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Servetus
Apr 1, 2010
Interestingly enough, if you give Gaichu throwing knives or shurikens he is actually quite accurate with them, due to his high strength score.

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Xun
Apr 25, 2010

He's got real accurate smelling

wiegieman
Apr 22, 2010

Royalty is a continuous cutting motion


Like all ghouls, Gaichu can astrally perceive. He can't see well enough to aim a gun, but he can throw at living beings with no problem.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

Gaichu is the evolved form of Geekachu

bob dobbs is dead
Oct 8, 2017

I love peeps
Nap Ghost

wiegieman posted:

Like all ghouls, Gaichu can astrally perceive. He can't see well enough to aim a gun, but he can throw at living beings with no problem.

lookin at the many many drone and turret enemies in this game....

Rawkking
Sep 4, 2011
Man I feel so bad I murdered a potential party member in my playthrough (or maybe just told him to leave?). I think all I got out of it was extorting some extra pay from the elders for bullshitting me so much.

At best, I might have misinterpreted the "now you work for me" option as something more unsavory than being a shadowrunner, can't remember my motivations for this at all.

Rawkking fucked around with this message at 02:52 on Jun 4, 2021

Kanfy
Jan 9, 2012

Just gotta keep walking down that road.

Servetus posted:

Interestingly enough, if you give Gaichu throwing knives or shurikens he is actually quite accurate with them, due to his high strength score.

He's also a great Shock Glove carrier, which is why it's a little mean that you're locked out of buying it the moment you recruit Gaichu as the vendors are then gone. When I said in that update that even an adeptless team should "strongly consider picking it up" and giving it to "someone like Duncan" I pretty much meant buying it specifically for Gaichu without being able to actually name him. :v:

Kanfy
Jan 9, 2012

Just gotta keep walking down that road.
Part 17 - Paths Through the Garden


Previously in Shadowrun: Hong Kong we left Whampoa with a new companion in tow and the Elders facing justice for their plotting. That is not the only way things could've gone down however, so before we move on to new adventures with our ghoul buddy, let's first take a step back and explore what other ways things could've gone in our first foray to the famed ~Non-Canon Zone~.

Since this is basically an extended Extras section we'll play things a bit looser here, jumping right to relevant bits, assuming the presence of all companions for dialogue purposes, and so on.



The first obvious alternate conclusion to this mission is simply doing the job we were told to do and stopping the murders by stopping the murderer. This is not difficult as Gaichu is very much in the category of characters whose impressive off-screen feats aren't reflected in their mechanical capabilities. He simply has his standard party member stats (though beefed up slightly on Hard difficulty) and it doesn't take an expert mathematician to calculate the odds of beating one party member with four party members.

As a side note, I was actually wrong back when I claimed the combat theme (Grendel) doesn't have a distinct low-intensity version. Turns out it does, but it's not included on the soundtrack at all and seems to only ever play in this "fight" against Gaichu. It's almost melancholic, as if the wind has been taken out of the sails of the usual track.







Either way, the villain(?) menacing the Elders is eliminated for good in no time flat.



Really? That's what the fuss was about? For such a big boogeyman, he was kind of a drat pushover.

Too bad the guy was a serial killer. I know how he felt. If the Elders did screw him over like that, he had good cause to go after them. But the way that he did it, poo poo... There are limits to what's acceptable.

I admit, I felt for the guy. But ghouls aren't people. They're plaguebearers. I think we did the right thing.

It's a shame we had to kill him. He seemed to have an interesting and unique perspective. Still, we should be set for payment now. Shall we go?



Back to the Elders with the good news.


Welcome back, my friend. What news do you have for us?

I found your killer. He's dead.

[Ng's relief is palpable.]

Excellent! We can sleep soundly for once, without looking over our shoulders. We are in your debt.

Knowing enough about the actual circumstances adds a dialogue option here which adds an extra 200 nuyen to the final payment. There's no way to get that +2 Karma on these paths though.

About that... He told me a pretty interesting story before I killed him.

[Ng's face pales. She grits her teeth, slowly enunciating her reply.]

I'm certain the killer would have said anything to shift blame. Perhaps we can compensate you a little extra for your trouble?

Thanks very much. I'd like that.

We'll be very happy to add a little... extra... to your fee. For all the hard work you've done. And, of course, the discretion for which you're known.


<<<




Here's something else too, this is actually one of those cases where doing the job non-lethally with Duncan's Subdue is acknowledged. This should give slightly different reactions from the crew (I say "should" because they're improperly flagged and don't trigger) but it's nothing that interesting, just some more borderline meta commentary about how weirdly easy it was to take him down after all the build-up. This does change the final conversation with Elder Ng though:


Welcome back, my friend. What news do you have for us?

We found your killer. He's tied up in Magpie's stockroom.

[Ng's blinks several times, recoiling a little.]

The killer is... alive? Why would you leave him alive?!

Lady, you hired us to stop him, not execute him.

[Ng pinches the bridge of her nose with two fingers, sighing heavily.]

Yes. That is *technically* true, but I had assumed our intention was clear! An armed killer stalked and slaughtered us. What else would I possibly want you to do?!

Hey, you could have made us a flowchart. You wanted him stopped, so he's stopped.

[Ng shakes her head in disbelief.]

I will send some people to the stockroom to...handle...the situation. You have my thanks for your service. I will let it be known you are always welcome in Whampoa Garden.

-

Alternate conversation path:

The killer is... alive? Why would you leave him alive?!

For a laugh, mostly. You ever hog-tied a ghoul before? It's pretty fun.

[There is a long, silent moment as Ng looks at you with an expression caught somewhere between astonishment and horror.]

No. I can't imagine any world in which I would want to subdue a ghoul for fun.

See, there's your problem. Broaden your horizons, Ng!



Either way the outcome is considered the same as they presumably put a bullet in his head anyway, and there's nothing more to do in Whampoa but to head back home.







In addition to the standard crew commentary, Maximum Law can be talked to about the outcome of the Whampoa run.


A ghoul was killing your tribal Elders...

Yeah, I heard... it's all over our network. So is the fact that you *whacked* him. Good on you.

[Law shakes his bulky, goggle-clad head in frustration.]

I can't believe Magpie is gone... She was the best of the bunch. She was *brilliant.* She decked, she coded, and she knew the infrastructure. Magpie and the rest of us in her bus maintained the shadow-nets. *We're* the reason Whampoa can even stay independent.

Now Ng is gonna take everything over, I bet. She and all her woo-woo bullshit... she always wanted everybody else to kowtow to her weird-rear end preaching, like she speaks for the machines or something. She can't code or build poo poo, but she always wanted to run the show. Well... now that's gonna happen.

If we know about the Elders' involvement, we can choose to reveal it to Law.

Did you know the Elders were involved?

What? No...







[He pulls his goggles back down.]

I wish I didn't know.

Here, take this... I keep these credsticks around for when people have special information. I'll forge some bullshit on my expense report about what I gave it for. We can't ever talk about this again.

This nets us a bonus 450 nuyen.



Next, reporting the job as done to Kindly Cheng:

quote:

>>From: Kindly Cheng
>>to: Taz

The Whampoan Elders are satisfied with how you handled their little ghoul problem. They've even expressed how impressed they were with your efficacy. I have no idea what you did out there, but you've done well.

I've attached your payment. Try not to spend it all in one place, darling.

