General Shadowrun Questions III: Ya like that, Chummer?

[DigoDragon]

Last session in my campaign, the team got to meet members of the local Urban Brawl league and partake in a party at a fancy estate. The big, tuff street sam ended up winning the heart of a hacker from another team that they've had scuffles with, the spellcasters made a few business connections with shady doctors, and the team came together and defeated an eldritch abomination that showed up in the basement to kill an important scientist that may or may not have been partly responsible for creating said abomination.

As one player put it, "the party went great until it didn't."

And the session ended with the entire team escorted by Lonestar back to the station for some questions on what went on in that basement.


The players are having a great time despite the police showing up, and their characters are panicking about how to handle this twist in the campaign.

For what it's worth, the cops don't have it out for the PCs. They've been chasing bigger fish in the Mafia and this might be an opportunity to let the players work things out with "community service". XD

[Xervous]

Last session in my campaign, the team got to meet members of the local Urban Brawl league and partake in a party at a fancy estate. The big, tuff street sam ended up winning the heart of a hacker from another team that they've had scuffles with, the spellcasters made a few business connections with shady doctors, and the team came together and defeated an eldritch abomination that showed up in the basement to kill an important scientist that may or may not have been partly responsible for creating said abomination.

As one player put it, "the party went great until it didn't."

And the session ended with the entire team escorted by Lonestar back to the station for some questions on what went on in that basement.


The players are having a great time despite the police showing up, and their characters are panicking about how to handle this twist in the campaign.

For what it's worth, the cops don't have it out for the PCs. They've been chasing bigger fish in the Mafia and this might be an opportunity to let the players work things out with "community service". XD

You killed a SINless, community service for littering. traditional SR.

[comicshorse]

Last session in my campaign, the team got to meet members of the local Urban Brawl league and partake in a party at a fancy estate. The big, tuff street sam ended up winning the heart of a hacker from another team that they've had scuffles with, the spellcasters made a few business connections with shady doctors, and the team came together and defeated an eldritch abomination that showed up in the basement to kill an important scientist that may or may not have been partly responsible for creating said abomination.

As one player put it, "the party went great until it didn't."

And the session ended with the entire team escorted by Lonestar back to the station for some questions on what went on in that basement.


The players are having a great time despite the police showing up, and their characters are panicking about how to handle this twist in the campaign.

For what it's worth, the cops don't have it out for the PCs. They've been chasing bigger fish in the Mafia and this might be an opportunity to let the players work things out with "community service". XD

But what did they actually do that was breaking the law ? I'm not sure shooting eldritch abominations is a crime

[DeTess]

But what did they actually do that was breaking the law ? I'm not sure shooting eldritch abominations is a crime

Depends on how much stuff they broke in the process of shooting it. That might be vandalism.

[comicshorse]

Depends on how much stuff they broke in the process of shooting it. That might be vandalism.

I'd guess the owner would be happy with any damage if it got the eldritch abomination out of his cellar

[DigoDragon]

But what did they actually do that was breaking the law ? I'm not sure shooting eldritch abominations is a crime

They haven't been officially charged with anything. They're being escorted to the station for questions, and likely this will lead into their credentials as runners. The lead Inspector knows an opportunity when he sees it, and I am setting up a few fun paths the team can go for to get out of their situation (and quite likely score some pay and cred with the Inspector). It helps that the estate security and one of the PCs captured part of the battle on video, which matches up with the team's story, the surviving scientist's story, and the estate head butler's story.

Course the players are welcome to come up with their own plan. One runner knows a good lawyer, and if he uses that path, they could could turn up the red tape to ridiculous levels so that the officers let the team go with just a stern warning out of not wanting to get caught up in litigation and such. Basically make the team not worth holding. But we'll see!

I'd guess the owner would be happy with any damage if it got the eldritch abomination out of his cellar

The good news (part II) is that the scientist they saved knows the estate's owner so there probably won't be any charges filed for shooting up the basement because cleaning up after a few bullet holes is much easier than cleaning up half-eaten guests killed by something from the Astral. If word gets out that your basement's haunted with monsters, your A-list tends to shy away.

