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The Snoop Snoop Song

by Janne Jalkanen (jalkanen@snakemail.hut.fi)

PLOT SYNOPSIS

Players receive a word from one of their regular contacts who is still speaking with them about a run that should be a simple one. Just like always…

The players will meet an elderly man that will introduce himself as Mr Johnson. His daughter is missing and the players should help him to recover her. (His real name is Gordon, Jack Gordon.) He will aid the runners as well as he can, but since most of his knowledge about shadowrunners comes from the trid, he is rather uncomfortable with the happening. If the players have big guns visible, he will refuse to say anything until they are discarded of. The happening will take place in a rather crowded local restaurant.

Note: The players must ask for a specific bit of information, as Mr. Johnson will probably not remember all the relevant points.

The Mr Johnson of this run is a typical sarariman of a local corporation called ‘Seattle Security Systems’, which is a middle-sized, pretty recently born corporation. It is rumored that it’s fast rise has not completely been due to the company’s own efforts. This happens to be true, as it is controlled by a man named Ivor Johansen, who is being blackmailed by the Mafia. The Mafia have been helping him along to enforce his company’s position as the Seattle’s leading security systems supplier. The reason why the Mafia are doing this is that when major companies are using SSS’s services, they can easily break in, etc. as they have access codes, floor plans, etc.

Mr Johnson’s daughter, a lovely 28 years old Matleen Gordon is a newbie snoop that happened to overhear a conversation between Mr. Johansen and one of his bosses and instantly smelled a possible story. She actually managed to get quite a lot of evidence (counts as Proof, as per ShadowBeat) that would get Johansen behind bars for quite a while as she taped the whole conversation between Johansen & the Mafia boss. Unfortunately, she became careless and the Mafia eliminated her. She is currently rottening 30 ft below the surface of Lake Washington.

There is no evidence of the happening at her apartment. The players will two clues:

She had a boyfriend that might be worth talking to (note: Mr. Johnson will not mention this unless asked)
She disappeared just after she had left his father’s (who happened to be working late at that day) office at SSS. The player’s must specifically inquire Mr Johnson about this information. Mr Johnson slips his company name by accident at this point. Mr Johnson knows that his boss was working also at that time, but no-one else should have been at the building at that time. (note: This must also be asked from Mr. Johnson)

The 2nd clue should arouse the player’s suspicions about SSS.

THE BOYFRIEND

Matleen’s boyfriend (the current one) has been dating her for three months now but the relationship was breaking down because of Matleen’s big dedication of her work. Matt Iwamata (which is his name) did promise to keep some data-chips for her, though, when she came in a hurry to him that specific night.

He did not read those chips and only survived by sheer luck as the mafia attacked him on Sunday at his home. He jumped out of the window and managed to run away (The apartment is on the ground floor). Only a few bullet holes remained.

These can be found by the players if they force their way inside the apartment. Other than that, the apartment is in a complete mess. It will take Perception(8) roll to find the holes. Matt is known to throw wild parties at times, so the neighbours did not wonder at all about the noise (the guns were silenced). Even one window is broken (and Matt’s blood can be found with a succesfull Perception(12) test).

The players are able to interview 1d6 neighbours when they arrive (nobody, if they come after 2300 hours). Of course, a suitable Charisma test will be required to get out any information (Etiquette (Street) would not be sufficient, as these people are normal working people. They don’t belong to any big corporations either.)

If the player’s decide to stay and wait for him at his apartment he will arrive at 1d6 - 1 o’clock at night to collect some of his stuff. He had managed to get the chips with him and he hid them to a safe place in one of his friends place. Unfortunately, the mafia soldiers managed to find his trace and arrive just behind him at his home. Make a Resisted Success test using player’s Perception and mafia soldiers Stealth. If the mafia score more successes, two ambush the PCs and two get in to attack Matt. If the players notice the two going to Matt, the two soldiers will start shooting at them. If there is any noise, Lone Star will arrive in 1d6 minutes. Oh yes, and Panther Assault Cannon DOES count as noise… ;-)

Matt will at first think that the PC’s are mafia soldiers (it will take him a Intelligence(8) roll to realise that these guys are not ordinary paid killers. He is REALLY in panic for his life. Although, if the players have suitable flashy clothing, you may reduce his target number. Note that since most players are wearing SecureTech Long Coat, they will easily be mistaken as corporate killers…>:->) and tries to defend himself with his Streetline Special.

Pitiful.

After the PC’s deal with the mafia soldiers (and convince Matt that they are actually on his side), Matt will take them to his friend (who is female. Luckily Matleen is no longer alive!) and give them the chips. This should give the players enough idea about what is going on. Matt will under no circumstances go with the players, unless the players manage to assure him that it is more dangerous to stay at hers aparment than to go with them.