-Kindly Cheng

Finishing the job this way is worth 1,200 nuyen, or 1,400 with Elder Ng's bonus.

Lastly, the crew commentary for this path which there isn't actually that much of in this case. Duncan only ever responds as if Gaichu joined for some reason, Racter doesn't really care, and Gaichu isn't around for obvious reasons. Only Is0bel and Gobbet have any input of substance:


Watch your step if you ever go back to Whampoa Garden, especially on business. Sure, the guy they hired us to kill was a ghoul, but he was pretty obviously set up by the Elders. If they're willing to pull a stunt like that once, they're liable to try it again. You can't trust those people. If you ever take more work from them, don't let them blindside you.

It's too bad for that ghoul, but come on... Ghouls are cannibals. Whatever sob story he might have had, a job's a job. We're in enough trouble without carting a obvious monster around with us. Maybe the Whampoans lied, maybe not. All I know is that they're people you definitely want on your side.


<<<




So that's the "kill Gaichu for the Elders" -path, but those roles can also be reversed. This can either be done voluntarily by openly siding with Gaichu, or involuntarily by failing to convince Porter Lam about their guilt. To start with, gathering some evidence but not quite enough has him leave the decision of which side to fight to us:


And? What do you believe the real story is?

The waters are muddy on this matter. The ghoul seems to be telling some of the truth, and I respect that. But the fact remains: he is a dangerous creature who's killed many of our number. Our law is clear on this - he must die. You seem to be blameless in this, Taz - what do you say to this decision?

I'm not going to let you kill Gaichu.

Then you, too, must die. Ip!

[The Whampoans ready their weapons.]

-

or:

You're right. He's too dangerous to let live.

Unfortunate, then, that I will defend myself to the death.

[With that, the Ghoul draws his weapon.]


<<<


Messing up the investigation completely (or simply not bringing forth any of the evidence) only leaves one outcome:

And? What do you believe the real story is?

It's obvious to me that you've done only a minimal amount of investigation. What's more, you've made a mockery of our request to eliminate a dangerous killer, and he's completely fooled you. How you could be duped by such a flimsy story and believe such a dangerous creature is beyond me.

Thank you, Porter. You disappoint me, Taz. You're obviously a fool and a poor choice for hired help. I regret ever contacting you.



Now, wait just a minute, Ng...

Porter! Do as you're ordered! We are your Elders!

[With that, Ip raises his weapon.]



Lam and the Elders are about what you'd expect from two Street Samurai, a Shaman and a Rigger, but with slightly beefed up stats and extra cyberware in Ip's case. The only real noteworthy things about this fight are that we have rare 5-person team and the hostile side doesn't have their usual pre-combat positioning so everyone starts in a one giant clump.



This is bad news for the Elders since we have both the initiative and all kinds of explosives, Is0bel's remote mines being especially potent. Duncan's a big boy, he can take a couple of hits for the good of the team.



Short story shorter, a couple of turns later...







And so we once again make our leave quickly before someone realizes we just murdered our way through their remaining tribal leadership.







Heard someone just murdered their way through your remaining tribal leadership, Law. Ghoulish business all around.


About the Whampoan Elder massacre--





[He folds his arms, and almost-comical snarl on his face.]

I'm not surprised the other Elders got themselves killed. Figures. Well, Magpie will know what to do. We'll take care of this.

You don't know who killed the Elders?

We don't! It's bullshit... it's a setup! The cameras were all shut down. The mall's door logger was shut down. *Everything was shut down.* By... guess who? Elder Ng. Everybody was at a mandatory all-hands scrum in the Matrix. You know who called it? *Elder Ng.* Was she there? *No.*

We're supposed to know *everything.* We're open source inside the tribe. Someone chopped up half the circle, then waltzed into the mall and wiped out the rest... then vanished! Thanks, Ng... you villain-chaser idiot.

You don't show much respect for your Elders.

[Law shrugs.]

A lot of people are like, "Aaaah, uuuugh, respect your Elders, kiss their servos." Hey, that's good if you're in the old meat world, but we're *Whampoa.* We're a self-organizing machine... a neural-network tribe.

Being an Elder is a *job* and *duty,* like being a core processor. Elders organize the work sectors and maintain infrastructure. The Elders aren't gods, they're *routers.* Whampoa is built around the *network.* It sucks to lose their skills. The network has suffered a blow.

Let's get to the point: I've got something to tell you about the massacre...

What? You know something?

[Every actuating lens on Law's goggles zooms in on you. A fresh set of status lights begins blinking. One appears to indicate that he is recording.]

You were investigating the killings, right? Word is you were asking around...

First of all, Magpie's dead.

What?

[Law's visible lower face goes ashen.]

All chopped up and vanished. The killer got her first.

Oh... they've *really* got it coming. We will NOT forget.

From here we have a few different choices on what and how much to tell Law regarding what happened. For starters...

A ghoul was killing the Elders. He must have finished them off.

[Law seems taken aback. His jaw drops a little bit, and his voice is hushed.]

A ghoul? No way... there was all sorts of fighting in the mall. But I guess the first ones... huh. What happened? How did it go down?

It was a mess. I just know the ghoul killed them and got away.

Sufficiently high Charisma or Intelligence could also be used here to fabricate a story that doesn't incriminate us for that same 450 nuyen bonus reward from earlier.

Yeah, well... that's more than anybody else knows. I hope we can unravel what happened... someday. Thanks for telling us what you know.

-

Another option:

I saw some shadowy characters leaving the mall. That's all I've got.

Thanks for telling me, even though it wasn't much. When we find them... they're gonna end up facedown dead on a smoking keyboard, with their brains oozing out their ears like overcooked ramen. Mark my words.

-

Or...

(Charisma: 5) I saw guys in bulky gear with no markings. Almost like... covered-up riot armor.

Riot armor? Figures! The HKPF was around recently... some fishy business in one of the squats. For some reason, we stood off. They've got the firepower to pull it off... so they scouted us and came back for the Elders... Those gutter-slotted hairy--

[Law slams his fist down on a nearby display case.]

Ouch!

[He grabs his hand, cradling it.]

That hurts! I, uh... anyway... I'll spread the meta to the tribe. If the HKPF thinks we'll let this slide, they're as stupid as they look. Here... this is a credstick I keep on hand for when people have special information. Take it, you've earned it.

Yet another way to get that bonus reward.

-

Finally...





Yeah, that one's dumb enough that we can't go through with it at all.



Next, Kindly's take on this approach.

quote:

>>From: Kindly Cheng
>>to: Taz

I asked you to solve a problem, and your method of solving it is to kill the people I was doing a favor for? I have half a mind to throw you into the goddamn bay. Still, the Whampoans are now more afraid of me than ever, and money's started flowing again. So I suppose that's something.

I've attached your payment. The Whampoans made it explicitly clear that they wouldn't have paid at all, except to ensure you never come back to the Gardens. Next time, try not to gently caress the job up so much - I may not be as forgiving.

-Kindly Cheng

It seems a little unclear whether the Whampoans do or don't know what happened, but either way this route unsurprisingly has the lowest payoff, just 1,000 nuyen.

To finish things off, here are the crew comments on this outcome (with everyone chiming in properly this time around):


I guess it was a good thing to help that guy. I'd rather have a ghoul on the team than a ghoul obsessed with vengeance. Who knows what he would do to get it?

