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From:	Scott W iscottw@*****.nb.ca
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Sun, 12 Sep 1999 16:09:27 -0300

Message no. 1 I'd like to run the adventure DNA/DOA for my group, but I've got thsi
problem with the main plot point...here's some spoiler space for the
paranoid among us.

Spoiler space

Spoiler space

Done. Okay. I basically like DNA/DOA, but the whole metegene stuff
where you can make your own metaspecies (Tiger Sapiens, etc.)...that's
just waaay too over-the-top for me. Has anyone found (or can anyone
think of) a way to change that part of the plot and still keep the rest
of the run intact? Or is it just better that I don't take the players
on this one?

-Boondocker

From:	Iridios iridios@*********.com
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Sun, 12 Sep 1999 23:13:43 -0400

Message no. 2 Scott W wrote:
>
> I'd like to run the adventure DNA/DOA for my group, but I've got thsi
> problem with the main plot point...here's some spoiler space for the
> paranoid among us.

>
> Spoiler space

>
> Spoiler space

>
> Done. Okay. I basically like DNA/DOA, but the whole metegene stuff
> where you can make your own metaspecies (Tiger Sapiens, etc.)...that's
> just waaay too over-the-top for me. Has anyone found (or can anyone
> think of) a way to change that part of the plot and still keep the rest
> of the run intact? Or is it just better that I don't take the players
> on this one?

If you like the basic premise, just tone it down a bit. Instead of
newly created metaspecies, have the "patients" be metahumans that have
undergone "retro-viral genetic alterations", which was done in an
attempt to give metahumans characteristics found to be advantageous in
animals (vision, claws, etc.). These patients were a) unwilling and
b) unable to adapt to the changes and thus have become half mad (or
more) and rather savage. When your players first encounter them, you
can describe them (the "patients") as looking like Tiger Sapiens and
such, until they get a much closer examination.

--
Iridios
"Accept what you cannot avoid,
Avoid what you cannot accept."

From:	Steven A. Tinner bluewizard@*****.com
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Sun, 12 Sep 1999 21:07:54 -0400

Message no. 3 > I'd like to run the adventure DNA/DOA for my group, but I've got thsi
>problem with the main plot point...here's some spoiler space for the
>paranoid among us.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Spoiler space
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Spoiler space
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Done. Okay. I basically like DNA/DOA, but the whole metegene stuff
>where you can make your own metaspecies (Tiger Sapiens, etc.)...that's
>just waaay too over-the-top for me. Has anyone found (or can anyone
>think of) a way to change that part of the plot and still keep the rest
>of the run intact? Or is it just better that I don't take the players
>on this one?

This is a simple change.
Just add in any of your garden variety paranormal animals, and just add the
mutation rules from Critters (Or Cal Free) to make them suitably icky.
That way, you still get the point across that the Azzies are involved in
some nasty bioengineering, without adding human/animal hybrids into the
game.
You can add a little cyber/bioware to these critters too, if you want to
make them a little more deadly.

Good Luck!

Steven A. Tinner
bluewizard@*****.com
http://listen.to/tinner
"God is my co-pilot, but the Devil is my bombardier."

From:	Scott W iscottw@*****.nb.ca
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Mon, 13 Sep 1999 00:53:10 -0300

Message no. 4 "And now, a Channel 6 editorial reply to Iridios."
] > I'd like to run the adventure DNA/DOA for my group, but I've got this
] > problem with the main plot point...here's some spoiler space for the
] > paranoid among us.
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
] >
] > Spoiler space
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
] >
] > Spoiler space
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
] >
] > Done. Okay. I basically like DNA/DOA, but the whole metegene stuff
] > where you can make your own metaspecies (Tiger Sapiens, etc.)...that's
] > just waaay too over-the-top for me. Has anyone found (or can anyone
] > think of) a way to change that part of the plot and still keep the rest
] > of the run intact? Or is it just better that I don't take the players
] > on this one?
]
] If you like the basic premise, just tone it down a bit. Instead of
] newly created metaspecies, have the "patients" be metahumans that have
] undergone "retro-viral genetic alterations", which was done in an
] attempt to give metahumans characteristics found to be advantageous in
] animals (vision, claws, etc.). These patients were a) unwilling and
] b) unable to adapt to the changes and thus have become half mad (or
] more) and rather savage. When your players first encounter them, you
] can describe them (the "patients") as looking like Tiger Sapiens and
] such, until they get a much closer examination.

