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Message no. 1
From: scotthiller2002@*****.com (Scott Hiller)
Subject: Craith's Current Living Situation/His Pet/Various Character Notes
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 11:31:19 -0800 (PST)
I used Mr. Johnson's Little Black Book and Sprawl
Survival Guide to create most of this. Also, please
let me know if the stats for his pet looks good. I
plan to use the information from State of the Art:
2064 to create a bond between them as described on pp.
61-62. If there's time, please give me feedback and
summary on the follwoing. Just want to make sure it
makes sense. Thanks:

NOTES: Chicago CZ (Lincoln Park) Neighborhood Rating:
Z: In areas such as the CZ, humanity has devolved to a
state of tribes, anarchy and a complete lack of any
type of “normal society.” It’s survival of the
fittest, and the law doesn’t care who wins and who
loses as long as everyone stays within the boundaries.
The law considers it more important to keep the area
contained than to prevent or solve crimes, so there is
no attempt to enforce the laws in the CZ. In the case
of the CZ, a wall from Irving Park Road, over to
Harlem Avenue, and across 115th Street separates it
from the rest of the Chicago Sprawl and from the rest
of the world.

Only if pursuing an investigation will Eagle Security
or Knight Errant enter the CZ, and when they do they
are prepared for war. The standard force is a minimum
of three Citymasters (25 officers in full armor) with
air support from armored helicopters; one rigger per
vehicle handling the weapon mounts and one extra
rigger maintaining drone coverage; at least five
combat mages and one combat decker maintaining
communication with headquarters at all times; and
three elite officers running the show–one coordinating
the mages, one in the air and one dealing with the
troops on the ground. Eagle Security and Knight Errant
consider CZ duty to be hazard duty, and officers
assigned to this detail receive three times their
normal wages and a week off after any operation in the
CZ.

Ivy-covered Camthalion Apartment Tower is surrounded
by ruined asphalt streets littered with broken pipes,
sewer lids, and packs of mangy dogs getting what
sustenance they can from the corpses scattered in the
gutters. Trees obscure the building’s entryway. A
metallic tang order permeates the air around the
building. The building looks like it’s in use, showing
regular wear. Conical-shaped 64-floor building with a
flat, slanted roof. The building is made of metal and
glass, polyfiber laminates, stone and reinforced
materials. There is a large smoke stack, the remnants
of yellow “POLICE LINE” tape is stuck to parts of the
property. Some of the ground windows are boarded up.
Political murals adorn walls. Sculpted bushes or
precise landscaping surrounds the building. There are
ornately carved doors and windows. A black, wrought
iron fence tipped with monowire and razorwire,
surrounds the building. There are bullet holes in the
wall. There are oil stains on the floor. There is a
drop floor beyond the main entryway. Very large
exterior windows of very strong fortified armored
glass (adjustable tint) comprise the walls. There are
spiral staircases. Inside, there is a faint smell of
steam. The occasional pistol shot will ring out within
the building. In his apartment, Craith has bookshelves
full of books, simchips, trid chips, music ship,
program chips, and persona chips, a wall mounted trid
unit, rocking chair, dresser, large oven, folding
chairs, polyester couch, and a fire place. In his
apartment, unknown to him, is a Gideon Bible and
velvet pouch full of diamonds.

The interior of the building has vaulted ceilings,
walls adorned with artwork. Building is infested with
insects and smells strongly of pets and age. There is
an indoor garden surrounding an old fountain.

Craith’s Block (Building & North of Building to W.
Diversey Parkway) (*, these locations are large enough
to cover half a city block or more. **, these
locations are large enough to cover one or more city
blocks.):
7 locations on block.
1. Public Service Facility: Power Plant (8 floors)**
2. Residence: Tent City*
3. Residence: Tent City*
4. Public Service Facility: Police Station (5 floors)*
5. Residence: 64-floor Apartment Building**
6. Public Service Facility: Abandoned Public Facility
(once a military recruiting office, 2 floors)
7. Public Service Facility: Social Services Office
(welfare, 6 floors)*