THE CHIPS

The chips Matt gives to the players contain an interesting conversation between Mr Johansen and a local mafia boss, accompanied by two goons. (Which the players will recognise if they get to see his two personal goons.)

YOHOO - MR JOHANSEN!

If the players try to meet Mr Johansen at his office, they are told that Mr Johansen is suffering from flu and is currently at his home. If they get straight to his house (which is big and luxurious and has electric fences around it and lotsa alarms and lotsa guards, lotsa even for a high corporate executive, even too lotsa…), they will be spotted (unless they are really clever - something worth Karma) and taken to Mr. Johansen, who is accompanied by mafia boss (who shall remain anonymous) and Mr Johnson (who has been forced to reveal his plan and is accompanied by an armed guard). PC’s weaponry and obvious armors are taken away. Mages are blindfolded and gagged. Deckers are allowed to keep their decks. (Wow!) Note: for the dramatic climax of this story, the players are supposed to get caught. The guards will do anything to get them alive. The guards will use tasers and Narcojects first, personal sidearms next.

Note: the place has been shielded from astral intrusion by planting magically active bacteria in the air. This will prevent anyone from entering the house in astral space. Astral perception inside is allowed, but you cannot use Astral Projection. BTW: these bacteria are experimental models and look to an astral viewer as grey smoke that prevents any entry attempt. They are also VERY expensive, but on the other hand, a mafia boss has lots of enemies…

There are 8 guards guarding the perimeter and 8 guards inside the house.

I WILL MAKE YOU AN OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE

The mafia boss chats with the prisoners for a while, and then he will take them one by one to a room, where they are asked a simple question:

“We shall pay you 10,000 (adjust this if you are running a high-money campaign. Anyway, it should be a tempting offer) yen a month, if you decide to join us as our regular ‘staff’ and forget about this little incident. You would, of course, continue your existing profession, just under our guidance. Please answer Yes or No.”

IDEA: give players each a paper that asks them to forget about this business and asks them to join the yaks for 10 K a month. The players who agree are ordered to kill those who do not. If all players disagree, the mafia will eliminate them. If all players agree, well… The mob will keep their promises AS LONG AS THE PLAYERS KEEP THEIRS…

OR: tell all players to go out of the room (so that no-one can hear you) and ask them in one-by-one. Make them this offer, and write down their answers, but note them that they should play their characters and answer as their characters would. Then tell the player to sit down and ask the next player in.

The players must not communicate in any way. Everyone must do their decisions alone.

When the players have all made their decisions, one of the guys who said ‘yes’ is given a Light Pistol (4M) (3 bullets in the clip) and told to blow away those who said ‘no’. (They will be pointed out, of course.) Then just watch the fun.

In the room are present are Mr. Johansen, the mafia boss, Mr. Johnson (Jack Gordon, who has been kidnapped a couple of hours before) and four guards (see now why there were 3 bullets? ;-). Two of these guards are boss’s personal guards, others two watch the entrance. The room is big, 10 x 6 meters, with exits in the back and one in the side wall.

Oh yes, those players who accept and survive this little incident, showing loyalty to his new boss, will be taken into the mafia. They will get everyone a new apartment (if they want to), some cash in advance and a nice pay check every month. They will be treated well if they behave well.

Their jobs will only come from their newly-found boss, however, but hospital bills will be paid. Of course, everyone has to donate a little blood sample for the organisation, but… Sometimes you gotta take a risk!

(And if you do not know, what the blood sample is for, read the rulebook, under the header ‘Ritual Magic’ ;->. You never know what might pop in from astral space some night. Note that each player must pass a Magical Theory (2) test to actually know this. Easy for the mages, but… no-one said being cybered up is easy.)

TABLE OF TIMES

Friday evening: Matleen overhears the conversation between Johansen and Mafia boss. She tapes the conversation and brings the tape to Matt as she thinks that she has been followed. This happens to be true and she is assaulted as she gets home.

Saturday: Matleen is killed and thrown into the Lake Washington (which is currently so polluted that probably no-one will ever find her)

Sunday: The mafia tries to kill Matt for the first time. He escapes in panic to his girl-friend.

Monday: Mr Johnson contacts the players.

CAST OF THE SHADOWS

Matleen Gordon

You really do not need her statistics. She is dead, you know.

Jack Gordon

B 2, Q 2, S 2, I 4, W 3, C 3, R 3, E ?

Skills: Firearms 2, Computer 4, Non-Matrix Programming 6, Electronics 6, Electronics(B/R) 3, Control Systems 8, Maglocks 8, Negotiation 4, Etiquette(Corp) 4, Car 2, Sailboat 2, Engineering 3, Computer Theory (Hardware) 6, French 3, Russian 3, Japanese 4.

Cyberware: Datajack, 150 Mp memory.