A pity that you killed their Elders - I would have liked to speak with them at length on philosophical matters. But I understand why you made your decision, of course. Our new companion made his case rather forcefully, and it would send a bad message to ignore his cries for vengeance.

I can't believe Ng and the other Elders would be stupid enough to try and shirk payment on a shadowrunner. A ghoul shadowrunner. Who's dressed like a Red Samurai. I mean, that pretty much screams "bad idea" on the face of it. What did they think was gonna happen? They're good in the Matrix, but they've got a lot to learn about dealing with shadowrunners.

I'm not sure about inviting that ghoul into our boat, but I can't say I'm gonna lose any sleep over the Elders dying. We live and die by our reputation, out here. Anybody dumb enough to pull a stunt like that on a a ghoul, they might be dumb enough to have tried it on us. I just hope we made the right decision.

You allowed me to extract vengeance on those that had wronged me. To me, that says that you understand the nature of reputation and fear in the shadows. I look forward to working with you.

-

As one final detail, in the very specific circumstances of someone ending up fighting the Elders, getting Gaichu killed in that fight, and not immediately slamming Load Game when that happens, Is0bel and Gobbet will instead have this to say about the shitshow:

I can't imagine that we could have screwed up that run any worse. The Elders died, the ghoul died, and the only reason we're likely to get paid is because everybody in the Garden is terrified of us now. Not our finest hour, you've gotta admit.

I haven't been on many jobs that have gone as sideways as that one. The ghoul died, and so did the elders. And we're left with what? A bunch of terrified deckers who're gonna pay Kindly protection money just so we don't ever come back? Yeah... That's kind of incredibly embarrassing.



And that just about covers it for the alternate outcomes of Outsider, next time we'll return to our standard timeline where we come back to Heoi with everyone alive and then proceed to converse with more people than ever before! Until then.

Kanfy fucked around with this message at 11:35 on Jun 4, 2021

poisonpill
Nov 8, 2009

The only way to get huge fast is to insult a passing witch and hope she curses you with Beast-strength.


I appreciate their commitment to letting you screw up so badly that you don’t investigate at all, and just get everyone killed. It seems like you’d have to be trying to do that badly, though. Is it possible to flub any missions naturally by just not paying attention?

Kanfy
Jan 9, 2012

Just gotta keep walking down that road.

poisonpill posted:

I appreciate their commitment to letting you screw up so badly that you don’t investigate at all, and just get everyone killed. It seems like you’d have to be trying to do that badly, though. Is it possible to flub any missions naturally by just not paying attention?

The broad answer is yes, there are certainly missions where suboptimal outcomes are easier to stumble into than this one, but any more specific answers to that question will have to wait until we get there.

Deep Dish Fuckfest
Sep 6, 2006

Advanced
Computer Touching


Toilet Rascal
Yeah, I've got to say that Hong Kong does better than a lot of games when it comes to not telling you "This is the good mission ending where you are a good person and did everything right!". In fact, I'm not sure I did that well on a lot of the missions when I played, so I'm looking forward to the rest of the LP.

achtungnight
Oct 5, 2014
I get my fun here. Enjoy!
Hopefully the game’s definition of doing everything right is the same as ours in this case, or close enough.

girl dick energy
Sep 30, 2009

You think you have the wherewithal to figure out my puzzle vagina?

Kanfy posted:

I can't believe Ng and the other Elders would be stupid enough to try and shirk payment on a shadowrunner. A ghoul shadowrunner. Who's dressed like a Red Samurai. I mean, that pretty much screams "bad idea" on the face of it. What did they think was gonna happen? They're good in the Matrix, but they've got a lot to learn about dealing with shadowrunners.
I'm genuinely surprised Is0bel isn't more upset about this outcome. I know there was no love lost between the groups, but drat.

Psion
Dec 13, 2002

eVeN I KnOw wHaT CoRnEr gAs iS

Kanfy posted:


The killer is... alive? Why would you leave him alive?!

For a laugh, mostly. You ever hog-tied a ghoul before? It's pretty fun.

[There is a long, silent moment as Ng looks at you with an expression caught somewhere between astonishment and horror.]

No. I can't imagine any world in which I would want to subdue a ghoul for fun.

See, there's your problem. Broaden your horizons, Ng!


ahahahah

I had no idea this dialogue was in the game. None. It's amazing. Thanks, Kanfy :allears:

Keldulas
Mar 18, 2009

girl dick energy posted:

I'm genuinely surprised Is0bel isn't more upset about this outcome. I know there was no love lost between the groups, but drat.

Honestly Is0bel’s statement on that outcome doesn’t make full sense to me. The sentence at the end about them having a lot to learn about dealing with shadowrunners really sounds like she’s talking about still-alive elders.

It just doesn’t fully fit

GimmickMan
Dec 27, 2011

Psion posted:

ahahahah

I had no idea this dialogue was in the game. None. It's amazing. Thanks, Kanfy :allears:

No kidding.

Not only do I remember a lot less about this game than Dragonfall (the various obvious backer NPCs in Whampoa made me go "wait what who is this???"), but there's tons more alternate conversations so I'm basically experiencing everything that isn't the main story fresh!

FoolyCharged
Oct 11, 2012

Cheating at a raffle? I sentence you to 1 year in jail! No! Two years! Three! Four! Five years! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!
Somebody call for an ant?

Keldulas posted:

Honestly Is0bel’s statement on that outcome doesn’t make full sense to me. The sentence at the end about them having a lot to learn about dealing with shadowrunners really sounds like she’s talking about still-alive elders.

It just doesn’t fully fit

I'm pretty sure that they is the wampoans in general.

E: Also, surprise! It turns out the killer was one of the things the elders insisted wasn't an issue!

I dont know
Aug 9, 2003

That Guy here...

FoolyCharged posted:

I'm pretty sure that they is the wampoans in general.

E: Also, surprise! It turns out the killer was one of the things the elders insisted wasn't an issue!

They want you to deal with him, but don't want to explain why. Shadowruns are merc and professional killers, you can tell them alot of things crooked poo poo and they won't give a gently caress. However, your target is the previous shadowruner that we hired and then double crossed instead of payed is one of the few things that won't be casually brushed off.

By popular demand
Jul 17, 2007

IT *BZZT* WASP ME--
IT WASP ME ALL *BZZT* ALONG!


Also it was time for the 'people trying to gently caress you' part of cyberpunk to appear.

Kobal2
Apr 29, 2019

SIGSEGV posted:

Since astral perception is likened to something like a really fuzzy synesthetic experience of spiritual presences, but not material ones, and that outside of it ghouls are genuinely blind, such that our pal can't aim a gun, I wonder how good he's actually going to be at physical combat given that sight is also pretty important there.

He's a blind Japanese martial arts guy with a debilitating illness. That's deep in Rule Number One territory.

bob dobbs is dead
Oct 8, 2017

I love peeps
Nap Ghost
little no, bald yes, wrinkly very kinda, you can deffo see hes not smiling either. 1.5/4 on little bald wrinkly smiling man imo

Kobal2
Apr 29, 2019
I'm just saying the only way he ever gets more powerful is when he ditches the armour in favour of a ratty old plain grey kimono and a fraying straw hat with a slice cut off. But of course that's end game, when he prepares to iai duel a tank batallion.

