Chapter 1: And whither then? I cannot say.

Ghost finds himself again in New Tsian's "red light" district.  It's 2:00 in the afternoon, but true to its nickname, Night City, the streets would be dark without the constant buzz of neon lights and teles.



The working girls don't bother Ghost, they can tell he isn't looking for fun right now.  Ghost is following Paul Benowitz of the Chao, Hogarth and Benowitz law firm.  Wendy Chao suspects her partner of trading confidential information for sexual encounters.

From a dark alley, Ghost sees Benowitz duck into the Panda Karoake, where singing geisha girls isn't the only entertainment.





Before Ghost can decide if he wants to follow Benowitz inside, he hears a scraping sound behind him....

Menkaure finds himself walking through the agora district in Memphis.  The smell of Jasmine and Hibiscus teas mix with the savory aroma of grilled Hamam (pigeon) and a leg of Shawarma, though Menkaure isn't sure what is being roasted.  








Menkaure's stomach gurgles at the rich smells.  As he is deciding on a snack, he hears a familiar voice haggling with one of the street vendors, a large minotaur....



"Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me! Bull-fella!  This is crow. I hate crow, okay? I refuse to get stuck with crow. Now, come on.  I ordered Hamam.  I want Hamam, not crow.  If I wanted crow, I would have ordered crow.  Okay?  Okay.  This is why I don't order Hamam from Bulls.  You know why?  They fuck you at the To-Go line! Okay?! They fuck you at the To-Go line! They know you're gonna be miles away before you find out you got fucked! Okay? They know you're not gonna turn around and go back. They know you aren't going to argue with a guy 8 feet tall with horns. So they don't care. Who gets fucked? Oh, Tony Manchetti! Okay, sure! I don't give a fuck! I'm not eatin' this crow! Okay?!"

The Tauran pauses slicing Shawarma with a long curved blade.  He snorts at Tony and Menkaure can see him eyeing the small man as a possible roast.

Menkaure just laughs to himself and approaches Tony and the Minotaur.

"This one might make a good slab of shawarma." to the Minotaur (though he grins at Tony)

The Tauran smiles and bows in deference to a Cat of a higher caste, "Yes, Medjai.  As you command!" He moves towards Tony, sharpening his knife.


Tony is horror-struck at the suggestion and begins stammering, "Okay.  Okay.  Everyone just put down the meat cleavers.  Okay?  Okay.  Tony is nobody's shish-ka-bob today.  Okay?  Menkaure?  Menkaure!  I didn't mean any offense about the Hamam.  Okay?  Okay.  I am not eating any more crow.  Besides... Menkaure!  I need to talk to you anyways.  Okay?  Okay.  (to the Tauran) Sorry, important business."  Tony tries to walk away from the Tauran with Menkaure, as much for protection as to talk privately.

Menkaure throws his head back in a huge laugh. "Tony, you really must learn to have a sense of humor. The people of Memphis don't eat humans."

"This way"... (Menkaure will lead Tony to another spot in the agora where they can talk privately)

Chris wrote:Ghost finds himself again in New Tsian's "red light" district.  It's 2:00 in the afternoon, but true to its nickname, Night City, the streets would be dark without the constant buzz of neon lights and teles.

The working girls don't bother Ghost, they can tell he isn't looking for fun right now.  Ghost is following Paul Benowitz of the Chao, Hogarth and Benowitz law firm.  Wendy Chao suspects her partner of trading confidential information for sexual encounters.

From a dark alley, Ghost sees Benowitz duck into the Panda Karoake, where singing geisha girls isn't the only entertainment.


Before Ghost can decide if he wants to follow Benowitz inside, he hears a scraping sound behind him....

Ghost looks towards the scraping sound, sword is out. Pistol is accessible under coat.

Mime
AC 17
Cloak of Displacement:
Attackers are disadvantaged to Attack Mime
Hp 96/96

Initiative +3 (Advantage)
Mime's party is never surprised

Passive Perception: 15(18 in the city)

Robyo wrote:

Chris wrote:

Before Ghost can decide if he wants to follow Benowitz inside, he hears a scraping sound behind him....

Ghost looks towards the scraping sound, sword is out. Pistol is accessible under coat.

