This is Maria de Soto Sanchez-Green, reporting for the Independent News Network live from Innercity Everett at the Yuan Family Cleaners: the scene of a grizzly and bizarre series of events. From what I can gather, Lone Star offices arrived on the scene to find three Chinese men dead and as what one Lone Star officer told me, signs of an explosion. Lone Star was not allowed further access to the building when the owner, a one Xuan “Jimmy” CheYuan arrived on scene. And that is when the story takes a turn for the gory. More sensitive viewers should turn on the violence filter before we show you this next clip. Now in this clip, we can see Jimmy Yuan talking to Lone Star officers when a sniper bullet splits Jimmy’s head open. A complete lock-down of the area followed immediately and as this reporter can attest: Lone Star is not taking this lying down; as my sources have confirmed Lone Star has recovered a bullet shell and searching for further leads. It is not so much of the death of petty underworld figure Jimmy Yuan but the blatant assassination under Lone Star’s very nose that has the security agency inching for answers. The high scale murder of such a low figure might mean underworld violence is here to stay in once sleepy city of Everett. Reporting live from Innercity Everett, this Maria de Soto Sanchez-Green, reporting for the Independetn News Network: Were the Truth is the News.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
INN news report: the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Massacre
This is Maria de Soto Sanchez-Green, reporting for the Independent News Network, live at the
I also asked Lone Star about the day-time robbery of a Budweiser delivery truck earlier this week. The official statement from Lone Star states that the Budweiser robbery and the assault on the Radio-Shack truck were operating under different operandus modi. While the Radio-Shack security guards were killed and left in the street, the Budweiser delivery staff was kidnapped and dropped in a different part of town. Thus far, the Lone Star investigation of the Budweiser theft has not turned up any clues.
With two different but dramatic day-time robberies has caught the attention of the city and all corporations. We can see added personal and security today just hours after the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Massacre.
This is Maria de Soto Sanchez-Green, reporting for the Independetn News Network: Were the Truth is the News.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Select Excerpts from Dunkelzahn’s Last Will and Testaments
To the party who finds the bones of the dragon skeleton for which I possess the head, I offer two options. You may keep the bones, or turn them over to the Draco Foundation for a reward. All discoveries must be independently verified as dragon bones, such identification to be made by any living dragon. The Draco Foundation will assemble all pieces of the skeleton it receives and display the result in the Smithsonian Institution for the edification of the general public. My admittedly incomplete research indicates the following coordinates as likely locations for dragon bones: Latitude 41°, Longitude 121°; Latitude 41° 50n, Longitude 87° 45w; Latitude 47° 21n, Longitude 122° 12w; Latitude 19° 24n, Longitude 99° 9w; Latitude 65°, Longitude 130°; Latitude 39° 44n, Longitude 104° 59w.
I leave 100,000 nuyen for each of the following people to be rescued from the Chicago Containment Zone: James Delany, Dr. Edward Oden, Gregory Armtwister, Protacio Corcoran, Katherine Sitsu and Sissel McCarthy.
[This following paragraph is to be placed in the public-access area of the Matrix.] ATTENTION! To any and all persons capable of discovering "where a Rock meets the Sky," the 2 million nuyen, amulets and weapons at that place are yours for the keeping provided that you accomplish the task described in the enclosed datachips within 1 year of my demise. The anime will accompany you to make sure the job is done properly. Because this endeavor is of special personal interest to me, I have taken numerous precautions to assure its completion.
I leave 1 million nuyen to any group or individual who ensures the safe return of Mary-Beth Tyre to her home. Mary-Beth was kidnapped
To any person who can prove he or she shook hands with John F. Kennedy, present yourself to the Draco Foundation at any time, and the Foundation will grant you one wish. He seemed like a nice person.
To any person who possesses a ticket stub to Maria Mercurial’s only foray into country music, performed at My Brother’s Place in the
To the first party to develop a self-motivational robotic unit that meets the specifications laid out by the Draco Foundation, I leave 10 million nuyen for continued research.
To the first party to determine what lies behind the door of room 5B78 of the Aztechnology Pyramid in Tenochtitlán and file a report of their findings on Shadowland, I leave 5 million nuyen or medical care for the remainder of their natural life, whichever seems most appropriate.
To the first party to successfully explain the existence, abilities and origin of the children of the Matrix, known as the otaku, I leave 5 million nuyen for continued research into the relationship between mind and machine.
