| From: | Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Fixers (Long) part 1 |
| Date: | Sun, 6 Jul 1997 16:33:02 EST |
product. Let me know what you think.
Note: This has Text tables in it.....Hope you are using a Fixed Width
Font. (Text rules!)
Note: This document is available at the Shadowrun Central Website,
http://www.opp.psu.edu/~bxb24/sr/srcenter.htm
FIXERS (V 0.9)
==============
Of all the elements in the Shadowrun world, perhaps the most
central, the most dear to the heart of every runner, is the Fixer.
Your Fixer can make or break you. Your runs, your gear, your info,
the largest slice of every pie comes from the hands of your fixer.
This document is a tool for GM's to help generate and
maintain fixer information, to make life easier on the GM, and to act
as a tool to help enrich the Shadowrun world. Depending on the "size"
of your world, using this document should take about 30 minutes, and
later use to update and maintain it should take only a minute every
few runs. This is not meant to complicate matters for the GM, but to
enrich the world.
This document consists of two parts: Creating Fixers and
Using Fixers. To help illustrate the use of this document, a set of
sample fixers from my world will be used to demonstrate.
I. Creating Fixers
------------------
A. Concepts
+++++++++++
Just as with characters, the most important aspect of the
fixer, and the part to be considered is the concept. Here, numbers
and die can play little part, and role-playing is key. If you already
have an established world, simply describe the fixers here. If not,
create some concepts. Even if you already have fixers, you may wish
to create a few more here, as these rules are intended to help you be
able to use multiple fixers easily and in such a manner as to make
your world more complex.
Remember that the average fixer will not engage in personal
combat, so don't worry overly much about keeping their stats balanced.
If you want one character to be a Froce 20 Free Spirit, and the other
to be a paraplegic dwarf, that's okay (at least as far as these rules
are concerned...I'd expect and REAL good story for a Force 20 Spirit
doing ANYTHING.)
Simply write down the concepts behind the fixers...I suggest
using some method...some use computer programs, others keep one text
file. I myself use 3 x 5 notecards, and have a box of them for all
major NPC's, contacts, groups, Johnsons, and unique items.
Example:
I have been playing SR since it's beginnings in 1989. Over
time i've had many fixers, some borrowed, some original, some that
were just boring "shells" that had no real personality. Mostly only
the recent ones are worth keeping. Of these, I have 6, and one more
concept that my players have never encountered, so that makes 7, and
one concept that isn't a total fixer, but will use similar rules for a
total of 8.
Santa--One of my earliest and most enduring fixers, the name
and very basic concept stolen from some contributor to the KAGE SR
mag. (I recently saw Santa refered to in the Shadowland, but whether
it was the same contributor, same Santa, or even who these
contributors were, I couldn't say. Just as long as I am not taking
total credit for someone else's idea.) Santa is very popular among
those that work for him, rewarding good effort (and punishing bad). He
plays up the Santa image...his chauffers are named after the Reindeer,
he himself is a jolly white bearded fat man (or so he appears on the
rare occasions the runners meet him).
Yan Po--The Zen master of the fixer world. Human, Mixed
Asian heritage. Total Poker face, rewards runners who keep their cool
over flighty and/or emotional ones, even if the calm ones don't quite
do as well. (Within reason of course.) Is shamanic (Cat) but hides
this fact from most runners. Is more likely to be involved in
complex, twisted plots than many other fixers.
King Lear--Never seen by runners, always uses a Matrix icon.
This persona always appears differently, the only constant being a
circlet of silver. Likes to quote Shakespeare at appropriate moments,
and usually has a slight sardonic smile on his(?) digital face.
Uncle--Never met, not even in the Matrix. Works with
runners by way of custom comm boxes, about the size of a walkie
talkie. This box transmits voice only, as well as having a few other
goodies inside, including enough C-4 to demolish it if anyone tries to
tamper with it (No need for numbers until a runner tries it...if they
do, I'd make it tough but not impossible).
Calypso--Fixer of the old school...no fancy matrix icons, no
funky attitudes, no posturing...he lays it on the line. Tends to try
and get talent as it is starting to raise a few prime runners rather
than having a host of incompetents. He'll try and overlook a few
mistakes, but if you screw up too much, you just aren't profitable.
