Shadowrun Adventure - feedback requested

[Brookshw]

My players out.

Hi Gang,

I'm looking for some suggestions on a SR adventure I'm mulling over. The party is hired to deliver the McGuffin. The Johnson is a government employee. Party doesn't know what the McGuffin is, it's in an armored attache case. Johnson is actually with the military and this is actually a mole hunt by him. He's sent out several different McGuffins and controlled the knowledge of who and how they would be delivered, each taking a different route and being carried by different runners. Those that he suspects only know of one route a piece. Whichever group gets jumped, he has a pretty good idea who the mole is.

The players of course will need to get jumped, wouldn't be much fun if it was a dud run after all. They're traveling by Zepplin (because why not!) This should give time for them to get to know some people on the Zepplin and whomever is grabbing the item on behalf of the mole to maybe poke around and get them suspicious. I don't know if it'll play out this way, but either the counter runner grabs the case and parachutes out and they have to hunt them down. Additionally or alternatively they plant bombs on the Zepplin to cover their tracks or complicate things for the party.

In the attache case is a semi useless plaster replica of a foci or something of that effect. I expect near the end of the adventure the case will take damage, the item get broken, and the party will find out it was a dud in the first place.

So where does this need to be flushed out further, who should be on the Zepplin, and what other complications should I throw at the group?

[LibraryOgre]

First of all, be prepared for the party to foil the theft. Be prepared for the troll who straps it to his chest then sits down for 72 hours. What's the contingency for the bad guy?

Who are the counter runners? How are they on the Zeppelin (passengers? crew? zip-lining in from a freight airship)? What's their timetable and extraction plan... "parachuting out of a Zeppelin" is sufficiently Shadowrunny, but consider that they're going to be landing SOMEWHERE, and you want to know where... and so do they. They've probably got a timetable and an extraction route.

Rather than a simple "plaster cast of something magical", consider that the guy sending it might use something else... like a squawker that will, upon opening, send a text message with its GPS coordinates to a blind Matrix drop. Single shot, not much to trace, and no real info to tell you who's tracking it. AND a plaster cast of something magical.

[Brookshw]

Good questions, certainly giving me something to think about.

First of all, be prepared for the party to foil the theft. Be prepared for the troll who straps it to his chest then sits down for 72 hours. What's the contingency for the bad guy?

Depends I suppose on what the party does. The rival runners have a bit of an advantage in that they know their targets. Depending on the parties actions, drugged food, flash bangs, forced breach. I wouldn't be surprised if the party stops the theft and if they do, power to them. They're at a disadvantage though and we'll see how it plays itself out. Placing bombs and intentionally having them discovered could split the party and make it easier for them.

Who are the counter runners? How are they on the Zeppelin (passengers? crew? zip-lining in from a freight airship)? What's their timetable and extraction plan... "parachuting out of a Zeppelin" is sufficiently Shadowrunny, but consider that they're going to be landing SOMEWHERE, and you want to know where... and so do they. They've probably got a timetable and an extraction route.

As to the who, the mole-johnson (Moleson!) has an idea who's escorting the package so they have a bit of leeway. The party's boarding the airship 24 hours after getting the job and it's making several stops enroute so time enough for them to get on board and set up. On the plus side, one of the players works TSA security so I'll be having a bit of fun with the PCs getting on, especially with their gear I imagine we're looking at a decker, two combat somethings (troll heavy hitter and elf ninja maybe) and probably one more. We're doing a magic light campaign so I'm leaning away from tossing any mages in for the time being. Mostly.

As to getting away, diving out of a moving Zepplin is probably quite the head start so I doubt they have much of a plan beyond that. Probably steal a car, get to a transit hub, and take a train/plane to their destination. If we even go this route where the theft is successful the party should have some time and opportunities to track them down. One thing the counter runners will probably have to watch out for is any kind of tracking device the players might but on the case.

Rather than a simple "plaster cast of something magical", consider that the guy sending it might use something else... like a squawker that will, upon opening, send a text message with its GPS coordinates to a blind Matrix drop. Single shot, not much to trace, and no real info to tell you who's tracking it. AND a plaster cast of something magical.

Not bad. I considered it but I'm not sure what it gets the PCs Johnson. Could tip them off to a safe house/drop zone so wouldn't hurt to have it planted.

Any thoughts, suggestions, or foreseen problems with this as an adventure outline are much appreciated!

[Kaun]

First of all, be prepared for the party to foil the theft. Be prepared for the troll who straps it to his chest then sits down for 72 hours. What's the contingency for the bad guy?

I may be a bit late to the party but as an alternative what if the PC's are escorting a person rather then a McGuffin. But the person is a McGuffin. He/She is one of several exact clones, that are all exactly identical with the exception that one of the clones has a ***something*** that sets it apart from the others and this is what the real mcguffin is. The clones don't know they are clones but they have massive holes in their memory.

By making the McGuffin a person it gives you more leverage as a GM. The Troll is less likely to strap the McGuffin to their chest in this situation and you also gain the ability to use the McGuffin as a hostage.