To the north of the building, there is an old, large,
abandoned power plant that takes up an entire city
block. Squatters seek shelter in its ruins to try to
escape the squalor of the tent cities. Here live Ted
“Tank” Pankau; a short, light Human cybereyed razorboy
of mixed race (Jewish-Polish and Black) in his late
twenties. Evelyn Weathersby; a tall, thin Human black
woman. Corporate Wage Slave. Magically Active. She’s a
Mage and is sick with Strain III Beta. Tyson “Badge”
Blachowski; a short, stocky Human man of Jewish-Polish
descent. He’s suspicious about magicians and the
SURGEd. Sylvia McCathran; a young Human Irish/Aztlaner
woman. She lost her entire family in the first months
of the quarantine and is the only one to have survived
thus far. She hates magicians and hates worse the idea
she may need them. She’s scared of Trolls. She has a
sharp mind and would make a great debater.

Living in Camthalion Tower Apartments is Asha “Gala”
Babineau: a tall and thin young female Elf of German
nationality. She isn’t even 20 years old, but knows
more about survival in an Urban Hell than most.
Aleshia McRehlander; a quiet and happy young Irish Elf
woman. Ironically, she was responsible for the murder
of 2 magicians in the first couple months of the
quarantine in 2055. Since then, though she still
harbors deep hatred and distrust against magicians,
she has seen the wisdom of knowing not all magicians
are criminals or evil cultists. She’s currently biding
her time, waiting to see what she can get from them
and use them to her advantage. The first chance she
gets, she plans to turn them all in to the authorities
outside the CZ, framing them as participants with the
insect shamans that caused the quarantine in the first
place.

Surrounding the electric plant are two tent cities
where hundreds of squatters are camped out in
densiplast tarps draped over old milk crates and other
construction materials. Malaria, typhoid, influenza,
diphtheria, and other maladies commonly infect the
denizens of these tent cities because of no
sanitation. Exposure, dehydration, starvation, and
delhi-belly are also common here and in other tent
cities in the CZ.

Also located here is an old police station, now a
favorite hang out for The Ancients Go-Gang since the
recent clash with The Blue Demons. They also claim the
old Department of Children and Family Services
building and the old Illinois Department of Metahuman
Services building as “theirs”. Both buildings each
take up over half a city block. Together, they take up
an entire city block and though they stand about three
floors tall, both have huge lobbies that take up two
floors. The leader of The Ancients, a wire thin
Hispanic Elf named Rico, is currently the “King of the
Spire” here.

The Ancients have a Decker named Maskrose and Rigger
named Hastemender that make good use of all of the
tech and gear left behind at the abandoned Police
Station at N. Lehman and W. Diversey. The Ancients
Decker and Rigger are also contacts of Fin and Nessa
(part of the network that got them, Fin and Nessa, out
of Romania).

North of Craith’s Building:
Block of N. Clark St., W. Wrightwood, N. Lehman, and
W. Diversey: 7 locations
1. Public Service Facility: Public Transit Station
(Metrorail train)*
2. Corporate Facility: Supply Depot (4 floors)**
3. Restaurant, Large
4. Restaurant, Fast Food/Small Restaurant
5. Store: Auto Shop
6. Corporate Facility: Corporate Housing Enclave (18
floors)**
7. Public Services Facility: Power Plant (10 floors)**
Block of N. Hampden Ct., W. Wrightwood, N. Pine Grove,
and W. Diversey: 8 locations
1. Public service facility: Social Services Office
(DMV, 6 floors)*
2. Public service facility: Public Transit Station
(Monorail)*
3. Residence: Tent City*
4. Public location: Burned-Out Building (meeting hall)
5. Public service facility: Abandoned Public Facility
(once a military recruiting office)
6. Corporate Facility: Warehouse
7. Public location: Nightclub
8. Public location: Toxic Zone**
Block of N. Pine Grove, W. Diversey, W. Wrightwood, N.
Sheridan: 10 Locations
1. Store: Auto Shop
2. Corporate Facility: Condemned Building (corporate
clinic, 11 floors)
3. Restaurant, Fast Food/Small Restaurant
4. Public Services Facility: City Office Building (12
floors)
5. Store: Streetdoc Black Clinic
6. Restaurant, Large
7. Store: Liquor Store
8. Restaurant, Large
9. Public Services Facility: Post Office (Abandoned)
10. Public Location: Bar

