Shadowrun
Shadowrun Play => Gamemasters' Lounge => Topic started by: maquise on <07-08-14/1652:26>
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I'm working on writing a campaign in the event I actually ever get the chance to run an SR game. Was looking for some input; just spit-balling right now.
The basic focus of the campaign is about the players going up against a cyber cult. The sort that thinks "Flesh is weak, become one with the machine," that sort of deal. The nature of this cult means that they require a lot of money; cyberware isn't cheap, after all. To this end, I figured either the cult was founded by a corp, or co opted very early on. It was intended as a way of providing the corp with plausibly-deniable muscle. A conflict between the cult leaders and the corporate backers is likely, I think.
Other idea: The corp is a security corp, and is intending to use the cyber cult as a means to exert greater control; see the Agency in Crackdown.
The cult would recruit primarily from people who've already been cybered, and are maladjusted. Other potential recruits include BTL addicts. Could use some other ideas.
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Cults make for pretty poor plausibly deniable muscle, simply because they tend to be sloppy, unpredictable and well, unprofessional.Corps hire shadowrunners for a reason, after all.
On the other hand, they may make a decent plausibly deniable test location for new, interesting and unethical cyberenhancements. A group fanatically devoted to self-modification make for excellent willing test subjects after all. And when they become too unruly or dangerous well, pull the plug. Let someone else deal with the problem. Unless someone in the cult finds out how their group has been getting all of the cyber supplied and a pathway leads back to your corp...
... that's when there's problems.
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Burnt-out mages, BTL junkies, people with AIPS... sounds like they could have someone recruiting for them as a "rehab" facility. The facility is able to rehab some, but a few out of every class end up in the cult (the cult might call them "enlightened" or something). I did something similar with a backwoods town once. The idea was that the leader of the cult was a dissonant technomancer who was cut off during the last crash event. He was building up the cultists so that they could act as a device of sorts to allow him to reconnect with his Paragon. If you wanted to have the corp backing, like you suggested with the security corp, it would make sense as well. These people get hired on as normal employees, but the best of the best are allowed to join the "inner circle."
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Burnt-out mages, BTL junkies, people with AIPS... sounds like they could have someone recruiting for them as a "rehab" facility. The facility is able to rehab some, but a few out of every class end up in the cult (the cult might call them "enlightened" or something). I did something similar with a backwoods town once. The idea was that the leader of the cult was a dissonant technomancer who was cut off during the last crash event. He was building up the cultists so that they could act as a device of sorts to allow him to reconnect with his Paragon. If you wanted to have the corp backing, like you suggested with the security corp, it would make sense as well. These people get hired on as normal employees, but the best of the best are allowed to join the "inner circle."
I suppose they could use both means; having them funnel into the same place. After all, they have different needs.
I first envisioned this idea as "the Borg in the Sixth World." This cult places great emphasis on collectivism, as well as self-modification. And once they get enough muscle, they aren't averse to kidnapping people and "Enlightening" them against their will.
Just another idea I had: I'd like to find some way to integrate a bunch of brains in jars as the cult's main means of Matrix defense/enforcement. Or just have them use brains in jars for something.
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Brains in jars sounds like the "gardens" that MCT was building. They're technomancer brains, all hooked together to create some very powerful cloud computing. No reason to assume they were all destroyed. :)
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...they aren't averse to kidnapping people and "Enlightening" them against their will.
A lot of plot-hooks with just this line! :) A contact could disappear mysteriously, or a Johnson hires you to find their missing <fill in appropriate person>, if you wanted to make it real interesting, you could have the PCs get captured and they have to make their way out before being 'enlightened'. Of course I know a couple street-sams that would like to be further 'enlightened'... ::)
And who's in charge - A mysterious cyberzombie? A resonance being of some sort? AI? A mischievous sprite gone free---(which I guess would still be an AI, I suppose)?
Could also add the twist that the cybered individuals are sent back into mainstream (corps, businesses, government, shadows, etc.) and have a Persona over-ride built in. Could tie into current Sybil plot or just be used as a sleeper agent type scenario.
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I'm hoping to give this campaign more of a horror-theme to it. Any ideas in that regard are useful.
Also, I'd like to find a way to draw the players in without them realizing what they're getting into until it's too late to get out.
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On the horror bent, cyber zombies would work pretty well IMO. Also, cybered ghouls? Used to dispose of unwanted 'meat', especially terrifying to the unwillingly Enlightened.
