Session Number

Session Summary

Rewards

Session 1-1

We are introduced to six new runners, all heading to California to begin their careers in San Diego:

Da Sheng and Iceheart, the Zhao twins, are told by the Triad Red Pole Nanzi that their standing as family members has been relinquished after long periods of no tribute to the Triad. Nanzi tells the Zhao twins that she is in need of capable hands for an overseas mission in California. Alegrio, who has been protected from local authorities by the Triad for many years, has begun an attempt to evade the Triad and get out of paying them. Nanzi wants the Zhao twins to kill Alegrio, but also to use him to get closer to the Red Lotus, who have been outperforming the Twenty-Eight Hands on the black market. A lowly initiate, Li Yufeng, has garnered many useful contracts and has sufficient skill and license to sneak the twins into California. Should he help the twins figure out the secret of the Red Lotus, he will be promoted to a Triad Enforcer.

Jorge Bauza, a former child star who is struggling to make ends meet, has gone completely bankrupt. His contacts in the bizarre Matrix enclave known as Excalibur have been grateful for his talents, but the leader, Frankers, knows he won't make any money with them. Frankers suggests that “The Schwartz” try out shadowrunning, and gives him the address of a man in central San Diego who is offering several high-paying runs in quick succession. Jorge eagerly accepts the job, but Frankers warns him not to get acclimated to the lifestyle.

Sun-5, AKA Junipero Alvarado, has hit his last nerve with Aztechnology and wants to work with people who understand magic and corporate evil. He talks to Snakefinger, a mystic adept and paranormal animal hunter at the lodge Codex Xolotl. Snakefinger asks about Sun-5's father, who is still practically in stasis, recovering from illness. Sun-5 responds with positivity, and hints that his positivity may stem from his magical power, which has been given him glimpses of sight. Upon hearing this, Snakefinger suggests that the shadows may be a good place for Junipero to hone his skills. Snakefinger speaks vaguely about thinks he may learn in the shadows, and mentions an encounter he had with the Aztechnology Leopard Guard, which led to him being informed of an Alvarado not of Sun-5's normal family history. Alvarado requests more info, but Snakefinger has none. This is all Sun-5 needs to start running.

Apple, the last remaining member of a crew that slaved day and night for the impatient fixer Alegrio, dodges Alegrio's words as he tries to justify why Apple should be kept around. Alegrio passively-aggressively introduces her to her new crew—Da Sheng, Iceheart, The Schwartz, Sun-5, and Li. Alegrio quickly lays down some ground rules and insults the three Triad members, knowing that they came here to interfere with his work, but that they also need him. Li, offended by this, mentions that they may simply leave at any point. Alegrio calls his bluff, but Li walks out the door. While Alegrio gives out some basic information, Li sends out his patented “Dongcopter” drone to mess with Alegrio. Alegrio, agitated beyond belief, signals his bodyguard No Way Jose. Jose quickly shoots down the Dongcopter, and Alegrio wonders if he can even keep talking after such a display of disrespect. Eventually Alegrio does finish his introduction, an d the runners get acquainted with their new or not so new homes.

Alegrio gives the runners information about their first run, involving a pair of married retired runners. The wife, Croki, claims that her husband, Timbuk 2, has been kidnapped. When the runners meet the employer at the Patsola bar, she begins communicating with augmented reality display. Croki cannot talk, she had her tongue cut out shortly before a miscarriage a year and a half ago. Croki knows very little about Timbuk-2's disappearance, only that he has not been back in five days, and that he left a Shiawase keycard in his jacket. Li begins to question Croki about Timbuk-2, but his line of questioning gets too personal and Croki storms out the bar.

With some thorough investigation, the runners discover that the keycard is for a catholic high school in La Jolla, and that Croki and Timbuk-2 have a reputation for screwing over new runners. Acknowledging their doubts over the mission, they decide to approach the school during the day, using Jorge's fame as a method to infiltrate the school.

Roleplaying Edge: The Schwartz

Session 1-2

Jorge talks with Kendrick in an attempt to set up an appoitment with the school. Kendrick disapproves of Jorge's new career choice, and only agrees to go along with the job if he gets part of the pay. Jorge agrees, and Kendrick manages to get an appointment during the afternoon that same day. Jorge decides to stumble around the school's matrix grid, but fails to find any useful information.