West side of N. Clark St. (west of building) (*, these
locations are large enough to cover half a city block
or more. **, these locations are large enough to cover
one or more city blocks.):
9 locations west of building.
1. Corporate Facility: Industrial Complex (18
floors)**
2. Large Store: Auto Shop
3. Restaurant, Large
4. Restaurant, Large
5. Corporate Facility: Factory (6 floors)*
6. Residence: Abandoned Tenement or Squat
7. Residence: 25-story Apartment Building
8. Store: Black Market Street Dealer
9. Public Service Facility: Fire Station (9 floors)*

Across N. Clark St., there are two clones of
Camthalion Apartment Tower: Orchard Tower and Deming
Terrace. Orchard Tower has refugees living on the
first 25 floors. The rest are abandoned. Deming
Terrace is abandoned, save for a handful of squatters
who have managed to survive the still-active security
measures. The body parts of those who did not are
rotting where they were cut down. Also, the ground
floor of Deming Terrace has been converted into an
unofficial auto shop, run by a big, Human mechanic
named Milo Marusiak. He’s found favor with the Elves
and The Ancients Go-Gang by his genius ability to
repair vehicles and vehicle parts, and by his sheer
ability and know-how. Also located on the ground floor
of Deming Tower are two vacant spaces where
restaurants used to be. They are currently used as
social and eating areas for The Ancients and Marusiak.
Sharing the cavernous first floor lobby area with
Marusiak is a black market street shop run by a Human
named Jarvis Palomarez. He’s shrewd and doesn’t like
being “played,” as he puts it. But he has a heart,
too. He keeps his larger gear such as cannibalized
drones and vehicle parts in the abandoned fire station
next door, accessible through an overland pedway for
which only he has the codes.

Next to Deming Terrace is a large factory. It is now
largely abandoned, inhabited only by camps of
squatters and chipheads. Gangs occasionally roll
through here killing the chipheads and squatters for
their BTLs.

South side of W. Deming Pl. (south of building) (*,
these locations are large enough to cover half a city
block or more. **, these locations are large enough to
cover one or more city blocks.):
5 locations south of building.
1. Residence: Pre-fab Home
2. Store: Closed Business, was a warez store
3. Corporate Facility: Condemned Building (former
corporate clinic) (8 floors)**
4. Store: Black Market Street Dealer
5. Public Location: Black Market Bazaar**

South of the building is a house, remnants of
something owned by someone who refused to let the
megacorps bulldoze their land. It’s an ultra-cheap
prefab DIY home and it’s difficult to tel if it’s more
like a hut or glorified tent by now. It provides four
(semi) solid walls around the squatters who call it
home now.

Next to the prefab house sits a one-story closed down
store. It’s abandoned.

On the south side of Deming, and taking up the entire
block, is an 8-story corporate hospital, now used by a
mysterious street doc, known only as Dr. Oronar, and
his staff.

Surrounding the hospital is a black market bazaar run
by a well-connected and well-supplied dealer named
Irving Nygaard. Here is sold all sorts of vat-grown
body parts, biotech, and cloned organs for the
unfortunates who can’t afford to be on Dr. Oronar’s
waiting list. Also sold here is surprisingly SOTA
cybertech. One may also find the rare piece of gear,
too. Nygaard pays The Ancients protection money. Fin
is a regular purchaser of his when it comes to gear.
Fin won’t do bioware or cyberware, but other gear, Fin
will gladly see. Nygaard gets his marching orders from
warlord Tom Nishio, who controls the lakeshore and
amphibious access to the CZ black markets.