To the first party to find my lair in the
To the first party to track down the Russian crown jewels, I leave that treasure except for the scepter and crown, which the Draco Foundation will return to the descendants of its original owners. According to my research, the jewels were smuggled from the country inside a spinet piano, one of nine belonging to the royal palace. The jewels were not in the four spinets that I have acquired. There are three more that I have been unable to track down, and two currently in the possession of private collectors.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Shadowrun Timeline
2011 The Year of Chaos
2012 First spotting of a dragon signals change in the world.
2015
2018
2020 The World Bank defaults
2021 World Wide Goblinization
2025 (1) Lone Star replaces police in the
2028 Major earthquake hits
2029 The Crash of ’29 leads to a world economic crisis
2030 UCAS formed
2032 The Zurich-Orbital Gemeinschaft Bank founded
2033 (1) CAS formed. (2) Damien Knight acquired 22 percent of Ares stock in a single nanosecond.
2037 (1) California Free State formed. (2)
2039 (1) International tensions over metahumans erupt in the “Night of Rage.” (2) Also in 2039, Fuchi sponsored the Universal Matrix Specification Conference in
2045 After years of infighting a German Alliance gains control of much of the former nation, excluding
2046
2048 The World Corp’s Court forces Aztlan to pay reparations of any corporation that was affected when
2049 Bioware and Cyberware become more common sights on the streets.
2051
2055
2056 President Steele forced to abdicated UCAS office
2057 President Dunkelzahn assassinated night of inauguration
2058 Miles Lanier, then current head of Fuchi Internal Security, assumes a seat on the board of Renraku Corporation. How Lanier was able to secure the seat remains a mystery.
2059 (1) Richard Villiers founds Novatech Corporation in
2060 Both Wuxing Incorporated and the Horizon Group and smaller industries like Cross Applied Technology and Novatech are gaining ground on the Big Eight Megacorps and the term Big Eight might have to change, depending on who survives the Corp Wars that is.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Fantastic Locations: The Rock of Grimm
Place: The Rock of Grimm
Location: The Astral
Portals: the Outlands – The
Description: Ancient history of the Rock of Grimm is slim at best and there is an old saying amongst the people of Grimm: lies are cheap but the truth is expensive. The Warlord Grimm captured a section of the Outlands and established a portal to the Astral where Warlord Grimm had seeded a large chuck of rock. The Warlord had seeded the chuck of rock with a plants and trees and found a way to sustain water in a series of wells. In the last two hundred years the Warlord Grimm has secured himself a dominate position for trade and access to the multiverse.
Now the Rock of Grimm is a port of call for the Astral. Hundreds of docks and warehouses litter the surface of the Rock as well as the homes, inns, and stores of the population. Travelers from thirty worlds pass through Grimm’s gate towns paying heavy taxes but for a benefit of a free port. The Rock of Grimm is very much a free port for pirates and merchants alike; paying host to what would seem an all most equal number. One can see odd sights like Mind Flayer and Beholder slave auctions, Githaynki, Elves, and all sorts of creatures seemingly mingling together. Fore all fear the Wrath of Grimm.
Legend has it that the Mind Flayers once sought to capture and dominate the Rock of Grimm and that the Warlord himself personal slew anywhere from one hundred to one thousand Illithid. But today the Mind Flayers are tolerated and that is just the odd life that is the Rock of Grimm.
Ruler: Warlord Grimm – Not much is know about this impressively tall and stoic creature. Some say he is a man, others a god, some a demon but all know not to cross the Warlord or feel his Wrath (that is right dear readers it is in capital letters). The Warlord holds court one day a week where he is attended by nine members of a council of advisers (all selected by the Warlord of course). The Warlord will hear everyone that comes to hear him on that day and there are many theories as to what time of day to solicit the Warlord depending on the topic. Most say to ask the Warlord in the morning for the bureaucratic matters, in the afternoon for maters of justice, and at night for personal matters. The common thought is that in the morning if one brings tribute one can get good deals, while in the afternoon one needs to present their case boldly to gain the attention of the Warlord, and a night one needs to appeal to the Warlord tastes (whatever that might be at the time).
Features of the Rock of Grimm
Water – Legend has that the Warlord somehow put water into the rock for people to be able to drill for wells. Stories go that it just might be a decanter of endless water, or water elementals trapped, or a portal to the Elemental Plane of Water, or other such nonsense. If one digs deep enough through the surface of the Rock one will spring a well of water. This has lead to different cultures either embracing the water or finding ways to divert it.
Either way this has led to some excavation which has turned up odd findings. Some have found Mind Flayer remains, both physical and cultural dating back at least four hundred years. About eighty to one hundred years after that remains of Beholders can be found but not as extensively as Mind Flayer. This has led some to believe that the Mind Flayers might have been the original occupants until wiped-out by Beholders. The Beholder remains do not last long and then one can find Dwarven remains dating back about three hundred years but those too disappear quickly. An odd note: the Dwarven cultural is big on burial customs and to date no tombs have been found, only Dwarven dwellings and forges; with most found having half completed weapons.
