[pariah3j]

So my current run the PC's are being tasked w/ stealing the reel footage of an old tv/trid show that was basically lost in the Crash(digitally) a few years ago. It was an unaired episode which makes it that much more valuable to collect. The client has hired the runners to steal it from someone else. The Johnson instructed them to steal several things in order to disguise their true target. I've come up with 3-4 things that I thought might be interesting but was looking for some input for some possible other mcgruffin (or plot hook) items that the PCs will have to fence or do something with later. The NPC is a collector of various treasures with historical or magical importance, possibly stolen/black market museum type pieces.
 
- The reel footage in a metal reel canister: this is their true target
-an old scroll with no visible writing on it: thought here is its magical and the words can only be seen asterally but none of my players are magic users so they'll have to seek out someone who can read it, and interested parties can then come looking for it.
-an antique sword: currently i have it written as an old WWI cavalry sword
-Metal Devil mask /Oni mask: Thinking this might contain the soul/essence of a samurai/ninja spirit possibly ?

Any thoughts of some interesting pieces that this NPC could have ?
 

[Vale]

One of the original Fabergé eggs.
Several fragments of the Cloth of Saint Gereon.
A restored 1935 duesenberg phaeton.
The original "Girl with a Pearl Earring" painting.
An ornate dagger believed to have been carried by Guru Har Rai.
The personal journal of Nikola Tesla.
The Red Banner flown at Stalingrad.
Robert Jordan's original notebook on the final Wheel of Time books.
Old Raridan's fang.
Jack Ruby's .38 revolver.

[pariah3j]

Thanks Vale - Several of those work for me; Considering the npc is a russian mofia/gangster the Jack Ruby's 38, Red banner and Faberge egg work really well 

[Tecumseh]

Be careful of the value of collectibles. A Fabergé egg would be worth tens of millions of nuyen to the right collector and would be guarded accordingly. Even if the runners only gets a fraction of that it might still be enough to set up a permanent High lifestyle and say "Game Over!" Assuming, of course, that the goon doesn't move Heaven and Earth to find them, which he will, unless that's the direction you want things to go.

Personally, I might opt for something less unique but still valuable and thematic, like antique shotguns.

[Namikaze]

Personally, I might opt for something less unique but still valuable and thematic, like antique shotguns.

Cause that turned out great for the goobers in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. 

[pariah3j]

Be careful of the value of collectibles. A Fabergé egg would be worth tens of millions of nuyen to the right collector and would be guarded accordingly. Even if the runners only gets a fraction of that it might still be enough to set up a permanent High lifestyle and say "Game Over!" Assuming, of course, that the goon doesn't move Heaven and Earth to find them, which he will, unless that's the direction you want things to go.

Personally, I might opt for something less unique but still valuable and thematic, like antique shotguns.

Actually they either will get shafted by their fence (because no one wants to touch the item since its that hot), or if they don't take the credits and keep the items for too long the NPC is going to catch up with them and as you said "move heaven and earth" to recover his goods. Our thief got caught lifting the items, and even dropped one of his pistols during combat and left it, basically ensuring one way or another the NPCs will catch up sooner then later... so they already have a lead, I might give it one play session to let them think they got away with it and start shopping for a buyer. But after that for some time I'm going to make the Russians a thorn in their side until they come to terms or take them out.

[pariah3j]

I'm curious if anyone has an idea of how a cursed item in SR would work ? One of the items is a cursed Oni mask w/ an evil spirit trapped within. What kind of roll would that be to resist the mask's influence/taking over the PC ?

[Reaver]

magic is still kinda iffy in 5e with out the magic book....


But basically there is no "cursed" items like there is in DnD/pathfinder. The closest you really get is a rare item know as a spirit lock/focus/container/trap/stone/etc (pick your edition). These are items that have been possessed by a spirit and act as a foci for that spirit (making dismissing or binding the spirit impossible while the object exists).

Through these devices, spirits often make "spirit packs" with those who come into contact/possession of the item.