East of Building (between Camthalion Park Apartment
Tower and Dailey Gardens) (*, these locations are
large enough to cover half a city block or more. **,
these locations are large enough to cover one or more
city blocks.):
7 locations east of building.
1. Residence: Corporate Housing Enclave (100
floors)**
2. Residence: Corporate Housing Enclave (100
floors)**
3. Public Service Facilities: Electric Utility Power
Plant, 7 floors**
4. Restaurant, Fast Food/Small Restaurant
5. Store: Closed Business, was a toy store
6. Public Location: Nightclub
7. Residence: Corporate Housing Enclave (100
floors)**

East of Camthalion are the 100-floor Daley Gardens
Housing Towers (the entire Daley Gardens complex
stretches along the lakeshore from North Avenue to
Irving Park Road and fills in most of the old Lincoln
Park. On the huge ground floor of the condoplex towers
at Diversey there are abandoned spaces that used to be
a restaurant, a store, and a nightclub. To the south
of this cluster of condoplexes sits a rusty old
electric utility power plant that had been brought
back to life via generators and illegal hookups. It
used to power the towers; it now serves the eastern
half of Lake View and Lincoln Park.

North of W. Diversey, West of N. Clark St., East of N.
Orchard St. (*, these locations are large enough to
cover half a city block or more. **, these locations
are large enough to cover one or more city blocks.):
4 locations.
1. Corporate Facility: Shopping Center (15 floors)**
2. Store: Liquor Store
3. Public Location: Parking Structure (6 floors)*
4. Residence: Tent City*

North and west of Camthalion, north of W. Diversey
Parkway, a 14-floor building stands. It used to hold
the Century Mall before the quarantine. To the north
of the mall is a 14-story parking deck. Entering out
into the street is an old liquor store that now stores
crates of BTL chips. Surrounding the Century Mall now
is a massive tent city of refugees and squatters who
have nowhere else to go. Disease is rampant here.

Within the old mall sits Her Majesty, and Elf named
Lady Eärlindë Cúthalion. The mall is hers, and from
it, she controls The Ancients as they are cut off from
the rest of their gang elsewhere. Her hold over them
consists of her ability to funnel wiz tech from
Nishio, who brings the vehicles, mil-spec weaponry,
and other electronics from unknown, but reliable and
high-quality sources. Nobody knows why Nishio is
cooperating with her. She must have something on him
he doesn’t want getting out. Or they may have
gentleman’s agreement of sorts. Rumors persist as to
what is in it for him.

Inside the old mall, there is a collection of
various-size retail spaces. None of them are large;
the biggest ones (4 of them) roughly cover a 35m x 60m
area. All the others cover an area roughly 7m x 25m. A
food court used to be located on Sublevel One at the
bottom of the open veranda behind the twin elevator
bank (which no longer works) before an Ant Spirit
swarm bore up through the floor in September 2055 and
started slicing through the crowds gathered there.
It’s still a food court, but exists solely for the
purpose of feeding “Her Majesty” and her 35 Jestyr
Guards. All the food is real Elf cuisine. Whatever’s
left over is delivered to the Elf refugees camped out
in the ruins of the corporate habitat tower clones
scattered throughout the Lincoln Park and Lake View
neighborhoods. Her Majesty prefers variety, so there’s
Japanese Elvish, French Elvish, Mexican Elvish,
Italian Elvish, Chinese Elvish, Polish Elvish, Greek
Elvish … you get the picture.

Her Majesty’s “Throne Room” is located above where the
crowds used to gather before the quarantine, in the
plaza. A system of corridors allows the Jestyr Guards
quick and secret access to any part of the mall from
any other part of the mall. The corridors connect the
Throne Room and the rear of the retail spaces with
each other and the mall’s loading docks.

