That's correct. Nobody on the team knows him in particular. He's going to be another runner entering in to this mission with their own endgoal and it'll be up to you guys to work it out and see what you want to do. The end goal, though, is to join up as a single team, in other words to have him join the group. You don't need to automatically gel or anything, but need to at least be friendly (and alive) enough to go on future runs together.

I'm glad that the Kali moment went over well. I was torn between seeing it as a good out for Cath's absence and feeling like I was railroading the rest of you.

As for Reaper, just to iron this out ahead of time--he's going to be an unknown element at the time we meet him right? As in we've never run with him before or aren't at the moment, right?

One presumes so if Recluse would blow him up otherwise.

I'm getting the impression that Kali will probably shoot him on sight.

I also get the impression Traction will shoot him on sight.

In fact, I'm not entirely certain why Recluse won't be shooting him on sight if he ever gets a bead with his sniper rifle (if he would be inclined to blow Reaper up).

This seems like an awkward premise for joining a Shadowrunner team. I know that I wouldn't be too keen on the idea when most of the team tries to kill you right when they see you.

Unless there's something I'm missing? I mean, don't get me wrong, I imagine Reaper might have a way to convince them not to shoot him immediately (and bullets don't work well on adepts, this is known). I'm just checking to see if there's any sort of plan in the works that will help make the transition work.

It's true, you've caught me in a bit of a rough spot. I needed to introduce a new plot element, and I needed to introduce a new character. The two seemed like they'd coincide well together, but we seem to have lost half of our less trigger happy team members, so the lines of communication are in a bit of a state. It was a bit of sloppy planning complicated by some unfortunate absences. That combined with the fact that my brain is a little frazzled what with moving across the country (I don't want to use this as an excuse for everything, but it's undeniably stressful) and it culminated in a shamefully poorly thought out event. It's not really fair to force everyone just have to go along with it, so I'll figure something out.

Not every run has to be successful. It's possible he could just manage the simplest solution and hijack the CDs (Recluse is the only one of us that should be touching them afterall--and Kali didn't bring her bike) We wouldn't be able to limp after him in either of the vans. That in turn could lead to uncovering this is bigger than a milkrun as Traction and the brainier bits of the team track him down and Kaz and gang hunt down leads.

Speaking about Kaz, was wondering when I was going to see that collab.

***EDIT***

That's not saying Traction didn't make good points. I think she's spot on with how most would react to pretty much any new face creeping up on a firefight.

Living = success.

Az

My initial solution would be to force Reaper to contact Recluse or Traction and have them try to pacify the rest of the team, but it's not ideal to presume that everyone would be all-eyes on their comms, or even willing to listen. And there's no reason for anybody to co-operate if their goal is seperate. Reaper does have a piece of information that would potentially grease the gears of what happens at the end of the run, but doesn't really help him in the beginning. It's true, Reaper is somebody who could deal with the CDs whereas the rest of the team is unfortunately indisposed to do so, but that's assuming he has a way to get them out. And if he only takes a few, it's too easy for Reaper to take some, the main team to take some (or the rest) and then they just go their separate ways. It's a viable solution, but not really in the direction I'd like to push things.

Full disclosure, at the end of everything, when it becomes delivery time, I would like to force a choice between two options (finish Reaper's contract, or finish the one given by Zelda.) There is a reason why the choice wouldn't be terribly cut-and-dry. But we need to actually get to that point first.

Knowing some of the team they'd take a cut from both in the split.

The actual ending decision isn't as important to me as actually having Reaper join up with everybody, so if, in the end, everyone wants to split the deal, then that's totally fine. But unless Reaper's first inclination is (rather than just trying to get his own job done under duress and sniper fire) to immediately try and make peace with everyone, then there might be some problems. I don't want to make decisions for anybody's character, but a possible solution is just for Reaper to stay alive until the shooting with the Trolls is finished and then everyone could potentially have a conversation with the CDs themselves as collateral. Recluse would still be up in the ceiling looking down a scope, so Reaper could be the team's quick access to an easy escape. Reaper dispels the magical trap on the CDs and the team forms a temporary truce until the job is over (agreeing to split the profits or something, it doesn't matter at that point.) If that avenue is appealing to everyone, we can go with that, but until I hear whether it's satisfactory, I'll keep thinking on it.