Ghost sees the familiar armor of Old Weird Sal in the pale glow of a match which just ignited.  Sal has his helmet off and is lighting a cig.




Sal takes a long first drag and then speaks in a gravely voice, "Long time no see, Ghost...."

whit10 wrote:Menkaure throws his head back in a huge laugh. "Tony, you really must learn to have a sense of humor. The people of Memphis don't eat humans."

"This way"... (Menkaure will lead Tony to another spot in the agora where they can talk privately)

Tony happily follows Menkaure away from the angry bull.  "So, I got this problem, okay?  I had a whole load of.... uh.... microwaves, okay? okay,  disappear right outta my warehouse.  I got Infrared, Ultraviolet, motion trackers, tricorders... you name it and Tony's got it.  Okay? I am not some schmuck with a food wagon here.  Okay?  Okay.  It was like a ghost just walked in and out, okay?  Look, I knows you gots connections, okay.  Can you help me out here?  Those were valuable miniwaves. "

Menkaure's tone immediately turns serious. "Tony, you must tell me the truth, like I have always told you. What was actually taken?"

navyik wrote:Mime
AC 17
Cloak of Displacement:
Attackers are disadvantaged to Attack Mime
Hp 96/96

Initiative +3 (Advantage)
Mime's party is never surprised

Passive Perception: 15(18 in the city)

Mime is enjoying some lunch at the White Dragon Noodle Bar in Night City.




He is watching a tele-cast about the recent death of the Asuran (little guys in the flying city, crazy inventors using Aether (magic) to fuel their designs) trade minister, Dkepp Qhadd.  He was speaking about expanding trade routes to the outlying planes when his head just appears to explode.  He was surrounded by Asuran Sentinel Golems as usual.

Chris wrote:

Robyo wrote:

Chris wrote:

Before Ghost can decide if he wants to follow Benowitz inside, he hears a scraping sound behind him....

Ghost looks towards the scraping sound, sword is out. Pistol is accessible under coat.

Ghost sees the familiar armor of Old Weird Sal in the pale glow of a match which just ignited.  Sal has his helmet off and is lighting a cig.




Sal takes a long first drag and then speaks in a gravely voice, "Long time no see, Ghost...."

LOL! Sal is really Snake Plisskin!

"Yes... yes it has old friend. I didn't expect to see you here. What's going on?"

Tony looks truly offended, "What?  You don't believe me that I sell mickeywaves? Okay. Okay.  Come on...."

Tony leads Menkaure over to an old U-haul trailer currently hitched to a pair of draft horses.  It looks like it has a trailer hitch for other wards of Meta City.

Tony slides open the back door.  Menkaure can see, amidst the piles of junk, medium tech appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, blenders, cameras and other devices that would seem miraculous to lower tech wards.  Some have the tell-tale blue aether-crystals of the Asurans mounted to provide power in magical wards.




Tony climbs in and moves some of the items around, showing Menkaure his wares.  "See, okay?  I got yer hair driers, miniwaves, printers, cameras... you ask and Tony finds it!  Okay?  Okay."

He climbs down and glances about nervously, then closes the door again.  He fiddles with a hidden switch.  Menkaure's keen senses hear a mechanical clicking sound, like the dials on a locked suitcase being rotated.  There is a barely audible "CLICK".  Tony smiles and opens the door partway.  Menkaure now sees a tank with a Cephalopod.  Menkaure estimates it would be about 8ft tall.



Tony raps his knuckles on the trans-dura-plast tank, "Hey, wake up.... come on!"  

There is a long pause.

Tony knocks on the tank again and waits.

Another pause.

Tony gives Menkaure a shrug, "Huh?  I guess he was dead.  Uh...."

Robyo wrote:

LOL! Sal is really Snake Plisskin!

"Yes... yes it has old friend. I didn't expect to see you here. What's going on?"

I hope you don't mind.  I always loved that character!



Old Sal uses Cityspeak, a mishmash of many languages.  Ghost understands him well

"I need you help, pal.  I have seen a Gui 鬼 (ghost) and it wasn't you.  I was doing some rajapati (wet-work), so I didn't tell you.  I know you don't like that, but it bezahlt (paid) well.  Really, really well.  I shoulduv known....  I had him cornered.  Dead to rights.  He turned around quickly, gefeuert (I fired),  unloaded a whole mag into thin air.  He didn't just nālowale (disappear).  He was borta (gone), borta!, like he was never there.  Like... a Gui 鬼."