[comicshorse]

The good news (part II) is that the scientist they saved knows the estate's owner so there probably won't be any charges filed for shooting up the basement because cleaning up after a few bullet holes is much easier than cleaning up half-eaten guests killed by something from the Astral. If word gets out that your basement's haunted with monsters, your A-list tends to shy away.

They are fussy that way

[stack]

They are fussy that way

Or you end up with an entirely different sort of folk on your A-list. This might cause problems.

[Eurus]

Hate to ask another question about poisons/tranquilizers, but:

Chloral Hydrate has its effect listed as "stun damage," and no other mechanically explicit effect. However, it also has a specified duration. What's the duration for?

[The Glyphstone]

Got a Chummer5 question and don't know where else to ask. I'm trying to make an Infected character, but the drop down for Critter Powers is empty except for astral brute and predators glamor. Where are all the other optional powers?

[Xervous]

Got a Chummer5 question and don't know where else to ask. I'm trying to make an Infected character, but the drop down for Critter Powers is empty except for astral brute and predators glamor. Where are all the other optional powers?

Not having it immediately on hand, have you checked what sourcebooks you’ve got enabled? That’s usually what gets me when I’m expecting options but don’t see them in chummer.

[The Glyphstone]

Done all the usual stuff. But I found the answer anyways, it doesn't exist. Infected powers have been on the to do list for 5 years or so.

[Lorsa]

Uh, I have a question:

How does one resist the Ghoul strain of the HMHVV? That is, type III I believe? This is in 4th edition still.

[comicshorse]

I think the best way is not to get bitten

[Lord Torath]

Complete guess (not familiar with 4E): I would assume it's a body test against the essence rating of the ghoul.

[Ignimortis]

Uh, I have a question:

How does one resist the Ghoul strain of the HMHVV? That is, type III I believe? This is in 4th edition still.

It's a typical disease/toxin resistance test (toxin resistance is found in 20A corebook, page 254, and disease resistance is very similar but for some reason it's in Augmentation, p. 130), so Body+any protective systems rolled against stats of HMHVV III.

Basically, Body+resistances-6 for pathogen penetration, and if you get less than 8 hits, you get infected with Power (8-hits). Repeat that once per in-game day, kind of like an Extended Test (but without the diminishing dicepool), adding your hits each time (so if you roll 3 dice each time, and you got 2 hits the first time around, you have 6 hits more to get).

Every failure means that you lose 0.1 Essence. If you lose 1.0 Essence in this way, the disease stops, and you become a ghoul. Rules for Ghouls (and other Infected, as well as the way HMHVV of all strains works), which are rather too much to list in a post, can be found in Runner's Companion, page 80 and onward.

[Lorsa]

Thanks for the help about HMHVV type III. I took some inspiration from those rules and made it a little interesting for the player. Since I don't want the PC to actually become a ghoul, I thought that the trait that increases resistance to magical effects would also work on the virus (since I figured it was part magical), and so the character came out intact. It also helps when you have high Edge.

However, another question regarding this, and money, is what treatment at a street clinic might cost? Is there any way to get info on that, and does it make a difference what was done to the character?

[LibraryOgre]

However, another question regarding this, and money, is what treatment at a street clinic might cost? Is there any way to get info on that, and does it make a difference what was done to the character?

1e had a table on this. Let me see

First Aid:
Deadly 400
Serious 200
Moderate 100
Light 50

Doctor's Services
Deadly 400/day
Serious 200/day
Moderate 100/day
Light 50/day

Hospitalization Lifestyle
500/day, which includes Doctor's services
1000/day Intensive care

Surgery
Minor Cosmetic 1000
Minor Invasive 5000
Major Invasive 25000
Drastic Invasive 250000

Not sure how these have held up through the editions, and obviously the wound categories no longer apply in box-based editions.

[BisectedBrioche]

I know 5e has similar rules FWIW (including a hospitalisation lifestyle; although it's basically "what the treatment costs" rather than a set price).

[LibraryOgre]

I know 5e has similar rules FWIW (including a hospitalisation lifestyle; although it's basically "what the treatment costs" rather than a set price).

I take those costs as applying at street docs, too. You might see some increase (the various NAN and North America books gave a modification to baseline prices).

[Lorsa]

Thanks again for the help!