Weasel--A real slimy character...he even resembles his
namesake. Unpopular, expensive, and there is some evidence he sold
his grandmother to the organleggers. The only reason he's around is
that he is real GOOD at being slimy...he has enough dirt on enough
people, and enough favors owed him that he is one of the more powerful
fixers.
Cilantro--New kid on the block...only started working as a
larger time Fixer recently...his rapid rise in power and rep have
caused the other fixers to scramble for good relations even as they
worry about his origins. In truth, he is a free City spirit (player)
who is enjoying the intricacy of being a fixer, and his unique talents
have led him to some of the better runners, not to mention a good dose
of street info. Cilantro worries less about money and more about
influence. He'll keep his real identity secret from most runners,
prefering to garner karma from gutter trash that he helps out
anonymously.
Keith and Eman Bubal--(Not real Fixers yet, not taken as
Fixer Contact). Identical twins...VERY identical, down to most
mannerisms and the clothes they wear. Keith, however, is of
moderate intelligence, enjoys beer, sports, and most of all, money. A
sloppy, greedy man using his brother for profit, but he does truly
care about his brother. Eman is autistic, speaks in a very high
pitched voice. He can remember almost every fact that he every heard
or read, but isn't real good about connecting them. His only two
loves are his brother and Choco Dreams chocolate Bars, and Keith
routinely includes in his fee one bar, which Eman will delightedly
savor. Their apartment is a mess, with a dozen telecoms bringing in
newsfeeds which Eman, prompted by the promise of Choco Dreams, will
memorize.
B. Ratings
++++++++++
The concepts only provide the broadest of details, so know we
being to flesh them out. First, every Fixer has a rating that sums up
their overall abilities. You may wish to keep all beginning fixers
balanced, or may create them unbalanced (who said life was fair?) and
only give street descriptions to the players before letting them
choose their fixers (or just assign them one). Personally, I like
balance, so all my fixers will start at Rating 5 (which I recommend
for decent but not godly fixers) except for the Bubal twins, who will
be rating 2.
The rating you provide will be divided among the different
areas a fixer has strength or weakness in. Remember the chart below,
as these number will become very important for the following sections:
Excellent(Rare) 3
Great 2
Good 1
Normal 0
Poor -1
Bad -2
Abyssmal(Rare) -3
C. Relations
++++++++++++
The first area of a fixers domain is the area of the other
fixers...that is, the relations (s)he has with the other fixers. You
can use the chart given above to get a general rating, but that
doesn't add much detail, which is the general point of this document.
I suggest using a relations chart like the one below. If you are
feeling particularly sadistic, you can have realtions vary with
direction...that is Fixer A may have good relations with B, but B
doesn't like A. I prefer an easier method, so I kept the relations
the same both ways (with one exception, noted below)
Relations represent the likelyhood of each fixer being able to
get info, connections, and cooperation from the others. Remember,
fixers are in competition with each other so relations tend to be
tense. Still, like corporations, they have a bottom line, and often
profit or favors will make it worth their while.
Use the chart to detail your characters. Don't worry overly
much about the Ratings yet, just assign a rank to each relation using
the chart above (ignore relations to themselves, thus the XXX'd
boxes).
Example:
I'll start by declaring a mutual hatred between Yan Po and
King Lear. Next, I'll say that just about every one dislikes Weasel,
excpet Calypso, who seems to have some unknown connection with Weasel,
and has very good relations with him. Cilantro, being the courted new
kid on the block, will have good relations (for the moment) with most
every one...except Calypso and Weasel...Weasel will hate him because
of his lower prices....cutting into his profits, and if Weasel hates
him, it will at least somewhat harm relations with Calypso. Santa
should have fairly good relations, except for Weasel and Calypso
(Calypso and Santa seem to vie for the same type of runners) which
will naturally affect relations with Weasel. Uncle has had a pretty
free ride here, so let's put a small bump between he and
Santa....maybe a few screwed up meets in the past, just enough to bump
relations down a notch.
I use any remaining open spots to try and balance out the
characters a bit...I don't want anyone have Relations too high or low.
Weasel I'll want low since he has more info than the others, and
that's about it. Don't worry overly much about getting it exactly
right...you'll usually comeback to the chart before you are finished
to adjust some ratings. Details on why this chart matters can be
found in the Using Fixers section.
