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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Just now noticing the message in his commlink, Gears is happy that last night had some good results.
<I'll be there whenever it's good for you all.>
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
As the others began responding, Nova finished getting somewhat dressed. With no active plans to leave her loft, she wasn't especially in the mood to wear anything that was less than extremely comfortable. Once satisfied that she had achieved a level of comfort and decency acceptable to being in her room alone, Nova reclined in her expensive chair, and jumped into her home's node. As she mentally limbered up, she sent off yet another message to the rest of the team.
<The where doesn't matter to me, as I probably will not be joining you in person. Every minute spent driving is one less minute I can be hacking, so if it's all the same to you I'll be attending this meetup via commlink... And don't worry, I'll make sure the signal's encrypted.>
Spoiler
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For some reason Gray Mage's message was refusing to show up for me, but when I went to reply it was visible on the 'previous posts' part of the screen... o_O
Anyways, Nova's going to spend the minutes while she lets everyone else deliberate tracking down the nodes for the various meatspace addresses she was given.
TBH I don't know if this requires a Data Search or not, so I'll hold off on rolling until instructed otherwise.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
<Alright, I suggest we start with Alec Littletreee, since he seems to be selling so well. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to proceed? First perhaps drive by the area to get a layout. Gears, it seems you have some drones that could be useful.>
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
<Yes, I think I can get a good aerial view. I'll be ready in moments, just pass me the coordinates of the area. Anyone else wants to tag along? I could give one more person a ride if needed.>
Having said that, he prepares his two surveillance drones, a combat drone probably not beeing needed, picks up his kits and pistol, because it's never good to go completely unarmed. (He also always carries the relevant fake licenses and SIN).
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Chris Anderson (Sparks)
<I'll go with you Gears, let me know where you want to meet #Sparks>
Once he receives a reply, Sparks drops his commlink into a satchel and heads for the rendezvous.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
To Sparks:Spoiler
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<Since I have my own vehicle, anywhere is fine to me.
#Gears>
Once he's ready he drives his Scorpion to the meeting point with Sparks and then head to the address given to him.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Deciding to skip her final class of the day (I mean, when will I every need Sperethial). Kitaru types out a quick message to her comrades.
<Since we have two addresses for this guy, why don't the two of you check out his home address, and I can swing by his place of business. Call if you need help.
#Kitaru>
With that sent, she checks her bike for parking tickets and heads out to see this safe house.
Spoiler
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How far from is home address is the gang safe house?
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
All of you except Nova meet up at a Stuffer Shack 2 blocks away from Alec Littletrees apartment around 10:15. Its a middle class neighborhood and you see a couple of delivery drones on the streets. Alec Littletrees apartment is on the 3rd floor of an medium sized apartment building.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
As the others make their way to Alec Littletree's house, Nova quickly finds his commlink through the commcode Onyx found the previous night, and sets to work hacking in. The security is relatively easy to bypass, and within moment's she's inside. From her own commlink, she quickly sends a message to her team,
<I've hacked Littletree's commlink. I'll keep you apprised of his location during the meeting. If one of you wants to follow him, I can narrow his address down to about 50 meters. Perhaps one of Gears' drones could be of use? Up to you all. For now I'm gonna get to work accessing the rest of Littletree's stuff.>
Before she logs out however, Nova quickly scans the node she's in as best she can, looking for anything hidden or especially noteworthy, before queuing up a data transfer for the entirety of the commlink's contents.
Making a mental note to scan every file for bugs or bombs before opening it, she gives the node another once over. Just as she's about to log out however, she realizes she might need to get back in, and decides having a more... permanent... solution might be required.
Reaching out, she grabs the user registry for the commlink and concentrates. Making a name show up doesn't take too long at all... Making the system recognize a user as real while not being recorded is an entirely different matter, and it takes her almost a half-hour of full concentration before the system finally caves to her mental assault.
Spoiler
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Nova transfers the data from Littletree's commlink to her own.
She's then going search for anything relating to tempo, and then another for anything that resembles a calendar or schedule.
(I believe my matrix perception to notice data bombs etc occurs automatically?)