Decent idea. That keeps the flavour of the animalistic opponents,
which is one of the neater things about the adventure. And I guess
Humanis could be mistaken in their belief that the virus/gene-thing can
avert UGE expression. Hmmm...definitely a possibility. Thanks for the
input!

-Boondocker

From:	Scott W iscottw@*****.nb.ca
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Mon, 13 Sep 1999 00:55:00 -0300

Message no. 5 "And now, a Channel 6 editorial reply to Steven A. Tinner."
] > I'd like to run the adventure DNA/DOA for my group, but I've got thsi
] >problem with the main plot point...here's some spoiler space for the
] >paranoid among us.
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >Spoiler space
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >Spoiler space
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] > Done. Okay. I basically like DNA/DOA, but the whole metegene stuff
] >where you can make your own metaspecies (Tiger Sapiens, etc.)...that's
] >just waaay too over-the-top for me. Has anyone found (or can anyone
] >think of) a way to change that part of the plot and still keep the rest
] >of the run intact? Or is it just better that I don't take the players
] >on this one?
]
] This is a simple change.
] Just add in any of your garden variety paranormal animals, and just add the
] mutation rules from Critters (Or Cal Free) to make them suitably icky.
] That way, you still get the point across that the Azzies are involved in
] some nasty bioengineering, without adding human/animal hybrids into the
] game.
] You can add a little cyber/bioware to these critters too, if you want to
] make them a little more deadly.
]
] Good Luck!

A good idea also, but this leaves out the Humanis connection
completely (which may not be a totally bad thing). I'll have to think
on it :) Thanks for the thoughts!

-Boondocker

From:	Gurth gurth@******.nl
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Mon, 13 Sep 1999 11:00:11 +0200

Message no. 6 According to Scott W, at 16:09 on 12 Sep 99, the word on
the street was...

> I'd like to run the adventure DNA/DOA for my group, but I've got thsi
> problem with the main plot point...here's some spoiler space for the
> paranoid among us.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Spoiler space
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Spoiler space
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Done. Okay. I basically like DNA/DOA, but the whole metegene stuff
> where you can make your own metaspecies (Tiger Sapiens, etc.)...that's
> just waaay too over-the-top for me. Has anyone found (or can anyone
> think of) a way to change that part of the plot and still keep the rest
> of the run intact? Or is it just better that I don't take the players
> on this one?

It's a fairly decent introduction to what shadowrunners do, and how they
often get into more trouble than they expect to. No reason not to run the
adventure, though it's clearly showing its age a bit.

My advice would be to replace the metagene by something else. Maybe a
disease that causes hallucinations or something; the transformed guards
etc. you could then replace by something like normal-looking, but
psychotic, guards who attack the players on sight with their bare hands.

There are some reasons why animals would be kept in the lab, too -- for
example, for testing the disease on them. The animals might have escaped
for some reason, likely one that's related to the psychosis caused by the
disease in metahumans.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Send BIOS authors and hard drive manufacturers back to school!
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
->The Plastic Warriors Page: http://shadowrun.html.com/plasticwarriors/<-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

GC3.1: GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+
PE Y PGP- t(+) 5++ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998

From:	Roger Ramirez chariot@*********.net
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Mon, 13 Sep 1999 05:18:16 -0400

