Runner's Companion.pdf - Free

Simon Wentworth (order #1132857) 9advanced lifestyles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164Network Bottleneck –1Even though wireless is everywhere, your neighborhood has abottleneck in the traffic because of a limitation of relays or a MPSresource hog from spambots or a highschool. Response is reducedby two when operating from this home.No Forwarding Address –1The previous tenants were deadbeats, and now you’veinherited their problems. Angry creditors, stray pets, and evenunwanted packages show up on your doorstop. In the Matrix, yourcommlink gets calls from debt-collection agencies, endless spam,and the occasional disconnect notice. This quality can apply to theMatrix, physical locations, or both.Nosy Neighbors –2Whether friendly and well-meaning or just plain busybodies,your neighbors are constantly poking into the comings and goingsfrom you home and meddling in your business. Depending on thecontext, the neighbors may not be too happy to find out aboutyour “alternative means of employment” (and may even report youto law enforcement). Characters with Nosy Neighbors should beparticularly careful about their activities since potential antagonistswill find it easy to find useful informants (possibly misguidedrather than malicious) in the neighborhood. Information gatheringattempts against you around your neighborhood benefit froma +3 dice pool modifier.No Privacy –1 per level (up to 3 levels)This home is open to the point that those on the street cansee what you’re wearing this morning. External observation of thehome is much easier, reducing the threshold for Perception Testsagainst residents by the level chosen. The problem may be largewindows, thin curtains, or a Spartan neighborhood. Choose thetype of observation (Matrix, Astral, or Physical) to which you wishto apply this quality.Pest Magnet –1/–3Pests and strays are drawn to your home, and they chew holesin your favorite jacket, eat food left out, and build nests in yourclosets. Extermination fixes the problem for a few days, at best.At the second level, the pests include venomous or paranormalcritters, such as black widow spiders or devil rats. The type of pestand infestation effects are up to the gamemaster.Poor Condition –1The home is vulnerable to certain weather or elementalconditions. For example, when it rains, the roof leaks or the basementfloods. Maybe it’s so hot in the summer or cold in the winterthat the vinyl furniture molds to your butt or your goldfish bowlfreezes over.Rough Neighborhood –1The home is in an area where people are stereotypically thecriminal type. Gangs are more active, people are more aggressive,and people don’t even walk in the daytime without protection.Regardless of Security, crime is double that of the given type ofneighborhood purchased.Sprite Magnet –1/-3Your home attracts sprites that seem to enjoy inhabiting yourCHN, drones, and wireless systems. Roll a die. On a hit, a spritehas inhabited a device or node in your home (such as your CHNor a drone) and refuses to allow you access for a period to be determinedby the gamemaster. At the second level, the sprites do actualdamage to the system (for example, frying the electrical systems orusing your drones to attack metahuman inhabitants). This qualityrequires Necessities at a Low or higher level.This Isn’t Big Bob’s Autos –1Your commlink number is one digit off from a popular business,or your MSP provider repeatedly routes the wrong numbersto you. You constantly get calls for the other number at all hoursof the day and night.Trigger-Happy Landlord –1Your landlord has no patience for you, your friends, and thevarious problems you bring home. If you’re thirty minutes lateon the rent, he’ll be pounding on your door. Loud parties will beinterrupted by the landlord (or he may just call the cops on you).See Pay Up (or Move Out) p. 161.Unsound/Unsafe –2/–3The house has been damaged by fire, flood, vandals, etc. andis considered condemned. Roll a die. On a hit, the house has fallenapart in some way that drops an aspect of your lifestyle (Comfort,Necessity, or Security) to Squatter level for a length of time determinedby the gamemaster. This quality requires Necessities at aLow or higher level.At Unsafe level, an occupant is injured, as well. Damage tothe occupant is determined by the gamemaster.Examples include a water pipe that leaks into the bedroom, awindow falls out, mold is found, someone falls through the flooror stairs, you get food poisoning from your malfunctioning foodstorage unit, an outlet electrocutes you, or you discover a carbonmonoxide leak.Worse Neighbors –1While you thought your business was bad, your neighborshave worse occupations, and they occasionally bring it home, legalor otherwise. Undesirables hang around your neighborhood, andthe police make constant visits. Examples of Worse Neighborsinclude a BTL manufacturer, a bunraku parlor, a devil rat trainer,a Humanis Policlub meeting house, or a ghoul den.Sample LifestylesThe following sample lifestyles were designed using the rulesin the preceding sections.Red Hat Organic Living Co-opLiving in a co-op means you get a variety of housemates toshare chores and costs (and even introduce you to their hot sister).Of course, you have to spend time dealing with the lazy membersof the household as well, and all their friends, and if you shirkyour chores you may just find your stuff—and yourself—kickedto the curb.Runner’s Companion