Craith’s Lifestyle:
Area: Z (-1 pt.): The worst area possible, inhabited
by the most desperate in society. Craith lives among
the homeless, squatters, chipheads, ghouls and other
social cast-aways, Metahuman or otherwise. Law
enforcement never ever comes around, violence and
crime are endemic and Craith’s security is entirely in
his own hands.
Comforts: Middle (3 pts.): Water and power only go out
during high-peak brownout seasons and droughts.
Craith’s food consists of both the real thing and
processed soy, but the two are often almost
indistinguishable. Though he has to do most things
himself around the house, he has some technological
aids to ease the work. Well-stocked refrigerator,
cleaning drone, bathtub, dishwasher, controlled or
automated appliances, climate control.
Entertainment: Low (2 pts.): Craith’s place is
equipped with the basic necessities of modern living,
but nothing outlandish or expensive. When he goes out,
it’s usually to places that aren’t very expensive,
such as the movies or a local bar. Basic Matrix
access, home stereo system, vidphone/fax, and a
low-end simdeck he uses to play trid games off-line.
Furnishings: Low (2 pts.): Craith owns some cheap
furniture, but at least he probably bought it new. He
has enough of it to reasonably fill a small apartment.
Sofa, RPG gaming posters, complete bed, matched
chairs.
Security: Luxury (5 pts.): Rating 8. Security is so
good that sometimes it just gets in his way–but better
security than someone else, right? Paranormal animal
patrols (not since Strain III), automatic gun systems,
guard spirits (not since Strain III), on-side
security magician (Craith).
Space: Middle (3 pts.): Craith has a decent-sized
apartment in a large building. It is about 100 square
meters with a moderate-sized living room, enough
bedrooms for a whole family to sleep and live in (as
well as maybe one or two spares) and a well-equipped
bathroom and kitchen. This is the minimum size of
building in which Craith can set up a shamanic lodge
in a room of its own. If he moved the furniture aside,
he can draw a Rating 4 hermetic circle. The apartment
block has a parking garage underneath the building,
but unlike Low-class, it has reserved spaces for all
the residents.

Lifestyle Edges:
Concerned Neighbors (+0.05)
Helpful Neighbors (+0.05)
Privacy Screen (Level 1) (+0.10)
Defensive Setup (+0.10)

Lifestyle Edges:
No Hazard Alarm (-0.05)
This Isn’t Sam’s Pizza (-0.05)
Infestation (-0.10)
Astral Magnet (-0.20)

PET (Familiar):
Species: Female House Cat
Name: Arlanna
Eyes: Light brown
Height: .75” tall
Weight: 9 lbs.
Age: 6 years old
Fur: Short-hair gray/orange/brown tabby
Type: Cat (Arlanna)
ATTRIBUTES: B: 3 Q: 4 (X3) S: 3 C: 5 I: 4/6 W: 5 E: 6
M: 2 R: 4 (5)
Initiative: 4+3d6 (5+3d6)
Attacks: 3L, -1 Reach
Skills:
Balance: 10
Climb: 5
Listen: 4
Stealth: 9
Hide: 17
Alertness: 6
Sneaking: 10
Unarmed Combat (claw/bite): 4
Powers: Sense Link (range of 210 meters)
Dice Pools:
Combat: 6
Dodge: 4
Astral Combat: 7 (8)
Spell Pool: 3 (4)

He is thinner and a little shorter than the average
Elf. He looks skinny but is athletic, which is just
because he’s so thin from being in the CZ for so long.
He truly hasn’t worked out in years besides running
for his life from insect spirits, gangs and worse
things in the CZ and saving others from the same…okay,
so he did get in shape… He has all of his fetishes on
as well as his power focus, but all of them have been
deactivated. He’s careful to protect them and not
leave them lying around because although they are
deactivated, he does not wish to risk anyone
activating them and sending something nasty down from
Astral Space to follow the link they might still have
to him and do something nasty. He wears them all the
time. He has a chrome cyberarm for his right arm that
has built-in everything: a SONY™ Chipman music
Playback unit, Pocket Secretary, Ameritech™ cellphone,
pen, wrist computer (100Mp) all with DNI. The only
other visible cyberware are a cluster of 5 chrome
jacks on the right side of his skull. Around his left
eye he has a row of small blacklight fucia-colored
tattoo triangles following the contour of his black
eyebrow and pointing upward. An intricate Elvish
tattoo that follows the contours of his face and head,
and flows down his back, right hip and his right leg.
This tattoo is iridescent in color and is
cybernetically linked to his FIFF headware memory so
he can control its intensity or turn it completely off
if he chooses. The same is true for the fucia
triangles. As is typical of elves, Craith is more
slender than humans and has a slighter build, though
his bone structure and musculature are just as strong.
His body hair is sparse, but his short head hair is
straight and extremely fine. His eyes are
almond-shaped. His ears come to a definite point. He
has nocturnal tendencies and his diet is vegetarian.
His skin, once olive-toned, has affected his
complexion so that it changes color with the seasons,
giving him a natural camouflage that will work for or
against him depending on his surroundings. During
fall, his hair turns golden or red, and his skin
subtly darkens from its usual olive tone to more
closely match his hair color. In winter, both his hair
and skin are white. In spring and summer, his skin is
lightly tanned and his hair is green as a result of
the SURGE in 2061. His facial features, once mixed
between Afro-American, Asian and Caucasian also became
completely Caucasian.