Old Sal shudders at the memory.

"I ain't never seen nuthin like it...."

Chris wrote:

Old Sal uses Cityspeak, a mishmash of many languages.  Ghost understands him well

"I need you help, pal.  I have seen a Gui 鬼 (ghost) and it wasn't you.  I was doing some rajapati (wet-work), so I didn't tell you.  I know you don't like that, but it bezahlt (paid) well.  Really, really well.  I shoulduv known....  I had him cornered.  Dead to rights.  He turned around quickly, gefeuert (I fired),  unloaded a whole mag into thin air.  He didn't just nālowale (disappear).  He was borta (gone), borta!, like he was never there.  Like... a Gui 鬼."

Old Sal shudders at the memory.

"I ain't never seen nuthin like it...."

Ghost sheathes his sword and sighs. "Who were you after? Where did it happen?" Then he remembers he's already in the middle of a job, one for much-needed nuyen. "Can we meet up later and you tell me all about it? Or, if you're so inclined, you can help me on this present run."

Robyo wrote:

Ghost sheathes his sword and sighs. "Who were you after? Where did it happen?" Then he remembers he's already in the middle of a job, one for much-needed nuyen. "Can we meet up later and you tell me all about it? Or, if you're so inclined, you can help me on this present run."

Sal looks over Ghost's shoulder at the Panda Karaoke.  He winks with his one good eye, "Trabajo de mano (handle this job) by yourself."  Sal pings Ghost's private data number with a location and time to meet later.  He fades back down the alley.

Ghost turns to stake out the Panda again, when he recalls the phrase "trabajo de mano" and smirks as he recalls it can also mean a "hand job" especially in this district.

Would Menkaure know where such a creature came from?

whit10 wrote:Would Menkaure know where such a creature came from?

Yes. The main wards of Meta City are well known to its inhabitants. The neighboring "suburb wards" are as familiar Mexico\Canada would be to us. Beyond those, it would be more like visiting another continent or planet. Some have done it, but certainly not everyone, though most would have casual knowledge

for example

New Tsian\Night City - Road is a river, which goes underwater to Atlantis and Cephalopods. Popular underwater vacation spots, etc. After that, the Deep Abyss is far less accessible, maybe submarine tours for the wealthy, but certainly books\videos (depending on tech) would teach kids in school like we teach about the other planets or Antarctica.

Chris wrote:

Robyo wrote:

Ghost sheathes his sword and sighs. "Who were you after? Where did it happen?" Then he remembers he's already in the middle of a job, one for much-needed nuyen. "Can we meet up later and you tell me all about it? Or, if you're so inclined, you can help me on this present run."

Sal looks over Ghost's shoulder at the Panda Karaoke.  He winks with his one good eye, "Trabajo de mano (handle this job) by yourself."  Sal pings Ghost's private data number with a location and time to meet tomorrow.  He fades back down the alley.

Ghost turns to stake out the Panda again, when he recalls the phrase "trabajo de mano" and smirks as he recalls it can also mean a "hand job" especially in this district.

That Sal is always being so weird. He proceeds inside the Panda.

What is his objective here? To get pictures?

"How did you get this Tony?"

Mime is thinking, that is what you get for expecting drones to provide security.. Still, he is wondering how much time he has to eat before he will get a call. Mime smiles and nods politely as his lunch is served.

navyik wrote:Mime is thinking, that is what you get for expecting drones to provide security.. Still, he is wondering how much time he has to eat before he will get a call.  Mime smiles and nods politely as his lunch is served.

MIME only gets 1 mouth full of Udon noodles before his personal data pad BLEEPS with an update from TDOT (Tsian Dept of Transportation)


The Grand Avenue Bridge is open!
Anticipate periodic lane closures on the Grand Avenue Bridge during off-peak hours daily.
At 5 a.m., when TDOT will staff its command center in anticipation of the morning rush, we will begin live online coverage of the first of 95 scheduled days of the bridge closure.
Exit 116 can be used to access Tabana Hot Springs, Iron Mountain Hot Springs, Glenwood Caverns and West Chinatown.
If you get off the interstate at Exit 114 or travel on N.T. 6 to West Chinatown, we urge patience and politeness at the West Chinatown roundabouts, which will be chokepoints and which already have been the scene of frayed nerves and modest road rage.