Message no. 7 > Scott W wrote:
>>
>> I'd like to run the adventure DNA/DOA for my group, but I've got thsi
>> problem with the main plot point...here's some spoiler space for the
>> paranoid among us.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>> Spoiler space
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>> Spoiler space
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>> Done. Okay. I basically like DNA/DOA, but the whole metegene stuff
>> where you can make your own metaspecies (Tiger Sapiens, etc.)...that's
>> just waaay too over-the-top for me. Has anyone found (or can anyone
>> think of) a way to change that part of the plot and still keep the rest
>> of the run intact? Or is it just better that I don't take the players
>> on this one?
>
> If you like the basic premise, just tone it down a bit. Instead of
> newly created metaspecies, have the "patients" be metahumans that have
> undergone "retro-viral genetic alterations", which was done in an
> attempt to give metahumans characteristics found to be advantageous in
> animals (vision, claws, etc.). These patients were a) unwilling and
> b) unable to adapt to the changes and thus have become half mad (or
> more) and rather savage. When your players first encounter them, you
> can describe them (the "patients") as looking like Tiger Sapiens and
> such, until they get a much closer examination.

I went ahead and used the metagene species and added more insane looking
scitentists. Then I ran the whole thing like the Resident Evil computer
game. The players were scared and they had alot of fun.

The ork underground was great. I have a player who wants to quit
shadowrunning and move into the underground to help them out.

Chariot

From:	Ereskanti@*.com Ereskanti@*.com
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Mon, 13 Sep 1999 13:16:05 EDT

Message no. 8 In a message dated 9/12/1999 2:12:22 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
iscottw@*****.nb.ca writes:

>
> I'd like to run the adventure DNA/DOA for my group, but I've got thsi
> problem with the main plot point...here's some spoiler space for the
> paranoid among us.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Spoiler space
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Spoiler space
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Done. Okay. I basically like DNA/DOA, but the whole metegene stuff
> where you can make your own metaspecies (Tiger Sapiens, etc.)...that's
> just waaay too over-the-top for me. Has anyone found (or can anyone
> think of) a way to change that part of the plot and still keep the rest
> of the run intact? Or is it just better that I don't take the players
> on this one?

Personally, I would say keep the Metagene concept but perhaps consider the
"tiger sapiens" to be a "shapeshifter wannabe". Perhaps the genetic
material
being used here was taken from a shapeshifter, and said critter is wanting
these "perverse experiments" stopped. The character "Farseer"
introduced in
the NAN Sourcebooks (book #2 IIRC) would be someone whom might get involved
in this sort of thing. I know it means for you to at least go to other
materials than the DNA/DOA module, but it is *one* alternative/modification
to consider.

-K

From:	Scott W iscottw@*****.nb.ca
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Mon, 13 Sep 1999 21:25:45 -0300

Message no. 9 "And now, a Channel 6 editorial reply to Gurth."
] > I'd like to run the adventure DNA/DOA for my group, but I've got thsi
] > problem with the main plot point...here's some spoiler space for the
] > paranoid among us.
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] > Spoiler space
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] > Spoiler space
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] >
] > Done. Okay. I basically like DNA/DOA, but the whole metegene stuff
] > where you can make your own metaspecies (Tiger Sapiens, etc.)...that's
] > just waaay too over-the-top for me. Has anyone found (or can anyone
] > think of) a way to change that part of the plot and still keep the rest
] > of the run intact? Or is it just better that I don't take the players
] > on this one?
]
] It's a fairly decent introduction to what shadowrunners do, and how they
] often get into more trouble than they expect to. No reason not to run the
] adventure, though it's clearly showing its age a bit.

Yep. On that note, has anyone made any major or minor changes to the
published adventures when they run them, on the basis that as written,
some of them are not within the bounds of believability (for that GM or
group, that is)? An example: Miles Lanier, in First Run, shoots a man
right in front of the runners. I, as a GM, can't believe he'd do that,
so I have Nigel killed in a different room, "off-stage." Anyone else
take any liberties like this?

-Boondocker

From:	De Herdt Sven Sven.De.Herdt@***************.be
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Tue, 14 Sep 1999 08:41:31 -0000

Message no. 10 > Scott W[SMTP:iscottw@*****.nb.ca] wrote:
>
> Yep. On that note, has anyone made any major or minor changes to
the
>published adventures when they run them, on the basis that as
written,
>some of them are not within the bounds of believability (for that
GM or
>group, that is)? An example: Miles Lanier, in First Run, shoots a
man
>right in front of the runners. I, as a GM, can't believe he'd do
that,
>so I have Nigel killed in a different room, "off-stage." Anyone
else
>take any liberties like this?