Gear: Fine clothes, Streetline Special (another victim of the ad campaign)

Jack is 53 years old whose only daughter Matleen is. He loves her dearly, as she is practically the only surviving memory of his wife who died during the pan-European wars. He has a lot of useful contacts in the corporate world. He will also be the one SSS will nominate as the next chairman in the board of directors if he survives this little incident. Although, SSS’s reputation has gone down the sour as soon as the media finds out. He will not be a very good contact after this incident, because he will break after hearing the bad news and will not have anything to do with the characters.

Matt Iwamata

B 5, Q 6, S 5, I 2, W 2, C 5, R 4, E 6

Skills: Unarmed Combat 4, Firearms 3, Projectile Weapons(Bows) 2, Athletics 3, Bike 4, Motor Boat 3, Dancing 5, Drums 1 (HE thinks he is good!)

Cyberware: -

Gear: SynthLeather Clothes (0/1), Streetline Special

Matt is an athletic young (24) man who trains archery and generally likes wild games and parties. He is currently unemployed but is being backed up by a rich uncle. He has had the other girl for almost two weeks now, so no wonder the relationship between him and Matleen was breaking up. He appears bold but is actually scared to hell when it comes to real fighting. He trains archery because there are cute girls in the local training hall and shooting guns is not allowed in there, although it is otherwise cooler. He is always flirting with other women.

Ivor Johansen

B 3, Q 4, S 3, I 5, W 4, C 3, R 4, E 6

Skills: Firearms 3, Tasers 5, Computer 4, Electronics 8, Computer Theory 7, Leadership(Commercial) 5, Etiquette(Mafia) 2, Etiquette(Corp) 6, Negotiation 5, Car 3.

Cyberware: -

Gear: Tres Chic Corporate clothes. Colt L36, 4 clips. Taser. Has a Beretta 200 ST w/ 3 clips in his desk drawer.

Does not trust the mafia boss’s plan and has Level 2 Body Armor underneath his clothes.

Ivor Johansen was the one who set up the SSS’s previous owner’s accidental death. Too bad the local mafia somehow got evidence against him and is now blackmailing him for that information. He thinks that it would be best if the players were eliminated at once but stays quiet because he does not want the boss to be angry. If the players annihilate the boss & his companions but not Ivor, he will thank them for setting him free and offer them money, etc, etc. Then he will blow them away when no one is looking because he does not want to be blackmailed again. He hires an assassin or something. He can afford it.

Mafia Boss

B 4, Q 4, S 4, I 6, W 5, C 5, R 5, E 6

Skills: Firearms 5, Armed Combat (Rapier) 6, Stealth 2, Leadership 6, Interrogation(Verbal) 6, Negotiation 8, Etiquette(Corp) 4, Etiquette(Mafia) 8, Etiquette(Yakuza) 3, Car 3, Motorboat 2, Sailboat 5, Rotor Craft 2, Chemistry 3, Psychology 4, Military Theory 3, Italian 5, French 2, Japanese 2, Swedish 2.

Cyberware: -

The mafia boss is an old fox, but he likes to keep himself fit by fencing, running and doing weights. Other than that, he is the stereotypical mafia don: talks in a coarse voice, with a little italian accent, etc. He does not like bloodshed (Matleen was killed by one of his lieutanants, who is now taking care of horses somewhere in Kansas.) but is more willing to negotiate about things. He does not, however, have no hesitation about killing someone. If they have decided it that way, so may it be. This operation is much too important for anyone to interfere, so he will first try to talk the players away and kill them if it fails. He will be hearing Form Fitting Body Armor Level 3 during the interrogation.

Mafia Soldiers who attack Matt (4 in all)

See archetype on Sprawl Sites p.113, add Stealth 4. One has Wired Reflexes level 1.

Weapons: HK MP5 TX (3 extra clips) + silencer. Armor Vest.

Mafia Soldiers who guard the outside (8)

Archetype + Colt M22A2 + ultrasound sight + 3 extra clips + taser. Two have Narcoject Pistol (2 reloads). Armor Jacket.

Mafia Soldiers who guard the inside (8)

Archetype + Uzi III + Improved Gas Vent 3 + Laser Sight + enough clips. Two have Wired Reflexes 1, two have Wired Reflexes 2. The two latter guys stay with the boss all the time. They also have Smartgun link and Smartgun adapters in their weapons + Dermal Armor (level 1). Everyone has a head radio. Four guys have a taser and the rest have a Narcoject Pistol w/ one extra clip. 6 have Armor Jackets and the two mean guys have got Full Heavy Armor. (Partial + Helmet). Helmet has in-built Thermal Vision inside and seals off the suit hermetically, if needed. These two guys can operate 10 minutes without oxygen. Don has put some money to his protection.