TigerGuard

Now if we can advance the CP setting as well as this sequel handled the continuation of the original, I might be able to get a group to come together and play!

So I'm getting a little turned around by this - are you proposing an early life generator that continues on through to the normal start point, thereby adding a few more rolls and events to flesh out your character's youth, or is it primarily to be used to generate characters who enter play before the usual charts begin at age 17?

If it's the latter, then eliminating most of those good luck / bad luck rolls doesn't make sense to me as you are laying out what happened to make an 8 year old in to a burgeoning solo/fixer/rocker/etc.

Part of me wants to suggest that the Mechwarrior 3rd edition RPG Early Childhood / Late Childhood event charts should be altered to fit the setting. For those unfamiliar with the game, they have choices like back woods, farm, blue collar, white collar, and street which could easily be translated to nomad pack, country, city, corporate, and of course street. If you did a d10 chart for the primary settings that included a mix of good, bad, and setting changing effects, then you have a better story builder for why a 15 year old is on the streets of Night City - as opposed to the high probability of Children (Nothing Happened), Kids (Nothing Happened), Teenager (Nothing Happened) now roleplay....

Also, I really like the idea of contacts / enemies strengthening or washing out as time goes by in the generator and I look forward to seeing how you handle that aspect.

I totally agree with removing the Romantic roll, how about replacing it with a Family Status Change event? Good rolls could be things like rich Uncle adopts you, Mom gets a promotion and can afford private school, etc. Bad rolls - Dad caught embezzling from the corporation and sent to jail, you and Mom relocate to Combat Zone.

Family based traumas, dramas, and successes during your formative years can have the most unique story line implications.

People may want to bitch and moan, throw derogatory statements up for debate and appreciation - but I can buy ammo without having to show an ID and proving that I am lawfully exercising my Constitutional rights. And thanks to how this election went, our forum members in Cali can actually feel confident that the Supreme Court will strike such restrictions down - unless they secede....

Boris tears a strip of his shirt off and makes a quick field bandage to slow the bleeding. For a moment he stands in a daze as he hears the noise of the rotors disappearing in to the distance - Are you fucking kidding me? A proper aerial surveillance and support unit abandoning ground forces in the middle of an active search? Who trained these people?

A few seconds wasted, Boris breaks to his left and looks to put distance between himself and the search team.

Call girls who leave money in a mark's wallet, gangsters who leave a target alive for apprehension, and now police who allow unmatched assets to leave the field.... how have we not steamrolled these rank amateurs? This is insulting!

Now hidden amongst the containers Boris slows a fraction to keep from loosing his footing and to give himself time to view his course. He takes the second left followed by the first right, working deeper in to the stacks.

You bastards better come in force, or I'll see to you leave in pieces, he thinks to himself as he glances back for pursuers.

Again taking the second left and first right turns offered to him he slows his pace and begins to creep toward the next intersection listening intently for the hunters. He clenches his cyber hand into a fist and flexes the arm, prepared to strike in a moments notice should the opportunity present itself.

OOC: Do I seem to still be in the docks, or have they dropped me in a different warehouse district?

Also, after my first turn or two, do I spot any sort of perimeter fencing which I can head for? Otherwise I need to look for another building which I may be able to seek refuge in

Outside the rain has started to come down again making everything slippery and grey and skidding slightly. A quick glance places you among a stack of containers that block the way directly opposite the door.. A narrow walkway extends to the left and right. Warehouse walls on one side and containers continuing on the other.

Fucking raining? Just when I thought the day couldn't get much worse, but apparently I have been corrected!

Boris breaks to the left as the thought brings a smile to his lips - just before the sting of the bullet brings a grimace.

That is another one I owe you for my friend, he thinks to himself as he takes the first opportunity to break to the right. Boris quickly falls into a tactical run, staying low while moving fast, quick glances for pursuit whenever he makes a turn.

@Boris,

 

The car looks in good nick - only a year or two old at most. (Cadillac CT6 esk). Unlocked though but nothing immediately visible (no key in ignition)

 

The rotor noise is getting closer towards the front of the building. It starts to reverberate as it gets lower. Probably less than 30 seconds out.

 

Lots of dust, rat / bird dropping, random rubble and bits of ceiling that have fallen cover the ground. Nothing that could be described as cover. The car is parked neatly in the centre and you can see tracks leading to the front entrance.