TBH I'm not sure what I'd roll here... the only data searches I'm familiar with are when you're searching the entire matrix. If I'm just searching a single set of files, I would imagine the browse program would find it by itself within a minute?
In any case, if buying hits for some reason doesn't allow me to automatically succeed on my examination of the data I pulled, tell me what I should roll here.
Creating a Legit account (Admin) (Threading Edit +3 rating)
4 (Hacking) +8 (Edit) +2 (Hotsim) -2 (Threading Stealth)
[roll0] - 6 hits (Success)
Hiding said account. (Stopped threading Edit)
4 (Hacking) +8 (Stealth) +2 (Hotsim)
[roll1] - 8 hits (5 of them being 6's... Too bad no critical success on extended tests)
[roll2] - 2 hits
[roll3]
[roll4]
This takes me to /approximately/ (10:00)
Once the account has been hidden, Data search + Edit to find and modify the Access Logs. (Something that is left rather vague if I might add. As far as I'm aware no tests are required, they're just complex actions unless it's encrypted? Anyways, Completely obliterating all traces of my presence in the commlink before logging out.)
On another note, how many safehouses do I have addresses for, and how long would it take to drive a circuit that passes each one?
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Nova easily hacks into Alec Littletrees commlink and finds its qualtiy as low as can be expected from a gang member(attributes and programm ratings between 2 and 3). She can easily track his location for now(he is at home), gains access to all his files and grants herself a permanent admin accout.
While studying the files she finds some good information and some parts that are still lacking. For example his calender is full with with appointments, but only the time is written in and they are named in some kind of code. But a couple of them are regular appointments, so if you can figure out what he does one one of these dates you can assume that he will repeat the same thing on other dates. His first appointment today is such a regular appointment at 12:30 under the codename "beaver".
Direct information about tempo is not saved on the commlink as he apparrently tries to keep it relatively clean. The names of contacts is likewise only written in some code that doesnt make sense to anyone but him. There are no signs of any cyberware that is controlled via the commlink.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Receiving Nova's message, Gears answers in kind
<Understood. I can try and get us a view of the apartment, or wait to follow him or make my drones enter the apartment once he leaves. Any of them is fine by me.>
If no one from the group objects or has a better idea, Gears'll quietly and in a way as to not draw attention as possible pick his MCT Fly-Spy drone and enter it in hot VR, a light smile on his face as he antecipates the feel of the circuits and currents as his flesh and blood.
To someone on the outside, he appears to be doing nothing more then daydreaming, but inside his mind he's focusing in the task at hand, flying to the outside of Littletree's building, trying to see the inside of the apartment without being seen.
Spoiler
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Would this action count as a Stakeout or as an Infiltration?
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Chris Anderson (Sparks)
Sparks will attempt to get a good look at Littletree so he can find him later via detect individual, and he will attempt to assense his aura should the opportunity arise. From a safe distance, he'll also attempt to determine if the safehouse has any magical defenses or lookouts, relaying this information to his teammates as needed.
Spoiler
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Assensing: [roll0]
Assensing: [roll1]
Assensing: [roll2]
Assensing: [roll3]
Assensing: [roll4]
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
"While you two are occupied here, let me go look at the gang's safehouse. I'll be back soon." Kitaru drives her bike over to the safehouse, trying to look like she is part of normal traffic.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Gears starts his drone and flies it up to the building, but unfortunately finds out that the glass of the windows is onedirectional, so that one can see out but not in with normal optical means.
After half an hour waiting at the entrance of the building, Gears and Sparks see Alec Littletree exiting the building. Sparks uses the chance to assens the ganger. To his suprise he finds out that Alec is magically awakened, but his magical energy is lower than his own. He doesnt find any indications of cyber or bioware and no other magical auras on him.
