Play@YSDC

Make a idea roll.

Vance has a good idea of how he might start researching.

There is a library, in the chemical departement in the university that is used by all kind of nerds; surely some of them may help. And there is the bar "Confessions of a mask" used by all kind of fixer's and runners in real world that may help too to get some info.

Vance heads to the university library first. He's at home in a university setting, and using some old-fashioned books is a comfort for him.

You enter the library. There are 5 sectors: 4 of them are with computers and data bases and the fifth (a small room) is with books. It's full of nerds (some use actually glasses!), with an old lady who is probably the librarian.

Vance first tries looking at one of the computers to see what he can find himself. He plans to then peruse the books, ask the librarian, and finally try the geeks.

He is looking for any information that could help him find out more about the drug or the company.

Make two library rolls, a credit rating and persuade roll.

Vance thinks of a way to find information.

Here are all the rolls:,http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2068973/ The only one I made was the second library use.

The students simply ignore you. The librarian points you several books of biology, about eggs, the reproductive system of reptiles and birds, but it’s all pointless. Slowly you turn to mythological books, and in a small book called “Obscure and lost books” you find a phrase that calls your attention: a certain Jorge of Burgos, a Benedictine monk from the XIV century had written a treaty about the enemies of the Church (De hostes ecclesiam) and the ways to recognize them. He had once translated the fragments of a book called “Liber Ivonis” full of blasphemous content that he refused to quote, except the phrase: “even so, the world is full of dangers, but some of the worst are still lurking, awaiting a moment of distraction of humankind to recover what was once their domain, and they should be smashed when still in the eggs shell”. Unfortunely, no more data is available: the monastery (in the north of Italy) burned in the late XIV century, destroying the book from Jorge and no copies are know to exist.

Vance heads over to the computers. Perhaps he can look through news or the database for any other meanings or news about Eggshell or the Cannibal's Locust.

Make a knowlege roll divided by half.

Fortunately, Vance knows something useful.

You discover that the gang was from south Korea.

Interesting. It looks like I've exhausted the resources of the library, so unless anything else looks useful, I suppose it is time to check in with Patrick and Rubix.

You see Patrick appear.

"Hey, Vance," says Patrick, joining him and speaking quietly - in part because they're in a library, but also because he doesn't want to be overheard. "I found out some very interesting things. It seems that four people have died from taking Egg Shell from hemorrhages, and all of them were geneticists working for GeneEden. I think the drug may have been tailored as an assassination weapon, deadly to someone whose DNA matches a specific profile, but relatively harmless to anyone else. GeneEden was founded 20 years ago by millionaire James Darryl, but it was small time until around 2020, when it began taking market share from its chief competitor, BioSoft. GeneEden wants to improve humans and it entered the big time by selling cosmetic drugs and genetically engineering babies so their parents could choose their appearance. That's illegal in America and Europe, so guess where they have a big clinic and research center: North Korea. There are also rumors that they do experiments on the poor there. They're not known to make recreational drugs, and they're against mechanical enhancements as unnatural.

"BioSoft was founded in the late twentieth century, and it dominated the market until GeneEden came on the scene. They specialize in improving crops and livestock genetically, and they want to remove all physical imperfections. They used to modify pets, but stopped when animal rights groups raised a stink, though they still do testing on animals. They started cloning human organs, but it's very expensive and only the rich can afford it. Other companies do it too now, but BioSoft's organs are seen as having fewer defects. They do their experiments in South America.

"Both of these companies might have know-how to create something like Egg Shell. I think BioSoft is the more likely suspect, since GeneEden seems to be the target and the two of them are competitors. What did you find out?"

"The last think you'd expect in a library - the Cannibal's Locust is from South Korea. Perhaps Biosoft is using them to attack GeneEden, exploiting their patriotism. Other than that I haven't had much luck, although I've read an interesting, probably irrelevant quotes that could be the source of the name Eggshell - “even so, the world is full of dangers, but some of the worst are still lurking, awaiting a moment of distraction of humankind to recover what was once their domain, and they should be smashed when still in the eggs shell”.

Where to go from here? I don't know. Investigate GeneEden and the Locust, but how? Breaking and entering? There should be something else we can do first. "

"That is interesting," says Patrick. "I was considering digger deeper online, but I'd need to buy a better program to have a decent chance, and even then there's no guarantee. These companies don't have top security, but it's better than average. A better deck would really help out there, but I just can't afford one yet. Maybe the Cannibal's Locust has a presence online. I can look into that next. While I'm here, though, I can see if I can help find anything else." He tries, but he isn't as used to the outdated technology.

You see several journals still made in paper, but you lose quickly the interest. And you get your fingers dirt with the ink.

"Ping"- Patrick got mail.

