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Message no. 1
From: Technomancer <arvanit@***.UCH.GR>
Subject: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 11:21:32 +0300
My players have managed to kill a fixer under yakuza's protection.
So now they are having a little trouble staying alive for long, unless
they manage to stop the yaks from coming after them.
I want to run a few sessions, heavy on the role-playing side, with them
trying to survive, and possibly stop the yaks.

What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
something better (and to give the players a chance).

What would your players try?
(The more ways I know about, the more I can prepare.)

*********************************************************************
* Technomancer * Modesty is one of my countless virtues *
* arvanit@***.uch.gr *
* http://www.csd.uch.gr/~arvanit/ *
*********************************************************************
Message no. 2
From: David Buehrer <dbuehrer@****.ORG>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 06:44:27 -0600
Technomancer wrote:
|
| My players have managed to kill a fixer under yakuza's protection.
| So now they are having a little trouble staying alive for long, unless
| they manage to stop the yaks from coming after them.
| I want to run a few sessions, heavy on the role-playing side, with them
| trying to survive, and possibly stop the yaks.
|
| What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
| alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
| something better (and to give the players a chance).
|
| What would your players try?
| (The more ways I know about, the more I can prepare.)

If it was me... If I had killed the fixer for a legitimate reason,
like he backstabbed me, then I would go the yakuza (set up a meet)
and explain the whole thing in terms of "it was retribution for my
honor." I'd trust their traditions and honor to come up with some
way for me to get out alive, and for them to retain their honor. And
I'd hope the GM either knew a lot about the Yakuza, or he was good at
winging it :)

If that didn't work I'd just move to another city (there's a chance
to use one of the Place sourcebooks and make Mike happy :)

-David
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1068/homepage.htm
--
Yoink! - The sound of a crescent roll being stolen.
Message no. 3
From: "Bruce H. Nagel" <NAGELBH@******.ACS.MUOHIO.EDU>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 08:55:36 -0500
You wrote:
> If it was me... If I had killed the fixer for a legitimate reason,
> like he backstabbed me, then I would go the yakuza (set up a meet)
> and explain the whole thing in terms of "it was retribution for my
> honor." I'd trust their traditions and honor to come up with some
> way for me to get out alive, and for them to retain their honor. And
> I'd hope the GM either knew a lot about the Yakuza, or he was good at
> winging it :)

> If that didn't work I'd just move to another city (there's a chance
> to use one of the Place sourcebooks and make Mike happy :)

The problem here is that the Yakuza, if the Fixer really was under their
protection, wouldn't see your needing to kill him for you honor as a problem.
They also wouldn't see needing to kill you for their own as a problem. You
would be unlikely to make it out of the meet; remember, Yakuza honor is not the
same as Samurai honor. The 'get the hell outta Dodge' approach sounds like a
much better idea to me.

losthalo
Message no. 4
From: Raven <florian.goll@******.UNI-WEIMAR.DE>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 16:12:52 +0000
> My players have managed to kill a fixer under yakuza's protection.
> So now they are having a little trouble staying alive for long, unless
> they manage to stop the yaks from coming after them.
> I want to run a few sessions, heavy on the role-playing side, with them
> trying to survive, and possibly stop the yaks.
>
> What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
> alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
> something better (and to give the players a chance).

IMO thy should try to make the Yaks believe, they killed the Fixer
for a honorful reason (maybe as revenge for killing somones wife).
Then take the fixers job (Fixer by day ShadowR(u)Nner by night).
--Raven



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G(++) e>++++ h--(---) !r z?
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Message no. 5
From: Mike Elkins <MikeE@*********.COM>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt -Reply
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 10:14:27 -0500
If the runners actually stole anything that could
be considered to belong to the yakuza, then the
yakuza will see them dead, period. If the players
KNEW the fixer was protected by the yakuza,
the yakuza will see them dead, period. If they
can plead ignorance, AND offer to make amends
by paying the yakuza what they think the fixer
was worth to them, then the MAY be the yakuza
will let them live. It's actually unlikely.

The best way I can think of to handle this, is to
have the players not be as guilty as they think
they are. The whole thing was elaborate setup to
make the yakuza blame the wrong people, and
even the PCs fell for it. Perhaps the fixer
actually faked his own death, to cover up the fact
that he was actually stealing from the yakuza. If
the players find this out and tell the yakuza, the
heat will be off.

Doubled-Domed Mike
P.S. This message was dictated using Dragon
NaturallySpeaking
Message no. 6
From: William Monroe Ashe <wma6617@****.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 09:19:43 -0500
On Tue, 1 Jul 1997, Technomancer wrote:

> My players have managed to kill a fixer under yakuza's protection.
> So now they are having a little trouble staying alive for long, unless
> they manage to stop the yaks from coming after them.
> I want to run a few sessions, heavy on the role-playing side, with them
> trying to survive, and possibly stop the yaks.
>
> What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
> alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
> something better (and to give the players a chance).
>
> What would your players try?
> (The more ways I know about, the more I can prepare.)