Almost forgot it's gotten around to me again. Should I wait a bit for @enterthehero to throw in or just drum about another scene?

I'd at least like to wait for ETH's input on what direction he'd like to go with the conflict ahead before resolving anything huge. But I don't really see any reason to hold back an IC post if you've got one cooking and you just wanna shoot some trogs or rejoin the rest of the group entering through the front or anything like that.

Well, shit, I missed a lot. Shows me for being a student, aye?

Well, the way I see it, Reaper is gonna want to use the "distraction" from the other team to go in and get the CDs. Since he also doesn't want to waste time trying to change the ledgers as his Johnson recommended, he'll just go for the paydata. Given that Recluse is playing overwatch, though, and Terminal has eyes everywhere, I'm thinking he won't get very far. So he tries to save his bacon by mentioning his buyer, and that it seems like a legitimately shiny payday to work with him, so he offers to split the profits if they don't put a bullet in his ass.

What do you think?

EDIT: IC post will be up soon for Reaper.

That's not saying Traction didn't make good points

Terminal has eyes everywhere

...One day, friend.

Still, if we can suspend a bit of disbelief and our 'shoot on sight' policy, we can pretend like there are some sane members of the team left, just for a few minutes avert our eyes, and end up with a new team member and some shiny nuyen, CAS bucks or otherwise. Recluse will go with whatever the team picks. He'll have avoided totally blowing the joint because Reaper doesn't look like a cop, but if somebody could meet Reaper at the door so it doesn't give everybody the cue to fill everyone with holes, life might get a little easier.

Has to be said that Recluse provides crummy overwatch if 'not a cop' get's people inside the parameter.

Joking aside I'm usually a fan or circumstances over suspension when it comes to crowbaring a new element into the story. Even reasonable people will treat an unconfirmed friendly as a hostile once a firefight kicks off...especially if they're a bunch of runners and start hearing talk about 'his' cut.

He could get away, approach them after, comm on an open channel, steal the CDs or vehicle they get loaded into (remember, far as we know someone's just going to drive it off anyway) or any number of other solutions.

Just throwwing it out there.

Has to be said that Recluse provides crummy overwatch if 'not a cop' get's people inside the parameter.

Joking aside I'm usually a fan or circumstances over suspension when it comes to crowbaring a new element into the story. Even reasonable people will treat an unconfirmed friendly as a hostile once a firefight kicks off...especially if they're a bunch of runners and start hearing talk about 'his' cut.

He could get away, approach them after, comm on an open channel, steal the CDs or vehicle they get loaded into (remember, far as we know someone's just going to drive it off anyway) or any number of other solutions.

Just throwwing it out there.

That's fair. Right now I'm just focusing on inserting Reaper into the situation at hand. We can work on the details of joining up together later. I'm kinda leaning towards some variation of him watching the chaos unfold and saying, "fuck this" and getting out while the getting's good, and then approaching them later when he's probably not going to be shot. Subject to update as the situation unfolds.

That's fair. Right now I'm just focusing on inserting Reaper into the situation at hand. We can work on the details of joining up together later. I'm kinda leaning towards some variation of him watching the chaos unfold and saying, "fuck this" and getting out while the getting's good, and then approaching them later when he's probably not going to be shot. Subject to update as the situation unfolds.

If that's acceptable to you, we can work around that. It'd make the current run simpler. Maybe I was too narrow in my thinking that we had to force Reaper into the chaos.

So, are we waiting for a post from someone or should I start working up a post?

Az

I was working on Reaper's intro post. Sorry it's taken so long- school and such.

No worries at all. I'm busy as fuck too, and wanted to just make sure you guys aren't waiting on me. I have all the patience in the world, so don't sweat it. At least with me.... I cannot speak for the rest of these unruly jackanapes.....

Az

I will also wait patiently.

There is, however, a point where my waiting patiently stops being for you to post and retroactively becomes for the perfect moment to stab you over the internet.