I don't include the Bubal twins, since I rule they have too
little influence for relations with them to be important. I'll say
that if the Bubals try and work with these guys, they work as if they
had Abyssmal relations (-3) and if any the fixers work with the
Bubals, they'll work as if they had Great (2) relations (Keith will
jump at any opportunity to move up in the world).
A=Yan Po B=Santa C=King Lear
D=Uncle EÊlypso F=Weasel G=Cilantro
|A |B |C |D |E |F |G |
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
A |XXXXXXX|good 1 |bad -2 |normal0|good 1 |bad -2 |good 1 |
B |good 1 |XXXXXXX|good 1 |poor -1|bad -2 |poor -1|good 1 |
C |bad -2 |good 1 |XXXXXXX|good 1 |good 1 |bad -2 |good 1 |
D |normal0|poor -1|good 1 |XXXXXXX|normal0|good 1 |good 1 |
E |good 1 |bad -2 |good 1 |normal0|XXXXXXX|great 2|poor -1|
F |bad-2 |poor -1|bad -2 |good 1 |great 2|XXXXXXX|bad -2 |
G |good 1 |good 1 |good 1 |good 1 |poor -1|bad -2 |XXXXXXX|
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
Totals: | -1 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -4 | 1 |
We'll treat the Bubal twins as -3.
D. Resources
++++++++++++
The real meat of a fixer, this measures the info the fixer can
obtain, the contacts (s)he has, the gear (s)he can get, and the
Johnsons (s)he has a good reputation with. First, assign a rating
(don't use the rating chart like the others yet) that represents the
general skill level....use it as a you would a normal SR skill, as
this does indeed represent the number of die you will roll for them
(see Using Fixers). Remember, however, that this represents a
Professional Skill, so a rating 4 is more than competant to be well
connected throughout the city.
If any areas deviate from this level, put the modifier on
them. Try to keep all the modifiers balanced out. What areas you
ask? Generalize. Below is a suggested "tree" of items, but don't be
afraid to overlap or create new areas. Again, as with Relations,
don't be afraid to set it and change it slightly later to adjust to
get your desired rating.
Info
-Corp and Media
-Gang and Underworld
-Governments and NAN
Gear
-Magical
-Military
-Cyber
-Medical
-Matrix
Contacts
-Matrix related
-Muscle related (sammies, etc)
-Magic related
-Medical related
-Group (Mafia, Yakuza, etc)
Johnsons and Runs
-Particular corp
-Particular style of run
Example:
First the ratings. Pretty general here:
Yan Po: 3
Santa: 3
King Lear: 4
Uncle: 5
Calypso: 4
Weasel: 8 (this is high, but I'll compensate)
Cilantro: 4
Bubal Twins: 1
Now to flesh them out.
Yan Po--By nature, he doesn't get overly interested in any one
area, prefering to remain broad. However, his competition with King
Lear has led him to reject the muscle types King Lear prefers slightly
and to nurture the Magical side. His tendancy to reward subtlety has
affected both the runners he knows and the rep with Johnsons for his
work.
Yan Po: 3
Johnsons and Runs: Good (1) Magically related runs
Contacts: Good(1) Magically related
Johnsons and Runs: Poor (-1) Muscle related runs
Johnsons and Runs: Good (1) Subtle Runs
Contacts: Bad(-2) Heavy Cyber-combat types.
Santa--Santa is even more across the board than Yan Po. He
has a slight strength in Street Info, and a slight weakness in the
Magical department.
Santa: 3
Johnsons and Runs: Poor (-1) Magic Related Runs
Contacts: Poor(-1) Magically related
Gear: Poor(-1) Magical gear
Info: Good(1) Gangs
Info: Good(1) Mafia
Info: Good(1) Lone Star
King Lear--Prefering a clean strike to complicating matters
more than necessary, King Lear has focused on quality strike teams and
related runs. He has not, however, totally neglected the other areas.
King Lear: 4
Johnsons and Runs: Great(2) Muscle and Combat Runs
Johnsons and Runs: Poor(-1) Magically related Runs.