>-Boondocker

Sure, I do. I always try to keep the structure/main goal of the adventure
and all the rest is up to me (the GM) and to the players of course. Once in
a while the runners take a surprisingly different approach that there is no
other way but to adapt the story (itÂ¥s no use sticking to the story, just
because it is written down). You got to have/take some liberty to change it
as long as it improves the game.

Usually the way I prepare adventures is just reading them through,
afterwards I read it again while taking game notes (very basic and necessary
issues that are essential to the game). Most of the time I will only use my
game notes when GMing and the actual adventure book only comes out at
preparation or to give the players an atmosphere overview if there is such
an artwork present in the book (even then I usually use copies to distribute
among the players).

One of the reasons I do this is to keep my players on the "edge". This way
itÂ¥s hard for them to determine if the run is a stand-alone story or part of
a bigger game. It keeps them going and interested in whatÂ¥s going on, even
if the run seems useless or pointless.

Just my thoughts,
Sven :)

From:	Gurth gurth@******.nl
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Tue, 14 Sep 1999 12:03:34 +0200

Message no. 11 According to Scott W, at 21:25 on 13 Sep 99, the word on the street was...

Spoiler space:

> Yep. On that note, has anyone made any major or minor changes to the
> published adventures when they run them, on the basis that as written,
> some of them are not within the bounds of believability (for that GM or
> group, that is)? An example: Miles Lanier, in First Run, shoots a man
> right in front of the runners. I, as a GM, can't believe he'd do that,
> so I have Nigel killed in a different room, "off-stage." Anyone else
> take any liberties like this?

Not really, only in the smaller details. With one group, we've been doing
a campaign for the last year and a half in which we're going through all
the FASA-published adventures in the order they appear in the SR timeline.
So far, most of them have gone unchanged except for small things that
don't really impact the adventure.

However, I do know that in Eye of the Eagle (the adventure from NAN2), I
will change it so that if the runners fail, the chemical weapon _will_ get
released and kill thousands of people. I seriously don't like the safety
net the adventure provides -- even if they fail to stop the toxic shaman,
the weapon has some flaw that prevents the cloud from being released.

Another important change to an adventure, though not one made by the GM
(not me, this time), was to take the idol from Bottled Demon with us onto
a semi-ballistic to Germany and back in order to destroy it. We cut the
adventure in half that way :)

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Send BIOS authors and hard drive manufacturers back to school!
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
->The Plastic Warriors Page: http://shadowrun.html.com/plasticwarriors/<-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

GC3.1: GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+
PE Y PGP- t(+) 5++ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998

From:	Ereskanti@*.com Ereskanti@*.com
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Tue, 14 Sep 1999 14:42:05 EDT

Message no. 12 In a message dated 9/14/1999 5:11:31 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
gurth@******.nl writes:

>
> Another important change to an adventure, though not one made by the GM
> (not me, this time), was to take the idol from Bottled Demon with us onto
> a semi-ballistic to Germany and back in order to destroy it. We cut the
> adventure in half that way :)

Too bad that wouldn't work.

-K

From:	abortion_engine abortion_engine@*******.com
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Tue, 14 Sep 1999 19:06:22 -0400

Message no. 13 > > Yep. On that note, has anyone made any major or minor changes to the
> > published adventures when they run them, on the basis that as written,
> > some of them are not within the bounds of believability (for that GM or
> > group, that is)? An example: Miles Lanier, in First Run, shoots a man
> > right in front of the runners. I, as a GM, can't believe he'd do that,
> > so I have Nigel killed in a different room, "off-stage." Anyone else
> > take any liberties like this?

Well, it's 2061 in my games, and the Bugs are still all over Chicago with a
vengeance. Does that tell you anything?

See earlier post by someone, quoting Toon.