One way would be to become members of a rival group aka the Mob, Seoulpa
Rings, Russian Mafia etc. etc. The Yaks might not be willing to start a
full out war just to geek a crew of runners

Another way would be to fake their own deaths and start over.


just off the top of my head

Bill
Message no. 7
From: Mike Elkins <MikeE@*********.COM>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt -Reply
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 10:21:20 -0500
>IMO thy should try to make the Yaks believe,
>they killed the Fixer for a honorful reason
>(maybe as revenge for killing somones wife).

That won't work. The honorable thing to do
would be to kill the fixer, and then expect to die at
the hands of the yakuza. The fact that you were
honorable when you killed him doesn't mean you
get to live. They'd kill you and then applaud you
for being brave enough to die for your honor.

Double-Domed Mike
P.S. This message was dictated using Dragon
NaturallySpeaking
Message no. 8
From: Caric <caric@********.COM>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 09:04:28 -0700
| My players have managed to kill a fixer under yakuza's protection.
| So now they are having a little trouble staying alive for long, unless
| they manage to stop the yaks from coming after them.
| I want to run a few sessions, heavy on the role-playing side, with them
| trying to survive, and possibly stop the yaks.
|
| What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
| alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
| something better (and to give the players a chance).

I would say that killing everyone that comes after them is the WORST thing
that they could do and not an option at all. Yaks and Mobs and the like
tend to hold grudges and will just get pissed and send more and better
lackies after the runners, the yaks have the money and influence to turn
their contacts against them and take away all their normal hidey holes.
The best thing for them to do is probably set up a meet with the yak and
attempt to make ammends in the form of favors and such. Granted this is a
dangerous ploy, but with good role playing (which is what you want) it
could work. Another possibility is to somehow prove to the yaks that the
fixer was working against them...this may require "imaginative" evidence
however. :)

| What would your players try?
| (The more ways I know about, the more I can prepare.)

See Above

-Caric

"These pretzels are MAKING ME THIRSTY!!!!!"
Message no. 9
From: Spike <u5a77@*****.CS.KEELE.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 18:00:02 +0100
|What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
|alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
|something better (and to give the players a chance).
|
|What would your players try?
|(The more ways I know about, the more I can prepare.)

Get something ON the Yak boss that you could threaten to reveal (that would
cause him toi lose face), or alternatively, be in the right place at the
right time to help him SAVE face when he's about to lose it....

Alternatively, leave town and lie VERY low for a while....
A LONG while....

(If you left the country it'd be better. England, for example, has very
little Yak influence....)
--
______________________________________________________________________________
|u5a77@*****.cs.keele.ac.uk| "Are you pondering what I'm pondering Pinky?" |
|Andrew Halliwell | |
|Principal subjects in:- | "I think so brain, but this time, you control |
|Comp Sci & Electronics | the Encounter suit, and I'll do the voice..." |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|GCv3.1 GCS/EL>$ d---(dpu) s+/- a- C++ U N++ o+ K- w-- M+/++ PS+++ PE- Y t+ |
|5++ X+/++ R+ tv+ b+ D G e>PhD h/h+ !r! !y-|I can't say F**K either now! :( |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message no. 10
From: TopCat <topcat@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 12:34:40 -0500
At 11:21 AM 7/1/97 +0300, Technomancer wrote:
>My players have managed to kill a fixer under yakuza's protection.
>So now they are having a little trouble staying alive for long, unless
>they manage to stop the yaks from coming after them.
>I want to run a few sessions, heavy on the role-playing side, with them
>trying to survive, and possibly stop the yaks.

>What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
>alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
>something better (and to give the players a chance).

They could offer services in exchange for the inconvenience the loss of said
fixer would cause the Yakuza. They could offer evidence to support the
killing as just. They could be killed outright (that solves the problem,
heh). I'm always fond of having the players owe people favors. Sometimes
these favors never get paid off.

Sure, the Yakuza will just set up a new fixer or boost the responsibilities
(and cash flow) of one of the myriad of others they know. The fact that
their business never skips a beat still doesn't mean that the runners don't
owe them big. I'd make them run for free whenever the Yaks wanted them to.
Suicide-type runs when I felt like it. See, why would the Yaks care if a
few runners that they didn't pay for got killed? If they manage to survive
the suicide run, then you get a big payoff and you cna send them out again.
If they don't, well there are always other runners to get favors from...

>What would your players try?

Talking it out, they'd get stuck with favors. They'd try to hide too, but
nobody can hide forever (Yaks have pretty decent resources). They would
find a middleman to work out the differences (and end up accepting the
never-ending favor). Maybe they'd try to leave town, but they'd be found.
Basically, they know better than to start killing when it was killing that
got them into this mess in the first place and they'll do what they can to
work toward an agreement which'll leave them breathing.

The one thing that would absolutely not work and would lead to the deaths of
the runners would be to try and attack the Yakuza or run on the Yakuza to
gain information which can be used against them. They simply have too many
friends in very high (and very low) places for a group of runners to
succeed. Yaks need corp-level resources? They talk to "top men" (who they
helped to get to where they are and now owe the Yaks a favor). They need
street-level resources? That's where they excel, runners and gangers by the
hundreds and more street-level connections than the city's electrical
system. They've been cultivating favors for centuries and they aren't
afraid to use them.