KataraniSword
Apr 22, 2008

but at least I don't have
a MLP or MSPA avatar.
I am my own man.

bob dobbs is dead posted:

little no, bald yes, wrinkly very kinda, you can deffo see hes not smiling either. 1.5/4 on little bald wrinkly smiling man imo

He's about as smiley as Rutger Hauer. About as alive, too.

(watch blind fury, i can't exactly call it a criterion collection masterpiece but at its absolute worst it's hilariously camp)

Foxfire_
Nov 8, 2010

He got significantly less powerful once put into a larger group, so that checks out too

tarbrush
Feb 7, 2011

ALL ABOARD THE SCOTLAND HYPE TRAIN!

CHOO CHOO

Foxfire_ posted:

He got significantly less powerful once put into a larger group, so that checks out too

He's a samurai not a ninja, so the conservation of ninjitsu law shouldn't apply

Kobal2
Apr 29, 2019

tarbrush posted:

He's a samurai not a ninja, so the conservation of ninjitsu law shouldn't apply

He's a ronin right now so, could go either way. But I think so far we've steered somewhat clear of the kind of people who would be making visual symbolic demonstrations of ourselves. I'm not talking about public executions, I'm talking about effortlessly throwing Worf against a wall. Our Bioware-taught idle animating at outsiders to establish dominance is still strong.

bewilderment
Nov 22, 2007
man what



I assume that against the HKPF Gaichu was doing some Predator strike-from-the-shadows stuff and wasn't literally in pitched battle for most of it.

Magni
Apr 29, 2009

bewilderment posted:

I assume that against the HKPF Gaichu was doing some Predator strike-from-the-shadows stuff and wasn't literally in pitched battle for most of it.

My guess is he shut down the lights and then went to town on the poor bastards.

Gun Jam
Apr 11, 2015

seems relevant.

Zagglezig
Oct 16, 2012

Gun Jam posted:

seems relevant.

This includes Extras like the soundtracks and art books, for those interested.
The giveaway ends on 28th June 2021, at 1 PM UTC.

argosaxelcaos
Apr 26, 2017
I bought Hong Kong to play alongside the thread and now they give it for free ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Well, at least I can get my brother to play it too, and the free soundtrack and artbooks are great

Kanfy
Jan 9, 2012

Just gotta keep walking down that road.
Sorry for the wait, been focusing on some other stuff and recharging my creative batteries a bit while at it. Won't happen again regularly!

Kanfy
Jan 9, 2012

Just gotta keep walking down that road.
Part 18 - The Old and New Ways







Detective Taz and her team have successfully cracked the Whampoa Serial Killer Case and we're back to Heoi with +8 Karma and said killer as our new companion. And speaking of which, let's get Gaichu up to speed right away.



Red Samurai - Active Defense: Gaichu gains the defensive ability "Active Defense" that adds +2 Armor and +1 Dodge for 2 turns. Cost: 1 AP. Cooldown: 5 turns.

Ghoul - Rip: Gaichu gains the claw ability "Rip" which deals +2 HP damage and an additional 2 Bleed damage for 2 turns. Cost: 1 AP. Cooldown: 2 turns.


Not the fanciest of level ups stats-wise, but every point of Body is welcome for a close quarters combatant and Throwing Weapons can end up fairly relevant for Gaichu too. As their names imply, Gaichu's two crew advancement paths are thematically divided between primarily weapon-based skills as a Red Samurai and expanding his repertoire of innate ghoul abilities which don't rely on weapons at all. Notably Gaichu's upgrades are almost exclusively fully new abilities, with only one passive bonus among all of them.

As for these ones, Active Defense is usable if not one of his best tricks. He can certainly use these kinds of defense boosts as a melee fighter who isn't as durable as you might expect, but spending 1 AP for such a minor and temporary one isn't super exciting, particularly on this extra high difficulty where offense is very much the best defense. It is at least a decent pre-combat buff in ambush situations, or if he just doesn't have any good offensive options on a given turn.

That being said, I have a hard time seeing even that much use for Rip. Gaichu's basic claw attack is pretty weak (damage = Strength with 2 additional Infection damage the next turn) and even a slightly upgraded version of it only manages to be comparable to his sword. If it could take advantage of the damage boost from weapons like the Shock Glove (which deals Strength + 2 damage passively) then that'd be one thing, but unless I'm missing something and people have great success stories to tell about this ability, I'm willing to leave the ripping and tearing to a different series and go for Active Defense here.



With our new buddy all caught up, we make our way back to the safeboat. There are of course all kinds of people to chat with in the rest of Heoi again, but we'll leave them until later.







First off, we'll report back to Kindly Cheng for our payment.



quote:

>>From: Kindly Cheng
>>To: Taz

The Whampoans tell me that they've ousted all of their council of Elders - something to do with you exposing their efforts to cover up their own mess. It isn't the resolution I expected, but I think it's acceptable.
If there's one thing I don't trust, it's people who won't pay what they owe. Thankfully, the Whampoans are more reliable than Ng and her allies - and so am I. Your payment is attached.

-Kindly Cheng



1,400 nuyen is not gonna buy us a private jet, but at least our wallet is showing some signs of life again. We also have a couple of non-work related message to sift through.







Well, uh, anyway. I was thinking about that talk that we had. Y'know, the dream talk, about the nightmares, and stuff.

[Another flick of the pointer. The rats' heads turn left, their noses twitching.]

I've got a friend here in town. She runs the Parlor of Five Phases... it's sort of our local magic-shop-and-talismonger. Name's Crafty.

[Flick. The rats' heads turn upward to stare at the ceiling.]

Anyway, she's smart - really smart. Her mom was sort of a local authority on all things magical, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. If you wanted to ask anyone in town about these dreams, she'd be the right one to choose.



[She gets up, her head rising out of frame.]

Anyway, just thought it might help. If you've already been talking to Crafty, please disregard this message. All right, I'm out. Peace.

[She punches a button, and the screen goes dark.]


We have in fact been talking to Crafty about that stuff, so we should go check up on her progress later.



quote:

>>From: Is0bel
>>To: Taz
>>Subject: Raymond Black's History

Duncan asked me to do some digging on my own into Raymond's history - I guess he doesn't trust Kindly Cheng to give him the full story. I can't say I blame him, since she'd hide things from us if it was in her best interest to do so. So I've been poking around various corners of the Matrix, trying to dig up what I can.

Most SINners leave a datatrail the size of an aircraft carrier in their wake. Working backward in time, Raymond starts out that way, but it slowly tapers away into nothingness. Sure, I can find some basic records in Seattle - power, utilities, a couple of public discussion sites he signed up for. But the further back I get, the less I find.

And the craziest part is this: prior to 2032, I can't find anything *at all* - and that shouldn't be possible. It's like Raymond didn't exist before then. I don't know. I'm going to keep digging, but it'll take me a while. I'll let you know when I get some news worth sharing.

- Is0bel

Assuming the man didn't arrive here riding a meteor from outer space one beautiful summer morning, our phantom dad was clearly involved in something very unusual back in the day. Very possibly something with long enough tendrils to have finally gotten us all wrapped up in them as well.



We'll leave BBS browsing for later, and instead go say hello to our faithful crew which now includes Gaichu who has made his home in some dark storage space opposite of Racter's workshop. Hanging out with a ghoul in an almost pitch-black room is definitely gonna take a little bit of getting used to...





I just wanted to see how you were settling in. What do you think of Bolthole?