 

Length of the warehouse is 100m approx so equal distance either way.

Well then comrade, you have about 10 seconds to cover 50 meter's, Boris tells himself before taking a steadying breath, and then a second one before breaking in to a sprint for the door opposite the landing vehicle. Just before the door Boris launches himself into a flying punch and aims his blow for the center of the door, prepared to fall into a roll should the force of the impact actually clear his way.

(OOC - I can see this ending in an epic fail very easily, but I'm holding out hope the dice fall in my favor. Either way I will be laughing)

Thanks, that makes the decision much easier

thanks Tiger,

 

It does help thanks. I've been away for the weekend so will post again today.. I've sent you a reply just to make sure you are happy with what I propose.

 

Just the small matter of getting through the day now.. Corporate life is cut throat

 

I'll chase Root as well for an update before moving the story on.

One thing I don't see in the description that I need to know to move my line forward is the wall structure. I'm picturing the standard hangar made with metal framing and sheet metal walls. If this is correct or incorrect please let me onow so I can make good my escape

Greetings Gratwin,

I emailed you the info you wanted and I pray it is delivered because I didn't actually save it prior to sending

Hopefully it gave you the info you wanted

An insight into Boris's frame of mind would be useful too.

Boris's mind set right now is battlefield extrication. 15 seconds to evaluate his surroundings and he's making a break based on that. Fast checks of the exits and if somehow these people are so unprofessional as to have left keys in the ignition before he makes his move. Regardless of how he got here, and who he owes what, this is now combat and the first rule of combat is to survive - so that means leaving, and fast...

@Boris.

The impact of your fist is deafening as you strike the metal around you. towards your feet, head and sides it feels pretty solid but above you (as you lay on your back) the metal seems thin and pliable so you concentrate there!

 

With a bead of sweat forming on your brow you build a steady rhythm of solid hits - BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG - The strikes ring out and after a moment there is the smallest of shafts of light at each end.. You squint at the now slightly less dark surroundings you appear to be in the trunk of a car. Now with renewed vigor you concentrate your strikes where you think the weakest areas would be

BANG BANG BANG BANG.. PING.. WHABAMMMM!

 

The truck lid flies open with a crash - echoing loudly. This was no stealth exit.

You find yourself in dark, dirty warehouse, empty but for the car you are in and lit dimly by the small windows around the ceiling level. There is a large sliding (hanger-esk) door at one end and a smaller roller shutter at the other. You can hear the thump thump thump of rotors quite clearly now, and it sounds almost overhead.

Boris rolls out of the trunk and takes cover against the side of the car and immediately falls into his training - quick glances at the car (is it a junked hulk? or does it look serviceable?) and the paths to both exits - looking for cover along the way and possible alternate exits - while also listening to the bird above to try and determine which direction it is moving and whether it is ascending or descending.

@Tiger

 

Everything appears to be working okay - you can hear the whine of the servos responding to your subconscious commands. It's pitch black where you are and seems a little stuffy..

 

From what you can tell you seem to be on some kind of soft plastic.

 

Listening intently you can hear a gentle ding ding ding in the background.. the scream of gulls, and some kind of whump whump whump of a helicopter or osprey approaching..

Damn them all,Boris thinks to himself as he prepares the pistons in his arm,they will remember I was here.He begins to pound his arm against the container wall before him, cursing colorfully in Russian as he does so.

Cruising the net for interesting - non-japanese weird - vending machines I came across one in Canada that sells IKEA parts for their furniture kits and it sounded very appropriate for the areas not specializing in coffin motels to have larger vending machines that sell furniture kits. Something made from a few plastic pipes, a couple of joining screws and a rolled up pad that contains a snap and expand foam pack. Customers can choose a soft gel insert or a hard pack that will form fit the buyer upon release. Easier then lugging a rocker recliner through the Combat Zone, and if you have some unexpected company come by your place you just pop down to the vendomat to by a couple of chairs for them to kick back in.

Boris slowly lowers his hand and does what he can to evaluate his situation without moving - listening for any noises (muffled voices, electric humming, water, etc) and trying to perceive any light source or passage of air. He also attempts to move one finger on his cyberhand just to see if the systems ha been disabled.