In the meanwhile Kitaru drives into The Verge towards the safe house. The difference of areas is striking as she enters the Z-Zone. Waste is lying around as noone comes here to collect it anymore, the roads have more holes in them than a swiss cheese and burnt out cars are lining the streetside. First Nation gangers in this area no longer try to hide their guns and as she drives by the warehouse she even sees two of the gangers openly handling their AK97. After this short visit she is quite sure that she doesnt want to stay in this area alone for long, especially at night.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
As she drives away, Kitaru quickly fires off a message to her new compainions. <<The gang's safe house is in a much less classy neighborhood than his house. The gangers openly sporting AK's was my first clue. I think I will stay here and watch the safehouse for a while, let me know if you see anything>>
With that she finds an empty ally to stash her bike. While she is unobserved, she quitely asks the kami for another favor. After muttering a few words in Japanese and affixing a prayer strip to her bike she leaves the alley. However, instead of an attractive Japanese Elf she now looks like an older Ork man of Native American origin, clothes tattered, and a bottle of something in hand still in the paper bag. Her bike looks like just another pile of refuse next to all the rest.
Spoiler
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First Cast Physical Mask (Force 3)
Spellcasting+Magic+Mentor Spirit 8+3+2 [roll0]
Drain F/2+1
Logic+Charisma 3+7
Then Trid Phantasm to hide the bike (Force 3)
Spellcasting+Magic+Mentor Spirit 8+3+2 [roll1]
Drain F/2+3
Logic+Charisma 3+7 [rollv][/roll]
Disguise in place, she finds a "comfortable" place on the sidewalk not too far from the safe house (yet not right next to it either. Here she sits, occasionally drinking from her bottle.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Spoiler
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I forgot to include the dice for the drain, her we go again. I also forgot to include the -2 to cast the Trid Phantasm because I'm sustaining Mask.
Drain for the Mask
[roll0]
Drain for the Phantasm
[roll1]
Edit: So I'm fine from the Mask, but the Phantasm gives me a drain of 3 Stun. On both spellcasting tests I got my max of three hits.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
The team continues their observation of Alec Littletree for the next two days, relying mostly on the backdoor to his commlink, which makes shadowing at a distance much easier.
On the first day he travels to the safehouse in The Verge in time to be there when a white van pulls over and a few briefcases are unloaded, which looks like a drug delivery.
Alec spends the rest of the day first at the safehouse and then overlooking the dealing operations in his area, so there are no suprises yet.
The second day starts uneventful with Alec going about his normal business, but at 4pm something unusual happens. Gears Flyspy drone manages to get a glimps of him exiting the safehouse in The Verge alone with a briefcase just like the ones that were delivered the day before. He puts it into his car and drives of alone.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Making a mental note about the target's movements and sending it to the others, Gears stars thinking about the best course of action. His drones wouldn't be able to keep up with the car, plus, that was potentially a very usefull information, maybe usefull enough to count as "major". Yep, the course of action was clear to him, he'd have to follow him by motorbike. After briefly explaining his reasoning to any companion that is there (if someone would have been there with him, that is), he/both of them will leave asap and tail Alec.
Gears'll send small updates on his location from time to time, in case others want to follow him by other means.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Nova woke up at around 10 before spending the next hour lying in her bed doing nothing. After the 'full day' of hardwork she had put in yesterday, she felt she deserved a lazy morning.
With nothing else to do until something eventful happened, Nova messaged Onyx <Compiling more sprites. Please don't eat any of the ones that still owe me tasks unless I say you can. -Nova>
Ignoring the usual response that he didn't 'eat' sprites, and that it wasn't his fault her reality filter presented reassembly in that manner, Nova took a quick shower before pulling up some of the latest Sinthcore on her commlink and waiting until the beat of the music synced up with the pulsation of the Resonance.
4:00 PM
Pulling herself from her reverie, Nova quickly looked over her notifications. Alec Littletree was on the move, and it wasn't a part of his normal routine. Mentally pulling up his daily planner, she checked for any entries for the current date and time, while simultaneously logging into his commlink to make sure her trace was up and running.
<Gears, If you got eyes on him give me a heads up if it looks like he's talking to someone important. I'll see if I can hack his mic or the commlink of whoever he's meeting. -Nova>
Spoiler
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To start, I'll assume Nova was informed that Alec Littletree's behavior has deviated from the norm because that's not something she'd normally be able to tell just by tracking his location.