When he speaks, he’s as subtle as a High Explosive
Missile fired from an IWS Multi-Launcher. He gets to
the point and pulls no punches (even when he tries to
spare feelings). At the same time, he is typically
secretive, mysterious and reclusive for an Elf. He is
also very charismatic when he wants to be and loves to
laugh. He’s a great banterer in the best of Seinfeld
tradition. He does not get into the drug, alcohol and
chip scene. He is still a virgin and plans to stay
that way until he gets married. He can come off as
intimidating, even to trolls. But basically, he is
Curious & Kind.

Craith is a disciple of Jesus Christ, though since
SURGE, he was asked not to fellowship with the other
disciples at church. Embittered by this, he was more
than happy to oblige. He used to belong to the
International Church of Christ; and in Craith’s case …
the Chicago Church of Christ, a part of the
International Church of Christ. He needs to get over
his bitterness and re-establish old contacts within
the Order, and he’ll soon learn that lone wolves don’t
survive long in the Chicago Sprawl.

Thanks! :-)
-Scott
Message no. 2
From: graht1@*****.com (Graht)
Subject: Craith's Current Living Situation/His Pet/Various Character Notes
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 12:49:52 -0700
On Wed, 1 Dec 2004 11:31:19 -0800 (PST), Scott Hiller
<scotthiller2002@*****.com> wrote:
>
> PET (Familiar):

> ATTRIBUTES: B: 3 Q: 4 (X3) S: 3 C: 5 I: 4/6 W: 5 E: 6
> M: 2 R: 4 (5)
> Initiative: 4+3d6 (5+3d6)
> Attacks: 3L, -1 Reach
> Skills:
> Balance: 10
> Climb: 5
> Listen: 4
> Stealth: 9
> Hide: 17
> Alertness: 6
> Sneaking: 10
> Unarmed Combat (claw/bite): 4
> Powers: Sense Link (range of 210 meters)
> Dice Pools:
> Combat: 6
> Dodge: 4
> Astral Combat: 7 (8)
> Spell Pool: 3 (4)

And this is Craith

>ATTRIBUTES (21)
>Body 2
>Quickness 4
>Strength 2
>Charisma 5
>Intelligence 4
>Willpower 4
>Essence 2.16
>(Magic) 2
>Reaction 4 (6) (7 [9])
>Initiative 4 (6) (7 [9])+1D6 (+2D6)

Which one is the pet? ;)

--
-Graht
Message no. 3
From: korishinzo@*****.com (Ice Heart)
Subject: Craith's Current Living Situation/His Pet/Various Character Notes
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 12:39:36 -0800 (PST)
--- Scott Hiller <scotthiller2002@*****.com> wrote:

> I used Mr. Johnson's Little Black Book and Sprawl
> Survival Guide to create most of this.


Please don't do this anymore. A half dozen very long emails
detailing every aspect of a new character you have created... for
what? You said you wanted input on this guy. Which part? The
character stats are neither useful or legitimate by-the-book. The
rest is detailed and nauseatingly long for a new shadowrunner.
Nowhere do I see an opening for input from the list members. Just a
long regurgitation of your char gen opus. Frankly, I don't think
most of us care about every single detail of someone else's
character. I have been playing SR since 1989. I've seen thousands
of characters, some even as useless as this one. I've made
characters I'll never play. Your concept is not bad. Scale him back
to a true starting character and play him towards the idea you have
posted. A good GM, a decent story, and two hundred karma or so
should reasonably do what you have tried to do here. If and when
this happens, please post no more than the briefest highlights of the
story/character developement/etc.

======Korishinzo
--don't ask for help on a finished product, you just end up redoing everything




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