Contacts: Good (1) Muscle
Contacts: Poor (-1) Magically related
Gear: Poor(-1) Magical
Uncle--Uncle likes to have a finger in every pot. He also has
some Yakuza connections. He does have a weakness in the Matrix
department.
Uncle: 5
Info: Good(1) Yakuza
Info: Good(1) Mafia
Contacts: Good(1) Yakuza
Gear: Poor(-1) Matrix related
Contacts: Bad(-2) Matrix related
Johnsons and Runs: Poor(-1) Matrix work
Gear: Good(1) Military
Calypso--Calypso works the weaknesses of the other fixers.
Strong on the Matrix and Medical, weak on reputation with the Johnsons
and on Street info. He works there because the others have left him a
void...he'll switch if anyone makes this too hard. Flexibility is his
motto.
Calypso: 4
Johnsons and Runs: Poor(-1) Overall
Gear: Good(1) Overall
Contacts: Good(1) Matrix Related
Contacts: Good(1) Medical
Info: Poor(-1) Gangs
Info: Poor(-1) Mafia
Weasel--Weasel has dirt on everybody in every area. He
does, however, have slightly less dirt in the area of Magic.
Johnsons, while admiring his resources, are leery of details of the
run being sold to the highest bidder.
Weasel: 8
Johnsons and Runs: Bad (-2) Overall
Info: Good(1) Overall
Gear: Good(1) Overall
Contacts: Poor(-1) Magical
Contacts: Poor(-1) Medical
Cilantro--Cilantro specializes in people and info, finding
material resources harder to come by. Despite his relative newness in
the field of the big players, he has established a good reputation,
particularly with Ares, with whom he has worked with several Johnsons.
Cilantro: 4
Johnsons and Runs: Good(1) Overall
Info: Great(2) Gangs
Info: Good(1) Ares
Gear: Poor(-1) Overall
Contacts: Bad(-2) Matrix
Contacts: Good(1) Magical
Contacts: Poor(-1) Military
Info: Poor(-1) Yakuza
Bubal Twins--They know few people, have little access to
gear, and have next to no Rep with Johnsons. What they do have is a
great source of info.
Bubal Twins: 1
Johnsons and Runs: Poor(-1) Overall
Info: Great(2) Overall
Gear: Poor(-1) Overall
Contacts: Good(1) Matrix
Contacts: Poor(-1) Muscle
Contacts: Good(1) Medical
Contacts: Poor(-1) Magical
E. Price
++++++++
Every man has his price, and the fixer's price may be steep.
Here you simply use the rating chart to describe the fixer's prices.
You can specialize them as you did with Resources, but you shouldn't
be as extensive...if they manage to get something, the price shouldn't
change much beyond their personal markup, and if they don't, then the
money won't matter anyway.
This rating includes both monetary prices, as well as
"favors" asked for.
Example:
Yan Po--Prefering to have the control his position offers, Yan
Po is one of the better fixers when it comes to the price tag.
Yan Po: Great(2)
Santa--The jolly old elf(well, human) is also fairly good with
the prices. He also gets hit by his weakness with Magical goods.
Santa: Good(1)
Gear: Poor(-1) Magical
Gear: Good(1) Combat
King Lear--Normal pricing. Has an advantage in Miltary
goods, and a disadvantage in Magical gear.
King Lear: Normal(0)
Gear: Poor(-1) Magical
Gear: Good(1) Military
Uncle--Also normal in the price range, but not the man to go
to for a deck.
Uncle: Normal(0)
Gear:Bad(-2) Matrix
Gear:Good(1) Military
Gear:Good(1) Vehicles
Calypso--The runners friend when it comes to patching
teammates together, but nothing wonderful. He also takes a hefty
percentage from any take on a run he sets up for you.
Calypso: Normal(0)
Services: Good(1) Medical
Gear: Good(1) Cyber
Gear: Poor(-1) Combat
Runs: Poor(-1) Percentage
Weasel--Weasel may have Resources, but he sure isn't giving
them away. He likes to charge top nuyen, and may ask for favors
besides.
Weasel: Bad(-2)
Services: Poor(-1) Magical
Gear: Poor(-1) Magical
Services: Good(1) Info
Gear: Poor(-1) Cyber
Cilantro--Cilantro cares little for the almighty nuyen, and
will sell his goods and services at little profit. It is not unknown
for him to ask for favors in exchange for dropping the price as well.
