The first session...

And so it came to pass that three unlikely characters found themselves trapped on the most unlikely adventure (that’s always the case isn’t it?). Those involved were J’hin, a less than common hermetic mage, Aidan, a suped-up decker with a bit of muscle to boot, and Daphne, the typical beautiful and dangerous street samurai. Aidan knows J’hin from somewhere back and Daphne lives across the hall. The creation of these characters is a story unto itself and I refer those interested (which should be all) to the individual character sections.

All three sit in Aidan’s apartment one night - probably gaming while waiting for some great adventure to begin at about 10 PM. As always, it all starts with the proverbial phone call. But that won’t do with this group, so we began with three phone calls. The first went to Daphne. Very simply, one of her contacts, a fixer, let her know of an upcoming job, and that she should visit him in two days time. The second was Kitty Carlysle, Aidan’s fixer. Kitty had a job for Aidan, and they needed to meet the following evening. Finally, J’hin got a call from Masa - the Yakuza Boss and long-time buddy of J’hin - to meet him at the bus garage in an hour.

J’hin called Habib, the ever-present taxi-driver buddy, and got a ride to the bus garage. At the bus garage, J’hin gets into Masa’s limo and spends a moment going over old times with his friend. The jokes get a little sharp, but Masa calmly explains to his Yakuza bodyguard that J’hin is “just joking with him” and that everything is OK. At length, Masa asks J’hin to fetch a special book for him. In his own words, Masa says the following:

“Itsa very special book. Itsa from de Orient...from da Fatherland. It came in last night on da boat. Straight from da orient...da fatherland. Ita come in ona boat number 72 to the warehouse number 72...(player looks disbelievingly at GM)...I thought it very strange myself, but it’s very easy to remember!”

So J’hin of course wants to help out his buddy and says he will try to get the book for him. Thus began the warehouse adventure.

J’hin returns (via Habib) to Aidan’s apartment where apparently everyone hangs out. Before he explains the job, the phones begin to ring. A Bob has called Aidan, but we can’t see Bob. All we can see is an auto- shop-like room and we hear a bunch of tools and shop-like noises. We hear (Bob?) say, “Don’t worry, I’ll have the part by the end of the week. I just need some more time.” He then hangs up. Next, Daphne receives a phone call from Daphne’s Bob. Again, we can’t actually see Bob. We can only hear the workings of some mechanic’s shop or something. Bob screams, “I need that part right away! Get me the part!” and hangs up. Note, this is not necessarily the same Bob.

But, back to the warehouse. J’hin explains upon returning that they need to get a book for Masa from warehouse 72. Aidan then asks the brilliant question, “What’s the book called?” J’hin, realizing he does not have this crucial piece of information, calls Masa. Masa will not talk about the book over the phone, but is willing to meet again at...

THE BUS GARAGE: After another quick call to Habib, J’hin and Masa are reunited and a ten minute pronunciation lesson ensues. J’hin is informed that he is after the Hokatawa Hoy ya Hoy ya (Hoe kah tau’ yha * hooey * yah * HEWYAH). And back to...

AIDAN’S APARTMENT. To get the guys and go to stake out (at 1 AM) the fabled Warehouse 72. They arrive in the warehouse district by traveling west then south on north street. (Yes, north street runs north- south). There is a mini-mall and across east street (west side of town) the warehouses. Aidan and Daphne get out of the cab. Aidan begins to scale the mini-mall to take up an awesome position on the building’s roof. Daphne notices several strange characters out and about. She approaches one which appears to be approaching Aidan. He is crossing the street from the warehouses. She cuts the distance by taking the diagnol across the intersection. In her low, most ominous voice, she tells the man to mind his own business. (This happens to be J’hin’s contact, the undercover cop.) Jack (the cop) then issues Daphne a ticket for jaywalking and tells her to be on HER way. Daphne, now frustrated, turns north and heads alone up the street.