While Jorge reluctantly prepares a speech, Sheng sneaks out while Sun-5 astral projects into the classrooms. Eventually, Sun-5 sees the aura of a corpse near some of the flowers in the courtyard, which Sheng examines. Sheng finds a hidden basement, which hides a recently deceased dwarf. Near the dwarf are two commlinks, one of which presumably belonged to the dwarf, the school principal. The other was heavily encrypted, and ran an anonymization app. Sheng decides to take a hit of bliss when he finds the corpse, which incapacitated him and left Jorge struggling to get him out.

When the runners regrouped at Jorge's apartment, they went over the information they had and determined that the encrypted commlink had a hidden message. The message pertained to a recently murdered congressman who's corpse by the Renraku HQ in Sacramento. The message seemed to be addressed to several people, all going by names the runners did not recognize. One name they did recognize, however, was one of the names on the principal's commlink—Ray Parker, a musician who worked with Jorge at one point. Knowing how difficult Ray can be, Jorge decided not to call him. Just before they decided to call it a night, the group were ambushed by face-painted Japanese gangers, who initiated by knocking at the door and cutting off many of Jorge's fingers.

While Jorge was bewildered by his injury, Sheng rushed to the door and killed many of the intruders in a burst of gunfire. When the gang leader, Blast Beat, went through the window, he was pushed back by Li's drones and eventually shot straight through the knee by Sheng. Though Li was severely injured by a katana-wielding ganger, Sun-5 and Sheng managed to kill the stragglers before any casualties could occur.

Roleplaying Edge: Da Sheng

Session 1-3

Da Sheng rushes to call his old friend Kia, a street doctor who specializes in cyberware. Kia reluctantly agrees to take in the injured, as long as they pay. Da Sheng agrees, and some of Kia's gang drive to Jorge's apartment to pick up Sun-5, Li Yufeng, and The Schwartz.

After Li Yufeng heals and The Schwartz tries to adjust to his new cyber-fingers, the group review what they learned and try to connect it to the gang attacks. The runners think it's likely that the gang tracked them through the commlink. Once they agree on this likelihood, the commlink rings, and Jorge answers. It turns out to be Timbuk-2, who claims ownership of the commlink. He quickly and concisely asks for this commlink, and says that he is willing to pay 15K for it. The runners agree to meet him at the San Diego Zoo.

After some disagreement, the runners decide to call Croki to tell her where her husband is. But when Croki decides to rush off to the zoo, the runners seem confused as to how to approach the situation. The runners try to extort as much money as possible from Croki, but she insults them and insists on seeing her husband. While the runners look around at the exotic zoo exhibits, Apple meets with Croki and Timbuk-2. Timbuk-2 notices Croki, and tries to make the meeting quick. Timbuk-2 asks for his commlink, but Apple wants the money first. Timbuk-2 hands Apple the credstick, but before she can hand him the commlink, Croki interrupts and demands to know where Timbuk-2 has been. Once the sun clears out from behind him, Croki gets a better look at Timbuk's face and slowly comes to the conclusion that the man that the runners believed to be Timbuk-2 was not Timbuk-2. Apple demands to know more, or else Timbuk wont' get what he wants. In response, Timbuk puts his hands on Apple's shoulders and throttles her around, trying to knock her to the ground. Before either Croki or Apple can react, Timbuk-2 is hit in the back with a sniper bullet.

Once the sniper bullet hits, the zoo-goers panic and the runners struggle to group up. Two assassins, hidden among the zoo-goers, begin firing randomly at the crowd. When the runners attack back, they a gunfight ensues. While this goes on, a basilisk breaks out of it's cage from the broken glass and ends up landing a killing bite on Timbuk-2 Jorge once again faces certain death, but makes a hasty dodge and tazes his assailant unconscious. By the time the runners dispatch the last assailant, Croki and Jorge had retreated, and the zoo's Military Police had arrived. The military police see that the runners are armed and dangerous (except for Apple), and begin to line up their guns. Before they can shoot, Sheng punches one of them, causing them to back up in surprise and shoot wildly at the runners. The runners struggle to deal with the firepower of the Mps, and eventually are forced to retreat past the Thunderbird exhibit.

