flares of ignited gas vents from the huge biogas refining/processing plants. They are met by a man in a blue airport service coverall who gives Marika's code phrase. Returning the confirmation code phrase, the runners are then led to a commercial charter that carries them to Jandakot Airport; roughly another two-hour flight. It is here that they actually "meet" the new addition to their crew, Crow.
The man in the blue jumpsuit cheerfully explains that the real SKE crew “fell illâ€, and that the players are now serving as their replacements.
He also explains how the explosives work (they are all now disguised as diagnostic tools) and then shows the runners how to access the charge placement data on their portable "safety scanner" screens.
A gas rig safety checklist is also provided. The modicum of review during the 2 hour plane ride to Jandakot should be sufficient enough to bluff the runners' way through the 24 hour safety check. Pray no serious problems erupt on the rig however for passing yourself off as inspectors will definitely get a bit trickier.
I'll pause it here for operation catch-up then move us on as to heading out to the Leviathan.
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
Leviathan grits his teeth and tries to remain patient while Marika's people gussy him up for the run. He plans to hang in the background at any rate and let someone else handle most of the interpersonal interactions. When his disguise is complete, he rests for a while, reviewing information on the Leviathan rig, their cover story and their plans again, then looking at traditional Japanese art. If any of his fellow runners want to make small talk, he puts in the effort to do so. He is apprehensive at working with this Crow. Working with a new runner is always a risk--the person might flake out in a tight spot or otherwise prove unreliable. But the risk is often worthwhile if you can make another valuable connection.
Gun is not exactly excited about having someone dress him and make him look presentable. They are going to a drilling rig, not a formal dance and opera. The German stays quiet though and grits his teeth as his personal space is violated. Crow is apart of the corporation they are working for, and so, Gun decides the runner will have the mission's best interest in mind. Independent runners are the ones that flake out, in Gun's opinion, and they are those independents at the moment. Like Leviathan, Gun goes over the cover story and operation details one more time.
"Kings have no friends, only subjects and enemies."
Once they arrive at Jandakot Airport, they finally meet their new associate in person. Crow is an elf - and that means tall, thin, and attractive. He's in the same outfit as everyone else is, though his looks as if it fits a little better. As they get close enough, he offers his hand to each of them, though forces it on none. "Hello," he says in a friendly voice. "I'm Crow; I understand I'll be handling magical support for this run. I should definitely add some value as infiltrations are one of my strengths."
Use Fashion spell to tailor the coveralls to fit a little better.
"Greeting," says Leviathan in stiff, formal, but accentless Japanese, as he makes a formal bow to Crow. "I am Leviathan, an amphibious assault specialist." He eyes the elven mage critically, waiting to pass any judgement on Crow until he sees how Crow performs on the run.