Cilantro: Great(2)
Services: Poor(-1) Matrix
Gear: Poor(-1) Matrix
Services: Good(1) Info
Services: Good(1) Magical
Bubal Twins--The twins specialize in knowledge only, and
their difficulty in obtaining other things affects their prices in
those areas. Despite his greed, Keith is a little clueless to normal
street prices, not to mention being aware that he is a minor player,
and his poor upbringing makes small sums large to his eyes.
Bubal Twins: Great(2)
Gear: Poor(-1) Overall
Services: Good(1) Info
F. Loyalty
++++++++++
Fixers are businessmen. As such, no runner is too precious to
sacrifice. Some fixers, for reasons of personal ethics or simply as a
business decision, take better care of individual runners than others.
This rating is a general guideline.
Example:
Yan Po--Yan Po treats his runners with what he considers
professional respect and honor.
Yan Po: Good(1)
Santa--Santa likes his pet runners, and figures if he takes
care of them, they'll take care of him.
Santa: Great(2)
King Lear--King Lear figures a business is a business. You
don't sell everyone out, because then no one will come back, but you
don't play the fool either.
King Lear: Good(1)
Uncle--Uncle keeps himself remote from the runners, and as
such, has little to stop him from harming them at his profit.
Uncle: Poor(-1)
Calypso--Calypso sees no reason to get sentimental about a
simply professional arrangement.
Calypso: Normal(0)
Weasel--As you might guess, Weasel will sell anyone out.
The only thing stopping him is that the opposition might not be
willing to pay his outrageous prices.
Weasel: Bad(-2)
Cilantro--Cilantro doesn't quite understand yet that the
runners' lives mean anything. They are just pawns on the chessboard
in this wonderful game he has discovered.
Cilantro: Bad(-2)
Bubal Twins--The Twins cling desperately to every customer
they can get.
Bubal Twins: Great(2)
G: Totals
+++++++++
No you total up all the categories for each fixer and make
sure they match the rating for that fixer. If they don't either
accept the total as the new Rating, or adjust some of the categories.
(Resources, Price, and Loyalty are particularly easy to adjust.
Relations tends to be complicated.)
Example:
Relations Resources Price Loyalty Total
Yan Po -1 3 2 1 5
Santa -1 3 1 2 5
King Lear 0 4 0 1 5
Uncle 1 5 0 -1 5
Calypso 1 4 0 0 5
Weasel -4 8 -2 -2 0
Cilantro 1 4 2 -2 5
Bubal Twins -3 1 2 2 2
Here we see that Weasel is not the rating 5 fixer I wanted. I can
either accept that he is a Rating 0, or I can adjust some stats. I
certainly would like to get him closer to a 5. Let's see what I can
do:
Improve Price: Pretty much against the character concept.
Improve Loyalty: This too. Improve Resources: This is
possible, but he already has an
8, which is very high.
Improve Relations: This is possible, but complicated.
Anything I change would affect the Relations of everyone else unless I
said it only worked one way.
I decide to split it. I'll bump his resources up to 10, and
I'll say that King Lear, will cooperate with at Normal instead of Bad
(more to annoy Yan Po than anything else). I'll also say that
Cilantro hasn't totally figured out that they are in such competition,
and only reacts at Poor(-1) to him instead of Bad(-2). This adds the
needed 5 points to the character.
II. Using the Fixers
--------------------
Now that you have created the Fixers, what do you do with
them? Well, first, what do your players use their fixers for? The
following is a list of things that my players have used their fixers
for. These are all considered Services. Also included are things
that fixer does not do himself, but acts as a middleman for. These are
called MiddleMan tasks. They may overlap, depending on the task and
the fixer. The distinction is almost never important.
Services and MiddleMan tasks
-Arrange Runs
-Info
-Contacts
-Work as a Fence
-Shadowbanking
-False ID's
-Acquire Gear
-Special Arrangements
Special Rule: Slots
+++++++++++++++++++
In many places I refer to "slots". Often a fixer rolls !d6 to
determine some somewhat random value (this number may be modified by
his stats). In any such case, a slot means one number. From 3 to 4
or from 6 to 5 is movement of one slot.