Law and Crime – There are three magistrates that administer the law: one deals with the merchants, one deals with the portal, and one deals with the general population. The magistrates employ lots of thugs along with the standard City Guard. The thugs do a lot of the grunt work, while the City Guard is for display. The word of the magistrates might as well be as good as law. The Warlord also selects a nine member council of advisers, usually a rotating group of people who are in the favor of the Warlord of the time being. While the council members do have the ear of the Warlord, the magistrates get the benefit of the doubt during the weekly court.
While there is some crime most is not petty. There is usually enough work at the docks or warehouses for a person to earn a living as to not to turn to theft. There is just not a pick pocket operator or beggar class in this society. The major crime is smuggling – not paying the hefty tax on the Rock of Grimm. The unforgivable crime is arson – the trees and plant life are vital to maintaining the atmosphere and if one is found to be an arson death is soon to follow, sometimes even in the case of an accident. Woe be to the wizard that unleashes a fireball spell, a few have even been lynched by the populous. Sometimes council members can buy freedom for a criminal for a lump sum of gold.
Provocation – thirty days hard labor
Common Theft – one year hard labor
-second offense – two years hard labor
-third offense – death, beheading
Burglary – one year hard labor
Armed Robbery – five years hard labor
Manslaughter – five years hard labor
Murder – death, beheading
Piracy (smuggling) – death, beheading
Negligent, Arson – ten years hard labor
Arson – death, impalement
Personalities – The Sages Three – one a former Red Wizard of Thay, one a former Wizard of the Red Robes, and one a former wizard of the Scarlet Brotherhood. All were once truly evil but turned toward neutrality in search of sage knowledge. The Sages are concerned with all things Astral, Magical, and Fantastic and are known to pay and require a high price for information. The Sages Three can be found in their headquarters: the Library of the Spheres.
The Arcane – A race of odd merchants, at least one can be found on the Rock at any given time. Most will lease a warehouse and host a store front but some like to hold up in an inn and have all their desires fulfilled. The Arcane act as the go-between for several races and the go-to-guy for adventures; always at a high price and of course no refunds on transactions (both Duke Nightmare and the High Cleric Kareem dealt with an Arcane before at the Infernal Bazaar).
The Sydnee Line – A specialty passenger service that can get one to most major cities in a dozen worlds for the right price. The specialty is speed at the cost of, well, cost.
The Chainmen – Human slavers that cross the Outlands gathering the lost as slaves to sell on the Rock of Grimm. The law states that slave is one brought in bound in service, so the Chainmen bind their slaves in chains and have them haul loads with most slaves being quickly sold to Drow, Beholders, and Mind Flayers. Chainmen do not dwell much on the Rock of Grimm, they like to get their money and leave. Some might be seen drinking at the more questionable taverns, gambling at pit fights, and in the employ of evil creatures.
Drugan’s Legion – Drugan the Old is the master of a mercenary company that makes the Rock of Grimm its home. Drugan convinced Grimm that the mercenaries should be allowed shelter between missions and that if the Rock ever be attacked the Legion would defend it. Drugan converted a warehouse into a barracks but some Legionnaires rent dwellings on the Rock and have families. Drugan’s Legion is known as one of the finest companies in the Astral but at a hefty price (do you see the picture dear reader?). The mercenaries are assigned into five units: marines, artillerists, and magical support (over 500 soldiers, mages, clerics, and rogues).
The Dwarven Boarding Company – Another mercenary company but they do not technically dwell on the Rock but these Dwarves love a good time and spending money and the Rock is good for that. The Boarding Company is a very large and complex organization but the Dwarves found on the Rock are more like marines on shore leave.
House Zudrick – Now here there be Dwarves, a merchant clan that settled on the Rock fifty years ago. House Zudrick specializes in seeking out other asteroids in the Astral and stripping them of their mineral resources.
The Entertainers Guild – By some a thieves guild by others a necessity, this guild represents any performer and makes sure they get top dollar for their service. How they do this might be a mystery but most do not bother to look into it because well the music is good, the dancing girls are good looking, and the jesters make fools of themselves.
The Honored Mages Guild – Large by most standards, this odd guild is a collection of wizards that teach apprentices and then move on. The apprentice then teaches another and moves on like his master before. There are times when a master might have one or more apprentices and some masters stay and teach for years but by most accounts it is a one and done system. The Council of the Honored Seven maintains a magical tower with a library, laboratories, and barracks.
The Shipwright’s Guild – This guild encompasses the majority of the year-round population of the rock the craftsmen and those associated with the docks. This guild will take on contracts to build Astral vessels but builds strictly by two rules: Grimm comes first and build for everyone else as the orders come in. Many have tried to bribe and con their way to get ships built or even move ahead in the list just to get turned over to Grimm to face punishment.