[Gaichu glances toward the ceiling. After a moment, he extends a hand, palm up. A single drop of leaking oil falls into it.]

I am shocked that it has not sunk and drowned us all, to be perfectly honest. But it is as much of a home than anywhere else I have stayed in Hong Kong, and I am certain fewer people will stumble upon me and try to kill me. For now, it will suffice.

Don't you worry about bumping into things? It's cramped in here.

No. Light and darkness have no meaning for me. I see, after a fashion, but only the astral shadows of the world. You, for instance, are as clear to me as the sky on a clear day. But inanimate objects are only dim shadows. This is why I cannot use a rifle - I simply cannot aim at any significant range.

[Gaichu waves a hand around the room, fingers uncurling as if to offer the contents to you.]

For everything that is not living, my hearing and sense of smell are more than enough to keep me aware of where things are. For instance, I can hear Gobbet frying oysters on a hot plate. They smell like she fished them out of a dumpster.

That just might be closer to the truth than any of us would want to imagine. Before we begin our first bonding session, let's start with the usual.

Any thoughts about that last run?

[Gaichu shrugs, blinking a few times in surprise.]

What do you expect me to say? You have allowed me to live, invited me into your home - or boat, if you prefer - and have given me a means to earn an income and use my particular set of talents. I am pleased with this.

And while I understand you desire to keep the Elders alive to preserve whatever good will exists between you and the Whampoans, I worry that such softness sends the wrong message to those in the underworld. There is a time for truth, but there is also a time for sending a message.

For now we prefer that message to be that we're more valuable as an asset than an underwater bay ornament. With the formalities out of the way, there's one pretty obvious subject that we can't really dance around here, so let's just get to it right away.

I need to talk about your condition. Being a ghoul.

[Gaichu inclines his head.]

As you wish. You are my benefactor, and as such, I yield to you. Ask, then. I will do my best to answer.

How do I know that the team is safe from you?

Because I give you my word that I will not harm you or anyone else on the team.

[Gaichu squares his shoulders, expression stony.]

I am a man with a disease, not a mindless beast. My word is my bond.

But you are a cannibal.

And you kill people. Does that mean you will kill me? The rest of the team? I think not. I do not eat human flesh because I enjoy it, I do it of necessity. Tigers hunt because it is in their nature; so too it is with me.

No offense meant or anything, this is just a very unusual situation and not territory we know very well, so bear with us for a bit here.

What happens if you stop eating metahuman flesh?

I will die. I tried, at first, to resist. Eating ordinary food only causes me to vomit it back up. I began to waste away until I finally decided that I would rather live with my dietary peculiarity than die because it revolted me. It was the first of many bridges I have had to cross.

Is there a cure for the strain of HMHVV you have?

[Gaichu snorts harshly, shaking his head with a grimace.]

If there is, it has eluded the best doctors in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The rest of the world has fared no better - if they had, there would not be substantial bounties upon ghouls in every major nation.

From what the doctors tell me, the disease will not kill me. I will live with it until I die of some other cause, but I will remain a blind cannibal until that day comes. They say that strong-willed individuals can hold off mental degradation indefinitely. If that is true, I pray that I am strong enough.

We've met plenty of people with much healthier-looking skin who don't sound half as sharp, so "some other cause" definitely seems like the more immediate concern considering our current line of work.

Aside from being blind, how has it affected you?



These, as well. As sharp as any small knife. I prefer my sword, but in a grapple they come in extremely handy.

[He draws one nail over the surface of his shoulder plates. A hair-fine spiral of armor peels off in the nail's wake.]

Can you turn into mist or anything?



That's too bad, but guess we at least don't have to worry about sunlight immediately turning you to dust or anything either. Still, this is clearly not a case of run-of-the-mill ghoulification.

I thought ghouls were all animalistic predators.

Most are. In the vast majority of cases, the infected become the crazed predators everyone sees on the nightly trid news.

[Gaichu bares his jagged teeth, running his tongue across the tips of them as he tilts his head back.]

I bear the physical signs, but not the mental ones. A few escape that fate. There are others, though. In Africa, there is a nation of ghouls - it is called Asamando. The intelligent ghouls in Asamando care for the ones whose higher faculties have been ravaged by the disease. Still, it not a safe place to visit.

What makes you different?

I am willful. Those with a strong sense of self - a chip on their shoulder, if you will - are always those that survive the infection with their minds intact. I suppose I am selfish enough to have retained a passable semblance of my former humanity.

So it seems like your condition has stabilized.



It's nice that you can laugh at this whole thing at least. Just y'know, be careful who you try these particular jokes on since not everyone on this ship has much of an appreciation for cannibal humor.

Why did you pick the name Gaichu, anyway?

It was given to me. This is what the Japanese call ghouls, for the most part. I am vermin - a thing shunned by polite society, to be hunted and slain for a bounty. My old life is gone. It seemed as apt a name for the streets as any other that I could choose.

Don't you worry that people will think it's a little silly?

What common people think of my name is of little consequence. Besides, you run with a woman named "Gobbet." I feel that I have the advantage in this regard.

Touché. Not like having a bit of an odd name exactly stands out in Hong Kong anyway.

Your armor is heavier than what most shadowrunners wear. And more distinctive, too.

[Gaichu nods, growling his assent.]

That is correct. It is the armor worn by the elite soldiers of the Renraku corporate military - the Red Samurai.

What exactly are the Red Samurai?

The Renraku military's special operations division. The most elite that the corporation has to offer, on par with Ares Firewatch or Tir Tairngire's Ghosts. Red Samurai are world-class soldiers, assigned to only the most difficult and important missions.

That armor's a rare thing for a shadowrunner to have.

That is true. It is considerably less rare for a Red Samurai to have a suit of it, however. Even if he goes rogue.

You were a Red Samurai? You don't strike me as a corporate soldier.

Circumstances change, and with them, perspective. I was a member of the Renraku military for my entire adult life - until my current affliction, anyway. Hence, I still possess my armor, my sword, my training... They have served me well in both my previous life and in this one.

How did you end up running the shadows?

[Gaichu rasps out a coughing laugh that reverberates through the cramped room.]

What other employment is appropriate for a cannibal whose only previous experience is in military operations? There are not many things I know how to do. This is one of them.

You weren't always a ghoul, though.

In theory, Red Samurai who are wounded are given the best in medical treatment and cybernetics. If these are insufficient to return them to active duty, they are given a pension and retired. In practice, this is never the case.



So the wounded invariably take the same course of action, for the good of the team: ritual suicide. Seppuku.

That's... hmm, how to put it...

An interesting way to ensure unit cohesion.

Perhaps in the UCAS or other Western counties, it would not be necessary. But for us, the laws of etiquette are different. Some call it extreme, but it is always done willingly. Or almost always, I should say.



Understand that since the passage of the Yamato Act, Japan is a "pure" country. Metahumans are deported, and to be infected with HMHVV is to be less than an animal. You will be killed on sight. Since this was, in effect, the same as being permanently crippled in the eyes of the team, it was expected that I would kill myself.

Guess neither of us will be vacationing there anytime soon, huh?

That sounds pretty fascist.



Because I was still capable of fighting, I questioned the necessity of suicide. Why should I die, if I was still as effective as before? Was I not worth having, simply because my diet changed? One does not discard a quality tool, simply because the surface is stained.