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I read once that, way back when, there were barbarian
fanatics who’d go into battle stark naked and could still do
enough damage to rout hardened soldiers. The fanatics we
get these days are equally barbarous, only they tend to go
into battle with hardened steel plating welded to their skin and
industrial diamond saws grafted to their hands. You do the math.
What’s worse is they seem to be spreading. Read
between the lines of most of the big Corporate newsnet
updates and you'll always find the stories; a terror raid here,
an Underswell massacre there, three Agents in the next Spire
with their cybernetic bones torn out and dumped in a mining
hopper. My gut says they’re gearing up for something, and it
seems the UIG can’t do anything to stop them. Or won’t.
Just taking an IC quote from Corporation. It seems relevant for what you're doing, but the Cult of Machina goes for more of a cell structure of Architects (decision makers and cyberneticists) surrounded by Chimeras. ('fore-mentioned berserkers) They seek to liberate cyberware from those with no intention of true transcendence, but they are driven rather than evil; once they have done so, they care little for the flesh that remains. In Corporation they do what they can to uplift and merge with AIs, or translate themselves through nanite plague, but I'm a little hazy on what an equivalent would be in SR. At the very least, they would be seeking to cultivate protosapient and metasapient AI as pets and equals, respectively.
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Cyberzombies were an obvious, though I'll have to remember the cyberghouls. Those sound interesting.
Stealing cyber-ware from non-cultists seems... well not like something they'd do. They'd probably either find some way to convert the non-cultist, or use them as sleeper agents.
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Could also go a Deus based cult -- perhaps created/led by a survivor of the Renraku Arcology Shutdown --- well, survivor in this case that has PTSD at best; delusions of creating a superior race if they are really off the rails!
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Here are a couple ideas I have so far:
- The cult was started by several ill/genetically disabled individuals. It stayed fairly small, until a subsection of Lonestar or some other security force came up with the idea to use the cult as a means of justifying increased security/control. Then they begun smuggling illegal weapons and augmentations to the cult. However, they soon lost control of the cult, which in turn was able to infiltrate the security agency.
- The cult took on several fronts. It used the security agency to locate maladjusted cyberware users, and recruit them. First via payment, then by using indoctrination techniques during the augmentation surgeries for their complementary upgrades.
- In the Barrens (or any city's equivalent) they offered BTLs and other services that allowed them to subtly preach their message. They also begun abducting individuals for forced conversion.
I guess right now my problem is that, while I have an overall structure for the bad guys, I'm not really sure what to do with them.
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There should be a clear leader with an angle that is unknown to his followers. His ultimate goal would most probably be egocentric and egoistic. The leader himself might even not be as crazy or maladjusted as his flock.
Next you could create some kind of "circle" hierarchy inside the cult, with some members closer to the leader and his "Truth".
The above give you a chance to do several interesting things like rebellious subgroups, power-hungry inner circle members wanting to overthrow the leader, members who play they parts but actually have no connection with the ideology and only want money or power. These can all happen inside the cult.
Outside you can have players (organisations, corps) that will want to exploit the cult to their benefit. Some might succeed, some might get exploited in return.
Also, don't forget about anti-augmentation cults and organizations that would wage open war on yours if they found out about it.
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Here are a couple ideas I have so far:
- The cult was started by several ill/genetically disabled individuals. It stayed fairly small, until a subsection of Lonestar or some other security force came up with the idea to use the cult as a means of justifying increased security/control. Then they begun smuggling illegal weapons and augmentations to the cult. However, they soon lost control of the cult, which in turn was able to infiltrate the security agency.
Ah, the "Raise no demon you cannot lay" scenario... it's a good start, but I wouldn't use LoneStar or Knight Errant; maybe a smaller, second or third tier security company, one that has some resources but not enough to play with the big boys. Gives it an incentive (and maybe enough desperation) to take a big risk.
I guess right now my problem is that, while I have an overall structure for the bad guys, I'm not really sure what to do with them.
Think of what their agenda would be. Do they want to spread their message? Expand the personal power and influence of the cult leaders/members? Burn the world that never cared for them? Maybe they just want to help other people... y'know, like the Universal Brotherhood did?
Once you've decided what they want, how they think they can get it should suggest itself (I think you've got a good beachhead already).[/list]
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I suppose their goal could be achieving the Singularity (in the technological sense).
Right, so I just had an idea; Could they create Bunraku soldiers? Fanatically loyal to their cause?
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Back; I'm trying to build this cult's organization.
For inspiration, I'm looking at a cross between the Adeptus Mechanicus from 40k and the Borg from Star Trek. It is divided primarily between the Assimilated (Need a more cultish term) and the Enlightened. The former were captured against their will and brainwashed/turned into cyberzombies, the latter joined of their own free will and still have their intelligence.