The
The Arena of Frun – Should be called the arena of not fun dear reader because the only thing going on here are mock gladiatorial games, archery contests, jousts, and the like. So if one has a taste for blood one needs to look for the illegal pit fighting that pops up from time to time.
Eladar the half-elf Astral Cartographer – Known throughout Astral-space, Eladar has maps leading to hundreds of worlds. Eladar was once a bold adventurer and is now retired but enjoys learning of new locations. Many have come to Eladar to never return, some say this half-elf sometimes sends adventures to their doom for whatever reason others say Eladar gave them exactly what they wanted and never returned for other reasons. Those reasons either being the completion of one destiny or death.
The Lock and Key – Pry the Gnome maintains this human sized shop but has a gnome sized work table for herself amongst the human sized worktables for her apprentices. Pry sells three kinds of locks: common (30gp), superior (with -20% to Pick Pocket, 60gp), and the special (-40%, 240gp). Pry keeps a unique lock that has a standing reward of 20gp to any thief that can open it (-60% to Pick Pocket attempts).
Morfgarr’s Reclamation – Morfgarr the Old was once known as Morfgarr the Bold and terror to all that faced him in battle. Now this wizened wizard buys and sells magical items. By chance there are usually five to twenty potions in stock and a random chance for any other item. There is a 30% chance that Morfgarr has any magical item under 2000xp in value and might sell it for two to twelve times the item’s xp value in gp. There is a 5% chance that Morfgarr has any item under 3500xp value at five to twenty times the item’s xp value in gp. [Note: Morfgarr is subject to DM discretion]
Thursday, December 30, 2010
To Catch a Demon
Of the Layers of the Infinite Abyss, level sixty-five is home to a couple of evil gods. Most important to our dear readers is the New Dark God and his realm of the Fiendholme; a twisted mansion to the macabre. And dear readers in the Fiendholme the Herald of the New Dark God, the vampire/cleric, sorts through the treasures the
Of the loot give up as tribute by the High Cleric Kareem, one of them requires the attention and special talents that belong to the Master of the Past and Present, Sephiroth. The Herald of the New Dark God hands over a scrap of parchment that has the true name of a demon prince; namely Ebulon a former chief general of Graz’zt that was slain by the Demogorgon and tossed in a Well of Darkness on layer seventy-three of the Abyss, Sephiroth is given the quest to secure the release of Ebulon and to bring the demon prince back to the Fiendholme so the New Dark God can corrupt and transform Ebulon in the image of the New Dark God. While this might be a quest suited for an army of adventures, Sephiroth the Lich will handle this personally.
Sephiroth starts by teleporting himself to a plane of existence that he had not traveled to in ages, maybe in another life, definitely in time long past. The world of Abeir-Toril is home to some of the most fantastic cities and has spawned some of the multiverses greatest champions. But Sephiroth seeks not grand cities or epic adventures. No the Arch-Lich seeks one of his own kind: another lich.
And that dear reader brings us to Larloch, once sorcerer-king of Netheril, who created a powerful artifact that allowed him to summon and control beings from other worlds. This evil power eventually led Larloch down the path to lichdom and survived the fall the Netheril Empire to this day in the dungeon levels below the now ruined Warlock’s Tower. The story goes that hundreds of adventures have sought glory under the Warlock’s Tower to never return. They say dear reader that only Szass Tam was able to survive a trip under the Warlock’s Tower to emerge with an item known as Death Moon Orb. But they, and as you know dear reader you should never trust a they, but they say that Szass Tam while the mightiest of the Red Wizards of Thay cut a deal with Larloch that would result in Szass Tam becoming a lich under Larloch’s control.
Szass Tam tried to use Death Moon Orb to steal all the power of the tanari’ri Eltab, Lord of the Hidden Layer but was defeated by some of those epic adventures of Toril that I mentioned before dear reader. While Szass Tam was defeated, the Death Moon Orb was not recovered and believed to be back in the possession of Larloch. And that dear reader is where our hero Sephiroth comes in.
Though few will know the true dark bargain made the story that another survived a trip below the Warlock’s Tower will slip out. And most importantly dear reader that the second “person” was another lich and that for the second time Death Moon Orb was given out to use. What deal did Sephiroth cut to gain access to Death Moon Orb? What long term consequences will arise from dealing with a lich? And not to say what happens when Graz’zt finds out that his friend Ebulon has been freed only to be imprisoned again by the New Dark God?
Well dear reader these are questions for a higher power, concerns for those of have the stomach for it. Is that to say dear reader that you cannot handle the grim adventures of Sephiroth? And the answer is a simple yes, yes the adventures of Sephiroth and the New Dark God are going places that no mortal man care dare imagine.