I made the decision to leave while the unit was allowing me time to prepare for my expected suicide. I took nothing but my weapons, armor, and a small number of personal mementos. I knew that the unit would hunt me down and kill me. Ghouls are considered vermin, in Japan. To have a Red Samurai become one and refuse to die? Unconscionable.

It sounds like the Red Samurai take honor very seriously.

They do, to an anachronistic degree. Political and ideological indoctrination is as much a part of the training as physical fitness and weapons practice. In order to use this...

[Gaichu raps several knuckles on the hilt of his sword.]

...They make certain you will only turn it on enemies of the company and the nation. They found me two weeks after I ran. I was careless as I fled south, and they caught up with me in Fukuoka. But I escaped, barely. It was at that point I decided that I should leave Japan. I knew they would not stop hunting me, but I could make it more difficult for them.

So long as they leave our boat alone, this thing wasn't built for fighting off elite corp squads. Not fully convinced it was built for fighting off sea water, to be honest.

How did you end up in Hong Kong?



I went first to Shanghai, but Renraku's presence there is significantly more robust than in Hong Kong. I learned that my previous unit had not stopped hunting me after I left Japan, so I decided to move further afield.

[Gaichu unfurls his hands, claws pointing toward the ceiling.]

Hence, Hong Kong. Where else can anyone arrive and disappear without the city caring one whit?

Seattle comes to mind.

If Renraku were not building that towering arcology to dominate the skyline, I would agree with you. Since it clearly has that kind of influence in the city, it seemed unwise to make my residence there.

[Gaichu runs his nails over his chin.]

Besides, I have always liked Hong Kong. It has more character than the UCAS.

Lagos, maybe?

Definitely. I considered it, in fact - if for no other reason than its proximity to Asamando. But I was not yet ready to give up on a cure. Lagos lacks the infrastructure and medical care of better-maintained cities.

[Gaichu shrugs.]

Perhaps when we part ways, I will relocate there.

Berlin seems a good spot too.



Oh yeah, guess things have taken a bit of a turn there recently. Shame really, bet all kinds of wild stuff went down in that city during the anarchist heyday.

Since arriving here, I've drifted between neighborhoods, selling my services to those who are unafraid of my appearance and condition.

[Gaichu frowns deeply.]

It has not been as profitable as I'd hoped.

Did you grow up in a corporation?





You look like you haven't changed much.

How do you mean? I am unable to see which picture is being displayed.

Oh right, uh, sorry.

You look like you got in a fight, looking down at a city.

Ahh. That must be on Mount Maya. If I remember right, I gave better than I got in that fight. Three against one, but they were out of shape and cocky.



That would have tried Raymond's patience, too.

That is the curse of fathers everywhere: to have their children give them ulcers. Especially true for high-strung, authoritarian ones like Yasujiro. My friends and I stole a delivery van. It had a shipment of Shiawase simsense decks - brand new, very expensive. We were going to fence them and use the money to take a trip to Okinawa.

[Gaichu pauses, cocking his head.]

Are you familiar with what it's like to grow up in a corporate family?

Not a clue.

Hell, you could remove the word "corporate" from that sentence and we wouldn't need to adjust our answer that much.

You have to understand, children are trained to hate rival corporations. We did not regard a theft of Shiawase goods as illegal - we were simply doing our part to ensure Renraku's supremacy. This kind of behavior is ignored and even tacitly encouraged by company media. Unfortunately, we were caught by Shiawase security, not Renraku.

You think your father approved, even secretly?

I doubt it very much. For him, the activity was not the issue - it was that I was caught and embarrassed both the company and him. He is very much a man who believes that there is a proper way to do things, and I had once again cut corners.

So what did he do next?

[Gaichu clicks his tongue a few times. He seems reluctant to continue.]

That is a story for another time, unfortunately. I still have a lot of arranging to do, and I doubt anyone else will be willing to be alone with me in a darkened room. Come back later, we can discuss it further.

Okay, if that's what you want.

[Gaichu bows politely.]

It is. And thank you again for your hospitality.

See you later then.



We could also ask Gaichu about the box of mementos we saw back in his hideout in Whampoa, but we'll leave him to his cleaning for now and instead check up on our other basement-dweller. Good news Racter, you're no longer the crew's most alarming-looking guy to meet in a dark alley.





Any thoughts about that last run?

The Whampoans may be a socially maladjusted group, but I find their philosophies quite compelling and suspect that there is a fair amount of overlap between their vision of the future and my own. Your decision to spare their Elders was a fortuitous one. I look forward to communicating with them at length about their belief system, and the steps that they're taking in accordance with it.

So long as we don't have to tag along, talking to that bunch felt more draining than fighting off that entire garage gang.

Now. What else would you have of me?

How're you getting along with the other members of the team?

Perfectly well, thank you. They all seem competent enough, and there haven't been any major personality conflicts so far.

[He rubs his chin thoughtfully.]

So long as they continue performing to an acceptable standard, I can see no reason not to continue our arrangement. It's good to run with a team again.

Sure, all right, but what do you think of them personally?

They are fine, I suppose. All fine. Gobbet is quite charming, Is0bel keeps to herself, and Duncan is doing his best in a bad situation. Gaichu is quite intriguing. I'm very pleased that the team is willing to overlook his unfortunate condition; many in the shadows wouldn't be.

[There is a momentary pause. He shrugs.]

...And that, I'm afraid, is all that I have to say. Apologies if you were looking for more.

Not much of a people person, then. But it's good to know we're all getting along, especially considering what an exceptionally unusual crew we've got going here.

Well if anything changes, let me know. It's important that the team's morale stays high.

[He raises a finger.]

You don't manage morale, my friend. You manage the team. So long as we continue to succeed, morale will take care of itself.

You're still something of a mystery to the team though, Racter. Mind if I ask you a few questions?

No, I don't mind. Not at all.

[He takes a drag on his cigarette, then slowly releases the smoke.]

I can't promise that my answers will satisfy your curiosity, of course. But you may certainly ask.

What was it like growing up in the Russian Republic?

Tumultuous, as you might expect. You probably aren't old enough to remember the Euro Wars, but I am.

I know bits and pieces of the history, but I didn't live through it.

Ah. Well, the wars were formative experiences for Russians of my generation. Not traumatic, per se... certainly not as they were for the Germans, Finns, and Poles. But important, nonetheless.



Geography really has it in for some places...

I remember our drive into Germany, and the desperate bid to reclaim the eastern portion of that country for ourselves. Just think about the symbolic significance of such an act. An audacious move, to be sure, but Secretary Kropunin was determined to make history.

"Audacious move"? You're talking about the overthrow of a sovereign nation, not a maneuver in a chess game.

[He nods.]

Yes, that's right. And the deaths of tens of thousands of people, and the destruction of the infrastructure and economy of nearly forty million others. These are impressive numbers, yes? And they represent a tragedy on a grand scale. But nations at war seldom concern themselves with such things.

I believe that Kropunin was more concerned with the opinions of his own people than he was with his place in the history books. And in truth, I cannot fault him for this; for the four months that the war lasted, he *did* bring the country together. But, alas, the Nightwraith Incident put an end to our march and sent our forces into full retreat.

Wait. There were ghosts there?

[He chuckles to himself.]

No, my friend. The British Aerospace Nightwraith is a fighter-bomber with stealth capabilities. These were the machines that rained fire on our troops... or were purported to have, at any rate. Nobody has ever come forward to accept responsibility for the attack.