Patrick wipes off his fingers, then checks his mail.

"We can also look in the real world for rumors - there's an establishment, Confessions of a Mask, that we might stop at," Vange suggest, waiting casually for Patrick to check his mail.

"That's a good idea," says Patrick. He replies to the mail: "Hey, Dine. What did you have in mind?"

"I'll pass the info along," replies Patrick to Dine. "How much are they offering?" He speaks to Vance. "Just got a message from a small-time fixer named Dine. Some university professors are looking for an escort and a runner for an expedition to explore some ruins in Canada, and he thought we'd be perfect for the job. Dine's too much of a coward to take jobs himself; he'd much rather get the 10% fee for arranging them while staying safe at home. He can usually be relied on not to betray people he does business with - unless he has no other choice."

"Dine says the job pays about $300 a day for a month," Patrick tells Vance, "plus food and insurance for accidents and lost equipment. Not a bad deal. If we do this, I'll easily be able to afford a better deck and some more programs to go with it.

OOC,Did you really mean $300 per day? That's $90,000 for 30 days' work. It doesn't make sense that he'd say "the money is not much" when that is a lot of money.

"Professors? But I couldn't, not again - but this time they'll pay me. I can't resist. Sign me up."

"Okay, I'll let Dine know," says Patrick. "He gets 10 percent, but that still leaves $8,100." He replies to Dine: "We'll take the job."

OOC: Its 8100$ for each.

Patrick,Great! Take a plane then and go to the university of Arkhan. It's the departement of Social and Equality Historical Studies of Integrated Humankind and Patrimony

"Dine says we need to catch a flight to get to the University of Arkham," says Patrick. "The professors organizing the expedition are with the Department of Social and Equality Historical Studies of Integrated Humankind and Patrimony - whatever that is."

OOC: Can we follow to Arkham, or do you want to do anything else?

OOC: You must declare all the military equipement and it will be shiped in the cargo (but you cannot take it personaly with you). About the arm: nothing can indeed be done, but you will be investigated first, and if you are considered a danger for some reason (passed condenations) you may be refused the entry on board; since it isn't the case, there isn't any problem (but you will be watched).

OOC: Sounds good to me. Vance wouldn't really want to use a revolver or a crossbow on a plane. Can he keep his axe? If he cannot, no big deal.

OOC: You can spend some time in the bar (something like 4 turns of game).

OOC: Vance will do that and keep his ears open, but then he would like very much to get to Arkham on time and make a good impression with his new employers.

Most people is talking about the baseball game of tonight. Some are talking abouth some massive atacks of hackers in Asia.

Patrick listens closely for more details about the attacks by hackers in Asia, curious as to whether the hackers are Korean and what targets they were attacking.

Several companies were attacked, but it's all very vague, and nobody knows exactly who were the companies that were attacked or what kind of attacks they sufered. The companies were from North Korea, Vietnam and Pakistan; there are rumours that since those are economies who are starting to grow, thet probably victims of runners from countries like Japan, China or South Korea.

Interesting. This sounds like a trend that could become important later. I'm guessing that it is on to Arkham now?

"This may be connected," Patrick whispers to Vance. "Maybe it was South Korean runners behind this, and they were targeting a certain North Korean company. The other attacks could be part of a smokescreen, or these runners may have taken advantage of this wave of attacks to mask their activities. I could go online and see if I can find out more before we go. It won't take long."

Go to the Netrunning section

Vance packs his fews belongings, settles the rent, and attempts to find the best deal on airline tickets while Patrick does his online investigation.

You find a cheap flight for just 50 dolars (no food include).

(I've been overseas, hence the lack of posting recently.)

Vance is find with the flight. He waits for Rubix and Patrick to be ready.

"Hey, Patrick, are you done following up what we heard at the Mishima bar? Won't mattter in Canada - probably will, everything is connected somewhat," he says, then remembers than Patrick cannot hear him while online.

OOC: Hope everything is going ok with you!

Spot Hidden roll please.

With an "Aha!", Vancenotices something.

OOC: Fine right now...how about you?

You notice that someone is following you. The same girl you meet last night.

Vance turns and approaches her. After flashing a smile of recognition, he asks abruptly,
"Pardon my rudeness, but why no modifications? Everyone seems to have some sort of modification these days."

"The same could be said of food and water," replies Vance. The girl's unusual attitude continues to make him curious.

-Yes, I know that. That's why I have bought a filter that purify the water, and I only buy traditional food.


OOC: You have 5 points to put in skills.

"Interesting. Is this a movement?"

OOC: I'm thinking about them.

Tariq says his goodbyes, but wonders if the girl was hiding something.

OOC: I suppose we board the plane next?

OOC: Yes, but don't forget to spend the 5 points.