From:	Gurth gurth@******.nl
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Wed, 15 Sep 1999 13:36:56 +0200

Message no. 14 According to Ereskanti@***.com, at 14:42 on 14 Sep 99, the word on
the street was...

> > Another important change to an adventure, though not one made by the GM
> > (not me, this time), was to take the idol from Bottled Demon with us onto
> > a semi-ballistic to Germany and back in order to destroy it. We cut the
> > adventure in half that way :)
>
> Too bad that wouldn't work.

Would you care to explain? Active magical items in space tend to get
drained, AFAIK...

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Send BIOS authors and hard drive manufacturers back to school!
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
->The Plastic Warriors Page: http://shadowrun.html.com/plasticwarriors/<-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

GC3.1: GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+
PE Y PGP- t(+) 5++ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998

From:	Ereskanti@*.com Ereskanti@*.com
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Wed, 15 Sep 1999 15:18:35 EDT

Message no. 15 In a message dated 9/15/1999 6:37:36 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
gurth@******.nl writes:

>
> > > Another important change to an adventure, though not one made by the
GM
> > > (not me, this time), was to take the idol from Bottled Demon with us
> onto
> > > a semi-ballistic to Germany and back in order to destroy it. We cut
the
> > > adventure in half that way :)
> > Too bad that wouldn't work.
> Would you care to explain? Active magical items in space tend to get
> drained, AFAIK...

AS *LOATHE* as I am to remind anyone of this, the "Demon" in the bottle is
NOT going to let itself be transported in such a manner. The "Bottle" is a
powerful item, along the lines IMO at least, of an AD$D Artifact/Relic.
Though I realize the module was never updated to "SR3/MitS" mechanics, with
the idea of the "Bottle" being what it is, I just don't see "simple
solutions" like taking a flight in a Transorbital being a solution.

-K (who is trying desperately to not compare the Bottle to an ED magical
item)

From:	Scott W iscottw@*****.nb.ca
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 1999 02:54:13 -0300

Message no. 16 "And now, a Channel 6 editorial reply to Ereskanti@***.com."
] AS *LOATHE* as I am to remind anyone of this, the "Demon" in the bottle is
] NOT going to let itself be transported in such a manner. The "Bottle" is a
] powerful item, along the lines IMO at least, of an AD$D Artifact/Relic.
] Though I realize the module was never updated to "SR3/MitS" mechanics, with
] the idea of the "Bottle" being what it is, I just don't see "simple
] solutions" like taking a flight in a Transorbital being a solution.

Also, I can't see customs being too happy about letting an
unregistered, unlicensced, powerful, active, magical item onboard a
semi-ballistic. "Umm...could you step through the ward again, sir.
Hmmm...please come with me."

-Boondocker

From:	Gurth gurth@******.nl
Subject:	DNA/DOH!
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 1999 11:55:37 +0200

Message no. 17 According to Ereskanti@***.com, at 15:18 on 15 Sep 99, the word on
the street was...

Spoiler space for Bottled Demon:

> AS *LOATHE* as I am to remind anyone of this, the "Demon" in the bottle is
> NOT going to let itself be transported in such a manner. The "Bottle" is a

> powerful item, along the lines IMO at least, of an AD$D Artifact/Relic.
> Though I realize the module was never updated to "SR3/MitS" mechanics, with

> the idea of the "Bottle" being what it is, I just don't see "simple
> solutions" like taking a flight in a Transorbital being a solution.

It's an angle I hadn't thought of, but I still think it would work. The
idol appears to be magically active all the time, whether someone is using
it or not -- although unfortunately, this is neither explicitly mentioned
or denied in the rules in BD, it's a fairly logical conclusion IMHO
because anyone can tap into the item's power immediately.

From there, since the idol had none of the PCs under its influence (the
only magician in the group was too scared of the apparent power of the
idol to use it), I don't really think the idol has much to say about where
it is taken.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Vraag niet om de terugkeer
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
->The Plastic Warriors Page: http://shadowrun.html.com/plasticwarriors/<-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

GC3.1: GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+
PE Y PGP- t(+) 5++ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998

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