I thought the hospitalization lifestyle seemed a bit cheap for a street doc giving you induced coma and providing nutrients through IV and whatnot. I guessed the drug cost itself would be rather high once it reaches the streets. So I increased it a bit, but it was good to have a baseline idea so I wasn't totally off.

[The Glyphstone]

Setting question: Do all mages Awaken in puberty, or is it possible to have a delayed/suppressed awakening and come into your power as an adult?

[comicshorse]

I'm pretty damn sure its possible to have a delayed Awakening. Particularly as in a gang based game the background for my Physical Adept was his Awakening was triggered by him having visited a hypnotist who 'regressed' him to a past life where he was one of the Knights of King Arthur. He was convinced this was absolutely true as on accessing these 'memories ' his powers suddenly appeared

[LibraryOgre]

Setting question: Do all mages Awaken in puberty, or is it possible to have a delayed/suppressed awakening and come into your power as an adult?

Most of them Awaken in puberty, but some Awaken later...

[The Glyphstone]

Good enough for me.

Another question - let's say two wageslaves from different corporations meet and fall in love. How hard would it be for them to get married, on a scale from "fill out extra-corporate permanent relationship form 23334-A8 in triplicate" to full-on Romeo and Juliet forbidden? Obviously the books are light on what it's like to live in the corporate world.

[LibraryOgre]

Good enough for me.

Another question - let's say two wageslaves from different corporations meet and fall in love. How hard would it be for them to get married, on a scale from "fill out extra-corporate permanent relationship form 23334-A8 in triplicate" to full-on Romeo and Juliet forbidden? Obviously the books are light on what it's like to live in the corporate world.

I imagine some of it depends on their level and such. I doubt they're able to get official permission, but lower-level types might be able to quit (or buy out their contract, or something).

But I'd be willing to bet that more than a few "willing extractions" are people looking to get out of their corporations for romantic reasons.

[Telwar]

Most of them Awaken in puberty, but some Awaken later...

One of my villains was a teenager whose test results had gotten mixed up by some inattentive lab tech and never got that he was a mage. Eventually he started hearing the call of an unbelievably lucky insect totem and became an emergent threat the PCs were hired to deal with (since the bugs had revealed themselves by one of them attacking the PC with a Spirit Enmity (Bugs) flaw).

[comicshorse]

Good enough for me.

Another question - let's say two wageslaves from different corporations meet and fall in love. How hard would it be for them to get married, on a scale from "fill out extra-corporate permanent relationship form 23334-A8 in triplicate" to full-on Romeo and Juliet forbidden? Obviously the books are light on what it's like to live in the corporate world.

I'd guess it depends on how much the Corporations are in competition. If both are in different fields than its just going to be massively annoying bureaucratic task. Whereas if the Corps are in direct comeptition then its full on wedding present of C4.
Though this does present lots of interesting ideas such as the P.C.s being recruited by a yearning young lover to extract him so he can be united with his true love only for them to discover on delivery the poor schmuck was 'honey trapped' by an attractive agent of the other Corp

[DeTess]

Another question - let's say two wageslaves from different corporations meet and fall in love. How hard would it be for them to get married, on a scale from "fill out extra-corporate permanent relationship form 23334-A8 in triplicate" to full-on Romeo and Juliet forbidden? Obviously the books are light on what it's like to live in the corporate world.

I'd say it also depends on how high up in the corp you go. Low-level clerk number 28735/A of one corp marrying janitor KMN-HG/5 of another corp won't raise any eyebrows on either side. The chief of RnD dating a high level security officer of another corp will definitely cause some trouble, but depending on the sway of either party might just result in the other getting extracted.

[CapnWildefyr]

I'd say it also depends on how high up in the corp you go. Low-level clerk number 28735/A of one corp marrying janitor KMN-HG/5 of another corp won't raise any eyebrows on either side. The chief of RnD dating a high level security officer of another corp will definitely cause some trouble, but depending on the sway of either party might just result in the other getting extracted.

I agree. A large corp with 20,000 employees in Seatlle alone would probably care less about the cafeteria workers and the average decker-marketer (or whatever you call a wage slave who just uses a datajack to spam people all day long). However, don't expect a pay raise or advancement. But the higher up the ladder -- even a janitor for example has clearance to empty the trash in sensitive areas -- the tougher it gets.

What might be more interesting are the families...