@Tiger

At the end of the dock where you'll be working. Is a lone ship docked between a couple of derelict hulls. Looking at the boat you do notice something is wierd. There isn't a gangplank to the shore and the crew seem to be keeping aboard the ship. You don't however notice any weapons... Sergie thrusts a headset to you.. "time to unload my friend" before heading to a small crane

Limanov arrived in a truck, empty trailer ready for taking a single container.

 

If you put on the headset you'll hear the crackle of Sergie's voice "You are my eyes.. Let's get that container off quick and onto truck. Then back to the mess for some vodka, da?"

 

The next 10mins are a little dull as you observe the crew on the ship attaching the container to the chains that will lift it clear. [successful Awareness roll] They don't appear to be moving freely, and are looking very pale. Their language is clearly North Caucasus, Chechen you think..

 

The loading will go without a hitch. Despite your inexperience, you guide the loading like a champ, fixing the clamps to the trailer and moving clear.

 

At that point you notice a flash from across the water as the sun reflects of a lens...

Boris notes the flash - guilt by association now, or someone looking for me specifically? Either way, it strengthens his resolve to go shopping after work. Clothes fitting to the locale and a nice concealable weapon will make things better... at least it gives me a fighting chance should things go down.

And I need to find Seraphine, she might have a better insight to the low side of things and can help me get a bit off the grid. Dimitri and Magda are great people and all, but they don't need a shit storm brought down on them once my past catches up.

"All done here Sergie, what's next?"

Glad to have you on board Fink.. and on the board - fresh blood keeps the place alive

@Tiger

 

Dimitri emerges looking a little pale and ragged, dark bags under his eyes.

"Ughh my poor head.. Atch, no time for shower. We go"

 

It's a brief cab ride through the city as the streets are very quiet at that time, a light drizzle falls and the puddles that reflect the haze of pollution that already envelopes the city. Dimitri seems in a foul mood again and stares mostly out the window.

 

.. Security on the gate is pretty tight and so it should be as it is run notorious NC Harbor Police - Dimitri shows a pass to an officer manning the barrier who takes it into a security hut. Moments later it's returned and the barrier rises.

 

Dimitri seems relieved and muses

"Us Russians control the docks - mostly. What comes in, what goes out.. Just don't mess with those Harbor police. They are some hard bastards and for the most part incorruptible."

 

You pull up just inside a large warehouse - and join a small crowd of people who are milling about. They all look like a rag tag mix of dock workers.. dark well worn clothes, tough stocky build, scuffed boots.. They give you a bit of a look due to your finer attire.

The foreman comes out and barks orders in rapid succession - As individuals get their instructions they head off. Grabbing their gear and disappearing.

 

You're told to supervise the unloading of a single container from a ship that has just docked at the far end of the yard and get it loaded straight onto a vehicle.. There are a couple of guys with you to operate the crane you just have to guide it on.

They introduce themselves as Sergie and Limonov.

"First day on the job my friend?"

 

Dimitri is assigned elsewhere.. and his mood instantly brightens

 

*let me know if there is anything that you want to do before starting work and I'll carry on*

Boris greets his 2 coworkers cordially and keeps things all business at this point. While moving about the docks, Boris again checks lines of sight, travel routes in and out, and makes special notice of anyone not wearing NCHP gear who might be armed. He also looks for offices or shacks that may have an unusual number of people inside - possibly where the higher ups sit and drink coffee while doing the real business of the docks.

* As early as possible I'll hit the head and divide my cash between my 2 boots, keeping 100 in my pocket for day expenses. Other than that, just trying to get through the day so I can get to the post work phase and start my shopping spree... there is so much I need and so little time *

Just my two cents on this, but couldn't you combine the Specialized Police Agency and Gendarmerie rolls into one result? This would allow the GM a bit of flexibility to plug and play what suits the area - cause let's face it, military police in the heart of most American cities would be really unusual, but Immigration not so much. On the other hand, a setting like Brazil and military units swarming the favela makes total sense. This combo allows you to expand City / Corp police to a 1-4 result and adjust the rolls upwards from there.