Right, of course, just... trying to lighten up the mood a bit. Did you know that we're pretty smart, actually?







For the first time, I came face to face with what Kropunin's folly had bought us. And there, under that ridiculous heap of rags, I came to realize what would surely come to pass. The world thought us villains, and so they would treat us like villains. We would be pariahs on the international stage, crippled by retributive sanctions. We would never live down the shame.

[He wipes his hands, as if cleaning them. A wry smile spreads across his face.]

...And then the AfA invaded Greece and Spain, sparking off Euro War II. We redeployed our troops to help repel them, and all was made right again.

I have to imagine that you still had enemies in Poland and Germany, even after the start of the second war.

Oh, we were still regarded with suspicion, of course. But all of Europe might have fallen if it hadn't been for our help. In essence, we took back our reputation at gunpoint. Not an ideal solution, I admit... but it worked. Within the span of four months, we Russians had gone from nobodies, to a terrible threat, to unlikely saviors in the eyes of the Western world. Studying exactly how this happened has taught me a great deal about human psychology and social dynamics.

Well, at least you took something away from the experience.

[He flashes you a smile.]

Indeed. There are lessons everywhere, if only we stop to look for them. But I have gone on for too long about this already... I must be boring you. Shall we talk about something else? Surely there are more interesting - and relevant - things to discuss.

Eh, it's cool, history is always interesting.

You mentioned that the second Euro War was sparked off by the "AfA." Who were they?

[He takes a drag on his cigarette.]

Ah. Yes, I suppose that you wouldn't know. They were only active for the years surrounding the conflict, after all.



So the AfA invaded Europe, but Russia was really to blame.

Yes. I cannot blame the AfA for acting as they did. Ultimately, they chose the same path that any hawkish power would have taken - given their circumstances, it would have been foolish of them not to. My country, on the other hand, was guilty as sin. We were the ones who blazed the trail.

Well, I take it you beat them. I mean, I haven't heard of the AfA before, so things can't have ended well for them.

No, my friend. They did not win. The AfA folded in '37, after Jazrir's assassination. A lucky thing for us, too... the body count could have been a great deal higher. In the years that they were active, the AfA gave us a hell of a fight.

Never a quiet moment in the Sixth World. But back to more personal inquiries...

Did you emigrate directly from Russia to Hong Kong?

No. Between my years in Nizhny Novgorod and my time here in Heoi, I spent a year in the Free City of Berlin. That was where I got my feet wet as a shadowrunner, you see. I ran with a team of anarchists for a time, and learned the ropes of the occupation under their tutelage.

You only started running a year ago?

About. I have spent the majority of my life as a legitimate roboticist, as I told you. Thankfully, my teammates in Berlin were good teachers. We even enjoyed a certain degree of camaraderie toward the end.

[He sighs.]

Sadly, we are no longer on the best of terms.

What happened?

An opportunity arose, and I seized it. In so doing, I left Berlin for Hong Kong, and I did so without much advance notice. My absence made life difficult for them, and they blamed me for their hardships.

If you cut and ran on me, I'd be pissed at you, too.

That would be your prerogative. And while I suppose that I can see your point, I haven't lost any sleep over my decision. I did what I had to do. How my former teammates chose to react to my sudden departure is their problem, not mine.

[He looks away, a wistful expression on his face. Koschei scrapes the ground with its forelegs, its sensors fixed firmly on you.]

...I would say that my time in Berlin was quite educational. Different from my earlier life in Russia, to be sure. As I said, the experience was invaluable. Ultimately, though, Heoi is probably better suited to my sensibilities.



This city isn't exactly what we'd call a bastion of order either, but suppose everything's relative.

So why did you move from Russia to Berlin to begin with?

[He holds his tongue for a moment, considering.]

...When we first met, I told you that I parted ways with Grishin-Aviakor under unfortunate circumstances, yes?

You mentioned it.

These same circumstances led me to Berlin. I was wronged, and I would not find recourse in Russia.

[He sighs.]

I suppose that there's no sense in being vague. I'll tell you the story if you want to hear it.

Why not, seems like the day for some long personal stories today.

Please. Lay it on me.



They were researchers from my old lab. They turned against me, stole our work - in truth, *my* work - and defected.

They betrayed you, huh?

Yes. Driven by desperation, no doubt... and ambition. They had always been fixated on getting out of Russia. Grishin-Aviakor was a nationalized corporation, and they would never get rich as cogs in a government-controlled machine. In our project, they saw their key to breaking away and earning their fortunes... never mind the fact that I was opposed to the idea. And so they took what was mine, and left me with nothing.

And so you followed them, I take it.

Yes. The two had long spoken about moving to Berlin. Such was true of a great many academics in Russia; my homeland is a bureaucratic dictatorship, you see. There is little personal freedom, and there are many rules to be followed. As you might imagine, the stable anarchy of the Flux State can be an alluring concept to those who live under totalitarian rule. Berlin was much romanticized back home.

So you assumed that your former colleagues had run to Berlin.

It was the only thing that I had to go on. At best, I would find them; at worst, it would be a good place to rebuild my life. And, of course, to establish the web of contacts that I'd need to track my betrayers down.



It took me over a year to locate my former friends. It was a long, painstaking search, but I was nothing if not determined. I finally found evidence that they'd used my research as a bargaining chip to secure positions at Ares, and that they were here in Hong Kong.

And so you came here, to Heoi.

[He nods.]

I picked up and left the next day. My old team was upset, to be sure - Lucky Strike in particular howled for my blood. But I know where my priorities lie. And so, here I am. And here they are. And soon, I will be ready to act. I really must thank you for inviting me into the team, your abilities will be invaluable when the time finally comes to make my move. Assuming, of course, that you'd be willing to help...?

Something tells me that you weren't surprised when I invited you onto the team. You were waiting for this, weren't you?

I thought that it might go over better if you believed it to be your idea. And it would seem that I was right. I am on the team, after all.

Very clever. But it seems like a worthwile enough pursuit, plus we definitely don't need anyone running off for personal business and get themselves killed out there.

Yes, you are. And you're right - I, for one, would be happy to help you. When you're ready, just say the word.

Thank you, my friend. But this is a discussion for another day. We aren't ready to hit an Ares facility yet, and there is more intelligence to gather before we make our move anyway. When the time comes, I will let you know.

What can you tell me about the colleagues who stole your work?



And what were they called when you worked with them back at Grishin-Aviakor?

It doesn't matter. Those men are as dead to me as they are to the world. My old colleagues no longer exist. "Taylor" and "Hardingham" are all that remain. They are targets now - nothing more.

[He idly brushes Koschei's armored chassis with the fingertips of his right hand.]

Oh, how wonderful it will be to find them. What a reunion we will have.

This stolen research means more to you than money, doesn't it?

[He nods his head.]

Yes. Yes, much more. It was my life's work, and it was *important.* Reducing it to a bargaining chip was a deadly insult, both to me and to all those who would benefit from my work.

You say that with almost religious fervor.

[He snorts.]

Religious? No. Religious superstition is a relic of the past. I welcome the *future*... a future that my research was intended to help usher in.

"Superstition"? You live in boat with a troll and a pair of orks, one of whom uses magic on a regular basis.

[He wags his finger at you.]