Special Rule: Favors
++++++++++++++++++++
A fixer may elect to accept a future favor, or a marker,
from a runner in exchange for all or part of a payment. A Fixer
will not accept a favor from a character who already owes him a
Level 9 favor or higher. Use the Fixer concepts to decide whether he
suggests favors instead. If the character already owes a Favor (but
it is less than level 9) and wishes another, roll 1d6 and add the
Fixers Price level. If the number is equal to or greater than the
level of the favor owed, the fixer will accept it.
Anywhere in these rules you roll 1d6(modified) to determine a
price, if the Fixer will allow a favor, the Character can either move
the roll 3 slots on this chart per level of Favor, or assume the best
case for a level 3 Favor. The Chart can be moved one slot in exchange
for a immediate Minor Favor. Minor Favors may be like: "I'll waive my
(rather small) percentage on this, but only if you tell me what the
item the Johnson has you get looks like, exactly." Such a Favor must
be quickly resolved, and at little effort to the player.
All Favors to a fixer by one individual are cumulative, and
can be (at the fixers discretion) paid off in parts. Favors are only
considered paid at the option of the Fixer...he decides when to
collect and how. If the player does not wish to accept the Fixers
demand (the Fixer can make it an offer, not a demand) roll 1d6 and add
half the current Level of Favor the character owes. If the number
rolled is higher than the character's Charisma/Etiquette Skill
(whichever is higher) PLUS the Fixer's Loyalty Rating, he will give
the play an ultimatum: Do it or else. "Else" may include a visit by
"collection agents", blackballing him on the street, or other such
nasty consequences.
Rule: Negotiation
*****************
If a character wishes to use the Negotiation skill with the
Fixer, make a standard Negotiation skill test (use whatever stats for
the Fixer are appropriate, or Will 5, Char 4, Negotiation 4 for
default). Have Net Character successes add to the roll on any pricing
chart. Note that this can go negatively.
Rule: Level of Contact
**********************
If the character has the fixer as a stronger contact (Buddy)
he can move any roll one slot to his advantage with no penalty.
Arrange Runs
++++++++++++
Most runners don't know their Johnson personally...at least
not at first. A fixer, using an established reputation, is contacted
by a Johnson with a run...the fixer, knowing only (or at least so the
Johnson thinks) vague details about the run arranges for some runners
to take the job. Sometimes the fixer hires the runners himself,
accepting Johnson's payment, sometimes the fixer merely gets the two
groups together.
Finder's Fees
*************
If the Fixer gets the two groups together, he may charge a
basic "finder's fee", payable by either group (This often an indicator
of the Johnson's money and/or desperation and/or knowledge of the
runners' reps. A Johnson who pays the finder's fee is at least one of
the following:
1) In possession of a larger than average account for Shadow
Ops 2) Desperate to get runners 3) Desperate to get _these_
runners, who he has heard such *cough* good things about. 4) A
fool.
Most often, for starting groups, the runners will get hit with
this fee. Such fees tend to be around 100-5,000 Y a person,
depending on the experience of the runners and the potential the fixer
figures the run is worth.
Finder's fees are most often used when:
1) The Johnson wants these runners specifically
2) The Johnson wants as few people to know about the run as
possible (this way the fixer is in the dark) 3) The fixer
wants to distance himself from possible fallout from the run
4) The fixer does not normally work with these runners
Random die rolls really can't decide how finder's fees work.
Decide whether there will be one, and if the Johnson is paying. If
the runners are stuck with the fee, you can use the follow rules to
decide how much it is.
Roll 1D6 and add Fixer's Price Rating.
-2: 50%
-1: 30%
0: 20% All Percentages are of the
1: 15% Basic payment offered by the Johnson.
2: 15% The randomness stems from the Fixer's
3: 10% lack of knowledge of the actual run.
4: 10%
5: 5%
6: 5%
7: 1%
8: 1%
9: Fee waived
The Finder's Fee is charged whether the runners accept the run
or not.
Percentages
***********
Another way a fixer can charge for arranging a run is to
simply charge a percentage of the take. Normally is such a case the
money gets paid to the Fixer, who then takes off his take and sends it
on to the team. Kind(?) Johnsons who were happy with the run have
been known to pad the credstick so that the runners end up with what
would have been full payment, but this is fairly rare.