MIME recognizes the coded message from Handler.

The Grand Avenue Bridge is open!
Anticipate periodic lane closures on the Grand Avenue Bridge during off-peak hours daily.
At 5 a.m., when TDOT will staff its command center in anticipation of the morning rush, we will begin live online coverage of the first of 95 scheduled days of the bridge closure.
Exit 116 can be used to access Tabana Hot Springs, Iron Mountain Hot Springs, Glenwood Caverns and West Chinatown.
If you get off the interstate at Exit 114 or travel on N.T. 6 to West Chinatown, we urge patience and politeness at the West Chinatown roundabouts, which will be chokepoints and which already have been the scene of frayed nerves and modest road rage.


Area:  Grand Avenue Bridge
Time: Off-peak hours
command location: closed building at axis 595-116 West Chinatown
avoid scene: 595-114 dangerous

Robyo wrote:

That Sal is always being so weird. He proceeds inside the Panda.

What is his objective here? To get pictures?

pictures, video, evidence of file-transfers, really anything.




A beautiful Geisha girl approaches Ghost, "Irasshaimase! (welcome to the store)" she bows and gestures to the comfortable lounge.  Many men of different races are enjoying drinks and singing Karaoke with Geisha hostesses.

whit10 wrote:"How did you get this Tony?"

Tony begins to vomit a long-winded story, "Okay, okay.  So I was acquiring a new truck to transport a load of Asuran Aether-wave cookers to the Chromites.  Okay?  You know they love their instant meals.  Okay?  Okay.  But then we got jumped by a group of Bugs from the Outlands.  Okay?  I ended up with the truck Okay?  I didn't know what was inside until an Asuran showed me the hidden lock.  Okay?........"

Tony barely breathes when he speaks or allows Menkaure a word edgewise.



Before he can finish, a Ferruginous Hawk bearing the seal of Sekhmet- Kara lands on the fender of Tony's truck.  Menkaure is summoned to the Temple of the Medjai.

"Tony, be very careful in how you conduct your business. It might get you killed. I must leave for now and see the head of my order. I will find you later"

Off to the boss

whit10 wrote:"Tony, be very careful in how you conduct your business. It might get you killed. I must leave for now and see the head of my order.  I will find you later"

Off to the boss

Tony smiles in his charming way, "Tony is always careful."  He closes the back door of the truck and reaches under the latch.  Menkaure hears the mechanical sounds of a dial turning again.  Menkaure also feels, more than hears or sees, a strange energy ripple, presumably as the compartment changed back to the appliances.

As Menkaure is walking away, he hears Tony's voice above the din of the marketplace.  "Hey!  Bull-fella!  Yeah, you, with da horns!  I'm talking to you...."

Menkaure arrives at the Temple of the Medjai.

Mime reads the message and deletes it.  He casually finishes his lunch and leaves an appropriately average tip.  Ordinary is his camouflage.  Just some guy, there's 20 more like him on any block.  Looks a little pale, but whatever...

Mime browses the market and assesses potential tails. Then he takes a train, getting off as the doors are closing at the next stop. Finally he zig zags through a jungle of miniature bars and restaurants before disappearing down an alley to a parking garage. He will take the bike to the meeting.

navyik wrote:Mime reads the message and deletes it.  He casually finishes his lunch and leaves an appropriately average tip.  Ordinary is his camouflage.  Just some guy, there's 20 more like him on any block.  Looks a little pale, but whatever...

Mime browses the market and assesses potential tails.  

Passive Perception or active check, please

navyik wrote:
Then he takes a train, getting off as the doors are closing at the next stop.  Finally he zig zags through a jungle of miniature bars and restaurants before disappearing down an alley to a parking garage. He will take the bike to the meeting.

stealth check please, at advantage for good use of terrain and street smarts

Go to meet Sekhmet- Kara

Passive perception 15, but 18 related to the city.

Stealth:
Rolling "1d20 +6" 2 times

1: 19 + 6 = 25
2: 9 + 6 = 15

Mime plans stash the bike a few blocks from the meeting location and approach with stealth in a similar fashion.