By now Aidan has made it to the roof. He sees the warehouses lining the street. Particularly, he sees warehouse 72 DIRECTLY across the street from the mini-mall. He also sees the boat at the dock by the warehouse. The number is old and worn but appears to be either a 72 or a 12. He then turns around to find a little ninja-type person disappear over the opposite ledge of the roof. Aidan gives pursuit.

J’hin, now noticing that the man accosting Daphne is actually his contact, Jack, gets out to talk to him. He finds that the warehouse district is under particular scrutiny tonight. That is to say, several extra cops are on alert in the area. At this point, J’hin notices that some gang members are stalking Daphne as she gets further and further away. Talk about the bad part of town! Of course J’hin knows this because it is his gang... J’hin bids Jack farewell and leaves with Habib to go rescue Daphne.

Meanwhile, Aidan gives pursuit to the Ninjette. He makes some excellent rolls and manages to keep up with her. Suddenly Jack shows up (it’s just the other side of the building). Aidan freezes and makes a poor roll. He is told “you think you’re being stealthy”. At this point, Aidan calls that he is sprinting for the alley. In the alley, he finds the ninjette hiding and grabs her. Both sit silently as Jack walks by. Aidan then presses the ninjette with questions for three or four rounds as she struggles to get away. Eventually she does which leaves Aidan with no additional information.

Shortly thereafter, J’hin and Daphne return via Habib to pick up Aidan and they all discuss what they found out. It is at this point that Habib suggests going to Taco Bell, as he is very hungry. J’hin agrees.

Nobody gets anything except Habib, and J’hin offers to pay for him. He orders 150 nuyen’s worth of food. What he ordered remains to this date one of the great Shadowrun mysteries...

Upon leaving the Bell, J’hin drops into the astral plane and travels to the warehouse to check it out. A quick scan of the boat by the warehouse turns up that there are some crates (previously organic) containing some old books (leather bound) still in the hold. J’hin’s returns and orders Habib to return to the warehouse.

J’hin’s player then looks through the Grimoire for the rules on multiple spells. He has difficulty and can not find them. The GM makes a “random knowledge” roll for Habib who gets one die...

Habib bursts into the character’s conversation with, “I think sir that if you look on page 346 of the Thaumaturgists Guide to Better Spellcasting, you will find exactly how to do that which is so confounding you.” J’hin asks Habib, “Do you know where this book is?” Habib immediately produces a copy from under his coat. Habib rolled a 52.

So J’hin’s player looks up the appropriate page in the sourcebook and learns alot about spellcasting. Alot. So much, in fact, that he determines that he does not feel a mage needs intelligence in this game. Instead, he thinks that he needs body in order to resist spell drain. (Which he realizes after the third adventure is incorrect.) So he asks if he can change his character; exchanging intelligence points for body. Suddenly, in the back of the cab, J’hin spontaneously gets pumped up and stupid.

Now, with the players more informed, they return to the Warehouse at 2 AM.

...sorta...

Actually, they stop the cab just down from the warehouse and J’hin casts a three part improved invisibility in order to make them all invisible. They exit the cab and J’hin tells Habib to wait for them there.

They begin creeping along the docks toward number 72. The GM tells them, as they hide behind some crates that they see the warehouse, a smaller building with a sign that says Warehouse 72 Offices, and the boat across the dock. They then agree to rush across to the wharf side of the docks to check out the boat.

J’hin goes first and just as he is half way across - right in the brightest light - out in the open - his cell phone rings. He shuts off the ringer and barely misses detection. Next Aidan goes. HIS cell phone rings half way across and he follows the same procedure, but changes his phone to vibrate mode. Finally, Daphne shuts off her phone and runs across. Now hidden behind other boxes - closer to the boat and farther from the warehouse - they are able to see more movement.