Was also thinking the doing what table might benefit from a shakedown result. Seeing beat cops extort a local shopkeeper might not make the scream sheets, but it is a nice kick off to some adventures. While witnessing a national police agent explain to the local Corp Security commander that he has to pay a "fee" for licensing all of the fully automatic weapons his detail is carrying has much larger implications for a storyline. The bigger the agency involved, the higher the stakes, the greater the danger to anyone who witnessed the exchange.

The drinks flow freely and the night gets louder and wilder. Some ladies join you for a period, taking turns to sit with you - short skirts, boobs out.. everyone drinking vodka. A bottle of champagne gets opened later and soon everyone forgets about eating much food... in fact it all gets a little blurry!

 

You wake in the morning in your bed.. furry tongue, half removed trousers where you tried to undress, a telephone number written in red lipstick on your chest, a different colour lipstick smudge around your cock and a huge hangover..

 

Things you remember, not necessarily in the order they happened:

-Blurry sordid pleasures with Faith and Chastity

 

-Walking home without getting robbed!

 

-Dimitri crying in the toilet while throwing up - saying "prosti, prosti" over and over

 

-Getting asked to leave the restaurant and going to a club called Diablo.. with the girls.

 

-Banging on the door of Dimitries place as you didn't have a key

 

-Dimitri telling you that you had to be at the docks at 8am to help unload a ship..

Boris counts his remaining funds as best he can given his swimming vision and decides the girls were definitely amateurs, no pro worth her borscht would leave this much cash.

No need to keep the number then, girls like this are easy to find, he thinks as he tries to recall more of the nights festivities. Unable to penetrate the veil that has fallen over most of last night he remembers Dimitri's statement about work, and the growing list of things he must accomplish with haste and decides to get his ass out of bed.

Stumbling from his room he makes his way to the shower and lets the cold water wash over him and clear the cobwebs from his mind and then sets to clearing the lipstick from his skin. Finally cleaned he emerges from the shower and checks himself in the mirror. Must add shaving kit and styling products to the list of things to acquire,he decides as he checks his reflection. What the hell, he just said unloading a ship, I don't need to look pretty for that.

"Dimitri, get your lazy ass out of bed," he calls as he heads back to his bedroom and grabs up his jeans and his tank top. Hmmph, still stinks of that punk kid. Damn, have to add more shirts to the list. Heh, guess I am lucky those girls weren't more professional. Maybe my luck has really changed here. He grabs his last clean t-shirt and quickly slips it on over the tank top and heads back out to see if there is some coffee in the kitchen.

Need a bit of book keeping from you Gratwin -

Total winnings - $4700

Madga - -$200

Dimitri - -$200

Cashier info - -$40(?)

----------

Total left - $4260

Night Out Costs - ?

Funds on hand = ?

Seated eagerly at a window table by the waiter.. he brings you the menus - "drinks?"

Dimitri orders a bottle of vodka for you both 'while you decide' which he eagerly pours and beaming - raises a toast to you - "Welcome to America"

As the waiter delivers the first bottle Biris waves at him and orders two more bottles - this is a celebration after all - and some calimari to get us started 'while we decide.'

Raising his glass to Dimitri and Magda he replies, "Welcome to new friends, and a new beginning," before downing the contents of the glass and eagerly pouring another round for everyone.

"Grab a hot shower.. but first we drink" He'll pour 2 glasses and downs his instantly before heading to the balcony. "I must make call" He waves you off "Go go"

Boris raises his glass in salute to his new friend, then downs the contents of the glass. He inspects his temporary abode - checking under the bed, behind furniture, looking into any heating grate or such that may be present. Mentally he notes locations of places to hide or conceal things, checks all the sight lines to and from the room, and makes a quick map in his mind of all the ways in and out of this apartment. Once his recon is complete he leaves his duffle on the bed and heads in to shower - taking a change of clothes and his new won earnings in the bathroom with him.

The flow of the water is refreshing as it flows over his skin, it's just to bad it can't wash away his sins with his stink. Boris shakes his head thinking of how he has gotten here and wondering where he lost sight of who he should have been. In the end, he accepts that this reminiscing must end - just as the shower must! Getting out he dries himself quickly, working the knots from his long hair and searches the bathroom for hair care products and a brush. Once he has his mane worked into something presentable he throws on his armored jeans and a t-shirt - the one with the cyber-geisha leering from it - and heads back to his room to deposit his soiled clothes before going in search of where Dimitri left that bottle.