Maybe the runners go to the Mafia for protection: fine, now the Yaks are
still after them and they owe the Mafia a favor... heh.
--
Bob Ooton
topcat@***.net
Message no. 11
From: "Bruce H. Nagel" <NAGELBH@******.ACS.MUOHIO.EDU>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 15:11:53 -0500
> Sure, the Yakuza will just set up a new fixer or boost the responsibilities
> (and cash flow) of one of the myriad of others they know. The fact that
> their business never skips a beat still doesn't mean that the runners don't
> owe them big. I'd make them run for free whenever the Yaks wanted them to.
> Suicide-type runs when I felt like it. See, why would the Yaks care if a
> few runners that they didn't pay for got killed? If they manage to survive
> the suicide run, then you get a big payoff and you cna send them out again.
> If they don't, well there are always other runners to get favors from...
This all depends on whether he was a Yakuza fixer, or merely paying for their
protection (or owed is somehow). If the latter, they can't really let you walk
away after geeking him, as it makes them look like they can't protect someone.
From then on, the Yakuza offering someone protection doesn't mean as much, and
they don't want that. Your worth alive would have to realllly exceed that
fixer's importance somehow to get you out of this intact.

And justifying the hit would get a response something like: "I admire your
determination in carrying out this act of honor. I would not leave a mark
against such honor by allowing you to live." ;)

losthalo
Message no. 12
From: david lowe <dlowe@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 13:38:59 -0800
At 11:21 AM 7/1/97, Technomancer wrote:
>My players have managed to kill a fixer under yakuza's protection.
>So now they are having a little trouble staying alive for long, unless
>they manage to stop the yaks from coming after them.
>I want to run a few sessions, heavy on the role-playing side, with them
>trying to survive, and possibly stop the yaks.
>
>What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
>alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
>something better (and to give the players a chance).
>
>What would your players try?
>(The more ways I know about, the more I can prepare.)


I would either run to the biggest other bear in the woods (ie-rival Yaks or
equally nasty folks) and offer services in exchange for protection. Or dig
up some dirt on the Yak's legitimate business and trade your silence on
those matters for your lives. Just two off the top of my head, but both are
pretty risky. Or...

<evil gm mode>

Perhaps the Yaks intended for the PCs to off the fixer all along. You see,
they need a dirty little job run against rival Yaks or organized crime.
They approach the pc's and tell them "that was very unfortunate and unwise.
We could just off you and your loved ones in unpleasant ways, or you could
do this little task for us..."

So the Yaks get what they want; a dangerous, politically sensitive job run,
with no chance of retaliation or gang war because it was done by
"independents." The runners aren't paid, so there is no chance that the
rival yaks/etc. can trace who hired them to do it. All for the cheap price
of one minor fixer.

Not that I would ever do that to my players. Heh, heh, heh.

</evil gm mode>

D.

David R. Lowe (dlowe@****.com)
Photography/Graphic Design

"Friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies."
Message no. 13
From: --Odd-- <mikes@*****.CO.ZA>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 14:53:37 +0200
> What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
> alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
> something better (and to give the players a chance).
>
> What would your players try?
> (The more ways I know about, the more I can prepare.)

a) Black-mail... Very simple gain enough dirt on the boss that is after
them to hang him, then comment on giving it to some-one up the ladder... Or
give to the person slightly below and help in aust the current boss.

b) Get some really hot data about the Mafia (or any other major crime
syndicate) give it 'free' of charge...

c) Go to ground... Shadowclinics provide very competitive rates for facial
reconstruction. Moving to other towns is also a plausible option.

In our players cases we annoyed the local Yakusa (cost them about 5 to 10
million), a couple months later and new faces we allied ourselves with
them, hence received a few hours warning when they finally go onto us and
had time to escape...

--Odd--

-The only reason that time exists is because the mind cannot comprehend
infinity-
Message no. 14
From: Angel Ramos y David Fayes <hansa@****.NET>
Subject: Re: Calling back the hunt
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 08:05:44 -0400
At 11:21 AM 01/07/1997 +0300, Technomancer wrote:
>My players have managed to kill a fixer under yakuza's protection.
>So now they are having a little trouble staying alive for long, unless
>they manage to stop the yaks from coming after them.
>I want to run a few sessions, heavy on the role-playing side, with them
>trying to survive, and possibly stop the yaks.
>
>What should they do in your opinion to persuade the yaks to leave them
>alone? Just killing everyone sent against them is an option, but I want
>something better (and to give the players a chance).
>

They should think in the circunstances around the killing of the yak fixer.
Was it accidentally?, was he in the middle of a fire fight? or was it all
planned by the runners?
If the answer is a) or b) they should try to make an appointment and try to
find some fixer to offer to the yaks or try to offer their services until
they are satisfied with the runners work.
If the answer is c) they better run and run fast and as long as they can.

Hope this help

The Elven Mage

Further Reading

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