Sailors and dockworkers are going up and down planks loading and unloading random stuff from the large ship. Our intrepid heroes notice a pattern to their comings and goings from the ship and plan to sneak between people up one of the gangplanks. Aidan first, everything is OK. J’hin next, still OK. Two of them are now on the boat. Finally, Daphne attempts. Halfway, one of the crewmen stumble for a step and she runs into them - alerting him to her presence. He then spends much time trying to figure out what just hit him as the gangplank becomes loaded with people - Daphne in the middle.

J’hin takes this opportunity to cast shadow on the boat - as he notices several armed guards share the deck with them. Aidan moves off toward the hold and does not see the guard creeping after him. J’hin does and moves in to wack the guard.

Daphne pulls her gun and attempts to off the poor sap who ran into her. Unfortunately, Daphne rolls VERY poorly and is not able to hurt the crewman. He immediatly begins a brawl with her and some other crewmembers - wondering what’s happening - are able to see through her invisibility.

Meanwhile, J’hin swiftly kills the guard following Aidan while Aidan kills a guard guarding the entrance to the hold. J’hin then casts a physical mask spell to make his invisible self look like the guard he just killed. Aidan creeps into the hold and is faced with another guard. He kills him easily. Another guard rushes to the entrance and J’hin wheels to him. Ironically, the guard sees through the invisibility, but not the mask and is shot by his dead comrad.

Back on the plank, Daphne still fares no better. She has tossed her guns and is now trying a good old fashioned street fight. Punching and kicking, however, are not doing her any better. Some dock workers are beginning to jeer and place bets. J’hin then drops the invisibility on Daphne outright - as it really isn’t helping her. Her phone vibra-rings. She doesn’t answer it.

Aidan then disappears into the hold. As he does, his phone vibra- rings. Faced with another worker - Aidan is forced to kill him. He then decides to sit behind some boxes and check his messages.

Two messages. The first - from Masa?

“Mista Creed? Mista Creed this is Masa. Tell J’hin to call me right away. Tell him itsa very important. I needa talk to him. OK Bye.”

The second - from Masa?

“Mista Creed! Mista Creed this is Masa. I needa talk to J’hin right away!!! Pick up the phone! I can see you! Pick up the phone!! OK tell J’hin to call me. Bye.”

So Aidan returns to the ship’s deck only to be confronted by the dead guard’s head. (A partial success to see through the invisibility.) This, however, does not phase Aidan. He tells J’hin to check his messages. J’hin does.

First message - Masa.

“J’hin! Where you going? Itsa in the Warehouse! Itsa not in the boat, itsa in the Warehouse! Da book is in the warehouse! OK Bye.”

At this point, J’hin looks at Aidan and says calmly, “It’s a warehouse adventure. We need to go to the warehouse. The book’s not on the boat.”

They return to the deck to find Daphne still on the plank battling away. J’hin decides to help her out and creates the illusion of a fire on the docks. Through the commotion, Daphne is able to get a lucky shot and get away. The dock foreman goes spaz and calls the fire department. Our heroes then take the opportunity to leave the boat via a now empty gangplank and hide again on the dock, moving quickly toward the warehouse. The firetrucks pass them and J’hin allows the fire illusion to lapse. A very long argument then ensues between the dock foreman and the fire chief as to why dock foremen should not place prank calls and how it is actually illegal. As Daphne is reunited with the group, she decides to check her messages.

First message - Masa.

“Hey Daphne! This is Masa. Tell J’hin to call me right away! I can see ya- Oooh. You no fight so well. You visit my friend at da So So Do Jo. He fix you right up, teach you how fight good. OK - Tell J’hin to call me. OK Bye.”

And now on to the Warehouse!

...sorta...

At this point, our heroes are given the option of going to the warehouse or the 72 offices. Then make a B-Line for the 72 offices door... J’hin decides to create an illusion of the dead guard to follow them, so that he will be incriminated, as they are all invisible. And at about 4 AM they move toward the door - invisible J’hin, followed by invisible Daphne, followed by invisible Aidan, followed by the visible dead guard...

See how it originally ended.
See how it became for the campaign.

Go to Part 2. (Not Created Yet)
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