Spirit packs allow a player to gain access to spirit powers and abilities... at a cost... usually Karma. But in this case, the spirit will exert more influence over the player by insisting on more and more karma for the same abilities for a shorter time... and then there is foci addiction for mundanes that use these items (like addiction to drugs, but in this case the item)...

[RHat]

Be careful of the value of collectibles. A Fabergé egg would be worth tens of millions of nuyen to the right collector and would be guarded accordingly. Even if the runners only gets a fraction of that it might still be enough to set up a permanent High lifestyle and say "Game Over!" Assuming, of course, that the goon doesn't move Heaven and Earth to find them, which he will, unless that's the direction you want things to go.

Personally, I might opt for something less unique but still valuable and thematic, like antique shotguns.

Actually they either will get shafted by their fence (because no one wants to touch the item since its that hot), or if they don't take the credits and keep the items for too long the NPC is going to catch up with them and as you said "move heaven and earth" to recover his goods. Our thief got caught lifting the items, and even dropped one of his pistols during combat and left it, basically ensuring one way or another the NPCs will catch up sooner then later... so they already have a lead, I might give it one play session to let them think they got away with it and start shopping for a buyer. But after that for some time I'm going to make the Russians a thorn in their side until they come to terms or take them out.

If you want, you could give the NPC ties to the Vory, bringing the syndicates into your game and removing the "take them out" option.

[pariah3j]

If you want, you could give the NPC ties to the Vory, bringing the syndicates into your game and removing the "take them out" option.

He does actually - taking out meaning take out the local chapter/cell from Seattle that is tied to the NPC they stole from. Depending on how it goes down I may or may not bring the whole weight of the Vory down on them.

But basically there is no "cursed" items like there is in DnD/pathfinder. The closest you really get is a rare item know as a spirit lock/focus/container/trap/stone/etc (pick your edition). These are items that have been possessed by a spirit and act as a foci for that spirit (making dismissing or binding the spirit impossible while the object exists).

Well that sucks... might have to house rule something for the fun of it... that is to say if one of my PCs slaps it on their face like a mask(I suspect its coming, the troll PC that stole it tried to wear it out but realized it wouldn't fit his head.)

[RHat]

The Vory are major players, though, and their presence in Seattle is not going to be small. 

And magical objects that work for mundanes can exist, but can't presently be made - they'd be leftover from the previous high point in the mana cycle.  They are, however, a Big Freaking Deal, of interest to the Awakened power players, dragons and immortal elves included.  In other words, we're talking about the sort of thing you build your whole Prime Runner campaign off of.

There was a set of modules in SR4 based around Artifacts, which came with a warning about not being for starting characters.

[WellsIDidIt]

You could have a possession spirit bound to the object. Say a possession spirit of the Norse tradition. One that likes mischief.

As for other treasures, a few that I've seen throughout the years are or heard about from one my buddies:
-A signed Alpha Magic the Gathering Black Lotus
-An awakened champion breed horse
-WW2 era Nazi Gold Bars
-The original KFC recipe
-Gene Simmons's signed Axe Bass
-An non-GMO heirloom seed collection

[Namikaze]

-A signed Alpha Magic the Gathering Black Lotus
-An awakened champion breed horse
-WW2 era Nazi Gold Bars
-The original KFC recipe
-Gene Simmons's signed Axe Bass
-An non-GMO heirloom seed collection

HA!  I love these ideas!

[Nightmare]

-A signed Alpha Magic the Gathering Black Lotus
-An awakened champion breed horse
-WW2 era Nazi Gold Bars
-The original KFC recipe
-Gene Simmons's signed Axe Bass
-An non-GMO heirloom seed collection

HA!  I love these ideas!

I love the original KFC recipe...could go with the original Coke recipe.

[WellsIDidIt]

One of my player's actually did that one when he was GMing. KFC was retrofitting their vault and had the recipe in a caravan moving around the city that the player's had to hit. Apparently their employer turned out to be Popeyes Chicken.