They also worship an AI/wetware processor called LEGION, which was created by fusing a fragment of DEUS's code with a technomancer's brain. The cult is hoping to continue networking technomancer brains together in order to create a more powerful "cybergod".
I also need help on creating proper enemies/encounters to throw at my players. I'm thinking drones and cyber-zombies, obviously. Where would I find info on them?
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Cyberzombies are in 4th Edition's Augmentation, and that has plenty of the fluff and stats that could make a transition to 5th. The big thing I'd mention there is that cyber-zombies are *rare*, and difficult to create. We're talking advanced magic (blood magic in a lot of cases) mixed with super-state-of-the-art technology and a delta-clinic. In addition, the sheer power and capabilities of cyber-zombies makes them, in my opinion, the most powerful humanoid opposition you can encounter. A constant mana disruption around them, the huge amounts of 'ware all packed into a person makes them killer in combat.
You might be better off with 'cyber-zombies' made of a bunch of skill-wired/persona-fixed peons and mooks with some augmentations. More common, more cult-ish, etc.
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Makes sense; I'll take a look at it, and probably save the genuine Cyberzombies for the boss fights.
Though that poses a question. If the cult is being lead by a reborn Deus that is trying to become a cyber-god and is integrating technomancer brains into its motherboard, could it potentially create Cyberzombies?
Mind you, I unfortunately haven't read Shutdown, so my knowledge is limited.
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No. Cyberzombies are people with so much cybernetics in them, they should be dead - but there's magic (and yet more cyberware) keeping them intact and relatively sane. The tech and magic requirements for creating cyberzombies are such that if you don't have very high levels of both (Delta clinic on the one, initiate grade 8+ on the other) your candidates are simply going to die on the table.
You may, instead, consider the Whites/Greens/Blues of the Shutdown - which it really, really looks like you need to take a gander at, especially if you're going to have Deus clawing out of the woodwork.
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I'll take a look at it.
Creating cyberzombies will probably be one of the cult's goals; I suppose, though, that the cult could have gotten hold of and recruited existing cyberzombies, if I can't find a good alternative.
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Honestly, neither is likely; cyberzombies are (well, are supposed to be) massive infusions of cash and resources. Non-corporate cyberzombies would be rare creatures indeed - so any 'cult' that manages to get their hooks into one would be of Very Serious Concern Indeed, and shortly thereafter, Of No Concern At All - because you don't generally have to worry about the incinerated ashy dead.
Don't be fooled by the idea of someone else controlling a zombie, therefore cyberzombies are controlled by someone else; they're not. The zombie part comes in from the 'you should be dead, but you're not' portion. If you're going to use Deus, you really, really do need to read up on him - and on his methodology. Cyberzombies are very, very unlikely to enter into it, and when it comes down to it, a cyberzombie can give an armored platoon fits of trouble.
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It should be noted that Deus wasn't so much about making cyberzombies, but creating horrifyingly innovative and innovative drone designs. After all, Cyberzombies for the most part do not have an especially long life expectancy. You're using a combination of magic and chrome and perverting the very fabric of reality, something that is very very evident in the way that astral space bends and warps around a "living" 'zombie. Creation of a cyberzombie doesn't give you an everlasting creature, like a lich in some fantasy settings. It gives you a monstrosity of metal and flesh held together by foul magic and drug cocktails which barely keep the soul tied to what's left of its body. Keeping the 'zombie alive costs nearly as much as creating the thing in the first place. And even with all the infusions of cash you're likely to not get much more than six months of active use before the thing falls apart.
Skillwired human biodrones sure. Fully mechanical drones that move like they're alive? Oh very yes. Highly cost inefficient sins against magic? Not so much.
I'd think the goals of any cult of Deus would be, in no particular order: A. Ascend Deus to be the God He Rightfully Is. B. Fuse with your God and enjoy the Rapture. C. Convert more Faithful. D. Death to the Infidels.
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How hard would it be to have a brain in a jar piloting a drone? And what would the best way to model that be?
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How hard would it be to have a brain in a jar piloting a drone? And what would the best way to model that be?
Cyborgs, as per Augmentation, 4th Edition. I personally feel they're sort of a cop-out in regards to Essence and all that, but they do exist.
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I have to say, as nobody else has touched on it, that your initial idea of borrowing from Crackdown is pure gold. The big reveal there was very, very Shadowrun in feel, and I love the idea that the cult isn't pulling their own strings.
Of course, the second you've got Deus wrapped up in things, those strings start chocking people to death...