Chris wrote:

Robyo wrote: He proceeds inside the Panda.

What is his objective here? To get pictures?

pictures, video, evidence of file-transfers, really anything.


A beautiful Geisha girl approaches Ghost, "Irasshaimase! (welcome to the store)" she bows and gestures to the comfortable lounge.  Many men of different races are enjoying drinks and singing Karaoke with Geisha hostesses.

Ghost still has 500+ gold on his credstick. I haven't yet spent on common items... How much for comlink/data pad? Something on par with a modern day smart phone. Maybe with holo capability. I don't think it needs to have any mechanical impact.

"Sure, I will have a drink. Bourbon, straight up." He takes a seat by the window with a view to the door.

Chris wrote:Ghost finds himself again in New Tsian's "red light" district.  It's 2:00 in the afternoon, but true to its nickname, Night City, the streets would be dark without the constant buzz of neon lights and teles.

The working girls don't bother Ghost, they can tell he isn't looking for fun right now.  Ghost is following Paul Benowitz of the Chao, Hogarth and Benowitz law firm.  Wendy Chao suspects her partner of trading confidential information for sexual encounters.

From a dark alley, Ghost sees Benowitz duck into the Panda Karoake, where singing geisha girls isn't the only entertainment.

When the waitress returns he flashes some coin. "Thank you, ma'am. I am looking for a man named Benowitz. I will make it worth your while if you point the way."

navyik wrote:Passive perception 15, but 18 related to the city.

Stealth:
Rolling "1d20 +6" 2 times

1: 19 + 6 = 25
2: 9 + 6 = 15

Mime plans stash the bike a few blocks from the meeting location and approach with stealth in a similar fashion.

25 on stealth for moving to meeting place during the scene. I want to use skills, but keep repetitive rolling to a minimum, so it basically counts for the whole scene.

Mime doesn't spot anyone suspicious or anyone following him.


Mime is approaching on foot.


stand by, trying to get everyone to the same party....

Robyo wrote:

Ghost still has 500+ gold on his credstick. I haven't yet spent on common items... How much for comlink/data pad? Something on par with a modern day smart phone. Maybe with holo capability. I don't think it needs to have any mechanical impact.

"Sure, I will have a drink. Bourbon, straight up." He takes a seat by the window with a view to the door.

We all carry them today and most of us got them free with the data plan. Holo-capability would probably be standard.

no charge, I assume everyone from a tech ward would probably have one

Robyo wrote:

When the waitress returns he flashes some coin. "Thank you, ma'am. I am looking for a man named Benowitz. I will make it worth your while if you point the way."

"Mochiron. Watashitachi wa tokubetsuna okyakusama no tame ni hijō ni shinchōdesu, arigato"   (of course, we are very discreet for special customers.  thank you)

the waitress nods her head and uses her long fingernail to mark a number on the cocktail napkin 622

whit10 wrote:Go to meet Sekhmet- Kara

Menkaure makes his way to Kara's private office.  A warm breeze billows fine cotton drapes in her open-air office.  She is working on a scroll at her desk.




She purrs softly as her most trusted officer appears, "I have need of your special skills.  The humans have requested assistance in a matter of security."

"I see. This must be important if we are helping humans"

whit10 wrote:"I see.  This must be important if we are helping humans"

"Mmmm.... yes, well, it's a bit of an old request which I had ignored... until it concerned us directly.  The humans have been reporting thefts of technology.  The thieves left no trace and foiled all their best defenses.  I dismissed this as 'their problem'.  That was an error on my part, I now see.  Perhaps we do need better relationships with the other wards and races.  Last night, one of our vaults was raided and Ra-stones were stolen.  As you know, we employ superior mystical and physical defenses.  Everything was bypassed.  Not triggered, not defeated, simply bypassed.  Spirits in the statues did not alert.  Pressure plates were still armed.  Guards in place.  Magical barriers still active.  The Ra-stones simply were not there."

Kara finishes the scroll and stamps it with the seal of the Medjai.  She hands it to Menkaure.  