Here are some of the relevant rolls for the sprite handling that went on in the morning:
For flavor purposes the Data sprite was registered the night before, justifying Nova's late start on the day.
Compiling
4 (Compiling) + 5 (Res) + 2 (Resonance Well) + 2 (In Tune) + 1 (Paragon)
[roll0]
[roll1]
4v3 - Success, 1 net hit
[roll2]
[roll3]
5v1 - Success, 4 net hits
[roll4]
[roll5]
5v0 - Success 5 net hits
Registering
4 (Registering) + 5 (Res) + 2 (Resonance Well) + 2 (In Tune) + 1 (Paragon)
[roll6]
[roll7]
6v4 - Success 2 net hits (3 tasks owed)
[roll8]
[roll9]
2v3 - Failure
Resist Fading:
5 (Log) + 5 (Res) + 2 (Resonance Well) + 2 (In Tune)
[roll10] - 6-4=2S
[roll11] - 8-5=3S
[roll12] - 1-4=0S
[roll13] - 6-5=1S
[roll14]
Failure to register the second sprite prevented compiling of third sprite.
Rolling to heal stun in OOC.
Results:
1 Registered Data Sprite (Rating 4) 3 tasks owed.
1 Unregistered Tank Sprite (Rating 4) 4 tasks owed.
5 points of Stun Damage after resting for 1 hour.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Watching Alec leaving so early makes Kitaru really want to see what is in that briefcase. Appearing to quietly mutter to herself, she says, "Oh old friend, I have another favor of you to ask. I must go elsewhere, could you please stay here out of sight and remember who is entering and leaving this building? I tank you already." After giving the kami its instructions, she calmly makes her way back to where her bike is disguised and follows Alec out of sight, relying on Gears position updates to guide her.
Spoiler
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Summoning a Watcher Spirit
Magic + Summoning = 3+2 [roll0]
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
<Don't worry, I'll keep you all posted.
Gears>
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Kitaru and Gears follow Alec Littletree on a drive through the city until he finally gets out at a small bar near the Tacoma docks. During the drive he circled around a bit and once stopped his car for a while, which looks to you like he was trying to make sure that he was not beeing followed.
They can get there about half a minute later, and from outside the bar there is not much going on that they can see.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Gears aproaches Kitaru when she gets to the scene.
"He's in there. Should we go in too or would you rather have me use my drone to get inside?"
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Looking at the bar Kitaru resonds, <Well, all this driving has made me thirsty, one beer can't hurt.> With that she walks through the door, finds a barstool near the center of room, orders a beer, and discretely looks around.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Sparks
Sparks arrives just in time to see Kitaru disappear through the door. Walking slowly, he nods to Gears and switches to astral perception briefly to ensure there are no hidden spirits or invisible magi nearby before settling in. He'll then move on somewhat away from his teammate, so as not to be photographed together, and standby in case Kitaru calls for help or some other situation arises.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Gears'll let Kitary work her magic for now, waiting outside by his chopper.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Kitaru manages to blend into the bar quite easily and finds Alec Littletree sitting in a booth across a big black human ganger, with obviously different gang markers, but she cant place them. She observes what appears to be a clean business transaction where Littletree hands over the briefcase and recieves a couple of credsticks in return.
She also notices a small group of 3 asian men that are also in the bar and appear to observe the meeting as well as casually as possible.
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Kitaru messages the rest of the group with what she sees. <Gears, could you take a picture of these people when they are leaving? I don't want to do anything to blow my cover. I wonder who the asian men are. Do you think they are Yakuza? >
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Gears replies to Kitaru :<Don't worry, I've got that covered. Sparks is around here too, might want to message him as well.
Gears>
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Re: Shadowrun 4E: Ghost Cartels, Chapter 1: A Stranger in our House
Sparks
Assuming he receives a message on his comlink, Sparks will zoom in with his cybereyes first to get a quick photo of the group, then attempt to assense the men leaving the bar so he can find them later astrally if need be. He'll start with any awakened men, then work his way from back to front, taking note if any are magicians or adepts.