Roleplaying Edge: Da Sheng

Karma: 5

Nuyen: 15,000

Session 2-1

Alegrio tries to make sense out of the colossal failure that was the last run. He quiets down once Apple shows them the 15K credstick and the commlink, which Alegrio agrees to sell. Alegrio also seems vindicated that Li was arrested during the zoo escape, knowing that he'll never have to deal with his drones again. Alegrio tells the runners that their next run has a very peculiar employer, one who requested they meet in the San Jacinto Mountains. Since it's winter, the runners were equipped with snow suits for the arduous climb. No Way Jose agrees to be their drivers and acquire suitable VISAs for the group's trip to Aztlan.

The runners are employed by a Hermit, a Hindu ascetic out in the mountains who faces a crisis of faith as he grows older and nears death. The hermit used to be a doctor during the 2030s, when the VITAS plagues hit. He requests that the runners find a man named Luis Necuevas, a former patient of his who inspired the hermit to travel to India, where he became a staunch Hindu. The Hermit knows that Luis could very well be dead, and explains that he lived in Puerto Penasco during the VITAS crisis. Strangely, the Hermit has very little information about Luis other than his old lodgings and a vague description as a “typical Aztlander.” The runners agree to go to Aztlan to find Luis.

Although the runners manage to sneak past the border, they are chased by a Norman Security team once they hop into Jose's car. The runners are told to pull over, which they do, but then immediately jet out. As the private security give chase, Sun-5 summons a Guardian Spirit which creates fearful sensations in the hearts of the drivers, sending them driving in the opposite direction. Jose easily escapes the pursuit once the Norman team turns around.

The runners decide to check out the biggest hospital in Puerto Penasco, Puerto Penasco General Hospital. Sun-5 tries to play the role of a college student looking for info on a paper, but his story has so many holes in it that the desk clerk thinks it's a prank. The runners decide to check the sand dunes instead, where the citizens of Puerto Penasco are buried if they lack the funds for a funeral. There they find the nun known as Lady Astraea, who tells the runners that the records of the dead are kept in a temple in the barrens of Puerto Penasco. The runners agree to follow her there.

Roleplaying Edge: Sun-5

Session 2-2

In the temple, Astraea looks for any info on Luis, but cannot find any. Children play around the church, enamored by Apple's clothing. Astraea states that the [Christian] faith of the barrens gives the children purpose, and tells the runners that a man named Issac Manella serves as the caretaker of the orphaned children. She also tells the runners that the elders of the barrens were talking about a man who showed up dead on the steps of a local bar, El Cactus Roja. The runners decide the bar is their best bet.

As the runners head to the main streets of the barrens, they discuss the Issac lead, which Issac himself overhears. Issac tells the runners that he is married to the owner of El Cactus Roja, which means he was left with the duty of disposing the corpse. Rather than carry it over to the sand dunes, Issac decided to take the easy way out and trade the corpse to a local ghoul gang, the Àngeles Ardientes. The Àngeles Ardientes are apparently the roughest gang in town, and became that way by making deals with the Aztlan government, who drafted members of the gang to war against Amazonia. Once they had police protection, no rivals could step up to them.

Kia calls Iceheart before they find the bar, and warns the runners that they have a hit out on them. He is unable to figure out who placed the hit, but notes that whoever did so knows that they are in Puerto Penasco. Kia explains his situation, stating that he fell out with the Triad and sought protection with the Visperas, a gang who used to run Puerto Penasco but retreated to San Diego after the Àngeles began their free reign. The Visperas hate the Àngeles, and note that the man with the most power among the Àngeles, Cazador, is especially hated. Kia says he'll give free med supplies and cyberware to Iceheart and Sheng if they kill Cazador.

The runners head into the bar, where a rather rowdy customer annoys the bartender. The customer, a supposed bounty hunter by the name of Sundown, is a Texas-native youngster with a revolver at his side. Sundown is able to tell by the sound of Sun-5's cane that he is blind, and Sundown reveals that he is blind as well. Jorge notes that Sundown is also a technomancer. Sundown nudges Sun-5 for info in the San Diego Zoo shootings, but Sun-5 provides none. Sundown says his target is a man named Dectus, who none of the runners had heard of. After exhausting the bar of drinks, Sundown decides it's time to go, and departs from the bar.

Once Sundown is gone, the runners discuss the wherabouts of Luis with the bartender, Paulina. Paulina tells the runners that Sundown was lying, and that he actually did know something about Luis. The runners put some thought into where to go next, knowing that Sundown is trouble, but possibly useful trouble. Eventually, they decide to go straight to the ghoul gang, with Sun-5 summoning a water elemental to protect the group.

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