"You are my best agent at dealing with other races.  Please go to Night City (New Tsian) as my representative.  I will stay here and try to figure out how our defenses were breached.  If they can steal Ra-stones, they could....."  her voice trails off.  "Please, work with the humans.  My counter-part in the Yellow River (Chinese version of MI6) is gathering other special agents.  Help the humans, but remember that you serve our Pharaoh first and foremost."

"Of course Mistress, I will always serve our people first. The theft of Ra-stones is an affront to the gods. I will do my utmost."

Off to the city with all gear (give me a moment to do the rest of his gear, that was an oversight on my part.. nothing magical of course)

Chris wrote:

Robyo wrote:
How much for comlink/data pad? Something on par with a modern day smart phone. Maybe with holo capability. I don't think it needs to have any mechanical impact.

We all carry them today and most of us got them free with the data plan.  Holo-capability would probably be standard.

no charge, I assume everyone from a tech ward would probably have one

Ok cool. On a job like this Ghost would use the device for recording or transferring data.

If it matters, he would have gotten the comlink from a fixer, and with a fake SIN (system ID number). Charge for black market?

Chris wrote:

Robyo wrote:

When the waitress returns he flashes some coin. "Thank you, ma'am. I am looking for a man named Benowitz. I will make it worth your while if you point the way."

"Mochiron. Watashitachi wa tokubetsuna okyakusama no tame ni hijō ni shinchōdesu, arigato"   (of course, we are very discreet for special customers.  thank you)

the waitress nods her head and uses her long fingernail to mark a number on the cocktail napkin 622

Ghost thought he might stay awhile, get to know the waitress. Geisha girls, they are something else.

Then Ghost was clutched by painful memories, his mind wracked with guilt, from a time long ago when he had faithfully served the Corp. He had once loved a geisha. But her death was his own fault... or rather, he hadn't been fast enough to save her.

He was known as LOMAX-23 in those days. He was privileged, a hunter-killer. Born and bred by the Corp, he was tasked with bringing down "runners", I.E. escaped slaves. Many of the ones he'd killed were "genies," folk much like himself: poor lost souls, altered, genetically-modified, cybernetically-augmented, and often, hopelessly mutated. Their only crime was they'd been disloyal to the company. But it's considered impolite to call anyone a slave.

Ghost was back in the moment. He sighed. That is all in the past now. But then, one's past always catches up with them. He hadn't thought about Weird Sal in months, since he'd moved to the city. And now the old crank shows up, all of a sudden, out of the blue? Strange times.

He quaffs the drink, leaves 20 gold tip, and heads for room 622. Best get this over with. Stealth mode: 8 + 8 = 16

Robyo wrote:
Ok cool. On a job like this Ghost would use the device for recording or transferring data.

If it matters, he would have gotten the comlink from a fixer, and with a fake SIN (system ID number). Charge for black market?

You could do this one of 2 ways:

1) Burner SIN card, not really a counterfeit (meaning you are not pretending to be someone else) just a SIN# that doesn't go anywhere. Companies today sell burner cell phones, burner email, burner text.... if you trace it, it just goes to some company in Canada. That you can get at Walmart, no extra charge.

2) a true black-market, forged\counterfeit SIN# that goes to someone else and\or that can be changed over time. Using SW rules as a guide, but considering the lower bonus numbers in 5e, an item that gave a +1 equipment bonus (not magical) would be a big deal in 5e. In 5e it would be created\altered using Forgery Tools.

I would price a "master-craft" Forged fake SIN# at 300 which would give a +1 bonus to Deception or Stealth checks for the device to be tracked or identified (plus prof bonus if applicable and skill check).

Robyo wrote:
Ghost thought he might stay awhile, get to know the waitress. Geisha girls, they are something else.

Then Ghost was clutched by painful memories, his mind wracked with guilt, from a time long ago when he had faithfully served the Corp. He had once loved a geisha. But her death was his own fault... or rather, he hadn't been fast enough to save her.

He was known as LOMAX-23 in those days. He was privileged, a hunter-killer. Born and bred by the Corp, he was tasked with bringing down "runners", I.E. escaped slaves. Many of the ones he'd killed were "genies," folk much like himself: poor lost souls, altered, genetically-modified, cybernetically-augmented, and often, hopelessly mutated. Their only crime was they'd been disloyal to the company. But it's considered impolite to call anyone a slave.