You're putting words in my mouth. I never dismissed magic as superstition. Magic is an observable, measurable phenomenon, as real as the laws of thermodynamics. What I said was that religion, in the classical model, is rooted in superstition and I stand by that analysis. Now, tell me, my friend... are you familiar with the concept of transhumanism? The transformation of humanity as a species by technological means?

Huh? Sure, vaguely at least.

(Academic) Huxley coined the term in the late 1950s, I believe.

[He nods.]

Yes, that's right. The seeds of the idea trace back even further, to the 1920s and J.B.S. Haldane. But it was Huxley who popularized it. And now, the transhumanist vision has progressed beyond philosophy. It is fact.

The sciences of cybertechnology, biotechnology, and genomics have fundamentally altered the trajectory of metahumanity as a species. Through the elective modification - and improvement - of our own physiology, we can tailor ourselves for niches that were previously inhospitable to metahuman life. By exerting our will over the composition of our own bodies, we have conquered the mindless trial and error of biological evolution.

For the first time in history, there is a God, and He is us.

Well okay then, guess we found out what makes somebody tick. And loudly at that.

You're laying it on a little thick, there, comrade.

Am I? Apologies if my fervor has made you uncomfortable. I feel rather passionately about this subject, you understand. It is quite important to me.



In such a future, the capacity for unlimited self-repair would be indistinguishable from immortality. You can see, then, why the theft of my research came as such a blow. My former colleagues hadn't just stolen from *me.* They'd taken my contribution to the future of our species and reduced it to a bargaining chip.

drat, the scale of this conversation sure widened in a hurry. Post-humanism? Immortality? This all does sound like a pretty intriguing subject and something to come back to later, but we're going a little fast here right now.

This all sounds a little far-fetched to me... no offense.

[He chuckles softly.]

None taken. I have long since grown accustomed to such responses. I will admit, my vision of the future may sound overly optimistic. But it's a future that I'm sure is coming, all the same.

[He rises. Brushes himself off.]

...And with that, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to bid you good night. I've taken enough of a break for one evening; there is still work to be done, and it would be lax of me to put it aside any longer.

Thanks, Racter. It was interesting.

[He nods at you.]

Good night.



Phew, alright, let's call it a day and go see the rest of the team tomorrow. Not that there seems to be much of a chance to get a good night's sleep in this neighborhood, but nobody can just go from one run to the next without ever sleeping, so we'll just have to hope it won't be anything too terrible this time around.

See you in a bit, world.




















Ugh, it's like discovering a brand new flavor of misery every morning, and the servings aren't getting any smaller either. What was it this time...?



quote:

You close your eyes and concentrate, willing yourself to keep the dream from slipping away. Gradually, the memory comes back to you.

The Walled City. You were back in the Walled City. You don't remember how you got there, but it couldn't have been anyplace else. Even the Barrens weren't so squalid.

You remember craning your neck to look above you. The buildings that made up this part of the Walled City were new construction, even cheaper than the old. Now their foundations had rotted out from under them, and the buildings leaned into one another like a gang of drunken men. A rain of plaster and asbestos sprinkled down, dusting your shoulders.

You began to creep forward, picking your way past the piles of refuse and debris. Past the pimps and the dumpster fires, the broken glass and the dirty needles. The air reeked of rot and sewage and industrial waste, a disgusting melange that caught in your sinuses and crawled down your throat. You gagged on the stink, but it didn't slow you down.

In the back of your mind, you knew that you had no reason to be doing this. There was nothing for you in the Walled City. You shouldn't have been there. But the rest of you was hungry... unbearably, indescribably hungry. And that part of you knew that if you keep moving, you'd finally get to eat.

As you forced your way deeper into the Walled City, locals stood at their windows and stared. Inexplicably, some of them dropped to their knees. You kept moving. You could see something in the distance - a silhouette. Something enormous, at least twice the size of a troll, but delicate.

It was beautiful.

The huge figure beckoned you, gesturing with slender limb. An explosion of warmth filled your chest, and you knew that if only you could reach it, your problems would be over. It - *she* - would make all of your sorrows disappear. You moved forward at a crawl, but the figure felt impossibly far away. You reached out, calling to her, and--





This is one recurring joke that already got old the first time around, we better find Raymond quickly and figure out what's going on before it shaves off our brain to nothing. But for the time being we still have more teammates to check up on assuming they also made it through the night, so that's what we'll get to next time.

Kanfy fucked around with this message at 08:16 on Jul 5, 2021

bob dobbs is dead
Oct 8, 2017

I love peeps
Nap Ghost
the funny thing is, i know a lotta competent technology touchers, i know a lotta transhumanists, and the intersection between them in real life is p small. its a sorta enthused-wired magazine point of view that in my experience can whack peeps ability to deal w mundane problems. even in mad science most of the real problems are pretty mundane

AceOfFlames
Oct 9, 2012

bob dobbs is dead posted:

the funny thing is, i know a lotta competent technology touchers, i know a lotta transhumanists, and the intersection between them in real life is p small. its a sorta enthused-wired magazine point of view that in my experience can whack peeps ability to deal w mundane problems. even in mad science most of the real problems are pretty mundane

It’s likely because they know the nitty gritty of tech and how far off we are from such grand promises. Same thing with The Singularity.

Ask about the “wonders” of cryptocurrency, OTOH, and you start to get a lot more zealots among those same computer touches because the nitty gritty they don’t know or don’t care about is in economics and environmentalism. The tech itself they look at and think “This is awesome!”

achtungnight
Oct 5, 2014
I get my fun here. Enjoy!
I can't help but wonder if we're ever going to get a Deus Ex easter egg in this game. They both feature Hong Kong and a lot of the same concepts- transhumanism, struggle against corporate overlords, shadow running. Probably part of why I'm enjoying the LP so much.

Keldulas
Mar 18, 2009
We also don’t have cyberarms that you can buy secondhand for like $1000 in real life so….

bob dobbs is dead
Oct 8, 2017

I love peeps
Nap Ghost

Keldulas posted:

We also don’t have cyberarms that you can buy secondhand for like $1000 in real life so….

the current bci ones are like 3 million bucks and rather experimental and crap. cost curve is unfortunately terrible as with all other medical prosthetics lol

argosaxelcaos
Apr 26, 2017
And just like that, Racter sprints towards the number one spot in the best companion list.

E: Also, Lucky Strike back in Berlin gave Rosa a lot of poo poo for not being sufficiently anarchist in the running of her team (i.e: Having a chain of command in the field, which anarchism explicitly does not forbid), and then turns around and wants to kill Racter for ending their partnership. Nice double standard Lucky, and I say that as an anarchist wannabe

argosaxelcaos fucked around with this message at 23:29 on Jul 4, 2021

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bewilderment
Nov 22, 2007
man what



argosaxelcaos posted:

And just like that, Racter sprints towards the number one spot in the best companion list.

E: Also, Lucky Strike back in Berlin gave Rosa a lot of poo poo for not being sufficiently anarchist in the running of her team (i.e: Having a chain of command in the field, which anarchism explicitly does not forbid), and then turns around and wants to kill Racter for ending their partnership. Nice double standard Lucky, and I say that as an anarchist wannabe

I assume he basically left with no warning, possibly even with runs they'd already planned. Breaking a deal without warning is pretty rude - Shadowrunners expect to be dicked around and ghosted by the people ghosting them, not by their teammates.

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