Ghost was back in the moment. He sighed. That is all in the past now. But then, one's past always catches up with them. He hadn't thought about Weird Sal in months, since he'd moved to the city. And now the old crank shows up, all of a sudden, out of the blue? Strange times.

He quaffs the drink, leaves 20 gold tip, and heads for room 622. Best get this over with. Stealth mode: 8 + 8 = 16

Ghost sees other patrons going through a set of beaded curtains with their escorts.  Other than the front door and kitchen area, it appears to be the only other exit from the lounge.  Ghost stops at the curtains.  He can see the escorts leading their marks down a hallway with a set of elevators at the end, presumably going to different types of private rooms (bath houses, S&M dungeons, bedrooms, etc).  

Ghost spots a pair of bouncers chatting up a well armed madame and guarding the elevators.  Ghost suddenly realizes just what type of people Benowitz is mixed up with....

ready to go

Chris wrote:Ghost sees other patrons going through a set of beaded curtains with their escorts.  Other than the front door and kitchen area, it appears to be the only other exit from the lounge.  Ghost stops at the curtains.  He can see the escorts leading their marks down a hallway with a set of elevators at the end, presumably going to different types of private rooms (bath houses, S&M dungeons, bedrooms, etc).  

Ghost spots a pair of bouncers chatting up a well armed madame and guarding the elevators.  Ghost suddenly realizes just what type of people Benowitz is mixed up with....

Dirty yaks. Figures. Ghost makes a hasty retreat (still in Stealth mode) back to the front bar and calls for the waitress. "I need a room. As close to 622 as I can get."

Chris wrote:

Robyo wrote:
Ok cool. On a job like this Ghost would use the device for recording or transferring data.

If it matters, he would have gotten the comlink from a fixer, and with a fake SIN (system ID number). Charge for black market?

You could do this one of 2 ways:

1) Burner SIN card, not really a counterfeit (meaning you are not pretending to be someone else) just a SIN# that doesn't go anywhere.  Companies today sell burner cell phones, burner email, burner text.... if you trace it, it just goes to some company in Canada.  That you can get at Walmart, no extra charge.

2) a true black-market, forged\counterfeit SIN# that goes to someone else and\or that can be changed over time.  Using SW rules as a guide, but considering the lower bonus numbers in 5e, an item that gave a +1 equipment bonus (not magical) would be a big deal in 5e.   In 5e it would be created\altered using Forgery Tools.

I would price a "master-craft" Forged fake SIN# at 300 which would give a +1 bonus to Deception or Stealth checks for the device to be tracked or identified (plus prof bonus if applicable and skill check).

Go with option 2 sounds good. I will pay the 300 cred.

Stealth and Deception seem plausible for hiding my data trail. Also, an Investigation (Intelligence) check might be for searching data on the matrix.

What about some kind of Scrying ability? Maybe once/day? Or is that overpowered?

Robyo wrote:

Dirty yaks. Figures. Ghost makes a hasty retreat (still in Stealth mode) back to the front bar and calls for the waitress. "I need a room. As close to 622 as I can get."

Ghost casually wanders back into the lounge as if just returning from the restrooms.  He flags down the already-paid waitress again.  She scans the room, her eyes moving from geisha to geisha looking for one with a room near 622.  She nods demurely towards a geisha with 1 cyber eye and a pierced forehead who is getting attention from a pair of well dressed men with pointed ears

whit10 wrote:ready to go

"May Ra guide you and Thoth give you speed."

Menkaure is familiar with Medjai scrolls....


give me a special saying that only the Medjai would know

Chris wrote:

stand by, trying to get everyone to the same party....

Mime is near the location of the meeting when he receives an alert on the TDOT channel

Emergency Road Detour due to changing weather conditions!
Grand Avenue Ramp to Park Ave.
8:00 PM-5:30 AM SU-TU
Full closure of southbound Grand Avenue South ramp to Park Ave. Follow detour signage - for joint
replacement at (Milemarker 213.4-213.4)
Detour for Ramp Closure (Grand Avenue South Ramp to Park Ave.) is South on 38th Ave. Exit to Fox St.,
Fox Street to Park Ave.



see if you can decipher this message from Handler

reference your earlier post for a guide. if you need help, I can give you the underlined portions, but I bet you can figure it out

"Follow the Sun"